A commercial aircraft carrying 47 people onboard crashed in northern Pakistan near the capital Islamabad, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said.
PK 661 went down on Wednesday on a domestic flight from the mountainous northern city of Chitral to Islamabad, aviation authorities said.
The flight departed from Chitral around 1530 local time (1030 GMT) and was expected to land in Islamabad around 1640.
Junaid Jamshed, Pakistan's singer-turned-preacher, and his wife were also on-board the plane that came down near the town of Havelian in Abbottabad district.
A PIA spokesperson told Al Jazeera it was too early to ascertain the cause of the crash.
"PIA aircraft ATR-42 (AP-BHO) crashed near Havelian at 1642 hours, 42 passengers, five crew members and one ground engineer were on board," a PIA spokesperson said in a statement.
"Rescue efforts are underway, and we are ascertaining the extent of damage to life of those on board the aircraft."
An earlier airline statement said the ATR-42 turboprop aircraft had lost contact en route from Chitral.
"A plane has crashed and locals told us that it is on fire," said Saeed Wazir, a senior local police official. "Police and rescue officials are on the way but have yet not reached on site."
Seven bodies have been recovered from the debris and there are unlikely to be any survivors, a government official on the scene said.
"All of the bodies are burned beyond recognition. The debris is scattered," Taj Muhammad Khan, an official based in the Havelian region, told Reuters news agency.
Khan added witnesses told him "the aircraft has crashed in a mountainous area, and before it hit the ground it was on fire".
Jamshed rocketed to fame in Pakistan in the 1980s and 1990s as the singer for the Vital Signs pop band. He launched a solo career later with a string of chart-topping albums and hits.
Jamshed gave up music in 2001 and announced that he was devoting his life to spreading Islam.
Deputy Commissioner Chitral Osama Warraich was on board the flight.
Distress signal
Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from the capital Islamabad, said the pilot had sent a distress signal before the plane crashed.
Some relatives of those onboard have gathered at Islamabad airport but are getting very little information or assistance from authorities, according to Al Jazeera's Hameedullah Khan who added the crash site was three to four hours' drive from the capital.
Pakistan's Dawn News reported that 40 ambulances have been dispatched from Islamabad and a helicopter will be used to put out the fire. It added that due to darkness and remoteness of the crash site, rescue efforts were proving to be very difficult.
Pakistan's last major air disaster was in 2015 when a Pakistani military helicopter crashed in a remote northern valley, killing eight people including the Norwegian, Philippine and Indonesian envoys and the wives of Malaysian and Indonesian envoys.
The deadliest crash was in 2010, when an Airbus 321 operated by private airline Airblue and flying from Karachi crashed into hills outside Islamabad while about to land, killing all 152 on board.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Earth heading for 25-hour day as orbit slows
Days on Earth are getting longer, a team of experts has concluded, as they predict in the future there will be 25 hours in a day.
Over the past 27 centuries, the average day has lengthened at a rate of almost two milliseconds (ms) per century.
However, it will take about 6.7 million years to gain just one minute extra per day and we will have to wait about 200 million years for the extra hour.
Study lead co-author Leslie Morrison said: "It's a very slow process."
Researchers at Durham University and the UK's Nautical Almanac Office gathered evidence from historical accounts of eclipses and celestial events from 720BC to 2015.
Mr Morrison, a retired astronomer with Royal Greenwich Observatory, said the earth's orbit is not slowing as rapidly as first expected.
It was previously estimated it will take 5.2 million years to add one minute to every day.
"These estimates are approximate, because the geophysical forces operating on the Earth's rotation will not necessarily be constant over such a long period of time," Mr Morrison said.
The team of experts used gravitational theories about the movement of Earth around the Sun, and the Moon around Earth, to compute the timing of eclipses of the Moon and Sun over time, as viewed from our planet.
They then calculated from where on Earth these would have been visible, and compared this to observations of eclipses recorded by ancient Babylonians, Chinese, Greeks, Arabs and medieval Europeans.
