1º de maio de 2026; Washington, Distrito de Columbia, EUA; O arremessador do Milwaukee Brewers, Jacob Misiorowski (32), arremessa contra o Washington Nationals durante o primeiro turno no Nationals Park. Crédito obrigatório: Geoff Burke-Imagn Pictures
O arremessador do Milwaukee Brewers, Jacob Misiorowski, não conseguiu rebater na sexta entrada contra o Washington Nationals, mas deixou o jogo com uma lesão aparente.
Depois de lançar um golpe de 98,9 mph para James Wooden com um eliminado, Misiorowski olhou para o banco de reservas. O técnico Pat Murphy e o técnico Brad Epstein saíram e Misiorowski deixou o jogo.
O destro estava no meio de um esforço dominante, tendo rebatido oito e caminhado dois. Ele retirou os últimos 12 rebatedores que enfrentou, os quatro finalistas por eliminação.
Aaron Ashby entrou com Milwaukee vencendo por 4 a 0, eliminou Wooden e fez com que Luis Garcia Jr. fosse eliminado, estendendo um sem rebatidas combinado para seis entradas.
Poderia Christine McGuinness e esta ex-estrela do Strictly ser o novo casal poderoso de celebridades? (Foto: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Publicação Futura through Getty Photographs)
Christine McGuinness, a ex-esposa da lenda da TV Paddy McGuinness, supostamente está se aproximando de uma ex-estrela do Strictly Come Dancing.
A modelo e personalidade da TV se declarou uma ‘lésbica cinco estrelas’ no início desta semana em um podcast.
Ela estava conversando com a realeza de I Kissed A Boy/Woman, Gareth Valentino e Amy Spalding, quando revelou que “adoraria ter uma esposa um dia”.
Parece que a jovem de 38 anos pode estar um passo mais perto, já que foi vista parecendo “inseparável” da campeã olímpica Nicola Adams, 43.
De acordo com o Correio Diárioa dupla ‘parecia que eram um casal’ no DIVA Awards 2026.
Receba atualizações personalizadas no Strictly
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O evento especial ‘celebra mulheres LGBTQIA+ e pessoas não binárias que são pioneiras no entretenimento, na política, nos negócios e muito mais’.
Christine foi casada com Paddy por 11 anos antes de se separarem (Foto: Aimee Rose McGhee/Dave Benett/Getty Photographs)
A estrela do Strictly se separou de seu parceiro no ano passado (Foto: Hoda Davaine/Getty Photographs for Emirates)
De acordo com um participante, Nicola e Christine pareciam estar juntas durante a premiação.
Embora não tenham comentado publicamente a situação, as duas mulheres se seguem no Instagram. Um representante de Nicola disse ao Each day Mail: “Não sentimos necessidade de fazer comentários neste momento”.
Christine e Nicola são solteiras, tendo se separado dos parceiros e dos pais dos filhos.
Em 2022, após 11 anos de casamento, Christine separou-se de Paddy. Mas eles ainda moram juntos.
Falando sobre o Tudo começou com um podcast de beijoapresentado pelo ex-aluno da BBC, Christine falou sobre a configuração não convencional que ela compartilha com seu ex, que os vê vivendo sob o mesmo teto no norte.
Ela admitiu viver uma ‘vida dupla’ – uma sobre família e outra sobre namoro: ‘Minha família, meus filhos, minha casa é lá em cima e depois venho para Londres… posso trabalhar, me divertir… e não preciso me preocupar com tudo.’
Paddy e Christine se conheceram em 2007 (Foto: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
A mãe de três filhos também disse que “passou tempo com muitas mulheres no esporte” quando Amy questionada sobre namorar pessoas conhecidas do público.
Nicola também não está namorando, depois de se separar de sua companheira de sete anos, Ella Baig, no ano passado.
Eles compartilham um filho, Taylor Nate, que nasceu de fertilização in vitro em julho de 2022.
Depois de tentar continuar como casal e fazer um “importante trabalho terapêutico”, eles decidiram se separar, mas ainda continuam comprometidos em ser co-pais de Taylor.
Em entrevista com O SolNicola admitiu que a carreira de sua namorada como modelo OnlyFans ‘teve um impacto em nosso relacionamento’. Nicola disse que por mais que respeitasse o que Ella fazia, não podia negar o efeito que isso teve sobre eles.
Um amigo próximo de Nicola também disse ao Each day Mail: ‘Nicola e Christine farão uma boa combinação, pois ambos estão superando relacionamentos de longo prazo e têm filhos.’
Metro entrou em contato com representantes de Nicola Adams e Chrstine McGuinness.
Tem uma história?
Se você tem uma história, vídeo ou fotos de uma celebridade, entre em contato com a equipe de entretenimento do Metro.co.uk enviando um e-mail para celebtips@metro.co.uk, ligando para 020 3615 2145 ou visitando nossa página Enviar coisas – adoraríamos ouvir de você.
