BBC News with Nick Kelly.

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that human Genes cannot be patented by medical companies, but they can patent synthetically produced DNA. The court struck down patents held by an American company on Genes used in a pioneering test to detect a preposition toward breast or ovarian cancer. The decision will have wide implications for medical research. From Washington here's Bridget -- Nathan. It's a medical research company isolates human Gene. Can they patent it to prevent other companies from using it? The answer from the US Supreme Court is no. For the past three decades, medical firms have had legal protection over human DNA they've isolated. The judges ruled unanimously that this should be stopped. But the Supreme Court said the separation of Genes wasn't an act of invention. The court decided companies can still hold the patents for synthetically produced Genes made in a lab.

BBC says some of its staff has had their lives threatened by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry ahead of the country's presidential election on Friday. The head of the BBC's Persian service Sadeq Saba says family members of at least 15 London based staff were called in by the Intelligence Ministry in Teheran. They have been threatened, they have been pressurized to talk to us, and staff in London to tell them that they should stop working for the BBC. For the first time, they use threats against the relatives themselves, including they will lose their pensions, their passports; and also again, for the first time, they threaten families in Teheran if staff in London continue working for the BBC, their own lives would be in danger, and they said they will do everything to get off the staff in London. The BBC says it has repeatedly asked the Iranian authorities to stop the harassment.

The Ethiopian parliament has overturned a deal struck in colonial times that gave Egypt and Sudan the right to most of the River Nile's water. It argues that the 1929 agreement is out of date. The move has angered the Egypt while it's already fury at plans by Ethiopia build a new dam. Some Egyptian politicians have proposed destroying the dam.

The South African government says Nelson Mandela's health is improving. Mr. Mandela, who is 94, has been treated for a lung infection. Karen Allen reports from Johannesburg. After days of speculation about when he would appear, President Jacob Zuma visited Nelson Mandela at the end of his six day in hospital. He arrived amid tight security, accompanied by another senior figure from the governing ANC. In a statement issued by his office, Mr. Zuma said that the 94 year old's health continues to improve, but his condition remains serious. He again called on South Africans to pray for the elder statesman's speedy recovery.

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The former Argentine President Carlos Menem has been sentenced to seven years in jail for illegally selling weapons to Ecuador and Croatia in the 1990s. His government smuggled more than six tons of arms to both countries which were subjected to international embargoes. Mr. Menem was found guilty in March. The former President is also a senator and enjoys immunity, but he may go to prison if fellow senators vote him out of office.

A wildfire burning in the US state of Colorado has destroyed at least 360 homes making it the most destructive in the state history. Hundreds of fire fighters in aircraft are tackling the blaze which is raging uncontrolled on the outskirts of Colorado Springs. 38,000 people have to evacuate their homes as winds continue to fan the flames. Two other major wild fires are also burning in the state.

The Nicaraguan congress has approved a proposal to have a canal built linking the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. A Hong Kong based company has been granted the 50 year concession to build the water way which will rival the Panama Canal. The 40 billion dollar plan has been criticized by environmentalists who say cargo ships will be a permanent risk to Lake Nicaragua.But President Daniel Ortega says the project will bring prosperity.

An international media mogul Rupert Murdoch has filed for divorce from his third wife Wendi Deng. The couple has two children. David Sillito has the details. Wendi Deng is perhaps best known in Britain for her sharp right hook when her husband Rupert Murdoch was giving evidence to a Common selected committee. The protestor launched a foam pie, Wendi Deng's lightly reaction certainly suggested he was a woman unafraid to stand up for her husband in public whoever. Rupert Murdoch's media company News Corporation has confirmed the couples are to divorce. The marriage in 1999, Rupert Murdoch's third, came only 17 days after his divorce from his second wife Anna. He had been married to her for 32 years.

BBC News.