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A devastating gang attack near Petite-Riviere in Haiti's Artibonite region has claimed the lives of at least 70 people and injured 30 others, according to the Defenseurs Plus human rights group. This grim toll significantly exceeds official estimates, which put the death count at approximately 16.The violence erupted in the early hours of Sunday and continued into Monday, with gang members storming rural communities around Jean-Denis, setting homes ablaze, and displacing an estimated 6,000 people, as per Defenseurs Plus. The United Nations reported that over 2,000 individuals had fled their homes in the preceding days following nearby raids by armed gangs.The attack is attributed to the Gran Grif gang, with its leader, Luckson Elan, allegedly stating that it was a retaliation for assaults on their base in Savien by a rival armed group. This incident marks another in a series of massacres in the area, largely attributed to Gran Grif, which has been designated as a 'terrorist' organization by the United States.The Artibonite region, a crucial agricultural area, has witnessed some of Haiti's worst violence. Despite increased policing efforts and promises of foreign support for Haiti's security forces, gang conflict has spread beyond the capital, Port-au-Prince. The Haitian National Police has launched an operation to apprehend the fleeing gang members.This surge in violence is part of a larger crisis, with close to 20,000 people killed in Haiti since 2021, according to a recent UN report. The situation has worsened an economic crisis and access to food, with over 1.4 million people, or about 12 percent of Haiti's population, displaced by the conflict with armed gangs.

Tottenham Hotspur has officially announced the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as their new head coach, signing him to a five-year contract. The Italian manager, renowned for his daring and aggressive possession-based approach, faces a significant challenge as he takes over with the club precariously positioned just above the relegation zone.Spurs are set to play seven matches to end the season, with their next fixture scheduled against Sunderland on the upcoming Sunday. Notably, De Zerbi's contract does not include any break clause in the event of Tottenham being relegated.De Zerbi expressed his delight in joining the club, stating, “I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world. In all my discussions with the club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters.”The appointment of De Zerbi comes after Igor Tudor, the interim manager, parted ways with the club by mutual consent. Tudor had taken over temporarily following the departure of Thomas Frank on February 14.De Zerbi previously managed Brighton & Hove Albion, where he achieved significant success, leading the club to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League and qualification for the Europa League. His tenure at Marseille also yielded impressive results, with a second-place finish in Ligue 1 and Champions League qualification.Despite his successes, De Zerbi is also known for his volatile personality and has had public disagreements with players and clubs in the past. The immediate concern for Spurs will be whether De Zerbi can adapt quickly and lead the team to avoid relegation.

Dame Carole Jordan, who has died aged 84, was a prominent figure in astrophysics, celebrated for her groundbreaking research on the outer atmosphere of the sun and other cool stars. Her contributions to the field have left a lasting impact, and her legacy extends beyond her scientific achievements as a champion for women in science.Jordan's fascination with astronomy began at a young age, inspired by books from authors like Arthur Eddington and Fred Hoyle. She pursued her passion for astronomy at University College London, where she was interviewed by CW Allen, professor of astronomy, and offered a place. Her academic journey led her to become a leading expert in ultraviolet spectroscopy of the sun and other stars.In 1962, a rocket-borne experiment led by US astronomer Richard Tousey measured the EUV spectrum of the sun, discovering a dozen unidentified emission lines. Jordan dedicated her research to understanding these lines, eventually becoming the world expert on the subject. Her 1965 PhD thesis, Analysis of the Solar Ultraviolet Spectrum, concluded that several lines were due to transitions in highly ionized iron.Jordan's most-cited paper, The Ionization Equilibrium of Elements Between Carbon and Nickel, published in 1969, laid out the ionization equilibrium as a function of temperature for the main ionized states of common heavy elements. This work became a definitive guide to EUV spectroscopy. The launch of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) in 1978 enabled her to extend her analyses to other stars, solidifying her position as an expert on the chromospheres of cool stars.Jordan's achievements extended beyond her scientific contributions. In 1994, she became the first female president of the Royal Astronomical Society, a testament to her dedication to promoting women in science. She was also a staunch supporter of the Royal Astronomical Society, serving as secretary and vice-president of the Institute of Physics.Throughout her career, Jordan received numerous accolades, including the RAS's gold medal in 2005 and being made a dame in 2006. Her legacy serves as an inspiration to future generations of scientists, particularly women, to pursue careers in STEM fields.

