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Mikel Arteta urged Arsenal fans to bring the noise at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon as the Gunners look to go 12 points clear at the top of the table.

He said: “We know the meaning of every match here and the opportunity that we have, especially when we play at home. We need to maximise every result. It’s about each individual and how we turn up there. It’s actually impacting the game, the atmosphere and energy in the stadium. Whoever comes tomorrow, I ask them to be with that mindset, energy and commitment, because the team is going to respond beautifully to that.”

Middle East crisis live: US and Iranian envoys arrive in Islamabad for conditional peace talks

Tehran insists a Lebanon truce and unfreezing of its assets must be granted before negotiations can start

• JD Vance warns Iran against trying to ‘play’ the US in peace talks

• Analysis: JD Vance dispatched to peace talks with few cards to play

The UK will host a strait of Hormuz meeting next week, bringing together multiple countries aiming to restore free movement of ships through the strait, which has been blockaded by Iran since the beginning of the war and inflicted heavy damage on the global economy.

A British official told AP that the meeting will oppose the idea of tolls being charged for passage through the waterway, as proposed by Iran as part of ceasefire negotiations.

Hungarians speak to the Guardian before decisive election – video

Voters will head to the polls on Sunday in what is seen as Europe’s most consequential election of the year. The Guardian's Jakub Krupa and Flora Garamvolgyi speak to Hungarians in Budapest before the vote

Swedish exhibition explores life of 18th-century Black diarist

Born into slavery, Gustav Badin became part of Swedish royal court and left legacy of books and letters

In 1760, a Black child around 10 years old arrived at the Swedish royal court as a “gift” to the queen. Adolf Ludvig Gustav Fredrik Albrecht Couschi, who became known as Badin (derived from the French for joker or prankster), later held titles including chamberlain, court secretary, ballet master and civil servant.

He is thought to have been born into slavery between 1747 and 1750 in the former Danish colony of St Croix (now part of the US Virgin Islands), where he was “owned” by Christian Lebrecht von Pröck, who took him to Denmark. He was “received” by Gustaf de Brunck, a Swedish councillor of commerce, who later “donated” Badin to Queen Louisa Ulrika.

Pakistan hosts U.S.-Iran peace talks after weeks of frantic diplomacy

Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, is set to host peace talks today with leaders from Iran and the US, including Vice President J.D. Vance.

Gambling is easy, right? Wrong: it turns out betting on sport is designed to disturb you | Barney Ronay

Could I turn £10 into £1,000? I thought I could but was undone by the harsh reality and lost a little bit of my soul along the way

Welcome to How I Beat The Bookies: My Gambling Journey. Yes, my extreme methods can work for you. But only in the usual way. Which is to appear very briefly to work and then not to work at all.

First it is necessary to address the latest blow to English football’s otherwise watertight economy. People often talk about playing the world’s tiniest violin, a way of expressing sarcastic sympathy for bogus suffering, usually accompanied by a finger-and-thumb gesture that suggests, incorrectly, this is the size of the world’s tiniest violin.

Tyson Fury’s latest return unlikely to save heavyweight era reaching its end

Arslanbek Makhmudov shouldn’t be much of a test but Gypsy King and his battered old rivals are fading away

“I’ll make this short and sweet,” Tyson Fury said in a brief video he posted online on 13 January 2025. “I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing. It’s been a blast and I’ve loved every single minute of it. I’m going to end with this: Dick Turpin wore a mask. God bless everybody. I’ll see you on the other side.”

It was the fifth time Fury had retired from boxing in a professional career that began in December 2008 when he made his debut in Nottingham. So there was little surprise when, less than a year since that latest attempt to walk away from boxing, Fury announced his inevitable return. Four months ago he released a typical Fury message as he hollered: “Return of the Mac. Been away for a while but I’m back now. 37 years old and still punching. Nothing better to do than punch men in the face & get paid for it.”

Sexual abuse claims have dragged the international criminal court into crisis – but what happens now?

Investigating claims made against Karim Khan, the ICC top prosecutor, has turned into a lengthy process fraught with geopolitics and rows over standards of proof

Behind the closed doors of a large room at the international criminal court’s fortress-like headquarters in The Hague, senior diplomats who oversee the court have been gathering each week to try to resolve a crisis.

On their agenda: the fate of the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, a British lawyer whose tenure at the court was thrown into disarray nearly two years ago by sexual abuse allegations that he denies.

Can fish smell and what does the meme six-seven actually mean? The kids’ quiz

Five multiple-choice questions – set by children – to test your knowledge, and a chance to submit your own junior brainteasers for future quizzes

• ​Submit a question

Molly Oldfield hosts Everything Under the Sun, a podcast answering children’s questions. Do check out her books, Everything Under the Sun and Everything Under the Sun: Quiz Book, as well as her new title, Everything Under the Sun: All Around the World.

I swapped England for Seoul after watching a Korean teen drama – and found myself cast in a K-pop video

I was on the verge of failing Mandarin, when a last-second pivot caused me to utterly fall in love with Korean culture, and send me in a totally new direction

The first time I discovered South Korea was during a Mandarin homework mishap in 2013. I was 16 and lacked all the characteristics required to be good at languages: confidence, a thick skin and any desire to talk out loud. Forced to choose a language, Mandarin seemed like the best option for me – with a self-proclaimed photographic memory, I spent hours cramming complex Chinese characters, convincing myself I could pass my exams without speaking a word. I could not.

My vow of silence was shattered three months in, when I was introduced to my native-Chinese conversation teacher. As suspected, I was woeful. I cried, she cried. Stunned by my ineptitude, she quietly wiped a tear away with her knuckle as she helplessly suggested that I watch Chinese TV dramas to improve my pronunciation instead.

