Bizarre ‘pet cloud’ appears again above exact same spot in New Zealand

A Nasa satellite has imaged an odd-shaped cloud called the “Taieri Pet”, appearing yet again over New Zealand’s South Island where it was last seen.

The satellite image shows the strange elongated cloud nestled along a rocky mountain range where it often occurs.

The peculiar cigar-shaped cloud is called an altocumulus standing lenticular cloud (ASLC) and is created when winds encounter a steep barrier such as a mountain range, Nasa explained in a statement.

“Taieri Pet is a product of the particular weather patterns and topography on the southern part of New Zealand’s South Island,” the American space agency said.

When wind is forced to flow up and over the mountains, it creates a wave in the atmosphere and as the air cools at the crest of the wave, the water vapor it contains condenses into such clouds.

These clouds appear smooth with well-defined edges.

Observers on the ground may see them as a “huge stack of pancakes” or a “pile of plates” hovering in one place.

This could mistakenly be interpreted as flying saucers.

“They look a lot like the traditional shape of flying saucers in science fiction, and real lenticular clouds are believed to be one of the most common explanations for UFO sightings across the world,” the UK Met Office says.

In New Zealand’s South Island, strong winds from the northwest pour over the steep-sided flat-topped Rock and Pillar Range that runs nearly perpendicular to the winds.

“As the cloud forms on the crest of this wave, it remains almost stationary in the sky and is shaped by the strong winds blowing through it,” New Zealand MetService meteorologist John Law said.

The presence of these clouds may also indicate that strong winds are blowing high in the atmosphere.

Meteorologists say Taieri Pet may be a warning sign that conditions around them may pose aviation hazards with strong wind currents and severe turbulence.

“Pilots of powered aircraft tend to avoid flying near lenticular clouds because of the turbulence that accompany them,” according to the UK Met Office.

The unusually low temperatures of these clouds may also cause ice to form on planes, the Met Office says.

Missing woman with snake bite found alive after almost two weeks

A woman who was missing for almost two weeks in Australia’s Snowy Mountains region has been found alive by emergency services after she was reported being bitten by a snake.

Photographer Lovisa “Kiki” Sjoberg, 48, was last seen driving a rented grey SUV in the Kosciuszko National Park on 15 October, Tuesday, and a huge search operation was launched a week later on Monday.

Ms Sjoberg, a frequent visitor to the park to take pictures of the wildlife for a project, was rescued on Sunday, 5pm, in injured condition with a snake bite.

“About 4.50pm today … the woman was located injured by a National Parks and Wildlife Service officer on the Nungar Creek Trail at Kiandra,” New South Wales police said in a statement on Sunday.

“She was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics for exposure and what is believed to be a snake bite, before she was taken to Cooma district hospital in a stable condition.”

A multi-agency search was launched with two helicopters, the NPWS, the State Emergency Service, the Rural Fire Service, four-wheel drive vehicles, trail bikes, members of the public and sniffer dogs.

The search was launched after the care hire company reported that the SUV was overdue to be returned and the car had not moved from its last location in six days. The car was later found unlocked and abandoned.

Rescuers described the search operations as “difficult” and looking for a “pinhead in a haystack” as temperatures in the area surrounding Kosciuszko National Park dropped to zero degrees in the nights.

Snowy Mountains horse trek operator Peter Cochran who joined the rescue team on horseback said it was an “intense” search in the area covered in “dense scrub”.

“All of us who’ve been out searching for her are greatly relieved that she’s alive and well,” he said.

“The willingness was there to get out there and try and find her and help retrieve her.”

He said scrub was incredibly thick in which one could ride within five metres of it without being noticed.

“It was extremely difficult to find her,” he added.

Local photographer Michelle Brown and her husband Ian also joined the search and hiked 58km to look for her.

“It is such a vast area that it’s basically like finding a pinhead in a haystack,” she said.

“She knows the area … this has been her sanctuary, her safe spot,” Ms Brown said.

NSW police said Ms Sjoberg it is believed that she was bitten by a copperhead snake four days ago.

“Police would like to thank those involved in the multi-agency search, members of the public and the media for their assistance,” the police said.

Malaysian pharmacist found murdered in his apartment in Australia

A 54-year-old homeless man was charged with the murder of a Malaysian pharmacist working in Australia, police said.

Twenty-nine-year-old Leong Kum Chuan – known as KC – was found dead on 23 October after he failed to show up at work at his pharmacy in Melbourne.

