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Airline cancels flights due to Middle East conflict
The global air travel industry is still severely affected by the Iran War. Many people are unable to reach their destinations as planned after major Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi were closed. The latest flight information is listed below alphabetically: AEGEAN AIRLINES The largest airline in Greece has cancelled flights to Riyadh, Amman and Tel Aviv until June 27. Erbil, Baghdad and Dubai flights were cancelled until July 2. AIRBALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, has announced that flights to Tel Aviv are cancelled until May 31. Dubai flights are cancelled until 24 October. AIR CANADA The Canadian carrier has canceled flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai and other destinations until September 7. AIR EUROPA Spanish Airlines has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv from May 3 until now. AIR FRANCE-KLM Air France has suspended Tel Aviv flights to Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh until May 3. KLM suspends flights to Riyadh and Dubai until the 17th of May. CATHAY PACIFIC Hong Kong Airlines has cancelled all flights to Dubai and Riyadh up until 30 June. In April, the airline will increase its passenger flights from London, Paris, and Zurich to Europe to meet a spike in demand. The U.S. carrier cancelled all New York-Tel Aviv flight and has delayed the start of its Atlanta to Tel Aviv route till September 5. The launch of the Boston-Tel Aviv flight, originally scheduled for?late October?, has now been postponed until further notice. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES Customers who had planned to leave Israel by April 18th have been informed that their flights, including return flights, have been cancelled. From April 13, the number of destinations will be increased to 30 and then gradually increase throughout the rest the month. EMIRATES After a partial opening of the regional airspace, Emirates Airlines has announced a reduced schedule. ETIHAD AERWAYS The UAE carrier?said that it operates a commercial flight schedule from Abu Dhabi to around 80 destinations. FINNAIR The airline has cancelled all flights to Doha until July 2 and continues to avoid the airspaces of Iraq, Iran Syria, and Israel. Dubai flights will only be resumed in October. FLYNAS The Saudi budget airline has suspended flights until April 15 to Dubai, Abu Dhabi Sharjah Doha, Bahrain Kuwait Iraq and Syria. British Airways, owned by IAG, will reduce flights to the Middle East once services resume. The airline will permanently drop?Jeddah from its list of destinations, but add capacity in India and Africa. The plan is to reduce the number of flights to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv from two daily flights to one per day starting in July. Riyadh will be reduced from two to one daily flight from mid-May. The changes will apply until the end of the summer season on October 24. One Dubai service will restart on October 16. Iberia Express, the Spanish low-cost carrier of IAG, has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until May 31. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines suspends scheduled Doha-Tokyo and Tokyo-Doha flight schedules until May 10. Japan Airlines has also announced additional flights between Tokyo, London and Doha on April 25. The Polish airline has suspended flights to Tel Aviv till May 31. The airline also cancelled flights from March 31 until May 30 to Beirut and Riyadh. The airline will operate its winter route to Dubai from October. LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa and Swiss Airlines suspended flights from Dubai and Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi until May 31. They also suspended flights to Amman, Beirut and Dammam. Riyadh and Erbil were also affected. Lufthansa Cargo will remain the same except for Tel Aviv, which is suspended until April 30. Eurowings, a low-cost airline, plans to suspend its flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut through April 30, and to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until October 24. MALAYSIA AIRLINES Malaysian Airlines has suspended flights to Doha from June 14 until further notice. NORWEGIAN AIR The low-cost airline has delayed the launch of its Tel Aviv, Beirut and Beirut services until June 15. PEGASUS Pegasus Airlines, Turkey's national airline, has cancelled all flights to Iran, Iraq, Amman Beirut, Kuwait Bahrain Doha Dammam Riyadh Dubai Abu Dhabi Sharjah and Abu Dhabi until May 1. ROYAL MAROC Moroccan airline says that flights to Doha and Dubai are cancelled until June 30, while those to Doha will be suspended until May 31. QANTAS Australia's national carrier has added flights to Rome, Paris and other European destinations to meet the increased demand. The number of flights to Paris will be increased from three to five weekly return flights, and the Perth to Singapore service will go from daily to ten flights per week. A new schedule will be implemented gradually for flights starting in mid-April, and running until late July. QATAR AIRWAYS The airline?said that it will gradually increase flights from Doha, to more than 120 destinations by the middle of May. SINGAPORE Airlines In response to increased demand, the carrier has extended the suspension of Singapore-Dubai flights until May 31. TURKISH AIRLINES SunExpress - Turkish Airlines' joint venture Lufthansa has cancelled flights from Dubai to April 30. WIZZ AIR Low-cost airlines have suspended flights from Europe to Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until the middle of September. All flights to Medina are suspended permanently. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed. Elviira Loma, Tiago Branao, Agnieszka Olenka, Bernadette HOG, Boleslaw LaSocki, Romolo TOSIANI. Editing by Sumana Nady, Joe Bavier Mark Potter and Milla Nussi-Prussak
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Officials expect an intergovernmental agreement for a $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco pipeline this year.
