Michael O’Neill’s men face four-time world champions Italy in their own back yard in Bergamo on Thursday night.

Northern Ireland’s World Cup dream is still alive, but faces a huge challenge tonight in the play-off semi-final.

Michael O’Neill’s men face four-time world champions Italy in their own back yard in Bergamo on Thursday night.

The good news is that the Azzurri are not the force of old and have not qualified for the last two World Cup tournaments – falling at this very hurdle on both occasions.

That will give Northern Ireland hope, but the loss of key players like Conor Bradley and Dan Ballard is a monumental blow to O’Neill and the travelling fans.

The winners will face the winners of the Wales v Bosnia-Herz tie next week to see who goes to the World Cup this summer.

Here is everything you need to know about the game..

When is the game?

Italy face Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off on Thursday, March 26 at 7.45pm

Where is the game?

The game is in Bergamo at the 25,000-seater New Balance Arena, known as the Stadio di Bergamo.

Is the game on TV?

Yes, viewers in Northern Ireland can watch the game live on BBC 1. British viewers outside NI must tune in to BBC Three to watch the game.

Is the game being streamed?

A free live stream is available on BBC iPlayer or BBC Sport.

Is there any other coverage?

Yes, Belfast Live Sport will be running a live blog on the crunch game

Probable teams

NI: P Charles; Spencer, McNair, Brown, Hume; Galbraith, S Charles, McCann, Price, Donley, Charles.

ITALY: Donnarumma; Calafiori, Mancini, Bastoni; Palestra, Locatelli, Tonali, Barella, DiMarco; Kean, Retegui

Quotes corner

Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso: “We’ve analysed seven or eight games — and I think that Northern Ireland’s main characteristic is this: a team that strongly believes in everything they do, that attacks you on second balls, they like to play vertically.

“They consistently throw the ball into the box, playing 70 and 80 yard passes with eight or nine players with an incredible hunger to score. They play on second balls, they know how to handle them, and we have to be good at that.

“They’re certainly a team that when they get the ball in the air, whether from set pieces or crosses, are incredible, because they have an incredible ruthlessness in this area, and these are Northern Ireland’s main qualities.

“We have to be ready, both physically and mentally, to face players who will be frothing at the mouth.

“Northern Ireland’s players fight for every ball as if it is the last ball of their lives. You have to understand it well, you have to know how to suffer.

Michael O’Neill: We are the team with everything to gain. They are the team with everything to lose. Their players will have to deal with that.

“The pressure of managing Italy is a lot different from the pressure of managing Northern Ireland.

“I have admiration for Gennaro coming in and taking the job when he did, after the previous manager left after two games.

“His results have been good, he’s had five wins and then a defeat in their last game, in Milan against Norway, 4-1.

“That’s the last game that they’ve played and it’s difficult because you can carry that result for a period of time.”

Match odds

Italy 2/7

Draw (90 minutes) 9/2

Northern Ireland 10/1

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Councillor Fiona Miller, who was first elected to serve the Washington East ward on Sunderland City Council in 2011, announced her resignation as a Labour councillor at a full council meeting on Wednesday, March 25.

The long-serving Washington councillor, and former deputy cabinet member on the local authority, said she was now a “Green Party member and wished to move to the opposition side”.

In a separate statement this week, Cllr Miller outlined the reasons behind her move to the Green Party and hit out at the Labour Government.

“I can no longer in good conscience support a Government that feathers its own nest and silences those who speak out,” she said.

“I am joining the Green Party because they represent real hope for
Sunderland.

“I will continue to fight for publicly owned water and transport, and to protect our residents from corporate environmental damage.”

Richard Bradley, secretary of Sunderland Green Party, confirmed Cllr Miller would be standing as a Green Party candidate in the May 2026 local elections.

Richard Bradley, Secretary Of Sunderland Green Party

“We are delighted to welcome Fiona. She has been an excellent councillor for her residents and we hope will be elected for another three years,” he said.

