A NATO airstrike in eastern Afghanistan has killed at least eight women, according to local officials.

The attack, in a remote region of the Laghman,also injured at least seven women, with some of the injured reported to be as young as ten.

A NATO spokesperson conceded that civilians had died after an attack on insurgents.

Major Adam Wojack told the BBC that between five to eight civilians could have died and the attack was being investigated.

On Saturday Lakhdar Brahimi, the newly appointed UN envoy to Syria held his first meeting with Syrian President

Bashar al-Assad, hoping to find a political solution to the ongoing conflict.

Brahimi, a veteran Algerian diplomat, had previously described the mission as “nearly impossible”, particularly since UN observers on the ground were pulled out last month after facing attacks. 

More than 50 cities in China saw massive anti-Japan protests carry on for a second day, with the Japanese embassy and several Japanese businesses coming under attack.

Protestors in Beijing pelted the Japanese embassy with eggs and bottles as riot police held back crowds from storming the building. Protestors shouted slogans such as, "Return our islands! Japanese devils get out!" and held signs that read, "For the respect of the motherland, we must go to war with Japan."

The protests prompted US Defence Secretary to comment,

Norwegian authorities have announced that they will try a Rwandan man for his role in the 1994 genocide, at a court in Oslo,  the first time such a case will be tried in Norway.

Sadi Bugingo was arrested by Norwegian authorities in 2002 in the city of Bergen after being wanted by Rwandan authorities.

Prosecutor Petter Mandt stated that he wanted to show Norway would not be a haven for such criminals, commenting,

An opposition MP and critic of President Putin, Gennady Gudkov, was expelled from the Kremlin on Friday, for allegedly breaching the rules on business affairs.

Gudkov, a member of the opposition Fair Russia Party, is a former KGB colonel, and the first member of parliament to be expelled in 17 years. His expulsion leaves him at risk of arrest for previous crimes, having now lost his diplomatic immunity.

Amnesty International called on Egypt to arrest Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, when he arrives in Cairo on Sunday.

Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide charges, is due to meet the new Egyptian president Mohamed Mursi during a two day visit.

In a statement, Marek Marczyński of Amnesty International, said:

The US State Department has ordered the withdrawal of all non-essential diplomatic staff and their families from Tunisia and Sudan.

Embassies in both countries have been attacked in recent days, during protests over an anti-Islam film produced in the US.

Chinese boats entered disputed waters between China and Japan on Thursday, as the row over a set of islands claimed by both nations continues to worsen.

Six ships were sent by China to the contested area, with the Chinese foreign ministry stating,

"These law enforcement and patrol activities are aimed to demonstrate China's jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islets and ensure the country's maritime interests."

The protests over the obscure movie about Mohammad have escalated around the world.

Three protestors died after thousands of people attacked the US embassy in Khartoum, according to Sudanese state radio.

The mob initially attacked the German embassy and set fire to it, causing severe damage.

The British embassy nearby also saw protests but was not damaged. Germany and the UK have no link to the film.

"I condemn in the strongest possible terms today's attack and call on the Sudanese authorities to ensure that those involved are brought to justice," said UK Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Over a dozen peaceful reform activists have been arrested in Jordan over the past week says Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The wave of arrests indicates a reinforcement of intolerance towards calls for political demands in the kingdom.

At least seventeen activists and peaceful protesters have been arrested across the country and remain in detention under terrorism charges.

Senior Middle East researcher at Human Rights Watch, Christoph Wilcke said: