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The conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel has escalated on day 35, with the US and Israel widening their attacks on Iranian infrastructure. The strikes have targeted a century-old medical research centre in Tehran, steel plants, and a bridge near the capital, which Iran claims was civilian infrastructure.The human toll continues to rise, with at least 2,076 people killed and 26,500 wounded in Iran since the start of the US-Israeli attacks. Iran's Foreign Ministry reports that more than 600 schools and education centres have been hit since February 28.Iran's military has vowed to continue the war until its enemies face 'humiliation' and 'surrender', warning the US against a ground invasion. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has stated that it is ready for any type of attack, including a ground attack.In a significant development, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has abruptly fired the US Army's top general and two other senior officers, sparking speculation of a wartime leadership shake-up.The conflict has also drawn in other countries, with Pakistan pushing for US-Iran talks and the United Kingdom holding talks with about 40 countries on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about 20 percent of the world's oil and LNG. The US has lost 13 service members in combat and two to noncombat causes, with more than 200 injured.In Israel, sirens have become 'part of life', with residents repeatedly heading to shelters, especially in the Tel Aviv area. The conflict has also intensified along the northern front, with Hezbollah carrying out 60 military operations against Israel in 24 hours.

By the time head coach Jesse Marsch concluded the March international window, the clock was ticking toward April, leaving Canada with more questions than answers ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The Toronto friendly against Tunisia turned into an “odd” afternoon, with a sudden lightning delay pushing the match’s finish to 11 p.m. and forcing fans to follow the action on mobile devices while rain hammered the city. While many had imagined a Canada‑Italy opener after the December draw, the draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina proved a relief. Swapping a potential clash with the world’s 12th‑ranked side for a match against the 65th‑ranked Bosnia is now viewed as a fortunate turn, yet the Bosnian squad displayed a relentless mid‑press that tested Canada’s defensive organization. Bosnia’s pressing generated 30 shots and a torrent of crosses, with veteran striker Edin Džeko looming as a threat and young forwards Esmir Bajraktarević and Kerim Alajbegović showcasing high energy. Marsch noted, “These kids grew up in a war‑torn country; they have resilience that showed in the last week.” Defensive depth emerged as a glaring issue. Centre‑back Moïse Bombito returned to training but remains sidelined with a Nice injury, while regulars Alfie Jones, Derek Cornelius and Luc de Fougerolles were unavailable. MLS pair Joel Waterman and Kamal Miller displayed “ill‑timed jitters,” raising concerns about the back line’s stability. Offensively, Canada’s output was blunt. Across two matches only two Jonathan David penalties found the net; forwards Cyle Larin and Tani Oluwaseyi failed to create a decisive spark. Larin’s last goal for Canada came in October 2024, and Oluwaseyi has scored just two times in 22 caps. Moreover, the team has failed to score from open play in six of their last seven internationals, recording three 0‑0 draws on home soil. Amid the gloom, 22‑year‑old winger Marcelo Flores offered a glimpse of optimism. The former Tigres talent, recently cleared to represent Canada after switching from Mexico, dazzled with dribbles and quick pivots, prompting calls to elevate Juventus striker Promise David and position Flores in a more creative role. The final, lingering question concerns the starting goalkeeper for the June 12 opener. Marsch has oscillated between Maxime Crépeau and Dayne St Clair for two years, and injuries have prevented a decisive choice. Both keepers remain fit, leaving the coach “as close as it’s always been” to a decision. Predicted squad Goalkeepers: Dayne St Clair, Maxime Crépeau, Owen Goodman. Defenders: Moïse Bombito, Derek Cornelius, Luc de Fougerolles, Joel Waterman, Alistair Johnston, Niko Sigur, Richie Laryea, Alphonso Davies. Midfielders: Steph Eustaquio, Ismaël Kone, Mathieu Choinière, Nathan Saliba, Jonathan Osorio, Tajon Buchanan, Ali Ahmed, Liam Millar, Marcelo Flores, Jacob Shaffelburg. Forwards: Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Tani Oluwaseyi, Daniel Jebbison, Promise David.

