Latest news with #TransportMinistry
Auto Express
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Citroen recall sees owners told to stop driving 'immediately'
Owners of several Citroen models have been asked to stop driving their cars immediately, following the issue of a recall notice regarding faulty airbags which could be dangerous to occupants. The models affected are the second-generation Citroen C3 supermini and more stylish Citroen DS3, which were both on sale between 2009 and 2016, as well as the DS 3 (2016-2019). All are suspected to contain faulty Takata airbags. Advertisement - Article continues below A defective airbag is recently believed to have led to the death of a woman in Reims, France, after she swerved in her 2014 C3 to avoid hitting an HGV. Issues surrounding the airbag's ammonium nitrate gas generator resulted in shards of metal splintering through the car. The French Transport Ministry has since ordered Citroen to conduct a recall and while no similar incidents have been reported in the UK, Stellantis is taking the opportunity to issue a stop-drive order here as well to avoid any safety concerns. A statement by the French Transport Ministry said that the situation 'raises questions about the risk analyses carried out by the manufacturer'. However, Stellantis says the move to initiate a recall in the UK 'underscores the company's unwavering commitment to customer safety'. Of course, it's worth pointing out that Citroen is not the only firm to have fitted its cars with potentially problematic Takata airbags; the French Transport Ministry has also issued warnings for owners of Audis, BMWs, Fords, Nissans, Peugeots and even Ferraris. Regarding the Citroen recall, customers will receive a letter in the post outlining the next steps; Stellantis also has an 'Is my car affected?' web page online, as well as a recall helpline (0800 917 9285) if you need to speak with someone directly. Any recall-related work performed will be covered by Stellantis and should only take around half a day to complete at one of dozens of authorised Citroen garages across the country. Come and join our WhatsApp channel for the latest car news and reviews...
Shafaq News
9 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq ramps up repatriation flights
Shafaq News/ Iraq surpassed the critical phase of its emergency evacuation plan, operating 10 to 12 daily flights to repatriate citizens stranded abroad, the Transport Ministry announced on Friday. Officials emphasized that national carrier Iraqi Airways has also extended its support beyond Iraqi nationals, assisting foreign and Arab residents trapped abroad by transporting them to their home countries or to alternative safe zones. The ministry confirmed that since June 15, the airline has maintained a schedule of up to 12 evacuation flights per day as part of the ongoing emergency plan.
Montreal Gazette
a day ago
- Montreal Gazette
Explainer: Missing girl's disappearance didn't trigger an Amber Alert. Why not?
By From the moment Quebec provincial police announced that a three-year-old was missing on Sunday, questions swirled online over why authorities didn't issue an Amber Alert to inform the public. Faced with the question, police have repeatedly stated the case did not meet the criteria needed for an alert. Yet one of the top comments on the Sûreté du Québec's initial post about the disappearance comes from a mother questioning the decision. 'I would rather have 100 false alarms than one child who was not found in time,' her comment says, receiving nearly 2,000 likes. Here is a brief overview of how Amber Alerts work and why one wasn't issued in the case of the girl, who was found alive Wednesday afternoon. What are Amber Alerts? The Amber Alert system was created in the United States and introduced to Quebec in 2003. It is designed to quickly notify the public about a child who has been abducted and may be in danger. Co-operation between various police forces across the province ensures information is disseminated as swiftly as possible. In Quebec, only the Sûreté du Québec and the Montreal police department can trigger an alert. When an alert is issued, it is broadcast on television and radio, interrupting regular programming. In recent years, alerts have also been sent to compatible mobile phones. Quebec's Transport Ministry also ensures the alert is displayed on message boards along highways in order to reach drivers. What are the criteria needed? Amber Alerts are reserved for specific situations. They will only be triggered if three criteria are met at the same time. When a police department receives a report about a missing child, investigators quickly analyze the case to see if it warrants an alert. The criteria are as follows: The police have reason to believe a child has been abducted. The police have reason to believe the child is in serious danger. The police have information to share that could help locate the child, such as the car used or a description of the suspect. Why was no alert issued? Police have stated that no alert was issued in this case because it doesn't involve an abduction. The girl was seen around 9:45 a.m. Sunday near Newman Blvd. in Montreal's LaSalle borough. Her mother, Rachel Todd, reported her missing nearly six hours later at a fireworks store in Coteau-du-Lac, about 60 kilometres southwest of Montreal. Police have said Todd, 34, told an employee she lost the child and didn't know where she was. She has since been charged with child abandonment. Missing Children's Network executive director Mélanie Aubut said she understands why police didn't issue an Amber Alert, but acknowledged the public's frustrations. 