Somerset: Five big changes set to happen in 2026
From the UK's biggest EV battery plant to the council's financial woes, what is in store for 2026? Source link
Historic paddle steamer is in need of £135,000 for repairs
The team behind the world's last seagoing paddle steamer is hoping to raise £135,000 to replace "vital components" ahead of the 80th anniversary of its launch.The sum is just a small part of the £1.5m required to repair the Waverley, which is due to visit the Bristol Channel in late May 2026.Waverley was built in Glasgow to connect rail passengers to seaside towns, and now offers cruises to the public.Paul Semple, general manager of Waverley Excursions, the company…
Rare butterfly numbers reach record levels says charity
A record number of one of the UK's rarest butterflies has been found at a nature site. More than double the number of silk shelters were found at Lydlinch Common this year compared to last year, according an annual survey by Wareham based national charity Butterfly Conservation.The Marsh Fritillary butterfly was once widespread across the UK but has plummeted over the last 100 years due to changes in farming practices wiping out its habitat. This follows a wider…
How to recycle Christmas trees in the South
Marcus WhiteSouth of EnglandIsle of Wight Donkey SanctuaryDonkeys enjoy clean, chemical-free Christmas treesWith the turn of the year, it could be time to take down your Christmas tree.Traditionally, Twelfth Night on Monday 5 or Tuesday 6 January is the occasion to dismantle the skeletal remains of real trees, sweep up the sea of needles and restore furniture to its rightful place in the living room.People in Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Oxfordshire have a wide…
Truro river route gets new 20mph limit as part of work
Cornwall CouncilPeople had previously been "reluctant" to walk along Malpas Road A new 20mph speed limit has been introduced to a riverside street in Truro as part of measures to make it more accessible for walking and cycling.Malpas Road was earmarked as somewhere people had been "reluctant" to walk alongside due to a lack of crossings and the speed of traffic, Cornwall Council said.As a result, the £1.2m Truro Green Transport Scheme, delivered in partnership with the Truro…
Cornwall raccoon and Devon seals make RSPCA’s top 2025 rescues
Emma Jacobs/RSPCAWhen RSPCA officer Abi Kemp arrived to rescue the raccoon, she saw it was very overweightAn overweight raccoon from Cornwall and three seals from Devon are among those recognised in the RSPCA's top rescues of 2025.The charity compiled the list, hoping to share "some of its most heart-warming tales" of the year.It also revealed more than 634,000 users visited the RSPCA website nationally to report a concern in the last 12 months, with 7,279 visits needed in…
Devon National Trust property celebrates centenary in jazzy style
National Trust, Steve HaywoodThe National Trust held a Roaring Twenties party to celebrate 100 years of the property that featured in the BBC Two programme Christmas Treasures of the National TrustColeton Fishacre in south Devon has celebrated its centenary over the Christmas period, and special decorations can still be seen until into the new year.The National Trust has decorated the Arts and Crafts-style house, built in 1925, in the festive style of the Jazz Age - the so-called…
South West charity delivers blood ‘when every minute counts’
BBCSouth West Blood Bikes rider James Mayne on standby to courier blood and medical suppliesA charity which transports blood and medical supplies for the NHS has reported a "record year" of helping the health services.Riders and drivers for South West Blood Bikes have travelled 236,000 miles over 12 months, which they estimate has saved the NHS and hospices in Devon more than £400,000.The charity is made up of a team of 116 unpaid volunteers and does not charge…
China’s Xi says ‘reunification’ with Taiwan ‘unstoppable’ | Xi Jinping News
Taiwan's Lai pledges to defend national sovereignty after Beijing holds live-fire drills around island.Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to achieve the “reunification” of China and Taiwan, calling Beijing’s long-held goal “unstoppable.”In a New Year’s address delivered a day after China’s military wrapped up war games around Taiwan, Xi on Wednesday invoked the “bond of blood and kinship” between Chinese people on each side of the Taiwan Strait.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list“The reunification of our motherland, a trend of the times,…
Ex-detective and crime novelist among new contestants
Steven McIntoshEntertainment reporterBBCLeft-right: The new players include hairstylist Jessie, retired detective Amanda and personal trainer RossA retired police detective, a crime novelist and a psychologist will be among the players sitting at the round table on the new series of The Traitors, which kicks off on New Year's Day.The 22 new contestants also include a poker-playing gardener, a barrister, a cyber security consultant, a civil servant, a builder, a nursery school teacher and a personal trainer.Fans have been…
New Year’s Eve celebrations as the world welcomes 2026 | News
Published On 31 Dec 202531 Dec 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareNew Year’s Eve celebrations are unfolding across the world as countries move into 2026 one time zone at a time.The first major cities to mark the new year welcomed midnight with fireworks over their waterfronts, and large crowds gathered at public viewing points.As the night continues, countries across the Americas will close out the global transition with events stretching from Rio de Janeiro’s beaches to Times…
Finland seizes ship sailing from Russia after suspected cable sabotage | News
New telecommunications cable damage discovered in Finland’s exclusive economic zone.Published On 31 Dec 202531 Dec 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareFinnish authorities have seized a vessel suspected of intentionally severing undersea telecommunications cables amid fears of Russian sabotage in the Gulf of Finland.The seized cargo vessel Fitburg was en route from the Russian port of St Petersburg to Israel at the time of the incident on Wednesday, Finnish Border Guard officials said at a news conference in…
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