A coalition of human rights activists, lawyers, business persons and trade unionists has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its “role in building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011”, with calls for the country to continue its path towards reform.

The award for Tunisia’s National Dialogue Quartet, comes almost five years after the self-immolation of a street vendor sparked the Arab Spring protests across the Middle East. The coalition was formed in 2013, after further protests against the Islamist-led transitional government threatened to destabilise the country. The quarter helped to negotiate the ratification of a new constitution and set up its electoral commission, leading to a coalition government headed by a secular president.

Pointing to the other regions in the Middle East where “the struggle for democracy and human rights has come to a standstill or suffered setbacks,” Kaci Kullmann Five, the chairwoman of the Nobel committee said, “Tunisia, however, has seen a democratic transition based on a vibrant civil society, with demands for respect for basic human rights”.

Announcing the award the Nobel Prize committee said the prize would help to “safeguard” democracy in Tunisia. “More than anything, the prize is intended as an encouragement to the Tunisian people, who despite major challenges have laid the groundwork for a national fraternity,” the committee added.

The president of the Tunisian Human Rights League, Mokhtar Trifi said the award was “a clear encouragement for the wider process in Tunisia, and for all the work and dialogue that went into the move to elections and democracy”. “Crucially, it shows that the world is watching us,” he added. “We have much more to accomplish and are facing new challenges.”

China will not stand for violations of tis territorial waters in the name of freedom of navigation, said a Chinese spokesperson commenting on the South China Sea on Friday.

The statement came as the US plans to station ships less than 12 miles from a zone that China claims as its territory reports Reuters.

The Spanish Supreme Court has dismissed war crimes cases against 40 Rwandan officials who were accused over their role in revenge killings following the 1994 genocide, reports BBC.

The officials, many of whom held leadership positions in the Rwanda Defence Forces, were accused of war crimes.

The decision means that arrest warrants against the group have now been revoked, though 29 of them may still be arrested if they enter Spanish territory.

Amnesty International called for the suspension of all weapons transfers to the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen, after it reported to have “damning evidence of war crimes”.

In a new report examining air strikes by the coalition, the NGO said the “unlawful air strikes” may amount to war crimes. The report, entitled ‘Bombs fall from the sky day and night’: Civilians under fire in northern Yemen’ demonstrates “in harrowing detail how crucial it is to stop arms being used to commit serious violations of this kind” said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Adviser.

Ms Rovera, who headed Amnesty’s fact-finding mission to Yemen, said “the USA and other states exporting weapons to any of the parties to the Yemen conflict have a responsibility to ensure that the arms transfers they authorize are not facilitating serious violations of international humanitarian law”. “Lack of accountability has contributed to the worsening crisis and unless perpetrators believe they will be brought to justice for their crimes, civilians will continue to suffer the consequences,” she added.

The report examined 13 different airstrikes by the coalition, including the use of cluster bombs, which killed approximately 100 civilians, including 59 children.

Women in South Sudan face an unprecedented level of sexual violence which includes abduction, rape, forced marriage and murder in a merciless ethnic warfare, said the head of the Red Cross mission in the country.

Franz Rauchenstein, describing a rise in sexual violence in the last two years, said,

The leader of last month's coup in Burkina Faso, General Gilbert Diendere has been charged with 11 crimes, including threatening state security, murder, collusion with foreign forces, voluntary assault and wilful destruction of property.

The general, who led the presidential guard in the short-lived take-over, is expected to face trial at a military tribunal.

Former Foreign Minister Djibril Bassole, who was also arrested, has also been charged.

Former UN General Assembly President, John Ashe, was charged by U.S. authorities on Tuesday, for allegedly taking more than $1.3 million in bribes from real estate billionaire, Ng Lap Seng, in an expansive corruption scheme. John Ashe was General Assembly President from 2013-2014 and the U.N. ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda.

In return for the bribes, prosecutors say that Mr. Ashe used his positions to introduce a UN document supporting a multibillion-dollar UN-sponsored conference centre that Mr. Ng hoped to build. The complaint sets out that between 2012 and 2014, more than $3 million was deposited into bank accounts controlled by Mr. Ashe from foreign governments and individuals. However, the complaint is limited to charging Mr. Ashe with tax offenses, which are apparently not covered by his diplomatic immunity.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara who announced the arrests today said, “If proven, today’s charges will confirm that the cancer of corruption that plagues too many local and state governments infects the United Nations as well.”

An alleged militant accused of destroying ancient monuments in Timbuktu became the first person to appear at the International Criminal Court (ICC) charged with damaging cultural heritage.

Appearing at the court last Wednesday, Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi was informed of the charges levelled against him. A further hearing will be held on 18 January where the judge will decide if the evidence against Mr Mahdi is strong enough to establish a full trial.