BBC News with David Austin.

The authorities in the West African state of Gambia have seized cocaine which could have been sold for more than a billion dollars in Europe. Up to two and a half tons of cocaine were discovered in a warehouse near the capital Banjul. The arrests come as Latin American drug cartels continue to use West Africa as a transit route for trafficking cocaine into Europe. More from Mark Doyle.

In addition to the huge haul of drugs, the Gambian authorities have arrested a dozen suspected traffickers, seized large quantities of cash, some arms and numerous revealing computer records. Gambian anti-drug investigators made the first arrests then called in the British Serious Organised Crime Agency, the rough equivalent of the American FBI, to help in gathering forensic evidence. One thing led to another, and finally with British help the haul of highly concentrated cocaine was discovered behind a false wall in a basement.

The United Nations Security Council has announced it will vote on Wednesday on whether to impose fresh sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme. Earlier, the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran would not agree to further talks on its nuclear programme if the UN imposed new sanctions. Barbara Plett reports from New York.

The resolution was watered down during negotiations with Russia and China, but it does tighten existing restrictions on areas like shipping and finance. It also increases the number of individuals and companies targeted with asset freezes and travel bans. According to reports, a very senior nuclear official has been added to the list, but other council members, Brazil and Turkey, say sanctions will kill attempts to revive negotiations with Iran. They've been urging the security council to give a chance to a confidence-building deal they brokered with Iran and have now organised a special session to explain their position to all UN member states.