An alleged spokesperson for the Nigerian radical Islamist group Boko Haram has said that the group is willing to enter into peace talks, on the premise that they are held in Saudi Arabia and headed by Muhamed Buhari, a Muslim colonel who ruled Nigeria for 20 months after seizing power in 1984.

The spokesperson, Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz, claiming to be representing Boko Haram’s leader said:

Gujurat's chief minister Narendra Modi, who was previously shunned by the West following the 2002 Godhra riots, is now free to apply for a US visa.

The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake, said that Modi the US has "very good" relations with the state of Gujurat, and that it was a "very, very important" market for American companies.

Blake went on to say,

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has warned the Syrian opposition of attempts by radical groups to “hijack” the Syrian revolution.

The opposition Syrian National Council is based in Turkey and has no control over the escalating violence.

Clinton criticised the make-up of the SNC, saying that the leadership should be more representative of those resisting on the ground.

Dozens of British protesters condemned alleged torture in Indonesia as the Indonesian President, Susilo Banbang Youdhoyono, received a royal welcome upon his first visit to Britain in over 30 years. The president will address parliament and open a new ‘Indonesia-UK Business forum’ during his 3 day visit.

Activists accused Britain of prioritising their commercial interests ahead of human rights issues that were affecting the Indonesian minorities. The protests were staged by several activists from Amnesty International and other non-governmental Indonesian organisations.

The former Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Army, Momčilo Perišić, is appealing against a 27-year prison sentence, after being found guilty of war crimes in September last year.

Perišić’s appeal is due to start on Wednesday, with the former General arguing that he was not aware of or responsible for any atrocities.

In his trial last year, Bakone Justice Moloto, the president judge ruled that,

The Bahraini government has banned all protests and public gatherings as violence between anti-government protesters and police intensifies.

The interior minister, Sheikh Rashid Al Khalifah, said protests would only be permitted once secuirty and stability were returned, and "repeated abuse" of the rights of freedom of speech and expression (ie. the protests), could not be tolerated.

Claiming that the protests were "devoid of respect and intended to humiliate", Al Khalifah said the protests "jeopardised civil peace and disturbed security and general order".

The Vietnamese government has jailed two song writers for criticising government policy in their songs.

Tran Vu Anh Binh and Vo Minh Tri were jailed for six and four years respectively by a court in Ho Chi Minh City.

Their songs criticised China over the South China Sea dispute and Vietnam’s handling of the crisis.

Amnesty International called for the release of the musicians in a statement released on Monday.

Tensions between the Greek media and government escalated following the interruption of state television , ERT, broadcasts by a journalists’ union announcement.

A morning chat show was interrupted by an announcement condemning the recent suspension of two presenters who were seen as critical of the government.

The union called for the reinstatement of the presenters, warning,

A commander within the Basque separatist organisation, Eta, was arrested by French police 70km north of Lyon this weekend.

Izaskun Lesaka, who is believed to be the military commander of Eta, was arrested along side her boyfriend, Joseba Iturbe Otxoteka.

The operation was a joint venture by RAID, an elite French police unit, and the Spanish Civil Guard.

The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reshuffled his cabinet on Sunday, said to be the 'last reshuffle' of his term before the 2014 general elections.

Promoting younger members of the Congress Party that have been supported by Rahul Gandhi, the move has been seen as heavily influenced by Rahul, prompting speculation that he could be Congress' next working president or secretary general.

See here for analysis by Times of India.

Following SM Krishna's sudden departure on Friday from his role in the minister of external affairs, Salman Khurshid will take up the role.

In its editorial, The Hindu commented,

'The biggest upheavals have been in the ministries of External Affairs and Petroleum and Natural Gas. Salman Khurshid is a natural choice to fill the vacuum created by S.M. Krishna’s exit. Mr. Krishna may have been slow to get off the block but he leaves behind a Ministry that is focused and efficient and in whose performance he played no small role.