India's and China's civil-service exams are notoriously difficult
Cigarette butts, spectacle lenses and car tyres. Which of those items contain plastic? Papaya, pineapple, guava. How many of those fruits were brought to India by the Portuguese? Last month around half a million Indians sat down to answer such questions, which were eclectic, but high-stakes. They were part of the exam to join India's civil service.
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Economist
20 hours ago
- Economist
India's and China's civil-service exams are notoriously difficult
Cigarette butts, spectacle lenses and car tyres. Which of those items contain plastic? Papaya, pineapple, guava. How many of those fruits were brought to India by the Portuguese? Last month around half a million Indians sat down to answer such questions, which were eclectic, but high-stakes. They were part of the exam to join India's civil service.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Plane crash horror as pilot loses control and smashes into airport
Two people were hurt in a plane crash at New Century Airport in Johnson County, Kansas, on Monday. Authorities said the plane crash-landed on the roof of a hangar Two people were hospitalised Monday afternoon following a plane crash at New Century Airport in Johnson County, Kansas, US. The crash occurred just before 1.30pm local time when a light twin-engine aircraft with two occupants crash-landed on the roof of a hangar. According to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, both individuals suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a local hospital. 'The good news is that both individuals sustained only minor injuries,' said Bryan Johnson, executive director of the Johnson County Airport Commission. 'They were able to exit the aircraft on their own and climb down a fire ladder to paramedics.' Responding agencies included the sheriff's office, Kansas Highway Patrol, Fire District #1, and MED-ACT. Preliminary reports from the highway patrol indicate that a mechanical failure caused the aircraft's left engine to malfunction, leading the 73-year-old male pilot to lose control. 'Witnesses described hearing a loud boom when the plane struck the building,' Johnson said. 'We're incredibly relieved no one was seriously hurt.' Everyone inside the hangar, which Johnson noted is less than three years old, was safely evacuated and no injuries were reported on the ground. An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. Earlier this week, an Air India flight travelling from Hong Kong to Delhi was forced to make a U-turn after the pilot reported a suspected technical issue mid-air. Flight AI315, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, left Hong Kong for Delhi before quickly returning to its origin as a precautionary measure, reports the Hindustan Times. It comes just days after an Air India plane bound for London Gatwick crashed and killed all but one of the 242 passengers onboard. The flight, which departed Ahmadabad Airport in Gujarat, India, came down moments after taking off on Thursday afternoon. Air India was already battling an "exceptionally poor" reputation before the horror incident, believed to have claimed the lives of 169 Indian nationals, 52 Brits, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian passenger. The only survivor, British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, told local news that he saw the aircraft crew and passengers die around him but managed to flee when the plane suddenly split in two and threw him out with only minor injuries. Mr Ramesh, who was in seat 11A on the Boeing 787 flight, later said "has no idea how he survived" one of India's deadliest aviation disasters.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Incredible moment survivor walks away from Air India plane fireball on phone
Miracle survivor Vishwash Ramesh, 40, emerged from the fireball crash with his phone in his hand - and a wall of choking black smoke behind him after the plane crashed moments into the journey Staggering footage has captured the exact moment miracle survivor Vishwash Ramesh walked away from the flaming wreckage of the Air India disaster. As fire ripped through the student hostel, where a further 38 people on the ground were killed, the 40-year-old Brit father emerged from the chaos, phone still in hand with a wall of flame and choking black smoke behind him. Locals, scrambling and screaming for emergency services, spotted him stumbling out of the compound. One man rushed over and pulled him to safety as the dazed survivor muttered: 'Plane fatyo che (the plane exploded),' the Sun reports. Vishwash told local news that he saw the aircraft crew and passengers die around him but managed to flee when the plane suddenly split in two and threw him out with only minor injuries. The dad, who was in seat 11A on the Boeing 787 flight, later said "has no idea how he survived" one of India's deadliest aviation disasters. Tragically, his brother Ajaykumar, 35, just five seats away, didn't make it. Satinder Singh Sandhu, the first paramedic to reach the scene - part of a massive 35-ambulance response - described the chaos. 'The first person we spotted was the hostel guard with serious burns. Then, out of nowhere, this man walked out near the building. We were yelling at him because he was disoriented and tried to head back into the fire,' Sandhu said. 'We later learned his brother was on board. He was trying to go back for him. But we stopped him and got him to Civil Hospital. Honestly, his survival is unbelievable.' The doomed flight had taken off from Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat, India, on Thrusday afternoon and was bound for London Gatwick. It crashed moments after takeoff, killing hundreds of passengers - including 169 Indian nationals, 52 Brits, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Among the Brits killed were wellness influencers Fiongal and husband Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who co-founded the Wellness Foundry and made appearances on ITV 's This Morning to showcase the brand. The couple had travelled to India on holiday and posted a short video from Ahmedabad airport reflecting on their trip - moments before boarding the doomed jet. Businessman Akeel Nanawaba, 36, his partner Hanna Vorajee, 30, and their four-year-old daughter, Sarah were on board the flight returning home from a five-day family celebration in India. Another British family travelling on the flight bound for London award-winning hotel manager Javed Ali Syed, his wife Mariam, and their children Amani, four, and Zayn. Raxa Modha, 55, her two-year-old grandson Rudra, and daughter-in-law Yasha Kamdar were believed to have been flying back to England for a memorial service for Ms Modha's late husband when the crash claimed their lives.