‘We are not like the rest of the Andalucía’: the rugged charms of Almería, Spain’s desert city

While Málaga battles overtourism down the coast, this ‘forgotten’ working port city revels in its outsider status

Perched high on the battlements of Almería’s 10th-century Alcazaba, looking over the mosaic of flat roofs tumbling down to the sea, I’m reminded of author Gerald Brenan’s travel classic South from Granada, and his impression upon arriving in Almería in 1920: “Certainly, it seemed that the sea was doubly Mediterranean here, and the city … contained within it echoes of distant civilisations.”

A British adventurer, Hispanist and fringe member of the Bloomsbury group, Brenan had walked to Almería from where he was living near Granada, apparently to buy extra furniture in preparation for a visit from Virginia Woolf and friends. A century later, my journey here in a 30-year-old van from London is somewhat less notable, but as I marvel at the almost surreal incandescence of the Med, and the maze of ancient streets below me, I too am aware of a sensation of time travel.

Australia crash out of BJK Cup after Britain secure upset with doubles win

• Burrage and Dart overcome Hunter and Perez 6-3, 6-4

• Australia’s Jones defeats Swan 7-5, 6-3 in dead rubber

Sam Stosur’s fears of a “funky” upset have been realised as Australia’s team captain saw an understrength Great Britain send her side crashing out of Billie Jean King Cup contention.

After the visitors claimed both opening-day singles matches at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena, the new British doubles pairing of Jodie Burrage and Harriet Dart completed a 3-0 rout in the best-of-five qualifying tie on Saturday. Their 6-3, 6-4 win over Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez gave Great Britain an unassailable lead, sending last year’s semi-finalists into September’s finals in China. It is the second straight year Australia have missed the eight-nation finals.

‘TikTok effect’ brings sellout crowds and younger fans to Grand National meeting

Ladies’ Day at Aintree draws sellout crowd for first time since 2012 as Jockey Club’s social media strategy pays off

• Horse-by-horse guide to this year’s Grand National

The Aintree morning was still young, and the temperatures frigid enough for a thick coat, when Hayley Bentley arrived at Ladies’ Day wearing only a bridal dress and veil. “I love racing and got my future husband into it,” she explained. “So what better excuse is there to get dressed up for Ladies’ Day and spend your hen party with 23 of your favourite people?”

Everywhere you looked that sentiment was being echoed and magnified by 55,000 other racegoers, most dressed in their finest suits and silks, who were basking in the first Ladies’ Day sellout since 2012.

The war over Omagh’s gold: the £21bn mine plan tearing a community apart

On Monday, a public inquiry will reopen, nine years after the plan was proposed and a toxic local battle began

When Fidelma O’Kane retired more than a decade ago from her career as a social worker and lecturer, she thought she would be “travelling and having a glass of wine and eating chocolate and reading books” while based in the quiet, hilly corner of rural County Tyrone where she has lived almost all her life.

It didn’t quite work out that way. Instead, an idle remark from a neighbour would set O’Kane on a path that would become an all-consuming mission. A mining company, the neighbour told her, was planning to drill for long-rumoured reserves of gold in the Sperrins, the low peatland mountain range in Northern Ireland where O’Kane’s family has lived for generations.

I’m a sauna person now: the Becky Barnicoat cartoon

Continue reading...

Blind date: ‘She claimed she was usually shy. I wouldn’t have guessed’

Jack, 31, a nature consultant, meets Heather, 23, who works in marketing for a homelessness charity

What were you hoping for?
A nice evening, to meet someone new and see what type of person I would be matched up with.

Meera Sodha’s recipe for noodles with rose beancurd, spring greens and egg | Meera Sodha recipes

A vegetarian noodle stir-fry full of vigour and flavour

I love going to my local Chinese supermarket; it’s like being at the top of the Magic Faraway Tree, where the world (and ergo my mealtimes) are full of wild possibilities and new travels for my tastebuds. A new favourite ingredient is rose red beancurd, so called because it’s red and fermented in a combination of red yeast and rose petals. The overall effect in this noodle recipe, a take on the Thai street food dish, suki hang, is that it imparts a delicious char siu flavour when cooked, which is a lot of magic for a single ingredient.

Six great reads: the man who let snakes bite him, masked heavy metal and the brutal reality for foreign students in the UK

Need something brilliant to read this weekend? Here are six of our favourite pieces from the last seven days

Country diary: Cropping season this year brings a new worry – fuel prices | Colin Chappell

Brigg, Lincolnshire: The peas are in and next up are maize and wildflowers, but with our fuel use running to 50,000 litres a year, I have one eye on the news

Spring has sprung, and with warming soils we start planting our more delicate crops such as peas. With the chatter of skylarks in the background, we slowly drill our way across this 15-hectare field using a three-metre precision drill that carefully places the seed. Six weeks ago, this would have cost £7.50 per hectare on fuel, now it’s £15 per hectare – a severe shock to the farm’s finances.

It’s not often that an arable farmer’s mind is so focused on global events, but our fuel use tops 50,000 litres a year and the Middle East conflict is having profound consequences. Thankfully, we’re partly protected. Over the last seven or eight years, we have transitioned to a low-disturbance approach to establishing crops, disturbing the top inch only. This means less tractor use and healthier soil – a big priority here. Fertiliser prices are also a worry. Common practice is to buy a year’s worth every June, but prices are skyrocketing, and there’s no UK production any more to help us out.

Trump proposes covering executive office building's stone facade with white paint

The building sits across a driveway from the West Wing and was completed in 1888.

