“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want,” H.L. Mencken wrote a century ago , “and deserve to get it good and hard.” The American people don’t seem to know what they really want from President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. But they might get it good and hard anyway.UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Peyton Smith's 12 points helped Fairfield hold off Vermont 67-66 on Sunday. Smith shot 4 of 7 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Stags (3-4). Prophet Johnson scored 10 points, finishing 4 of 6 from the floor. Makuei Riek had 10 points and shot 4 for 9, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc. TJ Long led the Catamounts (3-4) in scoring, finishing with 18 points. TJ Hurley added 17 points for Vermont. Jace Roquemore finished with 13 points and two steals. NEXT UP Fairfield takes on Fairleigh Dickinson at home on Sunday, and Vermont hosts SUNY-Plattsburgh on Wednesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard Declared Ineligible for Any NBA AwardsKansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones has been hit with a big fine on Saturday following their first loss of the 2024 NFL season. In Week 11, the Chiefs traveled north for a battle against the AFC's second-placed team, the Buffalo Bills. However, they left New York with a 30-21 loss, ending their nine-game winning streak to start the season. At one point in the game, Jones was attempting to bring down Buffalo running back Ty Johnson near the 50-yard line. However, the former Mississippi State Bulldogs star grabbed ahold of Johnson's facemask, turning his head hard to the left. The officials wound up missing the call, and the facemask went unpunished at first. But on Saturday, the NFL fined Jones $11,255 for the play. here is the sick part about this no call the refs BLATANTLY MISS this face mask but next Saturday the NFL will go and FINE Chris Jones I’ll guess either $11,255 or $16,883 disgusting the NFL will not call it right but still get a money grab joke pic.twitter.com/tAvGWdUcqa Fines from Bills-Chiefs game A.J. Epenesa $15,400 for hip drop tackle Chris Jones $11,255 for face mask Patrick Mahomes $14,069 for “violent gesture” Jones wasn't the only player from the Chiefs vs. Bills game that was hit with a punishment. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes was fined $14,069 for a violent gesture, and Buffalo defensive end A.J. Epenesa was fined $15,400 for a hip-drop tackle. In the loss, Jones finished with five tackles and a tackle for loss. However, along with the rest of his team, he failed to bring down Bills quarterback Josh Allen for a sack. © Denny Medley-Imagn Images So far this season, Jones isn't necessarily having the same impact he has had in previous years. The five-time All-Pro has tallied 24 tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble. He is on pace to have his worst statistical season since his rookie year back in 2016. Still, Kansas City sits in first place in the AFC going into Week 12, where they will face the Carolina Panthers. Related: NFL Slaps Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes With Punishment After First Loss of SeasonTrump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don’t expect big revelations DALLAS (AP) — The nation is set to mark 61 years since President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade passed through downtown Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. Even after over six decades, conspiracy theories about what happened that day still swirl and the desire to follow every thread of information hasn’t waned. President-elect Donald Trump made promises over the summer that if reelected he would declassify the remaining records. At this point, only a few thousand of millions of pages of governmental records related to the assassination have yet to be fully released. And those who have studied what's been released so far say that the public shouldn’t anticipate any earth-shattering revelations even if the remaining files are declassified. Bitcoin is at the doorstep of $100,000 as post-election rally rolls on NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin is jumping again, rising above $98,000 for the first time Thursday. The cryptocurrency has been shattering records almost daily since the U.S. presidential election, and has rocketed more than 40% higher in just two weeks. It's now at the doorstep of $100,000. Cryptocurrencies and related investments like crypto exchange-traded funds have rallied because the incoming Trump administration is expected to be more “crypto-friendly.” Still, as with everything in the volatile cryptoverse, the future is hard to predict. And while some are bullish, other experts continue to warn of investment risks. NFL issues security alert to teams and the players' union following recent burglaries The NFL has issued a security alert to teams and the players’ union following recent burglaries involving the homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the league says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.” Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted. Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets. Penn State wins trademark case over retailer's use of vintage logos, images PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State has won a closely watched trademark fight over an online retailer’s use of its vintage logos and images. A Pennsylvania jury awarded Penn State $28,000 in damages earlier this week over products made and sold by the firms Vintage Brand and Sportswear Inc. Penn State accused them of selling “counterfeit” clothing and accessories. The defendants said their website makes clear they are not affiliated with Penn State. At least a dozen other schools have sued the defendants on similar grounds, but the Pennsylvania case was the first to go to trial. Has a waltz written by composer Frederic Chopin been discovered in an NYC museum? NEW YORK (AP) — A previously unknown musical work written by composer Frederic Chopin appears to have been found in a library in New York City. The Morgan Library & Museum says the untitled and unsigned piece is the first new manuscript of the Romantic era virtuoso to be discovered in nearly a century. Robinson McClellan, the museum’s curator, says he stumbled across the work in May while going through a collection brought to the Manhattan museum years earlier. He worked with outside experts to verify the document's authenticity. But there’s debate whether the waltz is an original Chopin work or merely one written in his hand. Volcano on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula erupts for the 7th time in a year GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland is spewing lava from a fissure in its seventh eruption since December. Iceland's seismic monitors said the eruption started with little warning late Wednesday and created a long fissure but looked to be smaller than eruptions in August and May. Around 50 houses were evacuated after the Civil Protection agency issued the alert, along with guests at the famous Blue Lagoon resort, according to the national broadcaster. The repeated eruptions over the past year have caused damage to the town of Grindavík and forced people to relocate. Australian teen and British woman who drank tainted alcohol in Laos have died, bringing toll to 5 VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) — An Australian teenager and a British woman have died after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos in what Australia’s prime minister said was every parent’s nightmare. Officials earlier said an American and two Danish tourists also had died following reports that multiple people had been sickened in town popular with backpackers. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Parliament that 19-year-old Bianca Jones had died after being evacuated from Vang Vieng, Laos, for treatment in a Thai hospital. Her friend, also 19, remains hospitalized in Thailand. Later Thursday, Britain said a British woman also died and the media in the U.K. identified her as 28-year-old Simone White. US ahead in AI innovation, easily surpassing China in Stanford's new ranking The U.S. leads the world in developing artificial intelligence technology, surpassing China in research and other important measures of AI innovation, according to a newly released Stanford University index. There’s no surefire way to rank global AI leadership but Stanford researchers have made an attempt by measuring the “vibrancy” of the AI industry across a variety of dimensions, from how much research and investment is happening to how responsibly the technology is being pursued to prevent harm. Following the U.S. and China were the United Kingdom, India and the United Arab Emirates. Pop star Ed Sheeran helps favorite soccer team sign player before getting on stage with Taylor Swift It turns out British pop star Ed Sheeran is also good at recruiting soccer players. Sheeran is a minority shareholder at English soccer team Ipswich Town and it needed his help over the summer to get a player to join the club. Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton tells a Soccerex industry event in Miami: “Ed jumped on a Zoom call with him at the training ground, just before he stepped on stage with Taylor Swift. Hopefully that was a key part in getting the player across the line.” Ashton didn’t disclose the player in question, saying only: “He’s certainly scoring a few goals.” Chris Stapleton wins 4 CMA Awards, but Morgan Wallen gets entertainer of the year It was mostly Chris Stapleton’s night at the Country Music Association Awards. Stapleton won four times and took the stage to perform three times Wednesday night at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. But an absent Morgan Wallen won the biggest award, entertainer of the year. Stapleton's wins included single of the year and song of the year for “White Horse,” and his eighth trophy as male vocalist of the year. Best female vocalist of the year went to Laney Johnson. An all-star ensemble including both Stapleton and Johnson performed in tribute to George Strait, who won the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Justin Baldoni Rep Admits PR Team “Sophomorically Reveled” Against Blake Lively, But Claims No Smear Campaign Despite Sexual Harassment AllegationsHere’s why the SPFL don’t give a toss about safety of supporters – every game on Saturday should’ve been called off
Ford government slammed for refusing to declare an epidemic in partner violence
