Page 377 - Disaster Accident
UPL inks pact with Gexcon to work on mitigating industrial accidents
Agro chemical firm UPL Ltd Thursday announced signing of a pact with Norway-based consulting firm Gexcon AS for setting up of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Gujarat, which will focus on research activities to help estimate and mitigate industrial accidents. As per the memorandum of understanding (MoU), the UPL Ltd will provide the main infrastructure for establishing the proposed Centre at Ankleshwar in Bharuch district, and Gexcon will lend its expertise and knowledge. "We have signed the MoU yesterday night and a definite agreement will be entered soon hopefully in about next two months and thereafter the work will begin," UPL Group Director Vikram Shroff told PTI. The proposed centre will be put in place with an investment of about one million dollar in a phased manner. Initially, it will focus on the 'process safety and risk management' for pesticides and toxic chemicals and later will work on other sectors as well, he said. The MoU also involves use of the Gexcon's process ...
Sitharaman calls for making cyber space safe for women
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stressed Thursday on the importance of ensuring women safety in cyber space as it is increasingly becoming the instrument through which women work. Speaking at the 19th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World, organised by Lucknow's City Montessori School, Sitharaman said safety of women in cyber space has to be dealt with. "Women space is not just your family home. The public spaces which are available for men like parks, public transport or theatre are spaces where women should feel safe, not just be safe but also feel safe," she said. She said, "There is a need to ensure safety of women in cyber space. The cyber space is increasingly becoming the instrument through which women work or give productive time." She said that if the virtual space is not made safe for women then "we are in a very difficult situation". "It is important to deliberate the safety of women in cyber space," she added. She also urged media to help in spreading
Fire in plastic factory in Bawana
A fire broke out at a plastic factory in Bawana Industrial Area of the city in the early hours of Thursday, Delhi Fire Service officials said. No casualties have been reported. The blaze was reported at 3.18 am and 22 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire was brought under control by 8.10 am, the senior officer from Delhi Fire Service said. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. PTI AMP A massive fire broke out in a factory in Bawana Industrial Area in the national capital on Thursday morning, news agency ANI reported. 22 fire tender were present at the spot, while firefighting operations were underway. There were no reports of casualties or injuries as of now. Cause of the fire is also yet to be ascertained, reports said.
GSAT-29 communication satellite orbit raised
India's latest communication satellite GSAT-29's orbit was successfully raised on Thursday by firing its motors for 4,875 seconds, said the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Netflix cancels 'Narcos: Mexico' red carpet due to LA wildfires
The raging wildfires in California forced Netflix to cancel the red carpet premiere of "Narcos: Mexico". The premiere of the fourth season of the drug drama was scheduled to be held on November 14 but it has now been scrapped, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "In light of the tragic and escalating wildfires in Los Angeles, we will be canceling tonight's red carpet for the premiere of 'Narcos: Mexico'. The screening will continue as planned. We thank you in advance for understanding and encourage your support of one of the many organizations who are helping those impacted," read a statement from a Netflix spokesperson. This is the third red carpet cancellation by the streaming giant in the wake of the Woolsey fires. It had earlier this week canceled red carpets for the Coen Brothers-directed "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" and Susanne Bier's "Bird Box".
Morocco to launch new satellite
Morocco will launch a new satellite Mohammed VI-B on November 21, according to a report by Moroccan news agency MAP.
American Airlines 'unaware' of some Boeing 737 MAX functions until last week: spokesman
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc said on Wednesday it was "unaware" of some functions of an anti-stall system on Boeing Co's 737 MAX until last week.
California wildfires toll climbs to 58, over 130 missing
The death toll from the three raging wildfires in California has increased to 58, while authorities have continued their search for more human remains and also track down 130 people who remain unaccounted for.
Google's drone delivery project set to 'take off' in Australia
Australia is set to become "the most advanced country in the world" in drone delivery when the first commercial service starts operations in 2019.
Boeing withheld information on plane that crashed in Indonesia
Boeing was facing mounting pressure over last month's Indonesia plane crash as the owner of the doomed jet joined a US pilots' group in alleging that the company failed to warn pilots about potential hazards of a new safety feature.
Earthquake of magnitude 6.5 rocks Kamchatka Peninsula
An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 hit the eastern coast of Russia's far eastern Kamchatka peninsula, seismologists said on Thursday.Preliminary reports suggest that no casualties or loss of lives and property has occurred so far.The earthquake's epicentre was located close to the eastern coast of Kamchatka, a region that is prone to high seismic activity, reported Sputnik.The quake comes over a month after an earthquake of magnitude 5.7 rocked the region on the same day when three other quakes were reported within a span of 24 hours.
Search on for over 100 missing after California wildfires
Firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters battled California's raging wildfires for a seventh day on Wednesday as the authorities in the worst-hit county released a list of over 100 missing people. Most of those unaccounted for are from the Butte County town of Paradise, which was virtually erased from the map by the so-called "Camp Fire" blaze. Paradise, a town of around 26,000 in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, was popular with retirees and many of those reported missing by the sheriff's office are elderly -- in their 70s, 80s and 90s. Virtually every home in Paradise, located 130 kilometers north of the state capital Sacramento, was destroyed by the fast-moving fire fueled by high winds. At least 51 deaths have been reported so far from the deadliest wildfires in California's recent history and body recovery teams were going house-to-house with cadaver dogs in Paradise on Wednesday. "We are in the midst of a catastrophe," Governor Jerry Brown told a press ...
