The number of young care leavers dying has risen by around a quarter. In 2025, 112 care leavers aged 18 to 24 died. And the government's own review warns that the true number may be higher because councils simply lose contact with some young people after they leave care. Look beyond that headline figure, and the picture becomes even more troubling. Care leavers are estimated to be dying at three to four times the rate of other young people their age. More than a third of the deaths examined were believed to be suicides. Drug and alcohol misuse, homelessness, loneliness and serious mental health problems feature repeatedly. And one age stands out: 18. More care leavers died at 18 than at any other age examined by the review. This can be the moment the system around them changes dramatically. Take Joash McCullough. Joash was autistic and had ADHD. His parents had spent years trying to cope with increasingly complex behaviour and serious mental health crises. Eventually they made the agonising decision that he needed care they could no longer provide at home. At 14, he was moved around 200 miles away to a children's home. He would later move again. Then Joash turned 18 and entered the transition from children's services to the adult system. He died later that year on railway lines near to where he lived. An inquest has yet to fully examine the circumstances of his death, so no conclusions should be drawn about what happened to Joash. But his story helps explain why this government's findings matter. Read more from Nick Martin:Questions for council over deaths of teens Why experienced foster carers are quitting The problem is that very little in this review will come as a surprise to ministers. Even the review itself accepts that. Governments have known for years about the so-called "care cliff". They know there aren't enough foster carers. They know councils are spending huge sums placing children wherever they can find beds. They know the quality of children's homes and supported accommodation varies. And they know the transition between children's and adult mental health services can be brutally difficult. So identifying the problems is arguably the easy bit. Fixing them is much harder. Better children's homes require money and skilled staff. More foster placements require a serious recruitment and retention effort, something the government says it is trying to do. Better mental health provision requires capacity on both sides of the 18th birthday. The political question now is: what is government actually going to do differently? The age of 18 is now accepted to be a perilous point for young people in care. They are most at risk. Acknowledging the "care cliff" is no longer enough. The challenge for ministers is working out how to stop young people from falling off it. Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

The public service broadcaster, which is part of the NPO - the umbrella organisation for the Dutch public broadcasting system - said recent changes to rules, preventing countries involved in "armed conflict" from hosting, were unclear. AvroTros said in a statement: "The recently announced changes by ‌the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) do not provide sufficient confidence ‌that the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored". The broadcaster went on to say participation in the competition was "no longer consistent with the values of AvroTros: trustworthiness, independence and humanity". AvroTros says ​it will hand the ​decision on Dutch participation to ⁠the NPO. Eurovision director Martin Green said the EBU "regretted" AvroTros's decision, but "understood their choice". Mr Green said the EBU will continue a dialogue with NPO "regarding the opportunities for another broadcaster to participate". Earlier this month, the EBU announced it would be updating the contest's rules, relating to the countries which could host the event. Normally, countries are invited to host if their act has won the contest the previous year. Under the new rules, broadcasters cannot host if their country is involved in armed conflict or a "sensitive geopolitical situation" that could affect the safety of the event. Broadcasters will now "automatically be ineligible to host the contest if an armed conflict, a sensitive geopolitical situation, or any other situation materially affects the security, safety or stability of their state or immediate region". It will be the second year in a row AvroTros has refused to participate in the competition. In 2024, the Dutch representative, Joost Klein, was axed from the competition just hours before the grand final over allegations he made verbal threats to a female member of Eurovision staff. It was the first time in Eurovision history that an act was disqualified after reaching the grand final. A criminal investigation by Swedish police was later dropped. While there is a tradition of a country hosting if its act won, changes have been made in the past, with the 2023 contest held being in Liverpool, in the UK, following Ukraine's win the previous year - because of the Ukraine war. At the time, the EBU said Russia's invasion made it impossible to begin the 12 months of preparation needed to organise the show. The EBU said the rule changes had been made following feedback from participating broadcasters, and that the updates would provide greater clarity for artists and production staff. As the world's largest live music competition, Eurovision is watched by millions around the world. This year, five countries - Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia - all withdrew after Israel's place in the contest was confirmed. Next year's competition is due to take place in Bulgaria in 2027 after singer Dara's victory for the country in May.

The number of young care leavers dying has risen by around a quarter. In 2025, 112 care leavers aged 18 to 24 died. And the government's own review warns that the true number may be higher because councils simply lose contact with some young people after they leave care. Look beyond that headline figure, and the picture becomes even more troubling. Care leavers are estimated to be dying at three to four times the rate of other young people their age. More than a third of the deaths examined were believed to be suicides. Drug and alcohol misuse, homelessness, loneliness and serious mental health problems feature repeatedly. And one age stands out: 18. More care leavers died at 18 than at any other age examined by the review. This can be the moment the system around them changes dramatically. Take Joash McCullough. Joash was autistic and had ADHD. His parents had spent years trying to cope with increasingly complex behaviour and serious mental health crises. Eventually they made the agonising decision that he needed care they could no longer provide at home. At 14, he was moved around 200 miles away to a children's home. He would later move again. Then Joash turned 18 and entered the transition from children's services to the adult system. He died later that year on railway lines near to where he lived. An inquest has yet to fully examine the circumstances of his death, so no conclusions should be drawn about what happened to Joash. But his story helps explain why this government's findings matter. Read more from Nick Martin:Questions for council over deaths of teens Why experienced foster carers are quitting The problem is that very little in this review will come as a surprise to ministers. Even the review itself accepts that. Governments have known for years about the so-called "care cliff". They know there aren't enough foster carers. They know councils are spending huge sums placing children wherever they can find beds. They know the quality of children's homes and supported accommodation varies. And they know the transition between children's and adult mental health services can be brutally difficult. So identifying the problems is arguably the easy bit. Fixing them is much harder. Better children's homes require money and skilled staff. More foster placements require a serious recruitment and retention effort, something the government says it is trying to do. Better mental health provision requires capacity on both sides of the 18th birthday. The political question now is: what is government actually going to do differently? The age of 18 is now accepted to be a perilous point for young people in care. They are most at risk. Acknowledging the "care cliff" is no longer enough. The challenge for ministers is working out how to stop young people from falling off it. Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

Title winners Jamie Carragher - Arsenal A few weeks ago, I thought Man City might have a chance - but it was all around Rodri. If Rodri stayed I'd maybe make a case for them, but without Rodri, I just can't see it. Gary Neville - Arsenal One hundred per cent Arsenal. They're way out in front. With what they've got already now in defence and in midfield, with the good attackers that they've got, they've got a really good standard, then they're fine. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Latest on YOUR PL club!Premier League fixtures & scores | FREE PL highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream PL games with no contract📺Top-four finishers Jamie Carragher - Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool Man City are better than Chelsea but the European factor can play a huge part. We saw Manchester United last season. It gives them a big lift, Chelsea. I think Liverpool would want more, but I think just looking at the Chelsea situation, Liverpool where they are right now, I don't see any way they'd be in the top two, and I don't see any way they can mount a title challenge. Gary Neville - Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd Chelsea second? Just purely because of the fact that they've got no European football. If they keep Enzo Fernandez, with Moises Caicedo in midfield, with that front three, and they're only playing 45 games, they're going to amass an enormous amount of points. That's based upon the fact that they're going to have more free weeks, they're not going to have the injury pressures, they're not going to have the travelling that comes with European football, and the mental fatigue that comes with that. I think they'll just edge past Manchester City. I can't separate Man Utd and Liverpool in fourth place, I genuinely have no idea. I think City are in a better position than United. At the moment, I'm not convinced by United or Liverpool, but I do think they'll finish fourth and fifth. Fifth and sixth? Jamie Carragher - Man Utd, Spurs Gary Neville - Liverpool, Brighton Sometimes you look at Spurs going, 'oh, they've spent a lot of money' and thinking 'quite exciting for Spurs fans, they're finally splashing the cash'. But then I look at the team and I think, 'where's it all gone?' Savinho and Omar Marmoush will make them a lot better, but I just don't know whether they'll pull it together and that's the question. I