⚽ News, buildup and discussion before today’s action ⚽ Premier League: 10 things to look out for | Get in touch Pep Guardiola spoke to the press yesterday before West Ham v Manchester City today. In his usual understated style, Guardiola revealed that when he [perhaps the greatest manager in the world, in charge of a well-resourced and highly successful football club] loses a game 3-0, everyone makes a big ol’ fuss. Oh Pep! Never change. Clearly the suits at Sky Sports thought Wrexham v Swansea City on a Friday night needed its own sideshow. A clash between two historic Welsh clubs just five points apart in the battle for the Championship playoff places may not appeal to the TikTok generation. If only there were some Hollywood actors on hand to step into the content void, relegating Daniel Mann and Andy Hinchcliffe to second-string commentary choice. Luckily, Wrexham’s co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac were happy to oblige on the fifth anniversary of their £2m takeover of the then National League outfit. “As with our decision to take over Wrexham, we genuinely have no idea how this will go,” the pair chimed – presumably in unison – on a cheery press release before the broadcast. Continue reading...

The revamped Hundred will bring us the awkward spectacle of men in chinos struggling to keep the lid on a Pandora’s box of political volatility When the England and Wales Cricket Board promised, in a glaze of beaming positivity, that the Hundred would bring a new audience, new energy, a shiny new online presence, it probably didn’t have in mind a barrage of hate-threats and terrorism accusations against the 34-year-old female owner of what was previously the Northern Superchargers. But hey, it’s all energy. It’s eyeballs. Can we clip some of this up? Just blue-skying here, but what are the hate-threat merch opportunities? Is there any way, and there are no bad ideas in this room, we can leverage some really strong online nuclear war chat? Continue reading...

Steve Borthwick must throw off the shackles in Paris to inject some attacking energy into his far-too predictable side The inquest into England’s Six Nations campaign has already started and when that is the case before the championship has even finished it is never a good sign. Everyone has their own opinions on what is wrong and I’m sure that is the same within the squad too. When you are on runs like England are, different players come up with different reasons for their problems and different fixes – and that makes the situation all the more difficult. If there is one thing holding England back it is their gameplan. I don’t say that as a reaction to these three defeats, I felt that they stagnated during the autumn and tightened things up despite chalking up four victories. The best illustration I can give is the 2024 tournament. England had lost to Scotland, went to York in the fallow week, contrived to throw off the shackles in attack and it paid immediate dividends. Continue reading...

Current and ex-staff claim demise of London restaurant can be traced back to the departure of chef’s right-hand man Dinner by Heston was once one of the world’s most revered restaurants, known for its decadent and unusual dishes such as the “meat fruit”. But Heston Blumenthal announced this week that he is winding down operations at the two Michelin-star restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Knightsbridge, London, saying it was because the tenancy had “finished”. Continue reading...

Mood among some in Iran shifts from hope of being rescued to dismay at destruction of infrastructure, culture and lives After years of arrests, disappearances and mass killings of protesters, the hatred in Iran from some quarters for the hardline, oppressive governing regime had boiled into such a desperate rage that many believed Donald Trump’s promise that the US would “come to their rescue”. Now, after a fortnight of war, with US and Israeli airstrikes killing hundreds as they hit residential blocks, shops, fuel depots and even a school, the mood is changing. Continue reading...

It was a big shock when Keith Burkinshaw’s talented side went down – but will the current team avoid that fate? Glenn Hoddle was in tears in the dressing room. Others sat in disbelief, wondering what the future held. Tottenham were the first English club in the 20th century to win the league and FA Cup Double, in 1961, and the first to lift a European trophy when they won the Cup Winners’ Cup two years later. They were renowned for playing attractive football and the goals of Jimmy Greaves. Continue reading...

