COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka closed schools in its tea-growing mountainous regions Tuesday as heavy rains triggered floods and mudslides that left five people dead and three wounded, officials said.

Heavy downpours over the last two days have wreaked havoc in many parts of the country, flooding homes, fields and roads. The mountainous areas in the country’s central region are the worst affected by the severe weather, according to the government’s Disaster Management Center.

So far, five people have died after being buried in mudslides that overran two houses in the central region, while three others were wounded and two people have gone missing, said Pradeep Kodippili, the center’s spokesperson.

Kodippili said rains and floods damaged 129 houses and that nearly 2,000 people were evacuated.

Navy and army troops have been deployed to rescue people trapped in the floods and help them move to safe places.

Local television channel Hiru TV showed troops and civilians rescuing people trapped in their homes because of the floods and facing the risk of being buried by mudflows.

Local channels also showed huge rocks, mudslides and fallen electric posts on several main roads in the central region, blocking traffic in some parts of the area.

The latest disaster comes as the country is still trying to recover from the devastation in November caused by Cyclone Ditwa that killed nearly 640 people, affected two million people and caused an estimated $4.1 billion in damage.

The Central province was the hardest hit by that cyclone and the government is struggling to rebuild roads, railways and houses in the region.

Mudslides and floods are among the most destructive natural disasters, causing severe damage to lives and property in Sri Lanka every year. Heavy monsoon rains mostly trigger mudslides in the central hill region while flooding low-lying areas, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

By HENRY CLARK, SPORTS NEWS EDITOR

Published: 07:53 BST, 4 August 2026 | Updated: 08:10 BST, 4 August 2026

Salmon DNA skincare treatments are still trending in the beauty world, with polynucleotides (or PDRN, also referred to as polydeoxyribonucleotide) now available for topical use as well as in-clinic aesthetic procedures. PDRN skincare claims to be regenerative, helping to improve hyperpigmentation and fine lines – and it’s appearing in everything from serums to creams.

As a 42-year-old beauty journalist, I closely track the latest innovations. But above all else, I favour affordable products that offer tangible results. So, I was excited to hear about The Ordinary’s lacto-PDRN 4% + B9 eye cream launch, particularly as its price is less than £9.

The Lacto-PDRN component is vegan, and made by fermentation of a probiotic bacterium. The Ordinary says its DNA is broken down into fragments sharing structural components with salmon DNA, so the skin also responds in a similar way. It’s billed as promoting smoother-looking skin, and improving the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and elasticity.

I don’t tend to use eye cream, and instead stick to a dab of intensely hydrating moisturiser for my sensitive, dry (and often dull) skin. So, could The Ordinary’s PDRN eye cream impress me? Officially launching on 28 August, IndyBest has scooped the exclusive to be the first to share all about it with you. I’ve spent several weeks putting the affordable eye cream to the test – keep reading for my honest verdict.

Read more: We tried Kiehl’s new sunscreen in a heatwave

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CAIRO (AP) — A British maritime monitoring agency said a cargo ship reported being hit by a projectile overnight off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States and Iran made opposing claims about whether they were holding talks.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said the two sides are resuming talks to wind down the war. But Iran insisted it only was talking with Oman and the discussion focused on the Strait of Hormuz.

Here is a look at the most important developments in the Middle East on Tuesday.

Cargo ship reports strike in Strait of Hormuz

The cargo ship reported being “hit by an unknown projectile” at 2 a.m. local time while it was 37 kilometers (23 miles) northeast of Al Khasab in Oman, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said.

The UKMTO did not provide further information on the ship, including what flag the vessel was sailing under or whether it was carrying cargo.

The town of Al Khasab sits on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula that juts into the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passed before the war.

The strait has been effectively shut by Iran’s attacks on shipping since the start of the war in February, while the U.S. also has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports in the waterway.

US and Iran offer conflicting claims about talks

Trump said Monday that talks with Iran had resumed, a day after saying he called of massive strikes he had threatened to unleash on the country. Trump said he pulled back at the urging of Gulf allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking,” Trump maintained.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday that no negotiations were being held with the U.S., adding that Tehran’s talks were only with Oman and focused on establishing a route for safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump voiced frustration with Iran, suggesting Tehran had asked for the talks, which are critical to ending the monthslong conflict and reviving stalled cargo traffic through the strait.

