I could hear the takeoff detonation being filmed live and broadcast around the world in my earpiece along with my TV colleague’s on the ground report of the Russian attack – on the morning Vladimir Putin ordered a full scale invasion of Ukraine.
Standing in the pre-dawn freeze on a terrace overlooking Kharkiv’s Freedom Square four years ago, it took less a minute before I was reporting on those rockets when they exploded on impact.
The skyline bulged orange, then came the concussive thump, then the cracks of the rockets exploding. They’d been fired from inside Russia into Ukraine’s second biggest city.
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A wounded woman is seen as airstrike damages an apartment complex outside of Kharkiv, Ukraine on February 24, 2022 (Anadolu/Getty)
The BM-30 Smerch were among the worst. They scattered cluster bombs, spattering the city with deadly golden balls. BM-212 Grads, the old-fashioned Stalin’s Organ multiple rocket launchers, were terrifying too.
They screeched from the sky in swarms like spears upon residential areas, killing and burning ahead of advancing Russian infantry.
Over the next couple of days, Russian troops stormed north from Crimea towards Kherson and soon beyond. They blasted out of Donetsk, and turned up on the streets of Kharkiv.
I could hear the sounds of firefights, machine guns screaming like chainsaws and the crash of rocket propelled grenades. The assumption was that the Russians would capture this city, and the capital, in a few days.
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That assumption got a lot of Russians killed.
We heard of a reconnaissance group that had wandered closer to Freedom Square and been ambushed by local police with RPGs and rifles. A Russian soldier fell from his vehicle on fire. A group of babushkas (grannies), almost certainly Russian speakers, rushed up to the burning man.
They beat him to death with broom sticks.
That was a metaphor for Ukraine’s defence of itself.
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Black smoke rises from a military airport in Chuguyev near Kharkiv on February 24, 2022. – Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine today with explosions heard soon after across the country and its foreign minister warning a “full-scale invasion” was underway (AFP/Getty)
First invaded by Putin in 2014, Crimea was captured. Back then, Ukraine’s allies reneged on security guarantees to the young democracy and many, like the UK and the US, banned Kyiv from buying lethal weapons.
British and US intelligence knew that the Kremlin’s ambitions were for the conquest of all of Ukraine in 2022. They warned Volodymyr Zelensky that the Russians were coming in 2022. He didn’t seem to listen and his armed forces were very relaxed on the border just north of Kharkiv.
“I don’t see many preparations to defend against an invasion,” I said to a colonel I met two days before the Russians launched into Ukraine.
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“You’re not supposed to,” he replied. But there were no signs of defences being raised at all. Because there were none.
Ukraine was sent reeling. But its population recovered their country’s balance.
Some military units scrambled to put up fights that western advisers thought incredible – such as the punishing defence of Hostomel air base against a mass airborne attacks by paratroops and Spetznatz forces just north west of Kyiv.
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View shows damaged private houses at a site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in the town of Hostomel, Kyiv region, Ukraine March 19, 2025 (REUTERS)
Elsewhere, young veterans from the earlier years of combat reformed themselves into small teams in pick-up trucks, organised their own families inside occupied territory to spy on the invaders, and took on Russia’s mass columns of armour and infantry.
Around the world, footage of the ambushes on these columns emerged and gave small signs that tiny amounts of British and American military aid were having staggering effects. American Javelin and British NLAW anti-tank missiles slammed into armoured columns and crippled their advance.
Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kyiv were saved by swashbuckling units in Second World War SAS-style raids, which had far more strategic significance than any operations carried out by Britain’s nascent special forces in their early years.
In the south, villages organised their own counter attacks and Ukraine harnessed the horrors of Moscow’s mass starvation of their people in the early 1930s into an “over my dead body” rage that held them together.
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By the summer of 2022, the national forces had regrouped, launched a counter offensive, and recovered vast tracts of land in lightning operations.
Map of key cities in Ukraine (Getty/iStock)
Since then Ukraine has settled into a near stalemate of grinding horror – followed by the nerve-jangling new dimensions of drone conflict in which both sides have been reinventing the modern form of war.
Throughout all this, Ukraine has been defending Europe’s eastern flank against Russia on the ground.
