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Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has condemned a drone strike that hit Al Jabalain Hospital in Sudan’s White Nile State, killing 10 people, among them seven medical staff members. The attack, which struck an operating theatre and a maternity ward, occurred during a children’s immunisation campaign, heightening the humanitarian outcry.MSF’s Sudan emergencies chief, Esperanza Santos, said the assault was “unacceptable” and noted that several of the deceased had previously worked with the organisation. She added that the strike represents a grave violation of medical neutrality.While the perpetrators have not been officially confirmed, MSF’s statement attributes the strike to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a claim echoed by Sudanese officials. On Friday, Khalid Aleisir, Sudan’s minister of culture, information, antiquities and tourism, called for the RSF to be designated a terrorist organisation and for its members to face prosecution.The incident follows a series of attacks on Sudan’s health infrastructure since the war erupted in April 2023. In a separate incident the same day, a medical supply depot in Rabak, the capital of White Nile State, was also hit. According to the World Health Organization, more than 200 attacks have targeted health facilities since the conflict began, underscoring a systematic pattern of violence against civilians.Local rights group Emergency Lawyers highlighted that recurring drone strikes across South Kordofan, Blue Nile, and the Darfur regions have displaced thousands, further straining an already fragile health system. The Sudan Doctors Network described the Al Jabalain strike as a “deliberate assault on health facilities and unarmed civilians,” warning that such actions exacerbate the nation’s deteriorating medical capacity.International observers note that the targeting of hospitals not only violates international humanitarian law but also hampers efforts to control disease outbreaks and provide essential care to vulnerable populations. The growing body of evidence may prompt renewed calls for accountability and stronger protective measures for health workers in conflict zones.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a stern warning against the ongoing US-Israeli attacks on Iranian healthcare facilities, amid the escalating conflict. The organisation's chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reported that over 20 attacks on healthcare facilities in Iran have been verified since March 1, resulting in at least nine deaths, including an infectious diseases health worker and a member of the Iranian Red Crescent Society.The Pasteur Institute in Tehran, one of the oldest research and health facilities in the country, has sustained significant damage and was rendered unable to continue delivering health services. Iranian Ministry of Health spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour shared images of the heavily damaged building on social media, with parts of the facility reduced to rubble.Despite the attacks, Iran's ISNA news agency reported that the services of the Pasteur Institute have not been interrupted, and vaccine and serum production would continue. The WHO chief emphasised that the Institute plays a crucial role in protecting and promoting population health, particularly in emergencies.The attacks have not been limited to the Pasteur Institute. The WHO has reported damage to other healthcare facilities, including the Delaram Sina Psychiatric Hospital and the Tofigh Daru pharmaceutical facility, with no casualties reported. An explosion near the Imam Ali Hospital in Khuzestan province led to the facility's evacuation and cessation of services.Tedros stressed that humanitarian workers, ambulances, relief supplies, and humanitarian facilities must be respected and protected under international law. The Geneva Conventions, agreed upon after World War II, designate healthcare facilities as protected locations.The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported that a warehouse belonging to the organisation was targeted, destroying two-wheeled relief containers and two buses and relief vehicles. According to the organisation, 307 health, medical, and emergency care facilities have been damaged in the war.

Approximately two dozen Democratic‑led states and the District of Columbia have lodged a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump to block a newly issued executive order that would sharply limit mail‑in and absentee voting. The filing, submitted on Friday, comes as voting‑rights groups warn the measure is designed to make voting harder ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, which will decide control of both chambers of Congress. New York Attorney General Letitia James, representing 23 states and D.C., said the order "exceeds the president’s constitutional authority" and undermines the principle that states set the times, places and manner of elections. "Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and no president has the power to rewrite the rules on his own," James stated. The contested order, signed on Tuesday, directs the Department of Homeland Security to compile a nationwide list of eligible voters and instructs the United States Postal Service to deliver ballots only to individuals on a "State‑specific Mail‑in and Absentee Participation List." Critics argue the list would be incomplete and would place an undue burden on the USPS. Voting‑rights advocates note that mail‑in voting surged after the COVID‑19 pandemic, with one‑third of all 2024 ballots cast by mail, a trend that cuts across both Republican and Democratic states. In their complaint, the states contend that only Congress, not the president, may impose new restrictions on election administration, and that implementing such changes so close to the November vote would generate significant logistical chaos. President Trump maintains the action is needed to combat "rampant voter fraud," a claim repeatedly debunked by independent monitors, including the Heritage Foundation, which reports fraud rates are exceedingly low. Beyond the lawsuit, the Justice Department has pursued separate legal actions to obtain voter data, and the FBI’s recent raid on a Georgia election office has heightened concerns about election integrity. Trump is also urging Congress to pass the "SAVE America Act", which would require proof of U.S. citizenship—such as a birth certificate or passport—and a photo ID for ballot casting. Rights groups warn the proposal could disenfranchise many voters, including women who have changed their surnames after marriage.

