united

JJ Gabriel is already the youngest person to play for Manchester United’s Under-18 team.

He is also the youngest person to play in an unofficial game with United’s first team.

The 15-year-old striker appeared set to become the youngest person to play in an official game with United’s first team. The club plays Brighton in an English League Cup game Wednesday.

But seems unlikely to happen at this point — not after Gabriel has requested to be let out of his youth registration with the club immediately to become a free agent. Gabriel is under contract with United until the end of the current season in May.

United remains hopeful it can retain the young star, a person with knowledge of the situation but unauthorized to comment told the Associated Press.

According to the BBC, Gabriel did not train with the team late last week “amid issues in the relationship between the player’s family and United.” The publication also states that chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox “are directly involved in discussions with the player’s family, which underlines how seriously the club [regards] the situation.”

If United declines Gabriel’s request, the matter could ultimately be decided by the Premier League.

Gabriel’s father, Joe O’Cearuill, was a defender who played for Arsenal, mainly in the lower leagues, and briefly for Ireland’s national team.

Born in London on Oct. 6, 2010, Gabriel first gained wide attention — and the nickname “Kid Messi,” after global soccer legend Lionel Messi — as an 8-year-old youth player showing his skills in a YouTube video posted by SV2 in 2019. It has been viewed more than 5 million times.

After playing for youth academies such as Arsenal, West Ham United and Chelsea, Gabriel signed with Manchester United at age 11. He was 14 years, 6 months and 1 day old when he scored two goals in his U-18 debut, a 13-1 victory against Leeds on April 5, 2025.

Gabriel went on to score 20 goals in only 21 appearances and was named the U-18 Premier League player of the year. He also became the youngest player to be named Manchester United’s academy player of the year. Making his UEFA Youth League debut last week, Gabriel netted a hat trick during a 5-0 victory over Sabah.

On Aug. 1, Gabriel made his first appearance with United’s first team, playing eight minutes during a preseason game against Atlético Madrid. He was 15 years, 9 months and 26 days old. The youngest Manchester United first-team player in an official game is David Gaskell, who was 16 years and 19 days old when he first appeared for the club on Oct. 24, 1956.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

LONDON: The leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland signed a pact Monday that threatens to lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom.

The first ministers of the three semiautonomous regions of the U.K. told Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his government to prepare for constitutional change and that their future lies with the European Union.

“For people watching across these islands — for people watching around the world — there could be no clearer sign that Westminster’s time is coming to an end,” they said in a memorandum of understanding, referring to Parliament.

The announcement came about 48 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump waded into the waters of the politically contentious issue when he said he would “ love to see ” a reunified Ireland during a trip to visit his golf course hosting the Irish Open.

It’s the first time the leaders of all three countries are either from pro-independence parties, or pro-unification in the case of Northern Ireland, which was partitioned and remained part of the U.K. when Ireland won independence from Britain over a century ago.

Tensions remain despite devolution of power

Burnham’s spokesperson brushed aside the threat and said the prime minister strongly believes in the union and was more focused on lowering the cost of living than dealing with constitutional debates.

“The United Kingdom is at its best when people come together around our shared values and problem-solving, rather than division,” Tom Wells said.

Nicola McEwen, director of the University of Glasgow Center for Public Policy, said the summit was symbolically important but has no legal significance.

“I don’t see the threat to the union being bigger today than it was yesterday,” McEwen said.

In the late 1990s, the U.K. passed legislative acts that decentralized government through the process of devolution, giving each country except England some level of policy independence and self-governance through their own parliaments. But tensions have remained with the U.K.-wide government in London, which retained control over national issues and those concerning England.

Scotland’s John Swinney and Northern Ireland’s Michelle O’Neill called for independence referendums in their countries, while Rhun ap Iorwerth did not provide a timetable for one in Wales.

The three leaders appeared in their political capacity, rather than their official one, possibly because O’Neill is in a power-sharing government with the Democratic Unionist Party.

Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, of the DUP, accused O’Neill, of the Sinn Fein party, of “weaponizing” the role of first minister by signing the agreement.

“I am first minister in the north of Ireland,” O’Neill replied. “This is about historic change happening all around us.”

Scottish nationalists believe support for independence is rising

Scotland tried unsuccessfully to break away in 2014, with voters rejecting a referendum 55% to 45%. But McEwen said support for Scottish independence has grown since Brexit, in which the U.K. formally left the European Union in January 2020, following a referendum in June 2016.

Swinney, leader of the Scottish National Party, said he believed voters would now vote for independence if the U.K. government approved a referendum.

Burnham told Parliament last week he would allow such a vote to be held if there was a “clear consensus” in Scotland, but later sent Swinney a letter saying a vote was “off limits.”

The 1998 Good Friday peace accord that ended three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland known as “The Troubles,” requires a vote on unification if polls there indicate it would likely pass, a threshold the U.K. government says has not been met. Ireland would also have to approve the change in a referendum.

Burnham has made devolution a major theme since taking office less than two months ago, but his focus has been on regional governments across England, a reflection of his years as mayor of Greater Manchester.

Swinney tried to turn Burnham’s ideology to his advantage, saying his frequent talk of devolution “leads you to the logic of recognizing the right of the people of Scotland, in my case, to decide their own future.”

Beyond any threat of departing the union, McEwen said the greatest impact of the three joining forces could be that they agreed to cooperate with each other routinely and that could help to exert more influence on the U.K. government.

“It does keep on the agenda that question about, well, if the United Kingdom is a union based on consent, what is the pathway where it looks like that consent may no longer be there?” McEwen said. “Any U.K. government has been very reluctant to engage in that discussion.”

Erling Haaland’s goal for Man City should not have been overturned by VAR in derby at United, admits referee body.

Professional Game Referees (Pro Ref) admitted on Sunday that the decision to allow Erling Haaland’s winner in Manchester City’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United was an “error of judgment”.

With City down to 10 men after Phil Foden’s dismissal for kicking Bruno Fernandes, Haaland netted on the hour mark with a close-range finish from Josko Gvardiol’s cross.

The goal was initially disallowed for offside against Haaland, but VAR eventually overturned that decision, even though City midfielder Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position and attempted to reach the ball before the Norwegian forward.

Fernandez did not touch the ball, so the goal was given, allowing Haaland to celebrate his ninth league strike in Manchester derbies.

Premier League Match Centre posted on social media after the goal to say the VAR “determined that Haaland was in an onside position” and “deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn’t play the ball”.

However, Pro Ref later on Sunday said the VAR “did not recognise the likely impact” of the Argentine midfielder’s position and “should have recommended an on-field review”.

“Contact has been made with Manchester United this evening to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgment. A review of the incident will take place,” the statement added.

