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Graham Potter arrived in Stockholm with a bruised résumé – dismissed from Chelsea and West Ham – only to inherit a Swedish side that had languished at the bottom of their qualifying group.Against the odds, the duo have now clinched a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, thanks to a dramatic playoff victory over Poland that Potter described as “the best night I’ve had in football”.The story reads like a script: a manager dismissed twice in quick succession, a national team rescued by the repechage mechanism of the Nations League, and a last‑minute strike from striker Viktor Gyökeres that sealed the win.Sweden’s qualifying record was bleak – two draws and four defeats in six matches, leaving them behind Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia. The team’s fortunes changed only after the Nations League granted a second‑chance pathway for the four best group winners who had not qualified directly.The system, designed to give emerging nations a shortcut past the coefficient hurdle, unintentionally benefited Sweden. After being relegated to League C in 2022‑23, they topped their 2024‑25 group ahead of Slovakia, Estonia and Azerbaijan, earning a spot in the World Cup playoffs.Potter acknowledged the luck of the draw but emphasized that Sweden made the most of the opportunity, turning a “darkest hour” into a dawn of redemption.When Potter took over, the squad was plagued by injuries and a three‑game winless streak. His own career had stalled after a brief, high‑profile stint at Chelsea – highlighted by a Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund – and an unfulfilling spell at West Ham.Sweden’s early results under Potter were mixed: a 4‑1 loss to Switzerland and a 1‑1 draw with Slovenia. However, decisive victories over Ukraine and then Poland in the playoffs propelled them to Qatar.Fans in Stockholm now regard Potter with near‑heroic reverence, recalling his earlier triumphs with Östersund, where he guided the modest club from a 50,000‑person town to three promotions and a Swedish Cup win.During the post‑match press conference, Potter brought his children – decked in Swedish kits – to the front row, describing Gyökeres’s late winner as an “out‑of‑body experience”. Yet he remained modest, crediting the staff and the collective effort of the squad.“We stripped everything back to the basics, got the team together and let the talent speak,” Potter said. “It’s a team game – individual brilliance only shines when the whole unit clicks.”Poland may question how two playoff wins outweigh six qualifying matches, but the narrative underscores the power of redemption in sport. Potter summed it up: “My career has had amazing nights, but reaching the World Cup – wow, this is incredible.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on Wednesday that it has granted expedited approval to Eli Lilly’s oral weight‑loss medication, orforglipron—marketed under the brand name Foundayo. This makes Foundayo the second GLP‑1 pill to reach U.S. consumers, following Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy tablet approved in December. Orforglipron works by mimicking a natural hormone that regulates appetite and satiety, offering a non‑injectable alternative to existing GLP‑1 injectables. David A. Ricks, Eli Lilly’s chair and CEO, highlighted that fewer than one in ten eligible patients are currently using GLP‑1 therapies, citing barriers such as cost, stigma, and perceived complexity. Unlike Wegovy, which must be taken on an empty stomach each morning, Foundayo can be taken anytime of day regardless of meals, simplifying dosing schedules. Patients will start on a low dose that is gradually increased to mitigate side‑effects. Pricing is projected at $149 per month for the initial dose, with higher‑strength formulations potentially reaching $349 monthly. While private‑insurance coverage remains uncertain, a Trump‑administration proposal could allow Medicare to cover certain patients as early as this summer, with copayments as low as $50 per month. Distribution will commence on Monday through LillyDirect’s direct‑to‑consumer channel, with broader availability in pharmacies and telehealth platforms expected shortly thereafter. The convenience of a once‑daily pill is anticipated to improve adherence, especially for individuals who avoid injectables due to needle aversion or rigid dosing requirements. The approval follows a fast‑track submission submitted only months ago, positioning Foundayo to enter the market roughly three months after Wegovy. This rapid rollout is set to intensify competition in the burgeoning GLP‑1 space, where new agents are continually emerging with claims of better efficacy and lower costs.

