The actress, who played Rovers Return icon Liz McDonald in the ITV soap, recently shared her breast cancer diagnosis

Coronation Street star Beverley Callard has issued a further update on her cancer diagnosis as she confirmed she’ll soon undergo an operation.

The actress, best known for having played Rovers Return icon Liz McDonald in the ITV soap, recently told how she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, but is in the “early stages” and will be going ahead with further treatment before returning to the screen.

The diagnosis came as she is joining the Irish soap opera Fair City as a new character named Lily, long-lost mother of existing character Gwen Connolly. She shared the news during an appearance on RTE’s Late Late Show last Friday (February 6) before returning to the UK.

On Sunday (February 8), Beverley took to social media to address her health after she was flooded with best wishes for her journey ahead. She said in a clip shared on X (formerly Twitter) that she was back home in Norfolk after travelling home with her husband and dog from Ireland.

Beverley went on to say: “I really want to say thank you so much to everyone for your wonderful messages. Everybody’s been truly fantastic. But I also want to say, I’m feeling really positive and I’m very strong. I begin hospital stuff and everything now I’m home. Everything begins this week. On Wednesday, they’re testing lymph nodes and lymph glands and all of that and I will keep everyone updated. I’m so appreciative of all the love that’s coming. Thank you.”

Following her appointment, she continued to keep her followers updated on her journey. On Wednesday (February 11), Beverley, 68, was seen in a video on social media in which she could be seen in the hospital as well as at home afterwards.

Noting that everything “seemed to go well”, the soap star said: “I’m back from the hospital, and it all seemed to go well. They tested lymph nodes and things, so I should know by Wednesday of next week about that. I have another appointment then, and then two days later, on the 20th, I have the operation.”

Despite this, the actress said: “I’m feeling really positive, but I also must say, there were dozens of ladies in there just the same as me, and they were all positive as well and upbeat, so we’re getting there and sticking together.”

Speaking in an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Beverley shared her positive outlook. She said: “I’m feeling fine, I’m feeling strong. I’m glad I’ve said it out publicly so it’s just out there for other thousands of women who are also going through it. But yes, I’m feeling really strong, a little bit scared because it seems a bit more real since I’m going back to hospital next week. But I’m really full of optimism.”

She went on: “The biggest thing of all is I cannot wait to come back to Fair City to all the actors and the crew because they’ve just been amazing and I love the treadmill of being in studio, and doing one scene after another. The writing has been amazing and I just can’t wait for more.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will send the world’s largest aircraft carrier to the Middle East to back up another already there, a person familiar with the plans said Friday, putting more American firepower behind President Donald Trump’s efforts to coerce Iran into a deal over its nuclear program.

The USS Gerald R. Ford’s planned deployment to the Mideast comes after Trump only days earlier suggested another round of talks with the Iranians was at hand. Those negotiations didn’t materialize as one of Tehran’s top security officials visited Oman and Qatar this week and exchanged messages with the U.S. intermediaries.

Already, Gulf Arab nations have warned any attack could spiral into another regional conflict in a Mideast still reeling from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Iranians are beginning to hold 40-day mourning ceremonies for the thousands killed in Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month, adding to the internal pressure faced by the sanctions-battered Islamic Republic.

The Ford’s deployment, first reported by The New York Times, will put two carriers and their accompanying warships in the region. Already, the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying guided-missile destroyers are in the Arabian Sea.

The person who spoke to The Associated Press on the deployment did so on condition of anonymity to discuss military movements.

Ford had been part of Venezuela strike force

It marks a quick turnaround for the Ford, which Trump sent from the Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean last October as the administration build up a huge military presence in the lead-up to the surprise raid last month that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

It also appears to be at odds with Trump’s national security strategy, which put an emphasis on the Western Hemisphere over other parts of the world.

Trump on Thursday warned Iran that failure to reach a deal with his administration would be “very traumatic.” Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Oman last week.

“I guess over the next month, something like that,” Trump said in response to a question about his timeline for striking a deal with Iran on its nuclear program. “It should happen quickly. They should agree very quickly.”

Trump told Axios earlier this week that he was considering sending a second carrier strike group to the Middle East.

