For much of their Conference League campaign, Palace supporters have looked disillusioned, distracted by Glasner’s comments, but also harbouring plenty of resentment towards UEFA for their demotion from the Europa League following a messy dispute with the governing body around their ownership model.

HONG KONG (AP) — Oil rose again and world shares were mostly down Thursday on skepticism over a fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.

Investors were closely watching whether a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran was already slipping after a round of intense Israeli strikes on Lebanon that killed and injured hundreds. Iran again closed the Strait of Hormuz, in response to the attacks in Lebanon.

In early European trading, Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.3% to 10,572.73. France’s CAC 40 dropped 0.8% to 8,198.77, while Germany’s DAX lost 1.3% to 23,771.68.

Asian shares closed mostly lower. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 dropped 0.7% to 55,895.32, while South Korea’s Kospi lost 1.6% to 5,778.01. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.5% to 25,752.40. The Shanghai Composite index was down 0.7% to 3,966.17. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.2% to 8,973.20. Taiwan’s Taiex was 0.3% higher, while India’s Sensex dropped 1.6%.

U.S. futures were down more than 0.4%.

Oil prices were up Thursday, reversing an earlier plunge on optimism over the temporary ceasefire agreement. Brent crude, the international standard, was up 3.5% to $98.09 per barrel. Benchmark U.S. crude was 3.6% higher on Thursday at $97.83 a barrel.

Uncertainties over global energy supply remained. The Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for energy transport where a fifth of the world’s oil typically passes, was largely closed even though the U.S. repeatedly demanded that it must be reopened.

“(Oil) prices rebounded as fighting in the Middle East continued, and the ceasefire outlook deteriorated, keeping uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz firmly in focus,” ING Bank analysts Ewa Manthey and Warren Patterson wrote in a note Thursday.

Talks to pursue a permanent end to the war could start in Pakistan on Saturday, and Vice President JD Vance is expected to lead the U.S. delegation. President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social media platform that U.S. military will remain around Iran “until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with.”

Wall Street closed higher Wednesday following Trump’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire with Iran late Tuesday.

The S&P 500 jumped 2.5% to 6,782.81. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.9% to 47,909.92. The Nasdaq composite was up 2.8% to 22,635.00.

Following renewed hopes over de-escalation of the war, shares of United Airlines surged 7.9% on Wednesday, American Airlines was up 5.6%, while cruise ship operator Carnival jumped 11.2%, trimming losses since the Iran war began on concerns over rising fuel costs.

In other dealings, gold and silver prices fell. Gold’s price dropped 0.6% to $4,750.20 an ounce. The price of silver fell 1.7% to $74.08 per ounce.

The U.S. dollar rose to 158.95 Japanese yen from 158.57 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1675, up from $1.1663.

___

Associated Press writer Aniruddha Ghosal contributed to this report.

RAINELLE, W.Va. (AP) — Every month, Rebecca Michalski takes a deep breath before opening her electric bill. She lives on a fixed income, and heating her small house this winter has been staggering: Her February charge was $940.08 — more than her check.

It makes no sense. She turns the lights off during the day and only burns one lamp with an energy-efficient bulb in the living room at night, but she keeps falling further behind on payments. In desperation, she took out a loan after getting a cut-off notice during an extended arctic blast that kept the state’s heaters cranking when temperatures regularly dipped below zero.

“Every time you see that power bill, you’re just sick,” Michalski said, rifling through a stack of statements totaling thousands of dollars. “I already know before I open it. I just dread seeing how much.”

She’s taken to social media, demanding answers alongside thousands of other West Virginians who have been posting screenshots of their monthly charges. They are angry and perplexed over soaring utility costs that are surpassing rents and mortgages in one of the most energy-rich, yet poorest, corners of America, where some families have been forced to choose between paying for food or heat.

President Donald Trump, as part of his campaign pitch to “make America affordable again,” promised to cut Americans’ electricity bills by half during his first year to 18 months in the White House.

“And if it doesn’t work out, you’ll say, ‘Oh well, I voted for him, I still got them down a lot,’” he said. “You will never have had energy so low as you will under a certain gentleman known as Donald J. Trump.”

