Europe is preparing an emergency response to a sharp rise in fertiliser costs, as the European Commission readies a package of measures aimed at easing pressure on farmers after disruption in the Strait of Hormuz choked supplies of key ingredients. Among the steps under consideration is liquidity support for farmers, alongside more flexible advance payments under the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), allowing them to cover bank loans and meet debts owed to fertiliser suppliers, according to a draft Fertiliser Action Plan seen…

Donald Trump said on Monday there was a “very good chance” of striking an agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear programme, arguing diplomacy could still avert a fresh US assault. The US president also said he had halted a planned strike on Iran after Tehran delivered what he described as a peace proposal to Washington. Mr Trump said he had told the US military that “we will not be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on…

A deadly shooting rampage in southern Turkey left six people dead and eight wounded, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, as media reports said police had launched a manhunt for the attacker. In a televised statement, Mr Erdoğan confirmed the death toll and offered "God's mercy" to those killed, but gave no additional details about the attack, which took place near the city of Mersin. Turkey's Anadolu state news agency and the Sabah newspaper identified the suspect as a 37-year-old man believed to have first shot dead his…

Elon Musk’s courtroom challenge to OpenAI ended in defeat after a US jury found the artificial intelligence company not liable for claims that it had abandoned its founding mission of serving humanity rather than profit. Delivering a unanimous verdict in federal court in Oakland, California, jurors concluded that Mr Musk filed the case too late. Their deliberations lasted for less than two hours. The closely watched trial had been framed as a pivotal test for OpenAI and for the broader AI industry, raising larger questions…

An Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has triggered an urgent scramble by medical teams, after a delayed diagnosis and rapid spread raised fears among health officials. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern yesterday, warning that the risk of wider cross-border transmission had increased after two cases were confirmed in Kampala, the capital of neighbouring Uganda. In recent weeks, the outbreak is believed to have killed about 80…

Facing mounting pressure over a war that has rattled global oil markets, US President ⁠Donald Trump said he has halted a planned strike on Iran to leave room for negotiations, after Tehran delivered a fresh peace proposal to Washington. Mr Trump said he had ordered the US military to stand down for now, writing that "we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice, in the event that an…

With diplomacy losing momentum and the war now more than two months old, US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, declaring that the "clock is ticking" on efforts to secure an end to the conflict. Writing on social media, Mr Trump warned Iran's leadership that failure to move swiftly toward a peace agreement would bring consequences, saying the country would be left with nothing if no deal was reached. The message followed a conversation between the US President and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin…

The World Health Organization on Sunday sounded its highest international alarm over an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, declaring it a public health emergency of international concern. The agency said the outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, does not qualify as a pandemic emergency. Even so, it warned that countries sharing land borders with the DRC face a high risk of further spread. The Department of Foreign Affairs has long maintained a "Do Not Travel" advisory for…

At least six Irish citizens, including Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly, were aboard an aid flotilla detained by Israel, according to organisers. They said the vessels were intercepted about 70 nautical miles off Cyprus. The Global Sumud Flotilla said contact has been lost with the boats that were stopped. The group has shared videos of Dr Connolly and five others that appear to have been recorded before their detention. "I am deeply honoured to be part of this flotilla - the largest one so far."…

Keir Starmer has declared he is not ready to quit, insisting he still intends to lead Labour into the next general election despite a deepening rebellion inside his party. The prime minister faces mounting calls from Labour ranks to step aside after a bruising set of local election results. Labour’s heavy losses in the 7 May contests prompted almost a quarter of the party’s MPs to urge him to go, while two would-be successors are now openly manoeuvring for position — a bout of instability that has unnerved investors and…