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- Turkey reports shooting at vocational high school, 16 injured as gunman dies
- Crete becomes primary gateway for asylum seekers from eastern Libya
- Trump claims Aberdeen ‘ought to thrive’ urging UK to ‘drill, baby, drill’ for North Sea oil
- Israel and Lebanon set for historic diplomatic talks in Washington amid war
- Fuel Shortage – EU’s Plan – sit at home and do nothing
- Péter Magyar endorses Chinese electric vehicle investment in Hungary
- Former NATO Chief Warns of Perilous State of UK National Security
- Eric Swalwell resigns from Congress amid sexual misconduct accusations
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Turkey reports shooting at vocational high school, 16 injured as gunman dies
7:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Turkey reports shooting at vocational high school, 16 injured as gunman dies
An 18-year-old gunman, recently expelled, opened fire with a shotgun at a vocational high school in Siverek, Turkey, wounding at least 16 people. After being cornered by police, he killed himself with the same weapon, according to governor Hasan Sildak.
Governor Hasan Sildak stated that a comprehensive investigation into the shooting at a vocational high school in Siverek will be conducted. Reports indicated that the assailant had threatened an attack on the school via social media prior to the incident.
A comprehensive investigation into the shooting will be carried out, as stated by governor Hasan Sildak. Meanwhile, five of the wounded teachers and students were transferred to a hospital in the provincial capital due to their more serious conditions.
Moment pupil returns to high school to shoot 16 people before killing himself | News World
Teenagers run in fear after their former classmate burst into school armed with a shotgun and began firing randomly.
The 18-year-old gunman, who was recently expelled, wounded at least 16 people before killing himself in Turkey.
Armed with a shotgun, he opened fire on anyone he could see at a vocational high school in Siverek in the province of Sanliurfa, before hiding inside the building.
CCTV captures the moment his victims were shot, others are forced to flee right past him as others slam doors to get away.
He later killed himself with the same shotgun after being ‘cornered by police’, governor Hasan Sildak said.
Victims are carried out of the high school in Turkey (Picture: DHA)
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The attack left 10 students, four teachers, a canteen employee and a police officer wounded, Mr Sildak said.
While most of them were being treated in Siverek, five of the wounded teachers and students were transferred to a hospital in the provincial capital because their conditions were more serious, the governor said.
The motive remains unclear. School shootings are rare in Turkey.
The attacker did not have a criminal record, Mr Sildak said. The school had been declared safe and no permanent police officer was assigned to protect it, he added, calling the shooting an ‘isolated incident’.
The shooter in a white jumper opens fire on unsuspecting pupils
NTV television and other media reports said the assailant had threatened an attack on the school on social media prior to the shooting.
One student told the state-run Anadolu Agency that he and a friend jumped out of their classroom window to flee the attacker.
‘He suddenly entered the classroom and fired. He fired four or five times. Two people were hit. He then went into the next classroom,’ Anadolu quoted the student as saying. ‘We first threw ourselves to the ground and then two of us jumped out of the window.’
The student added: ‘He didn’t say anything, he entered and started to shoot directly.’
Earlier, media reports said all students were evacuated and police special operations units were deployed after the assailant refused to surrender.
‘The individual was cornered inside the building through police intervention and died after shooting himself,’ Mr Sildak told reporters, adding that a ‘comprehensive’ investigation into the shooting would be carried out.
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Crete becomes primary gateway for asylum seekers from eastern Libya
6:00 pm
Crete becomes primary gateway for asylum seekers from eastern Libya
Asylum gateway
Crete has become the main gateway for asylum seekers arriving mainly from Tobruk in eastern Libya, a perilous crossing.
Crete has become the main gateway for asylum seekers arriving mainly from Tobruk in eastern Libya, a perilous crossing.
Main Gateway
Crete serves as the primary entry point for asylum seekers, notably from Tobruk, indicating a significant trend in migration routes.
