South Africa Cops Charged Over Van Man Murder

Eight South African police officers have been charged with murder after a video showed a man being handcuffed to a moving van.

South Africa's police watchdog earlier arrested the men over the death of a Mozambican taxi driver who died in custody after being dragged by the police vehicle.

Police in Pretoria held a press conference to placate a nation outraged by the footage showing Mido Macia being dragged through the streets.

He was later found dead in a police cell with serious head and internal injuries.

National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Riah Phiyega, said the eight officers had been suspended and disarmed. They have since been charged with murder.

Taxi driver Mido Macia with his sister Melida

The station commander in Daveytown, a township east of Johannesburg, has also been removed from his post, she said.

"Any one death is one too many," Ms Phiyega said. "We believe in the principle of police being policed."

The Daily Sun, a South African newspaper, posted footage of the dragging incident, which occurred on Tuesday.

It was apparently filmed by several people on mobile phones.

Witnesses said Mr Macia, 27, drew the attention of police when he parked in a way that blocked traffic, and then got into an row with officers.

"We are going to film this," several onlookers shouted in Zulu as the police subdued Mr Macia.

One bystander can be heard shouting: "What has this guy done?"

President Jacob Zuma condemned the killing of Mr Macia.

Some commentators drew comparisons with the 1977 death of anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, who also suffered head injuries in police custody.

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Delhi Rape: Seven-Year-Old 'Attacked In School'

Hundreds of protesters have clashed with police after reports that a seven-year-old girl has been raped at a government school in northwest Delhi.

The Times of India newspaper said the attack had occurred in the Mangolpuri area of the capital.

The girl's parents informed police after the injured child was taken to hospital.

Dr Sanjay Kumar, who helped treat the girl, said she had injuries consistent with rape.

Angry mobs gathered at the hospital and threw stones at a nearby bus, shattering its windows.

Protesters say Delhi police have failed to act decisively in rape cases

Protesters hurled stones at police, who had cordoned off the road and used batons to break up the demonstration.

After several hours the crowd dispersed.

"The protesters were angry over the assault on the little girl and were demanding that police act against the culprit," a police official said.

A Delhi police spokesman said police had registered a rape case and were questioning teachers and security guards at the facility, run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit called the attack "shameful".

"Rape inside a school is a shocking incident. It is shameful that it happened," she said.

A man runs across a street during the protest

India has been gripped in recent months by a national debate over the treatment of women and girls and their safety.

Last month three sisters, aged six, nine and 11 were raped and murdered before their bodies were dropped in a village well.

In December a 23-year-old medical student was gang raped and attacked on a bus in Delhi. She died 13 days later after being flown to a hospital in Singapore.

Six men, including a 17-year-old, have been charged with her murder.

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Pope's Reign Ends After Emotional Farewell

More than a billion Catholics are without a leader after Benedict XVI officially resigned, saying he will now simply be a "pilgrim".

At 8pm local time the doors of Castel Gandolfo closed and the famous Swiss Guard that ceremonially watch over the pope's summer residence marched away.

It signalled the end to Benedict's eight-year papacy and that the position of pope is now vacant.

He keeps his current name but from now on will be known as Pope Emeritus, or referred to as "his holiness", as he devotes his days to prayer and meditation.

The outgoing pope speaks to well-wishers at Castel Gandolfo

Just hours earlier, in an emotional goodbye to the faithful, he declared himself a mere "pilgrim" in his final public appearance as Pope.

He arrived at the villa at the lakeside town to find a 7,000-strong crowd gathered in the main square waving yellow and white paper pennants in Vatican colours to greet him.

There were huge cheers as he briefly stepped out onto the main balcony, wearing a white robe, and spoke to the faithful with a final apostolic blessing.

Benedict saw stunning views of Rome as he was flown away by helicopter

"I am very happy to be here with you, surrounded by the beauty of the world. Thank you for your friendship and your affection," he said.

"You know that this day of mine has been so different from many others.

"I am no longer Pope from 8pm this evening. I am just a pilgrim on his last leg of his pilgrimage on this earth.

"I would like to work to work for the good of the Church and for humanity with my heart, faith, love, reflection and interior strength, and I feel supported with your kindness."

He went on to say: "From the bottom of my heart I bless you ... Thank you and goodnight."

