There is growing international pressure on the British Home Secretary, Jack Straw, over his declared intention to stop the extradition to Spain of the former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet.

Mr Straw said a team of specialist doctors he appointed had concluded that the General was unfit to stand trial.

But the Spanish investigating judge who began the whole extradition battle has asked for a second medical examination to include doctors appointed by the Spanish High Court.

A French judge has renewed a request to question General Pinochet about the disappearance of five French citizens in Chile during military rule.

And Belgium says it will continue to press for the General's extradition on torture charges. The human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has called on all states with similar claims to seek a judicial challenge to Mr Straw's decision to conduct the medical examination in secret.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service