Author: The Guardian

Keir Starmer is on course to win a landslide UK election victory, returning Labour to power and bringing a crushing end to 14 years of Conservative rule.The 10pm exit poll, compiled on behalf of the three main news broadcasters, predicted Labour would win 410 seats, securing a majority of 170, to the Conservatives’ 131.The Liberal Democrats were expected to take 61 seats, the Scottish National party 10, Reform UK 13, Plaid Cymru four and the Greens two after Rishi Sunak surprised the country six weeks ago by calling a summer poll.The results appeared to confirm that Labour’s “time for change”…

The Women’s Singles Season 2 draw has lost another key figure, 12 months after world number five and quarter-finalist Jessica Pegula lost to the Clay Court Doubles Grand Slam Champion Wang Xinyu.Wang will face Harriet Dutt in Saturday’s third round, and while, on paper at least, she won’t be as strong for the Briton as the world number five, Wang’s forehand is particularly powerful. Not to be underestimated.Pegula celebrated Independence Day with a win at the start of the match, but it was clear from the start that the American wasn’t playing her best on court three. Or even her…

Kylian Mbappé has branded the first-round results of France’s snap parliamentary election “catastrophic”, urging voters to turn out in force and fend off the threat of a National Rally-controlled government when polls open for the runoff vote on Sunday.In the latest of several interventions by members of the France national football team, the influential captain Mbappé warned that the country must take its chance to ensure the far right, anti-immigration party is unable to seize power in what has become a tumultuous political battle.“It’s an urgent situation,” he said when asked for his thoughts on a parlous state of affairs…

medium sizearia Sakkari enters Arthur Ashe Stadium for the 2021 U.S. Open semifinals in the middle of a breakthrough season for her career. A few months ago, she came within one point of reaching the French Open final, but froze under the pressure and lost in a heartbreaking loss to Barbora Krejcikova. Still, she picked herself up and reached another important semi-final in New York, showing her resilience that huge opportunities will present themselves for whoever is brave enough to take them.Sakkari was nervous again when she faced off against Emma Raducanu at Flushing Meadows. She started the match wearing…

Hurricane Beryl is barrelling through the Cayman Islands after causing death and destruction in Jamaica.The British overseas territory is bearing the brunt of the hurricane, which has been causing “utter devastation” in the Caribbean since Monday, when it almost destroyed parts of Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines.Now a category 3 hurricane with wind speeds of up to 120mph (193km/h), Beryl has brought thunderstorms and gale forces winds to the Cayman Islands.Earlier on Thursday, meteorologists said the hurricane was 50 miles south-west of Grand Cayman and moving away from the island. However, they issued strong reminders to stay sheltered…

Jayco AlUla’s Dylan Groenewegen won stage six of the Tour de France from Mecon to Dijon after Mark Cavendish was denied in the final kilometer of the sprint at Charles de Gaulle Airport.The Dutch sprinter, who wore custom-made sunglasses with aerodynamic noise foils (or “beaks”), beat Alpecin Deceuninck’s Jasper Philipsen and stage three winner Intermarch Wanty’s Biniam Girmay in the race team.On a relatively calm stage, In the sunshine and showers, Cavendish was forced to catch up after changing wheels again midway through the race. At this time, there were still 90 kilometers to go before the finish line. A…

Catherine, 32 Once I had left my religious boarding school I started to speak to people about sex toys and erotic reading Growing up, I was told by my mum from a very young age that I had to protect my virginity until I was married. At school, we had one sex education class where it was pretty much just a teacher with a cucumber showing us how a condom goes on. I found out everything on my own, from films, books or magazines such as Cosmo. In Uganda, many homes are religious, whether that’s Christianity, Catholicism or Islam, and even through people…

Turkey’s ambassador to Germany has been summoned to the Berlin foreign ministry over a right-wing extremist “wolf salute” after Turkish footballer Merih Demiral’s goal celebration at the European Championships became the subject of a diplomatic exchange.A day after the German ambassador to Turkey was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Ankara and the Turkish government accused Berlin of “xenophobia” over his criticism, a spokesman for the German foreign ministry said it urged Ahmed Basar San to explain the gesture. and take steps to prevent its further use.According to Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the…

My daughter’s partner recently left her and their seven-year-old. Since then she has wanted to be at our house every day as she cannot be alone. She often stays overnight. My husband and I are finding this exhausting with no time to ourselves. We are in our late 60s.We love our daughter and grandchild very much and want to support them as much as possible, but the last time I spoke to my daughter about this she heard it as if we didn’t love her and we were rejecting her. Help!Eleanor says: One thing that stands out to me about…

Victoria sponges filled with strawberry jam and cream have been a Wimbledon staple for decades, but for the first time, the All England Club has created a plant-based sponge.The famous British cake has been transformed with floral spread and coconut cream as part of a wider move to make the championship more environmentally sustainable. The cake will be available to guests who pay up to £2,000 a ticket.”It’s a very iconic British cake,” said All England Club executive chef Adam Fargin.“Instead of small cakes slathered with butter and cream, the traditional afternoon tea in our hotel suites is a plant-based…