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The BBC has been plunged into a new crisis after sacking Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills over allegations about his personal conduct. Mills, who hosted Britain’s most popular radio breakfast show, was blindsided by the decision to take him off the air last Tuesday.The corporation has opted to terminate his contract after claims made against him. According to a report in the Mirror, the allegations relate to a 'historic relationship' more than 10 years ago.This dismissal is the latest crisis to hit the BBC over the alleged behaviour of one of its leading figures. The broadcaster has repeatedly said it is trying to create a culture where no one is unaccountable, after allegations against prominent presenters such as Huw Edwards and Tim Westwood.The departure took place in Tim Davie’s last week as the BBC’s director general. He announced his resignation at the end of last year after he was worn down by a series of crises including over the conduct of some BBC presenters.The BBC said: “While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted and has left the BBC.”Replacing Mills is now likely to become one of the first big personnel decisions for Matt Brittin, the former Google executive chosen to replace Davie as director general.Mills, 53, took over the Radio 2 breakfast show from Zoe Ball in January 2025. Under his stewardship, the show’s audience increased to 6.5 million listeners, making it the UK’s most popular breakfast show.

A massive 40,000lbs of extra-firm tofu was spilled in an accident near Jerome, Missouri, leaving the town with an 'unforgettable' odor. The incident occurred on March 1, when a tractor-trailer crashed off a local highway and into a ravine.The cleanup efforts, humorously referred to as the 'Great Battle of the Jerome Tofu Monster', began immediately. However, the entire cargo was left to ripen and rot for three weeks due to a dispute over insurance. This allowed the tofu to spread into a local creek, exacerbating the smell.Local officials described the odor as 'like a dead animal, but worse'. Fire chief Brandon Williams noted it was 'probably one of the worst smells I've smelled in my life'. The Doolittle rural fire protection district stated that while the main threat has been contained, cleanup and remediation efforts are still ongoing downstream.In a bizarre coincidence, this incident follows another 40,000-lb food-related traffic disaster in the region last year, where a truck carrying ribeye steaks burst into flames. The 'Jerome Tofu Monster' has left a lasting impact on the community, with authorities cautiously referring to a 'tofu-affected area' due to runoff and debris.

Worcestershire's overseas signing, Beyers Swanepoel, has left a cloud of controversy over his arrival in England after abruptly departing from a one-day final in South Africa. Swanepoel, who was playing for Lions against Titans, left the match around the 43rd over of the second innings without informing his teammates, reportedly to catch a flight to England.The 27-year-old all-rounder had completed his full allocation of 10 overs, but his early exit denied Lions a substitute fielder for the final stages of the match, which Titans went on to win with a ball to spare. There were no injury concerns that could have justified his departure.Lions management and players are angry with Swanepoel's conduct, with Jono Leaf-Wright, the Lions chief executive, expressing his disappointment: “I’m just extremely disappointed with Beyers. This is not the kind of conduct we, as the Lions, expect from our players. He has let down his teammates and the union.”Swanepoel's season-long deal with Worcestershire could be in doubt due to the circumstances surrounding his departure. Overseas players require a No Objection Certificate from their home board, and both Lions and Cricket South Africa are investigating the matter.

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, led by conductor Daniela Candillari, presented a unique concert experience that juxtaposed the serene with the apocalyptic. The program began with Elgar's Serenade for Strings, a piece that epitomizes Victorian salon music. The performance was gentle and dainty, with a lovely translucent quality to the Allegretto.The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly Mark Simpson's oratorio, 'The Immortal', inspired by Victorian occultism. This 2015 work invites the audience to a seance, featuring texts from mediums of the time and the words of Frederic Myers, founder of the Society for Psychical Research. The piece was characterized by its impossibly dense, deliberately impenetrable textures and apocalyptic soundscapes, complete with amplified howls and shrieks from the vocalists of Exaudi and solo baritone Rory Musgrave.In contrast, the performance of Sibelius's Second Symphony was smooth and polished, but lacked real tension and buildup. The symphony's ominous timpani rumble and scherzo were played with speed, but without the intensity one might expect. Overall, the concert promised life and death but ultimately left the audience hovering in between.

