An emergency landing by the “holed” Southwest Airline Flight

In the United States a passenger plane has made a tragic landing due to a gaping holed roof because of unexpected drop in cabin pressure.

Flight 182 of Southwest Airlines from Phoenix to Sacramento landed carefully at an army air base in Arizona. The passengers heard a bang as the roof panel blew open in the cabin. One woman passenger told, we can watch entirely on the outside.

Passengers heard a bang as the roof panel blew open in the cabin. "You can see completely outside," one woman told the Associated Press news agency. However it was not obvious what caused the fuselage to burst. I just want to go home and hold my childes.

An FBI spokesman said terrorism issue was not doubted and "it shows to be a mechanical fault.

Brenda Reese, a passenger said the plane had just flown from Phoenix when she heard a noise like o gunfire. She told by her telephone from the plane, “It’s the top of the plane, where you put up your baggage. "The panel's not fully closed. It's like ripped down, when you look up through the panel, you can easily watch the sky." She said the plane go down very fast.

Another woman told, they had just taken drink orders when I listened a massive noise and oxygen masks came fall. "There was a hole in the fuselage about three feet long. You could watch the insulation and the wiring. The woman told a local TV, you can watch a tear the length of one of the ceiling panels.

Aviation officials said the pilot made a quick, controlled on drop. The National Transportation Safety Board said an "in-flight fuselage burst" led to the rapid descent and drop in cabin pressure. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said "We don’t understand the reason of the decompression.

In a statement Southwest Airlines said no wounded were reported amid the 118 travelers on board. One flight attendant was somewhat wounded.

800 casualties in Ivory Coast’s fierce fighting

More than 800 people stated to have been killed in the Ivory Coast city of Duekoue during this week, as opponent forces carry on fighting for power.

ICRC- International Committee of the Red Cross members called Duekoue and said the level and violence of the killings were dreadful. The city was seized by the activists favoring UN-recognized president Alassane Ouattara this week.

His forces have surrounded enemy Laurent Gbagbo in the key city of Abidjan. Mr. Ouattara was worldwide accepted as president after winning a surplus vote in November, but M Gbagbo also said victory and denied to step down office.

A curfew named by Mr. Ouattara from 2100 GMT to 0600 GMT in Abidjan stays in place. Land and sea borders remain closed, however on Friday the country's air space was revived.

This week a severe fighting seen in Duekoue, and help agencies have informed again and again that the civilian population are being targeted by the violence. ICRC spokeswoman Dorothea Krimitsas told we have got reported that near about 800 persons were killed on 29 March in inter-collective fighting.

The incident is so cruel on account its level and violence. She said that we have criticized direct assaults on defenseless people and assured both the parties to protect the civilian people that are under your control. Most of area of  Duekoue has been evacuated by the severe fighting since Monday.

Thousands of people have been run away within few days and are trying to trace a shelter in churches and town halls and a large number of people have crossed the Ivory Coast’s and entered into Liberia.

Till now it is not clear whether Mr Ouattara's supporters were concerned in the killings but Duekoue has been under their control since Tuesday. The United Nations human rights office says it has obtained news of huge human rights abuse committed by both sides in the clash

The national army has not shown any reaction since Mr Ouattara's forces started a nasty to quit Mr Gbagbo on Monday, sweeping down from the north to hold the capital, Yamoussoukro, and the key port of San Pedro. But they have not been able to beat those still faithful to the ex-president in the areas of Abidjan.

There were severe fighting on Friday outside the presidential palace and the headquarters of state television in the upper market district of Cocody. Fighting was also reported in the Plateau and Agban areas. The facts for the dead and injured persons were not available. The residents of Abidjan say they are worried to leave their homes.

A spokesman for Mr Gbagbo's Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) said, Gbagbo is going nowhere because he is the voted president of Ivory Coast. But Western diplomats say it is not possible for Mr. Gbagbo to run defeat, and it is not obvious if he will come out of this alive.

