reparations

EU races to win Belgian backing for €140B Ukraine loan

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The European Commission will try on Friday to assuage Belgium’s concerns over the legal and financial risks of repurposing Russian assets.

IMF support for Ukraine hinges on Russian assets loan, EU warns

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Brussels fears the IMF could cancel aid unless Belgium agrees to back a €140 billion reparations loan to Ukraine.

What if there’s no reparations loan for Ukraine? EU weighs alternative plans

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After an inconclusive summit, EU leaders instructed the European Commission to explore “options” to meet Ukraine’s financial and military needs for next year and 2027. What could these options look like?

Ukraine war briefing: Moscow under drone siege for third night running

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EU edges towards using ‘reparations loan’ using Russian frozen assets; Kremlin pressing ahead with year-round conscription. What we know on day 1,344Ukraine sent drones towards Moscow for the third consecutive night, closing airports, Russian authoriti…

EU plays hardball: If you won’t seize Russia’s cash, open your wallets

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The idea of joint European borrowing is rejected by most of the bloc’s governments. That’s why the Commission is using it as leverage to get them to approve the use of Moscow’s assets.

EU ‘not ready’ to raid Russian assets for Ukraine loan, Belgian commissioner says

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Hadja Lahbib defends Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s blockade of a disputed plan to help Kyiv fight Vladimir Putin.

EU tasks Commission with Ukraine funding plan, eyes loan from frozen Russian assets

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EU leaders on Thursday asked the European Commission to prepare options to fund Ukraine for two more years, keeping open the possibility of a loan backed by frozen Russian assets. After a summit in Brussels, they deferred a final decision on the propo…

Ukraine’s allies call to boost Kyiv’s long-range missile capability

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The ‘coalition of the willing’ on Friday pledged to boost Ukraine’s long-range missile capability and set a deadline for using frozen Russian assets to unlock funding for Kyiv. Leaders from the 33-country coalition met in London with Ukrainian Preside…

EU leaders miss their chance to strengthen Ukraine — just as Trump finally shows up 

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Von der Leyen and Costa lost some credibility when they failed to get a deal to fund Ukraine using Russian assets. Zelenskyy could lose a lot more. 

EU leaders task Commission with Ukraine funding plan, eye frozen assets loan

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EU leaders on Thursday asked the European Commission to prepare options to fund Ukraine for two more years, keeping open the possibility of a vast loan backed by frozen Russian assets. After marathon Brussels talks, they deferred a final decision on t…

Zelenskyy presses for EU decision on using frozen Russia assets to defend Ukraine

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Ukrainian president says ‘time to act is now’ as Belgium seeks guarantees from other member states over loan planVolodymyr Zelenskyy has urged EU leaders to use Russia’s frozen assets to fund Ukraine’s defence “as soon as possible”, as summit talks on …

Zelensky urges EU to use frozen Russian assets to arm and rebuild Ukraine

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President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine should be allowed to use frozen Russian assets to fund domestic weapons production and purchase arms from Europe and the U.S. Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, he urged the EU to approve a major “rep…

Now let Zelenskyy hit Russia with Tomahawks, Finland tells Trump

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Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo tells POLITICO Ukraine must be equipped to match or exceed Russia’s capabilities because Vladimir Putin only responds to strength. 

As the US flip-flops on the path to peace, Europe’s ‘coalition of the willing’ rallies round Ukraine

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From unanimity on a reparations loan to the unpredictability of Trump, EU leaders will gather this week with agreement on ending the war still fraught with hurdles• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereAnother week, another fli…

Ukraine war briefing: Storm Shadow missiles ‘hit gunpowder plant in Russia’

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Russians confirm attack on Bryansk region home to explosives factory; Trump-Putin talks shelved, US diplomacy ‘going in circles’. What we know on day 1,337Storm Shadow missiles struck a Russian chemical plant making gunpowder, explosives and rocket fue…

EU closes in on deal to use Russian frozen assets to fund Ukraine

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Belgium will give the nod for the Commission to put forward a legal proposal outlining the €140 billion Ukraine loan.

Ukraine’s allies rush to bolster Zelenskyy amid fears over Trump-Putin deal

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After Ukraine’s leader struck out at the White House last Friday, his European friends will try to strengthen his hand before it’s too late. 

Ukraine and US prepare a contract for 25 Patriot systems

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Even though the need is high, Kyiv is still forced to wait its turn unless “there is goodwill,” the Ukrainian president said.

