By Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Gilad Thaler, Jon Miller, Nikolay Nikolov, Stephanie Swart, June Kim, Rafaela Balster, Paul Abowd and Pierre Kattar
April 14, 2026
Equalities minister Bridget Phillipson says election rules mean a new draft cannot be published until next month.
Source link
British consumers are increasingly considering buying electric vehicles (EVs) in the wake of surging petrol prices, caused by the spiralling cost of oil due to the Iran war.
There are nearly two million EVs on UK roads, with data suggesting drivers will collectively pay £1bn to run them over the next 12 months – around £1.5bn less than petrol or diesel vehicles.
Brent crude oil has gone up more than 50 per cent since the end of February when the US and Israel first launched attacks on Iran, sparking chaos across the Middle East and effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil and gas shipping route.
Petrol prices have risen to be almost £14 more expensive for a full tank compared to before the war, the RAC says, while a full tank of diesel is almost £27 more.
That has pushed people to seek out alternatives with enquiries for EVs up by almost a quarter (23 per cent). For used EVs, searches are up by nearly a third (30 per cent) since the start of the conflict, data from Carwow shows.
Across the same period, enquiries for petrol and diesel vehicles have not dropped or risen, perhaps suggesting that consumers are comparing and investigating whether they would be better off switching to EVs, rather than completely abandoning fuel-run cars.
Analysis by the environmental think tank Green Alliance suggests the 1.9m EVs in the UK will cost £1bn to power over the next year, based on charging from a standard anytime electricity tariff.
Those same cars would cost £2.5bn if they used petrol or diesel, according to the research.
“Our analysis shows that families and businesses who chose electric cars in record numbers last month could save significantly this year,” said Charles Long, senior political adviser at Green Alliance.
Get a free fractional share worth up to £100.
Capital at risk.
Terms and conditions apply.
ADVERTISEMENT
Get a free fractional share worth up to £100.
Capital at risk.
Terms and conditions apply.
ADVERTISEMENT
“To see the long-term benefits of cleaner, cheaper electric driving, the government should keep this momentum going – and they should resist constant reviews of the policies that have made the UK an attractive market for electric cars.”
Colin Walker, head of transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, added that EV drivers are “shielded” from future energy price shocks which impact oil, and urged the government to double down on the transition to electrification.
“Rising costs at the pump will add hundreds of pounds to the running costs of the average British driver, highlighting the impact of our dependence on volatile energy markets over which we have no control,” he said. “Meanwhile, many of the drivers of the 1.8m EVs now on the UK’s roads will be shielded from these price shocks. Is it any wonder that we’re seeing a surge in interest in EVs, both in the UK and abroad?
“Accelerating the transition to EVs – increasingly powered by electrons generated by British wind and solar farms – is the best way the UK can end its dependency on foreign oil, and protect its drivers from these sudden spikes in fuel costs.”
As well as the vehicles themselves, people are increasingly looking to inform themselves how best to run and make use of EVs.
“The data points to a clear shift in car-buying behaviour. As fuel prices rise, more drivers are seriously considering making the switch to electric, but they’re also doing their homework,” explained Siobhan Doyle, consumer writer at Carwow.
“As well as researching cars, prospective EV buyers are spending more time researching their local charging network and running costs, using tools to understand how an electric car would fit into their day-to-day lives before taking the plunge.”
The Renault 5, Vauxhall Frontera Electric and the Tesla Model 3 were the most-searched-on EVs, showed the data, but BYD’s Seal showed the biggest increase in enquiry volume month to month.
Volta EV, a distributor of chargepoints, has shared data suggesting the average commuter could save between £135 and £375 a year depending on their charging method, compared to driving a petrol car.
Away from the UK, it is clear consumers globally are looking to go electric.
EV sales have risen across Southeast Asia, reports , with Vietnam’s top EV producer, Vinfast, seeing a 127 percent surge in annual sales in March on home soil. Meanwhile, Tesla rival BYD has also seen sales rising in Japan and Philippines, although they have fallen in China.
“There are signs that global demand has already picked up substantially,” Capital Economics noted, while saying EV registrations had more than doubled in March in Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, and had risen by more than 50 percent in India and Australia.
