Clarke’s masterplan, so to speak, was playing Kieran Tierney ahead of Robertson on the left, two vastly experienced operators to deal with the threat of Hakimi and Brahim Diaz.
A risk, for sure. And so much for the thinking behind it. Just over a minute gone – Diaz assist, Ismael Saibari goal, the nightmare scenario come true.
The traffic cone guys weren’t letting such trifling issues dampen their day.
Everybody else had a haunted look about them, their noise and passion reduced to soft groans, the lusty pride they all displayed with another thumping rendition of Flower of Scotland now replaced with shrieks as Morocco ran amok.
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Or threatened to run amok. Seventy seconds it took them to score. For much of the opening half they were like a cultured fighter, boxing the ears off an over-matched rival, bamboozling their punchbag with their movement before what felt like an inevitable knockout.
Scotland were on the ropes, covering up and praying that the punishment would stop. And minute by minute, it did.
Morocco’s intensity was wonderful for half an hour and they could have been two or three ahead by then, but they weren’t. They’re terrific footballers, very easy on the eye, but they’re not ruthless, not killers. Scotland’s resilience kept them in it.
When Morocco’s energy started to dissipate, it became a contest.
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Scotland finished the opening half strongly, their confidence rising, those worried stares on the faces of their supporters giving way to blessed hope.
Philadelphia was painted yellow as Brazil fans flooded into the city in their tens of thousands.
There were many ticketless supporters who travelled large distances to watch the game on television in bars, just happy to be in the same city as their heroes played on the World Cup stage.
Ancelotti struck a defiant tone at his post-match news conference, where the first question was: This was an improvement on Morocco, but what didn’t you like about the match?
“We were much better first half. In the second half, they had little bit more control, but we had opportunities to score more goals. All in all it was a good match,” said the Italian, who was appointed in May 2025 to end Brazil’s long wait for a sixth world title.
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It was followed by a question about Manchester United’s Cunha: Having scored twice against Haiti, would he remain in the centre-forward role for the next match against Scotland in Miami next Wednesday?
“We’ll see,” added the Italian.
“I think that Matheus’ position was a good position for creating problems for the defence. And he filtered his passes very well, and his position was a good position to be effective at the front.
“It can be an option. We discussed this yesterday. I don’t want a clear identity. Maybe we will change this on the next match.”
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After answering a question about tactics and then Vinicius Jr – who now has six goal involvements in six World Cup appearances (three goals, three assists) – Ancelotti was asked about the performance once more.
“It was what I expected for this match,” he said.
“There were less mistakes [than against Morocco], more effectiveness going forward, this was a good match.”
Speaking about the next match against Scotland, Ancelotti added: “We don’t think about knocking out [Scotland]. We think about playing well and improving, and we analyse the match.
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“If we can reach the first position of the group, that would be important for the future. So we want to prepare well for that match.
“Scotland can create a problem. They created problems to Morocco. And so we have to focus on the match and be calm and keep on working to improve.”
There’s a lot of softness under the crab’s tough outer shell (Picture: Getty/Metro)
Cancer season lands June 21 and brings with it the nurturing, mothering, loving and caring nature of the star sign.
It’s like being allowed to stay home from school, wrapped up on the sofa with your favourite toy, snack and TV show. Remember? Sometimes it was nice just to be given a time out and taken care of.
Modern life is hard. Adulting is unrelenting. The world is a little crazy.
So, let this tarot reading tell you where you need a time out this Cancer season, and how to restore your battery to full charge so you feel ready to go again (just in time for Leo season).
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Aries
March 21 to April 20
Burning the candle at both ends never ends well (Picture: Getty/Metro)
Tarot card for Aries for Cancer season: Eight of Coins
Meaning: The Eight of Coins reveals your burnout potential is centred on working too hard, burning the candle at both ends, investing enormous amounts of energy as if you’re running a 100m dash, rather a marathon.
You need to slow down, stop doing some stuff, take a break, enforce physical limits and boundaries to how much time and energy you’re spending on something. You can’t pour from an empty jug, Aries. Your body will give way before your will. Do not get to that point. Make this June/July a more restful, relaxing, streamlined and stress-free zone. Make some decisions that facilitate that. Now.
Sometimes forcing things only makes it harder (Picture: Getty/Metro)
Tarot card for Taurus for Cancer season: Ten of Coins
Meaning: You have felt impatient lately and it has pushed you into pressured and stressful places that you do not like being at. Pushing to go harder, faster doesn’t always work. And it’s not working now.
