The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, today highlighted the need for Egypt to ensure that its draft laws conform to international human rights standards and respond to the aspiration of its people, as the country looks to progress in its democratic transition.

A team of UN human rights investigators said they had "reasonable grounds" to believe that 'limited amounts' of chemical weapons had been used in Syria, reports Reuters.

Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, the chair of the UN commission of inquiry, Paulo Pinheiro said:

Two British soldiers have admitted abusing Afghan civilians, including indecent conduct towards a child and racial abuse.

The patrol commander of the soldiers, who were granted immunity, was cleared of any wrong doing at the court martial in a British army base in Germany.

One soldier admitted pulling an Afghan boy's hand towards his crotch and the other admitted being involved in having an Afghan man photographed with a sign which read "Silly Paki”.

Turkey’s deputy prime minister has offered an apology in an effort to appease anti-government protesters, as they stormed the street for the fifth consecutive day.

Bulent Arinc, who is standing in for the prime minister, called the crackdown on protesters as “wrong and unjust”.

Fighting has erupted in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Syrian rebels, leaving at least 15 people dead.
Lebanese media reported that Hezbollah fighters were preparing to launch rockets when they were attacked by the Syrian rebels.

Syrian opposition fighters have threatened to attack Hezbollah, after the Lebanese movement got involved in the Syrian conflict, taking the side of the embattled president Bashar al-Assad.

Meanwhile a UN Security Council move to issue a declaration voicing concern over the siege on Qusair was blocked by Russia.

The Obama administration voiced concern over Turkey’s crackdown on protestors and urged Turkish authorities to exercise restraint.

Presidential spokesman, Jay Carney described the Turkish protestors as ordinary citizens excercising their rights to free expression.

An American man was extradited to Bosnia-Herzegovina to be tried for war crimes committed in the 1990s.

Accusations against Sulejman Mujagic of New York include torture of one prisoner and the slaying of another, an unarmed enemy soldier.

See the Washington Post for full report.

Three members of the House of Lords have been suspended after they agreed to do parliamentary work for money.

Undercover journalists of the Sunday Times filmed Ulster Unionist Lord Laird and Labour's Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate and Lord Cunningham, offering to help a fake company.

In another investigation by the BBC’s Panorama programme Lord Laird discussed accepting cash for lobbying services for a fake Fijian firm, saying he would help start an All Parliamentary Group for Fiji.

Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, will hold elections by the end of July, reported the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation on Sunday.

On Friday, a constitutional court ruled that parliamentary and presidential polls must take place before 31st July, and a date must be fixed by 29th June.

Opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, said his party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) would support a July election so long demands for political reform were met.

Speaking to Reuters, MDC Spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said:

Libyan officials announced today that it will appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reverse its decision to prosecute Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, a son of the country’s leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Speaking in a joint conference the Libyan Justice prime minister, Ali Zeidan, announced that they would launch an appeal, within the next 5 days, against the ICC’s refection of Libya’s bid to try Saif Gaddafi.