Steven Seagal Trains US School Guard 'Posse'

Action movie star Steven Seagal has been drafted in to train a volunteer armed posse to defend Phoenix-area schools against gunmen.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio - who calls himself  "America's Toughest Sheriff" - called on the Under Siege actor in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting in Connecticut, which left 26 children and staff dead.

Sheriff's SWAT members acted as shooters, while teenagers played the part of students during mock scenarios involving up to three gunmen.

Seagal was there to lead training in hand-to-hand defence tactics, among other techniques, drawing on his expertise in martial arts.

The exercise took place on Saturday at a closed school site in suburban Fountain Hills.

Arizona Democratic politician Chad Campbell said getting Seagal in as an instructor was "ludicrous".

"Steve Seagal is an actor. That's it. Why don't we also have Clint Eastwood and Chuck Norris and Bruce Willis come out and train them too while we're at it," he complained.

The Maricopa County volunteers dress in uniforms and drive marked vehicles, with some trained deputies authorised to carry guns.

They only go onto school grounds if they spot danger.

But even without the Hollywood association, the scheme had already attracted criticism.

Local town councillor Andrew Sanchez said he wants nothing to do with the posse patrols. 

Hulk star Lou Ferrigno is also signed up for the Maricopa posse

"We are paying him to have certified deputies here, not to bring a circus and not to use our town as a political platform," he said.

"Why would people complain about my posse being in front of schools to act as prevention?" Sheriff Arpaio snapped back.

"I want everyone to know about it for the deterrence effect," he added.

Seagal was already a volunteer posse member in Maricopa County.

He has also been deputised with sheriff's offices in New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana - where he filmed a reality TV show, Steven Seagal: Lawman.

Among other notable people also in the Maricopa 3,000-strong volunteer armed posse is Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno and actor Peter Lupus from TV's Mission: Impossible.

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Pryce Was 'Constantly Badgered' By Huhne

Chris Huhne's ex-wife told her eldest daughter he had bullied her into taking his penalty points, a court has heard.

Vicky Pryce's daughter Georgia Beesley, one of her children from her first marriage, said her mother had confided in her about the speeding offence back in 2003.

She told Southwark Crown Court how Pryce claimed Huhne "constantly badgered" her and warned she had to take the points to avoid ruining his political career.

The economist was allegedly told it would be her fault if the ex-Cabinet minister failed in his bid to become an MP if she refused and he lost his licence.

Mrs Beesley said her mother told her in late spring or early summer of 2003, when she lived nearby and they would speak once or twice a week.

Giving evidence for the defence, she said: "I remember speaking to my mother and she told me that Chris had been caught speeding and was asking her to take speeding points.

"If he had taken the points he would have lost his licence. He was very insistent that she take the points for him.

"He didn't want to lose his licence, he was standing for election and had to travel regularly to Eastleigh.

Vicky Pryce arriving at court on Monday

"And he would say to her that if she didn't take them he would not be able to drive, that he would lose his licence, and that it would be her fault if he didn't get elected."

She said her mother was "very upset, very angry", and "obviously didn't want to take the points".

Mrs Beesley said she could not remember if Pryce had asked for advice but said she "definitely told her that she should not take the points".

"I remember her saying that every conversation Chris was insisting that she took the points, that he just went on and on and said things like it wasn't a big deal and why wouldn't she do it. He couldn't understand why she wouldn't do it," she said.

Asked why she had advised her mother to refuse, Mrs Beesley said: "I was single, I didn't understand the pressures that someone could be under in a marriage.

"I did not appreciate at that time what it would be like to be living with someone constantly badgering you to do something that you know was wrong and feeling like you don't have a choice."

Pryce, 60, had claimed that Huhne, 58, nominated her as the driver without her knowledge, which meant her name was on the police documents when they arrived, the court heard.

"I know she felt pressured into signing the form," Mrs Beesley said.

Chris Huhne has admitted lying to police about the offence

The issue resurfaced again later that year anyway because Huhne was caught talking on his mobile phone while driving and was disqualified.

