Showing posts with label english channel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label english channel. Show all posts

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Britain to face the fury of Storm Imogen - the 9th storm this winter


#StormImogen Britain set to face the fury of Storm Imogen, the 9th storm this winter as large parts of Britain are expected to be battered by 80mph winds and heavy rain. The storm will sweep in from the English Channel and the Met Office has issued amber "be prepared" warnings for the South West and yellow "be aware" alerts stretching from southern Wales to the Thames Estuary.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 7 February 2016.
Warning has also been given to expect some very large waves that could affect many coasts, in particular north coasts of Cornwall and Devon. Commuters and households have also been warned to be "prepared for disruption to travel as well as possible damage to trees and structures and interruption of power supplies".
Gusts of wind with speeds of between 60-70mph are widely expected and winds of 80mph will are expected to strike the most exposed areas, particularly the Cornish coast.
Imogen is the ninth named winter storm and it follows Storm Henry, which had brought winds of up to 90mph in places - it had caused schools to shut and transport to get disrupted.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Abhi Shake for industries to boost Bengal’s image (satire)

Rum Mudda reminds Moody about temples (satire)

Didi is allergic to anything red (satire)


Odisha offers windsurfing, snorkeling and other water sports on the Mahanadi River

Goat farming brings joy to people of Nag Tibba in Tehri

Foods that help to lower cholesterol levels and control heart disease


“The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar” - Disney’s upcoming television movie

'Avatar 2', sequel to 'Avatar' of 2009 expected to release in December 2017

Aamir Khan no longer the face of Incredible India


Bomb attack kills 9 persons in Cairo near road leading to Egyptian pyramids

Woman with fake passport in a British Airways flight from Ibiza leads to panic

Tourists to Morocco told by Foreign Office to be vigilant about possible terror attacks

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Asian box tree caterpillars invade Britain – they can destroy the best garden


The gluttonous Asian box tree is an invasive species of caterpillar that can reduce garden hedges to bare skeletons in no time and are spreading from London across the UK. These insects can eat their way through box hedges within days of hatching and destroy prized gardens.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 27 August 2015.
The number of infestations have risen from 20 in 2014 to 150 so far this year. Earlier, in 2011, there were only three reports. These used to be found only in parts of South West London. But, the voracious, inch-long pest has spread its reach rapidly and has invaded beyond the M25 and into Essex.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has revealed that they now receive three to four reports of infestations of Diaphania perspectalis daily and have cautioned that several hundred of these can coat a plant at any one time and, decimate gardens before the owners can even spot them.
In the opinion of experts, these caterpillars originated in China and entered the UK after flying over the English Channel or stowing away on container ships.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)


Some more interesting 'must reads'-

Anaconda in a pothole of Bengaluru to galvanize the authorities to act

Cochin airport goes ecofriendly – to become only solar powered airport in the world

V Festival in Chelmsford could face tornadoes, hail and thunderstorms


Ice Cube would love to have dinner with Barack Obama once he leaves White House

Indian names of Pallavi Sharda and Dev Patel in Hollywood film ‘Lion’

Hugh Jackman of Wolverine fame could portray the role of Greek hero Odysseus


White House discloses – 2nd in command of ISIS killed in drone strike in Mosul

Bomb blast outside temple of Lord Brahma in Bangkok leaves at least 27 dead

Scuba diver smuggles cocaine across US-Mexico border via underwater tunnel


Indian kitchens must have ‘besan’

The lost world of ‘kabiraji cutlets’

Growing up days – I begin to go to the daily market

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Revolution in the skies - Airbus flies electric plane E-Fan across the English Channel


