Laptops may be banned from check-in luggage

News Network
October 25, 2017

New Delhi, Oct 25: Large personal electronic devices (PED) like laptops may soon be disallowed from check-in bags because of fears that their battery fire would go undetected, leading to possible catastrophes. In hand bags, on the other hand, cabin crew are now trained to handle PED fires as soon as anyone notices smoke emitting from the bag they are kept in. Just last week, a mobile phone caught fire on a Delhi-Indore flight which the cabin crew was able to quickly douse.

International aviation agencies have started considering banning big PEDs from check-in bags. Once a decision is taken by any leading aviation agency, India is also going to follow suit, said a senior DGCA official. Power banks, portable mobile chargers and e-cigarettes are already banned in check-in baggage in India.

The International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) dangerous goods panel is examining a working paper on "PEDs carried by passengers and crew" to address safety concerns regarding PEDs being stowed in checked baggage. The American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has submitted its test results in this ICAO paper, which concludes that fire in PED kept in cargo hold "could lead to loss of aircraft".

"FAA fire safety branch conducted 10 tests utilising a fully charged laptop computer inside a suitcase. A heater was placed against a lithium ion cell in the battery of a laptop to force it into thermal runaway.... it was concluded that if a PED is packed in a suitcase with an aerosol can and a thermal runaway event occurs, there is the potential for an aerosol can explosion.... (In some cases) the fire suppression system of the aircraft is then compromised, which could lead to the loss of the aircraft," the paper of ICAO, a UN agency, said. PEDs in passenger cabin are a safer bet as the cabin crew can take immediate action. Most consumer PEDs like cell phones, tablets and laptops are currently allowed in carry-on and checked baggage.

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News Network
March 18,2020

New Delhi, Mar 18: As many as 276 Indians have been infected with coronavirus abroad, including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE and five in Italy, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the total number of Indians infected by coronavirus is 276 — 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, five in Italy, and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka.

A fourth batch of 53 Indians returned to India from Iran on Monday, taking the total number of people evacuated from the coronavirus-hit country to 389.

Iran is one of the worst-affected countries by the coronavirus outbreak and the government has been working to bring back Indians stranded there. Over 700 people have died from the disease in Iran and nearly 14,000 cases detected.

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Agencies
January 23,2020

Jammu, Jan 23: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has brought the disgraced Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Davinder Singh to Jammu for investigations.

According to sources, Davinder Singh has been brought on a transit remand. A formal remand from the NIA court for interrogation will be taken on Thursday.

On Wednesday, fresh raids were carried out by the NIA at Singh's residences in Srinagar.

Singh was caught while transporting two militants, Naveed Babu and Rafi Ahmed, and a lawyer Irfan Ahmed in a vehicle to Jammu on January 11.

According to sources the two militants and the lawyer had plans to travel to Pakistan after reaching Jammu.

The case was transferred to the NIA after initial investigation by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Singh has been dismissed from the service and the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Monday forfeited the commendation medal and certificate awarded to him.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

New Delhi, Jul 30: Even as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in various parts of India, more than 1 million people have recovered and discharged till now, informed Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health, here on Thursday.

"More than 1 million people have recovered from COVID-19 in the country. This landmark recovery has been achieved because of the selfless work and dedication of our doctors, nurses and frontline workers," Bhushan said at a press conference.

Giving the number of cured persons, Bhushan said, "More than 1,020,000 patients have recovered. They have been discharged. It is a great achievement."

He said, "The recovery rate has shown positive trends. It was 7.85 per cent in April and today it is 64.4 per cent, which is another heartening news which tells us that whatever battle is put by the Union government in collaboration with state governments is showing results."

"Sixteen states of the country have a recovery rate that is more than the national average. Of these, Delhi has a recovery rate of 88 per cent, Ladakh 80 per cent, Haryana 78 per cent, Assam 76 per cent, Telangana 74 per cent, Tamil Nadu & Gujarat 73 per cent, Rajasthan 70 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 69 per cent and Goa 68 per cent," Bhushan said.

He said effective clinical management lead to a decrease in case fatality rate. In June it was 3.33 per cent and now 2.21 per cent.

Bhushan said the case fatality rate in India today is 2.21 per cent and it's among the lowest in the world. Twenty-four states and Union Territories have lesser fatality rate than that of the country.

Herd immunity in a country of the size and population of India can not be a strategic option. It can only be achieved through immunisation.

"Over 18,190,000 tests have been conducted in the country including RT-PCR and rapid antigen tests. There has been a week-on-week increase in average tests per day. India is conducting 324 test per 10 lakhs population per day," Bhushan said.

He added, three vaccine candidates, are in phase 3 clinical trial. These three are in the US, UK and China. In India, two indigenously developed vaccine candidates are in phase I and II of clinical trials. 

Trial of the first vaccine involves 1,150 subjects at eight sites, second on 1,000 subjects at five sites.

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