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MAIS: Fãs de traidores já estão correndo para a nova temporada ‘viciante’ no BBC iPlayer
Antigamente, o verão period quando se saía de Goa. As antigas casas portuguesas ficaram extremamente quentes sem ar condicionado, os estrangeiros regressaram a casa, as festas pararam e os mercados fecharam.
Moro aqui intermitentemente desde o início dos anos 2000, afastando-me cada vez mais dos redutos hippies dos meus 20 anos (eles não existem mais) e mais perto da Goa dos Goenses. Agora, décadas depois, moro em uma pequena e escondida vadoou bairro, cujo nome é partilhado com todos os seus habitantes (exceto o meu). Elaine, minha vizinha, conhece as árvores do meu complexo melhor do que eu (a casa dela pertence à família desde 1871), nunca tranco a porta, o então um homem deixa pão na minha porta para mim – quer eu pague ou não – todos os dias, e meu gato é alimentado e meu jardim regado por Bani, na casa ao lado (porque dei a seu filho meu velho violão).
Urrak, a bebida do verão
Urrak: a alma líquida do verão de Goa | Crédito do vídeo: O Hindu
O coordenador-chefe da TVK, KA Sengottaiyan, discursando à mídia em Gobichettipalayam, no distrito de Erode, no sábado | Crédito da foto: Arranjo Especial
O coordenador-chefe Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), KA Sengottaiyan, no sábado (2 de maio de 2026), disse que o presidente do partido C. Joseph Vijay emergiria como um líder decisivo em Tamil Nadu, e que os resultados das eleições para a Assembleia de 2026 marcariam uma “vitória histórica”.
Dirigindo-se aos repórteres no escritório do partido em Karattur, perto de Gobichettipalayam, ele descreveu a organização como enraizada no “sacrifício e humanismo” e comprometida com o trabalho de base. Ele disse que Vijay conduziu o partido através de “numerosos desafios”, trabalhando incansavelmente diante da oposição.
A Associação de Hotéis e Restaurantes de Kerala (KHRA), com mais de 60.000 membros, pediu uma paralisação em todo o estado em 6 de maio em protesto contra o aumento, que, segundo ela, foi um duro golpe para a indústria hoteleira e terá impacto nos consumidores | Crédito da foto: H. VIBHU
Jantar fora pode em breve ficar mais caro em Kerala, já que um aumento de preços por parte de hotéis e restaurantes parece inevitável depois que as empresas estatais de comercialização de petróleo anunciaram um aumento acentuado de ₹ 993 para cilindros comerciais de gás liquefeito de petróleo (GLP) de 19 kg, a partir de 1º de maio.
Com o último aumento, o preço de uma botija de gás de cozinha comercial ultrapassou os 3.000 rupias em cidades como Kochi, onde supostamente alcança mais de 3.400 rupias no mercado negro. A Associação de Hotéis e Restaurantes de Kerala (KHRA), com mais de 60.000 membros, apelou ao encerramento em todo o estado em 6 de maio em protesto contra o aumento, que, segundo ela, foi um duro golpe para a indústria hoteleira e terá impacto nos consumidores. A associação enviou cartas às empresas petrolíferas e ao governo da União solicitando uma revisão da decisão.
Reform UK is holding on to a significant polling lead heading in to next week’s local elections, with the Greens also challenging the traditional grip of the two main parties over British politics.
A new poll for The i Paper by BMG Research has confirmed the picture of a highly fragmented political landscape with no party able to win the support of even 30 per cent of voters.
But if the picture painted by the survey proves to be an accurate guide to the elections to English councils and the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, Labour and the Conservatives can expect heavy losses with the two insurgent populist parties making major gains.
Shorts – Quick stories
Can you learn to love pigeons? A much-unloved animal in the UK
Features writer Kasia Delgado went on a safari to see if she could look past their rat-like nature
The tour guide
People think pigeons are stupid but lots of studies have shown them to have amazing memories, that they can identify people by their facial features, and they have an extraordinary sense of direction.
Florence Wilkinson, author of Wild City: Encounters with Urban Wildlife, took Kasia on a tour.
Positives of pigeons
War heroes
During the Second World War, carrier pigeons were routinely used to send messages, and they saved thousands of lives.
Homing ability
Scientists have put them in blacked-out vans and put miniature goggles on them to blur their vision and still the pigeons manage to return home.
The Dove family
We think of them as all grey, but they vary in shades, and some of them are quite amazingly coloured, says Florence.
Kasia’s feeding test
As I gingerly chuck some seed, wincing slightly, 15 or so flap their wings at me. I wouldn’t say I feel content or relaxed but I don’t hate it as much as I thought I would. I can see they’re not going to do me harm and after all, they’re just enjoying some free food.
A common myth?
Disease carriers
Research has found that between 1941 and 2004, there were only 207 reports worldwide of pathogens transmitted from pigeons to humans.
