President Duterte' Speech at the 9th National Biennial Summit on Women in Community Policing 9/30/2016

Malaysian F1 GP: Pit lane fire drama Kevin Magnussen’s Renault burst into flames in the pit lane

Malaysian GP: Pit lane fire drama



Renault Sport F1 Team's Danish driver Kevin Magnussen car is engulfed in flames at the pit during the first free practice session of the Formula One Malaysia Grand Prix in Sepang on Sept 30, 2016. - AFP PHOTO


SEPANG: The first practice session for the Malaysian Grand Prix was halted in dramatic fashion after just 11 minutes on Friday when Kevin Magnussen’s Renault burst into flames in the pit lane.

Magnussen, who had completed just one lap, was forced to leap to safety when fire broke out in his engine outside the Renault garage.

Pit crew and fire marshals were quickly on the scene with extinguishers to quell the flames.

But with fuel appearing to be leaking across hot engine parts, the fire reignited several times before it was finally brought under control.



With foam from extinguishers and smoke sweeping across the pit lane, organisers had no choice other than to raise the red flags to halt the session.

Magnussen was unhurt, although one member of the Renault pit crew seemed to be suffering slightly from the effects of inhaling smoke.

The session got back under way after a 15-minute delay. - AFP

Thai health authorities on Friday said microcephaly in two babies was caused by the Zika virus,

First Thai babies diagnosed with Zika-linked microcephaly


- Reuters



BANGKOK: Thai health authorities on Friday said microcephaly in two babies was caused by the Zika virus, in what is believed to be Southeast Asia's first confirmed case of a link between the sickness and the birth defect.

Tourism is expected to account for 17% of Thailand's GDP this year, and authorities will be desperate to prevent visitor numbers from tailing off after Friday's announcement.

"Two of the three infants (tested) had microcephaly due to the Zika virus," Wicharn Pawan, a disease control official at the Health Ministry told AFP.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) this week said any confirmed cases in Thailand would be the first identified in Southeast Asia.



Zika causes only mild symptoms in most, including fever, sore eyes and a rash. But pregnant women with the virus risk giving birth to babies with microcephaly – a deformation that leads to abnormally small brains and heads.

There is no cure or vaccine for the virus, which has infected more than 1.5 million people, mainly in Brazil, since last year, according to WHO.

While Zika has been present in the region for years, there has been an uptick in the number of recorded cases in Southeast Asia in recent months.

The WHO has however noted that the rise in confirmed cases also comes in conjunction with heightened surveillance.

Thai authorities have been monitoring 36 pregnant women infected with the virus.

Earlier this week Thai doctors cleared two other babies with the condition of a link to Zika, a virus spread mainly by mosquitoes.

Virologist Praset Thongcharoen said "4.3 infants per 100,000", are born with microcephaly in Thailand, twice the global average.

The condition can also be caused by Down syndrome and other infections during pregnancy such as German measles and chickenpox.

Scientists warned this month that the world should prepare for a "global epidemic" of microcephaly as the virus takes root in new countries.

Tourism has buttressed Thailand's otherwise stagnant economy and authorities have been eager to reassure locals and visitors that the country is not experiencing a Zika epidemic.

Friday's news could deliver a blow to Thailand's "teflon" reputation as a tourist haven.

The industry has swiftly bounced back in recent years from coups, violent street protests and bomb attacks.

Before the Thai test results were announced, the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel advisory urging pregnant women to "consider postponing nonessential travel to Southeast Asia countries with reports of Zika virus".

The news comes just one day before the start of "Golden Week", an annual Chinese holiday that sees a flood of tourists descend on neighbouring Thailand.

The kingdom is hoping to receive 33 million visitors this year, boosted by surging numbers of visitors from China. – AFP

President Duterte ‘saddened’ by death of Defensor-Santiago

Duterte ‘saddened’ by death of Defensor-Santiago



MAN WITH A MISSION – President Rodrigo R. Duterte speaks at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 in Parañaque City before leaving for Hanoi, Vietnam Wednesday afternoon. The President’s visit aims to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations between the Philippines and Vietnam.


“We express our deepest sorrow over the passing of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago,” the President said in a statement while on a visit to Vietnam.

Duterte, who had a friendly rivalry with the senator in the last presidential campaign, paid tribute to Santiago for being an exemplary public servant, graft buster, and a constitutionalist.

“Senator Santiago has left a sterling career in public office. She is best remembered as a graftbuster ‘eating death threats for breakfast” earning her the Iron Lady of Asia. A constitutionalist, she has always been an advocate for the rule of law,” said the President.
“Rest in peace, Madam Senator. May your legacy continue to guide this nation for many years to come,” he added.


Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/duterte-saddened-by-death-of-defensor-santiago/#GCM7x8xT25vGRGXV.99

President Rodrigo Duterte arrives at the Davao Airport from his visit to Vietnam September 30 2016

President Duterte Given State Welcome and Banquet in Vietnam. Duterte overwhelmed by Warm Welcome by Vietnam

Inquirer.net

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he and Vietnamese President Trần Đại Quang had agreed to adopt a joint measure aimed at ensuring maritime security, particularly in the disputed South China Sea.

“We reaffirm commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation and over flight as well as unimpeded commerce in the region, particularly in the South China Sea,” Duterte said in his arrival speech at the Davao International Airport here after his state visit to Vietnam.

He said that he and Trần, during their meeting in Hanoi, also agreed to “strengthen existing maritime cooperation mechanisms” and “adopt measures to ensure the safety and security of fishermen from both countries.”

China has been accused of bullying fishermen from its smaller Asian neighbors such as the Philippines and Vietnam, who venture into the disputed territories.

Despite reports of China’s bullying and its perceived threats to other claimants, Duterte said he and Trần agreed that there should be “a peaceful resolution of disputes, including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, self-restraint in the conduct of activities without resorting to a threat or use of force in accordance with the universally recognized principles of international law and the 1982 (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea).”

“We are nations for peace and we will continue to be so. A peaceful region is what we owe as a legacy to our succeeding generations,” he said.

Duterte said there was no doubt in him and Trần that “a sustained economic growth and development thrive in the back of stable and secure environment.”

Aside from these, he said he and Trần also identified “new avenues of defense cooperation” but declined to say what these were.

“It is not for public consumption,” he said.

Duterte said the Philippines and Vietnam will also explore ways to intensify law enforcement cooperation against transnational crime, including the illegal drugs trade.

“(We) committed to ramp up bilateral exchanges to boost our strategic partnership. We agreed to increase exchanges between our officials and peoples and establish a six-year action plan starting 2017 for the implementation of activities in the areas of common interest,” he said.

Duterte said his visit to Vietnam has demonstrated his government’s “adherence on independent foreign policy, which seeks cooperation and collaboration between nations on the basis of sovereign equality and non-interference and the mutual respect to protect our national interests.”/rga



Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/145833/ph-vietnam-reaffirm-maritime-security-cooperation-in-duterte-visit#ixzz4LjRXVYKB

U.S. health officials are advising pregnant women to postpone travel to 11 countries in Southeast Asia because of Zika outbreaks in the region.

NW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials are advising pregnant women to postpone travel to 11 countries in Southeast Asia because of Zika outbreaks in the region.


The advisory issued Thursday targets travel to Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Zika has been in some areas of Southeast Asia for years, and some residents may be immune. But a number of U.S. travelers have become infected there in the last year, so there is a danger to visitors.

Most infected people suffer a mild and temporary illness, at worst. But infection during pregnancy can causes severe brain-related birth defects. The virus is spread primarily by bites from infected mosquitoes.

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Online:

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/zika/

Call the police if you spot this man... The photo of Mohd Rozali who slipped our of his handcuffs and sprinted to freedom

Convicted thief slips off cuffs, escapes Penang courthouse in broad daylight


By Opalyn MokSeptember 29, 2016

MalayMailOnline



GEORGE TOWN, Sept 29 ― In a daring stunt, a convicted thief escaped his guards at the Penang courthouse in the city centre this afternoon.

Mohd Rozali Omar was believed to be among some 15 people who were to be escorted back to the Jawi Prison in a police truck commonly known as a Black Maria when he made his bold daylight escape about 4.30 pm on foot.

According to a witness, the 32-year-old who was just convicted of motorcycle theft was handcuffed to two other detainees but somehow managed to slip out of them and sprinted for freedom, climbed over the courthouse fence and hotfooted it into the city’s streets.

“He suddenly ran off really fast that the prison guards were unable to give chase in time,” said the witness who asked not to be named.

It is believed there were four or five officials guarding the prison truck at the time.


Call the police if you spot this man... The photo of Mohd Rozali released by the police.More

“He had escaped while being led to the Black Maria, climbed over the court fence before running off in the direction of Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling,” northeast district police chief Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said.

He added that the escapee had earlier pleaded guilty to stealing a motorcycle at the Magistrate’s Court and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and a RM3,000 fine.

Mohd Rozali is believed to have 18 past convictions for various offences, including theft.

He was wearing a light blue shirt and black pants when he escaped.

The police has since released his picture and sought public assistance to call the police if they spotted him anywhere.

The Penang Court complex on Light Street is adjacent to several businesses, religious houses of worship and schools, including the all-girls Convent Light Street and the all-boys St Xavier’s Institution.

