The United States President, Barack Obama, heightened pressure on the Russian leadership today, by extending sanctions to target some of Russia’s closet business and political allies.

A blacklist outlining personal sanctions taken against 20 people was released by the state department today.

Russia reacted by announcing its own sanctions against senior US officials, stating that sanctions against Russia would “hit the United States like a boomerang.”

The United Nations Human Rights Chief, Navi Pillay, warned today that ethnic rifts between the Christian and Muslim communities in Central African Republic had reached a ‘terrifying level.’

Speaking during her visit to the region, the human rights chief, urged the international community to immediately mobilise the proposed 12000 troop UN peacekeeping force to help halt the ongoing atrocities in the region.

Addressing journalists at a press conference, she said,

Air Canada will suspend its flight to Venezuela following civil unrest and political instability that saw violent crackdowns on protestors last week.

A statement released on the flight provider’s website read,

Western diplomats warned South Sudan's warring sides that targeted sanctions may be employed, a day before peace-talks are set to resume.

In a joint statement by the United States, Britain, Norway and the European Union, the states warned,

"If the government and any other actor tries to undermine the peace process and rebuff the IGAD heads of state, they will face consequences."

The latest oral update on the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, highlighted several cases of unlawful killings, torture and other forms of ill-treatment, sexual and gender-based violence, violations of children’s rights, attacks on hospitals and unlawful sieges and barricades.

Leading religious figures from the Central Afircan Republic (CAR) travelled to the United Nations in New York to warn of an impending genocidal war in the CAR.

In a joint statement, a leading Catholic prelate, Protestant leader and Islamic imam stressed the threat of a ‘genocidal war’ between religious factions in the country.