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The 70‑year‑old grandson of H. B. Reese, the man who created Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, has publicly accused the $42 billion Hershey Company of quietly swapping the original milk‑chocolate and peanut‑butter formulas for cheaper compound coatings and “peanut‑butter‑style crèmes.”Brad Reese’s complaint, first aired on LinkedIn on Valentine’s Day, claims the confectionery giant has been “rewriting recipes” across flagship brands, a practice he describes as an “ingredient drift” that undermines both brand integrity and shareholder value.At a recent investor conference, Hershey announced it would restore the classic recipes for roughly 3 % of select products by next year, while insisting that the iconic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have never been altered.Chief Growth Officer Stacy Taffet explained that the company is “transitioning our sweets portfolio to colors from natural sources” and is committed to aligning all Hershey and Reese’s offerings with their historic milk‑ and dark‑chocolate formulas.Reese, however, dismissed the move as a “board‑level accountability problem,” arguing that the delayed rollout has already prompted shareholders to sell stock and that “your consumers are revolting.”In an interview with the New York Times, Reese labeled Hershey’s actions a “PR stunt,” insisting that a genuine commitment would mean an immediate return to the original recipes.Hershey counters that the recipe revisions are not a reaction to Reese’s criticism but stem from a strategic decision made after a 25 % increase in research and development spending aimed at talent, technology, and nutrition science.The dispute has taken on a personal dimension for Reese, who alleges the changes began after Hershey acquired the Reese’s brand in the 1960s. He recounts a recent taste test of Reese’s Unwrapped Chocolate Peanut Butter Creme Mini Hearts, stating, “I had to spit it out—it wasn’t real milk chocolate or real peanut butter.”Reese’s family, speaking to USA Today, clarified that his statements are his own and do not reflect the family’s view, adding that they continue to respect Hershey’s leadership and believe H. B. Reese would be proud of the brand’s current stewardship.Undeterred, Brad Reese retorted on LinkedIn that Hershey is “shooting the messenger,” accusing the company of managing perception rather than fixing the alleged product issues and warning that “the evidence chain isn’t going away.”

Prominent Jewish leaders from around the world are calling on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to take immediate action against settler violence in the West Bank. The appeal comes in the form of an open letter signed by over 3,000 individuals, including diplomats, philanthropists, rabbis, and academics from countries such as Australia, Canada, and the US.The letter, facilitated by the London Initiative—a liberal Zionist network of 360 eminent Jewish, Israeli, and Israeli-Palestinian figures—expresses deep concern over the recent surge in attacks by Jewish extremists on Palestinian civilians. These attacks have included killings and arson, sparking international condemnation.The signatories, which include Malcolm Rifkind, the former British foreign secretary, argue that Israel's security forces have the capability to protect Palestinian civilians but have failed to act decisively. They suggest that this inaction implies a lack of directives from the government.The letter, timed to coincide with the Jewish festival of Passover, describes the violence as an abomination and a strategic threat to Israel's future. It claims that the violence is not only morally shameful but also damages the relationship between future generations and Israel.In response, President Herzog's office released a statement saying he shares the conviction that these acts of violence contradict Israel's founding values and the Jewish people's ethical tradition. Herzog has demanded that authorities use all available means to bring those responsible to justice and end the violence.The issue has been a point of contention, with a similar letter sent to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in August 2025. That letter, signed by 6,300 Jews worldwide, called for the restoration of humanitarian aid to Gaza and an end to the war there.

