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In the hallway at the Portuguese federation's base in Oeiras near Lisbon, Roberto Martínez stands with arms outstretched, embodying the warmth of welcome that has defined his coaching career. Seventy-five days before the World Cup begins, the man whose favorite goal was against Scunthorpe at Springfield Park now leads one of football's most formidable nations, with matches against Mexico and the United States serving as final preparation for the tournament.Martínez's journey to this moment defied conventional expectations. Arriving in England in 1995 as a 21-year-old unknown who didn't speak English, he recalls the cultural shock: 'You've spent your whole life learning you have to look after the ball, then you get there and the first thing they say is: 'Second ball'.' The Spanish midfielder, who would later be dubbed one of the 'Three Amigos' at Wigan, embraced the challenge with an attitude that has defined his career: 'Why not?'From his humble beginnings at Wigan, where he helped win the Third Division and Football League Trophy, Martínez has carved an extraordinary path through football. His coaching career took him through Swansea, Belgium—where he led the team to the world's No. 1 ranking—and now Portugal, where he has inherited a squad filled with exceptional talent. 'Portugal is a football school,' he explains, 'Ten million people and yet they fill the world's best dressing rooms.'Central to Portugal's World Cup aspirations is Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary forward who has given 21 years to the national team. Martínez dismisses the notion that Ronaldo's pursuit of 1,000 career goals defines his motivation, instead emphasizing the 40-year-old's unwavering commitment: 'Cristiano's attitude is always: 'I'm here for the national team, whatever you need.' The coach reveals that despite a current hamstring injury, Ronaldo's absence is merely a two-week pause before his return to action.Portugal enters the World Cup as one of the favorites, with a squad boasting captains from Manchester United, Porto, Manchester City, and four key players from European champions Paris Saint-Germain. 'Winning the Nations League was very good for us,' Martínez notes, referring to their victory against Spain, the world's No. 1 team and European champions. 'I wouldn't say there's an anxiety in Portugal to win the World Cup; I would say it's excitement, hope.'The coach's meticulous preparation extends to every detail, including playing at altitude in closed stadiums to simulate World Cup conditions. His selection process reflects both compassion and pragmatism: 'I'll choose a list of 26 and four others who know they are on standby.' This approach, he believes, creates a more positive environment when injuries occur.Martínez acknowledges the unique challenges of a 48-team World Cup spanning 50 days, noting: 'No scientific study would deny a human is changed by that.' Yet he remains optimistic, drawing inspiration from Portugal's football history and the numerological significance of 2026—sixty years since Eusébio's World Cup performance. 'It's all sixes. Let's dream. Why not?' he concludes, embodying the philosophy that has taken him from Spanish unknown to Portugal's World Cup dreamer.

The UK is on the brink of a medicine shortage crisis, with experts warning that the country is just weeks away from feeling the effects of the ongoing conflict in Iran. The war has already disrupted the supply of essential raw materials, including oil, gas, crop fertiliser, and helium.The pharmaceutical industry, which relies heavily on imports, is particularly vulnerable to these disruptions. India, known as the 'pharmacy of the world', produces a significant proportion of generic drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used globally. However, with the Strait of Hormuz largely closed due to the conflict, the transportation of these vital supplies is becoming increasingly difficult.Medicine prices are also expected to rise as a result of the conflict. The US-Israel war on Iran has doubled air freight costs, which could make some medicines loss-making to supply to the NHS. While suppliers have long-term pricing agreements with NHS hospitals, they have more flexibility to increase prices for drugs supplied to GP practices and pharmacies.The UK's reliance on imported medicines is significant, with about half of its medicines produced domestically, a third coming from India, and another chunk from the EU. During the Covid pandemic, paracetamol and other painkillers were in short supply in Britain and elsewhere, as drugmakers in India struggled to keep up with demand.Medical distributors typically stock six to eight weeks of supplies to avoid shortfalls, but if the conflict drags on, drug shortages could emerge in only a few weeks' time. Experts warn that the overall ripple effect on the industry is significant, with the patient ultimately picking up the tab, either directly or via public health systems like the NHS.

