Four people - three Britons and one South African - lost their lives after a plane carrying them crashed three miles to the south of Dubai International Airport here on Thursday evening due to a technical malfunction.

"The four-seater plane crashed while on a mission to calibrate terrestrial navigation systems at the airport," an official statement issued by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced.

The four-seater has since been identified as a diamond 43 owned by the conglomerate Honeywell and registered in the UK, according to the Dubai Media office. Honeywell, in a later statement, denied that it owned the plane while condoling the incident.

"We are deeply saddened by today`s plane crash in Dubai, and our heartfelt condolences are with the victims` families. The plane was not owned or operated by Honeywell but by a third party engaged by Honeywell. We are waiting for more details," the statement read.

An investigation team from the GCAA arrived at the site of the incident. Even though a few planes were diverted or delayed for some time due to the mishap, operations are currently back to normal.

"The General Civil Aviation Authority will investigate the accident to establish its causes in accordance with international standards and best practices in this regard," the GCAA tweeted.

Furthermore, the authority extended its condolences to their families and relatives of the deceased, whose names have not been revealed yet.

Four people - three Britons and one South African - lost their lives after a plane carrying them crashed three miles to the south of Dubai International Airport here on Thursday evening due to a technical malfunction.

Four people - three Britons and one South African - lost their lives after a plane carrying them crashed three miles to the south of Dubai International Airport here on Thursday evening due to a technical malfunction. "The four-seater plane crashed while on a mission to calibrate terrestrial navigation systems at the airport," an official statement issued by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced. The four-seater has since been identified as a diamond 43 owned by the conglomerate Honeywell and registered in the UK, according to the Dubai Media office. Honeywell, in a later statement, denied that it owned the plane while condoling the incident. "We are deeply saddened by today`s plane crash in Dubai, and our heartfelt condolences are with the victims` families. The plane was not owned or operated by Honeywell but by a third party engaged by Honeywell. We are waiting for more details," the statement read. An investigation team from the GCAA arrived at the site of the incident. Even though a few planes were diverted or delayed for some time due to the mishap, operations are currently back to normal. "The General Civil Aviation Authority will investigate the accident to establish its causes in accordance with international standards and best practices in this regard," the GCAA tweeted. Furthermore, the authority extended its condolences to their families and relatives of the deceased, whose names have not been revealed yet.

4 killed after small plane crashes near Dubai airport

The Beijing Daxing International Airport, a new airport under construction, started its first test flights on Monday, with a plane of China Southern Airlines landing on a western runway.

Beijing new airport starts test flights on Monday

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news- April 30th, 2019

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A medical emergency and a mechanical problem left passengers on a United Airlines flight stuck for about 16 hours on the frigid tarmac of a Canadian airport in the plane's barely heated interior, the CBC network reported.&nbsp;

United Flight 179 had taken off late Saturday from Newark, New Jersey en route to Hong Kong with about 250 passengers on board.

When a passenger suffered a medical problem the plane made an emergency landing at Goose Bay airport in Newfoundland and Labrador province, on Canada's east coast, the airline told CBC.

But after paramedics took him to hospital, the plane was unable to take off, reportedly because bitterly cold temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees Fahrenheit) had caused a door to freeze.

With no customs officers on duty overnight, passengers were forced to stay on board, many shivering under the thin blankets handed out by flight attendants.

With food and water running short roughly 10 hours into the ordeal, officials finally arrived to deliver supplies from the Tim Hortons fast-food chain known in Canada for its coffee and doughnuts.

One of the passengers, Sonjay Dutt, reached by phone, said the plane was under-heated and that the arrival of the food and coffee was not enough to appease increasingly angry passengers.

A relief aircraft arrived in Goose Bay late Sunday morning. After the passengers were transferred to the plane by bus, it took off in mid-afternoon to take them back to Newark, where they originally came from the day before, CBC said.

Much of eastern Canada, as well as the US northeast, has been suffering through a glacial cold spell, with heavy snowfalls that have led to scores of flight cancellations.

At the end of the United ordeal, passenger Dutt &nbsp;tweeted that "it's been a long long long long day."

A medical emergency and a mechanical problem left passengers on a United Airlines flight stuck for about 16 hours on the frigid tarmac of a Canadian airport in the plane's barely heated interior, the CBC network reported.

A medical emergency and a mechanical problem left passengers on a United Airlines flight stuck for about 16 hours on the frigid tarmac of a Canadian airport in the plane's barely heated interior, the CBC network reported. United Flight 179 had taken off late Saturday from Newark, New Jersey en route to Hong Kong with about 250 passengers on board. When a passenger suffered a medical problem the plane made an emergency landing at Goose Bay airport in Newfoundland and Labrador province, on Canada's east coast, the airline told CBC. But after paramedics took him to hospital, the plane was unable to take off, reportedly because bitterly cold temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees Fahrenheit) had caused a door to freeze. With no customs officers on duty overnight, passengers were forced to stay on board, many shivering under the thin blankets handed out by flight attendants. With food and water running short roughly 10 hours into the ordeal, officials finally arrived to deliver supplies from the Tim Hortons fast-food chain known in Canada for its coffee and doughnuts. One of the passengers, Sonjay Dutt, reached by phone, said the plane was under-heated and that the arrival of the food and coffee was not enough to appease increasingly angry passengers. A relief aircraft arrived in Goose Bay late Sunday morning. After the passengers were transferred to the plane by bus, it took off in mid-afternoon to take them back to Newark, where they originally came from the day before, CBC said. Much of eastern Canada, as well as the US northeast, has been suffering through a glacial cold spell, with heavy snowfalls that have led to scores of flight cancellations. At the end of the United ordeal, passenger Dutt tweeted that "it's been a long long long long day."

Passengers shiver through 16-hour ordeal on Canadian tarmac

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/missile-strikes-against-iranian-revolutionary-guards-quds-force-israel-191798&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwje8a7r7_7fAhXXYysKHY4TAhUQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0_EbJQqWvOoegvSUOwGCe4">Israel</a> was to inaugurate a new international airport Monday in its desert south meant to boost tourism to the nearby Red Sea and serve as an emergency alternative to Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport.

The official ceremony was scheduled to begin at 11:30 am (0930 GMT) with <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-ticks-off-stalin-for-not-echoing-rahul-for-prime-minister-at-tmc-rally-191654&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjBhqn67_7fAhUciXAKHeg1AJ0QFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0JWIssE3zMx1QXD152Z7Bc">Prime Minister </a>Benjamin Netanyahu in attendance.

Initially, Ramon Airport will handle only domestic flights, operated by Israeli carriers Arkia and Israir.&nbsp;

A date has not yet been given for the start of international flights.

The new airport, named after Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut who died in the crash of the space shuttle Columbia, will in future host jumbo jets from around the globe.

Its website says that it will be able to initially handle up to two million passengers annually, but will be able to expand to a capacity of 4.2 million by 2030.

It says that it has a 3,600-metre-long runway and apron parking space for nine "large and wide-body aircraft".

It also has freight-handling facilities.

Ramon is about 18 kilometres (11 miles) from the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat and the adjacent Jordanian port of Aqaba.

Low-cost and charter airlines currently flying to Ovda airport, about 60 kilometres from Eilat, will move to Ramon, its website says.

They include Ryanair, Wizz Air, EasyJet, SAS, Finnair and Ural Airlines.

It will also replace Eilat's small municipal airfield, where for decades arriving aircraft have swooped past hotel towers.&nbsp;

Construction costs for the new airport have been put at 1.7 billion shekels ($455 million, 395 million euros).

Work began in 2013 but original specifications for the project were revised to allow for upgrades.

The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) has said that the plans for the Ramon project were revised in light of lessons learned during the 2014 Gaza war.

"In an emergency, not only will Israel's entire passenger air fleet be able to land and park there, but also additional aircraft," the IAA says.

After a rocket fired by Hamas militants in Gaza hit near the perimeter of Ben Gurion airport in 2014, international carriers suspended flights.

Israeli media have said that a 26-metre (85 foot) high, 4.5-kilometre (2.8 miles) long "smart" anti-missile fence has been installed to help protect Ramon, which is adjacent to the border with Jordan.&nbsp;

The IAA refused to comment on those reports.

Tourism brings in significant revenue for Israel, accounting for $5.8 billion in 2017, the last full year for which figures are available.

Arrivals to the country of more than eight million citizens hit a record 3.6 million last year, the Israeli tourism ministry said.

The United States, Russia, France, Germany and Britain accounted for most of the visitors.

Israel was to inaugurate a new international airport Monday in its desert south meant to boost tourism to the nearby Red Sea and serve as an emergency alternative to Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport.

Israel was to inaugurate a new international airport Monday in its desert south meant to boost tourism to the nearby Red Sea and serve as an emergency alternative to Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport. The official ceremony was scheduled to begin at 11:30 am (0930 GMT) with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in attendance. Initially, Ramon Airport will handle only domestic flights, operated by Israeli carriers Arkia and Israir. A date has not yet been given for the start of international flights. The new airport, named after Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut who died in the crash of the space shuttle Columbia, will in future host jumbo jets from around the globe. Its website says that it will be able to initially handle up to two million passengers annually, but will be able to expand to a capacity of 4.2 million by 2030. It says that it has a 3,600-metre-long runway and apron parking space for nine "large and wide-body aircraft". It also has freight-handling facilities. Ramon is about 18 kilometres (11 miles) from the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat and the adjacent Jordanian port of Aqaba. Low-cost and charter airlines currently flying to Ovda airport, about 60 kilometres from Eilat, will move to Ramon, its website says. They include Ryanair, Wizz Air, EasyJet, SAS, Finnair and Ural Airlines. It will also replace Eilat's small municipal airfield, where for decades arriving aircraft have swooped past hotel towers. Construction costs for the new airport have been put at 1.7 billion shekels ($455 million, 395 million euros). Work began in 2013 but original specifications for the project were revised to allow for upgrades. The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) has said that the plans for the Ramon project were revised in light of lessons learned during the 2014 Gaza war. "In an emergency, not only will Israel's entire passenger air fleet be able to land and park there, but also additional aircraft," the IAA says. After a rocket fired by Hamas militants in Gaza hit near the perimeter of Ben Gurion airport in 2014, international carriers suspended flights. Israeli media have said that a 26-metre (85 foot) high, 4.5-kilometre (2.8 miles) long "smart" anti-missile fence has been installed to help protect Ramon, which is adjacent to the border with Jordan. The IAA refused to comment on those reports. Tourism brings in significant revenue for Israel, accounting for $5.8 billion in 2017, the last full year for which figures are available. Arrivals to the country of more than eight million citizens hit a record 3.6 million last year, the Israeli tourism ministry said. The United States, Russia, France, Germany and Britain accounted for most of the visitors.