The head of Morocco's hydrocarbons & mining agency (ONHYM), said that an intergovernmental agreement on a $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco pipeline would be signed in this year. Amina Benjamin, an ONHYM representative, told me by email that the project, known as the "African Atlantic Gas Pipeline", was agreed upon a decade earlier. It would run 6,900 km along a hybrid route, offshore and onshore, with a capacity of up to 30 billion cubic meters (bcm). This included 15 bcm for Morocco, to support exports to Europe. The feasibility study of the pipeline has been completed, as has the front-end engineering design stage (FEED). Benkhadra stated that following the intergovernmental agreement, a high-level authority will be set up in Nigeria to coordinate the political and regulatory aspects of the pipeline. This will include ministerial representations from each of the participating countries. She said that a project company would also be created in Morocco, as a joint-venture between ONHYM, and the 'Nigerian National Petroleum Company' (NNPC), to?lead execution, financing, and construction phases. She said the pipeline would help boost economic integration in West Africa through increased electricity generation, industrial and mining developments, and positioning Morocco as a bridge between Africa, Europe and Asia. She said that the first segments of the project will connect Mauritania, Senegal and Ghana with gas fields. A second segment will link Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire in further south. Benkhadra stated that the first gas is expected in '2031. She said that the project is not dependent on a global investment decision. Each segment will be developed as a "standalone" system to allow for early value building. She said that no final funding commitments had been made yet. The project company will lead the financing structure, and it is expected to mobilise a mixture of debt and equity. Benkhadra stated that the project's size, phased structure and strategic location are attracting a lot of interest. Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi, Editing by ChizuNomiyama
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Carney to win majority in Canadian Special Elections
Mark Carney, the Canadian Prime Minister, is likely to win a majority in the parliamentary chamber on Monday. This would allow him to implement the legislative agenda that he believes is necessary to address the geopolitical divide and uncertainty of today's world. Three special elections will be held in Ontario and Quebec on Monday, two of which are in districts that have voted liberally for many years. Carney will have a majority if he wins just one of these seats. According to polls, they're expected to win at least two seats. Carney said this would allow him to deal with the trade conflict with the U.S., which was started by Donald Trump. Carney's Liberals have 171 seats out of the 343 members of the House of Commons. Carney's Liberals will be able to govern more freely with a parliamentary majority. This will allow him to continue to lead Canada at least until 2029 when the next national elections are scheduled. Andrew McDougall is an assistant professor of Canadian politics at University of Toronto. He said that Carney will be able pass legislation without having to go the opposition for votes. The Liberals relied on the Conservatives' selective support to pass economic and trade legislation over the past year. McDougall stated that a majority government will also allow Carney the ability to determine the timing of the election. Minority governments can be forced to call a snap election when they lose a vote of confidence and last for less than two-years. Carney should have a slight advantage over a single seat after five opposition lawmakers defected in just five months to Carney's Liberals. Only John A. Macdonald's government, Canada’s first prime minister, as well as Jean Chretien's saw more politicians defecting to the ruling party. 'LARGE LIBERAL TENDER' On Wednesday, longtime Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu joined Carney's government, saying Canada needed "a serious leader" who could address the uncertainty caused by unjustified American Tariffs. Gladu thanked Carney, the former chemical engineer, for welcoming her to "the large Liberal tent". Carney stated that the core Liberal values, such as inclusivity, diversity and protecting Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms have not changed and being a part of the Government Caucus means that you support these principles. Yves Francois Blanchet of the separatist Bloc Quebecois, on the other hand, stated that "the ideological difference between the Liberals, Conservatives, and the Bloc Quebecois are becoming thinner and thinner every minute." In Terrebonne, Quebec, the Bloc Quebecois and the Liberals are in a very tight race. In the last federal elections, the Liberals only won by one vote. However, the Supreme Court of Canada overturned the results because a mistake was made on the envelope. Two other seats in Ontario are vacant. One was held by Chrystia?Freeland, former Deputy Premier, and the second by Bill Blair, former Liberal legislator, who resigned when he became ambassador to the United Kingdom. Both seats are expected to be held by the Liberals. Laura Stephenson is the chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Western Ontario. She said that Carney is more concerned with the pressing issues than Justin Trudeau who shifted the party leftwards and focused on issues such as reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, minority rights and immigration. She said, "He's focused on helping Canada to survive the economic turmoil and not remaking society." "When we are in difficult times, different calculations are made." Nanos' latest poll shows that more than half of Canadians choose Carney to be their Prime minister. Only 23% prefer the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre. Poilievre was projected to win the next elections by over 20 points before Carney became the leader of the Liberal Party in last year. McDougall, from the University of Toronto, said that Carney had done a good job of showing Canadians that he could handle Trump. He said that Carney has shown Canadians that he is a competent manager for the economy and country. "Canadians are not impressed with the alternatives so far."
