Newspaper headlines: 'Putin parties, Ukraine burns' and Biden warns Xi

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By BBC News
Staff
EPA

Several of Saturday's papers lead with Vladimir Putin's continued aggression in Ukraine, contrasted by the charm offensive he has launched in Russia.

"Putin parties, Ukraine burns" is the i weekend's headline as the paper reports on the Russian president's "huge war rally" that was held in Moscow.

The paper notes that some have said that the crowds were government employees brought in from across the country.

In the besieged south-eastern city of Mariupol in Ukraine, street fighting is preventing the rescue of hundreds of people - including children - who are buried under the rubble of a theatre that was hit on Wednesday, an official tells the paper.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has told the Times that the Kremlin is using peace talks with Ukraine as a "smokescreen" while it prepares to carry out more "appalling atrocities" and war crimes.

"If a country is serious about negotiations, it doesn't indiscriminately bomb civilians that day," Ms Truss told the paper.

She predicted that Mr Putin will resort to "worse and worse" methods as his progress in Ukraine falters.

US President Joe Biden has warned that Beijing will face "consequences" if it provides Russia with weapons to help in its invasion of Ukraine, the Daily Telegraph reports.

But Chinese President Xi Jinping said the US was responsible for the war.

US officials have alleged that Russia is seeking military support from Beijing, including armed drones, surface-to-air missiles, armoured vehicles and intelligence gathering technology.

The plight of Ukrainian refugees has inspired the Royal Family to offer "practical support", according to the Daily Express. It adds that aides are looking into what steps senior royals can take to help those who have fled Ukraine.

Also in royal news but away from the war in Ukraine, the Daily Mail says that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have had to cancel their first big engagement on their Caribbean tour after villagers described the visit as "colonialism".

The paper reports that the couple were due to start their visit to Belize with a trip to a sustainable cocoa farm on Sunday, but local people have staged a protest, calling the visit a "slap in the face".

And the Sun reports that the Queen intends to spend "much more" time at Craigowan Lodge, on the Balmoral estate.

The Highlands cottage is one of the 95-year-old monarch's favourite homes, the paper adds.

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Meanwhile, P&O Ferries is facing a fierce backlash after it sacked hundreds of staff, the FT Weekend reports.

Government ministers have said the company might have broken the law and the Archbishop of Canterbury has labelled the move "unethical" and "inhumane".

The paper says that the company's reputation has been "shattered" after it dismissed its UK crews with immediate effect on Thursday.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said P&O had "given business a bad name". P&O said the decision to sack workers was a last resort.

The Daily Mirror says P&O Ferries has been accused of operating "modern slave ships", replacing 800 crew with £2.60-an-hour agency staff.

The company denied the claim, which was made by an RMT union official, the paper reports. Labour MP Karl Turner said: "They've treated the workers abysmally."

P&O Ferries has been warned by the business secretary that it could face an unlimited fine if it is found to have breached the law, the Guardian reports.

Mr Kwarteng wrote to the company to express the government's "anger and disappointment".

Mr Kwarteng highlighted the taxpayer support received by the firm, suggesting the procedure for large-scale redundancies appear not to have been followed, the paper adds.

P&O said it did not consult staff or unions before the sackings because the process would be highly disruptive.

And finally, the Daily Star emphasises that it will be "Hot! Hot! Hot!" as temperatures are expected to exceed Ibiza in the next few days.

"Brits set for 20C sizzler as spring arrives early," the paper adds.