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If you’re looking for an easy and affordable way to keep warm this winter, this tower heater reaches 35° C in ‘just 3 seconds’ and is currerntly on sale for better than half-price

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With energy bills on the rise and temperatures continuing to plummet this January, we’re all seeking a way to stay warm without spending a fortune. That’s where tower heaters could be just the ticket, thanks to their affordable running costs and their ability to heat rooms in a matter of minutes. But what’s more, this Living And Home Tower Heater is currently up for grabs for a whopping 53% less, thanks to Debenhams’ current sale.

Normally costing £80, this Midea 30 Inch 2KW PTC Ceramic Tower Heater with Remote Control is now selling for the massively reduced price of £38 while this deal lasts.

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This ceramic fan heater is equipped with dual DC motors and reliable PTC heating technology, promising to reach 35°C in just three seconds. Unlike traditional PTC heaters, this heater generates warm air rather than burning, and it distributes it quietly and evenly throughout the room, keeping you comfortable and warm.

Compared with other electric heaters, this device is armed with a 30-inch heat shield and a 75° horizontal oscillation angle, with a 10% larger range and higher power than alternative models on the market.

Plus, this energy-saving fan heater boasts three heating settings (high, low, fan only) and an adjustable thermostat that lets you fine-tune the temperature to your preferences between 5 ℃ and 35 ℃. The ECO settings automatically adjust control based on ambient temperature, saving energy and money while in use.

This indoor heater is made of V0-grade, high-quality, flame-retardant material and features overheat and tilt protection to provide safety. After 12 hours of no input, the device will automatically shut down, ensuring comprehensive protection for the whole family, letting you wave goodbye to fears of leaving the heater running all day or night without supervision.

The ceramic fan heater comes with a 24-hour timer and an automatic shutdown function that can turn off the monitor after 60 seconds. This quiet heater (running at 34dB) is equipped with practical LED touch buttons and a remote control, making it easy to operate from anywhere in the room.

Though not boasting a wide array of reviews at Debenhams, one buyer who picked up this heater bestowed a 5-star rating, writing: “Easy to use and warms up the space super quick. Keeps the heat in even when the door is open!”

The same tower heater is on sale at Amazon for £49.99, where plenty of shoppers are also singing its praises. One customer raves: “I’ve been using this heater in our 4×5m wooden summer house over the last few weeks, and it’s been great so far. It heats the place in about five minutes, which honestly surprised me. The temperature control is handy and seems accurate, though I’ll need more time to see if the ECO mode actually saves energy. It runs quietly, spreads the heat evenly, and feels safe to use—even in a wooden cabin. The remote control is a lifesaver for sleepovers. No one needs to get out of their beds to turn it on and off. Overall, very happy with it so far, and hoping it stays efficient in the long run.”

Further praise comes from this reviewer, who does share one minor gripe: “A portable heater, I will be using this as the winter is coming and my bedroom is freezing with cold air. It’s fairly light and sturdy and it does a good job heating the room in just a few minutes, you can rotate it and move the hot air left and right to ensure it does not just face in one direction. It comes with a remote control which is a bonus when i get too lazy to turn it off or on. However, the noise is not to loud but no quiet either when close up, but i don’t mind it. It also blows cold air which is awesome, I can use it during the summer.”

And a third buyer beams: “I’ve been using this Midea tower heater for a week now, and it has completely changed my opinion on space heaters. My previous heater was a bulky, square box that was a real tripping hazard and took up so much floor space in my bedroom. The main reason I chose this one was its slim, tower design, and it has not disappointed. It fits perfectly in a corner next to my desk and is so much less intrusive.”

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They go on to add: “Despite its slim profile, it is incredibly powerful. The 2000W setting heats up my medium-sized bedroom in just a few minutes. I love the three different heat and fan settings, and the digital thermostat allows me to maintain a perfect, consistent temperature. The remote control is a fantastic bonus – being able to adjust everything from my bed is a luxury I didn’t know I needed. The 24-hour timer is also great for turning it on before I wake up.”

January 16, 2026

The tactics Carrick will hope can fix Man Utd

By 234Radio in News, Sports News

Getty Images

Umir Irfan

Football tactics correspondent

9 minutes ago

15 Comments

There are two versions of Michael Carrick the coach: the interim manager who took charge of Manchester United for three games and the Middlesbrough manager who spent three years in the Championship.

