By DANIEL MATTHEWS, US SENIOR SPORTS WRITER

Published: 01:57 BST, 9 August 2026 | Updated: 02:53 BST, 9 August 2026

Lionel Messi has returned to his hometown of Rosario following the death of his father, Jorge.

Messi missed Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup clash with Monterrey to fly back to Argentina where, according to reports in South America, the 39-year-old will attend a private memorial service. 

Jorge Messi – who also served as his son’s agent and business manager – died at the age of 68, two months on from the family revealing he had been rushed to hospital with an ongoing ‘health situation’.

He reportedly passed away in a hospital in Rosario, close to the family home, at around 10pm local time on Friday August 7.

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In the absence of their captain, Inter Miami players honored Jorge Messi by wearing black armbands, while fans paused for a moment of silence before kickoff. Earlier on Saturday, the team had posted a tribute which read: ‘Our hearts are with our captain, Leo, and the entire Messi family.’

Against Monterrey, stand-in captain Rodrigo De Paul – Messi’s international teammate – scored the opening goal and then pulled off his jersey to reveal another which read: ‘Messi 10’

Lionel Messi has returned to his hometown of Rosario following the death of his father, Jorge

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The soccer legend’s father, pictured at the 2022 World Cup final, died at the age of 68 

Rodrigo De Paul paid tribute to the Inter Miami captain during Saturday’s clash with Monterrey

In the first official statement, Messi’s first team Newell’s Old Boys wrote in Spanish: ‘Club Atletico Newell’s Old Boys bids farewell with deep sorrow and grief to Jorge Messi, who passed away at the age of 68 in the city of Rosario.’ 

The club continued: ‘Jorge was the pillar and the person who supported with vision, rigor, and affection the career of the greatest player of all time alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini.

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‘His constant companionship and behind-the-scenes leadership were essential in backing every step of Lionel, from his beginnings at Malvinas to the pinnacle of world football glory. Thank you for teaching him to love these colors.’

Later on Saturday, both Barcelona and the Argentina national team added their own tributes.

‘Stay strong, Leo Messi and family. We are with you in this difficult moment. We send you our most heartfelt embrace,’ Argentina wrote on X.

A spokesperson for FC Barcelona, meanwhile, said in a statement: ‘The President and the Board of Directors of FC Barcelona express their deepest condolences on the passing of Jorge Messi, the father of former Barca player and legend Lionel Messi, and, on behalf of the entire Barca family, extend their condolences to the Messi family.

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‘FC Barcelona thanks Jorge Messi for his commitment to our Club, for entrusting us with the beginnings and the most glorious years of his son Leo’s football career. May he rest in peace.’ 

A UK university has opened a new government-funded laboratory to help train the next generation of biomedical scientists to work in the NHS and life sciences sector.

The £2.5 million facility at the University of Essex, which includes a dedicated cancer diagnostics laboratory, was funded by the Office for Students.

The investment aims to strengthen training in subjects critical to the UK’s future workforce.

The Bioscience Skills Training and Research Laboratory (BioSTAR-Lab) aims to give students hands-on experience with equipment and techniques used in modern healthcare and life sciences laboratories.

Students studying biomedical science, biotechnology, cancer biology and related degrees will use the laboratories to carry out their research projects.

The facility also includes specialist microbiology and molecular biology laboratories where students will analyse tissue samples, study infectious diseases and use molecular techniques.

Professor Terry McGenity, head of the School of Life Sciences, said: “Here at Essex, we are dedicated to providing a rounded education that is inspired by our world-leading research, which equips our students with the understanding, skills and experience they need to launch their careers in nationally important sectors.

“Hands-on, lab-based research projects provide a transformative experience for our final-year undergraduates and masters students.

“They allow all our students to become part of the research process by carrying out their project alongside experts, where they apply what they’ve learned, and develop critical understanding of a particular area, as well as new technical and analytical skills.

“This new facility will place us at the forefront of training students to be skilled and versatile critical thinkers, who will be ready to work in the NHS and life-sciences sectors.”

The university said the investment comes at a time of growing demand for skilled life scientists, with more than 300,000 people already employed in the sector in the UK.

The lab’s opening comes as the University of Essex launches its first undergraduate biotechnology degree, reflecting growing demand for graduates in a sector that develops vaccines, medicines and diagnostic technologies.

Professor Silke Paulmann, executive dean of the Faculty of Science and Health, said the lab “brings together education, research and real-world application, creating opportunities for students to develop the expertise that will drive future advances in diagnostics, treatments and public health”.

“It will help strengthen the talent pipeline that underpins innovation, economic growth and better health outcomes for communities across the UK,” she said.

The performance on Friday evening (August 7) opened the Saltburn Folk Festival.

Saltburn Sirens performed a series of folk and classic pop and rock songs alongside the other performers at the Saltburn-by-the-Sea viewpoint.