"Mum had to drive him whenever he needed driving," Pryce's daughter said.

"A lot of comments were made around that time, 'I have got to drive you anyway, even though I took the points'. There was quite a bit of resentment."

She said her mother was "very upset she had had to do something she really didn't want to do and the outcome was exactly the same".

"She was on her own a lot of the time, dealing with the children, holding the family together whilst Chris was often away, trying to make sure that everybody was going to be ok and it was a very emotional time and the family was the most important thing," she added.

After staunchly denying the points swap, Huhne finally admitted it last Monday - pleading guilty.

The shock move ended his political career and sparked a by-election in Eastleigh, Hampshire, after he stood down as MP.

Pryce denies perversion of the course of justice over the speeding points, arguing that her husband forced her to take them.

The court has already heard how she revealed the points swap to the press in 2011 in a bid to "nail" Huhne after he left her for another woman.

She denied waging a six-month press campaign against her ex and insisted she had only wanted to expose his wrongdoing - not ruin his career.

She also told the court she had an abortion at his behest in 1990 but had refused to do so again two years later and went on to give birth to their youngest child.

During her defence, the court heard glowing testimonials about Pryce from several high-profile figures, including former MI6 chief Sir John Scarlett.

The evidence in her trial has now finished. The jury will hear closing speeches on Tuesday and then the judge's summing up.

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North Korean Statue Given Anorak In Make-Over

The North Korean authorities have recast a huge bronze statue of their former dictator Kim Jong-Il to show the leader wearing a casual anorak rather than a formal coat, only months after the original was unveiled.

The previous statue featured the North Korean 'Dear Leader' wearing a three-quarter length coat, with lapels and three buttons.

The first version only went on display at the Mansudae Grand Monument in Pyongyang in April last year, next to a huge statue of his father, the 'Great Leader' of North Korea, Kim Il-Sung.

It is not known how or why the statue was changed as North Korea has no independent media, but a photo of the monument taken on February 10 this year shows Mr Kim in a casual jacket.

Both statues were surrounded by tenting in October and had remained covered up until they were unveiled without ceremony this week.

It contrasts with the original unveiling in April 2012 which was watched by Kim Jong-Il's son and Kim Il-Sung's grandson Kim Jong-Un and a host of other senior Communist Party members.

Kim Jong-Il was known to like wearing his anorak, which he wore on numerous visits around the secretive and impoverished country.

A tribute to Kim Jong-Il, said to have been penned by the state-run Korean Central News Agency after his death, hailed the North Korean leader's "threadbare and discoloured" parka as a "symbol of revolution".

"It is a witness of history," the new agency's obituary said of the anorak. "The parka will be remembered forever by the Korean people."

The original statue, of Kim Il-Sung, was placed on the site in 1972, long before the death of the leader who ruled his country from 1948 until his death in 1994.

The second statue of Kim Jong-Il was only placed on the spot after the dictator's death.

The statues, which sit in a large ceremonial square filled with smaller versions, stand 20 metres high.

The statue of Kim Il-Sung was originally covered in gold leaf but the valuable coating was removed after the Chinese, who were effectively bankrolling the country, objected to such an expensive display of wealth.

North Korea has become increasingly isolated in recent months after demonstrating it is determined to press ahead with testing of nuclear weapons.

Its only ally China has also signalled its growing unhappiness by agreeing to tightened UN sanctions that had been proposed by America and other Western nations.

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Pope Benedict Resignation: Global Reaction

Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign as head of the Catholic Church has shocked political leaders, religious figures and commentators alike.

Political reaction was led by Prime Minister David Cameron, who said: "I send my best wishes to Pope Benedict following his announcement. He has worked tirelessly to strengthen Britain's relations with the Holy See.

"His visit to Britain in 2010 is remembered with great respect and affection. He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions."

Conservative MP Mark Pritchard, who has met Pope Benedict several times, said he would be a "sad loss" to the Catholic Church, while former MP Ann Widdecombe added: "He's given the church stability. He was very much an authority figure and he was very, very trusted by church."

Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, said the announcement had taken many people by surprise.