Vatican panel urges reperations for sex abuse victims and tougher sanctions for abusers

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The Vatican’s child protection board said Thursday the Catholic Church has a moral obligation to help victims of clergy sexual abuse heal. Financial reparations for the abused and tougher sanctions for the abusers and their enablers are essential reme…

Brussels eyes €25B more in Russian state assets across EU

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The bloc already has its eyes on €140 billion in Moscow’s frozen assets, but the European Commission is tempted to grab additional funds from private bank accounts.

Ukraine war briefing: ‘Bit of a process’ but India will give up Russian oil, Trump claims

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US president says Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, has given him an assurance; EU to work on G7 leaders about Russian assets. What we know on day 1,331Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Narendra Modi had assured him India would stop buying oil f…

Pressure mounts on NATO allies to go all-in on Trump arms scheme for Ukraine

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A majority of NATO countries have joined the PURL scheme, and the rest are under pressure “to put your money where your mouth is.”

EU pressures G7 countries to loan frozen Russian assets to Ukraine

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Brussels wants other countries to follow the EU’s lead in issuing reparation loans to help war-torn country.

Debt-ridden Italy fears impact of guarantees for €140B loan to Ukraine

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LUXEMBOURG — Italy on Friday demanded assurances from the EU’s statistics office that national guarantees against a €140 billion loan to Ukraine won’t worsen their debt load and budget deficit, according to four diplomats. Giancarlo Giorgetti, the Italian finance minister, made his demands behind closed doors in Luxembourg, where he and his EU peers met […]

Belgium lays out red lines on €140B Ukraine loan

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Belgian PM Bart De Wever has suggested that the Commission’s scheme to leverage Russian frozen assets effectively amounts to confiscation.

EU trio in G7 look for US, Japanese back-up in using Russian assets

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The European Central Bank fears putting Putin’s assets to work could undermine the credibility of the euro. Tokyo and Washington would offer useful cover.

5 things to watch for as EU leaders meet in Copenhagen

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From building a “drone wall” on the EU’s eastern flank to bypassing Hungary’s stonewalling of Ukraine, these are the bloc’s most pressing priorities.

EU seeks to deploy Russia’s frozen billions to boost European arms sales

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says a zero-interest reparations loan should be partly used “to strengthen our own defense industry.”

Finland’s president hails ‘ingenious’ plan to seize frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

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Alexander Stubb has hailed an EU proposal to confiscate frozen Russian assets unless Russia agrees to pay war reparations to Ukraine. But Belgium calls the plan “problematic.”

Von der Leyen pledges €2B for drones to Ukraine, floats reparations loan

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Commission chief’s announcements come ahead of a European Council summit in Copenhagen.

Leaders press to reshape EU under Putin’s aggressive shadow

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Wednesday’s Copenhagen summit is a step toward turning the EU into a military power. But the bloc isn’t united and the risks are great.

Brussels eyes loophole to isolate Hungary, send billions in Russian assets to Ukraine

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EU legal experts are studying a way to get round the need for unanimity to send €140 billion to Kyiv.

Germany backs EU’s ‘creative’ plan to send frozen Russian cash to Ukraine

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Talks will come to a head during an informal meeting of EU leaders in Copenhagen next week.

Denmark plans payout for Greenlandic women affected by forced IUD scandal

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Mette Frederiksen announces ‘reconciliation fund’ plan on same day decision to remove Greenlandic woman’s baby is reversedDenmark intends to pay reparations to Greenlandic women who were fitted with contraceptive coils by Danish doctors and to other pe…

G7 needs ‘decisive’ action to end Ukraine war, Canadian finance minister says

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Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne ruled out the prospect of Canada joining the EU, saying: “We’re not there.”  

UK proposes using billions in frozen Russian cash for Ukraine loans

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The controversial plan could mirror a similar proposal being considered by the European Union.

Poland’s president set to demand war reparations in tense Berlin visit

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Tensions between Poland and Germany complicate the effort to show a united front against Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Russia’s Medvedev threatens EU ‘freaks’ over frozen asset loan plan

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Former president slams EU scheme to use Russian assets for Ukraine’s war effort, first reported by POLITICO.

Europe’s far right launches legal battle against EU over withheld funding

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Patriots accuse EU of sabotaging its access to public cash — and it’s just scored its first victory.

EU floats ‘creative’ new way to send billions of euros of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine

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Replacing seized assets with EU bonds could allow Brussels to tap Russia’s frozen assets to fund Kyiv’s war effort.

Besieged von der Leyen calls on Europe to ‘fight’

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Confronted by boos and facing mounting opposition, the European Commission president chose to look outward.

Von der Leyen proposes using Russian assets to fund new Ukraine loan

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The Commission president’s suggestion would fall short of immediately confiscating the assets.

