A building damaged by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)
(Picture: AP)Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine offer a glimmer of hope as this war approaches its third week. Representatives from both sides suggest that negotiations, which remain ongoing, may yield progress. Ukrainians fleeing for their lives, and ordinary Russians seeing their economy suffocate under crippling sanctions, must hope so.
Yet while talks progress, Russia’s invasion is widening in scope. Over the weekend, it attacked areas in the west of Ukraine, including an army base near the border with Poland — Nato territory.
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab travelled to The Hague today to offer the UK’s assistance in prosecuting Russian war crimes.
Because while talks go on, Putin’s invasion will continue to destroy a country and tear families apart. He must face the consequences for his actions.
Farewell, doughnuts
Doughnuts out, canned pulses in. Suits out, blazers in. Coal out, antibacterial surface wipes in.
The updated Office for National Statistics’ consumer price inflation basket of goods and services is a fascinating insight into what Britons are buying — and what they’re leaving on the shelves.
Pet collars, a new addition for this year, reflect the rise of lockdown puppies. Coal has fallen out as its domestic sale will be banned from next year to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Roughly 180,000 separate price quotations are collected each month to compile inflation indices, covering 730 representative consumer goods and services in order to measure inflation. It does not take the statistical wizards at the ONS to tell us that prices — from energy to food — are rising.
But at least some of us are saving money on no longer purchasing … atlases.
