Latest News
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Auckland Airport welcomes regulator’s decision that an airport investigation was not necessary
Auckland International Airport welcomed on Monday the New Zealand Commerce Commission’s decision to not launch an official inquiry into airport regulations as Air New Zealand requested. In 2024, the country's flagship airline had called for an investigation, expressing concerns about Auckland Airport's plans to redevelop and its proposal that it partially fund the project by increasing airline charges. It also argued that the airport's price framework was not subject to sufficient regulatory oversight. The competition regulator announced on Monday that it concluded such a move would be unnecessary and add to costs for the sector. The airport operator has launched a 10-year NZ$5.7bn ($3.31bn) infrastructure programme to boost capacity and improve customer experience. Air New Zealand's claims regarding the future cost of infrastructure are speculative. Carrie Hurihanganui, Chief Executive Officer of Auckland Airport, said that they have relied on conjecture in order to place a price on our draft Master Plan. ($1 = 1.7245 New Zealand dollars) Reporting by Roshan Thomsen in Bengaluru, Editing by Cynthia Osterman & Diane Craft
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Rescue of hundreds of trekkers from the Tibetan side of Mount Everest
Rescuers guided hundreds of trekkers trapped by a blizzard in Tibet near the eastern face Mount Everest to safety, Chinese state-run media reported Sunday. The Himalayas were pounded by unusually heavy rain and precipitation. China Central Television (CCTV), reported that 350 trekkers reached Qudang on Sunday. Contact was made with the other 200 trekkers. This week, China's National Day holiday allowed hundreds of people to visit the remote valley of Karma that leads to the eastern Kangshung Face of Everest. The snowfall began in the valley on Friday night and continued throughout Saturday. CCTV reported that the remaining trekkers would arrive in Qudang over a period of time, with the help and guidance of rescuers arranged by the local authorities. According to a report earlier by the state-backed Jimu News, hundreds of local villagers had been deployed and teams of rescuers to remove snow that was blocking access to this area. Jimu News reported that almost 1,000 people were trapped. The CCTV report didn't mention if the local guides and staff who supported the trekking groups had been found. Also, it was unclear whether or not trekkers in Tibet near the north face Everest had also been affected. Due to its easy accessibility by paved roads, the north face of Everest regularly attracts large numbers of tourists. The peak season is October, when the skies clear after the Indian monsoon. According to announcements posted on the official WeChat account of Tingri County Tourism Company, the sale of tickets and entry into the Everest Scenic Area was suspended as of late Saturday. Heavy rains in Nepal's south have triggered flash floods and landslides that have washed out bridges, blocked roads and killed 47 people. 35 people were killed in separate landslides that occurred in the eastern Ilam District, which borders India. Nine people are reported missing, after they were swept away in floodwaters. Three others died in lightning strikes in other parts of the country. (Reporting from Casey Hall in Shanghai, and Ryan Woo at Beijing; Editing and Lincoln Feast by Louise Heavens and Lincoln Feast)
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Russia condemns U.S. strike on alleged drug vessel near Venezuela
Russia condemned the U.S. attack on a vessel suspected of carrying illegal drugs near the Venezuelan coast and warned of the dangers of escalation by the U.S. in the Caribbean region. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Sergei Lavrov's, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs under Vladimir Putin, spoke by phone with his Venezuelan counterpart Yvan Gil on Sunday. The ministry reported that "Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia strongly condemned the new strike of the U.S. military on a vessel in international waters near Venezuela on October 3," The ministers "expressed serious concern over Washington's escalating action in the Caribbean Sea, which is fraught with grave consequences for the entire region," the statement said. The October 3 attack on the vessel that Washington accused of carrying "substantial quantities of narcotics" to America in order to poison its people killed four people. Moscow stated that "there is no certainty" that the United States would not link their declared war on drug cartels to the situation in Haiti. Russia has also warned against attempts to interpret a UN resolution in a broad way. Security Council Resolution to More than Double The size of a 15-month old underfunded and understaffed mission to combat armed gangs on Haiti. Russia, China, and Pakistan did not vote in favor of the measure proposed by the United States and Panama. The 13 remaining council members voted for the measure. The Russian Ministry said that "the Russian side has confirmed their full support and solidarity with the leadership of Venezuela and the people in this current context." Louise Heavens/Guy Faulconbridge edited the report by Louise Heavens.
