In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

Heavy security personnel has been deployed across South Africa because of fears that anti-immigration protests could turn violent as President Cyril Ramaphosa urged those planning to take part to do so without “intimidation, threats or ultimatums”.

The planned protests mark an unofficial deadline set by campaigners for all undocumented foreigner to leave the country.

Many have already fled to escape violence and intimidation. South African police say 25,000 have been repatriated so far. Most are from other African countries.

One undocumented Malawian told the BBC he was “happy to be going back” but “heartbroken” to be leaving behind four young children.

Johannesburg, where one of the protests is planned, is unusually quiet and all the shops in the vicinity of where marchers are due to gather are closed.

Ramaphosa has repeatedly warned demonstrators to act peacefully and responsibly, while also accepting the need for immigration reforms.

“Some foreign nationals who live in South Africa are here lawfully,” he reminded citizens in his weekly newsletter, external.

“They work, study, raise families, invest in our economy and contribute positively to our society. They too are entitled to the protection of our laws and our Constitution.

“The right to protest and freedom of expression does not allow people to threaten or intimidate others, or to engage in acts of vandalism or violence,” he wrote.

There are more than three million documented foreign nationals in South Africa, according to official figures.

Ahead of the deadline, thousands of migrants have been awaiting processing in temporary camps for several weeks out of fear for their safety.

From avoiding confrontation to validating emotions, these five simple steps can help you respond more effectively to a child’s anxiety

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Words by

Dr Emily Crosby

June 30, 2026

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From avoiding confrontation to validating emotions, these five simple steps can help you respond more effectively to a child’s anxiety

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1) Be curious

When supporting a child or young person, start with curiosity. Try to explore what might be going on beneath the surface, rather than assuming you already know the cause. As adults, it is natural to reach conclusions quickly, but a child’s experience may be very different from what we expect. Staying open-minded allows space for underlying worries, unmet needs or hidden pressures to emerge.

Image: Ketut Subiyanto 

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2) Avoid confrontation

Children are far more likely to open up when they feel emotionally safe. A calm, non-confrontational tone helps prevent them from feeling blamed or judged. Try to frame the difficulty as something they are experiencing, rather than something they are. When young people sense that they will be met with understanding rather than criticism, they are more willing to seek and accept support.

Image: Ketut Subiyanto 

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3) Label and validate feelings and emotions

Anxiety can be confusing, particularly for younger children who may struggle to name what they are experiencing. Offering possible words for their emotions can help – are they feeling worried, overwhelmed or frustrated? Validate those feelings and let them know that whatever they’re feeling is OK. When emotions are acknowledged rather than dismissed, children feel safer talking about them.

Image: Jordan Whitt 

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4) Go at their pace and offer a safe space

Follow the young person’s lead, especially at the beginning of a conversation. If an adult pushes too quickly for answers or solutions, the child may retreat. Allow pauses. Accept partial explanations. Make it clear that they can share as much or as little as they feel able to. This steady approach helps them feel contained, supported and in control of their story.

Image: Vitaly Gariev 

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5) Offer solutions when they are ready and regulated

Problem-solving is important, but timing matters. When a child is overwhelmed, their thinking brain is less accessible. Focus first on helping them feel calm and understood. Once they are more settled, you can gently explore possible next steps together. Approaching solutions collaboratively, rather than imposing them, strengthens confidence and resilience.

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Image: Pham Nghia

Main image: Xavier Mouton

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Motorists wishing to use the A11 this Tuesday morning, be warned: You will face local diversions in the wake of today’s pre-dawn crash.

A National Highways spokesperson said in an online statement: “Traffic is being diverted via local routes.

They added: “If this closure impacts on your planned route, please allow extra journey time. Plan ahead, you may wish to re-route or even delay your journey.”

The German media reacted with shock and condemnation after the four-time World champions were knocked out of the 2026 edition by Paraguay.

Germany have failed to reach the last-16 in any of the past three tournaments, haven’t won a World Cup knockout game since the final in Rio de Janeiro in 2014.

Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, who at the age of 38 became the youngest coach in a World Cup knockout ⁠stage in 40 years, opted for an offensive line-up, giving ​his ⁠team’s top scorer in the tournament, Deniz Undav, his first start.

The Germans thought they ⁠had snatched a winner in the 102nd minute when defender Jonathan Tah headed in a corner at the far post but after a ‌lengthy VAR review the goal ​was disallowed for a foul on the keeper.

They then ‌saw Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah fail ​to score from the spot before Jose Canale, after two misses by the South Americans, kept his composure to seal Paraguay’s win.

Bild called it a “disastrous performance … In their first World Cup knockout match since winning the title in 2014, Julian Nagelsmann’s team delivered a truly awful performance for much of the game. Slow. Boring. Lethargic. It’s another German football nightmare!”

De Zeit bemoaned a “lack of imagination” and accused the team of beating themselves. “They have lost all sense of their former glory,” Christian Spiller wrote, pointing to a wider decline in German football beyond the powerhouse of Bayern Munich.

This exit was even more “embarrassing” than that of 2022, according to Süddeutsche Zeitung, when Germany were knocked out in the group stage, because the team were somewhat unlucky in Qatar. Not this time, when they simply didn’t have the answers.

There was also some sympathy for the German team after they were denied what appeared a legitimate goal by Tah in extra time.

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp likened Tah’s disallowed goal to many Arsenal had successfully scored throughout the Premier League season.

