Yearly Archives: 2025

Somerset Council to spend £3m on three new children’s homes

Somerset Council to spend £3m on three new children’s homes

Three more houses are to be adapted into "family-style" children's homes under a £3m plan.Each home will be co-designed by young people with care experience and will be run under Somerset Council's Homes and Horizons scheme, which already has 16 children living in eight houses.Council leaders said the new houses will allow more children in care to move back to their home county.A council report stated that children already living in the homes have "improved engagement in education…

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Concerns as ‘vulnerable’ turtle spotted off Cornwall coast

Concerns as ‘vulnerable’ turtle spotted off Cornwall coast

Wildlife experts have urged people to report sightings of loggerhead turtles after one was spotted in the sea off the South West coast.Cornwall Wildlife Trust (CWT) said the turtle was near St Ives on Sunday by volunteers from Seaquest, a project run by the charity to record marine wildlife sightings.The trust said waters along the coast at this time of year would be "too cool" for loggerheads, which are categorised as "vulnerable" by the WWF - formerly the…

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Disposing of Dorset Council assets could generate £46.7m it says

Disposing of Dorset Council assets could generate £46.7m it says

A council hopes disposing of 78 sites that are no longer needed will generate £46.7m for investment and free up space for new homes.Over the next five years Dorset Council plans to offload the assets, which include small blocks of garages, vacant former offices, old school sites, and parcels of land.Councillor Richard Biggs, cabinet member for property and assets and economic growth, said: "It's about unlocking opportunities, being ambitious, and making every penny count."The plans were released in…

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Solar radiation modification could reduce global temperatures but is no substitute for reducing emissions, says Royal Society

Techniques to reflect an additional small portion of sunlight back into space could help cool the planet if deployed globally, but they cannot address the full range of climate impacts or replace emission cuts, according to a Royal Society briefing. “Solar radiation modification” (SRM), published today, considers the potential impacts of SRM if deployed globally, in a scientifically informed way, across both hemispheres and for long periods of time. It evaluates its potential effectiveness, limitations, risks, and challenges…

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High tide flood warnings issued along Cornwall’s south coast

High tide flood warnings issued along Cornwall’s south coast

Flood warnings have been issued in Cornwall as a result of expected high tides over the course of two days.The Environment Agency (EA) said the warnings covered parts of the south Cornwall coast, including Gribbin Head to Rame Head, Lizard Point and the Tidal Fal Estuary, with residents urged to "act now".It said flooding was expected for two hours either side of high tide on Wednesday and Thursday for the warnings covering Gribbin Head to Rame Head and…

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Hinkley Point B to begin 95-year decommissioning process

Hinkley Point B to begin 95-year decommissioning process

A former nuclear power station will begin its 95-year decommissioning process after regulators granted formal consent.EDF's Hinkley Point B, which lies on the Somerset coast near Stogursey, has been given the green light to be demolished by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).In August 2022, Hinkley Point B reached the end of its operating life after nearly 46 years of generating electricity.Dan Hasted, ONR director of regulation, said: "We will continue to proportionately regulate the Hinkley Point B…

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This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll by Daniel Rachel

This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll by Daniel Rachel

This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll: Pop Music, the Swastika and the Third Reich by Daniel Rachel Over the last seven decades, some of rock ‘n’ roll’s most celebrated figureheads have flirted with the imagery and theatre of the Third Reich. In This Ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll, award-winning music historian Daniel Rachel navigates these turbulent waters with care, asking us to look anew at the artists that have defined us, inspired us and given us joy – and consider why…

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Dick Cheney and the sanitising of a war criminal | Opinions

And so another member of the old “war on terror” team has left the world. Dick Cheney, who served as the most powerful vice president in the history of the United States during the two-term administration of George W Bush (2001-2009), died on Monday at the age of 84.According to a memorial statement issued by his family, Cheney was “a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives…

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Fran Wilson: Somerset and ex-England batter announces retirement

Fran Wilson: Somerset and ex-England batter announces retirement

Somerset batter and England World Cup winner Fran Wilson has announced her retirement from cricket.The 33-year-old returned to Somerset in 2025 for a second spell, as the women's side turned professional, and scored 574 runs in 28 matches.She previously played for the club between 2006 and 2014 and scored more than 2,500 runs in List A and T20 games.Wilson played 64 times for England across three formats and was part of the team that won the 2017 ICC…

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Bonfire night challenging for pets, Devon vet says

Bonfire night challenging for pets, Devon vet says

BBCRalph, a Romanian rescue dog, is "extremely scared" of fireworksPet owners are being encouraged to keep their animals indoors on Guy Fawkes Night.Many events are planned across Devon on 5 November, including plenty of colour and sounds thanks to firework displays.While many enjoy fireworks, Peter Spruell, head vet at White Lodge Veterinary Surgery in Exmouth, urged people to spare a thought for cats, dogs and other pets that could become anxious because of the loud noises.Mr Spruell said…

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BBC presenters head into Children in Need challenge final stretch

BBC presenters head into Children in Need challenge final stretch

BBCBBC Radio Devon presenter Caroline Densley will be walking around Plymouth and Devonport on day two of the challengeBBC Radio Devon presenters have set off on the second and final day of a 1,000-mile (1,609km) three-legged charity challenge for Children in Need.Caroline Densley and Michael Chequer plan to walk 12.5 miles (20.1km) while tied to a different person, which have included volunteers and staff from Children in Need-funded projects, over the course of the two-day fundraising challenge.On Wednesday,…

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