Price

YOU can explore a Santorini-like island with whitewashed villages for a fraction of the price of the real deal.

Folegandros is an island in the Cyclades known for both pretty beaches and cheaper hotels than its sister island.

Unlike its neighbours Mykonos and Santorini, Folegandros doesn’t have an airport or huge hotels – the island didn’t even have electricity until 1974.

It’s been dubbed an ‘under-the-radar Greek island’ seeing much fewer visitors.

Santorini gets around 3.4million visitors each year, meanwhile Folegandros gets 50,000.

There’s still lots to see and visitors will find most of the island’s life in the main town of Chora of which is perched on a cliff around 200 metres high.

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It’s where most of the shops, restaurants, cafes and tavernas are found.

Make sure to try Matsata, which is a handmade fresh pasta, which looks similar to tagliatelle, that was founded on Folegandros.

Usually it’s served with cooked meats like rooster, rabbit, or goat in a rich tomato sauce and topped with grated cheese.

For those who want the best island view, take the steep, winding path up to the Church of Panagia.

CNN listed Chora in their top seven most beautiful villages in Europe, writing: “Santorini’s streets sag with admirers.

“But on Folegandros, a nearby island, you’ll find similar architecture—streets paved in slate, whitewashed buildings decorated with colourful flowers, the occasional Greek Orthodox church with a bright blue dome—without the crowds.”

Being a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, Folegandros has plenty of beautiful beaches and has been praised for its “emerald-blue” waters.

Some of the island’s top ones include Katergo Beach which has white sands and blue waters.

Visitors have gone as far as to say it’s the “prettiest beach on Folegandros.”

Another is Livadaki Beach which most visitors access by boat rather than foot.

Its remote location means it is less busy than other beaches on the island and it’s said to be an ideal spot for snorkelling.

Agios Nikolaos Beach is family-friendly with a small bar and taverna on the shoreline.

Depending on the season, the average price of a hotel in Santorini varies but typically ranges from £143–£251 per night – but luxury stays can be as high as £1,000.

While Folegandros does have some luxe stays, there are some more affordable stays too.

The Beachfront Cycladic House can be booked from £74 per night on Booking.com.

The holiday home has a bedroom, a bathroom, a living room, a balcony and it’s just minutes’ walk away from multiple beaches.

Rooms at the Kallisti Hotel which is built in the style of a small village can be booked from £82 per night.

It has a swimming pool, bar, breakfast room and rooms with balconies with beautiful island views.

The easiest way for Brits to get to Folegandros is by a ferry from Athens which takes around four hours.

Brits can also fly from the UK to Athens in under four hours from as little as £22.

For more beautiful Greek islands, here are four better value islands where locals go on holiday with Santorini-like houses and secluded beaches.

And here are the alternative Greek islands that could save you £1,000 – including two spots everyone thinks are expensive.

March 24 (UPI) — The price of oil climbed back above $100 per barrel on Tuesday as hopes for de-escalation in the Iran war faded after Washington said the situation remained “fluid,” Tehran denied there had been any negotiations and a fire put a major Texas refinery out of action.

Claims by President Donald Trump of “major” progress in talks to halt the conflict on Monday sent oil prices tumbling and rallied stock markets, but benchmark Brent crude futures rebounded to more than $103 a barrel on Tuesday after the White House appeared to walk it back, saying no high-level formal meetings were scheduled and denying reports Vice President JD Vance may attend Pakistan-brokered talks.

“These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the United States will not negotiate through the press. This is a fluid situation, and speculation about meetings should not be deemed as final until they are formally announced by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the BBC.

Iran has, however, acknowledged there had been some contact between the sides regarding talks, with an Iranian foreign ministry official telling CBS that the regime had “received points from the United States.”

“We received points from the United States through mediators and they are being reviewed,” said the official.

The confirmation came amid claim and counterclaim after Trump walked back an ultimatum to destroy Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure unless it allowed shipping to flow freely again through the Strait of Hormuz by Monday night.

Trump said he was giving Iran a five-day reprieve after “very good and productive” discussions with Tehran on Sunday and Monday but Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghlaibaf, who has been named as an interlocutor, described it as “fake news” and said there had been no talks.

With a blaze at the Velero Port Arthur refinery still burning after an explosion on Monday at the plant, 90 miles east of Houston, wholesale gasoline and diesel prices were up 10 cents and 16 cents per gallon, hikes Lipow Oil Associates president Andy Lipow said were due almost entirely to the incident, rather than the war.

The affected part of the plant makes diesel fuel and was likely to be out for an extended period, exerting pressure on diesel prices but gasoline production could come back online in the next few weeks as it was in a different area of the refinery, added Lipow who stressed he believed the incident was an accident and that there was no evidence of terrorist sabotage.

Analysts said the market remained fearful of the risk the Iran conflict could be an extended one with knock-on energy supply disruption impacts caused by associated strikes on critical energy production and storage facilities and shipping being unable to leave or enter the Persian Gulf.

“Despite the exuberance on Wall Street, ladies and gentlemen, oil is well off its lows after Tehran denied conducting any weekend negotiations with Washington,” Interactive Brokers senior economist Jose Torres wrote in a note.

“Additionally, in consideration of the vast number of attacks that have affected critical energy in the Middle East … there’s nervousness that there could be capacity and transportation disruptions that keep costs higher than at the beginning of the year even if there’s a deal,” added Torres.

Gulf oil-producing nations meet a large proportion of global oil and natural gas demand, about 20% of which — 20 million barrels a day — is exported on tankers that pass through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, a natural chokepoint effectively closed by Iran since the United States and Israel launched their airborne offensive on Feb. 28.

President Trump frequently contradicts himself, sometimes in the same speech, social media post or even sentence. On Friday, he sent a torrent of mixed signals about the Iran war that raise more questions about the direction of the conflict and his administration’s strategy.

Within a few hours, Trump said he was considering winding down the war, his administration confirmed it was sending more troops to the Middle East and, in an effort to lessen the economic influence on global energy markets, the United States lifted sanctions on some Iranian oil for the first time in decades — relieving some of the pressure that Washington traditionally has used as leverage.

The confusing combination of actions deepens a sense among Trump’s critics that there is no clear, long-term strategy for the war the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran. Now in its fourth week, the war remains on an unpredictable path and a credible endgame is unclear as the global economy is being roiled.

‘Winding down’ the war

After another rough day in the financial markets, Trump said Friday afternoon on his social media network: “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East.”

Trump contended that the U.S. has adequately degraded Iranian naval, missile and industrial capacity and prevented Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

The president then suggested the U.S. could pull out of the conflict without stabilizing the Strait of Hormuz, the channel through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply travels. The strait has been ravaged by Iranian missile, drone and mine attacks during the war.

“The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not!” Trump wrote. But, in another contradiction, he said the U.S. would help if asked, “but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated.”

