ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV will personally carry the wooden cross through all 14 stations of the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum on his first Good Friday as pontiff, marking the first time in decades that a pope carries the cross to every station.
“I think it will be an important sign because of what the pope represents, a spiritual leader in the world today, and for this voice, that everyone wants to hear, that says Christ still suffers,” Leo told reporters this week outside of the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo. “I carry all of this suffering in my prayer.”
John Paul II carried the cross for the entire procession from his first Good Friday as pontiff in 1979 until his hip surgery in 1995, when he carried it just part of the way, according to AP reports at the time.
For the first two years of his papacy, Benedict XVI carried the cross for the first station inside the Colosseum, then followed other bearers in the procession that ends on a platform on the Palatine Hill.
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Pope Francis never carried the cross, but participated in the procession until his health worsened. He died after a long illness last year on Easter Monday, which fell on April 21.
Pope John Paul II was just 58 when he became pope, and was known as a hiker and outdoorsman. His two successors were in their late 70s when they began their papacies, and Francis was missing part of a lung due to a pulmonary infection as a young man.
At 70, Leo is physically fit and an avid tennis player and swimmer. Before becoming pope, Leo would work out regularly at a gym near the Vatican, with a plan befitting a man in his early 50s, according to his former trainer.
Crowds are expected to gather outside of the Colosseum for the Way of the Cross, which commemorates the final hours of Jesus’ life, from his death sentence to taking up the cross to his crucifixion, death and burial. The procession ends outside the Colosseum atop the Palatine Hill.
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The meditations, which are read aloud at each station, were composed by the Rev. Francesco Patton, who was custos (or custodian) of the Holy Land 2016-25, charged, among other things, with looking after sacred sites
“The Way of the Cross is not intended for those who lead a pristinely pious or abstractly recollected life,” Patton wrote in his introduction. “Instead, it is the exercise of one who knows that faith, hope and charity must be incarnated in the real world.”
On Holy Saturday, the pontiff will preside over Easter vigil rites at St. Peter’s Square and lead Roman Catholics into Christianity’s most joyous celebration marking Christ’s resurrection.
On Easter Sunday, the pope will celebrate an open-air Mass in St. Peter’s Square before delivering his Easter message and offer the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to the city (of Rome) and the world.
At least eight people are dead, and a child injured, after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan late on Friday.
The eight dead and injured child are all members of the same family and were involved in a house collapse, Hafizullah Basharat, a spokesman for the Kabul governor, said.
The earthquake struck Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region at a depth of 110 miles (177km), according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences.
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Provincial health authorities in the country have been put on alert.
Strong tremors were also felt in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
The region is highly seismically active, with earthquakes causing thousands of deaths in recent years.
Last August, a 6.0 earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed more than 1,400 people, and injured at least 3,250 others – destroying villages and trapping people under rubble.
Most of the casualties in that disaster were in the country’s Kunar province, where people typically live in wood and mud-brick houses along steep valleys.
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In November, a 6.3 earthquake struck Samangan province in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 27 people and injuring more than 950.
While in 2023, thousands were killed when a 6.3 quake, followed by strong aftershocks, rocked western Afghanistan.
During Friday’s (April 3) instalment of The One Show, footage from Ronan Keating’s Wild Atlantic showed the musician speaking with his nephew, professional footballer Ruairí Keating, about the passing of his father and Ronan’s sibling, Ciarán Keating.
Ciarán was killed in a road collision in 2023 while travelling to watch his son play football, with his wife Annemarie sustaining serious injuries.
In a deeply moving exchange, Ronan disclosed that “our lives haven’t been the same” following his brother’s death, describing him as his “hero”, reports the Irish Mirror.
The Life Is A Rollercoaster performer said: “I’ve kind of parked my emotions for the last two years. I haven’t been able to really deal with it, with the loss.
“And I think this journey that I’m on is me trying to understand more, so that I can somehow grieve and let go because I found it very hard.”
Fighting back emotion, Ronan added: “He was so proud of you and he will still be so proud of you in everything that you’re doing. All of you kids, you were his world.
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“I never get to say it but like, I was the baby. He’s my hero. I’ve very hard.”
