Latest News
-
Smoke in the cabin causes emergency landing of a Boston bound Delta flight in Portugal
Delta Airlines reported that a flight from Barcelona to Boston made an emergency landing in Porto, Portugal on Sunday afternoon. The company reported that Flight DL251 had been diverted from Barcelona to Porto due to a mechanical problem and landed safely there. Flightradar24, a tracking service, indicated that the plane left Barcelona at 3:15 pm (1315 GMT), and landed in Porto at 5 p.m. (1645 GMT). A spokesperson for Portugal's emergency and civil protection authority said that eight passengers who were on board the Airbus A330 were treated at the Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport, while three others were transported to hospital. The Portuguese spokesperson said that the forced landing was due to "smoke" in the cabin.
-
Increased security at US Fairford Air Base in England
A witness said that security measures at an 'US airbase in southwest England have increased significantly in the last few days, with roadblocks and armed police blocking access, as well as emergency vehicles parked near. A spokesperson from the US Air Force confirmed that they are aware of the current reports but will not discuss specific measures to protect forces. The spokesperson stated that "the 501st combat support wing and our UK-based Wings will remain vigilant and take appropriate actions to ensure safety and security for?our US servicemen, civilians and contractors, as well as their families." "We continually assess a number of factors to determine which measures we implement?or change in order to protect our installations and our people, as well as their families." Britain declared?in July that its armed forces were ready to protect the country against any attack, after Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned not to allow US bombers fly out of Fairford. Fairford in Gloucestershire was used to launch operations against Iran during the Middle East Conflict.
-
Boeing flags 737 MAX Software Bug Affecting Landing Navigation Feature, WSJ Reports
The Wall Street Journal, citing documents from the company, reported that Boeing has discovered a previously unknown software bug in its 737 MAX aircraft. This glitch could cause an automated navigation 'feature' to fail on landing. Report said that the issue was caused by a software update in the cockpit and could occur when crews change their flight plan after a missed landing. Boeing, when asked for comment, said that it had informed 'all 737 operators' last month of the software problem under which pilots could not?have access to automated flight guidance in a certain landing scenario. Our engineers are working on a software update to 'permanently address the issue. Boeing stated in an email that engineers were working on a permanent software update. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that it was aware of a possible issue with a software update to the flight computers in certain Boeing 737 MAX aircrafts, and worked closely with Boeing as well as the airlines. The FAA issued a statement saying that it would convene a Corrective Action Review Board if a safety concern was identified. Boeing has come under heavy regulatory and safety scrutiny over the past few years, following two 'fatal 737 MAX crash incidents in 2018 and 2019, which led to a 'worldwide grounding of the aircraft. Also after a cabin panel blew out mid-air on a brand new Alaska Airlines MAX 9 in 2018. Southwest Airlines and 'United Airlines' have requested that Boeing not deliver new 737 MAX aircraft with the affected software, and instead request an earlier version. The report stated that it was not immediately clear how many aircraft were operating with the flawed software. Boeing, airlines, and regulators are evaluating the issue to determine if it poses a safety concern for flight, according to the report.
-
Russia claims it has struck Ukrainian defence industry vessels and facilities
On Friday, the Russian Defence Ministry said that 'its forces' had carried out drone strikes overnight on Ukrainian defence industry installations, logistic centres and vessels used in Ukraine by its armed forces. The 'Ministry' said that the strikes targeted a 'drone assembly and storage site, in the Kyiv region; logistics hubs in Odesa and port infrastructure in Reni along the Danube River. It was also reported that Russian forces had struck a cargo vessel carrying dual-use and military goods bound for the port of Odesa. Later, on Friday, the ministry announced that its forces had hit another cargo ship?in Odesa that was delivering a?logistics centre?to the port Chornomorsk. This centre is used by Ukraine's armed forces and security forces. It also houses a data center for the?processing of intelligence data and the transmission of it. Could not independently verify statements.
-
Volkswagen recalls 4 million cars, Handelsblatt reports
The Handelsblatt reported that Volkswagen, the German automaker, will recall 4 million vehicles from four different brands. This is the largest recall since the Dieselgate scandal. According to the German KBA, there will be a recall of 2.16 million VW and 700,000 Audi vehicles. The Handelsblatt reported that Volkswagen's Czech?brand Skoda, and Seat in Spain would also be affected by the action. Seat confirmed that the number. Skoda has not yet commented on the report. Volkswagen stated in an earlier press release that customers were asked to bring their vehicles to be repaired due to a?risk of corrosion associated with a screw within the steering system. If left unchecked this could affect the steering system's function in the long run. The company said that the recall is a precautionary measure, and that replacing the screw will take less than an hour. Volkswagen refused to comment on the cost estimate of the recalls.
