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Oneworld Alliance looks to India as a partner in its expansion.
Oneworld Alliance, a 15-member airline group that includes American Airlines, Qantas Airways and other airlines, is looking at a possible Indian airline partner, as the Indian market continues to grow. "India is a marketplace that we all have an interest in finding someone," Nat Pieper, CEO of the company, said on Thursday at a meeting in New York with aviation executives and analysts. Piper stated that adding a new team member is "always difficult" as it must work for both the entire group and each of its 15 members. He added that, given the fact that many of the alliance's members serve India, they are also looking at ways to leverage the joint presence. For example, through a loyalty program or joint lounge initiative. "We have 10 employees who serve in India, so it's a market that is growing at a rapid pace." Hawaiian Airlines will join the alliance by 2026. Alaska Air acquired the airline in 2024. (Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Sonali Paul)
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Panama Canal begins process to select companies to build and operate LPG pipeline
After meeting with interested companies, the Panama Canal Authority announced on Thursday that it had begun a competition to select a company to design, build, and operate a pipeline for transporting liquefied petrol gas (LPG). The project is expected to cost between $4 billion to $8 billion. It will be part of the move by the waterway to increase its services, including trans-shipment, and to generate additional revenue. This follows the Supreme Court's decision last year to expand the area of the waterway. The 2 million-barrel-per-day pipeline alone is forecast to contribute between $1 billion and $1.2 billion to the waterway's annual income, Ricaurte Vasquez, head of the canal, told in an interview after the meetings. The project will move U.S. LPG bound to Asia from the one side to the other of the canal. As part of the plan, a power transmission line will also be built. The canal released a statement saying that Exxon Mobil and Phillips 66 were among the companies who met with the authorities to discuss the pipeline. Other companies included Puma Energy (Puma Energy), SK Energy (SK Energy), Vitol, Mitsubishi Itochu, Sumitomo, Vitol Energy, Energy Transfer Puma Energy. Vasquez, who attended the meeting said that there were many people interested in the project. He added that the next step will be a prequalification process. He said that the winner of the competition will be chosen in the fourth quarter of 2026. A parallel project, to build and operate new ports near the canal, will begin between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. Vasquez stated that the canal expects to make a profit of $3.5 billion in the fiscal year which ends in September. This is in line with last year's result. The canal expects to counteract a decrease in traffic at the end of the fiscal year by consolidating cargo tonnage through the reception of larger vessels. He said, "This year we have seen a change in seasonality, as more cargo is being shipped to the United States, now instead of October-December." (Reporting and editing by Gabriel Araujo, Marguerita Choy and Elida Parraga)
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FedEx's quarterly profits rise, but US tariffs dent 2026 earnings forecast
FedEx posted a higher profit for the quarter, but projected 2026 earnings per shares that were largely below analyst's estimates. This is because it expects to take a hit due to U.S. tariffs ending on low-value direct-to consumer shipments. In extended trading, shares of the company rose by about 6% on Thursday. On May 2, the U.S. government ended the "de minimis exemptions" that allowed packages valued below $800 to be imported duty-free from China and Hong Kong. These shipments represented about three quarters of the roughly 1.4 billion packages which entered the United States every year under this program. On August 29, the U.S. removed "de minimis exemptions" for all countries. FedEx is expected to see the impact of this in its results for the next few quarters. According to data compiled and analyzed by LSEG, Memphis-based package-delivery company expects adjusted earnings for the full year in a range between $17.20 and $19.00 per share. The mid-point is slightly below analyst estimates of $18.21. FedEx has reported an adjusted profit for the first quarter ending August 31 of $0.91 billion or $3.83 a share. This is up from $0.89billion or $3.60 a share in the year before. Since 2023, the company has been working to reduce operating costs by billions of dollars. This was achieved through parking planes and closing facilities. The company has a plan to save $1 billion in the fiscal year ending May 2026. It reported first quarter revenue of $22.2billion, an increase from $21.6billion a year ago. Reporting by Lisa Baertlein from Los Angeles, and Abhinav Paramar from Bengaluru. Editing by Shinjini Ganuli.