Everything has its own pace and time. Realise that. Let things, people, events, tasks and ambitions flow around you in their own natural way. Accept folk as they are. Extend the timescale you wanted something done by. Don’t enforce false deadlines that don’t really matter. You have time. Let things unfold in their own time.
Tarot card for Gemini forCancer season: Ace of Wands
Meaning: The greatest cause of burnout for Gemini folk is boredom. You can literally go half mad through inactivity, stalemates, and dead ends. You need stimulus… of the right kind!
This Cancer season, activate a wholesome hobby, pastime, class, friendship or lifestyle ritual that feels inspiring and authentically ‘you’. Maybe this is a childhood thing you reinvent, or a new trend in town, or a return to what you once loved doing but ran out of time/money/inclination. Do something fresh, uplifting and fun. It will boost your mood and recharge your spirits.
Look out for signs from the Universe (Picture: Getty/Metro)
Tarot card for Cancer for Cancer season: Three of Wands
Meaning: As you step into your sign’s season, you feel fantastic, in control, and like you know were you’re heading. You already put a great deal of effort into your own self care and fulfilment. The Three of Wands is a wonderful blessing that the cosmic forces are swirling and aligning around you.
This will manifest as many signs and omens nudging you towards the gifts, rewards and surprises the cosmos has lined up for your birthday phase! Follow the signs. Notice de ja vu, vivid dreams, coincidences and serendipitous comments, visions or conversations. Literal cosmic energy is propelling you this Cancer season, tune in and flow.
Meaning: You have been worrying about what other folk think or are saying about you, and it’s seeped into your psyche, your selfhood, your confidence levels. But other people’s opinions is not your reality, nor is it your responsibility.
Take this heavy load off your shoulders. Simply refuse to let your mind wander into assumption or projection. Distract yourself when those imagining start up. Play music, phone a friend, flick on a movie, make a meal, go walking. You are fabulous and fierce, beloved and admired. Don’t be your own worst enemy to yourself.
Unleash your inner child this Cancer season (Picture: Getty/Metro)
Tarot card for Virgo for Cancer season: Page of Wands
Meaning: Cancer season often brings a great deal of nostalgia, not only because of the mothering energy it drives but the fact it heralds the start of summer, which we all build fond memories of over the years. Be playful, be youthful, be silly. Heal your burnouts and strains by letting go of responsibility in short bursts and just being playful.
Join a team, play a sport, buy jigsaws or childhood books or games you once loved, reunite with school friends, visit places and shops or cafes that once captured your imagination. Returning to a childhood self’s realm can be restorative and healing. Enjoy this step out of ‘adulting’ and return to a simpler time this Cancer season.
Be proud of how far you’ve come (Picture: Getty/Metro)
Tarot card for Libra for Cancer season: Strength
Meaning: While Cancer folk always celebrate their friends’ successes wholly and deeply, the Strength card emerges because the cosmos wants you to celebrate yourself this Cancer season. Take a pause to reflect on your progress in life this last few years — what you’ve done, overcome, made happen, fought against, achieved, and learned.
Perhaps the most important thing is what you’ve learned. Medals aren’t handed out for living life… but wisdom is a prize, and one that no one can take away from you. Write down your life lessons and values. Toast and treat yourself for having made such wonderful progress. You’re doing great.
All give and no take makes Scorpio understandably angry (Picture: Getty/Metro)
Tarot card for Scorpio for Cancer season: Knight of Coins
Meaning: You have a big engine and you’re mentally robust — but you’re not invincible. Your burnouts, rare though they are, come when your efforts are not rewarded, when you get trapped in draining or one-way-street dynamics and roles. You expect and deserve recognition and returns for your hard work. So hen it’s not forthcoming, you can spiral into resentment, frustration and even rage, which is draining.
Notice where things are looking a bit one-sided or unrewarding and adjust your efforts. Withdraw or scale back. Protect your interests, take steps to set boundaries. This will side-step any further issues.
If you can strike a balance, why not? (Picture: Getty/Metro)
Tarot card for Sagittarius for Cancer season: The Sun
Meaning: What burnout? Sagittarius, you thrive on activity, action and even overwhelm. It feels natural for you to be overburdened, it’s the ‘edge’ you like living on. So, enjoy it. There are no rules here.
Live your life as you see fit, and if you like the feeling of sailing close to the edges of physical and mental fatigue to fit everything in, then do. We are long time dead, right? The Sun blesses your Cancer season with romance, success, travel, good times, and prosperity. It’s a time to shine, bloom and blossom. Get out there and live large!
