All posts tagged: stretch

Republicans rush to close the gap in the final stretch of Virginia’s redistricting election

Republicans rush to close the gap in the final stretch of Virginia’s redistricting election

Published by Sam Flores

Even as they’ve been massively outspent in a Democratic-leaning state, Republicans say they still have a fighting chance to defeat a redistricting referendum in Virginia next week that could help tip the balance of power in the House in this fall’s midterm elections. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. Republicans have been clear-eyed about the obstacles they face in urging voters to reject a redrawn congressional map that would pave the way for Democrats to pick up as many as four seats. They are coming off an election just five months ago in which Democrats swept every statewide office on the ballot and expanded their legislative majority. But while Democrats hold a 3-1 ad spending advantage heading into Tuesday’s special election, that edge has shrunk significantly in recent weeks. And the latest public polling has shown support for the new map with a single-digit lead — much narrower than Democrats’ recent victories in the state. Republicans have also called on House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., former …

Tensions surge in final stretch of Hungarian election – POLITICO

Tensions surge in final stretch of Hungarian election – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“Independent and critical outlets operate alongside a much larger pro-government media sector,” the report read. Kovács dismissed the OSCE’s concerns, calling its warnings of government influence over the media a “political opinion” and casting doubt on the credibility of its findings. As the campaign intensifies and polls continue to suggest that the opposition Tisza Party could win, analysts warn that both Tisza and the ruling Fidesz may clash after election night and challenge the result. Veteran election observer Péter Kramer, who has over 16 years of experience observing elections on behalf of the EU, warned the growing presence of parallel missions could muddy the waters. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there were disingenuous observers,” he said, noting that politically aligned groups increasingly deploy missions to shape the narrative after the vote. “It’s an international trend.” An organization closely linked to Fidesz, the Civic Cooperation Forum, has called on U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, which promotes global conflict resolution, to deploy an election observation mission ahead of the April 12 vote. Meanwhile, a conservative …

I added this 10-minute stretch routine to the end of every run and it’s been a game changer for my tight hips and hamstrings

I added this 10-minute stretch routine to the end of every run and it’s been a game changer for my tight hips and hamstrings

Published by Jenni Sidey

I’ll be the first to admit that I am always tempted to skip my cool down after a run. In fact, I used to swerve a post-run stretch all the time, and I paid the price the next day with extra tight hamstrings and an aching lower back. Over time, I began to realize how much of a negative impact this was having on my mobility. I would wake up with tight hips, stiff calves and an overall heavy feeling that made me not want to run that day. Article continues below You may like I knew I had to change something. That’s when I came up with this quick 10-minute stretch sequence. It’s just enough to reset the body after a run and help prepare you for the next one. This 10-minute stretch sequence focuses on the areas of your body that are most impacted during a run. Your calves, hamstrings, glutes and hip flexors are all targeted in this routine. It’s easy to do daily and takes minimal time. I always notice a …

Spylandia: How a Stretch of Florida Real Estate Has Become a Covert Corridor for Chinese and Russian Spies

Spylandia: How a Stretch of Florida Real Estate Has Become a Covert Corridor for Chinese and Russian Spies

Published by Sam Flores

“That’s when I turned on a VPN,” Dowd told me, referring to an encrypted connection to hide her sleuthing. “I started digging into everything I could find on these two guys”—the Chinese buyer and property manager. The trail led northwest, to a red-walled compound south of Orlando, emblazoned with Chinese writing and—apparent in satellite imagery and property records—housing two large residences, greenhouses, a pond, and, she said, a small broadcast facility labeled Florida Chinese TV. When I asked Dowd what she thought she’d uncovered, she didn’t hedge. “An intelligence-gathering syndicate,” she said. “It didn’t seem kosher. And I felt like someone who knew how to do this properly should probably take a look.” She phoned the FBI. The call did not go well. Dowd claimed she reached the Tampa field office last April and began laying out what she’d found: the cash purchase, the proximity to a Space Force base, and so on. She said she hadn’t gotten far before the intake agent cut her off. The tone, Dowd recalled, was accusatory. She was told …

Man killed in collision that closed stretch of M80 for more than 15 hours | UK News

Man killed in collision that closed stretch of M80 for more than 15 hours | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

A man has died in a collision that closed part of a major Scottish motorway for more than 15 hours. Police Scotland said it was alerted to a report of a crash involving a pedestrian on the M80 at Denny at about 12.20am on Thursday. Emergency crews attended, and the 44-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The motorway was closed in both directions between J9 and J8 at Sclandersburn Road overbridge. The northbound lane reopened shortly after 3.30pm, with the southbound lane given the all-clear at about 4pm. Sergeant Michael Shillington said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the man who died at this difficult time. “Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and I would ask anyone who witnessed the crash and hasn’t yet spoken to officers to get in touch. “I would also appeal to anyone who was travelling in the area around that time and who may have dashcam footage which could assist to contact us.” X This content is …