More than 100 United States‑based international law scholars have signed an open letter denouncing the recent US‑Israeli strikes on Iran as a violation of the United Nations Charter and potentially amounting to war crimes. The letter, released on Thursday, asserts that the campaign – launched on February 28 – proceeded without UN Security Council authorization and without credible evidence of an imminent Iranian threat. According to the scholars, the legal basis for force against another state exists only in self‑defence against an actual or imminent armed attack, or when expressly sanctioned by the Security Council. Iran has not attacked the United States or Israel, and the Security Council did not approve the operation. The experts organize their concerns into four categories: the legality of the war decision, the conduct of hostilities, threatening rhetoric from senior officials, and what they describe as the dismantling of civilian‑protection safeguards within the US defence establishment under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s “gloves‑off” approach. Among the most alarming incidents highlighted is the strike on a primary school in Minab, Iran on the first day of the conflict, which killed at least 175 people, the majority of them children. The letter also cites attacks on hospitals, water treatment facilities, and energy infrastructure, emphasizing that schools, health facilities, and homes have been targeted. The signatories condemn public statements by senior US officials, including a mid‑March remark by former President Donald Trump that the United States might strike Iran “just for fun,” and early‑March comments from Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth dismissing “stupid rules of engagement.” They argue that such rhetoric reflects an “alarming disrespect” for international humanitarian law, which is designed to protect civilians and combatants alike. Financially, the letter notes that the war is costing US taxpayers up to $2 billion per day, underscoring the broader economic burden of the conflict. The open letter was co‑authored by prominent legal scholars such as Yale Law School’s Oona Hathaway, former State Department legal adviser Harold Koh, NYU’s Philip Alston, and former Human Rights Watch chief Kenneth Roth. While the authors focus on the United States’ conduct, they warn of a heightened risk of atrocities throughout the region. Emphasizing the need for consistent application of international law, the scholars write: “We urge US government officials to uphold the UN Charter, international humanitarian law, and human rights law at all times, and to publicly make clear US commitment to and respect for norms of international law.”

Israel’s military announced plans to bomb the Sohmor and Mashghara bridges spanning the Litani River in the western Bekaa Valley, stating they are being used by Hezbollah. The threat comes as Israeli forces intensify a ground invasion that began in early March. Al Jazeera reporter Obaida Hitto described the two spans as “the main arteries for goods, for people, for movement” between the rest of Lebanon and the western Bekaa. He warned that their destruction would effectively isolate the western Bekaa, making it extremely difficult for residents to reach the hub of Chtoura, hospitals, and other essential services. According to the same source, Israel has already demolished at least six other bridges over the Litani River since the offensive escalated in early March, signalling a systematic effort to sever transport links. Human‑rights organisations have condemned the targeting of civilian infrastructure, arguing that the strategy appears designed to isolate the region and contravene international humanitarian law. The deepening ground operation, announced last week, also includes plans to raze “scores of residential homes,” raising further concerns about the scale of civilian displacement. On Friday, the South Lebanon Water Establishment reported that Israeli strikes damaged critical water facilities in Ibl al‑Saqi and al‑Maysat, and impaired solar‑power installations at several stations. The authority called the attacks a “clear and explicit violation of all international conventions and norms” protecting civilian services. In the same wave of violence, the National News Agency (NNA) confirmed that four people were killed across Lebanon on Friday, including two worshippers exiting a mosque in the western Bekaa town of Sahmar. Since the conflict erupted on 2 March, more than 1.2 million people have been forced from their homes, according to UN data. Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health cites a death toll of 1,345 and over 4,000 wounded nationwide. The fighting has also claimed the lives of at least three United Nations peacekeepers this week, with two additional peacekeepers seriously injured after an explosion near a UN position in al‑Adaissah. UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel urged all parties to respect the safety of peacekeepers, emphasizing that combat activities must not endanger UN personnel.