After the match, United manager Michael Carrick said it was “worrying” that a team of officials had come to the conclusion that Haaland’s goal should stand.

Lisandro Martinez was the United defender at the centre of the controversy.

The Argentine said he was clearly impacted by the presence of his international teammate Fernandez and branded the City goal an “injustice”.

“I went to him because he was in front of me. That’s why Haaland was free at the back,” Martinez told Sky Sports.

“Five or six people [officials] doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable.

“We have to go home with this injustice.”

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and the UAE stressed the need for closer coordination and a united Gulf position as they discussed efforts to contain escalating tensions across the region on Sunday.

During a phone call, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed rapidly evolving regional developments and efforts to prevent further escalation with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the UAE’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister.

The ministers stressed on the need to align positions and strength consultations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi to support joint Gulf action and safeguard the security and resources of GCC states.

The call comes amid renewed attacks on Gulf states, including recent Houthi strikes targeting civilian and economic sites in southern Saudi Arabia.

Prince Faisal earlier on Sunday told the BRICS summit in New Delhi that Saudi Arabia’s national security, territorial integrity and resources were “non-negotiable,” warning that GCC states would not tolerate attacks on their territories, facilities or vital interests.

He also called for a shift away from confrontation toward de-escalation and diplomatic efforts, arguing that lasting regional security depended on respect for sovereignty, non-interference and good-neighbourly relations.

Seoirse Comerford owns the Comerford bar in Doonbeg. He described the tournament as “unbelievable”.

“If you look at the red double decker buses going up and down the street full of people, we never thought we would have seen the like of that.”

He said the golf course is a big employer and is keeping Doonbeg “alive”.

“Most rural villages in west Clare are all dying a death, young people going away to college, they don’t come back.

“Like there’s over 300 people employed up there at the golf course , it’s a big boost to the local economy. You’ve got big companies in Dublin, like Intel, the golf course is our Intel down here.

“I probably wouldn’t have taken over the bar business other than the golf course being up there.

“We would have had 1,000 plus through the pub on Saturday night and the same Friday night, so there’s a lot of people around the village, which is great to see.”

Giving an answer to a question that is asked at a free-flowing press conference is one thing, but Donald Trump repeated his sentiments a short time later when he was delivering a speech to an invited audience at the US Ambassador’s residence.

In fact it was almost the first thing he mentioned, hinting that maybe he realised he had kicked over a can of worms at his earlier appearance.

The rest of that speech was curious. It was billed as a 20-minute address to Irish and Irish American business leaders, but was about twice that and strayed largely into domestic US matters.

President Trump has a speaking style that he describes himself as “the weave”.

He can bounce from topic to topic during any speaking engagement, veering off the script and then returning to the matter at hand.

Today he lauded his own achievements, as he sees them, such as clamping down on illegal immigration, doing deals and boosting defence production.

He repeated his criticisms once again of what he views as the UK’s lack of support for his military operation in Iran.

Who: Everton vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League
Where: Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, August 6, at 2pm (13:00 GMT).
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up from 10:00 GMT ahead of our live coverage.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick said he is delighted with the additions to his squad despite being outspent by Premier League rivals in the transfer window and short on depth in some areas.

United put their efforts into rebuilding Carrick’s midfield, with Casemiro’s exit and a serious injury to Manuel Ugarte offset by the acquisitions of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba for a combined 155 million pounds ($210m).

The Red Devils’ fiercest rivals spent almost that budget on a single player as Manchester City broke the British transfer record for Enzo Fernandez, while Liverpool splashed up to 123 million pounds ($166m) on French winger Bradley Barcola.

Despite returning to the Champions League for the first time in three seasons, Carrick hinted at having to work within financial restrictions.

“We went into the window wanting to come out stronger from the group that we had last season. We’ve definitely added to that,” Carrick told a pre-match media conference ahead of Sunday’s trip to Everton.

“I think we’ve done a lot of good work in that respect and the situation is what it is in terms of finances and what we can work with and what we’re trying to get the most of.

“Certainly, the players that we’ve brought into the group I’m absolutely delighted with and I think we’ve done some really good business there.”

What areas of doubt remain for Manchester United?

United look particularly short in defence with the injury-prone Luke Shaw their only senior option at left-back.

“What squad ever is the perfect squad? You’ve always got to find ways of adapting,” Carrick added.

“When you’re building and trying to push to go through a period where we’re trying to get to the top – that’s the ultimate goal – you’ve got to make steps.”

Joshua Zirkzee was among those expected to leave Old Trafford to boost the funds available to Carrick.

Despite interest from Fiorentina and Juventus and a deadline-day approach from Everton, the Netherlands international remains at United, despite limited game time over the past two seasons.

“He wants to play more than he has done and that’s the good competition and healthy competition for places,” said Carrick.

“Josh can do some really, really top things. I’ve seen it myself, and I know he can do that and looking forward to him doing that a little bit more often for us.”

How have Manchester United started the Premier League season?

After a dreadful 2-0 defeat at newly-promoted Hull on the opening weekend of the season, United bounced back to thrash Ipswich 5-2 thanks to a Bruno Fernandes hat-trick last time out.

Moyes laments Everton’s squad after frustrating transfer window

Everton boss David Moyes conceded ‌he is left with a small squad after a disappointing transfer window in ⁠which key players departed ⁠and a deadline day medical fell through as they tried to sign American striker Folarin Balogun.

Moyes expressed frustration at his club’s close-season business, ⁠revealing they did not want to lose Senegal forward Iliman Ndiaye but were powerless when bigger teams like Manchester City look to sign their players.

“Disappointed we didn’t do more business ⁠and disappointed things didn’t go our way in the end. Sometimes in football you have to live with disappointment and we will move on,” Moyes told reporters on Friday.

“I know what I needed and I know what it’s like to build a squad for the Premier League, I know ‌the numbers you need. I’ve been around long enough to know that, but some things went against us and some things could have gone better.

“Ultimately, we didn’t want to lose a lot of the players, but for different reasons that had to happen.”

AS Monaco chief executive Thiago Scuro said Everton raised concerns over Balogun’s medical late on deadline day and that the US international pulled out because he was uncomfortable with the doubts ⁠raised by the Merseyside club over his health.

“It wasn’t anybody’s fault. ⁠It happens in football a lot,” Moyes said.

“The player had a problem in his medical and that was simply it. There’s no other story behind it.”

Everton face fans backlash over transfer window business

Everton’s Fans’ Forum also criticised the club’s planning and recruitment after the transfer ⁠window closed, saying supporters deserved answers after another window marked by late activity and a failed pursuit of key targets.

