By Mark Memmott

This morning's headlines include:

-- The Associated Press -- Four U.S. Military Personnel Killed In Afgahnistan: In the past 24 hours four U.S. service members died in Afghanistan, NATO officials said today. The AP writes that:

Three of the Americans died in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, the statement said. Two of them were killed by a bomb attack and the third in a separate firefight. The military said the fourth U.S. service member died in the east Monday in a bomb explosion. The deaths bring the number of Americans killed in Afghanistan in November to 15. October was the deadliest month for U.S. troops in the eight-year war, with 58 dead.

From Kabul, NPR's Tom Bullock filed this report. As he says, 2009 has been the deadliest year so far for U.S. forces in Afghanistan:

-- BBC News -- "Philippines Gunmen Kill 21 In Election Violence": "Twenty-one politicians and journalists abducted in the southern Philippines have been found dead, the army says. The group was seized on the southern island of Mindanao early on Monday. ... The country is to hold national elections in May 2010. Registration for local and national races began earlier this month."

-- The Associated Press -- "Miners' Families Want Answers In China Mine Blast": "Grieving family members demanded answers Monday from mining officials about the underground gas explosion that left at least 104 men dead in northeastern China. The massive blast Saturday in Hegang city in frigid Heilongjiang province erupted at night when some 500 miners were working below ground. Most escaped, but 104 were confirmed dead and an additional four were missing and feared dead, the official Xinhua news agency reported Monday."

-- The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, Pa.) -- "Three Mile Island Incident Considered Minor, But Some Question Communication": "A radiation leak inside a reactor building at Three Mile Island posed no risk to public safety, according to TMI officials, but some local officials are upset about a lack of communication in what they agree was a minor incident. At 4 p.m. Saturday, about 150 workers inside the Unit 1 containment building were sent home after a radiation alarm sounded inside the building. TMI spokesman Ralph DeSantis said the employees were safe; the employee most seriously exposed to radiation received roughly the same dosage as an X-ray, he said."

Related NPR Newscast report from Scott Gilbert ofWITF -- Cause Is Unclear; Plant Grabbed Headlines In '79 After Partial Core Meltdown:

-- The Associated Press -- "Democrats At Odds Over Health Bill": "Moderate Senate Democrats threatened Sunday to scuttle health care legislation if their demands aren't met, while more liberal members warned their party leaders not to bend. The dispute among Democrats foretells of a rowdy floor debate next month on legislation that would extend health care coverage to roughly 31 million Americans. Republicans have already made clear that they aren't supporting the bill. Final passage is in jeopardy, even after the chamber's historic 60-39 vote Saturday night to begin debate."

Related story by USA TODAY -- "Health Care Lobby Booms": " Companies and groups hiring lobbying firms on health issues nearly doubled this year as special interests rushed to shape the massive revamp of the nation's health care system now in its final stretch before Congress. About 1,000 organizations have hired lobbyists since January, compared with 505 during the same period in 2008, according to a USA TODAY analysis of congressional records compiled by the nonpartisan CQ MoneyLine."

-- Morning Edition -- "Unexploded Bomb May Shatter N. Ireland Peace". "In Northern Ireland, a 400-pound car bomb failed to detonate over the weekend. It was placed outside police headquarters in Belfast, and that has residents wondering if dissident factions of the IRA are intent on stepping up violence." NPR's Rob Gifford spoke with ME host Renee Montagne:

Contributing: Chinita Anderson of Morning Edition.

By Frank James

A tour bus with senior citizens returning from a casino outing in Iowa rolled over on I-90 near Austin, Minn. There are reports of some deaths and nearly two dozen injuries.

The Austin Post-Bulletin news site reports:

A Strain Motorcoach Tours bus has crashed and is on its side in the westbound lane of I-90, about 2 miles west of Austin in Freeborn County.

There are reports of 22 injured and people trapped under the bus. Six medical helicopters are en route, as well as a number of ambulances

At least six emergency agencies have responded. Traffic along I-90 was backed up in both directions for more than two miles.

Firefighters entered the bus by pulling off the windshield since the bus had settled on its right side, blocking the door. The bus was apparently eastbound at the time of the crash and crossed the median, coming to rest in the ditch along westbound lanes, facing east.

One Mayo Clinic helicopter left the scene at 3:40 p.m. Two more medical helicopters left the scene at 4 p.m. There were reports of six helicopters en route to the scene. Multiple ambulances have left the scene. As of 4:10 p.m., it appeared all of the injured passengers have been removed from the bus.

Continue reading "Minnesota Bus Crash Results In Deaths, Injuries" >

By Mark Memmott

It's most likely that three college students who went missing Sunday accidentally drove into a North Dakota pond during a stargazing trip, the local sheriff said today.

Yesterday, authorities found the young womens' bodies, still inside the Jeep they had been riding in.

Today, the Associated Press reports, "Stark County Sheriff Clarence Tuhy said the women's SUV was found resting on its wheels Tuesday in about 10 feet of water hidden by tall grass, with the doors and windows closed. "When you're not familiar with an area like that it would have
been very easy to drive into," Tuhy said. Foul play is not suspected.

As the Bismarck Tribune writes, the search for the students "captured the attention of national media outlets, with television and radio networks from across the country clamoring for information."

The women, all softball players at Dickinson State University: Kyrstin Gemar, 22, of San Diego; Afton Williamson, 20, of Lake Elsinore, Calif.; and Ashley Neufeld, 21, of Brandon, Manitoba.

By Mark Memmott

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is due to reopen any minute now.

It's been closed since last Tuesday, when two rods and a crossbar -- part of an early September repair -- crashed to the deck.

Update at 11:57 a.m. ET. Traffic.511.org reports the bridge is:

NOW OPEN. Caltrans has finished its repairs of the crossbar and two rods that came loose from the eyebar repair. Caltrans made enhancements to the eyebar fix that strengthen it and reduce vibration.

By Mark Memmott

From the Associated Press:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a record $87 million fine against oil giant BP PLC for failing to correct safety hazards after a 2005 explosion killed 15 people at its Texas City refinery.

The fine -- the largest in OSHA's history -- comes after a 6-month inspection revealed hundreds of violations of a 2005 agreement to repair hazards at the refinery.

As NPR's Frank Langfitt reported in 2006, investigators determined that cost-cutting and faulty equipment were at fault:

By Mark Memmott

As California's 511.org reports, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge:

Is closed in both directions until further notice, and Caltrans currently estimates it will remain closed for the Friday morning commute. Caltrans crews are working to reopen the Bay Bridge as quickly as possible, with a goal of reopening the span sometime on Friday. Motorists are advised to plan ahead for commute alternatives for the Friday morning commute.

On Tuesday, a steel crossbeam and two steel tie rods crashed on to the span's upper deck. Ironically, the pieces came off a section that had been "repaired" in September.

On Morning Edition, NPR's Richard Gonzales reported about the bridge's woes -- it's just about reached its expected lifespan -- and commuters' anxious wait for it to be fixed.

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

President Barack Obama, as we reported earlier, paid a middle-of-the-night visit to Dover Air Force Base to pay his respects as the bodies of 18 Americans killed in Afghanistan were returned home.

For a close-up look at the dangers American personnel face in Afghanistan, particularly from improvised explosive devices, NPR's Tom Bowman continued Morning Edition's series of reports on the threats.

Another story that developed overnight: The Lost Angeles Times reports that "Iran's president today appeared to lend support to an International Atomic Energy Agency proposal to ship the bulk of his country's enriched uranium abroad, casting it as a victory for Iranian steadfastness as the world awaits Tehran's formal response to the deal."

As for other stories making headlines, they include:

-- The Washington Post -- "Obama Seeks Study On Local Leaders For Troop Decision": "President Obama has asked senior officials for a province-by-province analysis of Afghanistan to determine which regions are being managed effectively by local leaders and which require international help, information that his advisers say will guide his decision on how many additional U.S. troops to send to the battle."

-- The New York Times -- "Shortage Of Vaccine Poses Political Test For Obama": "Despite months of planning and preparation, a (swine flu) vaccine shortage is threatening to undermine public confidence in government, creating a very public test of Mr. Obama's competence."

-- San Francisco Chronicle -- "Bridge Parts Couldn't Take The Wind": "High winds caused a steel crossbeam and two steel tie rods to snap off the Bay Bridge's eastern span and fall to the upper deck, Caltrans officials said (Wednesday) as commuters unable to drive over the closed bridge jammed alternative routes and crowded onto BART in record numbers."

On All Things Considered, NPR's Richard Gonzales reported that it's not clear when the bridge will reopen:

-- Detroit Free Press -- Mosque Leader Believed He Was At War With Government, FBI Says: The Detroit imam killed in a shoot-out with FBI agents yesterday:

Believed he and his followers were soldiers at war against the government and non-Muslims.

"Abdullah told his followers it is their duty to oppose the FBI and the government and it does not matter if they die," FBI agent Gary Leone said in an affidavit unsealed Wednesday. "He also told the group that they need to plan to do something."

-- World Series -- Phillies Win First Game; 6-1 Over The Yankees.

