BBCNewswithStewartMacintosh.
ThedirectorgeneraloftheBBCGeorgeEntwistlehasrejectedsuggestionsthatatelevisionreportintoallegationsofextensivesexualabusebyoneofitsformerstarswassuppressedbyseniormanagement.He'sbeenspeakingattheparliamentarycommitteehearinghowintothelatepresenterJimmySavileabusedchildrenoverseveraldecadesandwhytheBBCdroppedthereportintotheclaimsagainsthim.RobWarsonhasmoredetails.
GeorgeEntwistledeniedthechargeofacover-upagainsttheBBC,hesaidbelievedtheinvestigationintoJimmySavileshouldnothavebeendropped,buteffectivelyblamedtheeditoroftheNewsnightprogramforpoorjudgementandstoppingtheinvestigation.Hesaidhe'dseennoevidencetherehadbeenpressurefromseniormanagerstodoso.TheMPsseemfrustratedandevenangeredbymuchofMrEntwistle'stestimony,frequentlycriticisingtheBBC'smanagementstyleandprocesses.
TheheadofItaly'smainriskassessmentagencyhasresignedaftersevenofhiscolleagueweregivenprisonsentencesforunderestimatingthechancesofamajorearthquakejustdaysbeforeonestruckthecityofL'Aquilain2009.LucianoMaianisaidtherewasnowadangerthatscientistswouldrefrainfromgivingadvicetotheItaliangovernment.
Thescientificcommitteehastogiveinitsownjudgementtheadvice,theadvicemaybewrongormaybeimprecise,butifyouhavesuchheavypunishmenttothis,thecommitteewillnotactproperly,thecommitteewilltendtobealwaysontheveryveryveryconservativeside.
Thesixscientistsandaformergovernmentofficialweresentencedtosixyearseachformanslaughterforgivingafalselyreassuringstatement.Theearthquakekilledmore300people.
ThelowerhouseofRussianparliamenthasvotedtowidenthedefinitionofhightreason,itwouldberedefinetoincludinggivingfinancial,technicalorotherhelptothoseseekingtodamageRussiasecurity.TomEsomenreports.
UndercurrentRussianlaw,hightreasonlargelyreferstopassingsecretinformationtoforeigngovernments.Thenewbillwillapplytointernationalorganizationstoo.Criticssaythebillmightmakeiteasiertocriminalisethesharingofinformationwithhumanrightsgroupsortobrandsomeoneatraitor.
ThreepeoplehavebeenchargedwithplottingtopoisonthepresidentofBeninandcurrentchairmanoftheAfricanUnionThomasBoniYayi.Prosecutorsaccusedthepresident'sdoctor,hisnieceandaformercabinetministerofplanningtoswaphismedicationforpoisonduringatriplastweektoBelgium.AbusinessmanfromBeninallegedlyofferedthem$2mtocarryouttheattemptedmurderafterhiscompanieslostbiggovernmentcontracts.Thebusinessmanissaidtobeontherun.
ThisistheWorldNewsfromtheBBC
ResidentsofoneofmainareasheldbyIslamistsrebelsinnorthernMalisaytruckloadsofforeignfightershavearrivedinrecentdaysasinternationalconcerngrowsabouttheinstabilityintheregion.ThemayorofthetownofGaowhohasfledtothecapitalBamako,saidthenewarrivalsincludedaboutahundredJihadiststhoughttobefromWesternSaharaandAlgeria.
TheNigerianNavyhasdetainedaforeignflaggedshipandits15crewmembersmostofthemRussianonsuspicionofillegallycarryingweapons.Navalspokesmansaiddozensofautomaticweaponsandmorethan8,000roundsofammunitionwereseizedwhenthevesselwasboardednearLagos.TheshipbelongstotheMoransecurityfirm.WillRossreportsfromLagos.
ArmssmugglingisfairlycommoninWestAfrica,soispiracy,privatesecurityfirmsareincreasinglybeinghiredtoprotectcargoships,someofthepirateattacksnotininternationalwatersbutinNigerianwaterswheresecurityfirmsarenotallowedtocarryweapons.SomefirmsarepayingtheNigerianNavyforarmedprotection.
TensofthousandsofHungarianshavetakenpartinrivalproandanti-governmentralliesinthecapitalBudapestasthecountrymarkedthe56thanniversaryofitsuprisingagainstSovietrule.Addressinghissupporters,thePrimeMinisterViktorOrbancriticisedtheEuropeanUnionforputtingpressureonHungrytocutspending,sayinghewouldnotbedictatedtobyforeigners.Attheotherreally,aformerPrimeMinisterGordonBajnaiannouncedthecreationofanewalliancetotrytooustMrOrban'sgovernment.
AcourtinCambodiahasorderedthedeportationofaChinesefactorymanagerforrippingupphotographsoftheformerKingNorodomSihanouk,whodiedlastweek.Thewomanwasgivenaone-yearsuspendedjailsentenceandorderedtopayafineforintentionallydamagingthephotographsafterbecomingannoyedthatstaffstoppedtoworktolookatthem.
AndthatisthelatestBBC'snews