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The US has just wrapped up a historically warm March, with numerous states recording all-time high temperatures. This prolonged warmth has left much of the mountain snowpack in the American west at critically low levels, a crucial source of water for millions.Despite increased precipitation in spring, the low snowpack has raised concerns about a potentially severe wildfire season if conditions do not improve soon. With more abnormally warm, dry weather expected, the outlook is becoming increasingly worrying heading into late spring and summer.On the other side of the Pacific, Tropical Cyclone Maila has developed in the Solomon Sea and is expected to strengthen to severe tropical cyclone status. This is the first named storm for Papua New Guinea since Cyclone Guba in 2007. Maila is forecast to be the strongest storm to impact or make landfall in Papua New Guinea.Meanwhile, parts of south-east and east Asia are expected to see a continuation of abnormally high temperatures this week, with some areas potentially recording temperatures of 35-39C, about 10C hotter than expected for this time of year. High temperatures will be joined by very high humidity levels, potentially creating dangerous levels of heat stress for millions of people.

Progressive candidate Abdul El‑Sayed’s alliance with left‑wing Twitch streamer Hasan Piker has ignited a sharp rift within Michigan’s tightly contested three‑way Senate race, pitting establishment favorite Mallory McMorrow against a pro‑Israel coalition supporting Rep. Haley Stevens. McMorrow, backed by the Democratic establishment, the Anti‑Defamation League, the Trump administration, and prominent pro‑Israel figures, has condemned Piker as antisemitic and warned that his involvement could alienate voters still reeling from the recent Temple Israel synagogue attack. In contrast, El‑Sayed and Piker announced a joint rally last week, prompting McMorrow’s camp to label the partnership a political liability. Seven Arab American leaders interviewed by the Guardian argue that the attacks on El‑Sayed and Piker are both strategic missteps and moral blunders that repeat the mistakes that cost the Democrats in Michigan in 2024. Michigan houses the nation’s highest per‑capita Arab American population, anchored by a large Lebanese diaspora. The ongoing Israeli assault on southern Lebanon—displacing over 1 million civilians and destroying villages—has hit the community hard, with many families directly affected. "Arabs get the pressure and Israel gets compassion," said James Zogby of the Democratic National Committee, underscoring the perceived double standard. Arab American leaders contend that the Democratic focus on Israel while sidelining Lebanese and Muslim concerns could erode crucial voter support. Data from the 2024 election illustrate the risk: Kamala Harris lost Michigan by roughly 80,000 votes, with some analysts estimating that her pro‑Israel stance cost her an additional 100,000 votes. A Guardian analysis found a 22,000‑vote swing away from Democrats in the three cities with the largest Arab American and Muslim populations. National polling now shows a dramatic shift among Democratic voters: support for Israel’s war in Gaza has fallen to an all‑time low of 8%, while a majority favor an arms embargo on Israel. Piker, who commands a 3‑million‑strong Twitch audience, consistently voices sympathy for Palestinians and calls for an embargo, positioning himself as a bridge to younger, progressive voters. Despite the controversy, El‑Sayed maintains that winning requires dialogue with all constituencies, even those outside the progressive bubble, noting his recent appearance on Fox News. He warned that every dollar spent on what he calls an "illegal, unjustified war in Iran" diverts resources from schools, healthcare, and infrastructure in Michigan. As the 2028 election cycle looms, Arab American leaders caution that the Democratic Party’s handling of the Israel‑Palestine issue in this swing state could have lasting repercussions, potentially reshaping the party’s fortunes in the Midwest.

The US war on Iran has now entered its sixth week, with the conflict showing no signs of abating. What was initially touted as a 'precise, overwhelming military campaign' to eliminate 'an imminent nuclear threat' has instead become a protracted and costly endeavor. The war has resulted in rising costs for the US in military equipment and personnel, and has had a significant impact on energy markets, with forecasts of a potential global economic recession in the event of a prolonged conflict.The conflict has also highlighted the Iranian regime's capacity for asymmetric warfare, with the country deploying cheap drones and missiles to disrupt energy facilities and compromise economies in the Gulf region. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil shipments, has also had a significant impact on the war effort, with the US and its allies struggling to reopen it.The US's failure to understand the Iranian regime's subjective complex dynamics has been a significant factor in the conflict's prolongation. The regime's ability to withstand pain and prolonged escalation without a clear scenario of military victory against a superpower has been underestimated, and its proxy groups, such as Hezbollah and the Houthis, have proven to be effective in advancing its interests and preventing outcomes that weaken or isolate it further.The conflict has also highlighted the diverging definitions of victory between the US and Iran, with the US seeking a swift and decisive victory, while Iran is focused on maintaining its viability on its own terms in the face of American hegemony. As the war continues, the question remains: how will this conflict end?

