Thomas Plimmer was struck off the medical register after having sex with women at his GP surgery.
Wiltshire Council is investing £2.2m over two years in response to a growing demand for therapy.
Homeless charity Doorway host carol singing event after base was "devastated" during the floods.
Two developers and a council receive permission to build on an empty plot in Wichelstowe.
BBC South spends six months with patients and staff at Salisbury Hospital's dedicated spinal unit.
One of Europe's oldest department stores is due to shut in a few weeks.
An overflowing pond has flooded the Swindon home of an elderly couple 20 times since 2021.
People in Malmesbury voice their unhappiness about plans for the north-east corner of the town.
Train passengers in the West Country are being warned of disruption due to engineering works.
Dr Matt Thomas urges people not in an emergency situation to consider alternatives to calling 999.
The company saw a 40% increase in pollution incidents in the first half of the year as its debts continued to swell.
The initiative aims to highlight predatory behaviour and encourage people to report abuse.
A look at what stories are trending across the West of England on 10 December 2024.
While power is restored to the majority of homes in the region, 5,037 properties are still without.
Police are investigating the incident, which happened in Trowbridge on Saturday afternoon.
A committee gave the go-ahead on the application for the Elm Grove Farm site in Trowbridge.
The Department for Transport says there are 70% more deaths on rural roads than urban highways.
Expert analysis of the impact of the poisonings.
BBC Radio Wiltshire’s Ben Prater meets Mark Verbinnen at Amesbury History Centre.
Patricia and Peter say they’re “living in a nightmare” because of an overflowing pond.
BBC Radio Wiltshire’s Jeremy Stern meets locals still mopping up after Storm Bert.
BBC Radio Wiltshire’s Kayleigh Barker visits some of the places featured in “Rivals”.
Northumbria Police says a search is continuing where Tom Voyce's car was found near Alnwick.
Walsall score a dramatic 97th-minute equaliser before beating nine-man Reading on penalties to make it through the EFL Trophy last 16 with Birmingham City and Wrexham among the other winners.
Bath fall short of completing a thrilling comeback in torrential conditions at the Rec as La Rochelle hold on to claim an opening-game victory in the Champions Cup.
McLaren make a perfect start in their bid to secure their first constructors' title since 1998 at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Walsall score a dramatic 97th-minute equaliser before beating nine-man Reading on penalties to make it through the EFL Trophy last 16 with Birmingham City and Wrexham among the other winners.
Swindon Town Supporters Trust reiterates its call for owner Clem Morfuni to sell the struggling League Two club.
Thomas Plimmer was struck off the medical register after having sex with women at his GP surgery.
Wiltshire Council is investing £2.2m over two years in response to a growing demand for therapy.
Homeless charity Doorway host carol singing event after base was "devastated" during the floods.
Two developers and a council receive permission to build on an empty plot in Wichelstowe.
BBC South spends six months with patients and staff at Salisbury Hospital's dedicated spinal unit.
One of Europe's oldest department stores is due to shut in a few weeks.
An overflowing pond has flooded the Swindon home of an elderly couple 20 times since 2021.
People in Malmesbury voice their unhappiness about plans for the north-east corner of the town.
Train passengers in the West Country are being warned of disruption due to engineering works.
Dr Matt Thomas urges people not in an emergency situation to consider alternatives to calling 999.
The company saw a 40% increase in pollution incidents in the first half of the year as its debts continued to swell.
The initiative aims to highlight predatory behaviour and encourage people to report abuse.
A look at what stories are trending across the West of England on 10 December 2024.
While power is restored to the majority of homes in the region, 5,037 properties are still without.
Police are investigating the incident, which happened in Trowbridge on Saturday afternoon.
A committee gave the go-ahead on the application for the Elm Grove Farm site in Trowbridge.
The Department for Transport says there are 70% more deaths on rural roads than urban highways.
Expert analysis of the impact of the poisonings.
BBC Radio Wiltshire’s Ben Prater meets Mark Verbinnen at Amesbury History Centre.
Patricia and Peter say they’re “living in a nightmare” because of an overflowing pond.
BBC Radio Wiltshire’s Jeremy Stern meets locals still mopping up after Storm Bert.
BBC Radio Wiltshire’s Kayleigh Barker visits some of the places featured in “Rivals”.
Northumbria Police says a search is continuing where Tom Voyce's car was found near Alnwick.
Walsall score a dramatic 97th-minute equaliser before beating nine-man Reading on penalties to make it through the EFL Trophy last 16 with Birmingham City and Wrexham among the other winners.
Bath fall short of completing a thrilling comeback in torrential conditions at the Rec as La Rochelle hold on to claim an opening-game victory in the Champions Cup.
McLaren make a perfect start in their bid to secure their first constructors' title since 1998 at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Walsall score a dramatic 97th-minute equaliser before beating nine-man Reading on penalties to make it through the EFL Trophy last 16 with Birmingham City and Wrexham among the other winners.
