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Nicky Henderson, 75, has spent nearly five decades shaping British racing, yet the saga of his star gelding Constitution Hill still makes him pause. After a sun‑lit afternoon in Lambourn, the trainer watched the usually placid horse stroll into his stable, a stark contrast to the drama that has defined the horse’s recent career.Henderson, speaking alongside owner Michael Buckley, emphasized the personal bond they share with the animal, calling him “more a pal than a beast” and noting his unique appeal to the public.Constitution Hill burst onto the scene with a ten‑race winning streak, highlighted by a dominant 2023 Champion Hurdle victory at Cheltenham. Experts briefly hailed him as one of the greatest hurdlers of all time, lauding his speed and precision over obstacles.That dominance vanished almost overnight. The gelding began to experience what Henderson likened to a golfer’s “yips”, falling in three of his last four hurdle races. Even a race at Punchestown where he stayed upright ended in a “disconcertingly tame display”, according to Timeform, which had previously ranked him the best hurdler of recent decades.Plans for a Cheltenham return were scrapped, and the team pivoted to flat racing. Constitution Hill delivered two striking victories at Southwell and Kempton in early 2026, drawing crowds of all ages. Henderson said the flat races felt like a “glorious celebration”, and the horse’s performance on the flat has been “brilliant”.His newfound flat success has sparked global interest. Henderson received invitations from racetracks worldwide, though he dismissed wild speculation about the Melbourne Cup as “the least likely of the lot”. Instead, a more measured approach is being considered, with the John Porter Stakes at Newbury on the agenda if the ground suits.“It’s not everybody’s idea of the most sensible race for him,” Henderson admitted, but added that a second year of racing could still be on the cards. He stressed that the horse’s safety and public enjoyment remain paramount.When asked why Constitution Hill lost his jumping confidence, Henderson cited several factors, including the introduction of new padded hurdles, which the horse disliked. He also mentioned a series of well‑meaning consultants—from Australian “gurus” to renowned equestrian coach Yogi Breisner—none of whom could reverse the decline.Despite the setbacks, the horse’s flat form has been a commercial boon. Henderson reported an 800% surge in ticket sales at Southwell compared with the previous year, illustrating the public’s fascination with the “ridiculous horse that can’t stand up”.Looking ahead, Henderson is entertaining a range of international options: the French Prix du Cadran, the Irish St Leger, and even potential programs in Germany and the United States. Yet he remains realistic about travel logistics, noting that Constitution Hill requires companion horses for long trips.In the trainer’s words, “You’ve got to have fun,” and with Constitution Hill’s current trajectory, the aim is to bring that joy back to racing while navigating the horse’s unique needs and the sport’s evolving landscape.

In a fresh University of Massachusetts and YouGov poll of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted in early April, country‑music legend Dolly Parton emerged as the most favorably viewed global figure, securing a 70% favorable rating and only 5% unfavorable, translating to a net favorability of +65%. Former President Barack Obama ranked second with a net favorability of +14% (50% favorable, 36% unfavorable). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy followed closely, posting a net favorability of +12% after 35% of respondents expressed a favorable view and 22% an unfavorable one. Other political figures fared poorly: former President George W. Bush earned a modest +5% net score, while Donald Trump and Joe Biden registered negative net favorabilities of ‑18% and ‑19% respectively. Pop star Taylor Swift managed a modest +3% net rating, and Russian President Vladimir Putin landed at the opposite extreme with a stark ‑65% net favorability. Parton’s dominance is notable not only for the size of the margin—over 50 percentage points ahead of her nearest rivals—but also because she is the only figure, aside from Obama, for whom a majority of respondents expressed a favorable opinion. Analysts attribute Parton’s success to her deliberately apolitical public persona and extensive charitable work. In a 2017 interview, she emphasized, “Everybody knows I don’t play politics,” a stance that has helped her maintain a broad bipartisan fan base. Her philanthropic impact is substantial. The Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library has donated more than 270 million books to children under five across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia. Additional contributions include a $1 million gift to Vanderbilt University Medical Center that supported the development of the Moderna COVID‑19 vaccine, over $12 million to families displaced by the 2016 Tennessee wildfires, and ongoing funding for pediatric infectious‑disease research. Parton’s charitable achievements were recognized with the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2022**, and she was highlighted by Time as one of the most influential philanthropists of 2025. The poll’s findings suggest a public appetite for figures who embody generosity and cultural resonance without entanglement in partisan politics, underscoring a broader trend of voters gravitating toward non‑political icons in an era of heightened polarization.

