A massive leak of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca has revealed how powerful politicians and businessmen from across the world have used secret tax havens to launder money, avoid sanctions and dodge tax laws.

The revelation, described as the biggest leak in history, linked to 12 current of former heads of state, including Iceland’s prime minister, who has faced street protests calling on him to resign. Amongst the 140 politicians from more than 50 countries revealed in the leak, were more than 60 relatives and associates of politicians.

Individuals or companies who are subject to sanctions, including those based in Iran, Zimbabwe, Syria and North Korea, were also customers of the law firm.

Kenya's Vice-President William Ruto is due to find out whether a crimes against humanity case against him at the International Criminal Court (ICC) will be heard.

Mr Ruto denies murder, deportation and persecution charges during violence that followed the 2007 elections in which about 1,200 people were killed. His lawyers demand that the case be terminated due to a lack of evidence.

Indian police officers involved in the killing of 10 Sikh pilgrims in 1991 have been sentenced to life by a court in Lucknow.

The forty-seven policemen were found guilty of staging a "fake encounter", a term used to describe a planned extrajudicial killing. They lied that the Sikh men were militants and armed.

The Azeri government announced a unilateral ceasefire on Sunday, after clashes erupted with Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, however reports indicate that the violence continued.

"Azerbaijan, showing goodwill, has decided to unilaterally cease hostilities," Azerbbaijan's defence ministry said in a statement, warning that it would retaliate if its forces were attacked.

The Columbian government has announced it will hold peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN), the country's second-largest militant group after Farc.

Officials from both sides, who have been fighting for over five decades, made the announcement in Caracas, Venezuela, where they have been engaged in informal discussions.

A joint statement was read by the former peace commissioner Frank Pearl and ELN rebel Antonio Garcia at the Venezuelan foreign ministry in Caracas, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide said the conviction of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity “will resonate across the world” as he reiterated the importance of accountability.

In a statement released in response to the conviction Adama Dieng said the verdict “sends a clear message that impunity will not prevail and that no one is above the law.”

“This verdict will resonate across the world and is a warning to all those who are committing or condoning the commission of acts that can incite or constitute atrocity crimes: it sends the message that wherever and whoever you are, sooner or later you will also face the weight of justice,” he said.

Mr Dieng went on to add that the verdict “is not only about the past but is also about the future”. “Accountability constitutes a critical component of prevention and also an important step along the path to national post-crisis reconciliation,” he said, adding “this verdict will assist the entire region to think about what happened, learn the lessons of the past and chart a future that fully acknowledges the past”.

Myanmar has sworn in its first democratically elected president, the first elected civilian leader in more than 50 years.

Htin Kyaw an aide to National League for Democracy (NLD) chief Aung San Suu Kyi, takes over from Thein Sein, who introduced wide-ranging reforms during his five years in power with the junta.

The justice agreement between Colombian rebels Farc and the government could allow those responsible for systematic crimes, including the execution of civilians, to escape justice, Human Rights Watch said, in an analysis of the agreement.

Islam may potentially be dropped as Bangladesh’s official religion in the wake of a number of attacks against the country’s communities of other faith.