Latest News
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Enbridge will proceed with the Algonquin Gas Transmission Pipeline Expansion Project
Enbridge announced on Tuesday that it had reached a final decision on whether to proceed with the Algonquin Gas Transmission (AGT) Pipeline Expansion to take advantage of the increasing natural gas demand in America. Gas production is expected to rise in the U.S. despite a plateau in oil production. This will be to meet an increase in electricity demand and a boom in exports of liquefied gas. To meet the growing demand, U.S. Pipeline firms such as Kinder Morgan, Williams and Energy Transfer are investing billions of dollars to build hundreds and miles of new pipelines. This includes the Northeast. The expanded pipeline, once completed, will supply an additional 75 million cubic feet of natural gas per day under long-term contracts to the U.S. Northeast. Natural gas is an important component of the region's energy mix. Enbridge plans to invest $300 Million in system upgrades, and complete the AGT enhancement by 2029. Typically, companies will only sign a FID for a project after they have secured sufficient supply agreements to get the financing needed for construction. Enbridge's Matterhorn joint venture reached FID last month for the construction of Eiger Express Pipeline. (Reporting from Sumit Saha, Bengaluru. Editing by Leroy Leo).
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China's Xi urges Pakistan to improve safety for Chinese workers
China urged Pakistan on Tuesday to improve security measures for Chinese nationals working in multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects funded by Beijing, which have repeatedly been attacked by militants. Pakistan is a showcase of President Xi Jinping’s global Belt and Road Initiative, but the security threats facing Chinese workers have caused tension between the two close allies. According to a report from the Chinese state-owned news agency Xinhua, "China supports Pakistan in its fight against terrorism, and hopes that Pakistan will take effective steps to ensure the security of Chinese personnel, institutions, and projects within Pakistan. This will create a safe environment for bilateral co-operation." Xi made the remarks at a meeting between him and Pakistan's Prime Minister during a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, which is sponsored by China. Xi hosted more than 20 leaders from non-Western nations in the Chinese port of Tianjin. According to a statement released by the office of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Shaif, Sharif met Xi and did not discuss security issues. In his statement, Sharif reaffirmed that he wanted to implement the Belt and Road project's next phase, and added, "This will help both countries create a stronger Pakistan-China Community with a Shared Future." Pakistan has deployed tens-of-thousands of troops from the army, paramilitary forces and police to guard Chinese personnel and projects. Beijing is pushing Islamabad, which has resisted the pressure from Beijing to allow their own security personnel to operate within Pakistan. The Pakistani foreign and interior ministries, as well as the Pakistani military, did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Over the past decade, China has developed Gwadar in Pakistan and built roads, power plants and other infrastructure. Security concerns have led to the suspension of a large portion of the $60 billion Chinese Belt and Road Investment. Separatists and jihadists have both targeted Chinese personnel. Separatists have also intensified attacks on Pakistani security forces over the past few months in this region. A suicide bombing outside the Karachi airport killed two Chinese engineers late last year. In March 2024, the suicide bomber drove a vehicle through a convoy consisting of Chinese engineers who were working on a project to build a dam in northwest Pakistan. Five Chinese nationals as well as their Pakistani driver died. The 2021 bombing of a bus in Dasu, where the dam is located, killed 13 people. Nine were Chinese. Abdul Basit Senior Associate Fellow of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore, stated that security had improved for Chinese nationals living in Pakistan. Since the bombing at the airport, there have been no more attacks. Basit stated that Xi was highlighting that the situation in China is not good and that their projects aren't moving forward.
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Italian court imposes a 1.1 billion-euro fine against Amazon
A ruling on Tuesday showed that an Italian administrative court reduced the 1.13 billion-euro fine ($1.32billion) imposed by Italy's Competition Authority in 2021 for alleged abuses of a dominant role. The Lazio Administrative Court upheld the main findings of the regulator but said that the amount of fine needed to be recalculated. They argued that the watchdog hadn't adequately explained why they included a discretionary increase by 50%. The revised figure was not specified in the ruling. Calculations show that subtracting the 50% surcharge and the original 1,13 billion euro would result in an overall fine of around 725 million euros. Amazon has not yet commented on the decision. The company was initially fined for restricting the competition in ecommerce logistics services in Italy. It was at the time one of the largest penalties ever imposed in Europe on a U.S. technology giant.
