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EU Adopts New Round Of Sanctions On Russia

Published

5 months ago

December 19, 2023

Editor

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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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Five-year-old Boy Shot Dead By Hijackers In South Africa

Published

4 hours ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

A 5-year-old boy, Ditebogo Junior, was shot dead after his father’s Toyota Hilux was hijacked outside their home in Soshanguve, in the north of Gauteng, South Africa.

Police spokesperson, Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said that the child had gone out to welcome his father, Ditebogo Phalane, when he arrived home around 10:30pm on Friday, May 10, 2024.

“An unconfirmed number of armed suspects allegedly hijacked the father’s White Toyota bakkie and shot the five-year-old boy who later died in hospital,” Masondo said.

Phalane’s cousin, Gift Makoti took to X to share the heartbreaking news about the boy’s passing.

“My cousin was Hijacked hours ago in Soshanguve block Uu, they took his Bakkie. He was with his son, they shot the 5yr old boy!! He didn’t make it!! What has this country come to now!!!!!???! That’s a CHILD man!!!!!!” he wrote

He posted photos of the young boy, Ditebogo Phalane Jnr, with his father smiling and looking happy. He said that the boy’s father was inconsolable.

“He and his son had a strong bond. His son was always out and about with him, keeping him company. I don’t know how he is going to live without his son,” he said

The tragic incident has left social media users shocked and angry.

Many have made contributions to help erect a tombstone for the boy.

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American Comedian, James Gregory Is Dead

Published

5 hours ago

May 12, 2024

Editor

American comedian, James Gregory, known for calling himself “The Funniest Man in America” has passed on at the age of 78.

Gregory’s family said he died on Thursday, May 9, from cardiac complications.

James took up comedy in the early ’80s when he was 36 after years of working as a salesman, and, he became the first comedian to take the stage at the legendary Punchline club in Atlanta.

While he was known as a Southern comedian, he traveled all across the country performing shows for the next four decades.

His biggest claim to fame came when he dubbed himself “The Funniest Man in America” in the ’80s, and, later he took the URL domain “funniestman.com”, cementing himself in his fans’ minds as the funniest man.

He is survived by his three nieces and other extended family.

Headline

JUST-IN: 34 Dead, 16 Missing In Indonesia Floods

Published

15 hours ago

May 12, 2024

Editor

At least 34 people have died and 16 more were missing after floods on Sumatra island in western Indonesia, the spokesperson for the West Sumatra disaster mitigation agency said Sunday.

“Until now our data shows that 34 people died: 16 in Agam and 18 in Tanah Datar. At least 18 others are injured. We are also still searching for 16 other people,” Ilham Wahab told AFP, referring to two districts in West Sumatra province.

Details later…

AFP