Acclaimed filmmaker Danny Boyle is set to unleash a sprawling, one‑off pop‑culture spectacle at London’s Southbank Centre on 3 May 2026. Titled “You Are Here”, the event will weave together 75 years of British youth movements—from teddy boys and punk to rave and Brit‑pop—across the venue’s historic spaces. Marking the 75th anniversary of the Royal Festival Hall’s 1951 opening, the production anticipates 1,000 performers and more than 10,000 attendees. Boyle, who directed the iconic 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, describes the show as an antidote to the “hi‑tech curation” that dominates modern life, likening today’s media overload to “5,000 channels with everything on”. The immersive experience will unfold in five distinct beats, each spotlighting underground music scenes, sub‑cultural fashion, activism and spoken‑word performance. Poets, MCs and rappers will narrate stories that are then translated by choirs and dancers, creating a “kaleidoscopic narrative” that moves audiences from a high‑energy Northern Soul floor to a communal house‑party atmosphere. Boyle emphasizes that the event is deliberately free of celebrity headliners, allowing the chaos of the performance itself to become the focal point. He calls the Southbank a “gargantuan labyrinth of opportunity” and urges young people to seize the chance to experience culture beyond the “aquarium of indifference” offered by on‑demand streaming and food delivery services. Organisers stress that the show is not a traditional pageant or seated theatre; instead, the entire Southbank site becomes a living stage, inviting visitors of all ages to wander, engage, and reflect on Britain’s evolving identity. Tickets for “You Are Here” go on sale now at southbankcentre.co.uk. The event promises to be a landmark moment for London’s cultural calendar, blending history, music, fashion and activism into a single, chaotic celebration.

Iranian authorities have publicly asserted that the nation’s universities are facing systematic targeting, a claim that underscores growing tensions over academic autonomy and possible foreign influence.According to the statements, the alleged pressure on higher‑education institutions is intended to undermine Iran’s scientific and educational development. Officials argue that such actions could have broader implications for the country’s research capabilities and its position in regional knowledge networks.While the specifics of the alleged targeting remain unclear, the accusations highlight a broader narrative of perceived external threats to Iran’s domestic sectors. The government’s response suggests a readiness to defend its academic infrastructure against what it describes as hostile maneuvers.Observers note that any sustained pressure on universities could affect student enrollment, research funding, and international collaborations, potentially reshaping Iran’s educational landscape.

As Easter approaches, concert halls from London to Leipzig are flooded with performances of Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpieces, most notably the St Matthew Passion and the St John Passion. Chart data from the Official Classical Chart, Apple Music’s classical rankings and specialist listings show Bach out‑performing every other composer, with releases such as Yunchan Lim’s take on the Goldberg Variations and Raphaël Pichon’s recording of the St John Passion leading the pack.Two vivid descriptors have captured the public’s imagination this week: “Bach the zombie” and “Bach the meat‑grinder.”strong> Violinist James Ehnes coined the former to highlight the music’s ability to survive any arrangement or re‑imagining, while Guardian critic Clive Paget used the latter to describe the relentless, visceral intensity of the opening chorus in Pichon’s St John Passion recording.The “meat‑grinder” metaphor points to Bach’s obsessive repetitions and searing harmonies that convey the raw agony of the Passion narrative. In contrast, the “zombie” image underscores the composer’s uncanny durability: his works thrive whether rendered for saxophone quartet, Wendy Carlos’s synthesizers, Leopold Stokowski’s lush orchestration, or even a mandolin played in a New York park.Bach’s presence on the silver screen further illustrates his cultural elasticity. His slow, stately rendition of the final chorus of the St Matthew Passion underscored Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1964 film The Gospel According to St Matthew, while the haunting aria from the Goldberg Variations was famously chosen by Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs as he prepares a gruesome act. These examples show how Bach can serve as both spiritual solace and chilling inspiration.Modern performers continue to reinvent the canon. Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, who logged more than ninety performances of the Goldberg Variations in a single year, describes each rendition as a “religious pilgrimage” that reshapes the listener’s experience. Meanwhile, mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile released a second volume of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas performed on his instrument in Tompkins Square Park. The recording captures ambient city sounds—birds, footsteps, fellow buskers—blending them with Bach’s intricate C‑major fugue to create what Thile calls “the effortless fugue of city life.”These diverse reinterpretations confirm a simple truth: Bach’s music is indestructible. Whether heard in a grand cathedral, a streaming playlist, or a bustling park, his compositions adapt without losing their core emotional impact. This Easter, listeners are invited to embrace Bach not as a relic confined to history, but as a living, breathing force that continues to energise and inspire across genres and generations.

