Russia is preparing to send sub-standard tanks into battle in Ukraine, UK officials believe.
A “small number” of T-14 Armata main battle tanks are set to be used in the war for the first time, according to the latest intelligence update from the Ministry of Defence.
But the MoD added: “In recent months, deployed Russian forces were reluctant to accept the first tranche of T-14 allocated to them because the vehicles were in such poor condition.
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“It is unclear exactly what aspects of the vehicles prompted this reaction, but within the last three years, Russian officials have publicly described problems with the T-14’s engine and thermal imaging systems.”
In 2021, Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu described the planned production run of the tanks for 2022 as an “experimental-industrial” batch.
The MoD update added: “Therefore, it is unlikely that any deployed T-14 tanks will have met the usual standards for new equipment to be deemed operational.”
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The update came as it emerged that Ukraine’s pleas for tanks from its Western allies appear to have finally have been heard – with Germany and the US reportedly poised to deliver the vehicles to the under siege country.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz has eventually decided to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, it has been reported, and allow other countries such as Poland to dispatch their German-made artillery too.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration is expected to approve sending M1 Abrams tanks to help Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
However, following the death of the music legend’s daughter Lisa Marie earlier this month, Austin admitted he had mixed feelings about the accolade.
Speaking to Today With Hoda & Jenna shortly after the announcement, he said: “It’s sort of a bittersweet moment right now. because I think of how much I wish she was here right now to get to celebrate with me.”
Austin Butler just woke up and got on the phone with Hoda and Jenna to talk about his ‘Actor in a leading role’ #Oscars nomination for ‘Elvis.’
Austin previously paid his respects to the late singer-songwriter in an emotional statement, which read: “My heart is completely shattered for Riley, Finley, Harper and Priscilla at the tragic and unexpected loss of Lisa Marie.
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“I am eternally grateful for the time I was lucky enough to be near her bright light and will forever cherish the quiet moments we shared.
“Her warmth, her love and her authenticity will always be remembered.”
Austin Butler and Lisa Marie Presley pictured at the Golden Globes on Tuesday evening
Shutterstock for HFPA
Days before her death, Lisa Marie had attended the Golden Globes, where Austin gave her a shout-out on stage after receiving his award.
Check out all the nominees for this year’s Oscars here.
Speaking to Sky News, Lord Hayward said: “I think he should be considering whether he stands aside for the period of the inquiry.”
He added: ”I think there’s a difficulty where you are party chairman because you’re meant to be out there motivating the campaigners in preparation for key local elections in a few months’ time, which are the main next hurdle for the party.
“In those circumstances, it is somewhat difficult.
“If you were another cabinet minister, it may be somewhat easier to continue, but I think that is the problem for him and he may have to review his position, depending on the timescales.”
The peer also called for the investigation into the scandal by Rishi Sunak’s ethics adviser needs to be wrapped up soon.
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“It needs to be quick for everybody’s sake,” he said. “If it takes too long it just drags on and on and that just leaves everything up in the air and you have to take a different set of decisions, but I and other people in the party – and the public at large – would want it to be a very quick inquiry.”
Sunak faces a grilling from Labour leader Keir Starmer over the affair at prime minister’s questions today.
Many Tory MPs privately believe Zahawi will inevitably have to leave his position, with some speculating that it could even happen before PMQs.
One told HuffPost UK: “Why would Rishi want to go through a PMQs dominated by that?”
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Every day that Nadhim Zahawi clings on does more damage to Rishi Sunak’s credibility.
“The Conservative Party is stuck in an endless cycle of sleaze and chaos, while the country suffers from a cost of living and NHS crisis.
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“What more will it take for Sunak to finally do the right thing and sack Zahawi, or at least suspend him for the duration of this investigation?
“He promised his government would have integrity and accountability, but instead once again it’s one rule for them and another for everyone else.”
Nadhim Zahawi owed the tax man £5 million while he was chancellor, according to a government minister.
Chris Philp’s comments, in a radio interview, are the first time any government official has confirmed the size of the settlement the Tory party chairman reached with HMRC.
It is unclear how much of the total payment was the penalty Zahawi was given for failing to pay his taxes on time.
But appearing on Radio Four’s Today programme this morning, Philp took issue with the presenter, Mishal Husain, when asked about the scandal.
In a statement at the weekend, Zahawi said HMRC had agreed that his error had been “careless and not deliberate”.
Philp said: “I don’t know precisely what form that carelessness took – neither do you.”
Presenter Mishal Husain replied: “He paid a penalty for it, the settlement was in the region of £5 million.”