“Her decision proves that the ‘politics of old’ is failing. The Green Party is now the natural home for those dedicated to social justice, local democracy, and the environment.”

The announcement comes ahead of Sunderland City Council’s “all-out” local elections on Thursday, May 7, with all 75 seats up for grabs on the Labour-run authority following a review of the city’s electoral wards.

Sunderland Green Party secretary Mr Bradley added that the Green Party is planning to “field green candidates in every ward in the upcoming election”.

When contacted for comment, a Labour spokesperson said: “Cllr Miller’s resignation is regrettable, but Sunderland Labour will continue the important work of delivering for our city.

“Under Labour, Sunderland is a city on the up – from the £1.85 billion to fund the expansion of the Metro, to securing funding for the Crown Works Studio, and the regeneration we have seen across the city centre, we will keep focusing on getting the work done to keep our city going in the right direction.”

When we think about preparing for a healthy pregnancy and baby, most advice focuses on women. Such advice might include good nutrition, taking dietary supplements, avoiding alcohol or smoking and managing their medications and health conditions. But growing evidence shows that men’s health also plays a vitally important role in pregnancy and child development.

In a new review of research on health before pregnancy and parenthood (referred to as “preconception health”), we found that the health and life experiences of boys and men can have important influences on pregnancy outcomes and the wellbeing of future children in several ways.

To understand the role of men’s preconception health, we reviewed studies published from 2000 to 2025 from fields including medicine, biology, psychology and social science. Rather than focusing only on the period just before pregnancy, we looked at research examining how men’s health and experiences throughout their lives – from their own time in the womb through to adolescence and adulthood – can affect families later on.

The research explored factors such as men’s physical health, their health-related behaviour, mental health, environmental exposures and social conditions. This included how fathers influence their partner’s health and the family environment their children grow up in.

This broader perspective shows that men’s influence on pregnancy and child outcomes goes far beyond simply providing half of the baby’s genetic inheritance.

The affect of men’s health

As set out in our review, one important pathway through which a father’s health can affect both pregnancy outcomes and the infant’s health is through sperm health.

Factors such as age, the father’s nutrition, whether he smokes, is overweight or obese, has an unhealthy alcohol intake, experiences stress and his level of exposure to pollution or chemicals can all influence so-called non-coding nucleic acid (RNA) signals carried in sperm. These signals can affect how genes act in the early stages of the baby’s development, which can subsequently impact long-term health outcomes in children.

For example, one study of over 500,000 couples found higher odds of birth defects (including cleft lip, digestive tract anomalies and congenital heart disease) when fathers reported drinking alcohol before pregnancy.

Older father’s age (particularly those who conceived a child after the age of 35) is also linked with both risk of birth complications as well as a child’s likelihood of being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. These links are stronger than those seen with a mother’s age.

Research involving millions of fathers and children has additionally shown that depression in fathers is linked with higher risks of depression in their children.

Some research even suggests that experiences earlier in life may play a role. For example, studies have linked nutrition and environmental exposures such as food shortage or abundance during boys’ pre-teen years with health outcomes in the next generation.

But biology is only part of the picture, as described in our review.

Men also influence pregnancy through their relationships with their partners. Supportive partners are consistently linked with healthier pregnancies. Women who feel supported are more likely to attend antenatal appointments, avoid smoking or alcohol, maintain healthier diets and experience lower levels of stress and depression during pregnancy.

These factors matter because a mother’s mental health and wellbeing during pregnancy are closely linked to children’s emotional, cognitive and physical development.

Another pathway is through parenting. A father’s mental health, stress levels and childhood experiences can influence how he interacts with his children after birth.

For example, men who experienced adversity growing up – such as poverty, neglect or trauma – are more likely to experience anxiety or depression later in life. This can affect family relationships and parenting.

This means that experiences during a boy’s childhood can have ripple effects decades later, shaping the environment his own children grow up in.

What this means for families

Taken together, the evidence from our review shows the importance of shared responsibility for pregnancy and parenthood.

