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BBC news 2012-01-23

BBC News with Zoe Diamond

The Arab League has urged Syria to start a political dialogue with the opposition within two weeks and form a national unity government within two months. It also asked Syria to hold multiparty elections under a new constitution. The Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, spoke on behalf of the Arab League in Cairo.

"And we call on the Arab League to find (out) financial support for this to set up a commission to investigate the killing and also for finding compensation for the victims, and also for preparing a constituent, as some believe, based on transparent and fair elections."

The Arab League also reiterated a call on the Syrian government to free detainees and allow demonstrations. It said that it would ask the United Nations to support the plan for a transition to multiparty democracy.

The Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has left the country after giving a speech asking forgiveness for any mistakes during his 33 years in power.

"I thank our men and women for how they have withstood 11 months of hunger and power cuts and lack of services. And I applaud the people - a steadfast, heroic struggling people. And I ask forgiveness of all my compatriots, men and women, for any mistakes during my 33 years in power. I ask forgiveness and offer my apologies to all Yemenis."

Yemeni officials say President Saleh has gone to Oman. In his speech, Mr Saleh said that he would be travelling shortly to the United States for further medical treatment but would later return to Yemen. The speech came a day after parliament granted him full immunity from prosecution.

The deputy head of the transitional government in Libya has said that he's resigning amidst growing protests against him in the country's second city Benghazi. Abdul Hafiz Ghoga told al-Jazeera that he was resigning in the national interest. On Saturday, several hundred protesters stormed the headquarters of the National Transitional Council in Benghazi.

The Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to defeat those responsible for the coordinated bombings in the northern city of Kano. The militant Islamist group Boko Haram said that it was responsible for the bombings. He was speaking during a visit to the city, where more than 150 people were killed in the attacks on Friday.

"These suicide attacks are not really part of us. They are quite new. Unfortunately the whole world is passing through terror attacks - a very ugly phase of our history. We know that we'll get over it. We'll continue to fight - the security services will not rest until we clean up the country."

This is the World News from the BBC.

Emergency workers in Italy say that there may have been unregistered passengers on board the cruise liner that ran aground nine days ago. The statement came as divers found another body on the ship, bringing the number of dead to 13.

Early results in Croatia's referendum on whether to join the European Union show a large majority has voted in favour of the membership. Partial results put the yes vote at just over 67%. All the major political parties campaigned in favour of joining. Opponents argued that the country would lose its sovereignty if it entered the EU.

An American congresswoman shot and nearly killed a year ago has announced that she will step down from office. In a video message posted on the Internet, Gabrielle Giffords said that she is leaving the job to focus on her recovery.

Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head whilst meeting voters at a supermarket in her district. Last week, she joined other victims of the attack at a vigil one year on. The 41-year-old has been undergoing intensive speech and physiotherapy, and her recovery has been described as remarkable. Now, though, she says she has more work to do and that stepping down is the best thing for Arizona. A 23-year-old man, Jared Loughner, has been charged over the shooting but was declared mentally unfit to stand trial. An election will be held to replace Gabrielle Giffords. But in her message, she says in the future, she plans to return to politics.That was Jonathan Blake reporting from Washington.

The legendary former US football coach Joe Paterno has died at the age of 85. He led Penn State University to more wins in major college football than anyone else in the game's history. But he was sacked in 2011 after 46 years in charge when he was accused of covering up child abuse allegations against an assistant coach. Joe Paterno had been suffering from cancer and had recently fallen at his home.

That's the latest World News from the BBC here in London.