An environmental disaster in Moldova has Russia’s fingerprints all over it | Paula Erizanu

The Ukraine war on our doorstep is a constant threat. Contaminated drinking water is a dangerous new twist

In the second week of March, the nature vlogger Ilie Cojocari went out to film the arrival of spring on the Nistru (Dniester) river, 70 metres away from his home in Naslavcea, a village bordering Ukraine on the northernmost point of Moldova. But as he approached the river he could smell the stench of oil rising up from the water and see dark spots floating on its surface. Something was wrong.

Two days earlier, Russia had attacked Ukraine’s Novodnistrovsk hydropower complex 15 miles upriver. Cojocari had been kept awake all night by the sound of shelling. “No one slept in the [Moldovan] district of Ocniţa that night,” he told me.

Paula Erizanu is a Moldovan journalist and writer based in Chișinău

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Cuba’s doctors were a lifeline for the world. Now the Caribbean is shamefully complicit in the US drive to expel them | Kenneth Mohammed

For decades, Cuban doctors have served the Caribbean’s most marginalised. Now, as Cuba faces its own crisis, the region looks away, waiting on Trump’s approval

There is a line, often quoted, seldom practised, from the Christian gospels: “Love thy neighbour as thyself.” It is recited from the Americas to Africa, invoked in speeches, embroidered into national mottoes.

But like many moral injunctions, it has proven easier to proclaim than to live by. Across the Caribbean and Latin America, something extraordinary and shameful is unfolding.

‘Just the beginning’: Artemis II crew splashes down after record-breaking moon flyby

The four astronauts touched down on Earth off the coast of California, concluding historic 10-day mission

• Artemis II splashdown! – in pictures

The Artemis II, and the four astronauts aboard the Orion space capsule, splashed down into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Friday night, with all four astronauts in good health.

“53 years ago, humanity left the moon. This time we return to stay. Let us finish what they started. Let us focus on what was left undone. Let us not go to plant flags and leave, but to stay with firmness in our purpose, with gratitude for the hands who built the machines and with love for the ones that we carry with us,” Nasa’s associate administrator Amit Kshatriya said at the late-night press conference after the astronauts landed.

New Zealand’s North Island braces for Cyclone Vaianu with thousands ordered to evacuate

Vaianu, forecast to bring heavy rain and winds of up to 130 kmh (80 mph), is expected to hit on Sunday

Thousands of New Zealanders were ordered to evacuate their homes on Saturday as the country’s North Island braced for Cyclone Vaianu, which authorities warned could cause coastal flooding and landslides.

Vaianu, forecast to bring heavy rain and winds of up to 130 km/h (80 mp/h), was expected to hit on Sunday, then pass west of the remote Chatham Islands on Monday, the country’s weather forecaster said.

Artemis II crew splashes down to end historic moon mission

NASA's Artemis II astronauts returned to Earth with a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean after making a high-speed reentry through the atmosphere.

Dems call on Swalwell to drop out of gov race amid sexual assault allegations

The woman alleged the California gubernatorial candidate sexually assaulted her twice when she was too drunk to consent.

Artemis II splashdown! – in pictures

Four astronauts landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on Friday, concluding a historic mission around the moon

• ‘Just the beginning’: Artemis II crew splashes down after record-breaking moon flyby

At age 102, a New York man is still striving for perfection, through pottery

George Strausman of Great Neck, New York, is 102 years old and still works four days a week in his family's construction business. But it's what he does on his day off that is even more remarkable.

Trump's 250-foot 'triumphal arch' would loom over Potomac, new renderings show

Rep. Don Beyer said "President Trump is focused on a taxpayer-funded vanity project that would choke traffic, block our skyline, and tower over sacred ground."

Swalwell denies allegations of sexual assault as calls grow for him to withdraw from California governor race

Former allies of Democratic contender withdraw support after accusations in San Francisco Chronicle and on CNN

Congressman Eric Swalwell, a leading candidate to be California’s next governor, forcefully denied allegations of sexual assault on Friday night, as he faced escalating calls to withdraw from the race from prominent supporters, rivals and his won colleagues in Congress.

In a video statement shared on his Instagram and posted by his official congressional account on X, the California Democrat vowed to fight the allegations with “everything I have”.

Trump news at a glance: Epstein survivors have words for Melania Trump after surprise statement

More than a dozen survivors accuse first lady of ‘shifting the burden’ on to them after she called on Congress to hold public hearings – key US politics stories from Friday 10 April

More than a dozen survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse have accused Melania Trump of “shifting the burden” on to them after she called on Congress to hold public hearings with victims of Epstein’s abuse.

“Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports, and giving testimony,” said a group of 13 people and the brother and sister of the late Virginia Giuffre, who was one of the most vocal Epstein accusers, in a statement. “Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility not justice.”

9 highlights from Artemis II's epic journey around the moon

The Artemis II crew's nine-day moon mission set a record for the farthest any human has ever traveled from Earth. Here's a look at the key moments.

Ukraine war briefing: doubts linger in Kyiv over Moscow’s promise to uphold Orthodox Easter ceasefire

Kremlin orders temporary truce from Saturday afternoon until Sunday, a 32-hour period during which Russia would stop fighting ‘in all directions’. What we know on day 1,508

Ukrainians on Friday were wary of Russia’s pledge to pause fighting for an Orthodox Easter ceasefire – first proposed by Kyiv – this weekend. The Kremlin said it had ordered a temporary truce to be in effect from Saturday afternoon until the end of Sunday, a 32-hour period during which Russia would stop fighting “in all directions”. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy – who has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in the four-year war – said Kyiv was willing to reciprocate.

