Latest News
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American Airlines reduces some management and support roles
American Airlines announced on Tuesday that it would be eliminating a small number of management and staff positions in order to adjust its workforce. The airline stated that the layoffs primarily occurred at the Fort Worth headquarters, which will allow it to become more efficient throughout the organization. The carrier had previously stated that it planned to save more than 750 million dollars in costs by the end this year. This is thanks to its efforts to reengineer the business. In North America, airlines have reduced corporate roles in order to control costs and protect margins after the post-pandemic travel surge. Air Canada, a Canadian carrier, cut 400 management jobs, or about 1% of their workforce, last month. Southwest Airlines announced earlier this year that it would be cutting 15% of corporate jobs. This is the first time in 54 years that Southwest Airlines has made such a cut. American Airlines has not specified the number of positions it is eliminating.
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Royal Air Maroc CEO: First aircraft to be delivered in 2028
Abdelhamid Addou, CEO of Royal Air Maroc, said that the Moroccan national carrier Royal Air Maroc expects to start receiving aircraft in 2028 from a major tender for fleet expansion. Addou stated that the tender, launched in April of 2024, is for 200 aircraft up to 2037. The company is currently evaluating Boeing, Airbus, and Embraer's offers. Addou, a reporter at the Arab Air Carriers' Organization General Assembly held in Rabat, said that the tender was currently being finalised. Addou did not disclose the exact value of the tender, but said that about 25% of the order would be wide-body aircraft. The remainder will be narrow-body jets. RAM is expecting to receive 15 new aircraft per year on average starting in 2028. Addou said that the airline would introduce up to thirteen aircraft each year in the interim. RAM has a strategy that includes expanding its fleet to become a regional hub carrier connecting Africa, Europe and North America via its Casablanca-based base. According to the ONDA, Morocco also launched a bid for a new terminal at its airport that will allow it to increase passenger capacity from 10.5 million to 35 millions by 2029. (Reporting and editing by David Goodman.)
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FAA stops traffic at Washington DC Airport after threat against plane reported
The Federal Aviation Administration halted Tuesday traffic at Reagan Washington National Airport following a report of a threat made against a United Airlines flight. The FAA reported that operations had been halted due to a reported issue with security. Passengers have already left the plane and the aircraft has moved away from the terminal for the investigation. According to a person who was briefed in the matter, a threat against the plane had been made and the plane is being checked out of an abundance caution. United directed questions to the FBI. The FBI did respond immediately to a comment request. Reagan Airport is only 5 miles away from the White House, and the FAA has imposed special security restrictions in the airspace. FlightRadar24 - a flight tracker - said that the issue was caused by an unconfirmed terrorist threat made against a United Flight arriving from Houston. The airport is preparing to open just before 1 pm. ET. FlightAware reports that more than 160 flights were delayed at Reagan. Reporting by David Shepardson, Washington; additional reporting from Rajesh Kumar Singh, Chicago Editing by Franklin Paul & Chizu Nomiyama
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A man accused of 'throwing things' at a federal agent after he threw a sandwich is on trial in Washington
A federal prosecutor told a jury on Tuesday that "You can't just go around throwing things." Sean Dunn faces a misdemeanor charge of assault in a case which has gained widespread attention since video of the incident went viral. Dunn was a Justice Department international case worker who became an unlikely symbol for resistance to Trump's law-enforcement surge in Washington, D.C., and was scorned Trump administration officials. Dunn has not pleaded guilty. John Parron, the prosecutor, said in his opening remarks that "you can't just throw things at people because you're angry." Dunn was captured on video on August 10 throwing a sub sandwich and shouting at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent who was on a crime prevention patrol in a Washington neighborhood. Trump had ordered an increase in federal law enforcement in Washington to combat what he described as an out of control crime problem, even though police statistics showed a decrease in violent crimes following an earlier rise. Julia Gatto was the lawyer representing Dunn. She told the jury that Dunn had done it. He threw it." Gatto, however, argued that it was impossible for the sandwich to harm or interfere with law enforcement. He called it a harmless gesture. "Mr. Gatto stated in her opening remarks that Dunn is very passionate about the policies which brought these officers to this place. He believes that recent immigration enforcement is racist. He believes that the militarization of federal law enforcement and the takeover by the government is fascism. Federal prosecutors initially sought a felony against Dunn but reduced the charge to a misdemeanor when a grand jury refused to approve the indictment. Gregory Lairmore testified, a 23 year veteran of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, that Dunn shouted at officers before throwing the sandwich. Lairmore testified to the jury that the sandwich exploded all over his uniform, smelling of "onions and mustard." He said he felt the impact from his ballistic vest.
