The Arab League has refused to recognise Israel as a 'Jewish state', backing the rejection of Palestine's Mahmoud Abbas.

Israel has been pushing for the recognition as essential to peace negotiations but the Arab League's chief Nabil El-Araby called on Arab countries to take a "firm stand" against the demands.

A International Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC) worker was killed today, in the north of the Central African Republic (CAR), amid escalating ethnic violence.

Commenting on the event, the head of the ICRC delegation, Georgios Georgantas, said,
 

“We urgently call on all those bearing arms to respect and spare people working for the ICRC or for the broader International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and indeed all those who carry out humanitarian work.”

Leaked diplomatic cables released by the National Security Archive last week, outlined that the United States, Britain and the United Nations were explicitly warned about an impending massacre in Rwanda.

The cables further revealed that despite having this knowledge, both the US and British governments were considering reducing their presence in Rwanda to avoid difficulties.

A discussion between Belgian diplomats regarding the positions of the UK and US on Rwanda found in the cables highlighted reluctance of the international community to act on explicit warnings of an impending genocide.

The two-time cycling world record holder, Graeme Obree, called for Ugandan officials to be banned from this summer’s Commonwealth Games in light of recently passed anti-gay laws.

Obree criticised the ‘hypocrisy’ of politicians that boycotted Sochi’s Winter Paralympic Games in protest of Putin’s actions in Ukraine whilst preparing to entertain Ugandan officials this summer.

Speaking to press, he said,

The Congolese militia leader Germain Katanga has been found guilty of war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

Katanga was convicted of complicity in a massacre in 2003 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which left over 200 people dead.

The court acquitted him of sexual offences and using child soldiers.

Read more here.

Over 60 Kashmiri students at an Indian university in Uttar Pradesh were suspended and charged with sedition and disrupting communal harmony after cheering for the Pakistani cricket team, following Pakistan's win against India.

District magistrate of Meerut, Pankaj Yadav, told BBC Hindi that after investigating the complaint they found no evidence to support the sedition charge, but that the authorities would continue to investigate the other charge.

The Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, reiterated calls for urgent international action to end the worsening crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR).

Speaking in Geneva, Amos stressed,

“The situation is extremely grave and urgent action is required by everyone if we are going to prevent further bloodshed. We the international community have stepped up our response.”

Crimea’s parliament today voted to join Russia consequentially setting a referendum on the decision to be conducted in 10 days time.

This decision was heavily criticised with the U.S, European Union and Ukraine describing Crimea’s decision as a violation of international law.

Commenting on the decision to hold a referendum, Obama said,

Senior United Nations officials outlined the need for urgent action in the Central African Republic (CAR) to stop irreversible demographic changes, protect civilians and avoid a humanitarian disaster.

The Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, addressing the United Nations Security Council, said,