Latest News
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Overnight, Bergamo Airport in Italy halted flights leaving thousands stranded
Due to technical problems with the landing guidance system, and poor visibility at Bergamo Orio-al-Serio airport in Italy, flights were halted on Saturday evening. This left thousands of passengers stranded over night. SACBO, which operates the airport, stated in a press release that the technical issue was resolved around midnight. However, a warning posted on the website of the 'airport' warned "flights could be delayed or canceled". Local media reported that the incident led to 26 flights being cancelled, 6 being diverted to other airports, and 7 being rescheduled for Sunday. Images show people sleeping on the ground and luggage check-in belts. The Bergamo edition of the Corriere della sera?daily?online said that first flights had been halted around 1700 GMT?Saturday. The airport's website showed real-time information on flights, including a list of many Ryanair flights that were delayed. However, several had departed as early as Sunday morning. A 0605 GMT Ryanair flight from Cagliari was delayed until 0850 GMT and a 0620 GMT Neos Flight to Sharm-el-Sheikh was delayed until 0855 GMT. (Reporting and editing by Elaine Hardcastle; Reporting by Valentina Z.)
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US airlines cancel flights following Caribbean airspace closure
Major U.S. Airlines canceled hundreds?of flights on Saturday following a military action in Venezuela which resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and JetBlue Airways all cancelled flights on Saturday in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration's Caribbean airspace closures. In a letter to airmen, the FAA said that it had closed the airspace for U.S. carriers due to "risks to flight safety associated with ongoing military activity." According to the notice, this closure does not apply to non-U.S. carriers and operators. The FAA refused to comment on this further. Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation secretary, said on X in a blog post that "when appropriate" airspace restrictions will be lifted. Customers affected by the closure of the airspace were able to change their flight dates and avoid change fees. JetBlue Airways announced in an advisory that it would waive cancellation fees and fare difference for customers travelling from Saturday, January 3 to Sunday, January 4 2026. Donald Trump, the president of the United States, said that on Saturday night, the 'United States' attacked Venezuela, capturing its long-serving leader Nicolas Maduro, and promised to take control of Venezuela for now, including by using U.S. troops if needed. Air Canada has said that its operations in the Caribbean and South America continue "normally" as per Transport Canada's instructions. The airline stated that it would continue to closely monitor the situation and provide updates if necessary. FlightRadar24 flight records indicate that commercial air traffic in Venezuelan airspace stopped after the attack. Reporting by Dan Catchpole, Seattle; Preetika Parshuraman, Bengaluru. Editing by Chris Reese.
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Yemen's Southern Separatists Welcome Saudi Call for Dialogue amid Saudi-UAE Rrift
Separatists in Yemen's south welcomed on Saturday the call by Saudi Arabia for dialogue to end recent military escalation. This could be a sign of a calming down in the unusually public conflict between the Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The rapid-fire crisis in 'Yemen' has sparked a major feud among the two Gulf states and fractured a coalition of forces led by the internationally recognised?government?, which is fighting against the Iran-backed Houthis. In a press release, the Southern Transitional Council backed by UAE said that the Saudi initiative offered a "genuine chance for serious dialogue," which could protect "the aspirations" of the Southern people. The STC made its statement hours after Yemen's Saudi backed and internationally recognised government announced that it had retaken Mukalla, a key eastern port in Hadramout Province, from southern separatists, who had taken it last month. Since Friday, the government has made rapid gains that have reversed the gains of STC last month. This casts doubt on its plans to hold an independence referendum within two years. ESCALATION Saudi-backed forces had already taken over key locations in Hadramout. This large province has stretches of desert on the Saudi border. Residents reported that STC forces had blocked the roads leading from northern provinces to Aden. The group called on regional and international leaders intervene to stop what they described as "Saudi-backed militarism". In a press release, the statement said that northern Islamist groups - an apparent reference is to the Islah Party that is part of "the internationally recognized government" - have targeted civilians as well as vital infrastructure. The UAE, which is the primary supporter of STC, called for restraint, saying that it was "deeply worried" about the escalation of violence in Yemen. Yemen has been divided for more than a decade into warring regions. It is strategically located between Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which guards