BBC News with Iain Purdon

The highest court in Venezuela has backed a decision by the country’s National Assembly to allow an indefinite delay in the inauguration of President Hugo Chavez. He’s in hospital in Cuba after undergoing cancer surgery. Sarah Grainger reports from Caracas.

Luisa Estella Morales, the president of the Supreme Court, said that judges of the court had agreed that the inauguration could take place at a later date. She said the court did not consider Mr Chavez to be absent from his duties and as an incumbent president, a new swearing-in ceremony was not necessary. That leaves the political opposition with few options. They had argued that the constitution sets the date of the 10th of January as the beginning of the new presidential term and in Mr Chavez’s absence an interim president should be appointed.

A group of 49 Iranians freed by Syrian rebels after months in captivity have arrived at a hotel in Damascus accompanied by the Iranian ambassador to Syria. The Iranians were freed in exchange for prisoners being held by the Syrian authorities. The deal hasn’t officially been confirmed by the Syrian government. The Turkish humanitarian aid agency IHH which said it helped secure the agreement said the Syrian authorities for their part were freeing more than 2,100 prisoners that they’ve been holding.

The Obama administration has signalled it may take unilateral action on gun control if Congress won’t cooperate on the issue. Vice President Joe Biden said Mr Obama was determined to curb gun violence and added that this could be done by legislation which requires working with Congress or executive action which doesn’t. Paul Adams reports from Washington.