The Tower of Pisa was once feared on the brink of collapse as the lean that made it such a popular landmark threatened its very existence.

But this week, as the monument celebrated its 850th birthday, the tilting monument’s future appearances in jokey tourist photos was assured for years to come as its guardians gave it a clean bill of health.

“Today the bell tower is a stable monument,” Andrea Maestrelli, the president of Opera della Primaziale Pisana (OPA), the 1,000-year-old body that looks after the cathedral complex that includes the tower, said Wednesday at a press conference outlining events to celebrate its anniversary.

It wasn’t always the case. In the early ’90s the tower, the centerpiece of a UNESCO World Heritage site, reached a lean of 4.5 degrees and fears for its stability led to an international effort to stop it from toppling over, with work lasting eight years from 1993.

Now, experts say its future is “bright,” with satellite and terrestrial surveillance currently keeping tabs on even the slightest shift in its position, making the famous bell tower one of the most monitored monuments in the world.

The Tower of Pisa’s first foundation stone was laid on August 9, 1173, “thanks to the donation of 60 coins made by a widow named Berta, for the construction of the bell tower of our cathedral,” the Archbishop of Pisa Giovanni Paolo Benotto said during Wednesday’s press conference.

Trouble from the start

Trouble over the tower’s stability started early. Construction was interrupted at the height of the third open tier of columns due to subsidence and only resumed in 1275 when a further three levels were added.

In an attempt to straighten the tower, the top three floors curved in the opposite direction of the lean. The tower was completed in the middle of the 14th century, when the belfry was added.

As the lean worsened at the end of the 20th century, soil was removed from beneath the foundations on its northern side through a series of perforations, causing an imperceptible reduction of the tilt.

The latest report by the surveillance group that monitors the monument “highlighted that the inclination has decreased by about 460 millimeters, said Maestrelli, adding that the lean has returned to that of the early nineteenth century.

The consolidation works have allowed this tower to look to the future with “great confidence,” he added.

Today the tower is the case study at the center of one of the most complex monitoring systems in the world, OPA’s technical director Roberto Cela explained. Thanks to an agreement between Italy’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage and OPA, experts integrate satellite monitoring with data collected at ground level.

The progress of these terrestrial and satellite monitoring activities will be presented next year, as part of the series of events scheduled to celebrate the tower’s 850th anniversary.

Devastating wildfires in the Hawaiian Islands – coupled with vast communication gaps created by the interruption of services – have many travelers in limbo as they struggle to leave the especially hard-hit island of Maui or reschedule imminent travel plans.

Here’s what we know right now about Hawaii travel.

Which islands are affected?

Fires on parts of the islands of Maui and Hawaii were burning Wednesday, creating dangerous conditions in some parts of those two islands. The most harrowing conditions on Wednesday appeared to be in West Maui in the town of Lahaina.

A blaze engulfed the historic town, which is a popular tourist destination, and the town was evacuated. Communication networks have been crippled, and it’s still unclear how much the fires have impacted the surrounding coast, where numerous resorts are located.

Travel adviser Jim Bendt, owner of Pique Travel Design in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, also noted the communications challenges. Bendt had been in contact Wednesday with people in Hawaii.

Some areas of the Kohala Coast on the island of Hawaii have been evacuated because of the fires, according to the county’s website. Fire hazards and emergency shelters are noted here. By late Wednesday, state officials had not discouraged travel to that island.

How are travelers getting out of Maui?

Maui’s Kahului Airport (OGG) is open, the Hawaii Department of Transportation posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

The HDOT urged patience at the airport.

“All airlines are sending additional support to aid in getting people off island,” the DOT said in another post. “@TSA_Pacific Hawaii leadership will be adding resources to support OGG.”

The DOT also provided details on reaching the airport via a bypass.

Nonessential inbound travel to Maui is strongly discouraged, Ed Sniffen, director of the Hawaii State Department of Transportation, said Wednesday at a news conference.

About 2,000 people stayed overnight Tuesday at the airport in Maui, Sniffen said.

He noted that another 4,000 visitors want to leave the island from the west side.

Airports in Maui are still “operating efficiently,” he said, and the Kahekili Highway is open so that people can get into town and to the airport area.

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority also said on Wednesday afternoon that visitors who are in Maui on nonessential travel are being asked to leave the island.

What about travelers who have upcoming plans to visit Maui?

As noted above, government officials are discouraging nonessential travel to Maui.

