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FAA delays flights as shutdown enters Day 31
Federal Aviation Administration delayed flights on Friday at airports in Austin and Newark, as staffing issues continue to cause delays and the government shutdown enters its 31st week. The FAA reported that there were staffing problems at nine FAA facilities on Friday, and said this was likely to cause delays in flights later for Houston and Dallas airports. Flight delays averaged 61 minutes in Nashville, 50 minutes in Austin and 101 minutes in Newark. FlightAware, a tracking website for aviation, reported that 2,200 U.S. flight delays and 300 cancellations had occurred as of 12:25 p.m. ET. On Thursday, there were 1,250 canceled flights and 7,300 flight delays in the United States. Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation secretary, said that he expected more flight delays to occur in the next few days. Duffy told Fox News' America's Newsroom that there would be more disruptions to the airspace this weekend, and the following week. Staffing shortages in air traffic control caused delays on Thursday at Orlando, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Washington, D.C. The shutdown forced 13,000 air-traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to work for free. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines have all called for Congress to pass a temporary funding bill so that the government can reopen, and to continue discussions on healthcare policy disagreements. Transportation Department officials said that the shutdown caused flight delays because of air traffic controllers' absences. The airlines have repeatedly called for an end to this shutdown, citing safety concerns. The shutdown has worsened existing staffing shortages and threatens to cause widespread disruptions. Even before the shutdown, many air traffic controllers were working six-day weekends and mandatory overtime. (Reporting and editing by Andrea Ricci; David Shepardson)
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Staff of the Border Force patrolling UK waters are planning a strike over pay
The union that represents British Border Force employees announced on Friday, more than 120 staff members who patrol Britain's waterways in "sometimes harrowing" roles plan to go on strike on November 14, to protest pay and working conditions. Most of the UK Border Force's 10,000 staff members work in ports and airports across the UK and abroad. The website of the agency does not provide a breakdown showing how many people are employed to patrol the waters in the UK. The union representing Britain's Public and Commercial Services said that the government started a review of the issue six years ago, addressing the need for standardisation in pay and roles. However, despite long discussions the concerns of the members have not been addressed. The UK interior ministry didn't immediately respond to an inquiry about the planned stoppage of one day or the status on the review. The union stated that workers are involved in dangerous tasks such as patrolling for illegal entry or smuggling into the UK and boarding vessels to inspect them, responding to incidents including small boats with asylum seekers, and boarding vessels for inspection. The Labour Party of British Prime Minister Keir starmer, which is trailing in the polls, has promised to crush the gangs that traffic migrants into Britain via small boats. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, a populist party with a strong political agenda has also made illegal immigration a key issue. In a statement, PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote stated that "this strike sends a message clear to the Home Office": We will not accept further delays or inadequate proposals. Heathcote said, "We are prepared to escalate the situation if needed." (Reporting and editing by Muvija m; Alexander Smith).
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Buffett will send a letter to his children and shareholders as well as Abel's annual letter, according to WSJ
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Buffett's assistant said Warren Buffett would release a letter on November 10 to his children and Berkshire Hathaway's shareholders. Greg Abel, who will become Berkshire Hathaway's chief executive in February, will write Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder's letter. Buffett will step down from his role as chief executive officer at the end this year. He will, however, remain chairman. Abel is a vice chairman of Berkshire but has taken on additional responsibilities since Buffett announced a management change during Berkshire’s annual meeting held May 3. Buffett plans to join other directors in the audience, and not on stage, for next year's meeting. Berkshire has not responded to any requests for comment since Friday. The Omaha-based conglomerate, which will announce its third-quarter results this Saturday. Buffett's letter of November 10, to his children Susie and Howard, and to shareholders is not clear. Buffett sent letters to his family in November 2023, and again in November 2024. In these letters he discussed estate planning. He also expressed gratitude for the opportunities that the U.S. offers. He announced four donations to family charities. Howard Buffett will eventually become the non-executive Chairman of Berkshire. New York Newsroom reported the story.
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Portugal announces that the sale of TAP Airlines has cross-party support
The government of Portugal expects that the partial privatisation process for flag carrier TAP will proceed smoothly. This is due to a rare political consensus across parties and interest shown by Europe's biggest airlines, Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz stated on Friday. He stated that the centre-right minority government initially wanted to offer 100% of TAP but settled for 49.9% when the two major opposition parties threatened to stop any larger sale. This led to a “broad consensus” in parliament with the extreme right Chega and Socialist parties. He told a committee of parliament that "dialogue and mutual respect is always the best way for politics." To ensure transparency, the sale of the property will be reviewed and monitored by an independent commission as well as a working group within the parliament. Portugal has relaunched its long-delayed TAP privatisation in July. The aim is to sell a stake of 44.9% to a carrier that can bring global scale and competition, plus an additional 5% for TAP staff. Airlines interested in TAP are required to submit a formal "manifestation" of interest by November 21, and non-binding bids by the end the year. Lufthansa and Air France-KLM have expressed interest in purchasing TAP. British Airways and IAG, the owner of British Airways, also met with the government last year.
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KLM signs two-year contract with unions of ground staff
Dutch airline KLM announced on Friday it had reached a deal with five unions that represent ground staff in The Netherlands for a two-year agreement that included pay increases, bonuses and improved retirement options. The Collective Labor Agreement (CLA), which is retroactive to March 1, this year and ends on February 28, 2027, will be in effect. This includes a salary increase of 3.25 percent in total as well as a one-time payment of 500 euros ($583) net in December 2025, and 250 euros in January 2026. KLM has also agreed to permanentize the 80-90-100% scheme, which allows older workers to work 90% of their working hours and still accrue full pension. "We are happy that we reached an agreement with all five unions. We have reached solid agreements with KLM on remunerations, career development and productivity. The agreement came amid ongoing labor unrest in KLM. Two major unions, FNV and CNV, had rejected the September deal with other unions and continued to organize strikes.
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Tanzania opposition claims hundreds of deaths in protests against voting
Tanzania's main Opposition Party said that hundreds of people were killed this week in protests against elections throughout the country, while the government claimed it was restoring the order following "isolated" incidents. The United Nations has confirmed credible reports that at least ten people have been killed in protests across three cities. This is the first estimate of fatalities made public by any international body since the vote on Wednesday. The government hasn't responded to any requests for comment or released any estimates of casualties. Could not independently verify these figures. Since Wednesday, protesters have been taking to the streets in anger over the exclusion of the two main challengers to President Samia Hassan from the race. They also criticized what they called widespread repression. Police have been accused of using tear gas and firearms to disperse some protests, according to witnesses. The police have imposed a curfew overnight in Dar es Salaam's commercial capital over the last two nights, after burning down government offices and other structures. Since Wednesday, internet access has been interrupted. HIGH SECURITY PRESENCE On Friday, the military and police patrolled Dar es Salaam's streets to prevent people from moving without a valid excuse. The government has extended the order for civil servants to work from home. John Kitoka, a spokesperson of the CHADEMA Party which was banned from the elections for refusing to adhere to a code and whose leader was arrested in April for treason, said that the party has documented 700 deaths based on the accounts of health workers. He said that protests were still ongoing in several cities on Friday, but they had diminished in others due to heavy security deployment. He said: "We want the protests continue until we get our electoral reforms." Hassan faces a challenge in the unrest. He was praised for his easing of repression after taking office 2021, but has faced criticism more recently from opposition parties and activists following a series arrests and allegations of abductions. Hassan denies allegations of widespread human rights abuses. She claimed that she ordered an investigation last year into reports of abductions. However, no official findings were released. Thursday, the electoral commission announced provisional results of the election. Hassan won a majority in several constituencies. GOVERNMENT : "NORMALICY WILL RETURN" The first direct comments from her government on the unrest were made on Friday by the Foreign Affairs Ministry in a broadcasted message to diplomatic missions on state television. In the message, it was stated that "due to isolated incidents where law and order were violated, the government has increased security and taken other precautionary steps." The statement added that the security measures are temporary, but necessary. Normalcy is expected to return soon. Seif Magango, spokesperson for the U.N. Human rights office, told reporters in Geneva that there are credible reports of 10 deaths in Dar es Salaam and Shinyanga. He urged the protesters to remain peaceful and called for security forces to "refrain from excessive or unnecessary force". A Dar es Salaam local, who requested anonymity for safety, said that a family had lost a member when a protester was mistakenly shot outside a hospital. No one from the police department responded to our requests for comment. In a joint statement released on Thursday, two members of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee called the election a fraud, saying that it "took place in an atmosphere of intimidation and fear". The article was written by Vincent Mumo Nzilani, George Obulutsa and edited by Aaron Ross. Ros Russell and Andrew Heavens.
