By BEN NAGLE, US SPORTS EDITOR

Published: 23:52 BST, 19 July 2026 | Updated: 03:05 BST, 20 July 2026

A heartbroken Lionel Messi burst into tears on the pitch after collecting his runners-up medal in what will almost certainly be his final ever World Cup appearance.

The Argentina captain – who spent most of his career playing in Barcelona – was ineffectual against Spain in the New Jersey showdown as his team failed to find the net in 120 minutes.

The tournament in America was almost certainly Messi’s final international bow, and his emotional full-time reaction went some way to confirming that.

When the final whistle blew, he dropped to the ground and held his hands to his face, inconsolable by his teammates and opponents alike.

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After gathering himself to collect his runners-up medal from Donald Trump, the emotions of the moment became too much for the sport’s greatest-of-all-time as he burst into tears just before Spain lifted the trophy.

Messi’s career will continue with Inter Miami but he is unlikely to play at the highest level again for his country, given he will be 43 when the next World Cup takes place.

Lionel Messi let the tears flow just moments after collecting his World Cup runners-up medal

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At the end of what was likely his last World Cup game, Messi appeared inconsolable

In a heartbreaking scene, he sat alone on the turf at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium

Messi was appearing in his third World Cup final, four years after he lifted the trophy for his country in Qatar.

His first time in the biggest game of them all came in 2014 in Brazil, when he and his countrymen were beaten in extra-time by Germany.

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It was the same result for the heartbroken Messi on Sunday, as Spain’s Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the game deep into the additional 30-minute period.

In the game itself, Messi struggled to make an impact against the country he knows so well, barely getting a kick against the likes of Lamine Yamal and Co.

As an estimated 1.7 billion people watched on from around the world, waiting for Messi to produce the magic we so often see from him, he struggled to find the pace of the game and could not help his team to victory.

Messi sits on the grass at MetLife and watches Spain’s players celebrate their triumph

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It is unlikely football fans will ever see the great man grace the World Cup stage ever again

Eric Garcia hugs Messi on the pitch at the end of a hard-fought 1-0 Spain win in New Jersey

Join the discussion

How should Messi’s World Cup legacy be remembered after this emotional farewell?

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After collecting his losers’ medal from Trump, he stood in front of the Argentina fans inside the stadium, letting the emotion pour out of him.

On X, one fan wrote of the moment: ‘You aren’t a football fan if you don’t feel sad for Messi.’

A second added: ‘Thanks for everything you put into this game. You’ll always be the best.’

A third, meanwhile, said: ‘Damn, the greatest of all time. The best to ever do it.’ 

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Lamine Yamal isn’t the only member of his family captivating audiences around the world.

The 19-year-old Spanish forward’s three-year-old half-brother Keyne has been a breakout star of the World Cup and went viral again on Sunday with his post-game celebration following the 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final.

Dressed in a replica Spain jersey with his brother’s No. 19 and his own first name emblazoned on the back, Keyne darted onto the pitch at MetLife Stadium, where he then ran straight into his older brother’s arms.

Yamal was all too happy to accept a hug from Keyne and quickly lifted his younger brother into the air before gently placing him back down on the field and putting a red ‘Lamine’ baseball hat on the toddler’s head.

And that wasn’t the only hat Keyne tried on while roaming around the MetLife pitch on Sunday. A New Jersey State Trooper couldn’t help but remove his cap to briefly share with Keyne, who tried it on before politely returning it to the officer.

For Keyne, it was one of the final moments of a memorable World Cup run that included several appearances on stadium scoreboards, not to mention dozens of wire photos that were picked up by news outlets around the world. Keyne even managed to score a goal on his brother’s teammate, Nico Williams, during some pre-game warmups. 

Keyne was all smiles when he finally caught up to his big brother, Yamal, after Sunday’s win

Keyne, 3, gestures on the field at MetLife Stadium after seeing his brother win Sunday’s final

Lamine Yamal puts the World Cup trophy into his younger brother Keyne’s arms on Sunday

Keyne is seen dancing near a giant replica of the World Cup trophy on Sunday 

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Yamal and his brother Keyne bump fists alongside the World Cup trophy on Sunday 

‘This time around, the biggest sensation of the competition isn’t an athlete, the goals, or even the trophy itself,’ was how Hola! – Spain’s version of Hello! magazine – put it earlier this month. ‘It’s Keyne, Lamine Yamal’s three-year-old brother, who’s taking the tournament by storm with his hilarious moments.’