While oil that traverses the strait is usually bound for Asia and other places rather than North America, the chaos still affects the United States. Oil is bought and sold globally, so a shortage in oil for Asian countries leads to bidding up prices on oil sold to companies in America too.

That fact, coupled with an Israeli strike on Iran’s gas fields and an Iranian retaliation that crippled a major terminal to ship liquefied natural gas from Qatar, helped tank U.S. equity markets Friday, with the S&P dropping 1.5%. There also was a sharp increase in U.S. fuel prices.

More troops to the war zone

Even as Trump said the U.S. was close to winding down the war, his administration announced it was sending three more warships to the Middle East with about 2,500 additional Marines. It was the second time in a week that the administration said it was deploying more forces to the war zone. The military says some 50,000 are supporting the war effort.

Trump has often said he has ruled out sending in ground troops, but not always, and his administration has hinted at a possible deployment of special forces or similar units.

The Marines being sent to the region are an expeditionary unit designed for quick amphibious landings, but their deployment does not mean a ground invasion is certain. Analysts have suggested the presence of U.S. forces on the ground may be needed to ultimately secure the strait.

The surge in troops came just a day after news emerged that the Pentagon was seeking an additional $200 billion from Congress to fund the war. That extraordinarily high figure does not suggest that the war was winding down.

Lifting some sanctions on Iran

The administration said it would lift sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil, provided it was already at sea as of Friday. The move was an attempt to help lower skyrocketing energy prices by allowing freer sale of oil that Iran has let pass through the strait. It also extends a financial lifeline to the Iranian government that Trump is targeting.

His administration has tried other methods to lower oil prices. It has tapped the U.S. strategic petroleum reserve and lifted sanctions on some Russian oil. Yet Brent crude remained at $112 per barrel Friday, and analysts say oil prices are likely to remain high for months regardless of the next steps in the war.

The Iranian oil eventually would have reached another country, but now the United States and its allies can bid on it as well, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on X.

“At present, sanctioned Iranian oil is being hoarded by China on the cheap,” Bessent wrote. “By temporarily unlocking this existing supply for the world, the United States will quickly bring approximately 140 million barrels of oil to global markets, expanding the amount of worldwide energy and helping to relieve the temporary pressures on supply caused by Iran.”

While 140 million barrels may seem like a lot, that is only a couple of days’ worth of oil on the global market.

Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, a U.S. fuel-tracking service, said he does not expect the temporary suspension to have a major influence on gas prices. The de facto closure of the strait has a much greater effect, he said. “Prices will likely still continue to rise so long as the Strait remains silent,” De Haan said.

And the contradictions in the position were obvious in Bessent’s post announcing the move, which labeled Iran “the head of the snake for global terrorism.” He said the administration would take steps to prevent Tehran from cashing in on the sales, but it was unclear how that would be done.

Even among some Republicans, the contradictions triggered rare public skepticism.

“Bombing Iran with one hand and buying Iran oil with the other,” South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace posted on X on Saturday.

Riccardi writes for the Associated Press. AP business writer Dee-Ann Durbin in Ann Arbor, Mich., contributed to this report.

War, which saw Iran attack Qatar facility, has caused ‘high, volatile’ gas prices that could hit EU storage projections.

The European Union has urged member states to start early on meeting next winter’s gas storage targets after Iranian attacks on Gulf energy facilities caused prices to surge on global markets.

Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen sent a letter Saturday urging the bloc’s members to get to work “as early as possible” in the coming months to “mitigate pressure on prices and avoid [an] end-of-summer rush”, asking them to consider cutting their so-called filling target by 10 percentage points to 80 percent.

The move came days after Iran attacked Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City complex, which provides about 20 percent of global supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The attack, which came amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, was in retaliation for an Israeli attack on the Iranian South Pars gasfield.

State-owned QatarEnergy said that Iran’s attack on Qatar, which has been targeted throughout the duration of the war, knocked out 17 percent of Doha’s export capacity and would affect exports for up to five years.

The slowdown will mainly harm Asian buyers, including China, Japan, and India, which buy some 80 percent of QatarEnergy’s LNG.

But Europe, which only sources around 9 percent of its LNG from Qatar, will nevertheless be exposed to increased competition, with tanker traffic leaving the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz throttled by the war.

Natural gas prices in the EU have risen by more than 30 percent since the start of the war on February 28, spiking after Israel’s attack on Iran’s critical South Pars gasfield and subsequent Iranian attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan.

Jorgensen said that the EU’s gas supply, which has mainly been furnished by the United States since the bloc weaned itself off Russian energy over the Ukraine war, remained “relatively protected at this stage”.

“But, as a net energy importer on global markets, the resulting high and volatile global prices may also impact the EU gas storage projections,” he cautioned.

Jorgensen warned that developments “threaten regional and global security”, urging member states to refill stores early over a longer period.

The EU requirement for member countries to maintain gas reserves at 90 percent of capacity to meet winter heating and power demand underpins the region’s energy security.

Having cut that target by 10 percent, the energy commissioner noted that, in case of “difficult conditions” and a commission assessment, the countries could deviate by up to 20 percent.

Oil prices have also soared since the start of the war by more than 50 percent.

BRITS are urged to apply for passports now before the price hike.

Holidaymakers have only 21 days before the application fees increase to £102.

From April 8, passport fees are set to rise sharply from £94.50 to £102.

It’s the third year in a row prices have gone up, meaning Brits will now pay 24% more for a passport compared to renewing back in January 2024.

And it gets worse if you apply by post, with fees jumping from £107 to £115.50 for adults.

Kids aren’t spared either, with children’s passports rising from £61.50 to £66.50 online, or from £74 to £80 by post.

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The Government says the increases are needed to make the system self-funded rather than relying on taxpayers.

Officials insist they’re not making a profit, with fees instead covering processing applications, supporting Brits overseas and managing UK border checks.

Standard applications take on average three weeks to process, which is the exact date when the new price comes into force.

So if you want a passport before the cost shoot up, you can apply for one-day premium service.

And be quick as the premium service will go up from from £222 to £239.50 in April as well.

EASYJET has warned holidaymakers to book their summer break as soon as possible amid fears of huge price hikes.

The airline chief has said the cost of holidays during peak months is expected to surge due to the ongoing Iran conflict.

Kenton Jarvis, the chief executive of easyJet, has advised anyone wanting to go on a summer holiday to book one now before they get too expensive.

He told The Telegraph: “I think the message would be to book as soon as possible, because that will start feeding in at some stage.

“My expectation is that prices go up. The industry has no choice. We make about £7 a seat and if fuel goes up by £10 then you do something about that.

“You’re not going to take an extra £10 of costs and just sit there and do nothing.”

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At the moment, most UK airlines won’t be affected because of hedging – essentially a fixed price for oil – which is keeping prices stable.

Depending on the length of time that the Iran conflict continues and if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, there could be price hikes in the coming months.

