North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways is being recommended to back the introduction of 20mph zones on various roads in Embsay and Eastby, near Skipton, when the proposal is considered this week.

The scheme was developed following concerns raised by residents, Embsay with Eastby Parish Council and the local councillor over road safety, particularly because Embsay Church of England Primary School is located in the village.

Speed surveys, collision data and local engagement were carried out before officers concluded that a 20mph zone, supported by traffic calming measures, would be the most appropriate solution.

Council figures show there have been nine personal injury collisions in the area over the past 15 years, including two serious collisions.

The proposals were formally advertised last summer and attracted 12 responses, including 11 objections.

Several objectors questioned whether reducing the speed limit was necessary and raised concerns about its location.

However, highways officers have dismissed those concerns, saying the roads are suitable for a lower limit and that the changes are expected to be largely self-enforcing.

In a report to councillors, officers say they do not believe the scheme will significantly alter the speeds of most drivers but will help reduce higher speeds, better reflect the changing road layout and increase motorists’ awareness of potential hazards.

The report adds that lower speed limits can improve quality of life for residents.

It highlights Department for Transport guidance suggesting that maintaining a steady speed, even at a lower limit, can result in shorter and more reliable journey times

Officers also reject suggestions that the proposals would harm the local economy or create significant delays.

The council says the scheme has the support of North Yorkshire Police, which would be responsible for enforcing the new limit, as well as the parish council and local member.

If approved, the new 20mph zones will cost an estimated £30,000, funded from the council’s existing road safety capital budget.

Officers are recommending that the Traffic Regulation Order is made and sealed, allowing the new limits to come into force despite the objections received.

When an adult refuses to let an injustice pass – stands up to a bully, or asserts their rights – we call it principle. When a fifteen-year-old retaliates to an insult thrown in a school corridor, risking detention, we call it a failure to think ahead. It’s easy to ascribe this to a not-yet-developed teenage brain: a convenient shorthand for assuming they simply cannot weigh consequences properly.

But this misunderstands the teenage brain. It works in a way that has been shaped by evolution for a unique and uniquely challenging time of life.

Humans repay kindness with kindness, bristle when they are cheated, and want rule-breakers to be made to pay. Infants of eight months already prefer those who behave well towards others, and the willingness to punish someone who breaks a rule grows stronger as children get older. Getting your own back registers in the brain’s reward system as genuinely pleasurable.

This is the argument at the heart of my research in evolutionary criminology. Punishment is one of the mechanisms that allowed cooperation to evolve. A group where cheating goes unanswered is a group that eventually stops cooperating. The teenager who hits back in the corridor is running on an ancient programme.

Adolescence turns the volume on these impulses up, and there are good reasons for that.

Why fifteen is different

The brain’s reward system, and the ventral striatum in particular, becomes far more responsive during the teenage years, peaking in mid-adolescence. The prefrontal cortex, which allows a person to inhibit an impulse rather than act on it, continues to develop into the third decade of life.

Adolescence is when a young person has to step away from their family and find a footing among peers. A brain that feels rewards keenly, that explores, that cares enormously what other people think and that defends its standing is well suited to that job.

The presence of friends alone is enough to raise risk-taking and to activate reward circuitry in ways that do not happen when teenagers are alone. Sensitivity to peer judgment and exclusion runs higher in adolescence than at any other point in life.

The price of the sensible choice

Teenagers do weigh up what they are doing. The costs that weigh most heavily on them are social, and adults consistently underestimate how heavy they are. Walking away in front of an audience can cost a young person their standing, and standing is the thing they most need at that age.

A brain this sensitive to its surroundings will take its shape from whatever those surroundings contain. Exposure to high-risk environments and offending peers accounts for a very large share of whether young people break rules at all.

This sensitivity is also why researchers increasingly describe adolescence as a window of opportunity. A calm environment that prioritises fair outcomes and in which people are treated with respect will shape how teenagers behave.

Knowledge into practice

If a young person trusts the system to deliver a just outcome, their brain’s urgent need for retribution is dialled down, allowing the prefrontal cortex to catch up. At school, this might mean an approach where a trained staff member mediates a conversation between conflicting students, ensuring both are heard and a mutually acceptable resolution is reached, rather than relying on punishment.

At home, it could be as simple as a parent consistently and calmly intervening in a sibling dispute to reach a fair outcome, rather than letting children “sort it out themselves” and risk the more powerful one imposing their will.