Small jobs can really mount up if you don’t tackle them (Picture: Getty/Metro)
Tarot card for Capricorn for Cancer season: Page of Coins
Meaning: Cancer is your opposite sign, so they’re very attractive to you. In fact, some call you pair ‘the mother and father of the zodiac’ so this season feels like home. Use this energy to tick off little tasks and projects in and around your foundations, home and work, that need attention and will feel so good to get ticked off.
Nothing expensive, onerous or life changing… just the little bits and bobs that mount up and never seem to warrant overtaking the day’s big emergency or priority. Do this favour for yourself and feel clearer and calmer. ‘Adulting’ is actually pretty enjoyable to Capricorn souls!
A little magic goes a long way (Picture: Getty/Metro)
Tarot card for Aquarius for Cancer season: The Magician
Meaning: Cancer folk are incredibly artistic and creative, and this Magician card plants that powerful energy in your realm, so use it well! You are a great intellect and a logical, rational thinker. Cancer adds the splash of imagination and inventiveness to your mental realm, which means you can innovate and create something really special.
Design, draw, write, sing, dance, bake, engineer, invent and sculpt. Bring creative energy to every area of your home, appearance, work life and social circle. Feast on new stimulus and ideas. Try new techniques and skills. You are going to hit upon something magical.
Tarot card for Pisces for Cancer season: King of Cups
Meaning: Ah, the King of all the Water signs, the ultimate emotionally intelligent archetype and the bringer of caring wisdom, kind truths, and hopeful comfort — the King of Cups. He is your archetype and a good omen that Cancer season will heal and restore you fully, in ways you perhaps don’t yet realise you’ve become fatigued by.
Let life bring you hope, truth and comfort. Let folk take care of you. Be good to yourself. Don’t engage in things you know bring you down. Seek out the things that inspire you. Live well, live using all of the life lessons you’ve accrued and you will feel fantastic! You already know how to do this.
Kerry King has been reading, teaching and creating tarot for 30 years. Join her magical, exclusive Tarot Club for forecasts, predictions, lessons and readings straight to your inbox. Enjoy one month free for all Metro readers (no lock-in or commitment) over on Patreon.
Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.
Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron became the first player to be shown a red card for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent during his side’s World Cup group match against Turkey in San Francisco.
Almiron, 32, obscured his mouth with his hand while speaking to Turkey’s Mert Muldur, who immediately informed an official standing next to him.
Following a check by the video assistant referee (VAR), referee Ivan Barton from El Salvador announced to the crowd that he was sending off the former Newcastle United winger.
The incident occurred just before half-time with Paraguay leading 1-0.
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Commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live, former Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison said: “If you know the rules, you shouldn’t do it. You’ve got to credit the referee and the VAR for making that decision.
“Not everyone would agree with it, but if those are the rules, you’ve got to stick by the rules.”
Here’s a deep dive into the life of Keely Hodgkinson ahead of the Olympic champion aiming to add another gold medal to her ever-growing list of honours
Keely Hodgkinson aims to become the woman to beat in the 400m event at the UK Athletics Championship.
The reigning Olympic champion in the 800m is set to compete at her favoured distance but admitted testing herself at 400m is an exciting prospect. She said: “The 400m, for me, is a bit of fun as well as something different. I’ve really thrown myself in the deep end and I’m looking forward to challenging myself in that environment.
“I’ve always considered myself a 400-800-type athlete. I don’t think I’ve shown all my potential in the and I got a bit of a glimpse of what I could do at the Indoor Championships, so I’m really excited to bring that outdoors. I’m still very much learning the event. I am still not quite sure how to bring it.”
Embracing the challenge of winning in two events, Wales Online takes a closer look at Hodgkinson’s life away from the track.
“He lived in Texas for a bit, then in Italy, then London. There was always a distance and, because I do what I do and put that first, we could go weeks, months and not see each other,” she told The Times in October 2024. “I’m not really interested in dating right now. I’ve never been on the apps. I like meeting people in real life.”
Friendship with Manchester United star
Not only does Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley boast Hodgkinson as an alumna, but England and Manchester United star Ella Toone too. Despite the footballer being two years older than the runner, the pair struck up a close friendship.
Opening up about their bond in 2022, Hodgkinson said: “We are just two young girls living their dreams. Ella and I went to school together. She was two years older but somehow we ended up getting on really well.
“I was always referred to as the ‘mini Ella’ growing up at school. So we kept in touch from that and she was in Tokyo last year as well. We are just two young girls living their dreams.”
