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Bayern Munich took a slender lead into the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid after a thrilling 2-1 win at the Bernabeu. Harry Kane and Luis Diaz scored the goals for the German champions, while Kylian Mbappe netted a late consolation for Real Madrid.The match lived up to its billing as a European classic, with both teams creating numerous chances. Bayern dominated the first half, with Konrad Laimer's rasping effort narrowly missing the target. The German champions should have taken the lead through Dayot Upamecano, but he fluffed his lines from point-blank range.Bayern's opening goal came through slick combination play, with Gnabry exchanging a one-two with Kane and pushing the ball in behind for Diaz to stroke home past Andriy Lunin in the 41st minute. Kane doubled Bayern's lead less than a minute into the second half, fizzing a curling effort into the bottom corner.Mbappe kept Real Madrid in the tie with a 74th-minute goal, smashing home off the crossbar after a low cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold. Despite the late goal, Bayern take a narrow lead into the second leg.Harry Kane told TNT Sports that he was delighted with the victory, saying: 'We played some really good stuff today, for sure. Some areas we could have done better as well, maybe the final ball and the final finish, we had some good chances there.'Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger lamented his side's defensive errors, saying: 'We came out after half-time and screwed up again; both goals we conceded were gifts.'

The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran has reached a critical point, with intensified airstrikes on Iranian targets, including universities and oil facilities. US President Donald Trump has warned of the “complete demolition” of Iran’s key infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by a looming deadline.Iran’s military has dismissed Trump’s threats as “delusional”, saying they cannot mask what it described as US “disgrace and humiliation” in the region. Iranian missiles and drones continue to target sites across the Gulf region.US ultimatum: Trump has issued a strict deadline, threatening the “complete demolition” of Iran’s power plants and bridges by Tuesday evening (00:00 GMT, Wednesday) if Tehran does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Experts say targeting civilian infrastructure is a war crime.Iran rejects pause offer: Iran has rejected a proposal for a temporary ceasefire, arguing it would give the US and Israel time to regroup and launch further attacks. Instead, Iranian officials have put forward a 10-point proposal calling for a comprehensive and permanent end to the war.The conflict has also spread to other countries in the region, with Saudi Arabia intercepting up to 18 drones over the past few hours and Bahrain closing an important bridge linking the island nation to Saudi Arabia due to fears of attacks from Iran.The United Nations has reported that more than 1.1 million people have now been registered as displaced in Lebanon as Israel continues its ground invasion in the country’s south.

The metal music scene has witnessed a surge in popularity of masked bands, with many notable acts donning elaborate masks as part of their stage presence. This trend is not only visually striking but also allows the bands to create a sense of mystery and anonymity. For bands like Imperial Triumphant, Gaerea, Sleep Token, Ghost, and Gwar, their masks have become an integral part of their image and artistry.Imperial Triumphant, an avant-garde metal band from the US, chose to wear striking gold masks modeled after 1920s art deco architecture. These masks brought their own set of problems, including getting lost in transit. The band's singer/guitarist, Zachary Ezrin, notes that the masks add a layer of complexity to their music, allowing them to tap into different parts of their personalities.Gaerea, a Portuguese black metal band, has also adopted the trend of wearing masks. Lead singer Alpha notes that the mask allows him to get into a different mode in his psyche, similar to how athletes get into a trance-like state during intense physical activity. The band's masks are not just for show; they also help to create a sense of anonymity, allowing the band to focus on their music rather than their individual identities.The use of masks in metal music is not a new phenomenon. Bands like Gwar and Slipknot have been using masks for decades, and their influence can be seen in many modern metal bands. However, the current trend of masked bands goes beyond just shock value; it's about creating a sense of mystery and artistry.The masks also allow bands to create elaborate mythologies and universes that fans can engage with. For example, Ghost poses as a subversive, devil-worshipping church, while Sleep Token's songs are ostensibly about their devotion to a god called Sleep. These mythologies help to create a sense of depth and complexity, drawing fans into the band's world.Despite the challenges of performing in masks, many bands find that it allows them to access new parts of their personalities and create a more immersive experience for their fans. As Ezrin notes, "I love the presentation of Imperial Triumphant... Even in 2026, when there are a million masked bands out there, I'd say we're still unique."

