Nancy Astor statue in Plymouth removed to fix wobble

Post published:October 15, 2025
Post last modified:October 15, 2025

A statue of the first female MP to take her seat in the House of Commons has been temporarily moved for repairs.Plymouth City Council said the bronze figure of Nancy Astor was taken away on Monday from its position on the Hoe for up to 12 weeks while "essential maintenance work" was completed.The authority said a wobble had developed due to the statue's position on the seafront and exposure to the elements.Astor became the first woman to sit as an MP in November 1919 when she was elected to represent Plymouth Sutton, a position she held until June 1945.The council said the work would be focused on the plinth which supported the statue, located just outside Astor's former home at 3 Elliot Terrace.A specialist clean is also due to be done on the statue, the council added.The statue was sculpted by Hayley Gibbs and unveiled in November 2019 by former Prime Minister Theresa May to mark the…

Concerns over 2,700-acre ‘mega-solar’ scheme in Devon

Post published:October 15, 2025
Post last modified:October 15, 2025

Kirk EnglandSouth West environment and tourism correspondentBBCStephen and Sharon Boulton, who live close to the proposed solar farm, say other options should be explored first"It's going to be huge, absolutely vast," says Stephen Boulton of the solar farm that could be built on fields near his home in rural Devon."Moving here was my retirement dream, to be able to look out over a view like this," added Mr Boulton, who is now spearheading the campaign against what could be one of the UK's largest solar schemes.The proposed Beacon Solar project, near Holsworthy - of up to 1,100 hectares or about 2700 acres - would "contribute to cutting emissions" and "reducing reliance on fossil fuels", said developer Galileo Empower, which added it was "fully committed" to working closely with all local stakeholders.The government said: "Solar is central to our mission to become a clean energy superpower, delivering energy security for Britain so we can get bills down for…

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,329 | Russia-Ukraine war News

Post published:October 15, 2025
Post last modified:October 15, 2025

Here are the key events from day 1,329 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.Published On 15 Oct 202515 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareHere is how things stand on Wednesday, October 15, 2025:Fighting Russian forces launched powerful glide bombs and drones against Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, in overnight attacks, hitting the city’s main hospital, wounding seven people, and forcing the evacuation of 50 patients, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said that its forces have taken control of the village of Balahan in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. A convoy of United Nations vehicles carrying aid supplies came under fire from Russian forces near the town of Bilozerka in the Kherson region, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, describing the attack as “utterly unacceptable”. There were no injuries in the attack on four UN trucks, two of which were set on fire by remote-controlled drones. Local authorities have…

‘Not going to waste our time’: Trump hinges US aid to Argentina on election | Donald Trump News

Post published:October 14, 2025
Post last modified:October 14, 2025

United States President Donald Trump has pledged to boost Argentina’s economy with a $20bn currency swap, but only if the South American country’s right-wing president prevails in the upcoming elections.The president, the self-described anarcho-capitalist Javier Milei, was in Washington, DC, on Tuesday for his latest visit to the White House.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“We think he’s going to win. He should win. And if he does win, we’re going to be very helpful,” Trump said. “And if he doesn’t win, we’re not going to waste our time, because you have somebody whose philosophy has no chance of making Argentina great again.”Since taking office in December 2023, Milei has made at least a dozen trips to the US, including to attend Trump’s second inauguration. The two leaders share a strong public bond.But Milei’s latest meeting with Trump comes as his political coalition, La Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances), faces a series of scandals heading into Argentina’s…

Two houses in Plymouth evacuated after high readings of fuel

Post published:October 14, 2025
Post last modified:October 14, 2025

Two homes were evacuated after higher than expected fuel readings were taken on a street in Plymouth, with the alarm being initially raised by an occupant.Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called to the Dayton Close in Crownhill at about 13:25 BST on Tuesday after the occupant called them to report the smell of fuel.A spokesperson for the service said at about 20:30 crews and South West Water (SWW) remained at the scene as the readings were "still high".At about 21:20, the fire service said the readings were back to "safe levels" and handed the incident to SWW who remain at the scene who confirmed at about 22:00 no leak was found in the sewer.The spokesperson said: "We took some readings outside of some external drains and they were higher than you would expect them to be so we called in SWW and we are checking what the issue is together."We are still…

Exeter City: Grecians appoint Richard Pym as new chairman

Post published:October 14, 2025
Post last modified:October 14, 2025

Exeter City have appointed Richard Pym as their new chairman.He takes over from interim club board chair Clive Harrison, who has been in the role since June when Nick Hawker stepped down.Pym previously served as chair of Exeter City Supporters' Trust - which owns the club - from June 2020 to December 2021.Harrison will remain at the League One club in the role of general manager until the end of the 2025-26 season, assisting the board.Another change at board level saw the trust vote to approve the appointment of Laurence Overend as a director, taking up the role of club board vice chair.Overend is a solicitor and was previously chair of Exeter City Supporters' Trust from 2012 to 2016, whilst also serving as a director.Upon his appointment, Pym said:, external "I am pleased to have been invited to rejoin the board as the new independent club chair and am determined to resolve the current issues at Exeter…

