Uk

Public believe Cameron can't budget

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 05/06/2015 - 8:59am

The majority of people living on the breadline think David Cameron has no idea what its like to live on their weekly budget. People from Exeter took part in a national survey organised by PayPlan, one of the country’s largest free debt management solution providers ahead of this week's general election. The survey has revealed that 64 per cent have little confidence in the current Prime Minister being able to cope in their financial situation. Conversely, the general public also believes Ed Miliband and Nigel Farage would find it easiest to live on a lower income. In Exeter, the average...

Warming seas risk for fishy favourites

Popular North Sea fish such as haddock, plaice and lemon sole could become less common on our menus because they will be constrained to preferred habitat as seas warm, according to a study published in Nature Climate Change.

Fish distributions are limited by water temperature and some species can only thrive in certain habitats and depths. In the last 40 years the North Sea has warmed four times faster than the global average and further warming is predicted over the coming century, leading fisheries scientists to study how this will impact on commercial species.

The...

Government set to ban legal highs

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 04/09/2015 - 3:19pm

Five “legal highs” are set to be banned by the Government.

The drugs will be made illegal from tomorrow (10 April) for up to 12 months while the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) decides whether they should be permanently controlled.

The government accepted the ACMD’s advice to make a Temporary Class Drug Order (TCDO) on five compounds related to methylphenidate, a Class B drug, due to concerns about their misuse as new psychoactive substances (NPS).

Ethylphenidate, one of the drugs being banned, has emerged as an alternative to cocaine and...

Open Mic UK 2015 singing auditions announced

Authored by Newshound
Posted: Fri, 04/03/2015 - 4:57pm

The national music competition Open Mic UK have announced their singing auditions for Open Mic UK 2015.

The Open Mic UK singing auditions will be hosted at 15 regions across the UK and the competition will be searching to find the UK’s best singers, singer songwriters, rappers and vocal groups.

Enter the Open Mic UK 2015 singing auditions now for your chance to perform on stage in front of music industry judges!

Open Mic UK is brought to you by Future Music, the company behind the discovery of artists such as Luke Friend and Karen Hardy both of which have had chart...

Exeter workers are masters of many trades

More than half of Exeter professionals (55%) say they are seeing more people in their industry with multiple jobs compared to five years ago.

These ‘portfolio job holders’ work for more than one employer, potentially offering more than one service. This is a key finding of recent research from Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workspace. The survey canvassed the opinions of business owners and senior managers in Exeter on their attitudes and approaches to work.

The findings show that working practices have changed considerably, even in as little as five years...

Devon student to speak at dementia conference

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Wed, 03/11/2015 - 11:11am

A student, hailing from Okehampton, Devon, will present his latest findings at the UK’s largest dementia research conference.

The Alzheimer’s Research UK Conference 2015 is the biggest meeting of dementia research experts in the country and takes place in London on 10-11 March. Alan Stepto will take to the stage to share his results with more than 400 other researchers in a bid to work together to find a cure.

Devon-bred Alan Stepto is a PhD student working at King’s College London and funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK, the world’s largest dedicated funder of dementia...

Winter likely to have been sunniest since 1929

This winter is very likely to be a record breaker. Provisional Met Office statistics show that the UK has had its sunniest winter in records dating back to 1929.

While the figures for temperature and rainfall are fairly average, it has been one of, if not the sunniest winter in UK records dating back to 1929.

By 25 February the UK had already seen 189 hours of sunshine, equalling the 2001 record, but with 3 more days left to the end of the meteorological winter we are likely to beat that record by about 7 hours.

This is in stark contrast to last winter, which was...

Revenge porn helpline launches

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 02/09/2015 - 6:23am

A revenge porn helpline has been launched by the Government to give victims legal advice and information on how to get images taken down.

The helpline was launched yesterday (8 February) by Women and Equalities Minister Nicky Morgan.

The specialist helpline is the latest in a series of measures taken by the government to tackle the growing problem of people sharing intimate images online as a way of seeking revenge or ridiculing individuals.

The helpline, run by South West Grid for Learning Trust, will provide callers with information on legal help available and...

Bus 60% cheaper than driving to work

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Wed, 02/04/2015 - 10:19am

Catching the bus is around 60%* cheaper than commuting to work by car despite falling pump prices, according to new research.

The study by Stagecoach, Britain's biggest bus and coach operator, found that bus users save an average of £1,200* a year – or £100 per month - by leaving their car in the driveway. The saving is enough to pay almost all of the average household’s gas and electricity costs for a year**.

Pump prices are at their lowest level for four years, but the Stagecoach survey of around 40 key commuter corridors in England, Scotland and Wales found that hopping...

Plans underway for second stage of superfast broadband roll out

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Fri, 01/16/2015 - 11:25am

Connecting Devon & Somerset (CDS) has announced that it will be publishing the tender for the second stage of the superfast broadband programme across the region by early February.

The announcement comes as the current programme gathers significant momentum with over 400 cabinets and nearly 100,000 homes and businesses connected to fibre. In addition, some 2,500 individuals and businesses have attended events as part of the Get up to Speed programme, which is designed to help them get the most out of faster broadband.

Connecting Devon and Somerset will be using the...

Pages