Vicky López, now 19 years, 8 months and 12 days old, has already etched her name in Barcelona’s history books, featuring in over 120 matches and netting 32 goals for the club.She joined Barcelona in July 2022 at just 16, making her first‑team debut under manager Jonatan Giráldez and instantly setting a series of age‑related records – the youngest player ever to appear at Camp Nou, in the Champions League and in an el clásico. The following campaign she became the club’s youngest scorer in that iconic derby.This season López has featured in 36 games, contributing 10 goals, a tally that already matches her previous year’s output. Barcelona need a maximum of three points from their remaining five Liga F fixtures to clinch a fourth league title – which would also be López’s 11th trophy with the club – while simultaneously preparing for a Champions League semi‑final against Bayern Munich.Despite being a senior figure, López admits younger teammates such as Clara Serrajordi and Aïcha Cámara often turn to her for guidance, though she defers more complex advice to veterans Alexia Putellas and Patri Guijarro.Putellas, the two‑time Ballon d’Or winner, praised López last summer, saying, “I see myself reflected in her – her passion, drive to win and endless ambition.”López’s rise is underscored by personal tragedy; her mother succumbed to a brain tumour in 2018 when López was 11. She honors her mother after every goal, pointing skyward, a ritual that mirrors Putellas’ own tribute to her late father.After a season with Madrid CFF, where she became Liga F’s youngest ever player, Barcelona secured López on a five‑year deal. She continues to dedicate each goal to her mother’s memory.In her debut campaign at Barcelona she logged 13 appearances and scored two goals. “I never imagined playing so many matches in my first year,” she recalled, thanking Giráldez for the trust he placed in her.Initially shy, López admitted, “I wasn’t fully myself in the first training sessions, but it was a dream to train with the world’s best.”She believes the blend of youthful exuberance and veteran experience is Barcelona’s greatest asset: “I bring joy, youth and playfulness,” she said, emphasizing the importance of a balanced squad.Often likened to male prodigy Lamine Yamal, López and Yamal both sport the number 19 and light up the wing with their creativity.On the international stage, López earned her first senior cap at 17 in the Nations League and featured in Spain’s 2025 European Championship final against England. The only time she missed a national‑team camp was in May 2024, when she sat her “selectividad” exams.Looking ahead, López acknowledges she will soon carry the mantle as Barcelona transitions away from legends like Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí. “I’m still working to become the player I aspire to be, but above all I enjoy playing football and spreading happiness to fans,” she affirmed.

Bryson DeChambeau, a two-time major winner, has taken an unconventional approach to improving his game: he's started making his own golf clubs. The decision was revealed during pre-tournament media duties at the Masters, showcasing his commitment to innovation and self-improvement. DeChambeau emphasized that his drive for innovation is a key aspect of his personality, stating, “I think it’s the willingness to always try to improve… There’s this nature that I have about myself where innovation is a habit of mine and I really find and take pride in that ability to learn, even through failure.” He has been experimenting with various clubs, including wedges and irons, and is also working on building his own driver. “Then I am working on irons, building irons, building a driver. So we’ll see where it goes, we’ll see where it takes me. All I could say is, if I don’t put them in the bag, it’s my fault now.” This move comes after a public feud with Cobra, a manufacturer he previously used, where he criticized their driver, leading to a heated exchange. DeChambeau's new approach allows him to have full control over his equipment, “It’s my own personal clubs I’m building. With myself.” DeChambeau returns to Augusta National with a desire to redeem himself after a disappointing performance in 2025, where he was outplayed by Rory McIlroy in the final round. A potential rivalry between DeChambeau and McIlroy could add excitement to the tournament, with DeChambeau expressing his respect for McIlroy while also highlighting his competitive drive: “Do I respect him as an individual? 100%. Do I want to beat him every time I see him? Absolutely.”

Iranian officials have urged young people to form human chains around the country's power plants, as tensions escalate with the US and Israel. The call to action comes as US President Donald Trump threatens massive strikes on civilian infrastructure if Iran doesn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz.Iranian media showed people gathering outside electricity stations, waving Iranian flags and holding up banners. In Dezful, people gathered on a 1,700-year-old bridge. The country's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said 14 million people had signed up to fight for their country and declared their readiness to sacrifice their lives in defence of Iran.The US and Israel carried out waves of preparatory strikes that appeared to knock off course the chances of a last-minute ceasefire deal before Trump's 8pm ET (1am BST) deadline for Iran to reopen the strait. Attacks on civilian infrastructure amount to war crimes, legal experts say.Alireza Rahimi, identified by Iranian state television as the secretary of the Supreme Council of Youth and Adolescents, issued a video message calling on young people to form human chains around power plants. He asked them to gather on Tuesday at 2pm around the power plants, which he described as national assets and capital.Iran has formed human-chain demonstrations, also known as human shields, in the past around its nuclear sites at times of heightened tensions with the west. A man in Tehran said his household had collected basic necessities and equipment to charge their mobile phones, in preparation to flee the capital if necessary.The indirect negotiations between the US and Iran are continuing, largely by passing messages through Pakistan. However, the intermediaries said they feared that Israel was bombing the chances of reaching an agreement.

