code: def parse_utc_date(date_str: str) -> dt.datetime:
      """Parses common date string formats to UTC datetime objects."""
      date = parse_local_date(date_str)
      return date.astimezone(pytz.utc)
  
imports: import datetime
  import pytz
  import re
label_desc: Use image node_id 3 for calling a global function with example usage: parse_utc_date(date_str) and returns: date