Speaking on the UNTAPPED podcast, Coe praised the humbleness of the 24-year-old, as he said: “What I love about Keely is she is probably the most, forget athletics, she’s probably the most authentic person I currently know.
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“What you see with Keely is what you get. She is very funny, she’s totally driven, but she puts things in perspective. I was up in Manchester not that long ago and I bumped into her one night going into a restaurant.
“I was on my way out. I’d sort of done the early shift and she turned up and it was her birthday. It was a couple of weeks… I mean she’d only just broken the indoor world record.
“She was only literally a few days away from destroying the field and winning her world indoor title and she was just out celebrating her birthday. She’s just completely normal, but she is incredibly well talented.
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“She’s got a great coaching team around her. I’m probably going to lose whatever fan base I’ve got left in the south of England, but she’s absolutely rooted to the north of England and that for me counts for a lot in life.”
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Developer Rockstar Games confirmed that pre-orders for the game will soon go live and dropped new screenshots, but fans have noticed a few issues with what they’ve seen
In an announcement this week, Rockstar said that pre-orders for GTA 6 will finally go live in a matter of days. Excited gamers will be able to pre-order GTA 6 next week, beginning on Thursday, June 25.
GTA 6 is due for release later this year after 18 months of delays. Having been planned to originally land in May 2025, it’ll now come out on November 19.
New screenshots and the game’s official cover art have been unveiled as part of the pre-order news. However, while many are excited for a fresh look at the game, eagle-eyed fans have spotted the same three problems with new teasers, reports the Express.
One of which is that a screenshot showing off Vice City “looks exactly like GTA V“, the predecessor released 13 years prior to GTA 6’s new launch date. After a Reddit user shared the image from the game’s official site, responses appeared to indicate widespread agreement.
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One Redditor commented: “Could have said it’s GTA 5 and I wouldn’t have questioned it.” Another remarked: “Kinda GTA5 with the same lightings.”
A third Reddit user noted: “Lol looks exactly like V with the ferris wheel and layout.” Another issue spotted by fans relates to that very same ferris wheel.
Members of the r/Gaming subreddit noticed that its reflection was missing from the water below in Vice City. After one user pointed it out, another joking replied: “Delay it again.”
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Another concern united Reddit users, as many demanded more content. One user fumed: “Gameplay. Gameplay. Where’s the damn gameplay.”
Another chimed in: “I don’t think anyone was debating whether the game would look nice or not. Rockstar needs a gameplay trailer or something like that.”
One frustrated fan urged Rockstar to “give us a reason to open our wallets”, adding: “Pre-orders are in a week and I’m expected to drop money on a game that has nothing to show other than some flashy pre-rendered cutscenes that may or may not be in engine.
“What is going on. The name alone will carry it but I am still on the fence.”
Making light and fluffy homemade scones has never been easier – you don’t need to be adding a few common ingredients to bake the perfect scone at home.
Scones are a quintessentially British treat best enjoyed with a generous dollop of good jam and clotted cream. Irresistibly sweet and indulgent, they’re the sort of delight that makes abandoning a diet entirely worthwhile.
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They’re remarkably straightforward to make, meaning you needn’t wait for a formal afternoon tea to indulge. Summer provides the ideal backdrop for a leisurely, decadent afternoon tea, whether you’re relaxing in the cool shade or soaking up the sunshine.
If you’ve been inspired by The Great British Bake Off and fancy having a go at baking, scones are an excellent place to start.
Scone-making is relatively uncomplicated — you simply combine all the ingredients in a single bowl and mix — but if you’d like to streamline the process even further, experts recommend using just three basic ingredients.
Baking enthusiast Georgie, who runs the food blog The Home Cook’s Kitchen, has shared an “easy” recipe for scones that are like “biting into a piece of heaven”.
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She said, “These scones are really easy to make and only require three simple ingredients – lemonade (Sprite), cream and self-raising flour.” For this recipe you needn’t require eggs, sugar or butter.
Georgie emphasised that using self-raising flour is absolutely crucial, as it acts as the raising agent, while the lemonade will render them “light, fluffy and just a little bit sweet”.
By swapping butter for double cream, you’ll achieve a softer, more moist scone. This also reduces the effort involved in preparing your dough, allowing you to bypass the tiresome step of rubbing butter and flour together by hand.
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Lemonade is the secret ingredient that delivers a light texture to your scones. The fizz in the carbonated drink produces bubbles, which get trapped within the dough.
These minuscule air pockets expand while baking, aerating the mixture and prompting the scones to rise. This process eventually delivers that wonderful light and fluffy outcome you’re after.