Teachers and parents can also try to create an environment where the rewarding thing to do and the sensible thing to do point in the same direction. For instance, a school could create a peer-to-peer tutoring program where helping a classmate is also recognised with privileges or public acknowledgement – making it the “sensible” choice for social standing.

At home, this could involve framing chores not as a burdensome duty, but as a contribution to the family team, with the reward being more family leisure time together. This aligns the immediate payoff with the long-term benefit.

Another important strategy is to leave young people a way to back down without losing face. In a school, a teacher witnessing a brewing conflict might privately offer both students a “cooling-off” pass to a designated safe space, framing it as a chance to deescalate rather than as a punishment for fighting.

At home, a parent might say, “I can see you’re really angry right now. I need you to choose how you want to handle this: we can talk it through now, or you can take 20 minutes to cool off and we’ll come back to it. Your call.” This allows the teenager to disengage from a confrontation without appearing weak in front of peers or siblings.

Adolescence takes its shape from whatever we surround it with, which makes it the most promising few years we have to positively shape a life. It’s a window of opportunity where the right support, fair systems and understanding environments can have a greater impact than at almost any other stage of development.

An 11-year-old girl drowned in east London after going into the river Thames to get a friend’s shoe, an inquest has heard.

Kaliyah Coa was with friends at Barge House Causeway on an inset day on March 31, 2025, when she went into the water.

Nathan Guy who lives near the jetty said he saw five children playing near the jetty when he heard one say ‘you made me throw it’.

He saw Kliyah using a scooter to get to the shoe but one of the other children said it was too expensive.

Concerned for their welfare he told police: ‘I saw the girl by the river. I called 999 and went back to the door and saw the girls struggling in the water. I turned away then I saw her head under the water.’

Emergency crews were called including the Coastguard, but Kaliyah’s body was not recovered until two weeks later on April 13.

Shortly after she went missing, her aunt Jade-Leanne Coa started a fundraiser which has since raised more than £10,000.

She wrote: ‘Kaliyah was the light of our lives — full of warmth, laughter, and so much love. The pain of her absence is indescribable, but the love she inspired in others, including so many of you, is something we will always hold close.’

Pathologist professor Alan Bates said Kaliyah was an otherwise healthy child, concluding her cause of death was immersion after water was found in her airways and lungs.

Her parents, grandmother, uncle and aunts attended an inquest where coroner Graeme Irvine recorded an accidental death finding that she had died from immersion in the River Thames.

The court heard she had been to a birthday party the day before then asked her dad if she could stay for a sleepover.

He was initially against the sleepover, but after speaking to her friend’s dad, he agreed.

The following morning, the children made themselves breakfast before going to a nearby park and then to the causeway.

She contacted her dad and asked if she could ‘dip her toes’ in the water. He said in his statement that he first thought it was a joke but then ‘reminded her that where she was was not a beach’.

Kaliyah replied: ‘Pops, I know about the currents.’

He later added: ‘I was now angry that no adult from the house didn’t tell me they were outside.’

In his summary, coroner Mr Irvine said that there was no evidence of ‘dark intent’ or anything suspicious.

He said: ‘These were children who were friends. It is a testament of Kaliyah as a confident and helpful and kind child that she tried to help her friend.’

He added that entering the Thames would have been dangerous due to the currents and conditions.

Mr Irvine said the other children should not be criticised for not entering the water to rescue Kaliyah, as there is ‘no Good Samaritan law’ in England and Wales.

He said: ‘This is a case that has haunted me from the moment I received it in April 2025. I see this as a tragic accident.

‘The circumstances of Kaliyah’s death were completely unexpected. The shock that the family must have felt must have seriously impacted their grief.

‘I want to offer my sincere condolences to all of Kaliyah’s family and friends. Please accept my condolences.’

The former Mayor of Greater Manchester took office on Monday (July 20) following Sir Keir Starmer’s official resignation.

Burnham pledged to deliver a “circuit breaker for Britain” and return stability to government in his first speech outside No 10.

He promised a new political and economic model after becoming the UK’s seventh Prime Minister since 2016.

Burnham said: “I am acutely conscious that I am the sixth person in the last 10 years to walk up this street, the seventh prime minister since 2016, making this a moment for reflection and new resolution.

“It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge.

“Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again.”

He also repeated his commitment to “take power out of Westminster” and give the public more control over “life’s essentials,” vowing to set out a 10-year plan later this year.

