Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham has said he would ban Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in football if he could.

The would-be prime minister said the controversial review system was “killing spontaneity [and] it’s not getting decisions right.”

Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, plans to challenge Keir Starmer if he wins next month’s crucial Makerfield by-election.

He has been cleared by Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) to stand to be the party’s candidate in the seat.

Sitting Labour MP Josh Simons, who won with a 5,399 majority at the 2024 general election, announced on Thursday that he was standing down to make way for Burnham.

In an interview with ITV on Saturday, football fan Burnham was asked what he thought of VAR.

He said: “Gone. Get rid. I’ll tell you why. It’s killing spontaneity in the ground. I’m a season ticket holder at Everton. Killing spontaneity. You can’t celebrate a goal because you think someone somewhere in an industrial unit is going to rule it out.

“So that’s a bad thing. But number two, it doesn’t get decisions right. You could put up with it if it then got decisions right, but it doesn’t get the decisions right and it’s not consistent.

“It takes a decision one week for one favoured team and then doesn’t do the same thing the next.

“So it’s killing spontaneity, it’s not getting decisions right. Get rid.”

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Whether it’s a halved melon rind or a pan full of water, there are plenty of unexpected household objects that can make keeping your garden happy easier.

And if you’re hoping to keep your plants safe from grazing deer, the British Deer Society said that a humble bar of soap might help.

Wrapping it in a mesh bag or sock can make hanging it much easier, Martha Stewart’s site added.

“Fragrant soap will help to deter deer from garden beds because the scent is out of the ordinary and seems to trick them into thinking something is off,” orchard programme manager C.J. Walke told Martha Stewart previously.

Some gardeners try to add the pungent item to their flower beds by grating it onto the surface. But experts caution against that approach, pointing out that such small pieces of soap are likely to disappear much faster than a full bar.

“While it may still be effective, it would require more frequent replacement,” Walke stated.

Instead, the British Deer Society said, “Hanging bars of heavily scented soap amongst plants is thought by some to be effective. A benefit is that soap does not need to be replaced until it has completely dissolved.”

To ensure your soap stays put, place it in a sock or mesh bag and hang it from branches or your garden fence. Or, you could drill a hole through it and tie a string through to provide a kind of handle.

The smellier, the better.

And one study found that soap which contains tallow seems to be better at deterring deer than other kinds.

Still, in their paper, both tallow and non-tallow soap placed near a plot of corn led to “significantly reduced browsing compared with untreated plots”.

However, they also noted that voles tended to damage the trunks of freshly-planted apple trees that had been protected from deer by hanging bars of soap. So, they recommended keeping an eye on your trees if you try the trick.

You should also reapply soap every four to six weeks so it doesn’t lose its scent.

Though some research has recorded good results, the British Deer Society said there are caveats.

“Evidence comes from a limited number of uncontrolled trials and suggests variable success,” they shared.

And over time, deer can become used to the new smell, which is why it’s important to move your soap around from time to time if you’re planning to stick to the method for a long period of time.

Rotating deterrants, like loud noise and/or scarecrows, can help too.

The text Julie Story received from her mum about a sick relative was urgent and frustratingly context-less.

“She’s got another infection,” the message read, followed by a gnarly photo of the infection itself. Later, Story – a Florida-based comedy creator – learned her relative was already on antibiotics and doing completely fine.

But in the moment, she had no idea who her mum was talking about or how serious the situation was.

The text was alarming, but Story said these kinds of urgent, context-free updates from her mum are nothing new.

“Out-of-the-blue texts like this used to flood my nervous system with panic, but now I remind myself that what I just read is likely an exaggeration of the facts and isn’t the full story,” she said.

“I’ve gotten so many ‘URGENT SOS’ text messages that I’ve mentally renamed them ‘clickbait’ because that’s how they read.”

Story recently made a viral TikTok lovingly poking fun at boomers’ knack for delivering bad news, dressed in a ’90s mum wig and clutching a coffee mug. The video struck a nerve: “OMG. Have you been spending time with my mom?” one person wrote.

Online, millennials, Gen Xers and Gen Zers often discuss their boomer parents’ penchant for sharing bad news in the worst possible ways: Texting “he is gone” along with a photo of the family’s dead cat, or calling and saying, “Welp, he dead,” without specifying who the “he” in question actually is. (Your grandfather in his 90s? Your dad with health issues? Some neighbour who hosted a Fourth of July party you went to in the ’80s?)

Some on Reddit wonder if boomers take a certain pleasure in being the “first to inform anyone and everyone of someone else’s bad medical news”.

The cliffhanger, clickbaity messaging style is such a common experience, it might as well have a name: The Boomer Bad News Drop.

