The US Secretary of State, John Kerry said the killing of civilians in northeastern Nigeria by Boko Haram over recent days, was "nothing less" than a crime against humanity, reports VoA.

Speaking a day after satellite images were released by Amnesty International, showing the destruction of buildings in two towns targetted by Boko Haram fighters, Mr Kerry said that the group was "one of the most evil and threatening terrorist entities on the planet today."

The Pentagon is planning to send 400 troops and hundreds more supporting personnel to train rebels fighting the Islamic State in Syria.

The personnel will be deployed in three countries around Syria in March, as part of US efforts to support rebels against IS.

The announcement comes a few days after senior officials met with Syrian opposition leaders in Istanbul.

A United States judge has dismissed a court case filed against India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of carrying out “attempted genocide” during the deadly anti-Muslim Gujarat riots in 2002.

The case, filed by The American Justice Centre in September was dismissed by US District Judge Analisa Torres, who stated Modi is entitled to immunity from US civil lawsuits as a sitting head of government.

Members of the African Union are set to meet next week, to discuss setting up joint military action against Boko Haram in Nigeria.

Ghana's President John Mahama called on African Union leaders to initiate a "specific plan of action” to "deal permanently" with the Islamist militant group, days after they were accused of massacring up to 2,000 people in one attack.

Earlier this week, Amnesty International released satellite imagery showing the scale of the attack on the towns of Baga and Doron Baga, in what it termed the “deadliest massacre” by Boko Haram.

"This has to end. We have to make this terror end," said Mahama. "We must find a way to act together to share information, to synchronise our strategies, to pool our resources in order to rid the entire African continent of terrorism.”

The United States announced new rules that ease sanctions on Cuba, opening up the country to expanded US travel, trade and financial activities.

The new regulations issued by the Treasury and Commerce Departments, will allow US exports of telecommunications, agricultural and construction equipment, permit expanded travel by Americans to the island an open banking relations, reports Reuters.

As many as 500 asylum seekers are on hunger strike in Manus Island detention centre and a further 20 of them have reportedly sewn their lips shut in protest at their living conditions, according to the latest reports.

In another act of protest, an Egyptian Christian man swallowed razor blades and collapsed, reported the Guardian, as up to half of the detention centre’s population were refusing all food and water.

One of those being detained told the Guardian,

“Frustrated refugees are tired of being mistreated and not heard after 18 months in inhumane detention [and have] decided to act for the last time.”

Algeria and China reiterated their support of the Saharawi people's right to self determination, said the Algerian People' National Assembly, in a statement earlier this week.

The two sides underlined "their common positions regarding international and regional issues and reaffirmed their support to the principle of people's right to self-determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries," the joint statement read on Monday.

Opposition lawmakers in Hong Kong disrupted proceedings and staged a walkout, as Chief Executive of Hong Kong CY Leung gave his annual address on Wednesday.

Some of the lawmakers who disrupted Leung's speech held banners calling for democracy, whilst others walked out holding yellow umbrellas – a symbol of the protests that engulfed Hong Kong late last year. Two of the lawmakers were dragged out by security guards.