In his first public hearing, Donald Trump’s nominee for Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh faced several rounds of questions about his loyalty to the president as Trump looks to reshape a powerful global economic institution.
Trump has pushed for criminal investigations into current chair Jerome Powell over renovations at the central bank’s home in Washington, D.C., while the president continues to demand lower interest rates even as fuel prices surge with the U.S. war with Iran that has upended global markets. Warsh has denied that his nomination hinged on the president’s demands, but he repeatedly dodged questions from the Senate Banking Committee about Trump’s politicized overhaul of the Fed.
Follow for the latest from the Trump administration
3:45 p.m. — Kennedy grilled by Republican and Democratic senators over women’s health
Advertisement
Trump’s Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. came under fire from Democratic lawmakers last week over disparities in Black maternal health that he appeared to dismiss. Today, he’s hearing from Republican and Democratic women over threats to reproductive healthcare and how the administration’s gutting of federal funding has threatened women’s health.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr is in the middle of a series of congressional hearings to defend his budget and chaotic year in office (Getty Images)
“The administration’s emphasis on canceling diversity-related grants has resulted in less research aimed at women’s health,” Republican Sen. Susan Collins said during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing. “It is well established that disparities in women’s health exist.”
“You’re right,” Kennedy said. “We have the worst maternal health outcomes of any of the Western countries and Black women are 2.6 times more likely. A college-educated Black woman is two and a half times more likely to die from maternal health mortality than a college-educated white woman.”
Asked if he has talked with officials about screening for mifepristone in wastewater, Kennedy said he wants the government to look for “pharmaceutical drug artifacts” in water.
Advertisement
He said he has “no plans to do that at the moment” when it comes to screening wastewater to track the use of abortion drugs.
2 p.m. — RFK defends Trump response to measles outbreaks
Kennedy wrapped up the first of two congressional hearings on Tuesday as the nation’s top health official justifies his budget to lawmakers and defends his chaotic year in office.
In front of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee Tuesday morning, the vaccine skeptic defended the administration’s response to a surge in measles outbreaks within the last year, saying that low vaccination rates predated his time in office. There have been more than 1,700 measles cases in the U.S. so far this year.
Advertisement
Next, Kennedy will appear before a Senate appropriations subcommittee to review his agency’s budget request, which would slash the agency by 12 percent as lawmakers wrestle with changes to vaccine policy, rising healthcare costs and the loss of thousands of public health employees.
Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to replace Jerome Powell as chairman of the Federal Reserve, faced a first public hearing for the role (Getty Images)
12:35 p.m. — Warsh dodges questions on Trump trying to fire Lisa Cook and Powell
The president’s attempt to fire Fed governor Lisa Cook “would weaken, if not shatter, the independence of the Federal Reserve,” according to Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Warsh said it wouldn’t be “appropriate” to weigh in when asked by Sen. Angela Alsobrooks whether he would defend his potential future colleague.
“If I stand for anything it’s that the Fed should stay in its lane,” he told the Senate Banking Committee.
Advertisement
A legal challenge over Trump’s attempt to remove Cook from the board is pending before the Supreme Court. Warsh said “it’s not appropriate for me to weigh in on that” as he “could be a party to that matter.”
Warsh also avoided answering whether he agrees that the laws requires Powell to remain as chair until his replacement is confirmed.
Powell’s term as chair ends May 15, and his term as a board member ends January 31, 2028..
Warsh has denied that Trump has personally pushed him to lower interest rates when he’s confirmed as Federal Reserve chair despite reports suggesting the command was essential to his nomination (Getty Images)
12:08 p.m. — Warsh denies Trump ever asked him to lower interest rates
“The president never asked me to commit to interest rate cuts,” Warsh said under questioning from Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego. “He didn’t ask for it, he didn’t demand it, he didn’t require it, and nor would I have done so.”
Warsh, a former Morgan Stanley banker who served as a Fed governor during the 2008 financial crisis, would likely be the wealthiest Fed chair if confirmed. According to financial disclosures, his fortune tops more than $100 million, including assets in AI and cryptocurrency.
Warsh told the committee that the Fed’s independence in setting interest rates is “essential” — but before the hearing, Trump told CNBC that he would be disappointed if Warsh doesn’t immediately cut rates.
Trump to read Bible passage one week after posting AI image of himself as Jesus
Advertisement
The president will virtually participate in the “America Reads the Bible” event Tuesday evening and read a passage from the Old Testament roughly one week after he drew bipartisan ire for posting an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus Christ-like figure.