With a thin ⁠squad, Moyes said Everton’s academy players would have to step ⁠up but was unsure if they could fill the gaps.

“Are they ready to make the step up? I’m not sure about that. We will see how that goes, some of them might be pushed in,” Moyes said.

“They’re all ‌going to have to be able to muck in as we’ve got a real small squad now,” he added.

“It gives opportunities to some people who have not had them and sometimes ‌in ‌football you need to be given that chance so that you can show what you can do. Let’s see if some of them can do that.”

What happened the last time Everton faced Manchester United?

Manchester United were 1-0 winners in the last meeting of the sides, which came in a Premier League fixture at Hill Dickinson Stadium in February.

Benjamin Sesko scored the only goal after 71 minutes.

When did Everton last beat Manchester United?

Everton won 1-0 in the Premier League fixture at Old Trafford last season – despite being reduced to ten men early on.

Idrissa Gueye was sent off in the 14th minute, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall came up with what would be the winner on the halfway mark.

Prediction – Everton vs Manchester United

The Opta supercomputer is giving Everton a 38.3 percent chance of winning, while offering United only a 33.3 percent chance of claiming the spoils.

Head-to-head – Everton vs Manchester United

This will be their 216th meeting with United winning 97 times and Everton 69.

The first meeting came in 1892 with Everton winning the English top flight encounter 6-0. The Toffees hit 10 against United that season as they completed the double with a 4-3 away win.

Everton team news

Jack Grealish is set to come straight into the matchday squad following his transfer deadline day loan from Manchester City.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles could also appear following the September 1 move for the ex-Arsenal defender. Christian Norgaard, another former Gunner, misses out with a knock.

Everton predicted starting lineup

Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Armstrong; Johnson, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Barry

Manchester United team news

Carlos Baleba’s ankle continues to prevent his United debut. Manuel Ugarte, Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt are all injured.

Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Tom Heaton all face late fitness tests.

Manchester United predicted starting lineup

Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Tielemans; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Rashford; Cunha

The United Nations General Assembly has voted to back a resolution spearheaded by several African countries to adopt a map that shows the continent as much bigger than it is on conventional world maps.

On Friday, the resolution aimed at “a more accurate representation” of continental landmasses on the globe was supported by 164 countries, while the United States voted against it and six other states abstained.

The new map – known as the Equal Earth cartographic projection – “is a relevant option for improving the accuracy of the cartographic representation of the world”, the resolution stated.

Foreign Minister Robert Dussey of Togo, which drove the resolution, said maps “guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions”.

“The resolution adopted today reaffirms African reality,” he added.

But how does the new map differ from the traditional version, and why did the US object?

What has the UN decided?

The UN has urged member states to adopt a new map in place of the centuries-old, traditional Mercator projection, which was designed for maritime navigation by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569.

That projection focused on accurate depictions of the shapes and angles of land masses, but their relative sizes were often inaccurate – in part because of the challenge of rendering a three-dimensional globe onto a two-dimensional surface.

It inflated northern regions and compressed equatorial ones, making Europe and North America appear much larger, while shrinking Africa and South America.

How big are Africa, Latin America, South Asia and Oceania?

It does not look like it on the conventional Mercator map, but Africa is a giant among the world’s continents at about 30.3 million square kilometres (11.7 million square miles).

It is large enough to contain the US, China, India and most of Europe, yet on a Mercator map it looks roughly the same size as Greenland, which is actually about 14 times smaller than the continent.

Latin America covers roughly 20 million sq km (7.7 million sq miles), of which South America accounts for 17.8 million sq km (6.9 million sq miles).

Oceania spans about 8.5 million sq km (3.3 million sq miles), almost all of it Australia.

South Asia is the smallest of the four at about 5.1 million sq km (2 million sq miles), though it is home to about a quarter of the world’s population.

Combined, the four cover about 64 million sq km (24.7 million sq miles), more than 40 percent of the world’s land surface.

Europe, by comparison, is 10.2 million sq km (3.9 million sq miles).

What has the response to the change of maps been?

Largely positive.

France, which co-sponsored the resolution in support of the new map, announced on Friday that it would abandon the Mercator projection.

In that map, “the United States, Russia and China take on a disproportionate visual prominence compared to Africa, Latin America or Southeast Asia”, while “Greenland appears almost as big as Africa,” Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.

“Changing maps obviously doesn’t change the world,” he added. “But correcting a distorted representation is already an act of truth.”

Only the US voted against it, while six other countries – Serbia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine – abstained.

US representative Yaryna Ferencevych said before the vote that the resolution is “the reason this institution is losing its credibility”.

“Instead of focusing on genuine problems … this body is debating map projects from the 16th century,” she said.

What is Equal Earth?

Equal Earth was launched in 2018 by three cartographers – Bojan Savric of the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Tom Patterson of the US National Park Service, and Bernhard Jenny of Monash University.

“Equal Earth preserves the relative surface areas of continents and, as much as possible, shows their shapes as they appear on a globe,” Savric told the AFP news agency in 2025.

The UN resolution encourages governments and institutions worldwide to adopt the Equal Earth projection.

Will the world map actually change?

Friday’s resolution is not binding, but is intended to encourage changes to maps used by default around the world.

The UN said in its report that it is not banning the Mercator projection or imposing a replacement, but is merely encouraging the use of the Equal Earth projection.

Carlos Queiroz has been reappointed as head coach of Ghana’s men’s national team.

The 73-year-old, who had two spells as assistant manager at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, took charge of the Black Stars in April and led the side to the last 32 at this year’s Fifa World Cup, where they were beaten 1-0 by Colombia.

Queiroz appeared to announce his own departure on social media shortly after that defeat, but the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has decided to re-engage him for another spell in charge following internal discussions.

The GFA has not announced the length of his new deal but said he will prepare the team for “a successful new phase on the international stage”.

“The GFA believes Queiroz’s extensive international experience, technical expertise and knowledge of the Black Stars position him strongly to lead the team into this next chapter,” a statement added.

Queiroz has previously led Iran, Portugal and Egypt at major tournaments and has had stints in charge of South Africa, Colombia and Qatar.

Further details on his mandate will be announced by the GFA in due course.

Queiroz will begin his second spell in charge of the West Africans with qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which begin later this month.

The Black Stars are yet to announce the dates and venues for their first two fixtures in Group C, where they have been drawn alongside Ivory Coast, The Gambia and Somalia.

New Manchester United manager Eva Olid has urged her players to be “brave” and have an “attacking mindset” this season.

The Spaniard takes charge of her debut game in the Women’s Super League on Friday when United travel to London City Lionesses for the season opener (19:00 BST).

