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April 9, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaTotal solar eclipse: Continent watches in wonderPublished8 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Stunning images of the total solar eclipse crossing North AmericaBy Holly Honderichin WashingtonAcross Mexico, the US and Canada, inside a ribbon of land stretching 155 miles wide but more than 4,000 miles long, tens of millions of people craned their necks, tilted their heads to the sky and watched in wonder as the day turned to night. What many saw on Monday was a phenomenon like no other: the Moon moving between the Earth and the Sun, extinguishing its light in a total solar eclipse.The path of totality spanned the continent, beginning over the warm sands of a Mexican beach town and darkening the skies above the crashing waters of Niagara Falls before ending its journey on the shores of Canada’s Newfoundland. It left a sense of awe in its wake, a reminder of our planet’s place in the universe. The eclipse was first seen around Mazatlán, Mexico, on the country’s western shores at 11:07 local time (18:07 GMT). At first, the Moon’s outer edge seemed to just be touching the Sun. Then it devoured more and more until cheers erupted as all finally went dark – save for the silvery glow of the “corona” effect of the Sun around the Moon’s outline. Image caption, Ady with her father Ryan, watching the big momentA thousand miles away in Dallas, Texas, 11-year-old Ady Walton-King was waiting, weeks of pent-up excitement ready to burst.She had learned all about the eclipse in her fifth-grade class at Dallas Academy and on Monday morning she laced up her shoes and tucked four pairs of eclipse glasses into her pink purse – one for herself, one for each parent and one for her little sister, Abigail. Just before it started, Ady sat down beside her dad, Ryan, on a school field in central Dallas and lifted her gaze upward. And then it happened.It all felt slow, she said, as she described the Texas afternoon turning dark. “It looked like the Moon was biting the Sun, but without the teeth marks.”Clouds slid in and out, occasionally blocking the eclipse from view until the Sun had vanished, nothing left but little flares of light around the Moon. “I didn’t think it would be like that,” Ady said. “It was really dark out. I thought it would be like evening dark, but it was pretty close to pitch black.”Spectacular images as darkness descendsThe temperature dropped suddenly and, just as she had been taught, animals fell silent. “As it started to get lighter the crickets were there, and the birds started singing. It was really crazy,” she said. “I’m sad it’s over.” From there, the eclipse moved on, carving its path north-east through the United States. For some, the solar phenomenon was marked by a personal milestone, with hundreds of Americans joining one of several mass wedding events dotted across the path of totality. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, A couple who took part in a mass wedding in ArkansasIn Russellville, Arkansas, 300 couples from across the country signed up, saying “I do” just before the sky went black. As the sky brightened, the group cut wedding cakes and danced – all part of the aptly named Total Eclipse of the Heart festival. Following the Moon one state over, in Ellsinore, Missouri, was amateur astronomer Darcy Howard, who had driven from her home in central Arkansas to be sure bad weather didn’t block her view. She had seen many eclipses before today, two totals, one annular and two partials. “Each one has its own fingerprint,” she said. Totality today, at around 13:56 local time (18:56 GMT) brought an “eerie twilight”, Ms Howard said, with dusky colours dotted all along the horizon. The corona was nearly as bright as a full moon. “The sense of other-worldliness was all around,” she said. The 70-year-old has loved the cosmos since her childhood, since her father showed her the Big Dipper, the North Star and the Milky Way, and bought her her first telescope. “I was hooked,” she said. “I can look through a telescope and see Jupiter… I can see Saturn. And when I see that in space, I know all is right with the world.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Where it all began: children watch on the beach in Mazatlan, Mexico, the first place to experience totalityBy 15:13 local time (20:13 GMT), the total eclipse had plunged the midwestern state of Ohio into darkness. In Cleveland, where eclipse-watchers were graced by clear skies, the Sun’s corona was clearly visible, a brilliant halo framing the Moon. The stars came out in the middle of the day, a sight met with cheers and fireworks, a mid-April New Years Eve. Many big American cities were not lucky enough to be on the path of totality – but the spectacles were still awe-inspiring. In New York, hundreds of people crowded on to the viewing platform of the Edge skyscraper in Manhattan to see what they could see.They did not leave disappointed as the sun shrank to a crescent-like sliver of light that cast an unearthly pale gloom over the city. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Hundreds watch the sky on the viewing platform of the Edge in New YorkTourists had crowded along both sides of the border at Niagara Falls, where the eclipse path crossed from the US into Canada. Here, the weather offered a formidable challenge, with thick grey clouds mostly obscuring the sky from view. But just in time for totality – to the audible delight of the crowd – the clouds parted to reveal the black-hole Sun. Nearby, on a Niagara City Cruise, 309 people celebrated by record-breaking – dressing up as the Sun to break the Guinness World Record for “Largest gathering of people dressed as the Sun”.The relentless motion of the heavenly bodies meant that the phenomenon did not last long, and it was Montreal that next got its chance to be plunged into temporary night.In Montreal, 20,000 people crowded onto a field on McGill University’s campus for an event held by the school’s Trottier Space Institute.”We had been expecting 8,000,” programme administrator Caroina Cruz-Vinaccia said after. The weather was perfect, clear and bright skies. At the moment of totality, the crowd erupted at once, she said.”I still can’t quite find the words for how cool this was,” she said. “We’re still coming down.”This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: The eclipse at Niagara Falls: ‘Wow! Spectacular’Crowds were smaller on Newfoundland’s Fogo Island, on Canada’s east coast – one of the last places the totality could be viewed. Bethany Downery, a Newfoundland native who works for the European Space Agency, tuned into the spectacular view from the Fogo Island Inn, nestled right against the Atlantic Ocean. The skies were overcast, she said, but the clouds moved miraculously in time to catch near totality.And with that, a day of collective wonder and celebration reached its conclusion. But it had left a permanent mark on many of those who had witnessed it.In Dallas, a few thousand miles back along the path, Ady Walton-King was making plans.Texas will not be in the path of totality again for another 300 years, so she’ll have to travel for the next one in North America, in 2044. And by that time, she’ll be even more of an expert on total eclipses. “I want to be a scientist by the time that happens,” she said.- With additional reporting from Brandon Livesay, Nada Tawfik, Nadine Yousif and Helena HumphreyMore on the solar eclipseIN PICS: Crowds gather in three countriesEYEWITNESS: ‘It’s a thrilling moment’ECLIPSE CHASER: Teen travels 4,000,miles to catch eclipsePATH OF DARKNESS: Scroll every mile of total eclipseWEATHER: Cloudy skies scupper UK hopes of partial eclipseRelated TopicsEclipsesMore on this storyAn eerie darkness descends – eclipse in picturesPublished11 hours agoTop StoriesSpectacular images of eclipse that transfixed North AmericaNorth America awed by total solar eclipsePublished8 hours agoMurder suspect was bailed on threats chargePublished30 minutes agoFeaturesThe Papers: Labour’s tax loophole plan, and council ‘fat cats’Eclipse seen in Scotland but rest of UK misses outThe eclipse at Niagara Falls: ‘Wow! Spectacular’ VideoThe eclipse at Niagara Falls: ‘Wow! Spectacular’The Syria I came back to is not the one I left’Why I rewrote Huckleberry Finn to give slave Jim a voice”Carrot harvest helped me detect ancient coin hoard’BBC reporter: How I was targeted in the Westminster honeytrapWhy is Russia trying to frame Ukraine for concert massacre?Amy Winehouse film: ‘Paparazzi are the villains’ not BlakeElsewhere on the BBCThe huge challenge and risk of climbing EverestRebecca Stephens, the first British woman to reach the summit, explores the global obsessionAttributionSoundsThe Monty Python star’s overlooked radio work…John McCarthy invites Michael Palin to celebrate his career, as heard on BBC radioAttributionSounds’She was the right side of cheeky’Dua Lipa makes a surprise visit to her old schoolAttributioniPlayerHow did the Queen jump out of a helicopter?The writer of the scene for the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games reveals allAttributionSoundsMost Read1Labour’s tax loophole plan, and council ‘fat cats’2Wragg quits Commons job over Westminster honeytrap3Record hot March sparks ‘uncharted territory’ fear4David Cameron meets Trump in Florida during US visit5Rare blind and hairy mole spotted in Australia6Murder suspect was bailed on threats charge7Living near Sure Start boosted GCSEs – study8Together in wonder: North America awed by total solar eclipse9One in hospital after flooding at holiday camp10Labour vows to fund pledges by tackling tax dodgers

[ad_1] Stunning spectacle is witnessed by millions across the continent. Here are some of the stories.

