How to talk to young people about body-shaming comments

Supporting teens to build body confidence

1. Avoid commenting on body shape or size

2. Build body confidence by focusing on function, not appearance

3. Validate personal qualities – not appearance

4. Seek professional support early

The RAC estimates that 14.1 million drivers will take to the roads across the UK between Friday and Sunday.

It comes as most schools in England and Wales break up for the summer holidays, with Saturday expected to be the most congested day as 3.8 million journeys are planned.

A further 3.4 million trips are expected on Friday and Sunday.

Harriet Hernando, a spokesperson for the RAC, said: “Drivers should be ready for the Saturday summer scramble and plan their journeys, thinking about setting off earlier or later in the day to avoid traffic jams.

“People should prepare for delays and getting stuck in a jam in potentially very hot weather.

“People should carry plenty of water, as well as suncream and an umbrella to provide shade.”

Another 6.8 million journeys are expected to be spread across the three-day period, with drivers undecided on which day to travel.

The RAC said that south-west and north-west England are likely to see the heaviest volumes.

Transport analytics firm Inrix has identified several key congestion hotspots in the region, including the M1 southbound from Northampton (junction 16) to Watford (junction 6).

Other national hotspots include the M25 clockwise from Junction 15 (the M4) to Junction 19 (Watford), and the M25 anticlockwise from Junction 17 (Maple Cross) to Junction 12 (the M3).

Travel delays are expected to be compounded by higher fuel prices compared to last summer.

Filling a 55-litre family petrol car now costs £8.90 more than a year ago, while diesel drivers are paying £21.20 extra.

The increase in UK staycations is being partly attributed to concerns over flight disruptions, delays at EU borders, and household budgets being squeezed by global events including the conflict in Iran.

Ms Hernando said many families are choosing a UK holiday rather than an overseas break this summer, which she suggested could be caused by issues such as flight disruption, EU border delays and household budgets being squeezed by the Iran war.

Concerns over international travel centre on the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), which became fully operational in April.

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The system requires non-EU travellers, including those from the UK, to have their fingerprints and photograph taken before entering the Schengen Area.

This process is also in place at the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel’s Folkestone terminal, and London St Pancras.

The travel industry has called on the EU to suspend the EES system until September, warning that delays could become even more severe during the height of the summer season—a request that has so far been refused.

Are you heading on a summer getaway this weekend? Let us know if you’re prepared for delays in the comments.

By KIRSTEN MURRAY, SENIOR SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER

Published: 09:14 BST, 13 July 2026 | Updated: 09:33 BST, 13 July 2026

Andrew Garfield appeared to debut his new wild long hair as he joined the celebrities in attendance at Wimbledon on Sunday. 

The actor, 42, sparked speculation of a hair transplant last year when he was seen sporting noticeably longer locks. 

And it seems Andrew has let his brunette tresses go wild as he sat with his shades on in the stands of the prestigious tennis tournament with fans exclaiming he looked ‘almost unrecognisable’. 

Sat in the row below Jennifer Lopez and Tom Hiddleston, many didn’t spot the Spider-Man star at first as he was overshadowed by the pop sensation and her giant sun hat. 

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Taking to Twitter they asked: ‘Is that Andrew Garfield in front of her?’ 

Others penned: ‘Didn’t even realize that’s Andrew Garfield. Not that anyone cares that he’s there’;

Andrew Garfield debuted his new wild long hair at Wimbledon on Sunday as fans exclaimed he looked ‘almost unrecognisable’ 

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Sat in the row below Jennifer Lopez and Tom Hiddleston, many didn’t spot the Spider-Man star at first as he was overshadowed by the pop sensation and her giant sun hat

‘Also an almost unrecognizable Andrew Garfield in front of them’; ‘Also why is no one  talking about Andrew Garfield, smack in the middle’.

After first coming to fame over a decade ago, last year it appeared the Spider-Man star’s hairline looked to have been altered, appearing much thicker than before.

Andrew’s widow’s peak is much less prominent and lower down his forehead than before, with his hair no longer appearing to be receding or thinning around his temples.

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The transformation sparked rumours that he had undergone a hair transplant and fans also declared that if he had gotten a procedure, it was exceedingly well done – with some stating it to be ‘the best hair transplant in Hollywood’.

In a previous appearance on Stephen Colbert’s show, Andrew revealed he may be genetically predisposed to losing his hair, as he explained both his dad and brother were bald, joking that he ‘needs some help’ in that department.

While the We Live In Time star has never confirmed or denied having had any treatments, his hair has become a hot topic on social media.

