Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Greece’s Aegean islands reel from ‘lake of mud’ flash floods before Easter rush

admin — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 04:00:46 +0000

Authorities race to complete clean-up operation after devastation from gales and heaviest rainfall in 20 years

People on the Aegean islands, more used in April to the sight and scent of spring’s blossoms, have been left reeling from flash floods spurred by typhoon-strength gales, with authorities calling a state of emergency in some of Greece’s most popular destinations less than three weeks before Easter.

More than 1m cars sold in UK each year too big to fit typical parking space

admin — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 04:00:44 +0000

Campaign network calls on government to prioritise smaller cars and introduce higher charges for SUV owners

More than 1m cars too big to fit in parking spaces are being sold in the UK each year, and numbers are growing, research has found.

A trend for cars bigger than the average urban parking space means new vehicles are outgrowing towns and cities.

Peta urges Gail’s Bakery to drop extra charge for plant milk

admin — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 04:00:43 +0000

Animal rights charity argues surcharge of 40-60p discriminates against dairy-free customers

A leading animal rights charity has launched a campaign calling for Gail’s Bakery to drop its surcharge on plant-based milks, claiming it “unfairly discriminates” against customers with dairy intolerances or those trying to make more ethical choices.

Environment watchdog confirms Sydney’s mystery beach balls likely came from sewage treatment plants

admin — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 02:01:05 +0000

NSW EPA investigation finds debris that washed up on Sydney beaches in 2024 ‘consistent with a land-based sewage source’

Corpse flowers are threatened by spotty recordkeeping

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:29:48 +0000

Plant biologists examined records for nearly 1,200 individual corpse flower plants from 111 institutions around the world. The data and records were severely lacking and not standardized. Without complete information, conservationists were unable to make informed decisions about breeding their plants. Out of the plants studied, 24% were clones and 27% were offspring from closely related individuals. Low genetic diversity could lead to further endangerment and even extinction.

‘Potentially historic’ flooding threat looms after almost 100 tornadoes hit US

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:37:12 +0000

Rainfall near Memphis, Tennessee, is expected to exceed 12in over the next three days

A prolific tornado outbreak will give way to a rare and widespread flooding threat across the midwest and southern US this week, stressing the nation’s short-staffed weather forecasting and disaster response efforts.

Luton airport allowed to double capacity after UK government overrules planners

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:09:03 +0000

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander grants consent to London’s fourth-biggest airport to allow potential 32m passengers a year

Luton airport will be allowed to almost double in capacity after the government overruled planning inspectors who recommended blocking the scheme on environmental grounds.

The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, granted a development consent order for the airport’s plans to expand its perimeter and add a new terminal, allowing for a potential 32 million passengers a year.

Trapped with a Tesla: my dream car has become a living nightmare | The secret Tesla driver

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:00:45 +0000

I bought it to be part of a greener future, but that was before Musk proved so awful. I’d sell it now, but prices have dropped

After our children left home, my wife and I decided to treat ourselves and buy a new car for a driving holiday in Europe. We’d been driving a family estate car for years, loading it up with kids and making trips to and from universities, but we wanted something for ourselves.

Plan for Norfolk megafarm rejected by councillors over environmental concerns

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:00:01 +0000

Application, submitted by Cranswick, would have created one of the largest industrial poultry and pig units in Europe

A megafarm that would have reared almost 900,000 chickens and pigs at any one time has been blocked by councillors in Norfolk over climate change and environmental concerns.

Councillors on King’s Lynn and West Norfolk borough council unanimously rejected an application to build what would have been one of the largest industrial poultry and pig units in Europe.

Severe storms and tornadoes hit US south and midwest, killing at least seven

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:50:11 +0000

White House approves Tennessee’s state of emergency request as further fatalities expected to be confirmed

Violent storms and tornadoes have torn across the US south and midwest, killing at least seven people and downing power lines and trees, smashing homes and upturning cars across multiple states.