What is Couch to 5k and how do I start?

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A free beginner-friendly running plan from BBC Sport and the government’s Department of Health and Social Care is Couch to 5K.

Hunderte of thousands of non-runners have been able to complete 5 km thanks to the nine-week structured program.

Since its launch in 2016, the ground-breaking, free fitness app NHS Couch to 5K, developed in collaboration with BBC Sport, has received more than seven million downloads.

How can the NHS Couch to 5K app be downloaded?

Beginners are guided through the gradual transition from couch-bound spectators to confident runners by the app, which enables newcomers to run three times per week.

Users can gain access to Beyond Couch to 5K once they have completed the nine-week program. This new feature will encourage people to become more adept at running and help them increase their speed, endurance, and technique.

The podcast about the Couch to 5K.

BBC Sport has also launched a new podcast on BBC Sounds – The podcast about the Couch to 5K. – presented by Giovanna Fletcher.

Jo Whiley, a presenter for BBC Radio 2, Charley Marlowe, and Lindsey Burrow, the widow of rugby legend Rob, join Fletcher in the opening episodes.

Fletcher said: “Being part of The podcast about the Couch to 5K. has been such a joy. Running can do wonders for your mind and body, and this podcast is all about offering support, motivation and a friendly voice to keep you going – no matter where you are on your journey.”

Minister for public health and prevention, MP Ashley Dalton, said: “We are committed to preventing ill health before it starts, including lowering the barriers to exercise and getting the entire country fit.”

The NHS Couch to 5K App is a fantastic illustration of this; it provides everything we need, including encouragement, support, and a welcoming voice that cheers you on every step.

Whiley, who appears in the first episode of the new podcast, used to dislike running but now works as a Couch to 5K app’s coach.

It’s one of the best things I’ve ever accomplished in a career, according to Whiley.

I’ve attended so many different festivals where people of all shapes, sizes, and fitness levels have come over and said “Capachat to 5K!” My life has been changed by it. “

The first episode of The podcast about the Couch to 5K. is available on BBC Sounds now. Further episodes will be released weekly from 5 May.

Do you have any inquiries? A: Couch to 5K is available on Q&amp.

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Boss Gray agrees new three-year Hibernian contract

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Hibernian head coach David Gray has accepted a new contract that will run until 2028.

Additionally, assistant coaches Eddie May, Craig Samson, and Liam Craig have agreed to stay longer at Easter Road.

Former first team coach and club captain Gray, 36, completed his fourth season as caretaker manager last June and was given a three-year contract to do it full-time.

With five games left, Gray’s side travel to the Dons on Saturday (15:00) and are three points clear of Dundee United and Aberdeen.

Premiership preview: The post-split crunch time begins.

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The board’s support is something I’ve been very open about, and it means a lot to me to be supported by [owners] the Gordon Family and [sporting director] Malky Mackay.

The season has had its ups and downs, but everyone’s hard work has contributed to the turnaround we’ve experienced. The players and the staff have worked tirelessly to put us in the position where the [Premiership] split is now.

We want to keep making the supporters proud as a group as a whole. We can’t thank them enough for supporting us every step of the way this season.

According to Mackay, the management team “deserves their new contracts.”

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Why the Palestinian Authority’s Abbas is under pressure to pick a successor

After meeting with senior officials on April 24, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) met with senior officials to discuss appointing a second-in-command for its aging leader, Mahmoud Abbas.

During an Arab summit in early March, Abbas, the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) president, promised to establish the position. However, it is still unclear who will ultimately fill the position.

According to experts, the goal is to prevent a power conflict after Abbas leaves his post, which Israel might then use to annex the West Bank, ethnically cleanse Gaza, and prevent the PA from dissolving.

However, Dianna Buttu, a former legal advisor to the PLO, believes that replacing Abbas with a vice president position in the PA will not prevent power struggles; rather, it could only aggravate the situation.

She warned that “the more splintered the PA becomes, the more there will be a power vacuum,” which external actors, primarily Americans and Israelis, will fill.

Legitimacy crisis

After Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat passed away in November 2004, Abbas, 89, has ruled without a popular mandate since the government’s dissolution in 2007, has taken control of the PLO and PA.

