Latest News
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American Airlines to resume US flights from Venezuela by April 30
American Airlines announced on Thursday that it would resume flights to Venezuela by 'April 30th, after receiving approval last month from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The airline announced that it would resume its services to Venezuela. The airline said it plans to resume? U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy lifted an order from January 2019 that barred U.S. airlines from flying to Venezuela. President Donald Trump had directed him to do so. In March, American Airlines' request for flights was approved. Sources said that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was in Caracas a little over a month ago, reviewing airport security procedures. This is a step necessary to resume flights. American has announced that it will resume service just weeks after the U.S. Military seized Nicolas Maduro, the leader of Venezuela. After a meeting with Delcy Rodriquez, the acting president of the United States, Trump asked the Transportation Department in January to lift the restrictions currently preventing U.S. flights. American began operating in Venezuela in 1987 and was the largest U.S. carrier in the country until it ceased service in 2019. The airline said that the daily flights would allow for travel for business, pleasure and humanitarian purposes. In?March the State Department removed Venezuela from its list of "Do Not Travel" for Americans, instead issuing a "Reconsider Travel", which was less serious, due to crime, kidnappings, terrorism and a poor health infrastructure. (Reporting and editing by David Shepardson)
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Brazil's Vale signs charter agreement with China's Shandong Shipping for ethanol-powered vessels
Vale, the Brazilian miner, has signed a 25-year charter deal with the 'China's Shandong Shipping Corporation. The agreement will see the construction of the first two transoceanic vessels powered by ethanol. Both vessels, with a combined capacity of up to 325,000 metric tonnes of iron ore each, will be delivered in 2029. Rodrigo Bermelho said that the ships will be equipped with rotors sails for harnessing wind energy, and engines that are more energy efficient, among other improvements. He said that decarbonization was an irreversible trend. "It's at the core of Vale's strategic plan, not just in maritime transport, but also across all the products we develop for the steel industry." Vale is one of the world's biggest iron ore producers. (Reporting and writing by Marta Nogueira, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama).
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Airbus Delivers 60 Aircrafts in March
Airbus announced on Thursday that it delivered 60 aircrafts in March, bringing the first-quarter deliveries to 114, a '16% decrease from last year at this point. Monthly data revealed that Emirates, which is based in Dubai, received three jets despite the disruption caused by the Gulf Conflict. The French plane manufacturer also delivered a jet to Etihad Airways, Saudi Arabia's Fly a?Deal and one jet to the Saudi Arabian airline. Airbus executives said that deliveries have been hindered by problems with fuselage panels, and a shortage of engines. Airbus will deliver 136 aircraft in the first quarter of 2025. Airbus plans to deliver 870 aircraft this year. The 'company' said that it had sold 408 aircraft during the first quarter, or a total of 398 after cancellations. (Reporting from Mateusz Rabiega, Gdansk. Editing by Matt Scuffham.)
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Serbia's NIS Oil Company, owned by Russians, seeks another waiver of sanctions
RTS TV reported that Serbia's Russian owned NIS oil company has asked the United States for another waiver of sanctions to allow it to import crude oil until its sale to Hungary MOL is completed. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the United States' foreign asset control agency, has granted a previous waiver that expires April 17. NIS operates Serbia’s only?oil refining plant in the northern city of Pancevo and supplies 80% of fuel to the Balkan nation. OFAC imposed sanctions against?NIS on October, as part of broader measures targeting Russia's energy industry over Moscow's conflict in Ukraine. They demanded the divestment by Gazprom and Gazprom Neft of their majority stakes. The Serbian Government owns 29.9% of the company, while small shareholders and staff hold the rest. MOL announced in 'January that it signed a binding agreement with the Russian companies in order to purchase their stake in NIS.?OFAC gave MOL until 'May 22 for the sale to be negotiated. Serbia imports crude oil primarily from Kazakhstan, Nigeria, and Guyana, via the island of Krk in Croatia, where it is then transported via the JANAF pipeline. (Aleksandar Vaovic; Editing done by Kirsten Doovan)
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After a brief closure of the airspace due to a technical issue, flights resumed in Sao Paulo
Separate statements were released by the Brazilian Air Force, the Congonhas airport operators and the Guarulhos airport operators. The operator of the Congonhas Airport in the city and the Guarulhos International Airport had earlier announced that all landings and takesoffs were suspended?in the town due to an "electrical problem." Brazil's Air Force is responsible for all national air traffic. The?suspension was just over 30 minutes long. It added that the incident was caused by a "technical?operational problem" without giving any further details. The operator of Guarulhos airport said that the incident did not occur at the airport. It is the busiest in Latin America. Brazil's civil aviation regulator, which oversees the country's airspace, said that it had implemented the initial measures in its "pre-crisis" protocol to monitor the?"consequences" of the incident. Airline Azul has reported that six flights have been diverted to another destination and 12 flights have been cancelled. Gol and Latam - which together with Azul form the main airline group in the country - did not respond to requests for comment. Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier, Isabel Teles and Fernando Cardoso. Writing by Fernando Cardoso. Editing by Chizu Nomiyama & Keith Weir.