Alongside using lemonade to achieve supremely fluffy scones, it’s equally crucial not to overwork the dough.
Georgie instructed, “To make the dough come together, you want to ‘cut’ or mix the dough with a knife. This will help you avoid overkneading.”
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Three-ingredient scones recipe
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups of self-raising flour
1 1/4 cups of double cream
1 1/2 cups of lemonade
One tablespoon of milk, for glazing the top of the scones
Method
Begin by preheating your oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6 before sieving flour into a large bowl and incorporating cream and lemonade.
Using a knife, gently “mix” or “cut” the dough until combined. Generously flour a work surface, and with floured hands, tip the dough onto your floured surface.
The dough will be tacky, so it’s advisable to have a well-floured surface and hands when rolling it out.
Should you discover it’s too sticky to handle, return the dough to the bowl and incorporate a little extra flour until it becomes manageable. The dough ought to be sticky, but not so much that you cannot actually work with it.
Form the dough into a rectangle roughly 4cm thick, then dip a wine glass in flour and use it to cut out rounds. Arrange these on a lined baking tray, reshaping the remaining dough and continuing to cut until none is left.
Lightly coat the tops of the scones with a small amount of milk, which will help achieve a golden finish. A gentle brush is all that’s needed.
Pop them in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes until they turn a rich golden brown on top. The scones should have a light, fluffy centre with a delicately browned exterior. Finish by serving with whipped cream and fresh raspberry jam.
It has been an exhilarating opening to the 2026 World Cup, with plenty of goals, drama and entertainment during the first round of group fixtures.
France, Argentina, Germany and England all got off to the perfect start, with convincing wins in their opening games.
From super-sub cameos to a history-making Scotsman, Standard Sport assesses how each Spurs player is faring after the first group games.
Came off the bench in the second half as Austria scored twice late on to secure a 3-1 win over Jordan. Ralf Rangnick’s side are in a strong position to progress into the last 32, but face reigning champions Argentina next.
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Cristian Romero (Argentina)
Instead, England were dominant, producing 11 shots on target en route to a deserved 4-2 win.
Valuable option: Djed Spence came on as a late substitute during England’s win over Croatia in Dallas
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Spence may not have started against Croatia, but his brief cameo off the bench underlined why Thomas Tuchel decided to pick him ahead of more established names.
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Spence’s pace helped stretch a tiring Croatia side, and it was his running that contributed to England’s fourth goal.
Tuchel has clearly defined roles and reasons for each player he has selected, and Spence proved why, despite a difficult domestic season, he was chosen to provide cover for England’s full-backs.
Micky van de Ven (Netherlands)
Van de Ven played the full 90 minutes at left-back and will have been bitterly disappointed with the manner in which Japan equalised for the second time.
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Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal)
Despite having the better of the chances early on, the Lions of Teranga were unable to make their dominance count and were ultimately well beaten by Didier Deschamps’ star-studded side.
Rodrigo Bentancur (Uruguay)
Held to a frustrating 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia, as Uruguay failed to capitalise on Spain’s slip-up against Cape Verde in Group H.
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Bentancur played the full 90 minutes as Maxi Araujo eventually cancelled out Abdulelah Al-Amri’s opener.
Tough test: Rodrigo Bentancur and Uruguay could only salvage a draw against Saudi Arabia, despite their dominance
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Andy Robertson (Scotland)
Steve Clarke’s side are currently top of Group C and stand a good chance of qualifying for the knockout stages.
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Marcos Senesi (Argentina)
Jan Paul van Hecke (Netherlands)
Van Hecke’s relationship with Van de Ven will only grow over the course of the World Cup, which should be a good thing for Spurs.
A chance encounter today nudges you toward something new. Your curiosity leads the way as you’re ready to accept invitations or speak up in conversations. One small risk brings fresh perspective and connections.
Taurus (April 21st – May 21st)
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What others expect you to do in work and what you think has to be your priority, seem to be at opposite ends, Taurus. Focusing on one area, rather than spreading yourself thin, to create immediate results. Time you’re spending wondering what if, is not worthy of your time and energy.
Gemini (May 22nd – June 21st)
The Sun in your sign highlights new areas of learning and communication. Easier and faster ways to do your job fall at your feet. Mercury enhances intuition in conversations and decisions. Beware committing when you haven’t yet seen all that’s going to be offered your way.
Cancer (June 22nd – July 23rd)
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Recent reflection shows where you’ve been holding back unnecessarily. Acting on what you’ve learned this month strengthens bonds with family and even those who now live on the outer circle of your life. Ex’s only cause trouble if you let them in.
