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The UK's food inflation is expected to soar to 9% this year, even if the strait of Hormuz opens within the next few weeks, according to the Food and Drink Federation. This represents a significant increase from their previous forecast of 3.2% made before the Middle East conflict.The industry is facing unprecedented cost pressures due to the Iran war, which is driving up energy prices. Dr. Liliana Danila, chief economist at the FDF, stated that the current situation is unprecedented and hard to predict, and that food inflation is likely to rise in the coming months.The 9% forecast assumes that the strait of Hormuz, a key shipping channel, will reopen to cargo traffic within the next two to three weeks, and that most large energy facilities will return to normal within a year. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is set to meet with the bosses of the UK's biggest supermarkets to discuss the potential impact on the cost of living and possible supply squeezes.Some food companies, such as Princes, have already raised their prices in response to the cost pressures. UK farmers and producers have warned that without government help with surging energy bills, there could be shortages of domestic produce such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.The British Tomato Growers' Association is campaigning for the government to classify food producers as energy intensive users, which would help reduce their energy bills. If no support is provided, businesses may fail, according to Simon Conway, chair of the BTGA.

A devastating gang attack near Petite-Riviere in Haiti's Artibonite region has claimed the lives of at least 70 people and injured 30 others, according to the Defenseurs Plus human rights group. This grim toll significantly exceeds official estimates, which put the death count at approximately 16.The violence erupted in the early hours of Sunday and continued into Monday, with gang members storming rural communities around Jean-Denis, setting homes ablaze, and displacing an estimated 6,000 people, as per Defenseurs Plus. The United Nations reported that over 2,000 individuals had fled their homes in the preceding days following nearby raids by armed gangs.The attack is attributed to the Gran Grif gang, with its leader, Luckson Elan, allegedly stating that it was a retaliation for assaults on their base in Savien by a rival armed group. This incident marks another in a series of massacres in the area, largely attributed to Gran Grif, which has been designated as a 'terrorist' organization by the United States.The Artibonite region, a crucial agricultural area, has witnessed some of Haiti's worst violence. Despite increased policing efforts and promises of foreign support for Haiti's security forces, gang conflict has spread beyond the capital, Port-au-Prince. The Haitian National Police has launched an operation to apprehend the fleeing gang members.This surge in violence is part of a larger crisis, with close to 20,000 people killed in Haiti since 2021, according to a recent UN report. The situation has worsened an economic crisis and access to food, with over 1.4 million people, or about 12 percent of Haiti's population, displaced by the conflict with armed gangs.

The destruction of a US E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft in an Iranian strike on a Saudi Arabian airbase has raised significant questions about how a critical surveillance asset was left unprotected and how Iran managed to launch such a precise direct strike.The plane was one of only 16 operational E-3s, which first entered production in the 1960s and carry sophisticated monitoring equipment allowing them to detect airborne threats such as missiles while surveilling assigned battle spaces including communications, troop movements, and air defense sites.The attack that destroyed the aircraft on March 27, while it was parked at Prince Sultan airbase, demonstrated Iran's continuing ability to strike high-value targets in the region despite a month of US and Israeli air raids.Images from the scene show a direct strike on the E-3's radar dome near the tail, suggesting a high degree of accuracy in the attack. The strike also injured US servicemen and damaged several in-flight refuelling aircraft.Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that Ukrainian intelligence had information indicating a Russian spy satellite photographed the base three times before the attack—on March 20, 23, and 25. Zelenskyy explained that multiple satellite images typically indicate preparation for an imminent attack.Zelenskyy's comments follow reports that Moscow was providing intelligence to Iran on the location of US forces in the Middle East, a claim denied by Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.The destroyed E-3 was one of six such aircraft deployed to the Saudi Arabian base. These aging aircraft have long suffered from maintenance issues, with the US Air Force's E-3s reportedly having a mission-capable rate of only about 56% in 2024.The E-3 can track up to 600 targets simultaneously over a large area, acting as the eyes and ears for fighter pilots. The loss of this particular E-3 is considered incredibly problematic, as these aircraft serve as crucial battle managers for airspace deconfliction, aircraft coordination, targeting, and providing other lethal effects needed for battlefield operations.While US and Israeli commanders have claimed a decrease in Iran's missile capabilities, experts had anticipated a reduction in Tehran's launch intensity as it conserves military resources. Some analysts suggest Iran may be targeting key enablers of US airpower as part of a deliberate campaign following initial successes by the US and Israel in controlling Iranian airspace.

Liverpool is optimistic that Mohamed Salah will return from injury in the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City on Saturday. The Egypt international has been sidelined with a muscle problem sustained during the Champions League match against Galatasaray.Salah, who announced his departure from Liverpool at the end of the season, was also forced to miss Egypt's friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Spain. However, he has responded well to treatment, and there is confidence he will be involved at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.This potential return comes as Liverpool prepares for a crucial sequence of fixtures that could define their season. Arne Slot's side will be looking to make a strong impression, especially with the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain approaching.In other injury news, Alexander Isak may also be available for the first time since fracturing a leg at Tottenham in December, although his comeback is expected to be more realistic for the Champions League match. The £125m British-record signing is expected to resume team training this week.On the other hand, Alisson, Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper, is still nursing a hamstring injury and remains a major doubt for the trip to Parc des Princes. The 33-year-old has experienced repeated hamstring injuries in recent seasons.Meanwhile, Florian Wirtz has claimed that he has become a stronger player as a result of the problems he encountered after moving to Liverpool. The Germany international joined for a then club-record £116m from Bayer Leverkusen last summer but has struggled to impose himself in the Premier League.

