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Maricarmen Abascal has died. She was the evicted Spanish 80-year-old who was at the heart of Spain’s housing protests.
The tenants' union in Madrid announced on Wednesday that Maricarmen Abacal, the 87-year old woman whose eviction had sparked protests over housing conditions in Spain, was dead. Abascal’s?eviction has sparked protests in Spain over the last couple of weeks. This included activists camping out on one of Madrid’s main squares and calls for action to tackle a growing housing crisis. These protests, along with the rejection by parliament of last week's decrees intended to?limit evictions?and limit rent pressures?, led Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez?to call for an early election on?November 29, Sanchez wants to change the narrative of the political debate from the handling of the migrant crisis by his government in Spain's North African Enclave Ceuta, and the corruption cases involving the Socialist Party of Spain and his family. He is now focusing on the housing crisis. Angel Victor Torres is Spain's Minister of Territorial Policy. He lamented this news. He said that Maricarmen was a symbol for what many families were going through, both elderly and young, who struggled to get their own home or stay there.
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US ends review of data privacy for US Airlines without Penalties
According to a memo seen on Monday, the US 'Transportation Department' has concluded a review conducted during Biden's tenure of?airlines? data privacy practices without imposing any penalties. This is despite complaints from lawmakers that carriers had failed to safeguard or misuse information. USDOT did not comment on Monday but in a memo dated 4 September, it said that they had evaluated the privacy of data for the 10 largest airlines and found "no violation" of the applicable laws or policies. In?March 2024, the then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg opened a review on how US Airlines collect and use passengers' information. Senator Ron 'Wyden has urged USDOT addressing privacy concerns. "DOT claims that merely having a policy and training on privacy is enough, despite evidence of privacy violations." Wyden and Shontel brown said in August that the Drug Enforcement Administration was paying airline employees Millions of dollars were spent to get some data on 'Americans. They alleged that a database owned jointly by major US airlines sold passenger records without warrants and court oversight to government agencies such as the IRS. In a memo, the department said that US airlines shouldn't set pricing based on personal data. It reminded airlines that they have a responsibility to "protect?passenger?data, adhere?to published privacy policies and prevent unlawful discrimination when it comes to dynamic pricing practices." Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary, said last year that he would investigate any personalized pricing. Delta Air Lines denied using AI to set individual prices.
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Manishi Raymondchaudhuri: The thaw in the Sino-Indian relationship will be a major test for economic growth
India wants to move out of China's shadow and improve diplomatic relations. But the more it pushes the more its dependency on China, its wealthier neighbor, becomes apparent. Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi met in New Delhi in December. It was Xi's very first trip to India in seven years. Both leaders agreed to repair the damage caused by the deadly hand-to -hand clashes that occurred in 2020 along their shared, but poorly defined Himalayan border. Since the two Asian giants agreed last year to end their military standoff, there are other signs of warming relations. Since the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, direct flights between Indian cities and Chinese 'cities' have been resumed. Visa services in China are also expanding. These measures are only a first step. Handshakes and plane rides will not solve the problem of long-standing trade dependency and strategic distrust. The economic relationship between the two Asian giants remains profoundly asymmetric. According to the World Bank, China's share in global manufacturing value added was 28% by 2025. This is far greater than India's 3%. India's export situation is also lopsided. China's 16.3% of global merchandise exports by 2025 will be a massively greater share than India's 1.7%. India will import goods from China worth $116 billion dollars more than it exports in 2025. In August of this year, India's deficit was already at $91 billion. It was on course to surpass the record set last year. CAPTIVE SUPPLY CHAINS It's not just that India imports from China more. Many of these imports are essential to Indian industry. The three largest import categories are electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), machinery and chemicals. These goods are used as intermediates by Indian manufacturers. India imports more from China the more it exports. The dilemma is illustrated by smartphones and generic drugs. India has made great progress in expanding pharmaceutical production and assembling electronic devices, but many of the inputs and components needed by both sectors are still sourced from China. This dependence has broad strategic implications. Beijing's introduction of export licensing requirements for seven heavy rare Earths in April 2025, exposed India's automotive manufacturing