Leo (July 24th – August 23rd)
Venus confidence in creative and social matters. A spontaneous idea or knee jerk reaction, actually brings you both recognition and fun. Let curiosity guide what happens next in love.
Virgo (August 24th – September 23rd)
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Overlooked details require attention, much mental thought and maybe even your money, but addressing things sooner, prevents frustration later. Focus on what you know is right for you and stop changing yourself to suit others. You’ll feel you’re really living life once you do.
Libra (September 24th – October 23rd)
Listening carefully opens doors for better communication within the family.The need to see someone you know others won’t approve of, could see you telling more lies to cover those already told.
Scorpio (October 24th – November 22nd)
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Your energy is steady and determined today, allowing the very tasks you were dreading, to get done thoroughly. Focused effort prevents later problems and this is your chance to shape your life more to your needs, my friend. Contracts and forms you sign now also give you control.
Sagittarius (November 23rd – December 21st)
Sun sextile Pluto highlights hidden opportunities at work or learning. One deliberate action uncovers advantages you may have missed. Secrets others reveal to you today can turn an ordinary situation into a strategic benefit.
Capricorn (December 22nd – January 20th)
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Financial affairs and practical planning benefits from your time and attention today. Even minor adjustments ensure smoother results in the near future. You’re building something special now. Focus on efficiency and avoid unnecessary complications.
Aquarius (January 21st – February 19th)
A conversation or connection which you came upon by chance, reveals something you didn’t anticipate. Listening before reacting ensures smoother outcomes. An outside offer of help improves relationships and opens new possibilities.
Pisces (February 20th – March 20th)
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Reflection on routines and personal priorities helps you decide what really matters. Acting on what you know to be fact, prevents tension later. Even a simple adjustment in daily habits or approach strengthens calm and balance.
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At a time when Labour is polling at 19 per cent, he won 55 per cent of the vote. He beat all the combined forces of the right – Reform, Restore and the Conservatives – although he did so by stealing Reform’s slogan: a vote for me is a vote to get rid of Starmer.
So while this must be seen as a big personal vote for the mayor of Manchester, it must also be seen as a big personal vote against the Prime Minister? For all his achievements in and out of politics, Sir Keir Starmer comes across as mild-mannered, a bit bland and quite ineffectual. On the foreign stage, he has done pretty well – probably the only party leader who would not have gone to war with Donald Trump.
Yet in some quarters, he is absolutely hated, as our letters page shows on an almost daily basis. The vote in Makerfield also shows that.
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So to prevent the infighting that bedevilled the Tories, Mr Starmer’s last act as PM is to find a dignified way to hand power to Mr Burnham.
But before he does that, Mr Burnham has to show he has an agenda to change Britain. Just fluttering his lavish eyebrows will not make the problems Mr Starmer faces go away. Debt, defence spending, cost of living, social care, immigration – what are his answers to any of them?
It is said that one of his closest allies is Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, yet in Aberdeen South, where the Tories made their first by-election gain in Scotland since 1967, his energy policy was massively repudiated. So will Mr Burnham stick with it, or will he change it?
At the moment, the Burnham bubble looks large and attractive, but bubbles without anything in them have a habit of going pop – and then where will that leave Labour and the country?
Sharon Michael was around 30 when the decision crystallised in her mind, quietly. There was no dramatic moment, no single life event that changed everything. Instead, it emerged through years of work, reflection and a growing sense that motherhood was not a future she wanted.
For generations, having children in India was less a choice than an expected chapter of adult life. Marriage was followed by parenthood, often with little discussion of alternatives. Today, that certainty is fading among married couples and single professionals alike; conversations around children are becoming more deliberate, more cautious and, in some cases, more sceptical.
“Having kids was never a priority,” says Michael, 36. “I have PCOD and I didn’t want to go through the whole process because of how much effort it takes and all of that,” she says, referring to polycystic ovarian disease, a hormonal condition that affects how the ovaries work and can cause irregular periods.
Michael, who works in the corporate sector, says parenthood would require sacrifices she is unwilling to make. “I do not see that lifestyle fitting in with a child specifically,” she says. “I would not be doing justice to either.” After taking a career break to pursue an MBA, she says she remains uncertain about stepping away from work again. “I still don’t feel ready myself to take up responsibility of that scale.”
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She is an example of a highly-educated woman weighing up the balance of her options, rather than following what for previous generations was an assumed path through life. Such personal choices are now reflected in national statistics.
