Intense negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran have ended with an agreement, under which Tehran will reduce its uranium enrichment capacity in exchange for phased sanctions relief.

US President Barack Obama said a "historic understanding" had been reached with Iran.

The P5+1, the US, UK, France, China and Russia plus Germany - and Iran, have been in negotiations for months and a deadline to reach an agreement on March 31 was missed.

Under the deal, Iran will face more inspections than any other country, President Obama said.

"If Iran cheats, the world will know it," he said, adding that the deal was based not on trust but on "unprecedented verification".

The US government will resume full military aid to the Egyptian regime, which was suspended after the military coup in 2013 which saw then-head of the army Gen Abdul Fattah al-Sisi come to power.

Mr al-Sisi was informed in a phone call from President Barack Obama that F-16 fighter jets, missiles and M1A1 tank kits would be delivered.

"The president explained that these and other steps will help refine our military assistance relationship so that it is better positioned to address the shared challenges to US and Egyptian interests in an unstable region, consistent with the longstanding strategic partnership between our two countries," the White House said in a statement.

The statement said President Obama expressed his concerns about human rights abuses in Egypt.

Palestine has formally joined the International Criminal Court, an important step to pursue war crimes charges against Israel.

The Palestinian Authority signed the Rome Statute in January became the 123rd member of the ICC at a low-key ceremony in The Hague on Wednesday, attended by Foreign Minister Riad Malki.

On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch urged pressure by governments seeking to penalise the Palestinians for joining the ICC to end.

"Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our collective will and commitment to rid this nation of terror and bring back peace."

Muhammadu Buhari will be Nigeria’s new president, winning the election by 2.1mn votes over incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, according to Reuters.

President Jonathan is reported to have called and congratulated Mr Buhari for his election victory.

Nigeria's opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) declared the victory for former military ruler Mr Buhari and said hailed the historic democratic transfer of power.

"The people of Nigeria have taken over," an ecstatic APC spokesman Lai Mohammed told Reuters.

"This is the first time in Nigeria that a sitting government will be voted out of power using purely democratic means."

In a ceremony today negotiators for the government of Myanmar and 16 ethnic rebel groups signed a ceasefire accord aimed at ending over sixty years of armed conflict. The agreement now has to be taken by negotiators to respective leaders of the rebel groups for final approval.

The Union Peace Working Committee (government’s negotiating team) and Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (representing the 16 ethnic armed groups) have agreed on the text of this Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) after over a year of negotiations involving seven rounds of talks.

Myanmar’s President Thein Sein who was in attendance at the ceremony today said that signing the agreement “opens the door for political dialogue and also further peace talks.”

Japanese sanctions on North Korea will be extended for two more years, due to a lack of progress during talks on Japanese nationals abducted by Pyongyang.

North Korea says it has returned everyone who was still alive but Japan disputed this.

Last year, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe eased sanctions, including remittance and travel bans, amid hope of progress during talks.

Japanese civilians were kidnapped in the 1970s and 1980s to train spies in language and culture.