Malaysia may renew the search for MH370 a decade after the flight disappeared

Malaysia may renew the search for MH370 a decade after the flight disappeared
A woman writes a message during an event held by relatives of the passengers and supporters to mark the 10th year since the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 carrying 239 people disappeared from radar screens on March 8, 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, in Subang Jaya on March 3, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 04 March 2024
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Malaysia may renew the search for MH370 a decade after the flight disappeared

Malaysia may renew the search for MH370 a decade after the flight disappeared
  • Announcement comes after a US technology firm proposed fresh search in southern Indian Ocean where plane went missing 
  • The Boeing 777 plane, carrying 239 people from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, vanished from radar shortly after taking off in Mar. 2014

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia’s government said Sunday it may renew the hunt for MH370 after a US technology firm proposed a fresh search in the southern Indian Ocean where the Malaysia Airlines plane is believed to have crashed a decade ago.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Texas-based Ocean Infinity has proposed another “no find, no fee” basis to scour the seabeds, expanding from the site where it first searched in 2018. He said he has invited the company to meet him to evaluate new scientific evidence it has to find the plane’s final resting place.

If the evidence is credible, he said, he will seek Cabinet’s approval to sign a new contract with Ocean Infinity to resume the search.

“The government is steadfast in our resolve to locate MH370,” Loke told a remembrance event to mark the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of the jet. “We really hope the search can find the plane and provide truth to the next-of-kin.”

The Boeing 777 plane carrying 239 people, mostly Chinese nationals, from the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, to Beijing, vanished from radar shortly after taking off on March 8, 2014. Satellite data showed the plane deviated from its flight path and was believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.

But an expensive multinational government search failed to turn up any clues, although debris washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands. A private search in 2018 by Ocean Infinity also found nothing, but the tragedy sparked moves to bolster aviation safety.

K.S. Nathan, a member of the Voice MH370 group comprising next-of-kin, said Ocean Infinity initially planned a search last year but it was delayed by the delivery of its new fleet of ships and assets. It is now on track to resume the hunt, he said.

Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Punkett was reported as saying by the New Straits Times that the company has been focusing on innovating technologies and robotics to enhance their search capabilities since 2018.

“We now feel in a position to be able to return to the search for MH370,” he told the English-language daily. “We’ve been working with many experts, some outside of Ocean Infinity, to continue analizing the data in the hopes of narrowing the search area down to one in which success becomes potentially achievable.”

Loke declined to reveal the fee proposed by Ocean Infinit y if it finds the plane, as this is subject to negotiation. He said financial cost is not an issue and that he doesn’t foresee any hindrances for the search to proceed if all goes well.

Loke’s response sparked tears of joy in some family members at the event held in a mall in a Kuala Lumpur suburb.

“I’m on top of the world,” said Jacquita Gomes, whose flight attendant husband was on the plane. She said she is thankful that she may now have a chance for full closure and say a final goodbye.

“We have been on a roller coaster for the last 10 years. ... If it is not found, I hope that it will continue with another search,” she said.

Family members of passengers from Malaysia, Australia, China and India paid tribute to their loved ones during the event, lighting a candle on stage to remember them.

“No matter if it is 10 years, 20 years or more, as long as we are still alive...we will not cease to press for the truth. We believe the truth will eventually come to light,” said Bai Zhong, from China, whose wife was on the plane.


Prince William expresses sadness at death of his former nanny’s stepson in New Orleans attack

Prince William expresses sadness at death of his former nanny’s stepson in New Orleans attack
Updated 45 min 55 sec ago
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Prince William expresses sadness at death of his former nanny’s stepson in New Orleans attack

Prince William expresses sadness at death of his former nanny’s stepson in New Orleans attack
  • Edward Pettifer was the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who was the nanny for both William and his brother, Prince Harry
  • King Charles III is said to be deeply saddened by the news

LONDON: Prince William expressed his shock and sadness Saturday at the news of the death of his former nanny’s stepson in the New Year’s truck attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people.
London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed Saturday that they are supporting the family of 31-year-old Edward Pettifer, including helping them through the process of returning his body to the UK. Pettifer, who is from west London, is the final victim to be identified.
In a statement on social media, the Prince of Wales said he and his wife, Catherine, were “shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.”


Pettifer was the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who was the nanny for both William and his brother, Prince Harry, between 1993 and 1999, which included time after the death of their mother Princess Diana in 1997. Legge-Bourke, who is also known as Alexandra Pettifer, was regularly photographed with Diana.
British media also reported that King Charles III is said to be deeply saddened by the news and that he has sent his condolences to Pettifer’s family.
In a statement, Pettifer’s family said they were “devastated at the tragic news of Ed‘s death” and described him as “a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many.”
“We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack,” the family added.
The UK’s Foreign Office also said it was supporting Pettifer’s family and was in contact with US authorities.
Authorities say 14 people were killed and about 30 were injured in the attack early Wednesday by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a former Army soldier who posted several videos on his Facebook hours before the attack previewing the violence he would unleash and proclaiming his support for the Islamic State militant group. The coroner’s office listed the cause of death for all 14 victims as “blunt force injuries.”
Jabbar, 42, was fatally shot in a firefight with police at the scene of the deadly crash on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter.


