An application lodged with City of York Council would see a pergola built in the back garden of Fulford’s The Saddle Inn, along with the installation of new lighting, seating, flooring and fencing.

The inside of the pub would also be redecorated and its kitchen and toilets would be upgraded if the plans are approved.

Pub operator Admiral Taverns’ application stated the works would boost the viability and improve the appearance of the well-established community facility.

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Plans would see an outbuilding demolished behind the Main Street pub to make way for the pergola.

Festoon lighting and new timber seating would be installed along with a 2m-high fence around its car park which would also be extended.

Resin floor would be added to the seating area and existing paving stones made good, with new timber planters also included in the plans.

The redecoration of the inside of the pub’s would include new flooring, lighting and artworks.

Plans for the Saddle Inn include changes to its outdoor area (file photo) (Image: Pexels)

Admiral Taverns’ application stated the works would be appropriate in the area which has designated conservation status.

Plans stated: “The Saddle Inn is an attractive two-storey public house in Main Street, Fulford.

“It is considered that the proposal will help with the vitality and viability of this well-established community facility, while enhancing the visual aesthetics of the Fulford Village Conservation Area.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Recent fighting with Iran used up more of the U.S. military’s already diminished stockpiles of advanced missile interceptors, potentially putting American troops at more risk if hostilities resume, a new analysis says.

Shrunken inventories of Patriot and THAAD interceptors may force the U.S. and its Middle Eastern allies to take more risks to conserve those air defenses, according to the analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. For example, it said, American forces may launch fewer missiles against incoming Iranian drones and missiles, raising the chance of one getting through.

“That percentage may not go up a lot, but it goes up a little,” said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and now senior adviser at CSIS who co-authored Monday’s report with research associate Chris H. Park.

The issue came into sharp relief when the U.S. military announced Tuesday that it had intercepted “multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on U.S. forces based in the Middle East.”

The nation’s advanced weapons stockpiles have become a flashpoint in the five-month-long conflict, along with the threat to the lives of American service members, heightened gasoline prices and increasing costs to taxpayers. The war has been unpopular with many Americans and is posing political problems for President Donald Trump and Republicans ahead of November’s midterm congressional elections.

Recent fighting adds to anxieties over weapons stockpiles

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has told Trump that the state of the country’s munitions stockpile could have an impact on military operations in Iran, a U.S. official said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations, said the message was delivered as part of Caine’s regular duties of providing military advice and options to Trump.

The Pentagon, however, pushed back against concerns that its capabilities have diminished.

“America’s military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President’s choosing,” Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said in a statement Tuesday. “We have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the U.S. military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests.”

While renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran had been paused in recent days before Tuesday’s attempted strikes, the Islamic Republic is capable of launching deadly attacks. It fired missiles and drones at a base in Jordan on July 17, killing three U.S. troops. Another American soldier was killed a day later in Iraq during a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone, bringing the war’s toll to 18 U.S. service members.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers last week that the war has cost an estimated $37.5 billion. The Pentagon is asking Congress for $67 billion to replenish the military in the wake of the war, which would include funding for more high-end munitions, such as Patriots and THAADs, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptors.

Democrats in Congress often cite the use of such finite weapons as a damning metric against the war, which Trump launched without congressional approval alongside Israel on Feb. 28.

It also has raised concerns that the U.S. military would have diminished firepower in any potential future conflict with China. CSIS warned in May that it could take at least three years to replenish stockpiles of Patriots, THAADs and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Saving missiles reduces chances of interception

The latest estimates from CSIS for Patriot and THAAD interceptors are based on budget documents and other publicly released information.

The number of Patriot interceptors fell from 2,330 before the war to 1,030 when the April ceasefire took effect, CSIS estimated. Following the recent fighting, the stockpile is now estimated to be between 759 and 827, a decrease of at least 65% since before the conflict began.

The number of THAAD interceptors fell from 452 before the war to between 232 and 262 at the start of the April ceasefire, CSIS said. The U.S. was able to replenish some of the inventory to between 234 and 278 interceptors. But the stockpile is still at least 38% smaller than it was before the conflict.

