NewsBeat

DWP PIP two tier rules update for people who qualify for vehicle tax reductions

Published

3 hours ago

20 June 2026

The Department for Work and Pensions has faced questions around the existing system for people on PIP and DLA

The DWP has issued details over a two-tier system in place for PIP claimants in an update released to Parliament. The Department for Work and Pensions has been asked questions about tax reductions for some people on PIP – Personal Independence Payments – and DLA, which is Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance.

Officials are under scrutiny over the process that disabled people have to go through to qualify for these reductions. There are two issues at play – and the current system leaves some people facing more hoops to jump through to get help.

People on the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP qualify for free vehicle tax and can sort this transaction online, free of annual paperwork, because the DWP and DVLA systems work together for this tier. But people on the standard rate, who qualify for a 50 per cent reduction, face a more laborious process.

Their reduction does not renew automatically each year. In addition, they can be required to go through V10 forms, Post Office visits and DWP award letters.

The DWP has now explained what it would like to do to improve the system. But it has admitted there will be a sizeable wait for any changes to occur.

The issue has come to light after a parliamentary question from Mike Martin, Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells). He asked the Department for Transport what steps it is “taking to integrate DVLA and DWP data systems so that disabled people who qualify for vehicle tax reductions through receipt of PIP or DLA are not required to complete a separate annual renewal process with DVLA, given that their eligibility is already subject to review by DWP.”

In a response this month, Simon Lightwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport), replied to explain the current rules and what could happen in the future. He said: “The law requires that entitlement to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is checked when a vehicle is taxed.

“The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) remains committed to working with the Department for Work and Pensions to review and improve the process for customers who receive the standard rate mobility component of PIP, which entitles them to a 50 per cent reduction in the rate of vehicle excise duty payable. Customers who receive the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP and whose vehicles are licensed in the disabled taxation class can already transact online.

“The DVLA will look to develop and introduce a full digital service for customers in receipt of the standard rate of PIP but this work will not start until after the delivery of electric Vehicle Excise Duty changes in 2028.”

The different processes for PIP standard and enhanced rate recipients

Vehicle Excise Duty is a legal requirement for most vehicles in the UK. A car tax reduction can see the rate dropped by 50 per cent or cut out altogether.

Government rules mean disabled people can benefit from these reductions. They often rely on a car for essential travel.

The gov.uk website says “you can get a vehicle tax exemption for one vehicle, if you’re eligible. The vehicle must be registered in the disabled person’s name or their nominated driver’s name.

“The vehicle must be used for a disabled person’s personal needs. It cannot be used by the nominated driver for their own personal use.” You can get a 50% reduction in vehicle tax on one vehicle if you are eligible, officials say.

The vehicle must be registered in the disabled person’s name or their nominated driver’s name. You can apply for a full exemption if you receive:

War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
enhanced rate mobility component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Armed Forces Independence Payment
higher rate mobility component of Child Disability Payment
Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance

For more details, see the gov.uk website.

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Nine signs your child is addicted to social media that you shouldn’t dismiss as ‘teen behaviour’

Published

7 minutes ago

20 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Nine signs your child is addicted to social media that you shouldn't dismiss as 'teen behaviour'

Is your child’s phone always in their hand? (Picture: Getty Images)

When the news broke this week that under 16s would be banned from social media sites like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, children were in uproar.

When one Lancashire schoolgirl was asked what she would do without her social accounts, her deadpan response went viral.

‘Stare at a wall,’ she said, her face solemn.

Many argued this reaction was exactly why the ban was needed, because of the addicting nature of social media algorithms.

Of course, this ban won’t be implemented until spring 2027, so as a parent, how do you tell if your child is truly addicted to their phone, or they’re simply annoyed they’ve been banned from a global network?

Nick Dunkley, 47, an operations manager for UK Addiction Treatment (UKAT), the biggest private addiction treatment provider in the country has been seeing an increasing number of under-18 year olds accessing treatment to combat their reliance on social media.

How to spot if your teen has a social media addiction

Your child’s love for their phone and social media accounts becomes an addiction when they experience an overwhelming urge to take part in it again and again, even when it’s causing them harm, according to UKAT.

This urge isn’t a simple craving, like the urge to eat chocolate, an addiction can leave those struggling unable to function without the behaviour.

Your child’s reaction to losing their social media privileges may come with tell tale signs
(Picture: Getty Images/Maskot)

It’s little wonder this has happened when Nick says ‘these short, sharp videos are made of instant dopamine, [they’re] flicking through and not absorbing anything’.

So, how can you check if this applies to your child? ‘To see the acute symptoms, just try to take a phone off a 15-year-old,’ Nick explains.

Once you’ve done this, keep an eye out for these signs. ‘It’s the lack of eye contact, struggling to engage in face to face conversations, physical agitation and their eyes darting to where their phones are,’ he adds.

