Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Storm Bert causes travel disruptions, power outages in UK and Ireland

In southern England, a man in his 60s died after a tree fell on a car on the A34 highway, local police reported.

Waves crash over the breakwater on November 23 in Newhaven, England. (Photo: Getty Images)
Waves crash over the breakwater on November 23 in Newhaven, England. (Photo: Getty Images)

STORM Bert brought severe weather to the UK and Ireland on Saturday, causing travel disruptions, power outages, and at least one fatality.

The storm brought snow, heavy rain, and strong winds, closing railway lines, roads, and bridges in several areas.


In southern England, a man in his 60s died after a tree fell on a car on the A34 highway, local police reported.

In northeast England, flights at Newcastle Airport were briefly disrupted as snow covered the runway.

In Scotland, ScotRail announced that some train services were suspended due to the weather.

The Severn Bridge, connecting Wales and England, was also closed because of strong winds, according to the National Highways website.

Snow stranded vehicles and blocked roads in northern parts of the UK.

Met Office chief meteorologist Jason Kelly described Storm Bert as a "multi-hazard event," predicting snow, rain, and wind to affect Britain throughout the weekend.

In Ireland, heavy rainfall caused flooding in the west, with some roads becoming impassable.

The Irish Meteorological Service issued a "status red" rain warning, its highest alert level, for Cork and Galway counties on Friday night.

Floodwaters in the Donegal town of Killybegs rose to the tops of parked cars.

Power company ESB Networks reported that high winds caused outages affecting 60,000 homes, farms, and businesses, mainly in the west and northwest of Ireland.

(With inputs from Reuters)

More For You

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

Prince Harry criticised tech companies for citing privacy laws to deny access

Getty

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have called for stronger protections for children online, warning that not enough is being done to shield young people from the dangers of social media

During a visit to New York, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled a new memorial dedicated to the memory of children whose families believe harmful online content contributed to their deaths. The installation, named the Lost Screen Memorial, features 50 smartphones, each displaying an image of a child lost to what their families describe as the adverse effects of social media. The memorial was made available to the public for 24 hours.

Keep ReadingShow less
Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

Afghan refugees arrive at a camp near the Torkham border last Sunday (20)

Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

MORE than 100,000 Afghans have left Pakistan in the past three weeks, the interior ministry said on Tuesday (22), after Islamabad announced the cancellation of residence permits.

Calling Afghans “terrorists and criminals”, the Pakistan government launched its mass eviction campaign on April 1. Analysts said the expulsions are designed to pressure Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, which Islamabad blames for fuelling a rise in border attacks.

Keep ReadingShow less
Government announces funding for offshore wind supply chains

Energy secretary Ed Miliband reads a letter from Britain's King Charles III during the Future of Energy Security Summit at Lancaster House on April 24, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Government announces funding for offshore wind supply chains

THE government has announced an initial £300 million investment to strengthen domestic offshore wind supply chains ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review. The funding will be distributed through Great British Energy, the country's publicly-owned clean energy company.

Prime minister Keir Starmer on Thursday (24) said the investment aims to support jobs and help the UK reach clean power by 2030.

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-pahalgam-getty

'I say to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backer,' Modi said in his first speech since the incident.

Getty Images

Modi vows to hunt Kashmir attackers ‘to the ends of the Earth’

INDIA and Pakistan have exchanged a series of diplomatic measures after prime minister Narendra Modi blamed Pakistan for a deadly shooting in Pahalgam, Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed.

Modi said India would identify and punish those behind the attack and accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Trump also announced an initiative on historically black colleges and universities and signed orders on AI education and workforce development.

Getty Images

Trump signs orders targeting university diversity policies and accreditation

DONALD TRUMP signed a set of executive orders on Wednesday aimed at US universities, focusing on foreign donations, college accreditation, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

One order directs the federal government to enforce existing laws requiring universities to disclose large foreign gifts. Another addresses accreditation, which Trump has described as a “secret weapon.”

Keep ReadingShow less