The Ulster and Leinster semi-finals this weekend will confirm who will make the drop to the Tailteann Cup this summer

It is a critical weekend in the All-Ireland SFC as the participants in both the Sam Maguire and Tailteann Cup are confirmed.

One more team must drop into the Tailteann Cup for 2026 with Cavan, Down or Westmeath to fill the void.

The Breffnimen are helpless at this stage after losing to Monaghan in the Ulster SFC quarter-final whereas Down and Westmeath can control their own fate.

Indeed, football is the main show in town this weekend with four live Championship games being broadcast live as well as one standalone game in Munster.

The live action begins on Saturday evening as Derry look to book their third appearance in the Ulster SFC final in five seasons at the expense of Monaghan.

The Oak Leafers were back-to-back Ulster champions in 2022 and 2023 while the Farney are bidding to return to the provincial final for the first time since 2021.

That game is live and exclusive on GAA Plus at the Box-It Athletic Grounds at 5pm.

The meeting of the current and former Leinster champions is next on the agenda as Louth take on Dublin in Portlaoise at 7pm.

The Wee County are the current holders while the Dubs are hoping to regain the Leinster crown after their 14-year reign as champions was ended by Meath in the semi-finals last season.

The first Leinster semi-final is also live on the GAA Plus platform on Saturday evening as is the second semi-final on Sunday featuring Kildare and Westmeath.

Last season’s Tailteann Cup winners are guaranteed their place in the Sam Maguire whereas Mark McHugh’s men must reach the Leinster final to avoid the Tailteann Cup.

That game is in Glenisk O’Connor Park from 2pm while the RTE cameras will be in Ennis for the latest instalment of the Munster SHC.

Clare host rivals Limerick in round three with the Treaty looking to bounce back from last weekend’s narrow loss to Cork while the Banner are seeking to make it two from two after their round one win over Waterford.

The second Ulster SFC semi-final is also live on RTÉ2 and on BBC2 as Armagh take on Down in Clones (4pm) with the former also hoping to reach the provincial final to book their ticket in the Sam Maguire Cup this summer.

Here’s a full list of which games are being shown live this weekend. . .

Saturday, May 2

Ulster SFC semi-final

Derry v Monaghan (Box-It Athletic Grounds, 5pm, live on GAA Plus)

Leinster semi-final

Louth v Dublin (Laois Hire O’Moore Park, 7pm, live on GAA Plus)

Sunday, May 3

Leinster semi-final

Kildare v Westmeath (Glenisk O’Connor Park, 2pm, live on GAA Plus)

Munster SHC round three

Clare v Limerick (Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, 2pm, live on RTÉ2)

Ulster SFC semi-final

Armagh v Down (Clones, 4pm, live on RTÉ2 and BBC2)

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The roadworks will be taking place near Addenbrooke’s Hospital and will cause delays to traffic in the area.

Roadworks along two Cambridge streets are set to start this week and will last around eight weeks. The roadworks on Long Road and Hills Road towards Addenbrooke’s Hospital will be in place from Friday, May 1.

There will be temporary traffic lights placed on both roads during the works. The work is currently set to be completed by Sunday, June 28.

Cambridgeshire County Council has said the temporary traffic lights are likely to cause delays in the area. The work is being carried out by Cadent Gas, who will be replacing old pipes with new plastic ones.

The work means some properties will have their gas supply turned off during the day and Cadent Gas might need access to some homes. Cadent Gas has said its teams will be on the site to answer any questions residents might have.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire County Council said: “Only one road will be worked on at a time. Please plan your journey.”

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In a leaked audio recording of Sir Christian’s meeting with UK sixth-form students visiting the US, he can be heard saying: “‘Special relationship’ is a phrase I try not to utter because it’s quite nostalgic, it’s quite backwards-looking, and it has a lot of sort of baggage about it.”

The excited former Manchester United star and Premier League title winner is set to join an expert panel at the 2026 World Cup, having announced his new role

Antonio Valencia is poised to join a stellar line-up of football’s finest pundits as he takes on a commentary job at this summer’s World Cup. The former Manchester United favourite has landed the position with Telemundo Deportes, a Spanish-language broadcaster operating under the NBC Sports Group umbrella.

Valencia will feature on the channel’s expert panel for this summer’s major tournament, which is being held across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Joining him in the studio is Real Madrid legend Guti, alongside Mexican icon Andres Guardado.

The 40-year-old took to social media to share the exciting news, pledging to give his all for the broadcaster.

Valencia said: “I want to thank God for this new stage, and @TelemundoSports for the trust; I’ll try to give my best. See you at the World Cup 2026.”

