Al Jazeera has demanded the immediate release of four journalists who were arrested in Cairo by the Egyptian government on Sunday evening.

The four arrested men who work for Al Jazeera are, correspondent Peter Greste, producers Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, and cameraman Mohamed Fawzy.

Security forces and opposition activists clashed in Bangaldesh’s capital for the second day yesterday, resulting in at least one death.

Reports suggest that hundreds of people have been detained in the crack-down on protests ahead of next week’s elections and the death of at least one 21 year old protestor.  

Chinese police have shot dead 8 Uighurs who attacked a police station in Xinjiang province.

According to state officials, the men attacked the police station with knives and explosives, before being repulsed by armed police.

Two weeks ago 16 people were left dead after riots, blamed on “extremists” by Beijing.

The Syrian government’s use of ‘barrel bombs’ have killed hundreds in the last few weeks, claimed the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, after the latest such attack killed at least 25 people on Saturday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that 517 people had been killed by barrel bomb attacks since the 15th of December, when the Syrian government launched a fresh offensive in the northern province of Aleppo.

Cuba has eased restrictions on loans to small businesses and individuals, in a move to boost the country’s economy.

The measure was initially launched by President Rahul Castro 2 years ago, but the lower limit for the borrowing amount has been lowered to 1,000 pesos, from 3,000 pesos.

The maximum period of the loan has also been extended from 5 years to 10 years.

A few weeks ago the Cuban government lifted restrictions on private individuals buying new and used cars.

Human Rights Watch has criticised the decision by Egypt’s military-run government to list the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation, slamming the move as “politically driven”.

Stating that the government’s terrorist designation seems intended to end all Muslim Brotherhood activities, Sarah Leah Whitson, the organisation’s Middle East and North Africa director went on to add,

The killing of former Lebanese minister Mohamad Chatah in a car bomb in Beirut has been condemned by the United Nations Security Council, Secretary General and the United States, as his allies blamed the attack on Hezbollah.

A statement from the 15-member UN Security Council, stated their,

The leader of the South Sudanese rebels, currently embroiled in clashes with troops loyal to President Kiir, has said there would need to be negotiations before a truce can be agreed.

Riek Machar, a former vice-president, was sacked after the president accused him of plotting a coup against Kiir. He said his side had a negotiating team ready but that a ceasefire would have to be credible and monitored.

The United States has expressed disappointment with long-time ally Japan, after the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the controversial Yasukuni shrine.

The visit has drawn fury from China, who deemed it “a flagrant provocation against international justice and treads arbitrarily on humanity's conscience".

The shrine honours several high ranking Japanese officials, including those found guilty and executed for war crimes after World War II.