‘These might be written off as teenager behaviour, but it becomes pronounced.’

Even when your teen or child does have their phone or tablet, there are other behaviours to look out for. Nick explains you’ll notice a lack of sleep from doom-scrolling, your child might have persistent headaches and maybe even worsening eyesight.

It could also result in a ‘decreased attention span and IQ’, according to the expert.

Children can become so desperate that when they attend UKAT’s rehab for social media addictions, they sneak in second phones or refuse to surrender their devices.

Many will also do anything they can to avoid attending in the first place.

The one thing parents shouldn’t do when the ban comes in

Once all under 16s are banned by spring 2027 and under 18s have had their curfews implemented, parents should expect there to be some teething problems.

He says withdrawals are to be expected. If you’re child is struggling with the ban you’ll see mood changes, and they may be more agitated and argumentative, but parents and schools should support young people through this.

‘I’m hopeful,’ Nick says. ‘Give it six months or a year, and it won’t be this massive impact on the youth – they’ll bounce back.

‘We’re not depriving them now – we already did, now we’re trying to give them their childhood back.’

Portland, OR, USA - Nov 11, 2024: Some of the most popular social media apps by number of monthly active users, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, WeChat, Telegram, Messenger, and Snapchat, are seen on an iPhone. — Certain apps will be banned for those under 16 (Picture: Getty Images)

He suggests the biggest threat to the ban’s success will be parents bending the rules to allow their children access when they shouldn’t have it.

But, ultimately, parents should use this ban to empower themselves.

‘We know the harm social media does for children – now this ban enables parents and schools to say no without the peer pressure,’ Nick explains.

‘I know what I’d rather my child be doing rather than living in a world that doesn’t exist, and aspiring to things they can never reach.’

Confidential help, information and support with social media addiction is available on UKAT’s website .

MORE: South Asian couple lose custody of baby born to white couple after IVF mix-up

MORE: Should social media be banned for adults, too? Readers discuss

MORE: Graham Norton forces Meta to reveal identity of troll posting ‘deeply upsetting’ abuse

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The Word ‘Goodbye’ Has Christian Origins

Published

14 minutes ago

20 June 2026

NewsAdmin

The Word 'Goodbye' Has Christian Origins

You probably say “goodbye” multiple times a day without thinking twice. It’s the way you bid farewell to a friend, partner, relative, coworker, etc. And the word is so ordinary that most people never consider where it actually came from.

As it turns out, its origins are religious.

″‘Goodbye’ began as ‘God be with ye,’ with the first sighting as early as 1565,” Madeline Enos, a language trends expert and communications manager at the language learning platform Preply, told HuffPost.

“Over time, the phrase shrank, the spelling changed, and the religious meaning faded. Today it’s one of the most common ways to end a conversation in English.”

That kind of shortening remains very common in English, noted Michael Adams, an English professor at Indiana University.

“To be honest, English speakers just like fewer syllables, so it’s very likely some sort of abbreviation will occur to some people – in this case, a way of saying it recognisably but more easily than ‘God be with you’ or ‘God be with ye,’” he explained.

Add in the “Great Vowel Shift” that occurred around the 15th and 16th centuries and you can see how the pronunciation of the English language changed over time as well.

“The English word is a contraction of ‘God be with ye,’ compressed over centuries of everyday use into something said entirely on autopilot,” said Noel Wolf, a linguist and cultural expert at the language learning platform Babbel. “The phrase passed through stages ― ‘God be with ye,’ then ‘godbwye,’ then ‘goodbye,’ each shortening a small act of erosion by daily use.”

One of the earliest written records of the word comes from 1573 in a letter by English writer and scholar Gabriel Harvey, who wrote: “To requite your gallonde [gallon] of godbwyes, I regive you a pottle [half-gallon] of howdyes.”

“It does remind us that these can be complicated issues, the way that sounds change and words are formed over centuries,” Adams said. “If you’re not paying attention, you can miss what makes a current word what it is. It’s never a static thing. And what’s interesting is now people think “goodbye” means “good wishes,” but really the ‘good’ comes from ‘God.’ The word ‘God’ was extended phonetically into ‘good.’”

He added that the phrase “God be with you” still exists – it has just become something separate from “goodbye” in people’s minds today.

“It is a neat illustration of how the language people use without thinking a dozen times a day can uncover history,” Wolf said. “Every time someone says goodbye, whether it be hanging up the phone, leaving the office, dropping kids at school gates, they are unwittingly invoking a 500-year-old blessing.”

Enos also pointed to goodbye as an example of the durability of history through language, even when people aren’t aware of the backstory.

“English speakers have been saying some version of ‘goodbye’ for more than 400 years,” she said. “Since then the word has survived religious upheaval, industrialisation, and the digital age. ‘Goodbye’ has withstood the test of time.”