Ciarán’s son Ruairí also revealed that he continues to “looks up” while playing football and thinks he can still spot his late dad amongst the spectators, and confessed the “hardest part” is no longer witnessing his father’s name appear on his phone following each match.
Ronan proceeded to explain that his brother served as his motivation for undertaking Wild Atlantic as a venture.
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He previously stated: ‘It started as a celebration of the west coast of Ireland, the Wild Atlantic Way, the cliffs, the beaches, the people.
“I spent so many summers there, so it already meant a lot to me but as we began filming, it naturally evolved into something more personal.”
Alluding to Ciaran’s decision to reside on the west coast, Ronan continued: “So the journey became about understanding that decision, what drew him there, what he found there.”
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‘It turned into a very emotional and very beautiful exploration of his love for that part of Ireland mine too.”
The One Show and Ronan Keating’s Wild Atlantic are available to watch on BBC iPlayer
One crew member has been rescued and the search continues for the second pilot after a U.S. F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iran, the first aircraft downed in Iranian territory since the war began nearly five weeks ago.
The jet, flown by a two-member crew, was shot down by Iranian forces around 6:45 a.m. ET on Friday and a rescue mission was quickly launched. One of the pilots, who had ejected before the aircraft went down, was rescued by U.S. forces, two U.S. officials have told CBS News. The pilot is alive and receiving medical attention, officials said.
U.S. forces are racing to recover the second pilot, a weapons system officer, before Iranian forces can reach them. Israel is helping the United States with the search and rescue operation.
Meanwhile, an Iranian news anchor has urged residents to hand over any “enemy pilot” to police and promised a reward for anyone who did. An on-screen crawl earlier urged the public to “shoot them if you see them”, referring to social media footage circulating of what appeared to be U.S. aircraft in the area.
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The incident marked a major escalation in the conflict just two days after President Donald Trump said in a national address that the U.S. has “beaten and completely decimated Iran” and was “going to finish the job, and we’re going to finish it very fast.”
A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft was shot down over Iran (File photo) (via REUTERS)
In a brief phone interview with The Independent, the president said he could not comment on what his course of action might be if Iranian forces get to the downed airman.
“We hope that’s not going to happen,” said the president, who ended the call shortly thereafter.
Hours after Trump was briefed on the development, the president made no mention of the incident as he took to Truth Social, writing: “KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?”
But when asked about it during a brief interview with NBC News, Trump said that the downing of the US fighter jet would not affect any negotiations with Iran.
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“No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war,” he said on the call.
He declined to discuss the ongoing search and rescue mission.
Earlier Friday, Iranian state-linked media outlets reported that helicopters were deployed to search for the downed jet’s crew, though there were conflicting accounts about their origin.
The Fars news agency said it was unclear who operated the aircraft, while Tasnim reported they were American and claimed at least one helicopter was forced to retreat after coming under fire. Tasnim also said a US C-130 Hercules aircraft was involved in the operation.
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Mizan, an outlet affiliated with Iran’s judiciary, reported that an American rescue mission was active and published images it claimed showed U.S. aircraft in Iranian airspace.
Iranian officials called on civilians to be on the lookout for survivors, according to Reuters. The governor of Iran‘s Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province said whoever captured or killed the crew “would be specially commended,” according to the semi-official Iranian news agency ISNA.
This video grab taken from UGC images posted on social media on April 3, 2026 show a US aircraft, followed by two helicopters, flying over the town of Zaras in the southern Iran’s Khuzestan province (UGC/AFP via Getty Images)
The incident comes as the US and Israel continue to deliver strikes against Iran (AFP via Getty Images)
The incident could represent a significant political complication for Trump, who suggested in a primetime address to the nation this week that the war was ending and that Iran’s military capability had been all but destroyed. He nevertheless said the US-Israeli bombardment would continue for “two or three weeks”.
“With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD??? President DONALD J. TRUMP”
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Iran’s attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure and its tight grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas transits in peacetime, have roiled stock markets, sent oil prices skyrocketing, and threatened to raise the cost of many basic goods, including food.