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FedEx's earnings forecast for 2026 is below expectations due to US tariff impact
FedEx posted a higher profit for the quarter, but projected earnings per share in 2026 that were largely below analyst's estimates. This is because it expects to take a hit due to U.S. tariffs ending on low-value direct-to consumer shipments. According to data compiled and analyzed by LSEG, the Memphis-based company expects adjusted earnings for full-year in a range between $17.20 and $19.00 per share. The mid-point is slightly below analyst estimates of $18.21. Since 2023, FedEx has been working to reduce operating costs by billions of dollars. This is done through parking planes and closing facilities. It has a plan to save $1 billion in the fiscal year ending May 2026. Analysts and investors are waiting to see if this will be sufficient to counteract the threats of U.S. Trade Policy and global economic uncertainty. The company's adjusted profit for the first quarter ending August 31 was $0.91 billion or $3.83 a share. This is up from $0.89 million or $3.60 a share in the same period last year. Reporting by Lisa Baertlein, Los Angeles; Abhinav Paramar, Bengaluru. Editing by Shinjini Ganuli.
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Texas Governor signs bill to crack down on abortion pills ordered by mail
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a law to clamp down on the mail-order sale of abortion pills, which are already prohibited in his state. The bill empowers private citizens to sue companies and individuals who ship these pills to Texas. Abbott, an anti-abortion Republican who is adamantly opposed to abortion, signed the bill without any announcement on Wednesday night. The bill was passed by the Republican-led state legislature in early October. The bill aims to make it more difficult for women to get the prescription drugs they need to terminate their pregnancy at home, in violation of Texas' ban on abortions. The Texas law has not yet been answered in terms of whether it will affect "shield" laws enacted by Democratic-led states, where abortion is still legal. These laws are intended to protect providers from criminal and civil penalties resulting from abortion laws in another state. In about three months, the Texas measure will take effect. It is similar to an enforcement mechanism for citizens contained in a state law that prohibited abortions when a fetal beat could be detected. Abortion rights advocates claim that pharmacologically-terminated pregnancies account for 63% percent of all abortions in the United States, three years after Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case which established a constitutionally protected right to abortion, was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Telehealth consultations, as well as mail-order deliveries have allowed women to perform abortions at home in areas where the only alternative is for them to travel to another state where abortions are still legal. Turning Citizens into Whistleblowers The new law allows citizens to sue medical providers, pharmaceutical companies and delivery services, as well as individuals who helped women obtain abortion pills mifepristone or misoprostol. If a plaintiff proves their case, they will receive $100,000 per violation. The measure exempts women who use abortion pills from any liability. The use of misoprostol and mifepristone in medically-necessary procedures for miscarriages or ectopic pregnancy is also exempted. If it is shown that shipping companies and drug manufacturers such as FedEx, United Parcel Service, and Amazon.com have adhered to state-imposed bans then they will not be held responsible. John Seago of Texas Right to Life - which heavily lobbied for the bill - said that it was primarily designed to "hold individuals accountable" who mail abortion pills to Texas in order to avoid criminal prosecution. Critics claim that the measure will encourage ordinary citizens to spy on their neighbors. When speaking against the bill, state senator Carol Alvarado (a Democrat from Houston) said: "The bill will only work if we turn Texans on each other." According to Seago’s group, abortion tablets are being imported into Texas at a rate of over 19,000 orders per year from other states and foreign countries. The measure to stop the shipments was modeled on "qui tam," provisions in federal and state False Claims Act laws designed to expose fraud by allowing whistleblowers the opportunity to sue the wrongdoers, and receive a portion of the proceeds. Some social conservatives have used citizen lawsuits in recent years to enforce anti-abortion legislation. In a Texas law passed in 2021, which prohibited abortions after fetal heart activity was detected, a provision was included for citizen lawsuits. In the year following the Supreme Court's Roe decision, Texas and thirteen other states were able to ban all abortions. This led to the anti-abortion movement seeking new enforcement tools. Steve Gorman, Los Angeles (reporting) and Leslie Adler, editing.