Who is in Andy Burnham’s cabinet after the reshuffle?

The cabinet has seen a significant reshuffle reflecting both continuity and change.

Here is the full list of Mr Burnham’s cabinet:

• Chancellor – John Healy
• Foreign Secretary – Ed Milliband
• Home Secretary – Shabana Mahmood
• Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and First Secretary of State  – Louise Haigh
• Health Secretary – Yvette Cooper
• Defence Secretary – Wes Streeting
• Work and Pensions Secretary – Pat McFadden
• Housing Secretary – Angela Rayner
• Housing Minister – Matthew Pennycook
• Business Secretary – Jonathan Reynolds
• Education Secretary – Lucy Powell
• Justice Secretary – Alex Norris
• Transport Secretary – Heidi Alexander

Heidi Alexander was one of the few who kept their roles, remaining as Transport Secretary (Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

• Culture Secretary – Lisa Nandy
• Environment Secretary – Dame Angela Eagle
• Energy Secretary – Miatta Fahnbulleh
• Minister of State – Hamish Falconer
• Minister of State (AI) – Kanishka Narayan
• Chief Whip – Anneliese Midgley
• Chief Secretary to the Treasury – Emma Reynolds
• Women and Equalities Minister – Bridget Phillipson
• Attorney General – Ellie Reeves
• Leader of the Commons – Alan Campbell
• Leader of the Lords – Baroness Smith of Basildon
• Northern Ireland Secretary – Sir Chris Bryant
• Secretary of State for Scotland – Douglas Alexander
• Wales Secretary – Stephen Kinnock

Andy Burnham outlines priorities as he becomes Prime Minister

Burnham outlined his priorities, which include building more council homes, reforming the education system to help young people into work, and creating a more “preventative state” to invest in people’s success.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, in a letter to Burnham, urged him to commit to spending cuts, rule out tax rises, and grant licences for the North Sea’s Rosebank and Jackdaw.

She also urged him to overturn the ban on new oil and gas licences.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski urged the Prime Minister to impose rent controls, bring the water industry into public ownership, and introduce wealth taxes.

He enters No 10 after formally accepting the invitation to govern in a private audience with the King.

His predecessor Sir Keir resigned after just two years in office, stating that he was leaving the country “stronger and fairer.”

Following his speech, Burnham was greeted with applause and hugs from supporters, before entering No 10 with his wife Marie-France van Heel.

They were welcomed by Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo and cheered in by Downing Street staff.

What do you think of Andy Burnham’s choices for his cabinet? Let us know in the comments.

The US military says it launched another round of strikes against Iran to “further degrade” its capabilities to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The strikes – the 10th consecutive night of attacks – come after US President Donald Trump vowed to punish Iran for the deaths of US soldiers.

In response, Iran said it struck two oil tankers in the waterway, as well as US military assets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, state news agency IRNA reported.

President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was now fighting a “full-scale war” with the US. Trump earlier said Iran had been hit “very hard” the previous night “in honour” of three US soldiers killed recently – two in Jordan and one in Iraq.

US Central Command (Centcom) said its latest strikes had hit Iranian “military command centres, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems”.

Explosions were reported near the north-western city of Tabriz, where state media said one person was killed and several wounded, as well at the Gulf ports of Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini and the south-eastern ports of Chabahar and Konarak.

Centcom also insisted that commercial vessels were continuing to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran meanwhile said its forces struck two oil tankers as they attempted to transit through what it called the strait’s “unsafe and hazardous southern route” and rescue teams were picking up their crews, according to state media.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz had reported being struck by an unknown projectile, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel and board a lifeboat.

It was not clear whether the tanker reported by UKMTO was among those cited by Iran.

Six fuel tankers and cargo ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, according to preliminary data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler. Two of these vessels had previously been sanctioned by the US for links with Iran.

This is down from eight vessels crossing on 19 July, the data shows. All but one of the crossings made on 20 July were via the northern route near Iran.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also claimed to have targeted a data centre belonging to the US company Amazon in Bahrain, according to state media on Tuesday.

The IRGC “attacked and destroyed the central data infrastructure of the American company Amazon in Bahrain with several cruise missiles,” state news agency IRNA reported.

Jordan said on Tuesday that it had intercepted five drones after saying it had shot down three missiles late on Monday. Bahrain said drones launched by Iran had targeted its air navigation systems – but traffic remained unaffected. Kuwait’s armed forces also said they had intercepted Iranian drones.

