The British prime minister David Cameron described the massacre of Indians at the city of Amritsar during colonial times was "deeply shameful", however he stopped short of a public apology.

Cameron who is on a three day visit of India in order to strenghten economic ties between the two countries, visited the memorial for victims at the Jallianwala Bagh where British soldiers gunned down thousands of unarmed protesters in 1919.

Writing in a visitor's book, Cameron wrote:

"This was a deeply shameful event in British history and one that Winston Churchill rightly declared at the time as 'monstrous'.

"We must never forget what happened here. And in remembering we must ensure that the United Kingdom stands up for the right of peaceful protest around the world."

Cameron is the first serving British prime minister to visit the site.

"formally recognises the Genocide against the people of Iraqi Kurdistan and encourages governments, the EU and UN to do likewise".

"that this will enable Kurdish people, many in the UK, to achieve justice for their considerable loss".

The Prime Minister of Tunisia, Hamadi Jebali resigned on Tuesday after failing to form a new government of non-partisan technocrats.

Speaking at a news conference Jebali said:

"I vowed that if my initiative did not succeed, I would resign and ... I have already done so,"

Jebali vowed to form a new government after Tunisia's secular opposition leader was assassinated.

(See here)

A French soldier has been killed fighting rebels in Mali, announced the French president Francois Hollande. It is the second fatality since France deployed troops last month.

During his visit to Greece, Hollande said:

"There was a serious clash with many dead on the terrorist side but also a death on the French side."

Hollande went on to say that the mission was in its final stages, with the aim now to capture "the last terrorist groups and leaders. We are now in the last phase of the operation in Mali,"

France has over 40,000 troops currently deployed.

EU ministers on Monday agreed to renew sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which includes an arms embargo to all sides.

Britain had earlier demanded that the embargo be lifted, but the EU instead agreed only to allow 'non-lethal' aid and 'technical assistance' to flow to the opposition.

A statement from the EU said that if need be, ministers would assess and review the sanctions regime again after three months.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said:

"It's not about military support. It's about how to make sure to give the best possible support to the protection of civilians."

See here for AFP report.

Hezbollah forces have attacked three Syrian villages near the Lebanese border according to the Syrian opposition.

The Lebanese Shia group has always denied sending fighters to assist Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

"The Hezbollah force moved on foot and was supported by multiple rocket launchers. The Free Syrian Army [FSA] had to call in two tanks that had been captured from the Assad army to repel the attack," Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC) spokesman Hade al-Abdallah told Reuters news agency.

"Hezbollah's invasion is the first of its kind in terms of organisation, planning and coordination with the Syrian regime's air force," Free Syrian Army spokesman Luay al-Miqdad was quoted as saying.

Read more on the BBC.

The European Union eased sanctions on Zimbabwe in acknowledgment of the government's political reforms, whilst also pledging to lift sanctions on a state run Zimbabwe diamond mining company if the country holds fair elections.

The change in sanctions come as a direct response to President Mugabe's announcement of a constitutional referendum, ahead of presidential elections in the summer. Commenting on the relaxing of sanctions, British Foreign Secretary, William Hague said,

"We have shown by removing some individuals from the sanctions and travel ban that we will reward progress but also that we will keep certain measures in place including the listing of ZMDC (Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation) for the duration of the coming election campaign."

"We want to see a properly conducted referendum and we want to see credible and properly conducted elections in Zimbabwe."

JusticeZimbabwe, a campaign representing farmers seeking compensation for land illegally appropriated by the Mugabe regime, condemned the EU actions.

"Mugabe has constantly failed to reform the economy and politics of Zimbabwe. His governing elite ensure that a small few become grotesquely wealthy and powerful, at the expense of the people and the rule of law." the group said in  a statement.

UN investigators said on Monday that they had identified Syrian leaders as suspected war criminals, who should face the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The UN Security Council was urged by the investigators to take urgent action to hold people accountable for violatons committed by both sides, including murder and torture, in the civil war.

Because Syria is not party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, the court can only investigate if it receives a referral from the Security Council. However, Russia, a permanent veto power on the council has opposed such a move.

See here for full report on Reuters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Syrians will be allowed to cross the ceasefire line in the occupied Golan Heights, in "exceptional" cases, after 7 injured Syrians were taken for hospital treatment by Israeli soldiers.

"We will continue to watch over the border and prevent anyone from crossing it and entering Israel except in a few isolated and exceptional circumstances - each of which will be weighed on its own merit," Mr Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting, according to the BBC.

Seven foreign workers have been kidnapped in a raid on a compound in northern Nigeria.

It has been reported that a group of men armed with guns and explosives attacked the camp of a Lebanese construction company, snatching a British man along with Greek, Italian and Lebanese co-workers.

The gunmen first shot and killed a guard at the camp, which is located in Jama'are, a rural town in the Bauchi state.

It is suspected that the group behind the kidnapping is radical Islamist group 'Boko Haram', which campaigns for Sharia law to be implemented across the country.

See here for full report on the Independent.

The British foreign office has called on Chad to arrest the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and hand him over to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Omar al-Bashir, who has been indicted by the international criminal court for five counts of crimes against humanity, is due to attend a regional summit in Chad.

Chad is one of the nations that signed up to the ICC's treaty, therefore holding it legally responsible to implement the arrest warrant placed on Bashir.

In a Foreign Office statement that emphasised the importance of sticking to international obligations, British Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds said,

"Chad has committed itself to full cooperation with the ICC, and I reiterate the importance that the British government places on such commitments."

"The UK expects Chad to stand by its obligations and will be disappointed if it does not do so."

 

"We expect all states party to the ICC to comply with their obligations and, indeed, all states should cooperate with ICC investigation as set out in relevant UN Security Council resolutions"

The European Union has called on Israel to respect international humanitarian law on the treatment of prisoners, after widespread rioting in the West Bank over the treatment of hunger striking Palestinian prisoners.

European Union spokesperson Catherine Ashton stated,

"The EU calls on the government of Israel to allow for the immediate restoration of their family visiting rights and calls for the full respect of international human rights obligations towards all Palestinian detainees and prisoners,"

“Under international law, detainees have the right to be informed about the reasons underlying any detention and to have the legality of their detention determined without undue delay. The EU calls upon Israel to bring formal charges against any individuals detained, with a view to bringing them to a fair trial without undue delay."

The statement comes after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas spoke about the prisoners on Friday, saying,

"We will not forget, and we will not leave you to suffer behind the bars of the occupation."

Meanwhile at least 500 Palestinian protestors were reported to have gathered outside Ofer Prison, as one of many rallies held across the West Bank, and thrown rocks at Israeli soldiers, lightly injuring two soldiers. Palestinian medics said that 156 Palestinians were treated for tear gas inhalation and 2 were injured by gunfire from live ammunition.