Not all walks are created equal
Read on to find out how to supercharge yours into an unbeatable health-builder
How to supercharge your walk
Get a bit breathless
All walking paces are linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease but there are additional gains made by those who walk at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity.
Walk uphill
Try to find varying inclines to increase energy and muscle burn.
Add weights
The extra resistance challenges your heart to work harder, increasing cardiovascular fitness.
How to supercharge your walk
Uneven ground
Mountainous and uneven terrain work your stabilising muscles harder, increasing the difficulty and output from your walk.
Go Nordic
Using poles engages the arms as well as the legs and core, turning walking into a full-body workout.
A walk is beneficial at any time of day, but after eating could be best. Research has found that 10- to 30-minute walks taken 10 to 30 minutes after a meal can reduce the peak blood-sugar measurements reached.
Slower and lower blood sugar throughout the day reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
How to supercharge your walk
Go green
Walking in nature has more psychological benefits than concrete. It’s shown to significantly reduce anxiety and depression.
Improve your posture
Staying tall through the spine, open your chest and keep your eyes forward (not leaning over on your phone..).
Meet outside
Walking is a good time to have conversations, whether with your boss or a friend.
Mistakes to avoid
1Focusing on step count – most research suggests that benefits plateau at 7,000 steps a day.
2Using ankle weights – they can tug at the hip flexors and the knees.
3 Doing one-and-done – just hiking for three hours on the weekend, and nothing throughout the week, means you’re missing out on benefits.
4Thinking it’s not a workout – walking packs in cardio and brain-boosting effects without the recovery time of intense exercise.
Eight million people in the UK are living with heart or circulatory disease
And while chest pain is a well-known symptom, there are more subtle signs you should be aware of too.
Overlooked signs of heart disease
Dizziness and fainting
An abnormal heart rhythm can cause a dizzy feeling. While much dizziness is not serious, it can be associated with life-threatening complications.
Increased breathlessness
This breathlessness could be due to blockages and reduced blood flow in the arteries.
Swollen ankles
Unusual swelling can indicate a problem with the body’s circulatory system and kidneys.
Worsening fatigue
Ongoing and worsening fatigue can indicate an underlying health issue, and it could be a sign that your heart isn’t working as effectively as it should be. If persistent fatigue is impacting you day-to-day, the best thing to do is speak with your doctor.
Ruth Goss, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation
Overlooked signs of heart disease
Indigestion-type symptoms Discomfort in the stomach, chest and ribs, or a burning sensation in the chest area, could all be symptoms of heart disease.
Erectile dysfunction If it’s an ongoing issue, there could be an underlying health problem, including atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), diabetes or high blood pressure.
Emotional detachment is a key life skill
Read on to find out how to embrace it, from GP Dr Radha
Healthy detachment
[Detachment] is not selfish – we can still care and empathise. We don’t avoid, we just balance and respond rather than react because we are not too invested in the outcome. This is very different from emotional numbing, which often happens after trauma.
dr Radha Modgil
When we need detachment
Toxic friendships
When you feel that an interaction brings out the worst in you, or that you are having to watch everything you say or do.
Dysfunctional families
Healthy detachment is helpful when we become overly invested in trying to control or fix someone.
Work issues
It’s helpful in situations you are not in control of and helps you leave work behind at 5pm.
How to start it
Examine your beliefs
You may have been conditioned to think that it is your responsibility to fix everything. Is this a fact or based on old patterns?
Look at the impact
Consider what negative impact your “fixing” has; it can keep situations stuck, or infantilise others from growing up.
Which problems are in your control?
Understanding what problems are ours to hold and which aren’t can help avoid emotional burnout.
How to maintain it
Firm boundaries
This means understanding your sense of self, what is yours and what is not and sticking to it.
Self-care
Recognise and look after your own energy levels, mental health and your need to live your own life.
Be objective
Try to have a factual, calm, rational attitude in moments of conflict. This includes trying to release the need to control.
I spent a week in the world’s happiest country
Here are the five ways I brought Finnish culture back to the UK.
Sauna, sauna, sauna
A regular Finnish sauna boasts a wealth of health benefits: improved cardiovascular health, reduced blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia.
In Finnish culture, the sauna is available for everyone: it’s the great equaliser and forms a gently ritualistic part of the day.
Immerse yourself in nature
It is enshrined in Finnish law that anyone living in or visiting Finland has the freedom to roam the countryside, forage, fish, ski, or camp temporarily.
70 per cent of Finland is forest and they have an estimated 180,000 lakes, of which Lake Saimaa (the one I visited) is the largest.
It plays into the Finns’ love of solitude: having space to think. I have found myself not only treasuring the greenery I can find in London.
Eastl local and drink coffee
Finnish diet
Diets are rich in oily fish and local produce: whole grains, Arctic berries, dairy, wild mushrooms, and game like reindeer.
Coffee
The Finns are the number one coffee drinkers in the world. This is both a social ritual and a historic legacy.
