The Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has announced a proposal for a unilateral ceasefire, as part of a peace plan.

The truce would allow pro-Russian militants and separatist to lay down their arms and for Russian mercenaries to leave the country.

"The peace plan begins with my order for a unilateral ceasefire," Mr Poroshenko said earlier today.

"We expect that disarmament of military groups and restoration of order will take place right after it."

The Libyan government has condemned a clandestine American operation to capture a key suspect in the attack on a US diplomatic building in Benghazi in 2012, which left US ambassador Chris Stevens and three others dead.

Ahmed Abu Khattala was seized in the operation on June 15, and has been charged in a US federal court with killing a person in the course of an attack on a federal facility, providing material support to terrorists, and a firearms count.

2nd lead updated 21:37

China has signed £14 billion dollars of trade deals with the United Kingdom, as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with the Queen and held talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron, announcing a host of trade deals.

The largest of the announced deals was a £11.8 billion BP gas supply contract with the China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC), set to run over 20 years, starting in 2019.

British Premier David Cameron said that he was committed to rebuilding diplomatic relations with the Iranian government.

Speaking a day after the British High Commission in Tehran was reopened, Cameron said it was right that both countries should engage in "greater dialogue" and seek to improve relations on a "step-by-step" basis, adding that the deteriorating situation in Iraq, “is not a reason for not taking that step", but that he would proceed with a "clear eye and hard head".

The United States has ruled out the prospect of military co-operation with Iran, over the escalating crisis in Iraq.

Remarks by Secretary of State John Kerry, saying “I wouldn’t rule out anything that would be constructive," caused speculation over whether the two countries would work together.

This was soon followed by statements from the Pentagon ruling out any joint military possibilities.