Author: staff
Set-jetting trips to Seoul are seeing a significant surge, following the huge success of KPop Demon Hunters, as fans from all over the world rush to visit iconic filming spots in South Korea’s capital city. The movie bagged two Oscars at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, for best animated feature and best original song. Praised for its beautiful artwork and for showcasing girl superheroes, the film was watched more than 300 million times in the first three months of its Netflix release, with a sequel announced as well. It has been declared a “cultural miracle” in South Korea, and…
The U.S. president has appealed to the U.K., China, France, Japan and South Korea to join a “team effort” to secure the chokepoint through which passes a fifth of the world’s oil supply. In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump warned a failure to respond to his request would be “very bad for the future of NATO.” Starmer said the only way to secure stability in the oil market is to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — but added: “That is not a simple task.” “So we’re working with all of our allies, including our European partners, to bring…
Published on 13/03/2026 – 15:57 GMT+1•Updated 16/03/2026 – 10:33 GMT+1 Despite reducing its fossil fuel imports since the invasion of Ukraine, the EU still heavily relies on foreign reserves. According to Eurostat, in 2023, the bloc’s energy dependency rate reached 58%, meaning that imports accounted for more than half of the EU’s energy needs. While import reliance varies across member states, 65% of the EU’s overall energy imports in 2023 were oil and petroleum, 25% were natural gas, 5% were solid fossil fuels, and only 2% were renewables. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East shows that energy independence is…
By Jane Witherspoon & Toby Gregory Published on 16/03/2026 – 13:20 GMT+1 The Gulf has long been a critical partner for Europe in energy markets, trade and global shipping routes. With tensions rising around the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s missile and drone attacks targeting the region, officials in Abu Dhabi say cooperation with European partners has become even more important. Speaking to Euronews, UAE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lana Nusseibeh said European governments have been among the most engaged international partners since the crisis began. “We’ve been in frequent contact with different governments around the world since…
Published on 16/03/2026 – 11:56 GMT+1 Oil prices rose at the open on Sunday as the Iran War entered its third week with seemingly no end in sight. Brent crude hit a high of $106.5 while WTI peaked at $102.4. At the time of writing, prices are trading at $103 and $97.5 respectively. The price action follows US strikes against Iran’s primary oil export hub, Kharg Island, on Friday after markets closed. While the attack focused on the island’s military infrastructure, the strike on Iran’s key export terminal is the latest in a series of destabilising moves in the beleaguered…
BERLIN — Germany’s government rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand that NATO allies help secure the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that the alliance had no place in the war. “This war has nothing to do with NATO. It’s not NATO’s war,” Stefan Kornelius, a spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, told reporters in Berlin on Monday. “NATO is a defensive alliance, an alliance for the defense of its territory,” he added. Trump had warned NATO allies on Sunday they face a “very bad future” if they refuse to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, pressing Europe to support an American…
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s chief diplomat, said on Monday that she would propose changing the mandate of the bloc’s naval mission, as pressure on Europe grows to help secure access to the Strait of Hormuz and prevent major disruptions to global oil supplies. “We will discuss with the member states whether it is possible to really change the mandate of this mission,” Kallas told reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Brussels. “It is in our interest to keep the Strait of Hormuz open,” she added. Ministers are gathering in Brussels today to discuss how Europe…
The narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the rest of the world has never been more scrutinised. Normally, it would carry roughly 20% of the world’s oil trade and 30% of global fertiliser supply. Instead, it has become a key battleground in the Iran War as it enters its third week, where oil and shipping have become the frontlines of economic warfare. “What was once a disruption-sensitive environment has now shifted into a persistently hostile operating zone, where voyage viability, insurer acceptance, and real-time tactical conditions are major constraints,” Marco Fogione, the director…
Energy markets are on edge as Iran tensions disrupt shipping and threaten supply shocks. EU foreign ministers and energy ministers meet in Brussels to discuss what the bloc can actually do to protect global energy flows — and whether it has the tools to act. Meanwhile, Norway is positioning itself as a reliable energy lifeline as the geopolitical turmoil puts security of supply back in focus. And the U.K.’s Brexit minister is in town as the EU asks Britain to lower the tuition fees it charges students from the bloc before Brussels and London can move forward with a “Brexit…
France held the first round of its 2026 municipal elections on Sunday, with nearly 48.7 million voters called to the polls across around 35,000 villages, towns and city boroughs. The vote was also marked by a high abstention rate. Analysts point to several possible reasons, including growing distrust in politics and broader democratic fatigue among voters. Around two-thirds of French villages, towns and smaller municipalities are expected to elect their mayor in the first round, often often due to there only being one candidate listed, or limited competition. The picture is far more uncertain in France’s largest cities, where the…