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By the time head coach Jesse Marsch concluded the March international window, the clock was ticking toward April, leaving Canada with more questions than answers ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The Toronto friendly against Tunisia turned into an “odd” afternoon, with a sudden lightning delay pushing the match’s finish to 11 p.m. and forcing fans to follow the action on mobile devices while rain hammered the city. While many had imagined a Canada‑Italy opener after the December draw, the draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina proved a relief. Swapping a potential clash with the world’s 12th‑ranked side for a match against the 65th‑ranked Bosnia is now viewed as a fortunate turn, yet the Bosnian squad displayed a relentless mid‑press that tested Canada’s defensive organization. Bosnia’s pressing generated 30 shots and a torrent of crosses, with veteran striker Edin Džeko looming as a threat and young forwards Esmir Bajraktarević and Kerim Alajbegović showcasing high energy. Marsch noted, “These kids grew up in a war‑torn country; they have resilience that showed in the last week.” Defensive depth emerged as a glaring issue. Centre‑back Moïse Bombito returned to training but remains sidelined with a Nice injury, while regulars Alfie Jones, Derek Cornelius and Luc de Fougerolles were unavailable. MLS pair Joel Waterman and Kamal Miller displayed “ill‑timed jitters,” raising concerns about the back line’s stability. Offensively, Canada’s output was blunt. Across two matches only two Jonathan David penalties found the net; forwards Cyle Larin and Tani Oluwaseyi failed to create a decisive spark. Larin’s last goal for Canada came in October 2024, and Oluwaseyi has scored just two times in 22 caps. Moreover, the team has failed to score from open play in six of their last seven internationals, recording three 0‑0 draws on home soil. Amid the gloom, 22‑year‑old winger Marcelo Flores offered a glimpse of optimism. The former Tigres talent, recently cleared to represent Canada after switching from Mexico, dazzled with dribbles and quick pivots, prompting calls to elevate Juventus striker Promise David and position Flores in a more creative role. The final, lingering question concerns the starting goalkeeper for the June 12 opener. Marsch has oscillated between Maxime Crépeau and Dayne St Clair for two years, and injuries have prevented a decisive choice. Both keepers remain fit, leaving the coach “as close as it’s always been” to a decision. Predicted squad Goalkeepers: Dayne St Clair, Maxime Crépeau, Owen Goodman. Defenders: Moïse Bombito, Derek Cornelius, Luc de Fougerolles, Joel Waterman, Alistair Johnston, Niko Sigur, Richie Laryea, Alphonso Davies. Midfielders: Steph Eustaquio, Ismaël Kone, Mathieu Choinière, Nathan Saliba, Jonathan Osorio, Tajon Buchanan, Ali Ahmed, Liam Millar, Marcelo Flores, Jacob Shaffelburg. Forwards: Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Tani Oluwaseyi, Daniel Jebbison, Promise David.

Recent weeks have been a test of resolve for Chelsea. A humiliating 3‑0 loss to Paris Saint‑Germain in the Champions League last‑16, coupled with a slide in the Premier League, has left the Blues scrambling for answers. Adding to the chaos, two of the squad’s most influential players have gone public. Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernández hinted at a summer move, saying, "I really like Madrid, it’s similar to Buenos Aires," while left‑back Marc Cucurella told The Athletic that the club is paying the price for its inexperience and that the PSG defeat has left the dressing‑room "discouraged". These remarks strike at the heart of Chelsea’s BlueCo‑era project, which has relied on signing young talent to build a sustainable future. Critics point out that, unlike Manchester United’s Class of ’92, Chelsea lacks seasoned veterans to mentor the newcomers. The debate resurfaced when Liam Rosenior was appointed head coach in January, with the club’s hierarchy insisting that a long‑term contract (six‑and‑a‑half years) will give him time to nurture the squad. Leadership dynamics are also under scrutiny. Fernández, who wears the captain’s armband in Reece James’s absence, publicly criticised goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen after a costly error against PSG – a move many view as inconsistent with the culture of a united dressing‑room. Financially, Chelsea has tried to balance ambition with prudence. Fernández’s contract runs until 2032 and is heavily incentive‑based, a strategy designed to keep the wage bill in check. Nonetheless, the club posted a **pre‑tax loss of £262.4 million** for the 2024‑25 season, the largest in English football history, raising questions about the sustainability of its recruitment model. There have been moments of optimism. Chelsea lifted the Club World Cup after beating PSG last summer, but the departure of former coach Enzo Maresca in early January – allegedly after talks with Manchester City figures – destabilised the squad. Players like Fernández and Cucurella recall the impact of that exit on team morale. Despite recent setbacks, the club remains confident in Rosenior’s vision, extending Cucurella’s deal last summer and securing long‑term contracts for key figures such as Reece James, Cole Palmer, and Moisés Caicedo. The Blues still have a realistic chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League and host Port Vale in the FA Cup quarter‑finals. Looking ahead, sources suggest a possible shift in recruitment strategy, moving away from an exclusive focus on raw talent toward a blend of proven Premier League players and selective signings. While Fernández’s desire for a better contract could spark a transfer saga – with Madrid reportedly unwilling to meet a £100 million fee – the club must decide whether retaining a player whose ambitions no longer align with its project is worth the risk. In sum, Chelsea faces a pivotal moment: restore on‑field performance, manage a record financial loss, and convince both fans and players that the youth‑centred blueprint can deliver the trophies promised under the “trust the process” mantra.

