Author: The Guardian

Local elections in Israel, delayed by the war in Gaza, have returned gains for Ultra-Orthodox and far-right parties after low turnout in most areas.The municipal votes were expected to serve as an indication of public opinion after the 7 October Hamas attack and the ensuing war in the Gaza Strip. Just under 50% of the seven million eligible voters turned up to polling stations, and rightwing and religious parties allied with the Likud, the party of the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, were more successful in mobilising their bases.Although there were no major political upsets, as all large cities except the…

The near-eminent woman in British athletics finally has a medal around her neck. While it’s not the color Jemma Reekie has wanted for a long time, it at least offers a glimmer of hope.The 25-year-old Scot then bravely revealed how devastated she felt physically and mentally last year due to a debilitating bout of glandular fever and a split from coach Andy Young. Although she didn’t have an answer to Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma’s stunning performance in the 800m final, she could at least reflect on how far she’d come.”I’ve been silent, but I’m in a bad situation,” she said. “So,…

Donald Trump confused Barack Obama for Joe Biden at a rally in Virginia, triggering further questions about the age of the likely Republican presidential nominee who has made a string of such gaffes. Trump said: ‘Putin has so little respect for Obama that he’s starting to throw around the nuclear word’. The crowd reportedly went silent as Trump referenced Obama, who left office more than seven years ago. It was the third time Trump had made the same blunder in the past six months Source link

Eric ten Hag denied Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City showed a rift between the sides and claimed the visitors could have won had the referee before Phil Foden’s goal been different.Marcus Rashford’s eighth-minute strike gave United the lead and although he spurned further chances, City dominated throughout. Foden’s goals in the 56th and 80th minutes put the hosts ahead before Erling Haaland’s third stoppage-time goal sealed victory for Guardiola’s side.Ten Hague thought Kyle Walker fouled Rashford before Foden’s first goal. The Dutchman also pointed to Ederson’s challenge on Alejandro Garnacho as fair before the 23-year-old striker put City…

Israel has agreed to revise the lyrics of its potential submission to the Eurovision song contest after organisers took issue with verses that appeared to reference Hamas’s 7 October attack.The contest, which will take place from 7 to 11 May in the Swedish city of Malmö, can disqualify contestants deemed to have breached its rules on political neutrality. Kan, Israel’s national broadcaster, is tasked with choosing the country’s entry.The leading Israeli submission is October Rain, a ballad sung by the solo artist Eden Golan.According to lyrics leaked to the media and later confirmed by Kan, it includes lines such as…

AAt many points during the opening minutes of this game, it might have appeared to a casual observer that Phil Foden was walking onto the pitch with a trainer. Maybe some forgiving older relative, standing close, but not quite so close, dutifully giving chase, ready to let him show off his sparkling footwork like some tired dad in the park on a Sunday morning Same as scrolling on your phone.As a result, United’s back-up left-back Victor Lindelof did his best to track and pursue in what was ultimately a neck-breaking one-sided 3-4, but didn’t particularly hinder City’s outstanding attacker. 1…

Jeremy Hunt has been forced to contribute more than £100,000 of his own money to his constituency Conservative party to bolster his chances of re-election, official records show, amid warnings that he is set to lose his seat.Hunt’s Godalming and Ash constituency is a target seat for the Liberal Democrats, and a Survation poll projects that he is on course to become the first chancellor in modern times to lose at a general election.Electoral Commission records show that he has given £105,261 to the South-west Surrey Conservative association over the last five years.The chancellor’s personal donations to the association under…

At least this wasn’t another humiliation. From a Manchester United perspective, that’s a ray of comfort. In four of the previous six derbies – and that’s not counting City’s 2-1 win in the FA Cup final at the end of last season – United have been torn apart in horrific fashion. Their supporters were even excited to see Marcus Rashford put them ahead with a fierce long-range effort.It was yet another defeat, and again the gap to the top of the table was painted in painful detail – as usual. United’s ambitions were limited to staying compact and trying to…

Donald Trump confused Barack Obama for Joe Biden at a rally in Virginia on Saturday, triggering further questions about the age of the likely Republican presidential nominee who has made a string of such gaffes.It also comes at a time of similar concerns about the Biden. At 77 and 81 respectively, Trump and Biden are the oldest people to run for the presidency in US history.“Putin has so little respect for Obama that he’s starting to throw around the nuclear word. You heard that. Nuclear. He’s starting to talk nuclear weapons today,” said Trump, on Saturday night in Richmond.The crowd…

A severe snowstorm in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is expected to weaken on Sunday, but more heavy snow is coming.The National Weather Service said conditions will improve on Sunday as winds weaken, but precipitation will return quickly, with some areas experiencing heavy snow and others experiencing rain.A multi-day storm that one meteorologist called “the worst yet” has shut down a key east-west highway in northern California, shuttered ski resorts and left thousands of homes and businesses without power.As of Sunday morning, Pacific Gas & Electric had restored power to all but about 7,000 California customers, while NV Energy had reduced…