Joe Root is “not too concerned” about his recent modest returns with the bat, saying he has “14,000 runs for a reason”.

Captain Root, England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer, has passed 50 only twice this summer. An average of 29.44 is his second-lowest in a home season in a 14-year international career.

The 35-year-old has been lbw nine times in his past seven Tests, including on seven occasions this summer.

But Root pointed to the challenge faced by all batters against the moving ball in the UK this summer and his own remarkable Test career. Only India great Sachin Tendulkar has more than the Yorkshireman’s 14,208 runs.

“I’ve played this game a long time and I’ve always found ways of solving those problems and working it through,” Root told the BBC’s Today at the Test. “I don’t see this as being any different.

“There’s a reason why I’ve got 14,000 runs and a reason why I’ve played the best part of 15 years at this level.

“Of course it’s frustrating that there’s sort of a trend. There are probably four umpires’ calls within that, which could have gone the other way, and the ball is probably deviating more than it ever has.

“You try and be realistic and understand where everything’s at, but also be aware of what you need to do to keep improving and keep getting better. I’m pretty sure I’ll get through the other side. I’m not too concerned about that.”

Last summer, former Australia opener David Warner took a dig at Root’s prospects of success in the Ashes series that was to follow when he said: “He will have to take the surfboard off his front leg.”

At the time, Warner’s suggestion Root had an lbw problem was incorrect. In a run that began in August 2022 and ended with the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne in December, Root was lbw to seam bowlers in Test cricket on only three occasions.

However, Root’s recent run of leg-before dismissals began when he was trapped by Australia’s Jhye Richardson in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test. Since then he has been lbw nine times in 12 innings, all to pace bowlers.

Root’s specific problem has been against right-arm bowlers, pitching the ball outside off stump and nipping it back towards him.

Of the nine dismissals in his run of lbws, none have come at the hands of bowlers with high pace, rather those with a maximum speed of around 84mph.

“You’re never given anything in this game,” said Root. “You have to work for everything. You have to keep working hard and I’ll certainly keep doing that.

“You’re constantly going to get challenged and you’re constantly going to have to look to evolve and learn, but that’s never been something I’ve shied away from and I certainly won’t be doing moving forward.”

Root not only highlighted the difficulty of conditions, but also suggested batting is being made harder by what he perceived to be a different technique employed by ball manufacturers Dukes.

“The balls have been different this summer,” he said. “I think there is a different lacquer. They were worried about it going out of shape. They are denting surfaces more.”

When contacted by the BBC, Dukes denied any alteration to its process.

Root was backed to solve the lbw issue by former England captain Michael Vaughan, who said: “He’s always overcome problems and I’m pretty sure he’ll overcome this one.

“It is an issue because it’s happening on a regular basis, but he’s had issues in the past that he’s managed to come back from. There’s no question he’ll be fine in time.”

Passengers on board a ferry said that the crew ignored their warnings that the boat was taking on water before it sank off the coast of northern Cyprus, killing eight people. 

Searches are continuing into the night for around 18 people who are still missing after a ferry carrying 270 passengers capsized and sank.

The ship’s captain and seven crew members have been arrested as part of an investigation into the boat’s demise.

The doomed vessel set off from the port of Kyrenia, also known as Girne, at 11.58am, headed for the Turkish port of Tasucu in the province of Mersin, where it was expected to arrive at 5.52pm local time. 

Tragedy struck just 15 minutes after setting off as the boat began to take on water.

After setting off in stormy conditions, passengers told Turkish Cypriot journalist Tumay Tugyan that they asked to return to port.

They warned that the vessel was taking on water but were ignored by the captain and crew.

As it began to sink and passengers became more concerned, a scramble began for life jackets.

Footage shows the upside-down ferry in the water, with people wearing life vests on top of its orange hull

Some can be seen sitting on the outer hull of the upturned vessel in life jackets

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Former President of Northern Cyprus Ersin Tatar meets with families waiting at the port entrance

Families gather at a hospital, as 18 people remain missing from the vessel

Video footage showed chaotic scenes on board, as life jackets were in short supply, leading to some jumping into the water without any buoyancy aids.

