Relationship OCD typically falls into two categories: one is relationship-centred, where you doubt your feelings, and the other is partner-focused, which centres around a partner’s potential flaws. Symptoms mainly present in romantic relationships but can also affect other types too, said Doron.
Life transitions such as becoming official, moving in together or getting married can often be a trigger.
Sophia’s OCD used to centre on avoiding germs and worrying about her health. At its worst, she washed her hands at least 30 times a day.
When she first met her boyfriend in a bar on Valentine’s Day, Sophia felt present in the moment and enjoyed spending time with him, but when things became more serious about a month in, she says her OCD “latched” on to her relationship and she “completely shut down”.
Even the smallest things, such as her boyfriend wearing an outfit she did not like or trying a hairstyle she was not fond of, would make her question their relationship.
“My brain would be shouting at me to break up with him, even though I knew that’s not what I wanted to do,” she explains.
Although ROCD can impact anyone, some may be more vulnerable to it than others, said Prof Doron, adding that our experiences of relationships growing up or being prone to perfectionism or overthinking can impact how we manage relationship doubts.
The rise of social media has introduced new pressures too.
“Social media can definitely be triggering for people with ROCD because it romanticises love and can make them doubt their own relationship,” Prof Doron says.
Sophia agrees: “Seeing perfect-looking couples online creates an expectation, when real relationships are not perfect.”
The test uses a sample of blood taken in a heel prick shortly after birth.
Nelson said: “After years of campaigning, it means so much.
“Today is a day of hope. Knowing that future families will have access to early diagnosis and the opportunity for the best possible outcomes is something I’m incredibly proud to have supported.
“This is a victory for every family affected by SMA. Whilst it can’t change the future of our children, I know it marks the beginning of a brighter future for future SMA families.”
Hundreds of thousands of babies are expected to be screened for SMA as part of the study, which will be led by scientists at the University of Oxford.
That will help the UK National Screening Committee make a final decision on whether SMA testing should become a permanent fixture.
James Murray, the health secretary, said he was “in awe” of campaigners who had worked to raise awareness of SMA.
“No parent should have to watch their child lose the ability to move or breathe, knowing that earlier treatment could have made all the difference,” Murray said.
United Airlines on Wednesday said it expects to spend an additional $6 billion on jet fuel, the second-highest cost for airlines after labor, this year, based on Tuesday’s crude oil prices.
The airline said in its second-quarter earnings release that it had already spent an extra $2.3 billion on fuel in the second quarter, or 84% more compared to the same period a year earlier. Higher air fares for customers have helped airlines, including United, offset some of the uptick in fuel prices, as consumer demand for air travel remains robust.
Delta Air Lines last week also said as it reported its second-quarter earnings that demand remains strong even as the carrier raised fares to offset higher fuel costs. As such, it doesn’t expect to cut ticket prices anytime soon.
“Airfares are a function of supply and demand. The demand set is really strong and the supply is in balance,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CNBC. In the same interview, Bastian noted that Delta customers tend to be on the upper end of the K-shaped economy.
Like United, Delta’s own jet fuel costs spiked, too. The airline spent $4.4 billion on fuel in the second quarter, up 77% from the same period one year earlier.
The price of jet fuel hit a record high of nearly $5 in April amid an ongoing war between the U.S. and Iran, according to the Argus U.S. Jet Fuel Index. On Tuesday, the price stood at $3.64 a gallon, according to the index.
Other major U.S. carriers will report earnings later this month.
In addition to raising airfares, airlines have responded to high fuel costs by temporarily cutting inefficient routes, tacking on jet fuel surcharges to ticket prices, or in some cases, raising checked bag fees.
Average asking rents across Britain have surged to an unprecedented high, with a new record being reached in the second quarter of this year, a property website has revealed.
Excluding London, the average advertised private rent for homes entering the market now stands at £1,397 per month, according to Rightmove.
This figure represents a 1.9 per cent increase on the previous quarter and a 2.3 per cent rise year-on-year.