Swindon Town Supporters Trust reiterates its call for owner Clem Morfuni to sell the struggling League Two club.
Sara Sharif was sassy, bubbly and dreamed of being on X-factor - but behind closed doors she was brutally beaten.
Women experiencing conditions such as heavy periods and endometriosis are being dismissed when they ask for help, a report warns.
Lindsay MacCallum stole £86,000 from Rainbow Valley, set up in memory of her friend's daughter who died of cancer.
The spy agency has released its notoriously tricky annual Christmas puzzle.
A horse which broke free from a Scottish racecourse has been captured on video galloping through a nearby town two miles away.
Marcus Fakana has been sentenced for a year over the relationship, a campaign group in Dubai says.
Lord Hendy says the transport department is going to "keep a close watch on staffing" over the festive period.
The UN's chemical watchdog says dozens were killed in a chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta in 2018.
Judge Christopher Lopez ruled that an auction for Infowars did not result in the best bids possible.
During multiple raids on Rasikh Malik's property, officers failed to find the family. But he was the one who hid them.
Murdered Sara was a caring, cheerful "chatterbox" who "would sing to anyone", her head teacher says.
The 10-year-old's father and stepmother have been found guilty of her murder.
The men accused of raping Gisèle Pelicot have been dubbed Monsieur-Tout-Le-Monde as they broadly represent a microcosm of French society.
Satellite images show Russian ships off the Syrian coast, as Moscow mulls its military future after Bashar al-Assad's fall.
A Spanish police unit is making lasting relationships with women it rescues from slavery.
Alice, of Shropshire, says she is a romance fraud victim of a man who was her childhood sweetheart.
Advocacy groups call the controversial weapon "the fastest growing gun safety problem in the US".
Conversations about Manchester United's women's team often focus on what is happening off the pitch - and last week was no different. So what impact will sporting director Dan Ashworth's exit have?
The actor plays Dylan in A Complete Unknown, which focuses on the singer's rise to fame in the 1960s.
Top stories, breaking news, live reporting, and follow news topics that match your interests
US lawyer Tony Buzbee says he still receives daily calls with new allegations about the music mogul.
Downing Street tells unions angry at 2.8% pay proposals that workers must become more productive.
Farmers driving tractors stage another protest against the Budget changes in central London.
The actor shouted "shut up!" at Christophe Ruggia before storming out court on the second day of the trial.
The girl from Sierra Leone said all the 44 migrants on board had died in the storms and high waves.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood says "building alone is not enough" to deal with the overcrowding crisis.
The cost of renting rose sharply after lockdown was lifted but the rate of increase is now slowing.
The last time Assad’s power was challenged, the Islamic State group filled the vacuum
Crowds gather at notorious Damascus prison, as Assad flees to Russia.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca says it is "not normal" for a player to make the 16-hour round trip to Kazakhstan on Thursday and then play on Sunday against Brentford.
Harry Brook displaces England team-mate Joe Root as the number one ranked Test batter in the world.
The FA is set to back Saudi Arabia's controversial bid to host the 2034 World Cup.
Fernando Alonso says 2026 will be a "time of delivering" as he prepares to link up with Adrian Newey at Aston Martin.
Uefa is "not worried" that some Women's Euro 2025 matches will clash with the Fifa men's Club World Cup, says managing director Nadine Kessler.
Mothers and newborn babies came to harm because of staffing shortages and a "toxic" culture, a whistleblowing investigation says.
Judge "incorrect" to say Foden spending at least 11 years in prison, says Crown Prosecution Service.
Twelve people attending an Irish Collie Club dance were killed in the La Mon attack in February 1978.
