BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s government said nationwide deforestation increased slightly in 2025 but that it had still surpassed its four-year target to reduce forest loss under President Gustavo Petro, with pressure on the Amazon remaining largely unchanged in the administration’s final year.

The Environment Ministry and IDEAM, the country’s meteorological agency, said late Friday that Colombia lost 119,483 hectares (295,000 acres) of forest in 2025 — about the size of Los Angeles. That was a 5% increase from the previous year.

Officials emphasized that despite the increase, forest loss remained 31% below 2021 levels, surpassing the government’s goal of reducing annual deforestation by at least 20% from that baseline.

While Colombia has kept deforestation well below 2021 levels, the latest figures underscore how difficult it has been to sustain the dramatic reductions achieved in 2023. Illegal land grabbing, cattle ranching and expanding infrastructure continue to put heavy pressure on the Amazon, even as authorities say they are increasingly targeting the criminal networks that profit from clearing the rainforest.

Petro, who leaves office next week, made protecting the Amazon a cornerstone of his environmental agenda. His administration also passed a landmark cattle traceability law aimed at preventing beef linked to illegal deforestation from entering supply chains.

The figures provide a benchmark for the incoming government of President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, who has pledged to expand oil and mining development while reviewing several of Petro’s environmental policies.

The 2025 statistics were released after weeks of criticism from incoming Environment Minister Fabio Arjona, who accused the outgoing government in a post on X of delaying publication, saying it had withheld the figures because it knew “the scenario is tragic.”

The figures paint a more nuanced picture than the government’s announcement suggests. After Colombia reached a record low in deforestation in 2023, forest loss rose 43% in 2024, reversing much of those gains. While the increase slowed markedly this year, deforestation remains well above the historic low recorded two years ago.

More than 65% of Colombia’s forest loss again occurred in the Amazon, where 77,805 hectares (192,000 acres) were cleared in 2025, virtually unchanged from the 77,124 hectares reported in 2024.

The government’s monitoring system identified 10 active deforestation hot spots concentrated in the northwestern Amazon.

The municipalities with the highest levels of deforestation were Cartagena del Chaira in Caqueta province, followed by Mapiripan in Meta, San Vicente del Caguan in Caqueta and Calamar in Guaviare — all part of Colombia’s long-standing “arc of deforestation,” where illegal land grabbing, cattle ranching and forest clearing intensified after the 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the country’s largest guerrilla group, left a power vacuum in remote rainforest regions.

Environment Minister Irene Vélez attributed the results to greater cooperation with rural communities, expanded conservation incentives and a shift away from policies that criminalized small-scale farmers. She also highlighted a major investigation in Mapiripan that led to the arrest of 17 people allegedly linked to a criminal network involved in illegal land grabbing, deforestation and extensive cattle ranching.

The government said deforestation inside Colombia’s national parks fell nearly 19% from the previous year to 9,388 hectares (23,200 acres). Officials credited programs that pay communities to conserve forests, large-scale restoration efforts and the country’s first forestry concession, which grants rural communities long-term rights to sustainably manage public forest land.

Officials reiterated that the principal drivers of deforestation are illegal land grabbing, the expansion of extensive cattle ranching and unplanned road construction, rather than coca cultivation, the raw ingredient used to produce cocaine, which has long dominated Colombia’s anti-drug efforts.

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Manchester United striker Ethan Wheatley had two loan spells in League One last season and now the young star is reportedly attracting Premier League interest

Everton are reportedly preparing a transfer approach for Manchester United striker Ethan Wheatley. However, it is understood that nothing is advanced at this stage.

The 20-year-old ended last season on loan at League One side Bradford City after spending the first half of the campaign with Northampton Town. The Red Devils youngster made 12 appearances for the Bantams in 2025/26 as he sought more senior first-team football.

However, he failed to score for the West Yorkshire club and did not feature in either of their League One play-off semi-final fixtures with Bolton Wanderers. It came after Wheatley became United’s 250th academy graduate to feature for the first team, making his debut in a 4-2 win over Sheffield United in April 2024.