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UN: Diplomatic push underway to propose Hormuz fertiliser, UN claims, as shortages bite
U.N. reported on Monday that a diplomatic push is underway to ensure safe passage of fertiliser shipments across the Strait of Hormuz. A source familiar with the discussions stressed a growing urgency because of shortages. The six-week conflict sparked by U.S. and Israeli joint strikes against Iran has killed thousands of people in the Middle East. It also disrupted global supply chains after a near total halt to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. After failed weekend talks that threatened a fragile 2-week ceasefire, the U.S. Military announced it would begin a "blockade" of all maritime traffic into and out of Iranian ports and coastal zones on Monday. A source familiar with the U.N. initiative said that there was an urgent need to "find a solution". She noted that some Latin American farmers are skipping their second corn plantings, and that African farmers face a critical period, where severe yield losses could occur without fertilisers. Juliette Touma from UNOPS's communications department said that "extensive meetings" were held with member states in New York during the last two weeks to discuss the design and operation of the mechanism. Touma said that the meetings are still ongoing and led by Jorge Moreira da Silva executive director of?United Nations Office for Project Services. She said that the proposed mechanism aims to 'ensure safe transit for commercial vessels transporting fertilizers and other materials through this strait, and reduce any humanitarian impact on nations dependent on fertilizers in Asia and Africa. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization warns that a drop of more than 90% in tanker traffic threatens global food security and agricultural production. Source familiar with the discussions says that businesses are looking for a mechanism that restores freedom of navigation without the requirement for naval escorts and tolls. The source also said that the initiative may eventually be expanded to include other goods. (Reporting and editing by Janane Vekatraman; Olivia Le Poidevin)
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US military will enforce blockade on Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea. Note to seafarers
U.S. Central Command in a 'note to seafarers' seen on Monday said that the U.S. military will enforce a 'blockade of all vessels in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea east of the Strait of Hormuz. The note stated that the blockade will come into effect at 1400 GMT Monday. The note stated that "any vessel entering or leaving the 'blockaded area' without authorization will be subject to interception, diversion and capture." The blockade won't impede transit neutral traffic through the Strait of Hormuz from or to non-Iranian locations. The note stated that the blockade would "encompasses?the entire?Iranian coastline, including but not limited ports and oil terminals", adding that humanitarian shipments, such as food, med-supplies, and other essential items, would be allowed, subject to inspection. After weekend talks failed to produce a 'deal' to end the war, a ceasefire is now in danger. (Reporting and editing by Jason Neely/Keith Weir, Arathy Saul)
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This week, the UK and France will co-host a discussion on a possible defensive naval mission against Hormuz
Britain and France are co-hosting talks this week to restore 'freedom of Navigation in the Strait of 'Hormuz. The aim of the talks is to bring Britain, France, and other countries that are willing to join an international?mission to restore freedom of navigation to the Strait. Macron stated in a X post that "this?strictly offensive mission" will be separated from warring parties and deployed as soon the situation permits. The tensions in the Gulf have intensified since the United States announced it would blockade maritime traffic into and out of Iranian ports. Iran, on the other hand, has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a fifth or the world's total oil consumption. Keir Starmer, British Prime Minister, said that the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz is a major problem for global shipping and adds to the cost of living pressures. Starmer wrote on X that "This week, the 'UK and 'France will host a summit in order to advance the work on a coordinated independent multinational?plan for safeguarding international shipping after the conflict reaches an end." Britain had previously invited representatives from more than 40 countries who shared the goal of restoring freedom to navigate. The United States did not participate in these talks. (Reporting from Sam Tabahriti and Dominique Vidalon, Paris; editing by Sudip K. Gupta).
