Government ramps up planning for possible supply shortages from Iran war

The UKgovernmentisescalatingits planning tocounteractpotentialshortagesstemming from theIranconflict.

Oil prices have soared since the US-Israel war onIranbegan, driven by the closure of theStrait of Hormuz– a key shipping lane that once handled a fifth of global oil and gas.

The Prime Minister will chair another meeting of the Cabinet committee, established to manage the fallout, this Tuesday, following last week's Middle East Response Committee session.

A separate contingency group of ministers, led by Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones, also meets twice weekly.

They are focusing on live monitoring of stock levels and what plans are in place for addressing supply chain disruption.

TheGovernmenthas been seeking to calm the public, urging drivers to keep filling up with petrol and using cars as usual and not to change their travel plans amid fears over potential jet fuel shortages.

There have also been fears that the war could hit stocks of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is used in the food industry and by breweries to make drinks fizzy as well as for defence purposes and medical uses such as MRI scanning.

Mr Jones said: “This is not our war. The Government made the right call to stay out of the conflict and only take defensive action to protect Britain’s interests.

“We’re acting now to prepare for, and mitigate where possible, the impact on our economy and domestic security as a result of the conflict.

“The Prime Minister wants to see a toll-freeStrait of Hormuzreopened as soon as possible. The UK is working tirelessly with our international partners to find a permanent solution to this crisis and minimise the knock-on impact to households.”

Mr Jones will seek to emphasise that the UK is in a good position and highlight how Sir Keir Starmer’s administration is working directly with businesses to limit disruption and keep prices down when he speaks to broadcasters on Sunday.

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UK airlines have insisted they are not currently seeing a shortage of jet fuel as they buy it in advance and airports maintain stocks, but the Government has said it is “closely monitoring” stocks.

Airports will make it easier for airlines to cancel flights without running the risk of losing their allocated “slots” – scheduled times for take-off or landing which some UK airports assign to airlines – if fuel shortages prevent them from flying.

The Government also plans to temporarily relax laws that require airlines to operate part-full flights from UK airports, The Times reported.

This would allow flight schedules to be consolidated months before any potential fuel shortages, meaning there may be fewer flight options available but minimising disruption and last-minute cancellations, the paper said.

Supermarkets have said they are working with the Government to help plan for a worst-case scenario which could see the ongoing war lead to shortages of carbon dioxide used by food producers.

On the outbreak of war, the Government provided funding to reactivate the Ensus bioethanol plant, which makes CO2 as a by-product, in order to shore up supplies of the gas.

And they are taking steps to weaken the link between electricity and gas prices to protect households and businesses from price spikes.

Leaked government plans setting out a reasonable worst-case scenario suggested there could be shortages of certain foods on supermarket shelves if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed in summer.

The Lib Dems urged that a Bill be included in the next King’s Speech to put food security at the top of the Government’s agenda.

The party’s Cabinet Office spokeswoman Lisa Smart said: “The Government also needs to wake up and provide more support to people who simply cannot afford the sky-high cost of getting around, which is why we’ve proposed a 10p cut on fuel duty and slashing public transport costs, to protect Brits’ pockets from Trumpflation.”

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had told envoys not to go to Pakistan for more talks with Iran, after the White House had said Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would be travelling to Islamabad to attempt to revive ceasefire negotiations.

byAdministrator

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16:34

Government ramps up planning for possible supply shortages from Iran war

The UKgovernmentisescalatingits planning tocounteractpotentialshortagesstemming from theIranconflict. Oil prices have soared since...

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Almost 27 million on alert for severe weather outbreak in parts of US

A severe weather threat has shifted back to the southern Plains, from Kansas down through Texas.

About 27 million people are at risk for some degree of these storms.

A level 4 of 5 "moderate risk" has been added for southeast Oklahoma and over the Red River into a sliver of Texas. This has the potential for very large hail (larger than baseballs), strong tornadoes, and damaging winds.

A level 3 of 5 "enhanced risk" is up for much of eastern Oklahoma, down into northern Texas and eastward into Arkansas. In Oklahoma, this includes Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Broken Bow and Enid, as well as Fort Smith in Arkansas.

Enid, Oklahoma, surveys damage after massive tornado tears through city

Damaging winds and very large hail are the primary threats with these storms, but few strong tornadoes are also possible.

Discrete supercells will be likely throughout the evening hours and will last into the overnight.

A new storm moves out of the Rockies for Sunday and will swing northeast across the Plains, bringing more severe weather.