Patrick Achi, a spokesman for Mr Ouattara, said there was no chance for Mr Gbagbo to stand down peacefully. "He should stand test in the International Criminal Court, which is the only principal which proves the merit.

Nissan, Honda Better Positioned Than Toyota After Japan Quake

Moody’s says that this month’s triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in Japan will not result in wholesale rating changes for Japanese automakers, but its aftermath will weaken the issuers’ operations and financial performance at least through the first half of fiscal-year 2011, ending next March.

Tadashi Usui, the lead author of the report and a Moody’s vice president in Tokyo, says, “To a large extent, the financial health of our rated Japanese automakers before the disaster determines their vulnerability: Toyota (TM) and Yamaha were less well positioned in their ratings and thus are more vulnerable, Nissan (NSANY.PK) and Honda (HMC) are better positioned, and Isuzu is in the middle of the pack.”

Usui adds, “For example, Toyota had been trying to recover after widespread product recalls in 2010; whereas, Nissan’s performance had been improving and was on review for possible upgrade.”

Usui says, “None of these companies have assembly plants that experienced lasting direct damage from the earthquake or tsunami.” He adds, “However, the indirect effects of power shortages and rolling-black outs, disruptions to supply chains, and staffing issues represent a more serious problem.”

A contributor to the report, Michael Mulvaney, a managing director for Moody’s in New York, adds adds, “Problems at geographically dispersed second- and third-tier suppliers may be severe, and for critical parts, the added costs of finding alternative sources of supply could shave 1% to 2% from automakers’ margins.”

Mulvaney says, “We expect Japanese automakers’ full-year revenues for the coming fiscal year to at best show low single-digit growth as overseas markets help to offset weakness in the domestic Japanese market in the first half of the year.”

In a separate report Moody’s sees no material threat tothe ratings of Europe-based automotive suppliers, which have limited direct exposure to the consequences of the disaster:

However, we believe that they will feel ripple effects in the global supply chain as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) reduce output in Europe and North America. Although OEMs and suppliers worldwide are exploring alternatives to supply shortages caused in Japan, we believe it will take some time to realign the supply chain where necessary.

Once this has happened, we expect at least some of the lost production volumes to be recovered. We expect the disaster to negatively impact revenue and earnings, primarily in Q2 2011. In addition, halts in OEM production might impact working capital consumption. However, we estimate that the impact on the credit metrics of Europe-based automotive suppliers will only be temporary.

Source;
http://seekingalpha.com/article/261141-nissan-honda-better-positioned-than-toyota-after-japan-quake

