Datasets:

chreh

/

bbc_2021_2023

like 0

North Korea recently tested intercontinental missile system: US - BBC News

2022-03-11

The US says the two recent tests were a 'serious escalation' and vows to further sanction N Korea.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Why does North Korea keep launching missiles? The US says N Korea recently tested parts of a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system, in what it called a "serious escalation". Pyongyang said the launches on 26 February and 4 March focused on developing a reconnaissance satellite. But the Pentagon now says the tests were experimental launches, before a likely full-range ICBM launch. With a minimum range of 5,500km (3,417 miles), ICBMs can reach the US. They are designed for nuclear arms delivery. On Thursday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said North Korea's two tests "involved a new intercontinental ballistic missile system". Neither launch displayed ICBM range or capability, but the tests were carried out "to evaluate this new system before conducting a test at full range in the future, potentially disguised as a space launch," Mr Kirby said. "The United States strongly condemns these launches, which are a brazen violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, needlessly raise tensions and risk destabilising the security situation in the region." Both South Korea and Japan have confirmed the US statement and condemned Pyongyang. Here we go again. And we can't say we were not warned. North Korea has spent over a year saying that it would return to testing bigger and better weapons. They even displayed them in a military parade and exhibitions. Pyongyang has carried out several short-range missile tests which will have helped their scientists try out new technology. But testing long range intercontinental ballistic missiles really make Washington sit up and take notice. Why? Because these missiles put the US mainland within striking distance, as North Korea demonstrated during its launches in 2017. The Hwasong-12 was thought to be able to reach as far as 4,500km (2,800 miles), putting US military bases on the Pacific island of Guam well within striking distance. The Hwasong-14 demonstrated even greater potential, with a range of 8,000km. Only the US, Russia and China have land-based missiles of this range. Kim Jong-un has warned he will launch "many satellites" soon, which Washington and Seoul will see as an attempt to try out the same technology as an ICBM. The allies have stepped up surveillance in the region. More sanctions will be announced. Once again, it seems tensions may return to the Korean peninsula, just as Seoul elects a new conservative president who has pledged to be tougher on Pyongyang. In a statement released on Friday, South Korea's defence ministry linked the two recent launches to a "newly developing ICBM system" that had been previously unveiled by North Korea's ruling party during a military parade in October. Seoul also "strongly condemned" the tests, whereas Japan called them a "threat to peace and security... that can never be tolerated." A senior US official described the tests as a "serious escalation", adding that the US would slap further sanctions against North Korea on Friday. The official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said the new measures would prevent Pyongyang from accessing "foreign items and technology" to further develop its missile programme. North Korea is already under biting international sanctions over its missile and nuclear weapons programme. Pyongyang has not conducted any ICBM or nuclear tests since 2017, though North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has at times hinted he may do so. The North put a moratorium in place on testing long-range ballistic missiles and nuclear tests after talks with then US President Donald Trump. But in 2020, Mr Kim announced he was no longer bound by this promise.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-60702463

India accidentally fires missile into Pakistan - BBC News

2022-03-11

Delhi blames a "technical malfunction" for the incident, which it called "deeply regrettable".

Both India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons India says it accidentally fired a missile into Pakistan on Wednesday, blaming the incident on a "technical malfunction" during routine maintenance. Delhi said it was "deeply regrettable" and expressed relief no one was killed. Pakistan's military said a "high-speed flying object" had crashed near the eastern city of Mian Channu and its flight path had endangered passenger flights. In a statement, India's defence ministry said: "On 9 March 2022, in the course of routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile. The Government of India has taken a serious view and ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry." Islamabad warned Delhi to "be mindful of the unpleasant consequences of such negligence" and to avoid a repeat. The object had been launched from Sirsa in Haryana state, it said. Pakistan's air force said the missile travelled at Mach 3 - three times the speed of sound - at an altitude of 12,000m (40,000ft) and flew 124km (77 miles) in Pakistani airspace before crashing. "The flight path of this object endangered many national and international passenger flights both in Indian and Pakistani airspace, as well as human life and property on the ground," said Pakistani military spokesman Major-General Babar Iftikhar on Thursday. On Friday, Pakistan's foreign ministry said it had summoned India's chargé d'affaires to complain about the incident. Pakistan also urged India to share the findings of its investigation into what happened.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-60711653

Midwife struck off over Shropshire baby's death - BBC News

2022-03-11

Pippa Griffiths died after midwives failed to realise the "urgency" of her condition, a panel says.

Pippa's parents Kayleigh and Colin Griffiths have been among those to campaign for a wider inquiry into maternity care in Shropshire A midwife found guilty of misconduct over the death of a baby six years ago is to be struck off. Claire Roberts was investigated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for failures in the care she gave to Pippa Griffiths - who died a day after being born at home in Myddle, Shropshire. An independent disciplinary panel described the midwife as "a danger to patients and colleagues". Ms Roberts, who was not present at the hearing, now has 28 days to appeal. The decision has been welcomed by Pippa's parents Kayleigh and Colin Griffiths. Ms Roberts and fellow midwife Joanna Young failed to realise the "urgency" of medical attention needed, following the birth, the panel said. They had failed to carry out a triage assessment, after Pippa's mother called staff for help because she was worried about her daughter's condition. The panel concluded Ms Roberts's fitness to practise was impaired. Inaccurate record-keeping by Ms Roberts represented "serious dishonesty", panel chair David Evans said, adding she had carried it out "in order to protect herself from disciplinary action". Her failures had represented a "significant departure from standards expected by a registered midwife," he added. Mr Evans said she had also failed to engage with the NMC or give evidence and had shown a "lack of insight, lack of remorse and lack of remediation identified around the areas of concern". Her colleague Ms Young, whose case was also heard by the panel, faced strong criticism on Wednesday, but was told she would face no sanction after the hearing concluded she had shown remorse and undergone extra training since 2016. Kayleigh Griffiths said she and her husband welcomed the findings and sanctions. "We're really relieved that one of the midwives has been struck off and actually we're also relieved to find that the other midwife has learnt and feels significant remorse for the event that took place," she said. "We realise people do make mistakes and I think how you deal with those mistakes is really important. "All we do ask is that learning was made from those and I think in one of the instances it did occur and in the other it didn't - so I think the right outcome has been found." Donna Ockenden's report into wider maternity standards at SaTh has faced fresh delays There was also criticism during the hearing of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which the panel heard had demonstrated shortcomings including in leadership, communication and records systems. In noting the judgment and the action that has been taken, SaTH director of nursing Hayley Favell said: "We offer our sincere condolences to the family over the loss of their daughter and, as a trust, we take full responsibility for the failings in the standard of care given to mothers and babies, for which we apologise unreservedly. "We remain committed to taking all of the steps necessary to improve and all our work is driven by a determination to ensure that we deliver safe, effective, reliable and high-quality services to the women and families we are caring for." Pippa was just 31 hours old when she died from a Group B Strep infection. An inquest in 2017 found she could have survived with earlier intervention. Since then, her parents have called for routine testing for the Group B Strep bacteria and have been among the most prominent campaigners for a wider inquiry into maternity standards at SaTH. It has become what is thought to be the largest maternity inquiry in the NHS's history. Its chair Donna Ockenden was due to publish her findings this month, but families have been told this will be delayed due to parliamentary processes. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-60694949

Petrol price hits new record above £1.60 a litre - BBC News

2022-03-11

As fuel prices reach fresh highs, one coach travel business says some services are becoming unviable.

Petrol prices have risen above £1.60 a litre on average for the first time as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to affect the cost of oil worldwide. Unleaded petrol hit £1.61 a litre on Thursday, having risen by 8p in a week, while diesel reached £1.70 a litre. The RAC said wholesale fuel costs had dropped for two days in a row, but warned prices at the pump are set to remain high for some time. The rise in fuel costs has led to a squeeze on margins for businesses. North East Coach Travel, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, warned it could end up running its services at a loss. Jenna Rush, the firm's managing director, said most of its bookings were agreed last year and did not take into account such a sharp rise in costs sparked by the economic fallout from the Ukraine war. "It's just awful, it's a very, very stressful time," Ms Rush told the BBC's Today programme. "We tendered as far back as last year for this type of work, no one envisaged that the fuel prices would increase as much as they have. "At the moment we're scared that we are going to be running at a loss when it keeps increasing." Ms Rush warned the rising costs could lead to some operators pulling out of contracts. She said the company was trying to renegotiate prices with customers, but added it was proving "very, very difficult". "The profit margins are too small that we just can't absorb them costs ourselves, not coming off the back of Covid anyway. It's been a very hard two years. We've been beginning to see the green shoots of recovery coming through but now this is just another kick in the teeth." The RAC motoring group said it was costing over £88 on average to fill up a car with petrol. It called on the government to reduce VAT on fuel, which it said added 28p on the cost of petrol or diesel per litre. Fuel prices have been rising amid fears of a global economic shock from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Oil prices are mainly determined by the price of crude oil and the dollar exchange rate, as agreements are made in dollars. Russia is the third largest oil exporter and some Western countries, for example the US and Canada, decided to halt imports from the country in response to Russia's actions. It means demand for oil from other producers has increased, leading to increased prices. At one point Brent crude - the global benchmark for oil prices - jumped to $139 a barrel, the highest level for almost 14 years. The UK only imports about 6% of oil from Russia, so is not as dependent on Russia for the commodity supply as other European countries are and has said it plans to phase it out. It is, however, affected by the global shifts in price. But early on Friday the price of Brent crude was on track for its biggest weekly drop since November and was trading at about $107. The drop in price is party due to reduced fears of a European ban on Russian oil, and partly due to speculation that extra supplies could come onto the market from Iran, Venezuela and the UAE. Yet higher prices at the pumps are likely to remain in the coming weeks, due to the way retailers buy the fuel, Simon Williams, fuel spokesman for the RAC said. "There is a real hope that these prices will filter through," he said. "We would really hope these drops will take some of the heat out of the rising prices so we won't have records set on a daily basis." But Mr Williams said there was a concern retailers might be reluctant to lower their prices for fear of "catching a cold" if wholesale costs jump back up again. It means for the time being, firms such as North East Coach Travel will have to continue to bare the brunt of higher fuel prices. "This could be the straw that breaks the camel's back with some operators where they just hand the contracts back and say, 'I'm done, I can't continue anymore'," said Ms Rush. "People are already stressing about how they're going to manage themselves with filling their own car up, paying their own gas and electric that's increasing at home. How are they going to keep managing to pay out for further things?" The UK is experiencing rising prices for energy, food as well as fuel as the economy recovers from the pandemic, and some expect the inflation rate to reach 8% later this year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60704818

Will Nato get involved if dirty bombs are used in Ukraine? And other questions - BBC News

2022-03-11

BBC correspondents Lyse Doucet and Jenny Hill answer readers' questions on Ukraine

Concerns have been raised that President Putin may use non-conventional weapons in Ukraine, such as chemical weapons or so-called dirty bombs. Members of the BBC audience have been sending in their questions about the impact this would have, as well as the many other aspects of the war. Will the potential for a Nato engagement increase if dirty bombs or chemical weapons are used? - Gordon Mains, Glasgow This question must be on the minds of Nato members. But they are very careful and cautious about not being drawn into this war beyond the supply of military weapons and ammunition. Nato's principle of "collective defence," enshrined in its Article Five, is "an attack against one ally is considered as an attack against all allies". It is now trying to defend "every inch" of Nato territory but there's a laser focus on any threats which cross the border. They know this threat exists - although Russia says it has no plans to invade other countries. Why can't we fly in humanitarian aid to besieged cities? - Steve Harvey, Northamptonshire Ukraine does not control its airspace. Many airports have come under attack by Russian forces, on the ground and from the air. In most parts of the country, it would be too dangerous to fly in the desperately needed supplies. As you've no doubt seen, a lot of aid is coming in by road across Ukraine's western borders. Western cities like Lviv, still relatively untouched by direct Russian strikes, have become a hub for humanitarian aid. All the countries bordering Ukraine to the west have also quickly ramped up a major emergency operation as the numbers spiral in ways not seen since World War Two. In any war or disaster, it is always a question of resources and access. Right now, aid trucks laden with urgent supplies are being turned back by incessant Russian shelling. Russian state media also show images of Russian aid distribution in areas under their control. Toronto: A plane prepares to fly aid to Poland, where it will be delivered overland to Ukraine How likely is it that the war in Ukraine could escalate into a full-fledged war between Russia and Nato? - Connor, Northern Ireland It's not impossible, which is why Nato has been so wary of intervention. Vladimir Putin has threatened any country which hinders his "special military operation" in Ukraine with consequences of a severity "not experienced in your history", which most take to mean the use of nuclear weapons. It's difficult to know how seriously to take Mr Putin's rhetoric but, given his recent unpredictability, many in the West are nervous about where this could all go. Mr Putin insists that he's only in Ukraine to protect the Russian speaking populations of Eastern Ukraine from what he deems to be the aggression of the government in Kyiv. But none of us can say for sure what his game plan really is. He's said he doesn't want to "occupy" Ukraine - but then he also he said he wouldn't invade it. More broadly, we know from what he's written and said, that he sees Nato as a huge threat to Russia and that he wants to challenge its structure, particularly in Eastern Europe. Nato would have to react in the event of an attack on the countries which have joined since 1997 - the countries which border Ukraine and Belarus. The further west that Russian forces advance, the greater the risk of a accidental - or deliberate - strike on Nato territory. Why has the UK not expelled all the Russian diplomats and staff in London? - Julie Thompson, Preston My guess is that while there's still a hope (however fleeting) that diplomacy could end this, the UK and other Western countries will resist what would be viewed in Moscow as a provocation. It would also likely result in the expulsion of their own embassy staff from Russia. After seeing all the trains fully packed, why aren't more being sent in to rescue the fleeing people? - Kate Russell, Glasgow The trains are running, many on time, even in this war. But in some places, including Irpin just west of Kyiv, the tracks were attacked so that station is now not in use. I noticed on my last trip to the wonderful 19th Century train station in Kyiv that the platforms for trains heading west were not as crowded, although the trains pulling out are certainly still full. A volunteer in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv helps a baby on board a train to Poland What's the motive behind the Russian invasion in Ukraine? - Karen Keven, Nigeria The truth is we don't really know for sure. Vladimir Putin claims that he's coming to the rescue of Russian speaking populations of Eastern Ukraine who are victims of "genocide" (of which there's no evidence) by the government in Kyiv. He's demanding that Ukraine officially hand over some territory in the east, including Crimea which he annexed in 2014, to Russia. He also wants Ukraine to give up on its ambition to join Nato. Does he have wider ambitions? Perhaps. We know he views Nato (and in particular the former Soviet countries that joined after 1997) as a threat to Russian security. Moscow has demanded changes to Nato structure - it wants, for example, European countries like Germany, which host US nuclear weapons, to return them to America. There are analysts who say we also can't rule out the possibility that Mr Putin's nurturing an ambition to re-build the Soviet Union - given how its break-up appears to be a continuing and humiliating source of deep regret for him. Is it possible for the United Nations to send troops into Ukraine and also enforce a no-fly zone? If so, why have they not made any attempt? - Joseph Akinwunmi, Lagos The United Nations would have to be asked and authorised to come in, usually by the UN Security Council. But at the moment this war is raging and, in some comments, Russia even denies it has invaded its neighbour. It still calls this a "special military operation" to defend Russia from threats. Ukraine has repeatedly called for a no-fly zone. It has been repeatedly ruled out. Western/Nato powers know this would draw them into direct conflict with Russia. A no-fly zone would not just involve targeting Russian warplanes, it would also require attacks on Russian assets on the ground. If Russia takes control of the whole of Ukraine, what would the response be from Nato and the US? - Jeff Moono, Lusaka That's the nightmare scenario for Nato, which has bolstered troop numbers in neighbouring countries but which, for the reasons outlined above, does not want to be drawn into a war with Russia. There's speculation that, before that eventuality arose, Kyiv might be persuaded to do a deal with Moscow - in other words, hand over some of its territory in return for a cessation of hostilities. However, the problem with that scenario is, firstly, that Kyiv doesn't want to give ground, and secondly, there's also a fear that such an outcome might embolden Mr Putin. Nevertheless, right now most analysts assume that Russia would struggle to hold Ukraine in the long term. As the fighting continues and more people and soldiers will suffer horrific injuries from the bombing, will they have enough blood supplies. Should people be donating their blood? - Linda Potter I remember when this invasion started more than two weeks ago that a call went out for blood donations. Ukrainians are signing up to fight, and to donate blood - wherever and whenever they can. But, like you, you they must be asking if they have enough. When do all of the sanctions go into effect? - Alfred Pons, Albuquerque, US Many have already taken effect but others are pending. The UK has just announced sanctions on 386 members of the Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, who support the invasion of Ukraine. And the EU says it remains ready to impose more sanctions. Can you tell us what Belarus is doing in this conflict? Is any of their army actually taking part? - Steve Simmons-Jacobs, Romsey Neighbouring Belarus became a staging ground for Russian troops and heavy weaponry in the weeks leading up the invasion (even though it was described as military exercises). It then became a launching pad for Russia to move into Ukraine, and for Russian missile strikes across the border. So far, the US says it sees no evidence that Belarussian forces have become directly involved. Belarus has also hosted talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams close to the border. In 2020, Russian forces helped the Belarussian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, survive an unprecedented uprising against his rule. Russian President Vladimir Putin expects him to return the favour. However, although it was announced before the invasion that Belarus could join the fight, Lukanshenko recently said he wouldn't. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, also made a direct appeal to Belarus last month, saying "Be Belarus, not Russia."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-60711951

Covid deaths probably three times higher than records say - BBC News

2022-03-11

Official records say six million have died, but the true figure may be over 18 million, say researchers.

More than 18 million people - three times higher than official records suggest - have probably died because of Covid, say researchers. Their report comes two years to the day from when the World Health Organization first declared the pandemic. The Covid-19 excess mortality team at the US's Washington University studied 191 countries and territories for what they call the true global death figure. Some deaths were from the virus, while others were linked to the infection. This is because catching Covid might worsen other pre-existing medical conditions, such as heart or lung disease, for example. The measure used is called excess deaths - how many more people have been dying than would be expected compared to recent years, before the pandemic hit. To calculate this, the researchers gathered data through searches of various government websites, the World Mortality Database, the Human Mortality Database, and the European Statistical Office. Rates of excess deaths are estimated to have varied dramatically by country and region, but the overall global rate calculated in the study is 120 deaths per 100,000 people. That would mean about 18.2 million deaths have happened because of Covid in the two years between the start of 2020 and the end of 2021 - three times as many as the official 5.9 million that have actually been recorded. Excess death estimates were calculated for the full study period only, and not by week or month, because of lags and inconsistencies in reporting of Covid death data that could drastically alter the estimates, the investigators stress. According to the research, which is published in The Lancet, the highest rates were in lower income countries in Latin America, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. But deaths were also fairly high in some high-income countries, such as Italy and parts of the US. The five countries with the highest estimated excess death rates were: The five with the lowest were: For the UK, the estimated total number of Covid-related deaths in 2020 and 2021 was similar to official records at about 173,000, with an excess mortality rate of 130 people per 100,000. Lead author Dr Haidong Wang, from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, said: "Understanding the true death toll from the pandemic is vital for effective public health decision-making. "Studies from several countries, including Sweden and the Netherlands, suggest Covid was the direct cause of most excess deaths, but we currently don't have enough evidence for most locations. "Further research will help to reveal how many deaths were caused directly by Covid, and how many occurred as an indirect result of the pandemic." The researchers predict that excess mortality linked to the pandemic will decline, thanks to vaccines and new treatments. But they warn that the pandemic is not yet over. And new, dangerous variants of the virus could emerge. • None How new drugs are finally taming the virus The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60690251

Bitcoin cash machines ordered to shut down in UK - BBC News

2022-03-11

The Financial Conduct Authority warns that all crypto-ATMs in the UK are operating illegally.

All UK crypto-currency cash machines (ATMs) are operating illegally and must be shut down, the Financial Conduct Authority has announced. Crypto-ATMs look like regular cash machines and let people buy crypto-currency, such as Bitcoin, using their bank cards. But no company offering crypto-currency services in the UK has a licence to operate a crypto-ATM. The FCA said all such machines must be shut down or it will take action. According to crypto-ATM directory Coin ATM Radar, there are 81 functional crypto-ATMS in the UK. The FCA said: "We regularly warn consumers that crypto-assets are unregulated and high-risk which means people are very unlikely to have any protection if things go wrong. "People should be prepared to lose all their money if they choose to invest in them." The FCA publishes a list of companies that appear to be involved in crypto-currency but have not registered their business with the regulator for anti-money-laundering checks. It said that since the publication of its list, 110 of the crypto companies had ceased trading. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Are crypto-currencies the future of money? • None What is Bitcoin? Video, 00:01:32What is Bitcoin?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60709209

Zoe Covid-tracking app loses government funding - BBC News

2022-03-11

Zoe app co-founder says it could have been the tool to protect the UK from the next pandemic.

The app collated and analysed the symptoms of Covid An app that was widely used to track the symptoms of Covid will not have its government funding renewed as the UK adapts to living with the disease. Co-founder of the Zoe Covid study app, Prof Tim Spector, labelled the decision "a really bad mistake". The app had received more than £5m in grants from the UK's Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The UKHSA said it would continue to monitor Covid-19 "through our world-leading studies and many data sources". The Zoe app offered a new way to track diseases, with users inputting symptoms and experts analysing the data. It was launched in March 2020 and over the next two years the app, developed by King's College London and technology company Zoe, helped discover new symptoms of Covid. It also reported on the effects of vaccines and provided up-to-date predictions about the spread of the pandemic. With 4.7 million users and 850,000 daily contributors, recording more than 480 million health reports, the app was part of one of the largest studies of its kind in the world and led to 40 peer-reviewed scientific papers based on the findings. The app was one of the first to show that a loss of smell was a Covid symptom In a statement posted on YouTube, epidemiologist Prof Spector said: "The UK government has informed us with just a few weeks' notice that we will no longer be receiving funding from them in order to track Covid or help us develop the study further to look at other things, such as heart disease, cancer or dementia. "This is really disappointing. Only a few weeks ago they told me it was virtually certain they would continue to fund us. "We have shown how effective our methods can be." Prof Spector said it was relatively cheap to run compared with other methods for tracking diseases. "We strongly believe that this is a really bad mistake. Zoe could have been the tool that protects the UK from the next pandemic and saves the NHS millions as we try to find ways to prevent major diseases." Prof Spector said the app also had a use beyond Covid - as a "health surveillance tool" for many diseases. The future of the app is uncertain. It will be funded in the short term by the co-founders, and Prof Spector remains hopeful the government might change its mind. He appealed on Twitter to those who used the app and saw its value to email the health security agency. In a statement the UKHSA said: "Due to the reduction in serious illness and deaths from Covid-19 we begin a new phase of living with the virus. "We thank all participants for supporting our surveillance work during the most demanding public health crisis in living memory." • None How many have Covid right now? This may be the best guess

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60708330

Benjamin Mendy: New hearing set for rape-accused footballer - BBC News

2022-03-11

Judge orders Manchester City's Benjamin Mendy to attend next court date ahead of sex charges trial.

Benjamin Mendy is accused of nine sex offences involving six alleged victims Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy, who has been charged with rape and sexual assault, will appear for a further court hearing in May ahead of his trial, a judge has ordered. The 27-year-old is accused of attacking six women and is charged with seven counts of rape. Judge Steven Everett, Recorder of Chester, ordered a two-day pre-trial hearing starting on 23 May. He said Mr Mendy must attend the hearing at Chester Crown Court. Administrative and evidence matters were also dealt with, which cannot be reported ahead of the jury trial. Judge Everett confirmed the trial date for Mr Mendy and his co-accused Louis Saha Matturie, who are both on bail, as 25 July, with the trial expected to last up to six weeks. The Manchester City defender was first arrested in August last year Mr Mendy, of Prestbury, Cheshire, is accused of seven counts of rape relating to four women, one count of sexual assault and one of attempted rape. Mr Matturie, 40, of Eccles, Salford, is accused of 10 offences, involving seven women, including seven counts of rape relating to five women and three of sexual assault. All the charges are alleged to have happened between late 2020 and August 2021. None of the women involved can be identified by law as complainants of sexual offences. The left-back was suspended by Manchester City, who he joined from Monaco in 2017 for a reported £52m, when he was charged by police. Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-60710163

Covid infections rising again across UK - ONS - BBC News

2022-03-11

A form of Omicron called BA.2 is now the most common variant in most of the UK, figures suggest.

Covid infections are increasing across the UK with about one in 25 people infected, according to the latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In Scotland, 300,000 people - one in 18 - have coronavirus, the highest level recorded during the pandemic. A sub-variant of Omicron, called BA.2, is now thought to be the most common strain in most of the UK. The ONS says it's too early to say what's behind the rise in cases. But some scientists believe the BA.2 variant's increased transmissibility, recent easing of restrictions and waning immunity from the vaccines could all be factors. Asked if there were worries about sub-variants Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the government had "no concerns at all". He said Omicron had been the last variant to be considered of concern but that the country had "successfully navigated" it, but he said the government continued to monitor the situation "very carefully". "There's a world-class surveillance system in place, and whilst in some regions we have seen a modest rise in infections, overall case numbers are still very low and hospitalisation numbers are way below their peak," he said. The ONS infection survey, which tests thousands of people randomly in households across the UK, estimates that 2.6 million people would have tested positive in the week ending 5 March - up from 2.4 million the previous week - roughly one in 27. There were also rises across the four UK nations: Older age groups are now experiencing rising levels of infection with 2.9% of over-70s testing positive in England - the highest level since mid-January. An extra vaccine booster is being offered this spring to people over 75, care-home residents and the most vulnerable over-12s to top up their protection. These groups will be invited to have a jab six months after their most recent vaccination. The booster vaccines offer good long-term protection against severe disease and death from Covid, but they provide little protection against infection. Even a small drop-off in vaccine immunity over time could have a large impact, increasing the numbers of at-risk people needing hospital treatment. NHS England says the spring booster rollout will begin in April - with the exception of a small number of extremely vulnerable people, who will be invited in late March - with no plans to bring it forward. In Scotland, additional booster doses started being given to the most vulnerable this week. Linda Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh, said it would be "great" to accelerate the booster programme "to keep numbers in hospital low" and also to make sure people continued to be treated for other health issues, after very long waits. "We have always expected there to be new infections as we opened up," Prof Bauld said. "We have decoupled the worst health harms of Covid due to vaccines, but getting the further booster delivered in March and April is going to be critical." The number of people with Covid in Scottish hospitals is at its highest level for 13 months. There were 1,636 patients in hospital on Wednesday, which is higher than the peak during the Omicron wave in January. Health boards said that while far fewer people needed intensive care, the large numbers of Covid patients were affecting availability of beds and other services. After falling steadily since January, official data shows Covid hospital admissions have also been going up gradually in the rest of the UK - with England showing the most obvious rise since the end of February. In Wales, admissions are staying relatively stable. Nearly 12,000 people are in UK hospitals with a positive test for Covid but data suggests most of those patients are being treated for something else rather than Covid-19 itself. Earlier this week, Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said the presence of the BA.2 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant and slight increase in infections in over-55s in England "show the pandemic is not over". "We can expect to see Covid circulating at high levels," Dr Harries said. "Vaccination remains the best way to protect us all from severe disease and hospitalisation due to Covid-19 infection. "We urge you to come forward for your primary or booster doses straight away if you have not already done so."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60709712

As it happened: Biden warns US intervention in Ukraine would mean WW3 - BBC News

2022-03-11

The US president restated that his country's military would not directly intervene against Russia.

White House officials hosted a private Zoom briefing for about 30 influential TikTok creators to keep them informed of the latest US messaging regarding Ukraine, according to the Washington Post. The briefing was conducted by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki and National Security Council adviser Matt Miller. Several of the social media stars have since gone on to post about Ukraine. The topic included the US "strategic goals in the region", according to the Post, such as how the US would respond to a Russian nuclear escalation and how US aid dollars are being spent to help Ukraine. TikTok has been widely embraced by the Biden administration as a way to reach younger Americans who get much of their news from social media.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-60685883

Covid pandemic fuels deepening education inequalities in England, say MPs - BBC News

2022-03-11

A report says school closures damaged learning in England, with big regional differences.

Year 6 pupils in Sheffield have been trying to catch up after the disruption The "devastating" impact of England's school closures during the pandemic is leading to greater inequality, MPs say. A report by the Education Select Committee found Yorkshire and the Humber, and the North East are the worst-affected areas. It warns the flagship National Tutoring Programme is falling far short of its targets this year. The government said it aimed to ensure as many children as possible received high-quality catch-up tutoring. The committee gathered evidence about how education in England is recovering after two years of disruption. The report calls for the government to "refocus" its efforts on a "fragmented and bureaucratic" catch-up programme. Primary maths is one of the subjects where there are shocking regional differences: the average learning loss was 0.5 months in the South West, 0.9 months in London, four months in the North East and 5.3 months in Yorkshire and the Humber. At Greenhill Primary School in Sheffield, it has been one of the subjects where pupils have been offered extra teaching to recover lost ground. Year 6 teacher Toni Whitehouse said there had been a "massive impact" from the classroom closure, and not just on learning. "We found children couldn't sit still, hold a discussion, collaborate with other children," she said. As well as covering new topics, teachers have had to reinstil some of the basics. "Coming back from Covid, I've got children who can't use capital letters, full stops, the kind of skills we taught them when they were four or five." Nicola said she lost confidence because of the disruption to classes Annabel, one of the Year 6 pupils, said booster classes with her teachers have really helped after the disruption. "I think it's helped with my arithmetic and reasoning. We didn't get to do much in lockdown. I lost quite a lot of confidence." Nicola, also in Year 6, said despite extra help she is worried about going to secondary school. "My confidence with learning got a bit messed up - with a year-and-a-half of learning partly at home with your family around you." The risk of failing to make up for the learning loss from the pandemic is rated as "critical or very likely" by the Department for Education itself in its annual report. Robert Halfon, chairman of the Education Select Committee, thinks the damage could be long term "This is incredibly serious, children have lost months of learning, disadvantaged children are between five to eight months behind in maths. "We are damaging their life chances if we don't get this catch-up programme right." He is also worried that if the almost £5bn committed so far isn't well spent, it could be hard to persuade the Treasury to give more funding to education. Toni Whitehouse said disruption had had a massive impact Greenhill is part of a group of nine primary schools spread across Sheffield in very different parts of the city. Chief executive Nicola Shipman says some schools have seen children more affected by the pandemic than others. They tried using one part of the National Tutoring Programme, which is the main part of the government's catch-up programme, to get academic mentors for pupils. However, they found it wasn't easy to recruit enough good people. This year instead, like many schools, they have used their own staff to run extra sessions with some extra government funding, rather than using tutoring agencies through the national scheme. Ms Shipman said: "There needs to be a rethink, about how that money can be better spent by those of us who know our children better." Schools can bid for funding from the National Tutoring Programme to organise extra tutoring themselves for disadvantaged pupils, or seek to be matched with tutoring agencies and academic mentors for pupils. This is via the private company Randstad, which won the contract. However, MPs say it has only reached 52,000 courses so far - just 10% of this year's target for tutoring courses. They criticised the lack of transparency around the contract, and a decision to relax a target to reach mainly poorer pupils with tutoring. Unless performance improves, the report calls for the contract with Randstad to be scrapped. It adds the current "spaghetti junction" of confusing funding should be replaced by giving money directly to the schools and areas that need it most. So far almost £5bn has been committed to education recovery in England. A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Tutoring plays an integral role in supporting pupils to catch up on any lost learning, and delivery is on track to meet the ambitious target of teaching two million courses this academic year. "We continue to work with Randstad to ensure as many children from all backgrounds - in particular those from disadvantaged backgrounds - across the country can benefit from high-quality tutoring and catch up on lost learning."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-60683839

Ukraine war: On the front line of the battle for Kharkiv - BBC News

2022-03-11

Quentin Sommerville and cameraman Darren Conway are with Ukrainian forces fighting to stop the Russian advance on the country's second city.

