The British government's emergency committee COBRA is to meet this morning to discuss security after suspicious packages were found at East Midlands airport and on a plane in Dubai.

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama was due to receive a preliminary report last night on how a 23-year-old Nigerian with suspected terrorist ties managed to board a plane he is accused of attempting to bomb on Christmas Day, along with recommendations on how to prevent a sequel.

A Somali national tried to board a commercial airliner in Mogadishu last month with powdered chemicals, liquid and a syringe that together could have caused an explosion, officials said today.