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Virgil van Dijk openly criticised Liverpool’s performance after a crushing 4‑0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter‑final, saying the side effectively "gave up" and offering a direct apology to the club’s supporters. The Dutch defender described the loss as the most severe under manager Arne Slot, noting that the timing of the defeat makes it especially hard to rebound for the Champions League first‑leg against Paris Saint‑Germain on Wednesday. Van Dijk pointed out that Liverpool allowed four goals in an 18‑minute spell around the break, a collapse that has contributed to the club’s tally of 15 defeats across all competitions this season (excluding the Community Shield). "It’s on us," he said, expressing remorse for the second‑half display and acknowledging the mental strain of a difficult campaign. He also took personal responsibility for the penalty that gave City the lead, marking his fourth spot‑kick conceded this season after 319 appearances for Liverpool. Regarding the manager, Van Dijk stated, "Slot is responsible as the manager, but we are the ones on the pitch." He added that the team let both the fans and themselves down, especially after the penalty incident. Looking ahead, the captain warned that the upcoming match in Paris will be "very difficult", but stressed that Liverpool must fight in the remaining three games to salvage the season. Van Dijk also reflected on a perceived loss of the "togetherness" that defined his years at the club, attributing it to a major squad overhaul and a transitional period that hampers consistency.

LIV Golf is shifting its focus from recruiting individual stars to securing whole tournaments, with the Saudi‑funded circuit now eyeing the possibility of hosting traditional national open championships. This strategic pivot could reshape the ongoing power tussle in elite golf. The proposal threatens the DP World Tour—formerly the European Tour—which already boasts a dense calendar of national opens across Europe and emerging markets like China, India and Australia. Adding more of these marquee events to LIV’s roster would intensify competition for the most coveted tournament slots. Although the recent exodus of top players from established tours to LIV appears to have stalled or even reversed, the battle for prime tournament markets is far from settled. Securing historic national opens would give LIV a foothold in events that carry deep cultural and commercial weight. To date, LIV has built a largely international schedule, staging events in Australia, South Africa, Mexico City, Hong Kong and Singapore for the 2026 season. While these locations broaden the circuit’s global reach, none possess the longstanding prestige of a national open. By contrast, the DP World Tour has successfully leveraged national opens to expand its brand beyond Europe, tapping audiences in Asia and the Pacific. This experience underscores the strategic value of such tournaments for sponsors and broadcasters. Meanwhile, the DP World Tour is engaged in high‑level negotiations with the PGA Tour to extend a strategic alliance that currently runs until the end of 2027. The PGA is reportedly pushing for a reduced annual financial underpin for DP World prize funds, and the emerging threat from LIV is a key bargaining chip in those talks. Recent player movements have added nuance to the rivalry: the PGA Tour welcomed back Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed after their departures to LIV, yet the Saudi Public Investment Fund shows no sign of scaling back its ambitious golf project. On the player front, Jon Rahm, who remains with LIV, is slated to address the media at Augusta National ahead of the Masters. Having lost an appeal over fines imposed for playing on LIV, Rahm is currently barred from the Ryder Cup and has refused to settle the penalties, leaving him in strained relations with the DP World Tour. His comments are expected to dominate the pre‑Masters press conference.

PSV Eindhoven were crowned Dutch champions for the 27th time on Sunday, with five matches left in the season. This came after second-placed Feyenoord drew 0-0 with Volendam. The Eindhoven-based team bounced back from successive defeats with a 4-3 victory against Utrecht on Saturday, solidifying their position at the top of the table with a 17-point lead. Under the management of Peter Bosz, PSV quickly took control of the title race this season, dropping just four points before the winter break. This victory marks their third successive title for the first time since 2008. Feyenoord, the previous champions in 2023 under Arne Slot, now managing at Liverpool, were unable to catch up. Meanwhile, Dutch giants Ajax, who sit fifth this season, have gone four years without lifting the trophy. PSV's latest title guarantees them a place in the Champions League league phase next season.