After impressing in the academy, he was one of several young stars who joined first-team training back in October 2024 as Erik ten Hag prepared his side for their upcoming Europa League clash against Fenerbahce.

And Premier League side Everton are now reportedly interested in a deal. Journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Toffees are preparing a formal proposal and are expected to make an official approach to United shortly.

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Our sister paper, the Liverpool Echo, understands that Everton are interested in Wheatley, but a potential deal is still some way off. It is also understood that the move is initially directed towards the club’s academy.

The young star has also been linked with German Bundesliga side Schalke 04 and Dutch club SC Cambuur, but is still on United’s books as it stands.

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Wheatley is under contract at Old Trafford until 2028, therefore interested parties would have to fork out a fee to land him on a permanent basis.

Following his recall from Northampton in January last season, manager Kevin Nolan said Wheatley had made lots of progress during his spell at the club and shared his disappointment at the forward’s departure.

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He said: “We are disappointed Ethan has been recalled but we are proud of the work we have done with him and believe he leaves us a far better player than he arrived.

“Because of his injury picked up at Huddersfield in December, we were planning to be without him for a period anyway, but we thank Manchester United for loaning Ethan to us and wish him well for his future career.

“I know he enjoyed himself here, I know his family were appreciative of how we looked after him, and I know Manchester United were pleased with how the loan went.”

Following the count of first and second preference votes from the election held on July 30, Ms Craig was elected Mayor of Greater Manchester with a total of 309,525 votes, compared with 157,178 for Reform UK’s Sian Astley.

The Labour and Co-operative Party candidate finished with almost twice as many votes as her Reform rival across Greater Manchester, giving her a winning margin of more than 152,000 votes.

Bolton voters also backed Craig, although the race was closer locally than in some other districts.

In the first preference vote, Craig received 19,718 votes, ahead of Astley’s 12,524.

While Labour maintained a clear lead in Bolton, Reform recorded one of its stronger performances in the borough, with Astley securing around 63 per cent of Labour’s first preference total.

Across Greater Manchester as a whole, Labour’s lead was even more pronounced, with Craig polling 251,449 first preference votes compared with Astley’s 111,928.

After second preference votes were counted, Craig received an additional 4,170 votes from Bolton electors, while Astley added 4,998.

Across Greater Manchester, Craig gained 58,076 second preference votes and Astley gained 45,250.

Bolton recorded 49,213 verified ballot papers from an electorate of 217,169, representing a turnout of 23 per cent.

That was slightly below the Greater Manchester-wide turnout of 25.14 per cent.

Across the city-region, Labour led decisively from the first round.

Craig’s tally of 251,449 first preference votes was more than double that of Astley, who finished second on 111,928.

The two candidates progressed to the final stage of the count, where Craig extended her lead through second preference votes to secure the mayoralty.

The election also delivered a disappointing result for the Conservatives across Greater Manchester.

Conservative candidate Phil Eckersley finished fifth overall with 41,021 first preference votes, placing behind Labour, Reform UK, the Green Party and Restore Britain.

Green Party candidate Geraldine Coggins finished third across Greater Manchester with 64,968 votes, while Restore Britain’s Marlon West secured fourth place on 46,289 votes.

In Bolton, the Conservatives finished fourth.

Mr Eckersley received 5,041 first preference votes, comfortably trailing Labour and Reform UK, while securing just 54 votes fewer than the Greens, with Ms Coggins on 5,095 votes.

However, as was the case across Greater Manchester, the Conservatives remained ahead of the Liberal Democrats.

Liberal Democrat candidate Richard Kilpatrick secured 1,016 votes in Bolton, well behind the Conservatives’ total.

Bolton’s result closely mirrored the wider Greater Manchester picture, though the Conservatives performed marginally better within the borough.

The borough’s full first preference result saw Labour win 19,718 votes, followed by Reform UK on 12,524.