Crete serves as the primary entry point for asylum seekers, notably from Tobruk, indicating a significant trend in migration routes.
Asylum Gateway
“Crete has become the main gateway for asylum seekers arriving mainly from Tobruk in eastern Libya,” stated a humanitarian organisation.
“Crete has become the main gateway for asylum seekers arriving mainly from Tobruk in eastern Libya,” stated a humanitarian organisation.
Key developments
Crete is now the primary entry point for asylum seekers, predominantly arriving from Tobruk in eastern Libya. This route involves a hazardous maritime journey.
Authorities have highlighted the increase in arrivals, which has prompted discussions on enhanced border monitoring and potential humanitarian assistance initiatives for those displaced.
More than 300 migrants rescued in last 48 hours off Crete, Greek officials say
Crete has become the main gateway for asylum seekers arriving mainly from Tobruk in eastern Libya, a perilous crossing.
Trump claims Aberdeen ‘ought to thrive’ urging UK to ‘drill, baby, drill’ for North Sea oil
4:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Trump claims Aberdeen ‘ought to thrive’ urging UK to ‘drill, baby, drill’ for North Sea oil
ENERGY POLICY CRISIS
Donald Trump criticised the United Kingdom’s refusal to drill for North Sea oil amidst rising energy prices linked to the Iran war.
Donald Trump criticised the United Kingdom’s refusal to drill for North Sea oil amidst rising energy prices linked to the Iran war.
ENERGY POLICY DEBATE
Chancellor Rachel Reeves condemned the ‘folly of America’s actions in the Middle East’ while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasised the temporary nature of rising energy prices.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves condemned the ‘folly of America’s actions in the Middle East’ while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasised the temporary nature of rising energy prices.
ENERGY POLICY DEBATE
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband maintains that opening new oil and gas fields in the North Sea will not reduce UK energy bills, contradicting calls from Conservative Party leaders.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband maintains that opening new oil and gas fields in the North Sea will not reduce UK energy bills, contradicting calls from Conservative Party leaders.
What we know so far
Amid soaring oil prices due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump is advocating for the UK to increase its oil production in the North Sea. Trump condemned the UK’s reluctance to drill and suggested that it should capitalise on its oil reserves to address energy demands, stating, “Tragic!!! Aberdeen should be booming.”
Trump’s comments follow his criticism of the UK government’s energy strategy, where he pointed out that Norway is currently selling its North Sea oil back to Britain at significantly higher prices. He urged, “UK, which is better situated on the North Sea for purposes of energy…should, DRILL, BABY, DRILL!”
The call for increased drilling comes as key voices in the UK, including Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, support the idea of exploiting the North Sea’s resources. However, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband warned that opening new oil and gas fields would not affect UK energy bills, which are influenced primarily by international markets. The government maintains that focusing on renewable and nuclear energy is the more sustainable path forward.
As discussions around the UK’s energy policy continue, critics have labelled Trump’s suggestions as misguided. Tessa Khan from the pressure group Uplift accused Trump of being “unsurprisingly ill-informed” about UK energy dynamics, highlighting the pressing need for a transition to renewable sources in light of the ongoing crisis.
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Trump says Aberdeen ‘should be booming’ in call for UK to ‘drill, baby, drill’ for North Sea oil | News UK
With oil prices skyrocketing after the Strait of Hormuz blockade, Donald Trump is grasping at the ‘special relationship’ for a solution.
The US President, fresh from comparing himself to Jesus, took to social media to mock the United Kingdom for refusing to drill in the North Sea and preferring renewable sources of energy.
Trump posted on Truth Social: ‘Europe is desperate for Energy, and yet the United Kingdom refuses to open North Sea Oil, one of the greatest fields in the World. Tragic!!! Aberdeen should be booming.’
The former Apprentice host claimed instead Norway is selling its North Sea oil back to Britain ‘at double the price’.
He added: ‘They are making a fortune. UK, which is better situated on the North Sea for purposes of energy than Norway, should, DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!!