Olid, who arrived from Hearts, has taken over from predecessor Marc Skinner after he stepped down this summer.

That change and a quieter transfer window than many supporters had hoped for, has led to doubts United can challenge for a top-three spot this season.

Responding to those writing United off, Olid said: “It’s normal, no? It’s normal to have people doubting. I have felt the support a lot of too.

“People that followed me in the last years with Hearts know I made something impossible possible, so I believe in what we are going to do.

“It’s not something you get in weeks but I believe with a little time you get impossible things.”

Olid’s message to her players has been clear and she hopes, despite an underwhelming pre-season, they can step up on Friday.

“My ambition is attacking football. I focus the gameplans on how we can hurt the teams. All teams have weaknesses we can exploit,” said Olid.

“This team will play the first match in the league and I want it to be as close [as possible] to what I want. The style of play is different to what we had last year.

“You can imagine it’s not an easy task. What I did was put aside the principles of play that I thought was easier to change for the first match so we can compete.

“The club wanted to play attractive football and be brave. We know that can have risks but the club support me in that. They signed me for that.”

The Amass case is a strange one. A natural left-back in United’s academy, who did well in a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday last season, then got injured straight after switching to Norwich in the winter window, Amass, 19, impressed many observers with his performances during pre-season, when he shadowed Shaw.

Yet, for some reason, United were willing to let him leave.

In the summer of 2024, then manager Erik ten Hag opted not to pick the teenager in his squad for the Community Shield, even though Amass had given a creditable account of himself up against Mo Salah in a pre-season game in the United States just a week earlier.

Ten Hag felt, physically, Amass was not at the level required. In theory, the two years that have elapsed since then should have made the defender bigger and stronger.

There have been multiple expressions of interest in Amass. Even heading into deadline day, his omission from United’s Premier League 2 game against Leicester on Monday reinforced a widespread belief he would leave, probably on loan.

But that has not happened and it is not clear what his role will be within the senior squad.

The willingness to view Mazraoui as a left-back option was helped by the performances of Leny Yoro in pre-season.

Signed from Lille for £52m in 2024 as a central defender, Carrick used Yoro mainly as a right-back this summer.

Against Ipswich on Sunday, that was the slot Yoro was introduced into as a replacement for Dalot, at the same time as Mazraoui was coming on for Shaw.

At just 20, Yoro has plenty to learn about the right-back role. However, he has pace, is strong and is good on the ball. United supporters only have to look at how Josko Gvardiol has adapted to the full-back role at Manchester City after signing as a central defender to realise switching positions can have a positive outcome.

That is the calculated risk United have taken.

What they absolutely did not want to do, having taken a hardline stance all summer on the fees they were willing to pay, and a refusal to spend more than they thought a player was worth, was end up making a signing like Alex Telles, or Matteo Darmian, or Sergio Reguilon, who all arrived in recent years but were evidently short of the standard required.

It makes sense. It is probably the right call.

But that is a view taken away from the emotion of matches and the rollercoaster of results. And the reality is they will be the deciding factor in whether it was a good decision or not.

This week, three newborns died in an NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) fire at a government hospital in Amravati, in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. Two days later, 14 newborns were killed in a fire that broke out in the maternity ward at one of Pakistan’s most prominent state hospitals. The reported causes of the fire were different – a faulty ventilator in Amravati and an exploding air conditioner in Islamabad – but the harrowing stories of the parents on both sides of the border are identical.

On both sides, parents stand outside a government hospital, trying to make sense of this state-inflicted cruelty. In Amravati, one father was still distributing sweets to celebrate the birth; he had not yet seen the baby’s face. In Islamabad, a family was celebrating the first baby boy in years. The circumstances are different, but the institutional failures and official response followed a familiar pattern. Rescue teams arrived late, while emergency evacuation was hampered by basic fire-safety failures. Politicians were quick to express their sorrow. High-level inquiries were announced, along with financial compensation and fire safety audits. As the dust settles, the two tragedies expose the same indecent truth: lives of poor, vulnerable families are expendable in both nations.

The two countries are rivals in cricket, military posturing and diplomatic rhetoric, but united when it comes to spending lives of ordinary citizens like pocket change.

Over the past 26 years, as a health reporter, I have watched hospital fires in India and Pakistan result in significant and frequent loss of life, without a jot of difference in regulating these institutions. In India, the AMRI Hospital fire of 2011 in which 89 people died and the SUM Hospital fire in Bhubaneswar in 2016 in which 24 people died were traumatising to write about. Not a single person was convicted.

In Pakistan too, a fire at Services Hospital in Lahore killed 10 newborns in 2012 and another 11 infants died at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital in 2024.

I dredge these memories because the latest fires – in Amravati and Islamabad – cannot be reduced to stories about faulty equipment or individual negligence. The hospital fires did not happen in the boondocks, but in India’s wealthiest state and Pakistan’s capital. They are stories about government priorities.

The longer you look at government data, the more grisly it gets. Year on year, both nations sacrifice their citizens to fire like medieval societies trying to appease indifferent gods. India and Pakistan are not poor or war-torn countries without knowledge or wealth to do what is needed. The refusal to make any meaningful improvements is a political choice. An unforgivable one at that.

India and Pakistan have spent decades convincing their citizens that the highest form of security is protection from each other. The truth is that the greatest co-morbidity citizens of both nations live with is our own careless governments.

Fires in large buildings such as factories, shopping centres and hospitals are frequent in India and Pakistan, often due to poor compliance with safety laws and lax enforcement of building codes. These repeated incidents raise questions about our political system, the judiciary, our newsrooms and civil society all in one sweep. What they expose is the very core of these two democracies – what they prioritise and who they value. And all the questions raised are being answered in one voice – not the vulnerable or the sick or the poor.

Earlier this month, both nations marked 79 years of independence. Both have, for 79 years, reminded each other of the pride they take in their complicated histories and their fabled cultures, languages and cuisines. Yet, on both sides of the border, we are governed with careless barbarity. What we have right now are nations that have the trappings of procedural democracies but refuse to concern themselves with bringing change to the poorest. We are taught to sacrifice – wealth, family members, dignity – everything in the service of our nation, and must forage for our own safety without expecting anything from the governments.

This week, as I watched newborns utterly unable to protect themselves die in an inferno on both sides of the border, I wondered if the men leading both states are filled with some shame. Shame over the fact that women who had just given birth had to run down several flights of stairs and climb out of windows and down ladders to escape. Or that families found to their horror that the ward’s water spray system failed to function when the fire broke out. Or that these families will spend the rest of their lives recovering from the horror of seeing charred babies, their bodies covered in black ash.