Scientists have confirmed that March 2026 was the hottest March on record in the United States, underscoring the urgency of the climate crisis. Yet, a weekend gathering in a hotel basement near the White House, organized by the climate‑denying Heartland Institute, celebrated a very different narrative.The audience—predominantly middle‑aged men in suits—cheered the claim that the world is finally “waking up” to the idea that there is no climate crisis. Heartland Institute president James Taylor described the atmosphere as “wonderful” and declared that “the truth is winning out.”The event’s headline speaker was Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator—a figure also rumored to be under consideration for the role of attorney general. Zeldin framed the conference as a day of “vindication,” accusing a “cabal of elites” of using climate science to push a political agenda.Booths and banners, sponsored by groups such as the CO2 Coalition, displayed slogans like “CO2 is a lifesaver” and “There is no climate crisis.” Pamphlets touted fossil fuels as the “greenest energy source” and dismissed net‑zero targets as unfounded.While some attendees denied the existence of global warming outright, others conceded that temperatures were rising but insisted it was not a human‑caused emergency. Taylor later clarified that “humans have played a role in climate change, but that is not the same as a ‘climate crisis.’”Harvard historian Naomi Oreskes noted that think tanks like Heartland portray themselves as underdogs, even though they receive substantial backing from powerful interests. The institute has historically been funded by major oil companies—including Shell and ExxonMobil—and by the Mercers, a prominent Republican donor family.When asked about current funding sources, Taylor dismissed the inquiry as “curious and disappointing,” insisting that the organization is supported by individuals who value “freedom and affordable energy.” He added that the institute has not received oil money for nearly two decades, though he would “gladly accept” it again.Under the Trump administration, groups such as the Heartland Institute, the CO2 Coalition, and the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) have secured unprecedented policy influence. Their agenda includes the repeal of the EPA’s “endangerment finding,” a legal basis for most U.S. climate regulations. During Zeldin’s introduction, CFACT president Craig Rucker announced the rollback to a cheering crowd.CFACT’s lobbying helped cancel a California offshore‑wind project, while the CO2 Coalition’s founder helped establish a White House committee that questioned climate science during Trump’s first term. Most recently, the coalition succeeded in placing an ophthalmologist with no air‑pollution expertise on a key EPA advisory panel.Despite the deniers’ confidence, polling consistently shows that a **vast majority of Americans**—including 42 % of young Republicans—acknowledge climate change and view it as a pressing issue. Taylor countered by citing a 2019 survey indicating limited willingness to pay higher electricity bills for climate action, but the broader data suggest strong public concern.Younger activists disrupted a youth‑focused panel, arguing that the conference’s “geriatric white‑male” audience was out of touch with the climate realities that will affect their generation. One protester shouted, “There’s no such thing as fossil‑fuel‑caused climate change!” before being removed.The clash highlighted a growing divide: while right‑wing think tanks are consolidating power within the federal government, public opinion and scientific consensus continue to affirm the reality and urgency of global warming.

