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Polling suggests high turnout for elections in which far-right National Rally could significantly increase share of vote Voting in the first round of parliamentary elections is under way in mainland France. The last polling stations close at 8pm local time on Sunday. Elections for the 577 seats in France’s national assembly are a two-round process. The shape of the new parliament will become clear only after the second round on 7 July. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Aen6Vjx

Defeat in Ljubljana last March ‘will be good’ for team Last-16 opponents held England to 0-0 draw in Group C Bruno Fernandes has said Portugal will be wary of Slovenia’s counterattacking threat and conceded a friendly defeat by their last-16 opponents in March has put him and his teammates “on their toes”. Fernandes said he expected Slovenia to set up to frustrate in a low defensive block and his manager, Roberto Martínez, stressed the importance of his side keeping their emotions in check. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/xNn7bAy

The incoherence and panic that gripped lethargic players against Denmark shows their problems are deep-rooted Italy won the World Cup in 1982 and Portugal the Euros in 2016 after drawing all three games in the initial group. Spain in 2010 and Argentina in 2022 both began their World Cup-winning campaigns with defeat. This year, Ivory Coast lost group games 1-0 to Nigeria and 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea, qualified for the last 16 only because Ghana conceded twice in injury time against Mozambique and still went on to win the Africa Cup of Nations . Only Brazil, in 2002, have won seven games out of seven at a major tournament. It is possible for a team that has begun poorly to win it. But just because something is possible, doesn’t mean that’s how you should do things. Tournaments are short; average teams sometimes can be mysteriously energised. England haven’t ticked a box by getting in a couple of bad performances when it didn’t really matter. Planning tends to win out over shrugging an...

Scarcely can a crown have weighed more heavily. Italy, the defending champions, are out, and perhaps the most crushing disappointment of all was that they barely seemed to throw a punch in the process. Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas scored the goals either side of half-time for Murat Yakin’s magnificent Swiss team, and perhaps the most damning indictment of Italy was that by the end, it didn’t even feel like a shock. For the first hour of this game they were overwhelmed, and for the last half-hour, who cared? There will be fingers pointed and searching questions asked. Perhaps Luciano Spalletti will get a little more time, perhaps not. But in a way this was a campaign that deserved to end because it never really began, a title defence that felt off right from the start, that no amount of quirky tinkering and impassioned arm-waving could salvage. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/dVrmZgx

After a fine debut season with Chelsea the winger is unfazed by his late miss on his tournament debut against Slovenia By the time our 20 minutes with Cole Palmer are up, the England winger has managed to rave about Riyad Mahrez’s first touch, reveal that Austria have been one of his favourite teams at Euro 2024, claim Londoners are way moodier than northerners, talk about getting on for 20 minutes against Slovenia, praise Mauricio Pochettino’s time at Chelsea, elaborate on his relationship with Enzo Maresca and, most importantly of all, correct erroneous reports that he has an obsession with baked beans. The answers are short, sweet and often pretty illuminating. Palmer does not skip a beat before revealing that his first position was left-back. It was a throwaway comment, but he suddenly looks horrified. He glances at the press officer sitting to his left and wonders if he has put his foot in it. Is Gareth Southgate about to stumble upon the answer to England’s problem position? “I...

Serbian performance artist tells Pyramid stage crowd to confront cyclical violence in thousands-strong ‘collaboration’ It’s been home to some of the UK’s loudest singalongs, most propulsive rap lyrics and most cacophonous guitar solos. But the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury experienced something almost unprecedented in its history on Friday: total silence. The Serbian artist Marina Abramović, invited by festival organisers Michael and Emily Eavis, led the audience in what she called a “collaboration” called Seven Minutes of Collective Silence, to “see how we can feel positive energy in the entire universe” and act as a bulwark against the horrors of war and violence. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/MsHuIJw

Advisers despair over disastrous display although Biden gives vigorous showing at North Carolina rally on Friday Panicking Democrats were speculating about whether Joe Biden should be replaced as their party’s nominee for US president following a disastrous debate performance that turned whispers about his age and fitness into a roar. Biden’s shaky, raspy-voiced showing against Donald Trump at the first presidential debate in Atlanta on Thursday was widely panned as a disaster that, instead of assuaging fears about his mental acuity, amplified them on the biggest political stage. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/H5E0oU1

