Australians praised after Qantas adds new route, staffing 'not normal' before fatal plane crash, supermarket shortage continues

Yahoo

30-01-2025

Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Friday. Staffing in an air control tower at Washington DC's airport when a deadly plane collision occurred was "not normal", investigations have found. All 64 people on the American Airlines flight, as well as three people on a military helicopter, died when the aircrafts crashed into the Potomac River.
Palau's president Surangel Whipps says Australians are the "ideal visitors" to his country. It comes as direct flights from Brisbane to the tiny Pacific nation began last month, with Qantas saying they've seen huge interest in the destination.
Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day.
A report by the Federal Aviation Administration seen by the Associated Press says staffing in the air traffic control tower was 'not normal' at time of the deadly midair collision at Washington DC's national airport.
The collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight from Kansas killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft, officials said, as they scrutinised the actions of the military pilot after the country's worst aviation disaster in a generation.
At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the jet late Wednesday while it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, officials said. The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.
A source with direct knowledge of the situation told ABC News in the US that a common change to combine two controller positions into one due to low traffic was done 40 minutes earlier than it normally occurs.
With AP
Police have seized abseiling equipment and charged men allegedly responsible for a graffiti image that has been plastered across Melbourne in seemingly impossible spots.
The 'Pam the Bird' image has been painted on landmarks, trains, signs, buildings and walls across Melbourne.
A towering clock face above Flinders Street Station was tagged in July, garnering much commentary online.
On January 20, a large hotel in South Wharf was painted. An Instagram page purported to be run by the people responsible has nearly 70,000 followers.
On Friday morning, police announced a 21-year-old man had been charged with more than 50 offences, including specifically for some of the most notable, eye-catching Pam the Bird installations.
The Yarraville man was arrested this week, and police seized abseiling equipment, spray paint, illegal fireworks and property 'suspected to be the proceeds of crime', police say in a statement.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Just another bird. (@goodbirdart)
'In one of the most high-profile incidents, it's alleged the man scaled and defaced the heritage listed Flinders Street Railway Station clock tower on 10 July 2024,' a police spokesperson said.
Police will allege the man is responsible for graffitiing the South Wharf hotel this month.
'It's alleged he is also responsible for graffiti plastered across the rail network as well as the 'Cheese Stick' column on CityLink, a television station building in Docklands and concrete silos on Mercer Street in Geelong,' the spokesperson said.
Police estimate this man is allegedly responsible for $100,000 of damage.
Police also arrested and charged a 39-year-old Abbotsford man.
'He has been charged with more than 20 criminal damage offences relating to the graffiti of suburban trains and the Docklands office building,' police said.
Both men were denied bail and are expected to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday.
In 2023, a 20-year-old man was charged after allegedly being caught painting the image inside the city's underground rail loop.
- NCA NewsWire
Coles and Woolworths continue to limit the sale of eggs in some stores as Australians face an egg shortage.
High demand over the holiday period has intensified the problem which Victorian egg farmer Danyel Cucinotta said could last until 2026, the ABC reported earlier this month.
Bird flu and a shift away from caged eggs are the main causes of the shortage. Coles and Woolworths both told the Guardian they are working to rebuild their supply after a busy Christmas.
Australians have come in for praise from Palau's president as his country looks to increase visitors to the tiny Pacific nation.
President Surangel Whipps said Aussies were the perfect guest after Qantas launched flights to the island nation last month.
"Australians are the ideal visitors to Palau. You respect the environment you care about nature and you love to explore and Palau has all of those things," he told ABC News Breakfast on Friday, pointing to research on incoming travellers.
The airline told the Sydney Morning Herald they had been overwhelmed with the number of bookings to what Qantas regional general manager Anthony Penney said was an "untouched gem" of a location.
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A report by the Federal Aviation Administration seen by the Associated Press says staffing in the air traffic control tower was 'not normal' at time of the deadly midair collision at Washington DC's national airport.
The collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight from Kansas killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft, officials said, as they scrutinised the actions of the military pilot after the country's worst aviation disaster in a generation.
At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the jet late Wednesday while it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, officials said. The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.
A source with direct knowledge of the situation told ABC News in the US that a common change to combine two controller positions into one due to low traffic was done 40 minutes earlier than it normally occurs.
With AP
Police have seized abseiling equipment and charged men allegedly responsible for a graffiti image that has been plastered across Melbourne in seemingly impossible spots.
The 'Pam the Bird' image has been painted on landmarks, trains, signs, buildings and walls across Melbourne.
A towering clock face above Flinders Street Station was tagged in July, garnering much commentary online.
On January 20, a large hotel in South Wharf was painted. An Instagram page purported to be run by the people responsible has nearly 70,000 followers.
On Friday morning, police announced a 21-year-old man had been charged with more than 50 offences, including specifically for some of the most notable, eye-catching Pam the Bird installations.
The Yarraville man was arrested this week, and police seized abseiling equipment, spray paint, illegal fireworks and property 'suspected to be the proceeds of crime', police say in a statement.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Just another bird. (@goodbirdart)
'In one of the most high-profile incidents, it's alleged the man scaled and defaced the heritage listed Flinders Street Railway Station clock tower on 10 July 2024,' a police spokesperson said.
Police will allege the man is responsible for graffitiing the South Wharf hotel this month.
'It's alleged he is also responsible for graffiti plastered across the rail network as well as the 'Cheese Stick' column on CityLink, a television station building in Docklands and concrete silos on Mercer Street in Geelong,' the spokesperson said.
Police estimate this man is allegedly responsible for $100,000 of damage.
Police also arrested and charged a 39-year-old Abbotsford man.
'He has been charged with more than 20 criminal damage offences relating to the graffiti of suburban trains and the Docklands office building,' police said.
Both men were denied bail and are expected to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday.
In 2023, a 20-year-old man was charged after allegedly being caught painting the image inside the city's underground rail loop.
- NCA NewsWire
Coles and Woolworths continue to limit the sale of eggs in some stores as Australians face an egg shortage.
High demand over the holiday period has intensified the problem which Victorian egg farmer Danyel Cucinotta said could last until 2026, the ABC reported earlier this month.
Bird flu and a shift away from caged eggs are the main causes of the shortage. Coles and Woolworths both told the Guardian they are working to rebuild their supply after a busy Christmas.
Australians have come in for praise from Palau's president as his country looks to increase visitors to the tiny Pacific nation.
President Surangel Whipps said Aussies were the perfect guest after Qantas launched flights to the island nation last month.
"Australians are the ideal visitors to Palau. You respect the environment you care about nature and you love to explore and Palau has all of those things," he told ABC News Breakfast on Friday, pointing to research on incoming travellers.
The airline told the Sydney Morning Herald they had been overwhelmed with the number of bookings to what Qantas regional general manager Anthony Penney said was an "untouched gem" of a location.