The PA and PLO are ruled by his Fatah party. The long-defunct parliament has vanished, and Abbas has been criticized for appearing to support unsuccessful elections efforts.

The PLO is in charge of succession when there is no parliament, which Abbas has delayed by enacting. For instance, last year, it was decreed that Rawhi Fattouh, the Palestinian National Council’s head, would take office as interim president if the position suddenly became vacant until elections are held.

Khaled Elgindy, a visiting scholar at Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, said Abbas had put this off because he feared that if he introduced someone forward, they would be competing.

The Oslo Peace Accords, signed by Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin as prime ministers in 1993 and 1995, established the PA.

As Israel’s occupation grew more violent and oppressive, and Israeli settlement land grabs continued, the PA lost credibility with Palestinians.

Since Oslo, there have been more than 750 000 people living in Palestinian-owned settlements, which are prohibited by international law.

The PA’s authority was restricted to the West Bank areas that it had some control over as a result of a violent conflict with Hamas in Gaza in 2007.

After a alleged Israeli settlers attack on December 4, 2024, a Palestinian man inspects the damage at his home in Huwara, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank.

In contrast to the PLO, the PA did succeed in becoming the de facto Palestinian representative on the global stage.

However, as people’s suffering increased and the PA continued to coordinate security with Israel as it was stated in the Oslo Accords, Abbas’ popularity decreased.

Palestinians are also suspected of being ineffectively protecting them from Israeli forces and settlers while using its authority to impose sanctions on opponents and civil activists.

Regardless of who he appoints, “Abbas’s handpicked successor probably won’t win people over,” Elgindy said.

Hussein al-Sheikh, Abbas’s close friend and PLO Executive Committee secretary-general, is often the name that comes to mind.

Al-Sheikh also serves as the head of the Palestinian Authority’s General Authority for Civil Affairs, which issues the permits that Israel has approved to let a few Palestinians circumvent the restrictions that Israel has put in place in the occupied West Bank.

The International Court of Justice, the world’s highest legal body, views Israel’s restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement as apartheid.

Critics accuse Sheikh of acting as a liaison for the occupation because of his long-standing relationship with the Israeli authorities.

Omar Rahman, a Middle East Council for Global Affairs expert on Israel-Palestine, said, “Nobody likes him [among Palestinians].” Al-Sheikh’s relationship with Israel and his perceptions that he is a victim of massive corruption are tainted by his behavior.

External pressure

According to analysts, the pressure on Abbas to appoint a successor has increased over the years and is expected to increase as he has become more dependent on Arab states, according to Al Jazeera.

Rahman claims that Egypt is particularly interested in ensuring succession.

Egypt convened and hosted an Arab League summit in March to discuss its reconstruction plan for Gaza in response to President Donald Trump’s call to “Middle Eastern Riviera” and ethnic cleansing of the region.

Egypt’s mention of being one of the nations where Palestinians could be “moved to” was vehemently rejected and refuted by its reconstruction plan.

The PA-led creation of a Palestinian technocratic administration, which would allow the PA to carry out the reconstruction of the devastated enclave without causing any displacement, was a part of the proposal.

Secretary General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Hussein al-Sheikh attends a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other foreign ministers, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Amman, Jordan, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool photo via AP)
Hussein al-Sheikh, the PLO Executive Committee’s secretary general, meets with foreign ministers in Amman, Jordan, in November 2023.

However, Hamas and Israel object to it because they currently govern Gaza and Israel has criticized the PA as ineffective.

Abbas appears to have launched an offensive, blaming Hamas for not hand over captives and disarming them during the meetings and delivering angry broadsides against the organization for allowing the continuation of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

According to Tahani Mustafa, an expert on Palestinian internal politics with the International Crisis Group, many Arab states are eager to see a change of guard in the PA because of Abbas’ failure to reconcile his Fatah faction with Hamas.

Fatah and Hamas have signed a number of agreements since 2007 to rescind the Palestinian national movement’s divisions following fighting.

According to Mustafa, “I think there has been a lot of frustration] among Arab states] regarding Abbas’ role as a spoiler and obstacle in efforts to form a united Palestinian front, which has given Israel a pretext to continue doing what it has been doing in Gaza,”

Can the PA be revived by a vice president?

Buttu believes Abbas should hold elections for Fatah, the PLO, and the PA rather than creating a new political post.