Bodies of Lauren Evans, 22, and Daniel Duffield, 24, were discovered at a house in Hednesford, Cannock, on Tuesday Police say they are not looking for anyone else after a paramedic was found dead along with a woman at a house in Staffordshire. A murder investigation was launched after the bodies of Lauren Evans, 22, from Bridgend, south Wales, and Daniel Duffield,24, from Cannock, were discovered at a property in Hednesford, Cannock, on Tuesday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CXMBjUA

Player hopes to join group on Friday morning Rice and Trippier expected to face Slovakia Phil Foden is due to return to England’s training camp on Thursday night after flying home to attend the birth of his third child. It is hoped that Foden will be able to join the group on Friday morning and be involved in the team’s preparations for their clash with Slovakia in the last 16 of Euro 2024. The Football Association had said that the midfielder was given permission to leave Germany to attend a “pressing family matter” on Wednesday, a day after England’s draw with Slovenia. The 23-year-old attacker’s partner has had a baby boy and Foden is set to fly back to England’s Blankenhain base. It remains to be seen whether he will start against Slovakia. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/yEv6Czd

Andrew Parker, who is canvassing in Clacton, also described Islam as ‘a cult’ and suggested asylum seekers should be shot A Reform UK activist in the constituency where Nigel Farage is standing has been secretly filmed making extremely racist comments about Rishi Sunak, as well as using Islamophobic and other offensive language. Farage said he was “dismayed” by the views expressed by Andrew Parker, a Reform canvasser, who was filmed as part of an undercover investigation by Channel 4 News. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/JkvFVQH

Craig Williams could come under scope of criminal investigation as Met looks at possible misconduct in public office The Metropolitan police has indicated that the dropped Conservative candidate Craig Williams could come under the scope of a criminal investigation into betting on the election that has overshadowed Rishi Sunak’s campaign. Scotland Yard will investigate any suspicious bets that could represent a misconduct in public office offence, while the Gambling Commission will continue to look at whether betting rules were broken. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VKtyXIb

So much for the “Disgrace of Gijón” part two. Romania and Slovakia may have got the result they knew beforehand would guarantee both countries escaped from Group E, but there was no scintilla of a stitch-up about it. Unlike the notorious match between West Germany and Austria in 1982 , this game was not played at walking pace but full throttle, with chances galore, even in the middle of an apocalyptic thunderstorm. Ondrej Duda’s powerful header was cancelled out by Razvan Marin’s penalty and that meant Romania qualified top of the group, while Slovakia went through too as one of the best third-placed sides. With a crowd three-quarters Romanian it felt like a home fixture at times, and the atmosphere was remarkable with noise and pyrotechnics throughout, but these were two evenly matched teams and a draw was a fair result. Honest. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/MCBaSyk

Luis de la Fuente is excited by his squad’s variety and says his 16-year-old forward was ‘touched by God’s wand’ Luis de la Fuente is losing sleep and it’s only getting worse, yet it isn’t panic, it is preparation. Spain have known for five days where and when they are going to play their last-16 tie – Cologneon Saturday night – but not who they are going to play against, only that it will be someone who finished third in Group A, D, E or F. By they time they find out, a week will have passed since they secured their passage. When they reached the dressing room in Düsseldorf after their final group game , 11 different teams could still be their next opponents; the reward for excellence is uncertainty. “If we’ve only slept two, three hours a night so far, we’re going to have to go a few with almost no sleep at all because we’ll have to study more opponents and be ready for anything until we know for sure,” Spain’s coach said. “It will be Wednesday night before we do but there’s no oth...