At the same time, Tehran said diplomatic messages were still being exchanged by both sides through intermediaries, despite a collapse of a ceasefire.

On Monday night the Department of Defense confirmed the identities of two of the US soldiers – Pte Isabella Gonzales, 19, from Texas, and Lt Tyler James Feehan, 25, from Hawaii – who were killed in an Iranian strike on the Muwaffaq Salti base in Jordan over the weekend.

Centcom said earlier a third service member also went missing in action after the attack, and unidentified remains were later found in the area.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi gave a curious message to his players just moments before their World Cup final defeat by Spain, new footage has revealed.

Spain beat the 2022 world champions 1-0 at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, triumphing thanks to Ferran Torres‘ goal in extra time after dominating the ball in one of the most one-sided World Cup finals ever staged.

Argentina, who had controversially edged past Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland before knocking England out in the semi-finals, were heavily criticised for their aggressive tackling and dirty tactics throughout the tournament – and their World Cup campaign ended in disgrace as they became embroiled in a mass brawl with Spain’s players after the final whistle. 

Speculation that something was not quite right within Argentina’s camp has been circulating on social media after new footage of Messi addressing his players before the final was shared to social media on Monday.

In the video, as Messi prepares to lead Argentina out holding his country’s pennant flag, he turns to his players who appear strangely downbeat and gloomy and says: ‘Come on, guys, stay calm, folks. Let’s stay calm, guys. Let’s just think about playing, stay calm. Let’s forget about everything. Let’s just think about playing, folks.’

The curious message has led many fans to speculate whether Argentina’s camp were in the right frame of mind heading into the huge match.

Advertisement

Lionel Messi delivered a curious message to his Argentina stars before the World Cup final

Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain ended with a disgraceful brawl on the pitch

Some supporters have theorised whether Messi was telling his team-mates to forget about world football’s negative perception of them throughout the tournament, amid claims that World Cup referees had favoured Argentina in decisions throughout the knockout stage.

After staging a late comeback to win 3-2 against Egypt in the last 16, opposition manager Hossam Hassan furiously accused FIFA of rigging the World Cup after a string of controversial refereeing decisions went against his side.

Switzerland were also furious at officials after their 3-1 defeat by Argentina in the quarter-finals, as forward Breel Embolo was shown a controversial second yellow card following a VAR review.

Other supporters have suggested that Argentina’s stars were emotional about the prospect of playing with 39-year-old all-time great Messi for the final time at the World Cup, despite him not having officially retired yet.

Argentina reacted disgracefully to Spain’s celebrations at the full-time whistle as Leandro Paredes was sent off for throttling Eric Garcia and throwing Gavi to the floor in shameful scenes.

Nahuel Molina also punched Rodri in the torso as he was running by, while Thiago Almada was involved, too. 

Their emotional manager Lionel Scaloni then stormed out of his press conference in tears, saying: ‘We need time to reset and form another group like this one. It’ll be hard to recreate this one. It hurts my soul, I’m sorry.’

Responding to the video of Messi on social media, one fan posted: ‘I know Spain are a quality team, but Argentina’s performance genuinely left me baffled. They looked nothing like the team we’ve come to know. 

‘There was no intensity, no urgency, no excitement completely different from the energy they showed in their previous games. Something felt off about that performance. I still can’t explain what I watched.’

A second fan said in a post: ‘Argentina knew they couldn’t beat Spain so were trying to just make it to penalties.’

A third posted: ‘Something weird is going on here. Very weird. Lionel’s pep talk, Enzo’s eyes, Licha’s red nose… something VERY weird happened before the final. 

‘Neither Messi, nor De Paul, nor Paredes, nor Dibu, NO ONE is posting anything on social media. Minimally weird.’

Another conspiracy theorist added: ‘At the Qatar final, they got off the bus totally unhinged, tearing through everything. Something happened, some argument with Scaloni, Tapia told them something, some FIFA sanction, I don’t know. 

‘They were wrecked physically and mentally. I insist, something really shady went down there and we’re gonna find out about it in 40 years.’

Messi was in tears at the end of the game and refused to watch Spain lift the World Cup trophy

Advertisement

Fans were not afraid to offer their speculative theories on social media in response to the video

Argentina also made headlines after the World Cup final defeat for refusing to watch Spain lift the trophy.

