Court tells UK to give islands back to Mauritius

The UN's top court has ruled that Britain must end its administration of the Chagos Islands, as they were not lawfully separated from the UK's former colony of Mauritius in the 1960s.

The International Court of Justice says the territories should be handed over to Mauritius, to allow the decolonisation process to be completed.

The advisory opinion is not binding, but nevertheless carries significant weight.

The Chagos Islands are home to America's Diego Garcia military base. The UK and US have long denied reports that terror suspects have been detained on the site.

The BBC's Andrew Harding says the dispute over the Chagos Islands is being portrayed by some as an indication of Britain's waning influence on the world stage following the Brexit vote.