Trump held lengthy talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and said he insisted to Israel’s leader that negotiations with Iran needed to continue. Netanyahu is urging the administration to press Tehran to scale back its ballistic missile program and end its support for militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah as part of any deal.

The USS Ford set out on deployment in late June 2025, which means the crew will have been deployed for eight months in two weeks time. While it is unclear how long the ship will remain in the Middle East, the move sets the crew up for an usually long deployment.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ford’s deployment comes as Iran mourns

Iran at home faces still-simmering anger over its wide-ranging suppression of all dissent in the Islamic Republic. That rage may intensify in the coming days as families of the dead begin marking the traditional 40-day mourning for the loved ones. Already, online videos have shown mourners gathering in different parts of the country, holding portraits of their dead.

One video purported to show mourners at a graveyard in Iran’s Razavi Khorasan province, home to Mashhad, on Thursday. There, with a large portable speaker, people sang the patriotic song “Ey Iran,” which dates to 1940s Iran under the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. While initially banned after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran’s theocratic government has played it to drum up support.

“Oh Iran, a land of full of jewels, your soil is full of art,” they sang. “May evil wishes be far from you. May you live eternal. Oh enemy, if you are a piece of granite, I am iron.”

___

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.

The FA Cup returns this weekend, with 11 fourth-round fixtures scheduled to be broadcast live on various channels.

The third round of the competition was not short of drama, with holders Crystal Palace knocked out by non-league side Macclesfield in one of the biggest FA Cup upsets of all time.

And 32 teams now return this weekend as they look to take another step towards the final at Wembley later this year.

A new TV deal has kicked in this season with TNT Sports and discovery+ showing every FA Cup third-round fixture, apart from those under the 3pm Saturday blackout.

The BBC only has two televised FA Cup third-round fixtures this weekend and both were broadcast on Saturday.

ITV will not be showing any FA Cup matches after the BBC agreed a four-year deal with TNT Sports, the main rights holder, to co-exclusively broadcast 14 games per season.

Which FA Cup games are on TV this weekend?

Friday, February 13

7.45pm: Hull City v Chelsea (BBC One, iPlayer, TNT Sports 1 and discovery+)
7.45pm: Wrexham v Ipswich Town (BBC Wales platforms and discovery+)

Saturday, February 14

12.15pm: Burton Albion v West Ham United (TNT Sports 1 and discovery+)
5.45pm: Aston Villa v Newcastle United (BBC One, iPlayer, TNT Sports 3 and discovery+)
8pm: Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion (TNT Sports 1 and discovery+)

Sunday, February 15

12pm: Birmingham City v Leeds United (TNT Sports 3 and discovery+)
1.30pm: Grimsby Town v Wolverhampton Wanderers (TNT Sports 1 and discovery+)
2pm: Oxford United v Sunderland (discovery+)
2pm: Stoke City v Fulham (discovery+)
4.30pm: Arsenal v Wigan Athletic (TNT Sports 1 and discovery+)

Monday, February 16

7.30pm: Macclesfield v Brentford (TNT Sports 1 and discovery+)

Are there replays in the FA Cup?

No – replays were scrapped during the full rounds of the FA Cup last season and the FA have kept that in place for the current campaign.

When is the FA Cup fifth-round draw?

The draw for the FA Cup fifth round will take place on Monday, 16 February

It will be available to watch on TNT Sports 1, discovery+ and the TNT Sports YouTube channel.

The draw is set to take place during the pre-match coverage of Macclesfield versus Brentford, which kicks off at 8pm.

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That’s pretty strange, but his reason for not being concerned about them is also really gross – trust us.

It all started when Kennedy reminded Von of how they had met before the Covid-19 pandemic at early morning recovery meetings (Kennedy has been in recovery from drug addiction for more than 40 years). After the lockdown, they kept in touch via a “pirate” group that continued to meet in secret.

Kennedy then explained that his commitment to the recovery process is crucial to his well-being.

“I said this when we came in, and I said, ‘I don’t care what happens, I’m going to a meeting every day,’” Kennedy said, before explaining that, for him, addiction is worse than an infection from a virus.