The FA Cup quarter-finals are set to take center stage this weekend, with Manchester City hosting Liverpool in a highly anticipated match. Meanwhile, Southampton and Port Vale are the remaining hopes for a giant killing.Elsewhere, Chelsea's accounts have made for interesting reading, revealing a complex financial situation. Additionally, Marc Cucurella's comments on international duty have shed light on the state of affairs at Chelsea.The panel also discusses a big weekend ahead in the Championship, with Nick Ames' recent trip to Kosovo and Women's Champions League drama. The episode also features answers to listener questions.

After a prolonged period of uncertainty, the County Championship returns on Good Friday with renewed vigor, its schedule finally settled and the controversial three‑year Kookaburra ball trial abandoned.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is now trialling a full‑substitute system in domestic matches. Unlike the traditional “covering fielder” approach, a player can be replaced by a fully‑playing substitute for injury, illness or significant life events such as the birth of a child or a family health crisis.Alan Fordham, the ECB’s head of cricket operations, highlighted the change: “Most seasons we get three or four questions about a player being replaced to witness the birth of a child… the answer will now be yes.” He also recalled the Blair Tickner incident, where the New Zealander’s wife was diagnosed with leukaemia during a match, forcing him to continue playing with a ten‑man side.The substitute scheme is being tested at the ICC’s request, which asks member boards to experiment domestically before considering a similar rule for Test cricket. By allowing replacements for personal emergencies, the ECB has moved further than counterparts in India, Australia and South Africa.To curb potential abuse, any player replaced for illness or injury must observe an eight‑day “stand‑down” period before returning. Derbyshire head coach Mickey Arthur praised the intent but warned of loopholes, noting that the rule does not account for bye weeks, season‑ending fixtures or the transition from red‑ball to white‑ball cricket.Following a disappointing Ashes winter, the ECB is keen to restore the Championship’s relevance. Managing director Rob Key signalled that England‑team places are no longer guaranteed, urging county coaches and players to re‑engage.England head coach Brendon McCullum, speaking to counties via Zoom, stressed the competition’s value for talent identification, especially for players adept against high pace and spin. He also announced the return of Troy Cooley as the ECB’s pace‑bowling lead.Test captain Ben Stokes backed the message, urging players to seize the early weeks of the Championship as a platform for national selection: “It’s a great opportunity for a lot of people around the country… use it to push your case forward.”Enthusiasm is palpable across the counties. Glamorgan, back in Division One for the first time since 2005, aim to showcase their spinners. Lancashire chase promotion despite the late loss of Mitch Perry, while Surrey, Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire marshal their senior talent. Even clubs hit by setbacks—Leicestershire, plagued by injuries and the sudden withdrawal of captain Peter Handscomb, and Sussex, docked 12 points before the season began—remain determined as they kick off their fixtures at Grace Road.

