F1 Saudi Arabia GP LIVE: Lewis Hamilton eyes strong start in practice
F1 returns to Jeddah this weekend for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and round five of the 2025 F1 season.
Oscar Piastri claimed his second win of the season last time out with a commanding victory in Bahrain, cutting the gap to championship leader and McLaren teammate Lando Norris to three points in the drivers’ standings.
George Russell finished an impressive second for Mercedes while Lewis Hamilton finished fifth – his best result on a Sunday since joining Ferrari.
Max Verstappen was short of pace for Red Bull, in the end coming home sixth, with speculation mounting that the Dutchman could leave at the end of the season. Verstappen won last year’s race in Jeddah, memorable for Ollie Bearman making his F1 debut.
Follow the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with The Independent
TikTok removes videos promoting birth control misinformation
TikTok has removed videos promoting birth control misinformation after The Independent found that some influencers were spreading unproven claims to millions of users.
An investigation by The Independent and tech company Alethea revealed misleading videos claimed the risks of birth control, such as cancer or psychological side effects, outweigh its benefits.
Some videos, since taken down, also suggested that a herbal supplement called Queen Anne’s Lace could act as a contraceptive, and promoted the idea that women should “detox” after stopping their birth control prescription.
The TikTok videos, which appeared generic, engaging, and aesthetically pleasing, were posted by three prominent wellness influencers – reaching 15 million viewers on the platform between February 2021 and July 2024 and being shared 21,000 times.
Out of the 1,449 total videos posted by the three influencers during the period, 115 were tagged with #birthcontrol.
Using data collection, Alethea – a leading technology company specialising in online risk detection and mitigation – identified the top myths being spread by three prominent TikTok influencers.
The Independent also collated and flagged hashtags used specifically by these influencers on TikTok, which aimed to push this content to a wider audience than just their followers, such as #womenshealth #truth #holistichealth #fertilityawareness and #holistichealing. TikTok did not respond when asked if it took action on these.
Many of the videos were also published on platforms such as Instagram and YouTube.
Have you come across this kind of content online? Email: hebe.campbell@independent.co.uk
Dr Viki Male, senior lecturer in reproductive immunology at Imperial College London, told The Independent: “Contraception, like any medication, has risks – but they are low and far lower than the risks of pregnancy.
“There’s no strong evidence that Queen Anne’s Lace works as a contraceptive – it’s certainly not something I would rely on. In communities that try to use herbal birth control, they have a really high rate of unplanned pregnancies.
“It’s a myth that the longer you take birth control, the longer it takes to get pregnant. Studies show no such ‘wash-out’ period exists for any hormonal contraceptives except for the injection. The injection does take a little while to leave your system, but that is exactly what it’s designed to do.”
However, Dr Male did point out that some people taking contraception may experience side effects, adding: “With every medication, there are always risks, but hormonal contraception is really safe and effective.”
After The Independent presented the social media giant with its evidence, TikTok removed content relating to claims that the risks of birth control – like cancer or psychological side effects – outweigh its benefits and the false claim that Queen Anne’s Lace can work as a contraceptive. It did not remove videos relating to detoxing after taking birth control, however.
It also removed content relating to these topics by influencers that The Independent had not flagged. The videos specifically violated TikTok’s policies around medical misinformation, the app said.
Instagram and TikTok are now the preferred search engines for Gen-Zers when seeking local results, according to a study carried out in 2024 by marketing technology vendor SOCI.
For Gen Z internet users in the US, Instagram was first, with 67 per cent saying they use it for searches. TikTok is the second choice at 62 per cent of the 18 to 24 demographic search, while Google is third at 61 per cent.
TikTok, along with Instagram and other social media platforms, has recently come under scrutiny for allowing misinformation to spread, especially around women’s health.
Another study in 2024 found that women are among the largest group of TikTok users in the United States and may be especially affected by the dissemination of health information on TikTok.
The research suggested that health professionals and health communication scholars need to proactively consider using TikTok as a platform for disseminating health information to young women, because they are using TikTok for it despite preferring information from health professionals.