“I’m not scared of a germ; I used to snort cocaine off of toilet seats. I know this disease will kill me,” he said. “If I don’t treat it, which for me means going to meetings every day, it’s just bad for my life.”

Earlier this week, he said working for Trump is “a joy because he lets me do stuff that I don’t think anybody else would ever let me do.”

Need help with substance use disorder or mental health issues? In the U.S., call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline.

Durham County Council approved the proposal for a two-storey industrial building at Inkerman Industrial Estate, Tow Law, on February 10.

Plans, submitted by Fast Fix Interiors in September 2023, outlines the creation of two commercial units totalling 288 square metres, alongside a double-storey building.

The development will provide 11 parking spaces.

The council’s highways department, alongside contaminated land and ecology experts, issued no objections.

A legal agreement requires Fast Fix Interiors to contribute £5,300 towards offsetting biodiversity net loss caused by the development.

Further stipulations include restrictions on construction hours.

The major route is closed both eastbound and westbound between the A685 and the junction with the A1M this morning (February 13).

AA Traffic News is currently reporting increasing delays of nine minutes on the A66 Westbound leading up to the road closure, with an average speed of 15 mph.

Reports online suggests there are growing queues of traffic, with one post saying there wee “more than 200 HGVs and vehicles stationary” earlier this morning.

Traffic England still states that the road is closed both ways as of 7.30am but posts on Facebook suggest that the westbound side is now flowing and eastbound still stationary.

It comes as the region braces for outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow across the North East this morning amid a yellow weather warning.

The Met Office predicts that the rain and snow will clear south during the early hours of this morning but warned the low temperatures could lead to ice on untreated surfaces.

In Darlington, heavy snow is forecast until 9am, with sleet showers ongoing throughout most of the day amid low temperatures.

The weather warning is set to last until midday today.

Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, died less than half an hour after two women exposed him to deadly VX nerve agent.

The half brother of Kim Jong-un passed away after being exposed to VX nerve agent – one of the most deadly chemical weapons. Nine years ago today, Kuala Lumpur airport was experiencing a typically hectic day, with commuters and holidaymakers passing through the Malaysian capital.

Blending in amongst fellow travellers was a middle-aged North Korean man dressed in casual clothing – a blue polo shirt and jeans – who was wandering around the budget airlines terminal, awaiting his flight back home to Macau. Kim Chol was the alias of Kim Jong-nam – the estranged half-brother of Kim Jong-un, and the one who was initially anticipated to follow his father’s footsteps and become North Korean supreme leader.

At approximately 9am, Kim stood near a self check-in kiosk when a woman suddenly approached him and smeared an oily substance across his face before rushing away. A second woman emerged, covering his eyes with her hands and sliding them down over his mouth, before apologising and vanishing into the crowds, reports the Mirror US.

Kim, already experiencing dizziness and pain, located an airport receptionist to report the incident. He was quickly rushed on a stretcher to the airport’s medical clinic, where staff described him as sweating, unresponsive, and in obvious distress.

He received treatment using atropine, adrenaline and tracheal intubation, but rapidly passed away, less than half an hour after the attack.

Subsequently an autopsy would confirm the man had been exposed to VX nerve agent, one of the most deadly chemical weapons known – a component that triggers rapid respiratory failure by blocking the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. In Kim’s situation, the toxic agent had resulted in the collapse of his lungs, brain, liver and spleen, alongside pupil constriction and involuntary defecation.

Officers discovered he was carrying approximately US$100,000 in currency and four North Korean passports, each displaying the name Kim Chol, with his true identity only being confirmed a month later through DNA matching with his son, Kim Han-sol. Within a matter of days, Malaysian authorities apprehended two women identified through CCTV footage – Đoàn Thị Hương, a 28-year-old Vietnamese citizen, and Siti Aisyah, a 25-year-old Indonesian.

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Both women insisted they believed they were taking part in an innocent practical joke for a TV programme, yet faced murder charges regardless – a crime punishable by death under Malaysia’s legal system. During their testimony, they described being approached individually, months prior to the attack, by men purporting to be Japanese, Chinese or South Korean television producers, who recruited them to surprise members of the public in locations such as shopping centres or hotels by briefly touching their faces to capture their reactions.