In a statement, his employer called his death a “tragedy”.

“KC was just 29 years old, and this tragedy will be felt by many,” Eastern Health chief executive David Plunkett said. He said that Leong would be “remembered for his passion, kindness and dedication to his team and the broader community”.

“KC was recognised as a talented leader and was also a mentor for many of our emerging pharmacists.”

Leong was found dead before officers arrived at the Bellfield apartment block around lunchtime on Wednesday. A colleague reportedly discovered his body at his residence at around 11.30am on Wednesday.

The accused, Simon Hunter, a homeless man, disrupted his first court hearing after being charged with the murder of the pharmacist, reports said.

Mr Hunter was detained by police and appeared in Melbourne Magistrate’s Court via video link, where his alleged erraztic behaviour led to temporary delays. He was deemed unfit for a police interview, with concerns raised about his behaviour since being detained, police said.

During the court proceeding, he removed his clothes in front of Magistrate Tara Hartnett, prompting her to instruct remand staff to relocate him to a room where they could communicate more effectively, according to media reports.

“I’m not dealing with an accused person looking through a cell door. This is not satisfactory,” she said. The court hearing was briefly postponed until Mr Hunter reappeared.

Leong, a respected mentor at Eastern Health, was mourned by colleagues and family, who flew in from Malaysia.

Mr Hunter’s next court appearance is set for 16 January 2025.

Malaysia’s foreign ministry confirmed it is providing consular support to Leong’s family. In a statement, the ministry acknowledged the tragedy and urged the media to respect the family’s privacy.

Sisters separated at birth and raised worlds apart meet after 39 years

Two South Korean sisters, separated at birth and adopted into different countries, have reunited for the first time after discovering their connection through DNA testing.

Darragh Hannan and Jee Won Ha were adopted in Minnesota in the US and Belgium respectively and have since faced vastly different life journeys. The two uncovered their sibling bond through a MyHeritage DNA test, leading to this lifechanging reunion.

While Ms Ha, born in 1985, endured abuse and instability, she has now built a stable life with her family in Belgium, The Korea Herald reported. Their reunion, initiated by a simple email from Ms Ha to Ms Hannan, brought up complex emotions alongside joy, with both sisters reflecting on the missing pieces of their shared past.

A video shot by The Korea Herald showed them running towards each other and hugging at the airport.

First adopted by a Korean family, Ms Ha’s life changed drastically after her adoptive parents divorced, resulting in her adoption by a Belgian family in 1987. This family later adopted seven Cambodian children under questionable circumstances, using falsified documents.

“Identity theft, child smuggling, child trafficking… It seems like my parents were [a] big role in it, so they organised it, and they did it themselves,” Ms Ha said.

The sisters’ path to reunion started in 2018 when Ms Hannan took a DNA test to trace her ancestry. Although it initially revealed only distant relatives, her search resumed unexpectedly in early 2024.

Earlier in 2024, Ms Ha took a DNA test alongside her brother, who suggested it. While his results were uneventful, Ms Ha was shocked to discover she had a full sister.

“I was completely in shock. I drank a little bit before I could write an email,” Ms Ha said.

“We’ve seen reunions happen on TV, and we hear stories of reunions and how happy they are,” Ms Hannan said. “We always see that part, but we never see the confusion and the questioning and all of the big feelings that happen after the big moment. What comes next? What’s ‘our’ after the big moment? What does that look like for us?”

Ms Ha added: “Finding each other is not only the one big happy thought. It’s also the confusion and the sadness of all the things that you missed together.”

They plan to spend time together in Korea, hoping to find their birth parents and come to terms with their identities.

Australian PM defends his free first-class upgrades on Qantas flights

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has come under fire after allegations that he requested free flight upgrades from national carrier Qantas.

Mr Albanese defended the first-class upgrades after it was reported that he received at least 20 free upgrades in more than a decade.

“From time to time, members of parliament receive upgrades. What’s important is that they are declared. All of mine have been declared,” he said.

“I note that a range of them go back a long, a long period of time [and] that they have all been declared as appropriate,” he said.

The claims surfaced in extracts from books by the former Australian Financial Review journalist Joe Aston and were published in the newspaper this weekend.

The boo, The Chairman’s Lounge: The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out, claimed that Mr Albanese directly dealt with former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce on many occasions.

It said the prime minister declared flight upgrades on about 20 Qantas flights between 2009 and 2019 during her work in the government at various positions including transport minister, shadow transport minister and opposition leader.