Kuhn 'not far away' from Germany call says Celtic legend as he savours new dealIt was a long time coming for the Nebraska Cornhuskers but it all finally came together Saturday on a memorable afternoon in Lincoln. In beating Wisconsin 44-25, the Huskers became bowl-eligible for the first time since 2016, beat the Badgers for the first time since 2012 and showed their most progress this season. Over the past several weeks, head coach Matt Rhule and even new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen have said the players have to make plays, execute and stay locked in for a full 60 minutes. Related: Huskers become bowl-eligible with dominant 44-25 win over Wisconsin Follow us on Facebook “They’ve wanted to get it done, it’s gonna come down just really to execution, how we match up with Wisconsin, the things that we do well, so I’ve just encouraged them to focus and I’ve encouraged them not to shy away from the gravity of this," Rhule said leading up to the game. "To lock into it and lean into it, the only way out is to go through it and so they’ve gotta bust through this weekend.” He added, "I want us to go win the game and I want our players to walk off proud knowing that they won the game." On the day Nebraska honored roughly 30 players on Senior Day, the Big Red finally accomplished those goals felt the emotions they've long been waiting for. “This will be the last time we ever celebrate six wins but, as I’ve told our players, it’s always hard to be the first to do it," Rhule said. “My speech to them in the locker room was, 'I would do anything to do this for you but I can’t, you have to go do it.' ... I got a little bit choked up there too (during the BTN postgame interview)," he added, "because, they’ve worked so hard and I wanted them to have this.” "You know what, we don't have a place for it, but we're going to find one!" Matt Rhule talks @HuskerFootball being bowl eligible and taking home the Freedom Trophy for the first in his tenure at Nebraska 🙌 #B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/QBVCjtFfon Not only did they do it but the Huskers did it in a big way. They racked up their most points and second-most yards since Rhule took over and got their biggest margin of victory over a power-conference team since a 56-7 shellacking of Northwestern on Oct. 2, 2021. Importantly, Nebraska secured a bowl game berth with the win but the team and state also felt some things it hasn't for a long time. “Joy. I mean, just to finally attain one of the goals we had for our season and prevail through all the adversity that’s been thrown at us, to be able to go out and be able to do it, it’s awesome,” senior defensive tackle Ty Robinson said. “It was incredible. I’m ecstatic," said wide receiver Jahmal Banks. "Everyone that loves Nebraska won today. Moments like that come once in a lifetime so I definitely cherished that. I’m definitely grateful to be a part of that.” “It felt great, it felt amazing," running back Emmett Johnson described. "It’s been awhile since we’ve gone on to a bowl game. I’m really happy for the seniors and the guys that have been here for a long time through the ups and downs. It was exciting in the locker room, that was a great feeling.” And some relief? “Yes. 100%. 100%," Rhule admitted. "And again, it’s relief in that I’ve got the benefit of doing this twice before ... so to come full tilt two years later, to be able to run the football in the game, to be able to stop the run, yeah, I’m proud of them but it does feel like relief and it feels like relief because I want those older players to know ... we’re not snakebit, there is no curse, you’ve just gotta go play good football and if you play good football, good things will happen.” That's what the Huskers did, they played good football. There were still missed opportunities and is certainly a lot of room for growth, but when the coaches put them in good spots, the players delivered more often than not. According to Pro Football Focus, Nebraska's running backs and receivers forced 18 missed tackles on Saturday, easily their most of the season. It's no coincidence the Huskers also tallied six runs of at least 10 yards — something they've only done one other time this season, back in Week 2 against Colorado. “I just think they went out and they executed. ... The players made the explosive plays, the players made people miss," Rhule said. "Like, Emmett was untackleable at times today, right?” There is a lot left to do, but this was the next step this team needed to take. The program can't get back to being a contender without first making a bowl game, and that has now been accomplished, which is reason for celebration. “It’s big for the state. It felt good to get the win for us and for them. I know this state’s been through a lot with us, they go through it with us and they’ve stuck by us this whole time and they haven’t given up on us so it was awesome to see,” senior defensive back Isaac Gifford said. It's also reason to celebrate because, as Rhule said, the standard has now been raised. Next year, sights will be set much higher than just six wins and a bowl game, and the team knows that. “Playoffs next year," quarterback Dylan Raiola said. "I mean, as simple as that.” Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
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E-Commerce Market Surge: USD 26.67T in 2023 to USD 62.42T by 2031OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he won’t play Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s games by voting to bring down the government on an upcoming non-confidence motion. The Conservatives plan to introduce a motion that quotes Singh’s own criticism of the Liberals, and asks the House of Commons to declare that it agrees with Singh and has no confidence in the government. The motion is expected to be introduced on Thursday and the debate and vote are set for Monday. Singh said he is not going to trigger an election when he believes Poilievre would cut programs the NDP fought for. “I’m not going to be playing Pierre Poilievre’s games. I have no interest in that. We’re frankly not going to allow him to cut the things that people need. I want to actually have dental care expanded, I want people to actually start to benefit from the pharmacare legislation we passed,” Singh said. With the NDP’s expected support, the Liberals should survive this next confidence vote brought forward by the Conservatives. The Tories have vowed to bring forward non-confidence motions every chance they get. The party will have two more opposition motions after this one, which are expected to continue to call for non-confidence. The NDP are scheduled to have their opposition day on Friday. Earlier on Tuesday, Singh did acknowledge that the Conservatives have a sizeable lead on the NDP in public opinion polls, while giving a campaign-style speech to visiting party staffers from across the country. Most pollsters in Canada have recorded a roughly 20 point lead for the Conservatives over both the Liberals and NDP for the last few months. The non-confidence vote was scheduled after Speaker Greg Fergus intervened to pause a filibuster on a privilege debate about a green technology fund. The Conservatives have said they would only end that debate if the NDP agree to topple the government or if the Liberals turn over unredacted documents at the centre of the parliamentary gridlock. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2024. David Baxter, The Canadian Press
December 3, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked peer-reviewed publication trusted source proofread by Pennsylvania State University An unusual planetary system with three known ultra-low density "super-puff" planets has at least one more planet, according to new research led by researchers from Penn State and Osaka University. The research team set out to study Kepler-51d, the third planet in the system, with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) but almost missed their chance when the planet unexpectedly passed in front of its star two hours earlier than models predicted. After scrutinizing new and archival data from a variety of space and Earth-based telescopes, the researchers found that the best explanation is the presence of a fourth planet, whose gravitational pull impacts the orbits of the other planets in the system. The new planet's discovery is detailed in a paper appearing in The Astronomical Journal . "Super puff planets are very unusual in that they have very low mass and low density," said Jessica Libby-Roberts, Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds Postdoctoral Fellow at Penn State and co-first author of the paper. "The three previously known planets that orbit the star Kepler-51 are about the size of Saturn but only a few times the mass of Earth, resulting in a density like cotton candy. We think they have tiny cores and huge atmospheres of hydrogen and helium, but how these strange planets formed and how their atmospheres haven't been blown away by the intense radiation of their young star has remained a mystery. We planned to use JWST to study one of these planets to help answer these questions, but now we have to explain a fourth low-mass planet in the system." When a planet passes in front of—or transits—its star when viewed from Earth, it blocks some of the star's light, causing a slight decrease in the star's brightness. The duration and amount of that decrease gives clues to the planet's size and other characteristics. Planets transit when they complete an orbit around their star, but sometimes they transit a few minutes early or late because the gravity from other planets in the system tugs on them. These minor differences are known as transit timing variations and are built into astronomers' models to allow them to accurately predict when planets will transit. The researchers said they had no reason to believe the three-planet model of the Kepler-51 system was inaccurate, and they successfully used the model to predict the transit time of Kepler-51b in May 2023 and followed-up with the Apache Point Observatory (APO) telescope to observe it on schedule. "We also tried to use the Penn State Davey Lab telescope to observe a transit of Kepler-51d in 2022, but some poorly timed clouds blocked our view right as the transit was predicted to start," Libby-Roberts said. "It's possible we could have learned something was off then, but we had no reason to suspect that Kepler-51d wouldn't transit as expected when we planned to observe it with JWST." The team's three-planet model predicted that Kepler-51d would transit around 2 a.m. EDT in June 2023, and the researchers prepared to observe the event with both JWST and APO. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matter— daily or weekly . "Thank goodness we started observing a few hours early to set a baseline, because 2 a.m. came, then 3, and we still hadn't observed a change in the star's brightness with APO," Libby-Roberts said. "After frantically re-running our models and scrutinizing the data, we discovered a slight dip in stellar brightness immediately when we started observing with APO, which ended up being the start of the transit—2 hours early, which is well beyond the 15-minute window of uncertainty from our models." When the researchers analyzed the new APO and JWST data, they confirmed that they had captured the transit of Kepler-51d, albeit considerably earlier than expected. "We were really puzzled by the early appearance of Kepler-51d, and no amount of fine-tuning the three-planet model could account for such a large discrepancy," said Kento Masuda, associate professor of earth and space science at Osaka University and co-first author of the paper. "Only adding a fourth planet explained this difference. This marks the first planet discovered by transit timing variations using JWST." To help explain what is happening in the Kepler-51 system, the research team revisited previous transit data from NASA's Kepler space telescope and NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). They also made new observations of the inner planets in the system, including with the Hubble Space Telescope and the California Institute of Technology's Palomar Observatory telescope, and obtained archival data from several ground-based