President Donald Trump issued a stark warning on Sunday, giving Tehran until Tuesday night to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face U.S. strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges. The message, posted on his Truth Social platform, was laced with profanity and a deadline of 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad‑Bagher Ghalibaf, responded on social media, accusing the United States of “reckless moves” that would set the entire region ablaze and turn it into “living hell.” The latest escalation follows the rescue of a second U.S. crew member from a downed F‑15E fighter that crashed in southwestern Iran, an operation that saw American special forces and Iranian troops racing against each other in mountainous terrain. Trump has repeatedly shifted the deadline for Iran, extending it at least twice. In his expletive‑laden post he warned, “Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!” Financial markets reacted instantly: the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate rose 1.86 % to over $112 per barrel, while Brent crude climbed above $110. The surge underscores how geopolitical flashpoints can quickly translate into higher energy costs for consumers worldwide. Trump also hinted at a possible diplomatic breakthrough, telling Fox News there was a “good chance” of an agreement on Monday. Yet he added, “If they don’t make a deal and fast, I’m considering blowing everything up and taking over the oil.” Legal scholars warned that targeting civilian infrastructure would breach the Geneva Conventions. Yale professor of international law Oona A. Hathaway noted that the president offered no justification to reclassify power plants, bridges, or steel factories as legitimate military targets, and that any such attacks would likely constitute war crimes. Iranian authorities estimate that the ongoing U.S.–Israeli campaign has damaged roughly 81,000 civilian sites, including 61,000 homes, 19,000 commercial facilities, 275 medical centres, and nearly 500 schools. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the coalition has destroyed about 70 % of Iran’s steel production capacity, citing its alleged use in missile manufacturing. In retaliation, Iran has intensified attacks on Gulf shipping and infrastructure. Over the weekend Iranian drones struck a petrochemical complex in Bahrain, igniting thick black smoke, and hit multiple Kuwait Petroleum facilities, causing fires and “significant material losses” at power and desalination plants. The most dramatic recent strike was the demolition of Iran’s unfinished 136‑metre B1 suspension bridge, a $400 million project meant to link Tehran and Karaj. The attack killed 13 people and injured 95, prompting the bridge’s engineer to lament the loss of a symbol of national pride. Trump posted a video of the bridge’s destruction, framing it as a response to Iran’s alleged unwillingness to negotiate. He later told Axios that the U.S. had been “close to an agreement” but that Iran’s demand to meet “in five days” was a pretext for the attack. Domestic criticism was swift. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer denounced the president’s rhetoric as “unhinged” and warned that such threats could alienate allies and amount to war crimes. International law experts reiterated that civilian objects—such as power plants, bridges, and hospitals—are protected under the Geneva Conventions. Any deliberate targeting of these assets for bargaining leverage would violate the conventions and could trigger legal accountability for the United States and any cooperating parties.

Elvira Notari—Italy’s first and most prolific female filmmaker—crafted a vivid portrait of early‑20th‑century Naples through melodramas such as È piccerella (1922). The film opens with bustling pilgrimage scenes at the Candelora festival, juxtaposing flamboyant revelry with stark images of poverty, a visual strategy that challenged the sanitized narratives favored by the fascist regime.According to film scholar Giuliana Bruno, Notari’s work was driven by a desire to document reality, exposing class tensions and gendered oppression that Mussolini’s censors deemed unacceptable. A 1928 censorship law explicitly banned Neapolitan films featuring “stallholders, beggars, urchins, dirty alleyways,” effectively silencing Notari’s authentic street‑level storytelling.Despite directing around 60 feature films—many hand‑coloured—alongside her husband Nicola at Dora Film, only three titles (A Santanotte, È piccerella, Fantasia ‘e surdato) and fragments survive today, a loss directly attributable to fascist suppression and the prohibitive cost of sound‑film conversion.The newly released documentary Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence, produced by Antonella Di Nocera and directed by Valerio Ciriaci, reconstructs Notari’s fragmented career by collaborating with contemporary “artisans”—photographers, visual artists, novelists, and musicians who reinterpret her silent‑film aesthetics. Ciriaci notes that the absence of personal archives made the film’s investigative approach essential, turning Notari’s silence into a creative catalyst.Critics emphasize Notari’s lasting influence on Italian‑American auteurs such as Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese. Elements of her chaotic street festivals anticipate the wedding scenes in *The Godfather* and *Goodfellas*, while her raw urban tableaux echo the gritty New York sequences of *Taxi Driver*.Beyond cinematic technique, scholars like Cristina Jandelli argue that Notari’s intertitles reveal a pronounced class consciousness and a critique of women’s marginalisation in early 20th‑century Italy. Her use of Neapolitan dialect and unvarnished depictions of squalor directly opposed the regime’s propaganda‑driven vision of a unified, pristine Italy.After Dora Film collapsed in 1930, Notari retired to Cava de’ Tirreni and died in 1946, largely forgotten until recent scholarly revival. The documentary positions her as a “symbol of the right to memories,” underscoring the ongoing relevance of silenced female voices in cultural history.*Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence* will premiere at New York’s Film Forum on 6 April 2026 and tour the United Kingdom throughout April and May, offering audiences a chance to reconnect with a pioneering filmmaker whose work was once erased by fascism.

