Heavy rain may lead to some flooding and travel disruption

The Met Office has issued a new yellow weather warning for parts of Northern Ireland. The yellow rain alert comes into force at 12 noon on Thursday, February 5, and will remain in force until 23.59pm on Friday, February 6.

It covers all of counties Antrim, Armagh, Down Derry and Tyrone with the weather forecaster warning that heavy rain may lead to some flooding and travel disruption.

The Met Office added: “Areas of rain will continue to spread northwestwards across Northern Ireland during Thursday, Thursday night and much of Friday. Rain will be heavy at times and may lead to some flooding and travel disruption in places.

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“The majority of places are most likely to see 10-20 mm of rain and low level impacts, with some southeast facing hills seeing 40-50 mm through this period.

“Rain is expected to be particularly persistent over the east and southeast facing slopes of the Mourne Mountains and Antrim Hills, which may receive 60-80 mm; here low impacts are most likely overall with a small chance they could be medium.“At the same time, strong to gale forecast east to southeast winds may lead to some difficult travel conditions and large waves along Irish Sea coasts.”

What should I expect?

• Spray and flooding will lead to difficult driving conditions and possibly road closures
• Bus and train services probably affected with journey times taking longer
• Some interruption to power supplies and other services possible
• Flooding of a few homes and businesses is possible
• Strong winds, generating large waves and spray, may present dangerous conditions for exposed coastal communities.

What should I do?

• Check if your property could be at risk of flooding. If so, consider preparing a flood plan and an emergency flood kit.
• Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary.
• People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.
• Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.

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WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES: Caleb Chabolla, 9, was left with second-degree burns after a friend showed him a TikTok video about making a popular toy more flexible by placing it inside a microwave

A 9-year-old boy was left with severe burns and nearly blinded after being inspired by a social media clip to microwave one of his toys.

Caleb Chabolla placed his NeeDoh Nice Cube sensory toy into a microwave after a pal told him it would make the rubber toy more flexible. His mum recalled the horror moment she heard her young son’s blood-curdling cry coming from the kitchen.

The schoolboy cried: “It burns, it burns.” The outside layer of the toy is made from non-toxic silicone but its inside contained a glue-like substance that expands and bursts when exposed to significant heat.

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Caleb’s mum Whitney Grubb told ABC7 the substance flew all over his face when he opened the microwave at their home in Chicago, Illinois. Speaking to CBS News, she said: “I heard him scream and I saw him take off running towards one of our bathrooms and that stuff had popped on his face.”

The mum then rushed Caleb to the emergency room after he suffered second-degree burns on one side of his face and his hands. She added: “By the time, you know, we were settled in at Loyola, his eye was completely swollen shut, so I was immediately worried about his eye.”

At a nearby hospital, staff washed the burns and cut away dead skin before applying ointment. An ophthalmic check on his eye found his vision was unimpaired by the incident.

Doctors said Caleb was not the only child to have fallen victim to the trend. Kelly McElligott of the Loyola Medicine burn centre said: “A child who heated it up in the microwave, then put her finger on it and her finger went through, and it burned her finger.” She said Caleb went on to spend two days in the hospital and did not need to have skin grafts but that he might develop scars.

Caleb’s mum and Ms McElligott have now urged families to be cautious. McElligott added: “Do not heat these up in any way, shape, or form. Whether it’s the microwave, hot water, those things can really be dangerous.”

There are warning labels on the NeeDoh Nice Cube that state the toy should not be heated up. Caleb will undergo a follow-up appointment at the burn clinic and is slated to return to school in the coming week.

Analysis by BBC Sport Scotland’s chief sports writer Tom English

Outside Scotland, this selection is going to cause sharp intakes of breath. Maybe inside Scotland, or in parts of it, this selection is going to cause sharp intakes of breath.

It really shouldn’t.

Yes, Blair Kinghorn has been a shoo-in at 15 for the longest time, but there are mistakes in his game that tend to come tumbling out when Scotland are under the pump.

The inclusion of Tom Jordan – playing his in his third-best position after 10 and 12 – is a nod to having a more mentally robust outfit when the heat comes on. Kinghorn will get plenty of game-time in this Six Nations, but not in week one.

Yes, again, Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe are record-breaking mainstays, but the pair of them have been dragged down by Edinburgh’s malaise and, quite honestly, it would have been a shock had Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie not started.

They’re both in flying form and are both leaders in their own way. Mental fortitude has been a problem for Scotland, but not for Glasgow.

Steyn and Dobie were nailed on to start if form over reputation was any sort of guide.

Grant Gilchrist survives the challenge of a battalion of second rows, but there are two seriously impressive operators to come off the bench.

Gregor Brown is in at cover at six but he’s just as good at lock. And Max Williamson is the size of a house. You’re getting great impact there. Williamson was injured this time last year and missed the entire tournament. Big chance for the big man.

