Unmindful of the heavy rains and COVID-19 fears, the "Real Heroes"-- the local people, who had rushed to rescue passengers of the Air India Express from Dubai that crashed while landing at the airport here on Friday night, have gone on quarantine, news agency PTI reported.

Despite the airport area falling under containment zone, many locals had rushed to the accident spot on hearing about the mishap, which had claimed 18 lives and left over 100 injured, the report added.

Their selfless act has come in for praise from various quarters.

Police sources said 135 locals and 42 police personnel who had participated in the rescue operations have gone into quarantine.

They had not been wearing protective clothing or gloves and had come in close contact with the injured, the sources said.

The flight with 190 people on board had overshot the tabletop runway while landing in heavy rains and fallen into a valley 35 feet below and broken into two portions.

After one of the deceased passengers tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, Health minister KK Shailaja had asked all local rescuers to go on quarantine.

The state government had also decided to conduct COVID-19 tests for all the people involved in the rescue operations.

Unmindful of the heavy rains and COVID-19 fears, the "Real Heroes"-- the local people, who had rushed to rescue passengers of the Air India Express from Dubai that crashed while landing at the airport here on Friday night, have gone on quarantine, news agency PTI reported.

Unmindful of the heavy rains and COVID-19 fears, the "Real Heroes"-- the local people, who had rushed to rescue passengers of the Air India Express from Dubai that crashed while landing at the airport here on Friday night, have gone on quarantine, news agency PTI reported. Despite the airport area falling under containment zone, many locals had rushed to the accident spot on hearing about the mishap, which had claimed 18 lives and left over 100 injured, the report added. Their selfless act has come in for praise from various quarters. Police sources said 135 locals and 42 police personnel who had participated in the rescue operations have gone into quarantine. They had not been wearing protective clothing or gloves and had come in close contact with the injured, the sources said. The flight with 190 people on board had overshot the tabletop runway while landing in heavy rains and fallen into a valley 35 feet below and broken into two portions. After one of the deceased passengers tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, Health minister KK Shailaja had asked all local rescuers to go on quarantine. The state government had also decided to conduct COVID-19 tests for all the people involved in the rescue operations.

'Real Heroes' who helped rescue Air India passengers in quarantine

Tamil Nadu on Sunday observed an intense lockdown with only health care services and milk supply continuing as usual while roads wore a deserted look as people stayed indoors.

The complete lockdown, effective since last month on Sundays, witnessed sporadic violations as well in some places.

Tamil Nadu police said till date a fine of Rs 19. 99 crore has been levied against violators of lockdownnorms and as many as 6,69,426 vehicles seized.

To effectively implement the complete shutdown as part of efforts to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, check posts were set up by police at all important locations in the state.

Health care services were open, sanitary workers continuedtheir clean up work and personnel of civic bodies conducted door to door surveys to detect people with flu like symptoms and fever camps were also held.

Disinfection work too was carried on as usual.

In view of the intense curbs on Sunday, people flocked to markets, from fish to vegetables on Saturday, which has now become a trend, often violating anti-COVID norms like social distancing.

Fuel pumps, markets and stores selling essential commodities were closed and officials inspected their jurisdictional localities to check violations.

Vehicles, except cargo trucks, were off the roads and roads were deserted but for the presence of security and civic personnel. PTI VGNAPR

Tamil Nadu on Sunday observed an intense lockdown with only health care services and milk supply continuing as usual while roads wore a deserted look as people stayed indoors.

Tamil Nadu on Sunday observed an intense lockdown with only health care services and milk supply continuing as usual while roads wore a deserted look as people stayed indoors. The complete lockdown, effective since last month on Sundays, witnessed sporadic violations as well in some places. Tamil Nadu police said till date a fine of Rs 19. 99 crore has been levied against violators of lockdownnorms and as many as 6,69,426 vehicles seized. To effectively implement the complete shutdown as part of efforts to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, check posts were set up by police at all important locations in the state. Health care services were open, sanitary workers continuedtheir clean up work and personnel of civic bodies conducted door to door surveys to detect people with flu like symptoms and fever camps were also held. Disinfection work too was carried on as usual. In view of the intense curbs on Sunday, people flocked to markets, from fish to vegetables on Saturday, which has now become a trend, often violating anti-COVID norms like social distancing. Fuel pumps, markets and stores selling essential commodities were closed and officials inspected their jurisdictional localities to check violations. Vehicles, except cargo trucks, were off the roads and roads were deserted but for the presence of security and civic personnel. PTI VGNAPR

TN observes one more 'Sunday' lockdown to fight COVID-19

At least two people were killed while five others were injured&nbsp;in a blast in Kabul, media reported on Sunday, citing a police spokesman.

