Wes Streeting is preparing a Labour leadership bid focused on attracting global talent through a "global talent programme" and using North Sea oil and gas tax revenues to cut energy bills. He criticizes the US for deterring scientists and AI experts, vowing to welcome them to Britain.
A dog named Bruce was rescued from the North Sea after his inflatable kayak was blown offshore near the Farne Islands. Skipper Jimmy Reid pulled the hypothermic dog onto his tour boat after he had been floating for two hours.
The Aberdeen South by-election on June 18 is a pivotal contest on North Sea oil politics. Reform UK and Scottish Conservatives are campaigning on reviving oil and gas production, challenging the SNP's net zero commitments. The outcome could signal a wider debate on the economic burden of net zero ahead of a UK general election.
Wes Streeting supports cutting employers' national insurance to boost hiring and calls for oil/gas drilling in the North Sea. Pat McFadden defends current policies, citing NHS improvements. Ed Miliband faces a decision on drilling consents.
Humpback whale Timmy, rescued in a controversial €1.5m operation after being stranded in Germany, has been confirmed dead by Danish authorities. Found near Anholt island, the whale's death follows criticism from experts and the International Whaling Commission.
Magnus, a young male walrus, after touring Scotland's north-east coast, has been spotted in Norway, ending his Celtic sojourn, with climate change possibly driving his southbound excursion.
Magnus, a young walrus who charmed Scotland with his antics, has migrated to Norway, sparking theories about Arctic sea ice loss.
Moscow steps up maritime presence in North Sea after UK threats to seize shadow fleet oil tankersBritain’s Royal Navy tracked and followed a Russian frigate every day last month as it sailed from the Atlantic to the North Sea as Moscow steps up its maritime presence after UK threats to seize shadow fleet oil tankers.The Russian navy’s Admiral Grigorovich escorted six Russia-linked vessels during April, including at least three under economic sanction passing east through the Dover strait, while being watched continuously by four UK ships and helicopters. Continue reading...
Decades of complacency cannot be magicked away by drilling in the North Sea – or even by hoping that renewables will quickly power everythingEwan Gibbs is a historian of energy at the University of GlasgowFirst it was Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now it is the blockade of the world’s petroleum artery in the Gulf. For the second time in four years, Britain is facing an energy crisis that has been made much worse because of the absence of preparation by its political leaders.The fact is that our energy politics were conceived for a world where convulsive, global events were a thing of the past. The notion that it would be difficult to access supplies of oil or liquefied natural gas from the international markets did not figure in the understanding of the politicians and officials who shaped our perilous current moment. But even today, the advocates of energy sovereignty on the left and right appear to lack knowledge, understanding or power over this very foundational matter.Ewan Gibbs is a historian of energy, industry, work and protest at the University of Glasgow. He is the author of Coal Country: The Meaning and Memory of Deindustrialization in Postwar Scotland Continue reading...
Approval for exploration in 70 new areas prompts fierce backlash from fossil fuel opponents The Norwegian government has been heavily criticised for approving plans to reopen three North Sea gasfields nearly three decades after they were closed to help fill the gap in energy supplies created by the Middle East war.Amid sharp price rises in oil and gas since the US and Israel’s attack on Iran in February, Oslo has also given its approval for oil and gas companies to explore in 70 new locations in the North Sea, Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea. Continue reading...
The areas comprise 38 blocks in the Barents Sea, 10 blocks in the Norwegian Sea, and 22 in the North Sea, the news agency says
Party divisions over energy have deepened, but the need to move beyond fossil fuels has never been clearerEnergy has not been a prominent subject for discussion in the run-up to Thursday’s UK elections. In England this is logical enough, since the big policy decisions are taken by ministers in Westminster, not at council meetings. But the stances adopted by the new governments in Scotland and Wales matter a great deal. They will have an influence beyond their borders, helping to shape the national climate debate in the coming years.In both nations, as in England, divisions have deepened as Conservatives have moved away from support for net zero and Reform UK has ramped up its opposition to renewables. Among Scottish parties, only the Greens are categorically against new fossil‑fuel developments in the North Sea. Under John Swinney, the Scottish National party’s earlier opposition to the Rosebank oilfield has softened in advance of the upcoming decision over whether it should go ahead. Scottish Labour, by contrast, has thrown its weight behind new nuclear power.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
Rescuers are transporting a stranded humpback whale, known as Humpback Hope or Timmy in German media, into the North Sea via barge despite warnings, in a desperate race against time to save the animal's life.
A humpback whale dubbed 'Timmy' that beached near Luebeck, Germany on March 23 was rescued and released into the North Sea off Denmark on Saturday. The whale was transported in a water-filled barge by entrepreneurs Karin Walter-Mommert and another wealthy benefactor after authorities gave up on saving the animal. The whale exited the barge successfully and swam toward the Norwegian coast, though it has superficial injuries.
A rescue team successfully freed a humpback whale, nicknamed 'Timmy,' from shallow North Sea waters near Germany. The whale had been repeatedly stranded since March, with its health deteriorating before the successful release on Saturday.
Timmy, a 40-foot humpback whale stranded in shallow waters near Germany since March, was released into the North Sea on Saturday after a fifth rescue attempt. Funded by two German millionaires using a water-filled barge, the operation drew criticism from experts who warn the whale's compromised health may lead to death despite the rescue.
A humpback whale nicknamed Timmy, stranded in shallow waters near Germany's Baltic Sea coast since March, was released from a barge in the North Sea around 70km from Skagen, Denmark on Saturday. The whale had repeatedly become stranded near Wismar, with failed efforts to coax it toward deeper waters live-streamed globally. The rescue was approved by Germany's Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania environment minister despite scientific warnings.
The International Energy Agency's executive director Fatih Birol has warned that the oil crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran has permanently changed the global fossil fuel industry, with countries set to lose trust in oil and demand set to reduce. In an exclusive Guardian interview, Birol urged the UK to abandon plans for new North Sea fields including Jackdaw and Rosebank, saying they would not improve energy security or lower bills. He said the crisis was bigger than all previous crises combined and would have permanent consequences.
Researchers using ancient DNA (sedaDNA) analysis have discovered that Doggerland, a sunken landscape beneath the North Sea, hosted lush temperate forests of oak, elm and hazel at least 16,000 years ago—thousands of years earlier than previously thought. The study published in PNAS analyzed 252 sediment samples from 41 marine cores and found DNA from Pterocarya (walnut family) species 400,000 years older than their known extinction date, indicating isolated microrefugia allowed species to persist far longer. The findings suggest Doggerland was a significant refuge for plants, animals and early humans during the last Ice Age, with some parts remaining habitable until 7,000 years ago.
Letter writer responds to Nils Pratley's column on North Sea gas, arguing that expansion cannot be justified when climate and nature risks are considered. Citing Uplift analysis showing 14 years of new licensing delivered only one month's gas demand, the author warns that further expansion poses systemic risks to food security, economic stability and national security.
The unexpected visitors were shipped from Aberdeen to the Valaris Norway, off the coast of Lincolnshire.
Chris Huhne responds to Nils Pratley's article on UK gas policy, arguing that biomethane represents a third overlooked option between expanding North Sea drilling and increasing LNG imports. He highlights that biomethane is domestic, low carbon, storable and dispatchable, citing the IEA's 2025 Renewables report and examples from Denmark (meeting 40% of gas demand from green gas) and France (20%+ annual growth since 2022). The letter argues the UK lacks political will to scale these alternatives.