Trump has threatened further escalation, warning of potential strikes on Iran’s energy grid if the strait is not reopened. Iranian officials have rejected negotiations under current conditions.
“Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!” he wrote on social media late Thursday. “New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!”
On Friday, Trump celebrated the bombing of an Iranian bridge, as he warned on social media that there was “much more to follow.” Footage showed the moment the B1 bridge in Karaj, west of Tehran, was cut in half by the strike on Thursday. The attack killed eight people and wounded 95, Iranian news media reported.
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A view of the B1 bridge is pictured, a day after it was destroyed by a strike in Karaj, southwest of Tehran (AFP via Getty Images)
Today’s incident is the first U.S. or Israeli jet to have been shot down over Iran since the war started. Three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle jets were downed by friendly fire over Kuwait in March. None of the aircrews were injured.
More than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran since the war began on 28 February with U.S. and Israeli strikes, the Associated Press reported. In a review released Friday, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a U.S.-based group, said it found that civilian casualties were clustered around strikes on security and state-linked sites “rather than indiscriminate bombardment” of urban areas.
More than two dozen people have died in Gulf states and the occupied West Bank, 19 have been reported dead in Israel, and 13 U.S. service members have been killed. More than 1,300 people have been killed and more than 1 million displaced in Lebanon. Ten Israeli soldiers have also died there.
Performance 28, based on the Drum Industrial Estate, has become the go-to showroom for professional footballers hunting for prestige, sports and American muscle cars.
Among the top-flight names linked with the business are Newcastle United stars Dan Burn and Lewis Miley, along with former Magpies goalkeeper Tim Krul.
Dan Burn’s partnership with Performance 28
Blyth-born defender Dan Burn – who stands at an imposing six foot six – made a visit to Performance 28 late last year for more than just a new car collection.
The dealership revealed on its social media channels that it had entered into a sponsorship deal with the Newcastle United defender, handing over a custom Dodge Challenger Hellcat as part of the partnership.
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Dan Burn (Image: PERFORMANCE28)
Tim Krul’s long-standing link with the showroom
Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul, who now plays for Luton Town, is another player with long ties to the County Durham dealership.
Krul stopped by Performance 28 ahead of Luton’s Championship clash with Sunderland last year – but his connection with the business stretches back decades.
Managing director Tony Thomson has been supplying cars to Krul since he was just 18 years old, building a relationship that has lasted through the keeper’s career at clubs across England.
Tim Krul (Image: PERFORMANCE28)
Lewis Miley upgrades before a memorable Leeds clash
Rising Newcastle United star Lewis Miley, 19, is also among the dealership’s loyal customers.
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The Stanley-born youngster was spotted at Performance 28 in January this year, only hours before starring in the Magpies’ thrilling 4–3 win over Leeds United.
Tony Thomson praised the teenager’s enthusiasm for cars, describing him as a “lovely, down-to-earth lad” with a passion for AMG Mercedes models.
“We’ve sold Lewis a few cars now, and he and his family are really good customers,” Tony said. “He’s enthusiastic about his cars, always open to our input, and loves creating something unique.”
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While it may not always make national headlines, Performance 28 has built a strong reputation across the North East and beyond.
The Chester-le-Street dealership’s mix of luxury show models, bespoke customisations and personalised service has made it a trusted name among professional athletes and car enthusiasts alike.
With its growing celebrity clientele and eye-catching fleet, it’s no surprise that Performance 28 is now known as County Durham’s home for high-performance luxury.
A petition has been set up urging authorities to enhance the barriers on the M61 motorway bridges, but work was not ultimately carried out.
Mr Bullen revived efforts to install greater safety measures after last week’s incident, though he had been in contact with National Highways prior to this.
“There was something about three months ago that really spurred me on to look into this,” said Mr Bullen.
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“I was having a drink with my wife in one of the Over Hulton pubs and this guy came in.
“He’d seen a woman on the bridge and managed to jump out of his car and grab hold of her.
“We were all shocked.”
National Highways assured him that the motorway bridge was on their radar and was due for safety upgrades, but that other areas with even high numbers of incidents must come first.
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National Highways plan to heighten the parapets, with each installation costing around £1m.