According to Tolo News broadcaster, the police detected an explosive device but failed to defuse it.

Nobody claimed responsibility for the blast so far.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

At least two people were killed while five others were injured in a blast in Kabul, media reported on Sunday, citing a police spokesman. According to Tolo News broadcaster, the police detected an explosive device but failed to defuse it.

At least two people were killed while five others were injured in a blast in Kabul, media reported on Sunday, citing a police spokesman. According to Tolo News broadcaster, the police detected an explosive device but failed to defuse it. Nobody claimed responsibility for the blast so far.

2 people killed, 5 injured in blast in Kabul

The condition of at least 14 passengers of the ill-fated Air India Express flight remains critical, Malappuram District Collector K Gopalakrishnan said on Sunday.

Eighteen people, including the pilot and co-pilot of the AIE flight from Dubai lost their lives, when it overshot the tabletop runway at the airport here while landing in heavy rains and fell into a valley 35 feet below and broke into two portions on Friday night.

"Till now, 49 people have been discharged from various hospitals in Malappuram and Kozhikode. The condition of 14 people remains critical," Gopalakrishnan told.

The remaining 109 people are under treatment at different hospitals.

Air India Express on Sunday said the mortal remains of 16 passengers, who lost their lives in the plane crash, have been handed over to their families.

The bodies of the pilot and co-pilot of the AIE flight, were handed over to their families on Saturday.

The remains of co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar were cremated on Sunday with attendance from all family members as well as officials of Air India and Air India Express at Mathura, his hometown, it said.&nbsp;

The condition of at least 14 passengers of the ill-fated Air India Express flight remains critical, Malappuram District Collector K Gopalakrishnan said on Sunday.

The condition of at least 14 passengers of the ill-fated Air India Express flight remains critical, Malappuram District Collector K Gopalakrishnan said on Sunday. Eighteen people, including the pilot and co-pilot of the AIE flight from Dubai lost their lives, when it overshot the tabletop runway at the airport here while landing in heavy rains and fell into a valley 35 feet below and broke into two portions on Friday night. "Till now, 49 people have been discharged from various hospitals in Malappuram and Kozhikode. The condition of 14 people remains critical," Gopalakrishnan told. The remaining 109 people are under treatment at different hospitals. Air India Express on Sunday said the mortal remains of 16 passengers, who lost their lives in the plane crash, have been handed over to their families. The bodies of the pilot and co-pilot of the AIE flight, were handed over to their families on Saturday. The remains of co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar were cremated on Sunday with attendance from all family members as well as officials of Air India and Air India Express at Mathura, his hometown, it said.

Kozhikode plane crash: Condition of 14 passengers critical, says official

India's plan to regulate "non-personal" data has jolted US tech giants Amazon, Facebook and Google, and a group representing them is preparing to push back against the proposals, according to sources and a letter seen by Reuters.

India's plan to regulate "non-personal" data has jolted US tech giants Amazon, Facebook and Google, and a group representing them is preparing to push back against the proposals, according to sources and a letter seen by Reuters. A government-appointed panel in July recommended setting up a regulator for information that is anonymised or devoid of personal details but critical for companies to build their businesses. The panel proposed a mechanism for firms to share data with other entities - even competitors - saying this would spur the digital ecosystem. The report, if adopted by the government, will form the basis of a new law to regulate such data. But the US-India Business Council (USIBC), part of the US Chamber of Commerce, calls imposed data sharing "anathema" to promoting competition and says this undermines investments made by companies to process and collect such information, according to a draft letter for the Indian government. "USIBC and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are categorically opposed to mandates that require the sharing of proprietary data," says the USIBC's previously unreported letter, which is likely to be completed and submitted in coming weeks to India's information-technology ministry. "It will also be tantamount to confiscation of investors' assets and undermine intellectual property protections." A USIBC spokeswoman had no comment on the draft letter. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce didn't respond to Reuters queries. The head of the panel, Kris Gopalakrishnan, a founder of Indian technology giant Infosys Ltd, said the group will work with the government to review input from the industry. India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Amazon.com Inc, Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google did not respond to requests for comment. The report is open for public comments until Sept. 13. "Forced data sharing" India's plan to regulate non-personal data is the latest irritant for U.S. tech companies that have been battling tighter e-commerce rules and data storage norms that several countries are also developing. New Delhi and Washington are already at odds on such issues, as well as over digital taxes and tariffs. The USIBC draft letter says "forced data sharing" will limit foreign trade and investment in developing countries, and the panel's proposals run against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's calls for U.S. companies to invest in India. The lobby group expresses concern about the panel's recommendation to mandate local storage for non-personal data, describing this as a "dramatic tightening" of India's international data transfer regime. "These are far-reaching concepts that would have a significant impact on the ability of both Indian and multinational firms to do business in India," Washington-headquartered law firm Covington & Burling said in a note prepared for the USIBC, which was also seen by Reuters. The law firm did not respond to a request for comment. The Indian panel has listed research, national security and policymaking among purposes for which such data should be shared. Three sources said tech executives participated in several meetings in recent weeks to discuss concerns over the report.