I’m cherishing my coffee breaks that bit more, as well as enjoying smoked fish and pickles for lunch
Have fun
Play is embedded from early childhood, as it is seen as a fundamental pillar of development. For every 45-minute lesson, children enjoy unstructured play for 15 mins.
While adults don’t get the same level of structured play, hobbies and a clear demarcation between work and life ensure adults retain a sense of leisure. Every year in July, businesses slow down.
Do not take the good for granted
Finns actively remember not only their suffering through the war, but the fact that the peace they enjoy requires constant maintenance.
Greenwich Park (Photo: AP Photo/Joanna Chan)
Since my visit, I am actively appreciating things like London’s public transport system, or the number of parks my dog can run in. We are fools if we take it for granted.
Inflammation can be harmful. But it is possible to lower it through lifestyle changes.
We asked the experts the habits you can instill to reduce levels.
Dietary changes
Fruit and veg
Research suggests high intakes of fruit and vegetables are linked with lower inflammatory markers, says dietitican Sammie Gill.
Healthy fats
Omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil are all beneficial in fighting inflammation.
Established diets
Certain patterns, like the Mediterranean diet, can help control long-term inflammation.
What to use and what to avoid
Use turmeric and black pepper
Herbs and spices are an easy way of adding anti-inflammatory plant compounds to your diet.
Drink green tea
Keeping hydrated by drinking enough water helps your body function, and herbal teas can have added benefits.
Eat blueberries
Women eating a handful of blueberries a day can help lower their high blood pressure.
Lorem ipsum
Regularly, not randomly
“The key is consistency, even light, regular activity is better than long, intense workouts once in a while,” says Dr Maz Mwambazi, a GP.
Yoga
Building muscle through weight lifting can help, as can mind-body practices like yoga, which combine physical postures, breathing, and meditation.
Prioritise fun
Chronic stress can contribute to inflammation, says Dr Rangan Chatterjee – so partake in activities which help you manage or reduce your stress levels.
Finding a hobby you enjoy, spending time in nature and spending time connecting with friends and family have all been shown to reduce stress.
Reform is on 28 per cent, nine points ahead of Labour on 19 per cent – followed by the Tories with 17 per cent, the Greens on 16 per cent and the Liberal Democrats who are backed by 12 per cent of voters.
The figures are almost unchanged from BMG’s previous survey in late March, with a one-point fall in Conservative support the only difference, suggesting voters views are entrenched ahead of the election, with the electorate now fractured between five parties, rather than the two parties who have dominated British politics for a century.
Labour caught between Reform and Greens
Some in Labour will be relieved that the party’s position has not deteriorated further in light of the latest rows over the vetting of Peter Mandelson to be ambassador to the US, and whether Sir Keir Starmer has lied about the scandal.
But the poll shows that Reform – though declining from the heights it achieved in surveys last year – remains the single most popular party, with the Greens also on the rise.
Nearly half of those who voted for Labour in the 2024 general election now say they would not support the party, with 11 per cent of them switching to Nigel Farage’s Reform and 19 per cent preferring the Greens under Zack Polanski. Meanwhile 29 per cent of past Tory voters now endorse Reform.
Pollsters predict Labour is set to lose thousands of seats in local elections in England on Thursday. Elections will also take place for the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments, with Labour on course to lose Wales for the first time since the Senedd was created in 1999.
There have been suggestions that a heavy loss could trigger a challenge to Starmer’s leadership from the likes of Health Secretary Wes Streeting or former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner – but MPs are also wary of removing the Prime Minister without a clear front runner to take over.
The Greens, energised under new leader Zack Polanski, are also expected to make major gains, particularly in London areas traditionally dominated by Labour, such as Hackney and Tower Hamlets, while Reform is expected to well in the northern Labour heartlands.
Reform to be under scrutiny
A Reform landslide would see intense scrutiny on any local authorities that come under Reform control. Nigel Farage’s party would become responsible for delivering many day to day services such as bin collections, recycling and fixing potholes – as well as setting council tax rates.
Farage has admitted that the weakness in his bid for power is a lack of experience, and has asked voters to look at how well his party runs local authorities. Those Reform already control, such as Kent, have been criticised for raising council tax despite Reform pledges to cut excessive spending.
A heavy defeat for Labour could see calls for Starmer – if he survives – to tack to the left to see off the Green surge, rather than try to face both ways and fight Reform at the same time.
Kemi Badenoch may also have a difficult night, with the Tories expected to lose seats to Reform and the Lib Dems.
While his party has not fallen back since the re-emergence of the Mandelson fiasco, Starmer has taken a knock to his personal ratings which now stand at a net of -49, as just 16 per cent of people are satisfied with his performance and 65 per cent are unhappy. Badenoch is on -5 and Farage on -14.
Healthcare is now the only major policy issue where Labour is the most trusted party. Reform is ahead on crime, the cost of living, EU relations and – by a double-digit margin – immigration, while the Conservatives hold a slim lead on the economy, security and education.
