The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, today highlighted the need for Egypt to ensure that its draft laws conform to international human rights standards and respond to the aspiration of its people, as the country looks to progress in its democratic transition.

Ki-moon recalled recent concerns by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, over the draft law on association, which she felt to place restrictions on civil society organisations, especially those focused on human rights.

Ban Ki-moon reiterated today that any new draft law on associations must confirm to international human rights standards, and respond to the aspirations of the people.

A team of UN human rights investigators said they had "reasonable grounds" to believe that 'limited amounts' of chemical weapons had been used in Syria, reports Reuters.

Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, the chair of the UN commission of inquiry, Paulo Pinheiro said:

"There are reasonable grounds to believe that limited quantities of toxic chemicals were used. It has not been possible, on the evidence available, to determine the precise chemical agents used, their delivery systems or the perpetrator."

"The witnesses that we have interviewed include victims, refugees who fled some areas, and medical staff."

In a report published Tuesday, the team said that they had received allegations of use from both government and opposition forces, however, most of the testimony was regarding use by government forces.

Calling on the UN Security Council to ensure accountability, the commission's report said:

"The conflict in Syria has reached new levels of brutality."

"War crimes, crimes against humanity and gross human rights violations continue apace."

"The documented violations are consistent and widespread, evidence of a concerted policy implemented by the leaders of Syria's military and government."

Two British soldiers have admitted abusing Afghan civilians, including indecent conduct towards a child and racial abuse.

The patrol commander of the soldiers, who were granted immunity, was cleared of any wrong doing at the court martial in a British army base in Germany.

One soldier admitted pulling an Afghan boy's hand towards his crotch and the other admitted being involved in having an Afghan man photographed with a sign which read "Silly Paki”.

Turkey’s deputy prime minister has offered an apology in an effort to appease anti-government protesters, as they stormed the street for the fifth consecutive day.

Bulent Arinc, who is standing in for the prime minister, called the crackdown on protesters as “wrong and unjust”.

The apologies surface a day after the country’s ally, the United States, called on the Turkish forces to observe the rights of protesters,

Fighting has erupted in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Syrian rebels, leaving at least 15 people dead.
Lebanese media reported that Hezbollah fighters were preparing to launch rockets when they were attacked by the Syrian rebels.

Syrian opposition fighters have threatened to attack Hezbollah, after the Lebanese movement got involved in the Syrian conflict, taking the side of the embattled president Bashar al-Assad.

Meanwhile a UN Security Council move to issue a declaration voicing concern over the siege on Qusair was blocked by Russia.

Qusair is in rebel hands, but Syrian forces and Hezbollah fighters have surrounded the town and are attempting to regain control.

Russia said it blocked the declaration as there was no such move by the UN when the rebels captured Qusair last year.

The Obama administration voiced concern over Turkey’s crackdown on protestors and urged Turkish authorities to exercise restraint.

Presidential spokesman, Jay Carney described the Turkish protestors as ordinary citizens excercising their rights to free expression.

Carney went on to express concerns regarding the excessive use of force on protesters and called for the events to be investigated.

Echoing spokesman Carney’s concerns, Secretary of State John Kerry, told reporters at the state department that,

“The United States supports full freedom of expression and assembly, including the right of people to peaceful protest, because that is a fundamental right to any democracy.”

“We are concerned by the reports of excessive use of force by police. We obviously hope there will be a full investigation of those incidents and full restraint from the police force with respect to those incidents.”

An American man was extradited to Bosnia-Herzegovina to be tried for war crimes committed in the 1990s.

Accusations against Sulejman Mujagic of New York include torture of one prisoner and the slaying of another, an unarmed enemy soldier.

See the Washington Post for full report.

Three members of the House of Lords have been suspended after they agreed to do parliamentary work for money.

Undercover journalists of the Sunday Times filmed Ulster Unionist Lord Laird and Labour's Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate and Lord Cunningham, offering to help a fake company.

In another investigation by the BBC’s Panorama programme Lord Laird discussed accepting cash for lobbying services for a fake Fijian firm, saying he would help start an All Parliamentary Group for Fiji.

Lord Laird said: "I'll deny having said this, but it's a bribe. The sort of thing I can say to these guys. 'Look, you put that question down now. I thought you were interested in Fiji. Would you like to come down to it, y'know? I believe it's quite nice.' But that's why I can say that.

"You don't want it sounding as if the only bloody person in Parliament who raises any bloody thing about Fiji is the guy they pay."

The peer denied the allegations and said he was “the subject of a scam”.

"This has led to allegations that I have broken the rules of the House of Lords," he said.

"I wish to make it clear that I did not agree to act as a paid advocate in any proceedings of the House nor did I accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services."

"The election date must be process-driven and so if ZANU-PF (Mugabe's party) cooperates and we speed up what we need for a free and fair election, we can all easily fulfill the court order."

Libyan officials announced today that it will appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reverse its decision to prosecute Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, a son of the country’s leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Speaking in a joint conference the Libyan Justice prime minister, Ali Zeidan, announced that they would launch an appeal, within the next 5 days, against the ICC’s refection of Libya’s bid to try Saif Gaddafi.

On Friday the ICC rejected the Libyan bid under on the basis that the Libyan courts would not cover the same case as the ICC.

Over 10,000 Ethiopians staged an anti-government demonstration today  in the first large-scale protest in almost 8 years.

The protests called for the release of detained political leaders and journalists. Speaking to the Guardian, the organiser of the protest and chairmen of the Semanayawi (Blue) party, Yilekal Getachewm said,

“We have repeatedly asked the government to release political leaders, journalists and those who asked the government not to intervene in religious affairs,”

“If these questions are not resolved and no progress is made in the next three months, we will organise more protests. It is the beginning of our struggle.”

Ethiopia has often been criticised by human rights groups for clamping down on opposition and the media on false grounds of national security.

Last year the Ethiopian court sentenced 20 journalists, opposition figures and others to long sentences for conspiring to topple the government, resulting in at least 10 journalists receiving charges under the anti-terrorism law.

Former leaders of the Khmer Rouge, who are now facing trial for charges of genocide in Cambodia, have expressed their regret over atrocities committed by the regime during their trial this week.

Nuon Chea, the organisation’s main ideologist,and "brother number two",  expressed “condolences” and said on Thursday,

"I am responsible for what happened during the time of Democratic Kampuchea".

"I am very regretful for events that happened intentionally and unintentionally. I am morally responsible".

Also on trial was Khieu Samphan, the group’s former head of state, who responded to those testifying that they had lost family members to the regime. He stated,

"I feel extremely sorry for the disappearance and extremely brutal killing of your father".

Yet he insisted that he did not know about "the atrocities committed by the military commanders and leaders", adding the perpetrators "must be brought to justice".

He went on to say,

"I cannot bear responsibility for those actions".

"I was not aware of the heinous acts committed by other leaders that caused tragedy for the nation and people".

The International Criminal Court's pre-trial chamber has ruled that Libya is not ready to try Muammar Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam.

He was indicted on war crimes charges in 2011 and at the time the ICC said it could allow Libya to try Gaddafi, if conditions were right. However in a statement the ICC said that Libya continues to "face substantial difficulties in exercising fully its judicial powers across the entire territory".

Libyan officials are seeking to try Gaddafi in the country, as it would revive faith in the justice system.