Style, celebrity and sport combine for fashion’s unofficial Olympic launch – and a reinvention of a potent brand Paris has a lot going on right now. With one week to go before the first round of voting in elections that could radically redraw French politics, the country is a tinderbox. Pre-Olympic nerves are frayed; high water levels on the Seine after weeks of heavy rain have forced the postponement of a rehearsal for the ambitious opening ceremony, due to be conducted on barges sailing through the city. Football fans are on tenterhooks on the eve of a crucial Euro 2024 encounter with Poland. But Paris is never too busy for a fashion show. Especially one with supermodels Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner on horseback, Bad Bunny rapping, Sabrina Carpenter channelling Brigitte Bardot and Katy Perry in a leather harness, US actor Jeremy Pope dancing to Eartha Kitt, and iconic French ex-footballers Djibril Cissé, Blaise Matuidi and Emmanuel Petit taking a lap of honour under a photogenic m...

The sport has not come to terms with his celebrity status. After the pitch invasion drama, Uefa must deal with it There was something disconcerting about the man being grabbed and jostled and hauled away by security guards on the concrete causeway below the executive boxes half an hour after full-time at BVB Stadion Dortmund on Saturday night. For one thing the man seemed unusually well groomed, brilliantly ear-ringed, dressed in full shiny Portugal tracksuit. He was also beaming relentlessly, shouting things such as “Big Love” and “Say Hi to Georgina”, doing the heart gesture with this hands even as three men in hi-vis jackets grabbed him by the elbows. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/k5SyoKx

Defeat could mean early elimination for Italy Croatia must win to have chance of progress The Italy centre-back Alessandro Bastoni has promised that they will cast fear to one side when they try to avert the embarrassment of an early exit from Euro 2024. A defeat against Croatia would almost certainly mean the reigning champions have to sweat on the shakedown of third-place finishers, with the chances high that more than four teams will finish on three points. They could even finish bottom of Group B if Albania simultaneously record an unlikely win against Spain, who outplayed Luciano Spalletti’s side on Thursday. It promises to be a knife-edge evening given only a win will do for their opponents and Bastoni believes a no-regrets approach will help banish any lingering disappointment. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GaSTQqj

Senior Tories call for suspension of those being investigated and Labour demands to know names in gambling circle Rishi Sunak is facing a growing clamour to come clean about the betting scandal engulfing Westminster after a fifth figure was drawn into the row. Senior Conservatives were among those calling for candidates and officials to be suspended pending the result of investigations, while the prime minister was urged to get a grip on the drip-drip of revelations. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/7lOnBHD

Foden: ‘We expect more from ourselves’ Stones backs City teammate to produce against Slovenia Phil Foden has said that the intensity in training has gone up as England look to build their physical condition before facing Slovenia on Tuesday. Gareth Southgate raised concerns about the level of England’s pressing after their disappointing 1-1 draw with Denmark but Foden has been encouraged by the preparations for the team’s final match in Group C. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VF93uLE

Coach calls for consistency after Germany controversy Both teams need to win final Group A match The Hungary head coach, Marco Rossi, has called for officials to be “consistent” during the Group A clash with Scotland, as the fallout from his team’s loss to Germany on Wednesday continues. Rossi remains adamant Hungary should have been awarded a free-kick in the lead-up to Germany’s opening goal in the tournament hosts’ 2-0 win. He was asked what he expected from Facundo Tello, the Argentinian referee, and referenced what he believes is the favouring of larger nations at the Euros. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/O4NUc1W

On a clammy, boisterous afternoon in Dortmund Portugal ensured they will now top Group F with a disarmingly low pulse rate 3-0 defeat of an outmatched Turkey. This was a statement victory for Portugal, not because of what they did, but because of what they didn’t have to. At times it felt a bit like watching a team of grown-ups strolling past the local primary school XI. The biggest obstacle Roberto Martínez’s team experienced here was an excessive number of spectators (five of them) running on to take stolen selfies with Cristiano Ronaldo. If Portugal were able to play in battery-saver mode it is tribute to the coherence of the-set up here, a 4-3-3 with strength in every position and a beautifully fluid sense of control in the centre. Many English pundits seem to be convinced England’s hand of talent is the envy of the world. Portugal have a stronger team man for man, a more natural balance, a Portuguese way of playing that everyone comes in understanding. Continue reading... from...

