Cadent has scheduled gas works for April 6 until ~April 18. Acre Street, Roman Street and Canute Street will be closed for gas mains works.

There will be temporary multi-way lights on Bolton Road between Pitt Street and Canute Street.

This has been planned during the school Easter holidays to reduce disruption.

A spokesperson for Bury Council said: “Acre Street/Roman Street/Canute Street closed for gas works.

“Temporary multi-way lights on Bolton Road between Pitt Street and Canute Street.

“Planned during school holidays to reduce disruption. Plan ahead and allow extra travel time.”

Click on the links below or scroll down for full scores from the matches in division two. We offer a similar scoreboards round-up for Division One. For the latest County Championship tables, click here. NB: If no details are shown in the scoreboards below it means play has been abandoned for the day without a ball being bowled in the match.

The US president took the opportunity of a prime-time speech to the US public on April 1 to repeat his by now-familiar criticism of America’s Nato allies for not joining the war in Iran. He told them to “build up some delayed courage. Should have done it before. Should have done it with us as we asked.”

Trump’s anger at Nato in the past fortnight has been focused on the reluctance of the likes of the UK, Germany and France to land a hand in forcing Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz. This vital waterway, through which ordinarily one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas transits, has been effectively closed by the threat from Iranian missile strikes to all but a few tankers approved by Tehran. The result has been dramatic, as energy prices have rocketed and supplies to countries dependent on Gulf oil have rapidly diminished.

The US-Israeli assault on Iran has failed to topple the regime or curtail its ability to pose a security threat in the region, leaving Tehran to wreak economic havoc. This flies in the face of the Trump administration’s claims of the overwhelming success of Operation Epic Fury. So the US president and his national security team are, at least in part, blaming Nato’s reluctance to get involved.

It’s important to stress that Article 5 of the Nato treaty mandates that Nato members must come to the aid of any fellow member which comes under attack. In the case of the US-Israeli military operation against Iran, Article 5 has not been invoked – nor does it apply. Further, many Nato members are mindful of the legacy of the disastrous war in Iraq. This sowed deep divisions within Nato after some members (notably the UK and Poland) lined up beside the US and others (France and Germany most vociferously) opposed the invasion. It also became a byword for an ill thought-out military campaign with dubious legitimacy and no exit plan.

As a result, most Nato member states are reluctant to get involved in the US-Israeli campaign against Iran. In any case, many of Nato’s European members are far more concerned about the war going on at their borders between Russia and Ukraine.

Nato reluctance has clearly stung Trump and his senior advisers. On March 31, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, told Fox News’s Sean Hannity that: “We’re going to have to reexamine the value of NATO and that alliance for our country. If Nato is just about us defending Europe if they’re attacked, but them denying us basing rights when we need them, that’s not a very good arrangement. That’s a hard one to stay engaged in.”

Asked by The Telegraph the following day whether the US was reconsidering its membership of the alliance, Trump said “Oh yes… I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration”. He went on to question the Nato’s effectiveness, saying: I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.“

Scepticism about Nato has been growing within senior US national security ranks for some time. At various times, Rubio, vice-president, J.D. Vance, and defense secretary Pete Hegseth have all questioned how an alliance based around the principle of US-led defence of Europe against Soviet aggression now fits America’s interests.

This is not a view shared by the alliance’s European members, who remain deeply integrated into Nato’s command and control systems and, until now at least, have placed a great deal of trust in its role as a key security and defence partnership with Washington. And not just Nato – the fact that Ukraine was being considered for membership was cited by Vladimir Putin as a reason for the Russian invasion in 2022.

Nato has changed – but it has endured

The alliance’s focus has shifted over the years, at times moving from being an organisation focused on collective defence to one aiming at collective security. This distinction can be summed up thus: collective defence is just what it says, pledging to come to the assistance of a fellow member whose territory is threatened by a third party. Collective security is more about mobilising to address sources of regional insecurity such as ethnic conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

But the 2014 annexation of Crimea (which raised the possibility of Russia’s “little green men” crossing the border into Narva in Estonia, a member state) and the full invasion of Ukraine in 2022 further underlined the need for Nato to have a strong focus on defence against a newly aggressive Russia.

