What do we know about the investigation into the Prince Charles Foundation?

Police in London have announced an investigation into the charitable foundation of the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles. The Foundation is suspected of illegally helping a Saudi billionaire win the country's state prize.

“The Foundation has provided a number of relevant documents. They have been studied along with the rest of the information. After analysis of the materials, it was decided to launch an investigation, », — Scotland Yard said in a statement. 

What do we know about the investigation? 

A released police statement says the investigation was opened under the Criminal Investigations Act. abuse of state awards. London police claim that the fund's management offered a Saudi citizen to obtain British citizenship and become a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

So far, there have been no official interrogations or arrests in this case. The fund does not comment on the case, citing the fact that an official investigation is ongoing, and clarifies that the Prince of Wales himself had nothing to do with the matter.

Who illegally received the order? 

In September last year, several British newspapers published information that the former personal assistant of the prince Charles and director of the foundation Michael Fawcett < /strong>helped a Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz become a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. The Saudi billionaire himself claims he did nothing illegal. According to the Sunday Times, he donated large sums to the foundation's restoration projects. The 51-year-old businessman regularly made large donations. Part of the Saudi billionaire's funds even went to the renovation of several Prince Charles residences (Dumfries House and May Castle). 

It is known that bin Mahfouz began to take an interest in the possible ways to obtain a UK citizen's passport in 2011, but UK media have only now found previously confidential email correspondence between bin Mahfouz and Fawcett.

Prince Charles' aide himself decided to quit after it was revealed he was trying to help secure knighthood and British citizenship for a billionaire from the Arab Emirates United.

What privileges does the Order of the British Empire grant? 

The Order of the British Empire — order of chivalry established by the British King George V4th June 1917. This is the youngest order in the British awards system, it has the largest number of members. The order does not confer the right to knighthood and the prefix “sir” to the name.

The order consists of five classes:

  • Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross;
  • Knight Commander or Dame Commander;
  • Commander;
  • Officer;
  • Knight.

Of these, only the holders of the first two ranks are eligible for knighthood. They have the right to add the prefix “sir” to their personal name; or “lady” and receive a number of privileges, including free public transport and the right to request an outside audience with the monarchs. 

Source 

< p>https://www.bbc.com/russian/news-60407968

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Admission campaign to Russian universities will start on June 20

The admission campaign to Russian universities will start on June 20 and will last until August. The head of the Ministry of Education and Science of the country, Valery Falkov, spoke about it, reports RIA Novosti.

The head of the department reminded that today, for the convenience of applicants, there is a super service “Admission to an online university”, with which you can get career guidance, as well as; use the material necessary for the preparation of the exams. 

Before, more than 10% of the candidates used it. Up to 800 educational organizations are expected to use the super service in the 2022/23 campaign.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko has clarified that more than 580,000 students will be able to enroll in state-funded programs. places in Russian universities this year. This is 11.5 thousand more places than in the previous admission campaign,  writes TASS.

According to him, the number of budget places increases every year, during the formation of target admission figures, first of all, market demands, as well as indicators of state programs and projects, the need of the regions themselves for professional personnel.< /p>

Leaders in the number of budget places were: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Leningrad region, Sverdlovsk, Rostov and Novosibirsk regions, Republic of Tatarstan . On average, there are 11,000 to 15,000 places funded by the state.

It should be noted that for the academic year 2023-2024, it is planned to distribute more of 590,000 state-funded places between universities.

Previously, the Ministry of Education and Science supported the “United Russia” initiative on the establishment of #39;family hostels in institutions of higher education.

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Is it true that all medical records and all prescriptions will become electronic?

Weekly “Argumenty i Fakty” No. 7. JO-2022: victories, forecasts, scandals 02/16/2022 Expert answer 0 + –

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a resolution expanding the functionality of the unified state health information system.

The system will link regional medical organizations, and most documents— excerpts, references, etc.  — will be electronic. Doctors will be comfortable. And what does get out of it?

“First, the availability of information in a single system in electronic form allows the physician to free up time spent collecting patient information, by walking through the patient's database. disease history. And and thereby giving the patient more time — says Head of the Information Technology Department at Sechenov University Georgy Lebedev.   After all, an appointment with, say, a GP, takes an average of 12 minutes. During this time, you need to have time to talk with the patient, conduct an examination, write a recommendation, prescriptions. The information system simply needs to provide a data entry template, which speeds up the „paper“ doctor's work. The second thing that will create a unique digital healthcare circuit, — ensure the functioning of modern services for the patient, including online interaction with doctors.