-
US airlines oppose China’s bid to increase flights
On Thursday, the head of the industry group Airlines for American?said that US carriers opposed adding more direct flights to the United States from China despite the fact that Xi Jinping, the Chinese President raised the idea. Chris Sununu, the head of the group that represents American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, among others, has said US carriers are still hampered because their Chinese counterparts have been allowed to fly over Russia on eight flights. He told reporters that he had been urging officials in the Trump administration not to cave. It's not a small thing. Sununu told an interview that it is a costly exercise for airlines to travel around Russia. Xi brought up the issue of increased flights at a Washington event on Thursday. At the moment, each country can only operate 50 round-trips per week. "Our two parties may also increase direct flight to facilitate travel in both directions and trade," Xi - said. The White House has not yet commented. Before the COVID-19 epidemic, each side was allowed to fly more than 150 round-trip flights per week. Chinese and US carriers were limited to 12 flights a week each between the two nations until August 2023. Air China was asked to increase the number of flights it offers from the US East coast to China, but Airlines for America resisted the request last week. US carriers are banned from doing so because they cannot access Russian airspace. Chinese carriers however can fly eight US flights. "It's imbalanced. Sununu stated, "It's unfair." "They have an advantage already with eight flights. "It would be a huge advantage to give them even more," he said. "Don't worsen it for us." In?March 2022, the US banned Russian flights in American airspace following Russia's invasion into neighboring Ukraine. This prompted Russia to prohibit US carriers from flying over?the country. The United States did not ban other countries from flying over Russia, but they made a deal in 2023 with China that any additional flights would not be allowed to do so. The US Transportation Department proposed in October 2025 to ban Chinese airlines from flying above?Russia along routes between the United States and Canada. They argued that the shorter flight times this practice allows puts American carriers at an unfair disadvantage. The proposal was withdrawn after it faced opposition from US agencies.
-
Alaska Air expects certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 10 by end-September
Alaska?Air?expects Boeing’s?737 MAX 10 aircraft to be certified before the end of September, and plans to deliver its?first plane next spring. Chief Operating Officer?Jason Berry said on Thursday. Berry said that the airline expects to begin passenger service with the MAX 10 between mid-April and April. Before Boeing can start deliveries, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must certify that aircraft. This timeline could be impacted by any delays in the 737 MAX 10 certification process, which is already several years behind schedule. Alaska must then certify the heads-up displays for pilots after the single-aisle aircraft is certified by federal regulators. This will take "a few?months," according to him. He said that the tight schedule "is sport," adding, "We're not panicking yet."
-
Maguire: The cement boom in Africa signals the next big shift in global energy usage.
Africa consumes less than 5% of the global energy supply. It is therefore vastly outweighed by other regions when it comes to assessing current trends in energy and pollution. The aggressive plans to build cement plants in the region may change this. Global Energy Monitor data shows that Africa dominates the global pipeline of cement production capacity being built. This construction share is compared to a 8% share of the currently operating cement capacity. This indicates a 'rapid growth in planned production on the continent. But cement investments are about a lot more than just construction materials. These bets are on urbanization, regional economic growth and industrialization. Concrete is used to build roads, houses, factories, ports and other infrastructure before countries use more steel, chemicals or manufactured goods. The cement pipeline is a good indicator of Africa's energy needs. These are expected to increase dramatically if the construction boom linked to the plans for cement capacity materializes. The trend of energy consumption and emissions in the rest of world is expected to be curbed by electrification, and the slowing of heavy industrial production. Leaning In GEM data indicates that Africa has a cement production capacity of 441 million metric tons per year in operation and 43.3 millions tons per annum under construction. African nations also announced plans to add 23 million tons to the current annual cement production capacity. This would increase the total capacity of the region by 15%, compared to its current level, bringing it to just under 507 million tonnes. The overall increase in capacity for cement in Africa is far greater than planned additions to cement capacity in other regions. This indicates that Africa’s development plan looks set to be?more raw materials-intensive' than other parts of the globe. Africa's heavy-duty cement plans indicate a similar steep rise in raw materials and energy requirements, since cement production is notoriously high energy-intensive and requires large quantities of coal, petroleum, coke, and natural gas to ensure ample output. These cement projects will increase the demand for electricity, as well as infrastructure to import, store, and distribute coal, gas, and other fuels. They also need to ship out concrete produced. The plans to expand Africa's cement manufacturing footprint are a response to the growing demand for industrial energy in Africa, which will initially be supplied by fossil fuels. FRONTRUNNERS EGYPT & NIGERIA Egypt, among African countries, has the largest cement production footprint of 88 million tonnes per year. Nigeria is second to India for the amount of cement currently being produced. Libya, Mali and Angola are also among the top 20 countries in the world for cement construction. This shows that growth is expected across the entire continent. Even if Africa adopts cleaner energy technology more rapidly than other industrializing regions, the scale of planned construction of cement suggests that it will still need large quantities of materials to urbanize. The fact that 16 African nations are building new cement kilns suggests that Africa is on the right track to follow some of the same blueprints as countries in Asia. CLEANER CONCRETE? The African cement plan is different from those of other regions because African developers can use the most modern and efficient components to build their?cement plants. Modern kilns have a higher efficiency than those that were installed ten or more years ago. They should therefore be able to produce more cement using fewer inputs. Locally produced renewable electricity -- such as rooftop solar installations -- may also be used to run milling and processing equipment, reducing energy costs for producers. Electric cement kilns, which are becoming more widespread, offer the potential to further reduce energy intensity in countries that want to limit their industrial carbon footprint. Cost considerations will likely remain paramount on many African markets. This may delay the adoption of expensive emissions-reduction techniques such as carbon sequestration. This means that cement production in Africa will be energy- and material-intensive, even though they use the latest kilns available and the most advanced components. Cement projects in Nigeria, Libya Mali, Mozambique, and other countries are not just industrial investments. These projects are early indicators of future growth in?energy demand. Africa's urbanization and industrialization could make it one of the world's largest sources of demand for electricity, fuels for transport and industrial energy. This would force policymakers to find a balance between rising living standards and rising emissions. These are the opinions of the columnist, an author for. You like this column? Check out Open Interest, your new essential source for global financial commentary. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, X 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 7 days a weeks.