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Drilling in the North Sea is notoriously difficult with high winds, huge waves and uneven seabeds sometimes 500m deep.
You need expensive specialised rigs, whereas drilling in the Middle East is on land and has been, before the Iran war, far easier.
Despite this, Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch have already called for the black gold below us to be exploited.
Trade body Offshore Energies UK has said similar, arguing that failing to take advantage of the North Sea leaves us ‘more exposed to global volatility and higher emissions’.
There’s an untapped gas field 150 miles east of Aberdeen, called Jackdaw. If that untapped field was to be tapped, we’d get enough gas to heat 1.6 million homes.
But Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has maintained cracking open the new oil and gas fields wouldn’t take a penny off UK energy bills, as the price is set on international markets.
The government says the shift to renewable and nuclear energy additionally makes sense because the North Sea is maturing and has been in decline for more than 20 years, so Britain should get well-prepared for a future where we can’t rely on what’s beneath it.
‘Sort out his own mess’
Tessa Khan, Executive Director of Uplift, a pressure group focussing on the transition to green energy, said Trump is ‘unsurprisingly ill-informed’ on UK energy policy.
She told WTX: ‘The Iran crisis does not change the fact that the UK has burned most of its gas and most of what is left in the North Sea is oil, the majority of which is exported.
‘We should see Trump as the cheerleader-in-chief for an oil industry that is set to make obscene profits while the rest of us are once again facing unaffordable energy bills, and which is fuelling the rapid changes we’re seeing to our climate.
‘And like the oil giants, he is opposed to the genuine solutions that will get us off gas and protect us from energy shocks – namely renewable energy and upgrading homes with solar power, batteries and heat pumps.
‘It also makes no sense to take Trump’s advice when we’re facing high energy bills and financial hardships because of a conflict he helped start, to say nothing of the war’s broader consequences. Trump should stop trying to play god in the politics of other countries and focus on sorting out the mess he created.’
In the face of a spike in energy prices caused by the Iran war hitting the UK and wider global economy, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said ‘a small bit of economic pain for a few weeks is worth taking off the incalculable tail risk of either a nuclear Iran or a nuclear Iran that uses that weapon’.
As Chancellor Rachel Reeves hit out at the ‘folly of America’s actions in the Middle East and its impact on families, Mr Bessent insisted ‘there is nothing more transient than what we are seeing now’.
He said: ‘So the conflict will end, prices will come down, and then headline inflation will come down, and with that, gasoline prices will come down.’
This is a breaking news story… More to follow…
Israel and Lebanon set for historic diplomatic talks in Washington amid war
3:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Israel and Lebanon set for historic diplomatic talks in Washington amid war
Lebanon and Israel are set to hold the first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington following a month of war between Israel and Hezbollah. The talks will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Israeli ambassador Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanese ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad.
The Israeli military has reportedly killed at least 2,089 people in Lebanon, according to the Health Ministry. The first direct diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades are set to take place in Washington, featuring Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the ambassadors of both countries.
Israel and Lebanon are set to hold their first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington, featuring Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the ambassadors from both countries, Yechiel Leiter and Nada Hamadeh Moawad. The discussions aim to ensure long-term security on Israel’s northern border and support Lebanon in controlling its territory from Hezbollah’s influence.
Lebanon and Israel to hold first direct talks in decades in Washington today | News World
Benjamin Netanyahu attends a wreath-laying ceremony marking the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum in Jerusalem on April 14, 2026. Israel came to a standstill on April 14, as sirens sounded across the country in tribute to the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during World War II. This year’s commemoration comes amid a fragile two-week ceasefire with Iran after a deadly war that began on February 28, when a joint US-Israeli air attack killed Iran’s supreme leader. (Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP via Getty Images)” decoding=”sync”/>
Israel has so far refused a ceasefire with Lebanon (Picture: AFP)
Lebanon and Israel are set to hold the first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington following more than a month of war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The historic talks will feature Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Israeli ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad.
