Crisis What Crisis? Is my friend over doing the stockpiling and am I too? Continuation thread (2)

[RedToothBrush]

Continuation of the AIBU to think my friend is overdoing emergency stockpiling thread for discussion about the government advice to stockpile for an imminent emergency and what the heck that emergency might actually be.

I'm moving it over to chat from AIBU as it makes a bit more sense to be there at this point.

Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5576816-aibu-to-think-my-friend-is-overdoing-emergency-stockpiling?page=1

Spoiler: it's more of a perfect storm of lots of factors coming together to potentially form one great clusterfuck from economic woes, global energy shortages (mainly diesel), potential food shortages, war and madmen to crazy weather patterns rather than a clear identifiable singular thread.

This is a practical thread and a bit of a handhold thread to make sense of events and how they may affect you. This is not an end of the world thread.

We are however going through a period where various governments throughout Europe think there is an elevated risk of some kind of problem due to global instability and we should start to get our heads around the possibility of needing to be ready for anything.

Remember an emergency can range from a temporary unexpected event to a much longer crisis but the underlying principles generally stay the same.

So this is for everything from tips and considerations about what might be a good idea to do /save minimise potential risks to just straight old political bollocks talk about how things are developing.

This is the official government information and advice, if you want further details on what the actual recommendations are:
https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/get-prepared-for-emergencies/

This does actually explicitly say to write a personalised plan for your household which everyone knows and understands and to talk about the issues you may face to help you be able mobilise for any situation which might arise. Which is exactly what this thread is ultimately for.

France to deploy the army to restore order. Apparently another 'protest' due this coming Saturday.

https://www.reuters.com/world/targeted-curfews-helped-keep-peace-overnight-france-pm-says-2026-10-20/

Ditto in Italy.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/italy-unleashes-military-response-violent-riots-france-faces-reckoning

Ghee is brilliant, buy some.

The argument always is, if you are deploying the army against your own people in a democracy, you have already lost.

Anyway in response to

Timour Azhari posted that the US was pulling personal and families from embassies across the gulf, this has been posted:

Tommy Piggott (state department spokesman)
This is inaccurate. The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only.

Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.

The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them.

The trouble is AFP have also reported the following:
US embassy staff and families ordered to leave Saudi Arabia, with families of embassy staff in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain also ordered to leave, diplomatic source tells AFP

So BOTH Reuters and AFP are saying that people across the gulf area being pulled. In February they denied they were doing similar, only to actually be found to have pulled them.

Haaretz correspondent:
White House sources:
In the past few hours, there has apparently been a change in the American position in favor of a preemptive strike on Iran.

White House sources explain the change mainly due to the great weight that President Trump gave to the assessments and intelligence that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presented to him upon his return from the meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

https://www.reuters.com/world/italian-retailers-warn-food-shortages-caused-by-truck-drivers-protest-2026-10-21/
Italian retailers warn of food shortages caused by truck drivers' protest

A protest by Italian truck drivers over fuel prices and the cost of living is causing food shortages in shops, with deliveries disrupted and fresh produce rotting, retailers said on Wednesday.

The protests, which began in southern Italy last week, have also disrupted operations in at least two regional airports in Calabria because they cannot get deliveries of aviation fuel.

The below is a translation so it's not entirely clear English:
https://insideparadeplatz.ch/2026/10/17/schweiz-gibt-ihr-kerosin-notlager-der-lufthansa/
Switzerland is giving its emergency kerosene stockpile to Lufthansa
Swiss airline's parent company benefits from federal reserves – which were already a quarter below target in 2025. Taxpayers bear the financial risk

On Thursday, the federal government opened the mandatory kerosene reserves. Up to 30 million liters may be drawn over a period of two weeks.

Aviation fuel, as the federal government calls kerosene. This was approved by Roland Pfister, the delegate for national economic supply.

There was no public debate.

Bern cites low water levels in the Rhine and overloaded rail lines from Germany as reasons. Without the release of the fuel, there wouldn't be enough kerosene at Zurich Airport.

There is also a shortage of kerosene in Frankfurt. Lufthansa is therefore having its pilots refuel elsewhere with more fuel than they need for the flight. This is called " tankering ".

Swiss is participating. On its flights to Frankfurt, it is already refueling in Zurich and Geneva with kerosene for the return flight. Swiss itself has confirmed this.

According to Lufthansa, the main problem in Frankfurt is a lack of pipeline capacity. Airport operator Fraport describes it as routine maintenance.

The Ceaușescu moment is never good.

At least our household is now an employed one again, 6 months of redundancy isn't fun, been a rollercoaster! I'll have a few more pence for prepping, although am pretty well stocked now. I feel for folks who can't find a job, it really is disheartening.

Edit to add: Not me btw, but DP! I'm a bit over the hill now.

Russia and the US both plough millions into "think tanks" in the UK and Europe in general.

There seemed to be a moment when Meloni seemed to be the perfect appointee, but Italians right wingers are a reason to them selves, and this has not worked out so well.
Spain has had issues with US for 60 years since the Palomares incident.
I can go on...but the Trump administration has found a reason for each and every European country to be an adversary not any ally.

The EU is nearly big enough to upset the US or Russia, but not quite.

Expect a winter of inconveniences, from "we can't say it out loud" actors.

Europe is inconvenient. Realistically, there is feck all we can do about it.

