The game has been rescheduled for next month

A Manchester Storm game at the AO Arena has been called off following a ‘technical issue with the ice’. The popular ice hockey team was set to take on the Nottingham Panthers in the Challenge Cup on Sunday evening (September 13).

The game was set to be the team’s first competitive match in the heart of of Manchester in more than 20 years. Last week, Storm made a triumphant return to the arena in a sold out pre-season friendly against the Sheffield Steelers on Sunday (September 6).

Fans been advised to keep their tickets which will be valid for the rescheduled fixture. The rescheduled game is set to take place on Wednesday October 14.

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A statement from the club reads: “Unfortunately today’s Manchester Storm game vs PanthersIHC has been suspended due to a technical issue with the ice.

“We sincerely apologise to supporters and ticket holders for the disruption and would like to thank everyone in attendance for their patience.

“We advise attendees to retain their tickets which will remain valid for the rescheduled fixture. Those with single-game tickets for this game and seeking a refund are advised to contact their point of purchase.

“The rescheduled game will take place on Wednesday 14th October 2026. Manchester Storm and AO Arena would like to thank attendees for their understanding.”

Ukraine’s rail operator has said that a Russian drone attack may have been aiming at the train carrying Boris Johnson and other dignitaries on the Ukrainian border with Poland

A Russian drone attack that hit a Ukraine railway station “quite possibly” had targeted a train carrying Boris Johnson which left early.

A train at Yahodyn station, on the Polish border, was hit by one of the missiles shortly after the locomotive carrying the former UK prime minister had gone ahead of schedule.

Johnson had been returning from a major conference in Kyiv along with former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt and a number of European security advisers.

Ukraine rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia said in a post on Telegram it was “quite possible” that the drone had been aimed at Johnson’s train.

The company said the train “had departed the station earlier than scheduled due to real-time adjustments to train timetables necessitated by the constant threat of Russian strikes”.

It added that former CIA director David Petraeus had been on a different train that was still at the station when the drone struck. No casualties have been reported.

In the wake of the attack, Johnson praised Ukrzaliznytsia staff and passengers as “absolutely heroic” and called for more support for Ukraine.

He said: “I don’t know what warped logic drove Putin to blow up a stationary Ukrainian locomotive on the Polish border this morning. What we can say for sure is that this is the kind of random and senseless attack Ukrainians are enduring every day – even on civilian railways.”

He added: “When are we going to give them the air defences they need? Why won’t we unfreeze Putin’s cash and give it to Ukraine? There is more than 140 billion euro in a Belgian bank account – and about £10 billion in London. Britain could show a lead.”

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha described the attack as “barbaric” and said they represented “Putin’s terror ‘knocking’ directly on the doors of the EU and NATO”.

Former Swedish premier and foreign minister Carl Bildt, who was on the same train as Johnson, also said the train immediately after theirs was hit by the drone.

He told how they were told to evacuate before managing to escape across the border to NATO territory in Poland.

“This wasn’t our train [that was hit], but the one just minutes after us by the [Polish] border crossing,” said Bildt. “It was evacuated as the [Russian] drone approached and no one was hurt. Very good safety system. Our train just had an evacuation warning but could proceed to Dorohusk. The [Russian] attacks against [Ukraine] are intensifying.”

The Conservatives described the incident as a “stark escalation” by Moscow and urged the UK Government to increase defence spending.

Stuart Anderson, who was appointed shadow minister for war preparedness on Sunday, said: “It is yet another reminder that Russian aggression is a real and growing threat to European security and, ultimately, our own national security.”

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: “The strikes on Ukraine today, including on the gas works near Nato’s border, serve as a stark reminder of the bombardment that Ukrainians face every day.

“Reckless, dangerous attacks on civilian infrastructure so close to Poland also underline the wider security threat Russia poses. The UK continues to stand firm with Ukraine and will continue working with allies and partners to bolster European security.”