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March 31, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaBarrage of Russian attacks aims to cut Ukraine’s lightsPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, BBC/Joyce LiuImage caption, Traffic lights on a street in Kharkiv are working again after Russian missiles targeted the city’s power supplyBy Sarah RainsfordEastern Europe correspondent in KharkivIn central Kharkiv you hear the rattle of generators on every street.Ten days ago, Ukraine’s second city was plunged into darkness by a massive, targeted Russian missile attack on the energy system – it was the biggest since the start of the full-scale war.As Kharkiv works to restore power, there has been a wave of additional strikes across the country targeting the energy supply.Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned what he calls Russia’s “missile terror”.The Ukrainian president has also renewed his calls to his country’s allies for more air defence systems as protection.The authorities in Odesa on the Black Sea in the south of the country say the energy system there was the latest to be hit overnight, with missiles and drones, causing partial blackouts. In Kharkiv to the north, the damage is more serious. Kharkiv’s mayor, Igor Terekhov, has said it will take weeks to restore full supply and that is if Russia’s armed forces don’t strike the same targets again. The initial attack on the city’s energy supply even knocked out the air raid siren. There is now a screeching noise that comes straight to people’s mobile phones instead. There can be hours of those missile warnings in the city each day – during one on Saturday night, the blast wave from a strike blew out dozens of windows in a block of flats. But the Russians have increasingly been aiming at the power grid.Image source, BBC/Joyce LiuImage caption, A power generator on a street in Kharkiv”The damage is very serious,” Mr Terekhov told the BBC.”We need time to repair it,” he added, suggesting that meant a couple more months at least. Russia’s defence ministry confirms that its latest strikes have been focused on Ukraine’s power supply. It says the aim is to disrupt the work of the country’s defence industry and claims that “all aims of the strike were achieved”.The ministry has a long history of disinformation. But the Kharkiv mayor did tell the BBC that the city’s manufacturing sector, which requires significant power, has been affected by the blackouts. There are no further details.Blackout periodsThe impact on civilian life is more obvious.Blackout periods have been introduced in order to conserve energy, and there is a schedule for the city. On Saturday those power cuts lasted six hours, but by Sunday they had been reduced to four hours. The timings can slip. “They were supposed to cut the power to my area at 09:00, so I got up especially early to charge everything,'” a friend messaged. “Then I got in the lift and got stuck. They’d cut the power early!”A hair salon in a Kharkiv back street is one of many small businesses with a generator whirring noisily outside the door. On Saturday it was on for seven hours, allowing the salon to keep operating. The same goes for cafés and companies throughout the city centre, although many have sheets of wood over their windows to cover a gap where the glass has already been shattered or to protect it from future blasts.Some of the boards are painted with birds and flowers. Image source, BBC/Joyce Liu”We’ve been working on generator power since Monday,” salon owner Natalia told the BBC. “Of course it’s really hard, especially because we’re all women and when we finish work late at night it’s so dark!”Russia has attacked Ukraine’s power grid before, in the first winter of the full-scale war. As engineers scrambled to perform emergency repairs then, residents shivered in the dark in their homes or headed for central “invincibility points” for warmth and power. Hope for a ‘quiet night’It is much warmer now but the impact is still significant; when night falls, whole areas of Kharkiv remain pitch dark. That affects people’s mood as much as it makes life awkward.”The Russians have got new weapons,” a student called Liza worries, in one of Kharkiv’s central squares.There’s a lot of chatter here about whether new, gliding bombs used by Moscow might bring even more devastation to Ukraine. “People are depressed and thinking about leaving Kharkiv for a while. We notice that our army is struggling.”The city authorities are determined to keep spirits up, as much as possible. Within hours of the latest missile strike this weekend, dozens of workmen were clearing up the mess around the apartment block and sawing wood to seal windows. The city metro is already running and electric trolleybuses and trams have been replaced by regular buses. In Odesa, two districts were in partial blackout on Sunday morning. By early afternoon, power had been restored. “A few days ago we had a total blackout, that was major,” Odesa resident Masha told the BBC. “Yesterday there were no traffic lights in the city centre and limited streetlights, to save power.”On Sunday, she said, there were people out and about in town as usual. Officials say consumption restrictions have now been lifted all over the country. When I asked Kharkiv salon owner Natalia whether she was worried by the latest attacks, she quoted her city’s reputation. “We are invincible,” she joked. She then wished us a “quiet night,” meaning one with without explosions. In Kharkiv, nowadays, that is increasingly rare. Image source, BBC/Joyce LiuImage