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A massive heist involving over 12 tons of KitKat chocolate bars has occurred in Europe, just ahead of the Easter holiday. The stolen shipment, consisting of 413,793 units of KitKat's 'new chocolate range', was pilfered on March 26 while en route to Poland.The truck, which left a factory in central Italy, was intercepted by thieves, and the vehicle and chocolate have not been recovered. No one was hurt during the heist, according to a Nestlé spokesperson.Nestlé, the parent company of KitKat, confirmed the theft and is investigating the incident with local authorities and supply chain partners. The company warned that the stolen bars could end up in unofficial markets.The stolen chocolate bars were from KitKat's new Formula One line, which features race car-molded bars with KitKat's iconic chocolate-covered wafers. This product line was launched after KitKat became the official F1 chocolate bar last year.Nestlé officials noted that law enforcement can trace stolen products through batch codes assigned to individual bars. The company also expressed concern about the increasing trend of cargo theft, stating that it has chosen to go public with its experience to raise awareness.“We've always encouraged people to have a break with KitKat,” Nestlé said in a statement. “But it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 tons of our chocolate.”

England's World Cup preparations have hit a snag with several key players withdrawing from the squad due to injuries. John Stones, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Noni Madueke have all pulled out of the team's friendly match against Japan.Manager Thomas Tuchel had named an oversized 35-man squad for the current camp, with plans to trim the group before the World Cup. However, the spate of withdrawals has complicated his plans. Rice and Saka were among 11 players who joined the squad late, and their absence will be felt against Japan.Stones was due to start against Uruguay but pulled out with a calf injury. The experienced defender has made only 19 appearances for club and country this season, and his exit raises doubts about his World Cup participation.The Arsenal trio of Rice, Saka, and Madueke have all withdrawn from the squad. Madueke limped off against Uruguay with an injury and has been sent for treatment. Rice and Saka will return to their club for assessment on minor problems.The withdrawals have left Tuchel with a selection headache ahead of the World Cup. Harry Maguire and Ben White are likely to feature against Japan, while Phil Foden's participation is uncertain after he struggled against Uruguay.

The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran has yielded limited results in terms of destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. According to a report by Reuters, based on information from five people familiar with US intelligence, the US has only destroyed about a third of Iran's missile and drone arsenal after a month of military action. The report suggests that another third of Tehran's missiles may have been damaged or buried in underground tunnels and bunkers, leaving a sizeable stockpile still accessible to Iran. This assessment directly contradicts statements made by Donald Trump on Thursday that Tehran had "very few rockets left" and claims from other US officials that the war has eliminated Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. Iranian officials view their ballistic missile program as a crucial deterrent against the US and Israel, given the significant military superiority of these countries. Iran has effectively used ballistic missiles and drones over the last month to attack Israel and critical infrastructure in the Gulf, causing substantial damage to the global economy. The US and Israel have identified degrading Iran's ballistic missile capacity as a primary objective of the war. Washington has deployed thousands of additional troops to the Middle East in recent days, with the administration reportedly considering a ground operation on Kharg island to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Israel has targeted ballistic missile caches and launchers in its aerial campaign against Iran, claiming to have "neutralized" 335 or 70% of Tehran's missile launchers. However, Iran has dispersed its launchers across the country to evade detection and airstrikes, making it challenging for Israel and the US to completely eliminate the threat. Despite the decline in the number of launches due to the ongoing bombing campaign, Iranian missiles have still managed to hit Israel and the Gulf, as interceptors also run out. The conflict has resulted in billions of dollars spent and critical interceptor stocks expended by Israel, the US, and Gulf states to block Iranian missile barrages. A US official noted that assessing Iran's missile stockpile accurately is difficult due to much of it being stored underground, suggesting that "I don't know if we'll ever have an accurate number". The vast tunnel network created an extra challenge in destroying Iran's missile stockpile, but the US military has vowed to continue its efforts.

The conflict between Iran and Israel has taken a dangerous turn with the entry of Houthi forces from Yemen, who have launched a salvo of ballistic missiles at sensitive Israeli military sites. The Houthis, close allies of Iran, have vowed to continue their military operations until the 'aggression' comes to an end on all fronts.In response, Israel has reported intercepting one missile originating from Yemen. The escalation has raised concerns about the potential for a wider regional conflict, with Pakistan attempting to host a meeting of Middle Eastern powers to find a regional approach to ending the conflict.The entry of the Houthis poses a direct threat to the Bab al-Mandab strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, a critical choke point for energy supplies and trade. A shutdown of this strait, combined with Iran's near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, would have a devastating impact on the global economy.The conflict has also seen an escalation in the array of weapons being used, with reports of the US dropping cluster munitions and Iran using ballistic missiles carrying cluster warheads. Experts have cited concerns about the indiscriminate nature of these weapons, which have been banned by over 100 countries.The situation remains volatile, with US President Donald Trump suggesting that he had hoped for Saudi Arabia to join other Arab countries in normalizing relations with Israel in return for the attack on Iran. However, the survival of the Islamic Republic's regime after a month of bombing has left Trump with the choice of either extricating the US from the costly war or intensifying the campaign.