This in turn will see airlines having to put up their fares for passengers.

Mr Jarvis said that he expects easyJet to be “good for three weeks.”

Meanwhile, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said that he doesn’t expect disruption as long as the ongoing conflict ends “in the next month or two.”

Unlike these airlines, US carriers aren’t hedged which has resulted in the rise in fare prices already.

Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IAG) who owns British Airways, explained that fares across the North Atlantic are set to jump up.

Talking more on the issue, he said that due to the price increase of US airlines, “competitors at the other end will match the price increase. It’s the nature of the industry.”

Some airlines have already put the price of their fares up, or are preparing to.

AirAsia said it would temporarily raise ticket prices but said it would be revising fares at a later date.

Thai Airways said it expects tickets to go up by 10 – 15 per cent, while Qantas also said it would increase prices depending on the route.

And Scandinavian airline SAS has introduced a “temporary price adjustment”.

Air New Zealand has increased prices of its flights in response to rising fuel costs as well.

Domestic flights were going up by $10 (£4.37) one way, short haul by $20 (£8.74), and long haul $90 (£39.35).

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BRITS applying for a new standard passport will be charged more than £100 for the first time ever.

The fee for online applications for adults within the UK will rise on April 8 from £94.50 to £102.

Holidaymakers looking to renew their passport before the summer holiday rush will be stung unless they get their bid in soon.

The Home Office says the hike is to “move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation.”.

But it will likely spark a backlash for putting up prices as many families face the pinch in a cost of living crisis.

The standard fee for kids will rise from £61.50 to £66.50.

Postal applications will increase from £107 to £115.50 for adults and £74 to £80 for children.

The charge for a next-day premium service made from within the UK will rise from £222 to £239.50. 

The Home Office said: “The fees contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders.  

“In 2025, where no further information was required, 99.7 per cent of standard applications from the UK were processed within three weeks.” 

JUNIOR Andre has joked that his mum Katie Price “crushed his dreams” of becoming a professional footballer, after he was scouted as a child.

The 20-year-old, whose dad is Mysterious Girl singer Peter Andre, is now carving out a career for himself as a musician and actor.

But once upon a time, Junior had high hopes of becoming a footballer.

And he was even scouted by professional club Millwall, before trialing for premiere league side Chelsea, Junior has revealed.

Appearing on the Not My Bagg podcast, Junior said that glamour model mum Katie informed him he didn’t have the skills to make it big time in the sport.

“My mum crushed my dreams,” said Junior.

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“She watched me play once and she says, ‘Junior, let’s be real, you’re not gonna be a footballer. You’re not good enough. Don’t worry, you’re gonna be an entertainer’.”

“But, also, equally, I wanted to be a musician and actor,” assured Junior.

Continuing that he would play Saturday league, he said: “I used to play every week and I loved it.

“When I was young I got scouted at Millwall, and I had a trial and Brighton and Chelsea and I was loving it.

“But I was never actually really that good, I was just above average.”

Just this month, Junior made his acting debut as he is starring in a new coming-of-age drama called Finding My Voice.

He stars alongside his dad Peter and EastEnders star Michelle Ryan in the flick.

Alongside acting, Junior has been in the studio working on new music, with the budding star seen recording in a recent episode of his sister’s reality show, The Princess Diaries.

Despite his famous parents, it’s not all been glamorous for Junior, who revealed in the TV show that he had also been working full time for TFL while his music was on hold.

Junior revealed he worked through the nights, full time, while he sorted out “differences” with his record label.

Speaking on his secret TFL job, Junior said: “It’s been a long time coming, it’s been hard, you know I’ve obviously had to do nine-to-five, Monday to Friday.

“I found a night job basically just working on the London underground, grafting, lifting heavy metals, cutting, filing, painting. I got them jobs so I could do my music career, so I could fund it.”

Princess, 18, gushed over her brother for following his dreams self- sufficiently.

The reality TV star said: “So proud of Junior, his last two singles went in at number one , but while he was sorting differences out with his label he went to work through the nights and work a full time job so he was fully self sufficient. Which I’m super proud of.”

Live Nation, the ticketing giant that reached a tentative settlement with the Department of Justice last week, remains under fire.

A coalition of more than 30 states that had joined the original lawsuit filed in 2024 is refusing to accept the $200-million settlement, causing the trial to resume this week in Manhattan’s Federal Court.

The settlement with the Justice Department requires Beverly Hills-based Live Nation to open Ticketmaster to rival ticket sellers, force the company to open select venues to competing promoters and cap service fees at 15%. California is one of the key states still involved in the trial.

But those steps fall short, critics say.

“It’s clear that Live Nation has manipulated the market and made itself untouchable by competitors, hurting artists, hurting fans, hurting venues, all the while, raking in the cash,” said California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta at the Capitol Forum conference last week. “Not because it’s a better service or product, because it acted illegally and created a monopoly.”

U.S. senators have also chimed in. Minnesota’s Amy Klobuchar recently introduced the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act to strengthen the review of antitrust settlements. Klobuchar said in a release that it’s “clear the American people got the raw end of the deal.”

And Connecticut’s Richard Blumenthal released a report that provides new details into the inner workings of Ticketmaster and urges attorneys general across the nation to reject the settlement.

Blumenthal said that the Trump administration’s settlement with Live Nation will keep consumers vulnerable to Ticketmaster’s “anticompetitive practices” and ultimately push “concert tickets farther out of reach for fans.”

The senator’s report, entitled “So Casually Cruel: How Ticketmaster’s Monopoly Supercharges Prices and Fees,” examined over 100,000 documents and Ticketmaster’s revenue data. The report argues that the company leveraged its market control to make tickets available on the resale market before they were available to the general public in an effort to hike prices and boost profits.

“The ticketing market is broken,” Blumenthal said in a statement.

In its own statement, Ticketmaster said Blumenthal’s report “misrepresents how the live events industry works” and that the problem lies in the secondary ticketing industry.

“This is why we’ve long called for industry resale reform, including price caps, while also developing tools to empower artists and protect fans,” Ticketmaster said in a statement.

Recently, Ticketmaster has backed ticketing bills like AB-1349 and advocated to Congress for an industry-wide resale cap.

Sens. Blumenthal and Klobuchar are among many industry experts who say the settlement doesn’t adequately address anticompetitive practices and falls short of protecting consumers from high ticket prices.

Under Klobuchar’s new bill, courts could have 90 days to review public comments and government responses.

“When the government prosecutes antitrust violations, the goal should be to uphold the law, lower prices, and protect consumers and small businesses,” Klobuchar said in the statement.

Lindsay Owens, the executive director of the economic policy nonprofit Groundwork Collaborative, said the settlement will end up being “incredibly costly for concertgoers, performers, and independent venues.”

