Some Asian carriers quit Ukraine airspace months ago

The Malaysian airliner apparently shot down over rebel-held eastern Ukraine was flying over airspace that a number of other Asian carriers had already abandoned months ago because of security concerns.

 

South Korea´s two main airlines, Korean Air and Asiana, as well as Australia´s Qantas and Taiwan´s China Airlines said they had all re-routed flights from as early as the beginning of March when Russian troops moved into Crimea.

 

"We stopped flying over Ukraine because of safety concerns," Asiana spokeswoman Lee Hyo-Min said.

 

Korean Air moved its flight paths 250 kilometres (160 miles) south of Ukraine from March 3 "due to the political unrest in the region", an official for the carrier told AFP.A Qantas spokeswoman said its London to Dubai service used to fly over Ukraine, but the route was changed "several months ago", while Taiwan´s China Airlines diverted its flights from April 3.Quizzed as to why Malaysia Airlines had not taken similar precautions, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said international air authorities had deemed the flight path secure.

 

’Safe´ flight path?’

"The aircraft´s flight route was declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organization. And (the) International Air Transportation Association has stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions," he said.

 

Re-routing would have involved a longer flight-time and therefore higher fuel costs.

 

Singapore Airlines said in a statement that it had been using Ukrainian airspace but had "re-routed all our flights" to alternative corridors away from the region.

 

It was not immediately clear when the route change was put into affect.Hong Kong´s Cathay Pacific said it had not been using Ukrainian airspace "for quite some time" and Pakistan International Airlines said it had re-routed "some time ago."

 

According to the European flight safety body Eurocontrol, the Ukrainian authorities declared the east of the country a no-fly zone shortly after the Malaysian airliner went down with 298 people on board.

 

European and US airlines re-routed their flights as Kiev said flight MH17 was shot down in a "terrorist" attack and a US official said intelligence analysts "strongly believe" it was downed by a surface-to-air missile.

 

Eurocontrol said the doomed plane was flying at a level known as "330", or approximately 10,000 metres or 33,000 feet, when it disappeared from radar screens.

 

The route itself had been closed to level "320" but was cleared for those flying at the Malaysian plane´s altitude.

Netherlands mourns after at least 154 Dutch die in Ukraine MH17 crash

The Dutch prime minister on Thursday ordered that flags fly at half mast at government buildings across the country after the death of at least 154 of his country's citizens in what he said might be the worst air disaster in the Netherlands' history.

 

The Dutch were among 295 passengers and crew, including three infants, aboard a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur that crashed while crossing above the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine where pro-Russian rebels are fighting forces controlled by the government in the capital Kiev.

 

Speaking at Schiphol Airport after interrupting his holiday in southern Germany on news of the crash, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said it was a "black day" for the Netherlands.

 

"The whole of the Netherlands is in mourning," he said. "This beautiful summer day has ended in the blackest possible way."

 

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was operating as a code-share flight with the Dutch flagship carrier KLM, was also carrying at least 27 Australians, 23 Malaysians, 11 Indonesians, six Britons, four Germans, four Belgians, three Filipinos and one Canadian.

 

The 15 flight crew - two captains, two flight officers and 11 cabin crew — were all Malaysian citizens. The nationalities of a further 47 were as yet unknown.

 

Malaysia Airlines' Europe vice president Huib Gorter told reporters that relatives would be provided with support if they requested it and could be flown from Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur to Kiev if they so wished.

 

"You cannot imagine what's happening to these people right now," he said. "They are our main concern."

Gaza Palestinians toll 258, as 6 more killed: Medics

Six Palestinians were killed Today in two separate attacks in Gaza, medics said as Israel launched a ground offensive in an operation to stamp out militant rocket fire.

 

Emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said four family members were killed in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, with another two killed in the northern town Beit Hanoun, raising the number of Gazans killed in the Israeli campaign to 258.

