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This Device Made Me Realise Just How Weak My Pelvic Floor Really Is

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This Device Made Me Realise Just How Weak My Pelvic Floor Really Is

We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Other than at the gym and when I have a UTI (which is, unfortunately, pretty often) my pelvic floor isn’t something I’ve ever given much thought to.

Admittedly, I pee probably 20 times a day (for real) but I’d always attributed that to the fact I drink a shit ton of water, tea, and coffee.

Whenever I see those ‘do your kegels with me’ videos on TikTok or Instagram reels, I’ll follow along (I’m fickle, after all). And by my judgement, it does seem like I know how to do a kegel.

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But otherwise, I go about my life pretty much entirely ignorant of my pelvic floor health.

When I heard that Smile Makers Collection – the creators of some of my favourite sex toys like the Ballerina and Poet – was venturing into the wellness category with the launch of Pelvic Partner, I wasn’t exactly excited.

I mean, vibrators are one thing, but pelvic floor trainers are another thing – perhaps necessary, but they’re not going to give you any thrills. Or, so I thought.

When I received the Pelvic Partner, though, that changed everything I thought I knew about the pelvic floor.

What is the pelvic floor and how do you engage it?

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If, like me, you’re wondering why the pelvic floor really matters, it might surprise you to learn that strengthening this group of hidden muscles can help prevent unwanted symptoms as you age.

The muscles surround the bladder, bowels, and reproductive organs, which means they can weaken as you age, during menopause, or during and after childbirth.

Weak pelvic floor muscles can result in incontinence, instability, lower back pain, and needing the toilet often, while having a pelvic floor that is too tight can also result in constipation, pain during sex, and erectile dysfunction.

To prevent your pelvic floor weakening as you age, the NHS recommends doing daily pelvic floor exercises. This involves squeezing your muscles to engage them for two seconds and releasing, and repeating 10 times.

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Not sure how to tell you’re doing it right? The NHS describes the sensation as the same as when you’re stopping yourself from peeing and farting. So it’s about to get hot and sexy up in here.

How to use the Pelvic Partner

Thankfully, Pelvic Partner easy as to use (you’re not going to get me to do exercise any other way).

After charging it using the USB cable, you simply slather the surface in lube, pop it inside your vagina up until the ‘comfort line’ and bend the tail towards your belly button.

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You then turn it on, using the button at the end of the tail, and switch between the eight ‘training programmes’ the toy is equipped with.

Just like you’d train at the gym, Smile Makers Collection recommends using the Partner three times a week for two to three sets, at 10-15 reps per session.

To start with, the brand suggests choosing a setting you can complete all your exercises with. Settings one and two are ‘gentle’ to teach you how to engage your pelvic floor; three and four are ‘building’; five and six are ‘strong’; and seven and eight are ‘advanced’.

Once you feel like it’s easy to complete your session, you can move up to the next setting. This would be easy, I thought.

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My review of the Pelvic Partner

How I tested

About me: I’m a 26-year-old woman who doesn’t have children. I’ve been testing sex toys and sexual wellness products for around five years, both in this role and my previous role at Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, and Men’s Health, as well as while running my podcast/magazine, Sextras.

I’ve been using Smile Makers Collection’s Pelvic Partner for three weeks, making sure to not testing any other pelvic floor products at the same time.

As someone who has never done pelvic floor exercises consistently, I made sure to stick to a regime of three times a week. I also followed the brand’s instructions of how to use the trainer to make sure I was getting the most out of it.

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First impressions

First up, this little orange device has two bulbous spheres that are supposed to sit inside your vagina – and just from giving it a squeeze with my hands, it felt fantastic.

Covered in smooth silicone, the toy has a cushiony feel to it, which is unlike other internal sex toys and pelvic floor trainers I’ve tried. This also makes it slick enough for washing it to take seconds.

Upon turning it on, I could tell exactly how the toy would work. It’s loaded with 360 degrees of haptic squeeze sensors, which means it vibrates when you’re engaging your pelvic floor.

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To make sure you know what setting you’re on, the trainer will buzz the same amount of times, making it extremely intuitive.

Even better, it doesn’t require an app, so I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about it storing any of my sensitive data.

Final verdict

As someone who has done mat Pilates at least once a week for the last few years, I have always believed myself to know where my pelvic floor muscles are, and how to engage them. I’ve also never had any serious health conditions linked to my pelvic floor, so I didn’t think I had any issues with strength down there.