Cancian said the concern is that lower inventories could influence the U.S. military’s doctrine for shooting down incoming drones and missiles. The specifics are typically classified. But as an example, Cancian said American forces could start firing off two interceptors instead of three.

“It reduces the chances of interception, but you save a missile,” Cancian said.

Another possibility is that American forces hold off firing any interceptors if an Iranian missile is expected to miss its target and strike an area free of people and infrastructure.

“They may just let it go and accept the fact that there might be some small amount of damage,” Cancian said.

___

Associated Press writer Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.

It has been quite a week for Evans and Welsh gymnastics in general with drama, disappointment and delight in equal measures.

She was part of the Wales women’s team that just missed out on a medal in the team event.

The quintet had been part of the second rotation and led the competition before the final four teams performed.

The television cameras kept panning to the Wales team in the crowd, who could only sit and wait to see if they had won a medal, before they were denied a bronze by England.

Then Evans, alongside Emily Roper, went for individual all-around glory.

She was second after two of the four disciplines before she had a terrible beam routine, which included a faltering start and falling off halfway.

That dropped her to seventh and only a miracle on the floor would see her rise back to the top three.

Evans ended up sixth. It left her distraught and you hoped that would not be the defining image of her Games.

She pulled out of the uneven bars on Monday as she rested a shoulder injury.

“I just watched the competition, had some food and chilled and watched the Love Island final,” said Evans.

She watched the 20-year-old Roper identical twins provide one of Wales’ stories of Glasgow so far in winning bronze medals within a couple of hours of each other.

Abigail beat Emily to the the third podium position in the vault. Emily brushed aside the disappointment of finishing fourth to return to claim bronze in the uneven bars, with the iconic image of her sister cheering her from the stands.

A first Welsh women’s vault for 32 years, a first bars medal in history. And immense exposure for the 20-year-old twins they never expected, with numerous interview requests for them and their parents from around the world.

A married ex-Wall Street executive has been sentenced to 30 years after admitting to drugging and raping multiple women in his upscale Manhattan apartment, keeping chilling planning notes to document his decade-long predatory rampage. 

Edward Gene Smith, 50, admitted to attacking his victims at his luxury apartment opposite Central Park, as well as amassing a stash of more than 9,000 child sexual abuse images, as part of his twisted spree.

Prosecutors said the Harvard-educated bigwig, who was most recently a Citigroup managing director, hid ‘behind the façade of a well-educated bank executive’ to prey on and lure in his young victims.

Smith also kept chilling spreadsheets and planning notes on just how many drugs to administer – and would then record some of the assaults to share with online groups who took pleasure in drugging their partners, according court documents. 

‘His disdain for his victims is palpable and he is unrepentant. The defendant is a serial rapist who used his money, access and affluence to drug and rape young women,’ prosecutors said during his sentencing hearing on Tuesday. 

‘The women were young and many were from foreign countries or faraway states and had previous sexual trauma. They were not momentary lapses in judgment, these were well-thought-out crimes.

‘Why the defendant has done this is utterly unexplained.’

Smith’s reign of terror came crashing down in late 2024 when he was arrested on a six-count indictment for drugging and assaulting various women. 

He ended up pleading guilty to only four counts: drugging a victim with intent to rape her, enticing another victim to travel to New York for sex, receiving child pornography and obstruction of justice.

In one incident, he admitted to luring a victim to his luxury apartment at Central Park South in April 2023, where he laced her drink with the sedative Klonopin and then raped her while she was unconscious. 

He recorded the attack and then shared the footage with an online group dedicated to sharing clips of incapacitated or unconscious women in sexually exploitative positions. 

The moneyman also copped to repeatedly drugging and sexually assaulting a college student who he had convinced to relocate to New York City. 

Once she arrived, Smith spent months controlling her finances and social life, as well as threatening her to ensure she complied with his demands, court filings show. 

But prosecutors say his crimes were even more widespread – and that he allegedly confessed to preying on other victims too. 

