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The Houthi rebels have escalated their conflict with Israel, expanding their military campaign to target the Jewish state directly. This development raises concerns about the security of Red Sea shipping lanes, which are vital for international trade.The Red Sea is a key route for global commerce, with many ships passing through the Suez Canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Any disruption to shipping in this area could have significant economic implications, affecting the flow of goods and commodities worldwide.The Houthi rebels' actions have already impacted the region's stability, with various countries closely monitoring the situation. The international community is watching closely to see how this conflict will unfold and what measures will be taken to ensure the safety of shipping lanes in the Red Sea.

A groundbreaking analysis has revealed that 37% of conventional California produce contains toxic Pfas pesticide residues. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) conducted the study, which coincided with the introduction of California legislation aimed at banning Pfas from being used as active ingredients in pesticides by 2035.The analysis of California department of pesticide regulation residue testing records found that about 90% of peaches, plums, and nectarines contained Pfas residues, while 80% of strawberries and grapes showed contamination. These findings are particularly alarming as children are most at risk from the toxic effects of Pfas, and commonly eat fruits like grapes and strawberries.Pfas are a class of at least 16,000 compounds used to make products resistant to water, stains, and heat. They are called "forever chemicals" because they do not naturally break down and accumulate, and are linked to cancer, kidney disease, liver problems, immune disorders, birth defects, and other serious health problems.The EWG analyzed records for 930 samples across 78 types of non-organic, California-grown fruits and vegetables. The results showed that 348 samples, or 37%, contained Pfas residues, with at least half of all produce varieties treated with Pfas pesticides.The proposed legislation in California would ban the use of Pfas as an active ingredient in pesticides by 2035 and place a moratorium on approvals of new Pfas pesticides. The bill's author, California assemblymember Nick Schultz, stated that he doesn't want his kids "eating strawberries contaminated with chemicals that will stay in their bodies for decades."The pesticide industry is expected to mount a strong campaign against the legislation, but Maine and Minnesota have already passed similar bans, making it more likely to pass in California.

Meta's attempt to shift the blame for a young user's mental health issues away from its platforms and onto her family and offline social problems has backfired in a landmark social media addiction trial. The company, parent of Facebook and Instagram, employed a aggressive defense strategy that included highlighting the plaintiff's complaints about her mother in her teenage text messages and personal writings.The jurors, however, were not convinced by Meta's arguments and decided 10-2 in favor of the plaintiffs, awarding $4.2m in damages from Meta and $1.8m from co-defendant YouTube. This verdict could set a precedent for thousands of similar trials already in the works against social media companies.Meta's defense strategy drew backlash from parental advocates, who argued that the company was attempting to shift the blame away from its own design choices and onto parents and users. "For the biggest tech executives, I want to say something: stop blaming the parents. It's on you," said Julianna Arnold, a co-founder of advocacy group Parents Rise!.The trial's outcome reflects a growing distrust of social media companies and their impact on society. A Pew Research Survey found that around 64% of US adults believe that social media platforms have a negative impact on the country, and around two-thirds of Americans have a negative view of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.The verdict has been celebrated by advocates for reining in big tech, who see it as a significant step towards holding social media companies accountable for their role in shaping societal harms. "This trial was proof that if you put CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg on the stand before a judge and jury of their peers, the tech industry's wanton disregard for people will be on full display," said Sacha Haworth, executive director of The Tech Oversight Project.