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The broadcaster also took to social media, posting: “The Legends team is taking shape! A lot of history and talent in Telemundo’s first expert reveal for the World Cup. Who do you think will complete the team? Enjoy the 2026 FIFA World Cup starting June 11 on Telemundo and Peacock TV.”

Valencia will enjoy the support of countless United fans as he remains a club legend from his spell at Old Trafford. The winger-turned-right-back spent a decade in Manchester between 2009 and 2019.

During that period, Valencia made 339 appearances and scored 25 goals, winning considerable silverware. This included two Premier League titles, several domestic cups and a Europa League trophy.

The defender wore the armband for both United and his native Ecuador, earning 99 caps for his country.

Valencia has repeatedly spoken fondly of his time at United, emphasising in his retirement announcement in 2021 just how significant the experience was to him. He said: “God gave me the opportunity to join Manchester United.

“I will never forget everything I experienced at Old Trafford. I will never forget every goal, every trophy, and the wonderful fans.”

Earlier this month, however, Valencia came out of retirement and headed back to England to sign for Wythenshawe AFC. The 40-year-old joined a long list of ex-Premier League stars at the club, including Emile Heskey and Danny Drinkwater.

Now, the former Old Trafford favourite will observe as several current United players represent their nations at the forthcoming World Cup.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Police officers were alerted to a crash by one of the dealer’s iPhones

A drug dealer is facing a five year prison sentence after a car crash accidentally alerted police to thousands of pounds in cash. Police officers found a Louis Vuitton bag containing nearly £11K near the site of a car crash at Stibbington.

Cambridgeshire Police were alerted to a crash on the slip road of the A1 southbound at Stibbington, near Peterborough, at just before 6pm on June 27, 2024. Two people were found on the slip road next to the car. One man was seen walking out of a nearby woods, topless and covered in blood.

Joshua Munton, 24, Harvey Webb, 21, and Miles Starbuck, 19, were in a Vauxhall Corsa that crashed near Peterborough. After police were alerted to the crash by iPhone crash activations, Munton was found on the ground by the car with significant cuts to his face and a suspected broken hip. Webb, the driver, was found by the car.

Officers searched the area and found Starbuck walking out of the nearby woods, topless and covered in blood. A witness near the site alerted officers to a bus stop close to the crash site, where police found a Louis Vuitton bag perched up against a tree containing £10,730 in cash.

Alongside the cash, police found a balaclava, three sets of keys and a bank card not in any of the men’s names. Financial checks revealed Munton had £30,000 in three different bank accounts that were not wages and couldn’t be accounted for.

Starbuck had more than £45,000 in his bank, which had built up over the course of a year. Webb had nearly £20,000 in his account. Neither of them had earnt the money through wages.

All three men were arrested, and examination of their phones revealed evidence of drug dealing. Starbuck was also found with two bags of cocaine which had his DNA on them, a Rolex watch, and more than £5,000 in cash. The Louis Vuitton bag was found to have DNA from both Webb and Munton on it.

Webb, of Bramble Grove, Stamford, Lincolnshire, admitted charges including concealing criminal property, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, ecstasy, cannabis, ketamine, possessing criminal property, and causing serious injury by careless driving.

Starbuck, of Cloven Ends, Langtoft, near Peterborough, admitted concealing criminal property, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, ecstasy, cannabis, ketamine, and possessing criminal property.

Munton, of Ironmonger Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire, also pleaded guilty to possessing and concealing criminal property, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, ecstasy, cannabis, diazepam, and ketamine.

All three men were sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court on Thursday, April 23. Munton was handed a total of five years in prison after the court also took into account a Lincolnshire Police case relating to an unprovoked stabbing in Stamford.

Starbuck was sentenced to two years in a young offenders institute, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work, and Webb was given two years in prison, suspended for two years, but must complete 100 hours of unpaid work and a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also banned from driving for a year.

DC Mat Bamford, who investigated, said: “These three men thought they could deal drugs in our county, and neighbouring counties, and get away with it. They were wrong. They thought they could pull the wool over our eyes and hide their ill-gotten gains. They were wrong.

“This was a complex and thorough investigation which involved financial checks, DNA testing, phone examination and the evidence of our drug expert. I am pleased the case has now concluded and they have been brought to justice.”

Analysis by passenger rights firm AirHelp found that 36 per cent of passengers travelling through the airport between January and March experienced some form of disruption.

That equates to around 1.03 million people, including more than 47,700 whose flights were cancelled.

The figures come ahead of the busy summer travel period and reflect wider challenges across the aviation sector.