But the response has been overwhelmingly positive, with many insisting that his supposed transplant is ‘literally a work of God’ and declaring the surgeon responsible ‘deserves all the praise’.

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Elsewhere Jennifer Lopez caused quite the controversy after she turned up to SW19 in a huge sun hat.

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Taking to Twitter they asked: ‘Is that Andrew Garfield in front of her?’ Others penned: ‘Didn’t even realize that’s Andrew Garfield. Not that anyone cares that he’s there’

The actor was seen looking shocked as he watched the final unfold 

As temperatures soared in London, the singer, 56, went to extreme levels to protect herself from the sun and has faced backlash as fans branded the accessory ‘inappropriate’ and inconsiderate to the people sitting behind her. 

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Taking to Twitter, one angry fan penned: ‘@JLo this type of hat is inappropriate for such events! You should do your homework lady!’

Another joked that it was so big it looked like she had folded up a cardboard box as they wrote: ‘JLo looks like she has made her hat from an amazon box!’

Other frustrated fans added: ‘@JLo just so you know , with that hat , guests that paid a lot of money to be right there , can’t watch because you like to look good for Instagram.’;

‘However JLo entered wearing a huge hat. They should have required her to remove It’;

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‘The hat is a bit much taking into consideration the people behind and next to you.’; ‘JLo looks ridiculous in that hat. Pay attention to me as usual.’;

‘Love the outfit just not the hat for this kind of event. First, it looks a bit like a crumpled paper bag. Maybe the Kentucky Derby because it’s a hat show. But tennis matches are conservative, crisp, & clean so the attire should match the sport. You have great hair. Work it.’

However others rushed to the star’s defence as they explained she did remove it later in the game as she spent the day with Tom Hiddleston. 

They wrote: ‘She took the hat off. People leave this woman alone’; ‘Big hat energy. JLo looks absolutely adorable!’ 

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Thirty-six homes have been evacuated after a major incident was declared following a wildfire in north Wales.

The blaze broke out near Conwy Mountain and the Sychnant Pass in Conwy county on Sunday.

About 200 acres of land had been affected, and one family forced to flee their home said the fire reached their driveway.

Anthony Jones, assistant chief fire officer for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, told Radio 4’s Today programme they were expecting the fire to spread because of the heatwave.

Jones said residents living nearby should keep windows and doors shut.

He added that about 200 acres of land had been affected with a fire front of about 1.6km at the height of the incident.

Speaking to Radio Wales Breakfast, Llinos Evans from North Wales Fire and Rescue said it evacuated 36 properties in Capelulo, which is near the mountain, on Sunday as a precaution.

She added that at any one time the service have had eight fire appliances, four narrow access vehicles and two wildfire units.

Michelle Campbell, 44, her husband Ben, 46, and their three sons fled their home in Capelulo as the fire reached their property.

“The sound was worse than anything. It was so loud, the crackling. You could hear it coming down the mountain,” said Ben.

He said he received a missed call at 04:30, but 30 minutes later a neighbour banged on their door and said: “The mountain’s on fire above your house.”

Erling Haaland stands at 6 feet, 5 inches, an intimidating force who can make fellow soccer players look tiny in stature and talent. Scoring seven goals across four World Cup matches entering Saturday, the Norwegian player has been described as a machine. But if you ask some loyal new fans, he’s also a babygirl and princess.

Haaland has become a social media phenomenon, with his own posts and memes from others turning even soccer novices into diehard fans.

His domineering physical appearance coupled with his goofy online persona have contributed to the craze. Fans remark on his flowing blond mane, color-coordinated hair ties and playful posts like a Snapchat-filtered selfie in which he proclaimed Shrek his “twin.” The contrast between his strength and skill on the field and his softer, looser online presence has also subjected him to the “babygirl” treatment online. That term is used frequently by fans of endearing male celebrities or characters who come across as sensitive, caring or vulnerable.

Haaland is emblematic of a broader embrace of soccer players as pop culture figures, driven in large part by how they present themselves off the pitch.

Haaland as a ‘pretty Norwegian princess’

Sarah Wilson, a baseball content creator in New York, is new to following soccer, but has become a big enough fan in the past month that she embarked on a lengthy hunt to buy the jersey of her new favorite player.

“I love Erling Haaland more than life itself,” Wilson, 31, said in a now viral video. “I cannot fathom being such a pretty Norwegian princess and also being one of the best strikers in all of football.”

Haaland is being catapulted into a fame even more intense than he had already known as the Premier League’s top scorer. This moment boils down to the pairing of elite skills with quirky personality, Wilson said.