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Germany details fuel relief, tax cuts, EU auto policy response
The German coalition government announced on Monday a series of measures to reduce fuel costs, to allow tax-free bonuses for workers, to set a deadline for the overhaul of the "statutory health insurance system" and to push through changes to EU car emission rules. Following are some key points taken from the coalition paper. RELIEF FROM FUEL PRICES - Reduced?Germany?s?energy taxes on petrol and diesel by around 0.17 euros a litre over a period of two months. This is a relief of about 1.6 billion euro ($1.87 billion). Oil companies will be targeted by tax or competition measures to offset the cost. Antitrust reform: Expand powers of the German federal Bundeskartellamt to collect data along the entire motor fuel supply chain. - Longer-term: Expand the domestic energy supply by tapping into selected German gasfields, increasing renewables, and strengthening power grid links across borders. Worker Relief - 2026: Employers may pay a one-off, tax- and social-contribution-free bonus of 1,000 euros. A tobacco tax increase will offset lost tax revenue this year. - 2027: A major overhaul of the income tax system to "permanently" reduce the burden for lower- and middle-income households. STATUTORY HELPFULNESS INSURANCE GKV (GKV). Germany's statutory healthcare insurance system, which covers the majority of residents and is backed by contributions from both employers and employees, could face a funding shortfall that could reach up to 40 billion euros by 2030. - Objective: reduce spending growth, align expenditure with revenues, and stabilize contribution rates. All stakeholders are required to contribute. Cabinet will approve a law draft on April 29th, and the legislation is expected to be passed before the summer recess. AUTO INDUSTRY – EU RULES AND GERMAN POSITION A new legislative process has been launched by the European Commission. Germany's response to the Commission draft is: Germany supports a 'technology-neutral' approach that would allow combustion-engine cars to continue to be registered after 2035, if they met EU regulations. Germany will try to stop the stricter formula (2027) for plug-in-hybrids (Utility Factor). It will push for the immediate crediting of zero-emission vehicles, which run on only renewable fuels including advanced biofuels. Germany rejects any size-based preference and the Commission's proposal for bonus credits to comply with regulations on small electric vehicles. Germany supports "banking and borrowing". Carmakers can carry over excess CO2 emissions or bring some forward to the periods 2025-2029, 2030-2034 and with three year compliance periods for 2030 and 2035. This allows flexible compliance and avoids penalties.