know Brighton are a good unit, they're reliable, they're consistent and I think Brentford and Brighton, those two teams this season may just get in there because they're consistent and they know what they're doing and they're well-drilled. A well-organised, well-drilled team will beat a team of talented players who are still trying to find their way. European contender? Jamie Carragher - Brentford A lot of people say, when you're managing a club like Brentford, which is so well-run behind the scenes and the hierarchy, it makes it easier for the manager. Of course it does - but watching them this weekend, watching them last season... Brentford haven't got European football, so I think that will be a big plus for them. I really love watching Brentford play, and for me, that was the best performance of the week [their win over Spurs]. Gary Neville - Spurs Relegated Jamie Carragher - Ipswich, Hull, Sunderland Why Sunderland? The fact that they've got European football, they're going to be doing a lot of Thursday-Sunday. I think Sunderland last season reminded me a little bit of Sheffield United under Chris Wilder, where they came up and had a really brilliant season, finished high up the table but a lot of the games, like Sunderland, you win by the odd goal. I'm not saying it's luck but their underlying numbers had them not far away from relegation. Gary Neville - Coventry, Hull, Ipswich I hope that one or two of the promoted sides stay up but I've not got the faith I had last season. Having watched what I've seen this weekend, I'm going to go for the three promoted teams to go down. Relegation risk Jamie Carragher - Crystal Palace Crystal Palace haven't had a great pre-season. They lost the first game at Everton, which, to be fair, they were actually very unlucky when you look at the chances they had. I know they had Europe last season, but a new manager, new in the Premier League, lost a few players, still in Europe... I'd probably go Crystal Palace to have a scare. Gary Neville - Fulham Watching Fulham [against Chelsea], that's a risk, that's a big risk. Young players, splitting your centre-backs like that, being open... Top scorer Jamie Carragher - Erling Haaland Gary Neville - Erling Haaland Impact signing Jamie Carragher - Mateus Fernandes, Spurs I really liked Mateus Fernandes last season at West Ham and I thought there might be another few teams in for him, better teams than Spurs. Gary Neville - Bruno Guimaraes, Arsenal He's the best signing by a mile. If you take a player out of Arsenal's team anywhere, probably David Raya is the other one, but in the outfield parts of the pitch, there isn't a drop-off between the first and second choice anywhere, apart from Declan Rice. There's a massive drop when Declan Rice moves out of the team. If Rice gets injured for three months, that would be a risk to Arsenal. The signing of [Bruno Guimaraes] removes that risk. He is a massive personality. A different player than Rice but you talk about personality and character on the pitch... he is a brilliant personality. He believes he can win every single football match for his team. He believes he can tackle, he's aggressive, he's somebody you'd want alongside you...And by the way, £75m compared to some of the others that have gone for more is value in this market. Player to watch Jamie Carragher - Jeremy Jacquet, Liverpool He's played one Premier League game and he's only played one pre-season game for Liverpool. [Jeremy Jacquet] looked really good in both games but you know sometimes when you look at a player and they just look the part. I think this is the first season where a player alongside Virgil van Dijk is going to have to play his own game and at times look after Van Dijk. Gary Neville - Morgan Rogers, Chelsea When you're a £120m player you've got to hit numbers. You've got to be 12, 15 goals, you've got to be 10, 12 assists or else you're going to come under pressure. We know he's a good player, Morgan Rogers. We'd all like him at our clubs. But £120m? Wow. If he can deliver this season for Chelsea they can go and push Arsenal. Manager to watch Jamie Carragher - Matthias Jaissle, Newcastle He's only young but he's got that little twinkle in his eye. I think Matthias Jaissle will be a fiery character in the Premier League. He's coming to Newcastle, a huge football club, and put in that performance [on Sunday]. I think he's got something about him. Gary Neville - Xabi Alonso, Chelsea If he gets the recruitment right and he keeps the players in those front areas of the pitch and he sorts the defence and the goalkeeper out he could be the emerging manager - out of that five that are below Mikel Arteta that are trying to win the league - he could be the next one to win the league I think this season is critical for him because he's got to finish second or a good third because if he doesn't, without European football, with that squad that he's amassed, then there would be questions. He's the manager of Chelsea - that means that he basically makes the final decision on transfers, on recruitment. If he goes and does one or two pieces of business in this next week or so, he's got to look after himself and demand that he gets that one or two players in this next week and we know where those areas are.