Nineteen year-old Malaysian student Nur Shakinah Naim, who has been missing in France for four days, has re-emerged

Missing Msian student in France mysteriously re-emerges, says dad


EMBUN MAJIDSeptember 29, 2016
NST


SUNGAI PETANI: Nineteen year-old Malaysian student Nur Shakinah Naim, who has been missing in France for four days, has re-emerged at her lodgings in the city of Rouen.

This is according to her father, Naim Awang, 48, who was relayed the news by a Public Service Department (PSD) officer who visited his house this evening.

“We are happy that the officer brought good news that my daughter has returned to her lodgings. Alhamdulillah, my wife and I are relieved by the news,” he said when contacted this evening.

He has, however, yet to speak with his daughter.

Nur Shakinah, an engineering student enrolled at Universitaire de Technologie (IUT) Rouen in Normandy was reported missing from her lodgings at around noon on Sept 25.

Her housemate reported the matter to the Malaysian Embassy the same night and a report was also lodged with local authorities.

Naim said he and his wife, Nor Halizah Ahmad, will leave for Paris on Saturday as scheduled to meet with their daughter.

He expressed his thanks to caring Malaysians who had prayed for his daughter to be found.

Naim also urged that there be no speculation on the five days that his daughter went missing.

“We are just happy that she has come back. Allow us to get a clear picture regarding the whole situation,” he said.

Valentines Day Killer An engineer accused of killing his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day three years ago has been sentenced to death

Valentine’s Day killer sentenced to death



Cheong (left) being escorted by cops.


GEORGE TOWN: An engineer accused of killing his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day three years ago has been sentenced to death by hanging at the High Court here.

In his ruling, Judicial Commissioner Collin Lawrence Sequerah found Cheong Teik Keon, 34, guilty of murdering clerk Tan Ching Chin, 24.

Cheong was accused of having murdered Tan at her family home in Taman Hwa Seng in Alma, Bukit Mertajam, at 8.40am on Feb 14, 2013.

Collin, in his judgment, said the defence had failed to prove that Cheong was of unsound mind at the time of the incident.



Cheong was represented by Ramkarpal Singh and Muhammad Arif Shaharuddin, while deputy public prosecutor Lim Cheah Yit prosecuted the case

Singaporean Cleaning Supervisor Jailed 3 weeks for Taking Upskrt Video of Sleeping Passenger on a Bus

Cleaner operation supervisor jailed 3 weeks for taking upskirt video clips of woman on bus




SINGAPORE: A cleaner operation supervisor was jailed for three weeks on Thursday for taking an upskirt video of a woman who fell asleep on a bus.

Subramaniyam Supan, 54, pleaded guilty to one charge of intruding into the privacy of the 25-year-old woman by holding a mobile phone between her legs while she was asleep on the upper deck of SBS Transit Service No 7 at Clementi Avenue 5 on May 16 this year.

A similar charge was taken into consideration during his sentencing.

The court heard that the woman boarded the bus at about 7.20pm and sat next to Subramaniyam who sat on the window seat. Shortly after, she fell asleep.


A 34-year-old bus commuter was about to alight at about 8.15pm when she saw Subramaniyam placing his cell phone between the victim's legs.

Subramaniyam had noticed that the victim's legs were wide open and decided to take advantage of that fact by taking a 20-second long upskirt video.

The witness told the bus captain, who immediately stopped the vehicle. He asked all the passengers to exit before he called the police.

The victim, who was unaware of what Subramaniyam had done, realised what had happened only when informed by the witness and bus captain.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Star Chen sought a sentence of two to four week's jail. She said the offence had occurred on public transport while the victim was vulnerable as she was sleeping in the seat next to him.

Pleading for a fine, Subramaniyam said he was solely supporting his family and regretted committing the offences. A jail term would affect his family life and employment, he said.

District Judge Low Wee Ping noted that the offences were committed in a public bus. He said a jail sentence would deter other foolish people from doing the same thing.

"The mobile phone has been invented to be used for good purpose. Nowadays, it is being used as an instrument of crime,'' he said.

The maximum penalty for insulting the modesty of a woman is one year's jail and a fine

A buzzing sex toy mistaken for a bomb delayed a Thai AirAsia flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok

Thai AirAsia flight delayed after sex toy mistaken for bomb



- Reuters


PETALING JAYA: A buzzing sex toy mistaken for a bomb delayed a Thai AirAsia flight to Bangkok on Wednesday morning.

Britain's Daily Star reported that the vibrator caused panic among staff when they heard a loud humming as they were loading a green rucksack onto the plane.

Fearing that it was an explosive device, the baggage handlers radioed for bomb disposal experts who rushed to the runway at Chiang Mai International Airport.