Israel to inaugurate new international airport near Red Sea

55 flights cancelled in airports across Berlin due to security staff strike

&nbsp;Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Sunday appealed to the Centre not to lease out the Thiruvananthapuram airport under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode and requested it to entrust the aerodrome's management with the state government.

The Union Cabinet has recently approved a proposal to manage Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Mangaluru besides Thiruvananthapuram airports under PPP mode.

At the inauguration of the Kannur International airport, Vijayan said, "We can set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) and manage the airport in a remarkable way. We are ready to take over the management of the Karipur International airport (Calicut) also if the Centre has any similar plans in future."

The feasibility study of a new airport proposed to be built at Erumeli near Sabarimala Temple was going on, the chief minister said and requested the Centre's support for the project as well.

Accusing the Congress-led UDF of delaying the Kannur airport project when it was in power, Vijayan said the alliance, which ruled the state between 2001 and 2006, had done nothing to make the long-pending dream a reality.

"The project got a fresh lease of life after the VS Achuthanandan government came to power in 2006," he said.

Vijayan alleged that the Ommen Chandy government had tried to create an impression that work on the airport was completed and carried out its inauguration before the LDF came to power in 2016.

"An Indian Air Force aircraft, which can land anywhere, was brought here and people were invited saying that the airport was being inaugurated," Vijayan said, adding the same airport has now been opened in its full-fledged form, two-and-a-half years after his government came to power.

BJP president Amit Shah had arrived at Kannur in a chartered flight on October 27 before the airport was formally inaugurated.

With the commissioning of the Kannur airport, Kerala has become the first in the country to have four international airports, with Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode being the other three.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Sunday appealed to the Centre not to lease out the Thiruvananthapuram airport under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode and requested it to entrust the aerodrome's management with the state government.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Sunday appealed to the Centre not to lease out the Thiruvananthapuram airport under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode and requested it to entrust the aerodrome's management with the state government. The Union Cabinet has recently approved a proposal to manage Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Mangaluru besides Thiruvananthapuram airports under PPP mode. At the inauguration of the Kannur International airport, Vijayan said, "We can set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) and manage the airport in a remarkable way. We are ready to take over the management of the Karipur International airport (Calicut) also if the Centre has any similar plans in future." The feasibility study of a new airport proposed to be built at Erumeli near Sabarimala Temple was going on, the chief minister said and requested the Centre's support for the project as well. Accusing the Congress-led UDF of delaying the Kannur airport project when it was in power, Vijayan said the alliance, which ruled the state between 2001 and 2006, had done nothing to make the long-pending dream a reality. "The project got a fresh lease of life after the VS Achuthanandan government came to power in 2006," he said. Vijayan alleged that the Ommen Chandy government had tried to create an impression that work on the airport was completed and carried out its inauguration before the LDF came to power in 2016. "An Indian Air Force aircraft, which can land anywhere, was brought here and people were invited saying that the airport was being inaugurated," Vijayan said, adding the same airport has now been opened in its full-fledged form, two-and-a-half years after his government came to power. BJP president Amit Shah had arrived at Kannur in a chartered flight on October 27 before the airport was formally inaugurated. With the commissioning of the Kannur airport, Kerala has become the first in the country to have four international airports, with Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode being the other three.

Kerala CM appeals to Centre not to lease out Trivandrum airport under PPP mode

The partial runway closure and subsequent cancellation of flights at the Delhi airport have led to a sharp rise in last-minute average fares with rates on some key sectors shooting up to 86 per cent amid high weekend travel demand, industry experts claimed Friday.

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the private aerodrome operator, had early last month announced closure of one of the three runways for "preventive repairs" for 13 days, starting November 15.

It also told the airlines to tweak their flight schedule accordingly.

On Friday evening, several travel portals showed a sharp rise in spot airfares.

There was an increase in fares from Delhi to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai and other destinations for the next one week, especially November 16-19.

While the fare for a Delhi-Bengaluru flight on normal days stand around Rs 11,044, for travel on Saturday (November 17), it stood at Rs 13,702 on average, according to the data by travel portal Ixigo.

One travelling to Mumbai from the national capital on Saturday would have to spend Rs 11,060 as against Rs 9,228 on normal days, as per the portal.

The cancellation of flights from the Delhi airport due to the closure of the runway (09/27) has led to an increase in fares for the next one week, said Aloke Bajpai, chief executive and co-founder, Ixigo.

"Another contributing factor is the high travel demand over the upcoming weekend. We have seen an average increase of 86 per cent in air fares for flights from Delhi to key routes such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai," Bajpai said.

Besides 09/27, the Delhi airport has two more runways -- 11/29 and 10/28 -- which remain operational. The three runways together handle 1,300 flights per day.

Tagged as the busiest airport in the country, the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) handled 63.5 million passengers in the fiscal ended March 2018.

"The closure of a runway at Delhi for a brief period has disrupted flight schedules and have led to a reduction in the number of flights from the city. This has led to an increase in airfares for the next ten days," said John Nair, head of business Travel, Cox &amp; Kings.

Though spot fares to key destinations such as Delhi- Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata and Delhi-Bangalore have gone up by 30- 40 per cent, those who booked early grabbed the cheap deals that were available in the market, he added.&nbsp;

The partial runway closure and subsequent cancellation of flights at the Delhi airport have led to a sharp rise in last-minute average fares with rates on some key sectors shooting up to 86 per cent amid high weekend travel demand, industry experts claimed Friday.

The partial runway closure and subsequent cancellation of flights at the Delhi airport have led to a sharp rise in last-minute average fares with rates on some key sectors shooting up to 86 per cent amid high weekend travel demand, industry experts claimed Friday. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the private aerodrome operator, had early last month announced closure of one of the three runways for "preventive repairs" for 13 days, starting November 15. It also told the airlines to tweak their flight schedule accordingly. On Friday evening, several travel portals showed a sharp rise in spot airfares. There was an increase in fares from Delhi to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai and other destinations for the next one week, especially November 16-19. While the fare for a Delhi-Bengaluru flight on normal days stand around Rs 11,044, for travel on Saturday (November 17), it stood at Rs 13,702 on average, according to the data by travel portal Ixigo. One travelling to Mumbai from the national capital on Saturday would have to spend Rs 11,060 as against Rs 9,228 on normal days, as per the portal. The cancellation of flights from the Delhi airport due to the closure of the runway (09/27) has led to an increase in fares for the next one week, said Aloke Bajpai, chief executive and co-founder, Ixigo. "Another contributing factor is the high travel demand over the upcoming weekend. We have seen an average increase of 86 per cent in air fares for flights from Delhi to key routes such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai," Bajpai said. Besides 09/27, the Delhi airport has two more runways -- 11/29 and 10/28 -- which remain operational. The three runways together handle 1,300 flights per day. Tagged as the busiest airport in the country, the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) handled 63.5 million passengers in the fiscal ended March 2018. "The closure of a runway at Delhi for a brief period has disrupted flight schedules and have led to a reduction in the number of flights from the city. This has led to an increase in airfares for the next ten days," said John Nair, head of business Travel, Cox & Kings. Though spot fares to key destinations such as Delhi- Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata and Delhi-Bangalore have gone up by 30- 40 per cent, those who booked early grabbed the cheap deals that were available in the market, he added.

Air fares shoot up by 86% as Delhi runway shuts for repair

The Cabinet Thursday approved a proposal to manage Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow and three other airports under public-private partnership (PPP).

The three other aerodromes are those at Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru.

The operation, management and development of all these aerodromes, owned by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), would be done under PPP, an official tweet said.

This would be done through Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC).

"The Cabinet has given in-principle approval for operation, management and development of Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Mangaluru airports on PPP (Public-private partnership) model," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told media.&nbsp;

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The Cabinet has given in-principle approval for operation, management and development of Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Mangaluru airports on PPP (Public private partnership) model: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad <a href="https://t.co/cXjE05qX1x">pic.twitter.com/cXjE05qX1x</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1060545152656248832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Any issue that is beyond the scope of PPPAC would be dealt with by an empowered group of secretaries, the tweet said.

The group would be headed by NITI Aayog CEO. Secretaries of Civil Aviation Ministry, Department of Economic Affairs and Department of Expenditure would be part of the group.

The Cabinet Thursday approved a proposal to manage Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow and three other airports under public-private partnership (PPP). The three other aerodromes are those at Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru.

The Cabinet Thursday approved a proposal to manage Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow and three other airports under public-private partnership (PPP). The three other aerodromes are those at Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru. The operation, management and development of all these aerodromes, owned by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), would be done under PPP, an official tweet said. This would be done through Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC). "The Cabinet has given in-principle approval for operation, management and development of Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Mangaluru airports on PPP (Public-private partnership) model," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told media. The Cabinet has given in-principle approval for operation, management and development of Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Mangaluru airports on PPP (Public private partnership) model: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad pic.twitter.com/cXjE05qX1x — ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 × Any issue that is beyond the scope of PPPAC would be dealt with by an empowered group of secretaries, the tweet said. The group would be headed by NITI Aayog CEO. Secretaries of Civil Aviation Ministry, Department of Economic Affairs and Department of Expenditure would be part of the group.

Cabinet approves proposal to manage 6 AAI airports under public private partnership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the Pakyong Airport in Sikkim, the first ever aerodrome of the state.

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and Union Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu were also present on the occasion, as the Prime Minister unveiled the plaque, formally inaugurating the 990-acre aero facility.

The first commercial flight from Pakyong is scheduled to start on October 4. 
The airport, located 33 kilometres off the state capital Gangtok, will circumvent the need for a five-hour journey through mountainous roads and is expected to ease off the air traffic congestion at West Bengal's Bagdogra.

Strategically, the airport holds relevance as it's 60 kilometres from the India-China border. It will also provide the Indian Air force (IAF) with a convenient landing and takeoff facility.

With Sikkim perceived as one of the major tourist destinations, the airport is expected to provide a much-needed impetus to the tourism industry in the state.

Built at an estimated cost of over Rs. 605 crores, the Pakyong Airport is another feature added to the profile of Sikkim, which has, in the last three to four years, achieved the distinction of becoming the first "Organic State" and also the first "Open Defecation Free" (ODF) state of India.

The airport is an example of one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet projects- the UDAN. The programme started in 2016, is a regional airport development and "Regional Connectivity Scheme" for the common citizen of the country.

