World AM News Briefs For Friday, 1 November 2019
Hello Australia!! - Qantas' grounds Boeing planes - The US votes to pursue Trump's impeachment - Why dozens died leaping from a moving train - And more in your CareerSpot Global News Briefs:
Qantas confirmed that its inspections found cracks in three of its Boeing 737s, and those planes have been grounded. The carrier said, "Of the 33 of Qantas' 737 aircraft that required inspection, three were found to have a hairline crack in the pickle fork structure" which bolsters the connection of the wing to the body, and this the three were removed from service. Korean Air had earlier grounded several Boeing 737s. This comes as Boeing is dealing with the terrible publicity of its 737 Max 8 airplanes (another model), which were involved in two deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killing a combined 346 people.
The US House of Representatives has passed a symbolic resolution to formally proceed with the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump who claims he did nothing wrong. But testimony and Trump's own words seem to support allegations Trump obliquely used pre-approved US aid to Ukraine to pressure that country's leader into investigating unsubstantiated corruption claims against his political rival, Joe Biden, and Biden's son who worked with Ukrainian gas company Burisma. The resolution basically moves the hearing process from the private rooms in the US Capitol basement to public, televised affairs. All Republicans and two Democrats from highly conservative districts opposed this; the rest of the Dems and one independent voted to move the impeachment process forward.
The UN has suspended Ebola screening at five international checkpoints in Africa after three of its aid workers were killed in the crossfire between rival armed groups. This happened over the weekend in South Sudan's Central Equatoria region - two men and one woman died. They were trying to keep track of the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, which has killed more than 2,000 people in the world's second largest outbreak that is still going on in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The fire that killed 74 people on a train in Pakistan was caused by a ruptured gas cylinder that exploded. This happened while passengers were cooking their breakfast on the train travelling between the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Rawalpindi. The fire raced through at least three carriages, and many of the fatalities occurred when people tried to jump from the moving train to escape the flames.
Local officials already know what to do after a fire devastated the world heritage site Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa: "We will not fail to restore it," said Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki. An early morning fire destroyed seven of the 14 buildings that make up the castle complex, including the main hall, and locals are already worried about an impact to tourism. Although the castle site dates back some 500 years, the buildings that burned were mostly post-war reproductions, because heavy fighting in the last days of World War II pretty much leveled everything on that island. As far as the Japanese government in Tokyo is concerned, the castle will be rebuilt and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga promised aid for reconstruction.
Thousands of students and young people marched in Santiago, Chile while the government debated the response to nearly two weeks of protests against economic inequality. This protest was relatively peaceful, but it's the first day of a four day holiday weekend, and so more protests are expected. The unrest forced the Chilean government to give up two important international conferences: Madrid, Spain is offering to host one of them, the UN Climate Conference. But so far, no country has offered to be the venue for the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) trade summit.
UK's Parliament is out of "ooooooooordeeeeehhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrr" after colorful Speaker John Bercow steps aside.
Bears get Halloween Pumpkins to eat at Chicago's Brookfield, Zoo, and yes that is snow on the ground. A little early this year.