IN BRIEF (Page 12)

India

2 Chinese engineers dead in explosion

The Chinese embassy in India confirmed on Monday that two Chinese engineers died when a boiler inside a pharmaceutical factory near New Delhi exploded on Sunday. One Indian worker also died in the incident at the Pusilin Biotechnology Private Limited located in the Rozka Meo Industrial Area in India's northern state of Haryana, adjacent to New Delhi, according to local police. The boiler and an oven were under repair by the engineers when the accident occurred. The explosion killed the three instantly. The Chinese embassy said it will urge the Indian side to find out the cause of the accident, and ensure the legal rights and interests of Chinese nationals.

Japan

Pilot vertigo likely cause of F-35 crash

Japan's air force said on Monday that "spatial disorientation" likely caused a 41-year-old pilot to fly his F-35 stealth fighter into the Pacific Ocean in April, hitting the water at more than 1,100 kilometers per hour. The Lockheed Martin Corp jet disappeared from radar screens during an exercise with three other F-35s over the ocean off northwest Japan on April 9. "We believe it highly likely the pilot was suffering from vertigo or spatial disorientation and wasn't aware of his condition," Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya told a news conference. "It can affect any pilot regardless of their experience." By dismissing mechanical or software problems as a cause for the advanced fighter's crash, Japan's assessment is likely to come as a relief to other countries that operate or plan to introduce the jet, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Japan, Iwaya said, would increase vertigo training for its pilots, check its remaining F-35s.

United States

American Airlines extends Max grounding

American Airlines has canceled all scheduled flights with Boeing 737 Max jets through Sept 3, extending the grounding of its fleet after two crashes involving the same aircraft model killed 346 people. The airline had previously canceled all Max flights through Aug 19 as it awaited recertification of the aircraft in the wake of the crashes. In a statement, the airline said it "remains confident that impending software updates to the 737 Max, along with the new training elements Boeing is developing in coordination with our union partners, will lead to recertification of the aircraft soon". The extension means that American Airlines will have canceled 115 flights since grounding its 14 Max aircraft. The crashes of a Lion Air 737 Max in Indonesia in October and of an Ethiopian Airlines jet of the same model in March brought to light malfunctions in the plane's MCAS anti-stall system.

South Korea

Free trade deal with London before Brexit

South Korea and the United Kingdom have agreed in principle to sign a separate free trade deal ahead of Britain's exit from the European Union in late October, South Korea's trade ministry said on Monday. The deal would help South Korea minimize trade uncertainty and maintain trade with Britain based on Seoul's existing free trade agreement with the EU, according to a statement from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The deal includes keeping zero-tariffs on South Korean exports such as auto parts and automobiles, the ministry said. South Korea will also prepare responses to other possible scenarios including a "no-deal" Brexit, the ministry added. South Korea will seek approval from its parliament.

Xinhua - Reuters - Afp - Ap

(China Daily 06/11/2019 page12)