Iran names ex-Guards commander to succeed Ali Larijani as security chief

A newlywed Brit has drowned on his dream holiday to a coastal resort in Colombia.

James Winkles, who came from the Isle of Wight, was visiting the coastal resort with a group of friends, including his newlywed wife.

His body was found washed up on El Laguito Beach in Cartagena, Colombia, on Sunday morning.

James had been in the city, located on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, for 12 days, according to local media.

He was reportedly staying at a luxury hotel in the El Laguito area to celebrate his wedding with friends.

The 30-year-old went missing the night before after allegedly entering the water in adverse weather and sea conditions.

The emergency services arrived on the scene and confirmed he was dead.

His body was taken to a nearby morgue to establish the circumstances leading up to his suspected drowning.

The investigation into the British tourist’s death is ongoing.

James, who worked for a family-run car dealership in Ryde, was the second person to drown off the coast of El Laguito Beach so far this year.

On February 7, chef Samuel Peñates Cortina, 21, was swept away while swimming in the sea with his girlfriend.

His body was found three days later on a beach on the island of Tierra Bomba.

The authorities have urged swimmers to exercise caution when entering the water.

They said to avoid entering the sea if the wind is strong and waves exceed 1.9 metres in height, waiting a while after eating, and to avoid excessive alcohol consumption.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed yesterday: ‘We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in Colombia.’

Last August, a British man on holiday in Benidorm died after drowning in a late evening swim.

The 31-year-old was found lifeless after struggling to make it back to land, police confirmed.

He had jumped into the water at Benidorm’s Levante Beach with at least two other British friends, who returned unharmed.

Bystanders tried unsuccessfully to rescue the drowning tourist before the coastguard also failed to locate him in the water.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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People living in a Norfolk village say their lives are being blighted by an ‘eyesore’ dump where tons of rubbish has been fly-tipped.

The site in Clenchwarton is piled high with furniture, caravans, insulation, pallets and oil tanks. In recent months, there have also been a spate of fires.

Villagers believe much of the flytipping is the work of one man and are furious the problem has been dragging on for years.

Keith Stapleton said: ‘It’s not nice for the village – but what can we do? I go to work at five in the morning and when I come back home at nine or ten o’clock, rubbish has appeared in those few hours.

‘You could do more patrols or have cameras – but people are very crafty.’

Mr Stapleton’s mum Lorraine said: ‘People who do it don’t really care about their country, that’s all.

‘They’re not bothered by the mess – but I don’t know what the solution is.’

She explained that some homeowners have taken to litter picking themselves, which is a ‘shame.’

‘I don’t think you should have to pay to bring in your rubbish to a centre. People don’t want to pay so they dump it anywhere,’ Ms Stapleton said.

Malcolm Ward added: ‘I used to live in that area – but it didn’t cause me any trouble. Now I know he’s constantly having fires, and there could be all sorts of fumes.

‘It’s not nice for the kids to be taking in. It is a bit of an eyesore.’

One person could be seen unloading more rubbish onto the site this week as witnesses watched on in fury.

Clenchwarton is a historic village dating back to Anglo-Saxon times and is mentioned in the Doomsday Book.

In August 2022, the fly-tipping area was made subject to a restriction order prohibiting access to, and the bringing in of waste, to the land.

The action was taken after a major fire ripped through the dump, prompting the Environment Agency to issue the landowner with a stop notice. The court order was lifted in February 2023.

Earlier this month, 65 tonnes of fly-tipped rubbish was cleared by West Norfolk Council.

A statement from the authority said: ‘We share the community’s concerns about this completely unacceptable dumping of waste, and we are liaising with the Environment Agency as lead authority on this matter.

‘We will investigate and take action where we can whenever fly-tipping is reported.

‘To report illegally dumped rubbish, or help with an investigation, please visit our website.”

West Norfolk councillor Steve Bearshaw, who represents the ward, declined to comment, as did the Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service.

County councillor Alexandra Kemp, who also represents the area, said: ‘I would like to thank the borough council for clearing up the mess – but no one should ever be dumping rubbish in Clenchwarton in the first place.

‘It is selfish, thoughtless and dangerous. The Government’s promised new powers to tackle fly-tipping need to be sped up, andintroduced immediately.’

