Three fatal airline crashes in a week mean 2014 is shaping up to become the worst year in almost a decade for passenger fatalities. The disappearance of a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft on the fringes of the Sahara desert yesterday follows the loss of an ATR-72 turboprop in storms in Taiwan on July 23 and the downing of Malaysian Air Flight MH17 over Ukraine last week. The African incident involving a plane operating for Air Algerie takes the potential 2014 toll to 680 travelers, assuming those on the jet died, higher than 12-month totals for the past three years, according to air-safety consultants at Ascend Worldwide. With five months remaining, a further 111 deaths would make this the most lethal year since 2005, when 916 lives were lost, though Ascend’s head of safety Paul Hayes said the direction in accident-related fatalities is still down. "It’s important to look at the long term trends," Hayes said in an interview. "What looks likes a ‘good’ or … [Read more...] about Air crashes set year on course to be deadliest since 2005
Crash course india
Plane believed to have crashed in sea: Indonesia
A missing AirAsia plane carrying 162 people is presumed to have crashed off the Indonesian coast, an official said on Monday, as countries in the region offered to help Jakarta in the search and recovery effort. The Indonesia AirAsia plane, an Airbus A320-200, disappeared after its pilot failed to get permission to alter course to avoid bad weather during a flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore on Sunday. Flight QZ8501 did not issue a distress signal and disappeared over the Java Sea five minutes after requesting a change of course. "Based on our coordinates, we predict that the plane is on the sea, for now it could be in the bottom of the sea," Soelistyo, head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency, told reporters when asked about the missing plane's likely location. With Indonesia AirAsia 49 percent owned by Malaysia-based budget carrier AirAsia, the incident caps a disastrous year for Malaysia-affiliated airlines. Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 went missing … [Read more...] about Plane believed to have crashed in sea: Indonesia
Indonesia says presumes missing AirAsia plane crashed in Java Sea
A missing AirAsia plane carrying 162 people is presumed to have crashed off the Indonesian coast, an official said on Monday, as countries in the region offered to help Jakarta in the search and recovery effort. The Indonesia AirAsia plane, an Airbus A320-200, disappeared after its pilot failed to get permission to alter course to avoid bad weather during a flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore on Sunday. Flight QZ8501 did not issue a distress signal and disappeared over the Java Sea five minutes after requesting a change of course. "Based on our coordinates, we predict that the plane is on the sea, for now it could be in the bottom of the sea," Soelistyo, head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency, told reporters when asked about the missing plane's likely location. With Indonesia AirAsia 49 percent owned by Malaysia-based budget carrier AirAsia, the incident caps a disastrous year for Malaysia-affiliated airlines. Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 went missing … [Read more...] about Indonesia says presumes missing AirAsia plane crashed in Java Sea
What’s Ebola? Mumbai takes crash course as virus spreads
Lord Ganesha during a procession for an immersion in Mumbai on Sept. 8, 2014. … [Read more...] about What’s Ebola? Mumbai takes crash course as virus spreads
Technology training course brings hope to youth, alleviates poverty
Technology training course brings hope to youth, alleviates poverty (30-03-2005) by Hong Thuy A teacher at a vocational training school in Lang Son Province provides IT training to young people. — VNS Photo Thong Nhat HA NOI — There is no such thing as easy money, but no one could tell that to Hoang Minh Duc before the police shut down his pirated DVD and CD business. The son of a poor family living a bare existence running a tea stand, Duc was riding high, spending the ill-gotten gains from his illegal business on karaoke and dancing. However, his dreams of lifting himself and his family out of poverty came crashing down when the police shut down his business. For a poor, unskilled 23-year-old, there seemed to be no legal path to success or prosperity, and he was resigned to a life of part-time menial labour. However, all that changed when an official introduced him to the unique, three month Plan-Labs vocational training programme, which taught him that only … [Read more...] about Technology training course brings hope to youth, alleviates poverty