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Lin Yu-ting, the 30‑year‑old Taiwanese Olympic champion, secured a bronze medal at the Asian Boxing Elite Championships in Mongolia, marking her return to competition after a gender‑eligibility controversy that clouded her 2024 Paris Olympic triumph.Competing in the 60kg division for the first time, Lin was defeated in the semifinals by North Korea’s Won Un Gyong, resulting in a third‑place finish.Her coach, Tseng Tzu‑chiang, told Taiwan’s Central News Agency that the shift to a higher weight class presented “new opponents’ skills, strategies and styles,” and that the tournament served as a valuable learning opportunity.Lin had opted out of last year’s World Championships after World Boxing announced mandatory sex testing for female athletes, a policy introduced following the high‑profile gender disputes involving Lin and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif after their gold medals in Paris.Following an appeal by Taiwan’s boxing federation, World Boxing cleared Lin to compete in the female category last month, enabling her participation in the Asian championships.Looking ahead, Tseng indicated that Lin aims to compete at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan later this year, noting that while her physical condition was not yet optimal, the experience provides “room for improvement and a clear path forward.”In parallel, the International Olympic Committee has introduced a new eligibility policy that excludes transgender female athletes from women’s events, aligning with a U.S. executive order. The IOC stated that eligibility will be determined by a mandatory gene test, limiting participation to “biological females.”

The UK has witnessed a significant surge in online sextortion attempts reported by children, with a record 394 cases in 2025, representing a 34% increase from the previous year. The majority of victims, 98%, were boys aged 14 to 17.Sextortion involves a person being manipulated into sending explicit selfies or videos to a predator, who then threatens to publish them online unless the victim sends money or further intimate images. This crime has been linked to the suicides of several British teenagers who have taken their own lives after receiving extortion threats.Campaigners, including the Molly Rose Foundation and the Internet Watch Foundation, are calling on tech companies to take more decisive action to disrupt blackmail attempts. They argue that social media platforms, where initial grooming of victims often occurs, should introduce nudity-detection technology to prevent the spread of explicit content.The parents of 16-year-old Murray Dowey, who took his own life after being duped by criminals online, are suing Meta, the owner of Instagram and Facebook, for allegedly failing to implement adequate safeguards. The company continues to challenge the suit.The Report Remove service, which allows children to flag intimate images or videos that have appeared or could appear online, reported a 66% increase in under-18s seeking help in 2025, with 1,175 out of 1,894 reports classified as child sexual abuse material.Tech companies, including Google and Apple, have invested in protections against sextortion, but campaigners argue that more needs to be done. Google has implemented sensitive content warnings in its messaging app, while Apple has a communication safety system that warns under-18s about potentially explicit content.

Opening night of the Pet Shop Boys’ Obscure tour turned the Electric Ballroom in Camden into a shrine for deep‑cut enthusiasts. Frontman Neil Tennant opened with a cheeky promise – “no hits tonight” – and the crowd responded with delighted roars, eager for the rare material the duo had promised.The Obscure moniker is no accident. Tennant and synth‑master Chris Lowe rehearsed 35 songs from their 42‑year catalogue, deliberately sidestepping the familiar chart‑toppers in favour of B‑sides, album tracks and fan‑favourite deep cuts. A fan‑compiled Spotify playlist of 226 non‑single tracks illustrates just how vast the selection pool is, yet even that list fell short of the band’s final set.Two songs made their live debut: a never‑performed track from the unreleased stage show Naked titled “I Dream of a Better Tomorrow,” and the 1986 B‑side “Jack the Lad” from the Suburbia era, which had never before been heard on stage. Phones rose in the audience as Tennant sang the cheeky tale of a ne’er‑do‑well, capturing a moment that will likely become a new fan legend.Highlights included a soulful rendition of the 1990 ballad “To Face the Truth,” where Tennant’s hand‑over‑stomach gesture added a rare glimpse of vulnerability, and the 1987 piano‑driven “Do I Have To?” showcasing Lowe’s most tender synth‑piano work. The set also featured “King of Rome” (2009), its horn‑laden refrain enveloping the room in a warm, nostalgic glow.Interspersed with the music, Tennant acted as an urbane quizmaster, prompting the audience to shout B‑side titles and rewarding them with trivia – for example, a medley that combined 1993’s “One in a Million” with Culture Beat’s “Mr Vain,” performed for the first time since its original 1994 Latin America appearance.Closing the main set, the 2005 anthem “The Performance of My Life” evoked the duo’s early club‑scene roots, while the encore opened with the poignant B‑side “Your Funny Uncle” (1989), a lament that still resonates with listeners who first found solace in its lyrics during the AIDS crisis.In a final, forward‑looking moment, Tennant introduced “I Dream of a Better Tomorrow,” a brand‑new song taken from the unreleased stage production based on *The Emperor’s New Clothes*. He declared, “change is coming… the start of something new,” hinting at fresh creative directions beyond the archival focus of the tour.The Obscure run, part of the broader Dreamworld tour that began in 2022, demonstrates the Pet Shop Boys’ mastery of both pop craftsmanship and archival curation, offering fans a rare chance to hear the hidden gems that have long lived in the shadows of their massive catalogue.

