NEW YORK (AP) — Global leaders have been scrambling to contain the rising cost of oil and gasoline since the start of the Iran war, which took a record amount of oil off the market when tankers full of crude were stranded in the Persian Gulf and military strikes damaged refineries, pipelines and export terminals.
Hoping to ease some pain for consumers, President Donald Trump and other heads of state have been pulling on various levers, launching more oil on the market in a bid to calm the chaos.
A group of 32 nations that are members of the International Energy Agency began releasing the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history: 400 million barrels. Trump is tapping into oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve while lifting sanctions on Russian and Iranian crude and temporarily waiving the Jones Act, a maritime law that requires ships carrying goods between U.S. ports to be U.S.-flagged.
But despite those maneuvers, crude oil has soared well past $100 a barrel and gasoline is selling for $4.14 a gallon on average in the U.S. While the stopgaps are helping, they’re not adding up to enough oil to replace what’s stranded, experts say.
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“They’re all incremental,” said Mark Barteau, professor of chemical engineering and chemistry at Texas A&M University. “You’re talking about these different patches being at the level of maybe 1 to 2 million barrels a day each, and you’ve got to get to 20, so it’s hard to see those actually adding up to the numbers that are needed. And then the question is, how long can you sustain those?”
Trapped oil
Before the war began, roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil and 5 million barrels of oil products passed daily through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, amounting to about 20% of global oil consumption, according to the International Energy Agency.
In addition to that loss, some oil producing nations in the Middle East have halted oil production because they can’t ship fuel out of the Gulf and their storage tanks are full. That’s taken about 10 million barrels per day off the market, the IEA said.
Then there are the eight countries around the Persian Gulf that together hold about 50% of global oil reserves. Under normal circumstances, they coordinate closely to raise or lower their output to keep prices steady, said Jim Krane, energy research fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute. Usually Saudi Arabia steps in to bring spare oil to market and calm things down, he said.
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“But all of that spare capacity is also bottled up inside the Persian Gulf right now and it can’t get to market either,” Krane said. “So the main emergency response system that we have is also blocked.”
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The IEA said in its recent report that “the resumption of transit through the Strait of Hormuz is the single most important action to return to stable oil and gas flows and reduce the strains on markets and prices.”
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Barring that, world leaders are grasping for ways to free up more oil.
Limitations of short-term fixes
Some nations have found workarounds to move oil out of the Gulf. Saudi Arabia is using its East-West pipeline, which stretches from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, to transfer about 5 million barrels per day out of the Gulf, said Michael Lynch, distinguished fellow at Energy Policy Research Foundation, a non-partisan institution focused on energy and economics. But the nation was already using that pipeline to transport oil, so it doesn’t have a lot of spare room to move oil from stranded tankers.
Trump also temporarily lifted sanctions on approximately 140 million barrels of Iranian oil that was already in transit. But that didn’t add oil to the market — it just widened the pool of potential buyers, said Daniel Sternoff, senior fellow at the Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy.
Typically, most Iranian oil was bought by private refiners in China, who purchased it at a steep discount, Sternoff said. But with sanctions lifted, others could scramble to buy the oil, which in turn raises its price to the benefit of Iran, he said.
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“As soon as you are moving to waive sanctions on your adversary with whom you’re fighting a military conflict, to do something in their benefit, it just shows you that you are running out of options to try to prevent a rise in the price of oil,” Sternoff said.
The decision to lift sanctions on Russian oil could have more impact, because Russia had been storing unpurchased oil in tankers, Sternoff said. “By waiving sanctions, it will allow those barrels to clear.”
Trump’s temporary waiver of the Jones Act to allow foreign ships to temporarily transport goods between U.S. ports could potentially help ease natural gas prices by enabling companies to more efficiently ship liquefied natural gas from the Gulf Coast to New England.
But experts don’t expect the waiver to significantly impact the price of oil or gasoline. “It’s helpful, but not a game changer,” Lynch said.
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Why U.S. oil production can’t solve the problem
The U.S. is a major oil producer, and exports more oil than it imports. But like any other oil producing nation, it can’t just ramp up production instantly to fill the void.
“If the U.S. were to try to make up the global shortfall, we would need to nearly double our production,” Barteau said. “We couldn’t drill wells that fast even if we wanted to.”
Increasing domestic production by even 1 million barrels per day, a feat the U.S. accomplished during the shale boom, would be hard to duplicate, Lynch said.
“If we run every drilling rig right now, what happens a week from now when the war is over and the price goes back down $20?” Lynch asked. “People don’t want to develop long-term production based on a short-term price spike.”