Thousands of well-wishers pack the main square of Castel Gandolfo

Balloons spelling out his name were strung up across a shop window and banners thanking Benedict for his service were held aloft.

Earlier, he left the Vatican for the final time as leader of the Catholic Church, pledging "unconditional reverence and obedience" to whoever succeeds him.

He gave thanks to his closest aides who have been by his side during his papacy in an emotional parting ceremony, before stepping out from his apartments for the last time. Many of his staff had tears in their eyes.

As he bid the Vatican farewell as the Pope, he tweeted: "Thank you for your love and support. May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives."

Staff lined the route of his motorcade and applauded as the 85-year-old was driven to the Vatican helipad.

Benedict waves before boarding the helicopter out of the Vatican

There he boarded a white Italian air force helicopter emblazoned with the Vatican flag and was flown in a spectacular journey over Rome to Castel Gandolfo - the papal summer residence on the outskirts of the city.

He is expected to spend the first two months of his retirement at the complex of villas boasting lush gardens, a farm and stunning views over Lake Albano in the volcanic crater below the town - before he retreats from public life for good.

The bells of St Peter's Basilica and churches rang out as the helicopter circled Vatican City against a backdrop of the Rome city skyline and golden setting sun.

Every minute of Benedict's departure was shown by Vatican television, including live pictures from the helicopter, as it flew over the Colosseum and other iconic landmarks.

The Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo - the pope's summer retreat

It came 17 days after Benedict shocked the world when he announced he no longer felt mentally or physically able to continue as the 264th successor to St Peter. It broke centuries of precedent in which it became traditional for only death to end a pope's reign.

Earlier on Thursday, more than 100 cardinals said their personal farewells to Benedict at a gathering in the Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace.

In an unexpected speech, he urged them to stay united behind his successor.

He told them: "Among you there is the future pope, to whom I today declare my unconditional reverence and obedience."

Benedict will eventually move into the newly renovated Mater Ecclesiae Monastery of cloistered nuns inside the Vatican.

A total of 115 cardinals are expected to elect his successor in the secretive conclave process in the next few weeks, with the aim of having a new pope installed in office by Easter.

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South Africa: 'Man Dragged Behind Police Van'

A taxi driver in South Africa died after being handcuffed to a police vehicle and dragged hundreds of yards, it has been alleged.

Independent police investigators are looking into the claims after video footage emerged showing a man being dragged along a road behind a police van.

The man, named locally as 27-year-old Mido Macia from Mozambique, was later found dead in a police cell in Daveyton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

Officers have claimed they put Mr Macia in a police van in order to take him to a police station on the East Rand, and cannot explain how he later died.

But the video, obtained by South Africa's Daily Sun newspaper, shows officers struggling to overpower a man - believed to be the taxi driver - before attaching him to a point at the rear of their vehicle and then driving off leaving him hanging outside.

Officers are seen restraining the man and handcuffing him to the van

At one point they attempt to carry his legs while the vehicle is moving forward but have to drop him as the police van speeds up.

The footage then shows the man trying to stay on his feet as he is dragged behind the vehicle for several hundred metres.

The person filming the incident attempts to keep up with the truck dragging the taxi driver, but has to give up as the vehicle is going too fast.

Inmates in the cells he was taken to have claimed he was later beaten to death by police.

The incident has inflamed local feelings and Sky's Alex Crawford who is outside the police station says a crowd has gathered to protest.

South Africa's Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID) said on Wednesday that officers had initially attempted to arrest Mr Macia because he was allegedly obstructing traffic.

At one point they lift his legs but have to let go when the van speeds up

IPID spokesman Moses Dlamini said: "We are investigating an incident involving the death of man, allegedly at the hands of the police. We are shocked by the footage which has been released.

"The circumstances surrounding his death are still allegations ... let's find out what really happened," he said.

He said there were reports Mr Macia had tried to disarm a police officer before the attack.

The taxi driver was then allegedly beaten once inside the police holding cells.

He is understood to have been found dead by another police officer later the same day.

Mr Dlamini told the South African website News 24 that an investigation had begun before Mr Macia's death into allegations he carried out an assault resulting in grievous bodily harm.

A post-mortem on the dead suspect indicated he had died from head injuries with internal bleeding.

