Airlines introduce two-person cockpit rule after Alps crash.

BERLIN/PARIS (Reuters) - Airlines rushed on Thursday to change their rules so as to require a second crew member in the cockpit at all times, hours after French prosecutors suggested a co-pilot who barricaded himself alone at the controls of a jetliner had crashed it on purpose.

The United States already requires two crew members to be in the cabin at all times, but many other countries do not, allowing pilots to leave the flight deck, for example to use the toilet, as long as one pilot is at the controls.

That is precisely what French prosecutors suspect happened on the Germanwings flight on Tuesday. They say Andreas Lubitz, 27, locked the captain out and appears to have set the controls to crash into a mountain, killing all 150 people on board.

Airlines including Norwegian Air Shuttle, Britain's easyJet, Air Canada, Air New Zealand and Air Berlin all said within hours that they had introduced a requirement that two crew members be in the cockpit at all times.

Canada said it would immediately impose such a rule on all its airlines while those that already had such rules in place, including Ryanair, rushed to reassure customers.

Among the companies that did not announce such a policy change was Germanwings parent Lufthansa, whose CEO Carsten Spohr said he believed it was unnecessary.

"I don't see any need to change our procedures here," Spohr told journalists. "It was a one-off case. But we will look at it with the various experts at Lufthansa and the authorities. We shouldn't lose ourselves in short-term measures."

His comments drew criticism on Twitter, with some people demanding the airline introduce the two person-rule.

I'M FLYING WITH YOU

"@lufthansa will you insist on having 2 crew in the cockpit at all times from today? I'm flying with you this weekend...," asked Twitter user @kazababes.

Later on Thursday Spohr told German broadcaster ARD that Lufthansa would sit down with other German carriers and the country's aviation authority on Friday to discuss the matter. "We will see whether there are measures that can be taken quickly to further improve safety," he said.

Germany's aviation association BDL said all airlines in the country, including Lufthansa, had agreed to discuss such rule changes.

"Today we spoke with all our members about possible consequences," BDL managing director Matthias von Randow told Reuters. "We will therefore look at introducing these new procedures without delay."

Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd and Singapore Airlines Ltd said they have strict, multi-layered systems in place to protect the cockpit but declined to comment further.

The incident is likely to provoke further debate about the future of cockpit protections. Since the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, regulators have required cockpit doors to be impenetrable when locked from the inside.

But the idea that pilots themselves could be a danger creates reason to re-examine such policies, said retired French crash investigator Alain Bouillard.

"Today we have the reverse question: should we be blocking doors?" he said.

Last year's disappearance of Malaysia Airlines 370 raised such questions, although whether the pilots played any role in that plane's disappearance has never been confirmed.

LAM Flight TM-470 crashed in Namibia in November 2013 after what investigators said were "intentional actions by the pilot" after the first officer left the flight deck, causing the death of 33 people.

An Egypt Air flight 990 from Los Angeles to Cairo crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 217 on board, in 1999. The cause is disputed but U.S. investigators determined the probable cause was deliberate action by the relief first officer.

U.S.-based Adams Rite Aerospace, a unit of Transdigm which supplies systems to secure cockpit doors on all Airbus planes, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

AAP stares at split as internal crisis escalates

New Delhi: Less than two months after it stormed to power in Delhi, the AAP appeared set for a split with the party saying on Thursday that senior leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav had quit its national executive and the two men vehemently denying this.

Making the announcement two days before the executive meets here, AAP spokesman Ashish Khetan said Bhushan and Yadav appeared dead set against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the party's best known face who assumed office on February 14.

"They say one thing in private and another in public," Khetan told the media, adding he had been involved in days of close-door discussions with both men over issues confronting India's youngest political party.

The comments came two days ahead of the Aam Aadmi Party's national executive meeting where both sides -- the Kejriwal camp and supporters of Bhushan and Yadav -- could have had a showdown.

Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia added that close-door talks with Bhushan and Yadav had failed as they were adamant that Kejriwal must go as the party's all-powerful national convener

Torn-up sick notes show crash pilot should have been grounded

DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) - German authorities said on Friday they had found torn-up sick notes showing that the pilot who crashed a plane into the French Alps was suffering from an illness that should have grounded him on the day of the tragedy.

