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UK jury: Captain attempted to change course prior to fatal tanker accident
A London court heard on Wednesday that the captain of a container vessel which smashed into a U.S. oil tanker last year off Britain's East Coast tried to alter course in order to avoid a fatal collision. Vladimir Motin's lawyer stated that the Russian captain of the Solong, who hit the Stena Immaculate tanker anchored in March 2025 and tried to turn off the autopilot but failed, shortly before the crash. Motin is facing trial at the Old Bailey, accused of gross negligence manslaughter. Mark Pernia is a 38-year-old crew member whose body was never found, but is presumed to be dead. Motin has not pleaded guilty. James Leonard, his lawyer, said that Motin was responsible for avoiding the collision and that "there is no doubt that this collision led to the sad death of Mr Pernia". Leonard continued, "On the basis of the defendant's failure to avoid a collision involving the Stena Immaculate there is no question that he was at fault." He told the jury that they had to decide whether Motin's fault was the cause of the accident and whether it was "grossly negligence as compared with anything less than that". CAPTAIN SAYS: HE TRYED TO CHANGE THE COURSE Leonard stated that Motin saw the Stena Immaculate on the radar of the Solong from "at least 9 nautical miles (16,7 kilometers) away", while the Solong was controlled by the autopilot. Motin said that when the Solong was about one nautical mile away from the Stena Immaculate he tried to manually change the course of the Solong. Leonard stated that there would have been a collision if he had changed his course the way he wanted to. He said that the jury would need to decide whether it was reasonable that Motin had waited until the Solong was a nautical mile away before he acted. Tom Little, the prosecutor, said that Motin did "absolutely" nothing to prevent the accident. Motin has pleaded guilty to gross negligent manslaughter. The trial should conclude by the end of next month. (Reporting and editing by Sam Tobin, Mark Heinrich)
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Construction-related accidents are on the rise in Thailand
A crane fell onto a train moving in the northeastern part of Thailand on Wednesday, killing dozens of people. This is just the latest in a string of construction accidents that have occurred in recent years. Other fatal construction accidents in Thailand March 28, 2025: A?partially constructed 30-storey Bangkok tower collapsed in a 7.7-magnitude quake which struck central Myanmar. At least 89 people were killed. Construction was carried out by Italian Thai Development PCL - a large construction company that was also involved in building the rail line at the time of Wednesday's accident. In?August, the president of ITD and 21 other suspects were charged with violating construction regulations as well as causing death by negligence. The case is still pending, and he initially denied the charges. On March 15, 2025, a bridge under construction on the Rama III - Dao Khanong expressway Project collapsed in Bangkok. At least five people died and?27 were injured. ITD was also a part of the joint venture for the?highway. The authorities launched an investigation, and the contractors offered compensation to the victims. In August, the incident led to the government introducing a system of "contractor reports cards" to improve oversight over companies involved in public infrastructure projects. August 24, 2024: Three workers were killed in a tunnel collapse in Nakhon ratchasima Province in northeastern Thailand. The same project that caused the incident on Wednesday was involved. The collapse took place during heavy rains in the'region. In an accident that occurred on November 29, 2024, four Myanmar workers and two Thai workers died in Samut Sakhon Province, south of?capital Bangkok. The accident happened at the construction site of a?elevated autobahn. A concrete segment and a crane fell during the construction of the elevated highway, causing six injuries. March 29, 2024: Seven people died and many were injured, including a person who lost a leg, when a crane collapsed on a construction site at a Chinese steel factory in Rayong Province in eastern Thailand. (Compiled by PanuWongcha-um, DevjyotGhoshal and Sharon Singleton; Editing by Sharon Singleton).