This threat will then push eastward and stretch into the Midwest on Monday.

For Sunday, a level 3 of 5 "enhanced risk" is up for much of Kansas as well as portions of western Missouri, including Wichita and Kansas City. Tornadoes, some being strong, as well as damaging winds and large hail are all possible with storms in this area.

A level 2 of 5 "slight risk" is also up for parts of northern Texas, northwest Arkansas, western Missouri, far southwest Iowa, southern Nebraska, most of Oklahoma and much of the remaining areas of Kansas.

For Monday, the severe weather threat spreads northeast and stretches across the Mississippi Valley up into the Midwest.

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The level 3 of 5 "enhanced risk" is up for cities like St. Louis; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Evansville, Indiana; Paducah, Kentucky; and Rockford, Illinois.

A level 2 of 5 "slight risk" is up for cities like Memphis, Louisville, Kentucky; Chicago, South Bend, Indiana; Milwaukee, and Mason City, Iowa.

The threats are fairly similar for both days: widespread damaging wind gusts, large hail, a few strong tornadoes and spotty flash flooding.

On Tuesday, the severe weather threat shift to parts of the South. Places like Memphis, Little Rock, Arkansas; Tyler, Texas; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Jackson, Mississippi, will have to watch for potential severe weather later in the day.

Wildfires rage amid severe drought

The drought in the Southeast continues to worsen, which is not helping reduce the threat for wildfires.

There are two actively burning in southeast Georgia -- the Highway 82 fire in Brantley County and the Pineland Road fire in Clinch County.

As of the latest update from fire officials, the Highway 82 fire is at 9,572 aces with only 10% contained. Evacuations continue, and a mandatory curfew remains in place in the county.

Both fires have burned over 40,000 acres and destroyed over 100 homes.

The driving force behind these fires is the immense drought that is plaguing the Southeast.

Some rounds of rain and possibly isolated thunderstorms will move into the region later Saturday and late Monday into Tuesday, with each round bringing around 0.5 to 1 inch of rain. This alone will not tame the wildfires, especially if it doesn't fall directly where the fires are. In fact, any thunderstorms could cause lightning that may ignite additional wildfires in the dry region.

Some good news is that even if the rain does not materialize, increased humidity in the air will help the situation.

This problem isn't going away soon. Georgia would need between 1 to 1.5 feet of rainfall to end the current drought.

byAdministrator

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Almost 27 million on alert for severe weather outbreak in parts of US

A severe weather threat has shifted back to the southern Plains, from Kansas down through Texas. About 27 million people are at r...

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Why breaking up with your female friends is more painful than losing a lover

Mymothergave me the best gift imaginable – three sensationalsisters. Sisters possess a psychological shorthand; instinctively understanding each other. When one of us is going through a rough time, the other three rally with offers of chicken soup and/or internal organs. If under attack, the wagons circle. Although… wagons? Who am I kidding? Having three formidable sisters on your side is like having a bombproof, flame-retardant armoured vehicle on hand for quick getaways.

Of course, it’s not the same for all sisters. In fact, some sisters have enough chips on their shoulders to open a casino.Olivia de Havillandand her sister Joan Fontaine spent their lives circling each other like Cold War spies. When Fontaine was awarded the Oscar that de Havilland expected to win, it was no-talkies for a decade.

I was lucky enough to be friends with one of the world’smost famous sisters, Jessica Mitford. When her sibling, novelist Nancy, commented that “Sisters are a defence against life’s cruel circumstances,” Jessica retorted, “Sisters are life’s cruel circumstances.” But then again, Jessica, a communist,had to deal with Diana, a fascist, and Unity, who adored Hitler, and Debs, who became a duchess. I suspect it would have been safer to fly an American jet into Iranian airspace than attend a Mitford family gathering.

Thankfully, my sisters and I are not as disparate as the Mitfords. In fact, it’s our contrasting characters that make us stronger. Together, our various fortes combine to make up one pretty formidable person and I know how lucky I am.

But for those who are not lucky enough to have biological sisters, there is, of course, the “sisterhood”, and, in many ways, friends are just as important. My best girlfriends are like Orion’s Belt; always there, lined up alongside each other. Whenever I feel lost and can’t find my place in life, my girlfriends are my bookmark. Loving, loyal girlfriends – and you know who you are – lift you two octaves up on the happiness scale without even realising they’re doing so. On a girls’ night out, I sometimes feel like I’ll have to be hospitalised from hilarity. Laughter effervesces up in us like champagne as we quaff and quip and dance to female torch songs until the wee hours. Nor do we care that our over-exuberant mum manoeuvres, circa 1982, often leave us with a bad case of ARDI (Abba Related Dance Injuries).

Female friendships can be as fulfilling, intense and nourishing as any romance. Even more so. Which is why it’s so painful when they fall apart. A breakup with a best girlfriend shatters your equilibrium. Once that familiar foundation is knocked out from under you, it’s impossible to keep your balance. In fact, I’ve suffered worse heartbreak over the loss of a good girlfriend than a lover.

My first intensely emotional relationship was with a girlfriend. We were inseparable from 13 to 20. I would have taken a bullet for her. And not just a light graze either, but a full-onPeaky Blinders-type machine-gun body strafe. And so when she suddenly, inexplicably dropped me, I cried for months. I think I actually suffered a bit of a mini breakdown. I was savaged by nightmares for years.

Aged 22, I fell out with another close girlfriend after she slept with my boyfriend. The woman I so admired turned out to be a vampire on a day pass. I’d been happily floating about on the love boat, which she’d totallyTitanic-ed. When confronted, she apologised. “I don’t blame you for hating me.”

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“Hate you? Oh no. Not really… sometimes whole seconds elapse where I forget that you destroyed my life.” Her treachery hurt every time I thought about it, like a nerve exposed to air.

In my thirties, a close girlfriend went behind my back to secure a job I’d told her about. The scar tissue of those earlier breakups immediately tore open. The pain rushed back in one big, anguishing blast. There was no way we could stay friends. Her betrayal was like a shadow on the X-ray of my spirit – nagging at my confidence.

All of these experiences have probably gone on to inform my latest novel, in which two sisters, Izzy and Verity, have gone five years of radio silence after one stole the other’s husband. But when their mum goes missing, they have no choice but to join forces to find her. There’s anger, recriminations and much funny, bitchy banter, but eventually Izzy admits, “My husband ran away with my sister – and I miss her.” Verity also confesses, “She’s not just my sister, she’s my best friend. For example, she’ll swear that I’m a natural redhead and I tell everyone that she’s too skinny.”

I felt sure I could never forgive the female friends who betrayed me, not even if we were marooned on an island with no other castaways. But now in my sixties, I find that my anger has receded, like a tide on a beach. All that’s left is the emotional driftwood. I suddenly can’t understand the weight and importance I’ve given to the cargo I’ve carried for so long.

Maybe that is why my novel is about reconciliation. Clearly, there’s so little harmony in the world right now; it’s imperative we try to find unity in our own lives. Especially with our female friends. Why? Well, the world is not getting better for women. A woman born in America now has fewer rights than her grandmother. Abortion bans in America; the erasing of women in Afghanistan. And what about Iran? In our own society, women have to deal with the gender pay gap, upskirting, Andrew Tate, incels, the manosphere, revenge porn, trolling, date-rape, grooming and stealthing. The conviction rate for rape is limbo-low, and domestic violence figures sky-high; one in four women will be sexually assaulted or raped in her lifetime.

But the sisterhood is powerful. The #MeToo movement was a global solidarity movement among women that went on to bring down Harvey Weinstein. Although, of course, only one person is in jail over the Epstein scandal – a woman. Yes, Ghislaine Maxwell was jailed for conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse minors on Epstein’s private island, but what about the paedophiles who flew there on the Lolita Express? Why aren’t they named and shamed?

We clearly need the sisterhood now more than ever. But there are rules. Women no longer want a man’s seat on the bus; they want his seat on the board. Tell her if she’s being cheated on. Always take her side in a breakup. Be her wingwoman – stick to her like a nylon dress in a heat wave. And most important of all – be loyal. Husbands come and go, but your girlfriends last forever, so we should never let a penis come between us.

There is nothing more life-affirming than a strong female friendship. So raise your fist in feminist solidarity and shout it loud enough to raise the roof, shattering the glass ceiling simultaneously. The sisterhood rules!

Kathy Lette’s latest novel, ‘The Sisterhood Rules’,published by Head of Zeus, is out now

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Why breaking up with your female friends is more painful than losing a lover

Mymothergave me the best gift imaginable – three sensationalsisters. Sisters possess a psychological shorthand; instinctively understan...

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How will DC residents receive money from $9.9 million Live Nation settlement?

