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.
‘GREAT OPPRTUNITY’: The Paraguayan president made the remarks following Donald Trump’s tapping of several figures with deep Latin America expertise for his Cabinet Paraguay President Santiago Pena called US president-elect Donald Trump’s incoming foreign policy team a “dream come true” as his nation stands to become more relevant in the next US administration. “It’s a great opportunity for us to advance very, very fast in the bilateral agenda on trade, security, rule of law and make Paraguay a much closer ally” to the US, Pena said in an interview in Washington ahead of Trump’s inauguration today. “One of the biggest challenges for Paraguay was that image of an island surrounded by land, a country that was isolated and not many people know about it,”
DIALOGUE: US president-elect Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform confirmed that he had spoken with Xi, saying ‘the call was a very good one’ for the US and China US president-elect Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) discussed Taiwan, trade, fentanyl and TikTok in a phone call on Friday, just days before Trump heads back to the White House with vows to impose tariffs and other measures on the US’ biggest rival. Despite that, Xi congratulated Trump on his second term and pushed for improved ties, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The call came the same day that the US Supreme Court backed a law banning TikTok unless it is sold by its China-based parent company. “We both attach great importance to interaction, hope for
‘FIGHT TO THE END’: Attacking a court is ‘unprecedented’ in South Korea and those involved would likely face jail time, a South Korean political pundit said Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol yesterday stormed a Seoul court after a judge extended the impeached leader’s detention over his ill-fated attempt to impose martial law. Tens of thousands of people had gathered outside the Seoul Western District Court on Saturday in a show of support for Yoon, who became South Korea’s first sitting head of state to be arrested in a dawn raid last week. After the court extended his detention on Saturday, the president’s supporters smashed windows and doors as they rushed inside the building. Hundreds of police officers charged into the court, arresting dozens and denouncing an
‘DISCRIMINATION’: The US Office of Personnel Management ordered that public DEI-focused Web pages be taken down, while training and contracts were canceled US President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday moved to end affirmative action in federal contracting and directed that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) staff be put on paid leave and eventually be laid off. The moves follow an executive order Trump signed on his first day ordering a sweeping dismantling of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion programs. Trump has called the programs “discrimination” and called to restore “merit-based” hiring. The executive order on affirmative action revokes an order issued by former US president Lyndon Johnson, and curtails DEI programs by federal contractors and grant recipients. It is using one of the
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