Ministers are rewriting planning rules to make it easier to approve intensive livestock farms, despite ongoing concerns about water pollution, air quality and local opposition.Freedom of Information documents obtained by the Guardian reveal that proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) have been discussed in response to lobbying by the country’s leading chicken producers for at least two years.The British Poultry Council (BPC) told farming minister Angela Eagle last autumn that “access to more growing space is the number one priority for the poultry meat sector.”In a submission to the government’s farm profitability review, the BPC argued that the need for a solution—whether through planning reform or land‑use policy—“dwarfs all other issues currently facing us.”Ahead of a January round‑table with Eagle, the BPC urged the government to “develop national planning direction and oversight for food production … to safeguard the UK’s long‑term food security.”Eagle responded that the government has “announced proposals to reform the planning system to more quickly unlock food and farming infrastructure,” emphasizing that “planning should enable ambition, not stifle it.”Her briefing notes directly linked the proposed changes to industry lobbying, describing planning reform as one of the sector’s “biggest asks” and noting that the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government are working to “find solutions to planning barriers to poultry sheds and other infrastructure necessary for food production.”The draft NPPF includes several measures that could ease approval of new intensive livestock developments: a higher threshold for refusing applications on environmental grounds, reduced scope for local authorities to adopt tougher rules, greater weight given to “domestic food production,” and a new emphasis on “better accommodation for livestock.”The industry says it needs extra space to house chickens because of voluntary commitments to lower stocking density. Critics point out that these welfare commitments are not legally binding and that planning conditions do not guarantee long‑term compliance. Recent withdrawals by restaurant chains from the Better Chicken Commitment underscore the controversy.Richard Griffiths, chief executive of the BPC, said the reforms are needed to accommodate welfare improvements rather than to expand production, noting a voluntary reduction in stocking density from 38 kg to 30 kg per square metre.Griffiths warned that failing to support domestic production could increase imports, and the BPC has called for food production to be classified as “critical national infrastructure.”Prof. Paul Behrens of the University of Oxford countered that the food‑security case for intensive poultry is “illusory” because the sector depends on imported feed and vitamins and is vulnerable to disease outbreaks such as avian flu.Opposition to poultry megafarms is organised, with local residents raising concerns over water pollution, air quality and the climate crisis. The Environment Agency estimates agriculture accounts for roughly 70 % of nitrate and 25‑30 % of phosphorus pollution in UK waterways, and runoff from intensive poultry units contributes to that burden.Last year, Norfolk councillors rejected Cranswick’s plan for a 900,000‑bird chicken farm after the company failed to demonstrate that the development would not cause “significant adverse effects on protected sites.”The BPC has also urged early intervention by the Planning Inspectorate to minimise delays, arguing that centralised oversight would bring objectivity to a system where “naysayers, particularly via social media, have a disproportionate sway in the decision‑making process.”Campaign group Communities Against Factory Farming warned that the proposed regime “risks embedding decades of industrial livestock land use in rural and green‑belt locations without adequate scrutiny,” giving “substantial weight” to the economic benefits of intensification.A government spokesperson rejected claims that the NPPF proposals are driven by lobbying, stating that they have been carefully considered to balance sector support with broader priorities such as food security and environmental protection.

The author spent a month testing Meta's smartglasses, which feature an integrated AI assistant voiced by Judi Dench. The glasses can take photos, provide directions, and answer questions, but the author found them to be unreliable and frustrating to use.The glasses raise significant privacy concerns, with the author noting that they can be used for covert recording and that people may not be aware when they are being filmed. The author also experienced creepy feelings while wearing the glasses, particularly when they were used to record strangers without their consent.The author concludes that while smartglasses have the potential to be useful assistive technology for people with disabilities, they are not yet reliable or functional enough to be widely adopted. The author also notes that Meta's plans for facial recognition and data collection raise significant concerns about privacy and surveillance.Experts warn that smartglasses may become a flashpoint in a bigger, existential discussion about how much integration we want with technology, and that regulation is needed to protect bystanders' privacy. The author ultimately decides that the glasses are not worth the risks and drawbacks, and that people should think carefully before adopting this technology.