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In the political realm, though, Ukrainians have been dying in large numbers in a war to stop the idea that “might is right” dead in its tank tracks.
No one here had any idea that Donald Trump would so enthusiastically support the Darwinian doctrine of the Kremlin. But he has. He likes to back a winner. He appears to have chosen one.
Without question, Trump’s administration caused more deaths in Ukraine by ending American military aid for the country and set back its ability to defend itself than if he had continued to support Kyiv.
Meanwhile the rest of the west has been slow to comprehend the strategic danger Putin’s land grab poses – and the political horror that the Putin-Trump doctrine can lead the world towards.
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First, Ukraine’s allies were slow to agree to send any kind of weapons, but when the anti-tank missiles arrived they were put to good an immediate use.
A resident cleans an area at the site of the Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, near the city of Chornomorsk, Odesa region, Ukraine February 23, 2026 (Reuters)
Men like “Grumpty” a former software engineer taught himself how to drive a Russian T-82 tank from looking at Youtube videos. Along with “Achilles”, who was killed in the summer of 2022, and a small band of men, Grumpty destroyed 14 Russian armoured personnel carriers and tanks in one night not far from Sumy.
The Russians were found by the wife of one of the team, Achilles spotted the targets and called in coordinates to Grumpty who fired over and over again on the invaders.
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This kind of act captured the public imagination. But did not deliver Ukraine the weapons it needed to win – barely enough to survive.
While Russia pounded Kyiv’s forces with hundreds of artillery pieces, it took months for small donations of ancient guns to come from the democratic west.
Long range rockets were restricted in how they could be used.
In Bakhmut, Ukrainians and foreign volunteers fought waves of Russian prisoners and conscripts forced into “meat attacks”. One American volunteer, Kevin, described with disgust how, for a week, he reckoned he killed “20-40 a day”.
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But Russia hit Ukrainians with bombs from aircraft and long range missiles fired from Russian soil that were out of bounds to Ukrainians using any foreign equipment.
(Ukrainian servicemen from the 24th brigade operate an FPV drone flying towards Russian positions in the Donetsk region, on June 10, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine)
With losses at around 1.2 million casualties, Putin’s war has been a disaster for Moscow. And Nato is now bigger as Finland and Sweden have joined the alliance.
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Europe has covered the loss of America’s military support with €250 billion pledged compared to the US total spent of $115 billion. Much of this money goes on air defences.
Putin has switched his strategy to hitting civilians, blasting Ukraine’s energy systems and trying to break the will of its people.
Outside Ukraine he has managed to shape much of the debate over diplomacy – creating a narrative that Ukraine cannot win, should sue for peace, and give up at least 20 per cent of its territory.
Travelling from Nikopol to to Kharkiv through the fortress belt now demanded by Russia in return for thinking about a ceasefire, it is clear that most Ukrainians now want peace.
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Ukrainian soldiers fire on Russian positions along the front line in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on Monday, June 24, 2024 (AP)
But not one of them said that Ukraine’s security is worth the trade for peace.
Zelensky, and his European allies, insist that Ukraine needs security guarantees to ensure that Russia never attacks again, never returns to Putin’s public intention to re-colonise the country.
They claim that the only way to do that is to get America to be Ukraine’s protector.
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But there’s no chance that the US could be relied on to keep watch over Ukraine, let alone send troops to fight if it got reinvaded.
That has to be the job of Ukraine’s European neighbours and wider allies in the West. Ukraine has shown what it can do with very little. Imagine what it could do with a little more help from its friends.
A fresh group of comedians have stepped up to the plate, tasked with the challenge of making each other chuckle without cracking a smile themselves.
This year’s line-up boasts some formidable contenders including Sam Campbell, Diane Morgan, Romesh Ranganathan and David Mitchell, with Bob Mortimer returning to defend his reigning champion title.
The first trio of episodes landed on Prime Video on March 19, leaving fans hanging in suspense as they eagerly await the release of future instalments.
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Here’s everything you need to know about when episode four will drop, along with a glance at the full episode schedule.
The celebrated comedy series, which marked Prime Video’s most successful UK debut ever, continues to be a massive hit among viewers.