The Green Party was third with 5,095 votes, the Conservatives fourth on 5,041 votes, Restore Britain took 4,820 votes, the Liberal Democrats received 1,016 and independent candidate Marcus Farmer secured 484 votes.

Across Greater Manchester, the first preference totals were Labour on 251,449, Reform UK on 111,928, the Green Party on 64,968, Restore Britain on 46,289, the Conservatives on 41,021, the Liberal Democrats on 14,702 and independent Marcus Farmer on 2,969.

The result means Labour retains control of the Greater Manchester mayoralty, with Bolton contributing a significant share of the party’s support as Bev Craig secured a convincing victory both in the borough and across the city-region.

Have you ever heard the phrase “you only use 10% of your brain”? In reality, there is no way of measuring the percentage terms of consciousness – partly because the brain has no static baseline.

However, there is a general consensus among neuroscientists now that most of the brain’s processes are unconscious. That doesn’t mean you’re not using most of your brain though – it means there’s much more happening than you’re probably aware of.

Modern cognitive neuroscience has brought us right back to Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic view of the unconscious mind. This is partly because the once-thought untestable theories are gaining scientific ground.

Freud, in 1895, proposed that the unconscious mind hides sexual and aggressive wishes, in his book with his colleague Josef Breuer Studies in Hysteria. They wrote that mental health symptoms like anxiety, phobias and compulsions emerge from unresolved unconscious thoughts.

Freud’s model (conscious, preconscious, unconscious) – maps onto our current understanding of memory. Nobel laureate, neuroscientist and psychoanalyst Eric Kandell says we have declarative and non-declarative memory processes. Declarative memory recall is conscious, like trying to remember the sequence of numbers on your credit card. Non-declarative memories involve unconscious, automatic recall.

And Freud’s structural model of the mind again arguably fits in with our understanding of cognition.

Freud proposed id made up the primitive part of your psyche and that the superego stands for our moral consciousness. Last, your ego mediates between your id and super ego. His idea of the id could be equivalent to unconscious neural processes – although there are convincing arguments that pleasure processing in the id is conscious too. Ego could also be represented by metacognition (awareness of your own thought processes) which is linked to the brain’s prefrontal cortex, right behind your forehead.

The superego could be reflected in the brain’s limbic system, which regulates your emotions and behaviour, and tells you whether something feels good or not.

However, behaviourism became dominant in the 1920s, with psychologists like J.B. Watson, in his “behaviourist manifesto” championing the view that only measurable behaviour should be considered in science.

The unconscious brain is back

From the 1980s it became clearer that people’s decision making and behaviour could be influenced without their awareness.

Later, it was also clear with neuroscience experiments and brain scanners, as my team and I showed in two meta-analyses, that both unconscious memory and conscious memory play a role in brain processes. For example, neuroscientists can show study participants hidden flashes of “subliminal” happy or horrified faces and the person will have no conscious recollection of the faces. But their amygdala (the arousal region of the brain) will show increased activation, which can influence people’s decision making.

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman in his 2011 book Thinking Fast and Slow built on some of Freud’s ideas of primary and secondary processes. He proposed we have two modes of thinking where system 1 is a fast process that is impulsive and largely unconscious, whereas system 2 is a slow process that takes effort. The secondary process is reserved for when you need to pay attention to something new, dangerous or uncertain.

What neuroscience can tell us about the unconscious mind

Essential functions, like heart rate, body temperature, hunger and thirst regulation are unconsciously rooted. Similarly, coping strategies to diminish painful feelings, learned in early childhood, are not necessarily conscious. Infantile amnesia occurs until about three years old but remain in our unconscious brains for life. However, some aspects of unconscious processes could be brought into conscious awareness via talking therapy.

Other theories about how the conscious and unconscious brain areas interact, come from two prominent ideas. The Global Workspace Theory (GWT), and the Intergrated Information Theory (IIT).

GWT proposes that the mind is like a theatre stage, where the unconscious agents are busy behind the scenes making sure that the “conscious spotlight” on stage is in the right place.