Children attend a class at the government-run Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose residential school that houses tribal students from drought-ridden villages (AFP/Getty)
India’s total fertility rate – the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime – has for the first time fallen to 1.9, below the replacement level of 2.1 required to maintain a stable population, according to the latest Sample Registration System report.
The shift marks a remarkable demographic transformation for a country that spent decades worrying about rapid population growth. In the early 1990s, when women had an average of 3.4 children, family planning campaigns became part of public life and, at times, took controversial forms, including the forced sterilisation programme during the Emergency in 1970s.
Later campaigns encouraged couples to have no more than two children, and were popularised through slogans such as “Hum do, humare do”, loosely translating from Hindi as “We two, ours two”.
For decades, Indian governments worried about overpopulation.
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Economists say that India should avoid viewing fertility decline as a crisis. Alicia García-Herrero, the chief economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis, explains the decline should not be viewed as a demographic failure.
“India’s fertility decline is not a failure – it’s a sign of progress,” she tells The Independent. “As women gain education, economic options and decision-making power, they are choosing smaller families.”
“The immediate impact is still positive,” says Garcia-Herrero. “India continues to benefit from a large working-age population.”
Behind the statistics lie millions of unique and intimate stories, a generation rethinking what family, success and fulfilment should look like.
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A Kashmiri woman shelters from the rain under an umbrella with a child while a man paddles a boat along Dal Lake in Srinagar (AFP/Getty)
The forces reshaping Indian families, she says, are the same ones that transformed societies across Europe and East Asia: rising female education, urbanisation, changing aspirations and the growing cost of raising children.
Sociological patterns visible across India’s geography support that argument. New Delhi records one of the country’s lowest fertility rates at 1.2 births per woman, while Kerala and Tamil Nadu stand at 1.3. Bihar, among India’s poorest states, records the highest rate at 2.9. In other words, birth rates closely mirror differences in education, healthcare, infant mortality and women’s economic participation.
For Akshita Gupta, a 35-year-old Mumbai resident and mother of a 21-month-old son and now pregnant with their second child, becoming a parent was always something she imagined for herself. “I’ve always felt maternal,” she says. “I have always felt I wanted a child.”
But before she and her husband started a family, they spent years discussing not just whether to have children, but how they would raise them. Financial security mattered alongside emotional stability and familial support.
“I feel our base was secure financially, emotionally,” she says. “And we both had our families. So I feel one is of course the inherent desire, but I also feel the fact that, you know, we had the support system.”
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Even then, timing weighed heavily on her mind. Having watched friends undergo IVF treatment, Gupta was determined to try to conceive naturally. After consulting her gynaecologist, she set herself a goal of having children before the age of 35. “I wanted to have both my children before 35,” she says. “I had a few friends who were going through IVF and I saw their struggles.”
This photograph taken on 12 May 2026 shows women working inside a factory in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district (AFP/Getty)
Demographers describe India’s falling fertility rate as part of a broader demographic transition seen across much of the world. As child mortality falls, healthcare improves, women gain greater access to education and people marry later, family sizes typically shrink.
Government data suggests several long-term changes have converged at once. Infant mortality has fallen sharply, dropping from 30 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2019 to 24 in 2024. At the same time, women are marrying later than previous generations. Nationally, 73.5 per cent of women now marry after the age of 21, while the figure rises to 82.2 per cent in urban India. In 2018, 64.5 per cent of women married in their 20s across the country.
A newlywed couple looks on during the marriage of 20 Hindu couples in Ahmedabad on 11 February 2023 (AFP/Getty)
“Higher levels of education, particularly among women, have played a key role, along with urbanisation, later marriages and delayed childbirth,” says development economist Dipa Sinha. “Improved access to health care and a sharp fall in infant mortality have also contributed.”
“More recently, you also see that the opportunity cost of having children is high.”
García-Herrero agrees that education sits at the centre of the transformation.
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“The biggest drivers are female education and economic pressures,” she says. “Educated women marry later, use contraception more effectively and prioritise investing in fewer children.”
She argues that the decline reflects a broader expansion of female agency rather than a rejection of family life.
“This is the same story seen across developed and rapidly developing societies,” she says. “Female education is one of the strongest forces lowering fertility because it changes aspirations and gives women real choices.”
A couple looks at the city view while visiting the Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves in Bhubaneswar on 3 May 2026 (AFP/Getty)
For some, the choice is about autonomy. Abhimanyu Sinha says he has never wanted children.
