When an exam board for England, Wales and Northern Ireland recently clarified that students are now permitted to use gender-inclusive or gender-neutral forms in French, Spanish and German exams, it marked more than a technical adjustment to assessment criteria.

These updates highlight an important fact about the nature of languages. They are not fixed systems but evolving, social practices.

The exam board guidance has not been universally embraced. Allowing references to diverse gender identities is perceived by some opponents to be ideologically driven. It has also been criticised that these novel forms, such as the French gender-neutral pronoun “iel”, are not widely used or endorsed by authorities (yet).

These arguments surface some common misunderstandings of how languages work and what language education is for. Two fundamental insights of sociolinguistics – the academic discipline that studies language in its social contexts – are that languages are as diverse as the people who use them, and they are constantly changing and shifting.

The ‘rizz’ of languages

Languages are not neatly defined, unambiguous systems, but rather complex and dynamic. How we express ourselves is influenced by a range of factors including geographical regions, social aspects and identity, formality, medium and context – as well as individual preferences. Consider the differences between varieties of English spoken around the world, or the way you speak in a formal work meeting compared with how you talk to your friends in a café or pub.

In addition, languages are constantly evolving and adapting. Youth language and slang are well-known and frequently discussed examples of language change. In 2025, I took part in a radio debate about the decision to include Gen-Z slang words like “skibidi”, “delulu” and “rizz” in the latest edition of the Cambridge Dictionary, a dictionary for learners of English.

The discussion asked a central question about the purpose of dictionaries: do they tell us how languages should work, or how they actually do work? And which is it that language learners need?

At the core of this question lies an important distinction that linguists make: prescriptive versus descriptive approaches to discussing language.

Prescribe or describe?

Prescriptivism is an approach that focuses on standardised rules and norms, telling us (that is, prescribing) how to express ourselves in a way that is considered “correct”. Descriptivism, on the other hand, observes and describes how a language is really used and acknowledges its variable, constantly evolving nature.

In dictionaries, both approaches have their place, but we need to be clear what the purpose of any given dictionary is.

Language classrooms may, for good reasons, lean towards a prescriptive approach. Exams need clear marking criteria. Learners need stability, especially at the beginning.

There are also very practical considerations: you can’t teach everything, especially with limited contact time and set curricula to be covered – so how do you choose? As a teacher, how do you stay on top of all these new developments? These are all valid points and the answers are not always straightforward.

On the flip side, you could argue that language teaching should represent languages the way they really are, and learners should be introduced to their nuances. Languages are not just transactional tools for ordering food or asking directions (although they are that too, of course!).

Importantly, they are a means through which people describe their lives, relationships and identities. If teaching and assessment materials only reflected a narrow slice of this, they would fail to represent cultures, societies and communication authentically.

Be it in films, social media or interactions with other users of the language, learners encounter not just textbook-standard language, but a wide range of forms and styles. The annual German youth word of the year competition, for example, is a great resource for students to learn slang words that are popular among young German speakers. In 2025, shortlisted words included “checkst du”, meaning “get it?” or “do you relate?”

It’s easy to see why it’s important to equip learners with the means to express themselves flexibly and appropriately in a range of different contexts and situations.

Ultimately, it’s about finding the right balance between prescriptivism and descriptivism in language education. This, as is often the case, is easier said than done. In my view, though, the exam board guidance did not deserve the criticism it received.

After all, the guidelines afford students the freedom to express themselves flexibly using gender-neutral forms, without mandating it. This approach empowers learners to express themselves in a way that reflects their own identities if they wish to do so.

Relatable classrooms

Allowing and modelling inclusive language is a way to ensure that all learners see themselves reflected and respected. It helps create environments where students are able to engage fully and relate to the content, which is a core part of responsible curriculum design.

Language both reflects and shapes social reality. Therefore, excluding diversity from language teaching risks perpetuating invisibility and bias. It may also create an unrealistic, unrelatable and potentially rather bland curriculum.

