IT MUST BE TRUE…

I read it in the tabloids

A British man who checked in to a hotel in the Russian city of Rostov was astonished to discover comprehensive instructions in his room on what to do in the event of a kidnapping. The guidance, written in broken English, advises guests that they should “not resist” their kidnappers, and warns that terrorists can be “people with unhealthy state of mind and behave unpredictable”. It urges guests to comply with their kidnappers’ demands, and to lie on the floor “during the operation of releasing”. The instructions were posted on Twitter by a guest named only as Matt, one of a group of Man Utd fans who had travelled to Rostov for a Europa League match.

Pictures of a Ukrainian judge ge went viral this week, after users noted that she appeared to have styled herself on the Disney villainess Ursula, the halfwoman, half-octopus baddie from The Little Mermaid. But Alla Bandura’s life has been no Disney cartoon: in 2006, she survived being stabbed 12 times by unknown assailants.

Enterprising florists in Russia have been renting out vast bouquets, to cater to a new demand from selfie-obsessed women. The service was launched to coincide with International Women’s Day, when it is traditional for women to be given flowers and – increasingly – to post photos of this token of love on social media. This year, several firms have cashed in on the trend, offering improbably large bouquets, not to buy, but to rent. For 700 roubles (about £10), one firm offers women ten minutes with a bouquet made up of 101 roses.