Catalania declared its region as a sovereignty entity on Wednesday in a largely symbolic act which paves the way for a referendum on independence from Spain.

The declaration reads: "The people of Catalonia have - by reason of democratic legitimacy - the character of a sovereign political and legal entity."

The declaration came after the Catalan parliament voted in favour by 85 votes for, 41 against and 2 abstentions.

The United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) amended its travel advisory to Libya on Thursday, advising all British nationals to leave Benghazi immediately as well as to avoid travel at all to some parts of the country.

The US has decided to end the ban on female soldiers serving in front-line combat, according to a senior Pentagon official.

The official told the BBC that Defence Secretary Leon Panetta overturned the 1994 prohibition and that the change will “initiate a process whereby the services will develop plans to implement this decision, which was made by the secretary of defense upon the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff."

The formal announcement of the decision is expected to be made on Thursday.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused armed opposition groups in Syria of deliberately destroying religious sites in November and December 2012, following investigations in mixed areas of Northern Syria.

According to evidence examined and witness statements, a Shia mosque was destroyed and two Christian churches looted after their respective towns fell into opposition control.

Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said:

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Turkey of abusing anti-terror laws after an Istanbul court ordered the pre-trial detention of nine human rights lawyers.

The lawyers were among 12 arrested last week during early morning raids.

HRW claims that Turkey's 'overbroad' anti-terrorism laws have been used more widely to charge for non-violent political activities and legitimate exercise of rights, with charges often accompanied by prlonged pretrial detention.

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor has appealed last year’s verdict at The Hague, which saw him sentenced to 50 years in prison for aiding and abetting rebels in Sierra Leone during the country’s brutal civil war.

His legal representatives appealed on more than 40 grounds, saying that the verdict was based on "uncorroborated hearsay evidence".