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Celtic overtook rivals Rangers to sit second in the Scottish Premiership after a narrow 1‑0 win against St Mirren, while Hearts preserved their lead at the top with a late‑filled 3‑1 triumph over Motherwell.At Celtic Park, Alex Oxlade‑Chamberlain broke the deadlock in the 15th minute. After a blocked attempt from Benjamin Nygren, Kieran Tierney delivered a precise cross that Oxlade‑Chamberlain struck into the bottom corner, giving Celtic a comfortable first‑half advantage.St Mirren dominated possession in the second half but failed to create clear chances, allowing Celtic to hold onto the solitary goal.The encounter marked the first meeting between the sides since St Mirren’s surprise 3‑1 cup win over Celtic in December, a result that proved difficult to repeat.For the first time since November, the Green Brigade were welcomed back to Celtic Park, adding a vibrant backdrop to what many view as a dress rehearsal for next week’s Scottish Cup semi‑final.At Tynecastle, Motherwell took an early lead through Emmanuel Longelo. Hearts responded quickly when Cláudio Braga equalised with an overhead kick. The match seemed poised for a draw until Lawrence Shankland converted a penalty after Stephen Welsh was judged to have fouled Landry Kaboré. Kaboré then added a third in stoppage time, sealing the three‑point win for Hearts.In the north, Stephen Robinson ended his winless streak since moving from St Mirren to Aberdeen, guiding his side to a 2‑0 victory over Hibernian at Pittodrie, with Kevin Nisbet scoring in each half.At Tannadice, Zac Sapsford rescued Dundee United with a late penalty, completing a dramatic 3‑2 comeback against Livingston. The hosts had led through a first‑half goal by Will Ferry, but Livingston responded with a quickfire double from Lewis Smith before United equalised via substitute Krisztian Keresztes.Meanwhile, Kelle Roos produced a crucial stoppage‑time penalty save against Dundee striker Joe Westley, earning Kilmarnock a vital point in their relegation battle. The decision followed a lengthy VAR check that delayed the penalty by six minutes.Kilmarnock’s earlier clash with Dundee saw a roller‑coaster finish: Joe Hugill opened the scoring, Simon Murray equalised for Dundee, Michael Schjønning‑Larsen restored the lead for Kilmarnock before Scott Wright’s late goal forced extra‑time drama.

Egypt and Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy has been banned for four games and fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($942) for assaulting a referee during a recent match.The incident occurred after Al-Ahly's appeal for a penalty was denied in a 1-1 draw with Ceramica Cleopatra. El-Shenawy, who was on the bench, was incensed and struck the referee on the head.The Egyptian Pro League announced the ban, which will sideline El-Shenawy until the final week of the league playoffs. This is significant as El-Shenawy is expected to be Egypt's starting goalkeeper at the upcoming World Cup in North America.Al-Ahly currently sits third in the league with 41 points, five points behind leaders Zamalek.