In London, the average advertised private rent reached a record £2,791 per month.
This was 2.0% higher compared with the previous quarter and a 2.9% annual increase.
Rightmove said the number of homes to rent is 1% lower than a year ago (Reuters)
The data comes after incoming prime minster Andy Burnham’s pledge to tackle the cost of living when he takes over, telling LBC earlier this month that the government needs to “be serious about putting more money back into people’s pockets.”
Mr Burnham has not publicly committed to an immediate action on rental costs. However, in 2023, he co-signed an open letter to then-housing secretary Michael Gove to “introduce an immediate freeze on rents” in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
In recent months, the incoming prime minister has promised the “biggest council housebuilding programme since the postwar period” when he comes into power, a policy which – if successful – could be instrumental in bringing down housing costs in the longer-term.
Rightmove said the number of homes to rent is 1% lower than a year ago, with the fall in rental supply appearing to be driven more by a drop in newly-listed properties for rent, rather than an increase in the speed of the market.
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Competition between tenants remains significantly lower than at its peak, with the average rental home now receiving 10 inquiries, compared with 11 a year ago and 22 in 2022, the report said.
There are regional variations, with London rental properties having an average of eight inquiries, compared with 14 inquiries per rental property typically in the North West of England, Rightmove added.
Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, said: “Even though supply is no longer increasing, the market remains much more balanced than it was at the peak of competition in 2022.
“Regional trends also continue to vary significantly across the country, with more affordable northern areas still seeing some of the strongest rental growth.”
David Fell, lead analyst at Hamptons, said: “Falling mortgage rates in recent weeks have given landlords some breathing room, enticing those whose fixed deals are coming to an end to relet rather than sell up, preventing a more severe supply crunch.
“For tenants thinking about buying, these lower rates are pushing monthly mortgage payments below the level of the rent they are paying.
“This exit of longer-term renters and the strength of the first-time buyer market should help ease persistent rental demand.”
eMed CEO Linda Yaccarino and Chief Wellness Officer Tom Brady reveal their strategy to revolutionize healthcare by expanding access to GLP-1 medications. Yaccarino highlights eMed’s 90% adherence rate through AI and clinical support, addressing chronic diseases like heart and liver conditions. Brady emphasizes the importance of health and wellness, aiming to democratize access to essential medical treatments and support long-term behavioral change for employees.
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Tom Brady built a Hall of Fame career by proving himself every Sunday. He expects Las Vegas Raiders rookie Fernando Mendoza to do the same.
Speaking with Liz Claman on FOX Business’ “The Claman Countdown,” Brady wasn’t interested in fueling offseason quarterback fever. As far as the Raiders minority owner is concerned, Mendoza hasn’t earned anything yet.
“Well, I love Fernando, but Fernando is like every other young rookie,” Brady said.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium on Feb 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas.(Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)
“He’s got to go out there and earn it like everybody else… none of these young players, none of the rookies have ever had a meaningful snap in the NFL.”
For Brady, draft status and offseason hype only go so far.
“Their career and their journey will be determined by the work that they put in, by the adversities that they overcome, by the kind of teammate and team player that they are,” Brady added.
It’s the same mindset Brady says he’s bringing to his latest venture off the field.
HAMBURG, GERMANY – MAY 06: Tom Brady gestures on stage during day two of the annual OMR Festival at Hamburg Messe on May 06, 2026 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)(Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
The 48-year-old recently joined digital health company eMed as its Chief Wellness Officer, saying he wants to help give everyday Americans access to the kind of health guidance he relied on throughout his legendary career.
“My body truly was my asset as a football player,” Brady recalled.
“So you’re right, I was very lucky over a period of time to learn a lot of disciplines that allowed me to take the field feeling very healthy, feeling energized and excited about going out there to try to, you know, win some football games.”
Brady wants to bring that same blueprint to people who don’t have access to an NFL-caliber support system.