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The first time I tried this trainer, it became clear just how wrong I was. While its first two settings felt like light work – it immediately vibrated at even the slightest contraction on the first one – the move up to the third setting was significant.

While I could easily do 10 reps, it felt tricky (to say the least) to keep going after just one set. I just about managed two, and thought I’d move up to the fourth programme just to see if I could hack it. But no ball. No matter how hard I tried, I simply could not make the damn thing buzz.

Now, I’m not exactly a competitive person, which is why I’ve always been a begrudging exerciser. With this trainer, though, I started to feel myself become competitive the more I used it.

Determined to move up through the strengths, I committed to using it three times a week.

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And in the span of a mere seven days, I was able to move up to the fourth setting with no problem at all.

I even think the trainer has helped with my posture and my workouts. At my weekly Pilates class, I have found myself engaging my core in a way I didn’t know I needed to previously.

Another welcome side effect is that my orgasms feel slightly stronger, or at least I’m more aware of my pelvic floor during penetration – and I’m excited to see how this builds as I work up through the programmes.

Overall, I’d rate the trainer five stars – both for design, ease of use, and results I didn’t know I needed.

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I’m A Celebrity Hosts Ant And Dec Address David Haye Controversy

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I'm A Celebrity Hosts Ant And Dec Address David Haye Controversy

It’s not a nice watch,” Ant McPartlin claimed, citing the way David “just kind of picks and picks at” his fellow contestants.

Ant continued: “Adam has had a bit of a tough time and he’s not coping well. Clearly, the banter has got too much. But David won’t stop.”

Declan Donnelly agreed: “It’s kind of crossed the line from banter. I don’t find it comfortable to watch.”

He broke me in there, he pushed me to my limits, and I’ve told David this and he’s apologised and that’s that!” the Emmerdale star wrote. “I’ve moved on now, am not one to hold a grudge.

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“But thank you for all your lovely messages and all the kind words. We all face people and situations that try to break us, but sometimes those moments are what rebuild you stronger than ever. Be kind.”

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More Kanye West Shows Cancelled After Wireless Festival Controversy

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More Kanye West Shows Cancelled After Wireless Festival Controversy

Earlier this month, it was announced that Ye – formerly known as Kanye West – would headline all three nights at Wireless in London’s Finsbury Park this coming July.

Since then, it’s been revealed that Ye’s upcoming gigs in Poland and Switzerland have now been axed, too.

“FCB received an enquiry and considered it,” they said in a statement. “However, after thorough review, we have decided not to proceed with the project, as we cannot, in accordance with our values, provide a platform for the artist in question within this context.”

In January 2026, Ye – who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a decade ago – issued a public apology for his behaviour in a full-page magazine ad, addressed “to those I’ve hurt” with his antisemitic outbursts, claiming they occurred during a months-long manic episode in which he had “lost touch with reality”.

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Last week, he also announced he was postponing a show in Paris following reports that the French government was considering options to block him from performing in the city.

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London Underground Tube Map Shows Where The Most Haunted Stations Are

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London Underground Tube Map Shows Where The Most Haunted Stations Are

London Underground is now over 150 years old and stretches over 250 miles of track, but what lays beneath those rails is said to be more sinister indeed.

For our beloved Tube network is said to house an endless array of ghosts, spectres, spirits and phantoms dating back to its grand opening in 1863.

These are the most haunted, complied in a graphic made by Brilliantly British

LIVERPOOL STREET

Spooky tales of Liverpool Street have emerged, which is unsurprising considering it is built on top of a burial site, with an estimated eight bodies per cubic meter laying underneath its foundations.

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In 2000, a man was reportedly spotted on CCTV after hours, dressed in white overalls and patrolling the deserted platforms, as if waiting for a train. When a member of station staff went to go search for the man, he was no where to be found. His colleague, watching the scenes on camera, claims to have seen the man standing next to the station worker. When the pair returned to the scene, they allegedly found a pair of white overalls.

BETHNAL GREEN

Horrifying screams can be heard echoing in the corridors of Bethnal Green, station staff report. The haunting sounds said to have emerged after 173 people died in a crush at the station during an air raid test in the Second World War.

The station became a safe haven for civilians during the blitz, with room for 5,000 bunks with full capacity stretching up to 7,000 people. Tragically the station also became the site of a huge disaster, as people were crushed whilst attempting to flee from the impending bombing, after hearing sirens.

