Ban on electronic devices on airlines take a new twist

Ban on electronic devices on airlines take a new twist

News Unknown   08:18

Donald Trump’s laptop ban takes a new shape, after the US and Europe entered a vital decision concerning the embargo.

According to latest information, discussions between the US and Europe have defeated a plan for the laptop ban to be extended.

It was said that the US government was putting plans to implement the electronic device restriction on inbound flights from the European continent, including Britain. But was later put on hold after a meeting between officials from both sides in the European Capital in Brussels.

After which they all promised to engage in further talks and improved intelligence sharing, when they meet next week in Washington.

The two parties while making a joint press statement mentioned that they would “further assess shared risks and solutions for protecting airline passengers, whilst ensuring the smooth functioning of global air travel”.

The electronics ban is already being enforced for airlines coming from ten Middle East nations. And encouraged Britain to also do same in implementing its own ban to also include famous holiday destination Turkey.

Nevertheless, the planned extension of the restriction to Europe is being faced with strong criticism from the aviation industry.

Records show that about 65 million passengers travel between the US and Europe, which amounts to about 400 flights on a daily basis. Most of whom are business travellers who need such devices to execute business transactions while embarking on their journey.

Currently, if you’re flying to the US directly from Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, your electronic devices are banned from the cabin. Similarly, the UK’s ban applies to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.

Instead passengers have to check their laptops into the hold or refrain from travelling with them at all.

This new restriction is came after an intelligent information revealed how terrorists were planning to hide explosive devices as electronic gadgets on airlines.

On the other hand, the ban has brought about significant drop on demand for Emirates Airlines to the US, which is now forcing the company to making moves to cut airline services to the US.

An Emirates spokesperson said: “Over the past three months, we have seen a significant deterioration in the booking profiles on all our US routes, across all travel segments.”

Facebook make frantic efforts to stop fake news

Facebook make frantic efforts to stop fake news

News Unknown   08:06

In its current effort to tackle the proliferation of fake news, social media giant, Facebook is now turning to newspapers.

According to a press release, Facebook will make some adverts in British newspapers from this week Monday advising users to be "sceptical of headlines" and check other reports on the same subject before believing a story.

This effort comes after the public condemned social network for failing on their part to deal with the spread of fake news on its platform.

Last month Facebook placed a notice on its users' news feeds warning about fake news, after claims that fake stories supporting Donald Trump may have helped him win the US election.

According to Simon Milner, the tech firm's director of policy in the UK: "People want to see accurate information on Facebook and so do we.

"That is why we are doing everything we can to tackle the problem of false news.

"We have developed new ways to identify and remove fake accounts that might be spreading false news so that we get to the root of the problem."

Mr Milner said Facebook was working with fact-checking organisations to analyse content around the General Election.

"To help people spot false news we are showing tips to everyone on Facebook on how to identify if something they see is false," he said.

"We can't solve this problem alone so we are supporting third party fact checkers during the election in their work with news organisations, so they can independently assess facts and stories."

Last week, Facebook said it was looking to hire an extra 3,000 staff to combat extremist and distressing content, especially in videos.

European bankers fight back, as they reject proposed laws aimed at Brexit

European bankers fight back, as they reject proposed laws aimed at Brexit

News Unknown   05:53

Being disturbed by the various impact Brexit is causing the system, bankers in Europe have placed a demand on the European Union to backpedal on planned various regulatory changes ahead.

The bankers are deeply worried because they said the proposed changes would not let them compete globally.

As a result, bankers in France and Germany are making serious moves to stop the obvious power grabs by EU leaders concerning that such policies will hinder growth, result to loss of jobs and kill profits of various businesses.

According to Frederic Oudea, chair of the European Banking Federation, and chief executive of SocGen: "We cannot ignore the growing fragmentation of the international regulatory landscape in light of recent political changes notably in the US.

"The perspective of the Brexit adds ... to that trend.

"This topic is particularly important at a time where we need to think strategically about the direction we want to take for capital market activities in Europe in light of Brexit consequences.

"The Economic Affairs Committee has oversight of financial rule-making in the European Parliament, which has joint say with member states on approving the EU's laws.”

Also speaking was Andreas Treichl, chief executive of Austria's Erste Group, who said he was spending most of his time with politicians and 10 regulators, rather than with customers.

He said: "Please reflect on what you have done.

"It's very, very difficult for us to be helpful to create prosperity, and part of the reason is ourselves, and part of the reason is you, the politicians, and part of the reason is the regulators.

"Who do you think will finance start-ups? The capital market is not there, the private investors are not there, and banks increasingly face difficulties in doing it.”

In the meantime Karl-Peter Schackmann-Fallis German Savings Banks Association board member stressed that banks need “a regulatory pause."

