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Wally Funk, pioneering astronaut and aviator trainee, has died at the age of 87
Wally Funk has died in Texas, aged 87. He was the pioneering aviator and astronaut who, at the dawning of the Space Age with 12 American women, became the oldest person ever to fly into space. According to the statement, Funk died the night before at her home in Grapevine, Texas. The cause of death wasn't given. Funk, who had been barred from NASA’s early astronaut corps due to her gender, made headlines when she joined Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon.com, as his honorary guest, along with two other guests, on the inaugural spaceflight Blue Origin's New Shepard Rocketship in July 2021. She said, "I never thought I would get to go up." In a video posted on Blue Origin website weeks before the flight when Bezos revealed his first crew list. After a 10-minute suborbital flight, Funk, at the age of 82, became the oldest person to ever reach outer space. He surpassed the record held by John Glenn, a retired Mercury astronaut who returned to space as a U.S. Senator in 1998, when he was 77. I WANT TO GO AGAIN Bezos was joined by his brother Mark, and a Dutch 18-year old high school graduate. This is the youngest person ever to have reached space. After a safe parachute land in the Texas desert on the New Shepard capsule, Funk said to reporters: "I have been waiting for a long time." He added, "I would like to go back, and fast." With her?broad smile, royal-blue flight suit, and?short, cropped white hair, Funk immediately won a whole new generation of fans on social media. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki called Funk "America's sweetheart." The record for the oldest person in space was held by Funk for almost three months. That is, until William Shatner - who played Captain Kirk in the 1960s sci fi television series "Star Trek" - launched aboard Blue Origin’s second New Shepard launch flight, which took place on October 20, 2021. Shatner had 90 years at the time. Ed Dwight, an Air Force veteran, beat Shatner’s record in 2024, when he flew with Blue Origin. He was also 90 years old. Funk is still the oldest woman in history to have travelled to space. Before achieving her dream of spaceflight Funk trained over 3,000 pilots and logged 19,000 flight hours. She also broke down gender-related barriers in aviation. Mary Wallace Funk, born in 1939, was the first woman to teach flight at Fort Sill, a U.S. Military base in Oklahoma. She also became the first female inspector of the Federal Aviation Administration, and the first female air safety investigator of the National Transportation Safety Board. Funk was the youngest woman of the 13 selected to participate in NASA's Mercury program, which sent the first Americans to space between 1961 and 1964. She outperformed many of her male colleagues on several tests. Mercury 13 was the name given to the women's group, but they were excluded from NASA astronauts at the time due to their gender. According to the Washington Post, Glenn, who was one of the seven original Mercury astronauts, and the first American in orbit around Earth, once spoke out against enlisting females into the space-flight program. In contrast, the Soviet Union's arch-enemy during the Cold War, the United States, accepted women early in its program. Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to reach space in 1963. Sally Ride was the first woman U.S. space astronaut, and she reached orbit in 1983. (Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Jamie Freed) Funk was the last member of Mercury 13 to survive. He became the first of the group's members to fly into space. (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed in Los Angeles, Steve Gorman)
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The US House votes on a bill that would make daylight savings time permanent
According to an announcement posted on Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote next week on legislation to make daylight saving time permanent. The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 48-1 for the Sunshine Protection Act in?May. In March 2022, the U.S. Senate voted to permanently extend daylight saving time. However, the House did not take up the issue due to opposition. The House is set to vote on a proposal next week that would allow for states to opt-out. Since the 1960s, daylight saving time has been implemented in nearly all the United States. The measure is supported by those who believe that the time shift causes sleep disorders, more workplace injuries and car accidents. The House measure's supporters also think that brighter evenings will spur more economic activity in the winter. Donald Trump has called for an end to twice-yearly clock-switching, saying in May that "it is time that people stop worrying about 'Clock', not to mention the money and work that are spent on this ridiculous twice-yearly production." The U.S. Senate will need to decide again if it wants to consider the measure if it is passed by the House. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a Republican, and other members are opposed to the measure. Cotton said that it would lead to absurdly late winter dawns and force many children to attend school in the dark. Vern Buchanan is a Florida Republican Representative who has been presenting the bill "regularly" since '2018. He proposed it again in 2018. The bill is popular among the legislator's constituents because it allows more evening hours of play on sports fields and golf courses. Rep. Frank Pallone (a New Jersey Democrat) said that permanent daylight savings time was "better for safety" and would boost the tourism industry in New Jersey. Stop changing the clocks two times a year. In World War II, the?United States implemented year-round daylight savings?time and did so again in 1974 as a way to reduce energy consumption. It was unpopular, and Congress repealed the law later that same year. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul, Matthew Lewis, and David Shepardson)
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US concludes probe of imported aircraft and parts without seeking new tariffs
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on Thursday that it had conducted a 'probe' into imported commercial aircraft and jet engines, and found foreign goods raised U.S. national security concerns. However, the Trump administration does not seek new tariffs. After a brief tariff on aviation in 2017, the Trump administration agreed, under heavy lobbying from the U.S. Aviation sector, to exempt aircraft and parts as part of trade agreements. The report, which is based on a probe that was opened last year found that the U.S. aviation industry "is too dependent on foreign supply chains raising national security concerns" and cited risks posed by?imported parts due to quality control and counterfeiting. The White House stated that U.S. Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick had recommended no immediate tariffs. Donald Trump has directed negotiations with trading partners to address the impact of imports from other countries on the U.S. Commercial Aerospace Industry. He said that if no agreement is reached within six months, he will take action. The report stated that "competitive pressures from lower-cost suppliers force United States firms either to limit hiring or to maintain wages at a stagnant level, making jobs in aircraft manufacturing less attractive compared to those in other industries." Airplanes, parts and accessories have been exempt from tariffs since 1979 under the Civil Aircraft Agreement. The sector had a?trade surplus of $75 billion per year. Trump has made Boeing plane sales a major component of trade agreements?and often boasted about how many he helped sell to other countries. Delta Air Lines, along with major trade associations, warned last year about the impact of 'tariffs on ticket prices and safety. Last year, Airbus Americas warned that tariffs could put U.S. aircraft manufacturing at risk. (Reporting and writing by David Shepardson, Ryan Patrick Jones and Christian Martinez; editing by David Ljunggren and Alistair Bell).
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Vinci Airports remains optimistic about Mexico despite slowing traffic growth.
Vinci Airports is a subsidiary of France’s VINCI Group. It expects the growth of air traffic to slow down through the end of the year, as high jet fuel prices, and geopolitical tensions, weigh on the aviation sector. However, it does not see major airline capacity reductions and is still open for expansion in Mexico and other places. Vinci Airports CEO Remi Mamon de Longevialle said during a trip to Mexico that there was "new volatility" in the markets, citing tensions between the Middle East and Asia. "Traffic may grow a bit slower than last year." Maumon de Longevialle, the world's biggest private airport operator, said that despite fears of a more drastic change in airline schedules in Europe and North America, his company had not experienced any "dramatic changes" in its capacity. He said that airlines were adapting to fuel costs, but not in a way that would worry investors. He said: "It is fair to admit that growth will not reach the same numbers as previous years." "But there's no concern that airlines will change or adjust dramatically capacity." Maumon de Longevialle, however, said that Mexico was still a growth market in the long term for Vinci. The company became the majority shareholder of airport operator OMA almost four years ago. He pointed to Mexico's domestic airline market, Monterrey as a hub for business and the stable concession framework. OMA's Chief Executive Ricardo Duenas stated that the company has invested 8 billion Pesos (456.41 million?dollars) in Monterrey during the past five years, and plans to invest 8 billion more pesos within the next five. He said that a part of the terminal expansion at the airport is scheduled to open by the end of this year. Maumon de Langevialle did not exclude further expansion. He added that Vinci would also consider growth opportunities outside of Mexico. $1 = 17.5280 Mexican pesos (Reporting from Kylie Madry and Jorge Lopez, Mexico City; editing by Aurora Ellis).