In the early days of the invasion, Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine fought back a Russian armoured column. Since then, it has suffered nightly Russian airstrikes and shelling, with dozens of civilians killed and hundreds injured. The BBC's Quentin Sommerville and cameraman Darren Conway have spent the week with the Ukrainian forces as they fight to stop a further Russian advance. This report contains material some viewers will find disturbing The first casualty of war is time. Ask the young soldier at the front when the attack happened, or the old lady in the hospital bed when her home was shelled, and they look at you confused. Was it 24 hours ago, or 48? The days have become one, they tell you. In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, time is elastic. It's close to the border with Russia and the nightly shelling from Russian artillery and warplanes gives no rest. The past two weeks have seemed like an eternity, yet peace can be remembered as if it were yesterday. In a frozen landscape on the city's north-eastern edge, 21-year-old Lieutenant Yevgen Gromadsky stands with hands outstretched. There are trenches dug in nearby. "Outgoing," he says, lifting his right hand to accompany the thump of fire from his positions. "Incoming," he says, and his left hand ticks up. With a crump, Russian shells are fired from their positions 900m away across snow-covered fields. The shelling continues like clockwork at the edge of this bombed-out village - "Incoming, outgoing, incoming, outgoing," Lt Gromadsky flicks his hands with each report. We met only this afternoon, but already I know that just last week, his father Oleg was killed defending the city, and Lt Gromadsky is the seventh generation of military in his family. He plans for an eighth, in a free Ukraine. He describes the fight so far, "Sabotage groups are probing our lines out, we have direct tank battles. They shoot with mortar shells at first, and then tanks fire at our positions." We move along the front lines from position to position. Inside his armoured vehicle, a Russian army hat - a trophy from their first capture - hanging from the ceiling, he continues, "We are shooting back with anti-tank guided missiles and also the usual small arms. They dismount, they scatter, there's always a lot of people." Inside the truck there are Mexican Day of the Dead air fresheners. Grinning skulls hanging from every corner as we bounce along rutted dirt road. On the floor, rocket-propelled grenade launchers roll around. From the front passenger seat Lt Gromadsky says, "Sometimes they use this tactic - first, they raise a white flag above their equipment, then come closer to our positions. When we come up and kind of take them as prisoners of war, they start to open fire on our troops." The position was attacked on Monday (or was it the day before, he wonders), two Russian tanks and an armoured vehicle. "Don't worry, we are well defended," he says as he gestures to a pile of American-made Javelin guided anti-tank missiles. "Lockheed Martin, Texas," is written on their casing. Nearby, is a pile of British next-generation light anti-tank weapon (NLAW) missiles. "Eliminates even the most advanced tanks," its manufacturer Saab promises on its website. It is bitterly cold and two puppies are playing around Lt Gromadsky's feet. His shoes are a pair of white Puma trainers - "You need to be fast out here," he says. The Ukrainians are improvising in this war. Their government has been criticised for being ill-prepared, and now there is a rush to bring men forward to the front. The regular army is being merged with civilian defence forces. At a marshalling point on the city's eastern edge, I watch as buses arrive with hundreds of freshly equipped soldiers. "Where's my body armour?" asks one. "You'll get it at the front," yells an officer, and moments later they are gone. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: Our correspondent on the front line, with Ukraine’s troops - this report contains graphic images of casualties Some will be joining Lt Gromadsky's unit and working alongside a medic who goes by the name of Reaper. "You've heard of the grim reaper, right?" he asks. He's also in command of this defence line at the edge of a village. Many of the homes there have been destroyed or damaged by Russian shelling. How are the Russians fighting, I ask. "They fight like stupid animals," says Reaper. "They fight like it's 1941 - they have no manoeuvrability, they just come to the front and that's all. They have a lot of people, a lot of tanks, a lot of vehicles, but we are fighting for our land, and we are protecting our families. it doesn't matter how they fight because we fight like lions and they won't win." Back in the rear, the field kitchen is in a coffee shop. The army cook is reassuringly large with a knitted hat atop his head. He offers bowls of steaming hot borscht - "Have sour cream with it," he insists. There are piles of cakes and biscuits, made by local factories for the troops. I sit beside a 30-year-old battalion commander, Sergey. "We see the enemy, we kill the enemy, there's no conversation, that's it," he says. He wants to know where I'm from. I tell him and he asks if it's true that British volunteers have come to fight for Ukraine. "What aircraft have you given us," he says as he finishes his borscht. But across the east and south of Ukraine, Russia has been advancing. The Russian army has met more determined resistance than it expected, but cities continue to fall. And for all their front-line courage, there is a recognition that their abilities on the ground will not be enough. Soldier after soldier says they need air defence, a no-fly zone. I get inside another armoured vehicle, which two weeks ago was doing cash pickups at the city's banks. It, too, has now been put into the war effort. As we drive through the city, with its wide boulevards, and fine buildings, we reach a Soviet-Era apartment complex. And there I meet Eugene, a great Viking of a man, heavily tattooed with an orange beard. "If Kharkiv falls, then all of Ukraine falls," Eugene, 36, tells me. He's a part of a reconnaissance team working near apartment blocks. Some of the flats have taken direct hits and in the car park, a car lies ripped apart from another grad missile strike. What there isn't here in Kharkiv, is any surprise at the Russian attack. "Since 2014 we knew they would come, maybe in a year, 10 years, or 1,000 years, but we knew they would come". At 04:55 on 24 February, Eugene received a call from a friend saying the attack was about to begin. "Then I heard the rockets attack our city," he says. Like everyone else he hasn't been home since. Leaving the front to return to the centre of the city is almost like entering another world. The relentless Russian shelling has meant that most of the 1.5m population has fled. Few neighbourhoods have escaped some kind of damage. Early in the mornings, queues can still be seen at pharmacies, banks, supermarkets and petrol stations, as those who stayed behind stock up on supplies. A huge logistical and humanitarian effort is going on behind the scenes to keep Kharkiv running. Before curfew I make my way to the city's Hospital Number 4 to meet Dr Alexander Dukhovskyi, head of paediatrics. Underneath his hospital whites, he's wearing a Miami Beach 2015 T-shirt, with the American flag. He hasn't gone home in weeks. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: How Russia is using tactics refined over a decade in Syria He laughs when I say that Russia says it isn't targeting civilians. Then, silently, he takes me down corridor after corridor of victims of Russian attacks. They are in the hallways because Russian shells have landed nearby, so the patients aren't safe in the wards with large windows. Most here were injured while at home. The children's intensive care unit is on the ground floor. Its narrow windows catch the brilliant light from the snow outside and glint over the golden icons of saints above the nurses' station. In a bed nearby is eight-year-old Dmitry. His toes poke out from under the blanket and a hand, bruised and bloodied peeks out too. His face is scraped and scarred with hundreds of marks, his right eye is not quite closed. A few days ago, the doctors removed a bullet from under his skull and vertebrae. It is hoped he'll make a full recovery, but for the moment he's in a sorry state, with tubes taking out fluids from his small body in plastic bottles hanging beneath his bed. The thin blanket with tiny roses on it, rises and falls with his mechanical breathing. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: Doctors removed a bullet from between Dmitriy's skull and vertebrae Vladimir Putin said he wanted to demilitarise Ukraine, instead he's creating a no-man's land. At night the city is in near total blackout. A steady beat of Russian strikes fall through the night. Kharkiv was once Ukraine's capital - it has the parks, cathedrals, museums and theatres you would expect, as well as the Antonov aircraft factory and tank and turbine manufacturers. All of the city is now a front line. And this, too, should come as no surprise. The Russian war-playbook has been perfected in Syria over the past 10 years. Surround, besiege, and terrorise the population. In Ukraine, as in Syria, the population is being bussed out of their home cities as Russian forces continue their advance. I meet an intelligence team, who drive with anti-tank missiles ready to use in the back of their vehicles. Again, I head to the city's edge, and pass through the front lines into a wasteland. Two petrol stations just outside the city that have been destroyed by shelling and gunfire. Lying in the snow, are a dozen or so frozen Russian corpses. The men lie like wax figures, some with hands reaching out, their matted beards frozen stiff in the cold. The guts of one are spilled across the forecourt. There are blood-red footprints around his corpse. Their weapons have been taken, and I ask Uta, one of the officers, what will happen to the bodies. "What do you think will happen, we will leave them for the dogs," he says with a shrug. And at this miserable spot on Kharkiv's edge, unremarkable for its ordinariness two weeks ago, surrounded by frozen corpses, it's as if time is standing still. Are you or your family in Ukraine? Please share your experience if it is safe to do so by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60693166

Russia-Ukraine war: Family drags grandmother to safety from Bucha - BBC News

2022-03-11

When his neighbour's house was hit by a tank, Dmytro decided to get out of the town of Bucha fast.

Bucha is encircled and its residents face constant shelling "The last straw was when a Russian tank shelled my neighbour's house and a nearby church," says Dmytro Tkachuk. He then decided it was time to flee Bucha, a small town just to the north-west of Kyiv. "The dome of the church is destroyed. It's terrifying." Ukraine's emergency services have singled out Bucha and the area around it as facing one of the worst humanitarian situations in Ukraine. The biggest emergency is in Mariupol, a key port city of more than 400,000 people. Bucha is encircled by the Russian army and partly occupied. It has come under relentless bombardment since the start of the war. No humanitarian aid or food has reached the town for days. Thousands of residents remain trapped in basements, many of them elderly or with severe disabilities. Communications are down and there is little hope of getting in touch with friends and family. Escaping Bucha meant a 17km (10.5-mile) trek for Dmytro, a 30-year-old lawyer, along with his sister, his mother and his two grandmothers, aged 74 and 83. They were joined by two neighbours and a small dog. As shells exploded nearby, they had to fling themselves to the ground at least 20 times. Not long after they had left, his grandmother could walk no more and he and his sister had to drag her for much of the way under fire. "My granny begged us to leave her behind. She didn't want to be a burden for us but we didn't drop our loved ones." A relieved Dmytro (R) poses here with (L-R) his sister, neighbour, grandmother and mother There was no safe corridor for evacuation and no help for them. They knew the risk but carried on until they eventually reached safety near Kyiv in what the family believes is a miracle. "On our way out of Bucha I saw bodies lying on the ground all over the place. I saw people going crazy in front of their burning houses. I saw entire apartment blocks torn out of the soil. It was appalling." Bucha was one of the evacuation corridors agreed by the Ukrainian government and Russian defence ministry on Wednesday. But no ceasefire was confirmed and only people like Dmytro have made it out. While thousands of Ukrainians have managed to escape bombarded towns and cities, Mariupol, Bucha, Izyum and other areas remain isolated. Bucha is only a few kilometres from the front of Russia's notorious 64km convoy of stalled armoured vehicles, tanks, and artillery. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. For five days there has been no word from a colleague and her mother who are trapped together in Bucha. In her last message she said that there was no escape and their only means of survival was to try to sleep for as long as possible in the freezing cold of their unheated basement. There is no electricity or heating. The gas has been cut off because of fires caused by shelling. No food supply is getting in and there is no mobile reception. Occasional internet access is the only way of getting messages through to the outside world. Earlier this week one disabled resident managed to post an appeal on her Facebook page. She and other people with disabilities had become hostages, she said. They were unable to hide in shelters and had no access to food, water and medicines. Our house was under direct shelling from a tank. The city is looted by Russian invaders. We have no chance to rescue - we have nowhere to run! The next day she posted an update to say she was alive and had managed to cook a meal with her neighbours. Dmytro fled when he decided he and his family had little chance to survive. They had to avoid a Russian checkpoint to get out of the town and then once they had reached neighbouring Irpin they hid under the town's half-destroyed bridge. From Irpin they crossed a field as fast as they could under constant mortar fire. They were warned repeatedly of the deadly risk they were taking. Shrapnel flew past them and they saw houses and a bridge hit as they passed. "My whole life was flashing by. I was praying to God to survive," says Dmytro. The heaviest shelling came from the direction they were heading in as Ukrainian forces tried to halt the Russian advance. "I realised that was our route to safety, despite the loudest explosions coming from over there." They finally reached a bus heading for Kyiv. But for many others in their town the nightmare continues.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60688640

'It is Russia against humanity': Crisis grows in besieged Ukrainian city - BBC News

2022-03-11

Relatives of people trapped in Mariupol face agonising difficulties contacting their loved ones.

Ukrainian emergency services carry an injured pregnant woman from a hospital shelled by Russian forces People with loved ones trapped inside the besieged city of Mariupol were trying desperately on Thursday to connect to phones inside the city, which has been virtually cut off from the outside world by an escalating and indiscriminate bombing campaign by Russian forces. Dmytro Gurin, a Ukrainian MP who grew up in Mariupol and whose parents are trapped there, said he last managed to connect to their neighbours four days ago. "We spoke for 30 seconds after they went to a spot with signal - there are a couple of these spots people know about," Mr Gurin said. "They said my parents were alive, living in the basement under their apartment building. "Please understand me that this is not a shelter with light, water and a toilet, it is a basement with nothing." Mr Gurin said his parents were using snow to drink water and trying to cook food on an open fire outside. "Can you try to imagine this? Your parents, 67 and 69, are drinking snow and trying to cook on a fire outside in winter and there is continuous shelling," he said. "This is not war any more. This is not army against army. It is carpet bombing. It is Russia against humanity." Arthur Bondarenko, a 35-year-old coffee distributor in Odessa, said he was hopelessly sending messages every day to his close friends, a couple with a six-year-old son. "Every day I message them and say, 'Hello, good morning, how are you?' "None of the messages go through." Mr Bondarenko said he last spoke to them on 2 March. "They had no water, no electricity, no heating and there was no shelter under their house." Mariupol, a city of about 400,000, is a key strategic target for Russia because seizing it would allow Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine to join forces with troops in Crimea, the southern peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. The city has now been subjected to nine days of heavy bombardment by Russian forces, destroying apartment buildings and flattening residential areas. Footage verified by the BBC showed shelling on Thursday, confirming a statement by the city council that the bombardment was ongoing. Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's foreign minister, said on Thursday that the situation in Mariupol was the most difficult in the country. On Wednesday, three people - two adults and a girl - were killed in Mariupol and 17 were wounded in a devastating strike that destroyed a maternity ward and children's ward of a hospital. Diana Berg, a Mariupol resident who managed to escape with her husband on Friday, said she learned of the strike via the news. "Yesterday was the most brutal, shocking thing," she said. "That hospital is very close to where I lived, I was there a week before, my family doctor is there. I don't know if he is still alive," Ms Berg said. Ms Berg has also been unable to reach her mother-in-law since Saturday, and has no idea if she is alive or dead. "She got one message through the day after we left to say she was alive and she knew we were still alive," Ms Berg said. "Since then we know nothing. We use the Telegram app, we watch the media, that's it." Municipal authorities have finally been able to begin collecting and burying bodies which had been in the streets, the deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov told the BBC on Thursday. City officials estimated 1,300 civilians had been killed so far, Mr Orlov said. "There is no possibility of private graves, because of the high numbers and because of the continuous shelling. They are being put into mass graves," he said. Ms Berg said the news of the mass graves had spread through the Telegram chat groups people are using to monitor the situation inside the city. "We have no news from our friends, all we know is they could be buried in those mass graves," she said. Russia has also heavily shelled the eastern city of Kharkiv and other major cities Numerous planned evacuation attempts for Mariupol residents have collapsed over the past five days after Russian forces have resumed shelling the city, despite ceasefire agreements. Mr Orlov said city officials were ready at any moment to put evacuation plans into place but no agreement could be reached with Russia on establishing a humanitarian corridor. Mr Orlov said that a group of 100 citizens attempted to leave Mariupol on Thursday by private car and passed a Ukrainian checkpoint but were forced back when Russian forces fired close to the cars, blocking their path. Mr Orlov's own parents and brother were still trapped inside a heavily shelled Mariupol neighbourhood, he said, and he had not been able to reach them for nine days. There are growing fears now of a serious humanitarian crisis inside Mariupol, following widespread reports that people were trying to take water from snow and had no access to food or medicines. Oleksandr Protyah, a 43-year-old English teacher, said his mother and close friend were trapped inside the city and his friend may have run out of medication for her diabetes. "I managed to arrange insulin for her on the first day of the war but she has either run out or will run out soon," he said. "This is a humanitarian catastrophe." There would also soon be a food crisis, said Mr Gurin, the MP. "The next thing will be the hunger," he said "This is not a joke, in a week you will have famine in the centre of Europe." Responding to the strike on the Mariupol hospital on Wednesday, the mayor of Mariupol, Vadym Boychenko, accused Russian forces of a "total evil that has no explanation". "How can this be justified?" he said. "This is a genocide organised by Russia against our people." Russia claimed on Thursday that the maternity ward destroyed in the attack had been taken over by Ukrainian troops long before it was hit, but images from the scene captured by the Associated Press news agency showed medical staff outside after the blast and a pregnant woman being carried out of the building in a stretcher. "Thank god most of the people there were in the bomb shelter already," Mr Orlov, the deputy mayor said. "Otherwise it would have been much worse." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the strike an "atrocity" and reiterated his call for world powers to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine - a request that has so far been denied. The foreign minister, Mr Kuleba said on Thursday that his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov had told Ukrainian officials Russia would continue its aggression until Ukraine met all its demands, including surrender.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60690856

Winter Paralympics: Ollie Hill wins bronze for Britain's first snowboard medal - BBC Sport

2022-03-11

Debutant Ollie Hill wins Britain's first Paralympic snowboard medal with bronze in the banked slalom LL2 event.

Hill was 10th in the snowboard cross event earlier in the programme Ollie Hill edged out team-mate Owen Pick to win Britain's first Paralympic snowboard medal with bronze in the banked slalom LL2 event in Beijing. Hill, 32, making his Games debut, was third after the first of two runs in his lower limb category with a time of one minute 10.45 seconds. And while he was unable to improve in his second run, it was still enough for GB's sixth medal of the Games. Pick, 30, at his second Games, was fourth, 0.19 seconds behind Hill. Gold went to China's Sun Qi (1:09.73) with Finland's Matti Suur-Hamari winning silver (1:09.98). "It was important to put down a good first run because it took the pressure off a little bit," said Hill. "I wanted to push for the gold but I felt the second run was a bit slower and the snow was caving in a bit. "I can't really sum it up right now other than I am absolutely stoked. "I said earlier in the week I felt I had a bit more confidence in the banked and we have proved it today. Hill has been snowboarding since he was eight and was also a talented motocross rider but he was involved in a car accident in December 2018 which led to his right leg being amputated below the knee. The Reading man only joined the GB Snowsport programme in summer 2020, but has made massive improvements in a short time and was fourth in January's World Championships. Snowboard made its debut at the Sochi Winter Paralympics in 2014 with James Barnes-Miller's fifth place in Sunday's UL (upper limb) snowboard cross the previous best performance by a GB athlete. Barnes-Miller finished his Beijing campaign with ninth in his banked slalom. Elsewhere, skiers Menna Fitzpatrick and Millie Knight both missed out on giant slalom medals. Fitzpatrick finished seventh in the visually impaired category, two places ahead of Knight. There was a Paralympic best of sixth for Nordic skier Scott Meenagh in the men's biathlon individual seated event. Meenagh has a busy programme in Beijing with five individual events Meenagh, 32, had finished ninth in both the sprint and middle distance events earlier in the programme. He impressed in the long (12.5km) race and was fourth at one point, although a missed shot in his last shooting round cost him time. Meanwhile, ParalympicsGB has defended the decision to allow fellow Nordic skier Steve Arnold to travel to Beijing after he tested positive for Covid on arrival. The 42-year-old had to delay his departure until Monday after a positive test before the Games. Although he had a negative test before he travelled, he again tested positive when he landed in China and is awaiting the results of further tests. "ParalympicsGB's top priority is the health and welfare of its athletes," said a statement. "The decision for Steve to travel to the Games was made following extensive discussions between the athlete, GB Snowsport and ParalympicsGB in conjunction with medical experts based in the UK and in Beijing. "The decision to travel considered all implications while supporting Steve's strong desire to participate at the Games. "ParalympicsGB continues to support Steve and his ambitions to compete in his remaining events."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-sports/60703139

England in West Indies: Zak Crawley hits hundred as tourists dominate day four in Antigua - BBC Sport

2022-03-11

Zak Crawley hits his second Test hundred as England dominate West Indies on day four of the first Test to set up an outside chance of victory.

England in West Indies: Zak Crawley hits hundred as tourists dominate day four in Antigua Last updated on .From the section Cricket Crawley's hundred is his second in 19 Tests and first since 2020 Zak Crawley hit his second Test hundred as England dominated West Indies on day four of the first Test to set up an outside chance of victory. Crawley capitalised on a lifeless Antigua pitch to make an unbeaten 117, while captain Joe Root reached 84 not out at the close. Having started the day behind the game and in the field, England were 217-1, leading by 153 runs, when rain brought an early finish. Earlier they took just three deliveries to claim the final West Indies wicket as the hosts were dismissed for 375 with a first-innings lead of 64. But, despite the early loss of debutant Alex Lees for six, Crawley and Root wiped out the deficit and batted England into the ascendancy with a mammoth unbeaten stand of 193. The tourists, who have struggled for large parts of the Test, now look the more likely side to win. However, the placid nature of pitch means any quest to bowl out West Indies on the final day will be a struggle. In this three-match series, England are bidding to improve on a dreadful run which has seen them win just one of 14 Tests. The pitch is very helpful to batting and the opposition modest but this day revealed a hint of what England will hope for during this much-talked about red-ball reset. What little danger there is in the surface - just a hint of uneven bounce - was neutered by 24-year-old Crawley and Root, 31, and afterwards they progressed calmly with ease. The West Indies attack, without any express pace or world-class spin, was as blunted as England's had been across the previous two days. Crawley and Root began to up their scoring late on, with England starting to look to set up a declaration. The only wickets to fall all day were Jack Leach's lbw dismissal of West Indies number 11 Jayden Seales and the fall of Lees, who, as in the first innings, went lbw missing a straight ball from round the wicket by seamer Kemar Roach. That suggests the draw is by far the most likely result. The rain late on did not help England's cause, in taking time out of the game. There were 22 innings between Crawley's two Test hundreds Crawley's classy knock is significant in the Test but even more so for England's future in this format. Root's side are in desperate need of a settled top-order and this knock will secure the Kent opener's place for a long period. Crawley dazzled when making his first Test hundred, a stunning 267 against Pakistan in 2020. This was a more measured knock where he clipped the ball smartly off his pads. It could have been different - Crawley was given out lbw on nought but overturned the poor decision on review, with the ball comfortably missing leg. But with his captain a steady presence alongside him, Crawley did not offer another chance all day. The right-hander had a barren spell after his maiden ton which led to him being dropped last year when averaging 11.14 across seven Tests. Now, having regained his place in the third Ashes Test in December and impressing with 77 against Australia a game later, England will hope that that poor run is behind him. 'We'll have a good go' at the win - reaction England's Zak Crawley, speaking to BT Sport: "It's a very special feeling. It was tough year last year, I didn't think I would get this opportunity again. "We certainly want to try and win it tomorrow, we'll have a good go in the morning, then try and bowl them out." BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew: "It was certainly England's day. They began it under a lot of pressure having to try and make sure they weren't bowled out cheaply, To finish with a lead of 153 is a very good effort. "Both batsmen played very well. It was the sort of innings you want to see from Crawley, very patient. Root, as usual, was his busy self, albeit under strangulated conditions." • None A gruelling look at 'The Dragon's Back' challenge • None Is this it for Villanelle and Eve? Watch the thrilling new series of Killing Eve now

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/60711815

Katy Perry wins in Dark Horse copyright appeal - BBC News

2022-03-11

Perry will no longer have to pay the rapper Flame $2.8m after an appeals court ruled in her favour.

Katy Perry will no longer have to pay $2.8m (£2.1m) to a rapper who said she stole his song on her hit Dark Horse. Marcus Gray sued Perry in 2014, saying she had plagiarised an eight-note riff from his track Joyful Noise. A jury agreed and awarded him the $2.8m payout, but a judge later overturned that verdict, saying the melody was not "particularly unique or rare". Upholding that decision, an appeals court said the original verdict could have suffocated musical creativity. In a 3-0 verdict, the court said Gray had been attempting to claim an "improper monopoly" over conventional "musical building blocks" when he first sued Perry in 2014. "The trial record compels us to conclude that the ostinatos at issue here consist entirely of commonplace musical elements, and that the similarities between them do not arise out of an original combination of these elements," the new ruling reads. "Allowing a copyright over this material would essentially amount to allowing an improper monopoly over two-note pitch sequences or even the minor scale itself, especially in light of the limited number of expressive choices available when it comes to an eight-note repeated musical figure." The ruling brings the eight-year trial to an end, barring an unlikely trip to the US Supreme Court. Ed Sheeran has been giving evidence at the High Court this week The verdict will be read with interest by lawyers for Ed Sheeran, who is facing similar claims of plagiarism in the UK High Court. The star is also accused of stealing an eight-note phrase from an unknown rapper, in this case the UK grime acts Sami Switch. Switch, whose real name is Sami Chokri, claims that the "oh I, oh I, oh I" hook of Sheeran's song Shape Of You has a "striking similarity" to the chorus of his 2015 single Oh Why. Sheeran denies the allegation, and told the court he had never heard Chokri's song before he made his claim. Unusually, Sheeran and his co-writers Johnny McDaid and Steve Mac took pre-emptive legal action, asking the High Court to declare they had not infringed Chokri's copyright. Several months later, Mr Chokri and his co-writer Ross O'Donoghue issued their own claim for "copyright infringement, damages and an account of profits in relation to the alleged infringement". This YouTube post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on YouTube The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. YouTube content may contain adverts. Skip youtube video by Ed Sheeran This article contains content provided by Google YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Google’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. YouTube content may contain adverts. Giving evidence on Thursday, Steve Mac said the case was "not about money" but "to clear my name". He told the court that working with Sheeran on Shape Of You was an "extraordinary experience", as the song came together "from scratch" at "extraordinary speed". "I had a headache at the end of the day," he said, adding: "It was the first time I had written with anyone like this. It was incredible." Andrew Sutcliffe QC, representing Mr Chokri and Mr O'Donoghue, suggested the spontaneity was an illusion, because Sheeran had "already worked out how he wanted this song to sound" and "already had lyrics and ideas which he was able to deploy at speed". Mr McCutcheon disagreed, adding: "The speed that [Sheeran] writes is extraordinary to the point that we can write 26 songs in a week." The trial, which is due to last three weeks, will hear from Mr Chokri next Monday. Dua Lipa has yet to respond to claims she plagiarised her hit single Levitating Claims of plagiarism are as old as pop music itself. Even former Beatle George Harrison was found guilty of "subconsciously copying" elements of his 1970 hit My Sweet Lord from The Chiffons' He's So Fine, and ordered to pay that song's composers $1.6m ($8m in today's money). There has been an upward trend in cases since the infamous Blurred Lines case of 2015, in which Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams were found guilty of copying the "feel" of Marvin Gaye's Got To Give It Up, rather than directly plagiarising musical phrases or lyrics. Many cases are settled out of court, with composers quietly added to the credits of songs behind the scenes. The number of writers on Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars's Uptown Funk ballooned from six to 11 when The Gap Band noticed similarities to their song Oops Upside Your Head. Last year, Olivia Rodrigo added two members of Paramore to the writing credits of Good 4 U, after fans started creating mash-ups of her hit and Paramore's musically-similar Misery Business. In the last week, both Dua Lipa and Sam Smith have been hit with copyright lawsuits of their own. Lipa has been sued twice over her song Levitating - the biggest-selling single in the US last year. This YouTube post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on YouTube The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. YouTube content may contain adverts. Skip youtube video 2 by Dua Lipa This article contains content provided by Google YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Google’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. YouTube content may contain adverts. Songwriters L Russell Brown and Sandy Linzer said the opening melody of Levitating was a "duplicate" of their 1979 song Wiggle and Giggle All Night and the 1980 song Don Diablo (they apparently didn't mind copying their own material). The Florida reggae band Artikal Sound System launched a separate legal action, saying the chorus was ripped off from their 2017 song Live Your Life. Sam Smith and Normani are also facing a trial over their duet Dancing With A Stranger, with three songwriters saying that both the song and its video contained "extraordinary similarities" to their song, also called Dancing With A Stranger. "In both songs, the title, hook, chorus, lyrics, and musical composition are all the same - and are repeated throughout the song giving both songs their identities," said Jordan Vincent, Christopher Miranda and Rosco Banlaoi in a complaint filed in Los Angeles. Follow us on Facebook, or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-60705977

Ukraine: What happened on day 15 of Russia's invasion - BBC News

2022-03-11

On the frontline in the battle for Kharkiv - and Ukrainians rescue their grandmothers from Russian shelling.

Kharkiv has been one of the focal points of the Russian attack "We met only this afternoon, but already I know that just last week, his father Oleg was killed defending the city, and Lt Gromadsky is the seventh generation of military in his family. He plans for an eighth, in a free Ukraine." Russia's invasion of Ukraine has now entered its third week. What Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, surely intended to be a quick victory has stalled in the face of Ukrainian resistance. Our reporter, Quentin Sommerville, has been embedded with Ukrainian forces. Over a cup of borscht, he found men willing to fight but recognising they need more from the West if they are to win. Ukrainian officials say three people including a child died in an attack on a children's hospital in Mariupol A dire picture is emerging from the southern port city of Mariupol. Reports say food and medicine are hard to find, and residents resorting to melting snow for water. And all this under an intense Russian bombardment. With the city encircled, residents of those trapped inside face the agonising uncertainty of trying to reach them by phone. The BBC's Joel Gunter, who is in the Ukrainian city of Lviv, has been speaking to some of them. "They are being put into mass graves." A relieved Dmytro (R) poses here with (L-R) his sister, neighbour, grandmother and mother Bucha is a small town just to the north-west of Kyiv. Much like in Mariupol, the shelling has been relentless, with residents forced to shelter in basements. Dmytro, a 30-year-old lawyer, decided to escape. He was joined with his sister, his mother and his two grandmothers, aged 74 and 83. Not long after they left, their grandmother could no longer walk so they needed to drag her to safety. Russia's Lavrov (R) in talks with Ukraine's Kuleba - but there was no immediate breakthrough For the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine, the two sides have held high-level talks as Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Turkey. The two agreed to continue discussions but apart from that there was nothing in the way of a substantial agreement. They remain far apart. Lavrov repeated Russia's demands Ukraine disarm and adopt a neutral position, something Kuleba said amounted to wanting a surrender. Roman Abramovich and Vladimir Putin pictured together at an event in Russia in 2016 As the fighting continued, individuals and companies linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin face more reprisals. The UK on Thursday sanctioned one of the best known oligarchs, Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich. His exact relationship with the Kremlin remains murky - some suggest he is merely tolerated by President Putin, others say the relationship is much closer than that. The sanctions against oligarchs are just one part of a long list of measures announced against Russia. The US and UK are banning Russian oil imports, Russian banks have been shut out of international payment systems, and the central bank has had its assets frozen. A swathe of major brands have pulled out of Russia. For Russians, whether super-rich or not, that means no Big Macs or watching Netflix. Russia has now announced a series of counter measures, including export bans on a string of products such as agricultural equipment and telecoms. There's also a warning the assets of foreign companies could be seized.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60697521

Evgeny Lebedev: I am not some agent of Russia - BBC News

2022-03-11

Russian-British media mogul Evgeny Lebedev responds to reports he was flagged as a security risk.

Evgeny Lebedev is the owner of the Independent and the London Evening Standard newspapers Russian-British businessman Evgeny Lebedev has denied posing a "security risk" to the UK, declaring "I am not some agent of Russia" in an article. It follows reports that the security services had raised concerns about him being made a peer in 2020. Writing in the London Evening Standard, which he owns, Lord Lebedev said he had "no option but to respond". He said it was "crucial we do not descend into Russophobia" during the war in Ukraine. The UK government has been ratcheting up sanctions against individuals and companies linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin since his invasion of Ukraine was launched on 24 February. Seven oligarchs including Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and 386 Russian MPs were among the latest to be sanctioned by the UK. In this climate, some people with ties to Russia are coming under closer scrutiny in the UK as the war in Ukraine escalates. Last week, the Sunday Times reported that in March 2020, the commission that vets peerage appointments advised Prime Minister Boris Johnson against granting Mr Lebedev a seat in the House of Lords on security grounds. The newspaper said the assessment was withdrawn after Mr Johnson - a long-time friend of Lord Lebedev - personally intervened. The commission can advise but has no veto over peerage appointments, which are ultimately decided by prime minsters and formalised by the Queen. Asked at prime minister's questions this week, if he had "overruled" security service advice, Boris Johnson said "no". Lord Lebedev, the owner of the Independent and the London Evening Standard newspapers, was given a peerage in July 2020, for philanthropy and services to the media, after being nominated by Mr Johnson. Boris Johnson with his sister Rachel and Lord Lebedev at an Evening Standard party in 2012 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for the parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee to investigate the appointment, calling it a "matter of national security". But in his article on Friday, Lord Lebedev, who holds both Russian and British citizenship, said "I am not a security risk to this country, which I love". The son of Alexander Lebedev, a billionaire Russian banker and former KGB officer, he came to London at the age of eight when his father began working in the Soviet embassy. In his article, Lord Lebedev said he was educated in the UK and was "proud to be a British citizen and consider Britain my home". He acknowledged his father "was a foreign intelligence agent of the KGB, but I am not some agent of Russia". He said his father "spent his time campaigning against corruption and illegal financial dealings" and his family "has a record of standing up for press freedom" in Russia. Having a Russian name, he said, "does not automatically make one an enemy of the state". "It is crucial we do not descend into Russophobia, like any other phobia, bigotry or discrimination," he added. The article is the second Lord Lebedev has published in the Evening Standard since the war in Ukraine started. At the end of February, he wrote a letter to Mr Putin, in which he urged the Russian president to "bring this terrible conflict in Ukraine to an end".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60707584

Farmers warn Ukraine war will hit UK food prices - BBC News

2022-03-11

Farmers are calling for urgent government action to help them produce enough to feed the nation.

UK food prices will rise as a result of the war in Ukraine, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) has warned. Some 30% of the world's wheat comes from Ukraine and Russia and exports will stop during the conflict, it says. In addition, the price of gas - which is used to heat greenhouses and to make fertiliser - has soared. The union has written to the government to call for urgent action to help UK farmers produce enough food to keep supermarkets stocked and affordable. "The government must act now, with a clear signal that food security is a priority for the nation," the NFU said. Its letter warned that disruption to food production, supply chains and the availability and affordability of food in the shops could last for years. Earlier this week, the boss of one of the world's biggest fertiliser companies, Yara International, warned that the war in Ukraine would deliver a shock to the global supply and cost of food. The Federation of Wholesale Distributors has also warned that the increase in fuel prices will lead to people paying more for food in shops and restaurants. NFU president Minette Batters said the government must work with farmers to address food supply issues NFU president Minette Batters told the BBC that the rising cost of producing fruit, vegetables and meat could cause farmers to make less at a time when the nation needs more. "I think the whole world has got to recognise that this is not something we've faced before, we are going to see wheat price inflation levels that have never happened," she said. "The real danger is that farmers contract, they decide not to invest, they hold back from planting, and we produce less food," she said. Ms Batters said the shortage of crops would also affect meat production as farmers need it to feed their livestock. The cost of producing a chicken was 50% higher than it was a year ago but farmers were absorbing much of these costs, she said. UK feed wheat prices are already 39% up on March 2021 at £279.40 a tonne, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Russia and Ukraine produce 80% of the world's sunflower oil exports and 20% of corn exports, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Another factor affecting food production in the UK is that Ukrainian workers have accounted for 60% of recruits under the UK's Seasonal Workers Scheme, the NFU said. These workers carry out essential roles such as planting, picking, packing and grading fresh produce. The NFU is asking the government to release an additional 10,000 visas under the Seasonal Workers Scheme, in addition to the 30,000 already granted. Farmer Dan Wallis says he will be growing more wheat Dan Wallis, who runs Rookery Farms in Newbury, Berkshire, said he decided this week to sow spring wheat on land that was not due to be planted on until next autumn. "Given the current crisis in Ukraine the demand for food is ever increasing," he told the BBC. "There's going to be a shortage of wheat and barley, predominantly wheat, so today we are planting spring wheat into some fallow land which should have remained fallow until next autumn. "I made the decision in the last week or 10 days - it's the right thing to do." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: Ros Atkins on why the war in Ukraine is pushing up food prices - and the likely impact on poorer countries The Environment Secretary, George Eustice, told MPs that in early January he had set up teams to make contingency plans for the UK's food security. He told the House of Commons that he would attend a special meeting of the G7 group of the world's largest economies to discuss the issues further on Friday. Commons Leader Mark Spencer said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was "across the threats that we face". "There is no prospect of food shortages at any point in the future, and Defra are working with Treasury to try and make sure that that continues to be the case," he said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60691116

UK Covid inquiry draft terms of reference set out - BBC News

2022-03-11

The probe will look at areas including preparedness and the public health response to the pandemic.

A volunteer from the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign group paints a heart on the National Covid Memorial Wall opposite the Palace of Westminster in central London The draft terms of reference for the UK public inquiry into the government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic have been published. It will look at preparedness, the public health response, the health and care sector response and the economic response, the Cabinet Office said. The probe will play a key role in "learning lessons" from the pandemic and for the future, it said. The inquiry is due to start in the spring. The terms of reference were published after a consultation with inquiry chairwoman and former High Court judge Baroness Hallett, and with ministers in the devolved nations. Representatives of the inquiry will travel to towns and cities across the UK in the coming weeks to meet with people impacted by the pandemic and hear their views on what should be investigated. The Scottish government has already published the terms of reference for its own Covid-19 inquiry, to be led by Judge Lady Poole. The inquiry aims to produce "a factual, narrative account" covering decision-making at all levels of government and the response of the health and care sector as well as identifying the "lessons to be learned". The draft document said the inquiry would "produce its reports (including interim reports) and any recommendations in a timely manner". In the UK, more than 162,000 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus since the start of the pandemic in early 2020. The Cabinet Office said the UK-wide inquiry would "reflect the importance of understanding the experiences of those most affected by the pandemic" such as bereaved families and examine any "disparities" in the impact of the pandemic and the government's response. It said there would now be a further public consultation led by Baroness Hallett to consider any changes to the terms before they are finalised. Baroness Hallett said she would open the public consultation into the scope of the inquiry, which will run until 7 April. In a statement, she reiterated it was independent and urged people across the UK to share their views on what it should cover, especially those "who have been bereaved, experienced hardship or suffered other harm". Becky Kummer, spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said the publication was a "huge step forward" and the organisation looked forward to contributing to the consultation on the terms. Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, said there was much the NHS did well during the pandemic but: "It is right the inquiry looks at areas where there were major challenges - such as infection prevention and control, access to PPE, testing, and robust epidemiological modelling." He said trust leaders welcomed the inquiry covering "the nation's preparedness, initial capacity, and resilience ahead of, and during the pandemic, and the important focus on inequalities". Emma Norris, director of research at the Institute for Government think tank, said on Twitter the inquiry's "huge remit" had "likely implications for the length and timeliness of the inquiry", adding: "A wide scope usually means a longer inquiry." To avoid a lengthy inquiry, she said a large team would be needed to probe different issues concurrently, but that the mention of interim reports was "positive". Barrister and Covid lockdown regulations expert Adam Wagner also said on first look, the draft terms of reference appeared to be "very wide". In a Twitter thread, he said they failed to mention explicitly the policing of the pandemic, the government's hotel quarantine policy for people arriving in the UK from abroad and the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions on human rights. He said these elements would "hopefully" be covered by the items "the use of lockdowns" and "travel and borders". As the terms stand, he predicted it would be "a massive, long and difficult" inquiry with "many strands and elements". Several reports have already put the UK government's handling of the pandemic under the spotlight. A report by MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee and the Science and Technology Committee last October said the UK's failure to do more to stop Covid spreading early in the pandemic was one of the country's worst public health failures. It said the government approach - backed by its scientists - was to try to manage the situation and in effect achieve herd immunity by infection. The MPs said this led to a delay in introducing the first lockdown, costing thousands of lives. A report by spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) last November found ministers were not properly prepared for a pandemic like Covid-19 and lacked detailed plans on shielding, job support schemes and school disruption. The government said the unprecedented pandemic had challenged health systems around the world - not just the UK.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60697093

Ukraine war: Large Russian convoy redeploys near Kyiv - satellite images - BBC News

2022-03-11

Images of the convoy's redeployment appear to signal a renewed push towards the Ukrainian capital.