Oftentimes, the Boomer Bad News Drop is about someone you hardly know. But it’s always bad news.

Mike, a millennial with a 70-year-old mother, is often on the receiving end of that. He told HuffPost he calls his mum once a week to check in and fill her in on how he and her grandchildren are doing. When he asks how she’s doing, it’s never anything good. It’s also usually nothing about her.

“I’ll call and say, ‘Our baby just discovered her hands – it’s so exciting! How is everything going in your world?’” he said. “Then my mom will say, ‘Remember our neighbour from when you were in elementary school? Yeah, unfortunately, her husband passed away recently in a car accident. It was a big thing. The car flipped over on the highway. The other driver was drunk. Several times the legal limit.’”

“It reminds me of the Debbie Downer SNL skits,” said Mike, who asked to use his first name only in order to dish on his mum in this article.

The other impulse boomers have is just as frustrating to their kids: while they love to divulge other people’s bad news, they’ll exercise extreme discretion when it comes to their own health diagnoses – a tendency Bustle recently referred to as “The Boomer Hospital Reveal.”

“Oh, I was in the hospital earlier this month for a prostatectomy,” your dad will tell you over the phone. “It’s OK, I Ubered back.”

To speak tremendously broadly about a generation – we know not all boomers are guilty of this – why are some post-50 folks so bad at delivering bad news? Oversharing about others, undersharing about themselves?

“I would say that boomers dropping bad news so casually is a combination of generational communication style and emotional coping patterns,” said Jennifer Chappell Marsh, a marriage and family therapist in San Diego.

“Many boomers were raised in environments where emotions, especially grief, fear or vulnerability, weren’t processed out loud, so instead of framing bad news in an emotional context, they tend to deliver it as a piece of information,” Marsh told HuffPost.

For many boomers, being sensitive, emotional or vulnerable can feel like unfamiliar territory, since many grew up in environments where those qualities were framed negatively. As a result, some of those emotional communication muscles may simply be a bit underused.

“Because of these challenges with sensitivity and vulnerability, I have to wonder if that contributes to it seeming like they want to be bearers of bad news,” said Jess Sprengle, a therapist in Austin, Texas. “It might just be that they don’t recognise that what they’re sharing is sensitive, potentially traumatic information,” she said.

As for the sheer number of depressing texts or phone calls you might get from a boomer in your life, let’s state the obvious. At a certain age, there’s a surplus of bad news coming your way: people getting sick, people dying, unexpected grey divorces between couples you thought were solid as a rock.

That’s bound to stir up anxiety and existential reflection. And if someone doesn’t have an outlet for those feelings – a therapist, for example, or a close friend willing to dissect the latest tragedy on their Facebook feed – their adult kids are probably going to hear about it.

Children of boomers have their own theories on why the Boomer Bad News Drop is such a common experience.

“I firmly believe they want to be seen as the person ‘in the know,’” Mike said. “It’s important to them. With their social status changing, roles in life changing, and the amount of in-person socialisation they do decreasing, they want to be seen as a knowledgeable, connected figure.”

“It’s like the drama and gossip [go] through them, even if I have never heard of the person they’re talking about,” he added. “Facebook gives them a perfect free chance to acquire as much bad news as possible.”

Story thinks these older adults just want a little attention sometimes. “I wonder if our boomer parents have felt unheard in their close connections and compensate by telling shocking stories to engage others faster or to get someone’s attention,” she said.

As for not disclosing their own bad news, especially when it’s health-related, it may come from a desire to protect their children from pain, said Mary Beth Somich, a therapist in North Carolina. She told HuffPost that she hears about this dynamic regularly from the millennial and Gen X clients she works with.

“It always follows a pattern: important or painful information is withheld with the intention of ‘protecting’ the adult child, and then revealed later, often abruptly or in emotionally loaded moments,” Somich said.

She recently had a client share that they found out a grandparent had died weeks after the fact because, as their parents explained it, “you had a lot going on and we didn’t want to upset you.” Another client learned during a holiday visit that a family pet had died long ago, but no one told them.

“This leaves children not only catching up to a loss, but doing so without the context, preparation or support that would help them process it,” she said. “For many, it lands less like protection and more like a rupture in trust and emotional consideration.”

The issue is often less about intent and more about a generational mismatch, Somich said: one generation coping with distress in the way they were taught, another, more therapised generation expecting more transparency, preparation and emotional context when receiving upsetting news.

The goal for boomer parents, Somich said, is to share important news sooner rather than later, to avoid letting it build up until it feels heavier and more emotionally charged in your own mind. From there, it can help to give adult children a little emotional framing before diving into the details.

