A bitter dispute over repairs to the Druzhba oil pipeline has blocked a vital €90bn EU loan to Kyiv.The row pits Hungary and Slovakia against Ukraine after a Russian strike damaged the Brody pumping station on 27 January and stopped all flows.Satellite images and local reporting show a giant storage tank at Brody — one of Ukraine’s largest — burned for days after the attack. Engineers...

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...

A string of attacks on a major gas field shared by Iran and Qatar has pushed energy markets higher and put fresh strain on the U.S.-Israel partnership.Israeli forces struck facilities in the South Pars field, one of the world’s largest gas reserves, and Iran responded by targeting an energy complex in Qatar.The tit-for-tat exchange prompted a fierce post from US President Donald Trump on his...

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has ignited a fresh political row after urging closer economic cooperation with the EU as a route to greater resilience.Speaking at the Mais lecture hosted by Bayes Business School in London, Reeves argued the UK should deepen its economic links with Europe to shore up growth and stability.Her call has prompted sharp criticism from opponents who say seeking tighter...

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...

Cyprus president Nikos Christodoulides said the island's two British military bases are a legacy of colonial rule and called for an open review of their status once the Middle East crisis eases.He made the remarks as he arrived in Brussels for an EU leaders' summit, signalling that talks with London will be on the agenda in due course.Under the 1960 treaty that granted Cyprus independence, the UK...

Former pop star Gary Glitter, real name Paul Gadd, is reported to be gravely ill while serving time at HMP Channings Wood in Devon.Sources say the 81-year-old is largely immobile and hard of hearing, often using a wheelchair and spending most of his day confined to his cell.Insiders told the press he is held on a Vulnerable Prisoners Unit for his own protection, reportedly spending up to 23 hours...

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...

Labour has been plunged into fresh internal conflict after senior figures clashed over a proposed overhaul of settlement rules for migrants.Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner publicly attacked Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s plans, arguing it would be unfair to change the conditions for people who have already built lives in Britain.More than 100 Labour MPs have privately warned Mahmood that...