Mr Morrison said: "For example, the Babylonian tablets, which are written in cuneiform script, are stored at the British Museum and have been decoded by experts there and elsewhere."
The team found discrepancies between where the eclipses should have been observable, and where on Earth they were actually seen.
The Earth's rotation can be influenced by factors including its altering shape due to shrinking polar ice caps since the last Ice Age, electro-magnetic interactions between the mantle and core, and changes in the sea level.
Over the past 27 centuries, the average day has lengthened at a rate of almost two milliseconds (ms) per century.
However, it will take about 6.7 million years to gain just one minute extra per day and we will have to wait about 200 million years for the extra hour.
Study lead co-author Leslie Morrison said: "It's a very slow process."
Researchers at Durham University and the UK's Nautical Almanac Office gathered evidence from historical accounts of eclipses and celestial events from 720BC to 2015.
Mr Morrison, a retired astronomer with Royal Greenwich Observatory, said the earth's orbit is not slowing as rapidly as first expected.
It was previously estimated it will take 5.2 million years to add one minute to every day.
"These estimates are approximate, because the geophysical forces operating on the Earth's rotation will not necessarily be constant over such a long period of time," Mr Morrison said.
The team of experts used gravitational theories about the movement of Earth around the Sun, and the Moon around Earth, to compute the timing of eclipses of the Moon and Sun over time, as viewed from our planet.
They then calculated from where on Earth these would have been visible, and compared this to observations of eclipses recorded by ancient Babylonians, Chinese, Greeks, Arabs and medieval Europeans.
Mr Morrison said: "For example, the Babylonian tablets, which are written in cuneiform script, are stored at the British Museum and have been decoded by experts there and elsewhere."
The team found discrepancies between where the eclipses should have been observable, and where on Earth they were actually seen.
The Earth's rotation can be influenced by factors including its altering shape due to shrinking polar ice caps since the last Ice Age, electro-magnetic interactions between the mantle and core, and changes in the sea level.
Theresa May: Talking to Donald Trump is 'very easy'
Theresa May has said that Donald Trump is "very easy to talk to" - despite taking him to task during the US presidential election.
Speaking to reporters on a trip to Bahrain, the Prime Minister was asked what she thought of the President-elect following her phone conversation with the victorious candidate.
She said: "What I have found with Donald Trump is that he is somebody who very much values the relationship he has with the UK.
"When we've talked, one of the key things we've talked about is the depth of our special relationship, and the fact that we both want to ensure that we obviously maintain that, but we also build on that for the future."
Despite the firm ties between the UK and US, Mrs May was 11th on the list of world leaders when Mr Trump came to make his traditional round of telephone calls.
His tardiness may have had something to do with Mrs May's apparent antipathy towards the former reality TV host and billionaire property developer.
When Mr Trump suggested Muslim extremists had made some areas of London no-go areas for police, she retorted: "I just think it shows he does not understand the UK and what happens in the UK."
:: Trump: 'Out of control' Air Force One deal should be cancelled
But as he contemplates building walls, Mr Trump is also mending fences.
The pair have had a second telephone conversation, and Mr Trump has invited Theresa May to Washington after his inauguration.
Meanwhile, Downing Street has said that a state visit for Mr Trump next year is "under consideration".
On the final day of her three day visit, Iran will take centre stage at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit which she has become the first woman to attend.
She is expected to tell the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar that she is "clear eyed" about the threat Iran poses to the Gulf and the Middle East while underlining the importance of the nuclear deal struck last year.
As the British leader seeks to sign lucrative trade and investment deals with the region she will firmly align herself against the Gulf country's traditional enemy.
Donald Trump has threatened to rip up a landmark deal which halted Iran's nuclear ambition in return for the lifting of sanctions, but Theresa May will make clear that it was vitally important for regional security.
Addressing the plenary of the Gulf Co-operation Council in Manama, the Prime Minister is expected to say: "As we address new threats to our security, so we must also continue to confront state actors whose influence fuels instability in the region.