“Something as simple as, ‘I need to share something difficult’ signals care and helps the other person prepare,” Somich explained. “That small pause is often what turns a blunt disclosure into an attuned one. You want to make sure the person on the receiving end feels considered, not just informed.”

It may seem like a small thing, but consider how it might affect your kid in the moment to hear about a fatal car accident of an old neighbour, or conversely, hear about your hospital stay months after it happened. In all likelihood, it’s going to rattle their nervous system, Sprengle said.

“Try to look at them as both your child and an adult and your peer,” she added. “How might you feel if your child were to share bad news casually and in passing without much fanfare? What would you want them to do differently?”

It may be worth reflecting on whether some of the social filters you once relied on have shifted over time, especially in conversations involving sensitive or emotionally heavy topics.

“I wish parents would ask themselves, ‘Is this the right time to say this? How would this make the other person on the receiving end feel?’” Mike said. “I don’t blame our parents for any of this, but man, it can be tricky to navigate.”

Since distressing news about loved ones and acquaintances is an unavoidable part of ageing, it may help to have proactive conversations about how your children prefer to receive it.

“You and your kids might explicitly discuss what and how they want things shared,” Sprengle said. “Ask yourselves, how can I consider your feelings in this, and how can you consider mine? Just doing that can make a huge difference in strengthening connection and preventing relationship breakdown.”

Wes Streeting vowed that the UK will one day rejoin the European Union as Labour Brexit splits burst into the open again.

The former health secretary, who quit the cabinet last week in protest at Keir Starmer’s leadership, said the decision to quit the EU had been a “catastrophic mistake”.

He told an event run by the centre-left thing-tank Progress: “The biggest economic opportunity we have is on our doorstep.

“We need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain’s future lies with Europe – and one day back in the European Union.”

His comments are potentially awkward for Andy Burnham, who he could face in a battle for the Labour leadership within weeks.

Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, has said in the past that he wants to rejoin the EU.

However, he is set to be Labour’s candidate in the upcoming by-election in Makerfield, where the majority of voters backed Brexit in the 2016 referendum.

Asked by ITV on Saturday whether he was still in favour of rejoining the EU, Burnham dodged the question.

He said: “I’ve said in the long term there is a case for that, but I’m not advocating that in this by-election.

“In fact, what I am saying is focus now domestically, Britain has got to focus very much on the here and now and the issues that are affecting people.”

Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: “Whilst Labour relitigate Brexit, Britain is not being governed.

“This is yet another distraction from the day job at a time when families and businesses want the Government focused on the cost of living, the economy, public services and Britain’s defence.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey meanwhile said Mr Streeting must “offer something more than the same failed red lines as Keir Starmer” if he is to succeed the Prime Minister, and called for negotiations on a customs union with the EU to be opened.

Starmer has said he wants to see much closer ties with Europe, but insisted Labour will stick to its manifesto red lines of not rejoining the EU single market and customs union, or bringing back freedom of movement.

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy slapped down Streeting over his comments.

She told Sky News: “If rejoining the EU is the answer to what we were just told loud and clear by the country and parts of the country like mine, where we lost 25 out of 25 wards, 24 of them to Reform.

“If rejoining the EU is the answer, then essentially what we’re saying to people is life was fine in 2015, we just need to go back there. I know Wes is coming up to campaign in the by-election quite soon.

“He will hear loud and clear from people in places like Wigan, Ashton, Winstanley, across Makerfield, that that is absolutely not the case.”

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No matter how well-rounded you try to make your diet, sometimes certain nutrients fall through the cracks. This includes a vitamin responsible for many mental and physical health benefits that you may have never even heard of before: thiamine, or vitamin B1.

“Vitamin B1, or thiamine, is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a critical role in energy metabolism and nerve function, helping convert carbohydrates into usable energy for the body and brain,” Rachele Pojednic, chief science officer at RestoreLabs and director of education at Stanford Lifestyle Medicine, told HuffPost.

This important vitamin “helps the body convert carbohydrates into energy and supports cognitive and neuromuscular health,” according to Dr. Eve Elizabeth K. Pennie, a general practitioner, clinical research professional and medical expert.

According to a September 2021 review in the journal Cells, different patient populations across various studies have shown rates of thiamine deficiency ranging from 20% to over 90%. This review speculates that a modern lifestyle is to blame, with certain habits and medications hindering thiamine absorption.

Given how critical thiamine is for our bodies and brains, it seems like more people would be talking about it. Yet it is often overlooked in favour of more popular vitamins, like vitamin B12, vitamin D, magnesium, probiotics and iron.

Still, that doesn’t make thiamine any less important. And if you don’t have enough of it, your body will let you know.

