Latest news with #Cannell
ABC News
30-07-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Weeding project on WA island helps little penguin population
Standing around 30 centimetres high, the average little penguin can struggle to shake off larger predators and opponents. But the presence of 1.5-metre-high weeds at a key breeding site off Western Australia's southern coast has required human intervention. The island, which the ABC has chosen not to identify at the request of researchers, hosts a large number of little penguin nesting burrows. But an infestation of the invasive perennial weed Chasmanthe floribunda, also known as African corn-flag, has been stopping the penguins from moving freely around the island. Belinda Cannell from the University of Western Australia's Ocean Institute said weeds could have a devastating impact. "Weeds have been shown to demolish colonies of little penguins elsewhere in Australia," Dr Cannell said. The weeds tower over the small birds, also known as fairy penguins. Little penguins tend to return to the same landing areas on the island and then walk up to their burrows, making access critical, so a group of researchers and volunteers teamed up to spray, weed, and open paths on the island. "That's why we're opening up areas. Because while some of the burrows can be near the rocks on the island, others can be further up from where they land," master's student Isha Barve said. Ms Barve's master's project focused on weed management and the impact on little penguins, looking at part of the island, and building on previous research. "Chasmanthe floribunda sprouts in June/July and can keep growing until November, so it's smack in the middle of their breeding season, which is a big problem." UWA researcher Harriet Paterson said previous vegetation surveys showed the weeds covered about 80 per cent of the island. DBCA (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions) sprayed some paths suggested by the team, and volunteers and TAFE students assisted in hand-weeding more difficult-to-get-to areas. "Obviously, where they've been sprayed, they've gone away," Ms Paterson said. Ms Barve said her research showed penguins had been using the paths created. Previous population estimates suggested there were 123 breeding pairs of little penguins on the island. "I came along two to three years later and I have found at least another 31 burrows on the island that weren't marked previously, which is a really good thing," Ms Barve said. Dr Cannell said little penguins inhabited several other islands on the south coast. "The south west is really important because terrestrial temperatures hopefully will not get into what we call the thermo-neutral zone," she said. "For the little penguins, that's when they start to become stressed and if it continues to climb then they become overheated and they actually die from hyperthermia. "It could happen, but hopefully it's less likely to happen in Albany. It certainly happens in Perth." Pollution was another threat the species faced. "Marine pollution certainly is a potential issue and I've had two students now who've found microplastics in the faeces of the penguins," Dr Cannell said. "We don't know what impact these very small pieces of plastic are going to have on the body condition, or maybe even longer term with respect to things like other illnesses the birds might get."
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The A-Team' Producer's Former SoCal Estate Lists for $20 Million
Almost 25 years after he died from melanoma at age 69, Stephen J. Cannell is still making headlines. The Laguna Beach estate of the prolific TV writer, director, and producer has popped up for sale, with an asking price of $20 million. Built in 1947 and recently remodeled, the residence sits amid a secluded enclave within the Woods Cove neighborhood, with the listing held by Shauna and Leita Covington of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. A Los Angeles native, Cannell worked at his family's interior design business before selling his first script for It Takes a Thief to Universal Studios in the late 1960s. Despite suffering from severe dyslexia, he went on to write for crime shows such as Columbo and Ironside, and served as a story editor for Adam-12. Ultimately, as head of his own studio, he both created and co-created some of the small screen's most beloved shows of all time, including The Greatest American Hero, The A-Team, Wiseguy, 21 Jump Street, Silk Stalkings, The Commish, and The Rockford Files, the latter of which won an Emmy in 1978. More from Robb Report This New Experience Lets You Stay in a Megayacht and a Mediterranean Villa or Alps Chalet This $65 Million Florida Mansion Has Both Indoor and Outdoor Pools This New Wellness Center in Rwanda Wants to Help You Unwind After a Long Day on Safari Though he also penned several bestselling mystery novels, he might be best remembered for his iconic insignia after the ending credits of his TV shows: a short sequence of a pipe-smoking Cannell typing feverishly, then ripping a page from his typewriter and tossing it in the air. RELATED: A Rare Coastal Compound in SoCal's Orange County Just Hit the Market for $50 Million Fully walled and gated with a street-side two-car garage, the four-bedroom, five-bath property is perched high atop a nearly quarter-acre bluff overlooking the rugged Orange County coastline, with a landscaped courtyard out front and private steps in the back leading down to a peninsula jutting into the Pacific Ocean. A Dutch door opens into the stucco and brick-accented structure, which features roughly 4,700 square feet of space and numerous French doors that create a seamless indoor-outdoor feel. Among the highlights is an entry foyer sporting a sky-lit stairwell. From there, a spacious coffer-ceilinged great room holds a living room with a two-way fireplace that connects on the other side to a bookshelf-lined office where Cannell worked on many of his hit shows. There's also a family room, plus a dining room that flows via a butler's pantry to an eat-in kitchen outfitted with custom cabinetry, a quartz-topped island, Thermador appliances, a wine cooler, a Shaws farmhouse sink, and a bay-windowed breakfast nook flanked by a large white brick fireplace. RELATED: This $3.85 Million Laguna Beach House Has a Deck With Stunning Pacific Ocean Views A posh primary suite occupying the entire upper level comes with a fireplace, a mini-bar, a balcony offering coastline views from Palos Verdes to San Diego, a separate office, four closets, and a spa-inspired bath with a soaking tub and a sauna. A secondary kitchen, a fireside living room, and a mirrored fitness area can be found on the lower level, which spills out to a backyard showcased by an in-ground spa, a barbecue station, and a grassy sitting area bolstered by a soaring pole donning the American flag. In addition to the Laguna Beach home, Cannell's three children still maintain his former primary residence in Pasadena. His eighth-grade sweetheart and wife of 46 years, Marcia, passed away last of Robb Report The 10 Priciest Neighborhoods in America (And How They Got to Be That Way) In Pictures: Most Expensive Properties Click here to read the full article.
United News of India
05-07-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
UK acknowledges partial success by Afghan Taliban in curbing ISKP terrorists
London/Kabul, July 5 (UNI) The United Kingdom acknowledged that Afghanistan's Taliban-led interim government has made partial gains in curbing the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), though the Islamic terror group continues to pose a serious threat both within the country and beyond its borders. Speaking at a security conference in Islamabad, British High Commissioner to Pakistan Matt Cannell noted that while Taliban efforts have disrupted ISKP operations since 2022, the group has not been dismantled, reports Tolo News. 'What we've seen is a dispersal rather than eradication of ISKP,' he said. 'They have obviously regrouped and are now promoting attacks in neighbouring countries and across the border as well.' ISKP, the regional affiliate of the Islamic State, has remained active despite ongoing crackdowns by the Taliban, which so far has successfully curbed the terrorist group's numbers in the country. The group has been responsible for a series of deadly attacks targeting civilians, minorities, government authorities, infrastructure, and even foreign officials across Afghanistan and the wider region. While the Taliban has claimed that the group has been defeated, Western officials and analysts continue to express concern about its shifting tactics and potential for resurgence. Cannell emphasised the need for sustained regional cooperation to counter the evolving threat. 'We understand how Taliban pressure has continued to affect ISKP,' he said. 'Sharing insights with our partners is essential to continue disrupting future activity.' In a separate meeting, the British chargé d'affaires to Afghanistan told Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's acting Minister for Refugees and Repatriation, that the United Nations has drafted a plan for Afghanistan focused on strengthening engagement with the interim government and supporting national stability in the country. UNI ANV GNK 1839