The question is whether, as Rubio, Vance and Hegseth have all suggested – and as the national security strategy released by the Trump administration last November spells out – the US no longer sees European security as either its responsibility or its focus. Or, as Trump appears to believe, whether an alliance that won’t do his bidding is worth America’s while.

À lire aussi :
What the US national security strategy tells us about how Trump views the world

But even in the cold war, Nato was not involved in its members’ military adventures. The US actively worked against the UK, France and Israel during the Suez Canal episode in the mid-1950s. Britain refused to join the US in Vietnam. Precedents such as these would suggest that the Iran war would ordinarily not be a place for Nato involvement, even if individual member-states could contribute.

Nato has been through crises before, but the fact that its European members have heeded the US president’s demands for them to increase their defence budgets shows that for them, at least, the alliance has enduring importance. For it to fall apart after nearly 80 years over Iran would be an unbecoming end to one of the most important collective defence arrangements the world has ever seen.

Click on the links below or scroll down for full scores from the matches in division one. We offer a similar scoreboards round-up for Division Two. For the latest County Championship tables, click here. NB: If no details are shown in the scoreboards below it means play has been abandoned for the day without a ball having yet being bowled in the match.

Former Cardiff City captain Sean Morrison’s exclusive WalesOnline column

Football can be brutal.

Sometimes it’s about talent, sometimes it’s timing, sometimes it’s injuries, and sometimes it just feels like the game has decided it’s not your turn.

Looking back on my time at Cardiff City, there are a few lads who always stand out to me as some of the unluckiest players I played with. Players who had the ability, the attitude and all the tools, but for one reason or another it just never quite happened for them.

Some were victims of timing. Some were unfortunate with injuries. And one genuinely got to the point where he was convinced he was cursed.

Declan John

At the beginning of my time at Cardiff, it was never really a thing for loads of academy boys to come up and train with the first team.

Declan John and Joe Ralls were about the only ones around regularly. It just wasn’t the done thing back then.

Quick as anything, a great athlete and technically very good. Dec was a really good player and such a quiet lad. A Merthyr boy, but, oddly, he appeared homesick in Cardiff.

Advertisement

People spoke so highly of him when he broke through as a teenager in the Premier League, and that pressure must have been huge.

I honestly don’t think people appreciate what it’s like for homegrown boys playing for their hometown club. Friends and family in the stands, everyone living and breathing Cardiff, sitting around the dinner table at Christmas talking about the club.

That pressure is massive.

I look at boys now like Rubin Colwill, Joel Bagan, Isaak Davies and Cian Ashford and think the same thing. It’s a lot to carry.

With Dec, I just don’t think he got enough opportunities, and maybe certain managers didn’t trust him enough. Once he got moved on, he never really kicked on the way everyone expected, although he’s found a home at Leyton Orient now and has racked up more than 150 game for them.

But I’ve got to say, I was really impressed by him. It was just the wrong place at the wrong time.

Tom Sang

I was a massive fan of Sangy. He’s one of those lads I really thought could have done a lot more at Cardiff.

From an emotional intelligence point of view, he was different level. Really smart head on his shoulders, good family around him, very switched on.

He was one of the only younger players I ever saw actively going around to senior pros asking what he could do better.

He’d go up to someone like Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and ask what he could do to be a better opponent in training. To have the courage to ask someone 10 years older than you, and make yourself vulnerable like that, is rare and something more youngsters coming through should do.

Most players just want to get off the pitch after training. Sangy always wanted to learn.

Advertisement

Technically he was very good, a good athlete, worked hard and never complained. The problem was his versatility almost worked against him.

He could play No.10, No.8, right-back, even out on the wing. He was so useful that he never nailed down one solid position and almost happy to do anything. Sometimes that can stop you really kicking on.

I was genuinely sad when he left because I thought there was a lot there.

I’m not surprised at all to see him forging out a good career for himself in the league – he’s now at Shrewsbury after a decent stint at Port Vale – and I actually think he’ll get even better as he matures.

Tom James

Tom James was technically incredible for a defender.

Honestly, on a Friday, doing shape against the team that was playing on the Saturday, he used to curl free-kicks into the top corner for fun.

He had unbelievable quality.

He only really got a couple of cup games, but timing is everything in football.

