If you’re wondering what to do with your little one this weekend, one mum has come to the rescue with a genius ‘busy box’ packed with activities to keep tots occupied during any rainy days thrown our way! Pregnant mum Nini Grayce shared her ‘first ever attempt at a busy box‘ and filled it with […]
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Storm Ashley is set to bring power cuts, winds of up to 120kph and coastal flooding this weekend during of one of the highest tides of the year. Weather warnings have been issued across parts of the country, as the first named storm of the season is expected to hit the country this weekend. A […]
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Taking her followers on a tour through her spooktacular Dublin home, Lucy Kennedy pulled out all the stops while decorating for Halloween this year. Lucy, 48, and her husband Richie Governey bought the ‘do-er upper’ semi-detached house in Dun Laoghaire in late 2020. RELATED: Lucy Kennedy surrenders to makeover after daughter tells her she ‘looks […]
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BEING the most popular holiday destination for Brits, choosing where to go in Spain can be tricky.
But Valencia was named the best city in Europe by Conde Nast Traveler – and I was lucky enough to have visited.
Spain isn’t short of beautiful cities – Barcelona and Madrid being the most popular – as well as stunning islands such as Tenerife and Majorca.
I’ve managed to visit nearly 10 different spots across Spain.
But Valencia is my favourite with so much going for it, from futuristic attractions to affordable food and drink.
I was unlucky enough to have visited during the 2022 ‘heat dome‘ which saw temperatures soar to 45C.
It certainly made it a challenge to explore – after all, being 30C at both 8am and 8pm meant there was no escape.
Thankfully, I enjoyed the heat, so made the most of the quieter-than-usual streets because of the (sensible) people taking shelter.
But my favourite attraction that I think is unmissible is the City of Arts and Science.
The huge complex – costing £760million and taking a decade – is home to a number of different structures to explore.
Film fans will recgonise it, featuring in both Westworld and Doctor Who.
There’s the Science Museum, with enough interactive experiences for kids to enjoy.
But for adults there is the Opera House with live musical perfomances and shows.
Outside of the complex, the city is beautiful enough by itself.
Many of the huge Art Deco buildings make the streets feel like a film set,complete with vintage street lights.
There is El Cabanyal, a trendy district named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Europe by The Guardian.
It’s here I fell into a warehouse-cum-greenhouse that had both a bar and jazz being played live on stage.
But the cheapest eat I found was La Finestra back in the city, where not only are the beers cheap, but you can get mini pizzas for just £2.
There’s a number of new hotels opening in the city, such as a new Novotel in downtown this December.
I stayed at the Valencia Oceanic by Melia. It was simple, but had its own pool and was a short walk to everything you need.
This includes the huge stretch of beach to the east, with the Las Arenas strip having bars and cafes.
Flights to Valencia are as little as £16.99 with Ryanair from Birmingham or £20.99 with easyJet from London Gatwick.
A STRICTLY Come Dancing expert has forecast a fan-favourite will be given the chop following this week – insisting fans want rid of show “scandal.”
The BBC One programme returns to screens tonight for Week Five – in what is Strictly‘s 20th anniversary series.
Yet those in the know have predicted a huge shock when Sunday’s results show rolls around – claiming the famous face “doesn’t have the skills to go that far.”
Dr Jill Jacobs, speaking to The Sun on behalf of BetVictor, also exclusively claimed show fans “don’t want scandal” – and therefore may well vote Wynne Evans, 52, and Katya Jones, 35, out.
The duo were the talk of Strictly last week – and it wasn’t purely for their Tango routine.
Opera singer Wynne was seen with his hand around professional partner Katya‘s waist during the show – but later explained it was “a stupid joke that had gone wrong.”
He told how he was “heartbroken” over the backlash, which was additionally fuelled when she refused to high-five the Go Compare advert star – sparking rumours of a fall-out.
Dr Jill, a former professor for dance movement, spoke about the pair being sent home and told us: “The question is only when.
“If people feel that way and they’re not happy about how the pair is, they’re feeling that the pair is a negative.
“While Pete and Jowita, whether they’re romantically involved, this is joy, this is happiness. They are sharing this. They’re bringing this to the show. We love it.
“It’s joy and happiness.
“We don’t want scandal. We don’t want negativity.
“Depending on how this is, maybe people don’t agree with me on this one. If this has a negative effect.
“Wynne doesn’t, for me, have the skills to go that far, just the physicality of it. It’s just a matter of, is it going to be this week?
“I wouldn’t say on dancing skills, it should be Punam if so.
“But I think it could be Wynne this week.
Here's who is matched with who this series...
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas
JB Gill and Amy Dowden MBE
Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk
Paul Merson and Karen Hauer
Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał
Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
Tom Dean MBE and Nadiya Bychkova
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones
Sam Quek MBE and Nikita Kuzmin
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
“We’ll see how the viewers feel. For me, personally, it will be Wynne.”
After Strictly‘s Week Four wrapped, Wynne and Katya were quick to issue a video apology and insisted their behaviour was all an innocent “inside joke”.
On Monday, Wynne took to his BBC Radio Wales show for a further raw reveal.
He told his listeners today: “I’m absolutely heartbroken by the things that have been written about me in the last day.
“It’s not nice to live in that time, but basically Katya and I are really, really close and we’re really good friends, and on Saturday night we made a stupid joke.
“It was a stupid joke that went wrong, OK?
“We thought it was funny. It wasn’t funny.
“It was been totally misinterpreted.”
The partnership have been spotted looking downbeat as they headed to training.
YOUR favourite spooky treat might be harbouring an unwanted trick, an expert has warned.