‘Show Israel the red card’: Protesters urge boycott of Israel at World Cup | Gaza

Post published:October 14, 2025
Post last modified:October 14, 2025

NewsFeedIsrael’s World Cup qualifier against Italy in Udine was played under heavy security and protests just days after a Gaza ceasefire took effect. A pro-Palestinian march in the city center was expected to attract more people than the match itself.Published On 14 Oct 202514 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2Share Source link

High Court clears Reform councillors of election overspending

Post published:October 14, 2025
Post last modified:October 15, 2025

Two Reform councillors and their election agent have had their names cleared by a High Court judge after being reported for overspending on election expenses by a colleague.Exeter councillors Neil Stevens, his brother Tony Stevens and their agent Rob Sheridan brought a civil case to the High Court in an attempt to protect their reputations as they face a police investigation.Justice Martin Spencer said any mistakes made by Neil Stevens and Rob Sheridan had been in good faith and Tony Stevens had not breached any rules.Devon and Cornwall Police are yet to comment on what impact the judgment might have on the criminal investigation.The mistakes made in the declaration of election expenses related to confusion over issues such as who should pay for podcasts and a mistaken belief the cost of leaflets delivered before the campaign period started should have been included in the expenses return.The court heard there had also been confusion over who the election…

Manoj Chinthathira appears in court over Taunton rape allegation

Post published:October 14, 2025
Post last modified:October 14, 2025

Chloe HarcombeWest of EnglandGoogleThe woman was found in Victoria Park in a distressed state on Saturday, police saidA 29-year-old man has appeared in court accused of raping a woman in a park. Manoj Chinthathira appeared at North Somerset Courthouse earlier charged with two counts of rape and one count of strangulation after the woman was allegedly raped in Victoria Park, Taunton, on Saturday.Avon and Somerset Police said members of the public found the woman in the park in a distressed state at about 05:00 BST.Mr Chinthathira will next appear at Taunton Crown Court on 14 November.Det Sgt Ryan Elkins, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "This is a positive step in our investigation and our enquiries are ongoing into the incident."I would like to commend the bravery of the victim for supporting our enquiries to this point and we are grateful for those who have assisted us so far."He added that members of the public should avoid…

Appeal after glass smashed in woman’s face at Devon pub

Post published:October 14, 2025
Post last modified:October 14, 2025

An investigation has been launched after a woman had a glass smashed in her face during an altercation at a pub in Devon, police have said.Devon and Cornwall Police said officers were appealing for witnesses after a fight broke out at the York Inn on Imperial Road, Exmouth, in the early hours of 12 October. The woman suffered cuts to the face and nose which required seven stitches, police added."During the altercation, a woman had a glass smashed in her face by an unknown suspect, possibly a female," police said.Police said inquiries were ongoing, including a CCTV trawl, and officers would like to hear from anyone present at the time who witnessed the incident, or had relevant information or video footage. Source link

‘Wonderful’ new NHS practice opens in ‘dental desert’ Wellington

Post published:October 14, 2025
Post last modified:October 14, 2025

Cheryl DennisSomerset, Wellington andChris LockyerSomersetBBCHeather Bubb said having a new NHS service was "wonderful"A woman whose long-term dentist went private said it is "wonderful" that a new NHS surgery has opened in her town.Heather Bubb, 77, had been with her dentist in Wellington in Somerset for more than 25 years before it suddenly went private, leaving her facing a £5,500 bill she could not afford in 2023.The new dental surgery on an industrial estate is the first NHS service to open in the town for a decade, and took on 4,000 people before it even opened its doors, with the area formerly described by health chiefs as a "dental desert".Dr Nadeem Harunani, from firm Dentistry for You, said: "We wanted to see if we can help in reaching out and provide dental access under the NHS."Ms Bubb, who was among the first patients to be treated in the new surgery, said being a pensioner meant she was…

Exeter researcher named among 2025 Women of Discovery

Post published:October 14, 2025
Post last modified:October 14, 2025

A University of Exeter researcher has been named on the 2025 Women of Discovery. Dr Divya Karnad, who works on marine conservation and social science, is part of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on the Penryn Campus in Cornwall. The Women of Discovery list is published by WINGS, whose mission is to “elevate and build community around visionary women pushing the boundaries of science, exploration and conservation”. An awards gala was held in New York on 9 October to honour Dr Karnad and the four other 2025 Women of Discovery: Dr Yara Barros, Dr Ayana Elizabeth, Dr Nurzhafarina Othman and Dr Grace Young. Dr Karnad said: “It’s so unexpected and wonderful to have my work recognised by a global award that brings together so many different types of people – from activists and researchers to explorers. “It is a privilege to join this group of extraordinary women, and I look forward to collaborating with many of…