Klopp, who is working for German television during the World Cup, told MagentaTV: “If the goal is illegal, then Arsenal won’t be English champions. They’ve scored 60 per cent of their goals that way. We [Germany] win the game when the ball goes in. So, of course, this is brutal.”

Elsewhere, French outlet L’Equipe called it the “biggest shock of the World Cup so far” and Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport hailed Paraguay, who “fought with great heart and determination for every ball”.

And in Spain, Marca’s story ran: “There’s nothing left of Germany. Not even in the penalty shootout.”

A JetBlue pilot reported colliding with a drone while attempting to land at John F Kennedy Airport in New York this weekend.

The FAA launched an investigation but said no damage was found on the aircraft.

A JetBlue spokesperson said of the reported collision: ‘The flight landed without incident, customers deplaned normally, and the plane was removed from service for a post-flight inspection, which found no damage or evidence of a collision.’

The terrifying encounter came just days after another near-miss at Newark Airport in New Jersey.

The jet was approaching the runway at Newark Airport, New Jersey, at around 4.20pm local time (9.20pm BST) on Friday when it flew over the device, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

In a call to air traffic control, the pilot said: ‘We almost hit a drone,’ adding the drone was only ‘about 100 feet below us’.

The Boeing 737 was carrying 106 passengers from Key West in Florida and had five crew members on board at the time.

In a statement, United Airlines said: ‘United flight 1513 reported a potential drone sighting prior to arriving in Newark.

‘The flight landed safely, and customers deplaned normally at the gate.’

In a separate call, another pilot flying into Newark reported seeing the drone flying at around 2,000ft.

More than 100 drone sightings near airports are reported to the agency every month. Flying a drone in a controlled airspace without authorisation is illegal in the US and can be punishable with jail time.

In the UK, the flying of drones is banned within five kilometres of an airport. This has been the case since March 2019, when the size of ‘no-fly zones’ around airports was increased.

Then-aviation minister Liz Sugg said: ‘Flying drones illegally puts others at risk both in the air and on the ground, so it’s vital they are used safely.

‘The majority of people using drones want to do so responsibly, so we have expanded a national campaign to ensure they know the rules – and the penalties.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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The council says the existing catchment arrangements no longer reflect changes in housing, population growth and planned residential developments.

A public consultation on proposed changes to the catchment areas of four primary schools in Hamilton has been approved by councillors.

At the Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday (June 24), councillors agreed to begin the statutory consultation process on plans aimed at balancing pupil numbers across St Mary’s Primary, St Paul’s Primary, St Peter’s Primary and Our Lady and St Anne’s Primary.

The council says the existing catchment arrangements no longer reflect changes in housing, population growth and planned residential developments, with St Mary’s Primary in particular facing increasing pressure on capacity.

The school currently has 451 pupils despite having a planned capacity of 450, with projections suggesting its roll could rise to more than 520 if all known housing developments within its catchment are completed.

Under the proposals, part of St Mary’s catchment would be transferred to St Paul’s Primary School, including the site of the proposed redevelopment of the former University of the West of Scotland campus. Around 350 new homes are expected to be built there, potentially generating around 34 additional denominational primary pupils.

Several existing residential areas would also move into the St Paul’s catchment, including parts of Bothwell Road, Arthur Street, Hamilton Park and The Furlongs development.

The report states that St Paul’s has sufficient capacity to accommodate both existing pupils from the proposed rezoned area and those expected from future housing developments.

The council is also proposing to remove two long-standing “optional catchment” areas where families have been able to choose between two Catholic primary schools.

One proposal would permanently assign an area currently shared between St Mary’s and St Peter’s Primary to St Peter’s. Council figures show around two-thirds of families in that area have already chosen St Peter’s over the past two school sessions.

The second proposal would remove the option between St Peter’s and Out Lady and St Anne’s Primary, assigning the area permanently to Our Lady and St Anne’s. Around 70 per cent of families in the area have already opted for Our Lady and St Anne’s in recent years.

Council officers say the changes would make better use of available school capacity while easing pressure on St Mary’s and providing greater certainty over future school planning.

If the proposals are approved following consultation, the new catchment arrangements would apply to children enrolling in primary one for the 2027/28 academic year.

The council has confirmed that children already attending any of the affected schools will be able to remain there. Families with younger siblings enrolling between 2027 and 2032 will also be able to choose to send them to the same school, regardless of any catchment changes.

As part of the statutory consultation process, public meetings will be held to allow parents, residents and other stakeholders to give their views before any final decision is made.

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Flooring issues and the theft of sprinklers has caused plenty of disruption at the popular family attraction this year

Blackpill Lido will be reopened to the public “in the coming weeks”, Swansea Council has said. The popular family attraction is currently out of action since May 26, when temporary fencing was erected after flooring had come away in some areas.

Before that issue, the actions of thieves forced its opening to be postponed after four stainless steel water fountain sprinklers were stolen on April 19. It prompted a police investigation with officers appealing for anyone with information on the theft to come forward.

Swansea Council has now confirmed that contractors are nearing the end of their work to repair damage. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here.

The council’s cabinet member for development, Andrew Williams, said: “The theft of the sprinklers at the attraction, along with the need to complete emergency repairs, has left us all frustrated that families cannot enjoy this popular attraction during the recent spells of hot weather.

“However, the good news is that we are coming to the end of these issues.

“Contractors have informed us they are nearing completion of their works.

“Once this has been done, we can start the process of refilling the pool, which takes a few days.

“Our aim will be to reopen the Lido within the next few weeks and ensure families can enjoy the attraction throughout the school summer holidays.”

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