The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran has raised concerns about the protection of civilians in war. Donald Trump's threats to bomb civilian infrastructure, including power stations, desalination plants, and bridges, have been widely criticized as potential war crimes. In a recent statement, Trump doubled down on his threat, saying that a whole civilization will die if his demands are not met. This rhetoric has sparked fears of a humanitarian crisis and raised questions about the US's commitment to protecting civilians in war.Historically, the protection of civilians has been a cornerstone of international law. The Geneva Conventions, established in 1949, clearly state that civilian objects shall not be the object of attack or reprisals. The US has a long tradition of upholding these principles, dating back to the Lieber Code of 1863, which established protocols for the protection of the innocent during the Civil War.The article argues that protecting civilians is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength and self-discipline. It cites examples of leaders who have prioritized humanitarian concerns in times of war, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt's vision for a world united around democratic values and international organizations. In contrast, Trump's approach has been criticized for its lack of nuance and disregard for humanitarian concerns. The article notes that the US must distinguish between military targets and civilian infrastructure, and that cyber-attacks and other non-lethal methods should be used whenever possible to minimize harm to civilians.Ultimately, the article concludes that upholding American values and international law is essential to maintaining global stability and preventing humanitarian crises. By prioritizing the protection of civilians, the US can demonstrate its commitment to humanitarian principles and show that it is capable of fighting wars with greater purpose and a plan for peace.

Tens of thousands of people have been hired by Scale AI – a firm 49% owned by Meta – to train artificial‑intelligence models by scraping Instagram accounts, harvesting copyrighted artwork and transcribing pornographic soundtracks, according to the Guardian.Scale AI promotes its Outlier platform as a flexible, expert‑driven marketplace, recruiting professionals from medicine, physics and economics to "become the expert that AI learns from."Workers, however, say the reality diverges sharply from high‑level model refinement. They describe tasks that involve massive personal‑data scraping and content that many find morally uncomfortable.Outlier is managed by Scale AI, which holds contracts with the U.S. Pentagon and other defense companies. Its chief executive, Alexandr Wang, is hailed by Forbes as the world’s youngest self‑made billionaire, while former managing director Michael Kratsios served as science adviser to former President Donald Trump.One contractor noted that users of Meta platforms would be shocked to learn their photos and friends’ images are being harvested for AI training, with workers manually reviewing profiles to extract data.The Guardian interviewed ten Outlier contributors – many also journalists, graduate students, teachers or librarians – who took the gig work out of economic desperation. One said, "A lot of us were really desperate" and felt compelled to accept the unstable, low‑pay assignments.These gig workers, dubbed “taskers,” often feel they are training their own replacements, expressing “internalised shame and guilt” over contributing to the automation of creative professions.Law firm Clarkson, representing AI gig workers, estimates that hundreds of thousands of people worldwide now labor on platforms like Outlier. Taskers report bait‑and‑switch recruitment tactics, where advertised high salaries are replaced by lower‑paid projects after onboarding.All contributors are monitored through a tool called Hubstaff, which can screenshot browsers to verify work. While Scale AI claims the software is only for accurate payment, workers describe it as constant surveillance.Assignments have ranged from transcribing pornographic audio and labeling photos of dead animals or dog faeces, to annotating diagrams of infant genitalia and violent police scenarios. One doctoral student recounted being promised “no nudity” only to receive explicit porn clips.Scale AI says it shuts down any task flagged as inappropriate and does not accept projects involving child sexual‑abuse material or pornography, though workers note that publicly available images of minors have been used for training.Social‑media scraping tasks required workers to tag individuals by name, location and age, sometimes pulling data from accounts of users under 18. One task asked contributors to order Facebook photos by the subject’s age, prompting ethical unease.In addition to personal data, taskers were asked to harvest copyrighted artwork, with strict instructions to avoid AI‑generated images and select only hand‑drawn pieces. Scale AI maintains it does not ask workers to violate copyright standards.Scale AI’s client list includes major tech firms such as Google, Meta and OpenAI, as well as the U.S. Department of Defense and the government of Qatar, highlighting the growing demand for labelled data as AI models scale.Some workers reported interacting with ChatGPT and Claude, and speculated they might be training Meta’s upcoming model, code‑named “Avocado.”OpenAI announced it ended its partnership with Scale AI in June 2025, citing its supplier code of conduct that mandates ethical treatment of all workers.Despite irregular pay, occasional mass layoffs and the unsettling nature of many tasks, many taskers remain on the Outlier platform, hoping the AI future will eventually improve conditions. One said, "I have to be positive about AI because the alternative is not great."In response, a Scale AI spokesperson stated, "Outlier provides flexible, project‑based work with transparent pay. Contributors choose when and how they participate, and we regularly hear from highly skilled contributors who value the flexibility and opportunity to apply their expertise on the platform."