And this is where some of the real potential lies. Creative, culturally rich and linguistically diverse content, which reflects current shifts in societies and empowers learners to connect them to their own experiences and realities, may be just the recipe to make learning a language even more exciting.

The Thursday letters page compares Capcom’s successes to Xbox’s failures, as a reader thinks Bungie should’ve made Destiny 3 instead of Marathon.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Hardware upgrade
Just saw a thing saying that sales of the PS5 Pro are up, because people are upgrading to buy GTA 6 this autumn. They’re going either straight from PlayStation 4 or upgrading from the PlayStation 5.

That’s not very surprising, and makes plenty of sense, but as a standard PlayStation 5 owner I do wonder how well GTA 6 is going to run. We’ve all seen the trailer a hundred times (or is that just me?) and those graphics are out of the world. They’re also far beyond anything I’ve ever seen on PlayStation 5, so the idea that they look that good and they run at 60fps seems impossible.

I’m not suggesting Rockstar is lying about anything, but I do have serious worries about performance, to the point where I’m thinking of getting a PS5 Pro too. The problem is we’ll never find out what the situation is until days after the game’s out and I know I’ll never be able to wait that long.

Sony must be rubbing their hands in glee, especially as no one’s going to be crazy enough to buy an Xbox Series X, given what’s happening at the moment.
Steiner

A feast of crows
I really feel for all the people working at Microsoft developers right now. I’m not clear whether they know what’s going to happen to them yet or when we might get an official annoucement, but I hope this doesn’t drag on too long.

I also hope that all those people you were egging on the Activision Blizzard buyout are now eating crow. Although this is far worse than anyone could have imagined, the basics are exactly what more sensible people were warning about.

Not only has Xbox destroyed itself but it’ll be lucky not to take the whole Western games industry with them. Frankly, I’ll be glad if Microsoft just sell up and leave the business, their influence is purely negative now.
Ashton Marley

GC: Although talks are ongoing with upper management at the various studios it’s not clear when there might be any kind of official announcement. There’s been some suggestion it might be Friday, but Microsoft’s financial year doesn’t end until June 30.

Busy period
Never mind the rigours of the World Cup. My concern is for the stamina, well being and mental fortitude of Jenkins, Beckworth, Gillett, Orr, Boxer, and Jessop to manage the tsunami of titles dropping weekly or twice a week, from September 3 to October 29 that need reviewing.

It’s always a busy window for game releases but i can’t remember one with as many potentially bit hitters as this. Hope you’ve got your training camp, drinks breaks, and media obligations sorted out. I believe in you guys, but don’t envy you. As Optimus Prime would say, ‘Rollout GC!’
Somasonic

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Educated guess
I was wondering, how do you pick the games that you review? Even a casual look at the PlayStation online store, for instance, reveals a plethora of mainstream and indie titles. How do you decide what to spend your valuable reviewing time on? I’m guessing that time is a major factor when it comes to review choices. Unless you have an army of reviewers you can’t play everything.

It’s easy to understand why you review high profile releases such as 007 First Light and Resident Evil, because coverage of AAA titles is an obvious draw for web traffic, but how do you decide which less well known releases deserve a page on the site?

I’m guessing that by doing what you do you’ve developed an instinct to detect and avoid low quality shovelware and novelty games. I’m just interested to know exactly how you differentiate.
Michael Veal (@msv858)

GC: Every day we get sent dozens of press releases for different indie games, so between that, previews, and general word of mouth we’re generally aware of most interesting games before they launch. But not only is it impossible to review everything but a lot of reviews would be of no interest to most people, so we just have to take a chance on what’s going to be worth spending time on.

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Year of the remake
Some interesting discussions about Zelda: Ocarina Of Time and I’m not really sure where I stand. Ordinarily I’m not keen on companies doing too many remakes but Nintendo generally doesn’t and few games deserve one like Ocarina Of Time does.