Standing just a few feet tall, Keyne has rapidly become an internet sensation. The toddler has melted hearts throughout Spain’s run, endearing himself to supporters across the world.

Elsewhere in the media, he has been dubbed ‘the star of the 2026 World Cup,’ ‘Spain’s superstar in the stands’ and ‘the most beloved personality of the tournament’.

Keyne’s popularity reached fever pitch after Spain’s quarter-final victory over Belgium, when television cameras cut to the three-year-old waving and smiling at his brother from the stands.

Lamine Yamal and his mother Sheila Ebana attempt to hand the trophy to young Keyne 

At just 3, Keyne appears to already have one World Cup victory under his belt 

Keyne was given a piece of the goal’s net, which he used to entertain a state trooper

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A New Jersey state trooper couldn’t help but share his hat with Keyne, who tried it on 

Keyne was a man of many hats on Sunday, including this offering from a state trooper 

Yamal dropped a new baseball hat on his brother’s head after Sunday’s victory 

Down on the pitch, Yamal burst into laughter after spotting Keyne sticking out his tongue on the stadium’s giant screens. Images of the youngster’s antics were soon circulating across social media.

Speaking to journalists after the match, Yamal revealed his brother had warned him about his plans the day before, making the moment even funnier.

‘I was at physio and he called me, using my mum’s phone, and told me that he was going to stick his tongue out tomorrow,’ the right-winger explained. ‘So that’s why when I saw him on the screen, it really made me laugh.’

Born in September 2022, Keyne is the son of Yamal’s mother, Sheila Ebana. Although the pair do not share the same father, the Barcelona star spoke glowingly about their bond after being named player of the match in Spain’s round-of-32 victory last Thursday.

‘I’m moved when I see my little brother this happy, as well as seeing my mum and friends living the life they always dreamed of,’ he said.

‘My little brother means everything to me. I am in love with him; it feels like he is my son.’

Keyne wasn’t happy to just watch Sunday’s World Cup final, and instead got some practice in

Keyne impresses onlookers at MetLife Stadium with some fancy footwork  

For those who have followed Yamal’s rise closely, Keyne’s presence is nothing new. The footballer regularly shares videos of them doing TikTok dances together, while clips of the pair playing with a football on the pitch during Barcelona’s La Liga title celebrations last season also went viral.

There is footage of Keyne singing the Barcelona anthem at home and cheering his brother’s name. He has been filmed joking around with Barca’s giant mascot, Cat, and spending time with Yamal’s close friend and Spain team-mate Nico Williams after a La Liga match between Barcelona and Athletic Club. Yamal also recently shared a video of him and his mum walking down the street together, behind Keyne driving a Mercedes electric kids car.

When Yamal gave a tour of his former Barcelona flat at the end of last year, he proudly showed viewers a small statuette depicting him squatting and said it was Keyne’s ‘favourite thing in my house’. The figure references the traditional Catalan caganer – typically hidden within Nativity scenes and portrayed relieving itself outside the stable – and Keyne appears especially delighted that his older brother has his own version.

Keyne took a quick breather during Sunday’s festivities before getting his second wind 

Keyne is joined by another Spanish supporter on Sunday in East Rutherford, New jersey 

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Yamal, who brought Keyne with him to the Ballon d’Or ceremony, has previously spoken about wanting to give his younger brother the childhood he never had. The winger has made his famous ‘304’ celebration – a reference to the postcode of Rocafonda, one of Catalonia’s most deprived neighborhoods where he grew up – a symbol of his identity and a nod to his roots.

‘My mom had me when she was 16 – now that’s real pressure,’ he told Spanish broadcaster Cadena SER. ‘Then my dad had to go out and make a living, scavenging on the streets to bring food home. That’s pressure. All I have to do is play and keep the Spanish fans happy.’

‘I came from an apartment where the kitchen and bedroom were in the same place,’ he said on a podcast last year. ‘So I see my mother happy, I see that my brother can have the kind of childhood I would have wanted, and that’s what makes me happiest.’

Keyne is also a familiar face on his mother’s Instagram profile, appearing in sponsored posts, including a recent promotion for a sushi restaurant in Premià de Mar, a coastal town near Barcelona.