Philp then replied: “I think that was the amount of tax owed, wasn’t it?”
Speaking after his elimination, Stephen shared that he actually had to pull out of some scheduled snooker games so he could take part in The Masked Singer, which led to him being slapped with a fine by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
He explained (via The Guardian): “I do have wildcards to play in some snooker events and I actually pulled out of a couple of events and got fined by the WPBSA for doing it.
“And I couldn’t tell them why because this recording was going on and I couldn’t obviously say why I pulled out … I just said: ‘Look, I can’t play the tournament’.”
“So, yeah, it was, very, very, very strange,” he added. “You’re dying to tell people what you’re doing but you can’t.”
After being unmasked in Sunday’s show, Stephen said he’d agreed to sign up for The Masked Singer as he was a big fan of the show, and picked his own costume as he wanted one that would limit his ability to dance.
The Masked Singer continues on Saturday nights at 7pm on ITV.
Nokes, chairwoman of the Commons women and equalities committee, told TalkTV she welcomed the investigation.
“I think there are too many unanswered questions,” Nokes said.
“The challenge for Nadhim is – look at the front pages, he’s leading too many of them.
“When you become the story it’s a distraction from anything else that the government is trying to do.
“There are countless examples of good, competent Cabinet colleagues who’ve got themselves in a mess, who have resigned quickly and come back, really in some instances just a few months later.
“In order to get this cleared up Nadhim should stand aside and let the investigation run its course.”
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However, home office minister Chris Philp hit back, saying he did not think Zahawi should have to step aside while the investigation takes place.
Philp told BBC Breakfast: “I think it is reasonable that where there is an investigation, the person concerned is allowed to continue serving while that investigation continues.
“We do have a principle, don’t we in this country, innocent until proven guilty. That applies to a whole range of different circumstances.
“The investigation has been launched by the prime minister, that is the right thing to do. It will get to the bottom of this and then the prime minister will make his decision.
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“But I don’t think it is fair to jump to any conclusions before the investigation has concluded.”
Pushed on Nokes’ call for Zahawi to stand aside, the minister added: “I don’t take that view, I think we should let the investigation play out.”
Zahawi is facing calls to quit after it emerged he resolved a multimillion-pound tax dispute with HMRC by paying a penalty while serving as chancellor.
Claims started emerging when Zahawi was made chancellor, with reports suggesting Cabinet Office officials alerted the then-prime minister Boris Johnson to a HMRC dispute.
Zahawi has admitted he paid what HMRC said “was due” after it “disagreed about the exact allocation” of shares in YouGov, an error he said was “careless” not deliberate.
Nadhim Zahawi’s Taxes Explained
The allegations surround Zahawi’s links to a Gibraltar-based trust called Balshore Investments Limited – of which his father Hareth is a director.
When YouGov was co-founded by Zahawi, the trust was allocated shares equalling the number given to his co-founder Stephan Shakespeare.
Asked about this last year, the then chancellor said neither he nor his wife benefitted from the trust and denied it was used to avoid tax, saying it was because his father “lived abroad”.
The stake in the company owned by Balshore was eventually sold by 2018 for about £27 million.
Experts said that if Zahawi benefitted from that transaction he should owe tax on it.
They point to a document from 2005 that suggests he benefitted from the trust when Balshore at least partially covered a loan.
Zahawi has not disclosed the size of the settlement – reported to be an estimated £4.8 million including a 30% penalty – or confirm whether he paid a fine.
Zahawi released a statement to “address some of the confusion about my finances”.
He said: “Following discussions with HMRC, they agreed that my father was entitled to founder shares in YouGov, though they disagreed about the exact allocation. They concluded that this was a ‘careless and not deliberate’ error.
“So that I could focus on my life as a public servant, I chose to settle the matter and pay what they said was due, which was the right thing to do.”
During an appearance on the US talk show Watch What Happens Live, Theo was asked if he would be interested in playing the lead in a biopic about the Wham! star, admitting he’d jump at the chance and described the Careless Whisper singer as an “icon”.
“Yay another straight man playing a gay icon,” Adam wrote in a since-deleted comment.
The Queen singer and American Idol finalist has now spoken about his initial reaction during an appearance at the Sundance Film Festival, where he is promoting Fairyland starring Scoot McNairy as Steve, a gay dad living in 1970s San Francisco.
“Adam, you recently had some choice words about straight actors playing gay people with regards to Theo James potentially tackling George Michael. Explain,’ a Variety reporter asked him.
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In response, the singer said it would be “ridiculous” to suggest only gay actors can play gay roles but went on to highlight a lack of equal casting opportunities within the film and TV industry.