The highly anticipated fifth season of the Cork-set comedy The Young Offenders premieres on BBC One at 9:30pm. The new season kicks off with Jock, played by Chris Walley, breaking out of a Colombian prison and reuniting with Conor, played by Alex Murphy, back in Ireland. Their adventures quickly take a turn as they find themselves in a hostage situation with an elderly couple while wearing floral dresses.Elsewhere on television, Rob Beckett brings his unique brand of humor to Sky One with his show Giraffe at 9pm. The comedian takes viewers on a stream-of-consciousness journey through topics like poshness, parenting, and pubes, often pushing the envelope with his audience.On Channel 4, The Last Leg continues its 34th series at 10pm, featuring presenters Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe, and Alex Brooker. This week's guests include Josh Pugh, Lorraine Kelly, and Steve Bracknall.In addition to these shows, BBC One also airs Extraordinary Portraits With Bill Bailey at 7:30pm, highlighting the story of Eddie, the 'Iron Gran', who became the oldest British woman to complete an Ironman triathlon at 72. Meanwhile, Beyond Paradise airs at 8pm, with Humphrey solving a series of burglaries in Shipton Abbott.For film enthusiasts, The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is broadcast on BBC Two at 10pm. This financial crime caper is based on the memoir of stockbroker Jordan Belfort and features memorable performances from Matthew McConaughey and Margot Robbie.

In Barcelona, anti‑tourism demonstrators have added a culinary twist to their demands, chanting “Stop brunch!” alongside the more familiar “Ban Airbnb” as they protest soaring rents and the loss of local character.The rise of generic brunch venues—identical hipster cafés with the same menu, décor and background music—has become a symbol of overtourism, pushing out neighbourhood bars and eateries that once served the resident community.In response, Albert Molins, a journalist for La Vanguardia, launched a simple Google Maps list in autumn 2020. The list quickly evolved into a city‑wide movement to resurrect the Catalan tradition of esmorzar de forquilla (literally “fork breakfast”).This hearty mid‑morning meal, historically a 19th‑century labourer’s fuel, typically includes a main dish, wine, bread and coffee, and can be enjoyed for under €15. It is now served in modest, no‑frills taverns that showcase authentic Catalan flavours.Signature dishes differ sharply from the typical brunch fare. Patrons can savour trinxat—a pan‑fried potato and cabbage hash topped with crisp pancetta—fricandó (stewed veal with mushrooms), bacallà amb samfaina (fried cod on stewed vegetables), and the richly spiced botifarra sausage. For off‑al lovers, options such as callos (tripe stew), peus de porc (pigs’ feet) and the indulgent cap i pota (veal head and feet stew) are on offer.The original map has since been redeveloped into the functional EsmorzApp, uniting a growing community of “fork‑breakfast enthusiasts” and attracting younger diners alongside long‑time local patrons.Restaurant owner Gerard Llopart notes that his establishment in Barcelona’s Eixample district now welcomes a broader, more diverse crowd, proving that the revival resonates beyond its traditional base.While the movement does not single‑handedly solve overtourism, it demonstrates how locals can reclaim cultural space and invite tourists to partake in genuine culinary heritage. As Molins puts it, the fork breakfast is “our history,” and visitors are encouraged to download the app and ask for un cap i pota, si us plau?