"What's very noticeable is the sheer disarray around the statement," he said. "Clearly no one in the upper hierarchy in this country knew anything about it.

"Normally these things are very well prepared but this hasn't been. It may be the result of an elderly man reflecting in private and coming to a sudden decision."

Robin Gill, professor of applied theology at the University of Kent, described Pope Benedict as a "very intelligent, very astute man", who had managed to "hold Catholics together".

"I think he knew that if he continued, he would be unable to function properly," he said. "He saw his predecessor become increasingly frail and I think he has made a very wise decision."

Pope Benedict XVI visited the UK in 2010

Meanwhile, Madeleine Teahan, associate editor of the Catholic Herald, who was only 17 when Pope Benedict was elected, said: "Young people were so inspired and so encouraged by him."

Elsewhere, Monsignor Andrew Faley, of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, told Sky News: "He is extremely popular and is a Pope who will be remembered by ordinary people, as well as by political leaders, as a man who appreciated the humanity of everyone he met.

"He is someone who gives you his complete attention when you meet him and it's that sense of humanity and openness that he gave to everyone that he will be remembered for."

Father Christopher Jamison, a Benedictine monk, told Sky News: "My reaction is one of great shock and surprise.

"He's reached out very strongly to non-believers and fully recognises that people today won't necessarily join the Church.

"On his visit to the UK in 2010, people were surprised to discover that he wasn't a terrible ogre of a man but someone of great wisdom."

John Arnold, Auxillary Bishop of the Diocese of Westminster, recalled the Pope's trip to Britain with fondness.

"Those were four extraordinary days," he said. "He came as a friend and he came to give us a very important message about the Church in our country and our society."

The Most Reverend Justin Welby, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, added: "It was with a heavy heart but complete understanding that we learned of Pope Benedict's declaration of his decision to lay down the burden of ministry as Bishop of Rome, an office which he has held with great dignity, insight and courage."

The Pope, who was born in Germany, visited the country in 2011

Further afield, the German government said it was "moved and touched" by the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, who was born in the country.

Spokesman Steffen Seibert said: "The German government has the highest respect for the Holy Father, for what he has done, for his contributions over the course of his life to the Catholic Church.

"He has been at the head of the Catholic Church for nearly eight years. He has left a very personal signature as a thinker and also as a shepherd."

In the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino said the country was grateful for the "many prayers and comforting words Pope Benedict XVI dedicated to Filipinos in times of calamity and challenge".

"All peoples and nations of goodwill are filled with great regret," his spokesman said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the Pope's "courage", while Rabbi Yona Metzger, the country's Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, said he had helped to reduce anti-Semitism around the world.

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande said the Pope's decision to resign was "eminently respectable".

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Profile: The Pope Known As 'God's Rottweiler'

Pope Benedict Resigns: Reaction

Updated: 4:28pm UK, Monday 11 February 2013

Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign as head of the Catholic Church has shocked political leaders, religious figures and commentators alike.

Political reaction was led by Prime Minister David Cameron, who said: "I send my best wishes to Pope Benedict following his announcement. He has worked tirelessly to strengthen Britain's relations with the Holy See.

"His visit to Britain in 2010 is remembered with great respect and affection. He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions."

Conservative MP Mark Pritchard, who has met Pope Benedict several times, said he would be a "sad loss" to the Catholic Church, while former MP Ann Widdecombe added: "He's given the church stability. He was very much an authority figure and he was very, very trusted by church."

Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, said the announcement had taken many people by surprise.

"What's very noticeable is the sheer disarray around the statement," he said. "Clearly no one in the upper hierarchy in this country knew anything about it.

"Normally these things are very well prepared but this hasn't been. It may be the result of an elderly man reflecting in private and coming to a sudden decision."

Robin Gill, professor of applied theology at the University of Kent, described Pope Benedict as a "very intelligent, very astute man", who had managed to "hold Catholics together".

"I think he knew that if he continued, he would be unable to function properly," he said. "He saw his predecessor become increasingly frail and I think he has made a very wise decision."

