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Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday that the United States and Iran are still negotiating a second round of talks—held through Islamabad—to end their nearly seven‑week conflict, even though no date has been fixed for the meeting.The ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan on April 8, is set to expire on April 22, and officials warn it is under increasing strain as a U.S. naval blockade continues to turn away Iranian‑linked vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is conducting a regional tour that began in Jeddah, moved to Doha, and will continue to Antalya, where he will attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on April 17 alongside Saudi, Turkish and possibly Egyptian counterparts.Simultaneously, Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir arrived in Tehran with a delegation that includes Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. He was welcomed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who praised Pakistan’s “gracious hosting of dialogue.”Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi emphasized that the details of the upcoming talks remain confidential and that Pakistan’s role is to keep the process alive, stating, “We have the details and information of the talks entrusted to us by the negotiating parties.”Analyst Muhammad Faisal described Islamabad’s approach as a dual‑track strategy: Sharif is building a broader Gulf coalition, while Munir is engaged in hard negotiations aimed at narrowing gaps between Washington and Tehran and extending the ceasefire.Iran has insisted that any agreement must include Lebanon, citing the ongoing Israeli strikes that have killed over 2,000 people and displaced 1.2 million. The United States, however, maintains that a Lebanon settlement must remain separate from the US‑Iran talks.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently mediated a trilateral meeting in Washington with Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors, but no ceasefire or follow‑up was secured.Both sides appear cautiously optimistic. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said further talks are “very likely” to take place in Islamabad, while Iran’s spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei noted multiple messages exchanged with Washington since April 12.President Donald Trump indicated that talks could resume within two days and expressed a greater willingness to travel to Pakistan for negotiations.Strategic analysts warn that the Strait of Hormuz blockage—which restricts roughly one‑fifth of global oil shipments—remains a pivotal issue. Opening the waterway is seen as essential to easing upward pressure on oil prices and restoring confidence in global markets.Should the second round of talks fail, Pakistan’s role may shift from mediator to crisis manager, focusing again on brokering a ceasefire if hostilities resume.

Thousands of Iranians who had fled Tehran during the recent war have begun returning to their homes or workplaces, despite the fragile truce and looming anxiety over the approaching ceasefire deadline.Mehdi, a 36-year-old IT professional, is one of them. He had fled to the north with relatives in the early days of the war, but has now returned to find his home damaged by blasts, with shattered glass and blown-out bedroom window frames.The city is riddled with ruined buildings, destroyed infrastructure, and an economy in turmoil. Mehdi describes the experience of hearing missiles hit nearby: 'There's a whistling sound I hope you never hear … a missile so close that you don't know if it's going to hit your house or your neighbour's.'Many residents, especially those reliant on the internet, have lost their livelihoods due to the 45-day internet blackout imposed by Iranian authorities. This has left most of Iran's population cut off from the world, with some paying large sums to access the internet through Starlink and VPNs.Noor, an activist based in Tehran, says 10 million Iranians depend on internet access to run small businesses or make an income. The economic pressure has become unbearable, with food items and medications for patients with serious or chronic illnesses becoming difficult to find or afford.The economic crisis has worsened, with factories struggling to operate due to a lack of raw materials, construction workers losing jobs, and workplaces laying off staff or reducing their workforce.