“But when I retired, I realized that there’s a lot of people in life that maybe they’re not professional athletes, but to a degree, we all are living athletic lifestyles,” he said. “We wanna be healthy. We wanna play with our kids. We wanna play with grandkids.”
Tom Brady and Joe Montana look on before Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.(Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Brady also praised the impact GLP-1 medications have had on helping people begin improving their health.
“There’s no debate about the way that this medicine is working right now in terms of keeping people and getting people on their wellness journey started,” Brady stated. “And then we do a great job keeping them on that journey.”
To Brady, whether the goal is winning the QB1 job or improving someone’s health, success comes down to focusing on fundamentals.
“I realized that a lot of the values that I had as an NFL player transitioned very well to what happens in the workforce,” Brady explained. “And it comes down to accountability, discipline, showing up for other people, serving other people.”
Katy Howell, director at marketing agency Rethink Social, says paid ads “don’t necessarily corrupt a recommendation but it changes the context in which that recommendation should be understood, and audiences have a right to know that”.
“The real test is whether the creator would plausibly use the product, whether they retain enough editorial freedom to express reservations, and whether the partnership fits the relationship they have built with their audience,” she adds.
Bowes-Lyon accepts audiences have become more aware that influencer ads are paid for which makes authenticity even more important.
“People are getting a little bit more savvy and if for example a gaming influencer starts talking about a flower shop or something that is not linked to anything they do, people will see through that,” he says.
He adds that someone like TV personality Stacey Solomon has built her influence by being selective about what she promotes.
“I would imagine Stacey probably rejects 98% of the pitches that come her way.”
Wild’s campaign with Solomon created more than 100 paid ad iterations for social media each with unique selling positionings to appeal to different audiences.
Recent ASA research, external found that influencer advertising remained considerably harder to identify than conventional brand advertising.
In its testing, 74% of participants were certain that a conventional brand post was an advert, compared with only 54% for influencer advertising.
Bowes-Lyon says the influencers they work with need to “believe in what they’re saying, not just saying it because they’re getting a cheque”.
He points to a partnership with Molly-Mae Hague, who had used Wild’s body wash in a video before the brand approached her.
“We’d never even spoken to her and she was using our body wash in it, so we then reached out.”
Howell suspects that “many people understand that influencers are paid, but underestimate both the scale and complexity of the economics”.
“The most prominent creators are no longer simply individuals posting from their bedrooms. Many operate as sophisticated media businesses, with managers, agents, production teams, legal advice, licensing arrangements and several income streams.”
While adverts on social media must be clearly labelled, Howell says that #ad is “legally functional but informationally thin” so more needs to be done to make paid marketing clearer.
Weight loss medications could offer a “promising treatment” for individuals grappling with binge eating disorder, according to the most comprehensive review conducted to date.
Researchers found these drugs also assist with “related behaviours,” including fostering greater control over eating and reducing emotional eating.
However, experts cautioned that the current evidence remains limited, urging for further trials to definitively confirm these findings.
Binge eating disorder affects approximately 17 million people worldwide, characterised by regularly consuming large quantities of food in a short period until feeling uncomfortably full. NHS.uk describes it as a “serious mental health condition where people eat without feeling like they’re in control of what they’re doing.”
The research, spearheaded by experts at University College London’s Division of Psychiatry, meticulously analysed data from 25 randomised controlled trials involving 8,069 participants.
The study revealed that people with binge eating disorder who were administered GLP-1 drugs, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, reported “moderate reductions in binge eating.”
People with binge eating disorders, who took GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, reported ‘moderate reductions in binge eating’ (PA)
They also reported a reduction in “loss of control eating” and eating “disinhibition”.
And they reported lower levels of emotional eating.
But the authors stressed that all of the studies examined as part of the review have a “high risk or some concerns of bias”.
“GLP-1RAs reduced binge eating-related behaviours and emotional eating and increased cognitive or dietary restraint,” the authors wrote in the eClinicalMedicine journal.