By Mark Memmott

"A strong earthquake has rocked part of Indonesia's eastern Papua island, causing panic among residents," the Associated Press reports.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the temblor had a 6.0 magnitude. It happened at 7:15 a.m. ET -- 8:15 p.m. local time in Papua.

There's no alert at the National Weather Service's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

As the AP reminds us, "Friday's quake came as Indonesia is still recovering from another, more powerful earthquake on Papua that killed more than 1,000 people last month." The AP also says that "local MetroTV reported that (today's) quake caused at least one building to collapse."

By Mark Memmott

An urgent cry for help from one of the world's poorest nations:

"Ethiopia appealed on Thursday for 159,410 tons of emergency aid to feed 6.2 million people, 25 years after more than a million perished in the country's notorious famine," Reuters writes.

As the BBC says, "hunger stalks Ethiopia once again."

The Associated Press notes that "the crisis stems from a drought that has affected much of the Horn of Africa, including Kenya and Somalia."

Oxfam International says a "radical shake-up" of the aid system is needed to break Ethiopia's "cycle of hunger."

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

As we just reported, there's word from Vienna this morning that a draft agreement has been reached for Iran to export most of its enriched uranium to Russia for processing. That's been a critical goal of negotiators from the U.S., France and Russia because it could lessen the chances of Iran obtaining enough fuel for a nuclear weapon.

We'll watch for more news on that as the day continues.

Meanwhile, other stories making headlines include:

-- USA TODAY -- "White House Neglecting Bioterrorism," Bipartisan Commission Warns: " The Obama administration is working hard to curb nuclear threats but failing to address the more urgent and immediate threat of biological terrorism, a bipartisan commission created by Congress is reporting today. The report obtained by USA TODAY cites failures on biosecurity policy by the White House, which the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction says has left the country vulnerable. ... White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said protecting the nation from deadly weapons is among President Obama's 'top national security priorities.' "

-- The Associated Press -- "Watchdog: Bailout Helped But At A Great Cost": "A government watchdog said the $700 billion bailout for the financial industry played a major role in rescuing the economy over the last year but also engendered anger and distrust among Americans because of secrecy and confusion about the way the program was handled. The mixed and blunt assessment by Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general in charge of oversight for the bailout fund, comes just as the administration is taking steps to wind down and refocus the Wall Street rescue effort. Barofsky's conclusions are in a quarterly report scheduled for release Wednesday." (That report is to be posted here.)

From a related story by USA TODAY:

"The American people's belief that the funds went into a black hole, or that there was a transfer of wealth from taxpayers to Wall Street, is one of the worst outcomes of this program, and that is the reputational damage to the government," said Neil Barofsky, special inspector general of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), in an interview.

-- The Washington Post -- "U.S. Deeply Split On Troop Increase For Afghan War": "As President Obama and his war cabinet deliberate a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, Americans are evenly and deeply divided over whether he should send 40,000 more troops there, and public approval of the president's handling of the situation has tumbled, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll."

Related story by the Associated Press -- "Afghan President's Rival Accepts Nov. 7 Runoff": "President Hamid Karzai's chief political rival agreed Wednesday to take part in the Nov. 7 runoff election, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown in the face of Taliban threats and approaching winter snows. Ex-Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah made his comment to reporters one day after Karzai bowed to intense U.S. and international pressure and accepted findings of a U.N.-backed panel that there had been massive fraud on his behalf in the Aug. 20 vote. Those findings showed Karzai failed to win the 50 percent required to avoid a runoff."

Helping the injured after a train crash today near Agra, India. (AP photo)

-- NPR News -- At Least 21 Killed In Train Crash. NPR's Philip Reeves reports from New Delhi:

-- Morning Edition -- Obama To Increase Credit To Small Businesses. As NPR's Scott Horsley reports, some small business owners say they desperately need more help if they're going to stay in business:

-- The New York Times -- Administration Doesn't Always Listen To Volcker: Former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker is a top economic adviser to President Barack Obama, but his advice that the nation's banks "be prohibited from owning and trading risky securities, the very practice that got the biggest ones into deep trouble in 2008," isn't gaining favor within the administration.

-- Morning Edition -- The "Public Option" Is Short On Support In Senate. NPR's David Welna reports:

Contributing: Chinita Anderson of Morning Edition.

By Mark Memmott

Wow:

According to Australia's Herald Sun, the six-month-old boy -- who was thankfully strapped into his "pram" -- was dragged about 90 feet, but suffered only a minor bump on his head. This all happened yesterday in the Melbourne suburb of Ashburton, the newspaper says. It adds that:

Intensive care paramedic Jon Wright said they arrived to find the six-month-old baby being comforted by his mother.

"It appears that the baby was strapped into his pram which has rolled forward onto the tracks and into the path of an oncoming train,' he said.

"Fortunately the train was slowing as it pulled into the station. The pram was pushed along the tracks for about 30m.

"The baby received a bump to his head and was distressed when we arrived. Luckily he was strapped into his pram at the time, which probably saved his life,' Mr Wright said.

The baby is now back home after being treated at Royal Children's Hospital.

Whew.

By Mark Memmott

Some of the news that's broken overnight from overseas:

Pakistan: "A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb at a mosque next to a police station in the northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar on Friday, killing 11 people in the latest bloodshed in an unrelenting wave of terror that has hit the country," the Associated Press writes.

From Islamabad, NPR's Julie McCarthy reports that "militants are thought to be intensifying their campaign of terror to stall or pre-empt an army operation in South Waziristan, their stronghold."

Iraq: Reuters reports that "a suicide bomb killed nine people and wounded 33 on Friday in an attack on a Sunni Muslim mosque in north Iraq's restive province of Nineveh, police said."

Afghanistan: "The U.S. military says four American service members have been killed in a bombing in southern Afghanistan," the AP reports. "A U.S. statement Friday said that two of the service members were killed instantly in the blast and two others suffered fatal injuries in the same explosion. Names of the victims and the precise location of the Thursday attack were not released. The latest deaths bring to 25 the number of American troops killed in Afghanistan this month."

Indonesia: "A strong earthquake has rattled buildings in Indonesia's capital," Jakarata, the AP says. The estimated magnitude: 6.4. There's no word yet on injuries or damages.

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

Now that the Senate Finance Committee has passed its version of legislation to overhaul the nation's health care system, work begins on melding that bill with the version passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Meanwhile, as we reported a few minutes ago, there's going to be renewed attention today for the bonuses paid to executives at bailed-out insurance giant AIG. A House committee will hear testimony on the problem that the Treasury Department had trying to understand AIG's compensation plan.

As for other stories making headlines, they include:

-- CBS News -- "Afghan Corruption Could Derail Troop Surge": "Rampant government corruption might derail the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan even if as many as 80,000 additional U.S. troops are sent to the war, the top military commander there has concluded, according to U.S. officials briefed on his recommendations. The conclusion by Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal is part of a still-secret document that requests more troops even as he warns that they ultimately may not prevent terrorists from turning Afghanistan back into a haven."

-- The Guardian -- "Gordon Brown To Send More British Troops To Afghanistan": British Prime Minister Gordon Brown "will announce in parliament today that he has agreed to send 500 more soldiers to Afghanistan, straight after reading out a grim roll call of the 37 troops who were killed in the conflict while MPs were on their summer recess."

-- Morning Edition -- "U.S. Lawmakers Tout Aid Plan That's Heavily Criticized In Pakistan": NPR's Michele Kelemen reports:

-- The Washington Post -- "Health Insurers Emerge As Obama's Top Foe In Reform Effort": "Attacks on the leading Democratic reform plan this week by the insurance lobby left little doubt that two of the most powerful institutions involved in the debate -- the White House and the nation's insurance companies -- have abandoned any real hope of forging a compromise."

Related report on All Things Considered -- "Insurance Lobby Group Says Plan Would Spike Costs":

-- Los Angeles Times -- Southern California Battered By Storm: About 12,000 people in Los Angeles were without power last night as a storm pummeled Southern California. "The storm, which battered the northern part of the state with heavy rain and wind, was losing power but could still dump up to 4 inches of rain in mountain areas ravaged by recent wildfires, according to the National Weather Service. About half an inch of rain was expected in coastal areas."

Related report from NPR News -- Record Rainfall In Many Areas:

-- The Wall Street Journal -- "Drink's iPhone 'App' Gets Anger Flowing": "Energy drinks are meant to be edgy and cool, and drunk by young men. So PepsiCo Inc. decided to release an Apple iPhone application for its Amp Energy drink to appeal to guys out on the prowl. Now the snack and beverage giant is facing a storm of criticism for 'Amp Up Before You Score.' The app, released last Friday, purports to help men pick up any one of 24 types of women, such as the 'sorority girl,' 'cougar,' 'rebound girl' or 'punk rock girl.' "

Related story on Morning Edition -- "Pepsi Apologizes After iPhone App Spurs Complaints". NPR's Laura Sydell reports:

They've got some harrowing tales. (Steven Day/AP)

By Mark Memmott

"Am I in heaven?" passenger Denis Lockie asked after the jet came to a halt in the middle of the river.

"No, and I'm no angel," said her seat mate, Mark Hood.

That's just one of many amazing exchanges in USA TODAY's report this morning about what it was like aboard US Airways Flight 1549 last Jan. 15 when the jet had to ditch in the Hudson River.