When Kristyna Janku answered a police call, she could not have imagined the revelations that would follow. The defender learned that her former coach, Petr Vlachovsky—once celebrated as the Czech Republic’s top women’s football coach—had been secretly recording Slovacko players in the changing room for four years and was in possession of child‑sexual‑abuse content. Vlachovsky’s arrest in 2023 led to a court ruling last May that handed him a one‑year suspended sentence, a fine and a five‑year ban from all football‑related activity in the Czech Republic. However, the Czech FA has yet to lodge a complaint with FIFA’s ethics committee, leaving the door open for him to coach abroad, a prospect that unsettles Janku, now playing in Poland. According to Alex Phillips, secretary‑general of FIFPRO, this scandal is merely "the tip of the iceberg," noting that many victims remain silent because they lack trusted reporting channels. He stresses the need for an independent, funded international body to investigate and sanction abuse, rather than relying on national federations that often view the issue as low priority. The Czech case mirrors a recent incident in Austria, where a man received a seven‑month suspended prison term and a €1,200 fine for covertly filming the Altach women’s team, also paying €625 compensation to each victim. Both cases underscore a pattern of inadequate safeguarding across European women’s football. For Janku, the trauma extends beyond the courtroom. She describes a lasting hyper‑vigilance in dressing rooms and public spaces, and acknowledges that while she has declined therapy offered by the Czech players’ union, the psychological scars remain. FIFPRO’s women’s football director Alex Culvin warns that the lack of decisive action fuels a culture where abuse is minimized, citing parallels with the Me Too movement and high‑profile scandals such as the Luis Rubiales incident in Spain. Victims of Vlachovsky’s misconduct report a range of consequences—from nausea and the need to change clubs to long‑term body dysmorphia—highlighting how non‑contact sexual abuse can devastate athletes whose bodies are their livelihood. While the Czech federation is reportedly revising its safeguarding policies, critics argue that without a global enforcement mechanism, perpetrators like Vlachovsky can continue coaching elsewhere, perpetuating risk for future generations of female footballers.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision on Monday that removes a procedural obstacle, allowing the Justice Department to proceed with a motion to dismiss the criminal case against Steve Bannon. The case stems from a 2022 conviction on two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena issued by the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. Bannon, a former chief strategist for President Donald Trump, served a four‑month prison term after the conviction. Although the sentence is now complete, the Justice Department argues that dismissing the case is "in the interests of justice" and has asked the high court to overturn the lower‑court ruling that kept the conviction in place. Attorney Evan Corcoran, representing Bannon, welcomed the development, stating, "It has been one battle after another for five years, but today the Supreme Court vacated an unjust conviction, reaffirming that politics and prosecution don’t mix." A dismissal would expunge Bannon’s conviction from the record, but the practical impact is minimal because he has already completed his sentence. The move is part of a broader pattern of the Justice Department taking actions that benefit allies of the former president since his return to office in 2024. Background: Bannon, now 72, was a key adviser to Trump’s 2016 campaign and served as the White House’s chief strategist in 2017. After a brief fallout, he reconciled with Trump and was released from Danbury federal prison a week before Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Upon release, Bannon declared himself “far from broken” and resumed hosting his "War Room" podcast, continuing to promote the “America First” brand of right‑wing populism. Legal arguments raised by Bannon’s team centered on claims of executive privilege and challenges to the congressional committee’s authority to issue the subpoena. The case unfolds against a backdrop of numerous pardons granted by Trump to individuals convicted in connection with the Capitol riot and other allies facing charges related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

South Korean intelligence officials say Pyongyang is deliberately stepping back from its long‑standing partnership with Iran as it seeks to open a diplomatic channel with the United States.The National Intelligence Service (NIS) found no evidence of weapons or material transfers to Tehran since the US‑Israel conflict over Iran erupted at the end of February.Unlike its allies China and Russia, which have issued frequent statements on the Middle‑East war, North Korea’s foreign ministry has released only two muted comments, condemning the US and Israeli attacks but remaining silent on internal Iranian leadership changes.Analysts interpret this restraint as a strategic move to position North Korea for a new diplomatic chapter with Washington once the regional conflict subsides.In a separate revelation, the NIS disclosed that Kim Jong Un appears to be grooming his teenage daughter, Ju Ae—estimated to be around 13 years old—as a potential successor, citing recent footage of her driving a tank.The display mirrors Kim’s own early‑2010s public military appearances, which were designed to showcase his readiness to inherit power.Previously, Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong was considered a leading heir candidate. She recently praised South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for apologising over a January drone incursion, calling the gesture “wise” and “fortunate.”Lee admitted that government officials were involved in the drone incident and expressed regret, part of his broader effort to repair inter‑Korean ties since taking office.Despite these overtures, North Korea has largely ignored Seoul’s diplomatic initiatives, with Kim labeling South Korea the “most hostile state” in a March policy address.

