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Supreme Court gives Trump's order to mail in ballots a boost, but legal battles continue
A federal judge has blocked the implementation of President Donald Trump's executive order that restricts the use of mail-in votes ahead of the November midterm elections. Monday, the?U.S. The Supreme Court lifted the judicial order and gave him a victory, but there are still other challenges. What is the Executive Order? The order, issued in March, directed that the Department of Homeland Security compile and send to each state a list of U.S. Citizens eligible to vote, and that the Justice Department investigate and possibly prosecute state and local officials who give ballots to those deemed to be "not eligible" for federal elections. The U.S. Postal Service must?deliver only ballots to voters who are on the approved mail-in voter list of each state. How did the legal challenges play out? California, along with a grouping of 22 states, and Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit to stop Trump's directive, claiming that it would lead to confusion and disenfranchise many voters before the midterm elections. In June, U.S. district judge Indira Talwani blocked this order from being implemented in these states. She found that the President lacked authority to order any changes to the way states administer federal election, and that federal agencies lacked the ability to compile "accurate" citizen lists for every state. What did the Supreme Court do? The Supreme Court ruled that the state's legal claims are premature, and they have not suffered any concrete harm. The court's ruling left open the possibility of a new legal challenge once the federal agencies have finalized how they plan to implement Trump's orders. The court's decision does not mean, however, that the measures taken by the government in order to implement the orders will be legal. The majority decision said that time will tell. Three liberal justices of the court dissented. WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON MAIL-IN VOTING? As another injunction, issued by Talwani last August in a different case that prevents the USPS to implement Trump's orders remains in effect, it is unclear what impact this will have. The Supreme Court's ruling did not change that judicial order. The USPS published a final rule Friday, despite the court orders, to implement Trump's directive regarding mail-in voting. The rule requires that states provide the USPS with a list of recipients for mail-in ballots, and that all envelopes used to send and receive ballots have unique barcodes. According to the administration, the USPS will check whether envelopes comply with the rules, but it won't be responsible for determining whether voters are eligible to cast ballots. The rule has already been challenged in court by Judge Talwani. How did the White House and Democrats react? California Governor Gavin Newsom is a Democrat who has promised to take further legal action. "The Supreme Court has just allowed the Trump administration to move forward (for the moment) with its plan of disenfranchising voters across the nation. California will "sue AGAIN" to stop these Orwellian laws from being implemented, he stated in a press release. White House spokesperson Lauren Bis called the decision a victory for election security. "These measures are common sense and protect the security of ballots sent by mail, ensuring that only Americans elect American leaders." Bis stated that this administration would continue to follow the lawful agenda on which President Trump was elected, including the safety and security our elections. (Reporting and editing by Michael Learmonth, Lisa Shumaker, Nate Raymond. Additional reporting by Andrew Chung.
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United CEO anticipates gradual fare increases by 2027, as demand remains strong
Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, said that he expected airfares to increase gradually in the first six months of 2027 but by less than they did this year due to a strong travel demand. "I believe you will still see gradual increases to fares." Kirby told journalists that the jump was not as large as it had been this year. These comments highlight the continued strength of the travel market, despite rising fares and broader economic uncertainty. Kirby stated that United has not seen a decline in demand, and they expect?that strength will help them recover higher fuel prices in the fourth quarter 2026. According to the Labor Department's statistics, U.S. airlines fares increased by?25.5% from a year ago in July. They were also nearly 25% higher than average between April and July. Kirby said, however, that airfares are still about 13% lower than pre-pandemic prices after inflation is taken into account and they're moving back to what he called more normal levels. He said, "We are going to return to a sort of normalized fare where airlines can be profitably enough to reinvest." Kirby, when asked about the?demand during geopolitical unrest and extreme heat in Europe's regions, said that there had been no significant decline. He said that there hasn't been even a "blip" in the demand. "Demand across the board is extremely strong." A STRONG DEMAND HELPS? OFFSET FUEL PRSURE Kirby also correlated United's ability recover higher fuel prices with the strength of demand. Kirby, when asked if United could still recover the higher costs of jet fuel at $4 per gallon, pointed out that demand was strong but did not give a forecast. He said, "We'll have to see." But given the strength of demand, I still think we will recover 100% in the fourth quarter. Kirby said that aircraft deliveries are "back on track" after United's supply-chain issues proved to be worse than it had expected when placing large aircraft orders years ago. Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo, Writing by Rajesh Kumar Singh, Editing by Nick Zieminski
