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Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva has confirmed that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season. Silva, who joined Manchester City from Monaco in July 2017 for £43.5m, has been a key member of Pep Guardiola's team, contributing significantly to their success.During his nine-year tenure, Silva has won an impressive array of honors, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, the Champions League, and two Fifa Club World Cups. He has made 451 appearances for the club, scoring 76 goals and providing 77 assists. This season, Guardiola made him captain, highlighting his importance to the team.Silva expressed his gratitude to the club, stating, “When I arrived 9 years ago, I was following a dream of a little boy, wanting to succeed in life, wanting to achieve great things. This city and this club gave me much more than that. What we won and achieved together is a legacy that will forever be cherished in my heart.”He also thanked the fans for their support, saying, “To the fans, your unconditional support throughout the years is something that I will never forget. My main goal as a player was to always play with passion so you guys could feel proud and well represented on the pitch. I arrived as a Man City player, I leave as one more of you, a Man City supporter for life.”The club has announced that Silva will be given an official farewell. As he departs, Silva urged the fans to continue supporting the young team, expressing confidence that they will bring new memories in the future.

The second season of Beef has arrived on Netflix, but it seems to have lost the magic that made the first season so compelling. Critic Lucy Mangan argues that the show has become an unlovable White Lotus rip-off, with a similar premise but lacking the depth and nuance that made The White Lotus so impactful. The new season stars Carey Mulligan and Oscar Isaac as a married couple who oversee the running of a luxury country club. Their characters, Josh and Lindsay, are frustrated with where life has led them – close to wealth but far from achieving it. They are joined by their employees, Austin and Ashley, who become entangled in their problems. As the season progresses, the plot becomes increasingly convoluted with too many characters and complications introduced. The tension, which was so expertly ratcheted up in the first season, becomes diluted. Much is gestured towards but nothing is satisfactorily interrogated, including themes of racial tension, ageing, and the precarity of jobs. The characters themselves are also criticized for being hard to care about. Lindsay is described as a 'cold, hard spoilt brat', while Josh is weak and unconvincing. Austin is a cipher, and even Ashley, who is better served, has actions that feel forced. Overall, Beef season two feels like an entertaining but shallow potboiler rather than the dark march towards truth that the original was. It seems that the show has failed to live up to the standard set by its predecessor and The White Lotus.

Stella McCartney, a renowned luxury fashion designer known for her commitment to sustainability, has partnered with Swedish retail giant H&M; to launch a new eco-friendly clothing collection. The collaboration, set to hit stores in May, aims to make sustainable fashion more accessible to a wider audience. The collection includes a range of stylish pieces, such as a 'Rock Royalty' T-shirt (£37.99), a grey oversized pinstripe blazer (£259.99), and matching trousers (£139.99) made from wool that meets responsible wool standards. A vegan version of her iconic Falabella bag will also be available for £189.99, crafted from recycled polyamide to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. McCartney emphasized her desire to break down barriers in the fashion industry, stating, 'I hate how elitist the fashion industry is. I want a younger and wider audience to have access to my stuff.' The collection's focus on sustainability is reflected in its use of eco-friendly materials, such as beads made from 80% recycled glass and a python-effect jacket crafted from plastic derived from recycled vegetable oil and agricultural waste. While some critics have accused McCartney of 'greenwashing' by collaborating with a fast-fashion brand like H&M;, which produces 3 billion garments annually, McCartney defended her decision, saying it's better to 'infiltrate from within and have conversations with people who are like 'the devil' in a sense and then try to change them into a more conscious way of working.' This collaboration marks McCartney's second effort with H&M;, following a successful partnership 21 years ago. The collection's emphasis on transparency is evident in the swing tags on each piece, which will disclose the materials used. By working together, McCartney and H&M; aim to promote sustainable fashion practices and make eco-friendly clothing more mainstream.

Massive Attack has returned with their first single in a decade, 'Boots on the Ground', featuring the iconic voice of Tom Waits. The song is a seven-minute track that showcases the band's signature dark and experimental sound.The song's release marks a significant event in the music world, especially given Massive Attack's influential history in shaping the trip-hop genre with their debut album Blue Lines in the 90s. The band's music has since evolved to incorporate more abstract and disquieting elements, as evident in 'Boots on the Ground'.The track features a haunting intro and coda with Tom Waits's labored breathing, creating an unsettling atmosphere. Waits's vocals are unmistakable, and his presence elevates the song to a new level of intensity. The lyrics are surreal and disturbing, tackling themes of violence and authority.The song's accompanying video features the work of a documentary photographer, showcasing powerful images of Black Lives Matter protests, ICE raids, and homeless veterans. This visual component adds to the song's impact, making it a thought-provoking and timely release.'Boots on the Ground' is a fitting addition to Massive Attack's discography, reflecting the band's continued ability to push boundaries and create music that resonates with the current times. The song's dark and ominous tone, combined with Tom Waits's haunting vocals, makes it a standout track in the band's oeuvre.