On Halloween night in 2022, the 33‑year‑old Los Angeles‑based musician Angelo De Augustine collapsed at home, experiencing a cascade of sensory failures that left him unable to see, hear or move properly. Family members rushed him to the hospital, where doctors ran extensive tests but could not pinpoint a diagnosis, ultimately sending him home with a warning to return only if he became completely deaf or blind. Faced with a semi‑incapacitated body, De Augustine’s sole focus became completing the album he had been crafting for the previous year, Toil and Trouble. He admits he believed he might not survive the illness, yet he pushed through the pain, hoping to finish the record before his presumed death. De Augustine’s career had been gaining momentum. After his 2014 debut Spirals of Silence, he joined Sufjan Stevens’ label Asthmatic Kitty for 2017’s Swim Inside the Moon and later co‑produced the acclaimed 2021 collaboration A Beginner’s Mind. A 2019 track, “Time,” from the album Tomb, amassed over 31 million streams after featuring in Zach Braff’s film A Good Person, but the artist was too ill to capitalize on its success. Recovery was gradual and arduous. Over three years De Augustine relearned basic functions—walking, speaking, hearing, and playing instruments. Those challenges informed his newest work, Angel in Plainclothes, an album that contemplates mortality and the fleeting nature of life through ethereal soundscapes. Musically, the record draws on influences ranging from Nick Drake’s wistfulness to early Paul Simon’s lyricism. Tracks such as “Spirit of the Unknown” celebrate simple joys, while the lead single “Mirror Mirror” uses a reflective metaphor to describe his feeling of being a ghost watching life from the sidelines. He records from a studio he calls “A Secret Place,” emphasizing the intimate, introspective tone of the project. Recent research, De Augustine notes, suggests that chronic stress can overload the central nervous system, causing the body to shut down—a possible explanation for his 2022 episode. He points to the relentless pressures of the music industry as a likely source of that prolonged anxiety. Born to musical parents—his mother Wendy Fraser sang on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack—De Augustine originally pursued soccer before injuries redirected him toward music. Largely self‑taught, he began writing original material without formal lessons, a factor he believes gives his songs a distinctive edge. During his convalescence he moved back in with his mother, unable even to prepare meals. A breakthrough came when he discovered that immersion in water alleviated his symptoms, prompting a deeper awareness of his stress levels. A disciplined regimen of physical and mental exercises helped rewire his nervous system, gradually restoring his ability to play guitar and sing. When his health permitted, De Augustine returned to the studio, this time enlisting collaborators such as string arranger Oliver Hill, harpist Leng Bian, producer Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), and his mother on percussion. Drummer Jonathan Wilson contributed drums and offered his Topanga Canyon studio for the track “The Cure,” a song that likens illness to addiction. The album’s sonic palette is enriched by antique instruments—a bowed psaltery, aquarion, Marxophone, bass recorder, train whistle, 1960s German guitaret, miniature accordion, and a 1990s synthesiser version of a Japanese koto harp—underscoring De Augustine’s penchant for unconventional textures. After a five‑year hiatus from live performance, he returned to the stage last year, describing the experience as “amazing” despite its challenges. Though he acknowledges he is not yet fully healed, he feels he is emerging as a blend of his former self and a newly humbled individual who no longer takes life for granted. Reflecting on his journey, De Augustine says, “For so long my only focus was to be a great songwriter, and perhaps I paid the price for that. Now I’m trying to live a good life rather than chase outcomes.” Angel in Plainclothes was released via Asthmatic Kitty on 24 April, offering listeners a glimpse into his renewed perspective and artistic resilience.