‘Trump is right’: Lammy says defence spending must rise January 9, 2025 With Russia on the march and the end of post-Cold War peace, David Lammy has argued that Europe’s defence spending must rise. The foreign secretary said for the UK to be “taken seriously… we must put our money where our mouth is” in his first major speech of 2025. Lammy told an audience of diplomats [...]
Gloucester Rugby forced to pull Russia flag from player shirt January 8, 2025 Gloucester Rugby has been forced to remove a Russian flag from the shirt of one of their players after a complaint from a fan. The Cherry and Whites have operated a policy, since 2015, of rewarding their international stars with the flag of their Test nation on their club shirt. But Gloucester were forced to [...]
Emergency declared in Crimea as oil spill reaches Sevastopol January 4, 2025 Officials in Moscow-occupied Crimea have announced a regional emergency after oil was detected on the shores of Sevastopol, the peninsula’s largest city. Fuel oil spilled out of two storm-stricken tankers nearly three weeks ago in the Kerch Strait, close to eastern Crimea – some 155 miles from Sevastopol, which lies on the south-west of the [...]
Why the gold price will continue to rally in 2025 December 28, 2024 The untrammelled ascent of bitcoin has occupied the attention of many market watchers of late, with Donald Trump’s election to the White House sending the cryptocurrency – and others like it – on an eye-watering tear. Bitcoin has risen nearly 50 per cent since November 3 – the eve of the US election – while [...]
Starmer condemns Russia’s Christmas Day strikes on Ukraine power grid December 25, 2024 Russia’s “bloody and brutal war machine” has shown no respite “even at Christmas”, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said, as he condemned strikes against Ukraine’s energy grid. Moscow has launched a massive missile barrage on Christmas Day, with the aim of crippling energy infrastructure sites across Ukraine. More than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles and [...]
UK takes down multibillion-dollar Russian crypto laundering network December 4, 2024 The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has smashed a multibillion-dollar Russian money laundering scheme which operated in Britain and had ties to the Kremlin. Investigators said on Wednesday that uncovering the Russian-speaking network, run out of London, Moscow and Dubai, marked the NCAs biggest money laundering case for a decade. The investigation was given the [...]
Starmer vows to put Ukraine ‘in strongest possible position for negotiations’ with Russia December 2, 2024 The Prime Minister will say that Ukraine must be put in the “strongest possible position for negotiations” with Russia, addressing the possibility of a negotiated settlement for the first time. Speaking at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet, Sir Keir Starmer will tell attendees at the white tie Guildhall dinner that the eastern European nation must be [...]
UK needs to innovate at wartime pace, defence secretary says December 2, 2024 The UK needs “innovation at a wartime pace”, the defence secretary has said as he announced a new strategy for the industry. As he launched a defence industrial strategy, which is being developed alongside the government’s strategic defence review, John Healey said war game exercises to test the military’s capabilities will be carried out with [...]
Russia expels UK diplomat over spying claim November 26, 2024 Russia has expelled a British diplomat and accused him of spying. The UK’s ambassador to Moscow has also been summoned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The moves come amid escalating tensions between Moscow and western countries over Ukraine. The UK diplomat has had his accreditation revoked and must leave the country, news agency Tass [...]
UK ‘not at war’ Starmer insists as he rebukes Putin’s ‘irresponsible rhetoric’ November 22, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the UK is “not at war” and criticised Russian leader Vladimir Putin for his “irresponsible rhetoric”. The Prime Minister asked during a round of regional radio interviews about concerns over escalation in the conflict in Ukraine. On Thursday, Russia used a new ballistic missile in Ukraine, which Putin said was [...]