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Vietnamese airlines sign $30-bln deals for 90 Boeing jets
Three Vietnamese airlines have signed deals with U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing to purchase a total 90 aircraft as the United States and Vietnam continue their negotiating on a new trade agreement. To Lam, the leader of Vietnam's Communist Party visited the United States to attend the first meeting of the Board for?Peace. This initiative was launched by U.S. president Donald Trump in order to address "global conflicts". Vietnam Airlines announced in a press release that it had signed an agreement worth $8.1 billion with Boeing for the purchase of 50 narrow-body 737-8 jets. It said in a press release that the airline would take delivery of the aircraft between 2030-2032. This would bring its fleet total to approximately 151 planes by 2030. It said that the country's national carrier was also in discussions with Boeing about an additional purchase of 30 wide body planes worth up to $12 billion. Sun PhuQuoc Airways, a newly-established airline in Vietnam, also announced that it had signed a $22.5billion deal with Boeing to purchase 40 Dreamliner 787-9 jets. Vietjet, a?Vietnamese?budget?airline?, secured a $965-million financing deal with Griffin Global Asset Management to purchase?6 Boeing 737-8 planes. Vietnam announced early this month that it would be willing to purchase more American products after the White House announced that in October, 'the United States will?keep tariffs at 20% on most Vietnamese products while removing duty on certain goods.
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Bangladesh's new Prime Minister pledges price stability
After his party's landslide win in the parliamentary elections, Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh's new prime minister, has promised to restore the rule-of-law and advance economic reforms and infrastructure. Rahman 60, son of the former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and the assassinated president Ziaur Rahman was sworn into office on Tuesday. He assumes the presidency at a crucial time for the country. He must face urgent challenges such as restoring political stability and reviving industries like the garments industry after the 2024 uprising which brought down Sheikh Hasina's government. Rahman warned against profiteering in a late-night televised speech on Wednesday. Prices of staples like rice, edible oils, sugar, and lentils usually rise during Ramadan because of increased demand. "Ramadan, the month of purification for oneself is an important part of this holy season." Rahman stated that this period should not cause more hardship for the public. Do not use Ramadan to make money. Ensure essential goods remain affordable." The inflation rate is still high. Bangladesh's inflation rate in January 2026 was?8.58%, the highest level since May 2025. Food prices continue to put pressure on household budgets. Rahman stated that his government would "dismantle market syndicates" that exploit consumers, and strengthen mechanisms in order to "protect both buyers" and sellers. The administration will have as its top priority improving law and order, and enforcing anti-corruption laws. "The rule-of-law will be the last word in governing the country – not party influence, power or coercion." The Prime Minister also announced 'plans to overhaul, expand and modernize the national railway network, and to improve coordination between the rail, roads, waterways, and bridge ministries in order to create a transport system that would ease urban pressure and boost connectivity. (Reporting and editing by Raju Gopikrishnan; Reporting by Ruma Pau)
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Vietjet signs $965 million financing agreement for 6 Boeing 737-8 aircraft
Vietjet, a Vietnamese budget 'airline', has announced that it has signed a $965-million financing agreement with Griffin Global Asset Management. This is for the purchase of six Boeing 737-8 planes. Vietjet stated in a press release that the agreement was a'significant step' in their strategy to diversify international funding sources. To Lam, head of Vietnam’s Communist Party, signed the deal during his visit to the U.S. to attend the Board of Peace's inaugural meeting, an initiative started by U.S. president Donald Trump to tackle?global conflict. Vietjet announced on Thursday that it had signed an agreement with RTX subsidiary Pratt & Whitney earlier this month. The deal was worth $5.4 billion. * ?The Agreement The contract, which was originally announced at Singapore Airshow, is for the supply and maintenance of 44 engines for A321neo aircraft and A321XLR. (Reporting and editing by John Mair; Khanh Vu)
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JetBlue engine failure causes traffic disruptions at Newark Airport
Officials said that traffic was disrupted on Wednesday at Newark Liberty International Airport after a JetBlue flight bound for Florida?had an engine failure during takeoff. The plane returned to the airport. Around 5:55 pm, passengers and crew of Flight 543 exited on the Airbus A320 taxiway. The Federal Aviation Administration and JetBlue reported that the crew evacuated passengers using slides after reporting smoke in the cabin and cockpit. There were no injuries reported. Flightaware and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey said that nearly all flights had been halted at the airport outside of New York City for an hour. Flightaware is a website that tracks flights. It reported that 31% of arriving flights, or 183 flights, were delayed in Newark, along with 30%, or 177 flights departing. The FAA announced that it would be investigating the incident involving the plane bound for West Palm Beach in Florida. Safety is JetBlue's number one priority. "We are focused on supporting our crewmembers and customers, and we will work closely w/ the appropriate federal authorities to investigate what happened," said?JetBlue.
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Next week, the US House of Representatives will consider legislation relating to aviation safety.
