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Water bills in England and Wales will increase by an average of £33 a year from April, about 5.4%, while industry groups say the funds will support a £104 billion investment programme and expanded social tariff support for around 2.5 million households.

Waymo has been manually driving a fleet of about 24 cars around London to learn local features such as zebra crossings while awaiting secondary UK legislation; the Department for Transport intends a passenger piloting scheme this spring, subject to safety rules and local consent.

The Care Quality Commission rated Castle Lodge Independent Hospital in Bransholme, Hull, outstanding for being caring and well‑led after a September inspection; the 15‑person facility was rated good in the safe, effective and responsive categories.

Staff and patients on West Raynham stroke ward at Queen Elizabeth Hospital are taking part in a virtual Land's End to John O'Groats cycling challenge, aiming to complete 979 miles and raise £10,000 to fund an aphasia library; they have completed 110 miles so far.

A Derby family has taken over Little Used, a pre-loved community shop in Mickleover that has been part of the area for four decades. The store continues to operate a donor-share model and remains open under the new owners.

A Cambridge-led study of nearly 125,000 women, including about 11,000 MRIs, found reduced grey matter in brain regions tied to memory after menopause; the authors report HRT did not prevent this loss and experts say the evidence on dementia risk remains mixed.

Researchers say human-caused climate change increased the intensity of recent torrential rains across parts of South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, which led to more than 100 deaths and displaced over 300,000 people.

A severe flood warning described as 'danger to life' was issued at Iford Bridge Home Park near Christchurch after River Stour levels rose during Storm Chandra, and residents were told to evacuate while emergency teams assisted.

U.S. life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024, the CDC reported as the highest on record. Preliminary counts for 2025 suggest a slight further improvement.

A US think tank study says combined Russian and Ukrainian military casualties may be nearly two million; officials also reported a Russian drone strike on a Kharkiv passenger train that killed five.

Members celebrated long-standing member Margaret Pimlott's 95th birthday with cake and donated food and toiletries to the local food bank.

Rights groups report that Iranian authorities have detained several doctors and healthcare volunteers who treated people wounded in recent protests, and at least one surgeon faces a charge that can carry the death penalty; the US State Department has called for their release.

In a Financial Times Rachman Review transcript, Bill Gates discusses rising child mortality amid falling aid budgets and describes a Gates Foundation–OpenAI pilot to bring AI tools into 1,000 African clinics starting in Rwanda.

The former Beacon pub on Kings Road in South Ham will be refurbished to house the Westside Community Association, with redevelopment due to begin in early 2026 and backed by more than £500,000 of investment.

The Door youth clubs are offering free weekly cooking sessions where young people cook together and eat the meals in Dursley; sessions take place Wednesdays at The Vibe and most Mondays at Cam Youth Community Centre.

Ingleton Theatre Group will stage Sue Mosley's Jack and the Beanstalk with over 90 community members involved, and a debut ticket sale on January 17 raised £420 for panto funds.

Work has started on a £4.2m regeneration of Rawtenstall Market, with traders temporarily relocated to cabins at Town Square and units in the bus station.

Southern Water has awarded grants from a £30,000 fund to 14 community centres in the region, including Willingdon Trees, to help cover rising energy and operational costs.

The Celia Hammond Animal Trust will run a week-long St Valentine's Virtual Balloon Race from 14–21 February to help cover feeding costs for about 750 rescue cats; each digital balloon costs £3 and proceeds will support care during the campaign.

Workington Town Council has begun restoring the Park End Shelter in Vulcan Park and aims to make the space available free to non-profit and voluntary organisations for workshops and events; work started on 26 January and is expected to take about eight weeks.

Martin and Tracey Connolly raised £3,563 with their recent Christmas lights display, bringing the couple's total donations to St Andrew's Hospice to well over £20,000 across ten years.

The Castle on Witts Hill in Midanbury was a mid-century pub that served as a community hub for decades; it closed for redevelopment in the early 2010s and the site is now a Tesco Express.

Li Xia, a 36-year-old with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, runs four hydroponic greenhouses remotely from his bed using a computer programme he developed and a trackball controlled by his one movable finger; his mother carries out manual tasks in the greenhouses.

Campaigners on Portland are raising £60,000 to buy and protect France Quarry, with £22,000 pledged so far and a fundraising deadline of April 2026.

A mural design honouring Jane Haining was unveiled in Paisley to mark Holocaust Memorial Day; artists Alexander Guy and Caroline Gormley plan to paint a 9ft-by-65ft image on a wall in spring.

Former NBA player Lamar Odom has checked into a 30-day treatment program at iRely Recovery after a recent arrest in Las Vegas on suspicion of driving under the influence, his manager said; he denies being under the influence while police reported signs of recent marijuana use.

The Department for Education says pupils suspended for non-violent reasons should sometimes remain on site with structured learning, and the change will be part of a forthcoming Schools White Paper.

Arijit Singh announced on Instagram that he will stop taking new playback singing assignments and reports say he will finish existing commitments while pursuing independent music projects.

Families and officials gathered to mark the first anniversary of the midair collision that killed 67 near Reagan National Airport, one day after NTSB testimony said the crash was preventable and set out safety recommendations.

A US immigration judge granted asylum to Guan Heng after finding he had a well‑founded fear of persecution linked to footage he released of Xinjiang detention facilities; the Department of Homeland Security has reserved the right to appeal and Guan remains in custody.