A three member team of UN appointed investigators for the Commission of Inquiry, said that the violations ere occurring on a “scope and scale seldom witnessed elsewhere.”

President Barack Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkel say sanction on Russia, imposed due to the Ukraine crisis, must remain until a deal to end the fighting is implemented.

The two leaders met during the G7 economic summit, currently ongoing in southern Germany.

The White House issued a statement after Mr Obama's talks with Ms Merkel, saying: "The duration of sanctions should be clearly linked to Russia's full implementation of the Minsk agreements and respect for Ukraine's sovereignty."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Russia was not a threat and had "other things to worry about".

He told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: "Only an insane person and only in a dream can imagine that Russia would suddenly attack Nato.

The European Union's President of the Council of Ministers, Donald Tusk, also signalled a toughening of sanctions in a statement at the G7, while EU sanctions are due to expire at the end of July.

"If anyone wants to start a debate about changing the sanctions regime, the discussion could only be about strengthening it."

Prime Minister David Cameron said he was hopeful that there would be a united front to ensure that sanctions were "rolled over" despite admitting that "sanctions are having an impact on all of us".

Israel’s security cabinet minister Naftali Bennett called on the international community to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the contested Golan Heights, which lies between Syria and Israel.

Hamas which runs the Gaza Strip, welcomed the decision by Egypt, adding that the move signalled a strengthening relationship between Hamas and Egypt.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri welcoming the decision said,

Advancing Houthi militants in Yemen agreed to UN-brokered peace talks with Yemen’s government on Friday.

A senior member of the Houthi Militant political wing, “Daifallah al-Shami, speaking to Agence France Presse, said,

Recent investigations found that 8 of the 10 men convicted with the attempted assassination of Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yusafzai were released.

The report come after Pakistani officials, in April said that all 10 Taliban fighters had been found guilty in a closed door trial and sentenced to 25 years in prison for the attempted murder.

Negotiators from both sides in Cuba agreed to implement the scheme after a finalised political agreement was signed.

The former leader of Egypt Hosni Mubarak is to go on trial for a third time over the killing of protestors in 2011.

The 87 year old was originally convicted of the killing of 800 protestors and jailed for life, before his conviction was overturned and a new trial ordered. The case was then subsequently dropped by the judge before the prosecution successfully appealed the decision. The case now goes to trial for the third time.

Italy, Algeria and Lesotho reaffirmed their support for self determination of the Saharawi people last week, after a series of high level meetings.

A joint statement released by Algeria and Italy in Rome said,

"The two sides reaffirmed their support to the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and his special envoy to Western Sahara Christopher Ross, aimed at reaching a mutually acceptable, just and lasting political solution, providing for the self-determination of the Sahrawi people".