Other safety installations have recently taken place at three locations along the M602 in Salford, Greater Manchester.
A National Highways spokesperson said: “Everyone’s safety on our network matters to us. We recognise the wide reaching and devastating impact of suicide for both individuals and communities.
“We work closely with groups like Samaritans, the police, local authorities and other partners and routinely review incidents to see what more might be done to help people in crisis.
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“There isn’t a single solution that works for every situation – for example there can be complicated technical challenges involved in altering bridge structures – however, whenever we become aware of any incidents, we carefully review the options and take practical steps to address them whenever we can.”
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here to listen – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123 or visitsamaritans.org.
To be known as the BMW i3 it will be fully electric and have a range of more than 500 miles on a single charge.
In this instalment of Drive Time, John previewsthe exciting all-electric BMW i3, which is being produced at the company’s Munich plant, and discovers the extended range version of the Nissan Micra now qualifies for the full UK EV grant.
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A brand new BMW 3 Series has been announced as the second Neue Klasse model in the German brand’s portfolio.
To be known as the BMW i3 it will be fully electric and have a range of more than 500 miles on a single charge.
BMW says it will have precise handling thanks to a ‘superbrain’ system that will be responsible for all driving functions.
The BMW i3 launches with the 50 xDrive model variant, which is powered by two electric motors which drive the front and rear axle to develop a combined system output of 469 hp and 645 Nm of torque.
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It can be charged at speeds of up to 400kW at an 800-volt DC charging station to drastically reduce charging times.
The result is up to 250 miles in just 10 minutes.
This capability is enabled by sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology, which teams highly efficient electric motors, 800-volt technology and new high-voltage batteries with energy-dense cylindrical cells.
Instantly recognisable as a 3 Series, the BMW i3 offers a modern interpretation of the hallmark BMW Saloon design with its new silhouette.
Reduced to the essentials, its design is characterised by a long wheelbase with short overhangs, precise lines and a sloping roofline.
Inside, there is a sporty and contemporary cockpit which is optimised around the driver.
Positioned front and centre is the BMW Panoramic iDrive, which consists of four key components – the BMW Panoramic Vision display, the optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display, the driver-oriented Central Display and the new multi-function steering wheel – helping drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
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Drivers will be able to customise the interior and exterior of their BMW i3 with different trim levels, including M Sport, following its success within the UK market.
The front-end is sculpted in a sporty shark-nose design and centred around a reimagined horizontal kidney grille, where twin headlights merge with an innovative light signature.
The side profile features pronounced wheel arches, retractable flush door handles that extend automatically, and bold lines that flow to the rear where there’s a refreshed BMW roundel.
The new BMW i3 will be built at the home of BMW Group, Plant Munich, which has been producing premium vehicles for over a century.
Over the last four years, the production plant has seen significant modernisation with the construction of a new body shop, cutting-edge assembly facility and logistics space.
Production will commence in August 2026, with first UK customer deliveries expected in late autumn.
A year later, Munich’s production portfolio will switch to fully electric vehicles of the Neue Klasse.
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Further information, including UK pricing and detailed model specifications will follow nearer the launch date.
Meanwhile, long range versions of the all-new Nissan Micra now qualify for the full £3750 UK Electric Car Grant thanks to a new Europe-sourced battery.
The Micra 52kWh – which is built at the ElectriCity car production hub in northern France – will be priced from £23,245 with the higher Electric Car Grant applied.
First UK customer deliveries of the new city car are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks, with Nissan confirming that both existing and future customer orders for the Micra 52kWh will qualify for the full EV discount.
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Micra 40kWh versions also continue to qualify for the lower £1,500 Electric Car Grant.
James Taylor, managing director of Nissan GB, said: “Our new battery supplier means our longer-range Micra 52kWh now qualifies for the full £3750 Electric Car Grant, ensuring great value for money for our customers.
“It also means that both of our new model launches so far this year – Micra and Leaf – are available with the maximum EV grant discount, demonstrating Nissan’s continued leadership in providing accessible and exciting electric cars for people keen to switch to zero emission motoring.”
