The geopolitics of energy reconstruction: Who will rebuild the Middle East’s damaged energy systems?

• Israel has launched air and ground assaults in Syria, viewing the current regime as a significant security threat. • Despite the United States easing sanctions and Arab states pledging financial aid, the country continues to face instability and minority tensions.

• The United States is increasing its military presence in the Middle East by deploying additional refueling planes and potentially heavy bombers amid escalating hostilities with Iran. • Jordan's National Center for Security & Crises Management reported that the Jordanian army detected and engaged six missiles launched from Iran that entered its airspace.

• President Donald Trump greeted the flag-draped remains of four American service members killed during the conflict with Iran on Wednesday. • The event occurred as Trump dismissed "desperate" calls from Iranian leaders to resume diplomatic negotiations, labeling them as unserious about a meaningful deal.

Trump officials say they will announce next phase of US trade policy as 10% global tariffs are due to expire on FridayDonald Trump’s administration will unveil the latest stage of his aggressive trade policy on Thursday, the White House has said, amid reports the US president is preparing a fresh wave of sweeping tariffs.Trump’s tariffs policy suffered a damaging blow in February when the US supreme court ruled that many of those tariffs were illegal. While the US replaced those tariffs with a 10% tariff regime on much of the world, these are due to expire on Friday. Continue reading...

Chris O’Shea defends Centrica’s plans as it reports rise in retail profits despite falling customer numbersThe owner of British Gas has claimed that most households would rather speak with an AI chatbot than deal with the company’s staff as it prepares to cut 1,300 jobs from its call centres.Centrica, the supplier’s FTSE 100 owner, plans to cut 800 jobs as the company carries out a “targeted deployment of AI tools”, on top of the 500 cutsit confirmed last month. Continue reading...

Swedish nonprofit alleges cost to repair replica was $6,000 but Universal – which made $264m on film’s opening weekend – has not stumped upThe Swedish owners of a Viking longship replica that features in the Hollywood blockbuster The Odyssey say they feel “forgotten” after film-makers allegedly returned the vessel damaged and failed to foot the bill for repairs.In nearly three decades at sea, the warship Glad av Gillberga – based on a wreck from around 1040 found in Denmark’s Roskilde fjord – has successfully sailed the North Sea, the Baltic and even voyaged to Canada. Continue reading...

Valentín Lavín Romero is the 14th mayor to be murdered since Claudia Sheinbaum became president in 2024A mayor was shot dead on Wednesday in the Mexican state of Morelos after having survived a previous assassination attempt earlier this year. He is the 14th mayor to be murdered since Claudia Sheinbaum became president in October 2024.Valentín Lavín Romero, who was from the Green party, an ally of the ruling leftwing Morena party, was wounded at the end of January when hitmen shot him at a petrol station on a motorway. Continue reading...

No injuries or deaths were reported from early-morning temblor whose epicenter was 68 miles from AmarilloSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email A 5.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Texas panhandle, the state’s northernmost region, on Thursday, marking the strongest quake to hit the area since 1900.The earthquake struck at around 5.21am at a depth of 3.5 miles (5.7km), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Its epicenter was about 27.8 miles (38.3km) south-east of the city of Spearman and approximately 68 miles (109km) from Amarillo. Continue reading...

Strategy will tackle ‘public health disaster’ that claims more lives than fire, flooding or knife crimeA national strategy to address the “public health disaster” of drowning has been launched in England – hours after two women died at an Essex beach, the latest in a surge of water-related tragedies.Among the measures being considered are: providing every child in England with water safety education and swimming lessons; establishing how climate change can increase risks; and media campaigns to inform bystanders how to respond to a potential drowning. Continue reading...

Forecasters warn of US coastal flooding, heavy rain and dangerous surf as the storm tracks westTropical Storm Bertha made landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon, and is moving westward toward the Texas coast, where it is expected to reach later on Thursday, bringing rainfall, winds and rising water levels.In a Thursday morning update, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Bertha was moving west and that the center of the tropical storm was expected to move near or along the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts over the next several hours before moving inland over Texas on Thursday evening. Continue reading...

MPs and others condemn behaviour of CT Group, which offered cash for positive coverage of clientsA political lobbying firm secretly paying journalists for articles favourable to its clients is facing calls to reveal full details of the payments, after the practice was denounced as a dangerous “attack on democracy”.MPs, senior lobbyists and transparency campaigners all condemned the behaviour of CT Group, the firm co-founded by the campaign strategist Lynton Crosby, an election guru previously hired by both David Cameron and Boris Johnson. Continue reading...