The World Cup final half-time show featured a number of A-listers

The World Cup half-time show has divided the opinion of the viewing public, with a star-studded performers’ list entertaining the crowd during the break of the final.

With Spain and Argentina playing out a rather turgid first 45 minutes in New Jersey, the game ended 0-0 at the interval and all eyes quickly turned to the much-publicised half-time show.

Football’s governing body FIFA had organised a Super Bowl-style show for the break, with a star-studded line-up of music acts set to perform.

Curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, the show saw Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and K-pop band BTS all take to the stage in front of the 82,500-capacity crowd at the MetLife Stadium and the billions watching around the world.

Earlier this week, FIFA faced backlash after it was reported that the half-time show could last up to 30 minutes, in what would be a breach of the International Football Association Board’s (IFAB) Laws of the Game.

In the end they were forced to cut it down to 17 minutes long.

It began with music legend Madonna dancing to a melody of her old hits, bizarrely accompanied by Brazilian football stars Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.

Then came BTS with their song Dynamite, before Ted Lasso actor Jason Sudeikis, in character, introduced Bieber.

The show then came to an end with Colombian legend Shakira, performing Dai Dai with Burna Boy, the official song of the World Cup 2026.

The official anthem, as with previous tracks from the tournament, has been celebrated over the last few weeks, bringing nations from across the world together for one occasion.

Coldplay star Martin and the Muppets then rounded things off on the pitch with Venezuelan orchestra conductor Gustavo Dudamel, of the prestigious New York Philharmonic.

The show, naturally, saw viewers torn, with may expressing their opinions online.

One said: “That was actually alright, you know.”

Another added: “This feels a bit like that Simpsons episode when Bart and Milhouse eat too many sweets.”

A third said: “This doesn’t feel like the World Cup final. It’s all very weird. Just feels like some football is occasionally taking place around some random nonsense and shouting.”

Hollywood actor Hugh Grant said: “If football was processed cheese.”

Wayne Rooney, meanwhile, in the BBC studio, was pretty blunt in his own assessment.

“I like a lot of those artists, but I thought it was cr*p,” he said, prompting laughs from Micah Richards, Joe Hart and host Gabby Logan.

“Mine was when it finished,” he said of his favourite part. Rooney added: “I like a lot of those artists but I thought it was cr*p. I did, honestly, it just didn’t get me going, I wanted the football to come back on.”

He later explained that he believed Justin Bieber’s performance was “flat”.

“I liked Burna Boy, I like Bieber, I like Shakira but that was too flat,” he fumed.

David and Victoria Beckham were joined by their sons Romeo and Cruz and their girlfriends once again as the family took their seats ahead of the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday night. 

David was once again in a full suit as he stood beside a stylish Victoria, who had missed fellow Spice Girl Mel C‘s wedding over in the UK for the game.   

The youngest Beckham son, 21, was joined by his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 30, who opted for a bright red dress for the occasion. 

Meanwhile Romeo, 23, was sat beside Kim Turnbull, 25, who kept it stylish in a black high collared top. 

Elsewhere Brooklyn Beckham watched the World Cup final from his sofa at home as  Nicola Peltz shared a snap of the back of Brooklyn’s head as he tuned into the Spain vs Argentina game.

On Wednesday the former footballer, 51, and his wife Victoria, 52, were seen with their heads in their hands after the Three Lions lost 2-1 in the semi-final against Argentina. 

And despite the result not being what the Beckham clan had hoped, they were back to watch the final game between Spain and Argentina. 

The youngest Beckham son, 21, was joined by his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 30, who opted for a bright red dress for the occasion 

Romeo, 23, was sat beside Kim Turnbull, 25, who kept it stylish in a black high collared top 

Asked who he thought would take home the trophy, David refused to pick a winner as he sat on the fence due to his loyalties to both Spain and Lionel Messi, who plays for his Inter Miami team. 

He said: ‘Oh my goodness. Obviously I played in Spain, so I have a huge affection for Spain as a country and obviously for their football team. I think they’ve done an exceptional job this World Cup and they deserve to be in the final. 

 ‘And with Argentina, they have Lionel (Messi). Like I speak about Ricardo (Kaka), I’ll speak exactly the same about Lionel because he’s an exceptional player, but an exceptional person with the right values and he treats everyone the way they should be treated. I’m going around the houses…’

As he was pushed for an answer, Beckham replied: ‘I’m going to sit on the fence. I don’t know who’s going to win. I want Lionel to do incredibly well because he’s an exceptional person and player. But Spain are going to be tough to play against.

‘I’m not going to say who I think is going to win. I’m just going to sit on the fence and enjoy the game.’

The crowd then booed in David’s direction, with the former midfielder and Kaka both laughing off the jeers.

The star then joked: ‘I haven’t been booed for a while. I’ve got booed a little bit the other night. I wasn’t expecting it here.’