caption, The sun sets on Kharkiv, and much of the city remains dark as residents conserve powerRelated TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaUkraineMore on this storyMillion in Ukraine lose power after Russian attackPublished22 MarchFleeing Ukraine’s embattled border villagesPublished22 MarchTop StoriesKing greets well-wishers after Easter servicePublished4 hours agoBarrage of Russian attacks aims to cut Ukraine’s lightsPublished2 hours agoArsenal wanted to make Maanum a champion – EidevallAttributionSportPublished1 hour agoFeatures’Finding out I was autistic saved my life’In pictures: Easter celebrations around the worldWhere workers are exploited to harvest an everyday ingredientHow has cancer changed King Charles’s duties?’I was mutilated at 16 but I won’t let it define me’The FSB bicycle assassin Putin wants back in RussiaAphantasia: Why I cannot see my children in my mindSeven bills going up and one going down in AprilJeffrey Donaldson: From the White House to Antrim police stationElsewhere on the BBCOne of the most talented bands to never make it…Why did trailblazers Microdisney fail to achieve the commercial success they deserved?AttributioniPlayerWill this elite boarding school fit around them?Five black inner-city teens must leave their old worlds behind…AttributioniPlayer’A few people laughed, a few cried, most were silent’The extraordinary rise and fall of the inventor of the atomic bombAttributioniPlayerFancy a film tonight?There’s something for everyone on BBC iPlayerAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Barrage of Russian attacks aims to cut Ukraine’s lights2Arsenal wanted to make Maanum a champion – EidevallAttributionSport3Stop stealing from Air Force One, journalists told4King greets well-wishers after Easter service5Election candidate’s fingertip bitten off by dog6Actor Chance Perdomo dies in motorcycle accident7The FSB bicycle assassin Putin wants back in Russia8’Finding out I was autistic saved my life’9Turkish opposition set to win battle for Istanbul10Beyoncé album is missing tracks on vinyl, fans say

[ad_1] Russia has launched a wave of additional strikes across the country targeting the energy supply.

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March 29, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSouth Africa: Forensics inspect scene of deadly bus crashThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.South Africa: Forensics inspect scene of deadly bus crashCloseA bus crash has killed forty-five people in South Africa’s north-eastern Limpopo province. According to authorities, the vehicle plunged some 50m (165ft) off a bridge into a ravine. The bus crashed through a barrier and caught fire when it hit the ground.The only survivor, an eight-year-old girl, has been taken to hospital with serious injuries. First responders and emergency services were spotted at the scene of the crash. The passengers were all pilgrims travelling from Botswana’s capital Gaborone to an Easter service in the South African town of Moria.SubsectionAfricaPublished30 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionExplore moreWatch: Forensics inspect scene of South Africa bus crash. Video, 00:00:30Watch: Forensics inspect scene of South Africa bus crashSubsectionAfricaPublished30 minutes ago0:30Up Next. New video shows close-up view of bridge collapse debris. Video, 00:00:49New video shows close-up view of bridge collapse debrisSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished17 hours agoUp Next0:49Moment bridge collapses after being hit by ship. Video, 00:00:36Moment bridge collapses after being hit by shipSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished3 days ago0:36How a US bridge collapsed after being struck by a ship. Video, 00:01:32How a US bridge collapsed after being struck by a shipSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished2 days ago1:32Editor’s recommendationsKing Charles’ ‘great sadness’ over missing Maundy service. Video, 00:01:55King Charles’ ‘great sadness’ over missing Maundy serviceSubsectionUKPublished20 hours ago1:55Ed Gamble in the hot dog house over tour poster. Video, 00:01:42Ed Gamble in the hot dog house over tour posterSubsectionUKPublished18 hours ago1:42Queen says Kate ‘will be thrilled’ with children’s messages. Video, 00:00:58Queen says Kate ‘will be thrilled’ with children’s messagesSubsectionUKPublished1 day ago0:58Watch: The critical moments before ship hit Baltimore bridge. Video, 00:01:03Watch: The critical moments before ship hit Baltimore bridgeSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished2 days ago1:03Cocaine haul found after high-speed boat chase. Video, 00:00:41Cocaine haul found after high-speed boat chaseSubsectionLatin America & CaribbeanPublished1 day ago0:41Drink driver ploughs into crops as police give chase. Video, 00:00:58Drink driver ploughs into crops as police give chaseSubsectionEnglandPublished3 days ago0:58Russian media’s outlandish claims on concert attack. Video, 00:03:09Russian media’s outlandish claims on concert attackSubsectionEuropePublished1 day ago3:09Footage shows raids at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s properties. Video, 00:01:00Footage shows raids at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s propertiesSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished3 days ago1:00

[ad_1] A bus crash has killed forty-five people in South Africa’s north-eastern Limpopo province. According to authorities, the vehicle plunged some 50m (165ft) off a bridge into a ravine. The…