But they could breathe a sigh of relief when they discovered that the sound had come from a silver vibrating bullet with a speed dial that had accidentally been turned on.



“We noticed the bag was shaking and there was a buzzing noise coming from inside.

"Obviously we were pretty scared because this could have been a bomb or some other explosive device.

“But when the experts arrived they opened up the package and it was just a sex toy.

“The passenger is unaware that their bag caused a security alert. I think they would be deeply embarrassed if they found out,” a baggage handler was quoted as saying.

The flight was scheduled to leave Chiang Mai International Airport in Thailand for Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport at 8.25am on Wednesday.

It took off shortly after 8.30 am – with the passenger oblivious that the rucksack had caused panic.

A Thai AirAsia spokesman said the airline did not confiscate the item as it did not threaten aviation security.

"The flight was delayed by five minutes," the spokesman told the Daily Star.

Police have arrested the prime suspect behind the “abduction” of a 15-year-old girl in Bandar Tun Hussein Onn in Cheras here.

Cops nab prime suspect in schoolgirl's 'abduction'


Nur Darleen (in purple) returning to her parents.




KAJANG: Police have arrested the prime suspect behind the “abduction” of a 15-year-old girl in Bandar Tun Hussein Onn in Cheras here.

Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Kajang district police headquarters raided a house in Taman Koperasi Maju Jaya, Cheras, and arrested a 27-year-old former convict at about 3.30pm on Monday.

Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Othman Nanyan said Thursday the suspect was an unemployed heroin addict involved in two previous drug cases.

“We confiscated a parang, a blue motorcycle helmet, a sling bag, a pair of white shoes, a red Modenas motorcycle, keys and a brown wallet.



“We found a MyKad registered under his name, and another MyKad registered under the name of a person wanted for a robbery in Batu 9 on Sept 24.

“We recovered six sim cards, one of which belongs to the Batu 9 robbery victim,” he said, adding that police are investigating if he was involved in other crimes.

ACP Othman said police are tracking down the man’s accomplice, who was with him at the time of the “abduction” on Sept 22.

He said police are investigating the case from all angles.

Nur Darleen Dazeera Azhar, 15, was reportedly waiting for her school van at about 7am that day when two men came on a motorcycle and took her away.

The teenager was brought back to her home at about 2.20pm after a passer-by spotted her walking alone near the Aeon Big supermarket here.

Meanwhile, ACP Othman said an Indonesian national was detained after he bought stolen items from the prime suspect.

He said police picked the man up for investigations after raiding a house in Taman Minang Ria, Batu 9, at about 5.30pm Wednesday.

“We confiscated three watches, a Samsung tablet, one external hard drive and a mobile phone," ACP Othman Nanyan said.

“The man’s passport had expired,” he added.

Action can be taken against Uber in Sarawak and Sabah as its current modus operandi is the same as "pirate taxis" in both states

Nancy Shukri: Uber in Sarawak and Sabah same as ‘pirate taxis’




KUCHING: Action can be taken against Uber in Sarawak and Sabah as its current modus operandi is the same as "pirate taxis" in both states, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Nancy Shukri(pic) said.

To date, she said, Uber has not submitted any permit application to the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) in both states.

"Section 33 of the CVLB Act clearly states a ban on the use of public service vehicles that are not licensed.

"Therefore the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the police have the authority by law to seize vehicles without license under Section 51 of the Act," she said in a statement on Thursday.



Nancy said CVLB, JPJ and police would continue to monitor the operation and services of illegal transport vehicles, including Uber.

She said this was to ensure that the safety and interest of passengers were given priority by licensed taxi operators who complied with current regulations.

"All parties are urged to cooperate and be responsible to ensure the safety and welfare of passengers," she added.

Nancy's statement comes in the wake of news reports that the Sarawak CVLB, JPJ and police would take action against Uber drivers since it was illegal for them to operate in the state.

State traffic investigation and enforcement deputy head DSP Alexson Naga Chabu was reported saying that Uber drivers could be fined between RM1,000 and RM10,000 and their vehicles seized under the CVLB Act.

It was also reported that four taxi associations in Kuching lodged a police report last week against Uber drivers who they claimed were operating in the city.

