REASONS to be cheerful, one, two, three, as the summer sounds of the city changed from John Smith’s race day on Knavesmire to Live At York Museum Gardens and onwards to the pubs of York once Saturday night turned into Sunday morning’s Hey Jude.

Kick-off time for day three of Live At York Museum Gardens had been moved forward by 30 minutes to accommodate England’s 10pm quarter-final clash with Leeds-born Erling Haaland’s Norway.

Saturday’s bill boasted five acts, one more than for Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and Self Esteem’s equally diverse evening line-ups on Thursday and Friday. Three bands from the Land of Song, the Super Furries, fellow seasoned Cardiff combo Los Campesinos! and Pys Melyn, from Pen Llŷn, North Wales, were joined by Nottingham’s Divorce and Buckinghamshire/West London-raised Baxter Dury.

Pictured, Divorce’s Tiger Cohen-Towell on song at Live At York Museum Gardens. (Image: Devon Chambers.)

Your reviewer arrived midway through Divorce’s set of confessional indie-folk rock and alt-country songs reminiscent of Mojave 3 and The Broken Family Band, drawn to the fiddle-playing as much as to the double-barrelled duo of bassist Tiger Cohen-Towell and Felix Mackenzie-Barrow alternating lead vocals.

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“Enjoy the rest of the day. Keep drinking water,” advised Mackenzie-Barrow. Messages on the screens to either side of the stage urged the same action: Stay Hydrated, it counselled, highlighting the availability of free water points for re-filling and also of free sun cream in the First Aid tent.

“Welcome to the rock concert,” announced Los Campesinos! lead singer Gareth David Paisley, drawing attention back to the stage.

Super Furry Animals wow York with brilliant comeback show – Pictured, Los Campesinos! lead vocalist Gareth David Paisey. (Image: Devon Chambers.)

Still favouring emo black attire, albeit in T-shirt and shorts form, they were hard working, earnest, political too in “standing up against the creeping fascism we see around as every day” and Freedom For Palestine banner.

The “Heart Swells” message on their stage backdrop was as much an invocation as the name of their record label, but the songs tended to be laborious, typified by 2008’s We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed failing to match the epic promise of its none-more-emo title.

Baxter Dury was in the mood to crack on, his three-piece band taking to the stage two minutes early, to be joined by the front man in yellow shirt and dark suit, strutting like a bull-baiting toreador. Behind him, keyboard player and vocalist Madelaine Hart did much of the melodic heavy-lifting, contrasting with his braggadocio spoken-word outbursts, as he hit you with his rhythm schtick.

Pys Melyn opening Saturday’s Live At York Museum Gardens concert. (Image: Devon Chambers.)

Super Furry Animals had never played York in 33 years together, but on this year’s return to the concert platform after a ten-year hiatus, what better setting could there be to revive Hello Sunshine (Come Into My Life) than in the botanical York Museum Gardens.

The day’s sunshine had mellowed by the time the Cardiff art-rockers opened with the embracing hug of (Drawing) Rings Around The World at 8.25pm, but their songs are marked as much by an orb of warmth as occasional weird edges, the musical style duly altering as often as frontman Gruff Rhys changed guitars.

Baxter Dury striking a pose in his provocative set at Live At York Museum Gardens. (Image: Devon Chambers.)

As for OMD’s set on Thursday, fast-moving video projections accompanied each number, mixing with live footage of Gruff in shades and peaked cap and linear stage lighting in colours to complement each song’s mood and the imagery.

This was an exemplary outdoor gig, stuffed with SFA highs such as Juxtaposed With U, Northern Lites and God! Show Me Magic, the Welsh-language wonder of Ymaelodi â’r Ymylon, and humorous visual flourishes, as impactful as in David Byrne’s shows, such as Rhys’s sign board switching from Applause to Louder And Ape Sh*t! or suddenly sporting a high-viz jacket and Power Rangers-style helmet.

How else could they finish than with the magnificent mayhem of The Man Don’t Give A ***, climaxing with a return to the stage in long-haired furry animal costumes. Something spectacular 4 the weekend indeed.

By CHRISTINE RENDÓN, US SENIOR REPORTER

Published: 18:35 BST, 13 July 2026 | Updated: 19:24 BST, 13 July 2026

Two of Brad Pitt’s children are now moving forward with distancing themselves from their famous father. 