Smith allegedly paid one victim $2,500 to spend two nights with him back in 2015. Years later, he drew up a chilling spreadsheet titled ‘girl retrospective’ that laid out a fresh plot to allegedly drug her all over again, according to court papers.

‘Alcohol and drink kit: DRUGS!! 4 capsules full of dissolved k [Klonopin] 2mg,’ his notes allegedly read, followed by a reminder to ‘ask about other porn work she’s done.’ 

Smith married his wife, Heather, in 2012. He is a stepfather to several of her children. The couple have a shared home in South Carolina

The Harvard-educated bigwig hid ‘behind the façade of a well-educated bank executive’ to prey on and lure in his young victims to his apartment opposite Central Park, prosecutors said

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In the fall of 2021, he allegedly targeted a 17-year-old victim on Seeking.com, telling her ‘I want you to stay a virgin until you come up’ as he waited for her to turn 18. 

When she eventually arrived in New York, he spiked her Long Island Iced Tea and then sexually assaulted her, prosecutors alleged. 

Unbeknownst to the teenager, Smith had allegedly posted her photos and contact information on a website advertising prostitution services. 

Then, in a chilling escalation, the predatory banker allegedly drove her to a Manhattan apartment where she was forced to have sex with a man in his 50s, before Smith pocketed the cash himself, the court documents state.

Smith is also said to have allegedly encouraged her to recruit her own underage sister and friends for sexual encounters with him. 

In addition, FBI investigators found Smith had collected more than 9,000 unique files of child sexual abuse material dating back to 2012 that had been organized across multiple devices.

Ahead of his sentencing, Smith sensationally tried to blame his crimes on his autism diagnosis – arguing it left him unable to properly perceive the emotional impact of his actions on his victims. 

Prosecutors, however, blasted the excuse as ‘an offensive smear to those in the autistic community.’ 

‘He is a sexual predator, a serial rapist, an avid CSAM collector, and someone who has demonstrated no respect for the humanity of anyone else,’ prosecutors wrote in a submission to the court.

‘Society needs protection from him. His victims deserve justice.’

Investigators uncovered a note stored on his phone listing out packing items for a trip with one of his victims, including ‘klon’- a reference to the sedative Klonopin

After his home was raided by the FBI, Smith paid a woman more than $2,500 to sign a fabricated letter attempting to clear his name. He also later texted her: ‘Please delete these messages from your chat!’

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In one incident, he admitted to luring a victim to his luxury apartment at Central Park South in April 2023 where he laced her drink with the sedative Klonopin and then raped her while she was unconscious

Ahead of his sentencing, several victims said Smith’s predatory behavior had left them with lasting trauma as they begged the judge to impose the harshest punishment. 

‘Knowing that there may still be images or videos of me somewhere – circulating, stored, or shared without my knowledge – is a never-ending source of anguish,’ one victim said. 

‘Edward Smith didn’t just commit a crime; he stole my life. When he targeted me as a minor, drugged me, and raped me, he didn’t just hurt me, he shattered my sense of reality,’ another added. 

‘I have spent years in therapy trying to survive the wreckage he left behind. His behavior was atrocious, predatory, and calculated. I have had to fight for every inch of my recovery, while he has faced no consequences for the trauma that still haunts my daily life.’ 

Smith, who studied particle physics on a full scholarship at Harvard, built a two-decade career in high finance, working his way through Oliver Wyman, State Street, Santander and BlackRock.

He landed at Citigroup in 2021 as a managing director, earning a $400,000 base salary with a $1 million target bonus. 

A Citi spokesman said Smith was fired as soon as the bank learned of the initial probe in 2024. 

‘We moved to terminate Mr Smith immediately upon learning about law enforcement’s initial investigation, well before the allegations of this depraved behavior came to light,’ the spokesperson said. 

‘We cooperated with law enforcement as they sought justice for the victims of these heinous crimes.’

In his private life, Smith and his wife, Heather, married in 2012.  

In pre-sentencing memos, his attorneys had begged for leniency on the basis that his wife, who has several children from a prior relationship, was planning to file for divorce once the court proceedings were over. 

