Month: August 2020

Police in Australia joked they were “going to need a bigger ladder” after encountering a five-metre long python blocking the road.

Queensland Police officers encountered the amethystine python, also known as a scrub python, near the small community of Wujul Wujul, located 345km north of Cairns.

Officers on a night patrol had to wait for the slithering reptile to cross the road, giving them enough time to capture a photo which has racked up over 50,000 shares and likes on Facebook.

“They breed them big in the Far North!” explained Senior Constable Heidi Marek.

“One of the attractions to a career in policing is the statement that ‘we don’t do boring’. You never really know what you are going to come across in a single shift.”

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“Policing in the Far North is certainly no exception,” she added. “During a night patrol officers stumbled across this monster! There was no passing in the police vehicle until this scrub python was good and ready to move.

“Seizing the opportunity for a quick photo, Sergeant Ben Tome sent his colleague, Acting Senior Constable Chris Kenny, out of the car to stand next to the giant.

“Not fond of the police attention, the scrub python made his way quickly off the road so the officers could continue on their way.”

Despite giving the officers a scare, this was not an exceptionally large scrub python, with the non-venomous species typically growing up to seven metres in length.

Native to Australia, they are the country’s longest snake and are adept at climbing trees, according to Australia Zoo.

“These snakes spend much of their time in trees, waiting for the perfect prey ambush,” the zoo says.

“The scrub python is also well known for his grumpy attitude. It doesn’t take much to get this bloke upset!

“Generally they are a very shy python who does not like to be disturbed. They will hiss loudly when aroused, but won’t bite unless provoked.”

• Incredibly rare white snake found in Australia

A young British embassy worker has been found murdered in the Lebanese capital Beirut after reportedly being strangled and reportedly sexually assaulted. 

Rebecca Dykes, 30, from London, who had been working for the Department for International Development, was killed after leaving a bar with friends on Friday night.

She had been out in the lively Gemmayzeh neighbourhood of Beirut for the farewell party of a colleague at the British embassy and had left just before midnight with a friend. 

The two then parted ways, leaving Miss Dykes to either walk or take a taxi to her home five minutes away. 

She had not been drinking as she had an early flight to catch home early the next morning for the Christmas holidays. 

She was abducted some time after and killed. Her body was found dumped on the Metn highway several miles away. 

Police sources told the Telegraph the first autopsy revealed the cause of death as strangulation, however a second postmortem examination is to be carried out later. 

They said they did not believe the attack to be politically motivated.

One friend told the Telegraph: "It’s horrific. We had no idea what happened to her until we got a call today to go to the police station to give statements."

Miss Dykes had been working in Beirut as the programme and policy manager for the Department for International Development since January 2017.

Beirut killing

She had worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 2010, previously on Libya and Iraq.  She is thought to have grown up in Hong Kong, but attended Malvern St James Girls boarding school in Worcestershire before later studying anthropology at Manchester University and International Security and Global Governance from Birkbeck, University of London. 

Friends described her as "warm" and "clever". "She was just finding her feet in Beirut, she was just getting to know the city," on said. 

Miss Dykes spoke fluent Mandarin having worked as a teacher in China and Hong Kong for four years prior to joining the Foreign Office.

In a statement her family said: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened."

Hugo Shorter, the British ambassador to Lebanon, said: "The whole embassy is deeply shocked, saddened by this news. My thoughts are with Becky’s family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss. 

"We’re providing consular support to her family and working very closely with Lebanese authorities who are conducting police investigation."

A spokesman for the Department for International Development where she worked said: "Our thoughts are with Becky’s family and friends at this very upsetting time.

"There is now a police investigation and the FCO (Foreign Office) is providing consular support to Becky’s family and working with the local authorities."

Such incidents are rare in Beirut, despite the fragile security situation in the country.

Since the end of the country’s 15-year civil war in 1990, Lebanon has become more stable. 

It saw record numbers of tourists this year and attracts increasing numbers of holidaymakers looking to enjoy its Mediterranean beaches and hot climate. 

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