Israeli strikes have killed at least 2,089 people in Lebanon, the Health Ministry said, among them 252 women, 166 children and 88 medical workers, with 6,762 others wounded.
More than one million people have been displaced.
The talks could pave a way towards the end of a war in Iran as well – Tehran has demanded an end to the strikes in Lebanon as a condition to begin talks with the US.
But Hezbollah and critics are sceptical and believe Lebanon’s government in Beirut has no leverage and should take advantage of the position of Iran, the group’s key ally and patron.
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Israel has continued to fire upon Hezbollah militants but killed hundreds of civilians (Picture: AFP)
The Israeli military continues an invasion into southern Lebanon, which some Israeli officials have said aims to create a depopulated ‘security zone’ from the border to the Litani River, some 20 miles.
Iran-backed Hezbollah, weakened after its last war with Israel that ended in November 2024, still fires drones, rockets and artillery daily into northern Israel and on ground troops inside Lebanon.
The Israeli and Lebanese governments are meeting to discuss ways to ensure long-term security on Israel’s northern border.
They also want to support Lebanon controlling its territory and political future from Iran-backed Hezbollah, a US State Department official said.
They will be the first talks between the two since 1993, according to the official.
Lebanon’s top political authorities, critical of Hezbollah’s decision to fire rockets towards Israel on March 2 in solidarity with Iran, quickly proposed direct talks in a bid to stop the escalation, hoping that Israel would not launch its ground invasion.
An Israeli strike this week killed one-year-old Taleen and her family in Lebanon (Picture: Reuters)
Israel did not respond positively until last week, after it launched 100 strikes across the country, including in the heart of the Lebanese capital.
Beirut wants a truce as a prerequisite to talks, similar to Pakistan-brokered negotiations between the US and Iran.
‘Israel’s destruction of Lebanese territories is not the solution, nor will it yield any results,’ said President Joseph Aoun, who came to power vowing to disarm non-state groups, including Hezbollah.
‘Diplomatic solutions have consistently proven to be the most effective means of resolving armed conflicts globally.’
But Israel has ruled out a ceasefire, saying that Hezbollah continues to attack Israel ‘indiscriminately’.
Hezbollah and its supporters have been critical, calling it a free concession to Israel. Hezbollah secretary-general Naim Kassem delivered a fiery speech calling on Lebanon to cancel the talks.
Hezbollah wants a return to the 2024 agreement under which talks were conducted indirectly with the US, France and the United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon as mediators.
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Fuel Shortage – EU’s Plan – sit at home and do nothing
2:53 pm
The Strait of Hormuz is blockaded by the United States and Ursula von der Leyen delivers a shocking speech regarding the energy crises in Europe: The Starit of Homuz is blocked – and Ursula wants Europeans to sit at home and do nothing. She has no plan on how to save the European economy.
The US isn’t likely to send warships to Iran’s ports, but instead could “interdict” vessels in the Indian Ocean,our security correspondent explains. At least 14 US warships are in the region.
At least four Iran-linked ships – including two that visited Iranian ports – crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday following the start of a blockade by the US. At least three others also crossed the key shipping channel
China’s foreign ministry condemns the blockade of Iranian ports as “dangerous and irresponsible”
The repercussions of the US-Israeli war in Iran have taken centre stage and SSC is failing its objectives. It should be a EU foreign policy centre not a US one. “We still don’t understand what it is,” referring to the Special Security College, one Commission official told EU News.
Europe’s plan? Ursula von der Leyen:
“The cheapest energy is the one you don’t use.” Stay home, don’t drive, don’t use electricity. The EU has no plan and no military to change do anything. So they are stuck with “monitoring the situation” and buying overpriced energy from the United States.
It all started when the CIA blew up Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. The US has played a blinder, by attacking Iran it has forced the EU to buy Billions of American debt (bonds) in order to buy Oil and Gas from the USA.