French prosecutors believe Andreas Lubitz, 27, locked himself alone in the cockpit of the Germanwings Airbus A320 on Tuesday and deliberately steered it into a mountain, killing all 150 people on board.

"Documents with medical contents were confiscated that point towards an existing illness and corresponding treatment by doctors," said the prosecutors' office in Duesseldorf, where the co-pilot lived and where the doomed flight from Barcelona was heading.

Torn-up doctor's notes found in his home would have excused Lubitz from work for medical reasons, for a period that included the day of the crash. That supported the view that Lubitz had "hidden his illness from his employer and his colleagues", the prosecutors said.

They found no suicide note or confession, "nor was there any evidence of a political or religious background to what happened", they added.

Germanwings said Lubitz had not submitted any sick note that would have grounded him on Tuesday, March 24, the day of the crash.

In France, authorities said they had recovered between 400 and 600 body parts strewn across the Alpine crash site. No bodies were found intact and DNA testing would be the best way to identify the remains, Patrick Touron, deputy head of the criminal research division of France's Gendarmerie, told reporters at the site. Investigators would look for pieces of uniform to try to identify the crew including Lubitz.

Lubitz's mental health - and what Germanwings and parent company Lufthansa knew about it - could become central questions in any future legal case over the crash. Under German law, employees are required to inform their employers immediately if they are unable to work.

A hospital in Duesseldorf said Lubitz had visited to receive a diagnosis as recently as March 10. It would not give further details because of patient confidentiality rules but said media reports he was treated there for depression were inaccurate.

Reports in German media suggested Lubitz had suffered from depression in the past, and that Lufthansa would have been aware of at least some of that history.

Germany's Bild newspaper, citing internal documents forwarded by Lufthansa's Aero Medical Center 

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Possibility of truce with Yadav, Bhushan remote: Ashutosh

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ashutosh on Friday said the possibility of a truce with dissident leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan was "remote".

"To be honest and frank, the possibility of truce or peace is remote because they (Bhushan and Yadav) are insisting on removal of Kejriwal (as national convener) which is not possible," Ashutosh told a news channel.

"If you are part of a party, you have to accept its leader," he added.

Less than two months after it stormed to power in Delhi, the AAP on Thursday that Bhushan and Yadav had quit as its national executive. The duo fervently denied it.

AAP spokesman Ashish Khetan said the two leaders were dead set against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the party's best known face, who assumed office on February 14.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Steve Smith's sublime century laid the groundwork and Australia's pace bowlers finished the job to send the co-hosts storming into a seventh World Cup final with a 95-run victory over champions India on Thursday.

Australia move on to the Melbourne Cricket Ground and a shot at a fifth title against New Zealand on Sunday, while India head home after four months Down Under having come up short in their bid to retain the title they won four years ago.

Smith's 105 helped Australia to a total of 328 for seven, the highest in a World Cup semi-final, and although skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit a defiant 65, India were dismissed for 233 in the 47th over.

"We thought 330 was around par but we knew we had to bowl and field well and the boys did a terrific job tonight," said Smith.

"Just happy we got over the line in the end. I'm just looking forward to Melbourne. It's going to be a hell of a day."

India might have fancied their chances of chasing the target down after a solid start on a good pitch in perfect weather conditions and backed by the majority of a crowd of 42,330 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood had other ideas, however, and they tore the heart out of India's top order by sending Shikhar Dhawan (45), Virat Kohli (1) and Rohit Sharma (34) back inside six overs.

When James Faulkner, who had been hammered for 23 runs by Dhawan in his first two overs, got into the act by dismissing Suresh Raina (7), India had lost four of their most coveted wickets for the addition of just 32 runs to fall to 108-4.

Johnson's bowling was as potent as it has been all tournament and the delivery that clean bowled Rohit a ball after the opener had the temerity to hit him for six sent one bail flying 20 feet behind the stumps.

Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane (44) set about rebuilding the innings with a partnership of 70 but when the captain was run out ambling down the wicket by a direct hit from Glenn Maxwell, the die was cast.

"We came back quite well but we could have bowled better," said Dhoni, who said he would not be retiring.

"A lot of people did not think we'd come so far in the tournament."

Faulkner added a flourish by bowling Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohit Sharma in successive deliveries to finish with 3-59 but Umesh Yadav blocked the hat-trick ball.