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Women and children’s cries of terror allegedly haunt the chambers of the underground network to this day. One of the first reports of the sounds came from a worker who had finished his shift, locked up the station and went down into the underground to finish some paperwork.

Sat alone in the dark, he then reportedly heard children’s cries, followed by screams and sounds of suffocation and struggle. He said the ordeal lasted from ten to 15 minutes.

BANK

The legend of ‘the Black Nun’ haunts the chambers of Bank station. Historically dating back to 1811, the mysterious circumstances are enough to frighten even the hardest of souls.

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It all began back in the 1800′s when Philip Whitehead, who was reportedly the ‘Black Nun’s’ brother, was executed for committing forgery. Legend has it that the Nun waited outside of where Bank station now sits for his return, but he never came. She was rumored to have spent 40 years, dressed in black, waiting to see him again.

Her myth arose when Bank station was being built and some workers reportedly disturbed her sleeping spirit. She is still said to be roaming the platforms in search of her brother, dressed all in black.

COVENT GARDEN

Opened back in April of 1907, Covent Garden tube station serves the Piccadilly Line but according to myths that’s not all that lies beneath its tracks.

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The station is said to be haunted by the apparition of a tall man wearing white gloves, a top hat and a frock coat and grey suit. According to ghostly lore, his figure has been reported many times since the 1950’s although more recent sightings are uncommon.

He is believed to be the ghost of a murdered actor who used to frequent the baker which was knocked down to make way for the station.

SEE ALSO:

KING’S CROSS

The infamous fire of King’s Cross in 1987 is believed to be the cause of a supernatural incident, featuring a supposed victim of the great tragedy.

Sightings of a frightening apparition, described as a cosmopolitan young woman with brown hair, is said to haunt the corridors of one of London’s busiest stations. Reports say that the lady screams loudly with her arms outstretched – but when people come to her aid, she disappears into thin air.

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The supposed first sighting the woman was back in 1988, when a commuter saw a woman appearing distressed and walked over to comfort her – only to pass right through her when he reached her.

ELEPHANT AND CASTLE

Home to it’s fair share of paranormal activity, Elephant and Castle station might be one of London’s most haunted. Reports of footfalls and rapping have been often heard in the station when it is closed – but on investigation, no source can be found.

Another myth attached to the historic station claims the last train of the night is haunted by a lone girl who walks from the last carriage to the tip of the train, vanishing as she reaches the engine.

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The sighting of the woman in the station has so far been unexplainable, with no obvious clues to the appearance in the station built on 18 December 1890.

SOUTH KENSINGTON

A spooky scenario at South Kensington was first witnessed by a passenger on the last train of the evening, who claimed to have heard an unnerving high-pitched whistle, followed shortly by the arrival of another train with an unexpected passenger.

A spectral figure in a peaked hat and coat hanging from the side of the train was claimed to have last been seen in 1928, almost a century ago.

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FARRINGDON

Known locally as ‘the Screaming Spectre of Farringdon’, this unseen apparition has been terrifying passengers for years, her piercing screams sending shivers down the spine or anyone unfortunate enough to be within hearing distance.

Dating back to the early days of the Tube, this supernatural phenomena is reported as often now as it’s ever been, with hundreds of witnesses confirming the horrific sounds.

Some believe that this phantom is the ghost of young Anne Naylor, an 18th Century orphan who was killed by her employer at a London workhouse aged just 12. Her body was dumped where the station now stands, explaining the pained screams which continue to pass through Farringdon’s corridors.

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A woman tests the shutters at Liverpool Street Underground Station

ALDGATE

Built on the site of a plague pit that was the final resting place for an estimated thousand victims of the Bubonic Plague in 1665, Aldgate Station was opened in 1876. Since its construction, the station has had so many reports of ghostly sightings that there is now an official log book for paranormal sightings at the station.

One of the most known of the appellations comes from the story of an electrician, who slipped onto a live rail knocking himself unconscious and sending over 20,000 volts through his body. Much to everyone’s amazement, he emerged unscathed.

Colleagues of the man insist that prior to his fall they saw a luminous figure of an old lady kneeling next to the stricken worker, stroking his hair. The tale of the ‘Elderly Angel’ goes back over a century, although a precise date has never been confirmed.

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BRITISH MUSEUM STATION

The British Museum Station has been abandoned since the 1930s, so it isn’t really much of a surprise that its played host to a plethora of reported supernatural happenings.

