The Scottish National Party (SNP) launched the campaign for independence on Sunday, outlining the proposed referendum on independence and urged supporters to brace themselves for the "biggest campaign ever".

The annoucement follows the SNP leader, Alex Salmond's, rallying call to the Scottish nation to unie behind the Scottish identity.

After the death of Muammar Gaddafi, Syrian opposition activists have been reinvigorated in their bid to drive Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power.  

India should be “much more relaxed” in its approach to Chinese investments y and get rid of “needless” restrictions, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said.

“We are imagining demons where there are none,” he added.

Ramesh's comments came in the context of recent reports that India had barred import of telecom equipment from major Chinese firm Huawei, especially in the border areas following security concerns.

Former Algerian Defense Minister Khaled Nezzar has been arrested in Geneva over allegations of war crimes committed during the Algerian civil war, which started in 1992.

The 73 year-old, who is also a retired Army General, was questioned by Swiss prosecutors, before being released pending further investigations.

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme for the first time as the UK's defence secretary, Phillip Hammond reiterated Britain's commitment to protect civilians populations from unscrupulous regimes.

Listen here from 02:18:00 for full interview.

Extracts reproduced verbatim below:

Addressing the SNP (Scottish National Party) conference on Saturday, party leader Alex Salmond, reaffirmed the party's commitment to independence, dismissing any assertion that Scottish nationalism could be placated with economic powers.

The SNP won a landslide victory in the last election and have pledged to hold a referendum on independence, most probably at the end of the Scotland's five year parliament.

See here for video clip.

The NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) used tear gas to dismantle barricades in Northern Kosovo on Friday, amid protests by over 500 Serbs.

Dozens of Serb protesters and eight KFOR troops have reportedly needed medical attention.

On Thursday, German and Austrian NATO troops, equipped with anti-riot gear, called on Serbian protesters staging a sit-down protest, to go home peacefully.

The United States has held a meeting with representatives of the Haqqani militant network, the US Secretary of State, Hiliary Clinton revealed on Friday, during current talks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Speaking to journalists in Pakistan, Clinton said,

"We believe that there is now an opportunity for us to begin talking, but there is no guarantee that the talking will result in anything that will move us toward a peaceful resolution."