A New Jersey Transit train crashed into the Hoboken train station at full Speed, Terrorism Ruled out, One person dead, 112 injured, some in Critical condition

Police begin questioning engineer over 'high speed' of Hoboken train before it derailed, crushed one woman to death and left 74 hospitalized as Gov Christie insists crash was a 'tragic accident'

A NJ Transit train crashed into the Hoboken train station Thursday morning around 8:45am
Fabiola Bittar de Kroon, 34, has been confirmed dead, as she was standing on the platform at the time
Authorities say 74 people were hospitalized as a result of the accident - including 'multiple' in critical
Passengers said that the train never slowed down as it approached the station 

The train brought down part of the station's ceiling as it crashed straight through track five 

The crash appears to be an accident, and is not considered deliberate or an act of terrorism
A witness at the scene says he saw the driver of the train, Thomas Gallagher, 48, slumped over in his cab

Officials said Gallagher has been released from the hospital and is cooperating with authorities
The train was lacking a function that would have automatically slowed it as it was coming into the station 

NJ Transit has suspended its service in and out of the station
However, PATH trains to and from New York City will resume for Thursday afternoon

By ASHLEY COLLMAN and REGINA F. GRAHAM FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 13:18 GMT, 29 September 2016 | UPDATED: 23:04 GMT, 29 September 2016


The engineer of a train that crashed at a 'high rate of speed' into the Hoboken, New Jersey train station during Thursday morning rush hour, killing a 34-year-old mother-of one and injuring 112 people, is cooperating with police.

The crash happened after 8:30am, and involved the No. 1614 Pascack Valley line train. The train left Spring Valley, New York at 7:23am and was scheduled to arrive in Hoboken at 8:38am.

Passengers said the train never slowed down as it approached the station, crashing at a 'high-rate of speed' into the terminal which tens of thousands of people use to travel into New York City every day.

The state medical examiner identified Fabiola Bittar de Kroon, 34, as the victim who died in the accident.

Officials said de Kroon was standing on the platform when the train barreled into the terminal. It's unclear where she was traveling to.

De Kroon's husband was out of town on business and their child was at daycare at the time of the horrific accident. He is returning back to town.

More than 100 people were injured, with multiple in critical condition.

A witness at the scene said that he found the 48-year-old engineer, Thomas Gallagher, slumped over at the controls of the train. He is said to be cooperating with authorities who are questioning him, as he has been released from the hospital.

Law enforcement have said that the crash did not appear to be deliberate or an act of terrorism, however the exact cause is still under investigation. It's unclear how fast the train was going when it crashed into the terminal.

Scroll down for video


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Tragic: Fabiola Bittar de Kroon (pictured) is the woman who died in the tragic rush hour accident, according to the state medical examiner's office. Officials said de Kroon was standing on the platform when the No. 1614 Pascack Valley line train barreled into the terminal


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De Kroon's husband was out of town on business and their child was at daycare at the time of the horrific accident. He is returning back to town. Global software company SAP confirmed that de Kroon, a native of Brazil, worked there as a lawyer


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Passengers said the train never slowed down as it approached the station, crashing at a 'high-rate of speed' into the terminal which tens of thousands of people use to travel into New York City every day. Above a woman using an oxygen mask is helped by a Port Authority police officer at the chaotic scene


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Law enforcement have said that the crash did not appear to be deliberate or an act of terrorism, however the exact cause is still under investigation. Above a passenger who was travelling on the train is seen on the floor with a neck brace


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It's unclear how fast the train was going when it crashed into the terminal. Above a woman is seen lying on the ground next to the crashed train as NJ Transit workers survey the damage


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People were treated for their injuries in the parking lot after the NJ Transit train crashed in to the platform at Hoboken Terminal


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A commuter holds a bloody tissue to his face as he talks to a medic outside of Hoboken Terminal


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Some of the hundreds of passengers hurt in the crash were assessed by emergency workers outside the station


Wreckage and debris from train crash in Hoboken New Jersey


The National Transportation Safety Board has sent investigators to the scene to investigate the cause of the crash. Investigators will be looking into whether the driver made an error or if there was perhaps a fault with the train.

The engineer's father says he is married and has been working in train transportation since he was 19 years old.

At an afternoon press conference, Gov. Chris Christie said Gallagher is cooperating with investigators. Christie described the crash as a 'tragic accident'.

William Blaine, another train engineer who witnessed the crash, told NBC New York that he was with emergency responders when they found the engineer slumped over in his chair.


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New Jersey governor Chris Christie speaks to media as New York governor Andrew Cuomo (right) looks on after a New Jersey Transit train derailed and crashed through the station in Hoboken, New Jersey


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A train car is pictured in an aerial photo inside the New Jersey Transit Hoboken Terminal following a train crash in Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S. September 29, 2016


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A passenger is taken away from the scene on a stretcher by paramedics


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The Manhattan skyline is seen behind the Hoboken rail station after the crash which left scores injured


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Emergency vehicles are seen parked outside the station in Hoboken. The NTSB is investigating what happened


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Emergency personnel gather in front of the Hoboken Train Station after the horrific crash


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Construction worker Charles Frazer had just ordered breakfast inside the station cafe when he heard a 'large boom'.