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German Defence Minister: Build defences but avoid Putin's "escalation trap"
Germany's defence minister has said that it must improve its antidrone defences. However, he warned against an impulsive response to Russian airspace incursions as this could lead the country into "Putin’s escalationtrap". Boris Pistorius made his remarks in a Handelsblatt interview after drone sightings caused dozens of flights to be cancelled and over 10,000 passengers to be stranded at the Munich Airport this weekend. The authorities have not yet assigned blame but they have stated that Russia is responsible for the recent incursions of aircraft and sightings of these aircraft in Ukraine's European Allies airspace. "Putin is very familiar with Germany," Pistorius, who worked as a KGB agent for the Soviet Union in East Germany during the 1980s, said. "We must not fall into Putin's trap of escalation," he said. He told Handelsblatt that if we shot down an aeroplane, he'd claim it was a pilot error. The role of the state in defence companies He said that Germany must take a comprehensive view of all threats and not just drone incursions in order to make connections between events which may seem unrelated. He said: "Say that there are many forest fires in multiple regions or power outages at the same time." "All data relevant for assessing Germany’s security situation should flow into a single location." Germany should take a similar approach to France and actively manage important defense companies. He said that "firms with key technology need to be preserved." "I'm convinced that we need state shares: to keep jobs and know-how in Germany." FCAS DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE SOON Pistorius also warned that without a clear commitment by all three governments to the joint Franco-German-Spanish warplane project FCAS, Germany would withdraw. He said: "I will talk to my counterparts once there is a French Government." "The Chancellor is in complete agreement with me that a decision must be made by the end the year... We will cut the cord if we don't." He warned Washington about rumours that its F-35 aircraft would have a "kill button" to control the way customers use it. He said: "If such limitations existed - which they do not - U.S. Industry would look unreliable and no one would buy from them." (Reporting and Editing by Ros Russel)
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Russia launches drones and missiles at western Ukraine. Poland scrambles its aircraft
NATO member Poland scrambled its aircraft early Sunday morning to ensure the safety of the air after Russia launched airstrikes against Ukraine. Ukrainian officials reported missiles and drones falling on the Lviv area near the Polish border. In a recent post, Poland's operational control said that "Polish aircraft and allied aircraft operate in our airspace while ground-based radar reconnaissance and air defence systems have been brought up to the highest level of readiness." After Poland shot down suspected Russian aircraft in its airspace, in September, eastern-flank NATO member countries are on high alert. Drone sightings and air incursions have caused chaos in European aviation, including in Copenhagen, Munich and elsewhere. Lithuania's Vilnius airport was closed overnight for several hours after reports that a series of balloons may have been heading toward the airport on Saturday evening. Flightradar24 reports that early Sunday morning, commercial flights used routes typically used during the closure of Poland's Lublin airport and Rzeszow near the Ukrainian border. Flightradar24's report could not be independently verified. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration website did not immediately post any notices about possible disruptions to flights in Rzeszow or Lublin. Eurocontrol, the European air traffic controller, has warned that delays are likely to be high in airspace controlled by Poland because of the "Ukraine Situation". All of Ukraine is under threat Ukraine's Air Force warned that all of the country is under threat from new Russian missiles at 0300 GMT. This follows hours of warnings about drones and missiles, as well as air raid alerts. Andriy Sadovyi is the mayor of Lviv, a city in western Ukraine about 70 km from the Polish border. He said that missiles were heading towards the city, after the air defence systems had already been heavily engaged to repel a Russian drone strike. Witnesses reported hearing the sound of air defence systems operating from all directions. Russia has not yet commented on the potential damage. Both sides have launched air attacks to destroy infrastructure that is deemed vital to the war effort, such as energy and transport facilities. Reporting by Lidia Kelley in Melbourne and Andriy Parun in Lviv, editing by Jamie Freed
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Vilnius Airport suspends all traffic due to possible balloons in the airspace
Lithuania suspended air traffic on Vilnius Airport because balloons may have flown in its airspace. Flights were diverted to other countries, said the airport operator late Saturday. In recent weeks, drone sightings have caused havoc in European aviation. This has happened at airports such as Copenhagen and Munich. "Attention: the airspace above Vilnius Airport has been closed," the airport stated in a website statement. The closure is expected to last up until 2:30 am local time (2330 GMT). Flights diverted to Poland and Latvia The airport website and airline announcements are the best places to check for updates, according to the statement. According to our information the decision was taken due to an alleged series of balloons headed toward Vilnius Airport. Flights have been impacted as a result," the airport announced on social media. The operator reported that most incoming flights had been redirected towards neighbouring Latvia and Poland while departures had been cancelled. One flight from Copenhagen was diverted to Denmark. In August, NATO member Lithuania said that it had declared an 90-km-long (56-mile-long) no-fly-zone parallel to its border with Belarus in response to drones coming from there. This would allow the armed forces of Lithuania to respond to violations. Lithuania, which is a staunch supporter of Ukraine shares a border of 679 km (422 miles) with Belarus, an ally of Russia. Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is located about 30 km away from the border. Reporting by Nerijus Adomiaitis in Oslo and Terje Solsvik Editing by Matthew Lewis, Rod Nickel