Satellite images taken by a US firm of a large Russian military convoy near Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, show it has "largely dispersed and redeployed". The convoy was last seen near Antonov Airport, north-west of Kyiv, and its movement could signal a renewed push towards the city. The firm that took the photos, Maxar Technologies, said parts of the convoy were in positions in surrounding towns. Other parts are further north, with artillery now in firing positions. The apparent redeployment came as Russian forces in Ukraine began attacking new targets in different areas of the country: The air raid sirens went off at 04:30 and wailed for more than three hours. We now know the danger was real. Officials here say there were three air strikes, hitting a small shoe factory, an apartment block and a kindergarten. This city is full of heavy industry, including a rocket factory. There is a metalworks nearby the site that was hit, but no obvious military target. Dnipro has been bracing for this since the war began. All the bridges and main roads here are heavily guarded. Residents have got used to scrambling to underground shelters when the sirens sound. Even so, the city has been something of a safe haven, for people fleeing cities under sustained Russian attack. In the past few days, residents here had begun leaving: we saw giant queues for evacuation trains and the roads west out of town have been heavily congested. Now the city has been directly hit, I suspect more will be thinking of getting out. "Ukrainian big cities are again subjected to devastating blows," said Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak. He added that the shelling in Lutsk had shut down two central heating compounds. "Russia's destructive war against civilians and major cities continues," he said. Russian state media reported that the Ukrainian city of Volnovakha had been captured by Russian-backed separatist forces. There is no independent confirmation of the capture of the city, which is a northern gateway to the besieged port city of Mariupol. President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected Russian claims that chemical weapons or weapons of mass destruction were developed in Ukraine. In a video address, he also warned that Russia would get "the most severe sanctions response" if it were to use such weapons against Ukraine. The US said earlier that Russia's claims of Ukraine hosting US-backed chemical weapons facilities was a "false flag", intended to justify Russia's possible use of such weapons. Russia has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday to discuss the alleged manufacture of biological weapons in Ukraine. Russian forces moved three miles (5km) closer to Kyiv in the past 24 hours, a senior US defence official said on Thursday. That meant Russian troops advancing from the north-west were now just nine miles from the city centre, the official - who spoke on condition of anonymity - told reporters. Russian forces were also trying to close in on the city from the north-east, and were now about 25 miles (40km) away, the official said. The northern city of Chernihiv was now "isolated" the official added. The convoy was earlier seen stalled not far from the capital, where US officials said it was targeted by Ukrainian troops with anti-tank missiles. It is not clear how many of the vehicles currently seen on the move may have been an initial part of that first group. Fierce battles have been raging in recent days in Irpin and Bucha, satellite towns just a few kilometres north-west of Kyiv. Thousands of civilians have been forced to flee their homes. On Thursday, footage emerged apparently showing a Russian military column being hit by Ukrainian forces near the city of Brovary, just outside the capital. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko says that half the population of the city of about three million has already fled, adding that Kyiv "has been transformed into a fortress". "Every street, every building, every checkpoint has been fortified," the mayor said. Tens of thousands of civilians have formed Territorial Defence units to help the Ukrainian armed forces defend the capital. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Are you or your family in Ukraine? Please share your experience if it is safe to do so by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60702464

Anthony Russell: Triple killer convicted of rape - BBC News

2022-03-11

Anthony Russell is found guilty of raping his final victim, moments before strangling her.

Anthony Russell had admitted the three murders, but denied rape A triple killer has been found guilty of the rape of his final victim, who was five months pregnant. Anthony Russell, 39, has previously admitted the murders of Julie Williams, her son David Williams and 31-year-old Nicole McGregor, whose body was found in woodland near Leamington Spa. The jury heard he had assaulted Ms McGregor just hours after she showed him a picture of her baby scan. Russell is due to be sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on Friday. Following the verdict on Thursday, Police described Russell as an "evil" and extremely dangerous individual, and said the "violent series of killings" had taken place over a week in October 2020. Police said there was no known link between Russell and Nicole McGregor West Midlands Police said it believed Mr Williams, 32, was killed on 21 October due to Russell's "mistaken belief that he was in a relationship with his girlfriend". When Russell then went to speak to Julie Williams about her son's disappearance, Det Supt Shaun Edwards said officers suspected "he confessed to David's killing" and "then killed Julie to stop her from speaking to the police". This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Russell, of Riley Square, Coventry, strangled Mr Williams with a lanyard and left the body under his bed, where it was found by police five days later, covered in 87 injuries. He then strangled Mr Williams' mother on 25 October, in an attack that saw the 58-year-old hit five times on the head and neck, prosecutors said. She had 113 separate injuries. However, there was "no known link" between the killer and Ms McGregor, Det Supt Edwards said. Julie Williams and her son, David Williams, were found dead at separate addresses Prosecutor Zoe Johnson QC said: "Just three hours after meeting the defendant it appears that Nicole has agreed to walk with the defendant into Newbold Comyn. "We suggest that the defendant lured Nicole on to the Comyn, not for sex but more likely for drugs." After the murder, heroin user Russell pretended to help Ms McGregor's partner look for her. Following her disappearance, the court heard he had told her partner, the baby's father: "I bet you can't wait for it to be born" - knowing he had raped and killed her. Strangled on 26 October, Ms McGregor's body was found three days later. The killer was eventually the subject of a national manhunt and fled Leamington by stealing a car from a 78-year-old man. Russell rang the pensioner's doorbell asking for directions, the court heard, and when the victim was distracted, he hit him over the head from behind with a brick, leaving him with a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain. He was arrested on 30 October after police spotted the stolen Ford C-Max parked on a road near Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, and found Russell on the back seat. He was unanimously found guilty of rape after a retrial at Warwick Crown Court. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-60698085

WATCH: 3D model shows extent of Russian military convoy - BBC News

2022-03-11

Sections of the 40-mile convoy are modelled in 3D using satellite imagery, showing its scale from above.

Sections of a 40-mile Russian military convoy have been modelled in a 3D video using satellite imagery. Follow its path from above, showing its scope and magnitude, by watching this video. This video has no sound

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60615754

Ukraine war: Putin seeks foreign volunteers to fight in Ukraine - BBC News

2022-03-11

"We need to give them what they want and help them get to the conflict zone," the Russian leader said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for foreign volunteers to be able to fight against Ukrainian forces. Speaking at a Russian security council meeting, he said those who wanted to volunteer to fight with Russia-backed forces should be allowed to. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said there were 16,000 volunteers in the Middle East ready to fight alongside Russia-backed forces. US officials said these could include Syrians skilled in urban combat. Moscow is a long-standing ally of Syria and Mr Putin has been a key backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's civil war. "If you see that there are these people who want of their own accord, not for money, to come to help the people living in Donbas, then we need to give them what they want and help them get to the conflict zone," Mr Putin told his defence minister. Mr Shoigu also proposed handing over captured Western anti-tank missile systems to Russian-backed rebel fighters in the breakaway Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk in the Donbas region. "Please do this," Mr Putin said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, responding in a video message, said "thugs from Syria" would be coming to kill people "in a foreign land". Foreign fighters, including former and current British army personnel, have also been arriving in Ukraine to fight for the government in Kyiv. Mr Zelensky said recently that 16,000 foreigners had volunteered for the cause, part of what he called an "international legion". Charles Lister, an analyst with the US-based Middle East Institute, questioned how useful any Syrian forces would be to Mr Putin. "If [President] Assad's regime begins sending troops to Ukraine, they'll be no more than cannon fodder in a battle and environment that's completely alien to them," he wrote on Twitter. There was no evidence of any actual recruitment of Syrians having taken place, he added. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Parham Ghobadi meets some of the foreign men hoping to help defend Ukraine from the Russian attack The televised security council meeting move came as Russian forces in Ukraine began attacking new targets in different areas of the country: According to the Wall Street Journal, US officials have told the paper that Russia has recently been recruiting fighters from Syria, hoping their expertise in urban warfare can help take Kyiv and deal a devastating blow to the Ukraine government. At the same time, US private security firms have been seeking to recruit former soldiers to help evacuate people from Ukraine.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60705486

War in Ukraine: A family's 'torturous' UK visa chase - BBC News

2022-03-11

Luke Morgan has spent the last fortnight helping his wife's family get to the UK from Ukraine.

A British national who has spent the last fortnight trying to secure passage to the UK for his wife’s family after they fled Ukraine has said the visa process has been "torturous". The government has been under growing pressure to speed up the process to help those fleeing the war.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60695436

Ukraine war: Roman Abramovich sanctioned by UK - BBC News

2022-03-11

Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich one of seven oligarchs sanctioned by the UK government.

Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government as part of its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He is one of seven oligarchs to be hit with fresh sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans. The list also includes billionaires Igor Sechin and Oleg Deripaska, both seen as allies of Vladimir Putin. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said "there can be no safe havens" for those who have supported the invasion. Chelsea FC cannot sell any more tickets for games, its merchandise shop will be closed, and it will be unable to buy or sell players on the transfer market. The government said it would issue a special licence that allows fixtures to be fulfilled, staff to be paid and existing ticket holders to attend matches. Ministers have come under pressure to sanction Mr Abramovich, who said he had made the "difficult decision" to sell Chelsea FC earlier this month. The football club is among the assets frozen as part of the sanctions against Mr Abramovich and its sale has now been stalled. Roman Abramovich and Vladimir Putin pictured together at an event in Russia in 2016 But the BBC understands the government would consider allowing Mr Abramovich to apply for a special licence to sell the club, providing he can prove he would not benefit from the sale. Mr Abramovich, 55, is alleged to have strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he has denied. The government says Mr Abramovich, who has an estimated net worth of £9.4bn, is "one of the few oligarchs from the 1990s to maintain prominence under Putin". Mr Abramovich has stakes in steel giant Evraz and Norilsk Nickel. He sold a 73% stake in Russian oil firm Sibneft to state-owned gas titan Gazprom for £9.87bn in 2005. He is believed to own a number of properties in the UK, including a 15-bedroom mansion at Kensington Palace Gardens in west London, reportedly valued at more than £150m. While the sanctions against him throw Chelsea's future in doubt, ministers sought to reassure the club it would not be "unnecessarily harmed". In a tweet, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said holding those who have "enabled the Putin regime to account" was the priority. "I know this brings some uncertainty, but the government will work with the league and clubs to keep football being played while ensuring sanctions hit those intended," she wrote. When asked if being unable to sell tickets and merchandise would hit Chelsea's finances, the culture secretary said: "Sanctions have consequences and that's a fact." London Mayor Sadiq Khan expressed support for the government's actions but said Chelsea fans were "completely innocent" and that it was important to ensure the club was not "sold off in a fire sale". This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Nadine Dorries says her focus is to protect Chelsea FC, its fans and the "national game" Telecommunications company Three, said it would temporarily suspend its sponsorship of the club and would "request the removal of our brand from shirts and around the stadium until further notice". Chelsea has enjoyed major success since Mr Abramovich bought the club in 2003 for £140m, winning major titles including the Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup. The club's fans were heard chanting Mr Abramovich's name during a match against Norwich on Thursday evening. Mr Abramovich has previously said that proceeds of the club's sale would be donated to victims of war. On Wednesday, there were 20 credible interested parties looking at a potential Chelsea takeover, including British businessman Nick Candy. Like all the Russian billionaires who still run businesses in their motherland, Roman Abramovich has had to remain on good terms with President Putin, even though he no longer spends much time in the country. This is what led to him being sanctioned, with the UK government saying he is a "pro-Kremlin oligarch" who had has a "close relationship" with Vladimir Putin for decades and has obtained "financial benefit" and "preferential treatment" from that relationship. One example given of that is the contracts he received in the run up to the FIFA 2018 World Cup. More specifically on Ukraine and the Russian army, the UK government claims one of Mr Abramovich's companies, Evraz Plc, may "potentially" have been involved in providing steel which "may have been used in the production of tanks". It is probably now too late for Roman Abramovich to recover his position and he may find himself being sanctioned by the US and the EU as well. Like many Russian businessmen he is now likely to turn to China. The UK and its western allies have been ratcheting up sanctions against individuals and companies linked to President Putin since the invasion of Ukraine was launched on 24 February. The government said Thursday's sanctions against "seven of Russia's wealthiest and most influential oligarchs" were part of the UK's "efforts to isolate Putin and those around him". Among those sanctioned was Oleg Deripaska, a leading industrialist who has had links with British politicians. Once one of the richest men linked to President Putin, Mr Deripaska made billions from his stake in Russia's aluminium industries, including EN+ Group, and has a multi-million pound property portfolio in the UK. Media reports have named Mr Deripaska as the owner of a property on Belgrave Square, one of London's most exclusive neighbourhoods. His net worth is now an estimated £2bn, according to the Foreign Office, and he has been subject to US sanctions since 2018. Unlike other Russian oligarchs, who have remained silent on the war in Ukraine so far, Mr Deripaska has called for "peace as soon as possible" in a tweet. Igor Sechin is another wealthy businessman who is said to have deep ties to President Putin. Named Putin's right-hand man by the UK, Mr Sechin worked with the president when he was mayor in St Petersburg in the 1990s. Igor Sechin is the chief executive of Rosneft, a Russian state oil company, and has been sanctioned by the US and EU. In its statement, the government said the four others sanctioned included: The UK has now sanctioned 18 oligarchs since the invasion of Ukraine began, a Downing Street spokesperson said. In addition to President Putin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and four Belarusian generals, 23 high-profile Russian oligarchs were now on the UK's sanctions list, the spokesperson said. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the government had targeted the oligarchs to "ramp up the pressure on the Putin regime and choke off funds to his brutal war machine". She said: "With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression. "The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame." Labour's shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said the sanctions were the "right decision" but "should not have taken the government weeks". "Too few oligarchs linked to Putin's rogue regime have so far faced sanctions from the UK government," Mr Lammy said. The government has been accused of moving slower than western allies the US and the EU in its sanctioning of individuals linked to President Putin. The government's Economic Crime Bill, which is expected to become law later this month, is designed to harden and quicken these sanctions. The government says the bill will also stop wealthy Russians using the City of London for money laundering and hiding gains linked to organised crime.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60690362

Ukraine: Thousands of vulnerable children unaccounted for - BBC News

2022-03-11

Extraction unit evacuating orphanages in the war zone say traffickers targeted children at the Ukraine border.

Children evacuated from an orphanage are led to safety Traffickers are targeting parentless children on the Ukraine-Poland border, says a group evacuating orphanages in the war zone. A team of US military veterans is helping to organise safe passage for the estimated 200,000 children in Ukraine's orphanages and foster homes. But they say thousands are unaccounted for and fear some may already have fallen prey to people traffickers. Kyiv says it is tightening procedures for vulnerable children. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Tens of thousands of children in Ukrainian state care are in desperate need to get out of the country Aerial Recovery, a team of former US military veterans who are assisting vulnerable people fleeing the crisis, is working with the Ukrainian authorities to establish a system that will make it easier to keep tabs on the country's parentless children. "The government doesn't really have the capacity to deal with the problem," says Jeremy Locke, the team's chief of operations. The team is working with Salam, a charity which helps refugees. It told the BBC that children dropped at the Ukraine-Poland border by well-meaning organisations are being targeted. "They're very easy prey - they're looking for assistance," says Martin Kvernbekk, of the charity. "So if you're an adult with some food or refuge, they will come with you. They don't know any better." He has heard about children going missing from a number of different sources, and reports of people smugglers wearing reflective vests and pretending to belong to organisations helping the relief effort. "The gangs are very advanced - it's big, well-financed networks that do this for a living. They're good at this in peace time," he says. "Now it's a war, it's chaos, and they're exploiting the fact there is disorder to be able to snatch more kids and women." Mr Kvernbekk also points out that although most men aged 18-60 are not allowed to leave Ukraine because they have to fight, any man who has three or more children with him can pass through. But no proper vetting is taking place at the country's borders. "There is no way to check if that man is actually the parent of the kids," he says. In a speech earlier this week, the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, voiced concerns. "We also have some reports of criminals taking orphans from orphanages in Ukraine, crossing the border pretending that they are relatives to the child and then using them for trafficking purposes," she said. An absence of vetting procedures for those who volunteer to help or house refugees once they have crossed the border only compounds the problem. "Everybody knows it's going on, but it's difficult to say the extent because of the chaos here. The authorities are trying to track what's happened to all of the children [but] there is no paper trail," Mr Kvernbekk says. The Ukrainian authorities are now establishing a system with the help of NGOs to process displaced children and setting up safe areas in the east of the country. A member of the Aerial Recovery team fist-bumps one of the children being evacuated On Wednesday, Aerial Recovery discussed plans to strengthen safety protocols and create safe zones in Lviv with the regional minister for child services. "That way we don't have to take these children over borders and we can ensure that Ukraine is in control of where their children are going," Mr Locke says. During that meeting the authorities expressed concern that 5,000 children on their records were unaccounted for, he says. Nobody knows what has happened to them. "They're either casualties of war, or they've slipped across the border, or have been taken out of the border by smugglers or by people that are doing it the wrong way," Mr Locke told the BBC. Volodymyr Lys, regional head of service of children's protection under the ministry of social policy in Lviv, told the BBC that the first 10 days of war were difficult, but it had improved. "It was very very chaotic. They didn't know where the kids were going. Nobody felt like they had worked out a system. Now there's enough NGOs, there's enough volunteers, everybody knows what they're doing," he says. He believes more than a million children remain in conflict zones in the country. Most are now being evacuated to the east, rather than abroad. Mr Lys says currently there are 550 orphans and foster children sheltering in the Lviv region, and they are expecting that number to double. He says his team spent 10 days at Lviv train station comforting, feeding and sheltering children. "The whole of Ukraine is absolutely horrified at what is going on," he says. When asked if children fleeing abroad could be trafficked or forced into prostitution, he admits: "Of course there is a risk of that, especially if they are travelling without their legal guardian or come unaccompanied. "There's really not a way to know for sure for now how many are missing and the authorities are now trying to track what's happened to all of the children in the system," says Martin Kvernbekk. Former soldier and aid worker Rob Lawrie is volunteering alongside Aerial Recovery in Ukraine. "What we've seen is smugglers using the war in Ukraine as a shield to move in on the most vulnerable. Hopefully things are now in place to get these youngsters out of dangerous areas and make sure they can't fall into the hands of traffickers." Listen to The Smugglers' Trail with Sue Mitchell and Rob Lawrie starting Friday 11 March on BBC Radio 4 - listen on iPlayer

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60692442

Covid inquiry's public hearings to begin in 2023 - BBC News

2022-03-11

The inquiry will gather evidence this year and give recommendations "as soon as possible", its chair says.

The inquiry aims to produce "a factual, narrative account" covering decision-making at all levels of government The inquiry into the UK government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic will not hold public hearings until 2023, its chair has said. Baroness Hallett said her team would gather evidence throughout this year and she would try to deliver recommendations "as soon as possible". The draft terms of reference for the inquiry were published on Thursday. More than 162,000 people have died within 28 days of a positive Covid case across the UK since the pandemic began. The inquiry, which is due to begin in the spring, will look at preparedness for the pandemic, as well as the health, care and economic response. In an open letter Baroness Hallett, a former High Court judge, said that once it had officially begun there would be a chance for people to share their experiences of the pandemic. She said: "I will do everything in my power to deliver recommendations as soon as possible, to ensure that in any future pandemic, the suffering and hardship many of you have experienced is reduced or prevented." Baroness Hallett has launched a consultation on the draft terms of reference of the inquiry, running until 7 April, which will set out the scope of its investigation. She said her team would be visiting towns and cities across the four nations of the UK to gather the views of bereaved families, community and support groups. Baroness Hallett pledged to run "an independent, thorough and open inquiry" and said that the pandemic had had an "unprecedented impact on everyone" in the UK. Under the current draft terms of reference, the inquiry aims to produce "a factual, narrative account" covering decision-making at all levels of government and the response of the health and care sector as well as identifying the "lessons to be learned". The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group welcomed the publication of the terms of reference as a "huge step forward" and said it looked forward to contributing to the consultation on the terms. The Scottish government has its own Covid-19 inquiry, to be led by Judge Lady Poole, but Northern Ireland is not holding its own at this stage. Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has resisted calls to hold a Wales-specific inquiry and has encouraged people to contribute to the consultation on the UK inquiry. On Friday a further 72,898 coronavirus cases were reported across the UK with a further 114 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test. It comes as the Office for National Statistics said infections are rising across the UK, with about one-in-25 people infected, according to the latest estimates. Several reports have already put the UK government's handling of the pandemic under the spotlight. A report by MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee and the Science and Technology Committee last October said the UK's failure to do more to stop Covid spreading early in the pandemic was one of the country's worst public health failures. Meanwhile, spending watchdog the National Audit Office found ministers were not properly prepared for a pandemic like Covid-19 and lacked detailed plans on shielding, job support schemes and school disruption. The government said the unprecedented pandemic had challenged health systems around the world - not just the UK.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60712870

Twitter blocks Russian claims on hospital attack - BBC News

2022-03-11

Posts from the Russian embassy in the UK claiming the bombing of a maternity hospital was faked have been taken down.

Three people including a child died when Russia struck a hospital on Wednesday Twitter has removed two posts by the Russian embassy in London which claimed the bombing of a Ukrainian hospital by Russian forces had been faked. The Mariupol hospital was attacked on Wednesday, leaving three people dead. But the embassy's tweets made unfounded claims the hospital was not operational at the time, and that injured women pictured at the scene were actors. Twitter told the BBC the tweets violated rules "related to the denial of violent events". Officials at the embassy have offered no proof to back up their claims, and the BBC's disinformation team has found evidence which contradicts the allegations. The embassy claimed the hospital had been "long non-operational". However, a week-old post on the hospital's Facebook page asked for fuel to keep operations going. Reports from Mariupol last week - from the Associated Press news agency and Sky News - also says it was treating bombing victims, and that the maternity ward had been moved to the basement. The allegation that a beauty blogger was used to fake photos of a pregnant woman at the scene was also called into question, as the woman in question, who lives in the city, is seen heavily pregnant in Instagram posts dating from last month. This tweet was deleted by Twitter for violating its rules The initial claims that the bombing was faked by Ukraine did not come from the embassy. They first began trending among Russian users of the Telegram messaging app earlier in the day, and were then mentioned on state television news bulletins and chat shows. A further claim circulating that the beauty blogger also pretended to be another woman caught up in the bombing and photographed at the scene is also untrue. A look at high-resolution images of the other woman featured in the claims shows she looks nothing like the beauty blogger. Those are two different women. Finally there were accusations that the hospital had been taken over by a far-right battalion of the Ukrainian army. As yet there is no evidence that this was the case. These claims all continue to circulate online, despite the tweets being removed. The pregnant beauty blogger's Instagram account has also now become a target for online trolls and conspiracy theorists. Social media companies have been trying to tackle misinformation on their platforms, with many big tech companies blocking Russian broadcasters RT and Sputnik. But Twitter has not banned several accounts linked to Russian government organisations - including Vladimir Putin's official Twitter account.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60700642

Ukraine war: People can welcome refugees into their homes - PM - BBC News

2022-03-11

Details of a sponsorship visa scheme to host Ukrainians will be revealed on Monday, Boris Johnson says.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: Lena and Raisa Kamolikova face a lengthy process to apply for a UK visa in Poland Boris Johnson has defended the UK's response to the refugee crisis and said an upcoming scheme will allow Britons to take Ukrainians into their homes. The PM told Sky News the UK would be "generous" to those fleeing Ukraine, and that details of a second visa scheme would be announced on Monday. Defending the current visa rules, Mr Johnson said: "People want us to be generous but also careful." The UK has been criticised for only taking in about 1,000 refugees so far. Unlike the European Union - which is allowing Ukrainians three-year residency without a visa - the UK has retained controls on entry, saying they are essential for security. But the government has come under mounting pressure, including from Conservative MPs, to do more to take in refugees fleeing Ukraine. A scheme allowing individuals and businesses to sponsor a refugee's visa to the UK was originally promised on 1 March, along with the other main route for Ukrainians to get to the UK, which launched last week and allows refugees to join relatives already settled in Britain. As Russia targets more cities for air strikes and shelling, the United Nations said more than 2.5 million people have now fled Ukraine. More than 1.5 million refugees crossed into Poland, but about 40% of them are thought to have subsequently left for other countries. Meanwhile, the UK has imposed sanctions on 386 more members of Russia's parliament who voted to recognise the independence of breakaway Ukrainian regions Luhansk and Donetsk, which the Foreign Office said was used as a "pretext" for the invasion of Ukraine. A total of 400 members of the Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, are now subject to sanctions - including asset freezes, a ban on entering the country and a ban on doing business in the UK. Speaking on Sky News' Beth Rigby Interviews programme, Mr Johnson said "historically and by nature", the British people are "very generous, open and welcoming". Defending the need to check biometric data, such as fingerprints, he said: "People want us to be generous but also careful," adding security measures were "light touch" and "sensible given the attitudes of the Putin regime towards the UK". Mr Johnson said this would also be the "best thing for refugees, because they want a scheme that is safe, that is welcoming and that works". Challenged on why the checks would be needed for children, who are estimated to make up around half of the two million refugees fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the prime minister said these requirements did not apply to younger people. But pressed on why just 1,000 family visas had been issued so far, Mr Johnson said the number would "rise very sharply". He added that on Monday, the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove would announce details of the second visa scheme, which he said would mean that "if people want to welcome [them] into their own homes, they can do so". However, the British Red Cross and Ukraine's UK ambassador have been among those urging the government to drop requirements for visas altogether during the war so Ukrainian refugees can travel to the UK more easily. On Thursday Home Secretary Priti Patel announced that, from Tuesday, Ukrainian refugees with valid passports will be able to apply for visas online without submitting biometric information until they reach the UK. The change - which Ms Patel said had the approval of the security services - would only affect people applying under the family scheme. French President Emmanuel Macron said he saw a "glimmer of pragmatism" in the move but added that "we'll see in coming days whether it's enough or needs to go further". The government is keen to avoid some of the problems of the scheme designed to help Afghans fleeing after the Taliban took back power, with thousands of people still stuck in hotels without temporary accommodation. The Home Office will still administer the provision of visas, with the levelling up department taking responsibility for what happens once the refugees are here. It's not impossible that the offer, expected to be detailed on Monday, could result in many thousands of Ukrainians coming here. With more than two million people on the move as a result of the war, the need is plain. Like the family visa scheme, which has already been extended under political pressure, the sponsorship route is not expected to have a limit. How many Ukrainians end up in the UK may rest therefore, in part, on the willingness of the British people to open their homes. Read more of Laura's analysis here. Ministers and officials met on Thursday afternoon to discuss the sponsorship plan, in which refugee groups are expected to be involved in finding suitable host individuals or organisations - such as families or church groups. It is anticipated that those offering accommodation will be expected to commit to a minimum of six months. Ukrainians entering through this new route are expected to be allowed to stay for a year initially and will be entitled to work, claim benefits and access public services. Ahead of the scheme's launch, Krish Kandiah, a government adviser on the care system, said 2,000 people and organisations had signed up to help Ukrainian refugees settle in the UK through his Sanctuary Foundation. He told BBC Breakfast that he understood people would be able to offer homes to Ukrainians they already knew personally or they could be matched by the government with refugees. The Préfecture du Pas-de-Calais has announced where the "pop-up" visa processing centre for Ukrainian refugees will be. There had been reports it would be in Lille, but it's in Arras, in France, which is one hour from Calais, two from Brussels and three from Paris. The UK government had been promising it would open for several few days now. French authorities say it is finally expected to start operating on Friday. Many of the hundreds of Ukrainians who are in northern France have spent the past week travelling to the French and Belgian capitals to submit biometric information and documentation. Many have already been processed and it's thought most will be by next Tuesday, when the process becomes simpler and will move online. The Foreign Office also confirmed on Thursday that all Ukrainian staff working for the British embassy and British Council in Ukraine plus their dependents are able to come to the UK. However, the speed of the UK's response to taking in Ukrainian refugees has been criticised, with Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper calling it a "total disgrace". This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Yvette Cooper on the Home Office response to Ukrainian refugees: “Our country is better than this” Ms Cooper asked why it had taken "being hauled into the House of Commons to make basic changes to help vulnerable people who are fleeing from Ukraine?"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60701941

Redditch Asda stabbing: Boy, 14, charged with murder - BBC News

2022-03-11

The teenager appears in court charged with murder and is remanded in custody.

Ian Kirwan was treated near Asda in Jinnah Road, Redditch, but died at the scene A 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder after a man died following an attack outside a supermarket. Ian Kirwan, from Redditch, was stabbed near Asda in Jinnah Road in the town at about 19:20 GMT on Tuesday. A further three youths were arrested on Thursday, in addition to eight arrests made earlier in the week, West Mercia Police said. The teenager appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on Friday. He spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address and was remanded into custody. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is due to next appear at Worcester Crown Court on Monday. The supermarket has reopened, police say Three youths, including the boy charged with murder, remain in custody, said the force. Of the 11 arrested, one has been released on bail and seven released with no further action. Officers are continuing to ask any witnesses to come forward. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-60703984

Ukrainecast - The Info War - BBC Sounds

2022-03-11

Fact vs. propaganda.

Kept at gunpoint in a nuclear plant We hear from people in the Ukrainian nuclear plant working in fear for their lives

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0btrq24

UK sanctions 386 Russian MPs over Ukraine invasion - BBC News

2022-03-11

Politicians who voted to recognise two areas of Ukraine as independent have their UK assets frozen.

The sanctions will hit members of the Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament The UK government has imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian parliamentarians as part of its response to the war in Ukraine. Some 386 MPs who voted to recognise two rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine as independent last month have been hit by asset freezes and UK travel bans. The UK said their recognition of Luhansk and Donetsk gave Russia a "pretext" for its subsequent invasion. Labour welcomed the move but said it should have happened "weeks ago". It follows a similar move by the European Union, which announced sanctions against hundreds of Russian MPs last month. The UK signalled it would impose sanctions of its own last month, but said more time was needed to pass new legislation before it could happen. The latest announcement means 400 of the 450 members of the Duma - the lower house of the Russian parliament - are now subject to British sanctions. They also prevent them from conducting business in the UK. Downing Street declined to say whether any of the sanctioned politicians had any assets in the UK. Ministers are yet to also target members of the Federation Council, the Russian parliament's upper house, who voted for recognition. The Foreign Office signalled its intention to do so last month. Meanwhile, No 10 said details of a UK ban on exporting luxury goods to Russia would be announced in the coming days. The product ban is part of a series of additional trade sanctions announced by the G7 group of wealthy Western nations on Friday. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the UK was targeting "those complicit in Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine and those who support this barbaric war". "We will not let up the pressure and will continue to tighten the screw on the Russian economy through sanctions," she added. The move against Russian MPs follows sanctions on Russian banks, companies and oligarchs in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine last month. On Thursday the UK announced sanctions on a further seven Russian oligarchs, including Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich. The UK government says it means 18 Russian oligarchs, worth a combined £30bn, have been sanctioned since the Russian invasion began. Russia's Duma approved "friendship treaties" with Luhansk and Donetsk at a vote on 22 February Ministers have been coming under mounting pressure from opposition parties to increase both the speed and scale of sanctions in recent weeks. Labour's shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said the latest sanctions against Duma members were welcome, but "should have happened weeks ago". Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran also backed the move, but said the UK had been "moving at a snail's pace". The government has also faced criticism over its response to the refugee crisis, amid accusations the process to apply for visas is slow and bureaucratic. The United Nations said more than 2.5 million people have now fled Ukraine, but as of Thursday morning the UK had issued 1,305 visas, Home Office Minister Baroness Williams of Trafford said on Friday. The government has announced plans to allow Ukrainians with family in the UK to apply for visas online, without having to visit a visa centre in-person. Details of a second scheme allowing individuals and businesses to sponsor refugee visas are set to be confirmed on Monday, having originally been announced on 1 March.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60708230

Anthony Russell: Triple killer given whole-life prison sentence - BBC News

2022-03-11

Anthony Russell admitted killing three people, raping his final victim before strangling her.

Anthony Russell admitted the three murders and was found guilty of rape A triple killer who raped a pregnant woman moments before strangling her has been sentenced to a whole-life prison term. Anthony Russell, 39, murdered Julie Williams, her son David Williams and Nicole McGregor, whose body was found in woodland near Leamington Spa. Sentencing Russell in his absence, a judge described him as "exceptionally dangerous and manipulative". He had admitted the murders during a week-long spree in October 2020. A jury also found him guilty of rape on Thursday after a retrial at Warwick Crown Court. The court heard he had assaulted Ms McGregor, who was five months pregnant, just hours after she showed him a picture of her baby scan. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Police bodycam footage shows the moment Anthony Russell was arrested after one of the largest manhunts in recent years Mr Justice Wall told the court whole-life orders were only for "exceptionally serious" cases. "I have no doubt that this is a case which falls fairly and squarely within the description," he said. "Each [of the deaths] was the result of a separate murderous act which was sustained and brutal." "You will remain in custody for the rest or your life and will never be eligible to apply to the parole board for your release." Sati Ruck, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said while the reasons behind Russell's killing spree may never be known, it was clear "all the attacks were deliberate, cold-hearted and designed to achieve his own ends". She added Russell's decision to deny raping Ms McGregor, despite "the strength of the circumstantial evidence" against him, had forced her family to "relive the tragic circumstances around her death at trial". The court heard Russell, described as a "rather sad and pathetic individual" by his own barrister, had refused to attend the sentencing hearing on Friday. Attempts to get him in a prison van resulted in staff being put in "situations of danger", the court was told. West Midlands Police said it believed Mr Williams, 32, was killed due to Russell's "mistaken belief that he was in a relationship with his girlfriend". Russell, of Riley Square, Coventry, strangled him on 21 October with a lanyard, before leaving the body under his bed, where it was found five days later with 87 injuries. He then strangled Mr Williams' 58-year-old mother in an attack which saw him inflict 113 separate injuries. Officers suspect Russell "confessed to David's killing" and "then killed Julie to stop her from speaking to the police", said Det Supt Shaun Edwards, of West Midlands Police. Police said there was no known link between Russell and Nicole McGregor Ms McGregor's body was discovered in woods on 29 October, three days after she was strangled by Russell in Newbold Comyn. The court heard that just three hours after meeting Russell, the 31-year-old had agreed to walk into the woodland with him. "We suggest that the defendant lured Nicole on to the Comyn, not for sex but more likely for drugs," said prosecutor Zoe Johnson QC. After the murder, heroin-user Russell pretended to help Ms McGregor's partner look for her. The court heard he had told her partner, the baby's father, "I bet you can't wait for it to be born", despite knowing he had raped and killed her. A victim impact statement read to the court from Ms McGregor's mother Maggie said the death had "destroyed" her family. "[Nicole] was caring, she was kind and behind her barriers, she had a heart of gold." A statement from Julie Williams' sister Carol said: "Sentencing will not bring our family back but we hope it will stop the defendant from committing these evil crimes on any more families." Julie Williams and her son David Williams were found dead at separate addresses The three deaths prompted one of the biggest UK manhunts in recent years. Russell fled Leamington by attacking and stealing a car from a 78-year-old man. He was eventually arrested after police spotted the stolen Ford C-Max parked on a road near Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, and found Russell on the back seat. During sentencing, the judge described Russell as "a man prepared to use very significant violence on anyone". "You are exceptionally dangerous to those who know you, and those who do not. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-60707696

Oil price falls below $100 but petrol hits new high - BBC News

2022-03-15

Motoring groups call for fuel prices to fall as Brent crude drops to its lowest for two weeks.