With three games in three weeks and five in six weeks, Gregor Townsend is going to use his squad more than ever, I suspect.

There are a lot of top-notch players turning out for the A team on Friday night or not turning out at all this weekend.

We’ll be seeing some of them down the track for sure. The schedule and the inevitability of injuries within that schedule will demand it.

That bench looks good. George Horne is having a whale of a season and what an impact he might have in Rome. Graham, if at his best, gives you massive X-factor. Adam Hastings deserves to be back in the frame.

It’s encouraging on paper. Now for the reality.

1) A “talking stage” (37%)

2) An almost-relationship (23%)

3) An emotional situationship (20%)

4) A convenience situationship (11%)

5) A placeholder situationship (10%)

There were emotional scenes between the pair and fans have a theory

Coronation Street fans think they have ‘worked out’ Carl Webster’s grim future amid backlash to his treatment of Debbie Webster, who is set to go to prison for his crimes.

Having only been mentioned by name previously, Carl was thought to be the son of Bill and Elaine Webster and was born in Germany, where his parents were living at the time. When he was nine years old, his father, Bill, left Germany and returned to Weatherfield after his mother, Elaine, had an affair.

However, it was recently revealed that a lie was hiding amid the Webster clan, as in Corrie scenes aired earlier last month, it was confirmed that Debbie is, in fact, Carl’s mother.

The revelation came to viewers of the ITV soap after Debbie pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and causing the death of Billy Mayhew following the horror multi-vehicle pile-up, which featured in the Emmerdale crossover, Corriedale, and saw multiple lives from both Weatherfield and the Dales at risk.

In the moments after they became involved in the carnage, which came after Carl left Debbie and Ronnie Bailey’s wedding in Yorkshire, driving the car drunk with Debbie in the passenger seat, Carl moved Debbie to be at the wheel as she was left unconscious after the smash, and then left her to take the blame for the accident.

Earlier this week, Debbie was continuing to get her affairs in order as she prepares for a prison stint, while also trying to create peace in her family, by staging an intervention for her brother, Kevin.

However, they were interrupted by a fuming Carl, who wanted to have it out with Debbie after discovering she had chosen Ryan to take charge of the Chariot Square Hotel while she’s gone. Later, as he visited her at the flat, Debbie admitted to Carl that she was frightened about going to prison, especially following her dementia diagnosis last year, and Carl appeared to show a glimmer of guilt.

And it was during Wednesday’s (February 4) edition of the ITV soap that Carl finally had a change of heart when a distressed Ronnie told him that Debbie had called him ‘Ray’ and expressed his concerns that her dementia will only get worse when she’s put behind bars.

Carl vowed to put things right and when Ronnie explained his confusing exchange with Carl, Debbie rushed to stop him from going to the police. As Carl admitted it was him driving, Debbie said she knew and eventually blurted out that he’s her son.

And emotional confrontation then ensued between the pair, in which Debbie explained she was 17 when she gave birth and that while her step-mother, Elaine, wanted her to have an abortion, their dad, Bill, agreed to bring Carl up as their own. But Carl admitted it wasn’t the dream childhood and that he now knew why Elaine never wanted him.

Carl continued to lash out at Debbie, blaming her for all his problems over the years and said she only wanted to go to prison for him to ease her own guilt, branding her selfish and a liar. In the end, he appeared pleased that she was going to prison instead of him, cruelly telling her to enjoy her time behind bars as he won’t be visiting.

And after seeing Debbie left devastated, Corrie fans think Carl could, and should, be the victim of the upcoming murder that is set to rock the cobbles in a special flashforward to air this month, before the victim is revealed in the months ahead.

@RyanSoapKing25 said: “Please let Carl get killed off in the Flashforward! #Corrie.” @BusesInChester commented: “I hope Carl is the one who gets Murdered #Corrie.” @roscoeleebarnes posted: “Carl is definitely dying in the flash forward surely?! #Corrie.” @TheConnorSwains added: “The only justification for how many storylines Carl is involved in right now has to mean he’s gonna be the victim in the whodunit #Corrie flashforward! Abi, Kevin, Tyrone, Debbie, Ryan, Jodie, Ronnie, Theo…. All gonna be the suspects!”

There are seven cases in Scotland, 24 in England and three in Wales.

Seven children in Scotland are suffering symptoms consistent with toxin poisoning linked to recent baby formula recalls.

The UK Health Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed it has received a total of 36 notifications across the country of children becoming ill after consuming the formula.

There are seven cases in Scotland, 24 in England and three in Wales.

On January 5, the Food Standards Agency confirmed that Nestle was undertaking a precautionary product recall of several batches of 12 SMA Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula products in the UK due to the possible presence of the cereulide toxin.