'I saw the tail-end of the train, he said. 'It was going too fast.

'If I hadn't seen it I would have thought it was a bomb exploding. I was like ''holy s***''.

'Steel beams from the roof came crashing down on the first two carriages. Windows were popping out.

'People were trying to get out of the windows. There were live wires everywhere.

'A man was shouting at them to stay inside. They could have been electrocuted.

'A woman with a big gash on her leg crawled out. I picked her up and carried her to the sidewalk. There was blood everywhere.

'The cops and EMTs were on the scene very quickly. They started to get people out. It was very traumatic.'



There's a bumper at the end of each track that stops trains from crashing into the station, but the train was going so fast that it pushed right over the bumper into the reception area where people wait for trains.

'It came in at a high rate of speed, went through the bumper block, through the air, took the ceiling out. It was horrific. It was an explosion of concrete, dust, electrical wires,' a NJ Transit worker said.

The train involved in the crash was allegedly lacking a new piece of technology, called positive train control (PTC), that could have automatically slowed it down as it entered the terminal.

All NJ Transit trains are supposed to be outfitted with PTC technology by December 31, 2018, but not a single train has been updated and no employees have been trained on it, a government report reveals.

Global software company SAP confirmed that de Kroon, a native of Brazil, worked there as a lawyer in a statement to DailyMail.com.

'SAP is profoundly saddened and shaken by the news of today's train crash in New Jersey,' the company said.

'We can confirm Fabiola Bittar De Kroon was an SAP employee with our legal department in Brazil but left our company earlier this year. We express our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all those impacted by today's tragic event.'

De Kroon and her family had just recently moved to New Jersey, according to a post on the Hoboken Mommies Facebook page dated August 5.

'Mommies, we are planning a day trip to the beach this weekend with public transportation,' she wrote.

'Just moved to NJ, so no idea which beach would be nice in a fair distance (traveling with a 18 months baby). Any tips? TIA!!'

The CEO of Jersey City Medical Center said at a press conference that they had taken many of the injured. Three were in serious condition in the trauma unit, eight were being treated for less-serious injuries in the emergency rooms, and 40 'walking wounded' were transported by bus to the hospital and were being treated in the cafeteria for more minor injuries.

As of 4:30pm on Thursday, only 13 people remained hospitalized at Jersey City Medical. Those 13 are in 'serious' condition, but are expected to survive their injuries.

Witness says the train went 'basically through the air'





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A man covered in a medical blanket is taken away in a stretcher after the fatal train crash in Hoboken


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Emergency workers help an injured passenger into the back of an ambulance in Hoboken


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An injured woman is evacuated from the New Jersey train station after the deadly crash. Witnesses said some passengers were trapped under concrete on the platform


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A man is seen being treated by EMTS in the parking lot of Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey. Most of the injured were triaged at the scene


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A firefighter and an EMT carry a passenger into the back of an ambulance in the midst of the huge emergency response


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Passengers run to safety through debris after the NJ Transit train crashed in to the platform at the Hoboken Terminal


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Commuters were forced to run across the tracks at the busy commuter station after the crash


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A man at the scene appeared to be covered in blood after the early morning train crash


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Commuters on the platform at Hoboken Terminal look at the debris from the damaged roof


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Donald Trump voiced his condolences to those injured in the tragedy early Thursday

NTSB spokesperson says that an investigation is underway




The rest of the patients are being treated at CarePoint hospital in Hoboken.

Many survivors took to Twitter to express their good luck at surviving the crash uninjured.

'I owe my life to God today. He has a purpose for me. That train missed me by feet! I'm still in shock' Twitter user @Mark_Antonious said.

One witness said that the train actually 'flew through the air' as it crashed into the terminal.

'The first thing I heard was the explosion of it hitting the bumper block,' NJ Transit employee Michael Larsen told the New York Times. 'The first half of the first car took most of the damage.'

Nancy Bido said she was in the middle of the train when the crash happened.
It just never stopped. It was going really, really fast. Basically, the terminal was the brake for the train
Crash survivor Nancy Bido

'It just never stopped. It was going really, really fast,' Bido said. 'Basically the terminal was the brake for the train'.



Photos from the scene show that the train brought down part of the canopy of the train station, with poles and wires ripped from the ceiling.

Another passenger, Bhagyesh Shah, said that a lot of people were standing in the first two cars of the train, since those cars are closest to the exit leading to the PATH train.

He says passengers in the second car had to break windows to get out of the train

'I saw a woman pinned under concrete,' Shah said. 'A lot of people were bleeding; one guy was crying.'

