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Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders are to reunite on stage for the first time in 17 years, playing the Ugly Sisters in the London Palladium pantomime production of Cinderella. The duo, who began performing together almost 50 years ago, predicted that their performance “won’t be pretty”, but expressed their excitement at finally fulfilling their dream of playing the iconic roles.The pair have a long history of collaboration, starting with their meeting as students at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. They went on to create a hugely successful sketch comedy series for the BBC and have toured together several times, including their last tour, French and Saunders: Still Alive!, in 2008-09. In 2020, they teamed up again for a podcast, Titting About.Michael Harrison, the producer of the Palladium panto, expressed his delight at having French and Saunders on board, citing their legendary chemistry and razor-sharp humour as a guarantee of a special experience for audiences. The production will also star Dex Lee as Prince Charming, Hope Dawe as Cinderella, and several other notable actors who have previously starred in pantos at the venue.The London Palladium has a history of hosting successful pantomimes, including Clary's 2016 production of Cinderella, described by the Guardian as a “tsunami of smut”. More recently, Catherine Tate joined the cast for the 2025 panto, Sleeping Beauty, which broke records with over 137,000 theatregoers attending.French and Saunders' production of Cinderella runs from 5 December to 10 January, with tickets going on sale on 2 April.

UK ministers have issued a stern warning that increasing North Sea drilling would leave the country vulnerable to the fluctuations of fossil fuel markets. This cautionary stance comes as the Conservatives and some Labour MPs are advocating for a reversal of the manifesto commitment to not issue new oil and gas licences.Energy Minister Michael Shanks emphasized that the UK is learning from past conflicts to avoid exposure to fossil fuels, which have previously led to households bearing the brunt of price hikes. The government's focus is on clean power to achieve energy sovereignty and national security.Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to outline plans to protect people from higher energy bills caused by the US-Iran conflict. The plans include measures to clamp down on price gouging, especially by petrol retailers responding to the conflict.Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, stressed that dependence on fossil fuel markets makes the UK a price taker, not a price maker. He argued that new licences in the North Sea would not affect prices and that scrapping the windfall tax would only increase energy company profits.The Labour Party has raised concerns about the impact of increased drilling on the environment and the economy. Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, argued that turning away from domestic gas would be detrimental, especially during a gas supply crisis.The government spokesperson highlighted the importance of £120bn of public investment in building homegrown energy, including nuclear power projects, to protect working people's bills for generations to come.

President Trump's assertion of 'very good' talks with Iran has raised eyebrows, especially after Tehran denied any negotiations were underway. The sudden detente comes as US markets prepare for another volatile trading day, with oil and energy markets closely watching developments.Trump, standing beside Air Force One, attempted to sell the unexpected diplomatic shift, but provided few details. He hinted at a potential deal involving Iran's nuclear program and control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supplies.The reported interlocutor, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament, has denied any talks with the US, suggesting that Trump is trying to mitigate financial damage from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Ghalibaf accused Trump of using 'fake news' to manipulate markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.Despite skepticism, international leaders, including Keir Starmer and Benjamin Netanyahu, have cautiously welcomed the talks. Netanyahu emphasized that any deal must safeguard Israel's interests, while also continuing to strike targets in Iran and Lebanon.The negotiations may be another attempt by Trump to buy time, particularly for oil and energy markets. The Pentagon is still positioning military assets, and a potential strike or occupation of Iran's islands or coastline remains a contingency plan if diplomatic efforts fail.

Isis Sio, a 19-year-old junior flyweight boxer, has made a significant recovery after being placed in a medically induced coma following a knockout loss in her fourth professional fight. According to her promoter and family, Sio is now awake and breathing on her own.Although still in intensive care, Sio has been weaned off the ventilator, as announced by ProBox TV on Monday. Her camp expressed hope for her continued progression and mentioned that she is under the care of three specialized medical divisions closely monitoring her condition.The knockout loss occurred just 78 seconds into her bout against Jocelyn Camarillo at San Bernardino’s National Orange Show Event Center last Saturday. Camarillo, a three-time amateur national champion with a previous record of 5-0, secured the win.Sio, born in North Dakota and the state’s only active female boxer, has faced challenges in her professional career, having lost three of her four bouts since her debut last September. Her previous fight also ended in a knockout loss due to a series of heavy body blows.Camarillo expressed her respect for Sio, stating, “Nothing but respect. Keeping her in my prayers and wishing her healing and a full recovery,” on Instagram after the fight.

