Global Pulse

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  • Vaccine breakthrough stops cancer returning in trial

    Vaccine breakthrough stops cancer returning in trial

    A groundbreaking clinical trial has delivered encouraging early results for a novel personalized cancer vaccine, marking what experts describe as a potential turning point in the global fight against skin cancer. Developed in a collaborative partnership between pharmaceutical giants Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside the United States) and biotechnology leader Moderna, the experimental treatment combines the newly developed vaccine, branded Intismeran, with Keytruda – a widely used existing immunotherapy drug for cancer care.

    The phase three clinical trial enrolled over 1,000 patients diagnosed with high-risk melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer. All participants underwent surgical removal of their tumors before receiving either the combined vaccine-drug treatment or Keytruda as a standalone therapy. Early data released by the two companies shows that the combination therapy significantly extended cancer-free survival periods for patients and cut the risk of melanoma spreading to distant organs compared to single-drug treatment.

    Unlike traditional cancer treatments, this new therapy leverages the same mRNA technology that powered many widely used COVID-19 vaccines to create a one-of-a-kind treatment tailored to each patient. To develop the personalized jab, scientists first sequence the DNA of a small sample taken from the patient’s tumor during surgery. This genetic data allows them to design a vaccine that targets unique mutations present in the patient’s cancer cells, training the immune system to specifically identify and attack any remaining cancer cells that may cause recurrence.

    Clinical and public health leaders have welcomed the early findings, while urging caution as the full trial data has not yet been published or subjected to independent peer review. Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, called the development an exciting advance in immuno-oncology. “Most existing cancer immunotherapies work by broadly freeing up the immune system to target cancer, but this new approach directly directs the immune system to the patient’s unique tumor,” Johnson explained in an interview with the BBC’s Today Programme. He added that the NHS is already making preparations to roll out this new class of treatment to patients once it receives regulatory approval.

    Dr. Lennard Lee, a consultant medical oncologist and associate professor at the University of Oxford, noted that the results carry implications far beyond melanoma treatment. “This trial provides the first large-scale proof of principle that personalized cancer vaccines actually work,” Lee said. Cancer Research UK’s head of prevention and early detection, Dr. Talisia Quallo, echoed the cautious optimism, stating that “this research shows real promise, but the interim data must undergo full independent review before we can draw definitive conclusions. Continued investment in this line of research is critical to expanding access to personalized treatment that helps more cancer patients live longer, higher-quality lives.”

    Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel described the trial outcome as a “pivotal moment” for cancer research worldwide. Beyond melanoma, the two companies are already running clinical trials for similar personalized mRNA vaccines targeting three other common cancer types: lung, bladder, and kidney cancer. Following the announcement of the early results, share prices for both Moderna and Merck rose sharply in global markets.

    Even if the trial’s positive results hold up through full review, the treatment still faces multiple regulatory and access hurdles. It must first receive formal approval from global medical regulators, followed by a separate approval process before it can be made routinely available to patients through the UK’s National Health Service. Full detailed results from the phase three trial are scheduled to be presented at an international medical conference in October this year.

  • Protesters call off 26-day agitation over exam irregularities in Indian state

    Protesters call off 26-day agitation over exam irregularities in Indian state

    After 26 days of sustained public protest over widespread allegations of corruption and misconduct in state government recruitment exams, student and job-seeker protesters in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand have agreed to suspend their demonstration, following a series of key concessions from the state government. The mass movement, which drew thousands of participants and included multiple hunger strikes by demonstrators demanding systemic reform of the state’s public sector hiring process, finally reached a breakthrough this week after officials announced sweeping policy changes to address the protesters’ core concerns.

    The unrest began in late July, sparked by public allegations of manipulation following the release of preliminary civil service exam results. Candidates raised alarms when leaked answer sheets shared online appeared to show that top-scoring applicants had answered fewer questions correctly than lower-ranked competitors, triggering widespread public anger over systemic fraud. The protest movement gained additional momentum in the wake of a larger, high-profile demonstration in New Delhi that ultimately forced the resignation of India’s federal education minister, putting severe political pressure on Jharkhand’s ruling coalition government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

    For nearly four weeks, hundreds of protesters maintained a continuous encampment at a stadium in the state capital of Ranchi, refusing to stand down until their demands for independent investigation and systemic reform were met. To break the weeks-long deadlock, the state government has agreed to cancel 22 controversial recruitment exams, and ordered a full investigation into dozens of additional past hiring tests. In a key compromise to resolve a sticking point over calls for an investigation by the federal Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) — which the state government had repeatedly rejected — protesters have agreed to accept an independent judicial inquiry into the allegations, with a two-month deadline for the government to finalize the inquiry process and deliver on its remaining commitments.

