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The LeadExeter Chiefs delivered a stunning performance at Welford Road, becoming the first away side to defeat Leicester Tigers in the league at their fortress home in 14 months. The 35-26 victory was secured through two tries from veteran full-back Olly Woodburn, whose performance proved decisive in ending the Tigers' unbeaten run.The Event DetailsThe match was a ferocious contest from start to finish, with both teams demonstrating their championship credentials. Exeter's strategy focused on disrupting Leicester's set-piece and implementing punishing defense around the ruck, while their attack was led by the powerful wing Manny Feyi-Waboso, who carved through the Tigers' defense to set up Woodburn's first try in the seventh minute.Leicester responded with a try from 20-year-old academy full-back George Pearson on his first Premiership start, but Exeter regained the lead early in the second half through tries from Len Ikitau and Woodburn's second score. Despite Woodburn being sin-binned and Leicester fighting back to take a one-point lead, Exeter dug deep to score through second row Andrea Zambonin and seal the victory with Slade's late penalty.The Impact AnalysisThis victory represents a significant turnaround for Exeter Chiefs, who just last season languished in ninth place out of ten in the Premiership. Director of rugby Rob Baxter has masterminded this resurgence, and this win at one of the league's most difficult away venues will provide tremendous confidence as they head into their final regular season match.For Leicester, the defeat ends their remarkable unbeaten run at home and represents a momentum stopper as they prepare for the playoffs. While they remain firmly in the playoff positions, the loss will raise questions about their ability to perform under pressure in crucial matches.The PredictionExeter will now approach their final regular season match against Saracens at Sandy Park with renewed belief. A victory there would secure their place in the playoffs, and based on this performance against a top-four side, they have every chance of achieving that goal.Leicester, already assured of a playoff spot, will need to regroup quickly ahead of their trip to Bath. With home advantage in the semi-finals potentially at stake, they'll be determined to secure a victory and maintain their championship aspirations.

The Lead-Up to the Election Ethiopians vote on Monday in a general election to choose members of parliament, who will in turn select the next prime minister. The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) said 47 political parties and more than 10,900 candidates are in the race, including 2,198 for the federal parliament, 8,736 for regional and city councils and 73 independents. The Main Political Parties The contest brings together ruling, opposition, regional and independent politicians under Ethiopia’s federal parliamentary system, where the government is formed through a parliamentary majority and MPs select the prime minister. The Prosperity Party (PP) The Prosperity Party is the ruling political party in Ethiopia, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. It was formed in 2019 following the merger of several regional parties that previously made up the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). The party holds a majority in the House of Peoples’ Representatives following the 2021 general election. The National Movement of Amhara (NAMA) The National Movement of Amhara is a regional political party operating mainly in Ethiopia’s Amhara region. It is led by Belete Molla and participates in Ethiopia’s federal parliamentary elections through constituency-based contests. Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA) The Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice is a national political party led by Berhanu Nega. Formed in 2019, it has participated in national elections since 2021 and operates across multiple regions. The Peace for Ethiopia Coalition The Peace for Ethiopia coalition is an alliance of smaller regional parties, including the Agew National Council, Gamo Democratic Party, Gambella Peoples’ Freedom Movement, Kaffa Green Party, and Tigray Democratic Cooperation. Electoral Stakes and Political Environment The election will determine the composition of Ethiopia’s federal government and which party or coalition controls parliament. Elected MPs will select the prime minister, who then forms the federal government. Voter Engagement and Demographics NEBE reports that more than 50 million people are registered to vote in the election. Young people make up a large share of the population, with a median age of about 19 years, according to UN population estimates. Women account for around half of registered voters.