Kallas: EU can’t give back frozen assets to Russia, unless they pay reparations to Ukraine

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The EU’s foreign policy chief said the bloc needs to dive deep into the issue of frozen Russian assets, to be prepared in case of an eventual ceasefire or peace deal.

EU leaders sound upbeat after Ukraine call with Trump. They could be in for a rude awakening.

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A call between Trump and EU leaders gave them hope that he’ll protect their interests in any Ukraine peace deal. It may not last.

World’s top court says climate inaction can breach international law

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Nonmembership of the Paris Agreement doesn’t exempt countries from duty to fight global warming, ICJ says.

France signals willingness to discuss reparations for colonial massacres in Niger

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Exclusive: French government says it is open to dialogue but does not acknowledge responsibility in letter seen by the Guardian More than a century after its troops burned villages and looted cultural artefacts in the quest to include Niger in its west…

Exhibition on Nazi atrocities in EU Parliament as Greek and Polish MEPs demand reparations

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The exhibition aims to recall the extent of the destruction suffered by Poland and Greece at the hands of Germany during World War II and provide evidence for those who call for long overdue reparations.

‘It’s not a genuine apology’: Spanish women reject Catholic attempt to redress Franco incarceration

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Many survivors believe organisation’s request for forgiveness over abuse in Women’s Protection Board centres does not go far enoughAs the members of the Catholic organisation wrapped up their speech with an appeal for forgiveness, the auditorium in Mad…

War in Ukraine: What’s in the Russian memorandum?

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The Kremlin on Monday released a memorandum with conditions for a ceasefire at talks in Istanbul. As expected, the document calls for the annexation of four more of Ukraine’s regions, the disarmament of its military and control over its diplomacy. It …

Slaveowners obtained redress centuries ago, justice eludes former colonies and descendants of slaves

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As the global call for slavery reparations reaches a critical juncture, pressure mounts on former colonial powers to confront their historic wrongs. Amid this reckoning, French President Emmanuel Macron prepares to officially acknowledge France’s 200-…

Haitians call for reparations from France on 200th anniversary of independence ‘ransom’

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France should return harsh damages imposed on Caribbean country in 1825 after Haitian Revolution, say campaignersFrance has a moral duty to reimburse Haiti billions of dollars worth of “ransom” payments that could help the struggling Caribbean country …

Trump would only help a neighbor for profit

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The U.S. president doesn’t see the benefit in helping allies — and its visible in the deal he’s trying to foist on Ukraine.

Use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine reparations, says Costa

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The European Council president’s remarks come just days after the Belgian prime minister said confiscating the assets would amount to “an act of war.”

US to reinstate aid to Ukraine after Saudi cease-fire talks

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Ukraine agrees to immediate 30-day cease-fire if Russia does too.

Ukrainian concessions ‘the only way’ to end Russia’s war, Rubio says

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U.S. secretary of State hinted that aid to Kyiv could start flowing again depending on the outcome of the upcoming talks.

Trump: Zelenskyy likely heading to White House Friday

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After an intense pressure campaign, Ukraine’s leader appears ready to sign a minerals pact with the U.S.

Trump: Zelenskyy likely heading to White House Friday

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After an intense pressure campaign, Ukraine’s leader appears ready to sign a minerals pact with the U.S.

EU eyes €200B secret weapon as Trump dominates Ukraine peace talks

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Europe has significant leverage after being left out of key talks on ending the war in Ukraine, but will it use it?

Caribbean leader urges Ursula von der Leyen to push for slavery compensation

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Grenada’s prime minister jabs at European Commission president over historical slave trade.

Victims of international crimes need justice — and the ICC

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We call on the EU’s member countries and institutions to be the voice of human dignity globally, and to mobilize, defend and support the court.

‘It’s about justice’: fighter from guerrilla war sues Spanish government for €1m

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Joan Busquets, 96, suffered torture, forced labour and 20 years in prison under the Franco regime and seeks reparationsOne of the last surviving fighters from the guerrilla war waged against the Franco dictatorship in the 1940s is suing the Spanish gov…

Court finds Belgium guilty of ‘crimes against humanity’ for kidnapping children in colonial Congo

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Five mixed-race women sued the Belgian state for taking them away from their families in racially motivated abductions.

Tories pick first Black woman to lead a major UK political party

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Kemi Badenoch will aim to get Britain’s battered Tories — who quietly have a strong record on diverse representation at the top table — back on their feet.

Britain’s ex-colonies should be more grateful, says Tory leader hopeful

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Robert Jenrick said Commonwealth nations owe Britain a “debt of gratitude” for promoting peace and prosperity.