Cavan Images via Getty Images

Happy woman with disposable coffee cup waving while leaving cafe

It’s not just in English where the word for farewell carries religious meaning.

″‘Goodbye’ in Romance languages is similar – ‘adieu’ comes from the French ‘à Dieu,’ meaning ‘to God,’” Enos explained. ”‘Vaya con Dios’ directly translates to ‘go with God’ in Spanish – it was just never contracted or secularised. It is fascinating to see languages arrive at the same idea, placing someone in the care of a higher power to remain safe when parting, very poetic.”

The Spanish adiós is the same as adieu, literally meaning “to God.” The goodbye salutations in other languages offer similar sentiments.

“Arabic ma’a salama means ‘go with peace,‘” Wolf said. “Hebrew ‘shalom’ – used for both greeting and farewell – carries the broader meaning of wholeness and harmony. The Japanese ‘oshare ni’, loosely ‘go well’, and the Swahili ‘kwaheri’, derived from the Arabic for ‘may you be well,’ echo the same impulse from entirely different linguistic traditions. The instinct to protect someone at the moment of parting appears to be close to universal.”

She emphasised this cross-cultural instinct to treat the moment of parting as something that requires a little more than simple small talk.

“Whether through religious commendation, a wish for safety or an expression of peace, languages have tended to load their farewells with their deepest values,” Wolf said. “The cosmologies that produced these words have largely faded. The words themselves have not.”

“Goodbye” is also not the only word in the English language with religious origins that many people aren’t aware of.

“Many everyday words began with religious meanings before gradually becoming secular,” Enos said. ”‘Holiday’ comes from ‘holy day.’ And ‘gossip’ originally referred to a godparent or close family friend, then extended to close family friend and eventually to someone who does idle talk, then the idle talk itself.”

Wolf gave the example of saying “bless you” after a sneeze, which many attribute to Pope Gregory I. During a plague, the religious leader supposedly encouraged Christians to respond to sneezes with genuine prayer – a tradition that deepened in subsequent health crises.

“Another interesting example is the word silly,” Wolf said. “In Old English, the term ‘silly’ originally meant ‘blessed,’ before drifting through ‘innocent’ and ‘deserving of pity’ on its journey to its current meaning. ‘Disaster’ carries the literal meaning of a bad alignment of the stars. The Italian equivalent, ‘disastro’, shares the same root, ‘dis’ meaning bad, ‘astro’ meaning star, as does the French ‘désastre’ – suggesting a shared ancient anxiety about the heavens governing human fate written across multiple languages simultaneously.”

Adams offered another fun example: the exclamation “Jiminy Cricket”.

“It’s a light euphemism that derives from words for Jesus Christ,” he explained. “It becomes a name for a cartoon cricket later, but at first, it was an exclamation that allowed people to not take the name of God in vain.”

Indeed, many connect “Jiminy Cricket” to the Italian “Gesù Cristo” and the Latin “Jesu Domine,” There was also the old-fashioned euphemism “criminy” and “gemini,” which are believed to have religious backstories.

So phrases like “Jiminy Cricket” evolved as a sort of linguistic loophole – much the same way ‘sugar’ became a stand-in for a different four-letter word, or ‘fudge’ for another…

“English is dense with this kind of residue,” Wolf said. “Centuries of religion, superstition and cultural encounter compressed into words that now simply mean whatever we need them to mean.”

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Russian bombs hit Kharkiv apartment building in Ukraine, killing 1

Published

21 minutes ago

20 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Russian bombs hit Kharkiv apartment building in Ukraine, killing 1

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian bombs struck an apartment building on Saturday in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, killing at least one person and wounding nine, including a 6-year-old child, authorities said.

A body was pulled from the rubble hours after the attack, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram. He said that the bombs slammed into the low-rise building in Kharkiv’s Kholodnohirskiy district in the early hours. The head of the regional administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said that at least nine people were wounded, five of whom were hospitalized.

Elsewhere in Kharkiv, a Russian drone struck a civilian vehicle on Friday evening, killing a man and wounding the woman who was driving the car, Syniehubov said.

Later on Saturday, Russia again launched guided bombs at Ukraine, striking the outskirts of the northern city of Sumy, according to local administration head Oleh Hryhorov. The attacks killed a male civilian and damaged at least 20 private houses, Hryhorov reported on Telegram.

Russian strikes on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least four people and wounded six others, according to regional administration head Ivan Fedorov. Guided aerial bombs were used in the attacks.

Moscow didn’t immediately acknowledge or comment on the attacks.

Ukraine’s air force said that it shot down 92 of 99 Russian drones launched overnight and that seven struck targets in three locations.

Meanwhile, Russian air defences repelled a drone attack on an oil refinery in Tyumen in Western Siberia, Gov. Alexander Moor said Saturday. He said that there was no damage to the refinery and staff members were evacuated.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian oil facilities, aiming to cut Moscow’s revenue for the war and make Russians feel the consequences of the invasion. Some areas have reported fuel shortages.

