TL;DR: As of September 15, get this refurbished 2016 iPad Pro for only $269.99 —

Save up to 25% off TheraGuns at Amazon. BEST PRO DEAL: The TheraGun Pro (4th

The Netball World Cup is an international netball tournament that takes place once every four

EasyJet Plc signaled confidence in a sustained recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, reinstating its dividend even as the

Jill Biden says exercise helps her find “inner strength.”

Board games like Monopoly and Snakes and Ladders – which are based on numbers – could make young children better at maths, new research suggests. The games are already known to enhance learning and development, including reading and literacy. But the new study suggests that for three to nine-year-olds, the format of number-based board games helps to improve counting, addition, and the ability to recognise if a number is higher or lower than another. Using board games can be considered a strategy with potential effects on basic and complex maths skills Dr Jaime Balladares, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile Researchers say children benefit from programmes – or interventions – where they play board games a few times a week supervised by a teacher or another trained adult. Lead author Dr Jaime Balladares, from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, in Santiago, Chile, said: “Board games enhance mathematical abilities for young children. “Using board games can be considered a strategy with potential effects on basic and complex maths skills. “Board games can easily be adapted to include learning objectives related to mathematical skills or other domains.” The new study aimed to compile the available evidence on the effects of board games on children, and the researchers set out to investigate the scale of the effects of physical board games in promoting learning in young children. The findings are based on a review of 19 studies published from 2000 onwards involving children aged from three to nine years. All except one study focused on the relationship between board games and mathematical skills. All of the children in the studies received special board game sessions, which took place on average twice a week for 20 minutes over one-and-a-half months. The sessions were led by adults including teachers, therapists, and parents. In some of the 19 studies, children were grouped into either the number board game or to a board game that did not focus on numeracy skills. The children’s maths skills were assessed before and after the intervention sessions that were designed to encourage skills such as counting out loud. Success was rated according to four categories including basic numeric competency such as the ability to name numbers, and basic number comprehension. The other categories were deepened number comprehension – where a child can accurately add and subtract – and interest in mathematics. The findings, published in the journal Early Years, suggest that maths skills improved significantly after the sessions among children for more than half (52%) of the tasks looked at. In nearly a third (32%) of cases, children in the intervention groups gained better results than those who did not play the board games. Dr Balladares concluded: “Future studies should be designed to explore the effects that these games could have on other cognitive and developmental skills. “An interesting space for the development of intervention and assessment of board games should open up in the next few years, given the complexity of games and the need to design more and better games for educational purposes.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 6 of the best new running shoes for summer Skin cancer cases reach record high – how to spot the signs Why do I get sick when I go on holiday?

An anonymous person has been absolutely berated by their neighbour after they admitted to having their cat neutered without asking. The admission came in a Reddit post on the site’s Am I The A**hole community, where the person explained what they had done and how it led to their neighbour going “ballistic” at them. In the post, the person explained that they run a trap–neuter–return scheme among local strays and were recently called to an area with a lot of strays. They explained: “They were everywhere and I mostly ended up handing it over to professionals. “I did, however, manage to grab three very sweet cats. Two were terrified, skinny, a little beaten up, but overall friendly. The third one was a little gent.” The person explained that the third male cat had a collar, was tubby and well-groomed, indicating it had an owner. Explaining that they had a choice between locating the cat’s owners and dropping him off, or taking him to get neutered, the poster revealed they did the latter. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter They wrote: “Ultimately I took him with me and got him neutered. No chip so I called the number on his tag and informed them where their cat was and gave them time slots to pick him up or have him dropped off. “The owners went ballistic. They were cursing me out and came to collect their cat not twenty minutes later. Called me a kidnapper, blamed me for their child having nightmares (scared over their cat going missing).” While the person attempted to defend themselves, arguing they “have a duty to care for stray cats”, they didn’t garner a lot of sympathy in the post’s comments. One Redditor argued: “You did kidnap their cat and made a (superbly arrogant) decision to have him neutered without the owner's permission. “You can judge them all you want for letting their cat outside, but the first thing to have done was to call the cat's people and asked ‘Hey, I found your cat. Did you know he was outside?’ That's the basic due diligence, right there.” However, another Redditor also argued that while the original poster was in the wrong, the owners were also being irresponsible for letting their unneutered male cat out of the house. They wrote: “Everyone sucks here. The owners for letting an intact pet outside unsupervised to breed, and you for having a surgical medical procedure done to an animal (that you KNEW had owners) without the owner’s consent. “Regardless of the morality of allowing pets to contribute to the stray population (for which the owner is an a**hole), making medical decisions for someone else's pet makes you a massive a**hole.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Hardest Geezer has shared an update while running the entire length of Africa, revealing that he’s facing a long delay after being robbed at gunpoint. The YouTuber, real name Russ Cook, is attempting to become the first person ever to complete the feat as part of “Project Africa” for charity. However, Cook and his team are facing “frustrating circumstances” while the group has to wait to get new visas. On the 64th day of his journey, he revealed he and his crew had been robbed at gunpoint by two “desperate” men. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Cook wrote at the time: “Nothing like a gun being pointed at your face to let you know you’re alive. Lively one today.” He added: “A couple lads popped open the side door and demanded everything we have. Desperate blokes with guns pointed. Infamously bad situation to find yourself on the end of. Proper spot of bother. Damage limitation.” Why I was forced to LEAVE Angola www.youtube.com Cook also said: “None of us got killed or injured. We didn’t let them march us out the van. But we did lose a lot of our gear. Couple cameras, 2 iphones, all of our cash, passports + few other bits.” Losing the passports and documentation means that they’ll now face a significant delay while they wait for new documentation. Cook revealed that the group has been forced to drive back to Windhoek in Namibia which is 1,281 miles in the wrong direction in order to get their new visas. “Most importantly, they took my passport, which had a visa for Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of Congo in it,” he said about the passport [via BBC News]. “Logistics in Africa is especially difficult. We were in Luanda for six days trying to get the new visa, sweet talking every man and his dog. But ultimately, we left with our pants pulled firmly down.” He also said: “We can’t go anywhere until we have the visas.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Mac users take note: You can now download the public beta of macOS Sonoma 14,

