Hello, I'm Justin Green with the BBC news.
The Internationally recognized Libyan government says a US air strike in the country has killed a senior Islamist militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar. The Pentagon has
confirmed he was the target of an air strike on Saturday, but says that it’s still assessing the results of the operation. Belmokhtar’s death has been reported many
times in the past. Tom Batman has more.
“The Algerian-born militant led a brigade which two years ago stormed the IMS gas port on the Libyan Algerian border. His men held 800 workers hostage in a siege
which led to the deaths of 40 people. Belmokhtar gained notoriety as one of North Africa's most dangerous Islamist militants. He lost an eye fighting in Algeria and
known the nickname Mr. Marlboro for cigarettes smuggling at a price across the Sahara to fund attacks in the region.”
A court in South Africa is expected to rule later today on whether the Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir should be handed over to the International Criminal Court. Mr
al-Bashir who's in the country for an African Union summit has been charged by the ICC with war crimes and genocide. On Sunday, a judge barred him from living South
Africa until an application for his arrest had been considered. Monsieur Mecikar reports.
“Lawyers representing the government will argue in the high court that Mr Bashir should be allowed to go back home as freeman because Mr Bashir is in the country at
the invitation of the African Union and not the South African government. The host nation of the African Union summit faces a diplomatic dilemma at this stage because
if Mr Bashir leaves the country before the outcome of the court hearing, then someone has to be held in contempt of court. The question is who will that person be.”
United Nation-brokered peace talks on Yemen are due to start later today. At the very least, UN diplomats are hoping for humanitarian pours after months of fighting
that has claimed thousands of lives. From Geneva, Imogen Foulkes has more.
“Hopes for these talks were never especially high just days before they were due to start. It was reviewed the two sides were unlikely to even sit at the same table,
then Huthi rebel groups delayed their arrival in Geneva by a day, raising fears the talks could be canceled altogether. Today, they should get under way, the aim to
negotiate a ceasefire, plan for the withdrawal of Huthi forces from territory they have seized and increase aid deliveries. Real peace remains a long way off.”
The Colombia army has killed a top military commander from the country's second largest guerrilla group the national liberation army or ELN. The commander known as
Marquitos was a member of the ELN's national leadership. Local press reports said he was killed in a surprised attack after he and his men gathered to watch a football
match on TV.
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Saudi Arabia's financial market is opening to some foreign investors who, from Monday, will be able to buy sharing companies traded on the country's stock exchange.
Our economist correspondent Andrew Walker reports.
“Saudi Arabia is one of the largest markets to remain until now largely off limits to international investors. It’s now taking an important, they have not complete,
step to open up. The right to buy shares would be limited to investors approved by the regulator and be limited to the amount of incoming investment including a cap of
49% total foreign ownership of any company. It’s not expected that there would be a sudden surge funds going into the market. But Saudi Arabia's oil wealth means it’
s a large enough economy to ensure that some investors will find opportunities.”
Talks aimed at breaking stalemate between Greece and its international creditors have failed to make any progress. The emergency meeting in Brussels on Sunday was
called by European Commission in their last attempt to reach an agreement before a meeting of Euro Zone finance ministers on Thursday. The Commission said a
significant gap remained between Greece and its creditors.
In Britain, the queen will attend a ceremony later today to mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carter, the document which introduced some of the key rights enjoyed in
modern democracies. Here's our royal correspondent Peter Hunt.
"In Runnymede meadow on the banks of the Thames, the queen will mark a pivotal moment history -- the moment when it was established as her ancestors were not above the
law, the death of despotism, as one historian put it. Magna Carter, Latin for 'Great Charter', placed limits on taxation, outlined basic rights including to a fair
trial. And president Obama has spoken of it as 'the inspiration for America's founding fathers'." Peter Hunt reporting there.
Magna Carter is also seen as an inspiration for the universal declaration of human rights.