Do you get stiff calf muscles after a long walk? A physical therapist recommends trying this stretch as a cool-down

Do you get stiff calf muscles after a long walk? A physical therapist recommends trying this stretch as a cool-down

Published by Jenni Sidey

If you walk a lot, particularly up and down hills, you may find your calf muscles feel stiff and sore the day after. This is a common complaint for hikers and can be alleviated by warming up and cooling down properly with targeted stretches. Physical therapist Troy Hurst tells Fit&Well that two variations of a simple wall calf stretch—targeting both the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in the calf—can help. Article continues below You may like “While the standard calf stretch against the wall that most of us think of targets the larger gastrocnemius muscle, the soleus is also important for endurance and stability when the knee is bent.” Image credit: Getty Images / VectorMine Image credit: Getty Images / VectorMine Hurst explains that the gastrocnemius is the big calf muscle that visibly forms the shape of your calves. The soleus sits under the gastrocnemius. Both muscles are responsible for the movement of your ankle. The ankle is often a weak point for walkers and ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries people get …

I tried this one daily stretch for a month and it helped keep my back mobile and pain-free

I tried this one daily stretch for a month and it helped keep my back mobile and pain-free

Published by Jenni Sidey

For most of 2025, a bad lower back became my whole identity. Having resolved to address this issue head-on—or, rather, face down on a treatment table—I’m determined to take better care of my back in 2026. So, for the past four weeks, I’ve been following my osteopath’s orders to consistently perform the one daily stretch he swears by to offset the damage from prolonged sitting. You may like The exercise, called open the book, does this by promoting thoracic extension and rotation. My osteopath, Andy McIntyre BOst MSc from The Livewell Clinic in London, told me he performs this exercise every day, either in the morning or the evening, to keep his back mobile. Here’s how to do it, followed by four things I noticed after performing it every day for the past four weeks. How to do the open the book stretch Lie on your side with one foot on top of the other, knees bent and together, arms extended and palms together. Keeping your feet and knees together and your bottom leg in …

This 10-Second Stretch Brings Instant Stress Relief

This 10-Second Stretch Brings Instant Stress Relief

Published by Jenni Sidey

First thing in the morning, nothing hits like a big stretch. But what is it about rolling your shoulders and flexing your upper back that brings stress relief? We finally have an explanation, thanks to new research published last month in the journal Physiological Reports. The short answer is that this simple action may trigger the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, providing an almost immediate sense of calm. To learn more about this discovery and how you can use these findings to your advantage, we called up Jorge L. Reyes-Castro, MD, MS, a cardiac electrophysiology fellow in the Department of Medicine at University of Minnesota Medical School and the lead author of the study. What happens when you stretch your upper back? In the study, physicians at University of Minnesota Medical School and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine had 24 healthy adults perform a simple upper back and neck stretch. “We asked them to roll their shoulders back to more or less the level of their ears, while stretching their neck back,” Dr. Reyes-Castro says. …

A personal trainer says this one exercise can open up your chest, stretch your shoulders and strengthen your upper back

A personal trainer says this one exercise can open up your chest, stretch your shoulders and strengthen your upper back

Published by Jenni Sidey

Almost all of my personal training clients struggle with tight chest muscles and limited shoulder mobility. Work hours spent sitting at desks and free time spent on smartphones can exacerbate the problem, leading to potential pain and injury down the line. Wall slides, also known as wall angels, are a great exercise to combat these issues. It’s appropriate for most fitness levels, doesn’t require any equipment, and can be done anywhere you have a bare wall. Give them a try as a part of your upper-body workout, or even before you head out of the office for the night. How to do wall slides While this exercise is doable for most people, you should still check in with your medical team before trying anything new. If you’ve just started to work out regularly, consider meeting with a certified personal trainer to ensure you’re performing the movement correctly. You may like Stand about a foot away from a bare wall, facing away from it. Lean back onto the wall. Bend your knees slightly. Engage your core …

L.A.’s warm stretch to end; cooler weather and showers are on the way, forecasters say

L.A.’s warm stretch to end; cooler weather and showers are on the way, forecasters say

Published by Sam Flores

Enjoy the warmth and sunshine, because forecasters say an unseasonable pattern of high temperatures in Southern California will end after Monday, bringing cooler weather and showers later this week. “We’ve been stuck in this pretty warm and dry pattern but that’s all going to change starting Tuesday,” said Ryan Kittell, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. The hot summer-like days that stretched from January into early February are pretty typical weather patterns for the winter in Southern California, according to forecasters with the weather service. “We live in a unique place where we get the offshore flow and those Santa Ana winds during our wintertime, and that’s the main driver for the warm and dry period that we’ve had over the last couple of weeks,” Kittell said. Once a storm approaches, the winds change direction. Instead of coming from the east, the winds will come from the ocean and provide a cooler air mass, he said. “It is very typical for us to have these pretty sharp swings,” Kittell said. “It’s not …