Seven international observers have been freed by pro-Russian fighters in East Ukraine, after they were held hostage for eight days.

The observers, part of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe, were released "without conditions", the BBC quoted pro-Russian fighters as saying.

The US Secretary of State John Kerry pledged US help to find and return the hundreds of Nigerian girls that were kidnapped by militants two weeks ago, reports the Washington Post.

Ukraine’s government today stated that it was now ‘at war’ with pro-Russian insurgents, as the commencement of Ukraine’s ‘anti-terrorism’ measures escalated violence in the rebel held eastern regions, reports The Telegraph.

The head of Ukraine’s anti-terrorist command, Vasyl Krutov, said,

The recently deployed EU peacekeeping force in Central African Republic set restoring regional stability as its top priority, reports Reuters.

A car bomb attack on Thursday evening has killed at least 12 people in the Nigerian capital Abuja, reports the BBC.

Several pro-Russian rebels have been killed, injured and arrested in an Ukrainian offensive in the eastern city of Sloviansk, reports the BBC.

Rebels earlier shot down armed Ukrainian helicopters, that flew over the eastern rebel held region.

A spokesperson for Russian president, Vladimir Putin, said that Kiev had fired on civilians from air in a ‘punitive operation,’ reported Reuters.

The Philippines today announced that it would supply the US with up to 5 military bases in Subic bay as part of defence agreement renewals made by the two states this week.

A bomb exploded at Chennai Central railway station at 7.15 am this morning, killing one woman, and injuring many others on board the train.

Blasts arose from two carriages of the Bangalore-Guwahati express train, which had arrived at platform 9 ten minutes earlier, witnesses have reported.

The United States secretary of state John Kerry, warning that a genocide could ensue in South Sudan, threatened leaders of the opposing factions with sanctions, reports The Guardian.

Speaking in Ethiopia at the start of his six-day tour of Africa, Kerry said,

The Colombian government deployed tanks and troops on farmers that were striking in attempts to choke food supplies ahead of presidential elections due to take place at the end of May.

Farmers took to the street for the second time this year due to President Juan Manuel Santos’ failure to fulfil promises of rural reform, reports The Guardian.

The United Nations Security Council, Tuesday, renewed its peacekeeping MINURSO mission in the North African territory of Western Sahara for another year, reports Reuters.

The Sinn Fein president, Gerry Adams, is being questioned in police custody today, over the kidnap and murder of an alleged informant by the IRA during the Troubles, reports The Guardian.

Adams volunteered himself to the Police Service of Northern Island for questioning  after being accused of being involved in the IRA attack.

The United Nations warned today that that South Sudan was on the brink of genocide and large scale famine, reports The Times.

The UN special envoy for the prevention of genocide-, Adama Dieng, pledging to protect civilians from genocide, said,

The Hague based chemical watchdog, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will send a fact finding mission to Syria to further investigate allegations of chlorine gas attacks, reports Reuters.

The announcement of an investigation by the OPCW, follows over 3 allegations of government chemical gas attacks by the Syrian rebels.