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March 28, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSouth Africa: Girl, 8, only survivor as 45 killed in bus crashPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Heidi GiokosBy Phelan ChatterjeeBBC NewsForty-five people have died in South Africa after the bus they were in plunged some 50m (165ft) off a bridge into a ravine, authorities say.An eight-year-old girl, the only survivor, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.The bus crashed through a barrier and caught fire when it hit the ground in the north-eastern Limpopo province.The passengers were pilgrims travelling from Botswana’s capital Gaborone to an Easter service in the town of Moria.The vehicle lost control and went off a bridge on the Mmamatlakala mountain pass between Mokopane and Marken, around 300km (190 miles) north of Johannesburg, according to South African public broadcaster SABC.Rescue operations went on late into Thursday evening, with some of those killed reportedly hard to reach amid the debris.Image source, Limpopo Department of TransportTransport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, who went to the scene of the incident, extended her “heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the tragic bus crash”.She said the South African government would help repatriate the bodies and hold a full inquiry into the cause of the crash.”Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time,” she added. “We continue to urge responsible driving at all times with heightened alertness as more people are on our roads this Easter weekend.”South Africa has a poor road safety record.In an Easter message released earlier in the day, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged citizens to “do our best to make this a safe Easter”. It should “not be a time where we sit back and wait to see statistics on tragedy or injuries on our roads”, he added.Related TopicsBus travelSouth AfricaMore on this storyTour bus crash kills 20 in South AfricaPublished14 February 2023Top StoriesSecret papers show Post Office knew case was falsePublished5 hours agoFTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 yearsPublished2 hours agoBus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 45Published1 hour agoFeaturesHow do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule?I’m not ashamed of who I am any more, says LionessWhat we know about the accusations against DiddyFather of two among Baltimore bridge victimsVice, Vice, Baby: Who’ll be Trump’s running mate?AttributionSoundsWhat are assisted dying, assisted suicide and euthanasia?Tackling deepfakes ‘has turned into an arms race’‘We crowdfunded to help pay our son’s care costs’Why is Thames Water in so much trouble?Elsewhere on the BBCThis week’s ‘must watch’ and ‘don’t bother’ showsYour favourite couch critics guide you through the latest programmes on the boxAttributionSoundsA joyous celebration of love, community and equalityTom Allen marks the tenth anniversary of same-sex marriage being legalised in England and WalesAttributioniPlayer’He’s confused popularity with respect’Another chance to listen to Ricky Gervais on Desert Island Discs in 2007AttributionSoundsBruce Lee as you’ve never seen him beforeTen defining pictures throw a unique lens onto an extraordinary lifeAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Bus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 452Dentist chair selfie sends drug trafficker to jail3Man arrested after death of Gogglebox star4Easter getaways hit by travel disruption5Beyoncé’s country album: The verdict6Arrest after 50 dead animals left outside shop7Secret papers show Post Office knew case was false8Stephen Bear ordered to pay £27k over sex tape9Leicester sack Kirk after relationship allegationAttributionSport10FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years

[ad_1] An eight-year-old girl is the only survivor after a bus carrying Easter pilgrims plunges into a ravine.

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March 26, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaBaltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse: What we know about ship and bridgePublished7 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Google streetviewImage caption, The Francis Scott Key Bridge was part of the Baltimore Beltway, the city’s outer ring roadEarly on Tuesday morning a container ship crashed into the landmark Francis Scott Key Bridge near the US city of Baltimore, causing most of it to collapse.Several vehicles on the bridge at the time plunged into the waters of the River Patapsco, and rescuers are searching for between seven and 20 people believed to be in the river.Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency.What do we know about the bridge? The Baltimore bridge, known more simply as the Key Bridge, was opened in 1977 in honour of Francis Scott Key, a 19th Century Maryland poet who wrote the words for the US national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner.The bridge was 8,636 feet (2,632m) long and spanned the Patapsco River and Baltimore harbour. The river flows out into Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the US.It is described as a continuous truss bridge, and its main span of 1,200ft was the third longest of any bridge of its type in the world.Video footage from the incident appears to show the bridge collapsing instantaneously after the container ship Dali hits one of its pillars. This happened at around 01:30 local time (05:30 GMT) on Tuesday.Several people were seen to be on the