MH370 FLIGHT : Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak full Press Statement 24/3/2014

This evening I was briefed by representatives from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). They informed me that Inmarsat, the UK company that provided the satellite data which indicated the northern and southern corridors, has been performing further calculations on the data. Using a type of analysis never before used in an investigation of this sort, they have been able to shed more light on MH370’s flight path.

Based on their new analysis, Inmarsat and the AAIB have concluded that MH370 flew along the southern corridor, and that its last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth.

This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites. It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.

We will be holding a press conference tomorrow with further details. In the meantime, we wanted to inform you of this new development at the earliest opportunity. We share this information out of a commitment to openness and respect for the families, two principles which have guided this investigation.

Malaysia Airlines have already spoken to the families of the passengers and crew to inform them of this development. For them, the past few weeks have been heartbreaking; I know this news must be harder still. I urge the media to respect their privacy, and to allow them the space they need at this difficult time.

MH370 : Last communications with the satellite was in one of two possible corridors.said.. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at Saturday's news conference.

LIVE UPDATES FROM THE ‪#‎MH370 PRESS CONFERENCE AT KLIA

15th March 2014, 2:18PM

By the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

* We have conducted search operations over land and sea, in the South China Sea, Straits of Melaka, The Andaman Sea and the Indian Ocean. At every stage we acted on verified information and followed every credible lead, which sometimes led us nowhere.

* There has been intense speculation. We understand the desperate need for information. On behalf of the families and those watching around the world, we have a responsibility to the investigation and the families to only release information that has been confirmed and corroborated.

* The search was done near MH370’s last known position at the South China Sea. At the same time it was brought to our attention by RMAF that based on their primary radar the aircraft (unidentified) made a turn back and flew north to Straits of Melaka.

* Data was corroborated with relevant authorities, we expanded area of search to include Straits of Melaka and later to the Andaman Sea

* Earlier this morning, PM was briefed by FAA, NTSB, AAIB, the Malaysian authorities and the acting Minister of Transport on new information that shed further light on what happened to MH370.

* Based on new satellite communications, we can say with high degree of certainty that the aircraft communications system was disabled just before the aircraft reached the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Shortly afterwards near the border between Malaysia and the Vietnamese air traffic control, the aircraft’s transponder was switched off. From this point onwards, the RMAF primary data showed that an aircraft which was believed (but not confirmed) to be MH370 did a turn back and went northwest of Malaysia. This movement was consistent with deliberate action by someone on the plane.

* Based on raw satellite data which was obtained from the satellite data’s service provider, we can confirm that the aircraft shown in the primary radar data was MH370.

* After much forensic work and deliberation - the FAA, NTSB, AAIB and the Malaysian authorities who had been working separately on the same data concur: according to the new data, the last confirmed communications between plane and satellite was at 8.11am local time on Saturday 8 March. The investigation team is making further calculation which will indicate how far aircraft may have flown after last point of contact to help us to refine search.

* We are unable to confirm the precise location of the plane when it last made contact with the satellite. However, based on new data, the aviation authorities of Malaysia and their intentional counterparts have determined that the last communications with the satellite was in one of two possible corridors: Northern Corridor: approximately at the border of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan to Northern Thailand. Or Southern corridor stretching approximately from Indonesia to the Southern Indian Ocean.

* In lieu of the latest development, Malaysia refocused their investigation to crew and passengers on board. Despite media reports that the plane was hijacked, I wish to be very clear, that investigation is still ongoing to determine why it deviated from its original flight path.

* The new information has significantly impacted the nature and scope of SAR. We are ending our operations at the South China Sea and reassessing the deployment of our assets. As the two new corridors involved many countries, the relevant embassies have been invited to the briefing on the info by technical experts.

* MAS has been informing the families on this new development. The search for MH370 has entered a new phase over the last 7 days and we are looking into every possibility.

* For the families and friends of those involved, we hope this new info brings us one step closer to finding the plane

Plane is hijacked, says report quoting Malaysian official

A Malaysian government official said investigators have concluded that one of the pilots or someone else with flying experience hijacked the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370.

The Associated Press quoted the unnamed official who is involved in the investigation as saying that the hijacking was no longer a theory.

“It is conclusive,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that Flight MH370 may have flown beyond its last known position as the last satellite transmission from the missing airliner has been traced to the Indian Ocean off Australia, citing a person familiar with the analysis.

According to Bloomberg, a path from Malaysia to the ocean off Australia would have taken as much as 3,000 miles – the maximum distance MH370 could have flown with its fuel load.

