The Israeli parliament has preliminarily approved a controversial bill this week, which states that the “right to self-determination in Israel is unique to the Jewish people” and demotes Arabic from its official status.

Supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu's Likud party, the bill states that Israel is the “national home of the Jewish people” and would demote Arabic from an official language to one that has “special standing”.

Police in Myanmar have issued arrest warrants for at least seven Buddhist nationalists, including at least two monks, after a clash with Rohingya Muslims left at least one injured, according to reports.

The BBC quoted local media sources as reporting Buddhist monks marched into the Rohingya town of Mingalar Taung Nyunt on Wednesday, where they were allegedly looking for “illegal” Rohingya.

The province of Ontario is the first legislature in Canada to carry a motion describing the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as genocide.

Harinder Malhi, Member of Provincial Parliament, moved the motion with 34 votes in favour and five against.

The UN will withdraw its peacekeeping mission in Haiti by October 2017, the Security Council decided in a vote today.

Unanimously adopting a new resolution, the Council decided that, after over 13 years operating in its current form, the UN Stabilization Mission, known by its French acronym, MINUSTAH, would gradually draw down its military component during the next six months, finally withdrawing from Haiti by 15 October 2017.

The violence in South Sudan has now escalated to genocide, the UK’s International Development Secretary has said.

The Secretary, Priti Patel visited South Sudan this week and said there is a “scorched earth policy” with “massacres taking place, people’s throats are being slit”.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Ms Patel said villages were being burned down, women being raped and food being used as a weapon of war.

The US fired Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian military base on Friday in response to the chemical weapon attack over Idlib province earlier this week. 

The US Department of Defense said the air strike was "in retaliation for the Assad regime using nerve agents against its people."

The third suspected chemical attack was reported to have been carried out in Syria on Tuesday over the province of Idlib, killing at least over 50 people, including children. 

The US has accused the Assad government of carrying out this attack, however, the military has denied this. 

The Scottish parliament on Tuesday voted in favour of holding a second referendum on independence, thereby endorsing the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon. 

The vote, which was won by 69 to 59 votes, translates into a formal request to Westminster to grant Holyrood powers to hold a referendum under a section 30 order. 

The Basque separatist organisation, Eta on Friday announced its plans to lay down arms and reveal stockpiles of weapons, reported Le Monde. 

In 2011 Eta renounced its armed struggle for independence of a Basque homeland spanning across Northern Spain and Southern France. 

The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon criticised the British prime minister's rejection of a second independence referendum, stating that denying Scots a chance to decide on their future post-Brexit would be contrary to May's promise to work for all the people of the UK. 

The UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Myanmar said the Rohingya Muslims were facing "crimes against humanity" by the Burmese people, security forces and police. 

In an interview to BBC Newsnight this week, Yanghee Lee said "I would say crimes against humanity. Definite crimes against humanity... by the Burmese, Myanmar military, the border guards or the police or security forces."

China's Premier, Li Keqiang this month reiterated that Beijing would firmly oppose any moves towards independence in Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

“We will resolutely oppose and contain separatist activities for Taiwan independence,” Mr Li was quoted by Today Online as saying in a speech at the annual session of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC).

A Rwandan man who moved to the US was last week convicted of immigration fraud for lying about his role in the Rwandan genocide, the Jurist reported. 

The prosecution said Gervais Ngombwa was the leader of a Hutu party responsible for massacring Tutsis during the 1994 genocide. 

The Irish nationalist party, Sinn Féin made substantial gains in Northern Ireland's snap election this week, leaving the pro-union DUP with only a one seat advantage. 

In elections which saw the highest voter turn out since the initial, elections after the 1998 Good Friday agreement, Sinn Fein won 27 of the 90 seats, whilst DUP won 28. 

Previously the DUP had a 10 seat advantage over Sinn Féin.