Both Pitt’s daughter Zahara and son Maddox have published notices revealing their intentions to drop ‘Pitt’ from their last name, according to court documents obtained by The Daily Mail. 

The advertisements were both published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal throughout the months of June and July. 

‘Petitioner Zahara Marley Joley-Pitt filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie,’ Zahara’s notice reads. 

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‘Petitioner Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt to Maddox Chivan Jolie,’ Maddox’s notice reads.

The notices both invite dissenting parties to appear at a scheduled hearing over the matter; Zahara’s hearing is scheduled for September 28 while Maddox’s is scheduled for September 14. 

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s children Zahara and Maddox have now published notices revealing their intention to drop their father’s last name; Jolie pictured with her children in 2024

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The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Angelina and Brad for comment but has not yet heard back.   

The publication comes after Zahara filed a petition requesting that Zahara Marley Jolie be her new name – dropping ‘Pitt.’ 

She publicly dropped the last name three years ago when she joined a sorority at Spelman College. 

‘My name is Zahara Marley Jolie. And [I] landed all the way from the Golden State in the city full of angels: Los Angeles, California,’ she appeared to say while introducing herself to sorority sisters, via People. 

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A source previously told TMZ that Pitt thinks Jolie is keeping their children from seeing him. Jolie and Pitt were raising six children together before she filed for divorce in 2016.

Their kids Shiloh and Vivienne have also stopped using Pitt’s last name. It is not known if Pax has stopped using the name as well.

After meeting on the set of the 2005 film Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Pitt and Jolie were seen as Hollywood’s ‘It’ couple during their long-term relationship.

They tied the knot in August 2014 during a secret ceremony in the South of France, and welcomed three children together during their romance – Shiloh in 2006, and twins Vivienne and Knox in 2008.

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They also adopted two more, Zahara, and Pax, and Pitt legally adopted the son that Angelina had adopted before they got together, Maddox.

The former power couple had six children together during their time as ‘Brangelina’

Zahara has not been using her father’s last name for many years

But in 2016, it came to an explosive end after the pair got into an alleged physical altercation while on a private flight with their six kids.

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Jolie later claimed that Pitt ‘choked’ one of the children during the horrifying dispute and ‘struck’ another in the face, leaving her and the kids feeling like ‘hostages’ and cowering in fear under a blanket for hours until they landed.

She also alleged that he grabbed her by the head, slammed her against a wall, and violently shook her at one point during the flight – which resulted in her injuring her back and elbow.

Pitt’s rep called Jolie’s account ‘completely untrue’ to CNN at first, but then released an amended statement to the publication that read, ‘Angelina’s story continues to evolve each time she tells it.

‘Brad has accepted responsibility for what he did but will not for things he didn’t do. He has been on the receiving end of every type of personal attack and misrepresentation. 

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A source previously told TMZ that Pitt thinks Jolie is keeping their children from seeing him

‘Thankfully, the various public authorities she has tried to use against him over the past six years have made their own independent decisions. Brad will continue to respond in court as he has consistently done.’

Since they split, the two stars have been embroiled in one of the most publicized legal battles in Hollywood history over custody of their children, as well as the winery that they once owned together.

In May 2021, after years of duking it out in court, Pitt and Jolie were officially granted joint custody of their six kids, but one month later, the judge’s decision was thrown out.

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Warning signs have been put in place at Richmond Falls to help to highlight the risks, including deep pools, hidden rocks and strong currents at the series of waterfalls a short walk from the town centre.

There have been several incidents in recent years, including the death of a 12-year-old boy who drowned in August last year while playing in the River Swale.

Khaled Basem Al Satouf, from Leeds, was “joking around” in the water, but was actually drowning, an inquest held in Northallerton in May this year found.

Floral tributes left to Khaled Basem Al Satouf (Image: NORTHERN ECHI)

The 12-year-old, who was at the Falls with six other members of his family, disappeared under the waterline at around 4.30pm.

Water rescue teams, firefighters and police officers launched a desperate rescue mission to find the 12-year-old.

Tragically, his body was found on the evening of August 16, and he was pronounced dead at 10.55pm.

North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, whose responsibilities include emergency planning, said: “We want everyone who either lives in North Yorkshire or visits the county to enjoy all that is on offer in such a wonderful part of the country.

