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Chelmsford City racecourse, located in Essex, has faced a significant setback with the loss of its licence to host racing fixtures. This development has cast a shadow over the venue's future, particularly after the lucrative Good Friday fixture, which offered £250k in prize money, was cancelled.The troubles for Chelmsford City are not new; the track has experienced a tumultuous history. A notable incident involved Justin Timberlake's concert on 4 July 2025, which led to chaotic scenes as 25,000 fans attempted to leave, resulting in lengthy queues and some spectators abandoning their cars to walk along the nearby A131 dual carriageway.The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced on Wednesday that it did not consider it appropriate to grant a racing licence to Golden Mile Racing Limited (GMRL), the company that had applied to take over the licence for the remainder of 2026. As a result, GMRL is not licensed to stage any fixtures, pending the outcome of any appeal.This decision affects not just the upcoming fixtures but also the scheduled meetings on 2 April, 3 April, and 9 April. The permanent loss of Chelmsford City, which hosted 38 meetings in 2025, would create a significant gap in the racing schedule, particularly for top yards preparing for the new summer Flat season.Chelmsford City's history dates back to 2008 when it finally staged its first meeting after years of planning. Despite its US-style oval mile track being praised for its fairness and galloping nature, and its ideal location near Newmarket, the venue has struggled with facilities issues.The track's operator, Great Leighs Estates Limited, went into administration in late March, adding to the uncertainty surrounding Chelmsford City's future.

Global financial markets experienced a significant shift on Wednesday as oil prices plummeted and stock markets rallied following comments from US President Donald Trump. He suggested that the conflict in Iran would be resolved within 'two to three weeks'.The international benchmark for oil, Brent crude, fell as low as $98.35 a barrel, marking a decline of over 15% from the previous day and its lowest level in a week. It later recovered slightly, trading down 2.5% at $101.Stock markets in Asia saw substantial gains, with Japan's Nikkei surging 5%, South Korea's Kospi jumping 8%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rising 2%, and China's CSI 300 index up 1.7%. European markets also followed suit, with the UK's FTSE 100 up 1.8% and the Europe Stoxx 600 index rising 2.2%.Trump's comments on Tuesday sparked a relief rally in the US stock market, with the S&P; 500 rising 2.9%. He stated, 'Now we're finishing the job. I think in two weeks or maybe a few days longer, we'll do the job. We want to knock out everything they've got.'Market analysts are cautiously optimistic, with Emma Wall, chief investment strategist at Hargreaves Lansdown, noting that markets are 'choosing to believe the optimism from the White House.' However, she also warned that energy disruptions could continue for months, impacting inflation and economic growth.The prospect of interest rate rises in the UK has diminished, with money markets pricing in about 41 basis points of increases to the UK bank rate by the end of 2026, down from 66 basis points anticipated on Tuesday.The price of gold rose to its highest level in almost two weeks, up 0.8% to more than $4,700 an ounce.

Dame Carole Jordan, who has died aged 84, was a prominent figure in astrophysics, celebrated for her groundbreaking research on the outer atmosphere of the sun and other cool stars. Her contributions to the field have left a lasting impact, and her legacy extends beyond her scientific achievements as a champion for women in science.Jordan's fascination with astronomy began at a young age, inspired by books from authors like Arthur Eddington and Fred Hoyle. She pursued her passion for astronomy at University College London, where she was interviewed by CW Allen, professor of astronomy, and offered a place. Her academic journey led her to become a leading expert in ultraviolet spectroscopy of the sun and other stars.In 1962, a rocket-borne experiment led by US astronomer Richard Tousey measured the EUV spectrum of the sun, discovering a dozen unidentified emission lines. Jordan dedicated her research to understanding these lines, eventually becoming the world expert on the subject. Her 1965 PhD thesis, Analysis of the Solar Ultraviolet Spectrum, concluded that several lines were due to transitions in highly ionized iron.Jordan's most-cited paper, The Ionization Equilibrium of Elements Between Carbon and Nickel, published in 1969, laid out the ionization equilibrium as a function of temperature for the main ionized states of common heavy elements. This work became a definitive guide to EUV spectroscopy. The launch of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) in 1978 enabled her to extend her analyses to other stars, solidifying her position as an expert on the chromospheres of cool stars.Jordan's achievements extended beyond her scientific contributions. In 1994, she became the first female president of the Royal Astronomical Society, a testament to her dedication to promoting women in science. She was also a staunch supporter of the Royal Astronomical Society, serving as secretary and vice-president of the Institute of Physics.Throughout her career, Jordan received numerous accolades, including the RAS's gold medal in 2005 and being made a dame in 2006. Her legacy serves as an inspiration to future generations of scientists, particularly women, to pursue careers in STEM fields.

The puzzle presents 10 common phrases with letters replaced by colored boxes, challenging readers to decode them. The phrases are:1. All's well that ends well.2. There but for the grace of God go I.3. All the world's a stage.4. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.5. Curiosity killed the cat.6. Neither a borrower nor a lender be.7. All that glitters is not gold.8. All roads lead to Rome.9. Cleanliness is next to godliness.10. Love is blind.The puzzle was created by Tom Tanaka, an IP attorney in California, and is based on an original idea by Scott Kim.

A leading Rembrandt scholar, Gary Schwartz, has concluded that a portrait titled 'Old Man with a Gold Chain' and dated to the early 1630s is, in fact, an authentic work by the 17th-century Dutch master. The painting, which has been on loan from Sir Francis Newman, a Cambridge-based entrepreneur, has been reunited with its counterpart at the Art Institute of Chicago.Each of the paintings depicts an older man wearing a gold chain and a plumed hat. For almost four centuries, the two portraits have been separated, with the Chicago version considered the undisputed original. The Newman portrait, slightly smaller and painted on canvas, was previously labelled as a 'copy' by an artist in Rembrandt's workshop.However, Schwartz's research suggests that both paintings are by Rembrandt. He argues that the quality of the brushwork and the practice of Dutch artists creating replicas of their own paintings support this conclusion. In 1699, a French contemporary of Rembrandt noted that it was common for Dutch artists to repeat their works.X-ray and infrared imaging of the Chicago picture revealed underdrawing and adjustments to the man's costume, which were absent from the Newman canvas. This led Schwartz to conclude that the Newman painting was not a workshop reproduction but an original work by Rembrandt.The Hamilton Kerr Institute at the University of Cambridge found that the UK version's canvas and colour pigments matched those used by Rembrandt and his studio. If confirmed as a Rembrandt, the painting will go to a museum, according to Newman.

Mary Rand, a trailblazing British athlete, has passed away at the age of 86. She was a dominant force in the sports world during the 1960s, becoming the first British woman to win Olympic gold in athletics at the 1964 Tokyo Games. Rand achieved this remarkable feat with a world record long jump of 6.76 meters, a performance that cemented her status as a national heroine.Rand's achievements in Tokyo went beyond her gold medal in long jump. She also secured silver in the pentathlon and bronze in the sprint relay, making her the first British athlete to claim three medals in a single Olympic Games. This impressive haul of medals not only showcased her versatility but also her exceptional talent.Born in Wells, Somerset, Rand was brought up in a council house by her parents. Her prodigious athleticism was evident from an early age, leading to her being offered a scholarship at Millfield, a leading public school for sports. She won All England Schools titles and broke the British record for the pentathlon at just 17 years old.Rand's career was marked by both triumph and challenges. She faced criticism after finishing ninth in the long jump at the 1960 Rome Olympics, but she used this as motivation to excel in Tokyo four years later. Her performances were praised by her peers, with fellow athlete Ann Packer describing her as “the most gifted athlete I ever saw”.Rand's legacy extends beyond her Olympic achievements. She was named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 1964 and was made an MBE in 1965. In 2009, she was inducted into the England Athletics Hall of Fame, a testament to her enduring impact on the sport.Despite facing challenges in her personal life, including two divorces and the loss of her third husband, Rand remained a beloved figure in the sports world. Her daughters survive her, and her memory will continue to inspire future generations of athletes.

The ongoing conflict in Iran has caused significant turmoil in the global oil markets, with Brent crude oil prices climbing 51% since the start of March, according to LSEG data. This surge has put Brent crude on track for its biggest monthly gain on record, surpassing the previous record of 46% set in September 1990 during the first Gulf War.On Friday, Brent crude closed at $112.57 a barrel, up from $72.48 a barrel on February 27, the day before the US-Israeli war on Iran began. The price of Brent crude traded as high as $119.50 a barrel during March, its highest level since June 2022, after Iran largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for a fifth of global oil and gas.Despite a coordinated release of 400m barrels of oil from emergency reserves announced on March 11, oil prices continued to climb throughout the month. Analysts at BloombergNEF estimate that 9m barrels of oil per day have been knocked off global oil supply due to the Middle East conflict.The conflict has also had a ripple effect on other assets, with gold prices falling by almost 15% since the start of March, on track for its worst month since 2008. The spot price of gold has been under pressure from the sale of about $3bn of bullion by the Turkish Central Bank last week, which cut its reserves by almost 50 tonnes to 772 tonnes to fund efforts to stabilize the Turkish lira.The Dow Jones industrial average has also been impacted, entering a correction at the end of last week, more than 10% below its record high. Stocks fell despite US President Donald Trump's latest extension on planned strikes against Iran's energy infrastructure, as investors anticipated prolonged disruption to oil from the Gulf.“Markets appear to be placing less weight on White House jawboning and focusing more on the underlying supply risks,” said Fawad Razaqzada, an analyst at City Index. Britain's stock market also had a poor month, with the FTSE 100 index falling more than 8% – on track for its worst month since March 2020, when Covid-19 rocked financial markets.

