Four Japanese senators, a former prime minister of Japan, and several MPs have expressed support for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, urging a rapid referendum.

In four letters addressed to the Japanese government, the Japanese senators and parliamentarians "expressed solidarity with the people of Western Sahara and all world people who fight for independence, peace, democracy and the social progress, urging Japanese parliamentarians to act "efficiently and concretely" to solve the long-standing conflict of Western Sahara", reported AllAfrica this week.

The United Nations today accused South Sudanese rebels of violating a ceasefire in an attempt to recapture its former headquarters, reports the BBC.

The rebel spokesperson Lul Juang said they launched an offensive in response to several attempts by government forces to arrest their commander.

“The fall of Nasir now paves the way for military resources to be refocused on Poloich Oil Fields, Maban and Malakal,” he added, outlining the rebels’ future plans.

The South Sudanese army spokesperson denied the city had fallen after clashes between the two sides.

Britain will vote to leave the European Union if Brussels refuses to offer substantial reform, the new British Foreign Secretary warned.

Phillip Hammond said that an unreformed Europe cannot work for Britain in the future and must change, reports the Telegraph.

The UN said in a report that potential war crimes and human rights violations have been committed by the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) and groups allied to it, causing “untold hardship and suffering” to the population under their control.

The report accuses the Iraqi army of committing human rights violations including summary executions and extrajudicial killings of prisoners and detainees, “which may also amount to war crimes.”

The report also says that ISIS is carrying out “large-scale killings, injuries and destruction and damage of livelihoods and property,” according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, including in “markets, restaurants, shops, cafes, playgrounds, schools, places of worship and other public spaces where civilians gather in large numbers.”

The former editor of an activist website linked to Colombia’s separatist militant group, the Farc, last week had an eight year prison sentenced overturned, reports Colombian media.

The ruling against Joaquin Perez Becerra was overturned by a court in Bogota, which determined there was no evidence found demonstrating Becerra's involvement in the ‘crime of conspiracy.’

The United Nations security Council is considering a draft resolution to condemn the shooting down of a Malaysian passenger plane, demand armed groups to allow access to the crash site and call on states in the region to cooperate with an international investigation reports Reuters.

Australia which lost 28 citizens in the crash, Saturday, circulated a first draft the resolution to the 15-member Security Council.

A vote on the resolution is expected as early as Monday.

Gaza has seen the deadliest day since clashes erupted again, with 87 people reported killed on Sunday. 13 Israeli soldiers were also killed in fighting with Hamas.

The of Shejaiya saw intense shelling on overnight and a two hour 'humanitarian ceasefire' on Sunday, organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross, broke down within an hour of commencing, with both sides blaming each other for the collapse.

Women and children were among the dead, along with a Palestinian paramedic and a cameraman, who died when the ambulance they were travelling in was hit, reported AFP.

Nine government-critical bloggers and journalists have been charged with terrorism in Ethiopia after being accused of receiving financial aid and instructions from “terrorist groups”.

The three journalists and six bloggers, all belonging to the social media activist group Zone 9, are accused of working in collusion with the banned US-based opposition group Ginbot 7 and were held without charge since April.

International criticism of Israel's offensive increased on Saturday, as Gaza officials reported over 300 Palestinians had been killed since the conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted 12 days ago.

Echoing Turkey's condemnation of Israel's offensive as an act of genocide of the Palestinian people, the Venezuelan government spokesperson said Israel had "initiated a higher phase of its policy of genocide and extermination with the ground invasion of Palestinian territory, killing innocent men, women, girls and boys."