    Thus far, the state’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has already made multiple arrests in connection with the alleged irregularities, including the chair of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), the state body that administers most public sector recruitment exams. Earlier this week, Soren confirmed that “many shocking facts are emerging” from the ongoing CID probe, and announced that all exams administered by private hiring contractor TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL) would be canceled, with a full review of all recruitment exams held in the state dating back to 2014.

    Following the announcement of the agreement on Wednesday, protesters cleared the Ranchi protest site, holding celebratory gatherings where they exchanged garlands and set off fireworks to mark what they frame as a landmark win for student organizers. Student activist Ravindra Paswan, a key leader of the movement, emphasized that the suspension of agitation is conditional, noting that protesters will immediately resume demonstrations if the government fails to meet the two-month deadline for completing all promised reforms and investigations. Paswan added that if the judicial inquiry is not delivered as agreed, organizers will renew their push for a full CBI probe into the scandal.

    While the agreement has ended the immediate standoff, it has also sparked an unexpected new political conflict: the cancellation of flawed exams has triggered protests from candidates who already passed the contested tests and started working in government roles. These successful candidates have argued that they earned their positions through legitimate merit, and should not be penalized for misconduct committed by other parties or state officials. Dozens have already filed petitions with the Jharkhand High Court contesting the cancellations, and it remains unclear what will become of their current appointments if the state investigation confirms widespread fraud in the exam processes.

    Public sector government jobs are among the most sought-after positions in India, prized for their unprecedented job security and stable benefits. Every year, millions of Indian candidates spend months or even years preparing for competitive recruitment exams, hoping to secure one of the limited available roles. However, India’s public recruitment system has been plagued by repeated scandals in recent years, with regular allegations of pre-exam paper leaks, organized cheating, and systemic corruption that have eroded public trust in the hiring process. Recruitment processes also often drag on for years, leaving even qualified candidates facing extended periods of uncertainty about their employment prospects.

    Politically, the protest has put Jharkhand’s ruling coalition — made up of Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Indian National Congress, and several smaller regional parties — on the defensive. The state’s main opposition party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s national Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has publicly backed the protesters throughout the standoff, turning the recruitment scandal into a major political flashpoint ahead of upcoming state electoral cycles.

  • Prosecutor tells Australian appeals court mushroom poisoning murderer should never be released

    Prosecutor tells Australian appeals court mushroom poisoning murderer should never be released

    MELBOURNE, Australia – Prosecutors have formally urged an Australian appellate court to impose a permanent life sentence without any possibility of parole on Erin Patterson, the 51-year-old woman convicted of murdering three of her estranged husband’s relatives using toxic death cap mushrooms at a 2023 homemade lunch. The arguments were delivered Thursday to a three-judge panel of the Victoria Court of Appeal, as part of two simultaneous appeals: one from prosecutors challenging the leniency of Patterson’s original sentence, and a second from Patterson herself appealing her three murder convictions and one count of attempted murder.

    During the original sentencing in September 2024, trial judge Christopher Bale ruled that Patterson must serve 33 years behind bars before becoming eligible to apply for parole. Prosecutor Brendan Kissane told the appellate panel this original non-parole period is “manifestly inadequate” given the severity of the crimes. Kissane argued that Patterson should be barred from ever being considered for parole, but added that if the judges declined to issue a whole-life order, they should at minimum set a non-parole period longer than the original 33 years.

    “That’s a harsh submission to make,” Kissane acknowledged of the request to eliminate any chance of parole. “But … it’s demanded by the nature of the offending,” he added, describing Patterson’s actions as “pitiless behavior” and “truly dreadful.” Court documents submitted by the prosecution note there is no prior case in Australian legal history factually comparable to these crimes, for reference, the prosecution cited two prior Australian mass murder cases where offenders received far longer non-parole terms: Osman Shaptafaj, who killed his daughter and her son-in-law over an uninvited wedding attendance, received a 35-year non-parole period in 2022, while Jaymes Todd, who raped and murdered comedian Eurydide Dixon in 2018, was ordered to serve 43 years behind bars before parole eligibility.

    Under Victoria state law, judges are required to set a fixed non-parole period for murder convictions unless the nature of the offense or the defendant’s criminal history makes a minimum term inappropriate. Under the original 33-year term, Patterson would only become eligible for parole consideration at the age of 82, a timeline prosecutors argue is still insufficient for the gravity of her crimes.

    The deadly incident dates back to July 2023, when Patterson hosted a lunch at her rural Leongatha property, serving homemade beef Wellington pastries laced with death cap mushrooms, one of the deadliest naturally occurring toxic fungi in the world. Those who ate the meal included Don and Gail Patterson, parents of Erin Patterson’s estranged husband Simon, Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, and Heather’s husband Ian Wilkinson. Simon Patterson was invited but did not attend the gathering. Don, Gail and Heather all died within days of the lunch, while Ian Wilkinson spent weeks in intensive care before surviving the poisoning.

