The Beast from the East ravaged much of the UK and Europe in February and March 2018, bringing severe storms, snow showers and bitter winds. But as the climate changes, rising average temperatures will affect the severity of extremely cold weather like this.

In our latest study, my colleagues and I have considered how cold spells – defined as extended periods of extremely low temperatures between November and March – have changed since 1980.

We found that cold spells such as the Beast from the East are becoming less frequent and intense across the northern hemisphere. We also found that certain regions are experiencing less persistent cold spells, or more localised cold spells.

Across the entire northern hemisphere, cold spell days have decreased by about 20 days per decade. In Europe, regional cold spells are declining in frequency by nearly one day every year.

Large-scale cold spells in the northern hemisphere occur as a result of cold air intrusions, caused by the meandering of the polar jet stream. Characterised by a flow of strong winds in the upper troposphere, this jet stream acts as a barrier containing the cold air within the polar regions.

However, when the polar jet stream meanders, the barrier is disrupted, allowing cold air to move towards the equator. This causes surface temperatures to drop.

Since the Arctic is more sensitive to climate change, with temperatures in this region rising at a faster rate than the rest of the world, many early theories suggested that this could lead to more frequent and intense cold spells.

But our study shows the reverse effect. Across the northern hemisphere, cold spells are becoming milder as overall temperatures rise, with their intensity having decreased by 0.3°C per decade. In the same manner, cold spells in Europe are becoming 0.6 to 0.9°C warmer per decade. Similar warming rates are also found in North America and in East Asia.

The persistence of cold spells in northern North America and southern Europe is decreasing by about a tenth of a day each year. Likewise, the area covered by cold spells in northern North America is getting smaller every decade.

A change in temperature variability

We have also explored how these cold spells would be affected if the long-term temperature rise related to climate change were removed. Under this scenario, we considered how the leftover effects related to changes in temperature variability – calculated by removing the long-term temperature rise – are affecting cold spell behaviour.

In most cases, the cold spells showed no detectable change when the background temperature rise was removed. However, in northern North America under this scenario, cold spells were still found to become less severe.

So, our study reveals that in northern North America, cold spells are becoming significantly less frequent, intense and persistent even when the impact of climate change is removed from our calculations.

We suggest this is related to temperature variability decreasing in North America due to sea ice loss – an effect highlighted in previous studies. In other words, the sea ice loss is potentially causing the cold extremes to warm faster than hot extremes.

Our results show that as temperatures continue to rise, the cold spells experienced a few decades ago are becoming rarer across much of the northern hemisphere – and that cold, snowy winter days of the past are becoming increasingly uncommon for many people.

Work is well underway on the new ‘traditional Irish’ bar

A new pub has been tipped to open in Belfast City Centre.

The bar is set to be called The Meeting House and the owners have now hinted at an opening date.

According to job listings for the new bar, it will be located between Ann Street and Crown Entry, taking over the space from Love & Death, which closed in December 2023 after operating for 15 years.

The space has been vacant since then, but the Beannchor group have big plans to bring life back into the bar very soon.

It comes alongside wider work on the street, which will see a number of changes and openings in the next few months.

The Meeting House will be closely connected with the new Indian-inspired restaurant Ru, which will take over from Little Wing when it moves next door.

Owners of the new bar are on the hunt for staff for the new pub, and have given prospective employees a bit of a hint as to what to expect. According to the listings, the pub “will be a ‘free-house’ pub with a focus on traditional Irish music and its unique historical location.”

They have also confirmed it will be connected to Ru, saying that “the pub will also be complemented by an adjoining Indian-inspired 60-seat restaurant, ‘Ru’.”

Teasing an opening date, they have said: “Opening this Autumn, The Meeting House will be a welcome addition to Belfast City Centre.” They are hoping to add a “vibrant, music-focused pub” to Belfast’s already bustling nightlife scene.

The move is part of a £14 million development project currently underway on the busy city centre street. Beannchor are currently transforming former retail and restaurant units into a new hotel complex.

Plans show that the new site will include a 41-bedroom hotel with a bar and restaurant, which will be connected internally to the current Little Wing location.

The new bar alongside Ru will be operated by the Beannchor group, which owns the likes of The Merchant, The National, Dirty Onion, and Little Wing.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here

When someone buys a drug illegally, they cannot be sure exactly what is in it.