A tragic incident has unfolded off the coast of Greece, where 22 people hoping to reach Europe from North Africa have died after six days at sea in a rubber boat. Survivors told the Greek coastguard that the bodies of those who had died were thrown into the Mediterranean Sea.The coastguard reported that 26 people, including a woman and a minor, were rescued by a European border agency vessel off the island of Crete. The survivors included 21 Bangladeshi, four South Sudanese, and one Chadian citizen.According to the coastguard, the boat had left Tobruk, a port city in eastern Libya, on March 21, and was bound for Greece, a common gateway for those seeking asylum in the EU. During the journey, the passengers lost their bearings and remained at sea for six days without food or water.The Greek authorities have arrested two South Sudanese men, aged 19 and 22, believed to be the smugglers, and are investigating them for "illegal entry into the country" and "negligent homicide".This incident highlights the ongoing Mediterranean migrant crisis, with the number of people who have died trying to reach European soil more than doubling in the first two months of 2026 compared to the same period last year. According to the International Organization for Migration, 559 people died in the Mediterranean during January and February, compared to 287 for the same period last year.

A recent US-Israeli airstrike in Iran has left a trail of destruction, with a poignant reminder of the human cost of such attacks. In the rubble of the strike, children's toys have been found, underscoring the severe impact on civilian populations.The airstrike, which was carried out by the US and Israel, has raised concerns about the escalation of tensions in the region and the potential for further conflict. The discovery of children's toys among the debris serves as a stark reminder of the humanitarian consequences of military actions.

France forward Kylian Mbappe showed no signs of his recent knee injury as he scored in a 2-1 friendly victory over Brazil on Thursday. The match, a World Cup warm-up, was played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, with a crowd of 66,215.Mbappe broke free to score in the 32nd minute, giving France an early lead. Hugo Ekitike doubled the lead in the 65th minute. Brazil reduced the deficit to 2-1 in the 78th minute through Bremer.The match was notable for Mbappe's return to action after a knee injury. He had sprained his left knee in December but played through January before missing almost a month. Mbappe confirmed on Monday that his injury was 'truly behind' him.The game also featured a mid-half 'cooling break' to allow players to rest and hydrate, a FIFA innovation for the 2026 World Cup. This break was included regardless of the temperature, which was in the mid-60s (15 degrees Celsius) on the day of the match.The victory for France came despite Dayot Upamecano being sent off in the 55th minute for a clear foul on a player with a path to the goal. The card was upgraded from yellow to red on video review.If France and Brazil both win their groups at the World Cup, they could potentially meet again in the final.

Costa Rica has announced that it will accept 25 migrants deported from the United States per week as part of an agreement to assist with President Donald Trump's policy of deporting immigrants to 'third countries'.The Central American nation joins a growing number of countries across Africa and the Americas that have signed contentious, often secretive agreements with the US to accept deportees from other countries.In many cases, critics say migrants who previously hoped to seek asylum in the US are left in a legal 'black hole' in foreign countries where they don't speak the language.Countries that have agreed to receive third-party migrants include South Sudan, Honduras, Rwanda, Guyana and several Caribbean islands like Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis.'Costa Rica is prepared to see this flow of people,' said Costa Rican Public Security Minister Mario Zamora Cordero in a video statement on Thursday.Costa Rica's government signed the pact on Monday during a visit from US special envoy Kristi Noem, who was recently named to oversee the so-called 'Shield of the Americas'.Noem, who was fired earlier this month from her role as secretary of Homeland Security, has been travelling through Latin America, with recent stops in Guyana and Ecuador.The Trump administration has spent at least $40m to deport about 300 migrants to countries other than their own, according to a February report by the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Wales and Ireland's hopes of qualifying for the World Cup were dashed on Friday as both teams suffered defeats in their playoff semi-finals. Wales lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Ireland was beaten by the Czech Republic. The losses mean both teams will not feature in the upcoming World Cup, with Ireland facing a minimum of 28 years between appearances.The double-screening pain was palpable for fans, with both matches featuring penalty shootouts that ended in heartbreak. Dan James gave Wales the lead against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but they ultimately lost in a shootout. Ireland, on the other hand, went 2-0 up inside 23 minutes against the Czech Republic but also ended in defeat.The losses have left both teams facing a long wait for their next World Cup appearance. For Ireland, it will be a minimum of 28 years, while Wales' wait continues after their last appearance in 2022. The teams will now face friendlies, with Wales set to host Northern Ireland.In other news, Roy Hodgson's return to management with Bristol City has been hailed as 'sensational'. The 78-year-old former England manager has decided to have another crack at it after leaving Crystal Palace.Meanwhile, Iran's men's team paid tribute before their friendly against Nigeria by holding school bags in memory of the victims of a school bombing in Minab, southern Iran, which killed between 175 and 180 people, most of them girls between the ages of seven and 12.