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Halting exports and using that oil within the U.S. wouldn’t bring down gasoline prices either, experts say.
For one, oil is traded on a global market, so events happening halfway around the globe impact prices for everyone.
In addition, the U.S. doesn’t produce enough of the type of oil its refineries process. It produced about 13.7 million barrels per day of oil at the end of 2025, according to the Energy Information Administration. And refineries processed about 16.3 million barrels per day that year, relying on imports to fill in the gaps, according to the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), a trade association.
That’s because nearly 70% of U.S. refineries are set up to process heavy, sour crude, according to AFPM. But much of the oil produced in the U.S. is light, sweet crude, which was unlocked during the shale revolution.
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“They need different crudes than the ones that are being produced right next to them now,” Krane said.
As a result, just 60% of the crude oil processed in U.S. refineries is extracted domestically, according to the AFPM. And retooling domestic refineries would cost billions of dollars, the group said. It also would require shutting down the refinery for a period of time, which generally raises gasoline prices.
“A lot of people like the IEA are making the point that this is the biggest oil crisis ever, which is partly true, partly an exaggeration, depending on how you count things,” Lynch said. “A lot of it has to do with how long does this last … if it goes on for another six weeks we get to be in some serious trouble.”
Baggy Khan, who is running to be a councillor in the Halliwell ward, posted a story to his public Instagram account which shows him sitting in the driver’s seat before the camera flips to show the steering wheel as the car drives down the motorway.
It is unclear when the video was taken, but other videos still on his Instagram appear to show him recording while driving in October 2022 and June 2023.
Mr Khan said that the videos were “very old” and he “won’t be posting driving videos” in the future.
Baggy Khan (Image: Baggy Khan)
Bolton Labour condemned the footage, which they said was “extremely dangerous” and showed “disgraceful judgement and behaviour that puts other road users and pedestrians at risk”.
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They called on Greater Manchester Police to investigate the footage to determine if any road traffic offences had been committed.
Cllr Rabiya Jiva, who is Bolton Council‘s Labour executive cabinet member for stronger communities, said: “Residents in Halliwell have a right to expect that anyone asking for their vote takes public safety seriously.
“This footage appears to show shocking irresponsibility.
“If a Green Party candidate thinks filming content while driving is acceptable, then the Greens need to explain that judgment to the public.
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The posts appear to show Mr Khan recording while driving (Image: Baggy Khan)
“Greater Manchester Police should review the video, and Bolton Green Party should now seriously consider whether Baggy Khan is fit to stand for elected office.”
Cllr Hanif Alli, councillor for Halliwell and chairman of Bolton Green Party, said the party is “internally investigating” the incident.
He said: “The Green Party takes this matter very seriously and we’re investigating it and will be talking to all candidates that, although campaigning is important, it’s not above the law.”
When people hear Slimming World, their first thought is often weight loss—and rightly so. Supporting members to lose weight and improve their health is at the heart of everything we do. But to see Slimming World as only a weight loss programme is to miss something truly special.
Russia and China have blocked a UN Security Council resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz – this is a breaking story
Husna Anjum Senior Live News Reporter and Eliana Nunes
17:25, 07 Apr 2026
Russia and China chose to block a UN Security Council resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. This happened just hours before Donald Trump’s dramatic deadline for Iran to re-open the vital shipping route.
The Mirror reports the Bahrain-sponsored resolution failed after receiving 11 votes in favour, two abstentions and two against (Russia and China). Both countries hold veto power on the council.
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The vote took place before the deadline of Tuesday 8pm ET (1am BST Wednesday) set by the US president for Iran to reopen the strait or face attacks on its power plants and bridges.
One-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes through the strait, and Iran’s blockage of the route has sent energy prices soaring.
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Greater Manchester Police issued an appeal to the public via social media on Tuesday, April 7, asking for help in finding the next of kin of Alan Harper.
The force said he died at Hemsworth Road, Bolton, on Thursday, April 2, and there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
Anybody with any information should call the Police Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 4687.
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A spokesperson for GMP said: “Do you know the next of kin of a man from Bolton?
“Alan Harper (48), sadly died at Hemsworth Road, Bolton, on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
“There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
“Any info? Call the Police Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 4687.”
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Once the police have the details that they need, they will be passed along to the Coroner’s Office to let full cause of death be established.
A healthy conversation has a natural rhythm, a give-and-take in which both people feel heard, understood and valued. But with some people, that balance never quite happens.
That’s the case with what experts call “conversational narcissism.”