But then again, it is unfortunately going to come out the same year as another N64 remake, with Star Fox, which is taking two spots away from what could’ve been new games. I get that it’s a coincidence, and a remake of Star Fox 64 is probably the best way to restart interest in the series, but it’s still not a good look.

The best way out of the problem would be to promise plenty for next year that is brand new, but for whatever reason Nintendo is being extra secretive at the moment. We know about Pokémon Winds and Waves but if they’d only announce the new 3D Mario I feel there’d be much less unease amongst fans. Just a name or teaser the length of Ocarina Of Time would be fine.
Onibee

Customer loyalty
I completely agreed with the recent Reader’s Feature about Capcom being a model for how publishers should carry on. I know we shouldn’t put these companies on a pedestal, but when you see the likes of Microsoft bumbling around aimlessly, destroying everything they touch, including their own reputation, you’ve got to hand it to Capcom, who just sits there and gets on with the business of making good games – and are well rewarded for it.

They don’t brag, their execs aren’t constantly giving interviews where they manage to say nothing of value, and they don’t make promises they can’t keep. Instead, they nurture their moneymakers, like Resident Evil; they bring back old franchises when they can; and they’re constantly taking a risk on IP.

That’s made me want to take a risk on their games too, and I’m rarely disappointed. I get what the reader the other day was saying, about never buying games at full price, but while I wouldn’t criticise him for doing that I would say he then has no right to complain if a franchise or company he likes goes under, if he wasn’t willing to support them.

You might say that’s not our problem, as customers, and it’s not. No one’s making you buy a game day one or even first-hand but if you don’t you’ve got to be prepared for the consequence of those actions.

I’m not a charity and I don’t mindlessly buy every Capcom game, or anything from anyone else, but if I know a company has a long history of not letting its fans down then that’s something I bear in mind when spending my money.
Olliephant

Better than nothing
I really don’t understand why Bungie didn’t make Destiny 3 instead of Marathon. Nothing about Marathon ever looked good, or like something that could be a major hit, and I don’t understand how it’s got this far.

If I remember, people were against Destiny 2 at the time because it was too soon and they didn’t want to start from scratch again but that seems a minor problem when the alternative is Bungie being gutted and not making any new games at all.
Benjy Dog

Buy one, get 49 free
Marhaba GC and the fellowship of savvy readers. UFO 50 has been an immensely impressive retro inspired compilation for me these past few months. Easily the most ambitious and ingenious indie game I’ve played since arguably Outer Wilds. The variety and consistency in quality across the 50, mostly completely disparate games, is an outstanding artistic achievement.

No wonder this grand undertaking took the best part of a decade to come to fruition. Upon booting up the game for the first time, I was pretty overwhelmed with the wealth of choice on display and what to play first.

Being the type that is easily chronos triggered, I started right at the beginning with the very first in the game’s internal timeline of releases, the brutal, seemingly inscrutable, captivating minimalism of 8-bit Zelda and Dark Souls-a-like, Barbuta.

But that moment when you first initiate UFO 50 and lay eyes on the massive selection of games felt almost tantamount to entering a big sweet shop as a child and being mesmerised by the sheer dizzying array of enticing, succulent goods on offer. UFO feels like the pick ‘n’ mix sweets of the gaming world, and it’s just magical. So many flavours, so much texture, lots of fun to be had exploring the gamut of sensory delights.

It’s not every day that I await a limited run physical edition of an indie game to release to support the developers, but with UF0 50 I just felt it was incumbent on me to purchase the Olivia Newton John version. The Switch physical edition didn’t disappoint, with a lovely poster advertisement of the pseudo console (LX III) that hosts the multitude of games and some other cool stuff.

I also appreciated all the little details in the fictional history of each game’s development and how they tie into the meta, alternate 8-bit universe UF0 50 so delicately weaves, making me feel all tingly and nostalgic inside. All very convincing stuff for gamers of a certain vintage.

Here are a few personal favourites of mine: a clever and challenging take on Metroidvania with a gravity shifting mechanic at its core (Vainger), a breezy but challenging and inventive racing shoot ’em-up (Seaside Drive), and a brilliantly off-kilter and deceptively deep house party management simulator (House Party).