I wondered what the military might and nuclear arsenal mean to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as they stand facing a mother crying outside a neonatal ward. This is not polemic or rhetoric, simply a sober assessment of our incompetent leadership that has no love for its own people. Because countries that can spend billions preparing for war cannot plausibly claim that a functioning sprinkler system or fire safety regulation in a hospital is an unreasonable expectation.

Fire safety is not a luxury. It is not a Western or colonial aspiration. It is not even an infrastructure of affluence – like, say, bullet trains – that a country acquires once it has become sufficiently rich, sufficiently modern or sufficiently powerful. It is the floor. The floor beneath which a government cannot allow its people to fall repeatedly and remain shamelessly indifferent every single time.

Seventy-nine years is a long time for a country to become itself. Long enough to build armies, send satellites into space, build a nuclear arsenal and to flex them at neighbours. But what good is national security if a newborn cannot survive the building in which she was born? Or does security only mean the ability of the state to protect itself from another state – while its citizens die like insects in unpredictable ways.

The parents in Amravati and Islamabad did not need a nuclear arsenal to defend their babies. They needed the fire alarm to work and emergency exits to not be blocked. Nations that cannot guarantee such a basic amenity must have no right to national pride.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance

Liverpool will take on Tottenham as the teams who compete in Europe enter in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

Leeds could potentially face Chelsea, should the London club beat Luton on Thursday.

Manchester United face Premier League opposition in Brighton, while holders Manchester City host Norwich.

Fleetwood, the only fourth-tier side left in the competition, host Sheffield United.

The nine Premier League teams that are playing in Europe – Arsenal, Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Sunderland – all enter the Carabao Cup in the third round.

To avoid clashes with the opening rounds of the Champions League and Europa League, matches will be played across the weeks commencing Monday, 7 and Monday, 14 September.

The final two places will be decided on Thursday when Chelsea host Luton (19:30 BST) and Fulham take on AFC Wimbledon (20:00 BST).

Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic kept his plan to topple Manchester United on their Premier League return under wraps for weeks, assistant head coach Dean Holden told Match of the Day.

The Tigers produced a sensational 2-0 opening-weekend win over Michael Carrick’s side on Saturday while deploying a back five.

Hull were making their first Premier League appearance in nine years after coming up through the play-offs last year.

First-half goals from defenders Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy gave them their first league win over United since 1974.

Jakirovic altered his tactics for the game, having watched a couple of United’s pre-season matches, including the 4-2 defeat by AC Milan, engineered by former boss Ruben Amorim, when he repeatedly switched play to his wing-backs, which United’s defence failed to cover.

When quizzed on the tactic, Holden told Match of Day: “We certainly didn’t copy Ruben Amorim.

“Serg had it in the back of his mind for three or four weeks that he was thinking of playing a back five. He didn’t want to give anything away in pre-season, so we played a back four.

“The easiest thing to do in preparation was using some of the Milan clips and Leeds the week before played a back three too, so that helped us with players where the systems looked similar.”

Hull’s win over United, who finished third in the Premier League last season, is perhaps even more remarkable given the Tigers only had 28% of possession.

But seeing limited amounts of the ball is not a cause for concern for Hull says Holden.

“We are comfortable without the ball, so it is not like we are coming up here having dominated the Championship and now we have to change,” said Holden.

“We are comfortable in that mid-block, that is one of our biggest strengths. Counter-attack as well.

“Sunderland set the trend with Leeds in terms of teams who have come up, and for us, it is about belief.

“We have a group of lads who have done the hard yards, there is no real superstars in there.

“The manager is the same, very humble. Feet will be firmly on the ground.”

Jakirovic’s Hull were favourites to finish bottom of the Premier League, having only squeezed into the play-offs on the final day of last season.

They then became the first team to finish sixth and win the play-offs in 16 years – beating Middlesbrough in the final.

Just 15 months ago the Tigers had been close to being relegated to League One, only staying in the Championship on goal difference in 2024-25.

Three of the team who started their 1-1 draw against Portsmouth on the final day that secured their Championship status were in the team which beat United.

Former Oldham Athletic, Bristol City and Charlton manager Holden joined the Tigers that summer.

“We are aiming to stay in the league. It is the hardest thing to do and then you build on top of that,” Holden added.

“But a win at home in the first game is beyond anyone’s dreams really. The performance is the biggest thing, the confidence, the belief, will stand us in good stead.”

Three men in a boat on the Thames

One of my best UK holidays was the week I spent in June 2013 rowing from Oxford to London with two friends, James and Tom.

We hired the boat from a company called Thames Skiff Hire that mainly caters to people recreating the fictional adventure of the characters in Jerome K Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat. Our boat – Ewen – was a 26ft, 130-year-old mahogany skiff. It came with two pairs of oars, a rudder, a cooking stove, a boat hook, and iron hoops that supported a green canvas roof over the hull.

After an hour’s briefing at a slipway by Donnington Bridge, we were off, piloting the boat 80 or so miles downstream to London. That June was blustery and wet. The first day was deceptively fine, but on the second, we got soaked on the stretch of water between Abingdon and Day’s Lock, and came close to packing it in.

Even with the current helping us, the miles ahead seemed like folly. It’s not generally remembered that Jerome K Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat ends in disappointment and recrimination as the companions abandon their sodden skiff at The Swan in Pangbourne.

But we kept going. And, over the subsequent days, the weather improved, we got better at rowing and it turned into an extraordinary and memorable adventure.

Looking back, the trip appears to have been packed with incident. We visited lovely riverside pubs, brewed tea on uninhabited midstream islands, and popped into a meditation centre run by an ascetic Hindu sect. We passed Medmenham Abbey, the headquarters of Francis Dashwood’s Hellfire Club; Monkey Island, where the doomed romance in Rebecca West’s The Return of the Soldier unfolds; and we moored for lunch one day at the luxurious faux-gothic hotel Oakley Court, immortalised as Frank-N-Furter’s castle in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Logistically, the trip was never entirely straightforward. Although the Thames skiff was designed to be slept in, it was not big enough for three and the rules around wild camping made things more complicated. I also remember feeling a certain anxiety when mooring the boat to go to the pub. We had been instructed to hammer iron spikes into the riverbank and fasten the skiff to them. But it always seemed weird to walk away from this precious antique and assume it would be there when we got back.

Negotiating the locks that regulate the water level of the river was also tricky. Someone had to remain in the skiff with a boat hook and keep it from bumping against the sides as the water poured out of the sluices. And, of course, rowing that distance, even with the current, requires a certain stick-to-it-ness.