One rescued passenger said he spent an hour and a half in the water before being rescued.

The man, aged in his 50s and not named, told local Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) television that the front of the boat ‘exploded’ and the ‘side windows ‘blew out’ as the boat took on more and more water. 

‘Those who could, got out,’ he said, adding that he saw the captain among the first to abandon ship ‘without organising anything’. 

Moments later the boat capsized 6.5 kilometres (four miles) off the coast of Cyprus.

Several rescued passengers told local media that a blast had gone off at the bow before it rolled over.  

Another witness, in his thirties, corroborated reports of an explosion. He said he had reported water leaks to the captain.

‘The seats started to float, the captain kept going, and the bow exploded,’ he said.

A major rescue operation remains ongoing and will continue into the night, after Turkish Cypriot coastguard boats and rescue helicopters rushed to the scene earlier today.

Ambulances were ⁠also dispatched to the scene to take survivors to local hospitals.

‘The vessel had been moving very badly. It was constantly lifting out of the water and slamming back down. It was shaking violently,’ survivor Efe Multici told CNN Turk.

He added: ‘Three or four minutes later, the ferry leapt high into the air, then came crashing down. The front left side burst open and water started pouring in.’

The ferry had been carrying a total of 267 people, according to authorities, of which 161 were rescued and taken to hospital and 76 have returned home.

The government of the self-styled TRNC has declared a three-day mourning period over the tragedy. 

Unal Ustel, prime minister of the self-proclaimed TRNC, confirmed the ship’s captain and seven crew members had been arrested.

Declaring it the ‘biggest maritime disaster’ in the country’s history, he said rescue operations would continue until all of the missing people are found.

He added: ‘We are deeply saddened. There has been loss of life and there are injuries.

‘We are on the ground with all our resources.’

The TRNC’s transport minister Erhan Arikli said the ferry had ‘completely sunk to a depth of 514 metres (1,686 feet)’.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his condolences and said his government was coordinating with Northern Cyprus in the search-and-rescue effort.

‘We hope we’ll be receiving positive news,’ Mr Erdogan said on Sunday in Ankara while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Turkish Military Academy.

A Foreign Office spokesman told the Daily Mail: ‘We are liaising with local authorities following a ferry incident in northern Cyprus.’

Currently, it is unknown whether any British people were on board.

Survivors pictured on board a rescue boat heading back to the shore where ambulances are waiting

The Filo Jet vessel is a high-speed craft, 40 metres long and 10 metres wide, that sails under the flag of Turkey, according to Marine Traffic (stock image) 

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A helicopter brings survivors ashore after they were rescued from the sea

Reports suggest the vessel began ⁠taking on water between two to four miles ​off the shore 

The distance by sea between Kyrenia and Taşucu is approximately 40 miles, with the crossing relatively short compared to other Mediterranean ferry routes.

The Cyprus Department of Meteorology’s forecast for the north coast today described the sea as generally Slight – meaning the water had small, gentle waves.

After around two miles offshore, ships become more exposed and can move noticeably with the waves.

The mayor of Kyrenia, Murat Senkul, said the situation is ‘very serious’ and rescue teams are still trying to reach 23 people.

He said the ship belonged to the Filo Denizcilik ferry company and sank off the coast of Diana beach on the island’s northern coast.

The TRNC, which is recognised only by Turkey, controls the northern third of the island of Cyprus, which has been divided since 1974.

Ankara occupied that part of the island that year in response to an Athens-engineered Greek Cypriot coup seeking union with Greece. The TRNC today is served with regular air and sea links to Turkey.

Cypriot government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said in a post on X Sunday that the government had expressed its readiness to assist in search-and-rescue efforts with all available means.

‘In these trying times, our thoughts are with those who lost their lives, those who were injured and all those who are living this tragedy,’ Mr Letymbiotis said.

‘At such times, the protection of human life is paramount.’