Officers attempted to stop a black Audi on Birmingham Road near Stratford around 5.23pm on Monday, the force said. The driver failed to stop and made off in the direction of the A46, before travelling back towards Stratford on the A439 Warwick Road. Police said the driver is understood to have then collided with another car, a white Ford Puma, around 5.44pm. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver of the Ford was taken to hospital, where she remains in critical condition. Their families have been informed and are being offered specialist support. Police added a number of other vehicles were damaged during the pursuit, which lasted for around six minutes before the crash. Superintendent Steve Flavell said: "Our thoughts are with the families of everyone involved in this collision and we're providing specialist support to them at this extremely difficult time. "We made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) because a death had occurred following police contact. "They have declared an independent investigation and we will co-operate fully with their investigation." See more from Sky News:Coffee test reveals massive difference in caffeine levelsPutin preparing to raid businesses to fund war, analysts say A spokesman for the IOPC said it was notified by the force at 7.40pm, and said investigators "attended the police post-incident procedure to begin gathering information". "We declared an independent investigation at 9.38pm", they said, adding: "Our investigation is at an early stage."

Filly, real name Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, faces three charges of sexual penetration without consent. He has also been charged with possessing cannabis on 20 May this year. He was previously charged with six counts of sexual penetration without consent, three counts of assault and one count of strangulation over the alleged incident in a Perth hotel room in September 2024, which he denied. Last month, the 31-year-old was found not guilty of three sexual penetration without consent charges, while the other three resulted in a hung jury - meaning they could not decide if he was guilty or not. Barrientos was also cleared of the strangulation count and one of the assault counts. However, he was found guilty of the other two assault counts, relating to allegations he bit the victim's neck and breast. The woman - who was 20 at the time and cannot be named - was a fan of the star and went back to his hotel room after he played at a nightclub. She said they had initially had consensual sex but that it became non-consensual and violent. Prosecutor Danielle Clarke told Judge Linda Black the alleged victim was willing to testify again at the retrial. The court said that an application to vary Barrientos' bail conditions will be heard on 27 August, with the case mentioned for retrial in the District Court on 25 September. Barrientos will be sentenced for the assault convictions after his retrial. The possessing cannabis charge relates to an alleged offence on May 20, while he was on bail before the first trial. He faces a hearing at Mandurah Magistrates' Court near Perth on 1 September. Western Australia's courts previously set bail at 100,000 Australian dollars (£52,340). See more from Sky News:'Unprecedented' El Nino to batter BritainIsrael's settlement economy and its UK linksHarry and Meghan's homecoming is a risk Barrientos became famous as a social media personality and rapper and has appeared as a presenter on several BBC Three shows. He is also known for working with YouTube collective Beta Squad, while featuring on Soccer Aid and The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer on Channel 4.

After a summer of setting out his stall, Andy Burnham now faces the hard task: turning ambition into action. In the last of the summer boxset, Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy take a deep dive into five big challenges facing the government in the coming months. From defining the 10-year plan to unresolved pressure at home and abroad, the duo give their take and analysis on a critical parliamentary term ahead. With party conferences and a key budget on the horizon, can Burnham's government deliver on the change it has promised?

