No escape from the energy shock for UK business. A long-term strategy is still essential | Nils Pratley

The cost of energy for British business was a crisis even before the Iran war sent prices higher: the UK already had the highest electricity prices for industry among G7 countries. Now comes the next whack. How big will it be?Projections from the energy consultancy Cornwall Insight are steep for electricity and gas. For the former, it thinks increases of 10-30% are on the cards; for the latter 25-80%. The ranges are wide because, unlike with households, there are no price caps for businesses

Stocks rise and oil dips on hopes of 15-point Iran peace plan

The price of oil has dipped and stock markets around the world have moved higher on reports that the US has sent a 15-point framework for peace to Iran, amid hopes of a ceasefire in the Middle East.Positive sentiment may also have been bolstered by reports that Iran had announced it was permitting “non-hostile” ships to pass safely through the strait of Hormuz, a move that could help to reopen the vital shipping lane.Oil prices had fallen by 4% in the early hours of Wednesday, with the Brent crude benchmark sinking below $100 a barrel, as traders reacted to the prospect of an easing of the squeeze on supplies.Stock markets in Asia moved higher, with Japan’s Nikkei closing up 2.9% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng adding just over 1%

UK iPhone users face over-18 age check to use services after update

Millions of Apple iPhone customers in the UK will now have to confirm they are 18 or older to use all available services, including by showing a credit card or by scanning an ID.The move, believed to be a first for a European market, comes amid pressure on tech companies from the government to do more to protect children online.The new requirement will be included in a software update. It was welcomed by Ofcom, the online regulator, which called it “a real win for children and families” and said it was part of a wider drive to “keep young people away from harmful content”.However, some users complained that it raised concerns about the privacy of the information that is uploaded to prove age

What are the rules on cryptocurrency donations to UK political parties?

Ministers are introducing a temporary ban in cryptocurrency donations following an official review.Philip Rycroft, a former senior civil servant, made the recommendation as part of a review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics.Rycroft said the moratorium would allow regulators to catch up, although a full ban was not deemed necessary. Nonetheless, “there is a risk that crypto assets are used as a vehicle to channel in foreign money”, he said.Donations of crypto assets – such as bitcoin, stablecoins and non-fungible tokens – to political parties are not illegal, although the moratorium will put these on hold

US runners led off course in chaotic half-marathon given entry to world championships

Three runners who were led off course in a race that served as a qualifier for the World Road Running Championships have been given entry into the upcoming competition.Jessica McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat were leading the USA Track & Field Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta earlier this month when the guide vehicle took the trio off course. Molly Born, who had been more than a minute behind the leaders, came through to win the race, with Carrie Ellwood and Annie Rodenfels in second and third. McClain, Hurley and Kurgat finished in ninth, 12th and 13th respectively, around two minutes behind Born.As well as missing out on the first prize of $20,000, McClain, Hurley and Kurgat were deprived of the three qualifying places for the World Road Running Championships awarded to the top finishers in Atlanta

Lily James, Andy Murray and a million Britons: padel’s rise nears milestone

It was once seen as a quirky upstart or continental fad. But padel now has nearly a million players across the UK after participation levels more than doubled in 2025.According to LTA figures seen by the Guardian, 860,000 Britons played padel at least once last year – up from 400,000 in 2024 and 129,000 in 2023 – as the racket sport’s dizzying rise continued.The LTA, tennis’s national governing body, puts the extraordinary boom down to padel’s accessibility, with beginners able to play in minutes, more courts, and the cool factor from celebrities such as Eva Longoria, Lily James and Cristiano Ronaldo taking up the sport.Rapper Stormzy and tennis star Andy Murray have also become vocal advocates for the fast-paced racket sport, which combines many of the rules and scoring system of tennis with some elements of squash, including a back wall