Kano’s bustling Sabon Gari Market has turned into a frontline for Nigeria’s growing e‑waste dilemma. Residents like Marian Shammah, a 34‑year‑old cleaner, purchase second‑hand refrigerators for as little as 50,000 naira (≈ $36), only to see them fail within weeks, forcing them back to the market for another replacement. For many Nigerians, imported used appliances are perceived as more durable than locally produced models, despite the fact that a substantial portion arrives already defective. UN data indicate that roughly 60,000 tonnes of used electronics reach Nigeria each year, with at least 15,700 tonnes damaged on arrival. A 2015‑2016 UN tracking study found that over 85 % of these imports originated from Germany, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, China, the United States and Ireland. These shipments frequently breach the Basel Convention, the international treaty that restricts the export of hazardous e‑waste to countries with weaker environmental safeguards. Yet, exporters exploit loopholes—labeling cargo as “personal effects” or “for repair”—to evade thorough inspections. Health experts warn that the fallout is severe. E‑waste contains substances such as mercury, lead, and banned refrigerants (R‑12, R‑22) that persist in the environment for decades. Informal recyclers in Kano dismantle appliances without protective gear, inhaling toxic fumes and handling heavy metals, which leads to chronic respiratory problems, skin irritation, and even reproductive issues. A recent study by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health linked these symptoms to long‑term toxic exposure among workers and nearby residents. Local medical professionals echo these concerns. Dr. Ushakuma Michael Anenga of the Benue State Teaching Hospital highlighted that heavy‑metal contamination and refrigerant gases jeopardize both respiratory and renal health, especially for children and pregnant women. Economically, the trade offers a false bargain. While a second‑hand fridge may cost half the price of a new unit, failures within months impose hidden costs—spoiled food, repeated purchases, and lost income for small business owners. Vendors such as Umar Hussaini admit that many items are sold “as is,” without warranties or functional testing, and that a significant share of imports arrive with faults. Nigeria’s regulatory body, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), asserts that imports are permitted only when they meet strict functionality criteria. In practice, however, traders often declare goods as household items to bypass scrutiny, and enforcement remains uneven. Industry observers argue that the profit margins for exporters and local brokers—who capitalize on the price differential between costly recycling in Europe and high demand for affordable “tokunbo” goods in Nigeria—are driving the continued influx. Ibrahim Adamu of the NGO Ecobarter calls for reinforced border inspections and extended producer responsibility schemes to shift the financial burden of safe disposal back onto manufacturers. With estimates that up to three‑quarters of imported electronics may be essentially junk, the situation underscores a broader systemic issue: wealthy nations offload hazardous waste while developing economies bear the environmental and health consequences. Until comprehensive enforcement and international accountability mechanisms are established, Nigerian consumers like Shammah will remain caught between the need for affordable appliances and the risk of repeated loss.