Explosion at school on the south side of Amsterdam only caused limited damage, with no reported injuries An explosion damaged a Jewish school in Amsterdam early on Saturday, in what the city’s mayor described as “a deliberate attack against the Jewish community”. The explosion at the school in an upmarket residential neighbourhood on the south side of Amsterdam only caused limited damage, the mayor, Femke Halsema, said in a press release, as police and firefighters arrived at the scene quickly. Continue reading...

High-net-worth residents of UAE heading to Ireland and France to wait out missile attacks before tax year ends Wealthy UK nationals fleeing war in the Gulf are seeking sanctuary in countries such as Ireland and France to avoid hefty tax bills back home. In the face of possible demands from HM Revenue and Customs, high-net-worth individuals who had been living in the United Arab Emirates and neighbouring countries are hoping to wait out the missile and drone attacks elsewhere rather than return to the UK. Continue reading...

Bob Mortimer returns to defend his crown, as comedians make screamingly funny TV in an attempt to make each other laugh for a prize I was once shouted at for smiling during a breakup. I had to switch careers when I realised my favourite thing about being an actor was making other actors corpse on stage. Situations in which humour is forbidden are hilarious to me. It’s the pressure-cooker analogy, I suppose. “I’m the kinda guy who laughs at a funeral,’” sang Barenaked Ladies, and I’ve never related more to a lyric. Which makes the return of Last One Laughing UK (Thursday, Prime Video) very relevant to my interests. The show is an elimination competition in which 10 comedians are locked in a softly furnished room for six hours, trying to make each other laugh while keeping a straight face themselves. Laughter and smiling are punishable by yellow cards, then red cards, leading to dismissal. It’s hosted by Jimmy Carr – who has such an odd laugh, it’s possible the entire format was crowdfunded by offended gulls who didn’t want to hear it any more. Continue reading...

Even as the first western journalist to interview Ayatollah Khomeini, I had no inkling of what was to come. Perhaps we should have learned from history Watching Iran in flames, I can’t help wondering whether history is coming a grotesque full circle 47 years after the fall of the US-backed Pahlavi dynasty, or whether western powers are simply repeating past errors by attempting violent regime change from outside. As a young reporter, I had a ringside seat for part of the 1979 revolution that overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and installed an austere Islamic republic headed by a Shia Muslim cleric with the titles of “leader of the revolution” and “guardian jurist” (vali-e faqih). Continue reading...

Dragged along by my dad to see Pentangle, I heard something ancient that kickstarted my obsession with this country’s folklore – an enchanted, subversive and strange version of a Britain where I could truly belong I was 15 years old; at that fumbling, awkward age on the precipice of adulthood, desperately trying to figure out who I was, who I wanted to be, and where I belonged in the world. I grew up feeling perpetually “in-between”: half-white, half-black; half-British, half-Caribbean, and on the faultline between what sometimes felt like two worlds at war. One night in 2008 my dad took me to see Pentangle play at the Royal Festival Hall on London’s South Bank. The band had risen to fame in the late 60s, known for fusing British folk melodies with blues and jazz syncopation. I must have stood out in the crowd – among the bearded men in sandals and socks – with my big hoop earrings and scraped-back hair. And although I dragged my feet on the way in, when I stepped out of the concert later that auspicious summer’s evening, I was changed for ever. Continue reading...

From Glengarry Glen Ross and Lawrence of Arabia to Liz Truss and Lord Salisbury, test your knowledge with the Saturday quiz 1 Which dictator spent his last days in power playing Candy Crush? 2 What children’s TV production company was founded by Anne Wood? 3 Rome’s Ludus Magnus was a training school for whom? 4 Where were Liz Truss and Lord Salisbury both appointed prime minister? 5 Referring to 17 metals, what does REE stand for? 6 In the title of an 1886 novel, what is David Balfour’s predicament? 7 Which fish has the scientific name Electrophorus electricus? 8 What sport is the subject of the documentary Love Means Zero? What links: 9 Booker T & the MG’s; Manfred Mann; Ben Folds Five? 10 Genoese; Lepers; Millionaires; Rat Stabbers; Red Devils? 11 Moonfleet; Three Men in a Boat; The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Consider Phlebas? 12 Glengarry Glen Ross; Lawrence of Arabia; The Great Escape; 12 Angry Men? 13 Arbuthnot Latham; Coutts; C Hoare; Weatherbys? 14 Horn; Agulhas; Leeuwin; South East; Whiore? 15 Nicholas Breakspear and Robert Prevost? Continue reading...