and defense sectors to vulnerabilities. India's manufacturing problems are not all due to foreign competition. According to the latest Economic Survey, India's R&D spending in 2024 was just 0.64%, which is significantly lower than its?Asian counterparts, partly due to private sector underinvestment. The problem is compounded by the shortage of skilled workers. Foxconn's decision to withdraw Chinese staff from their Indian iPhone factories by 2025 showed how advanced manufacturing is dependent on foreign expertise. INDIA'S FIXES New Delhi is trying to correct the imbalance. India has recently eased restrictions on Chinese foreign direct investments (FDI), allowing them to own up to 10% of Indian companies. The government announced simultaneously that it would expedite the clearance of investment proposals within 60 days in five high-tech areas, provided they were structured as joint ventures and had majority Indian ownership. India's exports to China increased by 40% from April to August. The increase in exports is largely due to industrial machinery, automotive components and printed circuit boards as well as smartphones and other electronic products. The export boom should not be misinterpreted as a fundamental change in the relationship. India's electronic growth is still heavily dependent on Chinese imports. Smartphone manufacturing, India's largest export success story, is still only 18-20% local. The AI boom in Northeast Asia is generating positive spillovers to the subcontinent. Indian firms are picking up sub-components from Chinese tech giants who are facing a surge in hardware demand. This dynamic, however, reinforces the importance of Chinese supply chains. TRUST DEFICIT IS PERSISENT In order for China-bound FDI to reach India and for technology transfer to take place, it is important to answer the question: What does India have to offer? China is not taking up the bait. The obvious answer to this question is 'access to a large, young market with a low-cost labor pool'. Also, New Delhi has various incentives for industrial growth, including tax breaks, payouts linked to production, and capital subsidies. China's pressure to its leading companies, which includes EVs, batteries and solar energy equipment as well as electronic equipment, shows how Beijing protects its most sophisticated capabilities. The 3,800 km (2,400 miles) of disputed border in Himalayas continue to cast a cloud over the relationship. The two countries have agreed to a gradual, multi-year stabilisation plan. Diplomats met in Beijing last August and pledged a "fair settlement that is reasonable for both parties". However, there does not appear to be a resolution imminent. Both governments seem willing to expand economic cooperation for the time being. India's challenge does not just lie in reducing its imports from China. The challenge for India is to use a renewed engagement with China to develop its own domestic capabilities. The relationship between Asia's largest economies until then will be a one-sided affair. You like this column? Open Interest (ROI) is your new essential source of global financial commentary. Follow ROI on LinkedIn and X. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast daily on Apple, Spotify or the app. Subscribe to the Morning Bid podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets seven days a weeks.
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Alaska LNG savings justify billions of investment, developer claims
Alaska LNG's developer claimed that the project would be competitive with US Gulf Coast competitors because it will have access to stranded natural gas and shorter shipping routes into Asia. This is despite some analysts' concerns about the massive infrastructure costs of 'the project. Tim Fitzpatrick said in an email sent to the project developer Glenfarne on Sunday that the cost to ship gas from Alaska's North Slope to Asia would be at least 60% cheaper than the Gulf Coast. The project would transport gas from Alaska's north slope through an 800-mile pipeline, to a plant that exports liquefied gas in southern Alaska. The question is whether the lower shipping costs are worth the billions needed to build infrastructure. The estimated cost for the project is $44,5 billion to $54,5 billion. This translates into?roughly $2 billion to $2.7 million per million tons of LNG capacity (MTPA). This is significantly more than other Gulf Coast projects that have recently been approved. The developer Glenfarne claims that this comparison is inaccurate because it does not include the costs of the pipelines and treatment infrastructure required to bring the North Slope gas stranded to the market. Fitzpatrick stated that the delivery costs for the?Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas project are about $1.4 billion each MTPA. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, US LNG projects have been approved at an average price of $1 billion or less per mtpa. Glenfarne says that the project's competitiveness is best measured in terms of delivered LNG costs, rather than upfront expenditure. Fitzpatrick stated that the company has so far identified customers for 13 millions tons of LNG per year and needs 16,000,000 tons per annum to support project finance. Trump said on Friday that South Korea would help finance the LNG project in Alaska as part of an investment package worth $200 billion for US projects. Seoul, however, quickly indicated that the role of South Korea in the Alaska LNG project was not yet determined.