Improving men’s health before pregnancy benefits not only men themselves but also their partners and future children. Yet most health advice about preparing for pregnancy still focuses almost entirely on women. In many countries, there is little information or support available for men who want to prepare for fatherhood.

Raising awareness is an important first step. Research shows that many men want to be involved in planning for pregnancy and supporting their partners – but they often don’t realise how their own health may influence outcomes.

For men who hope to become fathers, general health guidance needs to be followed: avoid smoking, limit alcohol, maintain a healthy weight, manage stress and seek medical advice for ongoing health conditions. Just as important, strong and supportive relationships between partners can help create healthier environments for future parenthood.

Our review suggests it’s time to rethink how we approach preparing for pregnancy. Instead of focusing only on women before pregnancy, a more effective approach should involve supporting the health and wellbeing of both boys and girls throughout their lives.

This includes addressing wider social factors such as education, mental health support, economic stability and childhood adversity. Experiences early in life shape later health behaviour and relationships, influencing the next generation.

Most healthcare systems are also simply not designed to support father’s involvement in preparation for pregnancy and parenthood. But men need to be included in conversations about reproductive health and couples should be supported to approach pregnancy preparation together.

More research is still needed to better understand the biological and social pathways linking men’s health to pregnancy and child outcomes. But our review makes one message clear: the health of the next generation does not begin with pregnancy – it begins much earlier, in the early lives and wellbeing of both parents.

BEIRUT (AP) — As Israel trades fire with Hezbollah, calls for mass evacuations and sends ground troops deeper into Lebanon, its leaders have hinted at a long-term occupation modeled on the devastating conquest of much of Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

Israel says it needs to establish a zone of control in the depopulated south to shield its own northern communities, which have faced daily rocket attacks since the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group joined the wider war. Many in Lebanon fear that could mean the open-ended displacement of over a million people, the flattening of their homes and a loss of territory.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said this week that it would create a “security zone” up to the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border in some places. He said troops would destroy homes, which he claimed were being used by militants, and that residents would not return until northern Israel is safe.

The campaign would mirror the one in Gaza, in which Israeli forces flattened and largely depopulated the eastern half of the Palestinian territory, Katz said on Tuesday. Israel has said it won’t withdraw from the enclave until Hamas disarms as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal.

“We have ordered an acceleration in the destruction of Lebanese homes in contact-line villages to neutralize threats to Israeli communities, in accordance with the model of Beit Hanoun and Rafah in Gaza,” Katz said, referring to border towns that were largely obliterated.

From one war to the next

After a 2024 ceasefire halted Israel’s last war with Hezbollah, Israeli forces gradually withdrew from southern Lebanon except for five strategic hilltops along the border.

Lebanese returned to find that homes, infrastructure, and some entire villages destroyed. Israel said it had dismantled Hezbollah infrastructure that could have been used to launch an Oct. 7-style attack, and it continued to strike what it said were militant targets on a near-daily basis after the truce.

Hezbollah resumed it attacks after Israel and the United States launched the war with Iran on Feb. 28, accusing Israel of having repeatedly violated the ceasefire. Israel accused Lebanon’s government of failing to carry out its pledge to disarm Hezbollah, despite its unprecedented steps toward criminalizing the group.

In the latest fighting, Israel has launched blistering air raids across Lebanon, killing more than 1,000 people — mostly outside of the border area — and displacing over a million. It has warned residents to evacuate a wide swath of the south, extending from the border to the Zahrani River, some 55 kilometers (34 miles) away.

The Israeli military says it has launched a limited ground operation. Political leaders speak of more ambitious plans.

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right finance minister and a member of its Security Cabinet, said this week that the current war must end with “fundamental change.”

“The Litani must be our new border with the state of Lebanon,” he said.

Echoes of an earlier occupation

Israel invaded southern Lebanon in 1982 during the country’s civil war. Hezbollah, established that year, waged a guerrilla campaign that eventually ended the Israeli occupation in 2000.