“Conversational narcissism is a communication style wherein an individual centres themselves in conversations, engages in oneupmanship, fails to ask follow-up questions and has a difficult time maintaining interest in what other people have to say,” Natalie Moore, a licensed marriage and family therapist, told HuffPost.
A conversational narcissist can leave you feeling drained and like you couldn’t get a word in edgewise. They tend to be inattentive and lack curiosity.
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“Whatever you share is quickly met with a more extreme or more compelling version of their own experience,” said Tracy Ross, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in couples and family therapy. “Over time, the conversation stops feeling like an exchange and starts to feel one-sided. It results in leaving an interaction feeling unsatisfied and empty.”
Conversational narcissists don’t necessarily have narcissistic personality disorder, though some may fall somewhere on the narcissism spectrum.
“It’s also important to note that many of us have been guilty of conversational narcissism from time to time,” said Lauren Maher, a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in anxiety, trauma and narcissistic abuse recovery. “If you notice that you’ve inadvertently done this, take a breath, make sure that you bring the conversation back to the original speaker and follow up by asking them questions about their experience.”
There are also best practices for those who find themselves interacting with a conversational narcissist. Below, experts break down ways you can navigate these situations while protecting your energy and reclaiming your voice.
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Acknowledge your feelings ― but try not to take it personally.
“First, acknowledge any feelings that are arising for you ― such as frustration, indignation, anger, disappointment or loneliness,” Moore said. “Engaging in an interaction with someone who is a conversational narcissist can bring up lots of intense feelings, especially if you’re someone who spends effort maintaining balance in conversations who values reciprocity in relationships.”
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If I’m grabbing lunch with a friend who tends to over-talk, I might say right at the start, ‘I’ve had such a heavy week and I really need to vent for a few minutes ― is it OK if I go first?’
– Dr. Sue Varma, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at New York University Grossman School of Medicine
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Try not to take someone’s conversational narcissism too personally.
“Know that what you’re experiencing has nothing to do with how interesting or valuable you are, but has more to do with the other person’s ability to take an interest in you,” Moore said.
Consider that a conversational narcissist might also be a kind and generous person in other ways.
“Is the person able to celebrate your wins and be happy for you and be there for you in your time of need? That to me is most important. If they are a true, solid, loyal friend, you can and should give them grace.”
Be direct about what you need.
“Keep in mind what your objective is in your communications with this individual,” Moore advised. “If your goal is to be seen, heard and understood, you will probably be frustrated and not get what you want. But if your goal is to communicate something specific, find a pause or an opportunity to interrupt and get straight to the point.”
Take a more efficient, practical approach. Adding a little structure to your conversation can ensure you achieve your goal. Being clear and direct about what you need is crucial.
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“Set the intention,” Varma said. “If I’m grabbing lunch with a friend who tends to over-talk, I might say right at the start, ‘I’ve had such a heavy week and I really need to vent for a few minutes ― is it OK if I go first?’”
Set limits.
“Protect your peace and walk away if the conversation doesn’t become two-sided or beneficial in any way,” said communications consultant and author Amelia Reigstad.
Setting limits around how much you engage and share can help keep intense emotions at bay.
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“If you find that a person is not willing to take accountability for their behaviour, or you feel drained, resentful or even a bit ‘used’ after conversations with this person, then this may be a sign that you need to set much stronger boundaries with this person,” Maher said. “This may include excusing yourself from the conversation or setting a time limit for yourself on how long you will participate in the conversation.”
Fiordaliso via Getty Images
Dealing with a conversational narcissist requires direct communication and boundaries.
If the conversational narcissist in question is also a fundamentally narcissistic person, you’re better off saving your energy than continuing to engage with them or falling under their control.
“Don’t ‘over-fuel,’” Varma said. “Sometimes, being a ‘great listener’ actually encourages the behaviour. If you’re giving 100% of your focus to someone who isn’t giving it back, it’s OK to lean back, give shorter responses, and politely wrap things up when you’ve hit your limit.”
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Adjust your expectations.
“If the pattern continues, it’s also important to adjust your expectations and protect your own energy,” Ross said. “Not every relationship will offer the kind of mutuality you’re looking for, and recognising that can help you engage more intentionally, rather than leaving interactions feeling depleted.”
Come to terms with what the a conversational narcissist can actually provide.
“Manage your expectations,” said therapist and “Disarming The Narcissist” author Wendy Behary. “You’re not going to get a whole lot back in the way of a real, reciprocal conversation ― the real give and take of ‘I see you, I feel you. I sense you. You see me, you feel me. You sense me.’”
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Practice empathic confrontation.
