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Kyodo reports that the Japanese government has asked top trading firms to accompany a Russia visit scheduled for May.
Kyodo News Agency reported that the Japanese government has asked the top trading houses in Japan to join a delegation planning to visit Russia in May. Kyodo reported late Thursday that the government expects Japanese companies to resume full business in Russia "once its war against Ukraine is over". The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, and international diplomatic efforts have yet to lead to a peace agreement. Japan joined the wide range of sanctions imposed by the west on Russia, and stopped importing most oil after '2022. The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran has halted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, causing Japan to rely on Middle East oil for 90% of its needs. Kyodo reported that the government had requested participation from Mitsubishi and Mitsui O.S.K Lines, as well as?sumitomo Corp., 'Marubeni', &?itochu. (Reporting and editing by Kim Coghill; reporting by Katya Golubkova)
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Fuel costs are increasing, so airlines are reducing their prices and cutting back on their outlook.
The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, which has pushed up jet fuel prices, has shook the aviation industry around the world. Airlines have been forced to increase fares and revise their financial forecasts. In recent weeks, jet fuel prices have increased from $85-$90 per barrel to $150-$200 per barrel. This is a major financial blow to an industry that relies on fuel for up to 25% of its operating costs. Here is an alphabetical list of the ways airlines are responding to this issue: AEGEAN AIRLINES The Greek airline anticipates that the suspension of Middle East flights, as well as the spike in fuel costs, will have a "notable impact" on its results for the first quarter. AIR FRANCE-KLM The airline group announced that it would increase the price of long-haul tickets to offset rising fuel costs. Cabin fares will rise by 57?euros (50?euros) per round trip. AIR NEW ZEALAND On March 10, the airline was among the first to announce a large increase in ticket prices. The airline also halted its earnings projections for the full year due to volatile fuel markets. AKASA AIR Akasa Airlines, based in India, announced that it would be imposing a fuel surcharge on both domestic and international flights ranging from 199 to 1,300 Indian Rupees ($2 - $14). AMERICAN AIRLINES Fuel prices are on the rise, and American Airlines expects to incur $400 million more in expenses for the first quarter. CATHAY PACIFIC Hong Kong Airlines announced that it will increase its fuel surcharges by 34% on all routes starting April 1, and to review them every 2 weeks. The CEO of the carrier said that it would maintain its flight capacity despite high fuel costs, but warned that its 10% growth plan for passenger capacity could be altered if demand drops due to high fuel prices. CEBU AIR The Philippines-based carrier said that the sharp increase in fuel prices is a major concern. It will continue to review pricing and network strategies and try to minimize the impact. EASYJET EasyJet CEO Kentonjarvis warned that European consumers can expect to pay higher prices for tickets towards the end of the summer when fuel hedges will end. FRONTIER AÉRIENS Fuel prices have increased dramatically since the airline's forecast. HONG KONG Airlines The airline announced that it would increase fuel surcharges up to 35% starting March 12, with the largest increases on flights between Hong Kong, the Maldives and Bangladesh, and Nepal. Charges would go from HK$284 to HK$384 (49 dollars). British Airways' owner IAG announced on March 10 that it does not intend to raise ticket prices immediately as it has hedged a large amount of fuel in the short to medium term. INDIGO India's largest airline announced that it will introduce fuel charges for domestic and international flights starting March 14. The charge for flights into the Middle East is 900 rupees and for flights to Europe, 2,300 rupees. Sources say that the company also lobbys for the Indian government to reduce fuel taxes. JETBLUE AERWAYS Low cost airline based in the United States has announced that it will increase fees for optional services, such as checked luggage, due to "rising operating expenses." The company announced that baggage prices would increase by $4 or $9. KOREAN AIR A source familiar with the situation said that South Korea's flag carrier would enter emergency mode in April as rising oil costs weigh on its costs. The airline will implement phased responses based on the oil price level and increase company-wide efficiency to offset rising fuel costs. PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS Fuel surcharges are cited as the reason for raising domestic fares up to $20, and international fares up to $100. Scandinavian Airlines announced that it would cancel 1000 flights in April