North America

The Federal Aviation Administration proposed Tuesday that Alaska Airlines be fined $165,000 for allegedly allowing 'intoxicated' passengers to board multiple flights. The FAA stated that the alleged incidents took place on 11 flights between Feb 2024 and Feb 2025. They added that FAA regulations prohibit airlines from allowing anyone who appears intoxicated to board a plane. Alaska has said that it took the matter seriously and participated in a FAA audit of its policies regarding guests who are drunk on aircraft. Alaska announced Tuesday that since the FAA shared these concerns with us more than a year earlier, we have...

Two industry sources have confirmed that Trafigura, the commodity trader, plans to remove large amounts of copper from London Metal Exchange's warehouses in New Orleans. They cited a U.S. Tariff decision expected late in June. Trafigura, a Swiss company, declined to comment. The traders have moved large volumes of copper into the United States to prepare for possible import taxes that could increase shipping costs. The threat of import levies has increased the value for existing copper stocks, as holding copper in the United States allows customers to lock in supplies at pre-tariff rates. After a review, the United States...

Baltic Exchange, which is the top global provider of shipping benchmark indices, reacted on Friday to a London lawsuit filed by commodity trader Mercuria over the closing of the 'Strait of Hormuz', saying that the case had caused market uncertainty. Mercuria, one of the largest energy and commodities traders in the world, sued the Baltic Exchange for losses caused by inaccurate oil tanker prices. Mercuria, a Swiss company, stated in documents filed with the London High Court on April 30, that the Baltic Exchange continues to publish the benchmark crude tanker TD3C index despite the closure of the waterway. The...

Alphabet Waymo announced on Thursday that it had'suspended' its robotaxi service in the United States, and paused?operations? in Atlanta, Georgia as it updated its software to improve performance in construction zones and on flooded roads. The suspension comes at a time when other companies, such as Amazon's Zoox and Tesla, are stepping up their efforts in this sector. Waymo's spokesperson stated in an email that "we have temporarily paused the freeway operation as we integrate technical?learnings? into our software. We expect to resume these routes soon." Waymo offers freeway trips in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The company said that...

Data showed that a Chinese-operated ship was "among the few" to cross the Strait 'Hormuz? in the last 24 hours. This comes as the uncertainty about reopening this critical waterway grows, with the talks between the U.S.A. and Iran at a standstill. Prior to the start of the war against Iran on February 28, the average daily shipping through the strait was 125-140 passages. As a result of the conflict, 20,000 sailors are still stranded on hundreds of ships in the?Gulf. According to an analysis based on ship tracking data, there were 10 ships per day that entered and left...

Cruise operators facing combined judgements of $440 Million The docks were confiscated by Castro's Cuba By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (May 21) - On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a "setback" to four American cruise companies that had contested $440,000,000 in combined judgments. They were accused of "unlawfully using docks that had been seized by Fidel Castro’s communist government in Cuba in 1959." In an 8-1 decision, the justices overturned a lower court ruling that had thrown out judgments against Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Royal Caribbean Cruises, and MSC Cruises. These companies were sued by the U.S....

SpaceX wants to launch 10,000 rockets annually in the next five years. However, government officials must first see that reliability has improved before they approve such an expansion. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated that he had met with SpaceX president Gwynne shotwell who informed him of the ambitious goals set by the company. SpaceX will launch 170 satellites in 2025. Bedford claimed that Shotwell had told him about "the SpaceX five-year plan to reach 10,000 launches per year." Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, said in a Forbes interview that aired last week that the company has already launched 10,000 satellites...

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday that it would provide an additional $200 million to start construction on the $8 billion plan for rebuilding 'New York Penn Station', a major artery in the city. Amtrak, the U.S. passenger rail company and President Donald Trump’s administration have said that this plan will include expanding track capacity and building a grand entry on Eighth Avenue leading to a new station. It will also replace aging walkways and open modern concourses. Penn Station, the busiest transit hub in the U.S. with 10 million Amtrak riders and 100 million passengers when regional...

