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Global stock markets swung wildly on Monday as investors reacted to US President Donald Trump's decision to postpone military strikes on Iranian power plants. The move led to a relief rally in European markets, with the French Cac 40, Spanish Ibex, and German Dax all rising by 0.8%, 1%, and 1.2% respectively.The FTSE 100 share index, which had fallen by almost 1.5% in early trading, reversed course to gain 0.4% before paring back to close down 0.2%. US markets were up more than 1% in early afternoon trading on Wall Street.Oil prices, which had been rising after Trump threatened to strike Iranian infrastructure, dropped sharply. Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 10% to $101 a barrel. The UK month-ahead gas prices fell 6% to 142p a therm.Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that the US and Iran had “very good and productive conversations” over the past two days regarding “a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East”. He said he had instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period, subject to the success of ongoing meetings and discussions.The global economy has been bracing for much higher oil prices due to disruption in the strait of Hormuz, with Goldman Sachs forecasting Brent crude will average $85 a barrel this year, up from previous expectations of $77 a barrel. Brent hit $119.50 a barrel earlier this month, the highest since the war began.

Alan Ritchson, the star of the hit Amazon Prime Video series Reacher, has been accused of assaulting his neighbor in a suburban neighborhood in Tennessee. A video obtained by TMZ appears to show Ritchson striking the man, identified as Ronnie Taylor, multiple times while his children watch.The alleged incident began on Saturday when Ritchson was reportedly riding his motorbike through the neighborhood at high speeds, revving the engine. Taylor claimed he responded with an obscene gesture, which Ritchson allegedly returned. On Sunday, Ritchson returned to the neighborhood with his two children on their own motorbikes. Taylor said he asked Ritchson to stop, and the situation escalated into a physical altercation.Taylor alleged that Ritchson struck him at least four times, resulting in visible bruising and swelling on his face, as shown in photos obtained by TMZ. However, other sources cited by TMZ countered that Taylor approached Ritchson in an aggressive manner and attempted to interfere with his motorbike, causing the actor to fall and sustain minor injuries.Ritchson is widely recognized for portraying Jack Reacher, a fictional former US army military police officer, in the Amazon Prime Video series. The character is known for his extensive combat experience and intense fights. The show, based on author Lee Child's bestselling crime novels, has been praised for Ritchson's physical performance and closer resemblance to the protagonist's original depiction.The Guardian has contacted Ritchson's representatives for comment.

The Last Blossom, directed by Baku Kinoshita and written by Kazuya Konomoto, is a quiet, contemplative anime feature that rarely gets a theatrical release. The film opens in a lonely prison cell, where the elderly former yakuza Akutsu finds an unexpected confidant in a talking balsam flower.Over the course of one sleepless night, Akutsu's life story unfolds in bursts. Thirty years prior, another balsam flower grows in the back yard of Akutsu's humble house, which he shares with Nana and her baby son, Kensuke. The relationship between the taciturn man and the bubbly young woman is seemingly platonic; Kensuke is not his son. Yet there are hints of romantic attraction; they share bowls of piping hot ramen noodles, play endless rounds of Reversi, and join in harmonising the Ben E King classic Stand By Me.In contrast to this alternative nuclear family, the yakuza world is still strictly traditional, revolving around machismo and codes of brotherhood. When Kensuke is diagnosed with a heart condition, Akutsu is lured into a criminal plot, which leads to his incarceration. Though encompassing much bloodshed and even a hidden treasure subplot, The Last Blossom is most moving as an exploration of human conscience, where a capacity for violence and kindness coexist.The paradox is reminiscent of Shōhei Imamura’s Palme d’Or winner The Eel, starring Koji Yakusho as a wife-murderer who shelters a pregnant woman after his prison release. With his unassuming buzzcut, in stark contrast to his flamboyant yakuza peers, Akutsu bears a striking resemblance to Yakusho’s protagonist. Though a minor work compared to Imamura’s, The Last Blossom similarly questions conventional notions of justice, and the impossibility of weighing one’s good and bad deeds.The Last Blossom is in UK and Irish cinemas from 27 March, and in Australian cinemas from 23 April.

Satellite images of Tehran have revealed that toxic fires caused by Israeli bombings on oil depots were still burning days after the strikes, posing serious health risks to millions of residents in the Iranian capital.The bombings, which occurred on March 7, caused clouds of smoke to blanket the city with pollutants ranging from soot to oil particles to sulphur dioxide. A passing storm then showered Tehran with poisonous, oil-filled rain.Residents have reported headaches, eye and skin irritation, and difficulty breathing. Experts have warned that these symptoms could be just the beginning, with long-term risks of cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, DNA damage, and cancer.Four fuel facilities in and around the capital were hit, including the Shahran depot in the north-west, the Aqdasieh oil depot in the north-east, the Tehran refinery in the south, and the Shahid Dolati facility in the west.Satellite images taken two days after the strikes showed the Shahran depot and the Tehran refinery were still burning. Another image taken by the European Space Agency satellite on Tuesday – 10 days after the strikes – showed that those two fires had smouldered, but smoke and flames were visible at the Aqdasieh oil depot.Iran has described the attacks as “ecocide”, which is described as wanton acts of environmental destruction.The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned that heavy smoke from burning oil was “directly inhaled by people in Iran – including young children – raising serious concerns about long-term impacts on both human and environmental health”.

