In a letter to The Guardian, Desmond Tutu and a group of politicians, actors, playwrights and sports personalities, urged UEFA not to hold the Under-21 European Championship in Israel.

Citing a London Congress last week, where UEFA decided that heavier punishments should be in place to tackle racism amongst footballers, the signatories argued that the same principle should be applied for Israel.

The head of the Eritrean consulate in Toronto has been ordered to leave Canada after breaching UN sanctions.

Semere Ghebremariam Micael is alleged to have demanded a 2% “diaspora tax” and “national defence fees” from Eritreans in the country, in violation of Canadian law and the sanctions imposed on Eritrea by the UN.

The Pakistan Taliban, have withdrawn their offer of peace talks, following the death of the group’s deputy leader in an United States Drone strike.

The leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Hakimullah Mehsud, made on offer of talks with the government under the condition that his men would not lay down his arms.

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The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in eastern Afghanistan, was attacked  in the second major assault on humanitarian organisations in less than a week.

Seven staff members, all of whom were foreign workers at the ICRC, were rescued by the Afghan police during the attack.

A US soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians last year in a night-time attack on a village, will not face the death penalty after his lawyers confirmed he would plead guilty.

US Staff Sgt. Robert Bales’s lawyer, John Browne, announced,

"Today we announced that we reached an agreement with the military to take the death penalty off the table if he will plead... And then he'll have a sentencing trial in September to determine whether he can get life with parole or whether he will get life without parole".

The news angered relatives of the victims, with one family member, Baraan Noorzia, stating,

“This is a shameful act by the Americans. They promised us the death penalty, and now they are going back on their word”.

Another man, Mohammed Wazir, who lost 11 family members killed that night, including his mother and 2-year-old daughter, heatedly stated,

“For this one thing, we would kill 100 American soldiers”.

Yet another relative, Said Jan, added,

“A prison sentence doesn’t mean anything... I know we have no power now. But I will become stronger, and if he does not hang, I will have my revenge.”

No US service member has been executed in more than 50 years.

In November last year Wazir spoke to the Spiegel, where he stated,

"We want to see this man hang,... I won't speak his name, I don't want to dirty my mouth. I would like to hang him myself. I'll go to America to the Mahkama [court], to the great court, to see him hang. Then my heart will be calm."

Five men wanted over the 1994 genocide that took place in Rwanda were arrested by British police on Thursday, following an extradition request alleging genocide and murder. 

The five - Emmanuel Ntezirayo, Charles Munyaneza, Celestine Ugirashebuja, Vincent Bajinya, and Celestine Mutabaruka - appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court, and are next due to appear on 5th June.

In 2009, a British court blocked a previous attempt by Rwandan prosecutors to extradite the men, citing "a real risk" of an unfair trial in Rwanda.

The Burmese regime has agreed a peace deal with Kachin rebels, who have been fighting for autonomy in the east of the country.

An agreement was signed by officials in Mitkyina, which included a seven-point plan for peace, including the redeployment of armed forces on both sides and a commitment to political talks in the future.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's special adviser on Burma, Vijay Nambiar, was present as an observer during the talks.

Buddhists mobs in Burma have reportedly torched a mosque, orphanage and several shops in a northern city, as anti-Muslim clashes continue.

The violence occurred in the town of Lashio, hundreds of miles away from the cities which saw ethnic violence earlier this year, indicating the spreading anti-Muslim sentiment throughout the country. Last year, almost 200 people died and 140,000 were displaced after violence between Buddhists and the Rohingya Muslims in the state of Rakhine.

The Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond has confirmed that the UK is holding up to 90 Afghans in Camp Bastion.

British lawyers, representing some of the men, said the detainees had been held for up to 14 months without charge.