The lowest temperatures first thing are expected across parts of eastern Scotland. Whist Tuesday saw lows in the Highlands down to -7.2C (19F), Wednesday morning could be even colder at around -8C (18F) or -9C (16F).

However, a sub-zero start to the day is also expected in many other areas including central and northern England, north Wales and Northern Ireland.

Many places will be dry first thing, but the weather is set to turn much more unsettled during the day. Low pressure approaching from the south-west will bring rain initially to Northern Ireland in the early morning, which will then spread into western parts of England and Wales.

As the rain bumps into cold air, it will increasingly turn to sleet and snow across Wales and later on into parts of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and the West Midlands.

There could be around 2-5cm of snow fairly widely, and up to 10-15cm over the highest ground in Wales, Herefordshire and Shropshire. This is likely to lead to some travel disruption and potential power cuts.

The more widespread UKHSA cold alert, external covers all of England except for London and the South East.

This warns of the risk of minor impacts on health and social care services. Vulnerable people in particular may be affected by this spell of colder weather, with increased use of healthcare services and an increased risk to life.

Organised by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the trade body for the UK’s music industry, in partnership with Newcastle City Council, the award show will take place on October 22 and will also feature a number of live performances from the shortlisted artist before announcing the overall winner.

The prize entitles any ticket holder in the BL2 3FT postcode, which covers the street, to £1,000.

Dearncamme Close won alongside the residents of 19 other postcodes nationwide.

Subscriptions to the postcode lottery support a range of charities across the UK.

The People’s Postcode Lottery manages lotteries for 20 charities, with each one having one draw a month.

The lottery supports “a wide range of charities and good causes across Britain and around the world”.

The organisation has provided more than £1.1 billion in funding to date, which is helping thousands of organisations and projects

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Democrats hope to rein in the power of federal immigration officers in Minnesota as the state’s legislative session gets underway Tuesday, while Republicans will focus on combatting fraud in taxpayer-funded programs that President Donald Trump cited to justify the recent immigration enforcement surge.

While White House border czar Tom Homan said over the weekend that more than 1,000 officers have left the Twin Cities area, and hundreds more will depart in the days ahead, the aftermath will continue to reverberate at the state Capitol during the session, which runs through May.

Close divisions will require compromise

It’s unclear whether any significant changes can pass the closely divided Legislature. The House is tied with a Republican speaker, while Democrats hold only a one-vote majority in the Senate. So nothing can pass without bipartisan support. And it’s an election year, with all 201 legislative seats on the ballot. House Speaker Lisa Demuth is among the GOP candidates running for governor and has expressed hope she will win Trump’s endorsement. All of that could make compromise difficult.

“There are definitely going to be priorities on both sides of the aisle. … But when it comes right down to it, we need to have bipartisan votes to move bills through the committees and get the work done for Minnesotans,” Demuth told reporters Monday.

Capitol security is tighter this session following the assassination of Democratic former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband last summer. All visitors now undergo weapons screening.

Democrats propose restrictions on ICE

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz last week proposed a $10 million package of relief for small businesses that lost customers and workers during the surge, and more aid proposals could be coming.

Just ahead of the session, House and Senate Democrats unveiled 11 bills to counter what they consider some of the worst excesses by federal immigration officers during the surge.

They’re meant to keep federal officers away from schools, childcare centers, hospitals and colleges. They would also ban federal agents from wearing face masks, while requiring them to display visible identification. They would also require that federal authorities allow state investigators to participate in investigations of shootings by federal agents, such as the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The state remains frozen out of those cases. The FBI officially notified the state Monday that it won’t share information or evidence from its investigation into Pretti’s death.

The top House Democrat, Zack Stephenson, said they don’t expect support from Republican leaders, but they’re hoping some GOP lawmakers will break with their party.

“What we’ve seen these last six weeks has been so exceptional, so damaging, that I don’t know how you can be human and not respond to it,” Stephenson said. “But even if it’s not that, we also know it’s an election year and voters are watching, and voters will hold people accountable if they don’t stand up to this administration.”

Stephenson also acknowledged that any restrictions the state tries to impose on federal law enforcement are likely to be challenged in court.

“But some things are worth fighting for,” Stephenson added. “And if we’re not going to fight for this, what are we doing here?”

Republicans seek to shift focus to fighting fraud

Republicans have expressed little enthusiasm for taking on federal authorities and hope to shift the focus to fighting fraud.

“Minnesotans want our state and local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement,” said Rep. Harry Niska, the No. 2 House Republican.

One of the top GOP anti-fraud priorities is legislation to create an independent Office of Inspector General to investigate and prevent the misuse of public funds. The Senate passed a similar proposal last year on a bipartisan 60-7 vote. House Democratic leaders blocked a vote at the end of the session, but the proposal remains alive this year.

