Trains across the UK have been cancelled by rail operator CrossCountry after a power cut at its control centre.

The power outage started in Birmingham on Saturday and as a result, many of the systems used to manage the railway are unavailable, the operator said.

Cancellations are affecting most routes, from Glasgow to Penzance and Leeds to Manchester, until further notice because of “significant and unforeseen disruption”, said CrossCountry, ranked Britain’s worst rail operator, in June.

Passengers are venting their anger on social media, saying the situation is the “worst case scenario” at the weekend, with some taking coaches before continuing their train journey with another operator.

“A massive thank you to Cross Country Trains for cancelling my train this morning to Birmingham. You are truly not fit for service. You have also cancelled my train coming back but that is immaterial. Useless. Utterly useless,” one user on X said.

Major routes between Manchester and Birmingham, which passes through Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry and Wolverhampton, along with routes from Leeds to York, Cheltenham to Cardiff and Glasgow to Edinburgh, are all affected.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he believes actions taken by dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, including his involvement in mass protests and calls for elections, were misguided, as he publicly detailed their dispute for the first time.

Zelenskyy also alluded to problematic decisions over defense spending and said inaccurate information provided by the Defense Ministry contributed to an awkward encounter with U.S. President Donald Trump over the use of Starlink in Russia.

Zelenskyy disclosed figures showing Ukraine’s growing shortage of Patriot air-defense missiles needed to counter Russian ballistic attacks, with deliveries from Western allies declining in the past three years even as Russian missile strikes intensified.

He highlighted battlefield gains, however, saying Ukrainian forces have almost completely recaptured the Dnipropetrovsk region, with only about 10 square kilometers remaining under Russian control.

He made the remarks during a two-hour off-the-record meeting with reporters on Saturday, with a transcript released publicly on Sunday.

Wide-ranging discussion included first public comments on Fedorov dismissal

His comments ranged widely, covering the latest battlefield developments, efforts to counter Russian ballistic attacks, the state of peace negotiations, Ukraine’s budgetary challenges and the political turmoil surrounding Fedorov’s dismissal.

“I really had and still have a very positive attitude toward Mykhailo. We have been through a lot together. But I believe that he himself goes, or is pushed, into the wrong things,” he said.

Fedorov, a popular minister credited with modernizing Ukraine’s armed forces and accelerating the military’s embrace of technology and drone warfare, was dismissed last month after reportedly falling out with the country’s top military commander. His removal triggered mass protests that lasted for weeks but ultimately failed to force a reversal of the decision. Fedorov later called for elections in a video address

Zelenskyy said he had offered Fedorov four different options to continue working in government. Fedorov, he said, rejected all four proposals.

Inaccurate information led to uncomfortable White House situation

Zelenskyy appeared to link Fedorov to an awkward episode involving Starlink and Elon Musk. Zelenskyy said that earlier this year the Defense Ministry had told him that SpaceX had agreed to allow Ukraine to use Starlink over Russian territory to carry out deep strike operations, subject to political approval.

Acting on that, Zelenskyy said, he raised the issue directly with U.S. President Donald Trump. He told Trump that Musk had confirmed the proposed use. Zelenskyy said the two sides subsequently sought Musk’s confirmation and discussed financing for the project.

Touching on a corruption probe that led Zelenskyy to fire one of his most senior officials this week, he said anti-corruption investigators do not believe the president was involved. The investigators had named a deputy head of the presidential office among the suspects in a money-laundering case.

“The heads of anti-corruption agencies have zero questions for me. They understand perfectly well that I am not involved in anything like that. And this is important to me,” he said.

On the battlefield, Zelenskyy was optimistic, saying Ukraine had almost completely regained control of the Dnipropetrovsk region, with only about 10 square kilometers and three small villages remaining outside Ukrainian control.

He said another operation was underway elsewhere and that its results were expected by the end of August.

He also predicted that by the end of 2026 Ukraine could reach parity between the territory occupied by Russia since the beginning of the year and the territory retaken by Ukrainian forces. Zelenskyy said Russia had occupied about 990 square kilometers since the start of the year, while Ukraine had restored control over roughly 820 square kilometers.

