Downing Street

Oil prices are climbing again, and the gains are weighing on Wall Street, with US stock markets sliding as energy costs rise. Investors are watching how higher crude prices feed into inflation and company costs, making energy one of the main drivers of market sentiment right now.

Wednesday's front pages are dominated by two stories: reports alleging an Iranian connection to an alleged bomb plot targeting RAF personnel or bases in the UK, and suggestions that Downing Street is discussing tax rises ahead of the next budget. The national newspapers weigh the national security claims against debate over the government's fiscal plans.

Footage circulating online shows what residents say is a shark swimming along a flooded street in New Jersey during a storm. The sighting has drawn widespread attention as dramatic weather flooding brought coastal wildlife into residential areas, with viewers debating whether the animal is real and how it ended up so far inland.

Downing Street is considering a proposal from green energy businessman Dale Vince to install solar panels on council house roofs across the UK. The plan would aim to cut energy bills for social housing tenants and expand renewable power generation. Vince, founder of Ecotricity, has long pushed for faster home-grown renewable energy, and the idea is now reportedly under active review by government officials.

Residents at the Jersey Shore turned to kayaks to travel down a flooded street after water submerged the road. The striking images of people paddling past homes and parked cars highlight the scale of coastal flooding and how locals adapted to streets made impassable by high water.