Oil prices hit three-month low and markets rally amid Iran deal breakthrough
Posted on Monday June 15, 2026

Donald Trump posts ‘Let the oil flow’ as US-Iran peace deal sparks immediate drop for Brent crude

• Analysis: Oil and gas unlikely to return to prewar prices for months even if Hormuz reopens

• Business live – latest updates

• Middle East crisis: live updates

Global oil prices have tumbled to a three-month low and stock markets rallied amid fresh hopes that a US-Iran peace deal could end the greatest energy supply crisis in the history of the market.

The price of Brent crude dropped 5% to below $83 (£62) a barrel as the new trading week began, amid optimism that the strait of Hormuz could reopen shortly and bring a return of Gulf oil exports to the market. Wholesale gas prices fell 6% in Europe.

Read more...

City & Guilds bosses awarded themselves millions in bonuses, investigation finds
Posted on Monday June 15, 2026

Report finds Kirstie Donnelly and Abid Ismail paid bonuses ‘without authorisation or knowledge’ of superiors

The two most senior executives at City & Guilds awarded themselves millions of pounds of bonuses “without authorisation from, or knowledge of” their superiors, an internal investigation into last year’s £166m sale of the vocational charity has found.

The report into the conduct of Kirstie Donnelly, the former chief executive of City & Guilds, and the body’s finance chief, Abid Ismail, sets out how the pair “directly authorised and paid bonuses to themselves” of nearly £3m combined.

Read more...

US and UK central banks expected to keep interest rates on hold amid Iran peace deal
Posted on Monday June 15, 2026

Federal Reserve to make first decision under Kevin Warsh as Middle East hopes ease inflation pressures

• Business live – latest updates

Central banks in the US and UK are expected to leave interest rates on hold this week as the peace deal in the Middle East is predicted to ease inflationary pressures.

The US Federal Reserve is expected to hold its benchmark interest rate at a range of 3.5% to 3.75% on Thursday, in what will be the first policy decision under the new Fed chair – and Donald Trump’s pick – Kevin Warsh.

Read more...

EU trade deficit with China reaches record €1bn a day, data shows
Posted on Monday June 15, 2026

Import and export figures come as European leaders prepare to meet this week to address growing imbalance

The EU’s trade deficit with China has reached a record €1bn (£0.8bn) a day, according to official trade data, fuelling concerns over the future of Europe’s “industrial backbone”.

The gap between the EU’s imports from China and exports to China amounted to €31.9bn in April, according to the latest import and export data from the EU statistics body Eurostat.

Read more...

Social media firms hit back as Starmer announces ban for under-16s in UK
Posted on Monday June 15, 2026

Meta, YouTube and Snapchat say ban, which would stop children using their platforms, will drive them to ‘less safe services’

• UK politics live – latest updates

• How will the ban work?

• UK parents: how do you feel about the ban?

Britain’s plans to ban social media for under-16s will push teenagers towards more harmful platforms, the world’s biggest technology companies have said as ministers push to enact the new restrictions by next spring.

Meta, YouTube and Snapchat have all criticised the ban, which was announced by Keir Starmer on Monday and would stop younger teenagers from using their services.

Read more...

X accused of giving racists ‘impunity’ after refusing to bar N- and P-word posts
Posted on Sunday June 14, 2026

Site takes no action over hate posts against UK politicians including Kemi Badenoch, Shabana Mahmood and Zia Yusuf

X has refused to take down dozens of social media posts reported as “hate, abuse or harassment” in which prominent UK politicians, including Kemi Badenoch, have been racially abused.

In May, researchers from the social inclusion thinktank British Future reported 30 posts from this year in which the Conservative party leader was called the N-word. In each case the researchers used the platform’s “hate, abuse or harassment” reporting option. X refused to act in the majority of cases, despite repeated requests.

Read more...

Spain v Cape Verde: World Cup 2026 – live
Posted on Monday June 15, 2026

⚽️ Kick-off time: 3pm local/5pm BST/12pm EDT/2am AEST
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Wallchart | And mail Daniel

Email! “Don’t forget the story of Pico Lopes,” chides Tikthra, “a lad from Crumlin in inner-city Dublin who was first called up to the Cape Verde team in 2019 and became only the second ever League of Ireland player to qualify for a World Cup. Declan Rice and Pico are the only two former Ireland internationals still left with a chance of winning the World Cup.”

I was getting to him! First of all, I’m glad Crumlin has someone other than Conor McGregor repping for them; secondly, UK telly just showed a lovely interview with him in which he explained he was on LinkedIn for employment purposes and the manager of Cape Verde contacted him. Problem was, the message was in Portuguese so he ignored it, but got another, in English nine months later, and here he is, at the World Cup. His relief remains palpable.

Read more...

Racism monitor urges Fifa to remove World Cup official over ‘white supremacy’ gesture
Posted on Monday June 15, 2026

• VAR official Shaun Evans made ‘OK’ sign with right hand

• Resembles white power symbol used in far-right circles

Fifa’s discrimination monitor at the World Cup called for a video assistant referee (VAR) to be removed for appearing to make a hand gesture resembling a white supremacist sign.

When the official broadcast of Germany’s opening game against Curaçao on Sunday cut pre-game to show the team of VAR officials, Shaun Evans from Australia made an “OK” symbol with his right hand in front of his right leg. Though the game was played in Houston, VAR officials work in Dallas at the World Cup broadcast centre. In 2019, the gesture – with thumb and forefinger touched in a circle and other fingers outstretched – was designated a hate symbol by the New York-based Anti-Defamation League.

Read more...