Shah himself gets on the train at Secaucus and usually stands near the window, but stood at the back of the train on Thursday.

'The next thing I know, we are plowing through the platform,' Shah said. 'It was for a couple seconds, but it felt like an eternity.'

Dust and debris settle after train came barreling through station


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NJ Transit employees look at the damaged to the train. Part of the station's roof collapsed and caused chaos during rush hour


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Sections of the collapsed roof are seen on the platform of Hoboken station in New Jersey in the aftermath of the crash


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A carriage of the NJ Transit train is seen through the wreckage. Around 28,000 people use Hoboken station every day


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Passengers are seen being treated on the side of the road outside of Hoboken terminal


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An ambulance leaves the scene of a train accident at the Hoboken Terminal on Thursday morning


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A flood of ambulances arrived at the scene after the train slammed into a platform



A passenger who spoke to ABC News says the crash was like 'something I've never seen before'.

'We had just left Secaucus and that's where about half or if not more than half of the train gets off the car to transfer to New York [Penn Station],' Corey Futterman said.

'We were approaching Hoboken and the train did not seem to be slowing down whatsoever and then all of a sudden everything just crashed and shook,' he added.

When Futterman got out of his train car, he says he walked out into a train station thrown into chaos.

'I immediately saw like the roof caved in and the car was on top of the platform and it was wires everywhere and total destruction inside. And chaos,' he said. 'People were freaking out and crying. People's faces were bloody.'

PTC SAFETY TECHNOLOGY WAS MISSING FROM TRAIN INVOLVED IN DEADLY HOBOKEN CRASH


The train that plowed into Hoboken station killing one and injuring more than one hundred people was missing the technology created to prevent major collisions.

Positive Train Control (PTC), which combines satellite and computer data to monitor train movements and prevent them from going too fast or hitting other locomotives on the track.

The PTC can override an engineer's actions - or lack thereof if, for any reason, they are unable to take control of the train.

A mandatory report by Federal Railroad Administration revealed that the life-saving technology is not installed on any NJ Transit locomotives.

Computer algorithms calculate the distance between a red light and a train. If a train is moving too fast for an engineer to stop safely, the backup safety system intervenes and automatically applies the brakes.

'It will not allow you to violate a speed restriction, a work-zone restriction or a red signal,' Joseph Szabo, a former head of the Federal Railroad Administration, told AFP. 'It just won't let you violate it.'

The National Transportation Safety Board has been calling for the national implementation of positive train controls for decades. The board has said that over that time it has investigated at least 145 PTC-preventable accidents in which about 300 people were killed and 6,700 injured.

An investigation into a 2008 crash between a Metrolink passenger train and a freight train in Chatsworth, north of Los Angeles, which killed 25 people and injured 135 others, found the collision could have been avoided if PTC had been installed.

Following the tragedy, politicians passed a law requiring the nation's main rail firms to implement a safety system by the end of 2015.

But progress has been painfully slow and last year, Congress passed a bill that grants a three-year extension to railroads before they have to install the long-sought safety technology.



The bill granted railroads until December 31, 2018, to install the expensive technology, and they can seek a waiver for up to another two years if needed.


A passenger named Jamie was in standing in the area between the first and second trains when the crash happened.

'We never really slowed down. It was the standard speed when it's going from point A to point B.

'We knew [something was wrong] because we saw that we were in the station already. But I'm not sure why it didn't slow down or if it did and he tried to brake and it didn't happened.

'We didn't see anything because the lights went off. It was more than a jolt. Everyone was thrown to the side,' Jamie said.



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Emergency services filled the roads outside the station after what was described as a 'mass casualty event'


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An aerial image of the terminal shows the devastating structural damage on the roof


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The massive emergency response to the crash is seen from above Hoboken station. Early reports said hundreds were hurt


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A New Jersey Transit train crashed into the Hoboken Train Station early Thursday morning


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Law enforcement sources tell NBC New York that as many as thirty people were injured


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Witnesses at the scene say it was the Pascack Valley train that caused the mass injury incident


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A green beam was brought down by the NJ Transit train Thursday morning


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An aerial shot shows emergency vehicles cramming into the parking lot outside the station


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Emergency officials walk toward the Hoboken Terminal following the deadly train crash during the morning rush hour


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A helicopter drops off emergency workers near Hoboken Terminal in the middle of the huge response

Panic outside Hoboken train station after commuter train crash


All trains service in and out of the station were suspended in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

While NJ Transit train traffic at the station will be suspended for the foreseeable future, as officials evaluate the damage to the terminal, PATH train service to and from Manhattan have been cleared to start again for the evening rush hour.

The Hoboken Terminal, which handles more than 50,000 train and bus riders daily, is just across the Hudson River from New York City.