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca believes Bruno Fernandes should have been sent off alongside Phil Foden in the first half of his side’s 1-0 win in the Manchester derby.

Foden was given a straight red card for lashing out at Fernandes with a wild kick in the 23rd minute after the Manchester United captain had fouled him.

Fernandes also appeared to aim another kick at Foden’s back after the initial foul, sparking the reaction from the City man that eventually got him sent off.

However, Fernandes received no punishment for the foul or the second kick, and VAR backed up the original decision made by referee Michael Oliver, with official Matt Donohue confirming: “That looks like a clear red card to me. Looks to be a secondary movement.”

Speaking on Sky Sports, commentator Gary Neville said that he was “surprised that Fernandes has got away without a booking”, while former United midfielder Roy Keane said that the Portuguese “is the one who is violent here”.

And City boss Maresca was also clearly confused by the decision, suggesting that Fernandes should also have seen red if Foden did.

“It can be a red card [for Phil Foden], but I think in the same action it can be a red card for Bruno [Fernandes], in the same action,” explained the City manager. “So, anyway… It is what it is. Red card for us. We won,” he added.

The sending off did not impact the result negatively for City in the end as the 10 men earned a memorable victory on the road, though Erling Haaland’s winning goal was another contentious decision on a dramatic afternoon at Old Trafford.

The result leaves City second in the Premier League after four games, with themselves and Arsenal the only two teams to hold a 100 percent winning record so far.

Maresca’s side host Norwich City in the League Cup in their next game on Thursday, before facing Sunderland at the Etihad on Sunday, 20 September in the final game before the international break.

The iPhone 18 Pro is available for £1,199, while the iPhone 17 Pro has been reduced to £999 at most retailers. My review of the iPhone 18 Pro is coming, and if camera and battery life are important, you might want to wait for my full verdict. But, with both Pro models looking near-identical with only slight technical differences, the iPhone 17 Pro deals are well worth paying attention to.

Home rider Enric Mas ended years of frustration by winning the Vuelta a Espana on Sunday — having inherited the red jersey from Tadej Pogacar after the five-time Tour de France champion crashed out.

Mas, the Spaniard who leads the Movistar team and has finished second overall three times, finished 2 minutes, 15 seconds ahead of four-time Vuelta winner Primoz Roglic. Felix Gall finished third overall in the 21st and final stage, 2:44 behind Mas.

Pogacar led Mas by 3 minutes, 50 seconds when he crashed in the eighth stage.

Mas was the Vuelta runner-up in 2018, 2021 and 2022; and he placed third in 2024. He also finished fifth and sixth at the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Mas’ victory marks the greatest Grand Tour achievement for a Spanish cyclist since Alberto Contador won the Giro d’Italia in 2015. Contador was also the last Spaniard to win the Vuelta in 2014.

Norwegian rider Tobias Johannessen won the final stage, a 102-kilometer (63-mile) leg featuring climbing and descending in the medieval city of Granada. There were four circuits of Granada to conclude the stage; with the overall times neutralized for the final lap.

Johannessen edged Alessandro Romele in a two-man sprint, while British rider Matthew Brennan finished fourth in the stage. Mas crossed the line arm-in-arm with his six Movistar teammates several minutes later.

British cyclist Oscar Onley was also crowned winner of the Young Rider’s standings.

Agencies

The team also has the ability to intervene directly in the operation of the road network, including adjusting traffic signal timings when incidents occur.

From major events and crashes to increasingly intense storms, the team behind TrafficWatchNI’s more than 200 cameras has a front-row seat to everything happening on Northern Ireland’s road network.

Most drivers will know the feeling. You are sitting in traffic, watching the minutes tick by and wondering what has brought the road network to a standstill. Somewhere in Belfast, however, a team of people may already know the answer.

Above the Department for Infrastructure’s operations at Airport Road, a bank of screens provides an extraordinary window onto Northern Ireland’s roads. From this room, Traffic Control Operators watch the network around the clock, looking for everything from a broken-down vehicle to a major collision, while keeping information flowing to motorists and the emergency services.