Access to medical documents in electronic form, with the patient's permission , can be obtained by other doctors, if necessary  — organizations. This is especially important when working with an ambulance, when the patient is in serious condition, doctors can immediately find out all the information about his health in order to make the right decision. Or a surgeon — solve the problem with an emergency operation”.

Another advantage is that the patient will not need to store and provide paper certificates, extracts. Everything will be in the form electronics.

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Political scientist Nightingale freed from inquiry committee

Political scientist Valery Solovey left the Investigative Committee building after questioning, TASS reports.

It was reported earlier tonight that the political scientist was doing under investigation.  article on incitement to hatred or enmity.

Lawyer Alexei Dobrynin clarified that Nightingale is a witness in this case. Investigators took a non-disclosure agreement from him.

In an interview with RIA Novosti, the lawyer added that the criminal case concerns certain Telegram channels and their owners.

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The State Duma adopted in the first reading a draft imprisonment of up to 12 years for torture

The State Duma today adopted in the first reading a draft law on the toughening of sentences for torture committed by government officials, as well as on the clarification of this concept in Russian legislation, writes TASS.

The bill supplements Art. 286 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on abuse of power with a provision that torture by, inter alia, law enforcement officers shall be punished with a penalty of Imprisonment from 4 to 12 years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to 10 years.

The authors of the document were the heads of the committees of the State Duma and the Federation Council on legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov and Andrey Klishas. It also defines torture in accordance with the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of December 10, 1984. “In particular, intimidation as a means of controlling the personality of a prisoner or forcing another person to commit an act under pain of torture is attributed to the purposes of torture”, – noted Krasheninnikov.

Also in art. 302nd “Compulsion to testify” The Criminal Code of the Russian Federation introduces a new subject of crime – law enforcement officer. According to the head of the State Duma Committee, this will make it possible to hold accountable for torture, including employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, and not only investigators or persons carrying out investigations, like the current version of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides.

At the end of January, Vladimir Putin gave instructions By July 1, the State Duma and the Federation Council should consider a law on the strengthening of the penalty for torture.

At the beginning of the year, 20 criminal cases were filed on charges of torture in the Saratov prison hospital. 18 employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service in Saratov were fired after videos of tortured prisoners appeared on the Internet.

At the beginning of January, Putin ordered the preparation of proposals to combat torture in prisons. The Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor General's Office were supposed to analyze the practice of the application of penitentiary legislation in the Russian Federation.

In December, the President spoke about the investigations of torture in institutions of the Federal Penitentiary Service. The head of state urged to improve the situation in the system of the department.

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Science is the age of young people. The AiF project is the winner of the Digital Communications AWARDS

“AiF” project about science became winner of Digital Communications AWARDS-2022. It talks about modern Russian scientists and how they are creating the future of Russia. The multimedia format of the project has garnered more than 10 million views. Multimedia project “AiF” about the new generation of Russian scientists “Science — youth time won the award for “Best content solution”.

The project tells modern Russian scientists and how they are creating our country's scientific future. Its goal — popularization of science and successful implementation of research projects, drawing the attention of children and young people to them, demonstrating the importance of symbiosis between basic and applied industries.

Photo: Natalia Kosyakova. AiF

The format of multimedia content and its cross-media promotion to the target audience through the website aif.ru, social networks VK, FB, OK and l& #39;YouTube video hosting has collected more than 10 million content views.

As part of the project, a story about 30 young scientists was presented in an interactive format through text interviews, videos, photo stories and infographics. In total, more than 120 contents were created, a separate video channel on YouTube in the AiF profile, as well as the project website. This helped attract the target audience and ensure high audience interest in the project content.

The project was created with the support of the Russian Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation and the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Sergeev.

Digital Communications AWARDS has been awarded since 2013. The award was created with the aim of promoting the most significant achievements in the field of digital communications, promoting products using new technologies and communication tools.

ID “Arguments and Facts” (“AiF”) — a publishing house that publishes the largest and most popular weekly of the same name in Russia, as well as regional and thematic supplements. Published since January 1978.

Weekly “Arguments and facts” — federal edition No. 1, “Mark No. 1 in Russia” in 2016, the leader of sociopolitical weeklies in terms of audience (Mediascope data).

The site of the publishing house “Arguments and Facts” aif.ru, according to Mediascope, is in the top 10 of Russian media. About 30 million people visit the site every month (Liveinternet).

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How is Zyuganov and Zhirinovsky's health?