“California and 35 other states are standing up for Americans who are sick and tired of being ripped off and having to scrimp and save to enjoy a night out,” Owens said in a statement.

This ongoing trial is one of several major legal battles the ticketing giant is facing. The company is also being sued by the Federal Trade Commission and is dealing with a handful of class-action lawsuits from groups of concertgoers.

Times staff writer Meg James contributed to this report.

Tourism consultant David Evans has warned that the cost of flying is likely to rise sharply

A travel expert has advised folks to snap up flights now in anticipation of a predicted ‘surge’ in airfare costs. Tourism consultant David Evans revealed that aviation fuel prices have rocketed by 70 per cent in the wake of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he suggested that this could soon make flying considerably pricier. This situation is likely to be compounded by the financial strain many airlines are under due to the cancellation of numerous flights amid the unrest in the Middle East.

When asked by host Rachel Burden whether people should book now before flight prices soar, Mr Evans responded: “If you can get a flight that you feel is offering you a really good value-for-money price and it is via somewhere like Singapore (then yes).

“It’s also worth bearing in mind that, once all this blows over, which hopefully won’t be too far off, the Middle Eastern airlines will undoubtedly be introducing some attractive fares into the market to try and recoup the demand they’ve lost over the past few weeks.

“According to the data we’ve seen, the cost of jet fuel has risen by about 70 per cent. Fuel accounts for roughly a quarter of an airline’s operating cost, so the maths are pretty straightforward – if the fuel price is climbing that much, it won’t be long before air fares start to rise. If this carries on for many more weeks, travelling is likely to become more expensive.”

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Mr Evans’ remarks follow revelations that holiday-goers are eschewing Easter trips to traditionally favoured destinations such as Cyprus, Turkey, and Dubai, opting instead for western locations like Spain, Italy, and Portugal, as well as the Caribbean and Mauritius. According to Thomas Cook, bookings to Portugal saw a 42 per cent surge in the fortnight leading up to 13 March.

British Airways has axed some Middle East flight routes until June due to ‘airspace instability’, whilst the UAE and Dubai have been compelled to repeatedly shut down both airports and airspace following retaliatory Iranian strikes. Iraqi officials reported that Iranian strikes over the country on Monday (March 16) were the most intense they had seen throughout the entire war.

“I think the announcement from BA is probably good news in that it gives those people who would otherwise have been in complete limbo thinking, ‘crikey, is this situation going to improve or not over the next few months’ – now they know their flight is cancelled, they can either rebook on a different route or they can get a refund and use the money to either holiday domestically or to go to a different destination, so at least it provides certainty,” Mr Evans added.

“I guess we could say that the 2020s have been a bingo card of doom and this is the square for 2026, but it is also worth saying that the tourism industry and indeed tourists are incredibly resilient.

“Yes, clearly many people are being disrupted if they had either to or from the UK to or via the Middle East, but there are lots of other destinations that are still open for business and lots of other visitors able to get to the UK very easily.”

Katie Price appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday, where she said no topic was ‘off limit’ during the bombshell interview

Katie Price appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday to set the record straight on several details in her life, insisting no topic was ‘off limit’.

Katie, 47, recently left her family reeling when she announced she’d got hitched for the fourth time to businessman Lee Andrews, 43, who she had only known for a week. Her shocked mum and sister only found out after she announced the news on social media.

Since the reveal of her new relationship and marriage, the couple have been forced to hit back at a series of claims. Only recently, Katie spoke out to defend her husband Lee, hitting back at claims he’s a conman and insisting she has seen proof of his wealth.

Appearing on Monday’s Good Morning Britain, Katie encouraged hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls to grill her, insisting that no topic was ‘off limit’.

Real marriage date and Lee Andrews relationship

Katie said: “I’m doing really good. Really good. Really happy. I’m so excited to be here today for you to ask me anything you want”, adding: “The reason I say that is because there’s been so much speculation in the media, online, and no one can really hear my voice. So I’m glad I’ve got you guys. As you know, you can ask me anything.”

Talking about marrying Lee so quickly, she said: “Now, do you ever really know anyone? If you look at my past marriages, did I ever know they would be what they would be? And sometimes, I don’t think you can ever know who anyone is.”

She added: “So for me, I’ve gone through so much, as everyone knows, so much, so many different relationships. And I normally went from one to the other, to the other. And I recently, well, two years ago, I did relationships, healthy relationships”, adding that before then, she had always been in “toxic” relationships.

Katie continued: “But now, like two years ago, I now know signs of red flags. And you know, all of this, I’ve been there, done it. Now, I am older, I can make my own decisions. And there’s nothing to say that you have to wait for anything. So I’ve met Lee. It’s hard for anyone to understand.”

It was at this point that Katie revealed when she first met Lee, which was January, and when they got married, saying: “We got married two weeks ago. Although it looked like we did the ceremony in January, we did get engaged then.”

Meanwhile, over the weekend, Lee denied a claim that he sent a voice note begging for cash, days after Katie claimed she’s seen proof he’s a millionaire.

Lee has been accused of sending desperate voice notes of him begging for cash and complaining about surviving on 20 ready meals days before his lavish proposal to Katie in January and whirwild wedding. It has been claimed that in one voice note, Lee claims he’s “desperate” and “trying to survive”.

Lee has denied the claims in an Instagram post, simply commenting on a post making the claims: “This is not me”.

Meanwhile, Lee also took to his Instagram story to double down on claims that fake voice notes featuring his voice are circulating. He shared a screenshot of three Instagram accounts pretending to be him and wrote on top: “Warning Ignore the fake accounts and fake voice notes”.

This is a breaking showbiz story and is being constantly updated. Please refresh the page regularly to get the latest news, pictures and videos.You can also get email updates on the day’s biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters.

Good Morning Britain continues on weekdays at 6am on ITV and ITV X.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

TRAVELLERS are rushing to Amazon to bag a large-sized Samsonite suitcase that’s now almost half-price in the retailer’s Spring Sale.

This soft-shell, big-brand luggage usually costs £209, but has since dropped to £112.

Samsonite Base Boost Soft Luggage, £112.19 (was £209)

The retail giant’s Spring Deal Days sale is now in its penultimate day, with thousands of prices plummeted across the site.

With the holiday season fast approaching, small wonder the online giant has decided to drop prices across a wide range of suitcases.

And yes, you’ll find all sorts of third-party options for much less – but if you’re looking for assured levels of quality on your hols, then go for a well-known maker like Samsonite.

Originally £209, the Base Boost Soft Luggage Suitcase has been dropped to just £112.19.

That 46% saving has made this a best-seller on the Amazon site.

For mini-breaks and weekend trips, you’ll likely be looking for Ryanair-friendly underseat options.

This, by contrast, is a 112.5-litre beast that’s best for families and those long trips away.

Despite its size, it remains incredibly lightweight at just 3.1kg, which gives you more of an opportunity to fill up the case while steering clear of those dreaded overweight baggage fees.

