The UK joined key European partners in rejecting Washington’s move to ease an oil embargo on a sanctioned state, warning it undermines pressure and security. The White House says the step is intended to stabilise global fuel prices.
Ministers face calls to approve the UK’s largest oil field and reconsider the pause on new North Sea licences, with supporters arguing it would bolster energy security and curb bills amid global market instability. Opponents warn of climate and investment risks.
A newly surfaced 1999 photo shows a senior royal and a former Cabinet minister socialising with a disgraced US financier at Martha’s Vineyard. The image has revived scrutiny of their past links; both figures deny wrongdoing and neither faces charges.
Newly released files include a photo said to show a former prince and a Labour peer socialising with a convicted offender, intensifying scrutiny of their past links. The revelation has prompted calls for clarity about the nature and extent of those associations.
The White House has sent a Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Gulf to protect a vital shipping strait after incidents involving civilian vessels. The force could secure lanes and nearby islands with allied support. Brent crude passed $100 as markets priced in possible disruption.
The chancellor pledged targeted support to shield poorer households from rising energy bills as global tensions lift wholesale prices. The Treasury is modelling options, with temporary help likely if the price cap jumps in June, prioritising low‑income homes.
The US and Israel have intensified military operations targeting Iranian sites around Tehran, seeking a breakthrough after weeks of confrontation. The UK coordinates with allies on diplomacy and calls for restraint.
Downing Street confirmed the PM did not personally question a Labour peer about past links to an individual convicted of abuse before appointing him ambassador to the US, saying no interview was required. Critics call it a dereliction of duty; No 10 defends the process.
Wall Street is concerned as crude tops $100 amid a deepening supply squeeze. Investors fear persistent energy costs will lift inflation, pressure households and complicate central bank plans, heightening recession risk. Energy shares rise while broader indices fall.