Main News of March 20

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

WORLD

* US President Barack Obama announced new sanctions against Russia over its reunification with Crimea

* UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said after a meeting with the Russian president that he shares Russia’s concern about Russian speakers in Ukraine

* Kiev should be wary of introducing a visa regime with Russia as it could negatively impact Ukrainians, the country’s interim prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, said

RUSSIA

* The State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, ratified the historic Crimea reunification treaty

* The Russian Foreign Ministry imposed sanctions against nine senior US officials in retaliation to US visa bans and asset freezes