Police in Wuhan reported a sudden "system malfunction" that immobilised several autonomous robotaxis operated by Baidu’s Apollo Go service, leaving passengers stuck on an elevated highway for up to an hour and a half.Local authorities said they received a flood of calls on Tuesday night from riders whose vehicles froze in the middle of the road. A police statement confirmed that “multiple Apollo Go cars stopped in the middle of the road, unable to move,” and preliminary investigations point to a technical failure.Baidu maintains a fleet of more than 500 driverless cars in Wuhan, though the exact number affected was not disclosed. One commuter shared a 90‑minute ordeal on the Chinese platform RedNote, describing how the vehicle stalled at 9 p.m. on an overpass, surrounded by dump trucks, while customer‑service lines remained unanswered.The rider eventually was rescued after the order was cancelled at 10:30 p.m., but criticized Apollo Go’s support team for offering “useless platitudes” instead of concrete solutions. Social‑media users also posted videos captioned “Apollo Go, are you paralysed?” showing futile attempts to contact the company via the in‑car tablet.This is not Baidu’s first controversy. In December, authorities in Zhuzhou halted robotaxi operations after a Baidu‑manufactured autonomous vehicle struck two pedestrians, sending them to intensive care.Despite these setbacks, Baidu’s autonomous‑mobility arm continues to grow. Company filings reveal that Apollo Go delivered 3.4 million driverless rides in the fourth quarter of 2025, a jump of over 200 % compared with the same period in 2024. The firm is also pursuing international expansion, having announced partnership deals with rideshare giants Lyft and Uber to deploy its vehicles on their platforms.When approached for comment, Baidu did not respond, according to Reuters.Additional reporting by Yu‑chen Li

More than two years into Israel's war on Gaza, thousands of families remain in limbo, torn between unverified deaths and secret detentions.In a partially destroyed home in Khan Younis, Tahrir Abu Mady clings to the charred walls that echo the memory of her missing children.Her 20‑year‑old daughter, Malak, a university student and volunteer nurse at Nasser Hospital, vanished after briefly returning home with her 18‑year‑old brother Yousef when Israeli ground forces entered the city in 2024.Forensic teams later recovered human remains in the ruined house, prompting Gaza’s Ministry of Health to issue a death certificate for Malak, while Yousef’s fate stayed unknown.The story took a painful turn when a list of Palestinian detainees released by former prisoners included Malak’s name, marked only with “No information available,” reigniting Tahrir’s anguish.Seeking answers, Tahrir tried to hire a lawyer in Umm al‑Fahm to trace her daughter within the Israeli prison system, but prohibitive legal fees made the effort impossible.Human‑rights groups warn that Malak’s case is far from unique. Israeli forces have detained thousands of Gazans in undisclosed locations, often without charge or legal representation.Euro‑Med Human Rights Monitor researcher Maha al‑Husseini estimates around 3,000 people have been forcibly disappeared, many of whom may be dead or imprisoned, with Israeli authorities refusing to provide any information.Families are left in a state of suspended grief, unable to properly mourn or advocate for their loved ones.Today, Tahrir lives between an official death certificate and a name on a smuggled prisoner list, writing on the scarred walls: “We are still waiting for you, Malak … our white coat girl.”

Households in Great Britain are bracing for a substantial hike in energy bills, with a typical gas and electricity bill forecast to reach £1,929 a year from July. This represents an increase of about £290 a year under the industry regulator Ofgem's quarterly price cap. The forecast hike is £288 a year higher than the £1,641 cap on energy bills set for April to June. Although the April price cap will be £117 a year, or 7%, lower than the January to March rate of £1,758, the short-lived reprieve from rising gas and electricity costs is expected to be more than offset by a string of rises facing households in the spring. The annual cost of essentials, including council tax and water, will increase by more than £200 from April even before the economic impact of the Iran war is felt by UK consumers. Most households in England and Wales will see an increase of about 5% in their council tax, while in Scotland bills will go up by between 4% and 10%. In Northern Ireland, rates are due to increase between 1.96% and 4.5%. Water bills in England and Wales are also due to rise, by an average of £33 a household from April, up 5.4% to £639. The cost of phones and broadband are expected to rise by an average of £39.60 for an annual bill and £27.60 for a typical mobile contract, according to Uswitch. Senior government ministers are expected to discuss the economic turmoil caused by the war at a Cobra meeting on Tuesday, after meeting with business leaders to discuss how the government and private sector can work together to respond to the crisis caused by surging oil market prices. The international oil benchmark rose 4% to more than $118 a barrel on Tuesday as Donald Trump said countries such as the UK should build up the “courage” to go to the strait of Hormuz and “just take” fuel. Experts fear that Brent crude could reach all-time highs of $150 a barrel if the conflict continues. “Bills going up again because of war thousands of miles away will be a tough pill to swallow for households still saddled with debt from last time,” said Jess Ralston, the head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. “Unless we continue [to] shift away from gas, whether it comes from the North Sea or not, the risk remains that bills will continue to spike,” Ralston added.