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After the Black Sea tanker attack, Kazakhstan calls on US and Europe to assist in securing oil transport
Kazakhstan called on Europe and the U.S. to secure oil transport after drone attacks on tankers headed to a Black Sea Terminal on the Russian coast that handles 1% of the global supply. Unidentified drones attacked at least two oil tankers in Tuesday's Black Sea, including a tanker chartered by U.S. major Chevron. They were sailing toward a terminal along the Russian coast that would load oil from Kazakhstan. In a press release, Kazakhstan's foreign ministry said that three tankers had been hit on their way to the Black Sea marine terminal for the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. Drones attacked CPC’s exporting equipment on November 29. This resulted in a drop in oil exports through the outlet. The ministry stated that "the increasing frequency of these incidents highlights the growing risk to the functioning international energy infrastructure". "We call on our partners to work closely together to develop joint actions aimed at preventing such incidents in the future," added the report. The Russian Defence Ministry said that on Wednesday, the Matilda Tanker, which was sailing under the Maltese Flag, was attacked by two Ukrainian strike drones. This attack took place at a distance between 100 km (62 miles) and the city of Anapa, located in the Krasnodar Region of Russia. Ukraine has not commented on the incident. CPC's 1,500 km (930 miles) pipeline is owned by KazMunayGas (Kazakhstan's state-owned oil company), Lukoil (Russia), and Chevron/ExxonMobil units. Russian terminals in the Black Sea process more than 2% global crude. The waters of the Black Sea, which are shared with Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania, Turkey and Russia, are crucial for grain shipping. CPC is responsible for the majority of Kazakhstan's oil exports. (Reporting and Writing by Anastasia Teterevleva, Vladimir Soldatkin. Editing by Mark Potter/Guy Faulconbridge).
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Report: Greek airspace blackout caused by old systems and not cyberattack
Investigators say that an eight-hour radio blackout at Greek airports last week, which forced authorities to clear airspace, was partially due to outdated communication systems. The issue revealed infrastructure gaps in this key tourist destination. A high-ranking government official resigned after the report of the investigative panel on Wednesday. On January 4, air traffic controllers lost touch with the majority of planes, which included dozens headed for Greek airports. Radio frequencies were also replaced by static. Experts in aviation said that the incident was unprecedented for a country in southern Europe. The key Telecom Infrastructure Based on Outdated Technology The report of the five-member investigation committee said that the cause of the outage is still unclear. Multiple systems went out of sync, leading to a scramble of communications between the airport towers and the planes. In response, a transport ministry official stated that Greece's system was in line with EU Standards. However, the ministry has implemented an upgrade plan which is expected to be complete in 2028. The unions have called for upgrades since years and say that the system is unsafe, particularly in light of the tourism boom, with millions of tourists flying to Greece each year. They said that the report vindicated their concerns on Wednesday. The AVIATION AUTHORITY'S GOVERNOR RETIRES In a statement released by the Greek transport ministry, George Saounatsos resigned as governor of Civil Aviation Authority on Wednesday. The current deputy governor George Vagenas will fill in until a replacement is appointed. The report stated that, while the incident was a "low-risk" one in terms of safety for flights, the Civil Aviation Authority’s voice communication system and the critical supporting telecom infrastructure are based on outdated technology. The report was submitted to the Transport Ministry and published late Tuesday. It stated that the infrastructure no longer has the support of manufacturers and is not operationally guaranteed. The report stated that the Greek telecom provider OTE has been warning the civil aviation authority since 2019 about the need for new circuits in its systems. It also recommended upgrading transceivers, among other changes. The report also recommended the creation of a crisis response mechanism between OTE and the Civil Aviation Authority. Reporting by Renee Maltezou, Editing by Sharon Singleton & Bernadette Baum
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Is the US Uranium Market about to go Nuclear in 2026? Maguire