More than one in three samples submitted to the Welsh Emerging Drug Identification Service (Wedinos) where the buyer had said what substance they believed they had purchased, contained something other than what they expected. Between April 2025 and March 2026, 36.6% of samples submitted to Wedinos did not contain the expected substance.

These findings illustrate how the illicit drug market is often defined by substitution, where the name, appearance or packaging of a drug may tell us surprisingly little about what is actually inside it.

One of the most concerning findings in the latest Wedinos report is the identification of a new group of synthetic opioids known as “orphine analogues”. Synthetic opioids are chemically produced drugs that can have effects similar to opioids such as morphine and heroin.

Orphine analogues are highly potent types of synthetic opioids, meaning they can have powerful effects at very small doses. That creates a particular risk when someone believes they are taking heroin but is actually consuming a different, potentially more potent substance.

The findings are particularly concerning because orphine analogues were identified alongside veterinary sedatives in samples submitted as heroin. The significance is not necessarily that this particular combination has a unique or established toxic effect, but that someone believing they have bought heroin may instead be exposed to multiple unexpected psychoactive substances, making the effects and risks much harder to predict.

The concern is not confined to Wales. The UK parliament has been told that orphines had been implicated in at least 22 deaths. The government has added seven of the substances to the list of class A drugs according to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

The problem, then, cannot simply be described as people choosing to use a new synthetic opioid. In some cases, people may have no idea that it is present.

Substitution is occurring across different parts of the illicit drug market. Wedinos continues to identify nitazenes, another group of highly potent synthetic opioids, in the samples they receive.

Novel benzodiazepines, synthetic central nervous system depressants, have been found in products sold as diazepam, commonly known by the brand name Valium. And products sold as THC, CBD or cannabis vapes have contained synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs), sometimes known as “spice”.

The result is a market in which people buying illicit drugs cannot necessarily rely on the usual cues used to identify them, like the name, colour, tablet shape, packaging or claims made by a seller.

Many of these products had been bought through illicit online routes, including fake pharmacies. They could look identical to legitimate medicines despite containing something other than the advertised drug.

Fake medicines

This is where it is useful to distinguish between an illegal drug and a counterfeit medicine. An illegal drug may be purchased knowing that it is an illicit substance. A counterfeit medicine is different because it’s deliberately manufactured and packaged to look like a legitimate pharmaceutical product.

The danger is that people may not realise they are taking an unknown substance at all. They may believe they are taking diazepam because the tablet and packaging look convincing.

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The same problem is appearing in the illicit cannabinoid market. Wedinos found that 43% of THC, CBD or cannabinoid vape samples submitted to the programme contained spice rather than what consumers expected.

These are not ordinary nicotine vapes from legitimate shops that have unexpectedly been contaminated. They are illicit cannabinoid products, purchased through illicit routes and sold as THC, CBD or cannabis-related products. In other words, someone may believe they have bought a particular cannabinoid product but instead receive a different psychoactive substance.

Substances known as spice are designed to act on the same cannabinoid receptors as cannabis but can produce much stronger and less predictable effects.

When used in vape liquids, their effects can be rapid and intense, including severe anxiety, panic, hallucinations, psychosis and seizures. Someone can believe they are buying cannabis but instead receive a completely different psychoactive substance.

Why is this happening?

There is no single explanation for why substances are being substituted. Illicit drug markets respond to factors including price, availability, supply chains, policing and changes in legislation. New psychoactive substances can also emerge quickly, particularly when existing compounds become controlled or harder to obtain.

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Drug checking services like Wedinos provides an important form of harm reduction by analysing individual samples and identifying what they contain. Such data can reveal emerging substances and substitutions that might otherwise remain invisible. But drug testing has limits. A test tells us what was identified in a particular sample and cannot guarantee that another tablet, powder or vape from the same seller or batch contains the same substances.

Drug checking is not a guarantee of safety. But it can reduce uncertainty. And as illicit drug markets become more complex, that information is becoming an increasingly important part of harm reduction.

The Dragons’ Den contestants were seeking a £100,000 investment in their women’s urinal startup, Peequal.

A Dragons’ Den contestant has shared her experience on the show, after her and her co-founder’s female urinals were scrutinised in the Den.