‘Sunday, sushi and good company,’ she wrote on Instagram.

Keyne and Yamal are pictured with their mother Sheila Ebana after Spain’s Euros win in 2024

This photo taken in 2007 shows a 20-year-old Lionel Messi helping to bathe Lamine Yamal, who was merely six months old at the time. Yamal’s mother Sheila Ebana is also pictured

Ebana’s eldest son also has some memorable photos from his youth, including one famously taken alongside then-Barcelona star Lionel Messi in 2007.

Yamal’s parents, including his Morocco-born father Mounir Nasraoui, entered a raffle run by Catalan newspaper Sport with winners getting photos taken of their baby with a Barcelona player.

Yamal’s family famously won and was paired with Messi.

In the shoot, Messi bathed the five-month-old Yamal and then held him, wrapped in a towel.

That picture, it was crazy,’ Messi said Friday. ‘Him as a baby, and now we are facing each other. What a crazy picture.’

Who knows, if the 39-year-old Messi can hang on a bit longer, perhaps he can face off with the family’s other viral star, Keyne, someday.

The production of Made in Dagenham – The Musical will be staged by the New Garrett Theatre in Atherton and tells the true story of Ford sewing machinists who went on strike in 1968.

Their fight for equal pay changed history and it is their story that will be celebrated by the theatre group.

Leading lady Amy Gaskell, who plays Rita O’Grady, said: “It’s a show that everyone should see at least once in their lives, a true feel-good story with so much heart to it.

“It’ll stick with you forever.”

Leading lady Amy Gaskell plays Rita O’Grady (Image: New Garrett Theatre)

Made in Dagenham tells the story of a group of women workers at a Ford plant in the Essex town who went on strike in 1968 in protest against discriminatory pay.

The strike they led gained national and worldwide attention and would ultimately help pave the way to the Equal Pay Act of 1970.

The act outlawed less favourable treatment between men and women in terms of pay, employment and conditions.

The theatre group say its production is packed with memorable songs, humour and “sheer girl power.”

Some of the cast of Made in Dagenham – The Musical (Image: New Garrett Theatre)

They describe Made in Dagenham as “more than just a musical, it’s a celebration of the courage, determination and the power of ordinary women who achieved extraordinary things.”

The cast will be made up of talented people from across the local area with an age range spanning from 13 all the way to 80.

The New Garrett Theatre is a local community theatre group that has built a strong reputation for delivering award-winning, high-quality productions.

The theatre welcomes performers aged 11 and over from all backgrounds.

They say they work hard to play a vital role in Atherton’s cultural life, providing its members with opportunities to flourish onstage and audiences with memorable experiences.

Made in Dagenham – The Musical will be staged at 7.15pm from Wednesday July 22 to Saturday July 25 at St Mary’s Catholic High School and Sixth Form College on Manchester Road Astley.

Tickets can be booked online at tntg.co.uk.

Tucked away on the High Street in Pateley Bridge, one of North Yorkshire’s most picturesque towns, The Oldest Sweet Shop in England has been trading continuously since 1827.

The business, which was officially recognised by Guinness World Records in 2014, is housed in a Grade II listed building dating back to 1661.

The shop has now been featured by The Yorkshireman page, which features different pubs, bars, cafes, and beauty spots in the region, and described it as “a traditional sweetshop that transports you back in time”.

The Oldest Sweet Shop in England, Pateley Bridge (Image: TRIPADVISOR)

The site said: “Shelves stacked with jars of traditional sweets, wooden fittings that have barely been changed in more than 200 years and a smell that transports you back to childhood.”

It added that, with nearly two centuries of expertise, the shop has “unrivalled expertise in confectionery” and gives visitors a “ye olde vibe”.

The Pateley Bridge shop originally opened in 1827 as a grocer before becoming the sweet shop known today.

Inside, visitors will find jar after jar of traditional sweets, including pear drops, dolly mixture, midget gems, fruit bonbons, rhubarb and custards, mint humbugs, Everton mints, Yorkshire mixture, lemon sherbets and Pontefract cakes.

The Yorkshireman described the shop as “a treasure trove of all things sugary”, adding that it carries hundreds of varieties of confectionery that cannot be found in many other places.

Many of the sweets are still made using traditional methods, boiled in copper pans and shaped with moulds, some of which are more than a century old.

