How EVs could be part of answer to UK’s fuel reserve worries

More use of two-way charging will earn money for owners and could avoid the need to expand North Sea oil drilling

The Iran war has sent petrol and diesel prices to their highest levels in years, sparked warnings of fuel rationing across Europe and triggered calls for Britain to drill more North Sea oil and gas. But analysis suggests the UK is looking for solutions in the wrong places – and that one of them is sitting on people’s driveways or parked in the street.

If more drivers switched electric vehicles, Britain would sharply reduce its petrol and diesel consumption, with every car charged from the grid rather than the pump extending the country’s fuel reserves – and experts say the potential impact goes far beyond that.

If more drivers switched to electric vehicles, Britain could sharply reduce its petrol and diesel consumption. Every car charged from the grid rather than the pump extends the country’s fuel reserves – and experts say the potential impact goes far beyond that.

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As US troops sail to Middle East, how likely is Trump to order boots on the ground?

Secretary of state Marco Rubio repeats administration’s belief that US can achieve its aims without a ground war

Amid tentative White House efforts at diplomacy to end the war in Iran, US troops have also been arriving in the region to deliver what Donald Trump has hoped could be a knockout blow if he can’t negotiate a ceasefire with Tehran.

Thousands of US marines aboard navy amphibious ships from the 31st and 11th expeditionary units have been deployed to the Middle East from Asia. Another 2,000-odd paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne are also being sent to the theatre – they are tasked with deploying worldwide within 18 hours of notification and execute parachute assaults, including against a “defended airfield” to prepare for further ground operations.

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Crowds gather for London march against the far right – live

Together Alliance march begins in central London at midday; a separate event organised by the Palestine Coalition is also taking place

Co-organiser of Saturday’s event, Sabby Dhalu, who is joint secretary of the Together Alliance and co-convenor of Stand Up to Racism, said the UK is seeing an “unprecedented growth” in support for far-right organisations.

“We believe that the majority of British people stand against the hatred and division and racism that was being encouraged at that demonstration and by these types of organisations, and it’s time to act.”

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At least 22 people die after six days adrift in boat en route to Europe from Libya

Survivors tell coastguard smugglers ordered victims to be thrown overboard after running out of food and water

22 people hoping to reach Europe from north Africa have died off the coast of Greece after six days at sea in a rubber boat, survivors told the Greek coastguard.

The coastguard said on Friday that 26 people, including a woman and a minor, were rescued by a European border agency vessel off the island of Crete.

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US House passes stopgap DHS funding bill after Republicans reject Senate deal

Bill passes by 213 to 203 votes in move prolonging weeks-long budget standoff that has disrupted travel

US House Republicans rejected a bipartisan Senate deal to temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security and instead passed their own funding measure late Friday, extending a weeks-long budget standoff that has disrupted travel.

The stopgap bill, which proposes funding the DHS in full for eight weeks, passed by 213 to 203 votes after Republicans in the lower chamber refused to take up a Senate-passed deal that excluded money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol.

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US embassy in Mexico prompts outrage with AI video promoting ‘self-deportation’

AI-generated footage depicts group of men performing a corrido, singing phrases including ‘return to your roots’

An AI-generated video from the US embassy in Mexico encouraging migrants to “self-deport” has sparked disbelief and outrage online.

The video posted this week on official embassy social media accounts depicts a group of men wearing black caps and sporting tattoos performing a kind of traditional Mexican ballad known as a corrido.

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Young voters shake Italy’s political calm as referendum exposes tensions for Giorgia Meloni

Prime minister is scrambling to clean up her government after youth vote powered a damaging referendum defeat

Filippo Michelini was having a drink at San Calisto, a popular bar in Rome’s Trastevere neighbourhood on Wednesday night. As he chatted to his friends, Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government was reeling from a failed referendum, and her beleaguered tourism minister, Daniela Santanchè, had just resigned.

Michelini, a 29-year-old computer scientist who lives in Brussels, was spending a few days in the Italian capital after returning home last weekend to cast his ballot in the plebiscite on judicial changes.

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One killed, several wounded in Iranian ballistic missile attack on central Israel – The Times of Israel

  1. One killed, several wounded in Iranian ballistic missile attack on central Israel  The Times of Israel
  2. Nineteen injured near Beit Shemesh, reports of shrapnel impact in Eilat as Iran targets Israel  The Jerusalem Post
  3. No injuries reported in concurrent Iranian and Hezbollah attacks on Israel  The Times of Israel
  4. Iran’s missiles pierce Israel’s defenses, raising doubts about interceptors  The Washington Post
  5. Man killed Friday by missile shrapnel in Tel Aviv named Vyacheslav Vidmant  Haaretz
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As Russian oil profits soar, so do Ukraine’s drone attacks on refineries – The Kyiv Independent

  1. As Russian oil profits soar, so do Ukraine's drone attacks on refineries  The Kyiv Independent
  2. Ukraine Says It Attacked Russia’s Yaroslavl Refinery  Bloomberg.com
  3. Damage at drone-hit Russian oil depot laid bare by satellite images  The Telegraph
  4. Ukrainian Strikes Cause 'Most Serious Threat' To Russian Oil Exports Since War Began  Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
  5. Russia's Novatek halts operations at Ust-Luga complex following drone attack, sources say  Reuters
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Qatar and Ukraine sign defence agreement amid Zelenskyy Gulf tour – Euronews.com

  1. Qatar and Ukraine sign defence agreement amid Zelenskyy Gulf tour  Euronews.com
  2. Ukraine’s Zelenskyy signs air defence deals with UAE, Qatar on Gulf tour  Al Jazeera
  3. Ukraine Finalizes Air Defense Deals With Gulf Nations Amid War in Mideast  nytimes.com
  4. Zelenskyy visits Gulf Arab states to talk drone defense and seek strategic ties  AP News
  5. Ukraine closes on Mideast deals to help counter Iranian drones  Reuters
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Pope Leo’s message to the rich in his first foreign trip of the year – CNN

  1. Pope Leo’s message to the rich in his first foreign trip of the year  CNN
  2. Pope Leo visits billionaires' tax haven Monaco, urges wealthy to help needy  NBC News
  3. Pope Leo heads to Monaco 488 years after the last papal visit  theguardian.com
  4. 10 Catholic facts about Monaco: Billionaires, martyrs, and Europe’s last Catholic state  EWTN News
  5. Pope Leo urges residents of Monaco to use wealth, "the gift of smallness" to do good  cbsnews.com
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