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Macquarie AirFinance, Australia will add 30 Boeing 737-8s into its fleet
Macquarie Group, Australia's global aircraft leasing arm, announced on Tuesday that it had purchased 30 Boeing 737-8 aircraft in order to move to newer, more fuel-efficient models. Macquarie AirFinance has not disclosed financial details about the deal. This is its second direct order from Boeing. Macquarie AirFinance as well as Boeing have not responded to our requests for comment on the financial terms of the deal. Boeing confirmed separately that Macquarie AirFinance has placed 70 737 MAX orders, which will be delivered between 2032 and 2032. In 2025, the aircraft manufacturer has already won several major orders. Korean Air placed its largest order ever for a mixture of 787s 777s and Boeing 737s valued at about $36.5 billion late in August. BOC Aviation, based in Singapore, ordered 50 737 MAX-8 jets late in March. Boeing says the 737 MAX is "well-suited" for supporting airline fleet modernization, as it reduces fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 20 percent compared to airplanes that they replace. Eamonn Banne, CEO of Macquarie AirFinance, said: "By adding these modern aircraft to our fleet, we reinforce our commitment to provide sustainable and cost-effective options to our partners."
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Malaysia summons TikTok Management over delays in tackling false news, reports say
Malaysian authorities summoned TikTok’s top management for alleged delays by the social media platform in combating fake news, according to a report from state news agency Bernama on Tuesday. The report was based on a statement made by Malaysia's Communications Minister. Bernama reported that Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Fahmi Fadzil, said TikTok was too slow to respond to police requests for assistance. He asked the chief executive to help. Fahmi gave as an example a case in which a man falsely claimed to be a Malaysian pathologist who was involved in the investigation of the death of a Malaysian teen. Fahmi said that TikTok had been very slow to provide information. "I was forced to call TikTok's CEO Shou zi Chew and tell him that a crime was being committed, and that your organization was extremely slow," Fahmi stated. We cannot tolerate such an attitude. Fahmi, according to Bernama, said that TikTok would be summoned on Thursday to the Malaysian Police Headquarters, where both the police chief as well as attorney-general are expected to attend. Malaysia has increased its scrutiny of social media platforms in recent years after reports showed a dramatic increase in harmful content. Malaysian authorities consider online gambling, scams and child pornography, cyberbullying, content relating to race, religion, and royalty, and cyberbullying as harmful. Bernama reported that Fahmi also said Meta, which is the parent company for the social media platforms Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram will be summoned to answer questions over the spreading of "immoral content", including paedophilia related imagery. TikTok, Meta and other social media platforms did not respond immediately to comments. We will continue the dialogue and remind them that Malaysian Law applies to their platforms and that they must adhere. He said that he would summon all platforms, Bernama reported. . (Reporting and editing by Sharon Singleton; Rozanna Latiff)
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Kim Jong Un's slow train to China:
Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, arrived in Beijing Tuesday aboard his green armoured trains. The leaders of this reclusive nation have relied on this slow but highly specialized form transport for decades. Experts say that bulletproof trains are a better alternative to North Korea's aging fleet of passenger planes. They offer more comfort, security, food, amenities and space to discuss agendas before meetings. Kim, who became the leader of North Korea in late 2011, has traveled by train to China, Vietnam, and Russia. What's inside the trains? Ahn Byung Min, a South Korean expert in North Korean transportation, said that multiple trains were required for security purposes. Ahn stated that these trains each have between 10 and 15 carriages. Some of them are only used by the leader. This includes a bedroom. Other carriages carry medical staff, security guards, or both. He added that they also have room for Kim's desk, communications equipment and a restaurant, as well as carriages for 2 armoured Mercedes. State media pictures on Tuesday showed Kim and senior officials having a smoke break in front of an office with wood panels and a gold crest. Kim's desk was adorned with a laptop computer embossed in gold, a bank telephones, a box of his signature cigarettes, and bottles filled with liquids that were either blue or clear. The windows were decorated with blue and gold curtains. In 2018, a video by North Korean state TV featured Kim with Chinese top officials in a train car with pink couches. State TV footage from 2020 showed Kim on a train, visiting a typhoon hit area. The carriage was decorated with flower-shaped lights and fabric chairs printed in zebra. In his 2002 book, "Orient Express", Russian official Konstantin Pulikovsky describes a journey of Kim Jong Il's father Kim Jong Un made to Moscow over a period of three weeks. According to the book, live lobsters and cases of Bordeaux wine and Beaujolais were also flown into that train from Paris. How does it cross borders? Ahn explained that when Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia in 2023 to meet with President Vladimir Putin at the summit, the wheel assemblies of the train had to be reconfigured because the rail gauges are different between the two countries. Kim Han-tae is a former South Korean train engineer and author of a book about North Korea's railroads. While