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US FAA: Boeing 737 MAX software bug poses no safety concern
Federal Aviation Administration'said Friday that a panel of experts determined that a'software glitch in certain Boeing 737 MAX Flight Computers pose no safety concerns, clearing the?way for approval of a broader version?of a bestselling narrow body jet. This decision will remove a long-delayed obstacle to the certification of the MAX 10 – the largest variant in the 737 MAX Family – which had been delayed by years. This should ease the concerns of airlines who fly the MAX 7 which also uses the same software and was certified by FAA in august. The FAA stated that the decision by the Corrective action Review Board?that?met in Seattle on?Friday was based on "pilots retaining full control of?aircraft, and the indications given to the flight crew were clear and unambiguous." The FAA announced earlier this week that it would delay?certification for the MAX 10 until an analysis was completed of the software problem, which could prevent pilots?from?accessing automated guidance during a landing scenario. Aviation officials believe that the MAX 10 could now be certified by the end of this month. Southwest Airlines could have also been affected by the issue, as the MAX 7 aircraft that was just certified uses the same software. The MAX 10 was also ordered by Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, and other large airlines. Jefferies stated in a research report that the MAX '10 can be certified by the end of this year. Boeing has estimated nearly 1,500 MAX 10s are on order. The FAA stated that one software version could increase pilot workload when a pilot "aborts" a landing, then applies power and climbs for another 'landing attempt. A FAA official stated that Boeing would issue a bulletin on how to recognize the situation and what to do in it. The FAA will then issue a Special Information Bulletin about Airworthiness to US airlines and foreign regulators so they are aware of Boeing’s bulletin. While the analysis was in progress, major US airlines chose not to use this version of the software.
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Zimbabwean businessman Chivayo who was close to the ruling elite killed in helicopter crash
Wicknell 'Chivayo', his wife, and other victims were killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday, according to Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa said in a statement to X on Thursday he is "in deep grief and shock", and Kenyan President William Ruto, who posted a different post on the same day, called Chivayo a friend and expressed his sadness at his death. Chivayo, who has cultivated close relationships with Mnangagwa, and other African leaders by posting pictures on social media, also displayed luxury vehicles, designer clothes and lavish gifts. Zimbabwe's The Herald reported that investigations?into this crash are currently underway and a statement detailing the findings will be made in due course. The police did not comment on the cause of the accident, but Paul Nyathi, the spokesperson for the authorities said that DNA tests were being conducted because the bodies had been severely damaged. Chivayo was often cited by critics as an example for a small, elite class who benefited from contracts with the government under Zimbabwe's ZANUPF party. He denied accusations of corruption. Chivayo spent several years in prison after being convicted of money laundering in 2005. He was arrested for?the alleged misuse of a $5.6million advance payment linked to a solar energy project in 2018. But a magistrate struck off the 'case in 2023 citing delays by the prosecutors. Mnangagwa again attracted scrutiny in 2024 after describing his company as Starlink’s exclusive partner in Zimbabwe. This prompted the telecommunications regulator, to clarify that it was only one of many approved resellers.
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Israel's Netanyahu: Flydubai co-pilot underwent radical Islamist endoctrination
Israel's Prime Minister said that the co-pilot who attempted to crash a plane by stabbing the captain had been radicalized and clearly suicidal. The flydubai flight FZ1073, which flew from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, was spared disaster after the injured captain managed to open the cockpit door and allow passengers to subdue their attacker. The plane with more than 170 passengers on board was landed at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia by a reserve crew. We know that he was radicalized by islamists. In an interview with Fox News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that this appears to be what we gather from his personal data. According to two Israeli security officials, Israel's initial assessment is that the copilot, who Israel identified as an Omani, likely acted alone. However, the investigation is still ongoing. Flightradar24, a flight tracking website, reports that the plane plunged more than 14,000 feet during the incident while it was flying from the United Arab Emirates towards Israel. Netanyahu said, "It was obvious that the copilot was suicidal." Netanyahu stated that it appeared likely that the man was planning to bring down the aircraft. He said that "the Islamist traits, the radicalization found in his past, is a pretty good clue." But again, I haven't made any final conclusions. "But that's what we know now," he said. The United Arab Emirates have begun investigations to determine the circumstances and motives, and to determine "whether or not the incident was linked to terrorist activities or purposes or involved any prior planning or directions", according to the