telescopes. Because the new planet, Kepler-51e, has not yet been observed transiting—perhaps because it may not pass in the line of sight between its star and Earth—the researchers noted how important it was to obtain as much data as possible to support their new models. "We conducted what is called a 'brute force' search, testing out many different combinations of planet properties to find the four-planet model that explains all of the transit data gathered over the past 14 years," Masuda said. "We found that the signal is best explained if Kepler-51e has a mass similar to the other three planets and follows a fairly circular orbit of about 264 days—something we would expect based on other planetary systems. Other possible solutions we found involve a more massive planet on a wider orbit, though we think these are less likely." Accounting for a fourth planet and adjusting the models also changes the expected masses of the other planets in the system. According to the researchers, this impacts other inferred properties about these planets and informs how they might have formed. Although the inner three planets are slightly more massive than previously thought, they are still classified as super puffs. However, it is unclear if Kepler-51e is also a super puff planet, because the researchers have not observed a transit of Kepler-51e and therefore cannot calculate its radius or density. "Super puff planets are fairly rare, and when they do occur, they tend to be the only ones in a planetary system," Libby-Roberts said. "If trying to explain how three super puffs formed in one system wasn't challenging enough, now we have to explain a fourth planet, whether it's a super puff or not. And we can't rule out additional planets in the system either." Because the researchers believe Kepler-51e has an orbit of 264 days, they said that additional observing time is needed to get a better picture of the impacts of its gravity—or that of additional planets—on the three inner planets in the system. "Kepler-51e has an orbit slightly larger than Venus and is just inside the star's habitable zone, so a lot more could be going on beyond that distance if we take the time to look," Libby-Roberts said. "Continuing to look at transit timing variations might help us discover planets that are further away from their stars and might aid in our search for planets that could potentially support life." The researchers are currently analyzing the rest of the JWST data, which could provide information about the atmosphere of Kepler-51d. Studying the composition and other properties of the three inner planets could also improve understanding of how the unusual ultra-low-density super puff planets formed, the researchers said. In addition to Libby-Roberts and Masuda, who led the Kepler-51d team, the international research team includes John Livingston at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, who coordinated most of the ground-based follow-ups; many ground-based observers; the Kepler-51b team; and the Palomar team. More information: Kento Masuda et al, A Fourth Planet in the Kepler-51 System Revealed by Transit Timing Variations, The Astronomical Journal (2024). DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/ad83d3 Journal information: Astronomical Journal Provided by Pennsylvania State University
GREELEY, Colo. , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ALLO Fiber is pleased to announce its fiber broadband network build of the City of Boulder, CO. ALLO anticipates construction to begin in the spring of 2025 in city rights-of-way and easements. This fiber connection will enable world-class internet, broadband, cybersecurity, managed services, telephone, and video services for residents and businesses. City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde said, "We are thrilled to work with ALLO to bring affordable and reliable high-speed internet to every corner of Boulder. This partnership will provide significant benefits to our community. From empowering students and small businesses, to supporting remote work and ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age." ALLO was founded in 2003, and over the last 21 years has expanded its fiber footprint to reach over one million in population, with a goal to end the digital divide. ALLO maintains a commitment to offering local, hassle-free products and services to the 48 communities it serves. ALLO Colorado General Manager Bob Beiersdorf stated, "We are extremely pleased to be building a world-class fiber to the premises (FTTP) network in Boulder . The opportunity to offer multi-gig, symmetrical speeds to residents, businesses, government, and the education community with consistent network reliability opens the door to immense possibilities for the city. Partnering with the City of Boulder is paramount in providing equitable services to its residents and that spirit of partnership has been exceptional to date." The fiber network will feature up to 10 Gigabit speeds for residents and up to 100 Gigabit speeds for businesses, providing equal upload and download speeds optimized by ALLO's world-class Wi-Fi 7 routers. Boulder residents, businesses of all sizes, and governmental entities will be supported by ALLO's fiber-rich network, which delivers active and passive solutions without installation fees or restrictive contracts. Internet, data transport, cloud connectivity, video, voice, next-generation firewalls, cybersecurity, and phone systems are included in ALLO's comprehensive communications, entertainment, and business products and services. Boulder is ALLO's eleventh market in Colorado . ALLO currently has customers in Breckenridge , Brighton , Brush , Eaton , Erie , Evans , Fort Morgan , Greeley , Hudson , and Kersey . Visit AlloFiber.com/ Boulder and AlloFiber.com/careers for more information. About ALLO Communications ALLO Communications, a leader in providing fiber-optic services, has been dedicated to delivering world-class communications and entertainment services since 2003. With a commitment to building Gigabit communities, ALLO serves over 50 communities across Nebraska , Colorado , Arizona , Missouri , Iowa , and Kansas . ALLO is known for reliable fiber networks and customized technology solutions that support businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit AlloFiber.com . Tanna Hanna Vice President of Marketing Tanna.Hanna@allofiber.com 308-633-7815 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-power-of-allos-all-fiber-network-coming-to-boulder-colorado-302338556.html SOURCE ALLO Communications