It is the final stop for several train lines and a transfer point for many commuters on their way to New York City. Many passengers get off at Hoboken and take ferries or a PATH commuter train to New York.
I immediately saw like the roof caved in and the car was on top of the platform and it was wires everywhere and total destruction inside. And chaos. People were freaking out and crying. People's faces were bloody.
Corey Futterman

About 28,335 people take the PATH train into New York City from Hoboken every day.

Hoboken is NJ Transit's fifth busiest train station, with an estimated 15,000 riders a day.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was in Washington, DC, phoned in to ABC News around noon on Thursday to discuss his government's response to the crash.

He says he is working closely with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on addressing the issue. He says he is focusing on coordinating increased ferry service from New York to Hoboken for the evening commute.

Gov. Cuomo has cancelled his planned trip to Israel, for the funeral of Shimon Peres, to be on hand to deal with the crash.

Chaos in train station as commuters scramble after crash



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Commuters look up at the damaged roof and the front of the train at Hoboken Terminal


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A crowd of emergency workers are seen waiting outside the station after the crash


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Passengers are seen on the platform at Hoboken station after the crash forced services to be cancelled. The horrifying incident impacted thousands of commuters in the Tri-state area


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An entrance to the station is blocked off and guarded by emergency workers as authorities investigate the crash scene


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NJ Police officers and NJ firefighters arrive at the train terminal after the New Jersey Transit train crashed


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A police officer unwinds crime scene tape as he closes one of the entrances to the Hoboken Terminal


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Commuters are left stranded outside the station after the crash disrupted their morning journeys


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Photos from the scene show that the train brought down part of the station's canopy, leaving beams and wires exposed

More than 100,000 people use NJ Transit trains to commute from New Jersey into New York City daily. On Thursday evening, NJ Transit trains out of Penn Station in Manhattan were crowded with commuters forced to find a detour around Hoboken.

Steve Malfitano was trying to get from one city in New Jersey to another, but had to go into New York to get there.

'My 30-minute commute is turning into at least an hour and a half,' he said. But he added: 'It is what it is. It's better than what those people had to go through.'

In 2011, a PATH commuter train crash at the Hoboken station injured more than 30 people. The train slammed into bumpers at the end of the tracks on a Sunday morning.

The Hoboken Terminal, which was built in 1907 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has undergone waves of restoration, including a major project launched by NJ Transit in April 2004 that largely restored the building to its original condition. The station was extensively damaged during Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and underwent major repairs.


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On Thursday evening, NJ Transit trains out of Penn Station in Manhattan were crowded with commuters forced to find a detour around Hoboken. Above people rush toward a NJ Transit platform during rush hour at Penn Station


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More than 100,000 people use NJ Transit trains to commute from New Jersey into New York City daily. Above people rush towards a NJ Transit platform during rush hour at Penn Station

Terrified commuters inside Hoboken train station

HOBOKEN CRASH JOINS LIST OF RECENT INCIDENTS ON TRACKS NEAR NEW YORK


The crash in New Jersey on Thursday morning is the latest concerning incident on tracks in the New York metropolitan area or on routes leading into the city.

In 2011, 34 people were injured when a PATH service crashed at the same station. Reports of the incident suggested the train did not slam on the brakes hard enough.

It was lacking the controls that would have brought the train to a halt when it approached the platform. Similar technology was missing from the train that crashed on Thursday morning.

On May 12, 2015, eight people died on an Amtrak service from Washington D.C. bound for the Big Apple when the carriages derailed in Port Richmond, Pennsylvania.

The NTSB ruled the derailment was caused by the train's engineer, Brandon Bostian, becoming distracted by other radio transmissions.

They also said the crash would have been prevented by positive train controls, which were also not installed on the Hoboken train.

On February 3, 2015, three people were killed and 15 were injured when a Metro-North train crashed outside Valhalla, a hamlet in Westchester around 30 miles from New York City.

It rammed into a Mercedes Benz trying to cross the tracks.

On May 17, 2013, 250 people were injured when a Metro North train derailed in Fairfield, Connecticut. No deaths were reported.

The last fatal crash involving a New Jersey Transit train took place in February 1996. Three people died when two commuter services collided in Jersey City.

At the time, it was the worst train crash in the metropolitan region for 38 years.

In 1958, 48 people were killed when a Central Railroad of New Jersey service crashed in Newark Bay. The train went through a stop signal, derailed, and slipped off a lift bridge.

In March of this year, an Amtrak employee was hit and killed by a NJ Transit service in New Brunswick. He was finishing his overnight shift when he was struck.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3813781/As-30-people-injured-New-Jersey-commuter-train-crashes-station.html#ixzz4LgtuqWRZ