British hedge‑fund billionaire Chris Rokos has announced a £190 million endowment to the University of Cambridge to create a new, eponymous school of government. The pledge, comprising an initial £130 million and a further commitment of up to £60 million that the university will match, is believed to be the largest single donation ever made to a UK university. The Rokos School of Government is slated to open in temporary facilities this autumn, offering PhD and master’s programmes focused on public policy, leadership and governance. In the longer term it will relocate to a purpose‑built campus within Cambridge’s West Innovation District, positioning itself as a direct rival to Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, which was launched in 2010 with a £75 million gift. Rokos, 55, rose from a state primary school to a scholarship at Eton and a mathematics degree at Oxford before co‑founding the hedge fund Brevan Howard and later establishing Rokos Capital Management, which now employs over 350 staff. He is listed on the Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated net worth of £2.6 billion and is among the UK’s biggest taxpayers. Speaking about the donation, Rokos said, "I was fortunate to be given an education that transformed my life, and I would like to give something back to Britain. My hope is that, in time, the influence of the Rokos School of Government across the world becomes an important element of that soft power, which has been a great asset to the UK." University officials framed the new school as a response to “growing turbulence in domestic and international politics, increasing polarisation of political opinion, and long‑term structural changes in the economy.” The institution aims to provide a “unique forum for radical and remarkable thinking,” leveraging Cambridge’s tradition of scientific innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. Vice‑chancellor Prof. Deborah Prentice added, "Tackling the enormous challenges facing our world requires radical new ways of thinking and approaches to leadership. Cambridge’s strengths across all disciplines and its convening power make it uniquely positioned to drive this innovation. Thanks to Chris’s generous support, the Rokos School will become a place where current and future leaders, together with experts from across our institution, generate the insights and solutions needed for a rapidly changing world." The school’s establishment also reflects a broader trend of private wealth shaping public‑policy education in the UK, echoing similar high‑profile gifts such as Leonard Blavatnik’s £75 million donation to Oxford. By creating a dedicated hub for governance studies, Rokos hopes to cement Cambridge’s role as a training ground for future world leaders and to reinforce Britain’s international influence. Rokos Capital Management recently made headlines when talks to appoint former UK ambassador Peter Mandelson as an adviser were terminated following renewed scrutiny of the Epstein scandal, underscoring the complex interplay between finance, politics and public perception. The £190 million endowment not only marks a milestone for UK higher‑education philanthropy but also signals a strategic investment in the development of policy expertise that could shape global governance for decades to come.

