Society's ChildS


Airplane

MH17 victim bodies arrive home in Netherlands; no sign of tampering with black boxes say investigators

Kharkiv airport
© AFP Photo / Sergei BobokFlowers lay on the tarmac as a ground Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Dutch Airforce, carrying bodies from downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 prepares to take off from Kharkiv airport on July 23, 2014.
The bodies of the first victims from Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 have arrived back in the Netherlands following the crash in eastern Ukraine last Thursday. Investigators say they have found no evidence that the black box recorder was tampered with.

The Dutch Safety Board said it took charge of the international investigation, adding that the "cockpit voice recorder was damaged but the part that contains the data was intact, nor was there any evidence or indication that [it] had been manipulated."

The authority said it would coordinate a team of 24 investigators from Ukraine, Malaysia, Russia, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It added that four Dutch investigators are currently operating in Ukraine.

The board says it will now work on assessing the information it has downloaded from the black box, a process which will need more time. It said the examination of the airliner's other black box, the flight data recorder, would start on Thursday.

Experts have been downloading data from the Boeing 777's voice and data recorders at Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch since anti-Kiev militia forces, who control crash sites in eastern Ukraine, handed them over early on Tuesday.

The body said it would also conduct separate investigations into the decision-making processes behind flight routes and the availability of passenger lists.

"Despite the fact that evidence and traces have been damaged or lost, the Dutch Safety Board expects it will be able to gather sufficient relevant information from the crash site," the board said.

2 + 2 = 4

Grammar is important: Outrage over AP tweet saying plane with bodies 'from Flight 17 crash lands in Eindhoven'

Eindhoven airport
© Reuters/Toussaint KluiterCoffins of the victims of Malaysia Airlines MH17 downed over rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine, are carried from an aircraft during a national reception ceremony at Eindhoven airport July 23, 2014.
The Associated Press Twitter account took heat across the social media site Wednesday morning when it blasted out an errantly-worded tweet announcing supposed "breaking" news regarding the transport of Flight MH17 crash victims.

The crash of the airliner last week with 298 passengers aboard has only exacerbated the row between the US, European powers, and Russia over the developing situation in eastern Ukraine. Thus, AP was entering touchy territory.
The tweet caused widespread confusion on Twitter based on its wording: Did "crash lands" mean a new crash occurred or was it just awkward phrasing that marked the landing of the plane carrying crash victims?

MIB

Journalists and bloggers could be labeled terrorists under Britain's overly broad anti-terrorism legislation

UK Parliament
© Reuters / Andrew WinningHouses of Parliament
British journalists who publish politically motivated content could be labeled terrorists if UK authorities deem the material to be a threat to public safety, according to Britain's counter-terrorism watchdog.

In his annual report published on July 22, the UK's Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation David Anderson QC emphasized the UK's anti-terror laws were simply too broad. His comprehensive review was presented to parliament by Britain's Home Secretary on Tuesday morning.

Anderson references the case of David Miranda - the spouse of journalist Glenn Greenwald, who was first contacted by Edward Snowden regarding the NSA leaks - as an example of how British authorities' scope to enforce anti-terrorism laws is problematic.

By validating state authorities' treatment of Miranda, Britain's legal system "highlighted the remarkable (and some would say alarming) breadth of the UK's current definition of terrorism," the watchdog stated.

While anti-terror legislation gives British authorities the leverage needed to tackle Al-Qaeda and far-right extremists, these powers should be used sparingly, retained only for their proper purpose, Anderson cautions.

Comment: The PTB worldwide are desperate to maintain control of the masses, and are likely intentionally attempting to criminalize any activities that they see as threatening their power base.

Terrorists "R" Us
Authoritarian regimes (like the U.S. and Britain) treat reporters like terrorists
Journalists and anti-vax campaigners could be considered terrorists under UK Law
Shocking: Reporting factory farm abuses to be considered "Act of Terrorism" if new laws pass


Hourglass

He's sad and too hot: Polar bear continues to suffer in Argentina

Image
© getty
A polar bear in an Argentinian zoo will remain in the hot South American country despite a petition requesting he be moved to Canada. The appeal was signed by more than half a million people.

The petition on the Change.org website asks that Argentinian President Christina Fernandez allow the bear, who is called Arturo, to be relocated to a zoo in Canada. As of Tuesday, it had more than 600,000 signatures.

Arturo's friends include former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

"If you love animals the way I do, please sign the petition to help the Argentinian polar bear, Arturo. His current living condition is very sad, and he deserves to be saved," wrote Gingrich on his Facebook page.

The bear paces nervously in his concrete enclosure and animal rights advocates say he suffers from depression.

Campaigners have dubbed Arturo "the world's saddest animal," and have found him a new home at a zoo in Winnipeg, Mantitoba, Canada.

Chess

France defies US and UK by agreeing to deliver Mistral warships to Russia

mistral warship
© Reuters / Stephane MaheThe Mistral-class helicopter carrier Vladivostok is seen at the STX Les Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard site in Saint-Nazaire, western France
France will go ahead with the delivery of the first of two Mistral warships to Russia - despite protests by the US and UK, prompted by Moscow's stance in the Ukrainian crisis. The ship is nearly completed and will be presented in October.

