US, EU in urgent talks on expanding laptop ban on flights

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BRUSSELS (AP) — European governments are holding urgent talks Friday with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, alarmed at a proposed expansion of the U.S. ban on in-flight laptops and tablets to include planes from the EU.

(1 of 1) Airport staff inform passengers at the check in area at Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, Morocco. European governments alarmed at a proposed expansion of the ban on in-flight laptops and tablets to planes are holding urgent talks Friday May 12, 21017, with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

May 12, 2017

The proposal could affect 65 million passengers per year on the trans-Atlantic routes, which are among the world's busiest . The current ban, in place on 10 mostly Middle Eastern cities since March, affects about 50 flights per day.

Chief among the concerns are whether any new threat prompted the proposal, said European Commission transport spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, who confirmed the talks. She said the EU had no new information about a specific security concern.

U.S. officials have said the decision in March to bar laptops and tablets from the cabins of some international flights, mostly from the Mideast, wasn't based on any specific threat but on longstanding concerns about extremists targeting jetliners.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security organized a telephone conference with "key European partners" — France, Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy. It will be a ministerial level call. The French attendee is expected to be Louis Gautier, secretary general for defense and national security.

A French official with direct knowledge about Friday's meeting said France planned to push back against the measure, saying there was no information to suggest a significant increase in the terror threat. Friday marks the final working day of the current French administration.

The official spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss the plan. Jenny Burke, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, said no final decision has been made on expanding the restriction. Alain Bauer, president of the CNAPS, a French regulator of private-sector security agents, including those checking baggage and passengers in France's airports, predicted "chaotic" scenes initially if the ban was instituted.

"Imagine the number of people who carry their laptops and tablets onto planes — not just adults, but also children," he told the AP. He said it would slow passage through security checks as people try to negotiate a way of keeping their laptops.

"It's not like losing your water bottle or your scissors. It will take more time to negotiate," he said. "You need a lot of time to inform them and a lot of time for it to enter people's heads until it becomes a habit," he said. "After a week of quite big difficulties, 95 percent of people will understand the practicalities."

Leicester reported from Paris. Alicia Caldwell in Washington and Lori Hinnant in Paris contributed to this report.

Austrian FM calls for early election

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VIENNA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Austrian foreign minister Sebastian Kurz on Friday called to hold a snap parliamentary election, while he is not decided to take the leadership of his conservative party.

The remarks of the 30-year-old minister was made after the Austrian conservative People's Party leader, the Vice Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner's decision of resignation.

Kurz told a press conference that the early election is "the right path."

Austrian chancellor Christian Kern on Wednesday said he offered Kurz and the People's Party a reform partnership.

Kurz is expected to be the right candidate of the People's Party leader to take position, however, he has not decided if he would take the role as the new leader at the party meeting on Sunday.

French president-elect Macron fully supports Paris bid in talk with Bach

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PARIS, May 12 (Xinhua) -- French president-elect Emmanuel Macron showed his absolute support for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Bid in a talk with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach, Paris bid said in a communique on Friday.

In a phone talk with Bach on Thursday, Macron, who was elected as French president on May 7, expressed his full support to the French capital's bid. He also shared with Bach his attachment to the bid work, and stressed France's long-term commitment to the Olympic Movement.

"Emmanuel Macron has been a supporter of the Paris 2024 bid since the very beginning," said Tony Estanguet, Paris bid co-chairman and three-time Olympic champion, adding that the bid was delighted to see that Macron has already found time to speak to the IOC president to reaffirm his full support for Paris 2024 before his inauguration as new president of France.

Paris and Los Angeles of the United States are two remaining candidate cities for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. IOC members will vote for the host city at the General Assembly in Lima, Peru on Sept. 13.

The IOC Evaluation Commission delegation will arrive in Paris for the inspection on the bid work this weekend after spending three days in Los Angeles.

According to Estanguet, Macron has confirmed a meeting with the IOC Evaluation Commission while they are in Paris.

"The whole France is coming together to support Paris 2024 and is ready to welcome the world for a unique celebration of sport, inclusion and friendship," he said.

Indian plane carrying 188 people turns back after suspected tail strike

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NEW DELHI, May 12 (Xinhua) -- A aeroplane with 188 people on board Friday returned back to airport in Indian city of Mumbai, following a suspected tail strike, officials said.

All the passengers, including eight crew members in the plane destined to Bangkok, were immediately deplaned.

"Acting proactively in the interest of safety, the crew of Jet Airways flight 9W 70, BOM-BKK of May 12, 2017 executed an air turn back to Mumbai on account of a 'suspected' tail strike," a Jet airways spokesperson said.

The engineers and ground personnel later checked the plane.

India's semi-official news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) said Friday's incident of tail strike involving a Jet Airways plane is the third of its kind this year

Attack on Pakistan's Senate deputy chairman's convoy leaves 17 dead

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ISLAMABAD, May 12 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people were killed and 30 others including deputy chairman of Pakistan's Senate injured when his convoy came under attack in the Mastung district of the country's southwest Balochistan Province on Friday afternoon, local media and officials said.

The deputy medical superintendent of the Mastung Civil Hospital, where all the victims were initially shifted to, confirmed that they have received 17 bodies, according to local reports.

Local Urdu TV channel Geo said that 30 people have been injured in the attack, and out of them, the seriously wounded victims were referred to hospitals in provincial capital of Quetta.

A state of emergency has been declared in all state-run hospitals in Quetta, located some 50 km away from Mastung.

Deputy Inspector Police of Quetta said that Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, the deputy chairman of the Pakistan's Upper House, got slightly injured after being hit by glass of broken windows of his car.

He said that the senator was on his way to attend some function in a seminary when his convoy came under attack.

Deputy Police Officer of Mastung Ghazanfar Ali said that Haideri's vehicle got completely damaged and his driver and personal assistant were also killed in the attack.

He said that the senator remained safe, as he was not sitting in his own car.

Ali said that the blast seems to be carried out by a suicide bomber, however, further investigations are being made into the incident.

No group has claimed the attack yet.

Reuters Health Report: May 12, 2017

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Key AstraZeneca drug shown to reduce risk of death from lung cancer LONDON (Reuters) - AstraZeneca's key immunotherapy drug durvalumab was shown to reduce the risk of stage III lung cancer worsening or causing death in a trial, the pharmaceutical company said on Friday.

U.S. candymakers band together to reduce calories NEW YORK (Reuters) - Five major chocolate and candy companies announced a joint commitment on Thursday to reduce calories in many sweets sold on the U.S. market, a rare example of cooperation in a competitive industry and testament to a rising consumer distaste for sugar.

Illinois lawmakers delay bill to expand abortion as veto looms CHICAGO (Reuters) - Democratic lawmakers in Illinois on Thursday said they have placed on hold a bill that expands state-funded coverage of abortions for low-income residents and state employees but faces a likely veto from the state's Republican governor.

WHO wants transparency, market revamp for fairer drug pricing (Reuters) - The world needs greater transparency on the pricing of medicines, and an overhaul of some approaches, in order to increase access to life-saving drugs, global health experts said on Thursday.

U.S. hepatitis C cases soar on spike in heroin use (Reuters) - U.S. health officials said new cases of hepatitis C rose nearly 300 percent from 2010 to 2015, despite the availability of cures for the liver disease, fueled by a spike in the use of heroin and other injection drugs, according to a report released on Thursday.

China H7N9 bird flu death toll fell to 24 in April: health authority BEIJING (Reuters) - China reported 24 human fatalities from H7N9 bird flu in April, the national health authority said on Friday, compared with 47 deaths in March.

Smoke alarm: Indonesians take tiny steps against Big Tobacco JAKARTA (Reuters) - A neighborhood in the Indonesian capital has informally declared itself a smoke-free zone as students plan further protests against what they see as an increased effort by cigarette companies to target the young.

Smoking only in social situations may still be tied to heart problems (Reuters Health) - So-called social smokers who only light up on special occasions may have some of the same risks for heart disease as people with a daily cigarette habit, a U.S. study suggests.

Prisoners care for abused animals as part of rehab program PHOENIX (Reuters) - Kristina Hazelett had cats, birds and hamsters growing up, but she never knew much about dogs until she started serving a several-month jail sentence for drug possession.

Chinese artist offers flower, kitten tattoos to mums with birth scars (Reuters) - After trying cosmetic creams and surgery, Wang Jing placed her hopes in the skilled hands of a tattoo artist to make the scar on her belly finally disappear.

Reuters-news-now

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