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EU sanctions Russian officials accused of ‘systematic’ sexual violence

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EU sanctions Russian officials accused of ‘systematic’ sexual violence

The European Union selected Tuesday to sanction 9 people, together with high-ranking officers of the Russian Military concerned within the brutal invasion of Ukraine, and three entities accused of perpetrating violations of girls’s rights on a big and systematic scale.

It marks the primary time the bloc makes use of its human rights sanctions regime, established again in December 2020, to focus on crimes of sexual violence.

The transfer, adopted unanimously by the 27 member states, was intentionally timed to land forward of Worldwide Girls’s Day, celebrated on 8 March all the world over.

“The rising oppression globally on girls and ladies and assaults on their human rights are alarming,” the European Fee and the EU’s international coverage chief, Josep Borrell, mentioned in a joint assertion.

The listing targets Main-Normal Nikolay Anatolevich Kuznetsov and Colonel Ramil Rakhmatulovich Ibatullin of the Russian armed forces as a result of the divisions below their command are mentioned to have dedicated “acts of sexual violence” towards Ukraine’s civil inhabitants throughout assaults in March and April final yr.

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The allegations embrace completely different sexual crimes dedicated on a “systematic degree,” the rape of a pregnant lady close to Kyiv and the participation of troopers in gang rapes.

The bloc instantly accuses the Russian commanders of being conscious of those crimes and “in some instances, having inspired and even ordered” their perpetration.

“We’re additionally deeply involved in regards to the stories that Russian Armed Forces use sexual violence towards girls and youngsters in Ukraine as a weapon of battle,” the European Fee mentioned.

“These actions represent battle crimes and the perpetrators have to be delivered to justice.”

Moreover, the EU blacklists two cops from the Moscow station accused of arbitrarily arresting and torturing Russian girls who protested the invasion of Ukraine.

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Within the case of Ivan Ryabov, a police officer, “victims report that he beat them, suffocated them with plastic baggage and abused them bodily and verbally for six hours,” member states mentioned of their choice.

Apart from the 4 Russian names, the listing accepted on Tuesday covers two Taliban ministers, who’re condemned for curbing the rights of Afghan girls and ladies via the imposition of hijab decrees, gender-segregated legal guidelines and exclusionary training insurance policies.

The listing additionally options two commissioners from the South Sudanese authorities and one deputy minister of the navy junta in Myanmar.

The three sanctioned entities are the Qarchak Jail in Iran, the Syrian Republican Guard and the Workplace of the Chief of Army Safety Affairs (OCMSA), the navy intelligence service of Myanmar.

“OCMSA employees makes use of pressured nudity, rape, electro-shocks, burning of genitalia and extreme violence through the arbitrary detention and interrogation of males, girls and members of the LGBTIQ neighborhood,” member states mentioned.

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The sanctions entail the freezing of property situated anyplace inside the EU, a prohibition to enter EU territory and a ban on the availability of providers.

“We’re sending a transparent message to perpetrators that they will not get away with their crimes,” mentioned Wopke Hoekstra, the international affairs minister of the Netherlands.

“These horrific, inhuman acts have penalties.”

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US bases in Europe on high alert for possible terrorist attack: DOD

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US bases in Europe on high alert for possible terrorist attack: DOD

U.S. military bases throughout Europe have been put on heightened alert status due to a potential terrorist attack, Fox News Digital has confirmed. 

“There is credible intel pointing to an attack against U.S. bases over the next week or so,” a U.S. defense official told Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson. 

The official, who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media, did not elaborate on the nature of the threat, but confirmed it was not tied to the French elections. 

FILE – Sign in front of Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Ramstein Air Base (Facebook))

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ISIS REMAINS GLOBAL THREAT A DECADE AFTER DECLARING CALIPHATE, US MILITARY OFFICIAL SAYS

The official said all U.S. military bases in Europe have been placed on high alert, not a lock-down. 

721st Mobility Support Squadron

FILE – U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 721st Mobility Support Squadron pose for a unit photo, Sept. 12, 2022, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.  (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Edgar Grimaldo)

The U.S. bases have raised the status of the alert level to, “Force Protection Charlie,” which means the Pentagon has received credible intelligence indicating some form of a terrorist attack is in the works. 

The new alert applies to all U.S. military facilities and personnel in Europe, including facilities in Germany, Italy, Romanian and Bulgaria, per reporting from Stars and Stripes.

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The Take: The art of the debate – What the Biden-Trump face-off was missing

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The Take: The art of the debate – What the Biden-Trump face-off was missing

Podcast,

After chaotic Biden-Trump debate, we hear from students about why school debate programmes are important to democracy.

The first US presidential debate of 2024 left many watchers wondering about the state of debate and democracy in the United States. We hear debating lessons from students who still believe the skill is essential to keeping democracy alive.

In this episode: 

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  • KM DiColandrea (@dico_nyc) – Founder and executive director of the Brooklyn Debate League
  • Jonathan Conyers (@iamjonconyers) – Debate coach and former student debater
  • Student Debaters: Gabrielle Lewis, Madison Wheeler, Karl McGhie, and Long Jiang

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by David Enders and Ashish Malhotra with Fahrinisa Campana, Sonia Bhagat, Mohamed Zain Shafi Khan, Veronique Eshaya, and our host Malika Bilal. 

The Take production team is Amy Walters, Ashish Malhotra, Catherine Nouhan, Chloe K. Li, David Enders, Duha Mosaad, Khaled Soltan, Manahil Naveed, Marcos Bartolomé, Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, Mohamed Zain Shafi Khan, Veronique Eshaya, and Tamara Khandaker. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad is our engagement producer.

Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

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Max Christie is getting a 4-year, $32 million deal to return to the Lakers, an AP source says

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Max Christie is getting a 4-year, $32 million deal to return to the Lakers, an AP source says

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Promising wing Max Christie is returning to the Los Angeles Lakers with a four-year, $32 million contract, a person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday because the Lakers haven’t announced the deal for their former second-round draft pick. ESPN first reported it.

The 21-year-old Christie has averaged 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists while playing inconsistently during his first two NBA seasons, but the Lakers clearly believe in his potential.

The Michigan State product is a career 37.8% shooter on 3-point attempts, and he showed promise as a three-and-D wing during his stretches in the Lakers’ rotation last season, including seven starts.

New Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned Christie prominently when he spoke of the team’s promising young talent ripe for development during his introductory news conference last week.

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Even with two years of NBA experience, Christie is two years younger than Dalton Knecht, the Lakers’ first-round draft pick last Wednesday.

Christie’s brother, Cam, was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers last week.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

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