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Russian firms have routed $8bn of trade through British island territories since invasion of Ukraine
Russian companies have used Britain’s secretive island territories to conduct $8bn (£5.9bn) of trade since the invasion of Ukraine, according to a report that highlights the flow of goods ranging from oil-drilling equipment to luxury yachts linked to Moscow’s political elite. The analysis, published a day after the fourth anniversary of Russia’s assault on its neighbour, raises questions over the role played by the British overseas territories in enforcing sanctions designed to turn the screw on the Kremlin. Written in exile by the Russian office of the anti-corruption group Transparency International, the report uncovers trade deals involving more than 150 luxury yachts, dozens of aircraft and equipment destined for Russia’s money-spinning oil sector. Researchers found that more than 95 per cent of the trade, uncovered by scouring official data, was routed through four territories: the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Gibraltar. The Guardian, February 25

Come and see our pain with your own eyes, Zelensky urges Trump
President Zelensky has urged President Trump to visit Ukraine to see for himself the suffering caused by Russia’s armed forces. In a speech marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Zelensky also urged Kyiv’s allies not to forget or betray Ukraine. “Only by coming to Ukraine and seeing with one’s own eyes, our life and our struggle, and the enormity of our pain, only then can one understand what this war is about. And who the aggressor is here, and who must be punished,” Zelensky said in an address to the nation. While President Biden visited Ukraine in 2023, Trump has shown no interest in travelling to the war-torn country. Steve Witkoff, his special envoy, visited Russia six times last year, but has yet to travel to Kyiv. The Times, February 24

Donald Trump condemns Iran’s ‘sinister’ nuclear ambitions in State of the Union
Donald Trump lashed out at Tehran’s “sinister” nuclear ambitions in his State of the Union address as he laid out Washington’s justification for possible US military action against the Islamic republic. The US president accused Iran of seeking to rebuild its nuclear weapons programme as he spoke before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night. Amid a massive build-up of US naval and air power in the Middle East, Trump said the US was negotiating with Iran but Tehran was not relinquishing its nuclear ambitions and continued to threaten America. “They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America,” Trump said. He did not offer any new evidence to support his claims against Iran. His remarks came during the second half of a nearly two-hour campaign-style speech to Congress - the longest in modern history - during which he mounted a staunch defence of his economic and immigration policies as he sought to re-energise his rightwing base ahead of November’s midterm elections. Financial Times, February 25

US Ambassador Kushner pledges not to 'interfere' in French affairs, diplomatic source says
The US ambassador to Paris, Charles Kushner, called France's foreign minister on Tuesday and pledged not to "interfere" in the host country's affairs, a French diplomatic source said, after a fallout over Washington's remarks following the killing of a far-right activist. A US embassy spokesperson said in a statement that Kushner and Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot "spoke today in a frank and amicable call, reaffirming their shared commitment to working together, along with all other ministers and French officials, on the many issues that impact the United States and France, particularly as the two countries celebrate 250 years of rich diplomatic relations”. The new diplomatic row between the two Nato allies broke out after Kushner flouted a summons over the US administration denouncing what it called "terrorism" and left-wing violence in France after the fatal beating of far-right activist Quentin Deranque, 23, earlier this month. France blocked the ambassador - whose son Jared Kushner is married to US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka - from having access to French government ministers until he explained himself. France 24, February 25

NHS secures bone cement rescue package so joint surgery can resume
The NHS says it has secured a rescue package of alternative medical cement to allow joint surgery to continue. Last week hospitals had been told to postpone treatments, including knee and hip replacements, after the health service's main supplier encountered a major production problem. The NHS was thought to have only two weeks' supply in stock and so was focussing on emergency patients and the most complex cases on the waiting list. But NHS England believes the shortfall will now be covered after a new supplier was found and an existing supplier agreed to up its deliveries. BBC news, February 25

Iran says students can protest, but must respect 'red lines'
University students have the right to protest but everyone must "understand the red lines", the Iranian government's spokeswoman said Tuesday, in the first official reaction to renewed rallies on campuses since the weekend. "Sacred things and the flag are two examples of these red lines that we must protect and not cross or deviate from, even at the height of anger," Fatemeh Mohajerani said. She said Iran's students "have wounds in their hearts and have seen scenes that may upset and anger them; this anger is understandable". University students in Iran started a new semester on Saturday with pro- and anti-government rallies, according to local media, reviving slogans from nationwide demonstrations that peaked in January and led to thousands of deaths. France 24, February 24

