The current season has become a meme-war without end, an endless rolling wall of gloat and taunt in which players and managers must try to block out the noise In his new book, Saved, Gianluigi Buffon talks about feeling crushed by nerves even at the peak of his playing career. The day before the 2006 World Cup final Buffon and Gennaro Gattuso walked past the French squad after training and were immediately sent into a tailspin by their opponents’ intimidating size and athleticism. “We don’t stand a chance,” Gattuso joked, not actually joking. Buffon spent most of the night smoking in the hotel corridor with half the Italy team. At breakfast nobody could speak. They turned up at the stadium already feeling exhausted. Continue reading...

American beats Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 Gauff struggles as virus spreads through locker room Coco Gauff described how difficult it has been for players to remain healthy at the Madrid Open this year after she reached the fourth round despite vomiting on court and struggling with a virus that appears to have torn through the locker room. “I think I got a little cocky because I’ve been at tournaments where there were viruses and I never got it,” she said. “I saw it going around, I was like, ‘I’m not going to get it.’ And then here I am. I think it’s hard because you don’t know who’s sick, who’s not. I do a good job at using hand sanitiser and washing my hands and wiping my [training] mats and stuff before I use them. But sometimes some things are just hard to avoid when you’re all in a big building like this and have to pass each other and use the same equipment. Hopefully everybody’s all good by Rome.” Continue reading...

The London Marathon is run around the River Thames, over a flat course that starts in Blackheath and finishes on the Mall. The vast majority of the more than 59,000 participants are everyday participants raising money for charity or running for personal milestones Continue reading...

Hearts boosted their Scottish Premiership title hopes after Blair Spittal’s 86th-minute winner earned a dramatic derby victory over nine-man Hibernian, putting Derek McInnes’ side three points clear after Rangers lost at home to Motherwell. Hibs took an early lead at Easter Road, with Martin Boyle striking after just seven minutes – but seven minutes later, the game changed as goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger was sent off for handling the ball outside his penalty area. Ewan Murray’s match report will follow Continue reading...

Deepening sense of deadlock despite regional diplomacy as Washington and Tehran show no signs of compromise Hopes of a breakthrough in negotiations between Iran and the US faded further on Sunday, amid a deepening sense of a deadlock in the nearly two-month-long conflict despite intense regional diplomatic activity. Washington and Tehran appear unwilling to moderate rhetoric or make concessions, and there are no negotiations scheduled that might bring the war to a definitive end. Continue reading...

Determining the attacker’s motivation may take time. But toxic rhetoric, polarisation and the ubiquity of firearms are a dangerous mix Forty-five years ago, John Hinckley Jr attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan as he left the Hilton hotel in Washington, injuring the US president and three others. Obsessed with the actor Jodie Foster, and seeking to gain her attention, the shooter had initially pursued Reagan’s Democratic predecessor, Jimmy Carter. On Saturday night, the hotel again rang to shots as it hosted the annual White House correspondents’ dinner. Tuxedo-clad politicians and journalists dived under tables as bangs were heard from the lobby, and Donald Trump was rushed from the stage. A secret service agent was shot, though saved by his ballistics vest. The echoes of the 1981 attack are a potent reminder that violence has long been a tragic strand of the American political tradition. Gun violence is grimly familiar. This does not diminish the seriousness of an incident that was widely and rightly condemned. Rather, it highlights its importance. Continue reading...

Message on private Facebook group for staff said: ‘I dumped them all in a bin. They can sack me!’ Royal Mail is investigating allegations that a postal worker claimed to have “dumped” Reform UK campaign leaflets in a bin ahead of Thursday’s local elections. A post on a Facebook group for Royal Mail staff said: “My DO had reform party’s D2D today. I dumped them all in a bin. They can sack me! Idgaf!” Continue reading...

Conflicting accounts will be tested in parliament. The outcome may not be decisive, but risks reinforcing concerns about PM’s leadership It is unlikely that events this week at the foreign affairs select committee will deliver a knockout blow to Sir Keir Starmer over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s US ambassador. Westminster will instead see a stress test, forcing competing versions of events into the open – a risk for Downing Street if the story crystallises unfavourably. The first witness will be Sir Philip Barton, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, who is said to have had reservations about giving Lord Mandelson the job. He was in post when the prime minister announced the peer’s appointment. His evidence could be crucial. Sir Keir told MPs last week that “no pressure existed whatsoever”. The emphatic “whatsoever” has put him in difficulty. He is already qualifying it, arguing that pushing for speed is not pressure. If Sir Philip names those who applied pressure – and this affected the Foreign Office’s decision – Sir Keir would be in hot water. He might avoid a Commons privileges inquiry, but the public would see him as slippery. The prime minister’s former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney reportedly told Sir Philip to “just fucking approve it”. Mr McSweeney’s evidence will hinge on whether he issues a categorical denial or a partial concession. Smart money is on the former. Continue reading...