The moon is becoming a focal point for a new era of space exploration and exploitation, with multiple companies and countries racing to harness its resources. Interlune, a Seattle-based company, has raised $18m to fund its efforts to mine the moon for Helium-3, a rare gas that could become vital in quantum computers and nuclear fusion.Helium-3, deposited on the moon's surface over billions of years by the solar wind, is used in medical imaging but is in extremely short supply on Earth. Rob Meyerson, founder of Interlune, believes that extracting this resource could be economically viable due to its high value.Private access to space has become more feasible through companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX, making lunar mining a possibility. Interlune plans to send a multispectral camera to the lunar south pole to assess Helium-3 concentrations and is working towards a future mission called 'Prospect Moon' to gather samples.The lunar mining initiative raises questions about environmental impact and the ethics of extracting resources from the moon. Critics argue that history has shown pioneers rushing into unknown frontiers and causing irreparable damage. There are concerns about preserving the moon's pristine environment and protecting sites of extraordinary scientific importance.Legal aspects of moon mining are also unclear, with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibiting national claims of ownership but making no reference to commercial activities. Despite these challenges, Interlune and other companies are pushing forward, with China also actively exploring the moon's resources, including Helium-3.

Israel has unleashed a significant military operation against Iran, launching two waves of attacks on Tehran and killing a senior Hezbollah commander. The attacks have escalated tensions in the region, with Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, denying claims of a ceasefire request.US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran's leadership is seeking a ceasefire, but Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson has denied this, calling Trump's account 'false and baseless'.The conflict has resulted in at least 1,900 people killed and 20,000 injured in Iran, according to estimates from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. The Israeli military has also reported that 10 of its soldiers have been killed since fighting broke out on the Lebanese front.The attacks have had significant economic implications, with the strait of Hormuz effectively closed to oil and gas tankers and other merchant shipping since the beginning of the conflict, hiking oil prices and causing critical shortages around the world.Iran's president has written to Americans, asking which of their interests are being served by this war, and stating that Iranians 'harbor no enmity towards other nations, including the people of America'. The conflict continues to escalate, with further waves of attacks reported across the densely populated centre of Israel.

The UK is bracing for a potential third inflationary shock in less than a decade as the conflict between Iran and the US threatens to disrupt oil supplies. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supplies, is at risk of being blocked, which could lead to a significant increase in oil prices. The impact of such a disruption would be felt globally, with Asia being particularly affected as it buys 80% of the oil transported through the strait. Countries in the region are already experiencing the effects, with governments imposing limits on driving and shortening working weeks to conserve energy. Populations are struggling with dramatic hikes in food prices and shortages of petrol and diesel. In Bangladesh, the government reportedly believes it will run out of oil and gas within weeks. To conserve fuel, some temples in Thailand have stopped cremations. The energy-supply storm may well hit the UK's shores just before next month's elections, prompting Keir Starmer to call Cobra meetings and Rachel Reeves to summon business leaders into Downing Street. The poorest households will be hit hardest by the inflationary shock, with food producers predicting prices will rocket nearly 10% this year. According to calculations done exclusively for this column by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), that will add £127 to the average household's annual food bill. However, the ECIU also notes that because the poorest spend proportionately more of their money on food, they will be hit far worse. The author suggests that the UK needs to adopt a more progressive approach to utility pricing, with a move away from fossil fuels and from the current system of ownership. The days of relying on a growth miracle are over, and the UK needs to focus on addressing the inequality and regressive utility pricing that will exacerbate the impact of the inflationary shock.

The UK has been identified as the most vulnerable country in Europe to potential jet fuel shortages as the Iran war disrupts supplies from the Gulf, according to Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary. O'Leary stated that Britain's reliance on Kuwait for approximately 25% of its jet fuel supply makes it particularly exposed to shortages. He emphasized that even if there is a surplus of jet fuel in the Middle East, the logistics of shipping it to Europe remain uncertain.Jet fuel prices have surged, averaging $195 a barrel last week, more than double the average from the previous year. This increase is largely attributed to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage through which over a fifth of the world's oil normally passes.While oil prices eased slightly after US President Donald Trump expressed hope for an end to the Iran war within two to three weeks, the situation remains precarious for airlines. Ryanair has hedged 80% of its fuel costs until next March at $67 a barrel, but O'Leary highlighted that supply disruptions, rather than prices, pose the greater risk.The airline industry faces potential flight cancellations and capacity reductions if fuel supply issues persist. O'Leary also mentioned that higher fares could be a possibility, although there are currently no plans to increase prices. Additionally, he called for the UK government to abolish air passenger duty (APD), a tax that recently increased, further impacting the competitiveness of UK air travel.