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UN ship agency: A toll on the use of Hormuz is a "dangerous precedent"
The UN shipping agency warned that imposing a toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz would "set a dangerous precedent" and countries should not hinder freedom of navigation. Iranian officials have suggested?charging for the use of the Strait? after a two-week truce was reached between the United States and Tehran this week. There is no international agreement that allows tolls for crossing international straits. A spokesperson for the UN's International Maritime Organization stated that any such toll would set a dangerous precedent. The IMO countries have adopted the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), which defines the 'rules' that govern the straits used to conduct international navigation. According to UNCLOS ships have the right of transit through international straits. The spokesperson for the IMO said that states bordering straits must not impede or suspend this 'right'. (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis; Jonathan Saul)
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Trading sources report that despite the attack on a pipeline, crude loadings have continued at Saudi Arabia's Yanbu Port.
Sources from two buyers at the port, and a third source in the trading world told us on Thursday that crude loadings have continued at the Red Sea port at Yanbu despite the?attack by Iran?on Wednesday?on the East-West Pipeline of the country. Saudi state oil company Aramco declined to comment. Iran attacked the 7-million-barrel-per-day pipeline hours after ?a ceasefire was agreed to pause the Iran war, ?an industry source told on Wednesday, targeting its only oil export route ?since hostilities began. Sources added that the damage assessment was underway and that it is expected that?flows? through?the?pipeline will be affected. Saudi Arabia is unable to export crude oil due to the de facto closing of the Strait of Hormuz. According to Kpler, the average?Yanbu crude oil loadings in March were 3.3 million barrels per day, up from just over 800,000 barrels per day in February. It can export up to?5million bpd. Aramco said it directed roughly 2 million barrels per day (bpd) of the pipeline flows towards its refineries in 'the west last month. (Reporting and editing by Siyi Liu; Ahmad Ghaddar, Arathy Sommesekhar, Elaine Hardcastle, Barbara Lewis)
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After a report about a warship being escorted near the UK, Kremlin said that Russia had a right to defend themselves from 'piracy.'
The Kremlin announced on Thursday that Russia has the right to defend itself against what it calls piracy, after a British paper reported?that an oil tanker sanctioned by Britain was escorted through the English Channel by a Russian Navy frigate. The ship tracking data analysed showed that the two vessels sanctioned in the Daily Telegraph article - the Russian-flagged Universal, and the Cameroon flagged Enigma – crossed UK waters between Thursday and Wednesday. Last month, British Prime Minister Keir starmer announced that he had authorized the military to board Russian ships in British waters and detain them to disrupt a system of vessels which his government claims allows Moscow to export oil regardless of Western sanctions over Ukraine. So far, no such action has taken place. Dmitry Peskov said, when asked about the report in the media, that Moscow had repeatedly seen what he called piracy on international waters, and that Russia will act to ensure?the safety of its own shipping. "We have seen repeated incidents of piratery?in international water over the last few months." Peskov said that these incidents of piracy, among other things have harmed Russian Federation's economic interests. The Russian Federation will take all necessary measures to protect their interests. According to LSEG, the two tankers were used for diesel deliveries. They each carried 40,000 tons of the fuel from the Baltic Port of Primorsk, in the Leningrad Region, at the end of march. Enigma will be heading to Mersin, Turkey. Universal's destination is unknown. Britain claimed to have used a tanker, a helicopter, and a patrol boat?to monitor the movements of the Russian landing ship, the Admiral Grigorovich. Britain stated that 'Belgian aircraft and Dutch ships were also involved with the monitoring operation. When asked about the passage at a press event to announce "a separate British operation to track Russian submarines in High North", British Defence Minister John Healey replied that work done by Britain and Western Allies had already made working for Putin's shadow fleet of oil tankers more difficult. He said that the government is ready to go further. We are ready to act. He said that he would not only support, but also take action in conjunction with allies to intercept shadow fleet vessels.
