Latest News
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Delta and Aeromexico win US Court battle to retain joint venture
The U.S. Court of Appeals on Thursday overturned the Trump Administration's order from September 2025 that was intended to force Aeromexico and Delta?Airlines to dissolve a joint venture. Last year, the?airlines?sued to stop the U.S. Department of Transportation's order to repeal a nearly 10-year-old joint-venture that allowed the carriers to coordinate the scheduling, pricing, and capacity of U.S. - Mexico flights. The USDOT order is part of a series of U.S. measures aimed at Mexico’s aviation sector due to competition concerns. Last year, a court halted the order pending legal challenges. The 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals stated that USDOT "didn't reasonably explain why they conducted a much more limited market study in this case than in the past, or if it imposed a requirement to approve the joint venture compared to what it required of'similar joint ventures approved in Japan. Delta, Aeromexico, and the U.S. The Justice and Transportation departments referred to the joint venture as "legalized collusion," which controls "almost 60 percent of operations at the 4th-largest gateway international to and from the United States," in reference to Mexico City flights. Delta, with a 20% stake, argued President Donald Trump held Aeromexico to a higher standard than other joint ventures such as United Airlines or Japan's ANA. The court said that USDOT's arbitrary and capricious action was because it did not apply the same standards to Delta and U.S.Japan joint-venture applicants. USDOT has taken separate action to revoke approval of 13 routes for Mexican carriers in the U.S., and cancel all combined passenger and cargo flights from Mexico City's Felipe Angeles International Airport. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated last year that Mexico "illegally cancelled and frozen U.S. carrier flight for three years without consequence."
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Panama Canal will cap daily transits in anticipation of severe El Nino
It announced on Thursday that the Panama Canal Authority will limit daily transits starting in early September, as it prepares for an El Nino season expected to reduce water levels. This is a reversal of a previous promise not to restrict vessel passage. The new measures will reduce the number of vessels that can pass through the canal each day to 32 by September 15, and to 34 as of Sept. 4. In June 2026 the canal'registered 35 average daily transits, which corresponded to vessel demand. Its capacity was to handle around 40 crossings per day. Canal authorities said in May that they did not plan to restrict vessel passage this year and have already taken water conservation measures starting 2025. According to a?advisory released Thursday, daily capacity at the Neopanamax locks of the canal will be capped as of September 4, while 'capacity in?the older Panamax?locks is limited to 25 slots. The capacity of the Panamax locks will be further reduced on Sept. 15 to 23 slots. As part of its water management strategy, the canal authority has tightened draft restrictions several times.
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At least 40 bodies found after a boat overloaded with passengers capsizes in Nigeria
Local officials and residents reported on Thursday that a?overloaded?boat capsized in Nigeria's northwest Sokoto State. Abdulkadir Yusuf is a manager at the National Inland Waterways Authority. He said that rescue efforts continue after the accident near Gorau, in Goronyo Local Government Area. Yusuf reported that around?40 bodies of children had been discovered. Nasiru Adamsu, a local lawmaker in the 'Sokoto State legislature, confirmed the death toll at 43. A local resident said that the boat was carrying farmers and workers hired to harvest rice. He estimated there were more than 70 people on board when it capsized. One resident reported that there were 57 passengers onboard. Mustapha Umar said that officials would be heading to the scene soon and will provide more information later. Overcrowding and poor maintenance, as well as a lack of enforcement of safety regulations, are all factors that contribute to deadly boat accidents in Nigeria. At least 25 people were killed in January when a leaking boat capsized on the coast of?Yobe State, north-east Nigeria.
