Australia has announced an inquiry into the reports of child abuse and sexual misconduct by staff in the country's offshore detention facility in Nauru, reported The Guardian on Saturday.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the inquiry will also look at allegations of NGO workers helping children to protest against Australia's immigration policy, including coaching in making complaints and in self-harm.

The minister confirmed that 10 employees of the charity Save the Children had been told to leave Nauru.

“The matters that have been brought to my attention are concerning, certainly the allegations of sexual misconduct are abhorrent and I would be horrified to think that things of that nature have taken place,” Morrison said, adding that reports that charity workers were assisting protests and encouraging detainees to hurt themselves in an effort to undermine the policy of offshore detention “were also very serious”.

"We understand that there were other civilian casualties in Donetsk today. Indiscriminate shelling of residential areas is unacceptable and violates international humanitarian law."

Sweden will be the first sitting member of the European Union to recognise the state of Palestine.

Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announced the move during his inaugural speech to the new government.

"The conflict between Israel can only be solved with a two-state solution, negotiated in accordance with international law," he said.

"A two-state solution requires mutual recognition and a will to peaceful co-existence. Sweden will therefore recognise the state of Palestine."

Nine peacekeepers with the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (Minusma) have been killed in an attack by heavily armed gunmen.

The attack on the convoy happened between the north-eastern desert towns of Menaka and Ansongo, according to Minusma spokesman Olivier Salgado.

Arnauld Akodjenou, the deputy head of the mission, said he was "horrified" by the "cowardly" attack.

"Once again, lives have now been lost in the name of peace in Mali. These crimes must not go unpunished," he said in the statement.

Islamic State have purportedly executed British aid worker Alan Henning, releasing a video on Friday showing him kneeling beside a militant in a desert setting.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist groups, the one minute, 11-second long video titled "Another Message to America and its Allies" showed Mr Henning introducing himself and saying "because of our parliament's decision to attack the Islamic state, I, as a member of the British public, will now pay the price for that decision."

The United Kingdom commenced air strikes against IS in Iraq earlier this week.

The UK Foreign Office has said that it is working urgently to verify the contents of the video.