Jurors in two separate U.S. courts delivered historic rulings that, for the first time, hold major social‑media platforms financially accountable for designs that allegedly harm young users. In New Mexico, a jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million for claims that its products contributed to child sexual exploitation and other harms. The following day, a California jury found both Meta and YouTube liable, imposing $6 million in damages for deliberately engineering addictive experiences. The verdicts arrive amid a wave of lawsuits filed by more than 2,000 plaintiffs—including families, school districts, and state attorneys general—targeting Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap. While both companies have announced intentions to appeal, the judgments signal a shift from public criticism to concrete legal exposure. During the trials, Meta’s defense repeatedly cited the American Psychiatric Association’s position that “social media addiction is not a thing” in the DSM‑5‑TR. The APA countered that the absence of a formal diagnosis does not negate the phenomenon’s existence, emphasizing growing research on the mental‑health impacts of compulsive platform use. Internal communications presented as evidence painted a starkly different picture. A 2020 Meta email exchange described Instagram as “a drug” and likened the company’s role to that of “pushers,” while another message warned that targeting 11‑year‑olds resembled tactics once used by tobacco firms. Similar concerns emerged from YouTube, where an internal document explicitly stated the goal was “not viewership, it’s viewer addiction.” TikTok’s own research echoed these findings, concluding that users could become addicted in under 35 minutes and that compulsive usage correlates with a range of negative mental‑health outcomes. Moody’s, a risk‑assessment firm, warned that the dual verdicts establish a precedent whereby design‑driven user harm can trigger liability. In an analysis, analysts Adam Grossman and Taro Ramberg noted that insurers should focus on the emerging “design‑centered liability theory,” which links engagement‑driven features—such as infinite scrolling and autoplay—to compensable injuries. They cautioned that the current cases are merely the first data points in a broader legal trend. Beyond social media, the same design principles appear in video games, sports‑betting platforms, AI chatbots and online retail. Moody’s tracker lists over 1,100 pending cases in Los Angeles alone and estimates roughly 4,000 lawsuits targeting 166 U.S. companies for allegedly addictive software design. Both Meta and YouTube maintain that they disagree with the verdicts. YouTube’s spokesperson called the California decision a “misunderstanding” of the platform’s nature, while Meta emphasized the complexity of teen mental health and the non‑unanimous nature of the California jury’s finding. Nevertheless, the courts have signaled that even without a settled clinical definition of “social‑media addiction,” companies can be held responsible for the foreseeable harms of their product designs.

Jannik Sinner reflected on his latest triumph at the Miami Open with a modest chuckle, insisting that tennis remains an individual sport. His decisive win over Jiri Lehecka not only secured the Sunshine Double—following his Indian Wells victory—but also extended a remarkable record: every tournament featuring both Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz since April 2024 has been won by one of the two. Sinner’s achievement marks his third consecutive Masters 1000 title and an astonishing 34 straight sets won at this level, underscoring his dominance over all challengers aside from his chief rival. After early‑season setbacks—losses to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open and to Jakub Mensik in Qatar—Sinner and his team relocated to California for an intensive training block in scorching conditions, a strategy that paid dividends throughout March. “There is no secret behind it, just hard work,” Sinner said, noting his extended stay outside Europe and his eagerness to return home. Despite his focus on individual preparation, the broader narrative remains: the gap between Sinner, Alcaraz and the rest of the field continues to widen, with the two duopoly rarely challenged. On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka mirrored Sinner’s feat by completing her own Sunshine Double, albeit under markedly different circumstances. She entered the season having won 23 of her first 24 matches, and at Indian Wells she survived a match‑point against Elena Rybakina before edging Coco Gauff in a tense Miami final. Sabalenka’s recent evolution is evident both technically and mentally. After a series of high‑profile collapses in decisive moments—most notably at the Australian Open and the French Open—she adopted a self‑affirmation routine, repeatedly reminding herself of her strength. “Whenever I felt like doubting my ability, I was bringing myself back and reminding myself, ‘No, no, no, you’re strong enough,’” she explained. Her résumé now includes four Grand Slam titles, 11 WTA 1000 titles, and a cumulative 84 weeks at world No. 1. Financially, Sabalenka is on track to become the second female athlete ever to earn $50 million in prize money in a single year, trailing only Serena Williams. The Miami Open itself remains a paradox. While it draws a vibrant, international crowd—especially from Latin America—and offers a unique atmosphere, its temporary venue at Hard Rock Stadium is widely criticized as the tour’s least favorable setting, with sightlines compromised by the stadium’s layout. The tournament’s prestige has also been challenged by the rise of Indian Wells and the recent shift toward mixed‑gender two‑week events. As the tour transitions to the European clay season, the performances of Sinner and Sabalenka raise pivotal questions about the future hierarchy of tennis and the evolving relevance of historic events like Miami in a rapidly changing landscape.