But in Kyiv there was scepticism over whether Moscow would keep to its promise. “No one believes in these fairytales anymore,” Yevgeniy Lamakh, an IT specialist, told AFP in central Kyiv. “The Russian military lie a lot, usually, as history shows. And in general, they say one thing, but in fact do something completely different,” the 29-year-old said. “Even today... Shaheds, missiles are flying at Ukraine. Well, come on then, start the ceasefire,” Dmytro Sova, a 42-year-old actor, told AFP in Kyiv on Friday.

Just hours before the Orthodox Easter truce, two night-time Russian attacks in Ukraine left one dead and 15 injured, authorities said. The fatal attacks included an “enemy drone attack” on a store and a cafe in the central town of Poltava, killing one person and injuring another, the regional head of the military administration, Vitalii Diakivnych, posted on Telegram. In the north-eastern region of Sumy, bordering Russia, drone strikes on residential areas wounded 14 people including a 14-year-old boy and an 87-year-old woman, according to Oleg Grygorov, head of the regional military administration there, via Telegram.

Moscow has rejected calls for a longer-term unconditional ceasefire, something that Kyiv has called for, saying it is instead pushing for a final peace settlement. Negotiations between the two sides, brokered by the United States, have stalled over the fate of Ukraine’s eastern regions, partly occupied by Russia and that Moscow wants Kyiv to cede. The two sides also held a ceasefire for the Orthodox Easter last year. But the respite comes amid deadlocked efforts to halt Russia’s invasion, with US attention now focused on the Middle East war.

US president Donald Trump’s administration is likely to extend as soon as Friday a waiver allowing countries to buy some sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The US treasury department has allowed purchases of Russian oil and products at sea since mid-March with a 30-day waiver that expires on 11 April, part of efforts to control global energy prices during the US-Israeli war with Iran. The waivers have been criticised by politicians in the US and abroad as they could complicate the West’s efforts to deprive Russia of revenue for its war in Ukraine and put Washington at odds with its allies.

A Russian court on Friday placed a journalist from the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper in pre-trial detention until 10 May, a day after police raided the paper’s Moscow headquarters. Oleg Roldugin was arrested on Thursday. He had reported on alleged corruption among top Russian officials including former president Dmitry Medvedev and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Russia has waged a crackdown on independent news outlets since launching its offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.

Nato member Estonia will refrain from detaining Russia’s “shadow fleet” vessels in the Baltic Sea, worried that seizing oil tankers and other ships sanctioned by the West could lead Moscow to defend them militarily, a senior commander said on Friday. Britain and other European nations, including France, Belgium and Sweden, have stepped up efforts to detain ageing tankers used by Moscow to secure vital funding for its four-year war against Ukraine. But Estonia, the northernmost Baltic state located close to Russia’s main oil and fuel export facilities in the Gulf of Finland, is practicing restraint after an unsuccessful attempt to board a Russian vessel last year.

Multiple people face charges, including murder, in California fireworks blast

Massive fire followed explosion at 5,000-sq-ft warehouse near Esparto, an hour from Sacramento, on 1 July

Multiple people have been charged with murder in connection to a fatal fireworks-warehouse explosion in California that killed seven people and injured two others in July.

The explosion at the 5,000-sq-ft warehouse sparked a massive fire near the small town of Esparto, about an hour outside Sacramento. The explosion took place on 1 July; local celebrations to commemorate the Fourth of July holiday were cancelled that year.

Planned "Arc de Trump" would be over twice as high as Lincoln Memorial

Plans submitted by the Interior Department show the triumphal arch would be 250 feet tall, the tallest triumphal arch in the world.

First lady Melania Trump slams "baseless lies" tying her to Jeffrey Epstein

First lady Melania Trump delivered a televised statement denying a relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Inflation surged in March as Iran war drove up energy costs

Inflation rose at an annual rate of 3.3% in March, driven by the sharpest monthly increase in gas prices since 1967.

New audio emerges of husband's call to friend after woman's disappearance in the Bahamas

A new recording has emerged in the case of Lynette Hooker, a U.S. woman who went missing last weekend while on a boat ride with her husband in the Bahamas. Hooker's husband has been detained in connection with her disappearance, but he has not yet been criminally charged. Cristian Benavides explains.

DHS investigates deadly hammer attack of Florida gas station clerk

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been drawn into the case of a woman who was killed in a hammer attack last week at a gas station in Fort Myers, Florida, after a Haitian immigrant was taken into custody on homicide charges in connection with the attack. Nicole Valdes has the latest.

Melania Trump's surprise statement on Epstein raises new questions

Questions are still swirling about why first lady Melania Trump decided to make a surprise statement Thursday denying any ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Caitlin Huey-Burns has more on the reaction to the first lady's comments.

Inflation rises to its highest mark in nearly 2 years, fueled by Iran war

Inflation rose by 3.3% in March compared to one year ago, the Labor Department reported Friday, the highest such increase since May 2024. That rise was driven by a 21% spike in gas prices in March from the previous month. Jo Ling Kent has details.

Elon Musk’s xAI faces fresh opposition after landing permit for Mississippi power plant

Musk's xAI, now owned by SpaceX, faces a legal challenge from environmental groups opposed to a massive power plant in Mississippi.

Rory McIlroy surges into six-shot Masters lead with stunning second-round flourish

• Six birdies in final seven holes for defending champion

• Burns and Reed at -6, Rose, Lowry and Fleetwood at -5

After spending 16 years as the hunter, Rory McIlroy is relishing his position as the hunted. The defending Masters champion has reached the halfway point of the 2026 staging in a style that asserts his desperation to hang on to the Green Jacket. Elk, served as sliders in the 36-year-old’s champions dinner on Tuesday evening, were seen diving for cover in mountainous regions as McIlroy placed daylight between himself and pretenders to his throne.