Three sources familiar with the issue said that?tungsten and rare earths, as well as gallium, were shortlisted for the first joint stockpile of critical minerals to reduce reliance on China. One of the sources, and a third source, said that the EU was also in talks with major ports, including Rotterdam, the largest port in the Netherlands. They are looking at storing the minerals there. This is one of the most concrete measures taken by the EU to protect its economy against Beijing's dominance over the production of critical minerals, which are vital to defence, semiconductors, and energy transition. They...

Three sources with knowledge of the matter said that the European Union has shortlisted tungsten and rare earths for its first joint stockpile. The goal is to reduce its dependence on China. One of the sources, and a third source, said that the EU was also in talks with Rotterdam, the largest port in the Netherlands. This is one of the most concrete measures taken by the EU to protect its economy from Beijing, which has a 'dominance' in the production of critical minerals that are vital to defence, semiconductors and energy transition. After Beijing's export restrictions sent shockwaves throughout...

According to data provided by financial firm LSEG four liquefied gas (LNG),?vessels are sailing from the U.S. to China and should arrive in June. This is the first U.S. cargo of LNG to depart the U.S. for China directly during President Donald Trump's 2nd term. Trump visited Beijing last week for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump said to Fox News in May 2014 that China wanted to buy oil, LNG, and other goods from United States. China, in the past, was the largest gas importer. The U.S. is the biggest gas producer, consumer, and exporter. China still...

A World Health Organization official stated that limited testing capacity is slowing the response to the Ebola outbreak. According to the WHO, there are at least 500 suspected Ebola cases and 130 suspected Ebola deaths. The disease has spread into Uganda. We have shipped 12 tons of supplies. Six more are expected to arrive today. Anne Ancia said that the samples included personal protective equipment (and) for frontline healthcare workers. Ancia stated that there is "great uncertainty" about the scope and scale of the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, and increased surveillance, testing, and contact tracing are underway. She stated that testing...

Two sources confirmed on Tuesday that the U.S. and Thailand were in discussions on a 'new long-term supply' of U.S. produced liquefied?gas. Negotiations have intensified since the U.S./Israeli war against Iran caused damage to LNG production in Qatar, a key LNG exporter. Sources familiar with the talks, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussion, stated that the focus is on a long-term contract between Venture Global (an international energy company) and Thailand's PTT PCL (the state-controlled power company). Sources did not specify the volume or duration of any new LNG contract being discussed but typically they...

The first union in the U.S. that represents gig workers, such as Uber drivers and Lyft drivers, was formed by Massachusetts state officials and labor leaders. The Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations certified the newly formed App Drivers union on Friday as representing nearly 70,000 independent contractor ride-share drivers in the state. Massachusetts Governor Maura healey, a Democrat said, "It's a game changer for ride-share employees across the country" at a rally on Tuesday with drivers and labor organizers in Boston. The certification came after the voters of November 2024 approved an innovative ballot measure to allow drivers at companies...

The Iran War is shaping up as one of the largest?supply shocks' in the history the aluminum market. According to the International Aluminium Institute, the Gulf's production of this metal, used in sectors such as transportation, packaging and solar panels, plummeted in April to its lowest level for over a decade. The regional run-rates fell by 2 million metric tons annually between March and April. In missile strikes, two Gulf aluminium smelters were damaged. Al Taweelah, the Emirates Global Aluminium plant in Al Taweelah will require a year to repair. At least one other manufacturer - Qatalum has reduced its...

Bangladesh has launched an international bid for oil and gas exploration in 26 offshore blocks?in the Bay of Bengal. It is offering more attractive terms to foreign companies to combat worsening domestic shortages of gas and to reduce its reliance on expensive LNG imports. South Asia has been facing declining gas reserves, increasing dependence on LNG imports, and energy prices that are vulnerable to geopolitical tensions. Petrobangla, a state-owned company, published the tender documents for the Bangladesh Offshore Model Production Sharing Contract 2026 on its website. The deadline to submit bids was November 30, 2018. Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood...

