| |
| |
| | Russia threatens to cut gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria | |  | | | | | | | | | The economic battle between the West and Russia over its invasion of Ukraine has escalated further, with gas supplies being targeted in two European countries. Russian energy firm Gazprom temporarily suspended deliveries to Poland , according to data, and Bulgaria is also a target. Both countries were notified about moves to halt supplies from the majority state-owned company, which had requested that "unfriendly" countries must start paying in roubles. That request had come with an ultimatum that supplies would be cut, if not. Both countries refused to pay in the Russian currency, which would have given a boost in the wake of Western sanctions, so that threat is being followed through. Poland says it will manage to get gas from other sources and Bulgaria - which buys more than 90% of its supply from Gazprom - is finding alternative sources. It has not introduced restrictions.
Meanwhile, defence aid for Ukraine is also gathering pace. Germany’s made a U-turn on a long-standing policy and will now supply 50 tanks with anti-aircraft weaponry to Ukraine. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will say Britain and other Western powers should provide warplanes to Ukraine - Nato has so far supplied mostly only lighter weaponry. Some countries have said they are willing to give Ukraine some aging MIG29 fighter jets, says our diplomatic correspondent James Landale, but they are reluctant to do so unilaterally for fear of provoking Russia. But Russia has already made accusations of provocation. It says it’s ready to attack targets in Kyiv if Ukrainian forces use Western weapons to attack military targets on Russian soil - the UK defence minister had earlier described this move as acceptable. Now it’s emerging, multiple explosions have been heard in the Russian city of Belgorod, about 40km (24 miles) north of the Ukrainian border, according to a local official. | | | | | |
|
|
| | Warnings over failure to stop radicalisation in prisons - report | | | | | | | | | The prison service is dealing with more than 200 inmates who have been convicted under terrorism legislation. And around the same number have been jailed for other offences, which are considered a terrorist risk. These convicted terrorists, and Islamist gangs, pose a risk and the prison service is failing to recognise the dangers of them, according to a report. The Terrorism in Prisons report notes discussion of religion - Islam in particular - had become a "no-go area" for prison staff. Findings also include the service having "lost its role in the national endeavour to reduce the risk of terrorism". Its author Jonathan Hall QC says the impact of Islamist groups in prison had been underappreciated, adding that prisons must not provide opportunities for militants to plan new attacks. Responding to the report, the Ministry of Justice says it’s committed to isolating radicalisers. | | | | | |
|
|
| | The 'vampire devices' costing you money | | | | | | | | | Which devices do you leave plugged in but are on standby? Laptop, smart speaker, phone charger, microwave? The list goes on but they could be costing you money. By switching off so-called vampire devices - electronics that drain a surprising amount of power even when they are on standby - you could save an average of £147 per year. That’s according to research by British Gas which found households are spending £2.2bn annually on devices that are plugged in to a wall. Read more here. | | | | | |
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | In 1936 the town of Jarrow, on the River Tyne, was suffering from desperate poverty caused by mass unemployment following the closure of its shipyard. In a bid to highlight their plight and bring new jobs to the town, 200 men walked almost 300 miles to London in what was known as the Jarrow Crusade.
It ultimately proved fruitless but its legacy continues, especially in this corner of north-east England. Almost 90 years later, 18-year-old James Lamb from Newcastle surveys an exhibition about the march at Jarrow Town Hall. Among the objects on display is one of the banners carried by the men. One of those who undertook the 26-day journey was his great-great-grandfather, John Browne. | | | | | | | | | | | | Chris Robinson | | BBC News, Jarrow | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
| | | | | | | Allegations of sexual misconducts against DJ Tim Westwood and the cost-of-living crisis are some of the stories covered by this morning’s papers. The Guardian leads with claims about the DJ’s behaviour by multiple women. The allegations, which he denies, came to light during a joint investigation with BBC News. This story also appears in the Metro, which splits its front page to also cover a Which? survey that 59% of people have made changes due to increasing living costs. Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s facing Cabinet pressure to cut tax, the Daily Telegraph reports, as the Daily Express reveals the Treasury’s tax revenues last year were up on the year before. Meanwhile, the fallout over a Mail on Sunday report about Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner continues, and the latest on the war in Ukraine also features in this morning’s papers. Read the newspaper review in full here. | | | | | |
|
|
| | | | | Home Office MP guilty of sexual assault advised on sexual exploitation | | | | | | | Diabetes Fear over high rates of foot amputations | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
| | If you watch one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
| | If you listen to one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
| | If you read one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
| | Need something different? | | | | | | | | | Imagine this... You can see the smoke from charcoal ovens and smell the kebabs and other street food being cooked for hungry souls, maybe like you, passing by. Sounds great, doesn’t it? We can’t recreate those smells for you but that scene has been captured by a photographer, who went on to win a major food photography award. Take a look at the picture, and the other winners too.
Here’s another picture you might want to see. It’s a stone statue of an ancient goddess of beauty, love and war. The head of the 4,500-year-old Canaanite deity, Anat, has been found by a farmer digging his land on the Gaza Strip. The chance find is here, if you wanted to see it for yourself.
And while we’re talking about digging and finding things, a 90-year-old woman’s found her late husband’s wedding ring after he lost it 35 years ago. It popped out of the ground as she pulled a tuft of grass. Here’s the full story. | | | | | |
|
|
| | On this day | | | | | | | 1961 Sierra Leone becomes the latest West African state to win independence, after more than 150 years of British colonial rule. | | | | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | Let us know what you think of this newsletter by emailing bbcnewsdaily@bbc.co.uk. If you’d like to recommend it to a friend, forward this email. New subscribers can sign up here. | | | | | |