Former Labour adviser Polly Billington – who served under Gordon Brown – has urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to organise a global energy summit of the scale and urgency that marked the UK’s 2008 financial‑crisis intervention. She argues that the fallout from the US‑Israeli war on Iran is creating an energy shock “as big as the financial crash”, demanding a response of equal magnitude. Billington warned that the economic pain from soaring energy prices is “hurtling down the tracks”, threatening living standards and providing fertile ground for extremist politics. She stresses that the price surge will be neither temporary nor confined to a single region. While she praised the government’s initiative to bring together 35 nations to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Billington insists that a broader, coordinated effort is required to stabilise energy markets, protect supply chains, and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. “We could be bringing together allies to agree emergency cooperation to stabilise energy markets, protect supply chains, coordinate strategic reserves, and accelerate the global transition away from fossil fuels,” she told The Guardian. “Energy security is inseparable from global security; otherwise we face a ‘Hunger Games’ world of resource conflict, scarcity and coercion.” Her call comes amid growing unease among Labour MPs who fear the government is under‑reacting to the domestic impact of the war. Rising petrol prices, higher energy bills and inflation are already prompting concerns about electoral repercussions. At a recent press conference, the Prime Minister announced that the Treasury is drafting targeted support for households most affected by energy costs, should the conflict persist. Yet opposition parties are pushing divergent solutions: Reform UK and the Conservatives advocate increased domestic drilling, the Liberal Democrats propose a 10p fuel‑duty cut and VAT relief for electric‑vehicle charging, while the Greens call for universal energy‑bill support. The Scottish National Party demanded an emergency parliamentary recall, accusing the government of “sleepwalking into a crisis”. Billington argues that a true “war‑footing” approach must focus on reducing Britain’s reliance on fossil fuels. She praises the Treasury’s decision to avoid a blanket bailout, suggesting instead that households install plug‑in solar panels on balconies and gardens – likening them to Anderson shelters in the Second World War – to bolster collective resilience and lower bills. She adds that no policy option should be dismissed as “too radical”, urging the government to consider all measures that could cut exposure to gas and oil. Another Labour MP echoed the sentiment, stating that merely highlighting bill reductions is insufficient when headlines indicate that prices are set to rise sharply due to the Iran conflict. “I want to hear a concrete Labour plan,” he said. On Thursday, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey branded the rising fuel costs a “Trump‑Farage‑Badenoch tax”, calling for immediate action to mitigate the economic fallout of the war and keep Britain moving.

Forecasts indicate that the worldwide secondhand apparel sector will expand by 12% in 2024, reaching $289 bn (£217 bn), buoyed by artificial intelligence tools and social‑media influencers that help consumers locate desired items.Platforms such as Vinted, Depop, Vestige and ThredUp are expected to sustain an average 9% annual growth over the next five years, pushing the market to an estimated $393 bn—roughly double the growth rate of the broader clothing industry.The outlook stems from ThredUp’s latest resale report, which incorporates analysis from GlobalData. In 2021 the market was valued at just $141 bn, meaning the projected 2024 figure is more than double that baseline.Major brands—including Dr Martens, Zara and Mulberry—are now entering the resale space, either by offering pre‑owned pieces or refurbishing items to satisfy rising consumer demand."Resale is no longer merely expanding; it’s capturing direct market share," said James Reinhart, co‑founder and CEO of ThredUp. The report notes that resale now accounts for one‑tenth of global clothing sales, and that the U.S. secondhand market grew nearly four times faster than the overall market by 2025.ThredUp’s own revenue climbed 20% to $310.8 m last year. Depop reported a 42% increase to £101 m, while Vinted posted a 36% rise to €813.4 m (£710 m) in 2024. However, profitability remains elusive: ThredUp posted a $20 m pre‑tax loss, Depop a £42 m loss, and only Vinted turned a profit, earning €76.7 m. Depop was recently acquired by eBay from Etsy.Reinhart warned that rising inflation—spurred by geopolitical tensions that lift energy and fuel costs for manufacturers—could push more shoppers toward affordable secondhand options."The industry stays robust, driven by young consumers' behaviour," he added.Artificial intelligence is streamlining the massive inventories of resale platforms, enabling rapid cataloguing and matching of items to buyer preferences. "Netflix and Spotify spent decades building data and algorithms to recommend content; AI can achieve similar personalization for fashion almost instantly," Reinhart explained, noting that this reduces friction between spotting an item on social media and completing a purchase.Looking ahead, the market’s next phase will be defined by firms that can unlock supply and leverage AI to connect inventory with the next generation of shoppers, according to Reinhart.Analyst Neil Saunders of GlobalData highlighted that consumers aged 14‑45 (Gen Z and millennials) are projected to generate 70% of market growth. He emphasized that discovery tools must migrate to the social feeds where these shoppers spend their time, and that technology will be essential to simplify selling and maintain sufficient stock for expanding demand.

