45
Trump’s call for allied deployment to strait of Hormuz meets muted response
(www.theguardian.com)
46
UN chief says Muslims face discrimination, urges action to combat Islamophobia
(www.middleeastmonitor.com)
66
Starmer refuses to send warships to Strait of Hormuz — telegraph
(www.telegraph.co.uk)
🗃️⛓️💥
PM rejects Trump’s call for reinforcements to stave off mounting economic crisis
Henry Bodkin Jerusalem Correspondent. James Titcomb Technology Editor
Published 2026:03:15T21:54Z
Sir Keir Starmer is refusing to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Donald Trump called for reinforcements to stave off a mounting economic crisis.
Britain and other allies are resisting Mr Trump’s request for a “team effort” as stock markets braced for further chaos on Monday.
Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, said the Government was “intensively looking” at what could be done to reopen the strait, but refused to offer a firm commitment.
Ministers are considering sending mine-hunting drones but are not currently prepared to send any warships, one of which is already at sea, to clear the crucial oil route. Iran has threatened any country that joins a mission against it in the strait.
France, Germany and South Korea also signalled reluctance to answer the United States president’s demand, as international concern grows that the war is being prolonged indefinitely.
Oil prices jumped to $106 overnight from Friday’s price of $103 after Mr Trump’s targeting of Iran’s key production base over the weekend.
With Iran’s blockade on oil leaving the strait having triggered a rise in the price of energy bills, Sir Keir will address Britain on Monday to announce £50m of emergency support shielding the worst-hit families.
In a speech from Downing Street, the Prime Minister will say: “It’s moments like this that tell you what a government is about.
“My answer is clear. Whatever challenges lie ahead, this Government will always support working people. That is my first instinct – my first priority – to help you with the cost of living through this crisis.”
However, the support is expected to apply only to one million households that use heating oil, primarily in rural parts of Northern Ireland, leaving the majority of the country without fresh support to tackle the threat of rising costs.
On Sunday, Chris Wright, the US energy secretary, warned that there were “no guarantees” that oil prices would fall in the coming weeks.
Sir Keir held a phone call with Mr Trump on Sunday night in which they discussed the “importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz”.Row with Trump could deepen
The UK’s refusal to send warships risks worsening a row between Sir Keir and Mr Trump, who said the Prime Minister was “no Churchill” after he refused to support the initial US attacks.
Mr Trump is set to unveil a coalition of nations willing to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz later this week, US officials told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday night.
However, several countries are reportedly reluctant to commit vessels until the war ends, increasing pressure on the US president to cease hostilities.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister warned Sir Keir against joining the offensive on Sunday, saying: “We are not at war with the UK ... but any participation in this war would be regarded as participating in the US-Israel war of aggression against Iran.”
The US president said in an interview late on Saturday night that he was not ready to negotiate a ceasefire with Iran.
“Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” he said. Iran said it had not asked for a ceasefire and saw no reason for talks with the US.
Israeli military officials, meanwhile, suggested the fighting could carry on for six weeks, far longer than initial estimates.
On Saturday, Mr Trump ordered air strikes on Kharg Island, the “crown jewel” of Iran’s oil infrastructure, setting up a week of turbulent energy trading.
He later suggested that the US may attack Kharg Island again “just for fun”.
Wall Street bank JP Morgan said the strikes marked “an escalation in the conflict” and predicted that “an acute shortage of products” would start to bite by the end of the week.
Analysts at Panmure Liberum said the price of Brent Crude could soar to as much as $110 a barrel when markets open on Monday.
[…]
71
Spain condemns ‘unacceptable’ escalation of violence in occupied West Bank
(www.middleeastmonitor.com)
alapakala
joined 12 hours ago
They have bombed themselves before. It's not illegal there.