Paradoxically, the minor hardships of the trip probably made it more relaxing than a holiday whose explicit goal is relaxation. The overall pace was slow and reflective. And even within commuting distance of our own beds, it always felt as if we were very far from the daily grind. There were stretches of extraordinary tranquillity, deep silences, wonderful birdlife; I still remember the flash of a kingfisher in the willows outside Abingdon.

Other river-users took kindly to us and our venerable skiff. One evening, we were invited for drinks onboard a beautiful narrowboat whose owner we met as we were queueing at a lock.

Our final destination was Walton-on-Thames, but by the time we reached it, we were enjoying ourselves so much we pushed on to Hampton Court before turning the boat round and heading back upriver to return the skiff.

It’s a trip I’ve always meant to repeat. I’ve travelled much further, at much greater expense and had nothing like as much fun.
Marcel Theroux

A birthday break in the Trossachs

“Gravelfoyle,” my cycle-mad partner, Gary, replied instantly when asked where he’d like to go for his birthday. Gravelfoyle is the nickname of the village of Aberfoyle – gateway to the Trossachs, about 50 miles north-west of Edinburgh, and even closer to Glasgow – which claims to have “the UK’s finest gravel riding” and the waymarked trails to prove it.

Growing up in Edinburgh, I spent many happy summers camping in the Cairngorms and roving around Perthshire. This instilled a habit of going north rather than west, so I didn’t know Scotland’s first national park, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, as well.

Off we set, bikes strapped to the car, passing Falkirk’s Kelpies, whose steel heads reared up alongside the M9, imposing Stirling Castle and the Mordor-esque Wallace Monument in the distance. The drive was only 75 minutes, but we stopped en route at The Smiddy farm shop in Blair Drummond (close to the safari park my brother and I went to as kids) to pick up cheese and chorizo scotch eggs, “the best thing we sell”, according to the butcher.

I’d booked a snug-looking glamping pod on the Cardross Estate near Port of Menteith, not far from Aberfoyle. Tucked away down a single-track road flanked by farmland, where kites soar overhead, it’s a slick operation, from the easy self-check-in to the trolleys for wheeling stuff from the car park. Inside the curved, wooden pod was a sofa, pull-down double bed, shower and fridge, with picture windows framing fields speckled with cattle and crops rolling towards Ben Lomond. We could have chosen one of the estate’s self-catering cottages or a B&B stay in Cardross House, but the pod felt like the most decadent way to enjoy the outdoors, especially once the fire pit was roaring and fizz was in hand.

Later that day, we embarked on our first ride, the 18.2-mile (29.2km) Lomond View, one of three Gravelfoyle routes plotted for gravel biking, and a wet and muddy affair after recent rain. Afterwards, at Aberfoyle Bike Co (where you can hire bikes if you don’t bring your own), the owner, Liam, was ready with a hose and hot drinks.

The next day, we hiked out of the nearby town of Callander on the 3.5-mile (5.3km) circular Bracklinn Falls hiking route. Crossing the bridge over the thundering waterfall, we pressed on through thick forest before returning to baguettes oozing generous fillings at Mhor Bread. The afternoon’s downpour gave us a great excuse to nest in our cosy pod, read and, in my case, nap – the indulgence!

That evening, the sun sprang loose, and we chinked glasses in the flower-strewn garden of Scottish chef Nick Nairn’s namesake restaurant, Nick’s at Port of Menteith. Swallows and housemartins swooped as we ate fish and chips and seafood linguine.

Over three days, we biked and hiked various routes alongside lochs and through yawning, forest-clad valleys, ate fabulous, locally produced food, and soaked up the nurturing goodness of being immersed in the wilderness of the national park.
Kirsten Henton

At the edge of north Wales

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve passed through Ynys Môn (Anglesey) over the years, but until recently I’d never actually been there. Ghosting through the darkness to catch the night ferry from Holyhead to Dublin, I had no idea what the island looked like until our daughter suggested an outing while we were visiting her at her student digs in Bangor, across the Menai Strait.

That first time, she took us to Newborough Forest, a nature reserve on the south-west coast of the island made up of Corsican pines, sand dunes and a sweep of beach that offers panoramic views of the peaks of Eryri (Snowdonia) across the bay. We spent the afternoon walking over to the small tidal island of Ynys Llanddwyn, with its lighthouse and the ruined remains of Saint Dwynwen’s church. Saint Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers, the equivalent of Saint Valentine. It was love at first sight for us, and we hatched a plan to come back for a longer visit.

On that next visit, we rented a cottage with floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the mountains on the road out of Llanfair – or Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch to give it its proper majestic name – well, how could we not? What we discovered on that stay pretty much chimed with what I had read in HV Morton’s book In Search of Wales, published in 1932: “The long roads run through flat, green country, linking quiet, stone-built little market towns together.”

But it’s at the edges that Ynys Môn comes into its own. On the first day, we walked the Wales Coast Path along the cliffs at Rhoscolyn on Ynys Gybi (Holy Island) in the north – an island off an island with dramatic sea arches – and enjoyed a feeling of apartness, of almost floating out to sea.

On another day, we parked up at the beach at Rhosneigr and again followed the signs for the coast path, walking through the marram grass and gorse on the dunes until we found a sheltered cove to go swimming. Then we drove across the island that at one time was called Môn, Mam Cymru (Anglesey, the Mother of Wales) because it was said to grow all the corn needed to feed the country, to Red Wharf Bay and another sweeping beach at the bottom of a single-track lane. There was no corn on the menu at the Boathouse cafe, but we made do with crab meat crumpets and mussels.

Leafing through HV Morton’s book back at the cottage that night, I came across a line that made me rue the fact that I had rattled through this glorious little island on the boat train on so many occasions, simply seeing it as an embarkation point without ever having had the imagination to jump off and spend a bit of time here: “Holyhead is an excellent place for a holiday … you have bathing, fine cliff scenery, and all round you is excellent flat walking country with a supreme view of the whole Snowdon range.”
Andy Pietrasik

North Yorkshire with 42 pals

Twelve years ago, I was sitting in my son Ned’s primary school playground when I said to my friend Vicky, “I’m thinking of taking a few friends up to Yorkshire.”

“I’m in,” she said.

Word got out, and before I knew it 42 of us were heading to lovely Cote Ghyll Mill, on the edge of the pretty village of Osmotherley. It was a youth hostel in those days, before its recent transformation into a B&B. Ned and I made a giant Welcome to Yorkshire banner and Blu-Tacked handwritten names on to the bedroom doors.

None of us realised that week would become our June tradition, until Covid brought it to a halt.

Brilliantly, my mum and dad took charge one day, leading us on a six-mile circular walk from Grosmont through the fairytale hamlet of Beck Hole, a centre for the traditional game of quoits, and back across the North York Moors.