“Iranian Leadership is unbelievably duplicitous!” the U.S. president vented on Truth Social, his social media platform.

“They ask for a meeting, some would say ‘beg,’ talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they’re not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they’re only dealing with ‘Oman’,” he wrote.

Firefighters are in Wigan town centre after a blaze broke out at one of the town’s best known pubs.

Smoke was seen billowing from the John Bull Chop House overnight.

Crews remain in attendance this morning and a 50-metre exclusion area is in place..

People are being urged to stay away from the fire.

Updates will follow in this blog.

Kate Middleton and Prince William’s relationship with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has been the subject of much speculation in recent years, and a biography by Russell Myers has shed light on it for the first time

Royal sources have revealed what really happened behind the scenes in the run-up to Megxit – and why an initial feeling about the duchess proved accurate.

A surge of enthusiasm rippled through royal enthusiasts in February 2018. For the first time, Prince William, Princess Catherine, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared together on stage to reveal that Meghan would become a fourth patron of the Royal Foundation.

It seemed to signal the beginning of a fresh chapter. The two couples were quickly dubbed the “Fab Four” and the monarchy’s future looked to be in safe hands.

However, significantly, it would turn out to be their sole official joint charitable appearance. The apparently bright partnership was short-lived.

Just two years afterwards, Harry and Meghan would step back from royal responsibilities and launch a succession of highly public criticisms of his relatives, reports the Express.

Today, the Sussexes are effectively estranged from the rest of the Royal Family – a profoundly regrettable circumstance, particularly because Princess Catherine once enjoyed an exceptionally close, sisterly relationship with Harry.

It now seems she quickly became wary of her future sister-in-law, according to a revealing biography.

William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story has been authored by the Mirror’s royal editor Russell Myers, based on his considerable years reporting on the royal couple, and was published on February 26. It represents the first joint biography of the Prince and Princess of Wales in over a decade.

How Kate’s relationship with Harry and Meghan unravelled….

Kate’s three-word assessment of Meghan

Considerable attention has been paid to William and Catherine’s initial encounter with Meghan, although there have been some discrepancies in accounts of their first interaction. During Harry and Meghan’s engagement interview, the pair discussed how William and Catherine reacted to the newest member of the royal family.

Harry said: “William was longing to meet her, and so was Catherine. So, you know, being our neighbours, we managed to get that in a couple of – well, quite a few times now, and Catherine has been absolutely..

“She’s been wonderful,” Meghan interjected.

However, in their tell-all Netflix series, Meghan described their first meeting as “jarring”. She said: “When Will and Kate came over, and I met her for the first time, they came over for dinner, I remember I was in ripped jeans and I was barefoot. I was a hugger. I’ve always been a hugger, I didn’t realise that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.

“I guess I started to understand very quickly that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside. There is a forward-facing way of being, and then you close the door and go ‘You can relax now’, but that formality carries over on both sides. And that was surprising to me.”

Harry also recalled that initial meeting in his memoir, Spare. He said Meghan cooked and all seemed to be going well as they chatted about Wimbledon and the legal drama Suits.

He said: “The only possibly discordant note I could think of was the marked difference in how the two women dressed, which both of them seemed to notice. Meg: ripped jeans, barefoot. Kate: done up to the nines. No big deal, I thought.”

It seems the Princess approached the occasion with a degree of caution. While she found Meghan ‘friendly’, she highlighted the differences between them by observing there was a ‘touch of California’ about the Suits actress, Myers writes.

Harry and Meghan ‘not to be trusted’

Catherine displayed less keenness than William in attempting to dissuade Harry and Meghan from withdrawing from royal responsibilities, and viewed Harry relinquishing his role as “inevitable”, according to the royal book.

Having observed the deterioration in the relationship, the future queen eventually concluded she “could do no more to bring the brothers together” – despite having previously acted as a “voice of reason” throughout the disintegration of their bond. Furthermore, she regarded the Sussexes as “not to be trusted” following their controversial Oprah Winfrey interview.

A source told Myers: “The whole situation with the Sussexes was just very sad and just as Philip had a degree of empathy and understanding with Catherine for coming from outside the family at the beginning, I would say Catherine had that for Meghan as well, at least at the start and she did do a lot to help her integrate into the family in the beginning.

