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The England national team is gearing up for the World Cup with a massive 35-player squad selected by Thomas Tuchel, including late additions like Ben White. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold is still noticeably absent from the roster.The team's chances of winning the World Cup are being discussed, with some players like James Garner being touted as potential game-changers. The squad also includes recalled players Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo, who will be looking to secure a spot in the final group.Moving on to the English Football League (EFL), Coventry City is being tipped for promotion to the Premier League. The Championship is heating up, with teams like Middlesborough, Ipswich, Millwall, and Hull vying for a spot in the top tier.At the bottom of the Championship, Oxford, Leicester, Portsmouth, West Brom, and Blackburn are all fighting to avoid relegation. In League One, Lincoln City is on the brink of promotion, while Cardiff is set to join them.The League Two promotion battle is intense, with Bromley almost certainly securing an automatic spot. A four-way scrap is underway to avoid relegation and stay in the Football League.

Revolut, the UK banking app, has reported a 57% increase in profits for 2025, but warned that its support for energy-intensive sectors such as crypto and AI could lead to a reputational risk. The fintech company, which can now launch as a fully fledged UK bank after a five-year wait for regulatory approval, offers crypto trading and has applied for a banking licence in the US.The company's annual report highlighted that cryptocurrency mining and AI datacentres demand large amounts of power, with competition for electricity supplies getting steeper since the US-Israel war on Iran sent energy prices soaring over the past month. Revolut's chief executive, Nik Storonsky, hailed another “landmark year” for the company, which has 68.3 million individual customers and 767,000 business customers.Revolut's growth has been rapid, with revenues climbing 46% to £4.5bn and a £1.7bn pre-tax profit for 2025. The company plans to offer a wider array of banking services in the future, such as lending and other products, and has launched mortgage refinancing in Lithuania. Despite the potential risks, Revolut believes its digital-first approach and emphasis on financial inclusion could lead to it being “relatively insulated and even benefit from an orderly energy transition, relative to traditional financial institutions”.

The Museum of Youth Culture, located in Camden, London, is set to open on May 15. The museum's founders, led by Jon Swinstead, have amassed a 100,000-item archive that chronicles British youth subcultures from the mods and rockers to ravers and emo. The collection includes iconic items such as a Raleigh Chopper, an original Sony Walkman, and a punk mask with 'HATE' stenciled across it.The museum's concept was born out of Swinstead's passion for capturing British subcultures through photography, which began in his garden shed. The collection has since grown to include personalized school leavers' shirts, handbags, and customized shirts dedicated to two-tone bands. The museum aims to fill a void in the UK's cultural landscape, providing a space dedicated to the teen years and the subcultures that defined them.The museum will not only serve as a showcase for the collection but also as an event space, featuring a Rough Trade shop and a youth club. With a 20-year lease and support from the City Bridge Foundation and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the museum hopes to become a significant part of the UK's cultural landscape.

Hong Kong police have been granted new powers to demand that individuals suspected of breaching the city's national security law provide mobile phone or computer passwords. This move is part of a further crackdown on dissent in the city.The amendments to the law, published by the city government, also empower customs officers to seize items deemed to have a 'seditious intention', regardless of whether any person has been arrested for an offence endangering national security.Refusing to comply with the demand for passwords could lead to up to one year's jail and a fine of up to HK$100,000 ($12,773), while providing false or misleading information could bring up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of up to HK$500,000.The sweeping national security law, imposed by Beijing in 2020, punishes acts including subversion and collusion with foreign forces with up to life imprisonment. The law has sparked criticism from western governments and rights groups, but Beijing and Hong Kong officials say it was needed to restore stability after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019.Urania Chiu, a law lecturer in the UK researching Hong Kong, said the new provisions interfere with fundamental liberties, including the privacy of communication and the right to a fair trial. Chiu stated that 'the sweeping powers given to law enforcement officers without any need for judicial authorisation are grossly disproportionate to any legitimate aim the bylaw purports to achieve.'A Hong Kong government spokesperson said the amended rules conform to the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, and its human rights provisions, and 'will not affect the lives of the general public or the normal operation of institutions and organisations'. According to the Security Bureau, a total of 386 people have been arrested for national security crimes so far, with 176 people and four companies convicted.