Survivors arrive on shore after being rescued from the sea after the boat capsized off Kyrenia, northern Cyprus

Rescue boats bring passengers to shore from the capsized ferry on Sunday afternoon

A statement on the ferry company Filo Denizcilik’s website reads: ‘We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident that occurred on August 30, 2026, on our vessel, Filo Jet, in Girne.

‘Our company’s sole and most urgent priority at this time is the safety of our 259 passengers and crew on board.

‘From the moment the incident occurred, a crisis management team was established within our company, and all our resources were mobilized to the field in full coordination with all authorized search and rescue teams. Search and rescue and evacuation operations are continuing uninterrupted and with the utmost care.

‘We share the great concern of the families and loved ones of our passengers. To provide passengers’ families with immediate and accurate information, a special crisis and information hotline has been established.

‘Our prayers and all our strength are with the passengers, crew, and rescue teams on board the ship.’

Emergency services are on their way to scene in Great Habton near Flamingo Land.

The property has possibly been struck by lightning following the earlier storm.

The thunder and lightning is expected to continue into the night.

More on this as we get it.

Have you taken pictures of this evening’s storm?

Email your photos to karen.darley@nqyne.co.uk

Helicopters and coastguard boats have been dispatched to the scene, while ambulances have been stationed on the beach ready to receive rescued passengers.

Üstel wrote on social media that the “priority right now is human life”, adding that security forces, rescue teams and health officials were all on the scene.

He added the disaster will be thoroughly investigated and “even the slightest negligence will be uncovered”.

“No one will be spared, regardless of who they are, who is found to be at fault or responsible,” Üstel said.

Erhan Arikli, the transport minister of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is only recognised by Turkey, told local media that 100 passengers had been taken to shore.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent his condolences to Turkish Cypriots and said efforts to reach those who were still missing “continue uninterrupted”.

“Immediately after the accident, we launched extensive search-and-rescue operations in co-operation with the authorities of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” he said at a military ceremony on Sunday.

Mustafa Koc saved around 65 people with his boat after the vessel capsized. He told the BBC that he felt the crew should have waited until the sea was calm.

“It wasn’t safe for them,” he said. “The sea was quite choppy.”

Koc added: “People died. It’s not right.”

He said the boat had arrived in Kyrenia on Saturday and “had some damage in the front”.

By LILY JOBSON, SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER

Published: 19:33 BST, 30 August 2026 | Updated: 21:05 BST, 30 August 2026

Selena Gomez kissed husband Benny Blanco on the cheek as they enjoyed a romantic water taxi ride in Venice on Sunday.

The smitten couple, who tied the knot last September, held hands after stepping off the Orient Express at Santa Lucia railway station.

Selena oozed elegance in an autumnal outfit as she stunned in a sleeveless brown top and leather skirt.

The actress ditched her summer sandals for stylish brown heeled boots to mark the new season. 

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Selena indulged in a sweet PDA with her husband as they spent some quality time together in the city.

The lovebirds arrived in the city just days away from the 83rd Venice Film Festival, which kicks off on Wednesday. 

Selena Gomez kissed husband Benny Blanco on the cheek as they enjoyed a romantic water taxi ride in Venice on Sunday

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The smitten couple, who tied the knot last September, held hands after stepping off the Orient Express at Santa Lucia railway station

Benny looked smart in a dapper blue suit as he gazed into Selena’s eyes while out and about.

The actress was recently in the UK filming the latest season of her series Only Murders In The Building and took some time off to spend time with her music producer husband. 

It comes after Benny opened up about the early days of his relationship with Selena.

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He revealed the important question she asked him when they first struck up a romance.

‘She asked me, “Are you sure you want to do this? I understand if you want us to just be friends”,’ he told the Spanish publication El País.

The pertinent question was posited due to her immense fame as a singer, actress and beauty mogul.

Benny said he decided to embrace a public-facing romance.

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‘And then I said, “You know what? Screw it.” We’re lucky because we both have friends and family we’ve known since before all this, and we’re surrounded by a good group of people we love,’ he explained.

