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Tottenham Hotspur has confirmed the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as their new head coach on a five-year contract. The Italian manager, described by Pep Guardiola as “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years,” joins Spurs after a successful stint at Brighton & Hove Albion.De Zerbi's appointment comes at a crucial time for Tottenham, who have struggled in recent seasons. His predecessor, Igor Tudor, had a disastrous interim spell, and the team is in need of a new direction. De Zerbi's managerial style, characterized by energetic pressing and fast transitions, has drawn praise from fans and pundits alike.During his time at Brighton, De Zerbi led the club to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League and secured European football for the first time. His success at Brighton has created high expectations, and Tottenham fans will be hoping he can replicate this success at Spurs.However, De Zerbi's departure from Brighton was marked by controversy, as he fell out with the club's owner, Tony Bloom, over squad recruitment. This has raised concerns about his ability to work with the Spurs hierarchy.De Zerbi's appointment is seen as a gamble by the Spurs hierarchy, given his tendency to shoot from the hip and his history of disagreements with Brighton’s owner. Nevertheless, his ambitious and influential managerial style has generated excitement among Tottenham fans.The 46-year-old Italian manager will have no time to implement his favoured 4-2-3-1 system with only seven games remaining to ensure Premier League survival. Assurances of major summer investment to reshape the squad to his vision will be a prerequisite for success.At a club that has been drifting for some time, perhaps De Zerbi can give Tottenham some desperately needed new direction. His ability to adapt to a new country and team was evident during his time at Marseille, where he led the team to second place in Ligue 1.

Mbappé, now 27 and entering his third year as France captain, admits the shift from star player to team caretaker feels "strange" but rewarding. Approaching his 100th cap, the Real Madrid forward says he now prioritises the collective over personal glory.He highlighted that the squad possesses more talent and potential than in 2022, noting that if current form continues he will soon surpass Olivier Giroud’s 57‑goal record, sitting just one goal behind the veteran after a recent strike against Brazil.France’s recent friendlies in the United States underscore that confidence. A 2‑1 win over Brazil saw Dembélé feed Mbappé for the opener, with Hugo Ekitike adding a second, while a 3‑1 victory against Colombia featured first‑time scorer Désiré Doué and a crucial header from Marcus Thuram.The attacking depth is now a hallmark of Didier Deschamps’ side. Alongside Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and Hugo Ekitike rotate fluidly across the front line, offering creativity and unpredictability that render the old “Mbappé‑Giroud foil” obsolete.Defensively, the team showed signs of vulnerability. Misplaced passes and missed tackles were evident, though Maxence Lacroix earned his first cap against Colombia and impressed enough to stake a claim for the World Cup roster.Logistical hiccups also featured in the US tour. Coach Deschamps complained about lengthy airport checks and a mid‑match cooling break that disrupted momentum, describing the three‑minute pause as “not ideal” for teams on the verge of breaking down opponents.Despite these concerns, the camp’s mood remains optimistic. Mbappé believes the squad can “aim high,” while Deschamps continues to fine‑tune his final selection, aware that a wealth of attacking talent alone does not guarantee tournament success.