Writers William Prochnau and Laura Parker interviewed 118 of the 155 passengers to put together an almost minute-by-minute account. Here's an excerpt:

Some passengers say they had out-of-body experiences, others talked to God. The flight became an eternity for some, mere seconds for others. Some later thought they'd been airborne for a half-hour.

Lives flashed before eyes, Hollywood-style. Dave Sanderson, a Charlotte computer expert, replayed Little League baseball games, saw his first girlfriend, revisited his college days.

Tripp Harris, a banking consultant, went the other direction. He saw scenes from a future lost, playing catch with his 2-year-old son, helping him in school. "How badly I wanted to see him grow up."

Tonight, by the way, Captain Chesley Sullenberger is due on Comedy Central's The Daily Show to talk about his new book.

By Frank James

The way a tsunami wave can toss heavy objects about and carry victims out to sea is readily apparent in this Federal Bureau of Investigation video the bureau has released of the Sept. 29, 2009 earthquake-induced wave that struck American Samoa and other South Pacific islands.

The video was recorded by the FBI's office in Pago Pago which is on the second floor of the building.

You can see three people walking across the parking lot. The first two walk out of the bottom of the video frame. A third person walks in the same direction as the first two, then stops and walks back towards the direction of the ocean. The person stops, apparently scanning the ocean, then turns and runs in the other direction after spotting the incoming tsunami wave. The questions that haunt the viewer are what became of these people? Did they survive?

Continue reading "FBI Video Shows Power Of Tsunami Hitting American Samoa" >

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake off Vanuatu on Wednesday caused scientists at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to warn several South Pacific islands of potentially dangerous waves. (Marco Garcia / AP Photo)

By Frank James

Another major earthquake struck the Pacific Ocean Wednesday, measuring 7.3 in magnitude according to the U.S. Geological Service. It struck at about 6:03 pm ET 183 miles northwest of the island of Vanuatu.

View Larger Map

Being only 21 miles into the earth's crust, which is relatively shallow and makes for stronger shaking than a deeper quake would, a tsunami warning was issued for the following islands:

Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guniea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Kirabati, Kosrae, Wallis-Futana and Howland-Baker.

By Frank James

Admiral Timothy J. Keating, Commander of Pacific Command, gets credit for one of Friday's pithiest comments.

Adm. Timothy Keating. (Haraz N. Ghanbari / AP Photo)

Describing the assistance units under his command were providing to victims of the week's tsunami in the Pacific Ocean as well as the Indonesian earthquake and preparations being made for the arrival of Typhoon Parma in the Philippines, he said:

"So, in the waters of -- and the air of the Pacific, it's not pacific."

In Padang, many are grieving. (Bay Ismoyo/AFP/Getty Images)

By Mark Memmott

Here's the latest on this week's deadly natural disasters in the south Pacific:

-- The Associated Press: "Rescue workers used excavators Thursday to pull out victims, some screaming in pain, from the heavy rubble of buildings felled by a powerful earthquake that killed at least 529 people.

"The death toll was expected to rise. The brunt of Wednesday's 7.6-magnitude earthquake, which originated in the sea off Sumatra island, appeared to have been borne by Padang town where 376 people were killed. Four other districts accounted for the remaining deaths.

"The region was jolted by another powerful earthquake Thursday morning, causing damage but no reported fatalities."

-- BBC News: "The social affairs ministry gave the latest confirmed death toll of 529, but Rustam Pakaya, head of the health ministry's disaster center in Jakarta, said: 'Our prediction is that thousands have died.' "

-- The Jakarta Post: "The government has declared evacuation of victims the top priority of humanitarian efforts in Padang and Pariaman following a 7.6-magnitude earthquake that rattled the West Sumatra towns on Wednesday. Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie said thousands of people might have remained trapped under the rubble as the quake caused many buildings to collapse."

-- The Guardian: "Samoa Tsunami Warning System Failed Us, Say Survivors".

-- CNN.com: "Storm-Ravaged Philippines Braced For 'Super Typhoon' Parma".

On Morning Edition, NPR's Richard Harris explored the question of whether the earthquakes this week near Samoa, Indonesia and Peru are related. The short answer -- probably not:

By Mark Memmott

Reuters has posted this video of the aftermath from today's powerful earthquake off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island, where thousands may be trapped beneath collapsed buildings:

View Larger Map

By Frank James

The Jakarta Post has some interesting information about today's 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Western Sumatra which appear to have hit hard the towns of Padang and Pariaman.

It reports that the electric utility cut the power to Padang. Utilities normally do that to reduce the chances of fires and electrocutions and to make it safer for rescue workers to operate in the rubble.

But the lack of electricity means information will come out very slowly since phones are likely down too.

The Jakarta Post also reports that both locations have high-rises which are a cause for worry.

The airport in Padang has also been closed which keep relief flights from getting in.

By Mark Memmott

Breaking news from Asia:

"A powerful earthquake off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island has damaged houses and bridges, and caused fires in the city of Padang in Sumatra, a Reuters witness said on Wednesday."

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates the temblor had a 7.9 magnitude. That's a major earthquake. The epicenter is thought to have been about 30 miles west northwest of Padang, Sumatra. It happened around 6:16 a.m. ET.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a "regional tsunami watch" for Indonesia, India, Thailand and Malaysia.

Yesterday, a quake near Samoa with a magnitude between 8.0 and 8.3 sent a massive tsunami across Samoa and American Samoa, killing 100 or so people and leaving dozens missing.

Update at 7:55 a.m. ET: NOAA's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has canceled its "tsunami watch". The Japan Meteorological Agency has also lifted "all tsunami warnings and advisories".

Update at 7:15 a.m .ET: USGS now estimates the quake had a 7.6 magnitude.

Update at 7:10 a.m. ET. The Associated Press reports that the quake "rocked western Indonesia ... triggering a tsunami alert for countries along the Indian Ocean and sending panicked residents out of their houses. ... An Indonesian television network reported that buildings had collapsed in the coastal city of Padang, in Southern Sumatra province."

A main road in the downtown area of Fagatogo, is seen flooded by water from a tsunami that struck American Samoa and other South Pacific islands on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009. (Fili Sagapolutele / AP Photo)

By Frank James

The latest information on the magnitude 8.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami in the South Pacific suggests that the fatalities and damage will be greater than the first reports Tuesday would have led us to believe.

From the available news reports, the tsunami that hit the islands nearest American Samoa (the quake's epicenter was about 127 miles southwest of that island) were hit with towering waves, peaking at 15 feet to 20 feet, causing significant destruction and sweeping dozens of people out to sea.

Here's some of what the Associated Press is reporting:

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (AP) - At least 34 people have been killed by towering tsunami waves that crashed onto Samoa and American Samoa. They were generated by a powerful earthquake.

The waves swept people and cars from the Pacific islands. Dozens of workers from National Park Service facilities are missing. The full measure of death and destruction remains unclear because of power and communication outages.

One official reportedly says four waves 15 to 20 feet high rolled ashore, pushing water up to a mile inland. Residents on both islands say they were shaken awake early Wednesday by the quake, which lasted two to three minutes.

Tonga suffered some coastal damage from 13-foot waves. And Japan's Meteorological Agency also issued a tsunami warning all along that country's eastern coast.

The effects of the tsunami resulting from the magnitude 8.0 earthquake were expected to be only slightly noticeable along the U.S.'s western coast on Tuesday evening with waves only about three feet higher than they would have been otherwise hitting Pacific beaches.

Here's a YouTube video from the town of Leone in western American Samoa showing some fairly breathtaking damage from the force of the waves. It appears Leone took a direct hit:

Meanwhile, there are some dramatic photos of the destruction coming in via Twitter.

Continue reading "Pacific Tsunami Reportedly Killed Dozens On American Samoa With 15, 20 Ft Waves" >

This undated handout photo provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows an example of an unsecured driver-side floor mat trapping the accelerator pedal in a 2007 Lexus ES350.(AP Photo/NHTSA )

By Frank James

Toyota is recalling 3.8 million vehicles in the car maker's biggest U.S. recall for dealers to remove mats linked to a number of serious incidents, including a recent California crash in which a floor mat interfered with the accelerator, leading the vehicle to speed out of control, killing four people.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a press release warning owners of the affected vehicles to take immediate action.

From a NHTSA press release:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today alerted Lexus and Toyota owners about conditions that could cause the accelerator to get stuck open under certain conditions. The agency strongly recommends taking out removable floor mats on the driver's side in certain models and not to replace them with any other mat, either from Toyota or any other brand.

"This is an urgent matter," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "For everyone's sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration."

NHTSA notes that there continue to be reports of accelerator pedal clearance issues which provide the potential for an accelerator pedal to get stuck in the full open position. A stuck accelerator may result in very high vehicle speeds and a crash, which could cause serious injury or death.

NHTSA said that Toyota has announced that it will soon launch a safety recall of various model year vehicles to redress the problem. However the safety agency warned owners to remove all driver-side floor mats from the models listed below immediately as an interim safety measure in advance of the recall.