Some of the flights were declared as “personally funded” and destinations were to Rome, London, Los Angeles and Honolulu.

“According to Qantas insiders, Albanese would liaise with Joyce directly about his personal travel,” Aston reported.

He had also asked Mr Joyce to make his son Nathan a member of the Chairman’s Lounge in 2022.

Mr Albanese defended the request to include his son to the programme saying Nathan was his “plus one” after the end of his marriage.

Senior cabinet minister have defended the prime minister’s actions while some opposition leaders have said it was “a bit strange”.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton called it “strange arrangements”.

“If you are the transport minister and you are picking up the phone to one of the most important stakeholders in your portfolio, asking for a free upgrade … I am not aware of anyone else having done it,” Mr Dutton said on Monday.

“I think it is a bit strange that Mr Albanese is contacting the CEO of an airline when he is the shadow minister or minister for transport,” he said.

Opposition Transport Minister Bridget McKenzi said the prime minister needs to tell the total value of those upgrades.

“The Australian public needs to be told exactly how many private and public upgrades were provided to Mr Albanese and his family and what the total value of those upgrades are,” she told the ABC.

Environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, defended Mr Albanese’s conduct.

“The most important thing is if you receive a benefit like this, that it is declared … This has been on the public record the whole time,” Ms Plibersek, told Sunrise. “I don’t think it’s any surprise that in the role of transport and infrastructure minister you’d be travelling a lot.”

The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said he did not think Mr Albanese would ever ask for an upgrade.

Mr Joyce, the boss of Australian airline Qantas stepped down from his job last year — two months earlier than planned — following a series of embarrassing revelations about the company, including allegations it sold tickets for flights that had already been canceled.

Pakistan begins new nationwide polio campaign after surge in new cases

Pakistan began a nationwide vaccination campaign Monday to protect 45 million children from polio after a surge in new cases that has hampered years of efforts to stop the disease in one of the two countries where it has never been eradicated.

Pakistan regularly launches such campaigns, but violence targeting the health workers and police assigned to escort them is common. Militants falsely claim the vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilise children.

The campaign is the third this year and will continue until Sunday “in response to the alarming increase in polio cases”, said Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister’s adviser for the polio eradication program. “We are re-energised in our efforts to combat polio,” she said in a statement.

During the door-to-door campaign, children younger than five will be vaccinated and given drops of vitamin A supplements to enhance their immunity.

Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif recently met with front-line health workers, urging them to ensure no child was left unvaccinated by going door-to-door.

Anwarul Haq, who is the coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, also urged parents to fully cooperate with polio workers. “Polio has no cure, but it can be prevented with this readily available vaccine,” he said.

Pakistan has recorded 41 cases across 71 districts so far this year, Ms Farooq said. Most were reported from southwestern Balochistan and southern Sindh province, following by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and eastern Punjab province.

The surge in cases in new locations is worrying authorities since previous cases were from the unsettled northwest, bordering Afghanistan, where the Taliban government in September suddenly stopped a door-to-door vaccination campaign.

Authorities in Pakistan say the Afghan Taliban’s recent decision to stop the door-to-door anti-polio campaign will have repercussions beyond the Afghan border, as people from both sides frequently travel to each other’s country. The World Health Organization has confirmed 18 polio cases in Afghanistan this year.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where the spread of polio has never been stopped. It is one of the world’s most infectious diseases, so it continues to spread anywhere people are not fully vaccinated. In severe cases, polio can cause permanent paralysis and death.

China vows ‘counter-measures’ after $2bn US arms sale to Taiwan

China has strongly condemned the latest $2bn (£1.5bn) arms sale approved by the US for Taiwan, declaring it a threat to regional peace and promising decisive counter-measures in response.

The arms sale, which includes advanced missile systems intended to bolster Taiwan’s air defences, has prompted Beijing to warn of further military action as it intensifies its own presence around the island.

“China will take resolute counter-measures and all necessary steps to defend its sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity,” the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement late on Saturday.

Beijing also lodged “solemn representations” with Washington, urging the US to stop what it described as “dangerous moves” that risk further destabilising the Taiwan Strait.

The Pentagon on Friday confirmed the arms sale, which includes three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (Nasams), valued at about $1.16bn, and radar systems worth around $828m.

The Nasams have been tested in combat in Ukraine. They are the first of their kind to be given to Taiwan, marking a significant enhancement to its defensive arsenal as it faces threats from China.