Police in South Africa are known for heavy handedness when dealing with the public, and the police watchdog is handling numerous cases of police brutality.

In the 12 months before March 2010, according to Amnesty International, there were 920 complaints of serious assault and 294 deaths in custody.

The police department could not confirm if the officers had been suspended.

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Swiss Shooting: Three Killed At Factory

Three people have been killed and seven others injured in a shooting at a factory in Switzerland, according to prosecutors.

A gunman struck at the wood processing plant in the town of Menznau on Wednesday morning, with police alerted at 9am.

A witness cited by local newspaper Neue Luzerner Zeitung said the gunman had opened fire in the company canteen.

Prosecutors' spokesman Simon Kopp told Swiss newspaper Blick: "There were three dead and seven injured, some of them seriously injured."

The assailant was among the dead, he added. Police confirmed the gunman was a 42-year-old employee at the factory.

The shooting happened in the Swiss town of Menznau

Emergency services are at the factory, called Kronospan, and the area has been largely cordoned off.

Kronospan Chief Executive Mauro Capozzo said the suspected shooter had been "with us for more than 10 years - a quiet man, no other incidents involving him are known".

The shooting comes weeks after a gunman killed three women and wounded two men in the Swiss village of Daillon, stirring a debate about Switzerland's gun laws.

Male citizens in Switzerland are allowed to retain guns after their mandatory military service.

There is no national gun register in the country, but some estimates indicate that at least one in every three of Switzerland's eight million inhabitants keeps a gun, many stored at home.

Citizens outside the military can apply for a permit to buy up to three weapons from the age of 18.

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School Shooting Boy's Dad Calls For Gun Ban

By Sky News US Team, in New York

A father whose six-year-old son was killed in the Connecticut school shooting has pleaded with members of a US Senate panel to ban assault weapons.

Struggling to fight back tears, Neil Heslin, a 50-year-old construction worker, urged lawmakers to come to an agreement on increased gun controls.

"I'm not here for sympathy," said Mr Neil, who said he grew up with guns and had been teaching his son, Jesse Lewis, about them. "I'm here because of my son."

"No person should have to go through what my family and other victims' families have had to endure," he added.

Jesse was among 20 children and six educators killed by 20-year-old Adam Lanza at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14.

Sen Feinstein previously helped create an assault weapons ban in 1994

His father spoke for 11 minutes, his voice barely audible and breaking at times, to the Senate Judiciary Committee that is deeply divided over the issue of gun control.

The panel was holding a hearing on a bill introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein to ban assault weapons and ammunition magazines that carry more than 10 rounds.

Sen Feinstein and her allies said her measure would reduce the deaths such high-powered firearms can cause, but Republicans on the panel said the move would violate the constitutional right to bear arms and take guns away from law-abiding citizens who use them for self-defence.

Although he supports the US Constitution's Second Amendment right for citizens to have firearms, Mr Heslin said the amendment was written centuries before weapons as deadly as assault weapons were invented.

He recalled the morning of the Newtown shooting and said his son had told him "it's all going to be OK" as he dropped him off at the school gate.

20 children and six educators were killed in the Sandy Hook massacre

The shooting revived the national conversation on guns and led to a move by the Obama administration to call for stricter gun laws.

But despite the massacre and other mass shootings, gun control legislation faces a difficult path through Congress.

The struggle was underscored when the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said he opposes universal background checks for gun purchases - a central piece of President Barack Obama's plan.

Representative Bob Goodlatte told reporters that the proposal could lead to creation of a federal gun registry - a claim the Obama administration has said will not happen.

The Senate Judiciary hearing was the committee's third since the Newtown tragedy.

Numerous relatives and neighbours of victims of Newtown, as well as other shootings at Aurora, Colorado, and Virginia Tech University filled the large hearing room.

Familes of people affected by gun violence attend the Senate hearing

Sen Feinstein, who helped create a 1994 assault weapons ban that expired in 2004, and other supporters cite studies showing use of the firearms in crimes diminished while the prohibition lasted.

A 2004 report said the proportion of gun crimes involving assault weapons dropped by up to 72% in five cities studied.

Opponents cite data from the same study showing assault weapons were used in only 2% to 8% of gun crimes, arguing that a ban would have little impact.