The Guardian’s March reading roundup gathers a diverse set of recommendations from both its writers and its readership, offering a snapshot of the titles that captured their attention over the past month.John Lanchester highlights two recent British novels that resonated with him after completing his own manuscript: Drayton and Mackenzie by Alexander Starritt, a story of friendship intertwined with business, and The New Life by Tom Crewe, which explores gay life in the 1890s. His European picks include Eurotrash by Christian Kracht, a darkly comic road‑trip tale, Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, a critique of the digital‑nomad lifestyle, and Olga Tokarczuk’s genre‑defying Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. Lanchester also notes his own recent release, Look What You Made Me Do, available from Faber for £20 via the Guardian bookshop.James, a regular Guardian reader, is immersed in Tom’s Crossing by Mark Danielewski. He describes the 1,200‑page modern western as a masterclass in character depth and meticulous detail, urging readers not to be deterred by its length.Patmeena Sabit turns to shorter forms when time is scarce, recommending Hue and Cry by James Alan McPherson for its understated humanity, Fifty‑Two Stories (a new Chekhov collection translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky) for its blend of classics and previously untranslated pieces, and Ada Limón’s poetry collection Bright Dead Things for its poignant beauty. Sabit also promotes her own work, Good People, published by Virago at £16.99.David praises Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski, America’s Cold War Prophet by Edward Luce, calling it a dense yet illuminating autobiography that traces U.S. and global power dynamics from the 1960s to the early Trump era, and recommending a piecemeal reading approach.Arash finds profound resonance in Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy. He describes the memoir as an emotionally powerful tribute to Roy’s mother, noting its refusal to fall into gendered clichés while championing compassion and resistance against chauvinism.

Amid the escalating United States‑Israel confrontation with Iran, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has emerged as an unexpected voice on financial strategy, posting a series of warnings on X that market‑moving headlines are often engineered to trigger profit‑taking. Ghalibaf’s core advice is simple yet provocative: if a headline inflates prices, bet against it; if it drags prices down, go long. He describes pre‑market news bursts as a “reverse indicator” designed to manipulate investors. His posts are laced with sarcasm, referencing alleged manipulation of oil futures and even joking about turning rhetoric into “actual fuel at the pump.” Behind the humor, analysts say, lies a calculated effort to exploit the overlap between digital propaganda and real‑world conflict. The backdrop to Ghalibaf’s messaging is Iran’s use of asymmetric warfare, notably the brief shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint through which roughly 20% of global oil and LNG shipments pass. The closure sent crude prices soaring and heightened economic pressure worldwide, underscoring Tehran’s ability to influence U.S. markets by targeting critical supply routes. On March 22, Ghalibaf warned financial institutions that support U.S. military financing in the Middle East, declaring that U.S. Treasury bonds are “soaked in Iranians’ blood” and that their portfolios were under surveillance. Economist Jo Michell of the University of the West of England observes that falling equity markets, rising energy costs, and higher interest rates could eventually force President Donald Trump to seek a diplomatic exit from the conflict. Michell notes that Trump often delivers his most aggressive statements over weekends when markets are closed, only to retreat before the opening bell—a pattern traders have dubbed TACO (“Trump always chickens out”). Indeed, when Trump’s original 48‑hour deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz loomed, he extended it by five days and later pledged a further 10‑day pause on attacks against Iranian energy infrastructure, actions that analysts interpret as deliberate market signaling. Middle‑East specialist Zeidon Alkinani explains that the conflict’s volatility creates new leverage points beyond direct price manipulation. Even light‑hearted rhetoric from officials like Ghalibaf can exacerbate market instability, as investors scramble for any hint of the war’s trajectory. In this environment, uncertainty itself becomes a powerful market driver. Alkinani stresses that the significance of the Strait of Hormuz now extends beyond physical oil flow disruptions; it reshapes investor expectations and amplifies the impact of digital messaging, especially given Trump’s high‑visibility online presence. Overall, Ghalibaf’s social‑media campaign illustrates how Tehran is blending military pressure with information warfare, turning market sentiment into an additional front of the broader geopolitical struggle.

