Salon.com > Elaine Ganley

Air France jet plunged at 11,000 feet per minute

Fri, 27 May 2011 16:00:11 +0000

An Air France jet carrying 228 people stalled before plunging from 38,000 feet (11,600 meters) and crashing into the Atlantic Ocean in less than four minutes, accident investigators said Friday.

Black box recordings from the plane reveal the final minutes of the doomed plane, as two co-pilots struggled to regain control over the plane as it swayed from side to side and fell at almost 11,000 feet (3,350 meters) per minute.

Everyone aboard Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris were killed on June 1, 2009.

The initial findings also showed the captain was out of the cockpit for a routine rest period and arrived more than a minute after the emergency began.

The plane was passing through bad weather in the mid-Atlantic when the problems began.

More than eight minutes before the crash, the co-pilot at the controls, one of three members of the flight crew, advised the cabin crew "you should watch out" for turbulence ahead. He said the plane could not climb out of the cloud layer where the turbulence was happening because it was not cold enough.

Soon after, the plane's autopilot and auto-thrust shut off, the stall alarm sounded twice and the co-pilot at the controls, 32-year-old Pierre-Cedric Bonin, took over manual control

New Tunisian gun fight, new leader

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 17:28:00 +0000

Soldiers and police have exchanged fire with assailants in front of Tunisia's Interior Ministry amid unrest after the longtime president was ousted.

Associated Press reporters saw the shootout Saturday that left two bodies on the ground on a big square in central Tunis. It was not clear whether the two were dead or injured, or who they were.

Snipers could be seen lying down on top of the ministry's roof.

The exchange came soon after Tunisia swore in a new interim president on Saturday. The country has been grappling with looting, deadly fires and widespread unrest after protests forced President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee on Friday.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) -- Tunisia swore in a new interim president on Saturday -- the second change of power in this North African nation in less than 24 hours -- and grappled with looting, deadly fires and widespread unrest after protests forced its longtime leader to flee.

At least 42 inmates were killed in two prison fires Saturday, looters emptied shops and torched the main train station and gunfire echoed through the capital.

Tunisian president flees after 23 years in power

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:05:00 +0000

Violent anti-government protests drove Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power Friday after 23 years of iron-fisted rule, as anger over soaring unemployment and corruption spilled into the streets.

Thousands of demonstrators from all walks of life mobbed the capital of Tunis on Friday to demand Ben Ali's ouster, the culmination of weeks of protests that have swept the country. Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi went on state television to announce that he is assuming power in this North African nation known for its sandy beaches and ancient ruins.

The shakeup was certain to have repercussions in the Arab world and beyond -- as a sign that massive public outrage could bring down a leader as entrenched and powerful as Ben Ali.

The president tried vainly to hold onto power amid Friday's riots, declaring a state of emergency, dissolving the government and promising new legislative elections within six months. A day earlier, he had promised not to run for re-election in 2014 and also slashed prices on key foods such as sugar, bread and milk.

Tunisian leader promises to retire in 2014

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:21:16 +0000

Tunisia's autocratic president, struggling to contain deadly riots that have destabilized his authority, made sweeping pledges for political and media freedom and said he will leave the presidency -- but not until his term ends in 2014.

Facing the worst unrest in his 23 years in power, an unusually contrite President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali ordered prices on sugar, milk and bread slashed. Buoyant crowds spilled into the streets after his speech, many cheering his price cuts but some questioning his commitment to real change.

His bold pledges appeared aimed at quelling public anger while allowing him to cling to power in Tunisia, a country long cherished by European tourists for its Mediterranean beaches and its stability, and seen as an ally against terrorism.

It remained to be seen whether Ben Ali's speech will mean an end to violence that has left at least 23 dead and perhaps dozens more. Unions plan a general strike Friday in Tunis and some other regions.

Calling for a "cease-fire," Ben Ali told his nation in a televised speech, "I have understood you."

"I have understood the demands about unemployment, the demands about necessities, and the political demands for more freedoms," he said.

France eliminated from World Cup amid fan mutiny

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:59:00 +0000

French fans in Paris groaned and booed for their own team Tuesday -- and even cheered for South Africa -- as they watched a critical World Cup match that came after the squad's public infighting left the nation ashamed and aghast.

Several thousand people, some wearing or waving French fans, showed up to watch the match broadcast on a screen across from the Eiffel Tower. But hopes lost ground as South Africa began scoring, and the mood turned against the French team, which lost 2-1 and was eliminated from the tournament, while Uruguay and Mexico advanced from Group A.

The crowd cheered loudly when France's Florent Malouda scored the team's first goal of the tournament. But people had also cheered when France's Yoann Gourcuff was shown a red card, and there were loud applause mixed in with the boos each time South Africa scored.

"Lots of people are for South Africa now," said Angelique Jurquit, 23, a radio journalist. "The French are disgusted with the results of their team, so this (cheering) is a bit to make fun of France now."

"It's funny, France is worthless," said Victor Malamoud, a 17-year-old Parisian. He said he came to "see the match, watch Les Bleus and hope."

Sarkozy Sr.’s tell-all book counters critics

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:42:00 +0000

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's father, a self-confessed bon vivant and womanizer, said Sunday he is setting the record on his life straight in an autobiography written above all for his children, and meant to counter claims he was a bad father.

Pal Sarkozy wrote "Tant de Vie" -- which translates as "So Much Life" -- after his son, the French president, advised him against filing lawsuits against his disparagers and instead to "answer later ... about all these unjust accusations," the 81-year-old said in an interview with The Associated Press.

So the book is above all a family affair, he said. "This wasn't for the world, it was for my family."

"I wanted to talk to my children," and a book was "the simplest thing," he said in the interview, given on the sidelines of France's annual Book Fair.

A Hungarian immigrant who arrived in France in 1948 penniless, Pal Sarkozy concedes that he hid his past and failed to pass on his heritage to his five children -- four sons and a daughter from two of his four wives -- because "I wanted them to become French."

The book gives a rare look into the life of a president's father -- the first modern-day French president with both parents still living.