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Roy Hodgson, the veteran English football manager, has made a remarkable return to the sport at the age of 78. He has taken on an interim managerial role at Bristol City for the final seven games of the Championship season. Hodgson, who managed Crystal Palace until February 2024, was tempted out of retirement by Richard Scudamore, the former Premier League chief executive.Hodgson insists that he does not require a 'crutch' to manage the team, despite his advanced age. He believes that his general health is good, and he is probably fitter now than when he left Palace. Hodgson mentioned that he has been doing a lot of work at home, including using a gym and walking, which has helped him lose 5-6kg.The 78-year-old manager acknowledged that he must be cautious about the strains of the job, referencing the recent collapse of 80-year-old Romania head coach Mircea Lucescu. Hodgson joked that he has no intention of 'dying on the bench' like Jock Stein and will take necessary precautions to ensure his well-being.Hodgson's return to Bristol City comes 44 years after he was sacked by the club in 1982. He described his time at the club as a 'fond memory,' despite the financial difficulties they faced back then. Hodgson's second spell at Bristol City begins with a match against Charlton on Good Friday.The veteran manager's decision to return to football was influenced by conversations with his former assistant Ray Lewington. Hodgson emphasized that he aims to enjoy this period and will assess whether he has made the right decision after facing challenges ahead.

Mauricio Pochettino has distanced himself from speculation linking him to a return to Tottenham Hotspur, stating his full focus is on leading the US men's national team at the upcoming World Cup. Despite being linked to the Spurs managerial role, Pochettino emphasized his commitment to his current position.Pochettino, who led Spurs to significant successes during his tenure from 2014-2019, expressed confidence that his former club will avoid relegation, despite their challenging season. He cited the team's talented players and passionate fans as key factors in their likely survival.With Tottenham hovering just above the relegation zone and seven matches remaining, Pochettino's comments offer a boost to the club's morale. The team is reportedly close to appointing Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager, with a long-term contract on the table.Pochettino also left open the possibility of extending his stay with the US men's national team, stating that discussions about his future will take place after the World Cup. For now, his priority remains the team's upcoming friendly against Portugal.

A commercial court in France has dismissed Cardiff City's claim for £106m in compensation following the death of Emiliano Sala in a plane crash seven years ago. The court found that Nantes, Sala's former team, was not at fault in relation to the flight that resulted in Sala's death.The 28-year-old Argentine player was traveling from France to begin his career with Cardiff City when the single-engine Piper Malibu aircraft crashed into the sea near Guernsey, killing both Sala and pilot David Ibbotson. Cardiff had sought €122m (£106m) for loss of income and other damages from Nantes, claiming the French club was responsible because the flight was organized by an intermediary, Willie McKay.However, the court rejected Cardiff's contention, finding that McKay served as an agent for Nantes but did not organize the flight and was not aware of its illegality. The court also ruled that Nantes suffered moral damage and ordered Cardiff to pay €300,000 to the French club.Cardiff's lawyer, Céline Jones, expressed disappointment with the decision, stating that the club had initiated the process to uncover the truth and show respect for Sala's memory. In contrast, Nantes welcomed the decision, with their lawyer Jérôme Marsaudon saying the club was not responsible for the incident.This ruling follows previous decisions by Fifa and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), which have also gone against Cardiff in their legal dispute with Nantes. In 2022, Cas ruled that Sala's transfer had been finalized at the time of his death, and Fifa ordered Cardiff to pay Nantes the balance of Sala's transfer fee, amounting to just over €11m out of a total of €17m.

In a unique display of environmental activism, a group of artists from Wiveliscombe, known as artistsformallyknownasWiveyXR, recently gathered at Hurstone nature reserve in Exmoor national park to symbolically 'marry' the River Tone. The event, held on World Water Day (March 22), was a creative response to the call to action by Extinction Rebellion. The group, dressed in elaborate costumes and papier-mache masks, including Frog, Badger, and Barn Owl, made their way to the river's edge, accompanied by music and chanting. The ritual was inspired by a similar event in Bristol, where a young activist Megan 'married' her local river, the Avon, in 2023. The River Tone, located just seven miles from its source, was described as 'sparkling and clear' during the ceremony, a stark contrast to the polluted state of many rivers in England. According to the Rivers Trust, 0% of the 3,553 river stretches in England assessed were in good overall status. The event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of protecting waterways and the alarming state of river health in the country. During the ceremony, a participant, Eileen, dressed as a salmon, paddled downstream on her hands and knees, committing to 'love and honour' the River Tone and protect it 'in sickness and in health'. The event was a powerful expression of the community's commitment to environmental activism and the preservation of natural resources.

A devastating attack by Sudanese paramilitaries on South Kordofan has claimed the lives of at least 14 people, including five children and two women, according to a medical group. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allies in the Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North launched a hours-long assault on residential areas in the city of Dilling, leaving at least 23 others wounded, including seven children.The Sudan Doctors Network reported that the attack was part of a larger conflict that has ravaged the region. The military, which recently broke an RSF siege on the city, said it successfully fended off the attack on the capital of South Kordofan province.The doctors' group warned of a possible “catastrophic scenario” similar to the one that occurred in the Darfur city of el-Fasher. The RSF's invasion of el-Fasher in October was marked by “hallmarks of genocide”, according to UN-commissioned experts. More than 6,000 people were killed over three days in el-Fasher when the RSF unleashed a wave of intense violence.The war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which began in mid-April 2023, has led to one of the world's fastest-growing man-made humanitarian crises. Over 12 million people have been forced from their homes, and more than 33 million people are in need of humanitarian aid. According to UN figures, more than 40,000 people have been killed over the past three years, although aid groups believe the true death toll could be significantly higher.Both sides have been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which are being investigated by the International Criminal Court. The fighting has recently centered on Darfur and the Kordofan region, with deadly drone attacks reported daily. The UN Human Rights Office reported that more than 500 civilians were killed in drone strikes this year as of mid-March.