Caster Semenya, the two‑time Olympic 800‑metre champion, has pledged to fight the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) newly announced gender‑testing policy that would apply to all female athletes competing in strength, power or endurance events. The South African athlete says the rule "undermines women’s rights" and lacks scientific justification. The IOC unveiled the policy last week, stating that including “androgen‑sensitive XY‑DSD athletes” in the female category "runs fundamentally counter to ensuring fairness, safety and integrity in elite competition." The measure is expected to become a universal requirement across Olympic sports, replacing a patchwork of national regulations that have sparked controversy for years. Semanya, who has been embroiled in a long‑running legal dispute with World Athletics over her right to compete despite having a Difference of Sexual Development (DSD), told Reuters, "We’re going to be vocal about it, we’re going to make noise until we’re heard". She added, "Enough is enough – women will not be told how to compete". DSDs are rare conditions involving variations in genes, hormones and reproductive anatomy. Some individuals with DSDs are raised as female yet possess XY chromosomes and testosterone levels typical of males. The IOC’s testing protocol will involve a cheek‑swab or saliva sample to detect the SRY gene on the Y chromosome, with further investigation for any positive results. Semanya rejected the scientific premise of the rule, stating, "There’s no science that XY‑DSD gives an athlete an advantage". She emphasized that athletic success stems from hard work, not genetics, and criticized those who claim intersex conditions confer a performance edge. She also criticized IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the first woman and first African to hold the position, for failing to consult athletes with DSDs before issuing the policy. "They sent us a letter the day they were going to publish the new policy," Semanya said, urging genuine stakeholder engagement rather than a perfunctory "tick‑the‑box" approach. By labeling the policy as a breach of women’s dignity and rights, Semanya aims to rally broader support for intersex athletes and challenge what she describes as a historically flawed testing regime.

Islamabad – Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will travel to Beijing, reaffirming the “all‑weather strategic cooperative partnership” between the two nations, according to the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.The visit follows a high‑profile quadrilateral meeting in Islamabad that brought together foreign ministers from Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, all aiming to coax the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table amid a war that has already spiked global energy prices.Despite a recent hairline shoulder fracture, Dar pressed on with the trip, signalling the urgency of Pakistan’s diplomatic push. In a March 27 call, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised Islamabad’s “untiring efforts to cool down the situation,” a sentiment echoed by spokesperson Mao Ning, who said China is ready to “enhance communication… for a cease‑fire and peace in the region.”Analysts argue the mission is less about collecting praise and more about testing whether Beijing will move from rhetoric to concrete action in the US‑Iran mediation. The central question: can China become an active partner rather than a silent observer?Former Wilson Center fellow Baqir Sajjad Syed explains that Dar will brief Chinese leaders on the recent Islamabad quadrilateral and seek to turn five draft principles – immediate ceasefire, resumption of talks, civilian protection, maritime security, and UN Charter compliance – into a binding framework.Pakistani scholars view the outreach as classic intermediary behaviour: Pakistan leverages China’s permanent‑member status to stay relevant, while China, unlike the United States, mainly engages with Gulf states and Tehran.Iran specialist Vali Nasr suggested Tehran may be looking for a Chinese “guarantor” for any US‑Iran deal, a premise disputed by professor Ishtiaq Ahmad, who calls the expectation “analytically weak” given China’s reluctance to back a declining regime.The strategic stakes are stark. The Strait of Hormuz moves roughly 20 % of global oil. Kpler data show China imported about 1.38 million barrels per day of Iranian crude in 2025 – roughly 12 % of its total oil imports. The IEA estimates 15 million barrels per day passed through the strait in 2025, with China and India accounting for 44 % of that flow.China‑Iran trade hit about $41.2 billion in 2025, and a 2021 25‑year strategic cooperation pact promised up to $400 billion in Chinese investment for discounted Iranian oil, much of which remains unrealised due to U.S. sanctions.Syed describes China’s motivations as “clear and self‑interested”: protecting energy security, safeguarding Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and China‑Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, and bolstering its image as a global peace broker. A prolonged war would hurt China’s economy through higher oil prices and disrupted trade routes.While Beijing is unlikely to deploy military forces, it may employ diplomatic tools – public endorsements, joint statements, and economic levers – to push for a cease‑fire. Its pragmatic stance means it will weigh the benefits of deeper involvement against the risk of being drawn into a conflict.The diplomatic backdrop includes a postponed Trump visit to Beijing and a slated summit for mid‑May, as well as a future Xi‑to‑U.S. trip, which observers say could signal a broader alignment between the two great powers.Meanwhile, the United States continues to amass forces in the Gulf, with thousands of Marines and Army troops positioned for possible ground operations, underscoring the volatility that Pakistan and China are trying to mitigate.In sum, Dar’s Beijing mission tests whether China will remain a passive supporter or become an active broker in a war that threatens global energy markets and regional stability.