A videotape of the beheading of British hostage Kenneth Bigley appeared today on an Islamist website, showing the civil engineer pleading that he wanted “to live a simple life” moments before he was decapitated.

Ken Bigley made a frantic bid to escape his captors shortly before being executed, sources in Iraq and the United States said today.

Ken Bigley’s birth city of Liverpool observed a two-minute silence in his memory today.

The Foreign Office today refused to discuss reports that Iraq hostage Ken Bigley managed to escape briefly before being recaptured and beheaded.

The Thai widow of British engineer Kenneth Bigley who was beheaded by his kidnappers in Iraq is too devastated to comment publicly on his death, her sister said today.

Labour TD Michael D Higgins said he feels the Government did all it could to secure the release of British hostage Ken Bigley.

Australia’s foreign minister took time during federal elections today to condemn the execution in Iraq of British hostage Kenneth Bigley.

More than 250 worshippers tonight attended a Requiem Mass for Ken Bigley in Liverpool.

About 200 anti-war protesters held a sombre meeting tonight calling for the withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq.

President Jacques Chirac said today that the French share the “emotion and pain” of Britons over the execution of Kenneth Bigley.

Speaking this evening from the Asia / Europe Summit in Vietnam the Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern expressed his shock and outrage at the murder of Kenneth Bigley.

Ken Bigley's family have tonight confirmed that he has been killed.

The suffering of Ken Bigley’s mother was described tonight by his cousin.

Militants released a video today showing hostage Ken Bigley being beheaded.

A witness has said they have seen a video showing British hostage Ken Bigley beheaded by his captors in Iraq.

The relatives of Ken Bigley gathered at family home today from where they made their first heartbreaking plea to save his life.

Ken Bigley’s execution has triggered a wave of revulsion.

British hostage Ken Bigley has been killed by his captors in Iraq, Abu Dhabi television reported today.

British diplomats are investigating reports in the Middle East that British hostage Ken Bigley is dead, the Foreign Office said today.

The Irish-born mother of hostage Kenneth Bigley has been discharged from hospital.

An internet statement by a group which had claimed to have kidnapped two women aid workers in Iraq has said that it has killed its hostages.

A videotape posted on Islamic website tonight purportedly showed a man who identified himself as British hostage Kenneth Bigley pleading for Prime Minister Tony Blair to help save his life.

Police have captured an armed man who had taken 25 children hostage at a school near Barcelona.

A man armed with a knife was holding children hostage at a school near Barcelona tonight and demanding €1m for their release.

A man armed with a knife has released all 25 children being held hostage at a school near Barcelona tonight.

A man armed with a knife was holding 25 children hostage at a school near Barcelona tonight.

A group of children were being held hostage at a school near Barcelona this afternoon, the government said.

A teenage gunman has released two of the four youngsters he took hostage today at a school in south-western Germany, police said.

Armed police surrounded a school today in southwest Germany where a gunman holding four young students hostage demanded a ransom of €1m.

A gunman took several hostages today at a school in Waiblingen, southeast Germany, police said.

A gunman took several hostages today at a school in Waiblingen, southeast Germany, police said.