The president said Russia’s principal objective remained the Konstantynivka-Sloviansk-Kramatorsk axis and that Moscow was still demanding Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas region as a condition for a settlement.

Still struggling for access to Patriot missiles

Zelenskyy said Ukraine was receiving substantially fewer Patriot interceptor missiles even as Russian ballistic attacks are increasing.

He said Ukraine received 675 Patriot missiles in 2023, compared with 364 in 2025 and an expected 264 in 2026. Zelenskyy said he wanted to secure 300 additional Patriot missiles for the coming winter, while Ukraine’s Air Force had requested 360.

The shortfall is particularly serious because the United States and European partners are struggling to expand production. Zelenskyy said he hoped Ukraine could obtain even 5% or 10% of U.S. reserves and was able to pay for them.

Zelenskyy said Russia could eventually produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles a year, compared with an estimated current capacity of 600.

He said Ukraine was also preparing alternatives to Starlink, including a European communications project, as Russia and China work on their own competing system.

Flight schedules are back to normal following a security breach overnight on Friday

Flight schedules have returned to normal at Manchester Airport this weekend following an overnight security breach on Friday which resulted in seven flights being diverted and at least 17 being held, which had the knock-on effect of more delays.

Shortly after 11.20pm last night, Friday August 21, police were called to the airport after the man ‘encroached’ onto the airfield. The incident lasted for around 15 minutes, a spokesperson for Manchester Airport said, before he was taken to hospital from the scene.

It is understood the incident was mental health-related. The incident was resolved with flights returning back to normal by the morning, the airport spokesperson confirmed, and a temporary fix has been put in place following the security breach.

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Among the seven flights diverted were a TUI flight from Boa Vista in Cape Verde, which according to Flightradar24 had to be diverted to the East Midlands, a Ryanair flight from Agadir in Morocco diverted to Birmingham and an easyJet flight from Barcelona diverted to Liverpool. One passenger who arrived just after the incident praised airport staff for how they handled the situation.

Rai Hirst told the Manchester Evening News: “The staff went above and beyond in the early hours of the morning. They made sure everybody was safe, everybody was ok. They answered any questions. I didn’t even think there were that many staff who worked at the airport overnight. I just hope that person gets all the help they need.”

Flight schedules are back to normal this Sunday. If you are due to fly it’s important to monitor the status of your flight. Below are delayed flights by 30 minutes or more, and cancelled flights from Manchester Airport as of 9.50am on Sunday August 23, according to FlightRadar24.com.

More and more people over the age of 50 are taking up physical exercise. Medical associations resoundingly agree that this is a good thing. Physical exercise is not only key to disease prevention, but it is also a recommended part of treatment for many illnesses.

However, starting to move at this stage of life requires some care. This is especially true for those who have not previously been physically active, or for people who are overweight or obese.

It has been proven that starting to exercise with routines that are too demanding can lead to significant muscular and skeletal injuries, especially if combined with an inadequate diet. This risk is even greater after the age of 50, as the loss of muscle and bone mass is more pronounced due to natural ageing processes.

Before starting any new exercise programme, it is a good idea to carry out a complete analysis, especially to assess the need for micronutrient supplements.

Protein is key

In addition to micronutrients, the body also needs carbohydrates, fats and proteins – known collectively as macronutrients.

Proteins provide the body with the essential amino acids needed to maintain and develop muscle mass, and to prevent sarcopenia: age-related muscle injury, osteoporosis, and loss of muscle mass and strength (formerly referred to as frailty).

Protein requirements vary according to an individual’s clinical situation. In people over 50 years of age who are moderately physically active, protein requirements range from 1 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.

However, it is not advisable to increase protein intake without a corresponding increase in physical exercise. Too much protein can actually have harmful effects, especially on bone health, as it has been observed to increase calcium excretion in the urine (calciuria) due to decreased tubular calcium reabsorption.