Ukraine’s armed forces reported that Russian soldier losses surged to 35,351 in March, the highest monthly tally since the conflict began. 96% of those casualties were inflicted by Ukrainian drones, with artillery and small arms accounting for the remainder. This represents a 29% increase over February’s figures, according to Ukraine’s commander‑in‑chief. Ukrainian officials say the spike confirms a trend of rising Russian attrition. Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, Colonel Pavlo Palisa, noted that Russia suffered 316 casualties per square kilometre captured in the first quarter of 2026, compared with just 120 per km² in 2025. Russia’s manpower replenishment is faltering. Although Moscow set a target of 409,000 contract soldiers for the year, recruitment in the first quarter averaged 940 troops per day, well below the required 1,120 per day. At this pace, analysts project a 65,000‑person shortfall by year‑end, a vulnerability Kyiv aims to exploit. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly set a goal of inflicting 50,000 Russian casualties each month to render the invading force “irrecoverably weakened.” Territorial gains for Russia are also receding. The Institute for the Study of War estimates Russian forces captured an average of 5.5 sq km per day in 2026, down from 10.66 sq km a year earlier and 14.9 sq km at the end of 2024. Ukrainian commanders attribute their lethal edge to a rapid expansion of drone capabilities. Commander‑in‑Chief Oleksandr Syrskii disclosed that Ukrainian drones struck 151,207 targets in March, a 50% rise from February, driven by roughly 11,000 sorties daily. Ukraine now enjoys a 1.3:1 advantage in First‑Person‑View drones on the frontlines. Interceptor drones also played a decisive role, with Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov reporting a record 33,000 Russian UAVs shot down in March—double the previous month’s tally. His deputy, Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, is collaborating with manufacturers on next‑generation interceptors capable of speeds up to 550 km/h to counter emerging jet‑powered Shahed drones. Long‑range strike capacity is set to expand further. Fire Point, Ukraine’s leading long‑range drone producer, announced the near‑deployment of two ballistic missiles with ranges of 300 km and 850 km, the latter theoretically reaching Moscow. These offensive gains have shifted the operational balance. Syrskii asserts that, despite modest territorial concessions, Ukrainian forces have seized the “strategic initiative” by preventing large‑scale Russian offensives and intensifying mid‑range strikes (30‑120 km into Russian rear areas) against logistics hubs, warehouses, command posts and oil depots. On the ground, Ukrainian troops have recaptured eight settlements and reclaimed 480 sq km of land in the Dnipropetrovsk region, underscoring the momentum of Kyiv’s counter‑offensive. Analysts warn that Russia may still pursue broader territorial ambitions, eyeing the Odesa and Mykolaiv coasts and a potential southern buffer in Vinnytsia near Moldova’s Transnistria. President Zelenskyy reiterated that Russian leadership believes a Ukrainian retreat would spare “hundreds of thousands of people,” a claim he dismissed as a strategic ploy during recent ceasefire talks.

JD Vance, the United States vice‑president, issued a stark warning to Tehran as he boarded Air Force Two for Pakistan: Iran must not attempt to "play" the United States at the peace talks scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad. The talks, mediated by Pakistan, could determine whether the fragile ceasefire in the region holds or if hostilities resume, with significant repercussions for the global economy, especially oil markets. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi have conditioned their participation on two unmet measures: a full ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran’s blocked assets. Ghalibaf posted on X that "Two of the measures mutually agreed upon between the parties have yet to be implemented." Uncertainty lingered on Friday night about whether the Iranian delegation would even travel to Islamabad. Earlier reports indicated that Israel had removed the Iranian officials from its bombing target list at Washington’s request. Meanwhile, Donald Trump amplified the tension, telling the New York Post that U.S. forces were "loading up the ships with the best ammunition" and would use them if negotiations failed. He later posted that Iran "has no cards" except short‑term extortion of international waterways. The backdrop to the talks is a worsening Lebanon‑Israel confrontation. More than 300 Lebanese civilians have been killed since the ceasefire began, and 13 Lebanese security personnel died in an Israeli strike on a government building in Nabatieh. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dispute whether the April 7 ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran includes Lebanon, and Israel continues bombing Hezbollah‑linked targets despite Netanyahu’s earlier statements about opening negotiations with the Lebanese government. Oil markets have felt the shock. The February 28 U.S.–Israeli strike on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz—shutting off roughly one‑fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas—triggered a sharp price spike, adding political pressure ahead of the November U.S. congressional elections. Vance, however, expressed optimism as he departed for Islamabad: "We’re looking forward to the negotiation. I think it’s going to be positive. If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand." He added, "If they’re going to try and play us, then they’ll find the negotiating team is not that receptive." The U.S. delegation also includes senior adviser Steve Witkoff and former senior adviser Jared Kushner, both of whom participated in earlier talks on Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes before the February attack. Negotiations are expected to focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the future of Iran’s nuclear program, potential sanctions relief, reparations for war damage, and the release of Americans detained in Iran, according to the Washington Post. Advance teams from the United States and Iran have already taken up rooms at Islamabad’s five‑star Serena hotel, with Pakistani officials acting as intermediaries. Security forces have established a two‑mile perimeter around the hotel, declared a public holiday, and locked down the city centre to ensure a safe environment for the high‑stakes mediation. Hezbollah, while not commenting directly on the Lebanese‑Israeli negotiations, issued a statement urging the Lebanese government to stop "making gratuitous concessions" and vowed to continue fighting to "expel the occupier." The Lebanese army has reinforced its presence in Beirut following an Israeli strike that killed at least 303 people. Fighting persists in southern Lebanon, with Hezbollah claiming to have struck Israeli soldiers near Bint Jbeil—a town symbolic of resistance from the 2006 war—and launching rockets into Israel throughout Friday. Israel’s airstrikes across Lebanon have intensified, culminating in the Nabatieh attack that killed the highest number of Lebanese security forces to date.

