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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.

In Tokyo, a group of elderly Japanese people are determined to master smartphones and stay connected in a 4G and 5G world. The class, led by Yasushi Nishioka, a retired programmer, teaches students the basics of smartphone use, including turning their phones on and off, controlling volume, and using cashless payments and QR codes.The students, most of whom are in their 70s, say they are intimidated by their devices, but are eager to learn and not be left behind in an increasingly digital world. Japan's 3G network has been shut down, and telecom companies are encouraging subscribers to switch to 4G and 5G networks.Nishioka guides his students through the basics, including health trackers and weather forecasts, and promises that future sessions will cover entertainment, social media, and photo and video content. The students also express concerns about security, a growing problem in Japan, and Nishioka shares an app that filters out suspicious contacts.The participants' reasons for taking the plunge aren't wildly different to those that keep younger people umbilically attached to their devices: reserving tickets, joining WhatsApp groups, learning a foreign language, and making travel plans. As Nishioka notes, one of the biggest challenges for users of all ages is managing their passwords.

Mr Cobra arrives as the latest statement from Korean‑American experimental musician Lucy Liyou, translating her solo music‑theatre piece into a full‑length album that confronts the corrosive nature of desire. From the opening track, listeners are greeted by a fractured piano motif that feels like shattered glass against an empty canvas, immediately setting a tone of tension and vulnerability.The record refuses to settle into any single genre. Liyou’s soundscapes swell into glossy disco bursts, dissolve into a tongue‑in‑cheek Taylor Swift skit, and even collapse into farmyard noises and text‑to‑speech monologues. This kaleidoscopic approach mirrors the emotional volatility of the central character, Babygirl, who oscillates between yearning and revulsion as she navigates a predatory romance.Key moments illustrate the album’s thematic focus on shame and power dynamics. On “Constrictor (Haha)”, Babygirl’s submissive cravings are drenched in cold‑water imagery, only to be abruptly repelled in the whimsical “Old MacDonald Had a Charm”. By the close of the track she is once again flirting, underscoring the cyclical trap of abusive attraction. Liyou also toys with celebrity culture; the track “Romeopathy” reworks Swift’s “Love Story” into a desperate plea for validation, repeatedly urging Mr Cobra to “just say yes”.While the album’s nursery‑rhyme hooks and disco interludes can momentarily distract from its darker undercurrents, they are integral to the smart, playful chaos that defines Liyou’s artistic vision. Mr Cobra stands as a daring, semi‑autobiographical exploration of how desire can both enthrall and erode, offering listeners a richly layered experience that rewards repeated, attentive listening.

Christine Baranski, known for her TV roles in The Good Fight and The Gilded Age, is set to make her West End debut in a revival of Noël Coward's comedy Hay Fever. She will star as Judith Bliss, a newly retired actor, alongside Richard E Grant, who will play her novelist husband.Baranski, a two-time Tony award winner for best featured actress in a play, expressed her excitement to “tear a passion to tatters” in the 1925 play about a family toying with their guests at a country house party. The production, directed by Emily Burns, will run at Wyndham’s theatre from 22 September to 12 December.Baranski described the play as a “101-year-old comedy of appalling manners” that requires “quicksilver delivery and suave flamboyance.” She also praised Grant as “whip-smart and wickedly funny.” This production marks a significant return to the theatre for Grant, who has recently appeared in supporting roles in films like The Thursday Murder Club and Nuremberg.The revival of Hay Fever is part of a recent surge in productions of Noël Coward's works, including Fallen Angels and Easy Virtue. Baranski's West End debut is a long-awaited event, with the actress having attended her first West End play in 1971 as a student at Juilliard.

The Plague, directed by Charlie Polinger, is a gripping debut feature that plunges into the psychological depths of a boy's water polo training camp in the summer of 2003. The film impressively captures the brutal hierarchy driven by braggadocio, bullying, hazing, and gaslighting among the young campers.The story follows Ben, a latecomer to the camp, played by Everett Blunck, who desperately tries to ingratiate himself with the cool crowd led by the impish Jake, played by Kayo Martin. Ben aims to avoid the pariah status of Eli, played by Kenny Rasmussen, who is supposedly afflicted with a made-up disease dubbed 'the plague' by the group.The film's stylistic bite is reminiscent of David Fincher's work, with a stunning initial submerged shot of a pool glittering like a starfield. Polinger also showcases a keen ear for the nonsense conversations among the 12-year-old campers, discussing topics such as 90s rock outfit Smash Mouth and the ethics of bestiality.While the film flirts with body horror, it never quite resolves its suggestion that the plague could be psychosomatic. Despite this, the young performers stand out in their unfiltered rawness, particularly Blunck, Martin, and Rasmussen. The film is a memorable education in the laws of the tween jungle, with Joel Edgerton providing a reassuring presence as Coach Daddy Wags.The Plague is set to be released on digital platforms from April 20, 2026.

A new report has found that media coverage of violence against women and girls has reached a 'dismal' low, despite a proliferation of high-profile cases of men abusing women and children, and a rise in AI-assisted violence against women and girls. The analysis of 1.14bn online stories published worldwide between 2017 and 2025 found that the proportion of articles including terms related to misogynistic abuse dropped to 1.3% of all global online news in 2025, the lowest level in that period.Coverage peaked at 2.2% in 2018, the height of the #MeToo movement. In Africa, where multiple conflicts have involved extreme levels of sexual violence, coverage sank to a nine-year low of 1.18% in 2024. The report also found that when misogyny-related stories are covered, men's perspectives and opinions dominate, with 1.5 men quoted for every one woman in stories about misogyny.The research identified a failure to address the structural nature of misogyny that enables abuse through long-standing prejudices and power imbalances. One in nine women worldwide have experienced violence from men in the last 12 months and one in three women have been subject to physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. The report recommended solutions to improving coverage of violence against women and girls, including putting female journalists and editors in charge of shaping coverage, and victims and survivors of violence at the heart of the story.

