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As the conflict drags on, Iranians are attempting to maintain a semblance of ordinary life in the face of constant explosions and airstrikes. The days following Nowruz, the Persian New Year, are usually a time of renewal and celebration, but this year, the atmosphere is tense."More and more, people are starting to normalise this war", said Farhad, a photography editor in Tehran. "It's difficult, but we're adapting and trying to return to our daily lives as much as possible. There's no alternative. We're tired. We just want peace."Despite the challenges, some Iranians are finding ways to cope. Aylar, a 39-year-old human rights worker, paid for an expensive VPN to circumvent the internet blackout imposed by Iranian authorities so she could stay in touch with relatives abroad. She also made time for a coffee date with friends, highlighting the complexity of life during conflict.The humanitarian toll is significant, with Iran's official death toll frozen at around 1,500, but the real figure may be more than 3,000, according to the Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency. Many more have been injured, and the psychological impact is profound.As the situation continues to unfold, uncertainty and division within Iranian society are palpable. While most Iranians oppose the war, some have welcomed it as a potential catalyst for change. The future remains uncertain, with concerns that the conflict could become a recurring reality.

The UK government has introduced a temporary ban on cryptocurrency donations to political parties, following a review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics. The ban, recommended by Philip Rycroft, a former senior civil servant, aims to allow regulators to catch up with the risks associated with crypto assets.Rycroft's review highlighted that crypto assets are used as a vehicle to channel in foreign money, posing a risk to the integrity of the political finance system. While a full ban is not deemed necessary, the moratorium will remain in place until parliament and the Electoral Commission are satisfied that new rules are effective.The Electoral Commission has warned parties that the same verification procedures for cash donations also apply to crypto donations, including checking the source of donations over £500 and reporting donations from a single source over £11,180. The commission has noted that cryptoassets present particular challenges and risks in meeting electoral law requirements.Concerns over crypto donations have been raised due to the potential for using 'mixers' to obscure the true source of a donation or AI tools to split donations, which could evade reporting thresholds. The joint committee on the national security strategy has called for a ban on crypto donations, citing the risk to the integrity of the political finance system.Only three parties have said they will accept crypto donations: Reform UK, the far-right Homeland Party, and the Other Party. Reform UK has received crypto donations, but they have not exceeded the £11,180 threshold. The party accepts crypto donations through a Polish payment platform called Radom, which claims to follow UK rules around verifying the identity of donors.

Israel's parliament has moved closer to implementing a contentious death penalty for Palestinians convicted of terrorism, with the Knesset's national security committee approving the measure on Tuesday. The bill, initiated by the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, now heads to its final vote.Critics, including human rights groups and UN experts, have strongly opposed the bill, citing concerns it violates international law and discriminates against Palestinians. The proposed law would allow for executions to be carried out within 90 days of sentencing, with hanging as the specified method.The bill also proposes that those sentenced to death be held in a separate facility with restricted visitation rights. Executions would be carried out without the option for clemency, a provision that has drawn sharp criticism from opponents.International condemnation has been swift, with UN experts urging Israel to withdraw the bill, stating it would violate the right to life and constitute cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment. The European Union's diplomatic service has also condemned the bill, emphasizing that the death penalty is a violation of the right to life.In Israel, the bill has been backed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has worn a noose-shaped lapel pin in support of the measure. However, notable opposition has come from within Israel, including from centre-left lawmaker Gilad Kariv, who has raised concerns about the bill's moral and legal implications.

Israel has been accused of using white phosphorus in southern Lebanon, a move that has reignited concerns over the country's adherence to international laws of war. Human Rights Watch (HRW) researchers have verified and geolocated images showing airburst white phosphorus munitions exploding over residential areas in the southern Lebanese town of Yohmor.The use of white phosphorus, a chemical substance that ignites when exposed to oxygen and burns at up to 800C, is controversial when used over civilian areas due to its potential to ignite fires, cause serious burns, and emit toxic fumes. Military forces often use it as a smokescreen, but its use in populated areas raises significant ethical and legal questions.Over 800,000 Lebanese people have been displaced from the region following Israeli forces' orders to leave, and many more uses of white phosphorus may have gone undocumented. Researchers have documented nearly 250 uses of white phosphorus by Israeli forces between October 2023 and November 2024, with 39% of these uses occurring in residential areas.The environmental impact is also significant, with over 2,000 hectares of southern Lebanese countryside burned, including dense forests and agricultural lands. The use of white phosphorus can lead to long-term soil contamination, reducing microbial diversity and agricultural productivity.An Israeli military spokesperson has cautioned against making factual determinations based on visuals alone, while Israel's ambassador to the UN has stated that the country takes steps to minimize civilian casualties. However, allegations of war crimes and the use of prohibited weapons continue to mount, highlighting the need for further investigation and accountability.