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ITA Airways will resume flights from and to Tel Aviv on January 1, 2019.
Italy's ITA Airways has announced that it will resume direct flights to Tel Aviv on January 1. This will restore connections with Rome's Fiumicino airport, the main airport. According to the statement, the company, which is part of the Lufthansa Group, will operate at first two daily routes between Tel Aviv and the rest of Europe. The route is "of strategic importance to ITA Airways, and it represents a significant move for Italy. It further strengthens the commercial, cultural, and social ties between Italy and the United States." Hamas has reached a fragile truce with Israel this month, brokered by U.S. president Donald Trump. The deal is being tested periodically by violent outbreaks, as part of the conflict that was sparked by the October 7, 2020 attack by the militants group. As a result, several airlines have suspended flights in the past two years.
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Asia spot prices stable on ample stocks and tepid Demand
The Asian spot price of liquefied gas held steady in this week's market, despite a tepid global demand and healthy stocks. Average LNG price for delivery to North-east Asia in December Industry sources estimate that the price per million British Thermal Units (mmBtu) was $11.10, a slight drop from $11.20/mmBtu in the previous week. Arturo Regalado is Kpler's senior LNG analyst. He said that while Asian LNG prices were supported by higher European prices last week, this week's gains were limited by weaker Asian fundamentals. He said that he expects Asian LNG prices to remain stable next week due to the fact that weaker industrial gas demand and lower gas-fired usage in China combined with higher than average Japanese LNG inventories for December will cap any upside. The data from the Ministry of Industry shows that the LNG stocks of the major Japanese electric utilities increased to 1.97 million tonnes for the week ending October 26 compared with 1.84 million tons in October last year. Martin Senior, Argus' head of LNG prices, added that supply expectations were also confirmed this week by the cooling-down cargo declaration at the Golden Pass U.S. export terminal and Shell's announcement of the impending start of the second LNG Canada train. In Europe, S&P Global Commodity Insights estimated its daily Northwest Europe LNG Marker for cargoes to be delivered in December ex-ship at $10.126/mmBtu. This is a $0.53/mmBtu reduction from the December price at Dutch TTF hub. Spark Commodities estimated the November price to be $9.907/mmBtu. Regalado said that the abundance of LNG and pipeline supply helped to keep prices down, while the warmer weather and increased wind output also kept gas-fired generators in check. Last week, hedge funds and institutional investors began selling TTF futures, reinforcing that the bullish sentiment in the EU Gas market has collapsed, according to independent gas analyst Seb Knastle. The U.S. arbitrage for the front month to Northeast Asia via Cape of Good Hope has now been closed, and is marginally pointing towards Europe rather than Asia. However, the arbitrage through Panama remains open, according to Spark Commodities analyst Qasim Afghanistan. He added that LNG freight rates have risen to $61,250/day in the Atlantic, and to $41,250/day in Pacific. Harikrishnan Nair, Harikrishnan Chow and Emily Chow contributed to this report.