It comes in black and navy blue, with the black being a little cheaper.

For security, it’s got a fixed TSA combination lock built-in for stress-free travel, and inside, it’s got a buckle system to keep your clothes in place and a zipped mesh divider for easy organisation.

Better yet, Samsonite also includes a 10-year warranty with this case.

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The suitcase has already racked up over 6,300 five-star reviews on Amazon, with shoppers hailing its durability.

One delighted customer wrote: “This is a traveller’s dream come true.

“With its sleek design and practical features, this suitcase makes packing and travelling a breeze.

“But perhaps the standout feature of this suitcase is its spinner wheels.

“With four multi-directional spinner wheels, manoeuvring through crowded airports and busy streets is effortless.”

Another fan added: “Love this bag! Lightweight and sturdy.

“[It] has travelled with me about 10 times now and looks good as new.”

A third traveller shared: “Very light and manoeuvrable.

“[I] needed a new case to last me a week for a business trip, and decided this was the one — I am not disappointed.

“It’s a very lightweight case with great expansion capability. Love the addition of the strap holders for when you are packing.”

If you want to pick this up at the reduced price, best act fast.

The Amazon Spring Deal Days sale is set to end tomorrow at midnight (Monday 16th March).

Head to our Amazon Spring Sale deals page for our pick of the very best bargains.

For some tried-and-tested recommendations, head to our pick of the best suitcases.

March 13 (Asia Today) — South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Thursday urged citizens to report gas stations that violate the government’s newly introduced fuel price cap, saying public monitoring is necessary to prevent price gouging.

Lee posted a message on the social media platform X on the first day of the petroleum price cap system, asking citizens to report any gas stations charging excessive prices.

“Fuel prices are stabilizing, right? If you see price gouging, please report it,” Lee wrote.

The president also shared a map showing gasoline prices at gas stations in the Siheung area of Gyeonggi Province. The prices ranged from the 1,700 won to 1,900 won range per liter.

The government began enforcing the price cap at midnight Thursday.

Under the measure, refiners’ supply price for regular gasoline is capped at 1,724 won per liter, or about $1.29. The cap for automotive diesel is 1,713 won, about $1.28, and for kerosene 1,320 won, about $0.99.

Lee’s public posting of gas station prices was widely interpreted as a signal that the presidential office is closely monitoring fuel prices.

About 90 minutes before sharing the map, Lee posted another message warning companies against violating the policy.

“Starting today we are fully implementing the petroleum price cap system,” he wrote.

“To stabilize domestic fuel prices amid volatile international conditions, we have set clear upper limits on supply prices.”

Lee also called for citizen participation in monitoring the market.

“If you discover any gas station violating the price cap, please report it immediately,” he wrote. “Public vigilance is necessary to prevent businesses from taking advantage of the situation to earn excessive profits.”

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260313010003999

If you’re looking for the most elegant way to wrap up our “little excursion” in Iran, it’s this: President Trump should follow what might politely be called the “declare victory and head for the airport” strategy.

You know the drill: Announce that we’ve set back Iran’s nuclear programs a decade, pounded their navy into submission, and turned the ayatollah into a fine mist. Mission accomplished! Thank you for flying the friendly skies, and please return your seat backs to their full upright and locked position.

Don’t get me wrong. This “cut and run” routine is less than ideal. Trump will have signaled to the world he (we) can’t endure any insurgent resistance, empowered the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to run the country and likely angered Israel in the process.

But his domestic political base will believe he won, and fan service has always been his top political priority.

Besides, once you’ve entered a war without a coherent justification, clearly defined goals or a credible exit strategy, you’re lucky to get out at all. A salutary outcome no longer exists; that ship has already sailed.

Speaking of which, as I write this, we are drifting toward what feels like a point of no return. Mining the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran is now attempting to do, is the ultimate trump card.

Using mines to shut down this narrow shipping lane — which contributes about 20% of the world’s oil supply, not to mention natural gas and fertilizer — could result in a crippled global economy, mass casualties and a situation in which the president can no longer save face while cutting and running.

As retired U.S. Navy Adm. James Stavridis writes, “Iran has been planning a Strait of Hormuz closure operation for decades and probably has more than 5,000 mines; just one hit can severely damage a thin-skinned tanker.”

Yes, once laid, minefields can be cleared. But Stavridis predicts it would take “weeks, if not a month or two” to clear thousands of mines. He warns: “The global economy needs to be prepared for a month or two shutdown.” (Complicating matters is the fact that our dedicated minesweepers were recently decommissioned.)

The Iranians are not idiots. They watch American politics. They understand that Trump’s pressure point isn’t Tehran — it’s the S&P 500. A bad week on Wall Street makes him jumpier than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

Trump, whatever else you say about him, is a transactional materialist who approaches geopolitics the way a real estate developer approaches zoning disputes: What’s the angle, where’s the leverage, and can everybody just settle already?

Unfortunately, the fellows running Iran are religious zealots who believe — deeply, sincerely and somewhat alarmingly — in something larger than quarterly economic indicators. Their strategic plan appears to consist of two options: survive (which they see as tantamount to victory), or die gloriously while insisting they meant to do that all along.

Which makes their current behavior grimly logical.

The Iranian regime, such as it is, doesn’t have much to lose. But they know exactly what Trump has to lose: His popularity and political legacy are now tied to the price of oil.

Releasing U.S. strategic oil reserves will help to some extent, but this is not a long-term solution. And Iran is betting that when the price at the pump for U.S. consumers starts looking like a luxury car payment, Trump will do what critics like to summarize as TACO — “Trump Always Chickens Out.”

Lots of American political observers agree. And it’s not just moderates or RINOs who are teasing this.

Referring to the U.S. military, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich told Larry Kudlow on Fox Business: “They have to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. I don’t care what it costs.”

“If they can’t keep it open,” Gingrich continued, “this war will, in fact, be an American defeat before very long, because the entire world, including the American people, will react to the price of oil if the strait stays closed very long.”

Perhaps the U.S. military can pull off a delicate trick: keep our “armada” in the region, keep the Strait of Hormuz open, clear any mines that are laid and prevent some unlucky tanker from being hit by a mine — or, for that matter, by a drone or missile fired from the Iranian coast. That final risk is why some military analysts believe reopening the strait would require a ground operation.

Imagine that the U.S. manages to thread these needles. Then what?

Total and complete surrender? Regime change? Boots on the ground?

Absent a swift exit (like, tomorrow), we’re left with the two classic options of power politics: a delayed and more ignominious retreat or increased escalation.

And, historically speaking, American presidents are more likely to double down — with tragic results.

Matt K. Lewis is the author of “Filthy Rich Politicians” and “Too Dumb to Fail.”

KATIE Price has warned that her son Harvey “will die of a heart attack” as she begs the NHS to put him of fat jabs.