Péter Magyar endorses Chinese electric vehicle investment in Hungary
2:00 pm
Péter Magyar endorses Chinese electric vehicle investment in Hungary
Continuity
Péter Magyar plans to maintain Hungary’s welcoming stance towards Chinese electric vehicle investments while reviewing compliance with EU regulations, following his recent landslide victory.
Péter Magyar plans to maintain Hungary’s welcoming stance towards Chinese electric vehicle investments while reviewing compliance with EU regulations, following his recent landslide victory.
Investment
Hungary’s potential shift towards aligning with EU regulations on foreign investments could significantly impact the scale and conditions of Chinese electric vehicle projects.
Hungary’s potential shift towards aligning with EU regulations on foreign investments could significantly impact the scale and conditions of Chinese electric vehicle projects.
Commitment
“I am very happy to travel to Beijing, and we are very happy to welcome Chinese leaders here in Hungary,” stated Péter Magyar at a recent press conference.
“I am very happy to travel to Beijing, and we are very happy to welcome Chinese leaders here in Hungary,” stated Péter Magyar at a recent press conference.
Key developments
Péter Magyar’s recent comments indicate Hungary will maintain its welcoming stance towards Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, including ongoing reviews of their investments without aiming to halt them.
Magyar emphasised compliance with EU regulations concerning environmental and labour standards, aiming to ensure these projects benefit Hungary’s economy amid increasing EU scrutiny of foreign investments.
Péter Magyar walks line between Brussels and Beijing on China Trade
Viktor Orbán has positioned Hungary as a European centre for Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, while disregarding the EU’s tariffs on them.
Now his political successor, Péter Magyar, appears less inclined to reverse that policy in a radical way.
At a press conference on Monday following a landslide victory against Orbán, Magyar praised China as “one of the most important, largest, and strongest countries in the world.”
“I am very happy to travel to Beijing, and we are very happy to welcome Chinese leaders here in Hungary,” he added.
Magyar also said he would “review” Chinese investments in Hungary – particularly on electric vehicles – but “not with the aim of shutting them down or preventing them from happening.”
In recent years, Hungary was eager to attract Beijing’s largeness, with BYD building its first European passenger EV factory in Szeged in 2024 and major firms such as CATL, NIO and EVE Energy investing heavily in the country.
But that open-door policy has increasingly clashed with the EU’s push to tighten scrutiny of Chinese investments, as China floods Europe with low-cost imports and as many as 600,000 job losses are projected in the EU in the bloc’s auto sector this decade amid intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers.
Magyar will also have to deal with concerns over alleged forced labour involving Chinese workers at Hungarian plants of EV giant BYD, as well as a recent European Commission probe into unfair subsidies at the same site. Those developments have tarnished the company’s reputation and raised concerns over Beijing’s investments.
Driving more value from investment in Hungary
At his press conference on Monday, the leader of Hungary’s Tisza party did not enter details. But he made clear that Hungary would align its policy more closely with Brussels.
“Rather, the goal is to ensure that those projects comply with European Union and Hungarian environmental regulations, health procedures, and labour safety standards, and contribute to the performance of the Hungarian national economy,” Magyar added.
He also appeared determine to distance himself from Orbán’s wariness of a recent European Commission proposal on “Made in Europe,” which targets China.
The draft law, currently discussed by EU governments and MEPs, would impose stricter conditions on foreign direct investment above €100 million in sectors such as batteries, electric vehicles, solar panels and critical raw materials.
Under the proposal, investors from countries holding 40% of global market share in a given sector would be required to hire at least 50% of EU workers. Additional conditions could include foreign ownership caps below 49%, joint ventures with European partners and technology transfers.
“What we do not want — and will not accept — is for foreign companies to come, receive significant Hungarian state support, employ very few Hungarians, create little to no added value for the Hungarian economy, and at the same time endanger the quality of Hungary’s land, air, and water,” Magyar added, signalling his intention to align policy more closely with Brussels.
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