Animal and vegetable proteins

Protein sources should combine those of vegetable origin – soy, beans, seeds, peanuts, lentils, and so on – with those of animal origin, such as eggs, dairy products, chicken and fish.

While the ideal is to have a balance of both, it has been shown that following a vegetarian diet is compatible with high-performance sports, so long as there is suitable medical and nutritional monitoring.

In addition to what you eat, it also matters when you do it. Spreading protein intake throughout the day is more beneficial than concentrating it in a single meal.

You should also eat protein 30 minutes before or after exercise, as its absorption and availability in the body will be better.

Essential micronutrients: magnesium, calcium, vitamin D

Some micronutrients – by which we mean vitamins and minerals – play a key role in physical exercise at this age. These include magnesium, calcium and vitamin D.

Magnesium aids muscle recovery and bone formation, and can be found in foods such as wheat bran, cheese, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds.

Calcium is essential for maintaining adequate bone mineralisation and preventing loss of bone mineral density (osteopenia) associated with calcium deficiencies in the blood.

Dairy products are known to be beneficial for bone health, both for their bioavailable calcium and the vitamin D content in their whole milk.

Certain plant-based foods, such as tahini (sesame paste), almonds, flaxseed, soya and hazelnuts, are also decent sources of calcium, but their phytate and oxalate content can hinder its absorption.

Lastly, oily fish (tuna, sardines, salmon, and so on) and egg yolks are considered complementary sources of vitamin D in dietary plans focused on people over 50 years of age who do physical exercise.

It is also vitally important to maintain proper hydration before, during and after exercise. Both dehydration and overhydration can affect performance and increase the risk of muscle injury.

Does the type of exercise matter?

So far, we have seen how nutrition influences athletic performance and ultimately the risk of injury. But there is another part of the puzzle: the exercise you do.

There is actually no clear consensus on this, and there is ongoing debate about which type of exercise is the most appropriate according to age, gender or body composition. The question is whether it is better to prioritise strength exercises, alternate with cardio sessions, or do both on different days.

Despite the different theories on the subject, one thing is clear: regular exercise, adapted to the abilities of each individual and with good medical and nutritional monitoring, reduces the risk of multiple diseases and improves quality of life.

Five joyriders have been pictured after dying when the car they drove the wrong way smashed into a police vehicle and left two officers dead.

PC Matthew Blades, 38, and 37-year-old PC Tom Clough have been hailed for their bravery after being killed in the line of duty on the A66 at Middlesbrough yesterday.

Both police officers and the five men in the Volkswagen Passat were all declared dead at the scene. 

It comes amid similar tragedies linked to an online craze in which youngsters prompt police car pursuits before sharing video footage. 

The victims have been named locally as Michael Ray, Theo Rae, Cole Worthy, Jakub Matusiak and Makai Saddington.

Last night it emerged Mr Saddington had posted a string of TikTok videos appearing to show him taking part in high-speed police chases months before his death.

It is understood he and his companions had close links to the traveller community.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, the group of teenagers became involved in a pursuit with two police cars chasing the ‘suspicious’ vehicle.

Ring doorbell footage shows that at 3.36am the VW Passat was driven at speed through Middlesbrough’s streets before officers halted the chase when the vehicle turned on to the A66.

Jakub Matusiak was described by his sister as her ‘best friend always and forever’

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Close friends Theo Rae (left) and Cole Worthy both died in the crash on Saturday night

Michael Ray was praised by those who knew him as a ‘lovely, down to earth lad’

This is the moment police are seen pursuing a car down a narrow road just minutes before seven people, including two police officers, were killed in a head-on smash 

Just three minutes after the pursuit was caught on camera, at 3.39am, the car ploughed into the path of a different marked armed-response vehicle, which was on the correct side of the A66.

Cleveland Police lowered flags to half-mast at their Middlesbrough headquarters in tribute to their fallen colleagues, who are understood not to have been part of the pursuit.

As an investigation into the incident continues, social media posts from the teenagers reveal some insight into their activities before the tragedy happened.