A police car at Richmond Falls the day after a 12-year-old boy drowned (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

“But we also want people to be aware of the very real dangers that open water can pose. The signs highlight the local risks but these dangers are not unique to Richmond Falls.

“The deaths linked to water that have happened in recent months around the country and in North Yorkshire are tragic and will have a profound effect on the lives of family and friends of those involved.

“These signs are a small, but we hope important, reminder of the risks of entering open water.”

Pictured left to right at Richmond Falls are North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, Royal Air Force Air Cadets from the 2040 (Richmond) Squadron, Cadet Devynn Goodburn, Cadet Charlie Bridges, Cadet Courtney Appleyard, Flight Sergeant Meg Hall and Cllr Stuart Parsons, the local elected member for the council’s Richmond division (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL)

The threat that water can pose is often underestimated, especially during hot weather over the summer months.

There were at least 19 water-related deaths nationally during the heatwave that arrived towards the end of May this year, including Palwasha Akbar, a 13-year-old girl from Bradford, who tragically drowned in the River Wharfe in Burnsall, North Yorkshire, on May 31.

In the foreground are, pictured left to right, the officer commanding of the 2040 (Richmond) Squadron of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, Flight Sergeant Helen Bridges, Cadet Devynn Goodburn, Cadet Charlie Bridges and Flight Sergeant Meg Hall walking past one of the warning signs at Richmond Falls. In the background are Cllr Stuart Parsons, left, who is the local elected member for North Yorkshire Council’s Richmond division, and the council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, right (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL)

The key safety advice is for a person in danger in water to tilt their head back, spread their arms and legs and to relax while controlling their breathing.

If someone else is in trouble, do not enter the water and instead follow the ‘call, tell, throw’ principle – call 999, tell them to float, and throw something that can help them stay afloat.

The three signs at Richmond Falls are part of a water safety campaign which has been backed by Royal Air Force Air Cadets who are based in the town.

The officer commanding of the 2040 (Richmond) Squadron of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, Flight Sergeant Helen Bridges, said: “We are really pleased to be highlighting this campaign with our air cadets to show the very real dangers that water can pose.

One of the warning signs that have been placed at Richmond Falls to highlight the risks including deep pools, hidden rocks and strong currents at the series of waterfalls (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL)

“While anyone can get into trouble in water, the messages about safety are especially relevant to young people ahead of the start of the school holidays.”

Flight Sergeant Meg Hall, aged 16, who is from Richmond, added: “I know a lot of friends who do come down to the waterfalls especially when it is nice weather.

“It’s such a great spot to meet socially, but many people perhaps don’t realise just how dangerous it can be to go into the water.

“It’s really good that these signs have been introduced to get the message across to anyone who does come to Richmond Falls.”

The series of waterfalls is a popular destination for both Richmond’s residents and visitors to the town. They are especially popular during hot weather in the summer months.

Cllr Stuart Parsons, who represents the Richmond division on North Yorkshire Council, said: “Richmond Falls have long been a very popular spot in the town for people to come and enjoy such a beautiful location.

“The signs that have been installed are a very visible way of making people aware of the dangers that they could face if they do go into the water here.”

The water safety campaign at Richmond Falls comes after work was undertaken by North Yorkshire Council to tackle anti-social behaviour at the beauty spot.

Project Spotlight in Richmond was staged two years ago and saw a significant reduction in anti-social behaviour as council staff linked in with North Yorkshire Police to carry out regular patrols.

Fire services rushed to the blaze on Saturday evening (July 11)

Furious locals have slammed youngsters who allegedly let off fireworks shortly before a huge wildfire broke out near Dovestone reservoir.

Dozens of firefighters have today (Monday) spent another day battling to bring under control the blaze on the steep moorland surrounding the popular beauty spot near Saddleworth, which has been burning since Saturday evening (July 11).

Nearby residents have reported hearing ‘bangs’ so loud they thought they were gunshots shortly before fire crews first arrived at 8:45pm.

They then saw the sky being lit up by fireworks during what one onlooker described as a ‘Universal Studios style display.’

Videos of youths apparently setting fireworks in the area have also been shared on social media. One clip shows a young woman holding a rocket launcher as a firework explodes out from it.

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A firework then appears to spark a blaze in dry grasses, before a group of bystanders run over to the smoking section of moorland. In another video recorded shortly afterwards, flames can be seen quickly spreading across a hillside.