“I think if it’s someone who’s really intimate in your life, you may want to use the beautiful strategy of empathic confrontation,” Behary said. “Say, ’I know you’re very excited about what you want to share with me, but I have to tell you, I’m feeling a little bit forgotten in what I just shared with you. I feel like we moved very quickly from my experience into your experience, and I just want to be honest with you because you’re my dear friend, or because you’re my husband or whoever.”
With an acquaintance, you might choose to simply set limits or avoid them, but a more direct approach could be preferable for someone with whom you’re more intimately involved.
“Empathically confront them and hold them accountable for this very self-absorbed way of communicating,” Behary said.
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Use gentle pivots to redirect the conversation.
“I’m a big fan of the ‘gentle pivot,’” Varma said. “You can say, ‘I love hearing about your trip, but before we move on, I really wanted to finish telling you about my new project.’ Believe it or not, the other person may genuinely be interested in hearing what you have to say and want to know what you’ve been up to.”
“
A person who is not narcissistic will usually reflect on their behavior, take accountability, and try to make more space for you in future conversations.
– Lauren Maher, licensed marriage and family therapist
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You can “reclaim the ball,” so to speak, in a way that still protects your energy.
“Re-direct the conversation back to you ― ‘Thanks for that, great point, however, I’d love to share my perspective,’” Reigstad said.
Humour is another way to get a word in edgewise. Make a playful comment or joke to ease the tension of this dynamic.
“If you find yourself regularly interacting with a conversational narcissist, you can first try lightly interjecting with something along the lines of ‘Hang on… I’d love to finish that thought,’” Maher said.
“You can start by saying things like, ‘I’d like to talk about something else for a while,’ ‘Our conversations are starting to feel very unbalanced,’ or ‘I feel like when I’m speaking you’re not really listening. Can we talk about that?’”
With time and accountability, the habit of conversational narcissism can shift.
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“A person who is not narcissistic will usually reflect on their behaviour, take accountability, and try to make more space for you in future conversations,” Maher said.
The key is to be honest about your feelings and the patterns you’re noticing, but in a relational way.
“Rather than criticising, speak from your own experience,” Ross said. “‘I notice that when I share something important, I feel more supported when you stay with what I’m saying, rather than shifting to your own experience.’ Being clear about what you need ― more listening, more presence ― can sometimes create an opening for change, especially if the person isn’t aware of how they come across.”
Michelle Collins, who plays the iconic Cindy Beale on EastEnders, was rushed to hospital after suffering a nasty knee injury that left her unable to walk
17:12, 07 Apr 2026Updated 17:13, 07 Apr 2026
Iconic EastEnders actress Michelle Collins was left struggling to walk after suffering a horrific knee injury. The star shared that she spent her Easter Weekend at hospital after “bashing” her knee.
The star, who plays Cindy Beale on EastEnders, took to Instagram on 7 April with images from the weekend before. In her photo dump, she showed the waiting area of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, herself on crutches with a medical brace around her knee, as well as a close up of her leg in the brace and a pic where she was sat in a wheelchair.
Michelle captioned the post with information about how the injury happened. She explained that she was trying to stop her dog from getting out of the house: “Fell over trying to stop Peggy bolting out the door while staying with friends in Norfolk bashed my knee, cuts and bruises.”
She added that she loved the care she got and was disheartened to learn that the hospital was not rated well on the league table. “Staff were great, efficient, kind despite apparently very low on hospital league table. I would never have known from the service I got.
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“Seems so unfair to label a hospital like this. Not great for morale as one of the lovely nurses said. Also went to my local hospital @Finchleymemorialhospital who were great too! So lucky to have them so near me. Happy Easter xx Sitting down scenes this week ! @bbceastenders.”
Fans jumped in the comments to send Michelle support. “Omg darling, so sorry. Sending all love,” said one. Another wrote: “Omg get better soon lovely.”
A third said: “Oh no… take care Michelle and I hope the healing process is as quick as it can be.” Likewise, her costar Balvinder Sopal, who plays Suki Panesar, said: “Oh love!” She added a heart emoji.
Michelle’s EastEnders character Cindy has been in hospital a couple times since returning to the show. Two Christmases ago, she almost died after being hit over the head with a shovel. In February 2025, it was revealed that her former mother-in-law Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) who whacked her over the head because she hated the woman for how she treated Kathy’s son Ian (Adam Woodyatt).
Cindy found herself in hospital again in late 2025, when Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness) pushed her down the stairs of the Prince Albert. Cindy had realised Jasmine wasn’t being honest about her past and confronted her, leading a desperate Jasmine to push her as she tried to get away. Cindy was left bleeding on the floor.
