Earlier, Iran's foreign minister warned the US against confrontation over the accusations. The US has charged two Iranians and imposed sanctions against senior members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and an Iranian airline.

A UK-based oil company has strenuously denied allegations made in Ugandan parliament that it had offered financial inducements to government ministers there to facilitate contracts. The chief executive of Tullow Oil, Aidan Heavey, told the BBC that forged documents, which he said had been investigated a year ago and proved to be false, have been presented in Uganda's parliament to taint a firm that had invested billions of dollars in the country. Earlier, Ugandan MPs voted unanimously to call on three senior government ministers, including the prime minister, to be suspended.

Lawyers representing Michael Jackson's doctor say they are dropping their claim that the singer caused his own death. From Los Angeles, Peter Bowes.

According to the defence, a study they commissioned has shown that any effect from swallowing the anaesthetic propofol would be trivial. Doctor Murray's legal team had previously claimed that Michael Jackson killed himself by ingesting the drug while his doctor was out of the room. A latest witness, a cardiologist who reviewed Doctor Murray's care of Michael Jackson, has told the court the physician made six extreme deviations from the expected standard of care. Doctor Murray denies a charge of involuntary manslaughter.