“But Meghan simply acted like she didn’t need or want her help, it was very matter of fact and you could say she just dismissed her, which hurt Catherine. There was a lot of sadness there, but that being said, she was very clear that any engagement with Harry or Meghan should be with the utmost of caution because it was obvious that they weren’t to be trusted.”

Catherine and Meghan’s disagreement which ignited their ‘ugly’ feud

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While relations between the two brothers had been steadily deteriorating, a dispute involving Catherine and Meghan emerged as a major turning point in their estrangement, the book claims.

Discussing Harry’s requests for royal security, Myers writes that the Duke’s worries were heightened when his then-girlfriend Meghan “became a target on social media” during the initial phase of their relationship.

“Meghan became a target on social media owing to her biracial heritage and Harry demanded that action be taken,” one excerpt reads. “Royal aides informed him they were powerless to act, so he turned his attention to the royal protection teams funded by the Home Office. When told any such protection would not be provided until after he and Meghan were married, Harry was incredulous and appealed to his father and brother to intervene.

“The (then) Prince of Wales insisted he could not become involved in a government decision, especially one where any costs would be footed by taxpayers, but Harry was well aware that Catherine had not only received unofficial guidance from the palace when merely his brother’s girlfriend, but that she had also qualified for round-the-clock protection as soon as they became engaged. One rule for him and another for me, Harry thought.

“Prince Charles’s decision was final, though, and William’s subsequent unwillingness to help sparked a row that ignited a long-running and ugly feud.”

William’s upset over Harry’s ‘paranoid’ transformation

In 2019, Meghan and Harry undertook a royal tour of South Africa, filming a documentary with ITV’s Tom Bradby about the visit, during which Meghan candidly acknowledged she had been finding things difficult, while Harry disclosed that he and his brother were on “different paths”.

According to Myers, the programme confirmed something in William’s mind, demonstrating to the future king and queen just how significantly matters had changed between themselves and Harry. William also felt Harry had become “paranoid” – despite his own attempts to support him.

“He [William] felt as though somewhere down the line, perhaps it is impossible to even say when, that he lost his brother,” a source close to William told to Myers.

“He became paranoid, angry, obsessive and firmly rooted in the past. There’s no doubt, at that time at least, there was a lot of love and support available for Harry.”

It has been extensively documented — and acknowledged by Harry himself — that William cautioned his younger brother to proceed carefully with Meghan.

“It’s easy to forget now, given everything that has gone on,” the author quotes an insider as saying. “But William did find Meghan quite refreshing at first. He was genuinely happy for Harry and only wanted the best for him.”

York’s Hidden Treasures, by Angela Ranson, shines a light on lesser-known historical gems from York, including long-forgotten buildings and events.

It will go beyond the city’s well-known Viking and Roman heritage to explore its wider history of faith, protection, family legacies and even ghostly legends.

Ms Ranson said: “We walk past these buildings every day without realising what happened inside them.

“I was stunned to discover that a literal king’s ransom was once collected and counted in the Guildhall, before being paid to recover Charles I from his captors.

“And that was only one of the stories that made me want to write a history of York that felt immediate and grounded in the streets we actually live in.”

Angela Ranson will share these stories at an exclusive launch event on August 13 at the Black Swan pub in Peasholme Green.

The evening will include a conversation with Dr Louise Hampson, a Q&A session and a book signing.

Tickets, which are limited to 40 spaces, are £5 and include a £5 discount on book purchases.

Attendees will be able to buy food and drinks from the pub before and after the event.

The biggest Irish language arts centre on the island of Ireland is located inside a former Presbyterian church in West Belfast. This year, Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich marks its 35th anniversary of providing an arts and community based programme to the Irish language community.

On the Falls Road in the heart of the city’s Gaeltacht Quarter, the centre runs a year-round programme including concerts, workshops, art exhibitions, and community events. This year, with the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in the city for the first time, many more tourists will be stopping by Cultúrlann to soak up the culture, enjoy a meal, and find out more about the Irish language and culture.

Director of the centre, Cónall Ó’Corra, said the All-Ireland Fleadh arriving in the city is a huge achievement, and one that reflects decades of work. He said this is the perfect time for the huge event to be in Belfast, with a massive boom within the city’s music scene.

