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Stephen Curry marked his return to the court after a two-month absence with a strong performance, scoring 29 points for the Golden State Warriors. However, his efforts were not enough to secure a win against the Houston Rockets, who edged the Warriors 117-116 in San Francisco.The Rockets' Alperen Sengun sealed the victory with a go-ahead interior hoop with 11.1 seconds remaining. This win moved the Rockets within one game of the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets in their three-team duel for third place in the Western Conference.In his first return to San Francisco as a member of the Rockets, former Warriors star Kevin Durant poured in a game-high 31 points for Houston, along with 8 assists and 8 rebounds. Curry, who had missed 27 straight games since a January 30 injury, played 26 minutes and hit 11 of his 21 shots. He also had a 5-for-10 effort from three-point range.Despite Curry's strong return, the Warriors' Brandin Podziemski backed him with 18 points. The Warriors have virtually assured themselves of the 10th seed in the Western play-in tournament. The Rockets won their sixth straight game, led by Sengun's 24 points and Durant's impressive all-around performance.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision on Monday that removes a procedural obstacle, allowing the Justice Department to proceed with a motion to dismiss the criminal case against Steve Bannon. The case stems from a 2022 conviction on two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena issued by the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. Bannon, a former chief strategist for President Donald Trump, served a four‑month prison term after the conviction. Although the sentence is now complete, the Justice Department argues that dismissing the case is "in the interests of justice" and has asked the high court to overturn the lower‑court ruling that kept the conviction in place. Attorney Evan Corcoran, representing Bannon, welcomed the development, stating, "It has been one battle after another for five years, but today the Supreme Court vacated an unjust conviction, reaffirming that politics and prosecution don’t mix." A dismissal would expunge Bannon’s conviction from the record, but the practical impact is minimal because he has already completed his sentence. The move is part of a broader pattern of the Justice Department taking actions that benefit allies of the former president since his return to office in 2024. Background: Bannon, now 72, was a key adviser to Trump’s 2016 campaign and served as the White House’s chief strategist in 2017. After a brief fallout, he reconciled with Trump and was released from Danbury federal prison a week before Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Upon release, Bannon declared himself “far from broken” and resumed hosting his "War Room" podcast, continuing to promote the “America First” brand of right‑wing populism. Legal arguments raised by Bannon’s team centered on claims of executive privilege and challenges to the congressional committee’s authority to issue the subpoena. The case unfolds against a backdrop of numerous pardons granted by Trump to individuals convicted in connection with the Capitol riot and other allies facing charges related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

The Grand National continues to be a major highlight in the horse racing calendar, with its enduring popularity and cultural significance in the UK. Despite ongoing concerns about horse welfare, the event has seen a decrease in serious injuries and fatalities in recent years, thanks in part to modifications made to the course.The Grand National has a long history dating back to 1839 and remains one of the most-watched and highly bet-on events in the sport. While animal rights groups continue to criticize the race, citing concerns over horse safety, the sport's governing bodies have implemented various measures to minimize risks.In recent years, there has been a steady reduction in the number of fallers in the National, with data showing a decline from 8-8-4-4-6-4-5-4-4-0-3 fallers between 2014 and 2025. The 2024 and 2025 runs, with easier fences and a maximum field of 34, recorded the lowest and third-lowest numbers of fallers this century.Despite these improvements, fatalities still occur, and the RSPCA has called for lessons to be learned from recent incidents, emphasizing that 'one death is too many.' The organization has highlighted the need for continued vigilance and improvement in horse welfare and safety protocols.The racing community continues to evolve, with jockeys and trainers working to balance the thrill of competition with the imperative of protecting the animals involved. As the sport prepares for upcoming events, including the Grand National, there is a renewed focus on safety, welfare, and the integrity of the sport.

Article 52 of the first Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions bars attacks on civilian targets. The International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Russian officers involved in strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid, a precedent that would apply to the United States if President Donald Trump’s threats to bomb Iran were carried out. Trump, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has adopted a tone that resembles a “blood‑thirsty fever dream.” Hegseth framed the proposed Operation Epic Fury as a 21st‑century crusade, while Trump unleashed a profanity‑laden tirade demanding the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day… Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell.” This rhetoric, emerging just before the United States’ 250th independence anniversary, undermines the credibility of the presidency and the nation’s moral standing. The editorial notes that, in a more restrained political climate, senators like Chris Murphy might explore constitutional avenues to remove Trump, but the current cabinet’s “craven complicity” makes such prospects remote. The international community now watches anxiously, fearing that a broader escalation between the United States, Israel, and Iran could trigger “unknowable and spiralling consequences.” Iran has signaled it could widen its attacks across the region, and the recent closure of the Hormuz Strait demonstrates that Trump’s threats are not merely rhetorical. NATO allies have declined to endorse Trump’s approach, citing the absence of a coherent strategy and a lack of legal justification. They hope the president’s apocalyptic language masks a genuine search for a rapid de‑escalation, especially as global economic pressure mounts. Trump later claimed there was a “good chance” of a cease‑fire with Iran before his deadline, yet hours later Israel bombed a key petrochemical plant in Iran’s largest gas field, contradicting any notion of imminent peace. During a White House press briefing, Trump and Hegseth highlighted the rescue of a missing U.S. fighter crew shot down over Iran, a moment that starkly contrasted with the looming threat to thousands of lives and the stability of the global economy, now hanging on the whims of a president driven by self‑aggrandizement and an echo chamber of advisers.