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Officials see'massive chaos' as a result of the shutdown, which may force US to shut down some airspace next week.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Tuesday that if federal government shutdown continued another week, it could cause "mass confusion" and force him to shut down some national airspace for air traffic. This drastic measure could disrupt American aviation. "If you take us back to a week's time, Democrats, there will be mass chaos and mass flight delays." Duffy told a Tuesday press conference that you'll likely see a lot of cancellations and we may even close some parts of the airspace because we can't manage it. U.S. Aviation has already experienced tens and thousands of delays in the last month. These comments were the most dire warnings from the Trump administration about impending effects of rising air traffic control absences. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) delayed flights again on Tuesday as the shutdown entered its third week. Airlines reported that 3.2 million passengers were affected by flight delays or cancellations this week due to an increase in air traffic controller absenteeism. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said on Fox Business' "Varney & Co." that in the 30 largest airports of the FAA, "anywhere between 20 and 40% of our controllers don't come to work." Democrats accuse Republicans of not negotiating to reopen government with them. The shutdown has worsened the staffing shortages. 13,000 air traffic control officers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration agents have been forced to work without pay. In 2019, disruptions to air travel forced lawmakers to end a 35-day shutdown of the government during Donald Trump's inaugural term. Duffy said he would shut down the U.S. Aviation System if the shutdown made it too dangerous to travel. The FAA reported that on Friday, nearly half of America's busiest airports were facing shortages of air traffic control in the worst single day since the shutdown started. The agency reported that 80% of the air traffic controllers in New York were absent on Friday. David Shepardson, David Gregorio and David Shepardson contributed to the report.
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Hertz soaring after swinging third-quarter profits
Hertz Global reported a profit for the third quarter after almost two years, thanks to used car sales and an updated fleet of rental vehicles. The company's shares rose by 42% on Tuesday. In order to combat a decline in rental activity, the company has tried to diversify its operations by overhauling its vehicle fleet. It also offers a marketplace for online car purchases. In recent years, a slump in demand led it to sell off a large portion of its electric vehicle fleet and replace them with gas-powered vehicles. Hertz sold off a majority its Teslas in the past year citing increased repair costs. Hertz earned an adjusted 12 cents per diluted share in the third quarter. This compares to analysts' estimates of 2 cents a share, according LSEG. Its quarterly revenue was down 4%, to $2.5 billion compared with a year earlier. However, it still exceeded estimates of $2.4billion. Nathan Gomes, Bengaluru. Edited by Shreya Biwas.
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Lula: CELAC summit will discuss Venezuela and US military presence
The Brazilian President Luiz inacio Lula da silva said on Tuesday he would discuss Venezuelan issues and the increased U.S. presence in Latin America during the CELAC Summit at the end of this month. He told reporters in Belem, ahead of the COP30 Climate Summit: "The CELAC Meeting only makes sense if we are going to talk about the U.S. Warships." In recent months the U.S. has increased its military presence in Caribbean, and U.S. president Donald Trump said his administration would carry out strikes on drug-related targets in Venezuela. Lula stated that Venezuela has a political issue that must be addressed in the political arena. He added that he told Trump during a recent encounter that Latin America was a region that is peaceful, not violent. (Reporting and writing by Isabel Teles, Lisandra Paraguassu, Katy Daigle)
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Lula says Brazil will seek independent probe into 'disastrous' Rio police raid
The Brazilian president Luiz inacio Lula da silva said on Tuesday that his government would push for an independent investigation into the raid by police last week, which killed 121 people including four police officers. He told reporters in Belem, ahead of the COP30 summit on climate change: "It is important to know under what circumstances it occurred." "The judge ordered arrest warrants, not mass killings - yet there was mass killing." The October 28 operation was the deadliest ever in Brazil's recent history. The operation on October 28 targeted the Comando Vermelho, a gang that controls drug trafficking in a number of favelas (poor, densely-populated neighborhoods) woven into the city's hills. Rio de Janeiro state officials described it as a success. Claudio Castro, the state governor, said that the "only true victims" were the officers who were killed and all others were criminals. The raids highlighted a complex scenario for Lula. A leftist, Lula has tried to reconcile growing public support and international concerns about human rights violations. "The truth is, some people may view the operation's death toll as a success. Lula stated that he believed the state's response was disastrous. (Reporting and writing by Katy Daigle, Lisandra Paraguassu, Paul Simao; editing by Gabriel Araujo)
New Zealand cranks fossil power output as hydro capture drags on: Maguire
Power generators in New Zealand have actually lifted output from fossil fuels to the greatest in three years up until now in 2024, as they have a hard time to offset the biggest yearoveryear drop in generation from hydro dams in approximately a years.