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Nigeria's president orders rescue after mass kidnapping
On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria ordered the military and other security agencies to immediately launch a'rescue operation' after scores of people were abducted by gunmen last week in the north-central part of Niger State. A video posted by an armed group on Facebook and WhatsApp showed what residents claimed were 600 women, children, and elderly people who had been abducted in an attack on a Mosque. Could not independently verify this figure but, if confirmed, it would rank among Nigeria's biggest and audacious mass abductions of recent years. Officials from Borgu district, where the attack took place, confirmed that 30 people were killed in the attack. They were buried on Sunday. Officials from the communities of Dakera Gidan-Zana Sabon Gida have been affected, according to an official who refused to be named because she wasn't authorised to talk to the media. "WE WILL DEFEND?OUR PEOPLE" In its first public comments about the incident, President Obama condemned the attack and called it cowardly. He also promised that the perpetrators would be brought to trial. "Terror won't cow Nigeria. Tinubu stated in a press release that "we will defend our people and protect our communities, as well as uphold the sacredness of human life." Tinubu instructed security chiefs that they should provide regular updates on the efforts being made to rescue abducted persons and to account for those who have been taken. Abubakar Umar is the traditional leader of the Dakera Community. He said that at least 2,000 people fled into the Benin Republic after the attack. Obed Nana told me by phone that the authorities are still trying to verify how many people have gone missing. Nana said, "I'm not going to speculate too much about this because you already know how sensitive information like that can be." In parts of northern and central Nigeria, heavily armed criminal gangs regularly raid villages, schools, and highways. These groups hold their captives for weeks or even months, demanding huge ransoms. They have also expanded beyond the traditional strongholds of the north. Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe from Lagos, Ahmed Kingimi from Maiduguri, and Hamza Ibrahim from Kano. Editing by Emelia S. Sithole-Matarise.
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Sources: Freight rates for Russian crude oil increase due to security concerns and vessel availability
Three trade sources reported that freight rates for tanker shipments of Russia's flagship Urals oil from western ports to India - the grade's primary market - have risen in August due to a'strong demand' for vessels as well as mounting security risks relating to transporting Russian oil. Shipping costs are increasing, which is hurting the revenues of Russian oil producers who already face Western sanctions as well as a challenging geopolitical climate. Conflict in the Middle East has also impacted global shipping routes, which have boosted freight markets. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important chokepoints in the oil trade. Sources said that the freight rates for Suezmax tanks?carrying 140,000 metric tonnes of crude oil from the Russian Black Sea Port of Novorossiysk, to India, have risen to almost $20 million, the highest in many years. They were around $13 millions last month. This steep rise reflects the growing concern among shipowners about security risks in the Black Sea where drone attacks have disrupted port operations on numerous occasions and damaged vessels. Due to disruptions in Novorossiysk, oil shipments from Russia's west ports fell by 15% during the first half August. The market for Russian Black Sea loads is very tight. "Owners are demanding much higher rates as compensation for the risks and many are still unwilling to take these voyages," said one trader. In recent months, attacks have caused a'regular' interruption of loading operations in Novorossiysk. This has forced exporters and traders into alternative shipping arrangements. Sources in the industry said that despite the high earnings, many shipowners are still hesitant to send vessels "to Russian Black Sea Ports" due to concerns about the safety of the crews and the ships. The freight rates have also risen dramatically on other Russian export routes. Sources claim that the average cost to transport an Aframax cargo weighing 100,000 metric tons from the Baltic port Primorsk in India to India is now around $13 million, compared to $8 million at the beginning of July. The demand for tankers at Russia's Baltic port has increased as exporters try to divert cargoes away from the vulnerable Novorossiysk and towards the?Baltic. This is causing a shortage of vessels, which in turn pushes rates up. India remains one of the biggest buyers of Russian crude oil, taking a large share of exports from Europe that were redirected after Western sanctions and trade embargoes changed the global oil market flows following the outbreak in the Ukraine conflict.