IIT suggests that there are gradients of consciousness. The degree and complexity of integration between brain regions determines how “much” consciousness (“phi”) an organism has. So for example, a human with a complex network of brain regions has more “phi” than, say, a sea slug with far fewer connections. However, the problem with this theory, is how to validate the “amount” of consciousness different species have.

The founder of neuropsychoanalysis Mark Solms – along with neuroscientist and psychoanalyst Karl Friston – in 2010 pioneered a new theory integrating the idea that unconscious activity is the major force influencing our conscious decision making. In my view, it’s the best model we currently have.

This theory – called the Free Energy Principle (FEP) suggests the brain’s
main role is to predict what will keep you alive and feeling good, within the predictable bounds we have evolved to survive in. Most of the time we do this unconsciously, with an internal model of the world, as well as pages of memories from our evolutionary rulebook.

But when something uncertain or surprising happens, it is like free energy in the brain that is not bound to a prediction. This causes our brains to be ultra-conscious for a brief period of time to create a new prediction that binds our thoughts, costing the brain a lot of energy. As Kahneman stated, we do sometimes need our conscious brain to help make more difficult decisions for us, when there are many unknowns.

More recently, consciousness research has started to move away from humans altogether. Solms has argued it is possible to give AI consciousness. If he turns out to be right, then according to his own work, the unconscious processes of AI entities will be shaped by their interactions with us.

OnlyFans model Courtney Clenney has reached a plea deal, one month before she was due to stand trial for allegedly murdering her boyfriend.

Clenney, 30, was charged with second-degree murder in 2022 after her partner, 27-year-old Christian Obumseli, was found with a three-inch deep stab wound at their Miami, Florida, luxury apartment.

She called 911 herself, with first responders finding Obumseli had been knifed in the shoulder and Clenney covered in his blood.

He was taken to hospital for treatment, but he died shortly after.

At the time, officers determined that his death followed a domestic dispute, with a Miami PD spokesperson confirming there had been a ‘physical altercation’.

Following her arrest, Clenney has not denied responsibility for Obumseli’s fatal injuries but has claimed she threw the knife at her boyfriend from approximately 10 feet away in self-defence after he shoved her to the ground and tried to strangle her.

She also allegedly threatened to kill herself, leading to police evaluating the threat and implementing the Baker Act, which allows law enforcement, as well as medical professionals, to commit a person to mental health treatment for up to 72 hours.

Now, the content creator has struck a deal to plead guilty, with the terms to be made public on August 10 when presented to the Miami-Dade County court.

Clenney’s attorney, Sabrina Puglisi, told Court TV on Friday afternoon that an agreement was reached with prosecutors to resolve the charges without a trial, and awaiting a judge’s approval.

‘We will reserve further comment on the specific terms until they are placed on the record before the court.’

An attorney representing Obumseli’s family confirmed there is a deal in place, too, but said commenting further would be premature and irresponsible.

During previous hearings, the court heard how Clenney and Obumseli had a ‘tempestuous and combative relationship’, with mutual friends claiming they saw both parties hit each other.

Meanwhile, neighbours reported hearing arguments on several occasions, which had required police intervention.

Having recently moved to the Edgewater neighbourhood of Miami, Obumseli lived with his girlfriend at the One Paraiso apartment building.

Questions were also raised in the immediate aftermath of Obumseli’s death, as Clenney appeared active on her OnlyFans platform.

She was detained on April 3, but explicit content was posted on the subscription site on April 4.

Clenney used the name Courtney Tailor on social media and had over two million Instagram followers.

As for Obumseli’s family, they denied Clenney’s defence’s accusations that he was the violent one in the relationship, insisting it was actually her.

A GoFundMe was also established for them after he was killed and raised over $60,000.

The page’s bio said he died just one week before his 28th birthday.

‘Christian was extremely compassionate with a desire always to uplift those around him,’ it added.

‘He did not deserve for his life to be cut short by a heinous act of violence.’

Clenney, who has remained in jail in Miami without bond for the past four years, will be sentenced immediately after giving her guilty plea later this month.