Meanwhile, Madeleine Teahan, associate editor of the Catholic Herald, who was only 17 when Pope Benedict was elected, said: "Young people were so inspired and so encouraged by him."

Elsewhere, Monsignor Andrew Faley, of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, told Sky News: "He is extremely popular and is a Pope who will be remembered by ordinary people, as well as by political leaders, as a man who appreciated the humanity of everyone he met.

"He is someone who gives you his complete attention when you meet him and it's that sense of humanity and openness that he gave to everyone that he will be remembered for."

Father Christopher Jamison, a Benedictine monk, told Sky News: "My reaction is one of great shock and surprise.

"He's reached out very strongly to non-believers and fully recognises that people today won't necessarily join the Church.

"On his visit to the UK in 2010, people were surprised to discover that he wasn't a terrible ogre of a man but someone of great wisdom."

John Arnold, Auxillary Bishop of the Diocese of Westminster, recalled the Pope's trip to Britain with fondness.

"Those were four extraordinary days," he said. "He came as a friend and he came to give us a very important message about the Church in our country and our society."

The Most Reverend Justin Welby, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, added: "It was with a heavy heart but complete understanding that we learned of Pope Benedict's declaration of his decision to lay down the burden of ministry as Bishop of Rome, an office which he has held with great dignity, insight and courage."

Further afield, the German government said it was "moved and touched" by the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, who was born in the country.

Spokesman Steffen Seibert said: "The German government has the highest respect for the Holy Father, for what he has done, for his contributions over the course of his life to the Catholic Church.

"He has been at the head of the Catholic Church for nearly eight years. He has left a very personal signature as a thinker and also as a shepherd."

In the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino said the country was grateful for the "many prayers and comforting words Pope Benedict XVI dedicated to Filipinos in times of calamity and challenge".

"All peoples and nations of goodwill are filled with great regret," his spokesman said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the Pope's "courage", while Rabbi Yona Metzger, the country's Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, said he had helped to reduce anti-Semitism around the world.

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande said the Pope's decision to resign was "eminently respectable".

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Cregan Trial: Mum Saw Son Shot Dead In Pub

The Defendants And Charges

Updated: 1:23pm UK, Thursday 07 February 2013

This is the list of all ten defendants and the charges they face. All of the defendants deny the charges.

Dale Cregan, 29 - Accused of the murder of PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes, and Mark and David Short, the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time, the attempted murder of a woman called Sharon Hark on the same day, and a single charge of causing an explosion

Leon Atkinson, 35, from Ashton-under-Lyne – Accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time

Luke Livesey, 27, from Hattersley - Accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time

Damian Gorman, 38, from Glossop - Accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time

Ryan Hadfield, 28, from Droylsden - Accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time

Matthew James, 33, from Clayton - Accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time

Francis Dixon, 37, from Stalybridge – Accused of the murder of David Short, the attempted murder of Sharon Hark on the same day, and a single charge of causing an explosion

Anthony Wilkinson, 38, from Manchester – Accused of the murder of David Short, the attempted murder of Sharon Hark on the same day, a single charge of causing an explosion, and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life

Jermaine Ward, 24 – Accused of the murder of David Short, the attempted murder of Sharon Hark on the same day, and a single charge of causing an explosion

Mohammed Ali, 32, from Chadderton, Greater Manchester, is accused of assisting an offender

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More Hospital Deaths To Be Investigated

Nine more hospital trusts are to be investigated over their mortality rates, health officials said.

The NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) said the nine trusts have stood out on the Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio (HSMR) for two years in a row.

Last week medical director Sir Bruce Keogh announced five hospitals would investigated. Nine more have now been added, which are:

::North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust

:: United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

:: George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust

:: Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

:: Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

:: The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

:: Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

:: Medway NHS Foundation Trust

:: Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Last week Sir Bruce said the five trusts to be probed were identified by the Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator (SHMI) as having higher than expected death rates.

Robert Francis QC's report laid bare the"disaster" of Stafford Hospital

Figures suggest there were 3,000 more deaths than expected at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

Sir Bruce promised a "thorough and rigorous" investigation.