It is a job that rarely stops. The Traffic Information Control Centre has been operating since 1994 and today sits at the heart of the Department for Infrastructure’s efforts to monitor the road network, manage congestion and respond when things go wrong.

“The traffic Information Control centre is part of the Department for Infrastructure, and it has been here since 1994, previously located in the city centre on Ann Street,” Philip Robinson, Head of Intelligent Transport Systems at the Department for Infrastructure, told Belfast Live.

“We cover the whole monitoring of the traffic network and the road network in Northern Ireland.”

“We have four divisions within the department where we are always looking for congestion and trying to reduce congestion.”

The scale of the operation is perhaps easiest to appreciate through the cameras. More than 200 digital cameras are now used by the team, giving operators a constantly changing picture of what is happening across the network.

Philip says the seven Traffic Control Operators based in the control room work a 24-hour shift pattern. Their role is not simply to watch screens but to interpret what they see, decide what needs to happen, and communicate that information to those who need it.

“I have a team of seven traffic control operators based here upstairs in our new control room, and they work a 24/7 shift pattern, which involves managing and observing with over 200 digital cameras that we have now, and it provides an essential service for the public.”

For the travelling public, one of the most visible parts of that work is TrafficWatchNI. Its website and social media channels turn what is happening behind the screens into information that drivers can actually use, whether that means avoiding a collision, allowing extra time for a journey or knowing that a road is blocked.

The service now has more than 90,000 followers, and Philip says its importance has grown as the department has sought to provide motorists with information as quickly as possible.

“It’s really all about maintaining communications with the general public, the travelling public, and also other statutory bodies as well,” he said.

“Our constant monitoring ensures that we have that control over providing information to the public, for example, through our TrafficWatch NI website.

“We have over 90,000 followers now, which is growing incrementally year on year. It obviously helps keep the public informed of any incidents on the network to help with their journey planning, and, with 24/7 coverage here, it ensures that the information is always up to date.”

But the control room’s role goes beyond telling people that there is a problem. The team also has the ability to intervene directly in the operation of the road network, including adjusting traffic signal timings when incidents occur.

That becomes particularly important when thousands of people are converging on one location. Events such as the Balmoral Show and Belfast’s major music festivals can put enormous pressure on already busy roads, requiring the control room to work with the police and other partners to keep people moving.

“An important element is the monitoring of the traffic signals and the set plans that we have throughout all of the junctions we have here in Northern Ireland.

“We have that control and responsibility and option of changing the timings, adjusting them accordingly, to incidents on the network.

“For example, in May, we have the Balmoral Show, and we play a big part in managing the access and egress to the Balmoral Show with over 30,000 visitors a day over a 4-day period.”

The same principle was put to the test during the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast in August. For the first time, the event brought huge crowds into the city, creating a different set of challenges for the road network.

The control centre worked alongside the PSNI and Silver Command, monitoring the roads and responding as incidents developed. Park-and-ride facilities were another part of the wider effort to manage the additional pressure.

There is also a less glamorous side to the work. A vehicle breaking down on a busy road may seem like a relatively minor incident, but on a route such as the Westlink, it can quickly become a major disruption.

When an operator spots an incident, the response involves communicating with police officers on the ground, ensuring the appropriate incident management procedures are activated and keeping the public informed. The control room effectively becomes the link between what is happening on the road and those trying to navigate around it.

“We communicate with the police, and we ensure that the incident management protocol comes into place, and it kicks in with the police team on the ground, helping to remove a vehicle.

“For example, if it’s a vehicle that is broken down on the Westlink, which is a regular occurrence, then, observing that, communicating with them, updating our TrafficWatch NI website and keeping that two-way channel of communication open.”

For the operators themselves, that means spending hours intensely focused on screens, often with little warning of what might happen next. A normal shift can be eight or 12 hours, but major incidents can stretch well beyond that.

