The Syrian government further hampers UN efforts to meet the growing humanitarian needs in Syria, which has been categorised as a civil war by the Red Cross.

Speaking after chairing the humanitarian forum in Geneva, the U.N official for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, John Ging, said,

“We have a number of visas pending for international staff from a number of Western countries- the United States, Canada, the UK, France and one or two more- that are refused their visas because of their nationalities”

Three survivors of the Mau Mau insurgency against British occupation in Kenya have taken their case to the High Court in London.

The first case was won last year when the high court ruled that there was "ample evidence … that there may have been systematic torture of detainees during the [Mau Mau] emergency".

The court opined it would be "dishonourable" for the courts to accept the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's argument that the Kenyans should be suing their current government.

The Syrian government denied that heavy weapons and helicopters were used in clashes in Tremseh last week, reports Reuters.

Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Jihad Makdissi, rejected the accusations, asserting that 37 rebel fighters and two civilians were killed by security forces in the village, from which the government claims rebels were attacking other areas.

Speaking at a news conference in Damascus on Sunday, Makdissi said:

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has placed a new arrest warrant for the Congolees general, Bosco Ntaganda, on the basis of alleged war crimes, varying from murder, rape and sexual slavery. Ntaganda is already wanted by the Hague based court for using child fighters in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The International Cmmitte of the Red Cross has declared the Syrian conflict a civil war, meaning that combatants are now officialy bound by the Geneva Conventions, which will make them more liable for war crimes prosecutions.

The ICRC said the fighting has now spread beyond the three main areas of fighting around Idlib, Hama and Homs.

Spokesman Hicham Hassan said Syria was now regards as a "non-international armed conflict", the technical term for civil war.

A humanitarian catastrophe is imminent in western Burma, aid workers say, as tens of thousands of displaced ethnic Muslim Rohingya are being isolated in camps.

Described by a worker as “open air prisons”, the Burmese government has made it clear that the camps for the Rohingya would remain in place for one year.

Those affected by the sectarian unrest have been struggling to receive aid, as Burmese authorities continue to hamper aid efforts. As many as 10 aid workers have been arrested by police, including 5 UN staff.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged a "full transition to civilian rule" during the first visit by a senior US official to Egypt since elections last month.

Clinton spoke to the new president, Mohammad Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, at an hour-long meeting which was described as candid and cordial by a US official.

"I have come to Cairo to reaffirm the strong support of the United States for the Egyptian people and their democratic transition.

The attack on the village of Tremseh by Syrian government forces, which left over 200 people dead, was mainly targeting homes of rebels and activists according to the UN, contrary to initial reports, claiming a massacre of civilians.

The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Chinese counterpart have announced on the sidelines of the ASEAN regional forum in Pnomh Penh that the two countries will cooperate on issues concerning Asia.

"I am delighted that we are going to be issuing a joint media note,'

''It is an important signal that the United States and China not only can but will work together in Asia." she told the meeting.

Critical questions about the UK’s arms export licenses have been raised by a cross-party Parliamentary group.

The Commons Committee on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) asked the government whether 600 licenses to Arab countries complied with the UK’s government policy.

The CAEC - made up of MPs from the business, defence, foreign affairs and international development committees – urged for sales of arms to be reviewed to ensure that authoritarian regimes did not use equipment to repress citizens.