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Nigeria's president orders rescue after mass kidnapping
On Tuesday, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu directed the military and other security agencies to immediately launch a rescue operation after scores of people were abducted by armed men in Niger State's north-central region last week. A video posted by an armed group on Facebook and WhatsApp shows what local residents claim to be 600 women, children, and older people who were allegedly abducted in an attack on a Mosque in the state. Could not independently verify this figure but, if confirmed, it would rank as one of Nigeria's most audacious and largest mass kidnappings over the past few years. In its first comments on the incident, the presidency called the attack cowardly. It also promised that the perpetrators would be brought before the justice system. "Terror won't cow Nigeria. Tinubu stated in a press release that "we will defend our people and protect our communities, as well as uphold the sanctity of life." Tinubu instructed security chiefs to "provide regular updates on the efforts to rescue abductees" and to "account for those taken". In parts of northwestern and northern Nigeria, heavily armed criminal groups frequently raid villages, highways, and schools. These groups often hold captives for weeks or months while demanding large ransoms. They have also expanded their operations outside of traditional strongholds. MacDonald Dzirutwe is reporting; Emelia Sithole Matarise is editing.
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After the Iran crisis, airlines gradually resume Middle East service.
Many airlines are restoring flights in the Middle East after the conflict caused by the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. However, major carriers remain cautious and many routes will still be suspended into the fall. KEY POINTS Some destinations are still affected, although the majority of flights have resumed. Dubai remains one of the worst affected destinations. Several European and Asian airlines have extended their suspensions until October or later. Through late October, multiple Lufthansa Group carriers will suspend flights to Dubai and Beirut. British Airways, Air Canada and Wizz Air all extended their?suspensions' on Middle East routes. Air France, meanwhile, is moving toward resuming its Middle East destinations. AIRLINES WITH EXTENDED SUSPENsions Lufthansa Group - Multiple Middle East Destinations'suspended until October 24 for?Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways. IAG/British Airways: Dubai Tel Aviv Bahrain Amman Amman services suspended until 25 October, with reduced frequencies to be implemented when the services resume. Singapore Airlines suspends Dubai flights until October 24, Cathay Pacific: Suspension of Dubai service extended until October 25, and those to Riyadh till October 26. Wizz Air suspends flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi from Europe until October 24. Amman flights will be suspended until September 21. Air Canada: Tel Aviv & Dubai services will remain cancelled until the middle of January 2027. KLM suspends flights to Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam until October 24. Tel Aviv flights resumed on August 25, Finnair suspends flights to Dubai, which are usually operated in the winter, until March 27, 2027. AIRLINES MOVE TOWARD RESUMPTION Air France: Flights to Riyadh, Dubai and Beirut are suspended until September 1. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed; edited by Matt Scuffham, Milla Nissi and Milla Nissi Prussak).
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Air India is seeking $1.5 billion in compensation from Tata and Singapore Airlines as losses continue to mount, according to sources
Air India wants $1.5 billion in equity from its owners Tata Sons & Singapore Airlines. This comes months after the second largest Indian airline reported a record-breaking annual loss. This would be the largest request for funding from Air India made public since Tata acquired control of the former government-owned carrier in 2020. The announcement highlights the challenges that the airline faces as it undergoes an overhaul worth billions of dollars, which includes the refurbishment?of its current fleet. Air India Express and the carrier posted combined losses in the fiscal year ending March of $2.33 Billion, which is more than twice the previous year's. Singapore Airlines has also suffered from the losses. Air India wants the money immediately, but the injection is likely to be done in tranches. Singapore Airlines will need to contribute to the proposed 'infusion' for the investment to be successful, according to one source. The two people stated that the company is looking for a new round of?equity. The two people said that discussions are still ongoing and there has not been a decision made on the request. They declined to be identified as they weren't authorised to speak publicly about the matter. Air India and Tata Sons have not responded to any requests for comments. Singapore Airlines, who owns about 25% of Air India said that it worked closely with Tata Sons in order to "support Air India's Transformation Programme" but refused to comment on its finances. AIR INDIA'S TURNAROUND EFFORT Air India was also affected by the ban on Indian carriers flying in Pakistani airspace, the disruptions to its international network caused by the U.S./Israeli war against Iran and the fallout of a fatal crash that killed 260 passengers last year. Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran is preparing to step down from his position in February after months of disagreements, mainly over Air India's losses. Chandrasekaran said that Air India's turnaround may take up to 10 years. He cited the persistent disruptions in the supply chain and the need to revamp the legacy systems, culture, and fleet of the airline. Tata has reportedly pressed Air India to reduce costs and record losses as it presses the airline to cut costs. One of the sources said that Air India would continue to require capital infusions over the next few years. (Reporting and editing by Abhijith Gaapavaram, Aditya Kahlra)
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Sources say that Russia will extend the ban on diesel exports through September.