Los Angeles is saying goodbye to a piece of its history as Taix, a cherished French restaurant in the Echo Park neighborhood, closes its doors for good. The restaurant, which has been a staple of the community for 64 years, will be torn down to make way for a large-scale luxury apartment development. The impending closure has sparked an end-of-an-era frenzy, with lines down the street, packed tables, and loyal fans pinching menus and other memorabilia for their personal collection. Taix, pronounced 'Tex,' has been a de facto museum of a long-gone era of fine dining, offering classic dishes like french onion soup, mussels, and a decadent hamburger. While the restaurant will reopen on the ground floor of the new apartment complex, customers are skeptical that it will retain its historic charm. The current space, a 15,000 sq ft building, is simply too expensive to maintain, with repairs estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Taix family had been using personal savings to cover payroll, but the developer, Holland Partner Group, offered a lifeline with a dollar-a-year rent for the last seven years. The loss of Taix is significant for the Echo Park community, which has been impacted by gentrification. The restaurant has been a hub for creatives, hosting events like 'Gay Guy Night,' and its closure leaves a void in the neighborhood. As one customer noted, 'It’s just gonna be one of those condo buildings, giant, modern condo complexes.' Despite the closure, the legacy of Taix lives on through the memories of its customers, who recall the restaurant's role as a launching pad for nights out, a soft landing spot at the end of one, and a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. As one regular put it, 'People are the thing that animates the space. Without people, it’s just a building.'

Leicester City Women are staring down the barrel of relegation to the second tier after a disheartening 1-0 loss to Brighton in the Women's Super League. The defeat, which came on a soggy afternoon at the King Power Stadium, has left them four points adrift at the bottom of the table with only four games remaining.The sight of two young girls proudly waving 'Foxes never quit' flags in the rain-soaked stands encapsulated the never-say-die attitude required for a relegation battle that Leicester now finds itself in. Despite the bleak outlook, manager Rick Passmoor and the fans remain optimistic about their chances of survival.The latest setback came against Brighton, who showed their class on the ball, particularly in the first hour. Fran Kirby's movement and creativity caused significant problems for the Leicester defense. The decisive moment arrived when Kiko Seike broke the deadlock by tucking home Rosa Kafaji's unselfish pass, following a sublime through ball from Kirby.Leicester's struggles this season can be attributed largely to operating on what is believed to be the lowest budget in the top tier, compounded by the loss of key players such as Ruby Mace and the Japan duo Saori Takarada and Yuka Momiki last summer. The team is on a seven-match losing run in the league, which has coincided with Liverpool's significant upturn in results following their January transfer activity.There is still a potential lifeline for Leicester in the form of a one-leg playoff fixture against the third-placed team in the second tier, scheduled for May 23. However, their opponents have yet to be determined, with Crystal Palace and Birmingham keeping the automatic promotion race on a knife-edge.The women's predicament comes at an uncertain time for the football club as a whole, with the men's team in the Championship relegation zone, a point from safety after being deducted six points for overspending. It could yet be a campaign to forget for both the men's and women's sides.

Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard has made an impressive start to the season, securing a dominant victory at the Volta a Catalunya. He led the general classification by 1 minute and 22 seconds over France's Lenny Martinez and a further eight seconds ahead of Germany's Florian Lipowitz. In a surprising turn of events on the final stage, Brady Gilmore of the NSN team, backed by retired football star Andrés Iniesta, claimed a stunning stage seven victory. Gilmore edged out Dorian Godon and Remco Evenepoel in a thrilling bunch sprint finale. The 95km final stage featured seven circuits of Montjuïc in Barcelona, a venue that will host the Tour de France start in July. Vingegaard, the pre-race favorite, asserted his dominance with solo victories in stages five and six in the Pyrenees. Earlier this month, he also won two stages and the overall title at Paris-Nice. The Dane is planning a challenging double assault on the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France later in the year. 'We won two stages and now the GC, it's been a really good week and we're super happy with it,' Vingegaard said. 'It's been an amazing start to the year for me and I hope I can keep it going.' Meanwhile, in the In Flanders Fields one-day cobbled classic race in Belgium, Jasper Philipsen secured victory after a breakaway effort by Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert was caught just a kilometer from the finish. Philipsen out-sprinted Tobias Lund Andresen and Christophe Laporte for the win.

Tottenham Hotspur have sacked manager Igor Tudor after just 44 days in charge, with the club struggling to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Tudor managed the team for seven games, securing only one point from his five league matches.The final straw came with last Sunday's 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, which left Tottenham one point and one place above the bottom three. A potential demotion to the Championship would be catastrophic for the club's prestige and revenues.Tudor's departure comes amid a backdrop of human tragedy, with the manager informed of the death of his father, Mario, after the Forest game. The club aimed to handle the situation with sensitivity towards the Croatian manager.Tudor's brief tenure included two Champions League matches against Atlético Madrid, with Tottenham ultimately losing 7-5 on aggregate. His time at Spurs began with a difficult period, including league defeats to Arsenal, Fulham, and Crystal Palace.The club has gone 13 league games without a win, their worst run since 1934-35 when they were relegated from the old Division One. Tudor's approach and tactics were questioned, particularly his decision to substitute goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after just 17 minutes in the first leg against Atlético Madrid.Tudor had been tasked with bringing organisation, intensity, and competitive edge to the squad, but ultimately failed to achieve this. The club is now searching for a new manager, with Bruno Salter set to take training in the interim.