Toll from California wildfires climbs to 51
The death toll from the two massive wildfires affecting California climbed to 51 on Wednesday after another body was found in the south of the state, while more than 100 people have been reported missing in the Camp Fire, north of San Francisco.
EU to curb phone costs, set up emergency alert system
The European Parliament voted Wednesday to limit prices for phone calls and text messages between EU countries and to set up an alert system during natural disasters or terror attacks. Under the new law, which still needs formal approval from member countries, telecom firms will be barred from charging more than 19 eurocents per minute for calls and six cents per text message. Adopted by 584 votes to 42, the price ceilings are set to take effect on May 15, 2019, after the member states informally agreed to it back in June. "There will be no more excessive fees on intra-EU calls and text messages," said Lambert van Nistelrooij, a Dutch member of parliament from the centre-right EPP group. He said the price limits complement the EU move last year to end roaming charges for Europeans using mobile phones within the bloc -- a public relations coup. It meant Europeans calling, texting or using the internet when travelling in other EU nations will be charged the same as they are at home. The
Cyclone Gaja: Indian Navy on alert for relief operations
As the cyclonic storm Gaja is approaching the coast of South Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and is poised to cross coast on the evening of November 15, the Indian Navy has been put on alert for relief efforts."The Eastern Naval Command(ENC) has assumed high degree of readiness to render necessary humanitarian assistance. Two Indian Naval ships Ranvir and Khanjar are standing by to proceed to the most affected areas to undertake Humanitarian Aid Distress Relief (HADR), evacuation, logistic support including providing medical aid. These ships will be embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats, integral helicopters and relief material that include food, tentage, clothes, medicines, blankets etc," read an official statement.Additionally, aircraft from Naval Air Stations Dega, Rajali and Parundu and Water Jet FACs and Patrolling Boats from Naval Detachments in Ramnad and Nagapatnam have been warning the fishing vessels about the approaching storm and directing them to ...
Death toll from DR Congo cholera outbreak at 857
A cholera epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed 857 lives since the start of the year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday. Health authorities have so far recorded 25,170 cases, occurring in 21 out of the country's 26 provinces, the WHO's office in the DRC said. The provinces of East Kasai and Lomami, in the centre of the country, and South Kivu, Tanganyika and Upper Katanga in the east, are those most affected. Last year, the country had 55,000 cases of cholera, resulting in 1,190 fatalities. Cholera is a highly contagious bacterial infection, which can kill within hours if left untreated. It thrives in conditions of poor sanitation and contaminated water or food. The DRC is also battling an outbreak of Ebola in two eastern provinces, North Kivu and Ituri, that has killed 212 people since August.
Snowfall warning: MHA advises Himachal, Uttarakhand, J-K to take precautions
In the wake of the snowfall warnings issued by Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday advised the chief secretaries of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir to closely monitor the situation and take precautions.In a statement, the MHA said, "The State Governments are advised to keep a close watch, monitor the situation in those areas regularly and take precautionary measures. District Authorities be advised accordingly. It is also requested that MHA may be kept informed about any developments in this regard."Incessant snowfall in the Kashmir Valley last week led to the interim government declaring it a state-specific 'natural calamity'.Snow has also led to extensive damage of agricultural products in the state, especially to the state's apple production. The declaration of the natural calamity was in-part done to provide additional relief to the affected farmers from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).The State
Delhi: 1 dead, 8 injured in road mishap
One person died and eight others got injured after multiple vehicles collided with each other in Pashchim Vihar area of the National capital on Wednesday.The hapless incident took place after A SUV driver lost his control over the vehicle and rammed into multiple vehicles on the road.The SUV, a scooter, a motorcycle, a rickshaw, and a minibus rammed into each other.
Passengers reach China after 3-day layover in Siberia
More than 250 airline passengers who endured an unexpected three-day layover in Russia's Siberia region have finally made it to their destination in China. The extended travel delay began Sunday when an Air France flight from Paris to Shanghai made an emergency landing in the eastern Siberia city of Irkutsk after smoke appeared in the cockpit. The 264 passengers and 18 crew members were taken to hotels, but many weren't dressed for the minus-15 degrees Celsius (5 F) weather. In any case, they couldn't leave the hotels because they were without Russian visas. The China-bound travelers boarded a replacement plane on Tuesday, but it couldn't take off because of problems in the hydraulic system. A second replacement plane got them to Shanghai on Wednesday.
Ugandan police say 10 students killed in arson attack
Ugandan police say 10 students have been killed in an alleged arson attack targeting a school dormitory in central Uganda. Police spokesman Emilian Kayima said Wednesday that a tenth victim succumbed to his wounds while being admitted at a local hospital. The Ministry of Education said 40 other students "escaped with injuries of varying degrees" from the fire that swept through the dormitory early Monday. Police say they are investigating the fire as a "deliberate attack" although the motive is still unclear. The fire has renewed calls for schools to have safety equipment, including fire extinguishers. In 2008 a similar fire at a school dormitory near the capital Kampala left at least 19 pupils dead.