World News from the BBC

The Nigerian military says two soldiers and five suspected Islamist militants were killed in shootouts outside the northern city of Kano. The spokesman for the security services said the militants were planning simultaneous suicide attacks in Kano as well as in the capital Abuja. He also said the security forces had confiscated nearly 50 AK-47 rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

The United States Navy has christened the first of its new Ford-class of nuclear-powered aircraft carrier at a ceremony in Virginia. The new super carrier which will weight 100,000 tons when completed in 2016 is named after the former president Gerald Ford.

The head of Football’s world governing body Sepp Blatter has said that the 2022 World Cup which the Gulf State Qatar is due to host will take place in November or December that year. FIFA has set up a task force to look into feasible alternative dates as it looks to switch the competition away from the fierce heat of Qatari summer. Sepp Blatter said he wanted to avoid the World Cup clashing with the Winter Olympics at the start of 2022.

“It is logic to play this competition at the end of the year. And it is the end of the year, it will be November, December, I don’t know exactly the dates but it could be from tenth to tenth whatever.”

The final decision on when the 2022 World Cup takes place remains with FIFA’s executive committee.