Stranded aid trucks in Egypt deepen Gaza's humanitarian crisis
ARISH, Egypt, July 8 () Hundreds of trucks loaded with food and water have been stranded on a scorching Egyptian roadway, some for nearly two months, waiting for consent to provide the much needed humanitarian supplies to wartorn Gaza.
About 50 kilometres from the Gaza border, trucks carrying flour, water and other help line a dusty road in both directions. The motorists state they have been waiting for numerous weeks in the scorching Egyptian summertime heat.
The standstill is intensifying Gaza's dire humanitarian crisis after nine months of war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. Help groups warn there is a high danger of famine across the besieged coastal area.
The truck drivers, parked on the borders of the Egyptian city of al-Arish in the Sinai Peninsula, state they have been unable to provide humanitarian supplies ever since Israel expanded its offensive on the Gaza-Egypt border in May.
Some food has had to be disposed of, they stated.
I swear to God, before this load, we came here and stood for more than 50 days and ultimately the load was returned since it had actually expired, stated truck motorist Elsayed el-Nabawi.
We had to reverse and return it. We loaded another batch, and here we are standing again and only God knows if this load will make it before it expires or what will take place to it.
The Israeli military began its attack on the southern Gazan city of Rafah in May. The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, a lifeline to the outside world for Gazans, enabling the delivery of help and the evacuation of clients, has been shut since then.
Talks involving Egypt, the United States and Israel have stopped working to reopen Rafah, where Egypt wants a Palestinian presence restored on the Gazan side of the border. Israeli flags now fly over Gazan structures destroyed along the border with Egypt.
We've been stranded here for over a month waiting to provide this load. We have actually waiting on our turn however absolutely nothing yet said Ahmed Kamel, another of the truck drivers, who sit by their cars consuming tea and cigarette smoking.
We do not understand our fate - when we will be able to enter? Today? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? Just God knows. Will the things we're carrying hold up or the majority of it will go bad?
Help and commercial materials have actually still gotten in Gaza through other land border crossings, through air drops and by sea, however aid groups and Western diplomats state the products are far below needs. The drivers state they are waiting for Israeli authorization.
' TROUBLES'
Circulation of help in Gaza was difficult even before Israel's assault on Rafah. Israel has implemented limitations on items going into the enclave, saying it wants to avoid them reaching Hamas. Some aid convoys have also been hit in Israeli military strikes, resulting in deaths of help workers.
Palestinian gangs inside Gaza have actually likewise supposedly sought to steal help and commercial supplies getting in the area of some 2.3 million Palestinians. Desperate Palestinians have also overloaded trucks, taking much required humanitarian supplies.
A senior official at the Israeli foreign ministry said the backlog of help in Egypt was due to humanitarian help that has accumulated on the Gazan side of the Kerem Shalom crossing point, creating a stockpile of around 1,200 truckloads worth of help.
The authorities said that while Israel continued to assist in the entry of products into Gaza, the circulation network inside Gaza run by global groups had actually been interfered with in current months, blaming regional Palestinian lawbreaker gangs and Hamas.
The Israeli armed force, which oversees coordination of aid in Gaza, has actually stated that it is letting in enough food in from Israel and Egypt for the whole population. It has also acknowledged that aid companies deal with troubles in carrying food as soon as it has actually gone into through crossing points, including from Israel.
Maha Barakat, an assistant minister in the United Arab Emirates foreign ministry and a qualified medical physician, stated Palestinians who were able to leave Gaza were malnourished.
The UAE has been associated with medical evacuations from Gaza.
They are becoming thinner and thinner, Barakat informed aboard a UAE federal government chartered flight to al-Arish, which the lack of nutrition implied injuries were unable to heal.
It is ending up being more than simply injuries of war, she stated.
(source: Reuters)