Entrepreneurs Amber Probyn, 28, and Hazel McShane, 30, stepped into the Den in the episode airing Thursday, 24 September. They were pitching their women’s urinal startup PEEQUAL to the likes of Steven Bartlett, Touker Suleyman, Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones and Jenna Meek.

“After working at festivals, we came together to solve the problem of long female toilet queues,” Hazel began. “Every woman knows the struggle, desperate but stuck in a never-ending toilet queue whilst men whizz in and out.”

Amber continued: “Our solution is Peequal, the flat-packed, squat and go, women’s urinal. Our mission is to pioneer pee-equality for all women, everywhere.” The pair launched at Glastonbury in 2022, and were seeking £100,000 for a 2% stake in their business.

Inviting the Dragons to ‘pop a squat’, Amber and Hazel welcomed the five investors to take a look inside their flat-packed female urinals. While Deborah joked she couldn’t without her co-stars turning away, Touker had a go at squatting over the creation.

However, despite having a go at the product, Amber and Hazel were scrutinised by the Dragons. At one point, Peter told them: “I’m really upset with you… I’m upset because I think you’ve asked for too much money. I really want to find a way to invest in two great entrepreneurs of the future but I think you’ve way overvalued your business to a level that doesn’t make it investible. It would mean having to take a large chunk of your business at this stage, and that makes me really uncomfortable, too.”

Touker meanwhile praised the pair’s “passion” but warned against competitors, while Steven admitted: “It’s difficult because I believe you’re going to be successful, and I believe your success is going to result in me seeing these everywhere I go, at every festival, probably every marathon.” However, he turned down their offer, as did guest Dragon Jenna.

Giving the final round of feedback, Deborah told Amber and Hazel: “There’s so much I love about you and I think it mainly is you.” She offered them the money they were asked for, but requested 5% of the business, which Amber and Hazel accepted.

Amber has now shared what their experience in the Den was really like, saying: “I’ve always loved Dragons’ Den but I never thought I’d be on it! We’ve pitched for funding at Dragons’ Den-style events – but knowing it’s going on TV and with five very successful businesspeople questioning every part of your business, it’s a different level of pressure.

“The BBC invited us to apply several times and this felt like the right time to go for it. But we didn’t just want to secure a deal – we wanted to highlight the massive inequality in toilet queue times.”

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Hazel also shared: “I think everyone was a bit surprised when we backed our truck into the studio and started hauling out the urinal. We quickly announced it was freshly cleaned! When you’ve watched pitches torn apart on TV, it’s a little nerve-wracking heading to the lift. We’re really proud of how we did though.

“They asked some really insightful and informed questions and were generally really impressive. But the hardest bit was not telling anyone about it! People keep saying ‘you should go on Dragons’ Den’ and we couldn’t say a thing.”

Amber added: “We loved that they all got stuck in and squatted in the urinal! Even Peter and Touker got up and gave it a go. It was great to see them get involved, and also to see them take the issue of pee-inequality seriously.”

Since their pitch and getting Deborah on board, Amber and Hazel have raised just under £1million, with plans to expand their business globally. “Ultimately, we want to cut queue times for as many women as possible,” Amber said.

Dragons’ Den is available to watch on BBC iPlayer

A priest has been killed and four other people injured in a knife attack in south-east Poland, officials have said.

A 31-year-old Ukrainian man was arrested after the stabbings on the grounds of a Catholic abbey in the town of Jarosław.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki said Thursday’s attack “has shaken us all and demands a firm response from the state”, while his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky said “we are shocked by this evil”.

Reports in Polish media said the attacker first injured a priest in a nearby cafe, and then another four people inside the abbey itself. A police investigation into the attacker’s motives is now under way.

Polish police said four men and one woman were stabbed in the attack on Thursday morning on the abbey grounds.

The name of the murdered priest has not been publicly released.

Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said psychological support was now being provided to all those affected by the incident.

Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the perpetrator “will be punished with the full severity of Polish law”.

Echoing his words, President Zelensky said “the perpetrator of this evil must bear full responsibility according to the law”, adding that Ukraine was counting on “a quick and thorough investigation of all circumstances”.

The Ukrainian embassy in Poland also condemned the attack.

In a statement, it said: “In such difficult moments, it is especially important to support each other, remain steadfast in respect for human life, and not allow pain to escalate into hatred or new violence. Responsibility for a crime must be based solely on the law.”