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NY asks National Grid for better natgas forecasts in advance of possible NESE pipeline
The New York utility regulator asked some U.S.-based units of UK energy company National Grid to report how they would optimize their natural gas supply if or not the proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline project or NESE is put into service. The New York Public Service Commission, NYPSC, said that if NESE (the proposed gas supply increase from Pennsylvania to New Jersey and New York by Williams Cos Transco), is not put into service, it wants the National Grid companies report on their reliability plans. NYPSC reported that the three National Grid utilities, Brooklyn Union Gas KeySpan Gas East, and Niagara Mohawk Power, serve approximately 2.5 million gas consumers in New York. This makes them the largest natural gas distribution system for the state. Williams canceled the first attempt at building NESE by 2024 largely because of opposition from New York's and New Jersey's environmental regulators. The project was revisited earlier this year, with the support of U.S. president Donald Trump's Administration. NESE, and another gas pipeline proposed by Williams from New York to Pennsylvania have been linked with a deal made between the Trump Administration and New York Governor Kathy Hochul. The Trump administration agreed to lift a federal order that stopped construction on the Norwegian energy company Equinor’s Empire Wind offshore project near New York. Hochul didn't endorse gas pipelines, but she said that New York would collaborate with the U.S. government and private entities to develop projects that met state legal requirements. (Reporting and editing by Scott DiSavino)
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US accelerates power grid projects in AI
The Trump administration launched a new initiative on Thursday to accelerate the development of power plants, transmission lines and other infrastructure as artificial intelligence increases demand. The Department of Energy (DOE) is asking stakeholders, including utilities and transmission managers, for information on investment opportunities near term, the readiness of projects, growth expectations in power demand and any constraints it could address. On his first day in office, Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring a state of energy emergency. Artificial intelligence, data centres, and electric cars are driving the demand for power to its highest level in 20 years. The DOE has ordered that several coal and gas plants, which had planned to close down, continue to operate. This is the latest U.S. effort to support fossil fuels. Trump claims that the rapid adoption of solar power and wind energy has caused U.S. electricity to be unstable and costly, which is why he wants to stop most subsidies. Texas has seen an improvement in reliability, but the grid that uses the most renewable energy in the U.S. is still the one with the highest rate of failure. The DOE will use the Speed to Power program to determine the best way to utilize funding programs, national emergency authorities and grid expansion to increase power generation. DOE has millions of dollars in funding and financing, including through its Loan Programs Office. The DOE cancelled a $4.9billion loan guarantee in July for a transmission system that was supposed to transmit power from Kansas wind and solar projects to cities in Midwest and East. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission also took action on Thursday to improve grid security. FERC has approved and proposed new rules to reduce risks associated with supply chains, cyber attacks, and electrical grid disruptions due to extreme cold. Extreme cold can sometimes cause blackouts. Green energy opponents claim that coal plants scheduled to retire in Trump's second tenure will still be needed. Tom Pyle of the American Energy Alliance predicted that, on Trump's orders or out of their own volition, 38 coal plants scheduled to close by 2028 will remain open. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in July 2025, power plants will burn about 20% more coal in the first quarter of 2025 than in 2024.
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Urals diffs unchanged, September loadings revised
Sources said that the differential between Brent and Urals crudes was stable on Thursday. However, oil loadings at Russia's western port ports were revised due to drone-related damage to refineries and export infrastructure. Two sources familiar with the schedule said that Russia increased its planned oil loads from the Black Sea port Novorossiysk and the Baltic port Ust-Luga for September due to disruptions at Primorsk. Two sources familiar with the situation said that Novatek, a Russian gas company, delivered 70,000 tons of gas to Novorossiysk during the September shutdown of the Ust-Luga complex. As the Ukrainian drone attacks continue traders are predicting that exports could be revised until the end of this month. Ukraine announced on Thursday that drones it had used in Russia struck an oil processing, petrochemical and refinery complex. This was part of a campaign intensifying to disrupt the oil and gas industry in Moscow. PLATTS WINDOW On Thursday, no bids or offers for Urals BTC, Azeri BTC Blend or CPC blend were made in the Platts Window. According to LSEG and industry sources, the freight rates for Very Large Crude Carriers have risen to their highest level in over two years. This is due to a tightening of tanker supplies, a rise in Middle East oil exports, and an increase in arbitrage supplies into Asia. (Reporting and Editing by Alan Barona).
Blinken prompts stop to Middle East dispute as Israel bombs historical Lebanese port city
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pressed on Wednesday for a halt to fighting between Israel and militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, however heavy Israeli air strikes on a large historic Lebanese port city showed that there was no reprieve.