Travel adviser Jim Bendt is following that guidance. Bendt said Pique Travel Design is advising clients traveling to Maui in the next week to reschedule their trips to “help ease the burden on local infrastructure.”

Pique Travel will be working with its partners on the island to waive or minimize cancellation and change fees, he said.

Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines all are offering travel waivers for travel to Maui allowing passengers to change plans without penalty.

“Guests with non-urgent travel inquiries are encouraged to call back later so that we can assist those with immediate needs,” Hawaiian Airlines posted on social platform X. The airline urged travelers to check their flight status before going to the airport.

For clients who had plans to visit Maui for part of their Hawaii trips, Bendt’s company is looking at finding alternatives for them on other islands such as Kauai or Oahu.

“For future travel, we are waiting on damage assessments to determine the best path forward but don’t anticipate canceling trips once it’s safe to return,” Bendt said.

In its travel guidance, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority specifically called out West Maui as the area that near-term travelers need to avoid.

“Visitors with travel plans to stay in other parts of Maui and the Kohala Coast of Hawaiʻi Island in the coming weeks are encouraged to contact their hotels for updated information and how their travel plans may be affected,” the tourism management authority said in an update Wednesday.

She’s been unable to communicate with the hotel they had booked in the resort area of Ka’anapali, which is near one of the fire outbreaks. “I’ve tried to phone them several times, but the line is absolutely dead. I sent them a text message but no reply so far.”

Their return flight to Germany is scheduled out of Maui. Kappelar anticipates trying to fly out of Daniel Inouye International Airport on Oahu instead.

What about other islands?

Bendt said travelers with plans to visit islands other than Maui won’t need to change their plans.

“Hotels and tours are operating as normal,” he said.

Another travel adviser, Norman Aynbinder, who is president and CEO of Excursionist in Miami, also noted the limited range of the current fires.

“It is important to note that Oahu, Lanai, and Kauai have no active fires and that the fires on the Big Island are limited to the Kohala Coast and do not impact most of the touring on the rest of the island,” Aynbinder said via email.

The tourism authority noted that tourism to “Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, and other parts of Hawaiʻi Island are not affected at this time.”

More broadly, what’s next for travel to Maui?

For now, it’s a wait-and-see situation.

“Natural disasters are, by nature, quick-moving. If you have a trip to Maui a few weeks from now, your best bet for now is to wait and see if the fires get contained,” said Scott Keyes, founder of travel site Going.com.

Keyes said that “there’s no added benefit to canceling a trip a few weeks in advance versus a few days in advance.”

And canceling could have a big impact on the island.

“The potential loss of tourism revenue could be another devasting blow to the local community that relies on it,” Bendt said.

“As of today, the tourism infrastructure outside of Lahaina has not been damaged and will be open for business,” Bendt said. “Once officials have said it’s safe to travel back to Maui the best thing people can do is not cancel their trips.”

The leaders of a coup in Niger are digging in their heels as they face a looming deadline from neighbors to give up power or face possible military action.

Regional bloc the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has given the Nigerien military a Sunday deadline to release and reinstate the country’s ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum.

One of the group’s officials said a plan for an intervention had been “worked out,” but that it remained a last resort.

But with the clock ticking, the possibility of military action is becoming a real possibility.

How did we get here?

Niger lies at the heart of Africa’s Sahel region, which has seen numerous power grabs in recent years including in Mali and Burkina Faso.

But Niger has also been one of the few remaining democracies in the region.

President Bazoum’s election win in 2021 marked a relatively peaceful transfer of power, capping years of military coups following Niger’s independence from France in 1960.

But there were signs that Niger’s military leadership believed they had a lack of government support to fight militants and that a coup could change that campaign.

The coup was launched in late July when Bazoum was seized by members of the presidential guard, before national institutions were shut down and protesters from both sides took to the streets.

The head of the guard, Abdourahamane Tiani, has been named as the new leader. The whereabouts of Bazoum are unclear, in an op-ed for The Washington Post he described himself as a “hostage.”

Is intervention likely?

ECOWAS has shown a willingness to take action in cases where leaders refuse to relinquish power or when political crises escalate. The new chairman is Nigeria’s new President Bola Tinubu, who analysts say will be keen to make a mark and show that he is not a pushover.

It will be the first crisis of his short leadership tenure at the ECOWAS and of his country. Tinubu, however, has no military experience.