Stuart Heritage revisits Hacks as its final season rolls out on Sky Atlantic, Now, HBO Max and Stan, asking whether the series can recapture the brilliance that earned it an Emmy for Best Comedy in 2024.When the show first burst onto the scene, it was hailed as the pinnacle of comedy, outshining drama‑heavy series like The Bear. Its early acclaim rested on the razor‑sharp chemistry between Jean Smart (Deborah Vance) and Hannah Einbinder (Ava), a dynamic that felt both vicious and hilarious.That reputation has been challenged by newer satire such as The Studio, which swept the 2025 Emmys with bigger stars and slicker production. In contrast, Hacks managed only supporting trophies for Smart and Einbinder, prompting the question: can the show rally in its swan song?The latest run marks a noticeable upgrade from the muddled third and fourth seasons, where Vance’s late‑night talk‑show stint exposed the series’ structural cracks. This season, Vance is slapped with a Conan O’Brien‑style gag order that bans her from public jokes, giving her a fresh, if absurd, source of conflict.Early episodes burst with energy as Vance concocts wild schemes—pursuing an EGOT, penning a memoir, even eyeing a Madison Square Garden gig. The momentum feels promising, yet the show’s signature venomous satire is muted.Where Hacks once thrived on Vance’s bitter, anti‑heroic edge and her hostile banter with Einbinder’s Ava, the current tone has softened into a more amicable camaraderie. This shift defangs the series, making it feel less like the cutting industry critique it once was.The finale lands as a bewildering, almost ChatGPT‑generated one‑act play, delivering an unearned climax that feels more like a stunt to secure another Emmy for Smart than a satisfying narrative closure.Despite uneven seasons, the core performances remain the show’s strongest asset. Smart and Einbinder continue to deliver compelling, powerhouse portrayals that will likely be the lasting memory of Hacks for its fans.In the end, the final season offers moments of fun but ultimately signals the end of the series’ once‑sharp satire, leaving viewers to mourn the loss of its original bite.

In the Colombian city of Medellín, a neighbourhood called Comuna 8 has taken proactive steps to address climate change and disaster risk management. The community, with the help of organisations and experts, has developed a climate resilience plan that focuses on nature-based solutions.Róbinson Velásquez Cartagena, a community leader, designed and built a rainwater harvesting system to reduce the risk of flooding and landslides. This initiative is part of a larger plan that includes reforestation to control erosion and sedimentation on hillsides and in ravines, and establishing eco-gardens and agroforestry systems.The plan, which was formally launched in August 2023, comprises eight measures to address climate risks. These measures were developed in line with the Medellín city council's Climate Action Plan and with the involvement of several organisations, including Medellín's disaster risk management department (DAGRD) and Heriot-Watt University in the UK.The community's efforts have led to a disaster risk and climate adaptation plan for all 21 comunas in Medellín. While challenges remain in securing government support and funding for grassroots initiatives, the work in Comuna 8 serves as a model for other communities.“The plan reflects the views of the community and the organisations' proposals that we have made for years,” says Velásquez Cartagena. “We want the municipality to acknowledge it financially. We hope they put effort into implementing it, as these small actions make a real difference.”

Disney introduced InfinityVision at this year’s CinemaCon, positioning it as a certification for premium large‑format (PLF) auditoriums that meet or exceed undisclosed standards for screen size, brightness and sound quality. While the name sounds like a Marvel spin‑off, the label applies to any film, not just superhero titles. Disney claims roughly 300 screens worldwide already carry the badge, though a public directory has yet to appear. The timing is strategic: Disney’s Avengers: Doomsday is slated for a December debut that coincides with the release of the third Dune film, which has secured a limited run on coveted Imax screens. By promoting InfinityVision, Disney hopes to reassure audiences that alternative PLF venues—such as Dolby, RPX and other branded auditoriums—can deliver an equally spectacular experience, a tactic the author dubs screenmaxxing. Screenmaxxing has become a lifeline for a theatrical sector under pressure from streaming and rising ticket prices. Even the smallest multiplex PLF screens dwarf the televisions owned by the majority of consumers, yet theatres cannot simply charge a $5 premium for a larger screen; they need to sell a demonstrably superior visual and auditory package. Today’s market offers a bewildering array of PLF options, especially in cities where multiple chains compete. Directors like Ryan Coogler (Sinners) and the team behind Project Hail Mary use the variety of formats as a marketing