UAE's state news agency. ATTACKER IDENTIFIED AN OMANI NATIONAL Yossi Shelley told the Israeli envoy in the UAE that it was still too early to make any conclusions and that no motive had yet been established. A second Israeli official stated that Israel did not receive all of the information requested from Saudi Arabia and that Israeli intelligence services Mossad, and Shin Bet were also investigating the incident. Saudi Arabia's media office has not responded to requests for comment immediately, nor have they made any statements about their investigations. Netanyahu identified the attacker's nationality as Omani. Omani authorities are yet to comment. We have restrictions that state that you cannot have pilots who are from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel. Netanyahu said that it was clear that he had been able to do so. In an interview with Fox News Netanyahu stated that the attacker is being investigated in Saudi Arabia, and that he believes he will be sent to the UAE. When asked if there were any signs of Iranian involvement in the conflict, Netanyahu replied that it was still too early to tell. Israel has not made any official statements about Iranian involvement. Two Israeli security officials claimed that Israel has not yet identified any Iranian involvement. Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz stated on Wednesday that Israel’s preliminary information indicated the co-pilot intended to crash the aircraft, describing him?as a terrorist. Netanyahu, however, only described it as "a serious incident". The permanent Iranian mission at Geneva has not responded to the request for comment. SECURITY FEARS AHEAD OF ISRAELI ELSTION Israel's security was a major issue in the campaigning for the first elections since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. In February, the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran, in a conflict which quickly spread to the Gulf of Aden and Lebanon where Israel is fighting Iran-backed militant Hezbollah. Both Netanyahu and Indian PM Narendra Modi have described the captain of flight FZ1073, an Indian, Smit Machchhar, as a hero. The Indian Embassy in the UAE reported on X that the pilot was doing well. Israel also praised passengers who subdued the attacker. Yaniv Haun, one of those who incapacitated an attacker, described running to the cockpit when the plane nosedived. "We pulled out the assailant, I pulled out. "We took control after I got him out. I lifted the yoke, steering control, and straightened out the plane a little," he told reporters on his return to Israel.
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Canada fast tracks oil pipeline to diversify economy and divert away from US
Canada will speed up the approval process of a new proposed crude oil export pipeline that would run along its west coast. The project could generate over C$20 billion in GDP annually, according to Prime Minister Mark 'Carney. The pipeline announced in July is an important part of Carney’s plan to diversify the US economy and lessen the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Carney stated that Ottawa will officially list the Pacific Link Pipeline as a?project of national interest', allowing it to proceed through a single regulatory review process at the federal level. Ottawa, he said, aimed to finish the process by September 1, 2020. He told reporters at Fort McMurray in Alberta, the hub of the oil sands sector, that a pipeline to the West Coast was part of his mission to transform the economy and double non-U.S. imports within the next decade. Ottawa claims that the 1 million barrels a day project will create 140.000 jobs, generate more than C$20 billion per year in GDP and C$100 Billion in government revenues by 2060. Canada currently has just one east-west oil export pipeline in Canada, the 890,000-barrel-per-day Trans Mountain pipeline. The pipeline expansion was completed in 2024. However, it is already operating at full capacity. Since years, Canada exports more than 90% its crude oil to the United States through pipelines. A new oil export pipe could make Canada the world's largest energy supplier, as Asia’s top importing countries look for oil outside of the Middle East following the Iran conflict. Trans Mountain Corp, a government-owned company, will build the pipeline in conjunction with Pembina Pipeline Corp. Alberta estimates that it will cost between C$35,2 billion and C$43.7billion. The federal government will own the majority of the shares, followed by the government of Alberta. The federal government and the government?of Alberta will own a majority of the shares. Environmentalists and Indigenous groups have opposed previous oil pipeline projects across Canada. This has led to the cancellation of certain projects, and cost overruns or construction delays in others.
Taiwanese launch of rocket could be an early test for Japan's space hub plans
Taiwanese startup hopes to be the first foreign company to launch a satellite from Japan in early 2019. This is part of an industry plan that advocates believe will help Tokyo achieve its ambitions to become a space hub for Asia.
As Japan tries to double its 4 trillion yen (26 billion dollars) space industry in the next decade, the planned suborbital TiSpace launch has been delayed due to regulatory obstacles and delays.
The private company, founded in 2016 by former and current officials of Taiwan's space agency has never had a successful rocket launch. The company's latest attempt to launch a rocket via its sister firm AtSpace in Australia, in 2022, was unsuccessful due to an oxidizer spill. The design of the rocket that will be tested in Japan differs from its predecessor.
