, and it's worse than a diversion; it actually is going to set back prospects for the two parties to come to the table."

The BBC's UN correspondent says Washington wants to avoid being forced to veto such a bid for fear of

tarnish

ing relations with the Muslim world.

This is the World News from the BBC.

Denmark's first female prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, has claimed victory in a general election with the centre-left taking power after a decade in opposition. Thomas Buch-Andersen reports.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt declared victory, telling her supporters "Today we've written history." She's set to become Denmark's first woman prime minister after a closely-fought campaign dominated by the economy. The defeated Prime Minister Lokke Rasmussen was seen to have done well to steer Denmark through the financial crisis, but the country's economic rebound is considered to have been sluggish. Mrs Thorning-Schmidt campaigned on a platform of tax rises and increased public spending and a plan to make everyone work 12 minutes more per day to kick-start economic growth.

Gunmen in northern Mexico have shot dead three relatives of a police officer who's being held in connection with a deadly arson attack on a casino last month. Police believe it was an act of revenge by the Zetas drug cartel after the officer named gang members involved in the casino attack.

Researchers in Canada have discovered dinosaur feathers perfectly