The Environment Agency and Clenchwarton Parish Council have also been approached for comment.

Earlier this year, a ‘putrid’ mound of illegally dumped rubbish was found on a site just off the M57.

In October, one of the UK’s biggest ever fly-tipping sites measuring more than 500ft long was found in a field next to the A34.

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A professional cornhole player and quadruple amputee has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing another man during an argument on Sunday in Maryland.

Police say 27-year-old Dayton James Webber was in his Tesla SUV when he shot and killed his passenger, 27-year-old Bradrick Michael Wells, during an argument in La Plata.

Webber allegedly pulled over and asked two backseat passengers to help him remove Wells from the car, but they refused and fled before calling police. All occupants of the car were known to each other, according to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. 

Authorities say Webber fled the scene with Wells still in his car. The body was later found in a yard on Newport Church Road in Charlotte Hall, Maryland.

While Wells was pronounced dead at the scene, Webber was ultimately located by police at a hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia and is now awaiting extradition to Charles County, Maryland on first- and second-degree murder charges.

Police have yet to explain how Webber, who has no limbs, was able to fire his weapon or ditch the body. There are online videos purportedly showing Webber using a handgun. 

Maryland police say 27-year-old Dayton James Webber (pictured) was in his Tesla SUV when he shot and killed his passenger, 27-year-old Bradrick Michael Wells, in La Plata

Dayton Webber is an avid outdoorsman, in addition to being a professional cornhole player 

Dayton Webber, 27, is able to compete in cornhole by holding the bag between his arms

Webber was diagnosed with a bacterial infection as a child that ultimately led to sepsis 

‘It’s early in the investigation, but there’s no evidence to suggest anyone else was involved in the shooting and that he acted alone,’ Charles County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Diane Richardson said, as quoted by Fox5DC.com.

Webber reportedly became a quadruple amputee as a baby due to a blood infection that ultimately led to sepsis. 

‘They suggested he be baptized and given his last rights,’ Webber’s mother, Natalie, told ESPN in 2023. ‘That just didn’t enter my thoughts that I was going to lose him.’

Ultimately, his arms were amputated just above the elbow, giving him the ability to pin objects between his upper arms. It’s this trait that allowed him to become a competitive cornhole player, ultimately joining the American Cornhole League in 2023.

Dayton Webber, 27, has been the subject of several ESPN profiles following his amputations

Dayton Webber, now 27, said his passion for cornhole began when he was about 8

‘At first, it took me a little while to get it there to the board consistently,’ he told ESPN of his cornhole obsession, which began at age 8. ‘I was able to compensate the grip on the bag by just grabbing the corner of it with me propelling myself forward.

‘It’s something I’ve been doing my whole life, is overcoming things that people didn’t think I can do.’   

Interestingly, this was the second piece ESPN did on Webber. As a 12-year-old wrestler in Maryland, he was featured in an ESPN.com article. 

‘I like wrestling better than any other sport,’ he told ESPN.com. ‘I like using my strength and being fit. And I don’t have to rely on other people to do stuff for me like you do in football. Sometimes when I watch my teammates in certain situations I wish I had hands, but I just try to do things my own way.’

The American Cornhole League has released a statement in response to the arrest. 

‘The ACL is aware of the reports regarding allegations involving Dayton Webber,’ the statement began. ‘This is an extremely serious matter and our thoughts are with all those impacted, including the family and loved ones of Bradrick Michael Wells.

‘At this time, this remains an active legal situation. We respect the judicial process and will not comment on specific allegations or details while proceedings are ongoing.’ 

By MELISSA KOENIG, US REPORTER

Published: 20:33 EDT, 23 March 2026 | Updated: 21:16 EDT, 23 March 2026

A massive oil refinery in Texas burst into flames, sending smoke billowing through the air Monday night.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene of the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas after multiple people in the neighborhood reported hearing a loud boom that rattled their homes, according to KPLC.

Black smoke was seen billowing up into the sky from the refinery, which processes crude oil into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel at a rate of 435,000 barrels each day. 

Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens said the explosion was likely caused by an industrial heater, KDFM reports. 

The explosion has prompted officials to issue a shelter-in-place order for the west part of the city, but no injuries have been reported.