Upstairs, visitors can also explore a small museum dedicated to the history of confectionery, with vintage sweet jars, chocolate moulds, old packaging and nostalgic advertising telling the story of Britain’s favourite treats through the decades.

The shop has attracted national and international attention over the years.

It has appeared on television with Paul Hollywood, Nigel Slater, Alan Titchmarsh and Robbie Coltrane, as well as featuring on programmes including BBC Breakfast and Yorkshire: Great and Small.

Its reputation has also been recognised by publications including National Geographic, The Times, The Guardian and Good Food Magazine.

Despite that attention, the shop remains closely tied to Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale.

The Yorkshireman described it as “the perfect excuse to visit the idyllic spot”, noting that Pateley Bridge sits in the heart of Nidderdale National Landscape and is a good starting point for walks nearby.

The shop front of the sweet shop in Pateley Bridge (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

The site added: “The traditional shop attracts tourists by the busload, with many flocking to Pateley Bridge every single year just to buy a bag of sweets.”

Visitors have also praised the shop’s nostalgic feel.

One Tripadvisor reviewer said: “A lovely old shop with ‘old-fashioned’ sweets that children born in the 1960s and onwards will fondly remember.

“Luckily, there are still shops selling sweets from yesteryear.”

Another wrote: “Sherbet pips and jazzies, need I say more? Jars for all tastes and desires, loved the shop.”

Others have highlighted the atmosphere as much as the confectionery itself.

One visitor said: “Old and dusty it might be, but it has atmosphere. Great selection. Worth a visit.”

Another described it simply as: “A sweet experience, all the old favourites and many I’ve not seen for years.”

The shop also has an original pre-decimal cash till, once used for pounds, shillings and pence, adding to its sense of authenticity.

Earlier this year, the business changed hands to a new owner, aged just 23, who The Yorkshireman said is “full of passion to retain the shop’s heritage”.

For visitors to Nidderdale, the shop remains one of Pateley Bridge’s best-known attractions.

It aims to make it ‘easier’ for customers to donate to charity shops

Delivery service Evri has announced it is making a major change across 12,500 ParcelShops and lockers to make it “easier” for customers to donate to charity shops.

With charity shops facing mounting pressures, Evri has revealed a new initiative to encourage more people to donate to charity shops. In partnership with disability equality charity Scope, Evri said it is creating a nationwide donation-by-post service that will allow people to donate unwanted belongings to charity without having to actually visit a store.

This means shoppers will now be able to send their pre-loved items directly to Scope, free of charge, via more than 12,500 Evri ParcelShops and lockers across the UK. These locations can be found in Post Office branches and Asda stores, as well as at thousands of brand new Evri lockers.

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The initiative comes after research showed 46% of people are more likely to donate to charity if they can use parcel lockers

Jonathan Bennett, Director of Marketing at Evri Group, said: “Charity shops are an important part of our high streets and communities, but like all retailers they need new ways to attract stock and engage supporters.

“Through our partnership with Scope we’re making donating easier than ever, whether that’s through free drop-offs at more than 12,500 locations nationwide or the UK’s first charity shop parcel locker. By combining convenience, accessibility and innovation, we’re helping more pre-loved items find a second life while supporting Scope’s vital work for disabled people.”

Debbie Boylen, Head of Retail at disability equality charity Scope, added: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for Scope. Evri has been so generous with their fundraising and these new developments are set to help us raise even more funds.

“The impact of this will be so far-reaching. Every pound we raise can help fund a minute’s call on our free helpline with the average call lasting 15 minutes. Disabled people can receive expert guidance and advice, so your quality donations are vital.

“Their vast network of drop off locations means so many more people have the opportunity to donate to Scope at a time and location convenient to them, 24 hours a day. It also means Evri’s customers have an opportunity to help us remove the barriers disabled people face, every day.

“Life costs more for disabled people, who need an extra £1,095 each month on average, just to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households. As prices are ramping up across the board, many are finding themselves pushed to the brink and are contacting our free helpline for vital support and guidance.

“We know donating money isn’t always possible. But giving good-quality clothes through Evri is free and easy. It’s a simple way to clear out your wardrobe and help us to break down barriers and create a fairer society with disabled people.”

