Fair Proxy Web

Museum helps survivors to track down Holocaust clues

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has begun helping survivors of the Holocaust navigate a vast Nazi archive that promises to document their persecution and provide clues to the fate of family members killed.

After months of work on more than 100 million digital images from the files, the museum was announcing Thursday that it would begin answering requests from survivors and their families for information.

In August, the International Tracing Service of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which administers the archive, began transferring the documents from their depository in Bad Arolsen, Germany, to the Washington museum and to two others — Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem’s outskirts, and the Institute of National Remembrance in Warsaw, Poland.

The Washington museum will be the first of the three museums to begin answering large numbers of requests that researchers hope will help survivors and their families get long-sought answers to bitter questions. They believe even small details could prove invaluable to aging survivors.

The reason that we got into this in the first place is that we heard from so many survivors and families that it was important for them psychologically, said Paul Shapiro, director of the museum’s Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies. Having a copy of a real document in your hand, perhaps seeing the signature of someone who you lost — that may be the only connection to a moment when that person was alive that you have got.

The museum has been accepting requests for information from survivors and their families since last month. It also has provided information to a small number of people as part of its efforts to learn how to search the immense archive and to train its researchers. Now it will begin responding on a larger scale.

Survivors and their families can make requests online on the museum’s Web site (http://www.ushmm.org/). The museum also will provide request forms by mail or through a toll-free number, 866-912-4385.

The museum is warning that while the documents — transportation lists, Gestapo orders, camp registers, slave labor booklets, death books — refer to about 17.5 million people, they are not a comprehensive documentation of the fates of the millions of victims and survivors.

Most of the documents in the archive are written by hand, sometimes in old German script. They also contain variations in the spelling of names, many of which are recorded phonetically. That makes it impossible, for now, to convert large numbers of files to a digitally searchable form.

Shapiro says survivors who hope the files will contain important information on lost life insurance policies also may be frustrated, as researchers have not found evidence that the files contain that information.

Those hopes have been reflected in legal action by survivors. In a multimillion-dollar settlement between victims and the Italian insurance company Assicurazioni Generali, a federal judge ruled last year that a deadline for victims to file claims, now expired, could be extended until August if the Arolsen files turned up relevant information.

Despite the archive’s limitations, historians believe the files’ data on the 17.5 million individuals will add texture to the narrative of misery in the camps, where millions of people were worked to death or were simply exterminated with industrial efficiency. Six million Jews died in the Holocaust, one of every three Jews on Earth at the time.

Allied forces began collecting the documents even before the end of World War II and eventually entrusted them to the Red Cross. The archive has been governed since 1955 by a commission of 11 nations that ratified an accord in November that unsealed the archive.

The International Tracing Service has completed digitizing some 50 million index cards from shelves that would stretch 16 miles and fill a half-dozen buildings in Bad Arolsen. The remainder of the collection, relating to slave labor and displaced persons camps, will be transferred to the museums in installments between 2008 and 2010. E-mail to a friend

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

found here.

Heathrow crash plane ‘just dropped’

LONDON, England (CNN) — Air crash investigators are trying to work out why a Boeing 777 landed short of the runway at London Heathrow airport, skidding on grass and ripping apart sections of the aircraft.

An investigator who has been briefed on the incident told CNN the plane’s captain is claiming there wasn’t power when he needed it.

Passenger Paul Venter told the UK Press Association: The wheels came out and went for touchdown, and the next moment we just dropped. I couldn’t tell you how far.

London ambulance services said 17 people suffered minor injuries, and the number could increase as several others are still being assessed.

Images showed the Boeing 777 — BA flight 38 from Beijing, China — grounded on tarmac after touching down several hundred meters short of the airport’s south runway, close to a perimeter road, with its emergency chutes deployed and white fire-fighting foam covering the engines.

The undercarriage, left wing and left engine of the aircraft were severely damaged, as if it had skidded across the ground. At least one of the plane’s wheels had been torn off.

The most visible damage was to the left wing, which was covered in mangled metal where it meets the fuselage.

Tire tracks hundreds of meters long could be seen in the grass behind the plane, which was surrounded by fire engines and other emergency vehicles.

Eyewitness Neil Jones said the plane had made a very, very unusual approach to the airport and sounded louder than usual, PA reported.

