Alert: London Fire (SKY NEWS NOW)

Tune in to Sky News right now. Huge plumes of black smoke are broiling into the sky above London, apparently East London. Looks like an oil fire or possibly tyres. This is happening now, so not many people know why, or what's happening.

ALERT: National Weather Warning (Issued 241007 5AM)

Gale force south-westerly winds are expected between East London and Kosi Bay, moderating from the south later.
Very cold conditions are expected in places in the Eastern Cape, south-western high grounds of Kwa-Zulu Natal and Lesotho.

Weekend Forecast for Johnannesburg and Bloem:

JHB: 11/14
BFN: 14/24

Bloem's a good place to be this weekend; warmer, the Boks' parade (for more accessible in a smaller city), and the Currie Cup Game.

ALERT: Oil jumps over $90 a barrel

By Javier Blas 2 hours, 2 minutes ago
Crude oil prices on Friday rose to a fresh all-time high above $90 a barrel as the US dollar sunk to a new low against the euro.

Persistent worries about tight supplies ahead of the winter peak season and fresh geopolitical tensions also helped to push prices higher.

Nymex November West Texas Intermediate hit $90.02 a barrel in overnight trading. It later was 10 cents higher at $89.57 a barrel, extending Thursday's $2.07 price jump. It is the sixth straight trading day that oil set a record high.

Edward Morse, chief energy economist at Lehman Brothers in New York, said that financial flows betting on further US dollar weakness ahead of the Group of Seven meeting and the US Federal Reserve meeting were propping up the oil price.

The dollar traded on Friday to $1.4303 against the euro, after touching earlier a record low of $1.4311 per euro. Investors are betting on a further interest rate cut when the Federal Reserve meets on October 31.

A lower dollar cuts the purchasing power of the barrel, suggesting that producing countries, such as Saudi Arabia, would try to keep the oil price higher to compensate for it. The strength of the euro, the sterling pound and other currencies also mean that some countries, particularly in Europe, are partially insulated from the oil price rally.

From Yahoo News. For more go here.

NVDL: Brent Crude - which is the price SA pays for crude - is $83.88, down from $85 last night. That these prices aren't making front page headlines* demonstrates the extent of our chronic delusion and distraction. Also, yes there is a relationship between the high oil price and the low dollar. Read the implications for this here.

In the face of these headlines we still see stories in the paper gleefully shouting: Petrol Prices Likely to Fall. What this does is send out a mixed message, effectively transforming an attitude of rational panic to paralysis and even serenity. Not good.

ALERT: Oil at record high above $86

Crude oil surged to fresh records in Asia on Tuesday, trading at 86.33 dollars a barrel amid mounting tension between Turkey and Kurdish rebels across the border in Iraq.

In late morning trade New York’s main oil futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in November, was 20 cents higher than the 86.13 dollars reached in late New York trades on Monday.

Brent North Sea crude for November delivery was 10 cents higher at a fresh record of 82.85 dollars a barrel, after spiking 2.20 dollars to 82.75 dollars a barrel in London on Monday.

Brent’s previous record of 81.05 dollars was reached late last month, while New York crude has now surpassed its former all-time peak of 84.10 dollars reached during intra-day trade in September.

For the rest of this The Times.co.za article, click here.

NVDL: The military scuffles in Turkey are a smokescreen for the real reason oil prices are this high. Excessive demand, depleting supply. You have the all clear to panic.
For more from MSNBC (watch Greenspan's comments on the effects of oil on recesssion), click here.

ALERT:Bird flu cases in Vietnam, Indonesia

1 Hour ago:
Hanoi (dpa) - After months of no reported cases of avian influenza, ducks in Vietnam's Mekong Delta have tested positive for the virus, a local official said Thursday.

Samples taken from ducks at a farm in southern Vietnam's Tra Vinh province have confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus, said Le Tuyet Hong, head of the animal health department of Tra Vinh province.

"We have culled all the ducks in the farm and put a ban on transporting poultry out of the village," said Hong. "We have also disinfected the area and other farms in the entire village. We are trying to keep the outbreak from expanding to other villages as it is very easy for the virus to spread in cool weather."

The last reported outbreak of the bird flu in Vietnam was in August. The country was declared bird flu-free in September but veterinarians warned that the virus could reappear.

For Indonesia story, click here.
For more click here.
For research progress click here.

Alert: Storm Warning in Gauteng at 17H00

Netcare has issued a warning in respect of a storm that will hit the Gauteng region this afternoon at about 5 o clock.

Don't underestimate the strength of the wind on the road and avoid low water bridges when driving.

Stay indoors and take all loose lying objects inside. Tie down anything that might be damaged by severe winds. If possible park cars indoors as well.

For more information contact NetCare:
Cell: Support - 082 520 6182/3