In a further boost for charity retail, Evri also said it will install what is believed to be the UK’s first parcel locker inside a charity shop. This will be located in Scope’s Doncaster store and is aimed at increasing footfall and creating additional reasons for shoppers to visit charity shops.

How to donate to Scope via an Evri parcel locker

1. Visit Evri.com/Scope to create a free parcel label
2. Package items using Evri’s guidance
3. Print the label and drop off at a ParcelShop or locker

Items will then be processed and distributed into Scope’s retail network and will be sold to raise money for the charity’s work.

By DAVID WILCOCK, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

Published: 01:18 BST, 20 July 2026 | Updated: 02:50 BST, 20 July 2026

Boris Johnson has challenged claims that MPs need their security ramping up in the wake of the murder of ex-minister Ann Widdecombe. 

The former Tory PM said the move, championed by Reform UK since Ms Widdecombe was found dead at her Dartmoor home earlier this month, would be ‘expensive and pointless’.

Mr Johnson told Sky News it would be better to work towards reducing the public anger directed at politicians.

He also praised Chancellor Rachel Reeves for challenging a heckler earlier this year.

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The death of Ms Widdecombe has reignited the debate over the security of politicians, with her Reform allies – including party leader Nigel Farage – demanding new taxpayer-funded guards.

Two serving MPs, Labour’s Jo Cox and the Conservative Sir David Amess, have been murdered in the course of their work in the past ten years, and the issue of threats aimed at politicians has also grown.

It was revealed on Sunday that MI5 has suggested vulnerable, high-profile figures such as politicians should consider creating a safe room in their homes to shelter from attackers.

Guidance issued by the security service’s National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) proposes they consider creating a secure area to evade a ‘potentially violent threat’ when it is not possible to flee.

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Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Sky News that ramping up MPs’ security would be ‘probably expensive and pointless’

Ann Widdecombe’s alleged murder earlier this month has stoked debate on MPs’ protection

Mr Johnson was asked on Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips whether people are being put off standing for public office due to the danger.

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He replied: ‘I think people are more verbally aggressive with each other than [before]. I feel it’s got a bit coarser, a bit rougher. That might put people off and they might not want their kids shouted at, that sort of thing.

‘What I think about all this is that actually it’s probably expensive and pointless to try to raise everybody’s level of security.

‘But what we could do is dial down the general level of invective.’

He went on to suggest MPs should ‘take it in your stride and fire back’, citing the example of Ms Reeves.

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‘I think she’s been an appalling Chancellor. But I thought Rachel Reeves was very good at that petrol station when she stood up to someone,’ he said.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves was heckled during a photo shoot to promote the fuel duty announcement at a forecourt in Leeds 

The Chancellor was heckled during a TV interview about fuel duty in May by a van driver who shouted that the Government was ‘ruining the country’.

His vehicle had two St George’s flags on the roof and he said: ‘We’ve got English flags on here, Rachel, am I going to get arrested?’

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But she hit back, saying: ‘I love our country, and one of the things about our country is good manners. Not very British.’

A 28-year-old suspect from Rotherham was still being held in police custody over Ms Widdecombe’s murder last night.

On the final day of this year’s Great Yorkshire Show on Friday, it was revealed that Princess Anne will take up the honorary role for 2027/2028.

The Princess Royal, who first visited the show in 1992 and has attended regularly since, will be the first royal president since the Duchess of Kent in 1972.

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She follows in the footsteps of her great aunt, Princess Mary, who served as the show’s first female president in 1937, 1951, and 1957.

Her brother – HM King Charles III – is also a keen supporting and has been both the Society’s Patron since 1998 and a frequent visitor, attending in 1999, 2006, 2011, 2015 and 2021.

Show director Rachel Coates said: “It is an immense honour that The Princess Royal has agreed to be our show president in 2027/2028.

“She is always hugely popular with visitors and brings a deep understanding of agriculture and rural life.”

HRH The Princess Royal visiting the 163rd Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate. (Image: Kate Mallender)

Just before the Show’s closing ceremony, retiring president Nick Lane Fox handed over the 2026/2028 presidency to Rodrica Straker of Burton Constable Hall.

Rachel added: “It has been an incredible four days at the Great Yorkshire Show. We’ve had fine weather, the highest standards of competition and some really thrilling moments.

“I hope everyone who visited the Show has taken away a little bit of extra appreciation for British food and how it is produced, and we look forward to welcoming you back in 2027.