The Ongoing Rescue Efforts in Laos Rescuers are racing against time to save two people still trapped in a flooded cave in Laos, after five others were rescued from the site. The rescue operation, which involves teams from Laos, Thailand, and several other countries, has been complicated by heavy rains that have threatened to delay the search. Challenges in the Rescue Operation Finnish diver Mikko Paasi, one of the first international rescuers to arrive at the site, reported that rains on Sunday had filled the cave up to the second chamber. This has prevented divers from entering until pumps can lower the water level. A drainage pump also broke, making the situation even more difficult, according to fellow diver Yoshitaka Isaji of Japan. The Situation Inside the Cave The cave, located in a remote mountainous area of central Xaysomboun province, was entered by seven people last week in search of valuable minerals such as gold. A flash flood blocked their way out, trapping them. One person escaped and alerted the authorities. The five rescued men were found in the fifth chamber of the cave system, which has five chambers. The Rescue Plan Rescue teams have received "substantial" information on the cave system from the five men who were rescued earlier. Based on this information, rescuers are hopeful that today's mission will locate both remaining victims. Malaysian diver Lee Kian Lie reported that the survivors provided details about the deeper part of the cave, which will aid in the search for the two missing individuals. The Future Outlook The rescue operation is expected to continue with the help of pumps to lower the water level in the cave. Rescuers are navigating more than 200m into the cave and are focused on finding the two missing individuals. The situation remains challenging due to the heavy rains and broken drainage pump, but the rescue teams are working tirelessly to save the trapped individuals.

The CEO Disconnect: Analyzing the 'AI Psychosis' Phenomenon Box founder Aaron Levie has ignited a necessary conversation within the tech industry with his recent assertion that tech CEOs are uniquely prone to 'AI psychosis.' Levie’s comment suggests that while executives are aggressively pushing AI integration, they remain 'distant from the last mile of work,' leading to a disconnect where tools are mandated without genuine understanding of their utility or impact on the workforce. This phenomenon is part of a broader, polarizing trend where AI is simultaneously embraced and rejected, creating a complex landscape for both consumers and businesses. Google's Search Overhaul and the Rise of Anti-AI Sentiment Google’s recent announcements at its annual developer conference have become the focal point of this backlash. The tech giant is aggressively integrating AI into its search experience, moving away from the traditional '10 blue links' model toward a more conversational, AI-driven interface. However, this shift has caused confusion and alienated long-time users who value the simplicity and predictability of the classic search engine. The company’s vague messaging regarding how these changes will coexist with existing features has further eroded trust among its core user base. The 30% Surge in DuckDuckGo and User Backlash The consumer reaction to Google’s AI pivot is tangible and measurable. Following the announcement of more AI features, DuckDuckGo reported a significant 30% increase in installs. This surge indicates a substantial market shift driven by user distrust of AI integration. Additionally, the polarization is evident among younger demographics, with graduating college students booing mentions of AI, suggesting a generational divide on the technology's role in education and information retrieval. The Disconnect Between Executive Vision and Workforce Reality The core of Levie's argument lies in the 'last mile' problem. Unlike previous technological revolutions where adoption was often bottom-up—employees adopting tools they found useful—AI integration appears to be driven top-down by executives and venture capitalists chasing efficiency dreams. This top-down mandate ignores the reality of how these tools function on the ground, leading to a workforce that is skeptical of AI-driven productivity gains, especially when coupled with the backdrop of tech industry layoffs. The Future of AI Adoption: From Top-Down Mandates to Bottom-Up Integration The current 'anti-AI moment' may serve as a pivotal opportunity for startups and alternative business models. As established players like Google struggle to balance innovation with brand identity, there is a growing lane for services that prioritize user privacy and traditional search experiences. For the industry to move forward, CEOs must bridge the gap between their strategic vision and the actual user experience, moving from abstract efficiency slides to a genuine understanding of how AI tools function in daily workflows.