“My actual comment – my little sarcastic comment on it – was [about] a straight actor playing a gay icon, which I think is a bit different,” Adam explained.
“I by no means think gay characters should only be played by gay actors. I think that would be ridiculous.
“Case in point: Scott’s brilliant performance in this film, which is incredibly moving and soulful. I don’t imagine anyone else playing this part.
“I just think, as a queer person, so many doors have been closed to us for so long, it’s a big step forward that these stories are at least now being told, but I hope that in the future you would also see an out actor be able to tackle a leading role.
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“You haven’t really seen that very often.”
He added: “To the naysayers who are like, ‘oh, it’s acting, what about the other way around, are you saying that gay actors should only play gay characters?’
“You look at Kristen Stewart playing Diana, and that was a brilliant performance as well [but] we don’t have that many examples of queer people playing non-queer icons.
“I just want some equal opportunity that’s all.”
In March 2020, the American Idol finalist told Metro that he would like to play George – who died in 2016 aged 53 – should a biopic ever be made.
George Michael
Steve Rapport via Getty Images
“That’d be cool,” he said. “I just feel like, we don’t know that much about him. You know, to me, it would be great to kind of explore George’s life.
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“I’d give it a go. Yeah, sign me up.”
In recent years, prominent queer figures including Elton John and Freddie Mercury have been portrayed by non-gay actors – Taron Egerton in Rocketman and Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody, respectively.
It’s A Sin and Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has previously spoken out about his belief that only gay actors should play gay characters.
“It’s about authenticity, he insisted. “You wouldn’t cast someone able-bodied and put them in a wheelchair, you wouldn’t black someone up. Authenticity is leading us to joyous places.”
Meanwhile, George Michael’s estate has denied the existence of any current plans to release a film on his life.
“To all of George’s Lovelies, fans and lovers of his music, a story has been published stating that George Michael’s family has endorsed a so-called ‘biopic’ about his life,” it said.
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“On behalf of George’s family and [George Michael Entertainment] we want to make it clear that there is no truth whatsoever in this story, we know nothing about this project and will not be endorsing it in any way.”
The new commander of the Russian army in Ukraine has faced pushback over his attempt to clamp down on “non-standard haircuts” among his troops, the UK has claimed.
General Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s Chief of the General Staff and the newly appointed commander in Ukraine, has reportedly started off his new job by trying to “improve deployed troops’ day-to-day discipline”.
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In its daily update, the UK’s ministry of defence (MoD) alleged that Gerasimov was looking to target “non-regulation uniform, travel in civilian vehicles, the use of mobile phones, and non-standard haircuts”.
However, the MoD claimed: “The measures have been met with sceptical feedback.”
The UK officials suggested that “some of the greatest derision has been reserved for attempts to improve the standard of troops’ shaving”.
It continued: “Officials in the Donetsk People’s Republic described the prioritisation of a ‘farce’ that would ‘hamper the process of destroying the enemy’.”
A proxy private military company, the Wagner group, perceived as an informal arm of the Russian state, also pushed back against the new rules.
The MoD claimed Wagner owner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, lashed out at the official advice from the Kremlin, saying: “War is the time of the active and courageous, and not of the clean-shaven.”
The UK officials also pointed out: “The Russian force continues to endure operational deadlock and heavy casualties; Gerasimov’s prioritisation of largely minor regulations is likely to confirm the fears of his many sceptics in Russia.
“Along with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, he is increasingly seen as out of touch and focused on presentation over substance.”
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This is just the latest sign that all is not well within the Russian army ranks.
According to previous claims from the MoD, Russia is even using “poorly-training convicts” to bolster its armed forces.
And by February 24, the war – which the Kremlin expected to last just a matter of days – will have stretched out to a year, with just 15% of Ukrainian land under Russian control.
The appointment of Gerasimov to lead the campaign in Ukraine was seen as a sign that Russia was trying a new tactic to turn the war in its favour.
He replaced General Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed General Armageddon for his brutal strategies, who will now serve as Gerasmiov’s deputy.
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Russia’s army Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov
The British actor, who played Daenerys Targaryen in the fantasy drama series, has admitted it would be “too weird” to watch the prequel, which is set roughly 200 years before the events depicted in Game Of Thrones.
During an appearance at the Sundance Film Festival over the weekend to promote her new romcom, The Pod Generation, Emilia explained to Variety why she has steered clear of watching the show.