The last time voting was held was shortly before the Hamas and Fatah conflict in 2006. In those legislative elections, Hassan won a sizable majority.

Given what she describes as Abbas’s lack of political will to revive Palestinian institutions, she fears that the creation of a new vice president position won’t solve the legitimacy crisis or power vacuum once he leaves.

Abbas, she told Al Jazeera, “does the bare minimum to get the Arab states off his back.

She acknowledged that due to Israel’s devastating war and genocide in Gaza and its violence and movement restrictions in the West Bank, elections might prove to be challenging technically.

She added that Palestinians could still access voting options, perhaps through an online process or portal.

There is a lot of opposition to this appointment of a vice president, according to Fatah itself. They all agree that elections should be held instead, Buttu told Al Jazeera.

Wales bolster pack to face Italy in 6N finale

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Women’s Six Nations: Italy v Wales

Venue: Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi Date: Sunday, 27 April Kick-off: 11:30 BST

Wales have made three changes to their pack for the final Six Nations match against Italy in Parma.

Prop Donna Rose is handed her first start of the campaign having deputised on the bench for rookie Jenni Scoble.

Gwen Crabb, a try-scorer in France, is recalled to the second-row having been rested against Ireland.

Her return sees Georgia Evans revert to number eight in place of Alex Callender, who is among the replacements after returning from injury last week.

Head coach Sean Lynn admitted the changes were a response to last Sunday’s one-sided 40-14 defeat by Ireland in Newport.

“Gwen is a very good set-piece controller in the lineout and I’m hoping Alex will bring energy and composure off the bench when we need it.”

Kayleigh Powell has been ruled out with a hamstring issue so Lleucu George retains the number 10 jersey in an unchanged Wales’ backline that includes wing Carys Cox and full-back Jasmine Joyce-Butchers, both in the top six players for metres made in the championship.

Wales have scored twice as many points as at the same point in last year’s Six Nations but Lynn is demanding more.

“I’m confident that we’re creating chances, however we need to start finishing off those opportunities,” he said.

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Italian ’emotion’

Five of the last six games between Wales and Italy have been decided by four points or less, including last year’s last-gasp 22-20 Welsh victory in Cardiff.

Italy are chasing a second win of the tournament having beaten Scotland in Edinburgh and pushed Grand Slam chasing France 34-21 last week.

Lynn believes there could be a highly-charged atmosphere at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi for a fixture that has been rearranged due to the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome on Saturday.

“I’m sure there will be a lot of emotion around the game for Italy given what happened and I’m sure they’ll also be targeting this home game as a big chance to win,” he said.

Wales: Jasmine Joyce-Butchers; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones (capt), Courtney Keight, Carys Cox; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Kelsey Jones, Donna Rose, Abbie Fleming, Gwen Crabb, Kate Williams, Bethan Lewis, Georgia Evans.

Replacements: Carys Phillips, Maisie Davies, Jenni Scoble, Natalia John, Alex Callender, Sian Jones, Hannah Bluck, Catherine Richards.

Italy: TBC

Referee: Sara Cox (England).

Assistant referees: Maria Latos (Germany) & Alexandra Ferré (France)

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Japan introduces urgent economic measures to ease pain from US tariffs

Shigeru Ishiba, the prime minister of Japan, has announced urgent economic measures to reduce any effects on domestic and business sectors caused by the new tariffs on Japanese goods.

According to a government document, the package includes subsidies to lower gasoline prices by 10 yen ($0.07) per litre (0.26 gallons) and partially cover electricity bills for three months starting in July as part of Ishiba’s announcement on Friday.

At a&nbsp, tariff&nbsp, task force meeting, Ishiba said, “I have instructed cabinet members to make the utmost efforts to assist firms and households that have been concerned about&nbsp, tariff&nbsp, impact.”

He claimed that US tariffs could have a significant impact on Japanese industries like those producing steel and cars.

A wider range of businesses will be eligible for low-interest loans from government-backed banks in order to make small and medium-sized businesses more vulnerable to economic swings.

In response to the impact of US tariffs on Japan’s enormous automotive industry, the government will also take into account other measures to boost domestic consumption.

Economic minister Ryosei Akazawa claimed that the package’s funding could be covered by a reserve fund, removing the need to create an additional budget.