The market for uranium, the primary fuel in nuclear power plants, is becoming tighter as reactor construction increases. This is setting up a price rally for uranium this year. Data from Canadian uranium mining company?Cameco showed that U.S. spot prices for the uranium sector ended 2025 around $82 per pound. This represents a rise of roughly $10, or 12%, from the end 2024. This is a significant increase compared with the well-over 100% increases in share prices in 2025 of prominent uranium miner and fuel suppliers, which were boosted by policies of the U.S. Government to revive nuclear energy production. While equities linked to the nuclear supply chains look like they will remain popular among investors, the industry is now focusing on the state of uranium which is experiencing a growing structural deficit due to the fact that consumption is exceeding production. The uranium shortage is being exacerbated by the surge in demand for electricity due to the AI-driven boom in data centres, as well as the construction of modular reactors. This is especially true in the U.S., where the mine supply has been at historic lows over the last decade. The U.S. mine uranium production is increasing again, but it is still only expected to be 1 million pounds in comparison to the 50 million pounds consumed annually by the U.S. The mismatch between supply and demand is causing the U.S. price of uranium to rise, a trend that may continue as 2026 progresses. While spot prices are still below $90 per pound, executives who track discussions between mine suppliers (mines) and power generators (power generators) have noted that "long-term contracts" are closer to $100. If deals are confirmed above or at the psychologically important $100 mark - which was last consistently exceeded in 2007 – that could help spark new momentum in spot markets and establish uranium among 2026's most exciting markets. STOCKS DRAWDOWN The U.S. uranium shortage was filled in recent years by imports from the secondary market. This includes stockpiles of utility material, decommissioned warheads, and left-over material at enrichment plants. The increased purchases of utilities and government agencies has now reduced those secondary supplies. In addition, restrictions on future uranium exports to a belligerent?Russia (which will be banned in 2028) have also narrowed sources for imports. The combination of lower stocks on the secondary market in the country and the restrictions on imports have led to a greater focus on the spot-market and any new but uncontracted outputs from uranium mining. Investors' increased uranium purchasing is further tightening supply imbalance and becoming a bullish market driver. The Sprott Physical Uranium Trust's (SPUT) Uranium Holdings - the largest fund in the world that stocks physical uranium- increased 9 million pounds, reaching a record of 72.5 million pounds by 2025. Investor holdings of fuel for the nuclear industry are expected to grow as the fleet expands and more reactors come online. This will give prices a boost. Record Nuclear Generation The world's output of nuclear electricity is likely to reach a record by 2025 after several major nuclear power plants reached all-time highs or multi-year peaks. Data from the energy think tank Ember revealed that nuclear-powered electricity supply in China, India South Korea and France will all rise to their highest levels for at least five year in 2025. The nuclear power industry in Japan has recovered after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. It is expected to continue growing in 2026 when the world's biggest reactor will be restarted in Niigata Prefecture. In 2026, new nuclear reactors will also be operational in China, India Turkey and the United States, which is expected to further increase the nuclear sector's appetite for uranium and boost total nuclear power production to new record highs. Power Pipeline Europe is home to the majority of nuclear power reactors in the world, with 39% located there. Global Energy Monitor data shows that Europe has a nuclear power generation capacity of around 157,000 megawatts. Asia is the next largest region in terms of nuclear power with 120,000 MW. North America follows closely behind at 117,000 MW. The nuclear pipeline is dominated by Asia, with 82,000 MW reactors being built globally, but 66,000 MW in Asia. Asia is also home to two-thirds (or 67%) of all nuclear power plants that are in pre-construction. This means the sites have already been chosen and permits obtained, but crews still haven't broken ground. GEM data shows that around 107,000 MW of power is in pre-construction worldwide, with 60,000MW in Asia, 36,600 MW Europe, 8,800 MW North America, and?4,000MW Africa. Asia will become the main nuclear hub once the plants under construction or in pre-construction have been completed. This batch has around 246,000MW?of the 590,000MW global nuclear power generation capacity. China is the leader in the nuclear sector with a capacity of around 65,000 megawatts, followed by India at 32,000 megawatts. Around 8,000 MW in the United States are in development. This would, when completed, represent a roughly 7 % increase in installed nuclear capacity. It is possible that, due to the aggressive policies being implemented in the U.S. Nuclear Sector, additional capacity plans may be developed in the future. This will in turn tighten up the country's supply of uranium and keep the price of uranium prone to surges for the foreseeable. These are the opinions of the columnist, who is also an author. You like this article? Check it out Open Interest The new global financial commentary source (ROI) is your go-to for all the latest news and analysis. ROI provides data-driven, thought-provoking analysis on everything from soybeans to swap rates. The markets are changing faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on You can find us on LinkedIn.
