British authorities are beseeching the public to remain calm following a brutal public murder and subsequent retaliation attempts.

Scotland Yard's top officer has confirmed two men have been arrested after a British soldier was butchered in broad daylight on a street in the capital city. Officers from the counter-terrorism unit are leading the investigation, as police say it's hard to comprehend the shocking scenes that occurred outside the London barracks mid-afternoon local time on Wednesay.

Prime Minister David Cameron has confirmed it appears to be a terrorist attack, and experts suggest the suspects may have been "copycats" of the Boston bombers. They say it appears the attack was done for effect, based on the way the perpetrators wanted to explain what they were doing. The soldier was assaulted with knives and a machete, and one attacker was filmed by eye-witnesses with his hands covered in blood, reportedly chanting "Allahu akbar" and talking about taking an eye for an eye.

SELFLESS MUM CONFRONTS ATTACKERS

Yet, a tale of bravery is emerging from the horror.

Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, was one of the first people on the scene.  The 48-year-old mother-of-two and cub scout leader, was photographed by onlookers confronting one of the attackers who was holding a bloodied knife.  

She said she thought she should start talking to him before he started attacking someone else, so asked why he had done it.

His rant in reply - because he was fed up with people killing Muslims in Afghanistan.  The Daily Telegraph reports that Mrs Loyau-Kennett kept her nerve as one told her, “We want to start a war in London tonight.”

They came close to getting their wish as, following the public murder, there were reports that someone a rampage in a mosque in Gillingham, Kent, smashing bookcases and windows.  Kent police confirm they have detained a man for questioning on suspicion of racially-aggravated criminal damage.  In separate incident, a 43-year-old man was detained after he reportedly walked into a mosque armed with a knife in Braintree, in Essex.

Security is tight at army bases across the UK after the day's shocking events, and police are providing high visibility patrols in key areas.  Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge of the Kent police force is appealing for people to stay calm to ensure the safety of everyone.

Today's murder is the first terror attack on British streets since the 2005 London bombings, when 52 people were killed by four suicide bombers on London's transport network on July 7.

ACT OF TERROR NOT OF ISLAM

The Muslim Council of Britain has issued a statement distancing their community from the violence:

• No cause justifies this murder
• A barbaric act that has no basis in Islam and we condemn this unreservedly
• Vast majority of British Muslims acknowledge armed forces for the work they do
• Calls for calm and unity in all communities

The Council said the murder was likely to heighten suspicion and racial tension in the UK, but pleaded for Muslims and non-Muslims alike to "ensure the forces of hatred do not prevail".

- Newstalk ZB/ RBG News

It's believed the Oklahoma City tornado has affected more than 30,000 Americans.

The tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma, on Monday, killed 24 people and is being described as one of the deadliest in the United States' history. First responders included locals who serve with the US defence force, and are grappling with personal losses of their own.

The number of people affected in some way by the disaster - whether through death, injury or property damage - is estimated at 36,000; and the tornado may have wreaked more than two billion dollars' worth of damage.  Those preliminary figures are estimates based solely on a visual evaluation of the devastated area. 

A Deputy Director of the National Guard told the American Forces Press Service that soldiers on the ground appreciated the need to relay information frequently so that regular updates could be provided to officials. Brigadier-General Emery Fountain said the immediate aftermath of the tornado was a rapidly-evolving situation that continues to develop.

"You allow the leadership there within the Oklahoma National Guard to push the information to us, rather than us to be part of their challenge and clogging the networks, whether that be digital or 'phones, with requests for information...

"They know the desire at the national level for information."

- Newstalk ZB/ RBG News

Middle distance runner Nick Willis will miss this weekend's Diamond League 2013 event in New York.

He was due to run the Adidas GP 800m event on Saturday. That would have seen him compete against Olympic champion and world record holder, David Rudisha.

However, a fall suffered in the Shanghai stage of the Diamond Race last Saturday resulted in a slight injury and has forced Willis to pull out of the New York run. He remained positive and tweeted that he expects to be fit for the Prefontaine Classic at the end of the month.

"My goal is to win the world championships 1500m in Moscow. Sure, I might fail, but Shanghai's bad race showed me it's possible."

