4 h. ago Edi Rama on course to win fourth term as PM in Albania elections

Socialists set for clear victory with 30% of votes counted in poll seen as pivotal to country’s hopes of joining EUAlbania’s prime minister, Edi Rama, is poised for victory in general elections after preliminary results showed voters returning him to power for an unprecedented fourth term.With 30% of the ballots counted, Rama’s party was leading the leftwing Socialists to a resounding win over Sali Berisha’s centre-right Democratic party in a poll viewed as pivotal for the Balkan country’s attempt to join the EU. The incumbent party had garnered 53% of the vote compared with 34% for its main opposition rival. Continue reading...

Politics

28 h. ago Mads Pedersen reclaims Giro d’Italia pink jersey with stage three sprint win

Danish rider denies Corbin Strong in Vlorë sprintRace now returns to Italy after three stages in AlbaniaMads Pedersen reclaimed the leader’s pink jersey with victory in the third stage of the Giro d’Italia as the race bade farewell to Albania.The Danish rider repeated his first-stage success by holding off Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech) in a sprint finish in Vlorë. Pedersen’s Lidl-Trek team controlled the peloton, reeling in an early breakaway that included Britain’s stage two winner, Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers). Continue reading...

Politics

29 h. ago Mads Pedersen seals second sprint victory of Giro d’Italia to move back into race lead

The Dane proved unstoppable once again as he took a second sprint victory of the race to reclaim the overall lead

Sport

44 h. ago Giro d’Italia stage three preview: Tom Pidcock battles fast men for victory on 160km route to Vlore

Punchy riders with a fast finish look best placed to win Sunday’s third stage of the 2025 Giro

Events

53 h. ago Josh Tarling claims statement win in Giro d’Italia stage two time

The 21-year-old beat Primoz Roglic by one second to claim the first grand-tour stage win of his career, as Roglic took the pink jersey from Mads Pedersen

Politics

54 h. ago Giro d’Italia LIVE: Brilliant Josh Tarling wins stage two time

The 21-year-old Welshman produced the performance of his young career so far while the maglia rosa changed hands

Politics

62 h. ago Giro d’Italia stage two preview: Chance for GC contenders to make their mark in first of two time trials

Early chance for the GC contenders to lay down a marker in race against the clock

Politics

3 d. ago Mads Pedersen takes pink for first time with Giro d’Italia stage one win in Albania

Mads Pedersen triumphs in Tirana to pull on the maglia rosa for the first time

Politics

3 d. ago Giro d’Italia: Pedersen wins but Landa crashes out on opening stage in Tirana

Danish rider holds off Van Aert in bunch sprint to lineMikel Landa abandons race after crash late in stageDenmark’s former world champion Mads Pedersen edged out Wout van Aert in a bunch sprint to win the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia in Tirana, but Mikel Landa was forced to abandon the race after a crash five kilometres from the finish.Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) was positioned perfectly by his teammates for the climax in the Albanian capital and held off Belgium’s Van Aert to become the first rider this year – and the first Dane – to wear the overall leader’s pink jersey. Venezuela’s Orluis Aular (Movistar) was third across the line. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Who is leading the Giro d’Italia? Maglia rosa and general classification standings

Mads Pedersen pulled on the maglia rosa for the first time with victory in Tirana, Albania

Politics

3 d. ago Giro d’Italia LIVE: Mads Pedersen takes pink for first time with stage one win in Albania

Wout van Aert, Tom Pidcock and Mads Pedersen among the favourites on a hilly opening day to the year’s first Grand Tour

Politics

3 d. ago Giro d’Italia LIVE: Stage one set for fierce fight to claim maglia rosa as race begins in Albania

Wout van Aert, Tom Pidcock and Mads Pedersen among the favourites on a hilly opening day to the year’s first Grand Tour

Sport

3 d. ago Giro d’Italia stage one preview: Tom Pidcock and Wout van Aert hunt win on 160km route to Tirana

Punchy riders with a fast finish look best placed to win Friday’s opening stage of the 2025 Giro and claim the famous pink jersey

Politics

3 w. ago Noble cause: meet the drag kings holding court in Australia’s queer spaces

As drag queens find a place in the mainstream spotlight, their counterparts are taking back the underground scene with theatrical performances that celebrate a marginalised communityGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailIt’s just past 11pm on a warm Wednesday night at Sircuit bar in Smith Street Collingwood, in Melbourne’s inner north. The venue is filling up with an assorted crowd of predominantly punky and boyish-looking people of all genders. There’s no shortage of fauxhawks, baseball caps and mullets in the room.Holi Dae Knight, introducing the drag king show tonight called SlayBoy, has just taken to the stage in a green sequined dress, hot pink hair and a full moustache and bushy beard performing Cher’s Believe. It’s the last night of a three week season of SlayBoy and the crowd is here to see drag kings. The first performers are Justin Sider and Johnny Cocksville doing a version of Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy – they strut wildly on stage simulating raunchiness but it’s...

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