"So I want to assure you that I am clear-eyed about the threat that Iran poses to the Gulf and the wider Middle East; and the UK is fully committed to our strategic partnership with the Gulf and working with you to counter that threat.
"We must also work together to push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions, whether in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Syria or in the Gulf itself."
Speaking to reporters on a trip to Bahrain, the Prime Minister was asked what she thought of the President-elect following her phone conversation with the victorious candidate.
She said: "What I have found with Donald Trump is that he is somebody who very much values the relationship he has with the UK.
"When we've talked, one of the key things we've talked about is the depth of our special relationship, and the fact that we both want to ensure that we obviously maintain that, but we also build on that for the future."
Despite the firm ties between the UK and US, Mrs May was 11th on the list of world leaders when Mr Trump came to make his traditional round of telephone calls.
His tardiness may have had something to do with Mrs May's apparent antipathy towards the former reality TV host and billionaire property developer.
When Mr Trump suggested Muslim extremists had made some areas of London no-go areas for police, she retorted: "I just think it shows he does not understand the UK and what happens in the UK."
:: Trump: 'Out of control' Air Force One deal should be cancelled
But as he contemplates building walls, Mr Trump is also mending fences.
The pair have had a second telephone conversation, and Mr Trump has invited Theresa May to Washington after his inauguration.
Meanwhile, Downing Street has said that a state visit for Mr Trump next year is "under consideration".
On the final day of her three day visit, Iran will take centre stage at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit which she has become the first woman to attend.
She is expected to tell the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar that she is "clear eyed" about the threat Iran poses to the Gulf and the Middle East while underlining the importance of the nuclear deal struck last year.
As the British leader seeks to sign lucrative trade and investment deals with the region she will firmly align herself against the Gulf country's traditional enemy.
Donald Trump has threatened to rip up a landmark deal which halted Iran's nuclear ambition in return for the lifting of sanctions, but Theresa May will make clear that it was vitally important for regional security.
Addressing the plenary of the Gulf Co-operation Council in Manama, the Prime Minister is expected to say: "As we address new threats to our security, so we must also continue to confront state actors whose influence fuels instability in the region.
"So I want to assure you that I am clear-eyed about the threat that Iran poses to the Gulf and the wider Middle East; and the UK is fully committed to our strategic partnership with the Gulf and working with you to counter that threat.
"We must also work together to push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions, whether in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Syria or in the Gulf itself."
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Deadly earthquake hits Aceh in Indonesia
An undersea earthquake off Indonesia's northern Aceh province has killed at least 25 people.
The 6.5 magnitude quake struck 19km (12 miles) south-east of the town of Sigli on Sumatra island, where dozens of buildings have collapsed and people are feared trapped under rubble.
Indonesia's meteorological agency said there was no risk of a tsunami.
In 2004, Aceh was devastated by a tsunami caused by a huge undersea earthquake that killed 120,000 people.
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake struck just offshore at 05:03 local time (22:03 GMT Tuesday) at a depth of 17.2km.
Images from earthquake-hit Aceh
Said Mulyadi, deputy district chief of Pidie Jaya, the region hit hardest by the quake, told the BBC's Indonesian service that the death toll could rise.
He told the AFP news agency that several children were among the dead and that local hospitals had been overwhelmed.
Heavy equipment is being used to search for survivors, but Pidie Jaya District Chief Aiyub Abbas told the Associated Press that more was needed.
The quake shook the provincial capital of Banda Aceh and prompted many people across the region to flee their homes. Many are said to be reluctant to go back indoors, amid a number of aftershocks.
Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it lies on the Ring of Fire - the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.
The island of Sumatra has been hit by several earthquakes this year.
The 6.5 magnitude quake struck 19km (12 miles) south-east of the town of Sigli on Sumatra island, where dozens of buildings have collapsed and people are feared trapped under rubble.
Indonesia's meteorological agency said there was no risk of a tsunami.
In 2004, Aceh was devastated by a tsunami caused by a huge undersea earthquake that killed 120,000 people.