Eddie Howe, the manager of Newcastle United, is under pressure to deliver a strong finish to the season, with seven games remaining to convince the club's hierarchy that he is the right person to lead the team into next season.The recent 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland has heightened tensions, with chief executive David Hopkinson expressing his displeasure at the result. Hopkinson emphasized that the loss was taken seriously and had a significant impact on the club.Despite this, Hopkinson stopped short of confirming Howe's position, stating that the club is focused on the current season's competition and will discuss the future when the time is right. He also mentioned that Howe's contract extension in 2023 was a 'multi-year' deal, adding stability to his tenure.Howe has cited the sale of Alexander Isak to Liverpool for £125m as a factor hindering the team's progress, but Hopkinson supported the decision, suggesting that Newcastle needs to become a 'trading' club to sustain itself.The club's financial results for the year ended June 2025 showed record revenues of £335.3m and a 44% increase in commercial income, resulting in a post-tax profit of £34.7m. Hopkinson is optimistic about the club's growth potential, aiming for Newcastle to be 'in the debate' about the world's best clubs by 2030.

Former England rugby prop Mako Vunipola has confirmed he will be joining Leicester Tigers this summer. The 35-year-old, who has 79 England caps and was part of three British & Irish Lions tours, will reunite with his former England teammate and Leicester head coach, Geoff Parling.Vunipola, currently playing for Vannes in France's ProD2, has opted to extend his career by a year with the Tigers. Parling expressed his excitement about Vunipola's addition, highlighting his experience and skill as valuable assets to the team.“He was hungry for the chance to come back to the Prem and finish in the comp he knows best,” Parling said. The signing is seen as a significant boost to Leicester's pack for the upcoming season.Vunipola spent 13 years of his career at Saracens and will also mentor Leicester's academy youngsters with a view to a possible future coaching career.“It still hasn’t sunk in,” Vunipola said. “It’s something I would never have envisaged but I am honoured to be part of this prestigious club. Tigers are an incredibly well‑supported club and their fans are so passionate about their rugby.”In other rugby news, Exeter Chiefs have announced the signing of Sam Harris from Bath on a two-year deal. Additionally, Leinster and South Africa have been dealt a blow with RG Snyman likely to be out for the rest of the year due to a knee injury.

After clinching the 2026 Asian Cup in Australia, 35‑year‑old defender Saki Kumagai was asked to rank the trophy among the many she has collected over a 17‑year career. She smiled, shook her head and said, “I never compare my titles… this team is from a different generation, so winning this tournament means a lot.” Kumagai is the sole remaining player who lifted the Women’s World Cup in 2011 – the first and only Asian nation to do so. At 21, she scored the decisive penalty in the shoot‑out against the United States, a victory that came just months after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan. Today, the squad she captains features teenagers who were toddlers when she made history: forward Maika Hamano was seven, centre‑back Toko Koga five, and top scorer Riko Ueki twelve when Kumagai’s winning penalty was replayed on TV. Kumagai admits she offers little direct advice, but she leads by example, saying, “I try to pass the baton to the next generation to show them how to perform in these moments.” The transition is no accident. In 2005 the Japanese Football Association unveiled a 50‑year vision aimed at expanding participation, climbing FIFA rankings and eventually hosting – and winning – a World Cup. Halfway through that plan, Japan now sits fifth in the FIFA women’s rankings, having added an Olympic silver medal (2021), a second World Cup final (2015), and three Asian Cup titles (2014, 2018, 2026) to its résumé. While the men’s game has progressed more slowly, the women’s side has surged ahead, bolstered by the launch of Asia’s first full‑time professional women’s league in 2021. This structural backbone has produced a squad “propelled by young stars,” as Kumagai notes. Currently playing for the London City Lionesses after spells at Olympique Lyonnais, Bayern Munich and Roma, Kumagai sees herself as a bridge between eras. She hopes her experience will help Japan reclaim the sport’s summit. “We have a lot of good young players,” she says. “They have confidence, they’re gaining experience in Europe, and as an experienced player I want to create a supportive environment for them.”