Manchester United fans around the world are celebrating after their team beat Chelsea in the Champions League final.

Around 40,000 English supporters were at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium to see United win 6-5 in a penalty shoot-out.

Thousands of fans have started the journey back to the UK after the match, which ended at about 0130 local time.

There were no reports of trouble either inside or outside the Luzhniki stadium although there had been a few minor scuffles in the city earlier.

In England 12 Chelsea fans were arrested on suspicion of public disorder offences after scuffles with police in west London.

A crowd of 200 had gathered near Fulham Broadway tube station after watching the match in various pubs close to the club's Stamford Bri

Oil prices surged to a record high above $135 a barrel early on Thursday, having rocketed more than $4 a barrel on Wednesday.

Light, sweet crude for July delivery reached $135.04, taking its gain for the year so far above 40%.

The main driver was the weekly US crude stocks figure, which showed a 5.4 million barrel fall, when a small increase had been expected.

The continuing weakness of the US dollar also supported prices.

The US Energy Information Administration blamed the fall in its stocks figure on a fall in imports and a pick-up in demand from refineries.

Oil prices have set new records in 10 of the last 14 trading sessions.

"You really cannot forecast how much further the market will rally now," said Tatsuo Kageyama from Kanets

French workers at the national rail company, SNCF, have begun strike action against President Nicolas Sarkozy's plans to reform public-sector pensions.

Workers from other sectors are expected to join them early on Thursday in a one-day protest to pressure Mr Sarkozy to reverse his economic reforms.

Bus drivers nationwide were expected to strike, air service may be disrupted and about 50% of trains are to be cut.

The strikes follow protests by fishermen that blocked French ports.

High-speed international trains between Paris, London and Brussels were not expected to be affected by the SNCF workers' action.

The transport workers are due to be joined by postal, utility and other public sector workers across France.

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Two NHS bodies have been criticised by a watchdog after a pregnant woman was denied a routine £100 injection.

A public service ombudsman report found that the Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust and Cardiff Local Health Board (LHB) could not agree who should pay for it.

The patient, from Cardiff, arranged a private treatment and the ombudsman has recommended that she is reimbursed and compensated.

In a joint statement, the LHB and the trust apologised to the patient.

The woman, known as Mrs R in the report, requested the antenatal injection in 2006 because of her particular blood group and problems her mother had in pregnancy.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) recommends that the injection is offered as a routine treatment.

Ten violent attacks on women and teenage girls in Hastings are being linked to one man.

Two of the attacks took place in the past seven days, and Sussex Police say they are linked. The first attack was in June 2007.

The attacker strikes between 2100 and 0300 and there appears to be no sexual motive and nothing is stolen.

Det Insp Paul Phelps said victims, aged between 16 and 33, needed treatment for cuts - some serious - and bruises.

All were attacked as they walked or cycled late at night, or in the early hours of the morning.

In the first attack last year, a 19-year-old cyclist was approached from behind and hit in the face, causing her to fall and suffer a cut cheek, a nose bleed, and a bruise to her eye.