Suspension of flights to Middle East
Issues about dispute in the Middle East have actually prompted international airline companies to suspend flights to the region or to prevent affected airspace.
Below are some of the airlines that have suspended services to and from the area:
AEGEAN AIRLINES
The Greek airline company in August cancelled flights to and from Beirut up until March 29.
AIR ALGERIE
The Algerian airline company has actually suspended flights to and from Lebanon up until further notification, it said on Aug. 1.
AIR ARABIA
The United Arab Emirates provider will resume flights to Beirut on Jan. 9.
AIRBALTIC
Latvia's airBaltic has actually cancelled flights to and from Tel . Aviv till Jan. 28. It announced the suspension in late.
September. AIR FRANCE-KLM Air France has extended its suspension of Paris-Tel Aviv. flights until Jan. 17 and Paris-Beirut flights up until Jan. 31.
KLM will extend its momentary suspension of flights to. Tel Aviv and will not fly till the end of March.
The group's affordable unit Transavia has cancelled flights to. and from Tel Aviv, Amman and Beirut up until end-March.
AIR INDIA
The Indian flag carrier has suspended flights to and from. Tel Aviv till further notice, it stated on Aug. 12.
BULGARIA AIR
The Bulgarian carrier said it would resume flights to and. from Tel Aviv on Dec. 26. It had actually cancelled the flights in. October pointing out security suggestions.
CATHAY PACIFIC
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific has actually cancelled flights to Tel . Aviv till Oct. 25, 2025. It suspended its flights to Israel in.
August. CORENDON AIRLINES
The Turkish airline has cancelled flights to and from Tel . Aviv up until January.
DELTA AIR LINES
The U.S. provider has paused flights in between New york city and Tel . Aviv through March 2025. The suspension was announced on Sept. 19.
EASYJET
EasyJet will not hurry to resume flights to Tel Aviv. after a ceasefire in between Israel and Hezbollah entered effect,. its incoming CEO said on Nov. 27. The UK budget airline had. formerly suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until March.
EMIRATES
UAE's state-owned airline has cancelled flights to Beirut. and to Baghdad up until Jan. 31. The suspension started in late. September.
FLYDUBAI
Flights to Beirut remain momentarily suspended, a. flydubai spokesperson said on Dec. 30.
IAG
IAG-owned British Airways has suspended flights to Tel Aviv. till the end of March 2025.
IAG's inexpensive airline company, Iberia Express, has cancelled. flights to Tel Aviv until March 29 while Vueling will keep. operations to and from Tel Aviv suspended throughout the first. quarter of 2025.
IRAN AIR
The Iranian airline company has actually cancelled Beirut flights till. further notice. The suspension was announced in late September.
IRAQI AIRWAYS
Iraq will enable the national carrier Iraqi Airways to resume. flights to Lebanon on Dec. 30, the transportation minister was estimated. as stating by state media on Dec 28. Iraqi Airways had actually suspended. all its flights to and from Beirut on Sep. 27.
ITA AIRWAYS
The Italian carrier has extended the suspension of Tel Aviv. flights through Jan. 31, a suspension that has been in location. because Sept. 30.
LOT
The Polish provider plans its first set up flight to. Beirut for April 1. It had actually suspended its flights to Lebanon in. August.
LUFTHANSA GROUP
The German airline group has extended the suspension of its. flights to Tel Aviv until Jan. 31.
Flights to Tehran are cancelled up until Jan. 31 and to Beirut. until Feb. 28.
SunExpress, a joint endeavor in between Lufthansa and Turkish. Airline companies, has suspended flights to Beirut up until March. 31.
PEGASUS
The Turkish airline stated on Jan. 2 that it was carrying. out Beirut flights during daylight hours from Istanbul and. Antalya.
RYANAIR
Europe's most significant spending plan airline company does not intend on resuming. operations to Israel until March 31 at the earliest, while a. decision to resume operations to and from Jordan from December. is under discussion, a Ryanair spokesperson said on Nov. 27.
SUNDAIR
The German airline company has actually cancelled flights between Beirut and. Bremen till March 26. The cancellation started on Sept. 23.
UNITED AIRLINES
The Chicago-based airline company confirmed on Dec. 30 that its. flights to Tel Aviv remain suspended. The suspension started on. July 31.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC
The UK carrier has suspended Tel Aviv flights until completion. of March. The suspension has actually remained in location given that September.
WIZZ AIR
The Hungary-based airline has suspended Tel Aviv flights. through Jan. 14, other than for those from Larnaca. Wizz Air has. suspended its flights to Tel Aviv since October.
(source: Reuters)