Toyota and Lexus vehicles affected by this consumer alert are:

2007-2010 Camry 2005-2010 Avalon 2004-2009 Prius 2005-2010 Tacoma 2007-2010 Tundra 2007-2010 ES 350 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350

Continue reading "Toyota Recalls 3.8 Million Cars For Floor Mats Linked To Stuck Gas Pedals" >

By Frank James

There are reports of some deaths and destruction because of the at least 8.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred under the Pacific Ocean about 125 miles southwest of American Samoa. An earlier report put the magnitude lower at 7.9.

Reuters is reporting that there were some deaths:

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 29 (Reuters) - A tsunami following an earthquake in the Pacific Ocean off has caused some deaths in American Samoa , but there is no word of how many died, an official for the U.S. National Park Service said on Tuesday.

Holly Bundock, spokeswoman for the National Park Service's Pacific West Region in Oakland, California, quoted Mike Reynolds, superintendent of the National Park of American Samoa, as saying there had been some deaths.

The Associated Press isn't yet reporting any deaths. But it does report that at least one village was completely destroyed:

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (AP) - A powerful 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck in the South Pacific between Samoa and American Samoa around dawn Tuesday, sending terrified residents fleeing for higher ground as a tsunami swept ashore, flattening at least one village. There were no immediate reports of fatalities.

By Mark Memmott

Last week's flooding in the southeast sent raw sewage pouring into the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta. Now, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says, federal officials have tested the river's water "and found the E. coli bacteria level was 42 times greater than the highest safe level."

"There is no way you want to get in or even touch water [this dirty]," Sally Bethea of the organization Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper tells the AJC. "I've never seen the water so filthy. It was just filthy, and it didn't smell very good in some places."

It could be weeks before the water is reasonably clean, authorities say, and in the meantime:

The dangers will become more pronounced, (Tim Cash of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division) said, as the floodwaters recede and flows return to normal.

As the amount of water declines, the contaminants become a greater portion of the river.

According to Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, the river "provides drinking water for more than 3.5 million people, including 70% of the people in metro Atlanta (approximately 450 million gallons per day)."

The city's drinking water is said to be safe.

Aftermath of the explosion and fire at the Imperial Sugar Company's plant fire in Port Wentworth, Ga. which killed 14 and injured scores. (AP Photo/POOL)

By Frank James

Last year's deaths of 14 sugar factory workers in Georgia could have been prevented if manufacturer Imperial Sugar Co. had taken available steps to reduce the presence of sugar dust in its facility, according to federal officials.

According to an item by NPR's Kathy Lohr for the network's newscast:

The U.S Chemical Safety Board found that the explosion was entirely preventable. It found equipment was not designed correctly or maintained properly which allowed sugar dust to pile up around the plant. The board also found written warnings about the hazards of combustible dust in company memos dating back to the 1960's.

According to the report, "Imperial Sugar management was aware of the hazards associated with combustible sugar dust, but in the absence of any major catastrophic incident during many years ... the hazardous conditions went uncorrected."

Last year, OSHA fined imperial sugar for more than 200 safety violations at its refineries in Georgia and Louisiana. Since the 2008 explosion, families of those who died or were injured have filed more than 30 civil lawsuits. This new report could bolster their cases.

Imperial Sugar Final 20

Continue reading "Imperial Sugar Factory Explosion That Killed 14 In Georgia Was Avoidable" >

By Mark Memmott

Torrential rains that have already led to at least half a dozen deaths in the Southeast have now produced flooding that overwhelmed a water treatment plant in Atlanta this morning, "causing a massive dump of raw sewage" into the Chattahoochee River, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

According to the newspaper, "the R.M. Clayton plant is the largest in Georgia with capacity to treat 240 million gallons of sewage a day."

One bit of good news: Lake Lanier, which supplies most of Atlanta's water, has been partly replenished.

By Mark Memmott

My contribution just published here. It's this:

Driving to USA TODAY in Arlington, I heard the first reports. From the office, we could see smoke rising from the Pentagon. Unreal.

If you've got a memory to share of where you were or what you were thinking on Sept. 11, 2001, there's an interesting collection rapidly building on Twitter. Just mark your entry with #on911 so that others can find it.

A sampling of what's already been posted:

-- glutenfreegirl: Mostly, I remember the quiet. The silence in the skies that afternoon, the way we all looked at each other, no words, understanding.

-- CarFan_5801: I was woken by phone call from son telling me the towers had collapsed. I watched the TV in shock and I knew it meant war.

-- yoherb: I woke up in a hotel room in LA and sat in the dark for hours watching the horror unfold. Pit in my stomach today.

-- safiyama: my husband went back home for lunch money and was late for work ...as he walked to tower2, he watched his office building fall...

-- j_wa: Remember gathering in the conference room to watch the news unfold. Then running home to hug my daughter. Still gives me chills.

By Mark Memmott

The BBC reports there were no life jackets aboard when a boat that was mostly full of schoolchildren sank Wednesday in Sierra Leone.

According to the Associated Press, police official Ibrahim Samura says at least 221 people remain missing and 39 passengers have been rescued so far.

The BBC says "the boat was traveling a sea route of about 40 miles along the coast from the town of Shenge to the village of Tombo near the capital, Freetown." Reuters says the boat was caught in a storm.

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

As our day begins, there's fresh -- and mildly encouraging -- news from the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development. In a new report, the global economic development agency concludes that:

Recovery from the global recession is likely to arrive earlier than had been expected a few months ago but the pace of activity will remain weak well into next year.

You can expect to hear more about the economy, and why the Obama administration believes its actions have helped turn things around, when Vice President Joe Biden speaks this morning at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

Other news that's occurred overnight includes:

-- Word from the western Chinese city of Urumqi about more protests there. In July, ethnic clashes between the majority Han and ethnic Uighurs left about 200 people dead.

-- A vote by the Iranian parliament to approve President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's new cabient. the ministers include "the first woman in the 30-year history of the Islamic republic," the BBC reports.

As for stories making headlines:

-- Morning Edition -- Obama Seeks To Regain Momentum On Health Care. NPR's Mara Liasson reports on the administration's strategy and the address President Barack Obama will make before Congress next Wednesday:

Related story by The New York Times -- "Obama Aides Aim To Simplify And Scale Back Health Bills": "President Obama plans to address a joint session of Congress next week in an effort to rally support for health care legislation as White House officials look for ways to simplify and scale back the major Democratic bills, lower the cost and drop contentious but nonessential elements."

Related story by Politico -- "Obama's Speech: High Risk, High Reward."

Related story on Morning Edition -- "Minnesota Experiment Puts Patient Health First." NPR's David Welna reports:

Related story on Morning Edition -- "Records Of Health Worker Misdeeds Kept Secret."

-- USA TODAY -- "Women Take Over The Workplace": "Women are on the verge of outnumbering men in the workforce for the first time, a historic reversal caused by long-term changes in women's roles and massive job losses for men during this recession. Women held 49.83% of the nation's 132 million jobs in June and they're gaining the vast majority of jobs in the few sectors of the economy that are growing, according to the most recent numbers available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics."

Related story by The New York Times -- "A Reluctance To Retire Means Fewer Openings."

-- Los Angeles Times -- "Crews Probe Point Of Origin As Fire Marches East": "Fire investigators hunched under a scorched, 20-foot-tall oak tree off Angeles Crest Highway on Wednesday afternoon, using wire mesh sifters to search through the ash in an attempt to determine whether the largest brush fire in Los Angeles County history was deliberately set."

-- Morning Edition -- Haqqani Network Conducts Its Own Reign Of Terror In Afghanistan. The Haqqani Network is a terrorist group that is not as well known as the Taliban or al-Qaida. From its base in Pakistan, the group has mounted a series of sophisticated attacks in Afghanistan. NPR's Renee Montagne talks with terrorism expert Vahid Brown about the group:

One final thing to note: The body of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, will be interred in a mausoleum this evening at Forest Lawn Glendale, just north of downtown Los Angeles. It's supposed to be a private ceremony.

Click here to read the rest of The Two-Way.

By Frank James

Responding to the crash between the small private plane and a sightseeing helicopter over the Hudson River near Manhattan last month, the Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it was taking steps to keep such accidents from happening again.

One of the biggest changes would be the creation of separate zones, one for aircraft flying over the river, another for helicopters and seaplanes.

As excerpt from the FAA's press release:

The safety enhancements would restructure the airspace, mandate pilot operating rules, create a new entry point into the Hudson River airspace from Teterboro, standardize New York area charts and develop new training for pilots, air traffic controllers and businesses that operate helicopters and aircraft in the area.

One of the most significant changes, if adopted, would divide the airspace into altitude corridors that separate aircraft flying over the river from those operating to and from local heliports or seaplane bases.

The crash killed nine people, including a group of five Italian tourists aboard the sight-seeing helicopter.

By Mark Memmott

There's breaking news from Afghanistan this morning -- a suicide bomber set off an explosion that killed the nation's deputy chief of intelligence and at least 22 other people.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened in the eastern province of Laghman as the intelligence chief, Abdullah Laghmani, was leaving a ceremony that marked the inauguration of a mosque. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson filed this report from Kabul:

Related story in The Washington Post -- "Taliban Surprising U.S. Forces With Improved Tactics."

Related story in The Wall Street Journal -- "Warlord's Defection Shows Afghan Risk."