In one of the biggest drone attacks since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, Ukraine on Thursday struck a major Moscow oil refinery for a second time in a week, sending huge plumes of black smoke over the capital and disrupting hundreds of flights.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Saturday that its forces shot down 177 Ukrainian drones during the night. It didn’t say how many reached their targets. Two drones were shot down on approach to Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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Netherlands vs Sweden: World Cup 2026 prediction, kick-off time, team news, TV, live stream, h2h results, odds

Published

28 minutes ago

20 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Netherlands vs Sweden: World Cup 2026 prediction, kick-off time, team news, TV, live stream, h2h results, odds

Japan twice pegged back the Netherlands last week in a 2-2 draw, including an 89th-minute equaliser from Daichi Kamada, which prompted criticism in some quarters of head coach Ronald Koeman’s for perceived negative substitutions.

Ryan Gravenberch was replaced by defender Nathan Ake late on, inviting pressure leading to Japan’s corner, from which Kamada scored in the final minute. The dropped points mean the Netherlands must pick up all three on Saturday to avoid a nervy third group game.

Sweden can secure a knockout stage spot with a win of their own, having trounced Tunisia 5-1 in their opening game. Alexander Isak and Victor Gyokeres both scored in a dream return to the World Cup for the Scandinavians, whose only World Cup appearance in the last 20 years was Russia 2018.

The Netherlands boast some solid attacking talent themselves, including West Ham forward Crysencio Summerville, who is attracting transfer interest from Manchester United and Spurs.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Netherlands vs Sweden is scheduled for a 6pm BST kick-off today, Saturday, June 20, 2026.

The match will take place at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas

Getty

Where to watch Netherlands vs Sweden for FREE

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on BBC One, with coverage starting at 5.30pm BST.

Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via BBC iPlayer or the channel’s website.

Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.

Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with BBC iPlayer and their websites.

Netherlands vs Sweden team news

Xavi Simons missed out on the Netherlands’ squad after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April. Jurrien Timber also misses out after a groin injury which kept him out of Arsenal’s run-in – he was replaced in the squad by Lutsharel Geertruida.

Jurrien Timber’s twin brother, midfielder Quinten, is confirmed to be missing out on the Sweden game after suffering a concussion in training.

Netherlands squad: Bart Verbruggen, Mark Flekken, Robin Roefs, Nathan Ake, Virgil van Dijk, Denzel Dumfries, Jorrel Hato, Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven, Lutsharel Geertruida, Ryan Gravenberch, Frenkie de Jong, Teun Koopmeiners, Noah Lang, Tijjani Reijnders, Marten de Roon, Guus Til, Quinten Timber, Mats Wieffer, Brian Brobbey, Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo, Justin Kluivert, Donyell Malen, Crysencio Summerville, Wout Weghorst

Captain Fantastic: Virgil van Dijk

Getty

Sweden do not have any fresh injury concerns, but are still missing the playmaking abilities of Dejan Kulusevski, who has not played a minute of football for club or country in over a year.

The Spurs midfielder was rumoured to have a chance of making the Sweden squad, but constant injury setbacks and surgeries see him ruled out.

Isak was seen training alone after their win over Tunisia, but the Swedish FA confirmed the Liverpool man was fine after his double against the African side.

Sweden squad: Viktor Johansson, Kristoffer Nordfelt, Jacob Widdell Zetterstrom, Hjalmar Ekdal, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Isak Hien, Emil Holm, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Victor Nilsson Lindelof, Eric Smith, Carl Starfelt, Elliot Stroud, Daniel Svensson, Taha Ali, Yasin Ayari, Lucas Bergvall, Jesper Karlström, Ken Sema, Mattias Svanberg, Besfort Zeneli, Alexander Bernhardsson, Anthony Elanga, Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak, Gustaf Nilsson, Benjamin Nygren

Netherlands vs Sweden prediction

Sweden were impressive in their 5-1 shellacking of Tunisia, but the Netherlands are made of significantly sterner stuff than the North Africans. They will also want to get a first win after that last-minute Japan equaliser.

Yasin Ayari scored a brilliant double against Tunisia, and will want to build on that against the Netherlands. The strike partnership of Isak and Gyokeres may also worry van Dijk et al.

I expect a tight game, with Sweden pulling off a bit of an upset and putting the Netherlands on the brink of elimination. Expect pitchforks out for Ronald Koeman.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Netherlands vs Sweden match odds

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Netherlands vs Sweden LIVE: Team news and updates from Group F clash

Published

39 minutes ago

20 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Netherlands vs Sweden LIVE: Team news and updates from Group F clash

Observing the scene

Van Dijk arrives at Houston Stadium (Reuters)

Potter examines his surroundings (Reuters)

Alan Smith20 June 2026 16:53

Confirmed teams

Netherlands XI: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Dijk, Van de Ven, Van Hecke; De Jong, Reijnders, Gravenberch; Gakpo, Malen, Brobbey.