Bloomberg also reports that investigators have found that someone in the cockpit of MH370 programmed it to turn away from its original path to Beijing, citing another person from the US government who is familiar with the investigation.

According to Bloomberg, spokesman for Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority Peter Gibson said he wasn't aware of the new information putting MH370 near Perth. However, he added that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority would have jurisdiction of the search if the information were true.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is expected to address a press conference on this latest development at 2pm today.

Charge your phone from the vibration of your moving car

Harvesting kinetic energy to charge gadgets is nothing new. We've covered piezoelectric generators that are embedded in sneakers or even backpacks that charge a battery that can then charge your phone. A new nano generator developed by researchers at University of Wisconsin, Sun Yat-sen University in China and the University of Minnesota Duluth could be embedded in the phone itself or in an outer case so that power harvested from vibrations like those created by a moving car could be used to instantly charge the phone. No wires needed.

The researchers describe their device as a mesoporous piezoelectric nanogenerator. University of Wisconsin explains just what that means:

The nanogenerator takes advantage of a common piezoelectric polymer material called polyvinylidene fluoride, or PVDF. Piezoelectric materials can generate electricity from a mechanical force; conversely, they also can generate a mechanical strain from an applied electrical field.

Rather than relying on a strain or an electrical field, the researchers incorporated zinc oxide nanoparticles into a PVDF thin film to trigger formation of the piezoelectric phase that enables it to harvest vibration energy. Then, they etched the nanoparticles off the film; the resulting interconnected pores - called "mesopores" because of their size - cause the otherwise stiff material to behave somewhat like a sponge.

The sponginess is key. The softer the material is, the more sensitive it is too small vibrations, the researchers say.

The nanogenerator is made up of the soft mesoporous polymer film sandwiched between two thin electrode sheets. This flexible film can be attached to flat or curvy surfaces including human skin, but in this case, the researchers see it being used in a phone's back panel or housing where it can automatically harvest energy from vibrations to power the phone directly.

This device has great potential because not only could it make self-powered phones and sensors possible, but it can also be scaled up to large manufacturing.

The world’s largest solar plant opened today

In the heart of the Californian Mojave desert, the world’s largest solar plant officially opened today.

The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is a project conceived by Google, NRG energy, and Brightsource energy. It contains hundreds of thousands of mirrors and spans an impressive distance of over 5 miles. It is estimated that the $2.2 billion dollar project will generate enough renewable energy to power over 140,000 homes.

This project, the first of its kind in the United States, is seen as a catalyst for things to come. After President Barack Obama’s announcement that his administration is dedicated to tackling climate change, extensive clean energy investments like Ivanpah need to be the top priority.

The US has watched as countries like China and Germany have taken the lead in developing large scale renewable energy projects that lower their carbon footprint and create thousands of new jobs. All the while the US was stuck wondering if it would ever join them as an industry—and world—leader.

Looks like we have our answer.

With the death of coal on the horizon and more impressive projects like Ivanpah planned across the country, the clean energy revolution is not only possible, it’s happening now.

Take a moment to reflect on this news America. Our movement is stronger than ever.

Photo credit: Brightsource Energy

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Canada to contribute $20m for polio eradication

ISLAMABAD: Canada has announced a contribution of $20 million to be paid over the next three years for eradication of polio in Pakistan. The contribution will support the Unicef ‘Polio Plus Initiative’ by increasing coverage, access and effectiveness of polio vaccine.

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Canadian Minister of State for Multiculturalism Tim Uppal, concluding his visit to the country on Wednesday, said: “Canada’s continued support will increase the number of children immunised, improve access for vaccinators by increasing community acceptance and increase effectiveness of the vaccine by decreasing vulnerability to polio from malnutrition and illness.”

“In Pakistan, Canada was the first donor to tackle the conditions that allow polio to continue to keep a foothold, something of which we can all be proud of,” said Mr Uppal.

Canada is a leading supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s goal of eradicating the disease by 2018, and contributing to fight against polio in several critical areas, including sub-Saharan Africa, Afghanistan and in three primary endemic high-risk areas in Pakistan.

Mr Uppal held talks with government officials and met vaccinators and doctors during the trip. He also visited a mosque, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and Joseph colony of Christian community in Lahore.

The ‘Polio Plus’ initiative directly engages community groups, religious leaders and elders in endemic areas to address gaps in the delivery of social services, enhance community sensitisation and trust which in turn increases acceptance and safe passage for polio vaccination teams. The initiative supports polio eradication by increasing coverage, access and effectiveness of vaccine and targets three primary endemic high-risk areas.