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

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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While much of his career has been on screen, Ben Shephard has kept his marriage to his wife, Annie Perks, largely out of the spotlight.

The pair met as students at the University of Birmingham, where the This Morning star studied dance, drama and theatre arts, while Annie studied philosophy and headed the Philosophy & Epistemology Society.

After embarking on their blossoming romance in 1995, the two eventually got married in 2004.

Although they have made red carpet appearances together, the couple maintain a private life with their two sons, Sam and Jack.

But earlier this week, Ben gave a very rare glimpse into his family as they enjoyed a trip down to Cornwall.

Taking to Instagram, the presenter shared a series of photos from his week down the British coastline to celebrate his Auntie Jan’s retirement.

Earlier this week, Ben gave a very rare glimpse into his family as they enjoyed a trip down to the British coastline 

In one snap, he posed for a beaming selfie with Annie and their son Sam, before sharing a series of sweet family moments, including a stunning family lunch at Paul Ainsworth’s restaurant and a walk along the coast. 

Alongside the snaps, Ben wrote: ‘One week like this! Family, sunshine + Cornwall❤️

‘We had a wonderful celebration of my Auntie Jan’s retirement from her musical endeavors at 85 with an amazing lunch @stenodoc which under @paulainsw6rth and his wife Emma is just as stunning as the view it overlooks. 

‘Honestly, we can’t recommend it enough it’s stunning!! Port Isaac and Port Gaverne couldn’t have looked more inviting and charming and I even squeezed some golf @stenodocholf with mates – as weeks go not sure they get much better!’

The rare family snaps come just months after Ben revealed that he and Annie live ‘separate lives’.

Explaining their differing attitudes towards spending time together, Ben told the Daily Mail: ‘Annie is much more solitary than me.

‘She’s much happier in her own company. Half the time she’s like, “I need a bit of space. Can you leave me alone for five seconds, please?”‘

He continued: ‘We do live quite separate lives.’

Taking to Instagram, the This Morning presenter shared a series of photos of his family celebrating his Auntie Jan’s retirement

Alongside the snaps, Ben wrote: ‘One week like this! Family, sunshine + Cornwall❤️’

Ben and Annie met as students at the University of Birmingham (pictured during their younger days)

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‘I’m off working, she has her job, which is garden and interior design. If I’ve got spare time I want to do something physical.’

You can read the full Daily Mail interview here. 

After the pair tied the knot over two decades ago, they made Richmond, London, their home, before selling the property last year. 

During their marriage, Ben and Annie welcomed their two sons before purchasing their dream home for a reported £2.95million. 

However, the family of four have since offloaded the property, which was said to have sold for £5.3million and purchased a Grade II home for £3.5million. 

While she keeps out of the public eye, Annie has an impressive career of her own in the media. 

She runs an interiors website called The House Edit, and in recent years, she’s also qualified as a garden designer.

Before she became a mum, she had built a career writing for fashion and interior magazines, working for the likes of House & Garden, Glamour, Elle Deco, Elle and Red.

On her website, Annie writes: ‘For the last 15 years I’ve been raising our boys, knocking down and remodelling houses, building gardens out of mud-pits and running interiors projects.

‘I’ve studied hard and taken excellent courses, so I’ve learned both the theory of design and I’ve also learned the hard way, by creating from the ground up, wellies on and spade in hand.

Ben and Annie married in 2004 in Salcombe, Devon

They went on to welcome two sons, Sam and Jack 

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Ben said of his sons: ‘Jack’s working as a teaching assistant before travelling. Sam’s studying maths at university and having a ball’

‘After a few mistakes and a few more successes, my friends started to ask for help with their own interiors and gardens.’

Currently, she helps people ‘create stylish, meaningful interiors and gardens that tell their story’.

Ben and Annie are currently preparing for the ‘imminent’ moment that they become ’empty-nesters’.

Their son Jack is working as a teaching assistant before going off travelling, and their eldest child, Sam, is currently studying maths at university.