This time around, Israel has bombed seven bridges over the Litani, the northern edge of a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone established after previous conflicts. Israel says Hezbollah was using the bridges to move fighters and weapons, and that its military will control the remaining crossings.

Heavy fighting has meanwhile erupted in the town of Khiam, the fall of which would cut off the south from Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, another area with a large Hezbollah presence.

After the bridges were bombed, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of seeking to sever the south from the rest of the country “to establish a buffer zone, entrench the reality of occupation, and pursue Israeli expansion within Lebanese territories.”

U.N. peacekeepers say the bombing of the bridges and ongoing clashes have hindered their operations and put personnel at risk.

“This is the closest fighting activity we have seen to our positions,” said Kandice Ardel, spokesperson for the U.N. mission known as UNIFIL. “Bullets, fragments, and shrapnel have hit buildings and open areas inside our headquarters.”

Ardel said peacekeepers at observation points have seen a growing presence of Israeli troops and “engineering assets,” though they have not seen any new military positions built yet.

‘Different shades’ of control

Mohanad Hage Ali, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East think tank in Beirut, said Israel has already established “different shades” of control.

“The first line of borders is a no-man zone. This is basically a large parking lot that is facing Israel,” he said. “There is nothing there, no movement, nothing at all.”

Lebanese movement is restricted farther north. During last year’s olive harvest, farmers struggled to reach their groves because of regular Israeli strikes and had to be accompanied by Lebanese troops and UNIFIL peacekeepers, who coordinated with Israel.

Sarit Zehavi, the founder and president of the Alma Institute and a retired Israeli military officer, said Israel will likely establish a more extensive area of control stretching farther north.

She acknowledged that Israel was unlikely to defeat Hezbollah and was at risk of having to maintain a long-term presence in southern Lebanon.

“But the other alternative is to take the risk that we will be slaughtered. It’s as simple as that,” she said.

No diplomatic offramp in sight

Lebanon’s government has broken a longstanding taboo by proposing direct talks with Israel. It has also taken action against Hezbollah since the last war, criminalizing its activities and claiming to have dismantled hundreds of military positions.

But neither the U.S. nor Israel has shown any interest in such talks as they focus on the wider war with Iran.

If negotiations occur, Israel could demand major concessions in exchange for relinquishing territory taken by force — an updated version of the decades-old “land for peace” formula.

Israel seized parts of Syria after the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad and is in talks with the new government in Damascus about an updated security arrangement. In Gaza, it has vowed to keep half the territory until the militant Palestinian Hamas group lays down its arms, as each side has accused the other of violating the truce reached in October.

Lebanese who fled their homes are meanwhile in limbo — and some fear they may never return.

Elias Konsol and his neighbors fled the Christian border village of Alma al-Shaab with UNIFIL’s help. He was reunited with his mother, who cried in his arms, at a church near Beirut where funeral services were being held for a resident killed in an Israeli strike.

Konsol said there were no weapons or Hezbollah fighters in his village, but it was forced to evacuate anyway.

“We no longer know our fate,” he said. “We don’t know if we will see our homes and village again.”

___

Frankel reported from Jerusalem.

Two cordons were put in place across the Oldham park on Saturday

Police have issued a major update on an investigation in an Oldham country park over the weekend after a 17-year-old girl ‘came to harm’.

Two large cordons were put in place in Tandle Hill Country Park on Saturday (March 23). Residents said they had ‘never seen anything like it’ as officers scoured the area for evidence and carried out an extensive search.

Greater Manchester Police said initially that an investigation had been launched into the suspected assault of a teenage girl in the Oldham area. In a significant update issued today (Thursday), the force said that officers ‘still don’t know the nature of the incident’ but are working with forensic specialists to work out what happened.

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A police spokesperson confirmed the probe was first launched on Saturday after receiving a report from the hospital that a ‘girl was in pain and may have come to harm’. Hospital staff confirmed they found scratches on the girl’s back.

