Birmingham Post

Saddam's Mourners Threaten Revenge

Saddam Hussein's supporters last night vowed to take revenge for his execution as hundreds of Iraqis travelled to his burial site to pay tribute. The former dictator, who was hanged on Saturday for crimes against humanity, was buried shortly before dawn yesterday at a religious compound in his home village of Ouja.

Israel Offers Safe Haven for Student Sisters

The Home Office was under pressure last night to halt the deportation of two Birmingham students after the Israeli government promised a safe haven for them. Twin sisters Karina and Kamila Kaya, aged 18, who are studying at Bournville College of Further Education and hope to become doctors, face being forcibly sent back to their native Kyrgystan, part of the former Soviet Union, on Wednesday.

Wounded Para Recovering After Superbug Attack

A paratrooper who was airlifted from Afghanistan to be treated at a Birmingham hospital is now battling MRSA, it was reported yesterday. Sergeant David 'Paddy' Caldwell had been leading 5 Platoon of B Company in an assault on a Taliban compound when he was shot in the neck, according to his colleagues.

News Digest: Murder Charge Man Remanded

A man charged with the murder of a father-of-two found in the street with severe head injuries was remanded in custody yesterday. Martin McGuinness is the fourth to be accused of killing Daron Har-greaves, who was found in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, last week.

News Digest: Cbso to Mark Elgar Milestone

A series of events in 2007 will mark the 150th anniversary of Land Of Hope And Glory composer Edward Elgar. Born in the small village of Lower Broad-heath, outside Worcester, in 1857, Elgar had a long association with the city of Birmingham.

Mystery of Heightened Security Around Queen

Armed police stood guard as the Queen and members of the Royal Family attended a church service amid tight security yesterday. Visitors arriving to see the Royals visit St Mary Magdalene Church on the Queen's estate at Sandringham, Norfolk, were subjected to body searches as police checked identities.

New Year's Eve

Hundreds of thousands of revellers watch fireworks burst over Sydney Harbour for New Year's Eve, while in Japan thousands scaled Mount Fuji to catch the first glimpse of the sun in 2007. Sydney organisers promised the largest fireworks display ever seen over the harbour in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the iconic Harbour Bridge's opening, which will take place in March. In Japan, the Japanese National Policy Agency said it anticipated the country's major Buddhist temples and Shinto s...

Parents' Tribute After Daughter Dies in Caravan Tragedy

The parents of a teenager who died after a 60ft tree fell on a holiday caravan in Staffordshire last night paid tribute to their daughter. Rebecca Ann Smith, aged 18, had been visiting friends at Hales Hall caravan site in Cheadle. She was killed when 50mph winds brought down the massive beech tree just after 5am on Saturday. She was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Teenager Escapes As Lightning Hits Bed

A 15-year-old girl yesterday said she was lucky to be alive after lightning hit the roof of her home and conducted through the metal head board of her bed. Sophie Wiltshire was asleep when lightning hit the family's five- bedroom property in Elberton, near Thornbury, in South Gloucestershire, at about 12.20am yesterday.

Blues Over Burglaries

It may not be back in the Premiership, but Birmingham City Football Club has made an elite league, with Aston Villa nowhere in sight. Unfortunately for the Blues, this particular league is for Premiership footballers who have fallen victim to burglaries, and is headed by Everton who narrowly pip Chelsea to the top spot by two points.

Sweet Cure for Hangover

A breakfast of toast and honey is the ideal New Year's Day hangover cure, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry. Honey, or alternatively golden syrup, provides the body with the essential sodium, potassium and fructose it needs after a good night out, say experts.

Revellers Misuse 999

Ambulance service officials have renewed their pleas for revellers not to misuse the 999 system, after a drunk asked emergency operators to help him find his trousers. West Midlands Ambulance Service said Saturday's early hours call was one of four which left call-handlers in a state of disbelief.

Rail Chaos As Second Wave of Strikes Hit

Hundreds of senior train conductors began a second wave of strike action yesterday, forcing a rail operator to cancel more than half of its services. Central Trains said it was running about 400 of its 1,200 services planned for New Year's Eve and would also restrict services to "key routes" on New Year's Day.

Pounds 1m Grant for Motor Centre

A Midland museum is to be upgraded after it received a lottery grant worth almost pounds 1 million. The Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon is to launch a major redevelopment of its museum displays following the grant to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT), which is based at the centre.

We're for the Workers - Cameron

David Cameron moved to rebrand the Conservatives as the party of working people yesterday as he stepped up the Tory attack on Gordon Brown. The Conservative leader used his New Year's message to cast the likely next Prime Minister as the "dark side" of Labour who will put up taxes again in 2007.

Tories Say Labour has Missed Targets

The Government was accused today of systematically failing to fulfil promises as the Conservatives claimed it had missed - or would miss - 136 of its own targets. A Tory analysis of Labour's record in office compiled a list of shortcomings which they said were contained in the Government's own departmental performance reports.

Elderly Man Dies After Raid Attack

An 83-year-old man died after being attacked by burglars in his home, police revealed yesterday. Scotland Yard officers have launched a murder investigation into the death of Ferozur Rahman, who is thought to have been assaulted by one or more people who forced their way into his home in Bethnal Green, east London.

Clampdown On Tobacco Sales

Corner shops and newsagents are to be targeted in a clampdown as the legal age for buying tobacco is raised from 16 to 18 this year. Public Health Minister Caroline Flint announced today that new legislation will come into effect on October 1, after smoking in public places and workplaces is banned from July 1.

Britons Like to Get Drunk - Blears

A Cabinet Minister acknowledged that Britons enjoy getting drunk too much to adopt a continental-style drinking culture. Hazel Blears, the Labour Party chair, appeared to doubt the Government's claims that 24-hour licensing would encourage more responsible drinking habits.

'Don't Come Here Without Permit,' Uk Warns Eu New Boys

The Home Office has launched a campaign in Bulgaria and Romania to discourage workers travelling to Britain without a work permit when the countries join the EU today. The pounds 280,000 advertising strategy comes amid