Motoring groups have called for fuel prices to fall as the cost of crude oil fell to its lowest level for two weeks. The price of Brent crude - the global benchmark for prices - dropped below $100 a barrel for the first time since the start of March. The RAC has said it is "vital" that fuel retailers start passing on falling wholesale prices to consumers. Petrol prices hit another record high on Monday, meaning it costs more than £90 to fill a family car, the RAC said. The average price of a litre of petrol rose to 163.71p on Monday, and diesel also hit a fresh record of 173.68p. Oil prices soared after Russia invaded Ukraine, with the price of Brent crude oil hitting a near 14-year high at one point. But in the past few days, the price of oil has dropped due to a number of factors, including hopes of progress in ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine, and also expectations that demand from China will ease as Covid cases there surge. Brent crude fell to about $98 a barrel on Tuesday before recovering some ground. RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said that although petrol prices were at record highs, drivers "should be encouraged" by the fall in oil and wholesale prices. "It's now vital that the biggest retailers who buy fuel most often start to reflect these reductions at the pumps to give drivers a much-needed break from the pain of constantly rising prices," he added. The AA said that the wholesale price of petrol has plummeted by 12.8p a litre since Wednesday. Luke Bosdet from the AA said: "We should be seeing these record prices level off and start to fall away later this week. If not, MPs who are being deluged by complaints from angry constituents, need to be asking questions in Parliament. "The government is under intense pressure from the cost of living crisis. They don't need the fuel trade to 'feather' a potential drop in pump prices." Andrew Opie from the British Retail Consortium said supermarket retailers "understand the cost pressures" facing motorists, and will do "everything they can to offer the best value-for-money across petrol forecourts, particularly if the price of oil falls". The Petrol Retailers Association, which represents independent forecourts, said it would expect prices to fall when fresh stock is delivered. Gordon Balmer, the PRA's Executive Director, said forecourts bought from suppliers based on a price with one or two days' lag, or in some cases a week's lag. This means it can take a few days for wholesale prices to filter through to the pumps. Oil prices are mainly determined by the price of crude oil and the dollar exchange rate, as agreements are made in dollars. Russia is the third largest oil exporter and some Western countries, for example the US and Canada, decided to halt imports from the country in response to Russia's actions. It means demand for oil from other producers has increased, leading to increased prices. The UK only imports about 6% of oil from Russia, so is not as dependent on Russia for the commodity supply as other European countries are and has said it plans to phase it out. It is, however, affected by the global shifts in price. On Monday, some analysts told MPs on the Treasury Committee that they expected the recent fall in the oil price to be temporary. Nathan Piper, head of oil and gas research at financial services company Investec, said further restrictions on Russian oil exports would mean consumers "need to get ready for what could be continued increases in fuel prices." Dr Amrita Sen, director of research at Energy Aspects, told the committee that petrol prices could rise to around £2.40 a litre. And that diesel prices of "£2.50 - even closer to £3" were "definitely in the realms of possibility". Energy Minister Greg Hands has said the UK's transition to cleaner forms of energy production is now "an issue of national security" and not just of decarbonisation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60737256

Petrol prices set to ease after hitting record highs - BBC News

2022-03-15

Fuel prices are expected to peak this week before falling due to the price of oil dropping globally.

Petrol prices are likely to fall back from record levels due to the costs of wholesale fuel and global oil easing, UK motoring groups have said. The average price for a litre of petrol hit £1.63 on Sunday after rising above £1.60 for the first time last week. Diesel remained above £1.73 a litre, but the AA said "wild" pump prices should stabilise, unless global oil prices take off again. But MPs were told this was a "lull before the storm" of more price hikes. Nathan Piper, head of oil and gas research at financial services company Investec, said consumers "need to get ready for what could be continued increases in fuel prices." Mr Piper told the Treasury Committee: "If more stringent actions are imposed upon Russia, and five million barrels a day is truly taken out of the market, then oil prices would really have no ceiling." He explained that the UK was roughly self-sufficient in petrol but imported much of its diesel. Two thirds of UK consumers use diesel so that it could see the biggest price increases at the pump, he said. Dr Amrita Sen, director of research at Energy Aspects, told the committee that petrol prices could rise to around £2.40 a litre. And that diesel prices of "£2.50 - even closer to £3" were "definitely in the realms of possibility". She said the UK could follow Germany in introducing rationing measures which have already seen BP and Shell reduce diesel wholesales to industry. "If we need to rebuild stocks over the summer so that we have a buffer over the winter...it is industry that will need to be curtailed and that's where the first set of rationing will have to come in," she said. Mr Piper said the only other option was for the government to release some of its stockpiles of petrol and crude oil. "But it'll be industry that takes the brunt of any rationing initially," he said. Meanwhile, the AA said filling up a typical 55-litre car tank now costs £89.90p on average, up from £68.57 a year ago. Oil prices soared after Russia invaded Ukraine, with the price of Brent crude oil - the global benchmark for prices - hitting a near 14-year high at one point. However, in the past few days, the price of oil has dropped as fears that the European Union would follow the US and Canada in banning Russian oil have eased. Brent crude fell as much as 8% to trade at $103.68 per barrel on Monday. The RAC said drivers would have to stomach probably more rises this week, but added they "should soon get some respite from pump prices jumping by several pence a litre every day as oil and wholesale prices appear to have settled". "The price hikes seen over the weekend are still a result of the oil price rise which began at the start of the month and peaked early last week at $137 a barrel," said RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams. "As the oil price has now fallen back, we should hopefully reach the peak and start to see prices going the other way to reflect the big drop in wholesale costs seen at the end of last week, subject to no further spikes in the barrel price this week." The reason higher prices at the pumps are likely to remain despite falling commodity prices is due to the way retailers buy the fuel and the time lag between purchasing at a certain price and then selling it on. Yet, there is a concern some retailers might be reluctant to lower their prices for fear of being caught out if wholesale costs jump back up again. Luke Bosdet, the AA's fuel price spokesman, said a 10.6p-a-litre slump in wholesale petrol costs on Wednesday and Thursday last week, followed by oil's fall in value, had produced "bizarre price anomalies". "In one town this weekend, filling a tank at one forecourt was more than a pound cheaper than directly across the road at another," he said. Mr Bosdet said weekends were the busiest time for forecourts and the rush by drivers to beat further potential price increases had pushed up demand, which had actually led to even higher prices at the pumps as stations had to resupply at a faster rate. Oil prices are mainly determined by the price of crude oil and the dollar exchange rate, as agreements are made in dollars. Russia is the third largest oil exporter and some Western countries, for example the US and Canada, decided to halt imports from the country in response to Russia's actions. It means demand for oil from other producers has increased, leading to increased prices. The UK only imports about 6% of oil from Russia, so is not as dependent on Russia for the commodity supply as other European countries are and has said it plans to phase it out. It is, however, affected by the global shifts in price. But the price of Brent crude dropped in recent days, due to reduced fears of a European ban on Russian oil, and also partly due to speculation that extra supplies could come onto the market from Iran, Venezuela and the UAE. The conflict in Ukraine has led to concerns being raised by Western nations about where they get their energy from. Energy Minister Greg Hands said the UK's transition to cleaner forms of energy production was "an issue of national security" and not just of decarbonisation. Speaking at an event in London, he said: "By switching to cheaper power generated in the UK, for the UK, we will ensure that we're not dependent on any unfriendly foreign country to keep our homes warm and lit." However, Mr Hands acknowledged that the transition to cleaner energy sources would take time, and there was still a need to invest in domestic fossil fuel production.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60733390

Ukraine war: Editor interrupts Russian TV news show - BBC News

2022-03-15

The woman held a sign reading "no war" behind a newsreader on Russian state-controlled TV.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. A woman holding an anti-war sign ran on to the set of a Russian evening news programme on the state-controlled Channel 1 on Monday evening. The sign, clearly visible behind the presenter, read: "No war, stop the war, don't believe the propaganda, they are lying to you here." The woman has been named as Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at the channel. Russian TV news is tightly controlled by the Kremlin and reflects only the Russian version of events in Ukraine. Ms Ovsyannikova is believed to be in police custody. Her voice could be heard during the broadcast saying, "No to war! Stop the war!" before the programme director cut early to a recorded news report. Before the protest, which happened live on the nightly news programme, she recorded a video in which she called events in Ukraine a "crime" and said she was ashamed to work for what she called Kremlin propaganda. "I'm ashamed that I allowed myself to tell lies from the television screen. Ashamed that I allowed Russians to be turned into zombies," she explained. She called on the Russian people to protest against the war, saying that only they could "stop the madness". From the moment Ms Ovsyannikova's identity became known, she has received dozens of comments on her Facebook page in Ukrainian, Russian and English, thanking her for her actions. Russian television news has long been controlled by the Kremlin and independent viewpoints are rare on all the major channels. But new laws introduced since the invasion of Ukraine have made the media landscape even more draconian. Legislation passed earlier this month made it illegal to call the military action an "invasion" or to disseminate "fake" news about it. State-controlled Russian media refer to the war as a "special military operation" and paint Ukraine as the aggressor, with a government described as neo-Nazi. Several of the remaining independent media outlets have stopped broadcasting or publishing after pressure from the authorities, including the radio station Echo of Moscow and TV Rain - an online TV channel. Others, like newspaper Novaya Gazeta, are attempting to report on the situation without falling foul of the new censorship laws. Access to the BBC has also been restricted inside Russia, leading the corporation to issue guidance over how to continue using its services. Russia's media watchdog accused the BBC and other foreign broadcasters of the "deliberate and systematic circulation of materials containing false information". Many social media sites have also been blocked, further restricting the number and diversity of news sources available to people inside Russia. Facebook and Twitter have been restricted for several days, while Instagram - which is particularly popular in Russia - was blocked on Monday, although many Russians have found ways round the restrictions. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60744605

Ukraine's wartime rail chief has to be faster than the Russians tracking him - BBC News

2022-03-15

Ukraine's rail chief says his staff risk their lives to get others to safety amid Russia attacks.

Oleksandr Kamyshin, 37, says Ukraine's railway staff have helped an estimated 2.5 million people to reach safety There is a last-minute change of plan. He won't be leaving from the main station after all. The bodyguards move fast and we follow, racing along the quiet streets behind the convoy, and into the suburbs. The Russians would like to kill him. Oleksandr Kamyshin is sure of this. So the 37-year-old chairman of Ukraine's railway network constantly changes his travel plans. Never stay in one place too long. Never have a routine that the Russians can discover. "We have to be faster than those people who try to track us," he tells me. The railway is the country's biggest employer with 231,000 staff across 233,000 square miles (603,470 sq km) of territory - Ukraine is the second-largest country in Europe. So far Mr Kamyshin estimates his staff have helped to move 2.5 million people to safety. But the vast operation has come at a cost. Schedules have to be constantly updated because of Russian attacks. Since Vladimir Putin's invasion began, 33 railway staff have been killed. "They hit our track daily. They hit the stations. Our people risk their lives. They go under shelling. They keep saving people," says Mr Kamyshin. When we first meet, he is sitting at a long table with his close advisors, studying a map of the national rail network. Police guard the entrance to the room. Mr Kamyshin keeps his guards and advisors close There are constant phone calls. "Thank you for your support. But I also have a request," he says to one caller. "Please help us build trade between Ukraine and Poland." He hangs up and smiles. "That was the Polish minister for infrastructure," he says. Mr Kamyshin wants to set up a joint venture with Poland to send Ukrainian exports west. Before joining the railways Mr Kamyshin was a financier but he is now one of the most important men in the country. In a few weeks he has gone from reforming the rail sector to a wartime director of operations. "All people in Ukraine were businesspeople, farmers and all other professions before the war started. Now all people in Ukraine are at war. All of us have started doing war," he says. His own life is a blur of rail journeys, stopping at one place to talk to local staff, at another to meet government officials, and constantly in contact with the senior leadership in Kyiv. Mr Kamyshin is convinced he is a target for Russian forces He hasn't seen his wife and two young sons since the war started nearly three weeks ago. Not only do the railways keep refugees moving, they also deliver tonnes of aid to the embattled areas of the country, transport troops to frontline cities, and continue to export whatever Ukraine can produce in these wartime conditions. A Russian blockade has closed the key ports in the south. Mr Kamyshin comes across as a man who is planning for a long campaign. "Instead of seaports we go west," he explains. "We have launched a programme to relocate production from east to west. So we can move people, ideas, plans, maybe machinery to launch new production in the west." It is an ambitious project and could be essential to the country's economic survival. However, Mr Kamyshin believes the West needs to do more than supply weapons and humanitarian aid. Since Russia's invasion began, thousands of people have been packing train platforms daily to travel to safer locations He wants the Nato military alliance to enforce a no-fly zone. It is a mantra repeated by government officials at nearly every opportunity - however unlikely the prospect of it happening. "This war will be won by Ukraine anyway. Now the only thing that needs to happen is the closing of the sky by the West." My last sight of Mr Kamyshin is close to midnight at a suburban rail depot. He is walking along the side of the tracks in darkness until the spotlight of the approaching train briefly illuminates his small group. The train pulls alongside and a stewardess welcomes him on board. I cannot say where his train is heading, but the night ahead will be filled with calls and discussions. There will be a few hours of sleep, perhaps, and constant checking of where the Russians have recently attacked. "We will keep repairing the tracks once the firing stops," he says before leaving. "We will keep the trains running as long as we can. There is no other option for us."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60755198

St Patrick's Day: NI ministers to travel to White House - BBC News

2022-03-15

After a two-year break because of Covid, in-person events are due to take place in Washington.

US President Joe Biden and Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin held a virtual meeting on St Patrick's Day last year Two Stormont ministers will fly to the US this week ahead of the St Patrick's Day celebrations in Washington. Finance Minister Conor Murphy and Economy Minister Gordon Lyons are due to take part in a series of trade and investment events before attending the annual ceremony at the White House. Civil service head Jayne Brady and Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill will join them. Washington's St Patrick's Day events have been cancelled for the past two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some restrictions, including face coverings, remain in place for White House events. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis, Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Colum Eastwood and Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin will also be in Washington. The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) said it regretted that its leader Doug Beattie was "too unwell to travel to Washington" on this occasion. "We wish those attending this week`s events a happy St Patrick`s Day and we look forward to taking up future invitations and opportunities to engage directly with the US administration," a UUP spokesperson added. After a two-year absence, the Irish political exodus on St Patrick's Day has returned with 33 Dublin ministers flying around the world. But there will be no first or deputy first minister from Northern Ireland. Their absence will be noted and used by some to talk up the the crisis at Stormont. But any debate will be completely overshadowed by the war in Ukraine and it will be Putin and not the protocol which will dominate discussions. The programme in Washington will include the traditional Northern Ireland Bureau breakfast on St Patrick's Day. At the same time, US Vice President Kamala Harris will host a breakfast gathering before the annual speakers' luncheon with Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives. The traditional shamrock handover between the taoiseach and US President Joe Biden will take place in the oval office. On Tuesday, politicians will gather at the Irish Embassy for the unveiling of a bust celebrating the life of former SDLP leader John Hume, who died in 2020. A bust will be unveiled in tribute to the late John Hume (left), pictured with President Clinton on St Patrick's Day in 2000 Before arriving in Washington, Mr Lyons will meet investors in New York along with representatives from the US travel industry. He will also travel to Maryland to meet officials from the US Department of Commerce to talk about a shared project on cyber security. The water in the White House north lawn fountain was turned green to mark St Patrick's Day in 2021 Although she is no longer deputy first minister, Michelle O'Neill will also be in the US with her Sinn Féin party leader Mary Lou McDonald. They will attend an Irish unity event in New York before Ms McDonald addresses the US Council on Foreign Relations. It is not yet clear if other party leaders, including the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, plan to travel to Washington this week.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-60730401

Ukraine war: Zelensky urges Russian troops to surrender - BBC News

2022-03-15

The Ukrainian president says Russians who give themselves up will be treated "as people, decently".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Russian soldiers to surrender. In his nightly TV address, he said Russian forces had suffered worse losses during their invasion of his country than in the Chechnya conflict. He said they had already begun to understand that they would not achieve anything by war. "I know that you want to survive," he said, adding that those who surrendered would be treated "as people, decently". Mr Zelensky also paid tribute to Marina Ovsyannikova, the woman who interrupted Russian state TV news by holding up an anti-war sign. He said he was "grateful to those Russians who do not stop trying to convey the truth" and who fought disinformation. Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are expected to continue on Tuesday, with Mr Zelensky saying "pretty good" progress had been made so far. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. More residential buildings are set ablaze after explosions in Kyiv Later, in a video call to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and representatives from the multinational Joint Expeditionary Force, the Ukrainian leader once again berated Nato over its refusal to implement a no-fly zone. Mr Zelensky said Nato was "the strongest alliance in the world" but "some of the members of this alliance are hypnotised by Russian aggression". He added that Vladimir Putin's invasion had undermined European security infrastructure and that fears of World War Three were allowing Russia to bombard peaceful cities. In another diplomatic move, the Polish, Czech and Slovenian prime ministers are on their way by train to Kyiv to meet Mr Zelensky. The Polish government said in a statement that the visit was intended "to confirm the unequivocal support of the entire European Union for the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and to present a broad package of support for the Ukrainian state and society". However, authorities in the beleaguered capital have announced a 35-hour curfew to begin at 20:00 local time on Tuesday. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said it would last until 07:00 on Thursday, adding that it came at "a difficult and dangerous moment". Addressing the Russian invaders, Mr Zelensky said: "We hear your conversations in the intercepts, we hear what you really think about this senseless war, about this disgrace and about your state." Therefore, he said, he was offering them a choice on behalf of the Ukrainian people. "If you surrender to our forces, we will treat you the way people are supposed to be treated. As people, decently. "In a way you were not treated in your army. And in a way your army does not treat ours. Choose!"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60748234

Ukraine war: Residents rescued after Kyiv apartment block strike - BBC News

2022-03-15

At least one person was killed when the residential building in the Ukrainian capital was hit.

At least one person has died and 12 were injured in a Russian air strike on a residential building in Ukraine's capital Kyiv. Firefighters attended the scene in Obolon district in the aftermath of the attack. Footage shows a woman - and her pet - being brought to the ground from an apartment in the smoking building.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60733921

Chelsea want FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough played behind closed doors - BBC Sport

2022-03-15

Chelsea say Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Middlesbrough should be played behind closed doors because their fans can no longer buy tickets.

Last updated on .From the section Chelsea Chelsea have asked for Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Middlesbrough to be played behind closed doors because their fans can no longer buy tickets. The government issued a licence to allow Chelsea to continue playing after freezing the assets of Russian owner Roman Abramovich. Under the terms, Chelsea are not allowed to sell tickets to any matches. Middlesbrough said they will challenge the "bizarre" and "ironic" request "in the strongest possible terms". Championship club Middlesbrough added the request - made by Chelsea "for matters of sporting integrity" - was "without any merit whatsoever". Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson told The Athletic : "Chelsea and sporting integrity do not belong in the same sentence. "Where is the intellect of Bruce Buck, the chairman of Chelsea, who has been an apologist for his owner, where the trophies won over 19 years have come from the corrupt money provided by Abramovich?" Gibson added. "Where is the intellect of the chairman of Chelsea when it comes to playing his games at home in front of his season-ticket holders? Does he want to play all his away games at empty stadiums? "Abramovich has been kicked out of football and Bruce Buck should be kicked out of football too." The Football Association will make a decision on Wednesday. Chelsea Supporters Trust asked the club to withdraw the request, saying it "does not benefit" any fans. • None Is this a moment of reckoning for English football ownership? Chelsea had sold between 500 and 600 tickets of their 4,620 allocation before the licence placing restrictions on the club came into effect on 10 March. The measure was introduced to stop oligarch Abramovich, who is looking to sell Chelsea, from profiting. He has been banned from being a club director and the sale of Chelsea has been delayed after the UK government sanctioned him over his connection to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Chelsea said they made the request "with extreme reluctance" to the FA not to allow fans of either side at the Riverside "for matters of sporting integrity". A statement read: "Chelsea FC recognises that such an outcome would have a huge impact on Middlesbrough and its supporters, as well as our own fans who have already bought the limited number of tickets that were sold before the licence was imposed, but we believe this is the fairest way of proceeding in the current circumstances." Middlesbrough, who have knocked out Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham in this year's competition, said: "To suggest as a result that MFC and our fans should be penalised is not only grossly unfair but without any foundation. "Given the reasons for these sanctions, for Chelsea to seek to invoke sporting 'integrity' as reason for the game being played behind closed doors is ironic in the extreme." Chelsea said on Monday they were talking to the government on a daily basis "in search of a resolution" to the issue of selling tickets, and that the Premier League and FA had spoken to the government about the potential sporting integrity issues raised. The government last week granted an amendment to the licence, allowing Chelsea to spend £900,000 on costs for home games - up from the £500,000 set on Thursday - but the allowable away costs remain at £20,000 per game. Sports minister Nigel Huddleston said the government is in "discussions" with Chelsea "to look at ways ways we could potentially enable further ticket sales". Speaking at a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) session about the role of Russian money in the ownership and sponsorship of clubs, Huddleston said licence amendments taken so far were "precisely to stop" Chelsea from going into administration. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham told the DCMS session that he "would expect the (Middlesbrough) game to go ahead". The match, which starts at 17:15 GMT, will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website. A government spokesman said: "We are working to ensure more away fans can attend games, but this must be compatible with the licence so we ensure that no additional revenue can be raised." Travel needs are about injuries, not 'bling' - Tuchel Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, whose side face Lille in the Champions League last 16 second leg on Wednesday, said they have made adjustments to travel with a budget of £20,000. The amount spent on travel for an away Premier League match is about £30,000, while European away fixtures add an extra premium. Tuchel said travel needs were centred around players avoiding possible soft-tissue injuries during a busy schedule rather than "luxury and bling bling". "This is just a professional level of sports, where we play with two days between matches with our opponent having four days between matches and we arrive with the possibilities of injuries," he said. "For that, it is better to arrive with a plane rather than a bus. "From my understanding, we have a framework to go and play in Lille with absolutely no excuses. "Regarding these organisations, it is already more difficult to arrange things on a professional level, in the best way possible, for the FA Cup. "But we will deal with it. As long as we have shirts and are 'alive' as a team, we will be competitive and fight hard for our success. We owe it to the people who support us. "We are in the spotlight and it is our responsibility to do so. We will do it." Chelsea 'throwing their toys out of the pram' - analysis Within government I am told by one senior source there is "exasperation" at what was described to me as a "tin-eared request" by Chelsea to play the match behind closed doors. Officials feel they are bending over backwards to allow Chelsea to play with a special licence, when other businesses in similar circumstances would not have received such assistance, and they have been listening to the club's concerns. But the feeling within Whitehall is Chelsea are now trying to penalise other clubs for the predicament they are in, and are mystified they are prioritising tickets and travel arrangements. I am told Chelsea wanted more than 4,000 fans at Middlesbrough rather than the 500 they were due to have, and this is seen as "throwing their toys out of the pram" at the first opportunity. BBC Sport has been told the Stamford Bridge club never thought it was likely the Football Association would agree to their request and they do intend to fulfil the fixture. However, it was done to try to get the government to understand the complexities around the predicament they are in. Under FA rules, Chelsea are entitled to 45% of the gate receipts from Saturday's game. In theory, that should net the Blues in excess of £300,000. But they have no idea whether they will receive the payment - or whether it will be withheld within the terms of the special licence, handed out by the government, which they are operating under. In April, they have home games against Brentford and West Ham - and could also have a Champions League quarter-final and FA Cup semi-final to play. If Chelsea are not allowed to sell tickets, they will be millions of pounds out of pocket which could have a massively damaging impact on the club. • None Our coverage of your Premier League club is bigger and better than ever before - follow your team and sign up for notifications in the BBC Sport app to make sure you never miss a moment

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60747640

Ukraine crisis: US warns China against helping Russia - BBC News

2022-03-15

US officials say Russia asked China for military support and help in evading sanctions.

Mr Sullivan, seen here in a file picture, warned that the US would not allow China to provide a "lifeline" to Russia China will face consequences if it helps Russia evade sanctions in its invasion of Ukraine, the US says. Unnamed US officials told multiple news outlets that China had signalled willingness to provide military assistance to Russia. The Chinese foreign ministry accused the US of spreading disinformation. Russia denied asking Beijing for military help. The exchanges came before top US and Chinese officials met in Rome. Media outlets, citing Washington officials, say that Russia has in recent days asked China specifically for military equipment, including drones. On Monday, the US warned allies that China had suggested it was open to a move to provide military and economic support, media reports said. The report came as US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, for talks in Rome. "Mr Sullivan raised a range of issues in US-China relations, with substantial discussion of Russia's war against Ukraine," a readout of the meeting said. "They also underscored the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the United States and China." In an earlier CNN interview, Mr Sullivan said the US was "communicating directly, privately to Beijing that there will absolutely be consequences for large-scale sanctions evasion efforts or support to Russia to backfill them". "We will not allow that to go forward and allow there to be a lifeline to Russia from these economic sanctions from any country, anywhere in the world," he said. He added that while the US believed China was aware that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was "planning something" before the invasion happened, Beijing "may not have understood the full extent of it". Russia's military action is now in its third week and has horrified much of the world "Because it's very possible that [Mr] Putin lied to them the same way that he lied to Europeans and others," Mr Sullivan said. In response, a spokesman for the foreign ministry in Beijing, Zhao Lijian, said the US had "been spreading disinformation targeting China on the Ukraine issue, with malicious intentions". Asked if he could clarify whether China had received a request for military help from Russia, Mr Zhao said this was "fake news" but did not deny it directly. He added that China's stance had always been consistent and that China was playing a constructive role in promoting talks. President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said reports Russia had asked China for military assistance were not true. "Russia possesses its own independent potential to continue the operation. As we said, it is going according to plan and will be completed on time and in full," he said. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the US raised concerns with the Chinese delegation "directly and very clearly". China has so far refrained from condemning Russia for the invasion and has said Moscow's "legitimate security concerns" should be taken seriously. When the United Nations General Assembly voted to condemn Russia's invasion earlier this month, China was one of 35 countries that abstained. But Beijing at the same time has expressed "unwavering support" for Ukraine's sovereignty. It has also called for peace and has said it is ready to help end the war through diplomacy. Several countries have urged China to do more to stop Russia's invasion. The EU and US help Ukraine, China helps Russia; if that's how this goes, then it's a delineation that will make the war in Ukraine an even more consequential one. The White House has decided to make public its claim just as President Biden's top security adviser is due to meet China's most senior diplomat. It appears to be a tactical move, to put pressure on China; presumably to either confirm or deny it. The bigger aim could be to try to make Xi Jinping weigh up the pros and cons to his current position of what was last week called a "rock solid" relationship with Moscow. Remember that it was just weeks ago, as the Winter Olympics opened in Beijing, that Presidents Xi and Putin declared a new alliance that had "no limit". Military aid could, clearly, be part of that. But in the days after Russia's invasion China has condemned the UK, the US and others for giving weapons to Ukraine's military, saying they were adding "fuel to the fire". If the US intelligence assessment is correct and Beijing follows through on that request, then they too would be "adding fuel". This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Mariko Oi explains why China is in a delicate position in the Ukraine conflict Are you or your family in Ukraine? Please share your experience if it is safe to do so by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-60732486

Homes for Ukraine: NI 'fully looped into' scheme says Michael Gove - BBC News

2022-03-15

NI can play a full role in housing refugees despite Stormont's absence, Michael Gove says.

Ukrainians have been arriving in neighbouring countries with only the possessions that they can carry Northern Ireland can play a full role in housing Ukrainian refugees in spite of the absence of an executive at Stormont, MPs have been told. Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Communities, said on Monday night that all parts of the UK would be involved in the Homes for Ukraine scheme. People who take in refugees will be known as sponsors. Sponsors in Northern Ireland will be entitled to claim £350 a month like the rest of the UK. The Homes for Ukraine scheme is now taking applications from people in Northern Ireland who want to offer shelter. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has said people would be matched from Friday, "if they're able to offer accommodation, whether it's people who've got spare accommodation, businesses and individuals". However, Stormont is currently without a functioning devolved government, known as the Northern Ireland Executive. It collapsed on 4 February when the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) pulled its first minister out of office, which meant other executive ministers cannot take any significant decisions or agree a budget. Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Gove acknowledged the complications at Stormont. "We know the political situation in Northern Ireland, but we did have the opportunity to talk to Jayne Brady [the head] of the Northern Ireland Civil Service in order to make sure that Northern Ireland was fully looped into this approach, and both the secretary of state and the minister of state in the Northern Ireland Office are committed to doing everything to help," he told MPs. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. DUP MP Gavin Robinson and Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry both raised questions about how the scheme would operate in Northern Ireland. It is not clear exactly how extra funding required for school places and health services would be managed in the absence of an executive. An online portal for people to register their interest in providing accommodation for families fleeing the war in Ukraine has opened on the UK government website. A spokesperson for the Executive Office at Stormont said the sponsorship scheme would operate in Northern Ireland and expressions of interest in providing accommodation from both individuals and groups was strongly encouraged. "While the details will be announced by Westminster, we are working at pace, making preparations so we stand ready to provide sanctuary to Ukrainian refugees," the spokesperson added. "Mindful of the pressure on social housing stock, officials are also engaging with councils and the voluntary and community sector to find creative ways of bringing suitable accommodation into use and identifying all available capacity." The spokesperson added they were also in contact with the Home Office and the Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing. "We will participate fully in this humanitarian effort," the Executive Office said. "Partnership across sectors and wider society will be key to ensuring we can support as many Ukrainian people seeking sanctuary here as possible." Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he had space within his home and "would be pleased to receive some of those fleeing from Ukraine". It is understood Alliance leader Naomi Long is considering doing the same, but would not seek payment. In the Republic of Ireland, the cabinet is set to hold an urgent video conference on Tuesday to discuss the war in Ukraine, broadcaster RTÉ reports. The taoiseach (Irish prime minister) is currently in the US ahead of events to mark St Patrick's Day, but will chair the meeting. Accommodation is expected to be a key focus for the meeting, with Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland Larysa Gerasko saying almost 6,000 refugees have arrived in Ireland over the last two weeks. "It's very difficult for them, some of them don't have friends or relatives here," she said. "They don't understand how the system in the country works." Ms Gerasko thanked the Irish government and people for the warm welcome Ukrainians had received. She added that while it was difficult to predict the number of refugees who would seek help in Ireland, she estimated it could be about 80,000 people. The Irish government announced the lifting of visa requirements between Ukraine and Ireland last month, but Ms Gerasko said many people did not know that. Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said he expected further sanctions against Russia to be announced in the near future. He said sanctions were "undermining" Russia and the European Commission was "currently considering what further steps can be taken".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-60745106

Ukraine crisis: Kyiv residential buildings hit in Russian strikes - BBC News

2022-03-15

More residential buildings are set ablaze after explosions in the capital.

Kyiv has been hit by more Russian strikes, with a number of tower blocks damaged and set ablaze. Two people have been killed in an airstrike that hit one residential building, according to Ukraine's state emergency service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60748417

Ukraine: Nick Robinson on how Germany is reversing decades of closer ties with Russia - BBC News

2022-03-15

Children of the 1989 generation won't enjoy the same freedoms as their parents, writes Nick Robinson in Berlin.

"Walls are not everlasting" read graffiti on the Berlin Wall in 1989 Just over three decades ago I stood on top of the Berlin Wall which - for almost three decades before - had torn friends and families apart, split a country and set the division of Europe in concrete. I watched and held my breath with thousands of others on that heady night in November 1989, when one brave young man dared to jump off the wall into what had been "no man's land". Days earlier he would have been shot, joining all those who had paid with their lives for daring to try to bridge the gap between East and West. Not on the night the wall fell. He held out a flower to a bewildered-looking East German soldier who, after a pause that seemed to last a lifetime, held out his hand and accepted the gesture of peace. The crowd lining the wall cheered wildly. They - we - dreamt that Europe might now be "free and whole". People might soon be free to choose who governed them - whether they lived in Berlin or Prague, Warsaw or Budapest and perhaps, just perhaps, in Moscow and St Petersburg too. I am back in Berlin - a city facing up to the fact that that dream is now dead thanks to Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine and to bomb its people into submission. Germany's leader, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, spoke of this being a historic turning point. In German they have a word for it (they have a word for everything). It is zeitenwende. Mr Scholz announced his country would now offer real military aid to Ukraine. A few weeks before, his government had been mocked for its offer of 5,000 helmets to equip the Ukrainian army. The head of the German navy had to resign after he observed that all Mr Putin wanted was respect and that he probably deserved it. The German chancellor has now pledged to spend more - €100bn (£84bn) more - on defence. What that means is that this country will soon become the biggest military power in Europe and the third biggest in the world - behind only China and the United States. Not so very long ago, that prospect would have been greeted with fear abroad and protests at home. As a young man - a member of what he calls "the 1989 generation" - Nils Schmid studied in Ukraine in what was then part of the Soviet Union. These days, he is a German MP and foreign affairs spokesman for the governing Social Democrats. He told me he and his fellow countrymen and women now had to accept that the "iron curtain" which divided Europe had simply moved. Once it had stood a few hundred yards from his office. Now, long after the fall of the wall, it is on the border between Nato countries - whose defence is guaranteed by the US - and those who look to Moscow. Opposite his office stands the vast Russia embassy - in what used to be East Berlin. It is now protected by police and there are barricades decorated with anti-war posters. A blanket lies on the ground and is filled with soft toys. The message to passers by is that it could be your children dying in Ukraine. A "Freedom Square" sign in Ukraine's national colours in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, 13 March There, I met Michael - a biker from the Black Forest in south-west Germany. He was recording a video next to his Yamaha, which he had re-painted in the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag. He had ridden for eight hours carrying a folder bulging with 600 messages to Vladimir Putin - from friends, neighbours and colleagues calling on the Russian president to stop the war. The embassy staff had refused to accept it. Michael had come to realise that talking to Russia (what used to be called detente) was not enough. Germany now had to be prepared to confront Moscow. What that means is the children of that 1989 generation will not enjoy the same freedoms as their parents. They will not grow up believing that wars are what happened in the past. Indeed a recent poll showed that seven in 10 Germans fear the spread of this war. People from Ukraine queuing for mobile phone cards in Berlin, 14 March And no wonder. The refugees driven from their homes by this conflict are pouring off trains into Berlin's stations at a rate of, some say, 10,000 a day. This war is re-shaping how Europe's most powerful country thinks. That will have dramatic consequences which are only just beginning to be thought through. You have to be almost 40 years old to remember the day when the wall fell back in November 1989. These days of February and March 2022 are turning out to be just as consequential.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60743342

Ukraine war: Infection and hunger as hundreds hide in Mariupol cellar - BBC News

2022-03-15

With no medical help, some are falling ill while sheltering from attacks in besieged Mariupol.

