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The FA Cup quarter-finals are set to take center stage this weekend, with Manchester City hosting Liverpool in a highly anticipated match. Meanwhile, Southampton and Port Vale are the remaining hopes for a giant killing.Elsewhere, Chelsea's accounts have made for interesting reading, revealing a complex financial situation. Additionally, Marc Cucurella's comments on international duty have shed light on the state of affairs at Chelsea.The panel also discusses a big weekend ahead in the Championship, with Nick Ames' recent trip to Kosovo and Women's Champions League drama. The episode also features answers to listener questions.

Police body‑camera video obtained by the Guardian reveals the moment Tiger Woods was handcuffed following a rollover collision in Martin County, Florida. Deputy Tatiana Levenar told the 50‑year‑old golfer that his faculties appeared impaired and placed him under arrest for driving under the influence. When Woods asked, “I’m being arrested?,” the deputy replied succinctly, “Yes, sir.” The footage also captures officers discovering a pill bottle in his pocket, which Woods identified as “a Norco,” a brand name for the prescription opioid hydrocodone used to manage his chronic back pain. Woods explained that he had been looking at his phone and changing the radio when his Land Rover struck a truck and rolled onto its side. He described the incident to deputies as “looked down at my phone, and all of a sudden – boom.” He later denied consuming alcohol, noting a negative breath test, though he refused a urine analysis. During the encounter, Woods mentioned having just spoken with “the president” on his phone, a reference that remains ambiguous. He has been linked to Vanessa Trump, former daughter‑in‑law of former President Donald Trump, who awarded Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019. Trump, speaking to the New York Post, emphasized Woods’ ongoing physical struggles, stating, “He doesn’t have an alcohol problem, but he does have pain.” He highlighted the golfer’s extensive injury history, including multiple back surgeries and a ruptured Achilles tendon. According to Deputy Levenar’s arrest report, Woods was hiccuping and required prompting to keep his head still during field‑sobriety tests. She concluded that his observed impairment rendered him unfit to operate a vehicle safely. After a breath test showed no alcohol, Woods was released on bail eight hours later. His next court appearance is set for 5 May, where a readiness‑for‑trial hearing will be held. In a statement released on Tuesday, Woods announced he is stepping away from competitive golf to seek treatment and prioritize his health. He has not played on the PGA Tour since July 2024, though he appeared recently in the TGL indoor league he co‑founded with Rory McIlroy.

Out of roughly 43 million Americans who collectively owe close to $1.7 trillion in student loans, only a limited number have seen their balances wiped clean. For those fortunate few, the impact has been profound, reshaping financial stability and opening new career possibilities.Laura Kluss, a 41‑year‑old clinical social worker from Sacramento, California, received forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program at the end of 2025. Her loan, which had ballooned into the six‑figure range, was reduced to zero, allowing her to consider a shift from government work to the private sector without the weight of debt.Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Education began alerting approximately 164,000 additional federal borrowers that they may qualify for automatic loan discharge. The outreach focuses on individuals who attended any of more than 150 colleges alleged to have misled students about graduation rates, employment outcomes, or true program costs.For borrowers like Kimberly from Pennsylvania, the news feels like “hitting the lottery.” She explained that the forgiveness will enable her to settle other obligations, such as her mortgage and vehicle loan, and she warned that “college is a scam unless you become a doctor or a lawyer,” urging prospective students to consider trade schools instead.Ian Hobbs, a 43‑year‑old adjunct professor in Arizona, also saw his loans discharged, yet he stresses lingering repercussions. He noted that a high debt‑to‑income ratio has blocked mortgage approvals and job opportunities for over a decade, describing the experience as akin to “indentured slavery.”Jennifer Alfonso, a disabled stay‑at‑home wife from Florida, is awaiting a decision on a Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge. She said that relief would prevent automatic deductions from her SSDI benefits, which currently leave her barely able to cover basic living costs.Alfonso also cautioned others to verify a school’s accreditation, recounting her own ordeal with an unaccredited institution that forced her to restart her nursing education after transferring credits.Brad Hufeld, a retiree in Delaware, Ohio, has carried a loan for 23 years after his college closed before he could graduate. He highlighted the personal toll, including the loss of his mother during that period, and urged borrowers to read the fine print before signing up for any program.A woman in her 60s working at a bottling plant in Kentucky, who filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy two years ago, expressed hope that forgiveness could finally allow her to retire and keep her bills current.Finally, a 65‑year‑old semi‑retired truck driver in Texas, whose loan finances a truck‑driving certification rather than a degree, said that discharge would improve his credit score and provide much‑needed financial relief, adding a reminder to “do your homework before committing to any educational path.”p>