1. How to sell your idea. Selling an idea within your organisation is most effective when you have internal supporters. When others back your idea, it reinforces its value. These supporters can offer their time and expertise, as well as help bring in additional advocates. READ MORE 2. Getting people back to work. Since the Covid pandemic, unemployment in the UK has risen from 1 million to 1.5 million. There are also 9.3 million “economically inactive” people – those who are neither in work nor looking for a job – and a record 2.8 million people off work due to long-term sickness. A white paper published yesterday by the Department for Work and Pensions also notes that “the UK is the only major economy that has seen its employment rate fall over the last five years”, which it attributes mainly to the effects of long-term sickness. The Office for Budget Responsibility says this is the single biggest risk to public finances, as spending on sickness benefits is due to top £100 billion by the end of the parliament. The Times 3. Professional services lead UK growth. The professional services sector – covering law, architecture, R&D and consultancy – has led UK economic growth in 2024. It grew 3.9% in the three months to September, compared to 1.3% for the broader economy. Since pre-pandemic levels, the sector’s output has risen 16%, outpacing the UK economy’s 3% growth. Legal services benefit from a global talent pool and the widespread adoption of English law, while architecture saw overseas revenue climb 25% in 2024. Scientific R&D has been the fastest-growing sub-sector. Financial Times 4. The £268bn cost of poor diets. Unhealthy eating is costing the UK a staggering £268bn a year, a study has found. Of that, £92bn is accounted for by direct costs, related to the treatment of type 2 diabetes and other diseases closely linked to poor diet. Most of that (£67bn) is spent by the NHS. Social care for patients adds £14.3bn and welfare payments a further £10.1bn. Indirect costs include £116.4bn in lost productivity, caused by people being unfit to work owing to diet-related conditions. The human cost of pain and early death is estimated at £60bn. The Guardian 5. Should assisted dying be legalised? Assisted dying is a deeply personal and complex issue. With the UK Parliament recently advancing a bill to legalize it under strict safeguards for terminally ill adults, the debate is intensifying. Supporters argue it offers dignity and autonomy to those suffering, while opponents raise ethical, religious, and societal concerns. We want to hear your thoughts on this pivotal issue shaping discussions around personal rights and healthcare policies. Do you support or oppose such assisted dying? VOTE HERE |
6. Net migration to UK falls after record high. The latest UK net migration figure, for the 12 months to June 2024, was 728,000, according to the Office for National Statistics. That's a fall from the 12 months to June 2023 - a newly revised figure shows that total was 906,000, far higher than previous estimates. Net migration is the difference between the number of people arriving in the UK, and the number leaving. Because the figures are until June 2024, they are a reflection of policies under the previous Conservative government and are far higher than was promised to voters. BBC 7. How many people use the boats? In 2018, the number was just 299, but since then it has grown exponentially; 2022 saw the highest, with 45,774 registered arrivals. This dipped to 29,437 in 2023, but 2024 had logged 33,500 arrivals by 17 November, so this year will be the second-largest figure. In total, more than 147,000 are known to have arrived in this way (about 80% of all registered irregular arrivals to the UK). At least 250 people are known to have died in the attempt. Five countries dominate numerically among small boat arrivals, making up two-thirds of the total over the past six years: Iran (18.5%); Afghanistan (14.7%); Iraq (13.2%); Albania (12.1%); and Syria (7.6%). Sky News 8. UK adults online longer in 2024. The amount of time the average UK adult spent online this year has jumped by almost an hour over the last year to four hours and 20 minutes each day, according to figures from regulator Ofcom. In 2023, the average UK adult spent three hours and 21 minutes online each day. The Online Nation report shows that 18-24 year olds spent the most time online, racking up six hours and one minute on average each day, and those over 65 spent three hours and 10 minutes online. Meanwhile, one in five UK children aged 8-17 has lied about their age in order to get social media accounts. People are spending most of their time online on services offered by two US tech giants: Alphabet, which owns YouTube and Google, and Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. TechCrunch 9. Swipe left on digital dating. The top dating apps are suffering falling user numbers for the first time. Tinder lost 600,000 users (5%) in the year to May 2024 while Hinge dropped 131,000 (3%). The change is apparently down to Gen Z and millennials deciding they would rather find love the old-fashioned way: in real life. The Guardian 10. The bottom line. Did you know that in Europe, the average woman buys 30-50 pieces of clothing annually [depending on age, income, and lifestyle] and discards 10-15 items? Even in countries like Denmark, with excellent recycling programmes, 62% of discarded clothing still ends up in landfills - often in the global south. Daily Mail |
6. Single women are not so sad. Single women are often stereotyped as sad and desperate for love, but new research shows that single men are more likely to be lovelorn. In a study analyzing 6,000 single people from various countries, women expressed more satisfaction with their lives than men. Women were also less inclined to seek romantic partnerships, possibly because they find more emotional support in platonic relationships or view traditional relationships as unfair due to the unequal distribution of household responsibilities. The Times 7. How universities are funded. The Office for Students predicts that 72% of England's universities may face budget deficits next year. UK higher education providers had a total income of £50 billion in 2022/23, with 52% from tuition fees (43% from international students), 14% from research grants, and 12% from direct government funding. Other income sources include donations and endowments. Funding models vary across the UK due to devolution: in Scotland, the government pays home students' tuition fees; Welsh undergraduates get a minimum maintenance grant; and Northern Ireland caps fees at £4,750. The Independent 8. Word of the year. “Manifest” – to use the power of visualisation to will something into existence – has been chosen by Cambridge Dictionary as its word of 2024. Singer Dua Lipa and gymnast Simone Biles are among those who have said they “manifested” their successes. The Sun 9. Christmas is officially on its way. The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree – a 56-year-old, 20-metre Norwegian spruce – has been felled in Norway before starting its journey to London. The Nordic nation has sent a tree every year since 1947 in thanks for Britain’s support during World War Two. BBC 10. The bottom line. The average number of years a person born in the UK can expect to live is 80.9. New data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that the UK had the worst life expectancy in western Europe, almost a year lower than the 81.5-year average across the 27 European Union countries. Switzerland was at the top of the table with an average of 84.2 years. OECD |