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The Lead Bebe Rexha has opened up about her musical tastes, sharing a personal playlist that reveals her favorite songs from childhood to current obsessions. Bebe Rexha's Musical Journey Rexha's musical journey began with The Little Mermaid, where she fell in love with 'Part of Your World'. Her first single purchase was What a Girl Wants by Christina Aguilera, and her first CD purchase was Just Dance by Lady Gaga. Song Highlights The song I inexplicably know every lyric to: 'Ready Or Not' by Fugees The song I do at karaoke: 'At Last' by Etta James or 'No Scrubs' by TLC The best song to play at a party: 'New Religion' by Bebe Rexha The song that gets me up in the morning: The sound of her dog, Bear, barking Song Impact Rexha also shared songs that have significant meaning in her life, including Insomnia by Faithless, which inspired her song 'New Religion'. She also revealed that Trampoline by Shaed reminds her of an ex-partner. Guilty Pleasures Rexha confessed to secretly liking Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi, a song she used to dislike as a child but now enjoys. She also shared that Easy on Me by Adele makes her cry. New Music Bebe Rexha's album Dirty Blonde is set to release on June 12.

The Evolution of the Office LunchIt's 12.30pm as I write this. My mind is preoccupied with moving my fingers from key to key on my ageing laptop, a task I paused briefly to remove a hair from the screen. Then, I scratched my leg again, which kicked up another hair. I should get back to work, but I can't concentrate. Why? Because I'm incredibly hungry. It is, after all, lunchtime – the most worthless part of any work day.It is not that there's shame in lunch. It's just that we're not programmed to eat at a certain time. We're all different and the whole concept of the office lunch is obsolete nonsense in 2026. Let it go.The Industrial Roots of the Midday MealBig Lunch (or alternatively, the Lunch Industrial Complex) will tell you otherwise. Lunch is considered a fundamental element of the work day. It is legally mandated here in California, after all. But it is also something people who work in offices look forward to. It's a moment to step away from the invisible chains that attach us to our computers for an hour or so of normal human behavior. Back when I worked in an office, I would look at my phone and think, if I can just make it to noon, I'll be OK. Lunch was like a little treat to break up the monotony of corporate life. In some jobs, there was even a free lunch to make the whole thing even more appealing. You can't leave the office. You don't even have to leave the office!I wasn't around for most of the 20th century, but according to TV shows like Mad Men, the old days of lunch meant meandering to a classy steakhouse and getting drunk off martinis, then plopping on to a chaise longue until the buzz wore off. I would happily endorse that version of lunch, but that's not what we are being presented with today. The modern office lunch is about convenience and expediency. It's being hustled through a Sweetgreen to collect your biodegradable bucket of vegetables so you can get back to your desk before your next meeting.The Economic Impact of Changing Lunch HabitsThe work day lunch is merely a distraction from your unenviable reality, offering the illusion of choice while reinforcing the plain and simple fact of your need to earn a living performing a series of tasks you hate. Shall I have pizza or Mexican food? No, I mustn't. I shall have a salad, lest I become a walking man-beast made primarily of partially digested carbohydrates.Lunch, as a concept, evolved from light refreshments as a leisure activity to a meal equal to the other two, thanks to the rapid rise of industrialization in the 19th century. Lunch became a crucial break from mining coal or assembling car parts. I don't need nearly as much of a break from designing PowerPoint slides or responding to an email that's "just following up on my previous request". Patience, yes. But that's a different story.So, we have rendered this middle child of a meal (not as nourishing as breakfast and not as fun as dinner) a culinary pariah tied directly into emotional desire. Lunch is the vestigial tail of the Industrial Revolution. I no longer look forward to noon like an over-caffeinated child anticipating Christmas morning. Maybe I'll have a small snack – nuts, a protein bar, crudites. I might even read or go for a walk. I recognize my privilege here, that I'm not mandated to be anywhere or do anything I don't want to do. I can occupy myself with other pursuits that are more nourishing than a buffalo chicken wrap. But the fact remains that my job is still as active as any office worker's. As in, not at all. I prefer a big, nutritious breakfast or a nice, early dinner.The Changing Landscape of Office DiningIf I have to meet someone socially or professionally during the day, or if my stomach is screaming at me, I'll eat. (In my fantasies, my stomach sounds exactly like my mother, a topic to unpack another time.) But without the peer pressure of needing to make use of my hour of mandated leisure time by filling my mouth with overpriced junk (or gossiping with co-workers), I can truly be free. The