Unfortunately, there's other breaking news of death and destruction to pass on from overseas:

-- "A bomb has exploded outside the Athens stock exchange, slightly injuring a female passer-by and damaging the building," the BBC reports. "The blasts may be the work of a Greek extremists' group, Revolutionary Struggle, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens."

-- "A powerful earthquake in Indonesia has killed at least 11 people and injured dozens of others," the Associated Press writes. "National Disaster Management Agency Satrio Nurhadiwibowo spokesman says those killed were in two towns in West Java province."

As for other stories making headlines, they include:

-- Politico -- "Obama Shifts Strategy;" Won't Insist On "Public Option": "Aides to President Barack Obama are putting the final touches on a new strategy to help Democrats recover from a brutal August recess by specifying what Obama wants to see in a compromise health care deal and directly confronting other trouble spots, West Wing officials tell Politico. Obama is considering detailing his health-care demands in a major speech as soon as next week, when Congress returns from the August recess. And although House leaders have said their members will demand the inclusion of a public insurance option, Obama has no plans to insist on it himself, the officials said."

Related story on Morning Edition -- Lobbyists Campaign For Their Versions Of Health Care Overhaul. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with lobbyist Paul Lee about how it works:

-- Los Angeles Times -- "Weather Aids Firefighters, But Some Flanks Of Fire Have Lethal Potential": "Higher humidity and slightly lower temperatures helped firefighters inch closer to subduing the monstrous fire that has lashed about the San Gabriel Mountains for a week, but they were scrambling late Tuesday in gusty winds to keep it from overrunning Mt. Wilson."

-- U.N. Office On Drugs and Crime -- "Afghan Opium Production In Significant Decline": "Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is down 22%, opium production is down 10%, while prices are at a 10-year low. The number of opium poppy-free provinces has increased from 18 to 20 out of a total number of 34, and more drugs are being seized as a result of more robust counter-narcotics operations by Afghan and NATO forces."

Related report from Kabul by NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson:

-- The New York Times -- "Tribal Leaders Say Karzai's Team Forged 23,900 Votes": "The accusations ... are the most serious allegations so far that have been publicized against (President Hamid) Karzai's electoral machine, which faces a deluge of fraud complaints from around the country."

-- Morning Edition -- Some Jobs Are "Gone For Good". "The labor market will remain tough for many months to come. But when jobs eventually come back, traditionally strong areas such as health care and education are expected to lead the way. Analysts say weaker ones -- such as construction -- could take years to return. And many jobs in areas such as autos and newspapers are gone for good." NPR's Frank Langfitt reports:

Not a pretty sight. (Mount Wilson Observatory / astro.ucla.edu)

By Mark Memmott

Sky & Telescope is blogging the story as the wildfires around Los Angeles near the Mount Wilson Observatory. The blog's Kelly Beatty writes that:

Despite the loss of the summit's primary power line, Mount Wilson's webcam is still working, and its westward view at dawn shows standing trees and lots of smoke -- but no flame.

We've captured an image from the towercam for this post. It was taken at 11:04 a.m. ET. Click here to go to the towercam's webpage.

The observatory celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004.

Among those who worked there over the years was Edwin Hubble -- namesake of the Hubble Telescope. Albert Einstein visited in 1931. There's a timeline of important moments over its first 100 years online here.

Later today, All Things Considered plans to have more about the observatory, its history, and the nearby fires.

As we noted yesterday, there are many online sources for keeping track of the fires. NPR.org's coverage starts here.

Firefighters set this "back fire" in La Crescenta in a bid to control the spread of flames. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

By Mark Memmott

The news from southern California this morning isn't good. As the Los Angeles Times puts it, "Blaze Consumes 105,000 Acres, No End In Sight. Huge Wildfire Shows Little Sign Of Slowing Down."

"This is a very angry fire that we're fighting right now," U.S. Forest Service Cmdr. Mike Dietrich said Monday night.

Nova Safo filed this report for NPR News earlier. Firefighters are trying to box in the blazes outside Los Angeles, but are hindered by the rugged terrain:

As we noted yesterday, there are many online sources for keeping track of the fires.

Other stories making headlines this morning include:

-- The New York Times -- "Justice Dept. To Recharge Enforcement Of Civil Rights": "Seven months after taking office, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. is reshaping the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division by pushing it back into some of the most important areas of American political life, including voting rights, housing, employment, bank lending practices and redistricting after the 2010 census."

-- Politico -- "White House Fears Liberal War Pressure": "White House officials are increasingly worried liberal, anti-war Democrats will demand a premature end to the Afghanistan war before President Barack Obama can show signs of progress in the eight-year conflict, according to senior administration sources."

Related stories on Morning Edition:

-- "Afghan Commander Calls For New Strategy."

-- "Fraud Complaints Cloud Afghan Election."

-- ABC News' Political Punch blog -- Obama Is Having More Success Against Terrorists Than Bush Did, President's National Security Adviser Says: "Responding to criticism from former Vice President Cheney that President Obama is making the nation more vulnerable to terrorism, the president's National Security Adviser, Gen. Jim Jones (Ret.), told ABC News in an exclusive interview that actually the reverse is true: President Obama's greater success with international relations has meant more terrorists put out of commission."

-- The Associated Press -- "Mexico Tries To Evacuate Thousands Ahead of Jimena": "Emergency workers struggled to evacuate thousands of reluctant slum dwellers as extremely dangerous Hurricane Jimena approached Mexico's resort-studded Baja California Peninsula on Tuesday. Jimena, just short of Category 5 status with winds of near 155 mph (250 kph), could rake the harsh desert region fringed with picturesque beaches and fishing villages as a major storm by Tuesday evening."

-- BBC News -- "Iran Has 'New Nuclear Proposal' ": "Iran has prepared a new nuclear proposal and is ready to resume talks on its nuclear program, according to media reports. The Islamic Republic's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili was quoted making the claim on Iranian television."

Among the news to watch for later today: At 10 a.m. ET, the Census Bureau releases figures on construction spending in July.

Contributing: Chinita Anderson of Morning Edition.

In Acton, Calif., the sky glowed red last night. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

By Mark Memmott

As wildfires continue to rage in some of the mountains of Los Angeles County, here are some online resources for the latest news about affected areas, evacuations, road closures and other critical information:

-- The County of Los Angeles Fire Department's website.

-- KPCC's "Fire Updates." There's a link on that page to the station's live stream.

-- KCAL-TV's "FireWatch".

-- The Los Angeles Times' LATimesfires twitter page(use @latimesfirest to get there).

-- KABC-TV's list of school closures, its interactive map and its Twitter page (use @abc7 to get there).

-- The LAFD's Flickr account.

In Acton, Calif., flames soared into the sky Sunday. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

By Mark Memmott

Raging wildfires in Los Angeles County lead the news this morning. Two firefighters lost their lives yesterday, and about 12,000 homes are threatened. The so-called Station fire covers thousands of acres and is "very much out of control," the Los Angeles Times reports.

As NPR's Mandalit Del Barco reports, the flames also threaten to disrupt vital communications networks in southern California. She spoke with Morning Edition's Renee Montagne:

Other stories making headlines this morning include:

-- Kyodo News -- "Japan Bureaucracy Appears Unruffled By DPJ's Sweeping Victory": "Central government officials on Monday appeared unruffled by the Democratic Party of Japan's landslide victory driving the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party from power for only the second time in its 54-year history. ... 'It's just like when the president changes in a private company,'' said a high-ranking Finance Ministry official, who refused to be named. ''All we have to do is to follow the policy of our new head.'' The DPJ, which has never governed since its inception in 1996, has pledged to wrest power from elite bureaucrats in formulating policies and put an end to what it sees as wasteful spending."

Related story from NPR's Louisa Lim on Morning Edition -- A "seismic shift" in Japan:

-- The New York Times -- "As Big Banks Repay Bailout Money, U.S. Sees A Profit": "Nearly a year after the federal rescue of the nation's biggest banks, taxpayers have begun seeing profits from the hundreds of billions of dollars in aid that many critics thought might never be seen again. The profits, collected from eight of the biggest banks that have fully repaid their obligations to the government, come to about $4 billion, or the equivalent of about 15 percent annually, according to calculations compiled for The New York Times."

Related story by The Wall Street Journal -- "Raft Of Deals For Failed Banks Puts U.S. On Hook For Billions."

-- Boston Globe -- "In Or Out, Joe Kennedy Will Affect Race For Senate Seat": "With Massachusetts having paid its final respects to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the politics of succession begins in earnest this week -- candidates will emerge, a race will take shape, and the Kennedy clan will have to reveal whether it wants to keep the seat in the family. All eyes now are on Joseph P. Kennedy II, the former US representative, with family members and political allies expecting him to make a decision very shortly on whether to enter the Democratic primary."

-- The Wall Street Journal -- Home Haircuts Are Recession Indicators: "The downturn has created a nation of cost, and hair- cutters. To help pare their budgets, more Americans are bypassing the salon and opting to lop off their own locks. The results, can be shear disaster -- clogged drains, fresh cowlicks and crooked trims."

Related story by NPR's Jack Zahora on Morning Edition -- The "layway" is making a comeback thanks to the weak economy:

Related story by The Washington Post -- But an uptick in sales of mens' underwear may be sign the economy is on the mend.