Acura partners up with new Thor Movie

With the release of films featuring Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America, all roads are leading to next summer's launch of "The Avengers" -- and Marvel Studios is keen to bring its promotional partners along for the ride, offering the opportunity for the brands to appear not just in "The Avengers" but other comicbook hero pics down the line. A little more than a month before Paramount and Marvel unleash "Thor" on May 6, Acura, Dr. Pepper, 7-Eleven, Visa and Burger King are prepping to roll out TV, radio and online campaigns that tie in their brands with the god of thunder's first outing at the megaplex. Walmart is a major retail partner. All but Acura and Visa had backed previous Marvel releases in some form ("Thor" will be 7-Eleven's eighth teaming with a Marvel superhero). Honda's luxury brand had been looking for projects that could get Acura in front of more moviegoers through the branded entertainment arm of ad agency RP&, a division of RPA, and its exec Steve Rossmann, a former Gersh agent. When "Thor" offered an automaker the chance to serve as the official wheels of spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D, Acura was quick to lock down its first film partnership. "Getting to be the official car of S.H.I.E.L.D sold it for us," said Susie Rossick, Acura's national advertising manager. "To have that role in the film and in future films was attractive to us." S.H.I.E.L.D, the secret government org that recruits Marvel's superheroes as a crime-fighting force, made cameos in the two "Iron Man" pics and "The Incredible Hulk." The group will play a larger role in "Thor" and future films, guaranteeing any automaker appearances in multiple franchises for years to come. Acura especially gravitated toward a pairing with S.H.I.E.L.D due to the org's image of being advanced and innovative, aspects with which the automaker likes to associate itself. The design of Acura's own shield-like front fascia on its vehicles and corporate logo was a coincidence, but didn't hurt seal the deal. Car partners are "someone you need to spend a little more time thinking about," said Bob Sabouni, senior VP of business development and promotions for Marvel, which had previously landed Audi to serve as Iron Man's preferred carmaker. "It's something that gets noticed. You have to have the right car." As a result of its deal, Acura's lineup of recently redesigned sedans and SUVs gets roughly two minutes of screen time in the pic, a considerable amount of exposure when it comes to product placement. In return, Acura will help Marvel and Par promote "Thor" through the launch of a micro website that recruits consumers to become S.H.I.E.L.D agents, play games and design their own agency vehicle. It's also buying TV spots, print ads and installing signage and offering customers early screenings at its dealerships. Acura is also touring a series of events like Chicago fanboy fest C2E2, Florida's MegaCon and the New York Auto Show with recruitment booths that will feature a S.H.I.E.L.D agent car with weaponry like a sonic canon. In order to pull off the concept of turning each of its films into a chapter of an overall universe, Marvel said it needed to broker deals with brands that were "like-minded" and could be "dedicated to a plan" that embodies the characters and messaging of the films in programs "that is smart for both of us." Sabouni said Acura has "bought into the concept and is having a lot of fun with it." Separately, Dr. Pepper is buying TV, radio, online ads and setting up in-store displays to promote the six character cans it is producing for "Thor." It's targeting males with its core Dr. Pepper product and females with its diet and cherry varieties. Burger King will have toy-filled kids meals worldwide, backed by TV and online ads. Visa Signature cardholders get exclusive movie ticket offers at Fandango.com, a move that Par and Marvel hope will help sell more tickets to the pic but also puts the film in banks, where studios can't normally market. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven will offer up 10 different cups and other exclusive merchandise, as well as a Slurpee smartphone app at its stores, and a three-minute behind-the-scenes video on the making of the movie, produced by Marvel. It's buying radio and online ads to tubthump the products to its core Slurpee buyer that tends to be male and under 24. "Action-hero fans index high with Slurpee-lovers," said 7-Eleven VP and chief marketing officer Rita Bargerhuff. Naturally, Marvel is creating exclusive digital comicbooks for its partners to distribute individually or providing some with exclusive footage. "It's always important to give your partners a little corner of the movie," Marvel's Sabouni said. "We've learned how to do that over the years." Doing so helps giving the bad news that a partner's products will be destroyed on film a little easier. In scenes, a 7-Eleven store and Acura's vehicles are obliterated by the villainous Destroyer. "They definitely have allowed us to play a little bit more," Sabouni said. Acura approved the destruction "because there wasn't anything wrong with the car," Rossick said. "They weren't the reason things were blowing up." Given the amount of marketing coin Par is spending to promote "Thor," the pic doesn't necessarily need to generate more awareness with ticket buyers. But the ad efforts that promo partners are launching will help consumers learn about elements of the "Thor" characters and S.H.I.E.L.D org that they may not be familiar with. Dr. Pepper's ads will stress Thor's strength, speed and ability to fly, for example. "We provide activities that allow fans to engage in ways that are meaningful and fun, thus building more anticipation for the movie's release," 7-Eleven's Bargerhuff said. Ads from partners start Friday and run through July 6. Source (via autoblog); http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118034701?refCatId=13