An explosion at an apartment building on Friday Hundreds of people are crammed into the basement of a large public building in the besieged Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, but are running out of food, with many also in need of urgent medical help. "Some have developed sepsis from shrapnel in the body," said Anastasiya Ponomareva, a 39-year-old teacher who fled the city at the start of the war but was still in contact with friends there. "Things are very serious." The city is encircled by Russian troops and remains under constant bombardment with almost 400,000 people still trapped without running water, and food and medical supplies quickly running out. The local authorities say the war there has left at least 2,400 civilians dead, but even they acknowledge that this is an underestimate. Ms Ponomareva's friends are with other families in the basement of the building. They have all left homes that are no longer safe or no longer standing. "People who managed to hide in underground shelters basically live there permanently," Ms Ponomareva said from the western city of Drohobych, where she was living. "They practically cannot leave at all." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Most of their day is spent hiding in the basement. From time to time they go upstairs for some sunlight, but rarely outside. Conditions, she was told, were quickly deteriorating, as some people had a fever and nothing could be done to treat them. "There is no medical help, no antibiotics." Some streets are so dangerous that few go out to pick up the dead. Many are being buried in mass graves. The almost non-stop Russian attacks have turned their old neighbourhoods into wasteland. New drone footage (pictured above) showed the vast extent of the damage, with fire and smoke billowing out of apartment blocks and blackened streets in ruins. "On the left bank, there's no residential building intact, it's all burned to the ground," Ms Ponomareva said. "The city centre is unrecognisable." Sheltering in the same building, a family of four has been in touch with Serhii Kozyrkov, a 40-year-old pastor who left Mariupol two weeks ago. "It's very crowded and there isn't enough food," Mr Kozyrkov, who is now in Lviv, said. "People get ill because it's very cold and everyone is lying next to each other." The family are desperate to flee. On Tuesday, about 2,000 cars managed to exit Mariupol, the city council said, and 2,000 more were ready to go. It was the second day that residents were allowed to leave. Previous evacuation attempts had failed, with Ukrainian authorities accusing Russia of attacking the city and even routes to be used by civilians, despite agreeing to ceasefires. But, again, no humanitarian aid was allowed into the city. Sergei Orlov, the deputy mayor of Mariupol, said things were "getting more difficult by the hour". "The situation is horrible," he said. "There isn't enough food, water, medicine, insulin, baby food. Everyone has specific needs." According to Mr Orlov, cars with supplies have been waiting for four days but the Russians have not let it in. "We get a lot of calls. For example, a mother who says 'I have a child in my hands [who] is dying from hunger.' Or we get a call 'Here's our address. We're blocked in the basement. What should we do?'," Mr Orlov said. "Unfortunately," he said, "we can't do anything." Back in the basement, the family told Mr Kozyrkov they could hear the sound of explosions nearby but that their building remained intact. There is one generator which they use to recharge their phones and, from time to time, they venture outside to make some calls. "The shelling doesn't stop," he said. "They're very frightened." Ms Ponomareva said the situation was "very difficult, to put it mildly." People need a humanitarian corridor, she said. "Otherwise, it's a slow death from hunger and thirst." Are you in Mariupol, or do you have concerns for relatives or friends living in the area? If it is safe for you to do so, please email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60736845

Putin changes law on leased jets to keep them flying - BBC News

2022-03-15

The Russian president signs new law allowing foreign-leased jets to keep flying in Russia.

The new law could allow foreign leased aircraft to keep flying domestic routes in Russia Russia has implemented a new law making it harder for foreign aircraft leasing companies to repossess their planes in the face of Western sanctions. The new law will allow foreign jets to be registered in Russia "to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of activities in the field of civil aviation". Russian airlines have 515 jets leased from abroad worth about $10bn (£7.7bn). Foreign owners have until 28 March to get them back from Russian companies before sanctions kick in. The move comes after Bermuda and Ireland, where nearly all foreign-leased planes operating in Russia are registered, said they were suspending certificates of airworthiness for those aircraft. The measure, signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, could circumvent that by bringing registration and certification of safety within Russia's borders and use the foreign aircraft to fly domestic routes across the vast country. Since the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, Western companies have been terminating leases and asking for planes to be returned. The majority of international air routes out of Russia are not being flown and many countries, including the UK, have banned Russia's national airline Aeroflot from flying in their airspace. Hundreds of foreign-owned aircraft remain in Russia. To comply with sanctions, leasing companies are trying to get them back. But that is looking highly unlikely. If Russia does hang onto these aircraft - collectively worth billions of dollars - they will be able to continue flying, in Russia and a handful of former Soviet republics at least. But it's one thing to steal aircraft, it's quite another to keep them operating for any length of time. Airbus and Boeing cannot supply spare parts, so when something needs to be replaced it will have to be taken from another plane, or be manufactured by a third party. That has serious safety implications. It will also make it virtually impossible to insure those planes outside Russia. Servicing is also a concern - many aircraft are flown elsewhere for maintenance. And when the crisis is over there will be a huge bill to pay. If aircraft are not maintained properly, their value will plummet. So even if lessors get them back, they will demand compensation. International aviation is an international business, and you have to play by the rules. Russia could decide to thumb its nose at the rest of the world now. But one day it will want to rejoin the club - and the conditions for rejoining could be very harsh.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60741161

Camelot to lose licence to run National Lottery - BBC News

2022-03-15

The company that has run the lottery since its launch in 1994 will be replaced by Allwyn in 2024.

Team GB Olympic athletes, like Adam Peaty, have benefited from National Lottery funding The company that has run the National Lottery since it was launched, Camelot, has lost out on the next licence. The Gambling Commission has announced Allwyn Entertainment Ltd as its preferred applicant for the lottery's next licence, which starts in 2024. It said it had received the highest number of applications to run the National lottery since the first licence was awarded in 1994. Camelot has been named as the "reserve applicant" after four firms applied. The National Lottery is one of the world's largest lotteries and has raised more than £45bn for 660,000 causes across the UK. It has also played a part in funding training and facilities over the past three decades for Great Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Allwyn is a UK-based subsidiary of Europe's largest lottery operator Sazka, which is owned by Czech oil and gas tycoon Karel Komarek. It signalled its intent to run the National Lottery by launching in early 2021. Its board includes former members of the London 2012 Olympics organising committee, Lord Coe and entrepreneur Sir Keith Mills, who sit on its advisory board. In a statement, Allwyn said its proposal was "judged to be the best way of growing returns to good causes by revitalising the National Lottery in a safe and sustainable way". "The appointment of Allwyn will breathe fresh life into the National Lottery," it added. Camelot chief executive Nigel Railton said: "I'm incredibly disappointed by today's announcement, but we still have a critical job to do - as our current licence runs until February 2024. "We're now carefully reviewing the Gambling Commission's evaluation before deciding on our next steps." The Gambling Commission said it was "satisfied" that no application had been impacted by sanctions imposed by Western nations in relation to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "Our priority was to run a competition that would attract a strong field of candidates. Having received the most applications since 1994, it is clear that we've achieved just that," said Andrew Rhodes, the Gambling Commission's chief executive. "I am confident that the success of the competition will lead to a highly successful fourth licence - one that maximises returns to good causes, promotes innovation, delivers against our statutory duties, and which ultimately protects the unique status of the National Lottery."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60733391

Roman Abramovich: Sanctions restrict rent payments to Crown Estate - BBC News

2022-03-15

Companies that manage the Russian's assets own a mansion on land belonging to the British monarch.

Chelsea FC owner and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government The UK sanctions against Roman Abramovich have restricted rent payments to the Crown Estate, which manages properties owned by the Queen. The UK government froze Mr Abramovich's assets last week as part of its sanctions response to the Ukraine war. He and other wealthy Russians have been targeted to put pressure on President Vladimir Putin. The sanctions prevent them from making transactions related to their properties and businesses in the UK. Mr Abramovich's frozen assets include Chelsea FC, which was allowed to continue operating under a special licence granted by the UK government. The 55-year-old Russian billionaire, who has denied close ties to President Putin, has also been linked to the ownership of properties in the UK. They include a 15-bedroom mansion on Kensington Palace Gardens, an exclusive street known as "billionaires' row" in west London. Land records show companies that manage assets for Mr Abramovich are registered as the lease owners of the property. This means the companies own the home, but the land it was built on belongs to the Crown Estate - a business created by Parliament to oversee a portfolio of the British monarch's properties. The Queen is not involved in management decisions by the Crown Estate, which is tasked with generating profit for the government. The terms of the lease require the companies to pay the Crown Estate "£10,000 rising to £160,000" over a 125-year term, a Land Registry document shows. When asked about the impact of sanctions on Mr Abramovich, a spokesperson for the Crown Estate said they would not comment on the details of individual leases. But condemning the invasion of Ukraine, the spokesperson said: "We are doing all we can to comply swiftly with the introduction of sanctions." The BBC has requested comment from a spokesperson for Mr Abramovich. The restrictions on rent payments were first reported by the Wall Street Journal newspaper, which said Mr Abramovich bought the house for $140m (£107m) in 2011. Built in the mid-1800s, the Grade II listed building hosted a Soviet diplomatic mission in 1972 and is across the road from Kensington Palace. Last week the UK government imposed travel bans and full asset freezes on "seven of Russia's wealthiest and most influential oligarchs", including Mr Abramovich. These measures prohibit anyone in the UK from dealing with frozen assets owned, held or controlled by a sanctioned person. Legal experts said Mr Abramovich would have to apply for licences to make any transactions related to his properties - from security services and utility bills, to maintenance and gardeners. A licence is a written permission from the Treasury allowing an act that would otherwise breach financial sanctions. The special licence granted to Chelsea FC is one example. A Treasury spokesperson said the department cannot comment on specific properties. In general, though, a sanctioned person who is subject to an asset freeze can still live in their house but cannot rent or sell it, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said they can "apply for a licence on the grounds of 'basic needs', which can cover things like payment of insurance, property management, rent or mortgage payments, utility charges". "The licence would enable their bank to release those specific payments without contravening the freeze." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries says the sanctions are designed to ensure Abramovich cannot benefit from Chelsea's revenues Joshua Ray, a lawyer for Rahman Ravelli, told the BBC that licence applications "can often take at least several weeks if not longer". "With respect to licences related to Chelsea, the government has signalled a willingness to put applications on a fast track, but that doesn't appear to apply to his other UK assets," said Mr Ray, who advises international companies on sanctions. Treasury guidance says lawyers advising a sanctioned person "cannot receive any payment" for that service without a licence. Mr Ray said Mr Abramovich "would likely need to engage a lawyer located in a jurisdiction where he is not yet sanctioned". On Sunday, Housing Secretary Michael Gove told the BBC's Sunday Morning programme the government was looking at using the properties of Russian oligarchs sanctioned by the UK for "humanitarian purposes". But he said there was "quite a high legal bar to cross and we're not talking about permanent confiscation, adding "if we can use it in order to help others let's do that".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60739598

Ukraine UK refugee hosting scheme: Mum-of-four opens home to refugees - BBC News

2022-03-15

Mandi Arnold, 35, says welcoming more people into her busy home will mean "more love, more memories".

Mandi Arnold with her two youngest children, Presley and Phoenix Two days before Russia invaded Ukraine, Mandi and John Arnold were curled up on the sofa of their home in Shropshire, streaming a film about the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on Netflix. It struck a nerve with the mum-of-four - she and John were both born in 1986, the same year as the disaster. So later that week when Mandi saw news of millions of Ukrainians fleeing their homes to escape Russian attacks, including in the Chernobyl area, she jumped at the chance to help. "From the moment this all started to evolve, my heart just went straight out to them and I thought if I could help anyone I would do so without any reservations," she says. On Monday evening Mandi, 35, was among the almost 90,000 people to register their interest in a new visa scheme allowing people in the UK to host Ukrainian refugees in their own homes. Many of those who have signed up to help are doing so because their children have all grown up, left home and they've got some extra space. But Mandi's house is a pretty hectic place to be. She and John live with their sons, one-year-old Presley and four-year-old Phoenix, and Mandi's nine-year-old daughter, Amalia - not to mention pet cat Nala and Oakley the Labrador. Mandi's 19-year-old daughter, who's studying in Scotland, is also "in and out" of the house. "It's quite a busy household anyway, it's constantly on the go," Mandi says. "Adding more would just be more love, more memories." The family will free up one of the bedrooms for refugees to live in. They'll bring in an old single bed from the garage and have space for a child as well as an adult, if needed. Mandi and John's sons aren't quite old enough to understand that they'll be sharing their home with strangers in the near future, but Mandi has explained it to her daughter, Amalia. She's excited about meeting new people and will "welcome anyone with open arms", Mandi says. Under the newly-launched Homes for Ukraine scheme, UK households can offer a space for a refugee to live for at least six months. Each host household will be offered £350 a month, tax-free, as a "thank you" payment. They won't be expected to provide food and living expenses, but can choose to offer this. Mandi says her daughter Amalia (left) is excited to meet any refugees. Her younger brothers Presley (centre) and Phoenix will share a room to make more space Mandi fled an abusive relationship when she was younger, leaving her network of friends and family behind to start a new life. To begin with she had nowhere to call home, so lived in hotels for months. She and John scraped the money together from what he'd saved up from his business selling private number plates. Mandi says she knows fleeing a warzone is "completely different" to what she went through, but she can relate to the feeling of disconnect many Ukrainian refugees might have as they step foot on UK soil for the first time. "I know the feeling of removing yourself from somewhere that you once called home, or once felt secure and safe," she says. "I've been in times of struggle, I've been in situations where I really needed someone to help. To know that I've overcome that and got to where I am now, I know it's something that can be achieved and all it takes is time and love. And these people deserve that." By moving Presley in with Phoenix, this room in the Arnold's home can be freed up for refugees Mandi says she thinks the whole family will benefit from taking in Ukrainian refugees. "My kids, they've got all the love to give and we don't have much family. I'm not saying I'm going to grab [the refugees] and say 'you're my family now,' but they will be welcomed as a family member," she says. "I've got a lot of love to give and it's the perfect opportunity to give it to someone who's in need." ...from people across the UK who have hosted refugees or asylum seekers in their own homes in the past: 1. Be prepared for the mental impact. Lucy Stevens, near Colchester: It is likely people will be very traumatised. Our foster son was highly traumatised and required a lot of input with regards to mental health [which] also has an impact on your own family. 2. Find people who match your stage of life. Ruth Elphinston, Birmingham: If you've got young kids, bring in families with young kids. Or if your kids have left home, think about hosting a young adult. It makes things easier as they'll fit in with the way you're living your life already. 3. Lean on your community. Ruth: Ask neighbours and friends to help you out. They could maybe show your refugees around the area, offer them work, or have you all over for a meal. 4. Think about ground rules. Alison Baxter, Oxford. Sharing the sitting room, smoking and if you will cook for them are all points to consider. It's better to set down clear guidance because your guest is going to be anxious if you just say "make yourself at home". 5. Give them space. Robert and Margaret Spooner, Sheffield: Don't force your guests to speak about their experiences. Instead focus on finding common bonds, as well as giving them the chance to do small jobs or make food to take their mind off things. 6. Get the GP sorted early. Karina Litvack, London: I've never found access to the NHS to be a problem for the refugees I've helped, but you sometimes have to book an interpreter which takes longer. 7. Don't feel bad about saying no. Justyna Bell, Belfast: Have a conversation with your entire household before you decide for sure about taking someone in. Really open up and don't think it's not very humanitarian if you have some objections.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60737095

Ukraine war: A baby born under bombardment in Bucha - BBC News

2022-03-15

Unable to flee, Anna gave birth at home in Ukraine without medical assistance, electricity or running water.

Anna Tymchenko was scared. She had been in labour for hours but her hometown was being bombed and her apartment was shaking. She and her husband were trapped with no electricity, running water or doctor. The small town of Bucha, 30km (18.5 miles) from the capital Kyiv, had come under relentless bombardment since the start of the war. Twenty-one-year-old Anna, along with her husband and brother, had previously taken refuge in the basement of their block of flats. But when the electricity was cut off and the heating stopped working, the basement was plunged into darkness, and it was bitterly cold. Anna's husband Volodymyr was torn between remaining in Bucha or trying to flee. When they did finally try to escape by car, they had had to turn back when they heard that a column of Russian military vehicles was heading their way. "We then decided to stay in the apartment," Anna told the BBC. "I preferred to give birth at home and not in a dusty basement. I had difficulty breathing, my lungs hurt." When she went into labour late on 7 March, she called her neighbours for help. They agreed to come, but none of them had experience delivering babies. Viktoria Zabrodskaya, Anna's 49-year-old neighbour, told the BBC they worried that if something went wrong, they wouldn't know what to do. The room was lit with candles and the only available water was freezing cold from bottles. "I never imagined that I would give birth in such conditions," Anna says. "It was surreal. It was my first child and I didn't know anything." In desperation, Anna's neighbours tried to contact medical staff, but the phone signal was poor. They were eventually able to make contact with a gynaecologist in Bucha after getting a signal from the balcony. He agreed to come but never appeared. Later that day, he messaged with an apology and explained that he had been stopped by a Russian patrol who had broken his phone. Anna's neighbours would have to deliver the baby themselves. Only one of them - Irina Yazova - had any medical expertise. "When the baby's head came out, we got scared," Viktoria says. "She was blue and we didn't know what to do. Then Irina gently turned the baby's head and she came out. She didn't cry at first - we started hitting her, and then she cried and we all cheered." Husband Volodymyr cried tears of relief for baby Alisa, who was born on 8 March - International Women's Day. Two days later, it was announced that Bucha was one of the evacuation corridors agreed by the Ukrainian government and the Russian defence ministry. "We spent the whole night discussing whether to go or not," Anna says. She and her husband finally decided to leave with their new-born child. They tried to contact people to ask if the route was safe, and downloaded maps on to their phones. Driving out of Bucha, Anna and Volodymyr saw the destruction caused by Russian strikes The following day, 21 cars left the town heading towards Kyiv. Viktoria, who had helped deliver Anna's baby, drove at the front of the convoy, a white flag wrapped around a mop attached to her car and a sign saying "Children". "On the way we saw horrible scenes," Anna says. "I never thought that I would see such things in real life - only in movies. There were dead bodies lying on the road. The houses were destroyed. Russian tanks parked, pointing their barrels at the road. We were so scared that they could fire when we passed by." After several hours the evacuees had safely passed all the Russian checkpoints and arrived in Kyiv - and from there went their separate ways. "When we got out, I couldn't stop smiling," Anna says. "I couldn't believe that we managed to flee." Anna is enjoying motherhood and is looking forward to introducing her parents to their new granddaughter. But while many of her relatives have now left the country, she and her husband cannot leave - and Anna says that she still doesn't feel completely safe. "All my thoughts are with what's happening [in Bucha] and in the rest of the country," she says. "It's just unbelievable but we hope that we can return home soon."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60739206

Ukraine war: Russia's ex-president among 370 new UK sanctions targets - BBC News

2022-03-15

Dmitry Medvedev and President Vladimir Putin's spokesman are among those to be hit with asset freezes and travel bans.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are among the latest people to be sanctioned by the UK over the war in Ukraine The UK has announced 370 more sanctions, with Russia's former president one of those targeted, in its latest response to the war in Ukraine. Dmitry Medvedev and President Vladimir Putin's spokesman are among those to be hit with asset freezes and travel bans. Earlier, the UK hit Russia with trade restrictions, including an additional 35% tariff on vodka. The move comes after the passage of new legislation to speed up and harden UK sanctions. The government fast-tracked the Economic Crime Act through Parliament after criticism that UK had been too slow to target Russians with links to President Putin. The legislation allows the UK to sanction those who have had their assets frozen by the EU, US or Canada, and take action to stop wealthy Russians using London for money laundering. Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee of MPs, which oversees the UK's intelligence community, said it hoped the new legislation was "at least the first step" in helping authorities ensure the UK is "no longer a safe haven for the oligarchy and their enablers". But a statement from the committee said it had made it clear two years ago in its report on Russian interference in British politics that the UK had been "welcoming Russian money for many years with few questions - if any - being asked about the provenance of this considerable wealth", and urgent action had been needed then. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu were among the other high-profile allies of President Putin to be sanctioned by the UK. Others include Mr Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov and Russian Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who the UK government called "Russian propagandists". Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the UK was "going further and faster than ever in hitting those closest to Putin". "We are holding them to account for their complicity in Russia's crimes in Ukraine," she said. "Working closely with our allies, we will keep increasing the pressure on Putin and cut off funding for the Russian war machine." Dmitry Medvedev (L) and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (R) are two of President Putin's closest allies A growing number of Russians have been sanctioned by the UK and its western allies since President Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been issuing increasingly frank pleas for stronger sanctions and western military intervention as Russian shelling of Ukrainian cities exact an ever-higher death toll. In a video call with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mr Zelensky said "we can still stop the Russian war machine" and it was vital to do so because otherwise "they will come for you". Last week, the UK imposed asset freezes and travel bans on Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and 386 Russian MPs who voted to recognise two rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine as independent. A further wave of sanctions was announced on Tuesday morning in co-ordination with the European Union. They related to trade with Russia and included a 35% import tariff hike on Russian vodka and hundreds of other goods worth £900m. The latest package of UK sanctions was targeted at individuals and organisations with links to President Putin's administration. Some of them had already been sanctioned by western allies, among them Mr Mishustin and Mr Peskov, described by the US as "a top purveyor of Putin's propaganda". The UK was quicker to sanction others such as Mr Abramovich, who was blacklisted by the EU on Tuesday and accused of "benefitting from Russian decision-makers" responsible for destabilising Ukraine. A prominent name on the UK's latest list of sanctioned individuals was Mr Medvedev. Currently deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia since 2020, Mr Medvedev served as president from 2008 to 2012 and as prime minister from 2012 to 2020. Once regarded as more liberal than President Putin, Mr Medvedev warned western nations against sanctions in a tweet earlier this month. Do not forget, he wrote, "that in human history, economic wars quite often turned into real ones". The UK government has been accused of moving too slowly on sanctions against Russians with links to President Putin. Opposition parties were worried a delay in imposing them meant some could move many of their assets out of the UK before they were frozen. The Economic Crime Act received royal assent in the early hours of Tuesday morning. It has given ministers the power to go further, and quickly sanction those who had been targeted already by the EU and the US. Ministers had expressed frustration about the process for sanctioning individuals under previous legislation. The Economic Crime Act should remove some of the difficulties around building legal cases to justify sanctions under UK law. The UK government also said Russian oligarchs with a combined estimated worth of more than £100bn were added to its sanctions list. On the list was billionaire Mikhail Fridman, founder of Alfa Bank, the largest private bank in Russia. He lives in London and has business interests in the UK. At a London press conference on 1 March, he said while the Ukraine war was a "huge tragedy", sanctioning oligarchs would not sway President Putin. Some of the other oligarchs sanctioned by the UK included: For Labour, shadow international trade secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: "Urgent sanctions have been needed so that Putin and his inner circle cannot live a Mayfair lifestyle in Moscow while committing atrocities in Ukraine. "The government now needs to ensure that the export ban has no loopholes so it has maximum impact." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Mikhail Fridman said the conflict in Ukraine should be stopped as soon as possible

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60752241

As it happened: Kremlin fury over Biden 'war criminal' comment - BBC News

2022-03-15

The row comes as Russia strikes reportedly hit civilians, including a theatre turned shelter in Mariupol.

Lack of trust between both sides is 'biggest problem in rescuing civilians' "The best way to stop the threat of another Mariupol is more far-reaching political conversations on peace and ceasefire negotiations," the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer told the BBC on a visit to Kyiv. Asked about the ICRC’s description of conditions in the besieged southern port city as "apocalyptic", Maurer said it was "important to recognise this wasn't only the ICRC's voice, but the voice of so many civilians trapped in the city". He said the lack of trust between the warring sides was "the biggest problem" in rescuing civilians stuck between front lines. Maurer, who has been in close contact with senior Ukrainian and Russian officials, said more people were now escaping through agreed humanitarian corridors. But he said Mariupol, a key target for Russian forces advancing on Ukraine’s southern coast, was more difficult "in military strategy and political significance". However, even there, he said some civilians were now managing to get out. Maurer also pointed to another major worry which has brought the head of the ICRC, the guardian of the rules governing war, to Ukraine: "Respect for international humanitarian law and the obligations under the Geneva Conventions with regards to prisoners of war, dead soldiers, missing and detained civilians." The ICRC’s special role is founded on confidential dialogue with warring sides. Asked about accusations that Russia was targeting civilian infrastructure, Maurer replied that "basic principles of proportionality and precaution which inform the conduct of hostilities, and the Geneva Conventions, are interpreted in very different ways which is why we try to establish minimal agreement on what we mean by these words".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-60746557

Children with mental health problems were at 'serious risk' in care home - BBC News

2022-03-15

RQIA inspectors found "significant shortcomings" in a care home run by the Charity Praxis Care.

Children with mental health problems in Northern Ireland were found to be at "serious risk" while living in a care home run by the charity Praxis Care. RQIA inspectors found "significant shortcomings" in staff training and in record keeping, which placed "both children and staff at risk". The home has been de-registered by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). Praxis said it would ensure a managed transition for staff and children. De-registration means the charity can no longer operate a care service on that site. The South Eastern Health trust has taken over responsibility for the staffing and management of the home instead. It is the first children's service to have registration cancelled through enforcement action. Praxis Care is one of Northern Ireland's leading mental health charities. It operates a number of services including several residential homes for children with mental health problems under the age of 16. Health inspectors found "significant shortcomings" in staff training and in record keeping in the care home The inspection of this home in the South Eastern health trust took place in February this year, according to the RQIA. The facility is not being named in order to protect the identity of the children. At this stage it is understood the police have not been asked to carry out an investigation. In a statement, the RQIA said it identified that "insufficient skilled and competent staff were in place to meet the complex needs of the children in their care, to promote their rights, and safely respond to their needs". "Serious risk" may include insufficient numbers of staff to care for children with extremely challenging behaviour. In an unusual move, the RQIA made a successful application on 3 March 2022 to a Justice of the Peace for an order to cancel the home's registration. Adequate numbers of skilled staff is believed to be at the heart of this problem. Praxis runs a number of services including several residential homes for children with mental health problems Praxis said it was "saddened" to confirm that "following extensive engagement with both the South Eastern Trust and RQIA, regarding the difficulties in recruitment and retention of staff, we very reluctantly concluded that we could no longer maintain the service and notified the trust to that effect". "The following day RQIA indicated their intention to formally cancel the registration," Praxis added. "We are now working in partnership with the South Eastern Trust to ensure there is an appropriate and well managed transition for the children and our staff who have worked tirelessly in very difficult circumstances." It is normal practice for the RQIA not to publish details of the inspection of a children's home. As facilities are small and the children vulnerable, it is feared that children and staff could be identified. However, BBC News NI understands that a review of this practice is currently under way. Stakeholders are examining what exactly could be published around the inspection of children's facilities which would ensure that the privacy and dignity of children is protected, while allowing for transparency. Staffing such facilities is clearly a problem across Northern Ireland. Most of the staffing vacancies in health and social care are in the care of children and adults with complex needs. A spokesperson for the RQIA said the safety and wellbeing of services for vulnerable children is of "paramount importance". It added that it will continue to "monitor and inspect this service and work with other stakeholders to ensure that it meets the required standards". Meanwhile, the children and young people continue to live in the facility but in the care of the South Eastern Health Trust.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-60745292

Star Hobson murder: Frankie Smith's sentence increased to 12 years - BBC News

2022-03-15

Frankie Smith's eight-year term for allowing her daughter's death is extended to 12 years on appeal.

Frankie Smith was sentenced to eight years in jail for causing or allowing the death of her 16-month old daughter, Star Hobson The mother of murdered toddler Star Hobson has had her sentence for causing or allowing her daughter's death increased to 12 years. Frankie Smith, 20, was handed an eight-year term at Bradford Crown Court in December. Attorney General Suella Braverman said this was "unduly lenient" and referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal. Three senior judges considered the case and extended the original term by four years. The original sentencing hearing was told Star was "caught in the crossfire" of the pair's toxic relationship, resulting in her death at 16 months old from "catastrophic" blunt-force injuries. As she delivered the Court of Appeal's ruling, Lady Justice Sharp said Smith's original sentence was unduly lenient because it "did not reflect the overall seriousness of the offending". She said Smith had shown a "deliberate disregard" for her daughter's welfare and had failed to take any steps to protect her, treating the toddler with "callous indifference", cruelty and neglect. Star Hobson suffered a cardiac arrest as a result of catastrophic injuries and died on 22 September 2020 She said Smith had failed to contact the police or social services, seek medical attention or help from family members - some of whom had reported their concerns to social services after seeing Star with bruises. Star was "particularly vulnerable due to her very young age", the judge said, and Smith had been a neglectful parent who had remained in the relationship with Brockhill for her own "selfish" gains. Sitting alongside Mr Justice Sweeney and Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, she said the sentencing judge had been wrong to hand Smith a lesser sentence based on mitigation such as being a victim of domestic abuse and the fact she had lost her daughter. "In our judgment no less a sentence than 12 years would meet the justice of this case," Mrs Justice Sharp said. Tom Little QC, representing the Attorney General's Office, told the court the defendant had participated in "degradation of Star and sadistic behaviour". "This was not a case where the offender was so racked with guilt and pleaded guilty at the very first opportunity," he said. Mr Little further argued Star's vulnerability and a delay in calling 999 on the day of her death were not taken into account by sentencing judge Mrs Justice Lambert. Savannah Brockhill (left) and Frankie Smith had both denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child Smith's barrister Zafar Ali QC said it was "simply incorrect" to say she was not remorseful, and that she "broke down several occasions during the crown's case in the trial". He said the case had been "permeated by domestic violence" and instances of physical abuse against Smith by Brockhill, whom he described as "a very intimidating character". Speaking before the hearing, Star's great-grandfather David Fawcett said: "It doesn't matter what sentence she gets, it'll never bring Star back." He told BBC News he had been visiting Smith in prison and was the only family member who had visited recently. "I've been to see Frankie last Sunday and she's not doing good," he said. Star's great-grandfather David Fawcett said he had been visiting Smith in prison His partner Anita Smith, who made one of the five referrals to social services, was still devastated over Star's loss, along with the rest of the family, he said. "Anita says she'll never be able to face seeing Frankie and can never forgive her. She says she could've got away from the situation." Hollie Jones, who would regularly babysit Star and made the first referral in January 2020, said she was pleased with the outcome. "No sentence will feel like justice but I'm glad that it's been increased and I'm happy with the sentence she's got," she said. The Attorney General welcomed the judge's decision and said: "This is a tragic and extremely upsetting case and my thoughts are with all those who loved Star Hobson. "This case involved prolonged and multiple cruelty and neglect, deliberate disregard, and a failure to take any steps to protect or seek assistance for her before and after her murder." Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk or send video here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-60752118

All UK travel rules to end on Friday, says government - BBC News

2022-03-15

The transport secretary has confirmed that all remaining travel measures for UK arrivals will be scrapped.

The arrivals process into England is set to become easier for travellers The transport secretary has confirmed that all remaining Covid travel measures will be scrapped. Currently, everyone travelling to the UK must complete a passenger locator form before they arrive. Travellers who are not fully vaccinated have to take a Covid test before departure, fill in the form, and book and pay for a PCR test after arriving. Grant Shapps confirmed in a tweet that these rules will end at 04:00 on Friday. His announcement means that passengers who are not fully vaccinated will no longer have to take Covid tests before and after travelling to the UK. The passenger locator form will no longer be necessary either. People planning an overseas trip will still need to be aware of other countries' entry rules. Mr Shapps tweeted: "These changes are possible due to our vaccine rollout and mean greater freedom in time for Easter." When any new Covid strains appear in the future, the government said its default approach would be to use "the least-stringent measures" for restricting travel. Its "Living with Covid" plan said new measures at the border would only be considered in "extreme circumstances". It said the UKHSA would closely monitor the prevalence and spread of Covid variants. Scotland and Wales have agreed to follow England in scrapping the remaining coronavirus border measures. But Welsh Health Minister Eluned Morgan said she was doing so "reluctantly" - and was "extremely disappointed" that testing requirements and the passenger location form were being ditched. The Scottish government said consistency across the four nations was agreed because of the "negative impact of non-alignment on the tourism industry". Testing requirements for fully-vaccinated arrivals into the UK were dropped in February. The latest move was welcomed by some figures in the travel industry, which has campaigned for the remaining rules to be dropped so businesses can take full advantage of strong summer holiday demand. Tim Alderslade, chief executive of trade body Airlines UK, said: "Today's announcement sends a clear message to the world - the UK travel sector is back. "With travellers returning to the UK no longer burdened by unnecessary forms and testing requirements, we can now look forward to the return to pre-Covid normality throughout the travel experience." A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: "The removal of all remaining UK travel restrictions is the final important step towards frictionless air travel, helping to further restore consumer confidence as we welcome more customers back to the skies this spring and summer. "To uphold the experience of all travellers, it's vital that the UK Government works closely with industry to ensure the UK border is ready for increasing passengers, as international travel ramps up." Meanwhile, Eurostar's chief executive Jacques Damas said the easing of restrictions would help the cross-Channel train operator's recovery. "We hope and expect to see the UK's approach replicated across our other markets in the coming weeks," Mr Damas said. However, as Covid restrictions recede, other headwinds for the aviation industry are appearing. The price of jet fuel has soared as a result of higher crude oil prices. This adds to cost pressures on airlines, although some have been protected by their hedging strategies, whereby they purchased fuel in advance at lower prices. On Friday, the chief executive of Heathrow airport, John Holland-Kaye, said the recovery of aviation remained "overshadowed by war and Covid uncertainty". Businesses will also be keeping a careful eye on whether consumers' confidence to book is knocked by the war in Ukraine and rising household bills squeezing disposable incomes. Air France-KLM and Ryanair have both recently warned air fares will rise.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60741158

PM defends Saudi Arabia trip despite human rights record - BBC News

2022-03-15

Boris Johnson says the West needs to "build the widest coalition" to stop being reliant on Russian oil.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Boris Johnson: UK needs to stand up to Putin's "bullying" and "blackmail" and stop the western addiction to Russian hydrocarbons Boris Johnson has defended his imminent trip to Saudi Arabia, saying the West needed to build "the widest coalition" to stop relying on Russian oil and gas. The PM will fly to the country soon to hold talks on energy supply. But the trip comes after the Saudi government faced criticism for executing 81 men in one day. Tory MP Crispin Blunt said the action left Mr Johnson with "exquisite difficulties" in asking Saudia Arabia for help with oil supplies. But the PM told reporters if the West was going to "avoid being blackmailed" by Russia's President Vladamir Putin, it needed to move away from using his country's hydrocarbons and explore other partnerships. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, energy and fuel prices were on the rise across the West. But since the war began, the cost has rocketed even further, with petrol reaching record highs in the UK of more than £1.60 a litre in recent days. Mr Johnson said the "Russian aggression" in Ukraine had "helped to trigger a spike in the price of hydrocarbons, a spike in the price of oil" - but there had been a longer term problem. "Vladamir Putin over the last years has been like a pusher, feeding an addiction in Western countries to his hydrocarbons," he said. "We need to get ourselves off that addiction." After the mass execution in Saudi Arabia, some have called for the PM to cancel his trip. Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael said in the Commons on Monday: "Actions do speak louder than words. "If the prime minister goes in the next few days to Saudi Arabia, we will be sending a very clear signal that no matter what we say, we're not really bothered about this sort of thing." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said there was a "contradiction" in ending ties with Russia to replace them with Saudi Arabia Pushed on the human rights record of Saudi Arabia, Mr Johnson said part of building "long-term security of energy supply" in the UK was to make sure in the "short-term... sure we are not as dependent in the West as we currently are on Russian oil and gas". Mr Johnson said: "It's vital, if we are going to stand up to Putin's bullying, if we are going to avoid being blackmailed by Putin in the way that so many western countries sadly have been, we have got to get ourselves off Russian hydrocarbons. "We need to talk to other producers around the world about how we can move away from that dependency." He added: "We need to make sure we build the strongest. widest possible collation to ensure Vladimir Putin does not succeed, that we wean ourselves off Russian hydrocarbons, and that's what the UK is helping to do." While the Gulf talks are about increasing production of oil and gas to compensate for reduced Russian supplies, Mr Johnson also wrote in the Telegraph newspaper that his promised Energy Security Strategy for the UK would step up wind energy, exploit solar power and make a "series of big new bets" on nuclear energy. Further drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea was also a suggestion he made. A spokesperson from Labour said it was "right in this time of crisis to look for alternative sources of oil for the UK beyond Russia". But they added: "The only reason we are having to do this is because of 12 years of Conservative government failures to deliver energy independence for the UK. "Importing oil can only ever be a short-term response and won't address the long challenges to our energy security or the cost of living. "

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60754155

Russians to give American astronaut ride to Earth in spite of tensions - BBC News

2022-03-15

It was feared Mark Vande Hei might be left behind due to tensions over Russia's Ukrainian invasion.