Residents in the surrounding area were also being encouraged to remain indoors, keep windows and odors closed and follow all guidance from local officials. 

It comes amid the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported.

A massive oil refinery in Port Arthur, Texas burst into flames, sending smoke billowing through the air Monday night

The refinery processes crude oil into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel at a rate of 435,000 barrels each day

The explosion has prompted officials to issue a shelter-in-place order for the west part of the city

The shutdown has affected Americans at the pump especially, with the average price for a gallon of regular gas at $3.91, according to AAA. 

That’s an increase of 25 percent from a year ago and a shock rise of 33 percent from one month ago, just before the start of the war in Iran.

The Wall Street Journal has since polled economists to see how high oil prices would have to rise – and how long they’d have to stay elevated – to push the US economy towards recession.

They said that oil would have to stay around $138 a barrel for about three months to push the US economy towards a recession.

‘I think that if oil were to hold above $100 for the next three months, we’d likely see very challenging economic conditions in the US,’ Tim Rezvan, managing director oil & gas equity research at KeyBanc Capital Markets, told the Daily Mail.

Rezvan emphasized that even if the war were to end in a week, the lasting economic damage from higher oil prices could pose long-term challenges for the US economy.

When asked how high oil prices would need to go to lift the probability of a US recession, responses ranged from $90 a barrel to $200 – with an average estimate of $138.

According to oil market expert Dan Doyle, founder of Reliance Well Services and Arena Resources, domestic US oil production will not save us.

‘The longer the war goes on, the greater the recessionary risk,” Doyle told the Daily Mail’

The shutdown has affected Americans at the pump especially, with the average price for a gallon of regular gas at $3.91, according to AAA 

Economist Robert Fry said oil would need to be at $125 for eight weeks for the economy to be headed for recession.

‘My forecast is contingent on the assumption that the Strait of Hormuz will be fully open to tanker traffic by mid-April,’ Fry told the Wall Street Journal. ‘If it isn’t, oil prices will go much higher, and I will put a recession in my forecast.’

The economists see the probability of a US recession in the next 12 months at 32 percent – that’s up modestly from the 27 percent probability in the January survey.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

A former Metropolitan Police employee used fake sick notes to claim 200 days off work, costing the police force nearly £20,000, a court heard.

Natasha Fountain, 29, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday by video link, where she admitted committing fraud by misrepresentation.

Fountain, of Union Road, Portsmouth, submitted fraudulent sick notes to her line manager for a period of just under two years, costing the Met Police around £19,000, the court was told.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Fountain worked as a communications and engagement officer for the Met from June 2022 until August 2024.

While the first sick note Fountain submitted to her work was genuine, the court heard she later forged several notes between November 4, 2022 and May 3, 2024, which resulted in her taking around 200 sick days.

Prosecutor Fahmida Azad said there was ‘no record’ of any appointments between Fountain and her GP practice between the dates in question.

The court heard the practice had also moved address during this time, a change which was not reflected in the correspondence the defendant claimed to be from her doctor.

The court heard that Fountain faced physical and mental health issues, including severe anxiety, which prevented her from returning to her GP to receive ongoing treatment and genuine sick notes.

District judge Briony Clarke described Fountain’s crime as ‘quite sophisticated’.

She noted that the defendant went beyond ‘just lying’ by actively forging the notes.

Delaying sentencing for further details to be gathered about Fountain’s health at the time of offending, the judge said: ‘There should be a deeper exploration of her issues and to what extent any genuine medical ailments were going on at the time.

‘If there are, or were, genuine health issues that may have meant she was unfit to work at that time, (the defence) may well wish to explore that.’

Fountain, who was given unconditional bail, will be sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on April 20.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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A mentor to Charlie Kirk and a competitive cheerleading pioneer died in a freak pickleball accident at 76.

Jeff Webb died Thursday from a head injury sustained two weeks earlier while playing pickleball, Cheer Daily reported.

Webb was hospitalized, and his family made the decision to take him off life support.

He founded Varsity Spirit in 1974, the largest US cheer organization, and was recognized as one of the sport’s most influential figures.

Additionally, Webb was a proud conservative political activist and was considered a ‘mentor’ to Charlie Kirk, according to the Independent.