In one clip, filmed in May by a passenger and set to rap music, 18-year-old Mr Saddington is seen in an Audi being driven at speed through a housing estate with a police car’s blue lights flashing in pursuit.

The vehicle is then seen veering across a grassy playing field in an apparent bid to shake off officers.

Another video on an account associated with him shows a green Nissan being driven around before being set alight, while separate images posted elsewhere show him and a friend posing in cars wearing black balaclavas.

The clips reflect a trend of young men filming themselves being pursued by police at high speed and posting the clips on social media in pursuit of views and likes. 

It happened just days after five teenagers died in a head-on collision on a motorway in Ireland.

The masked youngsters were in a stolen BMW travelling the wrong way down the M9 in County Kildare at 2am last Sunday.

Police had tried to pull the stolen car over but it sped off the wrong way down the M9 to avoid a stinger device that had been deployed to stop the car.

The occupants of the other vehicle – three sisters and a seven-year-old boy – suffered serious injuries in the crash and remain in hospital. 

Following news of Saturday’s Middlesbrough crash, family and friends posted a series of tributes to the five teenagers. 

The mother of Mr Saddington’s one-year-old son posted on social media: ‘What am I supposed to do without ur daft phone calls and u torching (sic) me life’s so cruel.’

Mr Saddington’s aunt Sharon Morgan posted online: ‘Today is a day I never thought I would have to face.

‘I’m heartbroken to say that we lost my beloved nephew today, our Makai. There are no words that can truly express the pain of losing someone so young, so loved, and so full of life.

‘You brought so much love and happiness into our family, and your memory will stay with us forever. This loss has left a space in our hearts that can never be filled.

‘Rest peacefully, my beautiful nephew. You will never be forgotten. Until we meet again, fly high love ya aunty Sharon…

‘Keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we try to get through this heartbreaking time, especially our Alisha, his Mam.’

Meanwhile, friends of Cole Worthy called his death ‘a massive devastation’ and another wrote: ‘Absolutely heartbroken, you are gonna be missed Cole, love u lots.’

He shared a friendship with Theo Rae, who also died in the crash – with the pair pictured together last December and often commenting on each other’s social media posts.

One commenter wrote of Theo that he was ‘taken way too soon’ and had a ‘heart of gold’, describing as someone who would have ‘done anything for anyone’. 

Michael Ray was praised online as a ‘lovely, down to earth lad’.

The sister of Jakub Matusiak said her heart was ‘broken’ by the news, describing her sibling as her ‘best friend always and forever’. 

A friend wrote he would be ‘missed by everyone who knows you’. 

As more details emerged, householders in Lime Road – a mile from the crash site – told how they were woken by the noise as the stolen car ‘shot down’ the street, followed by police cars.

Makai Saddington posted videos on his Tiktok of men in balaclavas driving cars at speed

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In the  video captured by a home security camera, two police cars follow just seconds later

Police officers at the scene of a fatal crash involving a police car and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 near Middlesbrough

Neil Hutchison, 47, said: ‘You could tell from the noise that they were travelling at high speed. 

‘Two cars went down the street and then a few seconds later there was a third, they were obviously going after another vehicle. It’s tragic that it ended with people dead.’

Chief Constable Victoria Fuller looked close to tears as she told how, together with her deputy David Felton, had visited the families of PC Blades and PC Clough to offer condolences and support ‘with this unimaginable loss’.

Paying tribute to the men, she said: ‘These were brave officers, protecting our communities and serving our residents, who didn’t return home to their families at the end of their shift.’

She added: ‘This is an incredibly sad day for Cleveland.

‘The loss has been felt across our communities, by our police family, and by our partner agencies.

‘My thoughts, and the thoughts of everybody here at Cleveland Police, are with their families, friends, colleagues, and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.’

Lauren Somerville, chairman of the Cleveland Police Federation, said: ‘Words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family is feeling today.

‘Our colleagues who should have been going home to their loved ones at the end of their shifts are not. That is just unfathomable.’

Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller named the two police officers killed as PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough during a police press conference on Saturday

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A police cordon at the scene of a crash that killed two officers near Middlesbrough

Redcar MP Anna Turley, a Labour government minister and whose constituency covers the area, said of the officers: ‘They went to work to keep people safe, and they should have come home to their families.

‘Their loss will be felt deeply by their loved ones, fellow officers and right across the communities they served.’

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash.

Chief Constable Fuller added: ‘While this investigation is ongoing, and out of respect for all those who have lost loved ones, I would strongly urge people to avoid speculation and respect the privacy of the families.’

Residents said they were woken by ‘a fleet of ambulances, fire engines and police cars’ racing to the scene. 

The North East Ambulance Service said 14 ambulances, specialist paramedics, a hazardous response team and a Great North Air Ambulance Service doctor attended. 

A spokesman said: ‘Sadly, despite the best efforts of everyone attending, a number of patients died at the scene.’

Prime Minister Andy Burnham thanked the emergency services for their response in ‘incredibly difficult circumstances’.

Writing on X, he added: ‘My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of everyone involved.’

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: ‘My thoughts are with the families and friends of those officers killed in the line of duty as well as those serving in Cleveland Police, the wider police family and all the emergency services who attended the scene.’

Craze that claimed five more young lives just a week ago 

By Padraic Flanagan

It was feared last night that the A66 crash may be a copycat tragedy – thanks to the deadly TikTok craze that claimed the lives of five teenagers in a head-on motorway smash in the Irish Republic last week.

In that case, the youngsters, who were all wearing balaclavas in a stolen BMW travelling the wrong way down the country’s M9, died at the scene in Co Kildare in the early hours of Sunday.

The deaths of Joey Carthy, 15, Jack Kennedy, 17, Alex McCarthy, 16, Jeremy O’Brien, 18, and 17-year-old Kamil Pustkowski led to public fury at social media platforms after it emerged that the teenagers were filming themselves in the car. 

That anger intensified on Thursday when TikTok declined an invitation to appear before an Irish parliamentary committee on media to discuss the latest craze of posting videos of people driving the wrong way down motorways.

Sisters Ella Hendricken, who is in her 20s, and Niamh and Alma Kinsella, in their 30s, as well as Alma’s seven-year-old son, Yemi, are being treated in hospital for serious injuries after their Hyundai was hit by the BMW.

The innocent victims, from Graiguecullen, Co Carlow, were on their way to Dublin to fly out for a family wedding in the UK when the teens smashed into their car. Three of the five teens killed in the M9 tragedy were buried on Friday. Two more funerals are due to take place today and on Tuesday.

Videos featuring youngsters in stolen cars trying to bait police into high-speed chases have become a macabre trend.

Mary Aiken, a professor of forensic cyber-psychology at the University of East London, told The Guardian: ‘While driving, they’re simultaneously filming and capturing content for posting later or live streaming. They have one foot in the real world and one foot in cyberspace They’re thinking about the likes… about kudos.’

This could be a warning sign – and worth getting checked by a vet

A vet is urging pet owners to do a simple check every month. It takes just two minutes and could save their life.

Alex the vet aka Dr Alex Crow said: “If I had just two minutes a month to catch cancer in my own dog before they ever showed a single symptom, here is exactly what I would do.”

Calling it the dog “bean check” he said it’s all to do with the lymph nodes. Experts at PDSA explain: “Lymphoma is a cancer of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. White blood cells protect the body against illness and disease.

“Lymphoma is most commonly found in the lymph nodes (glands), but it can also affect the liver, spleen, bone marrow, thymus, kidneys, digestive system, and skin.”

Alex says that they are “dotted around the body and act a bit like the body’s early warning system. .Warning something that “most owners don’t know”, he says sadly, “Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer in dogs”.

He shared: “In classic cases, the very first sign isn’t your dog being unwell, it’s the lymph nodes becoming hard and swollen – often weeks before they feel sick.”

Two-minute cancer check

Alex says owners should be looking for something that feels like small, soft beans. Any that feel hard, swollen, lumpy, irregular, or fixed to surrounding tissue can be a warning sign.