Weekly “Argumenty i Fakty” n°7. Olympics 2022: victories, predictions, scandals 02/16/2022 Summary Coronavirus pandemic of a new type that has spread from China

< strong>Vladimir Zhirinovsky has been in hospital since February 2. “The condition is considered stable, the doctors continue to give him all the necessary assistance”, — reported in the press service of the Ministry of Health. State Duma deputy from the Liberal Democratic Party Yaroslav Nilov called reports of inflammation of the brain and connection of a patient as rumors VIP to a fan. The party does not tire of refuting reports from some media about the serious consequences of covid in Zhirinovsky and even promises to sue its distributors.

Gennady Zyuganov confirmed that he was in the same hospital with Zhirinovsky, but that “did not see him”. He only specifies that the best specialists monitor the health of his opponent. “We hope, we hope, we hope. Help”, — Zyuganov noted. He himself, according to him, feels good. The leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation during a planned hospitalization showed signs of SARS without lung damage.

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Medinsky supported the installation of monuments to Sakharov and Fidel Castro in Moscow

Deputies of the Moscow City Duma at a meeting on Wednesday backed moves to erect monuments in the capital to Academician Andrei Sakharov, at the 39;former President of Cuba Fidel Castro and General Mikhail Yefremov.

Assistance to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky, commenting on this news, he described the decision of the deputies as wise and balanced.

According to him, the installation of monuments can only be welcomed, given the scale of the personalities of these people. Medinsky recalled that Academician Sakharov, for example, is not only a talented nuclear physicist, but also an outstanding humanist, whose ideas were accepted around the world and remain in demand to this day.

&ldash;Fidel Castro for us– block, symbol, one of the cult figures of revolutionary romanticism, – he pointed out.

The Assistant to the Head of State added that the Military Historical Society has been seeking for several years to perpetuate the memory of General Efremov in Moscow. In 2018, the RVIO installed a commemorative plaque in memory of the Soviet general, who fought heroically in 1942 surrounded by Vyazma and chose death over enemy captivity. As noted by Medinsky, there are always flowers near the memorial plaque.

“I welcome the decision of the deputies, I am glad that justice, thanks to the support of the mayor of Moscow and the perseverance of specialists in the military history of the Fatherland, has finally triumphed, – concludes Medinsky.

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The consequences of the floods in Rio de Janeiro

A heavy downpour hit Petropolis in Brazil, in the southeast of the country. More than 260 millimeters of rain fell on the city in six hours, more than expected for the whole month of February. Floods and landslides caused by heavy rains claimed the lives of at least 35 people.

More than 170 landslides were recorded in the city, 80 residential buildings were damaged. City authorities have declared a state of emergency. 180 rescuers are involved in the search operations.

The consequences of the floods in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro — in the AiF.ru photo stream.

< img src="/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/posledstvija-navodnenija-v-rio-de-zhanejro-a6a771b.jpg" style="display: block;" />

Floods in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Youtube Screenshot

The aftermath of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Aftermath of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Exploration work in Petropolis © Reuters

Consequences of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Consequences of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Floods in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Youtube Screenshot

Looking for work in Petropolis © Reuters

Consequences of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Looking for a job in Petropolis © Reuters

Consequences of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Exploration works in Petropolis © Reuters

Looking for work in Petropolis © Reuters

Floods in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Youtube Screenshot

The aftermath of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Consequences of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Looking for work in Petropolis © Reuters

The aftermath of the floods in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Consequences of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Floods in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Youtube Screenshot

Looking for work in Petropolis © Reuters

Consequences of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Exploration works in Petropolis © Reuters

Consequences of flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro © Reuters

Exploration works in Petropolis © Reuters

Exploration work at Petropolis © Reuters

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Switzerland lifts most coronavirus restrictions

As of February 17, most of the current coronavirus-related restrictions are lifted in Switzerland, including the wearing of masks and the need to present covid certificates when visiting public places. This decision was taken by the country's Federal Council.

“As of Thursday, February 17, masks and COVID certificates will no longer be required to enter shops, restaurants, cultural institutions and other places and Public events. The requirement to wear a mask in the workplace and the recommendation to work from home will also be lifted, — the government said in a statement. In addition, mass events and private gatherings will be allowed.

However, a number of measures will remain mandatory until at least the end of March — wearing a mask on public transport and healthcare establishments, as well as isolation in the event of positive test for coronavirus.

The authorities note a positive dynamic in the improvement of the epidemiological situation. This was made possible, among other things, by a high level of immunity. The decision to lift the anti-COVID measures has been taken after consultations “with the cantons, social partners, parliamentary committees and interested associations”.

Earlier in the day, it was learned that Thailand had lifted the quarantine for people vaccinated with the Sputnik Light vaccine entering the country under the Phuket Sandbox program.

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