President Donald Trump opened the traditional Easter Egg Roll on the White House South Lawn alongside a child dressed in a giant bunny costume, before turning the event into a platform for a stark Iran warning to a room of reporters. Hours later, the president entered a packed briefing room flanked by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. The press conference highlighted the recent rescue of a U.S. airman whose jet was downed by Iran, a mission Trump praised as "genius" and likened to a Hollywood production. Amid the celebration, Trump shifted focus to a $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget request he had submitted the previous week, emphasizing military spending while domestic programs face cuts. In a chilling turn, the president warned that the United States could "take out the entire country in one night" by targeting Iran’s bridges and power plants, a threat he framed as a potential path to freedom for the Iranian people. He claimed, without evidence, that Iranians would accept such suffering to topple their regime. When a reporter cited the Geneva Conventions, Trump dismissed the concern, questioning the journalist’s affiliation and mocking the New York Times for its declining circulation. Trump also hinted at personal profit, stating, "I'm a businessman first" when asked about seizing Iranian oil, and invoked a quasi‑religious narrative, saying, "God was watching us" during the Easter festivities. Defence Secretary Hegseth, known for his ties to Christian nationalism, likened the rescue to a resurrection, describing the timeline from the aircraft’s downing on Good Friday to its recovery on Easter Sunday as a "pilot reborn". Critics on social media and within Congress have labeled Trump’s rhetoric as "insane" and "dangerous," urging the cabinet to consider the 25th Amendment to assess his fitness for office. The president brushed off mental‑health concerns, suggesting that if his condition were an issue, "you’ll need more people like me." Recent weeks have seen Trump make contradictory statements: first denying the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, then threatening escalation; first boasting of air superiority after a U.S. fighter was shot down, then claiming the war is already won. These erratic pronouncements have heightened worries that the nation’s nuclear launch authority may be in the hands of a leader whose public behavior resembles the "Mad Hatter" of Lewis Carroll’s classic.

A Guardian investigation has shed light on the dark reality of child sex trafficking on Facebook and Instagram, prompting a landmark lawsuit against Meta. The tech giant has been fined $375m in a New Mexico court case, highlighting its failure to prevent criminal exploitation on its platforms.The investigation, led by reporter Katie McQue, began with a tip-off about surging child sexual abuse trafficking in the US. It uncovered evidence of traffickers using Facebook Messenger and private Instagram accounts to target, groom, and exploit children. Meta was found to be struggling to prevent these crimes, despite warnings from experts and law enforcement.The probe involved extensive research, including analysis of court documents and interviews with former Meta contract workers. These workers reported that their efforts to flag and escalate possible child trafficking often went unaddressed, and harmful content was rarely removed.The investigation's findings were published in April 2023, revealing how Facebook and Instagram had become marketplaces for child sex trafficking. The case was cited in a US supreme court amicus brief, and New Mexico's office of the attorney general filed a lawsuit against Meta for failing to protect children.The lawsuit went to trial, and Meta lost the court battle in March, being ordered to pay $375m in civil penalties. The company has said it will appeal the ruling, maintaining its stance on protecting teens online.This case marks a significant milestone in the ongoing scrutiny of social media platforms' role in combating child exploitation. Meta faces further trials, including one with a coalition of 33 attorneys general alleging the company designed features that 'purposefully addict children and teens.'

The Trump administration has filed an emergency motion to resume construction on its White House ballroom project, citing national security concerns. The project, which has been temporarily halted by a court decision, is estimated to cost nearly $400m and has sparked controversy over its potential impact on the White House's historic design.Lawyers for the Trump administration and the National Park Service have called the court decision to pause construction 'shocking, unprecedented, and improper'. They argue that the court-ordered suspension has left a 'massive excavation' site next to the executive mansion, threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the President and his family, and the President's staff.The motion outlines various security measures slated to be incorporated into the ballroom project, including drone-proof roofing materials and glass meant to withstand bullets and blasts. 'Time is of the essence,' the motion reads.The court filing is the latest response from the Trump administration to a March 31 ruling from Judge Richard Leon, an appointee of former Republican President George W Bush. Judge Leon had issued a 35-page ruling ordering construction on the project to stop, citing the need for congressional approval for a project so transformative.The Trump administration has appealed Leon's injunction against the project and has claimed broad authority to make changes to the White House, citing past renovations under earlier presidents. The project has grown from a $200m structure to a nearly $400m one, by current estimates, and is set to span 90,000 square feet.