Global markets were jolted on Thursday as oil prices skyrocketed and stocks sank following a televised address by Donald Trump, in which he vowed to take 'extremely hard' action against Iran in the coming weeks. This development has dashed investor hopes of a swift resolution to the conflict in the Middle East.Brent crude prices jumped by 8% to surpass $109 a barrel, reversing the previous day's decline when hopes of de-escalation had briefly pushed the international benchmark below $100 a barrel.Asian markets were particularly hard hit, with Japan's Nikkei index falling 2.4%, China's CSI 300 index dropping 1.36%, and South Korea's Kospi tumbling 4.8%. In Europe, Germany's Dax fell 2%, France's Cac 40 dropped 1.15%, and Italy's FTSE Mib was down 1.45%. The FTSE 100 in London initially opened 0.7% lower but later stabilized, buoyed by gains in fossil fuel companies BP and Shell, which rose 4.5% and 3.1% respectively.Government borrowing costs also increased, with the yield on 10-year UK gilts rising four basis points to 4.886% and the two-year UK bond yield rising six basis points to 4.36%, reflecting growing fears of inflation due to higher energy costs.Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, noted that investors are betting on the impact of delayed oil supply deliveries from the Gulf, given Trump's failure to provide guidance on a potential end to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. 'Instead of 'no more war', we got 'no, more war!', Beauchamp said, highlighting the market's concerns about hundreds of millions of barrels of oil that may not be delivered soon.The US dollar gained 0.6% against a basket of major currencies as investors sought safe-haven assets, pushing the pound down by almost a cent to $1.321. The market turmoil is already affecting consumers, with the Bank of England warning that 1.3 million more homeowners may see their mortgage payments rise due to financial shocks from the Iran conflict.Additionally, data from the RAC showed that petrol and diesel prices jumped by a record amount in March, with the average price of a litre of unleaded petrol rising by 20p to 152.83p by the end of the month, surpassing the previous monthly record.

The moon is becoming a focal point for a new era of space exploration and exploitation, with multiple companies and countries racing to harness its resources. Interlune, a Seattle-based company, has raised $18m to fund its efforts to mine the moon for Helium-3, a rare gas that could become vital in quantum computers and nuclear fusion.Helium-3, deposited on the moon's surface over billions of years by the solar wind, is used in medical imaging but is in extremely short supply on Earth. Rob Meyerson, founder of Interlune, believes that extracting this resource could be economically viable due to its high value.Private access to space has become more feasible through companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX, making lunar mining a possibility. Interlune plans to send a multispectral camera to the lunar south pole to assess Helium-3 concentrations and is working towards a future mission called 'Prospect Moon' to gather samples.The lunar mining initiative raises questions about environmental impact and the ethics of extracting resources from the moon. Critics argue that history has shown pioneers rushing into unknown frontiers and causing irreparable damage. There are concerns about preserving the moon's pristine environment and protecting sites of extraordinary scientific importance.Legal aspects of moon mining are also unclear, with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibiting national claims of ownership but making no reference to commercial activities. Despite these challenges, Interlune and other companies are pushing forward, with China also actively exploring the moon's resources, including Helium-3.

The UK Prime Minister's recent announcement of a 'five-point plan' to address the energy crisis has been met with skepticism. During his remarks from Downing Street, Prime Minister Starmer outlined measures that were largely pre-existing or unrelated to the immediate crisis. The plan included: cutting energy bills by over £100 per household, which was announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last November's budget and has since been adjusted to £117 for an average dual-fuel household; extending the cut in fuel duty until September; supporting people exposed to heating oil rises with £53m; investing in clean British energy through the Clean Power 2030 plan; and pushing for de-escalation in the Middle East. Critics argue that most of these points were not new and did not adequately address the current crisis. The plan did not provide specifics on who else could get help with energy bills or how targeted support would be delivered. The Clean Power 2030 plan, a five-year £200bn infrastructure project, will not yield immediate results for consumers, with savings expected to arrive around 2040. The article concludes that repeating measures from last November's budget is not a plan and that a proper five-point plan would be needed if an energy price shock turns into a supply shock, possibly meaning rationing.