Royal Marine Commandos boarded a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet vessel in the English Channel in the early hours of Sunday, in what the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) described as the first UK-led operation of its kind. The vessel, named SMYRTOS, was intercepted alongside officers from the National Crime Agency as it attempted to pass through one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he directed the interception personally. ‘This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fueling Putin’s war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide,’ Starmer said in…
Author: Helen Rourke
Helen Rourke
Helen Rourke trained as a chartered accountant and spent fourteen years in financial services before starting to write. She qualified at a mid-tier firm, moved in-house to a media company's finance team, and spent her last years as a finance director at a creative agency, which gave her an unusual vantage point on both sides of the balance sheet. She writes about personal finance, tax, pensions, and the money questions people ask at dinner parties but never ask their accountant. She explains numbers without condescension and has no interest in making simple things sound complicated. Helen lives in North London. She files her own tax return on the first day it opens and considers this a character flaw.
Oil prices dropped on Friday after the US-Iran Strait of Hormuz deal raised hopes that the Middle East conflict could be drawing to a close, even as Tehran publicly contested Washington’s account of what had actually been agreed.US crude oil futures for July delivery fell 1.61% to $61.30 per barrel, while August futures for the international benchmark Brent crude lost 1.75% to $88.8 per barrel. The moves came after US President Donald Trump told reporters at the Oval Office that he expects an agreement to be signed ‘over the next few days’ and that the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow…
President Donald Trump’s threat to seize Iran’s Kharg Island and take control of its oil and gas markets pushed crude prices higher on Thursday, with the Trump Kharg Island oil threat landing against a backdrop of intensifying military exchanges between Washington and Tehran.US crude oil futures rose 0.72% to $90.68 per barrel by 8:32am ET. Brent futures, the international benchmark, were up 0.48% to $93.56. Prices had swung sharply during the morning session, jumping when the latest US strikes against Iran were launched before briefly turning negative after US Central Command announced those strikes had been completed, briefly raising hopes…
Kuwait temporarily closed its airspace and intercepted what it described as ‘hostile aerial targets’ on Thursday, as the fallout from US strikes on Iran spread rapidly across the Gulf. Bahrain reported that its air defence systems had destroyed incoming Iranian aerial attacks, and Israel’s Home Front Command warned of launches from Lebanon toward communities in northern Israel.The closures and interceptions followed overnight US military action ordered by President Donald Trump, with US Central Command (Centcom) confirming that strikes were completed at 9:04 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Centcom said it hit Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communication systems and air defence sites,…
Oil prices fell sharply on Tuesday after US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Strait of Hormuz oil traffic is ‘rising very meaningfully,’ easing some of the supply-disruption fears that have kept markets on edge for months. The move came even as Washington and Tehran continue to struggle to reach a deal on ending their more than three-month-old war, according to Reuters.US crude oil futures fell 3.78% to $87.85 per barrel by 11:29am ET. Brent futures, the international benchmark, lost 3.31% to $91.13. Both moves reflect the market’s sensitivity to any signal (however tentative) that the world’s most important oil chokepoint…
The US Iran nuclear negotiations remained the subject of sharply conflicting accounts on Tuesday, as Washington and Tehran exchanged military strikes while both sides disputed whether diplomatic contact had broken down entirely.US Central Command said it had defeated multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and drones before launching what it described as defensive strikes following attempted attacks by Iran. The exchange marked a fresh escalation in a conflict that has already caused widespread disruption to oil and gas infrastructure across the Middle East.Trump and Rubio insist US Iran nuclear negotiations are ongoingPresident Donald Trump pushed back firmly against reports that talks had…
President Donald Trump said he was indifferent to the possible collapse of Trump Iran negotiations, telling CNBC’s Eamon Javers in a phone interview on Monday that he did not care whether talks with Tehran were over. ‘I really don’t care. I couldn’t care less,’ Trump said, adding that he thought the discussions had started to get ‘very boring.’The call came after Iranian state news outlet Tasnim reported earlier that day that Tehran was halting negotiations with the United States and would move to ‘completely block’ the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel’s military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Oil prices spiked…
New research suggests women are more consistent with their oral hygiene routines than men, visiting dentists more frequently and brushing their teeth more regularly. A study by independent research firm IQS, commissioned by oral care brand Oclean, found significant differences between genders in dental habits. Women were less likely to forget to brush their teeth and replaced their toothbrush or sonic brush heads more frequently than men. Women More Committed to Oral Care The study revealed that only 33% of women occasionally skip brushing their teeth in the evening, and 22% in the morning. Among men, the numbers were higher,…
A new book, The Heart of Finance, highlights the growing importance of emotional intelligence (EI) in the financial planning industry. Written by James Woodfall and Cliff Lansley, the book reveals how EI can significantly improve client relations, retention rates, and sales for financial planners, particularly in an era marked by economic uncertainty and technological disruption. Financial planners regularly encounter complex emotions in their clients, from grief to fear and anxiety, as individuals navigate significant life events. Research conducted by Woodfall and Lansley has shown that financial professionals with high emotional intelligence, who can effectively manage and respond to these emotions,…
With workplace stress and anxiety reaching alarming levels, International SOS is urging organisations to take proactive steps to support the mental health of their employees. As Blue Monday – widely regarded as the most challenging day for mental health – approaches, the health and security risk services company highlights the urgent need for businesses to address the ongoing challenges employees face in the workplace. A recent survey revealed that approximately 40% of the workforce reported stress levels so severe that they significantly impacted their ability to work over the last year. International SOS has identified three key mental health issues…