Cereulide is a highly heat-stable, emetic (vomit-inducing) toxin produced by certain strains of the bacterium Bacillus cereus, often contaminating starchy foods, dairy, and infant formula.

As a potent cytotoxin, it causes rapid-onset nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. It resists cooking temperatures, making it a major food safety concern.

The recall was updated with new product expiry dates on January 9.

On January 24, Danone – another infant formula retailer – recalled one batch of Aptamil First Infant Formula because of cereulide contamination.

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Tom Arthur MSP joined University Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire staff at University Hospital Wishaw to meet the Home Assessment Team which supports eligible people discharged from hospital to lead independent lives at home.

An innovative service changing how people in North Lanarkshire recover in their own homes rather than staying in hospital welcomed a visit from the Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing.

Tom Arthur MSP joined University Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire staff at University Hospital Wishaw to meet the Home Assessment Team which supports eligible people discharged from hospital to lead independent lives at home.

The team carries out an ongoing assessment of each eligible person’s specific needs in their home with wrap-around support for up to two weeks and often sees them within hours of their discharge from hospital.

Made up of a range of health and social care staff, the team will agree with the patient what their goals are and what their assessment should focus on. Some people won’t need support when returning home but may benefit from some equipment or technology to help with daily living tasks.

Several of the partnership’s staff were also on hand to share the importance of the Frailty Hub and proactive working in helping patients leave hospital so that they can remain part of their communities.

Staff told the Minister how they have dramatically cut the number of people whose discharges are being delayed through programmes such as the Wishaw Enabling Hub work, and the Discharge Without Delay and Planned Date of Discharge initiatives.

Mr Arthur said: “I was delighted to meet the Home Assessment team who are making good progress in addressing delayed discharges. It was heartening to hear how they are supporting people in their own homes after they’ve been discharged from hospital and how they play a key role preventing people from hospital admission in the first place.

“This is a good example of the work taking place across the country to make sure people can leave hospital as soon as they’re ready to do so.”

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Claire Rae, chief officer, University Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire, said: “Hospital is the right place for specialised care when people are very sick, however studies show that people recover better in their own homes with the support of family and friends.

“Our highly skilled staff are committed to cutting delayed discharges and continue to make progress in making sure people don’t have to stay in hospital any longer than strictly necessary. Designed to cut the number of delayed discharges, this work also plays a role in freeing up beds for those most in need.

“Today was an important opportunity to showcase their great work to the Minister and show him the positive impact their dedication is having on people who can now recover in their own homes.

“By assessing each eligible person’s needs in their own environment, our teams can work with people to assess what they’re managing well and what might be a bit more challenging. The team can aid recovery, building up of strength and how people can undertake daily tasks safely and independently.

READ MORE: Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke MP welcomes scrapping of Two Child cap

“One of our key targets is improving the patient journey. This begins as soon as someone is admitted to hospital and, through early and effective planning, we can prevent unnecessary delays in getting them home.

“We know from feedback that when someone goes into hospital, invariably the first question that is asked is ‘when am I going home?’ Therefore, it’s vital for a patient’s recovery that they can leave hospital as soon as they are clinically ready and recover in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

“The vital ingredient in making this work as seamlessly as possible is the joined up working between NHS staff, the hospital-based social care workers and our community teams.

“Our staff work incredibly hard to make sure people can return home as soon as possible and they deserve immense credit for the caring and safe way they do this.”

READ MORE: Scottish Parliament event will honour ‘the maestro frae Motherwell’

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MOSCOW (AP) — The last remaining nuclear arms pact between Russia and the United States expires Thursday, removing any caps on the two largest atomic arsenals for the first time in more than a half-century.

The termination of the New START Treaty could set the stage for what many fear could be an unconstrained nuclear arms race.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last year declared readiness to stick to the treaty’s limits for another year if Washington follows suit, but U.S. President Donald Trump has been noncommittal about extending it. He has indicated that he wants China to be a part of it — a push Beijing has rebuffed.

Putin discussed the pact’s expiration with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said, noting Washington hasn’t responded to his proposed extension.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Moscow views the expiration of the treaty “negatively” and regrets its.

“In any case, the Russian Federation will retain its responsible, thorough approach to stability when it comes to nuclear weapons. And, of course, it will be guided primarily by its national interests,” Peskov said.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday night said in a statement that “under the current circumstances, we assume that the parties to the New START Treaty are no longer bound by any obligations or symmetrical declarations within the context of the Treaty, including its core provisions, and are fundamentally free to choose their next steps.”

New START, signed in 2010 by then-President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, restricted each side to no more than 1,550 nuclear warheads on no more than 700 missiles and bombers — deployed and ready for use. It was originally supposed to expire in 2021 but was extended for five more years.

The pact envisioned sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance, although they stopped in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and never resumed.

