Russian forces intensify siege: Three hospitals hit as Ukraine war turns uglier two weeks in March 10, 2022 Bombs reportedly fell on three hospitals across Ukraine overnight. An airstrike on a maternity hospital in the port city of Mariupol wounded women waiting to give birth and buried children in the rubble as Russian forces intensified their siege of Ukrainian cities. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it has confirmed 18 attacks on medical [...]
Google searches for ‘WW3’ up 75-fold since Russian invasion of Ukraine March 10, 2022 Google searches for ‘WW3’ have skyrocketed by 75-times the usual rate in wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As tensions continue to mount between Moscow and Kyiv, UK internet users expressed their fears about it engulfing the rest of Europe, by asking the search engine giant if it might spell the start of a third [...]
Editorial: Shocks happen – and our institutions weren’t ready for this one March 10, 2022 And Rishi Sunak thought the hard bit was over. Wearing the scars of a two-year fight against a global pandemic, he may have thought he’d have some respite to get the public finances in order in time for some pre-election giveaways. That increasingly looks a long prospect. It may feel glib to discuss such matters [...]
CBI calls for more government help for businesses and consumers to pay energy bills March 10, 2022 The government must provide more direct support for businesses and consumers dealing with a coming surge in energy prices after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, one of the UK’s top business bodies has said. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) today urged the government to “support energy intensive industries that lie at the heart of [...]
‘An atrocity’: Russia accused of bombing Ukraine hospital during ceasefire March 9, 2022 Russia was today accused of breaking a ceasefire to bomb a hospital in the under siege city of Mariupol in what was described as an “atrocity” and act of terror by Volodymyr Zelensky. The city has faced heavy shelling over the past week and has become the site of an impending humanitarian disaster, with civilians [...]
Smoking them out: Cigarette giant Imperial Brands halts Russian operations March 9, 2022 Maker of JPS and Winston cigarettes Imperial Brands has suspended all operations in Russia, including production at its factory in Volgograd, as well as sales and marketing activity. It comes as countless Western brands boycott Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, with the likes of Apple and Netflix recently pulling the plug. “This decision comes amid [...]
13m illegal cigarettes seized from UK streets as black market booms March 9, 2022 Investigators have seized over £7m worth of cigarettes over the past year, as the government cracks down on illegal tobacco trade on the streets. Across England and Wales, 13 million cigarettes and 4,300 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco have been seized by authorities. The operation, conducted by HM Revenue and Customs staff, Border Force officials, police [...]
Russian ‘dumb bomb’ attack kills dozens of civilians in Ukrainian city of Chernihiv March 9, 2022 A Russian airstrike that reportedly killed 47 civilians in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv may constitute a war crime, human rights group Amnesty International said today following an investigation into the attack. At approximately 12.15pm on Thursday 3 March, a small public square formed by Chernihiv’s Viacheslava Chornovola and Kruhova streets was hit by multiple [...]
Tokyo exploits global anti-Russia sentiment to announce Kremlin-controlled Kuril Islands belong to Japan March 9, 2022 Fumio Kishida, Japan’s prime minister, said that southern Kuril Islands are a sovereign part of his country, and not part of Russia, which has controlled the group of islands since 1945. Speaking in the Diet earlier this week, Kishida told lawmakers the Kuril Islands are “original territories of Japan”. The islands have been a point [...]
Oil prices fall as Europe holds back from energy sanctions on Russia March 9, 2022 Oil prices have dipped this morning after Europe stayed out of ramped-up Western sanctions on Russian energy supplies.