The situation in Italy is more than just riots in Milan

This is a football journalist
Nicola Raiana
In Campania we're experiencing a disaster: there’s practically nothing left on the shelves anymore, there’s no more gasoline at the pumps.

If tomorrow the situation is still like this, there will be an unprecedented collapse.

But where is Salvini? Where are the TVs? Of course, Milan is more important.

And a poster from Naples
I'm from Naples and there is no more food or water in the supermarkets, there is no more gasoline, and now they've put my classes online, the situation is becoming unsustainable, no one is talking about it and there is no sign of any improvement from anyone.

And another
I'm in the province of Naples and the fuel has run out here and in the surrounding areas. My elderly grandmother doesn't live with us, and to get to her we need gasoline, which isn't available. It's raining today, and we couldn't even reach her on foot. Even at the pharmacy, medications aren't being booked at the moment.

It's all over—WATER is gone from the supermarkets and small businesses. The garbage collectors won't pick up waste in the coming days, and bus services have been suspended. People aren't going to work, and shops are pulling down their shutters. Here we're on the brink of collapse, and I'm scared for the days ahead.

perhaps few will understand the meaning of fearing not having food to eat, working, and supporting oneself or one's own family. I see people from the north and even the same politicians mocking the situation because they will eat and sleep anyway. they have all abandoned us

And another
In #Napoli and in many municipalities in the province, it's now practically impossible to find even a single drop of fuel. The supermarkets are empty or even closed, there's exasperation on the streets with fights breaking out over absurd reasons. We won't make it to the 27th like this.
(There's a meeting about the situation on 27th)

And
Gas stations without gasoline in Rome. I've stopped at three and only at the fourth was I able to refuel. The fuel shortage is already leaving two airports without gasoline, empty shelves, and islands at risk of being cut off.

And
The number of airports affected in southern Italy rises to 5. Naples and Salerno are organizing escorts for vehicles transporting essential goods. Regional transport and waste collection are also at risk. Some universities are switching to distance learning.

And
Things that are happening in Italy's third city and its densely populated metropolitan area:
- gasoline running out almost everywhere
- supermarket shelves empty
- public transport heading toward rationing
- waste collection not guaranteed
- school cafeterias reporting first problems

I'm thinking you should probably all be stockpiling...

3 days' worth of food/water wouldn't really cut it in Italy right now, would it.

I've just spent half the evening sorting out my own php issues. Fun - not.

I can do PHP! Or I used to - the last update I was on top of was 5.4. Maybe this is the opportunity I've been waiting for 😂

Thanks for the updates, @RedToothBrush - I had no idea half or most of Europe was in a state of emergency. UK news items seem to be localising reports and downplaying the situation. Understandable, I suppose, but frustrating.

Saw a Telegraph article suggesting Russian-led agitators. Must admit that was my first thought, though I realise the Telegraph is biased.

Historically, Brits can only be roused to riot in summertime. Let's hope that sticks! This weekend's forecast is wet and gloomy.

I'm getting flashbacks to the beginning of Covid times when we were watching everything get scary in Italy and wondering if it would spread here...

ALL US staff evacuated from the Saudi Embassy.

Aircraft at the US Airbase in Qatar have been leaving.

Something is imminent.

Rumours spreading that Iran has issued a Dead Hand Doctrine. There's no way to verify this, but it's consistent with the organisation of the Iranian army (decentralised deliberately to survive attacks with autonomous low level leadership built into the structure of the army).

Basically it's like if the UK nuclear subs lost contact with HQ in the event of a nuclear attack, they are already authorised to make decisions including take a retaliatory attack without orders from above.

It's a last stand order for every man to effectively fight to the death to protect Iran.

As I say it's impossible to confirm but everything is lined up in terms of the rhetorical comments about regime change coming from Israel, Trump saying he wants to wipe out pickaxe mountain and threats from the Iranian leader to take out infrastructure of UAE, Saudi, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar in order to deprive the west of oil and gas for years.

@RedToothBrushthat is all very worrying news.
Thank you for your continued updates.

The noise is getting louder and more concerning by the hour.

It's hard to see it not all kicking off very badly in the Middle East at this point.

Yes thanks RTB, your updates are much appreciated.

It seems bizarre that this situation in Italy isn't being reported. Is it being reported in Italy? If not then isn't there a strong possibility that it isn't true and is just bot activity?

I slightly feel as though I'm going mad this morning. That people don't seem to realise how serious the php vulnerabilities are. It affects everyone, from people who use the internet, to hobby owners of websites, to large websites and corporate servers. How many institutions run half forgotten servers that they don't even realise uses PHP?

I'd really like a statement from Mumsnet that this site was patched yesterday.
Don't be surprised about serious downstream consequences of this from unexpected angles.

I agree, it would be good for MN to reassure us this has been done. I used php in coding my website many years ago. It's extremely widespread. Let's hope MN answer the question posed in Site Stuff.

Ah, so this is as a result of the truck driver protests. That makes more sense.

Even so it show how vulnerable people are if they live day to day.

It's our media I'm afraid, they appear to not want to panic us and have even been pushing the 'peaceful protests' story re France despite violence being shown all across X and elsewhere. Metatron on YT is actually Italian, translates their PM Meloni's address and yes it's all very real. (Bonus: beautiful pictures of Milan's cathedral)