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that the government will not provide universal support to deal with potential future rises in energy bills. Instead, any government assistance will be targeted towards those who need it most.Reeves criticized the support package offered by the previous government under Liz Truss as unaffordable and irresponsible, stating that it benefited the wealthiest households and led to high levels of national debt.The chancellor emphasized that any future support will be provided within the government's fiscal rules to keep inflation and interest rates low. The government is currently focusing on longer-term measures to reduce energy bills for all households.Reeves also mentioned that she will review the planned fuel duty rise in September, but did not commit to delaying or postponing it. She will hold meetings with supermarkets and banks to discuss how they can support their customers and ensure that the Competition and Markets Authority has the necessary powers to detect and prevent price gouging.The chancellor's announcement comes amid speculation about the government's response to the energy crisis and its impact on households.

The UK's manufacturing sector has been hit by the sharpest rise in cost inflation since Black Wednesday in 1992, as the conflict in the Middle East drives up oil prices and disrupts supply chains. According to the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), cost inflation in manufacturing jumped to its highest level since October 2022, marking the largest month-on-month change since 1992.The rapid increases in costs mainly relate to fuel, transportation, and energy-intensive raw materials. The composite PMI index, covering services and manufacturing, stood at 51, suggesting the economy is still expanding, but at a sharply slower pace than the 53.7 seen in February.Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P; Global Market Intelligence, said: "Output growth across manufacturing and services has slowed to a crawl as companies blamed lost business directly on the events in the Middle East, whether through heightened risk aversion among customers, surging price pressures, higher interest rates, or via travel and supply chain disruptions."The CBI's survey of the retail sector also showed the fastest annual decline in sales volumes since April 2020, with the balance of retailers reporting rising sales at -52% in March, down from -43% in February.Martin Sartorius, lead economist at the CBI, said: "Retailers report that weak economic conditions continue to weigh on household spending, with subdued activity also evident across the broader distribution sector."Emily Sawicz, a director and industrials senior analyst at RSM UK, said: "Despite some resilience, geopolitical tensions remain a key concern for UK manufacturers – underscoring that conditions remain highly uncertain. The recovery many hoped to see take hold in 2026 now appears likely to be delayed at best, as rising energy costs and persistent inflation risks threaten to slow momentum."

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.

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.

The United States is experiencing rising security concerns as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, with intelligence briefings warning of potential extremist attacks and civil unrest. The event, set to take place in June and July across the US, Canada, and Mexico, is expected to draw hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and attract massive crowds. **A significant delay in $625 million in federal security grants** has compounded the issue, with officials warning that the stalled funding could hinder preparations and leave the country vulnerable to threats. The grants, part of a Republican-backed spending bill passed in July 2025, were initially expected to be allocated by January 30, but have yet to be distributed. The intelligence briefings, obtained by Reuters, have highlighted the risk of **extremist attacks on transportation infrastructure** and civil unrest related to President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. There are also concerns about the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and potential retaliatory threats. **The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on Wednesday that it had awarded the grants**, which will be used to bolster security preparations. However, officials have expressed concerns that the delay could impact the ability to prepare for the event, with some warning that it will be 'extremely tight' to get everything in place in time. The security concerns extend beyond the matches themselves, with **FIFA Fan Festival events** also posing a risk. Several World Cup and state officials have expressed concerns about the potential for large crowds to gather and the risk of hostile actions by lone actors or extremist elements. **The event is expected to draw massive crowds and significant attention**, with 104 matches scheduled to take place across the US, Canada, and Mexico. US Representative Nellie Pou, a Democrat representing a district in New Jersey that includes MetLife Stadium, one of the sites where games will be played, said that each of the World Cup's 104 matches would be equivalent to a Super Bowl.