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Leicester City's struggles in the Women's Super League continued as they suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Aston Villa, with Ebony Salmon's impressive performance off the bench proving decisive for the visitors.The loss leaves Leicester rooted to the bottom of the table, three points from safety with just five games remaining. Alisha Lehmann had given Leicester the lead, but Anna Patten and Kirsty Hanson scored for Villa, with Hanson netting her 10th league goal of the season.In another match, Liverpool and Brighton played out a goalless draw, a result that edged Liverpool further away from the relegation zone. The draw extended Liverpool's winless away run to 10 WSL matches but followed a general upturn in form that has seen them win three of their previous five league games.The result means Liverpool are now five points clear of Leicester, who are still struggling to avoid relegation. Liverpool goalkeeper Jennifer Falk made a crucial save to deny Brighton a late win, while at the other end, Aurélie Csillag's low shot was saved and Maelys Mpomé cleared the ball off the line to preserve the draw.

Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery that could lead to the development of new obesity drugs. By studying the unique metabolic abilities of pythons, researchers have identified a molecule that appears to play a crucial role in regulating appetite and weight loss. The molecule, called pTOS, was found to increase significantly in the blood of pythons after they eat, and when administered to obese mice, it led to a significant reduction in food intake and a 9% loss of body weight over 28 days. The discovery could lead to the development of new obesity drugs that work in a different way to existing medications, such as GLP-1 medications like Wegovy. Unlike these medications, which can have side effects such as nausea and stomach pain, pTOS appears to act on the brain's appetite centers, reducing food intake without these adverse effects. The researchers, led by Dr. Jonathan Long from Stanford University and Prof. Leslie Leinwand from the University of Colorado Boulder, published their findings in the journal Nature Metabolism. They believe that pTOS, which is naturally produced by the snake's gut bacteria and also found in human urine, could be a safe and effective treatment for obesity. While further research is needed before the findings can be applied clinically, the discovery is seen as a promising step towards the development of new obesity treatments. The study's results suggest that pTOS could be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders.

The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran has significant implications for the UK economy, with the potential to plunge the country into a severe energy crisis. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane for oil, is now rendered unsafe due to Iranian drones and mines, threatening to disrupt global fuel supplies. Historically, the UK has faced similar challenges, such as during the Suez crisis 70 years ago, when petrol rationing was introduced. Former BP executive Nick Butler warns that if the crisis persists, the UK could be just weeks away from needing to ration fuel, with critical users like emergency services being prioritized. The economic consequences of such a crisis are far-reaching. A sustained energy crisis could push up average British household energy bills by £500, according to the Resolution Foundation thinktank. This would further exacerbate the cost of living crisis, which has already seen inflationary shocks and a backlash against incumbents. The UK government faces difficult decisions. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already taken steps to help 1.7 million households reliant on oil for heating and hot water, whose bills have doubled. However, her warning that financial help will be targeted at lower earners suggests that harder decisions lie ahead. In the long term, the UK must consider investing in net zero initiatives to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Modelling by the government's expert Climate Change Committee suggests that if Britain sticks to its net zero path, even a substantial oil shock would raise energy bills by only 4% by 2040. However, implementing such policies in the midst of a crisis is a challenging task.