Ben revealed that Jack has funded his travels by himself.

Speaking on the White Wine Question Time podcast, he told former Loose Women anchor Kate Thornton: ‘He worked really hard for his A-Levels, then worked really hard as a teaching assistant, got some money together to be able to fund his trip.

‘He’s learned how to budget, clean his clothes and make sure he’s fed and watered and all those sorts of things.

‘I did that to varying degrees when I was 19. We do miss him and Annie misses him dearly, but it’s just such an exciting time. I’m jealous they’ve got so much ahead.’

Not having young children to care for has allowed Ben to prioritise his personal health. 

His physical transformation in recent years also coincided with his milestone 50th birthday last year, which inspired the broadcaster to become the fittest he’s ever been.

He often shares updates on his social media from his workout regime, including workouts with his sons.

Ben told Men’s Health that he gets very competitive when it comes to proving to Sam and Jack that he can keep up with his sons.

Given Ben’s priority on health and fitness, he previously told the publication that his ‘wife does most of the cooking’. 

As he noted: ‘And I’m turning around saying, “I’ve got to have enough protein”.’

However, Ben added, they share an unconventional ‘agreement’ to strike the perfect balance.

He added: ‘We came up with an agreement, I’d get what I needed during the day, so I could enjoy our dinners together. 

‘You can leave stuff out that you don’t necessarily want, but we still want to share that moment in the evening.’

Ben gushed over Annie earlier this year: ‘This amazing influence who created the home for our boys to become who they are and certainly made me better at being a dad’

With their kids no longer at home, the Tipping Point host said that they’re working on finding activities that they can enjoy together.

He told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s about finding things that work for both of us – but as I say, that feels really exciting.’

Ben was eager to emphasise that, despite their differences, Annie remains the ‘most important factor in our lives as a family’.

He said: ‘This amazing influence who created the home for our boys to become who they are and certainly made me better at being a dad.’

In March, Ben marked his 22nd anniversary with Annie by sharing a rare photo of ‘the best thing to ever happen to me’.

He reminisced about their relationship as he shared a selfie of the couple from the early days of their romance.

‘So 22 yrs ago today @mrsannieshephard said “oh go on then” and that was that!’ he gushed in the caption.

‘It might have taken me 9 yrs to realise it and to ask her to marry me but she’s still the best thing to happen to me,’ he continued before joking about his other great love – West Ham legend Mark Noble.

“Today” show host Savannah Guthrie on Saturday said on social media that her family was “desperate” and “begging for help” in the disappearance of her mother, a day after authorities released two ransom notes including one saying that she had died.

Authorities released an early note in the investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, hoping that someone will recognize the writing style. A second note said Guthrie died shortly after she was kidnapped and “is buried in nature now.” Both notes initially were sent to a Tucson television station days after Guthrie went missing from her home outside Tucson on Feb. 1.

Desperate plea

“We are begging for help. We are desperate. We need someone to come forward. Someone knows something. Someone suspects something. Someone recognizes the writing in the ransom demand notes,” Guthrie wrote on her Instagram account, alongside a photo of her mother.

“Someone has noticed something different, strange, troubling or just unusual – perhaps with someone they deeply love,” she wrote. “Perhaps they are afraid to come forward. Perhaps they are conflicted. Perhaps they are angry or upset for being in this situation. There is a way out – to tell what you know.”

Guthrie went on to say they “wanted to find out what happened to her, so that we can give her the dignity of a proper goodbye – a celebration of her remarkable life that she so deserves.”

Missing since February

Saturday is the six-month mark since Guthrie disappeared. No suspects have been arrested. The investigation has been dogged by unanswered questions, such as how many people are believed to have taken part in her abduction and whether she was taken by someone who knew her.

The FBI in Washington did not respond to questions about the ransom notes, including whether both messages sent to the Tucson station have been deemed legitimate.

In releasing the notes, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said “we believe these distinctive linguistic characteristics may be recognizable to someone who knows or has interacted with the notes’ writer.”