Nick Willis' latest post conveyed excitement about a completely different topic - his impending fatherhood. He and his wife Sierra are expecting their first child in five weeks.

- Newstalk ZB/ Twitter

New Zealand tennis's top female is teaming up with an international star.

Kiwi number one, Marina Erakovic, will again join forces with one of the world's best doubles players, Cara Black, at the French Open and Wimbledon. Erakovic recently paired with the 10-time Grand Slam champion in Madrid, reaching the final of the Tier One tournament.

They are third seeds in Strasbourg this week, and Erakovic says she's lucky to be playing with one of the greats. She described Zimbabwean Black as an amazing player and believed they 'click well' together.

Erakovic's good doubles form has contrasted with her less successful singles performances - she is heading into Roland Garros on the back of six first-round defeats in seven tournaments.

- Newstalk ZB

These are troubling times for two Kiwis play-makers facing struggles at their NRL clubs.

Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson, and Tigers star Benji Marshall are in the spotlight. Johnson was pulled from the field in the loss to Penrith, and says his confidence has taken a big knock since then. However, he insists his relationship with coach Matt Elliott is fine.

Benji Marshall was dropped to the bench last week but has now been restored to the starting side. He displayed a resolute attitude about the setback, saying the only way to get out of a slump is to play yourself out of it - and if you play well, everyone 'shuts up'.

The Warriors and Tigers are respectively second-to-last and last on the NRL ladder.

- Newstalk ZB

The Defence Force is planning to remain in the Golan Heights, despite the temporary abduction of a New Zealand peacekeeper.

The soldier was taken from an observation post yesterday at around 11am NZT, held for five hours then released unharmed. The officer is now at a secure United Nations facility receiving counselling, and intends to stay on in the area, at least for now.

The officer is one of eight New Zealand Army personnel serving as part of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) in the Middle East, and a Defence Force spokesman says the Army has no plans to change its contribution to the force.

Media advisor Major Aidan Shattock revealed there have been several incidents in the Golan Heights. He said when soldiers serve overseas in these types of places they understand there are always risks, although the Army does its best to mitigate those.

There have been concerns about peacekeepers' safety on the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria for a number of months. Otago University's expert on international relations says the region where the Kiwi officer was abducted is becoming more dangerous, thanks to the Syrian civil war.

The White House has released 99 pages of emails regarding last year's deadly attack on the US consulate in Benghazi.

England is optimistic but hardly cavalier about their next face-off against New Zealand.

The first cricket test against the Black Caps starts tomorrow morning at Lord's.  In addition to the five-day test series, the two teams will also play an ODI at the end of the month.

Both teams are closely matched following their summer season in New Zealand. It is just two months since the sides battled to a 0-0 series draw in New Zealand - the English only narrowly avoided a loss, with just one wicket to spare in the final test.

However, the team's pace bowler Stuart Broad says they showed they can compete even when they're off their game. He believes that they should have lost two of the tests, but instead successfully held on for draws in those games. He also pointed out that home advantage will play a significant role at Lord's, which is a difficult ground to play on for those new to the venue.

The bowler has assured that even though some regard an upcoming Ashes series as the team's main act for the northern summer, the England side are concentrating on the imminent challenge.

"We have a huge summer ahead of us but nothing more important than the first hour here on Thursday... We have to focus on the opening bowlers or opening batters doing their job at 11 o'clock on Thursday."

The Black Caps 11-man line-up will be named tonight.  

England: Alastair Cook (captain), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Nick Compton, Steven Finn, Matt Prior, Joe Root, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott

- Newstalk ZB/ press rls/ RBG News

Waimarama Taumaunu's new assistant will soon be revealed.

The Silver Ferns coach had various assistants last season, employed in a part-time capacity. But tomorrow, Netball NZ will appoint the successful applicant to a full-time role.

Two netball veterans stand out: Steel coach Janine Southby and former Silver Fern Sandra Edge have been tipped as the strongest contenders.

- Newstalk ZB

The America's Cup regatta remains on track.

Cup organisers issued a statement today announcing that the competition will go ahead.  But that is only once a wide-ranging review is completed into last week's fatal training exercise. The capsizing of Team Artemis' AC72 catamaran in San Francisco Bay last Thursday cost British sailor Andrew Simpson his life.