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England Women's football squad have donated to an initiative set up by Premier League players to support the NHS and other frontline staff during the coronavirus pandemic. The Lionesses made the announcement to donate to the fund - #PlayersTogether - on their personal social media accounts, led off by captain Steph Houghton. The statement said: "After discussions with a number of Premier League players, we are delighted to confirm that the whole of the Lionesses squad will make a collective donation to the #PlayersTogether fund." The fund was established after meetings between Premier League players including Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and Manchester United's Harry Maguire to discuss the best way to help during the crisis and has partnered with NHS Charities Together (NHSCT). Professional footballers had come in for criticism for their response to the crisis, with health secretary Matt Hancock saying earlier this month that Premier League players should "take a pay cut and play their part". However, after the initiative was announced, Hancock said he "warmly welcomed" the "big-hearted decision". The Premier League's initial proposal for a 30% wage cut was dismissed by players as they wanted control over where the money was going, In a statement - posted by more than 150 Premier League players on social media announcing the initiative - they said they were "collaborating together to create a voluntary initiative, separate to any other league and club conversation". The intention, they said, was to "try and help, along with so many others in the country, to make a real difference". The level of contributions has not been announced but the players said the initiative would help "quickly grant funds to the NHS frontline".

Former Chelsea striker and manager Gianluca Vialli has been given the all-clear from pancreatic cancer. The 55-year-old ex-Italy forward said in 2018 he had recovered from cancer before announcing last year that he was dealing with the disease again. "Gianluca Vialli has been given the all-clear following a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer," said Chelsea. "Amazing news." Vialli is currently working as part of the Italy national team set-up. As a player, he was at Cremonese and Sampdoria before moving to Juventus, where he won the Serie A title and the Champions League. Vialli joined Chelsea in 1996 and was named player-manager following the sacking of Ruud Gullit in February 1998. He went on to lead the Blues to victory in the League Cup, Uefa Cup Winners' Cup and Uefa Super Cup in the same year. He also guided Chelsea to victory in the 2000 FA Cup final and Charity Shield - now the Community Shield - but was sacked early in the season after a poor start. Vialli, who made 59 appearances for Italy, was in charge of Watford, then in the second tier, for the 2001-02 season but was dismissed after the Hornets only finished 14th.

The government does not expect to make changes to coronavirus lockdown restrictions this week, Dominic Raab has said. The foreign secretary said the UK's plan "is working" but that "we are still not past the peak of this virus". "Keep this up, we have come too far, lost too many loved ones and sacrificed too much to ease up," he said. It came as the government said it might change its advice on using face masks. Will face masks become the new norm? The UK's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance told the daily Downing Street news conference an ongoing review was considering the guidance on whether people should wear face masks. Asked by the BBC's David Shukman whether the government could change its advice to the British public on wearing face masks while outside, Sir Patrick said that, if evidence supported it, the guidance could change. He added that the government had already seen "more persuasive" data suggesting masks can stop a person passing the virus to someone else, rather than preventing them from catching it. The World Health Organization said it remains the case that medical masks should be reserved for healthcare workers, not the general public.

Floyd Mayweather says he will be "one of the best trainers in the world" and take after his late uncle. Former trainer Roger Mayweather died, aged 58, on 17 March following years of ill health. Having been a world champion himself, Roger helped train his nephew to become one of the greatest boxers in history over an unbeaten 50-fight career. "I've had incredible trainers, which included my dad and uncle," Floyd wrote in a social media post on Friday. "Due to the recent passing of my uncle Roger, I've felt inspired to help those around me the same way they have been there for me throughout my boxing career." Mayweather, who said his uncle was "one of the most important people in my life", has already done a training session with his nephew and eldest son. The American added that the lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic has "allowed me to see the importance of unity and helping others grow". "In a time where we must distance ourselves from others, it has allowed me to reflect on how I want to make a difference in people lives and help them achieve their goals," added Mayweather. "A true trainer wants the best out of their fighter and pushes them to the best of their abilities. I am new to helping people train as I've always been on the other side of the mitts."