Once again, the show unites ten renowned comedians who must keep a straight face as they strive to knock out their competitors.
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The UK edition follows in the footsteps of successful international versions, and there’s also a well-liked Irish adaptation of the programme.
Host Jimmy Carr shared his thoughts on the new series: “This is an all-star line-up and there are lots of players who are genuinely friends of mine.
“What’s great is the line-up contains the breadth of British comedy, because you want there to be some great stand-ups, but you also want great actors, too.”
Last One Laughing episode release schedule
The fourth episode of Last One Laughing UK’s second series will arrive on Prime Video on March 26, which means viewers will need to hold tight for another week.
Fortunately, episode five will also become available on the same date, giving fans two episodes to enjoy consecutively.
Following that, there will be another seven-day wait before episode six, the concluding instalment, which arrives on April 2.
The complete release timetable is as follows:
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Episode 1 – March 19
Episode 2 – March 19
Episode 3 – March 19
Episode 4 – March 26
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Episode 5 – March 26
Episode 6 – April 2
This represents a different rollout strategy compared to the inaugural series, which was divided into just two segments rather than three.
Last One Laughing UK returns to Prime Video on March 26
Iran targeted energy facilities across the Middle East on March 18, including the world’s largest liquefied natural gas hub in Qatar, in retaliation for Israeli strikes on an Iranian gas field hours earlier.
Iran has gone on to attack other energy facilities across the Gulf. This has included hitting a Saudi refinery on the Red Sea and setting two Kuwaiti oil refineries ablaze in an intensification of its campaign against energy infrastructure in the region.
As an expert on military strategy, I see the Iranian attacks on Gulf energy facilities as part of a broader strategic agenda the regime in Tehran has employed to try and ensure its survival.
Iran’s attacks on energy infrastructure since the start of the conflict have been accompanied with wider missile and drone strikes against US military bases and infrastructure in the region. Through these attacks, which have killed seven American service personnel so far, the regime has looked to demonstrate its capacity and capability not only to international audiences but also the Iranian population.
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This includes, perhaps most importantly, those responsible for maintaining Iran’s internal security. If those tasked with this responsibility began to doubt the regime’s capacity to respond to attack, they might become less inclined to suppress rebellions and uprisings.
The ability to exercise force has long been central to maintaining the regime’s domestic political position in Iran. This has been demonstrated by the brutal repression of various protest movements over the past decade or so.
A gas processing facility near Doha in Qatar, pictured in 2005. Plamen Galabov / Shutterstock
In its attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure, Iran has two main goals. The first is to hit the Gulf states economically in the hope that this will reduce their willingness to provide support to the US.
Gulf countries are heavily reliant on the export of energy for revenue. In Qatar, for example, earnings from the hydrocarbon sector accounted for 83% of total government revenues in 2023. These revenues help Gulf states maintain the low tax regime that is enjoyed by their populations.
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If these revenues reduce substantially because energy cannot be processed, some of these nations may begin to question their alliances with the US. Such a scenario would reduce the ability of the US to conduct military operations in the Middle East and project its power and influence on the region.
The war is already having a significant impact on these countries. Goldman Sachs has estimated that Qatar and Kuwait could see their GDP drop by 14% if the war lasts until the end of April. Likewise, Capital Economics has suggested that GDP in the region could fall by between 10% to 15% if the conflict causes lasting damage to energy infrastructure.
Rifts do not yet appear to be emerging between the US and its Middle Eastern allies. But Tehran will be calculating that prolonged attacks – alongside continued disruption to the vital strait of Hormuz shipping lane – will add strain to relations.
Raising energy prices
Iran’s second, and wider, goal is to raise global energy prices. The Middle East is a key energy supplier globally, so disruption to supplies in this region can have an almost immediate impact on prices.
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The price of a barrel of Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil pricing, has increased from around US$68 (£51) on February 27 to nearly US$100. This has so far largely been the result of disruption to the strait of Hormuz, which has prevented the Gulf states from supplying their energy to global markets.
But Tehran’s calculation appears to be that further efforts to reduce Gulf energy supplies will force nations worldwide, who are having to implement costly policies to reduce the impact of increased energy prices on their populations, to question the actions of the US in Iran.