French President Francois Hollande said the plan to deliver the two Mistral helicopter carriers was made in Paris and will go forward despite calls from the US and UK.

"The Russians have paid. Should we repay 1.1 billion euros if the boat was not delivered to the purchaser?" he asked while speaking to reporters late on Monday - the night before EU foreign ministers are to meet in Brussels to discuss tougher sanctions on Russia over the Ukrainian crisis.

"For the time being, a level of sanctions has not been decided on that would prevent this delivery," he said. "The contract was signed in 2011, the boat is almost finished and should be delivered in October."

Attention

Children escape unhurt from bus that crashed in ditch in Norfolk Virginia

A10 closure Norfolk
© Reuters / Regis Duvignau
A coach carrying 42 school children crashed into a ditch in Norfolk on Tuesday morning, overturning on the A10.

Although there were no casualties, the driver sustained back injuries and had to be cut out of the vehicle. He was subsequently taken to Kings Lynn Hospital.

Another child was also transferred to hospital as a result of an ongoing medical condition, according to East England Ambulance Service. Emergency services were alerted of the accident at 11 a.m. local time, following reports of a coach crashing at Hilgay in Norfolk.

The passengers were on a day trip to the Norfolk coast.

The children, all of whom were protected by seat belts, are pupils at William Westley Primary School in Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire. All passengers except for the bus driver were able to leave the vehicle immediately, according to local police.

Pistol

Uhhh, duh! Texas man shoots self hitching up shorts in store: 'It's dangerous to stick a gun in your pants'

gun in pants
© Shutterstock
A Texas man was wounded Friday afternoon after accidentally shooting himself during a trip to a convenience store.

Police said Jason Bryant, who held a concealed carry permit, went into the store in Orange, where the gun discharged as he pulled up his shorts, reported the Longview News-Journal.

"He walked maybe six feet in the door when he pulled his shorts up, something caught the trigger and the gun discharged into his leg," said Chief Jim Vanover, of Orange police. "People immediately rushed over to help."

Another customer fashioned a tourniquet from a belt by the time emergency crews arrived, and Bryant was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

Vanover said the shooting could have been prevented by proper gun safety.

"If you're going to carry a gun it needs to be in a safe holster," Vanover said. "It's dangerous to stick a gun in your pants."

No one else was injured during the incident, which remains under investigation.

Bryant has not been charged in the negligent discharge.

Pirates

Weapons from Vietnam detained in Finland were en route to Ukraine Kiev junta

Finnish police officer
© EPA/MAURI RATILAINEN A police officer in Finland (archive)
A large shipment of weapons from Vietnam which Finnish customs officers detained last week was en route to Ukraine for guarantee maintenance, Vietnam's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Hai Binh said on Thursday.

"The weapons were dispatched as part of Vietnam's military technical cooperation program with Ukraine. That was in full compliance with international laws," the Vietnamese officials explained refusing to elaborate on what types of weapons were discovered in the arrested container.

Le Hai Binh, however, said that representatives of Vietnam's competent bodies were trying to settle all the customs formalities due under Finnish laws.

Comment: The Kiev junta has got money for weapons but no money for buying gas or for looking after the people of Ukraine, who are going to suffer big time under the new IMF imposed austerity measures.


Airplane

Another plane disappearance: Algiers Flight AH5017 has left the building

Image
© Reuters/Xavier Larossa
Authorities have lost contact with an Air Algerie flight en route from Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso to Algiers with 110 passengers on board, Algeria's APS state news agency and a Spanish airline company said on Thursday.

APS said authorities lost contact with flight AH 5017 an hour after it took off from Burkina Faso, although other officials gave other timings, adding to confusion about the fate of the flight and where it might be.

Spanish private airline company Swiftair confirmed it had no contact with its MD-83 aircraft operated by Air Algerie, which it said was carrying 110 passengers and six crew.

The company said in a notice posted on its website that the aircraft took off from Burkina Faso at 0117 GMT (2117 ET) and was supposed to land in Algiers at 0510 GMT but never reached its destination.

Comment: Not to mention the fact that Malaysian Flight MH370 is still missing. March wasn't that long ago for them not to mention it in this context. We are not in Kansas anymore folks!


Airplane

Flight GE222 Crash: At least 42 killed in Taiwan plane crash


At least 42 people were killed in a plane crash in Taiwan on Wednesday, officials said, with witnesses and local media reporting the flight came down in a storm after an aborted landing.

TransAsia Airways flight GE222 was carrying 58 people on a domestic flight when it crashed into houses near Magong airport on the Penghu island chain after requesting a second attempt to land there, local media reported.

The ATR 72-500 twin turboprop was flying from the southwestern city of Kaohsiung to the islands off the west coast and had been delayed due to bad weather as Typhoon Matmo pounded Taiwan, according to the authorities.

"We have found 42 bodies and some body parts so far," an official surnamed Tsai at the Penghu county fire department told AFP early Thursday.