The UDAN aims to make air travel affordable and widespread, boosting the economy and infrastructural development of otherwise neglected regions of India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the Pakyong Airport in Sikkim, the first ever aerodrome of the state. Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and Union Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu were also present on the occasion, as the Prime Minister unveiled the plaque, formally inaugurating the 990-acre aero facility.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the Pakyong Airport in Sikkim, the first ever aerodrome of the state. Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and Union Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu were also present on the occasion, as the Prime Minister unveiled the plaque, formally inaugurating the 990-acre aero facility. The first commercial flight from Pakyong is scheduled to start on October 4. The airport, located 33 kilometres off the state capital Gangtok, will circumvent the need for a five-hour journey through mountainous roads and is expected to ease off the air traffic congestion at West Bengal's Bagdogra. Strategically, the airport holds relevance as it's 60 kilometres from the India-China border. It will also provide the Indian Air force (IAF) with a convenient landing and takeoff facility. With Sikkim perceived as one of the major tourist destinations, the airport is expected to provide a much-needed impetus to the tourism industry in the state. Built at an estimated cost of over Rs. 605 crores, the Pakyong Airport is another feature added to the profile of Sikkim, which has, in the last three to four years, achieved the distinction of becoming the first "Organic State" and also the first "Open Defecation Free" (ODF) state of India. The airport is an example of one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet projects- the UDAN. The programme started in 2016, is a regional airport development and "Regional Connectivity Scheme" for the common citizen of the country. The UDAN aims to make air travel affordable and widespread, boosting the economy and infrastructural development of otherwise neglected regions of India.

Watch: PM Modi inaugurates India's 100th and Sikkim's first-ever airport at Pakyong

According to reports, explosions were heard on Friday in and around Syria's‬ Hama airport. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the series of explosions occurred near Hama's military airport and had been heard in Hama city.

Syrian media has not reported on the cause of the blasts. At least 11 pro-government troops have been killed while dozens were missing from the Syrian government and allied forces.

"Five blasts at least were heard inside Hama military airport ... targeting ammunition and fuel depots," the Observatory added.

It wasn't clear whether the blasts had been caused by technical failure inside the depots or were an attack, the war monitor noted.

Meanwhile, the remaining fighters started to withdraw from the last rebel-held enclave in central Syria on Wednesday. The move sealed the government's control over the area, opening a major stretch of the country's most important highway.

It further cemented President Bashar al-Assad's dominant position over the most populated parts of Syria after years of fighting, however, any new military campaign might risk direct conflict with foreign powers.

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

It wasn't clear whether the blasts had been caused by technical failure inside the depots or were an attack

According to reports, explosions were heard on Friday in and around Syria's‬ Hama airport. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the series of explosions occurred near Hama's military airport and had been heard in Hama city. Syrian media has not reported on the cause of the blasts. At least 11 pro-government troops have been killed while dozens were missing from the Syrian government and allied forces. "Five blasts at least were heard inside Hama military airport ... targeting ammunition and fuel depots," the Observatory added. It wasn't clear whether the blasts had been caused by technical failure inside the depots or were an attack, the war monitor noted. Meanwhile, the remaining fighters started to withdraw from the last rebel-held enclave in central Syria on Wednesday. The move sealed the government's control over the area, opening a major stretch of the country's most important highway. It further cemented President Bashar al-Assad's dominant position over the most populated parts of Syria after years of fighting, however, any new military campaign might risk direct conflict with foreign powers. (With inputs from Reuters)

Syria: Explosions heard near airport in Hama city

A US Air National Guard C-130 transport aeroplane crashed on Wednesday not far from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia, officials said.

Television footage of the crash site showed clouds of black smoke billowing into the air with fire equipment arriving at the scene.

The US National Guard said that one of its C-130 transport planes had crashed in Georgia. A spokesman could not give the number of personnel aboard and said an assessment was under way.

Abby Murphy, a spokeswoman for the Chatham County Emergency Management Agency, said that a military aircraft had gone down on the outskirts of Savannah, about 175 miles (280 km) southeast of Atlanta, but had no further information.

The Savannah Morning News newspaper reported that the plane was stationed at the National Guard’s 165th Aircraft Wing in Savannah. An email and phone call to the 165th Aircraft Wing were not immediately returned.

The Savannah airport said on Twitter that it was “assisting local agencies with an aircraft incident off property. No impacts to airport operations at this time.”&nbsp

The US National Guard said that one of its C-130 transport planes had crashed in Georgia. A spokesman could not give the number of personnel aboard and said an assessment was under way.

A US Air National Guard C-130 transport aeroplane crashed on Wednesday not far from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia, officials said. Television footage of the crash site showed clouds of black smoke billowing into the air with fire equipment arriving at the scene. The US National Guard said that one of its C-130 transport planes had crashed in Georgia. A spokesman could not give the number of personnel aboard and said an assessment was under way. Abby Murphy, a spokeswoman for the Chatham County Emergency Management Agency, said that a military aircraft had gone down on the outskirts of Savannah, about 175 miles (280 km) southeast of Atlanta, but had no further information. The Savannah Morning News newspaper reported that the plane was stationed at the National Guard’s 165th Aircraft Wing in Savannah. An email and phone call to the 165th Aircraft Wing were not immediately returned. The Savannah airport said on Twitter that it was “assisting local agencies with an aircraft incident off property. No impacts to airport operations at this time.”

US military C-130 plane crashes near Savannah airport

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi on Tuesday inaugurated the long-delayed new airport in Islamabad in place of Benazir Bhutto airport.

Islamabad International Airport (IIA), which has been inaugurated after years of delay, &nbspis the first greenfield airport of Pakistan which plans to emerge as one of Asia's major aviation hubs.&nbsp

With a sleek glass-front entrance, spacious check-in areas and jetway bridges for boarding, the Y-shaped airport promise an end to the congestion that has frustrated air travel in the past.

"This airport rightly reflects what has happened in Pakistan in the last five years," said Abbasi.

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight, PK-300, landed at the airport as part of its inauguration ceremony. A video shared by PIA on its official Twitter account, showed the pilot waving the country’s flag from the cockpit window.

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Pakistan Zindabad! The first flight arrives at the new Islamabad International Airport!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FirstFlightPIA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FirstFlightPIA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewAirportwithPIA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewAirportwithPIA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PIA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PIA</a> <a href="https://t.co/JLvjmLzm7r">pic.twitter.com/JLvjmLzm7r</a>
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The new airport is capable of serving nine million passengers and 50,000 metric tonnes of cargo per year and plans to expand its target servicing to about 25 million passengers by 2025.

Abbasi's government is spending billions of dollars on upgrading Pakistan's transport infrastructure and ending energy blackouts, with freshly paved motorways as well as dams and power plants popping up across the country.

Abbasi, who has a pilot's license and is a founder of a Pakistani budget airline, said new airports in the cities of Multan, Faisalabad, Quetta and Peshawar were in the final stages.

"Nothing is impossible but this project definitely seemed impossible," quipped Abbasi, in reference to his government inheriting the project in 2013.

The new airport is about 15 km (nine miles) from the capital. Benazir Bhutto airport was in the nearby city of Rawalpindi and attached to a military base.

Islamabad International Airport (IIA), which has been inaugurated after years of delay, is the first greenfield airport of Pakistan which plans to emerge as one of Asia's major aviation hubs.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi on Tuesday inaugurated the long-delayed new airport in Islamabad in place of Benazir Bhutto airport. Islamabad International Airport (IIA), which has been inaugurated after years of delay, &nbspis the first greenfield airport of Pakistan which plans to emerge as one of Asia's major aviation hubs. With a sleek glass-front entrance, spacious check-in areas and jetway bridges for boarding, the Y-shaped airport promise an end to the congestion that has frustrated air travel in the past. "This airport rightly reflects what has happened in Pakistan in the last five years," said Abbasi. A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight, PK-300, landed at the airport as part of its inauguration ceremony. A video shared by PIA on its official Twitter account, showed the pilot waving the country’s flag from the cockpit window. Pakistan Zindabad! The first flight arrives at the new Islamabad International Airport!#FirstFlightPIA #NewAirportwithPIA #PIA pic.twitter.com/JLvjmLzm7r — PIA (@Official_PIA) May 1, 2018 × The new airport is capable of serving nine million passengers and 50,000 metric tonnes of cargo per year and plans to expand its target servicing to about 25 million passengers by 2025. Abbasi's government is spending billions of dollars on upgrading Pakistan's transport infrastructure and ending energy blackouts, with freshly paved motorways as well as dams and power plants popping up across the country. Abbasi, who has a pilot's license and is a founder of a Pakistani budget airline, said new airports in the cities of Multan, Faisalabad, Quetta and Peshawar were in the final stages. "Nothing is impossible but this project definitely seemed impossible," quipped Abbasi, in reference to his government inheriting the project in 2013. The new airport is about 15 km (nine miles) from the capital. Benazir Bhutto airport was in the nearby city of Rawalpindi and attached to a military base.

Pakistan PM inaugurates long-delayed new airport in capital Islamabad

&nbspA ministerial committee proposed three names, including Gandhara - the name of the land and its associated civilisation - for Islamabad's new state-of-the-art airport, but all the names were rejected by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. 
 
The four-member ministerial committee was constituted by the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif just two weeks prior to his disqualification by the Supreme Court in Panama Papers case in July last year. 
 
During one of the recent meetings of the federal cabinet, Mr Abbasi after listening to the arguments of his colleagues rejected all the three names that had been proposed by the committee under Ports and Shipping Minister Hasil Bizenjo "without giving any specific justification", Dawn reported, citing sources in the government and ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). 
 
The committee had suggested the names of Liaquat Ali Khan, the first prime minister of Pakistan, Fatima Jinnah, one of the leading founders of Pakistan and the younger sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Gandhara, the name of the land and its associated civilisation that existed in the areas now situated in northern Pakistan and Potohar plateau. 
 
The sources said the cabinet members in the presence of the officials of the Civil Aviation Authority or CAA had a thorough debate on the issue of the name of the new airport which is set to become operational from May 3, the paper said.

They said a majority of the members were of the view that they should name the new facility after some Pakistan Movement personality so that no one could dare change its name later on political grounds, it said. 
 
A number of cabinet members, when contacted, confirmed that there was almost a consensus among them on the name of Liaquat Ali Khan because of his contribution to the Pakistan Movement. 
 
"There were very strong arguments in support of Liaquat Ali Khan's name, but it seems that the prime minister had come with a prepared mind," said a federal minister, while recalling the proceedings. 
 
The sources said the officials of the CAA told the cabinet members that in their correspondence with national and international organisations, they had been using the name of the airport as Islamabad International Airport. 
 
The Pakistan People's Party has been demanding that the new airport should be named after former party chairperson Benazir Bhutto since it is the name of the present airport in Islamabad. 
 
The committee had been formed under Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and it comprised Adviser on National History and Literary Heritage Irfan Siddiqui, Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Law Barrister Zafarullah. 
 