hook, explaining aspect‑ratio differences and visual nuances to fans. Even legacy formats have resurfaced: Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another revived the rarely used VistaVision, an analog high‑definition process dormant for half a century, alongside traditional 70mm and Imax prints. Adding to the mix, a new digital projector brand—HDR by Barco—is being rolled out to compete with Dolby‑branded auditoriums. The technology promises deeper blacks, heightened contrast and unprecedented brightness, and has already been adopted by the Alamo Drafthouse chain for its dine‑in locations. Many of these Barco‑equipped rooms also feature Dolby Atmos sound, though the author cautions against conflating sound systems with projection technologies. To gauge HDR by Barco’s performance, the writer visited the Brooklyn Alamo Drafthouse, one of three New York venues using the system (the others are Regal locations equipped with RPX screens). While the recent Super Mario Galaxy movie showcased the projector’s vivid palette, the reviewer chose a more demanding test: Lee Cronin’s horror‑reimagining The Mummy. Compared with a prior Dolby projection of the same film, the Barco version delivered a noticeable boost in clarity—especially in shadow‑heavy scenes—without the oversharpening or motion‑smoothing artifacts sometimes seen on consumer TVs. The experience was “brighter” yet retained natural colour balance, offering a subtle but real upgrade over standard cinema projection. Despite the technical gains, the piece questions whether another premium brand can truly shift audience habits. The author argues that healthy competition among laser‑projection systems may prevent theatres from settling for “dim” images, encouraging cinephiles to seek out PLF venues. However, blockbuster spectacles like the climactic battle in Avengers: Endgame remain visually underwhelming even on an InfinityVision‑certified screen, suggesting that format alone cannot rescue a film’s visual impact. Ultimately, the most compelling case for premium formats may be the construction of genuine Imax theatres, not retrofits. True Imax auditoriums prioritize height over width, delivering an immersive field of view that even high‑end digital projectors struggle to match. Yet only a few dozen such venues exist worldwide; most “Imax” screens are simply Dolby, Barco or RPX rooms equipped with the brand’s hardware. Screenmaxxing, therefore, is likely to remain a niche pursuit rather than a universal solution for the exhibition industry. While hunting for the loudest, sharpest presentation can be entertaining, an overabundance of competing formats may reinforce the perception that a standard movie‑going experience is insufficient—potentially undermining the very audience the industry hopes to attract.

Wrexham AFC, the football club co-owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, has been awarded a £3.8m government grant without a contract or a completed state aid assessment in place. This has raised questions over whether the award was lawful.The club has received a total of £18m in taxpayer-funded grants to help redevelop its stadium, the Racecourse Ground. This is significantly more than any other club in the UK.Responses to freedom of information requests suggest that Wrexham county borough council awarded the money before completing the usual steps. Alexander Rose, a partner specialising in subsidy control at law firm Ward Hadaway, stated that the lack of a final state aid assessment at the time the grant was awarded would have left it vulnerable to legal challenge by a rival.However, there is little prospect of Wrexham AFC being forced to repay the cash, as the one-month window for challenges to be filed has since closed. The leader of Wrexham council, Mark Pritchard, said: “All due diligence and checks were in place ahead of the transfer of any funding and we refute any accusations to the contrary.”Reynolds and Mac took over the club in 2021, bringing with them a wave of sponsorship and global interest via their Disney TV series Welcome to Wrexham. The club has been able to far outspend their lower-league rivals, transforming the club’s fortunes.Wrexham, which was granted city status in 2022, awarded the £18m to the star-studded club as part of its “Wrexham Gateway” urban improvement scheme. Most of the money went towards developing the stadium, despite the club having deep-pocketed owners.The first £3.8m tranche of cash was awarded on 8 February 2022, less than a year after Reynolds and Mac’s takeover. Another £14m was awarded in September 2025.Public authorities that give out grants are required by law to judge if they comply with the principles of subsidy control, to ensure taxpayer money is not misspent. However, in response to a freedom of information request, Wrexham council said it only had “draft assessments” in place before the money was awarded.The council said the final assessment it provided was submitted nearly five months later, on 6 July 2022. In response to questions, the council shared a draft assessment it said dated from 7 September 2021.Rose said: “At the time the £3.8m grant was awarded there was a duty to carry out a principles assessment. Evidence that this assessment wasn’t finalised when the grant was given would certainly have helped a challenger, for example a rival football club.”