Latest News
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Kuwait airport damaged by drones. Radar system damaged. No casualties reported
Kuwait 'International Airport 'was targeted by multiple drone attacks Saturday, causing significant damage to the radar system, but resulting in no injuries, according to state news agency KUNA, citing Kuwait Civil Aviation Authority. Later, the spokesperson for the authority said that the attacks were perpetrated by Iran and its proxies as well as the armed groups it supports. Kuwait's fire department, meanwhile said a??fire? that broke out??? in fuel tanks at an airport on Wednesday after a previous drone assault had been extinguished AFTER 58 CONSECUTIVE HOURS, KUNA reported??on Saturday?. Tehran launched strikes on Israel, as well as on Gulf Arab states that host U.S. military bases. Israel has launched attacks on Hezbollah fighters who are aligned with Iran in Lebanon. The Houthis of?Yemen have started launching missiles against Israel to?support Iran.
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Sources say that Italy's Poste wants to meet with Telecom Italia over the takeover bid
Two sources familiar with the matter confirmed on Saturday that Poste Italiane?has requested a meeting at which the chief executive of the postal services group, Matteo Del Fante, could present its 10.8 billion euro ($12 million) cash and share bid for the former telephone monopoly. Poste, a state-backed conglomerate, announced last Sunday a plan to privatize TIM and create a digital champion in the country. This would strengthen the control of critical data for households and corporations by the government. The offer was not previously agreed upon with TIM. Sources said Del Fante had sent a request to TIM directors asking for an opportunity to present the offer. Poste, which offers services in logistics, payments, broadband, insurance, and financials, forecasts 700 million euro of annual benefits from the merger. Poste would gain control over TIM's network of data centres and its cybersecurity division Telsy. This deal would expand Poste's digital services for consumers, large businesses, and governments. Sources said that TIM's 'directors' will discuss Del Fante’s request during a meeting scheduled for Sunday. They added that the presentation of the bid 'was expected to happen in the next few weeks'. Poste and TIM declined to comment. On Sunday, TIM directors will also be expected to select advisers who will help them assess?Poste bid. Sources said that the TIM board will also decide on a?premature termination of a contract with Inwit for a long term, similar to a move made by Swisscom?s?Fastweb?. Poste is TIM’s?leading shareholder with 27%?of its ordinary share capital. This stake will drop to close to 20% when TIM converts special shares that it has outstanding in ordinary stock.
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The thieves steal 12 tons KitKat bars from Europe
Nestle, a Swiss food giant, said that thieves stole the truck carrying 12 tons of KitKat bars in Europe. Nestle's KitKat said that the truck carrying 413 793 bars of their new chocolate range set out from central Italy to distribute the chocolate across Europe but never arrived at its final destination, Poland. The vehicle as well as the merchandise are still missing. Nestle has not revealed where the truck went missing. In a separate announcement, KitKat said that the bars missing can be traced via a unique batch code. Anyone who scans the batch numbers of?the stolen bars will receive instructions on how?to contact KitKat. KitKat stated that "cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of every size." (Writing and editing by Dave Graham)
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Bloomberg News reports that Saudi pipeline bypasses Hormuz and pumps 7 million barrels per day of oil.
Bloomberg News reported that Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, which circumvents the Strait of Hormuz and pumps?oil to its full capacity of 7 million barrels per day, according to a source familiar with the issue. Bloomberg reported that Saudi Arabia exports 5 million barrels of crude oil a day from its Yanbu port, located on the?Red Sea. The country also exports 700,000 to 900,000 barrels per day in oil products. Could not verify the report immediately. Aramco, the Saudi Arabian oil company, did not immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Aramco CEO Amin Nasser had earlier told reporters on a March earnings call that it was expected the East-West pipe to reach its full capacity 7 million bpd within the next few days as customers reroute. Conflict in the Gulf Region, triggered by U.S. The conflict in the Gulf region,?triggered by?U.S. Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. This has trapped a fifth of the world's oil supplies and liquefied gas, sending crude oil prices soaring above $100 per barrel. (Reporting and editing by Jan Harvey in Bengaluru, and Joe Bavier.)
