A small French town has found itself in the social media glare after an unusual name clash in its local election.Incumbent mayor Charles Hittler is contesting a runoff against Antoine Renault-Zielinski, a coincidence that has sent the internet into a frenzy.Arcis-sur-Aube, a community of about 2,785 people roughly 160km southeast of Paris, heads to the polls in a municipal run-off this...

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...

King Charles has officially opened a new walking route that runs all the way around England’s shoreline.At 2,689 miles, Natural England says it is the longest managed coastal trail on the planet.Officially named the King Charles III England Coast Path, the route links beaches, salt marshes, cliffs, dunes and historic seaside towns. One highlight is the chalk downland of the Seven Sisters in...

A crippled Russian tanker loaded with liquefied natural gas and heavy fuel is drifting without a crew in the central Mediterranean, raising urgent alarm over the risk of a major ecological incident.Italian authorities, who joined eight other EU governments in urging the European Commission to act, say the vessel presents a severe and immediate danger after sustaining serious damage near Maltese...

Ukraine faces a growing risk of depleted missile supplies as the conflict in the Middle East draws down Western stockpiles and manufacturing capacity, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned during talks in London.He argued that an extended confrontation involving the US, Israel and Iran diverts military resources and attention away from Kyiv, while also driving up energy prices that harm Ukraine's...

A 61-year-old woman has died after a ski gondola came off its cable and plunged down Mount Titlis at the Engelberg resort in central Switzerland on Wednesday morning.The crash happened at about 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT), officials said.Police in the canton of Nidwalden say the victim was alone in a Titlis Xpress cabin that had just left the Trübsee station and was ascending the middle section...

A sudden cluster of meningitis cases in a small area of Kent has left health officials searching for answers.Around 20 people fell ill over a single weekend, an unusually rapid spike for a disease that normally appears as isolated cases.Meningitis in the UK is rare and usually scattered. Past notable outbreaks, such as a 1980s MenB episode in Gloucestershire, unfolded over years rather than...

Jerry Leach, a 32-year-old country musician, has died after being trapped beneath a vehicle outside his New Jersey home.According to authorities, Leach was found on March 10 pinned under the rear tire of the car.Police and nearby residents attempted to lift the vehicle to free him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Leach's band announced his death on Instagram, sharing photos and a...

A small commune in north-central France has unexpectedly become an online talking point because its incumbent mayor shares a striking surname with history's most notorious dictator.Charles Hittler, the mayor of Arcis-sur-Aube (population about 2,785), is seeking re-election in Sunday's municipal run-off and narrowly led after the first round.The retired laboratory chief says the surge of social...