Russia-Ukraine missiles, farmers’ ‘tractor tax’ protest & methanol poisoning: our weekly news round up

Welcome to The Standard podcast’s special edition, where we bring you news highlights from the week that was.

Headlines were dominated by escalating moves in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, policies around Kyiv’s use of powerful British-American missiles in the war, and Moscow’s retaliation with what the Kremlin says is a new type of hypersonic weapon.

Here in Britain, we looked at the impacted of shocks to the energy market and our household bills that the war, as well as the recent cold snap, has caused.

There was also continuing domestic anger about the first Rachel Reeves budget, as thousands of farmers marched on Westminster in protest at Labour’s so-called ‘tractor tax’ on inheritance. 

You’ll also hear our interview with Andrea Sella, professor of chemistry at UCL about the impact of methanol on the body after six people died after drinking alleged ‘tainted’ alcohol shots at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos.

Plus, inside one of the capital’s Lime e-bikes maintenance depots and could pondlife bacteria be repurposed to power space lasers?

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