Some ingredients lurking in your bucket of Halloween goodies can stop life-saving medicines from working properly.
“It’s important to be aware of potential health risks associated with certain treats, especially if you take certain medications,” Kiran Jones, Clinical Pharmacist at Oxford Online Pharmacy, warned.
Some drug and sweet combinations can even result in panic attacks and strokes.
It’s important to read through your medicine leaflet before starting a new drug to check for any foods you’re advised not to eat.
Here are four foods you should never mix with specific medicines to avoid unpleasant – and even life-threatening – complications.
Don’t mix well with: Depression, anxiety and Parkinson’s medicines
In an age where sugar is demonised, we often think of sugar-free alternatives as the healthier option for guilt-free sweetness.
From sugar-free gummies to zero-sugar bubble gum and artificially-sweetened fizzy drinks, there’s no shortage of ‘better’ options.
Many contain aspartame, a low-calorie, artificial sweetener that’s known for being 180 to 200 times sweeter than sugar.
But for those taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) for depression, anxiety, or Parkinson’s disease, these sweeteners can pose serious problems.
“Aspartame contains phenylalanine, which, when broken down in the body, affects neurotransmitter levels,” Kiran said.
“MAOIs work by preventing the breakdown of neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.
“Consuming aspartame can lead to an excessive buildup of these neurotransmitters, resulting in serious side effects.”
She added: “This accumulation can trigger hypertension, headaches, anxiety and insomnia, making it harder for individuals on MAOIs to manage their conditions.”
For those taking these medications, it’s best to avoid or limit aspartame to prevent any risky interactions.
Doesn’t mix well with: ADHD, anxiety and blood pressure medicines
Coffee is known for making people feel more alert, more productive – and even a bit jittery.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that caffeine can affect how stimulant drugs – used to treat anxiety, high blood pressure and ADHD – work in the body.
Kiran said: “Caffeine, being a stimulant, can amplify the effects of medications like Adderall and Ritalin, potentially overstimulating the central nervous system.
“This can lead to heart palpitations, anxiety, tremors, and insomnia, making it harder to manage conditions like ADHD.
“Similarly, caffeine can counteract the calming effects of anti-anxiety medications, including SSRIs and SNRIs, potentially increasing anxiety and triggering panic attacks”.
It can also interfere with the sedative effects of some anxiety medications, worsening sleep difficulties and raising cortisol levels, which can further exacerbate stress.
“And for those on blood pressure medications like beta-blockers or diuretics, caffeine can increase heart rate and blood pressure by stimulating adrenaline and norepinephrine, undermining the purpose of these drugs and increasing the risk of complications like stroke or heart attack,” Kiran added.
Aspartame, a common artificial sweetener in the UK, is found in many diet drinks and low-sugar foods
The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) both classify it as safe within set consumption limits.
However, in 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) labelled aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” based on limited evidence linking it to liver cancer.
Despite this, UK health authorities still regard it as low-risk in moderation.
Some research suggests potential links to headaches or mood swings, but findings remain inconclusive.
Don’t mix well with: Blood pressure and antiarrhythmics medicines
Glycyrrhizin is a sugar found in black liquorice, a popular Halloween treat.
According to Kiran, this can interfere with blood pressure medications and antiarrhythmics, which are used to treat abnormal heart rhythms.
“The chemical causes sodium retention and potassium loss, leading to increased water retention and elevated blood pressure,” she said.
“This directly counteracts the effects of blood pressure medications, which are designed to lower blood pressure.”
Chomping on lots of liquorice while taking these medications can result in uncontrolled hypertension, a chronic condition where the pressure in your blood vessels is too high.
This, she said, “significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular issues like stroke or heart attack”.
Kiran added: “Even small amounts of black liquorice eaten regularly can elevate blood pressure levels.
“The potassium loss caused by glycyrrhizin can also reduce the effectiveness of diuretics, which aim to expel excess water and sodium from the body.
“It can also interfere with antiarrhythmics by exacerbating heart rhythm issues, potentially leading to dangerous irregular heartbeats.
“Therefore, people on these medications should avoid consuming liquorice to prevent potentially serious health risks.”
Don’t mix well with: Allergy medicines
Halloween sweet treats tend to be very colourful.
But food colourings, used to give our treats their spooky orange and green shades, can interfere with the effectiveness of allergy meds – and even make allergies worse.
“Some people are sensitive to synthetic food dyes which may trigger allergic-like reactions including hives, itching, swelling and asthma-like symptoms,” Kiran said.
“For individuals taking antihistamines to control allergies, consuming foods with these colourings can provoke new allergic responses, making it harder for the medication to manage symptoms like hives or hay fever.
“These dyes can also promote the release of histamine, the very substance antihistamines are designed to block, reducing the medication’s efficacy.
“Additionally, food colourings can interact with other additives, like sodium benzoate, further exacerbating symptoms in sensitive individuals.”
This combination of factors can overwhelm the body’s ability to control allergic reactions, even when on antihistamines.
AN ATTACK drone was launched from Lebanon targeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s family residence in Israel.
A building close to the Israeli leader’s home was struck by the drone strike, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed.
There were no casualties reported, according to the Israeli ambulance service.
It is understood that three drones entered Israeli airspace this morning, with two being reportedly shot down by the country’s defence forces.
But one of them managed to hit a building in Caesarea – extremely close to Netanyahu’s vacation home.
The IDF said: “One additional UAV hit a structure in the area of Caesarea. No injuries were reported.”
Benjamin Netanyahu owns a holiday home in Caesarea, which is an affluent resort town in the centre of the country.
It is still not clear if the drone attack was launched by Hezbollah which has been at war with Israel since last October.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
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