Then there’s the quirky and strategically nuanced cowboy train heist game with a focus on stealth gameplay (Rail Heist), a charming platform adventure where you can shrink down in size to access a hidden miniaturised world and microscopic wonders in a bedroom you’re trying to escape (Max And Mini), and a fun platformer with a ricocheting football as the main mode of attack (Kick Club).

I’ve been playing UFO 50 since March and at this rate of discovering more and more gems in the library of exquisitely curated games, I’ll be playing this game(s) well into the year and beyond!
GG

Inbox also-rans
So what happens when Control Resonant is a flop, just like all other Remedy games? They should team-up with PlatinumGames because they’re both developers I love, who have been around for ages, and yet have never had a single major hit.
Danson

I put Game Pass down as the main reason for Xbox’s failure. It was a gamble, perhaps the biggest gamble ever in gaming, and it just didn’t work. I don’t know whether to pity or blame Phil Spencer now that we see what it’s all led to.
Wizrobe

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The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

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MORE: Games Inbox: What is happening to Xbox and can it recover?

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The match would not remain level for long, though, and another corner proved Croatia’s undoing as Kane found himself unmarked and slammed a bullet of a header beyond Livakovic to restore England’s advantage. They seemed set to lead into half-time, before Croatia levelled again through Petar Musa, who fired home from close range after a deft knock-down from Ivan Perisic.

Albertans will head to the polls in October for what has been referred to as a “referendum on a referendum”. They will be asked to choose between two options: should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should their province begin the legal process to hold a binding referendum on whether Alberta should separate from Canada?

This was announced on May 21 in a televised address by Alberta’s premier, Danielle Smith – a politician who, in the same breath, said she would personally vote to stay. The question on whether Alberta should remain or separate will appear alongside other questions on immigration policy and constitutional changes.

There is support in Alberta for a referendum. Around 700,000 Albertans signed petitions in 2025 and 2026 calling for a vote about either remaining in Canada or separating. That is a remarkable number in a province of just over 5 million people.

The groups behind the petitions say they gathered enough votes to trigger a province-wide referendum on independence. However, the petitions were struck down by an Alberta court in December 2025 and May 2026 for infringing indigenous treaty rights.

Decades of grievances

Alberta sits on the fourth-largest proven oil reserves on the planet. And for decades, many people there have felt that the rest of Canada – particularly the federal government in Ottawa – has been drawing disproportionately on Alberta’s prosperity.

This anger traces back to 1980. That year, Canada’s then-prime minister, Pierre Trudeau, introduced the National Energy Program, capping domestic oil prices below world market rates and redirecting oil revenues to the federal government. The policy, which was repealed in 1985, devastated Alberta’s economy.

In the years that followed, Alberta’s unemployment rate more than tripled – from under 4% in 1980 to a peak of 12.4% by 1984. Tens of thousands of jobs disappeared as oil companies left the province, with estimates suggesting Alberta lost up to CA$100 billion (£54 billion) in revenue during the National Energy Program era.

Canada’s equalisation payment system, under which wealthier provinces indirectly subsidise poorer ones, has kept the wound open. Alberta consistently contributes far more to the federal treasury than it receives back in spending.

More recently, federal climate policies – including a carbon tax, emissions caps on the oil sector and what legislation critics have called the “no more pipelines bill” – have become focal points for the sense held by many Albertans that Ottawa is strangling their province’s economic lifeline.

À lire aussi :
As Alberta separatists court the U.S., prosperity is fuelling a sovereigntist turn

What the law provides

Under international law, all people have the right to self-determination – the right to shape their own political, economic and cultural future. But outside of colonial contexts, this right is almost always understood to mean self-government within an existing state, not the right to break away from it.

As legal scholars have argued, international law does not grant the component parts of sovereign states a right to secede unilaterally.