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Canada's Carney is set to win a majority government in the special elections
Mark Carney, the Canadian Prime Minister, is likely to win a majority in the parliamentary chambers on Monday. This would allow him to implement the legislative agenda that he believes is necessary to address the geopolitical uncertainty and divisions of today's world. Three special elections will be held in Ontario and Quebec on Monday, two of which are in districts that have voted liberally for many years. Carney will have a majority if he wins just one of these seats. According to polls, they're expected to win at least two seats. Carney said this would allow him to deal with the trade conflict with the U.S., which was started by Donald Trump. Carney's Liberals have 171 seats out of the 343 members of the House of Commons. Carney's Liberals will be able to govern more freely with a parliamentary majority. This will allow him to continue to lead Canada at least until 2029 when the next national elections are scheduled. Andrew McDougall is an assistant professor of Canadian politics at University of Toronto. He said that Carney will be able pass legislation without having to go to opposition parties to get enough votes. The Liberals relied on the Conservatives' selective support to pass legislation relating to?economics and trade in the past year. McDougall stated that a majority government will also allow Carney the ability to determine the timing of the election. Minority governments that last less than 2 years are more likely to be forced into an early election if they fail to win a vote of confidence. Carney should have a slight advantage over a single seat after five opposition lawmakers defected in just five months to Carney's Liberals. Only John A. Macdonald's government, Canada’s first prime minister, as well as Jean Chretien's saw more politicians defecting to the ruling party. 'LARGE LIBERAL TENANT' On Wednesday, longtime Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu joined Carney's Government, saying Canada needed "a serious leader" who could address the 'uncertainty' that had been brought about by the unjustified American Tariffs. Gladu is a former chemical engineering who was criticized for advocating unproven treatments during the COVID-19 epidemic, opposing the ban on conversion therapy, and suggesting that the military could be used to stop Indigenous protests against oil pipes. Carney stated that the core Liberal values, such as inclusivity, diversity and safeguarding Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms have not changed and being a part of the Government Caucus means that you support these principles. Yves Francois Blanchet of the separatist Bloc Quebecois, on the other hand, stated that "the ideological difference between the Liberals, Conservatives, and the Bloc Quebecois are becoming thinner -and thinner -by the minute". The Bloc Quebecois, in Terrebonne Quebec, is currently in a tight race against the Liberals. The Liberals only won by one vote at the last federal elections, but Canada's Supreme Court overturned the results because of an error on the envelopes. Two other seats in Ontario are vacant. One was held by Chrystia?Freeland, former Deputy Premier, and the second by Bill Blair, former Liberal legislator, who resigned when he became ambassador to?the United Kingdom. Both seats are expected to be held by the Liberals. Laura Stephenson is the chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Western Ontario. She said that Carney is more concerned with the pressing issues than Justin Trudeau who shifted the party leftwards and focused on issues such as reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, minority rights and immigration. She said, "He's focused on helping Canada to survive the economic turmoil and not remaking society." "When we are in difficult times, different calculations are made." Nanos' latest polling shows that more than half of Canadians choose Carney to be their Prime minister. Only 23% prefer the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre. Poilievre was projected to win the next elections by over 20 points before Carney became the leader of the Liberal Party in last year. McDougall, from the University of Toronto, said that Carney had done a good job of showing Canadians that he could handle Trump. He said that Carney has shown Canadians that he is a competent manager for the economy and country. "Canadians are not impressed with the alternatives so far."
UN: Diplomatic push underway to propose Hormuz fertiliser, UN claims, as shortages bite
U.N. reported on Monday that a diplomatic push is underway to ensure safe passage of fertiliser shipments across the Strait of Hormuz. A source familiar with the discussions stressed the growing urgency of shortages.
The six-week conflict sparked by U.S. and Israeli joint strikes against Iran has killed thousands of people in the Middle East. It also disrupted global supply chains after a near total halt to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
After failed weekend talks that threatened a fragile 2-week ceasefire, the U.S. Military announced it would begin a "blockade" of all maritime traffic into and out of Iranian ports and coastal zones on Monday.
A source familiar with the U.N. initiative said that there was an urgent need to "find a solution". She noted that some Latin American farmers are skipping their second corn plantings, and that African farmers face a critical period, where severe yield losses could occur without fertilisers.
Juliette Touma from UNOPS's communications department said that "extensive meetings" were held with member states in New York during the last two weeks to discuss the design and operation of the mechanism.
Touma said that the meetings are still ongoing and led by Jorge Moreira da Silva executive director of?United Nations Office for Project Services.
She said that the proposed mechanism aims to 'ensure safe transit for commercial vessels transporting fertilizers and other materials through this strait, and reduce any humanitarian impact on nations dependent on fertilizers in Asia and Africa.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization warns that a drop of more than 90% in tanker traffic threatens global food security and agricultural production.
Source familiar with the discussions says that businesses are looking for a mechanism that restores freedom of navigation without the requirement of naval escorts and tolls. The source also said that the initiative may eventually be expanded to include other goods. (Reporting and editing by Janane Vekatraman; Olivia Le Poidevin)
(source: Reuters)