No sooner had the Arab League annonced its decision to seek support from the UN Security Council to bring about a peaceful end to Assad's rule through a national unity government and elections held within 6 months, than the Assad regime declared it was rejecting it.

The European Union has imposed severe new sanctions on Iran due to its refusal to suspend its nuclear activities.

Anti-government protesters came out onto the streets of Sanaa to celebrate the departure of Yemen's ousted president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, on Sunday.

According the Yemeni government's spokesperson, Muhammad Albasha, Saleh was travelling to New York for medical treatment, with a possible detour via Oman.

US weapons will not be sold to Vietnam until the country reverses its "backward movement" on human rights, said US senators on Friday.

Following a recent visit to Vietnam, the US delegation "specifically stated to the Vietnamese that our security relationship will be directly impacted by the human rights issues", said John McCain, who was a member of the delegation.

A Chinese sovereign wealth fund, China Investment Corporation, bought a 8.68pc stake in the UK's Thames Water, owned by Kemble Water.

Fighting between the government and the Kachin rebels, in northern Myanmar, intensified, despite the widely proclaimed reforms.

Over the past month, Burma's military his reported to have launched mortar rounds targeting the mountainous region in northern Myanmar, near its border with China.

Over the past few months, international human rights groups have expressed growing concern at the Burmese army's atrocities against the Kachin people, citing the looting and burning of homes, as well as the rape, torture and execution of Kachin civilians. As a result, over a thousand villagers have sought refuge in China, whilst tens of thousands more are believed to be at risk of displacement if the Burmese army's actions continue.

The increased conflict has taken place despite Myanmar's President Thein Sein, calling on the military to cease the fighting.

On the border with China, the Kachin region is partly controlled by the Kachin Independence Army. 

Despite renewed tensions with Argentina, UK foreign secretary, William Hague, reiterated Britain's commitment to the Falkland islanders' right to self-determination.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Hague said,

A senior US diplomat, Robert J. Einhorn, urged South Korea to work with the US and increase pressure on Iran, during a visit to Seoul.

Einhorn, the US State Department's special advisor for non-proliferation and arms control, met South Korea's deputy foreign minister, Kim Jae-shin on Tuesday.

Einhorn said,