Although the International Court of Justice confirmed in its 2010 advisory opinion on Kosovo that there is no outright prohibition on declarations of independence, a legal right to secession outside the colonial context exists only in the most extreme circumstances.

This generally refers to contexts where people are actively oppressed or denied any meaningful say in their own governance. Alberta, a wealthy and democratic province with its own elected legislature, falls short of that threshold.

Under Canadian constitutional law, there is also no right to unilateral secession. The law does not expressly provide for or prohibit a province from leaving. But the Canadian Supreme Court’s landmark 1998 ruling – triggered by Quebec’s 1995 independence referendum in which the separatist side lost by less than one percentage point – settled the core question. The court held that Quebec could not declare independence on its own.

However, the court did not leave matters there. It went further, establishing what legal scholars have called a framework of “normative due process” for secession claims. If a clear majority votes yes on a clear question on secession, the federal government has a constitutional obligation to negotiate the province’s constitutional future in good faith. Democracy, the rule of law and the protection of minorities must all be respected – by both sides.

The Clarity Act of 2000, passed in response to Quebec’s 1995 independence referendum and the subsequent Supreme Court judgment, sets out those conditions: the question must be unambiguous and the majority must be clear. Under Section 2 of the Act, the House of Commons has the final say on what counts as a clear majority.

Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, has already signalled that a simple 50%+1 majority would not be enough for a province’s independence. And whether the Clarity Act is even triggered by the October vote is itself contested. Since the question does not directly ask whether Albertans want to secede, some argue the Act’s threshold requirements simply do not apply at this stage.

In any case, even a successful future referendum would only be the beginning. Any actual separation would require negotiated constitutional amendments – a complex, multi-party process involving the federal parliament and provincial legislatures – that would take years and could be blocked at multiple points.

À lire aussi :
What if Alberta really did vote to separate?

Alberta is not the only place in the world where questions of self-determination are live. Scotland, Catalonia and – following elections in May 2026 – Wales all have governments with pro-independence or pro-referendum positions.

Each faces its own version of the same tension: the democratic impulse to let people decide, and the legal and political reality that separating from a larger state is never as straightforward as a ballot paper makes it look.

Alberta’s October vote will not settle the question of independence. But it will tell the rest of Canada – and the world – just how seriously that question needs to be taken.

The Scots-founded religious order in New York swapped hymns for football anthems as they backed Steve Clarke’s side at the World Cup.

A group of American nuns have been showing their support for Scotland’s World Cup heroes by belting out Tartan Army favourites from their convent in New York.

World Cup fever has swept through the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm in Germantown as Scotland compete at the tournament for the first time since 1998.

The order, founded in 1929 by Venerable Mother Angeline, who was raised in Scotland, waved Saltires and sang along to classics including; No Scotland, No Party and We’ll Be Coming in a video shared online.

The clip, posted on social media by Sancta Familia Media, said the sisters had “got right into it” as they cheered on Steve Clarke’s side from across the Atlantic.

John Patrick Mallon, co-founder of the Catholic production company, said: “Thanks to these sisters’ incredible hospitality, I was able to go see Scotland in the World Cup.”

Many have been commenting on the clip online. Hugh Macfarlane said: “With Brazil ranked 6 and Morocco ranked 7 we Scots (at 38) need divine intervention!”

Julie Harrigan Hilton added: “Amazing. This is so heart warming.”

Thousands of Scotland supporters have descended on Boston this week after watching the national team beat Haiti 1-0 in Foxborough on Saturday.

Steve Clarke’s men return to action against Morocco at Boston Stadium on Friday, with Scotland currently sitting top of Group C.

Get Daily Record Premium for just £1 per month in exclusive offer to celebrate the world cup. Click HERE.

Consumer group Which? tracked discounts across major UK retailers on thousands of grocery items between March 2025 and March 2026 and found that many branded products are nearly always on offer somewhere.

The year-long analysis covered Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.

Cereal, orange juice and chocolate biscuits are among the items most likely to be on promotion, with Which? finding that shoppers rarely need to pay full price if they’re willing to shop around.

