President Obama has dismissed any prospect of greater state control over the US health care system as he called on Congress to approve his sweeping reform plans. Mr Obama said it was time to give the American people more control over their health insurance. From Washington, here is Paul Adams.
President Obama says he wants Congress to finish its work. He wants to sign health care reform into law. The process, he says, has simply taken long enough. For us to start over now could simply lead to delay that could last for another decade or even more. The American people and the US economy just can't wait that long. The president said this was not just about the ability of Washington to solve the problem of health care but about its ability to solve any problem. He repeated his offer to include some Republican ideas in his health care proposals, but the fact remains that the Republicans are implacably opposed to the sort of overhaul the president wants.
The Italian police have arrested seven people suspected of trafficking arms to Iran in breach of a UN arms embargo. The two Iranians and five Italians were allegedly involved in an operation which moved arms around Europe to avoid detection before sending them to Iran. Police have seized anti-tank shells and explosives.
This is Zoe Diamond with the latest World News from the BBC in London.
The Red Cross in Uganda has begun an appeal for emergency shelters for the survivors of a series of disastrous mudslides. Three villages in the east of the country were swept away. Rescuers have recovered at least 86 bodies, and more than 260 people are still missing. Peter Greste reports from the district of Bududa.