● <B>The guardian

Blair aide re-interviewed under caution</B>

A top aide to Tony Blair has been re-interviewed by police investigating cash-for-honours allegations, it was confirmed today. John McTernan, political relations director at Number 10, was interviewed under caution the second time, sources said. McTernan is currently helping Labour?s campaign for the Scottish parliament elections. Sources said the interview happened before the arrest last week of another aide, Ruth Turner. The Scottish National party have seized on the development. SNP MP Angus MacNeil said: «John McTernan was sent north by Blair to run the show and now Scottish Labour are being engulfed by the crisis.» Downing Street and Scotland Yard both declined to comment. It emerged that Scotland?s first minister had also been questioned by police. Last week, senior Downing Street aide Turner was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice in connection with the inquiry. She was the fourth person ? and the first salaried government official ? to be arrested in the inquiry, after Blair?s personal fundraiser, Lord Levy, major Labour donor Sir Christopher Evans and headteacher Des Smith. Her arrest has fuelled speculation at Westminster that the inquiry has shifted its focus to the possibility of an attempted cover-up. Former Tory leader Michael Howard has also been questioned over the allegations.

● <B>Lebanon times

Four dead in Beirut cast shadow over aid pledges</B>

Four people were shot dead in clashes between pro- and anti-government activists in Lebanon on Thursday, overshadowing a $7.6 billion aid deal by international donors to shore up the US-backed government. Two opposition students and two other people, one a government loyalist, were shot dead and 152 were injured, many by gunfire, at Beirut?s Arab University, security sources said. The Lebanese army said a night curfew it declared in Beirut was holding and leaders of both sides appealed for calm. A campaign led by Shi?ite Hezbollah and Christian allies against the government, which is struggling to get over year?s war with Israel, has raised tensions between Sunnis and Shi?ites in Lebanon, still recovering from a 1975-90 civil war. Fighting started between students with sticks and stones on the university campus then spilled into nearby streets. It developed into exchanges of gunfire from assault rifles and pistols involving students and residents from both sides. It was not clear who fired first but television stations run by the opposition blamed the deaths on pro-government gunmen.

● <B>Le Monde

Le Pen prévoit un séisme politique «d?une plus grande magnitude» qu?en 2002</B>

Invité mercredi 24 janvier au journal télévisé de 20 heures de TF1, Jean-Marie Le Pen a qualifié de «trompe-l??il» l?annonce par le gouvernement d?une rallonge de la durée de collecte des cinq cents signatures nécessaires pour se présenter à l?élection présidentielle. Le dirigeant du Front national a rappelé que, malgré cette mesure, les candidats disposeront finalement de trois semaines, contre cinq lors du dernier scrutin présidentiel, en 2002. «C?est plutôt une régression», a-t-il estimé. Toujours au sujet de ces cinq cents signatures de maires, le candidat a assuré «ne pas jouer la comédie» en évoquant ses difficultés à les obtenir. «C?est un travail long et coûteux, qui demande une mobilisation des moyens», a-t-il ajouté. Le président du Front national a de nouveau affiché son optimisme, prédisant de nouveau sa présence au second tour. «Cela ne sera pas une surprise pour moi, a-t-il assuré. Par contre, cela pourrait être pour certains une plus grand surprise, ou une plus grande magnitude, qu?en 2002». Jean-Marie Le Pen a enfin annoncé que le vrai démarrage de sa campagne se ferait à Lille, «le 24 ou le 25 février», à l?occasion de la signature d?une «grande convention populaire».

● <B>The Times of India

India celebrates Republic Day </B>

As many as 15,000 policemen fanned out across Delhi as an unprecedented security cover was thrown around the Capital to prevent any terrorist activities as it celebrated the 58th Republic Day yesterday. Stringent security arrangements were in place, mainly along the parade route and around the India Gate area, with special emphasis on tightening access control measures to thwart human bomb attacks. Securing the Rajpath, the main venue of Republic Day Parade, a multi-layer security ring was in place. Around 400 armed commandoes of the Delhi Police were positioned along the parade route from Vijay Chowk to Red Fort while about 15,000 Delhi Police and Army personnel were deployed across the capital.