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Paddington: The Musical was the big winner at the Olivier Awards, taking home seven prizes, including Best New Musical. The show, which features music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher and a book by Jessica Swale, dominated the ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London.The duo who play Paddington, James Hameed and Arti Shah, won Best Actor in a Musical for their performances. The show's baddies, Tom Edden and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, also won awards for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress in a musical, respectively. Luke Sheppard was named Best Director for the production, which also picked up awards for Costume Design and Set Design.The ceremony was hosted by Nick Mohammed, who joked about being asked how he got the gig. Performances on stage included stars like Rachel Zegler, who won Best Actress in a Musical for Evita, and Fabian Aloise, who won Best Theatre Choreographer for Evita.Rosamund Pike won Best Actress for her performance in Inter Alia, while Paapa Essiedu won Best Supporting Actor for All My Sons. The awards also recognized regional theatre triumphs, including Kenrex and Punch.The Olivier Awards, overseen by the Society of London Theatre, celebrate the best in London theatre productions. This year's ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of the awards.

Manchester City delivered a decisive 3-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a result that reduced Arsenal's nine‑point cushion to six and gave Pep Guardiola's side fresh impetus in the Premier League title race.City seized control early in the second half, with Nico O'Reilly heading in from a Rayan Cherki cross in the 51st minute. Six minutes later, Cherki’s incisive play produced a disguised pass to Marc Guéhi, who finished to make it 2-0. A third goal followed as a swift counter‑attack saw Cherki again on the ball, delivering a cross that O'Reilly converted, sealing the win.The match also highlighted individual milestones: Cherki notched his 10th league assist, becoming the first debutant since Dimitri Payet (2015‑16) to reach double‑digit assists in a Premier League season. Meanwhile, Guéhi recorded the first away player to keep two clean sheets at Stamford Bridge in a single campaign, having previously done so with Crystal Palace.Strategically, the win narrows the gap to Arsenal, leaving City six points behind with a game in hand. Should City overcome Arsenal at the Etihad this weekend, they could overtake the Gunners and re‑establish themselves as front‑runners for the title.Chelsea, hampered by the absence of injured captain Reece James and the suspension of Enzo Fernández, struggled to match City’s intensity. Their disciplinary record remains a concern, having amassed the league's highest number of yellow cards for dissent (16). Despite moments of promise from Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto and João Pedro, the Blues lacked the cutting edge in the final third and were out‑classed in midfield.Guardiola’s halftime adjustments proved pivotal; the team increased tempo, sharpened passing angles, and pressed higher, turning a sluggish first half into a dominant second‑half display. The victory not only restores confidence after a recent FA Cup win over Liverpool but also underscores City’s ability to respond swiftly to rivals’ slip‑ups, a pattern that has defined many of their recent title pursuits.

Roberto De Zerbi diagnosed a deep‑seated lack of confidence as the core issue behind Tottenham’s recent struggles after his debut in charge ended in a 1‑0 loss to Sunderland. The defeat has dropped Spurs into the relegation zone, sitting 18th and two points shy of safety with only six games left.“We didn’t deserve to lose,” De Zerbi said, referring to the decisive second‑half goal that came from a Nordi Mukiele deflection. “We played well, but not well enough to win.” He added that while the players showed the right attitude, his priority now is to rebuild their mental resilience.The manager also raised concerns over captain Cristian Romero’s knee injury after a mid‑field collision. “I don’t know the extent yet, but we hope it’s not serious. He’s vital for the rest of the season,” De Zerbi remarked.Confidence, according to De Zerbi, is the missing ingredient for Spurs to unleash their quality. “When the squad believes in themselves, the football follows. A single win could change the narrative,” he asserted, emphasizing that his role is more about fostering belief than overhauling tactics.Looking ahead, Tottenham travel to face De Zerbi’s former club Brighton, a match De Zerbi hopes will serve as a catalyst for a confidence surge. He warned that the fear of relegation is palpable among the players and that a positive mindset is essential to reverse their fortunes.Brighton manager Régis Le Bris, meanwhile, was less concerned after his side’s victory, noting a strong finish after a slow start and expressing ambition for a top‑ten finish.