In February 2023, Putin suspended Moscow’s participation, saying Russia couldn’t allow U.S. inspections of its nuclear sites at a time when Washington and its NATO allies have openly declared Moscow’s defeat in Ukraine as their goal. At the same time, the Kremlin emphasized it wasn’t withdrawing from the pact altogether, pledging to respect its caps on nuclear weapons.

In offering in September to abide by New START’s limits for a year to buy time for both sides to negotiate a successor agreement, Putin said the pact’s expiration would be destabilizing and could fuel nuclear proliferation.

New START followed a long succession of U.S.-Russian nuclear arms reduction pacts. Those have been terminated, as well.

Trump has indicated he would like to keep limits on nuclear weapons but wants to involve China in a potential new treaty.

“I actually feel strongly that if we’re going to do it, I think China should be a member of the extension,” Trump told The New York Times last month. “China should be a part of the agreement.”

Beijing has balked at any restrictions on its smaller but growing nuclear arsenal, while urging the U.S. to resume nuclear talks with Russia.

“China’s nuclear forces are not at all on the same scale as those of the U.S. and Russia, and thus China will not participate in nuclear disarmament negotiations at the current stage,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Thursday.

He said China regrets the expiration of the treaty, calls on the U.S. to resume nuclear dialogue with Russia soon and to positively respond to Moscow’s suggestion that the two sides continue observing the core limits of the treaty for now.

___

This version of the story corrects the last paragraph to say China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing calls on the U.S. to respond positively to Moscow’s proposal to keep adhering to the treaty, not that China views it positively.

___

Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu contributed to this report from Beijing.

Lisa Denton from North Shields will “always be remembered, loved, and never forgotten”, her family say, weeks after the fatal incident on Russell Street on January 24.

The 40-year-old suffered a head injury during the alleged altercation shortly after 10pm, and was rushed to hospital but died the following morning.

Liam Moor, 19, of Telford Street in the East Howdon area, was later arrested and charged with one count of manslaughter.

A woman, aged in her 50s, was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. She has since been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Lisa’s heartbroken family have today (February 5) issued a tribute to her life, as an investigation into her death continues.

They said: “Lisa was the kind of person whose personality truly shone warm, genuine, and full of life, with a dry sense of humour that could catch you off guard and leave you smiling long after.

“She had a way of making people feel seen and welcomed, whether they were lifelong friends or someone she’d just met.

“Her quiet wit, honesty, and strength left a lasting impression on everyone around her. Lisa wasn’t just loved – she was adored by friends, family, and her work family who knew her dedication and heart firsthand.

“She loved life deeply and lived it with purpose. The gym was one of her happy places, a reflection of her drive, discipline, and commitment to bettering herself. Lisa was a good, honest, and hardworking person who took pride in everything she did.

“She showed up for the people she loved, worked tirelessly, and carried herself with integrity and kindness, often paired with that unmistakable dry humour that made even ordinary moments lighter.

“Lisa’s life was taken under tragic circumstances, far too soon, and the loss has left an ache that words can barely hold. But what remains is her spirit – strong, loving, and unforgettable.

“Her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched, the love she gave so freely, and the memories and smiles she leaves behind. Lisa will always be remembered, loved, and never forgotten.”

Officers from Northumbria Police are now appealing for further witnesses to come forward as part of the probe.

Detective Inspector Andrew Miller, of the Force’s Major Investigation Team, said: “This was a tragic incident where a woman has sadly lost her life, and our thoughts remain with Lisa’s family at this time.

“There was a substantial amount of activity in the area on Saturday evening, with multiple members of the public and vehicles passing at the time of the incident.

“It’s imperative that we speak with any key witness who may have information about this incident. We need to understand the full picture around what happened that evening.

“No matter how insignificant you think your information might be – it could prove crucial to our investigation.”

He added: “I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone not to speculate on details of the incident online – what might seem like an innocent social media post, could disrupt a live investigation.

“Thank you for your ongoing support and co-operation.”

A force spokesperson added: “Anyone with information is asked to send Northumbria Police a direct message on social media, or by using live chat and report forms on the Force’s website.

“Those unable to make contact in these ways can call 101. Please quote reference number: NP-20260124-1052.”

The video, taken on Plodder Lane in Farnworth, shows a grey Nissan Juke blocked in by two police cars – one in front and one in back.

But instead of leaving the vehicle, the driver slams into the car in front before ramming into the one behind, dislodging them so they can make their escape.

The video was shared widely on social media (Image: Jack Khan/Facebook)

The incident was shared on Facebook, and two police officers can be seen leaving their vehicles before the car plows through the car in front and drives off.

They begin approaching the car before backing off when the vehicle starts picking up speed.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have been contacted for more information but were unable to confirm the details of the incident.