Your regular concise roundup of world number plate news from home and abroad.
Malaysian king's golden plate
Ok, so the actual number plate isn't made of gold (so far as we know) but it might as well be: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar paid MYR 1.5 million - about £250,000 - for the registration number in February.
The "GOLD" series of number plates was one of many special or commemorative plate series that are issued periodically, and sold at auction, in order to raise funds for the Malaysian government. Sultan Ibrahim's winning bid secured the ultimate GOLD plate, GOLD 1, which was presented to him during a special audience with the transport minister, Mr Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
The GOLD series commemorates the 50th anniversary of Territory Day (AKA Territories Day). This public holiday was established in 1974 to mark Kuala Lumpur's new status as a federal state. More recently the holiday also celebrates the transformation of Labuan into the second federal territory in 1984, and that of Putrajaya into the third federal state in 2001.
While it's not enough to buy a place in our table of the top 50 most expensive registrations in the world, the MYR 1.5 million paid by Sultan Ibrahim does set a new record for the highest price paid for a single Malaysian registration number.
Finland's ban on Russian number plates takes wider effect
As of 16 March, drivers of cars displaying Russian number plates on Finland's roads will risk fines and confiscation of their vehicles unless they have an exemption or permit.
Finland banned entry to Russian registered vehicles in September 2023 and, at the same time, announced the measures that became active this month. The 2023 move stopped most new arrivals of Russian cars, while the newly activated rules affect cars already in Finland.
Ukraine's Ukrainska Pravda news website reported that vehicles with Russian plates "may now be subject to customs duties and VAT, after which [they
