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BBC news 2016-03-20

Hello, I'm Sue Montgomery with the BBC news.

A spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemen says the year-old campaign was nearing the end of its major combat phase. The Saudi statement follows criticism of a deadly coalition air strike on a market in Yemen on Tuesday. Laura Bicker reports from Washington. The White House spokesman Josh Ernest said that the US welcomed the Saudi statement indicating an end to major operations and that too many innocent civilians have been caught up in the crossfire. He said president Obama urged all parties to return to UN-facilitated peace talks. The president has long made the case that a political solution should be found and the issue is likely to feature prominently during his visit to Saudi Arabia in April.

North Korea has fired a ballistic missile into the sea off its eastern coast days after the country's leader Kim Jung-un ordered more nuclear warhead on missile tests. The latest launch has been confirmed by both South Korea and the United States. Military tensions have been rising on the Korean Peninsula since the North carried out its fourth nuclear test in January.

The lower house of congress in Chili has approved a proposal to lift the ban on abortion in cases of rape, when there is serious health risk for the mother or when the fetus is no longer considered viable. Leonardo Russia has more. Chili is one of seven Latin American countries where there is still a total ban on abortion. But despite being a predominantly Roman Catholic nation, Chili allowed abortion for decades until 1989. The practice was banned by general Augusto Pinochet in one of his last acts in power. The counter proposal was stabled by the left-wing government of Michelle Bachelet and approved with support of some members of the conservative Christian democrats. Opinion polls say most Chileans support a change and there is a good chance the bill will be approved by the senate in the coming months.

European Union leaders in Brussel have agreed a common position to present to Turkey in return for Turkish help in easing the refugee crisis. Under the proposed plan, migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey would be sent back in exchange for a financial aid and visa-free access to Europe for Turks. Damian Grammaticas reports from Brussels. This plan European leaders hope will be the turning point in the refugee crisis. Five hours of talks ended just after midnight in Brussels with all the EU's 28 countries agreeing a unified position. The original proposal put forward by Germany included returning all refugees and migrants who land on the Greek islands to Turkey. To meet concerns that could be illegal, the leaders discussed providing assurance that each person claiming asylum will be given a full hearing in Greece. The most difficult negotiations may come when the plan is put to Turkey's prime minister over breakfast in Brussels. World news from the BBC.

In the US presidential race, Hillary Clinton has been declared the winner of the Democratic primary in the sate of Missouri two days after the contest was held. She won narrowly by just over 1500 votes. The Republican contest in Missouri is still too close to call between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

The Cuban government decide it will abolish the ten-percent tax on exchanging dollars into Cuban convertible peso. The announcement could have a significant impact on Cuban families who receive regular payments from the United States. Will Grant reports from Havana. The measure was considered one of the key obstacles on the Cuban side to normalizing currency flows between businesses and families. And Havana's decision to scrap it shows a new willingness to work with Washington on issues of mutual interest. It also comes after the Obama administration ease the number of Cold War era travel and trade restrictions earlier this week, specifically to allow Cuba to again use the US dollar in the international banking system. All of this of course comes against the background of president Obama's historic visit to the communist-run island on Sunday. Though tentative and cautious, these steps are being welcomed by both sides.

The opposition in Niger says it would not recognize the result of the presidential run-off election due to be held on Sunday and had asked its supporters to boycott the vote. The announcement comes two days after the opposition's presidential candidate Hama Amadou was taken to Paris for medical treatment, apparently for a long-term illness.

A woman on the beach on the Spanish island of Formentera has stumbled across three packages containing more than 80 kilograms of cocaine. The drugs are reported to have an estimated straight value of 4.5 million dollars. Local media say the packages were attached to a waterproof GPS system which smugglers intended to use to retreat the drugs. BBC news.