Spain seizes Russian oligarch’s £107m superyacht March 15, 2022 A $140m (£107m) superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Sergei Chemezov has been taken by Spanish authorities. The vessel’s seizure was announced by its Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who said “there will be more” to come, with two yachts docked in Barcelona owned by non-sanctioned oligarchs, being monitored. Luxury boats linked to Russian oligarchs have been [...]
Justice in Russia: Journalist who crashed country’s state news show dragged to court the day after March 15, 2022 A Russian journalist who interrupted a state broadcast with a sign saying it was “lying” about the war in Ukraine, has now appeared in court the following day. Lawyers for Marina Ovsyannikova accompanied her to court, after saying she had been “imprisoned for more than 12 hours” with no contact. Ovsyannikova was detained after the [...]
Ukraine: UK sanctions 370 more Russian and Belarussian nationals March 15, 2022 The UK has sanctioned 370 more Russian and Belarussian nationals as a part of the government’s sanctions, including Vladimir Putin’s close political ally Dmitry Medvedev. The Foreign Office today announced the released the list of the newly sanctioned individuals, which includes 51 oligarchs, with foreign secretary Liz Truss saying “we are holding them to account [...]
Ex-minister: Billions lost in Covid fraud ‘one of biggest cock-ups’ in recent history March 15, 2022 Billions of taxpayer money lost through Covid loan fraud is “one of the most colossal cock-ups in recent government management”, the ex-fraud minister has said. Lord Theodore Agnew told MPs on Westminster’s business committee that he was told to “butt out” by Treasury officials when he tried to crack down on fraudsters taking out Covid [...]
Major breakthrough in Iran: Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe gets passport back as UK negotiators land in Tehran March 15, 2022 A British negotiating team is in the Iranian capital to discuss the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe while the British-Iranian mother has had her passport returned, her local MP has said. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been detained in Iran since her arrest in 2016 on charges of plotting to overthrow the government – allegations she has always [...]
Onlookers expect Russia to default on £90m duo international bond repayments March 15, 2022 Onlookers are expecting Russia to default on its foreign creditors, as Moscow seeks to repay two bonds in roubles – which has fallen over 40 per cent against the dollar. It would be the first time this had occurred since the Bolshevik revolution in 1917 under Bolshevik Lenin, The Times first reported. Russia’s economy is [...]
New Zealand halves public transport fares amid soaring inflation, fuel prices March 15, 2022 New Zealand has halved prices for public transport in response to soaring fuel costs sparked by the war in Ukraine. Its Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the call saying the “global energy crisis has quickly become acute”. However, her government has been criticised for the rising cost of living even before the war started, with [...]
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirms support for North Sea oil and gas industry March 14, 2022 Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave his backing to the North Sea oil and gas industry as the UK looks to ensure supply security.
Editorial: No sympathy for the sanctioned, but seizures are dangerous path to tread March 14, 2022 It is not easy to feel much sympathy for Oleg Deripaska, whose mansion on Belgrave Square was squatted by a group of protestors yesterday, ostensibly to reclaim it as a home for Ukrainian refugees. It is notably more than the Government itself has managed so far with regards to working out where and how the [...]
‘Like a rogue builder’: Inside the long-delayed City Hall relocation to the Crystal March 14, 2022 Sadiq Khan’s decision to move City Hall to the Royal Docks was always going to be a tough sell for Greater London Authority (GLA) staff used to the metropolitan surrounds of Southwark and a public largely apathetic toward local politics. The abject difficulties in renovating the Crystal, and the concomitant delays, have made this task [...]