A member of the public then found the teenager’s phone in Tandle Hill Country Park, which led to the extensive searches. The searches have since ended with forensic work now being carried out.

Police said the girl is ‘experiencing distress’ with officers ‘working at her pace to establish exactly what, if anything, she can recall’. There is not believed to any wider risk to the public, the force added.

“We still don’t know the nature of the incident but are working with forensic specialists to try and establish further information as soon as we can,” a spokesperson for GMP said. “The girl is being fully supported by officers.

“We continue to work closely at her pace, as we progress our ongoing enquiries. We appreciate that information is currently limited, however we have taken the report seriously and have carried out a comprehensive search of the park as part of an investigation to determine whether or not a crime had occurred.

“All lines of enquiry at the park have been explored and our scenes have now been closed. We thank the public for their patience and co-operation during this time.”

“It is important to understand that the girl is experiencing distress”

Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Johnston, of GMP’s Oldham CID said: “I appreciate our searches this week will have brought concern and disruption as a result of our work since the weekend. At the centre of this is a 17-year-old girl who we are working with to try and understand what may have occurred to her.

“Given the report we received was that the girl may have come to harm, we have absolutely taken this seriously to explore all available forensic and evidential opportunities. This is particularly the case while we have little detail on what exactly may have happened.

“It is important to understand that the girl is experiencing distress, and we are working at her pace to establish exactly what, if anything, she can recall. We also have forensic specialists supporting our investigation and we await the results of their testing.

“While the circumstances around this are unclear, we are doing all we can to identify what has happened here as soon as we can so we can reassure the public there is no wider risk. We have had no reports since this incident in the nearby area to suggest there is an ongoing risk to the public.

“I ask anyone with information to contact us, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to help our enquiries. Anyone with information which may assist the police investigation, should contact us on 101 and LiveChat quoting Log 2161 21/03/26.”

On Saturday, residents told of their shock and concern after police taped off two areas of the park. One resident on Tandle Hill Road said that he has never seen anything like it happen at the park before, which is usually a very safe and quiet place.

He said: “I’ve never ever seen anything like this before – never heard of it. It seems like quite a unique scenario, like an isolated incident. I have a child myself, so I don’t feel it’s unsafe. I’d happily take my son into the park.”

The man was already banned from driving until 2030

A man has been jailed after getting behind the wheel, despite having a driving ban. Daniel Gawler had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol when he spoke to Cambridgeshire Police on March 13.

Officers were called by a member of the public after Gawler drove away from his home in Heydon, near Royston, and found him parked and at the wheel of a Seat Leon in Green Ditch, Heydon.

The 42-year-old failed to provide a specimen of breath for analysis at the roadside and in custody. Further checks on the police system found he was already disqualified from driving until 2030.

Gawler, of High Close, Heydon, near Royston, pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified, without insurance and failing to provide a specimen for analysis at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (March 17). He was sentenced to 32 weeks in prison and disqualified from driving for five years.

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Nikita Hand alleges the incident happened at the Beacon Hotel in south Dublin in 2019

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The woman who took UFC fighter Conor McGregor to court has written a tell-all book to ‘help other victims’ about the incident where she alleges he raped her.

Nikita Hand has written a book with ghost writer Kathryn Rogers, talking about the stigma faced by victims of sexual offences and about the Garda investigation into the alleged incidents in 2019, the Irish Mirror reports. The investigation ultimately saw the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) rule there would be no criminal charges.

The book also follows the high-profile civil case in November 2024. The book will mark the first time Nikita has spoken about everything since the major High Court case and ensuing appeal loss by McGregor.

In a statement, publishers Hachette Ireland said it is proud to announce the book – titled Not the Perfect Victim – which they said is “a courageous and ground-breaking book by Nikita Hand”, adding: “This is a singular story of survival, truth telling and unflinching personal bravery.”

Nikita, in a statement, said her book is about “telling my story in my own words, finding my voice and taking back my power”.