When contacted, Irfan Siddiqui confirmed that his committee had presented three names to the cabinet, but the prime minister rejected them.

The new airport is Pakistan's largest international airport, designed for up to 15 million passengers annually in the first phase, and up to 25 million in future.

The four-member ministerial committee was constituted by the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif just two weeks prior to his disqualification by the Supreme Court in Panama Papers case in July last year

&nbspA ministerial committee proposed three names, including Gandhara - the name of the land and its associated civilisation - for Islamabad's new state-of-the-art airport, but all the names were rejected by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The four-member ministerial committee was constituted by the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif just two weeks prior to his disqualification by the Supreme Court in Panama Papers case in July last year. During one of the recent meetings of the federal cabinet, Mr Abbasi after listening to the arguments of his colleagues rejected all the three names that had been proposed by the committee under Ports and Shipping Minister Hasil Bizenjo "without giving any specific justification", Dawn reported, citing sources in the government and ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The committee had suggested the names of Liaquat Ali Khan, the first prime minister of Pakistan, Fatima Jinnah, one of the leading founders of Pakistan and the younger sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Gandhara, the name of the land and its associated civilisation that existed in the areas now situated in northern Pakistan and Potohar plateau. The sources said the cabinet members in the presence of the officials of the Civil Aviation Authority or CAA had a thorough debate on the issue of the name of the new airport which is set to become operational from May 3, the paper said. They said a majority of the members were of the view that they should name the new facility after some Pakistan Movement personality so that no one could dare change its name later on political grounds, it said. A number of cabinet members, when contacted, confirmed that there was almost a consensus among them on the name of Liaquat Ali Khan because of his contribution to the Pakistan Movement. "There were very strong arguments in support of Liaquat Ali Khan's name, but it seems that the prime minister had come with a prepared mind," said a federal minister, while recalling the proceedings. The sources said the officials of the CAA told the cabinet members that in their correspondence with national and international organisations, they had been using the name of the airport as Islamabad International Airport. The Pakistan People's Party has been demanding that the new airport should be named after former party chairperson Benazir Bhutto since it is the name of the present airport in Islamabad. The committee had been formed under Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and it comprised Adviser on National History and Literary Heritage Irfan Siddiqui, Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Law Barrister Zafarullah. When contacted, Irfan Siddiqui confirmed that his committee had presented three names to the cabinet, but the prime minister rejected them. The new airport is Pakistan's largest international airport, designed for up to 15 million passengers annually in the first phase, and up to 25 million in future.

Pakistan PM rejects three names proposed for new Islamabad airport

After Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was frisked at the United States airport during his recent visit to the country, a spokesperson from the US Embassy in New Delhi explained the reason behind the 'embarrassing' incident.

According to reports, the spokesperson said that any head of state traveling privately without a diplomatic passport would have to go through security checks, as they are traveling as a private citizen. However, an official visit would have a different case.&nbsp;

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was abased down to any regular person at the John F. Kennedy airport in New York, as viral videos on Youtube show Abbasi being frisked during the security procedure.

Ditching official customs as a visiting dignitary, that too as a Prime Minister of a nuclear-armed nation, Abbasi, who reportedly was on a private visit to meet his ailing sister in the US, can be seen in the video adjusting his t-shirt after getting out of security checks with his jacket and a trolley bag.

Abbasi, however, has a history of making private trips to foreign nations, as according to Geo News, the PM was previously spotted travelling alone at a train station during his visit to Britain.

Abbasi was reportedly on a private visit to the US for the purpose of meeting his ailing sister, as well as, Vice President Mike Pence.

As per reports, the PM was traveling on his personal passport by official sources.

Abbasi was reportedly on a private visit to the US for the purpose of meeting his ailing sister, as well as, Vice President Mike Pence

After Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was frisked at the United States airport during his recent visit to the country, a spokesperson from the US Embassy in New Delhi explained the reason behind the 'embarrassing' incident. According to reports, the spokesperson said that any head of state traveling privately without a diplomatic passport would have to go through security checks, as they are traveling as a private citizen. However, an official visit would have a different case. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was abased down to any regular person at the John F. Kennedy airport in New York, as viral videos on Youtube show Abbasi being frisked during the security procedure. Ditching official customs as a visiting dignitary, that too as a Prime Minister of a nuclear-armed nation, Abbasi, who reportedly was on a private visit to meet his ailing sister in the US, can be seen in the video adjusting his t-shirt after getting out of security checks with his jacket and a trolley bag. Abbasi, however, has a history of making private trips to foreign nations, as according to Geo News, the PM was previously spotted travelling alone at a train station during his visit to Britain. Abbasi was reportedly on a private visit to the US for the purpose of meeting his ailing sister, as well as, Vice President Mike Pence. As per reports, the PM was traveling on his personal passport by official sources.

Why Pakistan PM Abbasi was frisked at the US airport

London City Airport announced its closure on Sunday after a World War Two bomb was discovered in the nearby River Thames.

 
The ordnance was discovered in King George V Dock, close to the runway of London`s most central airport, during planned works.

 
&quot;A 214m (234-yard) exclusion zone has been implemented as a precaution by the Met Police. As a result, London City Airport is currently closed,&quot; the airport said in a statement.

 
Travellers were told to avoid the airport: &quot;All passengers due to travel from London City on Monday are advised to contact their airline for further information.&quot;

 
City Airport operates short-haul flights and is located in east London, close to the Canary Wharf business district.

 
The Metropolitan Police said the discovery was reported before dawn on Sunday, at around 0500 GMT, and the exclusion zone was put in place at 2200 GMT.

 
The decision was taken &quot;to ensure that the ordnance can be safely dealt with whilst limiting any risk to the public,&quot; police said in a statement.

 
The unexploded ordnance is being dealt with by specialist police officers working alongside the Royal Navy.&nbsp;

 
Thousands of bombs were dropped on London during the &quot;Blitz&quot; by German Air Forces between September 1940 and May 1941.

City Airport operates short-haul flights and is located in east London, close to the Canary Wharf business district.

London City Airport announced its closure on Sunday after a World War Two bomb was discovered in the nearby River Thames. The ordnance was discovered in King George V Dock, close to the runway of London`s most central airport, during planned works. "A 214m (234-yard) exclusion zone has been implemented as a precaution by the Met Police. As a result, London City Airport is currently closed," the airport said in a statement. Travellers were told to avoid the airport: "All passengers due to travel from London City on Monday are advised to contact their airline for further information." City Airport operates short-haul flights and is located in east London, close to the Canary Wharf business district. The Metropolitan Police said the discovery was reported before dawn on Sunday, at around 0500 GMT, and the exclusion zone was put in place at 2200 GMT. The decision was taken "to ensure that the ordnance can be safely dealt with whilst limiting any risk to the public," police said in a statement. The unexploded ordnance is being dealt with by specialist police officers working alongside the Royal Navy. Thousands of bombs were dropped on London during the "Blitz" by German Air Forces between September 1940 and May 1941.

London city airport closed after World War II bomb found

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj helped an Indian woman in bringing back the mortal remains of her son, with whom she was travelling from Australia to India after he died suddenly at the Kuala Lumpur international airport.

The minister&#39;s response yesterday came after a netizen sought her help in the matter through a tweet.

&quot;@SushmaSwaraj @MEAIndia - urgent and kind request - one of my close friends &amp; his mom travelled from Australia to India. In Kuala Lumpur International Airport, my friend collapsed suddenly and passed away. My friend&#39;s mom is alone in KLIA and don&#39;t know much to get help,&quot; he had tweeted.

Following his tweet, Swaraj assured help from the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur and said the body would be flown to India at the government&#39;s expense.

Later, she tweeted, &quot;Indian High Commission official is escorting the mother and mortal remains of the deceased son from Malaysia to Chennai. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family&quot;.

Swaraj assured help from the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur and said the body would be flown to India at the government's expense

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj helped an Indian woman in bringing back the mortal remains of her son, with whom she was travelling from Australia to India after he died suddenly at the Kuala Lumpur international airport. The minister's response yesterday came after a netizen sought her help in the matter through a tweet. "@SushmaSwaraj @MEAIndia - urgent and kind request - one of my close friends & his mom travelled from Australia to India. In Kuala Lumpur International Airport, my friend collapsed suddenly and passed away. My friend's mom is alone in KLIA and don't know much to get help," he had tweeted. Following his tweet, Swaraj assured help from the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur and said the body would be flown to India at the government's expense. Later, she tweeted, "Indian High Commission official is escorting the mother and mortal remains of the deceased son from Malaysia to Chennai. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family".

Swaraj comes to aid of Indian woman stranded with son's body

Kolkata police today arrested two people who had concealed over 22,000 euros in their shoes.

The two were set to board a Bangkok-bound flight when they were arrested by police at the airport.

The foreign currency recovered from them is worth Rs 1.72 crore in Indian currency.

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The men had concealed currency worth several thousand crores in their shoes (WION Web Team)
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Kolkata police seized currency by two people bound for Bangkok (WION Web Team)
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The two were set to board a Bangkok bound flight when they were arrested by police

Kolkata police today arrested two people who had concealed over 22,000 euros in their shoes. The two were set to board a Bangkok-bound flight when they were arrested by police at the airport. The foreign currency recovered from them is worth Rs 1.72 crore in Indian currency. The men had concealed currency worth several thousand crores in their shoes (WION Web Team) × Kolkata police seized currency by two people bound for Bangkok (WION Web Team) ×

Police arrest two people with Rs 1.72 crore concealed in shoes at Kolkata airport

A former Islamic State fighter suspected of masterminding a deadly attack on Istanbul airport in 2016 was killed during a special operation in ex-Soviet Georgia last week, a spokeswoman for Georgia&#39;s state security service said on Friday.

Akhmed Chatayev was named by Turkish media and a US&nbsp;congressman as the mastermind of the suicide bombing of Istanbul airport in 2016 which killed 45 people. His involvement has not been corroborated by Turkish officials.

&quot;It&#39;s confirmed that one of those killed during the operation is Akhmed Chatayev,&quot; Nino Giorgobiani, a spokeswoman for Georgia&#39;s state security service, told a news briefing. Giorgobiani said that Chatayev blew himself up.&nbsp;

One Georgian special forces serviceman and two other members of the armed group, which was suspected of terrorism, were killed in the same operation. Four police officers were wounded and one member of the group was also arrested.

The 20-hour operation took place at an apartment block on the outskirts of the Georgian capital Tbilisi last week.

Giorgobiani declined to name the two other armed men killed or disclose the identity of the member of the group who was arrested, the group&#39;s motives, or how they got to Georgia.

&quot;The investigation is ongoing ... We continue to work with our international partners to identify the other two (armed men),&quot; Giorgobiani said.

