Myanmar on Wednesday criticised a statement released by the UN Security Council expressing “grave concern over reports of human rights violations and abuses in Rakhine State”, stating that it could harm negotiations with Bangladesh. 

The Council had also urged Myanmar to “ensure no further excessive use of military force."

Myanmar's leader, Aung Sang Suu Kyi criticised the Council for not making reference to the negotiations with Bangldesh. 

Roads in Catalonia were brought to a standstill on Wednesday as pro-independence demonstrators striked in protest against the Spanish government's arrest and detention of Catalan leaders. 

The strike was called by the CSC union and was supported by the Asamblea Nacional Catalana (ANC) and Omnium Cultural, Reuters reported. 

Sitting on the road, protesters called for "freedom for political prisoners". 

A United Nations report said the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has committed “international crimes” during the battle for Mosul in Iraq, and called for the prosecution of perpetrators.

The report, compiled by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and UN assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), was released following a nine-month military campaign by the Iraqi government and coalition forces to capture Mosul.

The United Nations Security Council should refer Burma to the International Criminal Court because of its failure to investigate mass atrocities against ethnic Rohingya, said Human Rights Watch on Friday.

The rights organisations further called on Member state of the UN to pursue processes for gathering criminal evidence to advance prosecutions in the ICC and other courts.

Human Rights Watch field research found that Burmese military abuses amount crimes against humanity. The statement outlined concern over Burma’s capacity to prosecute for such crimes stating,

Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi visited the Rakhine state this week, where the military is accused of carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, as US lawmakers proposed sanctions against the country.

Ms Suu Kyi made the brief trip for the first time since violence erupted in the state and was accompanied by the Burmese military.

She reported met with Rohingya villagers of Pan Taw Pyin village, telling them “I hope everything will go fine as local villagers handle the rebuilding process”. “We all have to try our best to live peacefully,” she added.

A Spanish judge has issued an international arrest warrant for Catalonia’s president Carles Puigdemont and four other Catalan leaders as they were in Belgium on Friday.

The move, comes after the judge took nine other members of the regional government into custody after the Spanish central government removed them from their posts.

Mr Puigdemont responded to the warrants being issued by declaring he would turn himself in to Belgian authorities, "but not to Spanish justice".

The leader of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on Monday is to end his term of office on November 1 after his request not to renew his term was approved by parliament.

The decision comes just weeks after a referendum on independence, which was led by President Masoud Barzani.

Kurds voted overwhelmingly in favour of secession however, it took place amid international disapproval, most notably from the United States. 

Within two days of the referendum Iraqi forces took over territory that had been held by the Kurds, including Kirkuk. 

The Catalan government voted on Friday to declare independence from Spain, following a referendum earlier this month. 

The decision came as over 2000 pro-indpendence supporters gathered outside the regional parliament in Barcelona. 

“Catalonia is and will be a land of freedom. In times of difficulty and in times of celebration. Now more than ever”, the Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont tweeted. 

Madrid responded within an hour however by voting to strip Catalonia of its autonomy and impose direct rule, the first time such a decision has been taken since the 1970s. 

Kurdish Peshmerga forces continued to fight against Iraqi security forces into Thursday, reports Rudaw news.

Iraqi forces alongside Shiite paramilitary forces attached the Kurdish Peshmerga on several fronts. Commenting on the developments during the day the Kurdish Region Security Council  called on the international communtiy to denoucne Iraq's actions, stating,

The Kurdistan Regional Government offered to ‘freeze’ the independence referendum results in favour of a ceasefire and talks with Baghdad reports BBC News.

The Kurdistan Regional Government condemned the Iraqi Security force’s offensive on Kurdish regions, stating

“Continued fighting does not lead any side to victory, but it will drive the country towards disarray and chaos, affecting all aspects of life.