World

Former US President Donald Trump issued a stark ultimatum regarding the joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran, declaring that only "unconditional surrender" by the Iranian government would end the conflict. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: "There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER." This statement came as US strategic bombers were active over Iran and intensive Israeli strikes in Lebanon forced over a million people to flee their homes, highlighting the severe humanitarian toll of the escalating war.

Conservative peer Peter Gummer, known as Lord Chadlington, has announced his departure from the House of Lords after an investigation by standards commissioner Martin Jelley found he committed five breaches of conduct related to COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) deals and failed to cooperate with prior inquiries. The findings highlight ongoing scrutiny of government procurement practices during the pandemic.

Australian radio host Jackie Henderson has broken her silence regarding her departure from the 'Kyle and Jackie O Show', stating she is 'deeply saddened by the events of the past week and the possibility of the show ending'. She emphasized that this development came as a shock to her and others involved.

Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor and major political donor, has told The Guardian he is "no longer" interested in a pact between Reform UK and the Conservative party ahead of the next general election, following his £12m donation to Reform. In an emailed statement, Harborne clarified: "In the past this was possibly the case, but it is no longer the case." This marks a significant shift from earlier discussions where sources indicated Harborne had urged Nigel Farage to remain open to such a collaboration.

The operation carried out by former US President Donald Trump's administration in Venezuela – ousting leader Nicolás Maduro through special forces and installing US-loyal Delcy Rodríguez in his place – is now being considered as a potential model for Iran. Trump has allegedly expressed his desire to be involved in selecting Iran's next leader in recent interviews, a move that experts assess as highly impractical and difficult to implement.

The conflict with Iran has pushed oil prices above $90 a barrel, marking the highest weekly gains since the COVID-19 pandemic six years ago and threatening a fresh surge in global inflation. Reports that Kuwait had begun cutting oil production at some fields due to a lack of storage space drove the cost of Brent crude to as high as $91.89 at one point on Friday – its highest since April 2024 and a sharp increase from about $72.50 just before the war broke out.

Israel and the United States have bombarded Iran and Lebanon with a new wave of airstrikes and threatened a significant escalation in their joint offensive, as Iran retaliated with further attacks across a broad swathe of the Middle East. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed that US firepower was "about to surge dramatically" with the deployment of additional bombers, while Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir stated that Israel is moving to a new phase of its offensive that would "further dismantle the regime and its military capabilities". Zamir added, "We have additional surprises ahead which I do not intend to disclose," highlighting the unpredictable nature of the conflict.

After three years of failed bids from the US to Abu Dhabi, internal rebellions, and even legal changes, the protracted sale of The Telegraph has delivered another dramatic twist with a blockbuster £575m cash offer from German publishing powerhouse Axel Springer.

Australia's antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal initiated an open tender process to assess how universities are handling antisemitism, but five firms—three independent consulting firms and two law firms—declined to bid. Documents released under freedom of information laws reveal that conflicts of interest, due to the firms' ties to the university sector, prevented them from participating, highlighting potential flaws in the procurement process for this sensitive government initiative.

Concerns about potential retaliation have escalated in Germany following the US and Israeli bombing campaigns against Iran. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the threat as "abstract" but emphasized that security authorities are closely monitoring the situation, highlighting the heightened state of alert.

António Lobo Antunes, the Portuguese novelist whose dark, polyphonic fiction confronted the traumas of dictatorship, war, and Portuguese society, has died at the age of 83. His death was confirmed by the publisher Dom Quixote. Widely regarded as one of the most important Portuguese writers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Lobo Antunes produced more than 30 novels that reshaped Portuguese writing and made him a perennial contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

The incoming chief executive of BP, Meg O'Neill, is set to receive a total compensation of at least £11.7 million in 2024. This figure more than doubles the £5.3 million earned by her predecessor, Murray Auchincloss, last year. O'Neill will join BP from Australian oil firm Woodside Energy in April, becoming the first external hire and the first woman to serve as CEO in the 117-year history of the oil major.