It hasn’t worked out.

Instead, electricity increased 4.8% in February nationwide and piped natural gas prices rose 10.9%, both compared with a year earlier, according to the Labor Department’s Consumer Price Index. That surpassed inflation even before the attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel sent energy costs ballooning.

It’s becoming an increasingly aggravating issue for some voters. Rising electricity bills emerged as a campaign issue in recent elections, including during gubernatorial races won by Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia. Cost concerns are expected to surface during midterms this fall, and an analysis by the nonprofit PowerLines found residents are not likely to get a break any time soon because new gas and electricity rate hike requests could affect more than 80 million Americans. An AP-NORC poll conducted in March also found 35% of U.S. adults were “extremely” or “very” concerned about being able to afford electricity in the next few months.

Increased demand, extreme weather and events, upgrading and maintaining aging infrastructure and rising natural gas prices are pushing electricity bills higher. Rising energy costs — including gas pump sticker shock now topping an average $4 per gallon nationally — could further be exacerbated by the war in Iran along with the Trump administration’s push to export higher volumes of liquefied natural gas — which, in turn, depletes domestic supply. Ratepayers are also wary as more power-gobbling data centers for artificial intelligence and cloud computing are being built or warmly embraced by politicians in places like West Virginia — where residents deep in Trump country have gone from having the cheapest electricity rate nationwide in 2005, to experiencing one of the fastest increases in the country, far outpacing the national average, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

All in a place where people are living atop vast deposits of coal, oil and gas.

King Coal

Coal remains king here, but it wears a pricey crown. The state is an outlier nationwide because of its stubborn resistance to adopting cleaner, cheaper sources of energy, such as nuclear power, natural gas — even though it’s one of the nation’s top producers — and renewables like wind and solar. Instead, West Virginia clings to aging coal-fired electric plants more than anywhere else in the country — about 87% of all production. Its supermajority Republican-led government — there are only 11 Democrats in the House and Senate — has doubled down on this reliance, blaming past Democratic administrations for a war on coal fueled by increased federal regulations and restrictions, while Trump poses for photo ops with coal miners at the White House and regularly touts “beautiful, clean coal.”

“Lowering electricity prices is a top priority for President Trump,” said White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers, blaming former President Joe Biden for the problem. “He is aggressively unleashing reliable energy sources like coal and natural gas.”

Trump has forced unprofitable coal-powered plants to remain open, rolled back pollution standards for them and provided hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to improve them. He’s also streamlined permitting and regulations to push for mining expansion when coal mines have been shutting down in the state, including several operations this year that eliminated more than 700 jobs.

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Skyrocketing electricity costs and the growth of data centers, which can use enough power to run 100,000 homes, faced voter backlash in Georgia last fall where Democrats ousted two Republicans on the state’s utility regulatory commission for the first time in nearly two decades. Trump recently tried to ease Americans’ concerns by announcing a “ratepayer protection” pledge at the White House with Big Tech companies promising to bear the cost and produce their own energy, though it’s not clear how that would be enforced.

The reasons behind nationwide utility price hikes are complex and vary among regions. They include adding new transmission, distribution lines and power poles; increased brutal high and low temperatures; extreme weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires; and volatility in fuel costs such as surging gas prices during the war in Ukraine.

These all play a huge role in rising bills that have left some 80 million Americans struggling to pay their monthly gas and electric bills, said Charles Hua, founder of consumer advocacy organization PowerLines that found investor-owned gas and electric utility companies asked for nearly $31 billion in increases last year nationwide, double the amount requested a year earlier. He said utility costs have become the new affordability issue akin to soaring egg prices that previously enraged consumers, making it a possible player in this fall’s elections to control Congress.

“Electric bills have gone up 40% over the last five years,” he said. “This is likely to continue to rise. This is definitely something that the Trump administration and President Trump are very concerned about.”

Last year, Trump fired the staff of a federal program that assists millions of low-income Americans with heating bills in the winter and proposed eliminating all of its funding in his budget — a move repeated this year. Congress allocated money for it, but billions of dollars were delayed due to the shutdown. However, many West Virginians falling behind on bills are not eligible to apply because they make just a little too much money.

