The 16 former terrorism suspects had all accused the British authorities of colluding in their detention and in some cases their alleged torture. Announcing the payments, the Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke told parliament the settlement didn't amount to an admission of culpability by the government, nor did it mean the former detainees had withdrawn their allegations. But Mr Clarke said the government had wanted to avoid a lengthy court battle, which could have involved releasing highly sensitive documents and risking Britain's national security.
Saudi officials have promised that justice will be done in the case of an Indonesian maid who was allegedly abused and beaten by her employers. The woman was said to have been admitted to hospital in Medina, unconscious with severe wounds. A member of the Saudi Sutra Council, Saddaqa Yehyia Fadel, said he wanted to reassure Indonesia that action would be taken.
"The Saudi authorities will investigate the matter and will give all parties their due. Indonesians should rest assured that they will get justice. Allow me to clarify: relationships between Saudi citizens and foreign domestic workers are generally normal, good relationships. I'm not defending or favouring the Saudi household here, nor do I want to attack domestic workers, whose efforts play a role in the comprehensive development of Saudi Arabia."
World News from the BBC
European finance ministers and officials are holding emergency talks in Brussels over the debt crisis facing Ireland and other vulnerable members of the eurozone. The European Commission is consulting global financial institutions hours after a leading EU figure, Herman Van Rompuy, warned that the European Union's future was at stake. Ireland and Portugal are widely seen as potential candidates for a bailout.