Witold Banka, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), has emphasized that India's massive production of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) is a significant challenge in the fight against doping. With India being the largest producer of PEDs globally, Banka stresses that curbing their production is vital to protecting athletes and maintaining the integrity of professional sports.Banka and his team have been working closely with Indian authorities, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to disrupt the supply chain of PEDs and dismantle the networks of racketeers and agents involved in their distribution. WADA's Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) initiative has been instrumental in this effort, with 250 raids worldwide, 88 illicit labs dismantled, and nearly 90 tonnes of PEDs seized since 2022.India's doping problem is particularly concerning, with the country topping the list of global sports drug cheats for three consecutive years. In 2024, India's National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) collected 7,113 urine and blood samples, out of which 260 tested positive. This has raised concerns about the country's Olympic ambitions, particularly with India preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and potentially bidding for the 2036 Olympics.However, Banka believes that the focus should shift from testing athletes to targeting the suppliers of PEDs. He advocates for a top-down strategy, working with law enforcement agencies to disrupt the criminal networks involved in PED production and distribution. This approach aims to strengthen India's anti-doping system and prevent future doping cases.Banka also emphasized that India's doping statistics do not necessarily impact its ability to host major sporting events. Instead, the focus should be on how effectively the country's anti-doping system works from a legal perspective. WADA's role as a global anti-doping regulator is to assess and ensure the integrity of these systems.

Modern combat has been reshaped by the Russia‑Ukraine war, the Gaza clashes, India‑Pakistan skirmishes and the recent US‑Israel strikes on Iran, driving an unprecedented global appetite for drones, missiles and sophisticated air‑defence systems. Turkey, a leading military power in the Middle East, is positioning itself as a key supplier in this booming market. At the heart of Turkey’s push is Roketsan, a firm founded in 1988 to equip the Turkish Armed Forces. Today the company exports to roughly 50 nations and is counted among the fastest‑growing defence enterprises worldwide. Bypassing Western embargoes has been a catalyst for this growth. After the United States imposed CAATSA sanctions in 2020 and removed Turkey from the F‑35 programme, Ankara was forced to develop an indigenous defence ecosystem. The result is a network of nearly 4,000 small and medium‑sized enterprises that now supplies over 90 % of the components used in Turkish weapons. Financially, the strategy is paying off. In 2025 Turkish defence exports reached $10 billion. Roketsan’s General Manager Murat Ikinci told Al Jazeera the firm sits at 71st place among global defence firms and is targeting a climb into the top 50, then top 20, and ultimately the top 10 by the end of the decade. To fuel this ambition, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan inaugurated a suite of new facilities last week, including: Europe’s largest warhead production plant. A new R&D centre employing 1,000 engineers. The “Kirikkale” complex dedicated to rocket‑fuel research. Infrastructure for mass‑producing ballistic and cruise missiles. The construction represents a $1 billion outlay, with an additional $2 billion earmarked for scaling up production capacity. Roketsan’s R&D engine—the third‑largest in Turkey with 3,200 engineers—draws heavily on lessons from ongoing wars. The Ukraine conflict highlighted the effectiveness of cheap FPV and AI‑guided kamikaze drones, prompting Roketsan to field systems such as the ALKA and BURC air‑defences and the laser‑guided CIRIT missile. Recent US‑Israel operations against Iran have underscored the threat posed by low‑cost Iranian‑designed Shahed drones, now upgraded with Russian “Kometa‑B” anti‑jamming modules. These swarms have overwhelmed regional defences and even struck a British base in Cyprus in March 2026, while NATO intercepted three Iranian ballistic missiles that entered Turkish airspace. In response, Roketsan is advancing the “Tayfun” (Typhoon) missile family. The flagship Tayfun Block 4 is a hypersonic ballistic missile designed to pierce advanced air‑defence layers at extreme speeds. When pressed for specifics, Ikinci declined to disclose the exact range, noting only that it is “sufficient.” Strategically, Turkey is shifting away from Western dependence toward an “Eastern” partnership model. Roketsan now offers joint production and technology‑development agreements, establishing co‑located facilities and R&D centres across the Middle East, Far East and Europe. Qatar has been cited as a flagship example of this collaborative approach. Roketsan has identified five priority product lines to meet rising global demand: Long‑range ballistic and cruise missiles. Advanced air‑defence systems, including “Steel Dome”, Hisar‑A, Hisar‑O and Siper. Submarine‑launched cruise missiles leveraging the AKYA system. Smart micro‑munitions for armed drones. Long‑range air‑to‑air missiles, a capability highlighted by the recent India‑Pakistan clash. The timing is critical. Ongoing conflicts have depleted the stockpiles of high‑end air‑defence assets worldwide. During the US‑Israel‑Iran confrontation, the United States relied heavily on Patriot and THAAD systems, raising concerns that interceptor inventories could run low. Gulf states, which have logged over 1,000 drone sightings in their airspace, are actively seeking alternative solutions—an opening that Turkey’s self‑sufficient supply chain is poised to fill. Analysts warn that even major powers like the United States will need years to rebuild their air‑defence inventories due to the complexity of production. Turkey’s claim of near‑complete domestic manufacturing positions it as a ready supplier for nations eager to diversify away from traditional Western sources. As demand for missiles and drones surges, Roketsan is reinvesting its revenues into expanding production infrastructure, aiming to cement its place among the world’s elite defence exporters.