Brussels announced last week of a proposals to implement "limitations" on central banks across the remaining 27 states as they continue to power grab.

Accordingly, the EU's European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), established in Paris, says it does not support "competition" as it arranges to issue its new rules and regulations before the summer.

The rules, which are being packaged under the "Capital Markets Union" (CMU), is being targeted to clamp down European-based finance firms in a post Brexit environment.

According to the regulator, far-reaching rules will be implemented that financial institutions, including central banks, will must follow.

ESMA chairman Steven Maijoor said: "This work is aimed at avoiding competition on regulatory and supervisory practices between member states, and a possible race to the bottom, which might be detrimental to the capital markets union.

"Noting the EU is keen to put blocks in place they are also looking at broker-dealer trading arms of banks in Britain and added there would be "potential limitations to outsourcing and delegation".

Shock as a woman found ‘snake’ in her Asda shopping bag

Shock as a woman found ‘snake’ in her Asda shopping bag

News Unknown   09:18

A mum got traumatised when she opened her Asda shopping bag and found a ‘snake’ as one of the content in the shopping bag.

The woman whose identity is given as Claire Lewis found the snake-like object with deep shock as it was taped by the side of a chocolate cake that was bought in Wales.

Clair told Wales Online: ‘I was obviously shocked as I didn’t expect a snake-like creature in my shopping – and it was alive.’

Upon discovering the ‘snake’, Clair discarded the items and made a complaint to Asda, but became angrier for being offered only £6 for all the embarrassments.

She said: ‘It’s not really about the money, it’s the initial reply that’s annoyed me. I’ve had loads of home deliveries and never had a live creature or such bad customer service.’

The store has since apologised and offered her a £30 gift voucher as a gesture of goodwill.

A spokesperson told the site: ‘We’re really sorry that there was an unexpected visitor tagging along with Ms Lewis’ home shopping and we’ve been in contact to apologise for her experience.

‘We have given Ms Lewis a refund and have offered a gesture of goodwill to go some way towards making up for any upset caused.’

Tragedy as a light aircraft crashes into Lidl Supermarket killing five people

Tragedy as a light aircraft crashes into Lidl Supermarket killing five people

News Unknown   09:05

PORTUGAL: A plane which crashed into the car park of Lidl supermarket has killed five people made of four passengers and a lorry driver who was delivering goods to the Lidl as at the time of the tragedy.

The small air craft which went down in a residential area is believed to have exploded mid-air prior to the crash 150m from a school.

The plane went ablaze after it fell onto a lorry the car park, and killed the lorry driver while he was unloading goods close to cargo bay at the supermarket.

Aside the Swiss pilot and three French passengers on board that died together with the lorry driver, about four people inside the Aldi were treated for shock and smoke inhalation, caused by the incident, while nine people were also evacuated from their homes after their houses blackened by smoke.

The plane had taken off from Tires aerodrome - which is used mainly by private aircraft and situated about 12 miles (20km) west of the Portuguese capital - shortly before the crash.

Officials described the weather at the time of the crash as clear skies with a light wind.

The Tires airfield said the plane was a twin-engine Piper PA-31 Navajo aircraft and was Swiss-registered.

United Airlines at it again as a stowaway scorpion stings a passenger on-board

United Airlines at it again as a stowaway scorpion stings a passenger on-board

News Unknown   06:22

Another trouble for United Airlines as a stowaway scorpion believed to have originated from a warmer weathers in the city of Texas falls on the head of a passenger and stung him amid a business-class lunch.

The victim, Richard Bell was on his way to Calgary in Canada from Houston, Texas when the stowaway creature dropped on his head.

"Something fell on my head so I grabbed it. I was hanging on to it and then I realised what it was," he said.

"My neighbour was a gentleman from Mexico and he said 'that's a scorpion, they're dangerous'. I dropped it on my tray and I went to grab it again and that's when I got stung.

"It stung me on the thumb, right next to my nail."

He said the creature's shock presence caused "excitement" among passengers and crew.

He added: "I kind of flicked it on to the floor... then we covered it up with a cup so it wouldn't get around, and then got out of a chair and we hit it with a shoe."

Cabin crew flushed the scorpion's remains down the toilet.

Mr Bell said staff were "fantastic" during Sunday's incident and called doctors on the ground to make sure he was not in danger.

Emergency workers got on to the plane when it touched down in Calgary and he was given a clean bill of health.

"Border security came on the plane... the bad part was that we killed it and threw it in the toilet, and everyone wanted to see if it was dangerous or not," he said.

Mr Bell has now been compensated with credit for another flight.

This comes just as United Airlines is working hard to dig its way out of a public relations disaster over video of a doctor being dragged screaming from one of its planes.