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The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has stopped short of fully backing Steve Borthwick as England's head coach for the upcoming Nations Championship fixtures. However, RFU CEO Bill Sweeney emphasized that their primary focus is on supporting the existing coaching team.Sweeney's comments suggest that Borthwick is likely to lead England in their summer Test matches against South Africa, Fiji, and Argentina, pending the outcome of a formal review into their disappointing Six Nations campaign. The review aims to identify areas for improvement and provide additional support to the coaching team.A key point of interest is the absence of discussions with Andy Farrell, the Ireland head coach, whose contract expires after the 2027 World Cup. Farrell has a strong track record, having led Ireland to two Six Nations titles and a successful Lions tour. Sweeney confirmed that there are 'no approaches' to Farrell and that their focus remains on supporting Borthwick.The RFU's review process is expected to conclude by the end of April. Potential changes or additions to Borthwick's backroom team are being considered, including the possibility of creating a new general manager role similar to that of Rassie Erasmus with South Africa.England's upcoming fixtures pose significant challenges, particularly against South Africa in Johannesburg. The team will also face logistical hurdles with matches against Fiji and Argentina, including a long travel schedule.

Senegal's football governing body has vowed to mount a crusade against the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision to strip the country of its African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title. The CAF's ruling was made after Senegal walked off the pitch in protest at a potentially decisive penalty awarded to Morocco in the final.The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has lodged an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision, with its legal team warning that the case could reshape the world of football and undermine the principle that refereeing decisions are final."This decision cannot even be considered a true sporting justice ruling – it is so crude, so absurd, so irrational," lawyer Juan de Dios Crespo Perez, representing Senegal's ruling body, told a news conference on Thursday.The FSF president, Abdoulaye Fall, said: "In the face of this administrative robbery, the FSF refuses fatality. We will fight a moral and legal crusade."Senegal's legal team has gathered international lawyers from Switzerland, Spain, France, and Senegal to plead the case, with lawyer Seydou Diagne saying the country suffered a "betrayal" and that they are asking CAS to speed up the process.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a new eligibility policy for female category events at the Olympics, excluding transgender women athletes from competing in women's sports. This decision aligns with US President Donald Trump's executive order on sports, which aims to keep biological males out of women's sports.The IOC's policy, set to take effect at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, requires a mandatory gene test once in an athlete's career to determine eligibility. The test screens for the SRY gene, typically found on the Y chromosome, which initiates male sex development.According to the IOC, biological males have a performance advantage of 10-12% in most running and swimming events, and at least 20% in most throwing and jumping events. This advantage can be greater than 100% in explosive power events, such as punching sports.The policy change has been met with criticism from human rights experts and activist groups, who argue that the mandatory gender screening is invasive and discriminatory. The IOC has stated that the policy aims to protect "fairness, safety, and integrity in the female category."Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic champion runner from South Africa, has been a prominent figure in the debate over female eligibility. The IOC's policy document details its research on the physical advantages retained by biological males, which it believes are retained even after transitioning.The US Olympic body has updated its guidance to national sports bodies, citing an obligation to comply with the White House's executive order. President Trump signed the order in February 2023, pledging to deny visas to athletes attempting to compete at the LA Olympics if they do not comply with the new rules.

The United Nations has taken a significant step towards acknowledging the atrocities of transatlantic slavery, adopting a resolution that labels it as the 'gravest crime against humanity'. The resolution, proposed by Ghana, was passed with 123 countries in favor, 3 opposed, and 52 abstaining.The resolution is not legally binding but carries substantial political weight. It calls for reparations and urges member states to engage in dialogue on the issue, including issuing formal apologies, returning stolen artifacts, providing financial compensation, and ensuring guarantees of non-repetition.Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama, a key architect of the resolution, hailed its adoption as 'a route to healing and reparative justice'. The resolution's passage is seen as a crucial step towards addressing the ongoing impacts of slavery, which saw at least 12.5 million Africans abducted and sold between the 15th and 19th centuries.Despite the progress, there is growing backlash from Western leaders who oppose discussing reparations, arguing that today's states and institutions should not be held responsible for historical wrongs. The EU and the US expressed concerns that the resolution could imply a hierarchy among crimes against humanity.The Netherlands remains the only European country to have issued a formal apology for its role in slavery. The resolution comes after the African Union set out to create a 'unified vision' among its 55 member states about what reparations for slavery may look like.

The reliance on oil revenue has significant implications for countries like Iran and Nigeria, as well as the broader African continent. Economic diversification remains a crucial goal for these nations to mitigate the risks associated with fluctuating oil prices and global energy trends.Africa, in particular, faces a complex situation, as many countries on the continent are heavily reliant on oil exports to drive economic growth. This oil dependency can make these nations vulnerable to external economic shocks and limit their ability to invest in long-term sustainable development.Iran and Nigeria, as two of Africa's largest oil producers, are working to diversify their economies and reduce their dependence on oil revenue. This process involves investing in alternative sectors, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and renewable energy, to create a more resilient and sustainable economic foundation.