The astronaut has spent 355 days in space A US astronaut will now be returning to Earth, after fears his Russian lift home might not materialise. It was originally thought Mark Vande Hei - who has been in space for 355 days - might be left behind on the ISS due to heightened tensions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But it has been confirmed he will travel aboard a Russian capsule to Kazakhstan. The American and two Russian cosmonauts will be brought back to Earth. "I can tell you for sure Mark is coming home... We are in communication with our Russian colleagues. There's no fuzz on that," Joel Montalbano, Nasa's International Space Station (ISS) programme manager said. He admitted the astronauts were "aware of what's going on" in the world, but they still work as a team. Under international space law, astronauts from all nations must "provide all possible help" to other astronauts when needed, "including emergency landing in a foreign country or at sea". Dmitry Rogozin, chief of the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos, had previously warned about sanctions causing technical issues to the ISS but Mr Montalbano said it had continued to run smoothly. "All these activities have continued for 20 years and nothing has changed in the last three weeks. Our control centres operate successfully, flawlessly, seamlessly," he said. The US controls power and life support aboard the ISS and Russia controls things such as its propulsion. Earlier this month on Russian state TV, Mr Rogozin announced Roscosmos would halt rocket sales to the US in response to sanctions against Russia. Mr Vande Hei, 55, has now made a new US record for the most time spent in space.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60755328

Roman Abramovich: New evidence highlights corrupt deals - BBC News

2022-03-15

BBC Panorama uncovers new evidence on the corrupt deals that helped Chelsea's owner make his fortune.

A BBC investigation has uncovered new evidence about the corrupt deals that made Roman Abramovich's fortune. The Chelsea owner made billions after buying an oil company from the Russian government in a rigged auction in 1995. Mr Abramovich paid around $250m (£190m) for Sibneft, before selling it back to the Russian government for $13bn in 2005. His lawyers say there is no basis for alleging he has amassed very substantial wealth through criminality. The Russian billionaire was sanctioned by the UK government last week because of his links to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr Abramovich's assets have been frozen and he has been disqualified as a director of Chelsea Football Club. The Russian billionaire has already admitted in a UK court that he made corrupt payments to help get the Sibneft deal off the ground. He was being sued in London by his former business associate Boris Berezovsky in 2012. Mr Abramovich won the case, but he described in court how the original Sibneft auction was rigged in his favour and how he gave Mr Berezovsky $10m to pay off a Kremlin official. BBC Panorama has obtained a document that is thought to have been smuggled out of Russia. The information was given to the programme by a confidential source, who says it was secretly copied from files held on Mr Abramovich by Russian law enforcement agencies. The BBC cannot verify that, but checks with other sources in Russia have backed up many of the details in the five-page document. The document says that the Russian government was cheated out of $2.7bn in the Sibneft deal - a claim supported by a 1997 Russian parliamentary investigation. The document also says that the Russian authorities wanted to charge Mr Abramovich with fraud. It says: "The Dept. of Economic Crimes investigators came to the conclusion that if Abramovich could be brought to trial he would have faced accusations of fraud… by an organised criminal group." Roman Abramovich's Dirty Money is on BBC One, Monday 14 March, at 20:00 GMT and on BBCiPlayer afterwards Panorama tracked down Russia's former chief prosecutor, who investigated the deal in the 1990s. Yuri Skuratov did not know about the secret document, but he independently confirmed many of the details about the Sibneft sale. Mr Skuratov told the programme: "Basically, it was a fraudulent scheme, where those who took part in the privatisation formed one criminal group that allowed Abramovich and Berezovsky to trick the government and not pay the money that this company was really worth." The document also suggests Mr Abramovich was protected by former Russian President Boris Yeltsin. It says law enforcement files on Mr Abramovich were moved to the Kremlin and that an investigation by Mr Skuratov was stopped by the president. The document says: "Skuratov was preparing a criminal case for the confiscation of Sibneft on the basis of the investigation of its privatisation. The investigation was stopped by President Yeltsin … Skuratov was dismissed from his office." Mr Skuratov was sacked after the release of a sex tape in 1999. He says it was a stitch-up to discredit him and his investigation. He said: "This whole thing was obviously political, because in my investigations I came very close to the family of Boris Yeltsin, including via this investigation of the Sibneft privatisation." Mr Abramovich remained in the Kremlin inner circle when Vladimir Putin came to power in 2000. The document contains details of another rigged auction two years later, involving a Russian oil company called Slavneft. Mr Abramovich formed a partnership with another firm to buy Slavneft, but a rival Chinese company was planning to bid almost twice as much. Many powerful people - from the Kremlin to the Russian parliament - would have stood to lose out if the Chinese won the auction. The document says that a member of the Chinese delegation was kidnapped when they arrived in Moscow for the auction. "CNPC, Chinese company, a very strong competitor, had to withdraw from the auction after one of its representatives was kidnapped upon arrival at Moscow Airport and was released only after the company declared its withdrawal." The kidnapping story is backed up by independent sources who did not know about the document. Vladimir Milov was Russia's deputy energy minister in the run up to the Slavneft sale. He didn't comment on the kidnapping story, but he said senior political figures had already decided that Mr Abramovich's partnership would win the auction. "I said, look, the Chinese want to come in and they want to pay a much bigger price. They say it doesn't matter, shut up, none of your business. It's already decided. Slavneft goes to Abramovich, the price is agreed. The Chinese will be dragged out somehow." There is no suggestion that Mr Abramovich knew anything about the kidnapping plot, or played any part in it. His lawyers told the BBC the kidnap claim "is entirely unsubstantiated" and he has "no knowledge of such incident". Different factions had been fighting for control of Slavneft and there was widespread opposition to the Chinese bid. Whatever the reason for the Chinese withdrawal, Mr Abramovich's partnership had the only bid left on the table. And they bought Slavneft at a knockdown price. Mr Abramovich's lawyers say allegations of corruption in the Slavneft and Sibneft deals are false, and he denies he was protected by Mr Yeltsin.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60736185

Out-of-date adoption laws in Northern Ireland set to change - BBC News

2022-03-15

The bill is one of the most important to come before the assembly, says the health minister.

NI Health Minister Robin Swann, EJ Havlin, Director of Adoption UK, and Kathy Brownlee with her adopted son, Mack, on the steps of Parliament Buildings at Stormont on Tuesday A move to overhaul Northern Ireland's out-of-date adoption laws has passed its final hurdle at Stormont. Health Minister Robin Swann said it was among the most important bills brought to the assembly. The review of the law was 16 years in the making, he added. There are more than 700 adoptive families here, but the laws were last updated in the 1980s. On average, it takes more than three years for a child to be adopted from care in Northern Ireland. But it can vary greatly depending on a child's individual circumstance. In other legislative developments on Tuesday: The new adoption law allows courts to impose a timescale for adoption, and aims to make sure post-adoption assessments consider a child's needs, as well as give adopters more support through social services. In the year to March 2020, 111 children were adopted from care in Northern Ireland. As assembly members passed the final stage of the bill on Tuesday, Mr Swann said it would "change lives". "It will mean that adoptive families can enjoy support, and strengthen and widen support for families in need," he added. "Sixteen years after this process started, I'm delighted to say I commend this bill to the house." Sinn Féin's Colm Gildernew, chair of the health committee, said the bill was "overdue" and one of the "most rewarding" pieces of legislation he had ever worked on. For the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), Colin McGrath said the passing of the bill showed what politicians could do when they worked together. Watching Stormont at work lately has been like waiting on a bus - you wait ages for one then loads arrive at once. Four bills crossed the finish line in the assembly today and will now become law - but why? There is a rush to get outstanding legislation completed before the assembly wraps up for the election in just under two weeks' time. Extra sittings will happen next week - rumours of a Saturday sitting have even been whispered. 27 bills that looked in doubt last month when the executive collapsed - on a range of issues affecting the lives of many people - should make it in time. A reminder of how fast Stormont can move when it has to. He said it showed the assembly could "deliver change". The Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) Pam Cameron also welcomed the bill becoming law and said it was a "momentous day". She praised the work of all those who had helped to push the bill through its legislative process. There were warm words from Alliance's Paula Bradshaw. who said the passing of the bill was an "exciting day" and said the changes filled her "heart with joy". The bill was stalled after public consultation processes and the previous collapse of the Stormont institutions. The Department of Health said the bill is expected to become law in the coming months, following which regulations would be developed and guidance put in place. • None 'We were left to our own devices after adopting'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-60751866

Fracking: Deadlock over plan to seal up wells - BBC News

2022-03-15

The UK's only two shale gas wells are set to be put permanently out of use at the end of June.

The Cuadrilla fracking site is not currently producing gas Talks over whether the UK's only fracking wells should be permanently abandoned in three months' time have hit a deadlock. The two wells, in Lancashire, are due to be concreted over by 30 June on the orders of the Oil and Gas Authority. The company behind the wells, Cuadrilla, wants the government to restart fracking at the site to reduce the UK's reliance on Russian gas. The government says it can not overrule the regulator. But ministers have also said it "doesn't necessarily make any sense to concrete over the wells" at Little Plumpton, near Preston, which are currently not producing gas. They are urging the company to apply to the regulator for an extension to the 30 June deadline for sealing them up. It is understood the Oil and Gas Authority wrote to Cuadrilla after meeting with ministers on Tuesday to ask them to confirm if they wanted an extension. In a statement, the regulator said it had told the company it would consider a request to extend for one year, and all parties were now considering the implications. But the BBC understands Cuadrilla is reluctant to apply for it because of the financial risk of extending their licence - without certainty about whether they will be decommissioned again in future. Fracking was banned in 2019 over concerns about earth tremors, and the Conservatives promised at that year's general election that they would not support it "unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely". That remains the government's official position. But, in light of soaring oil and gas prices - and the UK saying it wants to become more "energy independent" following Russia's invasion of Ukraine - a growing number of Tory MPs have called on the government to reconsider whether the UK could use fracking to produce its own gas. No 10 suggested the prime minister had agreed to look at it again to "see if it has a role to play". There were huge protests at Preston New Road site before fracking was halted in 2019 Downing Street sources told the BBC that with oil prices so high, there were things "we would have dismissed before that we can't dismiss now". The government's goal is still to shift to renewable sources of energy, they added, but "in the transition period we need to pump more oil and gas of our own" and it was "in that context we should look at fracking". Cuadrilla's chief executive Francis Egan said that ministers recent "rhetoric" on fracking did not match their actions. "On Wednesday morning, I read in the newspapers that the prime minister had decided that concreting up Britain's only two shale gas wells, in the midst of an energy crisis and given his own assessment that Europe is 'addicted' to Russian gas, would be a terrible idea," he said. "Later on Wednesday, in the House of Commons, the business secretary said that 'it did not necessarily make any sense' to concrete over the wells." He urged the government and the Oil and Gas Authority to "formally withdraw their instruction to plug the wells". "If we are serious about energy security, as a very basic, first step we must not concrete up these wells, and then we need urgently to lift the shale gas moratorium and use these and additional wells to produce domestic shale gas," he added. The government says that while ministers can express a view on fracking they cannot tell an independent regulator like the Oil and Gas Authority what to do. Speaking in the House of Commons, Labour's shadow energy secretary, Ed Miliband, accused the government of being "completely all over the place" on its energy policy. But Energy Minister Greg Hands replied: "He says we're confused, but the government's policy hasn't changed."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60749872

Ukraine: Eight arrests at oligarch's London mansion after balcony protest - BBC News

2022-03-15

Protesters wanted the property, believed to be owned by Oleg Deripaska, to house Ukrainian refugees.

Protesters have draped Ukrainian flags over the property, which is believed to be owned by Oleg Deripaska A demonstration at a mansion linked to Vladimir Putin ally Oleg Deripaska has ended with eight arrests, police said. Protesters occupied the balcony of 5 Belgrave Square, in central London, about midnight, and stayed most of the day, despite police efforts to remove them. The squatters said they were reclaiming the property for Ukrainian refugees. Just before 20:00 GMT the Met tweeted the protests were over and that eight people had been arrested in total. A spokesman said four were arrested inside the building, and four more outside. Police said they have searched the property and are satisfied there is no-one left inside, although a presence will be kept at the scene overnight. Billionaire energy tycoon Mr Deripaska is one of the oligarchs sanctioned by the UK government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Met police make arrests close to the building in Belgravia, central London A Met Police spokesman said four arrests were made about 18:00 GMT, for trespass, after protesters had tried to climb the back of the building, which is the Romanian consulate. Earlier in the day riot police had entered and searched the property but found nobody inside. Four people remained on the balcony, despite police negotiators' attempts to talk them down, and the spokesman said they would be monitored overnight. The group called themselves the London Makhnovists, after the Ukrainian anarchist Nestor Makhno, who revolted against the Russian White Army in 1918-21. There are links between Russian political donors and the war in Ukraine, the protesters claimed Standing on the balcony, one of the protesters told journalists they were doing the government's work for them by reclaiming the building for refugees fleeing their homes. He said: "[Home secretary] Priti Patel, don't worry, we did your job - we did the housing, just send them here, we did the housing. Refugees welcome! "We're demanding this property belong to Ukrainian refugees. Their houses have been destroyed and this guy [Deripaska] supported the war." The group said there were about 200 rooms in the "ridiculous" mansion, which was "filthy fancy" and had "so much stuff a normal human being would never need", including a home cinema and works of art. The protesters said there were about 200 rooms in the mansion "It is massive," one of the protesters said. "I got lost I don't know how many times. There are so many unnecessary rooms." Another added: "[Michael Gove] said oligarchs' homes should be expropriated to house Ukrainian refugees. "We're doing the government's work for them and we're doing it for free, so I expect a significant rebate on my tax bill later on in April." Speaking about the possibility of arrest, one said the group has "made peace" with the option and added "I'm ready to take the consequences for something I believe". In response, the prime minister's official spokesman said he thought new legislation would be needed to use seized property to house refugees. He added: "Squatting in residential buildings is illegal, but we are working to identify the appropriate use for seized properties while owners are subject to sanctions." Ivan, who was passing by, said he was originally from Lviv in western Ukraine and fully supported the protest. "I think it's very good," he said, adding he believed the mansion belonged to Mr Deripaska, who is "a friend of Putin". "My people are suffering and they need help," he said. Other passers-by were supportive of the occupation, saying they were unable to protest themselves but the action would make a difference. Ivan, from Lviv in Ukraine, supports the protest One man said: "We need to protest in every way we can because this war is not right. A lot of civilians and women and children are dying every day for Putin and it's unbelievable." Charles Delingpole, who said he works in the field of sanctions, said he supported the protest but it was important to uphold the rule of law. He said: "I think the UK has been too slow to sanction Russian oligarchs based on an abundance of caution as opposed to due process. "However, this is the breakdown of law and just because we fight with monsters doesn't mean we need to turn into them ourselves." The government has been too slow to sanction oligarchs, said Charles Delingpole Mr Deripaska, founder of metals and hydropower company EN+, has been under US sanctions since 2018 as a result of his alleged close relationship with the Kremlin. A 2006 High Court judgement revealed Mr Deripaska was the beneficial owner of Five Belgrave Square. The seven-bedroom house, in one of London's most expensive neighbourhoods, also has a home cinema, a gym and a Turkish steam bath. The property had been bought through Ravellot Limited, an offshore company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, and the business still owns the property. Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska attends a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 3, 2021 Land Registry documents give Graham Bonham Carter as the contact for Ravellot. Five bank accounts held by him are subject to asset freezing orders at the request of the National Crime Agency (NCA), following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The bank accounts were frozen because of suspected links to Mr Deripaska, the NCA said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-60736583

Ukraine war: Fears Russian aggression could spill into Poland - BBC News

2022-03-15

The influx of refugees and Russian security threats leaves Poland feeling vulnerable.

Over 1.7m Ukrainian refugees have fled to Poland since Russia's invasion began With Russia's war in Ukraine raging on its doorstep, Poland is holding its breath. It feels vulnerable on two fronts as the number of refugees coming into the country swells and a military base near its border with Ukraine was attacked. As a first responder in one of Europe's biggest refugee crises since World War Two, over 1.7m Ukrainians have chosen to flee to Poland, according to the UN's latest figures. Some move on, but most choose to stay because of cultural, linguistic or family ties. As a result, population figures have swollen by 15% in the Polish capital Warsaw over the past two weeks. In terms of security, alarm bells are also ringing. Over the weekend, Russia bombed a Ukrainian military base in Yavoriv, just 16 km (10 miles) from the Polish border. Poland warned the West for years that Russia planned to redress the balance of power in Europe in its favour. Polish leaders were dismissed as alarmists at the time. But no longer. On Monday, the Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, said Ukrainian soldiers needed and deserved Western support. They were fighting not only for their own freedom, he insisted, but also the freedom of their Eastern European neighbours. He also described Russian President Vladimir Putin's onslaught in Ukraine as a calculated part of his geopolitical plan. Once side-lined by some in Nato as a post-communist Russophobe, Poland has now become a linchpin in the eastern flank of the alliance. The strongest part of the chain now linking the West with Ukraine. Most of the weapons convoys sent by the West to help the Ukrainian military travel through Poland. On Saturday, Moscow declared those convoys "legitimate military targets" inside Ukraine. But do Poles believe the Kremlin would attack their country - a member of the European Union - and, more significantly in this case, Nato? The Western defence alliance's charter says an attack against one of its nations will be viewed as an attack against all. That would mean a face-off between two global nuclear powers - Russia and the US - something the West is keen to avoid. Moscow too, it hopes. Warsaw's mayor Rafal Trzaskowski has called for more international assistance (file photo) Warsaw's mayor and high profile political figure, Rafal Trzaskowski, told me his country wasn't panicking, but that people were beginning to ask questions - especially after Russia's missile strike so close to the Polish border, and Nato's talk of Russia possibly planning chemical attacks. Something urgent needs to be done about the refugee crisis too, the mayor insisted. He said one of President Putin's goals was to divide, and therefore weaken, the West. "Putin is happy to use fake news, disinformation campaigns or a refugee crisis," Mr Trzaskowski argued, warning that, "if refugee numbers keep rising, the system in Poland will crash." He's called for more international assistance - from the European Union and United Nations - in terms of practical help, financial aid and housing refugees in other countries. Brussels says Ukrainians are welcome across the bloc. It has pledged funds to Poland too. But the authorities here say it's not enough. The European Commission is coy about mentioning exact figures. Mayor Trzaskowski has also appealed to the UK to "get rid of its red tape" and allow Ukrainian refugees more easily into Britain. Arguably, Poland's painful past makes it a lot more anxious about the future. The arrival of Ukrainian refugees here has evoked national memories of war, followed by decades of Soviet occupation. This week in Warsaw, I met Polish pensioner Kristina and her friends, busy making Ukrainian flag solidarity ribbons. "I'm too poor to give money and too old to hold a gun," Kristina explained, "so I do what I can for the refugees. Partly, because I fear for my own tomorrow."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60746437

Ukraine war: Protester exposes cracks in Kremlin's war message - BBC News

2022-03-15

Marina Ovsyannikova's moment of protest on TV was extraordinary - but she now faces prosecution.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Russian state TV's Channel One plays a crucial part in the Kremlin's media messaging. It is Russia's second most popular channel, and its flagship news programme Vremya (Time) is watched by millions. Normally, there is no room for deviation from the party line. So when Marina Ovsyannikova ran on to the set behind the news anchor in prime time, brandishing a poster saying "Stop the War!", it was an unprecedented moment of dissent against the Kremlin which reached into living rooms across the country. Ms Ovsyannikova, who has a Ukrainian father and Russian mother, has been fined 30,000 roubles (£214, $280) for an anti-war video she had also released. Her protest is extraordinary in more ways than one. To start with, Channel One viewers are not even used to hearing the word "war" used to describe Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The government has ordered the media to call it a "special military operation" launched to "demilitarise and denazify" Ukraine. Ms Ovsyannikova's protest also targeted the core President Putin supporters: most Russians still use state TV as their main source of news, rather than from reports in the diminishing number of independent websites or from social media. It soon emerged that Ms Ovsyannikova was a Channel One editor who had earlier recorded a video statement Staging a protest like this takes extraordinary courage. Ten days earlier, Russia approved a law under which anyone challenging the Kremlin's version of events in Ukraine can face up to 15 years in jail. Almost 15,000 anti-war protesters have been detained since the invasion began, according to the Ovd-info website. None of them have reached into as many Russia homes as Ms Ovsyannikova did. Beyond a few seconds of exposure on Channel One, state media have ignored the protest. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed her action as hooliganism. For fear of being targeted, independent Russian websites have blurred out or pixelated Ms Ovsyannikova's poster. Novaya Gazeta, for example, left only one line from her poster still legible: "Don't believe propaganda." Independent website Novaya Gazeta left only one line of the poster unblurred It is a different story on social media, where this anti-Putin moment has been seen as a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak Russian media landscape. "Marina Ovsyannikova is a hero of Russia!" opposition politician Ilya Yashin said on Twitter. "Five seconds of truth can wash away the dirt of weeks of propaganda," said another opposition politician, Lev Shlosberg. Her protest is not the only crack to appear in the Kremlin media machine's campaign to convince Russians that the operation in Ukraine is neither a war nor an invasion. Lilia Gildeyeva had worked for NTV since 2006 News broke hours afterwards that a veteran presenter from another top television channel, NTV, had left the country. "First, I left [Russia] because I was afraid they would not let me go just like that, then I submitted my resignation," Lilia Gildeyeva told a prominent blogger.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60749064

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has UK passport returned, MP says - BBC News

2022-03-15

Boris Johnson says negotiations to free the British-Iranian woman are "going right up to the wire".

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe after she was released from house arrest in Tehran in March 2021 British-Iranian detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has had her UK passport returned, her MP has said. She has been detained in Iran for nearly six years after being arrested while visiting her family. She was accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government, which she denied. Tulip Siddiq said Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was still at her family home in Tehran, where she is under house arrest. Boris Johnson said negotiations were "going right up to the wire". Ms Siddiq, the Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, said she understood British negotiators were in the Iranian capital. She met Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband Richard for "yet another strategy meeting" on Tuesday - saying she hoped there would not be many more. Mr Johnson said during a visit to Abu Dhabi that talks with Iran over Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release were "moving forward". He said he would not comment further "because those negotiations continue to be under way and we're going right up to the wire". The prime minister also said negotiations for the release of dual nationals in Tehran had been going on "for a long time". According to Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's employer the Thomson Reuters Foundation, her lawyer Hojjat Kermani has said he is "hopeful that we will have good news soon". A £400m debt relating to a cancelled order for 1,500 Chieftain tanks dating back to the 1970s had been linked to the continued detention of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other UK-Iranian dual nationals held in the country - although the government has said the two issues should not be linked. Downing Street said it was committed to paying the debt and was "exploring options to resolve it", but said it had not been resolved. A Foreign Office spokesman said it continued to "explore options" to resolve the debt but would not comment further as discussions were ongoing. He added the Foreign Office would not comment on speculation about Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe but had long called for the release of "unfairly detained British nationals in Iran". Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt - who has campaigned for her release - said it was traditional for clemency to be shown to some prisoners to coincide with Persian New Year, Nowruz. This year's festival falls this Sunday so Mr Hunt said it could be "a very, very critical next few days". This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Ros Atkins looks at the story behind Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's detention in Iran - and her husband's campaign to free her Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 43, who has always denied the charges against her, was first jailed for five years in 2016 after being accused of plotting against the regime - spending the last year of her sentence under house arrest at her parents' home. After that sentence expired she was then sentenced to another year's confinement in April 2021 on charges of "spreading propaganda", which has been served at her parents' house in Tehran. Her husband Richard Ratcliffe, who lives with their daughter Gabriella in Hampstead, London, has campaigned for her release, including by going on hunger strike in October last year. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's sister-in-law Rebecca Ratcliffe told BBC Radio 5 live there had been "so many false hopes" over the last five or six years so it was hard to tell "if this is a really positive sign or just the Iranian government playing games again". She said her sister-in-law was on edge when things like this happened because she did not want to get her hopes up. "We have everything crossed, but remain sceptical," she said. Her mother-in-law, Barbara Ratcliffe, told the BBC Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe "seemed really quite upbeat when I last spoke to her", but added that the family was "all a bit battle-scarred", having had disappointments in the past. Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK's chief executive, warned the latest reports should be treated with caution as there had been "false dawn after false dawn" in the long-running process. And Rupert Skilbeck, director of the Redress human rights organisation, echoed such sentiments. "We remain cautious and continue to encourage the UK government to do the right thing and ensure the debt it owes to Iran is paid, and that it does everything in its power to secure Nazanin's release," he said. There are other Western passport holders detained by Iran including Anoosheh Ashoori, a retired civil engineer from London, who was convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency in 2019. For more on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's story you can listen to Radio 4's Nazanin series on BBC Sounds.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60749863

As it happened: US warns China against support for Russia - BBC News

2022-03-15

Russia has denied asking Beijing for help, with Beijing calling the claim "disinformation".

Who was Brent Renaud - US journalist killed in Ukraine? Brent Renaud, 50, was a journalist and filmmaker and was shot dead in the town of Irpin, outside Kyiv. He had been working in the region at the time of his death. Kyiv's police chief Andriy Nebytov said he had been targeted by Russian soldiers. Two other journalists were injured and taken to hospital. It is the first reported death of a foreign journalist covering the war in Ukraine. Renaud had reported from Afghanistan, Iraq and Haiti. He won a Peabody Award for his work on a 2014 series on Chicago schools, Last Chance High. He often worked alongside his brother, Craig, also a filmmaker. It is not known whether Craig also travelled to Ukraine. Photographs are circulating online showing a press ID for Renaud issued by the New York Times. In a statement, the newspaper said it was "deeply saddened" to hear of Renaud's death but that he had not been working for the newspaper in Ukraine.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-60717902

Russia-Ukraine war: British Fox News journalist injured - BBC News

2022-03-15

Benjamin Hall, 39, was reportedly news gathering outside Kyiv at the time of Monday's incident.

A British journalist working for the Fox News Channel in the US has been injured while reporting on the war in Ukraine, the network says. Fox confirmed on air that Benjamin Hall - listed as its US state department correspondent - is in hospital after an incident outside of the capital Kyiv. Afternoon news anchor John Roberts added teams on the ground were still gathering details of the incident. Mr Hall is said to have been news gathering at the time. In a memo circulated to Fox employees on Monday, CEO Suzanne Scott said there was "a minimum level of details right now" and called for prayers. "This is a stark reminder for all journalists who put their lives on the line every day to deliver the news from a war zone," she wrote. Mr Hall, 39, joined Fox News in 2015 and has been heavily involved in the network's foreign affairs coverage. He has covered several wars from the frontlines, including in parts of the Middle East. A dual US-UK citizen, he completed both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in London. Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister, posted on Telegram on Monday that Mr Hall was in a serious condition. Mr Gerashchenko added that Ukrainian officials did not currently know the fate of a Fox News cameraman and a producer. He said the news crew probably "came under mortar or artillery fire" from Russian forces as they were heading towards the city of Irpin, which sits just 20km (12 miles) north-west of Kyiv. Earlier on Monday, Ukraine's prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova had said that a Western journalist had been injured and was being cared for by Ukrainian doctors. The State Department Correspondents' Association issued a statement, saying the state department's press corps was "horrified" to learn that Mr Hall had been injured. "We know Ben for his warmth, good humor and utmost professionalism. We wish Ben a quick recovery," president of the association, Shaun Tandon, said. Mr Hall's injuries come after another US journalist - Brent Renaud - was shot and killed on Sunday in the town of Irpin while working in the region. Two other journalists were injured and taken to hospital in the same attack.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60741229

Logan Mwangi: Murder-accused, 14, was 'a monster' - BBC News

2022-03-15

Foster family of boy accused of murdering five-year-old tell a court they were "terrified" of him.

Logan was found dead in the River Ogmore last July A teenager accused of murdering a five-year-old boy has been described as "a monster" and spoke of killing people, a court has heard. The body of Logan Mwangi was found in the River Ogmore in Sarn, Bridgend, last July with 56 injuries. The court heard the boy said he wanted to kill Logan shortly before his death. The 14-year-old boy, Logan's mother Angharad Williamson, 30, and his step-father John Cole, 40, are on trial at Cardiff Crown Court and deny murder. In statements read to the court, the former foster family of the accused said he made their lives "hell" during a period that he lived with them, and described him as a "monster". He also told the family he would kill them, explaining he would do so if the plot of the horror film The Purge - in which all crime, including murder, becomes decriminalised in a 12-hour period- became real. The boy's foster father said he had become "terrified" of the boy who had told him he wanted to "punch his lights out". The family also told of the boy's behaviour towards their family dog, who he insisted on pulling up by his hind legs and keep him dangling even though he was aware the dog had an injured pelvis. There was also reference to an occasion when he had been witnessed spraying a can of deodorant into the dog's eyes. Angharad Williamson and John Cole are both charged with Logan Mwangi's murder The jury heard how on more than one occasion the teenager, who was 13 at the time, had said he wanted to kill Logan. As details of the teen's behaviour was read to the court, Logan's mother Angharad Williamson began crying loudly from the dock. The foster family said they had continuously raised concerns about the accused's behaviour and threats with a social worker, Debbie Williams, but these were dismissed as "nonsense". "She just brushed it off as if it was nothing," the foster mother said in her statement. In evidence, Ms Williams denied she was ever told about these concerns. She told the court how she had visited the accused at a number of addresses - at first virtually, and then in person as Covid restrictions eased. Ms Williams described how the teenager would sometimes "poke, pinch or kick her" during meetings but said he never hurt her. She also said the teenager used to swear at her regularly, but said she felt it was mainly banter. She said she last saw the teenager on 30 July and the teenager was "his usual cheeky self, swearing at me." Ms Williams was also asked about a conversation she had with the teenager around a month after Logan had died. She told the court, she'd said to the teenager: "I don't think you realise the seriousness of the situation you are in." The accused replied: "I do know that... we didn't hurt him." A neighbour of Mr Cole in Maesglas, Sarn, Sheryl Lewis, also gave evidence. She said she heard Mr Cole crying outside on the phone at about 21:20 BST on 31 July, saying: "Help me, help me. What should I do? What should I do?" All three defendants deny murder and are also accused of perverting the course of justice, including moving Logan's body to the river near Pandy Park, removing his clothing, washing blood-stained bed linen, and making a false missing person report to police. Ms Williamson and the youth pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice, while Mr Cole admitted the charge.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-60738465

Covid: Date for lifting of Scottish face covering rules pushed back - BBC News

2022-03-15

People will have to continue wearing face coverings on public transport and shops until early April.

Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, says the decision to delay lifting all remaining Covid restrictions will come as a "bitter disappointment" to her members. She adds: "Further delay will put Scotland’s recovery into reverse gear again, create confusion, dent business confidence, putting the buffers on economic growth. “Businesses cannot continue to operate with the start-stop lever being pulled just weeks apart, with no clear confirmation as to what the triggers driving decision making are." Dr Cameron also says businesses have invested millions to keep their customers and staff safe throughout the pandemic. Quote Message: The Scottish government must commit to the removal of all remaining restrictions as soon as possible whilst providing greater detail on what triggers sit behind the decision-making process to protect consumer and business confidence in the meantime. from Dr Liz Cameron Scottish Chambers of Commerce The Scottish government must commit to the removal of all remaining restrictions as soon as possible whilst providing greater detail on what triggers sit behind the decision-making process to protect consumer and business confidence in the meantime.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-60750123

Edward Meenan trial: One man guilty of murder, another of manslaughter - BBC News

2022-03-15

Edward Meenan's body was found in an alleyway in Creggan Street in Londonderry on 25 November 2018.

Edward Meenan's body was found in an alleyway in Creggan Street on 25 November 2018 One man has been found guilty of murder and another man guilty of manslaughter in relation to the killing of Edward Meenan in Londonderry. Mr Meenan's body was found in an alleyway behind Creggan Street on 25 November 2018. Sean Rodgers, 34, of no fixed abode, and Ryan Walters, 22, from Station Park in Crossgar, denied murder. The victim's brother, Terry Meenan, said his life had been taken away "in the most horrific fashion". A jury on Tuesday found Rodgers guilty of murder, and Walters not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter. A third man, Derek Creswell, 29, of King's Lane in Ballykelly, had already pleaded guilty. Walters was also found guilty of assault on William McConnell - a friend of Mr Meenan's - on the same date. After a trial lasting six weeks, the jury deliberated for 10 hours before returning a verdict. During the trial, the jury was told Mr Meenan sustained 52 stab wounds and there were more than 100 signs of assault, including two broken legs. After the verdict, Judge Donna McColgan thanked the jury, describing them as "the most attentive I have ever come across". She told Rodgers the only sentence she could pass was a life sentence. A tariff hearing will be held at a later date to determine the minimum time he will serve. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle, Terry Meenan said the men had shown "disregard for human life" and had taken away the "most precious thing we had, our brother". "The people who did it have shown no remorse whatsoever. "How human beings can do that to another human being I'll never know," he continued. "It's been an unforgettable, unimaginable three years and we've had to suffer that every day, every night, every morning, the thoughts of what they actually did to my brother."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-60734290

Logan Mwangi murder trial: Boy disciplined at home, court told - BBC News

2022-03-15

Logan Mwangi had to stand with his hands on a banister for 30 minutes for misbehaving, court hears.

Logan was found dead in the River Ogmore in Sarn, Bridgend, last July A five-year-old boy who was found dead in a river was made to stand on a step with his hands on a banister if he misbehaved, a court has heard. John Cole, 40, Angharad Williamson, 30, and a 14 year old who cannot be named, deny murdering Logan Mwangi. A friend of Mr Cole, Callum Williams, told Cardiff Crown Court he had seen Logan being disciplined in the house in Sarn, Bridgend. This included standing on the step for 30 minutes each time. He was also denied Chinese takeaway and fed cereal for dinner instead for misbehaving, the court heard. Mr Williams said he had seen Logan on a video call on 27 July, just days before his body was found in the River Ogmore in Sarn, Bridgend. He said the boy was "very happy and joyful" and had been colouring in a picture of a field and some flowers. The court was also told Logan had previously been taken to A&E after an injury to his arm or shoulder following a fall down the stairs. Jurors were told hospital staff had referred the matter to social services because of concerns over a delay in reporting the injury, and Ms Williamson had "tried to put the injury back in place". The court also heard from nursery teacher Catherine Richards who said Logan "would light up the classroom with his smile" and "was a very bright little boy" who had never been any trouble. She said there was an occasion when she saw Logan with a bruise on his face, which said he had "poked himself" in school, but Ms Williamson said had been the result of him being hit with by a Nerf gun while playing with Mr Cole. The court heard there was another incident when Logan had soiled himself in school, Ms Richards said Logan "was very distressed about it and didn't want mum to know". He asked for the clothes to be thrown out. Angharad Williamson and John Cole are both charged with Logan Mwangi's murder Logan's mother, Angharad Williamson, 30, step-father, John Cole, 40, both of Sarn, and a 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all deny murder. All three are also accused of perverting the course of justice, including moving Logan's body to the river near Pandy Park, removing his clothing, washing bloodstained bed linen, and making a false missing person report to police. Ms Williamson and the youth pleaded not guilty to both offences, while Mr Cole admitted perverting the course of justice. The two adults were also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child, which they both deny. Last July, Logan was found with 56 "catastrophic" injuries, which were consistent with a fall from a great height or a car crash, the court previously heard.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-60747720

Covid in Scotland: Mask rules will stay in force until April - BBC News

2022-03-15

Other restrictions will be dropped on 21 March, but masks will remain due to a rise in Covid cases.