    During her trial, Patterson maintained the poisoning was a tragic accident, claiming she had misidentified the toxic mushrooms as an edible variety when she foraged them. She is now appealing her convictions on multiple grounds, one of which is the argument that the five days of cross-examination she underwent during trial was “unfair and oppressive.” On Thursday, prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams rejected this claim, telling the court the cross-examination was “thorough, fair and conducted in accordance with settled principles and the prosecutor’s overarching duty of fairness.” McWilliams added that the trial defense team itself described Patterson as a “pedantic witness,” requiring the prosecution to rephrase questions repeatedly to get a responsive answer from her.

    Another point of contention in the appeals process is Patterson’s current prison conditions. She is currently held in the high-security Gordon Unit at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, a women’s prison in Melbourne, a facility reserved for inmates deemed at high risk of harm from other prisoners due to the notoriety of their crimes. During the original sentencing, Judge Bale noted there was a “substantial chance” that Patterson would remain in solitary confinement for years to come. Patterson’s lead appellate lawyer, Richard Edney, argued that her current conditions meet the United Nations’ definition of solitary confinement – 22 or more hours of seclusion per day with no meaningful human contact. Kissane countered this claim, telling the court the original judge’s conclusion about long-term solitary confinement was not supported by evidence, and that Patterson’s prison conditions are subject to monthly review.

    In additional context revealed after the trial, Simon Patterson gave pre-trial testimony claiming he suspected his estranged wife had deliberately poisoned him on multiple occasions between late 2021 and mid-2022, making him seriously ill with homemade meals. No toxic substances were ever confirmed in these alleged incidents. Erin Patterson was initially charged with three counts of attempted murder against Simon, but she denied all allegations, and prosecutors dropped all charges related to the husband before the murder trial got underway in April 2025.

    Whole-life sentences with no chance of parole are extremely rare for prisoners in Australia. The three appellate judges have opted to reserve their decision on both appeals, with no date set for a ruling yet.

  • Damaged pitch forces PSG to switch season opener

    Damaged pitch forces PSG to switch season opener

    Paris St-Germain’s 2026-27 Ligue 1 title defense campaign has hit an unexpected last-minute disruption, as unprecedented summer heatwaves across Western Europe have left the club’s iconic Parc des Princes pitch severely damaged. The French champions were originally scheduled to kick off their new season against Rennes this Sunday in the French capital, but the fixture will now be flipped, with the match taking place at Rennes’ home ground in Brittany instead.

    Officials from the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), France’s top football governing body, confirmed that a thorough inspection of the Parc des Princes pitch concluded the surface could not support a professional match under safe conditions. The statement highlighted that the damaged pitch posed unacceptable risks to the safety and physical well-being of all competing players.

    PSG has moved quickly to address the issue, announcing plans to completely relay the playing surface ahead of their next scheduled home fixture against Monaco on 4 September. In a formal statement, the club acknowledged that the last-minute venue swap would cause unavoidable inconvenience for fans, players, and stakeholders, but emphasized that the extreme heatwave damage constituted an entirely unforeseen, exceptional situation that left no other viable option.

    This venue change comes in the wake of a record-breaking summer of heat across France. On 24 June, the country recorded its hottest ever average national temperature, with Paris hitting nearly 41°C and half of all French regions placed under high-priority red heat alerts. Official mortality data shows that between 22 and 28 June, total deaths across France rose by 2,025 – a nearly 30% increase compared to average periods – with the Paris region alone seeing a 62% jump in mortality. The extreme heat has also sparked destructive wildfires across multiple regions of the country, following a wider trend of record-breaking temperatures across Western Europe this summer.

    PSG is not the only top European club forced to rearrange its opening league fixture due to summer pitch damage tied to extreme heat. Earlier this month, Spanish La Liga side Celta Vigo was forced to postpone their season opener against Osasuna after an uncontrolled fungal outbreak destroyed grass at their Estadio de Balaidos home ground. The outbreak was directly linked to three straight weeks of overnight temperatures staying above 25°C, creating the warm, humid conditions that allowed the fungus to spread rapidly across the pitch.

    As the reigning Ligue 1 champions, PSG claimed the 2025-26 title by a comfortable six-point margin, while Sunday’s opponents Rennes finished sixth in the table last season and secured qualification for the 2026-27 UEFA Europa League.

  • Why are there so few African players in the WSL?

    Why are there so few African players in the WSL?