Luis García, the former Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, and Liverpool player, thought he had left the intense emotions of football behind when he retired in 2016. However, while watching his current club, Johor Darul Ta'zim, celebrate a historic win in Malaysia, he found himself overcome with emotion. "I was always very competitive and once I had left football, I thought I wasn’t going to have those feelings I had before," García says. "I still enjoy football, still play seven-a-side with my friends – every Saturday at 10am, Los Jareños Club de Futbol – but I thought I had lost that and it wasn’t coming back. In fact, I was trying to avoid it; I didn’t want it. So when it happened, it surprised me. I didn’t expect football to give me that again. But there I was, crying."García is now the chief executive of Johor Darul Ta'zim, a Malaysian club that has made history by reaching the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League. He credits the club's success to its strong structure, including coaches, analysis, assistants, fitness staff, and a digital team.The club's owner, Tunku Ismail Idris, the crown prince of Malaysia, has been instrumental in its growth, taking the team to 12 league titles. García says that Idris is "very active, inquisitive" and has a good understanding of the game.García's role as CEO involves implementing the club's vision, finding ways to improve, and liaising with the operations manager. He also travels with the sporting director to scout players and has been involved in school visits and hospital engagements.The team's success has been built on a strong squad, including Australians, New Zealanders, Americans, Koreans, Portuguese, Spaniards, Argentinians, Brazilians, a Colombian, and the former Wolves midfielder Hong Wan. Arif Aiman, a Malaysian player, has been described by García as "the pearl of Malaysia" due to his quick skills, goal-scoring ability, and potential to play in Europe.

The UK government has unveiled a significant investment in England's cultural sector, with over 100 venues set to share a £130m funding package under the Arts Everywhere scheme. This initiative is part of a broader £1.5bn package aimed at supporting cultural infrastructure projects throughout the current parliament. The funding will be administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It comprises three main funds: the Creative Foundations Fund (£96m for 74 arts and cultural venues), the Museum Estate and Development Fund (£28m for 28 museums), and the Libraries Improvement Fund (£6.3m for 28 library services). Beneficiaries of the funding include the Lowry Centre in Salford, which will receive £8.5m to upgrade critical infrastructure such as replacing escalators with new lifts and providing step-free access to galleries. The Royal Shakespeare Company in Warwickshire and the Hexagon in Reading are also among the recipients. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy emphasized the importance of local arts, museums, and libraries in bringing communities together and reflecting the country's identity. She stated, 'Arts and culture aren’t a luxury for a privileged few. They are for everyone, everywhere.' The funding package represents a significant injection into a sector that has faced challenges in recent years. Arts Council England chair Nicholas Serota noted that the investment will help organizations secure their futures and continue to provide access to excellent art and culture. This investment follows a previously announced £270m and is part of a broader effort to repair the UK's cultural infrastructure. It marks one of the biggest resets in the arts for a generation, particularly after ACE funding was cut by 30% in 2010.

The documentary Kinaesthesia delves into the dreamlike qualities of early cinema, showcasing a treasure trove of visions from the 1910s and 1920s. Director Gerald Fox draws on the theories of late Harvard film studies professor Vlada Petrić, who posited that early cinema pioneers employed techniques to activate the brain similar to those experienced during dreams.Luis Buñuel's Un Chien Andalou, co-written with Salvador Dalí and inspired by their dreams, is a seminal work featured in the documentary. Its surreal images, including a razor slicing through an eyeball and rotting donkeys strapped to grand pianos, continue to shock and disturb nearly a century later.The film is a greatest hits collection of experimental early cinema, featuring works by FW Murnau, Fritz Lang, Sergei Eisenstein, and Oleksandr Dovzhenko. Notably, it includes Teinosuke Kinugasa's A Page of Madness, a 1926 film set in a psychiatric hospital that was long believed lost but later found in a sake barrel.The documentary also highlights the contributions of avant-garde filmmaker Maya Deren, with a dedicated section showcasing her brilliance. While the narration by Fox can be somewhat hammy and the dramatic sections featuring Goran Kostic as Professor Petrić add little value, the film remains required viewing for anyone interested in the history of cinema.Kinaesthesia is set to release in UK and Irish cinemas from April 17, 2026.