I remember Mum, ever the feeder in our family, opening the boot of their car to reveal her homemade fruit cake alongside a stack of enormous sandwiches they had collected from Danby Bakery. Dad brought a few short thumbsticks (traditional walking sticks) he’d made for the kids from hazel branches. Florence, now 19, still has hers, and Julie, her mum, now uses it to reach an awkward light switch.

Halfway round was Dad’s favourite pub, the Birch Hall Inn, where his drink of choice was always the same: a bitter shandy. The pub doubles as a sweet shop and we came away clutching paper bags of lemon sherbets, cola cubes and pear drops, all bought by the ounce, while Ned carefully chose Barratt’s liquorice sticks for his grandad, as is tradition.

Part of our walk crossed the North Yorkshire Moors Railway line to Whitby, and, after watching a train steaming past us, we all wanted to take a ride. It is a magical way to see the moors. Every carriage told its own story. Couples were more romantic, kids chatted around the tables, and happy heads hung out of the windows to catch the smell of coal and steam. Eleven-year-old Eleanor caught far too much coal dust in her eye and ended up in A&E in Northallerton. Thankfully, she was fine.

In Whitby, Ned’s pals buried him in the sand on Tate Hill beach. Although we brushed him down and emptied his shoes, he still left a little trail of Whitby all the way back to the station and on to the train.

Our trip wouldn’t have been complete without a visit to my own boozer of choice, the Sun Inn, or Spout House, in Bilsdale. Its infamous cricket field, with a dramatic slope where fielders on the boundary can disappear from view, is where my dad and brother played. Spike W, AKA Prince Harry, is also recorded in the score book.

My old primary school friend Audrey is the landlady now. I used to ride her ponies, her dad was the village milkman, and she somehow makes everyone who walks through the door feel as if they’ve come home.

Audrey laid on a domino tournament and the most amazing Yorkshire platter, with cakes worthy of victory at any country show. Competition was fierce, with some local diehard domino players, mainly farmers, joining in. Harriet, aged just six, beat the lot of them. She burst into tears, while her mum, Steph, cried with laughter.

This year, I casually asked Ned, now 21, “Do you think anyone might fancy going back to Yorkshire?”

“Absolutely, Mum,” he replied.

So we’re going back to Cote Ghyll Mill this month.

I’ve dug out the original Welcome to Yorkshire banner and Harriet, now 18, is fiercely ready to defend her domino title.
Jill Mead

A quick dip into Bristol

Travelling by train from Kent to Bristol on one of the hottest days of the year might have been pretty close to madness. In sweltering heat and amid cancellations and delays, I arrived in the city hot, broken and miserable. Less than an hour later, I was gliding through the water at the city’s lido, smugly thanking myself for booking what may be one of the best summer city hotels in the country.

I was in Bristol for the opening of an exhibition – Polly Braden: Against the Tide – at the brilliant Arnolfini arts centre, which seemed the perfect excuse to visit a city that had somehow eluded me. The Arnolfini is a leading hub for the contemporary arts, housed in a 19th-century warehouse on Narrow Quay beside the harbour, a vibrant area packed with restaurants, cafes and bars, as well as some of the city’s leading tourist attractions, including the aquarium and Brunel’s SS Great Britain.

My base was the Lido Townhouse, a six-bedroom hotel in a Georgian building that opened in 2024 in the city’s sought-after Clifton neighbourhood. Each of the rooms has been done out simply but with fabulous taste, featuring colourful throws, sparkling white bedlinen and jauntily tiled bathrooms.

The real attraction is the lido itself, which dates back to Victorian times and has been restored after falling into disrepair. Open year-round, with the water heated to 20-24C, the pool is flanked by old-fashioned changing cabins on one side and a bar and restaurant on the other, with windows and a terrace that look out over the action. Booking directly with the hotel grants you full access to the lido, which is just a few steps across a (very quiet) road in the hotel’s robes and slippers. In 24 hours, I managed to squeeze in three swims, including one at 9.30pm (it closes at 10pm), emerging to sit in my robe at the bar nursing a glass of amaro. Breakfast the next day out on the deck was equally enjoyable, with coffee and a generous plate of Turkish eggs and coffee.

A colleague and I paid £210 for two double rooms and a shared bathroom on the top floor of the hotel, which, with unlimited swims thrown in and 10% off our food bill, seemed like an excellent deal. The harbour is a 25-minute stroll from the hotel along shop-lined Georgian streets, past picturesque College Green and the cathedral. So, though it was a lightning visit, the city showed its best side. A return trip is on the cards.
Max Benato

After leading Leeds to safety, Farke had threatened to quit, saying he is “not the right choice” to lead the club if they fail to match his ambition in the summer.

The club hierarchy listened and backed the German in the transfer market in the summer, investing about £80m on new arrivals.

Three of them started for Leeds in their season opener and encouragingly for Farke offered early signs of promise.

Goalkeeper James Trafford justified the £45m – a record for a British goalkeeper – Leeds paid to Manchester City for his services with some decisive stops.

Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic not only put in a solid shift in defence but also proved he is a weapon from set-pieces as he tested Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels with a towering header at the other end.

Harry Wilson, who signed for free after 10 goals and seven assists for Fulham last season, almost marked his debut with a goal before he was denied by the offside flag.

“From the very first minute they walked into the building, they have shown their quality,” Ampadu said.

“They have shown why they have been brought in to try and help us get to the next level. They’ve shown that hunger and drive to take Leeds to a better place so that has been very good.”

Farke also echoed his captain’s sentiments, saying: “I am very happy because they have big boots to fill.

“Trafford is a good player but he hasn’t played that many Premier League games, Tarik too. So they both shined and showed why we agreed to sign them, but the whole group was excellent today.

“Wilson too was excellent. The vibe and mood is good around the place,” said Farke, who is now the third-longest-serving manager in the league after Arsenal‘s Mikel Arteta and Aston Villa‘s Unai Emery.

With new arrivals making an immediate impact and old faces such as Stach continuing to deliver the goods, Leeds have every reason to believe this season could be their best yet under Farke.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke reacts to his side’s 1-0 win against Nottingham Forest, sealed by Anton Stach’s free‑kick in the opening game of their 2026-27 Premier League season.

MATCH REPORT: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Leeds United

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Aston Villa have completed the signing of West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka on a season-long loan deal.

The deal for the DR Congo right-back includes a “conditional obligation to buy”.

The exact terms are not known, with the Hammers having previously asked interested clubs to pay a £25m fee.

The 28-year-old missed Championship club West Ham’s first two matches of the season during negotiations for a return to the Premier League.