Overall fossil fuel-fired electricity generation from January through July was 4.36 terawatt hours (TWh), according to energy believe tank Ash.
That overall was 1.75 TWh or 67% greater than during the very same months in 2023, and almost matched the 1.86 TWh drop in generation from the country's hydro dams throughout the same period.
Hydro power is New Zealand's main source of electrical energy generation, and generally represent around 58% of the nation's annual electrical power materials.
Nevertheless, hydro's share of total generation dropped to just 48.6% in July - the lowest regular monthly reading in at least a years - as continual dry spell has curbed hydro production and forced power generators to raise output from other sources.
RATE DISCOMFORT
Tight power materials have also activated a surge in wholesale power prices, which scaled all-time highs earlier this month and are up over 180% considering that the start of 2024.
New Zealand's power costs are also more than double those in neighbour Australia, and mean New Zealand's homes and businesses pay a few of the greatest energy bills in the area.
In an effort to reduce potential power shortages and reduce rate pressure, New Zealand's federal government has actually reversed a. ban on offshore oil and gas expedition and has promised to. fast-track approvals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.
Nevertheless, those procedures might take years to materially affect. gas supplies to power producers, so power providers will likely. continue to deal with tight materials of generation fuels for the. remainder of 2024 at least.
RENEWABLE DEVELOPMENT
The quickest possible path to a continual healing in power. generation levels would be if there was a modification to the area's. weather condition systems which activated more rains.
An El Nino weather condition pattern over the Indian and Pacific. oceans has caused drier than normal conditions across much of. Australia and New Zealand up until now this year, resulting in New. Zealand's drought readings.
However there is a 60% -70% chance of a La Nina pattern forming. during the latter months of the year, according to the New. Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Study. ( NIWA), which could bring more rains throughout Oceania.
Any continual rebound in rains would lead to a. commensurate rise in hydro generation, and greater general. electricity output.
More growth to New Zealand's solar generation sector is. another course to higher clean electricity output.
Set up solar capacity since completion of July was 455. megawatts, according to the New Zealand electrical power authority. EMI.
That overall is up from 295 MW in July 2023, therefore marks a. more than 50% boost in generation capability within a year.
Setup data also shows that roughly 40 MW of new. capability has been installed since completion of last summer season, and so. stands to make a significant effect on generation overalls throughout the. upcoming southern hemisphere summertime when solar output peaks.
Roughly 44 MW of total installed solar capability has battery. storage, and so can discharging that power into the. national grid system even after the sun sets.
In mix, that higher solar capacity footprint. along with more routine rains could help New Zealand's power. companies improve total materials from the existing stunted generation. levels.
However New Zealand's total electricity demand likewise looks set to. climb towards the end of the year due to greater need for. cooling systems during the summer, therefore might keep pressure on. the nation's power network even if overall materials mount a. rebound.
In that case, power manufacturers will likely continue to deploy. growing volumes of fossil fuels within the generation mix. in spite of continuous efforts to lower total power sector. emissions.
<< The viewpoints expressed here are those of the author, a. columnist .>
(source: Reuters)