Smith had earlier reprised his role as India's tormentor-in-chief, rarely looking troubled in his 122-minute, 93-ball knock and sharing a second-wicket partnership of 182 with opener Aaron Finch (81).

The 25-year-old hit 11 fours and two sixes to give India a rude reminder of his prolific form in the test series around New Year, when he scored a century in all four matches.

He secured his fourth straight half century at the World Cup in 53 balls and was soon surging towards his fourth ODI century, which he secured from 89 balls with a six and a four off successive deliveries.

With Yadav (4-72) to the fore, however, India struck back to remove Smith and then the power-hitters in Australia's middle order.

A late Johnson cameo of 27 not out off nine balls helped bolster Australia's tally and India will rue their failure to dismiss their opponents for the first time in eight matches at the World Cup.

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Adamant Kejriwal wants Bhushan and Yadav out of AAP's national executive

AAP leader Ashok Talwar had written to Kejriwal, hinting at a 'conspiracy' against party and and urged him to take action.

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is adamant about ensuring the removal of senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from his party's National Executive.

Kejriwal has also refused to take any call related to party work as long as the duo are in the party, sources told news agency ANI.

The AAP's Parliamentary Action Committee, meanwhile, is scheduled to meet this evening at Kejriwal's residence, where a resolution will be moved in the National Council to remove Yadav and Bhushan.

AAP leader Ashok Talwar had earlier written a letter to Kejriwal, hinting at a 'conspiracy' against the political organization and urged him to take action against for what he termed as 'anti-party' activity.

Senior AAP leader Shanti Bhushan had, however, refuted reports of calling a meeting of certain members of the party's national council a day before its official meet on March 28

AAP's Ashok Talwar on Wednesday alleged that attempts are being made to harm the party ahead of its National Council (NC) meeting on March 28.

"I wrote to Arvind bhai informing him that attempts are being made to harm the party ahead of the National Council meeting on March 28. They are planning to organise a meeting before National Council meeting. When there is a NC meeting scheduled, then what is the need for a meeting before that? I am getting phone calls from several people, I do not know who these people are. They are saying that there is no democracy in the party," Talwar told ANI.

"I suspect that some leaders of the party could also have been involved in this along with the people from other parties,' he added.

Meanwhile, AAP spokesperson Ashutosh said that several other party members have also raised this issue and the matter would be taken up for discussion during the NC meeting.

orignal post at : https://in.news.yahoo.com/adamant-kejriwal-wants-bhushan-and-yadav-aap-s-national-executive-105354785.html

Two arrested in Bengal nun gang-rape

The nun in her seventies was raped when a group of about five intruders broke into a Convent of Jesus and Mary in Ranaghat, some km from Kolkata.

NEW DELHI: The West Bengal Police on Thursday arrested two people in connection with the March 14 Ranaghat nun gang rape case, police said.

A team of CID (Criminal Investigation Department) of the state police nabbed a Bangladeshi Mohammed Salim Sheikh from Mumbai in the morning with the help of the Mumbai crime branch, police said.

CID Deputy Inspector General (operations) Dilip Kumar Adak told reporters here that another person Gopal Sarkar has been arrested from Habra in North 24 Parganas district for harbouring the gang of dacoits who committed the crime inside a convent.

This is the first arrest in the case, although nine people have been detained by the police so far.

The nun in her seventies was raped in the early hours of March 14 when a group of about five intruders broke into a Convent of Jesus and Mary in Ranaghat, some km from Kolkata.

The group vandalized the school and then one of them attacked the nun, local police officer Abhijit Biswas said, adding that the victim was in hospital and no one had so far been arrested.

"The nun was allegedly raped by the dacoits when she tried to prevent them looting the valuables inside the church. The victim has been hospitalised with critical injuries," said a police officer.

Kolkata archbishop Thomas D'Souza, who visited the convent, said that the CCTV cameras have captured three of the culprits.

"Around five men barged into the convent and ransacked. They looted money and attacked on of our elderly sisters. The CCTV footages show three of the culprits who attacked the convent," said D'Souza.

On March 18, bowing to public pressure Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a CBI probe in the case.

The nun, after being discharged from hospital, left West Bengal, prompting the opposition parties to call it an embarrassment for the Mamata Banerjee government.

orignal news at : https://in.news.yahoo.com/one-arrested-in-mumbai-in-bengal-nun-gang-rape-073428738.html