In the Philippines, which is highly dependent on the Gulf oil, the government has told its agencies to cut electricity and fuel use by between 10% and 20%. Vietnam has introduced work-from-home policies for many public sector workers. And the UK government has announced a £53 million support package for people who rely on oil for central heating.
Iran’s final strategic consideration is that attacking energy facilities may help erode domestic support for Trump in the US. This could force a change in political direction. The price of petrol has already increased to an average of US$3.60 per gallon in the US – a level not seen since the opening days of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
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This price increase will be passed on to consumers, creating a headache for Trump ahead of midterm elections in November. Trump’s platform of reducing the inflation seen under the Biden administration was a key part of the election campaign that successfully returned him to the White House.
Iran’s attacks on energy infrastructure are likely to continue. This is because they enable the regime in Tehran to increase the costs of the war even to those who are not directly involved, ramping up global pressure on the US to draw the conflict to a close.
The Northern Irish companies are among 389 employers from across the UK named for failing to pay workers the minimum wage to tens of thousands of workers.
Twenty-three Northern Irish companies have been ‘named and shamed’ by the UK Government for failing to pay their staff the minimum wage.
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The findings come alongside enforcement action against businesses failing to pay their staff the legal National Minimum Wage, making clear that workers won’t be made to pay for the mistakes or negligence of those they work for, regardless of how big or well-known they are.
New figures show a total of around £12.6 million in penalties have been issued to 389 employers, with these fines coming on top of the repaid wages.
In total, 2,240 employees at Northern Irish-based companies were underpaid a total of £157,695.53.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said: “The vast majority of businesses in this country do the right thing by paying their staff properly and playing by the rules. It’s not fair on them when others are able to get ahead by not paying the wages their workers are owed.
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“A good employer doesn’t build their business on the back of unpaid wages, and I look forward to working with the new Fair Work Agency to ensure its powers are used to crack down on those who think the rules don’t apply to them.”
This is the first ‘naming round’ since the Chancellor’s Budget commitment to publish more frequently, putting more pressure on employers to keep their payroll up to date and boosting workers’ confidence that when they’re treated poorly by their boss, swift justice will follow.
Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden said: “Nobody should finish a week’s work and find they’ve been paid less than they’ve earned. I believe in a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.
“That’s why we’re cracking down on employers who underpay. We’re making sure workers get the hard earned pay they deserve.
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“I encourage every employer to check their payroll to ensure they don’t get caught out.”
This is also the final naming round before the Fair Work Agency begins its work on 7 April, a brand-new enforcement body formed through the recently passed Employment Rights Act to bring workers’ rights enforcement under one roof for the first time.
Offering a single, streamlined place where employers will be able to get guidance on how to follow the rules, the Fair Work Agency will have more muscle to ensure that workers across the country get every penny they are owed.
This not only includes enforcing payment of the minimum wage but is soon set to tackle those who break the law by denying holiday and sick pay.
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Today’s announcement also comes ahead of further increases to the minimum wage, which will see the lowest earners over 21 years old receive an annual pay boost of £900 for those working full time. Coming alongside the decision to extend Statutory Sick Pay to 3 million more workers, freeze the 5p fuel duty cut and cap energy prices so that households save £117 on their bills next month.
Full list of NI companies named and shamed
Omniplex Holdings (NI) Limited, Lisburn, BT28, failed to pay £43,611.37 to 973 workers
Stix & Stones (NI) Ltd, Belfast, BT1, failed to pay £3,546.29 to 38 workers.
Belmont Hospitality Limited, Banbridge, BT32, failed to pay £3,148.25 to 30 workers.
K Magill and Co Ltd, Dungannon, BT70, failed to pay £2,198.45 to 1 worker.
Clinker Pubs Limited, Belfast, BT5, failed to pay £1,662.99 to 6 workers.
Botanic Way Limited, Belfast, BT7, failed to pay £1,326.70 to 36 workers.
Marlborough Engineering Limited, Belfast, BT3, failed to pay £1,129.82 to 1 worker.
J.D. McGeown Limited, Belfast, BT9, failed to pay £1,015.02 to 3 workers.