Across the UK and Ireland, 18.5 million passengers – roughly 31 per cent– were impacted by delays or cancellations during the same period.

Manchester Airport was among several major hubs to see higher-than-average disruption levels, alongside airports such as Birmingham (33 per cent).

Airport officials say the figures need to be viewed in context, pointing to a range of external factors that have affected punctuality across the industry.

A spokesperson for Manchester Airport said: “This analysis of the Civil Aviation Authority’s data is misleading as it ignores important context – context which is directly referenced by the CAA in the notes accompanying the research and in the research itself.

“Punctuality is affected by factors that are outside of an airport’s control. The two most significant factors contributing to delays in the last year have been industrial action affecting air traffic control in Europe, and the weather.

“These were exacerbated by airspace restrictions above conflict zones meaning airports with significant long-haul networks, like Manchester, were more significantly affected than others.

 “As an industry we are working collectively to achieve the best possible on-time departure rates, while protecting flight schedules and avoiding the need for cancellations.”

Flights from the Far East or South Asia are regularly delayed due to restrictions on flying over Ukraine or the Middle East, forcing more circuitous routes.

This can delay arrivals and have a knock-on effect on outbound departures.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) also notes that disruption data should be treated with caution, stating that factors such as severe weather, technical issues and other extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of airports and airlines can impact schedules and do not necessarily reflect overall performance.

Despite the disruption, AirHelp said hundreds of thousands of passengers could be eligible for compensation, with more than 440,000 potential claims identified across the UK and Ireland.

AirHelp chief executive Tomasz Pawliszyn said: “Passengers travelling through Manchester have faced a challenging start to the year, with disruption levels above the national average.

“As we head into peak travel season, this is a reminder that delays and cancellations remain a widespread issue.”

Passengers are being encouraged to check their rights and eligibility for compensation before travelling through the AirHelp app.

PSG vs Bayern Munich clash in tonight’s Champions League semi-final – find out the TV channel, kick-off time and everything you need to know about this crucial first leg

Paris Saint-Germain face Bayern Munich this evening in the opening leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final encounter.

With Arsenal and Atletico Madrid meeting in the other semi-final, there’s a widespread belief that the eventual champions will emerge from this tie.

That expectation is difficult to dispute given the performances both sides have delivered thus far. PSG were streets ahead of Liverpool, securing 2-0 victories in both legs of their quarter-final, while Bayern ultimately proved too strong for Real Madrid following two thrilling encounters.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s match.

Where is the match taking place?

The Parc Des Princes, Paris.

What time does it kick off?

The match gets underway at 8pm.

Can I watch the match on TV or stream it online?

In Ireland, the fixture is being broadcast on Premier Sports 1.

In the UK, you can stream the match on Amazon Prime.

Betting odds

PSG – 5/4

Draw – 14/5

Bayern – 7/4

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Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd is back, this time for his new hotly anticipated BBC six-part drama Half Man.

Richard Gadd is the creator and executive producer of Half Man, though starring in the BBC drama was not part of his original plan.

After unexpectedly finding themselves living under the same roof, Ruben (Stuart Campbell) and Niall (Mitchell Robertson) develop a brotherly bond — one fierce and fiercely loyal, the other timid and gentle-natured.

Across six episodes, Half Man traces the pair’s lives over three decades, right up to Niall’s (Jamie Bell) wedding day, when the volatile Ruben (Richard Gadd) brings chaos in his wake.

While Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd both created and executive produced the new BBC series, he had no initial intention of playing Ruben — it took some persuasion from Billy Elliot legend Jamie Bell to convince him to take on the uncompromising role.

Speaking at a BBC Q&A, Gadd revealed: “I wasn’t going to do it to begin with.

“I wasn’t going to do Ruben, because acting in something and directing and doing everything else is a lot.

“You have to see a show from the inside and the outside which is actually the main pressure of the role.

“So I wasn’t going to do it, I didn’t want to do it. Baby Reindeer was out and that’d take one thing off my plate.

“But Jamie [Bell] was the first to suggest it. He was like ‘have you ever thought about doing this?’

“And it sort of terrified me in a way. I was like ‘Wow. That’s real far.’

“But I often feel that what scares you in life, you should probably do it.”

While Gadd’s co-star Jamie Bell rose to prominence as Billy Elliot in the legendary 2000 film, he is poised to undertake another memorable role.

Bell will be entering the Peaky Blinders universe in the forthcoming two-season sequel as Duke Shelby, Tommy Shelby’s (Cillian Murphy) son, set in the 1950s.