-- USA TODAY -- "$3.1 Billion Set Aside For Jobless Unclaimed": "More than $3.1 billion in stimulus money for state unemployment insurance programs is sitting in a federal trust fund because 23 states haven't expanded their jobless benefits, Labor Department records show."

Related story by NPR's Joseph Shapiro on Morning Edition -- "Social Security Administration Struggles With Backlog":

The message on the plane stairs of Libyan bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi's seems an interesting choice, no? (Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images)

By Frank James

Sometimes a photo points out the absurdity of certain moments more eloquently than even the most gifted ironist can.

This photo of the Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the convicted Libyan bomber of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, is such a one. Note the message on the stairs leading to his flight to freedom after eight years in a Scottish prison: "Next time... Relax before you fly."

Considering how the crime al-Megrahi was convicted for made it impossible for millions of people to relax before flying, it certainly jumps out at you.

By Frank James

Uncontrolled airspace like that over the Hudson River where the mid-air collision between a single-engine Piper and a sight-seeing helicopter accounts for about half the reports of near misses, according to NPR's Robert Benincasa who talked with host Madeleine Brand on All Things Considered.

Robert looked at near-miss data even before Saturday's accident, reviewing about 1,800 reports filed by pilots to the Federal Aviation Administration In the ten years from 1998 to 2008.

Not only did he find that nearly half of the reports came from uncontrolled airspace; he also learned that three-quarters of all the near-misses involved aircraft being operated under visual flight rules.

These flights tend to be of the general aviation variety, smaller, often single-engine aircraft whose pilots frequently are not certified to fly planes when cloud cover is relatively low. That requires a pilot to have an instrument rating. Flying using VFR, pilots must be able to navigate by sight to "see and avoid" hazards, including other aircraft.

Madeleine asked how such an accident could happen on a "nice sunny day."

Continue reading "Most Aviation Near Misses Involve Pilots Using Eyes, Not Instruments" >

By Mark Memmott

As the day gets going here in the U.S., there's word from Iraq of bombings near Mosul and in Baghdad. More than 40 people were killed and more than 200 wounded, Iraqi officials tell the Associated Press. From Baghdad, NPR's Deborah Amos reports that the attack near Mosul may have been aimed at a small minority group. The attacks in Baghdad, she says, were in a Shiite neighborhood:

Also atop the news this morning: The cleanup in Taiwan and mainland China from Typhoon Morakot, which forced the evacuation over the weekend of nearly 1 million people. Hundreds of people on Taiwan are missing.

Flooded. In southern Taiwan, water is everywhere -- but clean water is scarce. (Sam Yeh / AFP/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama wraps up a two-day summit with the leaders of Mexico and Canada. NPR's Scott Horsley, reporting from Guadalajara, Mexico, says there are three things on the agenda:

Obama and the other leaders are expected to hold a news conference this afternoon.

Other stories making headlines include:

-- USA TODAY op-ed -- Pelosi And Hoyer Say "Disruptions" At Town Halls Are "Un-American": The Democratic leaders in the House write that "these disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views -- but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American. Drowning out the facts is how we failed at this task (health care reform) for decades."

Related poll by USA TODAY/Gallup: "Americans Divided On Health Care Overhaul."

Related story on Morning Edition: Is The Canadian Health Care System Really That Bad? From KQED, Sarah Varney reports:

-- Times of London -- "More Troops, Fewer Caveats," U.S. Adviser Says About Afghanistan: The Taliban "have been winning the war for control of Afghanistan's territory," U.S. security expert Anthony Cordesman, an adviser to U.S. commanders, writes. "Afghan security forces were not given serious priority until 2007 -- more than five years into the war," Cordesman adds, "and many Nato/ISAF planners feel that numbers need to be doubled and training time cut by one third to get more Afghan forces on the ground."

Related story in The New York Times: "U.S. To Hunt Down Afghan Drug Lords Tied To Taliban".

Related story in The Wall Street Journal: "Taliban Now Winning: U.S. Commander In Afghanistan Warns Of Rising Casualties."

Related story on Morning Edition: "With Scars Of War, Swat Town's Residents Return". Across the border from Afghanistan, NPR's Philip Reeves reports on the people of Pakistan's Swat Valley, who are returning home after intense fighting there drove Taliban fighters from "the Switzerland of Asia":

-- The Washington Post -- New Wave Of Swine Flu Expected In U.S.: "As the first influenza pandemic in 41 years has spread during the Southern Hemisphere's winter over the past few months, the United States and other northern countries have been racing to prepare for a second wave of swine flu virus. At the same time, international health authorities have become increasingly alarmed about the new virus's arrival in the poorest, least-prepared parts of the world."

-- New York Daily News -- Helicopter Pilot's Colleague Says Crash Was "Inevitable": "He was a witness to horror and he's seen it coming for years. A close colleague of the pilot of the doomed tourist helicopter says it can be dicey in the skies over the Hudson River -- and Saturday's disaster that killed nine was 'inevitable.' 'We were borderline surprised that it took so long for a crash like this to happen,' saidBen Lane, 34, who frantically radioed his pilot pal Jeremy Clarke that a plane was bearing down on him."

Click here to read the rest of The Two-Way.

(Contributing: Chinita Anderson of Morning Edition.)

By Frank James

To prevent the catastrophic loss of a Boeing 767 from a fuel-tank explosion similar to the one that in 1996 caused the loss of TWA Flight 800, a Boeing 747, the Federal Aviation Administration today ordered airlines to install automatic shutoff systems for center fuel tanks, among other measures.

The order came in what is called an airworthiness directive from the agency. The directive was intended, the agency said, to prevent overheating that "could cause an ignition source for the fuel vapors in the fuel tank and result in fuel tank explosions and consequent loss of the airplane."

According to The Associated Press:

The safety directive issued by the Federal Aviation Administration gives operators of the popular airliner three years to install an automatic fuel pump shut-off system for the center fuel tanks on 767s. The concern is that if fuel in the tanks becomes too low while the pump is still operating, under certain conditions it could ignite fuel and air vapors, causing an explosion.

In the meantime, flight crews are supposed to shut-off the pumps themselves when fuel gets low.

The estimated fleetwide cost of complying with the order is $4.6 million.

Boeing spokeswoman Liz Verdier said the Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer sent operators of 767s a service bulletin two years ago recommending the changes in Wednesday's FAA order. Compliance with service bulletins is voluntary. Verdier said she didn't know how many operators may have already installed the automatic shut-off systems.

Continue reading "FAA Orders Boeing 767 Fix To Prevent Midair Explosion" >

By Mark Memmott

It's as if he wanted to prove the researchers were right:

Lockport, N.Y., police say tow truck driver Nicholas Sparks was texting on one cell phone while talking on another when he slammed into a car and crashed into a swimming pool, the Associated Press writes.

The driver of the other vehicle suffered head injuries, her passenger suffered wrist injuries and Sparks was treated for neck and back injuries.

The Buffalo News says police "will be seizing (the driver's) two cell phones and will request search warrants for the phone records to verify allegations the driver was talking on the phone."

Virginia Tech researchers this week recommended making it illegal to text and drive. A study they did concluded that texting is among the most dangerous things a driver could be doing.

Update at 12:50 p.m. ET. The AP has posted this "raw video" from the scene:

A Texas state trooper takes photographs at a bus accident scene on U.S. 75 North bound that killed at least 12 people early, Friday, Aug. 8, 2008, in Sherman, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez / AP Photo © 2009)

By Frank James

Bus operators which federal authorities have ordered to stop operating because of serious safety violations appear to be frequently "reincarnating" by changing their names and continuing to operate, endangering other travelers on the nation's highways.

That's the conclusion of a Government Accountability Office report which found that many of these operators were so brazen, and federal oversight so lax, they didn't even bother to change their business addresses or phone numbers when they submitted new paperwork to the federal agency that oversees them, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

In a summary of its findings, the GAO said:

GAO's analysis of FMCSA data for fiscal years 2007 and 2008 identified 20 motor coach companies that likely reincarnated from "out of service" carriers. This represents about 9 percent of the approximately 220 motor coach carriers that FMCSA placed out of service during these 2 fiscal years. The number of likely reincarnated motor carriers is understated, in part, because GAO's analysis was based on exact matches and also could not identify owners who purposely provided FMCSA deceptive information on the application (e.g., ownership) to hide the reincarnation from the agency. Although the number of reincarnated motor coach carriers that GAO identified was small, these companies pose a safety threat to the motoring public.

Continue reading "Unsafe Bus Operators Change Names, Keep Trucking " >

The Tennessee Valley Authority released this annotated photo from the Dec. 22 coal ash spill. AP Photo/TVA

 

By Laura Conaway

Nearly seven months after a flood of coal ash swamped 300 acres in rural Tennessee, consultants hired by the Tennessee Valley Authority say they've found problems with the way the national largest public utility is running its coal ash storage.

AP says the consultants told the TVA board that the "necessary systems, controls and culture were not in place" to properly manage the coal ash operations at TVA's 11 coal-fired power plants. What's more, "TVA did not have any standard procedures regarding operation and maintenance" of ponds containing wet ashes and didn't make sure engineers had standard training for conducting inspections.