due to high fuel and oil prices. In March, the airline said that it had cancelled "a couple hundred" flights. SAS, which has already raised flight prices, said that even if they tried to absorb rising fuel costs, it would still be a major blow to the aviation sector. SPRING AIRLINES Budget Chinese airline announced that it will increase fuel surcharges for domestic flights starting April 5. Details to be announced in due course. THAI AIRWAYS The Thailand-based airline said that it would increase fares between 10% and 15% in order to combat rising fuel prices. LUFTHANSA, TURKISH AIRLINES SunExpress, the joint venture between Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa and Lufthansa announced that it will impose a temporary 10 euro fuel surcharge per passenger on routes between Turkey, Europe and Middle East from May 1. The fuel surcharge will be applied to all bookings made after April 1 and for departures after May 1. UNITED AIRLINES Scott Kirby, CEO of the U.S. carrier, said that the airline will cut unprofitable flights in the next two quarters to prepare for the oil price remaining above $100 by the end 2027. Andrew Nocella, United's Chief Commercial Officer, said that the company was able to increase fares in response to a rapid rise in jet fuel and oil prices. In an email, the carrier said that it would also be increasing the first and second checked bags fees by $10 to customers travelling in North America, Mexico, Canada, and Latin America. VIETJET A potential fuel shortage has led to the Vietnamese budget airline reducing flight frequencies on certain routes. VIETNAM Airline Vietnam's aviation authority announced that the carrier would cancel 23 flights a week on domestic routes starting in April after it requested government assistance for the removal of an environmental tax. VIRGIN AUSTRALIA Virgin Australia announced that it would be adjusting its fares in order to reflect the rising costs across the aviation sector, which were being exacerbated significantly by the Middle East situation. GREATER BAY Airlines Greater Bay Airlines, based in Hong Kong, said that it would increase fuel surcharges for most routes starting April 1, due to increased fuel prices related to the Iran War. However, charges on routes to mainland China and Japan will remain unchanged. The carrier has announced that the surcharge on flights between Hong Kong, Philippines and other destinations will be more than doubled.
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Russian mariner detained after Houthi Red Sea Attack leaves Yemen
The Houthi-run Foreign Ministry said that a Russian mariner who was detained by Yemeni Houthi militants for eight months after being aboard a ship attacked has left the country for Russia following medical treatment in Sanaa. Aleksei Galactikov was the name given by Russian media to this mariner. He was part of the crew on a Greek cargo ship that was sunk in July 2025 by Houthis. He was injured in the attack. According to the Houthi news agency, the foreign ministry confirmed that the Russian national was flown 'on an aircraft of the United Nations, in coordination with their envoy. His departure was then arranged once he completed his treatment. The move was a result of contacts with Iranian and Russian officials. A source from the maritime security and an official at the ship operator confirmed that the crew was released by the end of December. After two days of attacks with rocket-propelled grenades and sea drones, the Iran-aligned Houthis sank Liberia's Eternity C. It had 22 crew members and three armed guards aboard. Houthis attacked over 100 ships during the Gaza War in a campaign they referred to as'solidarity with Palestinians. After a ceasefire announcement in October of last year, they ceased their attacks.
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EU must increase its Aspides Naval Mission to protect key maritime routes.
Kaja Kallas, the EU's chief of foreign policy, stated that the EU must?increase its Aspides Naval?mission in order to protect?maritime routes from disruptions caused by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Kallas' comments?on X? came after she took part?in a conference call with over 40 countries?organised?by British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper to discuss a joint action...to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. "Thank you @YvetteCooperMP, for convening a call of more than 40 countries to discuss the Strait of Hormuz. This waterway is of global importance. Iran can't charge other countries a bounty for allowing ships to pass. "International law does not recognise schemes that charge to pass," wrote Kallas in X. Today, we looked at a number of?diplomatic and economic measures, as well as security measures, to help restore safe passage. We also worked with the shipping industry. The EU's Aspides mission has already helped 1,700 ships in the Red Sea and must be scaled up. She added, "We cannot afford to lose yet another important trade route." Sudip Kar Gupta reports.