Margaret Forbes Ltd, Belfast, BT1, failed to pay £982.72 to 2 workers
Mrs Fiona Loughran, Mrs Denise McCann and Mr B McCann, Belfast, BT9, failed to pay £920.38 to 16 workers.
Kamakura Sushi & Ramen Limited, Belfast, BT7, failed to pay £818.19 to 25 workers.
Mr Tony Cheuk and Mr Peter Cheuk, Coleraine, BT52, failed to pay £808.60 to 16 workers.
Northside Graphics Limited, Belfast, BT3, failed to pay £753.24 to 4 workers.
Blethers (N.I.) Ltd, Belfast, BT6, failed to pay £559.02 to 6 workers.
Millars Fish N Chips Limited, Newtownards, BT23, failed to pay £522.11 to 13 workers.
P.G. McGillion (Motors) Limited, Strabane, BT82, failed to pay £4,363.05 to 6 workers.
Clear Healthcare, Belfast, BT3, failed to pay £5,295.45 to 33 workers.
The Ballykelly Group Ltd, Banbridge, BT32, failed to pay £5,630.96 to 15 workers.
Over The Rainbow Childcare Limited, Belfast, BT9, failed to pay £6,393.71 to 75 workers.
North Down (Belfast) Limited, Belfast, BT11, failed to pay £7,179.60 to 21 workers.
Garlor Limited, Belfast, BT8, failed to pay £7,288.03 to 527 workers.
Dale Farm Cooperative Ltd, Belfast, BT3, failed to pay £15,773.25 to 96 workers.
Linden Foods, Dungannon, BT70, failed to pay £38,987.87 to 296 workers.
The mercury may be shy of the twenties, but hitting 18 degrees in London is still cause for celebration if you’re one of the city’s winter-worn inhabitants.
No public patch of grass was left bare at lunchtime as office workers descended en masse to enjoy salads and sarnies out in the glorious spring sunshine.
While still a little chilly in the shade, I found sitting in direct sunlight on an open rooftop was enough to muster a pre-sweat glow. In short, decent conditions in which to try out Shark’s latest fan.
For its 3-in-1 fan? Shark has bequeathed the faintly cringey ChillPill. The box’s sleeve follows up with ‘It’s not cool to be hot’ on the back, words I agree with in sentiment, but perhaps unnecessary to slap across the packaging.
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Shark ChillPill 3-in-1 fan key specs
Dimensions: L4.5 x W8.41 x H11.2cm
Weight: 0.35kg
Functions: fan, InstaChill cooling plate, misting pod
Run-time: 11 hours at fan speed 1, up to 4.5 hours at fan speed 5 and up to 1.5 hours at fan speed 10.
Charge-time: 3.5 hours
Guarantee: 2 years
Colours: Six available, including Dragon Fruit pink
Abha Shah
Arriving in a small box, Shark’s ChillPill resembles a pair of binoculars at first glance. Two tubes are connected with a twistable central fixture, one holding the motor and the other the battery. The twisting aspect allows you to position it on flat surfaces at the perfect angle, but you can thread it through bag and phone straps if you want hands-free cooling.
The twin cylinder design makes it double the size of most hand fans, but it’s worth the pocket space for the three cooling functions to use when you’re ready to combust from heat.
The controls can be mastered without resorting to the manual, which is there in physical and QR code form. The battery cylinder houses an on/off switch and a screen on one end, which should be turned clockwise or pushed down to increase speed or activate the mist, respectively.
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The first is a fan that operates at 10 speeds. This fan head detaches and can be swapped with the InstaChill system (a metal plate designed to bring icy relief to pulse points). The third is a water mist fan, which releases an ultra-fine, cooled spray when traditional fanning isn’t cutting it.
The fan charges via a USB-C, and along with the interchangeable heads, you get three new wicks to use with the mister, which should be replaced every 30 days.
Abha Shah
Ten fan speeds are enough to bring localised cooling for all. Speed one offered a gentle breeze, perfect for using when setting makeup, while the highest speed gave enough velocity to blow my hair back from my neck.
