BRITAIN’S top spy, in the first public speech by a serving espionage chief, yesterday said terrorists might hit the West again “at huge human cost”, but nuclear proliferation by states was a more far-reaching danger.

BRITISH foreign secretary David Miliband last night defended incoming head of MI6 after details of his personal life were posted on social networking website Facebook.

Britain led warnings over violence in Sudan as the UN Security Council extended the 13,500-strong UN peacekeeping mission there for a year.

The US and its European allies remained at odds with Russia and China over Iran’s suspected nuclear programme today, as Britain proposed new talks and sanctions backed by force if necessary.

British troops were battling to control rioting mobs in the Iraqi city of Basra today after a power cut raised temperatures to boiling point.