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2 WWII planes collide & crash at Texas airshow (Video)

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Two vintage World War Two-era planes have collided and crashed at an air show in the US state of Texas, killing at least two.

Footage shows the aircraft striking each other at a low altitude, breaking one of the aircraft in half. A fireball can be seen as it hits the ground.

The planes – one of them a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress – were taking part in a commemorative air show near Dallas.

It was not immediately clear how many people were in the two aircraft.

The Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots, said Terry Barker and Len Root – two of its former members – were among people who died in the collision.

Other media reports suggest as many as six people may have died in the collision.

Eyewitness Chris Kratovil – who was one of between 4,000 and 6,000 who had gathered to watch the Wings Over Dallas Airshow on Saturday – told the BBC he had “never seen a crowd grow more quiet or more still in just a blink of an eye”.

“It went from being a fairly excited, energetic crowd… to complete silence and stillness, and a lot of people, including myself, turned their children towards them and away from the airfield because there was burning wreckage in the middle of the airfield.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate the crash at the three-day event, which describes itself as the US’s premiere WW2 air show and was being held in honour of Veterans Day,

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson called it a “terrible tragedy”.

“The videos are heart-breaking,” he tweeted. “Please, say a prayer for the souls who took to the sky to entertain and educate our families today.”

The number of casualties are not yet confirmed, he said, but added that nobody on the ground had been reported injured.

The event’s website states that several planes had been scheduled to do a flyover demonstration on Saturday.

The B-17 bomber played a major role in winning the air war against Germany in WW2.

The second plane, a P-63 Kingcobra, was a fighter aircraft used in the same war, but used in combat only by the Soviet Air Force.

The B-17 usually has a crew of about four to five people, while the P-63 has a single pilot, said Hank Coates, from the Commemorative Air Force which organised the event – but he could not confirm any fatalities.

“This was a WW2 flight demonstration type air show where we highlight the aircraft and their capabilities,” he told reporters.

(BBC News)

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Applications called for member vacancies at OMP

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The applications should be prepared in accordance with the information sheet which is available in www.parliament.lk with a quick link named Appointment of the members to OMP, and the duly completed applications should be sent on or before May 27, 2024.

Applications should be sent to; ‘Secretary-General to the Constitutional Council, Constitutional Council – Office, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte by registered post or by email to [email protected].

Indicate ‘Appointment of Members to the OMP’ on the top left-hand corner of the envelope, or as the subject of the email.

Link :  https://www.parliament.lk/en/secretariat/advertisements/view/305

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22 arrested after protest in Anuradhapura

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Around 22 persons, including 11 females, have been arrested following a tense situation at a protest in Anuradhapura.

The tense situation was reported after a group of unemployed graduates surrounded the North Central Provincial Council building in protest, seeking solutions to their demands.

Several individuals were reported to be seriously injured in the incident when the Police attempted to diffuse the situation.

The protesters are reported to have surrounded the NCPC building, blocking all exits, with the staff and the NCPC governor – Mahipala Herath inside.

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Al Jazeera condemns Israeli govt. decision to shut down local offices

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Al Jazeera Media Network has condemned the Israeli government’s decision to close its operations in Israel as a “criminal act” and warned that the country’s suppression of the free press “stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law”.

“Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act that violates human rights and the basic right to access of information. Al Jazeera affirms its right to continue to provide news and information to its global audiences,” the network said in a statement on Sunday

“Israel’s ongoing suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to conceal its actions in the Gaza Strip, stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law. Israel’s direct targeting and killing of journalists, arrests, intimidation and threats will not deter Al Jazeera from its commitment to cover, whilst more than 140 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the beginning of the war on Gaza.

“The Network vehemently rejects the allegations presented by Israeli authorities suggesting professional media standards have been violated. It reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values embodied by its Code of Ethics,” it said.

The statement comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet voted unanimously to close Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel, weeks after Israel’s parliament passed a law allowing the temporary closure of foreign broadcasters considered to be a threat to national security during the months-long war in Gaza.

Netanyahu announced the decision on X, formerly Twitter. “The government headed by me unanimously decided: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel,” he posted in Hebrew.

Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi wrote on X that he had signed the orders against Al Jazeera, which would be effective immediately.

Karhi said he ordered the seizure of Al Jazeera’s broadcasting equipment “used to deliver the channel’s content”, including editing and routing equipment, cameras, microphones, servers and laptops, as well as wireless transmission equipment and some mobile phones.

Later on Sunday, police raided Al Jazeera’s premises in occupied East Jerusalem and satellite and cable providers took Al Jazeera off air.

Messages have appeared instead of Al Jazeera’s broadcast on a number of satellite providers, including messages with the words “Yes” and “Hot”.

(aljazeera.com)

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