“I would like to thank our outgoing President, Nick Lane Fox for his invaluable contributions over the last 12 months.

“The Show’s success really is the sum of all of the contributions made by our volunteers, staff and stewards, and I’m hugely grateful to everyone, including our visitors, who have made this record-breaking Great Yorkshire Show such a wonderful occasion in its 167th year.”

Outgoing President Nick Lane Fox hands over the Presidents Crook to New President Rodrica Straker (Image: Provided)

Princess Anne will formally take on the presidency at the end of the 2027 show.

In other highlights from the final day, Yorkshire’s Best Young Farmer was named as 22-year-old Emily Fretwell from Penistone.

Meanwhile, Harriet Cowan, who has gained a following through Clarkson’s Farm, appeared on the Ariat GYS Stage with TV presenter Christine Talbot to discuss her farming life, previous career as a nurse, and recent television fame,.

She also presented the first place in the Beef Young Handlers class to thirteen-year-old Abbie Jackson-Carr from Carlecotes, near Sheffield, with her Hereford cow JC1 Marigold and in livestock competitions.

Harriet Cowan visits the 2026 Great Yorkshire Show. Harriet presents Abbie Jackson-Carr, 13, with her beef young handlers award (12-14yrs) . Abbie is from Carlecoates nr Sheffield (Image: Provided)

The Margaret Chapman Beef Pairs concluded the beef cattle section, native champions were Herefords, while the Continental title went to British Simmentals and the champion beef group went to British Limousin, led by AWJ Farms’ Whinfellpark Rebecca and her calf.

In the sheep section, Katie Bachelor won the Overall Pair of Lambs Championship with her Suffolk sheep.

Supreme Champion Best in Show Ivor Flatman (Image: Kate Mallender)

Katie said: “I am from a farming family and always wanted to have Suffolks. I thought the Blue Texels would win so I am really pleased. It makes a long week worth it.”

In the Hives and Honey section, retiring chief steward Ivor Flatman took home the Best in Show trophy, while Josephine Anderson was named Supreme Champion Beekeeper.

A North Yorkshire based British Saanen named Dalestone Britney was crowned Best Goat in Show on Friday – with owner Mark Bond had also won dairy awards with milk and cheese from her.

Supreme Champion Goat Dalestone Britney a British Saanen (9yrs) with owner Mark Bond from Catterick (Image: Simon Dewhurst)

Three years ago, Dalestone Britney also won Best Goat in Show and Mark said the win was “extra-special” because of Dalestone Britney’s age.

He said: “You always hope you win just once but twice, at nine, is extra-special. She has done tremendously and we are ecstatic.”

Michael Longton of Lancaster won the sheepdog trials with his six-year-old dog, Max, while tree surgeon Dan Whelan retained his title in the Great Yorkshire Pole Climbing championship by reaching the top of the pole in 9.16 seconds.

Next year’s Great Yorkshire Show will take place from Tuesday July 13 to Friday July 16, 2027.

Police are desperately trying to track down Rosie May Osborne, who was last seen on Sunday morning in her home suburb of Bootle in Liverpool, when she was riding her bike

Police are ‘urgently’ searching for a 10-year-old Liverpool girl who was last seen riding her bike.

Rosie May Osborne, from Bootle in north Liverpool, was last seen on Sunday morning (July 19). She was spotted at 8am on Stanley Road in the North Park area of Bootle , Merseyside Police says.

Cops have now launched an appeal to find Rosie, who was ‘last seen riding a pink bike’. Officers have released an image of the bike Rosie was riding at the time. She is known to visit Bootle often, they added.

Rosie is 5ft tall, of slim build, and had wavy blonde hair. She wears glasses.

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A police statement, released in the early hours of Monday (July 20), said: “We are urgently appealing for help in finding a 10-year-old girl who is missing from home in Bootle.

“Rosie May Osborne was last seen in North Park on Stanley Road at around 8am yesterday morning, Sunday 19 July and enquiries are ongoing to find her.

“She is described as 5ft tall, slim build, with blonde wavy hair and wears glasses. When last seen she was riding a pink bike which is pictured below.

“She often visits parks in the Bootle area.

“If you see Rosie, please call 999 so we can make sure she is safe. You can also pass on any sightings via our form: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/mp/v2/add-something-reported-missing/ or any other information to @MerPolCC or 101.”