Elsewhere in his conversation with the outlet, the musician admitted, ‘I don’t like to expose my life. Famous people are under constant scrutiny: if you say one thing, it’s wrong, and if you say another, it’s also wrong.’

Selena oozed elegance in an autumnal outfit as she stunned in a sleeveless brown top and leather skirt

Selena indulged in a sweet PDA with her husband as they spent some quality time together in the city

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The lovebirds arrived in the city just days away from the 83rd Venice Film Festival, which kicks off on Wednesday

The actress was recently in the UK filming the latest season of her series Only Murders In The Building and took some time off to spend time with her music producer husband 

Prior to making his status with Selena public, the pair ‘kept our relationship private for a long time, about eight or nine months’, said the producer.

They confirmed their relationship in December 2023 and got engaged a year later.

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‘Forever starts now,’ the songstress wrote on social media at the time, flaunting her sparkling diamond engagement ring.

They tied the knot nearly two years later with a ceremony in Santa Barbara.

Ahead of the wedding, the couple celebrated their love story with a joint album, I Said I Love You First, released in March 2025.

Last November the Texas native described the first weeks of their marriage as ‘a dream’ in an interview with Zane Lowe.

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She added: ‘And I know it’ll come with ebbs and flows, but [he’s] the most beautiful person I could do that with.’

The chef, author and TV personality – who is the older brother of presenter Gok Wan – took to the Regional Chef Area today (Sunday, August 30) for a live cooking demonstration.

Kwoklyn, who is from Leicester, joked that he had brought the sunshine with him as festival-goers gathered to watch him cook.

Returning to Bolton Food and Drink Festival for what he said was his third or fourth year, he demonstrated Dan Dan noodles, putting his own twist on the popular Sichuan dish.

He explained that Dan Dan noodles would traditionally consist of separate elements, including meat, noodles and sauce, which are brought together to create the finished dish.

During the demonstration, Kwoklyn also shared some of the tricks he has picked up from decades around Chinese kitchens, including explaining the difference between light and dark soy sauce.

Light soy sauce is generally used to season dishes and provide saltiness and umami, while dark soy sauce is thicker and sweeter and is often used to add colour.

It is a distinction Kwoklyn has previously highlighted when helping home cooks get to grips with Chinese food, describing light and dark soy as two of the handful of basic ingredients needed for Chinese cooking.

He was also joined at the demonstration by a young helper, Grace, who lent a hand as the dish came together.

Kwoklyn’s connection with Chinese food stretches back to his childhood in Leicester, where he and younger brother Gok grew up around their family’s restaurant business.

His grandfather established a Chinese restaurant in Leicester in 1962, while his father later opened the city’s first Cantonese restaurant, The Bamboo House.

Kwoklyn went on to become a full-time chef at the age of 16, having already spent years helping out with jobs including washing up, peeling prawns and preparing vegetables.

He has since built a career taking the Chinese food he grew up with to a wider audience through television, cookbooks and live demonstrations.

Bolton Food and Drink Festival continues until Monday, August 31, with hundreds of food and drink traders, live entertainment and cooking demonstrations taking place across the town centre.

By TOM MIDLANE

Published: 20:39 BST, 30 August 2026 | Updated: 20:53 BST, 30 August 2026

The Colonel Commandant Brigade of Gurkhas and the Gurkha Brigade Association have said the “Gurkha family” is standing united with those affected after devastating flash floods swept through parts of Nepal last week.

The tragedy has particular resonance in North Yorkshire, where generations of young Nepalese recruits have undergone their British Army training at Catterick Garrison and where a sizeable Gurkha and Nepalese community has developed around the military base.

A drone view of the aftermath of flash flooding at the confluence of the Trishuli and Tadi rivers in the Devighat area of Nuwakot district, Nepal (Image: AP/PA)

In a joint message following the disaster, the Gurkha organisations said: “As the scale of the tragedy in Nepal becomes apparent, all of the Gurkha family stand united in support of the people affected.