"These hospitals are already working closely with a range of regulators. If there were concerns that services were unsafe the regulators should have intervened," he said.

"The purpose of my investigation is to assure patients, public and Parliament that these hospitals understand why they have a high mortality and have all the support they need to improve.

"This will be a thorough and rigorous process, involving patients, clinicians, regulators and local organisations."

The investigations came after Robert Francis QC's scathing report laid bare the"disaster" of Stafford Hospital.

His report's findings highlighted the "appalling and unnecessary suffering of hundreds of patients" between 2005 and 2009.

Patients were left for hours sitting in their own faeces, food and drink was left out of reach and hygiene was so poor that relatives had to clean toilets themselves.

But in his report, Robert Francis refused to point the finger at any organisation or individual, instead blaming an "insidious negative culture".

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'Sars-Like' Virus Contracted By UK Resident

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

A UK resident is in intensive care after contracting a potentially fatal Sars-like virus, health experts confirm.

The man, who is critically ill with breathing problems, has been isolated in a Manchester hospital while he receives treatment for "novel coronavirus". Half of the people known to have been infected with the bug so far have died.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) believes he picked up the lung virus while travelling to the Middle East and Pakistan.

It says the risk to people in the UK is "very low".

Professor John Watson, the agency's head of respiratory diseases, said: "The HPA is providing advice to healthcare workers to ensure the patient is being treated appropriately and that staff who are looking after the patient are protected.

"Contacts of the case are also being followed up to check on their health."

The man is being treated in the intensive care unit at Wythenshawe Hospital.

University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said in a statement: "Our staff already follow strict guidelines on treating patients with unknown illnesses and have been wearing personal protective equipment at all times since their initial contact.

"Visitors are being limited and they too will follow strict safety guidelines."

The bug, which is similar to the Sars virus and causes severe breathing problems, has so far been confirmed in 10 people worldwide. Five have died.

One man was flown to London from Qatar last year for specialist treatment. Sky News understands he is still severely ill.

All the cases have been linked to the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding countries.

Professor Watson said: "No travel restrictions are in place, but people who develop severe respiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath, within 10 days of returning from these countries should seek medical advice and mention which countries they have visited."

Coronaviruses can cause the common cold. But the new novel form of coronavirus remains a mystery.

Scientists are still not sure whether it is circulating widely in the Middle East, but usually causing only mild symptoms.

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Pope Benedict Resigns, Vatican Confirms

Pope Benedict XVI is to resign on February 28 due to his "deteriorating" health.

He will be the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to resign in almost 600 years, with his departure expected to leave the post vacant for around three weeks.

The 85-year-old German's resignation letter said: "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.

"I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering.

Pope Benedict XVI at a consistory at the Vatican today

"However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me."

He will step down after almost eight years in the post, having been elected in April 2005.

Speaking at a hastily-arranged news conference, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said: "The Pope caught us a bit by surprise.

"We should have a new pope for Easter."

He told reporters a conclave could be held within 15 or 20 days of the resignation - and insisted Pope Benedict was not stepping down because of any difficulties in the papacy.

The Vatican has been keen to stress that the Pope has not stepped down due to any specific illness.

The Vatican

And while Mr Lombardi said his vigour had "sadly diminished in recent times", he praised the Pontiff's "humility and great honour".

Pope Benedict will now head to his Castel Gandolfo residence outside Rome, before returning to the city to live in a monastery of cloistered nuns on the Vatican hills.

The Pope's brother, Georg Ratzinger, said the Pontiff had been advised by his doctor not to take transatlantic trips for health reasons - and that he had been considering resigning for months.

He said his brother was having increasing difficulty walking and that his resignation was part of a "natural process".

"His age is weighing on him," the 89-year-old said of his 85-year-old brother. "At this age my brother wants more rest."

The last post on Pope Benedict XVI's Twitter page, sent on Sunday, said: "We must trust in the mighty power of God's mercy. We are all sinners, but His grace transforms us and makes us new."

Pope Benedict has championed Christianity's European roots and showed his conservatism by repeatedly stressing family values and fiercely opposing abortion, euthanasia and gay marriage.