When screenwriter Daisy Goodwin examined Prince Albert’s habit of selecting Victoria’s bonnets, she wondered whether the gesture signified tender devotion or a more unsettling dominance. The question becomes the backbone of her new stage drama, which recasts the iconic Victorian marriage as a case of coercive control rather than a model partnership. Set in the waning days of Victoria’s reign at Windsor, the production opens with Amanda Boxer portraying an aging monarch—a weary, self‑pitying figure cloaked in black bombazine. Her character, a compulsive diarist, fears that her candid journals might be released after her death, a concern that fuels the play’s tension. Designer Alex Berry creates a slanted, reflective ceiling that acts like a distorted mirror of memory, underscoring Victoria’s claim that her diaries are “the only place where I could be completely honest”. Yet the presence of Albert, played by Rowan Polonski, suggests that even these private pages were never truly safe. Jessica Rhodes brings youthful Victoria to life, initially buoyant as she waltzes with Albert. The romance quickly darkens as Albert’s behavior shifts to manipulating her ambitions and curbing her joy. He pressures her into motherhood—she dismisses the children as “invincibly tedious”—and intrudes on her official duties, from speeches to industrial tours. In a biting line, she accuses him of making “the monarchy so boring that no one was awake enough to start a revolution”. The play’s narrative moves from teasing banter to overt control, with intimate moments on the sofa devolving into fierce arguments over gifts (“You gave me a brooch made of teeth, Albert!”). A poignant scene where Victoria reads from Jane Eyre hints at a gothic destiny that Goodwin imagines Albert may have plotted. While Goodwin’s empathy clearly leans toward Victoria, the production also raises contemporary expectations of royalty, suggesting that public service—not romantic idealisation—should define modern monarchs. Director Sophie Drake’s brisk pacing navigates the play’s contradictions, ultimately unsettling the long‑held myth of a contented, untroubled royal household. The production runs at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury until 9 May, offering audiences a fresh, critical lens on a celebrated historical partnership.

The conventional view of procrastination is that it's a negative habit, linked to anxiety, diminished self-esteem, and depression. However, what if we could harness it to our advantage? By exploring medieval philosophy, particularly the concept of acedia, or sloth, we can uncover a more positive approach to procrastination. Medieval theologians didn't view sloth as laziness, but rather as a complex mix of boredom, depression, anxiety, and despair. This state can leave us feeling rudderless, unable to make progress towards our goals. However, by accepting and engaging with our procrastination, we can transform it into a catalyst for growth. Dante Alighieri and Bernard of Clairvaux offered valuable insights into navigating procrastination. Dante described the 'wrong' approach as sleepwalking towards disaster, where boredom anaesthetizes our minds, making us vulnerable to manipulation. In contrast, the 'right' approach involves embracing procrastination as a chance for self-discovery. Bernard of Clairvaux likened living a good life to running a marathon over rough terrain. We can't expect to maintain a constant pace; there will be days of apathy and boredom. On such days, we should stay awake and alert, engaging our brains to find value in even the most trivial distractions. By adopting this mindset, we can turn procrastination into a portal to self-discovery. As medieval poems like Parzival and The Pearl demonstrate, heroes often stumble upon profound revelations through distraction and wandering. Similarly, we can find unexpected gold in the midst of procrastination, leading to a deeper understanding of ourselves. So, the next time you find yourself procrastinating, consider embracing it as a chapter break, a chance to recharge and refocus. Remember that accepting procrastination can be essential to emotional growth, allowing us to return to our tasks with renewed energy and perspective.

Duncan James from Blue has opened up about his favorite songs, sharing a personal playlist that reveals a lot about his musical tastes and experiences. The song he inexplicably knows all the lyrics to is Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis, which he even sent as his audition tape to join Blue.James also shared his go-to karaoke song, It's Raining Men by Geri Halliwell, which he sang at his 30th birthday party. Interestingly, Geri Halliwell herself walked in during the performance and joined James' mum on stage.Other notable songs on his playlist include Sadeness (Part I) by Enigma, his first single purchase, which his friend bought for him at Woolworths. James also confessed that Fantasy Island by Tight Fit was the first song he fell in love with, likely due to his crush on a guy in a zebra print headband from the music video.James also talked about the song that makes him cry, My Life Is Going On by Cecilia Krull, from the Spanish Netflix series La Casa De Papel (Money Heist). On a lighter note, he shared his least favorite song to have sex to, One Love by Blue, which he found creepy.The song that changed James' life was All Rise, which became a worldwide hit and started Bluemania. He also revealed his favorite song to play at a party, Defying Gravity from Wicked, which gets him dancing on tables.On a more sentimental note, James shared the song he can no longer listen to, Meu Abrigo (My Shelter) by Melim, which reminds him of his ex. He also confessed to secretly liking Doctor Jones by Aqua, despite pretending to hate it. Finally, the song he'd like played at his funeral is Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, which he believes is one of the greatest songs ever written.