Legend has it that the disused station is haunted by the ghost of Amun-ra, an Ancient Egyptian God, dressed in traditional Egyptian loincloth and headdress – and a couple of years after the station’s closure, two women vanished from nearby Holborn station, with witnesses claiming they heard ghostly moaning around the time of their disappearance.

To explain the mysterious situation, It has long been rumoured that there is a secret tunnel stretching from Holborn station to the British Museum’s famous ‘Egyptian Room’.

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HIGHGATE

In scenes of a more bizarre scenario, Highgate station happenings have left locals perplexed for years. A disused extension of the Northern line left one section of the railway disused, with the rails removed. However it hasn’t stopped the the sound of trains passing through the night.

The Northern line extension project was shelved at the end of the 1940s following the renovation of Highgate station, with the unexplained train noises occurring ever since.

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Air Frying Is The Superior Way To Bake Cookies

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Cookies made in the oven on the left: air fried on the right. I prefer the latter

I am pretty fussy about cookies. I like them to have that bakery-level softness while maintaining a satisfyingly crisp exterior; I want thick, gooey cookies, ideally eaten warm with melted chocolate and sea flakes.

There are, of course, steps you can take to ensure these features. Resting cookie dough overnight helps to prevent the biscuits from spreading in the oven, which I find leaves them too thin.

And adding some inverted sugars, like golden or maple syrup, alongside granulated kinds goes a long way to keeping them sumptuously soft.

Personally, I swear by the New York Times’ recipe, though I replace about 10g of the brown sugar with maple syrup.

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I’ve been making a batch on the weekend, freezing the dough, and baking one in the oven nightly for the past couple of weeks. But recently, partly because baking takes so long and partly because I hated using that much energy on a single biscuit, I switched appliances.

The results were gooier, crisper, faster, and easier to make; I haven’t gone back since.

An air fryer gave me much better results

Cookies made in the oven on the left: air fried on the right. I prefer the latter
Cookies made in the oven on the left: air fried on the right. I prefer the latter

Though I was happy with the results from my oven, I found that the air fryer left a much crisper top layer on the brownies with a truly gooey underneath. It makes them a little like a very good brownie.

When I bake them in the oven, meanwhile, they often end up getting a little caught and chewy on the ends. My oven probably heats up too slowly, which would explain the thin, lacy edges, where sugar melts into a slightly too hard layer, and the heat doesn’t blast the fat quickly enough to prevent spreading.

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Not so with the air fryer, which cooks the cookie much faster (I put a frozen cookie in at 150°C for about 11 minutes, vs the oven’s 20 minutes plus preheating time).

And because air circulates in a much smaller area in my air fryer than it does in the oven, I feel it makes the craggy parts of my cookie crunchier and more golden while still maintaining a fudgy middle.

Perhaps it’s no wonder that baking legend Jane’s Patisserie likes the trick, too.

Are air fryers always a better choice?

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I wouldn’t go that far. I’m in a specific situation here: I cook one or two cookies at a time, and I much prefer warm cookies to cooled ones. I also make taller cookies, and I think a thinner one could run a little too crisp quite quickly.

If you’re less interested in gooeiness and/or are cooking a lot of cookies at once, an oven will almost certainly be your best bet. I would not, for instance, use this for a bake sale.

But I probably would lob a huge scoop of cookie dough into my air fryer for something like a movie night dessert or a post-dinner cookie cake for friends (just be sure to carefully line your basket with baking paper: this is mandatory, of course, no matter what size cookie you’re making).

And I have stuck to the appliance every night since I first tried it. It’s faster, easier to clean, makes it much easier to check the doneness of your cookies, and makes mine taller, gooier, crisper, and more delicious.

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Madonna Surprises Sabrina Carpenter Fans With Coachella Duets

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Madonna Surprises Sabrina Carpenter Fans With Coachella Duets

It may have been one of the worst-kept secrets in pop, but Madonna still definitely managed to make a big impression when she made an unannounced guest appearance during Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella set.

On Friday night, Sabrina headlined the second week of the US music festival, whizzing through her biggest hits in an elaborate show that really pulled out all the stops.

Towards the end of her set, the Grammy winner performed a rendition of fan-favourite track Juno, teasing fans with the line: “Wanna try out some freaky positions? Have you ever tried this one?”

At that moment, the stage went dark, with Madonna entering the stage as her signature hit Vogue played, after which she and Sabrina gave their new duet – thought to be taken from the Hung Up singer’s upcoming album Confessions II – its debut.