There is no shortage of tough talking rhetoric though. Local media outlets reported Friday that Tinubu had written to inform lawmakers in Nigeria, as he is legally required to do, of the ECOWAS intention to intervene militarily in Niger if the coup leaders “remain recalcitrant.”

Senegal, a key player in the region, has also pledged troops while Niger’s former colonial power France said it supported ECOWAS’s position.

After a meeting of ECOWAS this week, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Abdel-Fatau Musah called any military option the “last resort” but added that “all elements that would go into any eventual intervention have been worked out here and are being refined.”

“To my own understanding, Nigeria is not going to back down and will do whatever it takes to return Niger to civilian rule,” he added.

“They want power returned to Bazoum but likely that may not be a feasible outcome. They may have to compromise by getting the junta to leave power but they will not hand over to Bazoum. They will lose out and Bazoum [will] too, and someone neutral could come in to run a transitional government,” Adetayo said.

What is at stake?

There are fears that a region plagued with insurgency from fearsome terror groups such as al Qaeda, ISIS and Boko Haram could be plunged into an all out war that further destabilizes the region.

Mali and Burkina Faso, led by soldiers who seized power forcefully, have stated that any military intervention would be seen as a declaration of war.

Niger’s new military leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani has also asked Mali for support.

Mali however has considerably reduced military capacity after expelling the French military and asking UN soldiers to leave the country after a 10-year peacekeeping mission.

Experts say Mali and Burkina Faso have limited capacity to send a significant number of troops to Niger. However, Russian mercenaries Wagner are known to operate in Mali and their leader has already offered help to Niger.

With US and French troops based in the country, there are fears of a potential proxy war unfolding.

Has ECOWAS intervened before?

The last notable instance was in 2017, when ECOWAS deployed military forces in Gambia to remove President Jammeh who did not want to give up power after elections.

A show of force at the border compelled Jammeh to step down, leading to a swift resolution. This event has raised the question of whether similar tactics would be successful in the current situation in Niger.

The bloc has also deployed peacekeeping forces, mainly from Nigeria to war zones such as Sierra Leone and Liberia.

But this is the first time it has threatened to intervene in a coup – there was no such response after coups in neighboring Mali or Burkina Faso.

So why Niger?

Niger has huge regional significance. It is the largest country in West Africa and a vital gateway between the Sahel and the rest of the continent.

The country is a critical battleground in the fight against terrorism and a focus for regional and international security efforts.

Niger possesses significant natural resources, with uranium being its most notable asset.

After five coups, ECOWAS heads of state want to prevent a contagion effect in their own countries. Some of the world’s poorest people live in West Africa and thee are many disaffected citizens demanding regime change.

ECOWAS needs to be seen to act decisively to quell any other military takeover attempts.

However, the biggest concern remains the ever present threat of insurgency. Terrorists may seize the opportunity to launch attacks if regional forces are preoccupied with action in Niger.

How are people in Niger reacting?

Many Nigeriens are torn – the country has seen multiple coups and dictatorships, but at the same time poor governance has tarnished the idea that democracy is the solution.

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world and people are suffering. Basic necessities like food and shelter are priorities.

Some have welcomed the coup. Protests saw Nigeriens denounce France and praise Russia, whose Wagner group plays a role propping up some other West African leaders.

“There has been bad governance in Niger for the past 10 years and a lack of justice and a general feeling of insecurity. There are also poor schools and health institutions. All this has led to people welcoming a change of regime,” he added.

That kind of sentiment suggests that even if the stated goal is to restore democracy, a military intervention may not be welcomed across the country.

England’s star player Lauren James has apologized for stepping on an opponent during the team’s Round of 16 game against Nigeria, a move that earned her a red card and elimination from at least one World Cup match.

In what appeared to be a moment of madness, James stepped on the back of Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie and was sent off in the 87th minute of Monday’s match at Brisbane Stadium.

After the game, which culminated in Nigeria losing a penalty shootout, Alozie took to Twitter Tuesday to share her respect for James despite the incident.

“We are playing on the world’s stage. This game is one of passion, insurmountable emotions, and moments. All respect for Lauren James,” Alozie wrote.

In response, James apologized, tweeting: “All my love and respect to you. I am sorry for what happened.”

“Also, for our England fans and my team-mates, playing with and for you is my greatest honor and I promise to learn from my experience.”

The red card means James will miss England’s next game, Saturday’s quarterfinal against Colombia in Sydney, Australia.

She could also be out of commission for subsequent games, should England progress. Receiving a red card results in an automatic one match ban, but the FIFA disciplinary committee can increase that if it sees fit.

