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| | Russian oil banned as Ukraine announces first successful evacuation | |  | | | | | | | | | The West’s consideration whether to stop using Russian oil in response to the war in Ukraine ended with an announcement that the ban will go ahead - despite threats of retaliation. The US is banning both oil and gas, the UK plans to phase out oil by 2023 and the EU is ending its reliance on gas. The EU uses far more than the US and the UK hence no ban was imposed but it’s aiming to be independent "well before 2030". Russia - one of the world’s largest oil producers, and heavily dependent on income from energy - had threatened to close its main gas pipeline to Germany but instead opted to ban some exports. It is still working out the details of its plan. And as the world waits for this announcement, US President Joe Biden says the oil and gas ban targets "the main artery of Russia's economy", which is already under pressure as more companies such as Coca-Cola and McDonald’s suspend their businesses - although Uniqlo says it’s keeping shops open as clothes are a “necessity”.
While the impact of all of this takes effect, Ukrainian troops near Kyiv are readying themselves for Russian forces, which are in control of the southern city Melitopol. The mayor there says they are "not co-operating with the Russians in any way". Despite all these efforts, more help is needed, says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who echoed Britain's wartime leader Winston Churchill during his speech in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Appearing via video link he also appealed for a no-fly zone over Ukraine once again, vowing: "We will not surrender, we will not lose, we will go to the end." This came as it emerged some 5,000 people have been evacuated from the under-fire north-eastern city of Sumy. Citizens have fled from Irpin, near Kyiv, but one route out of the southern city of Mariupol was bombarded. The humanitarian corridor opened on Tuesday in Sumy is set to continue today. Follow developments on our live page.
Our latest explainers on the conflict: - Reality Check Could the world survive without Russian oil and gas?
- Overview Are arms shipments from the West making a difference?
- Explainer Is internet on verge of break-up?
- Ros Atkins on… The UK’s refugee response
- Maps Ceasefire allows people to leave cities
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| | Warning oil sanction will hit UK living costs | | | | | | | | | Not long after the ban on Russian oil and gas imports came to light, analysts revealed what impact this will have on everyone's lives. They say prices are set to soar even higher as a result, further hitting living standards in the UK. "This is a global market and you've got to replace that displaced supply somehow," says Robert Buckley, energy analyst at Cornwall Insight, who adds: "This decision will act to support oil prices which are already extremely high." The RAC predicts UK petrol prices could soon hit £1.65 a litre and one think tank says household disposable incomes could see the biggest fall since 1955. But ending the UK's 8% dependence of oil from Russia by the end of the year gives the "market, businesses and supply chains more than enough time to replace Russian imports", says Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. | | | | | |
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| | The 1.8 million missing school | | | | | | | | | Following concerns some children never fully returned to lessons after lockdown, an investigation has uncovered the scale of school absences. Almost 1.8 million children missed at least 10% of their education in the autumn term in England, and 122,000 have not attended at least half of their lessons. These figures based on council data are "extremely concerning" and the scale "surprising", says Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza. She says urgent action is needed to identify those most at risk, and the reasons why they miss school. Fifteen-year-old Blake is one of the children who has been identified. He started skipping school in year 8 - where pupils are aged 12 or 13. His school took action and arranged for one-to-one tutoring on a programme for pupils with low attendance. He'll now be able to sit some GCSEs in the summer, and hopes to pass maths and English, meaning he can train at a restaurant. Read more here. | | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | Before the war in Ukraine, lockdown parties in Downing Street had dominated the news. But while that's no longer the case, much is still going on behind the scenes. We've been speaking to some of those being investigated, as well as some of the Tory MPs who may ultimately decide the fate of Boris Johnson, to understand what's happening, and predict what might happen next. Partygate may have fallen away from the main headlines, but the Metropolitan Police's activities have been continuing.
Downing Street sources have confirmed more than 80 questionnaires have been received by aides, officials and politicians, asking about the events. We have spoken to some of those who attended at least one of the 12 parties being investigated by the police. So far, no-one has said they have received a fixed penalty notice. The Met has said it will reveal the number of fixed penalty notices it issues, and the nature of the rule breaches. But they haven't said when. | | | | | | | | | | | | Iain Watson | | Political correspondent | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | | | | | The Ukrainian president’s speech in the House of Commons, a UK and US ban on Russian oil and fighter jets for Ukraine are among the stories leading this morning’s front pages. Quotes from Volodymyr Zelensky's statement, which channelled Winston Churchill, make the headlines in some of the papers including the Daily Express, Daily Mirror and the Daily Mail. As he vowed "we will never surrender", it emerged the US and the UK agreed to ban Russian oil which, the Guardian says, is a "blow" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Financial Times carries this story too but also focuses on evacuations in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Times reports Ukraine is to "get Nato jets". Read the newspaper review in full here. | | | | | |
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| | | | | Online Safety Bill tweaked to target scam ads | | | | | | | Cancer Stool tests might help spot early pancreatic disease | | | | | | | | | | | Vamps Star tells of liposuction body-image pressure | | | | | | |
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| | If you watch one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | If you listen to one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | If you read one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | Need something different? | | | | | | | | | Astronomers Henrietta Swan Leavitt, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin and Vera Rubin have changed the way we view the Universe. From working out the distance of stars to figuring out what they’re made of, these women didn’t let obstacles hold them back. Take a look at what they discovered.
Let’s move to another pioneering development - innovative heart surgery. A 77-year-old woman has become the longest-surviving recipient of a single artificial heart valve replacement. Anne Bell had the procedure in 1972, and now, 49 years and 60 days later, she’s a world record holder. Here’s her story.
And as we’re talking about making history, Heat Waves - a hit by UK band Glass Animals - has made it to number one in the US after spending 59 weeks in the charts. It smashed the previous record of 35 weeks to reach the top spot. So, what was instrumental in making this sleeper hit a success? Find out here, if you don’t already know. | | | | | |
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| | On this day | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | 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. | | | | | |