The study also estimated there were 1.5 million assault weapons owned privately in the US in 1994, and an estimated 30 million high-capacity magazines as of 1999, which critics say means exempting them would diminish a ban's effect.

Sen Feinstein's latest measure specifically bans 157 firearms but excludes 2,258 others in an effort to avoid barring hunting and sporting weapons.

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Pistorius Holds Private Memorial For Reeva

Oscar Pistorius has held a private memorial service for his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his uncle's house in Pretoria.

The South African athlete has been staying at his uncle Arnold's house since he was released on bail last Friday after being charged with the model's murder.

His aides confirmed plans for a memorial service for the 29-year-old, who was shot dead while staying at Pistorius' luxury home, after details were leaked to the media.

The Paralympian, 26, who also competed in the Olympics last summer, denies murder and claims he shot Miss Steenkamp by mistake believing she was an intruder.

A statement from his representatives said: "Oscar Pistorius, will hold a private memorial service for Reeva Steenkamp at the house of his uncle, Arnold Pistorius tonight.

"Oscar specifically requested the memorial service as he continues to grieve and remains in deep mourning for the loss of his partner Reeva."

It added: "Since it is such a sensitive issue, Oscar has asked for a private service with people who share his loss, including his family members who knew and loved Reeva as one of their own.

"The Pistorius family would like to make a personal request to the media, to please respect their privacy at their home in Pretoria tonight."

Reeva Steenkamp's funeral was held last week

Sky's Alex Crawford spoke to friends and housemates of Miss Steenkamp who said she texted them the night she died saying it was too late to drive home and would be staying over at Pistorius' house.

Commenting on the relationship, Gina Myers said: "It was like any other relationship. There was nothing that flashed a warning sign.

"She was happy. She was very happy. Reeva was not the kind of person to complain about stuff but she would never have been with anyone if she wasn't happy ... Her motto this year was 'to be happy and never settle'."

Ms Steenkamp's funeral was held in Port Elizabeth last week, as her boyfriend appeared in court over her murder and insisted her death was an accident.

He was released on bail but has to abide by strict conditions, including reporting to a police station in Pretoria twice a week.

The athlete was also ordered to surrender his two passports, post bail of one million rand (£75,000) in cash and guarantees, and refrain from drinking alcohol until his case resumes on June 4.

Pistorius was also ordered to hand in any guns he owns and keep away from his home in a gated community in Pretoria, which is now a crime scene.

Prison service officials can drop in at his uncle's house at any time of day or night to ensure the athlete is complying with the bail terms.

Pistorius, who had his lower legs amputated at the age of 11 months after he was born without either fibula, rose to global fame with his fight to be allowed to run in the Olympics against able-bodied athletes.

He reached the semi-finals of the 400 metres at last year's London Games.

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Pope Benedict Farewell: Thousands Expected

By Sally Arthy, Senior News Editor, Rome

More than 50,000 people are expected to gather in St Peter's Square later today for Pope Benedict XVI's final general audience.

The Pope stunned the Catholic Church earlier this month when he announced he no longer had the mental or physical strength to carry on in the role.

He will officially stand aside on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years.

He will leave the Vatican and fly by helicopter to the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, until renovations have been completed on a monastery inside the Vatican walls.

Benedict calendars are sold outside his summer residence Castel Gandolfo

The Pope will live out the rest of his days in the new monastery in prayer and meditation.

At precisely 8pm (Rome time) the villa gates at Castel Gandolfo will close and the Swiss Guard will withdraw - a symbol that Pope Benedict XVI's papacy is over.

Benedict will then be known as Emeritus Pope and wear a simple white cassock and brown shoes rather than his trademark red loafers.

The final general audience will take place in St Peter's Square

After the general audience today, the Pope will meet a select group of heads of state and make final preparations for his departure.

On Thursday morning he will bid farewell to his Cardinals who will begin a series of meetings to determine his successor.

The date for the conclave - when eligible cardinals vote in secret in the Sistine Chapel - has yet to be announced.

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Italy Vote: Partial Results Point To Deadlock

Italy's election appears headed toward deadlock, with the centre-left leading in the lower house of parliament and Silvio Berlusconi's conservatives ahead in the Senate.

