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VIDEO: After a devastating cyclone, Kenn Parker built the ultimate birdwatcher's home among the cassowaries.

VIDEO: After a devastating cyclone, Kenn Parker built the ultimate birdwatcher's home among the cassowaries.

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17m ago 17 minutes ago Fri 25 Apr 2025 at 9:41pm
Environmentalist Kenn Parker was living in a van in the rainforest when Tropical Cyclone Yasi struck in 2011. With fallen timber, and the help of friends, he built his small home, where he now lives alongside cassowaries.

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Met Office issues fresh thunderstorms warning for this weekend with up to 50mm of rain to hit in hours
Met Office issues fresh thunderstorms warning for this weekend with up to 50mm of rain to hit in hours

Scottish Sun

time9 minutes ago

  • Scottish Sun

Met Office issues fresh thunderstorms warning for this weekend with up to 50mm of rain to hit in hours

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE MET Office has issued a fresh warning for thunderstorms this weekend, with up to 50mm of rain expected to fall in just a few hours. The alert signals the arrival of severe weather, bringing the risk of flooding, hail, and lightning strikes across the UK. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 There is also a follow-up amber warning that continues until 5am on Monday Credit: Met Office 4 Lightning strikes in the sky along Church Street in Witham, Essex tonight 4 During the thunderstorms, some parts of the UK could receive up to 50mm of rain in just a few hours Brits are urged to be prepared as intense storms are set to hit several regions, sparking concerns of widespread disruption. The weather warnings will affect several areas, including London, the South East, and the East of England, from 8pm this evening until 5am on Saturday morning. There is also a follow-up amber warning that continues until 5am on Monday. The Met Office has highlighted the risk of "fast flowing or deep floodwater" that could endanger lives, with some communities potentially becoming cut off due to flooding. Read more on News HOT TOPIC First heat-health alert this year for 4 areas amid warnings of 'serious' risks During the thunderstorms, some parts of the UK could receive up to 50mm of rain in just a few hours. This will bring major disruption, including road closures, train cancellations, and power outages. The Met Office also warned of the potential for strong winds, reaching up to 50mph, which could exacerbate the impact of the storms. Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin commented that the day would start off 'hot and humid,' with some areas of the country potentially seeing temperatures climb as high as 30°C. However, conditions will soon change, with thunderstorms beginning around 2pm in Wales and the South West, spreading to other areas later in the day. Parts of southern England, including London, could see temperatures remain as high as 28°C on Friday evening, though the heat will quickly give way to more unsettled weather. With 30–50mm of rain expected in some areas before the storms ease early on Saturday, residents across Greater London, Plymouth, Bath, Brighton, Norwich, and parts of the South East are advised to remain alert. Cardiff and other southern regions could experience the heaviest downpours, with some areas possibly receiving up to 80mm of rain. This level of rainfall is likely to cause significant surface water flooding, making driving conditions dangerous and leading to the risk of accidents. The situation has already caused significant flooding in parts of the South West, particularly in Plymouth, where local residents battled knee-deep water. The storms have already resulted in closures, with some roads, such as Gdynia Way and Kings Street, shut down due to flooding. The Theatre Royal in Plymouth has also closed its doors as a result of flood damage. James Mackenzie-Blackman, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of TRP, stated: 'The torrential rain has required us to close the Theatre Royal today as we continue to deal with a significant flood into our basement. Our priority is the safety of our staff, our artists, visitors and participants.' In addition to the potential flooding, strong winds of up to 50mph are expected to cause problems along coasts and hills, further complicating the situation for drivers and emergency services. Local authorities have advised caution when travelling, particularly in affected areas, as there may be delays and possible cancellations to train and bus services. The disruption could continue into the weekend, particularly in areas where floodwater lingers. The Met Office has issued a warning about the increased risk of power cuts, especially in areas where storms bring lightning strikes. Residents are urged to be prepared for the possibility of service interruptions, with some homes and businesses potentially losing power due to the extreme weather. The public is encouraged to monitor the weather closely and take precautions to protect themselves and their property.