She said that experts from the United States had been participating in the investigation.

A United Nations sanctions list describes Chatayev as a senior figure in Islamic State responsible for training Russian-speaking militants.&nbsp;

A veteran of Chechnya&#39;s conflict with Moscow during which he lost an arm, he lived in Georgia&#39;s Pankisi Gorge, a remote area populated largely by people from the Kist community, ethnic Chechens whose ancestors came to mainly Christian Georgia in the 1800s.

When, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Chechnya rose up in an armed rebellion against Moscow&#39;s rule, the Kist community were drawn to the fight. Thousands of refugees arrived from Chechnya, and some insurgents used the gorge to regroup and prepare new attacks.

Chatayev was wounded and arrested in Georgia in August 2012 following a clash between the Georgian police and a group of militants, who were allegedly trying to cross the Georgian-Russian border and move to Dagestan.

'It's confirmed that one of those killed during the operation is Akhmed Chatayev,' said Nino Giorgobiani, a spokeswoman for Georgia's state security service

A former Islamic State fighter suspected of masterminding a deadly attack on Istanbul airport in 2016 was killed during a special operation in ex-Soviet Georgia last week, a spokeswoman for Georgia's state security service said on Friday. Akhmed Chatayev was named by Turkish media and a US congressman as the mastermind of the suicide bombing of Istanbul airport in 2016 which killed 45 people. His involvement has not been corroborated by Turkish officials. "It's confirmed that one of those killed during the operation is Akhmed Chatayev," Nino Giorgobiani, a spokeswoman for Georgia's state security service, told a news briefing. Giorgobiani said that Chatayev blew himself up. One Georgian special forces serviceman and two other members of the armed group, which was suspected of terrorism, were killed in the same operation. Four police officers were wounded and one member of the group was also arrested. The 20-hour operation took place at an apartment block on the outskirts of the Georgian capital Tbilisi last week. Giorgobiani declined to name the two other armed men killed or disclose the identity of the member of the group who was arrested, the group's motives, or how they got to Georgia. "The investigation is ongoing ... We continue to work with our international partners to identify the other two (armed men)," Giorgobiani said. She said that experts from the United States had been participating in the investigation. A United Nations sanctions list describes Chatayev as a senior figure in Islamic State responsible for training Russian-speaking militants. A veteran of Chechnya's conflict with Moscow during which he lost an arm, he lived in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge, a remote area populated largely by people from the Kist community, ethnic Chechens whose ancestors came to mainly Christian Georgia in the 1800s. When, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Chechnya rose up in an armed rebellion against Moscow's rule, the Kist community were drawn to the fight. Thousands of refugees arrived from Chechnya, and some insurgents used the gorge to regroup and prepare new attacks. Chatayev was wounded and arrested in Georgia in August 2012 following a clash between the Georgian police and a group of militants, who were allegedly trying to cross the Georgian-Russian border and move to Dagestan.

Suspect in Istanbul airport bombing killed last week: Georgia

Indonesia closed the airport on the tourist island of Bali on Monday and ordered 100,000 residents living near a grumbling volcano spewing columns of ash to evacuate immediately, warning that the first major eruption in 54 years could be &quot;imminent&quot;.

The airport was closed for 24 hours from Monday morning, disrupting 445 flights and some 59,000 passengers, after Mount Agung, which killed hundreds of people in 1963, sent volcanic ash high into the sky, and officials said cancellations could be extended.

&quot;Plumes of smoke are occasionally accompanied by explosive eruptions and the sound of weak blasts that can be heard up to 12 km (7 miles) from the peak,&quot; the Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said in a statement after raising the alert from three to its highest level of four.&nbsp;

&#39;&#39;The potential for a larger eruption is imminent,&quot; it said, referring to a visible glow of magma at Mount Agung&#39;s peak overnight, and warning residents to evacuate a danger zone at a radius of 8-10 km (5-6 miles).

Sutopo, a BNPB spokesman, said there had been no casualties so far and 40,000 people had left the area, but tens of thousands still needed to move.

Video footage shared by the agency showed volcanic mud flows (lahar) on the mountainside. Lahar carrying mud and large boulders can destroy houses, bridges, and roads in its path.

Bali, famous for its surf, beaches, and temples, attracted nearly 5 million visitors last year, and its airport serves as a transport hub for the chain of islands in Indonesia&#39;s eastern archipelago.

But tourism has slumped in parts of Bali since September when Agung&#39;s volcanic tremors began to increase and the alert level was raised to maximum before being lowered in October when seismic activity calmed.&quot;I&#39;m really worried. Maybe I&#39;ll go somewhere south that I think will be safe to avoid being trapped by the ashfall,&quot; said Maria Becker, a German tourist staying in Amed, around 15 km (9 miles) from the volcano.

Agung rises majestically over eastern Bali to a height of just over 3,000 metres (9,800 feet). Northeastern Bali is relatively undeveloped compared to the more heavily populated southern tourist hub of Kuta-Seminyak-Nusa Dua.&nbsp;

Indonesia&#39;s Vulcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre (PVMBG), which is using drones, satellite imagery and other equipment, said predictions were difficult in the absence of instrumental recordings from the last eruption 54 years ago.

In 1963, an eruption of Agung killed more than 1,000 people and razed several villages by hurling out pyroclastic material, hot ash, lava and lahar.

Recordings now show the northeast area of Agung&#39;s peak has swollen in recent weeks &quot;indicating there is fairly strong pressure toward the surface&quot;, PVMBG said.

It warned that if a similar eruption occurred, it could send rocks bigger than fist-size up to 8 km (5 miles) from the summit and volcanic gas to a distance of 10 km (6 miles) within three minutes.

Some analysts, however, suggests the threat should not be as great this time because &quot;energy at Mount Agung&#39;s magma chamber is not as big&quot; and the ash column only around a quarter as high so far as the 20 km (12 miles) reached in 1963, Sutopo said.

Check-Ins Closed

Bali airport, about 60 km (37 miles) from the volcano, will be closed for 24 hours, its operator said.

Ten alternative airports have been prepared for airlines to divert inbound flights, including in neighbouring provinces. Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd said it was cancelling flights on Tuesday, while Jetstar was offering to exchange Bali bound tickets for other destinations.

Television footage showed hundreds of holidaymakers camped inside the airport terminal, some sleeping on their bags, others using mobile telephones.

&quot;We have been here (in Bali) for three days we are about to leave today, but just found out our flights have been cancelled. We have got no information because the gates, the check-ins, have been closed indefinitely,&quot; said Carlo Oben from Los Angeles.

Cover-More, Australia&#39;s biggest travel insurer, said on its website customers would only be covered if they had bought policies before the volcano alert was first issued on September 18.&nbsp;

Indonesia&#39;s hotel and restaurant association said stranded tourists at member hotels would get one night&#39;s free stay.&nbsp;

The main airport on Lombok, next to Bali, was closed after being open for much of the day, a spokesman said.

Airlines avoid flying when volcanic ash is present because it can damage engines and can clog fuel and cooling systems and hamper visibility.

Indonesia closed the airport on the tourist island of Bali on Monday and ordered 100,000 residents living near a grumbling volcano spewing columns of ash to evacuate immediately

Indonesia closed the airport on the tourist island of Bali on Monday and ordered 100,000 residents living near a grumbling volcano spewing columns of ash to evacuate immediately, warning that the first major eruption in 54 years could be "imminent". The airport was closed for 24 hours from Monday morning, disrupting 445 flights and some 59,000 passengers, after Mount Agung, which killed hundreds of people in 1963, sent volcanic ash high into the sky, and officials said cancellations could be extended. "Plumes of smoke are occasionally accompanied by explosive eruptions and the sound of weak blasts that can be heard up to 12 km (7 miles) from the peak," the Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said in a statement after raising the alert from three to its highest level of four. ''The potential for a larger eruption is imminent," it said, referring to a visible glow of magma at Mount Agung's peak overnight, and warning residents to evacuate a danger zone at a radius of 8-10 km (5-6 miles). Sutopo, a BNPB spokesman, said there had been no casualties so far and 40,000 people had left the area, but tens of thousands still needed to move. Video footage shared by the agency showed volcanic mud flows (lahar) on the mountainside. Lahar carrying mud and large boulders can destroy houses, bridges, and roads in its path. Bali, famous for its surf, beaches, and temples, attracted nearly 5 million visitors last year, and its airport serves as a transport hub for the chain of islands in Indonesia's eastern archipelago. But tourism has slumped in parts of Bali since September when Agung's volcanic tremors began to increase and the alert level was raised to maximum before being lowered in October when seismic activity calmed."I'm really worried. Maybe I'll go somewhere south that I think will be safe to avoid being trapped by the ashfall," said Maria Becker, a German tourist staying in Amed, around 15 km (9 miles) from the volcano. Agung rises majestically over eastern Bali to a height of just over 3,000 metres (9,800 feet). Northeastern Bali is relatively undeveloped compared to the more heavily populated southern tourist hub of Kuta-Seminyak-Nusa Dua. Indonesia's Vulcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre (PVMBG), which is using drones, satellite imagery and other equipment, said predictions were difficult in the absence of instrumental recordings from the last eruption 54 years ago. In 1963, an eruption of Agung killed more than 1,000 people and razed several villages by hurling out pyroclastic material, hot ash, lava and lahar. Recordings now show the northeast area of Agung's peak has swollen in recent weeks "indicating there is fairly strong pressure toward the surface", PVMBG said. It warned that if a similar eruption occurred, it could send rocks bigger than fist-size up to 8 km (5 miles) from the summit and volcanic gas to a distance of 10 km (6 miles) within three minutes. Some analysts, however, suggests the threat should not be as great this time because "energy at Mount Agung's magma chamber is not as big" and the ash column only around a quarter as high so far as the 20 km (12 miles) reached in 1963, Sutopo said. Check-Ins Closed Bali airport, about 60 km (37 miles) from the volcano, will be closed for 24 hours, its operator said. Ten alternative airports have been prepared for airlines to divert inbound flights, including in neighbouring provinces. Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd said it was cancelling flights on Tuesday, while Jetstar was offering to exchange Bali bound tickets for other destinations. Television footage showed hundreds of holidaymakers camped inside the airport terminal, some sleeping on their bags, others using mobile telephones. "We have been here (in Bali) for three days we are about to leave today, but just found out our flights have been cancelled. We have got no information because the gates, the check-ins, have been closed indefinitely," said Carlo Oben from Los Angeles. Cover-More, Australia's biggest travel insurer, said on its website customers would only be covered if they had bought policies before the volcano alert was first issued on September 18. Indonesia's hotel and restaurant association said stranded tourists at member hotels would get one night's free stay. The main airport on Lombok, next to Bali, was closed after being open for much of the day, a spokesman said. Airlines avoid flying when volcanic ash is present because it can damage engines and can clog fuel and cooling systems and hamper visibility.