“We salute the work of our brothers and sisters in the Nepal Army and emergency services as they deal with the aftermath of the catastrophic river flood.

“Our Gurkha family is working together to do what it can.”

Police officers and rescuers walk past a damaged building following flash floods in Nepal (Image: AP/PA)

They added that British Gurkhas Nepal and the Gurkha Welfare Trust were working to establish that people were safe and to support the Nepalese authorities.

“Many lives and livelihoods have been lost, and the path to recovery for Nepal, yet again, will take time and considerable effort,” the statement said.

“Our hearts go out to those who have lost family and friends. We are with you.”

The death toll in Nepal had reached 734 by Sunday morning, according to the country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, with 2,498 people still listed as missing. Authorities said 589 foreign nationals were among those unaccounted for.

A further 16 people have been reported dead and 546 missing in Tibet, taking the combined number of people missing across Nepal and China to more than 3,000.

Search and rescue operations are continuing while authorities have also warned about renewed rises in the Bhotekoshi River, raising fears of further flooding.

The disaster has also left dozens of British nationals unaccounted for.

The UK Government has sent a Rapid Deployment Team to Nepal to assist British nationals and their families and has announced a £5 million humanitarian support package for the country’s emergency response.

The disaster will be felt particularly keenly around Catterick Garrison because of the area’s longstanding relationship with Nepal.

Gurkha Company at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick forms part of the 2nd Infantry Training Battalion and provides training to young men recruited in Nepal before they join units across the Brigade of Gurkhas.

The Army says its Gurkha course at Catterick lasts 37 weeks and includes infantry training alongside English language, cultural and Brigade-specific instruction.

The Gurkha Welfare Trust, which supports Gurkha veterans, their families and communities throughout Nepal, has begun assessing the impact of the floods through its network of Area Welfare Centres.

In its initial disaster update, the charity said roads, bridges and riverside settlements had been swept away and several families connected with its work had been directly affected.

At the time of that assessment, no Gurkha Welfare Trust beneficiaries had been reported killed or injured, although the charity stressed that welfare checks were continuing.

The latest disaster comes as rescue teams face enormous difficulties reaching isolated communities after bridges were destroyed and around 25 miles of road were damaged.

Nearly 20,000 Nepalese security personnel have been involved in the response, while more than 8,000 people have so far been rescued, according to Nepalese authorities.

Fans at the final day of Reading Festival were treated to a surprise set from singer Lola Young.

“I am backstage, the cat is out of the bag and I am going to be performing so see you… at the Grid stage,” she teased on Instagram, before treating fans to hits including number one single Messy and One Thing.

Her performance marks the latest step in a return to the spotlight after she had to cancel a string of shows last year following an on-stage collapse in September.

Young also pulled out of the 2025 Reading festival due to a scheduling clash.

The weekend festival concludes on Sunday with a line-up including performances by drum and bass duo Chase & Status, and Florence + The Machine.

After Charli XCX ushered in her own new era with an electrifying set following her latest release Music, Fashion, Film, Young’s return was welcomed by festival-goers in Reading on Sunday.

Young had cancelled her scheduled appearance at Reading Festival last year due to an “unavoidable scheduling conflict”.

A month later, Young dropped her microphone, collapsed backwards and had to be helped off stage in front of a festival crowd in New York.

A few days later, she cancelled all shows “for the foreseeable future”.

“I really hope you’ll give me a second chance once I’ve had some time to work on myself and come back stronger,” she posted in a message to fans at the time.

Young has sought treatment for drug dependency and told the Guardian, external in 2025 that addiction had dogged her for “a long time”.

The pop star has since returned to performing with a small run of shows in the UK, starting with a London gig in March.

“It felt so right being back on stage,” she wrote on social media shortly after, but said: “As tempting as it is to jump on a big tour I’m going to continue taking things slowly despite feeling so ready to perform more.”

Before touching down in Reading, Young performed at the Electric Picnic Festival in the Republic of Ireland on Saturday.

Although she has returned to performing and released reflective single From Down Here in May this year, fans are still awaiting a fourth album.

