UNITED KINGDOM
Pilot’s prosthesis pops off
A British air accident report has recounted how a pilot briefly lost control of a passenger plane during landing, resulting in a “bounce,” although no one was injured. The report, published on Thursday in London, said the incident took place as the Flybe flight from Birmingham, carrying 47 passengers, approached Belfast City Airport in gusty conditions in February. The 46-year-old had checked that his prosthetic lower left arm was attached to the yoke clamp, but just before touchdown the limb became detached. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said the pilot moved his right hand to the yoke, “but with power still applied and possibly a gust affecting the aircraft, a normal touchdown was followed by a bounce, from which the aircraft landed heavily,” the report said. No one was hurt. According to the report, the pilot said he would be more cautious about checking the attachment on his prosthesis in the future. Flybe said the pilot remained one of the airline’s most experienced and trusted pilots.
TURKEY
PM set to be named Aug. 21
President-elect Tayyip Erdogan expects to name his new prime minister as early as next week, after a meeting of the AK Party’s senior leadership, he told reporters in Ankara late on Thursday. Speaking at a reception to mark the 13th anniversary of the founding of the party, Erdogan said its central executive board would meet on Thursday next week, when the name of the new chairman and future prime minister are to be announced.
UNITED KINGDOM
Singer’s house searched
Police on Thursday searched a house belonging to veteran rock star Cliff Richard in connection with sexual allegations dating back to the 1980s. No one was arrested and Richard, 73, denied the allegations. South Yorkshire Police said eight officers gained entry to the house in Berkshire, west of London, after receiving an allegation of a sexual nature “involving a boy who was under the age of 16 at the time.” Richard, who is out of the country, said in a statement: “For many months I have been aware of allegations against me of historic impropriety which have been circulating online. The allegations are completely false.”
UNITED NATIONS
Refugees flooding Italy
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says that more than 100,000 migrants — more than half of them refugees from war or persecution — have reached Italy by sea this year. The UNHCR estimated that 1,500 migrants have died or gone missing crossing the Mediterranean this year, 1,300 since June. More than 1,900 migrants arrived in Italy on Thursday, bringing the year-to-date total to 100,475 and far outstripping last year’s 42,000 arrivals. ”
UNITED STATES
Santa Claus stops traffic
Santa Claus hit midtown Manhattan, snarling a section of Sixth Avenue, much to the bafflement of tourists and the frustration of drivers. Father Christmas, with 15 Rockettes costumed as rag dolls, stood on a Radio City Music Hall porch on Thursday as 12 Rockettes dressed as toy soldiers marched on the street below to perform the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers. It was a 6-minute promotional event — with a snow machine — for The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, which is to open on Nov. 7. “Merry Christmas!” Santa said. “And I want to see you all at the show this year.” There were 131 days until Christmas.
SEEKING CHANGE: A hospital worker said she did not vote in previous elections, but ‘now I can see that maybe my vote can change the system and the country’ Voting closed yesterday across the Solomon Islands in the south Pacific nation’s first general election since the government switched diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing and struck a secret security pact that has raised fears of the Chinese navy gaining a foothold in the region. The Solomon Islands’ closer relationship with China and a troubled domestic economy weighed on voters’ minds as they cast their ballots. As many as 420,000 registered voters had their say across 50 national seats. For the first time, the national vote also coincided with elections for eight of the 10 local governments. Esther Maeluma cast her vote in the
Nearly half of China’s major cities are suffering “moderate to severe” levels of subsidence, putting millions of people at risk of flooding, especially as sea levels rise, according to a study of nationwide satellite data released yesterday. The authors of the paper, published by the journal Science, found that 45 percent of China’s urban land was sinking faster than 3mm per year, with 16 percent at more than 10mm per year, driven not only by declining water tables, but also the sheer weight of the built environment. With China’s urban population already in excess of 900 million people, “even a small portion
UNSETTLING IMAGES: The scene took place in front of TV crews covering the Trump trial, with a CNN anchor calling it an ‘emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment’ A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former US president Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said yesterday. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park at about 1:30pm on Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed
HYPOCRISY? The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday asked whether Biden was talking about China or the US when he used the word ‘xenophobic’ US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for a hike in steel tariffs on China, accusing Beijing of cheating as he spoke at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. Biden accused China of xenophobia, too, in a speech to union members in Pittsburgh. “They’re not competing, they’re cheating. They’re cheating and we’ve seen the damage here in America,” Biden said. Chinese steel companies “don’t need to worry about making a profit because the Chinese government is subsidizing them so heavily,” he said. Biden said he had called for the US Trade Representative to triple the tariff rates for Chinese steel and aluminum if Beijing was