At the Oxford Brookes Headington campus, a group of over 100 students are working tirelessly to build the fastest and best-designed race car possible for this year’s Formula Student competition.The Oxford Brookes Racing (OBR) team, the UK’s most prestigious Formula Student team, has won more design awards than any other UK university and frequently secures top spots in the international race held annually at Silverstone.Success in the competition is crucial as it gets the team noticed by the industry, where a handful of engineering jobs can have upwards of 10,000 applicants. Several OBR alumni are currently working in every Formula One team.“A lot of the coverage on TV is based around the drivers, but not really the actual engineers,” said Thomas Cawdery, a team manager and third-year motorsports technology student. “This is what you don’t see in Formula One. The engineers who make it happen.”The OBR team is entirely run by students and operates out of two buildings, where scores of people are working hard – cutting and shaping carbon fibre chassis by hand, and running simulations on computers. Students of all ages are teaching and learning from one another.While actual Formula One cars have much more power than the students are allowed for safety reasons, the complexity of the cars is very similar. “They’re the same if not more complex than Formula One cars,” Cawdery said.The OBR team surpasses industry expectations in some aspects, particularly in terms of gender balance. Unlike most Formula One teams, where only about 10% of engineers are women, OBR has a much better gender balance.Emma Deery, a first-year mechanical engineering student, finds the inclusive environment encouraging. “In the industry, a lot of women find themselves the only woman on their team. Here it’s different. We have a lot more women and a lot of women in leadership roles.”The OBR team will compete for the top spot this summer against 102 other teams from 27 countries. The competition is a useful recruitment tool for big industry names, as it showcases innovative engineering skills.Ross Brawn, the legendary former team principal, once said, “There are two really innovative forms of motorsport left. One of them is Formula One and the other one is Formula Student.”

The Royal Shakespeare Company's upcoming production of Bertolt Brecht's 'The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui' offers a timely warning against the rise of fascism, echoing current events in Britain and the US. The play, a satire about the rise of Hitler, features Mark Gatiss as Arturo Ui and music by the alternative rock band Placebo.Gatiss notes that the rhetoric used by Arturo Ui is 'the same rhetoric today', describing it as 'really frightening'. The play's themes of corruption, violence, and the dangers of unchecked power are as relevant today as they were when Brecht wrote the play in 1941.The production features a unique blend of music and theatre, with Placebo's Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal creating a score that captures the brutality and urgency of the play. The music is designed to be 'loud and abrasive', with Molko describing the process of creating the score as 'like being in a dark room and feeling your way around'.Gatiss, who has a history of playing villains, says that he has put a moratorium on playing characters akin to Sherlock's Mycroft Holmes, but was drawn to the role of Arturo Ui after seeing a production at Darlington Civic Theatre with Robin Askwith in the lead. The play's director, Seán Linnen, encouraged the cast to experiment and find new ways to bring the play to life.The production's themes and message are particularly relevant in today's world, with Gatiss stating that 'we feel helpless' in the face of rising fascism. The play's epilogue, which calls on the audience to act against the rise of fascism, still gives Gatiss 'goosebumps'. As Gatiss notes, 'you have to do something. Go down swinging, at least.'