The war in Iran has sent shockwaves through the UK economy, causing gilt yields to surge to their highest levels since the 2008 global financial crisis. This increase in borrowing costs has significant implications for Chancellor Rachel Reeves' fiscal policy, potentially eroding the £23bn in 'headroom' she had built up against her fiscal rules.Reeves had hoped that this cushion would allow her to focus on tackling inflation and stimulating growth, but with oil prices up 50% since the onset of the war, investors are now expecting higher inflation and interest rates. As a result, the government's cost of borrowing is set to rise, impacting its ability to fund public spending.The yield on 10-year gilts has jumped to nearly 5%, pushing up the cost of borrowing and forcing Reeves to reconsider her spending plans. This development has also raised concerns about the UK's economic fragility and the potential for a Labour leadership contest to be triggered after the May local elections.Economists warn that the chancellor has probably already lost a third to half of her headroom due to the combination of higher inflation, weaker employment, and surging gilt yields. The situation is further complicated by the UK's high debt levels and reliance on global markets, leaving little room for maneuver for any future government.The implications of this crisis extend beyond Reeves, raising questions about the economic pitch of any potential steward of the economy, whether from Labour or other parties. As Angela Rayner considers John Healey as a potential chancellor, the need for a carefully plotted economic policy that balances growth and fiscal responsibility has become increasingly urgent.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed strong support for curbing addictive social media features that target children, stating that the government 'will have to act' to regulate these features. In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Starmer emphasized that these features 'shouldn’t be permitted' and that the government is committed to taking action.The government's education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, also weighed in on the issue, stating that social media platforms are 'designed to keep you there' and that the government will closely examine how to tackle addictive features. The comments come amid a growing debate about the impact of social media on children's mental health and wellbeing.The UK government's consultation on social media regulation has garnered significant attention, with nearly 30,000 parents and children responding to the digital wellbeing consultation. The government is considering a range of options, including a ban on social media for under-16s, which has already been enacted in Australia.The move comes after a US court ruling found Meta and Google liable for a woman's childhood social media addiction, awarding $6m in damages. The companies plan to appeal the decision. The UK government's consultation will also examine the use of addictive algorithms and algorithmically driven content on social media platforms.As part of the consultation, hundreds of UK teenagers will trial social media bans, digital curfews, and time limits on apps as part of a government pilot. The government aims to introduce significant changes to regulate social media and protect children online.

The UK television landscape has undergone a significant change this Easter, as new regulations banning junk food advertising before 9pm have taken effect. For the first time, viewers will not be subjected to a barrage of advertisements for chocolate eggs and hot cross buns during their Easter celebrations.The regulations, which came into force at the beginning of the year, aim to tackle rising childhood obesity by prohibiting products high in fat, sugar, and salt from appearing in TV ads before 9pm. This move has resulted in a sugar-free viewing experience for UK audiences during Easter.The impact on the advertising industry has been notable, with TV advertising spending by confectionery and snacks brands almost halving year-on-year between October and February. Overall TV ad spend is down at least 15% year-on-year.Industry bodies and broadcasters have argued that the ban is more political PR than an effective policy, with the chief executive of ITV, Carolyn McCall, and former Channel 4 boss, Alex Mahon, pointing out that the government’s own research showed that the number of calories saved would be 1.7 a day, about a third of a Smartie.Campaigners argue that big food companies are compensating for the ban by upping marketing budgets on other media, such as outdoor media and radio. A battle is already brewing over the likely introduction of further restrictions, with the government launching a consultation on adopting a newer nutrient profiling model that would deem a far wider range of products too high in fat, salt, and sugar.

The conflict in the Middle East has taken a dramatic turn as Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis launched a second wave of attacks on Israel since joining the conflict on Saturday. The Houthis have vowed to continue their military operations in the coming days until Israel "ceases its attacks and aggression".In a significant escalation, two powerful explosions shook northern Tehran early on Sunday, with air defenses operating in the Iranian capital. The blasts occurred around 7:20 am, but it was not immediately clear what was targeted.Meanwhile, the US is reportedly preparing plans for ground operations in Iran, with the Trump administration having already deployed US Marines to the Middle East. The Pentagon is considering weeks of ground operations in Iran, potentially including raids on Kharg Island and coastal sites near the Strait of Hormuz.The entry of the Houthis into the conflict poses a direct threat to the Bab al-Mandab strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, a critical choke point in the supply chain of energy supplies and other trade in and out of the Middle East. A shutdown of the Bab al-Mandab, located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, would amplify the already grave impact of the war on the global economy and could also reignite a Saudi-Yemen conflict.Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has told one of the US's biggest annual gatherings of conservatives that he is ready to lead a new Iranian government and would call on the country's citizens to rise up when the "right moment arrives".Iran's Revolutionary Guard has threatened to target US universities in the Middle East after saying US-Israeli strikes had deliberately targeted two Iranian universities.

