The billionaire founder of US equity firm Blackstone, Stephen Schwarzman, has unveiled a $300 million scholarship fund, aiming to send 200 foreign post-graduate students to study in China each year.

Schwarzman has donated $100 million of his own money and is raising a further $200 million, to send students from across the world on an international education programme at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, in subjects that include public policy and international relations.

The programme is modelled on the Rhodes Scholarship programme that saw foreign students study at Oxford University in the UK, and has generated substantial interest from many Western backers.

Announcing the scheme, Schwarzman hoped that it would “foster stronger and deeper relationships” adding that it would develop “a far richer and more nuanced understanding of China’s social, political and economic context”. He went on to state,

“A win-win relationship of mutual respect between the West and China is vital, benefiting Asia and the rest of the world, and enhancing economic ties that could lead to a new era of mutual prosperity”.

Amongst the many firms who have backed the scheme are BP, Boeing, Caterpillar, Bank of America and Credit Suisse. Those on the advisory board of the fund include, former US Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Condoleezza Rice, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, American cellist Yo-Yo Ma and former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Commenting on the fund, the Financial Times stated in their editorial,

“This is a groundbreaking initiative. China has never opened its university system to foreigners to this extent."

The UN Security Council has approved the creation of a new peacekeeping force in Mali.

The resolution, proposed by France, has authorised the force, which will see troops deployed in July ahead of elections in the country.

11,200 military personnel and 1,440 police officers will make up the UN force, called Minusma, costing £520m a year.

Amnesty International has accused Bahrain of lacking seriousness with regards to human rights, after the kingdom cancelled, for the second time, a planned visit by the UN's Special Rapporteur on torture.

Rapporteur, Juan Mendez, said he was 'deeply disappointed' and added:

“This is the second time my visit has been postponed at very short notice. The authorities seem to view my visit as an obstacle rather than a positive factor to the reform process,"

A court in Brazil has sentenced 23 policemen to a total of 156 years for the killing of inmates in a Sao Paolo jail.

111 prisoners were killed during a massacre in Carandiru jail, after two rival prison gangs clashed. 13 of those killed were shot by the convicted policemen.

"We never thought they would come in and kill people randomly, as not everyone had joined the rebellion," former prisoner Jacy de Oliveira told BBC Brasil's Luis Kawaguti.

Chechen groups leading the Islamist insurgency against Russia have distanced themselves from the Boston bombings.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the elder of the two brothers named as suspects, made a trip last year to the North Caucasus, creating speculation that the men had links to extremist movements in the region.

However a statement from militants operating in Dagestan said:

Amnesty International has criticised the decision made by a Guatemalan judge to suspend the genocide trial of former dictator  Efrain Rios Montt, stating that it risks strengthening impunity and weaking rule of law.

Sebastian Elgueta, researcher on Guatemala at Amnesty International said in a statement,

The US has doubled the aid it provides to the Free Syrian Army.

Secretary of State John Kerry announced the new $123m non-lethal aid package at a meeting of countries opposed to President Assad in Istanbul.

"The situation in Syria is horrific. It is horrible." Kerry said.

The Secretary accused the Assad regime of "using ballistic missiles against innocent people" and "using his air force to rain down terror on the people of his country".

Formula 1 Chief Bernie Ecclestone has called the Bahrain government ‘stupid’ for choosing to host the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, as pro-democracy protests escalate leading up to the race.

Speaking to the BBC, Ecclestone said,

"The government here were stupid, in a lot of ways, to put this race on... It is a platform for people to use protesting.”

As thousands of protestors took to the streets, Ecclestone went on to say,

A Guatemalan judge has suspended the trial of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, who faces charges of genocide, ruling all action taken from November 2011 as illegal.

Judge Carol Patricia Flores was removed from the case in February 2012, before being reinstated recently. Her decision to restart the trial effectively renders all action by the prosecution useless, meaning the trial will have to restart. Flores went on to state,

Serbia has agreed a landmark accord with Kosovo to normalise relations between the two countries.

The accord, brokered by the EU, comes after months of intense discussions between the Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

"The negotiations have concluded. The text has been initialled by both prime ministers," said EU diplomat, Catherine Ashton.