On Wednesday David looked heartbroken as Argentina knocked England out of the World Cup in Atlanta, Georgia.

David’s son Cruz, 21, consoled his weeping father following a game of mixed emotions in the stands.

Brooklyn Beckham watched the World Cup final from his sofa at home as his entire family supported from the MetLife Stadium on Sunday night

The former footballer, 51, and his wife Victoria, 52, were seen with their heads in their hands after the Three Lions lost 2-1 in the semi-final against Argentina

The couple looked heartbroken after the Three Lions lost 2-1 in the semi-final

David and Victoria watched the devastating semi-final with their children Romeo, 23, Harper, 15, Cruz and his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 30.

The Three Lions had been leading 1-0 when Antony Gordon snuck the ball into the back of the net in the 55th minute.

But just when fans were thinking the job was almost done, Argentina staged a late comeback with both Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martinez scoring goals just seven minutes apart.

Earlier in the game, Victoria leaped into David’s arms as she celebrated England’s goal in the second half.

Posh Spice made sure to celebrate this time round after she was ridiculed for failing to react to Jude Bellingham’s goal in the quarter-finals last week.

The legendary footballer poked fun at his wife becoming an instant meme and insisted she was ‘celebrating on the inside’ after her subdued reaction went viral.

Victoria jumped out of her seat as David roared with victory after Gordon put England 1-0 up against Argentina.

David followed the Three Lions around the US in the hope they would finally take home the World Cup trophy.

The family joined England fans singing the national anthem, only to be drowned out by Argentina fans booing loudly.

David had to face watching his beloved country’s team go against his good friend Lionel Messi, who is part of his Inter Miami team.

Welcome to our live coverage for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix from Spa-Francorchamps. The story of yesterday and in fact the weekend was of everyone trying to dislodge Kimi Antonelli from the top of the timesheets. Spoiler alert if you did not watch qualifying: they failed. 

That is not to say the fight wasn’t a half-decent one. Max Verstappen and Red Bull were the closest challengers in the end, demonstrating an element of revival during a tricky season. Whether that will continue during the race is hard to know. Verstappen certainly thought he would have been further down the field without the tremendous tow he received from Isack Hadjar, his Red Bull team-mate, in the final sector. 

Lando Norris also pushed Verstappen, though was almost half a second down on Antonelli’s time in the end. Unfortunately he will not be able to take advantage of a start from third place because he takes a 10-place grid penalty. George Russell, who has managed to reduce his Mercedes team-mate’s advantage to just 25 points in the past few rounds, was fourth and will start third. He did however, have a difficult session once again, finishing more than half a second off his team-mate. 

He was at a loss to explain this. Well, he knows where he lost most of the time: on the straights. But he still does not understand exactly why it is happening. The good news for him is that third place is often the most optimal starting position at this track. 

Will that be the case today? Let’s see…

A statement from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service reads: “We are currently attending a fire in the open at Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.

“Four fire appliances are at the scene. We were alerted at 6.38pm on Sunday, 19 July.

“There is no need to call Operations Control regarding this incident.”

Reports are coming in of a burst pipe in Leeman Road this evening (July 19).

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People across Acomb and Holgate are reporting low water pressure and some homes appear to have been left without water.

North Yorkshire Police are also at the scene and have asked the public to avoid the area.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Avoid Salisbury Road (off Water End) due to water in the road

“There is a significant flood affecting Salisbury Road, Salisbury Terrace and surrounding roads.

Burst water main in Leeman Road, York (Image: Daniel Innes)

“We are at the scene now, assisting residents, alongside Yorkshire Water and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

“Roads are impassable and closed. Please avoid the area and find alternative routes for your journeys.”

Yorkshire Water have been contacted for comment – once we receive their reply, we will update this story.

More to follow.

“I think you always believe it’s never going to happen to me.” That is how one parent described learning that their newborn baby had been identified as being at possible risk of a rare genetic condition through routine newborn screening.

Known as the newborn blood spot test, or heel prick test, this involves taking a small blood sample from a baby’s heel to check whether they may have one of several rare but serious conditions. These are conditions where early treatment can make a major difference.

The test has transformed thousands of children’s lives by identifying serious, treatable conditions before symptoms appear.

But screening also brings challenges. The UK National Screening Committee recommends screening only when the benefits outweigh possible harms, including false alarms, missed cases, treatment that is not needed, uncertain findings and anxiety.

For most families, screening happens during the overwhelming first days of caring for a newborn. Pregnancy scans and routine tests may not have identified any concerns. Research suggests it is not always clear to parents that this screening is designed to identify rare conditions in babies who appear completely healthy.

This is because screening reverses the usual route to finding out that something may be wrong. Typically, symptoms appear first and parents seek medical advice. With newborn screening, the possibility of a serious condition may be raised before symptoms appear. This can make the result feel, as one parent described it, “a complete bolt from the blue”.