Approximately two dozen Democratic‑led states and the District of Columbia have lodged a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump to block a newly issued executive order that would sharply limit mail‑in and absentee voting. The filing, submitted on Friday, comes as voting‑rights groups warn the measure is designed to make voting harder ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, which will decide control of both chambers of Congress. New York Attorney General Letitia James, representing 23 states and D.C., said the order "exceeds the president’s constitutional authority" and undermines the principle that states set the times, places and manner of elections. "Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and no president has the power to rewrite the rules on his own," James stated. The contested order, signed on Tuesday, directs the Department of Homeland Security to compile a nationwide list of eligible voters and instructs the United States Postal Service to deliver ballots only to individuals on a "State‑specific Mail‑in and Absentee Participation List." Critics argue the list would be incomplete and would place an undue burden on the USPS. Voting‑rights advocates note that mail‑in voting surged after the COVID‑19 pandemic, with one‑third of all 2024 ballots cast by mail, a trend that cuts across both Republican and Democratic states. In their complaint, the states contend that only Congress, not the president, may impose new restrictions on election administration, and that implementing such changes so close to the November vote would generate significant logistical chaos. President Trump maintains the action is needed to combat "rampant voter fraud," a claim repeatedly debunked by independent monitors, including the Heritage Foundation, which reports fraud rates are exceedingly low. Beyond the lawsuit, the Justice Department has pursued separate legal actions to obtain voter data, and the FBI’s recent raid on a Georgia election office has heightened concerns about election integrity. Trump is also urging Congress to pass the "SAVE America Act", which would require proof of U.S. citizenship—such as a birth certificate or passport—and a photo ID for ballot casting. Rights groups warn the proposal could disenfranchise many voters, including women who have changed their surnames after marriage.

The search for a missing US crew member of a downed F-15E fighter jet entered its second day on Saturday, as Iranian media released pictures of wreckage, including a distinctive F-15 tail fin and a used ejector seat.A pilot was rescued on Friday after the F-15E Strike Eagle became the first US plane to be downed over Iran during the five-week-long war, but the second crew member has not been accounted for.US search and rescue efforts are using low-flying Pave Hawk helicopters and specialist C-130 Hercules transport. Military pilots said the missing crew member would be trying to hide for as long as possible from the Iranian military and potentially seeking to transmit their location relative to a known secret point.Israel extended its war in Lebanon with increased airstrikes, targeting sites in Beirut and Tyre. The Israeli military said it had conducted a wave of strikes on Tehran overnight against what it said were air defence, ballistic missile storage and weapons development facilities.The US president, Donald Trump, said on Friday the episode would not affect efforts to negotiate a peace settlement with Iran. However, he also threatened an unspecified escalation, saying Iran had 48 hours to comply with his demands or face consequences.The conflict has resulted in significant damage and loss of life, with at least 1,900 people killed and 20,000 injured in Iran since the start of the war, according to estimates from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies.

Liverpool's humiliating 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals has raised concerns about the team's form and manager Arne Slot's future. Slot criticized his team's performance, particularly in the 10 minutes after halftime, where he felt they lacked the 'fighting spirit' needed to compete at a high level. The manner of the defeat will heighten scrutiny of Slot's future, especially with Liverpool's upcoming Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain. A similar performance in that tie could prove detrimental to Slot's position as manager. Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick for Manchester City, contributing significantly to their eighth consecutive FA Cup semi-final appearance. Slot emphasized the need for his team to improve defensively and show a better reaction to the loss, particularly against top-tier teams like PSG. Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai echoed Slot's sentiments, stating that the team's 'fighting spirit wasn't there enough.' The defeat marks Liverpool's 15th of the season, their most since the 2014-15 season. Liverpool's struggles have been compounded by Mohamed Salah's missed chances, including a penalty when City were 4-0 ahead. Slot, however, chose not to single out individuals, instead focusing on the team's overall performance and the need for improvement.