“Him being really, really talented — that’s the first pillar of it all. And then you find out that he’s 25 years old and he’s probably the most Gen Z athlete in the World Cup,” Wilson told The Associated Press, noting his use of Snapchat and goofy filters in photos online. Many are thinking, “‘Wow, I love that guy, he’s hilarious. Now he’s my new favorite player,’ which is exactly what happened with me,” she added.

After scoring two goals to knock out Brazil, he posted a smug selfie from the locker room with the caption, “Well well well.” When an Instagram video with nearly 100 million views likened his appearance to a green onion — its wiry roots standing in as his hair — Haaland responded in the comments with a side-eyeing dog GIF. When Google added a Viking row animation to his search results, Haaland wrote on X, “One thing to do today… search my name on Google,” with a winking emoji.

Haaland said in a team news conference on Thursday that he’s enjoyed being embraced in the U.S.

“I think it’s a good thing because I like the Americans. I think they are kind of hilarious as well. They are funny. I like the way they are,” he said. “I think it’s just good and honestly, on every single thing, the World Cup so far here has been amazing.”

Sports are a “cultural force,” one on par with politics or religion, said Jeffrey Kassing, an Arizona State University professor who has studied fans’ and athletes’ social media use. It’s natural that Haaland has “crossed over” into non-soccer audiences, he said. A song from his youth has gone viral. A lookalike contest is in the offing. Even dogs are sporting blond wigs.

“There used to be a whole lot of gatekeeping that would happen with athletes; you would only ever hear from athletes maybe in an interview or in a press conference,” Kassing said. Haaland is evidence of how players have much more control in shaping their image now, he added.

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Fans’ access to athletes contributes to what is called a parasocial relationship, defined by one-way knowing, said Gayle Stever, a professor at Empire State University who has studied the dynamics between celebrities and fans for decades. Haaland’s fans feel like they know him on a personal level, but he doesn’t know the nearly 60 million people who follow him on Instagram alone.

The majority of parasocial relationships are “positive, healthy and normal,” Stever said. Only a small percentage of people take it to the extreme, she said.

Skyla Clarke, a 19-year-old sports management student in Brisbane, Australia — and lifelong soccer fan — says she’s seen that uglier side rear its head; attacks on players after poor performances, and even unprovoked hate toward athletes’ wives and partners are not uncommon. Haaland himself called AI-generated content of players a “bit scary.” But he noted in Norwegian that the attention on the team and its traditions — the rowing cheer, for example — is a sign of praise.

“Usually if it’s like that, it means that you’re doing something right, and that your country is doing something right,” Haaland said.

Even healthy parasocial dynamics can seem unusual to those uninitiated in internet culture. Haaland is not the only player whose persona has blown up on social media, nor is he the only one fans have anointed a babygirl.

Fans have described feeling “maternal” toward Luka Modrić — especially after Croatia’s elimination in the 40-year-old’s final international game. Modrić is a “special case” whose difficult upbringing amid Yugoslavia’s dissolution plays into how fans characterize him online, Clarke said. Some will incorporate childhood photos of him into their content, creating “a deeper appreciation for him as a player,” she added. Clarke’s TikTok video about Modrić’s potential retirement reached hundreds of thousands of viewers in a matter of days.

Ahead of Norway’s match against England in the quarterfinals on Saturday, fans have also focused intensely on Haaland’s friendship with English player Jude Bellingham, his former teammate. Some have “shipped” the two footballers, making edits of them hugging or celebrating together and drawing comparisons to the television sensation “Heated Rivalry,” in which two pro hockey opponents develop a romance off the ice.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

There is a huge financial bonus on offer for the referee who oversees the World Cup final

Michael Oliver will miss out on a staggering financial bonus after being banned from officiating the World Cup final. Oliver, one of two English referees at this summer’s tournament, had been one of the favourites to take charge of the final at MetLife Stadium this Sunday, given his vast experience and solid displays.

But neither Oliver nor his fellow Premier League referee Anthony Taylor will be permitted to oversee the most prestigious fixture in world football. The pair have essentially been blocked from receiving the full pay package available for a FIFA referee at the tournament due to a combination of England reaching the semi-finals and geopolitical factors.

England’s 2-1 win over Norway booked the Three Lions’ place in the last four. But according to FIFA’s rules, a referee cannot officiate their home nation’s match, ruling Oliver out of the semi-final against Argentina and the final, should England progress.