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake struck just offshore at 05:03 local time (22:03 GMT Tuesday) at a depth of 17.2km.
Images from earthquake-hit Aceh
Said Mulyadi, deputy district chief of Pidie Jaya, the region hit hardest by the quake, told the BBC's Indonesian service that the death toll could rise.
He told the AFP news agency that several children were among the dead and that local hospitals had been overwhelmed.
Heavy equipment is being used to search for survivors, but Pidie Jaya District Chief Aiyub Abbas told the Associated Press that more was needed.
The quake shook the provincial capital of Banda Aceh and prompted many people across the region to flee their homes. Many are said to be reluctant to go back indoors, amid a number of aftershocks.
Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it lies on the Ring of Fire - the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.
The island of Sumatra has been hit by several earthquakes this year.
Thousands of Berliners evacuated from homes over WWII bomb
Thousands of people had to be evacuated from a Berlin suburb after a World War II bomb was discovered.
The 50kg bomb was found in Neukolln, prompting police to order some 2,600 people to evacuate their homes.
Transport was disrupted and gas supplies turned off before work to defuse the bomb could begin.
The bomb was discovered to have two detonators and was later described as a "bouncer" by someone who heard one of the detonators go off.
Police later allowed residents to return to their homes and confirmed the bomb had been defused.
Another, bigger bomb was found only last month.
The Russian bomb weighed 250kg and was found in the city's southwest neighbourhood of Zehlendorf.
Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany, was fiercely bombed during World War II, with hundreds of air raids carried out on the city between 1939 and 1945.
The 50kg bomb was found in Neukolln, prompting police to order some 2,600 people to evacuate their homes.
Transport was disrupted and gas supplies turned off before work to defuse the bomb could begin.
The bomb was discovered to have two detonators and was later described as a "bouncer" by someone who heard one of the detonators go off.
Police later allowed residents to return to their homes and confirmed the bomb had been defused.
Another, bigger bomb was found only last month.
The Russian bomb weighed 250kg and was found in the city's southwest neighbourhood of Zehlendorf.
Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany, was fiercely bombed during World War II, with hundreds of air raids carried out on the city between 1939 and 1945.
Trump wants to cancel Boeing's Air Force One contract
US President-elect Donald Trump urged the government to cancel an order with Boeing Co for a revamped Air Force One, saying costs were out of control.
The Air Force One is one of the most prominent symbols of the US presidency. It has been used by US presidents since 1943, according to the company's website.
It was not immediately clear what prompted his complaint about Boeing and the presidential plane on Tuesday but Trump's transition team said he aimed to send a clear message that he intends to save taxpayers' money after he takes office on January 20.
"Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4bn. Cancel order!" Trump said on Twitter.
The budgeted costs for the Air Force One replacement programme are $2.87bn for the fiscal years 2015 through 2021, according to budget documents.
Trump, who has vowed to use his skills as a businessman to make good deals that benefit American taxpayers, then made a surprise appearance in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York, where he amplified his comments.
"The plane is totally out of control. I think it's ridiculous. I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money but not that much money," he said.
A spokesman for Boeing said the company had no immediate comment. Boeing shares slumped almost one percent after Trump's tweet.
During his unconventional election campaign, Trump complained about the cost of President Barack Obama's use of the presidential aircraft to campaign for his rival Hillary Clinton.
Trump used his own Boeing 757 to campaign around the country, pledging to shake up Washington.
The US Air Force, which operates the presidential planes, first announced in January 2015 that Boeing's 747-8 would be used to replace the two current planes that transport the US president.
The Air Force awarded Boeing an initial contract worth $25.8m in January this year.
This was to conduct studies on the costs of building the plane with the requirements desired by the White House, including making it possible for the plane to communicate even during a nuclear war, while also looking at lowering costs.
The Air Force One is one of the most prominent symbols of the US presidency. It has been used by US presidents since 1943, according to the company's website.
