1 hour ago Ukraine war briefing: Fire sale of Lukoil assets before start of US sanctions on Russia

Foreign properties may be nationalised if Lukoil doesn’t sell, or the proceeds frozen if it does; Zelenskyy grapples with corruption scandal fallout. What we know on day 1,359The foreign oil refineries and other assets of Russian company Lukoil are attracting potential buyers as time runs out to strike cheap deals before US sanctions come into force on 21 November. The sanctions, put in place in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine, have already disrupted Lukoil’s operations in Iraq, at pump stations in Finland and a refinery in Bulgaria. Kazakhstan’s state firm KazMunayGas is studying a bid for Lukoil’s assets in the country, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Shell is interested in Lukoil deepwater assets in Ghana and Nigeria, two other sources said. Shell declined to comment to Reuters.The government of Moldova has started talks to nationalise Lukoil’s infrastructure at Chisinau airport, said the airport’s director, Serdgiu Spoiala. Bulgaria is working towards seiz...

Events

3 h. ago Starmer investigates briefing war as pressure on chief of staff grows

The Prime Minister was forced to condemn briefings against his Cabinet after reports about a possible Wes Streeting coup.

Events

4 h. ago Sir Keir Starmer apologises to Wes Streeting for briefing war as 'attack completely unacceptable'

The Health Secretary earlier hit out at the “toxic culture” of No 10

Events

4 h. ago Starmer apologises to Streeting for briefing war and launches probe into source

The Prime Minister was forced to condemn briefings against his Cabinet after reports about a possible Wes Streeting coup.

Events

6 h. ago Labour Traitors War: Keir Starmer to 'investigate' who in No10 briefed against Wes Streeting amid coup frenzy

The Health Secretary has slammed Downing Street sources for ‘self-defeating and self-destructive behaviour’

Events

8 h. ago Pressure grows on Starmer to sack chief of staff over briefing row

Growing calls for Morgan McSweeney to go after extraordinary briefing operation against Wes StreetingKeir Starmer is coming under intense pressure from a wide range of ministers and MPs to sack his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, after No 10 was accused of an extraordinary briefing operation against the health secretary, Wes Streeting.Starmer is understood to have told MPs he will not sack his chief of staff and would not respond to several demands to ensure there were “consequences” for the briefers. Continue reading...

Events

12 h. ago 'I'm not going to add to silly season down south', says Wes Streeting as he appears in Manchester

The Health Secretary was asked about his stated “desire” to be Prime Minister one day amid a Downing Street briefing war

Politics

15 h. ago Humiliated Starmer admits No10 briefing war against Cabinet minister is 'unacceptable' as he dodges on demands to SACK chief aide Morgan McSweeney

Keir Starmer supporters made clear he will fight any leadership challenge in an extraordinary pre-emptive strike on plotters.

Politics

19 h. ago Streeting rules out bid to challenge Starmer amid ‘unhelpful’ briefing war

The Health Secretary’s comments follow a flurry of late-night briefings from Number 10 in which allies of Sir Keir came out fighting on his behalf.

Events

25 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: Top banker’s straight talk to Putin over troubled economy

Sberbank head German Gref gives unusually frank assessment; Zaporizhzhia situation has ‘significantly worsened’, says Syrskyi. What we know on day 1,358 Continue reading...

Events

27 h. ago Keir Starmer to face PMQs amid claims of potential challenge to his leadership

The Prime Minister will face MPs after a briefing war emerged on Tuesday night in an attempt to see off supposed challenges to his authority.

Politics

49 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: battle for Pokrovsk ‘raging on’ as Russia claims advance on town to east

Kyiv says Moscow’s forces carrying out ‘fast manoeuvres’ in push for key city, while sides give conflicting reports of combat around Myrnohrad. What we know on day 1,357See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverage Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Ukraine war briefing: Lavrov reappears, ready to offer Marco Rubio same demands

Ukraine answers Russia’s strikes on energy grid; Zelenskyy tells the Guardian that King Charles eased Trump tensions. What we know on day 1,356 Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Ukraine war briefing: Russia unleashes attack on energy infrastructure, triggering power cuts

Ukrainian minister says Moscow is ‘massively attacking’ grid; Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian troops gathering near north-eastern city. What we know on day 1,354See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverage Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Calls for Starmer to face investigation over appointment of football regulator chair

David Kogan was named in April as the government’s preferred candidate to chair the Independent Football Regulator

Events

6 d. ago Ukraine war briefing: Ukrainian court jails Russian soldier for killing PoW in landmark sentence

The soldier is the first to be jailed for such a crime after being found guilty of shooting dead a Ukrainian soldier who had surrendered in Zaporizhzhia region. What we know on day 1,353See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverageA Ukrainian court has sentenced a Russian soldier to life in prison after finding him guilty of killing a Ukrainian prisoner of war – the first time Ukraine has jailed a suspect on such charges. The court in the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia found Dmitry Kurashov, 27, guilty of shooting dead Vitalii Hodniuk, a Ukrainian soldier who had surrendered in January 2024 when his dugout was captured by Russian forces. Kurashov, who was taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces along with other Russian troops soon after and pleaded guilty in court, although he later told reporters he was innocent and wanted to be exchanged in a prisoner swap. He told Reuters after the ruling on Thursday that he did not plan to appeal. The Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office said criminal...

Events

6 d. ago Ukraine faces ‘forever war’ unless Europe steps up pressure on Russia, says ex

Anders Fogh Rasmussen calls for air shield on Nato territory and deployment of European protection force for UkraineUkraine is facing a “forever war” and a slow erosion of territory unless Europe dramatically increases pressure on Russia, including by deploying troops and establishing a missile and drone shield on Nato territory to protect Ukraine from Russian attacks on its infrastructure, a former Nato secretary general has said.Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who held the Nato post from 2009 to 2014 and was the prime minister of Denmark from 2001 to 2009, said in an interview with the Guardian that if countries such as Poland agreed to host such air defences, Russia would understand that an attack on Ukraine would be an attack on the whole of the Nato alliance. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Ukraine war briefing: Bulgaria moves to seize Russian refinery while Poland seeks to be US gas conduit

Lukoil’s Burgas plant is Bulgaria’s only refinery; Slovakia running out of reasons to buy Russian gas as US import deal takes shape. What we know on day 1,352Bulgaria is preparing to seize control of Lukoil’s Burgas oil refinery and sell it to a new owner after the Russian oil company came under US sanctions, according to Bulgarian media reports. Burgas is Bulgaria’s only oil refinery and as part of Lukoil is at risk of having to shut down because of the sanctions. The US joined Britain last month in imposing sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft, over Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. Legislation was being drafted to allow the seizure, Bulgarian outlet Mediapool reported on Wednesday. Lukoil said last week that it was moving to sell foreign assets because of the sanctions.With international action progressively choking off Russia’s petroleum exports, Poland said on Wednesday that it was working on a deal to import liquefied natural gas from the US to su...

Events

7 d. ago Wetherspoon boss Sir Tim Martin says soaring wage bills and taxes are piling pressure on pubs to raise prices

JD WETHERSPOON boss Sir Tim Martin says soaring wage bills and taxes are piling pressure on pubs to raise prices. The pub chief said that a 10 per cent pay rise alone adds about 15p to the cost of a pint in a pub, compared with just 1.5p in a supermarket. Sir Tim said that...

Economics

7 d. ago Ryan Reynolds' relentless Wrexham vision revealed as club chief admits sleepless nights

Wrexham chief executive Michael Williamson has opened up on the pressure of working for the Hollywood-owned club as they chase their dream of Premier League glory

Politics