Portuguese cities have always been known for their fascinating cultural heritage, pleasant weather conditions, and beautiful architecture; however, according to a new study carried out by Irish travel insurance specialists JustCover, their cities have been praised on the international stage for yet another aspect, and that is their colourfulness. The Portuguese capital city of Lisbon has even been named the most colourful city in the entire world, whereas the charming city of Porto managed to take up the third position in the ranking. The colourful appearance of each building, along with its historical background, contributes greatly to the picturesque landscape of these cities.
The city’s high ranking is unsurprising, considering the wanderings one may make within the city’s neighbourhoods, where one will find colourful neighbourhoods like Alfama and Bairro Alto. This includes pastel-colored homes, brightly colored yellow trams, and azulejos, which serve as colourful tiles used to decorate homes in the city.Colours play a very important part in developing tourists’ perception of a location, which influences people’s travel decisions to a destination.It is not by accident that Lisbon has such colours. The use of colours in the city is a phenomenon that has been going on for centuries now, and is based on several factors like maritime trading, Mediterranean influences, and artistic expression in the city.The famous azulejos of Portugal are colourful ceramics, and depending on their color they depict religious, historical, and daily life scenes in the city.In fact, according to architectural research ‘The role of the state in the touristification of Lisbon’ at the University of Lisbon, “chromatic diversity of Lisbon’s built environment…represents climate adaptation and cultural accumulation over time.”
Porto, ranked third, provides yet another, though no less fascinating, type of colour. Located on the banks of the Douro River, the Ribeira quarter of Porto boasts houses stacked one upon another and painted in shades of vivid red, orange, and ochre hues.As opposed to the lightness and airiness of Lisbon, Porto’s palette comes across as heavier and more tactile, owing to the northern location and historical architecture of the city. Its charm is based on contrast, the texture of weathered facades set against the reflection of the river and passages giving way to sunny squares.Scholarly work ‘The Role of Urbanness, Vegetation Structure, and Scale in Shaping Puerto Rico’s Acoustically Active Mangrove Fauna Communities‘ reveals the following: “historical European cities tend to retain their colour palette as an identifier of their uniqueness and identity.”Porto is a perfect example of such a phenomenon.
The inclusion of these two cities in the list demonstrates an emerging phenomenon in tourism, where tourists choose visually unique locations for their visits. Colour impacts one’s mood and memory, making it an effective element to use in tourism.In a study of the ‘Psychological Analysis of the Use of Colour in Urban Environmental Graphics Based on Rudolf Arnheim’s Aesthetic Perception Theory‘, researchers discovered that “colourful urban environments are linked to stronger emotional responses and place attachment.”It can account for why such places have such an impact on their visitors. In addition to adding beauty to the cities in question, the colour schemes also evoke emotions in the visitors.Moreover, the vibrant identities of these places must be preserved. In other words, it is necessary to ensure that there are people who work on preserving the original colours and do not let modernity erase the originality of the place.The fact that Lisbon came first in terms of being the most colourful city, with Porto following behind, illustrates just how unique the cities of Portugal are with regard to integrating history and beauty into one place.
“China urges all parties to abide by the ceasefire arrangements, focus on the general direction of dialogue and peace talks, take practical actions to promote the easing of the regional situation, and restore normal traffic in the strait as soon as possible.”
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
EXCLUSIVE: Callaway is bringing America 250 to the golf course.
Callaway is releasing a limited-edition USA 250 collection that honors the spirit, craftsmanship and performance that has defined the United States since 1776. Callaway’s vice president of product strategy and category management, Jacob Davidson, spoke to Fox News Digital about the process of creating the USA 250 collection.
Davidson said the American-based golf company has done military-themed collections before as they connect with veterans, and with America 250, they wanted to continue with that theme.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Callaway USA 250 balls, part of their new limited-edition collection, lying on the ground at a golf course. (Courtesy of Callaway)
“As an American-based company you know really doing something that kind of connected with the veterans and the current military we felt like was just really cool to have the crossover between golf and military service with so many people that that play the game. and then leaning into this year, we kind of wanted to keep that theme of honoring the military,” Davidson said.
Davidson said with America 250 coming this year, it was a natural fit for a collection. Callaway has worked on the collection for 15 months, with a lot of attention to the details of the clubs.