Ransom notes released

The first note, sent Feb. 2, said Guthrie was safe but scared and would be released unharmed once her captors received $4 million in cryptocurrency, with the ransom amount increasing if the first demand was not met. It said Guthrie would be released within 12 hours if the payment was received. It also included a threat to kill her if the ransom wasn’t paid.

“Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands,” the first note read. “It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible.”

The second note was sent Feb. 6 and said Guthrie died shortly after she was taken. “She is buried in nature now,” it said. “Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome.” The note ended with an apology: “We are truly sorry.”

The sheriff’s department said the notes reveal a distinctive pattern of word choices and provide insight into the writer’s mindset. The agency said someone who knows the notes’ writer may recognize the patterns.

Authorities similarly used a suspect’s own writings as a tool to apprehend Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski, branded the “Unabomber” by the FBI. Kaczynski, who killed three people and injured 23 others with mail bombs over a 17-year span, pressured The Washington Post, in conjunction with The New York Times, to publish his 35,000-word manifesto in 1995.

Signs of preparations

The sheriff’s office also said Friday that two videos recovered from Guthrie’s doorbell camera might be from two separate days and indicate an unidentified male prepared ahead of when Guthrie was taken. Authorities are seeking information on anyone who was behaving differently, changed their physical appearance, suddenly left the Tucson area, or had a noticeable or unexplained interest or disinterest in the case.

“Investigators continue to pursue every available technological and investigative lead,” the sheriff’s office said. “However, community members remain a vital resource as we seek to provide answers for Nancy’s family.”

The FBI had released surveillance videos of a masked person who authorities said appeared to tamper with a camera on Nancy Guthrie’s front porch and block it with a plant. They described the person as a male about 5 feet, 9 inches (1.75 meters) tall.

The two splash pads were closed in response to a hosepipe ban

Questions have been raised over why two Cambridge splash pads have been closed during a hosepipe ban, but others in the city remain open. Parts of England, including Cambridgeshire, were officially declared in drought on Wednesday (July 29) after a hot summer to date.

Cambridge Water and Anglian Water issued a hosepipe ban in early July, preventing people from using extra water amid “unprecedented demand”. Abbey Splash Pad and King’s Hedges Splash Pad in Cambridge have been closed as a result of the ban.

A Cambridge Water spokesperson said: “We have worked closely with Cambridge City Council since implementing the hosepipe restrictions. Most of the splash pads recycle water and these are still in use. There are a couple that do not recycle water and these will remain closed.”

A spokesperson on behalf of Cambridge City Council and Better Leisure, which oversees the splash pads, said the decision to close two splash pads was “not taken lightly”.

The spokesperson added: “Following Cambridge Water’s introduction of the hosepipe ban in our region, a decision was made to temporarily close the Abbey splash pad. This was not a decision taken lightly but was made to help protect local water supplies during a period when water resources were under significant pressure.

“Unlike our other splash pads and paddling pools, the Abbey splash pad does not operate on a water filtration and recirculation system. It is a single-use system, meaning the water used is not recycled and instead drains away after use.

“We recognise how popular the splash pad is with local families, particularly during the summer holidays. The splash pad will be reopened at the earliest opportunity once pressures on water supplies have eased.

“The King’s Hedges splash pad was already closed for refurbishment before the hosepipe ban was introduced. In the meantime, our other splash pads and paddling pools that provide more efficient water usage remain open as normal. We encourage residents looking to cool off this summer to make use of our other free splash pads and paddling pools.”

Jon McConnell and Kaci Rock both applied for Love Island before the Commonwealth Games but turned down interviews with the show’s producers, with McConnell going on to claim boxing gold in the men’s 60kg category in Glasgow

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Jon McConnell’s choice to turn down Love Island in favour of pursuing Commonwealth Games glory proved worthwhile as he stormed to victory in the men’s 60kg boxing division in Glasgow.

The 23 year old from Belfast’s renowned Holy Trinity club had previously disclosed during the Games that both he and Northern Ireland colleague Kaci Rock had submitted applications for the popular ITV programme before declining interviews with the show’s producers.