It is understood youths gathered in tribute to a teenager who tragically lost his life in the reservoir on Friday night (June 10). Karl Holland, 18, died after getting into difficulties in the water, with his body sadly recovered from the scene later.

The fire service have yet to comment on the cause of the fire which they say is currently under investigation.

Councillor Keiron Lawrence, the Reform UK councillor for Ashton Hurst, said the ‘reckless’ videos were being reviewed with ‘some of those responsible identified.’

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) this afternoon confirmed a 20 year-old woman had been arrested on suspicion of arson as part of the investigation. She remains in custody for questioning.

As smoke continued to billow out across the moors today and fire crews spent hours using various means to try and bring it under control in tinder-dry, sweltering conditions, residents living nearby shared their sadness, bafflement and anger at what had unfolded.

“It’s crazy,” one woman, who did not want to be named, said. ”Absolutely baffling. I cannot even begin to fathom or understand it. There are signs everywhere saying ‘no fireworks.’

“What part of that don’t they understand? People need to be more careful and use their brains a bit more. I don’t think they understand the potential consequences of their actions.

“It might seem like a small thing, but it can have a big impact. It was very bad on Saturday and into Sunday. There was a big red line on the hillside. I just feel sorry for the firefighters having to fight it in this weather.”

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A neighbour said it was akin to a ‘Universal Studios style display’ which he claimed ‘went on for about 20 minutes.’

“I thought it was gunshots at first,” he said. “Then I went to my bedroom and saw bright fire bursts. It was like an audition for Dante’s Inferno.”

He claimed social media had put the previously ‘hidden gem’ area ‘on the map’ but was now ‘perpetuating anti-social behaviour.

’He said those responsible had endangered firefighters’ health and safety’ adding he was ‘devastated’ at the impact on the countryside and wildlife. “It’s very sad,” he said.

“I don’t think there’s any point in getting angry, we need to get smarter” as he called for the introduction of a park ranger in the area.”

Rob, who lives in Greenfield, said: “It’s mental. Just stupid. I know what they were trying to achieve, but I’m not sure what they expected to happen with the conditions tinder-dry like this.” He said the recurring fires were also becoming a big frustration to locals.

“If it’s an accident, then accidents happen. But when people are bringing barbecues up there and things like that, it’s ridiculous.”

“What else can we do?” he asked. “We can’t shut it off as that’s not what it’s about. Some people are just so selfish though.”

A woman who also lives in the village said it was ‘very sad for those who lost their friend’ but said those who let off the fireworks ‘had obviously not thought about what they were doing.’

She said residents in the village had been left facing ‘constant sirens and smoke’ from the fire.

“I feel like we’re getting used to it. It has happened that often” she said. “But it seems to have gotten worse in the last five years or so. I’m not sure what, or by who, but I feel like more needs to be done.”

A neighbour labelled the setting off of the fireworks as ‘disgraceful.

“We have all seen the footage” she said. “We were aware of it quite quickly. There’s a lot of anger,” she said.

She had been left unable to go outside in her garden and was left worrying if her children’s school may have to be closed due to the smoke, she added.

Councillor Jake Frater, who represents Dukinfield and Stalybridge, said he had provided a dossier of evidence to police and that he was ‘ sick of seeing the same destruction every summer.’

“Earlier today, I made contact with Greater Manchester Police and provided all of the information we have gathered so far, including videos and photographs” he said in a statement shared on social media.

“In total, there are over 40 pieces of media, and GMP are carrying out a thorough investigation. That is what real community teamwork looks like. Absolutely outstanding from every single one of you. Thank you.

“I sincerely hope this investigation results in everyone responsible being identified and held fully accountable for the damage they have caused across Greater Manchester. Actions have consequences, and those responsible should face them.

“We also need to start looking at what more can be done to prevent this from happening year after year. I’m sick of seeing the same destruction every summer, with wildlife and habitats devastated, public money spent on repairs, and residents forced to keep their windows shut during hot weather because smoke is affecting their health. This cannot just become another annual occurrence. We have to do better.”

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News at the scene on Monday afternoon, Ben Levy, Head of Response for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue (GMFRS), said he was aware wildfires were a ‘problem’ and a ‘nuisance’ for those living in the local area as he pledged to bring it under control ‘as quickly as possible.’

