Turkey claims Ukraine and Russia have inched closer to peace deal March 20, 2022 Ukraine and Russia have moved closer toward a peace deal and have agreed on four points in principle, according to Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Cavusoglu told local Turkish media today that there had been a “convergence” between the Russian and Ukrainian governments during peace talks over the past week. He said there had been [...]
P&O Ferries’ move to sack 800 staff was ‘awful’, says Sunak March 20, 2022 P&O Ferries’ move to sack 800 staff this week was “apalling” and “wrong”, Rishi Sunak has said today. The chancellor said he would now be investigating whether the actions of P&O were legal. The shipping and logistics firm, which is owned by Dubai-based DP World, told 800 workers over Zoom that they had been made [...]
Germany announces energy partnership with Qatar March 20, 2022 Germany has entered in a long-term energy partnership with Qatar, as it seeks to become less dependent on Russian energy supplies.
Foreign Office launches crack unit to counter Kremlin misinformation on social media March 20, 2022 The UK government is taking out adverts on Russian social media to counter the Kremlin’s narratives about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A newly launched information warfare unit, set up by the Foreign Office at the end of February, is using local agencies to put out adverts on Russian social media platforms including VK, after the [...]
IEA: No cars on Sundays and fewer business flights could cut global dependence on Russian oil March 20, 2022 The IEA has called for car-free cities on Sundays and avoiding business flights to cut down global dependence on Russian oil.
IFS warns new GDP and tax receipt forecasts will be revised downward March 20, 2022 The UK’s budgetary watchdog is expected to next week downgrade its forecasts for future GDP growth and government tax revenues, according to the head of the influential Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think tank. IFS director Paul Johnson said today that Rishi Sunak’s spending plans from the October budget will now be “worth an awful [...]
CityFibre to get £300m investment from Abu Dhabi sovereign fund for broadband infrastructure rollout March 20, 2022 One of the UAE’s biggest sovereign funds is set to plough a further £300m into the UK’s biggest fibre optic broadband company. The Abu Dhabi government’s Mubadala investment fund, which controls $243bn (£184bn) worth of assets, will give London headquartered fibre optic company CityFibre an extra £300m, after investing £500m in the firm last September, [...]
Bitfinex lists GALA as crypto gaming prepares for take-off March 20, 2022 Digital token trading platform Bitfinex has listed Gala (GALA) - a decentralised gaming ecosystem - amid a growing wave of interest in crypto gaming.
Hospitality chiefs call on Sunak to reverse VAT hike or leave London businesses ‘unviable overnight’ March 20, 2022 Hospitality heads have said the government’s plans to increase VAT from current rates of 12.5 per cent to highs of 20 per cent at the start of next month will see some London businesses “become unviable overnight.” Industry chiefs warned that Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s plans to hike consumer taxes on food, soft drinks, accommodation, and [...]
The Nuclear Option: Ministers weigh up state company as Sunak doubts UK energy strategy March 20, 2022 Government ministers are mulling over plans to launch a state-owned nuclear company while Suank questions power plant ramp-up.