Scotland's rules on face coverings in shops and on public transport will remain in place until April due to a rise in cases of Covid-19. All other restrictions on businesses and services are to move from legal requirement to guidance from 21 March. But First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it would be "prudent" to keep mask rules in place due to a spike in cases. These will be reviewed again in two weeks, and are likely to be converted to guidance by 4 April. Ms Sturgeon said a sharp rise in infections was putting "significant pressure on hospital capacity", but that vaccines were still giving people good protection. She also told MSPs that mass testing will be wound down in April, with routine testing and contact tracing to end by May. The average number of new cases reported each day in Scotland is more than 12,000, up from an average of 6,900 per day three weeks ago. There has also been a rise in the number of people in hospital with Covid-19, from 1,060 three weeks ago to 1,996 today. Ms Sturgeon said the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron was now the dominant strain of the virus in Scotland, accounting for more than 80% of cases - adding that while it spreads much more quickly, there is no evidence it causes more severe illness than previous variants. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The laws on wearing face coverings will not be lifted Under the government's strategic framework for managing the virus, remaining legal restrictions - including mask-wearing and the need for businesses to record customer contact details and follow other guidance - were to be lifted on 21 March. The rules for businesses will be dropped as planned, but Ms Sturgeon said she needed to "ask everyone to be patient for a little while longer on face coverings". She said: "I know this will be disappointing for businesses and service providers such as day care services. "However, ensuring continued widespread use of face coverings will provide some additional protection - particularly for the most vulnerable - at a time when the risk of infection is very high, and it may help us get over this spike more quickly." The first minister stressed that the lifting of other measures marked "steady progress back to normal life and a more sustainable way of managing this virus". Testing in England is being wound down by the end of March, but Ms Sturgeon said there would be no change in Scotland until Easter. Asymptomatic people will still be advised to test regularly until 18 April - with tests free of charge - and people with symptoms should continue to get a PCR test until the end of that month. However, the population-wide testing and contact tracing system will come close at the end of April, with people with symptoms advised to stay at home. From May onwards, testing will be used on a targeted basis to monitor levels of the virus in society and to look out for new variants. The Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland said changes were slower than many would like, adding that "the impression that Scotland has a first-in, last-out approach to Covid restrictions frustrates many". The Scottish Chambers of Commerce said the announcement about face coverings was a "bitter disappointment". Chief executive Dr Liz Cameron said: "Businesses cannot continue to operate with the start-stop lever being pulled just weeks apart." And the Scottish Licensed Trade Association said the move will confuse visitors from England, where face coverings are no longer required by law. It has become almost second nature - grab your mask alongside your keys as you dash out the front door. And in Scotland, unlike any other part of the UK, you will be doing it for a while longer. Many in public health think this is not a big ask, a sensible move at a time when community transmission is so high. It is a very visible reminder that Covid has not gone away, and they point to a growing body of research that suggests community mask wearing can offer some protection against infection spread. However, others argue the evidence is not compelling and the reality is people don't wear masks in the places where they would make the most difference, at home with family and friends. After all, Scotland is experiencing a surge in cases despite such measures being in place. The Scottish Conservatives said the retention of the mask rules was "a blow for households and businesses". Leader Douglas Ross urged Ms Sturgeon to trust people to manage their own risks, adding: "We can't get complacent with Covid, but we need to move forward - we can't stay stuck with Covid rules forever." Labour's deputy leader Jackie Baillie said hospitals were "overwhelmed" with staff absences rising, and called for more information about testing for health workers. Ms Sturgeon said health and care staff would continue to test twice weekly after the wider programme ends, and that the system would focus on high-risk settings like hospitals and care homes. Meanwhile Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said it was disheartening that "despite the extra sacrifices that have been made in Scotland, our infection rates are still so stubbornly high". Health Secretary Humza Yousaf later told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime he expects Covid hospital occupancy levels to reach record levels in the next few days. He also defended the extension of the face covering rules and described the evidence for their effectiveness as "indisputable". Asked if he was concerned about another wave of infections given the current case numbers, Mr Yousaf said he has been reassured by the success of the vaccination programme. He told the programme: "If you have not had your first, second or indeed your booster dose then please get it because that is clearly and significantly been the difference in terms of severity of illness. "If we had these case numbers that we are seeing today, and we have seen over the last number of weeks, without a vaccine we would be frankly in lockdown.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-60750364

Outdoor civil weddings and partnerships here to stay - BBC News

2022-03-15

Non-religious ceremonies in England and Wales were first allowed outside during the pandemic.

Outdoor civil weddings and partnerships are being legalised permanently in England and Wales. Until last summer, non-religious ceremonies had to be held inside or in a permanent outdoor structure. The rules were relaxed to allow for more guests while coronavirus social distancing measures were in place. The temporary measures are being made permanent from April after "overwhelming support" from the public, the Ministry of Justice said. A government consultation found that 96% of respondents were in favour of the changes being made permanent, with 93% supporting it being extended to religious ceremonies. The weddings and partnership ceremonies will still have to be held at licensed venues. Reforms to religious ceremonies will follow, the Ministry of Justice said. Justice minister Tom Pursglove said: "A wedding is one of the most important days in a person's life and it is right that couples should have greater choice in how they celebrate their special occasion. "These reforms will allow couples to hold more personalised ceremonies and provide a welcome boost for the wedding sector." The government is to also consider recommendations from a Law Commission review into marriage laws, which is due to be published in July. The report is looking at how to modernise marriage law, including widening the locations where people can get married and whether more types of weddings should be legalised. Until 1994, marriage ceremonies in England and Wales could only take place in churches and register offices. An amendment to the law permitted ceremonies at other locations including landmarks, stately homes and dedicated wedding venues. The sites must be approved by local councils, with a registrar attending to record the ceremony. For historical reasons, the law already allows Jewish and Quaker wedding ceremonies the option of taking place outdoors. But other religious ceremonies still currently take place indoors in churches or certified places of worship.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60745573

Queen holds afternoon tea for Canada's governor general after missing service - BBC News

2022-03-15

The monarch, 95, greeted Canada's governor general the day after the Commonwealth Service.

The Queen welcomed Mary Simon and her husband Whit Fraser to Windsor Castle The Queen has hosted an afternoon tea for Canada's governor general, the day after missing the Commonwealth Service. Mary Simon was welcomed to Windsor Castle by the Queen, 95, on Tuesday. The monarch's absence from the annual Westminster Abbey service is understood to have been due to concerns about her ability to travel and her mobility. She was represented by the Prince of Wales at the event. In a message, she praised the Commonwealth as a force for good "in these testing times". Her Commonwealth Day message also repeated the lifelong commitment she made when she was 21, that she would devote her life in service. The ceremony in Westminster, attended by royals including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, celebrated the work of the Commonwealth and also focused on the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The Queen has recently recovered from Covid and returned to holding diplomatic audiences and meetings in person. She has also been carrying out some virtual engagements. Ms Simon and her husband Whit Fraser were greeted by the Queen in the castle's Oak Room. The Queen, who is also monarch of Canada, was pictured standing without the walking stick she has been seen using recently as she shook hands with Ms Simon. Ms Simon is Canada's first indigenous governor general and took up her post last July. Earlier on Tuesday, the Queen held two virtual audiences at her Berkshire residence, receiving the ambassadors of Mongolia and Tajikistan via video link. She is due to be represented by Prince Charles again at the next Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, due to take place in Rwanda in June.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60756868

Abramovich: Jet linked to oligarch lands in Moscow - BBC News

2022-03-15

The billionaire was seen at the airport, but it is not known if he boarded the flight.

Roman Abramovich was pictured at a VIP lounge in Ben Gurion international airport in Lod near Tel Aviv A private jet linked to sanctioned billionaire Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich has landed in Moscow. The jet arrived in Moscow on Tuesday morning after taking off from Israel and stopping in Istanbul, flight tracking website FlightRadar24 said. Mr Abramovich was seen in a VIP lounge at the airport in Israel, though it is not known if he boarded the flight. The Russian was among seven oligarchs sanctioned by the UK government last week in response to the Ukraine war. Mr Abramovich, 55, is alleged to have strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he has denied. Reuters news agency said it had obtained a photograph showing Mr Abramovich in a VIP lounge in Ben Gurion Airport in Lod near Tel Aviv on Monday. It is not known whether he boarded the jet at any stage on its journey from Israel to Istanbul and subsequently from Istanbul to Moscow. A rabbi who helped him gain citizenship in Portugal was detained on Thursday as part of an investigation into how that citizenship was granted. Meanwhile, sources have told the BBC that the European Union is set to include Mr Abramovich on its expanded list of oligarchs who are subject to EU asset freezes. Roman Abramovich and Vladimir Putin pictured together at an event in Russia in 2016 Under UK sanctions, Mr Abramovich and the other six oligarchs - including billionaires Igor Sechin and Oleg Deripaska - have been banned from entering or remaining in the UK. Some of his assets were frozen, including Chelsea FC, though the club has been allowed to continue operating under a special licence granted by the UK government. Mr Abramovich announced he was selling the club earlier this month, before the sanctions against him were introduced. He is also believed to own a number of properties in the UK, including a 15-bedroom mansion at Kensington Palace Gardens in west London, reportedly valued at more than £150m. His purchase of Chelsea FC in 2003 transformed the club's fortunes, turning them into a side that won every major trophy in club football. It also raised the bar for the level of investment required to compete at the top of the Premier League. Mr Abramovich made his money in the 1990s during Boris Yeltsin's presidency of Russia. This week a BBC Panorama investigation said it had uncovered new evidence about the "corrupt" deals that made his fortune. The Chelsea owner made billions after buying an oil company from the Russian government in what BBC Panorama said was a rigged auction in 1995. Mr Abramovich paid around $250m (£190m) for Sibneft, before later selling it back to the Russian government for $13bn in 2005. His lawyers say there is no basis for alleging he has amassed very substantial wealth through criminality.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60749666

Christian Eriksen back in Denmark squad - BBC Sport

2022-03-15

Christian Eriksen is named in Denmark's squad for the first time since his cardiac arrest while playing at Euro 2020 last summer.

Last updated on .From the section Football Christian Eriksen has been named in Denmark's squad for the first time since his cardiac arrest while playing at Euro 2020 last summer. The playmaker, 30, was fitted with an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) - a type of pacemaker - after his cardiac arrest against Finland. He joined Brentford in January following his release by Inter Milan. Denmark play friendlies in the Netherlands on 26 March and at home against Serbia three days later. Eriksen will join up with his international team-mates for training in Spain prior to the two games. He joined Brentford on a six-month deal after his release by Inter Milan and made his first appearance for the Bees as a substitute in a defeat against Newcastle United on 26 February. The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was given a standing ovation from fans and players on both sides when he came on after 52 minutes. He said afterwards: "If you take away the result, I'm one happy man. To go through what I've been through, being back is a wonderful feeling." Inter Milan and Eriksen agreed to cancel his contract in December because players fitted with an ICD cannot compete in Serie A. The Premier League does not however have the same regulations. After leaving the Serie A club he trained at Odense Boldklub, the Danish team he represented as a teenager, before signing for Brentford. Following the game against Newcastle, Eriksen played the full game for Brentford in wins against Norwich City and Burnley. He set up Ivan Toney for a goal in the 2-0 victory against the Clarets and has been impressive as the Bees have moved away from the relegation zone. Denmark qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by finishing top of their group with 27 points from 10 games - four points clear of runners-up Scotland. • None Six films that got their facts wrong: From the Jamaican bobsleigh team to Sylvester Stallone's goalkeeping heroics • None A look back to when Michael Vaughan sat down with cricket legend Shane Warne

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60748258

Ukraine war: Demonstrator disrupts Russia's flagship evening news broadcast - BBC News

2022-03-15

The placard she held read: “Stop the war, don’t believe propaganda, they’re lying to you”.

Russia's flagship evening news broadcast on Channel One has been disrupted by an anti-war demonstrator. The placard she held read: “Stop the war, don’t believe propaganda, they’re lying to you”. The demonstrator, identified as Marina Ovsyannikova, reportedly an editor at Channel One, also released a statement on her actions.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60745212

IMF: Ukraine economy could shrink as much as 35% - BBC News

2022-03-15

Ukraine is facing a severe recession as a result of the Russian invasion, the IMF said.

The Ukrainian economy could shrink by more than a third this year if the war with Russia continues, the International Monetary Fund said. The global lending body said the country is already facing a downturn of 10% due to the invasion, which has hit major cities, destroyed airports and precipitated a refugee crisis. The IMF recently sent $1.4bn in emergency funds to Ukraine - the maximum allowed under its rules. Billions more will be needed, it said. The dire economic outlook for Ukraine was included in a report prepared before the emergency loan was approved last week. The estimates were calculated by looking at wartime economies in countries such as Lebanon, Iraq and Syria. "With the war ongoing, the situation remains extremely fluid, and any forecast is at this stage subject to massive uncertainty," the report said, predicting the economy could contract by between 25% to 35%. It said the estimates in the report should be "seen as a bare minimum". In 2014 and 2015, Ukraine also suffered economic shock, with output falling 6.6% and 10% respectively, following Russia's annexation of Crimea. But Ukraine's economy, which is heavily dependent on exports, expanded 3% last year, lifted by a record grain harvest. Output had been expected to grow another 3.6% in 2022. Now, the IMF said: "A deep recession and large reconstruction costs are to be expected, on the backdrop of a humanitarian crisis." For now, the government has prioritised defence and social spending and remained current on its foreign debt obligations, according to the 7 March report. Companies are still paying taxes and money is still flowing through its financial system, though many bank branches have shut and authorities have had to take emergency measures. The country is likely to struggle even more, the report warned. The IMF plans to set up tools to help its members send money to help Ukraine, which has already spent the equivalent of $1.4bn to service and repay the government's foreign debt since the start of the war, IMF officials said. In an interview with the BBC, the head of Ukraine's central bank Kyrylo Shevchenko said Russian assets frozen in foreign countries, as a result of sanctions, should be used to help rebuild the country. "The need for money will be huge," he told the BBC. "It could be fulfilled through loans and grants from multinational organisations and direct help from other countries. However, a large share of financing is needed to be obtained as a reparation from the aggressor, including funds that are currently frozen in our allied countries."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60743592

Ukraine war: West made terrible mistake after Crimea - PM - BBC News

2022-03-15

Boris Johnson says the West allowed President Putin to "get away" with annexing the peninsula in 2014.

Boris Johnson arrives at a meeting of northern European leaders in London Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the West made a "terrible mistake" and let President Vladimir Putin "get away" with annexing Crimea in 2014. Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Johnson said ending the West's dependence on Russian oil and gas was vital to end Kremlin "bullying". It comes as the UK banned exports of luxury goods to Russia among other sanctions. About 100 more people are also expected to be sanctioned under a new law. The legislation allows the UK to target individuals alongside the US and the European Union, which has signed off its fourth package of sanctions against Russia. In addition, Mr Johnson said the only way to halt President Putin's "continuous blackmail" was by ending western reliance on Russian fossil fuels - a process that would be "painful". The prime minister is preparing to head to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf for talks about increasing production of oil and gas to compensate for reduced Russian supplies. He also said his promised Energy Security Strategy for the UK would step up wind energy, exploit solar power and make a "series of big new bets" on nuclear energy. Further drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea was one suggestion he made. The UK is to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2022. A decision by the government to talk to Saudi Arabia about measures to bring down the cost of energy has been criticised by many MPs after the country executed 81 people at the weekend. Downing Street says the UK "will continue to raise human rights abuses" with Saudi Arabia. The prime minister chaired cabinet meeting this morning before hosting a summit of northern European leaders in London. The leaders of those countries, which form a security alliance called the Joint Expeditionary Force, will consider what steps they can take to help Ukraine and shore up their own resilience against Russia. In a video call to those leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Nato alliance had been "hypnotised by Russian aggression" and repeated his plea for western military intervention. While he welcomed the latest western sanctions, Mr Zelensky said they "are not enough" to end the war and called for a full trade embargo on Russia. Boris Johnson is talking about taking back control again, but this time of the country's energy supply and, along the way, increasing efforts to make the UK a "net zero" carbon emitter. "Green electricity isn't just better for the environment, it's better for your bank balance," says the prime minister in his article in the Daily Telegraph. "There's nothing [Putin] can do to stop the North Sea wind." Mr Johnson has been talking about making the UK "the Saudi Arabia of wind" for some time now so this is not a new policy, but it would represent a significant acceleration of the move towards low carbon power. Yes, he is backing new drilling in the North Sea, but there's also the promise of "big new bets" on nuclear power and - a surprise for many - no mention of the return of fracking, a controversial method of shale gas mining. In his article in the Telegraph, Mr Johnson said: "When Putin invaded Ukraine the first time round, in 2014, the West made a terrible mistake. The Russian leader had committed an act of violent aggression and taken a huge chunk out of a sovereign country - and we let him get away with it." Mr Putin ordered the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 after months of protests against its pro-Russian president culminated in his ousting. He then backed an eastern rebellion by pro-Russian separatists, who have fought Ukrainian forces in an eight-year war that has claimed 14,000 lives. Despite years of western sanctions, Russia remains firmly in control of Crimea, which it absorbed following a referendum vote discredited by much of the international community. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine last month, a growing number of Russians have been sanctioned by the UK. Most recently, 386 Russian MPs who voted to recognise two rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine as independent have been hit by asset freezes and UK travel bans. Russia has maintained its grip on Crimea despite years of western sanctions In its latest sanctions, the EU has agreed bans on any transactions with certain Russian state-owned enterprises and the export of luxury goods to "directly hit Russian elites". Sources have told the BBC that the EU's measures will target Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich, who has already been sanctioned by the UK. Co-ordinated with western allies, the sanctions "will further contribute to ramping up economic pressure on the Kremlin and cripple its ability to finance its invasion of Ukraine", the European Commission said. BBC Brussels correspondent Jessica Parker says the EU has gone farther and faster than many expected, although there is a growing rift between cautious countries and those like Poland and the Baltic states, who want even stronger measures. On Tuesday, the UK announced new sanctions that mirrored the EU's in several areas, including the export ban on luxury goods such as high-end fashion and works of art. As part of these measures, Russian vodka and hundreds of other goods worth £900m were hit with an additional 35% import tariff. Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the new tariffs "will further isolate the Russian economy from global trade". On top of this, the UK's fast-tracked Economic Crime Bill, which passed through Parliament the early hours of Tuesday, will now allow the UK to automatically sanction those who have had their assets already frozen by the EU, US or Canada. This will potentially open the door to hundreds more individual sanctions. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is likely to announce new measures on Tuesday on more than 100 individuals with links to President Putin's regime, the BBC understands. Speaking to BBC's Hardtalk, senior Conservative and chair of the Defence Select Committee Tobias Ellwood said sanctions on Russia would lead members of the Russian elite and generals to "recognise there is no future for Russia" and Mr Putin would "eventually go". However, Mr Ellwood warned that "until then, he will cause absolute carnage in Ukraine and beyond unless we stand up to him".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60745961

Ukraine war: One shell that destroyed a family - BBC News

2022-03-15

A woman recounts the moment her husband and son were killed by a Russian shell in the town of Irpin.

Myhailo and Maryna with their grandson, who survived the attack "He was everything I could ever dream of, an example of what a man should be," says Maryna. "He was the centre of our family, our fortress and our heart. He made my most secret dreams come true." Maryna's husband of 34 years, Myhailo, was killed by Russian forces on 6 March, in the commuter town of Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv. This is the story of one shell that hit one flat and destroyed one family, but almost three weeks into Russia's invasion there are countless other families like this across Ukraine. Maryna wants to tell her story for the sake of Myhailo, 54, and their son Serhiy, aged 32, who was also killed in the attack. Warning: Some readers may find details in this story distressing. We speak via video call, as Maryna is now sheltering with distant relatives in western Ukraine, along with her daughter Yanna and her grandson. The three-year-old is named Myhailo, after the grandfather he adored. Maryna appears on my screen looking drawn and wearing black. And her words pour out, in a torrent of pain, grief and anger. "When a person is killed somewhere, "she tells me, "the police look for the killer. There is a court case. The person is punished. Now it's not just one person being killed, it's many. The nation is being killed. I want the world to see who is doing this so that Putin and his regime bear the blame for the killing of my beloved ones." This is the second time Russia's shadow has enveloped Maryna and her family When the Russians began targeting Irpin, Maryna, her husband and son left their flat and moved to her daughter's home nearby. On the day of the attack, repeated shelling drove them down to the underground car park. In the evening it was quieter, so they went up to the apartment on the 15th floor to collect some food and give her grandson a bath. "We did everything quickly, "she said, "then we heard a thunderclap. Myhailo and Serhiy pushed us away - me, my daughter and my grandson. We managed to get out, but they didn't. I felt whistling in my ears, and something hot on my skin. I didn't know what had happened, but I knew I was alive." A shell had hit the bedroom of the flat, and blown it away, from corner to corner. Outside in the corridor she started calling for her family and found her daughter and grandson, by touch. They were scared but unharmed - saved by a mattress which fell on top of them. "I started calling my husband and son," she says. "I was calling 'Serhiy, Misha'. My son replied. I followed his voice and found the flat. My husband was at the front step. If he had made it just a few more inches, out of the flat, that would have saved his life. The entire concrete wall fell on him." Serhiy was alive, just. "My son was screaming 'Mum don't come here. Run! Run away from here and take Yanna and the baby with you." I realised he could not move. I said: 'Darling please wait, I will come back for you.'" Maryna, Yanna and little Myhailo felt their way downstairs through the smoke and dust - step by terrified step. Down in the car park she begged neighbours to help. "The men went first, "she said, "in the blink of an eye. They came down and said someone was alive but there was nothing they could do. I asked for sheets and bandages and said I would go there myself," Maryna recounts. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Firefighters attend an apartment block in Obolon district after an air strike "A woman doctor came with me. We found my son, still fully conscious. His stomach was ripped open, and his legs were broken. He said 'Mum, I can't stand it. Kill me now. My son died in my arms, not asking for anything, just cursing Putin." Serhiy's plans died with him - his hopes of settling down and having a family. "I will never be able to see my son's children," says Maryna. "Putin did not just kill my son and my husband. He killed my family." The bereft wife and mother has her own name for the Russian leader's "special military operation" as he calls it. She says it is a "special shelling operation". One house shelled might be a fluke, she argues, but not hundreds of houses all over Ukraine. She says the Russians targeted houses deliberately in Irpin. "The tanks moved from one place to another, to get the best view," she tells me. Most of Irpin's population has left The 53-year-old angrily rejects Vladimir Putin's claim that his mission is to protect Russian speakers. "He didn't need to rescue me," she says. "I have never been oppressed. I have been speaking Russian all my life. I could travel. I could speak the language I wanted. I have started speaking Ukrainian as a form of protest (as have many others). Putin has taught me to love my homeland even more." This is the second time Russia's long shadow has enveloped Maryna and her family. In 2014 she and Myhailo had just settled into their "dream home" in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, when Kremlin-backed rebels went to war with the Ukrainian government. They had to flee and settled in Irpin where history - or Russia's version of it - repeated itself. In a bitter irony, many who fled the East started new lives in Irpin and neighbouring Bucha - both of which have suffered relentless Russian bombardment. Maryna says each day is harder now, as her loss seeps through to the bone. "You wake in the morning and the person you are closest to is not there, the one who always said, 'good morning' and made you a cup of coffee. There's no-one who can come and hug you if you aren't in a good mood." Maryna says her grandson is now afraid of loud noises, and asks if it is "the bad guys shooting" Myhailo was a mechanical engineer and adored his family. "He was a father unlike many, perhaps because he spent all his time with his children," Maryna says. "When the grandson was born, he was the same with him. He taught him so many things". She says she and Myhailo were "big dreamers", always planning for the future. Now in place of dreams, there is gnawing worry for the family she has left. "My grandson doesn't know his grandfather and uncle have passed away," she says. "He is afraid of noise. When he hears a sound, he asks if it's the bad guys shooting. I need to save my daughter and grandson and get them away from the war." For a short time it seemed they had outrun the threat by getting to the city of Lviv, close to the Polish border. But early on Sunday morning it too was attacked, with a cruise missile strike killing 35 people at a military training base. In Ukraine it is now safe to assume that nowhere is safe. Having been robbed of her husband and son, Maryna is begging Western nations to impose a no-fly zone. "I am asking you to shield the sky over Ukraine," she says. "Don't let them shoot at us. Ukraine is protecting all of Europe, and we will not manage this alone." three-year-old Myhailo is named after his grandfather, who was a devoted family man Ten days on, Irpin remains under fire, and most of the town's 60,000 residents have fled. Myhailo and Serhiy still lie unburied in the ruins of the flat - a torment for Maryna. "My husband and son are still in that room," she says. "I could not bury them by myself. There is no funeral service, no doctors, and no morgue. I hope there is a way to bury them, with their names on the graves. I want there to be a cross, and I want to go to visit." One shell, one flat and one family hold up a mirror to the brutality of Russia's invasion, and the agony of Ukraine.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60742263

Ukraine war: Pub dedicated to Hemingway destroyed in Kharkiv - BBC News

2022-03-15

The Old Hem pub in Kharkiv was a well-known hangout for young poets and musicians.

The bar was popular among the city's young creatives You'll Never Drink Alone were the words that hung above the bar at the Old Hem, an iconic pub in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. The pub is named after Ernest Hemingway, and its patrons would walk past a statue of the legendary American writer on their way in. It was popular among the city's young creatives, and Serhiy Zhadan, one of Ukraine's best known poets, would often perform and drink there. But now the Old Hem lies in ruins. The pub was destroyed in shelling on Monday It was completely destroyed during Russian shelling of the city on Monday. The Kharkiv prosecutor's office says two people died in the attack. The bar's owner, Kostiantyn Kuts, told the BBC that no staff were in the bar when the strike hit, and those who died were in apartments above the pub. The Old Hem stopped pouring pints and turned into a makeshift bomb shelter when the Russian army invaded Ukraine on 24 February, Mr Kuts says. He initially hoped that he'd only be shutting up briefly. "We did not completely believe in what was happening and hoped that soon the bar would work. But the illusions were destroyed with the first bombs on residential buildings," he said in a message. In the early days of the invasion, Kharkiv fought back a Russian armoured column. Since then, it has suffered nightly Russian airstrikes and shelling, with dozens of civilians killed and hundreds injured. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: Our correspondent on the front line, with Ukraine’s troops - this report contains graphic images of casualties But in the weeks leading up to the invasion, Mr Kuts says it was business as usual at the bar. "The atmosphere was friendly. Many felt at home in the bar," he says. "The pub was popular among young people, and they were all optimistic and did not believe in war." This homely atmosphere was one the Old Hem had built up over a decade. Mr Kuts says the pub was opened in 2012 as a place where people could "meet and discuss current affairs over a glass of beer". It soon became a focal point for Kharkiv's creatives and would showcase local talent. Yuri, who often visited the Old Hem and declined to give his full name, said it was more of a hub than a pub. He recalls musician Oleh Skrypka, vocalist with the ground-breaking Ukrainian rock band Vopli Vidopliassova, playing a rare intimate show. Parties would regularly continue into the early hours. "It was one of the first places in Kharkiv to support Maidan publicly with flags and manifestos on the doors," he says, in reference to the protest movement that ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. "Freedom and democracy combined with cheap beer is why youth loved it I guess," he says. The pub was dedicated to Hemingway The pub was dedicated to Hemingway, one of Mr Kuts' heroes, and had a statue of the writer at the entrance. The walls of the bar were decked out with portraits of other iconic authors including 20th Century Russian writer Sergei Dovlatov, Charles Bukowski and Mark Twain. "I was often asked the question - why Old Hem?" Mr Kuts says. He said this was out of affection for an old friend rather than a reference to his age. But what really made the bar was the people, he adds. Mr Kuts hopes to one day rebuild his beloved pub Mr Kuts is now in western Ukraine and is hoping to make it to Germany. But one day he hopes to return to his city to rebuild his beloved bar. "I'm sure Hem's story didn't end today," he says. "We will win and Hem will rise again."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60742255

Ukraine war: Drone shots show Mariupol devastated by fighting - BBC News

2022-03-15

Thousands of civilians have been trapped in the Ukrainian port city for nearly two weeks

Drone footage taken of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol shows the extent of the damage caused by Russian attacks. Deputy Mayor Serhiy Orlov, said the city, in south-eastern Ukraine, was under "constant shelling, bombing and some street battles." Thousands of civilians have been trapped there for nearly two weeks, surrounded by Russian troops firing rockets and shells, which have destroyed many buildings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60733927

Ukraine risks being pulverised, service is told - BBC News

2022-03-15

Lord Sentamu warns the Royal Family and prime minister of destruction, as the Queen misses the Commonwealth Service.

The Royal Family were warned about the risk of "might being right" in Ukraine "At this very moment , Ukraine risks being pulverised," Lord Sentamu, former Archbishop of York, has warned the annual Commonwealth Service. The Prince of Wales and Boris Johnson were among those at the Westminster Abbey service, with the prime minister wearing a Ukraine-and-UK badge. "It is not the first time that might has demanded to be right," Lord Sentamu said of the attack on Ukraine. The Queen, 95, had pulled out of attending this year's service. Lord Sentamu told the Commonwealth Service, attended by royals including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and senior politicians, his prayer for Ukraine was "heavenly justice will defend the poor and vulnerable". In contrast to a "world which measures power in megatons", he said, the Queen's long reign had been about duty and service and the principle: "Whoever shall be great among you shall be your servant." Lord Sentamu speaking to Boris Johnson as he arrived at the service, which celebrated the Commonwealth The Royal Family have been unusually outspoken over the Ukraine war, with Prince Charles condemning the "brutal aggression" and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visiting the Ukrainian Cultural Centre wearing badges in the Ukrainian national colours. The ceremony, in Westminster Abbey, celebrated the work of the Commonwealth, with parades of flags, readings and music from Emeli Sandé and Mica Paris, and a focus on the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. After concerns about her ability to travel and her mobility, the Queen had been unable to attend in person. But in a message she praised the Commonwealth as a force for good in "these testing times". She also showed no sign of stepping back, repeating the lifelong commitment made when she was 21 that "my life will always be devoted in service". The Queen recently recovered from Covid and has returned to holding diplomatic meetings and audiences in person. But in one of those meetings last month, she said: "As you can see, I can't move." Prince Charles represented her at the Westminster Abbey service. He will also go on behalf of the Queen to the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, due to be held in Rwanda in June.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60737036

Homes for Ukraine refugee scheme launches in UK - BBC News

2022-03-15

Those wanting to host an individual or family from Ukraine can now register their interest online.

The government has launched its Homes for Ukraine site for those wanting to host a refugee, with 100,000 signing up within the first day. Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove said the UK had a history of "supporting the most vulnerable during their darkest hours". He said there would be no limit to how many Ukrainians could enter the UK under the visa sponsorship scheme. Each household housing a refugee will be offered £350 a month, tax-free. They will not be expected to provide food and living expenses but can choose to offer this. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was "fantastic" that more than 100,000 people and organisations had expressed interest in supporting Ukrainians. "Thank you to everyone across the country who has stepped up to offer their help so far," he tweeted. People who wish to offer a rent-free space in their home or a separate residence, for at least six months, can register their interest online. They will be able to individually sponsor a Ukrainian national's visa from Friday. Those initial applications will rely on the applicant knowing a named individual from Ukraine they want to help. But Ukrainian refugees with no family or other links to the UK can and will be hosted as part of the scheme, Mr Gove said. He said the sponsorship scheme was initially only between people who are already known to each other so it gets "up and running as soon as possible". The scheme will be expanded with the support of charities, community groups and churches who can help with matching refugees to hosts. No timescale has been announced for when this will happen but Mr Gove said it would expand "rapidly". The government has faced criticism - including from its own MPs - over the speed and scale of its response to the refugee crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Almost three million people have fled Ukraine since Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian invasion nearly three weeks ago. Mr Gove had said the scheme was open to nationals and residents of Ukraine, but his department later clarified that those eligible were Ukrainian nationals and immediate family members who had been resident prior to 1 January. As part of the scheme, refugees will have access to the NHS and other public services. Their children will be able to attend local schools. Local authorities will also receive £10,500 in extra funding per refugee for support services - with more for children of school age. Mr Gove said everyone in the UK was "in awe of the bravery of the people of Ukraine". "The victims of savage, indiscriminate, unprovoked aggression, their courage under fire and their determination to resist inspires our total admiration," he said. Both hosts and refugees taking part in Homes for Ukraine will be vetted. In addition, local councils will check that the accommodation offered is suitable, the government said. A Department for Education source told the BBC the government was planning for a capacity of around 100,000 school-age Ukrainian children to be placed in UK schools and said they were confident the school system could cope. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Michael Gove sets out how British sponsors can take in refuges in the Homes for Ukraine scheme Shadow housing and communities secretary Lisa Nandy said Labour was concerned about "the lack of urgency" and added that the visa application process could be simplified. She said: "We could keep essential checks but drop the excessive bureaucracy." One person putting her name forward is Mandi Arnold, who lives in Shropshire with her partner and three children. Mandi, 35, says life in her house is already hectic and so "it might as well be even busier" with an extra couple of people. "I would love to welcome someone in my home to give them that security and love," she says. "I've got a lot of love to give and it's the perfect opportunity to give it to someone who's in need." Mandi says her two sons are too young to understand what housing a refugee would involve but that she and her husband have chatted to her nine-year-old daughter, Amalia, about it. Husband and wife team Mandy and Mark Durrell were also among the first to register to offer a room. The Methodist ministers from Bangor said watching the news from Ukraine had been heartbreaking. "We want to offer space, companionship, comfort and safety," said Mark. "We have this home. There's two of us and the dog - and there's space here to give someone refuge and sanctuary." Refugees at Home, which finds host families for refugees and asylum seekers, said it wanted to see "as many refugees housed as soon as possible". Its executive director Lauren Scott stressed that home visits should take place before a placement is made and called for follow-up support to be offered to hosts and guests alike. There should also be plans for what happens "for the rare situations in which a placement does not work out", she added. All that should be done quickly and also "in a thoughtful, sensitive and thought-through way". Iryna Terlecky, a board member of the Associations of Ukrainians in Great Britain and chair of the Association of Ukrainian Women, praised the British public's response to the scheme but she told the Today programme £10,500 per refugee "may well not be enough" for local authorities. "What we want to see is that local authorities have the right level of funding so that they can continue to support, not only the families coming over but also their sponsors. "For a six-month commitment there will be times when for whatever reason it doesn't work out and local authorities and the established charities and the Ukrainian community need to be there to help in those circumstances." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says he will open his home to a Ukrainian family Homes for Ukraine is the second visa scheme the government has set up since the war broke out. The first has allowed Ukrainians with an immediate or extended family member in the UK to apply for a family visa to join them. Ukrainian passport holders no longer have to attend in-person appointments at visa application centres to submit their fingerprints and facial recognition, the Home Office said, with applicants now able to fill out forms online before giving their biometrics on arrival in the UK. Some 4,600 visas have so far been granted through that route, the latest Home Office figures show. The Home Office has defended requiring security checks on Ukrainians fleeing Russia's invasion. It says it must ensure the UK helps those in genuine need as it has seen people falsely claim to be Ukrainian. Have you signed up for the Homes for Ukraine scheme? Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. • None Homes for Ukraine – Homes for Ukraine – Local Sponsorship Scheme for Ukraine The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60741942

Potholes near Sir Rod Stewart's Essex home to be fixed in April - BBC News

2022-03-15

The local authority announces a plan of action after Sir Rod posts videos of himself with a shovel.