McIlroy won at Augusta National in 2025 and eventually discovered that was not his final career destination after all. He is now 36 holes from becoming only the fourth man in history to back up a Masters win with a Masters win. McIlroy’s distinctly relaxed state of mind means only the bold will back against him from here. Even the prospect of falling short is unlikely to perturb McIlroy. He did quite enough of that in earlier years before rebounding in ferocious fashion. A grand slam winner has a mindset to match.

WATCH LIVE: Artemis II astronauts have splashed down on Earth

The four astronauts aboard NASA's Artemis II mission are about to plunge through the atmosphere toward Earth, after a successful visit to the moon.

Anthropic's Mythos AI can spot flaws in almost every computer on earth. Uh-oh.

Could powerful AI models like Anthropic's Mythos give cybercriminals and other bad actors a roadmap for exploiting tech systems?

4/10: CBS Evening News

Astronauts are undergoing final preparations for splashdown; weekend peace talks are in jeopardy as JD Vance heads to Pakistan.

Kamala Harris says she might run for president in 2028: "I'm thinking about it"

Former Vice President Kamala Harris said that she might run for president in 2028, telling a gathering in New York that she is considering mounting a third bid for the White House.

The debate over what's considered middle class in the U.S.

A recent article about a family of three making $500,000 in New York City has sparked a debate over what's considered middle class in the U.S. CBS News contributor Roland Fryer reacts to the article and explains how the middle class has changed.

After more than 9 days in flight, NASA's Artemis II is set to return to Earth

The four astronauts on NASA's Artemis II lunar mission are set to return to Earth Friday evening. The crew is wrapping up a journey around the moon with a planned splashdown off San Diego, Calif.

Kamala Harris ‘thinking about’ running for president again in 2028

Former vice-president teases White House bid while Pete Buttigieg also suggests he may launch campaign

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Kamala Harris said she is “thinking about” running in the 2028 presidential election.

“I might, I might. I’m thinking about it,” the former vice-president and 2024 candidate told the crowd at a gathering of the National Action Network (NAN), a civil rights organization founded by Al Sharpton, on Friday in New York City.

Bath hit back to reach semi-final after stunning Northampton in 11-try epic

• Quarter-final: Bath 43-41 Northampton

• Hosts recover from 21 points behind in first half

There are big games and then there are contests which define entire campaigns. And when the moment came it was Bath who just had enough turbo thrust to propel themselves into the Champions Cup semi-finals for the first time in 20 years. There is little to separate the two best teams in England and this was another endlessly compelling battle of wits and wills, ultimately settled by a 76th-minute try by Bath’s replacement forward Ted Hill.

Plenty of work still has to be done to reach the final in Bilbao next month with Johann van Graan’s side now facing the winners of Sunday’s mouthwatering all-French tie between Bordeaux and Toulouse. This was a truly sensational hors d’oeuvre, though, with nine tries in the first half alone. Gone are the days of tiptoeing into knockout matches and hoping to edge it 9-6.

West Ham double up twice to thrash Wolves and put Spurs in relegation zone

The moment when West Ham really felt their survival bid pick up pace was when the jab from Taty Castellanos rolled beyond the reach of José Sá and crawled towards the Wolves goal.

Two-nil up in a must-win game, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side looked unrecognisable from the doomed bunch who dropped seven points off 17th place in early January. This is a different West Ham. This is a West Ham with a punch in attack and, if this daring escape act does end with Premier League football secured for another season, a key part of the story will be how Nuno strengthened his squad in January.

4/10: The Takeout with Major Garrett

Artemis II crew to splash down off the coast of California; Vice President JD Vance warns Iran not to "play us" ahead of peace talks.

Jeffrey Epstein victims will get House committee hearing, James Comer says

Rep. James Comer's promise came a day after first lady Melania Trump urged Congress to give victims of Jeffrey Epstein a public hearing so "we have the truth."

Epstein survivors have mixed feelings on Melania Trump's call for hearing in Congress

The first lady made a public statement on Thursday saying she was not friends with Epstein, and calling for further action in Congress. Survivors of the late sex offender's abuse differ on her proposal.

This week on "Sunday Morning": The Money Issue (April 12)

This week Jane Pauley hosts "The Money Issue," our annual special broadcast dedicated to the many ways in which money underscores the way we live.

Trump administration releases new renderings of so-called ‘Arc de Trump’

Triumphal arch would be 250ft tall, featuring a 60ft golden Lady Liberty, at the foot of Arlington Memorial Bridge

The Trump administration on Friday released new renderings of the triumphal arch the president wants to install in Memorial Circle at the foot of the Arlington Memorial Bridge.

As part of Donald Trump’s legacy-building quest during his second term in office, the so-called “Arc de Trump” would stand 250ft tall, feature a 60ft golden Lady Liberty, and include a viewing deck. The phrase “One Nation Under God” would stretch across the top of the structure, according to the latest plans from Harrison Design.

Months after the ICE shootings in Minnesota, a federal probe remains elusive

Officials in Minnesota have sued the Trump administration, saying federal officials are withholding evidence in the killings of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Macklin Good by immigration agents in Minneapolis, as well as the non-fatal shooting of a Venezuelan man.

Repurposed drug may extend survival in aggressive ovarian cancer, trial shows

Relacorilant, typically used to treat Cushing’s syndrome, could improve outcomes in platinum-resistant cases

A drug originally used to treat a rare disease could extend the lives of patients with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer, according to a clinical trial.

Platinum-resistant ovarian cancer occurs when the disease progresses within six months of starting platinum-based chemotherapy. This form of chemotherapy is different from other types because it uses compounds that contain platinum to destroy cancer cells by preventing them from dividing.