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Emilia Clarke at the Variety Sundance Studio
Katie Jones via Getty Images
“It’s too weird. I’m so happy it’s happening. I’m over the moon about all the awards … I just can’t do it. It’s so weird. It’s so strange,” she said.
She went on to compare watching House Of the Dragon to attending an awkward school reunion.
“It’s kind of like someone saying, ‘You want to go to this school reunion that’s not your year? Want to go to that school reunion?’ That’s how it feels. I’m avoiding it,” she explained.
Emilia isn’t the only Game Of Thrones star who has admitted that watching the prequel would be difficult.
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Kit Harrington, who played Jon Snow in Game Of Thrones, previously said that there would be a “rawness” to not being in the show.
Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington.
Jeff Kravitz via Getty Images
“There’s emotion connected to that for me,” he said previously. “I think to see people get into outfits and costumes that resemble what we wore for all those years, and it [has] the same music and style and tone, but not be in it is always going to feel — there’s going to be a rawness there.”
in an interview with Vulture, HBO Max boss Casey Bloys revealed it won’t be this year.
“Don’t expect it in ’23, but I think sometime in ’24,” he told the outlet of House Of The Dragon’s second season, apparently “declining to get any more specific than that”.
He added: “We’re just starting to put the plan together, and just like last time, there are so many unknowns.
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“It’s not to be coy or secretive, but you don’t want to say it’s going to be ready on this date, and then you have to move it.”
All 10 episodes of House Of The Dragon are available to watch on Now in the UK.
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Beyoncé returned to the stage for her first headline show in over four years on Saturday night, performing at a private hotel launch event in Dubai.
The music icon was rumoured to have been paid £19.4million ($24m) for the exclusive concert at the grand reveal of Atlantis The Royal – billed as the world’s most ultra-luxury resort.
The singer was joined by her 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy on stage at one point, with the pair duetting on Brown Skin Girl from the 2019 album, The Lion King: The Gift.
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Blue Ivy has performed with her mum in pre-recorded situations, but this marked her debut performance on a public stage.
Beyoncé and daughter Blue Ivy Carter perform on stage headlining the Grand Reveal of Dubai’s newest luxury hotel, Atlantis The Royal.
Kevin Mazur via Getty Images
Opening her 90-minute set with her cover of Etta James’s At Last, Beyoncé wowed the 1,500-strong crowd with fan favourites such as Crazy In Love, Naughty Girl, Halo and XO – culminating with a rendition of Drunk In Love as fireworks lit up the sky.
Taking to the stage in a yellow sequinned gown with a sculptural feathered cape, the 41-year-old was flanked by a full band, a Middle Eastern orchestra and dancers clad in red sequinned outfits and full skirts.
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The singer chose not to debut any tracks from latest album Renaissance, which is nominated for two Grammys.
“There’s a Utopia of people from all over the world on this stage and we are so honoured to be here to celebrate this night with you,” Beyoncé said.
“My parents are here tonight to celebrate – my mother and my father. My beautiful children are here to see me perform and my beautiful husband.”
Mason Poole/Parkwood Media via Getty Images
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She later changed into a red and gold bejewelled body suit with a voluminous train and completed a third costume change with a red corseted minidress with matching stockings and gloves.
There was a strict “no phones” policy, with attendees asked to place their mobiles inside specially provided bags, but that didn’t stop some VIP guests from still managing to record parts of the show.
The exclusive concert was attended by celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Liam Payne, Ronan Keating, Rochelle and Marvin Humes and British Vogue editor Edward Enninful.
Mason Poole/Parkwood Media via Getty Images
“We’ve given her creative control. This is her art – we want her to express her art in her way,” managing director Tim Kelly told the PA news agency ahead of the performance.
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“I can’t express to you enough the level of professionalism and discipline with the rehearsals.
“From the moment she arrived last week she was on the stage, rehearsing and performing, and she’s developing and curating a performance.
“She’s not taking a show out of the box because she doesn’t have a show in the box. You’re going to get the full-throttle Beyonce.”
Beyoncé attends the Atlantis The Royal Grand Reveal Weekend, a new ultra-luxury resort on January 21, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Mason Poole/Parkwood Media/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)
Mason Poole/Parkwood Media via Getty Images
Asked if it was difficult to secure the global pop star for the launch, Mr Kelly said: “It took a long time, but it also came together rather quickly.
“It’s a circumstance of where she chooses what she wants to do. We’re honoured, we’re proud and for her to be here to do this in Dubai on this night, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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“We have always expressed that this is an iconic building, and then to have the most iconic performer on the planet available today, someone who hasn’t been seen in public performing in over four years, it’s really a night of icons.”