Jennifer Brown of Kingwood lands in that category. She’s employed at West Virginia’s federally funded Head Start program for low-income children and her husband is a postal worker. They have four kids and during the winter months, their combined utilities can climb to $1,000 a month, eclipsing their $798 mortgage. They were on a payment plan for their gas this winter after receiving a shut-off notice, and she said they were still paying off a water bill from their previous home.

“Every month we get our utility bills, I’m so angry. I’m like, ‘Why is this so high?’” she said, adding it’s not unusual to pay $200 to $300 for electricity and the same for water, sewage and garbage combined every month. “And we can’t figure it out. Nothing seems to be wrong … and we’re not wasteful.”

Bills introduced that would have temporarily frozen electricity rates in West Virginia or helped those who are most vulnerable went nowhere this year in the state legislature even though increased energy costs are often passed on to ratepayers. The Public Service Commission has approved a flurry of rate hikes in recent years as private utilities grapple with maintaining profits while improving infrastructure in a mountainous, sparsely populated state.

Contact AP’s global investigative team at [email protected] or https://www.ap.org/tips/.

I’m A Celebrity fans are mightily unimpressed with the ITV show after yet another episode ended on a cliffhanger.

I’m A Celebrity South Africa is in full swing with our all-stars campmates tackling dastardly trials after dastardly trials.

So far, we’ve seen Beverley Collard flustering Adam Thomas with her Mile High Club confession; Amanda Holden’s pal Ashley Roberts dishing about her poo technique; and, of course, Gemma Collins’ face-off with Craig Charles in a stomach-turning eating challenge.

Crucially, this version of the show is pre-recorded (aside from the final, which will be filmed live in London), meaning the format of the episodes differs from the traditional series.

Not only is there no public voting, but the decision on how each episode will end is entirely in the hands of the producers, which has caused rumblings of discontent among fans.

The first night ended with the tease of the GC’s highly anticipated arrival, and the second concluded halfway through the eating trial before Gemma and Craig were challenged with downing thirty shots of bull’s blood.

Now, the latest entry has followed the same pattern, wrapping up during a trial where Seann Walsh and Sinitta were wearing perspex helmets with snakes in them.

Before we could find out if their respective teams had done enough for them to escape with the win, the credits started rolling.

Now fans are sharing their frustration at the annoying habit, with fears the trend will continue for the whole season.

‘Are we heading for another infuriating cliffhanger finish?’ educational_two1168 wrote on Reddit.

‘These cliffhangers aren’t a good decision, does anyone really care what camp gets dinner?’ moonserin reflected.

‘If they keep ending the show on a trial cliffhanger I am going to riot in the streets. There’s actually nothing more annoying…’ DaMoonMoonMore echoed.

‘Utterly unnecessary cliffhanger. Fellas we’re watching the show RIGHT NOW stop worrying about getting an extra 30 seconds of trial at the start of every show it’s gonna just p**s the people actually watching off,’ LiamJonsano warned.

‘It’s one thing to cliffhanger and it’s another to end the episode really early just to cliffhanger. That’s not gonna make people watch, that’s gonna put people off.

‘Why watch the trial when you can watch the first 5 minutes and see the conclusion?’ stormflier agreed.

‘Another cliffhanger, oh how original,’ thothYnwa shared.

It’s even risking losing viewers, as Charles Love wrote: ‘Won’t be watching tomorrow, as someone previously said, it’s not a soap! Should be a proper episode without the unnecessary cliffhanger.’

For those keen to immerse themselves in the live format of the show, there is an opportunity to attend the final in person as advertised on the free ticket website Applause Store.

‘You are invited to join Ant and Dec as the celebrities gather for one last night to find out who will be crowned the ‘I’m a Celebrity Legend’ 2026!’ the advertisement states.

‘All the finalists will be in the studio, and the atmosphere promises to be truly electric as the result is revealed live on ITV1.’

The rest of the show, filmed last year, is set in the world-renowned Kruger National Park.

I’m A Celebrity South Africa returns tonight at 9pm on ITV1.

