The Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, set to take place later this month, has once again faced intense criticism, after anti-government protests saw a brutal crackdown by the government two years ago.

The 2011 Grand Prix was cancelled with the race taking place the following year amid intense criticism and widespread anti-government protests continuing. More protests are set to commence this week ahead of the scheduled race.

Former F1 World Champion, Damon Hill, has spoken out against the sport’s ruling body’s ambiguous stance on Bahrain,stating,

“Jean Todt's approach has been to say nothing, because otherwise you're being critical, and I think that is a mistake. Because he's being used, or the sport is being perceived as being used, by its engagement in the economy and the reputation of the country.”

"He's not said anything that has distanced the sport from things that it would find distasteful and upsetting, which I believe everyone in the sport would like to do.”

"The vast majority of people in the sport would like to say we don't want to come here to make life worse for people. We would like you to enjoy Formula One. It has lots of positive things to offer. But please don't, on our behalf, round people up and brutalise them. I don't see that being political. It's more ethical than political."

The last British detainee in the US prisoners’ camp at Guantanamo Bay has exposed “deteriorating” conditions of inmates and said there was “systematic torture” by US personnel.

A series of suicide attacks have killed up to 29 people in Mogadishu, Somalia.

The blasts have been blamed on Al-Shabaab, the Somali offshoot of al-Qaeda, and witnesses have reported that at least three suicide bombers were involved.

In response to American sanctions against 18 Russian officials, Russia announced a ban on Saturday on an equal number of Americans.

The US on Friday imposed visa and banking sanctions against Russian officials suspected of human rights abuses.

A spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry said:

Human Rights watch have slammed air strikes by the Syrian government stating they are “serious violations of international humanitarian law”, in their latest report released earlier this week.

Secretary of State John Kerry has renewed a US pledge to support South Korea against its hostile northern neighbour, after talks in Seoul with President Park Geun-hye and Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se.

The army of the Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended 12 of its senior officers over incidents of mass rape last November.

The UN gave the country an ultimatum last month, saying it would suspend cooperation with brigades unless action was taken against those involved.

The trial of soldiers accused of abuse began today in Côte d’Ivoire. Whilst welcoming the beginning of the trial a "positive development", Human Rights Watch drew attention to the fact that "little progress has been made in investigating the most politically sensitive cases involving government forces."

A convicted Macedonian war criminal has received a massive welcome from tens of thousands of people, after serving an 8 year sentence for war crimes committed during the country’s conflict with ethnic Albanians.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the crisis, US President Barack Obama called on North Korea to end its 'belligerent approach' on Thursday as US intelligence concluded that the country has a nuclear weapon small enough to be delivered by ballistic missiles.

The US has threatened to shoot down any North Korean missiles appearing to be targeted at Us territories or allies.

Nigerian militant group Boko Haram has rejected the President's idea of an amnesty based on a claim of no wrongdoing on their behalf.

The believed leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau made the announcement via an audio statement, in which he is quoted as saying: