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Solar eclipse 2024 warnings: here’s the full list you need to know ahead of April 8

From school closings to driving warnings, here’s how to prepare for the eclipse

The 2024 total solar eclipse is just a few weeks away, and anticipation is growing for the big event. No doubt you’ve already made plans for how and when to watch the eclipse , perhaps even making travel plans to head to one of the best states to watch the eclipse . But recently, a number of eclipse warnings have been issued. No, these warnings are not due to any danger caused by the eclipse itself, they’ve been issued in order to prepare residents in the path of totality for the influx of eclipse-chasers to their cities and towns. It’s always good to be prepared, so grab your eclipse glasses and read on for everything you need to know.

When is the 2024 solar eclipse?

The 2024 solar eclipse will take place Monday, April 8, 2024.

What emergency warnings have been issued?

Most of the U.S. will witness at least a partial eclipse on April 8, but those lucky cities and towns in the path of totality will experience nearly five minutes of darkness during the event. Given the rarity of this event, millions of people are expected to be watching, whether from their own homes or traveling somewhere to see it.

The first major warning issued is for drivers. It seems obvious, but the Federal Highway Administration has issued a warning: don’t watch and drive. "Don't watch the eclipse while driving, and don't stop on the interstate or highway shoulder," said Shailen Bhatt, the Federal Highway Administrator, in a briefing on Friday. "Please, plan ahead to arrive early and, if you can, stay put to avoid traffic congestion." Some schools are even closing due to potential transportation issues related to traffic and crowds.

Crowds of tourists heading to areas of totality like Texas, Kentucky, Ohio and New York are the root of the other major warning to stock up on food, supplies and gas. While it sounds sinister, this is merely a recommendation for residents in these eclipse hotspots, as the influx of tourists snapping up groceries and gas for their visits could affect residents’ regular routines.

Why have there been so many warnings about the solar eclipse?

Because of the excitement surrounding this total solar eclipse—the next one visible in the U.S. will not be until 2044—many people are eager to experience totality. Data shows that hundreds of thousands of people will be traveling to areas in the path of totality. Many of these cities and towns are not used to this many people arriving all at once. Officials want to ensure everyone is prepared to experience the eclipse safely.

How to view the solar eclipse safely

Obviously, the first rule is “Don’t look directly into the sun,” even when it’s completely covered. The safest way to view the eclipse is to wear solar viewing glasses, AKA “eclipse glasses.” These glasses are readily available, and some local organizations may give them away for free .

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Illustration of plane attached to water pump

Do we need to stop flying to save the planet? We ask an expert

Professor Pericles Pilidis from Cranfield University discusses the future of air travel

A viation is the most climate-intensive form of transport, so for the sake of the planet, will we have to quit flying for ever? I asked Professor Pericles Pilidis from the Centre for Propulsion Engineering at Cranfield University whether the promise of hydrogen planes could keep our holiday hopes alive.

Thanks for joining me on Zoom, Pericles. Is that a plane you have as your background? Yes! It’s a hydrogen aeroplane.

Is that the one that had its successful maiden voyage in 2020, but then crashed in 2021? No, this one doesn’t exist yet but is based on detailed analysis.

It looks just like a regular passenger plane. How do hydrogen planes work? They look the same but inside they’ll be very different. Currently, planes use hydrocarbon fuel. When it burns, carbon dioxide is produced, which increases global warming. But with hydrogen, you are only producing water. About 3% of the carbon humans produce comes from aviation.

By humans, though, we’re really talking about people in the west. Yes, but there are global benefits to aviation. I’ve just come back from a holiday in Barbados where roughly half the economy is tourism. If people stop flying, it won’t affect Britons much, but it will have a horrific economic impact in Barbados.

Don’t get me wrong, I love travelling! I think there’s a reason people say someone is “worldly” as a compliment – it’s wonderful to experience other cultures. So how long until hydrogen can give us guilt-free wings? I’d say 10 years. The problem is that hydrogen costs three to four times the price of conventional fuels. Plus, airports will have to change, because transporting hydrogen is not easy, and aircraft designs will change, too. We don’t have the rules around safety qualifications for these planes – that needs to be developed. It’ll all cost billions, and we need to do it all without using fossil fuels. There’s no point using oil to produce hydrogen. Yet all these things can be done. We’ve been making aircraft safe for 120 years: we can make hydrogen aircraft safe in 10. We just need a lot of money.

Wow! I’m guessing these costs will be passed down to the consumer. I’d expect some to be, yes.

But wouldn’t that be temporary? A century ago only the wealthiest could have cars. Now everyone does. New technology usually becomes cheaper If the political will is there, yes. This is somewhere national investments should come in. The UK government is spending £100bn on HS2 . That’s the sort of money we need. It sounds like a lot but it’s not dissimilar to what the government’s already doing.

I won’t hold my breath for such political will. They can’t even nationalise the trains even though it makes financial sense and would be popular. I’m not advocating nationalisation, but supporting private industry, like with wind and solar energy . Grants brought the cost of solar panels down, so it’s now a few per cent of what it used to be. But it’s still private companies making this happen. The difference with aerospace is that instead of buying from Germany or China like we do with solar panels, we can actually produce the engines. That’s British jobs being created.

Sounds quite good, doesn’t it? It’s like having your cake and eating it, but before you can have your cake or eat it, you need to buy it first.

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How Ember is building an all-electric intercity bus network in the UK

With fresh $14m in funding, scottish startup takes 'full-stack' approach to intercity bus travel.

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A Scottish company building one of the U.K.’s first all-electric intercity bus networks has raised $14 million (£11 million) in a Series A round of funding as it looks to expand across the entire country.

Building any bus network from scratch — electric or otherwise — isn’t something anyone can conjure up overnight with a laptop and endless amounts of coffee. A bus network needs, well, buses — and lots of them. And that is what Keith Bradbury and Pierce Glennie have been doing since founding Ember out of Edinburgh back in 2019, starting initially with a single vehicle procured from one of the few manufacturers willing to take them seriously.

“In 2019, we didn’t have a [web] domain… we didn’t have anything, actually,” Bradbury told TechCrunch. “We were approaching these companies and telling them that we’d like to buy ‘one’ electric coach, because that’s all we had money for. Obviously, when you say you want to buy one electric coach, no one takes you seriously. Some companies laughed in our faces.”

One company that was willing to do business was China’s Yutong and its U.K. distributor Pelican , which sold Ember its first bus with little in the way of customizations beyond things like what materials they wanted the seats made of. Ember introduced its first bus route in late 2020 , connecting Scotland’s capital Edinburgh with the city of Dundee (the birthplace of Grand Theft Auto , FYI), and in the intervening years it has expanded to Glasgow, Stirling, Perth, and other smaller pitstops within and between these cities.

Today, Ember counts 24 buses in operation, though it has just taken receipt of a further 14 next-gen vehicles from Yutong, which sport an increased 563 kWh battery capable of powering 510km of travel on a single charge — this compares to around 380km for the previous generation bus.

“Now we’re up to 38, we have the option of actually talking about serious numbers with Yutong and starting to get vehicles built to our specification,” Bradbury said. “Our new generation vehicle didn’t actually exist 18 months ago. While it’s not being built just for Ember, the product development has had a lot of input from us — we were closely involved with the design, with the battery layout, and with the actual architecture of the vehicle. There were some things that we couldn’t change, and there were some things that we could change, but we’ve been able to really input into that process.”

The company has so far raised a little north of $2.3 million in seed funding from European climate tech investors including Blue Impact , Pale Blue Dot , Contrarian Ventures , Monzo co-founder Tom Blomfield , and Gareth Williams — co-founder of Edinburgh-based unicorn Skycanner . And with its fresh cash injection, it’s gearing up for expansion across Scotland and the broader U.K. market.

Ember’s Series A round was led by Inven Capital , 2150 and AENU , with participation from some of its existing backers too.

The company is taking a “full-stack” approach to its fleet development, with control over just about every aspect of the fleet, from manufacturing and charging infrastructure, through to customer service and all the underlying software that pulls everything together.

Ember's electric bus

Ember’s electric bus Image Credits : Ember

Both the old and newer version of Ember’s bus are powered by lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are cobalt-free and considered more environmentally friendly. However, in addition to greater capacity, the latest version has much speedier charging at 600 kW — this 400% increase means that its buses can be fully-charged in less than an hour.

On top of that, the buses are bigger, with room for 53 passengers versus 38 in the previous vehicles, while the luggage capacity has more than doubled.

Internally, the buses sport 5G Wi-Fi and USB charging ports.

Inside Ember

Inside Ember Image Credits : Ember

For now, Ember counts a single main charging hub in Dundee, with 1,200 kW of charging capacity that is backed up by on-site wind turbines. However, with a fleet of new buses incoming, and plans to expand its network further afield, the company is looking to add a further 4 megawatts of charging capacity across additional sites in Scotland this year.

“Charging hubs will be in a mixture of private and public locations, and range in size,” Bradbury said.

Ember uses a CCS (Combined Charging System) EV charging system, which supports both AC and DC charging through a single plug — this is a common standard across Europe and elsewhere, meaning that they technically aren’t for Ember’s use only. In theory, Ember could help alleviate the perennial charging infrastructure problem that plagues the U.K. (among most other countries), though Bradbury reckons that it will likely require most of them for its own operations.

“Our day-to-day usage is so intensive that there is limited spare capacity for sharing access with third parties,” he said. “However, we do envisage enabling this in some locations as the network grows, especially for commercial fleets who require more space and much higher charging speeds.”

Ember charging hub in Dundee

Ember charging hub in Dundee Image Credits : Ember

Under the hood, Ember’s proprietary EmberOS software automates many of the processes involved in managing a fleet. For example, it automatically allocates drivers and vehicles for specific shifts and routes, and if one of the buses is scheduled for maintenance on a given day, Ember removes that from the roster so that there aren’t any unexpected issues around vehicles shortages.

On top of that, EmberOS also monitors the service for issues, such as unexpected charging problems, a no-show driver, on-bus temperature controls, and traffic-related delays.

“If an issue is detected, EmberOS will either resolve it automatically — for example, notifying passengers about a delay or prompting the driver to turn up the heating — or flag it to a human in the operations team,” Bradbury said. “Over time, more and more issues are able to be resolved fully automatically, with no human input.”

On the consumer side, passengers can access real-time data about the schedule of their bus, including the one that they’re currently on, or a prospective bus they want to catch but don’t want to hang around waiting for.

Ember passenger app

Ember passenger app Image Credits : Ember

And it’s this software underbelly that Bradbury reckons is the secret sauce that elevates it above not only traditional intercity bus companies, but other would-be rivals including established incumbents like the mighty Stagecoach .

“We have a strong belief in the benefit of controlling the full stack to really get radical improvements in efficiency,” Bradbury said. “We’re not trying to create an incremental improvement in a specific vertical, we’re rebuilding the entire stack to create a model that doesn’t currently exist in the market. It’s only by linking up the software with the hardware and the operational playbook that this can happen.”

The story so far

Prior to Ember, Bradbury and his co-founder Glennie worked in various roles at London-based fintech Iwoca . Going from developing credit financing software and services for small businesses to building electric buses might not be the most obvious career transition to make, but it’s a decision that Bradbury and Glennie made after discussing a shared interest in addressing the climate crisis and the role that electrification could play in that.

“We’re not ‘bus people,’ we were living in London, working for a fintech — building a SaaS company, effectively,” Bradbury said. “We both decided that we wanted to do something new, and we were really interested in how electrification had the potential to change industries.”

And while Bradbury says he can appreciate the broad gamut of efforts to address climate change, he wanted a solution where the fruits of their labor were a little more near-term.

“I think there’s lots of cool stuff like ‘ green concrete ‘ or ‘nuclear fusion ‘ — in a way I’d love to work on all of those as well, but actually, they’re not tangible from day one,” Bradbury said. “You’re doing all of this R&D, building for something that will come to fruition in 10 or 20 years, and it will have an absolutely massive impact. But we were quite keen to do something that could have impact from the very beginning, so we looked at the vehicles, the electrification and the possibility for all of that.”

While megabucks incumbents such as Stagecoach have also embraced electric buses , those efforts tend to be more within cities rather than  between cities. And the role that software plays in these various efforts is also minimal.

“When we looked at the legacy industry, we did not see innovation,” Bradbury said. “Maybe this is how people were looking at fintech in the 2000s, and lots of good companies came out of that. We have kind of done the same with transport — we can look at this with fresh eyes, and come up with a completely novel way of doing it.”

Why Scotland?

A quick peek across Ember’s home city reveals at least one more fairly novel transport initiative called Cavforth , touted as the U.K.’s first public autonomous bus service. Operated by Stagecoach, the pilot scheme currently operates a 20-minute park-and-ride service in the west of Edinburgh, albeit with a safety driver on board just in case.

So what is it about Scotland that is attracting novel public transport services? And why up sticks from Bristol, where Bradbury was living, and launch his electric bus network north of the border? While part of it did come down to a Scottish government with slightly more ambitious net-zero plans than its Westminster counterpart, Scotland’s size and layout played a major part in convincing Bradbury to launch his venture from Scotland.

“Scotland is not a special market from a public transport perspective — there are lots of countries with similar road and rail networks, similar levels of car ownership and so on,” Bradbury said. “However, the size of the market makes it an interesting place to pilot services. It’s large enough to build a proper network, but small enough to iterate rapidly. Scotland is a very good size — you can demonstrate that network at what we describe as ‘mini scale.’ You can demonstrate the network effects, and you can demonstrate passenger demand, and you can do all of that stuff without needing tonnes and tonnes of money.”

While Ember is somewhat limited in terms of geographical coverage right now, Bradbury says that it’s gearing up for a wider expansion that will include extending deeper across Scotland with charging hubs planned for Aberdeen, Inverness, Fort William, and Oban. And then next year, they’ll look at England, with the specific routes yet to be determined.

“There’s lots of different routes in England that would work for us, especially when you think about the range of the vehicles now — they can do 500 kilometres-plus, which gives us a lot of scope,” Bradbury said. “All of these hubs that will be going live [in Scotland] will allow us to ‘complete’ the Scottish network in a way, and that demonstrates that what’s already working with tens-of-thousands of passengers a week can apply elsewhere.”

Places the U.S. Government Warns Not to Travel Right Now

You may want to reconsider traveling to these countries right now.

Do Not Travel to These Countries

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Crime, civil unrest and terrorism are common risk factors for countries that end up on the State Department's "Do Not Travel" advisory list.

In 2024, tourism across the globe is “well on track” to return to pre-pandemic levels, according to projections by UN Tourism.

Global conflicts and natural disasters , ranging from a series of coups across Africa to catastrophic earthquakes in the Middle East affected international travel patterns throughout 2023. Still, international tourist arrivals reached 87% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023, according to estimates by UN Tourism .

In January 2024 alone, about 4.6 million U.S. citizens left the country for international destinations, 17% higher than the same month in 2019, according to the International Trade Administration . But some destinations warrant more caution than others.

On Oct. 19, 2023, following the outbreak of war between Israel and Gaza and flaring tensions in the region, the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide caution advisory due to “increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.” Prior to this update, the most recent worldwide caution advisory was issued in 2022 after a U.S. strike killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s successor as leader of Al Qaeda, causing “a higher potential for anti-American violence.” The worldwide caution advisory remains in effect.

The U.S. State Department also issues individual travel advisory levels for more than 200 countries globally, continually updating them based on a variety of risk indicators such as health, terrorism and civil unrest. Travel advisory levels range from Level 1, which means exercise normal precautions, to Level 4, which means do not travel there.

About 10% of countries – 19 total – have a Level 4: “Do Not Travel” advisory as of Mar. 4. In Level 4 countries, the U.S. government may have “very limited ability” to step in should travelers’ safety or security be at risk, according to the State Department. Crime, civil unrest, kidnapping and terrorism are common risk factors associated with Level 4 countries.

So far in 2024, the State Department made changes to the existing Level 4 advisories for Myanmar, Iran and Gaza, and moved Niger and Lebanon off of the Level 4 list.

Places With a Level 4 Travel Advisory

These are the primary areas the U.S. government says not to travel to right now, in alphabetical order:

Jump to Place: Afghanistan Belarus Burkina Faso Central African Republic Myanmar (formerly Burma) Gaza Haiti Iran Iraq Libya Mali Mexico North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) Russia Somalia South Sudan Sudan Syria Ukraine Venezuela Yemen

Afghanistan: The Central Asian country is wrestling with “terrorism, risk of wrongful detention, kidnapping and crime,” according to the State Department. U.S. citizens are specifically at risk for wrongful detention and kidnapping. In 2022, the government reinstituted public floggings and executions, and women’s rights are disappearing under Taliban control. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul halted operations in August 2021. Since the Taliban took control , many forms of international aid have been halted . Meanwhile, in 2023, some of the year’s deadliest earthquakes killed more than 2,400 in Afghanistan while the country continues to face a years-long extreme drought.

Belarus: Belarus, which shares a western border with Russia and a southern border with Ukraine, has been flagged for “Belarusian authorities’ continued facilitation of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the potential of civil unrest, the risk of detention, and the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Belarus.” The U.S. Embassy in Minsk halted operations in February 2022.

Burkina Faso: Terrorism, crime and kidnapping are plaguing this West African nation. Terrorist attacks may target hotels, restaurants and schools with little to no warning, and the East and Sahel regions of the country are under a state of emergency. In late November 2023, hundreds died in clashes between state security forces and rebels near the country’s border with Mali. In June, more than 2 million people in Burkina Faso were displaced due to “violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.”

Central African Republic: While there have not been specific incidents of U.S. citizens targeted with violence or crime, violent crime and sudden closure of roads and borders is common. The advisory states that “Embassy Bangui’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens, crime, civil unrest, and kidnapping” is a factor in its assessment. Recent data from UNICEF suggests the country has the worst drinking water accessibility of all countries in 2022.

Myanmar (Formerly Burma): Armed conflict and civil unrest are the primary reasons to not travel to this Southeast Asian country, which experienced a military coup in early 2021. Limited health care resources, wrongful detentions and “areas with land mines and unexploded ordnance” are also listed as risk factors. After Ukraine and Israel, Myanmar had the highest conflict-related death toll in 2023.

Gaza : Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization as designated by the State Department, controls much of the Gaza Strip, which shares borders with both Israel and Egypt. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas fighters broke across the border into Israel, killing hundreds of civilians and soldiers in a brazen attack that stunned Israelis. On Oct. 10, Israel hit the Gaza Strip with “the fiercest air strikes in its 75-year conflict” according to Reuters . The conflict has since escalated into war between Israel and Hamas, with regular Israeli airstrikes leading to extensive civilian casualties in Gaza. As of mid-December, nearly 85% of Gaza’s population were displaced from their homes, according to UN estimates . The region continues to face shortages of food , water, electricity and medical supplies , with conditions deemed “far beyond a humanitarian crisis.” The State Department warns of terrorism and armed conflict within Gaza’s borders.

Haiti: In July 2023, the Department of State ordered all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members to leave the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince in response to the increased risk of kidnapping and violent crime in the country , as well as armed conflict between gangs and police. The travel advisory states that cases of kidnapping “often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed during kidnappings.” The travel advisory also states that “U.S. citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible” given “the current security situation and infrastructure challenges.” A series of gang attacks in late September 2023 caused thousands to flee their homes, and many aid groups have been forced to cut or suspend operations amid escalating violence in recent months.

Iran: Terrorism, kidnapping and civil unrest are risk factors for all travelers to Iran, while U.S. citizens are specifically at risk for “arbitrary arrest.” U.S.-Iranian nationals such as students, journalists and business travelers have been arrested on charges of espionage and threatening national security. Executions in Iran rose sharply between 2021 and 2022, bringing the country’s total to nearly 580 people over the year, according to a report by Amnesty International released in May 2023.

Iraq: The State Department cites “terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict [and] civil unrest” as cause for the country’s Level 4 distinction. Iraq’s northern borders, and its border with Syria, are especially dangerous. Since the escalation of conflict in neighboring Israel in October, there has been an increase in attacks against Iraqi military bases, which host U.S. troops and other international forces. In October 2023, non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members were ordered to leave the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.

Libya: Following the end of its dictatorship over a decade ago, Libya has been wrought with internal conflict between armed groups in the East and West. Armed conflict, civil unrest, crime, kidnapping and terrorism are all risk factors. U.S. citizens have been targets of kidnapping for ransom, with terrorists targeting hotels and airports frequented by Westerners. The U.S. Embassy in Tripoli halted operations in 2014. In mid-September 2023, floods, which some say were intensified by climate change , killed thousands in eastern Libya. Clashes between armed factions escalated across the country in the latter half of 2023, including in the capital city of Tripoli and in Benghazi.

Mali: After experiencing military coups in 2020 and 2021, crime, terrorism and kidnapping are all prevalent threats in this West African landlocked nation. In July 2022, non-emergency U.S. government employees and their families were ordered to leave the country due to higher risk of terrorist activity. A U.N. report in August 2023 said that military groups in the country, including both Mali security forces and possibly Russian Wagner mercenaries, were spreading terror through the use of violence against women and human rights abuses. Democratic elections were supposed to occur in February 2024, but Mali’s military junta postponed the plans indefinitely. In December, the U.N. officially ended a decade-long peacekeeping presence in the country, which had been among the agency’s deadliest missions, with hundreds of the mission personnel killed since 2013.

Mexico: Each state in Mexico is assessed separately for travel advisory levels. Six of the 32 states in Mexico are designated as Level 4: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas. Crime and kidnapping are listed as the primary risk factors throughout the country. Nearly 112,000 people were missing across the country as of October, a number the U.N. has called “alarming.”

North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea): U.S. passports are not valid for travel “to, in, or through” this country, home to one of the world's longest-running dynastic dictatorships. The travel advisory states that the Level 4 distinction is due to “the continuing serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of U.S. nationals.” In July 2023, a U.S. soldier fled across the border into North Korea, where he is believed to be in North Korean custody, the first American detained in the North in nearly five years. He was returned to U.S. custody in September 2023.

Russia: The travel advisory for Russia cites its invasion of Ukraine , harassment of U.S. citizens by Russian government officials and arbitrary law enforcement as a few of the reasons for the Level 4 designation. Chechnya and Mount Elbrus are specifically listed as Level 4 regions. Terrorism, civil unrest, health, kidnapping and wrongful detention are all noted as risks.

Russia Invades Ukraine: A Timeline

TOPSHOT - Black smoke rises from a military airport in Chuguyev near Kharkiv  on February 24, 2022. - Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine today with explosions heard soon after across the country and its foreign minister warning a "full-scale invasion" was underway. (Photo by Aris Messinis / AFP) (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Somalia: A severe drought resulting from five failed rainy seasons in a row killed 43,000 people in 2022, and caused a famine amid conflict with Islamist insurgents . Violent crime is common throughout Somalia , pirates frequent its coast off the Horn of Africa, and medical facilities, where they exist, have limited capacity. Crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health and kidnapping are all risk factors. In January 2024, some passengers aboard a U.N.-contracted helicopter were taken hostage by al-Shabaab militants after the vehicle crashed in central Somalia.

South Sudan: Crime, kidnapping and armed conflict are the primary risk factors for South Sudan, which separated from Sudan in 2011, making it the world’s newest country . Weapons are readily available, and travelers have been victims of sexual assault and armed robbery.

Sudan: The U.S. evacuated its embassy in Khartoum in April 2023, and the country closed its airspace due to the ongoing conflict in the country, only permitting humanitarian aid and evacuation efforts. Fighting has escalated in the region between two warring generals seeking to gain control after a military coup in 2021 ousted the country’s prime minister. Civil unrest is the primary risk factor for Africa’s third largest country by area. Crime, terrorism, kidnapping and armed conflict are also noted. The International Criminal Court began investigating alleged war crimes and violence against African ethnic groups in the country in 2023. Millions have fled their homes due to conflict, and the U.N. has said its efforts to provide aid have been hindered by a lack of support, safety and resources. As recently as December 2023, the United Nations warned of catastrophic famine , with millions of children at-risk for malnutrition .

Syria: The advisory states that “No part of Syria is safe from violence,” with terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed conflict and risk of unjust detention all potential risk factors. U.S. citizens are often a target for kidnappings and detention. The U.S. Embassy in Damascus halted operations in 2012. Fighting in neighboring Israel has escalated since October, and the conflict has spilled over into Syria, where the U.S. has carried out air strikes following drone and rocket attacks against American troops in Syria and Iraq, triggered by the Israel-Hamas war.

Ukraine: Russian setbacks in their invasion of Ukraine buoyed hopes in Ukraine in 2023. However, Ukraine is a Level 4 country due to Russia’s invasion, with crime and civil unrest also noted as risk factors. The country’s forces shot down two Russian fighter jets on Christmas Eve 2023, in a move Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “sets the right mood for the entire year ahead.”

Venezuela: Human rights abuses and lack of health care plague this South American nation, which has been in a political crisis since 2014. In 2019, diplomatic personnel were withdrawn from the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. Threats in the country include crime, civil unrest, kidnapping, wrongful detention and poor health infrastructure.

Yemen: Six of the nine risk factors defined by the State Department – terrorism, civil unrest, health risks, kidnapping, armed conflict and landmines – are all present in Yemen. Despite private companies offering tourist visits to the Yemeni island of Socotra, the U.S. government argues those arranging such visits “are putting tourists in danger.” Civil war and cholera are also both present throughout the country. The U.S. Embassy in Sanaa halted operations in 2015. The country has experienced a relative lull in the civil war fighting, but as peace negotiations have gotten traction, flare ups in the fighting have jeopardized progress. Most recently, the U.S. and U.K. have carried out a series of airstrikes in the country, targeting Iran-backed Houthi sites.

Other Countries to Watch

Since Jan. 1, the State Department has updated travel advisories for 17 different countries as well as for the West Bank and Gaza, adding information about specific regions or risk factors, or simply renewing an existing advisory. Travel advisory levels can change based on several factors in a nation, such as increased civil unrest, policies that affect human rights or higher risks of unlawful detention.

The State Department has given about 25 countries an assessment of Level 3, meaning it recommends people “reconsider travel” to those destinations.

On Oct. 14, one week after the deadly Hamas attack on Israel, Israel and the West Bank were both moved from Level 2 to Level 3, while Gaza remains at Level 4. The region’s travel advisory was updated in November to reflect travel restrictions for certain government employees who have not already left the area, and it was updated again on Jan. 3.

Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in early October, the U.S. State Department raised Lebanon ’s travel advisory level from a Level 3 to a Level 4 level due to “the unpredictable security situation related to rocket, missile, and artillery exchanges” between Israel and Hezbollah or other militant groups. In December, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut returned to normal staffing and presence, and on Jan. 29, the country was moved back to Level 3. Crime, terrorism, armed conflict, civil unrest, kidnapping and unexploded landmines are listed as the country’s primary risk factors. However, the country’s borders with Syria and with Israel, as well as refugee settlements within Lebanon, are specifically noted as Level 4 regions.

China became a Level 3 country in late 2020, with an update in December 2022 citing “the surge in COVID-19 cases, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, and COVID-19-related restrictions” as the reason for the advisory. In June 2023, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) was moved from the Level 3 to the Level 2 list, but travelers are still advised to be cautious in the area due to “arbitrary enforcement of local laws.” Meanwhile, Macau remains at Level 3.

Following an attempted coup in August 2023, Niger was elevated to Level 4 in August and the Department of State ordered all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members to leave the U.S. Embassy in Niamey. In early January 2024, the overall risk level for the country was lowered back to Level 3. Despite the new classification, the State Department still asks non-emergency government personnel and eligible family members to depart the country.

In mid-December 2023 there was an explosion at Guinea’s main fuel depot which has since affected access to health care and basic goods and services. The country was subsequently designated a Level 3 nation after having previously been Level 2. Concerns about civil unrest, health, crime and fuel shortages impacting local infrastructure were listed as the primary risk factors contributing to the change.

Several Level 3 countries are among the worst countries for human trafficking, as designated by the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report . Level 3 countries on this list include Papua New Guinea, Guinea Bissau, China and Chad. There are also nine Level 4 countries designated as among the worst for human trafficking: Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Syria, South Sudan and Venezuela.

Over 70 countries are currently at Level 2, meaning the State Department recommends travelers “exercise increased caution” when traveling to those destinations.

Botswana became the newest Level 2 country on Feb. 26 after having previously been Level 1, with crime noted as the primary risk factor.

France, which saw nationwide protests throughout 2023, has civil unrest and terrorism noted as risk factors for its Level 2 status, and Sweden’s Level 2 status is associated with risks of terrorism.

The Level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas was updated in January to reflect water safety concerns. The advisory warns that “activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated” and notes that government personnel are “not permitted to use independently operated jet-ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Islands.” It also warns visitors to be mindful of sharks, weather and water conditions. The advisory also says that crime is a primary risk factor with gang-on-gang violence contributing to high homicide rates in some areas. Visitors are asked to “be vigilant” and to not physically resist robbery attempts.

Bangladesh 's Level 2 travel advisory was updated in October 2023 to add a note about the country’s general election , which took place Jan. 7, 2024. The advisory states “demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.” The U.S. has since claimed the country’s election was not free nor fair.

In November 2023, several Level 2 travel advisories were updated with new cautionary information. The advisory for Ghana was updated to reflect threats against LGBTQI+ travelers specifically, noting “anti-LGBTQI+ rhetoric and violence have increased in recent years.” Meanwhile, the advisory for South Africa was updated in February to note that routes recommended by GPS may be unsafe with higher risk for crime.

Turkmenistan was moved off of the Level 2 list to become the newest addition to the Level 1 list on Jan. 22, meaning normal precautions are recommended but there are no risk factors causing travelers to practice increased caution.

The State Department asks travelers to pay attention to travel advisory levels and alerts , review country information pages for their destinations and read related country security reports before going abroad.

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Owner of UK’s biggest theme parks announces huge changes to pricing

P eople visiting some of the UK’s biggest global attractions could expect to pay more during peak seasons and less in quieter months, under a new pricing model.

Merlin Entertainments, which is one of the one of the world’s biggest operators of theme parks and attractions, has been introducing “dynamic” pricing since last year. The system is similar to that used by sectors such as airlines and hotels.

The company owns tourist attractions including Legoland , Thorpe Park and Madame Tussauds

The group’s chief executive, Scott O’Neil, said the move means its attractions can adapt prices based on the time of year and control the number of visitors .

“We had it in 2023 and we had the highest guest satisfaction scores in the history of the company, and seven million additional guests,” Mr O’Neil said.

“So we’re definitely getting the signal that our processes are moving in the right direction.”

He said “dynamic” pricing helps “protect the guest experience” during busier times of the year by managing queues, where wait-times can be more than an hour for top attractions.

The opportunity to buy tickets at discounted prices during off-peak times, which could be a rainy weekend in March, makes the experiences “available and accessible to all”, Mr O’Neil explained.

He likened it to “happy hours” used in bars, as well as hotels and airlines which typically hike prices for travel during peak times but offer cheaper prices off-season.

“It is not a new concept, but our focus is on two things that matter most; the guest experience and making sure that we are accessible and value-based for families,” he said.

Merlin revealed its sales soared to a record high last year as more visitors flocked to city-centre attractions.

Total revenues jumped by 8% to £2.1 billion in 2023, compared with the previous year, and it had 62 million total visitors across the globe.

About a quarter of all tourists to London visited one of its attractions last year, and 40% of those visited more than one, according to the company.

However, Merlin revealed it swung to a pre-tax loss of £214 million last year, from a profit of £106 million the previous year, which the company said was due to one-off costs including refinancing some of its debts.

The group said on Monday it had agreed to buy Orlando Wheel at Icon Park, the tallest ferris wheel on the US east coast, which will strengthen its presence in a top global tourist hub.

Mr O’Neil also said it was expecting a boost from a new rollercoaster opening in May at Thorpe Park, named Hyperia, which will be its tallest and fastest ride.

Mr O’Neil added: “Coming out of Covid, we learned that we need each other, we need experiences, and we value memories over things.”

Consumers have been “gravitating toward quality” experiences, he said, with branded attractions like Legoland and Pepper Pig theme parks remaining popular.

He also said consumer demand has been “off the charts” for the Nemesis Reborn ride which recently launched at Alton Towers Resort.

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Why Kate Middleton Isn't Sharing What Type of Cancer She Has

Like King Charles, the Princess of Wales will not be disclosing her specific diagnosis.

kate middleton

However, Kensington Palace has said they will not be sharing any specific diagnosis. "We will not be sharing any further private medical information," a Palace spokesperson said. "The Princess has a right to medical privacy, as we all do."

This is in line with King Charles, who revealed his own cancer diagnosis last month . When announcing the King's cancer diagnosis, Buckingham Palace did not specify what kind, besides clarifying it was not prostate cancer. "His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer," the Palace said in a statement.

As Victoria Murphy noted in T&C , "In guidance to journalists, the Palace has also strongly emphasized the King’s right to and expectation of privacy when it comes to further details of his diagnosis. They have asked media outlets to refrain from speculation or investigation into what kind of cancer the King has or the treatment he is receiving."

The same goes for Kate's cancer diagnosis—Kensington Palace emphasized the Princess's right to privacy when it comes to her health and treatment. In a personal video message shared by Kate , she said, "We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery."

preview for Kate Middleton Speaks Out About Her Cancer Diagnosis

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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Bournemouth airport set for 2025 fares war as Jet2 moves in

Only two routes – to fuerteventura and madeira – face no competition, with ryanair and tui already established at the dorset gateway, article bookmarked.

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Bournemouth bound: Jet2 aircraft taking off from Tenerife, the first destination from the Dorset airport

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Bournemouth airport is set to become the location for intense competition between airlines. Jet2 has announced the Dorset airport will become its 12th UK base from next spring.

Jet2 will deploy two aircraft on a range of Mediterranean and Atlantic island routes.

The inaugural flight from Bournemouth to Tenerife on 1 April 2025, will be followed by 15 other new links – almost all of which are already flown by other carriers, Tui and Ryanair . It signals intensified competition against Tui – which Jet2 Holidays overtook in terms of package passengers last year .

The only two Jet2 routes with no competition are Fuerteventura in Spain ’s Canary Islands and Funchal, Madeira.

On four of the routes – Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Palma and Tenerife – the new arrival will compete with both Ryanair and Tui.

Other Jet2 links are up against Tui competition:

  • Antalya and Dalaman in Turkey
  • Corfu, Heraklion, Rhodes and Zante in Greece
  • Ibiza and Menorca in Spain’s Balearic islands

In addition, Jet2 will take on Ryanair to Alicante and Faro.

Jet2’s chief executive, Steve Heapy, said: “We know that customers and independent travel agents have been asking us for a long time to make this move, so we are absolutely delighted to be announcing today that Bournemouth airport will become our 12th UK base airport.

“As Which? Travel Brand of the Year, we know that our award-winning flights and holidays will be enormously popular across the region, and we cannot wait to show everyone what we are all about.”

“This latest expansion is a further demonstration of our confidence, and it reflects our long-term strategy to be the UK’s leading and best leisure travel business. We know that customers want to be properly looked after throughout their holiday experience.”

Bournemouth airport handled fewer than one million passengers last year, placing it 18th in the table for UK gateways. Manchester airport, a big Jet2 base, handles 30 times as many travellers.

Andrew Bell, chief executive of Regional and City Airports, which owns Bournemouth airport, said: “It will create new employment locally, add 16 fabulous new destinations from Bournemouth, up to 27 extra flights a week and will see an estimated additional 300,000 passengers using their local airport.

“This exciting partnership with Jet2 and Jet2holidays represents a step-change in establishing Bournemouth airport as a nationally significant regional hub for passenger air operations.”

The aviation schedule analyst, Sean Moulton, said: “Following Jet2’s expansion into London Stansted in 2017 and Bristol in 2021, the south has been a growing market for Jet2.

“Whilst Bournemouth will be the smallest of Jet2’s 12 bases, it will go head to head with Tui on several routes. Just two of the 16 routes being exclusive to Jet2 at Bournemouth demonstrates Jet2’s desire to compete head to head with Tui and to a certain extent Ryanair.

“If successful, this could lead to several smaller bases being opened up across the UK.”

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Why Memphis Black Restaurant Week is the week to beat

Memphis Black Restaurant Week highlights the rich Black history of the Southern city through its legendary cuisine.

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Memphis Black Restaurant Week, Black food, Black food culture, soul food, Memphis Tennessee, Memphis history, theGrio.com

While Memphis is often hailed as the birthplace of blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll music, there’s an equally revered hero in the heart of this cultural haven — its soul food. Each March, the city hosts a delicious journey known as Memphis Black Restaurant Week , when locals and visitors alike are invited to savor the flavors that define the essence of “Bluff City.”

While Memphis is a top tourist destination, the city’s culinary scene has emerged as a highlight in its own right. Memphis Black Restaurant Week provides Black-owned restaurants with a platform to showcase their offerings through special dining deals, not only attracting new customers but also raising awareness and support for minority-owned eateries across the country.

Established in 2016, Memphis Black Restaurant Week (MBRW) stands out among myriad restaurant weeks across the United States. This unique culinary event embodies Memphis’ unwavering commitment to diverse flavors, particularly from its thriving Black-owned establishments. The City of Memphis Office of Business Diversity & Compliance emphasizes the importance of supporting Black restaurants, asserting that MBRW “plays a crucial role in achieving socioeconomic upliftment, and the sustainable implementation of these beliefs will strengthen our communities and open opportunities for future generations.”

Rooted in a rich historical tapestry, Memphis has long been a destination with a legacy. Initially renowned as a hub for African-American blues musicians, Memphis laid the groundwork for the genre’s national prominence. The city later evolved into the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll, with luminaries such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis launching their careers at Sun Studio in the 1950s. Subsequently, Memphis became a home for soul music, giving rise to legends like Otis Redding, Booker T., and the Queen of Soul , Aretha Franklin, who was born in Memphis and would later return to record chart-topping hits at the legendary Stax Recording Studio . 

Concurrently, the city played a pivotal role in civil rights movements, drawing leaders to support causes like the Memphis Sanitation Strike of 1968, advocating for improved wages, working conditions, and union recognition. The city witnessed numerous marches, meetings, and gatherings that garnered nationwide and global attention. Tragically, on April 4, 1968, Memphis faced a significant loss when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel while in town to support union workers. The site now houses The National Civil Rights Museum .

Memphis Black Restaurant Week, Black food, Black food culture, soul food, Memphis Tennessee, Memphis history, theGrio.com

Memphis boasts an unparalleled Black history that echoes through the ages. From the iconic Beale Street, which pays homage to the legendary Black musicians of the early 20th century, to thriving Black-owned businesses and the vibrant music scene, the city preserves its rich heritage. Landmarks like the Lorraine Motel and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, along with Graceland, Presley’s former residence, weave a narrative of cultural significance. Graceland, in particular, stands as one of the most visited private homes in the United States.

See all this and more in Memphis, where this year, from March 17 to 23, foodies can experience the best offerings from over 28 Black-owned establishments, featuring a selection of over 95 meals. Exclusive discounts , including $15 two-course lunches and $25 three-course dinners, are available only during this week. Explore a diverse culinary experience, including traditional Southern Black dishes, Caribbean cuisine, and options for vegan and vegetarian palates. Can’t make it this Memphis Black Restaurant Week? Indulge in one of the city’s acclaimed culinary tours , available year-round. 

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Noel Cymone Walker is an NYC-based writer specializing in beauty, fashion, music, travel, and cultural anthropology. She has written and produced visuals for several notable publications such as The Recording Academy/The Grammys, The Fader, Billboard, OkayPlayer, Marie Claire, Glamour, Allure, Essence, Ebony, and more.

Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrio’s newsletter . 

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Mr T Nicol v World Travel and Tourism Council and Others: [2024] EAT 42

Employment Appeal Tribunal Judgment of Mr Justice Sheldon on 25 March 2024.

Read the full Judgment in Mr T Nicol v World Travel and Tourism Council and Others [2024] EAT 42 .

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Money blog: Eight major price rises next Monday - but it's not all bad news

National Price Hike Day is on Monday, with water bills, broadband, council tax and the TV licence among the things going up. Read this and more in the Money blog - your place for consumer and personal finance news. Leave a comment on the stories we're covering, or a Money Problem, below.

Tuesday 26 March 2024 11:27, UK

  • Eight things that are going up in price next week - and six major boosts to Britons' pockets
  • Grocery inflation eases to 4.5% - but chocolate is soaring
  • We could see adverts on the moon in the next few years
  • Free childcare about to be extended - here's all the support on offer to parents of young children
  • Money Problem : My boss makes me use annual leave for sick days - is this legal?
  • ISA deadline approaching - here's what you need to know

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Prosecutions for low level offences such as speeding, truancy and TV licence fee non-payments are usually dealt with behind-closed-doors by the Single Justice Procedure (SJP).

It's designed to keep the court system efficient and minimise delays to more serious cases in the magistrates' courts. 

But the Magistrates' Association has intervened to call for a reform of the SJP system, saying "flaws" in the system mean magistrates do not have enough time to consider cases and that it is harming "some of society's most vulnerable people". 

The association is urging the Ministry of Justice to carry out a 12-point plan, including allowing prosecutors to see all pleas and mitigations beforehand, and letting the sittings be observed by journalists. 

Up to 40,000 SJP cases are currently decided in private each month. 

News reports say cases prosecuted by the SJP include a 78-year-old with dementia fined for not having car insurance while she was in a care home, a 33-year-old given a £781 legal bill after accidentally failing to pay £4 to the DVLA, and an 85-year-old woman prosecuted for not paying car insurance after suffering a broken neck and being admitted to a care home. 

A black Uber Eats courier has been given a payout to end a legal claim in which he alleged he was unfairly sacked because the company's facial recognition app was racist.

Pa Manjang was dismissed after being told security selfie checks he provided had "continued mismatches". 

Couriers need to provide the photo checks at the start of their shifts, but Mr Manjang said he had been asked to take pictures of himself "multiple times a day" because the AI software failed to recognise him.

He told Uber Eats: "Your algorithm, by the looks of things, is racist."

Mr Manjang was backed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the App Drivers and Couriers Union, who funded his case.

Both said they were concerned by the use of AI in this instance, "particularly how it could be used to permanently suspend a driver's access to the app, depriving them of an income".

Uber Eats has made a settlement in the case, but reports suggest it accepts no liability.

The company said in a statement to The Times that the real-time ID check "was not the reason for Mr Manjang's brief loss of access to his courier account".

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

The possibility of a new record high being reached by the most valuable companies of the Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 100 has ebbed away. 

The index is down slightly (0.06%) this morning, no longer within touching distance of the all-time high in the combined value of the FTSE 100 companies recorded in February last year, as the rally that came late last week receded. 

The news that Asos sales fell 18% in the six months to March did nothing to dent the share price - it was up 7.6% but comes after a fall of 90% across the last three years. 

Performing well this morning is gambling giant Flutter, the owner of Paddy Power and Betfair brands. Today it announced it is moving its primary stock exchange listing to New York on 31 May, a blow to London. But it also recorded revenue growth of 17.3% in the UK and Ireland as it said its market share grew in the countries. 

Oil prices have fallen from the $87 a barrel cost of Monday and now the benchmark Brent crude oil costs $86.8.

A pound buys $1.2647 and €1.1659.

Chocolate is among the products placing upwards pressure on grocery inflation in the run-up to Easter, according to closely watched supermarket data.

Kantar Worldpanel, which tracks pricing and market share, reported a further slowing in the pace of price growth across the sector over the four weeks to 17 March.

It said the annual rate for grocery inflation eased to 4.5% - down from the 5.3% figure recorded the previous month.

The report credited price matching guarantees across the industry, as shoppers continue to seek out value amid the wider cost of living crisis that is continuing to damage household spending power despite wage growth firmly outstripping the rate of inflation.

Kantar reported that prices were rising fastest in markets such as sugar confectionery and chocolate confectionery.

Global cocoa prices have nearly doubled so far this year. Heavy rains in West Africa, where most of the world's cocoa is grown, have hit production.

Things falling fastest include butter, milk and toilet tissues, it found.

You can read more from our business reporter James Sillars here...

1 April (next Monday) is nicknamed National Price Hike Day, as it's when government bodies and private companies traditionally increase the cost of goods and services ahead of the new financial year.

So what can we expect this year?

TV and broadband

BT, EE, Plusnet and Vodafone customers will be charged 7.9% more from April. These companies pin their prices to December's inflation figure plus 3.9%, which is common practice in the industry.

Virgin Media and O2, which merged in 2021, are upping prices by 8.8%, as they use the retail price index from January plus 3.9%. There are caveats which mean some O2 customers will see prices rise by less than this.

Sky is also implementing price rises, meaning most Sky TV and broadband customers will pay an average of 6.7% more from 1 April.

Council tax

Most people who live in councils with responsibility for social care in England will see their bills rise by the maximum of 4.99%.

In areas where the councils don't oversee social care, the rise for most will be 2.99%.

Birmingham City Council, which has declared effective bankruptcy, has been given permission to hike council tax by 21% over two years due to a black hole caused partly by equal pay claims and a botched IT systems rollout.

Council tax has been frozen by the devolved government in Scotland, while rises in Wales range anywhere from 3% to 21%. Northern Ireland uses a rating system instead of council tax, and rises are also expected here.

The annual cost of a standard colour TV licence will rise to £169.50 from 1 April - an increase of £10.50 on the current price of £159 a year.

Rent for social housing

The CPI rate of inflation in September - 6.7% - is used to determine the yearly rise in rents. 

For 2024-25, the limit will be 6.7% plus an additional 1%.

The average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales will go up by an average of 6% from April . 

Water UK said the increases would leave households with an average annual bill of £473.

Vehicle excise duty will rise on all but the cleanest new and used cars in April.

Increases are generally calculated in line with the RPI rate of inflation and are expected to be about 6%.

Train fares

Rail fares will rise by 8.7% in April for those in Scotland, after the Scottish government argued previous fare freezes were not sustainable. 

For those in England and Wales, fares rose by 4.9% on 3 March. 

The Royal Mail will raise the price of stamps again as the company struggles with a decline in the number of letters being posted.

The price of a first class and second class stamp will increase by 10p to £1.35 and 85p respectively from 2 April.

It's not all bad news in April

National insurance

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced in the budget earlier this month that the starting rate for NI will change from 10% to 8% from 6 April.

This will benefit 27 million workers, he said, and is worth about £450 a year to an employee on an average salary of £35,000.

NI for two million self-employed workers is also being cut.

Their rate will fall from 8% to 6%. The government says that is worth £350 to a self-employed person earning £28,200.

Child benefit

The amount people can earn before child benefit is reduced or taken away is increasing.

At the moment, people lose 1% of the benefit for every £100 they earn over £50,000. At £60,000, the benefit is cut completely.

From April, the benefit won't be reduced until one parent earns more than £60,000. And it will only go completely at £80,000.

Benefits and tax credits that are linked to inflation will rise by 6.7% in April.

That was the level CPI in September.

For joint claimants over the age of 25, universal credit standard allowances will rise from £578.82 to £617.60 per month.

The basic and new state pension will rise by 8.5% in April - to £11,502 a year.

The new state pension is for those reaching state pension age on or after 6 April 2016. It will rise to £221.20 a week - up from £203.85.

Minimum wage

The National Minimum Wage for those 21 and over will rise to £11.44 - an increase of £1.02, or 9.8%.

There are larger percentage increases for younger age groups -as well as a 21.2% rise for apprentices (going up to £6.40).

Energy price cap

From 1 April to 30 June this year the price paid by a typical household that uses electricity and gas will go down to £1,690 a year.

This is £238 a year lower than the price cap between 1 January and 31 March this year. 

A lunar rover manufacturer has signed a deal to allow businesses to test and advertise their products on the moon's surface. 

Start-up Astrolab is sending its Flex rover to the moon in 2026 - and has partnered with Group of Humans, a network for creative professionals, to allow the testing and advertising to happen.

Nasa is planning to build a base for a permanent presence on the moon, and it's said this new deal could provide opportunities such as Volvo introducing a lunar highway code or Nike developing footwear for the low-gravity atmosphere.

Rob Noble, the founder of Group of Humans, told The Times that his proposal was not particularly new as astronauts wore Omega Speedmaster watches for all six moon landings, and their spacesuits were designed by Prada.

He insisted this new platform would not be used to create gimmicks. 

"It isn't about rubbish stunts to send up Star Trek remains," he said, referring to the memorial spaceflight service that blasted the ashes of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and several former cast members into space. 

"We are focused on making sure that the ­resources of the moon are cared for and preserved. It's about really being thoughtful and an awareness that this is going to be really important for mankind. We want to find the companies that really want to change the world."

The British government is no longer the controlling shareholder in NatWest bank , reducing its stake in the lender to below 30%.

NatWest received several multibillion-pound bailouts at the height of the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, resulting in the government being left with an 84% stake in what was then known as RBS Group.

The government had been slowly selling down its stake but it accelerated the process in recent months.

Read the full story here ...

People who drive SUVs could have to pay higher parking charges in Oxford under plans drawn up by some city councillors.

The motion has been put forward by the city's Green Party.

It follows a new policy in Paris that saw parking charges triple for SUV drivers. 

The Green Party's plan would have to be approved by the Labour-controlled council.

Apple, Meta and Google's parent company are being investigated by the European Union under new laws designed to clamp down on the market power of the world's tech giants.

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into force at the beginning of March and aims to tackle "gatekeeping" behaviour among tech giants.

If the companies are found guilty of non-compliance, they face fines of up to 10% of their global turnover.

Under the new rules, companies are expected to allow app developers to steer users to products outside their own platforms for no extra charge.

Also, platforms that rank search results must treat all listings fairly and in a way that does not discriminate against services offered by third parties.

The number of under-30s with millionaire salaries has grown to a record high of 830, while more than 15,000 young people earn over £150,000, analysis by accountancy firm Lubbock Fine shows.

Before the pandemic, 650 under-30s had earned at least £1m and 13,400 earned more than £150,000.

Among the highest paid young people in the UK are pop star Dua Lipa, Manchester City star Erling Haaland and actress Millie Bobby Brown.

Lubbock Fine said the rise in £1m-plus earners is being driven by higher pay packages for sports, media and music stars, while the rise in those on more than £150,000 is thanks to higher salaries in the technology and financial services industries.

The average salary for a Premier League footballer is £3.6m a year, with Erling Haaland, 23, the highest earner under 30. 

The star earns £19.5m a year, or £375,000 a week, according to Spotrac. 

Chelsea and England star Raheem Sterling, 29, is on £16.9m, while Jack Grealish, 28, and Marcus Rashford, 26, both earn £15.6m. 

In music, pop star Dua Lipa, 28, is thought to be the richest under 30 with a wealth of more than £75m. 

The highest-paid young British actor is Millie Bobby Brown, known for her starring roles in Stranger Things and Enola Holmes.

She is said to have accumulated a net worth of £20m.

But while football and music and acting is a route to fame and fortune, in cash terms it is dwarfed by tech. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, the wealthiest under-30 in the UK is the 28-year-old builder of the video conferencing app Hopin, Johnny Boufarhat (£1.7bn).