Honda UK to launch a 1.6L or 1.8L diesel for Civic, Accord and CR-V

Better late than never. Finally Honda has decided to manufacture a new diesel engine which will power their luxury cars Civic, Accord and CR-V. Having manufactured just one diesel engine till date, the 2.4L which powered Accord, Honda did not miss diesel technology as they were probably happy with their popularity in manufacturing petrol engines. But times have changed. Customers today no longer believe that diesel powered cars are too different from their petrol counterparts. Instead diesel cars are more in demand than petrol cars today. This has forced the Japanese car maker to launch a new diesel engine for their luxury sedans and SUV. Mr David Hodgetts, MD, Honda UK, explained in an interview with Fleet News, that Honda will be launching their new diesel engine once their new Civic completes one year on road. So we can expect the new Honda diesel engine to be launched somewhere in 2013. No confirmation is available on whether Honda will be bringing this diesel engine to India. But, if we look at the exponential growth of the Indian auto industry, Honda will desperately want to launch diesel powered cars in India. Source; http://www.rushlane.com/honda-to-launch-a-1-6l-or-1-8l-diesel-for-civic-accord-and-cr-v-1212819.html

"Obama-masked bank robber" has been captured by the Austrian Police

The Austria’s police have detained a man alleged of robbing banks while wearing a mask of US President Barack Obama.

The man was captured after an armed robbery in Fornach, north-east of Salzburg, in Upper Austria. Police said a bank worker was seized at gunpoint before the robber escaped the sight in a car. More than 6 other armed robbery have been made by the man, Austrian media have called as the “Obama robber”.

Reports say the new robbery taken place on Thursday afternoon and the man was held about an hour later in a nearby timber. Markus Mitlohner, police spokesman said officers had recovered a mask, a weapon and robed money in the wood. Mr. Mitlohner told Austrian media that the criminal is a German citizen.

In 2008 a robber had been made the robbery incidents wearing a mask of an old man but trend has changed the robber has made robbery wearing Obama’s mask. 

The policy says previous the Obama robber had robbed in a town of Handenberg in January – his tactic never changed, only his flee cars. He turns up in a mask just before closing time, handling a silver pistol and a black shoulder bag.

The police officers said at the time he speaks the local language but could also be from Bavaria, just across the border in Germany.

The Austrian news website krone.at said, it was considered the robber had run away with 10,000 euros in Handenberg although his largest haul was 40,000 euros in July 2009.

India-as a Democratic state ban on a book is "shameful" the author says

The book on Mahatma Gandhi has been prohibited in Indian western state of Gujrat, the writer of the book said it is “dishonorable”

 The author Joseph Lelyved, who is the winner of Pulitzer Prize, said the book was banned on the sources of newspaper analyses. He said the reviews had dramatized about Gandhi's links with a German man, who may have been homosexual. Even though lawful, homosexuality still brings a shame in India.

Gujarat's state assembly passed a resolution collectively on Wednesday to disallow “Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle with India” with immediate effect, although it has not yet been published in India and some people will have read it.

 Mr. Lelyveld was referred as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency, India – that calls itself a democratic country it is regrettable to ban a book that anybody has read it including the people who making the ban. He said before banning the book they should evaluate the pages that they consider upset them before they take such a harsh step. I am very disappointed to imagine that India would so limit dialogue, he said.

On the other hand Indian writers and the relatives of Mahatma Gandhi have agitated against the ban. Tushar Gandhi the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi said he was against banning of books and that it did not a problem if the Mahatma was straight, gay or bisexual. "Eventually he would still be the man who guided India to independence.

Indian Writer Namita Gokhale said she was distressed by the ban, because you can’t stop ideas and thoughts. She said, being a democratic state the ideas is a gift and I think banning a book is the most meaningless practice.

Mr. Lelyveld has refused writing that Gandhi was a bisexual, saying his work had been taken out of perspective. "I do not claim that Gandhi is a bigoted or bisexual in Great Soul," he told the Times of India. "The word 'bisexual' nowhere shows in the book." But analysis of the book provide detailed comment on its coverage of his suspected affair with Hermann Kallenbach - a German architect, who moved abroad to South Africa, where he met Gandhi in 1904.

"How entirely you have taken ownership of my body," reads one generally referred letter from Gandhi to Mr. Kallenbach in the book. "This is slavery with retaliation."

Narendra Modi Chief Minister of Gujrat said that contents of the book were "vicious and insulted the symbol of passivity.