This game was supposed to be the moment when Robert Lewandowski marked his arrival but an ultimately comprehensive defeat to Austria means Poland’s stay at this tournament is all but over. Marko Arnautovic capped victory from the penalty spot after Wojciech Szczesny upended Marcel Sabitzer, giving them hope of qualifying from Group D when they meet the Netherlands here on Tuesday. On the eve of this game Szczesny told how Lewandowski’s presence would spook these opponents, but arguably Poland’s greatest export did not appear on the pitch until the hour and his impact was minimal at best, 11 forgettable touches. A peculiar event, at least a lesser-spotted thing, happened with 24 minutes showing on the big screens on three sides of this stadium, the Marathon Gate at one end, once home to the Olympic flame, meaning a fourth is logistically tricky if not impossible. Austria led 1-0 and appeared in total control. Within seconds of kick-off Sabitzer earned a throw-in high down the left flan...

“England, England, It’s Never Coming Home.” The chant from the Denmark support – to the tune of Yellow Submarine – had been heard outside the stadium in the hours before kick-off and it would reverberate around it during a highly stressful 90 minutes. On this evidence, it was the understatement of Euro 2024 so far. Gareth Southgate can highlight the point, which moved England closer to the job done territory of qualification for the last 16. It must be said there is precious little jeopardy around that. Who exactly does not advance? Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mDMzBqZ

With general election result appearing to be a foregone conclusion, some have suggested that people may not vote The devil may yet be in the detail, but the polls are clear about one thing: Labour is heading for a large, possibly very large, majority when results come in on 5 July. But what might this mean for turnout at the general election? Does a result that seems to be a foregone conclusion mean people might think their vote doesn’t matter? On a winter’s day in December 2019 turnout was 67%. Down a little on 2017, but substantially up on a low of 59.4% for the UK general election in 2001. With an allegedly uninspiring campaign, a clear signal of the winning party and high levels of voter distrust, some have suggested that a summer’s day in 2024 might not tempt voters to the polling station. Paula Surridge is professor of political sociology at the University of Bristol Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/JfZGeua

Denmark’s goalscorer Morten Hjulmand was the pick of the players as lacklustre England disappointed once again Kasper Schmeichel (GK) Beaten at close range by Kane when England took the lead. Fine save from Watkins. 6 Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/w46O7GJ

Grace Wales Bonner and Bianca Saunders both reference vintage, mid-century Caribbean style and visual sensibilities With her razor-sharp tailoring and highbrow references, Grace Wales Bonner is a high-fashion favourite. But her eponymous London-based label has now scored wider attention, thanks to her collaborations with Adidas. The recent Samba boom can be traced back to a silver version of the shoe she designed. And she was also responsible for the popular kits worn by Jamaica’s female footballers at the 2023 World Cup. Her show in Paris on Wednesday evening provided further examples of how she is able to please both connoisseurs and customers. Designs included a take on the classic mac, satin suiting, and knitwear subtly flecked with colour, worn with red swimming trunks. But there was also a tracksuit with shorts, and some new trainers – including a Superstar – that are bound to spark excitement online. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/NzdlcVh

Deschamps optimistic forward will feature in tournament Mbappé broke his nose in France’s first match Kylian Mbappé returned to France training on Wednesday – for the first time since breaking his nose in their Euro 2024 opener – but Didier Deschamps confirmed his captain will require surgery at some point, most likely after the tournament. France are sourcing a custom-made mask for Mbappé, who trained alone at their base in Paderborn before joining in a finishing drill with the rest of his teammates. Mbappé wore wound-closure strips across his nose and was limited to non-contact exercises. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CmtNczG

Oh, what fun we had. What an occasion this was, what noise, what a night. Played in the middle of a biblical storm, water cascading off the roof of the Westfalenstadion, the Euros best night fit the weather somehow: a wild, wonderful, wide open match that had everything: 38 shots, three efforts that hit the woodwork and four goals. One was historic, Georges Mikautadze scoring Georgia’s first ever at a tournament; two were ridiculous, comic book belters from Arda Guler and Mert Muldur, and the other was scored with the last touch of an astonishing evening Kerem Akturkoglu running 70 yards and rolling the ball into an empty net. Right there, with the bench emptying and everyone heading after him, the place erupting yet again when you thought it could hardly erupt any more, Turkey had the victory and this game had the ending it deserved. Or one of them anyway. Just seconds before, Georgia had a 96th-minute chance to equalise – their third opportunity in added time – which would have been...