McConnell emerged victorious from an enthralling bout against Wales’s Orlando Holley-Sotomi and confirmed he would reject any future temptation to reapply in order to chase his ambition of competing at the 2028 Olympics.

McConnell said: “If I hadn’t got through the early rounds, maybe I’d have thought I didn’t make the right decision, but I’ve got the gold medal now.

“He put me under a lot of pressure but I have a lot of belief in myself. Everybody thinks I’m just this pretty boxer type of thing, but I’m a hard, hard man to beat – and I showed it today.”

Meanwhile, Rock suffered a unanimous points loss to England’s Sacha Hickey in the women’s 65kg category, extending the 22 year old Londoner’s remarkable rise in the sport.

Millwall supporter Hickey began boxing aged six after trying it on her Nintendo Wii. She was brought to the celebrated Fisher club in Rotherhithe where she quickly flourished despite being the sole female participant.

“I’ve gone from Nintendo Wii to the big leagues,” Hickey joked following a commanding display against her Northern Irish opponent. “I remember shadow-boxing in front of the TV and somehow I’ve ended up here today.

“It’s put me in a great position. I’m sixth in the world rankings now and I’ve got the European Championships next, where I’m going for gold. After that it’s all about the World Championships and qualifying for LA.”

England’s Patris Mughalzai secured gold in the men’s 65kg category with a unanimous decision over Australia’s Jacob Cassar, while Isaac Okoh dominated Connor Williams of Wales to complete a hat-trick for his nation within an hour at 90kg.

Northern Ireland’s Michaela Walsh claimed her fourth successive Commonwealth Games gold medal but had to be content with silver after losing on points to India’s Jaismine Lamboria at 57kg.

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CAIRO (AP) — For Palestinians in Gaza, President Donald Trump’s announcement that Hamas had agreed to disarm was a small sign of hope that Israel’s attacks might end, allowing them to rebuild their lives and what remains of their homes.

But it also clashed with the reality on the ground, where Israeli strikes have continued since Trump first touted the deal late Thursday in Washington, and where few steps have been taken to advance a broader ceasefire agreement that went into effect in October.

Most of Gaza’s 2 million Palestinians are still displaced or live in tent camps, where poor conditions and overcrowding have led to rodent infestations and outbreaks of infectious diseases such as chickenpox.

“They can talk about withdrawal and disarmament,” said Abdel Moneim Aboul-Roos, 24, a tuk-tuk driver who lost his leg in an Israeli airstrike. “I don’t care about any of it as long as there is no food or medicine.”

Israel and Hamas signed a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan last year that ended major combat operations, saw the return of Israeli hostages and allowed for an increase in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave. It also called for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, the creation of an international stabilization force and a program to decommission weapons held by Hamas.

But as each side accused the other of violating the ceasefire, negotiations stalled. Hamas held onto its weapons and the Israeli military refused to withdraw. Since October, Israel has killed more than 1,200 Palestinians in Gaza and expanded the amount of territory it controls. Five Israeli soldiers have also been killed in militant attacks.

Many Palestinians don’t trust Israel or Hamas

The road map Trump announced — and that Hamas confirmed — addresses in more specific terms the type of weapons the militant group and its allies will be required to hand over to a new technocratic government. The document says Israel will not be involved in the decommission of Hamas’ weapons and that it should halt all military operations in Gaza so the transition can proceed and recovery can begin.

But residents in Gaza say they have been repeatedly promised that the war will stop and their lives will improve. They see the road map as a positive development but remain skeptical that either Israel or Hamas will adhere to the terms.

“This is enough. We need improvement in our lives,” said Ayman Ahmed, a displaced Palestinian living in southern Gaza. He said he hopes Hamas gives up its arms but does not see it happening anytime soon.

“They don’t care about Palestinians’ lives,” he said.

The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others back to Gaza as hostages. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 73,300 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which was part of the Hamas-run government.