Exit polls after two days of voting had showed Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left coalition leading in both houses, but projections based on early vote count suggest a stunning comeback in the Senate by Mr Berlusconi.

A protest movement led by comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo had a strong result in both houses, confirming its surprise role as a major force in Italian politics, the early results show.

A centrist-coalition led by outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti was headed for a poor showing, as Italians voted against the austerity measures passed by his administration of unelected technocrats.

Beppe Grillo's protest movement is the new force in Italian politics

Officials warned that such deadlock could make Italy ungovernable and force new elections, and markets were quick to react to the risk of looming instability in the eurozone's third-largest economy.

After rising in the wake of initial exit polls, gains quickly evaporated on Milan's main stock index.

The prospect of a political impasse also caused jitters in markets overseas.

"It's a shock vote that leaves us with a hung parliament. Likely, it won't be possible to form any governing majority," said Ferruccio de Bortoli, the editor-in-chief of Italy's largest newspaper, Corriere della Serra.

The voting was held amid a deep economic crisis and high unemployment rates in Italy, and a government paralysis could re-ignite the eurozone crisis.

Under the Italian system, a party or coalition must have a majority in both houses of parliament in order to be able to govern.

Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left had been a frontrunner

Italy's electoral laws guarantee a strong majority in the lower house to the party or coalition that wins the biggest share of the national vote.

But the Senate is elected on a region-by-region basis, making the result unpredictable.

Big regions including Lombardy in the rich industrial north and the southern island of Sicily will likely be crucial, and partial returns suggested Mr Berlusconi was ahead in both.

According to the returns, the centre-left held a small lead in the lower house, though the gap appeared to be thinning.

And in the Senate, thanks to the vote distribution and regional bonuses, Mr Berlusconi seemed to have a slight majority in the number of seats.

The austerity measures brought in by Mr Monti have caused widespread public resentment, and corruption scandals during a bitter electoral campaign have fuelled citizens' anger at their rulers and played into Mr Grillo's hands.

His Five-Star Movement called for a renewal of the political class, though critics say Mr Grillo is a populist with no recipe for the country's economic woes.

Outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti's new bloc fared poorly

Franco Frattini, a former ally of Mr Berlusconi and ex-foreign minister, told Sky News: "One out of four Italian voters decided to vote for Grillo.

"This shows that … Italians wanted politicians to be new, to change. They want to see a new political spectrum."

Berlusconi, a 76-year-media tycoon, was considered a spent force when he resigned at the height of the economic crisis in November 2011.

But he conducted an aggressive campaign, promising the refund of an unpopular property tax that was imposed by Mr Monti, and gradually started surging in the polls.

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Nuclear Talks: Powers To 'Make Offer' To Iran

By Lisa Holland, Foreign Affairs Correspondent

World powers will meet Iranian nuclear negotiators in Kazakhstan this week for the first time in eight months.

It is understood there will be what diplomats are calling a "new offer" to the Iranians to try to make progress in the stalled nuclear stand-off.

A senior diplomat said: "We will take an offer with us. It is substantial and serious and will involve significant new elements."

Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for civilian energy and medical research.

The European Union and members of the UN Security Council including the US suspect Iran has a covert atomic weapons programme.

Washington and Brussels have adopted a dual-track approach to Iran - pursuing nuclear talks while pressing sanctions to try to force Tehran to make a deal.

A US proposal for a one-on-one meeting with Iran on the sidelines of the talks in the Kazak city of Almaty remains on the table.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has defied Western pressure

The diplomat told Sky News: "Iran has a great deal to gain from the talks. It wants sanctions lifted. The talks present an opportunity to re-shape relations.

"The prize is a great one, but the negotiations are difficult and complex. We have a good offer. We hope the Iranians will respond positively."

Negotiators hope the Almaty talks will give them some sense of whether the Iranians have any interest in genuinely pursuing diplomacy.

The diplomat said: "We have to be patient and make sure when the Iranians reach a point when they want to do a deal we are at the table."

Iran has seen elevated levels of inflation. Some suggest it is at 27%, while others think it could be double that.

The UN has passed six Security Council resolutions on Iran, and diplomats hope that the economic impact of sanctions will force the Iranians to re-think their stance against the West.

The Western thinking is that the centrifuges may keep spinning but the sanctions keep biting.