The couple had been spending large amounts of time apart ever since Heather relocated from New York in 2018 to help care for a grandchild with cerebral palsy. 

The government has moved to seize and force the sale of the couple’s shared home in South Carolina to help pay restitution to his victims. 

More than 700 wildfires have so far been recorded this year across England and Wales, with the figures not accounting for blazes such as the one in Cairngorms, Scotland

The risk of wildfires “remains elevated across the UK” as more than 200 incidents have been recorded in the last 12 days.

If fires started in London, the South East or East of England during the heatwave, the blazes could be exceptionally severe due to the hot, dry conditions. An amber heat-health alert has been issued again by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) covering the East Midlands, the East and South East of England and London.

The warning came into force today and will stay in place until Thursday, with the hot temperatures posing a threat to health risks, particularly for those in vulnerable age groups like the elderly. A total of 706 wildfires were reported to fire and rescue services across England and Wales so far this year.

Of those, 208 incidents were recorded in less than a fortnight, between July 16 and 28, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said. The figures, however, do not account for wildfires across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

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This means blazes like the one in Cairngorms in Scotland, which firefighters have been battling for two weeks now, were not included in the statistics. The incident, which saw families being ordered to leave their homes, shows “how quickly wildfire activity can increase during prolonged periods of hot and dry weather”.

Fire chiefs warned that wildfire risks “remains elevated across the UK”, as NFCC explained eight live wildfire incidents are currently being monitored. Firefighters in Derbyshire continue to “make progress at the major wildfire incident at Tintwistle Moor”, where 60 crew members were sent today.

Still, figures across England and Wales remain lower than the 788 recorded by this time last year. However, NFCC warned that “continued dry conditions, combined with warmer temperatures and harvesting activity in many rural areas” were creating conditions in which fires can start and spread rapidly.

Images showed widespread brown grass across Blackheath in London, with parched dry grass present in many parks in the capital following the hot weather. It comes as Royal Parks staff were advised not to leave deckchairs under trees over fears branches will fall during hot weather.

Countries across Europe are also burning as large-scale wildfires have hit parts of Spain, France, Greece and Italy. This led to evacuations and significant damage, along with sustained pressure on emergency services, who are now struggling to fight the enormity of the fires.

The NFCC said UK wildfires are typically smaller and different in nature to those seen in southern Europe, adding, however, that the “long-term effects of climate change are increasing the likelihood of larger, more complex and more resource-intensive wildfire incidents occurring”.

Phil Garrigan, chairman of the NFCC, said: “More than 200 wildfires in just 12 days shows how quickly the risk can escalate when hot, dry conditions take hold. The scenes we’re seeing across parts of Europe are a stark reminder of what a changing climate means for fire and rescue services.

“We are not seeing fires of that scale in the UK today, but the science tells us we should expect larger, more frequent and more complex wildfires in the future. That’s why we need continued investment in specialist wildfire capabilities, including aerial firefighting support, so we’re prepared for the risks ahead.

“But prevention remains our strongest defence. Most wildfires are avoidable, and we’re asking everyone to take extra care during the hot weather to help keep their communities safe.”

Fire chiefs said many wildfires are caused by everyday human activity, adding that “disposing of cigarettes safely, avoiding the use of disposable barbecues in open spaces and taking litter home can significantly reduce the risk of fires starting”. This month has been 3C above average across the UK, provisional Met Office data shows.

This means July 2026 could be among the hottest three or four months of July on record.

A devastating 6.8 magnitude earthquake has hit southern Japan, leaving at least two people dead inside a collapsed shopping mall, with 50 injured and several more trapped.

The earthquake struck the Kumamoto prefecture on the southern Kyushu island on Tuesday afternoon triggering an immediate tsunami warning, which was later lifted.

The prefectural `government said early on Wednesday that rescuers working at the scene overnight had taken eight people out of the Aeon Mall Kumamoto shopping centre, where the blast occurred following the quake.

Of those eight, two women in their 20s were confirmed dead, while one other person was reported to be in cardiopulmonary arrest. The five others were injured, but officials said their condition was not life-threatening.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said: “We have already been informed that people have been injured. Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there has also been damage to roads and bridges and the collapse of buildings.