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As a compact city car with over six million units sold globally, the new, sixth-generation electric Micra marks a bold step forward for Nissan’s electrification strategy.
Combining affordability, innovation and everyday practicality, the Micra also features advanced in-car technology including Google Built-in and the NissanConnect Services app.
Available with two battery options, the range starts with a 40kWh model capable of up to 196 miles on a single charge.
This model qualifies for the lower £1500 Electric Car Grant and is priced from £21,495.
The longer-range Micra 52kWh model can travel up to 257 miles on a single charge and is priced from £23,245 including the higher £3750 Electric Car Grant.
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Chef Nick Bril (left) ran over his intern after a staff party, leaving him in a coma for almost two months
A British intern had to have a double amputation after a Michelin-star chef drove over his legs with an SUV.
Joe Claridge, 39, suffered life-changing injuries after the chef Nick Bril ran over his legs following a staff party in Antwerp, Belgium.
Mr Claridge, a sous chef, was interning for Bril, who runs a two-star restaurant, when the catastrophic crash happened on January 8, 2024.
It unfolded when Bril backed his Land Rover Defender before driving it forward, going over Mr Claridge who lay on the ground outside The Jane, the luxury eatery owned by the high-profile Dutch chef.
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Chef Nick Bril arriving at a hearing in December last year over the crash, which left Joe Claridge with life-changing injuries (Picture: Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga/Shutterstock)
The intern suffered catastrophic injuries and was in a coma for 50 days before having both of his legs amputated, the Sun reports.
While the court deemed the crash was an accident, prosecutors accused the chef of not acting quickly enough in the aftermath.
The emergency services were allegedly only alerted after a jogger urged Bril to call for help at about 6am.
The prosecutors said: ‘Without the jogger, he would probably have gotten back into the car and driven away.’
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Bril was accused of being unusually silent at the scene when paramedics tried to find out what had happened.
The judge found that his ‘knowing and wilful’ silence with the emergency services amounted to a kind of hit-and-run.
He was found guilty of leaving the scene and failing to report what had happened, and cleared of deliberately driving over Mr Claridge.
The judges said he could ‘not have foreseen the accident and did not intend the consequences.’
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Bril, who admitted wrongdoing at the trial, said he can ‘only imagine how the last few years have unfolded’ for Mr Claridge.
The chef was given a 12-month suspended sentence and a four-month driving ban.
Mr Claridge, who has a young son, has reportedly moved to the island of Jersey with his family following the accident, where he spent a week in hospital in December, unable to attend an earlier court hearing.
His lawyer said he and his family have moved to an adapted house on the island, according to the Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws.
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Compensation to Mr Claridge was first set at a symbolic €1 (£0.87), with the full amount due to be set at a later date.
Hans Hamilton wanted to ‘do the right thing’ but was left with ‘physical pain and trauma’
Husna Anjum Senior Reporter and Somaiyah Hafeez
20:38, 03 Apr 2026Updated 20:38, 03 Apr 2026
A man tried to help a crash victim on a busy road, only to get viciously attacked by them.
Hans Hamilton suffered a brain bleed and broken ribs during the incident saying he was ‘just trying to do the right thing’.
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He was treated in hospital and set up a GoFundMe page to help cover medical expenses and car repairs. The incident occurred when Hamilton was driving north of the 429 Expressway in Florida on Monday (March 30).
Taking place near Walt Disney World in Orlando, Hamilton came across a white vehicle that had smashed into a guard rail on the median. Video obtained by News 6 shows the driver stumbling out of the Lexus and collapsing on the grass.
MirrorUS reports that when Hamilton pulled over to help, the man appeared motionless. He then stood up and jumped on the hood of Hamilton’s Tesla and broke the windshield.
Later the man, identified by police as 44-year-old Daniel Coman, pushed Hamilton to the ground and repeatedly hit him on his head and body while on top of him. Hamilton managed to free himself after 30 seconds of beating and started hitting the man in the throat to stop him, he told News 6.
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He then walked away as Coman lay on the ground the video shows. Coman also tried to fight a deputy from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office who soon arrived at the scene, according to an arrest report.