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Referees cannot be assigned to a game that has a direct consequence for their home country in the next round, either, meaning they can’t oversee the other semi-final between France and Spain. And to top it off, English referees are not allowed to officiate Argentina’s games, meaning Oliver is ruled out of the final if either England or Argentina is involved.

With both Oliver and Taylor being English, it is deemed inappropriate for either to referee Argentina or a game that has a direct next-game consequence for Argentina at the World Cup, due to the 1982 Falklands War.

The war remains a sensitive topic, having been referenced by Argentina’s players when they sang a song called ‘Muchachos’ in the dressing room.

Unfortunately for Oliver, through no fault of his own, he will therefore miss out on the maximum salary available for a referee at the World Cup. The Times had reported that referees at this summer’s tournament could earn up to $100,000 (£85,000) and would even be paid sizable bonuses for officiating matches in the latter stages of the competition.

51 referees were left on FIFA’s official list going into the tournament after Somalia’s Omar Artan was refused entry into the United States. Reports claimed a standard basic rate was handed to officials for up to six weeks’ work since they arrived at the tournament base in Miami in June.

The baseline figure is said to be around double what officials received over a decade ago at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Officials then receive an extra sum per game for the knockout rounds.

Oliver has officiated four fixtures across the tournament: Netherlands vs Sweden, Norway vs France, Canada vs Morocco and the quarter-final clash, Spain vs Belgium. During the latter, Oliver suffered an embarrassing moment as he accidentally impeded Dani Olmo during a Spain attack, after which he apologised and stopped the game.

England’s 2026 World Cup kits

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A multimillionaire tax accountant – who signed everything he had over to his wife to dodge paying debts – could now lose his “chocolate box” country home after a £600,000-plus defeat in court.

Tax specialist John Dixon, formerly a £2m-a-year partner at top accountancy firm Ernst & Young, enjoyed a stellar career, during which he was invited to Downing Street and appeared at Parliamentary committees.

But after running up a huge personal debt with the taxman, he was made bankrupt in 2017, owing more than £600,000 in unpaid tax, penalties and interest.

However, when bankruptcy trustees tried to get his cash, they learned that years earlier he had signed documents handing everything he had – or would ever have – to his wife, Janet, in a bid to avoid any future debts.

A judge subsequently set aside the documents, having found that the trusts, established prior to his tax bill, were intended to “defraud” any future creditors by putting his assets beyond their reach.

Having previously lived a multimillionaire lifestyle with expensive cars, an apartment in Barbados and a lochside mansion in Scotland, Mr Dixon, 70, says he and his wife are now reduced to living on their state pensions after the couple were hit with a freezing order.

The pair now face losing their home – a Grade-II listed three-bed thatched cottage in the Welsh Borders – after the trustees launched a bid to seize and sell it.

In a hearing at the High Court last week, at which a judge upheld the findings about his assets, Mr Dixon said he felt he had been “mugged” by an “unfair” court process, with the threat of being kicked out of his home now hanging over him.

The high-flying accountant was formerly a partner at Thornton Baker, which later became Grant Thornton, before joining Ernst & Young as a partner in 1997. He was later appointed managing partner and UK head of tax for the financial giant.

In her ruling on the dispute last year, Judge Sally Barber said Mr Dixon had in 2010 executed a series of declarations of trust in favour of his wife.

The declarations “purported to divest himself of all present and future assets in favour of his wife,” handing her ownership of valuable properties and cars, and all of his future income – leaving him completely dependant on her for money.

Among the properties were Pennymore House, in the village of Furnace in Argyll, Scotland, which was later sold, with the £126,000 proceeds going to his wife.

The couple’s eight-bedroom period property with a swimming pool, known as The Stonehouse, in Woolhope, Herefordshire, was also declared hers, before being sold for £1.2m at a loss.

They later moved to Toad Hall, his three-bed thatched cottage in picturesque Eardisland village, near Leominster, Herefordshire, now thought to be worth about £730,000.

Having signed the documents, Mr Dixon remained as managing partner and UK head of tax at E&Y for the next four years, earning £2m-a-year, while Mrs Dixon was a “housewife” alongside managing her fabrics business.

In 2015, HMRC served a demand on him for £627,302 in September 2015, which he responded to by claiming his assets were “nil,” the declarations of trust having beneficially transferred “all his assets and future income” to his wife.

However, he was made bankrupt over the unpaid debt in 2017. He was only discharged from his bankruptcy this year.

At the High Court last year, the trustees in his bankruptcy, Emma Sayers and Jeremy Willmont, argued that 2010 trust declarations were attempts to place his assets beyond the reach of future creditors.