Bessent, Fed's Powell met with bank CEOs over potent new Anthropic AI

Financial industry leaders met to discuss potential cyber risks posed by Anthropic's latest AI model, which has found weaknesses in every major computer operating system.

‘This is as important as your teeth’: are you skipping this key part of mouth hygiene?

Dentists say ‘everyone needs to be educated about cleaning the tongue’. Here’s how it’s done

It’s drilled into us from a young age: brush your teeth twice a day. But when it comes to oral health, experts say we’re leaving out something important.

“Everyone needs to be educated about cleaning the tongue,” says Dr Maria Figueroa, a dentist and program director at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. “This is as important as your teeth.”

NASA drops Artemis II moon mission playlist with astronauts' wake-up songs

The moon music tradition started more than 50 years ago, NASA said as it shared the Artemis II crew's playlist this week.

One dead and 27 injured after bus with British passengers crashes in Canary Islands

Vehicle veered into a ravine on island of La Gomera while transporting a tour group for a boat excursion

A man has died and 27 people are in hospital after a bus carrying British passengers crashed in the Canary Islands, local officials have said.

The incident happened at 1.15pm local time on Friday when the vehicle veered into a ravine on the GM-2 highway near the town of San Sebastián de La Gomera.

‘God does not bless any conflict’: pope issues new rebuke over Iran war

Social media post names no names but criticizes attempts to use religion to glorify US war in Middle East

• Middle East crisis – live updates

Pope Leo XIV on Friday offered a new criticism of war, in a social media post that named no names but appeared to hint at the Trump administration leadership harnessing Christian nationalism to glorify the US and Israel’s war against Iran.

“God does not bless any conflict. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs,” Leo wrote on his official X account. “Military action will not create space for freedom or times of #Peace, which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue among peoples.”

White House warned staff against Iran war bets on prediction markets

The warning came after a flurry of unusual activity on oil and stock futures markets shortly before Trump said he would pause attacks on Iran.

The upper middle class is now the largest income group in the U.S.

America's middle class is shrinking, but not because people are getting poorer. Instead, more households are climbing the ladder, new research suggests.

See messages Brian Hooker sent his friend after wife's disappearance

Brian Hooker exchanged Facebook messages with a friend, which CBS News exclusively reviewed, after his wife vanished in the Bahamas over the weekend.

The week around the world in 20 pictures

Crisis in the Middle East, Russian shelling in Ukraine, Artemis’s lunar flyby and World Press Photo winners – the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists

Warning: this gallery contains images some readers may find distressing

Iran's speaker says negotiations with U.S. can't start without Lebanon ceasefire, asset release

President Trump is frustrated by Iran continuing to throttle most shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil route.

Prince Harry sued for defamation by charity he co-founded

Legal action follows war of words with Sentebale chair after Duke of Sussex’s resignation as patron

The Duke of Sussex is being sued by Sentebale in the latest twist in the bitter fallout over the African charity he co-founded.

The charity has lodged papers in London’s high court over defamation claims naming Prince Harry and the former Sentebale trustee Mark Dyer as defendants.

Anthropic’s new AI tool has implications for us all – whether we can use it or not | Shakeel Hashim

Claude Mythos’s apparent superhuman hacking abilities are alarming experts as the Trump administration remains blinded by hostility

In June 2024, a cyber-attack on a pathology services company caused chaos across London’s hospitals. More than 10,000 appointments were cancelled. Blood shortages followed and delays to blood tests led to a patient’s death.

Lethal cyber-attacks like this are thankfully rare. But a new AI release could change that – plunging us into a terrifying new world of chaos and disruption to the digital systems that we rely on.

Shakeel Hashim is the editor of Transformer, a publication about the power and politics of transformative AI

Trump calls Artemis II astronauts "modern-day pioneers" in live conversation

President Trump praised the crew of NASA's Artemis II mission in a brief chat late Monday, saying they had "inspired the entire world" after they looped around the moon in a record-breaking voyage.

Man arrested after four die trying to cross Channel in small boat

Two men and two women were swept away by currents while attempting to board dinghy off French coast

A man has been arrested on suspicion of endangering life after four people died in a small boat Channel crossing on Thursday.

The man, described by prosecutors as a 27-year-old Sudanese national, was arrested by National Crime Agency investigators on Friday.

Shortlisted for an Oscar, 'Homebound' is a daring movie about two dear friends

The movie, now streaming on Netflix, defied current trends in Indian cinema to tell the true story of a friendship between a Muslim and a Hindu Dalit. Martin Scorsese was secretly involved.

Concerns raised about motorbike tourist trail after death of British teenager in Vietnam

Local people say road conditions are rugged and weather unpredictable, while some say it has become too congested

The recent death of a British gap-year student on the Ha Giang loop, a popular motorcycle tour through the mountains in north Vietnam, has heightened concerns about a trail reputed to be one of the most dangerous in the country.

Orla Wates, 19, from Surrey, was riding as a pillion passenger when she fell off and was hit by an oncoming truck, according to local media. She was taken to hospital in Hanoi, where she died from her injuries last week.

The Guardian view on Trump’s civilisational threats: the words that fuel war must be condemned | Editorial

Military euphemisms can be deadly. Yet the brutal rhetoric of the US and Israel is proving still more lethal

“Metaphors can kill,” the linguist George Lakoff wrote in an influential essay on the Gulf war. “The use of a metaphor with a set of definitions becomes pernicious when it hides realities in a harmful way.” He described the effects of the US employment of business cost-and-benefit analogies, sporting comparisons and the fairytale of the just war with heroes and villains.