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Cheniere Sabine Pass trims LNG output after production line outage
According to LSEG data and other sources, Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass liquefied gas plant in Louisiana has reduced its natural gas flows due to an outage of one of its production units. Sabine Pass is the largest LNG plant in America, and it can process more than 5 billion cubic feet per day. LSEG data shows that it requested only?2.6bn cubic feet a day on Thursday. Two people familiar with Cheniere's operations said that at least one production train is not running as the company does maintenance. The work is expected to be completed by Thursday, and production should begin on Friday. Cheniere stated that it does not 'comment on the day-to-day operation or commercial activities. The company is the largest U.S. exporter of LNG and last month said it expected to export 51 million tons of supercooled gas in this year. Qatar has been forced to stop production due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which is responsible for about 20% of global LNG capacity being offline.
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Bahrain expects to vote on the revised Hormuz Resolution on Friday
Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Bahrain's Foreign Minister, told the United Nations Security Council that he hopes the council will vote on Friday to approve a resolution Bahrain drafted for the protection of commercial shipping around and in the Strait of Hormuz. Since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran at the end of February, the oil prices have risen. The conflict has now lasted for over a month. It's effectively shut down the Strait to all shipping traffic. Bahrain has submitted a draft resolution to the Security Council that would authorize "all necessary measures" for commercial shipping around and in the Strait. The previous draft had dropped the explicit reference to binding implementation in an effort to overcome objections by other nations. Specifically, Russia and China. Al Zayani said at a meeting of Bahrain's 15-member council that the vote on the resolution draft will be held tomorrow. He said Iran’s "unlawful, unjustified and dangerous attempt to control the international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz", threatened the interests of countries and peoples all over the world. "A decisive response is required." The latest draft, while authorizing the use of force in the Strait of?Hormuz or adjacent waters (including within the territorial water of the littoral states within?or surrounding the?Strait), specifies that these steps must be "defensive." On Wednesday, U.S. president Donald Trump pledged to continue the attacks but didn't?lay out a plan for re-opening the strait. This sent the price of oil even higher, as his words raised concern that the U.S. might not play a significant role in ensuring the safe passage of shippers through this crucial waterway. Diplomats claim that the latest resolution has been placed under a "silence procedure" until noon (1600 GMT), on Thursday, and will be put to a vote only if there are no objections by then. (Reporting and editing by Michelle Nichols; Additional reporting by John Irish, Paris)
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US considers permanent ban on airbag components manufactured by Chinese manufacturer DTN
After 10 fatal crashes in the U.S. since May 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on Thursday that it was 'considering' a permanent ban of substandard Chinese replacement airbag inflators manufactured by DTN. The U.S. auto?safety agency said that it is aware of 12 U.S. crashes involving deaths or serious injuries caused by ruptured replacement airbag inflators manufactured in China by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co Ltd (also known as DTN) and illegally imported to the U.S. since May 2023. All of the deaths occurred in GM and Hyundai vehicles. NHTSA stated that it had made an initial determination the airbag inflators posed an unreasonable safety risk. NHTSA stated that the DTN air bag inflators failed in crashes where drivers were able to survive, sending "large metal fragments" into their chests, necks and eyes. In January, the agency sent an urgent warning to repair shops and owners. NHTSA reported that the latest?death? occurred on February 16 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. It was a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. DTN will be given the chance to challenge the decision and the agency will solicit public comments. NHTSA continues to investigate how many inflators entered illegally into the U.S. In October, NHTSA opened an investigation on DTN replacement inflators. NHTSA has teamed up with law enforcement agencies to investigate any illegal activities related to the importation and sale of DTN replacement inflators. NHTSA says that it cannot confirm if the danger is only limited to these models and makes. DTN states on its website that inflators are "prohibited in the U.S." NHTSA stated that "whoever is bringing these vehicles into the country and installing then is putting American Families in danger." NHTSA advised that consumers who are buying used vehicles in which the airbag was deployed should inspect the airbag immediately to make sure it is an exact replacement. (Reporting and editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Mark Porter and David Shepardson)