India data-curb plan 'anathema', US tech giants plan pushback

Amid the ongoing border tension with China, the armed forces are pushing a case for arming their Heron UAVs with laser-guided bombs, precision-guided munitions and anti-tank missiles for taking out enemy positions and armoured regiments.

Amid the ongoing border tension with China, the armed forces are pushing a case for arming their Heron UAVs with laser-guided bombs, precision-guided munitions and anti-tank missiles for taking out enemy positions and armoured regiments. The proposal named Project Cheetah has been revived by the armed forces after being pending for a long time and is expected to cost over Rs 3,500 crores to the government. "Under this project, around 90 Heron drones of the three services would be upgraded to be armed with laser-guided bombs, air to ground and air-launched anti-tank guided missiles," government sources told. The case is going to be considered by a high-level Defence Ministry body including Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, who is now the in-charge of all capital procurements for the three services.In the proposal, the armed forces have proposed to equip the drones with stronger surveillance and reconnaissance payloads for keeping an eye on enemy locations and stations and take them out, if required. The Indian fleet of medium altitude long endurance drones also known as unmanned aerial vehicles includes mainly Israeli equipment including the Herons.They have been deployed by both the Army and Air Force in the forward locations of Ladakh sector along the China border there. The drones are also helping in verifying the disengagement by Chinese as well as knowing their troop build up strength in-depth areas. (With inputs from ANI)

Armed forces want to arm Israeli drone fleet with laser-guided bombs, missiles

Lebanon's information minister Manal Abdel Samad on Sunday resigned from his post following the deadly Beirut blast that killed more than 150. Samad is the first minister to quit the government following the blast.

Lebanon's information minister Manal Abdel Samad on Sunday resigned from his post following the deadly Beirut blast that killed more than 150. Samad is the first minister to quit the government following the blast. "After the enormous Beirut catastrophe, I announce my resignation from government," she said in a statement carried by local media, apologising to the Lebanese public for failing them. The head of Lebanon's Maronite church meanwhile called on the entire government to step down over the August 4 explosion, a blast widely seen as shocking proof of the rot at the core of the state apparatus, according to AFP. Also read: How Beirut blast briefly handed foreign ministry to protesters Lebanese protesters enraged by the blast vowed to rally again after a night of street clashes in which they stormed several ministries. Maronite patriarch Beshara Rai joined the chorus of people pressing Prime Minister Hassan Diab's cabinet to step down over a blast he said could be "described as a crime against humanity." "It is not enough for a lawmaker to resign here or a minister to resign there," Rai was quoted as saying in a Sunday sermon. Also read: Beirut port blast crater 43 metres deep: Security official "It is necessary, out of sensitivity to the feelings of the Lebanese and the immense responsibility required, for the entire government to resign, because it is incapable of moving the country forward." Rai echoed calls by Diab for early parliamentary polls -- a long-standing demand of a protest movement that began in October, demanding the removal of a policial class deemed inept and corrupt. He also joined world leaders, international organisations and the angry Lebanese public by pressing for an international probe into an explosion authorities say was triggered by a fire in a port warehouse, where a huge shipment of hazardous ammonium nitrate had languished for years. President Michel Aoun on Friday rejected calls for an international investigation, which he said would "dilute the truth." At least six lawmakers have quit since the explosion. Under increased pressure from the street and foreign partners exasperated by the leadership's inability to enact reforms, Diab's government is fraying at the edges.