office lunch is a scam perpetrated by venture capitalists with big dreams of franchising their various "elevated" takeout dining experiences. But automation, economic malaise and the collapse of the urban business district are going to make these places even more useless. Sweetgreen's business is cratering for these very reasons. As the economy suffers, fast food is growing in popularity again, but fast food is not the answer.Places like Sweetgreen, Pret a Manger or Cava sustain themselves on the concept of lunch being connected to leisure: with your hour of free time, you should have a meal, even if it's food you don't even particularly enjoy consuming. I'm not saying don't eat lunch; rather that the break you receive from the drudgery of employment should be spent on pleasurable activities. If that means eating, great. But don't do it just because you think you have to. I say we should normalize taking a nap in the afternoon. Not a Mad Men-style snooze caused by excessive alcohol consumption, but a rest from the all-consuming stimulus of modern life. Get rid of the cubicles and unused couches in the various open-plan tech spaces and put in beds. Give me a teddy bear and one of those caps cartoon characters wore at night.The Future of Workplace DiningAnd now … I'm done typing. I can go eat something. Why am I eating in the afternoon? Am I some kind of hypocrite?No.It's because I didn't eat breakfast.

The Growing Threat of Spyware Attacks Spyware attacks on journalists, human rights defenders, and political dissidents are no longer rare or exotic. In early 2025, WhatsApp notified roughly 90 users — many of them journalists and civil society members across Europe — that they had been targeted by Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions. Months later, Apple sent threat notifications to a new group of iOS users; forensic analysis confirmed two of them, both journalists, had been hit with Paragon’s Graphite spyware using a zero-click attack, meaning they didn’t even have to tap a link to be compromised. How Spyware Works and What It Can Do These attacks rely on expensive, sophisticated, and stealthy tools that allow their operators to hack into and install spyware on computers, but especially smartphones, which hold virtually all of the data about a person’s daily life. Spyware gives its operators virtually full access to the target’s device and data. Government spies can record phone calls, steal chat messages, access photos, and switch on the device’s camera and microphone to record ambient sound and record nearby conversations. Spyware also typically tracks a person’s real-time location. Tech Giants Offer Opt-in Features to Counter Spyware In response to these attacks, tech giants now provide their users with better defenses. In particular, Apple, Google, and Meta offer opt-in features specifically designed to counter targeted spyware attacks. Generally speaking, these features add extra protection, sometimes by turning off or limiting some regular features. It’s a tradeoff, but having used these myself for a long time, I have never found them to be too onerous or annoying to use. Apple's Lockdown Mode Apple’s Lockdown Mode is available on all Apple devices, including iPhones. Apple says that when Lockdown Mode is enabled, “your device won’t function like it typically does.” In exchange for this inconvenience, your device will be more secure. There is evidence that Lockdown Mode has helped in the past. Citizen Lab found that Lockdown Mode stopped one spyware attack carried out with NSO Group’s Pegasus software. As recently as March, Apple said it has never detected a successful attack on an Apple device with Lockdown Mode enabled. Google's Advanced Protection Program Google launched its Advanced Protection Program in 2017. This feature is designed to make your Google account more resilient against malicious hackers of all kinds. Advanced Protection Program includes the following features: Requires a physical security key (or a software passkey) as an additional verification factor apart from your passwords. Adds a recovery phone and a recovery email to your account, or uses a backup passkey or security key. WhatsApp's Strict Account Settings WhatsApp launched Strict Account Settings earlier this year, an opt-in feature that switches on some privacy and security controls depending on the operating system. On Android and iOS, Strict Account Settings turns on the following features: Two-step verification. Account protection. The Future of Spyware Protection No security measure is perfect, and it’s a constant effort to keep security flaws at bay. Spyware makers find new ways to hack into phones and services, then software makers learn from those attacks and respond. Rinse and repeat. But that doesn’t mean these features are not worth using. On the contrary; these features have been proven effective. “These features are free, easy to enable, and the best defense we have today against sophisticated spyware,” said Runa Sandvik, a security researcher who has worked to protect journalists and other at-risk communities for more than a decade. “If the features get in the way of something you need to do, you can easily turn them off again — meaning it costs very little to turn them on and try them out.”