Blues could begin and end the season with silverware, a bewildering prospect given the changes and poor displays Out of chaos comes trophies. It shouldn’t be so, but it’s been the Chelsea way for more than 20 years now: no matter how shambolic everything seems behind the scenes, no matter how many managers they burn through, no matter how scattergun the transfer policy, no matter how much discontent seeps from the dressing room, somehow they spend enough to keep on winning trophies. Since Roman Abramovich took over the club in 2003, Chelsea have had 20 permanent managers (including two longish-term interims, and three who had two stints in charge) and won 20 trophies (Community Shields and Uefa Super Cups excluded). That is a bizarre statistic: almost a manager a season should not also be bringing in almost a trophy a season. Whether Calum McFarlane’s appointment to see them through to the end of the season after the sacking of Liam Rosenior last week is enough for him to be considered a 21st manager is debatable, but he now stands one game from adding a 21st trophy. Continue reading...

Gloucester 34-31 Exeter Home side edge 10-try thriller Almost 12 months ago to the day Exeter shipped 79 points in front of the Shed, precipitating a major coaching reshuffle and a finger-wagging lecture in the dressing room from their chair Tony Rowe. The scale of this eventful defeat was much less but there could yet be a sizeable cost to pay as the end-of-season playoffs loom larger. The Chiefs have certainly chosen an awkward moment to suffer back-to-back league defeats, leaving them looking over their shoulders with four regular season rounds remaining. On this occasion they could have no complaints whatsover as a revitalised Gloucester secured only their third league win of the campaign with Max Llewellyn and Will Trenholm both collecting a brace of tries. Continue reading...

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Extreme weather likely to continue after devastating homes and endangering millions in US south and midwest At least one person was killed after a very powerful tornado struck northern Texas on Saturday night, as extreme weather continued to devastate homes and put millions across the south and midwestern US at risk, with wildfires also raging on in parts of Georgia. Officials from Wise county in Texas said the storm reached the area at around 10pm and caused significant damage across multiple neighborhoods. In addition to the confirmed death, six people were treated or transported by emergency responders to be treated for storm-related injuries. Continue reading...

Millionaire funded operation called ‘pure animal cruelty’ after environment minister sent threats on social media Final preparations are reportedly under way for a millionaire fundedplan to tow a sickly humpback whale into the North Sea. The 12-tonne whale, nicknamed Timmy, has been stranded on the Baltic Sea coastline for almost a month. A barge resembling a giant steel aquarium will attempt to transport Timmy 400km (248 miles) towards the North Sea, and then hopefully back to the Atlantic Ocean from where it is believed to have arrived. Continue reading...

Craze for Mexican salamander as pets fuelled by Pokémon but inexperienced owners are often out of their depths The 15th-century Dipping Bridge over the River Ogwr (Ogmore) in the village of Merthyr Mawr near Bridgend, south Wales, got its name from gaps in the parapets where farmers used to push reluctant sheep into the water for a clean. It has now passed the name on: to Dippy the axolotl, an alien-like Mexican salamander found under its arches. Dippy, discovered by 10-year-old Evie Hill last weekend, is believed to be the first axolotl ever found in the wild in the UK; the species is critically endangered and lives only in Lake Xochimilco near Mexico City. Exactly why the 22cm (9in) amphibian ended up in the shallows under the dipping bridge may never be discovered, but Evie and her mother, Melanie – Dippy’s new owners – as well as animal welfare experts believe the most plausible explanation is that the Pokémon-like creature was abandoned. Continue reading...

Staff are handing over sandwiches from behind a theft-proof counter as the high street fights back Greggs has axed self-service display cabinets in bakery stores that have been most severely hit by shoplifters. The move is the latest aimed at combating a problem plaguing the high street. Last year official figures revealed annual shoplifting offences in England and Wales had passed half a million offences for the first time, and since then many retailers have reported high levels of crime in their shops. Continue reading...

Incoming PM Péter Magyar accuses Fidesz-linked figures of trying to shield their wealth from accountability Along the banks of the Danube, news that the Viktor Orbán era had come to an end set off an hours-long party. The joy echoed across Hungary as people traded hugs and high-fives. For some, however, the landslide loss set off a frantic scramble. Private jets allegedly laden with the spoils of those whose wealth swelled during Orbán’s 16 years in power have steadily been taking off from Vienna, while other individuals are racing to invest their assets abroad, sources have told the Guardian. Meanwhile, high-level figures close to Orbán have been looking into US visa options, hoping to find work at Maga-linked institutions. Continue reading...