For the first time, a detailed map identifies the UK’s most severe ammonia pollution hotspots in regions where intensive pig and poultry farms are most concentrated.The analysis, produced by Compassion in World Farming (CiWF) and the environmental group Sustain, shows the highest emission densities in Lincolnshire, Herefordshire and Norfolk. These counties host a large number of confined‑livestock units that drive dangerous levels of ammonia, a nitrogen‑based gas primarily released from animal manure.In the United Kingdom, agriculture accounts for 89% of national ammonia emissions. When released into the atmosphere, ammonia reacts with other pollutants to form fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a leading cause of premature death. The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) estimated that PM2.5 exposure caused between 28,861 and 29,000 early deaths in 2010.The timing of the report is notable: the government is currently reviewing planning regulations that would make it easier to approve new intensive livestock facilities, despite growing concerns over air quality, water contamination and local opposition.Health professionals warn that ammonia‑derived PM2.5 fuels heart disease, stroke, asthma and chronic lung conditions. Dr Amir Khan, a GP and CiWF patron, said, “As a GP, I see first‑hand the toll that air pollution takes on people’s health – and ammonia from intensive farming is a major, yet often overlooked, part of that problem.”Beyond human health, excess nitrogen from ammonia deposition acidifies soils and pollutes rivers. Recent activism in Shropshire halted a proposed poultry megafarm of 230,000 chickens after campaigners argued the council failed to assess the full environmental impact.Rising numbers of industrial poultry units—known as IPUs—along the River Wye and River Severn valleys are identified as a key driver of river pollution. Chicken manure is especially rich in phosphates, which deplete oxygen in waterways and threaten aquatic life.Calculations for the map were based on permitted stocking numbers and average ammonia production factors for different livestock categories, including broiler chickens, indoor egg layers and pigs.Local residents are already feeling the impact. Michele Franks, who lives near a Lincolnshire poultry megafarm, described how shed clean‑outs force her to stay indoors, causing “chest tightness, eye irritation and breathing difficulties” that can last for days.CiWF and Sustain are calling for an end to the expansion of factory farming. Anthony Field, head of Compassion in World Farming UK, warned, “Factory farming sits at the heart of the UK’s ammonia crisis. By cramming large numbers of animals into confined spaces and relying heavily on fertilisers, these intensive systems release far more ammonia than the environment or our bodies can cope with.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened senior leaders from Meta, TikTok, Google and X at No 10 on Thursday to discuss the escalating child‑safety crisis on social platforms. He told the executives that "things can’t go on like this" and that immediate reforms are essential to protect minors. The meeting comes as the UK government launches a formal consultation on imposing a firm age limit for social‑media users, echoing Australia’s recent ban for under‑16s. The proposal also examines curbing design features such as infinite scrolling that encourage prolonged use. Starmer emphasized that restricting access for younger users is preferable to allowing ongoing harm, stating that a future where children are shielded—even at the cost of reduced participation—is the goal. He added that the challenge lies not in the decision to act, but in determining the most effective implementation strategy. While the prime minister has previously cautioned that a blanket ban could push teenagers toward the dark web, pressure from within his own party has intensified. More than 60 Labour backbenchers recently signed a letter urging a ban, and many expect Starmer to endorse the measure once the consultation concludes this summer. Parliament’s recent actions illustrate the split view: MPs rejected a House of Lords amendment that would have introduced an automatic age gate, preferring to await the government’s response to the consultation. A separate Conservative‑led amendment proposing a twelve‑month trial of platform bans was also defeated in the Commons. Early education minister Olivia Bailey defended the consultation approach, arguing it allows a broader assessment of services and features than the narrow amendment proposed in the Lords. The government is also pressing Ofcom, the communications regulator tasked with enforcing the Online Safety Act, to act decisively. Last year, technology secretary Liz Kendall warned that Ofcom risked losing public trust if it failed to curb online harms. This month she appointed former Channel 4 chair Ian Cheshire as the new Ofcom chair to steer the regulator through this critical period. Google declined to comment on the No 10 meeting, while Meta, TikTok and X have been approached for responses.