Raducanu's Comeback Journey Begins at Roland GarrosEmma Raducanu is hopeful her health issues are behind her as she prepares for her opening match at the French Open. The British No 1 takes on Argentina's Solana Sierra in the first round on Sunday in what will be just her second match since March following two-and-a-half months out with a post-viral illness.She lost a close contest with Diane Parry in her opening match in Strasbourg this week but feeling healthy again is the most important thing for the 23-year-old. "I feel a lot better," she said."I thought I'd completely flipped it. I think there's just been a little bit of a lingering cough recently. But I feel, health-wise, really good. I played a really positive match last week in Strasbourg in the sense it was over two hours, and I think physically I pulled up really well from it. So I'm happy to take that and build from it."Challenges of an Unseeded ReturnRaducanu's absence meant she dropped out of the top 32 and is therefore unseeded in Paris. She avoided the big names but the 21-year-old Sierra, who is ranked 64th, is very at home on clay, while she made a surprise run to the fourth round of Wimbledon last year.Raducanu said: "She's a great player. It's going to be a really tricky first round, especially coming in light on matches, but I'm just proud of how I'm approaching every day, proud of the work I'm putting in."I know I'm going to have to play really good tennis and be aggressive. I feel like the conditions are pretty lively so far in the practice days, as the weather is hot, but I think that could be a good thing. I just want to go out there and try and play on my terms as much as I can."British Contenders Face Physical HurdlesWith Jack Draper sidelined through injury, Cameron Norrie appeared to be the best hope of a deep British run but the 20th seed revealed he is struggling with a rib injury."I haven't been able to hit yet since I've arrived here, so just been enjoying Paris and resting," he said. "But I think I needed the rest, so maybe it's a good thing. I really know that I'm feeling the ball well. Luckily I'm scheduled on Tuesday, so I have some time to recover. Hopefully I can be good to play."Norrie, who takes on Paraguay's Adolfo Daniel Vallejo first up, admitted he may have over-trained, including playing a five-set training match against American Ben Shelton lasting nearly five hours.Other British Players Face Tough TestsThere are six British players in the main draws, with Norrie joined in the men's singles by Jacob Fearnley and qualifier Toby Samuel. Fearnley has also been battling a rib problem this season and has struggled to back up his stellar first season on tour, winning just seven matches all year. He has the carrot of a second-round clash with world No 1 Jannik Sinner if he can see off Juan Manuel Cerundolo.The 24-year-old, who has started working with Andy Murray's former fitness trainer Matt Little, said: "I did go up the rankings pretty fast and maybe just didn't have the time to really reflect on it and appreciate it for what it was. And maybe got too far ahead of myself. Life in general, there's ups and downs, and just on a little bit of a down right now, but no reason why I can't get back up."Samuel faces the eighth seed, Australia's Alex De Minaur, in his first grand slam appearance while, in the women's draw, Katie Boulter plays wild card Akasha Urhobo and Fran Jones meets former semi-finalist Beatriz Haddad Maia.

The Plight of Gaza's Children In a corridor inside Nasser Hospital, Iman Abu Jame sits beside her six-year-old son, Yasser, as she watches his frail body, exhausted by illness, and tries to make sense of what has happened to him. Yasser's skin is covered in angry rashes and burn-like wounds that doctors cannot explain. His body is frail from hunger. The Crisis in Gaza's Camps The family lives in a cramped tent in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis, an area full of fellow displaced people, which Iman describes as catastrophic. The heat is suffocating. Garbage piles up around the tents. Contaminated water is all many families can access. Insects and rodents crawl through overcrowded shelters where thousands of displaced people are packed together with no sanitation and little food. Malnutrition and Infections Before the war, Yasser was healthy, Iman says. Then came the hunger. Months of severe food shortages and soaring prices left the family unable to afford even basic meals. Malnutrition weakened his body first. Then came the infections. The Spread of Disease Medical teams from Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) say skin diseases are spreading at alarming rates among displaced families forced to live in overcrowded camps. According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, more than 17,000 ectoparasitic infections – caused by parasites living on or under a human's skin – were recorded in 2026 alone. The Impact on Children Among the 1,325 people diagnosed with skin diseases, more than 62 percent were children. Dr Rana Abu Jalal, who works at the clinic, says doctors are witnessing a 'sharp rise' in skin diseases, particularly scabies, with many cases progressing into severe infections and painful abscesses.