If someone like him was a 20-year-old breaking through under Brian Barry-Murphy now, he’d be the next one through. He’d probably play 25 Championship games in a season.

He actually reminds me a lot of Dylan Lawlor.

The big difference is the green light just wasn’t there for academy lads back then in the same way it is now.

That’s why I’m so happy seeing what’s happening at Cardiff now. I remember being 17 or 18 and just waiting for that chance.

It’s brilliant to see these boys getting it now.

Isaac Vassell

I’m still really close with Vass now. I actually play padel with him once a week.

If there’s ever a story about how a career can suddenly turn on its head, it’s Isaac’s. I knew him from playing against him before Cardiff – Plymouth, Truro, then Luton, where he was scoring loads. He was on a real upward trajectory.

I remember that Friday night game against Birmingham on TV. Che Adams scored, but Isaac and Che absolutely ran me and Sol Bamba ragged all night.

Warnock wanted to sign him straight after that. He eventually even signed him even after a bad ACL injury because he knew how good he was.

When Vass walked through the door, you could see it straight away – massive legs, super strong, quick, dynamic. Then he scores the winner on his debut in the 90th minute against Luton. Fans go nuts. Dream start.

And then the quad issues started.

Advertisement

He just kept pulling them. Operation after operation. Specialist after specialist. He even went over to Ireland to see biomechanics experts.

I genuinely saw him work as hard as humanly possible for three or four years. It was absolutely no fault of his own. His body just would not stay fit.

That’s heartbreaking because you’re literally watching someone have a career taken away from them.

The mental strength he had to keep coming back after the fifth or sixth setback was unbelievable. You’re aware of fans and what they are saying. “Where is this guy we paid this money for a year ago?”

It’s so tough and I could see that take its toll on him.

That’s why I know he’ll succeed in life whatever he does, because his resilience as a bloke is incredible. He deserved so much more from the game.

Gary Madine

Gaz is probably the one who best sums up the “unlucky” theme.

I’d played against him for donkey’s years and always thought he was a proper handful – tall, powerful, brilliant in the air, technically good and with a nasty edge to him.

When we signed him for decent money, I remember thinking: phwoar, what a signing that is.

I always wanted him in my team. Training was brilliant with him. Elbows flying, him and Sol getting into scuffles every week. Warnock absolutely loved that edge.

But Gaz got to the point where he genuinely thought he was cursed.

He just could not score.

This was a lad who had scored goals everywhere he’d been, had been a talisman at clubs, a main man, full of confidence. Then suddenly it just wouldn’t happen.

He missed that penalty against Wolves in the season we finished second and I don’t think he ever recovered from it mentally.

The mad thing was, in training, he was brilliant.

We used to joke that his chest was better than his feet because he’d chest it down, link play beautifully, play people in and score goals.

It just never translated into games.

Then once the fans turn, especially as a striker, it’s so hard to come back from that. The belief disappears from the stands and you feel it.

Gaz was a really good player and someone I loved having as a team-mate. Cardiff fans just never got to see the best version of him.

And sometimes in football, that’s just how cruel it can be.

The former Spice Girl showed her husband her support as his dram becomes a reality across the pond

Victoria Beckham has been seen showing her husband, Sir David Beckham, her support as he saw his $1 billion dream become a reality across the pond.

The former Manchester United legend and England footballer was seen taking in his club Inter Miami’s new home ahead of its official opening on Saturday (April 4). The stadium will boast a capacity of 26,700, with pink seats matching Inter Miami’s home kit colour.

It was all part of David’s plan to bring a Major League Soccer team to South Florida, which he announced in 2014, saying at the time that part of his vision was to build a new stadium on prime waterfront real estate in the heart of the city.

Nu Stadium will host its first official game this weekend as Inter Miami take part in a highly-anticipated game against Austin FC. The project is reported to be worth an estimated $1.3 billion and called ‘Miami Freedom Park’.

Taking to Instagram, David shared pictures of him exploring the complete stadium for the first time, even testing out the pitch as he dusted off his own football skills. “So exciting to see our players and fans together in @miafreedompark for the first time. The open training session was great… bring on Saturday now @intermiamicf.”

David’s son, Romeo, was quick to show his support, commenting on the post with a number of red heart emojis, as did the star’s former teammate Gary Neville.