He said that ‘we investigate the cause of every fire and that normally starts from the moment we arrive.’

“Our priority now is bringing this fire under control and the safety of our firefighters,” he said. He said they would be working with partner agencies such as the police and that once a cause had been established they would ‘see what that means to us.’

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Asked about the social media footage, he said: “People will have seen that footage and it’s quite unusual fireworks out on the moors, what is more common is fires started by the likes of disposable barbecues, people smoking and small campfires” he said.

However he said the ground was ‘tinder-dry’ and that ‘fireworks on dry moors are as much of a no-no as barbecues and small fires in the open.’

“If that becomes a line of our investigation that will be so” he said. “But at the moment, our priority is the safety of our firefighters whilst they’re on the moors fighting this fire.”

In a statement confirming the arrest of the woman, Detective Inspector Andrew Day from GMP’s Oldham CID said: “We are aware of social media posts circulating regarding this incident and would like to stress that this is a live police investigation.

“We would encourage people to stop speculating regarding this and if you do have information, please report it to ourselves.

Saddleworth Neighbourhood Sergeant Andy Holian added: “Officers would like to thank all emergency services who have dealt with and continue to deal with this incident. In particular, our colleagues at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

“Firefighters have been working tirelessly in extremely challenging conditions to contain the fire and prevent further spread, with strong winds adding to an already difficult situation.

“They are putting themselves at risk to protect our communities, the environment and local wildlife, and they deserve our utmost respect and support.”

Andy Burnham has effectively been confirmed as the new Labour leader after 349 MPs have nominated him to replace Sir Keir Starmer.

It is now mathematically impossible for a rival to run against the MP for Makerfield, with Burnham on track to become prime minister on 20 July.

He still requires the backing of three organisations affiliated to the Labour Party, at least two of which must be trade unions, although this is expected to be a formality for him.

The former mayor of Greater Manchester will field questions from Labour MPs as the only participant in an online hustings on Monday evening.

It marks an extraordinary rise to power for a man who only returned to Westminster three weeks ago following his historic by-election win in Makerfield.

In a statement on Thursday after receiving the backing of 322 MPs in the first day of nominations, Burnham said support for him had come from across the party and reflected a “shared belief that Britain needs a new approach to politics”.

“That is the circuit breaker I am offering: power out of Westminster, an economy rewired for ordinary people, and good growth in every postcode,” Burnham said.

Burnham’s own by-election victory and heavy Labour losses in May’s local elections left Sir Keir facing calls from his own MPs for him to stand aside and allow Burnham to replace him.

Sir Keir quit as Labour leader on the same day Burnham was sworn in as an MP.

Burnham has twice before run to become the Labour leader, in 2010 and 2015 – losing to Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn respectively.

This time round, he has run unopposed and his route to No 10 will not require a vote over the summer among party members and affiliated trade union supporters.

Wes Streeting, Sir Keir’s former health secretary, had been seen as a possible challenger, but he endorsed Burnham shortly after the prime minister’s resignation.

Former Defence Minister Al Carns, who resigned from government following a dispute over the funding plan for the military, was then seen as the most likely remaining challenger to Burnham, but he ruled himself out of contention last Wednesday.

Burnham has faced calls from some within Labour to offer more details on policies he will look to implement in government.

Burnham left Westminster in 2017 to run for the Greater Manchester mayoralty. He was elected three times.

But it has meant his opportunities to forge strong relationships with MPs elected since 2017, who make up the bulk of the Parliamentary Labour Party, have been limited.

He has also faced accusations of avoiding media scrutiny since he announced his intention to stand to replace Sir Keir. He has not taken questions from journalists after speeches and has so far only given an interview to Andrew Marr on LBC.

Burnham’s approach to social media is also a central part of his team’s strategy. The former Greater Manchester mayor frequently posts videos setting out areas of policy, and he has also held an online Q and A session for Reddit users.

The suspect in Ann Widdecombe’s murder “was not known” to the Prevent anti-extremism programme, the home secretary Shabana Mahmood has told MPs.

Ms Mahmood was updating Parliament hours after counter-terrorism police announced they are now leading the investigation into the former Conservative minister’s death.

A 28-year-old white British man is being held on suspicion of murdering the veteran politician, and has also been re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

Ms Mahmood told MPs that officers were “pursuing multiple lines of inquiry in order to establish the motivation of this attack” and that the suspect was not known to the government anti-extremism scheme Prevent.

