BBC News with Fiona MacDonald
The Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has laid out details of the planned peace talks with his country's largest rebel group, the Farc–the first serious attempt for ten years to find a solution to the decades-long conflict. Here's Vanessa Buschschluter.
Flanked by the commanders of the Colombian armed forces and the police, President Santos asked Colombians to give the peace process a chance. He said that as president, this was an opportunity he could not let pass, especially in light of the millions of people who had suffered as a result of the five-decade-long armed conflict. Mr Santos said the peace process would not be easy, and that the government would review it at regular intervals , halting it if there was no progress. Referring to the last negotiations with the Farc, which failed ten years ago, he stressed that this time around, there would be no ceasefire and no safe haven for the rebels.
The Farc leader, known as Timochenko, said in a video message that the rebels would not get up from the negotiation table until peace had been achieved.
The US Democratic Party is opening a three-day convention in Charlotte in North Carolina. The highlight of the first day is expected to be an address by the First Lady Michelle Obama. From Charlotte, Paul Adams.
The stage is set for the Democratic Party's response to the Republican convention last week in Tampa. Delegates have been gathering all day, and the atmosphere here inside the convention hall is full of excitement. The highlight of this first day will undoubtedly be Michelle Obama, a great favorite among the Democratic faithful.They seem keen to show that they're not browbeaten by four difficult years in which Barack Obama has struggled to pursue his agenda in the teeth of the vociferous Republican opposition.Campaign officials sound confident, but predict a very tight race.
The European Commission in Brussels says it's launching an investigation to determine whether the Russian energy company Gazprom is breaching anti trust regulations in eastern and central European gas markets. Rob Young reports.
The European Commission says it's concerned Gazprom may be abusing its dominant position in Europe – some countries are totally reliant on Russian gas. The commission says it suspects Gazprom may be hindering the free flow of gas and may have charged unfair prices. If the commission finds Gazprom has acted anti-competitively, it could levy a fine on the company running to billions of dollars. However, that may complicate in an already tense relationship. Asked about the probe, the Gazprom spokesman said simply 'let them investigate'.
An elderly man has died in Greece in what health officials believe was the first case of dengue fever in the country for more than 80 years. The Greek Center for Disease Control said the man who was in his 80s, died last month after his fever had developed into a more serious variety.
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The French and Italian leaders say European institutions must do more to help countries like Spain and Italy that had been forced to pay very high rates of interest when they borrow money. After talks in Rome, President Francois Hollande and the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said the EU must act to shield weaker economies from the unbearable pressure in money markets.
The head of the International Red Cross, Peter Maurer, has met the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus to discuss ways for the ICRC and the Syrian Red Crescent to give assistance to the victims of the conflict in Syria. Speaking to BBC Arabic, Mr Maurer explained his goals for the two-day visit.
"The crisis is creating new needs and I have come now to Syria also to strengthen our cooperation with the Sarc, or the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to expand our operations and also to follow up on the mandate of ICRC to assist and protect the people in conflict." Earlier, the United Nations refugee agency said more than 100,000 Syrians fled the country last month.
Police in Israel have launched an investigation after an arson attack on a Christian monastery on occupied Palestinian territory west of Jerusalem. Vandals also sprayed the Trappist monastery at Latrun with anti-Christian graffiti.Police are looking into whether the attack was carried out by extremist Jewish settlers in retaliation for the eviction of around 300 settlers north of Jerusalem earlier this week.The outpost had become a rallying cry for hardline groups oppose to any withdrawal from the occupied West Bank.
Voting's underway in parliamentary elections in the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec. A tight three-horse race is expected to be between the Liberals, the separatist party and a new center-right party. The Liberal Jean Charest is seeking a fourth term.
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