Israel started to bomb the UNESCO-listed port city of Tire on Wednesday approximately 3 hours after issuing an order online for homeowners to leave central locations. Substantial clouds of thick smoke billowed above residential buildings.
Tens of thousands of individuals had actually currently run away Tyre in current weeks as Israel steps up its project to destroy Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, both close allies of Iran.
The port is normally a busy hub for the south - with fishermen, travelers, and even U.N. peacekeepers on a break from releases near the border spending quality time there by the sea. However Israel's evacuation orders this week for the city have for the very first time included swathes of it, including right as much as its ancient castle.
Blinken, who has actually travelled to the Middle East routinely because the outbreak of the war, is making his very first journey given that Israel eliminated the leader of Hamas recently, which Washington hopes can provide a new incentive for peace talks.
The journey is the last significant U.S. peace push before a Nov. 5 governmental election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, which could overthrow U.S. policy in the area.
Washington is likewise seeking to head off a more widening of the conflict in anticipation of Israeli retaliation for an Iranian Oct. 1 rocket attack, released by Tehran in solidarity with Hezbollah and Hamas. Blinken stated on Wednesday that Israel's retaliation should not result in greater escalation.
In Lebanon, Israel's armed force said it had killed 3 Hezbollah leaders and some 70 fighters in the south in the past 2 days, a day after verifying it had eliminated Hashem Safieddine, the militant group's successor apparent leader.
Blinken, who held talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his very first stop, said it was time for Israel to capitalise on its military victories.
Now is the time to turn those successes into a long-lasting tactical success, he informed press reporters as he prepared to leave for Saudi Arabia on the next stage of his regional trip. The. focus needs to be on getting the captives home, ending this war. and having a clear plan for what follows.
Blinken's check out to Jordan, prepared for Wednesday, was. held off, Jordan's foreign minister stated, without offering a. reason or rescheduled date.
In the year considering that fighters rampaged through Israeli towns. eliminating 1,200 people and catching more than 250 captives,. Israel has actually laid the Gaza Strip to lose to root out Hamas,. killing almost 43,000 Palestinians.
Recently Israel eliminated the Palestinian militant group's. leader Yahya Sinwar, presumed mastermind of the Oct. 7, 2023. attacks.
Over the past month it has likewise considerably ramped up war. in Lebanon versus Hezbollah, a separate Iran-backed militant. group that had actually rocketed Israel in assistance of the Palestinians. Israel has actually launched a ground offensive and killed most of. Hezbollah's leadership in air campaign that have displaced 1.2. million individuals.
POSSIBILITY FOR PEACE?
Washington views the death of Sinwar as an opportunity to promote. peace, as it would now be simpler for Netanyahu to argue that. significant goals have been achieved in Gaza.
Blinken said new solutions were being examined in an. effort to win freedom for hostages kept in Gaza and bring an end. to the war.
Still, there has been no sign of a letup in battling. Hamas. says it will not free ratings of hostages it is still holding. without an Israeli guarantee to end the war in Gaza. Israel states. it will not stop combating in Gaza up until Hamas is wiped out,. and in Lebanon until Hezbollah no longer postures a hazard.
Diplomats say Israel is pressing its military advantage to. lock in a strong position before a new U.S. administration takes. office following the Nov. 5 election.
Israel's armed force said its forces in southern Lebanon were. continuing to perform restricted, localised, targeted raids. versus Hezbollah terrorist facilities and operatives.
Over the previous day, the troops removed around 70. terrorists in ground and aerial strikes, it said.
Israel's offensive has actually driven at least 1.2 million Lebanese. from their homes and killed 2,530 individuals, consisting of a minimum of 63. over the previous 24 hours, the Lebanese federal government stated on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the armed force stated it had actually validated the killing. Safieddine, successor apparent to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. who was eliminated in an Israeli attack last month. The military. said Safieddine was killed in a strike three weeks ago in. Beirut's southern suburbs; Israel had previously said he had. probably been killed but had stopped short of confirming it.
There was no instant response from Hezbollah, which. Nasrallah turned into an effective military and political force. now faces its most severe problems given that it was formed by. Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982 to counter an Israeli. intrusion of Lebanon.
(source: Reuters)