Palantir, a leading AI and data analytics company, has secured a major contract with the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to leverage its AI technology for detecting financial wrongdoing. This deal marks a significant expansion of Palantir's presence in the UK, where it has already embedded its technology in the NHS, police, and military. The contract, valued at over £500m, enables Palantir to access terabytes of data gathered by the FCA, providing it with an unparalleled view of the inner workings of British authorities and the City of London, a global financial hub. Campaign groups have expressed concerns over Palantir's work with public authorities, citing its previous involvement with controversial entities such as the US Department of Homeland Security and the Israel Defense Forces. However, the company continues to secure lucrative contracts in the UK. The FCA aims to utilize Palantir's AI technology to better detect signs of wrongdoing, such as money laundering and fraud, which account for approximately 40% of all crimes in the UK. The regulator's workplan for 2025-26 includes expanding the use of data and intelligence to identify and act on high-risk firms and individuals. However, experts warn that the use of AI in detecting financial wrongdoing may lead to new challenges, such as criminals adapting to evade detection by using techniques like invisible 'white text' in documents to instruct AI systems to ignore incriminating information. Prof Michael Levi, an expert in money laundering at Cardiff University, notes that while there are concerns about data privacy, the use of AI technology can also help target corporate holdings and shell companies used for illicit activities.

In the end, a comedy show leaves you with a feeling that tells you whether it worked or not. The general consensus about the inaugural episode of Saturday Night Live UK is that it did work, though some may feel the cast of 11 actors and 20-strong writing team only just got away with it.The show began with an impression of Keir Starmer by George Fouracres, followed by the guest host monologue by Tina Fey, former head writer at the original SNL. Like many sketches to come, it started stiltly but warmed up to end in relative triumph.One of the stronger sketches featured a skincare range called Undérage by Pedolay, with the tagline "everyone will think your husband is a nonce!" While some sketches went on too long—a tradition almost as longstanding as the cold open—others hit their mark better.A sketch about David Attenborough's Last Supper with reanimated icons offered a disturbingly good Diana impression by Jack Shep, followed by two successful bits featuring Hammed Animashaun as an honest film critic and as part of a team dedicated to making the internet "as bad as it can possibly be."The team recovered with a solid Weekend Update presented by Ania Magliano and Paddy Young, which contained proper jokes for grownups, including references to "Boris Pistorius/Saddam Walliams" and a joke about "It's a Sin becoming a musical as if a TV show about the Aids crisis could get any gayer."While a Shakespeare sketch and a bra-fitting sketch had mixed results, and performances by Wet Leg were described as "god-awful," the reviewer concluded that the show did not fail and could become more successful as the team and audience settle in over coming weeks.The review acknowledges that while the show could have been a lot worse, it also could have been better. However, the attempt to retool a legacy American brand for British audiences was refreshing and ambitious, with potential for growth and improvement.

American musician Chappell Roan has responded to criticism from former Chelsea footballer Jorginho after he accused her security guard of being aggressive towards his stepdaughter and wife at a hotel in Brazil.Jorginho, 34, claimed that his 11-year-old stepdaughter was left crying after Roan's security guard spoke to her and his wife in an aggressive manner when they encountered Roan at a hotel in São Paulo. He accused Roan of not appreciating her fans, stating that they had been staying in the same hotel and his stepdaughter had simply smiled at Roan before walking back to her mother.In response, Roan posted a video on Instagram, explaining that she had not instructed her security guard to approach Jorginho's stepdaughter and wife. She expressed sadness over the incident, saying that the stepdaughter "did not deserve that" and emphasized that she values her fans and does not hate children or people who admire her music.The incident sparked online criticism of Roan, including from the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Cavaliere, who suggested that Roan was not welcome to perform at the city's annual Todo Mundo no Rio music festival. This criticism comes after Roan previously spoke out against "entitled" fans and their "creepy" behavior in a series of TikToks.

The Gondoliers, Gilbert and Sullivan's last big hit, has been brought to life by the English Touring Opera in a production that is both a feast for the eyes and ears. The opera, which came hot on the heels of the famous quarrel over a carpet at the Savoy theatre, showcases Sullivan's sunniest and most sophisticated score paired with some of Gilbert's most brilliantly barbed lyrics.A sharply pointed satire on the pitfalls of egalitarianism, the plot features babies swapped at birth and a pair of gondoliers, one of whom may or may not be the son of the recently deceased King of Barataria. The production locates the action in the late 17th century, but contemporary resonances abound, including the cash-for-endorsements antics of the money-grubbing Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro.Visually stunning, Liam Steel's staging channels the chocolate box style of the D'Oyly Carte company, with set designer Michael Pavelka's revolving Venetian bridges and Laura Jane Stanfield's rococo costumes creating a feast for the eye. The ensemble cast, including Robin Bailey as Marco and Samuel Pantcheff as Giuseppe, deliver exceptional performances with boundless enthusiasm.The production's success can be attributed to the mischievous wit of Steel, who places dance at the heart of everything while never missing a trick with copious running gags and deft comic timing. A standout moment is the putting of the true king's elderly nursemaid to the rack, which is pure laugh-out-loud entertainment.

The recent pronouncement by a judge in Afghanistan, stating 'a few beatings won't kill you,' when rejecting a woman's divorce request from her abusive husband, highlights the dire situation for women under Taliban rule. This barbaric stance is not isolated but part of a broader global pushback against women's rights.The Heritage Foundation, architect of Project 2025, has published a report advocating for a deeply patriarchal model that encourages women to have more babies earlier in life and discourages further education and careers. This vision aligns with Donald Trump's second term agenda and has sparked concern among women's rights advocates.The proposed UN merger of UN Women and UNFPA has caused alarm among feminist groups. They warn that this consolidation will lead to reduced funding for gender equality programs and give countries like the US, which are hostile to women's rights, more influence over global structures supporting gender equality.UN Secretary General António Guterres noted that the world remains male-dominated, and there are well-funded efforts to maintain this status quo. The UN's next moves will be closely watched, as they have significant implications for women's rights globally.