BBC News with Jerry Smit

The police in the United States have praised the bravery of Amanda Berry and two other young women who've been rescued after spending years held captive. Miss Berry raised the alarm while her captor was away and called the police to the house in Cleveland where they've been held. The city's FBI Chief Stephen Anthony said now they have been found, the process of healing could begin.

"These three young ladies have provided us with the ultimate definition of survival in perseverance. The healing can now begin. Every evening year after year as you well know family members and law enforcement kept the faith that one day, they might see their daughters, their sisters and their nieces again. Monday evening that happened."

The three have now been released from hospital following a checkup and have been reunited with their families. The Mayor of Cleveland, Frank G. Jackson, said many questions needed to be answered.

"Their absence for several years has plagued their families, our community, Cleveland police and our law enforcement partners for years. We have several unanswered questions: why would they take in; how would they take in and how they remain undetected in the city of Cleveland for this period of time."

At least 55 people have been killed in a raid by Islamist militants on the Nigerian northeastern town of Bama. It's thought the attack was carried out by the Boko Haram sect. From Lagos, here is Will Ross.

An army spokesman says gunmen from the group known as Boko Haram carried out a pre-dawn raid on the town of Bama in Borno state in the northeast of the country. The spokesman said 55 people were killed amongst them 22 police officers and 14 prison staff. He said the attack lasted for several hours and the gunmen managed to free 105 prisoners.

The Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov says Moscow has agreed with the United States to push for an international conference to be held on the crisis in Syria. Speaking in Moscow at a news conference with Secretary of State, John Kerry, Mr. Lavrov said they have both agreed that the Syrian government and the rebels had to be encouraged to end the bloodshed. He said the conference would build on the United Nations communiqué agreed in Geneva in June last year.

"We all believe that the Geneva Communiqué is the important track to end the bloodshed in Syria and it should not be a piece of paper. It should not be a forgotten communiqué of diplomacy. It should be the roadmap, the diplomatic manner by which the people of Syria could find their way to the new Syria and by which the bloodshed, the killing, the massacres can end.”

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One of Pakistan's most prominent politicians, the former cricket star Imran Khan has been injured in a fall at an election rally in the eastern city of Lahore. Video pictures show Mr. Khan tumbling from an overcrowded lift about five meters above the ground. He suffered visible head injuries and was taken bleeding to hospital. A spokesman for his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said his injury seemed minor. Mr. Khan had been campaigning ahead of parliamentary elections due on Saturday in which he'd been widely expected to do well.

The World Jewish Congress has urged European governments to consider banning far-right parties which threaten minorities or the constitutional order. Concluding its meeting in Budapest, the assembly called for decisive action against contemporary expressions of the extremism. Nick Thorpe reports.

Leaders of the World Jewish Congress have focused their attention at this meeting on the rise of what they called neo-Nazi parties in Europe in particular in Hungary, Greece and Germany. The closing resolution calls on Hungary and other European countries to consider banning far-right parties which threaten minorities or the constitutional order. In Hungary, the Jobbik party won nearly 17% at the last election; in Greece, the rise of the Golden Dawn has prompted the government to prepare a bill banning incitement to hatred including Holocaust denial.

A petrol tanker has exploded on a six-lane highway in Mexico. At least 18 people were killed. From Mexico City, Will Grant

It seems that a gas tanker travelling north crashed into another vehicle in the neighbourhood of Ecatepec in the state of Mexico. Firefighters and investigators are currently sifting the wreckage for evidence, but at this stage there is no initial explanation as to what caused the crash. As well as those killed, more than 30 people were injured in the accident, some of whom were sleeping in their homes at the time.

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