BBC news with Jerry Smit.

The French President Francois Hollande has met Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on a visit to Havana. The meeting came shortly after President Hollande called for an end to the US’s embargo on Cuba saying it had badly damaged the island’s development.

Will Grant reports from Havana.

“I hadn’t prompted me a man who made history with reportedly President Hollande’s reaction to meeting Fidel Castro. It is the first French head of state to visit Cuba in over a century. Francois Hollande has made a little history himself during this visit to Havana. Now, 88 years old, Fidel Castro only receives a very selected handful of dignitaries every year. But given the France never broke the relations with Cuba, even in the height of the Cold War, the French leader was always likely to meet the man who shaped modern Cuba for almost six decades. “

Egypt’s Justice Minister has resigned after provoking public outrage by saying that the sons of rubbish collectors could not become judges. Mahfouz Saber said in a television interview the perspective members of judiciary had to come from a respectable background. Mr. Saber prompted further condemnation when he attempted to clarify his remarks by saying the same thing applied to senior jobs in the army and police.

President Obama has spoken to King Salman of Saudi Arabia following his decision to pull out of the US-Gulf Arab summit at Camp David this week. Mr. Obama called the meeting to reassure Gulf Arab allies who are uneasy about his potential nuclear deal with Iran. The White House spokesmen Josh Earnest said King Salman’s decision was not a sign of his displeasure with Washington’s offer. “There’s been no concern raised by our Saudi partners, either before the change in travel plans or after related to the agenda at Camp David. So I know there have been some speculations that this change in travel plans was an attempt to send message to US. If so, that message is not received because all the feedback that we have received from the Saudis has been positive.”

The Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has described his country's financial situation as terribly urgent. Speaking after a meeting at the Euro zone finance ministers in Brussels, he said the crisis could come to ahead in a couple of weeks.

Chris Morris reports from Brussels.

“A statement from the Euro group suggested that the talk between Greece and international creditors are a long-last going well. But EU officials say they’re still considerable distant from reaching any kind of agreement to release further funding. Debated division between creditors who want more economic reforms and radical left-wing government that promised the end of austerity has yet to be bridged. Differences of opinions remain on labor market reform and possible pension cuts in particular.”

World news from the BBC.

There have been protests in Paraguayan capital Asunción over the rape of a 10-year-old girl who is five-month pregnant, but has been denied an abortion. A group of mothers held up banners outside government buildings demanding longer sentences for rapists. Police have jailed the girl's stepfather who's under investigation for the rape.

Colombia's arm forces have arrested nearly 60 people in, what the Defense Ministry describes as, a major crackdown on an illegal mining in the Amazon rainforest. The Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon said the raids near the border with Brazil and Venezuela had dismantled an illegal financing network used by Farc rebels. He said the operation had prevented the group from getting hold of around 8 million dollars.

Police in Florida say George Zimmerman, the white man who shot dead of an unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin three years ago, has been involved in another shooting incident. Bianca Gillett is the spokeswoman for the Lake Mary police department.

“At this time, investigation has proved that George Zimmerman was not the shooter. He was transported to a local hospital for minor injuries since been released. Lake Mary Police Department is awaiting council in order to interview both parties and at this time we are not determined how or why the incident in out-patient began.”

The US National Football League has suspended the New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady for four games for his part in controversy involving the use of under inflated balls. The club has been fined one million dollars. An investigation found that Brady and two members of the Patriots’ staff were aware of plans to under inflated balls to make them easier for Brady to throw a catch. The Patriots won the 2015 NFL season at the Super bowl. Brady has three days to appeal.

BBC news.