Author: The Guardian

When it comes to greedy canines, labradors take the biscuit. Now researchers have shed light on why the breed is prone to a portly form.Scientists previously revealed a mutation in a gene called POMC (proopiomelanocortin) predisposes dogs to obesity. The genetic variant is found in about a quarter of labrador retrievers and two-thirds of flat-coated retrievers, with the effect slightly larger in the former.Now two explanations have emerged for the association: not only are dogs with the mutation hungrier between meals, but they burn fewer calories when at rest.“It means that these dogs have a double whammy,” said Dr Eleanor…

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is set to make his first start for England against Ireland on Saturday, after debuting for the Taunton Titans less than 12 months ago. His rapid rise will reach its peak.The Guardian understands Steve Borthwick is also set to select fit-again scrum-half Alex Mitchell and George Martin for the daunting Six Nations meeting, while Marcus Smith is expected to return for Round 23 as a replacement, while George Ford will retain his place. Fly half.Fay Waboso, 21, has caught the eye in his two appearances off the bench so far and is expected to start on the left…

The day after his mother died, 31-year-old Rocco Tano decided to get an impromptu circumcision. “I just wanted to feel the pain that my mother felt,” the protagonist of Netflix’s new Italian-language series Supersex explains in voiceover as he unbuttons his trousers and the surgeon’s scalpel nears his crotch. “I wanted the pain to keep me alive.”Grief can make people do irrational things – but in Tano’s case, the snip to the foreskin was more than an extreme form of inscribing the memory of a loved one on his body. For the man better known as Rocco Siffredi or “the…

Wales will field a new center pairing of Joe Roberts and Owen Watkin in Sunday’s Six Nations clash with France. They replace the established midfield pairing of George North and Nick Tompkins at the Principality Stadium, who have made a combined 155 appearances for the Principality.It will be Llanelli center Roberts’ first start for the Six Nations since making his Test match debut against England in last summer’s World Cup warm-up. Elsewhere, Wales captain Dafydd Jenkins has been moved from lock-back to wing-back, with Will Rowlands named as Adam Beard’s second platoon partner, while hooker Ryan Elias replaces Elliot Dee.…

Dolls make perfect sense as toys – a small human, for small humans to play with – and they have been around for ever, unsurprisingly. We had miniature play people way before anyone invented trains, Pokémon or all the other kids’ stuff (OK, maybe we always had slime). A small soapstone human figure was found in a 4,500 year-old Siberian child’s tomb, and there are ancient Greek dolls, while ancient Egypt had “paddle” (flat) dolls then, later, absolutely horrible Roman-era rag dolls. Most times and regions seem to have them: there are Inuit dolls from 1000BC; dolls are explicitly described…

1974 – England 21-26 IrelandBack in the mid-1970s, as now, Ireland dominated the game. They beat England in the Five Nations and their roster is adorned with legends: Mike Gibson, Willie-John McBride, Fergus Slattery, Ray Mack Laurin, Moss Keane et al. Gibson’s understated talent attracted the wide-eyed nine-year-old half a century ago at cold, shattered Old Twickenham, and Ireland turned the tide with a brace from Gibson, one from four. . Johnny Moloney was the astute visiting striker who took advantage of several England errors in the second half to put the game away before Gibson snuck in at two…

Hunt confirms 2p cut in national insurance, claiming average personal taxes now at lowest level since 1975Hunt is now talking about national insurance.From April employee national insurance will be cut from 10% to 8%, and self-employed NICS from 8% to 6%.He says, combined with the changes announced in the autumn statement, 27 million people will gain £900. And 2 million self-employed people will gain £650.He says the OBR says this will put 200,000 more people in work. And it will increase GDP by 0.4%, he says.He says this will bring personal taxes to their lowest level since 1975.And he says…

More than 400,000 songbirds were trapped and killed in Cyprus last autumn, part of a recent increase in wildlife crime, according to a new report.Organized crime networks use decoys and loudspeakers playing bird songs to lure these tiny birds, including garden favorites such as robins and sparrows, into nesting in bushes or orchards, then using “fog” nets or glue-coated branches Capture them. They are then sold to restaurants through hidden markets and eaten as a local dish called “ambelopoulia,” which consists of pickled or boiled songbirds.The report, drawn up by BirdLife Cyprus with support from the RSPB and the Committee…

Nikki Haley to pull out of presidential race – reportsThe Wall Street Journal is reporting that Nikki Haley is to pull out of the 2024 presidential election race. It says the candidate is expected to make a brief appearance at 10am ET (3pm GMT).Haley has won only two primaries – the District of Columbia and Vermont – during her campaign.Quoting “people familiar with her plans”, the paper reports: Haley won’t announce an endorsement Wednesday, the people said. She will encourage Donald Trump, who is close to having the delegates needed to win the GOP nomination, to earn the support of…

Mark Wood returns to the England squad for the fifth Test against India in picturesque Dharamshala, having replaced Ollie Robinson as the starting point man for last week’s series in Ranchi The first change for tourists after the fiasco.As is customary, Ben Stokes finalized his XI a day after the game and looked to end the series 3-2, which he did despite falling ill during the training camp. Robinson and Shoaib Bashir both missed Wednesday’s training with stomach complaints, but the latter retained his place by taking eight wickets in the fourth Test.Wood’s recall was not unexpected given the beige,…