Republicans also want to require more accountability for agencies and officials who let fraud happen on their watch.

Journalist and activist plead not guilty in church protest case

The final two of the nine people charged for their alleged roles in a protest that disrupted a Sunday service at a Southern Baptist church in St. Paul, where an ICE official served as a pastor, have pleaded not guilty.

Minnesota-based independent journalist Georgia Fort and Trahern Crews, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Minnesota, entered their pleas during a brief hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko. Other defendants pleading not guilty to civil rights charges at previous arraignments included former CNN host turned independent journalist Don Lemon.

Fort told reporters and a crowd of supporters afterward that she was exercising her freedom of the press to cover the story of the protest at Cities Church on Jan. 18 while centering the voices of people who otherwise would not be heard.

“As a journalist who is from Minnesota, this case doesn’t just leave me fighting for my freedom, it is the government trying to muzzle me, to make me unable to report on one of the most historic cases, not just in our state, but in our country,” Fort said.

Andrew Shephard was supposed to be helping his daughter find new homes for the three young cats when he tipped them from a box into the water from a bridge

A father who, in a drunken state, flung his daughter’s pet kittens into a river whilst bellowing “let them die”, has managed to dodge a jail term.

Andrew Shephard was tasked with finding new homes for the three kittens when he shockingly dumped them into the water from a bridge in south-west London last November. As he committed the act, witnesses heard him shouting “let them die” and “I want them to die”, Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court was told on Tuesday (February 17).

The court heard that the 59-year-old, who had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, claimed he didn’t know “what came over me”. During the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Manisha Kukadia told the court that police were called following “reports of a male throwing cats into the River Thames”.

Bystanders witnessed the incident and heard Shephard utter “I want them to die, let them die”. Of the three kittens, one was saved before it hit the water, whilst the other two were found by police officers, “wet and muddy” but alive.

Both kittens were reportedly “in shock” and their body temperature had dropped below 33C, reports the Mirror.

The court was told the kittens were owned by Shephard’s daughter, who had trusted her father to help rehome them. Ms Kukadia revealed the defendant’s daughter was “not aware” of his conduct regarding the bridge incident.

After the event, Shephard gave police a statement expressing that “he felt bad about the situation” and had shown “remorse”.

He admitted being “very drunk at the time” and battling alcohol dependency, noting his daughter could “no longer keep” the kittens.

The prosecutor explained: “There was a clear intention for the kittens to be killed so it’s extreme and deliberate in nature. The aggravating factor… is the fact that there was use of alcohol at the time – he did say he was intoxicated.”

The defendant, representing himself before the bench, addressed magistrates: “I feel bad for what I done. I’m not normally like that. I just don’t know what came over me at the time. I was incapacitated by alcohol.”

Addressing the defendant, magistrate Elizabeth Evans JP observed: “We have listened carefully to what you told us, we have listened carefully to the background of this case which is very unpleasant.

“It’s quite clear that this crosses the custody threshold – it’s serious enough in sentencing terms to justify a prison sentence.”

Ms Evans made clear, however, that his sentence would be suspended, observing that the probation service believes the defendant has a “good chance of rehabilitation”. Shephard, of no fixed abode, was handed a 17-week prison term, suspended for 18 months.

He must also complete 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days, pay a £154 surcharge, and pay £85 costs.

A Syrian government official told Sky News al Hol camp in northeastern Syria is now largely emptied, acknowledging that escapes continued after the state took control of the site.

Al Hol has for years housed tens of thousands of women and children linked to suspected ISIS fighters, as well as Syrians and Iraqis displaced by the war.

The camp, previously run by Kurdish-led authorities, was taken over by the Syrian government last month as Damascus expanded its control in the area.

“Families escaped while we were present because the camp is large and the smuggling routes are very varied,” said Fadi al Qassem, the Syrian foreign ministry’s representative for al Hol camp administration.

He said the camp was already largely emptied of residents by the time Syrian forces arrived, with guards gone and gates open, and that authorities then struggled to prevent further departures.

Mr al Qassem said the government inherited unreliable population records and long-standing smuggling networks, making it difficult to establish who was present when the Syrian army took over the site.

He said officials found evidence of forged documentation, with families using multiple registration cards that belonged to people who had already left illegally.

He added that authorities were trying to trace those who left outside official channels, using records from international partners, including the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

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A warning to the West from inside ISIS camp al Roj

Syria says camp no longer viable

The agency said on Sunday it had observed a significant decrease in the number of residents at al Hol in recent weeks.

Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, UNHCR representative based in Syria, said local authorities had informed the agency of plans to relocate remaining families and had asked for its support to assist people in the new camps, which the agency said it was ready to provide.