TVA estimates that cleaning up from the spill, which destroyed or two dozen lakefront homes near Kingston, could cost up to $1 billion, not counting lawsuits and fines.

A busload of visitors heads to EPCOT theme park past a monorail that was parked and idle after a deadly accident at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Sunday, July 5, 2009. AP Photo/John Raoux

 

By Frank James

This is the time of year when tens of thousands of families descend on Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. Mine is planning to be among them this summer.

So the head-on collision of two monorail trains at the park over the weekend in an accident which killed a college student who worked at the park as a train operator has no doubt gotten the attention of a lot of families. For some of us in the nation's capital, the crash brought back flashbacks to the Washington Metro subway crash that killed nine people recently.

After Sunday's crash and an initial investigation, the Orlando, Fla. theme park and resort reopened the monorail Monday afternoon. It was the first fatal monorail accident in the 38 years since the transportation system entered operation.

According to the Associated Press, a Disney World spokeswoman said:

... Extra measures to verify that the track switches are operating properly have been put into place, although she refused to be more specific.

"All I can say is there are additional verifications," she said. "We've supplemented our safety procedures and protocol."

By Mark Memmott

The Air France flight that plunged into the Atlantic off the coast of Brazil on June 1 was in a high-speed, vertical plunge when it hit the water, French investigators say.

All 228 people on board were killed.

The lead investigator, Alain Bouillard, also said that it appears the plane's speed sensors were not the direct cause of the crash, the Associated Press reports.

The Airbus jet's black boxes have not yet been located. Investigators are basing their preliminary conclusions in part on wreckage that's been found and in part on automatic messages sent from the plane as it traveled.

The BBC is leading its report on the investigators' briefing with the news that they "believe it broke up on contact with the water, not in the air."

Sky News adds the detail that Bouillard "explained that flight 447 hit the water belly-first, but with a straighter descent than a more familiar diagonal landing."

An oxygen mask from the doomed flight. Mauricio Lima/AFP/Getty Images

 

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

President Barack Obama holds an online town hall meeting about health care today. It's supposed to get started at 1:15 p.m. ET and the White House has several ways to watch or participate. There will be a webcast, a Facebook discussion and tweeting on Twitter.

Also keep an eye out today for more news on the plans for singer Michael Jackson's funeral and public viewing.

Speaking of Jackson, one story about his death that's getting plent of attention this morning is CNN's interview with Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse. She's told the cable news network that was plagued by insomnia and asked for the sedative Diprivan. She says she told him the medication wasn't safe.

CNN concedes it "could not independently verify whether Lee worked with Jackson" and that "Lee said she had not seen Jackson take the drug."

In other Jackson-related news, NPR's Neda Ulaby filed this report for Morning Edition from the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Its public memorial service for the King of Pop continues today:

As for other stories making headlines, they include:

-- NPR News -- Iranian Presidential Candidate Says Government Is Not Legitimate: NPR's Mike Shuster reports from Dubai, where he is monitoring news from Iran, that presidential candidate Mehdi Karoubi today issued a statement saying he does not consider the official results of the country's June 12 election to be legitimate and vowing to continue his effort to challenge the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad:

-- The Wall Street Journal -- "Iran's Hard Line Fuels Iraq Attacks": "Some of the Iraqi Shiite extremist groups that the U.S. claims are backed by Iran say they are ratcheting up attacks in Iraq in tandem with Tehran's post-election crackdown on protesters. Shiite militia leaders say a toughening resolve among hard-liners in Iran is translating into direct orders from Iran-based leaders to increase attacks, as well as inspiring militants next door in Iraq to demonstrate their influence."

-- The Associated Press -- States Face Tough Budget Choices: "Legislators in more than a half-dozen states met in around-the-clock budget sessions as they struggled to avoid government shutdowns and other painful cuts, with the most dramatic negotiations unfolding in California. ... The budget mess (in California( threatened to cause fallout nationwide because of the sheer size of the state's economy. The Senate rejected three bills designed to save $5 billion, including $3.3 billion in education funding cuts that had to be enacted before the new fiscal year began Wednesday."

-- BBC News -- Survivor Of Yemenia Crash Is Recovering: Doctors say the only survivor of Tuesday's Indian Ocean crash of a Yemenia Airlines passenger jet is a teenage girl who "is recovering and in no danger." French officials say one of the plane's black boxes has been recovered. There were 153 people on board.

Related report from the Associated Press: "A bruised teenage girl clung to the wreckage of a Yemeni plane for more than 13 hours before rescuers found her floating in the Indian Ocean, a French official said Wednesday."

-- Morning Edition -- Dems Have 60 Senate Seats, But Won't Always Have Control: NPR political editor Ken Rudin, who also runs the Political Junkie blog, told host David Greene that just because the Democrats now control 60 Senate seats thanks to Al Franken's much-delayed win of a seat in Minnesota, that doesn't mean party leaders will always get their way:

From a related story by The Pioneer Press: "I don't know if it's really sunk in yet," Franken said.

-- The State -- "New Sex Revelations" Add Fuel To Calls For Gov. Sanford's Resignation: "Six of 27 members of the conservative Senate Republican Caucus Tuesday night issued a letter calling on Gov. Mark Sanford to resign. Two additional senators considered among Sanford's staunchest allies, also said they want him to resign though they did not sign the letter. Two other senior senators who spoke to the State said Tuesday's revelations moved them closer to asking Sanford (a Republican) to step down. ... Sanford told The Associated Press he had more romantic meetings with his Argentinian lover, Maria Belen Chapur, than he previously admitted, including two trysts in New York. Sanford told the news agency he also had 'crossed the line' with other women."

By Mark Memmott

While much of the focus on the cause of the May 31 Air France crash that killed 228 people has been on the Airbus jet's external speed monitors, which may have iced over, any problems with an Airbus jet that crashed into the Indian Ocean today off the island nation of Comoros may have been broader and had more to do with the maintenance practices of the airline that was operating the plane.

As NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports from Paris, French aviation officials say the Yemeni Airlines jet was not in safe flying condition. It had been inspected in France two years ago and had not returned there since. The passengers on the flight that crashed today had flown from Paris to Yemen on a different plane, before switching to the doomed jet.

At Charles de Gaulle International Airport today, Eleanor spoke with a relative of someone was on the Yemeni plane. Speaking about that airline, he said that "they treat us like dogs. ... They stick us in these wrecks that are nothing but flying coffins":

There were 153 people on board the Yemeni jet that went down today. So far, authorities in the Comoros say, one survivor has been found -- a child said to be about five years old.

By Mark Memmott

The day begins with news that a passenger jet from Yemen carrying 153 people has crashed in the Indian Ocean as it was trying to land on the island nation of Comoros. A Comoros immigration officer, Rachida Abdullah, has told the Associated Press that a child around the age of 5 was rescued from the sea, but no other survivors have yet been found.

On Morning Edition today, aviation writer Matt Wald of The New York Times spoke with NPR's David Greene about another recent crash at sea -- that of an Air France jet flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris -- and the search for that plane's black box. In both crashes, the jets were manufactured by Europe's Airbus:

We also start the day with celebrations in Iraq, where U.S. combat troops today handed over security in cities to Iraqi forces. NPR's David "Quil" Lawrence spoke to Morning Edition's Renee Montagne from Baghdad. He said there was a festive mood in the city last night. And, he added, Baghdad already looks much different -- American troops are no longer on the scene:

Some Iraqis celebrated in Baghdad today. Khalid Mohammed/AP

 

Also on Morning Edition, NPR's Tom Gjelten reported about the bids that foreign companies are making on Iraqi oil licenses:

From a related story this morning by the Associated Press -- Oil Licensing Effort Has Shaky Start: "Iraq's long-awaited licensing round to develop some of its massive oil reserves stumbled Tuesday as oil and gas companies dug in their heals, demanding more money for their efforts than the government was willing to pay."

As for other stories in this morning's headlines, they include:

-- BBC News -- "Ousted Honduran Head 'To Return' ": "The ousted president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, has said he will return home later this week, after being forced into exile on Sunday. Addressing a meeting of leaders from the Organization of American States (OAS) in Nicaragua, Mr Zelaya invited other leaders to accompany him. Earlier, U.S. President Barack Obama described his removal as a 'coup'. Mr Zelaya was removed by the army in a power struggle over plans for constitutional change."

Related story by The New York Times -- "In A Coup In Honduras, Ghosts Of Past U.S. Policies."

-- The Washington Post -- "Obama Aims To Reassure Gays": "President Obama opened the doors of the White House to hundreds of gay and lesbian leaders yesterday, continuing his cautious outreach to a constituency that has loudly criticized his efforts on its behalf. ... The excitement among many of the several hundred guests invited to the White House was tempered by frustration among some who say they think the president has moved too slowly to make good on his campaign promises."

-- The Wall Street Journal -- A Michael Jackson Will From 2002 Is "In Spotlight": "A will drafted by Michael Jackson in 2002 which divides the singer's estate among his mother, three children and one or more charities could play a central role in determining how his tangled financial relationships will be unwound. Several people close to the late Mr. Jackson said that a lawyer for the pop singer could submit the will, believed to be his last, to Los Angeles Superior Court as soon as Thursday."