Hong Kong police have made a significant move in their ongoing crackdown on dissent, arresting a bookstore owner and three staff members for allegedly selling 'seditious' publications. The arrested individuals are accused of selling copies of The Troublemaker, a biography of Jimmy Lai, the founder of the now-shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper.Lai was sentenced to a 20-year jail term in February for collusion with foreign forces and sedition in Hong Kong's biggest national security case. The arrests highlight the city's increasingly restrictive environment, where selling books about prominent dissidents can lead to serious legal consequences.The national security law, known as Article 23, makes sedition punishable by up to seven years in jail and a maximum of 10 years if the act involves collusion with an 'external force'. This law has been used to justify a wide range of actions against perceived dissenters, including the arrest of the bookstore staff.Human Rights Watch has criticized the move, stating that Hong Kong has become 'increasingly dystopian'. The organization's Asia director, Elaine Pearson, expressed concern that the authorities' actions will only create more insecurity. The crackdown on dissent continues, with the city government recently gazetting new amendments to the implementation rules to the Beijing-imposed law.

Three elite runners, Jessica McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, and Ednah Kurgat, who were leading the USA Track & Field Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta earlier this month, were inadvertently led off course by a guide vehicle. This chaotic turn of events resulted in them finishing in ninth, 12th, and 13th place, respectively, more than two minutes behind the winner, Molly Born.The incident deprived them of the top prize of $20,000 and the three qualifying places for the World Road Running Championships. However, USATF announced on Wednesday that World Athletics had granted permission to expand its team from four to seven, allowing McClain, Hurley, and Kurgat to compete in Copenhagen this September.“From the moment this happened, our focus was on doing right by the athletes,” said USATF CEO Max Siegel. “Jessica, Emma Grace, and Ednah had clearly separated themselves in the race and we are sorry they did not get to celebrate their accomplishment by breaking the tape.”The USATF team for the championships will include Born, Carrie Ellwood, and Annie Rodenfels, along with a final athlete determined by the world rankings in May. The team will consist of four “scoring athletes” and three “non-scoring athletes,” with USATF funding prize money for the non-scoring athletes.

A newly launched green thinktank, Verdant, proposes that a 'Doge of the left' could save UK taxpayers up to £30bn annually by rooting out waste, fraud, and tax avoidance. This initiative is part of a broader effort to influence the future manifesto of the Green Party, led by Zack Polanski.The thinktank, co-chaired by James Meadway, a former adviser to Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell, and civil society campaigner Deborah Doane, argues that a crackdown on waste could free up significant resources. This approach differs from the ideologically driven methods of Elon Musk's former Department of Government Efficiency in the US.Meadway emphasized that the political right has monopolized discussions about savings in government spending, leading to disastrous effects. He stated that a 'Doge of the left' would focus on eliminating tax avoiders, profiteers, and fraudsters, ultimately delivering high-quality public services.The report suggests several measures, including:Appointing a 'chief savings officer' to identify waste and fraud.Granting the National Audit Office the power to halt overspending projects.Opening public procurement to more transparent competition.Establishing an internal consultancy function to reduce reliance on costly private consultants.The proposed £30bn in savings is largely based on independent estimates of annual losses due to fraud, waste, under-collection of tax, and lack of competition in procurement. Additionally, Verdant recommends scrapping £3.6bn in tax reliefs and government support for oil and gas producers.Polanski's economic policy speech last week highlighted sweeping changes, including rent caps and a new wealth tax. He also emphasized the importance of protecting consumers from rising energy prices and expressed skepticism about using GDP as a measure of economic performance.

Hong Kong police have been granted the authority to require individuals suspected of violating the city's national security law to provide passwords to their mobile phones or computers. This measure, which took effect on Monday, is part of the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. The new provisions empower police to require a person under investigation suspected of endangering national security to provide any password or decryption method for electronic devices and to provide the police “any reasonable and necessary information or assistance”. Refusing to comply could lead to up to one year’s imprisonment and a fine of up to 100,000 Hong Kong dollars ($12,768), while providing false or misleading information could bring up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 500,000 Hong Kong dollars ($63,840). The imposition of the 2020 national security law, supplemented by a second component in 2024, has led to a marked decline in civil liberties in the former British colony returned to China in 1997, according to human rights advocates. The new amendments have sparked concerns over the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy and its status as an international financial and business centre. Urania Chiu, a law lecturer in the UK researching Hong Kong, said the new provisions interfered with fundamental liberties, including the privacy of communication and the right to a fair trial. “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,” Chiu told the Reuters news agency. 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.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that Brendon McCullum will remain as England's head coach in all three formats. This decision comes after a review of the team's performance, particularly their 4-1 defeat in the Ashes series and a semifinal loss in the Twenty20 World Cup.Ben Stokes will continue as Test captain, with Harry Brook as his vice-captain. Rob Key will stay on as managing director of England's men's cricket. The ECB's decision aims to provide stability amidst concerns over the team's culture and performance.McCullum's coaching style, known as 'Bazball', has been a subject of debate. Despite criticism, Rob Key emphasized that McCullum is the right person to lead England forward, highlighting the importance of authenticity in leadership.Ben Stokes acknowledged that the last three months have been his hardest as captain but expressed confidence in the leadership group's ability to improve the team's fortunes. McCullum is contracted until the end of the 50-over World Cup next year.