Morning Briefing: Sunday 16 August 2026
- Petrol: Oil stayed high, with Brent near $88.50 after a 5 per cent weekly rise, as the Hormuz crisis worsened and the UAE reported a third tanker hit. Petrol and diesel prices are likely to keep climbing while the strait is contested.
- Wildfires and floods: After homes were destroyed and a nationwide alert was sent, ministers are now warning of flash-flood risk as rain hits ground baked hard by drought. Heed local warnings and avoid flood-prone routes.
- Food: With drought and fires ravaging farmland, the government has promised support for farmers, but a damaged harvest still points to higher food prices in the months ahead.
UAE Reports Third Tanker Struck in Hormuz as Crisis Escalates
The United Arab Emirates said another of its tankers was struck in the Strait of Hormuz overnight, the third in under a week, with Gulf states condemning the attacks on commercial shipping and blaming Iran. President Trump escalated his rh…
Israel Strikes Southern Lebanon Again as Toll Rises
Israel carried out fresh air strikes on southern Lebanon overnight, a day after raids that the Lebanese health ministry said killed 11 people, including children — the deadliest since a June ceasefire. The Israeli military said it had kill…
Indonesia Earthquake Kills at Least 47 as Toll Climbs
At least 47 people were killed and the toll was still rising after a magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck off Flores in eastern Indonesia, followed by a strong aftershock. Around 2,000 residents were evacuated as buildings collapsed in Maumere…
Colombia Earthquake Toll Rises to Around 294
The death toll from Colombia’s earthquake rose to about 294, according to the national disaster agency, with roughly 400 people still missing and more than 12,000 homes destroyed. Hopes of finding survivors have all but gone. The president…
WHO Warns Congo Ebola Is on Track to Be Deadliest Ever
The World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on track to become the deadliest on record, with the United Nations saying it is killing roughly one person every 30 minutes. The virus…
Homes Destroyed as Wildfires Grip Britain
Nineteen homes were destroyed by a wildfire in Stourbridge in the West Midlands on the hottest day of the year, as blazes continued to grip the country. The New Forest fire entered its seventh day, and the army remained deployed to around…
Backlash Grows Over Emergency Alert Sent to Millions
The mass alert warning of wildfire danger, pushed to millions of phones, has become a political row of its own. Some recipients reacted with anger, and there were reports of people switching off all government emergency alerts in protest,…
Reform Proposes 50 Billion Pound Welfare Overhaul
Reform UK has set out plans for around 50 billion pounds a year in welfare savings, centred on abolishing the Personal Independence Payment and moving more long-term sick claimants towards work. The party casts it as ending a spiralling be…
Farage Re-Elected in Clacton as Standards Probe Reignites
Nigel Farage was confirmed as MP for Clacton after a by-election boycotted by the main parties, a muted victory in which the satirical candidate Count Binface finished second on almost 10,000 votes. His win has reignited the parliamentary…
Burnham Launches Summer Tour Amid Snap-Election Talk
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has launched a summer tour of the country, vowing to reach voters he says have been “ignored by Westminster”, as commentators speculate he could be tempted by a snap election. The tour comes alongside emergency…