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Russia

Calls In US To Expand Magnitsky Law Enforcement, As Tensions Rise With Russia

KOMMERSANT(Russia)

Worldcrunch

WASHINGTON - The authors of the Magnitsky Law in the United States, which forbids the US from granting visas to Russians who have been tied to a case of a whistleblower who died in police custody, are complaining that the law has been inadequetely enforced.

Senator Benjamin Cardin from Maryland and Congressman James McGovern from Massachusetts are demanding that the number of Russian government officials banned from the US be expanded. If not, they say they will introduce new, stricter legislation, the Russian daily Kommersant reports.

Magnitsky’s Law is named for Sergei Magnitsky, an accountant and auditor who was jailed under what many believe to be fraudulent tax-evasion charges and then died in prison. Human rights activists say Magnitsky was tortured, beaten and denied medical care while in prison.

[rebelmouse-image 27086531 alt="""" original_size="320x480" expand=1] Magnitsky's grave (Dmitry Rozhkov)

The reason the US legislators called for a stricter interpretation of the Magnitsky Law is that Russian investigators have recently declared their investigation into Magnistky’s death closed, saying that they could find no evidence of wrongdoing, Kommersant reports.

The Russian government had reacted to the Magnitsky Law by passing a law forbidding American citizens from adopting Russian children.

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Society

Tales From A Blushing Nation: Exploring India's 'Issues' With Love And Sex

Why is it that this nation of a billion-plus has such problems with intimacy and romance?

Photo of Indian romance statues

Indian romance statues

Sreemanti Sengupta

KOLKATA — To a foreigner, India may seem to be a country obsessed with romance. What with the booming Bollywood film industry which tirelessly churns out tales of love and glory clothed in brilliant dance and action sequences, a history etched with ideal romantics like Laila-Majnu or the fact that the Taj Mahal has immortalised the love between king Shahjahan and queen Mumtaz.

It is difficult to fathom how this country with a billion-plus population routinely gets red in the face at the slightest hint or mention of sex.

It therefore may have come as a shock to many when the ‘couple-friendly’ hospitality brand OYO announced that they are “extremely humbled to share that we observed a record 90.57% increase in Valentine’s Day bookings across India.”

What does that say about India’s romantic culture?

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