Crystal Palace, once the 'hallowed turf' of British athletics, is on the verge of a major transformation. The stadium, which has hosted iconic athletes like Sir Mo Farah, Dave Bedford, and Steve Backley, had fallen into disrepair but is now set to be revitalized with a £130m redevelopment plan. The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, announced the plans in May 2023, declaring Crystal Palace a 'national asset.' The proposed redevelopment includes a vastly upgraded 25,000-seat stadium that could open as early as 2030, along with a new 200m running track for community use. The journey to this point has been long and arduous. Jim Powell, a former sprint coach and founder of the Met-Track charity, recalls the despair that had settled over the venue years ago. 'There were trees growing out of the main stand and on the indoor track and no one was doing anything about it,' he says. The formation of the Crystal Palace Sports Partnership in 2014 marked a turning point, with Powell and others fighting to save the venue. 35,000 people signed a petition to reopen the site's swimming pools, which had been closed due to a leak. The partnership's efforts eventually led to the current redevelopment plans, with Morgan Sindell appointed as developers in 2024. The new sports centre will feature a padel centre, basketball courts, football pitches, and a full-size artificial multi-sports pitch. While the project is already fully funded, the search is on for commercial investment to complete the stadium bowl and boost its capacity from 16,000. Powell, who was given an MBE in 2013 for his services to athletics, is ecstatic about the plans. 'This is a historic and much-loved national sporting and community facility, where many UK sporting stars have started their careers and trained, but it needs major investment and refurbishment,' Khan said when the application was submitted. The potential return of big events like the Diamond League to Crystal Palace has Powell hopeful. 'It used to be the hallowed turf or the hallowed tartan,' he reminisces. 'If this new stadium doesn’t give athletics a shot in the arm, nothing will.'

The UK is bracing for possible gaps on supermarket shelves this summer as the ongoing conflict in Iran threatens to disrupt carbon dioxide (CO2) supplies, a critical component in the food industry. CO2 is essential for the humane slaughter of livestock, packaging of fresh meats and produce, and production of fizzy drinks and beer.Government ministers are reportedly drawing up contingency plans for a 'reasonable worst-case scenario' if the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane, remains closed. This could lead to shortages of CO2, impacting supplies of chicken, pork, and fizzy drinks.The business secretary, Peter Kyle, has reassured the public that ministers are making contingency plans to deal with possible consequences of the Iran war. The government has invested £100m to reopen the mothballed Ensus bioethanol plant on Teesside to mitigate potential CO2 shortages.The CEO of Tesco, Ken Murphy, has expressed confidence in the company's ability to manage supply chains, stating that they have 'seen nothing at this point' in terms of problems within their supply chain caused by CO2 availability issues. However, the UK is one of Europe's largest users of CO2, and any disruption could have significant impacts on the food industry and beyond.

US President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of his key European allies, over her stance on the conflict with Iran. In an interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Trump expressed his disappointment, stating, “I’m shocked at her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong.”Trump's criticism centers on Meloni's refusal to join the US-Israel coalition against Iran, a stance that has put her at odds with Trump. “She’s unacceptable because she doesn’t mind that Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if they had the chance,” Trump said. This statement underscores the deepening divide between the US and Italy on the issue.Meloni, who has been Italy's leader since October 2022, was once considered one of Trump's closest allies in Europe. However, their relationship has soured recently. Trump noted that they had not spoken in a long time, adding, “She doesn’t help us with NATO. She doesn’t want to help get rid of a nuclear-weaponed Iran. Very sad … She’s much different than I thought,” highlighting his disappointment in Meloni's shift away from his policies.The rift between Trump and Meloni comes as Italy has suspended a defense agreement with Israel, which involves the exchange of military equipment and technology research. This move follows accusations by the Italian government that Israeli forces fired warning shots at a convoy of Italian peacekeepers in Lebanon. Tensions between Italy and Israel have been escalating, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.In response to Trump's comments, Meloni's allies and political opponents rallied to her defense. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized Italy's commitment to Western unity and mutual respect, stating, “We are and remain staunch supporters of Western unity and steadfast allies of the United States, but this unity is built on mutual loyalty, respect, and honesty.” Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, condemned Trump's “serious lack of respect” and reiterated Italy's constitutional repudiation of war.