The former glamour model, 47, revealed her worst fears for her 23-year-old son, who has a rare genetic disorder called Prader-Willi syndrome, which causes insatiable hunger, alongside autism, septo-optic dysplasia.

Last April Katie told fans that she was worried for her son’s life as he weighed nearly 30 stone.

And now the TV personality has shared another serious health update on the latest episode of her podcast.

A worried Katie said: “I’ve been on the case to doctors about putting him on the Monjaro.

“I’m actually going to put some up on Instagram to say, is there any private doctors out there because the NHS are so – I’m not slagging the NHS off, but they know he’s in the obese category.

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“When he sleeps, I worry because he’s snoring and wheezing.

“Then sometimes he holds his breath and I’m like, he’s massive, Sophie.

“He’s just getting bigger and he’ll end up dying of a heart attack.

“They’ve already told me years ago that if you don’t lose weight, he’s prone to a heart attack.”

She added: “I just feel so bad, so I’m going to have to do something.

“I mean, I’m not going to inject him myself because that’s not medically right to do for him. But something needs to be done.

“He’s just huge. So that’s that. But I’ve enjoyed having him.”

In January, Katie said Harvey was set to start fab jabs soon.

Katie confessed: “Things are definitely going to change for Harvey when we move because although he’s moving to adult residential, he’s also going to be starting Mounjaro.”

She explained she would be keeping an eye on him while he takes the medication, adding: “So, he’ll be losing weight.”

Harvey has several complex medical conditions, including Prader-Willi Syndrome, which causes an excessive appetite and weight gain, and autism.

Back in November, Katie spoke out in one of her podcast episodes, saying: “He’s not started fat jabs,” after speculation he had already started the weight loss injections.

She went on to say: “There are talks of fat jabs – of Mounjaro – for him.

“But when he was there, they’ve actually got a new weight loss drug coming out, and it’s new.

“They’ve clinically tested it on people and they’ve got a few people they’re putting it on first.”

Katie then said: “And if it works, then Harvey can go on it in the new year.

“But they want him to start the Mounjaro.

“Because if he goes on Mounjaro first and then goes onto this new one, it will work a lot quicker.

“The reason he hasn’t started Mounjaro yet is because they were trying to get him to lose weight through his diet, to try all avenues,” she explained.

Despite not being on fat jabs yet, Harvey has still lost a substantial amount of weight

Back in October, Katie opened up about how much weight he had lost.

“Last I heard, he lost 22lbs, is he still going?” Katie’s sister asked on their podcast last month.

Katie then revealed: “He’s lost a stone and a half. I can notice it on his chest, but not the belly yet.”

YOUR holiday sangria or paella could be much more expensive on your next trip to the Spanish islands.

Officials have said that destinations like the Canaries and Balearics will experience a price hike when it comes to food and drink because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The Spanish islands are incredibly popular with Brits, especially during the summer holidays.

The Canary Islands welcomes up to six million British tourists each year and it’s where you’ll find the likes of Tenerife and Lanzarote.

Meanwhile, around three million tourists visit the Balearics – with over two million heading to Majorca alone.

Both locations are popular thanks to their high temperatures and direct flights from multiple locations across the UK.

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Now, industry chiefs have said the increase in cost of food and drink at these destinations will be worse than 2022 when prices shot up after the war in the Ukraine began.

Urgent meetings are already being held in the Balearic Islands and in the Canaries which are very dependent on imports due to their more isolated locations.

In July 2022, inflation climbed to 10.8 per cent in Spain.

President of the Association of Food and Beverage Distributors of the Balearic Islands, Mr Bartolomé Servera is warning of severe increases, which will depend on the duration of the crisis in Iran.

Mr Servera said the new impact will be much greater if the conflict is prolonged as the weight of the Middle East is much greater, especially through the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of oil and gas pass.

Mr Servera says carriers have already begun to raise prices because the price of fuel has skyrocketed.

Diesel has risen by 32 cents per litre, around 22 per cent; while Gasoline 95 has become between 18 and 20 cents per litre more expensive, which represents 12 per cent.

In addition, it is not ruled out that the barrel of Brent will continue to rise: this Wednesday (March 11) it is around 90 dollars, but this past Monday (March 9) it was close to 120 dollars.

This is likely to then effect everything on the island from hotels and resorts.

The association president said “Milk, eggs, bread, fruit will rise.

“Everything needs fuel for its production or transport, so they will not escape the escalation of costs and producers will have to pass them on to consumers.”

The Canary Islands also fear soaring prices and will meet with transport leaders shortly.

President of the Cabildo de La Gomera, Casimiro Curbelo said official need to be monitoring the impact of the war on the islands and prepare contingency plans.

The Government of the Canary Islands says it is “very attentive” to the consequences of the war in the Middle East and plans to hold a meeting with the transport sector in the coming days in view of the increase in fuel prices.

Faced with this situation, the Government of Spain is working on an aid package, as it did at the beginning of the war in Ukraine, to alleviate the looming rise in prices.

For more on Majorca, here are the hidden gems on the island loved by locals.

And one writer who has visited 100 countries explains why he always goes back to these Spanish islands that Brits love and have the best food and beaches.

Warning comes as 400 million barrels of oil are being released from global reserves during waterway’s closure.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it will not allow “a litre of oil” through the Strait of Hormuz as the closure of the key Gulf waterway continues to roil global energy markets during the US-Israeli war on Iran.

A spokesperson for the IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters said on Wednesday that any vessel linked to the United States and Israel or their allies “will be considered a legitimate target”.

“You will not be able to artificially lower the price of oil. Expect oil at $200 per barrel,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “The price of oil depends on regional security, and you are the main source of insecurity in the region.”

Global oil prices have fluctuated wildly this week during continued US-Israeli attacks against Iran, which has retaliated by firing missiles and drones at targets across the wider Middle East.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies transit, and production slowdowns in some Gulf countries have raised concerns of further disruptions.

Concerns around the duration of the war, which began on February 28 and has shown no sign of abating, are also adding to uncertainty, sending oil prices soaring.

On Wednesday, three ships were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, maritime security and risk firms said, including a Thai-flagged cargo vessel that came under attack about 11 nautical miles (18km) north of Oman.

Release of oil reserves

World leaders, including members of the Group of Seven (G7) and the European Union, have been mulling what action to take in response to the war’s impact on global economies.

Christian Bueger, a professor of international relations at the University of Copenhagen and an expert in maritime security, said Europe will be facing “a major energy supply crisis” if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.

“For the shipping industry right now, it’s impossible to go through the Strait of Hormuz,” Bueger told Al Jazeera. “And if there are not stronger signals in the near future that they can at least try to go through the strait, then we are looking at a major shipping crisis, which can last weeks if not months.”

On Wednesday, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that its 32 member countries had unanimously agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves to try to lower prices.

“This is a major action aiming to alleviate the immediate impacts of the disruption in markets,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said during an address from the agency’s headquarters in Paris.

“But to be clear, the most important thing for a return to stable flows of oil and gas is the resumption of transit through the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.

The reserve supplies will be made available “over a timeframe that is appropriate” for each member state, the IEA said in a statement without providing details.

German Economy and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche said earlier in the day that the country would comply with the release while Austria also said it would make part of its emergency oil reserve available and extend its national strategic gas reserve.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said it would release about 80 million barrels from its private and national oil reserves.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the country, which gets about 70 percent of its oil imports through the Strait of Hormuz, would begin releasing the reserves on Monday.

Coronation Street’s Megan Walsh will finally be exposed in upcoming scenes on the ITV soap, leaving Eva Price and her entire family shaken when they discover what she has been doing

Coronation Street‘s Megan Walsh will finally be exposed in upcoming scenes on the ITV soap. The teacher, played by Beth Nixon, has been carrying out an illicit affair with her student Will Driscoll as part of a controversial storyline on the ITV soap.

Will arrived with his family last October to move into the Rovers Return, and it was quickly established that Megan was his athletics coach but there was a lot more to it than just that. Megan eventually moved to Weatherfield, got a job at the local secondary school and has even started up a relationship with Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard) as a cover-up.

But spoilers have now revealed that Megan’s “past will come back to haunt her,” leaving Will’s stepmum Eva Price (Cathertine Tyldesley) to discover the truth about what she has been doing.

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Megan’s flatmate Leanne also looks set to weigh in on the harrowing situation, as her own stespon Sam Blakeman (Jude Riordan) has worked out what his going on between Will and Megan, and has received multiple threats from the villainous teacher. After the bombshell scenes, this will also leave Daniel wondering where he stands as he potentially comes to realise that his entire relationship was a lie.

Just weeks ago, Corrie aired a flashforward episode that revealed that Megan is one of five potential murder victims, along with fellow villains Jodie Ramsey, Carl Webster, Maggie Driscoll, and Theo Silverton. So will this all lead to the ultimate downfall for Megan or will the teacher actually face prison time for her crimes?

Coronation Street boss Kate Brookes recently explained that she the story was a “very important” one to tell. She said: “It’s a very important story to tell and we want to be as truthful as possible. As part of that story Sam will end up getting embroiled in it all.

“Sam is semi-related to the pub family and he potentially gets wind that something’s amiss. We will see the lengths that Megan will go to manipulate Sam into keeping quiet. It’ll be massively detrimental to Sam’s wellbeing.”

Meanwhile, for actress Beth Nixon, Coronation Street marks her television debut but she had actually auditioned for other parts on the soap before landing the role of Megan. Speaking to York College, Beth shared that the casting team had seen Beth in several shows at her drama school: the Arden School of Theatre in Manchester, so she was “kind of on their radar.”

Revealing her past audition history, Beth explained: “But I’d auditioned for Corrie twice before – as a baddie both times of course – including for the role of Lauren.” Actress Cait Fitton ended up being cast as Lauren, making her debut in 2022, and has remained on the show since.

Beth added: “Then, earlier this year, my agent sent me a casting brief and explained it was for a paedophile, which is a bit crazy to play because they’re obviously not a redeemable character, so they can push it pretty far.” After sending a self-tape Beth attended a chemistry test with other actors who were being considered to play Will. She then performed a scene on the set at The Bistro – and it turned out the bosses were rather impressed with her.

Beth – who was working as a skin clinic manager before joining Corrie – said: “I was at work when my agent called me. I was upstairs as my colleague watched the desk and, when he told me I’d got it, everybody in the clinic could hear me screaming my head off and then I cried, because it’s been four years since I graduated and this is my first TV role.

“It’s been a hard time and I was really close to quitting, having a normal job and pursuing a different career, so this just came at exactly the right time and when I needed it.”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Harry Poulton, who moved to the Alicante region from the UK, visited the Duke of Wellington pub and Ray’s Chippy in Benidorm to find out if they serve the best fish and chips in the city

A Brit living in Benidorm has voiced his astonishment at the cost of fish and chips in the popular holiday spot after popping into a takeaway in the Spanish tourism hotspot. Harry Poulton, who provides travel tips and insights into the Alicante region, paid a visit to the Duke of Wellington pub in the Costa Blanca resort, which also houses Ray’s Chippy.

“I’m here to find out if this really is the best fish and chips in the whole of Benidorm,” he kicked off in a TikTok video. Settling down, Harry chose cod and chips, served with a pot of curry sauce and a can of Coca-Cola to wash it down.

Once his meal arrived, he complimented the waitress, saying it looked “absolutely amazing” before tucking in.

Sprinkling salt on the chips and dunking one in the curry sauce, Harry expressed his delight: “Oh, proper chip shop fries. It’s really nice. You can’t beat a chip shop fry, can you?”

Turning his attention to the fish, meanwhile, Harry, who selected the smaller option from the menu, described it as looking “gorgeous” before taking a bite.

“That is amazing,” he proclaimed. “Super crunchy – the batter is really nice and it’s proper fresh. Really, really tasty – it’s absolutely gorgeous.”

Harry headed to the till to pay the bill afterwards which, at €13.50 (£11.69), he hailed as an “absolute bargain”.

On TripAdvisor, The Duke of Wellington and Ray’s Chippy boasts a rating of 3.8 out of five based on 289 reviews.

Reacting to Harry’s post, one TikTok user commented: “Great place, we go every time we are in Benidorm.”

A second visitor praised: “Very good when we both went. 10/10 Good prices too.”

While a third recommended: “You should try Gwen’s Bar in La Cala on a Friday tea time. Their fish and chips are unbelievable.”

Harry also offered guidance to Brits heading to Benidorm while the Cheltenham Festival is taking place back home. The annual horse racing spectacular is being held at Cheltenham Racecourse from today (March 10) through to Friday.

“It’s a little bit cloudy here at the moment,” Harry cautioned those planning to watch the races while abroad. “It’s quite cold as well – currently just 13 degrees and it looks there is more rain and wind on the way.”

He concluded by urging those travelling to the Costa Blanca this week to pack jumpers and jackets alongside summer clothing. “You know what Benidorm is like,” he remarked. “Cloudy one minute, but blue skies the next. It’s good to be prepared.”

Dozens of civilians, including children, wounded by an Iranian drone strike in Bahrain. France deploying warships to secure shipping commerce in the Strait of Hormuz. Australia taking heat from President Trump over its handling of the Iranian women’s soccer team. Markets across Asia plunging as the price of oil surged.

Lebanon reporting half a million people displaced by fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The U.S. State Department telling nonessential staff to get out of Saudi Arabia after attacks there killed workers from India and Bangladesh. Ukrainian anti-drone experts turning their attention from their war with Russia to help intercept Iranian attacks. The defense minister of ever-neutral Switzerland saying his country believes the U.S.-Israeli war violates international law.