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Ford's US carrier arrives in Croatia to repair
The U.S. aircraft carriers Gerald R. Ford and the USS Enterprise, which were deployed to U.S.-Israeli missions against Iran, have anchored at Split, Croatia, for repairs and maintenance. On March 12, the 'Ford', the world's biggest carrier and newest ship, was supporting Operation Epic Fury in the Red Sea when a fire in its laundry room caused three injuries. A?U.S. Officials at the time confirmed that nearly 200 sailors were also treated for smoke-related issues. It took several hours to put out the fire, which affected 100 sleeping berths. The warship was deployed for nine months, and took part in operations against Venezuela in the Caribbean before arriving in the Middle East. During its deployment, it has experienced plumbing issues affecting nearly 650 toilets. The Ford temporarily stopped in Souda bay on the Greek Island of Crete. The U.S.-allied NATO country of Croatia approved the arrival of this Ford earlier in the week. The U.S. Embassy in Croatia released a statement that said, "During its visit, the USS Gerald R. Ford is expected to host a number of?local leaders and 'key officials to reaffirm and strengthen the strong and enduring relationship between the United States and Croatia." The carrier is staffed with more than 5,000 soldiers and has 75 military aircraft, including fighter planes like the F-18 Super Hornet. It also boasts an advanced radar system to control air traffic and navigate. (Reporting from Split by Antonio Bronic; Writing by Aleksandar Vaovic; Editing and proofreading by Joe Bavier).
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Bickert, Meta's former content policy chief and now Harvard professor, will be teaching at Harvard.
Monika Bickert is Meta's longtime chief of content policy. She oversaw the writing and enforcement Facebook's policies and played a role in determining how to approach user safety. Bickert, who wrote an internal post on Friday that was viewed by, said she would stay with Meta until August to 'work on a plan of transition with Kevin Martin. He oversees Meta's Global Policy Team. Bickert, who is Meta's head of content policy, has been the public face of Meta during controversies surrounding its handling political content and teen health. She joined Facebook in 2012 as a former federal prosecutor. The company changed its name later to Meta. She wrote: "Yes, we are a business, and we make profit. But the idea that 'we do'so' at the cost of people's well-being or safety is a misunderstanding of where our commercial interests lie," in 2021, after documents were leaked by former Meta employee Frances Haugen. Joel Kaplan, Meta's Chief Global Affairs Officer, praised Bickert in a statement. (Reporting and editing by Peter Henderson, William Mallard, and Jeff Horwitz)
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FAA stops traffic at Washington airports due to odor
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted all traffic at three of the main airports in the Washington, DC area late on Friday night after an odor was detected by a Virginia air-traffic control facility. The FAA stated that the odor forced them to evacuate Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR - Approach Control TRACON which controls the airspace of numerous airports around the Washington region. Around 6:40 p.m.?EDT, the FAA announced ground stops at Reagan Washington National Airport and?Washington Dulles. Baltimore, and smaller airports located in Charlottesville, Richmond, and Charlottesville. The odor from the Warrenton facility, Virginia, has caused traffic to be snarled for the second time within two weeks. According to someone briefed about the issue, the burning smell was similar to the one that caused the FAA to stop air traffic on March 13. On March 13, the FAA announced that it had stopped work due to a chemical smell associated with a circuitboard that was overheating. Flightradar24 is a website that tracks flights. It said that inbound 'flights were holding or diverting. Since 6:40 pm EDT, there has not been a departure from the airports. The FAA said an update would be?expected at around 8 p.m. FlightAware reported that 25% of flights were delayed at Baltimore, National and Dulles. (Reporting and editing by David Shepardson)
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The trucking industry is stuck in a slump for years because of the rising US diesel prices
U.S. 'diesel' prices have risen by 50% due to the U.S. - Israel war on Iran, which has delayed a much-needed turnaround in the trucking industry and squeezed?cash flows?and profits of independent big-rig operators. According to the American Automobile Association's data, the national average price for diesel fuel reached $5.38 a gallon on Saturday. This is up from $3.61 per gallon a year ago and not too far from the highest price recorded of $5.82 per gallon in June 2022. This was almost four months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. California, home to the busiest container ports in the U.S., and the state with the highest population, saw its diesel prices hit an all-time high of $7.17 per gallons on Friday. According to AAA, the diesel price in Washington State also reached a record high of $6.55 a gallon. Transportation is at the forefront of the historic energy disruption