Strait of Hormuz ‘closed’ as Iran and US exchange strikes July 12, 2026 Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed as it trades fresh strikes with the US over the alleged unauthorised passage of a ship through the vital trade route. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Sunday morning that the waterway, which usually accounts for a quarter of the world’s maritime oil trade, will be [...]
Why Fifa World Cup players are drowning in commercial red tape July 12, 2026 Joshua Charalambous and Ellie Chakarto take a look at why this World Cup is restraining its stars A lot has been made about the star power at the Fifa Men’s World Cup – goals for Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal – and of course, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo who both [...]
Europe has made a ‘major mistake’ on slow electrification, IEA chief warns July 11, 2026 The head of the International Energy Agency has warned Europe made a “major mistake” by failing to end its economy reliance on imported fossil fuels quickly enough since the 2022 energy crunch. Fatih Birol said Europe’s low electrification rate, electricity’s share of the energy consumed in the EU, of roughly 23 per cent is holding [...]
Sadiq Khan lobbies Burnham to appoint Miliband as Chancellor July 11, 2026 London mayor Sadiq Khan has weighed into the debate over who should be the next chancellor, lobbying Andy Burnham to select Ed Miliband for the job. In a private discussion with Burnham, Khan argued that Miliband had both the political skills and economic expertise to deliver Burnham’s agenda, including devolving powers to city regions, people [...]
Apple sues Open AI accusing them of stealing ‘trade secrets’ July 11, 2026 Apple has accused Open AI and two of its former employees of stealing top secret information as the two biggest names in Silicon Valley prepare to compete in the consumer electronics market. The iPhone maker said in a lawsuit filed on Friday in a California federal court that the theft of its trade secrets was [...]
Will the Nations Championship financially underdeliver for in-need Fiji? July 11, 2026 With Fiji set to sell out Everton’s stadium this weekend why isn’t it rosy for the island nation, Ollie Phillips asks. In theory this month should have been a dream one for Fiji’s rugby team, despite losing to Wales in their opening Nations Championship match. They’ve upped sticks from Suva in the Pacific and chosen [...]
The devastating prognosis for the UK’s public finances July 11, 2026 While much of the media obsesses over Nigel Farage’s fight with a man dressed as a bin, I have something more sobering to discuss as we kick off the weekend. The Office for Budget Responsibility’s report into fiscal risks and sustainability, published this week, is comfortably the most alarming yet. This is an annual review [...]
Bolt eyes former Zipcar customers with London car-sharing push July 10, 2026 Bolt is expanding into UK car sharing through a new partnership with Hiyacar, as the ride-hailing giant looks to fill the gap left by Zipcar’s withdrawal from London. From autumn, Londoners will be able to book Hiyacar vehicles directly through the Bolt app without paying a membership fee, marking the first UK launch of Bolt [...]
Miami heat: Why climate could be key in 40C England v Norway World Cup quarter-final July 10, 2026 Athletes from Norway are the masters of staying elite in the heat, but their football team hasn’t had the chance to test that theory ahead of their World Cup clash with England in sweltering Florida on Saturday. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. If England’s World Cup last-16 clash was about resilience [...]
Liverpool upheaval as key figure leaves after multi-club expansion fails July 10, 2026 Liverpool’s ownership is set for a boardroom exodus with Fenway Sports Group’s chief of football heading for the door. Michael Edwards, who joined the club for a second time in 2024, will leave a year before his contract expires, having already served his notice period. It could mark a key domino in a series of [...]