Twin suicide bomb attacks in the Lebanese capital Beirut have killed at least 40 people and wounded many others. The blast went off in a mainly Shia districts that is a stronghold of support for Hezbollah. The Islamic State group said it carried out the bombings but there has been no independent confirmation. Our Arab affairs editor Spice Narasia reports. This is the worst bomb attack in Beirut since the Civil War ended a quarter of a century ago. Its perpetrators clearly wanted to maximize casualties. Two bombers blow themselves up a short distance from each other in a busy narrow street in the early evening rush hour as worshippers were also coming out of the nearby Mosque. It may have been ordinary people who were killed and maimed, but the bombers'message was directed towards Hezbollah, the powerful movement that controls this mainly Shia area. Its blasts spill over from the Syrian war, where Hezbollah has played a crucial and controversial role in fighting president Bashar al-Assad.
The US Secretary of State John Kerry has asked that countries attending peace talks on Syria this weekend remain open minded about a political solution. Mr Kerry was speaking for leaving for second round of talks in Vienna. Barber Plat Arsher is traveling with Mr Kerry. No matter how hard it is to achieve peace, the attempt is always worthwhile said Mr Kerry. He stressed that at least now, all the main foreign powers involved in the conflict are around the table, that includes the US and Saudi Arabia, which back rebel groups, and Russia and Iran, which back the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Mr Kerry acknowledged they hadn’t resolved their differences about Mr Asad's role in a political transition, which had held up previous diplomatic efforts, and they weren't near a comprehensive agreement, no one should dig in their heels he said, as they attempt to build on a grave set of basic principles.
The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution strongly condemning the escalating violence in Burundi under the measures Burundian leaders who incited attacks and impeded peace efforts could face sanctions. Nike Brian is at the UN. The fear of the UN is of a Rwandan-style genocide in Burundi, while there is also a history of tensions between Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups. The French drafted resolution which passed unanimously condemn the way of killing and arrests in human rights violations and pave the way for the possible insertion of blue helmeted UN peace keepers. UN officials are considering a number of options including rushing in peace keepers currently employed in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
An alleged member of New York crime families have been found not guilty of involvement in the 1978 airport rubbery that helped inspired the Hollywood mafia film Goodfellas. Vincent Asaro who was 80 was cleared of murder, extortion and other crimes. Mr Asaro was arrested last year more than 3 decades after the infamous heist at John.F Kennedy Airport. The theft of 6 million dollars from the Lufthansa vault was at the time, the largest cash robbery in American history. World news from the BBC.
Nigeria's highest court has temporarily suspended corruption case against the president of the Senate, the third most powerful politician in Nigeria. Bukola Saraki is accused of not declaring his assets when he was a state governor. He denies the charges. The judge rule that the proceedings of the tribunal would not go ahead until the Supreme Court has heard the appeal.
A federal appeal's court in the US has reversed the decision by a lower court, which found that California's death penalty was being applied illegally. The judge ruled that while many people consider California's capital punishment system to be dysfunctional, it complied with federal law. James Cook reports from Los Angelas. This case was brought by Earnest Wayn Jones, who were sentenced to death 20 years ago for the rape and murder of his girlfriend's mother. His lawyer has argued that long delays in the appeal's process meant that only a random few of those on death row were actually killed. More than 900 people have been sentenced to death in California since 1978, but only 13 have been executed. A district court ruled in Jones's favor, saying arbitrary delays meant the punishment was cruel and unusual and therefore, unconstitutional. That judgment has not been overturned on procedural grounds.
African leaders say European Union fund of almost 2 billion dollars will do little to reduce the number of migrants trying to reach Europe. Injection of money was announced in Malta at the end of a two-day summit. It will finance projects ranging from training and small business grounds to combating food shortages.
The Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff says a mining company responsible for two damns that burst last week contaminating a vast area will be fined an initial 66 million dollars. Speaking on a visit, the affected area in Minas Gerais state, Dilma Rousseff said she was determined to hold that responsible for disaster to account and she also added that more fines could follow. BBC news.