The UK Prime Minister's recent announcement of a 'five-point plan' to address the energy crisis has been met with skepticism. During his remarks from Downing Street, Prime Minister Starmer outlined measures that were largely pre-existing or unrelated to the immediate crisis. The plan included: cutting energy bills by over £100 per household, which was announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last November's budget and has since been adjusted to £117 for an average dual-fuel household; extending the cut in fuel duty until September; supporting people exposed to heating oil rises with £53m; investing in clean British energy through the Clean Power 2030 plan; and pushing for de-escalation in the Middle East. Critics argue that most of these points were not new and did not adequately address the current crisis. The plan did not provide specifics on who else could get help with energy bills or how targeted support would be delivered. The Clean Power 2030 plan, a five-year £200bn infrastructure project, will not yield immediate results for consumers, with savings expected to arrive around 2040. The article concludes that repeating measures from last November's budget is not a plan and that a proper five-point plan would be needed if an energy price shock turns into a supply shock, possibly meaning rationing.

Arsenal successfully defended their Women's Champions League title hopes with a thrilling draw against Chelsea. The Gunners secured a 3-2 aggregate win, despite suffering a 1-0 loss in the second leg at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea's Sjoeke Nüsken scored a late goal, but it wasn't enough to overcome the 3-1 deficit from the first leg. The intense match saw Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor sent off shortly before the final whistle. Arsenal's victory ensures they will play the winner of the quarter-final between Lyon and Wolfsburg. The German side holds a 1-0 lead into the second leg. The match was marked by high tension and dramatic moments. Chelsea's Allyssa Thompson had a chance to score but hit the ball over the bar. Hannah Hampton made crucial saves for Chelsea, while Arsenal's Daphne van Domselaar also made key stops. Arsenal's Stina Blackstenius had a goal disallowed for offside, which could have sealed the tie. However, Chelsea pushed hard and Veerle Buurman hit the post in the dying minutes. Nüsken's late strike gave Chelsea a glimmer of hope, but ultimately, Arsenal's lead held, securing their place in the semi-finals and continuing their title defence.

The Guardian’s March reading roundup gathers a diverse set of recommendations from both its writers and its readership, offering a snapshot of the titles that captured their attention over the past month.John Lanchester highlights two recent British novels that resonated with him after completing his own manuscript: Drayton and Mackenzie by Alexander Starritt, a story of friendship intertwined with business, and The New Life by Tom Crewe, which explores gay life in the 1890s. His European picks include Eurotrash by Christian Kracht, a darkly comic road‑trip tale, Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, a critique of the digital‑nomad lifestyle, and Olga Tokarczuk’s genre‑defying Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. Lanchester also notes his own recent release, Look What You Made Me Do, available from Faber for £20 via the Guardian bookshop.James, a regular Guardian reader, is immersed in Tom’s Crossing by Mark Danielewski. He describes the 1,200‑page modern western as a masterclass in character depth and meticulous detail, urging readers not to be deterred by its length.Patmeena Sabit turns to shorter forms when time is scarce, recommending Hue and Cry by James Alan McPherson for its understated humanity, Fifty‑Two Stories (a new Chekhov collection translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky) for its blend of classics and previously untranslated pieces, and Ada Limón’s poetry collection Bright Dead Things for its poignant beauty. Sabit also promotes her own work, Good People, published by Virago at £16.99.David praises Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski, America’s Cold War Prophet by Edward Luce, calling it a dense yet illuminating autobiography that traces U.S. and global power dynamics from the 1960s to the early Trump era, and recommending a piecemeal reading approach.Arash finds profound resonance in Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy. He describes the memoir as an emotionally powerful tribute to Roy’s mother, noting its refusal to fall into gendered clichés while championing compassion and resistance against chauvinism.