Despite Reform’s lead in the polls the findings suggest that Brexit, Farage’s achievement, is broadly unpopular: 48 per cent of the public want Britain to rejoin the EU with only 35 per cent preferring to stay out.
BMG surveyed a representative sample of 1,521 GB adults between 29 and 30 April. BMG are members of the British Polling Council and abide by its rules.
26 de abril de 2026; Montreal, Quebeque, CAN; O pivô do Tampa Bay Lightning, Gage Gonçalves (93), joga o disco contra o Montreal Canadiens durante o segundo período do quarto jogo da primeira rodada dos Playoffs da Stanley Cup de 2026 no Bell Centre. Crédito obrigatório: David Kirouac-Imagn Photographs
Gage Gonçalves marcou o gol da vitória na prorrogação para dar ao visitante Tampa Bay Lightning uma vitória por 1 a 0 sobre o Montreal Canadiens na sexta-feira e forçar o jogo 7 da série de playoffs da Stanley Cup.
O jogo decisivo da primeira rodada da Conferência Leste será no domingo, em Tampa. Esse confronto tem tudo para superar em valor de entretenimento.
Um jogo 6 emocionante finalmente chegou ao fim quando Gonçalves enterrou um disco perdido em meio a uma disputa às 9:02 da prorrogação por seu primeiro vencedor da prorrogação nos playoffs da carreira.
Aconteceu emblem depois que o Lightning acabou com um jogo de poder em Montreal.
O goleiro do Lightning, Andrei Vasilevskiy, lutou para encontrar sua forma durante esta série, mas apresentou seu melhor desempenho com 30 defesas, marcando sua oitava derrota nos playoffs da carreira.
O goleiro do Montreal, Jakub Dobes, parou 32 chutes em um fantástico duelo de goleiros.
Todos os seis jogos foram decididos por um gol. Ambas as equipes venceram duas vezes na prorrogação.
O vencedor da série enfrentará o Buffalo Sabres na segunda rodada dos playoffs.
A falta de gols não foi indicativa da ação. Ambos os clubes geraram uma série de possibilities de gol em um confronto de idas e vindas.
Tampa esteve a um passo de marcar primeiro no início do segundo período, quando Corey Perry acertou um chute nas pernas de Dobes, mas Phillip Danault puxou o disco para fora da linha do gol, atrás de seu goleiro.
No closing do segundo período, Vasilevskiy roubou Ivan Demidov com duas defesas extensas que fizeram o atacante do Montreal olhar para o céu durante um jogo de poder dos Canadiens. Danault também foi parado em uma fuga parcial nos últimos segundos do quadro.
Alexandre Texier, que marcou o gol da vitória no jogo 5, chutou na trave no início do terceiro período, momentos antes de Jake Guentzel ser parado em uma fuga do outro lado.
Durante o jogo de poder que se seguiu em Tampa, Nikita Kucherov e Guentzel acertaram em cheio.
Dobes também se destacou durante outro energy play do Lightning no terceiro período, culminando com uma parada de embreagem em Brayden Level.
There’s nothing like waking up on the first day of holiday, knowing a stress-free week of R&R lies ahead. But this fantasy comes crashing down when you realise you’ve left the HRT at home.
This, my long-feared nightmare, finally came true last week on the Canarian island of Fuerteventura. Having packed in a hurry, I hastily threw what I thought was my Estradiol bottle into my suitcase. When I went to slather my thighs in oestrogen gel the following morning, I realised I’d brought my teen’s acne cream instead. By some cruel twist of fate, they look remarkably similar.
So there I was, on a much-needed holiday with my partner, without the key ingredient to my sanity. I reckoned I had a three-day window to find a local brand of oestrogen gel before I became a psycho and turned my romantic getaway into a bloodbath.
Having realised my mistake on a Sunday morning, when the local pharmacy was shut, I didn’t panic. I knew I’d be able to go at least a day without. But I made sure I was first in line outside the pharmacy come Monday morning. Alas, what I had assumed was a pharmacy, was in fact a naturopath (the perils of staying in a hippy haven like El Cotillo) with zero stocks of HRT. A whole 24 hours wasted. The race was on.
On phoning the next town’s pharmacy, I was informed they wouldn’t supply the drugs without a prescription. Apparently, proof that I’m entitled to Estradiol back home, courtesy of the NHS app, was not enough. Nor, it seemed, was my sob story. My only option was to get a prescription from a private doctor. This felt like a major hassle and a major expense. So I began thinking, hey, I can do this, I can go without HRT for a week.
The following morning, on day two, I awoke full of brain fog. Exercise has always been my first line of menopausal defence, so I knew it was nothing that couldn’t be cleared with a quick workout. By night three, though, I woke at 1am in a savage sweat. Going cold turkey had turned me into a roasting old bird. Worse still, I was overtaken by irrational anxiety, a notoriously insidious menopause symptom. Suddenly, any amount of hassle and expense seemed worth it.