    The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) wrapped up earlier this month with a historic final that saw Cameroon claim its first ever title against a resilient Malawi side, and delivered a clear message to global football: African women’s football is brimming with world-class talent. From Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, who scored five goals and notched two assists in the tournament, to Cameroon’s tournament MVP Monique Ngock, the level of play on display left fans and analysts impressed. Yet one glaring question lingers over the Women’s Super League (WSL) — widely considered one of the most competitive elite women’s leagues on the planet: why are there so few African-born and African-based players plying their trade in England’s top flight?

    This summer has seen a continued influx of global talent flocking to the WSL. Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, a core member of Spain’s 2023 World Cup-winning squad, became the latest high-profile international star to make the move, signing with London City Lionesses. She joins a growing list of global standouts who have chosen the WSL as their home: Australia’s iconic captain Sam Kerr spent years terrorizing defenses for Chelsea before her move to NWSL side Gotham FC, while top American talents including Alyssa Thompson, Naomi Girma, Emily Fox and Sam Coffey now represent some of England’s biggest clubs. In recent seasons, the league has also welcomed a wave of top Asian talent, with Japan captain Yui Hasegawa emerging as one of the league’s most impactful players at Manchester City.

    Against this backdrop of growing global integration, the numbers are striking: only four African international players are currently contracted to WSL clubs. They are Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton & Hove Albion, Nigeria), Aisha Masaka (Brighton & Hove Albion, Tanzania), Rofiat Imuran (London City Lionesses, Nigeria) and Ines Belloumou (West Ham United, Algeria). This underrepresentation is not for a lack of elite talent on the continent, nor is it a lack of interest from top European and North American clubs. The U.S. National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has actively pursued African talent in recent years, shelling out record transfer fees to secure the services of the continent’s top players.

    In 2024, Zambian forward Racheal Kundananji made history when she joined expansion side Bay FC from Spain’s Madrid CFF for £685,000 — at the time, the highest transfer fee ever paid for a women’s footballer. Her compatriot Barbra Banda, who plays for the Orlando Pride, claimed the 2024 BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award for her performances. The NWSL’s Washington Spirit currently counts six African internationals among its ranks, including 2026 Wafcon MVP Monique Ngock. Temwa Chawinga, whose five-goal haul turned heads at this year’s Wafcon, has already dominated the NWSL, claiming both the Golden Boot and MVP award in her first two seasons with the Kansas City Current. Her sister, Malawi captain Tabitha Chawinga, plies her trade for European powerhouse Olympique Lyonnais and led her underdog nation to a historic Wafcon final appearance earlier this month. Other top African talents, including Cameroon’s standout keeper Michaely Bihina, have secured contracts at top European clubs outside of England, such as Portugal’s Benfica.

    Nnadozie, the only African keeper ever shortlisted for the Women’s Ballon d’Or, has already proven the impact African talent can make in the WSL. Since joining Brighton last year, she earned a starting spot and helped the club reach the FA Cup Final at Wembley, where they faced WSL champions Manchester City. So what is holding WSL clubs back from tapping into this deep pool of untapped talent? Industry analysts and players point to three core barriers: restrictive visa rules, financial and structural competition from the NWSL, and systemic gaps in scouting and tournament coverage.

    The first and most significant hurdle is the United Kingdom’s Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) visa criteria, which sets strict eligibility requirements for foreign players looking to join English clubs. To qualify, foreign players must accumulate a minimum number of points across five weighted categories, which factor in senior national team caps, appearances in continental competitions like the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and the global ranking of the player’s previous club. For many African players coming from domestic African leagues, these criteria automatically disqualify them, as their clubs do not hold high enough global rankings and many do not compete in tournaments that count toward the points threshold.

    Beyond visa rules, WSL clubs also face stiff competition from NWSL sides, who have been proactive in targeting top African talent and are able to offer more competitive transfer fees and wages than many English clubs. Additionally, WSL scouting resources are currently disproportionately focused on European talent, leaving little budget or personnel to identify and evaluate emerging prospects across the African continent.

    A third critical barrier is the lack of consistent, high-quality broadcast coverage for African women’s football and Wafcon in particular. This year’s tournament highlighted these gaps: even after Confederation of African Football (CAF) named Channel 4 as the UK broadcast partner, no first-round matches aired live after the formal agreement fell through. The tournament was also thrown into disarray when it was postponed just 12 days before its scheduled kickoff in Morocco, eventually being pushed back three months. Switzerland captain Lia Walti, who joined Brighton this summer, noted that poor broadcast quality and access hurts the visibility of women’s football globally, particularly in regions outside of Europe and North America.

    “I think you have to bring the game to the people. You kind of have to force people to watch it. I felt that was how it maybe started in England,” Walti told BBC Sport. “In a lot of other countries I think they have bad coverage. It’s not shown at all, or if it’s shown, from where they film the game [makes it look] really poor. It affects the way you watch a game. You don’t really see the speed, the tactics or anything and you don’t enjoy watching the game.”

