Five Russian banks and three high-net worth individuals targeted in UK sanctions on Moscow

The UK is sanctioning five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals, freezing their UK assets and banning travel to Britain, Boris Johnson has announced.

The prime minister told the House of Commons it was the “first tranche” and “first barrage” of measures, in response to Russian troops moving into two separatist regions of Ukraine.

“We hold further sanctions at readiness to be deployed,” Mr Johnson told MPs, as he warned of a “protracted crisis” un Ukraine.

The PM addressed the Commons after chairing a meeting of the government’s emergency COBRA committee at 6.30am this morning.

Mr Putin on Monday night recognised two breakaway areas of eastern Ukraine as independent states and ordered Russian forces to carry out ”peacekeeping” duties in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Mr Johnson warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was” bent on a full-scale invasion” of Ukraine.

The PM said Russia and Mr Putin had now “plainly” violated Ukrainian sovereignty and “completely torn up international law”.

Downing Street said the UK’s new sanctions against Russia were part of a “coordinated” approach to the Ukraine crisis together with the US and EU.

On Tuesday, Germany announced it had halted the approval of the Nord stream 2 gas pipeline, which runs under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, in response to Mr Putin’s actions over Ukraine.

The PM has frequently urged European economies to end their reliance on Russian gas and oil.

Russia’s ambassador to the UK was summoned to the Foreign Office on Tuesday morning.

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Al-Shabab spent $24m on weapons last year – report

Somalia’s militant Islamist group al-Shabab spent $24m (£18m) in 2021 on purchasing weapons, according to a report by a Mogadishu-based research group, the Hiraal Institute.

The report further alleges that al-Shabab, which is affiliated to al-Qaeda, has an annual revenue collection of about $180m.

Entitled Al-Shabab’s Arsenal – From Taxes to Terror, the report says the group uses various methods to procure weapons, including direct purchases from local black markets, and from arms traders contracted to buy and deliv­er weapons from abroad, mainly Yemen.

The Hiraal institute also says that the insurgents control large parts of Somalia and maintain a degree of influence on the populace through a mix of persuasion, administration and coercion.

The authors recommend several measures aimed at disrupting al-Shabab’s weapons acquisition and movement, including countering arms imports from the Gulf of Aden.

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Nigeria seizes tonnes of hides on sale as food

Nigerian authorities say they have seized 120 tonnes of imported animal hides and skins in Lagos city.

They were intercepted on suspicion that were already processed with chemicals for use in leather industries yet they were being sold as foodstuff, the national food and drug agency, Nafdac, said.

In Nigeria, cow hides are cooked as a popular delicacy known as “ponmo”.

It’s not yet clear from which countries they were imported from.

Nafdac said seven suspects have been arrested.

It added that the raids on warehouses were carried out following “several complaints” by members of the public regarding the distribution and sale of such products it described as dangerous.

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Death has forgotten me – Woman who witnessed First World War

“I want to die because I am tired and weak. Others are working all I do is sleep the whole day, yet I want to eat. I think death has forgotten me,” am tired 106-year-old woman has said.

Euphrasie Kanyundo is reminding death of her long existence.

Having witnessed the First World War, said she has enjoyed the full capacity of life on her own terms and she wants death to embrace her as soon as possible.

Though she is not unhappy in life as she is surrounded by a host of descendants who take care of her, she said her frail state makes it uneasy for her to enjoy life like she used to.

The aged African grandmother told Afrimax TV that she is tired of living her life like a baby; being lifted about and having to crawl on her butt.

However, she is physically healthy and still has a couple of teeth sticking out of her gums.

If death fails to approach in the coming days, Euphrasie Kanyundo fears she will have to break the heart of her children with her last option; suicide.

Her last child, who is also in his sixties, has taken it upon himself to keep watch on his mother, to prevent her from taking her own life.

Unlike the ordinary human who detests the sound of death, Euphrasie said she becomes excited whenever she witnesses a funeral in her community as she is hopeful she would be the next.

Having buried eight of her 10 children who passed on after experiencing the greying stage, she said her time to exit the world is long overdue.

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