Airbus flew its electric E-Fan plane across the English Channel from Lydd to Calais. It happened soon after an independent French pilot made a similar voyage. Hugues Duval flew his twin-engine, one-seat Cricri plane from Calais to Dover and back. He, thus, beat Airbus, the aeronautics giant in this symbolically important step toward making electronic flight viable in the long term.
This has been reported in abcnews.go.com dated 10 July 2015.
The Airbus plane operates exclusively on batteries. There is no need for oil or water and, the 20-foot long, 1300-pound jet releases zero emissions.
The E-fan had done its maiden voyage in March 2014, and has taken off 100 times since its latest flight at the Paris Air Show last month. It plans to put the two-seater on the market in 2017 and target training facilities for entry-level pilots.
The plane flown by the Hugues Duval, French pilot had reached a speed of 150_kmpf on his 52-Km journey. Obviously, the age of flying using non-conventional fuel is gradually gaining prominence. After the flight in a solar powered plane around the world, it is now the turn of electric planes – these would fly on batteries.
A number of companies in different countries are already developing electric planes. All of them want to offer a fuel-free flight alternative for the future which will be free from pollution and would be environment friendly.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

A few more must reads -
Maggi noodles are banned in India but, the same Maggi is safe in the UK

Top Ramen follows Maggi and goes off the shelves

India’s dreams of a Utopia vanishing, courtesy arrogant and corrupt ministers

Oil giant Shell to drill for oil in the Arctic off the Alaskan coast

Venezuela facing shortage of beer


Boko Haram unleashes another round of terror on Nigeria – kill 150 in Borno state

ISIS child executioners shoot and kill 25 Syrian soldiers in Palmyra ruins in public

Britain wakes from slumber after Tunisia deaths – to debate airstrikes on ISIS targets


Mangoes are forever

Ripe mangoes and mango cakes or amsatta

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Defense Secretary Michael Fallon feels Russia is testing the NATO nations


#michaelfallon #russia #balticstates #ukraine #NATO #davidcameron Defense Secretary Michael Fallon has voiced fears that Russia could be nurturing plans to destabilize NATO alliance countries like Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia following its activities in Ukraine and Crimea. In the opinion of Michael Fallon, there exists "real and present danger" that Russia could go in for using irregular troops, or carry out cyber-attacks or inflame tensions with ethnic Russian minorities.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 19 February 2015.
The Defense Secretary has gone on to add that his worry was about Russian President Vladimir Putin's "pressure on the Baltics" and that NATO must be ready to face any kind of aggression from Russia, in whatever form it comes.
While on the subject, Michael Fallon pointed out that quite recently, two long-range Russian bombers had flown down the English Channel off the coast of Bournemouth. It was the first instance after the height of the Cold War that such an incident has happened and it reveals the intentions.
His comments have come against the backdrop of Prime Minister David Cameron urging Europe to tell Russia that it would faces economic and financial consequences for "years to come" if it continues to destabilize Ukraine.
As proof on the involvement of Russia in the Ukraine affairs, the Prime Minister indicated that the pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine are using Russian rocket launchers, Russian tanks, and Russian artillery, you these cannot be bought on eBay. They are sourced from Russia and that is unacceptable.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Curse of the go-green revolution – crossing the Channel will cost more from January 2015


Come January 2015 and the cost of a return ticket from Dover to Calais would increase from £160 to £210 as a result of new EU green laws – this fare would be applicable for Britain’s biggest ferry operator, P&O Cruises.
Therefore, families who would take a ferry across the English Channel in the New Year would face this 30 per cent hike in ticket prices since the EU wants to herald in tough new green rules.
In the opinion of the UK Chamber of Shipping, this move of the EU could be the death knell for the ferry industry and that those routes that were teetering on the edge of economic viability would be pushed off the edge.
As per the new EU rules, shipping firms would have to switch over to expensive low- emission fuel and it is feared that this would push traffic on to the roads, drive up the cost of diesel for cars and result in the loss of 2,000 jobs.
Moreover, a European committee has warned that the fuel switch could give rise to other problems like engine breakdowns and fires and such happenings could leave the ferry boats minus power and at the mercy of the element, especially in busy shipping lanes.
Brussels has ordered that all ships in the English Channel, North Sea and Baltic Sea must act to reduce sulphur emissions from January 1.