Victoria, meanwhile, reshared David’s post to her own Instagram Story, with the Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer sharing in view of her millions of followers: “I am so proud of what you have dreamt and brought to life @davidbeckahm [heart GIF].”

Speaking of pride, it comes after David said he is “very proud” of his son Cruz’s music career. The 21-year-old singer has followed in the footsteps of his mother, Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, and has pursued a career in music as the frontman of Cruz Beckham And The Breakers.

Appearing on talkSPORT Drive with Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent, Sir David has said he thinks his youngest son’s band is doing “incredibly well”.

The 50-year-old said at the end of last month: “Cruz has been working on his music since he was about eight or nine years old. And he’s all of a sudden got a band together. He’s released an album. It’s Cruz Beckham And The Breakers. They’re doing incredibly well. They’re travelling around the UK.

“They were in Bristol. They were in Brighton. They were in Birmingham. They were in Paris, Amsterdam. So they’re going around Europe and now they’re back in London for three shows, and he’s performing tonight. I’m very proud of him because he’s worked really hard. So good stuff.”

Two heavyweight giants will meet at London’s O2 Arena this weekend in what could be the final fight of their careers

Advertisement

Two boxing giants will go head to head this weekend when Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder face off in London. The heavyweights will clash on Saturday (April 4) at the capital’s O2 Arena and fans can order the fight here.

It will mark the 50th professional bout for both ‘Del Boy’ and ‘The Bronze Bomber’, and could be the last as reports suggest Chisora may retire after the fight. The Londoner has enjoyed an illustrious career that’s seen him square off against the likes of Tyson Fury, David Haye and Vitali Klitschko.

Chisora goes into the fight enjoying a solid run of form on three straight wins and a record of 36-13 (23 KOs), with Wilder on 44-4-1 (43 KOs). The former WBC champion has lost four of his last six fights, including two stoppage defeats to Fury in Las Vegas.

Ahead of the fight, Chisora said he will remain friends with Wilder whether he wins or loses on Saturday. Speaking to The Ring, he said: “It’s all love, but when that bell goes off, I need to get to him.

“If I give him space, it’ll be a long night for me. I have to get to him and smash him up.”

Boxing fans would usually need to buy the Chisora vs Wilder fight on pay-per-view, but there’s also a way to watch it for free.

When is Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder?

Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder will take place on Saturday, April 4, with live coverage starting at 7pm. The ringwalks for the main event are expected to start at 10.25pm.

Watch Chisora vs Wilder live on DAZN

£24.99 or £0

DAZN

Order the fight here

British boxer Derek Chisora will face American Deontay Wilder at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, April 4.

Advertisement

Fans can order the fight for £24.99 with DAZN pay-per-view or get it free with the new DAZN Ultimate Tier.

How to watch Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder for free

Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder is airing live and exclusively on DAZN, which is offering several ways to watch the fight. Firstly, the PPV is included for free if fans sign up for DAZN’s Ultimate Tier.

This £24.99 subscription provides at least 12 PPV fights – including Wardley vs Dubois (May 9) and Usyk vs Verhoeven (May 23) – at no extra cost each year as well as another 185 fight nights. There’s the option to pay monthly or for a year upfront, with DAZN claiming the subscription delivers a potential saving of £320 per year compared to the cost of 12 PPV fights.

Secondly, DAZN is offering a Wilder vs Chisora and Wardley vs Dubois PPV bundle for a discounted price of £39.99. Finally, the Wilder vs Chisora can also be ordered with a standard PPV purchase at a one off price of £24.99.

DAZN holds the exclusive rights to the Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder fight, meaning rival broadcasters including Sky Sports and TNT Sports won’t be showing it.

Full Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder fight card

• Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder (heavyweight)
• Viddal Riley vs Matuesz Masternak (for the European cruiserweight title)
• Denzel Bentley vs Endry Saavedra (middleweight)
• Matty Harris vs Franklin Igantius (heavyweight)
• Amir Anderson vs Jordan Dujon (middleweight)
• Ashton Sylve vs Raul Antonio Galaviz Hernandez (super lightweight)

Can you tackle our mega-quiz and name all 92 teams in England’s top four divisions? There is no time limit. Good luck!

After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.