Police enquiries confirmed Aisyah had actually carried out comparable “pranks” on no fewer than 10 separate occasions, whilst Hương had done so four times. Each woman was offered US$100 for the airport operation. Investigators identified the primary suspects orchestrating the assassination as North Korean nationals, including an individual named Ri Ji-u, who appeared in Aisyah’s mobile contacts under the pseudonym “James.”

Following the attack, airport CCTV footage captured the women washing their hands in airport toilets – instructions consistent with handling VX residue. Prosecutors ultimately accepted the women had genuinely been unknowingly exploited as delivery mechanisms for the nerve agent. Each carried one non-lethal component which, when combined, became lethal.

Years afterwards, in March 2019, Aisyah’s murder charge was dropped following a request from the Indonesian government. Hương was jailed but her charge was subsequently reduced – she pleaded guilty to causing hurt with dangerous weapons. She was released in May 2019.

As anticipated, global diplomacy and media attention swiftly turned towards North Korea, as four North Korean men – later identified as intelligence agents – were captured on CCTV departing Malaysia just hours after being in close proximity to the incident. They separated, travelling through Jakarta, Dubai and Vladivostok before reaching North Korean capital Pyongyang.

North Korea did not accept responsibility, however, and claimed Kim died of a heart attack. Malaysian police dismissed the claims, and stated they were working with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons when identifying the lethal substance used in the attack.

Kim Jong-nam had been living outside his homeland since 2003, and was vocally disapproving of his family’s authoritarian rule. Intelligence officials from South Korea revealed his younger sibling Kim Jong Un had issued a permanent directive for his elimination, and asserted this wasn’t their first assassination attempt.

In 2019, the Wall Street Journal disclosed Kim Jong-nam had been working as an informant for the CIA, which strengthened suspicions that his killing was orchestrated by the state.

The murder triggered what remains, even now, amongst the most serious diplomatic standoffs in either North Korean or Malaysian history. The Southeast Asian nation scrapped visa-free access for North Koreans and ejected their ambassador – whilst Pyongyang prevented Malaysian nationals from departing North Korea.

When Kim Jong-nam’s remains were handed over to his relatives, at their behest, relations began to thaw.

The episode provoked worldwide condemnation, with South Korean authorities characterising it as proof of Kim Jong Un’s “reign of terror,” and the United States redesignating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism – citing Kim Jong-nam’s murder amongst the justifications for the classification.

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Marcus Rashford has been one of Barcelona’s most consistent performers this season following his loan move from Manchester United last summer

Marcus Rashford has established himself as a crucial member of Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side since his loan move from Manchester United last summer. Rashford, 28, has spent the last seven months in the Catalan region after he expressed his desire to leave the Reds following the end of his short-term loan at Aston Villa.

And it’s safe to suggest that Rashford has made quite the impression at Camp Nou. Indeed, the Wythenshawe-born forward has scored 10 goals and provided 13 assists in 34 appearances for Barca this season.

He has gained Flick’s trust fast with Rashford the seventh-most used outfield player in his Barcelona squad in 2025/26. He has clocked 1,970 minutes across all competitions this campaign, which is more than Pedri (1,820), Fermin Lopez (1,817), Ferran Torres (1,748), Dani Olmo (1,552) and Raphinha (1,409).

Eric Garcia (2,865), Jules Kounde (2,725), Pau Cubarsi (2,611), Lamine Yamal (2,581), Alejandro Balde (2,272) and Frenkie de Jong (2,245) are the outfielders that have played more minutes than Rashford this season.

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Although Rashford didn’t feature in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey 4-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid due to ‘knee bruise’, he did start – and impress – in last Saturday’s 3-0 win against Mallorca in La Liga.

Barcelona have a £26million option to buy Rashford at the end of his loan spell. Flick’s side are keen to reduce that amount, but they are aware that it won’t be possible as United are not willing to discount even a penny from what was signed, according to SPORT. It’s added that the Reds even consider that as a ‘cheap price’.