Reading Festival winds down on Sunday night with a star-studded cast including indie icon Florence and the Machine, R&B hit-maker Loyle Carner, and Irish rap group Kneecap.

The festival’s other site in Leeds, meanwhile, closes after performances from singer-songwriter Raye and multi award-winning rapper Dave on Sunday night.

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has backed Arsenal to win the title again as he believes Mikel Arteta has the best defensive unit in the Premier League ‘by a million miles’.

The reigning champions got their new campaign up and running in convincing fashion with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Frank Lampard’s newly promoted Coventry just over a week ago.

The Gunners will look to pick up where they left off when they return to action away to Aston Villa, who were hammered 4-0 at Brighton in their opening match.

Arteta will undoubtedly have been keeping a close eye on results over the weekend as Manchester City – last year’s runners-up – maintained their 100 per cent start with a 4-1 defeat of Crystal Palace.

Chelsea and Manchester United also emerged victorious at home to Brighton and Ipswich respectively, while Liverpool and Tottenham both suffered disappointing setbacks.

A win for Arsenal on Monday night would put Arteta’s men level on points with City, Chelsea and Premier League new boys Hull City heading into the third round of games.

Speaking after United’s victory on Sunday, Neville suggested Arsenal’s ‘amazing’ set of defenders set them apart from his former club and the rest of the division.

‘It’s incredible what Arsenal have done really, to sign Ezri Konsa, because they’ve got [Jurrien] Timber, [Ben] White, [Cristhian] Mosquera, [William] Saliba, Gabriel [Magalhaes], [Piero] Hincapie, [Riccardo] Calafiori, [Myles] Lewis-Skelly,’ he said.

‘They’ve already got eight amazing defenders and now they’ve signed another really good centre-half.

‘It’s almost like they’re doubling down and saying: we’re not going to concede goals, we’re just going to make sure we’re better than everyone else defensively by a million miles – and they are. That will win them a title again.

‘If you were to ask if you’d swap Arsenal’s front players for United’s, Liverpool’s, Chelsea’s, you might actually keep the front players. From a defensive perspective or in midfield, you’d swap all of them.’

Neville voiced his concerns over Chelsea’s defensive unit compared to that of Arsenal after Alonso’s men clung on for victory over Brighton after going three goals in front.

‘They had to make the decision to bring in a new goalkeeper [Emiliano Martinez]. They’ve done that and brought in a big personality,’ the ex-United and England right-back continued.

‘It was [Levi] Colwill, [Maxence] Lacroix and [Wesley] Fofana that played there [against Brighton] and I just look at that… what I see are very talented defenders in a lot of teams but I don’t see units.

‘You used to see a back-four and you would think there’s a very good back-four or they’re a good back three. You just don’t see that now.

‘I don’t know whether it’s just the quality of the attacking play maybe, I’m not sure.

‘But Arsenal, of course, when you think of Timber, Calafiori, Saliba and Gabriel, that’s a proper back-four with the goalkeeper David Raya behind them. That’s the only real team I look at right now.

‘Obviously Manchester City had it when they were winning the league and I just don’t see it. Obviously Liverpool had it but there’s a real lack of units that are good, solid units now.’

According to Neville, Liverpool and Chelsea may both need to turn to the transfer market again if they are to establish themselves as a defensive force under their new managers.

‘Liverpool have [Bradley] Barcola, [Cody] Gakpo, [Florian] Wirtz, [Hugo] Ekitike, [Alexander] Isak, [Rio] Ngumoha, they’ve got a great group of attacking players,’ the eight-time Premier League winner went on.

‘Then you think defensively, the full-backs, to not support Andoni Iraola and give him new full-backs and for United not to give back-up at left-back or right-back… Leny Yoro has come on today, that can’t be your back-up full-back.

‘For Chelsea, maybe that’s the next part of their recruitment. They have recruited well this summer, maybe that’s the next part.

‘They’ve got talented centre-backs but that defensive part for a few of the teams is a real problem.’

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