A calamitous defence error from the goalkeeper Christiane Endler helped defending champions Arsenal to come from behind against OL Lyonnes and ensure they take a narrow lead into next week’s Champions League semi-final second leg in France. Jule Brand had giving the visiting team, the record eight-time winners of this competition, a first-half lead in front of 26,758 fans at the Emirates Stadium. However, first Endler fumbled the ball into her own net via a deflection off Ingrid Engen as the Gunners upped the pressure in the second half before Olivia Smith gave them the lead late after another defensive mistake. Continue reading...

What must Liam Rosenior have made of this? After being sacked as Chelsea’s head coach on Wednesday, his former players showed all the commitment that was missing during his four months in charge to battle their way past Leeds courtesy of a winning goal from – surprise, surprise – Enzo Fernández. Only eight years ago, Rosenior’s interim replacement Calum McFarlane was an assistant coach for Isthmian League side Whyteleafe. But even if he does not yet own a pro licence that means his second spell in charge of Chelsea this season will be limited to only 12 weeks, McFarlane has now become the first English manager since a certain Frank Lampard to reach an FA Cup final, where they will face treble-chasing Manchester City next month. The irony that it was Fernández – after being dropped for two matches by Rosenior for fluttering his eyelids at Real Madrid during last international break – that came up with the decisive goal after 23 minutes was surely not lost on his predecessor. Continue reading...

Eduardo Gonçalves and Blair Patrick Schuyler respond to an article on the myth at the heart of trophy hunting Regarding Cal Flyn’s article (On the trail with the hunters who believe shooting big game can save Africa’s wildlife, 21 April), I spent several years undercover in the trophy‑hunting industry, engaging with hunters and CEOs of hunting companies. I wanted to understand their motivations and whether wildlife conservation was one of them. It wasn’t. The primary driver was most succinctly expressed by a Sussex man who had shot lions, elephants and a critically endangered black rhinoceros: “It’s like mainlining on heroin.” Since 2020, giraffes have become a favoured souvenir of the globe-trotting British hunter. Continue reading...

Christine Baranski and Sharon Maher make the case for investment in regions other than London It was pleasing to read about Labour’s commitment to the principle of access to art for “everyone” (Editorial, 17 April). Everyone seemingly in London, where a whopping £135m has been invested in the V&A East museum – the latest addition to the buzzing East Bank cultural quarter. When, I wonder, will this Arts Everywhere Fund arrive at what used to be the buzzing cultural centre of the Albert Docks in Liverpool, where the Tate has been closed for more than two years? Where the museum of slavery has closed its doors and where what was a buzzing arts area now looks neglected and abandoned. Continue reading...

Dr Matilda Dunn highlights problems with the expansion of biogas production Chris Huhne is right to say that the UK faces a false choice between more North Sea drilling and greater reliance on imports of gas (Letters, 21 April). But presenting biomethane as a straightforward solution overlooks the serious environmental and health risks of its expansion. Biogas can reduce emissions when produced from waste. Yet a growing share of feedstock for anaerobic digestion comes from purpose-grown energy crops, increasing pressure on land, competing with food production and risking wider environmental harm. Continue reading...

Robin Jenkins reminisces about an experiment when he was a school dinner manager in London. Plus a letter from Paul Flowers The government’s plan to ban unhealthy items from the school menu is what I call the killjoy option (‘No cheeseburgers … they would go bankrupt’: pupils reject plan to cut fatty foods from lunch menus, 17 April). It will only alienate headteachers and pupils alike, and it certainly does not encourage healthy eating. When I was manager of school dinners in Hackney in 1985 we introduced self-service salad bars at the entrance to the canteens. The main opposition to this initiative came from headteachers who thought that it would be practically unfeasible and probably unpopular. In the primary and secondary schools where we managed to convince headteachers to have a go, the salad bars proved to be a great success. Pupils filled their plates with salad and had less room for the less healthy items. Examination of food waste at the end of the service indicated that the salad had mostly been eaten. Continue reading...

World champion pulls clear of Paul Seixas on final climb ‘It means a lot to win again one of the biggest races’ The world champion, Tadej Pogacar, pulled ahead of the 19-year-old French debutant Paul Seixas in the final climb to secure his third straight Liège-Bastogne-Liège title on Sunday, his fourth overall victory in the race. Pogacar finished the 259.5-km race in five hours, 50 minutes and 28 seconds to win the 13th monument title of his career and his third of the year after the Tour of Flanders and Milan-San Remo. Continue reading...

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Continue reading...

Greater Manchester Police to look into ‘possible assault’ York earned EFL promotion with draw in chaotic finale Police will investigate a video which seems to show a York City player punching a fan after the Minstermen clinched promotion back to the Football League on Saturday. An extraordinary conclusion unfolded at Rochdale, where York claimed a 1-1 draw thanks to Josh Stones’ goal in the 13th minute of stoppage time. The point was enough to secure top spot in the National League and a return to the EFL for the first time in a decade, leaving their hosts consigned to the playoffs. Continue reading...