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Madonna being Madonna, she wasn’t going to let the moment pass without some unscheduled chaos, launching into a slightly meandering speech that included her giving the crowd an Astrology lesson (including pointing out that Sabrina is a “stubborn” Taurus), giving an impromptu blast of her criminally underrated single Get Together and pointing out she was wearing much of the same outfit she first wore on the Coachella stage almost 20 years ago to the day.

She and Sabrina then ended the moment with a performance of Like A Prayer, after which Madonna disappeared under the stage, declaring: “You guys didn’t know this but she’s a magician. She’s going to make me disappear!”

Immediately after the performance, Madonna released the opening song from Confessions II, I Feel So Free, to streaming services, after first teasing it last week.

Confessions II will serve as a spiritual sequel to Madonna’s hit album Confessions On A Dance Floor, featuring production from her frequent collaborator Stuart Price.

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As well as being her first studio album since 2019’s Madame X, it is her 15th studio album overall, and is scheduled for release on 3 July.

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Why you wake up at 3AM (and can’t get back to sleep)

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Why you wake up at 3AM (and can’t get back to sleep)

!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement(‘iframe’);t.display=’none’,t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement(‘script’);c.src=”//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js”,c.setAttribute(‘async’,’1′),c.setAttribute(‘type’,’text/javascript’),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document);(new Image()).src=”https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=19654b65-409c-4b38-90db-80cbdea02cf4″;cnx.cmd.push(function(){cnx({“playerId”:”19654b65-409c-4b38-90db-80cbdea02cf4″,”mediaId”:”9162804c-4fc4-4806-a700-d905057e0c22″}).render(“69e6350ee4b0555d213d24f7”);});

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Gentle Partnering: The New Trend That Can Make Your Relationship Happier, Healthier, And More Intimate

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Gentle Partnering: The New Trend That Can Make Your Relationship Happier, Healthier, And More Intimate

Chances are you’ve heard of “gentle parenting,” a method of raising children which avoids taking an overly authoritarian or possessive approach.

What is “gentle partnering”?

It involves approaching each other’s emotions and problems with empathy and curiosity, as a team.

“Gentle partnering is not about one person agreeing all the time or being submissive, it is about recognising our individuality,” said Rogers.

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“It is not about power and control but being part of a team and a united front… Having differences of opinion can strengthen a relationship; it is how these differences are communicated to each other that is the key.”

Toxavidi described the approach as one which centres “open communication, emotional regulation, dealing with conflict and feeling loved and supported”.

It aims to “eliminate power and control [and set]… clear and consistent boundaries, which is another essential element that needs to be present and cultivated within healthy relationships.”

How can I try “gentle partnering”?

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Try using “I” statements, try listening to their concerns rather than trying ot immediately fix them, accept your differences with respect, and accept each other’s individuality, Rogers told us.

Apologise, genuinely, when needed, recognise and own your feelings, and show affection regularly.

“All it involves is truly hearing and seeing your partner respectfully communicating your needs and feelings, but also considering and validating your partner’s needs and feelings, even if you do not agree. It is being firm, fair, respectful and maintaining your boundaries.”

Toxavidi said, “When partners can see their differences as opportunities for growth rather than as sources of conflict and disagreement and their different emotional tantrums around different relational issues with compassion and understanding, then a deeper bond and authentic connection can be built.”

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Like Rogers, she said it’s important to focus on active listening, “acknowledging and validating someone’s behaviours or efforts,” setting boundaries that can “foster self-respect, safety and open communication,” and extending empathy.

“When someone is actively listening to their partner in order to understand where they are coming from with a deep curiosity of what is all about the other person opposite of them, and listens in order to respond and not to react from an ego place, creates a safe space for the other where defensive behaviour is eliminated and open expression and true intimacy and connection can take place,” she ended.

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The ADHD sign in girls that’s often missed

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The ADHD sign in girls that’s often missed

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TfL Tube Strikes 2026: What You Need To Know Including Affected Lines, Dates And Travel

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A sign reading 'Station closed due to strike' is placed inside Covent Garden Underground station, in London, Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

This week (April 20-27), multiple Tube strikes are scheduled across London.

These are expected to cause “significant disruption,” Transport for London (TfL) says on its site.

It’s the first of six scheduled strikes planned to take place in the city.

When are the Tube strikes planned?