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China cancels some flights when Typhoon Matmo approaches Hainan during high holiday travel
Chinese authorities have cancelled flights and ferries on Hainan Saturday night, before Typhoon Matmo strikes the province in the south. This is likely to disrupt a busy holiday travel season for the island resort. The official Xinhua agency reported that all flights from and to the international airport of the provincial capital Haikou are expected to be canceled at 11 p.m. Sanya's Maritime Safety Bureau, the resort city of Hainan, has also announced that all tourist ferries and ships will be banned in its jurisdiction as of 6 p.m. Sunday is expected to be a landfall day Matmo is expected to land around noon Sunday, after it has approached east of Hainan. Its maximum wind speed will be between 42 and 48 meters per second. Haikou will stop all schooling, work, and transport on Sunday afternoon, Xinhua reported, while Zhanjiang, a port city in Guangdong, is also planning to do this. Xinhua reported on Wednesday that during the eight-day holiday, which begins with China's National Day, on October 1, the average daily trip is expected to increase by 3.2% compared to the same period in the previous year. According to Hainan official social media, Haikou planned more than 150 cultural events, including sports competitions, and Sanya planned 170 arts and tourism activities during the holiday season. Citing meteorological experts, the state media CCTV asked the public to be vigilant, as Matmo would have a severe impact on tourism and transport during a busy travel period. At noon, the Hong Kong Observatory upgraded its Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal to Strong Wind No. 3 and said it would assess whether higher signals are needed later on Saturday. The Hong Kong Observatory raised its tropical cyclone warning signal to Strong Wind Signal No. 3 at 12 noon and said that it would evaluate the need for higher signs later on Saturday. The observatory reported on Friday that the financial hub had issued 12 tropical-cyclone warnings this year. This is the highest number since 1946. Clare Jim is the reporter. (Editing by William Mallard, Mark Potter and Clare Jim)
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Russian strikes passenger train in Ukraine injuring dozens
Officials said that a Russian drone struck a passenger train in a station at the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, injuring several dozen people. "A brutal Russian strike on the railway in Shostka region, Sumy," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted on Telegram. He included a video showing a burning wrecked passenger carriage, as well as others that had their windows blown out. He claimed that dozens of rail workers and passengers were injured. Oleh Hryhorov, regional governor of Ukraine, said that the attack occurred on a train traveling from Shostka towards the capital Kyiv. He said that medics and rescuers had been working at the scene. Oksana Tarasiuk, the head of district administration in the area, told Ukraine's national broadcaster that the strike had injured about 30 people. In the immediate aftermath, no fatalities were reported. The Russians couldn't have been unaware they were attacking civilians. Zelenskiy wrote that the world cannot ignore this act of terrorism. In the past two months, Moscow has intensified its airstrikes against Ukraine's rail infrastructure. It has been hitting it nearly every day. (Reporting and editing by Max Hunder. Editing by Alexandra Hudson. Mark Potter (Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
Asia LNG spot prices fall to a three-week low due to tepid demand
The Asian spot price of liquefied gas (LNG), which is a form of natural gas, fell to its lowest level in three weeks on Friday due to the lacklustre demand for gas and the decline in European wholesale prices.
Average LNG price for April deliveries to North-east Asia
Charles Costerousse is a senior LNG analyst with data analytics firm Kpler. He said, "We are bearish on Asian LNG prices due to the expectation of mild temperatures in north-east Asia during March and a recovery in LNG supply."
Martin Senior, Argus' head of LNG pricing, stated that Japanese stock levels have been depleted due to a recent cold snap, but spot demand has been low.
He added that prices are still too high for second-tier Chinese buyers as well as Indian firms. This is limiting the demand on the spot market in Asia.
Gas prices in Europe fell this week to near four-weeks lows, but they have since stabilized as the U.S. talks with Ukraine to end the conflict and EU member states are discussing the relaxation of storage targets.
Alex Froley is a senior LNG analyst with ICIS. He said that market volatility could still lead to large price swings, depending on the outcome the Ukraine peace negotiations and EU storage goals.
The European Commission, according to a draft EU document, will be working on a more flexible target for EU countries in order to fill their gas storages ahead of the winter after being concerned that strict deadlines might drive up prices.
"Fundamentally the European storage is still lower than in the past two mild winters, but it will be sufficient for the rest of the winter. It will take a large amount of gas to fill up before the next winter. Froley said that this will help keep the prices stable throughout summer.
According to Florence Schmit, energy strategist at Rabobank, Europe may need to import 70 billion cubic meters (bcms) of LNG in the summer to fill the storage sites for next winter.
Schmit said that if storage targets were relaxed this year, the strength of summer prices relative to winter prices would diminish.
S&P Global Commodity Insights estimated its daily North West Europe (NWM) LNG Marker price benchmark on a basis of ex-ship (DES), for cargoes to be delivered in April, at $13.927/mmBtu. This represents a $0.67/mmBtu reduction from the April gas prices at the Dutch TTF Hub. This marks an 8% decline weekly.
Spark Commodities set the price for delivery in March at $13,96/mmBtu.
Qasim Afghanistan, Spark Commodities analyst, says that the U.S. arbitrage for north-east Asia through the Cape of Good Hope has decreased for the fourth consecutive week. However it still indicates the U.S. cargoes have an incentive to be delivered to Europe and not Asia.
Afghan said that global LNG freight rates have recovered from previous record lows. On Friday, Atlantic rates were $6,250/day and Pacific rates were at a new record low of $10,000/day.
(source: Reuters)