US

Abbas to Blinken: Gaza critical for Palestinians

by
Abbas to Blinken: Gaza critical for Palestinians

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made a plea for an international peace conference to end Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, according to an official statement. He also emphasized that Palestinians should not be displaced from Gaza or the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Abbas and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed efforts to address extremist violence in the West Bank and minimize harm to civilians in Gaza. The conversation also touched on administrative reforms beneficial to the Palestinian people. In a separate incident, video footage showed Israeli military vehicles passing over the body of a Palestinian man who had been shot during an Israeli raid in the West Bank city of Tul Karem. The incident is under investigation, and the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned it as reflective of a "culture of hatred and extremism."

Fatal traffic junction to have cameras installed

by
Fatal traffic junction to have cameras installed

Traffic cameras will be installed at the junction where a traffic accident resulted in the death of four people on New Year’s Day. The decision was made by Transport Minister Alexis Vafeiades following a meeting with experts from the department of public works. The driver involved in the accident is suspected of possibly speeding and running a red light. The immediate action proposed is the placement of cameras to monitor speed, with regular police patrols suggested until the cameras are installed. The installation of the camera system is expected to take about two months.

USA: 171 Boeing grounded for safety checks – Alert after the incident with Alaska Airlines

by
USA: 171 Boeing grounded for safety checks - Alert after the incident with Alaska Airlines

On Friday, shortly after takeoff from Portland Airport, an Alaska Airlines flight to Ontario, California experienced a door opening and detaching from the aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has requested immediate safety checks on 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft that have been grounded since the incident. The NTSB, the US transportation safety agency, reported that the incident involved a door that was not in use and had been closed with a cover. The FAA requires airlines to conduct inspections on aircraft before each flight, estimating that the inspection process takes 4 to 8 hours per aircraft. The Alaska Airlines flight returned safely to Portland Airport, and there were no passengers in the seats adjacent to the detached door. Some light injuries were reported, and pieces of the seat next to the door were missing. The FAA's decision to request inspections of the 737-9 aircraft is supported by Boeing. Other airlines, including United, Aeromexico, Copa Airlines, and Turkish Airlines, have grounded or suspended the use of their 737 MAX 9 aircraft pending inspections. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has adopted the FAA's directive for the 737 MAX 9, but no EU member country operates these aircraft. The incident comes after previous technical issues and two crashes involving the 737 MAX aircraft, resulting in the grounding of the aircraft for 20 months and changes to the flight control system.