The inclusive choir is led by Mimi O’Malley, who runs Saltburn School of Music, and is also a director of the festival.

“Folk music, and music in general, has been part of my family history for as long as I can remember,” Mimi said. “I grew up going to folk festivals and volunteering with my family, and I have performed at Saltburn Folk Festival over the years.  

“It feels really special to come back in a different role, bringing a wonderful group of local singers into the festival and having the opportunity to perform at such an iconic location. It felt like a proud celebration of Saltburn and everything our brilliant group has accomplished.”

There will be a range of free events across the weekend, including “singarounds” through the town, pop-up dancing and puppetry.

Elinor Creaby-Attwood, Saltburn Folk festival’s artistic director, said the events are “community led and open to all”.

“Folk is about storytelling, and it encompasses the tales we tell, the characters we create, the things we make, and the traditions passed between the generations,” Elinor said.

For more information, visit www.saltburnfolkfestival.com/family-festival

Taking place on Saturday and Sunday (August 8 and 9) from 10am to 4pm, the events will give visitors the opportunity to watch archaeologists at work.

Visitors can speak to members of the archaeology team and enjoy a range of family-friendly activities throughout the day.

There will also be stalls highlighting the area’s history, wildlife and conservation, with organisations including the Lancashire Wildlife Trust Peat Partnership, Horwich Heritage and Woodland Trust volunteers taking part.

Those wanting to take part in the excavation itself will have the chance to do so, with around 100 places available each day on a first come, first served basis.

Tickets will be handed out from the event ticket stall on the hour between 10am and 3pm.

Parking is recommended at Walker Fold, Lower House or Wilderswood car parks.

The walk to Two Lads takes between 30 and 90 minutes and includes a steep incline, although guided buses to the dig site will also be available for visitors who would prefer not to make the walk.

On Saturday only, three free guided bus tours will depart from Horwich Leisure Centre and Smithills Hall at 10am, noon and 1.15pm.

The 10am and 1.15pm departures include around an hour at the excavation site, while the noon departure is a bus-only tour for visitors who wish to remain on board.

Advance booking is required for all bus tours.

A number of explanations have been put forward for the reason that two stone cairns stand at this imposing place (Image: LDR)

The excavation is part of the Two Lads restoration project, which began on August 3 following changes to the original plans after public consultation.

Rather than restoring the monument to a single point in its history, the project will preserve features from several stages of the cairns’ evolution, reflecting the site’s long and varied past.

Events and communications officer for the Smithills Estate, Eddee Endley, said: “It’s clear that people feel a strong connection to Two Lads cairns.

“The restoration project has generated significant interest, and we look forward to delivering a diverse events programme to share the local importance of the cairns and the surrounding landscape of Winter Hill.

“Although the archaeological dig ends on August 14th, we intend to continue hosting guided walks and events to celebrate the cairn’s restoration.

“We also hope to deliver educational sessions with local schools throughout autumn 2026 and 2027 to further increase knowledge and connection to Two Lads and moorland ecology.”

For the chance to learn more about the history of the iconic landmark and discover the story behind its restoration, the Smithills Estate this weekend.

To find out more, visit the Woodland Trust North Eventbrite page (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/two-lads-restoration-archaeological-dig-viewing-and-stalls-tickets-1993473252160)

With the Iran war draining U.S. weapons stockpiles, the Pentagon is reportedly leaning hard on defense companies to bump up production — and fast.

In a memo on Wednesday, Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg gave companies three weeks to lay out how they would “drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increased production for critical capabilities.”

“Years-long development cycles are not acceptable,” Feinberg added in the memo, which was obtained by The Washington Post. “We must dramatically accelerate our program schedules and expand our production capacity now.”

The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for comment.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new information.

With EA having put itself into billions of debt, a reader is worried what will happen to Mass Effect and developer BioWare, and if the studio can survive by going independent.

So everything to do with this EA ‘buyout’ seems absolutely awful. I agreed completely with GC’s excellent feature on the sale and the general state of the games industry today, and the terrible people who are in charge of it. Too many gamers don’t care as long as good games keep coming, but that is going to stop soon enough the way publishers are carrying on.

EA has said it’s going to make cuts, at least $125 million, which is going to mean whole teams going, not just the odd person here and there. There have been rumours, which I believe most people now seem to think are false, that BioWare are on the chopping block. But I wish they were.

Not to lay off the developers, obviously, but if EA were to sell off BioWare, the way Microsoft has with Double Fine, that would be such a relief to me. The idea of BioWare being independent again, or at least owned by a company that isn’t run by psychopaths (are there any of those?), would be a dream come true for me, and I’m sure any Mass Effect fan.