Wealthiest under-30s

  • Johnny Boufarhat, founder of Hopin - £1.714bn
  • Christian Owens, founder of Paddle - £101m
  • Dua Lipa, pop star - £75m
  • Raheem Sterling, footballer - £61m
  • Charlie Morgan, co-founder of Au Vodka - £55m
  • Niall Horan, pop star - £54m
  • Harry Kane, footballer - £51m
  • Daniel Knight, director of Kinetic Games - £50m

Visitors to the popular tourist attractions will pay more at peak times under new plans from owner Merlin Entertainments. 

Surge pricing - which means prices fluctuate depending on demand - will be introduced at the company's top 20 global attractions by the end of this year. 

Scott O'Neil, chief executive of Merlin Entertainments, said people would expect to pay more in peak season, for example a Saturday in August, than on a "rainy Tuesday in March".

He told Business Live With Ian King : "One thing I love about dynamic pricing is that it offers an opportunity in the peak times to make sure the queues are down and the guest experience is high. 

"The other part that I really appreciate about dynamic pricing is that in off-peak times, it allows families that might not otherwise have an opportunity to go."

The theme park operator will use machine learning to monitor supply and demand.

Surge pricing is frequently used by hotels and airlines, but the model is being increasingly adopted by entertainment facilities. 

Merlin revealed today it had delivered record revenues of £2.1bn in 2023, up 8% year on year. 

However, visitor numbers have still not returned to pre-pandemic levels. 

Roughly 62.1 million people visited its 141 global attractions last year, down from the 67 million recorded in 2019.

A leading buy-to-let lender has cut rates across its range.

The Mortgage Works announcement includes a headline 3.99% deal fixed for five years.

The industry has reacted positively, with Darryl Dhoffer from The Mortgage Expert telling Newspage: "Buy-to-let mortgages have been dropping for some time now. 

"Who would have thought that a headline buy-to-let rate of 3.99% would be cheaper than a standard residential mortgage rate? 

"Fair play to The Mortgage Works. Let's hope big brother, Nationwide, wake up and start reducing residential interest rates."

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deep-dish pizza

The story behind Chicago deep dish pizza

This thick, cheese-laden take on the Italian original has become a culinary icon — but who exactly invented it?

Deep dish pizza is synonymous with Chicago. A thick, bread-like base topped with layers of mozzarella and chunky tomato sauce is the perfect fortification, some might argue, against the notoriously long and cold Chicago winters.  

Not everyone appreciates it, however. “Chicago pizza is not only not better than New York pizza, it’s not pizza. It’s a fucking casserole ,” comedian (and New Yorker) Jon Stewart once ranted on his TV programme, The Daily Show . And it’s true that for those used to a thin New York-style slice, or even more delicate Neapolitan pizzas, deep dish can seem a little… excessive. But who can resist the lure of so much melted cheese? Even Stewart saw the error of his ways and publicly repented.

According to the legend perpetuated by Pizzeria Uno , Ike Sewell, the original owner of Uno, invented deep dish pizza back in 1943. But this isn’t quite true, argues pizza historian Peter Regas , who’s been investigating the roots of deep dish for more than a decade. True deep dish was indeed invented at 29 East Ohio Street (the address of Pizzeria Uno’s first restaurant) in the autumn of 1943, says Regas — but not by Sewell. The actual mastermind was apparently Ric Riccardo, who discovered a pizza oven and round cast iron pans in the kitchen when he took over the place.

deep-dish pizza closeup

Riccardo named his restaurant Pizzeria Riccardo — but did he actually make the pizza? Possibly, but he was a businessman and an artist, not a cook. He’d also grown up in northern Italy, and pizza — at that time still a rarity in Chicago — was a southern Italian dish, the thin crust version originating in Naples and rustico, a hand pie stuffed with fillings including mozzarella and tomato, being a popular street food in Salento. Some sources credit Pizzeria Uno’s manager, Rudy Malnati Sr, or his son Lou, a bartender, with the deep dish’s invention, but Regas has found evidence that Malnati didn’t join the restaurant until a few years later. Meanwhile, Sewell, a Texan and a liquor distributor by trade, didn’t partner with Riccardo until early 1944, and his main contribution to the operation was money.

The first deep dish pizza, according to Regas, was about an inch tall — half the height of the modern product — and whoever was in Riccardo’s kitchen used standard pizza dough, made with flour, yeast, salt and water. The current fortified dough appeared in the 1950s courtesy of Alice Mae Redmond, a cook from Mississippi who thought the original wasn’t stretchy enough and incorporated elements from her recipe for Southern-style biscuits — namely oil.

Riccardo died in 1954 and Redmond and the Malnatis moved on to rival pizzerias, Gino’s East and Lou Malnati’s. Sewell, by this point the sole owner, changed the name to Pizzeria Uno. In 1977, he sold up to a Boston conglomerate, which simplified the origin story to give him all the credit. “[The CEO] told me, ‘Ike Sewell is our Colonel Sanders’,” Regas says, referring to the KFC figurehead. “The idea that they are the original is the most important thing.”

How it’s made

Crust recipes, topping selections and sauce seasonings vary from pizzeria to pizzeria, but all deep dish pizzas begin with a cast iron pan lined with a yeasty dough fortified with either olive oil or butter. It’s then filled with heaps of mozzarella cheese, covered with toppings and finished off with a layer of tomato sauce. Although the original Uno’s pizza was just cheese and tomato, one of the most dominant toppings in Chicago today is sausage.

Several variations have appeared over the years. Stuffed pizza, served at Nancy’s and Giordano’s, has a second layer of crust above the cheese. A variant known as pan pizza, invented at Pequod’s, has an extra sprinkling of cheese between the crust and the side of the pan, which caramelises during baking.

Several chains, including Uno’s and Lou Malnati’s, sell frozen pizzas in grocery stores and by mail order. The first recipe for home cooks appeared as early as 1945, according to Chicago Tribune archives, but most Chicagoans still prefer to get theirs from a pizzeria.

exterior of pizza shop

Where to try it

1.   lou malnati’s.

Founded in 1971, Lou Malnati’s is the largest of the deep dish chains, with around 80 locations across the city, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Arizona, home to many expat Chicagoans. It’s famous for its flaky, buttery crust and enormous sausage patty topping; gluten-free offerings include a crustless pizza held together with yet more sausage.

2.   Pequod’s

Pequod’s caramelised cheese crust, invented by its founder, Burt Katz, has a cult following among Chicago pizza connoisseurs. If you go at the weekend, be prepared to wait for a table, but very few visitors would argue it’s not worth it. The $7.95 (£6) individual pizza lunch special is one of the best deals in town.

3.   Milly’s Pizza in the Pan

Newcomer Milly’s began as founder Robert Maleski’s pandemic project. He made just 20 pizzas a night and always sold out: Chicagoans loved his caramelised cheese crust and surprising topping combinations such as cherry tomatoes, jalapeños, bacon and pineapple. In 2021, he moved into a permanent space in the Uptown neighborhood, where his pizzas remain a hot item; it’s best to order in advance. A second location is scheduled to open this year.

( Liked ‘The Bear’? Eat your way around Chicago with these iconic dishes. )

Related Topics

  • FOOD TOURISM
  • STREET FOODS
  • FOOD AND THE ENVIRONMENT
  • FOOD CULTURE
  • FOOD HISTORY

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  25. Why Memphis Black Restaurant Week is the week to beat

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