After James apologized personally, her team also issued a statement.

“Lauren is really sorry for her actions which led to the red card and is full of remorse. It is wholly out of character for her,” the Lionesses tweeted.

“We will be supporting Lauren throughout and will be putting forward representation on her behalf. We fully respect FIFA’s disciplinary process and will not be making any further comment until after any decision has been made.”

James initially received a yellow card for what appeared to be a petulant and deliberate decision to step on Alozie. After a review from the video assistant referee (VAR), the punishment was upgraded to a red card and she was sent off, leaving England to finish the match down a player.

In a press conference after the match, England coach Sarina Wiegman said James is “an inexperienced player on this stage and has done really well, and I think in a split second she just lost her emotions.”

“And of course she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. She’s the sweetest person I know, and things happen like that and you can’t change it anymore, so it’s a huge lesson for her to learn, but of course it’s not something that she really did on purpose.”

Many have compared the situation to the 1998 Men’s World Cup, when David Beckham received a red card and was sent off for kicking out at Argentina’s Diego Simeone.

Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki won her first competitive tennis match in three-and-a-half years on Tuesday, defeating Australian Kimberly Birrell 6-2 6-2 at the Canadian Open.

The 33-year-old Wozniacki announced her retirement after the 2020 Australian Open but said in June that she was planning a comeback.

She made light work of her first match back on tour in 1,293 days, ousting qualifier Birrell in one hour and 37 minutes in Montreal to set up a second-round contest against Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová.

“It feels great,” Wozniacki – who won the Canadian Open title in 2010 – said in her on-court interview. “It’s been my first match back in over three years and I was definitely a little rusty.

“But what an amazing place to come back and play my first match. I love playing here in Montreal. I have amazing memories here.”

Wozniacki won 30 singles titles, including the 2018 Australian Open, before announcing her retirement.

She has since had two children with her husband, former NBA player David Lee, and has stayed close to the sport by playing legends doubles events and working as an analyst for ESPN and Tennis Channel.

In a first-person piece for Vogue announcing her return to tennis, Wozniacki said that she was targeting this year’s US Open. The US Tennis Association (USTA) later announced that it would be giving the Dane a wild card into the main draw of the women’s singles competition at the tournament.

Aaron Rodgers has been one of the most talked about NFL stars in recent years and fans have now gotten a glimpse into the veteran quarterback’s new life with the New York Jets.

In April, Rodgers was traded to the Jets, after spending his entire 18-season NFL career with the Green Bay Packers.

His new team was subsequently named the participant in HBO’s and NFL Films’ five-part docuseries, “Hard Knocks,” which takes viewers into the franchise’s training camp.

The opening episode, which premiered on Tuesday, focused mainly on Rodgers and how the 39-year-old is settling in with his new teammates.

With head coach Robert Saleh aiming to bring his roster of both emerging stars and prominent veterans together, he’ll likely lean on four-time league MVP Rodgers to impart some advice.

“I’m just happy to be out here. Excited to be with you guys,” Rodgers said, as he’s filmed speaking in a huddle during training.

“All I’m going to say is that this camp is a long camp, right? Let’s just enjoy the little things every single day.

“Take time to laugh a little bit. Find a conversation at lunchtime with somebody new, don’t always sit in the same little group. Get to know your teammates a little bit.

“That’s part of the leadership role. And just enjoy the little moments. It goes by fast, and then you get to be really old and gray, and savoring every little moment. So savor them right now.”

The first episode shows Rodgers impressing his new teammates in training, but the veteran – who has made headlines for reasons away from sport recently – looks cool and collected throughout.

That is, of course, until he meets “Hard Knocks” narrator Liev Schreiber. The long-time voice of the show visits the Jets’ training camp and is filmed speaking to Rodgers, who has previously said he was excited to meet the actor.

The pair have a bonding moment about growing up in California with both clearly as excited as each other.

“I asked how you get the water boy gig, but they said you’ve got to be related to a coach,” Schreiber quips.

The quarterback responded: “Yeah, I think so. Sorry, buddy.”

Rodgers, who contemplated retirement following last season, has now indicated he plans to play more than one season in New York.

It’s safe to say that whatever he does with his new team, Rodgers will have the eyes of the world on him.

On the eve of his Hall of Fame induction, NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki has said that his daughter is “mostly embarrassed” about any “hoopla” surrounding her dad.