“Subsidy control rules exist to ensure there’s a level playing field in which businesses can compete,” he added. “That includes in professional football. They’re also an important protection for the taxpayer, preventing wasteful and unnecessary subsidies from being awarded.”Recipients of large grants almost always sign contracts to ensure taxpayer money is spent as promised. Yet the council said the grant was authorised by its executive board and “provided in advance of the finalisation of the grant funding agreement”.The council said the grant funding agreement – apparently covering the whole £18m – was only created in July 2023.The contract was then completed on 17 September 2025, when the £14m tranche was awarded.The two-year delay between the creation of the contract and its signing also offered another potential benefit to Wrexham council: new subsidy control laws that came into force days earlier in August raised the threshold for mandatory scrutiny of the grant by the Competition and Markets Authority.Delaying the subsidy meant the award to Wrexham AFC was not subject to this scrutiny.While it was tapping taxpayer money, the club was also able to raise huge amounts from private backers. In the year to June 2025 it raised £36m through share issues. Three months after the second grant, Reynolds and Mac announced the sale of a stake in the club to Apollo, one of the world’s largest private equity firms.Bloomberg reported that Wrexham was valued as high as £350m. The club then raised another £47.8m in January, according to corporate filings.In the year before it received the £14m grant, Wrexham was able to repay loans worth £10.6m to Ryan Reynolds’s company, according to accounts published last month. It also lost £3.8m from the collapse of Argentex, a currency brokerage that entered special administration in July 2025 because of failed foreign exchange trades.Pritchard, the council leader, said: “The grant represents a small investment compared to what the club will be investing at the Racecourse … In fact, as the club has grown in both stature, ambition and from external investment, the percentage of public investment compared to that of the club has shrunk from roughly 68% of the project costs to around 25% currently.“This demonstrates further value for money in regard to the initial investment from the public purse.”Wrexham AFC said the club is itself making a “significant financial investment with the support of our ownership group and investors”. Accounts published last month show the club has signed a £69.2m contract to build a new stand.The spokesperson said the “funding ensures the facility can be brought up to the required standard to host international sporting events, including international football and rugby matches (as opposed to just meeting domestic football criteria)”

Richard Wagner’s near‑death at sea in 1839 inspired the legend of the cursed ghost ship that underpins The Flying Dutchman. The Welsh National Opera (WNO) brings this myth to life in a fresh production that treats the libretto as a poetic meditation on birth, love, and mortality. Directed by Jack Furness, the opening scene intertwines a woman’s labor with the overture’s turbulent surges, symbolising the birth of Senta—destined to lose her mother and become haunted by the Dutchman’s promise of redemption, which can surface only once every seven years. Visual motifs—circling movements, blood‑red dresses echoing the ship’s sails—reinforce the cyclical fate of both protagonists. Designer Elin Steele and lighting designer Lizzie Powell conjure stormy seas and mist without literal ships, allowing the audience to focus on the raw emotions conveyed by the singers. Minimalist set pieces, occasional gold‑dust flourishes, and precise costume changes keep the drama tight and immersive. The cast delivers a musically rewarding performance. James Creswell shines as Daland with crystal‑clear German diction, while Simon Bailey portrays the tormented Dutchman with a compelling blend of menace and sympathy, especially in the final act. Rachel Nicholls as Senta offers a believable, passionately deluded love, delivering bel canto lines with immaculate pitch. Tenors Trystan Llŷr Griffiths (the Steersman) and Leonardo Caimi (Erik) make strong impressions, though the opera’s numerous choruses feel over‑extended. The WNO orchestra, under the authoritative baton of outgoing music director Tomáš Hanus, creates a convincing tempest that underpins the drama. Facing a thin 2026/27 season, the company is eager to prove its vitality, making these performances a must‑see—though audiences should not anticipate a conventional resolution. Staging dates include the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff (19 April), Theatre Royal Plymouth (24 April), Birmingham Hippodrome (7 May) and Milton Keynes Theatre (15 May).Review by Rian Evans, The Guardian, 17 April 2026.

