03/01/2018 Newsround

It's time for Wednesday

morning's top stories.

Ayshah here, with

all this on the way.

Flooding, roads closed,

and power cuts as Storm Eleanor

hits the UK overnight.

Super paralympian Kadeena Cox tells

us how excited she is heading

to the Commonwealth Games.

When the grown-ups are away,

the kids will play.

Panda-monium!

It was very windy outside

the studio this morning,

and many of you will be waking up

to that weather.

Storm Eleanor hit the country

overnight with gusts of more

than 80 miles an hour.

Lots of places have been flooded.

12,000 homes have no power

in Northern Ireland.

Hundreds of others also have no

electricity in Wales

and parts of England.

Some trees have been blown over,

which means some roads are shut too.

2018 already feels like it's

going to be a big year

and here on Newsround we've

got your guide to all the huge

events that are happening.

I'm letting you know now,

it's going to be jam packed!

If sport's your thing, then I think

you're going to be pretty chuffed.

Here's Ricky.

Let's start on a high.

The Winter X games

always throws up a few

surprises and take place in Colorado

in the US at the end of the month.

That's got to hurt!

Then more snow in the Winter

Olympic and Paralympic

Games.

South Korea have worked hard

to get the venues ready.

The time is now.

In April, it is time to ditch

the ski suit and put on a pair of

shorts.

The Commonwealth Games are being

held on Australia's Gold Coast

and Newsround will be there.

Last stop, footy fans

have waited four years

for this, the Fifa World Cup

will keep you busy during the summer

months.

It's being held in Russia

for the first time and Germany are

the reigning champions.

England face Belgium,

Panama and Tunisia in Group G.

And if you want to know what's

going to be huge when it

comes to films this year,

Newsround online is your friend as

always for an exclusive sneak peek!

There's gonna be another Avengers

film, the Incredibles 2 and also

a sequel to that really old film,

Mary Poppins.

Now, as Ricky said,

the Commonweath Games is going to be

one of the highlights

of the sporting year.

So I caught up with one

of our favourite athletes who'll be

competing in Australia,

para-runner and

para-cyclist Kadeena Cox.

Congratulations from everyone

at Newsround for what will be a

fantastic Commonwealth Games.

How are you feeling about it?

I'm so excited and

really looking forward

to it.

It will be an amazing

opportunity to be part of Team

England.

And I get to live my dream

of competing while living the dream

of being in Australia.

I feel like I get so many

opportunities and I'm so

blessed to be able to compete.

Not that long to go now.

What's the training

and preparation looking

like?

We can't have cakes,

but apart from that...

I have a new coach and he's

improved my technique, and

hopefully with my new techniques

I'll have a better time and better

medals.

I got back on the bike this week.

I've not touched my bike since Rio.

That really helps me

training for athletics.

Hopefully that will

come together and gel

together and make for a very

exciting Commonwealth Games.

I have to ask you,

what are your targets,

what do you have in mind

when you go to Australia?

You know what?

I would love to go out

and get a gold medal.

But, for me, I've just changed

coaches and I'm working on new

things, and I'd just like to execute

a good race, get a PB,

and hopefully be up there and just

go out and enjoy it.

You know, I get to run

for a career, so it's an amazing

opportunity and I hope

I get to enjoy it.

We have to ask, for all the young

para-athletes who will be

watching you in Australia,

what message do you have for them?

Go out and do what you enjoy.

Disability does not mean you cannot

do things. Find your way of doing

things.

Push to achieve your goals,

and no one can tell you

what to do, control, control,

and be the best you can be.

Say hello to these four giant panda

cubs.

They've been celebrating their first

New Year in their own own compound.

These four-year-old cubs

were let loose for the first

time to run around

and have a good time

at the Shenyang Forest

Zoological Garden in China.

Have fun, guys!

And if you fancy chilling

out and having a look

at Newsround online,

there's some great stuff

on there for you, including

a squirrel that causes

trouble in a kitchen in New York.

The police were called.

Plus, we have some great pictures

of what happens behind

the scenes of Dr Who.

Wow!

Thanks for watching this morning.

Hayley's back this afternoon.

Enjoy your day!

We will see you soon. Goodbye, guys.