She also urged MPs not to speculate while the investigation continued.

“As soon as more information is available that is capable of being shared without compromising any future trial process, that will be done,” she said.

Reform’s Richard Tice hit out at the police as he asked the home secretary to ensure “that the counter-terrorism unit keep us updated on as regular as possible a basis”.

He added that “given the nature of these things… would it be wise, when considering motivation… to keep things being open-ended as opposed to ruling things out too quickly, that may then end up being ruled back in?”

At the weekend Devon and Cornwall police said the case was “not being treated as terrorism” and there was “no information” at that time to suggest it was a “politically-motivated crime”.

Earlier Ms Mahmood had offered the Reform leader Nigel Farage a meeting with the chair of the independent body within the Home Office that manages the security of those in public life after another senior Reform figure, Zia Yusuf, accused ministers, the Speaker and the police of not caring about the security of his party’s MPs.

The Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said MPs’ security concerns are treated equally and are “passed on to the security people to deal with”.

He told MPs: “Every member of Parliament is equal in their security to me – there is no difference between any member, I want to reassure you.

“When things are brought to my attention – because we don’t discuss security, I don’t put out there what is happening, what has been done – but I reassure everybody that when it is mentioned to me, it is passed on to the security people to deal with.

“Unfortunately, I’m sorry that people don’t think I do that.”

Earlier, the head of National Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP), Laurence Taylor, said the investigation had been transferred aftre “new information and evidence” came to light.

“Our priority is progressing this investigation quickly, with all the capabilities we have available to us. If anyone has any information, please share it with the police,” he added.

“We would like to thank local communities, the wider public and the media for their ongoing support and patience, and would ask them to continue to support us in the next stage of the investigation.”

Discussing the ‘Hand of God’ goal with Diego Maradona himself was a particularly bizarre experience.

But, of course, the player who scored one of the most controversial goals of all time was more than happy to chat about it… with an Englishman. But, he refused point blank to apologise for the goal. He told me simply: “You have to use any advantage you can on the football field.”

After our interview he was about to take part in a coaching session with some youngsters. I asked him what he would say if one of them punched the ball in the net to score a goal. He said, with a twinkle in his eye: “I would say ‘good, very good.’”

In the interview, which took place in the Qatar capital Doha in 2005, he was a passionate early supporter of VAR – despite the fact it would have ruled out his goal. He insisted it was the only way forward, and of course 15 years later, football chiefs brought the technology in.

Maradona, who died aged 60 in 2020, smiled: “But if they had it in 1986 perhaps England would have been champions. I scored two beautiful goals in that game.”

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He was very warm and friendly and talked about his drug addiction, his family and his love of England star Wayne Rooney. Maradona and I certainly had “history”.

Back in 1986 I was watching the big game in a snooker hall in Reading and when the “Hand of God” goal went in I vividly remember screaming “you f***ing cheat” at the TV. When we met he warmly shook my hand. He was gracious, kind and insisted I could ask him any questions I liked.

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He said: “I was addicted to cocaine. But life is now worth living again. I am so much happier now. I wake up every morning and see my daughters – that is very special.

“The one thing I missed in the past was seeing my daughters each day growing up. That’s how very important to me. Life is worth living. I was addicted to cocaine. I was consuming myself and wiping myself out.”

He told me: “I believe parents are the biggest inspiration for their children and not stars who appear on the field for 90 minutes or celebrities who appear on television for a lesser period of time. I realised that only parents can be real examples and that’s where I corrected myself.

“I changed my lifestyle and transformed a lot for the sake of my two daughters. Now I do everything for them.”

He was very keen to talk about Wayne Rooney ahead of the 2006 World Cup where England ended up getting knocked out in the quarter final.

He said: “Back in 1986 I helped Argentina win the World Cup can Wayne Rooney do the same for England next year? Yes no doubt. He has the same characteristics as me both as a player and a person. He is a great player a powerful player but I do think he needs more guidance more leadership.”

I do remember that as we finished I asked him who was the best player ever then: “Pele, Johan Cruyff or you?” He said: “My mum says it’s me … and everyone listens to my mum!”

Three people from the same family have been found dead in their home, sparking a police probe.

The bodies were found inside a family home on a quiet street in Ballymena, Northern Ireland on Monday morning.