The B Corp certification, a coveted ethical status for companies, has undergone its biggest overhaul in 19 years. B Lab, the organisation behind the certification, has raised the standards required to qualify, putting dozens of companies at risk of losing their status. Previously, companies could make up for poor performance in one area by scoring highly in another. However, the new system requires companies to meet 'non-negotiable' standards in every one out of seven categories, with attainment verified by a third-party audit. The overhaul has been partly motivated by changes to EU law that require companies boasting of any ethical standard, including B Corp status, to be rubber-stamped by an external organisation. Sources familiar with the process said that some of the 10,000 companies that have the status will need to improve ethical standards to recertify, which they must do every three years. Analysis by the Guardian of the publicly available B Corp database suggests hundreds are already at, or close to, the 80-point threshold required, even under the old, less onerous system. Of more than 2,000 UK B Corps, more than 60 score exactly 80 points, including the Kent-based digital marketing agency Sleeping Giant Media and VoucherCodes, a website that provides details of discount offers from leading brands. Larger companies will face more extensive requirements under the new standard, including declaring their tax policies and setting science-based emissions targets across all areas of the business. One source said the changes could even affect companies that now score highly, such as the private bank Coutts, which has a score of 107.6 and does not have to recertify until 2028. B Lab UK said: 'Our goal is not for every business to become a B Corp, but for every business to behave like one.'

Donald Trump has repeatedly framed inflation as a "hoax" and declared that he has "won affordability," yet independent analyses reveal that his touted initiatives deliver only marginal relief for most Americans.One of his most publicized programs, the TrumpRX prescription‑drug platform, lists just 61 medications out of the thousands needed nationwide. Moreover, price comparisons show that a medium dose of Wegovy costs $349 on TrumpRX, while the same dose sells for $163 in Japan and $198 in Germany. Similar gaps appear for diabetes drug Xigduo and autoimmune medication Xeljanz, which are significantly cheaper abroad.The website markets itself as a solution for uninsured, cash‑paying patients, but it does nothing for the roughly 85 % of Americans who already have prescription coverage.On housing, Trump’s executive order banning Wall Street firms from buying single‑family homes is unlikely to move the needle. Institutional investors own only about 2 % of such homes, while the nation faces a shortage of roughly 4.7 million units, according to Zillow. The ongoing war in Iran has also pushed mortgage rates higher, further straining affordability.Gasoline prices have surged since the Iran conflict began, climbing to an average of $4.10 per gallon – a 37 % increase from the pre‑war level of $2.98.Food costs tell a similar story. The Consumer Price Index shows a 3.1 % rise in overall food prices from February 2025 to February 2026, with coffee up 18.4 %, beef up 14.4 %, and fresh vegetables up 5.4 %. Tariffs championed by the administration have contributed to these hikes.International bodies echo domestic concerns. The OECD projects U.S. inflation to exceed 4 % this year, largely driven by the Iran war, a level higher than the 3 % rate recorded at the end of the Biden administration.Trump also claims to have eliminated taxes on overtime and Social Security benefits. In reality, overtime earnings are still subject to federal income tax on the base wage and to full Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes. Only the overtime premium enjoys a partial tax break. Likewise, more than half of Social Security recipients will continue to owe income tax on their benefits, contradicting the administration’s “no‑tax” narrative.Other initiatives, such as the “Trump Accounts” child‑savings program, provide a one‑time $1,000 seed deposit and allow families to contribute up to $5,000 annually. While beneficial for affluent households, the scheme offers limited assistance to families living paycheck‑to‑paycheck.Policy decisions have also raised costs for vulnerable groups. By opposing extensions of Obamacare subsidies, average health‑care premiums have risen by over 20 % for more than 20 million people. Simultaneously, proposed cuts to LIHEAP threaten heating and cooling assistance for roughly 6 million low‑income households.In sum, Trump’s affordability rhetoric serves more as political branding than substantive economic relief. The modest scope of his programs and the persistence of rising prices suggest that most working‑class Americans will see little improvement in their day‑to‑day expenses.