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  • Midday Tuesday, 21 April until midday Wednesday, 22 April,
  • Midday Thursday, 23 April until midday Friday, 24 April.
  • Midday Tuesday, 19 May until midday Wednesday, 20 May,
  • Midday Thursday, 21 May until midday Friday, 22 May.
  • Midday Tuesday, 16 June until midday Wednesday, 17 June,
  • Midday Thursday, 18 June until midday Friday, 19 June.

However, while all planned strikes are set to run from 12:00pm on their first day to 12:00pm midday the next, TfL warns that disruptions are expected to continue into the afternoons and evenings following these periods.

On Wednesdays and Fridays, any services that do run are expected to start later than usual, with no service planned before 7:30am.

And on Tuesdays and Tuesdays, services will finish early: “you should aim to have completed your journey by [8pm]”.

A sign reading 'Station closed due to strike' is placed inside Covent Garden Underground station, in London, Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
A sign reading ‘Station closed due to strike’ is placed inside Covent Garden Underground station, in London, Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country’s biggest transit strike for three decades. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Which services will be affected?

No service is expected on the Picadilly and Circle lines.

There isn’t expected to be any service on the Metropolitan line between Baker Street and Aldgate, or on the Central line between White City and Liverpool Street.

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“Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground, and tram services will be running normally on strike days,” said the TfL.

The strikes will have knock-on effects on the whole Tube network, they added. While a “reduced service” will run on most lines, “significant disruption is expected”.

The strike involves RMT members, but only half of the London Underground drivers are part of that group. 2025′s strikes involved both the RMT and Aslef, which meant almost all lines were affected.

Why are the Tube strikes happening?

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It follows the introduction of a voluntary four-day working week, which would mean that drivers could elect to work longer days, but with fewer overall hours and over fewer days.

The current standard is a five-day work week across 36 hours. This option includes four working days and 35 hours, though their contractual hours won’t change thanks to paid work breaks.

It’s being tested on the Bakerloo line on a voluntary basis at the moment.

RMT says this would make the working day too long, which might make workers fatigued and risk safety.

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Instead, they have asked for a 32-hour week across four days. TfL have responded saying that the current four-day option is voluntary.

RMT London’s transport regional organiser, Jared Wood, said that after first seeming interested in a discussion, the TfL have since said they’re “not prepared to discuss with us any further changes.

“It’s left our members in a position where they feel there is absolutely no alternative but to proceed with the strike action.”

Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, said the optional changes would bring the London Underground in line with the working practices of other train services, making them more flexible and reliable.

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“The changes would be voluntary, there would be no reduction in contractual hours, and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so.”

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Beef Creator Shares ‘Real Life Incident’ That Inspired Season 2

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Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton play a newly-engaged young couple in season two of Beef

If bingeing your way through the most recent season of Beef cut close to home at any point, that’s probably because creator Lee Sung Jin was inspired by incidents from real life when putting the new episodes together.

The second iteration of the award-winning Netflix series focusses on two couples – played by Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny – on opposite sides of a generational and class divide, who become embroiled in a feud that takes over all four of their lives.

Speaking to People, writer and director Lee admitted that the “springboard” of the whole season was a “real-life incident” in which he overheard “a ‘heated debate’ coming from a couple’s home”.

It was only when retelling what he heard to people of different generations and backgrounds that he realised this could form the basis of a new season of Beef.

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“Younger people reacted like Ashley and Austin,” he recalled. “Whereas my similarly-aged or older peers were like, ‘It’s a fight. I mean, who among us [hasn’t had one like it?]’.”

Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton play a newly-engaged young couple in season two of Beef
Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton play a newly-engaged young couple in season two of Beef

But that’s not the only part of the new season that took inspiration from the real world.

The Emmy winner also spoke about how a trip to A&E inspired the scene in which Charles and Cailee’s characters are in a hospital waiting room.

“I literally just wrote down in my notes app everything that happened, dialogue I overheard, and pretty much copied and pasted it and wrote it in a day,” he admitted. “So that episode is not an exaggeration. That is the state of [the American] health industry at the moment.”

He concluded: “I’d love to get to a point where society isn’t what it is, so we can write about something other than class. But until then, [we’ll] just keep trying to shout it from the mountaintops.”

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Beef’s second outing has once again been a hit with both critics and Netflix users, many of whom are now speculating about whether a third run could be on the cards.

Netflix is remaining tight-lipped for the time being, but the screenwriter has made it clear that he originally envisaged Beef as a three-season anthology series, each focussing on a different cast of characters and central feud.

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