The transition from live piano accompaniment in silent cinemas to recorded soundtracks marked a turning point for movie‑goers; the Vitaphone disc system of 1926 and the optical Movietone process that followed gave films a reliable, repeatable musical identity.Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) was the first feature to have its music and sound effects printed directly onto the film strip, allowing audiences to hear orchestrated pieces by Chopin and Gounod in perfect sync with the picture.King Kong (1933) showcased Max Steiner’s pioneering use of the orchestra to drive narrative, mood and scene transitions, laying the groundwork for the symphonic Hollywood score that dominated the mid‑20th century.Citizen Kane (1941) gave Bernard Herrmann a platform to break from the lush, “Hollywood” sound, delivering a stark, atmospheric score that emphasized psychological tension and set a new standard for dramatic underscoring.Blackboard Jungle (1955) introduced Bill Haley’s Rock Around the Clock as the film’s musical spine, proving that popular rock could boost a movie’s commercial appeal and ushering in the era of song‑driven soundtracks.Forbidden Planet (1956) featured the first entirely electronic score, created by Louis and Bebe Barron using magnetic‑tape techniques; the pioneering use of the theremin and other electronic textures opened a fresh sonic frontier for sci‑fi cinema.Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) highlighted Henry Mancini’s “symphonic pop” style, marrying a timeless hit – Moon River – with a jazzy, contemporary score that demonstrated how pop sensibilities could coexist with traditional orchestration.2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is remembered more for its curated classical pieces than Alex North’s original score, yet the film’s bold juxtaposition of Ligeti, Strauss and Khachaturian proved that pre‑existing music could become an integral narrative force.American Graffiti (1973) assembled over 40 period songs, weaving them into the story’s fabric and proving that a soundtrack could function as a cultural time‑capsule, influencing countless later productions.Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) revived the full‑orchestra tradition when John Williams delivered a heroic, leitmotif‑rich score that re‑ignited audience love for symphonic film music and set a template for blockbuster scoring.Crimson Tide (1995) marked Hans Zimmer’s breakthrough, blending aggressive electronic pulses with a powerful orchestral choir to create the modern, hybrid sound that now defines many high‑budget action films.These ten milestones illustrate how film music has continually evolved— from live accompaniment to electronic experimentation—while retaining a core purpose: to deepen storytelling and shape audience emotion. The legacy of these scores is celebrated each April at the London Soundtrack Festival, underscoring their lasting influence on both cinema and popular culture.

Sha’Carri Richardson, the Olympic 100m silver medallist and world‑ranked sixth‑fastest woman, delivered a thrilling victory at the 144th Stawell Gift on Easter Monday, crossing the finish line in a record 13.15 seconds to claim the $40,000 top prize.The 26‑year‑old American entered the historic Australian event – the nation’s oldest and richest running race – as a scratch runner, meaning she started from the zero‑metre mark while rivals enjoyed handicaps based on prior performance.In the women’s final, Richardson edged out Charlotte Nielsen (13.20s) and Chiara Santiglia (13.36s) after a false start by 17‑year‑old Grace Crowe forced the latter to move her blocks back a metre, effectively shortening Richardson’s target.Her semi‑final had been a nail‑biter; Richardson eased up at the line and won by a razor‑thin seven thousandths of a second over Halle Martin, prompting her coach Dennis Mitchell to stress the need for a stronger finish.“I think I realised I was going to win right past 90 metres,” Richardson said post‑race, adding, “The love, the support, the true enjoyment that I had on the track … you all made this moment happen. Thank you.”Richardson’s triumph makes her the third woman ever to win the Stawell Gift from scratch, underscoring the event’s growing international stature and the lucrative incentive for elite sprinters.In the men’s 120‑metre final, Australian Olufemi Komolafe – a 21‑year‑old medical student – secured victory in 11.93 seconds from a five‑metre handicap, with Jake Ireland second in 12.07 seconds. Komolafe expressed disappointment at not facing his idol, fellow American sprinter Christian Coleman, who failed to qualify for the final, finishing fifth in his semi‑final off scratch.Coleman reflected, “I gave it everything I got. You give them that much of a margin, it’s pretty tough. I hope everybody continues to watch and support athletics. I’m looking forward to a strong season and improving my 40‑to‑100 metre transition.”