 

"No Talks Yet With Chelsea And Arsenal" - Khedira Agent

Sami Khedira’s agent, Jorg Neubauer, has revealed there has been no talks with Chelsea or Arsenal this summer over the availability of his client, according to Sky Sports.

Arsenal are the bookies’ favourite to sign Khedira, and with three German team-mates persuading him to make the move, his move to the Emirates did appear inevitable.

However, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was responsible for bringing the 27-year-old to Real Madrid, a factor which could give the west London outfit a leg up on their rivals. He’s stated his interest in the German midfielder, but Neubauer was keen to reiterate there has been no movement on a deal to sign for either club.

“We are not in talks with Arsenal,” he said. “I don’t think a fee can have been agreed, otherwise I would have been told. When a club have an interest I am sure they will call me and we will speak about things. The same goes for Chelsea.”

“We are talking to Real Madrid about his contract, but nothing is close to being decided. Sami has just returned from the World Cup and has gone on holiday.”

Last season, Khedira made just 13 league appearances in an injury-hit season with Real Madrid and he only has one-year left on his deal with the Spanish giants. Despite his agent's comments, Khedira is still being tipped for a Premier League this summer.

Houston Mayer Annise Parker hosts Iftar dinner

Mayor of Houston, Annise Parker, has said that Houston was a city harboring hardworking individuals and that the exemplary harmony amongst the people belonging to different religions and cultures distinguished it from other cities of the USA.

 

She urged the people having varied faiths to come forth and find means to solve the disputes so that innocent lives could be saved.

 

She was speaking at the annual dinner reception hosted jointly at the City Center by Abu Dhabi/Baku/Istanbul and Karachi sister city associations in collaboration with Islamic Society of Greater Houston.

Annise Parker reiterated that their principal commitment was to ensure that each and every individual arriving at Houston got equal rights.

 

She thanked all the Muslim community organizations for contributing towards arranging events including Islamic teachings.

 

She recalled how the community had always demonstrated exemplary unity when faced with natural catastrophes.

 

Annise Parker reminded that the city had passed an ordinance providing its citizens protection from all sorts of discrimination.

 

Noticing the presence of people belonging to diverse religions at Iftar dinner, Annise Parker wished the Muslims all the best during the holy month of Ramadan and said it was a matter of pride for her to witness such a harmonious gathering.

Condemning killing of people on the basis of belief, she said that we needed to strive for peace during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

 

She stressed on the necessity of proving that we are united like one human family. Annise Parker also presented appreciation certificates to organizers of the Iftar Dinner.

Congressman Al-Green and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee speaking on the occasion said that USA was globally a favorite country and they endeavored to provide security to all to the best of their ability.

 

Prominent businessman and oil tycoon Jawed Anwar said that Houston was a typical place where people were free to live in accordance with their beliefs.

 

He said Houston was a model for Pakistan where people were being killed on the basis of their beliefs. He lauded the efforts of the authorities for their efforts towards transforming Houston into an oasis of peace.

 

The event was attended by more than 2000 guests. Consul General of Pakistan Afzaal Mahmmod and many other countries Consul General were in attendance.

 

A video message on Ramadan by President Barack Obama was also played on the occasion. Chairman organizing committee Ruhi Ozgul welcomed the guest while Coordinator Muhammad Saeed Sheikh recognized the elected officials & sponsors.

 

Joe Bradford talked about the importance of Ramadan while Faraz Khan spoke about the relationship between Allah and human.

 

After Hashim Badat (President Islamic Society of Greater Houston)’s brief talk, Imam Abdullah led dua and Shahid Ahmed Rizvi (renowned scholar from Alnoor Mosque) led the Maghreb prayers.

 

M.J.Khan presented the note of thanks.The members of the organizing committee including Haroon Moughal,Mian Nazeer, David Godwin,Cristal Montane'z Baylor,Zafar,Khan,Khalid,Kazi,Shah,Haleem,Irada Akhoundova,Sunny Sherma were among the members of organizing Committee.