The demands of the job have also shifted as the nature of incidents affecting the road network has changed. Philip Robinson says storms have become more frequent and more intense in recent years, adding another layer of complexity to a role in which experience can be crucial.

“Our shifts can be 8 hours, it can be 12 hours, and the recent example with the Fleadh, it can be longer than that.

“It’s quite demanding and intense, observation of all of our cameras across the network, responding to incidents such as storm events as we come into the storm season now, and we have found over the last 4 or 5 years.

“The frequency of storms and their intensity are very much on the rise.”

It is a job where experience cannot simply be acquired overnight. Philip says it can take as long as 12 years to fully get to grips with the role, while some of those working in the centre have spent decades behind the screens.

Even after years in the control room, the operators do not consider themselves finished learning. The road network is constantly changing, and every major incident brings its own particular set of circumstances.

“So the pressure and the commitment from the staff and the traffic control operators is very demanding, and it takes a lot of experience, and on-the-job experience to get to grips with it; it can take up to 12 years.

“Some of the operators here have been working here for decades. and are still saying we’re still learning aspects of the job.”

The centre itself has also undergone a major transformation. Over the past year, more than half a million pounds has been invested in the Airport Road building, with much of the work focused on the upper deck and the control room.

Walls have been removed, windows installed, and new ergonomic furniture brought in, creating a more modern environment for staff whose working day can involve hours of intense concentration.

“In the last year, we have embarked on a huge investment in the building here in Airport Road in Belfast, over half a million pounds worth, primarily on the upper deck and in the control room, and that is increasing the capacity, bringing in better ergonomic design furniture.

“We have knocked walls down. We have put windows in to create more natural light, and in general, it’s a more pleasant environment to be working in.”

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Gary Neville has claimed that Manchester United can expect “an apology” from Pro Ref after Erling Haaland’s controversial winner in the Manchester derby.

Haaland scored the only goal of the game as he arrived at the back post to bundle past Senne Lammens in the 60th minute, and while the goal was originally disallowed for offside, it was overturned and awarded to the visitors after a lengthy VAR review.

There was confusion initially over whether Haaland himself was offside when Josko Gvardiol played the cross, though the Norwegian was eventually proved to be in an onside position. However, the positioning of Enzo Fernandez complicated things, with the Argentine having been offside before making an effort to head the ball before it arrived at the feet of Haaland.

Though Fernandez did not touch the ball himself, there was debate over whether he had interfered with play, though the goal was given.

“VAR checked the referee’s call of no goal for offside – and determined that Haaland was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded,” said the Premier League Match Centre in a post explaining the decision on X.

City – who were on the end of their own controversial decision after Phil Foden was sent off for kicking Bruno Fernandes in the first half – went on to win the game 1-0, maintaining their 100 percent winning record this season.

Neville insisted that referee Michael Oliver had got the decision for the goal wrong at the time, saying that “the officials will be nervous” and “will recognise they got this wrong”.

And he had not changed his opinion after full-time, with the former United defender insisting that his old club “will see an apology”.

“They’re the words that I think – emphatically – means we will see an apology from Pro Ref,” said Neville referring to the wording of the offside rule.

“There is no doubt that Enzo is attempting to play the ball and putting Lisandro Martinez off. It’s a really strange one. They’ll recognise they got that wrong,” he explained.

The wording of the offside rule states that a player is offside when interfering with an opponent by “preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision”, or “challenging an opponent for the ball”, as well as if a player is “clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent”.

Neville added that he expects a “massive inquest into the goal, which I think was wrongly given”, having also admitted the goal left him so confused that he “needed the offside rule explained to me”.

Fellow pundit Micah Richards agreed, saying that the officials “have got it so wrong,” but adding that it should take nothing away from a solid City performance.

“I think it’s been a bad day for referees, I think it’s been a bad day for VAR,” he said.

“I think they got the Phil Foden decision wrong after 23 minutes and they got this decision wrong. How you can say Enzo Fernandez is not challenging…of course he is.

