BBC News with Johnathan Izard.
The British government has agreed to pay more than $3 million to a Libyan dissident and his family who say that the foreign intelligence Agency MI6 was involved in a secret rendition. Sami al-Saadi, a leading opponent of the former Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi, says that in 2004, he and his family were forced to board a plane from Hong Kong to Libya where he was tortured. Caroline Hawley reports.
Suggestions of a British role in Sami al-Saadi’s secret rendition came to light in documents that emerged in Tripoli when Muammar al-Gaddafi was overthrown. Mr. al-Saadi who had founded a group trying to topple Colonel Gaddafi, began legal proceedings against the British government. Today he said he had hoped that a trial would get to the truth of what had happened to him, but with the government trying to introduce secret courts, he felt that accepting the settlement was the best thing for his family. Mr. al-Saadi said he believed the payments spoke for itself, and that he would be able to use it on medical care for the injuries he suffered in jail.
Thousands of Palestinians have attended the first rally. The Islamist group Hamas has been allowed to stage in the West Bank for five years. The Palestinian authority, which controls the West Bank, let Hamas supporters demonstrate in Nablus. Jon Donnison was there.
Thousands have turned out for this Hamas rally in Nablus, the first permitted in the West Bank for more than five years. It's Hamas's rivals Fatah that are in power here. The two sides fell out bitterly back in 2007. The fact that this rally is being allowed to take place has been built as a sign that reconciliation might be a little closer, but for Hamas it's also a chance for a show of strength.
With less than six weeks to go before Israel's general election, the Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has been charged with fraud and breach of trust. A more serious case of corruption against him has been closed. Mr. Lieberman, who has previously denied wrongdoing, told a news conference he was not obliged to resign but would confer with his lawyers. There were allegations that companies under his control received huge payments from foreign businessmen.
Serbia's football association has been fined more than $100,000 over a racist abuse and a post-match brawl at its Under-21 game against England more than a month ago. England said the sanctions didn't send a strong enough message that the racism was unacceptable. Alex Capstick reports.
The ruling follows a highly charged Under-21 International between Serbia and England in October. The English FA accused the Serbian crowd of racist chanting. There were violent scenes after the final whistle involving players and officials from both sides. UEFA decided to punish Serbia with a fine of just over $100,000, a series of suspensions for players and coaches, and the Under-21 team will have to play its next home fixture behind closed doors. Two English players were also suspended for one match for their part(s) in the brawl, but the UEFA said it will appeal against those decisions.
World News from the BBC.
The United States has said it won't sign a global telecommunications deal in its current form complaining that it could let national governments regulate the Internet. Britain, Canada and other countries have announced similar positions at the United Nations-led negotiations that have been underway in Dubai for the past 11 days. But Russia leads an opposing bloc of countries which support tighter control of the internet.
European Union finance ministers meeting in Brussels have agreed to release more than $60 billion to Greece for the latest installment of its international loan. Earlier, ministers struck a deal to set up a banking union. Here is our economic's correspondent Andrew Walker.
Slowly, Eurozone governments are putting in place elements of the response to the crisis. They've taken steps often reluctant and incomplete down the path of greater financial integration. The decision to partly centralize bank regulation under the European Central Bank, might help prevent dangerous banking practices. It also satisfies a German precondition for allowing central rescues of banks without going via national governments. There are some missing elements, perhaps the most important is economic growth. Its absence makes it hard to get government debts under control and to repair the damage that banks have suffered.
Some news just in. President Obama says he has accepted the UN Ambassador Susan Rice's decision to pull out of the running to become US Secretary of State. She said she wanted to avoid a lengthy confrontation with Republicans in the Senate.
Spanish police have seized assets worth more than $36 million linked to the ousted Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak. They include investments in Spanish banks, properties in Madrid and the holiday resort of Marbella and several luxury cars.
The Venezuelan government has admitted that President Hugo Chavez suffered bleeding during a six-hour operation for cancer in Cuba on Tuesday. The Communications Minister Ernesto Villegas said Mr. Chavez needed corrective measures to deal with the bleeding.
BBC News.