The Israeli military's invasion of southern Lebanon has resulted in the demolition of entire villages, with homes rigged with explosives and razed to the ground in massive remote detonations.Videos posted by the Israeli military and on social media show Israel carrying out mass detonations in the villages of Taybeh, Naqoura, and Deir Seryan along the Israel-Lebanon border. Lebanese media has reported more mass detonations in other border villages.The demolitions came after Israel's minister of defence, Israel Katz, called for the destruction of 'all houses' in border villages 'in accordance with the model used in Rafah and Beit Hanoun in Gaza' to stop threats to communities in northern Israel. The Israeli military destroyed 90% of homes in Rafah, in south Gaza.The tactic of mass destruction of homes in Gaza, where Israel has been accused of committing genocide, was described as domicide by academics, a strategy that is used to systematically destroy and damage civilian housing to render entire areas uninhabitable.The Israeli military has said they are targeting Hezbollah infrastructure such as tunnels and military facilities, which it claims the armed group has embedded in civilian homes, through these demolitions.Israel has said that it will occupy vast swathes of south Lebanon, establishing a 'security zone' in the entire area up to the Litani River, and that displaced people would not be allowed to return to their homes until the safety of Israel's northern cities is guaranteed, prompting concern there will be long-term displacement.Rights groups, however, have said these mass remote detonations could amount to wanton destruction: a war crime. The laws of war prohibit the deliberate destruction of civilian homes, except when necessary for lawful military reasons.'The possibility that Hezbollah may use some civilian structures in Lebanon's border villages for military purposes does not justify the wide-scale destruction of entire villages along the border,' said Ramzi Kaiss, the Lebanon researcher for Human Rights Watch.

President Donald Trump declared that the United States will commence a naval blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz in response to the breakdown of peace talks between Washington and Tehran held in Islamabad.In addition to the blockade, Trump warned that American forces could target Iran’s water‑treatment plants, power stations and bridges unless Tehran abandons its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.The announcement came after a 21‑hour round of direct negotiations between the two sides collapsed on Sunday morning, ending a brief cease‑fire that had been brokered by the United States, Israel and Iran.U.S. Vice‑President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, said Iran refused to renounce the possibility of developing nuclear weapons, while Iranian officials accused Washington of failing to earn their trust.Trump instructed the U.S. Navy to begin “blockading any and all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz” starting Monday at 10 a.m. ET (14:00 GMT). He also accused Iran of “extortion” for charging tolls to tankers and announced a de‑mining operation in the waterway’s central sector, although the exact number of mines remains unclear.The Iranian Revolutionary Guard warned that any warships enforcing the blockade would be deemed a breach of the cease‑fire and would be met with a strong response, insisting the strait remains under Iranian control.Two U.S. destroyers transited the strait on Saturday without incident, a move the Pentagon described as the start of a mine‑clearance mission, even as Iranian media claimed the vessels were threatened as they departed.Financial markets reacted sharply: U.S. crude oil jumped 8% to $104.24 per barrel and Brent crude rose 7% to $102.29, reflecting concerns that the blockade could disrupt the flow of roughly 100 tankers that have been paying up to $2 million each for passage.Vance reiterated that the United States seeks a clear, affirmative commitment from Iran not to pursue a nuclear weapon, describing it as the “core goal of the president.”Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf argued that Tehran offered “constructive initiatives,” but U.S. demands were “excessive” and hindered an agreement, according to the semi‑official Tasnim news agency.Pakistani mediators urged both parties to avoid renewed hostilities and pledged to arrange fresh talks, emphasizing the importance of upholding the existing cease‑fire.In a televised interview, Trump warned that if a deal cannot be reached, the United States may resume bombing Iran, specifically targeting its water‑supply infrastructure, desalination plants and power generation facilities.Regional fallout continued: at least 11 people were killed in southern Lebanon amid a series of Israeli strikes, while Pope Francis called for an immediate cease‑fire, expressing solidarity with the Lebanese people.The broader conflict, now six weeks old, has claimed more than 3,000 lives in Iran, over 2,000 in Lebanon, dozens in Israel and several Gulf states, and has inflicted extensive damage on critical infrastructure across the Middle East.