“My hope is that it helps victims and survivors find the courage to use their voices and not be afraid to come forward. I want them to take comfort from my story, knowing that there can be light at the end of the tunnel.

“Silence protects the perpetrator and money or power can’t be used as weapons against us. I hope my book can help change the stigma around the idea of the perfect victim – to let people know that, no matter who you are or where you come from, your voice and your story matter.”

Told entirely in her own words, “this is a singular story of survival, truth‑telling and unflinching personal bravery,” Hachette said.

“In it, Nikita reflects on the assault that changed her life, the failures she encountered in the search for justice, and the decision that ultimately shaped her future: to pursue a civil case against one of the world’s most high-profile athletes, Conor McGregor.

“What follows is a story marked by fear, resilience and extraordinary personal courage, as she found herself thrust into the public spotlight, prey to a toxic online culture, and ultimately facing four punishing days on the witness stand, laying out the truth of her experience in full.

“Told with clarity and unflinching honesty, this is a testament to survival, self-possession and the fight to reclaim one’s life in the aftermath of trauma.”

The book, which is available for pre-order, is due to be released on September 22 this year. It comes as Nikita has faced an uphill battle in taking McGregor to court, being believed by a jury, and then fending off an appeal by the fighter and an attempt to take the matter to the Supreme Court. In its decision late last year the Supreme Court said that it is “not satisfied that any matter of general public importance arises in this application justifying an appeal to this Court.”

They further stated that McGregor “sets out, as such a matter, the question as to what are the principles governing the admissibility, in a civil trial, of evidence which trenches on the right to silence of a litigant who was a suspect in a related criminal investigation.

“While such a question could arise hypothetically, it does not arise here on the facts of this case,” the court said.

“The decision of the Court below involved the application of well-established principles as to whether the jury should have been discharged in the light of an erroneous ruling by the trial judge, and as to how the risk of an unfair trial may be avoided by the trial judge making necessary rulings and giving the appropriate directions to the jury. The application of those principles to the particular facts of this case is not a matter of general public importance,” it further stated.

The Court went on to state that it was “satisfied that the applicant has had a fair hearing, notwithstanding the admission of the ‘no comment’ evidence, followed by a full appeal to the Court of Appeal, and therefore he has had the benefit of his right of appeal.”

The decision marks the end of a long road for Ms Hand, who was awarded €250,000 by a civil jury which found that McGregor had assaulted her in a major case that made headlines throughout November 2024.

A jury of four men and eight women sided with Ms Hand (35), a former hair colourist from Drimnagh in Dublin, who said she was brutally raped by McGregor (36) in the penthouse suite of the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford on December 9, 2018.

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The building, which is leased from Durham County Council to the Home Office, has been clad in scaffolding since a large scale storm damaged windows in 2024.

Reports have been made since of panes of glass falling from the window of the Freeman’s Place building onto the pavement below.

Mary Kelly Foy, MP for City of Durham said: “For far too long, the passport office in the centre of Durham has been shrouded with scaffolding following some damage to the building and the need for urgent repairs.

Scaffolding at Durham passport office. (Image: STUART BOULTON)

“As well as being an eyesore for residents and visitors to the city, it sends the wrong message about the value of public infrastructure in the county, and how much we value the vital work carried out by the civil servants who work in the passport office.”

Ms Foy said she has written to the Home Office to ask for the repairs to be sped up.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Durham Passport Office is fully operational and safe for both staff and customers.

“Scaffolding will stay in place through 2026 for remaining external works.”

The building, which houses about 1,100 civil servants, was opened in 2016 aiming to provide “a more comfortable and welcoming environment for customers and staff alike.”

It was damaged in stormy weather in October 2024.

Kevin Lough, Durham County Council’s interim head of corporate buildings, said: “Although we do have a lease with the Home Office for the building, the Home Office is responsible for repairing the damage caused by last year’s significant storm.

“We are actively working with both the Home Office and the freeholder’s surveyor to address the complex works that are needed.

“This includes reviewing building warranties and consulting with the freeholder’s insurers.”