TikTok said it removed content that violated its policies regarding medical misinformation. Its community guidelines prohibit inaccurate, misleading, or false content that may cause significant harm to individuals or society, regardless of intent.
However, the guidelines allow TikTok users to share their own stories or experiences about medical treatment as long as they do not contain harmful misinformation.
TikTok defines harmful health misinformation as inaccurate medical advice that discourages people from getting appropriate medical care for a life-threatening disease, or other misinformation that may cause negative health effects on an individual’s life.
The app announced a year-long collaboration with the World Health Organisation in 2024 to promote reliable mental wellbeing content and fight disinformation through the Fides Network of trusted healthcare professionals, who are also TikTok creators.
Harry asked for taxpayer-funded protection after al-Qaeda threat
The Duke of Sussex asked for taxpayer-funded protection after al-Qaeda made a murder threat against him, according to newly released court documents.
Last week, Prince Harry appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the latest stage of a legal fight with the Home Office over the level of taxpayer-funded personal security he receives when visiting the UK.
In February 2020, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) decided that Harry should receive a different degree of protection when in the country.
He is appealing against a High Court ruling dismissing his case against the Home Office over the decision in 2024.
Some evidence was heard in private during the appeal case. A newly released summary reveals that Harry made a request for protection following a threat from Al-Qaeda.
Harry “confirmed that he had requested certain protection after a threat was made against him” by the terrorist group, the document said.
Harry has previously said he faces a greater risk than his late mother, Princess Diana, with “additional layers of racism and extremism”.
He believes his family faces an “international threat” and has already highlighted that al-Qaeda has called for him to be killed.
In written submissions as part of Harry’s appeal, parts of which were redacted, Shaheed Fatima KC, for the duke, said Ravec ruled in 2020 that “there is no basis for publicly funded security support for the duke and duchess within Great Britain”.
After the decision, al-Qaeda called for Harry “to be murdered”, and his security team was informed that the terrorist group had published a document which said his “assassination would please the Muslim community”, Ms Fatima said.
The Home Office, which is legally responsible for Ravec’s decisions, is opposing the appeal.
Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping back from official public duties on January 8, 2020.
The duke and duchess were later told during the so-called “Sandringham summit”, which aimed to agree the terms of their new role, that they would not be able to retain the full-time police protection.
Such protection is currently granted to the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children.
Ravec’s final decision, shared on February 28, 2020, said that Metropolitan Police protection would no longer be appropriate after the Sussexes’ departure, and that they should receive a different degree of protection when in the UK.
The Sussexes would instead receive a “bespoke” security service, whereby they would be required to give 30 days’ notice of any plans to travel to the UK, with each visit being assessed for threat levels and whether protection is needed.
Ms Fatima told the appeal hearing that the duke had been “singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment”, adding that Harry “does not accept that ‘bespoke’ means ‘better’.”
A decision is expected in writing at a later date.
Man Utd salvage their season with breathtaking comeback for the ages
It was Bilbao or bust. Just when it seemed it would be bust, Manchester United condemning their season to utter failure, they instead salvaged it. They produced one of their latest and greatest comebacks. Harry Maguire headed them to Bilbao, for a Europa League semi-final against Athletic, perhaps for a return to the Basque Country for the final. They may yet get Champions League football, some £100m in broadcast, matchday and commercial income.
They may yet get redemption. It will be quite a rescue act as they seemed to capitulate when Lyon scored four unanswered goals. Then came the United response, three of their own, deep into extra time. After conceding two goals in seven minutes, United scored three in eight. Six-four down on aggregate after 113 minutes of an epic tie, they prevailed 7-6.
The late rally was led by the outstanding Bruno Fernandes, the captain coolly slotting in a penalty that may have been generously awarded after Casemiro went to ground under Thiago Almada’s challenge.
