{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/9475d117-fcd4-4915-a6f3-923941e7aa0d/6740b819ec59709ba513ef91?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Russia-Ukraine missiles, farmers’ ‘tractor tax’ protest & methanol poisoning: our weekly news round up","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/61ba05fc1a8cbed4343cf0e6/1732294590593-7b636096-2e34-436a-898e-4f5a6ca61393.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>Welcome to The Standard podcast’s special edition, where we bring you news highlights from the week that was.</p><p>Headlines were dominated by escalating moves in Russia’s invasion of <a href=\"https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/podcasts/kyiv-claims-russia-fired-first-long-range-icbm-rocket-in-ukraine-war-b1195532.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Ukraine</a>, policies around Kyiv’s use of <a href=\"https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/podcasts/storm-shadow-uk-policy-us-ukraine-missiles-deal-b1194765.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">powerful British-American missiles</a> in the war, and Moscow’s retaliation with what the Kremlin says is a new type of hypersonic weapon.</p><p>Here in Britain, we looked at the impacted of <a href=\"https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/podcasts/impact-of-inflation-rise-cold-weather-2025-energy-bills-b1195266.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">shocks to the energy market and our household bills</a> that the war, as well as the recent cold snap, has caused.</p><p>There was also continuing domestic anger about the first Rachel Reeves budget, as <a href=\"https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/podcasts/farmers-protest-labour-tractor-tax-inheritance-b1195004.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">thousands of farmers marched on Westminste</a>r in protest at Labour’s so-called ‘tractor tax’ on inheritance.&nbsp;</p><p>You’ll also hear our interview with Andrea Sella, professor of chemistry at UCL about the impact of methanol on the body after<a href=\"https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/laos-hostel-methanol-poisoning-police-simone-white-vang-vieng-b1195606.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> six people died after drinking alleged ‘tainted’ alcohol shots</a> at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos.</p><p>Plus, inside one of the capital’s Lime e-bikes maintenance depots and could pondlife bacteria be repurposed to power <a href=\"https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/podcasts/biden-ukraine-longrange-missiles-russia-b1194762.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">space lasers</a>?</p>","author_name":"The Evening Standard"}