BMA to lobby next government to change limit, which is one of the highest in Europe Doctors have called for England’s drink-driving limit to be reduced to the equivalent of a small glass of wine or beer, in a proposal supported by a number of medical and road safety organisations. England’s legal limit for getting safely behind the wheel is one of the highest in Europe at 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, a law established in 1967. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sioTq0J

Labour leader says projected rise in number of children hit by policy is ‘powerful’ reason to ditch it but refuses to set timeline Keir Starmer has said he is “not immune” to the powerful argument for scrapping the two-child benefit cap, after experts said the number of children affected by it would rise by a third in the next five years. The Labour leader refused to set out a timeline for when he would scrap the policy, despite previously saying he would ditch it if he could. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/jUYiX0b

Hayward Gallery, London From a hut that plays music as if it’s history’s jukebox to a rocket fuelled with sugarcane, the Bahamian makes art freighted with history and peopled by the overlooked and flawed ‘You belong here,” reads the neon sign high on one of the Hayward Gallery’s exterior walls, in a curving handwritten script. But where are we and what does belonging mean? That’s what Bahamian artist Tavares Strachan asks in There Is Light Somewhere , which fills the building. Origins and arrivals, disappearances and sudden returns have a big part to play in Strachan’s art. Along the way, the artist has walked to the north pole, following Black polar explorer Matthew Henson, and taken a block of arctic ice back to the Bahamas. He has trained as an astronaut in Russia and blasted a sugarcane-fuelled rocket into the stratosphere, as part of a programme to interest young Bahamians in science and technology, and to further whatever dreams they have of escape. Referencing sports and regg...

Piece by piece the gilt is flaking off what’s left of Belgium’s golden generation. An abundance of talent, sometimes functioning, sometimes not, but a team without cohesion or an abiding idea, they were picked off by an unheralded Slovakia side who had everything their lustrous opponents did not. But boy, a fair amount happened along the way. An unerring finish by Ivan Schranz after a defensive aberration was the decisive moment in the match and came after just six minutes. Just as notable were the moments of inaccuracy that piled up for Belgium and, in particular, on the broad shoulders of Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian No 9, wearing No 10, missed enough chances for two hat-tricks and had not one but two goals disallowed. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/S7YsZcK

Following in his father’s footsteps, Edward Iordanescu has helped the team emerge from a dark period with fresh hope A smile spreads across Anghel Iordanescu’s face as he considers his incorrigible bequest to Romanian football. “I go to Edi’s house for a glass of wine,” he says. “But he just wants to show me some analysis he has done. I tell him: ‘Be careful, you’ll get stuck in front of that computer!’” The 74-year-old is talking about Edward, his son, who has dragged the national team out of the mire and into Euro 2024 . Thirty years ago Anghel took them to the World Cup quarter-finals with an intoxicating attacking style that has remained an impossible benchmark ever since. Hagi, Dumitrescu, Raducioiu, Petrescu, Popescu: the memories are magical and perhaps, at last, a country whose football scene had descended into corruption and hopelessness is ready to forge some more. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/kIEBa3u

For the first time in 137 games, Spain did not complete as many passes as their opponents, and they could not be happier. The last time the majority of possession had not been theirs was the final of Euro 2008 when they beat Germany to begin the greatest generation in their history. This is another generation: this time, with no one left from Vienna and Lamine Yamal, the youngest footballer this competition has ever seen, on the wing, they defeated Croatia 3-0 to give them the hope that maybe they can go back there one day in the not too distant future. This was a new beginning, a new generation. And while it would be rule out another false dawn, it impressed. Fast, incisive, and effective, Spain opened the group of death with a flash of life, Alvaro Morata, Fabián Ruiz and Dani Carvajal scoring to rack up a 3-0 victory before the first half was even out and to reinforce suggestions that there might be a different direction they can take. Continue reading... from The Guardian https...