It has been more than half a year since the last round of talks with countries known as the E3 + 3 -   the US, France, Britain, Germany, China and Russia.

There has been anxiety about a possible military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities by Israel.

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu discusses Iran at the UN in September 2012

Iran is still expanding its nuclear programme with the installation of more advanced centrifuges which will multiply its enrichment capability.

But Iran has also reportedly converted some of its medium-enriched uranium into fuel plates for its medical reactor, making it harder to convert that material into bomb-grade fuel, and is slowing down its accumulation of what is known as 20% enriched uranium.

A new report by the international nuclear watchdog IAEA suggests that Iran has a stockpile of 167kg of 20% enriched uranium.

The 20% enriched uranium is seen as the barometer for proliferation concern as it could relatively quickly be further enriched into weapons-grade fissile material.

At the time of the last IAEA report three months ago, Iran had a stockpile of nearly 135kg of 20% uranium.

According to the watchdog, this means that Iran's 20% stockpile has increased by 32kg in the past three months - a growth rate of under 11kg a month.   

At that rate Iran could  take more than six months to reach a red line laid down by Israel of 240 kg - which is in theory enough to make one nuclear warhead, if further enriched.

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Topless Protest At Berlusconi As Italy Votes

By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent

Three topless feminists lunged at Silvio Berlusconi as he arrived at a polling station in Milan to vote in Italy's general election.

Polls opened in the country amid concern the outcome could lead to political gridlock in Europe's fourth largest economy.

As voters queued at a polling station at a Milan school, the three half-naked women, who had the slogan "Basta Berlusconi" ("Enough With Berlusconi") scrawled on their backs, broke through a crowd of journalists.

The topless trio then jumped over some tables toward the former leader, but they failed to reach him.

They were quickly detained by police and dragged away screaming.

One of the protesters is led away

Italian news reports said the three were members of the Femen protest group. 

Mr Berlusconi, the former Prime Minister, is leading a centre-right coalition in the election and polls indicate he will come second to the centre-left.

Italy is in its worst recession in two decades. Unemployment is above 11% and rising, while the public debt mountain as a proportion of GDP is second only to Greece in the eurozone.

The current administration, led by the unelected economist Mario Monti, has prescribed a tough medicine of economic reform, budget cuts and tax increases.

The demonstrators were members of the Femen group

While the austerity programme was welcomed by those trying to stabilise the single currency, it has been deeply unpopular among Italian voters.

Support for his small coalition of centrist parties has foundered, while those who have taken an EU-critical, anti-austerity position have seen their popularity increase.

Voter intention surveys are banned in the days leading up to elections in Italy, but pollsters use elaborate ruses to disguise their findings. The most common features the political parties as competitors in fictional horse races.

They suggest the unconventional anti-corruption Five Star Movement, led by the comedian Beppe Grillo, could take up to 20% of the vote, which political analysts believe could throw parliament into chaos.

Franco Pavoncello, the President of Rome's John Cabot University, told Sky News: "Mr Grillo will not even be a member of parliament (because of a conviction for vehicular manslaughter in 1981).

Beppe Grillo at a rally in the run-up to the election

"So the question is what's going to happen when you have 70 young and inexperienced people as MPs without the leader who got them elected?

"I think we might be in for some very interesting phenomena after the election."

Italy's European neighbours, including Britain, don't want interesting phenomena. They want calm in the crisis-wracked eurozone.

Because of the quirks of the Italian electoral system, it seems unlikely the two-day poll will deliver a clear working majority for any single party.

While the centre-left's Pier Luigi Bersani, leader of the Democratic Party, is likely to emerge as Prime Minister - thanks to a bonus of 55 seats awarded to the biggest vote-getter in the lower Chamber of Deputies - he may find it hard to win over the Senate.

A law brought in by Mr Berlusconi apportions extra seats in the upper house to the most populous regions.

Former PM Mario Monti casts his vote

That favours the media magnate's centre-right PdL party, which is polling well in areas such as Sicily and Lombardy.

Mr Berlusconi, who was considered a spent force after his resignation in November 2011, may find he holds the balance of power as any law needs the approval of both houses.

Giovanni Ragusa, an economist from LUISS University in Rome, says a political stalemate could be disastrous for Italy and for Europe.