In Ukraine, Russia is losing more soldiers than it’s recruiting
More Russian soldiers are dying than are being recruited for the first time since the Ukraine war began, western officials have said on the fourth anniversary of President Putin’s full-scale invasion. About 30,000 to 35,000 Russian troops are recruited each month and thrown into the “meat grinder” along Ukraine’s eastern front, according to military intelligence. For the past three months, however, the number of casualties suffered by the invading forces has been greater. Al Carns, the armed forces minister, compared the threat facing Europe from Russia to that posed by Germany on the eve of the Second World War. “If you were to go back to 1936, ’37, ’38, there’s definitely a lot of similarities,” he said. Carns, who was in the Royal Marines and special forces, described the Ukraine war as “the most defining conflict of my 24 years of service”. The Times, February 24

Donald Trump’s global tariff takes effect at 10%
Donald Trump is implementing a new global tariff at 10 per cent rather than the 15 per cent rate announced at the weekend after his defeat at the Supreme Court, according to a notice from the US customs agency. Trump’s move to apply a 10 per cent global levy from 12.01am on Tuesday, delaying the enactment of the 15 per cent tariff, follows a backlash to the higher rate from several US trading partners, including the EU and the UK. The White House signalled that Trump was still committed to setting a global tariff of 15 per cent. “It is being worked on and will come later,” an official said, without specifying a timeline. After the Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the sweeping levies Trump imposed on US trading partners based on emergency powers were illegal, the president quickly moved to replace them under a different statute with a temporary global levy of 10 per cent for 150 days starting on Tuesday. But on Saturday, in a Truth Social media post, Trump said he was “immediately” raising that global levy to 15 per cent - an increase that has not yet materialised. Financial Times, February 24

France blocks US ambassador’s access to officials after he fails to attend meeting
Donald Trump’s envoy to Paris will not be permitted to carry out his diplomatic duties until he has explained his refusal to comply with a foreign ministry summons over US comments about the killing of a far-right activist, France’s top diplomat has said. Charles Kushner “needs to be able to have this discussion with us, with [the foreign ministry], so that he can resume the normal exercise of his duties as ambassador in France”, the French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said on Tuesday. Kushner, whose son Jared is married to the US president’s daughter Ivanka, did not show up for a meeting at the ministry at 7pm on Monday to which he had been summoned after the US embassy in Paris reposted state department comments about the case. In response, the ministry said on Monday night it had requested that the US ambassador be denied direct access to French government ministers, although he would continue to be allowed to talk to foreign ministry officials. Barrot suggested on Tuesday, however, that Kushner would now also be blocked from talking to government officials until he explained his refusal to respect what the minister called the “basic” rules of conduct and behaviour of foreign diplomats. The Guardian, February 24

UK: chocolate kept in anti-theft boxes as shops warn it's being stolen to order
Chocolate bars are being locked in plastic boxes in some UK shops as retailers and police forces warn thieves are stealing them to order. Sainsbury's said it had begun using "boxes on products which are regularly targeted", with £2.60 bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk locked up in one London branch. Chocolate was more recently being "sold on by criminals and is now being targeted more frequently by prolific offenders," according to the Association of Convenience Stores. Some individual police forces told us they had seen a specific trend of chocolate being targeted. The National Police Chiefs' Council said it was working to tackle this type of crime. In recent months some police forces have posted videos of chocolate being stolen to highlight the issue. West Midlands Police shared CCTV footage of a man grabbing trays of chocolate from a shop in Stourbridge, while Wiltshire Police shared a video of a man dragging a whole shelving stand of chocolate out of a shop door. And earlier last year a man was arrested by Cambridgeshire Police with a coat full of Cadbury's Creme eggs. Cambridgeshire Police told the BBC: "Chocolate is one of a number of high-value items thieves often target, along with products such as alcohol, meat and coffee. BBC news, February 24