After Kirk was assassinated on September 10, the cheerleading tycoon spoke on several platforms about the impact the Turning Point USA founder left behind.

‘We may have lost a future president. Charlie Kirk had it all – charisma, faith, respect for everyone,’ Mr Webb told Real America’s Voice shortly after the shooting.

‘Now, in his absence, tens of thousands of new chapters are rising. His legacy is just beginning.’

Webb was also in attendance at the White House when Kirk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Jeff Webb died Thursday from a head injury sustained two weeks earlier while playing pickleball at the age of 76, Cheer Daily reported

Webb was considered a ‘mentor’ to Charlie Kirk. Pictured with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth

Turning Point released a nine-minute tribute video to X in memory of the cheer mogul.

‘A visionary who helped shape generations of young leaders and believed deeply in the power of community and country,’ read the video’s caption.

‘A dear friend to Turning Point USA and Charlie. He will be greatly missed.’

A Varsity Brands spokesman released the following statement: ‘Varsity Brands is saddened by the passing of Jeff Webb, founder of Varsity Spirit and modern cheerleading.’

‘Jeff played a pivotal role in shaping cheerleading as it exists today and in building a community that has impacted generations of athletes, coaches, and teams. In recent years, his contributions have helped grow the sport both in the United States and globally, including his work with the International Cheer Union, which achieved full recognition by the International Olympic Committee in 2021.’

‘We extend our condolences to Jeff’s family and loved ones, and to the many across the spirit community who were influenced by his work.’

Webb’s family made the decision to take him off life support. He is survived by his wife Gina, children Jeffrey and Caroline, siblings Greg and Jenna and two grandchildren

Webb was regarded as a ‘mentor’ to Charlie Kirk who was assassinated on September 10 and was present at the White House when Kirk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Before Webb became an icon of cheer or a mentor to Kirk, he grew up in Dallas, as the son of an accountant with an oil company, according to the New York Times.

Webb joined his high school cheer team as a senior and later became a yell leader while a student at the University of Oklahoma.

At the age of 24, he founded the Universal Cheerleading Association, which would later become the influential Varsity Spirit organization.

His company was sold in 2014 for $1.5billion to a private equity firm, and he went on to the International Cheer Union, which he also founded.

Webb was driven to take cheerleading to the Olympics. After it received provisional recognition in 2016 from the International Olympic Committee, he said the announcement reflected “the culmination of my life’s work,’ according to the Times.

He is survived by his wife Gina, children Jeffrey and Caroline, siblings Greg and Jenna, and two grandchildren. 

By JAMIE BULLEN, LIVE COVERAGE EDITOR

Updated: 05:04 EDT, 23 March 2026

Widespread power cuts have been reported across Tehran today as Israel launches new strikes on the Iranian capital with Donald Trump threatening to blow up energy sites unless the Strait of Hormuz is unblocked.

Multiple people living in different neighbourhoods of the city are reporting outages this morning, according to the New York Times.

Iran’s Fars news agency reported airstrikes had targeted five areas of the Iranian capital while Israeli military said it had ‘begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting Iranian terror regime infrastructure’.

Meanwhile oil prices rose today after Iran dismissed Donald Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face having Iranian power plants blown up.

As markets opened, the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US benchmark crude, was up 1.8 per cent to just over $100 per barrel and the cost of North Sea Brent crude increased to $113.44 before sliding to around $111 some 45 minutes into trading.

Trump and Tehran have issued tit-for-tat threats as the war entered its fourth week , with the US president demanding Iran reopen the blocked Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas shipments transit.

Follow the latest updates on the US-Israel war with Iran 

Blackouts reported in Tehran ahead of Trump’s threat to blow up power plants

Power cuts have been reported across Tehran today after the latest Israeli airstrikes rained down on Iran’s capital.

According to the New York Times, multiple people living in different neighbourhoods of the city are reporting outages.

Powerful explosions were reported across central, southern and eastern Tehran, with Iranian air defence systems activated throughout the capital, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.

Middle East Eye has reported residents using torches in Khorramabad, west of Tehran, where a building was destroyed by bombing.

Iran’s Fars news agency reported airstrikes had targeted five areas of the Iranian capital while Israeli military said it had ‘begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting Iranian terror regime infrastructure’.