West Ham United delivered a decisive 4-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at the London Stadium, reviving their survival hopes with a performance that left Tottenham Hotspur slipping into the bottom three. The breakthrough came when Taty Castellanos slotted his fourth goal for the Hammers after a clever flick set up a one‑two with Pablo Felipe. Just 66 seconds later, Castellanos struck again, completing a rapid double that underscored the impact of his January move from Lazio. Earlier, Jarrod Bowen’s cross found Konstantinos Mavropanos, who headed past José Sá to open the scoring in the 42nd minute. Mavropanos, once criticised for defensive lapses, added a second goal with an acrobatic volley, cementing his transformation into a surprise goal‑machine. Defensive stability, bolstered by the recent arrival of Axel Disasi, helped the side keep a clean sheet despite Wolves’ early pressure. The Wolves, sitting at the foot of the table with just 17 points, were unable to recover after going behind. Beyond the three points, the result had league‑wide ramifications: Tottenham Hotspur fell to 18th place with 30 points, joining the relegation battle for the first time this season, while West Ham climbed to 17th, level on points with Nottingham Forest and just one point ahead of Leeds United. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo praised his January signings, noting that the additions of Castellanos and Pablo have given the squad the “punch in attack” needed to turn the season around. He remained cautious, stating, “It doesn’t change anything. Next week we play after our opponents. Today we did the job.” With only three losses in their last eleven matches, West Ham’s resurgence offers a glimmer of hope after a disastrous start that saw them languish near the relegation zone in early January. The victory also highlighted the growing pressure on Tottenham as they prepare for their first match under Roberto De Zerbi, a trip to Sunderland, while West Ham look ahead to a decisive clash with Leeds United on the final day.

Midway through the fifth day of the County Championship’s second round, Ollie Pope joined an elite group by becoming the 11th centurion in Division One this season. Five of those centuries belong to Surrey, with Jamie Smith already on two. The pre‑season favourites, despite a drawn opening match, looked formidable at the close of play, sitting at 412 for six.Leicestershire’s situation could not be more contrasting. Fresh from promotion, the side suffered a defeat to Sussex in their opener and, by the second session, appeared short on confidence, ideas and quality. Late‑stage wickets offered a brief spark, but the scoreboard told a different story.A crowd of 4,700 spectators braved a brisk early‑spring day at the Oval. With Surrey’s top six all boasting international caps, the match was inevitably examined for potential England implications. The first surprise came from Leicestershire’s own Josh Hull, who marked the second anniversary of his solitary Test appearance.Now 21, Hull has shed the rawness of his debut against Sri Lanka in September 2024, showing improved pace and reliability. He opened his season with a wicket in his first over, dismissing Dom Sibley lbw, and later produced a short ball that struck Pope’s helmet and an edge from Smith before being pulled after a brief spell.When Hull returned for a fourth spell deep in the final session, Smith repaid the effort with a brutal low‑flying pull for six, pushing his total past 150 runs. The partnership underscored Surrey’s growing dominance as the day progressed.Jamie Smith’s 166 from 240 balls marked his second century in the opening two Championship games, a knock highlighted by a patient start – one run from his first ten balls – before accelerating with a flurry of boundaries.Smith’s innings unfolded with cautious intent: after a modest 28, he unleashed three fours in as many deliveries, eventually reaching 166 before being caught by Ajaz Patel off Ben Green’s 90th over. The innings demonstrated both resilience and flair, cementing his role as a key run‑maker.For Pope, the century arrived after a seven‑month drought without a first‑class fifty and a solitary century against India at Headingley 21 innings earlier. His 24‑run start, achieved on half the balls faced by Smith, quickly turned into a commanding display as he steadied the innings.Both batsmen left the Oval with the confidence of seasoned internationals. A delayed emergence of Dan Lawrence after Pope’s boundary suggested the wicket was never in serious contention. Ben Foakes contributed a steady 62, while Leicestershire, with an average of 226 for the season, will need to conjure more surprises to bridge the gap.