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Report: Greek airspace blackout caused by old systems and not cyberattack
Investigators in a recent report said that the eight-hour radio blackout at Greek airports, which forced authorities to clear airspace in the country and divert dozens of flights to other airports was partly due to an outdated communication system. On January 4, air traffic controllers were unable to contact most planes including dozens of aircraft heading towards Greek airports as the radio frequencies dropped and were replaced with static. Experts in aviation said that the incident was unprecedented for a country in southern Europe. The report of a five member investigating committee, commissioned by government, found that the exact cause of the problem, where multiple systems went 'out of sync', caused a scramble of communications between towers at airports and planes is still unclear. The report rated the incident "low risk" in terms of?flight security, ruled out cyberattacks and stated that pilots and air traffic controllers were able to respond effectively. The report was sent to Greece's Transport Ministry and published late Tuesday. It states that the voice communication system of the Civil Aviation Authority and its critical supporting telecommunications are outdated technologies, no longer supported and without operational guarantees. According to the report, "the Greek telecommunications company OTE has been warning civil aviation authorities since 2019 that their systems need new circuits." The report called for new transceivers, among other things. The report also called for the creation of an?emergency response?mechanism that would be shared between OTE and the Civil Aviation Authority. A transport ministry official said that Greece's systems were in line with EU Standards in response to the report. However, the ministry has implemented a plan for upgrading its systems, which is expected to be complete in 2028. Unions have called for upgrades since years but say that the system is unsafe, particularly in light of the tourism boom, with millions flying into Greece each year. They said on Wednesday that the report vindicated their protests. Reporting by Renee Maltezou, Editing by Edward McAllister & Sharon Singleton
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Wall Street Journal, January 14, 2019
These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. ? The accuracy of these stories has not been verified by the site. Saks Global, a high-end department store conglomerate, filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday night in what was one of the biggest retail collapses since pandemic. The Trump administration gave the formal green light on Tuesday to China-bound sales of Nvidia’s second-most powerful AI chip. They put in place a rule which will likely start shipments of?H200, despite concerns from China hawks?in Washington. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase, defended the Federal Reserve on Tuesday after it was subpoenaed to appear by the Justice Department. Dimon said that "anything" that undermines the independence of the central bank "is not a good thing." Netflix is planning to make a cash-only?offer on Warner Bros Discovery’s streaming and studio businesses. The U.S. government will invest $1 billion in the growing rocket motor business of L3Harris Technologies, ensuring a steady supply of?motors for a wide range missiles such as Tomahawks?and Patriot interceptors. The U.S. government will invest $1 Billion in L3Harris Technologies, a growing rocket motor company. This investment will ensure a steady supply of motors that are needed for many missiles including Tomahawks and Patriot interceptors. Diana Shipping has said that Genco Shipping & Trading's board rejected its bid to acquire the company without engaging with it.
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Is the US Uranium Market about to go Nuclear in 2026? Maguire
The market for uranium, the primary fuel in nuclear power plants, is becoming tighter as reactor construction increases. This is setting up a price rally for uranium this year. Data from Canadian uranium mining company Cameco showed that U.S. spot uranium prices in 2025 ended at $82 per pound, a rise of $10 or 12 percent compared to the end 2024. This is a far cry from the increase of over 100% that was seen in the 2025 share prices of major uranium producers and fuel suppliers, whose shares soared due to the U.S. Government's efforts to restart nuclear power production. While equities linked to the "nuclear supply" chain are likely to continue to be popular with investors, the industry is now focusing on the state of uranium which is experiencing a growing structural deficit due to consumption exceeding production. The uranium shortage is being exacerbated by the surge in demand for electricity due to the AI-driven boom in data centres, as well as the construction of modular reactors. This is especially true in the U.S., where the mine supply has been at historic lows over the last decade. The U.S. mine uranium production is increasing again, but it is still only expected to be 1 million pounds in comparison to the 50 million pounds consumed annually by the U.S. The mismatch between supply and demand is causing the U.S. price