Iran threatens to lay mines across Gulf if Kharg Island is invaded

Iran’s state media is reporting any attack on the country’s southern coast and islands will lead to Gulf routes being cut with the laying of sea mines.

The US is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export hub, to pressure Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, according to Axios.

‘Any attempt to attack Iran’s coasts or islands will cause all access routes in the Gulf (…) to be mined with various types of sea mines, including floating mines that can be released from the coast,’ a statement from , Iran’s Defence Council said today.

‘In this case, the entire Gulf will practically be in a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz for a long time (…) One should not forget the failure of more than 100 minesweepers in the 1980s in removing a few sea mines.’

The Defence Council recalled that non-belligerent states can only pass through the Strait of Hormuz by coordinating passage with Iran.

China warns Middle East is facing ‘uncontrollable situation’

China has warned further attacks in the Middle East risk is creating an ‘uncontrollable situation’ in the region as Donald Trump threatens to ‘obliterate’ Iran’s power plants.

The conflict and its impact on Hormuz has threatened global energy security as well as China’s oil supplies and the ‘use of force will only lead to a vicious cycle’, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference, when asked about Trump’s threats.

‘If the war expands further and the situation deteriorates again, the entire region could be plunged into an uncontrollable situation,’ he said.

Beijing is a partner of Iran, which has been targeted by US-Israeli attacks since last month, but has also said it ‘does not go along’ with Tehran’s strikes against Gulf states housing US military bases and urged a ceasefire.

Trump, who was due to visit Beijing this month but delayed his trip to deal with the fallout from the war, had called on China and other countries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump gave Tehran a 48-hour deadline on Saturday to end its partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway into the Gulf through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil flows, or risk an attack on its vital energy infrastructure.

European stocks slide as markets open

European stock markets extended heavy losses at the start of trading today following sharp falls in Asia as oil prices jumped on the escalating Iran war.

London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index shed 1.4 per cent, Paris lost 1.7 per cent and Frankfurt tumbled 2.0 per cent.

In Asia, South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index and Japan’s Nikkei sharply dropped in early trade.

The Kospi was down 4.69 percent at 5,509.88 points. The Nikkei 225 was down 3.54 percent at 51,483.91 points.

Chris Beauchamp, Chief Analyst at IG commented: ‘Investors who have spent the weekend watching fresh strikes in the Middle East are now waiting to see what will happen when Trump’s 48 hour deadline expires tonight.

‘But they are in no mood to hang around, and have continued to sell stocks and precious metals. Each day that the war goes does more damage to the global economy and drives inflation higher, with recession chances rising by the hour.’

Trump promises ‘total decimation’ of Iran as thousands of marines arrive this week

by Andrew Jehring and Martin Robinson

Donald Trump has promised the ‘total decimation’ of Iran as reports emerged of American plans for a lengthy ground war in the Middle East with thousands of US marines arriving in the region this week.

Amid reports he is ready to send his troops, Mr Trump promised that the destruction of Iran would ‘work out very good’ and the rogue state is ‘getting their comeuppance’.

He may seize Kharg Island, Iran’s oil terminal in the Persian Gulf, although the White House insists no final decision has been made.

Iran has ferociously rejected President Trump’s ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Midnight tonight, UK time, and threatened to wipe out the entire region’s energy infrastructure.

Trump warned Tehran on Saturday it had 48 hours to allow cargo through the vital global shipping lane ‘without threat’ or he would ‘obliterate’ their power plants.

But the regime hit back yesterday saying if its plants were targeted then energy infrastructure ‘across the entire region’ would be ‘irreversibly destroyed’.

Global economy under ‘major threat’ from energy crisis

International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol

The global economy is under ‘major threat’ from the energy crisis caused by the Middle East war, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol said.

Speaking at the National Press Club in Australia’s capital, Birol warned ‘no country will be immune’ to its effects.

He compared the current energy crisis to those of the 1970s and the impact of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

‘This crisis as things stand is now two oil crises and one gas crash put all together,’ he said.

‘The global economy is facing a major, major threat today, and I very much hope that this issue will be resolved as soon as possible,’ Birol added.

‘No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues to go in this direction. So there is a need for global efforts.’

