Boy, 14, seriously injured in Plymouth stabbing

A 14-year-old boy has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after he was stabbed in a city centre.The attack happened on Monday evening at 18:50 GMT in the Notte Street and Athenaeum Street area of Plymouth.When officers arrived, they found the boy had been stabbed multiple times. He was taken to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries, Devon and Cornwall Police said.The force said there would be an increased police presence in the area as officers…

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Fiddler crabs break down microplastics

Getty ImagesResearchers sampled 95 fiddler crabsA species of crab has been found to play an "unheralded role" in the breakdown of microplastic particles, according to scientists. The University of Exeter said scientists observed fiddler crabs in a polluted mangrove forest in Colombia ingest "large quantities of small plastic particles in the sediment". It said the species could break down plastics within days - but scientists warned of a potential release of harmful nanoplastics into their tissues and, consequently,…

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Gary Johnson: Taunton Town job ‘tickled my fancy’

The west and south west has long been a successful stomping ground for London-born Johnson, who also spent two years as boss of the Latvia men's national team.He guided Yeovil Town to the Championship in 2013, having led them into the Football League in his first spell in charge at Huish Park from 2001 to 2005.That initial stint with the Glovers featured two league triumphs - the Conference crown in 2002-03 and League Two title two years later…

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no further action after man injured

No further investigation will be carried out after a man suffered a broken leg when he was knocked over by a motorcyclist who police officers were trying to stop, the police watchdog has confirmed. Joe Hart was injured in a car park near Bournemouth seafront during a Dorset Police operation to prevent an illegal procession of motorbikes and e-bikes on 13 December. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed no independent investigation was required after Dorset Police…

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Brendan Galloway: Plymouth Argyle defender unused sub in Zimbabwe Afcon opener

Plymouth Argyle defender Brendan Galloway was an unused substitute as his Zimbabwe team-mates lost 2-1 to Egypt in a dramatic Africa Cup of Nations opener.The Warriors led 1-0 at half-time thanks to Prince Dube's strike against the run of play midway through the first half.But Egypt piled on the pressure after the break with Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush equalising in the 64th minute before Liverpool star Mohamed Salah scored the winner in stoppage time. Galloway's next chance…

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Devon mum wraps 50 gifts a day for mental health charity

A Devon mum has extended her love for wrapping to strangers to help raise money for a mental health charity.Kirsty said had been wrapping on average 50 presents a day since the beginning of December in the lead up to Christmas, with the help of her eight-year-old daughter, Harper.The mum-of-two, from Plymouth, said she was raising money for Mind after the charity supported her through her postnatal depression.Kirsty said she posted on social media asking people to help…

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New urgent accommodation opens for young people in Devon

BBCAndy Fletcher said the charity gave him similar accommodation New homes have been created to help young people in need of urgent accommodation.YMCA Exeter said the new homes on Cliff Road in Paignton, Devon, would help people between the ages of 18 and 25 develop independent living skills.The charity said the homes were available to young local people who urgently needed to move on from higher supported accommodation and foster placements.Andy Fletcher used to be homeless and said…

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Feral AI gossip with the potential to spread damage and shame will become more frequent, researchers warn

“Feral” gossip spread via AI bots is likely to become more frequent and pervasive, causing reputational damage and shame, humiliation, anxiety, and distress, researchers have warned. Chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini don’t just make things up—they generate and spread gossip, complete with negative evaluations and juicy rumours that can cause real-world harm, according to new analysis by philosophers Joel Krueger and Lucy Osler from the University of Exeter. The harm caused by AI gossip isn’t a hypothetical…

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Menopause hormone therapy does not appear to impact dementia risk

A major review of prior research has found no evidence that menopause hormone therapy either increases or decreases dementia risk in post-menopausal women, in a new study led by University College London researchers and supported by the University of Exeter. The findings, commissioned by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, add much-needed clarity to a hotly debated topic, and reinforce current clinical guidance that menopause hormone therapy, also called hormone replacement therapy…

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Plymouth council confirms elections to go ahead but Exeter unsure

Miles DavisDevon political reporterBBCThe elections will see a third of the seats on Plymouth City Council up for grabsCity council elections will go ahead in Plymouth in May, the acting leader of the authority has confirmed, but a similar poll could still be cancelled in Exeter.The government announced on Thursday that councils were invited to apply to postpone May elections due to the pressures of local government reorganisation.Jemima Laing, acting leader of Labour-led Plymouth City Council, said the…

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Plymouth man jailed for crashing stolen van into church barriers

BBCHe drove on the wrong side of roads and mounted pavementsA man has been jailed and banned from driving after he crashed a stolen delivery van into barriers around a historic church.Reece Rowe, 29, of Lisson Grove, Plymouth admitted aggravated vehicle taking and driving while disqualified and having no insurance on 16 October. Plymouth Crown Court heard Rowe got into the van which had the keys inside and drove at speeds of 61mph on 30mph roads.Rowe struck other…

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Key road on Dartmoor to be closed for 18 weeks

Miles DavisDevon political reporterGoogleOne lane of the road has been closed since 2022 following a landslipA busy road on Dartmoor will be closed for 18 weeks to save a route which "could be lost completely", highways bosses say.The B3212, which goes from Exeter to Moretonhampstead, will be closed between Dunsford and Doccombe from 5 January with a diversion in place via Bovey Tracey and the A382.Devon County Council said one lane of the road had been closed since…

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