“I ask everyone to take action to protect themselves, including evacuating to a safe location.”

Around 300,000 people have been instructed to go to evacuation centres, and hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to help with rescue operations as aftershocks continued to rumble in the area, on Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu.

Residents in the areas that felt the biggest tremors must be on alert for further strong quakes for about a week, as well as for the risk of landslides, an official for the Japan Meteorological Agency said. About 100 small aftershocks have hit Kumamoto already since the initial jolt, JMA said.

In the aftermath of the quake, the largest shopping mall in the area was rocked by an explosion, as local media said around 20 to 30 workers were unaccounted for and multiple people were trapped inside.

Local news outlets also quoted police saying several had died or were presumed to have perished in the incident.

One side of the mall, which houses around 200 stores, was torn away, exposing steel beams and strewing debris across a vast parking lot, footage showed.

Several ambulances and fire engines were parked outside, as rescue teams searched for survivors. A spokesperson for mall operator Aeon said customers and employees were ​evacuated right after ⁠the initial quake and that the exact cause of the ensuing explosion ‌was unclear.

Authorities are investigating a possible gas explosion, broadcaster NTV reported.

Kazuya Tsurunaga told TBS he was stunned by the blast while cleaning up dishes broken by the earthquake inside a pub about 300 metres from the Aeon mall.

“It was a huge impact,” he said. “A large cloud of smoke billowed up, and because the wind happened to be blowing and the wind direction was ‌towards the shop, the area around us was in a state like volcanic ash was falling.”

Multiple people were also unaccounted for after a chimney collapsed at a Nippon Paper Industries factory, broadcaster NHK reported, while two hospitals were each reported to be treating more than 50 people, some in serious condition. Several passengers aboard high-speed trains at the time of the quake were also injured, operators said.

Authorities said they were responding to multiple incidents where buildings had partially collapsed or had caught fire. One person died in one such collapse in a town near the epicentre, TV Asahi reported.

Some roads were also badly damaged, with large cracks splintering major highways, snarling traffic. Rail services were suspended and flights grounded.

TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, Sony and Fujifilm evacuated workers from their plants following the quake. TSMC said in a statement late Tuesday that its site was unaffected and operations were gradually resuming.

Located along the “Ring of Fire” of volcanoes ‌and oceanic trenches partly encircling the Pacific Basin, Japan accounts for about 20 per cent of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or more.

With thousands of homes still without power as night ​fell, authorities warned residents about the risk of heatstroke as temperatures were set to hit 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday.

Tracy Shaw said that she’s ‘never been as grateful to be alive on a birthday’ as she turned 53 on Monday and shared sweet family snaps amid her breast cancer battle.

The Coronation Street actress was diagnosed with the disease in April after finding a lump in her breast and has been in treatment since. 

For her birthday this week she was joined by her brother Karl and son Luca, 19, as they all posed in beaming snaps together on Instagram.

She penned in her post: ’53,& grateful. Visit from my brother #mrshaw, karl shaw. Luca just back from Truck festival, preparing for next weekends festival.

‘Thankyou # _lisa_ Dawson for the the most amazing gifts, from a breast cancer survivor who just knows what to buy. Never been as grateful to be alive on a birthday.

‘Looking forward to next years celebration.’

Just last week Tracy fought back tears as she revealed her breast cancer is currently inoperable until her tumours shrink in size. 

For her birthday this week she was joined by her brother Karl and son Luca, 19, as they all posed in beaming snaps together on Instagram

She posted the devastating update to Instagram last Thursday.

Tracy shared the video after going for an ultrasound to check on her current condition, sharing her hopes that chemotherapy would have shrunk the lumps.

However, during the teary clip, Tracy explained that while the lumps have changed shape from round to oval, they haven’t got any smaller. 

Speaking to the camera, she said: ‘Good morning, everyone. So as I told you all, I had my ultrasounds today to find out if the lesions had shrunk.

‘I also needed to check a lump that I’d found on the other breast, which is on the right breast.