"When Italian voters realise there's not going to be a strong government able to pass new laws and that the tax increases they have been subjected to for the past few years are not going to be temporary, then the discontent is going to spill over onto the streets," he warned.

Any political problems in Italy could affect the ability of the EU to bring about reforms which would ensure the stability of the euro, which the British Government insists is necessary to help the struggling UK economy.

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Daytona 500 Race To Go Ahead Despite Crash

The Daytona 500 NASCAR race will go ahead despite a crash that injured 28 fans and questions over the track's safety regulations.

The spectators and one driver were injured in a 10-car crash at the Daytona Speedway, which sent debris flying into the crowd.

Workers successfully repaired a section of fence - 54 feet (16.5 metres) wide and 22 feet (6.7 metres) high - that was shredded during the crash on Saturday.

And officials said that fans feeling uncomfortable with their up-close seating during the race would be moved.

"If fans are unhappy with their seating location or if they have any incidents, we would relocate them," track president Joie Chitwood said.

"So we'll treat that area like we do every other area of the grandstand. If a fan is not comfortable where they're sitting, we make every accommodation we can."

On the last lap of the Nationwide Nascar race, competitor Regan Smith was turned sideways and took out several racers behind him, causing a pile-up.

Large chunks of driver Kyle Larson's car landed in the grandstands, and one of his tyres appeared to fly over the fence and into the stands. 

His car went airborne when it hit the pile-up and it was flung into the fence that separates the track from the seats. 

Twenty-eight fans were injured by flying debris

The car itself had its entire front end sheared off, with the burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence.

Larson managed to climb out of the wreckage afterwards unscathed.

Race officials said 14 fans were taken to hospital, with another 14 being treated on the scene at the Florida track.

Driver Michael Annett, of the Richard Petty Motorsports team, was being treated in hospital for bruising on his chest, his team said.

Dan Wetzel, Yahoo Sports national columnist, spoke to fans in the damaged grandstand.

He told Sky News: "They described it as like a war zone, you simply had nothing you could do.

"The car is moving at 200 miles per hour, so you can't really dodge anything. An entire wheel slammed into one person."

Driver Tony Stewart won the race, but skipped the traditional post-race victory celebration because of the dramatic turn of events.

The Nationwide race was a curtain-raiser for American stock car racing's biggest event, the Daytona 500.

Nascar president Mike Helton told cable TV network ESPN: "There was obviously some intrusion into the fence, and fortunately with the way the events are equipped, there was plenty of emergency workers ready to go. They all jumped on it pretty quickly.                

"We've always known since racing started this is a dangerous sport."

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Pistorius: Oscar 'Will Never Be The Same'

Oscar Pistorius says he just wants to "be alone" since his release on bail and is feeling "a lot of remorse" over the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The Olympic athlete is staying at his uncle's home in Pretoria after a court banned him from returning to the luxury home where he shot Ms Steenkamp through a bathroom door.

His spokeswoman in South Africa told Sky News: "He told me, 'I just want this time to be alone'. He is in his room, he's spending time alone and he's feeling a lot of remorse."

Barry Steenkamp, left, at his daughter's funeral

The athlete's family has also released a new statement, saying: "Oscar will never be the same ... having to live with the knowledge that he caused the death of the woman he loved, and that he can never undo the immense pain and loss this has caused Reeva's family and friends".

His uncle Arnold added: "We are acutely aware of the fact that this is only the beginning of a long road to prove that, as we know, Oscar never intended to harm Reeva, let alone cause her death."

Pistorius, 26, is accused of premeditated murder after the Valentine's Day shooting. He denies murder.

Lawyers for the defence and prosecution are starting work on the trial phase of a case that is likely to grip South Africa and the world, with the next hearing set for June 4.

The athlete arrived at his uncle's house on Friday after paying 10% of his one million rand (£73,000) bail at Pretoria's Brooklyn police station, where he had been held for a week.

Ms Steenkamp was killed on Valentine's Day

Meanwhile, Ms Steenkamp's father has told a South African newspaper that Pistorius will "suffer" if he is lying about how she died.

The Beeld newspaper quotes Barry Steenkamp as saying Pistorius will have to "live with his conscience" if his assertion that he accidentally shot the 29-year-old law graduate is false.