UK supermarket rankings in 2026

The data revealed that Kellogg’s Special K, Tropicana Orange Juice, and Fox’s Chocolate Biscuits were discounted at one or more supermarkets 99 per cent of the year.

Wine was also frequently on offer, including well-known brands such as Yellow Tail merlot and Taittinger champagne.

Other products with near-constant discounts included Jammie Dodgers, Penguin bars, Mini Cheddars, Twiglets, Kettle Chips and Onken yoghurt.

Which? said the findings highlight the importance of not just where you shop, but when, as promotional cycles can significantly impact what you pay.

The consumer group explained that these promotion cycles typically follow a three- or four-week period at a lower price, followed by slightly longer at a higher price before repeating.

For example, Fox’s Chocolatey Milk Chocolate Rounds were found to retail at £2 to £2.75 when not on offer, but were available for £1.75 or less 99 per cent of the time at one of the tracked supermarkets.

A 440g box of Special K Original cereal was found for £2.85 or less, compared to a full price of £3.30 to £3.50.

The breakdown showed discounts on the cereal 51 per cent of the year at Ocado, 50 per cent at Tesco, 48 per cent at Waitrose, 45 per cent at Sainsbury’s, and 29 per cent at both Asda and Morrisons.

A 1.5-litre bottle of Tropicana Orange Juice Original, which is usually priced between £4.28 and £4.75, was available for £3.50 or less 99 per cent of the year at one of the six supermarkets.

Onken Set Natural Yoghurt was found as low as £1.25 at one of the major supermarkets 99 per cent of the time throughout the year, while 130g bags of Kettle Chips in the lightly salted flavour could always be bought for £1.65 or less at one of the major supermarkets, instead of £2.40 to £2.65 at full price.

The findings suggest that with a little planning and a willingness to shop around, consumers could make meaningful savings on everyday branded products.

The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) has demanded action to address “extremely dangerous” delays as research revealed eight in 10 radiology leaders and half of cancer leaders believe staff shortages are causing patients’ conditions to get worse

A staffing crisis is sparking “extremely dangerous” delays to diagnosis and cancer care in the UK, doctors say.

The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) said the NHS needs more workers if patients are to avoid harm while on lengthy waiting lists. The RCR surveyed clinical directors at all 159 radiology departments in the UK, together with every head of service at all 60 cancer centres in the UK.

It found eight in 10 radiology leaders and half of cancer leaders believe staff shortages are causing patients’ conditions to worsen, and people are facing delays in being diagnosed. Nine in 10 cancer leaders said they had seen delays to patients starting radiotherapy or drug-based treatment such as chemotherapy as a result of staff shortages.

The RCR found that workforce shortages are worse in deprived and rural areas of the country while recruitment freezes affecting radiology departments and cancer centres everywhere have doubled in a year. One cancer centre lead said: “[Staff shortages are causing] delays in patients starting both chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.”

Another said: “Workforce shortages in diagnostics especially radiology and pathology are critical and lengthening pathways which is leading to patient harm.” One more said: “Significant delays in [scan] acquisition and reporting of a wide range of patients have negatively impacted prognosis, potential treatment options and resulted in harm.”

According to the RCR, the UK has 32 per cent – more than 2,300 – fewer radiologists and 17 per cent – more than 230 – fewer clinical oncologists than it needs to meet current demand. These workforce shortfalls have risen since 2024, from 29 per cent to 32 per cent for radiologists and 15 per cent to 17 per cent for clinical oncologists, with the problem set to get worse, it said.

The RCR’s report warned that demand for scans is growing at more than twice the rate of radiologists to interpret them while staff are also retiring. Despite this, the RCR said recruitment freezes that stop hospitals from hiring the radiologists and oncologists they need have doubled in a year.

A ban on hiring permanent staff also means hospitals fill the gaps with expensive agency staff and paying overtime. The RCR said that when it comes to radiology, the UK spent a record £362 million in 2025 on outsourcing, paid overtime, and locums to plug gaps.