It’s very obvious EA is never going to make another Dragon Age game after the disaster that was The Veilguard, but officially they’re still doing a new Mass Effect. They’ve never really offered much proof that they are and, like The Elder Scrolls 6, it always seems to be two or three years away, no matter when you ask, but I think the chances of it ever coming out now, when EA are desperate to make back $20 billion (!) in debt is basically zero.

I was slightly optimistic when there was talk of a TV show and Henry Cavill seemed to be attached but that never came to anything, which is where I suspect EA’s interest in putting any real money into making more disappeared.

The problem with Mass Effect, from EA’s point of view, I think, is that it’s loved by many, but it’s not quite big enough. It’s successful and makes money… but not that much money. I think the remaster trilogy was a bit confusing for EA because it was successful but, again, not huge – so it didn’t really make it obvious whether they should do a new one or not.

I feel there’s a lot of video games like that, where they’re technically triple-A but they’re not the A-list. They’re not Assassin’s Creed or God Of War, they’re popular and there’s merch and everything, but they’re a step below that.

There’s probably a small chance that EA tries to make a show of pumping money into new projects, like Mass Effect, to show that debt isn’t going to be a problem. But I think that’s probably a longshot, and even if it’s not how long is that attitude going to last? That amount of debt is going to be around for years and no one’s going to pretend that a proper Mass Effect 4 is going to make it back for them.

The only real answer I can see, as a fan, is for them to leave EA and set-up on their own or with someone that really wants to bring Mass Effect to the next level. I don’t know the chances of that, but I feel the chances of a lot of layoffs at BioWare, very soon, is approaching 100%.

I remember back in the late 2000s/early 2010s when BioWare was one of the biggest, most respected developers out there. But after Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age: Inquisition it’s all been downhill and, to be honest, I’m surprised EA hasn’t tried to shut them down before this.

A change like this is at least a chance for something good to happen but I’m not sure how optimistic I am about that. I fear that one of my favourite franchises and developers is now on borrowed time.

By reader Gambon

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

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The Met Office has forecast a fifth UK heatwave with temperatures set to reach 36C in East Anglia and south-east England by Thursday.

Parts of the UK are bracing for a fifth heatwave next week, with temperatures forecast to soar as high as 33C on Sunday.

Yellow heat health alerts came into force at 9am on Saturday as the mercury climbed throughout the day, hitting up to 28C across the South and South East, and reaching 27C across much of central England.

According to the Met Office, Sunday will bring spells of rain to Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England, with isolated showers possible in the South East.

However, the rest of the country will remain largely dry and sunny, with most people experiencing temperatures well into the high 20s.

With yet another heatwave on the horizon, health officials have issued warnings about the risks of taking certain medicines in hot weather, including ibuprofen, as they can make it harder for the body to stay hydrated, regulate temperature or cope with sun exposure.

Dr Alison Cave, chief safety officer at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said: “Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), commonly used to treat acid reflux and heartburn, have also been linked to a very low risk of a lupus-like skin reaction triggered by sun exposure, and common painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen may also increase sun sensitivity.”

The Met Office warned that southern and south-eastern regions could see the mercury climb into the 30s, with the South East potentially reaching a scorching 33C. According to the Fire Severity Index, any wildfires that break out on Sunday across almost all of east and south-east England are likely to be exceptionally severe.

“Exceptional” severity represents the index’s highest possible rating.

The Met Office data, which takes into account rainfall, temperature and humidity, is used by agencies to assess how severe a fire could become should one ignite. It does not, however, indicate the likelihood of wildfires breaking out.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued yellow heat health alerts covering the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London.

These yellow heat health alerts are set to remain in place until 9pm on Tuesday.

They caution that the scorching weather is likely to impact the wellbeing of the general public and place additional strain on healthcare services.

The Met Office has warned that heatwave conditions are expected to return next week, with temperatures of up to 36C forecast in parts of East Anglia and south-east England by Thursday.

Two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June resulted in more than 2,800 excess deaths, while two further heatwaves in July have contributed to drought and wildfires.

The National Trust is urging people to sign a petition calling on the Government to make tackling climate change a national mission.

This follows a series of wildfires across the UK in recent weeks, with significant blazes recorded at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight, Llanwonno in the Rhondda Valleys, South Wales, and the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. Reservoir levels across England have fallen to 69%, dropping from 72% the previous week and sitting nearly 12 percentage points below the long-term average for this time of year, the Environment Agency announced on Friday.

Levels stood at 85% at the end of June, which matched the typical average for that period, but have been steadily declining in recent weeks.

Five reservoirs are now classified as having “exceptionally low” levels: Blagdon in Somerset (54% full); Clywedog in Powys, which supplies water to central and north-west England (62%); the Dove group of reservoirs in Derbyshire (74%); Hanningfield in Essex (60%); and Wimbleball in Somerset (50%).

Last month was the driest July for England and Wales since records began in 1836, according to provisional data published by the Met Office.