China does not have such a requirement, a Chinese engine pulls the train after it crosses the border because a local train engineer knows the rails system and signals. According to media images, Kim's special train carriages were usually pulled by DF11Z engines, Chinese-made engines with the China Railway Corporation emblem, and at least three serial numbers. Ahn noticed that the serial numbers of the engines were either 0001 and 0002, indicating China provided him with engines reserved only for senior officials. On Tuesday, a DF11Z locomotive bearing the serial number 0003 pulled more than 20 carriages emblazoned with the North Korean flag and official emblem in gold. Six Chinese carriages, with double yellow stripes and bright yellow colors, were attached to the dark green North Korean train. Ahn suggested that these carriages may have been used by Chinese officials who greeted Kim as he crossed the border. Kim's train, which travelled from China to the 2019 summit in Vietnam with U.S. president Donald Trump, was pulled by a locomotive with China’s national rail logo. Ahn stated that the train could reach speeds of up to 80 km/h (50mph) in China, as opposed to a maximum speed of 45 km/h (28mph) for North Korea. Who uses the trains? Kim Il Sung's, Kim's, grandfather, was the North Korean founding leader. He travelled regularly abroad by train during his reign, until his death in 1995. Kim Jong Il visited Russia three times by train, including a trip of 20,000 km (12 400 miles) to Moscow in 2001. The carriage from his mausoleum is displayed in his train. He was reported to have died of a heart attack late 2011, while riding on one of the trains. State propaganda has focused on the train as the main vehicle for the Kim family to travel long distances by train in order to meet North Koreans. State television in 2022 showed Kim Jong Un on what they called an "exhaustive tour by train" of North Korea, inspecting corn crops and promoting a "communist paradise". (Reporting and editing by Ju-min Park, Josh Smith and Edmund Klamann; Alex Richardson and Frances Kerry)
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Coach Ouaddou, from South Africa, injured in car accident
Abdeslam Ouaddou, a former Morocco international and Fulham center-back, was hospitalized after a car crash in South Africa. He is now the coach of Soweto giants Orlando Pirates. Ouaddou and five other members of the club's staff were struck by a vehicle on Sunday, after their bus had stopped at an accident scene after returning from a South African League match in Gqeberha. The club reported that "coach Ouaddou, along with several members of staff, disembarked the team bus after a collision occurred between two vehicles to help those involved." "Tragically while attending the scene, a Nissan NP200 collided with stationary vehicles, striking and causing serious injury to the group. The statement said that "Coach Ouaddou and the five affected members of staff were immediately transported to the hospital where they are receiving medical treatment." Tyrone Damons was also injured, as well as the goalkeeper Tyrone Damons who broke his leg in three places on Monday and had surgery. Ouaddou was appointed Pirates' coach in July. He also played for Stade Rennes, Nancy and Ligue 1. On September 13, they will play the cup final. Reporting by Mark Gleeson, Editing by William Maclean
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Witnesses claim to have seen the train used by Kim Jong Un in Beijing.
Witnesses reported that a train with a North Korean Flag and other design elements similar to those used by Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, was seen on a Beijing railway track. A witness reported that a motorcade carrying a North Korean Flag left the Beijing Railway Station shortly after the train had been spotted. Kim will attend a military display in Beijing, China, on Wednesday. He'll be joining Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pesehkian. Kim, who became North Korea's leader in late 2011 has traveled by train to China, Vietnam, and Russia. The slow but specialised mode of transport is one that the country's reclusive leaders have been using for decades. Reporting by Alessandro Diviggiano; Go Nakamura; Florence Lo; Writing and Editing by Bernadettebaum
Bloomberg News reports that Tesla has received around 600 orders in India since its launch.
Bloomberg News reported Tuesday that Tesla had received just over 600 orders since it began selling cars in India mid-July. This number fell short of what the company expected, according to people familiar with this matter.
Bloomberg News reported that the Elon Musk-led electric car maker plans to send between 350 and 500 vehicles to India in this year. The first batch of cars is expected to arrive from Shanghai at the beginning of September.
The report stated that deliveries will be initially limited to Mumbai and Delhi. It also said the company is only able to deliver cars outside of these four cities if it receives full payment for the vehicles.
Could not confirm the report immediately. Tesla didn't immediately respond to our request for comment.
Tesla launched the Model Y in India at a cost of about $70,000. This price reflects India's high import tariffs for EVs. The U.S. electric car maker has been lobbying India for lower import taxes on cars.
Tesla, facing excess capacity and declining sales in global factories, has adopted a new strategy to sell imported vehicles in India despite duties and levies.
The automaker targets a niche market of the domestic automobile market where EVs only account for 4% of total sales.
Even in the cities, India's road infrastructure is improving, but traffic discipline, such as lane driving, remains rudimentary. EV chargers, too, are few and far between. Stray animals and cattle are also a problem. Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina, Bengaluru. Editing by Sonia Cheema.
(source: Reuters)