After some frantic googling, I found an online doctor service called Doctorsa, who, for only £17.30, would give me the prescription I craved. I booked an appointment for the following morning. All done over WhatsApp, it was a seamless experience that swiftly delivered my longed-for prescription to my inbox.
Cycling to the pharmacy in the next town, my anxiety about being on the ‘wrong’ side of a busy and unfamiliar road was off the scale. When I finally got my hands on the goods, after parting with another £13.90 (God bless the NHS and its HRT Prepayment Certificate, which covers a year’s supply for a mere £19.80), I ripped open the packaging with all the desperation of an addict hungry for her next fix. I smeared my thighs in HRT, right there on the pavement.
Getting my mitts on Spanish Estradiol had an instant calming effect. So much so that I started questioning whether my returning menopausal symptoms were real. That brain fog, could it have been a hangover? My nervous partner had been plying me with alcohol in an attempt to stave off any potential hormonal meltdowns. That night sweat? Well, it’s pretty warm in Fuerteventura. And the cycling anxiety? As a non-driver, even cycling in the UK brings me out in hives.
Dr Paula Briggs, a British Menopause Society trustee, says women don’t need to panic if they can’t get access to HRT for a short while. This is especially the case on holiday, where the usual stressors are often absent. She is, of course, right. My moments of anxiety were more likely induced by panic about forgetting my HRT than lower levels of oestrogen. On reflection, I didn’t turn into the grumpy ogre of my nightmares. Yet had I been back at home surrounded by deadlines, domestic duties and troublesome teens, it may have been a different story.
“Women are being made to believe that their world will fall apart without HRT, and this is wrong,” says Dr Briggs. “The reality of temporarily going without HRT is that many women will have no adverse effects, and some women, particularly younger women, might actually feel better. That said, if symptoms are going to recur, they will likely do so in a few days. How difficult this will be for an individual woman will depend on symptom severity prior to using HRT and for how long she’s been using.”
If, like me, you’re so psychologically dependent on HRT that you can’t forgo your daily fix, Dr Briggs says that once HRT is being used again, returning to typical oestrogen levels “will likely take around the same length of time that it took for menopausal symptoms to return. For most women, this means days rather than weeks”. She adds that it’s crucial not to try and play catch-up by upping the dose to compensate for the absent period. “Would anyone consider a week’s antidepressant to catch up if they ran out? Of course not. Some experts can give people the idea that hormones, in whatever dose, are safe. That’s not true and could lead to cardiovascular side effects, including stroke.”
If I’d had access to this wisdom while I was in Fuerteventura, I could have saved myself some logistical stress and quite a few euros by sacrificing HRT for a week.
Dr Briggs tells me this situation can even be a chance for women to wean themselves off entirely. “I had a friend,” she says, “who went on a six-month sabbatical without taking sufficient HRT. She experienced no adverse effects and used it as an opportunity to discontinue HRT. For some women, it’s liberating not to be medicated.”
As someone who’s used HRT for nearly five years, I can see the appeal. If I’m brave enough, perhaps my next holiday will double as an HRT-free holiday.
O consenso do clube: Kiké Hernández. Também obtendo votos: Miguel Rojas.
“Você sabe qual é a coisa engraçada?” O gerente dos Dodgers, Dave Roberts, disse.
Engraçado, ha. Prossiga.
“Dalton [Rushing] é um dos caras mais engraçados”, disse Roberts, “mas não está tentando ser engraçado”.
A exuberância juvenil em um time veterano não é uma coisa tão ruim. Mantém todos soltos.
Isso leva a uma questão relacionada: se você tivesse que escolher um jogador para apresentar um programa de comédia, quem seria?
“Kiké seria quem eu escolheria”, disse Freddie Freeman. “Will Smith é o completo oposto de quem eu pensaria, mas se encaixa perfeitamente.”
Em 7 de maio, Smith realiza seu terceiro evento anual Noite de comédia dos Dodgersparte do Netflix é um pageant de comédia de piadas. É uma arrecadação de fundos para a fundação Catching Hope, lançada por Smith e sua esposa para capacitar jovens em situação de risco com habilidades de liderança e autossuficiência.
O apanhador dos Dodgers, Will Smith, organizou eventos no Netflix Is a Joke Fest nos últimos anos. Ele apresentará outro em 7 de maio.
(Carrie Giordano/Los Angeles Dodgers)
É também uma noite que obriga Smith, o estóico apanhador All-Star dos Dodgers, a subir ao palco, agradecer a todos por terem vindo e sorrir e rir antes que os comediantes profissionais subam ao palco.
“Eu estava definitivamente um pouco ansioso porque você tem que chegar lá e fazer um pequeno discurso, que eu gosto agora”, disse ele. “Isso meio que me levou de volta aos meus tempos de colégio, onde você tinha que fazer um discurso na frente de toda a escola.
“Foi um pouco preocupante, mas foi bom. Foi divertido quando cheguei lá.”
Disse Rojas: “Na primeira vez, foi apenas uma recepção. No ano passado, ele contou algumas piadas.”
Smith insiste que escreve suas próprias piadas.
“Não estou contando muitas piadas”, disse ele. “Talvez um.”
O Smith que todos vemos é aquele que Buster Posey – que em breve será membro do Corridor da Fama e agora presidente de operações de beisebol do San Francisco Giants – descreveu para mim no ano passado: “Ele não estava procurando ser seu melhor amigo quando você veio para a base. Eu meio que apreciei isso nele. Ele sempre foi muito profissional.”
A equipe de mídia social dos Dodgers tirou Smith um pouco da concha pública nesta primavera, em um spot promovendo sua noite bobbleheadem que Smith acertou em cheio e uma série de gestos faciais.
Roberts disse que percebeu isso nos dois programas de comédia anteriores que Smith apresentou.
“Jon Lovitz é um comediante e tem aquele humor seco, então pronto”, disse Roberts. “Will tem aquele humor seco.”
Quando perguntei a Smith quais jogadores seriam os mais engraçados do time, ele também respondeu com Hernández e Rojas.
“Não sou um daqueles piadistas”, disse Smith. “Com meus amigos mais próximos longe do beisebol, sim, nós brincamos. Gosto de manter as coisas leves e muito sarcásticas.
“Os caras engraçados são os mais barulhentos, geralmente Miggy e Kiké. Cada um é engraçado à sua maneira.”
Rojas disse que vê Smith menos em termos de uma ou duas piadas anuais no palco e mais em termos da noite de jogos que ele e sua esposa organizaram recentemente para companheiros de equipe e suas famílias.
“Estou um pouco mais vocal”, disse Rojas. “Se ele tiver que dizer alguma coisa, ele dirá, mas de uma forma diferente.
“Ele é um grande líder que se preocupa. Ele não é o cara extrovertido, mas está sempre ciente de: ‘OK, é isso que quero fazer para me conectar com meus colegas’.”
Freeman viu Smith no palco. O elenco do programa de comédia funciona, de alguma forma.
“Não é a personalidade dele”, disse Freeman, “o que acho que o torna muito melhor”.
Freeman suspeitou que eu pudesse estar cético.
“É divertido”, disse ele. “Você deveria ir.”
Para mais detalhes sobre Dodgers Comedy Evening, incluindo informações sobre ingressos, Clique aqui.
The King’s diplomacy masterclass in the US has boosted the monarchy but highlighted the shortage of family members undertaking similar blockbuster tours supporting British foreign policy.
It has prompted calls for the Prince and Princes of Wales in particular to start travelling more to make the most of their own soft power on the world stage.
In Washington, New York, and Virginia over a four-day state visit, Charles III and Queen Camilla pulled off the defining moment of their reign so far, demonstrating the real value of the world’s best known Royal Family, according to some politicians, commentators and their host, US President Donald Trump.
“Great King. The greatest King in my book,” Trump told the press gathered to see their departure from the White House. “We need more people like that in our country,” he added, hours before scrapping tariffs on Scottish whisky in their honour, something that British politicians had been working in vain to achieve for a year.
It was a practical example of how the Royal Family’s soft power can be flexed to support British governments, although how far Trump will change his hostile approach to the UK in the longer term remains to be seen.
“Charles put his personal stamp on soft power and distinguished it from the late Queen,” the royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said, hailing the tour as a triumph. “He gave the various sides of a deeply divided America what they wanted.”
The King has lifted spirits inside the Royal Household after a difficult spell of scrutiny over the family rift with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, the fallout from which is likely to last for years.
President Trump was full of praise for King Charles in the wake of the state visit. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“I’m a fan, obviously, but I think they’ve done amazingly well,” one courtier who has known them for years said, praising the King and his speechwriters for their ability to deliver difficult messages to Donald Trump and his allies while charming them. “You don’t see the First Lady, Melania, smile very often but the Queen had her giggling.”
But the apparent success of the US trip, coupled with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s high-profile quasi-royal visit to Australia last month, and Harry’s speech in Ukraine in which he challenged the US to uphold its historic security guarantees, has also highlighted the shortage of other royals with sufficient clout and star power to go on these missions.
“It’s just the King supported by the Queen, and William and Kate,” said Fitzwilliams. “They are the real stars.”
The heir to the throne and his wife, who celebrated their fifteenth wedding anniversary on Wednesday, have not been on a major overseas tour together since their ill-fated trip to the Caribbean in 2022 to mark the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, when they faced protests and critics accused them of looking like out-of-touch relics of a bygone imperial age.
The couple have made other contributions – including charming the US president when he came to Windsor on his second state visit last year, and through William’s Earthshot Prize encouraging innovations to help avoid an environmental catastrophe. However, they have faced a difficult few years.
