Reeves in emergency talks with oil and gas chiefs
Rachel Reeves has held urgent talks with senior oil and gas executives after warnings that energy bills for UK households could rise by around £500 due to the war in the Middle East.…
Social media: growing disruption caused by deepfake videos
Security experts are warning about the growing influence of artificial intelligence in online disinformation campaigns after a British academic discovered a deepfake video using his likeness. Professor Alan Read of King’s College London…
European bank chief urges Europe to strengthen its ‘strategic autonomy’
Looking on at the conflict in the Middle East, the president of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Nadia Calviño, has urged Europe to strengthen its ‘strategic autonomy’ more quickly. She warned that conflict…
Middle East conflict: Thailand likely to be hit hardest by Hormuz closure
The war in the Middle East tensions has raised concerns about global energy supplies after Iran reportedly closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for oil and gas. The narrow waterway…
Pakistan / Afghanistan: many casualties as fighting continues
Heavy fighting has erupted along the long border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, raising fears of a prolonged regional conflict. The clashes began after Pakistani air strikes targeted locations in Afghanistan, including sites linked…
Russia: soldiers describe severe brutality and allege executions
Four Russian soldiers have described severe brutality within their own ranks during the war in Ukraine, including alleged executions of troops who refused orders. In a BBC documentary, two men said they witnessed…
Ukraine: ceasefire negotiations make no substantial progress
After two days, negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the USA ended without a ceasefire agreement, highlighting how far apart both sides remain. Discussions addressed military monitoring and possible prisoner exchanges, yet the central…
EU leaders face difficult decision on Russian steel
Across Europe, leaders face a difficult decision over Russian steel imports. Although finished steel was banned after the invasion of Ukraine, semi-finished steel continues to enter the EU because several countries rely on…
Ukraine: thousands without electricity as peace talks continue
Renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have left millions without power during freezing winter conditions. Volodymyr Zelensky said more than two hundred repair crews are working around the clock in Kyiv, where…
Russia: new report estimates over one million casualties in Ukraine war
A new report from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies estimates that around 1.2 million Russian troops have been killed, wounded or gone missing since the invasion of Ukraine nearly four years…