    This year’s Wafcon delivered no shortage of breakthrough moments that proved African women’s football belongs on the global stage. Underdog Malawi defied all pre-tournament predictions to reach the final, qualifying for their first ever Women’s World Cup in 2027 alongside champions Cameroon, and semi-finalists Algeria and Morocco. Tabitha Chawinga said after the final that the team’s run put Malawian football on the map, and proved the quality of the continent’s teams against all odds.

    “It’s really the best. No-one gave Malawi a chance to be in the finals, no-one gave Cameroon a chance to be in the finals,” she said. “But as you can see, we watched fantastic football. There was amazing football from both sides.”

    Nnadozie, who paved the way for African players in the WSL with her move to Brighton, says her 2023 Ballon d’Or nomination helped shine a spotlight on the depth of talent across the continent, and called for more opportunities for African players to compete in top global leagues like the WSL.

    “We have so many good players and they just need the opportunity to show what they can really do,” she said. “Very soon, we will have more numbers [in the Ballon d’Or nominations] from Africa. Trust me, there are so many good talents from Africa. Some players have had the opportunity to come to Europe but some have stayed back home. I hope in the future, bigger competitions will come to Africa. The Under-17s World Cup is in Morocco. This is big evidence that they are doing a lot of great jobs over there. It is just a matter of time. Women’s football is rising and Africa shouldn’t be left behind.”

  • ‘Simply lovely’: Verstappen signs new Red Bull contract until 2030

    ‘Simply lovely’: Verstappen signs new Red Bull contract until 2030

    On Thursday, one of Formula One’s most decorated modern competitors put an end to months of swirling speculation about his long-term future in the sport: four-time consecutive world champion Max Verstappen has signed a contract extension with Oracle Red Bull Racing that will keep him with the team through the conclusion of the 2030 season.

    Red Bull officially confirmed the agreement in a post to X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, writing, “Four more years of full send. We are delighted to announce that Max has signed a contract extension with the team until the end of 2030.”

    The blockbuster announcement lands as preparations hit full swing for Verstappen’s home event, the Dutch Grand Prix, scheduled to take place at the Zandvoort circuit this weekend. The news is set to bring widespread joy to the thousands of Verstappen’s loyal supporters, who traditionally pack the stands in their signature bright orange attire to cheer on their compatriot.

    Verstappen, 28, has cemented his status as one of the most dominant drivers in Formula One history, securing four straight world championship titles starting from his breakout 2021 season. However, the 2025 campaign has proven far less kind to the Dutch driver: he has failed to cross the finish line in multiple races through the first half of the season, and currently sits sixth in the drivers’ overall standings. Red Bull’s underperforming car this year has left the team uncompetitive, prompting widespread industry and fan speculation that the mercurial driver could choose to jump to a rival squad or even exit Formula One entirely.

    In a formal statement from the team, Red Bull framed the new contract as far more than an extension of an already successful partnership. “This commitment is about more than continuing an already extraordinary alliance,” the statement read. “It is a powerful statement of mutual trust and ambition — and a shared decision to shape the future together.”

    For his part, Verstappen expressed unwavering loyalty to the team that brought him to championship glory, saying he is eager to help guide Red Bull back to its winning form. “We have the best people and I’m excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again,” Verstappen said.

    The new contract adds even more anticipation to this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, which will mark the final running of the race at Zandvoort after promoters opted not to renew the event’s contract going forward. A key factor in that decision was lingering uncertainty around Verstappen’s future, given his outsize role in driving the event’s massive popularity among local and international fans.

    Verstappen has an undeniable winning record at his home track: he claimed victory in the first three editions of the race after it was reintroduced to the F1 calendar in 2021. However, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have taken the top two spots at Zandvoort in the last two races, leaving Verstappen chasing the Papaya team on his own turf this year.

    In a nod to his Dutch roots, Verstappen is set to race this weekend wearing a custom helmet inspired by the country’s iconic blue Delft pottery.

    Reflecting on his long tenure with Red Bull, Verstappen emphasized the deep connection he feels to the organization. “I have always said it: The team is like a second family for me and I feel very at home,” he said. “I came to the team hoping to be able to win races. What we went on to achieve together has been simply lovely.” That signature phrase of Verstappen’s has become synonymous with his laid-back demeanor outside the car and relentless drive inside it.

  • When is the Champions League draw and who is in each pot?

    When is the Champions League draw and who is in each pot?

    The eagerly awaited draw for the brand-new 2026-27 UEFA Champions League league phase is scheduled to take place this Thursday, 27 August, kicking off at 17:00 BST at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. This edition marks a historic shift for European football’s premier club competition, with the expanded format welcoming 36 teams to the league stage instead of the traditional 32. Of these 36 participants, 29 secured their places automatically following the conclusion of the 2025-26 domestic and continental seasons, while the final seven spots were claimed through last-week’s play-off rounds.

    Under the revamped competition structure, every side in the league phase will play eight unique opponents, with four fixtures hosted at their home ground and four played away. To organize the draw, the 36 qualified teams have been seeded into four separate pots based on their official UEFA club coefficient rankings, calculated across the five-season cycle ending with the 2025-26 campaign. Pot 1 contains the highest-ranked clubs, while Pot 4 holds the lowest-ranked entrants. A core draw rule mandates that each team will face two opponents from every pot, and no club will be drawn against a fellow team from the same national league, avoiding cross-country derby matches in the league stage.

    A brand-new additional rule, announced by UEFA just this Wednesday, has already sparked significant discussion among fans. The regulation prohibits clubs from hosting the same opponent in three consecutive Champions League league phases. This specific rule means Liverpool cannot be drawn to host Spanish giants Real Madrid at Anfield in this season’s league phase, while Premier League title holders Arsenal cannot be scheduled to travel to San Siro to face Inter Milan. It is still possible for the reverse fixtures to happen, however: Real Madrid could host Liverpool at the Bernabéu, and Inter could visit Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

    Once the league phase wraps up, the outcome will shape the knockout rounds of the competition. The eight clubs that finish the league stage in the top eight positions will earn an automatic spot in the Champions League round of 16. Clubs that land between 9th and 24th place will advance to a knockout play-off round, where they will compete for the remaining eight spots in the round of 16. Any clubs that finish between 25th and 36th will be eliminated from the competition immediately after the league phase concludes.

    For English football fans, five Premier League clubs have qualified for this expanded league phase, with three earning a place in the top-seeded Pot 1. Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal join back-to-back Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid in the highest-ranked pot. Two English clubs make their return to the Champions League after missing out on qualification last season: Aston Villa and Manchester United are both seeded in Pot 2, alongside Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Sporting CP, Porto, Club Brugge, Real Betis, and PSV Eindhoven.

    Pot 3 is made up of Feyenoord, Lille, Bodo/Glimt, Napoli, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Shakhtar Donetsk, Galatasaray, and Fenerbahce. The lowest-ranked Pot 4 includes Slavia Prague, VfB Stuttgart, LASK, Como, Lens, Sabah, AEK Athens, Slovan Bratislava, and Viking. Fans across the UK can watch the draw live for free via BBC iPlayer, as well as the BBC Sport website and mobile application.

    Full list of 2026-27 Champions League league phase pots:
    – Pot 1: Paris St-Germain (France), Bayern Munich (Germany), Real Madrid (Spain), Liverpool (England), Inter Milan (Italy), Manchester City (England), Arsenal (England), Barcelona (Spain), Atletico Madrid (Spain)
    – Pot 2: Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Roma (Italy), Sporting CP (Portugal), Aston Villa (England), FC Porto (Portugal), Manchester United (England), Club Brugge (Belgium), Real Betis (Spain), PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
    – Pot 3: Feyenoord (Netherlands), Lille (France), Bodo/Glimt (Norway), Napoli (Italy), RB Leipzig (Germany), Villarreal (Spain), Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), Galatasaray (Turkey), Fenerbahce (Turkey)
    – Pot 4: Viking (Norway), Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia), Slavia Prague (Czech Republic), VfB Stuttgart (Germany), LASK (Austria), AEK Athens (Greece), Como (Italy), Lens (France), Sabah (Azerbaijan)

  • Prince Harry and Meghan moving back to UK later this month

    Prince Harry and Meghan moving back to UK later this month

    After six years of living abroad following their 2020 exit from senior royal roles, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are preparing to move back to the United Kingdom, multiple UK media outlets have confirmed. Citing sources familiar with the couple’s plans, the BBC first reported the planned relocation, which was initially broken by the Daily Telegraph and The Sun.

    According to insiders, the couple will leave their current California home later this August and take up residence in a private, non-royal property located outside of London. Their two young children, 7-year-old Prince Archie and 5-year-old Princess Lilibet, have already been enrolled in a local British school set to open its doors for the new academic term in September.

    King Charles III, Harry’s father, was only notified of the couple’s relocation plans this past Sunday, and no adjustments to the pair’s current royal status are on the table. The couple will remain private citizens, with no intention of returning to full-time working royal duties. This update comes as a surprise, as the family’s July 2024 visit to the King at his private Highgrove Estate in Gloucestershire did not include any discussion of a permanent move, and the King had no advance knowledge of the plan before last weekend. Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Charles welcomes the move, as it will give him more opportunities to spend private, personal time with his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.

    William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, have also been formally notified of the couple’s plans. For context, the Sussexes stepped down from their official royal roles and left the UK in early 2020, completing their relocation to Southern California that March. Tensions between the couple and the rest of the royal family have run high in the years since, with July’s meeting marking a major turning point in their fractured relationship. That meeting was the first time King Charles had seen Archie and Lilibet in person in more than four years, and the first joint visit by Harry and Meghan to the UK since the 2022 state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

    Security arrangements have been one of the most persistent points of conflict between Prince Harry and UK officials since the couple stepped down. Last year, the duke lost a high-profile legal challenge against the UK government over his bid to retain the same level of personal police protection he received as a working royal, a benefit that was withdrawn after his 2020 exit. Ahead of July’s visit, Harry nearly canceled the trip after his request for police security was rejected, and he has repeatedly stated in past interviews that safety concerns have prevented him from bringing his family to live in the UK. After news of the planned return broke, a Home Office spokesperson confirmed that all royal security decisions are made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC), and noted that the UK’s protective security framework remains “rigorous and proportionate.”

    For Invictus Games Foundation, the veteran sports charity founded by Prince Harry, the move is unexpected but welcome. The 2025 Invictus Games for injured service members and veterans will be hosted in Birmingham, and foundation chief programmes and strategy officer David Wiseman told the BBC that having Harry based in the UK ahead of the event is excellent news. “I will be really pleased to have him back in the country. Moving is stressful for anyone so I hope it all goes well and the children settle well at school,” Wiseman said, adding that the relocation “took everybody by surprise” but will deliver significant benefits to the foundation’s work.

    The surprise announcement has sparked widespread speculation across UK political and royal circles, with many senior figures noting they had no advance warning of the plan. Ailsa Anderson, former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, described the move as “a bolt out of the blue” in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s *Today* programme. She noted that the relocation raises a host of unresolved questions, particularly around the future of the strained relationship between Harry and his brother William, the future of the couple’s security, and their dynamic with the British tabloid press. Anderson also suggested Harry’s July 2024 visit, which included a trip to his late mother Princess Diana’s ancestral home in Northamptonshire, may have shifted his perspective on returning. “I wonder whether that made a shift in his views and he really wants to come back because he’s missed his life here for the last six years,” she said.

    UK Education Secretary Lucy Powell welcomed the couple’s move, noting that the enrollment of Archie and Lilibet in British schools is a “great endorsement” of the UK’s education system. Powell also confirmed that she learned of the plans via social media and news reports Wednesday evening, just like the general public, and had not received any advance notification from Downing Street. She added that it is not expected the children will attend a local state school, a detail that has not been confirmed by the Sussexes’ representatives.

    As of Thursday, the Sussexes have not yet released an official statement confirming the relocation plans or their long-term intentions following the move.

  • Edmonton Marathon route was 674m too long

    Edmonton Marathon route was 674m too long

    One of Canada’s popular long-distance running events, the annual Edmonton Marathon in Alberta, is facing widespread criticism after organizers confirmed the 2026 edition of the race featured a course that was incorrectly measured, coming in more than half a kilometer over the standard marathon distance.

    Known widely among competitive distance runners as a key qualifying event for the world-famous Boston Marathon, the 2026 race left dozens of participants frustrated and confused immediately after they crossed the finish line. Multiple runners took to social media and running community platforms to share data from their GPS running watches, which all recorded a total distance exceeding 26.22 miles — the official standard marathon distance is 26.2 miles (42.195 kilometers).

    Organizers initially pushed back on these complaints, dismissing the concerns as minor inaccuracies common to consumer GPS devices. However, in an official public statement released this Wednesday, event leadership reversed that position and confirmed the error: a total of 674.7 meters, equal to 0.41 miles, was accidentally added to the full marathon course.

    “We do not take this mistake lightly,” said Tom Keogh, the event’s race director, in the statement. “We welcomed the country’s top athletes to compete here, and the finishing times they earned this weekend do not truly reflect how incredible their performances actually were.” Keogh acknowledged that event organizers failed to meet the quality standard that all participating runners had every right to expect from the official race.

    Organizers explained that construction work on the city’s Wellington Bridge forced them to adjust the traditional course route with a last-minute detour, and that adjustment resulted in the accidental extra distance.

    The error carries significant consequences for many runners. For those aiming to hit the strict qualifying time standards for the Boston Marathon, the extra half kilometer adds extra time to their official chip time, which is the official time used for Boston Marathon qualifying. Many runners now face the possibility of missing out on a qualifying spot they would have otherwise earned on a correctly measured course. Even runners not chasing Boston qualifying times missed out on the chance to hit long-sought personal best times due to the extra distance.

