News

UK nationals told to leave Ukraine

Published

3 months ago

February 13, 2022

lottieannasmith

Credit: GOV.UK

British nationals are warned to leave Ukraine now while commercial means are still available.

It comes as the US said that Russia could invade “any day now” and told its own citizens to leave immediately.

Moscow has denied intending to invade Ukraine, however, it has over 100,000 troops near the border.

British nationals are urged to keep their departure plans “under constant review” and ensure their travel documents are up to date.

The Foreign Office warned in a statement: “British nationals should not expect consular support or help with evacuating in the event of a Russian military incursion.”

Germany, Australia, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Jordan, The Netherlands, Kuwait and Iraq have joined the UK and the US in instructing their citizens to leave the country.

A number of other countries are also advising to avoid travelling to Ukraine.

The Prime Minister said to other world leaders in a virtual meeting held on Friday he “fears for the security of Europe.”

He said if Russia make the “devastating and destructive decision” to invade, NATO need to have “a heavy package of economic sanctions ready to go.”

Johnson added President Putin must understand there would be “severe penalties” that would be “extremely damaging” to Russia’s economy.

The update in the travel advice is in response to Russia now being at a stage where an invasion could be imminent.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, armed forced minister, James Heappey, said: “We are now confident that the artillery systems, the missile systems and the combat air are all in place that would allow Russia to launch – at no notice – an attack on Ukraine.”

The Foreign Office estimates a few thousand British nationals remain in Ukraine.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said the safety and security of British nationals is their “top priority.”

As the threat of attack grows more serious, more embassy staff are expected to leave Kyiv. The British embassy would remain open, but in-person consular assistance would no longer be available.

The UK defence secretary Ben Wallace has cancelled a holiday and will be returning amidst fears of the invasion.

having returned from Moscow early on Saturday morning and because we are concerned about the worsening situation in Ukraine i have cancelled a planned long weekend abroad with my family and will be returning.

— Rt. Hon Ben Wallace MP (@BWallaceMP) February 13, 2022

Wallace said to Sunday Times there is a “whiff of Munich in the air.”

It is believed to be a reference to the agreement that enabled the German annexation of Sudetenland in 1938 but failed to prevent the Second World War.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, criticised Wallace’s comment.

He told BBC Radio 4: “It’s not the best time for us to offend our partner in the world, reminding them of this act which not brought peace but the opposite – it brought war.”

The US State Department’s Derek Chollet warned there would be “crippling” economic sanctions on Russia if the attack went ahead.

Chollet said: “Whatever form it takes if it is as large as we fear it will be, the circumstances will be profound for Ukraine and quite dangerous.”

Related Topics:russia ukraine Ukraine crisis

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Entertainment

Deborah James Awarded Damehood After Raising Over £3,000,000 for Charity

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2022

rebeccarosecook

Deborah James has said she is ‘blown away’ after being made a Dame for her tireless campaigning for cancer charities.

The inspirational broadcaster and author announced earlier this week that she is receiving hospice care at home after stopping her cancer treatment, and has said she ‘could have weeks to live at most’.

In recent days, the You, Me & The Big C host has raised over £3million for charities that have helped her over the past five years, through her Bowelbabe Fund.

After calls for her to receive the Royal honour, it has been revealed that Deborah is now officially Dame Deborah James.

‘I don’t know what to say. I’m blown away and feel incredibly honoured,’ she said reacting to the news.

She added ‘I don’t feel like I deserve this. I can’t tell you what this means to my family, it’s so much to take in.’

Her husband Sebastien Bowen, said the public support of the fundraiser has ‘brought a piercing ray of light and hope into this, the darkest of times’, adding that the Damehood is ‘so truly deserved’.

Downing Street said the Queen was ‘pleased to approve the honour of damehood’ be bestowed upon Deborah James.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed Dame Deborah as an figure of inspiration to the country.

‘If ever an honour was richly deserved, this is it,’ the leader said.

‘Deborah has been an inspiration and her honesty, warmth and courage has been a source of strength to so many people.’

Thank you for all your incredible work.

featured

EuroMillions: UK ticket holder claims £184m jackpot

Published

7 days ago

May 11, 2022

rebeccarosecook

One lucky ticket-holder’s life has changed forever after winning the £184million EuroMillions jackpot. It means they have become the biggest ever National Lottery winner, operator Camelot has said.

Whoever they are, they have knocked the anonymous winner of £170million in October 2019 off the top spot. They have also become the National Lottery’s 14th winner of more than £100million.

The winner, who is yet to be named, is also the second person in the UK to win the EuroMillions jackpot this year, after someone bagged £109million in February.

The winning numbers were 3, 25, 27, 28 and 29 – plus the Lucky Star numbers 4 and 9. One ticket matched all seven numbers to win £184,262,899.10.

Senior winners’ adviser for the National Lottery, Andy Carter said: “What an amazing night for one UK ticket-holder who has scooped the incredible £184million EuroMillions jackpot – they have become the UK’s biggest ever National Lottery winner.”

The claim will now go through a validation process to ensure terms and conditions are met and once the ticket has been validated the winner can choose whether or not to remain anonymous.

What would you do with all that money?

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Baby P’s Killer Mum Tracey Connelly Set for Prison Release after Judge Gives Green Light

Published

2 weeks ago

May 5, 2022

rebeccarosecook

Tracey Connelly, the mother of Baby P, who died after months of abuse, will be released from prison after the Parole Board rejected a Government challenge against its ruling.

The decision comes after Justice Secretary Dominic Raab appealed against the recommendation to free Tracey Connelly from prison.

Connelly was jailed at the Old Bailey in 2009 for causing or allowing the death of her 17-month-old son Peter at their home in Tottenham, north London, on August 3 2007.

Dominic Raab said the decision demonstrated why the system “needs a fundamental overhaul – including a ministerial check for the most serious offenders”.

Now 40, this was Connelly’s fourth parole review after she was released on licence in 2013 but recalled to prison in 2015 for breaching her parole conditions by “developing intimate personal relationships” online and inciting another resident at her accommodation to engage in “inappropriate sexualised behaviour”.

In a statement, the Parole Board said: “In summary, the judge has concluded that the panel did take into consideration all evidence mentioned by the application and made rational conclusions.

“The reconsideration decision clarifies that the weight given to the evidence given by the Secretary of States witnesses, who supported release, and the proposed external controls, was proportionate and the reasons were clearly outlined in the decision letter.

“The final ground on the rationality of the outcome was also rejected on the grounds of not reaching the threshold, as defined by law, for becoming unreasonable.”

The Parole Board, which is independent of government, received a formal request to review the decision to free Connelly last week.