"The Scottish Government urges the UK Government to formally recognise the State of Palestine and as an immediate step in that precognition process, upgrade the political representation to a fully functioning embassy. In that vein, the Scottish Government would welcome the opening of a Palestinian Consulate in Scotland."

Islamist militant group Boko Haram has released 27 hostages including 10 Chinese workers and the wife of Cameroon's vice-Prime Minister Amadou Ali, according to a statement from Cameroon President Paul Biya’s office.

FC Barcelona, the city's world famous football club, backed the call for Catalan self-determination, despite a threat from Spain's football league that it would be excluded if the region chose to secede.

Photograph Yes Catalonia Facebook

"FC Barcelona has already signalled its position in favour of self-determination for Catalonia in a declaration made in the President’s Report at the 2013 Members Representatives Meeting – the maximum authority of the Club."

Lawmakers in Britain are set to vote on a historic motion on Monday, where they will decide whether the UK will officially recognise Palestine as a state.

The motion, which states "this House believes that the government should recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel", was proposed by Labour backbencher Grahame Morris.

Morris told the Independent he felt it was “time to shout out loud that this should be done” adding, “not only is statehood the inalienable right of the Palestinian people, but recognizing Palestine will breathe new life into a peace process that is at an impasse.”

 Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander also commented on the motion, saying,

"Labour believes statehood for the Palestinians is not a gift to be given but a right to be recognised: That is why since 2011 Labour has supported Palestinian recognition at the United Nations and called on the government to support this important principle."

UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has implicitly appealed to Turkey to allow fighters across the Syria border to protect the city of Kobani from Islamic State.

Speaking at a press conference in Geneva on Friday, Mistura stressed the dangers of an impending invasion of Kobani by Islamic State said,

"Please take action to protect the civilians, in this case of Kobani –Ayn al-Arab. Do we have an international scenario to justify any type of action?… Everyone who can should be doing what he can in order to control and hopefully stop this atrocious terrorist movement, especially when they are clearly indicating where they are going."

"We would like to appeal to the Turkish authorities in order to allow the flow of volunteers at least and their own equipment in order to be able to enter the city and contribute to a self-defence operation. And if they can, to support the deterrent actions of the collation through whatever means from their own territory."