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French striker Kylian Mbappe has announced that he has made a full recovery from a knee injury and is eager to play all of Real Madrid's remaining matches in the season run-in. His goal is to build momentum towards the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will take place from June 11 to July 19.Mbappe, 27, had missed four league games this year due to the lingering knee issue. However, he made a comeback by featuring off the bench in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Atletico on Sunday.The forward has been named in the French national squad for friendlies against Brazil on March 26 and Colombia three days later in the United States, which is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico.“I have made a 100 percent recovery,” Mbappe told online sports newspaper AS. “I prepared for the last two World Cups in the best way possible, which is to play, score goals, win titles, and fight until the last minute for my club, and this year I am going to do the same to arrive in top form.”Mbappe had a standout performance in the 2022 World Cup, scoring a hat-trick in France's final loss to Argentina and winning the tournament's golden boot award with eight goals.He also expressed frustration with speculative reports about his recovery, stating that “some false things have been said” about his return for the 1998 and 2018 world champions.France will compete in Group I at the World Cup alongside Norway, Senegal, and the winner of an intercontinental playoff.

Manchester United Women are on the brink of a monumental week in their history, marked by two high-stakes matches that could define their season. The team, led by coach Marc Skinner, will first face Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday. This comes on the heels of a crucial WSL derby against league leaders Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday. The Red Devils will then travel to Munich's Allianz Arena for the second leg against Bayern next Wednesday, seeking to make history by reaching a European semi-final. A successful week could see them establish themselves among Europe's elite, while a disappointing outcome might leave them questioning their progress. Manchester United's journey in the Champions League has been impressive, with their defense standing out as one of the best in the competition. Captain Maya Le Tissier has been a key player, recovering the ball more times than any other player in the Champions League this season. However, they face a formidable Bayern Munich side, which boasts highly skilled players like Klara Bühl and Pernille Harder. Despite injury challenges, including the absence of left-back Anna Sandberg and midfielder Ella Toone, the team received a boost with the return of Jayde Riviere. Skinner emphasized the importance of maximizing this moment, stating, “We’ve got two fantastic games against a brilliant opponent, and we’ve got to maximise the moment.”

Mikaela Shiffrin is poised to make history by claiming her sixth overall World Cup title, tying the women's record held by Austrian legend Annemarie Moser-Pröll. The American skier dominated the slalom event on Tuesday, securing her ninth win in 10 World Cup starts this season, a remarkable achievement that has placed her on the brink of success.Shiffrin's victory, which came with a substantial margin of 1.32 seconds over Wendy Holdener, earned her 100 points in the overall standings. Meanwhile, Emma Aicher's third-place finish kept her within striking distance, trailing Shiffrin by 85 points with only the season-ending giant slalom race remaining.Shiffrin's impressive performance has been a highlight of the season, with her ninth win in slalom events setting a new single-season record in 60 years on the circuit. Her consistent dominance in slalom has also secured her ninth career slalom season title.The final race on Wednesday presents Aicher with a challenging task: she must win to keep her title hopes alive, while Shiffrin can seal the overall title with a top-15 finish that would earn her at least 16 points. Shiffrin's odds are significantly in her favor, given Aicher's lack of experience in World Cup giant slalom events, where Aicher's best finish is fourth place.Shiffrin's achievements extend beyond her current season; her 110th career race win on Tuesday solidifies her position as the skier with the most World Cup victories, surpassing Ingmar Stenmark's record of 86 wins.“This season has been so exciting, quite like a whirlwind,” Shiffrin reflected. “I’m grateful for it.”

England cricketer Ben Duckett has made a significant decision to pull out of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) to focus on his career with the England Test team. Duckett was signed by Delhi Capitals at the IPL auction in December for a substantial £200,000, but he has now withdrawn from the tournament. The decision comes after a combination of a poor Ashes series, where he played all five Tests with a highest score of 42, and heavy travel following his reserve duties at the recent T20 World Cup. Duckett believes that playing for Nottinghamshire will help him regain his form and secure his place in the England team. “It was a very difficult decision, and I want to apologise to everyone at Delhi that I won’t be coming,” Duckett told the Telegraph. “I’ve spent a lot of time away from home in different places, and it felt like the best thing for me to do to be ready to play for England is to be here right now, at home, refreshing my mind and body.” Under IPL rules, players who withdraw from the tournament for reasons other than injury face a three-year ban. Duckett follows in the footsteps of Harry Brook, who also signed for Delhi in 2025 before pulling out to prioritise his England career. Duckett’s recent performances have been under scrutiny, particularly after a video of him drunk on a night out during the team’s mid-tour break in Noosa was published on social media. He has since apologised for the incident, acknowledging that it was unprofessional. The England team is currently under pressure to refresh its lineup after the Ashes defeat. While Duckett’s opening partner, Zak Crawley, may be the likelier to make way for a newcomer, Duckett has shown promise since his return to the Test team in 2022, averaging 42 with six centuries.

Liverpool FC has confirmed that Mohamed Salah will depart the club at the end of the season, marking the end of his nine-year tenure with the team. The announcement was made through a statement released by the club.Salah, who joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017 for £36.9m, has been a pivotal player for the team, scoring 255 goals in 435 appearances and winning numerous titles, including the Premier League golden boot four times. He is third in the club's all-time leading goalscorers chart, behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.In a heartfelt video message posted on social media, Salah expressed his gratitude to the club, the city, and the fans, stating, “Liverpool is not just a football club. It’s a passion, it’s a history, it’s a spirit.” He also thanked his teammates, past and present, for their support throughout his time at the club.During his time with Liverpool, Salah has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League, Fifa Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, FA Cup, and two League Cups, as well as a Community Shield. Despite his departure, Salah remains focused on achieving the best possible finish to the current season for Liverpool.The club has announced plans to give Salah a send-off at Anfield on the last day of the league season in May, when Liverpool plays Brentford. This will provide an opportunity for fans to celebrate his legacy and achievements.