New legislation takes effect on 31 March 2026 as the UK government rolls out the Simpler Recycling framework, requiring every council in England to provide distinct collections for food & garden waste, paper & card, all other dry recyclables (glass, metal, plastic, cartons) and residual waste. This uniform approach replaces the historic “postcode lottery” of waste services, applying to all households – including flats and communal properties. Recycling performance: England’s municipal recycling rate has plateaued at ~44% for several years, well below Wales (57%) and Northern Ireland (≈50%). The government’s ambition is a 65% recycling rate by 2035, a target that will require substantial behavioural and infrastructure shifts. Environment minister Mary Creagh confirmed that councils have received a notable budget increase for 2026 to support the rollout. How collected material is processed: Once gathered, waste is taken to Materials Recovery Facilities where magnets, optical scanners and air jets separate streams into paper, plastics, glass and metals. These are then baled and sent to reprocessors for conversion into new products. Approximately 50% of the UK’s recycled plastic is exported, mainly to Turkey, the Netherlands and Malaysia. This export trend has drawn criticism for undermining the domestic recycling sector, which industry estimates could generate £2 billion in revenue and support around 5,000 jobs. In the past two years, 21 plastic‑recycling facilities have closed, citing low virgin‑plastic prices, competition from cheap Asian imports and the scale of exports. By contrast, the UK still lacks a ban on plastic‑waste exports to developing nations, a policy the EU has already adopted. Paper and cardboard recycling also relies heavily on overseas processing, with 3.4‑4.3 million tonnes shipped abroad each year. Food waste collection overhaul: The most visible change is the introduction of free, weekly food‑waste collection for every household. Residents will receive a small kitchen caddy and a larger outdoor bin. When separated, food waste can be fed into anaerobic digestion facilities to produce renewable energy and bio‑fertiliser, reducing landfill‑derived methane – a greenhouse gas over 80 times more potent than CO₂. The policy is also expected to raise public awareness of personal waste generation, encouraging more responsible disposal habits. Implementation timeline: While all councils must standardise dry‑recycling collections by 31 March, a transitional arrangement allows 31 councils to delay the start of weekly food‑waste collection beyond the initial Tuesday. Contamination risks: Mixing biodegradable or compostable plastics with conventional recyclable plastics can contaminate entire batches, rendering them unrecyclable. Similarly, placing paper or cardboard in residual waste diverts it to landfill or incineration, increasing greenhouse‑gas emissions. Toothpaste tubes have historically been problematic, but a Wrap‑led initiative now makes most tubes 100% recyclable. Consumers can verify local acceptance via RecycleNow, and Boots stores also collect used tubes for recycling.

The destruction of a US E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft in an Iranian strike on a Saudi Arabian airbase has raised significant questions about how a critical surveillance asset was left unprotected and how Iran managed to launch such a precise direct strike.The plane was one of only 16 operational E-3s, which first entered production in the 1960s and carry sophisticated monitoring equipment allowing them to detect airborne threats such as missiles while surveilling assigned battle spaces including communications, troop movements, and air defense sites.The attack that destroyed the aircraft on March 27, while it was parked at Prince Sultan airbase, demonstrated Iran's continuing ability to strike high-value targets in the region despite a month of US and Israeli air raids.Images from the scene show a direct strike on the E-3's radar dome near the tail, suggesting a high degree of accuracy in the attack. The strike also injured US servicemen and damaged several in-flight refuelling aircraft.Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that Ukrainian intelligence had information indicating a Russian spy satellite photographed the base three times before the attack—on March 20, 23, and 25. Zelenskyy explained that multiple satellite images typically indicate preparation for an imminent attack.Zelenskyy's comments follow reports that Moscow was providing intelligence to Iran on the location of US forces in the Middle East, a claim denied by Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.The destroyed E-3 was one of six such aircraft deployed to the Saudi Arabian base. These aging aircraft have long suffered from maintenance issues, with the US Air Force's E-3s reportedly having a mission-capable rate of only about 56% in 2024.The E-3 can track up to 600 targets simultaneously over a large area, acting as the eyes and ears for fighter pilots. The loss of this particular E-3 is considered incredibly problematic, as these aircraft serve as crucial battle managers for airspace deconfliction, aircraft coordination, targeting, and providing other lethal effects needed for battlefield operations.While US and Israeli commanders have claimed a decrease in Iran's missile capabilities, experts had anticipated a reduction in Tehran's launch intensity as it conserves military resources. Some analysts suggest Iran may be targeting key enablers of US airpower as part of a deliberate campaign following initial successes by the US and Israel in controlling Iranian airspace.

As gas prices surge past $4 a gallon, Donald Trump's approval rating has plummeted to 33%, the lowest during his second term, according to a University of Massachusetts Amherst poll. The war on Iran, which has led to rising fuel costs, is becoming a liability for the Republican party.JD Vance, the vice-president and potential 2028 Republican presidential candidate, is attempting to distance himself from the Iran conflict. Sources close to Vance are speaking out, claiming he has always been against the war. Axios reported that Vance had expressed skepticism about Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, over the war.Vance's wife, Usha, is also gearing up for a public role, launching a podcast called 'Storytime With the Second Lady' aimed at children, a move seen as an attempt to build a positive public image ahead of the 2028 election.Despite these efforts, Vance's charisma and credibility are being questioned. His appearance on The Benny Show podcast, where he discussed UFOs and aliens as 'demons,' has raised concerns about his judgment and appeal to a broader audience.