of uranium to rise, which could intensify by 2026. While spot prices are still below $90 per pound, executives who track discussions between mine suppliers?and power?generators?have noted that long-term contracts for pricing are closer to $100. If deals are confirmed above or at the psychologically important $100 mark - which was last consistently exceeded in 2007 – that could help spark new momentum in spot markets and establish uranium among 2026's most exciting markets. STOCKS DRAWDOWN In recent years, the U.S. supply deficit of uranium was filled by imports from the secondary market. This includes stockpiles at utility companies, decommissioned warheads, and material left over in enrichment plants. The increased purchases of utilities and government agencies has now reduced those secondary supplies. In addition, restrictions on future uranium exports from a belligerent Russia (which will be prohibited in 2028) have also narrowed sources for imports. The combination of reduced stockpiles in the local secondary market, and import restrictions has increased the focus on the spot-market and any new but uncontracted outputs from uranium mining. Investors' increased uranium purchase is further tightening the supply imbalance, and they are another driver of positive market sentiment. The Sprott Physical Uranium Trust's (SPUT) holdings of uranium, the largest fund in the world that stocks physical uranium, increased by 9 millions pounds to reach a record high of 72.5 million pounds by 2025. Investor holdings of nuclear fuel, which is needed to power the sector, are expected to grow as the fleet grows and more reactors start up. This will give prices a boost. Record Nuclear Generation The world's output of nuclear electricity is likely to reach a record by 2025 after several major nuclear power plants reached all-time highs or multi-year peaks. Data from the energy think tank Ember revealed that nuclear-powered electricity supply in China, India South Korea and France will all rise to their highest levels for at least five year in 2025. The nuclear power industry in Japan has recovered after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. It is expected to continue growing in 2026 when the world's biggest reactor will be restarted in Niigata Prefecture. In 2026, new nuclear reactors will also be operational in China, India Turkey and the United States, which will help to boost total nuclear power production to new record highs. Power Pipeline Europe is home to the majority of nuclear power reactors in the world, with 39% located there. Global Energy Monitor data shows that Europe has a nuclear power generation capacity of around 157,000 megawatts. Asia has the second largest nuclear footprint, with 120,000 MW. North America follows closely behind at 117,000 MW. The nuclear pipeline is dominated by Asia, with 82,000 MW reactors being built globally, but 66,000 MW in Asia. Asia is also home to two-thirds (or 67%) of all nuclear power plants that are in pre-construction. This means the sites have already been chosen and permits obtained, but crews still haven't broken ground. GEM data shows that 107,000 MW of power is in the pre-construction stage around the world. This includes 60,000 MW Asia, 36,000 in Europe, 8,0 MW North America, and 4,000 in Africa. Asia will become the main nuclear power hub in the world once the plants under construction or in pre-construction have been completed. This batch has around 246,000 MW out of the total 590,000MW nuclear power generation capacity. China is the leader in the nuclear sector with a capacity of around 65,000 megawatts, followed by India at 32,000 megawatts. Around 8,000 MW in the United States are in development. This would, when completed, represent a roughly 7 % increase in installed nuclear capacity. It is possible that, due to the aggressive policies being implemented in the U.S. Nuclear Sector, additional capacity plans may be developed in the future. This will in turn tighten up the country's supply of uranium and keep the price of uranium prone to surges for the foreseeable. These are the opinions of the columnist, who is also an author. You like this article? Check it out Open Interest The new global financial commentary source (ROI) is your go-to for all the latest news and analysis. ROI provides data-driven, thought-provoking analysis on everything from soybeans to swap rates. The markets are changing faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on You can find us on LinkedIn.
Underwater sabotage suspected in Baltic Sea
A Finnish court denied a release request of an oil tanker that police suspected of damaging four telecommunications cable and an underwater power line in the Baltic Sea.
This was not the first time that underwater critical infrastructure in Baltic Sea has been damaged in a suspicious manner. NATO and the Baltic Sea nations have stepped up their presence in this area.
A number of police investigations are underway, but no suspects were brought to court.
DEC 2024 - POWER AND INTERNET CABLING
On December 25, four telephone lines and the Estlink 2 underwater power cable, which connects Finland to Estonia, were damaged.
Finland has launched a sabotage probe and on December 26th seized a Russian oil tanker on suspicion that it had caused damage by dragging the anchor.