the important sea route that connects Europe to Asia. STC is part of a?internationally recognized government? that controls the southern and eastern parts of Yemen. Gulf states back the STC against the Houthis. Rashad al Ali, head of the Presidential Council, announced overnight that he had requested Saudi Arabia to host an international forum to solve the southern issue. He added that he hoped it would bring together all southern factions. Saudi Arabia granted his request and invited southern factions in Riyadh to meet. Aden Airport, the main transport hub in Yemen for areas outside Houthi control was closed Thursday due to a dispute about new restrictions announced by an internationally recognised government regarding flights with the UAE. Flights are expected to resume Sunday, according officials of Yemen's national carrier. Saudi Arabia and the STC have both accused each other of shutting down air traffic. In a statement released on Saturday, the STC said that southern Yemen is being blocked by land, air and sea. REGIONAL CRISIS The crisis began in early January when the STC seized large areas of land, including Hadramout. This gave the STC firm control of the entire territory of the former South Yemen state that merged into the north of Yemen in 1990. The leaders of the internationally recognized government, based in Aden, and including several ministers from?STC left for Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia viewed the southern movement as a threat. Years of divergence over critical issues reached a head and threatened to upset the regional order. Qatar, a fellow Gulf monarchy, has had long-standing regional policy disagreements with the UAE. It said that it welcomed efforts made by Yemen's internationally recognized government to resolve the southern issue. The extent to which the dispute between Saudi Arabia, the UAE and their disagreements on regional security bleeds over into other issues will become clearer this weekend when both countries attend an OPEC meeting scheduled to decide the group's policy for oil production. Saudi Arabia attacked a base near Hadramout early this week and demanded that all UAE forces remaining in Yemen leave. They called this a "red line" for their security and the UAE obliged. The STC's declaration of Friday, that it wanted a two-year period of transition leading to an independence referendum for a South Arabian state, was the movement’s most clear indication to date about its intent to secede. (Reporting and writing by Maha El-Dahan, Enas-Alashray, and Muhammad al-Gebaly, and editing by Toby Chopra and Susan Fenton; Rod Nickel, Diane Craft, and Toby Chopra)
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US airlines cancel flights following Caribbean airspace closure
Major U.S. Airlines canceled hundreds flights on Saturday following a military action?in Venezuela which resulted in?President Nicolas Maduro's capture. American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways cancelled flights on Saturday morning, in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration's Caribbean airspace closures. In a letter to airmen, the FAA said that the closure was due to "risks to flight safety associated with military activity." The FAA refused to comment on the matter further. Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation secretary, said in a post to X that restrictions on airspace will be lifted when "appropriate." Customers impacted by the closure of the airspace can change their flight to a later date in the month and the carriers will waive the?change fee and any fare difference. JetBlue Airways announced in its advisory that it would waive cancellation fees and fare difference for customers travelling from Saturday, January 3 to Sunday, January 4 2026. U.S. president Donald Trump announced that the United States had attacked Venezuela on Saturday and taken its long-serving leader Nicolas Maduro into custody in an overnight operation. He also promised to bring the country under American rule for now, even if it meant deploying U.S. forces if needed. Air Canada said that its operations in the Caribbean and South America continue "normally" at this time, under Transport Canada's guidance. The airline stated that it would continue to closely monitor the situation and provide updates if necessary if things change.
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Berlin fire could cause 45,000 people to be without electricity until January 8
Stromnetz Berlin reported on Saturday that a fire?on a bridge?across the Teltow Canal in south-west Berlin could cause up to 45,000 homes to be without electricity until January 8. The local police are investigating the early morning incident as an arson attack. The fire that broke out near the 'Lichterfelde Heat and Power?station' damaged several high voltage?cables. The company stated in a press release that it expected all customers to be back online by Thursday afternoon. It noted the need for new cables. The report said that mobile phone and landline services could also be affected. According to a note on Twitter, firefighters were alerted by 0545 GMT and extinguished the fire. The police have confirmed that emergency services and criminal investigators are at the scene. Vera Eckert reported; Susan Fenton, Jason Neely and Jason Neely edited.