bridge at the time, a fact that was later confirmed by Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace. Officials later said these included contractors doing repairs to the bridge.At 01:50 the first fire department unit arrived on the scene and reported the complete collapse of the bridge.A major search and rescue operation is under way, with divers looking for victims in the icy waters of the harbour and the river.Officials said there were “some cargo or retainers hanging from the bridge”, creating unsafe and unstable conditions, and that emergency rescue teams were operating cautiously as a result.So far two people have been pulled from the water, one in a serious condition and one apparently uninjured, Mr Wallace said.The water temperature in the harbour is currently said to be about 9C (48F). Hypothermia can occur when a person’s body temperature drops below 35C.Baltimore fire officials said vehicles had been detected in the water by sonar.What do we know about the ship?The Singapore-flagged container ship Dali was originally built for Greek shipowner Oceanbulk by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries.It is currently operated by the charter vessel company Synergy Group and had been temporarily leased by container shipping giant Maersk, a Maersk statement said.Maersk added that it was carrying cargo for Maersk customers but that no company personnel were on board at the time.The ship set off from Baltimore’s Seagirt Marine Terminal at around 00:24 local time on Tuesday, en route for Colombo, Sri Lanka.Its speed steadily increased and it maintained a straight route south east along the Patapsco River.Then at 01:25 MarineTraffic data shows that the ship suddenly diverted from its straight course and began to slow down.Around this time, video shows that all lights on the exterior of the ship suddenly turned off and smoke began emanating from the ship’s funnel.Shortly afterwards it hit the bridge.Synergy said the crew, who are all Indian nationals, and the two pilots on board had all been accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries. The company said there were several possible explanations for the incident but that, with two pilots present, such a crash was unusual.A shipping expert told the BBC that the crash could have been caused by engine failure, steering failure or generator blackout.This is not the first incident involving the Dali.While attempting to leave the port of Antwerp, Belgium in 2016 the ship scraped its stern along the quay damaging the hull. There were no reports of injuries or spillages.What will be the impact of the bridge’s collapse?The location of the Key Bridge suggests there will be major disruption to road traffic for months and even years to come. Shipping activity in the port of Baltimore will also be severely affected.The four-lane bridge was part of Interstate 695, the outer ring road around Baltimore city known as the “Baltimore Beltway”, and carried an estimated 11.5 million vehicles per year.It will still be possible to cross Baltimore harbour by tunnel closer to the city, but local authorities have declared a “major traffic alert”, anticipating significant traffic problems after the incident.The bridge’s collapse will, in particular, be a major problem for lorries carrying hazardous materials, which were able to cross the bridge but are banned from the alternative tunnel route.But the incident has created no less of a problem for shipping.Container shipping expert Lars Jansen said what had happened was a “major disaster” which would “create significant problems on the US East Coast for US importers and exporters”.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Moment bridge collapses after being hit by shipOn top of some 21,000 units of cargo having to go through other ports in the region, he says “multiple merchant vessels are now trapped in the port of Baltimore”. None are container ships but there are some bulk carriers.It is estimated that around 800,000 vehicles passed through the port in 2023, moving a record 1.3 million tons of imported cargo.However, Mr Jansen says that while there will be some delays and added costs, from a global perspective the incident will not have a significant impact.Related TopicsBaltimoreMarylandUnited StatesMore on this storyMoment bridge collapses after being hit by ship. Video, 00:00:36Moment bridge collapses after being hit by shipPublished4 hours ago0:36Top StoriesLive. Major Baltimore bridge collapses after being hit by shipLive. Fighting continues in Gaza despite UN ceasefire voteLive. 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[ad_1] How events unfolded when a cargo ship crashed into and destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

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March 26, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaMaryland bridge collapses after being hit by cargo shipPublished58 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Moment Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsesBy Lipika PelhamBBC NewsThe landmark Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore has collapsed after a cargo ship collided with it.Several vehicles that were crossing the bridge, which is more than 2.6km (1.6 miles) long, plunged into the waters of the Patapsco River.As many as 20 people are believed to be in the water, according to Baltimore fire department.Emergency personnel rushed to the scene and rescue operations are under way.City officials say that at around 01:30 local time (05:30 GMT) a ship struck a column on the 47-year-old bridge, causing it to collapse. A number of vehicles, including “one the size of a tractor-trailer” plunged into the water below, they added.The container ship, named by ship tracking data as the Singapore-flagged Dali, was on its way to Colombo in Sri Lanka.On marine radars, it departed from the terminal at Port Breeze at around 00:45.The massive rescue operation is being led by Baltimore fire department, the US Coastguard and other agencies from the state of Maryland.The head of communications for Baltimore fire department, Kevin Cartwright, described the situation as a “dire emergency”.”Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people,” he said, referring to those believed to be in the water.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Pictures at around dawn showed the collapsed bridgeMr Cartwright said there were “some cargo or retainers hanging from the bridge”, creating unsafe and unstable conditions, and that emergency rescue teams were operating cautiously as a result, amid a power cut.Shipping company Synergy Marine Group said all crew members, including the two pilots who were aboard, had been accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries, adding that “the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined”. Related TopicsBaltimoreMarylandUnited StatesMore on this storyMoment bridge collapses after being hit by ship. Video, 00:00:36Moment bridge collapses after being hit by shipPublished2 hours ago0:36Top StoriesLive. Major Baltimore bridge collapses after being hit by shipMoment bridge collapses after being hit by ship. VideoMoment bridge collapses after being hit by shipPublished2 hours agoLive. Fighting continues in Gaza despite UN ceasefire voteFeaturesBowen: Biden has decided strong words are not enoughAnti-abortion activists plan backdoor strategy to US banThe Papers: MPs say China is a ‘threat’ and the ‘Kate effect’ Who are IS-K and why did they attack a Moscow concert hall?How much is the licence fee and and is its future in doubt?Fear, faith, friendship: Inside F1’s most precious relationshipAttributionSportFrom jail to Africa’s youngest elected presidentAt Gate 96 – the new crossing into Gaza where aid struggles to get inUkrainian soldiers film dangerous front-line mission. VideoUkrainian soldiers film dangerous front-line missionElsewhere on the BBCThis is the poetry show without the poetry!Tim Key’s back for more smart, comedic chaos with guests Stephen Merchant and Lolly AdefopeAttributionSoundsProfessor Alice Roberts unearths her favourite musicThe scientist and Digging for Britain presenter is Lauren Laverne’s castawayAttributionSoundsDid you know these scenes were filmed in… Glasgow?!Ali Plumb travels through the city’s silver screen sightsAttributioniPlayerShould we be afraid of TikTok?The Real Story examines the bill that could ban the social media giant in the USAttributionSoundsMost Read1Papa Johns pizza to shut nearly a tenth of UK sites2Hathaway had miscarriage while playing pregnant woman3Kate Garraway: I have huge debts from husband’s care4Payout for Uber Eats driver over face scan bias case5Probation mistake ‘signed my daughter’s death warrant’6Almost four million smart meters not working properly7Ongoing concerns at trust that treated triple killer8Leaked emails reveal child gender service concerns9MPs say China is a ‘threat’ and the ‘Kate effect’10School takes a stand to stop teen toilet vaping

[ad_1] Some 20 people are thought to be in the water after the landmark Francis Scott Key Bridge gave way.

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March 22, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScience & EnvironmentSolar eclipse 2024: Millions in North America will view what promises to be a blockbusterPublished16 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty Images/St Louis Post-DispatchImage caption, The good people of Carbondale get to do it all over again, and for longerBy Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmosHow lucky can the residents of Carbondale, Illinois, be? Celestial mechanics says any one spot on the Earth’s surface should experience a total solar eclipse only once every 375 years, on average. The 30,000 residents of the Midwestern city will probably chuckle at that statistic because they are about to witness the Moon block out the Sun’s disc for the second time in just seven years.And what’s more, the upcoming 8 April eclipse will be even better than the one they got to see in 2017. The sky will go pitch black for 4 minutes and 9 seconds, nearly double what happened last time.Image source, Getty ImagesAs many as 200,000 people are expected to flood prime viewing locations in southern Illinois for The Great American Eclipse, Part II. But this will be true, also, all along the eclipse path, from Mexico’s Pacific coast to Canada’s Atlantic seaboard. The upcoming event is set to be a blockbuster.US space agency mission lines up to ‘touch the Sun’The radio ‘weirdness’ associated with eclipsesHow solar eclipses have shaped historyIn 2017, the path of deepest shadow – “totality” – ran from Oregon in the US north-west to South Carolina in the south-east. That actually covered some sparsely populated regions, including many national parks. The 2024 event, in contrast, will cover some major US urban areas, such Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Buffalo. “This is going to be the most populated eclipse in the US, with 31.5 million people able to just walk outside of their homes to experience it,” Dr Kelly Korreck, the US space agency’s eclipse programme