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A commercial court in France has dismissed Cardiff City's claim for £106m in compensation following the death of Emiliano Sala in a plane crash seven years ago. The court found that Nantes, Sala's former team, was not at fault in relation to the flight that resulted in Sala's death.The 28-year-old Argentine player was traveling from France to begin his career with Cardiff City when the single-engine Piper Malibu aircraft crashed into the sea near Guernsey, killing both Sala and pilot David Ibbotson. Cardiff had sought €122m (£106m) for loss of income and other damages from Nantes, claiming the French club was responsible because the flight was organized by an intermediary, Willie McKay.However, the court rejected Cardiff's contention, finding that McKay served as an agent for Nantes but did not organize the flight and was not aware of its illegality. The court also ruled that Nantes suffered moral damage and ordered Cardiff to pay €300,000 to the French club.Cardiff's lawyer, Céline Jones, expressed disappointment with the decision, stating that the club had initiated the process to uncover the truth and show respect for Sala's memory. In contrast, Nantes welcomed the decision, with their lawyer Jérôme Marsaudon saying the club was not responsible for the incident.This ruling follows previous decisions by Fifa and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), which have also gone against Cardiff in their legal dispute with Nantes. In 2022, Cas ruled that Sala's transfer had been finalized at the time of his death, and Fifa ordered Cardiff to pay Nantes the balance of Sala's transfer fee, amounting to just over €11m out of a total of €17m.

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.

The UK's retail industry is bracing for the impact of reforms to guaranteed working hours, which could affect over half of retail jobs. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned that the changes, set to take effect from April, may make it harder for shops to employ people, particularly young workers, in part-time roles. The Employment Rights Act will introduce new protections for workers on sick pay, sexual harassment, parental leave, and trade union recognition. Additionally, the act will provide rights to guaranteed hours for those on zero or 'low hours' contracts, flexible working, payment for short-notice cancellation of shifts, and barring fire-and-rehire practices in most circumstances. The BRC, representing major UK retailers, suggests that guaranteed hours protections should only apply to contracts of eight hours a week or fewer, and the reference period to be at least 26 weeks – or ideally a full year. This, they argue, would better reflect seasonal working patterns and ensure reforms address genuine problems without undermining jobs. Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the BRC, emphasized that flexible retail jobs are vital for millions of people, providing opportunities for students, parents, and those managing health conditions. She warned that if reforms treat flexibility as a problem rather than something workers actively choose, the risk is fewer opportunities and reduced access to work. The BRC noted that 55% of retail roles are part-time, significantly above the UK average of 33%. A survey of 2,000 adults by Opinium for the BRC found that 52% of UK adults think the ability to flex working hours around their lives is important. However, the shop workers' union Usdaw and the TUC have expressed support for the reforms, arguing that they will deliver benefits to those in insecure employment, particularly women and disabled workers, and provide greater job security and predictability for working people.

In a 1926 diary entry, Janet Case vividly describes a moment of natural beauty in New Forest. As she cycled down the Manor drive, flanked by towering rhododendrons, she caught glimpses of the woodland beyond. The green walls of foliage ended abruptly, revealing the sunlit forest floor starred thick with white anemones.The sight was breathtaking, with the white stars of anemones lifting above their green, deep-cut leaves, maintaining their individuality much like stars in the sky. Case noted that unlike primroses or bluebells, which form a uniform carpet or sea of color, wood anemones create a crowd of distinct flowers.The description paints a serene picture of springtime in New Forest, highlighting the unique beauty of wood anemones and their ability to retain their individual charm even in large numbers. This century-old account offers a timeless appreciation for nature's simple yet profound beauty.

A recent survey conducted by the Football Supporters' Association has revealed that 91% of football fans believe the game is better off without Video Assistant Referees (VAR). The survey, which polled over 7,000 fans, found that the vast majority of respondents are dissatisfied with the VAR system, which has been in use for over eight years.The survey results show that only 2% of fans agree that VAR makes football more enjoyable, while 3% said it improves the experience of attending a match. In contrast, 81% of fans prefer watching matches without video technology. The survey also found that 96% of fans disagree with the statement that VAR decisions are generally resolved in a reasonable amount of time.While some fans approve of the introduction of in-stadium communication from referees to explain VAR decisions, other extensions of the VAR protocol were largely unpopular. For example, only 21% of fans agreed that VAR should adjudicate on whether corner kicks are awarded, a system set to be trialled at this summer's World Cup.The survey results may not necessarily influence the game's decision-makers, as competition organisers and big clubs are committed to the use of VAR. However, the International Football Association Board (Ifab) has announced a two-year review into the system's performance, which may lead to changes in how VAR is used.

Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, has become a hub for diplomatic activity as key regional powers converge to address the escalating conflict between the US and Iran. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud have arrived for talks with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. The meetings aim to bring an end to the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has entered its 30th day and caused a global energy crisis. The conflict has led to a significant increase in tensions in the Middle East, with 20 percent of the world's oil and gas supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been choked by Iran. Pakistan is walking a diplomatic tightrope, with close defense ties to Saudi Arabia and cultural ties to Iran. The country is also home to the second-largest Shia population in the world after Iran. Analysts describe Pakistan's role as a 'very delicate balancing act' as it tries to bring the Americans and Iranians back to the negotiating table. The diplomatic push is driven by severe economic fears, with millions of Pakistani citizens potentially losing their jobs in the Gulf region if the conflict spreads. The stakes are existential for Islamabad, which risks a major crisis if energy supplies decline. Experts point out that the enormous economic costs borne by the Gulf countries have dropped drastically due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian drone and missile attacks have targeted energy and industrial facilities, forcing petroleum companies to declare force majeure on supply contracts. The Islamabad gathering serves as a foundational step for an 'Islamic alliance' designed to counter the Israeli project in the region, address geopolitical vacuums, and mitigate uncertainties surrounding future US involvement.

A groundbreaking analysis has revealed that 37% of conventional California produce contains toxic Pfas pesticide residues. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) conducted the study, which coincided with the introduction of California legislation aimed at banning Pfas from being used as active ingredients in pesticides by 2035.The analysis of California department of pesticide regulation residue testing records found that about 90% of peaches, plums, and nectarines contained Pfas residues, while 80% of strawberries and grapes showed contamination. These findings are particularly alarming as children are most at risk from the toxic effects of Pfas, and commonly eat fruits like grapes and strawberries.Pfas are a class of at least 16,000 compounds used to make products resistant to water, stains, and heat. They are called "forever chemicals" because they do not naturally break down and accumulate, and are linked to cancer, kidney disease, liver problems, immune disorders, birth defects, and other serious health problems.The EWG analyzed records for 930 samples across 78 types of non-organic, California-grown fruits and vegetables. The results showed that 348 samples, or 37%, contained Pfas residues, with at least half of all produce varieties treated with Pfas pesticides.The proposed legislation in California would ban the use of Pfas as an active ingredient in pesticides by 2035 and place a moratorium on approvals of new Pfas pesticides. The bill's author, California assemblymember Nick Schultz, stated that he doesn't want his kids "eating strawberries contaminated with chemicals that will stay in their bodies for decades."The pesticide industry is expected to mount a strong campaign against the legislation, but Maine and Minnesota have already passed similar bans, making it more likely to pass in California.

Meta's attempt to shift the blame for a young user's mental health issues away from its platforms and onto her family and offline social problems has backfired in a landmark social media addiction trial. The company, parent of Facebook and Instagram, employed a aggressive defense strategy that included highlighting the plaintiff's complaints about her mother in her teenage text messages and personal writings.The jurors, however, were not convinced by Meta's arguments and decided 10-2 in favor of the plaintiffs, awarding $4.2m in damages from Meta and $1.8m from co-defendant YouTube. This verdict could set a precedent for thousands of similar trials already in the works against social media companies.Meta's defense strategy drew backlash from parental advocates, who argued that the company was attempting to shift the blame away from its own design choices and onto parents and users. "For the biggest tech executives, I want to say something: stop blaming the parents. It's on you," said Julianna Arnold, a co-founder of advocacy group Parents Rise!.The trial's outcome reflects a growing distrust of social media companies and their impact on society. A Pew Research Survey found that around 64% of US adults believe that social media platforms have a negative impact on the country, and around two-thirds of Americans have a negative view of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.The verdict has been celebrated by advocates for reining in big tech, who see it as a significant step towards holding social media companies accountable for their role in shaping societal harms. "This trial was proof that if you put CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg on the stand before a judge and jury of their peers, the tech industry's wanton disregard for people will be on full display," said Sacha Haworth, executive director of The Tech Oversight Project.

Nicola Jennings, a renowned cartoonist for The Guardian, has created a thought-provoking cartoon that illustrates the recent court rulings against Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram. The cartoon, which is part of Jennings' ongoing series for The Guardian, visually represents the legal challenges faced by Meta, emphasizing the company's struggles with regulatory compliance and public scrutiny. Jennings' work often provides incisive commentary on current events and societal issues, and this cartoon is no exception. It offers a unique perspective on the implications of these court rulings for Meta and the broader tech industry. The cartoon is part of a larger collection of Jennings' work that can be found on The Guardian's website, where she regularly publishes her cartoons on a wide range of topics, from politics and social issues to technology and culture.