The Human Side of a Scientific Titan Stephen Hawking is celebrated as a pioneer of black hole theory and the author of the best-selling A Brief History of Time, which has sold more than 13m copies. However, a new authorized biography reveals that his father, Frank Hawking, harbored significant doubts about his son's potential during his formative years. The Father’s Secret Code and Hidden Doubts Previously unknown diaries, kept by Frank Hawking for over 60 years, offer a raw and honest insight into the family's struggles. Frank wrote many entries in a secret code to ensure privacy, but the content reveals his deep anxiety about Stephen's future. In 1961, Frank lamented that his son "hangs round the house with little initiative and does not study much." Source Material: Access granted to biographer Graham Farmelo. Content: Over 200,000 words translated from the diaries. Key Insight: Frank worried Stephen had an inferiority complex regarding his father's career. The Contrast Between Expectation and Reality The diaries also document the harrowing period following Stephen's diagnosis of motor neurone disease at the age of 21 in 1963. Frank struggled to come to terms with the slow, ghastly progression of the illness, writing that he "did not enjoy being with him" due to the difficulty of communication. This stark contrast between the father's initial concerns and Stephen's eventual triumph over medical expectations adds a profound layer to his legacy. The Future of Hawking Scholarship The book, titled Hawking, is set to be published on 24 September 2026 by John Murray. Described as the "definitive portrait of an exceptional life and intellect," this biography promises to reshape the narrative of one of history's greatest minds by grounding his genius in the very human anxieties of his upbringing.

The Lead: Liverpool's Strategic Coaching Move Liverpool are closing in on the appointment of Etienne Reijnen to their coaching staff, a move that would underline the club's continued support for Arne Slot despite recent pressure on the manager. Slot's position remains under scrutiny with Liverpool yet to secure Champions League qualification, but the club is backing his request to strengthen his backroom team. The Coaching Partnership: Reijnen's Background with Slot Reijnen played with Slot at PEC Zwolle and became the Liverpool head coach's assistant at Feyenoord in 2023. Slot wanted to bring the 39-year-old with him when first appointed at Anfield but work permit issues scuppered the move. A deal to reunite Slot with his former assistant has not been completed but is progressing, with Feyenoord's technical director seemingly confirming Reijnen's exit this week. The Salah Situation: Manager-Star Relations Under Pressure Slot refused to confirm the move but acknowledged his high regard for Reijnen. He also addressed the ongoing situation with Mohamed Salah, who has posted critical social media comments about the team's performance. Slot agreed with Salah on the importance of Champions League qualification, insisting Liverpool's focus must be on securing a top-five finish. Everton's Ambition: Moyes Calls for Summer Investment David Moyes says Everton need "a big summer" when the club's owners must show the ambition to push the team forward. The Everton manager admitted he is despondent over a poor end to the season that has squandered the opportunity to qualify for Europe. Having competed at the right end of the table for the first time in several years, Moyes believes the Friedkin Group's next moves will determine how far the team can progress. Resource Constraints: Everton's Financial Strategy Moyes clarified that "a big summer" might mean making just one top-quality signing rather than multiple transfers. "We are not a club to go and spend, as some other clubs do, £200m-£300m. We don't have that. We will need to dodge and weave a bit and hopefully make the right choices," he said. Everton visit Tottenham on the final day needing a result to secure a top-half finish. Merino's Recovery: From Mobility Scooter to Potential Title Glory Arsenal's Mikel Merino feared he might never play again after sustaining a stress fracture in "a very strange part of the foot where not even the specialists had seen before" that left him needing a mobility scooter for two months. The Spain midfielder is expected to be named in Luis de la Fuente's World Cup squad next week after returning to training. Mental Fortitude: Coping with Injury During Title Race Merino admitted it has been difficult to watch from the sidelines as his team closed on their first title for 22 years. "At the beginning I was a little scared," he said. "We didn't know what to expect, what path to take during the recovery and if I was going to be able to play again." The midfielder maintained a positive attitude, using the mobility scooter as "a fun way to see the light of day and enjoy time with the dog." Burnley's Challenge: Rebuilding After Third Relegation Mike Jackson has warned there are no guarantees Burnley will immediately return to the Premier League following the club's third relegation in five seasons. Since a five-year stay in the top flight, the Clarets have experienced multiple promotions and relegations, highlighting the competitive challenges of maintaining stability in England's top division.