Read more:
11:40 a.m. — Warren’s questions into Warsh’s alleged Epstein ties follow DOJ files release
Senator Elizabeth Warren’s questions about Warsh’s alleged ties to dead sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were previewed in her letter to Trump’s Federal Reserve chair nominee last month, when she asked for details about the extent of his connections to the wealthy and well-connected abuser.
Advertisement
Emails sent to or from an account associated with Epstein released as part of the Justice Department’s publication of millions of files stemming from investigations showed that Warsh and his wife were invited to events that Epstein helped organize. It’s unclear whether they attended, and he has not been accused of wrongdoing.
In a series of heated exchanges with Warren, Warsh said he would divest $100 million in investments but refused to answer whether they involved Epstein, China orTrump and his companies.
“Sounds like your fight might not be with me, but with the Office of Government Ethics,” Warsh said.
Senate Banking Committee’s top Democrat Elizabeth Warren grilled Warsh on his assets and loyalty to Trump (Getty)
Warren, testing Warsh’s “independence and courage” against political interference, then asked him point blank whether he believes Trump won the 2020 presidential election.
“Um, we try to keep politics if I’m confirmed out of the Federal Reserve,” he said. “Senator, I believe that this body certified that election many years ago.”
Advertisement
“That’s not the question I’m asking,” Warren fired back.
Asked if there was anything Warsh disagreed with Trump about, he said he didn’t think he came from “central casting.”
If he did, he would be “older, grayer” and smoking a cigar, he said.
Warren, dismissively, called his answer “cute.”
Advertisement
“If you don’t answer the questions, you don’t have the courage and you don’t have the independence,” she said.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis won’t vote to confirm Warsh as Fed chair unless the Justice Department drops a Trump-fueled criminal investigation into Jerome Powell (Reuters)
11:15 a.m. — Key Republican will confirm Warsh if DOJ drops Powell probe
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who has put his critical vote supporting Warsh on hold over Justice Department investigations into Powell, blasted DOJ over the probe but signaled he’s more than willing to support his nomination.
“If we put everybody in prison in federal government that had had a budget go over, we’d have to reserve an area roughly the size of Texas for a penal colony,” Tillis said. “The problem that I have here is that we had some U.S. attorney … thinking it would be cute to bring Chair Powell under an investigation just a few months before the position was going to be open.”
He urged DOJ to “get rid of this investigation so I can support your nomination.”
Advertisement
The only thing he found to be “the least bit odd” about Warsh is that he has “never seen an episode of Seinfeld.”
Pete Hegseth cancels ‘absurd’ flu vaccine requirement for ‘brave warriors’ in military
American service members will no longer be required to get a yearly flu shot under a new Defense Department policy described by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as an effort to “restore freedom and strength to our joint force.”
Read more:
Advertisement
Warren accused Warsh of being a ‘sock puppet’ for Trump and his interests (Getty Images)
10:25 a.m. — Warren says installing Trump’s ‘sock puppet’ is a political tactic to ‘artificially juice the economy before midterms’
Warren, the committee’s top Democrat, warned that the president’s attempt to install a “sock pocket” at the Fed would be an “invitation for corruption and economic catastrophe.”
Trump has presided over “one economic failure after another,” with plummeting consumer sentiment and surging costs on fuel, housing and everyday goods in the wake of his “chaotic tariffs” and the Iran war, she said in her opening remarks.
With a dire economic outlook, Trump has “repeatedly and illegally attempted to take over the Fed” to solve his political problems, including installing a “sock poppet” to “artificially juice the economy” before midterm elections, she said.
“The Senate should not be aiding and abetting Trump’s takeover of the Fed,” said Warren, calling Warsh’s potential confirmation an “invitation for corruption and economic catastrophe.”
Chelsea have insisted that they have no plans to dismiss Rosenior, however, Sherwood feels the 41-year-old will lose his job at Stamford Bridge.
‘It was a team playing against a bunch of individuals who had no spirit, no character,’ Sherwood told Sky Sports.
‘I’ve just watched them at the end going up to the Chelsea fans, half of them had already left the stadium probably 20 minutes ago, it was done and dusted after the second goal went in.
Liam Rosenior apologised to Chelsea fans after the Brighton defeat (Getty)
‘They played five at the back in the first half, it was embarrassing the amount of room Brighton had, second half was a little bit better at the start.