In England, 1 in 15 adults now hold blue badge parking permits, a significant increase that has raised concerns about the misuse of these permits. The blue badge scheme, which allows people with disabilities or health conditions to park closer to shops and services, has seen a substantial rise in the number of permits issued. According to the latest data from the Department for Transport (DfT), 3.07 million blue badges were held as of March 31 last year, with more than 6% of the estimated 46 million adults in England holding one. This represents a significant increase, with the proportion of adults holding blue badges rising to 1 in 15. The AA has called for councils to crack down on the misuse of blue badge permits, including the use of fake or stolen badges. The organization estimates that up to 1 in 5 badges may be used by someone other than the holder or authorized user. This misuse can include family misuse, use after death, counterfeit badges, and theft and resale of badges. The issue of blue badge misuse has significant financial implications, with the estimated cost of blue badge fraud in the UK being £46m per year in 2011. While there are no recent figures for the cost of blue badge fraud, it is likely that the issue remains a significant concern. In response to the issue, councils have reported prosecutions for blue badge misuse in recent months. For example, Croydon council in south London reported that seven offenders were ordered to pay a total of nearly £6,000 in fines, court costs, and a victim surcharge. Oxfordshire county council also reported two blue badge misuse convictions, including a man caught using his dead grandmother's badge. The Local Government Association has emphasized the importance of residents reporting suspected cases of blue badge misuse to help councils tackle the issue. A DfT spokesperson has also stated that exploitation and abuse of the blue badge scheme is completely unacceptable and a criminal offence, and that local authorities have been given improved powers to crack down on fraud and misuse.

1. Caroline Wozniacki – Australian Open 2018: After 67 weeks atop the WTA rankings without a Grand Slam title, the Danish star finally broke through at the 2018 Australian Open. Facing world‑number one Simona Halep in the final, Wozniacki saved match points, abandoned her defensive style, and surged ahead to claim her first major, collapsing in tears as she declared, “I dreamed of this moment for so many years.”2. Fermín Cacho – 1500m Gold, Barcelona 1992: The Spanish runner seized an unexpected victory in a tactical race that unfolded at a snail‑pace pace. With the field hesitant, Cacho surged from the inside lane, powered a 50‑second final lap and crossed the line in 3:40.12 – a time described as “the slowest winning time you could possibly imagine.” His triumph ignited a national celebration, cementing his status as an Olympic legend.3. Max Holloway – UFC BMF Belt Showdown 2024: The featherweight champion delivered a cinematic finish against Justin Gaethje, opting to trade blows in the final seconds rather than await a decision. Holloway’s knockout with one second left created a historic moment in mixed‑martial‑arts, underscoring his reputation for relentless aggression and love of pure, unfiltered competition.4. Garrincha – World Cup Glory 1958 & 1962: Brazil’s “Joy of the People” dazzled the world with his unorthodox dribbling and infectious charisma. Despite a physical handicap, he helped Brazil capture back‑to‑back World Cups, earning player‑of‑the‑tournament honors in 1962 and becoming a cultural icon whose legacy is measured more by the happiness he sparked than by trophies alone.5. Lungi Ngidi – Test Debut vs India, 2018: The South African fast‑bowler announced himself by dismissing cricket superstar Virat Kohli and finishing with figures of six for 39, earning player‑of‑the‑match as South Africa won by 135 runs. Ngidi’s grin after the wicket captured the pure exhilaration of a young athlete realizing a lifelong dream.6. Marco Tardelli – World Cup Final 1982: In the decisive match for Italy, Tardelli’s thunderous celebration after scoring the equaliser resonated with an estimated 56.7 million Italians. His iconic scream, later described as “the moment it came out,” epitomises the raw, uncontainable joy that sport can unleash.

The Artemis II mission has reached a critical phase, entering the moon's 'sphere of influence' where the lunar gravity dominates over Earth's. This development occurred four days, six hours, and two minutes into the mission, at a distance of about 39,000 miles from the moon and 232,000 miles from Earth. The crew is set to perform a lunar flyby later on Monday, which will take them to the far side of the moon, a region that has not been explored by humans in over 50 years. This mission aims to break the record for the farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans. NASA's Artemis II mission is a significant step towards re-establishing a human presence on the moon, building on the legacy of the Apollo program, which last sent astronauts to the moon in 1972. The current crew has already observed new sights of the lunar surface, including the Orientale basin, also known as the moon's 'Grand Canyon,' which has been photographed before by orbiting cameras but never seen with human eyes. The mission will also test the Orion spacecraft's capabilities, including its life support systems and manual piloting. The data collected will be crucial for future missions, such as Artemis III in 2027 and the lunar landing planned for Artemis IV in 2028.