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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 16 March 2022
EU hits Russia with more sanctions: From trade to truffles

By RAF CASERT Moscow Stock Exchange
Associated Press remains suspended. Rus-
BRUSSELS (AP) — Pure-bred sia's credit rating has been
horses, truffles, a soccer downgraded to junk status
club owner and a media just about default levels.
company chief. Many international compa-
They were among the tar- nies are leaving the coun-
gets of new European try," Dombrovskis said.
Union sanctions against The import ban on steel
Russia on Tuesday that products would amount to
sought to deny oligarchs some 3.3 billion euros ($3.6
their love of luxury and rob billion) in lost exports for
the nation of lucrative steel Russia, as the EU was its No.
exports. 1 market.
The 27-nation bloc sought This time special atten-
to stay away from sanc- tion was paid to the elite
tions that would sap its sup- The Ukrainian flag flaps in the wind atop the Atomium landmark during a fundraising event for by targeting luxury goods.
ply of Russian energy, but Ukraine in Brussels, Thursday, March 10, 2022. It ranged from truffles,
pounced with measures Associated Press Champagne, cigars and
worth billions while stifling perfumes to fine wines, rare
its ability to work on global United States. sea soccer club owner It didn't work on Monday, wristwatches, pearls and
markets by banning EU rat- Together they agreed to Roman Abramovich, who when Marina Ovsyanniko- diamonds.
ing agencies to work with deny Russia the status of was slapped with an asset va, a Channel One em- "We're trying to target the
Russian clients. most favored nation, which freeze and a travel ban. ployee, walked into the wealthy, elite oligarchs," an
"These new sanctions will will cost its companies The EU's official journal said studio during Monday's EU official involved in the
cut Russia off even further privileged status in West- that Abramovich "has had evening news show with a setting up of sanctions said
and drain its resources to fi- ern economies. Britain an- privileged access to the poster saying "no war" and on customary condition of
nance this barbaric war. So nounced sanctions against (Russian) president, and has "Russians against the war." anonymity.
one can say that the Rus- 350 individuals and entities maintained very good rela- The EU announcements Since the war started last
sia has become the most Tuesday and also promised tions with him. This connec- were in line with what lead- month, the EU has adopt-
sanctioned nation in the to ban the export of luxury tion with the Russian leader ers had announced at the ed tough measures target-
world, which is very dubious goods to Russia. helped him to maintain his Versailles summit last Friday ing Putin, Russia's financial
honor indeed," European The European Union has considerable wealth." — that a stringent package system and its high-mainte-
Commission Vice President already hit about 600 Rus- Tuesday's list of 15 individu- of sanctions would be up- nance oligarchs. Last week,
Valdis Dombrovskis said. sians during the four sanc- als also included Konstantin coming if Russia continued the bloc's nations agreed
The continued punishment tion sessions, including 15 Lvovich Ernst, the chief ex- its invasion of Ukraine. to slap further sanctions on
of Moscow for its invasion individuals and nine enti- ecutive of Russia's state-run And the EU insisted that the 160 individuals and added
of neighboring Ukraine was ties in the fourth package Channel One, which the measures had already had new restrictions on the ex-
done in close consultation of sanctions. It affected EU says is used by Russian their impact. port of maritime navigation
with Western allies, from one oligarch already tar- President Vladimir Putin for "We see that ruble has and radio communication
the United Kingdom to the geted by Britain — Chel- propaganda purposes. crashed. Trading on the technology.q

Germany to disarm far-right extremists, restricts gun access

By FRANK JORDANS that benefit such groups, said separately Tuesday
Associated Press including merchandising that there were 252 "re-
BERLIN (AP) — Germany's businesses, music festivals portable events" among
top security officials an- and martial arts events. German troops in 2021, an
nounced a 10-point plan Authorities will work to re- increase compared to pre-
Tuesday to combat far- move gun licenses from vious years that she attrib-
right extremism in the coun- suspected extremists, uted to heightened sensi-
try that includes disarming crack down on incitement tivity surrounding extremism
about 1,500 suspected spread online through so- in the ranks. She called for
extremists and tightening cial networks and combat swifter court martial pro-
background checks for conspiracy theories online. ceedings so that soldiers
those wanting to acquire Faeser said an emphasis found to have broken the
guns. will also be put on rooting law or breached conduct
Interior Minister Nancy Fae- out extremists who work in rules can be fired faster.
ser said the far right poses government agencies, in- Thomas Haldenwang, the
the biggest extremist threat cluding the security forces. head of Germany's BfV do- Nancy Faeser, Federal Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs,
speaks at a press conference to present the Action Plan on
to democracy in Germany Reports about far-right ex- mestic intelligence service, Right-Wing Extremism in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, March 15,
and said authorities would tremists among the police- said his agency planned 2022.
seek to tackle the issue and military in Germany to release a report in the Associated Press
through prevention and have raised particular con- coming months about ex-
tough measures. cerns because of fears that tremists who work for the it can designate the party ists traveling to Ukraine as
"We want to destroy far- they could use privileged authorities. as a suspected case of ex- foreign fighters, but most of
right extremist networks," information to target politi- The agency is also monitor- tremism, he said. the chatter online by peo-
Faeser told reporters in cal enemies. ing the Alternative for Ger- Haldenwang said authori- ple saying they planned
Berlin, saying this included Parliament's commissioner many political party after a ties have recorded a small to do so appeared to be
targeting financial flows for the military, Eva Hoegl, court ruled last week that number of far-right extrem- "swagger."q