Small UK firms’ energy bills set to more than double due to Iran war

• Estonia has formally warned Russia against aggressive actions in the Baltic region and pledged a military response to any violations. • The Baltic nation reaffirmed its commitment to NATO defense protocols and regional security frameworks. • The warning reflects heightened tensions between NATO members and Russia along Eastern European borders.

• Somalia announced plans for historic oil drilling operations, marking a significant economic development for the Horn of Africa nation. • The initiative carries substantial geopolitical weight as it could reshape regional influence and resource control in East Africa. • Industry analysts view the project as transformative for Somalia's economy and a potential catalyst for regional stability or tension.

• Oil prices spiked sharply as geopolitical tensions escalated between Iran and the United States following military confrontations. • The U.S. dollar recovered against major currencies as investors sought safe-haven assets amid rising uncertainty. • Energy markets remain volatile with traders closely monitoring developments in Middle East tensions and their impact on global supply chains.

• The U.S. has initiated measures to secure Venezuela's gold reserves as American geopolitical influence in the region intensifies. • The effort reflects Washington's strategy to expand economic leverage and control over Venezuelan assets during the nation's ongoing political and economic crisis. • The move signals escalating U.S. intervention in Venezuela's internal affairs with significant implications for regional power dynamics.

• Recent geopolitical tensions are fundamentally altering maritime shipping routes for energy commodities worldwide. • Energy shipping companies are implementing agile strategies to navigate heightened tensions and supply chain disruptions. • The shift in maritime logistics has broader implications for global energy prices and international trade networks.

• A US fighter jet was shot down over Iran as military tensions between Washington and Tehran intensify dramatically. • The incident marks a significant escalation in direct military confrontation between the two nations amid ongoing threats and counter-threats. • US forces have deployed advanced long-range missile systems in response, positioning for potential large-scale operations.

Leaders say automated mowers’ blades threaten nocturnal animals as studies highlight risks to wildlifeGerman mayors have called for a nationwide ban on night-time use of robot lawnmowers to protect hedgehogs and other small nocturnal animals from being killed or maimed in the dark.Recent studies have highlighted the threat lawnmower blades pose to wildlife active between dusk and dawn, prompting growing calls for regulation. Hedgehogs also tend to curl into a ball when threatened rather than running away, making them harder for a robot mower’s sensors to detect. Continue reading...

Four astronauts are set to become Earth’s farthest travelled and exceed a 1970 record on the sixth day of the missionArtemis II astronauts are on course to set a new distance record Monday when they fly by the moon without stopping there – and then swing around for planet Earth.The four astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch of the US space agency Nasa; and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen – will become Earth’s farthest travelled, going 5,000 miles (8,047km) beyond the moon, exceeding the distance record set by 1970’s ill-fated Apollo 13. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer ‘is not a bystander’, says Campaign Against Antisemitism as it calls on him to stop rapper entering UKKanye West should be banned from entering the UK to perform at Wireless festival, the Campaign Against Antisemitism has urged.The Jewish charity is the latest voice to join calls for the rapper’s performance to be cancelled following his antisemitic remarks and raises doubts about whether the music festival, due to take place in London’s Finsbury Park in July, will go ahead. Continue reading...

Tennessee leads way but experts say offender registry could provide a false sense of security – and identify victimsWhen Amanda Martin started dating Christopher Cendroski, whose family has described him as “big-hearted”, she had no idea he had been arrested for domestic assault. Had she known, she said she never would become involved with him.A few months into their relationship, which began in 2011, Cendroski started beating Martin, and in May 2012, he nearly choked her to death, she said. Police arrested Cendroski and helped both Martin and her children get to a shelter. Continue reading...

‘Here we go, ready or not, let’s do the news,’ Guthrie said, two months after the disappearance of her mother, NancySign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxToday show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie made an emotional return to the NBC morning show on Monday, 64 days after her mother, Nancy, was abducted from her home in Phoenix, Arizona.“Welcome to Today on this Monday morning. We are so glad you started your week with us, and it’s good to be home,” Guthrie told viewers. Continue reading...

Anutin Charnvirakul warns country is vulnerable over reliance on oil imports as countries across Asia introduce conservation measuresThailand’s prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has called on the public to conserve energy, urging work-from-home measures and carpooling, as he warned of the impact of the conflict in the Middle East.In a statement posted on social media, Anutin said Thailand was exposed to the crisis because of its reliance on imported oil and gas, and the country could not be complacent. Continue reading...