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MORE: I’m A Celebrity’s Gemma Collins reveals astounding jungle weight loss

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MORE: All Coronation Street exits, returns and new arrivals coming in 2026

The UK has issued a stark warning to Vladimir Putin after Russian attack and spy submarines were found operating in the North Atlantic.

Defence secretary John Healey revealed UK and allies monitored the vessels for a month before they retreated.

Speaking from Downing Street on Thursday, he said that in the past few weeks, while many eyes were trained on the Middle East crisis, the UK, in partnership with Norway and other allies, responded to “increased Russian activity” in the Atlantic north of the UK.

Addressing the Russian president directly, Mr Healey said: “We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.”

It comes after the Telegraph reported that Russia sent a warship to escort sanctioned oil tankers through the English channel, despite Keir Starmer’s warning that sanctioned vessels sailing in British waters would be seized.

Black Sea fleet frigate Admiral Grigorovich is said to have accompanied a pair of shadow fleet ships on Wednesday, which were followed by a British naval vessel.

According to the newspaper, the vessel observed the flotilla off England’s south coast while RFA Tideforce, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker, was in their wake.

It comes after the prime minister last month said that the Navy will intercept Russia’s shadow fleet. The armed forces and British law enforcement are now able to board and halt sanctioned vessels that are passing through UK waters.

Sir Keir’s announcement came in conjunction with European allies in an attempt to cut off funding for Moscow’s war with Ukraine,

It is understood that Russia’s shadow fleet consists of approximately 700 vessels, carrying around 40 per cent of all Russian oil exports. The UK has sanctioned 544 Russian shadow fleet vessels to date.

They illicitly ship oil and other goods out of Russia by flying the flags of other countries, with the aim of evading sanctions imposed by the West since the invasion of Ukraine began.

The foreign secretary said on Thursday that the government has given permission for action to be taken against the Russian shadow fleet but would not comment on the details of military operations.

This is a breaking news story, more follows…

As part of the campaign, donations of £25 or more will be rewarded with a limited-edition pin badge featuring exclusive artwork of Bridge 42.

The bridge is the vital structure that allows trains to run from Grosmont to Whitby, without which the NYMR cannot operate its full heritage route from Pickering to Whitby.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway has launched a fundraising campaign to help save Bridge 42 (Image: Supplied)

Laura Strangeway, CEO at the NYMR, said: “Bridge 42 is absolutely essential to the future of the railway.

“This campaign is an affordable way for people to feel part of saving something that really matters.

“Every donation takes us one step closer to the full repair of the bridge, and we’re hugely grateful to everyone who chooses to support us.

“We are so thankful to David for getting in touch and volunteering his time and expertise to help save Bridge 42, without which we cannot run to Grosmont and Whitby.

“It’s great to be working with a Yorkshire artist and for our supporters to be able to purchase these stunning limited-edition prints and be part of our story to save Bridge 42.”

Repairs to Bridge 42 are estimated to cost around £800,000.

A total of £215,000 has already been raised, but further support is needed to reach the fundraising goal.

Leeds-based printmaker David Cockayne has also donated his skills to the campaign.

His linocut artwork, which focuses on industrial heritage, architecture, and the relationship between built environments and landscape, will be featured in limited-edition prints.

These will soon be available for purchase in shops along the NYMR line and online.

After seeing news of the fundraiser, Mr Cockayne got in touch to offer his services to raise funds.

Following detailed inspections, it was determined that temporary propping is necessary to guarantee safety and operational reliability.

This measure will allow trains to continue crossing Bridge 42 throughout the 2026 season.

During this time, NYMR will finalise a full repair programme, scheduled for implementation over the winter of 2026/27.

To support the campaign or learn more, visit nymr.co.uk/bridge42.

A total of 13 people were arrested after the protests

Protests at an RAF base near Cambridgeshire saw 13 people arrested. A protest took place outside RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk on Tuesday (April 7).

Suffolk Police were called to the protest at around 6am on Tuesday with reports of protestors “locking on”, meaning they attached themselves to people or objects. Officers arrested 13 people for locking on, as well as attempted locking on, obstruction, causing a public nuisance, and one possession of a class B drug.