Mr Dixon defended the claim himself, arguing that he had no such intention and that he did what he did as part of inheritance tax planning and due to economic fears amid the credit crunch.

Giving judgment, Judge Barber said she was satisfied he had entered into the declarations for “no consideration” and for the “purpose of putting assets beyond the reach of a person who may at some time make a claim against him or of otherwise prejudicing the interests of a person in relation to the claim which he may make.”

She ordered that the declarations be set aside, opening the way for the trustees to pursue his assets in order to pay off his debts.

Last week, Mr Dixon returned to court, where he argued that he should be given permission to appeal the judge’s order on the basis that what happened was “unfair.”

Representing himself before Mr Justice Richards, he said the case was “of critical importance” to him and his wife, adding: “We are facing an application by the claimants for possession and sale of our home. It’s not a happy situation to be in.”

He said that because the couple’s assets are currently frozen, they have been limited to their state pensions and so could not get legal representation.

Complaining at having had to argue his own case against a team of top lawyers last year, he said: “We basically were sort of mugged over three days. I find it very difficult to manage that sort of situation.”

Mr Dixon put forward a range of procedural grounds of appeal and challenged the judge’s factual finding that his purpose in signing the trusts was to put his assets beyond the reach of any future creditors.

Pointing out the fact that, at the time the trusts were established, there was no debt to the taxman, he said there was “no evidence” of “any intention to transfer assets away from creditors.”

“Do you really think that I would jeopardise a career of so many years – I was in Number 10 Downing Street 20 times – over just over £500,000 worth of penalties and interest when I was earning £2m a year?” he said.

“It’s inconceivable that I would have done that. The reality is – now and for many many years – that I have been totally reliant on Janet for financial support.”

Giving judgment on his application for permission to appeal, Mr Justice Richards said Judge Barber had found as a fact that the declarations of trusts were intended as a way of “defrauding creditors.”

“There were matters for the judge to weigh in the balance,” he said.

“The fact he considers a different conclusion was available doesn’t approach the threshold for a realistic challenge to findings of fact.”

Although acknowledging that the case is an “important matter” for Mr Dixon, he concluded: “I have reached the very clear conclusion that there isn’t an appeal here with sufficiently realistic prospects of success.”

The appeal bid was refused, with the trustees’ application for possession and sale of the couple’s home set to go ahead at a later date.

NEW YORK (AP) — “Artificial,” Luca Guadagnino’s starry film about Sam Altman and OpenAI, has been acquired by the indie distributor Neon after it was dropped by Amazon MGM Studios.

Neon said Tuesday that it bought the film following a bidding process. Amazon dropped the nearly complete $40 million film, starring Andrew Garfield as Altman, earlier this month, a surprise move that came just months after Amazon announced a $50 billion investment in OpenAI.

Amazon said then that “Artificial” would “be better served if it were released by a different studio.”

Neon said Tuesday that it will release “Artificial” this year and “compete in this year’s Oscar race.” The film, which chronicles the days leading up to the 2023 firing and reinstatement of Altman as OpenAI chief executive, also stars Monica Barbaro, Yura Borisov and Academy Award winner Mark Rylance. Ike Barinholtz plays Elon Musk.

In late February, Amazon signed an expansive multiyear partnership with the artificial intelligence startup. Then earlier this month, Amazon MGM said it would put the film up for sale to find it a new home.

Neon has established an enviable awards-season track record with Oscar winners like “Parasite” and “Anora.” The specialty label has backed the last seven Palme d’Or winners at the Cannes Film Festival. The studio declined to disclose how much it paid for the worldwide rights to “Artificial.”

“The acquisition underscores Neon’s commitment to partnering with visionary filmmakers, and bringing ambitious cinema to audiences around the world,” the studio said in a statement.

Over a four year period, between 2022/23 and 2025/26, more than £860,000 was paid out in compensation for accidents on footpaths in the town, a freedom of information request has revealed.

Independent Councillor Joan McTigue said she doubts it would have cost as much to “repair all the [footpath] damage in the first place”.

When accidents do happen, resulting payments are made through the council’s insurers.

A Middlesbrough Council spokesman said the safety of footpaths and pavements is a “key priority” for the council.

He added: “We have an ongoing programme of repairs and maintenance. Regular inspections are undertaken, and we also rely on the public to report issues to us where they arise so they can be dealt with quickly and effectively.

“While public safety is of paramount importance, where possible more extensive preventative work will also be carried out.”

The total figure over the course of four financial years amounted to £866,584, although it is unclear if this sum includes compensation for injuries that occur on damaged grass verges, which border many of the town’s pavements in residential areas.