A former commander of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) was arrested in Belgium last Wednesday, accused of committing war crimes during Liberia’s civil war, reports the BBC.

A complaint was made against Martina Johnson for her role in the Operation Octopus offensive, where she is accused of committing “mutilation and mass killing”.

The arrest has been welcomed by rights groups, who have long criticised the Liberian authorities' failure to investigate and prosecute individuals who committed crimes during the civil war.

Scotland’s independence was ”pretty certain” as it could declare itself independent without a referendum in the future said the Scottish First Minister.

Alex Salmond, who is due to stand down, suggested that there were other routes to independence. If Scottish Parliament was given more power a point would be reached where “you have a situation where you’re independent in all but name. Then Presumably, you declare yourself to be independent. Many countries have proceeded through that route," he said.

Chinese state media reported a series of blasts has killed 2 people and injured many more in the Xinjiang province on Sunday.

Multiple explosions were reported in the province, which has seen increasingly tight security as Chinese authorities cracked down on Uighur separatists. Hundreds of Uighurs have been detained, charged and or killed in the last year, reports the New York Times.

Up to 36 people are reported to have been killed in a Boko Haram attack on a market in North-Eastern Nigeria.

The attack by the Islamist militant group on Friday, sparked gun battles with Nigerian security forces that lasted throughout the night. A security source told Reuters,

The two contenders of the Afghan presidential election have signed a deal to form a unity government.

The deal will see Ashraf Ghani become president and runner-up Abdullah Abdullah nominating a chief executive, with powers similar to a prime minister.

Mr Ghani and Mr Abdullah had accused each other of fraud after the elections earlier this year, but the deal, reached in August averted potential violence.

The US hailed the deal as an "important opportunity for unity".

The truce in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian troops and separatist rebels exists “in name only”, according to a senior Nato military commander.

Gen Philip Breedlove said the situation in the region was “not good”.

"The number of events, and the number of rounds fired and the artillery used across the past few days match some of the pre-ceasefire levels. The ceasefire is still there in name, but what is happening on the ground is quite a different story," he added.

The general however added that he was hopeful about a new ceasefire deal reached on Saturday.

Ukraine accuses Russia of arming and supporting separatists, something Moscow denies. The first truce signed earlier this month was violated repeatedly before Saturday’s renewed agreement.

The regional president of Catalonia was given power to call for an independence “consultation” after the Catalan parliament voted in favour of the new legislation on Friday, reports the BBC.

The Catalan president said that Scotland’s referendum had shown the way for Catalan independence, and pledged to hold a similar vote on November 9.

Adding that the outcome of Scotland’s independence vote was irrelevant, Artur Mas lauded the fact that an independence referendum was allowed to take place.

Turkish hostages captured by Islamic State in Iraq several months ago have arrived in Turkey on Saturday, after a covert operation to free them, according to Istanbul.

The 49 hostages, including diplomats and their families, were captured by the militants in June in the Iraqi city of Mosul, which was overrun by Islamic State fighters.

The International Criminal Court in The Hague has summoned Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta for a tribunal in early October.

The judges at the court intend to question the president over claims that the Kenyan government withheld documents previously requested by prosecutors, in relation to his trial for crimes against humanity.

Earlier this month, Kenyatta’s trial was delayed indefinitely by prosecutors after they complained of a lack of evidence due to obstruction by the Kenyan government.