McDonald’s is to permanently quit Russia over the Ukraine war, the company has revealed today.
Citing the ongoing ‘humanitarian crisis’ caused in the region by the conflict, McDonald’s has now said that it will be selling off all of its restaurants in the country and ‘de-Arching’ the new owners to remove all and any remaining brand ties.
Whilst many companies have announced temporary sanctions on Russia. this move by McDonald’s makes it one of just a handful of global brands to permanently pull out of the country in protest of the war.
When bosses initially shut down operations on 8 March following the initial invasion, the measures were only intended to be temporary.
Now, the company has said its position in Russia is ‘no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values’.
In spite of this, it has emerged that McDonald’s still plans to look after its 62,000 Russian staff and has promised that they will continue to have jobs with the stores’ new owners as part of any future deal.
The company has also pledged to keep paying its Russian staff until new agreements are signed.
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CEO Chris Kempzcinski said that the Russian staff’s dedication and loyalty to McDonald’s ‘make today’s announcement extremely difficult’, adding that he was ‘exceptionally proud’ of them.
‘However, we have a commitment to our global community and must remain steadfast in our values.
‘And our commitment to our values means that we can no longer keep the Arches shining there.’
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By writing off all of its assets in Russia, the company will instantly lose £1.2 billion, it said in a statement, adding that it expects ‘significant losses’ as it also has to sell all of its assets in roubles.
In a private document obtained by The New York Times, Mr Kempzcinski admitted the move would have ‘profound consequences’ on employees, franchises and suppliers.
He said: “Some might argue that providing access to food and continuing to employ tens of thousands of ordinary citizens is surely the right thing to do.
“But it is impossible to ignore the humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.
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“And it is impossible to imagine the Golden Arches representing the same hope and promise that led us to enter the Russian market 32 years ago.”
He reportedly added: “In the history of McDonald’s, it was one of our proudest and most exciting milestones.
“After nearly half a century of Cold War animosity, the image of the Golden Arches shining above Pushkin Square heralded for many, on both sides of the Iron Curtain, the beginning of a new era.”
Remarkable Lake District rescue of dog missing for THREE WEEKS
Daisy Jackson
A dog who was missing for almost three WEEEKS in the Lake District has, miraculously, been rescued.
Little Teddy went missing on 2 August, disappearing from his owner on Helvellyn.
Volunteers from Keswick Mountain Rescue Team spent the following weeks searching for the scrappy dog, with one eventually hearing him barking from Dry Gill.
The poor dog had got stuck in the gill in a dangerous location that required a full team of seven to bring him to safety.
Remarkably, Teddy appeared to be uninjured, though he had lost quite a bit of weight after three weeks living wild on the fell.
His rescuers gave him a small amount of food before securing him in a rucksack and carrying him back to Swirls car park.
The whole rescue took around three and a half hours, when Teddy was reunited with his very relieved owner and taken to the vets.
Teddy making his way down from HelvellynTeddy the dog was part of a rescue mission in the Lake DistrictTeddy was rescued after three weeks missingCredit: Keswick Mountain Rescue
Keswick Mountain Rescue said: “The team are absolutely delighted to share this update, as the news of this missing dog had deeply affected so many people across our local community.
“A remarkable outcome after nearly three weeks on Helvellyn, and a huge well done to everyone who kept searching and never gave up on Teddy.”
The mountain rescue team is funded entirely through donations – you can use ‘Buy me a coffee’ to make a small donation HERE, or donate the normal way HERE.
Elbow get behind campaign to save Jodrell Bank from closure
Danny Jones
Manc band Elbow are among the latest to get behind the campaign to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from closing permanently.
The Greater Manchester natives famously played a sold-out gig at the important scientific and cultural landmark for a very special live album recording well over a decade ago, and know all too well the site’s national and, indeed, global heritage.
Choosing the Observatory and the rare chance to perform a show in the shadow of the world-renowned James Lovell Telescope, it probably remains one of their most significant standalone UK date ever.
With that in mind, the local lads have been left just as worried by the news of its impending closure as everyone else, and have therefore issued a fresh appeal to help keep it open.
Posting a timely statement on social media, the group wrote: “Jodrell Bank has long been close to elbow’s heart. In 2012, the band played beneath the Lovell Telescope for one of the most memorable shows in our history.
“The recent news that funding for the e-MERLIN radio telescope network is set to end in 2028 puts the future of the scientific work at Jodrell Bank under serious threat. It is a remarkable place, with an extraordinary history, and one that continues to play an important role in science, culture and education.”
In addition to reliving clips and images from the historic live set all the years later, they also pointed people towards their ‘elbow – Live at Jodrell Bank‘ album documentary, which has now been made available online for the very first time as part of wider efforts to raise awareness around the cause.
Directing people to key online resources shared by the institution and astrophysics centre itself following their unfortunate update late last month, the push to not only find the funding but sustain support for the facility continues to ramp up throughout the world of science, arts and industry.
For anyone who somehow missed the news – 2028 being the current deadline handed down as per budget cuts across the sector – concerned parties here in the North West and all over the country have since started petitioning to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from shutting down for good.
In addition to being described as a “huge blow” to the field by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), some have even gone so far as to describe the decision as a form of “vandalism” when it comes to research and British culture as a whole.
Having also served as the host venue for the annual bluedot Festival since 2016, the multi-genre science and arts celebration could soon be forced to find a new home.
The battle is far from over yet, and the community has time to rescue Jodrell Bank Observatory from its fate, but it will take lots of money and more notable public figures to make it happen.
Once again, you can do your bit by signing the petition mentioned above right HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
16th May 2022 