Sweden XI: Nordfelt; Lagerbielke, Hien, Lindelof; Bernhardsson, Nygren, Karlstrom, Ayari, Gudmundsson; Isak, Gyokeres

Alan Smith20 June 2026 16:46

Today’s referee

… is a familiar name to anyone who follows the Premier League: Michael Oliver.

Alan Smith20 June 2026 16:39

The least weakest link

By its very nature, the World Cup is destined to be described in terms of the best. There is an argument, though, that it is determined by the least worst. Or, to put it another way, by who has the strongest weak link. Go by weak link theory and the tournament will not be decided by Lionel Messi or Harry Kane or Kylian Mbappe; each can be called his team’s finest player. But the 11th name on the teamsheet might be the most important.

Especially because, in international football, there is an ever-present risk the worst player is worse than in the elite club sides. Without a transfer market, without the option of importing anyone, then, even in the diaspora World Cup, national team managers are picking from a limited talent pool.

All of the contenders have their flaws – including the two sides we’re about to watch.

Richard Jolly20 June 2026 16:24

Race for the golden boot

The first ever 48-team World Cup features an additional round of 32, offering the world’s top strikers an additional opportunity of bagging an extra goal as they dream of embarking on a deep run into the tournament.

If players are tied for goals, the number of assists will determine who ranks higher. If there is still a tie, it comes down to minutes played and the goals-per-minute ratio.

Here are the latest 2026 World Cup golden boot standings.

Jamie Braidwood20 June 2026 16:18

Full World Cup schedule today and tonight

6pm – Netherlands vs Sweden (Group F)

9pm – Germany vs Ivory Coast (Group E)

1am – Ecuador vs Curacao (Group E)

5am – Tunisia vs Japan (Group F)

Anyone UK viewers planning on staying up and ticking them all off??

Alex Pattle20 June 2026 16:11

Netherlands’ recent record at World Cups

In 2010, Netherlands reached their third World Cup final, where they were heartbroken for the third time as well.

That defeat by Spain was avenged in a 5-1 thrashing in Netherlands’ 2014 opener, however, en route to a semi-final penalty loss to eventual runners-up Argentina.

2018 marked a major disappointment, though, as Netherlands failed to qualify for the World Cup at all.

2022 then brought another penalty loss to Argentina, this time in the quarter-finals – but after a spirited fightback in which the Dutch came from 2-0 down, scoring in the 83rd minute and 11 minutes into added time.

Alex Pattle20 June 2026 16:02

Netherlands in trouble if they struggle against spirited Swedes

If Netherlands were to draw today, they’d be in a precarious position ahead of their final group game with Tunisia.

If they lost, though…? That would mark real danger for Ronald Koeman’s men.

Of course, though, they’d be helped by the rule that the eight best third-placed teams advance.

Still, a win today would almost certainly take them through with a minimum of 4 points by the end of the group stage.

Alex Pattle20 June 2026 15:50

Interview: How Potter led Sweden to World Cup – ‘Best night of my career’

Sticking on Graham Potter, here’s an interview with the coach from our own part-Swede, Lawrence Ostlere:

A few minutes after the final whistle blew on the play-off final, euphoria still coursing through his veins, Sweden manager Graham Potter gathered his players around him. “Look at this, this is a f*****g team,” he said, pointing at them, before breaking into a broad grin. “And we’re going to the f*****g World Cup, baby!”

Perhaps it was just a throw away line while high on football’s most potent drug, the World Cup. But Potter’s choice of words offered an insight into the unique task of being an international manager, particularly his task. The Swedish FA gave him one job: ‘Get us to the World Cup’.

Alex Pattle20 June 2026 15:41

‘Someone scratched me, or bit me’: Potter’s bizarre celebration injury

Potter was jubilant after his Sweden side beat Tunisia but also appeared to have picked up an injury over the course of the match, as he was pictured bleeding from his right ear.

“I don’t know what happened. Someone scratched me, or bit me. I’ll have to analyse the video footage,” he joked, via Swedish publication Sportbladet.

Alex Pattle20 June 2026 15:30

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Tartan Army blast bagpipes and fly Saltire on boat down Florida creek

Published

47 minutes ago

20 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Three Scotland supporters were filmed blasting bagpipes with a beer in hand as amused locals watched on.

The Tartan Army’s invasion of South Florida appears to be well underway – with one Floridian capturing a bagpiping boat of Scotland’s fans sailing down a creek.

The brilliant video shows three Scotland supporters in their swimming trunks, beers in hand and a Saltire proudly unfurled on board a small boat, sailing past homes in Miami.

The trio can be seen soaking up the rays in the sunshine state as bagpipe music plays from the vessel.