‘The good news is that the lump, well there’s actually quite a lot, are all cysts, so that’s good news and the lesions on my left breast… erm…’

Tracy continued: ‘Well, my expectations were that judging by what personally I’ve gone through and what the chemo does…

‘I thought they’d shrunk but basically they’ve gone from being circular to oval but not really shrunk in size. I don’t know what I was expecting.

‘I think I’m just expecting some results of what I’ve felt, some results of what the body has had to go through to!’

In May, Tracy broke down in tears in an emotional video as she revealed to her followers she was set to begin chemotherapy.

Tracy was diagnosed with the disease the month before and shared in her video that she would be starting chemotherapy the following week.

She penned in her post: ‘Never been as grateful to be alive on a birthday. Looking forward to next years celebration’

Just last week Tracy fought back tears as she revealed her breast cancer is currently inoperable until her tumours shrink in size 

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Tracy is best known for playing Coronation Street character Maxine Peacock

In a video posted on Instagram, Tracy shared the toll her cancer diagnosis has had on her, admitting ‘I can’t go through this anymore.’  

She previously played Maxine Peacock on Corrie from 1995 to 2003, before she was sensationally murdered by serial killer Richard Hillman.

In the video, Tracy said: ‘I’m just going to be me, and my truth is… by the way, I’ve not shaved my hair off, I’ve just put a scarf on just because I’ve not done anything with it and I’m going to hospital.

‘Each morning I wake up and know that I have to go into hospital and receive more news, which has been going on for a long time, that unknown… I just think, ‘I can’t go through with this anymore’, but I’ve not even started my journey.

‘I’ve had a good cry. I’ll go in later today and I’ll meet some other ladies who will start the treatment with me – chemo.

‘And I’ll find out the date. 50 per cent of me wants to get going. I want to know that it’s being shrunk and the cancer is being dealt with.

‘When I wake up and I’ve got really bad headaches or I can feel another twinge in my other boob, I just think, ‘Oh, it’s moving!’

‘All forms of cancer are awful, most of the time, I get on with life but then I think that’s probably what we do.

‘But the fact is when you wake up in the morning and you think, ‘It hasn’t gone away’. It isn’t like the addictions that I’ve recovered from by the grace of God. There appears to be a long road ahead, or a mountain.’

In the caption of her post, Tracy revealed she’d been told she would start her chemotherapy ‘next week’.

She wrote: ‘Moments happen. After filming this, I spent the morning in the chemo ward having tests.

‘Thank you for all NHS staff. No other women, mostly men, cancer doesn’t discriminate gender.

‘We will start our chemo journeys at the same time. Next week. Love & peace to everyone on their cancer journey.’

Days after posting the clip, Tracy revealed she’d had much of her hair cut off to prepare herself for one of chemotherapy’s most common side effects, hair loss.

Tracy played her character Maxine from 1995 as the friend of Fiona Middleton, played by Angela Griffin.

Her character went on to betray her friend by having a one-night stand with Fiona’s boyfriend, Steve McDonald.

Tracy was awarded the Rear of Year title a year after making her debut on the show.

Maxine married butcher Ashley Peacock, played by Steven Arnold.

She also had a child with the local doctor, despite being married to Ashley.

Maxine died when she was viciously murdered by Richard. She was hit by a crowbar after she returned home from the pub.

Tracy also launched a pop career in 1998 and released two singles: Ridin’ High and a cover of Lonnie Gordon’s Happenin’ All Over Again.

After she left the soap, she played smaller roles in ITV dramas. She has spent most of her time in the theatre.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects more than two MILLION women a year

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Each year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases, and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it strikes 266,000 each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?

What is breast cancer?

It comes from a cancerous cell which develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts.

When the breast cancer has spread into surrounding tissue it is called ‘invasive’. Some people are diagnosed with ‘carcinoma in situ’, where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.

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Most cases develop in those over the age of 50 but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, though this is rare.

Staging indicates how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.

The cancerous cells are graded from low, which means a slow growth, to high, which is fast-growing. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after they have first been treated.

What causes breast cancer?

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A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply ‘out of control’.

Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the chance, such as genetics.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are not cancerous and are fluid-filled cysts, which are benign. 

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The first place that breast cancer usually spreads to is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs you will develop a swelling or lump in an armpit.

How is breast cancer diagnosed?

• Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammogram, a special X-ray of the breast tissue which can indicate the possibility of tumours.
• Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.

If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess if it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the liver or a chest X-ray.

How is breast cancer treated?

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Treatment options which may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments are used.

• Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or the removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumour.
• Radiotherapy: A treatment which uses high energy beams of radiation focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells, or stops them from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
• Chemotherapy: A treatment of cancer by using anti-cancer drugs which kill cancer cells, or stop them from multiplying.
• Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the ‘female’ hormone oestrogen, which can stimulate the cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments which reduce the level of these hormones, or prevent them from working, are commonly used in people with breast cancer.

How successful is treatment?

The outlook is best in those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small, and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumour in an early stage may then give a good chance of cure.

The routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 71 means more breast cancers are being diagnosed and treated at an early stage.

For more information visit breastcancernow.org or call its free helpline on 0808 800 6000

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Croda International reported a pre-tax profit of £107.4 million for the six months to June 30, up 25.6 per cent from £85.5 million for the same period last year.

The company, based at Cowick Hall, Snaith, also saw improved EBITDA of £207.9 million and free cash flow of £38.3 million, up from £28 million, supported by lower capital expenditure.

The positive performance was largely driven by strong growth in the Consumer Care division, with year-on-year revenue increases reflecting success in the group’s transformation programme.

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Steve Foots, chief executive officer of Croda International, said: “We have delivered a good first half performance in line with our expectations with strong growth in Consumer Care.

“Group profits continue to grow ahead of sales, reflecting both increased customer demand for innovation and the benefits of our transformation programme.

“We are rigorously executing our plan to grow earnings and returns, successfully reinvigorating beauty and seeing the early benefits of rebalancing pharma.

“Despite the ongoing macro uncertainty, our outlook for full year 2026 is unchanged and we remain on track to deliver our financial framework for full year 2028.”

The group has recorded organic sales growth of 4.6 per cent, led by an eight per cent rise in the Consumer Care segment. Within this division, Beauty Actives grew by 19 per cent, Home Care by nine per cent, and Fragrances & Flavours by eight per cent.

Adjusted operating margins improved to 17.7 per cent, supported by a 6.1 per cent rise in adjusted operating profit to £155.8 million.

The company also reported a 36.8 per cent increase in free cash flow and a reduction in capital expenditure.

Croda’s three-year transformation plan continues to deliver results, including £18 million of incremental savings in the first half of 2026.

These are part of a broader target to achieve around £100 million in efficiency benefits and £50 million in working capital improvements by 2028.

The company’s full-year outlook for 2026 remains unchanged, despite ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic headwinds.

Croda expects group organic sales growth within its target range of three to six per cent, a further rise in adjusted operating margin, and continued profitability improvements in both Consumer Care and Life Sciences divisions.

The company will provide an update on third-quarter sales performance on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

Jennifer Lopez is savoring the last few months with her children before becoming an empty nester.

The pop star, 57, and her twin children, Max and Oskar (formerly Emme), ages 18, enjoyed a getaway to Rome, an extra-special trip now that the youngsters are both college-bound.

Smiling and taking photos of her children, the pop sensation was just like any other mother enjoying a summer vacation with her teenagers on Monday – but with security present. 

From the Colosseum to the fresh gelato, the trio made plenty of memories that will no doubt last them a lifetime. 

Indeed, Lopez ensured she would never forget the moment as she stopped her children to take a photo of them. 

The beaming A-lister snapped a photo on her phone as her children stood beside one another, posing for their mother.

Lopez, as usual, was styled to perfection for the visit.

She wore a satin mini dress that displayed her flawless legs, trekked about in metallic flip-flops, gold jewelry, and added a vintage touch with a scarf tied around her head.

Her kids opted for more casual looks, with Oskar donning jeans and a button-down while Max sported a white T-shirt and shorts. 