Britain is bracing for its most severe economic contraction in decades, a side‑effect of the United States’ escalating conflict with Iran and the resulting shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. The British Treasury and the IMF warn that the nation’s growth could be crushed, public confidence in the government is eroding, and the prime minister’s position may become untenable. The original aim of sanctions was to punish hostile states and force leaders like Vladimir Putin to change course. Yet, data shows that in the years following the sanctions, Russia’s growth outpaced that of the United Kingdom. Similarly, the 2010s sanctions on Iran, intended to halt its nuclear programme, appear to have accelerated it, and current measures aimed at toppling the ayatollahs show little prospect of success. The United States now enforces economic restrictions on around 30 countries, including North Korea, Myanmar, Belarus and Afghanistan. Despite the breadth of these measures, the targeted regimes have largely remained in power, indicating a systemic failure of sanctions to destabilise entrenched governments. Beyond their limited impact on regime change, sanctions have unintentionally bolstered the Sino‑Russian trade bloc and driven many nations toward the BRICS alliance, positioning it as a counterweight to the G7. This realignment underscores the counter‑productive nature of the policy. Academic research, such as Nicholas Mulder’s The Economic Weapon, reinforces the historical pattern: except for very small states, trade restrictions are easily circumvented, and authoritarian regimes insulated from democratic pressures are largely immune. Mulder concludes that “the history of sanctions is a history of disappointment,” a sentiment echoed by critics who warn that each new round of sanctions repeats the same mistakes. One of the most damaging side‑effects is the exodus of skilled professionals. Iran, for example, has seen a diaspora of over four million people as of 2021, many of whom belong to the educated middle class that could have fueled internal reform. The brain drain weakens any potential opposition and inadvertently benefits Western economies that absorb this talent. Russia experienced a similar talent flight after the 1990s, when a vibrant civil society briefly flourished. Today, the remaining dissenters face both Kremlin repression and Western ostracism, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of McCarthy‑era loyalty tests. Given these outcomes, the article argues that the West must abandon blunt economic coercion in favour of nuanced, soft‑power strategies. Supporting opposition groups through academic, cultural, and diplomatic channels could nurture the very alternatives that sanctions have helped to erode. In sum, sanctions have proven illiberal and counter‑productive, reinforcing authoritarian borders while draining the human capital needed for genuine change. Restoring constructive relationships with societies like Iran and Russia, rather than relying on punitive trade measures, may offer a more viable path to long‑term stability.

Tottenham Hotspur, a club with a rich history and significant financial resources, finds itself in a precarious position, battling relegation with only six games remaining in the Premier League season. The team's struggles have been well-documented, with just 30 points from 32 games, placing them 18th in the league table.The appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as manager has brought a mix of tactical acumen and emotional intensity, but the Italian tactician faces a monumental task in rescuing the team's season. De Zerbi's approach focuses on the psychological aspect of the game, emphasizing the need to restore belief and harness the talent within the squad.The team's decline has been attributed to a combination of factors, including mismanagement, constant instability, and a lack of clear direction. The revolving door of managers, with four changes in the last 12 months, has left the players without a clear identity or tactical discipline. The impact of long-term injuries to key creative players such as Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, and Mohammed Kudus has further exacerbated the team's struggles.De Zerbi's high-risk, high-reward system requires time to implement, but with relegation looming, he is prioritizing the mental aspect of the game, urging his players to draw on the principles drilled into them under former manager Ange Postecoglou.With crucial matches against Brighton and Wolves on the horizon, Tottenham has the opportunity to pick up vital points and inject some much-needed confidence into the team. However, the question remains whether De Zerbi's approach can yield the desired results in time to avoid relegation.