Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles as he celebrates International Women’s Day with athletes and volunteers taking part in the Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi March 8, 2014. On March 8 activists around the globe celebrate International Women’s Day, which dates back to the beginning of the 20th Century and has been observed by the United Nations since 1975. The UN writes that it is an occasion to commemorate achievements in women’s rights and to call for further change. REUTERS/Alexei Nikolskiy/RIA Novosti/Kremlin (RUSSIA — Tags: SPORT POLITICS HEADSHOT PROFILE)

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