As the sun sets on a tax-free scheme used by nearly a million people, there are calls for a better deal on retirement saving Emilia Farr opened a lifetime Isa when the accounts went on sale in 2017 as a way to save for her retirement. But having built up a pot of £76,000, the self-employed IT worker was shocked to hear that the accounts are being pensioned off. “For me, [opening one] was a no-brainer. I treat it like a pension, and the government bonus is a real incentive to save,” says Farr, 40, who lives in London. She adds: “If you’re employed, even if you do nothing, you have a pension – but it’s very different for the self-employed.” Lifetime Isas have proved to be a hit with millennials and generation Z: the number of “live” accounts has jumped by 45% in two years and now stands at almost a million (an estimated 964,000 in 2023-24, according to the most recent official data). Continue reading...

Five multiple-choice questions – set by children – to test your knowledge, and a chance to submit your own junior brainteasers for future quizzes ​Submit a question Molly Oldfield hosts Everything Under the Sun, a podcast answering children’s questions. Do check out her books, Everything Under the Sun and Everything Under the Sun: Quiz Book, as well as her new title, Everything Under the Sun: All Around the World. Continue reading...

Excitement in Killarney will reach fever pitch on Sunday, when the actor is hotly tipped to become the first Irish woman to win best actress If Jessie Buckley wins the Oscar for best actress on Sunday night, County Kerry will need no further proof of a cherished truism: to be born in this corner of Ireland really is the greatest gift that God can bestow. The award would be for Buckley’s performance in Hamnet, but for Killarney, her home town in the county nicknamed the Kingdom, credit will stretch back to her childhood, when she acted in local plays. “Hollywood here we come!” proclaimed the newspaper Kerry’s Eye, underlining a sense that Buckley’s path to Hollywood for the 98th Academy Awards has been a collective journey propelled by her talent, determination and roots. Continue reading...

Divers come for one of the world’s most significant marine reserves, but there’s plenty to do on land too – from hiking trails and beaches to seafood tavernas Greek divers surface around me shouting about “megalo” groupers. I’m surrounded by enormous grins above the water and big fish below. A happy place to be. A bunch of us, divers and snorkellers, are hanging around Agios Petros reef off the island of Alonissos, and there’s a reason the groupers are big here. The National Marine Park of Alonissos Northern Sporades, established in 1992, is Greece’s largest working marine protected area (MPA) – two bigger MPAs have just been created, but are not yet operational. The protective measures appear to be working, judging by the size, abundance and diversity of marine life – glassy waters teeming with colourful fish and precious shells make swimming here an absolute dream. For those who like to go deeper, Alonissos is the site of Greece’s first underwater archaeological park and museum – the impressive Peristera wreck, with its giant cargo of amphorae preserved from the 5th century BC. This one is for certified divers descending with accredited local dive centres. I’m with one of those schools, Ikion Diving, but today we’re doing something more accessible. We’re in the village of Steni Vala for the launch of a citizen science project, the Highly Protected Mediterranean Initiative (much more fun than it sounds). Ikion is partnering with the universities of Thessaloniki and the Aegean to offer free snorkelling and diving trips logging native and alien species. I’m worried about my fish ID skills, but the effervescent biologist Katerina Konsta runs a great briefing and we’re given dive slates with images to mark (imparting a childish delight at playing scientist). Continue reading...