The ongoing United States-Israeli conflict with Iran has triggered severe disruptions to global LNG supplies in the Gulf, creating the most significant energy market disruptions in recent years. The critical Strait of Hormuz, through which 27 percent of the world's maritime oil trade and 20 percent of LNG shipments pass, has been brought to a near standstill.In response to the conflict, oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia have rerouted oil through alternative pipelines, while Qatar has completely halted LNG production at its Ras Laffan and Mesaieed facilities following attacks on its energy infrastructure. This disruption comes as natural gas makes up about a quarter of global energy consumption, raising widespread concerns about the impact on nations heavily reliant on gas imports.Natural gas is formed over millions of years from decomposed organic matter subjected to intense heat and pressure beneath the Earth's surface. LNG represents natural gas that has been cooled to -162 degrees Celsius through cryogenic processing, shrinking it to a 600th of its gaseous volume. In its liquid state, LNG is colorless, odorless, and non-flammable, making it safe and efficient to transport across vast distances.Before liquefaction, the gas undergoes purification through water-based solvents and molecular sieve beds to remove impurities including carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, water, and mercury. Heavier hydrocarbons are then separated from methane and ethane through fractionation. The resulting fuel is typically composed of 85 to 95 percent methane, with small amounts of ethane, propane, butane, and nitrogen.LNG is stored in large insulated tanks without requiring high-pressure infrastructure, then pumped onto double-hulled carriers for shipment to terminals worldwide. At destination facilities, LNG is heated using seawater or warm water baths until it vaporizes—a process known as regasification—before being distributed through pipelines for consumption.Once returned to a gaseous state, LNG serves multiple purposes globally. Residential applications include cooking, heating, and electricity generation, while supporting hot water systems in homes and heating for commercial buildings. In power generation, LNG offers a comparatively low-carbon alternative to coal and oil. Industrial applications span fertilizers, plastics, paints, and medicines, with LNG also used to fuel heavy-duty vehicles and ships.The disruption has particularly affected agricultural production, as Gulf nations export close to half the world's traded urea—a key fertilizer component. Natural gas serves as both the primary feedstock and fuel for fertilizer manufacturing, with the halt in production forcing producers across the region to suspend or reduce operations.While primarily valued as an energy source, LNG processing yields significant by-products with industrial and medical applications. The most notable is helium, extracted during cryogenic processing. With global helium production estimated at 180 million cubic meters annually, the disruption to Qatar's LNG facilities has removed approximately 5.2 million cubic meters from the market each month—accounting for about a third of global monthly production.Helium is critical for cooling superconducting magnets in MRI and CT scanners, with the average MRI machine requiring about 1,700 liters of liquid helium. The element is also vital to the data center industry, where it conducts heat away from silicon components, preventing damage to semiconductors. Additionally, the natural gas value chain generates petrochemical derivatives that serve as feedstock for manufactured goods, including medical-grade plastics.According to the International Gas Union's 2025 World LNG Report, 411.24 million tonnes of LNG were traded in 2024. The United States emerged as the largest exporter with 88.4 million tonnes, followed by Australia (81 million tonnes), Qatar (77.2 million tonnes), Russia (33.5 million tonnes), and Malaysia (27.7 million tonnes). Together, these top five suppliers account for more than three-quarters of global LNG supply.China was the largest importer with 78.6 million tonnes in 2024, followed by Japan (67.7 million tonnes), South Korea (47.1 million tonnes), India (26.1 million tonnes), and Taiwan (21.8 million tonnes). These top five importers constituted nearly 59 percent of all global LNG imports that year.South Asian nations face particularly severe risks from the current conflict. Pakistan, where natural gas accounts for 28 percent of electricity generation for its 250 million people, and Bangladesh, where gas supplies half of all electricity for its 176 million population, are heavily dependent on Gulf imports. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates supply approximately 99 percent of Pakistan's LNG imports and 72 percent of Bangladesh's.In response to the energy crisis, Pakistan has implemented emergency measures including a four-day workweek for government employees and extended school holidays. Bangladesh has reduced gas supplies and is seeking nearly $2 billion in international loans to fund energy inputs and maintain price stability. India, which relies on Gulf nations for about half of its LNG and generates 5 percent of its electricity from gas, has shifted toward coal usage as LNG disruptions continue.

