Talking points

BRICS nations discuss creation of bank

South Africa hosts the 5th BRICS Summit in Durban. It is the African nation's first time hosting the meeting of representatives of its fellow BRICS members, Brazil, Russia, India and China. South African President Jacob Zuma will lead discussions on the establishment of a BRICS development bank and a range of other issues. President Xi Jinping will hold a bilateral meeting with Zuma during the summit as part of his African tour.

Inquest on suicide nurse reopens

The inquest for Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who killed herself after taking a prank call at the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for morning sickness, reopens in London. Police said the death was "unexplained" and launched an investigation. Prosecutors in early February announced they would not bring charges against the two radio DJs involved because there was "no evidence" to support a charge of manslaughter.

Warlord faces first war crimes hearing

Congolese war crimes suspect Bosco Ntaganda faces International Criminal Court judges for the first time following his transfer from Rwanda to The Hague. Wanted since 2006 by the court, the former warlord faces 10 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo from September 2002 to September 2003. He surprised US embassy staff in Kigali on Monday when he walked in and reportedly asked for help in reaching the ICC.

Researchers announce diabetes marker

The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital announce in Hong Kong the results of collaborative research that successfully identified a genetic marker that predicts diabetes among the Chinese population. Diabetes mellitus remains one of the top 10 causes of death in Hong Kong. The result will help doctors identify high-risk patients for better prevention and earlier intervention.

Arab Summit hears from Syrian opposition

The two-day 24th Arab League Summit opens in Doha. Senior Arab diplomats said they would transfer Syria's seat, vacant since Syria's suspension from the 22-member bloc in November 2011, to opposition forces. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim al-Thani invited Ghassan Hitto, a Syrian-born American named head of the Syrian National Council's interim government this month, to attend the summit, which hopes to approve the Greater Arab Free Trade Zone.

Civil society groups gather in Tunisia

The World Social Forum opens in Tunis, Tunisia. The five-day meeting of 4,578 civil society organisations, networks and movements from 127 countries includes talks, workshops, musical and movie events and exhibitions.