Speaking to Belfast Live, Cónall said this time of year is typically busy due to Belfast TradFest and the Féile an Phobail, but the Fleadh will bring with it huge numbers keen to learn more about the city’s Irish-speaking community.

“We’re a bustling building and I’ll be honest, it hasn’t stopped in here since January,” he said.

“This is one of the most densely populated areas with Irish speakers on the island outside of the Gaeltacht regions on the west coast. You can see the language as a living language.

“I do my business all day through Irish, and I hope if people call in they can see this is a grassroots, authentic take on culture.

“We have Irish classes here, as well as plays and concerts. People are coming to the Fleadh and we’re very happy to be part of the fringe programme as well as hosting our own programme.

“If anyone called up, they could expect to call in to get a bite to eat at Bia Loch Lao, to visit our art galleries which display art from all over the island of Ireland, to enjoy the bookshop or pick up a Cultúrlann hoodie. People can call in and see an authentic slice of the Irish language, and see what the community is about.”

Operating as a Presbyterian church until the 1980s, the building housing Cultúrlann became derelict, before becoming Meánscoil Feirste in 1991. The nine pupil Irish-medium secondary school was the first of its kind in the North, and is now Coláiste Feirste in the nearby Beechmount area.

Cónall said the building’s progression to becoming Cultúrlann was a natural development, with their mission statement focusing on promoting the arts through the Irish language, and the Irish language through the arts.

He said the Fleadh Cheoil coming to Belfast for the first time is a testament to everyone who worked hard over years in the Irish language community to make it a reality.

Cónall added: “There’s probably nowhere on the island right now where there’s such a boom around Irish traditional music as in Belfast. Cultúrlann in the 1990s played its part in delivering it, and the Fleadh coming to Belfast is testament to the work of thousands of people over the past 40 years to make it a reality.

“I think it’s a perfect time for the Fleadh to come to Belfast, and for us to showcase to the world what goes on in the city.

“There’s a real revival across the island and globally at the minute in terms of Irishness and what that is. I think for our part in that, we are very keen and passionate that the language takes centre stage in that.

“We operate when there are no festivals on here and provide that service, but we also lean into it when it is happening, so it’s a privilege for us all to be involved in that.”

As they mark 35 years serving the city’s Irish-speaking community, Cónall said for the next 35 years he would like the community to feel it’s a space serving them well.

He said: “We want to keep meeting the expectations of the Irish language speaking community in Belfast as regards artistic programme, concerts, and gigs. We’re looking to be a producing house but also a receiving house for Irish language musicians, for musicians in general across the city.

“We feel it’s our duty and obligation to give areas surrounding here, like Beehcmount, the Whiterock, Ballymurphy, Springhill and surrounding areas, a world class artistic programme. Whether that’s plays, concerts, dramas, and we hope to establish more of a youth music programme.

“If I wanted anything for the next 35 years here, it’s that we want people to feel like this is their building, it’s their asset. It’s the greatest show on earth in here, you get some absolute characters through the door.

“But we’re also the tourist information point for West Belfast, so when people come off the boats and go to the Visit Belfast office facing the City Hall and say they want to see West Belfast, they come here.

“Whether it’s the murals, the Connolly Centre, or whatever it is they like to see, they call here. If tourists are coming to Belfast and visit here they’re getting an authentic slice of the city.

“Authenticity is that we’re not doing this to impress anybody, it’s not because we’re looking people to fawn over Ireland or the language or culture. We’re doing this because it’s who we are, what we’re about, what we aspire to be, and what we seek to bring into the future.”

Cultúrlann has a wide range of events planned this week for the Fleadh fringe, as well as their own programme. This includes daily traditional music sessions and an art exhibition featuring artists from across Ireland. Click here for more details.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Northumbria Police said Stephanie, 34, was reported missing on July 23 and was last seen on July 16 near the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle city centre.

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The force describes her as being white, 5ft 5in tall, of slim build, with long dark brown hair.

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “Since being reported missing to us we’ve carried out extensive enquiries to locate her including a review of available CCTV and door-to-door enquiries.

Stephanie has links to South Shields, Gateshead and the wider Newcastle area, as well as Durham, Cleveland, Hartlepool, Darlington and North Yorkshire.

Anyone with information should contact Northumbria Police quoting reference number: NP-20260723-0309.