Several readers of The Guardian have voiced strong opinions that the classic British pub ought to be treated as an adult‑only environment. They contend that the interior of a pub, where alcohol is served in large quantities, is fundamentally a space for grown‑ups to relax, converse, and enjoy a drink without the added responsibility of supervising children. Diane Silva of Bournemouth, Dorset emphasizes that while a beer garden might accommodate a family‑friendly dining area during daylight hours, the indoor setting should remain reserved for adults. She likens the situation to adults avoiding children’s play areas such as McDonald’s ball pits or playground swings, noting that “it’s not our space.” Other contributors echo this sentiment. Penny McPhillips from Garstang, Lancashire recalls a past legal claim involving a theatre patron who slipped on ice, suggesting that entitlement among customers can lead to a broader abdication of responsibility, especially when tickets, drinks, or even school uniforms have been purchased. Nigel Linford of Eastbourne, East Sussex adds a cultural reference, quoting WC Fields: “Any man who hates dogs and children can’t be all bad,” to underline the notion that discomfort with children in certain public venues does not make one wholly unreasonable. The letters also mention pub landlord Egil Johansen, who, according to the writers, is not alone in feeling pressured by customer expectations that blur the line between family hospitality and adult leisure. Overall, the correspondence calls for a clearer distinction between indoor pub spaces—reserved for adult patrons—and outdoor areas that could safely host families, thereby preserving the traditional role of the pub as a “wind‑down” spot for adults.

The EFL Championship kicks off an action‑filled Easter weekend, with promotion, playoff and relegation battles all still wide open. Coventry City, under Frank Lampard, sit comfortably in the automatic promotion places, enjoying an 11‑point cushion over third‑placed Ipswich Town ahead of their upcoming clash with Derby County. One of the marquee fixtures sees Middlesbrough host Millwall. Millwall manager Alex Neil, while downplaying the match, hinted that a win could thrust the Lions back into the promotion conversation for the first time since the early 2000s. At the Hawthorns, Wrexham take on West Bromwich Albion in a game that could keep their playoff hopes alive. West Brom, after a long winless spell, have finally found form under James Morrison, securing back‑to‑back victories. In a surprising managerial change, Bristol City have dismissed Gerhard Struber and appointed a 78‑year‑old interim coach, referred to as “Mr Roy”, who will debut against Charlton Athletic. Meanwhile, Sheffield United host Swansea City in a mid‑table encounter that promises a lively atmosphere at Bramall Lane. Relegation‑battling Sheffield Wednesday aim to end a 33‑game winless streak when they face Stoke City, needing six points from their final seven games to avoid the drop. Leicester City remain under pressure after a points deduction, fighting alongside Oxford, Portsmouth, West Brom and Blackburn to stay clear of League One. Conversely, Lincoln City could clinch promotion – their first return to the second tier since 1961 – with a home win over AFC Wimbledon. In a side note, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard praised Mohamed Salah’s extended stay at Anfield, highlighting the former’s influence on the Egyptian striker’s decision to remain.