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Exporters warn that delays could occur as Ivory Coast prepares for EU cocoa regulations
Ivory Coast’s cocoa regulator claims the world’s largest cocoa producer, Ivory Coast, is ready for new EU anti-deforestation regulations. However exporters and buyers warn that a compliance system set to launch next month could disrupt bean sales and exports. Companies must prove that cocoa and other commodities are not associated with deforestation under the EU's anti-deforestation legislation, which comes into effect at the end December. Yves Brahima Kone, the head of the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC), said that digital ID cards would be issued to farmers from September 1, 2026/27. The cards, which were introduced in 2019, are electronic wallets that track cocoa from the farms to the export ports. They also verify the origin of the cocoa and ensure farmers get the guaranteed price. "We are prepared to prove that our cacao is traceable and certified." Kone stated that the 'producer card' is now operational and meets the expectations of chocolate customers. He said that the cards would also allow more than 1 million small-scale farmers to access the banking system?for a first time. According to the'regulator,' Ivory Coast is home to between 1.2 and 1.3 million cocoa producers. INDUSTRY WARNS ABOUT DISRUPTIONS According to industry sources, the launch could cause bottlenecks when the new season starts. We spoke with nine buyers, seven suppliers and four cooperative managers. Sources said that farmers who do not have their cards or have lost them may be unable sell cocoa and this could slow down purchases. The sources also mentioned a shortage in?card terminals. Participants in the industry questioned whether the system could be effective in preventing illegally grown cocoa in protected areas to enter the supply chain, even if administrative problems are resolved. Ivory Coast estimates that cocoa produced in protected forest and national parks represents 15% of the national production. Exporters and European environmental groups estimate the figure at around 30%. Sources said that illegally produced cocoa could still be mixed with legal beans and shipped to Abidjan and San Pedro ports, in part because the output of each farmer can only be estimated and not precisely measured. "We know the benefits of this card, but there will be many problems and chaos during the season. The director of an European export company in Abidjan said that the new European regulation regarding deforestation is too complex to be implemented on the ground. There will be delays throughout the supply chain, including in the purchasing and exporting of goods. "That's unquestionable," said a senior executive of another European export company. Ange Aboa is the reporter. Anait Miridzhanian (Editing), Rob Corey-Boulet, Mark Potter and Anait Miridzhanian
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Discover Airlines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, says that fuel shortages in Namibia could affect flights to Europe
Discover Airlines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, said on Thursday that a temporary fuel shortage could affect its flights to Europe. The airline said that aircraft operating flights to Frankfurt and Munich out of Windhoek were being rerouted through Angola in order to refuel. A spokesperson for the Lufthansa Group said that there was a temporary and local shortage of?fuel at Windhoek International Airport. As reported in local Namibian media, Lufthansa has not responded to the question of whether its cargo freight is also affected by fuel shortages. Namibia Airports Company issued a statement stating that it was aware of fuel supply challenges for the Jet A-1 at the main aviation gateway in the country and that efforts were being made to minimize disruptions. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf, Additional Reporting by Sfundo parakozov, Writing by Nilutpal Timsina and Editing by Alexander Winning).
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Shein postpones IPO until September 1, according to sources
Shein plans to list its Hong Kong initial public offering on Monday, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. Two other sources also said that Shein is aiming for a September 1 listing, which is slightly later than originally planned. One source said that while September 1 was the "target date", the listing might happen a few weeks later. Last week, it was reported that Shein had hoped to list her company on August 28. Investors' appetite for Shein has been dampened by the slowing growth and increasing costs, as first reported by South China Morning Post. Shein, the online fast fashion retailer, was once seen as a disruptor to established brands like H&M and Zara because of its ultra-low price and rapid supply chain. Shein's valuation is aiming for $26 billion to $27 billion according to a source who has a direct knowledge of the issue. This is a sharp drop from the $100 billion it was valued at in its private fundraising in 2022. Investor?meetings in advance of the IPO began with the company requesting an IPO valuation between $30 billion and $40 billion. Shein did not respond to an inquiry for comment. Reporting by Kane Wu, Helen Reid. Mark Potter and Mrigank Dhaniwala edited the report.
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Sources say India is considering low-cost loans to help renewable energy projects that have been affected by the power restrictions.
Four industry sources said that India may offer low-cost loans for'renewable energy producers' to compensate them for the losses they have suffered because of inadequate transmission infrastructure. According to official figures, the?transmission?network of this South Asian nation has been unable to keep up with the growth in renewable energy, especially solar. Solar represents 162 gigawatts or almost a third its total power generation capacity. Sources said that India's renewable power developers had lost around 45 billion rupees (470.21 million dollars) since February 2025 due to limited infrastructure. One source said that in some cases, up to 70% of power generated by renewable energy projects cannot be added to grid. Sources spoke under 'condition of anonymity' because they weren't authorised to speak publically?on this issue. A request for comment was not immediately responded to by the federal ministries of finance and?power. India, the third largest solar power producer in the world, has cut its output by 14% or 8,133 Gigawatt Hours between April and Juni. Sources said that the ministry of power was looking at low-interest loans with long terms of 7 to 8 years as compensation for producers. The government is reportedly discussing the plan with energy companies and determining which projects qualify for compensation. Sanjeev Aggarwal is the?founder and executive chairman of Hexa Climate which develops renewable project. He said that his company has experienced curbs, without providing details, and that it raises financial problems. He said that lenders need to have confidence in the future generation when they are calculating debt. If curbs are frequent, and not compensated for, this would result in higher costs of capital. The rating agency ICRA estimates that approximately a third of India's newly-commissioned 54.8 GW clean energy capacity is being evacuated via temporary transmission by May 2026.
