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Nothe Fort hosts Steampunks for Yuletide weekend

Nothe Fort hosts Steampunks for Yuletide weekend

Weymouth was awash with elaborate costumes when the seaside town hosted a Steampunk Yuletide weekend.Victoriana met science fiction for the three-day gathering at Nothe Fort and at venues in the town centre from Friday to Sunday.Hosted by We Are Weymouth and Ministry of Steampunk South, the event included a market, cabaret and a procession through the town.Circus performers, poets and comedians provided entertainment along with music from Durnovaria Silver band, Major Blunder and the Weymouth Park Community Choir,…

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Protesters hope to save ‘precious farmland’ amid food security fears

Protesters hope to save ‘precious farmland’ amid food security fears

Plans to double the number of homes in a village by building on "precious farmland" have been opposed by some residents.Protesters gathered earlier to object to North Somerset Council's local plan, which proposes 1,800 new homes in Backwell by 2041. Residents have said farmland, earmarked for about 1,000 houses, is crucial for future food security.Resident Loraine Hopkinson said: "We're a village of under 2,000 houses so another almost 2,000 houses is doubling the size of the village and…

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‘Danger to life’ warning issued in Devon and Cornwall

‘Danger to life’ warning issued in Devon and Cornwall

Storm Bram could cut off South West communities and cause a "danger to life" because of flooding, forecasters have said.The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for rain covering parts of Devon and Cornwall from 00:00 to 10:00 GMT on Tuesday as the named storm is expected to cause disruption.It said about 100mm (4in) of rain could fall in a few exposed areas within the warning zone, which is mainly focused on Dartmoor and part of…

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Cornish windsurfer wins bronze medal at European Championships

Cornish windsurfer wins bronze medal at European Championships

BBCFinn Hawkins (right), from Cornwall, started windsurfing aged 10A windsurfer described his bronze medal as a "real breakthrough" after placing third at the iQFOiL European Championships in Italy.Finn Hawkins, from St Austell, Cornwall, started windsurfing aged 10, after he spotted a windsurfer while out sailing a dinghy with his dad.Despite having previous successes in youth, junior and under-23 competitions, 22-year-old Mr Hawkins said he had never "medaled or been close to a medal at a big senior competition".He…

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Protesters and police clash as Falmouth trees cut down

Protesters and police clash as Falmouth trees cut down

Clashes between protesters and police have occurred before three trees were felled.Cornwall Council removed the mature lime trees from Trelawney Road in Falmouth due to the roots causing damage to the pavement, road and a nearby property.Devon and Cornwall Police said about 40 people attended a planned protest at the site before the trees were felled.Police said one protester, who had to be moved after allegedly trying to access a secured area, suffered a bump to her head…

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Former Frome councillor jailed for Just Stop Oil protest

Former Frome councillor jailed for Just Stop Oil protest

A former councillor has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for his role in a Just Stop Oil protest.Michael Dunk was elected to represent the Green Party in the Frome West division of Somerset in May 2022.Southwark Crown Court was told Dunk climbed gantries on the M25 on 8 November 2022, to demand an end to new fossil fuel projects. Police had to close the motorway as a result of the action.Under government rules elected…

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Council pledges to monitor Portland incinerator emissions

Council pledges to monitor Portland incinerator emissions

Trevor Bevins,Local Democracy Reporting ServiceandStephen Stafford,South of EnglandPowerfuel PortlandThe proposed incinerator at Portland Port would be built on land owned by Portland PortEmissions from a waste incinerator set to be built on the Dorset coast will be monitored by the county council.Powerfuel Portland Ltd is planning to build the incinerator on land at Portland Port after the Court of Appeal dismissed a legal challenge brought by campaigners last month.Dorset Council said it would sample both emissions from the…

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Tackling deadly fungal threats: Global training empowers clinicians and lab technicians 

Twenty-four clinicians and laboratory technicians have enrolled in a bespoke training programme designed to strengthen the diagnosis and treatment of deadly fungal diseases. With infections soaring globally and two million deaths every year, the programme was hugely oversubscribed as health professionals urgently seek to master early detection techniques that can save lives.  Fungal infections pose a significant and growing threat to global health, with the heaviest burden falling on low- and middle-income countries. The increasing number of new fungal cases appearing in hospitals worldwide is…

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Stuart Brocklehurst appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Devon

The University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Business Engagement and Innovation, Stuart Brocklehurst, has been appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Devon. HM Deputy Lieutenants are appointed to assist the work of the Lord Lieutenant as The King’s personal representative in the county, representing The Crown and celebrating the achievements of the people of Devon and their service to the community. These important roles are given to individuals who have made significant contributions to public life, voluntary work, or community leadership.…

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Indonesia counts human cost as more climate change warnings sounded | Environment News

Indonesia reports 1,000 dead and close to 1 million displaced from rains as a report points at the threat posed by climate change and ecosystem decline across Asia.Nearly 1,000 people have been killed, and close to one million displaced, Indonesia has said a week after torrential rains triggered catastrophic floods and landslides.The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported late on Sunday that 961 people had been killed, with 234 people missing and about 5,000 injured across the Aceh,…

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New book explores ‘visual life of climate change’

A new book suggests that the pictures we use to tell stories about climate change fundamentally shape how we respond to the issue. The Visual Life of Climate Change, by Professor Saffron O’Neill from the University of Exeter, says we often rely on a small set of images to illustrate climate change – and these exclude many people and places from the discussion about climate action. Every day, journalists and editors around the world grapple with how to…

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Exeter and National Trust partnership wins Knowledge Exchange award

A unique partnership between the University of Exeter and the National Trust has received a prestigious award. The ‘Shaping Landscapes for People and Nature to Thrive’ partnership was a winner at the Knowledge Exchange UK Awards in the Strategic Partnerships category. The award recognises the strategic partnership between the two organisations that has been ongoing since May 2021 and that seeks to apply academic expertise to real-world environmental challenges. It brings together Exeter’s in-depth expertise from a range…

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