In 2024, Kate, 44, underwent a serious abdominal operation and then cancer treatment, an experience she described as “scary” and “incredibly tough”.
‘A diferent way of working’
They remain Britain’s most popular royals but William, 43, has struggled at times to shed criticism that he is workshy, despite explaining that the couple want to work in a different way, focusing on a campaigning style of engagements designed to have “impact” and bring change rather than the more traditional type of ribbon-cutting duties.
In that vein, William has issued clarion calls on climate change and other environmental crises. In February, he made a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia on a Foreign Office mission to forge closer ties with the country’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
William was also the first British royal to meet Trump after his election win in December 2024, when the two men spent 40 minutes speaking at the British ambassador’s residence in Paris after the reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were criticised for appearing out of touch during their Caribbean tour in 2022. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
However William – who went on five foreign trips last year, three the year before, and five in 2023 – has travelled nowhere near as much as his father did at a similar age. When Charles was in his early to mid-40s he visited up to 16 countries per year.
Last year, the Prince of Wales’s foreign duties accounted for just 7.2 per cent of the family’s engagements abroad. It was similar in 2024 at 7.3 per cent. Before Kate’s illness, the couple accounted for 9.2 per cent of the total in 2023, and 18.7 per cent in 2022 when they completed 97 overseas royal duties including their Caribbean tour.
Some royal watchers argue that in future they will have to step up at home and abroad, especially as they are the only working royals under 60.
According to Patricia Treble, whose Write Royalty website measures royal workload by compiling a tally of official engagements each day, William undertook only 36 of 499 foreign engagements by members of the Royal Family last year. Treble’s figures are calculated using publicly available information from the Court Circular, the official record of the Royal Family’s activities.
“That we don’t know whether he wants to increase that share in years to come, or when his wife will again return to foreign travel, must be of concern for not only the realms that require regular visits to keep their close bonds with their head of state and his heir,” Treble added. “But it also must provoke unease among diplomats who cannot be sure that they will be able to call on the soft power of royalty to help with their efforts.”
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine, believes Harry and Meghan’s trips have shown what the monarchy has been missing, adding to the pressure on William and Kate to travel more to the Commonwealth and on other big overseas tours.
“The couple are not as visible as they need to be and they are certainly less visible than the previous Prince and Princess of Wales in their early days when they were firing on all cylinders,” he said. “They handle royal duties in a very different way.”
Little said they would have to step up if they suddenly became King and Queen earlier than anticipated. “There would be all sorts of pressures on them, not just in the UK but in the realms and the Commonwealth beyond,” he said.
“But is it possible Charles doesn’t want William to eclipse some of the things he is doing?”
Kate has ‘no regrets’ over focus on family
Kate is expected to resume foreign travel in the coming months. There has been speculation she might join William on a trip to the US in the summer to attend World Cup matches in his role as patron of the Football Association. But a more likely date is November when William’s environmental innovation award scheme, the Earthshot Prize, holds its annual ceremony and week of activities in Mumbai, India. Palace sources say no internal decision has been made yet.
The Princess’ resolve to put her children first before royal duties while they are at school, has been strengthened by what they went through as a family during her “life-changing” illness and treatment.
Kate and William are resolved to stay focused on their children, especially while they are at school. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Aides say big overseas tours can be gruelling: the numerous back-to-back engagements where the royals are the focus of every person and countless cameras, the endless planning meetings, the protocol, the detailed briefs from the Foreign Office and the notes from palace officials choreographing their every move.
She and William have no regrets about focusing on family and quality, not quantity, of official engagements. “That will continue,” a royal source said.
It means William does less than Charles did at a similar age. But Charles, who was left for months on end as a child while his parents travelled abroad on duty, has always been a workaholic. His sons are determined not to repeat the patterns that led to his marriage break-up with Princess Diana and the fallout that wreaked havoc on their lives.
A more ‘stable monarchy’ in future
The couple, who take every school holiday off with their three children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, are firmly settled in their new eight-bedroom Georgian Grade II listed home, Forest Lodge, in Windsor Great Park, which is expected to remain their main residence even when William becomes King. It will be handy for Eton, the favourite to be Prince George’s new school in September, although the family are keeping their choice under wraps for now – other possible destinations are reported to be Marlborough or Wellington, a 20-minute drive from their home.
“My gut feeling is that it will be Eton for George and Wellington or possibly Marlborough for Charlotte, and one of those for Louis,” said Melanie Sanderson, managing editor of The Good Schools Guide, who has been taking regular soundings.
In their defence, courtiers say that the couple’s approach to their work-life balance will create a more stable Royal Family and monarchy in the future . “Whatever Charles was doing 30 years ago, time’s moved on,” one said. “Things will have to change when William becomes King.”
But, as the institution grapples with the fallout from the Epstein scandal and looks to build on the success of the King and Queen’s US trip, the Prince and Princess of Wales may face pressure to step it up.
“They can’t rely on their popularity forever,” said Little.