Read more:
Fighting near Syrian prisons holding ISIS exremists day after Kurdish ceasefire
Australia’s PM refuses to accept ISIS-linked families from Syria

The government plans to fully empty the camp and is transferring remaining families to sites in Akhtarin and Jarabulus in northern Aleppo province, near the Turkish border, where container units and concrete shelters are already in place, Mr al Qassem said.

He added that most of those being moved are women and children and that rehabilitation and social integration programmes are planned.

He said officials concluded al Hol was no longer viable and would not be restored, citing extensive damage and the high cost of rehabilitation.

The first convoy left earlier this week in coordination with Syria’s emergency ministry and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, with 10 buses and 35 trucks deployed, and further transfers planned.

‘It’s the language of extremists’

Former Kurdish staff members who worked at al Hol said the rapid emptying of the camp had raised serious security concerns.

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Kurdish families on the move once again

Jihan Hanan, who ran al Hol camp for four years until its takeover by Damascus last month, said the lack of any clear tracking of those who have left the camp was particularly worrying.

“When I saw videos showing large parts of al Hol empty, I was alarmed,” she said. Her last official figures, from 19 January, put the camp’s population at around 23,000 people.

She added that a video circulating online showed a former resident threatening her by name from inside what appears to be her burned and vandalised former office, vowing to track her down and warning others who had worked at the camp.

“This has created real fear for me and my children,” Ms Hanan said. “This is the language they used against us all the time. It’s the language of extremists.”

Many former residents blamed camp staff for their detention, she added, and more than 1,000 civilian and humanitarian workers who had run al Hol over the years now feared reprisals.

Monty Don has shared how to grow carrots the right way – but be sure to protect them

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Rats are a common problem across the UK. But what can you do to stop them from coming into your home and garden?

In a bid to keep rats away, experts at RHS Advice stress that they are “highly social and adaptable mammals and feed on a wide variety of foods. They can make their homes underground or in compost heaps, in buildings, greenhouses, sheds or drains.”

As they are “adaptable creatures”, they can also eat a wide range of food from our gardens, including “sweetcorn cobs, pumpkins and squash and various root vegetables, such as carrot, parsnip, beetroot and potato tubers”.

This means that if you are growing any of these, such as carrots, which cost as little as 69p in ALDI and Sainsbury’s, you will want to protect them from rats or risk a ruined crop.

In fact, “if you suspect that stored or growing crops have been nibbled by rats, don’t eat them. Rats also eat seeds, so store them securely”, warns BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine.

How to deter rats

Sadly, there’s not a lot you can do to deter rats from eating your vegetable crops. However, while it is difficult to keep rats away from your veg, peppermint oil is a popular deterrent.

Rats find the strong scent overwhelming, so spray it near your crops twice a week to keep them at bay. You can also try planting catnip in your borders; its potent smell is known to discourage rats from entering your garden suggests BBC Gardeners World Magazine.

Monty Don’s carrot tips – it’s not too late to plant them

According to BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, Monty Don has shared some handy tips. It is noted: “There are two types of carrot to choose from – early varieties, which are sown in spring and are ready to harvest about 10 weeks later, and late varieties, which can be sown from the end of spring and are ready to lift after about 14-16 weeks.”

A planting schedule depends on how much space you have and what equipment you own. While the peak season runs from late March to June, you can extend this window by using a greenhouse or polytunnel, or by warming the ground with a cloche or garden fleece.

Success starts with the soil, the experts stress. Thoroughly fork the ground to break up clumps and remove stones, as these can split roots. Carrots prefer light, well-drained soil that stays damp but isn’t too rich.

To prevent “forking,” avoid adding fresh manure or compost right before planting. It’s best to use a patch that was enriched the previous year. It continues: “If growing carrots in the soil, sow seed directly.

“Make a seed drill (shallow trench) about 1cm deep using the edge of a hoe or trowel. Sow the seeds thinly along the bottom of the drill about 5-8cm apart – be careful not to grow carrots too close together as this can stunt their growth. Cover the seed with a thin layer of sieved soil, and water well using a watering can with a rose attached.

“To extend your cropping period, sow seeds successively at two-week intervals. Sow a selection of carrot varieties that will crop at different times over the season.”

How do you deter rats? Let us know in the comments!

Then there’s his family life, public engagements and sit-down interviews. These are everything we’ve become used to with this kind of Netflix documentary: a lot of “brand” guff, flashing bulbs outside events, some candid family behind-the-scenes footage, and a few emotional hero moments courtesy of the down-to-earth couch chats. It’s the Beckham documentary formula all over again. Except now we’ve seen it thrice, and it’s really starting to grate.