Mohaddeseh Fallahat recalled the ordinary morning of February 28 when she prepared her children for school, never imagining it would be the last time she would see them alive. That simple morning routine now haunts her as she struggles to cope with the devastating loss of her two children.Speaking through tears to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva via videolink, Fallahat described the unbearable pain of sending her children off with a smile, only to be met with silence. "My heart burns with pain," she shared, as the memory of their final words—"Mum, come pick us up after school"—repeats endlessly in her mind.Her children were among more than 170 people killed when United States Tomahawk missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh Girls' School in Minab, southern Iran, during the initial hours of the US-Israeli assault. The majority of victims were schoolgirls, marking one of the deadliest attacks on educational facilities in recent memory.Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi addressed the council with strong condemnation, asserting that the attack was no mere miscalculation. "No one can believe that the attack on the school was anything other than deliberate and intentional," he stated, pointing to the advanced precision technologies claimed by American and Israeli forces.Araghchi accused the US and Israel of "slaughtering [victims] in cold blood" and committing "the worst humanitarian crimes with impunity." He called on UN member states to denounce what he described as a "blatantly unjustified" war on Iran, warning that indifference would bring no lasting security or peace.UN special rapporteur on the right to education, Farida Shaheed, presented evidence suggesting the school was "each struck individually by precision munition," indicating intentional targeting. However, ongoing investigations suggest the attack may have resulted from "outdated intelligence" used by the US military.Shaheed emphasized that "the killing of children can never, ever be justified" and highlighted the broader impact on education in Iran, where more than 600 schools and education facilities have been destroyed or severely damaged by US-Israeli attacks, with at least 230 children and teachers confirmed dead.UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk reinforced that targeting schools constitutes a grave violation of international law, stating: "Whatever differences countries have, we can all agree they will not be solved by killing schoolchildren."

Austria is set to introduce a compulsory minimum age of 14 for social media use, with the government citing concerns that certain online platforms are addictive and harmful to young people. The announcement was made by conservative junior minister for digitisation, Alexander Proell, at a joint news conference.“We will decisively protect children and young people in future from the negative effects of social media,” said Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler of the Social Democrats. “We will no longer stand by and watch while these platforms make our children addicted and often also sick … The risks associated with this use were ignored for long enough, and now it is time to act.”The Austrian government plans to draft legislation by June, which will determine which platforms are affected based on their addictive algorithms and content, such as “sexualised violence”. The ban will not target specific platforms but will focus on their impact on young users.This move follows a landmark social media addiction lawsuit in the US, where a jury found Alphabet’s Google and Meta liable for $6m in damages. The case involved a 20-year-old woman who claimed she became addicted to social media apps at a young age due to their platform design. Meta plans to appeal the decision.Other nations in Europe, including France, the UK, Denmark, Spain, and Greece, are also considering or have implemented bans on social media use for children, amid growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks. The European Parliament has called for the EU to set minimum ages for children to access social media, although it is up to member states to impose age limits.

When Hugh Bonneville was first asked to reprise his role as Ian Fletcher in John Morton's workplace satires, his emotions were conflicted. The actor described being 'absolutely delighted' yet 'terrified' at the prospect, calling the experience 'the most painful and horrible' of his television career.Bonneville, now widely recognized for his roles in Downton Abbey and Paddington, first portrayed Fletcher as 'Head of Deliverance of the Olympic Deliverance Commission' in Twenty Twelve. In W1A, he played 'Head of Values' at the BBC. Nine years later, the weary character returns as 'Director of Integrity' at an international football organization hosting a tournament, with its real-world basis deliberately obscured by the production.Despite the seemingly mundane setting of boardroom meetings and PowerPoints, the series stands out for its meticulously constructed naturalism and intricate dialogue. The scripts are twice as long as typical 30-minute sitcoms, featuring stammered half-sentences where the difference between phrases like 'yes well but' and 'but well yes' is profoundly significant.'It's the most impossible thing to learn because sometimes the sentences don't make sense,' Bonneville explains. 'The difference between 'yes well but' and 'but well yes' is profound', he adds, noting that he frequently struggles with the complex dialogue while his co-stars excel.Twenty Twenty Six shifts the setting to Miami, transforming Fletcher from a captain of British politeness into a mediator in American corporate culture. He's reunited with Will Humphries (Hugh Skinner), his hapless intern from BBC days, whose social uncertainty remains unrivalled. 'I'm now describing Will as the Paddington of the office world - he means well, but he's going to bump into everything and set the photocopier on fire,' Bonneville says.The series expands the ensemble with international characters including Belgian chief coordinating attaché Eric Van Dupuytrens, American sustainability head Sarah Campbell, and Mexican 'VP Optics and Narrative' Gabriela De La Rosa. If previous shows examined unspoken British social etiquette, this installment presents more of a culture clash comedy, with Fletcher navigating a world where people express themselves directly rather than through British subtlety.John Morton, the creator, chose the World Cup backdrop not for its football significance but because its unwieldy scale across 16 cities presents fertile ground for comedic mishaps. 'As a writer, you think: hmm, that smells like things could go wrong,' Morton explains. The show addresses contemporary issues including Trump references and environmental concerns, though Morton maintains it's not about football controversies.The filming itself presented unique challenges, with production in a Wembley school transformed to resemble a Miami arts center. Despite the artificial setting, the cast found the UK heat surprisingly authentic to Florida's climate. 'The irony being had we filmed it in Miami, it would have been air-conditioned,' Bonneville laments, capturing the production's British approach to discomfort.