The range is pleasing; unlike competitors with just three or five speeds, you feel reassured that there’s more left in the tank when a cooling turbocharge becomes a pressing biological need (CC: the Central line in July).
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What’s not pleasing is the din this fan makes. Noise levels rise in line with the fan speed, so prepare yourself for something that sounds like an aircraft carrier landing when it’s at full whack.
The noise is reduced a little if you swap the fan head for the cooling plate, but it’s still audible as breezes are pushed out from the underside of the head instead of the top.
My favourite of the three heads is the mister. The spray it releases really is superfine, which compounds the cooling. I know on sweltering summer days, when I’m trapped on the tube or a festival tent, this function alone will be enough to forgive the cacophony entirely.
Shark
Price — is it worth the money?
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At just under £130, this is probably one of the most expensive personal fans I’ve tried, but it’s also the most impressive.
Three changing heads allow you to choose your flavour of heat relief, and while the attachments could become irksome rattling around in the depths of your bag, they are fairly small. Only tiny bag carriers have cause for concern.
Noise is an issue too — you won’t want to keep this on at night, or beside napping infants, (or colleagues close to a deadline), but Shark has designed this fan for on-the-go use. You won’t hear it over traffic, crowds, or general city noise.
The price is steep, but if you think back to all the cheap fans you’ve bought over the years that lived and died over one summer, Shark’s robust little ChillPill starts to look like a worthy investment. If you’re still hesitating, it’s worth remembering that this is the initial launch price. Shark will very likely put it on sale, so keep your eyes, and your wallet, peeled.
Wing Kyle Steyn, fly-half Finn Russell and back row Rory Darge are named from a Scotland side which recovered from an opening defeat by Italy to claim three wins and secure third place in the championship.
Italy won two matches in finishing fourth in the table, with their performance reflected in the selection of hooker Giacomo Nicotera, prop Simone Ferrari and centre Tommaso Menoncello.
Prop Rhys Carre, who went over for a storming score against Ireland, is the sole representative from Wales, who finished their campaign on a high by sealing victory over the Italians.
England’s only win of the tournament came against Wales in their opening game as their fifth-place finish, with just eight points, was their worst in the history of the Six Nations.
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Six Nations Team of the Tournament: Thomas Ramos (France); Kyle Steyn (Scotland), Tommaso Menoncello (Italy), Stuart McCloskey (Ireland), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (France); Finn Russell (Scotland), Antoine Dupont (France); Rhys Carre (Wales), Giacomo Nicotera (Italy), Simone Ferrari (Italy), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Mickael Guillard (France), Jack Conan (Ireland), Rory Darge (Scotland), Caelan Doris (Ireland).
A brother whose sister travelled from the UK to Dignitas is pleading with the House of Lords to “show some compassion” as he recalls the last time he saw her alive.
Terminally ill protesters will be outside Parliament on Friday to mark the second anniversary of Paola Marra’s death at Dignitas.
The grim anniversary coincides with the 11th Day of Committee Stage and Dying In Dignity with their campaigners are urging the Lords to stop ‘blocking’ the bill and remember Paola. Before Paula, the ex-wife of Blur drummer Dave Rowntree, travelled to the Swiss clinic she was in “unbearable” pain from breast and bowel cancer. But the former music industry and charity worker, 53, put that aside to make a film about the need for a UK law change. It began: “When you watch this, I will be dead.
Her brother, actor and film maker, Tony Marra, 56, who lives in Canada, told of the last time he saw his sister alive.
“It was a video call and she was at Dignitas. The connection wasn’t very strong, so we were kind of speaking over each other, one of those awkward conversations,” he said.
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Finally, she said, “I’ve got to go,” and we said, “I love you.” The look on her face – I’ll never forget – it was just full of love and despite the bad connection, that look of love came through.”
Asked how he coped knowing she was alone in Switzerland, he said: “I was gutted. I really wanted to be there with her. I told her I just need a day’s notice and I’ll fly over. I said I want to respect your wishes and she said, ‘I want to do this. I need to do it alone.’
“She was determined to see it through and not get me in trouble. I think it’s cruel. Thankfully the people at Dignitas are very loving. She spoke about them before she died, so that was reassuring.”