On a cobbled lane in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, the Kindred of Ireland boutique draws shoppers with oversized butter‑yellow linen blouses and Donegal mulberry tweed jackets accented by rose‑pink linen bows, signalling a fresh commercial pulse for a fabric that once defined the city.Linen earned Belfast the nickname “Linenopolis” when, at its height, the industry employed about 40% of Northern Ireland’s workforce. After a post‑war collapse, the trade faded, but today it is re‑emerging as a marker of local identity and sustainable fashion.Designer Amy Anderson, whose grandmother worked as a mill‑hand in Moygashel, says the fibre remains deeply personal for many families. Her modern, Japanese‑inspired silhouettes rely on linen’s natural structure to balance avant‑garde volume with comfort.Reviving a near‑extinct industry is daunting, yet Belfast’s history of turning adversity into opportunity—exemplified by the Titanic Quarter’s tourism boom—has attracted an eclectic coalition of supporters. Among them are former blacksmith Charlie Mallon, who has converted his 150‑year‑old Magherafelt farm into a regenerative flax operation, and fashion heavyweight Sarah Burton, former creative director of Alexander McQueen.Mallon’s restoration of heritage machinery aims to keep flax “field‑to‑fibre” in Ireland, preserving the long fibre length that makes linen less prone to creasing. He contrasts this with most modern linen, which is “cottonised” in China, shortening fibres and increasing wrinkles.Burton’s two‑day field trip to Northern Ireland inspired the spring 2020 Alexander McQueen collection, featuring a beetled linen gown with a pearl‑like sheen that debuted on the Paris runway.In autumn, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Mallon Farm, expressing a rare interest in sustainable fashion and regenerative agriculture. The Princess, who usually avoids media focus on her wardrobe, asked detailed questions about the Andersons’ brand, underscoring the royal endorsement of Belfast’s textile renaissance.The city’s fashion resurgence is also celebrated at the Ulster Museum’s “Ashes to Fashion” exhibition, which juxtaposes historic silk ballgowns with contemporary pieces by Irish designers, including Kindred of Ireland.Looking ahead, Kindred of Ireland plans a temporary boutique in central London, building on a successful six‑week Mayfair pop‑up that the brand describes as “commercial rocket fuel.” The Andersons note that Northern Irish firms benefit from full access to the UK market while still aligning with certain EU single‑market rules under the Windsor framework, offering a strategic advantage for product‑focused businesses.

Winsome Pinnock’s latest play, The Authenticator, opens at the Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre, London, and immediately subverts expectations by pairing a serious examination of erased Black histories with a lively, comedic tone.The story follows Fen (Sylvestra Le Touzel), a direct descendant of the 18th‑century enslaver Henry Harford, who discovers a cache of his Jamaican farm diaries. She entrusts the documents to two Black academics – Abi (Rakie Ayola), an Oxford‑educated scholar of Nigerian descent, and her mentee Marva (Cherrelle Skeete), a bright working‑class woman whose grandfather’s mysterious disappearance ties back to the Harford estate.Their investigative partnership feels like a modern Holmes‑Watson dynamic, allowing Pinnock to explore the tangled intersections of class, race, and inherited privilege. Abi’s privileged background and Marva’s grassroots perspective highlight how historical complicity can span generations.While the plot leans on some convenient coincidences reminiscent of an Agatha Christie puzzle, the play’s strength lies in its razor‑sharp dialogue and satirical wit, which keep the narrative brisk and entertaining.Visually, the production leans into a haunted‑house aesthetic: designer Jon Bausor’s set features gilt‑edged frames, trapdoors leading to a cellar of “dirty secrets,” and atmospheric lighting that flickers like candle‑lit torches, underscored by a nervous string quartet.Much of the humour centres on Fen, portrayed as a “tweedy do‑gooder” eager to atone for her family’s sins yet quick to deflect blame. Her self‑portrait as a former Oxford punk adds a layer of absurdity, drawing parallels to the post‑colonial satire of films like Knives Out.Pinnock also skewers the modern aristocracy that monetises heritage properties, illustrated by a grime‑artist filming by the estate’s fountain and a fabricated ghost tour designed to attract tourists.The play does not shy away from genuine hauntings. A Blackamoor statue is hidden away after the 2020 debates over colonial monuments, and missing diary pages hint at violence against an enslaved woman named “Black Sarah.”Director Miranda Cromwell navigates the tonal shifts deftly, ensuring that the humour never eclipses the underlying guilt and pain embedded in the characters’ histories.Ultimately, The Authenticator succeeds by delivering a “lightness of touch” that makes confronting toxic colonial legacies both accessible and thought‑provoking, offering audiences a disarming yet incisive look at how societies reckon with their past.