US tariffs that are excessive

On April 2, US President Donald Trump imposed a 25% import tariff on cars and trucks. Additionally, he later reduced the tariff to 10% for 90 days, which he previously announced, and set a 24 percent tariff on all imported goods from Japan.

Next week, Akazawa, who is Japan’s top trade negotiator, will make a second round of trade talks in Washington.

According to a report released on Thursday by the Nikkei business daily, Japan may increase US soybean imports as part of negotiations.

Markets around the world, including those in Japan, have been affected by Trump’s imposition of tariffs due to uncertainty.

India’s Waqf Amendment Act: Who needs bulldozers when you have bureaucrats?

Imagine your great-grandfather’s 100-year-old bungalow, which has been devoted for decades to a single, noble cause: charitable work. Its doors have always been a place of compassion and service for those who are in need. This is more than just a building; it is also your family’s legacy, one that your grandfather, your father, and eventually, your own, will inherit.

Then, everything changes over night.

a new law a deletion clause A lone government official points casually at a distant hill while raising his hand to his brow. He says, “That one.” “I don’t think you gave your land, or the property there, to you, or to the purposes you’ve given it.” He declares the land to be government property while maintaining bureaucratic order. You are now a thief. The land ceases to be under your care right away. The state takes control and enters. And just like that, your family’s bungalow, which has been kept around for generations and is now in your care, is no longer in your care.

No proper procedure exists. They state that an investigation will be conducted. eventually . No deadline or date is provided. You can’t wait until you hear back from them. Outside . For now, you must obtain state approval before entering the structure that your ancestors had built and assigned you to protect.

Sounds spooky, right? Not to Indian Muslims, for whom the Waqf Amendment Act, a piece of legislation that reverses fundamental values like ownership, due process, and religious neutrality, is a lived reality.

Waqf is, by definition, a perpetual endowment to God, meant to provide services like healthcare and education for the community. It is not “owned” by anyone. It is a mutawalli (custodian), held in trust, and protected by the state, as one might expect.

However, that assumption is disproven by the Waqf Amendment Act of 2025.

The problematic clause that prevented land being declared “waqf” by the user, who believed that land held in trust for charitable purposes should be kept safe from arbitrarily based on historical usage, is no longer in effect. We now have executive-level unilateral control in place. A single government official can now choose whether a property is government-owned or waqf with the wave of a hand. And he will be free from the need for justification and unaided by evidence to assist him in this endeavor. Just one thought. One notification One expropriation that is entirely legal. the appeals procedure? delightfully circular You file an appeal to the same accusation-making system.

Non-Muslims are now required to be on Waqf Boards, according to the amended law, which is a stunning display of secular theater. No other religious trusts face this kind of demand. Imams are not required to be appointed by temple trusts. No agnostics are required for church committees. However, Muslim waqfs must open their management to those who have no connection to their theology, tradition, or scholarship under this perplexing, amended law. When does inclusivity become diluted? One might ask. In this version, equality appears to be merely a selective intrusion.

The audit follows then. The central government now has the authority to appoint its own auditors to oversee property audits. They refer to transparency as. to check Waqf Board corruption. However, if you squint, you’ll see that without the necessary checks and balances, it appears to be oversight. After all, the kennel is rarely impartial when it reports to the watchdog.

This is not a frontal assault. Soft erasure is used.

Bulldozers are absent. No headlines here. Just shifting definitions, footnotes, and notices. And it is all entirely “legal.”

The bungalow still stands, therefore. Its walls remain intact. Its gates continue to swing. However, the state’s choice now determines the meaning behind them, since the sacred concept of waqf was once a gift to God.

We’re actually witnessing a much more sophisticated heist than a heist in the dark. a change in ownership model that is carried out by the state’s own internal machinery rather than by shadowy intermediaries. Legislation is the only thing lacking in this country. No colloquialties, just policy. A system created to protect charitable trusts is now perfectly positioned to take it, one signature, one “determination,” one hilltop glance at a time, with the quiet certainty of officialdom.

Not reform, this. Slow, quiet, and absolute is how this is asset appropriation is done. written in paper, not with guns. Because ultimately, this is a real estate issue rather than a Hindu-Muslim one.