Delta CEO braces flyers for higher fares amid surge in oil prices tied to Iran war

The CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian, braced customers for higher fares following the surge in oil prices sparked by the US-Israel war on Iran, amid strong demand from passengers.Though rising oil prices have cost the company an extra $330m in fuel expenses, and it projected a $2bn increase in fuel costs in the current quarter, Delta forecast that revenue would grow 10% as flyers continue to book flights.It was a “healthy” time to travel, Bastian said on Wednesday.But as several carriers raise baggage fees, blaming volatility in the oil markets, Bastian hinted such moves could be permanent – increasing the cost of air travel. “At this level of fuel [pricing], it’s hard to call anything temporary,” he said

Oil prices plunge and stocks jump after Trump announces conditional ceasefire with Iran

Oil prices tumbled on Wednesday and global stock markets rallied sharply after the US and Iran agreed a two-week conditional ceasefire.Investors hailed the news that Donald Trump had held off on his threat to bomb Iran into “the stone ages”, with Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, saying passage through the strait of Hormuz would be allowed for the next two weeks, under the management of Iran’s military.Oil fell below the $100 a barrel mark, even though it was not certain that the US would accept the 10-point proposal drawn up by Iran. How the strait will be reopened and managed beyond the two-week grace period is also yet to be determined.Brent crude oil, the international standard, had dropped by 16%, while US crude oil futures sank by 17

Britons warned about Russian hackers targeting internet routers for espionage

Russian hackers are exploiting commonly sold internet routers to harvest information for espionage purposes, the UK’s cybersecurity agency has said.The hack could allow attackers to obtain users’ credentials, redirect them to fake sites, and potentially access other devices on their home network such as phones and PCs, said Alan Woodward, a professor at the University of Surrey.The National Cyber Security Centre said on Tuesday the operations were “believed to be opportunistic in nature, with the actor targeting a wide pool of victims and then likely filtering down for users of potential intelligence value at each stage of the exploitation chain”.It follows a common pattern of cyber-actors targeting edge devices – hardware such as internet routers or internet-connected security cameras – that act as a bridge between users and the cloud.Woodward said: “It’s not the first time that warnings have come out about routers

The life-changing magic of wearing smartglasses | Letters

I read with sympathy the concerns of Elle Hunt in relation to privacy issues around Meta smartglasses (I wore Meta’s smartglasses for a month – and it left me feeling like a creep, 1 April). Clearly there needs to be ongoing development of technology and protocols that protect the public from ill-intentioned users. As the chief executive of a charity supporting people with a visual impairment, however, I would like to emphasise the point touched upon in your article: how transformative this technology is already proving for blind people.We are seeing significant numbers of our visually impaired staff and clients using Meta glasses in conjunction with their mobile phones to improve their ability to perform ordinary functions that most of us take for granted. A visual impairment can be disempowering and isolating

Grand National 2026: horse-by-horse guide to all the runners

I Am Maximus, the 2024 winner, heads to Aintree on Saturday as favourite to triumph again. Here is a look at the chances of all 34 contendersOne of two previous winners at the top of the weights and he backed up his 2024 success by pressing Nick Rockett all the way to the Elbow 12 months ago before finally crying enough. He had shown precious few hints of his National-winning form in two runs before that exceptional performance under top weight and has more to recommend him this year, having finished second in a Grade One in December and fifth in the Irish Gold Cup. In strict handicapping terms, he should probably find one or two too good, but Aintree aptitude is a serious weapon and another podium place is no forlorn hope.Verdict: each-way hope on Aintree form, but no top-weight winner since 70sThe strict rules on eligibility these days meant that even last year’s winner had to run in a chase this season to qualify for his attempt at a repeat success

The Spin | ‘That day was life-changing’: Miles Jupp on how Ashes climax fuelled incredible blag

Miles Jupp stares out at an empty Oval cricket ground. “This is absolutely one of my favourite places in the world,” says the actor, writer and comedian. We sit for a moment in silence, a couple of groundsmen wrestle with a hose and start watering the square. “This is almost blissful,” says Jupp in a hushed reverie. “You know, that day, 12 September 2005, was life-changing for so many of us