A Lebanese‑French visual artist, Ali Cherri, has lodged a formal complaint with the French war‑crimes unit in Paris, accusing Israel of committing a war crime after a 2024 airstrike on his family home in Beirut killed his parents and a domestic worker. The filing marks the first time a French court has taken up a case concerning Israel’s bombing of Lebanon and is an unusual move by an individual to pursue war‑crimes accountability. Israel has faced repeated accusations of violating international humanitarian law in Lebanon and Gaza, including attacks on civilians, medical facilities and forced displacement, yet no Israeli officials have been prosecuted to date. Cherri said, "Our demand is that an investigation is opened so that we know for a fact what happened, to name this attack as a war crime against civilians, and hopefully be able to name the people responsible." The apartment, built by his grandparents in central Beirut, was struck a few hours before a cease‑fire between Hezbollah and Israel took effect on 26 November 2024. The 13‑month conflict had already claimed roughly 4,000 Lebanese lives. The blast, which gave no prior evacuation warning, destroyed three floors, killing Cherri’s 86‑year‑old father Mahmoud Naib Cherri, 76‑year‑old mother Nadira Hayek, their employee Birki Negesa and four other civilians. In February, Amnesty International’s investigation concluded there was no military target at the time of the strike and urged that the incident be examined as a war crime. Forensic Architecture, a UK‑based investigative group that helped draft the complaint, produced a 3‑D reconstruction of the building and identified the munition as a GBU‑39 guided bomb – a 250 lb US‑made weapon frequently used by Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The analysis underscored the targeted nature of the attack and, according to the group, demonstrated direct responsibility of the Israeli army. Amnesty International’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, Heba Morayef, called the French civil complaint “a rare opportunity” to hold Israel accountable in a European court, given the usual impunity. The case arrives amid renewed hostilities: on 2 March Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel, prompting an Israeli aerial campaign and ground invasion that has killed 1,318 people so far. Photographer Mohammed Shehab, who collaborated with Forensic Architecture on the Cherri investigation, was himself killed in an Israeli strike on 11 March, which also claimed his infant daughter’s life and wounded his wife – an incident the group described as “circumstances similar” to the Cherri bombing. While Cherri doubts any Israeli officials will face criminal charges, he insists that filing the suit is a moral duty to give a voice to victims who cannot pursue legal recourse themselves.

NASA's Artemis II mission is on track to make history as four astronauts prepare to leave Earth's orbit and embark on a journey towards the moon. This 10-day voyage marks a significant milestone in the US space agency's ambitious plan to land humans back on the lunar surface this decade and establish a permanent presence there.The crew, consisting of three Americans and one Canadian, launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday. After a series of tests and preparations, they are set to perform a translunar injection burn, a six-minute engine firing that will send the Orion spacecraft on its path to the moon.During their journey, the astronauts will loop around the back of the moon, becoming the four people to travel the farthest from Earth in history. They will then use the moon's gravity to launch back home. This mission is expected to break the record for distance traveled away from Earth, currently held by the Apollo 13 crew, who reached 248,655 miles (400,171km) in 1970.The Artemis II mission is a crucial test of NASA's capabilities, with future missions aiming to land astronauts on the moon's south pole as early as 2028. The US is in a new space race with China, which plans to send a crewed mission to the same lunar region as early as 2030. NASA's long-term goal is to build a lunar base that can house a permanent human presence, bringing humanity closer to living on the moon and Mars.