Women’s prize for fiction winner tells story of a family caught up in conflict in her second novel, Brotherless Night Every couple of years VV Ganeshananthan would do a poll on Facebook asking people to nominate their saddest novel. The uncontested winner was Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance, about India during the turbulent 70s and 80s, a novel that Ganeshananthan loves. Now, with her second novel, Brotherless Night , which on Thursday night was awarded the Women’s prize for fiction , the American novelist has written a story to rival Mistry’s 1995 weepy. We are talking in her UK publisher’s office, in a room with a view of the US embassy. “I have to apologise for my nation for so many things,” she says with a resigned eye roll. The author, who trained as a journalist, teaches fiction and nonfiction at the University of Minnesota and also co-hosts the Lit Hub Fiction/Non/Fiction podcast , which was set up in 2017 after the election of Donald Trump to shine a light on current events ...

Disposal team attends after former defence minister Jeremy Quin was sent suspicious package A bomb squad had to be called in to a Conservative candidate’s constituency office after he said he received a suspicious package. Sir Jeremy Quin, a former defence minister and the Tory candidate for the Horsham constituency, received the package at his West Sussex office. Bomb disposal experts were called in to investigate after a decision by Sussex police. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/IaGM5No

Call for better trail signage and backing for walking clubs as concerns grow over tourists encountering searing heat With Greece gripped by unusually high temperatures, fears are growing that foreign visitors are not aware or being properly informed of the risks posed by overexertion in the searing heat. Over the past week, three search and rescue operations have been started for tourists who have gone missing during treks on far-flung islands, including one for the popular TV presenter Michael Mosley, who was found dead on the island of Symi . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/alwMeUz

Black bear apparently opened the vehicle by lifting door handle with its mouth, after breaking into same car last year After a string of vehicle break-ins in a north Canadian town, local residents have identified the culprit: a black bear with a taste for upholstery foam. Awoken by a noise near midnight on 11 June, Kayla Seward, who lives in the Ontario township of Larder Lake, went outside to investigate – and found the sleepy black bear locked inside her car. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/u4FVsir

Marlena Robbins believes psilocybin could help treat mental health and addiction issues among Native Americans Even though therapy helped Marlena Robbins better understand her intergenerational trauma, she wanted to delve deeper into her healing practice. In 2019, on the recommendation of her partner, Robbins sat at her home altar with a dose of psychedelic mushrooms. Drawing upon her Diné, or Navajo, heritage, she said a prayer and asked the mushrooms for guidance. The experience changed the trajectory of her life. “When I sit with [mushrooms], it’s like engaging with the holy people. I see them as doctors,” Robbins said. “They’re already writing the prescription. They’re already writing the treatment plan.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/whF91Hp

The paper’s reinvention, with the appointment of Will Lewis as publisher, is a mess – but there’s still time to turn things around Get Margaret Sullivan’s latest columns delivered straight to your inbox What’s the point of owning the Washington Post if it’s no longer the Washington Post? By that, I mean the iconic US newspaper whose storied reputation is based on holding powerful people and institutions accountable, all for the sake of democracy? The paper that broke the Watergate story, thus helping to unseat a corrupt president, and that, following the New York Times, riskily published the Pentagon Papers? When Jeff Bezos bought the Post in 2013, it was struggling financially, and its future was uncertain. The billionaire’s ownership not only restored the paper to profitability for several years, but allowed it to regain its prominence. While setting an ambitious tone for technical transformation, he properly kept his hands off the journalism, letting legendary editor Marty Baro...

Exclusive: Siyabonga Twala can begin rebuilding his life after Home Office rescinds exclusion order that left him stuck in Turkey On a scrap of grass behind a red brick housing estate in Chester, Siyabonga Twala stops to get his breath back as his son Mason dribbles a football past him. “You’re too fast now,” he laughs, his chest heaving. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/AuMi3HV

No major surprises at launch, as Davey attempts to separate party from Labour and Tories in terms of policy costings The Liberal Democrats have become the first of the major parties to launch their full election manifesto , at an event in London. Here are the main things to know: Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/oF8dBCG