The US "could have saved lives" if it had introduced measures to stop Covid-19 earlier, a top health official says. "If we had, right from the beginning, shut everything down, it may have been a little bit different," Dr Anthony Fauci told CNN. But he said making that decision was complicated. The US has over 530,000 virus cases and 21,418 deaths, many in New York. Dr Fauci also suggested parts of the US could begin returning to normal as early as May. On 16 March, the Trump administration issued social distancing guidance, which has since been extended through April. When asked about a New York Times report that Dr Fauci and other officials had suggested aggressive mitigation towards the end of February, Dr Fauci said health officials can only make recommendations from a "pure health standpoint". "Often, the recommendation is taken. Sometimes, it's not. But it is what it is, we are where we are right now." The face of America's fight against Covid-19 US coronavirus death toll becomes world's highest Dr Fauci, who is leading the US response to coronavirus, added that "no one is going to deny" that logically, earlier mitigation could have saved lives. But he said "what goes into those kinds of decisions is complicated". "There was a lot of pushback about shutting things down back then."

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Sheffield United have furloughed some permanent and casual staff but will continue to pay them in full. The club said that the decision affected those members of staff "who are unable to perform their regular duties". These are predominantly casual employees but include a small number of permanent staff, the Blades said. "The club confirms that permanent and casual staff will continue to be paid in full," a statement said. "Sheffield United Football Club has informed its staff of the decision to furlough some employees." Furloughed staff members "have been given the green light to sign up for the NHS volunteering scheme or similar initiatives in lieu of regular employment at Bramall Lane or other club sites," the club added. The Blades are not currently using the government's job retention scheme (JRS) where workers can claim 80% of their wages up to £2,500 a month. Tottenham, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Norwich are other top-flight sides who have put non-playing staff on furlough, although those clubs are using the JRS. West Ham and Southampton have announced that their players will defer part of their wages during the coronavirus pandemic. The Blades, who were pushing for Champions League qualification before the coronavirus halted the footballing calendar, have not ruled out using the job retention scheme in the future. "Senior officials at the club are aware of the Government's Job Retention Scheme. At a later date, after the full financial impact of the situation can be more accurately quantified, the club will assess whether or not to participate in the JRS," a club statement said.

The UK has recorded 917 new coronavirus deaths, taking the total number of people who have died in hospital with the virus to 9,875. For the second day in a row, the UK's daily death toll exceeded 900. On Friday there were a record 980 deaths. People are being urged to enjoy a "stay-at-home Easter" amid lockdown, despite warm weather in much of the UK. Meanwhile the home secretary said she was "sorry if people feel there have been failings" in NHS protective kit. "We are in a unprecedented global pandemic. There are going to be problems," Priti Patel added. Her comments, at the daily coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, came after some NHS workers said they still did not have the personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to treat coronavirus patients. 'She loved her job': The NHS staff who've died The UK-wide deaths total is accurate as of 17:00 BST on Friday but does not include those who died in care homes or the community. In Scotland 47 more deaths were reported on Saturday, while 36 were reported in Wales and 15 in Northern Ireland.

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Restarting football too early would be "irresponsible", says Fifa president Gianni Infantino. Most domestic leagues around the world are on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic while major tournaments such as Euro 2020 and the Copa America have been postponed for one year. "No match, no competition, no league is worth risking a single human life," Infantino said. "It’s better to wait a little bit longer than to take risks." Belarus football carrying on 'not comprehendible' - Fifpro Football is continuing in a handful of countries, including Belarus, Burundi, Nicaragua and Tajikistan. Infantino, head of football's world governing body, insisted that safety should come first. "I cannot stress this enough," he told Fifa's 211 member associations on Friday. "Our first priority, our principle, the one we will use for our competitions and encourage everyone to follow, is that health comes first. "Everyone in the world should have this very clear in their mind." Discussions are being held around the world over when and how to restart the season. In addition, in some countries there are disagreements over whether players should face pay cuts. "It would be more than irresponsible to force competitions to resume if things are not 100% safe," said Infantino. "If football manages to have a discussion where everyone contributes positively, and keeps in mind the global interest over the individual one, I am convinced our future can be better than our past, and we will be better prepared for the times ahead."