UK drivers are being urged to hunt for the cheapest petrol as they prepare for an estimated 21.7 million journeys over the Easter bank‑holiday weekend – the busiest on the roads since 2022. Data from the RAC shows that the average price of a litre of unleaded petrol jumped 20p in March, rising from 132.83p on 1 April to 152.83p on 31 April. This is the fastest monthly increase on record, eclipsing the previous high of 16.6p recorded in June 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. RAC policy chief Simon Williams called the rise “unprecedented” but stressed that travellers should fill up as usual and seek the cheapest forecourts nearby ahead of the holiday rush. To ease congestion, National Highways will temporarily suspend 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of roadworks on motorways and major A‑roads in England from Thursday through Easter Monday. The AA predicts this will accommodate roughly 1 million additional trips compared with last year, with traffic expected to peak on Thursday when schools break up. Analysts warn that the sharp fuel‑price surge may curb spending on trips. Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at the Wealth Club, noted that shorter journeys and fewer on‑the‑road purchases, such as chocolate treats, are likely. AA survey data shows that just over half of travellers plan to drive less than 50 miles, 5 % expect journeys of 50‑100 miles, about 1 % aim for 100‑200 miles, and fewer than 1 % anticipate trips beyond 200 miles. Rail disruptions are set to push more motorists onto the motorways. Engineering works will suspend west‑coast mainline services between London Euston and Milton Keynes from Good Friday to 8 April, and there will be no trains on several routes—including Preston to Lancaster (4‑5 April), Winchester to Southampton, and Herne Bay to Ramsgate—while services between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction will be reduced. Despite domestic challenges, the travel trade body ABTA estimates that 2 million UK residents will travel abroad this weekend. EasyJet is gearing up for its busiest Easter period yet, planning to operate 16,000 flights from UK airports over the two‑week school break. Passengers heading to the European Union should also prepare for potential two‑hour delays due to the rollout of the EU’s Entry‑Exit System, which requires third‑country nationals, including UK travellers, to submit photographs and fingerprints before entering the Schengen area.

The Champions Cup’s single‑leg knockout stage has historically favoured hosts – only two of the 24 matches since the format’s introduction three years ago have seen the home side lose. This weekend’s fixtures threaten to upend that trend.Defending champions Bordeaux Bègles have been quoted at 1‑100 odds to defeat a severely weakened Leicester Tigers on Sunday – a price more suited to a two‑horse race. The Tigers will be without key internationals Ollie Chessum, Joe Heyes and Nicky Smith, all ruled out for the match.Coach Geoff Parling has elected to rest his forward trio to preserve a top‑four finish in the domestic league, a decision that underscores the growing difficulty English clubs face in juggling league ambitions with European knockout demands.Parling’s dilemma echoes a similar scenario a year ago when Saracens rested their stars and suffered a crushing 72‑point defeat to Toulon. Alongside Saracens, Harlequins, Leicester and Sale collectively conceded 215 points and exited the competition without a whisper of a fight. Only Bath Rugby has managed to maintain sufficient squad depth to compete on both fronts.The competition’s structure is locked in until 2030, with a 2028 twist that will see the eight quarter‑finalists face seven Super Rugby Pacific teams and one Japanese side, aiming to crown a true world club champion every four years. Yet the packed calendar – culminating in the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Six Nations – raises serious questions about player availability.“I just don’t know how you fit everything in,” Parling admitted. “The game is very physical now. We all want the best versus the best, but it is what it is.”Knockout success now demands back‑to‑back weekend victories. For example, if Northampton Saints overcome Castres on Friday night, they will face a fully‑strengthened Bath the following week, unless Saracens can engineer a dramatic turnaround after their recent 62‑15 Premiership loss at the Rec.Other clubs face similar uphill battles: Harlequins could earn a Dublin trip after beating Sale, only to recall their heavy 62‑0 defeat to Leinster in April; Bristol might pull off a miracle in Toulouse but would likely meet Bordeaux in the last eight.South African provinces are gathering momentum, with the Stormers and Bulls arguably better placed to silence home crowds in Glasgow and Toulon than earlier in the season. Stormers coach John Dobson quipped, “What will it take us to win? Venus to align with Uranus and Saturn.”Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors have become notoriously difficult to beat at Scotstoun. If any of the traditional powerhouses – Northampton, Bath, Toulon, Glasgow, Toulouse, Harlequins, Bordeaux or Leinster – fail to reach the quarter‑finals, their conquerors will have defied the odds.