Indonesia orders immediate evacuation as highest alert issued for Bali volcano

Video has surfaced of Aditya Narayan, the son of the singer Udit Narayan, misbehaving with an airline official.&nbsp;

In the video, Narayan can be heard saying &quot;If I do not remove your underwear, my name is not Aditya Narayan.&quot;&nbsp;

He also says he &quot;will see him (the airline official) in Mumbai.&quot;&nbsp;

And that he he (Narayan) &quot;can say anything that he wants.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Watch video below:&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6em-o2HHDD8" width="560"></iframe>

The airline, Indigo, said the argument ensued after Narayan was asked to pay for extra baggage.&nbsp;

Indigo, in a statement, said Narayan was asked to pay Rs 13,000.

Narayan said he would not pay more than Rs 10,000.

Indigo added that Narayan used &quot;unparlimentary language&nbsp;with the female staff member&quot;.&nbsp;

And that he pointed a finger at the duty manager and used &quot;profanity&quot; with him.&nbsp;

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Today on 6E-258 (Raipur-Mumbai), Aditya Narayan, travelling with a group of 5 people, was carrying excess baggage of 40 kgs: IndiGo
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914803002921254912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Amount to be paid for carriage of excess baggage came to 13000 INR. He refused to pay this amount to the female check in staff member:IndiGo
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914803146471251968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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He said he will not pay more than 10000 INR for the excess baggage &amp; also used unparliamentary language with the female staff member: IndiGo
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914803270840995843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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While making a video, he pointed a finger at the Duty Manager and again used profanity: IndiGo
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914803435576463360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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When politely asked to be civil &amp; not use such language, he started shouting even louder and used abusive words: IndiGo
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914803595920384000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Informed that if he continues to misbehave he won&#39;t be allowed to travel. He apologised to ground staff &amp; was given boarding cards: IndiGo
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914803914498752513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The airline added that Narayan finally apologised after he was told that if he continued to misbehave, he would not be allowed to travel.&nbsp;

And that he was therefore handed over his boarding pass.&nbsp;

The incident took place at Raipur airport.&nbsp;

News reports said Narayan was there for an event.&nbsp;

Read Indigo&#39;s statement below:&nbsp;

Today on 6E-258 (Raipur-Mumbai), Mr Aditya Narayan, travelling with a group of 5 people, was carrying excess baggage of 40 kgs. The amount to be paid for the carriage of excess baggage came to 13000 INR. He refused to pay this amount to the female check in staff member and said that he will not pay more than 10000 INR for the excess baggage and also used unparliamentary language with the female staff member.

While making a video, he pointed a finger at the Duty Manager and again used profanity. When politely asked to be civil and not use such language as there were other passengers and female staff members present, he started shouting even louder and used abusive words which we are refraining from mentioning here.

He was informed that if he continues to misbehave he will not be allowed to travel.

Later, passenger Mr Narayan apologised to the ground staff and thereafter was given the boarding cards.

We at IndiGo can at no point compromise the dignity of our staff members or passengers.&nbsp;

The airline Indigo said the argument ensued after Narayan was asked to pay for extra baggage

Video has surfaced of Aditya Narayan, the son of the singer Udit Narayan, misbehaving with an airline official. In the video, Narayan can be heard saying "If I do not remove your underwear, my name is not Aditya Narayan." He also says he "will see him (the airline official) in Mumbai." And that he he (Narayan) "can say anything that he wants." Watch video below: The airline, Indigo, said the argument ensued after Narayan was asked to pay for extra baggage. Indigo, in a statement, said Narayan was asked to pay Rs 13,000. Narayan said he would not pay more than Rs 10,000. Indigo added that Narayan used "unparlimentary language with the female staff member". And that he pointed a finger at the duty manager and used "profanity" with him. Today on 6E-258 (Raipur-Mumbai), Aditya Narayan, travelling with a group of 5 people, was carrying excess baggage of 40 kgs: IndiGo — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × Amount to be paid for carriage of excess baggage came to 13000 INR. He refused to pay this amount to the female check in staff member:IndiGo — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × He said he will not pay more than 10000 INR for the excess baggage & also used unparliamentary language with the female staff member: IndiGo — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × While making a video, he pointed a finger at the Duty Manager and again used profanity: IndiGo — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × When politely asked to be civil & not use such language, he started shouting even louder and used abusive words: IndiGo — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × Informed that if he continues to misbehave he won't be allowed to travel. He apologised to ground staff & was given boarding cards: IndiGo — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × The airline added that Narayan finally apologised after he was told that if he continued to misbehave, he would not be allowed to travel. And that he was therefore handed over his boarding pass. The incident took place at Raipur airport. News reports said Narayan was there for an event. Read Indigo's statement below: Today on 6E-258 (Raipur-Mumbai), Mr Aditya Narayan, travelling with a group of 5 people, was carrying excess baggage of 40 kgs. The amount to be paid for the carriage of excess baggage came to 13000 INR. He refused to pay this amount to the female check in staff member and said that he will not pay more than 10000 INR for the excess baggage and also used unparliamentary language with the female staff member. While making a video, he pointed a finger at the Duty Manager and again used profanity. When politely asked to be civil and not use such language as there were other passengers and female staff members present, he started shouting even louder and used abusive words which we are refraining from mentioning here. He was informed that if he continues to misbehave he will not be allowed to travel. Later, passenger Mr Narayan apologised to the ground staff and thereafter was given the boarding cards. We at IndiGo can at no point compromise the dignity of our staff members or passengers.

'If I do not remove your underwear, my name is not Aditya Narayan,' Udit Narayan's son tells airline official

Air France had to scrap 139 long and medium-haul flights today at its Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Roissy, near Paris, on the third day of a strike by&nbsp;flight crew, airport sources said.&nbsp; 
 
The weeklong stoppage began on Tuesday and today saw Paris&#39; other main airport Orly cancel 20 per cent of the carrier&#39;s flights with further medium-haul cancellations likely later in the day, the sources said. Roissy was maintaining more than nine out of ten long-haul and three-quarters of medium-haul flights. 
 
Management said in a statement the carrier would maintain 80 per cent of Saturday flights, the same figure forecast across today. Unions representing around half of the strikers called the stoppage after marathon talks failed to reach a breakthrough on renewing a collective labour accord on rules, pay and promotions that expire&nbsp;in October. 
 
Management want to limit the extension of the agreement to 17 months, whereas unions want between three and five years. The new CEO of the Air France-KLM group, Jean-Marc Janaillac, told daily Le Figaro on Thursday that the strike was &quot;regrettable and aggressive&quot;, coming at the height of the holiday travel period. Unions retorted that management was being &quot;obstinate&quot; in insisting on a shorter accord timeframe. 
 
Air France flights operated by low-cost airlines HOP! and Transavia, as well as KLM and Delta codeshares, were not affected by a stoppage which affected some 30,000 passengers on Thursday. The pilots&#39; last strike, which grounded around 20 per cent of flights on June 11-14 right at the start of Euro 2016, hit France as it was gripped by social unrest over the Socialist government&#39;s labour reforms. Air France estimated that the stoppage cost it some 40 million euros ($45 million). 
 
(AFP)

The weeklong stoppage began on Tuesday and today saw Paris' other main airport Orly cancel 20 per cent of the carrier's flights

Air France had to scrap 139 long and medium-haul flights today at its Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Roissy, near Paris, on the third day of a strike by flight crew, airport sources said. The weeklong stoppage began on Tuesday and today saw Paris' other main airport Orly cancel 20 per cent of the carrier's flights with further medium-haul cancellations likely later in the day, the sources said. Roissy was maintaining more than nine out of ten long-haul and three-quarters of medium-haul flights. Management said in a statement the carrier would maintain 80 per cent of Saturday flights, the same figure forecast across today. Unions representing around half of the strikers called the stoppage after marathon talks failed to reach a breakthrough on renewing a collective labour accord on rules, pay and promotions that expire in October. Management want to limit the extension of the agreement to 17 months, whereas unions want between three and five years. The new CEO of the Air France-KLM group, Jean-Marc Janaillac, told daily Le Figaro on Thursday that the strike was "regrettable and aggressive", coming at the height of the holiday travel period. Unions retorted that management was being "obstinate" in insisting on a shorter accord timeframe. Air France flights operated by low-cost airlines HOP! and Transavia, as well as KLM and Delta codeshares, were not affected by a stoppage which affected some 30,000 passengers on Thursday. The pilots' last strike, which grounded around 20 per cent of flights on June 11-14 right at the start of Euro 2016, hit France as it was gripped by social unrest over the Socialist government's labour reforms. Air France estimated that the stoppage cost it some 40 million euros ($45 million). (AFP)

Air France strike hits 140 Paris hub flights

A suspected member of the Islamic State (IS) has been arrested at Sarajevo airport, media and police said today. 
 
The 19-year-old Bosnian, arrested on Saturday after arriving on a flight from Istanbul, was sought by Bosnian authorities for &quot;terrorism&quot; and &quot;organising a terrorist group&quot;, border police said in a statement without elaborating. 
 
Local media identified the man as Almir Dzimic and said he had joined IS in Syria in 2014. 
 
He had previously lived in a village near the northern Bosnian town of Maglaj, known as a stronghold of radical Islam, reports said. 
 
About 40 per cent of the Balkan country&#39;s 3.8 million people are Muslim. The rest are mainly Catholic or Orthodox Christian. 
 
While the vast majority of Bosnian Muslims are moderates, radical Islam arrived during the country&#39;s inter-ethnic war in the 1990s via foreign fighters who flocked from North Africa, Asia and the Middle East. 
 
According to a study published last month, the flow of Bosnian jihadists to Syria and Iraq has almost stopped -- although nearly 200 of them are still there, including 60 minors. 
 
Since 2012, 330 Bosnians have gone to the region to join jihad. Of the 188 men among them, at least 50 have been killed and 47 have returned to Bosnia, said the report by the Sarajevo-based think-tank Atlantic Initiative. 
 