Poland has recently seen a number of often violent incidents involving its citizens and Ukrainians, many of whom have fled their home country after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described accusations that Israel committed genocide as ‘the biggest lie of the century’.

Dozens of delegates were seen booing and walking out of the UN General Assembly as Netanyahu took the podium in New York today.

‘If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t yet left this hall, please do so now,’ Netanyahu said.

His address came shortly after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of pursuing a ‘malicious colonial plan’ aimed at driving Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank.

Netanyahu defended Israel’s military actions, saying attacking Iran had been ‘one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make’ and insisting Israel had no choice but to win.

He also thanked US President Donald Trump, calling him Israel’s ‘greatest partner’ and saying the two had worked together to launch the war against Iran ‘to save civilization’.

Addressing accusations of genocide, Netanyahu said: ‘Israel didn’t commit genocide; Israel prevented genocide.’

He also described the genocide accusation as ‘the biggest lie of the century’.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted his nation’s right to wage war against Iran in a defiant speech to world leaders at the UN General Assembly – but it was not heard by dozens of delegates who walked out before he started speaking.

Delegates jeered and booed, while Netanyahu’s own team stood and applauded, and the speaker of the session shouted for order.

‘If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t left this hall, please do so now,’ Netanyahu said.

Allegations of Israeli genocide in Gaza are not only false but ‘the biggest lie of the century,’ Netanyahu told world leaders in a defiant speech that asserted his nation’s right to wage war against Iran.

Netanyahu, his voice rising in emphasis, said attacking Iran ‘was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make’.

‘In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall,’ Netanyahu said. ‘In fact, I want you to know that many of their leaders even thank us privately for taking out Iran’s nukes.’

During the speech, Netanyahu attacked Britain and France for their past colonial empires: ‘They accuse Israel, tiny Israel, of colonialism – some colonialism. 

‘And who’s accusing us? Among them are people in Britain and in France. For God’s sakes, they invented the term.’

He went on to call the Israeli youths who target Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank ‘juvenile delinquents’.

‘What (the media) cover is a handful of young juvenile delinquents, about 150 in number, who go or throw stones, who chop down olive trees,’ Netanyahu said.

‘I can’t stand that. I won’t stand for vigilantism.’

He also claimed that ‘many Jews’ no longer feel safe in New York since leftist Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s election.

‘Since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York,’ he said. ‘You falsely, repeatedly accuse Israel of genocide.’

His speech came after a week filled with speeches by world leaders accusing Israel of genocide and war crimes in Gaza.

The Palestinian Mission to the UN said in a message to many of the 193 member nations to bring as many staff as possible to the assembly hall and ‘collectively walk out of the assembly’ once the Israeli prime minister is announced.

‘This will send a clear message to Netanyahu and his government that no one is willing to aid, abet, or be complicit in its genocide and war crimes and illegal occupation, which all peace-loving states and peoples demand must come to an end,’ the message said.

In past years, Netanyahu has used his General Assembly speech to both denounce the United Nations as biased and make Israel’s case to world leaders. 

His address – scheduled for prime time in Israel – is the cornerstone of an abbreviated trip to the United States unfolding under the shadow of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani calling him a ‘war criminal’ and pushing for his arrest.

Mamdani has acknowledged that New York does not have the authority to execute an International Criminal Court warrant but urged federal authorities to do so.

Israel has grown increasingly isolated throughout the war in Gaza. The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping 251. 

At least 73,922 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s subsequent offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government whose numbers are generally considered reliable by the international community.

A ceasefire agreed to by Israel and Hamas last October halted the heaviest of the fighting and led to the release of the remaining hostages yet further steps have since stalled. 

Israel maintains control of most of Gaza and continues to carry out airstrikes on Palestinians near military-held zones. 

Hamas has not disarmed or relinquished power and there has been no progress toward reconstruction in the mostly destroyed territory.

Susan Sarandon was one of the stars detained at a protest outside of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s United Nations address. 

The 79-year-old actress was among dozens who were cuffed as NYPD cops worked to clear First Avenue ahead of the speech to the UN General Assembly.

A smiling Sarandon, who was memorably canceled over her Pro-Palestine comments, looked up to the sky serenely as she was cuffed by NYPD officers, three years after she found herself behind bars after attending a protest at the New York state Capitol in Albany. 

Fellow actresses Hannah Einbinder and Cynthia Nixon were also among those who reportedly were taken into custody.

The protest began at around noon as socialist groups joined Jewish Voice For Peace as they blocked traffic near the UN  with the aim of calling out Netanyahu’s war in Gaza and the ongoing conflict in Iran.

Ahead of Netanyahu’s visit, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged his arrest, saying the US should honor a warrant for Netanyahu issued by the International Criminal Court. 

Fellow actresses Hannah Einbinder (pictured) and Cynthia Nixon were also among those who reportedly were taken into custody

Netanyahu is seen addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York on Thursday

He is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Gaza, though the US is not a member of the court and New York City lacks the authority to arrest him. 

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Sarandon, Einbinder, and Nixon for comment and has yet to hear back. 

Earlier this month, Sarandon revealed that her political beliefs continue to affect her professional life.

The veteran actress – who has previously said she’s been blacklisted over pro-Palestinian comments – was asked at the Venice Film Festival if the ‘tides [are] changing’ in show business.

She answered in part, ‘In terms of the power structure. I’ve still had movies taken away recently, because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still. But that’s the power structure,’ per People.

On the other hand, she said, ‘I think that the narrative has completely changed. There’s a lot of things that people are aware of now.’

Sarandon said in Italy on Sunday, ‘Certainly internationally, I feel welcome. So it depends. If it’s a major studio, I think there is, not just with me, but with other people… that have been told that that is impossible.’

Referencing the movie, she continued, ‘In terms of doing this film, I thank Andrea for that, because he didn’t listen to the warnings.

 A smiling Sarandon, who was memorably canceled over her Pro-Palestine comments, looked up to the sky serenely as she was cuffed by NYPD officers, three years after she found herself behind bars after attending a protest at the New York state Capitol in Albany

‘So I think, yes, there has been a change in terms of understanding of the situation, and I think the general public, but there are still very strongly held positions within my industry held by Zionists and [those] who have not relaxed their feelings towards me. But I found my family, I found my people, and I’m okay.’

Earlier this year, Sarandon spoke out about her alleged blacklisting from the industry over pro-Palestinian remarks she made amid Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza.

During a press conference in Barcelona, Spain in March, she recalled being dropped by her talent agency after she called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

‘I was fired by my agency specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza – for asking for a ceasefire – and it became impossible for me to even be on television,’ she said ahead of the 40th Goya Awards.

‘I don’t know lately if it’s changed, [but] I couldn’t do any major film, anything connected with Hollywood,’ she shared.

Sarandon said that even foreign filmmakers were being urged not to work with her.

‘This Italian director that just hired me, he was told not to hire me,’ she noted. ‘So that’s still recently. He didn’t listen, but they had that conversation.’

The Rocky Horror Picture Show star claimed in late 2023 that Jewish people were ‘getting a taste of what it feels like to be Muslim’ amid the war with Hamas at a rally in New York City. 

She then apologized for her comment, explaining that she had not planned to speak at the rally, but was invited to address the crowd and intended to ‘highlight the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza.’

In an interview with The Times of London in late 2024, Sarandon reflected on how the controversy led to the departure of her agent and how she is no longer able to star in mainstream studio films.

She told the publication: ‘I was dropped by my agency, my projects were pulled. I’ve been used as an example of what not to do if you want to continue to work.

‘There are so many people out of work right now since November of last year… who have lost their jobs as custodians, as writers, as painters, as people working in the cafeteria, substitute teachers who have been fired because they tweeted something, or liked a tweet, or asked for a ceasefire.’

Asked if she would ever be offered a big film role again, she replied: ‘I don’t know. Not anything in Hollywood.’

In 2023 Sarandon found herself behind bars after attending a protest at the New York state Capitol in Albany in support of raising minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers.

New York state legislators were getting ready to increase the  minimum wage to $17 an hour, though tipped restaurant workers are excluded from this new law.

The actress was one of eight activists for One Fair Wage who were arrested, via WNYT.

Spectrum 1 Albany reporter Kate Lisa also shared a video on Twitter, showing the activists – including former New York lieutenant governor candidate Ana Maria Archila – at the state Capitol concourse shouting, ‘One fair wage!’ repeatedly.

They were also trying to spread a massive pink banner across the concourse before they were arrested for disorderly conduct.

Sarandon and the others were all processed, issued appearance tickets and released.

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