His sister made two films, one to be released to the public and one for her brother and friends. In the former she said: “I’m choosing to seek assisted dying because I refuse to let a terminal illness dictate the terms of my existence.
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“The pain and suffering can become unbearable. It’s a slow erosion of dignity, the loss of independence, the stripping away of everything that makes life worth living.
“Assisted dying is not about giving up. In fact, it’s about reclaiming control. It’s not about death, it’s about dignity. It’s about giving people the right to end their suffering on their own terms, with compassion and respect.
“So, as you watch this, I am dead. But you watching this could help change the laws around assisted dying.”
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Her brother said in a message to the House of Lords: “I would ask them to have some compassion and put their personal beliefs, whether they be religious or political, aside.
“Think of those who are currently dying and even those who have yet to be diagnosed, those are the ones that will benefit from law change.”
Of the assisted dying bill defeat in Scotland this week, he said: “I was a little gutted because I thought it would create great momentum and show that the country wants it and the Scottish want it.
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“But I think that we’re heading in the right direction. There’s more MSPs that have voted for it than ever, so. I think we’ll get there in Scotland eventually. But it was tough.
“I’m remaining optimistic [about England]. I think the bill will fail. I think that’s obvious. But I think that we need to get it back into the h
House of Commons. I think there’s more appetite than before actually because even MPs that have voted against the bill are really angry about what these few peers have done.”
He told how despite his sister’s “unbearable” pain she had a date organised for her death and was determined to “celebrate her life with her friends”.
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“She loved London and when she had a date picked, I came to the tea party and really celebrated. We weren’t able to explore London like we used to, but just to be with her was very sweet.”
He told when she was first diagnosed he had been with her and had spoken of him joining her in Switzerland.
“But as she dug in and researched, she found that I might be, in trouble if I went with her, so she said, ‘Tony, as much as I like you there, you can’t. So I honoured her wishes’.
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“She really wanted to make a mark when the video was really incredible to me. To be able to organise that as she was dying was remarkable.
“She was in pain throughout, but she really wanted to do something before she died. So that’s why I’m so proud to try to keep her voice alive.
“She was very open about what she was going through. So she had a lot of drug treatments, chemotherapy, and a lot of surgeries.
“And with the surgeries on her bowel, often when it healed, it would create lesions and then blockages. So those blockages were quite painful, the scar tissue. And then there were side effects from those blockages. Quite horrendous.” He described how people are unable to have an assisted death in the UK as “cruel”.
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“She knew that as she got close to the end that those side effects would prevail and so the pain plus those side-effects were something she wanted to avoid.”
Tony explained how his wife has secondary breast cancer and as they live in Toronto has access to an assisted death “should she choose that”.
Dying in Dignity, who organised Friday’s protest, said: “While the Lords scrutinise this Bill, people are still being failed by the current law in the same way Paola was,” they said.
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“Two years on, Paola’s anniversary is a powerful moment to ask: what has changed, and what hasn’t?
“This Bill has been supported by MPs in 2 free votes and enjoys significant public support, yet it is being blocked by a small group of unelected peers who all have historic opposition to the principle of assisted dying.”
Opponents raised several concerns about the proposed bill in England and Scotland, particularly fears of people being coerced into an assisted death.
Independent MSP Jeremy Balfour – born with no left arm and a right arm that ends at the elbow – said disabled people were “terrified” of assisted dying legislation.
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He warned the bill would open “a pandora’s box” and said there could be “no meaningful protection” against coercion.
The keen runner has decided to take on an six-day trek through the Great Silk Road route, which winds 200 miles across the wilds of Tajikistan.
Stirling student Ava Drake is preparing to take on a spectacular running challenge across Central Asia as part of efforts to protect a fragile environment.
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Ava is a PhD student at the university’s institute of aquaculture, which studies issues including backyard fish farming – with some parts of the world suffering the impact of climate change on their incomes.
As part of her efforts to support a global charity supporting the issue, keen runner Ava has decided to take on an six-day trek through the Great Silk Road route, which winds 200 miles across the wilds of Tajikistan.
Speaking to the Observer, Ava explained the reasoning for stepping up to the plate and why the cause is so important.