The Familiar FinalYou could be forgiven for having a sense of deja vu before a fourth Champions League final between the Spanish champions, Barcelona, and French champions, Lyonnes, on Saturday evening.The three-time champions and eight-time champions played each other in the final of Europe's premier competition three times in six years between 2019 and 2024, with Lyonnes earning a 4-1 win over the Catalan giants in 2019 and a 3-1 win in 2022 before Barcelona delivered a 2-0 defeat of the French side in 2024.However, predicting the outcome could not be harder and Barcelona's talismanic No 11, Alexia Putellas, said there is little that can be discerned from those previous meetings. "We can't compare seasons and we can't compare finals," said the two-time Ballon d'Or winner. "Our squad has evolved a lot, so previous finals don't have an influence on the final we are playing tomorrow."The Tactical Chess MatchA lot has changed. Most notably, Lyonnes are now managed by Jonatan Giráldez, who was a coach at Barcelona as they claimed their maiden UWCL title and at the helm for their second and third. Few managers are better equipped to return Lyonnes to the top of European football after a three-year hiatus than the man who understands the way Barça work and exactly how they ended the domination of the French side.As a result, the tactical approach of those on the sidelines is perhaps the most interesting piece of the puzzle in Oslo's Ullevaal Stadion.Giráldez said of Barça's development since he left: "They have some different players but their identity remains the same; this will to dominate and apply pressure. Not thinking about the result as much as about the show and the performance, that's their identity. I feel privileged to face Barcelona as I'm grateful for the experience I had there and I wish them the best – except when we have to win!"Master and ApprenticeOne of Giráldez's two assistants, Pere Romeu, replaced him when he departed for Washington Spirit in June 2024. "We are the two teams that have done the most in this competition to reach the final in recent years," said Romeu. "Tomorrow is going to be a very demanding match. Tomorrow is going to be a match with a lot of quality from both teams. Tomorrow is going to be a match that, as in all finals, is going to be decided by small details. We are going to try to take care of and control it to the maximum."The 32-year-old Barcelona manager won a domestic treble in his first season in charge, but fell short in the Champions League final last season as Arsenal delivered a shock defeat."I see a team that is more mature than last season," said Romeu. "I see a team with greater capacity to change things during the game than last season and I think we have reached a good point."Putellas described Romeu as a "complete coach", before the showdown on Saturday. "We've been working together for several seasons now and he has always tried to help me evolve as a player, which I'm very grateful for," she said. "He's the most complete coach. This season I've tried to do the best I possibly can without forgetting my own qualities in order to help the team."Romeu is relishing the master-apprentice battle in such a significant game. "I, as a coach, am super-excited to be able to face this match against a former coach of the club in Jonatan," he said. "I'm sure we'll both do everything we can to keep our teams' identities and keep doing the best we can to win."Dominate DomesticallyBarcelona secured another domestic treble on Saturday with a 3-1 Copa de la Reina final win over Atlético Madrid in their final game before travelling to Norway. Meanwhile, Lyonnes are one game away from their own domestic treble, having dispatched Nantes with an emphatic 8-0 win in the semi-final of the Premiere Ligue play-offs, with the final between the holders and Paris FC, taking place next Friday.The Lyonnes midfielder Lily Yohannes told Uefa that the club "just have so much hunger in us," after their three-year European dry spell. "We have so much fight. No matter what happens, we stick together, we rise above the challenges, and we just have such a winning mentality in the group."The 35-year-old centre-back Wendie Renard, who has been involved in each of the club's record eight Champions League wins, similarly spoke about a togetherness and desire in the team after a disappointing European run last season."If I had to sum up our journey this season: dedication," she told Uefa. "A Champions League campaign never comes easy, from one game to another. We've also had doubts and fears at times, but the squad has remained strong, and we've kept focusing on work and humility and performed well together."The Midfield BattleThe midfield battle will be key, with the impact of Melchie Dumornay, who was the difference maker in their semi-final fightback against Arsenal, critical for Lyonnes and Barcelona unsure of the readiness of the three-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, who is "feeling better every day", according to Romeu, but has not played 90 minutes for the team since November and only played 18 minutes of the Copa de la Reina final.Contrasting StylesThe Champions League final will ultimately be a contest between two different ways of playing, Barcelona's slick tiki-taka football and the more aggressive way Lyonnes play. Both cannot dominate possession in this game, one will have to cede it and find a different way to win. That is what makes it an enthralling fixture.