The Gulf Cooperation Council is reassessing its security model after the brief but intense US‑Israel campaign against Iran. With American bases on Gulf soil turning the region into a target for Tehran’s missile and drone barrage, Gulf capitals are looking to diversify their defence partners beyond the United States. Iran’s lingering missile arsenal and its demand to retain control of the Strait of Hormuz remain the central security dilemma. The strait channels the bulk of Gulf oil trade, and Tehran’s insistence on keeping a foothold there was a sticking point in the cease‑fire talks scheduled to begin in Islamabad. Gulf air defences boasted a high interception rate, claiming to have neutralised more than 90% of the 2,256 drones and 563 missiles that struck the United Arab Emirates, the hardest‑hit member of the bloc. Nevertheless, the Gulf is split on how to engage Iran moving forward. A hawkish bloc led by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain favours a tougher stance, while Saudi Arabia, Qatar and others are open to restoring diplomatic ties. In a rare development, Saudi Arabia and Iran held their first official conversation since the conflict began, with foreign ministers discussing measures to lower tensions and restore regional stability. Security scholars such as Bader Mousa Al‑Saif of Kuwait University argue that Gulf states must broaden their security network, forging alliances with regional powers like Turkey and Pakistan rather than relying solely on the United States. He warned that the region needs a model that shields it from a perpetual state of war. Pre‑war trends are now accelerating: Saudi Arabia recently signed a defence pact with Pakistan, the UAE announced a partnership with India, and all three Gulf states – Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar – entered rapid defence agreements with Ukraine to counter Iranian drone threats. Talks of a “Muslim NATO” have largely faded, but a new alignment dubbed “Step”, involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan, is taking shape. The coalition’s purpose remains ambiguous, oscillating between counter‑Iran and counter‑Israel objectives, and internal rivalries complicate cohesion. The United Kingdom, which helped protect Gulf airspace during the hostilities, is also seeking deeper defence‑industrial cooperation with Saudi Arabia, as discussed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Jeddah. UAE political scientist Abdulkhaleq Abdulla predicts tighter security ties with the United States and a growing willingness among Gulf states to engage with Israel on military and intelligence fronts. Analysts such as Yasmine Farouk of the International Crisis Group note that Saudi Arabia’s extensive oil infrastructure, Red Sea ports and sheer geographic size give it a strategic advantage in post‑war reconstruction, though the cost of rebuilding could strain its Vision 2030 diversification agenda. Looking ahead, the Gulf is expected to layer additional security partnerships—particularly with European nations—while investing heavily in air and missile defence, hardened ports, desalination facilities, maritime surveillance and alternative export routes. As Andreas Krieg of King’s College London observes, the United States remains the only power with a full‑scale military architecture in the Gulf, but its bases are increasingly viewed as “tripwires” rather than protective shields.