Wondering how to watch the Cal Bears vs. Utah Utes football game? Here are your

Back to school… those three words mean many things to many people – but it’s safe to say, with a new school year comes the unknown: What will it be like, and will I fit in? “Starting a new school year can stir up an array of emotions in young people,” says Yvonne Kekeliadis, creator of Brightstarz, an organisation which runs workshops to help teens and tweens learn life skills. “The prospect of academic and social pressures, whilst exciting for some, can leave others feeling dread and trepidation as the summer holidays draw to a close.” She says building up a social safety net of peers in whom they can confide is a critical part of ensuring young people feel supported – and enjoy their time in secondary school. This is particularly important for children making the leap from primary school to secondary, says Kekeliadis. “Therefore, it’s imperative young people are equipped with the skills and support to be able to foster healthy, positive friendships.” Principal at Impington Village College, a high-ranking state school, Victoria Hearn says: “The transition to the next stage of their education can be an exciting time for students, but for some, the change of routine, environment, and teachers, coupled with the loss of some of their established network of friends, can be daunting.” Secondary school should be an enjoyable and enriching experience for every student, says Hearn, and building a strong friendship group can play a key role in making this a reality. Key tips which parents should share with their child include… Be proactive and don’t be afraid to reach out to others “The most important thing for students starting secondary school to remember, is that everyone is in the same boat,” says Kekeliadis. “Moving from a small class of 30 to a school year of more than 100 can feel incredibly daunting – and while it takes confidence to put yourself out there and take the first step, it will help to put others at ease who will be feeling shy, too.” Be open-minded Kekeliadis says a part of what makes starting secondary school exciting is being able to take part in new activities and initiatives, such as sports clubs and other extracurriculars. “This also provides a fantastic opportunity for students to meet peers who share similar interests,” encourages Kekeliadis. “Helping them to form a bond and eventually a friendship.” As well as taking advantage of an array of extracurricular activities, Hearn says to encourage them to support local, national, and international volunteering projects. “Which enables them to meet new people and work together to support a cause greater than their own individual needs.” Set healthy boundaries “When young people enter a new social situation, they are likely to feel pressure to fit in, and while having a strong social group is important to a child’s wellbeing, it’s vital young people know how to step away from an unhealthy friendship,” advises Kekeliadis. To encourage the setting of these boundaries, she says parents should ensure their child knows that it’s okay to tell a friend ‘no’ when they are feeling uncomfortable – as well as when it’s best to speak to an adult if they feel they are being pressured. Conversation is key Parents, guardians, and teachers can all have a positive impact on a student’s ability to make friends, says Hearn, but it’s important to remember every child is different and moves at their own pace. “If your child hasn’t made hundreds of new friends within the first week of school, it doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t soon establish a strong friendship group. “At all times, but particularly around periods of change, I encourage parents and guardians to engage in frequent open conversations with their child(ren), to check in with them regularly,” advises Hearn. “And, most importantly, validate their feelings.” Listening to your child’s concerns and providing reassurance is often all students need to approach making friends with confidence, suggests Hearn. Ask for support Hearn says at the heart of every education provision should be a desire to help all children thrive… “For the last four years, we have not grouped students with their friends from previous schools when they join us in Year Seven,” notes Hearn. “Instead, we create mixed ability, balanced groups, where students are able to interact with a wide range of other pupils.” She says this has proved hugely successful in ensuring all students feel they are included – and presented with the best opportunities to make new friends. “Your child(ren)’s school should also have an established pastoral support network to help them through any challenges they are facing,” says Hearn. “Please encourage your child to reach out to their tutor when necessary,” she urges. “Or, if required, contact their school directly with any concerns.” Hearn continues: “The transition to secondary school can be daunting for students, but with the support of families and teachers, we can ensure every child gets the absolute most out of their experience – and establishes friendships that will extend far beyond the school walls.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 9 ways to make dark rooms look lighter Men experience imposter syndrome too – here’s how to overcome it This is how stress affects different parts of the body

Do you, like so many people, use Google Calendar for your personal life and Microsoft