Swiss officials face painful task of identifying victims of deadly bar fire | Tourism News

Post published:January 2, 2026
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Investigators are rushing to identify the victims and establish the cause of a devastating fire at a New Year’s Eve party that ripped through a bar in the Swiss Alps town of Crans-Montana.Relatives and friends have been scrambling to find their loved ones, with many circulating photos on social media after the disaster that happened in the early hours of 2026, killing about 40 people and injuring about 115 others, many seriously.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of…

Ice and snow expected to cause travel disruption in wintry start to 2026

Post published:January 2, 2026
Post category:BBC Somerset
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Snow and ice are expected across the UK on Friday as forecasters warn of a "prolonged spell of very cold weather" to start 2026.The most severe conditions will be seen in Scotland, where amber snow warnings are issued for midday on Friday. Yellow snow and ice warnings are already in place elsewhere.Up to 40cm of snow could hit parts of Scotland, while the Met Office predicts as much as 5cm in areas across England and Wales.Delays and cancellations…

Ice warning issued for parts of Devon and Cornwall

Post published:January 2, 2026
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A yellow weather warning for ice has been issued for parts of Devon and Cornwall.The Met Office warning was issued at 06:30 GMT and ends at 10:00 on Friday. It said icy patches could lead to some disruption to travel, cause injuries from slips and falls, and warned there could be icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths. On Wednesday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued an amber cold health alert for the South…

Somerset woman says King stonemasonry role is an ‘honour’

Post published:January 2, 2026
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A woman training as a stonemason says it is an "honour" to help build a new nature hide at the headquarters of a foundation set up by King Charles.Jennie Regan, 45, from Paulton in Somerset, was responsible for carving the circular stone block in the centre of the floor of the hide on the 2,000-acre Dumfries House estate in East Ayrshire.She was inspired to take up the stonemason role by her grandfather's job as a bricklayer in Yeovil,…

Weird and wonderful traditions coming up in the west in 2026

Post published:January 2, 2026
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Beth CruseWest of EnglandReutersCheese-rolling attracts thousands of participants and spectators to Gloucestershire each yearFrom tumbling down hills after cheese to racing homemade contraptions, the West Country's calendar is packed with events as eccentric as they are beloved.Crowds come from far and wide to be a part of the weird and wonderful traditions that make our region unique."These special events draw in hundreds of thousands of visitors to the area, boosting our local visitor economy which is worth more…

Access to Dartmoor enabling ongoing inspiration

Post published:January 2, 2026
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Hattie McCannBBC South WestBBCFrom Sherlock Holmes to Tarka the Otter, the rocks of Dartmoor, like these at Bonehill, have been a source of inspiration to manyDartmoor marked a milestone year in its history in 2025, with the legal right to wild camp on the moor being upheld by the Supreme Court in May.The judgement ensured ongoing access and the right to roam to a landscape steeped in myth and legend, that has been a place of inspiration for…

Poole choir supporting cancer patients seeks new members

Post published:January 2, 2026
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A Poole-based community choir that supports local families struggling financially because of cancer is looking for new members.The DCCF Choir was founded in 2024 to support the work of the Dorset Cancer Care Foundation (DCCF). The choir performs at local events and raises money to give cancer patients grants for costs including household bills and transport to and from hospital.All money raised by the choir, which has 24 members aged 25 to 80, goes towards the work of…

Cornwall Council insists proposed tax rises are ‘unavoidable’

Post published:January 2, 2026
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Seb NobleCornwall political reporter, TruroBBCLeigh Frost said the council had no choice but to increase council tax bills by 4.99% next year Cornwall Council has insisted proposals to increase people's council tax bills by 4.99% is unavoidable. It is one of the measures the council is planning to help raise extra revenue and plug a £50m gap in its budget for the coming financial year.The authority said it would look to make efficiency savings while investing in and…

Princetown ‘will become ghost town’ without prison

Post published:January 2, 2026
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Scott Bingham,South WestandDan Wareing,South WestBBCJane Liversidge said people would abandon Princetown if the prison closed permanentlyThere are fears a village in Devon could become a "ghost town" if its prison does not reopen.HMP Dartmoor, at Princetown, was closed in July 2024 after the government found levels of the radioactive gas radon were up to 10 times higher than the safe limit.The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) told the BBC the closure was temporary and the prison had been made…

South West children offered free NHS chickenpox vaccine

Post published:January 2, 2026
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Children in the South West can now get what has been described as a "historic" free vaccination against chickenpox from the NHS, health bosses say.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises UK health departments, recommended the introduction of the jab in November 2023.Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus, and commonly shows as an itchy, spotty rash.It treatment would be given as two doses, at 12 and…

Can community groups help cut small boat crossings?

Post published:January 2, 2026
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Katharine Da CostaSouth of EnglandSteve VinnicombeSteve and Helena Vinnicombe (right) have been hosting a Ukrainian family since the Russian invasion in 2022 The Ukrainian resettlement scheme saw thousands of people given new homes in the UK and has been praised as a success by both hosts and families fleeing the war-torn county.Now the government wants to launch a similar community sponsorship programme, so other refugees have a safe and legal means to enter the country.It is part of…

Flights from Aden airport in Yemen halted amid latest tensions | News

Post published:January 2, 2026
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STC separatists accuse Saudi Arabia of requiring flights to UAE to land in Jeddah; Saudi source rejects claim.Published On 2 Jan 20262 Jan 2026Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareFlights from Aden international airport in Yemen were halted on Thursday amid continuing tensions between the Southern Transitional Council (STC) separatist group and the Saudi Arabia-backed internationally recognised government in Yemen.Reuters news agency reported that all flights were suspended at the airport on Thursday, although further details of flight…