The Cook Islands Eagle S, registered in Finland, was part of an "shadow fleet" that circumvented sanctions against Russian oil exports. The European Union condemned any deliberate destruction to Europe's infrastructure.
NATO announced on December 27 that it would increase its military presence in the Baltic Sea Region. The Kremlin stated the same day that it was not concerned about the seizure of the ship, and Russia had previously denied any involvement in such an incident.
On December 29, the Finnish police reported that they found tracks in the water where they suspect Eagle S to have damaged the cables.
On December 30, the owner of the Eagle S - Caravella LLC FZ based in the United Arab Emirates - filed a petition with the Helsinki District Court requesting the release of ship. The request was denied on January 3, 2025.
BALTIC TELECOM CABLES AVAILABLE NOV 2024
On November 17 and 18 two undersea fiber-optic communication cables, located at a distance of more than 200 km (over 100 nautical miles), were cut in the Baltic Sea. This raised suspicions about sabotage.
According to Lithuanian Telia Lietuva (part of Swedish Telia Company), a 218-km (135 mile) internet connection between Lithuania and Sweden’s Gotland Island went out of service around 0800 GMT on November 17.
Cinia, the Finnish cyber security and telecommunications company controlled by the Finnish government, said that a 1,200-km cable linking Helsinki to Rostock in Germany stopped working at around 0200 GMT November 18, 2018.
Investigators from the countries involved focused on the Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 which left the Russian Port of Ust-Luga in Nov. 15. An analysis of MarineTraffic showed that the coordinates of the ship matched the time and location of the breaches.
After a diplomatic standoff lasting a whole month, during which the ship was parked in the Danish shipping lanes, China finally allowed investigators and representatives from Germany as well as Sweden, Finland, and Denmark to board the Yi Peng 3 on December 21.
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard stated on December 23 that China had refused to heed the Swedish government’s request to have a prosecutor conduct the preliminary inquiry on board.
OCT 2023 - BALTICCONNECTOR PIPE AND FILTERS FOR GAS
The Balticconnector subsea pipeline that links Finland and Estonia beneath the Baltic Sea was cut by the Chinese container ship NewNew Polar Bear, according to Finnish investigators, when it dragged its anchor early in the morning of Oct. 8, 2023.
The Estonian Police suspects that the ship also damaged telecoms cables linking Estonia with Finland and Sweden between Oct. 7 and 8, before striking the gas pipeline while on its way to St Petersburg, Russia.
Estonian authorities claim that China did not fulfill its promise to Finland and Estonia regarding the investigation.
Investigators in Finland and Estonia have been unable determine whether damage was caused by the Hong Kong flagged vessel accidentally or intentionally. They have yet to provide their conclusions.
SEPT 2022 : NORD STREAM BLASTS
On September 26, 2022, Nord Stream 1 & 2 were damaged. They are two pipelines built by Russia’s state-controlled Gazprom across the Baltic Sea to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany.
Swedish seismologists recorded several subsea explosions that occurred 17 hours apart off the Danish Island of Bornholm. These blasts ruptured three of the four Nord Stream pipelines and released methane in the atmosphere.
Sweden's investigation found explosive residue on several recovered objects, confirming that it was an intentional act. However, Sweden and Denmark ended their investigations in 2024 without naming any suspects.
No one has accepted responsibility.
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has dismissed some Western officials' claims that Moscow blew its own pipelines.
Russia blames the United States of America, Britain, and Ukraine for these explosions that have largely isolated Russian gas from the European Market. These countries denied any involvement.
In August 2024 Germany requested that Poland arrest a Ukrainian diver instructor who was accused of being a member of a team which blew up Nord Stream Pipelines. Poland claimed that the man fled the country before being detained. Reporting by Anne Kauranen, in Helsinki; Nerijus Adomiaitis, in Oslo; Johan Ahlander, in Gothenburg; Stine Jacobsen, in Copenhagen; Andrius Sytas, in Vilnius, and Anna Ringstrom, in Stockholm. Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, and Timothy Heritage.
(source: Reuters)