Gesturing to the bemused local filming, the lads let out a deafening Braveheart-style battle – and are met with jubilant cheers back from the locals.

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The footage, captioned: “ The Scots have made it to South Florida”, has quickly become the latest example of the Tartan Army bringing its own unique brand of entertainment to the World Cup.

The video has already racked up 60,000 likes on TikTok and has generated hundreds of comments from Americans who can’t get enough of the Scottish fans.

Having already won over Boston locals during Scotland’s stay in Massachusetts – supporters now appear intent on making just as much noise in Miami.

Despite Friday night’s 1-0 defeat to Morocco, spirits amongst the travelling support remain high as the party continues. Thousands have set off on the journey from New England to Southern Florida, with many insisting Steve Clarke’s side can still pull off a famous result against Brazil.

Scotland know a draw against the five-time world champions on Wednesday would be enough to guarantee a place in the knockout stages and, judging by the scenes on Florida’s waterways, the Tartan Army are showing little sign of abandoning their belief.

Whether by fan zones, city squares or now creekside boat trips soundtracked by the pipes, Scotland’s supporters seem determined to enjoy every moment of a World Cup adventure nearly three decades in the making.

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

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Cambridge residents split on lifelong learning college as some say it’s ‘long overdue’

Published

54 minutes ago

20 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Readers have been sharing their views on the proposal to build a lifelong learning college at the Cambridge Airport site, with strong opinions on education, housing, and transport

David Prince and Cambridgeshire Live readers

16:00, 20 Jun 2026

Cambridgeshire Live readers have shared their opinions on suggestions for a new college at the Cambridge Airport site, with many contributing views on education, housing, and transport. The discussion reveals stark divisions over what the city requires and its future direction.

Cambridge is “already extremely well provided” amid calls for a new “lifelong learning” college on the Cambridge Airport site, the combined authority has stated. Homes England and The Hill Group announced their purchase of the land earlier this month, with plans to construct thousands of homes and a railway station.

A regional training hub is amongst the options the developers are exploring before finalising a masterplan for the site. Antony Carpen, a local resident who operates the Cambridge Town Owl blog, has urged Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to begin discussions to “explore the possibility” of establishing a new lifelong learning college near the proposed Cambridge East station.

He argued this “could help reverse the decline in enrolment in adult skills” and “provide the much-needed facilities that might enable adults looking to retrain in areas with chronic skills shortages to make the change”.

One of Jemima3 says: “The idea of a lifelong learning college is long overdue in Cambridge. Oxford already has a specific site. Cambridge has always been rather blinkered in its approach, and Counsellor Nethsinga typifies this. Madingley Hall used to be brilliant – now given over mostly to conferences and weddings. Plenty of degree associated stuff but not enough to reach Joe Bloggs.

“Otherwise, lifelong learning is spotty, through schools and U3A. Having one focused complex would be a huge boost for the wider population. N.B. not only pensioners. Lifelong learning should mean exactly that, as promised by Blunkett at the turn of the century – that lasted c. 2 minutes, like most Labour Party promises, sadly.”

Over on our Facebook page, Philip C comments: “Since St Neots is the third largest urban area in the county (after Peterborough and Cambridge), with 34,000 residents and growing fast, why not site a new college there?”

Kevin S says: “If anyone wants to build a new xyz they are free to buy the land, get permission etc. Developers will only do more than their requirements if it is financially worthwhile for them, just as those potentially running a service (doctors/dentists/shops) won’t normally jump in from day one and will wait until a large % of development is done. Look at Cambourne and how long it took to get past just Morrisons.”

Adam B adds: “Expensive but they could reroute the railway line from Coldhams Common across Marshall airport, enabling the closure of multiple level crossings, plus allowing Coldhams Lane Bridge to be demolished to allow HGVs to travel this way rather than constantly being made to go through Cherry Hinton.”

Simon W believes: “That whole site will probably get as much as Northstowe has. Maybe a doctor and dental hub like Trumpington, but that’s it. Property brings profit, play parks, social hubs, and education don’t.”

Would you like to see the lifelong learning college built? Comment below or HERE to have your say.

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The Health Impact Of Sucking Your Stomach In All The Time

Published

1 hour ago

20 June 2026

NewsAdmin

The Health Impact Of Sucking Your Stomach In All The Time

Maybe it was your mum telling you to stand up straighter. Maybe it was a fitness instructor constantly reminding you to pull your belly button toward your spine. Or maybe it was the cultural messaging that a flatter stomach is simply more attractive.

For many women, after years of being told to “suck it in” – also referred to as “stomach gripping”– it just becomes a way of life. But physical therapists say the habit can have consequences that go far beyond appearance.

Over time, what starts as a conscious effort can become automatic.

“That becomes an unconscious holding pattern,” Dr. Caroline Packard, a pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of Connect Pelvic Floor Fitness, told HuffPost.