In less than two weeks, the Trump administration has instigated a truly global conflict — and with no quick and clear path to resolution, despite Trump insisting to congressional Republicans gathered at his Miami resort Monday that it would be a “short term excursion.”

“Short term! Short term!” Trump said in a bullish speech about the conflict, in which he said “the world respects us right now more than they have ever respected us before.”

“We’re counting down the minutes until they will be gone,” he said of Iran’s remaining leadership, while adding that the U.S. “will not relent” until Iran is “totally and decisively defeated.”

The war is not isolated to Iran, though it has certainly caused devastation there — with more than 1,300 deaths reported and toxic clouds from strikes on fuel depots hovering over Tehran, a city of some 10 million people.

The war’s effects also are not limited to the Middle East, though they are widespread there — as Israel has pushed into Lebanon and Iran has launched a wave of retaliatory strikes on U.S. allies across the Persian Gulf. The fighting has grounded regional air traffic, threatened desalination facilities that provide drinking water to millions and undermined the safe reputation of modern metropolises such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Unlike the recent U.S. incursion into Venezuela to capture and oust President Nicolás Maduro, the U.S. war on Iran has been met with stiff resistance militarily, drawn in a slew of allies, reignited proxy battles, drastically destabilized the oil trade and shifted dynamics between the U.S. and other major powers such as China and Russia.

China, which gets upward of 50% of its crude oil imports through the Strait of Hormuz, has largely stayed out of the conflict, though China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday that the war “should never have happened” and “benefited no one.”

Trump said Monday that the U.S. is less harmed by strait disruptions, and was “really helping China” by securing the strait.

Russia, meanwhile, has emerged the lone winner of energy disruptions in the region, said Robert David English, a UCLA international policy analyst — as the Trump administration considers reducing oil sanctions on Russia to take pressure off of Mideast sources.

Trump said he had a “good talk” with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Iran on Monday. He also said the U.S. was going to suspend sanctions against other countries in order to alleviate strain on oil markets while the Iran conflict persists, but did not provide specifics.

The scope of the war has been dictated in part by Iran, which has historically limited its responses to U.S. strikes but warned after the U.S. bombed its nuclear sites last summer that it would treat any new attacks — large or small — as an act of war, and respond in kind.

Its strikes on U.S. facilities and allies throughout the region reflect that strategy, and are aimed in part at making the war more politically costly for the U.S. by straining global markets and its regional allies, experts said.

However, “you can’t attribute the increasingly global characteristics of the conflict solely to an Iranian strategy, because wars in this region tend to spill over the longer they last, with unintended consequences” including “bringing in all kinds of actors that don’t want to be involved,” said Kevan Harris, an associate professor of sociology who teaches courses on Iran and Middle East politics at the UCLA International Institute.

That can serve as a deterrent to starting wars in the region, he said, but “also makes them more difficult to wind down.”

The surge in oil prices to nearly $120 a barrel Monday — before a remarkable reversal to below $90 by the time U.S. stocks closed — is one of the furthest-reaching effects of the war, and one that clearly had Trump’s attention.

“Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!” Trump wrote on social media Sunday.

How long prices will remain elevated or volatile is a matter of debate, but Trump’s “short term” projections have been undercut by increasing strikes on oil and gas facilities in the region.

“If you can tolerate oil at more than $200 per barrel, continue this game,” Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Sunday.

Prices at the pump have surged for average Americans, some of whom were attracted to Trump’s candidacy because of his promises to avoid foreign wars and focus on driving down the cost of living for U.S. citizens.

Now, Trump and other administration officials are facing questions about their own role in putting the world at war, and offering various different justifications. They’ve asserted without proof that the U.S. faced an imminent threat of attack from Iran. Trump has repeatedly hinted that his goal was removing the government.

President Trump speaks at the Republican Members Issues Conference on Monday at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Fla.

(Mark Schiefelbein / Associated Press)

In the meantime, Iran has shown no signs of bowing to Trump, rejecting his calls for “surrender” and for him to have a say in naming their next leader. Iran installed Mojtaba Khamenei after Trump said the hard-liner son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be “unacceptable.”

The choice was hailed by the president of Azerbaijan and the leader of Yemen’s Houthi rebels, among other allies.

To date, seven U.S. service members have been killed in the conflict, according to U.S. officials. Every day, U.S. taxpayers are on the hook for nearly $1 billion in war costs, according to one estimate. Democrats have slammed Trump for both.

“This war is coming from the same President that is building a $400 million ballroom in the White House. The same President that says $100 for a barrel for oil is worth it. The same President that doubled healthcare premiums for millions of Americans. But we have money for another endless war?” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) wrote Monday on X.

Other world leaders focused on the global economic impact.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which transports about 20% of the world’s oil, has nearly halted, while producers in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates ceased oil operations without open routes for export.

In response, French President Emmanuel Macron suggested French and other allied naval assets could escort oil tankers in the strait, shifting the security burden there from Washington onto Europe, leaving European vessels vulnerable to hostilities and potentially drawing the European Union deeper into the conflict.

Already, they’ve agreed to allow the U.S. to use bases in their territories, though the U.S. and Spain got into a spat after Spain rejected U.S. use of its bases and Trump threatened U.S. trade with the country.

Macron on Monday also threw additional military support behind Cyprus, following a meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at a Cyprus air base.

France will dispatch an additional 11 warships to operate across the eastern Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, Macron said, after an Iranian drone struck a British military base on Cyprus on Monday.

“When Cyprus is attacked, it is Europe that is attacked,” Macron said.

Located just 150 miles from Israel in the eastern Mediterranean, the island of Cyprus has emerged as a strategic — and exposed — nerve center in the U.S. offensive against Iran. It hosts vital British military bases and acts as an intelligence, surveillance, and logistics hub in countering Iranian influence and proxy attacks.

Britain’s Defense Secretary John Healey said Monday that the United Kingdom was conducting air defense to support the UAE, and that Typhoon jets had taken out two drones — one over Jordan and the other headed to Bahrain.

Trump suggested Monday that the U.S. was on the path toward victory, but acknowledged it had not accomplished all of its goals.

“We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough,” he said — adding the conflict will end “pretty quickly.”

He said Iran had been “very foolish, very stupid” when it attacked its neighbors, hurting its own chances of success in resisting the U.S.

“Their neighbors were largely neutral, or at least weren’t gonna be involved, and they got attacked,” Trump said. “And it had the reverse effect. The neighbors came onto our side, and started attacking them.”

Iran may still attempt to widen the conflict’s economic and geopolitical impact to keep up pressure and push for a ceasefire in its favor, but that could also backfire, said Benjamin Radd, a political scientist and senior fellow at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations.

“Iran’s becoming increasingly like North Korea in this sense,” he said, “isolating itself further.”