Most parents have no family history of the condition identified. They simply do not imagine their baby could be affected. The routine nature of screening can also mask this possibility – it can seem like something “everyone does” for reassurance, rather than something that could bring life-changing news.

Screening is only the start

Many parents expect screening to give simple yes-or-no answers: either everything is normal, or their baby definitely has a condition. In reality, screening is more complex.

A negative result means the condition is not suspected – although in rare cases, this can turn out to be false. A positive result means the baby may have the condition, and further tests are needed.

Screening is the start of a process, rather than a definitive answer. But when parents are told their baby has a positive screening result, they may hear it as a diagnosis, even though further tests are often needed.

Parents can experience intense distress after receiving a positive newborn screening result. Our research has shown that shock, disbelief, denial and anger are common.

The first conversation with healthcare professionals can shape how parents understand what is happening. Studies suggest that who communicates screening results, how they do it, and where the conversation takes place can all strongly influence parents’ early response. For some families, it marks the beginning of a long-term relationship with specialist healthcare teams.

Research we have conducted with parents points to several ways this experience can be improved. Where possible, parents prefer to receive the information together, so both hear the same information at the same time and neither has to relay complex news.

Parents also value hearing from healthcare professionals with expertise in the suspected condition. Although non-specialist clinicians may sometimes be able to deliver results faster, our recent research on attitudes to newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy found that speaking with someone who can answer immediate questions, explain what happens next and acknowledge uncertainty can help reduce anxiety.

Clinicians, meanwhile, need to give parents enough information to help them understand the result and make decisions, without overwhelming families who are already distressed. Structured approaches to communicating screening results can help clinicians strike this balance.

Spinal muscular atrophy

These communication challenges are becoming more urgent as newborn screening expands. We will explore them further in a new evaluation study focusing on newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy, known as SMA, in England.

SMA is a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. It affects the nerves that control movement, so babies and children can have difficulty moving, swallowing and breathing. Its most severe infant form, type 1 SMA, was historically often fatal before the age of two without treatment. Today, newer treatments are dramatically improving prospects, especially when started early.

Our study will explore how much information parents want about their child’s screening result, when they want to receive it, and who they would prefer to hear it from. This will help shape how results are communicated if screening is expanded.

Newborn screening remains a vital public health programme, with strong support from parents and healthcare professionals. As screening programmes evolve to include more conditions, communication with families needs the same level of attention as the science behind the tests.

The Generation Study, a research programme led by Genomics England in partnership with NHS England, is exploring newborn genomic screening. This means looking at a baby’s DNA to identify rare conditions that may benefit from early treatment.

The study aims to sequence the genomes of up to 100,000 newborn babies in England, and is looking for changes linked to more than 200 rare genetic conditions.

Parents need to know that newborn screening can bring reassuring results – but that it can also raise difficult possibilities. They need clear information before screening, and careful communication if a result suggests their baby may have a serious condition.

A screening result is more than a laboratory finding. For parents, the first contact with clinicians can be one of the most significant conversations of their lives. How that conversation is handled can shape their early experience of the healthcare system, and the trust they place in it.

Timely, accurate and compassionate communication is essential if newborn screening is to deliver its full promise.

“There is so much support and everyone checks in with you. It really is like a family.”

A mum-of-six and grandmother of two has achieved her lifelong dream by graduating as a registered nurse. Laura Carley has now taken up her post at the Ulster Hospital, but she faced challenges along the way such as her mother becoming ill, and the devastating loss of her sister.

The 42-year-old proudly put on her nursing uniform and took up her post on the wards this week after years of study, determination, and balancing family life.

Laura said nursing was a natural career choice as she had always wanted to work in a caring profession. She explained: “The journey has been a long one.

“I completed a university access course and then studied for a HNC (Higher National Certificate). During that time, I had baby number five and then baby number six.

“From there, I applied to Queen’s University and was accepted. The first year of university was plain sailing, but during my second year, my mum became critically ill in Scotland.”

Laura said her mother later returned to Northern Ireland to receive treatment at the Ulster Hospital.

“We spent a lot of time with her and then mum came back here, to be cared for in the Ulster Hospital. She spent several weeks here and underwent a number of surgeries,” she added.

During this already challenging period, Laura was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and suffered the devastating loss of her sister.

Laura reflected: “We donated my sister’s organs through the Ulster Hospital, so I feel a real connection to this hospital. I would not want to work anywhere else.”

Encouraging others who may be considering a career in nursing later in life, Laura said: “It is hard work, but it is doable. There is so much support and everyone checks in with you. It really is like a family.

“I have six children at home who range in age from six to twenty one and we work as a team. I would not be here, wearing this uniform today, without them. It has been a real team effort to get here.”