Senegal has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a bid to overturn the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to strip them of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and hand the trophy to Morocco. The appeal comes after CAF upheld a complaint by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, citing Senegal's infringement of tournament regulations when their players walked off the pitch in protest during the AFCON final on January 18. The final had ended 1-0 in extra time in favor of Senegal, but CAF declared the match a 3-0 defeat for Senegal, making Morocco the champions. The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) is now seeking to have the CAF decision overturned and be declared the winners of AFCON. The controversy began when Morocco was awarded a disputed penalty in injury time, leading to Senegalese players halting the game for nearly 20 minutes in protest. The penalty was saved, but Senegal eventually scored the winning goal in extra time. CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb stated that the arbitration proceedings would be conducted swiftly while ensuring a fair hearing for all parties involved. CAF president Patrice Motsepe has expressed support for the right of African countries to appeal to CAS, emphasizing that the continent's football governing body would respect the decision taken at the highest level. In related news, both Senegal and Morocco are set to play friendly matches as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup. Senegal will face Peru on Saturday, while Morocco will play Ecuador on Friday and Paraguay on March 31.

A recent report backed by the United Nations has found that social media use is linked to a decline in happiness among young people in Western countries. The World Happiness Report, which covers 15 Western countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, reveals a significant decline in youth wellbeing over the past two decades.The report suggests that heavy social media use is a contributing factor to this decline, particularly in countries where social media use is prevalent. However, it's noted that outside of the English-speaking world and Western Europe, the links between social media use and wellbeing are more positive and vary between platforms.Western countries dominate the overall happiness rankings across age groups, with Finland ranking as the world's happiest nation for the ninth consecutive year. In contrast, Middle Eastern and African countries had the lowest happiness scores, with Afghanistan reporting the lowest life satisfaction.The report, published by the University of Oxford's Wellbeing Research Centre in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, cites concerns over social media's impact on mental health, including bullying, sexual exploitation, and worsening mental health. In response, countries like Australia have introduced social media bans for under 16s, with similar restrictions planned in Indonesia, France, and Greece.

Matt Brittin, Google's former top executive in Europe, has been selected as the next director general of the BBC. Brittin, who stepped down as Google's president in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa last year, will replace Tim Davie at a critical juncture for the corporation. The 57-year-old's appointment was confirmed after a BBC board discussion on Thursday. Brittin, a former Olympic rower and Doctor Who fan, is seen as a substantial figure capable of diving straight into crucial government talks over the renewal of the BBC's royal charter. However, his lack of editorial experience has been noted by insiders, who worry about his ability to deal with the periodic crises that occur at the corporation. The BBC is now expected to create the role of deputy director general to support Brittin, with a new head of BBC News also to be appointed. Brittin expressed his excitement about the role, stating: “Now, more than ever, we need a thriving BBC that works for everyone in a complex, uncertain and fast-changing world.” Samir Shah, the BBC's chair, praised Brittin's experience, saying he had “deep experience of leading a high-profile and highly complex organisation through transformation”. The appointment comes after some early favourites for the role dropped out or declined to apply amid concerns that scrutiny and political attacks aimed at the BBC have made leading it one of the hardest jobs in public life. Brittin's lengthy career at Google will also be significant in his new job, particularly as the BBC lays out plans to save considerable costs using a new tech division and forges a new relationship with YouTube, which is owned by Google. The licence fee model is also under pressure, with more people opting not to pay.

The UK government's recent announcement to make significant cuts to direct aid to Africa and the Middle East has been met with deep disappointment. This move is seen as a moral dereliction of duty, betraying the world's most marginalised, and a false economy that will bring greater instability to the world and make people less safe. The cut in aid to 0.3% of gross national income (GNI) from 2027 breaks Labour's 2024 manifesto pledge to restore development spending at the level of 0.7% of GNI “as soon as fiscal circumstances allow”. The UK is making the steepest proportion of aid cuts among G7 nations. As James Mattis, Donald Trump's defence secretary, once said: “If you don’t fund the state department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition ultimately.” This highlights the shortsightedness of cutting aid, which could lead to more conflict, famine, and persecution. The UK itself benefits materially from these investments. The recent inquiry by the all-party parliamentary group on global health and security on international health worker recruitment highlights the extent to which the NHS and wider economy rely on the skills, expertise, and partnerships rooted in the global south. The UK has saved £14bn in training costs through international recruitment and continues to depend on globally trained health professionals. Investment in global vaccination, disease surveillance, and research helps stop outbreaks before they spread internationally and place pressure on health systems. Preventing disease at source is one of the smartest investments we can make to protect patients in Britain. The situation in Somalia, on the edge of famine, underscores the importance of sustained investment in global development. Two consecutive failed rainy seasons have left 6.5 million people in crisis, more than double the number a year ago. The UK's humanitarian relief in Somalia is welcome, but the scrapping of nature funding and cuts to climate aid risk compromising its own strategy of preventing crisis before it takes hold.