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WORLD NEWS Friday 25 March 2022
Ukraine says Moscow is forcibly taking civilians to Russia

By NEBI QENA and conflicting accounts,
CARA ANNA meanwhile, about the
Associated Press people being relocated to
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and whether they
Ukraine accused Moscow were being moved willingly
on Thursday of forcibly tak- or were being coerced or
ing hundreds of thousands lied to.
of civilians from shattered Russian Col. Gen. Mikhail
Ukrainian cities to Russia, Mizintsev on Thursday said
where some may be used that the roughly 400,000
as “hostages” to pressure people evacuated to Rus-
Kyiv to give up. sia since the start of the
Lyudmyla Denisova, military action were from
Ukraine’s ombudsperson, the Donetsk and Luhansk
said 402,000 people, in- regions in eastern Ukraine,
cluding 84,000 children, where pro-Moscow sepa-
have been taken against ratists have been fighting
their will. for control for nearly eight
The Kremlin gave nearly years.
identical numbers for those Russian authorities said
who have been relocated, they are providing accom-
but it said they wanted modations and dispensing
to go to Russia. Ukraine’s payments to the evacuees.
rebel-controlled eastern A man walks amid smoke from a burning house, destroyed after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, But Donetsk Region Gov.
regions are predominant- Ukraine, Thursday, March 24, 2022. Pavlo Kyrylenko said that
ly Russian-speaking, and Associated Press “people are being forcibly
many people there have summit in Brussels, Ukrai- fear of triggering a much the largest swap reported moved into the territory of
supported close ties to nian President Volodymyr wider war. yet, Ukrainian Deputy Prime the aggressor state.”
Moscow. Zelenskyy pleaded with the Around the capital, Kyiv, Minister Iryna Vereshchuk Denisova said those re-
A month into the invasion, Western allies via video for and other areas, Ukrainian said. moved by Russian troops
meanwhile, the two sides planes, tanks, rockets, air defenders have fought In Chernihiv, where an air- included a 92-year-old
traded heavy blows in defense systems and other Moscow’s ground troops strike this week destroyed woman in Mariupol who
what has become a dev- weapons, saying his coun- to a near-stalemate, rais- a crucial bridge, a city of- was forced to go to Tagan-
astating war of attrition. try is “defending our com- ing fears that a frustrated ficial, Olexander Lomako, rog in southern Russia.
Ukraine’s navy said it sank mon values.” Russian President Vladimir said a “humanitarian ca- Ukrainian officials said that
a large Russian landing ship U.S President Joe Biden, in Putin will resort to chemi- tastrophe” is unfolding as the Russians are taking peo-
near the port city of Berdy- Europe for the summit and cal, biological or nuclear Russian forces target food ple’s passports and moving
ansk that had been used to other high-level meetings, weapons. storage places. them to “filtration camps”
bring in armored vehicles. gave assurances more aid In other developments He said about 130,000 peo- in Ukraine’s separatist-con-
Russia claimed to have is on its way, though it ap- Thursday: ple are left in the besieged trolled east before send-
taken the eastern town of peared unlikely the West Ukraine and Russia ex- city, about half its prewar ing them to various distant,
Izyum after fierce fighting. would give Zelenskyy ev- changed a total of 50 mili- population. economically depressed
At an emergency NATO erything he wanted, for tary and civilian prisoners, Kyiv and Moscow gave areas in Russia. q

U.K. court OKs harassment claim against Spain’s former king

MADRID (AP) — A British as king in 2014, allowing his behind position, power, or Juan Carlos, 84, has re- shield his own reign from
court ruled Thursday that son to become King Felipe privilege” to avoid the law- tained the title of “King the scandals affecting his
royal immunity laws do not VI. In 2020, after Larsen and suit. Emeritus” since he abdi- father and other members
protect Spain’s former king, Juan Carlos became sub- “This is the first step on the cated. Felipe has tried to of the royal family.q
Juan Carlos I, in a lawsuit jects of judicial investiga- road to justice; the appall-
for alleged harassment tions for opaque financial ing facts of this case will
filed by his ex-lover. dealings, including assets finally be brought before
High Court Justice Mat- kept in tax havens, she the court,” Rathmell said in
thew Nicklin said that be- sued the former monarch, a statement.
cause the claim involves accusing him of allegedly Juan Carlos’ Spanish law-
Juan Carlos’ private acts in orchestrating threats and yers declined to comment
the aftermath of a roman- ordering unlawful covert on the London court’s rul-
tic relationship, he does not and overt surveillance start- ing.
have legal immunity under ing in 2012. The former monarch has
either Spanish or British law. Larsen has asked the court been based in the United
Corinna Larsen, a Danish for a restraining order Arab Emirates since 2020.
socialite and businesswom- against Juan Carlos, as well He recently announced his
an who lives in Monaco as compensation for men- desire to return to Spain for
and London, was the unof- tal health treatment costs. sporadic visits after prose-
ficial partner of Juan Carlos Robin Rathmell of Kobre & cutors at home and in Swit-
for years, but the couple Kim, the law firm represent- zerland found no evidence
split amid increased media ing Larsen, said Thursday’s of financial misbehavior Spain’s former King Juan Carlos waves at the bullring in Aranjuez,
and public scrutiny in Spain. ruling demonstrated that that would fall outside royal Spain, Sunday, June 2, 2019.
Juan Carlos stepped down Juan Carlos “cannot hide immunity laws. Associated Press