Wan-Bissaka joined West Ham United on a seven‑year contract from Manchester United in 2024. He has made 65 appearances across his two seasons at the club, including 25 last season when the Hammers were relegated to the Championship.

He previously played 190 times for Manchester United, winning the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.

More recently, Wan‑Bissaka started all four of DR Congo’s matches at the 2026 World Cup, helping them progress to the round of 32.

The new signing may feature in Villa’s first game of the Premier League at Brighton on Sunday (14:00 BST) and will also compete in the Champions League after the Villans finished fourth and won the Europa League under Unai Emery last season.

Dorset’s take on the Mediterranean

Mudeford feels like one of England’s best-kept secrets, the sort of place visitors from abroad might never imagine exists here. Golden sand and sparkling water give it an almost Mediterranean feel, while Hengistbury Head adds beautiful coastal walks and wide-open views. Our perfect day is simple: arrive early, wander along the headland, let the children play on the beach, then stop at one of the relaxed cafes for lunch or an ice-cream. My tip is to take the little ferry across the harbour – it turns an already lovely day out into a proper seaside adventure.
Priti Singer

Lancashire’s Forest of Bowland

The Forest of Bowland covers a staggering 312 square miles of moorland, forests and valleys, dotted with the occasional village. It may be one of the best places for peace and quiet in England, and is also a Dark Skies area. It’s perfect for walkers and cyclists. I visited Gisburn forest (where I only met two other people during a five-hour hike); Barley village, which attracts lots of walkers who climb Pendle Hill; and, for spectacular scenery, a trip through the Trough of Bowland is a must. For town life, I’d recommend Skipton, a 35-minute drive away, which has it all with a castle, canal and plentiful shops and restaurants. It’s also the southern gateway to the Yorkshire Dales.
Cat

Crabbing and clean beaches in Suffolk

Walberswick is popular with walkers and birders, and young families who come here to relax and go swimming on the clean beach or crabbing in the creek. A brilliant way to arrive at the town is on the rowing-boat ferry (March to November) across the River Blyth from Southwold. It’s been in the same family for five generations. We had great seafood at heritage pubs like the Anchor and the Bell. Across the water, there’s a lot of wonderful fish shops and the famous Harbour Inn.
David Innes-Wilkin

In search of the Lundy Bunny, Devon

Lundy, off the north Devon coast, offers a hidden adventure for all ages by following the treasure trail of 27 Lundy letterboxes spread over the island. Some are wooden boxes, some metal, but they are all hidden. There’s a set of clues to follow, and stamps collected including the elusive Lundy Bunny. My two preteen boys and I loved our exploration of this remote granite island, binoculars and compass in hand, identifying letterboxes, birds and wildlife during our magical trip there.
Carol Godsmark

A spectacular rail trip in County Antrim

No trip I’ve made as an adult has matched the buzz of my annual childhood day trip from Derry to Portrush. The Troubles were at their peak but Portrush was still largely unscathed and had a totally different atmosphere to Derry. The journey was completed by train from Coleraine, and what a train journey it is. The train hogs the coast the whole way and we would be beside ourselves when the big dipper of Barry’s Amusements came into view. We would spend the morning on the beach, fish and chips for lunch and a few hours in Barry’s before heading home. Tuscany may be beautiful but do they sell sticks of rock?
Eve Kearney

An arty town in Shropshire

Foxholes campsite sits on a hill above the arty west Shropshire town of Bishop’s Castle. The views across the Shropshire hills are splendid, and a 10-minute walk through fields leads you past a stone Buddha into the town stretched along a medieval high street. Visit the House on Crutches museum to get a feel for Shropshire rural life history, and be sure to check out its two brilliant pubs: the Three Tuns is probably Britain’s oldest licensed brewery, having started in 1642, while the Six Bells provides an unpretentious family-friendly welcome. For us, though, the highlight was the Chai Shop and its charismatic owner Tahira. She serves delicious Indian snacks like bhajis and dal as well as traditional Indian sweets.
Matt Lunt

Camping in south Wales

We’re by no means an experienced camping family, but we pitched up on Rhydywernen Farm near Brecon after the last August bank holiday and were able to feed goats that were as happy and hoppy as it gets. Before falling asleep to the whisper of a nearby stream and mini-waterfalls, we spent time stargazing as there was no light pollution – it felt we were somehow closer to the stars. A cool stream helped soothe us after a day of hiking on Pen y Fan, the tallest peak in Britain south of Cadair Idris in Eryri (Snowdonia). We had only just bought a tent that summer and then we fell in love with Wales, so we keep coming back for more.
Izabela

Northumberland’s atmospheric border town

Berwick-upon-Tweed is one of those places that feels more dramatic than its size suggests. I have visited twice, and I loved simply walking around, camera in hand. Its slightly strange sense of being a border town seems to permeate everything. Stand beside the River Tweed and you can see three bridges together: the old Berwick Bridge, the elegant Royal Tweed Bridge and the great Victorian railway viaduct of the Royal Border Bridge. Add the Elizabethan walls, the North Sea and castle ruins, and Berwick feels perpetually poised between countries, centuries and land and sea. It makes a wonderfully atmospheric short break.
Susanna Callaghan

The natural wonders of the Wirral

The Wirral and its country park, south-west of Liverpool, is a brilliant under-the-radar place for a UK summer holiday, full of walks and beaches. Birkenhead Park is 57 hectares (140 acres) of meadows, fields, gardens, woodland, lakes and structures – we had picnics and family treasure hunts last summer. Opened in 1847, it inspired the 19th-century US landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in his design of New York’s Central Park, so close your eyes and imagine you are in the Big Apple! Since 1995, it has been listed as a Grade I landscape by English Heritage. With its paths, fossil-hunting areas, bike trails and dramatic sunsets, Wirral country park helped us entertain our teenagers. Thurstaston beach and Port Sunlight village are great options too.
Nicoletta

Winning tip: Caribbean vibes on the Isle of Mull, Inner Hebrides

David Balfour’s Bay is a remote and breathtaking sandy bay with clear turquoise waters and pristine white sands in a stunning setting – the tidal island of Erraid, just off south-west Mull. The play of bright sunshine on crystal clear water and waves is dazzling – it’s a literally brilliant place to visit. Throw in a few palm trees and, on a clear day, you could imagine you were in Barbados – and the sea temperature can reach a pleasant 18C in August and September. To reach the bay, walk from lovely Knockvologan beach at low tide. This scenic walk can be extended to explore the north side of Erraid, where there are magnificent views of the Sound of Iona. Just be careful of tides so you don’t get caught there – a swim back is invigorating – as I found out after an overlong afternoon snooze when some lapping waves woke me up.
Peter