Fears of negative press outweighed by sadness and disbelief after TV presenter’s body was found five days after he went missing “Thank God we found him.” Seated in his black leather office chair, surrounded by icons, oil paintings, photographs, medals and models ships, Lefteris Papakaloudoukas, Symi’s longtime mayor, is clearly relieved. It’s 9am and almost 24 hours have elapsed since the body of the TV presenter Michael Mosley was found lying in a gulley of rocks and thistle only metres from the sea, beneath the perimeter fence of a beach bar. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GXTp1b4

Spaniard wins 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in 4hr 19min Alcaraz the youngest man to win majors on all surfaces Much of the clay-court season this year has been a miserable ­experience for Carlos Alcaraz. He missed three of his four planned tournaments with a forearm injury and was ­hampered in the one event he did play. His fitness struggles raised ­further ­questions about whether his body can withstand the pressure his all‑action playing style imposes on it and he arrived at Roland ­Garros without much match practice or rhythm. It takes a special talent to enter a major tournament with such disjointed preparation yet still be able to overcome every obstacle and find a way through to the other side. During five messy but increasingly dramatic sets the Spaniard kept his head, and he recovered from an inexplicable third-set collapse to defeat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to win his first French Open title. Continue reading... from Th...

Lawes marks last game before Brive move with title ‘I couldn’t believe we won it … we tried so hard to lose it’ The France-bound Courtney Lawes says his Northampton side deserved to be crowned English champions but admitted they had ridden their luck against 14-man Bath before clinching their first Premiership title for a decade. Lawes, who celebrated his final appearance for his hometown club by turning up bare-chested and wearing ski goggles to the post-match press conference, acknowledged Saints’ performance had left much to be desired after hoisting the trophy aloft alongside his teammate Lewis Ludlam. “I’m actually still livid from the game,” said Lawes, speaking to TNT Sports. “I don’t think we could have played worse. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/BeN9Wl5

Attack took place in central Copenhagen on Friday but it is unclear whether Frederiksen was injured A man has been arrested after attacking Denmark ’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen in central Copenhagen on Friday. It was unclear whether Frederiksen was injured by the attacker. The prime minister’s office said in a statement that Frederiksen was “shocked by the incident”, but did not provide further details. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/LDpMPtR

It was a long way from being the triumphant Euro 2024 send-off for Gareth Southgate and his England players at a sold-out and increasingly fretful Wembley. Never mind the result because it was not the main thing, however much it stirred memories of you-know-when against Iceland. It was the performance that raised the difficult questions, the worst one for quite some time and at exactly the wrong time. The home fans, thousands of whom made for the exits before the end, were forced to watch the second half – from about minute 55 onwards – through the gaps between their fingers. And it had not been great before that. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/4ndfQL0

Second TV outing manages to be simultaneously predictable, deadly dull and extremely bad-tempered Labour and Tories renew clashes in ill-tempered second election debate Not another one. We’ve only just recovered from the last election debate. A fairly tawdry head to head between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in which all we learned was that the prime minister would tell any lie to try to stay in Downing Street. He’s even moved on to lying that he isn’t a liar. We’re now in Boris Johnson territory. But the debates come thick and fast and it’s now the BBC’s turn. This a seven-way debate between the leaders of the Green party, the Scottish National party, Plaid Cymru and Reform, along with the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat deputy leaders. It promised to be a 90-minute shouting match in which almost no one had the time to talk in anything but soundbites. And who would be watching anyway on a Friday night? Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vC3yWUV

Will Lewis’s appointment of his ex-Telegraph lieutenant Robert Winnett sparks fears journalism will be diminished Below the archaic font of the Washington Post’s masthead, its motto is printed in italic flourish: “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” The publication has been enveloped in its own black cloud this week, as a worsening crisis sparked fears among staff – and media commentators – about the new British senior executives at the heart of its operation. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/AEuRQx7

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INDIA alliance prevents Modi’s BJP from forming majority but analysts say keeping it united will be difficult In the months building up to India’s election, many pundits had already written obituaries for the country’s beleaguered political opposition. Over his decade in power, the prime minister, Narendra Modi, and his Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) government has stood accused of using the full might of the state against political opponents, with agencies harassing and jailing opposition leaders or intimidating them into switching sides en masse. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/MCnQcRg