The Anatomy of the DarkSword LeakSecurity researchers have uncovered a significant escalation in iPhone vulnerabilities following the public release of the DarkSword exploit kit on the code-sharing site GitHub. Unlike sophisticated zero-days that require specialized knowledge to deploy, the leaked files are uncomplicated HTML and JavaScript scripts that can be hosted on a server in a matter of minutes. This accessibility has turned a tool previously associated with state-sponsored actors into a potential weapon for any criminal actor.The toolkit specifically targets iPhones and iPads running older versions of Apple’s operating system, such as iOS 18, which have not yet been updated to the latest iOS software. The code is designed to work "out of the box," meaning no iOS expertise is required to execute the attack. Researchers note that the leaked samples share infrastructure with previous campaigns analyzed by iVerify and Google, indicating a continuity in the threat landscape.The Scale of the VulnerabilityThe implications of this leak are vast, given the sheer number of devices potentially affected. According to Apple’s own data, approximately one-quarter of all iPhone and iPad users are still running older operating systems. With over 2.5 billion active devices globally, this suggests that hundreds of millions of users are currently exposed to the capabilities of DarkSword.Targeted Data: The exploit is capable of exfiltrating forensically relevant files, including contacts, messages, call history, and the iOS keychain (which stores Wi-Fi passwords and secrets).Historical Context: DarkSword was previously alleged to be used by Russian government hackers against Ukrainian targets, linking this new leak to geopolitical cyber warfare.From State-Sponsored to Criminal PlaygroundThe ease with which DarkSword can be repurposed has raised alarms within the cybersecurity community. Matthias Frielingsdorf, co-founder of mobile security startup iVerify, described the situation as "bad" and warned that the tool cannot be contained. The transition of such advanced spyware from a restricted government tool to a public commodity lowers the barrier to entry for cybercriminals.Kimberly Samra of Google and security hobbyist matteyeux have independently confirmed that the leaked code is trivial to use. Matteyeux successfully demonstrated the exploit on an iPad mini running iOS 18, proving that the threat is immediate and actionable for malicious actors.The Future of iOS Security and Lockdown ModeApple has responded by issuing an emergency update on March 11 for devices unable to run recent versions of iOS. The company emphasizes that keeping software up to date is the "single most important thing" for security and notes that devices with updated software are not at risk.Furthermore, Apple highlighted that Lockdown Mode would block these specific attacks. As the industry moves forward, the reliance on software updates and hardening features like Lockdown Mode will become increasingly critical in defending against the commoditization of exploit kits like DarkSword.

Sardar Azmoun, one of Iran's top football players, has been expelled from the national team over allegations of disloyalty to the government. This development has significant implications for Iran's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.Azmoun, who plays for Dubai's Shabab Al-Ahli, upset Iranian authorities by posting a picture on his Instagram feed with Dubai's ruler, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This move was perceived as a disloyal act, especially given the strained relations between Iran and the UAE, which have included rocket and drone attacks by Iran on the UAE.The 31-year-old striker, known for his impressive career abroad with clubs like Zenit Saint Petersburg, Bayer Leverkusen, and Roma, has scored 57 goals in 91 internationals since his debut in 2014. His absence will undoubtedly weaken Iran's team, Team Melli, in their upcoming matches.Criticism against Azmoun was severe on state TV, with football pundit Mohammad Misaghi stating that Azmoun's actions were an act of disloyalty and that he was not worthy of wearing the national team jersey. There was no immediate response from the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) regarding the matter.This incident comes at a time when Iran's women's national team is dealing with its own controversy, with several players seeking asylum in Australia after being branded 'wartime traitors' on Iranian state TV for not singing the national anthem before a Women's Asian Cup match.