Nineteen counties across England recorded virtually no rainfall – 1mm or less – throughout the entire month, Met Office figures reveal.

It comes after a previous fire at the same nature reserve at the end of July

Firefighters have been called to a blaze at a Cambridgeshire nature reserve, less than two weeks after a separate fire. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue are tackling a fire in the Holme Fen Nature Reserve on Saturday, August 8.

The fire service is receiving multiple calls regarding reports of the blaze. A spokesperson has urged the public to avoid the area so crews can carry out their work.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue said: “We currently have crews in attendance at a fire in the open on Holme Fen in Holme.”

On Monday, July 27, more than 40 firefighters were called to a blaze in the Holme Fen Nature Reserve at around 3.22pm. Firefighters arrived at a blaze in the woodland. A fire spokesperson said: “At 3.22pm on Monday, crews were called to a fire in the open on Holme Fen in Holme.

“More than 40 firefighters, including crews from Stanground, Chatteris, Dogsthorpe, Whittlesey, Huntingdon, Thorney and Manea, along with a specialist 4×4 vehicle from Thorney, the water carrier from Ramsey and a crew from Oundle in Northamptonshire, attended the incident.”

The cause of the fire that started on July 27 was confirmed as deliberate. Firefighters spent five days tackling the huge blaze.

The Government has been criticised for failing to roll out osteoporosis screening clinics in England – after it was revealed that NHS Wales has done so with ‘relatively little investment’.

Since 2024, The Mail on Sunday and the Royal Osteoporosis Society have campaigned for full access across the UK to these bone-thinning clinics to help prevent life-changing fractures.

Osteoporosis, the advanced form of osteopenia primarily affects women and is often not picked up until serious injuries occur – which is why experts say screening is crucial.

When the War On Osteoporosis campaign began, osteoporosis screening was available in all NHS hospitals in Scotland and Northern Ireland – but not England and Wales.

Prior to the 2024 General Election, the Government committed to funding full access to osteoporosis screening across the country but has failed to take any action since.

Now The Mail on Sunday can reveal that these clinics are in all hospitals in Wales, leaving England as the only home nation to not have full access.

The Wales clinics were set up by Dr Inderpal Singh, a geriatrician and NHS Wales lead for bone health, who was able to get the service off the ground with just over £1million in funding and 24 new staff.

Since these clinics, known as fracture liaison services, were set up, the number of osteoporosis diagnoses in Wales has risen by 191 per cent.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society says the achievement shows the Government could cheaply and quickly roll out these clinics across England.

‘Dr Singh and his colleagues have shown what can be achieved when a government backs its promises with action,’ says Ruth Wakeman, director of services at the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

‘In Wales, a relatively small investment in fracture liaison services has helped drive a 191 per cent increase in the number of patients identified through these services. Over the same period, England has seen an increase of 3 per cent, with progress effectively flatlining. Fracture liaison services are one of the smartest investments the NHS can make.

‘They prevent life-changing fractures, help people stay independent, reduce pressure on hospitals and social care and typically pay for themselves within 18 to 24 months.

‘Very few NHS interventions deliver such a big return for such modest cost.’

The Royal Osteoporosis Society estimates 2,500 people die every year in Britain from the debilitating effects of preventable hip fractures.

After the campaign by the MoS and Royal Osteoporosis Society was launched, then shadow health secretary Wes Streeting made a pre-election promise to end a postcode lottery and have a universal fracture liaison service by 2030. However, since then, the Government has failed to publish a plan to fund and build the clinics.

Dr Singh developed a computer program that identifies patients in Welsh hospitals who have suffered a fracture and refers them to a fracture liaison clinic.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society and The Mail on Sunday are urging Health Secretary Yvette Cooper to deliver on pre-election promises to fund nationwide screening by 2030

He says this means that the system does not rely on busy clinicians referring patients themselves. Patients then undergo a bone-density test, called a DEXA scan.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society says that the new Health Secretary Yvette Cooper should take inspiration from Dr Singh’s work.

‘Yvette Cooper has inherited an important commitment that could transform care for millions of people, particularly women, who are disproportionately affected by osteoporosis,’ says Ms Wakeman. ‘Wales has shown what is possible with clear leadership, a practical plan and relatively little investment.

‘We look forward to working with her as the new Health Secretary to bring the same pace and purpose to England.’

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘We remain committed to rolling out fracture liaison services by 2030, as set out in our 10 Year Health Plan.

‘We’re also taking action in the meantime by investing in 20 new state-of-the-art DEXA scanners across the country, building on the first wave of 13 last year.’

It has been reported this week that Rashford – said to be on wages of £325,000 a week – will earn an extra £4m this season if he stays at United due to a contract clause related to their qualification for the Champions League, while another clause that made him available for any club bar Manchester City or Liverpool to sign for £40m was said to have expired last month.