Washington DC has won nearly $10 million through a settlement with Live Nation over deceptive Ticketmaster pricing practices, and local residents may soon see money back in their pockets.

What triggered the settlement secured byAttorney General Brian Schwalb, and how can people in DC receive their share of the settlement?

Here's what to know.

What did the attorney general investigation reveal?

The attorney general's office said it was awarded $9.9 million after an investigation found Live Nation "misled customers about ticket prices, charged deceptive fees and used illegal pressure tactics to get fans to buy tickets for a decade."

Live Nation is accused of violating the District of Columbia's Consumer Protection Procedures Act through what the attorney general's office calls "deceptive bait-and switch" tactics.

“For at least a decade, Live Nation and Ticketmaster boosted profits by charging predatory, hidden fees — taking advantage of DC residents buying tickets for their favorite artist or team and pricing others out entirely,” Schwalb said Monday. “With this settlement, we’re putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of DC fans and ensuring that the price fans see when they first start shopping for tickets is the price they actually pay.”

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Live Nation made changes to its procedures last year after the attorney general's investigation.

What are the terms of the settlement?

Of the $9.9 million the District will receive, $8.9 million will go to Live Nation customers. The other $1 million will he paid to DC.

Live Nation is now required to show the full price of tickets up front, and they must share information about the purpose of extra fees and who profits from it.

How will DC residents get paid through Live Nation?

The attorney general's office said it will announce in the coming months how people can make claims to get their refunds.

For now, the details are still being worked out.

“It definitely will be based on what they paid in terms of fees. Whether we will be able to refund 100% of every single fee for 10 years, that's what we're trying to figure out,” Beth Mellen, assistant deputy attorney general in the public advocacy division, toldNBC Washington. “Our goal is to get as much of the $8.9 million out the door to consumers in their pockets."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:DC gets $9.9 million in settlement with Live Nation, Ticketmaster

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How will DC residents receive money from $9.9 million Live Nation settlement?

Washington DC has won nearly $10 million through a settlement with Live Nation over deceptive Ticketmaster pricing practices, and local...

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EU prepares to clash with US again over shipping carbon levy

By Kate Abnett and Jonathan Saul

BRUSSELS/LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) - European Union countries agreed on Friday to keep pushing for a global price on shipping's CO2 emissions in U.N. talks ‌next week, setting up another potential clash with the United States over the proposal.

Governments at ‌the International Maritime Organization decided last year to postpone the climate plan by a year, after the Trump administration strongly opposed ​the measure and threatened to impose sanctions and visa restrictions on delegates who supported it.

That has not stopped European countries attempting to revive the plan, according to the EU's negotiating position for next week's IMO talks, seen by Reuters.

EU countries "shall oppose any attempts" to remove the climate measures from being negotiated at the meeting, ‌the document said.

EU countries will consider ⁠changes to the original carbon pricing plan if this helps gather support, the document said. However, some EU officials said they were pessimistic any compromise deal on climate ⁠measures could pass, given the firm opposition from the U.S..

Norway's environment minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen said that the IMO still had a chance to strike a historic deal, but had to look at "different approaches" to avoid a ​repeat ​of last year's failure.

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"Also... whether we can do some ​things already now and potentially postpone other ‌parts of the regulation to a later stage, for example," he added while speaking to journalists.

A total of 57 countries - among them, China and major shipping states including Liberia - voted to delay the carbon price at the meeting in October, versus 49 who sought to land a deal.

The supporters included European nations, Brazil and some small island countries vulnerable to climate change.

A coalition of the world’s top three ship ‌registries, Liberia, Panama and the Marshall Islands, plus oil tanker ​companies including Saudi Arabia’s Bahri urged IMO members to consider ​alternatives to the original carbon pricing plan when ​they meet next week.

"Support for the framework in its current form has continued ‌to erode" since the IMO meeting last year, ​they said in a ​statement.

The IMO decision last year split the EU, as Greece and Cyprus - each home to major shipping industries - broke ranks with the bloc and abstained in the vote, rather than supporting ​the EU-backed climate proposal.

Greece, Malta and ‌Italy declined to endorse the new EU negotiating position, which was passed by a reinforced ​majority of EU countries, officials said.

(Reporting by Kate Abnett and Jonathan Saul, additional reporting ​by Nerijus Adomaitis in Oslo; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

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EU prepares to clash with US again over shipping carbon levy

By Kate Abnett and Jonathan Saul BRUSSELS/LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) - European Union countries agreed on Friday to keep pushing ...

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