The 2026 Bafta TV award nominations have been announced, with Adolescence, Jack Thorne's groundbreaking drama about a teen accused of murder, leading the pack with 11 nominations. The Netflix psychological crime drama, described by the Guardian as “the closest thing to TV perfection in decades,” has garnered significant attention, including the first Bafta TV performance nominations for supporting actor and actress awards for four of its stars: Ashley Walters, Christine Tremarco, Erin Doherty, and Owen Cooper.Created by Thorne and Stephen Graham, and directed by Philip Barantini, the drama was also nominated for Bafta’s Memorable Moment award for the scene where Jamie snaps at the psychologist. Jane Millichip, CEO of Bafta, praised the diversity and originality of British storytelling, highlighting 124 nominated programmes.First-time nominees include Ellis Howard (What It Feels Like for a Girl) and James Nelson-Joyce (This City is Ours) for best leading actor, as well as best leading actress nominee Narges Rashidi (Prisoner 951). Nine-year-old Rafael Mathé also received his first Bafta nod for best supporting actor in The Death of Bunny Munro, alongside Owen Cooper for Adolescence.A Thousand Blows, a historical drama series created by Steven Knight, received seven nominations, including drama series, leading actress, and costume design. Andor, a politically charged thriller, and Trespasses, an adaptation of Louise Kennedy’s novel, both received six nominations. The Celebrity Traitors received five nominations for presenter Claudia Winkleman and performances.The BBC received the most nominations for a broadcaster, with 73, followed by Netflix and Sky with 28 nominations and Channel 4 with 25. The 2026 TV Baftas will take place on Sunday, May 10, 2026, hosted by Greg Davies.

The UK's manufacturing sector has been hit by the sharpest rise in cost inflation since Black Wednesday in 1992, as the conflict in the Middle East drives up oil prices and disrupts supply chains. According to the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), cost inflation in manufacturing jumped to its highest level since October 2022, marking the largest month-on-month change since 1992.The rapid increases in costs mainly relate to fuel, transportation, and energy-intensive raw materials. The composite PMI index, covering services and manufacturing, stood at 51, suggesting the economy is still expanding, but at a sharply slower pace than the 53.7 seen in February.Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P; Global Market Intelligence, said: "Output growth across manufacturing and services has slowed to a crawl as companies blamed lost business directly on the events in the Middle East, whether through heightened risk aversion among customers, surging price pressures, higher interest rates, or via travel and supply chain disruptions."The CBI's survey of the retail sector also showed the fastest annual decline in sales volumes since April 2020, with the balance of retailers reporting rising sales at -52% in March, down from -43% in February.Martin Sartorius, lead economist at the CBI, said: "Retailers report that weak economic conditions continue to weigh on household spending, with subdued activity also evident across the broader distribution sector."Emily Sawicz, a director and industrials senior analyst at RSM UK, said: "Despite some resilience, geopolitical tensions remain a key concern for UK manufacturers – underscoring that conditions remain highly uncertain. The recovery many hoped to see take hold in 2026 now appears likely to be delayed at best, as rising energy costs and persistent inflation risks threaten to slow momentum."

The documentary 'Transforming the Beautiful Game: The Clyde Best Story' tells the uplifting story of Clyde Best, a trailblazing black footballer who played for West Ham in the early 1970s. Best's journey from Bermuda to London at 17, and his experiences with racism in the sport, are highlighted in the film.The documentary features a stellar lineup of talking heads, including Geoff Hurst, Harry Redknapp, Viv Anderson, John Barnes, Les Ferdinand, Shaka Hislop, and Garth Crooks, who discuss Best's significance and impact on the game. The film also explores Best's pioneering role as one of English elite football's first black players and his influence on succeeding generations of black footballers.Best's story is one of resilience in the face of racism, including virulent abuse from fans and players. However, he also experienced acceptance and support from teammates, such as at West Ham, where he played alongside Clive Charles and Ade Coker. The film notes that in 1972, West Ham became the first top-flight team to field three black players in the same match.After leaving West Ham in 1976, Best played for Tampa in the North American Soccer League (NASL), where he encountered a different cultural environment, free from the racism he faced in England. The documentary also touches on the NASL's attempt to establish itself as a mainstream sport in the US, although it ultimately failed.The film concludes with Best emerging with considerable dignity, reflecting on his legacy and the importance of blazing a trail for future generations. As Best himself says, 'My father taught me: 'Clyde, when you go out there and play, you're not playing for yourself, you're playing for the people coming after you.''

The innaugural Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction has been awarded to Anna Dempsey and Uduak-Abasi Ekong, two emerging writers from the UK and Ireland. The prize, established in memory of the late Booker Prize-winning novelist Hilary Mantel, aims to support unpublished and un-agented writers.Anna Dempsey, a Florida-born writer and teacher who now lives in London, won the prize for her unpublished novel This Is About an Alligator and Nothing Else, taking home £7,500. Her novel is a coming-of-age story set on the edge of the Florida Everglades, where a small town faces a water contamination crisis linked to corporate negligence.Uduak-Abasi Ekong, a Manchester-based Nigerian writer, was named runner-up for her novel A Kind of Resurrection, receiving £2,500. Her novel is a work of psychological horror drawing on West African folklore, in which supernatural elements are intertwined with emotional trauma.The judging panel was chaired by the bestselling author Maggie O’Farrell and featured Nicholas Pearson, Ben Miles, Chetna Maroo, and Chigozie Obioma. The prize is open biennially to unpublished and un-agented writers in the UK and Ireland, who submit an extract of 15,000 words.