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EU Adopts New Round Of Sanctions On Russia

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The European Union on Monday adopted a new package of sanctions on Russia that include an import ban on Russian diamonds, officials said.

The package is the 12th packet levelled at Moscow since it sent Russian troops into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in a full-scale invasion.

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They are designed to reduce Russia’s access to revenues, metals and technology used to sustain its war effort.

The latest round of sanctions was settled last Friday by envoys from the 27 EU member countries but not formally adopted because of an objection from Austria that was subsequently lifted.

READ ALSO: Putin Revokes Russia’s Ratification Of Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

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“We continue to stand with Ukraine, through thick and thin,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said.

The EU ban on Russian diamonds covers natural and synthetic varieties as well as in jewellery from January, and Russian diamonds cut in other countries as from September next year.

Moscow is accused of helping to fill its war chest with proceeds from diamond sales, which are worth an estimated $4 billion to $5 billion a year.

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Belgium, which hosts a major diamond trading hub in its city of Antwerp, dropped its hesitation towards the ban following a G7 decision backing the measure.

READ ALSO: Russia Writes Off $23bn Debt For Africa – Putin

The industry has proposed several solutions, including a tracking system, to limit the fallout of the sanctions on the business.

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The sanctions package also extends EU efforts to restrict technology Moscow can get its hands on for military purposes, adding 29 more companies to a list of entities prohibited from exporting products able to help Russia’s arms industry.

Some of those companies are in countries outside the EU and are suspected of circumventing the bloc’s sanctions, according to a European Council statement.

Some countries, such as Kazakhstan, are accused of helping Russia import certain products and technologies that can bolster its military industry.

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The EU is also seeking better enforcement of previous sanctions hitting Russian oil exports, which place a price cap of $60 a barrel on its crude.

Russia has been able to sidestep that measure by building a “dark fleet” of oil tankers, and also with the help of China and India, a researcher at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Alexandra Prokopenko, recently revealed.

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The EU countries agreed a “strengthened information sharing mechanism” for tankers designed to identify ships involved in practices such as ship-to-ship oil transfers at sea, the European Council statement said.

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Teenager Angry, Poisons Uncle’s Soup Because He Snores Too Much

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A high school student in Japan has been arrested for allegedly poisoning his uncle’s soup in an attempt to kill him because he couldn’t stand his snoring, the country’s media reported.

The 18-year-old teenager from Ichibara, Japan’s Chiba prefecture, was arrested and charged with attempted murder after allegedly mincing leaves from a toxic oleander plant and pouring them into his uncle’s soup, because he had become exasperated by his loud snoring.

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According to the police report, on August 17, during lunch, the teen’s uncle sensed an unusual taste in the soup he was served and spat it out, but soon started exhibiting symptoms like mouth numbness and stomach pain, which required medical attention.

READ ALSO:‘My Husband Lied To Our Children That I Poisoned His Food, Cut Part Of His Singlet For Ritual’

Samples from his bowl of soup were found to contain a lethal amount of the toxic substance known as oleandrin.

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“I couldn’t stand my uncle’s loud snoring and decided to kill him,” the 18-year-old teenager allegedly told police during questioning.

Oleander is an evergreen tree that blooms with red or white flowers and is commonly planted as a street or park tree. Its branches and leaves are toxic.

Luckily, the teen’s uncle, a 53-year-old self-employed man who lived with the boy and his mother, made a full recovery.

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Six Dead, Others Trapped As Gold Collapse

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Six people have been killed and up to 20 others are feared trapped after a gold mine collapsed in northern Sudan, authorities said on Saturday.

The accident occurred on Friday in the Um Aud area, west of the city of Berber in River Nile state, said Hassan Ibrahim Karar, executive director of the Berber locality.

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“Efforts are ongoing to rescue those trapped beneath the rubble,” Karar said, without specifying the cause of the collapse of the artisanal mine.

Since fighting erupted in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, both sides have largely financed their war efforts through the country’s gold industry.

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Official and NGO sources say nearly all of Sudan’s gold trade is funnelled through the United Arab Emirates, which has been widely accused of supplying arms to the RSF — a charge it denies.

Despite the conflict, the army-backed government announced record gold production of 64 tonnes for 2024.

Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country by area, remains one of the continent’s top gold producers.

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However, most gold is extracted through artisanal and small-scale mining operations, which lack proper safety measures and often use hazardous chemicals, resulting in severe health risks for miners and nearby communities. Buy vitamins and supplements.

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Before the war pushed 25 million Sudanese into acute food insecurity, artisanal mining employed more than two million people, according to industry figures.

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Today, mining experts say much of the gold produced by both warring factions is smuggled through Chad, South Sudan and Egypt before reaching the UAE — currently the world’s second-largest gold exporter.

The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced roughly 10 million people, creating the world’s largest displacement crisis. An additional four million Sudanese have fled across borders.

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Popular Nail Polish Ingredient Banned Over Fertility Fears

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The European Union has outlawed the use of TPO in all cosmetic products as of September 1, citing evidence that it may cause long-term fertility problems. The move forces nail salons in all 27 EU countries, as well as Norway and others that follow EU rules, to stop offering TPO-based gels and safely dispose of their stock. Manufacturers will now be required to reformulate their products without the chemical.

TPO has been a staple in the beauty industry, used as a photoinitiator to harden polish quickly under ultraviolet light and give manicures a glossy, long-lasting finish. But while gel polish has been praised for staying chip-free for weeks, experts say the ingredient behind its durability may carry hidden dangers.

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READ ALSO:Lagos Enforces Ban, Seizes Single-use Plastics From Supermarkets

Industry insiders expect the UK and other countries to follow suit with a similar ban by late 2026. The US, however, has yet to propose any such restrictions, though American salons that import products from Europe could be affected.

This ingredient could not be defended. The industry was unable to prove there were no safer alternatives,” said Francesca Rapolla of the UK’s Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association.

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Still, not everyone agrees with the ban. Belgian retailer ASAP Nails and Beauty Supply warned of “major economic damage” to small businesses and argued there is “no human evidence of danger”. Meanwhile, US-based consultant Doug Schoon criticised the EU’s decision as “disproportionate”, saying it would waste safe products and undermine confidence in regulators.

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The controversy comes amid growing scrutiny of chemicals in everyday cosmetics. Experts warn that toxic compounds, including endocrine disruptors, may contribute to rising cases of infertility, diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. One striking trend is the surge in endometriosis cases — a painful condition linked to infertility — as global cases have risen to nearly 190 million. Scientists believe endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates and now TPO could be a driving force.

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“These chemicals can linger in the body for years, stored in fatty tissue. They affect the immune system, disrupt hormones, and in some women, may trigger reproductive problems and endometriosis,” said Professor Katie Burns of the University of Cincinnati.

For now, Europe has chosen precaution over profit. The debate over TPO could prove a turning point in the battle over hidden toxins in beauty products — and their long-term toll on women’s health.

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