    Unlike the informal distance readings from personal GPS watches, Boston Marathon qualifying rules rely exclusively on official chip times recorded at certified qualifying events like the Edmonton Marathon. Currently, event organizers are working closely with Athletics Canada and other relevant governing bodies to figure out a path forward for recognizing 2026 participants’ results fairly. BBC Sport has reached out to the Edmonton Marathon organizing committee for additional comment on the ongoing review process.

  • Verstappen extends Red Bull deal to 2030

    Verstappen extends Red Bull deal to 2030

    After months of swirling transfer rumors linking him to top rival teams, four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has put all speculation to rest, penning a new contract extension with Red Bull Racing that will keep him with the team through the 2030 season.

    The announcement, timed to align with this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort – Verstappen’s final home race before the venue drops off the F1 calendar – resolves months of uncertainty around the 28-year-old driver’s future. Verstappen was originally under contract with Red Bull through 2028, but existing clauses in that deal would have allowed him to exit the team at the end of the 2026 campaign if he chose to pursue opportunities elsewhere. Mercedes and McLaren had both emerged as reported suitors for the star driver, even after his long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase confirmed he would move to McLaren by 2028.

    Verstappen’s decision to stay comes amid a rocky start to F1’s new regulatory era, which introduced revamped car and engine rules at the beginning of this season. Red Bull has struggled for pace in 2026, with Verstappen managing only two second-place finishes so far, in Austria and Hungary. This downturn follows a nail-biting 2025 season, where Verstappen mounted a dramatic second-half comeback from a 100+ point deficit to come within just two points of beating McLaren’s Lando Norris to the world title. Despite multiple public expressions of frustration over the team’s lack of performance this year, Verstappen emphasized his deep emotional connection to the only F1 team he has raced for at the senior level.

    “This team is like a second family for me, and I feel very at home here,” Verstappen said in his official announcement statement. “I came to the team hoping to be able to win races. What we went on to achieve together has been simply lovely, and we have shared many incredible moments and won four World Championships. To continue this journey with the same team that I have been with my whole career is really special, and something I have always wanted.”

    The Dutch driver also voiced his confidence in current team principal Laurent Mekies, who took over the role in July 2025 following the dismissal of former boss Christian Horner after a turbulent 18-month period marked by on-track decline. “Getting to work with Laurent now for over a year has also been great; I see a clear vision he has for the team,” Verstappen added. “Everyone at Red Bull’s base in Milton Keynes believes in what we are building, and I am looking forward to the next chapter, fighting for more victories and competing for championships as we continue to shape the future of this team.”

    Red Bull’s leadership framed the contract extension as a major vote of confidence in the team’s rebuild. “Having Max continue with us and retaining the best driver on the grid is fantastic news,” Mekies said. “Very few partnerships in sport achieve what Max and this team have. Since the very beginning, Max has embodied everything that makes Red Bull Racing special: uncompromising competitiveness, relentless determination and the courage to challenge convention. His impact on our team and Red Bull’s motorsport story has been transformational, and he has been fundamental to everything we have achieved together. The decision to continue our journey together is rooted in the trust Max and the team have built over many years, as well as Max’s confidence in our people, our culture and our vision for the future.”

    While the new contract locks Verstappen in through 2030, it retains standard industry exit mechanisms that would allow him to depart if the team fails to deliver competitive performance, details of which remain private per team policy. Beyond his commitment to Red Bull, the extension also confirms Verstappen’s ongoing dedication to Formula 1 as a whole, after a year of public criticism from the driver over the sport’s new technical direction. Verstappen has been open about his dislike of the 2026 hybrid power units, which require extensive energy management that limits drivers’ ability to push for full power throughout races. F1 has since acknowledged flaws in the new regulations and confirmed plans to adjust rules to allow for more traditional racing, a shift that insiders say played a key role in convincing Verstappen to extend his stay.

    For Red Bull, the news delivers a much-needed boost amid a difficult season, even though the risk of Verstappen’s departure remains if results do not improve. Verstappen, already the highest-paid driver on the grid, received a small pay rise as part of the new deal, but team insiders note the extension was rooted in long-term trust rather than financial incentives.

    Verstappen’s F1 journey with Red Bull dates back to 2015, when he made his debut with the team’s junior outfit, then named Toro Rosso. He was promoted to the senior Red Bull team after just four races of his second season in 2016, and marked the move with an immediate victory – the first of 71 Grand Prix wins to date. That tally puts him third on the all-time F1 win list, behind only Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.

    With Verstappen’s future resolved, the focus of the Formula 1 driver market now shifts to Aston Martin veteran Fernando Alonso, as speculation grows over whether the 25-year F1 veteran will extend his stay in the sport.