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As Trump suggests Middle East oil disruption is not his problem, experts say talk of US 'energy independence' is a smokescreen – with consumers paying the priceA month has passed since the US and Israel's war on Iran all but closed the strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil supplies typically flow. Prices have surged, amid fears of sustained disruption to global supplies.Donald Trump argues this is not his country's problem. “Go get your own oil!” the president urged countries, including the UK, earlier this week. The US has “plenty”, he added. The US is “totally independent” of the Middle East, the president claimed in a prime-time address on Wednesday. “We don't need their oil.” Continue reading......

Richard Blumenthal says company acts like it has 'get-out-of-jail-free card' as records show it upping fees to cut lossesTicketmaster quietly raised other fees after US crackdown on hidden chargesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailSenators slammed Ticketmaster for raising ticket fees following a regulatory crackdown on hidden charges as revealed in a report by the Guardian last week.The Federal Trade Commission last May began requiring Ticketmaster to disclose concert ticket fees upfront – a practice known as all-in pricing. The company eliminated the order processing fee it charged at the the end of a transaction to comply with the rule. Continue reading......

Richard Walker says any planned September rate rise should be scrapped to reflect increase in petrol pricesA cut to fuel duty should be extended to reflect the rise in petrol prices, the government's cost of living champion has said.Richard Walker, executive chair of the supermarket chain Iceland, urged Keir Starmer not to raise the levy in September, in light of the conflict in the Middle East. Continue reading......

Bosses write to home secretary and London mayor listing series of incidents staff have faced in past week Marks & Spencer has called on the government and London's mayor to crack down on retail crime, saying it has become “more brazen, more organised and more aggressive”, after reporting an increase in shoplifting and violence at its stores.The M&S chief executive, Stuart Machin, has written to the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and its retail director, Thinus Keeve, has written to the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, saying greater resources are needed for police to tackle the crime effectively and target repeat offenders and crime hotspots. Continue reading......

We are at a critical point in the climate emergency and already struggling to meet emissions reduction targets. The UK government must hold its nerveWhile the UK is only marginally involved in the war in the Middle East in military terms, the ramifications for this country are still potentially huge. And nowhere more so than in the energy sector. It isn't a surprise, then, that commentary has focused on the impact potential policy interventions might have on the cost of energy to UK homes and businesses, and on whether the decisions the government takes will make the nation more – or less – energy-secure.The usual suspects in Reform and the Tory party have used the war as an excuse to renew demands that the North Sea be sucked dry of its remaining oil and gas, in order – they say – to end reliance on fossil fuel imports and to guarantee energy security. More sensible heads have argued that the North Sea basin is a field that is way past peak production, and that has only limited amounts of oil an...

Abdullah Baig alleged Meta ignored flaws putting billions at risk, but a US judge ruled he lacked sufficient evidenceA US court has dismissed a lawsuit from WhatsApp's former security chief, who alleged that parent company Meta ignored internal flaws he flagged about the messaging app's digital defenses.Abdullah Baig, who claims he was fired in retaliation for raising these concerns, had alleged that billions of users had been put at risk because of these vulnerabilities. Thousands of employees could view sensitive user data, including profile photos and location, Baig claimed in the lawsuit filed in September. A judge ruled he had not presented enough evidence to move forward. Continue reading......

Anna Turley questions revised £25,000 figure for failed attempt to reach Chagos Islands on jet linked to billionaireLabour has queried Nigel Farage's claim that a return trip to the Maldives on a private jet linked to a billionaire donor cost as little as £25,000 as the Reform leader attempted to reach the Chagos Islands.Farage initially recorded his two-day trip to the Maldives as costing £12,500 funded by Thailand-based Reform megadonor Christopher Harborne, before upgrading this to £25,000 in the latest register of interests. Continue reading......

Document shows partial felling last year, which led to legal action against Toby Carvery, was done by Ground ControlA mystery contractor who chainsawed an ancient oak in north London for the Toby Carvery restaurant chain has been identified by the Guardian, prompting more questions about the incident.The unauthorised partial felling of the 500-year-old oak a year ago on Friday in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, prompted widespread public outrage and questions in parliament. Continue reading......

Booming prediction market sites, such as Kalshi and Polymarket, face scrutiny from states and CongressSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe US government sued Illinois on Thursday to stop what it described as the state's unlawful efforts to regulate prediction markets.The booming industry of online prediction markets – which allow users to bet on virtually anything from Oscar winners to the weather to ongoing military conflicts – has been facing greater scrutiny as companies continue to fight state-led efforts to regulate the fast-growing industry – which many argue is “basically gambling but with another name”. Continue reading......

Unite accuses authority of trying to 'break' industrial action as waste dispute enters second yearUnite has accused Birmingham city council of trying to “break” the bin strikes after analysis showed the council had doubled spending on agency staff since the start of the year-long industrial action.Birmingham's bin workers have taken part in an all-out strike since March last year over proposed pay cuts and role changes. The dispute has left residents without a fully functioning waste collection service and has led to towering waste and overflowing bins on the streets. Continue reading......

