World news: Tribal chief warns of civil war in Yemen

Saleh is in Saudi Arabia, where he is receiving treatment for serious injuries from a blast early this month at his palace in the Yemeni capital.

In his message to King Abdullah, Sadeq al-Ahmar appealed to the Saudi monarch to prevent Saleh from returning to Yemen.

Papandreou survives but crucial vote on cuts ahead

Greece's prime minister has survived a key confidence vote, keeping alive a government bid to avert a debt default that could spark a financial crisis around the world.

MPs voted 155 to 143 along party lines last night to back George Papandreou, who now faces a critical vote next week on a massive austerity package that Greece's creditors insist must pass by the end of June.

He is seeking 24.8 billion in budget cuts and new taxes and 44.3bn worth of privatisation of public assets. Unless the new measures pass, Greece will not receive the next batch of bailout funds worth 10.6bn, and will face a disastrous default in July, when it runs out of money.

A default by Greece could drag down Greek and European banks and renew fears over the finances of other eurozone countries such as Portugal, Ireland and Spain.

Mr Papandreou must still convince all the MPs from his Socialist party to support the austerity bill, which has provoked strikes, riots and a slump in his popularity.

While all 155 Socialists voted in favour of the confidence motion, several have publicly criticised the austerity measures and at least one has said he will not back them.

Galliano racism trial begins

Former Dior designer John Galliano, who is said to have hurled racial insults at three people in a Paris cafe, will face his accusers at his trial today.

Galliano, 50, is charged with public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity and could face six months in jail.

Pervert hides in toilet tank

A WOMAN who tried to use a portable toilet at a Colorado yoga festival lifted the seat lid - and discovered a man hiding in the tank below.

Boulder police said the woman noticed something moving inside the tank and asked a man to check it out. The man reported seeing someone covered in a tarpaulin.

The suspect eventually emerged from the toilet - covered in waste - and slipped away. He is being sought on charges of attempting to make unlawful sexual contact.

Insurgents die in shoot-out

Officials say Islamist militants have attacked a police checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, triggering a shoot-out that left 12 insurgents dead.

The attack on the outskirts of Peshawar city is the latest in a surge of similar strikes that involve groups of militants swarming police checkpoints.

Airline settles engine row

Australia's flagship airline Qantas said today it had reached a 60 million settlement with Rolls-Royce over last year's mid-air disintegration of an engine, which temporarily forced the grounding of its entire fleet of superjumbos.

Qantas said the terms of the agreement were confidential.