manager, told BBC News.Image source, SWRI/NASAImage caption, Artwork: Jets equipped with Nasa instruments will chase the shadowAs you’d expect, Nasa will be doing understated experiments on the day, such as launching rockets into the shadow cast by the Moon to see how it affects the top of the Earth’s atmosphere, or its ionosphere. Instrumented jet planes will also chase the shadow.”The reason that we’re flying aeroplanes, besides the fact that it’s really cool, is because getting up high into the atmosphere means you can actually access wavelengths of light you can’t do from the ground,” said Dr Amir Caspi from the Southwest Research Institute.The 2024 total solar eclipse will begin way out in the Pacific Ocean, with the inhabitants of Penrhyn Atoll, part of the Cook Islands, greeted by a darkened Sun at dawn, at 06:40 CKT (16:40 GMT). The Moon’s deep shadow, or umbra, will then race across the Earth’s surface at more than 2,500km/h (1,500mph), crossing the Mexican coast at 11:07 MST (18:07 GMT) and the Rio Grande border between Mexico and the US at 13:27 CDT (18:27 GMT). Image source, Getty ImagesThe journey continues up through 13 US states, skimming the Canadian border – with Hamilton (15:18 EDT; 19:18 GMT) and Montreal (15:26 EDT; 19:26 GMT) just inside the totality path – before sweeping out over the provinces of New Brunswick (16:32 ADT; 19:32 GMT) and Newfoundland (17:09 NDT; 19:39 GMT). The Moon’s umbra will lift off the Earth’s surface in the Atlantic Ocean at 21:55 CEST (19:55 GMT), about 1,120km (700 miles) west of Normandy, France. Sorry, Europe; a partial eclipse low on the horizon at sunset is the best you will get.Image caption, A promotional poster from astronomer/artist Tyler Nordgren (Credit: tylernordgren.com)Keen sky-watchers largely have their plans already in place. They’ll have studied transport and accommodation options and paid close attention to historic weather patterns. The chances of avoiding confounding clouds are best in Mexico and Texas. But in truth, on any one day, in any one place, the weather could be your friend or a killjoy – and that applies to Carbondale, too. Image source, S R Habbal and M DruckmüllerImage caption, A total solar eclipse affords a rare opportunity to study the Sun’s coronaYou might think that with all the space telescopes trained on the Sun these days that there’s very little an eclipse can add to the sum of solar knowledge. But total eclipses are special because they afford favourable conditions to study the tenuous outer atmosphere of the Sun – its corona.It is in this magnetised, superheated “gas” of charged particles that the solar wind originates, and from which billions of tonnes of matter can occasionally burst towards the Earth to disrupt satellites, communications and even electricity grids.The corona is outshone by the Sun’s surface, its photosphere. Satellites will block out the glare using devices called coronagraphs, but those are usually so wide that they also obstruct the view of light immediately above the edge of the star. It’s in this zone where the corona’s key processes are occurring. Only during an eclipse, when the Moon’s disc just matches that of the Sun, do all aspects of the corona become accessible. Image source, Aberystwyth UniversityImage caption, UK and US scientists have been working on eclipse observationsBritish scientists have teamed up with Nasa to deploy instruments in Dallas. They’ll have a polarimeter to examine the directional quality of the corona’s light and a spectrometer to look for the behaviour of excited iron atoms. “During an eclipse, nature gives us a unique opportunity to measure this region with relative ease, and to see the connections between the Sun and solar wind,” explained Dr Huw Morgan from Aberystwyth University.Image source, AFPImage caption, However you watch the eclipse, doing it safely is paramount.But you don’t need to be a professional scientist to participate in eclipse science. There are numerous citizen research projects. For example:The Sunsketcher initiative needs help measuring the precise shape of the Sun. Yes, it’s round, but ever so slightly squished at the poles.Eclipse Soundscapes will record how the natural world, particularly animals, react when plunged into darkness. Bees quit flying, apparently.The Globe Observer project needs help recording temperature changes and the behaviour of clouds. And Eclipse Megamovie will once again employ an army of DSLR cameras to capture an extended view of the event. “Having people all along the path is going to be a force multiplier for these observations and enable us to take longer observations and more correlate what’s happening and changing,” said Nasa’s Dr Liz MacDonald, who’s been coordinating a lot of citizen science activity.Get out there and enjoy it, but do it safely. Don’t look at the exposed Sun with the naked eye. Montana and North Dakota will see the tail end of a total solar eclipse in 2044, but the next such event to cross a broad swathe of the US won’t occur until the following year.”It’s special,” said Dr Korreck, “that’s why you should try to experience it”.Related TopicsEclipsesTop StoriesPrincess of Wales: I am having cancer treatmentPublished1 hour agoLive. At least 40 dead in Moscow concert hall attack, Russian intelligence service saysPeople take cover as gunmen enter Moscow concert hall. 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[ad_1] As many as 200,000 people are expected to flood prime viewing locations in southern Illinois for The Great American Eclipse, Part II. But this will be true, also, all…