The Lead: Iran's Internet Partially Restored Tehran, Iran – Authorities in Iran have reinstated some internet access three months after taking the country offline at the start of the war with the United States and Israel, but restrictions remain in place for most people. The Iranian government said last week that it had started a process to bring internet access back to a pre-war level, which was already very restricted as Iran was at the time still coming off an earlier 20-day shutdown imposed during deadly nationwide protests in January. The World's Longest Internet Blackout Last week's move ended more than 2,000 hours of near-total internet shutdown in the country of 90 million people, the longest-ever nationwide blackout in the world. But according to numerous user reports, local media accounts and expert analysis, Iranians' free access to the global internet is far from restored. Restricted Access and Blocked Services Access to millions of web pages remains blocked by the state, and almost all global services and apps such as YouTube, Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook and Waze are closed off and are not under consideration for reinstatement. Mobile, wireless and landline connections are slow and patchy, to varying degrees, while many local applications and services regularly malfunction or fail to load. The Black Market for Internet Access Most people are forced into a black market for access to the internet, which has proven lucrative for those selling virtual private networks (VPNs) or other circumvention methods, often through affiliations with the state. Those connections have now become cheaper after the authorities restored some internet bandwidth, but demand for VPNs has skyrocketed, and people remain exposed to scammers and malware while navigating the market. The Architecture of Filtering Meanwhile, even after the partial reopening, Iranian authorities continue to impose several complex layers of restrictions that have effectively turned full internet access into a privilege that very few people authorised by the state can enjoy. Many data centres have yet to be fully brought back online, and some internet protocols like IPv6 and HTTP/3 are blocked, while others like UDP are actively disrupted by the authorities, local media reported. Political Conflict Over Internet Policy That has prompted more criticism against Iran's relatively moderate President Masoud Pezeshkian, who campaigned against hardliners, in part, on reopening the internet. The Sazandegi reformist newspaper criticised the government over the "belated opening" in an op-ed on Saturday while the state-linked KhabarOnline news site wrote that the "Internet's technical infrastructure is the victim of the new architecture of filtering". The Tiered-Access Internet System Authorities have also failed to elaborate on what exactly they plan to do with the tiered-access internet system that they began expanding during the war. As part of the system, Iranians get varying degrees of access – or no access at all – to the global internet based on their profession and other classifications made by the state. To implement the scheme, a so-called "Internet Pro" scheme was introduced, which offers slightly less restricted access for about three times the price of a regular, more restricted internet package. Frustration and Limited Normalcy Still, more people have been able to get back on social media, where they have posted more videos from the war, including one that showed a new view as dozens of missiles rained down on the headquarters of Iran's supreme leader in downtown Tehran on February 28. Others are sharing war experiences, including where they were and how they felt when the first bombs hit the capital. But that hasn't alleviated the frustrations for many. "What we have right now is not the internet," said a Tehran resident, who spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity. "It's a return to the previous half-closed condition that is now being sold as an achievement."

The Proposed Pay Scheme The chief executive of Arm is in line for a pay package that would make him a billionaire if he hits targets to turn the British microchip giant into the UK's first trillion-dollar company. Arm, which is listed in New York but retains its global headquarters in Cambridge, has proposed a pay scheme for Rene Haas in which he will receive generous annual share awards plus a maximum bonus of $800m if he can hit certain 'exceptional growth metrics'. The Targets In the proposed bonus, or 'value creation plan' for Haas, 63, he will be awarded 425,000 shares if he can hit targets. The first target is a trillion-dollar valuation by 2029, reaching $1.25trn the following year and £2trn by the end of March 2031. The Financial Impact The payout would be one of the biggest ever awarded by a British company. Assuming the policy is approved and the targets are hit, Haas is in line to make well over $1bn in total by 2031. Maximum bonus: $800m Annual award of shares: up to 200% of salary Targets: $1 trillion valuation by 2029, $1.25trn by 2030, and £2trn by 2031 The Industry Impact The eye-watering market capitalisation-based pay schemes increasingly being offered by US companies dwarf the level of rewards at UK businesses. This deal highlights the competitive nature of executive remuneration in the global technology industry. The Future Outlook Haas, who is pushing Arm from its core strategy of providing architecture for microchips in smartphones into developing chips for AI datacentres, has predicted that this change of tack could increase Arm's revenues fivefold.

The End of an Era: Arne Slot's Departure from Liverpool Inevitable and necessary. Despite the continual briefings coming out of the UK side of the club’s operation, the silence from Liverpool’s American ownership was deafening. No vote of confidence, no contract extension talks and – most significant – no official appointment of Etiënne Reijnen to Arne Slot’s coaching staff. The Event Details: Slot's Sacking Eventually, on Saturday lunctime, six days after the final game of a season in which the Reds lost 19 games, Slot was gone. Regardless of what happens next, it was the correct decision. If the next guy does not do well, that does not mean sacking Slot was a mistake. It made no sense for Liverpool’s ownership to allow this to continue, regardless of how much Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes reportedly wanted to stick with the status quo. The Data Analysis: A Disappointing Season 19 losses in a single season Lack of identity in the team's play Disappointing results and performances The Impact Analysis: A United Fanbase I can’t remember Liverpool fans being more united in wanting a trophy-winning manager removed. Usually there’s a split in the fanbase and it can get quite ugly but this time it was pretty unanimous. We all knew. Some may have half-heartedly railed against the idea of “sacking a league-winning manager” but when it happened there was very little condemnation. Mostly it was relief. The Prediction: A New Era for Liverpool The dream is that our real dad (Klopp) comes home but it’s probably going to be another stepdad – this time a fun Spanish one. Andoni Iraola ticks plenty of boxes, but not all of them. He hasn’t experienced the goldfish bowl of a big club like Liverpool, he hasn’t had to navigate the demands of playing twice, or three times, a week and teams don’t set up against Bournemouth in the same way they do Liverpool.