Then Kobbie Mainoo, sent on as an emergency striker, finishing like a centre-forward, taking Casemiro’s pass and curling a shot into the corner. Then Maguire, the 121st-minute hero heading in a cross from Casemiro. Him again, the Brazilian, the serial Champions League winner taking himself closer to Europa League glory. It threatened to be the last European night at Old Trafford, potentially for years. It became a special occasion. “In this stadium, in this club, you always have the feeling anything can happen,” said Ruben Amorim. So it appeared on a night of credibility-defying drama. “That is why we like this sport so much and all the frustration the coach has, the bad moments, when you have moments like this it is all worth it. We can forget for a few minutes what kind of season we are having.”
And yet, perhaps, they are saving their season. Galvanised by their plight, motivated by the prize, United played with the air of men who knew what was at stake. When ignominy beckoned, they responded. For Amorim, spurred on by a glimpse into United’s past, there was a night to make history. “I was watching the 1999 [Treble] documentary to have some inspiration for these moments,” he said. As the watching Sir Alex Ferguson may have again remarked, football, bloody hell.
For Lyon, it was merely hell. They could be forgiven for wondering what had hit them. They had mustered a terrific fightback of their own. At 2-0, they were seemingly down and out. At 4-2 up, they only had 10 minutes to see through. Yet there was a cruelty for Paulo Fonseca and his team. United may be 14th in the Premier League but they are the only unbeaten team in the Europa League, a different beast in Europe. When embarrassment was on the cards, they produced excitement.
Where to start? For an hour or so, this was one of United’s best performances of the season, leaving everyone wondering where this kind of football had been all year. They began well. They were rewarded with a goal. The dynamic Alejandro Garnacho took Fernandes’s pass and turned sharply in the penalty area to cut the ball back. Manuel Ugarte sidefooted in his second United goal.
As United continued to push, Casemiro had a low shot pushed just past the post by Lucas Perri. It was terrific goalkeeping, but the Brazilian was beaten again on the stroke of half-time. Dalot latched on to Maguire’s long pass to angle a low shot beyond Perri. A wing-back in the box, scoring goals: this may be part of Amorim’s vision.
Meanwhile, Fernandes was brilliant, almost scoring one of the great United goals when he volleyed Dalot’s long pass against the bar, twice also coming close to spectacular goals.
For Fonseca, barred from the touchline for nine months in French football for an altercation with a referee, the view from the technical area surely was not enjoyable initially. Yet he took advantage of his greater involvement to change the game with his substitutes. In particular, the introduction of Alexandre Lacazette provided a lifeline. He gave Lyon a focal point in the box. United creaked under pressure.
Corentin Tolisso headed in from six yards after Casemiro failed to clear a free kick and the substitute Lacazette glanced the ball into the midfielder’s path. Six minutes later, Lyon struck again, Nicolas Tagliafico angling in a shot from Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s cross before Andre Onana could claw it back from behind the line. Lacazette followed up to make sure anyway. For Onana there could, eventually, be the relief that his first-leg errors did not cost United; premature as his dancing celebrations of Ugarte’s opener proved, he ended the night jumping into Amorim’s arms in delight.
Others crossed the divide between hero and villain. Tolisso departed, a trip on the raiding Leny Yoro bringing him a second yellow card. It gave United a man advantage, yet, a quarter of an hour later, Lyon had a goal advantage, the excellent Rayan Cherki drilling the ball into the bottom corner after a burst from the replacement Malick Fofana. Scorer of a 95th-minute equaliser in Lyon, he struck even later, leaving Onana motionless.
For a while, Lyon were magnificent with 10 men. Then the dynamic Fofana was tripped by Luke Shaw, a United substitute, and Lacazette converted the penalty. So it was 4-2, with United heading out, with Fonseca’s changes working better than Amorim’s.
Until they weren’t. Until the substitute Mainoo scored and Casemiro starred and Maguire wrote his name into Old Trafford folklore. Like Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 1999, but as a centre-back shunted into attack because of his aerial ability. “I just see one guy who is good in the box,” said Amorim. And the midfielder Mainoo proved another who was good in the box. “A win like that can bring so much momentum,” said the 120th-minute scorer. “We’re rolling the snowball and it could get bigger and bigger.” And now the snowball rolls on to Bilbao.