Teens struggling to cope
Self-harm – deliberately hurting yourself as a way of dealing with difficult emotions, memories or experiences – is known to be a growing problem. Now, a survey of 11,000 youngsters by the Children’s Society has found that nearly a quarter of girls aged 14 said they had done so in the previous 12 months. Among boys it was nearly one in 10.
What’s behind this? Worries about appearance – exacerbated by unattainable images on social media – are thought to be a big factor, as is the pressure to live up to gender stereotypes – for boys to be tough and girls to have nice clothes, for example. Struggles with sexuality can contribute, along with the likes of bullying, exam stress, abuse or grieving. If you’re worried, visit the NSPCC or another specialist charity for advice.
The Children’s Society says the government must do more – ministers insist investment is already going in to boost mental health support in schools.
Anger at sea
Stones, smoke bombs and insults have reportedly been thrown at British fishermen by French rivals – damaging the windows of several vessels – about 12 nautical miles (22km) off the Normandy coast. It’s the latest skirmish in a long-running dispute over access to prized stocks of scallops. British boats are legally allowed to fish for them in the area year-round, but French counterparts are restricted to May to October.
Puerto Rico deaths
As our US correspondent Gary O’Donoghue puts it, the previous number of 64 was always risible. Now, he says, with a clearer picture in place, the island’s leaders must find a way to extract the tens of billions of dollars needed from Congress to give its three million inhabitants a better future.
President Donald Trump was criticised for praising the federal response to the hurricane, and in the months since, he has complained that federal aid cannot continue “forever”.
Who says toys are just for kids?
By Kevin Peachey, personal finance reporter, BBC Business
At one end of the table, one enthusiast is meticulously laying out Lego pieces ready to construct a James Bond car. At the other end, a game is being played where each participant adds another block to create a funny-looking figure. Little is unusual about this imaginative play – except that everyone taking part is middle-aged. Manufacturers and retailers are tuning in to the trend of adults buying games, toys and puzzles. Out of every £9 of toy spending, £1 is spent by adults buying something for themselves.
What the papers say
Theresa May’s trip to Africa features widely, as do opinions on her attempts to join in with some dancing schoolchildren. Some, though, focus on her leadership. The Daily Express dubs her “defiant” after she pledged she was “in this for the long term” when asked about the possibility of Boris Johnson trying to take her job. According to the Guardian, the PM appeared to suggest she was relieved Mr Johnson had resigned – but it thinks he remains a “serious threat”. The Times reports that some pro-EU Tory MPs have seen rising numbers of applications to join local branches of the party. Some fear the influx is from UKIP supporters hoping to replace Mrs May with someone who is more pro-Brexit. Elsewhere, the Daily Telegraph leads with Lord Sacks’ denunciation of Jeremy Corbyn as an anti-Semite. The paper says the peer is “not a man known for hyperbole” and the accusations are “extremely serious”. The Daily Mail calls it a “major escalation” in the ongoing Labour anti-Semitism row.
Daily digest
Teen health Smoking and drinking ’cause visible damage by the age of 17′
Advert ban Natural contraception claims judged to be misleading
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Lookahead
14:00 Peers on the House of Lords EU Committee take a break from their summer recess to give Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab a grilling
Today Theresa May continues her Africa trip – day two, Nigeria
On this day
2005 Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans, leaving hundreds of people dead and much of the city underwater