Corresponding author Dr Ilaria Costantini, research fellow in psychiatric epidemiology at UCL, told the Press Association: “Overall, we found that people receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists reported fewer binge eating symptoms than those in the comparison groups.
“We also found improvements in related behaviours, including greater control over eating, lower levels of eating disinhibition, and reduced emotional eating.
“Our findings suggest that GLP-1 receptor agonists may represent a promising treatment option for binge eating disorder.
“However, our review cannot conclude that these medications are effective treatments for binge eating disorder or that they should be prescribed routinely for this indication.
“This is because only a small number of relatively small studies specifically recruited people with a diagnosis of binge eating disorder, and these studies were generally at higher risk of bias.
“As a result, it remains unclear whether the benefits we observed will translate to people living with both obesity and binge eating disorder in routine clinical practice.”
About 17 million people around the world live with binge eating disorder, which involves regularly eating a lot of food over a short period of time until a person is uncomfortably full (AFP/Getty)
She added: “Before these medications could be considered for routine clinical use in binge eating disorder, we need large, high-quality clinical trials specifically involving people with a diagnosis of the disorder.
“Ultimately, these medications may prove to be most effective as part of a broader treatment approach that combines pharmacological and psychological care, rather than as a standalone treatment.”
Commenting on the study, Umairah Malik, research manager at the charity Beat, said: “The relationship between eating disorder symptoms and GLP-1s is extremely complex – we still can’t be certain how or if they can affect eating disorder outcomes.
“Whilst further research is needed, it is promising that there is some indication that GLP-1s may form part of binge eating disorder treatment in years to come.
“GLP-1s have been touted as a quick fix and miracle solution, but we know that they also have potential to cause serious harm in the wrong hands.
“Anyone looking to start taking them should be given thorough mental and physical health checks, ideally in-person, with a healthcare professional trained to spot the signs of eating disorders.”
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has described Bill Gates’ relationship with late sex offender Jeffery Epstein as “distasteful”, but said he himself had made mistakes in life by being friends with people “who weren’t great”.
Buffett told CNBC he and Gates have had a “wonderful friendship” but confirmed his pivot over donations followed Gates’ testimony to US Congress about Epstein.
Gates called Buffett “a dear friend”, adding: “My gratitude to Warren is immeasurable.”
Gates appeared before the US House Oversight Committee in June to answer questions about his relationship with Epstein, who died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
In a transcript of his testimony, Gates said that he had been introduced to Epstein in 2011 as someone who could help raise billions of dollars for global health, which is a key focus of the Gates Foundation.
He said: “I recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues, but I did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed.”
In 2008, Epstein had pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution and procuring a person under age 18 for prostitution.
Gates told the committee: “I should never have met with Epstein in the first place. Based on what I know now, I understand that even if he had delivered the donors he promised, it would not have justified associating with him.”
Buffett said on Wednesday he had read Gates’ testimony.
He said: “While it’s distasteful, while he made mistakes, I’ve made mistakes in hiring all kinds of people, choosing friends and finding out later that one way or another they weren’t what I thought they were.
“So, I found nothing in there that was beyond what I could picture myself doing.”
Buffett said the decision to stop donations to the foundation did not come as a surprise to Gates. The two met around three weeks ago for three hours.
The 95-year-old said: “At some point I had read what Congress had come up with, I’d read everything and all I can say is I don’t know whether I’ve done dumber things but I’ve done many dumb things in life.”
Buffett added that he and Gates have had an “enormous number of good times together” since they met in 1991. “It has been a wonderful friendship,” he said.
Gates said: “I cherish the time we spend together. I hope we have much more of it ahead.”
SInce 2006, when Buffett pledged to make annual donations to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as it was then known, “throughout my lifetime”, he has given $47bn (£34.7bn) to the charity.
But even without his backing, the foundation still holds “very substantial resources”, said Buffett.
In 2025 alone, the Gates Foundation gave away $8.5bn in charitable support.