“I call this ab gripping, and I see it all the time clinically in women dealing with pelvic floor symptoms, core dysfunction, back pain, hip pain and breathing restrictions.”

According to Packard, many people assume stomach gripping is simply a bad habit. But in some cases, it’s actually the body’s attempt to compensate for a deeper problem.

“What most people don’t realise is that sometimes the gripping isn’t just a habit,” she said. “It’s the body looking for stability when the deep core system isn’t providing it. When the core’s deeper muscles aren’t coordinating the way they should, the surface muscles step in because something has to.”

“The body is resourceful that way,” she continued. “But surface tension was never designed to be a full-time job.”

Experts say this pattern, sometimes referred to as “hourglass syndrome,” can affect everything from breathing mechanics and pelvic floor function to posture and chronic back pain.

What is ‘hourglass syndrome’?

Hourglass syndrome isn’t a formal medical diagnosis. Rather, it’s a term clinicians use to describe a common pattern of abdominal tension.

According to Packard, years of pulling the stomach inward can train the body to rely on the outer abdominal muscles for stability instead of the deeper muscles that are designed to support breathing, posture and pressure management.

“Hourglass syndrome is what that looks like on the outside,” Packard said. “On the inside, the surface muscles you can grip with are doing too much, and the deeper system that’s supposed to coordinate pressure has gotten quieter and quieter.”

This habit can cause issues with your breathing, pelvic floor and your back

Melissa Brandon, a pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of Homebody Wellness, told HuffPost that the pattern is surprisingly common and often goes unnoticed.

“In my clinical practice, I see underlying abdominal gripping in at least 75% of clients I work with, and it is often subconscious,” she said.

Brandon explains that chronic abdominal tension changes how the body manages pressure.

“Many people think ‘sucking it in’ is a harmless posture habit, but chronic abdominal gripping can fundamentally change the way we breathe, move and coordinate pressure throughout the body,” she said.

Normally, the diaphragm moves downward during inhalation as the rib cage expands and the pelvic floor lengthens in response. But when the upper abs stay tight, breathing becomes more shallow and chest-driven.

Brandon said this can increase reliance on the neck and upper chest muscles, making breathing less efficient and more effortful.

Packard adds that the diaphragm and pelvic floor are meant to function as a coordinated system. When one is restricted, the other is affected.

“When you grip your upper abs, you restrict the diaphragm from being able to lower and expand,” Packard said. “The pelvic floor never gets the input it needs to lengthen.”

Becoming too used to gripping your stomach over time can not only affect your muscles there but other systems in your body — including your breathing.

Over time, this altered pressure system may contribute to urinary leakage, pelvic pressure, prolapse, painful sex and persistent lower back pain.

Packard notes that these symptoms are often misinterpreted as weakness.

“Here’s what surprises people: the pelvic floor in these cases usually isn’t weak in the way people imagine. It’s tight,” Packard explains. “Imagine holding your bicep contracted all day. By the time you actually went to use it, it would be tired and it wouldn’t work very well.”

You can’t simply Kegel your way out of this one

Because of this, she cautions that more Kegels are not always helpful. If the pelvic floor is already shortened and overactive, strengthening alone can reinforce the problem.

Brandon agrees that the first step is not strengthening.

“Stop defaulting to more Kegels,” she said. “For many women, the first step isn’t strengthening. It’s learning how to relax, lengthen and coordinate the system.”

Back pain is also a sign of hourglass syndrome. When the body’s deeper stabilising muscles aren’t coordinating properly, other muscles often compensate. The lower back, hips and rib cage may take on more work than they were designed to handle.

According to Brandon, this can contribute to chronic back pain, tension and difficulties managing pressure through the trunk.

“The diaphragm becomes less efficient, forcing our accessory neck muscles to work harder,” she explains. “Our obliques can become overactive, while our deepest core stabiliser, the transverse abdominis, takes a back seat, leading to back pain and issues with trunk pressure management.”

These are the signs you’ve been ‘gripping’ your stomach too much

Experts say common signs include:

A visible crease beneath the ribs
Difficulty fully relaxing the abdomen
Feeling uncomfortable when you let your stomach soften
Shallow chest breathing
Chronic tension in the jaw, ribs, hips or lower back
Trouble sensing or coordinating the pelvic floor
A persistent lower-belly pooch that doesn’t improve with more abdominal exercises

And this is how you actually start healing

Both Packard and Brandon emphasise that the first step is awareness of when and how abdominal gripping is happening.