Taiwan’s defence ministry expressed confidence that the Nasams would enhance its ability to protect itself against Chinese military manoeuvres.

Taiwan’s presidential office expressed gratitude to the US for the sale, arguing that strengthening the island’s defences was essential for the region’s stability.

“In the face of China’s threats, Taiwan is duty-bound to protect its homeland and will continue to demonstrate its determination to defend itself,” the island’s foreign ministry said.

President Lai Ching-te has prioritised strengthening the military since taking office earlier this year as Beijing has expanded military operations around Taiwan, which it claims as an integral part of its territory.

The arms package, the 17th such approved by president Joe Biden’s administration, follows a series of military drills by China around Taiwan.

The exercises, conducted last week, simulated the “sealing off of key ports” on the island and mobilised a record number of forces.

Taiwan reported as many as 153 Chinese aircraft, along with 14 navy vessels and 12 government ships, taking part in the drills, which Chinese officials characterised as preparations to “secure the region”.

Taiwan’s defence ministry reported on Sunday that 19 Chinese military aircraft, including Su-30 fighter jets, and several warships conducted a “combat patrol” encircling the island.

These operations were part of what Taiwan has described as regular, near-daily patrols that have intensified since Beijing began to stage large-scale drills near the island in recent months. Taiwanese forces closely monitored the Chinese activity and stood on alert in response.

The US is bound by law under the Taiwan Relations Act to assist the island in maintaining a robust self-defence capability. This commitment underscores the broader strategic competition between Washington and Beijing, with Taiwan positioned at the centre of their rivalry.

China’s recent show of force around Taiwan underscores its efforts to curtail what it sees as growing support for Taiwanese independence.

The Chinese defence ministry did not provide details on the nature of the counter-measures it intends to take but reiterated that Beijing “strongly condemns and firmly opposes” the arms sale, which it claims undermines China’s security and damages US-China relations.

“We will take all necessary measures to firmly defend national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity,” the ministry said.

Three killed after two light aircraft collide midair near Sydney

Three people were killed after two light aircraft collided midair and crashed into bushland southwest of Sydney on Saturday, police said.

The crash took place at about 11.50am local time near Belimbla Park Oakdale, scattering debris and leaving one plane ablaze upon impact.

Police, fire and ambulance crews reached the remote crash sites on foot.

Acting superintendent Timothy Calman of the New South Wales Police said the crash involved a Cessna 182 carrying two persons and an ultralight aircraft piloted by a lone individual, both flying from a nearby airstrip.

“The scene that we are closest to has been impacted by fire, it would not have been a survivable impact,” said Mr Calman, referring to the Cessna crash site.

“The second scene a kilometre north of here, that aircraft did not burn but also not a survivable impact. They are rather infrequent, collisions of this nature.”

He said witnesses who observed “debris coming from the sky” had tried to help but “there was probably not much that could have been done”.

Police initially said bodies of three men were found, but later in a press conference Mr Calman said the gender of two people was still to be confirmed, reported The Guardian.

The plane with two people was believed to be flying from Cessnock to Wollongong.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau was investigating the cause of the collision.

A local councillor, Suzy Brandstater, described the crash as “horrific.”

Ms Brandstater said the Wollondilly Shire area was used by trainee pilots and flying enthusiasts. “Recreational flying is very popular, and this is probably one of the closest places to Sydney that you can do it,” she told the Australian Associated Press.

A witness recalled that one of the two planes nosedived into bushland in Belimbla Park. Bernadette Elliot, 48, reported hearing a “popping sound like a firecracker” before seeing smoke trail from a yellow and black aircraft as it came crashing down.

Ms Elliot, who watched from a nearby property, told the Sydney Morning Herald she also saw a man suspended in a bright green parachute near the crash site.

Emergency personnel continued to work across the scene as forensics and police rescue vehicles surveyed the bushland. Police urged the public to keep away from the area to allow investigations to proceed uninterrupted.

“A team of transport safety investigators from the ATSB’s Canberra office, with experience in aircraft operations and maintenance, is preparing to deploy to the accident sites of both aircraft to begin evidence-collecting activities,” the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said. “Over coming days, investigators will undertake site mapping, examine the wreckage of both aircraft and recover any relevant components for further examination at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra.”

The agency would release a preliminary report in about two months and the final report would be released at the conclusion of the investigation.

“However, if at any point during the investigation we uncover any critical safety issues we will immediately inform relevant parties so they can take safety actions,” it said.