The House of Representatives is set to consider aviation safety legislation on Monday. This will address dozens of recommendations made by the National Transportation 'Board. It was formed after a collision in January 2025 between a regional jet of 'American Airlines and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, which killed 67. The U.S. Senate passed legislation unanimously in December known as the ROTOR Act that would require aircraft operators by the end of 2031 to equip their fleets with a safety system ?known as automatic-dependent-surveillance-broadcast system, or ADS-B. The bill will also increase oversight of commercial helicopter and jet traffic, as well as flight routes near airports. A spokesperson for the House Transportation Committee said that leaders of the House Transportation and Armed Services Committees were?working separately to introduce a comprehensive House Bill to address the issues raised by the crash. Major aviation unions, as well as many families of those killed on Wednesday, urged the House to pass the ROTOR Act quickly. The NTSB concluded last month that systemic failures on the part of the FAA caused the crash, which was the worst U.S. airline disaster since 2001. The NTSB determined that the FAA allowed helicopters to fly close to the airport without any safeguards to keep them separate from planes, and failed to act on its recommendations to move helicopter traffic away. The NTSB sent more than 30 recommendations to the FAA, citing several failures that occurred before the Washington crash. There have been 15200?air separation?incidents between commercial planes and helicopters near Reagan Airport since 2021. This includes 85?close call events. The NTSB has found problems with the way that the FAA manages traffic at Reagan. The NTSB also stated that the FAA rejected advice from its own staff to include hot spots on a chart of helicopter routes. FAA Chair Jennifer Homendy stated that the agency did not also review helicopter routes as required annually and had routes which were not designed to provide proper separation. (Reporting and editing by David Shepardson)
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Oil prices settle at 4% due to tensions between Iran and the US, while Russia-Ukraine negotiations end without a breakthrough
The oil prices rose by more than 4% on Wednesday, as traders priced-in potential supply disruptions due to concerns about conflict between the U.S.A. and Iran and after talks in Geneva failed to produce a breakthrough. Brent crude futures settled up $2.93 or 4.35% at $70.35 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures settled at $65.19. This is a gain of $2.86 or 4.59%. Both contracts reached their highest settlements in the past 30 days, rebounding from two-week lows. According to Phil Flynn of Price Futures Group, both contracts rose late in the session, by more than three dollars, on reports that Israel raised its alert levels on signs of an attack by the U.S. or Israel on Iran. U.S. Heating Oil Futures also rose?around 5%. Andrew Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates said that the oil price movements today are solely geopolitical. They continue to respond to headlines about meetings between U.S., Iran and Russia,?and Ukraine and Ukraine. He added that "the oil market prices in an additional risk of supply disruption." Oil fell on Tuesday after Iran's Foreign Minister said that Tehran and Washington reached an agreement regarding the principles to be used in nuclear talks. The semi-official Iranian Fars news agency announced on Wednesday that Iran and Russia would conduct naval drills in both the Sea of Oman and northern Indian Ocean. Iranian state media reported that Iran temporarily closed parts of the Strait?Hormuz - a vital oil supply route for the world - due to "security precautions" while its elite Revolutionary Guards were conducting military drills in this area. State media reported that the strait was closed for a few minutes, but did not specify if it was fully reopened. "Iran is aware of (U.S. president Donald) Trump's negotiating tactics." It also knows that Trump does not want a disruption of oil exports from the Strait of Hormuz or a rise in oil prices up to $150 per barrel. "Iran can negotiate calmly." In a note sent to clients on Tuesday, the political consultancy Eurasia Group stated that it believes there is a probability of 65% of a U.S. strike against Iran before April's end. John Kilduff is a partner with Again Capital. He said: "Everyone is watching the amount of military gear that is flooding into the region from the U.S. This is an indication that hostilities will be imminent." RUSSIA AND UKRAINE PEACE TALKS END AFTER BREAKTHROUGH The two days of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Geneva ended on Wednesday without a breakthrough. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Moscow of blocking U.S.mediated efforts to end this four-year war. Trump has repeatedly pressed Ukraine to accept a deal which could involve painful concessions. This is because Russian forces have been pounding Ukraine's power grid and advancing on the battlefield. Zelenskiy called the discussions "difficult." Kilduff, of Again Capital, said that if the talks go as Zelenskiy has suggested, we may finally see a drop in Russian exports to the world market. This would be a positive development. U.S. crude oil, gasoline and distillate inventories Last week, the temperature dropped. Market sources said that American Petroleum Institute figures released on Wednesday were in stark contrast to the expectations of analysts. Crude stocks will rise by 2.1 millions barrels. The Energy Information Administration will release its official U.S. crude oil inventory report on Thursday. Reporting by Georgina Mcartney in Houston; Siddharth Cavale in New York; Stephanie Kelly and Alex Lawler, in London; Mohi Nrayan, in New Delhi, and Katya Glubkova, in Tokyo. Editing by Mark Potter and Kirby Donovan.
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After a massive blackout, power returns to Paraguay’s capital.
Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, began receiving power on Wednesday after some transmission lines were taken offline. This knocked out power in much of South America. The state power company ANDE said that one of the transmissions lines was re-started, and it is normalizing the?power distribution in Asuncion and its surrounding metropolitan area. ANDE released a statement saying that "technicians are continuing to do the necessary work to restore service across the country." The outage affected the northern and eastern regions of the country. Drivers in the capital were thrown into chaos when traffic lights went dark. The blackout occurred as Paraguay is experiencing the austral summer, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. The state water utility ESSAP said that its services may also be affected by the "blackout". ANDE stated that it was 'investigating the cause of the outage. (Reporting and writing by Daniela Deantis, Sarah Morland, Cassandra Garrison).
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The Argentine maritime workers’ strike for reform of labor halts grain shipments
The Argentine maritime workers of the maritime workers federation FESIMAF began a 48-hour walkout on Wednesday in protest against a planned 'labor reform', which was deemed by the grain exporters' chamber to be paralyzing shipments through the nation's ports. Argentina is the top grain supplier in the world, and it's also the largest exporter of soy oil and meal. Gustavo Idigoras is the president of Argentina’s CIARA CEC grain exporters chamber. He added, "We think it's a purely political measure which is a long way from any specific needs." The FESIMAF stated that the strike action, which comes one day before the planned walkout nationwide called by Argentina's powerful CGT labour federation, is to "defend the workers' rights in the workplace and their job security from the proposed changes in labor laws. The SOEA oilseed crushing union in Argentina has also announced that it will be on strike for 24 hours on Thursday. Daniel Succi, leader of SOEA, said in a press release: "We condemn this misnamed modernization which only seeks to?legalize labor setbacks and destruction of thousands jobs. We also condemn the dismantling our national industry." The strike was a protest of President Javier Milei’s proposed labor reform bill. It would limit the right to strike and cap severance payments, tighten sick leave, and limit the ability for workers to claim damages following dismissal. The reform package, a flagship for Milei’s administration, is being strongly opposed by Argentine unions who claim that it threatens the long-standing protections of workers. According to industry sources, the maritime strike would disrupt services such as cargo loading,?unloading and pilot transfers, and other commercial vessel activities, especially in the port of Rosario. Rosario is one of the largest agricultural export hubs around the world. Guillermo Wade of the 'Chamber of Port and Maritime Activities' told ' Earlier on Wednesday, Guillermo Wade, manager of the?Chamber of Port and Maritime Activities told? The lower house of Argentina is scheduled to discuss the bill Thursday after it was approved by the Senate last Monday. (Reporting and writing by Maximilian Heath and Nicolas Misculin; Writing and editing by Aida Pelaez Fernandez and Sarah Morland, and Lucinda Elliot, Chizu Nomiyama, and Alistair Bell).
The new paint scheme for Trump Air Force One features gold, white, and blue
The U.S. Air Force announced on Tuesday that it will be introducing a new color scheme across its executive aircraft fleet, including next-generation Air Force One, in a palette of red, white, dark blue and gold.
The new design is a departure from current white and two tone blue livery, which dates back to the administration of President John F. Kennedy. It also revives elements in the former president Donald Trump's red, white, and blue scheme, which was scrapped by the Air Force in 2022 because darker colors were deemed to cause excessive heat.
The redesign will be applied 'to the VC-25B – the military designation of the Boeing 747-8i that will serve Air Force One.
The Air Force One program involves the conversion of two 747-8 aircraft to specialized jets with advanced communications, defense and communication systems. These will serve as 'the next generation U.S. Presidential air transport. The project is now four years behind schedule, with delivery expected in 2019.
In 2028
The?U.S. The U.S. government has hired L3Harris Technologies to refurbish a Boeing 747 that was previously used by the 'Qatari government as an interim Air Force One.
The United States will accept a Boeing 747 luxury jetliner in 2025
As a Gift
The Air Force asked the White House to send a plane to Qatar. The White House asked for the Air Force to
Rapid Upgrade
The gift is to be used as Air Force One.
The Air Force said that four Boeing 757-200s modified to carry vice presidents, cabinet members, Congress members and other senior government officials, will also be painted in the new livery.
The 757-200 will be given their new livery at regularly scheduled maintenance windows. Air Force officials said that one of these jets was already repainted, and will be delivered within the next few months.
The Air Force has not provided details on how the new design addresses thermal concerns that didomed Trump's prior paint proposal. This was rejected by Biden after it was determined to "drive additional engineering, cost and time."
Air Force?One has been plagued by delays and cost increases since Boeing signed a $3.9?billion contract in 2018 for two modified 747-8s that will replace the fleet. Boeing's effort to build the two new jets costs over $5 billion. The current Air Force One aircraft entered service in 1990.
The Air Force bought two used 747-8 planes for $400 million in December to provide crew training and spare part support before the fleet transition from its aging 747200 fleet. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul in Washington; Rosalba o'Brien, Diane Craft, and Mike Stone)
(source: Reuters)