Seven people have since been charged, with five granted police bail and one released under investigation. The following people have been charged:

• Virginia Herbert, 78, of Cholsey, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, charged with attempted locking on;
• Marie Walsh, 69, of Warner Crescent, Didcot, Oxfordshire, charged with locking on;
• Eris H’Aitch, 51, of Shipden Avenue, Cromer, Norfolk, charged with locking on;
• Mohammed Patel, 76, of Linnyshaw Close, Bolton, Greater Manchester, charged with locking on;
• Rajal Naidu, 75, of Gosford Street, Birmingham, charged with obstructing entrance to the base;
• David Thorpe, 60, of Barnbrook Road, Sarisbury Green, Southampton, charged with locking on;
• Ammaarah Sidat, 24, of Alexandra Close, Clayton le Moors, Accrington, Lancashire, charged with locking on.

All seven people facing charges will appear at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on June 12.

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“Unfortunately, the mortgage mayhem caused by the unrest in the Middle East led to a flurry of rate hikes by lenders throughout March. Lenders also pulled deals from sale, some temporarily, but it led to an overall reduction of 17% in product choice within the space of a month.”

The comfortable Skechers women’s sandals have been reduced from £54 to £37 as the nation prepares for warmer weather

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A comfortable pair of sandals is a must-have addition to your spring and summer wardrobe, and Amazon has currently reduced the price on a popular Skechers style. The Skechers Women’s Go Walk Flex Sandal Sublime, originally retailing at £54, has been discounted to £37.05, in the taupe textile and navy textile colourways. The level of comfort they offer has been likened to “wearing slippers” and they are available in sizes 2 to 10, with many sizes coming with a wide-fit option.

It sounds like a good deal to us, especially as the summer will be with us soon and comfortable sandals are essential for warmer weather and holidays, especially when heading to the beach or exploring a new city. Please be aware that pricing varies across different colours and sizes, and is subject to change.

One holidaymaker was particularly delighted with her Skechers sandals, saying: “I’ve now been to Greece for a week, worn them every day, including a 10-mile hike in 35°C, absolutely magnificent, rubbed nowhere, not a blister to be seen.”

“Ridiculously comfy. So chuffed.”

The complete product description states: “Skechers Women’s GO WALK Flex sandals are lightweight, breathable, and highly cushioned walking shoes designed for maximum comfort and convenience. Key features include breathable mesh uppers, responsive ULTRA GO cushioning, Flex Pillars for stability, and many models feature Hands Free Slip-ins technology with a supportive Heel Pillow.”

Shop the Skechers Women’s Go Walk Flex Sandal Sublime

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£54.00

From £37.05

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The Skechers sandals come in taupe, black, sage, navy, light blue and mauve. They range from size 2 up to 10 and most sizes are available as a wide fit.

Features of the sandals include:

• River sandal design with adjustable ankle strap
• Flexible traction outsole
• Lightweight, responsive ultra go cushioning
• Contoured goga mat (responsive cushioning) comfort footbed

It is worth mentioning that a number of reviewers on Amazon advised potential buyers to size down to find the perfect fit.

For those with a larger budget, the Clarks website is offering these Aristella Bay Dark Brown Leather sandals at £70, made with “premium leather”. View them here, reports the Liverpool Echo.

If you’re prepared to spend more, Dr Martens is stocking these Blaire Athena Leather Strap Sandals for £100, which include a memory foam footbed. Discover more here.

Returning to the Skechers sandals reviews, one customer commented: “Really comfortable, perfect for long summer walks. The range of sizes meant I could find the perfect fit. Great quality too.”

A second customer wrote: “This is my second pair of these sandals, they are so comfortable to walk in and they’re very light. Straps are easy to adjust, they look good on (go well with jeans) and they give me good arch support.”

A third enthusiast commented: “Items arrived promptly, my wife loves them. Roll on summer.”

A fourth buyer remarked: “Very comfortable. Like wearing slippers.”

However, it’s worth noting that several customers reported sizing concerns. One review highlighted this issue, stating: “Bought my usual size five but they were enormous.

“More like a size six. Definitely need to downsize. Returned and received a refund.”