A party advocating Scotland’s independence from Britain has won a surprising majority in the Scottish Parliament in last Thursday’s elections.

A UN team is due to arrive in Tripoli to investigate allegations of human rights violations in Libya since the start of the conflict in February, the BBC reported Wednesday.

The team was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council following the Libyan government's crackdown on protesters.

The government has said it will co-operate with the inquiry.

Fatah, the Palestinian political organisation, has reached a comprehensive agreement with its rival Hamas on forming an interim government and fixing a date for a general election.

The deal was announced by Egyptian intelligence in a statement, Al-Jazeera reports.

Sathya Sai Baba, one of India’s most famous spiritual gurus passed away on Sunday, triggering a global outpouring of grief and tributes from devotees across all walks of life, including politics, sport and entertainment.

“I was, and am, today firmly convinced that we need The Hague tribunal.

“Why? Well, because in Croatia there was no political will to process war crimes that doubtlessly happened on our side.”

- Stejpan Mesic, former president of Croatia (2000-2010)

In an unusual move, a group of Canadian lawyers and legal academics are urging voters not to support the Conservative Party in the May 2 election, the Toronto Star reports.

Croatians - and their government - have reacted with shock and outrage over the sentencing in the Hague last week of two former generals for crimes against humanity committed over fifteen years ago by troops they commanded.

Kosovo’s newly sworn in President, 36 year-old Atifete Jahjaga, has vowed to pursue wider recognition of her country’s independence and its entry to the United Nations, as well as stronger relations with the United states.