You could see the pilot was desperate, trying to get the plane down. The aircraft hit the grass and there was a lot of dirt. The pilot was struggling to keep the plane straight. I think he did a great job. Read passenger and eyewitness accounts of the crash landing

The BBC said an unidentified Heathrow worker told the broadcaster that he had spoken to the pilot. The pilot said, according to the worker, that the plane’s electronics had failed and that he was forced to glide it to the ground.

The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch will lead the inquiry into the crash landing. A team from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is also heading to London, accompanied by representatives from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Adminsitration.

Jerome Ensinck, a passenger aboard the flight, said there had been no indication that the plane was making an emergency landing.

There was no indication that we were going to have a bad landing, he said. When we hit the ground it was extremely rough, but I’ve had rough landings before and I thought ‘This is the roughest I’ve had.’

Then the emergency exits were opened and we were all told we should go through as quickly as possible, and the moment I was away from the plane I started to realize that the undercarriage was away, and we had missed the runway.

I feel lucky at the moment, but I think now I realize I’ve had a close call. If we had hit the runway, it would have been worse.

In a statement, British Airways said all 136 passengers and 16 crew members had been evacuated from the plane with six minor injuries taken to hospital.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh praised the actions of the crew. We are very proud of the way our crew safely evacuated all 136 passengers on board, Walsh said in a statement.

The captain of the aircraft is one of our most experienced and has been flying with us for nearly 20 years, he added. Walsh also said that an investigation was being conducted by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and that it would be inappropriate to speculate about likely causes.

Airport authorities said Heathrow’s southern runway had been closed, but the northern runway remained open. But the incident immediately led to major delays for passengers. Some incoming flights were being diverted to other airports on a flight-by-flight basis, according to Heathrow’s Web site.

A spokesman for London’s Metropolitan Police said there was nothing to suggest the incident was terror-related.

The Boeing 777 is the mainstay of many airlines’ long-haul fleets and has never been involved in a fatal accident. However, the aircraft involved in Thursday’s incident appeared to have had a fortunate escape, having approached Heathrow over heavily-populated west London suburbs before its crash landing.

CNN’s Richard Quest, who covers the airline industry, said it appeared the damage happened after the plane touched down.

The incident occurred at 12:42 p.m. (7:42 a.m. ET) as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was due to leave Heathrow for a visit to China and India. His flight was delayed but his jet was not directly involved, PA said.

British Airways has set up helpline numbers for friends and relatives concerned for passengers involved in the incident:

From within UK: 0800 389 4193. From outside UK: +44 191 211 3690
found here.

Ibagaza seals Real Madrid cup exit

MADRID, Spain — Real Mallorca staged the perfect smash-and-grab raid at the Bernabeu to dump Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg of this last 16 tie, hosts Madrid dominated from the start but were stunned with seven minutes to go as Ariel Ibagaza scored with virtually Mallorca’s only shot of note to seal a 3-1 aggregate triumph.

Primera Liga leaders Real Madrid will look to rebound from their surprise elimination against third-place Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

I’m calm about being knocked out, coach Bernd Schuster said. This could be a help for us.

The defending champions have 47 points and a seven-point advantage over FC Barcelona.

Mallorca, meanwhile, now face a cup clash against Getafe who completed a 4-0 aggregate win over Levante with a 1-0 triumph. Jaime Gavilan got the only goal against the Primera Liga’s bottom club.

Villarreal set up a last eight meeting with Barcelona after goals from Marcos Senna and Giuseppe Rossi, the latter in extra-time, were enough to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Recreativo Huelva.

But Villarreal central defender Fabricio Fuentes will not play again for at least six months after tearing left knee ligaments.

He suffered the injury as he was warming up for Wednesday’s tie and the 31-year-old Argentine international was to undergo surgery later Thursday.

Fuentes joined Villarreal from Atlas of Mexico in August 2006 and previously played for Newell’s Old Boys, Velez Sarsfield and France’s Guingamp.

Athletic Bilbao will meet Racing Santander after the Basque club edged out Espanyol in a penalty shootout.

Racing beat Real Zaragoza 4-2 — 5-3 on aggregate. Valencia beat Real Betis 2-1 to go through 4-2, while Atletico squeezed past Valladolid on away goals after a 1-1 draw. E-mail to a friend

found here.