‘He [Rosenior] was lucky at half time it was only one [goal], Garnacho came on and gave more in forward areas but as soon as they got the second goal with Hinshelwood, we’re talking an academy player who played in every single position on the pitch, he played full-back, he’s outstanding in that position, plays in midfield, he played as a No.10 tonight, he was outstanding.
Advertisement
‘I don’t like saying it but there are demonstrations there and flags out against BlueCo, he will not survive this, Liam Rosenior will not survive this, unfortunately for him.
‘It’s a real tough job for any manager to go in there and change the environment because these Chelsea fans have been brought up winning trophies, the biggest trophies, with the biggest players. It’s a development club.’
Enzo Fernandez stood alone in front of Chelsea’s fans at the Amex Stadium (Getty)
Sherwood also criticised Enzo Fernandez for his reaction towards Chelsea’s supporters after the final whistle as the midfielder stood shrugging with his arms out in front of fans at the Amex Stadium.
‘He wanted to make a show, this is not someone who I wanted to see with an armband on,’ Sherwood said.
‘He wants to leave the club. He stuck his chest out, he stood there, he made a stand, mate, make a stand when the game is on, do something about it, lead your players, you’re an individual who plays for himself.
Advertisement
‘He’s probably there talking to the coaching staff trying to blame everyone else around him, that ain’t what leaders do, they galvanise their teammates, they make sure they’re organised, he has to know when he’s on that pitch what Liam Rosenior wants, and he has to try and implement it on the pitch for his manager.
‘They are not playing for their manager. Whether it’s him, Pochettino, Potter, Enzo Maresca, they throw them all under the bus. The players need to look at themselves but the club needs to change, you are not going to shift the mindset of these Chelsea fans.
‘Cucurella was poor tonight, Gusto was poor, the centre-backs are not good enough, whether it’s Fofana, Hato or Chalobah, they’re not good enough, the goalkeeper is not good enough. They need experienced players, no only in age but who have played a lot of games and know the Premier League, I want to see leaders on that team like the Chelsea of old.
‘This is not Chelsea Football Club, it’s nothing like I recognise from a Chelsea Football Club… terrible.’
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s approval rating on the economy has slumped over the past month as the Iran war drives prices higher, according to a new AP-NORC poll, with even Republicans showing less faith in his leadership.
The findings from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research show a president who is struggling with unfulfilled promises to tame inflation and testing Americans’ patience with a conflict in the Middle East that has dragged on longer than expected.
Trump’s approval rating on the economy dropped to 30% in April from 38% in a March AP-NORC poll. A similarly low share of U.S. adults, 32%, approve of the president’s leadership on Iran, which is unchanged since last month.
The president’s policies and pronouncements have often been at odds with each other. Gasoline prices — which he promised to slash — jumped after the U.S. attacked Iran in February. His tariffs have kept much of the economy in limbo and hiring has slowed despite his boasts of a “golden age.”
Only 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s overall job performance, down slightly from 38% last month.
Trump’s falling approval ratings could create problems for his party as it tries to defend House and Senate majorities in the midterm elections. The poll finds that Trump is especially weak on cost of living, and enthusiasm about Trump’s performance has waned over the past year among his own supporters.
Kathryn Bright, 60, a retired captain in the U.S. Air Force, regrets that she supported Trump in the last election.
Advertisement
“I feel disgusted with myself, I feel betrayed, like he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” she said.
Bright lives in a small town far out on Colorado’s prairie and has several disabling medical conditions. She was initially drawn to Trump because of his vows to support veterans, avoid foreign wars and lower costs.
“It’s like high school class president: ‘I’m gonna promise we are going to get pizza every single day,’” Bright said. “Then as soon as they get elected they are like, ‘Oh, I lied.’”
The vast majority of Americans disapprove of Trump on cost of living
In a sign of just how unpopular Trump’s approach on prices has become, the poll found that only about one-quarter of U.S. adults approve of his handling of the cost of living.
Advertisement
The consumer price index climbed 3.3% in March from a year ago, and inflation is slightly higher than the 3% that Trump inherited upon returning to the White House last year. Yet Trump has shown little interest in inflation and played down the rising energy costs caused by the war prompting Iran to effectively shutter the Strait of Hormuz to oil and natural gas tankers.
Advertisement
Sign up for Morning Wire:
Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day.
Trump on Tuesday dismissed the war as a “little journey” and portrayed the roughly 35% jump in oil prices as a positive compared to what he thought would happen.
Advertisement
He told CNBC in an interview that he was “surprised” that oil prices were only around $90 a barrel, compared to the $200 that he claimed to have expected.