The Prime Minister, Mark 'Carney, stressed the importance of?Alberta to Canada on Friday. This comes a day after this oil-rich province held a non-binding vote on whether or not its residents wanted to stay in Canada. Carney's largely symbolic move could be a major challenge for him, as he is trying to promote national unity in the face of U.S. Tariffs and Donald Trump's talk about annexation. Carney told reporters that "Canada is one of the best countries in the world, but we can do better. We're working together with Alberta to make it better." "We are renovating the nation...

The Iran War is likely to be the largest supply shock in the history on the aluminium market. According to the International Aluminium Institute, the Gulf's?production? of the metal, used in sectors such as packaging, solar panels and transport, plummeted in April to its lowest level in more than a decade. The regional run-rates fell by 2 million metric tonnes annually between March and April. In missile attacks, two Gulf aluminium smelters were damaged. The?Al Taweelah facility of Emirates Global Aluminium will require a full year to be repaired. One other producer,?Qatalum, has also reduced its?capacity. The ongoing closure of...

Kommersant reported that the?Russian-installed governor Yevgeny Balitsky said Friday that emergency blackouts were occurring in the 'Russia-controlled region of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia. According to Kommersant, he did not provide any further details but said that critical infrastructure worked as usual. Vladimir Saldo said in Telegram that nine areas were cut off from the grid following drone attacks. Local authorities reported on Telegram that in the early morning hours of Friday, Russian defence systems worked to repel drone attacks over Moscow and the Yaroslavl Region?in the north. Sergei Sobyanin, the Mayor of Moscow, said in Telegram that four drones heading for Moscow...

Under a proposal from the U.S., daylight saving time will be in effect all year round. The House of Representatives advanced a proposal on Thursday that revived an idea that Americans tired of biannual time changes have supported for years but has failed to gain traction in Congress. The 'House Energy and commerce?Committee' voted 48-1 for the Sunshine Protection Act. This would implement the change in a five-year transport bill. The supporters of the change say that the time shift leads to sleep disorders, increased workplace injuries and car accidents. They believe that brighter evenings will also spur more economic...

Sources say Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned privately that authorities could "stop processing international travellers?and cargo" at'major U.S. airports' in'sanctuary cities' that refused to cooperate with Trump administration immigration crackdown. Mullin publicly threatened to stop processing international travelers at airports such as Denver and Philadelphia in April, during a funding dispute with the Department of Homeland Security. He privately informed travel executives that the Department could choose to do so in Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, Seattle, and San Francisco. The Atlantic reported Mullin's remarks to travel executives earlier and cited sources as saying that the move was...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said that the Dakota Access oil pipeline could continue to?operate under stricter environmental?and?safety conditions. This was a blow for Native American tribes, and environmental groups who have opposed the project due to the risks it poses to a vital water supply. In 2020, a U.S. Court ordered the Army Corps - the federal agency that oversees permit approvals - to conduct a more thorough environmental study on the pipeline's route beneath a lake that spans the border between North Dakota and South Dakota. DAPL has remained operational during the review. The Bakken oil shale...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said that the Dakota Access oil pipeline could continue to operate 'with stricter safety and environmental?mandates. This is a major blow for Native American tribes who have fought against the pipeline route over a vital water supply. In 2020, a U.S. Court ordered the Army Corps - the federal agency that oversees permit approvals - to conduct a more thorough environmental study on the pipeline's route beneath a lake that spans the border between North Dakota and South Dakota. DAPL (also known as the DAPL pipeline) has been operating during the review. The Bakken...

The soaring?price of gasoline and the looming fuel shortage from the Iran War are not deterring American travelers as they hit the road this weekend for the start of the U.S. Summer Driving Season, though some plan shorter trips to save money. Since early May, the average U.S. retail gasoline price has been hovering around $4.50. This is about 45% more than before Israel and the United States launched their attacks on Iran late in February. The price of crude oil, which is used to make gasoline, has also risen, along with other goods, since the conflict led to an...