The French defense minister said forces have killed about 40 suspected jihadists in sweeps in northern Mali in recent weeks. Jean-Yves Le Drian says militants linked to al Qaeda’s north African wing have recently been trying to regroup. French

The Russian parliament approved a treaty to Crimea part of Russia as well as Ukraine declared the area an “occupied territory” and threatened to go nuclear.

The leaders of the European Union and Acting Prime Minister of Ukraine, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, several chapters have signed a historic agreement to strengthen political ties between the two parties.