The ongoing Iran war has led to a surge in petrol and diesel prices, sparking concerns about fuel rationing across Europe and calls for Britain to increase North Sea oil and gas production. However, experts suggest that a more effective solution lies in promoting electric vehicles (EVs). According to analysis by Mandala Partners, if the UK had the same proportion of electric cars as Norway, its fuel reserve could increase by seven days. Currently, the UK has about three weeks' worth of car fuel in reserve. Norway leads the world with nearly 32% of its cars being fully electric, compared to 5.4% in the UK. Even with the existing number of electric and hybrid cars on British roads, they are already saving about two days' worth of fuel. This is particularly significant given that Shell's chief executive, Wael Sawan, has warned that Europe could face fuel shortages as early as April if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. The potential impact of EVs goes beyond just reducing petrol and diesel consumption. Every electric car charged from the grid rather than the pump extends the country's fuel reserves. Moreover, with the right technology, EVs could become an active buffer against future energy shocks by storing and resharing energy. Vehicle-to-grid technology, which allows EVs to send energy back into the power grid, could make a significant difference in an energy supply crisis. An electric car usually holds about 40 kilowatt-hours of power, enough for an average UK home for several days. This technology could enable millions of car batteries to supply power to the grid when demand spikes. Despite these benefits, the adoption of EVs and vehicle-to-grid technology faces challenges. Tax policy is a significant barrier, as EV owners pay tax on electricity when filling their car battery and again when selling it back to the grid. Additionally, the hardware for two-way charging is not yet widely available, although many electric cars are already capable of it. The energy regulator Ofgem has suggested that if half of the expected 11m EVs on UK roads by 2030 were capable of two-way charging, they could send 16 gigawatts of power back to the grid each day, almost half the output of Britain's gas-power station fleet.

For British runner Josh Kerr, the moment that makes the hairs on his neck tingle every time he watches it is Roger Bannister's historic achievement in 1954 – becoming the first person to break the four-minute mile barrier. Now, Kerr intends to stand on the shoulders of track and field's giants by attempting to break the world mile record himself at the London Diamond League in July."This record needs to be brought home," Kerr declares. "This is a British record. This is a British distance. And so it would be doing a disservice to the UK to not be doing it at home. It's why I can't do it anywhere else."The 28-year-old faces a significant challenge. The world record of 3:43.13 was set by Hicham El-Guerrouj in July 1999, while Kerr's best is a shade over two seconds slower. However, with focused training, a new shoe from sponsor Brooks, the support of his 16-strong entourage and 60,000 fans at the London Stadium, Kerr believes he can break the long-standing record."People [say:] 'The sport needs more rivalries,'" Kerr explains. "I don't agree. I think the sport needs more moments. We need a reason to watch. And so that's where this comes from. This is the time to go after these big moments. I have a big target of what time I want to hit. I think it's going to be pretty special."Kerr's credentials are impeccable. He is a world 1500m champion and an Olympic silver and bronze medalist over the same distance. Last weekend, he further demonstrated his form by winning the world indoor title over 3,000m for a second time."I've been in shape to run the record multiple times over the last couple of years," Kerr states. "And so there's specific key sessions, we will have KPIs [key performance indicators] going into it."To achieve his goal, Kerr plans to focus on running between 55 and 56 seconds pace for each of the four laps. "There's a lot of muscle memory with stuff, and so we'll do a lot of training at pace," he explains. "We're three or four months in deep into the mental training of it. There's a lot going on behind the scenes already. The whole season is towards this."While Kerr has his pacemakers "signed, sealed and delivered," he insists this will be a proper Diamond League race rather than a time trial. "There will be some restrictions," he says coyly when asked about potential rivals. "I'm not scared to race people. I think certain athletes will have obligations elsewhere. But it's not going to be a closed-off race."A crucial factor in Kerr's favor is the quality of his support team. "Danny's the mastermind behind everything," Kerr says of his coach Danny Mackey. "He's my head coach and team leader. Then you've got Julian, who's an assistant coach, and my wife, who helps with everything."The team also includes Kerr's mother as head physio, a "super-manager and assistant" called Nicole, a chiropractor, massage therapist, two strength and conditioning coaches, a performance and mental coach, a nutritionist, a full-time chef, and a videographer and social media assistant. Race agent Ray Flynn and management company Forte complete the 16-strong squad."I have a lot of respect for this record," Kerr concludes. "But I believe that I have the ability and the people around me that will help me get there. This record is one of the most important we have in track and field. The time is now. It's time for that record to be renewed."