Lebanon information minister quits in wake of Beirut explosion

Indian investigators on Sunday began examining the black box of a Boeing-737 that overshot a runway on its second attempt, killing 18 people in the country's worst aviation accident in a decade.

Indian investigators on Sunday began examining the black box of a Boeing-737 that overshot a runway on its second attempt, killing 18 people in the country's worst aviation accident in a decade. The Air India Express plane, which was repatriating Indians stranded in Dubai due to the coronavirus pandemic, overshot the runway of the Calicut International Airport in heavy rain near the southern city of Kozhikode on Friday. The aircraft fell into a valley and broke in half. In an interview with Reuters partner ANI on Sunday, Arun Kumar, head of India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation, said the country would open the recovered transcripts to international investigators, as well as manufacturer Boeing. "Only after conducting a thorough and unbiased probe, can we tell what exactly happened," Kumar said. The 2,700 metre runway at the airport is known as a "table-top", an aviation term for runways with steep drops at one or both ends. They leave little room for error should a pilot overshoot the runway, either through human error or mechanical failure. "The length of the runway in Calicut is around 2,700 metres and the plane touched the ground after crossing 1,000 metres of the length, leaving less room to bring the aircraft to a halt," the official, who declined to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media, told Reuters. "It was windy and rainy and the runway surface was wet. In such instances the weather is dynamic." "An aircraft typically lands and departs in a headwind as a tailwind increases the plane's speed." A spokesman for Air India did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has already said it will pay compensation to the families of the deceased.

India begins examination of plane's black box after deadly crash

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Saturday said he would propose early elections to break the impasse that is plunging the country deeper into political and economic crisis every day.

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Saturday said he would propose early elections to break the impasse that is plunging the country deeper into political and economic crisis every day. "We can't exit the country's structural crisis without holding early parliamentary elections," Diab said in a televised address, adding that he would propose early polls to cabinet on Monday. Diab on Saturday called on all political parties to put their disagreements aside and work together. Also read: Police fire tear gas at Beirut protesters angry over explosion He said he is ready to stay in the post for two months to allow for politicians to work together on implementing structural reforms. The PM's remarks come after an explosion fueled by thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate killed more than 154 and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Meanwhile, a protest broke out in the capital over the government's handling of this week's devastating explosion in the city. About 5,000 people gathered in Martyrs' Square in the city centre, some throwing stones. Police fired tear gas when some protesters tried to break through the barrier blocking a street leading to parliament, a Reuters journalist said. (With inputs from agencies)

Lebanon PM Diab to call for early polls after deadly Beirut blast

Paris authorities on Saturday made wearing masks mandatory in busy areas of the French capital from Monday to stem the rise of coronavirus infections. The order applies to people aged 11 and over, the Paris prefecture said in a statement, adding that indicators showed the virus had begun circulating more widely since mid-July.

Paris authorities on Saturday made wearing masks mandatory in busy areas of the French capital from Monday to stem the rise of coronavirus infections. The order applies to people aged 11 and over, the Paris prefecture said in a statement, adding that indicators showed the virus had begun circulating more widely since mid-July. The rate of positive tests in the greater Paris region now stood at 2.4% compared with a national average of 1.6%, it said. The zones where masks must be worn will be detailed separately, and evaluated on a regular basis, the prefecture said. They will include some densely populated areas in the capital's lower-income suburbs. After tough lockdown measures slowed infection rates, many European countries are now watching new clusters after easing restrictions to try to limit the economic damage and alleviate public frustration. France has made it compulsory to wear a face mask in closed public spaces such as shops and banks since July 21, and Paris joins a growing list of cities ordering people to wear masks in busy zones outdoors, including Toulouse, Lille and Biarritz. "It needs to be done, even if it is not particularly pleasant," Parisian Ofra Hoffman said in the run-up to the announcement. The number of people in France infected with coronavirus rose by 2,288 on Friday, a new post-lockdown high. (With inputs from Reuters)

Paris makes masks mandatory in busy outdoor areas as virus rate rises

Saudi Arabia has stopped supply of oil to Pakistan since May as a deal signed between the two close allies for provision of USD 3.2 billion worth of the fuel under the arrangement expired two months ago.