All veiled the reality of conflict. Euphemism was long the preferred choice for the US military. Spokespeople discussed “collateral damage” rather than civilian deaths and “surgical strikes”, framing destruction as both precise and part of a necessary and ultimately healing process. Donald Trump chooses naked menace instead. This week he issued a genocidal threat against Iran, having previously threatened to bomb it “back to the stone age” and destroy bridges and power plants – schools and medical facilities having already been pulverised. He said that he was “not at all” concerned about potential war crimes.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

The Guardian view on dystopias for our times: the American nightmare | Editorial

Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments and the Oscar-winning film One Battle After Another are grim parables of today. But they are not without hope

As Margaret Atwood has said, all dystopian fiction is “really about now”. No wonder the genre is flourishing. This week Atwood’s bleak vision of a future America as a patriarchal theocracy returned to TV screens with the adaptation of her prize-winning 2019 novel The Testaments, the long-awaited sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, set in a chillingly recognisable militarised America, swept the Oscars last month.

Back in 1984 when Atwood wrote The Handmaid’s Tale, she feared that its central premise – that the US could be transformed from a liberal democracy into Gilead, a theocratic dictatorship after a coup – was too outrageous to convince readers. She need not have worried. By the time the novel was made into the award-winning TV series in 2017, it was all too believable. Arriving just after Donald Trump’s election in 2016 and the rollback of women’s rights, the show felt made for the moment. Atwood was hailed as a prophet. The red-and-white handmaid robes became a symbol of female defiance across the globe. “For a long time we were going away from Gilead and then we turned around and started going back,” Atwood said of her decision to write a follow-up more than 30 years later.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Netanyahu-ism has achieved nothing for Israelis – and come at a monstrously high price | Jonathan Freedland

It is the voting public in Israel that will settle their PM’s fate later this year. But all they have heard are promises of ‘total victory’ that prove to be hollow

It is a record of abject failure. I am not speaking of Donald Trump, though I could be. Instead, I am talking about his partner in this terrible war.

Naturally, Trump has been the star of the show. He has been the face of the 40-day war on Iran, whether dialling up the threats against the country in foul, bloodthirsty language – “a whole civilisation will die tonight” – or announcing on his own social media platform a two-week ceasefire and the talks that are supposed to begin this weekend in Islamabad. But Trump has had an ally at his side, who only now is entering the spotlight. That ally is Benjamin Netanyahu.

Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

How I Shop with Michelle Ogundehin: ‘We grownups have enough stuff already’

Always wondered what everyday stuff celebrities buy, where they shop for food, and the basic they scrimp on? The interiors guru talks museum shops, sake and loft insulation with the Filter

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Michelle Ogundehin, former editor-in-chief of Elle Decoration magazine, is the head judge on the BBC’s Interior Design Masters and co-host of Grand Designs: House of the Year. She trained as an architect and also works as a commentator and consultant, as well as being a trustee of the Design Museum.

Her bestselling first book, Happy Inside, explores how home shapes health and happiness; her forthcoming book (spring 2027), Your Powerful Home: 4 Steps to a Home that Heals, looks at your home as a partner in your wellbeing, an ethos she shares through her Happy Insiders Club, which offers guided monthly coaching.

‘Butter Birkin’: popcorn plastic It bag in demand by Devil Wears Prada fans

Coveted £20 accessory to be marketed as part of sequel’s ticket deal – and is already being touted for resale from £130

In a recent trailer for the highly anticipated The Devil Wears Prada sequel, the cast are seen parading through the streets of New York City carrying an array of designer handbags, including clutches and satchels from Chanel and Valentino.

But among fans of the film there is a very different type of It bag in demand: a popcorn bucket shaped to resemble a structured tote bag is quickly becoming a coveted accessory.

U.S. faces an air traffic controller shortage. It's turning to gamers for help.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pointed out that gamers "have many of the hard skills it takes to be a successful controller."

Orbán and Magyar trade accusations in last days of Hungary election campaign

Polls suggest lead for opposition candidate before vote on Sunday as both allege enlistment of foreign interference

• Hungary elections: what is at stake and who is likely to win?

Viktor Orbán and his centre-right rival, Péter Magyar, have traded accusations of enlisting foreign interference in a high-stakes election that polls suggest could mark the end of the nationalist Hungarian prime minister’s 16 years in power.

As the two leaders’ campaigns entered their final stages before this weekend’s vote, which is being watched as keenly in Brussels, Moscow and Washington as in Budapest, Orbán said on social media on Friday that his opponent would “stop at nothing to seize power”.

Martin Rowson on Middle East peace talks – cartoon

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Why a Strait of Hormuz "toll" would pose economic and geopolitical risks

Energy industry experts warn that allowing Iran to charge ships to ensure safe passage through the strait would raise energy costs.

DOJ argues D.C. pipe bomb defendant not covered by Trump's Jan. 6 pardons

The DOJ said in a court filing that the D.C. pipe bomb defendant's case should not be dismissed and that his actions were not covered by Trump's sweeping pardons of the Jan. 6 rioters.

MoneyWatch price tracker shows how much food, utility, housing costs are rising

These charts track prices consumers pay for groceries and other goods now compared to five years ago.

Consumer sentiment hits record low, inflation fears rise amid Iran war

The university's headline index of consumer sentiment tumbled to 47.6, down 10.7% from March to its lowest on record.

Peers vote to ban pornography depicting sex acts between stepfamily members

Amendment calling for step-incest to be included in ban on harmful content passes by just one vote

The government has agreed to ban the production of pornography depicting sex acts between stepfamily members following a vote in the House of Lords.

The government tabled an amendment calling for step-incest to be included in a ban on harmful content, with the support of the Conservative peer Gabby Bertin, who led a review into pornography regulation that was published last year.