Public disenchantment with that attitude is visible among his own supporters. Only about half of Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living.
Younger Republicans are particularly unhappy. About 6 in 10 Republicans under 45 disapprove of how Trump is handling costs, compared to about 4 in 10 older Republicans.
Most Republicans who identify as supporters of the Make America Great Again movement are still largely behind the president. About 9 in 10 MAGA Republicans approve of Trump’s job performance, compared to 44% of non-MAGA Republicans, although only about 7 in 10 MAGA Republicans approve of him on cost of living.
Advertisement
Miguel Cortes, a 67-year-old retired aircraft mechanic in South Carolina, believes the increase in prices from tariffs and the Iran war is simply a temporary price to pay. As for gasoline costs rising, “it is what it is, I’m not going to complain,” he said. “People are just going to have to deal with it.”
“From deep in my soul, I believe God put him there for a reason,” said Cortes, who has a tin sign of “Make America Great” in his garage near a National Rifle Association plaque.
Americans are gloomier about the U.S. economy
About three-quarters of U.S. adults described the U.S. economy as “very” or “somewhat” poor in April, up from about two-thirds in February.
The drop in confidence comes as the economy remains unsettled, with gasoline prices higher than they were, as the financial markets for stocks, bonds and oil continues on a rollercoaster ride that veers wildly based on Trump’s claims of a coming peace with Iran one day and a threat to destroy the entire civilization the next.
Advertisement
Americans such as Heidi Bunting, 35, a student with two children, see an economy in which basic needs such as health care and transportation are unaffordable.
“It’s awful, and not just for me,” said Bunting, who lives in Bowling Green, Ohio. “I’m sure the only people doing well in this economy are those who started with a lot of money.”
Advertisement
President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Advertisement
President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Advertisement
Advertisement
Falling approval on the economy among independents and Republicans
Despite efforts to tout last year’s tax cuts and brush off economic concerns, Trump’s economic approval remains low among independents and has even eroded among Republicans.
About 2 in 10 independents approve of Trump’s performance on the economy in the new poll, down slightly from about 3 in 10 in March. Far more Republicans, 62%, have a positive view of the way Trump is handling the economy, but that’s also down from 74% last month.
Advertisement
In general, Republicans are less enthusiastic about Trump’s overall performance than they were shortly after he took office. In March 2025, 51% of Republicans “strongly” approved of the way he was handling the presidency, a figure that has dropped to 38% now.
Immigration, another signature issue of Trump’s, is a relative bright spot for the president. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults approve of his performance on that issue, which is unchanged from last month and higher than his overall approval.
Trump’s approval ratings are in line with his predecessor Joe Biden’s lowest approval rating in AP-NORC polling — 36% — which came during July 2022 after inflation spiked to a four-decade high. Biden’s approval ratings recovered slightly as inflation eased, raising a question as to whether Trump can quickly regroup to show tangible progress.
Trump came into office last year with relatively low approval — 42% in March 2025 — which has until now remained fairly stable.
Advertisement
___
Bedayn reported from Austin.
___
The AP-NORC poll of 2,596 adults was conducted April 16-20 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
US President Donald Trump has once again extended the ceasefire with Iran, announcing the decision only hours before the deadline was due to expire, after reportedly being urged to “hold our attack”.
“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” he posted on Truth Social.
“I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”
Advertisement
Ensure our latest stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter
Advertisement
A Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “At around 7.15pm today (Tuesday 21 April), eight fire engines and three specialist appliances from across Greater Manchester were called to a building fire on Milltown Street, Radcliffe.
“Crews arrived quickly and are using jets and turntable ladders to extinguish the fire.
“Residents are asked to avoid the area and close their windows and doors if they live nearby.”
Chadwick Scott Willacy, 58, was executed in Florida after spending 36 years on death row for the murder of his neighbour Marlys Sather
Bradley Jolly Overnight News Editor and Peter Hennessy UK & World News Editor
00:52, 22 Apr 2026
A convicted murderer on death row, who set his neighbour alight more than three decades ago, used his final statement to deliver a thinly-veiled apology.
Chadwick Scott Willacy was administered a three-drug lethal injection today for the murder of Marlys Sather, who was set on fire after returning home to discover the intruder inside her property.
Willacy, who had broken into the home in a chilling burglary, struck her over the head with a blunt instrument, fracturing her skull, before binding her hands and ankles with wire and tape, reports the Mirror.
