An attack on a hotel near Somalia's presidential palace on Friday, has killed at least 11 people and injured the deputy prime minister.

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack on the Central Hotel, which was hit by two car bombs and stormed by heavily armed fighters and suicide bombers.

Myanmar's government has asked China to help prevent "terrorist attacks" from Chinese territory.

Martial law was declared in the Kokang region earlier this week, after clashed between the MNDAA, who are ethnic Han Chinese and the Burmese army, the Tatmadaw.

An official from the office of Myanmar President Thein Sein, intimated attacks came from across the border.

"It is necessary to co-operate…on the understanding that terrorist attacks on Myanmar are not allowed from Chinese territory," Hmuu Zaw said.

Myanmar’s government has declared martial law in the eastern region of Kokang, after fighting broke out between the Tatmadaw and an ethnic Kokang militant group called the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).

At least 47 Myanmar soldiers and 26 MNDAA fighters have been killed since then, according to the state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper, and thousands have fled across the border into China.

A Red Cross convoy, which was transporting displaced civilians, was attacked by unknown gunmen on Tuesday, leaving two volunteers injured.

"We haven’t had such an attack before," said Red Cross spokeswoman Shwe Cin Myint to Reuters. "This would be the very first."

Libya and Egypt asked the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday to lift an arms embargo to allow the countries to build their armies to combat the Islamic State Militants.

The Security Council met to discuss footage of Egyptian citizens being beheaded by Islamic State militants in Libya.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) announced it will release fighters who are under 15 years old, saying it was not the group’s policy to recruit children.

The announcement comes a week after the group announced it would stop recruiting children under 17.

Farc leader Ivan Marquez told Colombia's Caracol Radio that 13 children under 15 are currently in their ranks.

A suspected Boko Haram bomb blast at a Nigerian military checkpoint, killed 20 civilians reports the BBC.
 
The latest attack comes after elections in Nigeria were postponed until March due to heightening security concerns.

In a separate attack, a political rally held by the All Progressives Congress (APC), was hit with several bomb blasts and gun fire, reporters from the Agence France Presse stated.

Russian President Vladmir Putin told Kiev to allow its soldiers to surrender to pro-Russian rebels, who have encircled them whilst taking the eastern town of Debaltseve.

The agreed cease disintegrated after both sides refused to withdraw heavy weaponry form their front lines and pro-separatist militants carried on an offensive reports Reuters. 

The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on Sunday calling on Houthi militants to immediately withdraw from Yemeni government offices, after they seized power and dissolved parliament earlier this month.

The resolution demands that the Houthi “immediately and unconditionally” withdraw from government institutions and warns of take "further steps" if the resolution is not implemented, as did an earlier resolution passed by the council.

It also "deplores actions taken by the Houthis to dissolve parliament and take over Yemen's government institutions, including acts of violence", reports Reuters.

Egypt has urged the international community to expand the fight against Islamic State into Libya, after 21 Egyptian Copts were beheaded by the militant group's arm in the country.

The Egyptian air force in response bombed IS targets in Libya, with President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi describing Islamic State as threat to international peace.

"What is happening in Libya is a threat to international peace and security," the president said.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement quoted by AP that "immediate and effective" action was needed and maintaining the status quo constituted a "clear danger".

French, German and Ukrainian leaders said they were “concerned” about post-ceasefire fighting in eastern Ukraine on Monday, reports the Telegraph.