BBC News with Marion Marshall

The United Nations Security Council has condemned two suicide car bombings which left at least 55 people dead in the Syrian capital Damascus. The council members acknowledged the international peace plan for Syria was under strain, but they insisted there was no alternative. Barbara Plett at the UN headquarters has more.

The Security Council issued a strong condemnation of the attacks, but gave no sign it was ready to admit the failure of peace efforts. Instead, it called on all parties to keep their commitments to stop the violence and reaffirm support for the peace plan of the special envoy, Kofi Annan. Syria's ambassador, Bashar al-Ja'afari, told the council his country had evidence that foreign fighters and groups linked to al-Qaeda were behind a growing number of terrorist operations. He repeated accusations that some regional countries were arming and financing Syrian rebels, and he urged the council to exert maximum pressure on those states to end such support.

Millions of Egyptians are watching their country's first live television debate between presidential candidates. Two front-runners, the former head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, and the moderate Islamist, Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, are going head-to-head. Yolande Knell has been watching.

Several polls suggest that Amr Moussa and Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh are closely leading the presidential race. This high-profile debate, shown on two private TV networks, was a chance for the two to confront each other – in a style that's new to the Arab world. Each was asked a wide range of questions, including how their powers should be limited as president to ensure they did not turn into a dictator. They were also allowed to challenge each other. Amr Moussa attacked the record of his rival as a former leading member of the powerful Muslim Brotherhood, while Mr Aboul Fotouh called the former foreign minister a 'remnant of the ousted regime'.

The polls have closed in Algeria's parliamentary elections. Dozens of new parties have been taking part, but the interior ministry has said just 35% of the electorate turned out to cast their ballots.

Reports in the United States suggest that an undercover agent who helped foil a bomb plot by infiltrating al-Qaeda in Yemen was a British man. The bomb was hidden in underwear and intended to be detonated on board a passenger plane flying to the US, but instead, the would-be suicide bomber gave the device to US intelligence. Here's Gordon Corera.

The official response from British sources is to neither confirm nor deny that the agent who infiltrated al-Qaeda in Yemen was a British national. US reports claimed that the individual was of Middle Eastern origin, but held a British passport. That person managed to convince al-Qaeda in Yemen that he was willing to carry out an attack using an underwear bomb, but instead, delivered the device to the US. When the story initially emerged, the US said that international partners had played a crucial role, and there have been indications that British intelligence was involved from early on.

World News from the BBC

The President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, has told neighboring South Sudan that his country will respond vigorously to attacks on his territory. In a televised speech, he warned South Sudan against supporting rebels oppose to his government. He said that if they did, he'd respond by backing rebels in the south. "If they want tit for tat", the president said, "we are ready."

A sheriff in the US state of Arizona, who's known for his tough stance on immigration, is being sued by the federal authorities. Sheriff Joe Arpaio's department is accused of racially profiling Latinos during their patrols. From Washington, Paul Adams has more.

The Department of Justice began investigating Joe Arpaio almost four years ago, following allegations that his police officers were discriminating against Latinos. Last December, the department accused him of fostering a culture of disregard for basic constitutional rights. Months of subsequent negotiations failed to result in a deal to train the sheriff's officers in how to avoid racial profiling while conducting routine traffic stops. The sheriff accuses federal government of undermining his authority, and says he's not afraid of going to court.

The Olympic torch has been lit at an elaborate ceremony in Greece before it begins its journey to London for the Games which start in July. Actresses dressed as priestesses in queen pleated robes performed ritual dances at the ceremony at the site of the ancient Games in Olympia. The torch was lit by the sun's rays reflected from a parabolic mirror. The flame will be carried around Greece for eight days before being flown to Britain.

Archeologists working in Guatemala say they've discovered the oldest calendar yet from then ancient Maya civilization in Central America. They found that it undermines the idea that the Mayans predicted the world would end in 2012. Hieroglyphs on the 9th century calendar uncovered in the ruins of the ancient city of Xultun predicted at least another 7,000 years.

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