The UK aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), has partially rejected Heathrow Airport's plans to significantly raise its landing fees to fund a multibillion-pound upgrade. The CAA argues that Heathrow can still invest in upgrades without steep rises in ticket prices. The CAA has proposed that the average charge for each passenger should rise from £28.40 to £28.80 between 2027 and 2031, a 1% increase. This is £5.40, or 16%, lower than the changes proposed by Heathrow, but £5.80 or 25% higher than the changes wanted by the airlines. Heathrow had proposed a 17% increase to £33.26, which resulted in criticism from airlines who said it would lead to higher ticket prices for passengers. The CAA's proposal aims to strike a balance between keeping passenger prices fair and enabling the airport to make necessary investments. Selina Chadha, group director of consumer markets at the CAA, said: “Our primary duty is to protect consumers and at the heart of today’s proposals is doing the right thing for passengers using Heathrow airport, while supporting sustainable growth, investment, and efficiency.” The CAA has proposed that Heathrow spend between £5.4bn and £6.1bn on projects, including upgrading the airport's electrical system. Heathrow had been seeking approval to spend up to £10bn to handle an extra 10 million passengers a year by 2031. Thomas Woldbye, the chief executive of Heathrow airport, said: “We will now review the CAA’s initial proposal in detail to fully understand the implications for delivering the innovation, progress and improvements customers expect. On the face of it, the CAA’s proposal may force choices that create trade-offs for service and delay delivery.” The CAA will publish its final proposals in November, with a final decision expected in April 2027.

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is facing potential medicine shortages due to supply chain disruptions, with the head of NHS England, Jim Mackey, warning that some medicines could run out in weeks or even days. Mackey cited the country's reliance on imports, with 75% of medicines coming from abroad, as a major concern.Mackey revealed that a team is in place to focus on identifying potential risks in the supply chain, and that the NHS is working to mitigate the impact of any disruptions. He stated that the NHS generally has enough medicine to last a few weeks, but that some products may only have days' worth of supply.The concerns about medicine shortages come amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has raised worries about cost implications and supply disruption. Experts have noted that pharmacies are seeing disturbing spikes in prices, which can be an early indicator of challenges.The UK government has stated that there are currently no reported medicine shortages as a result of the conflict, but that they are monitoring the situation closely and have established processes in place to manage disruption across the health and social care sector.

The 2026 International Booker Prize shortlist has been unveiled, marking the award's 10th anniversary. Daniel Kehlmann, Marie NDiaye, and Yáng Shuāng-zǐ are among the six authors competing for the top honor.The annual prize celebrates the best works of fiction translated into English, with the winning author-translator pair receiving £50,000, split equally.The shortlisted authors and their works are:Daniel Kehlmann - 'The Director', translated by Ross BenjaminMarie NDiaye - 'The Witch', translated by Jordan StumpYáng Shuāng-zǐ - 'Taiwan Travelogue', translated by Lin KingRene Karabash - 'She Who Remains', translated by Izidora AngelShida Bazyar - 'The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran', translated by Ruth MartinAna Paula Maia - 'On Earth As It Is Beneath', translated by Padma ViswanathanThe judging panel, chaired by author Natasha Brown, praised the shortlisted books for capturing moments from across the past century, saying they 'reverberate with history' and offer 'hope, insight and burning humanity.'The winner will be announced on May 19, with each shortlisted title receiving £5,000.

California is taking a significant step in regulating the artificial intelligence (AI) industry by introducing new standards for companies seeking to do business with the state. This move directly contradicts former President Donald Trump's stance on keeping the industry as deregulated as possible. Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on March 30, giving the state four months to develop AI policies that prioritize public safety. Companies hoping to secure contracts with California will be required to demonstrate policies that prevent AI from distributing child sexual abuse material and violent pornography. They must also show how their models avoid incorporating “harmful bias” and detail policies aimed at avoiding “unlawful discrimination, detention, and surveillance”. The order also directs the state to come up with best practices for watermarking AI-generated or -manipulated images and videos. Newsom emphasized California's commitment to innovation while ensuring that companies protect people's rights and do not exploit or put them in harm's way. California's actions are part of a broader trend of state-level attempts to regulate an AI industry that has raised public safety concerns and worries about the potential for job displacement due to automation. According to the New York Times, states have passed more than 100 laws to shield children from chatbots and to block AI companies from using copyright-protected material. The White House issued a national policy framework for AI in December that discouraged states from passing such regulations, with Trump's executive order calling for minimal regulation to allow U.S. AI companies to innovate freely. In response, the Justice Department established an “AI Litigation Task Force” to challenge state AI regulations.