Build awareness in real time.
Packard said, “You can’t change a pattern you can’t feel.” Brandon similarly encourages people to regularly check in and ask, “Am I gripping my belly?” The goal is simply noticing the habit without judgment.
Practice relaxing the abdomen, not bracing it.
Both experts stress that early work is about learning to soften the belly repeatedly throughout the day, rather than trying to constantly engage it.
Relearn breathing mechanics through 360-degree expansion.
Packard recommends diaphragmatic or 360-degree breathing, where the focus includes the sides and back of the rib cage — not just the front — to restore more balanced diaphragm movement.
Pay attention to body position.
Packard emphasises stacking the rib cage over the pelvis and pelvis over the feet to support more efficient pressure management and reduce compensatory gripping.
Improve rib mobility.
Gentle side bends, rotations, and breathing into the back and sides of the rib cage can help restore movement in areas that may have become restricted over time.
Focus on coordination before strengthening.
Packard notes that for many people, especially those already holding chronic tension, more Kegels are not the first step. The priority is learning how to relax, lengthen, and coordinate the system before adding strength work.
Undo the habit through repetition, not intensity.
Brandon emphasises that unlearning abdominal gripping takes time and consistency, especially since it is often a subconscious pattern.

“One final reframe: the question of whether the pelvic floor is ‘tight’ or ‘weak’ is, in my view, the wrong question,” Packard said.

Instead, she said it’s important to ask these questions:

Where are you holding tension in your body?
Can you feel your pelvic floor lengthen, like a trampoline descending between your hips, on an inhale?
Can you feel it lift and squeeze on an exhale?
Can you do that smoothly, breath after breath, without gripping somewhere else?
Can you do it while you’re moving?

According to Packard, this is the real measure of pelvic floor health.

“It’s the lens ‘suck it in’ culture has taught generations of women to ignore. Healing ab gripping isn’t about letting yourself go. It’s about letting your body work the way it was designed to work.”

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The Crown Inn, Manfield, praised for ‘delicious food’

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1 hour ago

20 June 2026

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The Crown Inn, Manfield, praised for 'delicious food'

The Crown Inn, located on Vicars Lane in Manfield, currently holds a 4.6-star rating from Google reviews.

The village pub, a short drive from Darlington, has attracted praise from visitors for its food, staff, atmosphere and traditional country inn feel.

Reviewers regularly highlight its real ale, beer garden, roaring fire and dog-friendly approach, with many describing it as a friendly spot for locals, walkers and visitors.

The Crown Inn, located on Vicars Lane in Manfield (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

One recent reviewer praised the pub’s vegetarian and vegan weekend special, saying staff were “very accommodating” with the food.

They wrote: “Went for the vegetarian/vegan weekend special, had a lovely vegan meal. The staff were very accommodating with the food. I hope they include more vegan options in the future, as we will definitely go back.”

The reviewer gave the pub 5/5 for food, service and atmosphere, and also highlighted its quiet noise level, indoor and outdoor seating, and free parking.

Another visitor described The Crown Inn as a “lovely country inn” with a “friendly atmosphere”, recommending the fish and chips.

Others have praised the pub’s classic food and relaxed village setting.

One reviewer called it a “great village pub” after trying the pizza and cheeseburger, while another said the staff were friendly, the food was delicious, and the prices were good.

The pub’s quiz night has also been singled out by visitors.

One reviewer described it as a “great quiz”, saying it takes place on the first Tuesday of the month.

They added that the pub made them fish and chips with a “huge serving”, describing the meal as “very tasty”.

Another customer said the venue remained a “nice friendly village pub”, adding that it had “clean, pleasant surroundings” and “reasonably priced drinks”.

The Crown Inn has also won praise from walkers and dog owners.

One visitor said they called in on a Saturday lunchtime after a long dog walk and found the roaring fire “very welcoming”.

They added: “As was the young chap behind the bar and the chef who talked to us about lunch options. The food was super, and we really enjoyed our visit.”

Another customer praised the service from the bar staff as “top notch” and said the chef even brought sausages out for their Labrador.

They wrote: “Food was unreal, highly recommend the parmo as it was amazing. Nothing but good to say about this place, and I’ll be back there again soon.”

From fish and chips and parmos to vegan specials and pub classics, reviewers appear to agree that the venue offers the kind of friendly, good-value experience expected from a popular village pub.

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Video shows scene of Bedford train crash as passenger describes aftermath

Published

1 hour ago

20 June 2026

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Video shows scene of Bedford train crash as passenger describes aftermath

Nine people remained in hospital on Saturday afternoon following a fatal crash between two East Midlands trains in Bedford on Friday.

British Transport Police Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi sent her “deepest condolences” to the family, friends and colleagues of the train’s driver, who died.

She also said more than 80 people were treated in hospital after the crash at about 17:15 on Friday – with 28 remaining in hospital on Saturday afternoon.

Speaking to the BBC on Friday, passenger Pete Knapp described the crash as being “like a bomb explosion”.

Network Rail has said there will be a “complex recovery operation”, with no trains running between London St Pancras and Bedford over the weekend.

The Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said a “thorough investigation” into how the collision happened would be carried out.

Follow live updates on this story.

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