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More than half of UK export businesses have been affected by disruption to shipping in critical trade routes along the Red Sea, a survey has found.
The British Chambers of Commerce, which carried out the survey, warned that pressure on businesses will start to build if the problems persist.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been attacking container ships in the Red Sea, one of the world's busiest shipping routes, since November, claiming to target cargo ships with links to Israel in efforts to bring an end to the war in Gaza.
Many vessels have been rerouted through southern Africa over safety concerns, lengthening delivery times and pushing up shipping costs, since the attacks began.
The survey results came as the US and UK-led coalition to protect Red Sea shipping launched a fresh round of strikes against the Houthis on Saturday, the fourth since the Yemen rebels began their attacks.
"We have been clear that we will back our words with actions," British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on social media, after the assault.
About 53 per cent of manufacturers and business-to-consumer service companies, who include retailers and wholesalers, said they have been affected by turmoil in the Red Sea.
The figure rises to 55 per cent when considering only UK exporters, meaning entities that directly send goods and services overseas, the research by the BCC's Insights Unit showed.
The survey of more than 1,000 businesses, most of which have fewer than 250 staff, revealed that about 37 per cent of firms across different sectors have felt an impact.
The companies surveyed reported facing increased costs, with some seeing the cost of hiring containers soaring by 300 per cent since the disruption began.
Others mentioned logistical delays adding up to three or four weeks to delivery times.
Yemenis protest in Sanaa after US and UK hit Houthi sites - in pictures
The businesses said this was creating knock-on effects such as cashflow difficulties and a shortage of components on production lines.
William Bain, the head of trade policy at the BCC, said the research provides "an immediate insight into the impact of Red Sea disruption on UK businesses".
"There has been spare capacity in the shipping freight industry to respond to the difficulties, which has bought us some time," he said.
"And recent Office for National Statistics data also indicates the impact has yet to filter through to the UK economy, with inflation holding steady in January.
"But our research suggests that the longer the current situation persists, the more likely it is that the cost pressures will start to build."
Mr Bain said the group, which represents thousands of businesses, wants the government to use the spring Budget to allocate greater support for exporters.
"We are calling for the establishment of an Exports Council to hone the UK's trade strategy and a review of the effectiveness of government funding for export support," he said.
Agencies contributed to this report.
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
The five pillars of Islam
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