Malaysia expels two boats ferrying about 300 Myanmar migrants

Malaysia expels two boats ferrying about 300 Myanmar migrants
Updated 04 January 2025
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Malaysia expels two boats ferrying about 300 Myanmar migrants

Malaysia expels two boats ferrying about 300 Myanmar migrants

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia said Saturday it expelled two boats ferrying about 300 undocumented migrants from Myanmar from the country’s waters.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said the boats were located two nautical miles (3.7 kilometers) southwest of the northern resort of Langkawi late Friday evening.
“MMEA provided assistance, including food and clean drinking water, before expelling the boats out to the national maritime border to continue their journey,” Director-General Mohd Rosli Abdullah said in a statement.
“We are also working closely with Thai authorities to obtain additional information on the movements of these boats.”
On Friday Malaysian police detained almost 200 suspected Rohingya migrants from Myanmar after their boat ran aground in Langkawi.
The Rohingya experience persecution in their predominantly Buddhist homeland of Myanmar, with many fleeing to affluent, Muslim-majority Malaysia or refugee camps in Bangladesh.
They often endure harrowing, months-long sea journeys to arrive in Malaysia by boat or sneak into the country via its porous border with Thailand.
If caught, they are often sent to detention centers that rights groups say are typically overcrowded and filthy.


Ghana announces visa-free entry for African passport holders

Ghana announces visa-free entry for African passport holders
Updated 04 January 2025
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Ghana announces visa-free entry for African passport holders

Ghana announces visa-free entry for African passport holders
  • Ghana joins Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia and Benin in offering visa-free entry to African travelers

ACCRA: Ghana’s outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo Friday announced visa-free travel for all African passport holders from the start of this year, marking a step toward continental economic integration.
The announcement came during his final state of the nation address as he prepares to step down on January 6 after two terms in office.
“I am proud to have approved visa-free travel to Ghana for all African passport holders, with effect from the beginning of this year,” Akufo-Addo said in his speech to parliament.
“This is the logical next step to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the workings of the largest trading bloc in the world,” he said.
“All these are essential elements to the realization of the AU’s Agenda 2063, which envisages an integrated and connected Africa by 2063,” he added, referring to the African Union’s development blueprint for a 50-year period.
Ghana joins Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia and Benin in offering visa-free entry to African travelers.
Ghana had previously allowed visa-free access to citizens of 26 African nations and visas on arrival for travelers from 25 others, while only two African countries — Eritrea and Morocco — required a visa before entry.
The visa-free policy builds on Ghana’s efforts to strengthen its international reputation, particularly through initiatives like the 2019 Year of Return, which celebrated the African diaspora and commemorated 400 years since the transatlantic slave trade.
The campaign attracted thousands of visitors, including celebrities, to Ghana and led to some receiving citizenship, bolstering the country’s global profile as a cultural and tourism hub.
Akufo-Addo also used his last address to trumpet economic progress under his leadership, citing an increase in Ghana’s gross international reserves to $8 billion, from $6.2 billion in 2017, and significant GDP growth in 2024.
“Economic growth has returned to the pre-Covid trajectory,” he said, projecting a 6.3-percent growth rate for 2025.
“I leave behind a Ghana that is thriving, one that has navigated significant global challenges with remarkable tenacity, whose economy is steadily rebounding, and whose institutions are operating effectively,” he said.
The oil-and-gold-rich West African nation is one of the most stable democracies in Africa.
Since 2022, it has been battling one of its worst economic crises in decades and is currently under a $3-billion International Monetary Fund relief program.
The outgoing president hands over power to John Mahama, who won the December elections.


New protests, fear over India’s handling of 1984 Bhopal toxic gas disaster

New protests, fear over India’s handling of 1984 Bhopal toxic gas disaster
Updated 04 January 2025
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New protests, fear over India’s handling of 1984 Bhopal toxic gas disaster

New protests, fear over India’s handling of 1984 Bhopal toxic gas disaster
  • After 40 years of inaction, authorities move 337 tons of toxic material for disposal
  • Fears grow over contamination of the area where poisonous waste will be incinerated

NEW DELHI: Violent protests broke out in the central Indian town of Pithampur on Saturday, after authorities moved hundreds of tons of toxic waste to its disposal facility from the site of the worst industrial accident in history: the Bhopal chemical leak disaster that took place 40 years ago.

