Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

England committed to Ashes after Root confirms participation

England committed to Ashes after Root confirms participation

ENGLAND have committed to touring Australia for the Ashes after players' concerns over Covid-19 conditions were resolved at a meeting between the countries' cricket boards and England captain Joe Root on Tuesday (5), British media reported.

Root confirmed his participation in the five-Test series at the meeting and will likely be joined by a full-strength squad, the Daily Telegraph reported, despite players' having voiced hesitancy over touring in a Covid-19 "bubble".


Cricket Australia (CA) was not able to provide immediate comment.

CA, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Australian authorities have been negotiating for months over the touring conditions in a country where international arrivals must isolate in quarantine hotels for 14 days, regardless of Covid-19 vaccination status.

One of the biggest sticking points has been whether family members can join England players in Australia over the Christmas and New Year period.

Australia's borders are effectively closed to non-citizens and non-permanent residents.

Australia's white ball captain Aaron Finch said he sympathised "fully" with England players' concerns but was glad to hear a resolution had been reached.

"They’ve played a lot of Test cricket so I can understand where they’re coming from," Finch told reporters on Wednesday in a video call.

"Guys are on the road for a lot longer than what tours used to go (for) when you’re adding on quarantine at the start and potentially at the end.

"That is difficult but it’s great to see Joe’s (Root) supported that and they’re going to come down."

Australian media have reported authorities are offering England's players, staff and families the use of a Gold Coast resort in Queensland state for quarantine before the first Test starts in Brisbane on Dec. 8.

Families who arrive for the Christmas period may be accommodated at a resort in the Yarra Valley on the fringe of Melbourne before the Boxing Day Test starts Dec. 26, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Tuesday.

The tour pours about A$200 million ($145.64 million) into Cricket Australia coffers, according to local media estimates.

More For You

World Curry Festival 2025

The discovery coincides with Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations

World Curry Festival

Bradford’s first curry house traced back to 1942 ahead of World Curry Festival

Highlights:

  • Research for the World Curry Festival uncovered evidence of a curry house in Bradford in 1942.
  • Cafe Nasim, later called The Bengal Restaurant, is thought to be the city’s first.
  • The discovery coincides with Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations.
  • Festival events will include theatre, lectures, and a street food market.

Historic discovery in Bradford’s food heritage

Bradford’s claim as the curry capital of Britain has gained new historical depth. Organisers of the World Curry Festival have uncovered evidence that the city’s first curry house opened in 1942.

Documents revealed that Cafe Nasim, later renamed The Bengal Restaurant, once stood on the site of the current Kashmir Restaurant on Morley Street. Researcher David Pendleton identified an advert for the cafe in the Yorkshire Observer dated December 1942, describing it as “Bradford’s First Indian Restaurant”.

Keep ReadingShow less
Robert Redford death

Robert Redford dies at 89 leaving behind a Hollywood and Sundance legacy

Getty Images

Robert Redford dies at 89 as tributes hail his fight for cinema freedom and environmental justice

Highlights

  • Robert Redford, Oscar-winning actor and director, dies at age 89 in Utah
  • Starred in classics including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and All the President’s Men
  • Founded the Sundance Institute, transforming the landscape of independent cinema
  • Advocated for environmental causes and used his fame to highlight pressing global issues

Robert Redford dies at 89, leaving behind a legacy that bridged blockbuster Hollywood hits and groundbreaking independent cinema. Best known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and All the President’s Men, Redford was not only a matinée idol but also an Academy Award-winning director and the driving force behind the Sundance Film Festival, which changed the trajectory of global filmmaking.

Robert Redford death Robert Redford dies at 89 leaving behind a Hollywood and Sundance legacy Getty Images

Keep ReadingShow less
UK–Africa business summit 2025

UK–Africa business summit 2025

UK–Africa business summit 2025 highlights trade, technology and resilient partnerships

Highlights:

  • Dr Sudhir Ruparelia emphasised Uganda’s growing real estate, agriculture and tourism sectors.
  • Lord Dolar Popat called for closer Commonwealth ties between Africa, the UK and India.
  • Uganda’s ministers outlined regional integration, investment climate and agricultural transformation.
  • Spiritual leader Sant Trilochan Darshan Das Ji urged ethical entrepreneurship rooted in integrity.

The 15th edition of the UK–Africa Business Summit took place on Friday, 12 September at The Royal Horseguards Hotel & One Whitehall Place, bringing together senior government leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and diaspora stakeholders to strengthen trade and investment ties between the UK and African nations.

Keep ReadingShow less
11th UK Gatka Championship

All winners received medals and trophies

UK Parliament

11th UK Gatka Championship ends with Welsh debut and £1,000 support for Gatka Akharas

Highlights:

  • The 11th UK National Gatka Championship was hosted near Cardiff, marking the first time in Wales.
  • Winners included Roop Kaur (girls), Navjot Singh (boys), and Gurdeep Singh (men’s).
  • Gatka Federation UK awarded £1,000 to each participating Akhara to support martial arts promotion.
  • Chief guests included MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi and Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the World Gatka Federation.

Gatka Championship marks Welsh debut

The 11th UK National Gatka Championship concluded on a high note near Cardiff, Wales, showcasing the traditional Sikh martial art with flair. Seven leading Gatka Akharas participated, thrilling spectators with their lightning-fast strikes, precision moves and elegant techniques.

Inauguration by global leaders

The tournament was inaugurated by Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the World Gatka Federation (WGF) and the National Gatka Association of India (NGAI). He was joined by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP, President of Gatka Federation UK, alongside other dignitaries including Jagbir Singh Jagga Chakar, President of Wales Kabaddi Club, and community leaders from the Haveli Hotel Pontyclun.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari

‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ trailer sparks festive wedding chaos with Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor

Instagram/dharmamovies

‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ trailer brings love and laughter to Dussehra audiences

Highlights:

  • The Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari trailer is out, offering a festive family entertainer.
  • Features a star-studded cast including Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, and Sanya Malhotra.
  • Set against a vibrant Indian wedding backdrop with romance, comedy, and music.
  • Directed by Shashank Khaitan and produced by Dharma Productions and Mentor Disciple Entertainment.

The Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari trailer has finally landed, giving audiences a glimpse of what promises to be one of 2025’s most joyous family films. Bursting with romance, humour, and festive charm, the trailer sets the tone for a big fat Indian wedding story, rooted in togetherness and celebration, a hallmark of Dharma Productions’ signature family entertainers.

‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ trailer sparks festive wedding chaos with Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor Instagram/dharmamovies

Keep ReadingShow less