She said: “I’ve always been someone drawn to a challenge and I’ve already done the Mongol Derby, which is a 1,000km horse race across Mongolia on the former postal route of Genghis Khan.
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“I was scrolling online and saw the information about the Great Silk Road run and once I decided to commit to it, I wanted to find a cause which would make the journey more impactful for me.
“The run will support Aquaculture without Frontiers, which is an NGO looking to put funds into countries like Tajikistan which are facing a lot of challenges in aquaculture.
“The country faces serious food insecurity, with limited land for traditional agriculture and many people living below the poverty line.
“Aquaculture offers a sustainable, year-round source of protein, supporting local livelihoods and communities.
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“One of the things I was told about a trip like this is to make sure you have a ‘why’ because that will help when times get tough.
“I’ve seen the impact of successful projects in aquaculture and so knowing how important the funds could be will help to keep me going – I know there will be a wider cause beyond the race itself.”
The Great Silk Run was started up by intrepid pair Danny Bent and Nick Carter and brings together participants from all over the world, weaving through the rugged terrain of the Pamir Mountains as well as crossing high mountain passes before ending near the Karakul Lake on the border with China.
Ava admits the run is a step up from her other challenges to date – and has been following an intense training programme including long-distance running, strength work and altitude conditioning.
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She continued: “I’ve been on a rigorous plan since January because it will be a marathon a day in terms of distance and I also have to get used to the altitude element.
“I’ve been making use of the Munros across Scotland for that, a lot of climbing and running as well as making sure I have the right kit.”
To find more about the run and the charitable cause, you can visit Ava’s website on runningforresilience.org.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Markwayne Mullin moved a step closer to becoming President Donald Trump’s next homeland security secretary after a Senate committee Thursday narrowly advanced his nomination.
The 8-7 vote came after a contentious hearing Wednesday and sent the Cabinet nomination to the full Senate, which could act to confirm the Oklahoma Republican next week.
That vote included a “no” from the Republican chairman, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, and a “yes” from a Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. The approval comes as the parties are fighting bitterly over the policies of the Department of Homeland Security, leading to a funding lapse that is now in its 34th day.
During his testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, Mullin tried to make the case that he would be a steady hand after the tumultuous tenure of Kristi Noem, Trump’s first DHS secretary. Mullin also signaled support for Trump’s immigration priorities, which are central to the funding standoff after the death of at least three American citizens at the hands of federal agents.
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AP AUDIO: Mullin’s DHS nomination advances to full Senate despite opposition from Republican Rand Paul
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AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports Markwayne Mullin is edging closer to become Homeland Security secretary.
Mullin’s hearing was unusually combative and came close to going off the rails as he engaged in heated exchanges with some Democrats as well as Paul.
In addition to a lengthy exchange over Mullin’s failure to disclose what he characterized as a “classified” congressional trip while a House member, Paul opened the hearing with a fiery statement challenging Mullin’s fitness to lead DHS.
Paul pointed to comments Mullin made after a funding fight, when he called Paul a “freaking snake” and said he understood why a neighbor had tackled Paul in a lawn care dispute. That incident happened several years ago, and Paul suffered multiple broken ribs and later had surgeries he linked to the attack.
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“I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force?” Paul said.
Mullin refused to back down.
“For you to say I’m a liar, sir, that’s not accurate,” Mullin said.
Paul later said he would not vote for Mullin’s confirmation.
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Fetterman, who has frequently challenged his own party, said his vote was “rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation’s security.”
I cannot resist the combination of lamb, sweet dates and nutty tahini. You need plenty of herbs, though, to cut through the sweetness here, so use loads and don’t stint on the feta cheese either. Greek yogurt and shreds of preserved lemon zest would help, too. Serve with couscous, bulgar wheat or little olive oil-roasted potatoes.
Footage from Russian state broadcaster RT has captured the moment a missile lands just a few feet from where its reporter was broadcasting in southern Lebanon.
RT, formerly Russia Today, said Steve Sweeney, its Lebanon bureau chief, and his cameraman had “miraculously survived” and were being treated in hospital.
The BBC has verified the footage.
There have been ongoing Israeli air strikes and ground operations in southern Lebanon.
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