Railways in the West of England: What next for 2026?

Post published:January 3, 2026
Post category:BBC Somerset

BBCGWR is expected to be brought back into public ownership in 2026It is set to be a year of change for train services in the West of England.From Great Western Railway (GWR) returning to public ownership to work beginning on the long-awaited Portishead line - what other developments could be in store?We look at what what you can expect to see in the next 12 months.Public ownership for GWRHeidi Alexander said the Labour government was addressing overcrowding on…

Practical tips to save on energy bills this winter

Post published:January 3, 2026
Post category:BBC Somerset

Getty ImagesBleeding radiators can released trapped air and allow heat to circulate properlyEvery winter brings a drop in temperatures and rising concerns about heating costs. With the energy price cap set to increase in January, we have gathered together some practical advice to help you keep warm and cut costs over the colder months.This month, millions of households will see a slight rise in their energy bills, as the energy regulator Ofgem increases the price cap by 0.2%.The…

Torbay fishermen generate £1.5m for local council

Post published:January 3, 2026
Post category:Devon News
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Guy HendersonLocal Democracy Reporting ServicePiers Mucklejohn/PA WireThe council will spend almost £4.4m running the harbours in the 2026/27 financial yearTorbay Council has made more than £1m through fishing tolls since April, a tax on fishers who operate in the authority's three harbours.The toll, levied by the council on catches through its Brixham, Paignton and Torquay harbours, tops £1.5m in the current financial year.It is a levy on fish and shellfish landed, sold, or shipped in the bay, and…

Medal of Devon soldier who guarded Florence Nightingale auctioned

Post published:January 3, 2026
Post category:Devon News
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NOONANSFlorence Nightingale asked for Private Samuel Vickery to be her "orderly and effective bodyguard"A British military award medal given to a Devon-born soldier who kept Florence Nightingale safe during the Crimean War is being put up for auction.Noonans Mayfair said the Distinguished Conduct Medal was awarded to Pte Samuel Vickery of the Coldstream Guards for hand-to-hand fighting at the Battle of Inkermann on 5 November 1854.Pte Vickery was part of the force which "held the Russian enemy at…

Road closures and free parking as Camborne improvements begin

Post published:January 3, 2026
Post category:BBC Cornwall

Road closures, diversions and free parking will be in place in Camborne from Monday as part of a scheme to improve the town's appearance.The second phase of works are part of a town deal scheme to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists and support the local economy by encouraging people to spend more time in the town.The first phase started in November within New Connexion Street, while the second phase will be focussed at Commercial Street and around…

Radio station at Lizard marks 125 year anniversary

Post published:January 3, 2026
Post category:BBC Cornwall

National TrustLizard Wireless Station was opened on 1 January 1901A radio station that played a "pivotal role" in the history of wireless communication is celebrating its 125th anniversary.The Lizard Wireless Station in Cornwall opened on 1 January 1901 and was able to communicate with ships up to 80 miles away, pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible at the time.Later that same month the station received a wireless signal from St Catherine's Point on the Isle of…

Iran urges UN to respond to Trump’s ‘reckless’ threats over protests | Donald Trump News

Post published:January 3, 2026
Post category:Al Jazeera
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Letter to UN chief, UNSC comes after Trump says US will intervene if Tehran violently suppresses protests.Published On 3 Jan 20263 Jan 2026Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareIran’s United Nations ambassador Amir Saeed Iravani has written to the UN secretary-general and the president of the UN Security Council (UNSC), urging them to condemn “unlawful threats” towards Tehran from United States President Donald Trump amid ongoing protests in the country.The letter sent on Friday came hours after Trump…

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,409 | Russia-Ukraine war News

Post published:January 2, 2026
Post category:Al Jazeera
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These are the key developments from day 1,409 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.Published On 2 Jan 20262 Jan 2026Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareHere is where things stand on Saturday, January 3:Fighting Two people were killed, including a three-year-old child, and at least 31 people were wounded in a Russian ballistic missile attack on a five-storey residential building in the centre of Ukraine’s Kharkiv, the region’s governor Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram. Russia’s Ministry of Defence denied…

Liensberger to miss Olympics after latest serious skiing accident | Winter Olympics News

Post published:January 2, 2026
Post category:Al Jazeera
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Austria’s Katharina Liensberger to miss Milano Cortina Winter Games after knee injury in alpine skiing training fall.Published On 2 Jan 20262 Jan 2026Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareAustria’s 2022 ‌Olympic slalom silver medallist Katharina Liensberger will ‍miss the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics after suffering a serious knee injury in a training crash.The Austrian Ski Association said Liensberger would have surgery on Friday after medical examinations revealed a fracture of the tibial plateau, a torn meniscus ‍and a…

Pedestrian seriously injured in A390 crash

Post published:January 2, 2026
Post category:BBC Cornwall

A pedestrian suffered serious injuries in a car crash in St Austell.The man, who is in his 40s, was hurt in the accident on Trevanion Road at the junction with Sawles Road at about 07:30 GMT.He is from the St Austell area and his next of kin are with him in hospital, Devon and Cornwall Police said.The force said the driver of a red Peugeot 207 stopped at the scene and was assisting the police investigation and it…

Bristol Airport drop-off charges to increase

Post published:January 2, 2026
Post category:BBC Somerset

GettyBristol Airport will charge people £8.50 to park for 10 minutes in its drop-off zone and short stay car park from MondayThe fee to drop passengers off at Bristol Airport will increase by £1.50 after a series of yearly rises.From Monday, it will cost £8.50 to park for 10 minutes at the Drop Off & Pick Up car park next to the terminal, as well as the Short Stay car park a short walk away.A spokesperson for Bristol…

New Year’s Eve sparklers may have caused deadly Swiss bar fire: Official | Police News

Post published:January 2, 2026
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Families face agonising wait as investigators work to identify at least 40 people killed, many others wounded in blaze.Initial investigations suggest that sparklers attached to champagne bottles may have ignited the devastating fire that ripped through a Swiss ski resort bar on New Year’s Eve, killing more than three dozen people, the local prosecutor says.“Everything suggests that the fire started from the burning candles or ‘Bengal lights’ that had been attached to champagne bottles,” prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said…