What happened
The UK government is preparing measures to shield vulnerable households from surging energy costs as the conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt global supplies. Ministers are modelling different scenarios as wholesale oil and gas prices climb, driven in part by the blockage of the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping route. Higher petrol prices have already flowed through to consumers and businesses as concerns grow about broader inflationary pressures.

Who said what
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said planning was under way for “every eventuality” and pledged assistance for “those who need it most”, but suggested that the support would be targeted rather than universal.

“There is likely to be a big jump in gas and electricity costs over the summer,” said Jemma Crew on the BBC. This has “prompted calls for the government to step in”, although the Conservatives have questioned whether it can afford to do so.

What next?
Any support package is expected to be limited by fiscal rules and inflation concerns, with the details still being worked out. Officials are also reviewing fuel taxes and monitoring pricing behaviour as bowser volatility continues.

Beyond the UK, the Philippines has become the world’s first country to declare a state of emergency in response to the conflict in the Middle East. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he had signed the executive order to safeguard energy security.

What happened
Netflix’s “Adolescence” has received an impressive 11 nods for this year’s Bafta Television Awards, which were announced yesterday. The British psychological crime drama about a 13-year-old schoolboy accused of murder features in categories including limited drama and leading actor for Stephen Graham.

Who said what
Hot on the heels of the “smash hit Netflix phenomenon” is bare-knuckle boxing series “A Thousand Blows”, also starring Graham and Erin Doherty, with seven nominations, said The Hollywood Reporter. The “Star Wars” spin-off “Andor” and Northern Ireland drama “Trespasses” received six each, while “The Celebrity Traitors” earned five.

The “star wattage” of Doherty, who has been nominated for leading actress in “A Thousand Blows” and supporting actress in “Adolescence”, is “only getting brighter and, surely, Hollywood is about to take notice”, said Chris Bennion in The Telegraph.

What next?
The ceremony will be hosted by comedian Greg Davies on 10 May at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall.

A leading publisher has cancelled the US release of a horror novel after claims that generative AI was used in its writing.

In what “appears to be the first commercial novel from a major publishing house to be pulled over evidence of AI use”, Hachette has blocked the US publication of “Shy Girl” and its UK edition has been discontinued, according to The New York Times. The “stunning fact” that the book got this far shows how AI is “seeping into even traditionally published fiction” and “how unprepared many in the book world are” for the “dawn of an uncertain new era”.

“Shy Girl” was originally self-published in February last year before being published in the UK in November. It was all set for a US release until The New York Times published claims of AI use.

Max Spero, founder of AI detection programme Pangram, ran a test that suggested 78% of the text was AI generated. Author Mia Ballard denies that she used AI and insists that an editor was responsible for the passages under scrutiny. “My name is ruined for something I didn’t even personally do,” she told The New York Times.

This “will not be the last time we see crap like this happen”, said Kayleigh Donaldson on political blog Pajiba. “More and more ‘authors’ will be exposed as users of the plagiarism machine”, but once a “big name writer” admits to it there will be “no pushback” because they “make too much money”. Instead, there will be “smarmy think-pieces claiming that people are just jealous of AI and actually it’s sooo much better at writing than you are”.