(AFP)

Local media identified the man as Almir Dzimic and said he had joined IS in Syria in 2014

A suspected member of the Islamic State (IS) has been arrested at Sarajevo airport, media and police said today. The 19-year-old Bosnian, arrested on Saturday after arriving on a flight from Istanbul, was sought by Bosnian authorities for "terrorism" and "organising a terrorist group", border police said in a statement without elaborating. Local media identified the man as Almir Dzimic and said he had joined IS in Syria in 2014. He had previously lived in a village near the northern Bosnian town of Maglaj, known as a stronghold of radical Islam, reports said. About 40 per cent of the Balkan country's 3.8 million people are Muslim. The rest are mainly Catholic or Orthodox Christian. While the vast majority of Bosnian Muslims are moderates, radical Islam arrived during the country's inter-ethnic war in the 1990s via foreign fighters who flocked from North Africa, Asia and the Middle East. According to a study published last month, the flow of Bosnian jihadists to Syria and Iraq has almost stopped -- although nearly 200 of them are still there, including 60 minors. Since 2012, 330 Bosnians have gone to the region to join jihad. Of the 188 men among them, at least 50 have been killed and 47 have returned to Bosnia, said the report by the Sarajevo-based think-tank Atlantic Initiative. (AFP)

Suspected IS member arrested in Bosnia's Sarajevo Airport

The suicide attackers who launched a deadly Istanbul airport assault were planning to take dozens of passengers hostage, Turkish media reported today, as CCTV images of the bombers&#39; faces emerged. 
 
Turkish officials have pointed fingers at the Islamic State for Tuesday night&#39;s gun and bomb attack at Ataturk airport, which left 44 people dead including 19 foreigners. 
 
The private NTV network reported that Istanbul police had detained 11 suspected IS militants over the attack, in addition to 13 rounded up on Thursday and another nine arrested in the western port city of Izmir. 
 
Officials say the men behind the latest in a series of deadly attacks to hit Turkey were of Russian, Uzbek and Kyrgyz nationalities. 
 
Turkish media identified the mastermind of the airport attack as Akhmet Chatayev, a Chechen, adding that he had led an IS cell in Istanbul and found accommodation for the bombers.&nbsp; 
 
Chatayev allegedly organised two deadly bombings this year in the heart of the city&#39;s Sultanahmet tourist district and the busy Istiklal shopping street, the Hurriyet newspaper said. 
 
The pro-government Sabah newspaper reported that the attackers scouted the scene and planned to take dozens of passengers hostage before carrying out a massacre. 
 
However, they began the assault early after attracting suspicion, Sabah said. 
 
CCTV images released by the police show the three alleged attackers arriving in dark coats over their suicide vests - clothing that was much too heavy for a hot summer night. 
 
More images show a plainclothes police officer confronting one of the men by an elevator and asking to see his identification. The attacker pulls out a gun and shoots him. Turkey has been rocked by a series of attacks in the past year. IS jihadists or Kurdish rebels have been blamed. 
 
The attack sparked global condemnation, with consuls from a dozen countries around Europe and beyond gathering at the airport today to lay flowers in memory of the victims. 
 
Hundreds of mourners also gathered in Istanbul on Thursday for the funeral of popular 28-year-old teacher Huseyin Tunc, who was at the airport to welcome a friend. 
 
&quot;We still can&#39;t believe it,&quot; one of his pupils, Batuhan Karabey, said, adding, &quot;He was more than a teacher to us - he was like a big brother, helping us a lot. Really, I can&#39;t believe it&#39;s true.&quot; 
 
The Hurriyet newspaper reported that the bombers had rented a flat in Istanbul&#39;s Fatih district, home to many Syrians and other Arabs, and paid 24,000 Turkish Lira (7,500 Euros) in advance for a year&#39;s rent. 
 
The police raided the apartment after the attack, according to a neighbour, who said the bombers kept the curtains drawn. She never saw the attackers, but she heard them, and complained to local neighbourhood officials about a strange smell. 
 
&quot;A very weird, chemical smell,&quot; she told Hurriyet, adding, &quot;Police came after the bombing... I lived on top of the bomb.&quot; 
 
Hurriyet also quoted a local plumber, identified only by his initials ES, who says one of the attackers came to his shop to ask if he could fix their tap. 
 
&quot;He spoke in broken Turkish. He took me home,&quot; the plumber said. 
 
&quot;I changed the tap. I saw three people inside. They looked like bandits. One always stood by me. I left after changing the tap. They paid me 20 Turkish Lira,&quot; ES said. 
 
(AFP)

Turkish officials say the 3 bombers were a Russian, an Uzbek and a Kyrgyz national

The suicide attackers who launched a deadly Istanbul airport assault were planning to take dozens of passengers hostage, Turkish media reported today, as CCTV images of the bombers' faces emerged. Turkish officials have pointed fingers at the Islamic State for Tuesday night's gun and bomb attack at Ataturk airport, which left 44 people dead including 19 foreigners. The private NTV network reported that Istanbul police had detained 11 suspected IS militants over the attack, in addition to 13 rounded up on Thursday and another nine arrested in the western port city of Izmir. Officials say the men behind the latest in a series of deadly attacks to hit Turkey were of Russian, Uzbek and Kyrgyz nationalities. Turkish media identified the mastermind of the airport attack as Akhmet Chatayev, a Chechen, adding that he had led an IS cell in Istanbul and found accommodation for the bombers. Chatayev allegedly organised two deadly bombings this year in the heart of the city's Sultanahmet tourist district and the busy Istiklal shopping street, the Hurriyet newspaper said. The pro-government Sabah newspaper reported that the attackers scouted the scene and planned to take dozens of passengers hostage before carrying out a massacre. However, they began the assault early after attracting suspicion, Sabah said. CCTV images released by the police show the three alleged attackers arriving in dark coats over their suicide vests - clothing that was much too heavy for a hot summer night. More images show a plainclothes police officer confronting one of the men by an elevator and asking to see his identification. The attacker pulls out a gun and shoots him. Turkey has been rocked by a series of attacks in the past year. IS jihadists or Kurdish rebels have been blamed. The attack sparked global condemnation, with consuls from a dozen countries around Europe and beyond gathering at the airport today to lay flowers in memory of the victims. Hundreds of mourners also gathered in Istanbul on Thursday for the funeral of popular 28-year-old teacher Huseyin Tunc, who was at the airport to welcome a friend. "We still can't believe it," one of his pupils, Batuhan Karabey, said, adding, "He was more than a teacher to us - he was like a big brother, helping us a lot. Really, I can't believe it's true." The Hurriyet newspaper reported that the bombers had rented a flat in Istanbul's Fatih district, home to many Syrians and other Arabs, and paid 24,000 Turkish Lira (7,500 Euros) in advance for a year's rent. The police raided the apartment after the attack, according to a neighbour, who said the bombers kept the curtains drawn. She never saw the attackers, but she heard them, and complained to local neighbourhood officials about a strange smell. "A very weird, chemical smell," she told Hurriyet, adding, "Police came after the bombing... I lived on top of the bomb." Hurriyet also quoted a local plumber, identified only by his initials ES, who says one of the attackers came to his shop to ask if he could fix their tap. "He spoke in broken Turkish. He took me home," the plumber said. "I changed the tap. I saw three people inside. They looked like bandits. One always stood by me. I left after changing the tap. They paid me 20 Turkish Lira," ES said. (AFP)

Istanbul airport bombers planned to take hostages

The three suicide bombers who carried out an attack on Istanbul&#39;s main airport that killed 42 people were of Russian, Uzbek and Kyrgyz nationality, a Turkish official said on Thursday. 
 
Police detained 13 people, three of them foreigners, in raids across Istanbul in connection with Tuesday&#39;s attack on Europe&#39;s third-busiest airport, the deadliest in a series of suicide bombings in Turkey this year.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters) 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

According to a Turkish official the three suicide bombers are of Russian, Uzbek and Kyrgyz nationality

The three suicide bombers who carried out an attack on Istanbul's main airport that killed 42 people were of Russian, Uzbek and Kyrgyz nationality, a Turkish official said on Thursday. Police detained 13 people, three of them foreigners, in raids across Istanbul in connection with Tuesday's attack on Europe's third-busiest airport, the deadliest in a series of suicide bombings in Turkey this year. (Reuters)

Nationalities of the three suicide bombers in Istanbul airport attack identified: Official

Britain will not decide where to build a new runway at Heathrow airport until at least October due to the political turmoil following Britons&#39; vote to leave the European Union, transport minister Patrick McLoughlin said today.&nbsp; 
 
London&#39;s Heathrow, Britain and Europe&#39;s busiest airport, has been campaigning for 25 years for an extra runway and a decision had been expected this summer, after it was pushed back by the government from last year. 
 
But, after his side lost the vote on the country&#39;s EU membership, Prime Minister David Cameron said he would resign by October, and a Conservative leadership contest has begun. 
 
&quot;Being realistic, given recent events, I cannot now foresee an announcement (on airport capacity in southeast England) until at least October,&quot; McLoughlin told lawmakers.&nbsp; 
 
Cameron&#39;s government has been considering for four years where to build the runway, with Heathrow seen as the front-runner over Gatwick, Britain&#39;s second busiest airport, after it was selected by the Davies independent commission in 2015. 
 
However, his possible successor Theresa May opposes Heathrow expansion.&nbsp; 
 
Another high-profile opponent of Heathrow expansion, former London mayor Boris Johnson, said on Thursday he would not be standing for the Conservative leadership.&nbsp; 
 
Business leaders have repeatedly called on the government to build a new runway as Heathrow, Europe&#39;s busiest airport, is already full.&nbsp; 
 
But past attempts to expand the airport, 15 miles west of London in a densely populated area, have been scuppered by local opposition over worries about increased noise and air pollution.&nbsp; 
 
McLoughlin said a government analysis on air quality linked to expansion would be published soon, and said that despite the delays the runway could still be built by the 2030 deadline set by the Davies commission report. 
 
The latest delay to Heathrow&#39;s 18 billion pound ($24 billion) expansion plan was criticised by business groups. 
 
The British Chambers of Commerce said the government was missing an opportunity to stimulate business confidence, while the City of London Corporation said competing on a world stage meant being able to build new trade links.&nbsp; 
 
A quarter of the country&#39;s exports move through Heathrow, Britain&#39;s biggest port, but it has no extra capacity to add routes to new markets including China. 
 
&quot;If Britain wants to be confident, outward-looking and at the centre of the world&#39;s economy then expanding Heathrow must be a key building block in the government&#39;s Brexit plan,&quot; Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said in a statement.&nbsp; 
 
Tesco chairman John Allan told BBC radio that a delay was &quot;unhelpful&quot; and lamented the fact that &quot;reasons of internal party management&quot; came ahead of what was in the nation&#39;s interest.&nbsp; 
 
Heathrow&#39;s largest shareholder is Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial. Other partners include Qatar Holding, China Investment Corp and the Government of Singapore Investment Corp. 
 