While Buffett originally pledged a lifetime commitment two decades ago, he explained that his thinking has evolved over time.
When he first made the pledge, Buffett noted that he did not feel his three children were ready to manage such vast sums, but he now believes they are fully capable and deeply aligned with his goals.
The United States said it had launched fresh strikes against Iran on Wednesday evening as President Donald Trump warned Tehran it “better behave”.
The US military said “Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels” moving through the Strait of Hormuz had been targeted, and that it had separately fired on a ship attempting to violate its renewed blockade of Iran’s ports.
It came after Iran claimed it had struck US military targets in the region, including in Bahrain and Kuwait, as a fifth day of renewed hostilities strained their preliminary deal to end the war.
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, meanwhile told state media Tehran had “no reason” to abide by the deal if it did benefit from it.
Trump had threatened late on Tuesday to attack bridges and power plants should Iran not return to talks next week.
Asked by reporters late on Wednesday whether he would give a deadline before doing so, he responded: “I don’t like giving deadlines, but they pretty much know, they know the story… they better behave.”
He later told delegates at a defence summit that Iran was “not happy right now”.
“They want to settle so badly. They don’t like what we’re doing,” he said. “We’ll find out whether we want to settle with them or if we just finish it off.”
Ghalibaf however said Iran’s national security depended on Tehran maintaining “Iranian arrangements” in the strait.
He added that negotiation – along with war – was part of Iran’s strategy of resistance as it engaged an “existential” conflict with the US.
Once again, the Argentines came from behind, this time against England, to win 2-1 in the World Cup semifinal and keep the dream of repeating as champions alive. Argentina was held off the scoresheet for 85 minutes, and finally broke through when Lionel Messi set up Enzo Fernandez just outside of the penalty box, and the 25-year-old hooked a shot around England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford into the back of the net to knot it at 1-1.
Lautaro Martinez then played the hero as he came off the bench and into Argentine soccer lore by scoring the winning goal in stoppage. In the 92nd minute, Messi recorded his second assist after he gathered a loose ball and played a beautiful pass into the penalty area, where Martinez was waiting unmarked. Martinez headed the ball past Pickford to send the Argentine fans into a frenzy as they completed the comeback.
Lautaro Martinez of Argentina scores his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Alex Livesey/Danehouse/Getty Images)
England tried to tie it with the remaining stoppage time, but they were unable to muster up a quality chance.
The first half was largely uneventful, as it was the first game since 1966 in which neither team recorded a shot in the first half, according to the FOX broadcast.
Anthony Gordon got the scoring started when he buried a cross from Morgan Rogers to put England on the board first in the 55th minute with an acrobatic finish. Harry Kane sparked the counter with a long pass that left the Argentina defense flummoxed for the first time all game.
However, that would end up being the lone true scoring opportunity of the game for the Three Lions. After England got on the board, Argentina’s pressure was relentless, but England was able to stave off the Argentine attack for about 30 minutes.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez scores past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford during the World Cup semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.(Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)
England defender Djed Spence made a fantastic tackle in the 58th minute to help keep Argentina off the board after a breakaway from Giuliano Simeone.
Argentina goalie Emilio Martinez came up big in the 66th minute by making his first save of the game on Declan Rice to keep the score 1-0 and avoid putting Argentina in a multi-goal hole. After the save, Argentina quickly countered and went back on the attack.
Pickford, England’s all-time leader in games played at the World Cup, made a remarkable save on the goal line with a header from Nicolás González just before the hydration break to preserve England’s 1-0 lead.
Alexis Mac Allister kept the pressure on for Argentina when his header in the 76th minute rang off the post. Pickford made his fourth save of the game when he clipped Fernandez’s shot in the 86th minute, but the Argentine broke through later in the minute.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez reacts after Argentina’s win over England in the World Cup semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.(Jacob Kupferman/AP)
Off a corner kick, Messi set up Fernandez just outside of the box, and the 25-year-old hooked a shot around Pickford into the back of the net.