Advertisement
Having been found guilty of first-degree murder, burglary, robbery and arson, Willacy spent 36 years on death row in Starke, Florida, before finally being executed on April 21. While the 58 year old offered apologies to his own family and friends and urged his “brothers on the row” to stay strong, Willacy continued to protest his innocence, insisting he would never have killed his friend.
Speaking moments before the lethal injection was administered, Willacy said: “To the victim’s family, I hope this brings you peace. If it does, that’s good. But this is not right.”
This marked Florida’s fifth execution this year, following the death of Michael Lee King, who had raped and murdered a young mother in the state. Both men endured lengthy spells on death row prior to their executions; nearly 36 years in Willacy’s case, following his attack on Ms Sather in Palm Bay, Florida.
Advertisement
When Ms Sather confronted the intruder in her home, he attempted to strangle her with a telephone cord, and when that failed, he doused her in petrol and set her alight, according to records. An autopsy confirmed that Ms Sather had died from smoke inhalation, indicating she was still alive when she was set on fire.
Willacy also stole Ms Sather’s car and other belongings from her home, and used the woman’s ATM card to withdraw cash, officials said. When Ms Sather failed to return to work after her lunch break, her employer contacted her family. Her son-in-law went to check on her and discovered her body. Her killer was subsequently sentenced to death following a 9-3 jury recommendation, after being convicted of first-degree murder, burglary, robbery and arson.
Florida’s fifth execution of 2026 came after a record 19 executions in the state the previous year. Republican Governor Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year in 2025 than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The previous record was set in 2014 with eight executions.
A further execution is scheduled in Florida later this month: James Ernest Hitchcock, 70, is due to receive a lethal injection on April 30. He was convicted of beating and choking his 13 year old niece to death.
The high street giant is expanding its “ReMarksable Value” range with 15 new purse-friendly products as it battles to win over families doing the weekly shop.
Shoppers will now find more than 140 items in the range, all focused on affordable staples.
And it’s not just new additions.
Advertisement
M&S has also cut prices on 19 everyday items, including fresh veg favourites, as reported by creatorzine.com .
Chestnut mushrooms have dropped from £1.40 to £1.30 for 300g, while leeks have been reduced from £2.20 to £1.90 for 600g.
The retailer has also added seven more products to its “Dropped & Locked” scheme – designed to keep prices lower for longer.
The move comes as M&S tries to shake off its reputation for being pricier than rivals.
Advertisement
All items in the ReMarksable Value range are benchmarked against competitors to ensure they stay competitive.
Bosses say the strategy is already working – with more families seeing M&S as better value than before.
Alex Freudmann, managing director of M&S Food, said: “Families want to eat well without paying more, and vegetables are at the heart of the weekly shop.
“By lowering prices on everyday veg staples, we’re making it easier for more families to shop M&S as part of their weekly shop.”
Advertisement
Recommended Reading:
The changes are part of a wider push to grow its food business and take on budget supermarkets.
DALLAS (AP) — Texas can require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, a U.S. appeals court ruled Tuesday in a victory for conservatives who have long sought to incorporate more religion into schools.
It sets up a potential clash at the U.S. Supreme Court over the issue in the future.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals said in the decision that the law did not violate the First Amendment, which protects religious freedom and prevents the government from establishing a religion.
“The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day,” Paxton said.
Organizations representing the families who challenged the law, including the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement that they were “extremely disappointed” by the decision.
“The court’s ruling goes against fundamental First Amendment principles and binding U.S. Supreme Court authority. The First Amendment safeguards the separation of church and state, and the freedom of families to choose how, when and if to provide their children with religious instruction. This decision tramples those rights,” the statement said.
The law is among the pushes by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, to incorporate religion into public schools. Critics say it violates the separation of church and state while backers argue that the Ten Commandments are historical and part of the foundation of U.S. law.
Advertisement
The ruling, which reverses a district court’s judgment, comes after the full court heard arguments in January in the Texas case and a similar case in Louisiana. The appeals court in February cleared the way for Louisiana’s law, requiring displays of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals voted 12-6 to lift a block that a lower court first placed on the law in 2024.
Texas law took effect on Sept. 1, marking the largest attempt in the nation to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools. About two dozen school districts had been barred from posting them after federal judges issued injunctions in two cases against the law but went up in many classrooms across the state as districts paid to have the posters printed themselves or accepted donations.
A cordon was put in place and people were urged to avoid the area and keep doors and windows closed.
Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter
In an update at 11.40pm on Tuesday, Leon Henry, GMFRS Group Manager and Incident Commander at the scene, said: “Crews are working hard to extinguish the fire and have made good progress.
Advertisement
“Our firefighters, who have been supported at the scene by colleagues from Greater Manchester Police, North West Ambulance Service and Bury Council, will remain in attendance overnight to fully extinguish the fire.“Residents are still advised to avoid the area with a road closure in place on Milltown Street.”
——————————————–
Advertisement
Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it.
That’s why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable, highlighting the best of what we do – bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don’t miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News.
And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here.
You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street.
Advertisement
If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you’ll be the first to hear about it.
And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@men-news.co.uk or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.
When Sir Olly took over at the helm of the Foreign Office in January last year, Lord Mandelson had already gone through the Cabinet Office’s “due diligence” process, the King and the US had given him approval, and he was already being granted access to “highly classified briefings” on a case-by-case basis – without his security clearance being confirmed, he said.
The conflict in the Middle East between the US, Israel, and Iran has caused major disruptions to jet fuel supplies in recent weeks.
This has led to soaring prices and warnings that flights could be affected because of Europe’s reliance on fuel imports from around the world.
The Airports Council International (ACI), which represents more than 600 airports, has warned that Europe could be hit by a “systemic” shortage of jet fuel in the coming weeks if the Strait of Hormuz (which has been effectively closed off by Iran) does not reopen.
Advertisement
Director-general of ACI, Olivier Jankovec, said: “At this stage, we understand that if the passage through the Strait of Hormuz does not resume in any significant and stable way within the next three weeks, systemic jet fuel shortage is set to become a reality for the EU.
“The fact that we are entering the peak summer season is only adding to those concerns.”
Jet2 issues update on upcoming flights
Major airlines around the world, including Air New Zealand, have already responded to the disruption to jet fuel supplies by increasing fares and cutting flights.
Lufthansa has closed its CityLine regional subsidiary, which operates routes between London and Munich and Frankfurt.
Advertisement
Norse Atlantic Airways has also cancelled all routes to Los Angeles, including flights from London Gatwick Airport.
Jet2 is the latest UK airline to issue an update on its upcoming flights, amid growing concerns about a jet fuel shortage across Europe.
Advertisement
Passengers have taken to social media to question whether flights and holidays, booked with the airline are still going ahead.
One person, posting on X (formerly Twitter), said: ” @jet2tweets Hi there – we are looking to go away for a week to Malaga in June and want to know how concerned we should be about the reporting of lack of airport fuel and what happens to our holiday should something like this happen and impact our holiday. Can you help…?”
Another traveller posted: ” @jet2tweets are holidays going ahead as usual? We’ve booked an all inclusive 10 day to Crete in June. I’m worried about jet fuel prices.”
Hi James, all flights are planned to go ahead as normal. If anything were to change regarding your booking, we would be sure to reach out to you directly to make you aware, and discuss the options available to you. Thanks, Josh
Jet2 responded, saying: “All flights are planned to go ahead as normal.
“If anything were to change regarding your booking, we would be sure to reach out to you directly to make you aware, and discuss the options available to you.”
Aer Lingus cancels more than 500 flights
Aer Lingus has also cut more than 500 flights from its schedule due to “mandatory maintenance”.
The cuts are set to cause travel disruptions for “tens of thousands of passengers” over the coming weeks.
Advertisement
The airline is axing a select number of transatlantic flights, internal Aer Lingus documents seen by the Sunday Independent have revealed.
Services to and from Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis-St Paul, and Toronto will be impacted by the cancellations, according to the documents.
Departures from Dublin to many European airports, including Berlin, Zurich, Athens, Faro, and Amsterdam, will also be removed from the Aer Lingus schedule, on select dates.
A “small number” of cancellations will affect passengers travelling from Shannon and Cork airports.
Advertisement
Flights to London Heathrow, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, and Edinburgh will also be cancelled, with passengers rebooked onto other services, the Sunday Independent said.
RECOMMENDED READING:
An Aer Lingus spokesperson said: “Aer Lingus has commenced operating its planned summer schedule.
“A number of recent cancellations have been required due to mandatory maintenance on aircraft, along with a limited number of schedule adjustments.
Advertisement
“Schedule changes apply to approximately 2% of Aer Lingus’ overall schedule.
“Where schedule adjustments are being made, the vast majority of customers are being reaccommodated on same day services.”
Do you have a flight booked with Jet2? Are you worried about jet fuel shortages impacting your holiday? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login