Islamist militants, after a day of bloody confrontation, made another attack on Mumbai yesterday leaving 125 dead and over 300 injured.

Terrorists attacked for the first time on Wednesday evening, aiming at the most busy spots in Mumbai. Over 24 hours, gangs of heavily armed young men had attacked a hospital, a railway station, popular restaurants and two luxury hotels. Anti-terrorist and commandos were engaged in fighting around the two hotels the Taj Mahal and Trident that has been seized.

“Four boys run into the hotel, they were wearing black t-shirts and jeans, they started shooting wild, people were screaming and running away. Those were just seconds, seconds of the unbelievable fear.” said the 25 year old Inam in ‘Times of India’.

Yesterday evening dozens of hostages were still being held and over 100 people were barricaded in Tai Mahal hotel. Hotel’s guests were trying to escape through the windows, climbing down the drainpipes, one of them died trying to flee.

Indian authorities counted about nine foreign victims of the attack and this number is undoubtedly set to rise.

“They were looking for Americans and Brits” reported some of the hotel’s prisoners.

The reasons of the attack are still unknown. A spokesman, claiming to be one of the attackers, called an Indian broadcaster saying that everything that had taken place was in revenge for the persecution of Muslims in India.

According to the military Pakistani nationals are responsible, however Pakistan has condemned the attack and has offered aid.

Manmohan Singh, the Indian prime-minister, said: “Those aggressors are from abroad, the attacks were planned outside India, but all we need to do is calm down; don’t let them take an advantage of our panic.”

By John Stewart

UEFA President Michel Platini today told sports ministers that football’s European governing body needs the power to introduce rules on the finances for clubs in European competitions.

Speaking in Biarritz, France, Platini said that UEFA had no intention of interfering with rules for European domestic leagues but wants to ensure “financial fair play” in UEFA’s own competitions, such as the Champion’s League and the UEFA Cup.

Platini said: “What UEFA can do – and we are thinking seriously about doing it – is to reinforce and improve our system for granting licences for our own club competitions.

“It is in this way that we wish to contribute to financial fair play, and start responding to the expectations of the various parties involved in our sport.”

He added: “Fiscal rules in Europe are extremely diverse…and the systems of licensing, control and financial management of football clubs involve a myriad of concepts and different regulations.

If this move was agreed it could eventually mean that English Premier League clubs Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, who regularly qualify for the Champion’s League, must satisfy UEFA regulations on debts and even much they spend on wages.

Platini also called for a halt on the trafficking of young footballers across Europe and a ban on international transfers of players under the age of 18.

“Today, in the world and in Europe, there is trafficking of children. I will not mince my words because the situation is serious.

“What else do you call a phenomenon whereby children aged 12 or 13 are torn away from their environment and culture to join a business in return for payment? This is what is happening in football.

“Together with FIFA, we are studying remedies, but measures can already be taken to ban the international transfer of minors, even within the European Union.

“In numerous European states, strict rules exist which prevent clubs – on threat of sporting sanctions – poaching [young players] from their rivals’ training centres. However, these rules do not exist at European Union level.

“It is in this context that we would like to be able to ban international transfers of players under the age of 18 within the EU.

“This is not to create an obstacle to the free movement of labour – it is an urgent matter relating to helping youngsters in danger.”

British Sports Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, who was in Biarritz to hear Platini’s speech, strongly opposes Platini’s propositions, as does the Premier League, presumably with the belief that such sanctions could harm their club’s successes in Europe and, for teams like Arsenal, in particular, who are renowned for nurturing young foreign players into top class performers, preventing them from bringing future stars to England.

However, such a move could prove beneficial to clubs in smaller, less financially viable domestic leagues, such as the SPL’s Celtic and Rangers.

by Chisanga Malata

Prime Minister Gordon brown yesterday joined families of teens killed in violent acts at a service to mark the eighth anniversary of the death of Damilola Taylor.

Damilola bled to death in November 2000.

Damilola, 10 was stabbed in the leg and bled to death when walking home from school in Peckham, south London in November 2000.

Richard Taylor Damilola’s father dedicated the day to “all the children who have been taken away” since his son’s death.

Twenty- eight teenagers have been killed in violent attacks in the capital since the beginning of this year.

Other guests at the memorial at the Southwark Cathedral included Tory leader David Cameron, mayor of London Boris Johnson, Olympic gold medallist dame Kelly Holmes, footballer Rio Ferdinand, and newscaster sir Trevor McDonald. They joined some 30 families who have lost their teenage sons and daughters to knife and gun crime at the service.

Sir Trevor told the congregation “enough is enough”.

“We can, we must and we will prevail over the evils in our society. It is the legacy we have been left by those we have lost,” he added.

Remembering the youngsters killed since Damilola, Dame Kelly said: “How many other aspiring doctors, footballers, pop stars or Olympic athletes have we lost?”

As well as these well known names turning up at the memorial a choir from Damilola’s school, Oliver Goldsmith sang at the service.

Damilola’s father said the day “was very significant”.

Politicians joined an array of sports stars and celebrities at the service.

Mr Taylor added “Today my son Damilola should have been looking forward to his 19th birthday in a few weeks time.

“Today we are joined together instead to remember him on the eighth anniversary of his being taken so cruelly from the bosom of his family.

“I would like to dedicate this day of days to all the children who have been taken from their families in the eight years that have followed.

“I know you feel the pain that I feel and I know that like me you will feel it forever,” he added.

Although repairs have been done in the past, the Burns Monument is in need of a face lift. Lizzie McNiven and Valerie Hamil report….