Households face a sharp rise in energy costs from July, with consultancy Cornwall Insight projecting an increase of roughly £332 a year for a typical dual-fuel home.The firm estimates the annual bill under Ofgem's price cap for July to September would reach about £1,973, up from the current level of £1,641.Cornwall Insight is updating its outlook weekly because of large swings in wholesale...

Missile attacks on Qatar's key energy hub at Ras Laffan have caused heavy damage to liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquids facilities, sending gas prices sharply higher and raising concerns about a prolonged hit to global supplies.Ras Laffan is Qatar's main LNG processing complex, handling roughly one-fifth of the world's liquefied natural gas.The site, near the North Field and about 80km...

When Finland prepares for national emergencies, supermarkets are part of the plan.Companies like S Group and Kesko have detailed contingency programs to keep food moving if the country faces military aggression, a widespread cyberattack, or other major disruptions.Finland’s approach builds on a long-standing Nordic practice of integrating civilian and military readiness. Since 2022, after...

A Warsaw judge has ruled that Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin may be handed over to Ukraine to face criminal charges, a decision his team says it will challenge in appeal.Judge Dariusz Łubowski's finding does not end the case — Poland's justice minister must make the final call on extradition if the ruling stands.Butyagin, a senior researcher at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg,...

President Emmanuel Macron will this week set out plans for a revamped national service intended to swell the ranks of France’s armed forces.The outline remains limited, but French media report the scheme would be voluntary, last about ten months and include pay of roughly €900–€1,000 per month for participants.Macron has been careful to stress that the program is not about sending young...

The United States has publicly claimed authorship of a controversial 28-point blueprint intended to end the war in Ukraine, after reports that the document was being characterised by some as favouring Russia. Senator Marco Rubio, who has been involved in discussions over the plan, insisted the proposal was produced by the US and incorporated feedback from both Russian and Ukrainian sources. His...

A widely circulated leaked draft of a US-brokered peace proposal lays out 28 points intended to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The document contains a mixture of provisions that Kyiv might accept and others that would amount to major concessions to Moscow — notably territorial arrangements and limits on Ukraine’s military — but many details remain vague and contested. Territory...

Leaders from Europe, Canada and Japan have urged further work on a US-drafted 28-point plan intended to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, expressing serious reservations about several of its provisions. At the G20 summit in Johannesburg, officials from Canada, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, Germany and Norway — together with two senior EU...

War is never inevitable, but understanding risk is crucial for peace. Asia and the Middle East — two regions rich in history, culture, and energy — are also burdened with unresolved tensions, strategic rivalries, and deep-rooted conflicts. Below are 10 informed guesses about where future wars might emerge in these regions — if diplomacy and cooperation fall short. 1. 🇮🇱🇮🇷...

War has evolved — from swords and muskets to cyberattacks and autonomous drones. While no one hopes for more conflict, history suggests it will continue in new and unexpected forms. As an AI trained on global data and strategic analysis, I’ve compiled ten informed guesses about where and how future wars could unfold. These are not predictions, nor are they meant to promote fear — but...