Non-governmental organisations working for the vulnerable are prevented from gaining representation at the United Nations by a committee dominated by countries with repressive regimes said a collective group of NGOs on Tuesday.

The Syrian government’s continued aerial bombardment and siege of Eastern Ghouta, a suburb just outside of Damascus amounts to crimes against humanity warned rights group Amnesty International.

In a news release on Wednesday Amnesty said the 163,000 people in the region were in an "agonising struggle to survive" and that it had documented at least 60 aerial attacks by the government that had killed some 500 civilians in the first half of 2015 alone.

Said Boumedouha, acting director of Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa programme, said,

"By repeatedly bombing heavily populated areas in a series of direct, indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks as well as by unlawfully besieging civilians, Syrian government forces have committed war crimes and displayed a sinister callousness towards Eastern Ghouta's civilians."

"The timing and location of these attacks appear deliberately orchestrated to maximise damage or civilian casualties in a gruesome attempt by the Syrian government forces to terrorise the population," said the acting director.

A state of emergency was declared in Ferguson as American police made further arrests as protests marking the anniversary of the death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown continued into the night on Monday.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned a wave of deadly terrorist attacks that hit Turkey, including the US consulate in the region.

Calling for “swift justice” Ban Ki-Moons statement, said “the Secretary General is greatly concerned by the violence.”

A British court has dismissed a case seeking the extradition of the head of Rwanda's intelligence agency to Spain for his alleged role in war crimes after the Rwandan genocide in 1994.

General Karenzi Karake was arrested in June, over an indictment in a Spanish court in 2008, which accused him of killing ethnic Hutu civilians in both Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo in revenge for the genocide, and of ordering the killing of three Spanish aid workers in 1997.

However, under UK law the general could not be charged for a crime committed in another country, unlike in Spain, under universal jurisdiction.

The leader of the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) condemning Turkish airstrikes on PKK bases accused the government of supporting Islamic State militants.

Sweden’s prime minister Stefan Lofven reiterated his government’s commitment to finding a solution to the Western Sahara conflict that included support to the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination.

Yemen's Houthi rebels have lost the strategic city of Zinjibar to pro-government forces, who were supported by Saudi-led air strikes.

Over 18 people were killed and over 150 injured in the fighting over the city, which is the capital of the southern Abyan province.

Rebels recently lost the city of Aden last month and a key air base earlier this week.

The United States sent in six F016 jets and 300 personnel to a Turkish Air Base to fight Islamic State militants.

The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned that the situation in Yemen is “disastrous” as he urged all sides in the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law.

Peter Maurer announced that the ICRC will be expanding its activities in Yemen due to the lack of aid reaching the conflict areas. “The international parties must be aware of the blockade which caused disastrous situations and allow access for goods and medicines into Yemen,” said Mr Maurer.

His announcement came as the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen appealed for more contributions in order to meet the “staggering” needs in the country. Some 21 million people are in need of live-saving assistance said Johannes Van Der Klaauw following a visit to Sa'ada last week.

“The success of our humanitarian effort depends on having sufficient resources to provide assistance,” said Mr Van der Klaauw, noting that only 18% of the $1.6 billion humanitarian appeal had been funded.

“Violence that directly impacts civilians and attacks on civilian infrastructure must stop,” he added. “I cannot overemphasize the importance of all parties protecting civilian lives and livelihoods. Civilian infrastructure must be spared from airstrikes and shelling; at the same time these facilities must not be used for military purposes.”

Survivors of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki gathered to mark 70 years since the attack at an emotional ceremony held at the Nagasaki Peace Park on Sunday.

Ambassadors from 75 countries, including US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, attended the memorial service, which saw survivors of the bombing criticise Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for his plans to amend Japan’s pacifist constitution.

Addressing the audience, Mr Abe said Japan remained "determined to pursue a world without nuclear weapons".  "As the only nation in the world to have suffered a war-time nuclear attack, I have renewed my resolve to play a leading role in pursuing a world without nuclear weapons," he added.

However, the prime minister came under fire from Nagasaki mayor Tomihisa Taue who said there was "widespread unease" about Mr Abe’s plan to change the constitution, which would allow Japan to go to war in defence of an ally which comes under attack. The proposed legislation has already been passed by the lower house of parliament.

"I urge the government of Japan to listen to these voices of unease and concern," he said.

His comments were echoed by Nagasaki bombing survivor Sumiteru Taniguchi, who told the crowd, "we cannot accept this". "The security bills which the government is trying to push through would jeopardise our long-time movement for nuclear abolition and hopes of hibakusha (atom-bomb survivors)," he added. "I cannot tolerate the bills."

 A UN human rights investigator said on Friday that Myanmar’s government had denied her access to the Rakhine state which is home to the marginalised Rohingya people.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari says the country will establish its own domestic arms factory, designed to cut reliance on weapons from other countries.

The president said the defence ministry had been told to develop plans for a "modest military industrial complex".