Exit polls had projected overwhelming victory for the BJP and an even stronger mandate for India’s strongman India’s elections may return Narendra Modi to power for a third term , but Tuesday’s results did not have the flavour of victory for the strongman prime minister. Indeed, as the early counts of the votes began to roll in, it was clear this was going to be one of the most humbling moments for Modi and his Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) in over a decade. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ACakvjR

Gabriel Attal unexpectedly interrupted a radio debate in which Valérie Hayer was taking part France’s prime minister has been accused of deliberately seeking to eclipse the head of his party’s list in European elections when he unexpectedly appeared on a stage where she was taking part in a radio debate. The prime minister, Gabriel Attal, strolled into France Info’s radio debate with lead candidates amid an exchange between the anchor and the head of the ruling party’s list for the 9 June polls, Valérie Hayer. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/vetNQG8

These are the moments he lives for – right at the centre of things, all stardust and no responsibility Alas, poor Dicky, I knew him well. Richard Tice and Nigel Farage had already given two press conferences in the previous week. Both times they had been given equal billing. Even though everyone but Dicky T knew who the real star was. On Monday all pretence had been pushed aside. Out came the op note. Nigel Farage was to make an “emergency election announcement”. Tice wasn’t even mentioned as an afterthought. Even though he was probably paying for the pleasure. Dicky was determined not to be left out, though. The man with no charisma or personal warmth relegated once more to Nige’s warm-up act. The man on the downward trajectory. Soon he will be relegated to doorman. I’m not sure if Tice even convinces himself. His patter is all third-rate Farage. The sort of thing you might get if you typed “write me a bad Nigel speech” into ChatGPT. Reform was “moving into eighth gear”, he said. Re...

Deputy leader has voted against renewing Trident but says she supports ‘triple lock’ commitment to programme in near term Angela Rayner has said she has not changed her mind about nuclear weapons even though she supports Labour’s policy to keep and renew them. The deputy Labour leader voted against the renewal of Trident in 2016 but said on Monday that she supported Labour’s “triple lock” – a commitment to maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent round the clock, build four new nuclear submarines, and carry out future upgrades. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ENCYmBM

Increase sharper than in any age group and is likely to be linked to soaring obesity levels, junk food and inactivity, say experts The number of people under 50 being diagnosed with cancer in the UK has risen 24% in two decades, a sharper increase than any other age group, according to figures experts say are likely linked to soaring obesity levels, cheap junk food and inactivity. Early onset incidence rates grew from 132.9 per 100,000 people in 1995 to 164.6 in 2019, analysis of data shows. About 35,000 under-50s are now developing cancer every year, almost 100 young women and men a day, the research reveals. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qvbuUeD

A look back at the life of the rugby league star who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019 and has died aged 41 Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/U8ZK2BO

With a vote on the technology looming, it’s debatable that the search for accuracy is worth the sacrifice of spontaneity On Thursday, Premier League clubs will vote on Wolves’ proposal to scrap video assistant referees . The motion will almost certainly not achieve majority support, never mind secure the 14 votes out of 20 needed for it to pass. But what it may do is to shift the Overton window and lead to a serious review of VAR, an assessment of where it works and where it doesn’t. And that is something that is long overdue. Consultation is unfashionable in the modern world. Politicians of all stripes act too often in effect by fiat, and that is as true in football as anything else. VAR was imposed for the 2018 World Cup with minimal research or conversation and accepted almost everywhere without anybody really investigating the consequences. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3JLgGep

Campaign starts against Scotland with the Yorkshireman set to play an influential role in ensuring team hit all the right notes But for a slip on the golf course, a cruel twist of fate that led to a cruel twist of a left ankle and a pretty sickening compound fracture, Jonny Bairstow might well be a fifth member of the England squad with two white-ball World Cup winners medals. As it is, the Yorkshireman goes into this T20 World Cup defence still looking to add to the 50-over title he was so central to back in 2019. Slated to open in Australia two years ago, only for that incident on the tee to offer Alex Hales a route back in, Bairstow has now been repurposed as a firebrand No 4 after the peppy arrivals of Phil Salt and Will Jacks alongside Jos Buttler in the top three. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/hfT4o5j