Labour MP for Cardiff West, Alex Barros-Curtis, said warnings should have been “amber or red”, as Mr Reed told MPs that more flooding is “likely”. Hundreds of homes were left under water, roads were turned into rivers and winds of more than 80mph were recorded across parts of the UK. More than 130 flood warnings and 160 alerts remained in place across the UK on Monday. In the Commons on Monday, Mr Barros-Curtis asked: “Can I ask that the Secretary of State speak to his Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) colleagues to carefully look into the role of the Met Office here? “It is clear that their response was slow and that there was a clear underestimation of the impact of Storm Bert. “They put it yellow rather than amber or red. Our constituents have been let down by this incompetence before, and it cannot keep happening.” Mr Reed said: “In most parts of the countries that were affected, warnings were given with adequate time for people to prepare and I would encourage people to sign up on the Defra website, or the Environment Agency website for warnings and alerts if they live in an area that could be affected by flooding. “I’m aware of the particular concern that he mentions regarding the Met Office, and I will indeed be speaking to colleagues in DSIT as they review the circumstances of that and look at how the situation can be improved for future events of this kind.” During his update to the House, the Environment Secretary said that more flooding this week is “likely” but its impact “should be less severe” than has been seen. He said: “Around 28,000 properties are being protected by Environment Agency flood defences. “Unfortunately, an estimated 107 properties have flooded across England, principally from river and surface water flooding.” He added: “The Environment Agency and local responders have also been busy protecting properties elsewhere in England, including flooding from the River Teme in Tenbury Wells where around 40 properties have flooded. “The river has now peaked and local responders will be focusing on the lower reaches of rivers over the next few days.” He further stated: “Further flooding is sadly likely over the next few days as water levels rise in slower flowing rivers such as the Severn and the Ouse. “The Environment Agency anticipates that any impacts should be less severe than we have seen in recent days.” Mr Reed also described the flood defences they inherited from the previous government as being “in the worst condition on record following years of underinvestment”. He added: “Over 3,000 of our key flood defences are below an acceptable standard. “That is why we are investing £2.4 billion over the next two years to build and maintain flood defences.” Elsewhere in the session, Labour MP for Coventry South, Zarah Sultana, was among the MPs to call for a legal duty on fire services to respond to flooding. She said: “I want to express my solidarity and thanks to all of our emergency services, including firefighters on the front line. “Extreme weather events are on the rise and becoming ever more frequent due to climate change, highlighting the urgent need for proper funding and resources. “England is the only part of the UK without a statutory duty for flooding, leaving fire services underfunded and under-resourced to respond effectively. This must change, as the FBU (Fire Brigades Union) has long called for.” “When will the Government finally provide a statutory duty for Fire and Rescue authorities to respond to flooding incidents in England?” Mr Reed replied: “The fire and rescue authorities have the powers to intervene, but she’s quite right to point out there’s not a duty, and officials in my department, working with the Home Office, will review that to see that that remains appropriate.” Conservative MP for Mid Buckinghamshire Greg Smith said some communities in his constituency are flooding “for the first time in decades” as he accused the Government of wanting to “concrete over the countryside”. He said: “That is a result of some of the big infrastructure we are seeing being built, particularly HS2 where they will concrete over a field completely, it seems, unaware that that will have a knock-on effect to farmland next door. “So will the Secretary of State commit to working with the Transport Secretary (Louise Haigh) and I also suggest the Deputy Prime Minister (Angela Rayner) given their plans to concrete over the countryside to ensure that where construction takes place proper, and I really mean proper, flood mitigation measures are put into place.” Mr Reed replied: “This needs to operate across Government, and we will have those conversations and ensure that measures are put in place to support communities as much as is possible from the more severe weather events that we’re seeing as a result of climate change.”
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