China and Dubai cash in on roomier Russian market amid Western boycott March 22, 2022 As the West bail out of Russia over its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, China and Dubai are seemingly cashing in on the roomier market. China’s top envoy in Moscow has urged Chinese business leaders to “fill the void” in the Russian market, Bloomberg first reported, after a growing tally of businesses and government’s have boycott [...]
Ukrainian activists try to block Abramovich’s £450m superyacht from mooring at Turkish port March 22, 2022 A group of Ukrainian activists – including at least five children – people attempted to stop sanctioned Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s £430m yacht from mooring in a Turkish port. The luxury vessel called Solaris was confronted in the resort of Bodrum by a rubber dingy filled with children and teens, holding Ukrainian flags with the [...]
Bosses at UK arm of Russian energy giant Gazprom seek to buy it out as insolvency looms March 22, 2022 Bosses at the UK arm of Russian energy giant Gazprom have made a bid to buy it out, as sanctions against its parent company threaten to make it insolvent. Manchester-based Gazprom Energy, which supplies more than a fifth of gas used by UK companies, has been left just days from needing a government bailout through [...]
Russia re-registers 800 aircraft amid anti-sanctions campaign March 22, 2022 Russia said today it has re-registered 800 aircraft after President Putin signed a law last week which allows Russian carriers to take ownership of foreign-leased planes. The news comes on the same day Moscow said 78 of its aircraft were impounded by foreign governments. “(We have) lost 78 planes,” said Russian transport minister Vitaly Savelyev. [...]
Embarrassed UK Ministry of Defence hits out at Kremlin ‘propaganda’ as second prank video of Ben Wallace emerges March 22, 2022 The UK government accused Russia this afternoon of spreading “propaganda” to distract from its atrocities in Ukraine after a second hoax video featuring Defence Secretary Ben Wallace was published. Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin has been squarely blamed for the imposters’ calls with three Cabinet ministers, as officials appear to struggle to get the clips removed from [...]
Energy giants face EU windfall tax March 22, 2022 Energy giants could be hit with a windfall tax from the EU - with the trading bloc weighing up a temporary levee amid high profits.
An adventure through glorious, neglected Cuba March 22, 2022 Despite only a brief appearance, the hookah-smoking caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland was a significant character. Between puffs he took the time to answer questions and offer advice to someone quite confused by her environs. In Havana, Cuba, I’ve met a man of a similar disposition. Amid chat, plumes of cigar smoke that were custard [...]
Explainer-in-brief: Boris Johnson hits the nuclear option March 22, 2022 Yesterday, Boris Johnson met with bosses from the nuclear industry to discuss the future of the sector. It was part of the Prime Minister’s bet on nuclear power, to phase out Russian gas and oil. This includes everything from small modular reactors to big power plants. As Johnson gets ready for the publication of the [...]
Embarrassing: Watch as prank video with Defence Secretary pops up after UK blames Kremlin for hoaxes March 22, 2022 UK government ministers are said to brace themselves this morning for more awkward videos after a “prank” call with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace surfaced in the wake of Britain blaming Vladimir Putin’s Russia for attempted hoaxes. Downing Street accused the Kremlin of being behind the efforts to secure sensitive or embarrassing information in duplicitous calls [...]
‘Only in Brexit la la land Boris Johnson is seen as Putin’s leading opposition’ says Finnish prime minister March 22, 2022 Alexander Stubb, a former prime minister of Finland, has ridiculed the idea that Boris Johnson is one of Vladimir Putin’s fiercest opponents. The former Scandinavian leader was rubbishing claims by the prime minister that he is leading the opposition figure to the Russian president, dismissing the idea as “utter rubbish” and an “illusion.” Stubb, whose [...]