Kobbie Mainoo, the 20-year-old midfielder for Manchester United, is on the verge of signing a new contract with the club. According to Michael Carrick, negotiations are progressing positively, with the deal expected to bring Mainoo's weekly wages up to approximately £120,000, a substantial increase from his current £25,000 per week.Carrick expressed optimism about the contract talks, stating, “It’s getting closer, so we’re positive about that. We’re calm with it, but we’re positive with it and time will tell how it goes. But at the moment, we are in a good place.”If Mainoo signs the new deal, it will mark a significant turnaround in his career at United. Previously, he had fallen out of favor with former manager Ruben Amorim but has since become a regular starter under Carrick, earning an England recall in the process.Manchester United is set to host Leeds on Monday night, with the team aiming to strengthen their pursuit of Champions League qualification. Carrick emphasized the importance of finishing as high as possible, stating, “I wouldn’t accept it, no. But it’s not so much accepting it, it’s about trying to finish as high as you possibly can.”

Manchester City secured a crucial 3-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, closing the gap on Arsenal to six points at the top of the Premier League. The win was marked by a significant improvement in City's performance after a lackluster first half.Pep Guardiola attributed his team's success to good weather, humorously suggesting that the sunshine played a key role in lifting their levels. "The sun," City's manager said. "I'm not joking. The sun. In Manchester there is never the sun. If the sun arrived in November, we would be champions in January."City's Nico O'Reilly opened the scoring, followed by goals from Marc Guéhi and Jérémy Doku in the second half. Guardiola praised his team's mentality, stating that the second half was "extraordinary" due to their mindset.The win sets up a crucial match between City and Arsenal on Sunday, with City having a game in hand. Guardiola emphasized the importance of the match, saying "Arsenal is a final for us – for them as well". Despite the Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal last month, Guardiola acknowledged that chasing down Mikel Arteta's side will be tough and that his team must respect their opponents.

PCK Dance’s latest double‑bill, “Into the Light,” opens with a palpable tension: dancers inhale as if grasping something costly, their gazes unfixed, brows furrowed, signalling an emotional gravitas that the production amplifies with dark lighting and portentous music.Choreographers James Pett and Travis Clausen‑Knight, both alumni of Company Wayne McGregor, demonstrate why their pedigree matters. Their movement language is slick, finessed and relentlessly precise, with legs whipping to extreme angles and sequences that cascade like the “chatter of a motoring brain.” The duo’s fluency in form lets them forgo the heavy‑handed theatrical cues that often drown subtler expression.The centerpiece, the duet “In the Absence,” features Pett and Clausen‑Knight alongside third dancer Isabelle Evans. Their interplay oscillates between closeness and disconnection, tension and tenderness, hinting at loss. Evans’s decisive gestures—flexed wrists, expressive hands—act as declarations, while a striking passage sees the choreographers literally throwing her body between them, creating a kinetic flash that feels both chaotic and meticulously crafted.Music, composed by Pett with co‑composer Greg Haines, emerges live from a bank of stage‑side technology. The piano interludes give way to pitch‑less textures that evoke a “joyless, end‑of‑days” ambience. This soundscape reinforces the programme’s suggestion that the work grapples with survival in an AI‑driven future, casting the performance as a low‑key apocalypse rather than a conventional dystopia.By marrying razor‑sharp choreography with a minimalist, tech‑infused score, PCK Dance asks a vital question: in a world increasingly mediated by algorithms, what does it mean to remain truly human? The answer, if any, lies in the fleeting connections forged on stage—moments where bodies speak louder than the surrounding machinery.

Joz Norris' latest show, 'You Wait. Time Passes', is a thought-provoking exploration of artistic character and the choices that define a creative life. In this maverick confection of a show, Norris takes on the role of an unhinged, self-absorbed guru figure, imparting life lessons with a healthy dose of silliness.The show delves into Norris's career as a comedian, actor, and magician, as well as his bid to become Google's number one Joz. Through snippets of his career and interactions with his erratic AI girlfriend, Norris presents a picture of himself as a complex, multifaceted artist.At its core, the show poses big questions about the futility of the niche creative's life and whether weird artists are truly weird or just trying to express themselves in a different way. While some moments feel a bit strenuous or for-its-own-sake, the show's extreme dottiness is backed up by good jokes, twisty philosophy, and a highly energetic performance.Ultimately, 'You Wait. Time Passes' constitutes a curiously rousing defence of experimental art-making in a conformist, capitalist world. The show is a must-see for fans of comedy and experimental art, and it will be touring after its run at the Lowry in Salford.