President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran for a ninth consecutive night, hours after the military confirmed a third soldier was recently killed in combat. 

US Central Command announced on social media Sunday night that forces began firing at Iran at 7pm EST, after a soldier was confirmed killed at a base in Northern Iraq. 

CENTCOM vowed to ‘continue degrading Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz.’

Speaking with reporters on Sunday night, Trump said he feels ‘very badly’ about the American fatalities.

‘But you know, those great patriots were out there fighting [so] that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,’ he said.

‘Iran has been very, very badly damaged,’ the commander-in-chief continued. ‘They’ve lost everything almost militarily… We control the Strait; they don’t control anything.

‘So we’ll see what happens, but we hit them very hard again tonight, and we did that in honor of the…  three great patriots.’ 

American forces have already devastated Iranian missile depots, drones and air defenses in a barrage of airstrikes over the weekend, as the US military promised ‘swift punishment’ for the deaths of two service members.

Those US strikes concluded at 11.30pm on Saturday and were targeted at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces responsible for the fatal attack on US assets in Jordan on Friday.

But on Sunday, CENTCOM announced that a third service member was then killed during a ‘controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone’ in Northern Iraq during action on Saturday. 

Trump called the deaths ‘a very sad thing’ in an interview with NewsNation’s Hannah Brandt on Sunday, but said their sacrifice was ‘in service to our country’ as he reaffirmed that ‘we’re never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon.’

In addition to the two fatalities, one service member is missing in action, and four others were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals in the attack. The troops have since been discharged, CENTCOM said in a statement on Saturday. 

The military has not released any of the soldiers’ identities out of respect for the families, as more than 50,000 soldiers were deployed across the Middle East.

Those troops were described as ‘highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready.’

 United States forces launched strikes on Iran for a ninth consecutive night on Sunday. A recent strike on Iranian assets is pictured

The US devastated Iranian missile depots, drones and air defenses in the latest barrage of airstrikes after promising ‘swift punishment’ for the deaths of two American service members

But Seyed Mohammed Marandi, an Iranian-American academic who has been labeled a ‘mouthpiece’ for the Islamic regime, said Tehran has spent decades preparing for a US ground invasion.

‘The Americans are planning an invasion. I’m not saying it will necessarily happen. I’m not saying it will necessarily happen in the next few days. But they have plans for an invasion,’ Marandi, a former advisor to Iran’s nuclear negotiation team, said in an interview with political analyst Glenn Diesen.

‘Whether they carry them out or not, we’ll see. But the Iranians, as you pointed out, the focus of Iranian strikes is on Bahrain and Kuwait, and that’s because that’s where most American assets have been placed for a ground invasion,’ Diesen replied. 

The remarks came as Iran taunted the US with chilling billboards that have fueled conspiracy theories about Senator Lindsey Graham‘s death and hinted at a possible assassination plot against President Trump. 

A heavily-damaged bridge which was hit by a US strike is pictured along the road connecting Roudan and Bandar Abbas in southern Iran on July 18

A massive red billboard popped up in Valiasr Square in Tehran this week, with an eerie message reading: ‘Who is D nexT one? #lindseygraham.’

It appeared to hint that Trump, 80, is Tehran’s next target, as the slogan in English had the unusual capitalization of the letters ‘D’ and ‘T’ appearing to reference the 47th US President.

In Enghelab Square, in central Tehran, a gigantic corner billboard displayed an image of the US President, his body dressed in a suit peeking out from an open black coffin. Written underneath, in graffiti-style in Persian and English, were the words: ‘We will kill Trump.’

These political billboards are the latest in a series targeting the US President. Earlier this week, a mural with individual, framed images of Trump, his children and Melania set above US flag-draped coffins and a backdrop of the White House, was unveiled in Palestine Square in Iran. 

Billboards have popped up around Tehran, hinting at a Trump assassination plan 

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One billboard showed Trump in a coffin 

The newest billboards have also fueled conspiracy theories that the Middle Eastern country may have been involved in Graham’s mysterious death at the age of 71 last weekend, as the politician was in Ukraine just days before, leading people to speculate Tehran may have orchestrated it. 

There has been no confirmation or evidence suggesting Iran had anything to do with the senator’s death.