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Denver apartment under construction is destroyed by fire, causing power failures
According to the Glendale Police Department, a large fire broke out on Friday night in a new apartment complex in southeast Denver, near the Glendale area. This caused'significant power -outages' in the locality. Denver's Fire Department posted images on X showing a building engulfed in flames, with thick smoke rising into the night skies, and fire?trucks, flashing lights, and the surrounding streets. The fire department reported in the post that one firefighter was injured. He was transported to Denver Health Hospital, a local facility. Robert Murphy, Division Chief of Operations for Denver Fire, told ABC affiliate KMGH TV that more than 100 firefighters were on the scene. This fire is not yet out. Our firefighters are still pouring water on it. We're here for a while, and they're going to keep Leetsdale Drive closed. Police said that authorities have erected a temporary shelter in an event center near Glendale. (Reporting and editing by Ruchika Kohna in Bengaluru, Anusha S Shah in Los Angeles)
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CANADA-CRUDE-Discount on Western Canada Select narrows
On Friday, the discount between West Texas Intermediate and North American benchmark West Canada Select futures narrowed. CalRock reported that WCS for delivery in Hardisty (Alberta) on?February? settled at $13.15 per barrel, which is $13.40 below the U.S. benchmark WTI. After trading in the $9 to $11 range for most of the year, the WCS discount is now trading in a wider price range. This is largely due to the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion, which has given Canadian oil producers more 'export capacity. * The widening is due to a combination of factors, including the rising production in Canada which has put pressure on its export pipelines as well as normal seasonal patterns. * Oil prices settled lower on Friday, the first trading day in 2026, after registering their biggest annual loss since 2020. Investors weighed geopolitical risk, such as the war in Ukraine, and Venezuelan exports, against oversupply concerns. (Reporting from Arathy S. Somasekhar, Houston; editing by Vijay Kishore.)
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US LNG exports set new records in a banner year that marks new capacity
Preliminary data from LSEG revealed that the U.S. became the first nation to export over?100,000,000 metric tons of liquefied gas (mmt) in a year in 2025,?powered mainly by the start-up of new plants. LSEG data revealed that the world's biggest LNG exporter, Qatar, sold 111 mmt, nearly 20 mmt higher than its nearest competitor and almost 23 mmt higher than last year. Last year, U.S. LNG exports accounted for about a quarter. LSEG data showed that Venture Global's Plaquemines?facility?-the country's second largest export facility - delivered 16,4 mmt by 2025, after sending its initial cargo in December 2024. Alex Munton is the director of Global Gas and LNG for research firm Rapidan Energy Group. He said that 24% growth year-on-year was due to high utilization at onstream terminals, and rapid ramp-up at new facilities. Data showed that the U.S. exports of 11.5 mmt in December were a record. The U.S. will set five monthly production records in 2025. Jason Feer said that the U.S.'s success in achieving 100 mmt of LNG by pulling gas from the grid and selling it free onboard validates its approach to selling the gas on board and ensuring the supply reliability. The LSEG ship tracking data shows that Europe remains a major export market. As the Northern Hemisphere's winter intensified and Europe cut back on its Russian gas purchases, the U.S. exported 9 mmt of LNG to Europe last month. Turkey increased its U.S. Liquefied Natural Gas purchases in December by 1.45 mmt. The data revealed that the U.S. only sold 1,23 mmt (million cubic meters) of superchilled natural gas in December. This is down from the 1.75 mmt it sold in November. Egypt continues to purchase significant quantities of U.S. Liquefied Natural Gas cargoes despite its natural gas shortages. In December, it purchased 0.78 mmt, while the Americas took in 0.42 mmt. Feer believes that the U.S. can increase its production by 20 mmt this year. With Plaquemines aiming to reach full capacity in 2018, Cheniere's modular plants expected to be?either at full volume or ramping-up, and the Golden Pass LNG joint venture between QatarEnergy & Exxon Mobil set to start production in the 1st quarter of 2026. Curtis Williams reported from Houston, and Nathan Crooks edited the story.
Vessel reports being hit by projectile off of Yemen's Hodeidah, Ambrey states
A merchant vessel reported being hit by a projectile 84 nautical miles west of Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah, British security firm Ambrey stated on Thursday.
Ambrey included that no injuries or damage were reported.
The targeted vessel was headed to the eastern city of Dammam, in Saudi Arabia.
(source: Reuters)