He said: "There are only two people who really know what happened and it's Oscar Pistorius and the Lord.

"It does not matter how much money he has and how good his legal team is, he must live with his conscience if he let his lawyers tell lies on his behalf.

"He will have to live with his conscience. But if he speaks the truth, I can perhaps someday forgive him."

Pistorius is staying with his uncle Arnold

Horse trainer Mr Steenkamp said he might be able to forgive Pistorius one day if the double-amputee Olympian is telling the truth.

Her mother said that Pistorius' family had sent a card and flowers offering condolences for the death of her daughter but she added it meant little because: "They are not to blame."

However, her uncle Mike Steenkamp said the timing of the family's actions was poor and that they had not initially tried to contact Reeva's bereaved parents.

Chief magistrate Desmond Nair approved bail for Pistorius on Friday at the end of a two-hour summary in which he found the accused was unlikely to skip bail, be violent or approach any witnesses.

Nair said he had been influenced by Pistorius' decision to submit a detailed affidavit, in which he claimed he accidentally shot Ms Steenkamp through the bathroom door at his home in the east of Pretoria, thinking she was an intruder.

Under his bail conditions Pistorius must surrender any firearms and his passport and can not enter any international departure hall.

He is also is banned from using any prohibited substance or alcohol and must report to police twice a week as part of his bail conditions.

:: It has also emerged that the Twitter account of Pistorius' brother, Carl, was hacked and a false message, purporting to be from the sprinter and thanking supporters, was posted.

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Fears Of Chaos As Italy Goes To The Polls

By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent

Polls open in Italy today amid concern the elections could lead to political gridlock in Europe's fourth largest economy.

The country is in its worst recession for two decades, unemployment is above 11% and rising, while the public debt mountain as a proportion of GDP is second only to Greece in the eurozone.

The current administration, led by the unelected economist Mario Monti, has prescribed a tough medicine of economic reform, budget cuts and tax increases.

While the austerity programme was welcomed by those trying to stabilise the single currency, it has been deeply unpopular among Italian voters.

Support for his small coalition of centrist parties has foundered, while those who have taken an EU-critical, anti-austerity position have seen their popularity increase.

Voter intention surveys are banned in the days leading up to elections in Italy, but pollsters use elaborate ruses to disguise their findings. The most common features the political parties as competitors in fictional horse races.

Beppe Grillo could at a rally in the run-up to the election

They suggest the unconventional anti-corruption Five Star Movement, led by the comedian Beppo Grillo, could take up to 20% of the vote, which political analysts believe could throw parliament into chaos.

Franco Pavoncello, the president of Rome's John Cabot University, told Sky News: "Mr Grillo will not even be a member of parliament (because of a conviction for vehicular  manslaughter in 1981) so the question is: what's going to happen when you have 70 young and inexperienced people as MPs without the leader who got them elected?"

"I think we might be in for some very interesting phenomena after the election," he said.

Italy's European neighbours, including Britain, don't want interesting phenomena. They want calm in the crisis-wracked Eurozone.

Because of the quirks of the Italian electoral system it seems unlikely the two-day poll will deliver a clear working majority for any single party.

While the centre left's Pierluigi Bersani, leader of the Democratic Party, is likely to emerge as Prime Minister with a bonus of 55 seats for becoming the biggest party in the Chamber of Deputies, he may find it hard to win over the Senate.

Can Berlusconi make a comeback? His career had largely been written off

A law brought in by former leader Silvio Berlusconi apportions extra seats in the upper house to the most populous regions. That favours the media magnate's centre right PdL party, which is polling well in areas such as Sicily and Lombardy.

Mr Berlusconi, who was considered a spent force after his resignation in November 2011, may find he holds the balance of power as any law needs the approval of both houses.

Giovanni Ragusa, an economist from LUISS University, says a political stalemate could be disastrous for Italy and for Europe.

"When Italian voters realise there's not going to be a strong government able to pass new laws and that the tax increases they have been subjected to for the past few years are not going to be temporary, then the discontent is going to spill over onto the streets," he warned.

Any political problems in Italy could effect the ability of the EU to bring about reforms which would ensure the stability of the Euro, which the British government insists is necessary to help the struggling UK economy.

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