Apple’s Lockdown Mode: Four Years of Zero Successful BreachesAfter almost four years since its launch, Apple has confirmed a significant milestone in consumer cybersecurity: no user with Lockdown Mode enabled has been successfully hacked with mercenary spyware. In a statement to TechCrunch, Apple spokesperson Sarah O'Rourke confirmed that the company is not aware of any successful attacks against devices protected by this feature, representing a four-year streak of effectiveness against some of the most sophisticated state-sponsored hacking tools in existence.The Architecture of Resistance: How Lockdown Mode WorksLockdown Mode is an opt-in security feature designed to harden Apple devices against exploits that are typically used by state-sponsored actors. By restricting certain functionalities, the feature effectively shrinks the attack surface available to hackers.Feature Restrictions: It disables most message attachments and restricts WebKit features.Targeted Threats: It specifically counters exploits used by notorious spyware vendors like the NSO Group, Intellexa, and Paragon Solutions.Zero-Click Exploits: It blocks remote attack chains that do not require user interaction, such as zero-click exploits.Security experts, including Patrick Wardle, describe this as one of the most aggressive consumer-facing hardening features ever shipped. By eliminating entire delivery mechanisms, the feature forces spyware developers to use more complex and expensive techniques to bypass the defenses.The Zero-Breach MilestoneDespite Apple sending notifications to users in over 150 countries alerting them to potential hacking attempts, the data remains clear: Lockdown Mode has not been bypassed in any confirmed case. Independent investigations by organizations like Amnesty International and the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab have corroborated Apple's findings.Independent Verification: Amnesty International's Donncha Ó Cearbhaill confirmed no evidence of successful compromise where Lockdown Mode was active.Active Blocking: Citizen Lab documented instances where Lockdown Mode actively blocked attacks from NSO's Pegasus and Predator spyware.Evasion Tactics: Some spyware variants have been observed to abort attacks entirely if Lockdown Mode is detected, likely to avoid detection by security researchers.Shifting the Burden of Defense to the ConsumerThe success of Lockdown Mode marks a pivotal shift in the cybersecurity landscape. Historically, high-end security was the domain of governments and large corporations. Apple is now effectively forcing the burden of defense onto the individual consumer.While the feature requires users to accept a trade-off in usability—such as extra steps for copying links or occasional confusing notifications—the data suggests the trade-off is worth it for high-risk targets. The feature has successfully neutralized the most common vectors used by mercenary spyware, rendering them ineffective against the vast majority of attackers.The Future of Digital HardeningLooking ahead, the success of Lockdown Mode sets a new standard for consumer device security. As spyware vendors adapt to this new reality, we can expect a cat-and-mouse game where attackers attempt to find new vulnerabilities. However, for the foreseeable future, Lockdown Mode remains the gold standard for protecting individuals from state-sponsored digital intrusion.

In a groundbreaking development, US President Donald Trump's signature will soon be featured on US currency as part of plans to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the country's Independence Day on July 4. This move, announced by the US Department of the Treasury on Thursday, marks a significant departure from tradition, as Trump becomes the first sitting president to have his signature on US banknotes.Currently, US banknotes, which come in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100, feature the signatures of the Treasury secretary and the treasurer. The decision to include Trump's signature is seen as a recognition of his 'historic achievements,' according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who noted that Trump has put the country on a path towards 'unprecedented economic growth' and 'fiscal strength and stability.'The economic growth under Trump has been largely in line with the post-pandemic trend overseen by his predecessor, Joe Biden. Specifically, US GDP grew 2.2 percent in 2025, slightly below the 2.5 percent average expansion from 2022-2024. This move has not been without criticism, with California Governor Gavin Newsom mocking the announcement, suggesting that Americans will now know exactly who to blame for rising costs of living expenses.This development comes on the heels of the US Commission of Fine Arts approving the minting of a commemorative gold coin bearing Trump's image, a move that also drew backlash. Critics have likened these actions to the behavior of dictators and monarchs. Trump, known for aggressively pushing his personal brand, has attached his name to various institutions and projects, including the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and an upcoming class of battle ships.