HSBC’s chief executive, Georges Elhedery, told Bloomberg Television at a conference in Hong Kong that the ongoing Iran war is undermining global economic confidence. He warned that the conflict’s duration could amplify price pressures on commodities such as oil, refined products, fertilisers and metals, extending the impact far beyond the Middle East. Brent crude, which had briefly risen above $100 per barrel, slipped 0.9% to $98.5 per barrel after a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports took effect. Negotiations between the United States and Iran are set to resume in Islamabad, but no agreement was reached in the previous talks. In London, the FTSE 100 edged up 22 points (0.21%) to 10,605, even as Imperial Brands led the losers, citing a “more uncertain geopolitical and macro environment.” The UK recruitment firm PageGroup warned that the Middle East conflict is creating an “increasingly uncertain outlook” for the rest of the year, with salaries lagging behind 2022‑2023 levels across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. HSBC holds a 31% stake in Saudi Awwal Bank, making it one of the European banks most exposed to the region, which contributes roughly 4% of its pre‑tax profit according to JP Morgan analysts. Nevertheless, Elhedery noted that capital outflows from the Middle East have been “very benign” so far. Since the U.S. and Israel began striking Iran on 28 February, some affluent Middle‑Eastern investors have started exploring relocation to financial hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong. HSBC chair Brendan Nelson stressed that a peace settlement is essential to restore global energy flows, warning that prolonged disruption would lift inflation and suppress growth. “The longer the disruption continues, the more the indirect effects from higher energy costs will lift inflation and depress growth,” he said at the HSBC Global Investment Summit. Manufacturers reliant on petroleum‑derived synthetic fabrics, such as sportswear maker Castore, reported cost increases of 10‑15% and warned that continued conflict could push those costs onto consumers. Co‑founder Tom Beahon described price volatility as “very difficult to plan,” with daily swings of up to 40%. Logistics are also strained: airlines have reduced flights and vessels remain stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, complicating product shipments. Castore hopes that a resolution in the coming weeks will limit the impact on customers. Virgin Atlantic chief executive Corneel Koster told the Financial Times that jet‑fuel prices have more than doubled since the war began, adding that “some of this disruption to global energy prices will be here to stay.” UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves, speaking at the IMF and World Bank spring meetings, called for coordinated economic action, stating that the Iran conflict must become “a line in the sand” for how the world handles crises and instability.

A recent study has confirmed what many people can already feel: summers are getting longer, and the trend is particularly pronounced in Sydney. The research, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, found that summer conditions are arriving earlier, lasting longer, and feeling more intense due to human-induced global heating.The study, conducted by PhD candidate Ted Scott from the University of British Columbia, analyzed data from 10 global cities and found that the length of summer is increasing on average by six days every decade. However, in Sydney, Australia, the summer period is growing at a rate of about 15 days every decade.In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the summer length is increasing by nine days every decade, while Toronto in Canada is adding a little over eight days to its summer every decade. Paris and Reykjavik are adding 7.2 days to their summer periods.The research also found that the shift from one season to another is becoming more abrupt, with summer-like conditions arriving more suddenly rather than gradually warming up. Sydney's summer period has grown from 65 days in the 1960s to 125-130 days in recent years, with the summer starting almost a full month earlier on November 27 and ending on March 28.The study's findings have significant implications for various aspects of life, including school terms, sporting seasons, and crop planting. The researchers emphasize that the trend is driven by human-induced global heating and that reducing fossil fuel usage is crucial to mitigating the effects of climate change.

Evergrande's billionaire boss, Hui Ka Yan, has pleaded guilty to fraud charges after the collapse of the world's most indebted property developer. Hui, a former steelworker who rose to become one of China's richest people, pleaded guilty to charges including fundraising fraud, misuse of funds, and illegally taking public deposits.The property group has defaulted on most of its $300bn liabilities since 2021, emblematic of China's property sector woes that have long dragged on economic growth. Evergrande's failure to repay billions of dollars of wealth management products unleashed frustration among the lower and middle classes, many of whom had investments wiped out, provoking protests and threatening social stability.Hui and the company also face charges of illegally extending loans, fraudulently issuing securities, and bribery by units, with verdicts to be handed down later. The maximum penalties for illegal fundraising include jail for life and confiscation of property, while bribery can also bring life terms.In 2024, China's securities regulator fined Hui $6.6m and barred him from the securities market for life, after finding Evergrande's leading business had inflated earnings and committed securities fraud. Hui's net worth was estimated at $45.3bn in 2017, but dropped to $3bn by 2023.