The Lead: Pakistan's Diplomatic Push in Iran CrisisPakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is in Iran as part of ongoing mediation efforts to end the Israel and United States's war that began on February 28. This high-level diplomatic visit comes as the US reports slight progress in negotiations while tensions remain high in the region.The Event Details: Pakistan's Second Mediation MissionMunir arrived in Tehran on Friday, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported, citing the Pakistan Army. "On arrival, he was received and warmly welcomed by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni," IRNA said, adding that "Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was also present at the reception."It is the second such trip to Tehran by Munir amid Pakistani mediation efforts to end the war. Islamabad helped secure a temporary ceasefire between the warring sides on April 8, and later hosted the highest-level talks between the US and Iran since 1979 on April 11-12.During this visit to Iran, unnamed Pakistani sources told the Anadolu news agency that Munir will discuss Iran-US talks, regional peace and stability, and other "important issues".The Data Analysis: Shifting Positions in Negotiations"The current process and the presence of senior Pakistani officials in Tehran means that we have reached a turning point or a decisive situation," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil ⁠Baghaei said on Friday.Iranian state media quoted Baghaei as saying the gaps between Tehran and Washington are "deep and significant". "We cannot necessarily say that we have reached a point where an agreement is close," he said. "The focus of the negotiations is on ending the war. Details related to the nuclear issue are not being discussed at this stage."Speaking at the White House on Friday, US President Donald Trump said, "Iran is dying to make a deal". "We'll see what happens. But we hit them hard, and we had no choice because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. They cannot have it," Trump added.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that "slight progress" was made during talks with Iran. "I don't want to exaggerate the progress in talks, saying there had been 'a little bit of movement, and that's good'. He said the conversations were ongoing.The Impact Analysis: Regional and Global RamificationsThe Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries a fifth of global oil production, have sent ripples through the global economy, driving energy prices soaring.As diplomatic efforts continue, European Union nations moved towards imposing sanctions on Iranian officials and others responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz, the EU said on Friday. Tehran effectively closed the key shipping lane for global oil and gas supplies in retaliation for the US-Israeli war."The EU will now be able to introduce further restrictive measures in response to Iran's actions undermining the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," the European Council representing EU nations said.Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off. But he's also previously indicated he would hold off on military action to allow talks to continue, only to turn around and launch strikes. The US president said he called off attacks on Iran this week at the request of allies in the Middle East, including the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.The Prediction: Path Forward for Diplomatic SolutionsIran's ⁠Baghaei said ⁠on Friday that a Qatari delegation ‌was currently holding talks with Iran's foreign minister, ⁠but added that ⁠Pakistan remained the main ⁠mediator in ⁠the ⁠negotiations.With Pakistan intensifying its mediation process to secure a second round of direct talks between the US and Iran, the region remains on edge. While both sides report some progress, the deep gaps between Tehran and Washington suggest that a comprehensive resolution to the conflict remains elusive, with potential for both diplomatic breakthroughs and military escalation still on the table.