Iga Swiatek's bid for a fifth Roland Garros title ended abruptly on her 25th birthday, as she fell 7‑5, 6‑1 to Ukraine's 15th‑seed Marta Kostyuk in the round of 16. Swiatek’s Fifth Title Quest Ends in the Round of 16 The former champion entered Paris as the clear favorite, but Kostyuk's aggressive baseline play and mental composure proved decisive. After trading early breaks, Kostyuk seized a crucial 11th‑game break to close the first set, then dominated the second with a 6‑1 surge. Numbers That Reveal the Scale of the Upset Scoreline: 7‑5, 6‑1 in favor of Kostyuk Seedings: Swiatek (4) vs. Kostyuk (15) Kostyuk’s 2026 clay record: 15‑0 entering the match Swiatek’s birthday: May 31, 2001 (turned 25) Other recent upsets: Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, and China’s Wang Xinyu all exited within three days Implications for the Women’s Grand Slam Landscape Swiatek’s departure elevates world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka to the clear favorite for her first French Open crown. It also signals a shift toward greater depth on the WTA tour, where lower‑seeded players like Kostyuk and veteran Sorana Cirstea—who reached her first Roland Garros quarter‑final in 17 years—are capable of toppling the elite. What to Expect in the Remaining French Open Rounds Kostyuk will face either 7th‑seed Elina Svitolina or 11th‑seed Belinda Bencic in the quarter‑finals, while Sabalenka is expected to navigate a draw that now lacks its former dominant force. The tournament is likely to produce at least one more surprise, as the momentum gained by emerging clay‑court specialists continues to challenge the traditional hierarchy.

The Visa Delay CrisisThe South African squad's departure for the FIFA World Cup has been delayed due to a hold-up in the visas for Mexico, whom they face in the tournament's opening game in 11 days, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed. Bafana Bafana, as South Africa's national men's football team is known, were scheduled to depart on a chartered flight from Johannesburg to Mexico City on Sunday morning, but remained grounded as visas for the cohost nation for some squad members were delayed.World Cup Opening Match in JeopardyMexico will host South Africa in the World Cup's opening game at the Estadio Azteca on June 11, making this delay particularly concerning. "The South African senior men's national team has experienced challenges regarding visas for some players and officials, and as a result the group could not travel to North America this morning as originally planned," SAFA said in a media release. The association emphasized that they are "working around the clock to ensure that the team travels to Mexico City as soon as possible ahead of the opening match."Squad and Tournament ScheduleHugo Broos announced his 26-man squad on Wednesday, which included two uncapped players. South Africa will warm up for the World Cup with a friendly against Jamaica on June 5. After taking on the cohosts in their opening group clash, they meet Czechia on June 18 and South Korea on June 24. The squad was given a grand public sendoff in Johannesburg on Saturday before their first appearance in the tournament since hosting it in 2010, but the flight from OR Tambo airport to Mexico City was postponed.Official Response and CriticismSAFA said it had called an emergency committee meeting later on Sunday to discuss the issue following a vociferous condemnation from Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie, who termed it "embarrassing and grossly unfair." "We are being made to look like fools," McKenzie said on social media platform X. Amid speculation about the visa bungle, several social media users questioned why the team paraded in Johannesburg before their departure if team officials were aware that players had not been issued visas yet.Broader Visa Challenges at World CupSouth Africa are not the first team to run into visa-related logistical issues at the World Cup. Members of Iran's World Cup squad have also not been issued visas for the United States, where they play their opening game against New Zealand on June 15 and two other group matches thereafter. According to Iranian state media reports on Saturday, FIFA has informed the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) vice president Mahdi Mohammadnabi that administrative work is in progress and the visas will be issued this week. Iran relocated its team's base camp from Arizona, US, to Mexico last week.