BBC News with Mike Cooper
Troops from northern Sudan say they've taken control of the disputed town of Abyei on the border with southern Sudan. The army of southern Sudan said northern troops had entered Abyei with tanks and that fighting was continuing. James Copnall reports from Khartoum.
Troops from the northern army attacked Abyei after three days of clashes and artillery bombardments. A southern army spokesman
acknowledge
d the town had been lost, saying there were not enough southern troops to defend it. This is a
startling
development following months of arguments and just two days before the UN Security Council was due to visit Abyei. Abyei has been the biggest point of
contention
between north and south Sudan, and this event will lead to
heighten
ed fears of a new conflict between the two.
Tens of thousands of people are protesting across Spain against high unemployment and the government's austerity measures
in defiance of
a ban on demonstrations on the eve of local elections. The protest began in Madrid's main square, the Puerta del Sol, six days ago as a
spontaneous
sit-in by young people. Sarah Rainsford is there.
Tens of thousands of people in the square yet again. Many, many people here last night, the biggest protest so far, I think it's
gearing up
to be another big night tonight. There have been big crowds all day long at this protest camp. It is illegal, but it is being tolerated by the authorities.