Robert Dorgan, 56, also went by the name Roberta Esposito killed two relatives and injured three other people

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Police have confirmed the two victims of a mass shooting during a high school ice hockey match was the shooter’s ex-wife and one son.

Police identified the shooter at the ice rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in United States on the afternoon of Monday, February 16, as Robert Dorgan. The 56-year-old also went by the name Roberta Esposito.

Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves on Tuesday said that the victims were the shooter’s ex-wife Rhonda Dorgan and adult son Aidan Dorgan. The three others were injured in the attack, these being the parents of the Dorgan’s ex-wife and a family friend. Dorgan died from a self-inflicted gun-shot wound.

The Dennis M. Lynch Arena was hosting matches for several local schools during the incident.

A livestream of the match captured the moment spectators and players took cover as gunshots rang out. LiveBarn, the streaming platform for youth sporting events, has said on social media that those circulating the video do not have permission to do so.

Police Chief Goncalves said it does not appear that the shooter had any conversation or confrontation with relatives prior to the shooting.

Dorgan was employed at a ship building facility in Maine that contracts with the US Navy, it has been reported.

Dorgan’s colleague Destiny Mackenzie told The Associated Press that the shooter used the women’s restroom. She said they would often talk about family, but Dorgan’s ex-wife never came up in conversation. The shooter’s hockey-playing son was a frequent topic.

Mackenzie said Dorgan often went by Roberta at work and had a bad temper. Dorgan sometimes had screaming matches with colleagues.

Another colleague said Dorgan appeared to be divided on the matter of transgender acceptance. At times Dorgan appeared to be proud of transitioning but embarrassed the next. That colleague told The AP that they knew Dorgan owned guns but was unsure how many.

Dorgan briefly served in the Marine Corps during 1988 but separated from the service with the lowest military rank.

New powers have also been put into law to check people’s bank accounts

The DWP has issued an update regarding the expansion of its case reviews for benefit recipients. As part of this process, you may be required to submit evidence to continue receiving your benefits.

This announcement follows the recent granting of new powers to DWP officials to clamp down on incorrect benefit payments. The new regulations permit investigators to request bank account details for people on Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, and Pension Credit, to identify any claimants who may not be entitled to their benefits.

The legislation allows for these eligibility checks to be extended to other DWP benefits. Another way that the DWP checks people’s eligibility for their payments is through targeted case reviews.

These reviews involve DWP officials ensuring a claimant’s details are all present and correct, to confirm their payment amount is accurate. They will reach out to the person, asking them to provide evidence as part of the procedure.

The DWP started doing these reviews in 2022 to scrutinise Universal Credit claims. Senior DWP official Peter Schofield recently informed MPs that the department is now expanding these reviews to check Pension Credit claims.

The DWP was asked to explain what these reviews entail. A DWP spokesperson said: “We have introduced major reforms to ensure people are paid the correct benefits, to recover overpayments and to help save billions of pounds for the taxpayer.

“Targeted case reviews have already saved the taxpayer £1billion by blocking incorrect Universal Credit payments, and are set to save an additional £1.2billion in 2030-31. From 2026 to 2029, we will also review Pension Credit claims at risk of error, saving an estimated £500million over this period.”

What do DWP targeted case reviews involve?

Claimants must provide evidence, including their ID, to verify their identity. They also need to supply bank statements to confirm specific aspects of their claim.

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You may need to submit bank statements to verify your earnings, additional income, your savings or your housing costs. These checks are designed to provide an accurate picture of your circumstances, ensuring you are paid the correct amount.

They also help the DWP ensure you’re getting appropriate support, such as assistance to prevent falling into debt or to help you avoid getting further into debt. The standard way you have to provide this evidence is sending electronic copies, by uploading the information through your Universal Credit account.

Your benefits ‘may be suspended’

The DWP has directed claimants to a tutorial video explaining how to upload their evidence. Agents will require you to submit your evidence “within a 14-day deadline”.

The DWP warns that your claim “may be suspended” if you fail to comply with this timeframe. However, staff will tailor their approach for each individual case, to determine the appropriate course of action and to provide any additional support you require.

This additional support can include:

• Offering a call to discuss the process and help understand any support you need
• Guiding the customer through uploading information
• Giving the customer more time to provide requested information
• Organising a home visit.

Customers under review are also provided with guidance on how to contact their agent if they have any questions or concerns. The department previously said it would use between £300million and £400million a year to continue the targeted case review programme for Universal Credit claims.

DWP bosses also plan to spend £70million a year on expanding the checks to investigate Pension Credit claims. The DWP has been allocated a total of £3.5billion to clamp down on erroneous payments for the three years from 2026/2027.