(Reuters)

Heathrow has been pushing for 25 years for an extra runway but efforts have been thwarted by opposition to increased noise and air pollution

Britain will not decide where to build a new runway at Heathrow airport until at least October due to the political turmoil following Britons' vote to leave the European Union, transport minister Patrick McLoughlin said today. London's Heathrow, Britain and Europe's busiest airport, has been campaigning for 25 years for an extra runway and a decision had been expected this summer, after it was pushed back by the government from last year. But, after his side lost the vote on the country's EU membership, Prime Minister David Cameron said he would resign by October, and a Conservative leadership contest has begun. "Being realistic, given recent events, I cannot now foresee an announcement (on airport capacity in southeast England) until at least October," McLoughlin told lawmakers. Cameron's government has been considering for four years where to build the runway, with Heathrow seen as the front-runner over Gatwick, Britain's second busiest airport, after it was selected by the Davies independent commission in 2015. However, his possible successor Theresa May opposes Heathrow expansion. Another high-profile opponent of Heathrow expansion, former London mayor Boris Johnson, said on Thursday he would not be standing for the Conservative leadership. Business leaders have repeatedly called on the government to build a new runway as Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, is already full. But past attempts to expand the airport, 15 miles west of London in a densely populated area, have been scuppered by local opposition over worries about increased noise and air pollution. McLoughlin said a government analysis on air quality linked to expansion would be published soon, and said that despite the delays the runway could still be built by the 2030 deadline set by the Davies commission report. The latest delay to Heathrow's 18 billion pound ($24 billion) expansion plan was criticised by business groups. The British Chambers of Commerce said the government was missing an opportunity to stimulate business confidence, while the City of London Corporation said competing on a world stage meant being able to build new trade links. A quarter of the country's exports move through Heathrow, Britain's biggest port, but it has no extra capacity to add routes to new markets including China. "If Britain wants to be confident, outward-looking and at the centre of the world's economy then expanding Heathrow must be a key building block in the government's Brexit plan," Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said in a statement. Tesco chairman John Allan told BBC radio that a delay was "unhelpful" and lamented the fact that "reasons of internal party management" came ahead of what was in the nation's interest. Heathrow's largest shareholder is Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial. Other partners include Qatar Holding, China Investment Corp and the Government of Singapore Investment Corp. (Reuters)

Brexit political turmoil delays call on new runway at London airport until October

President Erdogan issued an official statement on the terror attack that took place at Istanbul&#39;s Atat?rk Airport, which killed at least 41 and injured 230.&nbsp;In it he said: 
 
&ldquo;This attack once again revealed the dark face of terrorist organisations targeting innocent civilians. It is obvious that this attack does not aim to attain any results, but merely aims to produce propaganda material against our country by shedding the blood of and causing pain for innocent civilians. 
 
&ldquo;We urge governments, parliaments, media and civil society organizations around the world, especially in Western countries, to take a firm stand against terrorism.&rdquo; 
 
Erdogan emphasised the international nature of terrorism, saying that it could have happened anywhere. He called on the&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;However, I would like to remind that today&#39;s attack targeted not only 79 million Turkish citizens, but also 7.5 billion human beings around the world. Due to the treacherous nature of terrorism, the bombs that exploded in Istanbul today could have gone off at any airport in any city around the world. Make no mistake: For terrorist organisations, there is no difference between Istanbul and London, Ankara and Berlin, Izmir and Chicago or Antalya and Rome. Unless all government and the entire mankind join forces in the fight against terrorism, much worse things than what we fear to imagine today will come true.&rdquo; 
 
&ldquo;I hope the Ataturk Airport attack will serve as a turning point in the world, particularly for the Western countries, for a joint struggle against terror organizations.&rdquo; 
 
More updates will follow as reports from Turkey come in. 
 
(Others)

Erdogan calls on the world to band together against terrorism

President Erdogan issued an official statement on the terror attack that took place at Istanbul's Atat?rk Airport, which killed at least 41 and injured 230. In it he said: “This attack once again revealed the dark face of terrorist organisations targeting innocent civilians. It is obvious that this attack does not aim to attain any results, but merely aims to produce propaganda material against our country by shedding the blood of and causing pain for innocent civilians. “We urge governments, parliaments, media and civil society organizations around the world, especially in Western countries, to take a firm stand against terrorism.” Erdogan emphasised the international nature of terrorism, saying that it could have happened anywhere. He called on the “However, I would like to remind that today's attack targeted not only 79 million Turkish citizens, but also 7.5 billion human beings around the world. Due to the treacherous nature of terrorism, the bombs that exploded in Istanbul today could have gone off at any airport in any city around the world. Make no mistake: For terrorist organisations, there is no difference between Istanbul and London, Ankara and Berlin, Izmir and Chicago or Antalya and Rome. Unless all government and the entire mankind join forces in the fight against terrorism, much worse things than what we fear to imagine today will come true.” “I hope the Ataturk Airport attack will serve as a turning point in the world, particularly for the Western countries, for a joint struggle against terror organizations.” More updates will follow as reports from Turkey come in. (Others)

Turkey's President makes official statement after deadly airport attack

A court in Sierra Leone heard a case on Tuesday regarding a severe breach of security at the country&#39;s biggest airport. A man tried to set fire to an Air France plane after gaining access to the aircraft withour a passport or a boarding card.&nbsp; 
 
Airport officials promised security would be stepped up after Ibrahim Kanu attempted to board the flight armed with petrol, matches and a cigarette lighter on June 24 at Lungi International Airport, close to the capital of Freetown. 
 
The prosecution said Kanu had entered the restricted area reserved for staff and took a bus connecting to the plane, which is believed to have been an Airbus A330-200 headed for Paris. 
 
A British firm, Westminster Group, is contracted to provide security at the airport but has yet to comment publicly. 
 
Kanu&#39;s bail application was rejected on Tuesday on the grounds that he was a flight risk. He was accused of &quot;a very serious criminal offence&quot;. 
 
General Manager of the Airport Authority Idrissa Fofanah told journalists that security surveillance had been stepped up following the incident. 
 
(AFP)

A man without a passport or a boarding pass tried to get on the flight while carrying petrol, matches and a cigarette lighter

A court in Sierra Leone heard a case on Tuesday regarding a severe breach of security at the country's biggest airport. A man tried to set fire to an Air France plane after gaining access to the aircraft withour a passport or a boarding card. Airport officials promised security would be stepped up after Ibrahim Kanu attempted to board the flight armed with petrol, matches and a cigarette lighter on June 24 at Lungi International Airport, close to the capital of Freetown. The prosecution said Kanu had entered the restricted area reserved for staff and took a bus connecting to the plane, which is believed to have been an Airbus A330-200 headed for Paris. A British firm, Westminster Group, is contracted to provide security at the airport but has yet to comment publicly. Kanu's bail application was rejected on Tuesday on the grounds that he was a flight risk. He was accused of "a very serious criminal offence". General Manager of the Airport Authority Idrissa Fofanah told journalists that security surveillance had been stepped up following the incident. (AFP)

Sierra Leone man tries setting plane on fire

Authorities in Malaysia have uncovered an immigration racket involving the sabotage of a computerised passport-screening system at its main international airport, police said today, raising worries about human-trafficking and security.

The immigration department fired&nbsp;15 officials on Tuesday, took disciplinary action against 22 and said it was investigating more in connection with the security breach at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which could have been going on for years.

Police said arrests were imminent.

&quot;We have identified the suspects.&nbsp;We are still investigating but we will make arrests soon,&quot;&nbsp;deputy police chief Noor Rashid Ibrahim told reporters today.

International and domestic syndicates were involved, Noor Rashid said, and he suggested the motive was human trafficking.

&quot;The syndicates overseas collaborate with the syndicates here. These overseas syndicates &ndash; their responsibility is to bring the man over and collect payments, while the syndicates here, their job is to accept. These are the ones that tried to penetrate the system,&quot; he said.

Authorities said last week the airport&#39;s passport-verification system was deliberately disrupted at certain times of the day, possibly since 2010, raising suspicion people were being smuggled through immigration when it was down.

The revelations come after the auditor-general said in a report tabled in parliament two weeks ago that&nbsp;the immigration system was not functioning satisfactorily.

Human rights groups have questioned Malaysia&#39;s efforts to combat human trafficking after the discovery of mass graves of suspected migrants near the border with Thailand last year.

Malaysia has an estimated two million illegal migrant laborers, many of whom work in the electronics, palm oil and construction sectors.

The immigration system breach has also raised concern about security.

Authorities in the Muslim-majority country have arrested about 170 people since the beginning of last year for suspected militant activity.

Last month, Malaysia deported three foreign suspected militants and arrested 14 Malaysians on suspicion of links to Islamic State, including an aircraft technician.

In March, deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said police had foiled an Islamic State plot to kidnap Prime Minister Najib Razak and other senior ministers last year.

Opposition lawmaker R. Sivarasa said the sabotage warranted a major criminal investigation and called for the police and the anti-corruption commission to look into it.

Scam involved the sabotage of a computerised passport-screening system at country's main international airport, could have been going on for years

Authorities in Malaysia have uncovered an immigration racket involving the sabotage of a computerised passport-screening system at its main international airport, police said today, raising worries about human-trafficking and security. The immigration department fired 15 officials on Tuesday, took disciplinary action against 22 and said it was investigating more in connection with the security breach at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which could have been going on for years. Police said arrests were imminent. "We have identified the suspects. We are still investigating but we will make arrests soon," deputy police chief Noor Rashid Ibrahim told reporters today. International and domestic syndicates were involved, Noor Rashid said, and he suggested the motive was human trafficking. "The syndicates overseas collaborate with the syndicates here. These overseas syndicates – their responsibility is to bring the man over and collect payments, while the syndicates here, their job is to accept. These are the ones that tried to penetrate the system," he said. Authorities said last week the airport's passport-verification system was deliberately disrupted at certain times of the day, possibly since 2010, raising suspicion people were being smuggled through immigration when it was down. The revelations come after the auditor-general said in a report tabled in parliament two weeks ago that the immigration system was not functioning satisfactorily. Human rights groups have questioned Malaysia's efforts to combat human trafficking after the discovery of mass graves of suspected migrants near the border with Thailand last year. Malaysia has an estimated two million illegal migrant laborers, many of whom work in the electronics, palm oil and construction sectors. The immigration system breach has also raised concern about security. Authorities in the Muslim-majority country have arrested about 170 people since the beginning of last year for suspected militant activity. Last month, Malaysia deported three foreign suspected militants and arrested 14 Malaysians on suspicion of links to Islamic State, including an aircraft technician. In March, deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said police had foiled an Islamic State plot to kidnap Prime Minister Najib Razak and other senior ministers last year. Opposition lawmaker R. Sivarasa said the sabotage warranted a major criminal investigation and called for the police and the anti-corruption commission to look into it.

Malaysia uncovers immigration racket raising trafficking, security fears

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