Reza Pahlavi, the self-styled crown prince of Iran, has made a bold appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Texas, where he pledged to 'make Iran great again' and received a raucous welcome from the audience.Pahlavi, who has become a central opposition figure in the Iranian diaspora, urged US President Donald Trump not to cut a deal with Iran and instead seek regime change, aligning himself with the administration's most hawkish figures.“Can you imagine Iran going from ‘Death to America’ to ‘God Bless America’?” Pahlavi asked his audience in Grapevine, Texas, receiving a standing ovation with his remarks.“President Trump is making America great again. I intend to make Iran great again,” he added, echoing Trump's famous slogan.The speech comes amid a war between the US and Israel against Iran, which has resulted in at least 1,937 deaths and tens of thousands of injuries in Iran, with no end to the fighting in sight.Pahlavi has emerged as an outspoken supporter of Trump, and his appearance at CPAC highlights the divisions within the US right over the war in Iran.While some in the Iranian diaspora have expressed reservations about the US-Israeli attacks, Pahlavi has called for the Iranian regime to be overthrown, saying, “This regime in its entirety must go.”Analysts have warned that the Iranian government is unlikely to collapse and could emerge from the conflict more hardened than before, but Pahlavi remains a central figure in the opposition movement.

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.

Iran launched a significant attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on Friday, wounding at least 15 American soldiers, with five in serious condition. The assault involved at least six ballistic missiles and 29 drones.The base, located about 96km from the Saudi capital Riyadh, is operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force but also serves as a critical location for American forces. The injured US troops were inside a building at the base during the strike.According to reports, the Iranian attack resulted in the destruction of one refuelling aircraft and damaged three others, putting them out of service. Satellite images published by Iran's Press TV showed significant damage to several aircraft at the airbase.This incident marks a continuation of the escalating conflict in the region, which began with a joint assault by Israel and the United States on February 28. Iran has been conducting retaliatory attacks on Gulf nations it accuses of serving as a launchpad for US strikes.The conflict has seen significant casualties on both sides. At least 13 US military service members have been killed since the war on Iran started, with over 300 American troops wounded. Iran's government has not released an updated casualty toll, but the US-based activist group HRANA reported 1,167 Iranian soldiers killed and 658 troops with unknown status as of March 23.The attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base is part of a broader pattern of Iranian retaliation. The base has been consistently targeted since the war began, highlighting the strategic importance of the location and the ongoing tensions in the region.

Ukraine has announced a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, described by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a mutually beneficial arrangement. The deal, which lays the groundwork for future contracts and technological cooperation, was made ahead of a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.Zelenskyy stated that the agreement will facilitate technological cooperation and investment between the two nations. Saudi Arabia has not officially confirmed the pact.The partnership comes at a time when Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, are under attack by Iran. Since the US and Israel began their military campaign against Tehran on February 28, Riyadh has intercepted hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. On Friday, the Saudi defence ministry reported that at least six missiles were intercepted.Ukraine, which has long battled Russian drones, is well-positioned to assist Gulf countries in countering Iranian attacks. Kyiv has become a major producer of cheap but efficient interceptor drones to counter Moscow's waves of drone attacks. In one of Russia's largest wartime aerial attacks on Ukraine, it launched 948 drones within 24 hours, killing two people.“This winter alone, Russia launched over 19,000 drones into Ukraine, just to give some perspective on how much experience they do have in shooting down drones,” said Al Jazeera’s Audrey MacAlpine, reporting from Kyiv. Ukraine has deployed 201 anti-drone experts to the Middle East to assist in the defence against Iranian attacks.

Tamerlano, a 1724 opera by Handel, has been reimagined in a modern production at the London Handel Festival. The story revolves around the despotic emperor Tamerlano, who has brought the stubborn Bajazet to his court in chains. Tamerlano's infatuation with Bajazet's daughter Asteria leads him to offer his betrothed, Irene, to the Greek prince Andronico. However, both Bajazet and Andronico threaten to end it all, while Asteria plots to assassinate Tamerlano.In an attempt to make the opera more accessible, director Orpha Phelan has aligned each character with a recognizable famous figure. Tamerlano is reimagined as Donald Trump, Andronico as Alexander the Great, and Irene as Elizabeth Bennet or a Bridgerton escapee. The production is billed as 'Social Experiment 2', manipulated by Andronico's friend Leone, played as Sigmund Freud.Despite the modern twist, the opera's musical standards are high, led by Laurence Cummings and the excellent Academy of Ancient Music. The cast, including Benjamin Hulett as Bajazet, Nardus Williams as Asteria, and Kitty Whately as Irene, copes admirably with Phelan's concept. However, James Laing's portrayal of Tamerlano is somewhat overwhelmed by excessive fidgety business, including eating Big Macs and doing the Trump dance.The production runs at Shoreditch Town Hall, London, until 28 March. Despite some reservations, the opera's vital element of danger is somewhat lost in the buffoonery. Nevertheless, it remains a fine cast and a resourceful set by Madeleine Boyd.