“I’ve been in that position as a defender where any slight movement can make the difference between going for the ball or not. Of course it affects him.

“I just think they got it so wrong, but that doesn’t take anything away from City’s performance. To go that long with 10 men is just incredible.

“We talked about fight, we talked about spirit, new manager, first derby, what have you got? They showed exactly what they are.”

Roy Keane, meanwhile, felt that United were “punished” for holding a strong line.

The win means Maresca’s side remain unbeaten this season, joining Arsenal on 12 points at the summit of the Premier League table.

They are in League Cup action against Norwich City on Thursday, with their final match before the international break coming at home to Sunderland on 20 September.

Harry and Meghan’s controversial return to the UK has been ruthlessly mocked during a sketch on Saturday Night Live UK. 

The Sussexes, played by comedians Jack Shep and Ayoade Bamgboye, visit King Charles (Larry Dean) and Queen Camilla (Emma Sidi) at their Balmoral estate.

‘Harry, what are you doing here? This castle is for Royals only,’ Charles tells his youngest son before Camilla admonishes him for being a ‘grump’. 

‘Sweet Harry,’ she tells the Duke of Sussex before adding: ‘And beautiful Meghan, as brown as ever,’ in a reference to claims aired in the couple’s Oprah interview. 

The Suits star then gives ‘step-Queen’ Camilla ice that she ‘made myself’ as Harry praises his ‘whizz in the kitchen’ wife for ‘hiring the best cooks’. 

‘What do you two want?’ Charles then demands. 

‘We’re moving back to the UK and we need your help,’ Meghan replies to which the King retorts: ‘Don’t tell me you’ve spent all your Netflix money already.’ 

Harry whines: ‘Daddy, it was $60million. How long was it meant to last? I’m not asking for much, just a duchy or two.’

Meghan greets Camilla as ‘step-queen’ and gifts her ice she ‘made myself’ during the skit

The Sussexes are seen greeting members of the public in Sydney. The couple moved back to the UK from the US on August 26 amid an ongoing row about their personal security

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Charles then tells the prince ‘what a waste’ he’s become.

‘You’re lucky your father isn’t around to see this,’ the King sighs. The slip of the tongue prompts panic from Charles and Camilla and confusion from Harry. 

‘Daddy, just because I don’t want to be a Royal, it doesn’t mean I want to be a regular  guy,’ the Duke whinges. 

The tense moment was interrupted by ‘regular guy’ Prime Minister Andy Burnham, played by comedian George Fouracres. 

Fouracres, who played Sir Keir Starmer in the last series, started his monologue by joking: ‘I’m the new PM and I’m nothing like the last one.’ 

He continued: ‘Harry, Meghan, I’m here to tell you just because you’re normal folk, doesn’t mean your life has to be c***. That is the Burnham promise.’

Mr Burnham then shared his message with the group.  

He said: ‘There is more to Britain than London. There is Manchester. There is Liverpool. There’s that town I’m MP of now. It’s all a bit of a rush, I didn’t catch the name.’

‘Regular guy’ Andy Burnham, played by comedian George Fouraces, also made a surprise appearance at the Balmoral estate

Sources close to the Sussexes have suggested the King’s assessment of them as ‘private citizens’ is unrealistic given their level of fame (the couple are pictured in 2017)

Harry tells him: ‘Makerfield?’ to which Mr Burnham responds: ‘Make a field? Maybe I will.

‘I’m gonna make all sorts of things when I remember the name of that bloody place.’

Further gags poked fun at No10 North in Manchester, with Mr Burnham joking he would build a No10 on ‘every street in this country’ and his eagerness to be liked. 

‘Until then, I will buy everyone a pint,’ he proclaimed. 

‘Because I want you to like me. I need you to like me.’

Viewers were quick to share their thoughts on the sketch online. 

‘This is public execution in prime time,’ one person wrote on X. 