Palmer was back to his best in the 3-2 win over Fulham, producing the kind of performance that reminded everyone why he has become one of the Premier League's most explosive players. There was swagger to his performance again - the confidence, invention and end product that made him such a phenomenon when he first arrived at Stamford Bridge. Speaking to Sky Sports, Palmer, when asked if he was ready to go this season, replied: "Did you not watch the game? I'm only joking, I'm ready. It was a difficult season with injuries and whatnot but through the summer and since I've been back I've worked extra hard. "Obviously with the injuries I've had to try and prevent them and work extra hard day in, day out. I know the talent I've got so I can put in performances like that. As it happened | Teams | Stats | Watch FREE PL highlightsLatest news and rumours: Fulham | ChelseaGot Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream Premier League games with no contract📺 "Normally I'm not an emotional person, the people who know me know I'm not usually bothered about things in life, but over the summer I rested, I recharged and yeah I'm ready and I'm hungry." Palmer was controversially left out of England's World Cup squad this summer by Thomas Tuchel and Sky Sports' Gary Neville thinks that snub could be a big blessing in disguise. Neville said: "Look, maybe it's the best thing that's ever happened to Cole Palmer, because maybe his career is just drifting a little bit and he gets a massive kick up the backside. Sometimes my dad used to say to me, you need to kick up the backside and a reminder in life that you've got to basically retain that hunger every single minute of every single day. "A point midway through my career, where I dropped off for about a year and a half and all of a sudden, you just get a reality check and you realise things don't come easy, and you've got to maintain that standard. "That tonight was the old Cole Palmer, that we were used to seeing complete years ago, a year or so ago. And he is unbelievable to watch. That is the best performance I've seen all weekend. It makes you smile every time you watch someone like that, and he's a brilliant player." It took only 31 seconds for Joao Pedro's goal to bring the visitors' new era to life under Xabi Alonso - it was an attacking display that was scintillating at times with new signing Morgan Rogers dovetailing beautifully with his great mate Palmer. Carragher said: "There were things to really like. On paper, that front three is sensational. It really is. It looked it in the game. I think Joao Pedro is fantastic. Rogers' first game, what a start. But when you think of him, Palmer and Pedro - that's as good as anything in the Premier League right now. Neville added: "The attacking play, Palmer sensational. If you talk about Palmer getting back to his best you've got a £120m-£125m player there. Rogers getting a goal. Those two being electric with Joao Pedro up front. The front three were brilliant tonight. One of the best things I've seen this weekend." 'Impossible to win Premier League with Sanchez in goal' While one major question appeared to have been answered in terms of Chelsea's play going forward, another was immediately raised. Carragher believes Chelsea cannot win the Premier League with Sanchez as their goalkeeper. Sanchez again produced moments for Fulham's two goals that make you question whether he can be trusted at the very highest level. Can they challenge Arsenal if there remains uncertainty behind the defence? Carragher is adamant they can't. He said: "Chelsea will never win the league with Sanchez in goal. Impossible. "And you'd think of the teams who've won the title. Last three teams who won the title have all changed the goalkeeper. Pep Guardiola bringing in Ederson. Alisson comes in for Liverpool. Arsenal don't win the league if they have Aaron Ramsdale in goal, not David Raya. Impossible. "So, one of the biggest reasons why Arsenal won the league, actually, was Raya, they wouldn't have won the league without them. You can go back to history." Neville agreed, saying Chelsea need a new goalkeeper if they are to challenge: "Alonso's been brought in as the manager of the football club, not as the coach. And when you're managing a football club, and I know from the manager that I played under, you have to make some pretty brutal and ruthless decisions. They're strengthening every single position, in the forward areas, they brought brilliant players in, experience in midfield, they've got defenders that have come in. "You cannot take a chance with goalkeeper. I said before, it's the most difficult position on the pitch. It's the one that carries the most scrutiny. It's the one that if you have got a goalkeeper that's making mistakes and he's anxious, it will undermine everything that you're trying to do. "And I think in the next seven or eight days, Alonso may have to just make a decision that he needs to bring in an experienced goalkeeper, because his job is to be successful for Chelsea. "It may be that he sticks with Robert Sanchez, but I think he has to protect himself. "