Leaders also raised concerns about the quality of work when it is outsourced, with scans needing further checks. A radiology clinical director said: “Workforce shortages delay report turnaround time, impacting on patient care. Increasingly, the shortfall is met with outsourcing which reduces quality of patient reports and increases pressure on local radiologists for second review.”

Dr Stephen Harden, president of the RCR, said: “Delays to diagnosis and cancer treatment are extremely dangerous, particularly in deprived and rural communities where shortages are worst. Despite our members’ extraordinary efforts, we simply don’t have enough clinical radiologists and clinical oncologists to meet rising demand.

“Recruitment freezes and growing reliance on outsourcing are making the situation worse not better. Alarm bells should be ringing for governments across the UK. Without urgent action to train, recruit and retain more doctors, more patients will suffer.”

Genevieve Edwards, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said: “Behind every delayed test result is a real person lying awake at 3am waiting for news that could change everything. Too many people affected by bowel cancer are already waiting far too long for tests, scans and answers, and workforce shortages are making it worse. That weight of uncertainty is something no one should have to carry longer than necessary.”

Melanie Sturtevant, associate director of policy, evidence and influencing at Breast Cancer Now, said: “With a significant proportion of the specialist breast cancer workforce approaching retirement within five years, urgent action must be taken to stop the situation deteriorating further. NHS staff are working tirelessly under intense pressure but they cannot continue to deliver the care patients need without workforce capacity that matches rising demand.”

Last week, NHS figures for England showed 75.9 pr cent of patients in England urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days in April. This is down from 79.4 per cent in March but is above the current target of 75 per cent.

The proportion of patients who began their first definitive treatment for cancer in April within 62 days of an urgent referral or consultant upgrade was 70.0 per cent, down from 72.8 per cent in March. The Government and NHS England had set a target of March 2026 for this figure to reach 75 per cent.

Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, said: “The shortage of radiologists is affecting people with a variety of health conditions, not just those with cancer. Stroke patients who could benefit from thrombectomy, a procedure which can dramatically reduce lasting disabilities for the 240 people who survive stroke every day in the UK, are also missing out.”

Jeremy Cross in Houston

This is DR Congo’s first appearance at a World Cup since 1974.

But it hasn’t taken them long to realise nothing – or no-one – can steal the limelight from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Well, apart from Lionel Messi that is.

Ronaldo is making a record-equalling sixth World Cup appearance.

Portugal team-mate Bruno Fernandes has revealed Ronaldo had been “anxious” in the build up to his team’s opening Group K game in Houston.

But if this were true, it didn’t feel like it when Ronaldo led his team out into the Houston Stadium to warm up.

With his chest stuck out like a peacock. Ronaldo couldn’t resist a quick glance up to the big screen behind the goal to see his face beaming back at him.

Just how he likes it.

Thousands of Portuguese supporters let out huge cheers to greet their evergreen icon.

Ronaldo remains the talisman of this team, despite him now being 41 and well past the peak of his powers.

Ronaldo’s welcome might have been predictable.

But what few Portuguese fans had not expected, was to have found themselves queuing up to purchase ponchos outside the stadium.

Tropical rain greeted all those heading to the match.

And the only person who seemed happy about this was the bloke flogging said ponchos.

The 39 year-old from Wythenshawe has been charged with nine offences

A man has been charged with a number of offences following a police pursuit in Wythenshawe.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said their officers followed a Mercedes vehicle along Hollyhedge Road on Tuesday morning (June 16) vehicle before it collided with a tree on Haveley Road in Benchill.

A man was arrested afterwards.

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In an update issued this evening (Wednesday), GMP said a man had now been charged with nine offences.

Matthew James Gradwell, 39, of Benchill Road, Wythenshawe has been charged with; escaping from lawful custody, two counts of burglary, three counts of theft, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, and driving without insurance.

He was scheduled to appear before West Cheshire Magistrates Court in Chester on Wednesday.