Fresh Israeli airstrikes have struck southern Lebanon, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries, just a day after a devastating attack that claimed over 200 lives. The escalation has sparked concerns about the stability of the recently announced US-Iran ceasefire, which Tehran says includes Lebanon.Lebanon's National News Agency reported that an Israeli strike on the town of Abbassiyeh killed at least seven people and wounded several others, with the total expected to rise. The attacks have targeted various towns, including Kafra, Jmaijmeh, Safad al-Battikh, Majdal Selm, and Deir Antar near Qasmiyeh bridge.The Lebanese army confirmed that four of its soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday. The Israeli military claimed that it carried out overnight strikes in Beirut, killing Ali Yusuf Harshi, a close aide to Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem.The scale and intensity of the attacks suggest a broader campaign that continues despite the ceasefire agreement. Al Jazeera's Nida Ibrahim reported from Ramallah that the ongoing strikes reflect a deeper alignment between Israel and the US. Hezbollah has insisted that the ceasefire deal between the US and Iran should include the Lebanon front.According to the Lebanese health ministry, 203 people were killed on Wednesday, with over 1,000 wounded in Israeli attacks across Lebanon. Lebanon's prime minister declared a national day of mourning on Thursday, ordering public offices to close and flags to be lowered in tribute.International leaders have condemned the attacks, with UN human rights chief Volker Turk describing the scale of killing as 'horrific'. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said: 'We strongly condemn these massive strikes which, in ten minutes, killed more than 250 people, adding to the 1,500 victims of this conflict initiated by Hezbollah against Israel on March 2.'Lebanon's Health Ministry reports that Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed at least 1,739 people and wounded 5,873 people.

Residents of Tehran and much of Iran are breathing a sigh of relief after a two-week ceasefire was announced, bringing an end to daily bombardments. The ceasefire, agreed upon by Iran and the US with mediation from Pakistan, has allowed some traffic to return to the streets of the Iranian capital during daylight hours.Despite the temporary reprieve, Tehran remains far from its usual bustling state, having been targeted by several thousand munitions since February 28. The Iranian capital is home to more than 10 million people. Air defence systems were activated for short periods several times since the ceasefire was announced overnight, but there were no reports of impacts or any official explanation for the activations.People across Tehran are debating whether the ceasefire will hold and what the future may hold for them. A young man noted, “Looks like the ceasefire will continue. I heard the Israelis are opening up their airspace more,” referring to an announcement by Israeli authorities that flights will resume from Ben Gurion Airport.However, others are more pessimistic, especially after two critical islands off southern Iran were attacked on Wednesday morning, hitting oil facilities. It is unclear who was behind the attack. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it shot down a drone in the southern province of Fars.Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain also reported attacks on their territories by missiles and drones from Iran, with Iranian state television confirming this was in retaliation for the post-ceasefire oil attacks. Tehran said it was ready to restart military operations if attacked again.On Tuesday, Iranians had been worried about the targeting of critical civilian infrastructure, such as power plants and bridges, after a threat from US President Donald Trump to end “civilisation” in a country with one of the world’s oldest civilisations. The ceasefire was announced shortly before the midnight GMT deadline that Trump had set for an agreement to be reached.The Israeli military intensified its attacks in the hours preceding the ceasefire, hitting electricity outposts, bridges, and the railway network. Warplanes also struck the Iranian Aluminium Company in Arak, damaging the country’s largest aluminium production facility.Even after the ceasefire, Israel continued attacking Lebanon, killing more than 250 people in a devastating day of attacks on Wednesday. Israel said it was targeting Iran’s ally Hezbollah, but civilian locations across Lebanon were hit.Trump hailed what he described as a decisive victory against Iran while announcing the ceasefire, but his top general emphasised that the deal only signifies a pause and combat operations could start once again if no final deal is reached. The US military said it struck 13,000 targets across Iran in less than six weeks of war.In Iran, similar proclamations of victory and celebrations were broadcast from Iranian state television. A statement from the Supreme National Security Council urged supporters of the government to trust in the system and refrain from making “divisive commentary”.The council also stressed that affairs were being overseen by Mojtaba Khamenei, who was declared Iran’s supreme leader after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed on the first day of the war on February 28.