Hundreds of millions in UK taxpayers’ money handed to companies still operating in Russia

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( April 18, 2022 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / [Revealed: Hundreds of millions in UK taxpayers’ money handed to companies still operating in Russia]( Hundreds of millions of pounds in UK taxpayers' money is being handed to companies that are continuing to operate in Russia, The Independent can reveal. The government has even signed multimillion-pound deals with these firms during the course of the war in Ukraine, it has emerged. Britain has active contracts worth at least £294,803,502 with 15 multinationals that are still doing business in Russia, according to an analysis carried out by The Independent. Ministers have been urged to sever ties with these companies and cancel all recently signed contracts.   2 / [Bound, beaten, killed: Ukrainian civilians reveal horrors of Russian torture chamber]( Special report: One prisoner recalls how a man was beaten to death next to him. Another recounts being stripped, stabbed and subjected to electric shocks. In recently liberated Trostyanets in Sumy, Bel Trew speaks to torture victims and uncovers evidence of possible war crimes in northeast Ukraine. 3 / [Mariupol troops defy Russian surrender-or-die demand]( ‘All those who will continue resistance will be destroyed,’ says Russian defence ministry 4 / [Tory MP accuses archbishop of ‘wanting to live with law-breaking’ after Rwanda asylum criticism]( Justin Welby says there are ‘serious ethical questions about sending asylum seekers overseas 5 /[Labour slams PM’s ‘indefensible’ partygate row amid fresh allegations]( A gathering at Downing Street on 13 November 2020 turned into a leaving [party]( only after the prime minister allegedly started pouring drinks and leading the celebration     The Big Question What does a faint line indicate on a lateral flow test? The UK has experienced another rise in [Covid-19]( infections in recent weeks, the latest surge driven by a sub-lineage of the [Omicron]( variant known as [BA.2.]( However, the uptick now appears to be subsiding, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) [recording 281,269 positive tests within seven days]( on 11 April, as well as 1,613 deaths and 16,438 people admitted to hospital. The sub-lineage is currently estimated to account for approximately 93.7 per cent of cases in England, with the highest prevalence in the South East (96.4 per cent) of the country and the lowest in the East Midlands (91.1 per cent), according to the UKHSA. [Boris Johnson](’s government ended all social restrictions in England on 24 February and followed that by scrapping the provision of free [lateral flow]( tests (LFTs) on 1 April as part of its pivot towards a “Living with Covid” strategy, assuming the worst of the pandemic to be over. [Read the full story >](   Watch/ [Russia releases video claiming to show sunken Moskva crew meeting with naval chief](   NUMBER OF THE DAY 20,000 –The number of babies who have been affected by the side-effects of the epilepsy drug sodium valproate taken by their mothers during pregnancy, [according to a Sunday Times investigation](.   QUOTE OF THE DAY “Sub-contracting out our responsibilities, even to a country that seeks to do well, like Rwanda, is the opposite of the nature of God who himself took responsibility for our failures.” – [The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby](, used his Easter Sunday sermon to condemn the government's proposal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.   [Subscribe today](     Other stories you might like   [Snowdon path ‘covered in human faeces’ as hundreds flock to mountain over Easter break](   [Johnny Depp trial: Amber Heard defamation case to resume Monday after week of shocking testimony](   [More than 1,000 ravers descend on Dorset to attend illegal Easter Sunday party](       Articles available exclusively to subscribers James Rampton, The Independent: [Canoe man is one of those stories you just couldn’t make up](   Other newsletters you might like [US morning headlines] US Morning Headlines Weekdays, 12pm (UK time) Written by Andrew Naughtie [Sign up]( [Climate warrior] Climate Warrior Every Wednesday, 8am (UK time) Written by climate activists [Sign up](   If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.