The pope on his visit to the UK in 2010

He has looked increasingly weary in recent months and has often used a mobile platform to move around St Peter's basilica during church services.

His next scheduled major public appearance will see him host a general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, said: "Pope Benedict's announcement today has shocked and surprised everyone. Yet, on reflection, I am sure that many will recognise it to be a decision of great courage and characteristic clarity of mind and action.

"The Holy Father recognises the challenges facing the Church and that "strength of mind and body are necessary" for his tasks of governing the Church and proclaiming the Gospel. I salute his courage and his decision."

Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, said: "Like many people throughout the world, I was shocked and saddened to hear of the decision by Pope Benedict XVI to resign.

"I know that his decision will have been considered most carefully and that it has come after much prayer and reflection."

Dr Rebecca Rist, an expert in the history of the papacy from the University of Reading, said: "The cardinals will now have to elect a new pope - perhaps someone from South America or Africa - areas of the world where the Church is growing in numbers.

Benedict greeting Cardinal Marc Ouellet - who is being tipped to take over

"The new pope will have huge global issues to prioritise - poverty, education, human rights, the environment - and not least the importance of faith and belief in an increasingly secularised Europe.

"Benedict is a distinguished theologian and will doubtless use his retirement to dedicate himself to further study."

Sky News Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall said: "Seven years as pope is not very long.

"Last time, there was a lot of speculation that it was time for the first black pope. What Pope Benedict has done in recent years is to pack the ranks of the Vatican with lots of Europeans."

The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII, who stepped down in 1415 in a deal to end the Great Western Schism among competing papal claimants.

There are several papal contenders but no obvious front-runner to take over, which was also the case when Pope Benedict was elected Pontiff in 2005 after the death of Pope John Paul II.

Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet has been installed as favourite for the job.

More follows...

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Syria: Deaths After Turkish Border Blast

A car has exploded at a border crossing between Turkey and Syria, killing at least nine people and wounding dozens more.

The mayor of Reyhanli, the nearest town to the border checkpoint, told CNN Turk that four of those killed were Turkish and that the car which exploded had Syrian licence plates.

Witnesses said they saw it drive up to the border post, one of the main crossing points for Syrian refugees into Turkey, shortly before the explosion.

"There are at least seven dead, 33 wounded and that number could go up ...We don't know whether this was a suicide bomb or whether a car that was smuggling petrol across the border blew up," one Turkish official told Reuters.

Television footage and photographs showed severe damage to a series of cars at the border, where a gate was blown open and part of the roof collapsed.

Cars at the border crossing were badly-damaged in the blast

"There was an explosion in the no-man's zone. It was not a mortar attack. It was very strong," a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan interrupted a cabinet meeting to be briefed on the explosion, Turkish media reported.

Turkey is a staunch supporter of the almost two-year-old uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has harboured both Syrian refugees and rebels.

Five Turkish civilians were killed in October 2012 when a mortar shell hit a house in the Turkish border town of Akcakale.

Turkey has also responded in kind to gunfire and mortar rounds hitting its territory along the 910km (565 mile) border and is hosting six NATO Patriot missile batteries meant to defend it against attacks from Syria.

Tensions have increased in recent weeks after NATO said it had detected launches of short-range ballistic missiles inside Syria, several of which have landed close to the Turkish border.

Turkey has scrambled warplanes along the frontier, fanning fears the war could spread and further destabilise the region.

Speaking from scene of the explosion, Syrian opposition campaigner Osama Semaan said he believed the explosion was an attack by Assad loyalists in response to an offer of talks from opposition Syrian National Coalition leader Moaz Alkhatib.

"It seems it is a deadly message from the Syrian regime after Sheikh Moaz offered it to talk in northern Syria," Mr Semaan said.

The Cilvegozu border gate, several kilometres outside the town of Reyhanli, sits opposite the Syrian gate of Bab al-Hawa, which the rebels captured last July.

Refugees cross back and forth and Turkish trucks also deliver goods into no-man's land between the two gates, where they are picked up by Syrians.

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