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced that it will start receiving "third‑country" nationals deported from the United States this month, following a newly‑signed arrangement with the Trump administration. The Congolese Ministry of Communications confirmed the upcoming arrivals but did not disclose the expected number of deportees.Described by Kinshasa as a temporary measure, the deal is framed as a demonstration of the DRC’s "commitment to human dignity and international solidarity." Under the terms, the United States will bear all costs, meaning the Congolese government incurs no financial burden.The agreement arrives amid broader U.S. diplomatic efforts to broker a peace settlement between the DRC and Rwanda and to secure American access to the region’s critical minerals. Analysts suggest the deportation pact may be leveraged as diplomatic goodwill in these negotiations.Human‑rights advocates have sharply criticized the practice of third‑country deportations. The United States has previously transferred migrants to African states such as Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Eswatini, prompting legal challenges and concerns over due‑process violations. In Uganda, legal groups recently announced that a dozen deportees were slated to arrive under a similar deal, with the Uganda Law Society filing a court challenge."Our perspective of the matter is broader than a single act of deportation. We view it as but one gust from the ill winds of transnational repression that are blowing across our world," said Asiimwe Anthony, vice‑president of the Uganda Law Society.The US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants notes that third‑country deportations have been systematically pursued since February 2025, raising serious due‑process and safety concerns for individuals who have no choice over their destination.According to a report by the Democratic staff of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Trump administration has already spent $40 million to relocate roughly 300 migrants to nations where they are not citizens, underscoring the scale and financial commitment of the policy.

President Donald Trump confirmed early Sunday that a U.S. airman missing after his F-15E fighter jet was downed in Iran had been recovered, describing the operation as one of the most daring in American history. The rescue, which reportedly involved a heavy exchange of fire, concluded after the pilot, a colonel‑rank weapons systems officer, was extracted from the mountainous terrain of southwestern Iran. For roughly two days, both Washington and Tehran scrambled to locate the missing serviceman. Iranian officials even appealed to local residents, offering a $60,000 reward and urging the public to hand over the airman, a move that analysts said could have yielded a propaganda victory for Tehran. According to statements from the White House, the mission required the deployment of dozens of aircraft armed with lethal payloads. While the rescue was ultimately successful, the pilot sustained injuries; however, officials assured that his condition would improve. Experts highlighted the broader strategic implications. Amin Saikal, a professor at the Australian National University, noted that the operation demonstrated the U.S. military’s commitment to never abandon personnel behind enemy lines, while also freeing President Trump to pursue his stated 48‑hour deadline for Iran to negotiate access to the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict, now in its 37th day, has already caused 2,076 deaths and injured 26,500 people across Iran since the initial strikes on February 28, which targeted senior Iranian leadership. The war has expanded into a regional confrontation, with Iranian forces striking Gulf states that host U.S. military and commercial assets. Details of the downing indicate that Iran’s “new advanced air‑defence system” succeeded in shooting down the F‑15E, marking the first loss of a U.S. aircraft in the war and the first such incident since the 2003 Iraq invasion. An accompanying A‑10 Warthog was also hit, though its pilot ejected and was rescued. Initial rescue attempts saw a Black Hawk helicopter damaged but remaining airborne. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) cordoned off parts of the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer‑Ahmad province, where the crash occurred, and reported that local nomadic groups, armed with rifles for livestock protection, joined the search. State media released footage of Iranian forces firing at U.S. helicopters, and the IRGC claimed to have destroyed two C‑130 transports and two Black Hawks during the operation. Trump’s announcement emphasized continuous monitoring of the pilot’s location by senior defense officials and a rapid response once the rescue window opened. He also referenced the ongoing disinformation campaign aimed at misleading Iranian search efforts. While Tehran has not officially confirmed the firefight, reports from Al Jazeera suggest that nine individuals were killed in related strikes, though the connection to the rescue remains unclear. Iranian authorities also claimed that another U.S. C‑130 aircraft was downed, a claim the United States has not addressed. Overall, the successful extraction underscores the heightened stakes of the U.S.–Iran confrontation and may influence forthcoming diplomatic overtures concerning the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional stability.