How an 8-year-old designed a zero-gravity indicator for Artemis II

The development of the mission mascot and viral sensation Rise began over a year before Artemis II blasted off.

Airports could face a jet fuel crunch within 3 weeks as airlines weigh flight cancellations

Europe's Airport Industry said if the Strait of Hormuz doesn't reopen "systemic jet fuel shortage is set to become a reality for the EU."

‘There’s no shortage of terrifying technology’: how AI became TV drama’s new go-to villain

Will artificial intelligence save us or destroy us? According to a growing band of thriller scriptwriters, we should be very afraid indeed

Maybe the “H” in Line Of Duty will turn out to stand for “hard drive”? After all, AI has become TV’s go-to villain, as proven once again in last week’s penultimate episode of BBC stablemate The Capture. Sinister puppet-master Simon was unmasked at long last and – spoiler – he wasn’t a person.

“Wait, Simon’s a computer?” asked a baffled agent. “He’s a bit more than that,” replied a smug army bigwig. “We’re using AI to support, map, execute and command ops. Simon factors in more risks and variables than you lot on the ground are capable of knowing. Tell him your objective and he’ll calculate your mission and recalibrate it for you in real time. The stats don’t lie. Simon saves lives.”

Five things to know about Hungary's election

Hungary votes Sunday in a pivotal test of Viktor Orbán's "illiberal democracy," as challenger Péter Magyar taps voter frustration, with stakes for Europe, NATO and the U.S.

Human rights groups decry US plan for Guantánamo camp for Cuban migrants

Exclusive: Dozens of organizations write to Congress after general announced plan to ‘deal with’ those fleeing any humanitarian crisis on the island

Dozens of US and international human rights organizations are decrying the Trump administration’s plans to establish a migrant “camp” for fleeing Cubans at the Guantánamo Bay military base if the island nation’s crisis worsens under pressure from the US, according to a letter to members of Congress on Friday.

The 85 groups plan to submit the joint letter, exclusively shared with the Guardian, to US senators and House representatives, expressing their “profound concern” with comments made last month by a top Department of Defense commander, and describing any prospect of further migrant detention at the base as “deeply troubling and unacceptable”.

Power up! Could force be the secret to supercharging your fitness?

Mobility, cardio and strength are important, but power – generating force quickly – is the workout element that will help you stay active for longer, say health and fitness experts

Chasing after your dog, catching yourself before you fall, jumping over a big puddle. These activities all have something in common, and it’s not just that they’re the makings of a very bad day. They rely on power: the ability to generate force quickly. It’s an often overlooked part of the fitness menu that experts think deserves more attention.

Mobility, cardio and strength all help us stay active and healthy as we get older. Strength training in particular has boomed in recent years, as the importance of building muscle mass to keep us strong, protect our bones and help us stay mobile as we age becomes more widely recognised. But when it comes to activities such as pushing yourself up from a chair or moving your arms quickly to break a fall, the size of your muscles will only get you so far. You also need power.

Defense's Silicon Valley pivot: Ukraine, Iran wars challenge the legacy playbook

Companies are betting on a new type of warfare, based on shorter lead times that allow for rapid deployments and more cost-effective solutions.

Consumer prices rose 3.3% in March, as energy prices spiked due to Iran conflict

The consumer price index was expected to show a 3.3% year-over-year gain in March, according to the Dow Jones consensus.

'How are you using AI?' Your therapist should ask you that question, experts argue

A paper in JAMA Psychiatry says mental health providers should ask if patients are using artificial intelligence chatbots, just as they would ask patients about sleep habits and substance use.

Inflation surges to highest level in nearly 2 years as energy costs spike

Consumer prices in March were up 3.3% from a year ago, the biggest annual increase in nearly two years. Higher gasoline prices tied to the war with Iran accounted for much of the surge.

Critics assemble! Here’s my list of the greatest superhero movies of all time

Creating a definitive Top 10 list never fails to spark endless debate – but who doesn’t want to give it a shot? Don your capes and shields, and let the arguments begin …

Putting together a Top 10 list of the best superhero movies of all time may just be the critical equivalent of trying to herd thunder through a spreadsheet. Are we rating the best-made movie, the most influential or the most emotionally ruinous? The genre has exploded over the past 20 years to the point where it long ago swallowed cinema whole: we have crime sagas (most Batman flicks), family comedies (The Incredibles, Guardians of the Galaxy), cultural and political allegories (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, X-Men, Black Panther), pop-art fever dreams (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and even tales of Wagnerian apocalypse (Watchmen, Avengers: Infinity War).

The sense is that these movies are too varied, the emotional criteria too slippery, the personal attachments some of us have to them too embarrassingly primal, to be placed in a clear hierarchy. Is the No 1 comic book movie of all time the film that made fangirls and boys whimper into their crumpled copies of Amazing Fantasy #15? In which case we might be looking at Spider-Man: No Way Home. Or is it the picture that’s so good it appeals to filmgoers who don’t actually like superhero flicks? That would be The Dark Knight. Is Matt Reeves’ gloriously offbeat, Fincher-esque The Batman too weird and languid to make the list? And does Patty Jenkins’ breezily old-fashioned Wonder Woman get downgraded because it was part of a superhero universe that ultimately tanked?

Bafta apologises for events surrounding John Davidson’s Tourette’s outburst

An independent review found ‘weaknesses’ in the organisation’s planning and crisis procedures

Bafta has apologised “unreservedly” for the events surrounding John Davidson’s Tourette’s outburst at this year’s ceremony, after an independent review found “weaknesses” in the organisation’s planning and crisis procedures.

Davidson, an executive producer on the Bafta-winning film I Swear, dominated headlines for weeks after involuntarily shouting the N-word as Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage.