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Mint, the new drama from Charlotte Regan, is a bold reimagining of the classic love story, Romeo and Juliet. This electrifying drama tells the tale of impossible love between two people from bitter crime rival families.The series stars Emma Laird as Shannon, the daughter of a Scottish crime family, and Benjamin Coyle-Larner, also known as Loyle Carner, as Arran, the prodigal son of a different crime family. Their eyes meet across a down-at-heel train station, and they are incompatible and irresistible to one another.Charlotte Regan drew inspiration from her own experiences and those of her cast and crew. The drama features a unique visual style, with sparse dialogue and a focus on visual storytelling. The show's use of Super 8 fragments and VHS-style footage adds to its distinctive aesthetic.The cast, including Laura Fraser and Lindsay Duncan, deliver powerful performances that bring depth and nuance to the story. Emma Laird praises Regan for keeping her acne in the show, saying it's a huge part of her character's authenticity.Mint is available on BBC iPlayer from Monday, April 20th, with the series airing on BBC One from 9 pm that night.

Janett and Erika Liriano, growing up in Queens as daughters of Dominican immigrants, were encouraged to dream big. By their late 20s, Janett had been named a Forbes 30 Under 30 Listmaker and was chief of staff at a biopharmaceutical firm, while Erika was making a name for herself in venture capital.However, feeling unfulfilled, they decided to leave their lucrative jobs and move to the Dominican Republic to start a chocolate company. Inspired by their parents' homeland and the country's rich cacao resources, they aimed to create a vertically integrated cacao company that would benefit local farmers.The Dominican Republic produces about 60% of the world's organic cacao, but most of its export is raw beans, with the majority of profit made in countries like Belgium, Germany, and the US. The sisters saw an opportunity to change this and create a more equitable supply chain.After months of research and planning, they launched Inaru Chocolate, a company that contracts directly with farmers and pays them a fixed rate, ensuring fair prices and better livelihoods. The company pays farmers 3% of every product sold, resulting in 30 to 50% higher earnings than what most other buyers offer.In 2023, they opened a 7,000-sq-ft chocolate factory outside Santo Domingo, employing 35 people and producing high-end chocolate. Their business model has attracted brands like the W Hotel and Zingerman's, with 80% of their business coming from B2B sales.The sisters' journey hasn't been easy, facing challenges like securing funding and navigating language barriers. Despite these obstacles, they have raised $12m in investments and are committed to creating jobs and empowering local farmers in their parents' homeland.

It's been 20 years since the passing of Muriel Spark, a celebrated Scottish novelist, short story writer, poet, and essayist. With a career spanning over two decades, Spark left an indelible mark on literature with her 22 novels, which are characterized by their uncanny, astute, and witty storytelling. James Bailey, author of the biography Like a Cat Loves a Bird: The Nine Lives of Muriel Spark, provides a guide to Spark's oeuvre, highlighting her unique narrative style. A typical Spark novel begins by introducing an enclosed community, such as nuns, schoolgirls, or desert island castaways, filled with gossip, deceptions, and conflicts. This setup is then disrupted by a dramatic event, like a murder or scandal, allowing Spark to explore the consequences. For readers new to Spark's work, Memento Mori (1959) is a great starting point. This darkly comic novel follows a cast of bickering pensioners who receive anonymous phone calls with the ominous message: 'Remember you must die.' The novel raises questions about mortality, fear, and the human condition. Spark's debut novel, The Comforters (1957), is a remarkable example of her innovative storytelling. The protagonist, Caroline Rose, believes she can hear the clanking typewriter keys of an entity she calls the Typing Ghost, which dictates the events of her life. This novel showcases Spark's ability to blend diabolism, diamond-smuggling, and supernatural elements. One of Spark's most famous novels, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, is known for its quotable lines, such as 'Give me a girl at an impressionable age and she is mine for life.' This novel explores themes of favouritism, fascism, and the seductive power of belonging. Spark considered The Driver's Seat (1970) her finest achievement, describing it as her creepiest work. This novel follows Lise, a protagonist whose holiday romance takes a dark and unexpected turn. Spark's works often explored the contrast between public personas and private lives. Her 1968 novel, The Public Image, is a prime example, delving into the world of a film star struggling to maintain her reputation amidst paparazzi and self-absorbed relationships. Spark's short stories, collected in her Complete Short Stories, offer a glimpse into her versatility as a writer. These tales often feature unquiet spirits and explore themes of mortality, guilt, and redemption.

On a Wednesday night, Israel launched a massive air campaign against Lebanon that resulted in the deaths of over 300 civilians and struck more than 100 targets within ten minutes, including densely populated neighborhoods in central Beirut. The operation, described by Israeli officials as the largest strike against Hezbollah since the month‑long war with Iran began, has drawn sharp international condemnation. The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, maintains that the attacks were narrowly aimed at Hezbollah operatives who allegedly relocated command posts to civilian districts such as the Dahieh suburb. Critics, however, argue that the scale and timing of the strikes suggest a broader political motive: to disrupt the US‑Iran ceasefire negotiated by former President Donald Trump, a deal many view as unfavorable to Netanyahu. Evidence fueling this theory includes the lack of any prior warning and the targeting of locations where high‑profile Hezbollah figures were present. Among the dead was Ali Yusuf Harshi, the nephew and personal adviser of Hezbollah secretary‑general Naim Qassem, leading some observers to speculate that the operation may have been a failed attempt to eliminate Qassem himself—mirroring Israel’s 2024 alleged assassination of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah officials later claimed they had been “notified of a ceasefire” and were committed to it from the morning of the attack, yet by Thursday both sides were again exchanging heavy fire. Netanyahu’s public justification for the strike—citing the killing of an aide to Qassem—appeared thin, reinforcing the perception that the operation was designed to act as a “spoiler” to a ceasefire he had previously opposed. Analysts at the Soufan Center in New York warned that, even if Lebanon is technically outside the ceasefire framework, the sheer magnitude of Israel’s assault will be viewed as escalatory. They argue the strikes serve a dual purpose: to widen the rift between Iran and its proxies and to retaliate against what Israel perceives as being sidelined in the ceasefire negotiations. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the attacks, stating they breach the ceasefire agreement and render ongoing talks meaningless. He warned of a possible Iranian response against Israel, underscoring the fragile nature of the diplomatic effort. Marion Messmer, director of the international security programme at Chatham House, highlighted a deeper strategic dilemma: the United States’ difficulty in managing its alliance with Israel amid the broader US‑Iran conflict. She noted that Israel’s insistence that its Lebanese operations are unrelated to the ceasefire reveals a “key vulnerability” in Washington’s ability to steer its regional partners, potentially trapping the US in a conflict it seeks to exit. Further complicating the picture, the Israeli Defense Forces reportedly assess that defeating Hezbollah remains unrealistic despite the intensified bombing campaign, suggesting that the current strategy may be more about political signaling than achieving decisive military objectives. In sum, the Israeli strike on Lebanon not only caused a tragic loss of civilian life but also raised serious questions about the durability of the US‑Iran ceasefire, the strategic calculations of Netanyahu’s government, and the broader stability of Middle‑East geopolitics.

Israeli airstrikes devastated Lebanon on Wednesday, killing more than 300 people and wounding 1,165 in a span of just 10 minutes. The strikes, which targeted over 100 sites across the country, have been described as one of the deadliest mass killings in Lebanon since the end of the civil war in 1990.Omar Rakha, a survivor, recounted his terrifying experience: he was bleeding and face down on the street when he realized a building next to his in Beirut's Barbour neighborhood had been destroyed by two Israeli bombs. The neighborhood, once considered safe, felt like a war zone.The Israeli military claimed it had targeted Hezbollah 'command and control centers' in the bombing campaign dubbed 'Operation Eternal Darkness.' However, residents and Lebanese officials argue that the strikes mainly killed civilians. Lebanon's prime minister, Nawaf Salam, accused Israel of targeting 'densely populated residential neighborhoods' and killing unarmed civilians in breach of international law.Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a surgeon at the American University of Beirut Medical College, described the overwhelming influx of wounded, including children pulled from under the rubble. 'The youngest was an 11-month-old. I had to operate on him just to relieve some pressure in the head,' he said.The airstrikes have escalated tensions and raised concerns about the potential for further conflict. The war in Lebanon, which started after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel on March 2, has left around 1,800 people dead and 5,873 wounded.

Afika Bambaataa, the Bronx‑born architect of modern hip‑hop, passed away at age 67 in Philadelphia early Thursday morning, with officials citing complications from cancer as the cause of death. The Hip‑Hop Alliance, chaired by veteran rapper Kurtis Blow, released a statement honoring Bambaataa’s role as a founding figure of the culture. The group praised his creation of the Universal Zulu Nation, which promoted the movement’s core values of peace, unity, love and fun, while also acknowledging the complexity of his legacy in light of recent abuse allegations. During the 1980s, Bambaataa helped define the sound of hip‑hop, most notably with the 1982 electro‑funk anthem “Planet Rock”. The track, which sampled German pioneers Kraftwerk, positioned him at the forefront of a new musical frontier and led to collaborations with artists such as John Lydon, George Clinton and James Brown. Born Lance Taylor, he launched the Universal Zulu Nation in the late 1970s, drawing inspiration from DJ Kool Herc and the solidarity of South Africa’s Zulu people. This collective became a cultural hub that spread hip‑hop’s ethos worldwide. In the early 1980s Bambaataa also performed with the electronic group Ebn Ozn, further cementing his reputation as a bridge between American street culture and European synth‑pop. His work helped crystallize the electro‑funk genre that dominated clubs across the globe. His activist side emerged in 1985 when he joined Artists United Against Apartheid to produce the landmark protest single “Sun City.” The project featured a roster of high‑profile musicians—including Bob Dylan, Bono, Bruce Springsteen and Run‑DMC—united against South Africa’s apartheid regime. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s Bambaataa continued to record, culminating in his final album, “Dark Matter Moving at the Speed of Light” (2004). While his musical output waned, his influence on subsequent generations of artists remained unmistakable. However, Bambaataa’s later years were marred by serious accusations. In 2016, several Bronx men alleged sexual misconduct, which he publicly dismissed as “baseless and cowardly.” A former bodyguard later claimed to have witnessed inappropriate behavior involving teenage boys. The allegations resurfaced in May 2025 when an anonymous plaintiff filed a civil suit alleging four years of abuse beginning in 1992. Bambaataa failed to appear in court, resulting in a default judgment against him. As the hip‑hop community mourns a foundational artist, it also confronts the enduring debate over how to reconcile his cultural contributions with the serious allegations that have come to define the final chapter of his public life.

In a stark address delivered as the cease‑fire in the Iran conflict teetered, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned that the war will leave a permanent scar on the global economy, slowing growth beyond the IMF’s original projections for 2026. Georgieva noted that, had the hostilities not erupted six weeks ago, the Fund would have been poised to raise its 2026 growth outlook. Instead, even the most optimistic scenario now entails a downgrade, and a swift return to pre‑war conditions appears unlikely. The uncertainty surrounding the cease‑fire—exacerbated by divergent positions of Washington and Tehran—has already pushed oil prices higher, reflecting fears of continued disruptions to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for world energy supplies. According to the IMF’s upcoming World Economic Outlook, the conflict’s “scarring effects” will translate into lower living standards worldwide. The Fund had previously forecast global growth of 3.1% in 2026, a modest slowdown from 3.2% in 2025, buoyed by a tech‑driven investment surge. Georgieva emphasized that the war arrived when the economy was riding “considerable momentum” from technology investment and supportive financial markets. She outlined the mechanisms of damage: damaged infrastructure, supply‑chain interruptions, eroded confidence, and prolonged uncertainty over oil and gas production in the region. These factors will depress growth regardless of whether a peace agreement is ultimately reached. Georgieva highlighted that the most vulnerable will be net oil‑importing nations, poorer economies and small island states, which stand to feel the brunt of higher energy costs and reduced trade flows. She urged governments to avoid unilateral measures such as export bans or price controls, warning that such actions could "pour gasoline on the fire" and further destabilise markets. With many countries already carrying elevated debt levels and higher borrowing costs, the IMF chief called for targeted, temporary assistance to protect the most at‑risk households. She cautioned against broad tax cuts or blanket energy subsidies, which could stoke inflation and strain fragile public finances. Central banks, she added, should keep policy rates steady while remaining ready to act against inflationary pressures. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, who also chairs the Financial Stability Board, echoed the IMF’s concerns, describing the conflict as a "very big shock" that has heightened market volatility. He stressed that the situation remains fluid and that policymakers must stay vigilant. Overall, the IMF’s message is clear: the Iran war will reshape the global growth trajectory for the foreseeable future, and coordinated, prudent policy responses are essential to mitigate its lasting impact.

Max Verstappen's future in Formula One has been thrown into doubt after his long-time engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, announced that he will be leaving Red Bull to join McLaren in 2028. Lambiase has been a crucial part of Verstappen's team since 2016, playing a key role in his four world championships.The news is a significant blow to Red Bull, as Lambiase's departure comes at a time when Verstappen has been expressing disenchantment with the current F1 regulations. The Dutch driver has been vocal about his frustration with the focus on energy management, which he believes has made the racing less enjoyable.Verstappen's contract with Red Bull runs until 2028, but performance-related escape clauses could allow him to exit before then. The team has been going through a period of change, with several key figures leaving, including Christian Horner as team principal, Adrian Newey as chief designer, and Jonathan Wheatley as sporting director.Lambiase's move to McLaren will see him take on a role supporting the team principal, Andrea Stella. The British-Italian engineer has been a close ally of Verstappen, and their partnership has been highly successful. Their radio interactions during races have been closely followed, showcasing a strong professional and personal bond.The departure of Lambiase and other key figures has raised questions about the future of Red Bull and Verstappen's commitment to the team. With the current regulations and the competitiveness of the Red Bull car, Verstappen's future in F1 is uncertain.

Liverpool's struggles continued as they were thoroughly outplayed by Paris Saint-Germain in a 2-0 defeat. The Reds had a dismal 28% possession and failed to register a single shot on target. Manager Arne Slot acknowledged that his team had been 'ripped apart' at times and admitted to employing negative tactics to keep the tie alive for the second leg.PSG's dominance was evident throughout the match, with their midfielder Vitinha standing out. Despite their superior performance, PSG were unable to capitalize on their chances, allowing Liverpool to stay in the tie. Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk has called on fans to make a significant impact in the return leg at Anfield, but it remains to be seen if the team can mount a successful comeback.The defeat has raised questions about Slot's approach and the team's ability to compete with top-tier opponents. The return leg next Tuesday promises to be a crucial encounter, with Liverpool needing a significant turnaround to advance to the next round of the Champions League.