“That was a fairly unpopular opinion when I first used to say this when I was like 16-17,” he says. “I’ve noticed it’s sort of becoming essentially the norm now among people I speak to.”
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The 28-year-old dismisses affordability as the primary explanation. “I think a lot of people hide behind claims like affordability, the rising cost of private school or housing,” he says. “In my social position, those aren’t as much of a concern. I just don’t want to tie myself down to that kind of thing.”
Looking ahead, he expects a longer and healthier life than previous generations experienced. “I don’t think that I wanna spend like… 70-80 years focused on one or two relationships, of children.”
People light diyas, or traditional earthen oil lamps, as a drone laser show is organised at the India Gate memorial as part of the Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of lights, at Kartavya Path in New Delhi on 18 October 2025 (AFP/Getty)
His view reflects a broader cultural shift that researchers are observing globally. Parenthood is increasingly being weighed against other aspirations including travel, education, careers, relationships and personal freedom rather than treated as an inevitable destination.
García-Herrero says cultural changes are reinforcing the demographic transition. “This is not just economics,” she says. “It reflects women gaining agency and societies becoming more modern.”
The contrast with previous generations is striking. “When I think of myself having a kid,” Michael says, “I want that kid to have the best life possible.”
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Her parents saw children as part of a social script, she says. “Their idea was that, OK, this is a rite of passage.” Today’s prospective parents often approach the decision differently. They want more involvement, more emotional awareness and more resources dedicated to each child.
Gupta sees that change in her own parenting. “Parents now are a lot more conscious,” she says. “About parenting styles, about what they are talking in front of their kids, what they’re exposing their children to.”
The result is that many families are choosing quality over quantity.
“Children have become more expensive,” says Sinha, the economist. Not only because costs have risen, she argues, but because parents increasingly want to invest more heavily in each child’s wellbeing and future.
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India entered its demographic-dividend phase in 2005, when the share of working-age adults exceeded the combined number of children and elderly people. According to UN estimates, that demographic window is expected to last until around 2055.
The country’s median age remains just 29.8 years, younger than the global average of 31 and far below countries such as Britain, where the median age is more than 40. Economists argue that this gives India a rare opportunity to generate growth, create jobs and increase productivity before ageing becomes a more serious challenge.
“The real challenge will come in 15 to 20 years with a shrinking workforce and rising elderly dependency,” García-Herrero says.
“If there are fewer children born, then in about 30 to 40 years, India will have more older people who cannot participate in the labour force as much,” Sinha adds.
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That raises questions about pensions, healthcare, elderly care and the future workforce.
It may also reshape politics. Southern states, which already have lower fertility rates and slower population growth, have expressed concerns that future redistribution of parliamentary seats based on population could reduce their political influence relative to faster-growing northern states.
Economists say the priority now should be making the most of India’s demographic dividend while it lasts.
Around the world, governments from South Korea to Singapore and China have spent billions trying to encourage people to have more children through subsidies, cash incentives, housing support and fertility programmes. But the outcomes have been mixed.
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“No Asian country has successfully reversed a low fertility rate despite massive spending,” García-Herrero says. “South Korea poured hundreds of billions into incentives with almost no lasting effect.”
The reason, she argues, is that policymakers often misunderstand why people are having fewer children. “These programmes have largely failed because they treated low fertility as a financial problem rather than a structural and cultural one.”
In countries such as Japan and South Korea, marriage remains closely linked to traditional gender roles. Women continue to carry most childcare and domestic responsibilities, even when both partners work.
“Many young women and increasingly men, no longer see marriage as an attractive proposition,” García-Herrero says. “Women often face intense pressure to either give up or severely compromise their careers once they marry and have children.”
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Sinha similarly argues that meaningful support requires more than one-off payments. “Free childcare. Free schooling. They have free healthcare,” she says of some European systems. “All these services, I think should anyway be there.”
People skate in front of India Gate on a cold foggy winter morning in New Delhi on 3 January 2024 (AFP/Getty)
The challenge, Sinha suggests, is not persuading people to have children through incentives but creating conditions that make parenthood compatible with modern life.
Sinha says, that means affordable childcare, better parental leave, flexible work arrangements and reducing the costs of housing and education.
For Gupta, it means rethinking expectations around work and caregiving. Even in households committed to equal parenting, she says, mothers still shoulder a disproportionate burden. “When you give birth, you are the one who’s basically going through pregnancy,” she says. “You are the one delivering the child. You are the one who has to breastfeed the child.”
After becoming a mother, she stepped away from her family’s business and began considering a new career path. “There’s definitely a sacrifice,” she says.
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