traced to Iran's chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow stretch of water off its southern coast normally carries one-fifth of all oil and natural gas liquefied in the world. The U.S. is well-supplied with diesel but prices have risen because oil is traded on a global scale. The small carriers are really being squeezed because they can't negotiate higher rates, as demand is flat, said Dean Croke. He was referring to the U.S. Trucking Industry's four-year slump. Independent truckers are often paid a rate per load that includes fuel, and have less leverage to negotiate more money when diesel costs soar. Surcharges are used by large contract trucking companies like FedEx, JB Hunt, and CH Robinson to recover higher fuel costs. These big players can also hedge fuel risks and leverage their size to negotiate lower rates. FedEx and analysts say that customers have not resisted diesel prices yet. Experts say that truckers often pay their fuel bills shortly after purchasing them, while customers have to wait 30 days or longer before they can pay for transport. This creates a financial crunch. The off-contract rates are still about 25% higher compared to a year ago due to the thousands of drivers who have left the industry. "That is the cushion," Croke said. If these rates were not higher than last, it would be a catastrophe. The people would be screaming as they did in 2022 when diesel reached a record-high that summer. (Reporting and editing by David Gregorio; Lisa Baertlein)
United States renewables electrical energy output surpassing nuclear: Maguire
Combined electrical power generation from solar and wind farms in the United States surpassed output from nuclear plants for the very first time throughout the opening half of 2024, cementing renewable energy possessions as the primary source of clean power in the nation.
Electrical energy generation from utility-scale solar and wind assets throughout the first half of 2024 was a record 401.4 terawatt hours (TWh), compared to 390.5 TWh from nuclear reactors, data from energy think tank Coal programs.
That marked the very first time over a half-year period that renewables electricity supplies went beyond nuclear-powered electrical power output, and is a substantial milestone in U.S. energy shift efforts.
With utilities building out solar and wind capability at a. faster speed than any other generation source, 2024 looks set to. be the first full year when more U.S. electrical power will originate from. renewables than from any other form of clean power.
INSTALLING SHARE
From 2015 through completion of 2023, combined month-to-month. electrical power generation from utility-run solar and wind farms. only exceeded output from U.S. nuclear plants on 3. events: in April and May of 2022, and in April 2023,. according to Cinder information.
This year, solar plus wind output has actually gone beyond nuclear. output for the past 4 months running, and led to solar. plus wind output surpassing nuclear output by almost 3% during. the opening half of the year.
During the same half-year period a year back, nuclear-powered. electricity output was more than 9% greater than electrical energy. output from solar and wind sources, which highlights how quick. the development has remained in renewable energy output.
FAST PACE
During the first half of 2024, electrical energy generation from. solar assets was 149.6 TWh and 251.7 TWh from wind farms.
Those totals are up 30% and 10% respectively from the very same. duration in 2023, and were both records for the first half of the. year.
Nuclear electrical energy generation during the first half was. 3.4% above the very same period in 2023, but down slightly from the. latter half of 2023 and recommends U.S. nuclear generation may. have limited scope for any substantial additional gains over the. near to medium term.
CAPACITY PATTERN
Installed capability is the crucial driver of electrical energy. generation possible throughout the U.S., and over the past five. years renewables capacity has vastly outmatched capability growth. from all other source of power.
From 2018 to 2023, energy solar generation capability leaped. 168% to 139 gigawatts (GW) while wind capacity grew 56% to 148. GW, according to Ember.
That compares to an almost 4% decrease in national nuclear. generation capacity over that period, and a 40% increase in total. clean electrical energy generation capacity to approximately 483 GW.
Overall nonrenewable fuel source generation capacity decreased by 3.7% from. 2018 to 2023 to around 775 GW, including a 23% drop in. coal-fired generation capacity.
In 2024, developers plan to add a more 34 GW of solar. capacity, while wind generation capacity is anticipated to stay. largely flat, according to the U.S. Energy Info. Administration (EIA).
If those plans are completed, that would imply solar capability. could exceed wind capability for the first time, and would result. in an additional large increase in solar electricity generation.
And offered U.S. nuclear generation is likely to stay flat. for the close to medium term, that means combined solar and wind. generation potential appearances set to make additional gains relative to. other types of tidy power and to develop renewables as the. primary source of clean electrical power in the U.S.
<< The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a. writer .>
(source: Reuters)