Author: The Guardian

I used to ask my dad if I could marry him. He was my hero. My first memory is being devastated that he had to go to work, I couldn’t understand why he couldn’t stay at home with me. He wasn’t perfect. He made a mess of things in some ways. But he remained iconic to me, and showed me how to appreciate life. He made friends with everyone.Dad died a few years ago and I was surprised. He once saved a monk falling down an escalator at Heathrow airport and they all blessed him afterwards. I thought it was…

French cyclist Julien Bernard has been fined 200 Swiss francs (205 euros) by the International Cycling Union (UCI) after he stopped to kiss his wife and two-year-old son during the time trial on stage seven of this year’s Tour de France ).Fifteen minutes into Friday’s time trial in Bernard’s hometown of Burgundy, the rider stopped to kiss his wife and young son among family and friends standing on the road.The UCI said in a statement that Lidl-Trek riders had behaved inappropriately and damaged the image of the sport.”I’m sorry that the UCI has damaged the image of the sport,” Bernard…

Like an organised criminal, my mother no longer communicates by phone. Visiting her can be convoluted, but it beats the days when I thought I might never get away. That’s what I tell myself, anyway. Her, I tell very little, until I arrive. Plans and possibilities weigh heavily on Mum’s mind, raising questions whose answers she cannot remember, stranding her in her own inquiries. Now I plot my appearances carefully with her live-in care worker so that everything deliberate can seem like a nice surprise.When my father died in 2021 I thought my mother might thrive on her own. Instead,…

Stormy Daniels’ supporters raised more than $900,000 to help her after she testified in the criminal trial that led to her conviction on 34 felony counts Move to a safe house and pay off attorney fees.The money comes from an online GoFundMe campaign started by a friend and former manager of the adult film actor, who recently appeared on MSNBC to describe how Trump’s supporters are seeking a second term as president. He harassed her through social media, including threatening to rape and murder her daughter and other family members.”It became unsafe for her family and pets,” fundraiser organizer Dwayne…

Born in Staffordshire, Fran Healy, 50, grew up in Scotland. In 1991, he enrolled at the Glasgow School of Art and joined the band that became Travis. In 1999, they released their second album, The Man Who, securing best album at the 2000 Brits as well as best group, an award they also won in 2002. Their hits include Why Does It Always Rain on Me? and Sing, and Healy has two Ivor Novellos for his songwriting. LA Times, Travis’s 10th album, is out on 12 July; the band’s headline tour begins in December. Healy is separated, has a son…

Joe Biden insists only “God Almighty” can convince him to quit the US presidential race, in what could be a decisive TV interview aimed at quelling a burgeoning insurgency within the Democratic Party.In an exchange that contained no major gaffes but was unlikely to appease critics, ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos asked Biden what he would have done if he had gone on to win the nomination and lost to Donald Trump. What a feeling. “I would feel like as long as I do my best, do the best I can, do the best job I can, that’s what it’s about,”…

Bugs that bug – and how to outsmart themWorrisome wasps“If you eat near still water you’ll get a lot more insects than if you have a bit of a breeze,” says Ben Quinn, chef and founder of Woodfired Canteen. “But ultimately, if you go to mother nature’s dining room, there will be others at your table. Pack a few sacrifices to the god of the wasps in the form of diluted jam in a mug for them to focus on.” You’re better off firing up the barbecue, he adds: “The smoke annoys insects, so they avoid it.” Simon Stallard, chef…

JBiden pushed back against questions about whether he had the mental and physical stamina to be reelected as president, arguing in a much-hyped television interview on Friday that “I just had a bad night.”In a pre-taped sit-down interview that aired Friday night, the 81-year-old president told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos that he was sick, exhausted and had not prepared for last week’s meeting with Donald Trump. Get ready for Trump’s presidential debate.Biden’s performance was so bad that some Democrats, including Democratic members of Congress, called for him to drop out of the race. But so far, he has vowed to…

Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has won Iran’s runoff presidential election, beating hardliner Saeed Jalili by promising to reach out to the west and ease enforcement on the country’s mandatory headscarf law after years of sanctions and protests squeezing the Islamic Republic.A vote count offered by authorities on Saturday morning put Pezeshkian as the winner with 16.3 million votes to Jalili’s 13.5 million after Friday’s voting.Supporters of Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon and longtime lawmaker, entered the streets of Tehran and other cities before dawn to celebrate as his lead grew and victory became apparent over Jalili – a former nuclear negotiator…

Ryan Garcia apologized in a series of social media posts on Friday after he used racial slurs against black people and disparaged Muslims in live comments.The 25-year-old, who was expelled from the World Boxing Council on Thursday over his comments, also said on X that he planned to go to rehab.”I take full responsibility for my comments,” Garcia wrote in a post. “Everyone knows it has been a difficult few months, but I am sorry.””I struggled with substance abuse and everything that happened was very difficult for me,” Garcia added.His apology was undercut by his subsequent posts. His comments included:…