Related story by the Los Angeles Times -- "LAPD Interviewing Doctors Who Prescribed Medications To Jackson."

-- USA TODAY -- "Consumers Hit Again As Some Banks Raise Credit Rates, Fees": "The ink has barely dried on credit card reform signed by President Obama in May, and already, issuers are raising prices again. Most issuers have raised rates or fees for certain borrowers."

By Jasmine Garsd

This morning I went to my neighborhood coffee shop, and as I sat there, a man next to me was telling someone over the phone about the horrible train collision that happened between Maryland and Washington D.C. yesterday afternoon.

As he described the details, I thought...that is awful. That's about when it hit me--the magnitude of the accident I was involved in yesterday.

I was riding the Red Line from Maryland to D.C. as I often do, when we collided against what seemed like a concrete wall. I myself fell off my seat, and saw someone else fly off theirs and against the wall.

What ensued was not chaos, but total silence, and that's a bit scarier. The lights went off, smoke started coming into the car, and we heard nothing from the conductor. After much yelling and trying to open the doors, somehow a door was opened, and a man--who I believe was a Metro employee- helped us onto the track.

As soon as I was on the ground, I realized the magnitude of the event: It seemed that our train's front car was mounted onto the next train's last car. An entire train car was elevated at close to a 45 degree angle.

I also noticed one of the passengers was a heavily pregnant woman, accompanied by a toddler. She only understood Spanish. My concern at this point was for her, and that another train would come ram ours (this is not such a bizarre thought, given the circumstances.)

Continue reading "DC Subway Tragedy: Crash, Then Trek, Lead Home " >

By Mark Memmott

12:10 p.m. ET: Our original headline was "D.C. Mayor: Seven Confirmed Dead In Metro Crash."

Now, Metro spokeswoman Candace Smith tells the Associated Press that there are nine confirmed deaths.

Our original post:

Mayor Adrian Fenty of Washington, D.C., just told reporters that authorities are now confirming at least seven deaths in yesterday's crash involving two Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority trains.

The Associated Press and some local news media have been reporting in recent hours that nine people died. Fenty hinted that the the official number might change later today. He said authorities will have more news by 5 p.m. ET, and that he hoped the death toll would not change.

One thing that's known for sure: It's the worst accident in the subway system's 33-year history.

Soldiers load boxes labeled in Portuguese "Bag for corpse" at the base of search operations for the missing Air France Flight 447 in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, Thursday, June 4, 2009. AP Photo/Eraldo Peres

 

By Frank James

There was little significant new information today in the continuing investigation of the Air France 447 crash earlier this week.

The first actual pieces of debris was recovered today from the Atlantic Ocean, a cargo pallet and two buoys according to an Associated Press report.

But no human remains of any of the 228 victims were recovered. And the black boxes -- the cockpit voice and data recorders remain undiscovered.

Without any important new facts, speculation continued as to the cause of the Airbus 330s fall from the sky.

Le Monde, the French newspaper, reported that an unnamed source told it that the plane's was flying too slowly through the storm.

But how anyone would know this based on the slim amount of information reportedly available was unclear.

As the AP story reported:

France's accident investigation agency said only two findings have been established so far: One is that the series of automatic messages sent from Flight 447 gave conflicting signals about the plane's speed; the other is that the flight path went through dangerously stormy weather.

The agency warned against any "hasty interpretation or speculation" after the French newspaper Le Monde reported, without naming sources, that the Air France plane was flying at the wrong speed.

Continue reading "Air France Clues, Victims Remain Elusive" >

Brazilian Nelson Marinho holds a photo of his son, also named Nelson, and his son's family. His son was an Air France Flight 447 passenger. AP Photo/Patricia Santos

 

By Frank James

Here's a thought that's occurred to many people over the years after airplane crashes, especially those in the ocean: instead of recording aircraft flight data onto so-called black boxes that can be lost forever, the current fear in the Air France 447incident, why not stream in real-time data to engineers on the ground just like NASA does it with space craft?

In short, why are we still relying on black boxes which record data vital to understanding what's happened in airplane crashes?

That question was asked by some members of Public Broadcasting's NOVA production team after they made in 2004 "The Crash of Flight 111." That was a Swissair flight from New York to Geneva, Switzerland that crashed off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1998, killing 229 people.

While the flight recorders were recovered, they stopped six minutes before the plane impacted the ocean, greatly complicating the investigation which eventually concluded that a fire, perhaps caused by electrical arcing tied to the in-flight entertainment system ignited flammable material, causing a catastrophic fire aboard the aircraft.

In any event, an article on the PBS website by Peter Tyson examined the advantages of real-time telemetry over black boxes.

An excerpt:

The advantages to having continuous, real-time transmission of flight and cockpit information are many. First, in the case of a crash, black-box data would be available to investigators immediately. They wouldn't have to wait for the recorders to be dug out of the ground or fished from the seafloor. This has important implications in our age of terrorism. Authorities need to know quickly whether a crash was terrorist-related; suspect trails grow faint with each passing hour, much less the days or weeks it can take to recover black boxes and analyze their recordings.

And when black-box recordings are lost, as was the case with the two planes that struck the World Trade Center, downloaded data may be the only data. (I should note here that if Swissair Flight 111 had had a real-time data link, it would have quit operating at the same moment as its flight and cockpit recorders. Like black boxes, data-link systems would rely on a plane's electrical power, which the Flight 111 pilots shut off during their attempt to isolate and fight the fire that eventually brought the plane down.)

A robust data link would also mean a lot more information than just black-box data could flow, and it could flow both ways. As it is now, aircraft, particularly when flying over oceans, are often incommunicado for long periods. "Next to a remote desert island, it's about the only place you can hide and be out of touch," one aviation expert told me. With a broadband communications link, people in the air and on the ground could be in constant, detailed contact.

This would have clear benefits, most significantly the ability to cope with emergencies. If air-traffic controllers clearing aircraft for takeoff could glean pilot intent from incoming data, for example, they could reduce runway incursions, a leading cause of aircraft mishaps. "If you're polling this data every second, and you see that a pilot who hasn't been cleared is powering up and taking his foot off the brake, you know he's going to move," says Jay Brown, a computer scientist at the FAA Tech Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. "With airplanes, it takes two or three seconds to get them to move, so you could potentially stop a runway incursion."

Continue reading "Will Air France Crash Prompt End Of Black Boxes?" >

French army air crewman aboard an aircraft patrol the presumed site of the crash of a missing Air France flight. AP Photo/ECPAD/French Defense Minister)

 

By Frank James

Brazilian officials have confirmed that the debris found in the Atlantic Ocean is indeed from Air France Flight 447, the Airbus 330 which disappeared after departing Rio de Janeiro Sunday evening enroute to Paris.

The Associated Press reported:

FERNANDO DE NORONHA, Brazil (AP) - Brazilian authorities are confirming what had already been assumed -- that the Air France jet that disappeared Sunday night crashed in the sea.

The country's defense minister says Brazilian military planes found a 3-mile path of wreckage in the Atlantic, confirming that the plane with 228 people on board went down in the area.

The defense official says the wreckage included metallic and nonmetallic pieces, but he didn't describe them. No bodies were spotted.

Earlier, authorities announced that they had found an airplane seat, an orange buoy and signs of fuel in that area of the Atlantic, where the ocean is as deep as three miles.

As Brazilian Navy vessels headed to the area, three commercial ships joined in the search. France is sending a ship that can handle deep-water exploration. And a U.S. spy plane was diverted from drug interdiction efforts to help with the effort.

A Brazilian Air Force spokesman says the wreckage was spotted to the right of the spot where the plane's last signal was sent -- possibly a sign that the crew may have tried to make a turn to land on an island.

File photo dated of an Air France Airbus A330 taking off at Heathrow Airport in April 2009. Press Association via AP Images

 

By Frank James

The disappearance of Air France Flight 447 raises the question for a lot of us, how are commercial flights on trans-Atlantic flights tracked since they're out of radar range?

The wire service reports, for example, indicate that the flight with 228 aboard had routinely left the radar screens of Brazilian flight controllers as it headed further out over the open ocean. Here's an Associated Press report:

The plane left Brazil radar contact, past the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, about three hours later (10:48 Brazil time, 0148 GMT, 9:48 p.m. EDT), indicating it was flying normally at 35,000 feet (10,670 meters) and traveling at 522 mph (840 kph).

About a half-hour after that, the plane sent an automatic signal indicating electrical problems while going through strong turbulence, Air France said.

The simple answer is that planes use high frequency radio to report their position to controllers, including an automated system that will report to controllers an aircraft's position, altitude and the like.

The popular aviation blog, Just About Flying, run by an airliner pilot simply known as "Captain Lim" who once flew Boeing 777s internationally, explained it to a questioner who remembered using HF radio during World War II:

Yes, technology has changed somewhat since the era of the Second World War when you started your flying with the American Overseas Airlines. Nevertheless, HF (High Frequency) communication continues to be used but its quality has improved a lot. Notwithstanding the better performance, the clarity of HF communication suffers when used at night. Hence it can be a rather irritating form of communication when traffic becomes too congested during this unfavorable period.

Continue reading "How Are Airliners Tracked Over Ocean? " >