[01:55.96]The BBC has learned that Saudi Arabia is building a giant fence nearly 2,000km long to seal off its border with Yemen.
[02:04.64]The BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner has been to the border area.
[02:09.20]Its aim is simple—to keep out the thousands of illegal immigrants, drug smugglers, gun runners and occasional al-Qaeda operative,
[02:16.88]all trying to slip from impoverished Yemen into Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s richest countries.
[02:22.30]According to Lt Col Hamed al-Ahmari of the Saudi border force,
[02:26.79]five of their guards have recently been shot dead along this border in shootouts with well-armed drug smugglers.
[02:32.07]He says security has deteriorated dramatically on the Yemeni side of the border since a popular uprising drove out the strongman President Saleh last year.
[02:40.75]The Russian parliament has given its initial approval to a controversial anti-blasphemy law drafted last year
[02:47.24]after the punk band Pussy Riot performed a protest song against President Putin in Moscow’s main cathedral.
[02:53.66]Observers say the measures appear to have strong backing from Mr Putin.
[02:57.95]World News from the BBC
[03:00.63]A senior advisor to the Libyan prime minister has been freed following his kidnapping nine days ago.
[03:06.66]Mohammed al-Ghatous was grabbed from his car on the outskirts of the capital Tripoli.