It was not immediately clear what prompted his complaint about Boeing and the presidential plane on Tuesday but Trump's transition team said he aimed to send a clear message that he intends to save taxpayers' money after he takes office on January 20.
"Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4bn. Cancel order!" Trump said on Twitter.
The budgeted costs for the Air Force One replacement programme are $2.87bn for the fiscal years 2015 through 2021, according to budget documents.
Trump, who has vowed to use his skills as a businessman to make good deals that benefit American taxpayers, then made a surprise appearance in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York, where he amplified his comments.
"The plane is totally out of control. I think it's ridiculous. I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money but not that much money," he said.
A spokesman for Boeing said the company had no immediate comment. Boeing shares slumped almost one percent after Trump's tweet.
During his unconventional election campaign, Trump complained about the cost of President Barack Obama's use of the presidential aircraft to campaign for his rival Hillary Clinton.
Trump used his own Boeing 757 to campaign around the country, pledging to shake up Washington.
The US Air Force, which operates the presidential planes, first announced in January 2015 that Boeing's 747-8 would be used to replace the two current planes that transport the US president.
The Air Force awarded Boeing an initial contract worth $25.8m in January this year.
This was to conduct studies on the costs of building the plane with the requirements desired by the White House, including making it possible for the plane to communicate even during a nuclear war, while also looking at lowering costs.
Grammys: Beyonce breaks record with nine nods
Beyonce's Lemonade dominates the 2017 Grammy Awards with nine nominations - including album, song and record of the year.
The singer has already won 20 Grammys and been nominated for 63 - making her the most nominated woman in Grammy history.
Queen Bey is also the first artist to earn nominations in the pop, rock, R&B and rap categories in the same year.
These include best rock performance for Don't Hurt Yourself with Jack White, pop solo performance for Hold Up and rap performance for Freedom with Kendrick Lamar.
Beyonce is also up for best urban contemporary album with her sixth studio recording Lemonade.
The visual concept album was released last April on paid subscription platform Tidal.
"Artists are feeling emboldened and courageous and just wanting to step out of the predictable boundaries of what they have done," said Recording Academy's CEO Neil Portnow.
"Beyonce is the poster child for that."
Behind Queen Bey are Drake, Rihanna and Kanye West, all scoring eight nominations each.
This includes Drake and Riri's collaboration track Work.
Beyonce, who has yet to win album of the year, will compete against Adele's 25.
The British pop star's hit Hello is also up for record and song of the year - as is Bey's Formation.
Sturgill Simpson's A Sailor's Guide To Earth is the only non-pop album nominated for the top prize.
The nine-track Americana release is also nominated for best country album.
David Bowie's posthumous album Blackstar was snubbed from the best album award, but earned four nods for best rock performance, rock song, alternative music album and engineered album, non-classical.
The big surprise was Chance The Rapper, earning three nods including best rap song and writing credit in Kanye West's hit Famous.
Some well-known acts scored their first Grammy nominations, including Solange, Blink-182 and Demi Lovato,.
Lovato will compete against Adele, Justin Bieber, Sia and Ariana Grande for best pop vocal album.
Comedian Amy Schumer earned two nominations, including best spoken word album and comedy album.
British presenter James Corden will host the 2017 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on 12 February.
:: Main Categories
Album of the Year
Adele - 25
Beyonce - Lemonade
Justin Bieber - Purpose
Drake - Views
Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide To Earth
Record of the Year
Adele - Hello
Beyonce - Formation
Lukas Graham - 7 Years
Rihanna ft Drake - Work
Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out
Song of the Year
Adele - Hello
Beyonce - Formation
Justin Bieber - Love Yourself
Lukas Graham - 7 Years
Mike Posner - I Took A Pill In Ibiza
Best New Artist
Kelsea Ballerini
The Chainsmokers
Chance The Rapper
Maren Morris
Anderson .Paak
Best alternative album
David Bowie - Blackstar
PJ Harvey - The Hope Six Demolition Project
Bon Iver - 22, A Million
Iggy Pop - Post Pop Depression
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)