Throughout Callaway’s lineup of precision-engineered drivers, putters, golf balls, wedges, headcovers and hats, patriotic details are at the center of it all.
“I think what’s really cool is some of the details that really we were able to do in this on the driver. There’s a little call out of the address, Chestnut Street, where the Declaration of Independence was signed,” Davidson said. “If you look at the head cover on the driver, it says ‘we the people.’ There’s a lot of detail there. We worked with True Temper, one of our partners, on the shafts. They made a specific shaft in USA colors. They added the eagle onto the shaft that matches it on the driver.”
TRUMP CONGRATULATES RORY MCILROY ON BACK-TO-BACK MASTERS WINS: ‘BECOMING MORE AND MORE A LEGEND’
New Callaway USA 250 drivers, part of their limited-edition collection, lying on the ground at a golf course. (Courtesy of Callaway)
Callaway even reimagined its Odyssey Jailbird putter to “Free Bird,” with an assist from the legal team.
“We actually changed the name on the Jailbird putter to Free Bird. Jailbird’s been this iconic putter for us. It’s one of our top models in play this week at Augusta. It has this big personality called Jailbird because of the stripes. Every head cover has this figure that looks like a Jailbird,” Davidson said.
“And so we really took that and ran with it. We went to the legal team. We actually secured the name Free Bird. Ironically enough, it was open, which is very difficult to get names now. On the head cover, there’s a new character of the Jailbird that has a USA bandanna.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Callaway’s new Free Bird putters, part of its limited-edition USA 250 collection, lie on the ground at a golf course. (Courtesy of Callaway)
Callaway’s wedges in the USA 250 are debuting color laser etching for the first time, while commemorative golf balls and a modern flying flag design pay tribute to the enduring American spirit.
“We just we really looked at every detail, and we said, ‘Hey, how can we make this special? How can we really give the consumer a product that really showcases, you know, patriotism, showcases the craftsmanship and everything that we’ve been able to do as a country in 250 years?’” Davidson said.
“Callaway is a U.S.-based company and that’s something that I think we’re really proud of.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Spanish cyclist Jaume Guardeno remains in a critical condition after suffering serious injuries in a collision with a vehicle last month.
The 23-year-old, who finished 14th overall in last year’s Vuelta a Espana, was injured in a training ride on 31 March.
Spanish media, external reported that Guardeno suffered a head injury after losing control of his bicycle when he hit a rock, which led to him colliding with a car.
“Jaume continues his fight in the intensive care unit of Taulí Hospital in Sabadell, where he’s been since March 31, when he suffered an accident while training,” the Caja Rural-Seguros RGA team said in a statement., external
“His condition remains critical, although stable within the seriousness of his condition.
“He is under constant monitoring and is scheduled to undergo further procedures in the coming days to aid his recovery.”
The team is due to make its Tour de France debut this year.
The updated scheme will enable customers to be rewarded for running appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers, and charging electric vehicles, when more green energy is being generated and demand is low, such as on weekends or Bank Holidays.
Maddie Haining, 18, says she was told she was a safety risk and escorted out of a Manchester nightspot.
Source link
Tottenham defender Cristian Romero will be out for the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury in the 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, sources told ESPN Argentina.
The Spurs captain was pushed in the back by Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey and collided with goalkeeper Antonín Kinsky midway through the second half, which saw him replaced by Kevin Danso.
It was immediately feared by the reaction of Romero that it may be an injury of severity for the Argentine and initial tests showed an injury to his knee ligament.
Further tests will be taken in the coming days to decipher the severity of the injury.
Sources told ESPN’s Martín Arévalo the defender could miss between five and eight weeks and the club will release the information themselves in the coming days.
– De Zerbi: Tottenham players are scared of being relegated
– Are Tottenham going to be relegated from the Premier League? What stats, charts say
– Which injuries could decide Premier League relegation run-in? Every team’s problems explained
That timeframe would see him miss the remainder of the season for Tottenham, who slipped to 18th in the Premier League table following the defeat at the Stadium of Light.
But, with just under two months until the World Cup, it would give Romero the chance to return to full fitness for Argentina’s title defence in the U.S., Mexico and Canada this summer.