‘Flickering green and white': Inside the cabin seconds before the Air India crash
‘Flickering green and white': Inside the cabin seconds before the Air India crash

Sydney Morning Herald

time9 minutes ago

  • Sydney Morning Herald

‘Flickering green and white': Inside the cabin seconds before the Air India crash

In his final message to air traffic controllers, the plane's pilot said the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had 'no thrust', was 'losing power' and was 'unable to lift'. The Dreamliner is designed to be able to climb and fly safely in the event of having only one engine operational. Speculation has been rife over what may have caused the crash, including the possibility of pilot error, faulty flaps, electrical problems or engine failure. A bird strike is a prominent hypothesis, and could have caused a catastrophic engine failure leading to such a situation, but there has been no evidence of flocks in the area at the time of the crash. 'More than one thing went wrong here. The thing that might have started it, and I think probably did, was a loss of power,' Learmount said 'Whether it was loss of power on one engine or both engines is not clear. But the failure of a single engine should not cause a crew to lose control of a modern airliner, even in the critical early climb phase. Loading 'At the same time, simultaneous engine failures for unconnected reasons simply do not happen, based on the entire history of aviation. So if there was a failure of both, the question is what could have caused it.' The two engines on the plane are made by General Electric aviation and have a good safety history. On Friday, the Indian aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, issued a notice to Air India to conduct more inspections of all of its 787-8 and 787-9 fleet with GE engines. This includes an inspection of the fuel monitoring systems, a test of the electronic engine control, a check of the hydraulics and a review of take-off parameters. 'Power assurance checks' are also to be done on each plane within two weeks. Dr Akhil Bhardwaj, a senior lecturer in aviation safety at the University of Bath, said he believed the DGCA was acting with an 'understandable abundance of caution'. Last year, a United Airlines 787 jet, which has the same GEnx-1B engines as the doomed AI 171 flight, suffered an 'uncontained left engine failure shortly after take-off' while flying from Singapore to San Francisco last year, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report. The engine ceased working at cruise altitude and set alight, according to the report, with the pilots managing to circle back and land the plane in Singapore using just one engine. A GE Aerospace spokesman said: 'Safety is our top priority, and we support the action being taken by the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation for enhanced safety inspections of the Air India 787-8/9 fleet. 'We continue to work closely with the appropriate regulatory and investigative agencies, and we are committed to providing all technical support necessary to understand the cause of this accident.' Loading Experts have suggested that the Dreamliner, which until Thursday had an unblemished safety record, also deployed its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) during the ill-fated 60 seconds between take-off and the crash. The RAT is a propeller-like device that sits in the fuselage between the wings and is only deployed in the most dangerous situations, to provide emergency power to vital electrical systems. Sambulo Matema, a lecturer in aviation management at University College Birmingham, said: 'There is credence to this theory. In a complete power‑loss scenario, the aircraft transitions from engine‑supplied power to RAT power, and lighting anomalies can occur.' Loading 'This behaviour aligns with established emergency procedures and the expected performance of aircraft electrical systems under severe duress. 'After total power loss, the RAT deploys as a fallback power source. During this transition, green emergency lighting activates, and white lights may flash while onboard systems reboot and stabilise.' Learmount, who flew Hercules military transport planes around the Middle East during his RAF career, said the RAT would have sent power to the cockpit. The plane's batteries would also have supported vital systems. However, neither could have done anything to keep the plane aloft in the event of its turbines spooling down. Loading All this suggests the fault lay in the engines. However, what could have caused them to shut down remains unclear. One theory is contaminated fuel. In 2010, a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong almost ended in disaster when the pilot was unable to control engine thrust, leading it to land at twice the usual speed. It later emerged that fuel pumped into the plane had been contaminated with saltwater, damaging its engines over time. However, such problems are rare. Learmount said: 'If you go looking for a potential cause of multiple engine failure, fuel contamination could do it. But again, history is against that potential cause in observed reality.'

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