The blistering tale of an African's journey to Europe and a moving film about refugees at Poland's border, which has angered its government, have tightened the...

The 'Wolverine' game will be set in the same universe as the 'Marvel's Spider-Man' series.

Hui Ka Yan, the billionaire chairman of beleaguered property developer China Evergrande Group, has been placed under police

By Daniel Wiessner New York's top state court on Tuesday made it more difficult for music producer Dr.

The National Basketball Association set a league record for most head coaches of color in the past year, helping it earn high grades in an annual diversity report

The man who drove a vehicle into a group of people near a shelter in Brownsville, Texas, on Sunday, killing eight, is expected to face further charges Monday.

The type of toys children play with can have a profound effect on their success in adult life, according to an academic report. Dr Jacqueline Harding, a child behavioural expert, said repetitive childhood play can provide a long-lasting memory imprint and have the potential to subconsciously steer their career path. And they can help develop and deepen problem-solving abilities and improve imagination and creativity. Dr Harding explained how joy in early life from playing with toys can become a strong driver in later life decisions. It follows research of 1,000 parents of 0-7 year olds, which found 75 per cent buy toys they hope will contribute towards their child’s future success. More than half (51 per cent) deem their child’s playthings very important to develop their critical skills, crucial for everyday life. The study was commissioned by Mattel, creators of Thomas & Friends, which has released a white paper from King’s College London revealing the social and cognitive benefits of train play for children. Dr Jacqueline Harding said: “Favourite toys tend to be played with almost every day and it is this repetitive act that can leave an imprint on the young developing brain. “So, it almost goes without saying that the playthings young children engage with on a regular basis can have a long-term effect and may even subconsciously steer them in a particular career direction. “Of course, this is hard to prove beyond doubt as there are so many other factors involved - but taking toys seriously is a good idea as children spend so much time engaging with them, and choosing wisely according to their individual interests can pay real dividends.” The biggest benefit parents believe children get from toys when it comes to improving critical skills is the improvement in their fine motor skills (68 per cent). Almost as many (67 per cent) said it was how toys drive imagination and creativity, while 63 per cent think toys can help with problem-solving skills. While 86 per cent went as far as saying they think toys can have a large or moderate impact on improving a child’s chances of a successful career, in the future. But when it comes to actually choosing toys for their children, the top priority is that it they are age-appropriate (59 per cent). Others want to ensure the toy is safe (55 per cent) or more than its perceived educational value (47 per cent). It also emerged 58 per cent have particular brands or toy lines they turn specifically for their developmental value. But 21 per cent fear their little ones don’t play with educational toys as much as they’d like, according to the OnePoll.com data. Dr Harding added: “One astounding insight is that at two years of age children engage in the same level of mental work as adults whilst engaged in imaginative play. “It is well established that imaginary play and creative pursuits offer up a wealth of surprising benefits that have exciting biological and neurological benefits for children and adults. “During childhood, the brain is known to be particularly absorbent – this is known as ‘neuroplasticity’. “In other words, it is easier to learn aspects of life – so not only does play yield a significant benefit during childhood itself but also in later adult life.” It comes after a separate white paper by Dr Salim Hashmi, a researcher from King’s College, reviewed more than 1,600 scientific research papers to explore the advantages of playing with toy trains. One of the primary benefits Dr Hashmi identified was children who play with toy trains can develop better thinking and social skills, allowing them to learn and practice collaboration, cooperation, and social understanding while interacting with others. His study also highlighted how playing with toy trains allows children to develop and refine essential thinking skills, contributing to their problem-solving abilities. Talking about his research for Thomas & Friends, Dr Hashmi said: “Constructing tracks, arranging train cars, envisioning scenarios, and enacting them during train play can stimulate cognitive development and enhance critical thinking, spatial analysis, and decision-making skills. “Collaborative play with toy trains could help encourage teamwork, negotiation, and collaboration, as children share resources, ideas, and play together. “Additionally, playing with toy trains provides children with opportunities to develop and practice problem-solving abilities. “Overall, train play, is an excellent way for children to develop key skills.” Top tips on choosing a toy for your child: 1. Take time to watch your child playing and try to get ‘into their thinking’ – what appears to light up their brain? 2. Guide children towards toys and play experiences that meet the need for them at their stage of development. 3. Be aware of the types of play that can aid them in their future – toys that help them begin to connect with others (when they are developmentally ready and able to do so). 4. Play with your child in a way that does not take over but allows them agency - a little control. 5. At other times, sit back and allow your child space to think while they play - being mindful that in their brain so much is taking place. 6. Talk to your child in ways that they can understand about what they are doing while they play – just gentle questions not an inquisition. Children often wish to share with adults what they have achieved or what matters to them while they play. 7. Allow your child time to explain what they are doing. Younger children will perhaps just show you rather than talk about it while older children might wish to discuss how they solved a problem or found a solution while they played. 8. Help children begin to collaborate with others while they play. Sometimes this may just involve keeping a watchful eye and ensuring a fair distribution of resources, so conflicts are avoided. 9. Relish play and be respectful of the power it yields in terms of a child’s mental health and general wellbeing. 10. Guide children towards toys and play experiences that are inclusive and not gender specific. Read More Study finds free childcare reform has ‘little benefit’ to poorer families Couples delay getting married in order to buy new home Most children in kinship care living with at least one grandparent, figures show Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas reach agreement after child custody row Comedian Ashley Blaker on why he wants to ‘change the conversation’ around children with special needs Brian Austin Green gets candid about co-parenting with Megan Fox