According to the report, Coman approached in an “aggressive fighting manner” and “began swinging his left hand as if he was going to strike” the deputy. Coman was arrested with the help of Hamilton and charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, assault on a law enforcement officer, battery, and criminal mischief.
Coman was involved in a separate hit-and-run crash about two miles south, police later found. He is also the suspect in a “criminal mischief incident” that occurred earlier that morning, the affidavit states.
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The report doesn’t disclose additional details. Hamilton was rushed to the hospital and was treated for a brain bleed, a concussion, multiple contusions and four broken ribs, according to a GoFundMe page that he launched to help cover medical expenses and car repairs.
“The physical pain and trauma from that day have been overwhelming, and the emotional toll has been just as heavy,” he wrote, adding that he only ever wanted to help the stranger and “do the right thing.”
Coman, who remains locked up at the Orange County Jail on April 2, was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. However he didn’t appear because he was hospitalized for an unknown reason.
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A turbulent few weeks at Stamford Bridge have rocked the Blues who lost four games on the bounce heading into the international break, crashing out of the Champions League in the process.
Enzo Fernandez added to those woes in a series of interviews where he left his long-term future in west London in real doubt.
In a subsequent chat with AS, the Ecuador international reiterated he is focused on Chelsea for now but was less committed on his long-term future when asked if he can see himself playing in Real Madrid’s famous white shirt one day.
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Caicedo said ‘let’s see what happens’ over his future (Picture: Getty Images)
‘You never know in football, don’t you think?’ Caicedo said.
‘I have a contract with Chelsea now. The truth is, I haven’t honestly thought about another club, about leaving London, but well, in the end, you never know in football.
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‘All I want is to enjoy myself. I have a contract and I want to keep playing as long as God allows. After that, we’ll see what happens. I have a contract, but we’ll see what the future holds. Let’s see what surprises await us.’
Caicedo’s midfield partner Fernandez slammed the club’s decision to part ways with Enzo Maresca in January in one of the interviews he gave to Argentine media.
Fernandez has been punished for his recent outbursts (Picture: Getty)
Caicedo admitted transitioning under Rosenior has been ‘difficult’ and ‘a bit of a struggle’ but is confident there are ‘great things’ ahead for the club.
‘Yes, it’s a little difficult because we were with a coach we were used to playing with, with his style,’ Caicedo said.
‘But now we have Rosenior with us. It’s been a bit of a struggle to adapt, it’s true, but I know it’s just a matter of time to get used to something new. Sometimes you adapt faster, sometimes it takes a little longer.
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‘Anyway. I think the whole team is going through a tough time right now, yes. We have to keep going, we have to try to get through this, the season, because we have a lot of great things ahead of us.’
A spokesperson for Kabul’s governor has said at least eight people have died
An earthquake had hit parts of northern and eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan, the Associated Press reports.
The spokesperson for Kabul’s governor said at least eight people are dead. The region is highly seismically active, and quakes have caused thousands of deaths in recent years.
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Friday’s earthquake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 5.8, had an epicentre in the Hindu Kush mountain range, about 93 miles east of the Afghan city of Kunduz, according to the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre and the United States Geological Survey.
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Hafizullah Basharat, a spokesman for the Kabul governor, said eight people were killed and a child was injured when a house collapsed on the outskirts of the capital. He said all were members of the same family.
With the epicentre at a depth of more than 180km, the quake was felt across a wide swathe of Afghanistan and Pakistan.It was felt in the areas of Islamabad, Peshawar, Chitral, Swat and Shangla, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department.
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Afghanistan’s Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said Kabul and provincial health authorities had been put on alert.
Last August, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck a remote, mountainous part of eastern Afghanistan killed more than 2,200 people, levelling villages and trapping people under rubble.
Most casualties were in the province of Kunar, where people typically live in wood and mud-brick houses along steep valleys.
In November, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the province of Samangan in northern Afghanistan, killing at last 27 people and injuring more than 950.
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It also damaged historical sites, including Afghanistan’s famous Blue Mosque in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, and the Bagh-e-Jahan Nama Palace in Khulm.
On October 7 2023, a 6.3 magnitude quake followed by strong aftershocks in western Afghanistan killed thousands of people.
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