Kurdish rebels have killed at least 24 Turkish soldiers in eight simultaneous attacks Wednesday, marking one of the deadliest days for the army in the 27-year battle against the separatists.

Turkey hit back with cross-border air strikes on rebel bases and sent troops into neighbouring Iraq as Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan cancelled a foreign trip and called an emergency meeting of top security officials.

Indonesian soldiers and police have attacked the Third Papuan People’s Congress, held in Padanbulan, Jayapura.

Thousands of Papuans from more than 250 tribes gathered to elect new leaders and to discuss the rights of Papuans.

The banned Papuan flag was raised before Forkorus Yoboisembut was elected president by the tribes.

Mr Yoboisembut in his speech declared the independence of the Papuan state from Indonesian rule, prompting the over 5000 strong Indonesian security forces to attack the gathering.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has demanded Malawi explain why it did not arrest Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, during his recent visit to the country, warning that it is considering referring the matter to the UN Security Council.

The ICC reports that Malawi, an ICC member state, was reminded of its obligation to arrest Bashir on 13th October, however is yet to repond.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant on Bashir in 2008, for charges of war crimes and genocide in Darfur. He is believed to be responsible for over 300,000 deaths since 2003.

In a letter to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, French President Nicolas Sarkozy restated France’s strong commitment to ensure that the killings of over 1.5 million Armenians in 1915 by Turkey will be recognised as Genocide.

The letter, released from the President’s press office, comes after Sarkozy visited Armenia and warned that unless Turkey did so, then he would “have to go further”.

United States have pledged $135 million to Libya's new leaders and former rebels in the National Transitional Council, for humanitarian aid and military equipment. Weaponry has already been provided by other countries, including France and Qatar.

The pledge was announced by the US Secretary of State, Hiliary Clinton, during her short visit of the country on Tuesday.

Addressing an Islamic conference in Tripoli, Clinton remarked,

Serbs in northern Kosovo have defied a deadline set by NATO to remove illegal barricades in towns on the border to Serbia.

Hundreds of Serbs gathered to protect the roadblocks from KFOR peacekeeping troops.

"I am disappointed with this outcome," NATO's top commander in Kosovo, Maj. Gen. Erhard Drews, said in a statement. "The north did not comply with the request to remove the roadblocks."

A majority of British voters outside Scotland back Scottish independence, a poll published Sunday found.

The ComRes poll for The Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror newspapers showed that support for Scotland's independence has risen sharply in recent months.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has called for the violence in Syria to be stopped immediately.

Speaking to reporters in Bern he said

"There are continuous killings of civilian people. These killings must stop immediately. I told Assad: 'Stop before it is too late.'

It is unacceptable that 3,000 people have been killed. The UN is urging him again to take urgent action."

UK Minister for Africa, Henry Bellingham, expressed 'disappointment' at Malawi's refusal to arrest Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, who arrived in the country on Monday.

In a statement, Bellingham said,

“I am disappointed that Malawi hosted President Bashir of Sudan today [14th October] in defiance of International Criminal Court arrest warrants for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

“The British government expects the Government of Malawi to stand by its obligations under the Rome Statute, and as a UN member state.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, urged Malawi to arrest the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted for war crimes and genocide charges by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Speaking at a lecture in Johannesburg, Pillay said,

"I call on governments and remind them of their legal obligations, and I am disappointed when they do not keep up their obligations."

An arrest warrant was issued for Bashir, by the ICC, in 2008.