Cindy is an iconic EastEnders villain. She has been in the show on and off since 1988 and has had many dramatic storylines, including hiring a hitman to kill Ian, faking her death in prison, having a secret family under the alias of Rose Knight and causing the Queen Vic to explode.
Following today’s racing tips? In need of some guidance? Or just fancy a flutter?
Each day Marlborough brings you the best bets from every race at every racecourse around the country.
From the bright lights of the Cheltenham Festival and Glorious Goodwood to a low-key evening meeting at Chelmsford City, we have all your racing tips and best bets covered.
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Meanwhile, you can get the latest betting offers and free bets from the top bookmakers here.
Looking for a daily racing nap? Marlborough will indicate his top tip for the day in traditional style, with his other notable selection highlighted with “NB”. Whistler, The Sunday Telegraph’s tipster will also name his daily Nap.
So come back every morning for Marlborough’s daily selection. Note, tomorrow’s tips will appear towards the bottom of the page. Good luck!
Tuesday, April 7
Pontefract
1.57 Spaceman 2.27 Arabian Desert 2.57 Alpha Capture 3.27 Salaria 3.57 Arklow Lad Nap 4.27 Ashdown Forest 5.00 Liquid Cooled 5.35 Wrestling Revenue
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Exeter
2.10 Dawn’s Desire 2.40 Madame de Labrunie 3.10 Arnie Moon NB 3.40 Bannerdown 4.10 Prairie Queen 4.40 Dyno Dave 5.10 Mackin
Southwell
4.55 Galileo Charm 5.30 Brazilian Belle 6.00 Captain Fox 6.30 Fanjove 7.00 Lexington Jet 7.30 Analogical 8.00 Gesayed 8.30 Raft Up
The works hum with the sensation of half-remembered childhood — a walk in the park suffused with wonder rather than dread, though Brown, being Brown, ensures the two are never entirely separable. What strikes one is how often Brown conveys no sense of a predetermined destination— and the work is so unforced, that the results feel less like acts of composition than of discovery. Her professed love for painting is not rhetorical. It is there in the work, embedded in every layer, and it rewards the viewer accordingly: come back a second time, look again more slowly, and the paintings yield things you simply did not see before. That quality of inexhaustible return is rarer than it sounds.
ISTANBUL (AP) — Three assailants opened fire at police outside a building housing the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday, sparking a gunfight that left one attacker dead, Turkish officials said. The two other assailants were wounded and captured.
Two police officers sustained slight injuries in the clash, Istanbul Gov. Davut Gul told reporters. The assailants were carrying long-barreled weapons.
Interior Minister Mustafa Cifti wrote on X that the attackers had traveled from the city of Izmit, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Istanbul, in a rented car. One of the assailants was linked to a group he described as “exploiting religion,” without naming the organization.
The Islamic State group has carried out deadly attacks in Turkey in the past.
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AP AUDIO: Gunmen attack building housing Israeli Consulate in Istanbul
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AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports clashes have occurred outside Istanbul’s Israeli Consulate.
The two wounded assailants are brothers, identified as Onur C. and Enes C. The first has a criminal record related to drugs. Both are being interrogated, according to the Interior Ministry.
Video from the attack showed one assailant carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle, wearing a brown backpack and hiding behind a bus when exchanging fire with police. A police officer falls to the ground, apparently having been shot, and then rolls away to get behind a tree for cover.
One of the police officers was wounded in the leg and the other in the ear, the Interior Ministry said.
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The consulate is located in a high-rise building in Levent, one of the city’s main business districts. Officials said there are no Israeli diplomats present in Israeli missions in Turkey. Israel withdrew its diplomats amid security concerns and deteriorating relations with Turkey during the war in Gaza.
Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said three prosecutors, including a deputy chief prosecutor, have been assigned to lead an investigation.
Police sealed off the building and blocked several roads, while forensic experts in white protective suits combed the area for evidence.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced what he said was a “treacherous” attack.
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“We will resolutely continue our fight against all forms of terrorism, and we will not allow the climate of security in Turkey to be harmed by vile and timed provocations like today’s,” he said.
The U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, condemned the assault, praising Turkish authorities for “their swift and decisive response.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry similarly condemned the attack and commended Turkish security forces for their rapid action in thwarting it.
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A previous version of this article, relying on Turkey’s Haberturk news, incorrectly reported that two attackers had been killed. Only one of the three assailants was killed, while the other two were wounded and captured, according to Turkish officials.
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