The former Dallas Mavericks superstar, who was the first European in league history to receive the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, will be among those inducted into basketball’s Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Alongside the German, two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol, four-time NBA champion Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, Dwyane Wade and the 1976 U.S. Olympic Women’s basketball team, among others, will be inducted.

However, at a press conference on Tuesday, Nowitzki admitted that his impending inauguration has not yet fully resonated with his children.

“They always watch me towards the end of my career and all they know is: ‘Papa, you were so slow,’” the 45-year-old said with a laugh. “I go to YouTube and it’s all grainy, it’s still films. But I try to pull up some stuff from the early 2000s. But they’re not really having it.

“I think my daughter understands the most, she’s 10 now and I think she’s mostly embarrassed about the whole hoopla or when people recognize me when we travel and she goes: ‘Oh, God,’ and she just walks the other way.”

It’s understandable that Nowitzki gets recognized when he’s out and about; he became one of the most iconic NBA players over his long career in North Texas.

His trademark fallaway jump shot was nigh-unstoppable and has been immortalized in a statue outside the Mavs’ American Airlines Center as well as being replicated by many of the current generation of basketball stars.

Nowitzki scored 35,223 points across 21 seasons in Dallas, playing 1,667 games for the only NBA team he ever featured for – only John Stockton played more games for one team across his career.

His crowning moment arguably came in 2011 when he led the Mavs to the NBA title, the organization’s first and only championship in its history.

Such was his success, Nowitzki is credited with playing a key role in opening the floodgates for European basketball talent to flourish in the US, paving the way for the current set of international superstars in the NBA, including current Mavericks star Luka Dončić, as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokić.

Evacuations are underway across Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui as passing Hurricane Dora helps fuel wildfires that have damaged structures, prompted rescues and spurred people jump into the ocean to escape danger, officials said.

In Maui County, 12 people were rescued near Lahaina after “entering the ocean due to smoke and fire conditions,” the Coast Guard and county officials said. “Individuals were transported by the Coast Guard to safe areas,” Maui County officials said in a news release.

Fire behavior in both the Lahaina and Upcountry areas of Maui has challenged crews.

“Maui Fire officials warn that erratic wind, challenging terrain, steep slopes and dropping humidity, the direction and the location of the fire conditions make it difficult to predict path and speed of a wildfire,” Maui County officials said in a Tuesday news release.

“The fire can be a mile or more from your house, but in a minute or two, it can be at your house,” Maui County Fire Assistant Chief Jeff Giesea said in the release. “Burning airborne materials can light fires a great distance away from the main body of fire.”

“Buildings on both sides were engulfed. There were no fire trucks at that point; I think the fire department was overwhelmed,” business owner Alan Dickar told the outlet. “That is the most important business street on Maui.”

Elsewhere on the island, the Upcountry fire is estimated to be about 1,000 acres, according to county officials. The cause of the fire was unknown.

Dora, a powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph, was about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu as of late Tuesday (5 a.m. ET Wednesday), the National Hurricane Center said.

Two brushfires were burning Tuesday on the Big Island, officials said in a news release, one in the North Kohala District and the other in the South Kohala District. Some residents were under mandatory evacuation orders as power outages were impacting communications, the release said.

Luke, who is acting as the governor as Gov. Josh Green travels out of the state, issued an emergency proclamation related to the fires on Tuesday.

“We are closely following the wildfires caused by the strong winds of Hurricane Dora,” Luke said in a statement. “The safety of our residents is paramount, and this emergency proclamation will activate the Hawaiʻi National Guard to support emergency responders in the impacted communities.”

Green has been fully briefed on Dora and its impacts, according to the news release.

“Lieutenant Governor Luke has my full support,” Green said. “My thoughts are with the residents and businesses affected by Hurricane Dora.”

In the continental US, a brush fire Tuesday in Cedar Park, Texas, destroyed one apartment building, damaged others and prompted evacuation orders. The blaze had charred about 50 acres in the Austin suburb.

Passengers on Japan’s super-fast bullet trains have long enjoyed ordering coffee, ice cream or boxed lunches from staff pushing a snack cart, savoring the treats as they whipped past landmarks such as Mount Fuji.

But faced with a looming labor shortage and a trend for more people to buy food before boarding the train, on-board snack cart services between the cities of Tokyo and Osaka will reach the end of the line on October 31.

Central Japan Railway said on Tuesday it would phase out the famed on-board snack cart services, in which a uniformed vendor dispenses beverages and light refreshments, pushing their cart through the aisles of the moving train and bowing as they enter or leave the carriage.