MEXICO CITY Mexico is eyeing broadening tax incentives set out in a recent "nearshoring" decree to companies that

Tesla engineers were so upset with the design of the company’s Cybertruck pickup truck that they secretly crafted alternative designs, according to the firm’s chief designer. Speaking to Walter Isaacson, whose biography on Tesla boss Elon Musk came out this week, Franz von Holzhausen said the unconventional shape of the stainless steel truck caused dissent among workers. The as-yet-unreleased Cybertruck takes inspiration from the pointy design of the 1960s Lotus Esprit, as well as video games and sci-fi movies. “A majority of people in this studio hated it,” said chief designer Franz von Holzhausen. “They were like, ‘You can’t be serious.’ They didn’t want to have anything to do with it. It was just too weird.” After seeing a full-size mock-up of the futuristic pick-up truck, some designers began secretly designing an alternative version. A spokesperson for Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Mr Musk was reportedly adamant from the outset that the design of the electric pickup truck would “look like the future” and refused to concede to more conventional design ideas. “We’re not doing a traditional boring truck,” Mr Musk said during one meeting in October 2018. “We can always do that later. I want to build something that’s cool. Like, don’t resist me.” The biography, which saw Mr Isaacson shadow Mr Musk for two years, also revealed other instances of Tesla employees keeping projects alive, even after it had been officially scrapped. After the Tesla boss became disinterested in developing a $25,000 mass-market car, repeatedly vetoing the idea in meetings, Mr von Holzhausen reportedly kept the concept alive as a “shadow project”. His biographer describes Mr Musk as “fiercely stubborn” with a “reality-distorting wilfulness and a readiness to run roughshod over naysayers”. The Tesla Cybertruck was first unveiled to the public at an event in November 2019, offering people the chance to reserve one with a $100 deposit. More than 200,000 orders were received within the first three days, according to Mr Musk, however it has taken until this year for production to actually begin. The first deliveries to customers are expected to take place later this year. Read More Elon Musk makes prediction for imminent Starship launch Volcano discovery could power electric cars for decades, scientists say Elon Musk ‘borrowed $1bn from SpaceX’ at same time as Twitter acquisition Elon Musk became ‘anti-woke’ because of his daughter’s gender transition, book claims

Travis Kelce has been divulging further into his relationship with Taylor Swift on his podcast, even explaining the reasoning behind asking her security to step aside during their dates. “I feel like whenever I’m on a date, I’m always having the sense of like, ‘I'm a man in this situation.’ I'm protective, yeah, for sure", he explained of why he's spotted opening car doors for the singer. “I didn’t push him [the security guard]. I placed my hand on the gentleman’s back to let him know I was behind him". Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

The chief executive of the Eni energy company says Cyprus-Israeli plans for a pipeline to move offshore natural gas from those two countries to Cyprus are “part of our discussion” with the Cypriot government

Charlton Heston played Saints' QB Cat Catlin in "Number One" (Photo by Mike Moore/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Film study is an important part of the game of football. The following 10 players had a better shot of winning an Oscar as opposed to a championship.Ther...