Ever the teenagers, the duo were tuned into their earbuds for certain stops of their walk. 

Technological distractions aside, the trio were clearly having a good time as they explored the ancient sites over gelato with their security detail close by. 

It wasn’t all just historical sites – with Lopez also indulging in a bit of shopping at Brunello Cucinelli and Antonio Marras. 

It’s been a celebratory few months for Lopez’s family after the twins graduated from high school several months ago.  

The event also marked a milestone for Oskar. 

The A-lister was just like any other parent taking photos of her children

Oskar and Lopez tuck into gelato as they explore the sites in the Italian capital

The trio stride down the ancient walkways 

They are joined by security for their explorations

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A university program viewed by the Daily Mail revealed that Lopez’s child, formerly known as Emme, now goes by Oskar Muniz and goes by ‘he.’ 

In 2022, Lopez went viral after she introduced Oskar – then Emme – onstage as ‘they’, indicating a nonbinary identification. 

Max and Oskar are the children of Lopez and Marc Anthony, the Grammy-winning singer the actress was married to for ten years. 

Lopez has been candid about the twins leaving for college and becoming an empty-nester inside her $18 million Hidden Hills mansion.

‘It’s an emotional time. It’s been the three of us,’ she said during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.

Both of her children wear headphones, which they plug in at various points during the visit

Lopez wows in a satin mini dress with metallic flip-flops and a head scarf

Max and Oskar are the children of Lopez and Marc Anthony, the Grammy-winning singer the actress was married to for ten years

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‘People have come in and out of my life, but it’s been the three of us. They’ve always been there, and I’ve always been there.’

The singer continued, ‘I just never thought they would not be there. I just never thought that far ahead.’

And while stopping by Jimmy Kimmel Live! in May, the star also admitted to being emotional over her twins’ milestone.

‘Tomorrow, one of them graduates. Don’t talk about it because we start crying. I’ve been crying for two months.’

Oskar is glued to his phone at one point during the adventure

The family trio visit the historic Spanish steps

Lopez looks sensational as she flashes her legs in the city

She also admitted to having a hard time penning messages to her children in their yearbooks. ‘When I tell you, the tears… two days it took me to write those things.’

Meanwhile, Lopez is also single again following her 2024 divorce from Ben Affleck.  

The songstress has been vocal about embracing her single era.

Back in March, during an interview with Juju Chang on Nightline, Lopez was asked if she was in a hurry to meet someone new.

‘No! No I’m not! God forbid, I don’t want to ruin anything!’ she revealed. ‘It’s so nice right now! I’m so happy! It’s the best. I just feel really good right now.

‘And that was a scary thing for me when I was younger. I didn’t know if I could do that. I was always really afraid to be alone.’

The star looks stylish as she goes shopping in Italy 

Security is present throughout Lopez’s trip

Lopez was also seen exploring Taormina, Italy earlier this month

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The singer also discussed her relationship status during an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! last month in June.

At one point during the interview, Kimmel asked the On The Floor hitmaker, ‘You’re single right now?’

‘I am!’ she confirmed with a cheerful smile as the audience erupted into supportive cheers and applause.

‘I should have done it sooner,’ Lopez further expressed to the host. ‘I’ve been doing it all wrong. I’ve been doing it all wrong, trust me.’

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Police have launched an appeal to find a woman they wish to speak to after a dog mauled two small children at a playground.

The kids, aged six and 11, sustained bitemarks to their legs and thighs, and were rushed to hospital for treatment after the dog rounded on them as they were playing on a playground on Vernon Street, near Newfoundpool, Leicester, on April 19 when they were injured.

Leicestershire Police have since released CCTV images in a bid to track down a woman they want to speak to, launching a public appeal in their attempt to identify a woman who they believe could help with their investigation.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Enquiries have been ongoing since the incident was reported to us and we hope the public can help us move the investigation on.

“We know the images are not the best quality, but we hope someone will recognise the woman or the dog.

“If this is you or you have any suspicions about who the woman may be, we would urge you to get in touch.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC 4630 Samuel Senior on 101, quoting crime number 26*224111.