The nature of both projects could not have been more different, with one an extremely short-term job and the other a long-term assignment.

Five months, as interim head coach until the end of the season, lands awkwardly in the middle, so how might Carrick set United up?

Carrick’s ability to adapt key in month one

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Carrick’s first two games as United’s head coach are a difficult challenge, against the two best teams in the league at present, Manchester City and Arsenal.

At Middlesbrough, Carrick was reluctant to change his system, looking to dominate the game through high possession.

When he was United’s interim boss in 2021 he faced Thomas Tuchel, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta, winning twice and drawing once, and changing the system each game in a pragmatic manner.

The most significant tweak was in how his United side nullified Tuchel’s Chelsea with a 4-3-1-2 defensive shape that blocked the centre of the pitch. Speaking on Match of the Day earlier this season, Carrick said that his rationale was to stop all access to Tuchel’s midfield two because their progression was typically through the middle.

United’s narrow front three stopped passes into Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek while the physical centre-midfielders in Scott McTominay and Fred tracked and pressed Chelsea’s wing-backs.

To ensure United kept three in midfield when McTominay or Fred pressed, the other two midfielders would shift over and the far-side attacker would drop in.

The game ended 1-1 with Chelsea’s only goal coming from a penalty.

Screengrab from Man United 1-1 Chelsea (November 2021) showing United's shape out of possession (4-3-1-2) blocking space in the middle of the pitch.

Potential tweaks against Arsenal and Man City

Rayan Cherki’s performances this season have stood out and blocking the middle of the pitch, minimising his influence in dangerous areas, might be something Carrick’s side look to do.

The recent signing of Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku’s return from injury make City equally dangerous from out wide so doubling up on the wingers may also minimise their threat.

A 4-5-1 that blocks space, instead of pressing, before launching quick attacks against a less experienced defence might be how an adaptable Carrick counters City.

Against Arsenal, Liverpool’s performance last week provides a helpful, albeit risky, blueprint.

In possession, Florian Wirtz played as a false nine, dropping deep and creating an overload for Liverpool in midfield, with Gabriel reluctant to track him. Their technical quality ensured Liverpool kept the ball well, taking the sting out of the game.

Out of possession, both Liverpool wingers man-marked Arsenal’s roaming full-backs, reducing their influence.

Screengrab of Wirtz dropping deep to form a midfield overload against Arsenal.

There is also the possibility that Carrick opts to build on things Ruben Amorim did before his departure, not wanting to introduce too much change too quickly against difficult opposition.

What will ‘Carrick’s United’ look like?

Game-specific tweaks are key, especially when looking to bridge a gap in quality.

United do have top talent of their own and as time passes, Carrick will certainly put his stamp on how they look to play.

In the Championship, Carrick’s side played a 4-2-3-1 on paper but this shape changed in-game depending on the phase of play. “The actual formation often doesn’t make a huge difference to how we do things,” were Carrick’s words when talking about his system in 2024.

Screengrab of Middlesbrough's shape from goal-kicks under Michael Carrick.

When Middlesbrough had solid possession in the middle of the pitch, they would move into a 3-2-5 shape.

Criticism of Amorim was heavily based on his 3-2-4-1 shape so it is interesting that Carrick likes his teams to attack in a similar way. Where they differ however is in how they move into that shape, the roles each player is given and the balance between freedom and tactical instruction.

Middlesbrough’s shape moved into a 3-2-5 primarily through left-back Ryan Giles staying high and wide while the right-back in defence.

Screengrab showing Middlesbrough's 3-2-4-1 shape on the ball under Michael Carrick.

No team in the Championship scored more goals in the league during Carrick’s time as manager using these tactics. They dominated possession most games and their approach was measured as they looked to unpick teams.

Although they favoured possession, when the opportunity to pass the ball more directly opened up, players were encouraged to play at speed. They scored often from fast breaks but this was mainly after the opposition turned the ball over in dangerous areas.

Player quality and outgoing transfers meant these moments became less frequent in Carrick’s final season.

The main critique was that they became too slow and predictable on the ball. That and the space they would leave defensively, if they attacked or pressed too aggressively.

Three line-up illustrations showing a Man United XI in the 4-2-3-1, 3-2-5 and 4-4-2 shape.