Apple and Google are jointly developing technology to alert people if they have recently come into contact with others found to be infected with coronavirus. They hope to initially help third-party contact-tracing apps run efficiently. But ultimately, they aim to do away with the need to download dedicated apps, to encourage the practice. The two companies believe their approach - designed to keep users, whose participation would be voluntary, anonymous - addresses privacy concerns. Their contact-tracing method would work by using a smartphone's Bluetooth signals to determine to whom the owner had recently been in proximity for long enough to have established contagion a risk. If one of those people later tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, a warning would be sent to the original handset owner. No GPS location data or personal information would be recorded. "Privacy, transparency and consent are of utmost importance in this effort and we look forward to building this functionality in consultation with interested stakeholders," Apple and Google said in a joint statement. "We will openly publish information about our work for others to analyse." US President Donald Trump is expected to give the initiative his backing, at a White House press conference later.

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Kobe Bryant will be posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The five-time NBA champion died, aged 41, in a helicopter crash in January alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others. Los Angeles Lakers great Bryant retired in 2016; he was the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2008, was Finals MVP twice and earned 18 All-Star selections. He was in the United States team that won Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Bryant's death was "unspeakable" and the league was keen to "honour" him. "Kobe Bryant is synonymous with NBA All-Star and embodies the spirit of this global celebration of our game," Silver said. "He always relished the opportunity to compete with the best of the best and perform at the highest level for millions of fans around the world." Tim Duncan, a five-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, and Kevin Garnett, who helped the Boston Celtics win the championship in 2008, were also inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is named after Dr James Naismith, the Canadian physician who invented basketball.

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A father's guiding hand, a wife's endless support and habitual trips to the rubbish tip have helped Tyson Fury reclaim his place back at the top of the boxing mountain. The 31-year-old British heavyweight ripped the WBC world heavyweight title from Deontay Wilder on 22 February in the latest twist since his comeback to the sport following 30 months on the sidelines battling a litany of personal problems. An all-access documentary filmed by ITV has charted some of the 20 months since Fury returned to the ring and embarked on his world-title crusade. Here are five things 'The Gypsy King' captured. Hearn 'ready' to seal deal for Joshua v Fury December fight Fury or Joshua? I just want to fight the best' - Whyte Dad's the word Fury's decision to split from Ben Davison two months before his February rematch with Wilder raised eyebrows. Many pointed to criticism of trainer Davison by Fury's father John as the catalyst. Fury's father said his son had been too light in the ring and it is clear the fighter listens to no-one in the same way he does his dad. Moments after beating Wilder, Fury shared an emotional phone call with his father - who is unable to visit America due to a previous conviction - and pointing back to the weight issue, said: "I was too strong for him dad. I was 19st 4lbs tonight, solid." John Fury replied: "You're the best fighting man I have ever seen in my whole entire life. It was a masterclass, the best I have ever, ever seen in my life. Let me tell you son, it was some performance and I'm still shaking. Love you son."

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is predicting a severe decline in international commerce this year. In a new report the WTO forecasts a contraction of between 13% and 32% this year. The wide range of possibilities reflects the uncertainties about the health crisis. It says the impact on trade is likely to exceed the slump caused by the financial crisis just over a decade ago. The more pessimistic case would amount to a decline in global trade similar to what happened in the great depression 90 years ago but in shorter period of time. The WTO's director general Roberto Azevedo described the figures as "ugly". "There is no getting round that", he said. He said the situation was first and foremost a health crisis and he acknowledged that governments had to take steps to protect people's lives. "The unavoidable declines in trade and output will have painful consequences for households and businesses, on top of the human suffering caused by the disease itself," he added.

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