Binance vows that it will remain in Europe despite a license setback
Binance, the crypto platform, plans to remain in 'the European Union, and will seek permission to operate there again, according to a senior executive. This is after Binance's application under a reformed?licence regime was rejected, which threatened access to millions of users. Gillian Lynch told? that Binance was not going to leave Europe after the failed attempt to obtain a license in Greece for the purpose of offering services like crypto trading within the EU.
She said, "We might just need to take a different route in order to be approved." "If Greece is not an option, I am looking at alternatives."
Binance is now on a collision course with European regulators. The company only has a week to obtain a license before the current permit to operate in Europe expires. This would force it to shut down its EU operations.
Binance, according to two people familiar with the process, has met with regulators from Ireland and Greece. However they have not been able to reach an agreement.
Officials expressed concern about the past money-laundering penalties of the company, its international structure, and what they perceived as a culture of risk taking.
The regulators in all three countries refused to comment or didn't respond.
The letters sent to regulators show how one of the largest crypto companies in the world has struggled with regulatory resistance and obtaining an EU license.
Lynch stated that Binance didn't know the reason for its rejection and had previously believed that the Greek regulator intended to grant a license. She stated that Binance contacted at least four regulators, but had only submitted one application to Greece. Binance's spokesperson said that the company has not been in contact with Ireland's central banks for several years.
Lynch, when asked about Binance's previous problems, said that Binance had invested heavily in compliance and internal control, had employed 1,500 compliance personnel, and did not have any outstanding issues relating to its application.
Regulatory Concerns
Binance's failure to obtain an EU license before the deadline of June 30 raises doubts about its future within the EU. The EU's new crypto regulations will be tested to see if authorities can enforce what amounts to a prohibition.
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) said on Tuesday that crypto firms without a license must "take immediate measures to wind up their EU activities in a timely manner".
MiCA (the EU's groundbreaking crypto regime) came into effect last year. Firms have until the end of June to get an authorisation to serve customers in all 27 member states.
Binance claims to have more than 300 millions customers worldwide, but has declined to disclose how many of those are in the EU. Sensor Tower estimates that the app was downloaded over 4 million times last year in the EU, with France, Germany, and Spain being the most popular downloads.
Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said that regulators evaluating Binance's offer were also concerned with the backgrounds of senior executives, and the exchange’s track record in money laundering controls. They viewed these as being inadequate.
One source pointed to the influence and complexity of Binance's global structure, which was attributed to founder Changpeng Zhao. Zhao said in a podcast in February that he remained Binance’s ultimate beneficial owner.
Lynch told Zhao that Zhao was "100% removed from the company."
Binance struggled in the past to gain regulatory approvals elsewhere. Binance is not authorised in the UK, and it was asked to leave Japan for operating without a license. Its primary licence is in the United Arab Emirates.
Zhao, also known as CZ, pleaded guilty in 2023 to violating U.S. laws against money laundering as part of an $4.3 billion settlement after a year-long investigation. He spent nearly four months behind bars before being pardoned by U.S. president Donald Trump last year.
Binance, according to U.S. authorities, has violated anti-money laundering laws and sanctions laws by failing to report over 100,000 suspicious transactions that were linked to groups designated as terrorist organizations in Washington.
COORDINATION OF REGULATORS
MiCA allows crypto firms to?apply via a single regulator national and use this as a "passport". This will allow them to sell services throughout the bloc.
One source said that regulators in Latvia, Ireland, and Greece worked closely together to ensure "a consistent approach" to Binance’s application. Some regulators are concerned that inconsistent enforcement may undermine efforts to supervise a multi-billion dollar industry. They warn it could destabilise the markets, facilitate illegal finance, and harm investors if properly supervised.
Eleanor Hughes, Binance's general counsel, said that Binance believed it met MiCA requirements. While national regulators issue licences, ESMA can discuss applications. Reporting by John O'Donnell and Elizabeth Howcroft. Francesco Canepa, Lefteris papadimas. (Editing by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes. ElisaMartinuzzi, Mark Potter and Mark Potter.
(source: Reuters)