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Partridge Boswell won the 2026 National Poetry Competition with "The Gathering," a poem exploring language, love, and processing global suffering amid the relentless news cycle, selected from over 21,000 entries across 113 countries. Boswell received the £5,000 top prize, with judges praising the poem's emotional depth and philosophical insight into personal grief against state violence.

The United Nations voted Wednesday to designate the transatlantic slave trade as the "gravest crime against humanity," with 123 nations supporting Ghana's landmark resolution calling for reparations and remedying historical wrongs. The UK, US, and Israel voted against the non-binding resolution while 52 countries abstained, citing concerns about creating a hierarchy of historical atrocities.

MGM+ has cast six actors including Raphael Sbarge, Seamus Dever and Ryan McPartlin in the prequel series "Bosch: Start of Watch," which follows 26-year-old rookie cop Harry Bosch during his earliest days in 1991 Los Angeles. The series, based on Michael Connelly's Bosch book universe, explores the city's racial tensions and gang violence while Bosch becomes entangled in a high-profile heist and criminal corruption.

Australia condemned Iran's indiscriminate attacks on Gulf states and Jordan at a United Nations debate, joining other like-minded nations in response. Tropical Cyclone Narelle intensified and threatened Western Australia's Kimberley coast after causing damage across northern Queensland and the Northern Territory, while Australian political leaders debated fuel security measures and wage increases to address rising energy costs.

Apple is rolling out age verification requirements in the UK through an iOS update, asking iPhone users to confirm they are over 18 to access certain apps and services including web browsing and messaging features. The move follows UK government pressure on tech companies to protect children online under the Online Safety Act, with Ofcom welcoming the initiative while some users express privacy concerns about the age verification methods.

Amazon is offering AirPods Pro 3 at $199 during its Big Spring Sale, matching the all-time low price and representing a $50 discount from the regular $249 price tag. The third-generation AirPods Pro, launched in September 2025, feature enhanced active noise cancellation, improved audio quality, live translation capabilities, and heart rate sensing.

The House of Lords voted 266 to 141 to back an Australian-style social media ban for under-16s, rejecting Prime Minister Keir Starmer's proposal for a public consultation on the measure. The vote, backed by bereaved parents and pushed by Conservative former minister Lord Nash, comes after a Los Angeles jury ordered Meta and YouTube to pay $6 million in damages for designing addictive products that harmed a young user's mental health.

Israel announced plans to occupy a security zone in southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, displacing over 1 million people, with experts warning the move mirrors failed 1980s-1990s occupation tactics that ultimately proved unsustainable. Experts contend that despite Israel's military superiority, the occupation is unlikely to eliminate Hezbollah and will require political negotiations to resolve the decades-long conflict.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has written to Travelodge Chief Executive Jo Boydell urging the hotel chain to engage with MPs regarding security protocols after a woman was sexually assaulted by a man given her room number and keycard by staff in December 2022. Kyran Smith, 29, was jailed for seven and a half years in February, and more than 20 MPs have demanded meetings with Travelodge leadership to address concerns about its procedures and response.

Media Rights Capital lost a $100 million insurance dispute with Fireman's Fund over losses from "House of Cards" ending in 2018, with a Santa Monica jury ruling against the production company this week after a month-long trial. Kevin Spacey, who was removed from the show amid sexual assault allegations during the #MeToo movement, testified that he was available and willing to work but was ousted due to reputational damage rather than a claimed sex addiction disorder that MRC argued would have triggered insurance coverage.