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Parents desperate to keep their children away from social media ahead of Greek ban
Georgia Efstathiou, a Greek mother, has done everything she can to break the social media 'grip' on her son of?14 years: personal talks with him; internet-free days; and confiscating his phone. She is battling the lure of her son's screen, its videos, and its messages. Efstathiou could finally get the help she so desperately needs. The Greek government will likely announce in the next few days a ban on social media for children younger than 15. They'll join the ranks of other nations that are trying to protect young children against addiction and online abuse. We've reached our limits... We parents need help,"?said Efstathiou, 43, holding her son's mobile phone in her living room in Athens. We have reached our limit... we parents need help," said Efstathiou (43), holding her son's phone in the living room of her Athens home. Efstathiou's not alone. A February poll published by ALCO showed that 80% of respondents approved of the ban. The government of Prime Minister Kyriakos?Mitsotakis has already banned mobile phones from schools and established parental control platforms to limit teens' screen time. The government declined to comment on whether or not the ban will be implemented, as well as when. The plan was reported in February, and sources said that a formal announcement would be made soon. Mitsotakis said to a Greek Australian newspaper last month that Greece would move "in the same direction as Australia", where social media companies were ordered to exclude users under 16 in December or face fines. Worries of addiction and bullying are everywhere. As in other countries, Greece is facing a reckoning over social media platforms such as Meta’s Instagram, TikTok, and online gaming platforms. George Kormas, the manager of the Greek Safer Internet Centre, in Athens said that between 2024-2025, the number of calls to the helpline, which provides support to children who are victims to cyberbullying, more than doubled. Blackmailing minors, misinformation and hate speech are also complaints. According to data from the Helpline, 75% children in Greece who use social media are primary school age. He said, "This is undoubtedly worrying to us because they can't handle social media and protect themselves." Athanasios theocharis is the head of the National Organization for the Prevention and Treatment of Addictions. He said that 48% of teens have felt the negative effects of social media. He said that the ban could provide "a significant level of protection". KIDS CAN NOT IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA Parents who were interviewed expressed concern about their children's online activities or feared that they would lose control. Some people prefer that the government does not intervene at all. Dimitris (44), said: "I would prefer a different method, which is to limit mobile phone usage within the family." "But if that's not possible, perhaps a complete ban is the only option." Catherine, his 14-year old daughter, says that most teenagers of her age haven't known a life without social media. She told her father, "It's the way we have learned ever since we were children," before playing basketball near the Acropolis. "I'm able to control it, but I tend to get carried away." (Reporting and editing by Edward McAllister, Lincoln Feast and Louisa Gouliamaki from Athens. Additional reporting by Deborah Kyvrikosaios in Athens.
Japan denies reports that the government requested trading houses to accompany Russia's visit in May
The Japanese government denied on Friday a report from Kyodo News Agency that it had asked the country's leading trading houses to join a delegation planning to visit Russia in may.
Kyodo reported late on Thursday that, citing its sources, the government expects that Japanese firms will resume full business operations in Russia once the war with Ukraine has ended.
It was added that the government had requested participation from Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Itochu Sumitomo Corp and Marubeni.
"As far as the accuracy of the report is concerned, it's not true." "The Japanese government will continue to implement sanctions against Russia", Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru K. Kihara said at a regular press conference.
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, and diplomatic efforts on the international level have yet to lead to a peaceful settlement. Japan joined a range of western sanctions against Russia, and stopped importing most oil after 2022.
The U.S. and Israel's war against?Iran has halted shipments through the Strait of?Hormuz, putting Japan at risk.
Separately, the Japan's Industry Ministry said it had not made any such "requests" to trading companies. Marubeni declined to comment. Other companies did not respond immediately when asked for comment. (Reporting and editing by Kim Coghill, Katya Golubkova Tamiyuki, Kaori Kaneko, Kentaro Okasaka)
(source: Reuters)