** Iran fired on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz and seized two of them on Wednesday, intensifying its assault on shipping in the key waterway a day after U.S. President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire while maintaining an American blockade of Iranian ports.
** “Multiple oil spills are visible from space after Iranian and US-Israeli strikes hit oil facilities and ships in the region, with experts warning of an impending environmental catastrophe,” reported CNN.
** The U.K. and France are heading a two-day summit with military planners from over 30 nations to explore how to keep the Strait of Hormuz accessible after the current conflict.
** First-quarter reports show companies including BP and oilfield services giant Baker Hughes are beginning to list Venezuela among lobbying topics in their filings. The trend also extends to less well-known players that have recently registered outside lobbyists for Venezuela-related work.
US energy
** Maine Gov. Janet Mills weighs whether to sign a bill banning data center development until November 2027, a measure that would be the first such statewide moratorium in the country.
** A judge blocks a wave of Trump administration policies that have stymied solar and wind permitting, including a requirement that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum personally sign off on clean energy projects.
** Houston-based advanced geothermal startup Fervo Energy reveals its plans to go public with a filing that details its potential to develop as much as 42 GW of capacity.
** Global electricity generation from renewables edged past coal in 2025, per new analysis by Ember, a clean energy think tank.