'Any parents' worst nightmare is not knowing where their child is,' Aubut said. 'Families with missing children go through an extremely distressing experience, and I think that's why the population is so affected — because we all put ourselves in their shoes.' Aubut said the delay between when the girl was seen in LaSalle and when Todd reported her missing might have also factored into the decision not to trigger an alert. 'Amber Alerts are an essential tool that is usually used immediately,' she said. 'But in this case, we're talking about a delay of six hours between the child going missing and the police being alerted.' Should the criteria be loosened? Different jurisdictions across North America have wrestled with whether or not the criteria needed to trigger an alert should be less strict. While Aubut agreed the criteria is restrictive, she argued in favour of keeping it as is. She noted that in 2024, there were more than 6,600 instances of children being reported missing in Quebec, mainly involving teenage runaways. Five Amber Alerts were issued for the province. Excessive use of the alerts could become counterproductive, she said, as people might start tuning them out or become desensitized to the issue. 'We want to make sure that when we do sound the alarm, people's reaction isn't to say, 'Ugh, not another disappearance,'' Aubut said. In the girl's case, Aubut believes the Sûreté du Québec did its best to communicate information and prevent disinformation from spreading. Regardless of whether an Amber Alert is issued in a case, Aubut said it's crucial the public continues to spread word about a disappearance as new details emerge. 'Any little clue can change the course of the investigation, or could be the missing piece of the police's puzzle,' she added.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Nurture a safe driving culture with 'Stay at 110kph' campaign
LETTERS: Speeding seems to have become a widely accepted "traffic norm" in Malaysia. For example, on a dual-lane expressway with a speed limit of 110kph, if you don't want to trail behind slower vehicles such as lorries, trucks, buses or cars travelling at 80 or 90kph in the left lane, you have to move into the right lane. The problem is, when you drive in the fast lane at the legal limit of 110kph, it's common to be tailgated by speedsters flashing their high beams and turning on their right signal light persistently — pressuring the law-abiding driver like you, to give up the fast lane. This behaviour is widespread whether the speed limit is 60, 90 or 110kph. Similar scenes are observed on all classes of roads. The contrast with Singapore is particularly striking, where strict enforcement has led to a culture of law-abiding driving. I propose that we launch a public awareness campaign called "Drive Wise. Stay at 110kph" campaign (adjusted according to the actual speed limit of the road). But in order for this campaign to truly make an impact in society, several key factors must be seriously considered: 1. Strengthen enforcement mechanisms: The authorities should improve automated enforcement systems and install more Automated Enforcement System (AES) speed cameras. Also introduce artificial intelligence-powered speed detection and automated penalty systems and penalise dangerous driving behaviour more severely, establish a nationwide public reporting platform and implement a reward-based system for reporting violations. 2. Deepen public safety education: The Transport Ministry can introduce dedicated traffic etiquette assessments, promote this movement through social media outreach, install dynamic Light Emitting Diode (LED roadside signage (for example, "The Fast Lane is not a Racing Lane" slogans), engage celebrities or influencers as road safety ambassadors. Other moves include developing a safe driving rewards app, partner with radio stations to broadcast reminders during peak hours, encouraging drivers to respect speed limits and practise courteous driving. 3. Address collective psychology: By leveraging social media, more people can participate in the "110kph Movement" and gradually adopt it as a daily conscious behaviour, leading to the formation of a new, collective driving culture. Such a culture can normalise law-abiding driving habits, helping the public view speed-limit adherence as a sign of civic maturity.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
First repatriation flight bringing stranded Israelis home lands in Tel Aviv
The first flight carrying Israeli citizens stranded abroad due to the recent Israel - Iran conflict has landed at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on 18 Wednesday. The flight originated from Larnaca, Cyprus, and brought home Israelis who were stuck due to the disruption in air travel. Israel's transport ministry estimates that over 50,000 residents have been stranded abroad since the Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliatory attacks began on 13 Friday. Israel had closed its airspace to civil aviation following the launch of Operation 'Rising Lion', which targeted Iran's nuclear programme and military leaders. Watch the video in full above.