David Chase, the creative mind behind HBO's groundbreaking series The Sopranos, recently shared insights into how the show transformed both his life and television history. The 80-year-old creator revealed that his seminal work was born from personal pain, particularly stemming from his complex relationship with his mother.While in London promoting HBO Max's UK launch, Chase reflected on how The Sopranos elevated HBO from a little-known network focused on sports and standup comedy to a powerhouse of prestige television. Despite the show's monumental success, Chase remains characteristically modest, attributing much of the achievement to luck rather than his own genius."I'd been taking network notes and eating network shit for however many years, and I was done with it," Chase explained of his decision to create The Sopranos after years working on network television shows like The Rockford Files and Northern Exposure. The creative freedom offered by HBO proved transformative, with the network providing minimal notes throughout the series' run.Chase revealed that the show's central premise—a mob boss seeking therapy—was directly inspired by his own difficult family dynamics. "In 1967 at the height of the Vietnam war, my mother said to me, 'I'd rather see you dead than avoid the draft,'" he shared. "I had to create a whole TV series to get over it."The interview also touched on Chase's complex relationship with James Gandolfini, who portrayed Tony Soprano. While acknowledging their creative tensions, Chase defended Gandolfini's commitment to the role, emphasizing that the actor never refused to perform scenes despite his struggles with the character's darkness.When asked about his legacy nearly two decades after The Sopranos concluded, Chase offered a simple yet profound reflection after a long pause: "God is in the details."Looking ahead, Chase discussed his upcoming limited series about MKUltra, the CIA's experimental program that sought to weaponize LSD. The project will explore scientists Sidney Gottlieb and Jolly West, who became consumed by their research into psychedelic substances. "They all went crazy and it became like the big party drug of the 1970s," Chase noted of the scientists' descent.The creator also expressed disappointment about a previously announced project, "A Ribbon of Dreams," about early cinema, which was ultimately shelved after HBO insisted on filming in western Canada. "I thought, 'What are you talking about? I don't even want to go into this,'" Chase recalled of the network's decision.

Wales and Ireland's hopes of qualifying for the World Cup were dashed on Friday as both teams suffered defeats in their playoff semi-finals. Wales lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Ireland was beaten by the Czech Republic. The losses mean both teams will not feature in the upcoming World Cup, with Ireland facing a minimum of 28 years between appearances.The double-screening pain was palpable for fans, with both matches featuring penalty shootouts that ended in heartbreak. Dan James gave Wales the lead against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but they ultimately lost in a shootout. Ireland, on the other hand, went 2-0 up inside 23 minutes against the Czech Republic but also ended in defeat.The losses have left both teams facing a long wait for their next World Cup appearance. For Ireland, it will be a minimum of 28 years, while Wales' wait continues after their last appearance in 2022. The teams will now face friendlies, with Wales set to host Northern Ireland.In other news, Roy Hodgson's return to management with Bristol City has been hailed as 'sensational'. The 78-year-old former England manager has decided to have another crack at it after leaving Crystal Palace.Meanwhile, Iran's men's team paid tribute before their friendly against Nigeria by holding school bags in memory of the victims of a school bombing in Minab, southern Iran, which killed between 175 and 180 people, most of them girls between the ages of seven and 12.