Commonwealth summit agreement raises slavery reparations after row with UK

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Commonwealth countries raised the issue in summit communiqué despite Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s insistence the issue would not be on the agenda. 

The king and Keir

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Two men, worlds apart, are Britain’s diplomatic double act in Samoa. But there’s more to connect Keir Starmer and King Charles III than meets the eye.

Bahamas PM pushes for ‘frank’ slavery reparations talks with Keir Starmer

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“There should be … a ‘come to Jesus’ moment, where we truly look at one another in the eye,” Bahamas leader Philip Davis told POLITICO.

The end of the British Empire

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U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III head to the Commonwealth summit to talk climate change and growth. Not all their friends will be there.

‘Condemn the abusers’: Pope demands judgement for pedophile priests as Belgium tour ends

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Pope Francis praised the courage of victims and reviled offenders at the end of an extraordinary papal visit.

Tusk jokes that Poles shouldn’t ‘panic’ if they see German soldiers helping out after floods

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“They are here to help,” the Polish PM said.

Harris refuses to veer off script in her second high-profile interview

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The vice president’s appearance at the NABJ event follows Donald Trump’s combative sit-down interview with the association.

How the West’s $50B Ukraine loan could be undermined by Kamala Harris’ brat summer

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The Democratic candidate’s voter support means resolving differences between the EU and U.S. no longer seems so urgent.

The EU fiddles while Kyiv burns

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Time is running out on Ukraine’s finances, and none of the reasons behind the bloc’s inaction stand up to scrutiny.

Will Biden be the last Zionist US president?

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More attuned to the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, Harris’s position is, if anything, more reflective of a changing America.

The Habsburg empire strikes back

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Viktor Orbán’s new hard-right group, Patriots for Europe, is a Habsburg coalition that gives the Hungarian leader the European platform he craves.

Polish president slams Tusk for saying Poland will drop German reparations claims

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President Andrzej Duda took aim at Prime Minister Donald Tusk for saying Poland had given up on war reparations claims against Germany launched by the previous conservative PiS government during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scho…

Germany’s Scholz fails to announce compensation plan for Polish survivors of Nazi crimes

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The failure to reach an agreement is a major setback for the German and Polish leaders as they try to mend relations.

Scholz set to announce compensation for Polish survivors of Nazi crimes

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The German chancellor is also expected to announce additional support for the defense of Poland’s eastern flank as the two countries seek to mend long-strained ties.

Rise of far right makes reparations debate tough, says Cape Verde president

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But, says José Maria Neves, this should not stop governments trying to build solutions using diplomatic corridorsCape Verde’s president, José Maria Neves, said the rise of rightwing populism has made it difficult to hold a serious debate over colonial …

Russia should pay for Ukraine — but using frozen assets won’t be easy

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No matter what, any deal will to take time, and a complex set of legal and political challenges await the EU.

Manahahtáanung or Manhattan? Tribal representatives call for apology for Dutch settlement of New York City

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As new exhibition opens in Amsterdam exploring the settlement of North America, original Manhattanites demand apologyRepresentatives for some of the Lenape people have called for an apology and reparations for the 17th-century Dutch “settling” of New A…

As Rafah hangs in the balance, will Bibi defy Biden?

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The history of U.S.-Israeli relations suggests Washington’s leverage may not be as great as some progressive Democrats think.

From Colombia to Syria justice is possible for survivors of sexual violence in war – but we need the right ‘ecosystem’ | Clara Sandoval

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For the first time Ukraine had the right conditions to make reparations to those subjected to crimes such as rape and sexual slavery. What would it take to replicate this globally?Across the world, women and girls continue to be plagued by gross human …

Portuguese government rejects president’s suggestion of slavery reparations

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President advocated ‘paying the costs’ of colonial-era crimes but government said focus was deepening international cooperationThe Portuguese government has dismissed suggestions from the country’s president that it should “pay the costs” for slavery a…

Reparations to be paid to survivors of wartime sexual violence in Ukraine

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First payments to be made during an ongoing conflict is ‘important step towards restoring justice’, says first lady, Olena Zelenska The first reparation payments are to be made in the next few weeks to survivors of wartime rape by Russian soldiers duri…

Portugal needs to ‘pay the costs’ of slavery and colonialism, says president

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Critics of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa say behind remarks is lack of national recognition that slavery should be discussed in schoolsPortugal needs to “pay the costs” of slavery and other colonial-era crimes, the country’s president has said, in a rare ins…

Londongrad forever? Why the UK may never seize Russian assets.

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Pledges to take Russian money to help Ukraine face a litany of legal and tactical quandaries.

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