The character of Duke was initially played by Saltburn star Barry Keoghan in the Netflix film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.

Half Man premieres on Tuesday, April 28, at 10.40pm on BBC One.

An American woman paid thousands of dollars to have others make sexual torture videos involving adult and baby monkeys.

Known as ‘animal crush videos,’ these depictions show real monkeys being burned alive, having their genitals mutilated, and experiencing other atrocities

Amanda Leigh Fourez, a US citizen from Illinois, pleaded guilty in federal court to the offences.

The videos were made for the pleasure of an ‘animal crushing’ ring and shared in their sick group.

‘Fourez admitted to her role in making these horrific videos and posting them online,’ said ICE Director Todd M. Lyons.

‘What kind of sick person would pay someone make a video of sexualized animal torture?

‘ICE will continue investigating these sadistic online groups and do everything in our power to stop them.’

Fourez was a member of online chat groups dedicated to making, distributing and discussing violent and sexual videos of animals.

She’s not the first US citizen to plead guilty in this ‘animal-crushing’ conspiracy ring.

Another member of these groups, Joseph Garrett Buckland, of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos in early April. 

‘Producing and trafficking in animal crush videos is a serious federal crime,’ said United States Attorney Rivetti.

‘Intentionally inflicting harm and torture on innocent animals not only feeds a broader market of criminal depravity, it also often is linked to, or leads to, additional dangerous and violent conduct that further erodes society and public safety.

‘With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute all crimes involving violations of federal law relating to horrific acts of cruelty to animals.’

ICE and the FBI investigated the case with a release claiming that Americans don’t know the non-immigration-related work the agency do.

It came after Donald Trump backed plans to call ICE agents NICE agents in a rebrand of the controversial agency that has shot dead Americans and split up families.

In a Truth Social post, the US President shared a post on X in which someone had written, ‘I want Trump to change ICE to NICE (National Immigration and Customs Enforcement) so the media has to say NICE agents all day everyday.’

‘GREAT IDEA!!! DO IT. President DJT’ Trump wrote on the Truth Social post.

But Ilhan Omar, hit back: ‘A rebrand won’t distract us from the truth: this reprehensible agency murdered two Minnesotans in broad daylight. Abolish ICE.’

It comes after ICE The original poster MAGA ‘journalist’ Alyssa Marie said: ‘You mean abolish NICE? Who would want to abolish NICE? That doesn’t poll well.’

She even drew up AI plans for the uniforms.

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The milestone event, hosted by radio DJ Des Clarke, saw speakers from across the hospice’s four-decade history take to the stage.

The people of Lanarkshire gathered at Airdrie Town Hall to celebrate 40 years of care at St Andrew’s Hospice.

The milestone event, hosted by radio DJ Des Clarke, saw speakers from across the hospice’s four-decade history take to the stage to reflect, reminisce and give thanks for the community’s incredible support of the local charity.

Sr Barbara Kenny, a Sister of Charity who helped found St Andrew’s Hospice, spoke of the Sisters’ ambition to move from the town’s Assumption House to a purpose-built hospice to care terminally ill patients.

The Sisters’ dream was realised when negotiations with the Regional Council saw them obtain a site next to St Margaret’s Church in Airdrie.

From there, in 1983, a £1.2 million Appeal Fund was set up to raise the capital to build the hospice.

After a few years’ of hard work, determination and fundraising, St Andrew’s Hospice opened its doors to patients on April 26, 1986.

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Attendees of the gathering also heard from; the chair of the board of trustees, Marian Gardiner, the hospice’s CEO Joy Farquharson and Rev. Margaret Currie, as well as staff nurse Frances Kelly, hospice volunteer Norma MacDonald and trustee John Gillespie who shared his touching memories of when his father was cared for in St Andrew’s Hospice two years ago.

The audience was also treated to beautiful music courtesy of local choir The Grace Notes and the North Lanarkshire Council Schools Pipe Band.

Joy Farquharson said: “As we mark the 40th anniversary of St Andrew’s Hospice, we celebrate four decades of compassion, commitment and community impact.

“This milestone reflects the dedication of everyone who has supported the hospice’s mission over the years, and the lasting difference made to people’s lives.

“We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the community and businesses of Lanarkshire and beyond for their unwavering support over these 40 years – you have all been part of our journey.

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“We look forward with confidence and ambition to the next chapter of St Andrew’s Hospice.”

If you have a story or memory you’d like to share, or would like to share what St Andrew’s Hospice means to you, you can submit your memories via a dedicated form on the hospice’s website via www.st-andrews-hospice.com/my-memories

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