BBC News I'm John Shea.

The European Union has named 12 Russians who will be targeted by new sanctions aimed at President Putin's inner circle following the crisis in Ukraine. The move comes on the day President Putin signed a law formalizing Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. EU ministers meeting in Brussels signed an agreement on closer political cooperation with Kiev. Gavin Hewitt reports from Brussels.

Twelve new names were added to the list of those facing travel restrictions and an asset freeze. Among the names is the Russian deputy prime minister, 2 presidential advisers and speakers of both houses of parliament. At a summit in Brussels,the leaders also agreed that they would progress to economic sanctions if the crisis escalated although divisions remain.

Some countries like the Baltic states and Poland wanted a much firmer response to Russia.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe which includes both Russia and the EU has agreed to send an international monitoring mission to Ukraine. To start with, 100 hundred monitors will be deployed around the country. The mission could be expanded by an additional 400 monitors. Bethany Bell reports from Vienna.

The international monitors will be deployed in 9 regions of Ukraine, including areas in the east where there has been violence between pro-Ukraine and pro-Russian activists. They will be working to reduce tensions on the ground. However, the OSCE mandate doesn't mention Crimea. Russia's ambassador to the OSCE says the observers won't be going there because Crimea is no longer part of Ukraine. But the US ambassador says Crimea is Ukraine and the monitors have a mandate to go there.

Rebel fighters in Syria are trying to win control of a border-crossing from Turkey that leads into Latakia province, one of President Bashar al-Assad's key strongholds. There are conflicting reports over the clashes with rebels claiming they've taken the crossing while government forces say they have been repulsed. Our Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher reports.

Three radical Islamist groups including the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra-Front have announced a new campaign against President Assad's Alawite heartland. The province of Latakia on Syria's coast has long been seen as the last bastion the president and his inner circle would retreat to if necessary. It's been left relatively unscarred by the conflict so far, but latest,fighting is focused on the Kasab border-crossing with Turkey. Rebel fighters have taken up positions around it but do not yet appear to have taken it.

The government of Brazil says it will send troops to Rio de Janeiro.

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