Sir Rod Stewart said his Ferrari could not get through the potholes The potholes Sir Rod Stewart was filmed fixing will be temporarily filled in April and the road resurfaced in July, a council said. Videos on the 77-year-old singer's Instagram account showed him shovelling gravel in Harlow, Essex, claiming "no-one can be bothered to do it". In one, he said "people are bashing their cars up" on the road. The leader of Essex County Council, Kevin Bentley, said the road "wasn't the condition it should be in". In the Instagram post, Sir Rod claimed the road had been in need of repair "for ages". Dressed in a tracksuit and high-vis vest, he explained why he and "the boys" decided to fix it themselves. "The other day, there was an ambulance with a burst tyre. My Ferrari can't go through here at all," he said. The rural road near Harlow in Essex has many potholes, but will now be repaired by Essex County Council Mr Bentley, a Conservative councillor, said the road had been inspected since the videos were posted and it was agreed it needed repairing. "The patching work will be done in April and resurfacing will be done in July," he said. "We must get to our roads as quickly as we can within the financial constraints what we have." He encouraged residents to report potholes through the authority's website, so the council "can get to them as fast as possible". Earlier, the council said people should not to try to repair potholes themselves. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-60744835

Mass graves in Ukraine: Battered cities are digging makeshift burial sites - BBC News

2022-03-15

Street cleaners are collecting bodies as besieged locals resort to burying civilians in trenches.

The aftermath of Russian artillery shelling on a residential area in Mariupol, 10 March The Russian bombardment of some places in Ukraine is so intense that towns and cities are being forced to unceremoniously bury dozens of civilian victims in mass graves. Nowhere is this grim reality of war more apparent than in Mariupol, a key port city devastated by constant shelling, where several burial sites have been hastily dug in the past two weeks. "We can't bury [the victims] in private graves, as those are outside the city and the perimeter is controlled by Russian troops," Mariupol's deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov told the BBC by phone. Locations include a retired city cemetery that has now been re-opened, Mr Orlov said. Warning: This article contains images that some may find upsetting On Sunday, the city council said the civilian death toll had risen above 2,100. The heavy Russian shelling has prevented any mass evacuation from Mariupol, despite efforts to open a safe exit route. Mr Orlov could not give a total for dead civilians buried in mass graves, but said 67 bodies were at one site. "Some we can't identify but some had documents." Thousands of residents are hiding in cellars and in some cases, he said, people are burying family members privately in courtyards or gardens. The battered city's street cleaners and road repair teams were collecting bodies in the streets, he said, as municipal services had collapsed. "Some people were killed during those collections. We've had no electricity, or heating, sanitation, water, food for 11 days," he said. Four-hundred miles to the north west, on the edge of the capital Kyiv, a mass grave was dug near a church in the town of Bucha, local MP Mykhailyna Skoryk-Shkarivska said. It contains more than 60 bodies. Video of the burial was posted on Facebook by a doctor working in nearby Irpin, Andriy Levkivsky. Doctors buried the victims, who had been brought to Irpin hospital. Ms Skoryk-Shkarivska told the BBC that a "ritual service" was conducted at the hospital before burial. Not all had been identified and "nobody knows exactly where the relatives are," she said. "Now we're discussing with volunteers how to create a digital system to identify people and trace missing relatives," she said. Russian troops captured the hospital on Saturday and told the doctors to leave, she said, speaking by phone from western Ukraine. Bucha and half of Irpin are now in Russian hands, she said. The return of mass graves is a shock for Ukrainians. Many have bitter family memories of World War Two, when Jews and Soviet partisans were murdered by Nazis, and the Holodomor - the famine created in Ukraine by Soviet seizure of grain and livestock in the 1930s. "My uncle is 92 and even he compared it with his childhood in the war," said Ms Skoryk-Shkarivska, who emphasised it is "important for us to bury relatives traditionally, the Christian way, with praying". "Even now in war people sometimes ask priests to do that," she said. A mass grave in Bucha - still from video posted by Dr Levkivsky In northern Ukraine the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Sumy are surrounded by Russian troops and relentless shelling has killed many civilians there too. On 6 March Oleksandra Matviichuk, a civil liberties campaigner, tweeted a photo of coffins in a trench, accompanied by the message: "Thus, civilians killed in the Russian bombing of Chernihiv are buried in trenches. Since the main city cemetery in Yatsevo is under constant shelling by the Russian occupiers, the victims are buried in the Yalivshchyna forest." Oleksandr Lomako, secretary of Chernihiv city council, told the BBC that victims of Russian air raids and shelling were being buried in a temporary cemetery. He confirmed that the city's main cemetery was now inaccessible, with Russian troops surrounding the city on three sides, the nearest about 10km (six miles) away. Coffins buried in a trench in Chernihiv - photograph courtesy of mayor Vladyslav Atroshenko "After the war we will rebury the dead," he said, estimating the city's civilian death toll in the Russian bombardment to be about 200. One air raid killed 45 people in Chernihiv - the worst toll, Mr Lomako said - adding that nightly bombing was killing seven civilians on average. "The planes drop three to four bombs on residential blocks. Also one hit the hospital, but it is still working. Dozens of housing blocks have been destroyed on the edge of the city." As well as evidence of mass burials, there are accounts of makeshift graves. A mother and son were buried in the courtyard of their new apartment block in Irpin, which has been heavily shelled by the Russians. A photo of the grave was widely shared by Ukrainians, and a tweet by journalist Olga Rudenko showed Marina Met and her son Ivan enjoying life in Kyiv before the invasion. Makeshift grave of a mother and son in Irpin For those whose loved ones have suffered the effects of siege and shelling at the hands of invading forces, burial in makeshift graves will no doubt feel like the final indignity.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60729206

UK's most premature twins reunited as sister returns home - BBC News

2022-03-15

Harley Crane is discharged after 140 days in hospital, a week after her brother Harry.

A pair of twins thought to be the most premature to survive in the UK are both home with their family. Harley and Harry Crane were born at 22 weeks and five days at the Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham. Harry was discharged last week after almost five months in the neonatal unit, and his sister Harley is now home too after 140 days in intensive care. Their parents Steve and Jade Crane, from Heanor, Derbyshire, said they were "absolutely ecstatic". "It's been such a long time and although it's been a really, really treacherous journey, 140 days ago we didn't think we'd be here," said Mr Crane. "It's just so affirmative to see them together and to be walking out that door. "The absolutely stunning doctors, nurses and surgeons have all been part of the making of this moment. It's hard to say goodbye to them but I hope I never see them again." Twin brother Harry went back to hospital to collect sister Harley on Monday When they were born, Harry weighed 520g (1.14lb) and Harley 500g (1.10lb). They were described by doctors as the size of Mars bars. The babies were put into the bereavement suite for parents because doctors expected only one of them would survive. However their parents said they had been "little fighters". "Can't wait to get them home where they belong and start our life as a family," said Mrs Crane. "We've waited 140 days for this. It's really emotional. Sad to leave the team but happy to be going home." The couple, who have been sharing their journey on Instagram, had tried to have children for 11 years with multiple IVFs, spending £50,000 on fertility treatments. Mother Jade Crane said the twins had been "little fighters" The twins have had six operations and 25 blood transfusions between them, and suffered sepsis, eye problems, brain and lung bleeds. Doctors warned they could face developmental challenges in the future and they still need oxygen to help them breathe, which will be monitored at home by their parents. Neonatologist, Dr Chantelle Tomlinson, said the day was "huge" for the family and had "been coming for a really long time for them". She said while their news was exciting it is never to be taken for granted that all the babies will go home. "For any of the families who need our real high-level intensive care, and have spent time on the unit with us, there's nothing to be presumed about the fact that they're going to go home, so we're delighted that they [the Crane twins] are." Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-60739816

Chelsea withdraw request to play FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough behind closed doors - BBC Sport

2022-03-15

Chelsea withdraw their request to play Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Middlesbrough behind closed doors.

Chelsea have withdrawn a request for Saturday's FA Cup tie at Middlesbrough to be played behind closed doors, the Football Association says. The Premier League side are not allowed to sell tickets for any matches after the government froze the assets of Russian owner Roman Abramovich. Chelsea initially made the request "for matters of sporting integrity". "After constructive talks between the FA and Chelsea, the club has agreed to remove their request," the FA said. "The FA remains in ongoing discussions with Chelsea, the Premier League and the government to find a solution that would enable both Chelsea fans to attend games and away fans to attend Stamford Bridge, while ensuring sanctions are respected." Chelsea said it was "grateful for the FA's continuing efforts to help us find a solution". The prime minister's official spokesman said the government is working with the football authorities to allow more Chelsea supporters to attend away matches, but added that any changes must ensure "no additional revenue can be raised given the club is owned by an individual now sanctioned in the UK". • None Is this a moment of reckoning for English football ownership? Middlesbrough have put an additional 3,200 tickets on sale to their supporters after they were returned to the club by Chelsea because of government sanctions. The Championship club had said they would have challenged the "bizarre" and "ironic" request to play the quarter-final behind closed doors - which was set to be discussed at an FA meeting on Wednesday - "in the strongest possible terms". Before the request was withdrawn, Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson told the Athletic : "Chelsea and sporting integrity do not belong in the same sentence. "Where is the intellect of Bruce Buck, the chairman of Chelsea, who has been an apologist for his owner, where the trophies won over 19 years have come from the corrupt money provided by Abramovich?" Gibson added. "Where is the intellect of the chairman of Chelsea when it comes to playing his games at home in front of his season-ticket holders? Does he want to play all his away games at empty stadiums? "Abramovich has been kicked out of football and Bruce Buck should be kicked out of football too." Chelsea Supporters' Trust had earlier asked the club to withdraw the request, saying it "does not benefit" any fans. Chelsea had sold between 500 and 600 tickets of their 4,620 allocation before the licence placing restrictions on the club came into effect on 10 March. The measure was introduced to stop oligarch Abramovich, who is looking to sell Chelsea, from profiting. He has been banned from being a club director and the sale of Chelsea has been delayed after the UK government sanctioned him over his connection to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Chelsea said they made the request to the FA to play Saturday's game behind closed doors "with extreme reluctance", saying they had done so "for matters of sporting integrity". A statement read: "Chelsea FC recognises that such an outcome would have a huge impact on Middlesbrough and its supporters, as well as our own fans who have already bought the limited number of tickets that were sold before the licence was imposed, but we believe this is the fairest way of proceeding in the current circumstances." Middlesbrough, who have knocked out Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham in this year's competition, responded: "To suggest as a result that MFC and our fans should be penalised is not only grossly unfair but without any foundation. "Given the reasons for these sanctions, for Chelsea to seek to invoke sporting 'integrity' as reason for the game being played behind closed doors is ironic in the extreme." Government in discussions over further ticket sales Chelsea said on Monday they were talking to the government on a daily basis "in search of a resolution" to the issue of selling tickets, and that the Premier League and FA had spoken to the government about the potential sporting integrity issues raised. The government last week granted an amendment to the licence, allowing Chelsea to spend £900,000 on costs for home games - up from the £500,000 set on Thursday. However the allowable away costs remain at £20,000 per game. Sports minister Nigel Huddleston said the government is in "discussions" with Chelsea "to look at ways ways we could potentially enable further ticket sales". Speaking at a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) session about the role of Russian money in the ownership and sponsorship of clubs, Huddleston said licence amendments taken so far were "precisely to stop" Chelsea from going into administration. Travel needs are about injuries, not 'bling' - Tuchel Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, whose side face Lille in the Champions League last 16 second leg on Wednesday, said they have made adjustments to travel with a budget of £20,000. The amount spent on travel for an away Premier League match is about £30,000, while European away fixtures add an extra premium. Tuchel said travel needs were centred around players avoiding possible soft-tissue injuries during a busy schedule rather than "luxury and bling bling". "This is just a professional level of sports, where we play with two days between matches with our opponent having four days between matches and we arrive with the possibilities of injuries," he said. "For that, it is better to arrive with a plane rather than a bus." "From my understanding, we have a framework to go and play in Lille with absolutely no excuses. "Regarding these organisations, it is already more difficult to arrange things on a professional level, in the best way possible, for the FA Cup. "But we will deal with it. As long as we have shirts and are 'alive' as a team, we will be competitive and fight hard for our success. We owe it to the people who support us. "We are in the spotlight and it is our responsibility to do so. We will do it." Chelsea's FA Cup quarter-final against Middlesbrough, which starts at 17:15 GMT on Saturday, will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website. 'Blues could be millions out of pocket' BBC Sport has been told Chelsea never thought it was likely the Football Association would agree to their request. However, it was done to try to get the government to understand the complexities around the predicament they are in. Under FA rules, Chelsea are entitled to 45% of the gate receipts from Saturday's game. In theory, that should net the Blues in excess of £300,000. But they have no idea whether they will receive the payment - or whether it will be withheld within the terms of the special licence, handed out by the government, which they are operating under. In April, they have home games against Brentford and West Ham - and could also have a Champions League quarter-final and FA Cup semi-final to play. If Chelsea are not allowed to sell tickets, they will be millions of pounds out of pocket which could have a massively damaging impact on the club. • None Our coverage of your Premier League club is bigger and better than ever before - follow your team and sign up for notifications in the BBC Sport app to make sure you never miss a moment

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60757919

Fox News' Pierre Zakrzewski and Oleksandra Kuvshinova killed in Kyiv - BBC News

2022-03-15

Pierre Zakrzewski and Oleksandra Kuvshinova were killed when their vehicle was hit outside Kyiv.

Two journalists working for Fox News have been killed in Ukraine, staff at the US network say. Cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski, 55, and Oleksandra Kuvshinova, 24, were killed when their vehicle was struck by incoming fire in Horenka, on the outskirts of Kyiv. Their colleague, Benjamin Hall, 39, was wounded and remains in hospital. Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott said it was a "heartbreaking day" for the organisation. Ms Scott said Zakrzewski's "passion and talent as a journalist were unmatched". "Pierre was a war zone photographer who covered nearly every international story for Fox News from Iraq to Afghanistan to Syria during his long tenure with us," she said. National security correspondent for Fox News, Jennifer Griffin, said Zakrzewski was "wildly popular" and "profoundly committed to telling the story". "His talents were vast and there wasn't a role that he didn't jump in to help with in the field - from photographer to engineer to editor to producer, and he did it all under immense pressure with tremendous skill," she tweeted. Ms Griffin described Kuvshinova as a "bright light and talented journalist". "The loss we feel cannot be put into words," she said. Senior field producer for Fox Yonat Friling said Kuvshinova had been working with the team for the past month and "did a brilliant job". "We have lost a beautiful brave woman" Ms Friling said. "She loved music and she was funny and kind." This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Yonat Friling (Frühling) This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said he was "deeply disturbed" by the killing of Kuvshinova and Zakrzewski, who was an Irish citizen. "My thoughts are with their families, friends and fellow journalists," the taoiseach tweeted. News that Mr Hall was injured emerged on Monday but Ms Scott gave no further detail. On Monday Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister, posted on Telegram that Mr Hall was in a serious condition. Mr Hall, dual US-UK citizen, joined Fox News in 2015 and has been heavily involved in the network's foreign affairs coverage. The attack which killed Zakrzewski and Kuvshinova follows the death on Sunday of 50-year-old US journalist Brent Renaud, who was shot and killed in the town of Irpin. According to Lyudmyla Denisova, the Ukrainian parliament's human rights chief, at least two other Ukrainian journalists have also been killed in the conflict.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60756503

UK gets first new-style pylons in a century - BBC News

2022-03-15

The new style of electricity pylon is designed to reduce the impact on the local environment.

The first 36 of a new T-shaped design of electricity pylon have been wired up, National Grid has announced. The pylons, the first major UK redesign since 1927, will be rolled out where possible across England and Wales. Instead of an Eiffel-Tower-style lattice A-frame with a series of arms holding the electricity cables, they are strung below a cross-arm atop a single pole. The aim is to reduce the visual impact on the environment. The new design, submitted by Danish company Bystrup, was selected from more than 250 entries in a 2011 competition run by the Royal Institute of British Architects and the government. At 35m (115ft), they are about a third shorter than traditional high-voltage pylons, with a smaller ground footprint. The first ones form part of a 57km (35-mile) route that will carry low-carbon electricity between Bridgwater and Portbury, in Somerset. The pylons will connect the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station to homes They will connect the Hinkley Point C Nuclear power station to six million homes and businesses, National Grid says. The electricity supply will be turned on in October. As part of the project, 249 old-style pylons will be removed. Their design, submitted by US engineering company Miliken Brothers, was chosen by leading British architect Sir Reginald Blomfield, the designer of London's Lambeth Bridge, in a 1927 competition. Formally known as "transmission towers", they became known as "pylons" from the Greek word "pyle" meaning "gateway". Egyptology was all the rage after the 1922 discovery of boy king Tutankhamun's tomb and mummy. And the public thought the new steel towers resembled the impressive obelisks on either side of the doors of ancient Egyptian temples. There are about 22,000 pylons in England and Wales, covering more than 4,300 miles. They need to be high to straddle obstacles such as roads, rivers and railway lines and ensure nothing comes too close to them. The electricity cables on pylons are uninsulated, so there is a very high risk of electric shocks. But birds are not electrocuted, because they are not touching the ground, so the electricity stays in the power line.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60754357

Cheltenham Festival 2022: What to watch out for at four-day meeting - BBC Sport

2022-03-15

What to watch out for as racing's four-day Cheltenham Festival starts on Tuesday with spectators back for the first time in two years.

Last updated on .From the section Horse Racing Coverage: Commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, feature races Radio 5 Live. Racecards, live text, results & reports on the BBC Sport website and app The roar which greets the start of racing's Cheltenham Festival will be heard for the first time in two years as crowds return on Tuesday. Last year's four-day fixture, which usually attracts a total attendance of about 250,000, was held behind closed doors because of Covid-19. Rachael Blackmore will look to win the opening day's Champion Hurdle again with Honeysuckle. She made history in 2021 as the first woman to be the meeting's top jockey. The unbeaten mare Honeysuckle seeks a 15th straight career win in Tuesday's feature race at 15:30 GMT. Blackmore will ride last year's runner-up A Plus Tard against stablemate and defending champion Minella Indo in Friday's Gold Cup. What will the Festival look like? Cheltenham was one of the last major sporting events to be held with spectators before the coronavirus lockdown in March 2020. A year later, winners passed the finishing line to a smattering of applause from stable staff. The noise this time will be a sharp contrast with thousands of Irish punters set to travel over and tickets selling in record time. Bookmakers expect around £500m overall to be wagered during the Festival and while notes will be accepted by bookies on course, the track's bars and restaurants will be cashless and require card payments. There are a total of 28 races over the four days with Tuesday's concluding race run as the Ukraine Appeal National Hunt Chase to support those affected by the humanitarian crisis after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. British trainers aim to do better than a year ago when they went down to a record 23-5 defeat by Irish runners as Blackmore won more races (six) than all the GB trainers. Here's some of this year's highlights: Tuesday - Supreme Novices Hurdle: Trainer Nicky Henderson will be hoping to provide a home win in the opener with Constitution Hill or Jonbon while Dysart Dynamo heads three runners for Willie Mullins. Champion Hurdle: The Irish powerhouses of Henry de Bromhead, Mullins and Gordon Elliott saddle the first three in the betting in Honeysuckle, Appreciate It and Teahupoo. Between them, the training trio have 22 of the meeting's 28 ante-post favourites. The 2020 champion, Epatante, runs for Henderson. Wednesday: Queen Mother Champion Chase: Henderson's Shishkin and Energumene, for Mullins - who also runs Chacun Pour Soi - renew rivalry after the former won their first clash at Ascot which was hailed as one of the great races of recent years. Last year's winner Put The Kettle On and runner-up Nube Negra return. Cross Country Chase: Will two-time Grand National winner Tiger Roll bow out with a record-equalling sixth Festival win? Trainer Elliott is back at the Festival having served a six-month suspension after being pictured sat on a dead horse. Thursday - Ryanair Chase: Allaho was one of the most impressive scorers last year and will be sent out to defend his title for Mullins, who earlier runs Galopin Des Champs against another Cheltenham 2021 victor, De Bromhead's Bob Olinger, in the Turners Novices' Chase. Stayers' Hurdle: Three previous winners of this race line up with Flooring Porter taking on Lisnagar Oscar and Paisley Park, the hurdler named after Prince's recording studio and owned by Andrew Gemmell, who has been blind since birth. Friday - Gold Cup: De Bromhead saddles last year's first two in Minella Indo and A Plus Tard, while Mullins sends out two-time winner Al Boum Photo, who was third last year. Elliott runs Galvin and Protektorat is the leading British hope for Dan Skelton. It is expected to be a largely dry week, aside from forecast rain on Wednesday, with temperatures of up to 15C. The going at the track on the eve of the meeting was described as Good to Soft. • None Six films that got their facts wrong: From the Jamaican bobsleigh team to Sylvester Stallone's goalkeeping heroics • None A look back to when Michael Vaughan sat down with cricket legend Shane Warne

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/60678008

NHS struggling with 'long tail' of pandemic mental ill health - BBC News

2022-03-15

There were 4.3 million NHS referrals for conditions such as anxiety and depression in 2021 across England.

The previous two years had each seen about 3.8 million referrals The number of referrals for specialist NHS mental health care reached a record high in England by the end of 2021, an analysis suggests. The Royal College of Psychiatrists says the pandemic has led to unprecedented demand and backlogs and services are struggling to keep up. There were 4.3 million referrals, for conditions such as anxiety and depression, in 2021, NHS Digital says. Just under a quarter - 1.025 million - were for children or adolescents. The previous two years had each seen about 3.8 million referrals. The college said the NHS had delivered 1.8 million mental health consultations in December 2021, as the Omicron variant of Covid-19, first identified in South Africa, spread across the UK. But an estimated 1.4 million people were still waiting for treatment. And hundreds of adults were being sent far from home for treatment because of a lack of beds in their area. President Dr Adrian James said: "As the pressure on services continues to ratchet up, the silence from government continues to be of grave concern for the college, the wider mental health workforce and, most importantly, our patients. "The warning of the long tail of mental ill health caused by the pandemic has not been heeded. "Many thousands of people will be left waiting far too long for the treatment they need unless the government wakes up to the crisis that is engulfing the country. "Staff are working flat out to give their patients the support they need but the lack of resources and lack of staff mean it's becoming an impossible situation to manage. "We don't need warm words or empty commitments. "We need a fully funded plan for mental-health services, backed by a long-term workforce plan, as the country comes to terms with the biggest hit to its mental health in generations." Marjorie Wallace from the mental health charity SANE said: "We need urgent action or our failures to act now may leave us with a lost generation. The huge rise in the number of referrals last year, including more than one million children, suggests that we are sleepwalking into a crisis. "Mental health staff are so depleted and on their knees that we know of patients and families told they have to wait until something terrible happens before action is taken." A government spokesperson said: "We are committed to ensuring everyone is able to access the help and advice they need, which is why we are investing an additional £2.3 billion a year into mental health services by 2023/24, on top of the £500 million we have made available to address the impact of the pandemic. "We will be launching a national conversation to inform the development of a new long-term mental health plan later this year." The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60734769

Met Police apologises for strip-search of Hackney schoolgirl - BBC News

2022-03-15

A safeguarding report concludes the drugs search was unjustified and racism was a "likely" factor.

The Met has apologised and admitted the incident should not have happened A black schoolgirl was strip-searched by police after being wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis. The "traumatic" search by Metropolitan Police officers took place without another adult present at the girl's secondary school in Hackney in 2020. A safeguarding report on the incident concluded it was unjustified and racism was "likely" to have been a factor. Scotland Yard said the officers' actions were "regrettable" and it "should never have happened". According to the report, the impact on the pupil - referred to as Child Q - was "profound" and the repercussions "obvious and ongoing". Family members described her as changing from a "happy-go-lucky girl to a timid recluse that hardly speaks", who now self-harms and needs therapy. Police were called to a school in Hackney at the end of 2020 by teachers, who told investigators they had been concerned the teenager had drugs in her possession because she smelt of cannabis. She was taken to the medical room and strip-searched by two female officers, while teachers remained outside. During the ordeal her intimate body parts were exposed and she was made to take off her sanitary towel, according to the review. No drugs were found. Her family strongly believe the strip search was a racist incident, and the review found her experiences are "unlikely to have been the same" had she not been black. The Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review, published in March, was conducted by City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP) . It said it was highly likely that "adultification bias" was a factor - where adults perceive black children as being older than they are because they see them as more "streetwise". In a written statement to the review, the girl said she wanted everyone who allowed the strip search to happen to "be held responsible". She said: "I need to know that the people who have done this to me can't do it to anyone else ever again, in fact so no-one else can do this to any other child in their care." Investigators found that school staff deferred to the police's authority and "should have been more challenging". This has been accepted by the school, with one staff member saying: "I have never known, nor would I condone, a strip-search of a young person on a school site." The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) was now investigating, the Met confirmed. Det Supt Dan Rutland, of the Met's Central East Command, said: "We recognise that the findings of the safeguarding review reflect this incident should never have happened. "It is truly regrettable and on behalf of the Met Police I would like to apologise to the child concerned, her family and the wider community." Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said this was a "deeply disturbing case" that no child should face and he would be "closely following" the IOPC review. Hackney Council's mayor and deputy mayor have condemned the "humiliating, traumatising and utterly shocking treatment" by police officers. They have asked for a report in six to nine months on progress made regarding the review's eight findings and 14 recommendations. Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk • None Met apology to woman over language in strip search

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-60757031

Wilko sorry for saying staff could work with Covid - BBC News

2022-03-15

The retailer says it made a mistake by telling staff they could continue to work if they tested positive.

Retail chain Wilko has apologised for "some miscommunication" in which it told staff they could continue to work if they tested positive for Covid. In a memo, reported by The Mirror, the company said staff with the virus could continue to work in stores if they felt well enough to. Wilko confirmed the memo was sent out and the firm has since made a U-turn. "When we get something wrong, we hold our hands up, admit it, and work to correct the situation," the firm said. Jerome Saint-Marc, Wilko chief executive, said he wanted to "reassure all our customers and team members" that the company's advice to staff with Covid symptoms or those who test positive was to stay at home and avoid contact with others. "As throughout our 92 years on the High Street, the safety and wellbeing of our shoppers and teams is at the heart of our business and we're truly sorry for any understandable concerns our communications may have raised," he added. People with Covid in England are no longer legally required to self-isolate with all restrictions now removed, but it is still recommended. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, people are still asked to self-isolate after a positive test. In Wilko's initial memo to staff, the company, which has 414 stores in the UK, said: "If you test positive for Covid-19 and feel well you can continue to come to work, if you feel too unwell you can follow the absence policy." The removal of all legal Covid rules has made the decision over whether to self-isolate or not an individual one. It has led to concern that lower-paid staff face the toughest choice when deciding to isolate or not, with up to two million workers not qualifying for sick pay due to the amount they earn. The Trades Union Congress has said people should not be forced into making a "terrible choice" over going into work with Covid or risking losing income by self-isolating at home. Are you affected by issues covered in this story? Please share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60733394

Russia sanctions Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and others - BBC News

2022-03-15

The measures block their entry into Russia but will not impede necessary high-level contacts.

Russia's foreign ministry says it has imposed sanctions on US President Joe Biden and 12 other US officials. The list includes Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, press secretary Jen Psaki and other members of the administration. But it also includes two surprises: former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Mr Biden's son Hunter. The measures block their entry into Russia and freeze any assets held in the country. However, the ministry has said the sanctions will not impede necessary high-level contacts for the affected individuals. Other names on the list are: The ministry has said it is applying sanctions "on the basis of reciprocity". Russia is now the most sanctioned country in the world. Western countries have already sanctioned top Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov. On Tuesday, the US announced sanctions on 11 Russian defence leaders and signalled that it could levy sanctions against Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Moscow-allied Belarus. Earlier, the UK slapped sanctions on another 370 Russian individuals, including former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev. President Biden is due to travel to Europe next week to attend an emergency Nato summit in Brussels where he will assert Washington's "iron-clad" backing to its allies, the White House said on Tuesday. Hillary Clinton can abandon dreams she may have had of buying a vacation dacha in Sochi. Any Joe Biden post-presidency plans for starting a business in Moscow will have to be shelved. Jokes aside, the Russian "stop" order placed on the US President, senior White House staff and - interestingly - a former secretary of state who has not held public office in nine years is a symbolic but not particularly consequential reprisal for the staggering sanctions the US and allies have imposed on Russia. It's not like any of the listed Americans had significant financial interests in Russia. The move is a reflection, however, of the growing chasm between the US and Russia in the wake of the latter's invasion of Ukraine. Prohibiting the top American diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, from even setting foot on Russian soil suggests relations between the two nations are at a post-Cold War nadir. That has very real consequences outside of the Ukrainian conflict, as the US and Russia had hoped to co-operate on Iranian nuclear negotiations, counterterrorism, global warming and other pressing international issues. Chances of that happening now are increasingly dim.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60754136

War in Ukraine: What happened on day 19 of Russia's invasion - BBC News

2022-03-15

Drone footage shows destruction of Mariupol, and protesters target an oligarch's London mansion.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. On day 19 of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, some civilians were able to leave the city of Mariupol along a pre-agreed route for the first time. Mariupol, a key port city in the south-east of Ukraine, is facing a humanitarian crisis after nearly two weeks of continuous Russian shelling, with food, water, and medicine running out and communication to the outside world all but cut off. There have been several previous agreements to allow civilians to leave the city, but they quickly broke down each time. On Monday, however, the Mariupol city council said 160 private vehicles had managed to leave and were on their way to the relative safety of Zaporizhzhia - a city to the north-west. The level of destruction in Mariupol was made clear in drone footage, which showed bombed out apartment blocks and smoke rising from the rubble. Last week, Russian bombs hit a maternity hospital in Mariupol. Powerful images of two pregnant women escaping from the wreckage were shared around the world. But on Monday, we learned that one of the women had died along with her baby who was stillborn by Caesarean section. After delivering the baby, who showed no signs of life, medics focused on the mother but were unable to keep her alive, surgeon Timur Marin told the Associated Press. In another vivid example of the terrible conditions in Mariupol, the city's deputy mayor told the BBC that several burial sites had been dug to cope with the rising number of civilian deaths. Serhiy Orlov said the city's street cleaners and road repair teams were collecting dead bodies in the street. More than 2,500 people have been killed in Mariupol since the war began, according to a Ukrainian presidential adviser. The BBC heard similar stories from local officials elsewhere in Ukraine, for example the town of Bucha near Kyiv, where more than 60 people were buried in a mass grave. The aftermath of Russian artillery shelling on a residential area in Mariupol Away from the dire situation on the ground, the war continues to have far-reaching international consequences. After multiple US news outlets reported that Russia had requested military help from China, the US warned that there would be consequences if Beijing helped Russia to evade sanctions. The Chinese foreign ministry accused the US of spreading disinformation, and Russia later denied asking Beijing for military help. With tensions between the global superpowers so high, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned on Monday that further escalation of the conflict "threatens all of humanity", with the prospect of nuclear conflict "now back within the realm of possibility". Vladimir Putin was the most prominent world leader to visit the Beijing Winter Olympics Russia's invasion of Ukraine has shone a spotlight on the expensive homes around the world that belong to billionaire Russians, many of whom are allies of Vladimir Putin. On Monday, protesters in London climbed onto the balcony of a mansion in central London thought to belong to the energy tycoon Oleg Deripaska, who has been sanctioned by the UK government over the war in Ukraine. The protesters said they were reclaiming the building for Ukrainian refugees who have fled their homes. The UK government is examining whether the properties of sanctioned oligarchs could be used to house refugees, according to the prime minister's official spokesperson, although it is thought new legislation would be required. Protesters have draped Ukrainian flags over the property, which is believed to be owned by Oleg Deripaska In the city of Kharkiv, in north-east Ukraine, the beloved Old Hem bar - named after the owner's literary hero Ernest Hemmingway - was destroyed by Russian shelling. An extraordinary image shared widely on social media showed the building which once housed the pub reduced to rubble. The owner - now in western Ukraine - told the BBC that he hopes to return one day to his city and rebuild his bar. "We will win and Hem will rise again," Kostiantyn Kuts said. The pub was destroyed in shelling on Monday Russia's invasion is taking place on several fronts. Although Ukraine's resistance has been stronger than expected, Russian forces continue to take territory in the south and are slowly moving towards the capital, Kyiv. You can see full details of the situation on the ground in our guide to the conflict in maps.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60741338

Ukraine war: European leaders risk train ride to meet Zelensky - BBC News

2022-03-15

After a perilous train journey from Poland to Kyiv, European leaders tell Ukraine "you're not alone".

The Slovenian, Polish and Czech prime ministers, together with Poland's ruling party leader, took the long journey from Warsaw Ukraine has praised the courage of three European leaders who made a long, hazardous journey by rail from Poland to Kyiv in a show of support as the city came under further Russian attack. The prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic met Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday evening as a curfew began in Kyiv. Afterwards, the Czech leader told Ukrainians that they were "not alone". They are the first Western leaders to visit Ukraine since Russia invaded. "We admire your brave fight," Petr Fiala wrote in a tweet. "We know that you're also fighting for our lives. You're not alone, our countries stand by your side." "Your visit is a powerful expression of support for Ukraine," Mr Zelensky is quoted as telling the group. The European leaders held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv On Wednesday, Poland's Mateusz Morawiecki tweeted that Ukraine was reminding Europe what courage was. It was time for "sluggish and decayed" Europe to reawaken and "break through her wall of indifference and give Ukraine hope", he said. The leaders had arrived back in Poland on Wednesday morning, a Polish government spokesperson said. Also on the trip was Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the head of Poland's ruling party, and he called for the creation of a Nato or international peacekeeping mission that "will also be able to defend itself and operate in Ukraine". However, one of his advisers later clarified that Mr Kaczynski had not been calling for Nato to get involved militarily. "Here the position is unchanged. Neither Poland nor Nato are taking, or will take part, in the war," Michal Dworczyk told Polish Radio. Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal wrote on Twitter that "devastating" sanctions against Russia had been discussed during the meeting in Kyiv, including the "recognition of Russia as a sponsor of terrorism". As the talks took place on Tuesday evening, loud explosions could be heard from fighting on the western edge of the capital city. The European Union said the politicians were not carrying any particular mandate, but that leaders in Brussels were aware of the trip, as it was mentioned during an informal EU summit in Versailles, France, last week. Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz admitted the trip was risky, but said it was "worth taking for the sake of values". He said they had told the Russians the visit was taking place. All three leaders on the trip to Kyiv have been vocal supporters of Ukraine in recent weeks. Slovenia's prime minister said last week that the EU should send a strong message that Ukraine will eventually be granted membership. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said the visit was a strong and important gesture to show solidarity with Ukraine. "Ukraine's security is European security; therefore we need to do everything possible to help them survive this sickening barbaric Russian attack," he told the BBC. The leaders decided to travel by train because flying by Polish military jet could have been viewed by Russia as dangerously provocative, BBC Europe editor Katya Adler reports. Ukraine's president has repeatedly called on Nato to impose a no-fly zone over his country's airspace, but Nato has refused. Mr Zelensky said Ukrainians now understood they could not join Nato: "We have heard for years that the doors were open, but we also heard that we could not join. It's a truth and it must be recognised. I am glad that our people are beginning to understand this and rely on themselves and our partners who help us." At least five people were killed in Russia's bombardment of Kyiv on Tuesday, and Mayor Vitali Klitschko ordered a curfew to run from 20:00 (18:00 GMT) on Tuesday to 07:00 on Thursday. The city was facing a difficult and dangerous moment, he said: "This is why I ask all Kyivites to get prepared to stay at home for two days, or if the sirens go off, in the shelters." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. More residential buildings are set ablaze after explosions in Kyiv Are you or your family in Ukraine? Please share your experiences if it is safe to do so by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60757157