1. Look under the jaw

Slide your finger and thumb together along the angle of your dog’s jaw. You should be able to feel one small, bean-like node on each side.

2. In front of the shoulders

Sweep your hand down either side of the neck towards the shoulders. Just in front of the shoulder blade, press gently into the muscle, you may feel a lymph node on each side.

3. Behind the knee

On the back leg, feel behind the knee (opposite the kneecap). Check the soft hollow between the two large muscles – lymph nodes can be found here.

Alex says if you don’t find the last two, “don’t worry too much because that’s probably a good sign and it means they’re not obviously enlarged”.

However, “if you do think your dog’s lymph nodes are hard, irregular or they have changed since you last checked, don’t wait and get them looked out by your vet.

“Remember, soft beans are normal, hard beans are not. So two minutes a month, three places – that’s all it takes.

“Two minutes could buy you months of warning. And months are everything when it comes to cancer”.

Other signs to watch out for

Other symptoms of lymphoma in dogs, according to the PDSA, include:

• Lumps under the jaw or elsewhere on the body which are big, swollen lymph nodes
• Reduced appetite
• Drinking and peeing more than usual
• Low energy
• Weight loss
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Pale gums
• Yellow gums (jaundice)
• Breathing problems and/or coughing
• Lumps in or under the skin or skin that is crusting, scaly, or ulcerated along with hair loss

That’s when he gave this baffling reply: “We have many types of intervention; that’s one. The ultimate intervention is our military, and if we have to use that, we will.”

It’s unclear what Trump meant, but many social media users took the opportunity to offer their own interpretations.

Some critics jokingly likened the bond market to Iran, mocking Trump’s stated reasoning for ongoing war: not allowing the country to develop a nuclear weapon.

Others took the president at his word, suggesting he was literally speaking of taking military actions against bond traders.

The White House did not immediately respond to an inquiry seeking clarification.

Read more reactions to Trump’s comments here:

If you are from Yorkshire, it can be quite frustrating when people pronounce different towns and villages incorrectly.

Keighley is a market town found in West Yorkshire and is only a short drive away from the city of Bradford.

If you know someone who struggles with pronouncing places in Yorkshire like Keighley correctly, you might want to send them this guide.

How do you pronounce Keighley?

While it might look easy to pronounce, Keighley often catches people out.

It looks like it is pronounced like Keeley or Kaylee, but if you want to impress the locals, do not say it like that.

It is actually pronounced keeth-lee.

Under a TikTok video talking about places in the UK that everyone pronounces wrong, one commenter mentioned Keighley and said: “Keighley in West Yorkshire always gets me.

“It’s pronounced Keith lee.”

One person replied: “I work in Keighley and it always makes me cringe when someone out of area pronounces it keelee.”

Another person responded: “I came here looking for Keighley.”

While visiting Keighley, you can take a train through the West Yorkshire countryside. (Image: Getty)

What can you do in Keighley?

Keighley is home to the Cliffe Castle Museum and Park, which is completely free to look around.

The museum has different rooms to explore, with paintings, furniture and art showcasing a range of styles.

After walking around the museum, you can take a break in the gardens surrounding it.

You can also take a trip on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, which takes you through five miles of West Yorkshire countryside.

You can visit a range of villages along the way at each of the stations.

In terms of food, Keighley has a range of cuisines available, from great Italian food at Amici to award-winning Indian dishes from Azeem’s.

There are also lots of bars and pubs where you can relax, such as Taylor’s on the Green, where you can sit in the beer garden with a pint or cocktail.

Did you know how to pronounce Keighley, or have you heard people pronounce it in a different way? Let us know in the comments.

The summer window is set for a thrilling finale as Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham all push for some major signings during the final week. Arsenal have been given a huge new boost over Julian Alvarez, who may now be open to a Premier League return as the Gunners reportedly plot an offer that would see Viktor Gyokeres head to Atletico Madrid. Arsenal also remain interested in Victor Osimhen, having received a fresh update regarding Kenan Yildiz.