The 3-2-5 shape, although a constant for Carrick, did leave room for rotations and freedom in attack, something that will suit United’s attackers, many who have shown qualities in more than one position.

Screengrab from Bristol City vs Middlesborough managed by Carrick showing the method they often scored from, with wide players pushing the defence back before crossing the ball for late-running attackers to shoot.

Carrick’s system a good base for United to build on

Put simply, Carrick will look to play a high-possession 3-2-5 on the ball while defending in a 4-4-2 that looks to block space. You could replace Carrick’s name with many modern coaches and that sentence would remain true.

Looking at coaches who dominate the ball, the two shapes mentioned are perhaps the most popular combination used at the top level.

If Carrick can drill this into them over the next few months this will bode well for a Manchester United in flux, leaving them with a foundation that many coaches could build upon with ease.

Steve Holland, United’s new assistant manager, has explained that there are numerous ways to end up in the 3-2-5 attack shape that Carrick will likely use.

Middlesbrough did it with Giles pushing up, given his pace, endurance and quality as a crosser.

A player like Luke Shaw at left-back might keep his position as a third central defender in possession, for example, instead of playing high and wide, with another playing holding width.

Every player does not have to do the same job their Middlesbrough equivalent did but the principles between both sides will likely remain the same. This is something Amorim struggled with – looking for like-for-like copies of his successful Sporting side.

Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay tied the knot in a high-profile wedding ceremony at Bath Abbey after Christmas – the happy occasion was marred by drama after a feud with Adam’s mum

Sara Davies has shared some unseen pictures from Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay’s very exclusive wedding, attended by A-list guests.

The Strictly star uploaded a handful of previously-unseen snaps of the big day to her Instagram account, telling fans in was “a fab day”. The nuptials took place at Bath Abbey in December, but the majority of Adam’s family weren’t invited.

In one photo, Sara – who became friends with Adam during the 2021 series of Strictly Come Dancing – could be seen laughing alongside fellow Strictly star Dan Walker as they sat at the dinner table. Another shot showed guests swinging their white napkins in the air as the newlyweds walked in.

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Dragons Den favourite Sara could also be seen posing for a photo with Holly’s sister, Tilly, at the after party. Sara captioned the post: “Awwww just been sent the pics from the Peaty-Ramsay wedding – what a fab day! So grateful to have been there with @adamramsaypeaty and @hollyramseypeaty to celebrate such a wonderful day.”

Sara also thanked Gordon Ramsay and wife Tanya for being “amazing hosts”. Holly responded to the post, writing: “Loved celebrating with you!!” While many followers were quick to comment on how amazing Sara looked, others couldn’t help but point out the absence of Adam’s family for the occasion.

One fan wrote: “Wonder how Adam’s mum must be feeling seeing celebs at her sons wedding and she not there as a mum must be awful.” Another commented: “Not such a great day for his family though was it. But at least you all enjoyed it.”

A third chimed in: “So sorry but I cannot get over Adam’s mam and Dad missing their big day!! So very sad!!” Sara’s post comes amid reports that Adam Peaty’s estranged family are “trying to move on” after their huge family feud.

Caroline and Richard Peaty didn’t attend their son’s wedding – Adam’s mum wasn’t invited and it was reported his dad could only attend if he sat at the back of the church. “It’s been a really emotional time for them as a family,” a source told The Sun. “They’re coming to terms with what has happened and that Adam has picked his side.” They went on: “They’re keeping their heads down and trying to move on quietly. It’s clear Adam’s made his choice.”

Adam’s mum Caroline said on the eve of her son’s big day at Bath Abbey how his decision to cut ties had devastated her. Speaking to the Mail , she said: “I don’t think they understand how much they have hurt me; it’s as if they have cut my heart out.” She went on to explain how the fallout has affected the wider family during the festive period, adding: “This is the first Christmas that I’ve not had my family together – my family is broken.

“Yes, I have my other grandchildren. Yes, I have my other children, but my family is split because of the goings on…because of the wedding.” Adam’s brother, James, had been set to be a groomsman on the big day, but he, too, was uninvited, along with his parents. It’s claimed that Adam’s sibling had allegedly sent threatening messages to the swimmer and reports suggest Adam believed his parents were taking his brother’s side.

