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⏳ Wednesday Fix: No Roubles, No Gas

⏳ Wednesday Fix: No Roubles, No Gas

Morning all,

Russia cuts its gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria, one of Britain's most prominent DJs faces multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, and Amber Heard is described in court as having "histrionic personality disorder".

Until tomorrow,

Hilary


TIM WESTWOOD

One of Britain's most prominent DJs, Tim Westwood, is facing multiple accusations of sexual misconduct.

The allegations were made by seven Black women, with the alleged incidents occurring between 1992 and 2017.

Back in June 2020, Westwood began trending on Twitter when a number of allegations were made about him online. He has repeatedly and strenuously denied the accusations against him.

Worth noting: While the joint investigation was carried out by BBC News and The Guardian, Westwood worked at the BBC for more than 20 years. Those who conducted the investigation asked senior officials at the BBC - through a Freedom of Information request - whether or not any complaints had been made against him.

The BBC's response to the BBC investigation? They could "neither confirm nor deny whether the BBC holds the information you requested".


UKRAINE - WHAT'S THE LATEST?

The energy angle: this morning there are multiple reports that Russian energy firm Gazprom has cut gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria.

Why? Because of their refusal to pay in roubles, Russia's currency.

How significant is this? Well, as BBC News noted, Bulgaria relies on Gazprom for about 90% of its gas supply. Poland said their energy supply is secure, but it is worth noting about half of the country's gas is said to come from Gazprom.

Why is Moldova in the headlines? There's a breakaway region of Moldova called Transnistria, which borders Ukraine and is run by pro-Russian separatists and permanently hosts about 1,500 Russian troops.

Source: The Guardian

Ukraine's President Zelensky has accused "Russian special services" of carrying out a series of false flag attacks in the breakaway region.

According to The Guardian, Moscow has expressed concern over the recent explosions there. The article also said a Russian minister "refused to rule out" Transnistria being drawn into the war. Moldova's president has said there are some in the breakaway region who are in favour of war, with a goal of destabilising the region.

Want to watch an explainer on all of this? The summary below is far and away the best we have found, and makes for such a helpful look at the bigger picture here. If you prefer to read something, here is an excellent article.


DEPP VS HEARD

The defamation trial where actor Johnny Depp is suing his ex-wife Amber Heard for $50 million is ongoing.

On day nine of the trial, a clinical and forensic psychologist said Heard has "histrionic personality disorder". She said Heard was a "36 code type".

What does that mean? According to RTÉ News it includes traits of "a lot of cruelty, very concerned with their image, very attention seeking and prone to externalising blame to a point where it's unclear whether they can admit to themselves they have certain responsibilities, a lot of suppressed anger which can explode out and issues within their relationships".

What else was heard in court? Messages between Depp and actor Paul Bettany - where they discussed "drowning and burning" Heard - were read out. Depp said while the messages were not meant literally, he was "ashamed" of the words used.


PIN DROP - WHAT'S GOING ON IN MYANMAR?

Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to five years in jail for corruption.

What's this all about? Suu Kyi led Myanmar for five years. Her party won re-election in a November 2020 election. However, the military claimed - without evidence - that the election was fraudulent. On February 1 2021, they took over in a military coup, which has been widely condemned by many countries, particularly in the West.

What are the charges against Aung San Suu Kyi? Well, according to CNN she faces 18 charges in total - which could result in a 190-year sentence. She has reportedly been found guilty of the first 11 charges against her.

Want to know more about the country? Read our piece from last year - Myanmar: The Constant Struggle for Democracy.


MOST READ


TODAY MARKS...

Freedom Day in South Africa, marking the date when Nelson Mandela was elected president in 1994.

Today also marks King's Day in the Netherlands, where the monarch's birthday is celebrated with a lot of people wearing orange.


WATCHING OUT FOR...

A new documentary exploring the mystery surrounding the death of Marilyn Monroe in 1962 releases on Netflix today.

Marilyn - whose real name was Norma Jeane Mortensen - was a Hollywood icon and blonde bombshell. As The New York Times wrote the day after her death, Monroe's fame was "greater than her contributions as an actress".

August 4 will mark 60 years since her death.


ON A HISTORIC NOTE...

I get it, pal.