HuffPost spoke to experts to learn more about the importance of this nutrient, the signs you may be deficient and how to get more of it.

A thiamine deficiency can cause physical and mental symptoms that affect your day-to-day life.

“Early signs of deficiency can include fatigue, irritability, poor concentration, muscle weakness, and in more advanced cases, neurological symptoms like numbness or blurred vision,” Pojednic explained.

Irritability, difficulty with short-term memory, loss of appetite and nausea are also signs you aren’t getting enough of this essential vitamin. The problem is that these symptoms could also be side effects of many other health problems, so a thiamine deficiency might be the last thing you expect.

Pennie said the dangers come when your vitamin B1 deficiency continues. “As it worsens, symptoms can include numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, difficulty walking, and, in severe cases, neurologic conditions, like Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) with confusion and vision changes,” she explained.

WE is a rare neurologic disorder caused by thiamine deficiency that must be promptly treated to prevent permanent neurological damage. It’s important to see a doctor if you believe you have a thiamine deficiency or any of the symptoms of WE.

“Deficiency is common in certain groups because thiamine stores are limited and easily depleted,” Pennie explained.

For example, if you tend to have a diet high in processed carbohydrates or have experienced chronic alcohol misuse, malnutrition, gastrointestinal disorders or bariatric surgery, you have an increased risk for thiamine deficiency.

“Increased metabolic demand, such as illness or pregnancy, can also contribute,” she added.

In addition to the factors mentioned above, Pojednic said that people with diabetes and older adults may also be at higher risk for a thiamine deficiency. Using diuretics and other types of medication can slow absorption and increase your risk of deficiency as well.

The good news is that a severe thiamine deficiency is rare in developed countries, according to Pojednic. She credits food fortification for providing the necessary daily thiamine for most people.

Don’t worry about overdoing your thiamine intake.

“It’s very rare to have too much thiamine since excess is typically excreted in urine, and toxicity is uncommon even with supplementation,” Pojednic said. “The bigger issue for most people isn’t excess but ensuring consistent intake.”

Pennie warned that it’s crucial to catch a potential deficiency before it’s too late. “Early recognition is important because an untreated deficiency can lead to serious but often preventable complications,” she said.

Depending on your age and sex, the amount of thiamine you need varies. The National Institutes of Health recommends that adult men get 1.2 mg and women get 1.1 mg per day.

Pojednic said foods that are high in thiamine include “lentils, pork, whole grain (fortified) breads and cereals, trout or salmon.”

If you’re extra tired, part of a high-risk group or don’t have a diet rich in different nutrients, it may be worth talking to your doctor about a possible thiamine deficiency. Catching up on this nutrient can have a significant impact on your body and brain.

The amount of hours you spend asleep isn’t the be-all end-all when it comes to health: one study found that sleep regularity was more strongly linked to a longer life than sleep duration.

But that’s not to say it doesn’t matter. Getting at least seven hours’ shut-eye nightly seems to help us live longer, function better, and even lower our dementia risk.

And the lead author of recent research published in Nature, Junhao Wen, has said: “Previous studies have found that sleep is largely linked to ageing and the pathological burden of the brain.

“Our study goes further and shows that too little and too much sleep are associated with faster ageing in nearly every organ, supporting the idea that sleep is important in maintaining organ health within a coordinated brain-body network, including metabolic balance, and a healthy immune system.”

Using data collected from half a million members of the UK Biobank (a depositary of thousands of participants’ health data that scientists can use for health research), Wen created 23 “ageing clocks” to predict the rate of ageing of various organs and body systems.

He then compared that to the participants’ sleep patterns.

The paper said that those who sleep less than six hours or more than eight hours a night saw faster ageing, on average: a “U-shaped” association.

And there appeared to be a sleep duration sweet spot, too.

The least amount of ageing seemed to happen in those who slept between 6.4 and 7.8 hours a night in this research, though this varied by “organ and sex in the UK Biobank (aged 37-84 years)”.

And people who neither slept too much nor too little seemed to be at a lower risk of “all-cause mortality”, too.

In this research, either too much or too little sleep was linked to a higher likelihood of disease.

Short sleep was linked to depression, anxiety, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and heart arrhythmia.

Both short and long sleep were associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and multiple digestive issues, including gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

“The broad brain-body pattern is important because it tells us that sleep duration is a deeply embedded part of our entire physiology, with far-reaching implications across the body,” said Wen.

The paper read, “Our results underscore the systemic biological adverse associations of disturbed sleep and provide a compelling framework for more targeted and thoughtful attention to sleep disturbance as a potential signal of emerging health issues and a partner in the quest to promote healthy ageing, reduce disease risk and extend lifespan.”