Motorists are being urged to plan ahead and allow extra time for journeys ahead of Friday night’s Clearer Water Irish Cup semi-final

Advertisement

Police have issued traffic and travel advice for road-users ahead of the Clearer Water Irish Cup semi-final football match between Cliftonville and Dungannon on Friday, April 3, The match, which features the two sides in last year’s final, will take place at The National Stadium, Windsor Park, with kick-off scheduled for 7.45pm.

A spokesman for PSNI said drivers should park considerately and be mindful of residents and local businesses in the surrounding area.

They added: “We would ask that those driving to the match park with consideration for local residents and businesses and that supporters are respectful and considerate whilst walking through residential streets convenient to the stadium.

READ MORE: NI Easter road safety warning as crash death numbers doubleREAD MORE: Woman rescued after petrol bomb attack on Saintfield home

“The areas around the National Stadium are ‘No Street Drinking’ zones under Belfast City Council by-laws and these should be complied with at all times. We hope that the match is enjoyed by all and would ask that those attending the match be considerate of the local community and behave in an appropriate and responsible manner.”

Traffic disruption is expected from around 6.30pm, particularly affecting Falls Road, Broadway, Glenmachan Street, Boucher Road, Windsor Way.

Police have also warned of increased congestion in the Shaftesbury Square, Lisburn Road and Donegall Road areas of South Belfast, as well as the M1 and Boucher Road areas. Delays are anticipated both before and after the game.The busy commercial district around Boucher Road is also expected to be see high footfall, with supporters, commuters and shoppers using the area.

Road users are being advised to plan their journeys in advance and allow extra travel time, as congestion is likely throughout the evening.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter.

Rory McIlroy is hoping to make more history after completing the career grand slam last year

Rory McIlroy will make his way down Magnolia Lane at Augusta National as a Masters champion for the first time, and he’s determined to savour every moment.

Yet, despite becoming only the sixth golfer to complete the career grand slam by claiming his green jacket, the Holywood man’s competitive fire remains as fierce as ever.

In fact, having finally triumphed at his 17th attempt, McIlroy is convinced that winning it a second time will prove less challenging.

“This is going to be the first time I drive down Magnolia Lane and it’s all going to be about enjoying my week,” said the world number two.

“You know, enjoying the perks that come along with being a Masters champion: having a parking space in the champions car park to using the champions locker room, hosting the dinner on Tuesday night.”

However, once Thursday’s formalities conclude, McIlroy will shift into competition mode as he attempts to emulate Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo – aiming to become the first golfer in 24 years to secure consecutive victories.

While his performances in two tournaments last month were somewhat underwhelming, McIlroy is banking on the emotional significance of returning to the scene of arguably his greatest triumph to compensate.

“I’ve won it once, and I feel like that will make it a bit easier for me to win again,” he added.

“I don’t think there was any round of golf that I’d played before that can compare to the feelings and the emotions I went through that Sunday.”

The pressure may be slightly reduced, but he’ll still be anticipated to challenge strongly, much like world number one Scottie Scheffler, a two-time Masters winner, whose recent form has been more erratic than at any point over the past two years.

He withdrew from the Texas Children’s Houston Open in his home state as his wife Meredith is due to give birth to their second child, and if he’s searching for a positive sign, their son Bennett arrived just weeks following his second Masters triumph in 2024.

Time spent at home, which he prioritises above all else, might provide him with a chance to refocus, and despite his impressive Augusta record – finishes of fourth, first, 10th and first in his last four outings – opponents may see this as a potential weakness to exploit.

Among those keen to capitalise will be Bryson DeChambeau. Paired with McIlroy in the final group 12 months ago, his hopes ended in disaster when a double-bogey at the 11th left him four strokes behind his playing partner.

The American, who has toned down his bold talk since confidently declaring before the 2020 event that he viewed Augusta National as a par 67 owing to his power off the tee, at least arrives with momentum after consecutive victories on the LIV Golf circuit, though how effectively that has readied him for this challenge is still up for discussion, with doubts continuing about the standard of the Saudi-backed tour.

His LIV colleague Jon Rahm has also shown strong form and, in contrast to DeChambeau, already knows what it’s like to slip on the green jacket, having won in 2023 before making the switch.

Click here to sign up to our sport newsletter, bringing you the latest sports news, headlines and top stories.