In an interview, TiSpace Chairman Yen-sen Chen said: "This (planned release) should be a good case for Japan's government." If everything goes well, you'll attract more customers.
He stated that the firm was waiting for one final regulatory approval. A radio permit will allow the launch of his company's 12-metre sounding rocket (39 ft), which he hopes to occur in early 2025. A sounding missile can reach space, but not orbit.
Analysts have suggested that launching a Taiwanese missile in Japan could attract the attention of China. China claims Taiwan, despite the protests of the Taipei government, and closely monitors Taiwan's advances in missile technology. Chen stated that he has not yet heard of any concerns.
The Chinese foreign ministry claimed that it "did not know the relevant circumstances" surrounding the launch.
Japan's Cabinet Office stated that "free economic activities and research are guaranteed in Japan, within the scope and laws and regulations". In March 2023, an official from Taiwan's defacto embassy in Japan visited TiSpace as part of a courtesy visit. The embassy refused to comment on the matter further and said that the launch was a privately-sector issue.
TiSpace is currently the only Taiwanese firm to attempt launches. Wu Jong Shinn, one of the other co-founders of TiSpace, is the current head of Taiwan's Space Agency. The agency refused to comment on the relationship it has with TiSpace, and stated that all of its launch services were conducted by public tender.
The venture has been embraced by the Japanese space industry, particularly in remote Taiki, an agricultural town on the northern island Hokkaido that will host the launch. Both officials and experts highlight the advantages of inviting foreign companies.
Yuko Nakagawa, a lawmaker from the ruling party representing Taiki, and other nearby communities, described TiSpace as "a symbol for Taiwan-Japan friendly relations" and an impetus to build a business complex, which local officials refer to as a "space Silicon Valley".
According to the latest plans, Japan's private space industry is expected to reach a value of more than $50 billion in the early 2030s. It will also launch 30 rockets per year and be Asia's hub for space transportation.
Jun Kazeki - the Cabinet Office's top official in charge of Japan's space policy - declined to comment on TiSpace. He said that although there may be future opportunities to use overseas transportation technology, the Japanese government is prioritising Japanese rockets.
Typically, government launches are carried out using Japanese boosters like the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' H3. Many private satellite operators use outside Japan foreign launch companies like SpaceX or ArianeGroup.
Senior Japanese officials involved in the space industry warned that foreign companies launching orbital payloads out of Japan would be subject to close government scrutiny as well as high regulatory hurdles.
The central government is not required to approve the launch because the Space Activities Act of Japan does not cover sub-orbital flights such as those conducted by TiSpace. Tokyo intends to amend the law to include suborbital flight and reusable rockets. However, it is expected that this will take many years.
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Motoko Mizuno is an opposition legislator and former official of JAXA (the country's space agency). She said that she was hesitant about Japan opening its doors to foreign companies with whom local launchers may not be able compete on price.
Japan and the United States are negotiating an agreement on space technology protections that could pave the path for commercial launches by the United States in Japan.
While JAXA launched rockets developed in Japan for many decades, the private rocket industry of Japan is still very young.
Space One's rocket blew up in its first launch, which took place in March, with the backing of Aerospace giant IHI. Interstellar Technologies, based in Taiki, became the first Japanese company to launch a sounding space rocket but did not follow up with an orbital flight.
Yoshinori Odagiri is the CEO of Space Cotan which operates Hokkaido Spaceport, in Taiki. He said that a few European companies had expressed an interest in the launch complex.
Tadashi Morimitsu is a local official from the Oita Prefecture in southwestern Japan. The prefecture has partnered with U.S. company Sierra Space to develop a spaceport in Hokkaido. He said that TiSpace's success in Hokkaido represents a "welcome phenomena" of foreign space companies using Japanese spaceports.
Alessio Botti, principal of Boston Consulting Group, said that more than fifty spaceports were being built around the world. However, he believes only five to ten will be successful and self-sustaining over time.
If the test launch of TiSpace is successful, TiSpace plans to expand their manufacturing capacity in Japan so that they can serve Japanese customers.
Letara from Hokkaido has already asked if TiSpace could test its satellite propulsion system in space.
Shota Hirai, co-founder of Letara, said: "We do not ask whether the company is domestically or internationally based as long as it can launch." ($1 = 156,4800 yen). (Reporting and writing by John Geddie. Editing and proofreading by Gerd Doyle. Additional reporting by Sakura Murakami.
(source: Reuters)