Israel agrees Gaza aid truce after children killed on beach

Israel agreed to a UN request to halt its bombardment of Gaza for five hours on humanitarian grounds, after its naval strikes killed four children on a beach Wednesday.

 

The punishing strikes aimed at halting cross-border rocket fire by Hamas militants had resumed after Egyptian-brokered truce efforts collapsed Tuesday.

 

Israel´s campaign, now in its ninth day, has killed 220 Palestinians so far, with a Gaza-based human rights group saying over 80 percent of them were civilians.

 

In the same period, militants have fired more than 1,200 rockets at Israel. They claimed their first Israeli life on Tuesday.

 

Hamas rejected the Egyptian truce efforts, saying it had not been included in the discussions. The Israeli army announced it would halt its bombardment of Gaza between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm (0700 to 1200 GMT) Thursday, following a UN request for a humanitarian truce.

 

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process Robert Serry earlier told Israel´s Channel Two television, that he had asked the military for a "humanitarian pause" in its Gaza offensive and that, if it agreed, he would ask Gaza militants to follow suit.

 

Hamas said it was considering the request."Hamas has been informed about the UN proposal for a truce of several hours tomorrow," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.

 

"The proposal is being studied and when a decision has been taken, it will be announced officially in a statement.

"As part of the peace initiative, a Hamas official met Egyptian leaders while Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas arrived in Cairo to join the diplomatic efforts.

 

In addition to the four killed children, several people were also wounded in an apparent Israeli naval bombardment of a beach in Gaza City, medics said.

 

The first strike hit at around 1300 GMT, prompting terrified children and adults on the beach to scatter. A second and third struck as they ran, setting fire to huts on the beach.

 

The strikes appeared to be the result of shelling by the Israeli navy against an area with small shacks used by fishermen.

 

Several children ran inside a hotel where at least three had shrapnel injuries.The four bodies were later taken to Abu Hasira mosque, near where the boys had died.

 

The boys, all from the Bakr family, were laid out, wrapped in the yellow flags of the Fatah party, in front of mourners.

 

Several hours after the strikes, the Israeli military described the deaths as "tragic" and said it was investigating the incident."Based on preliminary results, the target of this strike was Hamas terrorist operatives," the military said in a statement. "The reported civilian casualties from this strike are a tragic outcome."

West Africa Ebola toll tops 600: WHO

The death toll in West Africa’s Ebola outbreak has risen to 603, the World Health Organization (WHO)) said on Tuesday, with 68 new fatalities mostly in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

 

The UN health agency said the new deaths were recorded between July 8 and 12, and that 52 of them were in Sierra Leone, 13 in Liberia and three in Guinea, which had previously borne the brunt of the outbreak.

 

The WHO issues regular updates on the outbreak, which is the first ever in west Africa and the deadliest since Ebola was discovered in the 1970s.

 

"We still have a high level of transmission taking place into the communities," WHO spokesman Daniel Epstein told reporters.

 

The number of new cases reported over the period was 85, the figures showed.

 

The total number of laboratory-confirmed, probable or suspected cases of Ebola in the region has now risen to 964, said the WHO.

 

Although Guinea recorded the lowest number of new cases -- six -- it remains the worst-affected of the three nations.

 

In total, it has seen 406 cases and 304 deaths since the outbreak began in January.

 

Sierra Leone reported 49 new cases July 8 and 12, taking its total to 386. Of those, 194 have been fatal.

 

Liberia´s figures showed 30 new cases. That took its case-count to 172 and its death toll to 105.

 

The WHO and 11 west African health ministers earlier this month held crunch talks to try to combat the outbreak of the incurable disease.

 

Ebola is a form of haemorrhagic fever which is deadly in up to 90 percent of cases.

 

It can fell victims within days, causing severe fever and muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhoea -- and in some cases, organ failure and unstoppable bleeding.

 

Ebola is believed to be carried by animals hunted for meat, notably bats.