Snack and food sales have been a mainstay on the Shinkansen, or bullet train, since it began running in 1964, the year Japan hosted the first Tokyo Olympics, a railway spokesperson said, but it was not clear when the cart services began.

The online response was despondent, with “Super-Cold Shinkansen Ice Cream” trending 5th on the X platform formerly known as Twitter and “In-Train Service” 6th within hours of the announcement.

“I remember that I enjoyed the ice cream every time I got on the train, and when I jumped on the last train without eating, I was saved by the sandwiches sold there,” one user said.

Passengers in first-class cars will be able to order food and drink using QR codes starting November 1, the railway company said.

“While cost reductions are important for a company, on-board snack cart services are also important for the enjoyment of the traveler’s experience,” another user wrote.

Cell phones are not allowed to be used while on a plane because they can interfere with the airplane’s navigation instruments and cause various safety and social issues.

As soon as the plane lands, we’re permitted to turn off flight mode, but at some airports we can’t get much of a signal. That’s because airports are known as phone signal “dead zones” due to a lack of mobile towers – they can’t be placed at the airport itself due to height restrictions.

Any nearby cell towers would be located away from the airport’s runway systems to avoid interfering with the airplane’s flight path, especially takeoff and landing direction. Most airports put up indoor repeater antennas within the airport terminal; these help increase the phone signal strength coming from the nearest cell tower somewhere near the airport.

But you won’t be allowed to make calls while walking away from the plane, anyway.

Why can’t I use my phone?

As we are taxiing in, the cabin crew remind us not to smoke outside of designated areas at the terminal and not to use our cell phones until we are inside the terminal building.

If you exit the plane down the rear stairs, why aren’t you allowed to use your phone once away from the airplane, if you can get a signal? Surely it won’t affect navigation.

The answer is manifold, and regulations aren’t the same across the world.

In my home country of Australia, a government regulation prohibits the use of cell phones on the runway or the airplane parking area of the airport.

You won’t be fined if you whip your phone out while walking to the terminal, but the airline may admonish you for not following the rules. However, if you decide to run around on or near the runway, you could get arrested by federal police.

The airport apron is very busy not just with aircraft, but also baggage carts, catering trucks, airplane waste removal trucks and fuel trucks. Getting passengers off the airfield apron and into the terminal building quickly and safely is a priority for the staff.

If you are distracted while walking to the terminal building because you’re talking on your phone, it can be highly dangerous and even deadly if you end up too close to an operating plane. An operating jet engine is extremely hot and has a strong exhaust. Additionally, the front of the engine has a low-pressure area called an ingestion zone that can suck in a person. Ground staff are trained to stay at least 10 meters away from this area. However, this information is not shared with the passengers.

A myth about fuel

You may have heard that cell phones are a fire hazard near fuel, and airplanes are, of course, refueled at airports.

However, the chances of fuel catching fire during this process are extremely low, because the refueling truck is bonded and “grounded” to the plane: the operator attaches a wire to the aircraft to move built-up static electricity to the ground to prevent any chance of a spark.

There have been stories in the press about cell phones sparking fires at petrol stations in Indonesia and Australia, but these turned out to be inaccurate. There is no evidence a phone can spark a fire at a fuel pump, despite the warning labels you might see.

Either way, the chances of a mobile phone causing this on the ground with a refueling truck that is grounded to the airplane are extremely low, not least because the passenger-permitted areas and refueling areas are completely separated.

Why are we told not to take photos?

This rule varies from airport to airport depending on their security processes.

Such restrictions are carryovers from the changes to airport security following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The now federalized security teams, TSA (Transportation Security Administration) in the United States and the Department of Home Affairs in Australia, change their processes frequently to prevent having any identifiable patterns that could be used to create a security breach.

The increased security measures also mean new technologies were introduced; airport security sections do not want photos taken of how they operate.

The airport security process is a major choke point in the flow of passenger movement due to the screening process. If a passenger is perceived to be slowing the process down by taking photos or talking on their phone, they will be reminded to turn off their device and/or stop taking photos of security personnel and equipment.

If you refuse to follow the rules of the screening process, you will be denied entry into the airport terminal gate area and miss your flight. Can you also get arrested for using your phone? Depends on the airport and country. I, for one, do not want to find out.

Editor’s Note: Doug Drury is professor/head of aviation at CQUniversity Australia.