‘If even the Brits are turning their return into a punchline, Harry and Meghan may want to brace themselves for the royal homecoming tour,’ a second said. 

A third agreed: ‘They left the UK for privacy, but the jokes followed them anyway.

‘Even the UK TV shows are joining the joke party now.’

The sketch follows the couple’s criticism of being described as private citizens and an announcement of several pseudo-royal appearances in the UK and US.

The duke’s plans have been interpreted as him making a return to public life in Britain and come amid rising tensions between the Sussexes and Buckingham Palace.

The couple remain unhappy with the King’s recent letter of ‘guidance’, which confirmed they would not be working royals and cannot use their HRH titles.

Sources close to the Sussexes have suggested the King’s assessment of them as ‘private citizens’ is unrealistic given their level of fame.

The sketch follows the couple’s criticism of being described as private citizens in the UK. They are pictured with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet

An insider told People: ‘Members of the public know who they are. The idea that they can live a normal, “private” life is sadly not realistic.’

It comes amid an ongoing battle over taxpayer-funded security and claims that they are concerned about the safety of Archie and Lilibet on the school run.

The Sussexes appear unwilling to accept the King’s position, which stated that nothing had changed since ‘Megxit’. 

The decision prompted a series of briefings from sources close to the couple, with one suggesting they be viewed as ‘public figures’ rather than private citizens.

Harry will attend the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards on September 17 and the launch of the Invictus education programme INSPIRE.

The duke is also taking part in one of his favourite annual occasions, the WellChild Awards, in London on September 21.

Harry has been patron of WellChild – the national charity for seriously ill children and their families – since 2007 and regularly attends the awards ceremony.

And he will also return to the US to support the Clintons’ Global Initiative on September 22 and 23 in New York.

Sources told People on Thursday that Harry and Meghan were ‘happy to be back’ in the UK despite a dispute with Buckingham Palace over Uganda’s withdrawal from the Invictus Games.

Insiders close to the couple have maintained that the East African nation’s decision to pull out of the 2027 Games was a ‘direct result’ of a letter written by the King which insisted they are ‘private citizens’.

The insiders told People: ‘They made it very clear that the reason they pulled out was a direct result of perceived guidance from the Lord Chamberlain.

‘This was an unintended or intended consequence of the letter – and that was always going to happen. Hence the wish not to rush it out.’

Four people were arrested during Sunday’s Old Firm clash, including a man accused of assaulting a police officer and another held over alleged sectarian abuse.

Four people were arrested during the Old Firm clash between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday, including one man accused of assaulting a police officer.

Another man was arrested over alleged sectarian abuse, while a third was detained for alleged threatening and abusive behaviour and resisting arrest. A fourth person was arrested for an alleged breach of the peace.

Police also issued a warning in relation to a drugs offence, while a youth was reported in connection with an alleged Section 38 offence. The arrests came as Rangers secured their place in the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals with a 3-0 win over Celtic in a pulsating quarter-final clash at Ibrox.

Despite the incidents, police said the fixture passed without a “major incident”. Chief Superintendent Stevie Dolan said a “proportionate policing plan” had been put in place for the match on Sunday, September 13.

He said: “We worked closely with a range of partners, including both clubs, to maintain public safety and minimise any disruption. The match passed without major incident and I would like to thank the majority of fans for their conduct throughout the day.

“A small number of offences were detected during the course of the event. These included one instance of police assault and a separate incident involving sectarian abuse. Behaviour such as this is never acceptable and will not be tolerated. In both cases people have been arrested and will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.”

Police Scotland said the policing operation had been designed to maintain public safety and minimise disruption around the fixture.

Rangers won the match 3-0 thanks to two goals from Dan Neil and one from Kevin Kelsy. There were no Celtic supporters in attendance after away fans were completely banned from all domestic matches between the two Glasgow giants for the remainder of the season.

The decision was made following crowd disorder, pitch invasions, and fan clashes during the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox in March.

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