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The only family member in attendance on the huge occasion was Adam’s sister, Bethany, who was a bridesmaid for Holly. She proudly stood at her brother’s side along with Holly’s sisters, Megan, 27, and Tilly, 24. Gordon shared a gushing social media post about the Olympian’s special day marrying the chef’s daughter Holly. The Kitchen Nightmares star called himself “dad” as he commented on a clip of Adam’s wedding speech.

January 16, 2026

Ukraine scrambling for energy as Russian strikes hit infrastructure

By 234Radio in News, World News

Ukraine’s energy minister has sounded an alarm over the energy situation as Russian strikes on the country’s infrastructure leave people shivering in subzero temperatures without heating or power.

Denys Shmyhal, who took office ‍earlier this week, told parliament on Friday that there was “not a single power plant left in Ukraine that the enemy has not attacked”.

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Russia, since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has each winter concentrated fire on the country’s energy infrastructure in a bid to weaken Kyiv’s determination to defend itself and resist Moscow’s far-reaching demands for territory and limits on its military capabilities.

Shmyhal said the most challenging energy situation is in the capital, as well as the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and ‍Odesa. Towns near the front line in eastern Ukraine are also filled with thousands of homes that have been without electricity and heating for days in subzero conditions.

“In some cities and regions, winter preparations have failed. Over the past two days in office, I’ve seen that many things are clearly stalling,” ‌he said.

The minister has ordered emergency imports of electricity, while declaring that Ukraine needs to install up to 2.7 GW of generation ‍capacity by the end of the year if it is to meet its consumption needs.

“State companies, primarily Ukrainian Railways and Naftogaz, must urgently ensure the procurement of imported electric energy during the 2025-26 heating season, amounting to at least 50 percent of total consumption,” Shmyhal said.

His ministry estimates that Ukraine has fuel reserves ‍for just 20 days. It did not give data on how much electricity Ukraine currently generates or imports, information that authorities have withheld due to wartime sensitivities.

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has introduced measures to try to help with the emergency, including reducing overnight curfews to allow people to access central heating and power hubs and extending school holidays in Kyiv until February 1.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said ‌the foreign and energy ministries had organised an international appeal for funds to help tackle Ukraine’s energy problems, similar to periodic meetings on arms supplies. ‌Norway, he said, had made an initial grant of $200m.

Russia has attacked the power grid and other energy facilities while pressing a battlefield offensive that has left Kyiv on the back foot as it faces US pressure to secure peace.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Thursday that ‌about 300 apartment buildings in the capital remained without heat after a January 9 attack knocked out heating to half the city’s high-rises.

Kharkiv’s Mayor Ihor Terekhov said Russian ‍forces destroyed a large energy facility in Ukraine’s second-biggest city on Thursday.

He did not specify what sort of facility had been hit, but said emergency crews were working around the clock. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack had left 400,000 people without electricity.

January 16, 2026

Analysis: Why a ‘quick and clean’ US attack on Iran won’t be easy

By 234Radio in News, World News

Illiberal systems often look most permanent just before they change. But moments of upheaval can also produce a different illusion: That the system is one dramatic external blow away from collapse. With Iran convulsed by unprecedented protests against the country’s leadership, it is tempting to imagine that the United States’ air power could deliver the final shove.

That temptation misreads how the Islamic Republic actually survives. Coercive cohesion is the cement of the system: The ability of parallel security and political institutions to keep acting together, even when legitimacy erodes. When that cohesion holds, the system absorbs shocks that would more conventional states would fall under.

Iran is not a single pyramid with one man at the apex. It is a heterarchical, networked state: Overlapping hubs of power around the Supreme Leader’s office, the Revolutionary Guards, intelligence organs, clerical gatekeepers, and a patronage economy. In such a system, removing one node, even the most symbolic one, does not reliably collapse the structure; redundancy and substitute chains of command are a design feature. Decapitation – a prominent narrative after US President Donald Trump’s tactical “success” in Venezuela – thus looks less like a strategy and more like a gamble on chaos.

This is why Trump’s dilemma matters. He sits between neoconservative hawks who want regime change by force and an America First base that will not support lengthy wars, post-conflict stabilisation, or another Middle Eastern adventure. The instinct, therefore, is quick-in, quick-out punishment that looks decisive without creating obligations.