Portsmouth conclude Diarra signing

LONDON, England — Portsmouth have completed the signing of France midfielder Lassana Diarra from Arsenal for an undisclosed fee.

The 22-year-old only joined the Gunners from Chelsea last summer but has been frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities at the Emirates Stadium.

Diarra will join his new team-mates for training on Friday and could make his debut in Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Derby.

Paris-born Diarra began his career with Le Havre before moving to Chelsea in 2005.

He was named the club’s young player of the year after his first season but made just 31 appearances in two years and agreed to a $4million move to Arsenal.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, who turned down the job at Newcastle, told the club’s Web site: In my opinion he’s already one of the best midfield players in the Premier League and has the ability to be one of the best there is.

He’s strong, powerful, quick and can pass the ball. You don’t play for France for the last nine or 10 games unless you’re top quality.

I’m delighted he has decided to sign for us rather than a host of other clubs. It’s great news for Portsmouth Football Club.

Birmingham are reportedly close to signing Everton striker James McFadden. The Scotland international is set to discuss personal terms before undergoing a medical after Birmingham agreed in principle to match Everton’s reported $10 million valuation. E-mail to a friend

found here.

Australia steps into whaling standoff

(CNN) — Australia has sent a customs ship to retrieve two activists who were seized by a Japanese whaling vessel, the country’s foreign minister said.

The transfer, if successful, would end a tense two-day standoff in Antarctic waters.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Wednesday that the Australian ship, the Oceanic Viking, was within sighting distance of the Japanese whaler.

We would like the transfer to be effected as quickly as possible. But people should understand this will be a difficult operation, Smith told reporters in Perth.

The Japanese Fisheries Agency said Thursday that they will readily hand over the pair.

Australian citizen Benjamin Potts and British citizen Giles Lane, both members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, jumped on board the Yushin Maru No. 2 Tuesday to deliver a letter saying the vessel was violating international law and Australian law by killing whales.

The anti-whaling group accused the crew of the Japanese vessel of kidnapping the men based on a video that showed Potts and Lane tied to the ship’s railing. In the video, Japanese fishermen pace back and forth in front of them. Watch the anti-whaling activists board the Japanese vessel

Smith said the Oceanic Viking will pick up the pair from the Japanese vessel and transfer them back to the ship they sailed in on. . The transfer of men from one ship to another, and then to a third ship in any circumstances is a potentially difficult operation, he said. But this will be a difficult operation occurring as it does in the southern oceans and it will require the cooperation — the full cooperation — of the captains of the ships and the men themselves.

Smith did not answer questions about whether the men would be charged for their actions, stressing instead that the immediate priority was to retrieve them.

I’m not going to give a running commentary on who’s done what to whom and the various allegations and counter allegation, he said.

Capt. Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, had said earlier that the men were seized by the Japanese crew and assaulted.

They’re being held hostage, they’ve been kidnapped and the Japanese are trying to use them to try and extort an agreement out of us, which is to leave them alone … which to me is a form of terrorism. Watch Watson describe the incident

The Japanese Fisheries Agency has charged that the Sea Shepherd members were the terrorists. At a news conference, the agency released pictures of broken bottles they claim group members threw at the ship. They also released a photo of the two activists relaxing and drinking tea aboard the Yushin Maru.

The image of the two men tied to the ship’s railing is the one that has caused concern.

For some time, for 10, 15 minutes, I understand, they were tied to a GPS mast, Tomohiko Taniguchi of Japan’s Foreign Ministry told CNN. The Japanese crew members feared that two crew members from Sea Shepherd might do something violent.

He said Potts and Lane boarded the vessel without permission. Watson said the two boarded only after attempts to contact the ship by radio were unsuccessful.

Japan has been hunting whales in the Antarctic and apparently plans to kill as many as 1,000 this winter. The killings are allowed under international law because their main purpose is scientific.

We regard them as poachers, Watson said.

Sea Shepherd claims Japan’s Institute for Cetacean Research, which is backing the operations, has said it will release the two activists if Sea Shepherd agrees to stop interfering in its whaling operations. The group says it will not agree to that demand.

Smith said the Japanese government, which formally approached Australia to assist in the transfer, did not lay out any conditions for the transfer.
found here.