In a stunning turn of events, UConn eliminated No. 1 overall seed Duke from the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, courtesy of Braylon Mullins's three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left in their Elite Eight matchup. The Huskies trailed by 15 points at halftime and by two points with 10 seconds remaining, but a crucial turnover gave Mullins the opportunity to nail his three-pointer from beyond the arc, securing a spot in the Final Four.UConn will face Illinois in the national semi-finals. In the other Elite Eight game, Michigan rolled into the Final Four with a convincing 95-62 victory over Tennessee. Yaxel Lendeborg scored 27 points and Elliot Cadeau added 10 assists for the Wolverines, who posted their 11th victory of the season by at least 30 points. Michigan will face Arizona in Saturday's national semi-finals.Michigan's coach Dusty May led the Wolverines to their first Final Four since 2018 and ninth overall. Lendeborg, named the region's Most Outstanding Player, was 10 for 19 from the field and became the first Michigan player to score at least 23 points in three consecutive NCAA Tournament games since Juwan Howard in 1994. Tennessee's coach Rick Barnes acknowledged the team's progress but emphasized the need to improve to reach the next level.

Iranian dissidents are expressing deep concern over their safety as the threat of a US war in Iran becomes increasingly plausible. The looming conflict has sparked fears that no location will be safe for them, forcing them to grapple with an uncertain future.The situation has left many Iranian dissidents feeling vulnerable and anxious about the potential consequences of a war. The uncertainty is taking a toll on their lives, as they struggle to find secure havens.The concerns of Iranian dissidents come as geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran continue to escalate. The international community remains on high alert, closely monitoring the developments in the region.

Recent air strikes on Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) have resulted in the deaths of three PMF fighters and two Iraqi police officers. The attacks, which occurred near northern Iraq's Kirkuk Airport, also left two fighters wounded and six Iraqi soldiers injured.An Iraqi security source revealed that the double-bombing was part of the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, which has been spilling over into Iraq's eastern border. The PMF, a coalition now integrated into the regular Iraqi army, accused the US and Israel of a 'treacherous Zionist-American' attack.In a separate incident, Reuters reported that two members of the Iraqi police were killed in an air strike targeting the PMF in Mosul, approximately 105 miles northwest of Kirkuk. This development has contributed to the escalating tensions in the region.Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque reported from Baghdad that Iraq is becoming an 'expanding battleground' in the crisis. The conflict began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran and now threatens to engulf the region in a protracted conflict.The PMF, formed in 2014 to fight ISIL (ISIS), has been targeted by pro-Iran armed groups within the coalition. These groups have claimed responsibility for attacks on US interests in Iraq and beyond.Haque noted that the PMF takes its orders from Baghdad, but some factions are loyal to Tehran. This complex dynamic makes it challenging for Baghdad to manage the different factions effectively.Iraq finds itself 'on a tightrope' between the US and Iran, said Haque, due to its economic and security ties with both countries. The government must balance its relationships with its biggest neighbor, Iran, and the United States.In related incidents, two drones targeted an airbase serving as a hub for US and coalition forces near Erbil airport in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The US C-RAM air defence system successfully intercepted the drones.French President Emmanuel Macron described the increased attacks in Iraq as a 'worrying development' after speaking to Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdish region.

Bath Rugby demonstrated their impressive squad depth with a thrilling comeback victory against Sale Sharks. Despite resting several key players, including Finn Russell and Ben Spencer, Bath conjured up two tries in the final quarter to clinch a bonus-point win.The match, played in difficult, windswept conditions, was an entertaining affair that could have gone either way. However, it was Alfie Barbeary's late try that sealed the win for Bath, putting his side only a point behind the leaders, Northampton.Kepu Tuipulotu, a 20-year-old hooker, was instrumental in the win, breaking on the left touchline and sending a delightful kick downfield for Bernard van der Linde to gather and score in the 62nd minute. This try was converted to level the scores at 26-26.Tuipulotu's performance was praised by Bath's head of rugby, Johann van Graan, who described him as “one of the most explosive players I’ve coached” with “huge potential”.Sale Sharks, missing several key players due to injury, were unable to capitalize on their strong start. Their director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, expressed his frustration, stating, “I’m crestfallen. I’m just gutted for the amount of effort that the lads put in”.The win keeps Bath in contention for a top-four spot, while Sale Sharks' hopes are all but extinguished. Bath will now look ahead to their Champions Cup last-16 home tie against Saracens on Saturday.

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