Three industry sources have confirmed that Russia will extend its diesel export ban until September due to the?fuel shortages on the domestic market. Three industry sources told us that the extension of the ban to the end of this year was also being discussed. The Russian Energy Ministry did not reply to a comment request. The ban was introduced by Russia from July 8 until July 31, as part of a package of measures designed to support the domestic market. It was later extended to fuel producers up to August 31. Russia has also banned the export of motor gasoline and diesel to non-producers until January 31, next year, and jet fuel till November 30, 2026. Fuel shortages returned in some areas in?August, after a brief improvement late in July when local authorities eased or lifted restrictions. One market source stated that the diesel export ban may be adjusted based on the growth of output as Russian refineries finish unscheduled maintenance following attacks. Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister, said that the government has not yet decided whether or not to lift the ban. He added that there is no diesel shortage in the domestic market. Novak reported that several refineries had completed their maintenance and were now supplying more fuel. (Reporting and Editing by Jan Harvey).
Gulf oil exports stable in July but still 40% below prewar level
Shipping data showed that the Gulf countries' crude and condensate oil exports remained largely stable in July, and were about 40% lower than pre-war levels. However, signs of a decline emerged in the second half as fighting intensified in the region.
The relatively stable levels of exports have eased concerns over a more severe disruption in supply and offset the drawdown in global inventories. Tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, and Bab el-Mandeb, two of the most important Middle Eastern waterways, remained below the levels seen before the U.S./Israeli war against Iran started on February 28.
Kpler reports that crude and condensate oil exports from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iraq, Kuwait, and Iran increased by just 2% in July compared to June, averaging 10.7 million barrels a day.
Kpler data and Vortexa showed that exports peaked between 12 and 13 millions bpd during the first half of this month, before dipping as the fighting between the United States and?Iran resumed.
Iraq's exports doubled from June. Kuwait and Iran contributed to the increase, but Saudi Arabian and UAE shipments declined.
George Morris, Vortexa analyst, said that nine additional very large crude carriers loaded in July boosted Iraqi Exports. However, flows through Hormuz are slowing as the fighting intensifies. In July, the International Maritime Organization received reports from at least 14 vessels in the region. This is up from 8 in June. Exports are up, allowing some producers to increase production. Kuwait increased crude production in July to 1.971 mbpd from 1.65 mbpd, according to a source familiar with the situation. Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said on Tuesday that the world has lost over 2.6 billion barrels since the war began. Rebuilding inventories would take 18 months, at a rate 2.1 million bpd.
RED SEA EXPORTS SLOPING
Last month, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis stepped up their attacks near the Bab el-Mandeb strait. This caused Saudi crude exports - from the Red Sea port at Yanbu - to slow down.
According to Energy Aspects, the Yanbu loadings dropped to 3 million BPD after July 20, from 3.8 millions BPD in April-June.
Richard Bronze, co-founder of Energy Aspects, said that many tankers load?at Yanbu without their Automatic Identification Systems transponders on. Others are rerouting through the Suez Canal, and using the SUMED pipe connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean in order to avoid the Bab el-Mandeb. Reporting by Enes Tunagur and Ahmad Ghaddar, London. Editing by Tomasz Janovski)
(source: Reuters)