Israel and the United States have launched a new wave of attacks against Iran, escalating the conflict in the region. The Israeli military confirmed that it carried out a second round of strikes, hours after initiating a wide-scale wave of attacks on infrastructure targets in Tehran. Al Jazeera Arabic's correspondent in Tehran reported that the size and volume of the explosions in the Iranian capital were unprecedented, especially on the eastern side of the city. Iranian air defense systems were activated in response to US-Israeli drones hovering over the city. According to Mohamad Elmasry of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, the war is escalating, with US and Israeli forces hitting not only military installations but also hospitals, schools, and over 5,000 residential units. He warned that the situation is becoming increasingly dangerous, especially for the people of Iran. Iran's Fars news agency reported that a strike on a residential building in Khorramabad killed one child and wounded several people, while at least six people were killed in strikes on homes in Tabriz city. The Iranian Red Crescent Society stated that over 80,000 civilian building units have been hit, with some fully demolished. The US military targeted a turbine engine production site in Qom province, used for drone and aircraft components linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Meanwhile, Iranian missile strikes continued overnight in Israel, with falling shrapnel reported across several locations. Iran's Foreign Ministry denied any dialogue with the US, claiming that President Trump's comments aimed to reduce energy prices and buy time to implement military plans. The IRGC warned that if the US targets Iran's power plants, it will hit power plants in areas supplying electricity to US bases and American interests. The conflict has resulted in over 1,500 deaths in Iran and 15 deaths in Israel. The situation has also unsettled oil markets, with prices fluctuating as Asian trading opened. The head of the International Energy Agency warned that the situation in the Middle East is very severe and worse than the two energy crises of the 1970s combined.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has taken a significant risk by retaining Brendon McCullum as men's head coach and Rob Key as team director following a dismal Ashes series. The pair's contracts and the board's decision have sparked widespread criticism.McCullum's contract runs until the end of 2027, and terminating it would come at a substantial cost. The ECB appears to have opted for continuity, despite England's 4-1 defeat in Australia, which exposed several issues with the team's approach and strategy.The Test team holds a special place in the hearts of English cricket fans, and the recent performance has left many feeling frustrated. The ECB's decision to stick with McCullum and Key is seen as a bold move, but it also means that the duo must now work to regain the trust and support of the public.Richard Gould, the ECB chief executive, and Richard Thompson, the ECB chair, have acknowledged that the decision will not be popular. However, they seem committed to their strategy, citing a 25% increase in Test viewership over the past four years.The ECB's plans to revamp the team include introducing a bowling guru and a new selector. However, some critics argue that these changes do not go far enough to address the team's shortcomings. Rob Key emphasized the need for greater accountability for poor performance, but the specifics of how this will be implemented remain unclear.The team's performance under McCullum and Key has been inconsistent. While there have been some notable victories, the team has struggled in major Test series against Australia and India. The Ashes campaigns, in particular, have been approached with a casual attitude, with England only becoming more determined after falling behind 2-0 in 2023.To regain the public's trust, England must demonstrate improvement in several areas, including better engagement with the domestic game, more merit-based selection, and a clearer understanding between Ben Stokes and McCullum. The team's ability to adapt and evolve will be crucial in the coming months.

The US and Iran have been engaged in secretive backchannel talks, mediated by countries such as Egypt, Pakistan, and Oman, in an effort to prevent further escalation of the conflict in the region. The talks, which were denied by Iran initially, may lead to a resolution, but the path forward remains uncertain.According to reports, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have been in communication, with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry tweeting that conversations were underway on Sunday, 24 hours before Donald Trump's deadline to start attacking Iran's energy infrastructure.The talks have been chaotic, with multiple mediators jostling for the title of peacemaker in chief. Pakistan's army chief, Asim Munir, spoke with Trump on Sunday, while Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday.Iran's Foreign Ministry initially denied any talks had taken place, saying: “There is no negotiation whatsoever between Tehran and Washington.” However, the ministry later opened up, with spokesperson Esmail Baghaei saying that messages had been exchanged through friendly countries, indicating America's request for negotiations to end the war.The talks may yield a complete and total resolution in the war, according to Trump, who announced that he was holding off from attacking Iran's energy infrastructure due to the “very good and productive conversations” that had been held with Iran.A 15-point deal has been proposed, including joint control of the strait of Hormuz, no nuclear bombs, and no enrichment of uranium. However, Iran's willingness to agree to abandon its right to enrich uranium remains a major sticking point.If talks fail, Trump warned: “We'll just keep bombing our little hearts out.”