Carmaker’s decision to drop NissanConnect EV app on relatively recent cars fuels warnings from experts Owners of some Nissan Leaf electric vehicles are angry after the carmaker announced it would shut down an app that lets them remotely control battery charging and other functions. Drivers of Leaf cars made before May 2019 and the e-NV200 van (produced until 2022) have been told that the NissanConnect EV app linked to their vehicles will “cease operation” from 30 March. This means they will lose remote services, including turning on the heating, and some map features. Continue reading...

How Queen Victoria’s personal life nearly brought down the monarchy. Plus, pugil-sticks at the ready as the Gladiators semi finals begin. Here’s what to watch this evening 9.15pm, Channel 5 “Even Queen Victoria’s own children start to call him mother’s lover.” A juicy history documentary that investigates the sovereign’s much rumoured romance with her servant John Brown. Experts including archaeologist Raksha Dave and Dr Amy Boyington share everything they know about the scandal that could have seen the end of the monarchy. Hollie Richardson Continue reading...

️ Qualifying in Shanghai starts 3pm local/6pm AEDT/7am GMT ️ Russell wins first F1 sprint race of season | Mail Joey What were the other major takeaways from our season-opening race in Melbourne? Well, you won’t be surprised to learn that the (increasingly furious) debate surrounding the new regulations governing the sport played a big role, with Lando Norris declaring the state of affairs “sucks” and Leclerc saying that “This is like the mushroom in Mario Kart.” Continue reading...

Projectile was fired toward the sea off North Korea’s east coast, the South Korean military said, days after Seoul and Washington launched major military drills North Korea fired a projectile towards the sea on Saturday, South Korea and Japan said, with Tokyo saying it may have been a ballistic missile, while the US and South Korea conducted military drills. The projectile was fired toward the sea off North Korea’s east coast, the South Korean military said in a brief message to reporters. It gave no further details. Japan’s coast guard said the projectile appeared to have fallen into the sea. Continue reading...

A stellar delight from Steve Carell, as he helps his daughter navigate marital difficulties, while the Cabaret star and Hollywood legend opens up about the price of fame and childhood trauma. Here’s the pick of the week’s culture, taken from the Guardian’s best-rated reviews Continue reading...

A smashed window here, a provocative sticker there. In an age when protest feels increasingly meaningless, it’s no wonder that acts of petty symbolism are on the rise First comes the hummus: studded with chickpeas, anointed with a little reservoir of olive oil, greedily smeared up with hunks of pitta bread and messy fingers. Then the tabbouleh, then some homemade falafels, and then the lentil soup, and already the senses are overloaded, plates and bowls spilling off the edge of the table. But there shall be no reprieve, for the mains are coming. Maqluba for the meat-eaters – traditional Palestinian upside-down chicken and rice, decorated with lightly browned cauliflower florets, topped with razor-fine almonds. Stuffed aubergine and courgette for the veggies. Before you ask: yes, there will be dessert, and it’s baklava and homemade chocolate. Home time, and slowly you winch yourself upright, stagger sideways towards the door and vow never to do something so gluttonous and decadent ever again. Continue reading...

Firing Peter Mandelson, convening with Marco Rubio – then handling the fallout of conflict in the Middle East… it’s been a busy time for the secretary of state, and our writer has had a ringside seat Before Yvette Cooper joins me in a plush side room at the Foreign Office, an aide comes in and draws the heavy curtains. Outside is Horse Guards Parade. I can see a strip of Downing Street, a patch of the No 10 garden, daffodils in bloom. I say that it’s a shame to block the light on such a beautiful spring afternoon. The aide coughs, embarrassed, and explains that it’s actually for security. So that people can’t see in? Continue reading...

Need something brilliant to read this weekend? Here are six of our favourite pieces from the last seven days Continue reading...

Robin, 68, a retired property manager, meets Jacquie, 69, a retired secretary What were you hoping for? To meet someone with a nice personality and similar interests. Continue reading...