Saudi Arabia has stopped supply of oil to Pakistan since May as a deal signed between the two close allies for provision of USD 3.2 billion worth of the fuel under the arrangement expired two months ago. The USD 3.2 billion Saudi oil facility was part of the USD 6.2-billion Saudi Arabian package announced in November 2018 to ease Pakistan's external sector woes, the Express Tribune reported on Friday. The agreement expired in May and efforts are underway to renew the facility, Petroleum Division spokesperson Sajid Qazi was quoted as saying by the paper. Pakistan is awaiting response from the Saudi government over its request to further extend the facility, he added. The development comes at a time when Pakistan faces a challenging situation as its IMF programme also remains technically suspended for the last five months. Returning of Saudi loans and expiry of the oil facility could strain the official reserves of the central bank, which are built purely by taking loans, the paper said. The budget estimates suggested that the government was hoping to receive minimum USD 1 billion worth of oil in fiscal year 2020-21, which started from July. Pakistan has already returned USD 1 billion Saudi loan -- four months ahead of its repayment period, the paper said. The Saudi oil facility that had been secured after hectic backdoor lobbying with the royal family remained underutilised in the last fiscal year. The USD 769 million deferred payment facility on supply of oil was availed from Saudi government, according to the spokesman of the Petroleum Division. The Saudi facility faced roadblocks since the beginning. Initially, both the countries had a plan to make the facility operational from January 2019. But it actually became operational from July last year.

Saudi stops supply of oil to Pakistan after deferred payments deal expires

China on Saturday called for frank dialogue and closer cooperation in reaction to news that Trump administration officials had urged the US president to delist Chinese companies that trade on US exchanges and fail to meet its auditing requirements by January 2022 US Securities and Exchange Commission and Treasury officials revealed the development on Thursday, which came after President Donald Trump tasked a group of key advisers, including Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and SEC Chairman Jay Clayton, with drafting a report with recommendations to protect US investors from Chinese companies whose audit documents have long been kept from US regulators.

China on Saturday called for frank dialogue and closer cooperation in reaction to news that Trump administration officials had urged the US president to delist Chinese companies that trade on US exchanges and fail to meet its auditing requirements by January 2022 US Securities and Exchange Commission and Treasury officials revealed the development on Thursday, which came after President Donald Trump tasked a group of key advisers, including Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and SEC Chairman Jay Clayton, with drafting a report with recommendations to protect US investors from Chinese companies whose audit documents have long been kept from US regulators. The development also came amid pressure from Congress to crack down on Chinese companies that avail themselves of US capital markets but do not comply with US rules faced by American rivals. "We are simply leveling the playing field, holding Chinese firms listed in the US to the same standards as everyone else," a Treasury official told reporters in a briefing call. China's top securities regulator on Saturday reacted to the US securities regulators' revelation from Thursday cautiously. "We think that solving problems of mutual concern through dialogue is the only way toward win-win situation," the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said in a statement in response to the U.S. recommendations. The Chinese watchdog also said it has been proposing joint accounting inspections with U.S. regulators with a show of "total sincerity towards cooperation". CSRC argued in the statement that China has never forbidden or prevented accounting firms from providing overseas regulators with auditing working papers, though such information exchange should be made through regulators' cooperative channels according to Chinese law.The US. Senate unanimously passed legislation in May that could prevent some Chinese companies from listing their shares on U.S. exchanges unless they follow standards for U.S. audits and regulations. "Important first step'' Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, who sponsored the bill described the recommendations as "an important first step," but said that "without the added teeth of our bill, this report alone does not implement the requirements necessary to protect everyday American investors.” The administration's recommendations, if implemented via an SEC rulemaking process, would give Chinese companies already listed in the United States until Jan. 1, 2022, to ensure the U.S. auditing watchdog, known as the PCAOB, has access to their audit documents. They can also provide a "co-audit," for example, performed by a U.S. parent company of the China-based affiliate tasked with auditing the Chinese firm. However, companies seeking to list in the United States for the first time will need to comply immediately, the officials said. A State Department official told Reuters the administration plans soon to scrap a 2013 agreement between U.S. and Chinese auditing authorities to set up a process for the PCAOB to seek documents in enforcement cases against Chinese auditors. The PCAOB has long complained of China’s failure to grant requests, giving it scant insight on audits of Chinese firms that trade on U.S. exchanges. The report also recommends requiring greater disclosure by issuers and registered funds of the risk of investing in China, as well as mandating more due diligence by funds that track indexes and issuing guidance to investment advisers about fiduciary obligations surrounding investments in China. The moves come amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over China's handling of the coronavirus and its moves to curb freedoms in Hong Kong, among other issues.

Trump advisers urge delisting of US-listed Chinese firms that fail to meet audit standards

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Judy

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.