From farms in New Zealand to factories in Delhi, the effects of the oil crisis triggered by the Iran war are rippling across Asia Continue reading......

As Barcelona groans under a surfeit of generic cafes, a grassroots movement is reviving the traditional 'fork breakfast'. Anyone for pigs' trotters?There are many worse ways to start your day than with eggs royale. The contrast in textures between a soft poached egg and a coarse, toasted English muffin is a thing of beauty, and the combination of smoked salmon and a lemony hollandaise sauce ties it together perfectly. The term “brunch” was coined in an essay in Hunter's Weekly in 1895, and while you're unlikely to find too many fans in foodie circles, or among those who have to work the shift (“nothing demoralises an aspiring Escoffier faster”, wrote Anthony Bourdain), they aren't lacking in number. It clearly has its place. The problem is the place it currently occupies: in our gentrifying cities, brunch has acquired a symbolism that goes far beyond the food itself.After the quieter winter months, Barcelona is one of many European cities gearing up for another holiday season of heightened t...

UN says record numbers of people could face acute hunger if conflict continuesThe world has become well versed in the importance of the strait of Hormuz to the world's energy flows, but attention is increasingly turning to its vital role in another market – the fertiliser on which harvests depend.A third of the global trade in raw materials for fertiliser passes through the maritime choke point, which is also the route for 20% of shipments of natural gas, which is required to make it. Continue reading......

New tax will hit branded drugs and active ingredients while exempting generics for at least one yearSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxDonald Trump is threatening 100% tariffs on pharmaceutical companies that have not struck deals to lower US drug prices.The new tariff will only apply to branded drugs and their active ingredients. Generic drugs, which make up more than 90% of medicines sold in the US, will be exempted from tariffs for at least one year. Orphan, veterinary and other specialty drugs are exempt if they are from trade deal countries or meet urgent public health needs. Continue reading......

OpenAI's chief of strategy says acquisition of show will help company engage with public about AI as it evolvesOpenAI is wading into the media business by acquiring TBPN, a technology-focused talkshow closely watched by Silicon Valley insiders, its hosts said on Wednesday.Co-hosts John Coogan and Jordi Hays broadcast TBPN live for three hours every weekday from Los Angeles, lining up guests that include founders, venture capitalists and major figures in the technology world. Continue reading......

Former government adviser Polly Billington urges bigger steps to shield people in UK from effects of Iran warMiddle East crisis – live updatesKeir Starmer should convene a global energy summit of the same order as Gordon Brown's response to the 2008 financial crisis and put Britain on a “war footing” to reduce its exposure to fossil fuels, a Labour MP and former government adviser has said.Polly Billington, who was an aide in Brown's government, warned that economic pain was “hurtling down the tracks” and a bigger response was needed to protect the British people from the consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Continue reading......

Readers respond to a report that some pub landlords are banning children after incidents of unsafe, unruly behaviourIt's fair to say the traditional British pub has always been seen as a wind-down space for adults ('It dictated the whole atmosphere': why some landlords are banning kids from pubs, 26 March). Adult conversations, a laugh and a joke with mates and, yes, getting a little tipsy and merry without having to worry about the responsibility of looking after, or even maintaining decorum in front of, the children.As adults we don't dive into the ball pits at McDonald's, or invade playgrounds to go on the swings or see-saws, even for a laugh, because it's not our space. Continue reading......

The US president couldn't give a single coherent reason for why this aggressive war of choice must still be prosecutedDonald Trump's self-congratulatory speech on Iran on Wednesday night was as puzzling as it was divorced from reality. I had hoped he would declare victory and end the war. Some feared he might provide cover for a ground invasion. Instead, he told us in essence to be patient, that he is almost done, but he was utterly unclear about what more there is to accomplish.If there was ever a purpose to the war, it was to curtail Iran's capacity to develop a nuclear weapon. Trump harped on that goal repeatedly in his speech, noting that he had long vowed that he “would never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon”. But he didn't mention that Iran has long agreed to eschew a nuclear weapon. If that is the only goal, this entire war has been pointless. Continue reading......

Private credit investment firm's move is latest sign of crumbling confidence in unregulated lending marketA major private credit investment firm, Blue Owl Capital, has imposed a cap on withdrawals after investors tried to pull $5.4bn from two key funds, in the latest sign of crumbling confidence in the unregulated lending market.The New York-headquartered firm released filings on Thursday that showed a surge in redemption requests, with investors asking to take back 21.9% of the cash stored in Blue Owl's $20bn (£15bn) Credit Income Corp fund between January and March. Meanwhile, investors requested 40.7% of funds from its $3bn tech lending fund. Continue reading......

Brent crude rises 8% as US president vows to hit Iran 'extremely hard' over coming weeksBusiness live – latest updatesOil prices have soared after Donald Trump vowed in a televised speech to hit Iran “extremely hard” over the coming weeks, knocking hopes of a near-term end to the conflict in the Middle East.Brent crude prices jumped by as much as 8% on Thursday to $109.74 a barrel, reversing Wednesday's drop when hopes of a de-escalation in the Iran war pushed the international benchmark below the $100-a-barrel mark at one point. Continue reading......