The defeated finalists collected their silver medals from FIFA supremo Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump on the stage at the MetLife Stadium but decided not to watch as Spain lifted the trophy – which is customary in finals of major tournaments.

Instead, the Argentina players, coaching team and staff walked over to the end where the majority of their fans were located and spent time gazing into the crowd with glossy eyes.

Belong Atherton was named in care comparison website Lottie’s list of the top 100 UK care homes for 2026, repeating their success in the 2025 rankings.

Martin Rix, chief executive of Belong, said: “To be recognised as a top UK care provider for a second consecutive year demonstrates the unwavering dedication and effort of our team in providing outstanding care and support for residents and their loved ones.

“Our unique village model enables us to readily adapt our service to our residents’ preferences, enabling every individual to set the pace of their lives, resulting in a truly personalised experience.”

The awards add to a growing list of achievements for both villages, which are rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Belong Wigan previously earned a perfect 10/10 rating from carehome.co.uk and was ranked among the top 20 care homes in the North West for 2026.

Both Wigan and Atherton sites have also been shortlisted for the national Dementia Care Awards and national Palliative & End-of-life Care Awards.

The recognition reflects a commitment to high-quality, specialist care.

The son of a resident at Belong Atherton praised the care provided.

He said: “When choosing a care home, the only one we visited was Belong as it had everything we needed and had a good feel about it.

“The staff were always very caring, however in the last few weeks of Mum’s life we realised just how caring they were, many of the staff treated Mum like she could have been their mother, which was very comforting.”

More information about Belong can be found at www.belong.org.uk or by emailing enquiries@belong.org.uk.

“The little boy was apparently going inside with his mother to use the sweet machine”

A two‑year‑old boy was left ‘with no recognisable facial features’ after a dog “ragged him up and down” in what a witness described as an “absolutely horrific” attack in a pub beer garden.

The incident took place at The Wulstan pub in Wolstanton, Staffordshire, at around 3pm on July 15, shortly after the toddler had been enjoying some food, an onlooker said. Police have confirmed that an investigation into the events is underway, calling on the public to help, The Sentinel reports.

Philip Preece, a reported regular at The Wulstan, saw the alleged attack, claiming that the canine involved was “some kind of Bulldog breed“.

Standard Bulldogs, also known as English Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs are completely legal to own in the UK. However, the American XL Bully is banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

“I was sitting outside with a few people. The child was sitting across from me on another pub table,” Mr Preece explained to The Sentinel. “He was playing with some plastic dinosaurs and sitting with his mum. He had been enjoying some chicken nuggets and chips. Just having a nice family time.

“I went inside the pub to get myself another lager shandy. As I went to go back outside, the mother ran into the pub carrying her child. He was in an absolute mess. You couldn’t make out any of his facial features. He was covered in blood. His mum was too. So much was gushing out.

“I quickly learned he’d been attacked by a dog. I came out of the pub and saw this lad. He had his dog on a lead. But it hadn’t been wearing it earlier. He must have put it on quickly after the attack.”

A West Midlands Ambulance Service statement confirmed that an ambulance and a paramedic officer attended the incident, and that the child was rushed to Royal Stoke University Hospital for ’emergency care’.

Ensure our latest stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

Mr Preece continued: “I asked what the hell was going on. Everyone was hysterical. A young lad who works for me called 999. Thankfully, the ambulance and the paramedics arrived very quickly to take the boy to hospital. I was in shock.

“He’d just been having a nice time. Then all of a sudden his mum is in tears and he’s bleeding. It was absolutely horrific. It’s not something I’d ever like to see again. Everyone was in utter disbelief.

“The little boy was apparently going inside with his mother to use the sweet machine. Then he’s been attacked. He’s only a baby. The dog ragged him up and down after biting his face. If the dog had gone a bit lower, it could have ended up biting the boy’s throat. It could have been even more serious. We’re all just wishing him a speedy recovery.”

Staffordshire Police are appealing for witnesses following the alleged attack. A police spokesman said: “We were called to The Wulstan following reports that a child had been bitten by a dog.

“Officers attended the scene alongside colleagues from West Midlands Ambulance Service. The child was taken to hospital with facial injuries. He has since been discharged. Our investigation is ongoing and we are appealing for anyone with any information that might help our investigation to contact us.”

Witnesses should call the police on 101, quoting incident number 592 of 15 July, or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.