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Minister: Indonesia denies involvement in the transshipment and trans-shipment of goods as claimed by a recent U.S. government report
Airlangga hartarto, Indonesia's senior economic minister, denied the recent U.S. claim that it was involved in a 'transshipment' of a goods. Here are some details: * Airlangga was referring to the report published by Washington which stated that the U.S. is losing between $19 and $26 billion annually in 'tariff revenue' due to 'goods, mostly originating from China, being transshipped via third countries including Indonesia to avoid U.S. Import duties. * "Indonesia, along with Brazil, Malaysia Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam, has been accused of being a part of a global?transshipment -network. "We deny that these allegations are true," said the minister. * He added that it is "not true" if transshipment from another country?is used for processing here.
The Iran war has increased the cost of beauty products, from plastic jars to transportation.
The Iran War is affecting the supply chain of cosmetics, driving up the cost of plastic jars, lipstick tubes, and transport. It also reminds the beauty industry of the fragility of global trade routes, which are even needed to make a tub of face lotion.
The cost pressure was a common theme at the largest trade show in the industry, held in Bologna (northern Italy), as the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane entered its fifth week.
The Cosmoprof trade fair attracted 3,100 exhibitors and 255,000 attendees from 150 countries, including companies looking for packaging solutions as well as retailers scouting out new products.
Five industry executives said that the cosmetics companies were most concerned about rising raw material costs and transportation costs as a result of higher oil prices.
Simone Dominici is the CEO of the Italian cosmetics group Kiko. She estimates that additional logistical costs will be around 1.5 million euros ($1.7million) over the course of the year.
Kiko operates over 1,000 stores in the world, selling lipsticks as low as?5 euros or mascaras at 7.5 euros.
Dominici added that the Middle East is experiencing a shortage of containers and goods, and the prices of some chemical components, packaging, and other products, many of which are sourced in the Far East, would add to the pressure.
Yonwoo, which makes containers for L'Oreal, K-beauty and other companies, has said that the Iran crisis is disrupting supply chains and it's scrambling to get plastic resin in order to make pots for cosmetics and skincare.
ALTERNATIVE ROUTES
Dominici stated that the industry may also be affected by a softer demand among consumers, whose purchasing power has been eroded due to inflation.
He warned, "It is the perfect storm."
Intercos, listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, and Ancorotti Group (privately owned), two of Italy's biggest contract manufacturers, both said that they have not faced any major shortages, but pointed to higher logistic costs, longer delivery times, and rising raw materials prices as obstacles.
"Lead time has increased as ports and routes have grown longer." Ancorotti's Chief Executive, Roberto Bottino, said that what used to take eight weeks can now take 12-14 weeks.
Bottino said that some clients are using rail to travel to Asia.
Ancorotti Group generates around 220 millions euros in revenue per year by selling products to beauty brands throughout the world.
Bottino stated that it is difficult to imagine the cost increases in the supply chain not being ultimately passed on downstream.
"Middle East consumers value quality, and they are willing to pay more for added value. So, being unable to reach these markets could have a negative effect", said Fabio Francochina, Chairman of haircare products manufacturer Framesi.
Franchina stated that the distributor of the company in the region is exploring alternative delivery routes.
He said that they were looking into options such as shipping goods to Jeddah, and then transporting them by road instead of through Persian Gulf ports.
He added that some goods are now being shipped via air rather than sea, which further increases costs.
According to Cosmetica Italia (the industry association), Italy will produce 18 billion euros worth of cosmetics by 2025. This includes 8.4 billion euro in exports. It is the fifth largest exporter of beauty goods in the world and one of its leading producers for hair dyes and eye make-up.
(source: Reuters)