Pithampur, which is located in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh some 230 km from Bhopal, the state’s capital, was selected by the local government as the place where 337 metric tons of the toxic waste remaining in Bhopal after the 1984 catastrophe will be incinerated over the next several months.

Twelve trucks carrying the toxic material reached Pithampur on Thursday, raising fears among its residents that, after the material is burnt, its residue will pollute the soil and water in nearby villages.

Protests against the move began at the disposal facility on Friday evening and turned violent on Saturday morning, as hundreds of residents threw stones and clashed with police.

“We don’t want a repeat of the tragedy that took place in Bhopal 40 years ago that claimed thousands of lives and that has impacted the lives of thousands of families,” Dr. Hemant Kumar Herole, president of the Save Pithampur Committee, which helped organize the protest, told Arab News.

“This is a tribal area and people are simple, and they just want to save their lives from possible exposure to toxic waste ... Under no circumstances will we allow this waste to remain in Pithampur. The administration tried to explain that they would conduct some sort of trial, but we oppose any trial as well. We want this toxic waste to be removed from here and sent to a place where it poses no danger to humans, animals, or the environment.”

Local authorities were not available for comment but the state’s chief minister, Mohan Yadav, told reporters that the government “respects the spirit of public sentiment” and would suspend the waste incineration at least until Monday, waiting for advice from the court that had ordered the Bhopal cleanup.

The efforts to clean the Bhopal site follow a high court decision that gave Madhya Pradesh a one-month deadline following the 40th anniversary of the disaster to clear the toxic waste.

On Dec. 3, 1984, about 45 tons of the deadly chemical methyl isocyanate leaked from an insecticide plant owned by the Indian subsidiary of the US Union Carbide Corporation, located in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh.

The poisonous gas spread over the densely populated neighborhoods surrounding the plant, killing around 20,000 people. Nearly half a million survivors were left suffering from respiratory diseases, blindness, and other chronic health issues.

Some survivors with life-changing injuries or health issues have received compensation, but that usually amounted to just a few hundred dollars.

Toxic material remaining in the abandoned factory continued to pollute groundwater in the surrounding areas and has been linked to high rates of birth defects among residents.

While the removal of the 337 tons of waste has made headlines as a positive milestone, Rachna Dhingra, coordinator of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, said it was a “PR gimmick” that did little to mitigate the pollution or the other impacts of the disaster and would potentially create similar problems in a different place. She also stressed that those 337 tons were only a tiny portion of the total amount of dangerous material still left in Bhopal.

“This is just 1 percent of the waste. This is not the waste that is contaminating the groundwater and soil ... There are still thousands of tons of toxic waste sitting inside the factory in the pits and in the solar evaporation ponds outside the factory,” she told Arab News.

“The waste that has been removed, it was not causing any problem in Bhopal, but when you burn it and bury it in Pithampur, it will cause problems ... I think they’re going to create a slow-motion Bhopal in Pithampur.” 

Dhingra also claimed that victims of the Bhopal disaster do not support the move.

“They say that we should use (the money spent on removing and transporting the waste) for our rehabilitation and not to pay for what the polluter should be paying for ... The only solution for this is to seal the waste in stainless steel drums and ask the polluter, Union Carbide and Dow Chemical, to take it to their country and do whatever they would like to do with it,” she said.

“Just as in 2003, when the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board asked Unilever to take their mercury waste back to the US, the polluter — Union Carbide and Dow —should be held accountable and should be asked to take their toxic waste back.”

 


Russia says downed 8 US-supplied ATACMS missiles

Russia says downed 8 US-supplied ATACMS missiles
Updated 04 January 2025
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Russia says downed 8 US-supplied ATACMS missiles

Russia says downed 8 US-supplied ATACMS missiles
  • Outgoing US President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use the 300-kilometer-range arms against Russia last year

MOSCOW: Russia said on Saturday it had shot down eight US-supplied ATACMS missiles, whose use Moscow has warned could spark a hypersonic ballistic missile attack on central Kyiv.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use the 300-kilometer- (190-mile-) range arms against Russia last year, in a move the Kremlin denounced as a grave escalation.
“Air defense systems downed eight ATACMS US-made missiles and 72 drones,” the Russian defense ministry said.
The ministry also said it had captured the Ukrainian village of Nadiia, one of the few settlements in the eastern Lugansk region still under Kyiv’s control.
Moscow advanced by almost 4,000 square kilometers (1,540 square miles) in Ukraine in 2024, according to an AFP analysis, as Kyiv’s army struggled with chronic manpower shortages and exhaustion.
Both sides have accused each other of fatal attacks on civilians since the year began.
A Russian strike on a village in Ukraine’s northeast Kharkiv region earlier on Saturday killed a 74-year-old man, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said.