North Antrim MP Jim Allister said the deaths are a ‘tragedy causing great shock in the community’.

He said: ‘Though details remain scant, clearly there are family and friends who have suffered huge loss.

‘The police has confirmed to me there is no extant risk in the community and no further persons are being sought.

‘Sincere condolences to all affected.’

Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan said he was shocked by the deaths.

He said: ‘I am shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic deaths of three members of one family in the Old Cullybackey Road area of Ballymena.

‘My immediate thoughts are with their wider family and friends. Their grief will be immeasurable right now.

‘Anyone with information should bring it forward to the PSNI immediately and assist with its investigation.’

The family have not been named. A post mortem-is ongoing.

A PSNI spokesman said: ‘Police are investigating the circumstances after three people were found dead in the Old Cullybackey Road area of Ballymena this morning, Monday 13th July. 

‘The three people were related and found inside the family home.

‘There is no ongoing risk to the public.

‘A further update will follow in due course.’

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London is under water. The Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Bank of England are all submerged. Far away, the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets have collapsed, triggering accelerated sea level rise which, combined with a storm surge in the North Sea and a high spring tide, has led to water flooding over the Thames Barrier. Thousands of shops, offices, schools and houses are several feet deep in effluent-rich water.

Economists struggle to calculate the ongoing economic damage, but everyone knows it is epochal. The realisation dawns that the UK’s capital city is no longer defendable. The government has no choice but to abandon it permanently to the waves.

This dystopian vision of the next century is not the most likely outcome. But nor do current scientific projections rule it out.

As scientists learn more about how climate change could trigger catastrophic flooding, wholesale collapse of food supplies and millions of heat-related deaths, there is a growing realisation that such risks need to be more widely understood and acted on. Too many people remain unaware about what could actually happen. Disasters like these are possible. Crucially, they are not yet inevitable.

This lack of awareness is concerning, as I outlined with colleagues in an article published in February 2026 in the journal Nature. It fuels both climate denial and climate doomism. We have the evidence needed to help steer humanity towards greater safety, but scientists have not communicated that evidence effectively enough. We have tied ourselves too closely to a paradigm that focuses on best-known outcomes.

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East London is at high risk of extreme flooding – here’s how to limit the damage

No one wants to be the scientist who cried wolf. That aversion to predicting outcomes that may not happen has made us too ready to rule out those that could potentially take place.

We can do better. And so can everyone involved in communicating climate change information. Presenting the potential horrors of continued greenhouse gas emissions as though they are simply inevitable encourages people to give up on reducing those emissions at the very moment in history when we can least afford to do so. The catastrophic collapse of the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets that could cause the abandonment of London is not yet a foregone conclusion. But time is fast running out to avoid scenarios like this becoming a reality.

The case for stubborn hope

The writer and activist Rebecca Solnit points out that uncertainty in what lies ahead can be a trigger for climate action and an antidote for despair. Hope, she says, can come from a stubborn determination to enable positive change despite the challenges. This makes a lot of sense to me as a climate scientist who has worked for 30 years identifying the causes and consequences of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

To help everyone navigate that uncertain future, we argued in Nature that the scientific community needs to produce a new kind of climate-risk assessment – one that paints a compelling picture of things that may happen but are still avoidable. Knowing the possible perils, in a nevertheless uncertain future, gives people a better chance to navigate the choices they and their politicians face.

The missing climate assessment

There has been a previous global assessment of climate change risks, published in 2015, led by former chief scientific advisor to the UK government Sir David King. Produced relatively quickly by a small group of authors, it nevertheless demonstrated the potential power of such a set of information.

But that report is more than ten years old. With growing evidence that the risk of irreversible changes to the climate are mounting, a new assessment could show a much clearer picture of what is at stake. By presenting the best that could happen and the worst, side by side and as the years tick by, it would provide a roadmap for stubborn hope, an antidote to despair despite the stark realities.

London could be submerged by 2200. But it need not be. And there are many other climate change risks, particularly those affecting the most vulnerable nations, that are both catastrophic and still avoidable. Everybody deserves to know how the future could pan out if humanity does, or doesn’t, reach net-zero emissions by the middle of this century. Whether it be a top-down directive from the UN secretary general or a bottom-up initiative from scientists, a global assessment of avoidable climate-change risks would fill a gaping hole in the world’s knowledge of its most existential threat.