Israel launch new strikes in Tehran as military warns of ‘more weeks of fighting’

Explosions rang out in Tehran early this morning as Israel announced it launched a fresh wave of strikes.

Iran’s Fars news agency reported airstrikes had targeted five areas of the Iranian capital while Israeli military said it had ‘begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting Iranian terror regime infrastructure’.

Israel has also expanded its ground campaign against Iran-allied Hezbollah in Lebanon, warning of a lengthy operation there.

‘Citizens of Israel, we face more weeks of fighting against Iran and Hezbollah,’ Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said.

Israeli forces were given orders to destroy bridges they said were used by Hezbollah to cross the key Litani river, 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the border.

More than 1,000 people have died in Lebanon since Israel launched strikes, according to the health ministry, with more than one million people displaced.

Gulf states face fresh missile and drone attacks

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reported coming under fresh attacks this morning, with explosions and sirens sounding over the oil-rich Gulf.

The Saudi Ministry of Defense said it had detected two incoming ballistic missiles targeting the capital on Monday, ‘one of which was intercepted and the other fell in an uninhabited area’.

The UAE defence ministry said it was ‘currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran’, explaining ‘the sounds heard are the result of the Air Defence Systems intercepting missiles and drones’.

Hours earlier, Abu Dhabi authorities reported an Indian national had been wounded by falling debris from an intercepted ballistic missile.

And sirens were sounding in Bahrain, with residents instructed to seek shelter.

‘Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,’ the interior ministry posted on social media.

Gulf nations that have long billed themselves as oases of safety and stability in the region have been drawn into the Middle East war as Iran retaliates against US-Israeli strikes.

Trump threatens major assault on Iran’s power plants with deadline passing tonight

Iran today faces a deadline by President Donald Trump to open up the crucial Strait of Hormuz or face a major US assault on power plants, as Israel warned of weeks more of war.

Trump and Tehran traded threats as the war entered its fourth week, with the US president demanding the Islamic republic reopen the blocked Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas shipments transit.

The bottleneck has nearly halted all petroleum shipments through the narrow waterway, and oil prices have spiked.

Trump posted late Saturday on Truth Social that US forces would ‘hit and obliterate’ Iranian power plants – ‘starting with the biggest one first’ – if Tehran did not fully reopen the strait within 48 hours, or 23:44 GMT on Monday, according to the time of his post.

In response, Iran’s army said it will target energy and desalination infrastructure ‘belonging to the US and the regime in the region,’ according to the Fars news agency.

Oil prices rise and stock markets tumble as world wakes to new week in war

Shortly after the markets opened in Asia, the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US benchmark crude, for May delivery was up 1.8 percent to just over $100 per barrel, before retreating slightly.

The price of North Sea Brent crude for May delivery rose at a similar rate, to $113.44 per barrel before sliding to around $111 some 45 minutes into trading.

On February 27, the day before the US-Israeli attacks began on Iran, they stood at $67.02 and $72.48 per barrel, respectively.

In Asia, South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index and Japan’s Nikkei sharply dropped in early trade.

The Kospi was down 4.69 percent at 5,509.88 points. The Nikkei 225 was down 3.54 percent at 51,483.91 points.

Trump and Tehran trade threats as Iran war enters fourth week

Hello and welcome to the Daily Mail’s live coverage of the US-Israel war with Iran as the conflict enters its fourth week.

Over the weekend, Donald Trump and Iran traded tit-for-tat threats as the President demanded the Strait of Hormuz to be fully reopened or Tehran will face having power plants blown up.

In response Iran’s army said it will target energy and desalination infrastructure ‘belonging to the US and the regime in the region’.

As the deadline approaches on Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum he pronounced on Saturday, we will bring you the latest developments on the war throughout the day.

Key Updates

• Iran threatens to lay mines across Gulf if Kharg Island is invaded

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• China warns Middle East is facing ‘uncontrollable situation’

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• Blackouts reported in Tehran ahead of Trump’s threat to blow up power plants

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• Israel launch new strikes in Tehran as military warns of ‘more weeks of fighting’

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• Gulf states face fresh missile and drone attacks

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• Trump threatens major assault on Iran’s power plants with deadline passing tonight

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• Oil prices rise and stock markets tumble as world wakes to new week in war

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• Trump and Tehran trade threats as Iran war enters fourth week

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