Regional politics further narrow Trump’s menu. Israel wants Washington to do the heavy lifting against Tehran. Key Gulf interlocutors, notably Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman, have pressed for de-escalation and diplomacy. Operationally, the Gulf’s lack of support for a new campaign might push the US towards military options launched from a distance, making sustained air operations harder to sustain.

Trump has also boxed himself in rhetorically. Having warned that if Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters”, the US would “come to their rescue”, he has had to signal credible military options even as he suggests diplomacy is preferable and hints that the killing is “stopping”. In practice, this oscillation appears to be less strategic ambiguity and more bargaining and indecision, encouraging every faction around him to believe it can still win the argument.

It is important to be clear about what Washington’s inner circle seems to want. The goal is not liberal democracy. The prize is a pragmatic Iran that can be drawn into a regional geo-economic framework, opened to business with the US, and nudged away from overreliance on China. That implies constraints on nuclear activity, some curbs on ballistic missiles, and a drawdown – real or cosmetic – of Iran’s support for the so-called “axis of resistance”. This is a transformation of posture, not a wholesale replacement of the Islamic Republic.

Air power can punish and signal. It can degrade specific facilities. It can raise the cost of repression by authorities. But it cannot reorganise a security sector, arbitrate succession, or deliver a behaviour change. And it cannot protect protesters from the air. Libya in 2011 remains the cautionary tale. Military force, at most, is a high-risk attempt to coerce Iranians to the negotiation table that will likely backfire.

The most plausible military scenario is limited standoff punitive strikes, using cruise missiles and long-range munitions against Iranian Revolutionary Guard centres or enabling infrastructure. This fits the “quick and clean” preference and can be framed as punishment rather than war. Its strategic downside is that it hands the Guards an “existential threat” narrative that can legitimise harsher repression, while raising retaliation risk through proxies, shipping disruption, and pressure on US bases in the Gulf. It can also reduce the chance of internal fragmentation by pushing rival factions to rally around the flag.

A leadership “decapitation” attempt is more cinematic and less credible. It is the most escalatory option, likely to unify hardliners, and still unlikely to collapse a networked system.

A sustained air campaign is the least plausible and the most dangerous. Without Gulf basing and overflight, the logistics push operations towards more distant platforms and thinner sortie generation. Politically, it would violate the America First premise; strategically, it would internationalise the crisis, widen the battlefield, and invite a tit-for-tat escalation cycle that neither side can reliably control.

Cyber- and electronic disruption sits in a different category: Lower visibility, sometimes deniable, and potentially compatible with Gulf preferences for avoiding open war. But the effects are uncertain and often temporary, and a networked state can route around disruption. The most realistic outcome is that cyberoperations might accompany other moves, yet they are unlikely to deliver decisive political change on their own.

The deeper point is that external shocks rarely produce the specific internal outcome Washington claims to want: A pragmatic transition at the top. Severe outside pressure often hardens a system’s coercive core, because escalating violence is not always confidence; it is frequently panic wearing a uniform. The only durable trigger for transformation is internal: Fractures within the security services or elite splits that create competing centres of authority with incompatible survival strategies.

If the US wants to influence those dynamics, it should focus on cohesion-shaping levers rather than dramatic bombing. Maintain deterrence against mass slaughter but avoid promising “rescue” that cannot be delivered without war. Calibrate economic pressure towards the individuals and entities driving violence while leaving credible off-ramps for technocrats and pragmatists who might prefer de-escalation and negotiation. Above all, coordinate with the US’s friends in the region, chief of all Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia, who can constrain escalation and translate coercive discourse into bargaining space.

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Tower heater that ‘warms up the space super quick’ is better than half-price in rare sale

If you’re looking for an easy and affordable way to keep warm this winter, this tower heater reaches 35° C in ‘just 3 seconds’ and is currerntly on sale for better than half-price

The tactics Carrick will hope can fix Man Utd

Carrick’s ability to adapt key in month one

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Potential tweaks against Arsenal and Man City

What will ‘Carrick’s United’ look like?

Carrick’s system a good base for United to build on

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Strictly’s Sara Davies shares unseen pics from Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay’s wedding

Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay tied the knot in a high-profile wedding ceremony at Bath Abbey after Christmas – the happy occasion was marred by drama after a feud with Adam’s mum

Ukraine scrambling for energy as Russian strikes hit infrastructure

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Analysis: Why a ‘quick and clean’ US attack on Iran won’t be easy