Flick has often praised Rashford for his work ethic and talent since he arrived at Barca. “We always look at the goals, the last passes, but as a coach he can give us much more,” Flick said in a press conference earlier this month. “That’s what I want to see. I am very happy with him, he is giving us what we ask of him, but he has more potential.”

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While it does appear that Rashford is keen to remain at Barca beyond the end of his loan, there has been talk that he could return to United and integrate back into the first-team following Ruben Amorim’s exit.

Now that Michael Carrick is back at Old Trafford, ex-United coach Rene Meulensteen believes that Rashford’s time at the Reds might not be finished.

“It could be a route back for Marcus Rashford at Man Utd, definitely,” Meulensteen told BetGoat. “I think Marcus is still as ‘red’ as anyone because he came through the ranks as a young kid, and that will never go away, that will never leave him.

“It’s the same with Scott McTominay. Both players have done extremely well wherever they’ve gone. But I think it was good for Marcus to have that spell away, first of all at Aston Villa, but now at Barcelona. It’s a different culture, a different language, and a different style. Every week is different.

“The Premier League is different. It’s so much more demanding than any league in the world. And I think he’s enjoying his football, and that’s the most important thing. He needs to enjoy his football.”

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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.

The historic chapel is where the words Bread of Heaven was first sung

The Welsh valleys chapel where the beloved hymn Cwm Rhondda / Bread of Heaven was first performed is officially in the hands of the community after a huge fundraising drive to save it. A community group has taken over the iconic Capel Rhondda, located in the former mining village of Hopkinstown, near Pontypridd, after they raised more than £70,000 to buy it.

The campaign was launched after the building was put up for sale for just £47k last year. Residents were concerned that the Grade II listed chapel would potentially be bought by property developers, … worries that the history of the building would be lost.

One local woman stepped in to create a crowdfunding campaign for locals to try and save it for themselves at the last minute, and the campaign quickly garnered widespread support from across the globe and raised the funds to buy the chapel within days.

Rhian Hopkins, who is from the small Rhondda Cynon Taf village and attended Sunday school at the chapel when she was young, was one of the campaigners leaders. Get the latest Rhondda news first by signing up to our newsletter here

After she received the keys to the chapel earlier this week, she said: “The purchase of Capel Rhondda demonstrates what is possible when people come together.

“We are so incredibly proud of our community fundraising achievement and grateful for every donation received, from individuals and organisations, near and far. Community ownership of the chapel is not just a powerful symbol, but ensures that the future of Capel Rhondda will be shaped by local voices, preserving an important community space for generations to come.”

To celebrate the group’s purchase, members of the Pontypridd Male Voice Choir performed Bread of Heaven / Cwm Rhondda on Thursday, within the chapel walls where the hymn was first heard more than a century ago.

The Welsh Government has awarded a £10,000 grant to through its Perthyn grant scheme to support the next phase of the project and help bring the community’s vision to life. It will be used to fund surveys and repair work on the building.

Finance minister Mark Drakeford, also visited Capel Rhondda to celebrate the purchase. He said: “It was an honour to visit Capel Rhondda so soon after the community received the keys and to celebrate what has been achieved. Hearing the choir perform the hymn in its birthplace was a moving experience.

“I am proud to support this project through the Perthyn grant, helping to safeguard a building of real historical and cultural significance for future generations, while creating a hub for the whole community, where the Welsh language can be promoted and used.”

Rhian added: “The backing we have received from the Perthyn grant is instrumental in helping us to take the next steps, allowing us to carry out essential surveys and plan the necessary repairs to be able to re-open the doors of this precious building.

“While we recognise the many challenges that lie ahead, from securing significant additional funding to carrying out extensive repair and restoration work, we are committed to consulting with residents to create a welcoming space for all, where our heritage will be treasured.”

The Perthyn grant scheme helps communities to take the practical first steps to turn projects into community initiatives, with the Welsh language at the heart of the work. These initiatives create economic opportunities, provide affordable housing and protect community assets in Welsh communities. Since 2022, more than 70 grants have been awarded to support groups to develop and establish new cooperatives.

Following the expansion of the scheme across the whole of Wales, Capel Rhondda is the first project in the south Wales valleys to benefit from the grant.

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