The opening of Sweden's first genocide trial, where a 54-year-old man faces charges over his role in the Rwandan genocide, has been lauded by Amnesty International.

The trial will see the accused, face charges over alleged involvment in leading a Hutu militia in murdering Tutsi civilians.

Representatives of rebels attending peace talks with the Congolese government dodged a crucial meeting, in which the government was to respond to criticism that it was facing.

The Ugandan official Cripis Kiyonha, who was chosen to mediate the talks, after speaking to the rebel representatives,  said that the M23 had no interest in hearing what the Congolese delegation had to say.

The Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi announced that he would annul his decree that gave him sweeping powers, late on Saturday following days of mass protests and talks at the presidential palace.

The South Sudanese army has shot and killed 10 protestors in the northwest of the country.

Protestors blocked roads in the town of Wau after local government officials said they would move their offices to another location.

A monk and his nephew have been arrested in Sichuan province for “goading” Tibetans to self-immolate in protest of China’s control over Tibet, reported Xinhua news agency.

Lorang Konchok (40) is said to have taken orders from the Dalai Lama and his followers, and recruited his nephew to encourage more protests.

Russia has attacked the EU’s failure to address human rights abuses in member states.

In a foreign ministry report, all 27 members of the EU are scrutinised using publications by the EU and NGOs.

The Syrian opposition have chosen a new military commander to lead the fight against the Assad regime.

Brigadier Selim Idris is a former officer in the army, who defected during the uprising.

The exiled Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal, visited Gaza for the first time today, via the Egyptian border crossing, after his safety was assured.

Travelling with a convoy of masked Hamas fighters from the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades - Hamas' military wing, Meshaal visited the charred remains of Ahmed al-Jaabari's car, the military commander of Hamas who was killed by an Israeli airstrike last month.

Tens of thousands of protesters broke through the barbed wire military barricades to demonstrate outside Egypt's presidential palace.

The swelling of protests comes after the Egyptian president Mohamed Mursi had refused to consider opposition demands to withdraw the proposed constitution, in a defiant televised address on Thursday.

A senior Russian politician has stated that the Syrian government has not been capable of doing its job, in a sign that Russia may be trying to distance itself from its long-standing ally, reported Reuters.

China announced made it clear to India on Wednesday, that it would oppose any “unilateral” oil exploration in the disputed South China Sea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said,

The Indian army has been accused of widespread human rights abuses in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to a report by human rights organisations based in the territory.

Peace talks between Farc rebels and the Colombian government have resumed, after air raids by the government killed over 20 rebels earlier in the week.

A Farc negotiator refused to comment on how the strikes, just few days after the first phase concluded, will affect the talks, reported the BBC.