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The largest US grid has paid up to $28,000 per Megawatt to balance electricity in a heat wave
During extreme weather conditions, costs to balance?power in PJM, America's largest grid, have risen to astronomical heights. This has exposed strains caused by overloaded transmission lines and booming demand for data centers. These price spikes are not typical for PJM, but they have increased the overall cost of balancing supply and demand. These costs are eventually passed onto homes and businesses via electricity bills. During the heatwave last week, PJM paid power plants and other sources up to $28,000 per Megawatt in order to quickly adjust their output and keep supply and demand of electricty balanced. According to a PJM analysis, the spike in cost for regulating second-by-second fluctuations in PJM supply and demand is more than 100-fold higher than this year's average. The operation of an electric grid is dependent on the balance. Federal regulators say that a large imbalance lasting up to several moments can cause rotating blackouts. PJM confirmed a spike in price of $27.698 per megawatt that occurred around midday on?July 2?. The sweltering heat boosted air-conditioning use on that day in PJM territory, which covers 67 million people from the Mid-Atlantic, South, and Washington, D.C. areas. PJM said that its 'unrestricted peak loads of 168 gigawatts was a record-breaking load. According to PJM's website, the heatwave last week was a result of a combination of massive congestion and reserve deficits on power lines supplying electricity to Greater Baltimore, Delaware, and the largest data center hub in northern Virginia. PJM's grid is already?under strain as the electricity demand increases faster than?the operator of the grid can add new resources in order to meet data center, electric vehicle charging and air conditioning needs. PJM's capacity prices have risen by 1,000% in the last decade, resulting in billions of additional dollars for customers. The Ohio Manufacturers' Association said that the price increases were due to the fact that new power generation projects are still being delayed. Also, the Ohio Manufacturers' Association stated the prices and planning of the electricity market have been influenced by the uncertainty in large-load forecasts as if the demand was guaranteed to be met. PJM reported spending $217 million in the first quarter on?regulation services to balance supply with demand. This is up 215 percent from a previous year. The market clearing price of regulation soared to $47192 per megawatt during a cold snap in late January, compared to an average $139 per Megawatt for the month. PJM launched market reforms last year to make the balancing services more efficient and cheaper, but according to its external market monitor, more work needs to be done. The goal of PJM's design for the regulation market should be to reduce the cost associated with regulation. Monitoring Analytics LLC's report from May stated that the new design as implemented does not achieve this goal. Monitoring Analytics said that "while the new'market design' corrected a number issues with the previous design, there are new issues in the new design." According to the watchdog, PJM's calculation overestimates costs for providing regulation services because it assumes that power plants will have to give up more electricity than they do. This can cause compensation to appear higher than necessary and drive regulation market prices up. In April, PJM said that its updated methodology better reflects what revenue generators sacrifice when they reserve grid capacity. This is because it takes into account their operating constraints as well as their energy production schedules. Prior to the PJM reforms about 14% (of regulation-market payments) was tied to compensating Generators for revenue that they could have earned if they hadn't provided grid balancing services. According to the grid operator, this fell to less that 2% after the change. (Reporting by Tim McLaughlin, Editing by Aurora Ellis and Tim Gardner.
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Airbus workers in Spain strike for better working conditions
Airbus employees have been on strike in Spain for the entire month of July over what unions call deteriorating conditions. The Independent Union of Aviation Professionals said that workers are protesting against issues such as sub-inflationary pay increases, stricter attendance monitoring, and the requirement for office staff spend more time at site. Airbus is facing pressure to meet an annual delivery target of 870 jets, while grappling with supply chain constraints. Last month, the company faced protests and stoppages in France after reducing how many days its white-collar employees could work remotely. A union leader claimed that the strike, which was called by SIPA in July, gained initial support at Airbus' Getafe factory near Madrid, before spreading to additional sites and attracting support from other unions. CCOO, the largest union for Airbus in Spain, did not join in on the strike, but announced via Facebook that it would 'call an indefinite walkout from September 7 if their demands are not met. CCOO stated that "if no agreement is reached, the delivery schedules at all Airbus Spain sites will be severely affected by the'strike and 'the industrial action during the last four months of the calendar year," CCOO. Airbus employs more than 14,000 workers in Spain, at eight different sites located in Madrid, Castile-La Mancha, and Andalusia. The company produces military transport planes, as well as parts for commercial aircraft and satellites. According to Airbus, Getafe is their third largest site in the world. Reporting by Emma Pinedo, Charlie Devereux. Mark Potter edited the story.
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Palm Beach Airport in Florida officially changes its name to honor Trump
Palm Beach Airport in Florida was officially renamed after Donald Trump on Thursday. It is the latest of a number of institutions, buildings and government programs to adopt the Republican identity. The renaming 'Palm Beach International Airport' to President Donald J. Trump International Airport is a public nod to the Republican Leaders support for his adopted state, Florida, which houses his lavish Mar-a-Lago Resort. Eric Trump, Trump's son, said in an interview with Fox News that "I don’t think there's anyone more synonymous with Palm Beach as Donald Trump" in Florida. Since Trump was elected to a second term in the White House last year, his?name is imprinted on a class of Navy warships that are planned, a program for wealthy foreigners who want visas, and a government-run website for prescription drugs. He has also undertaken an ambitious remaking Washington. The courts rejected a bid to add the Trump name to the John F.?Kennedy?Center for Performing Arts. In March, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis passed legislation to rename Southeast Florida's airport in Trump's honor. On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration changed the three-letter code of the airport from PBI (PBI) to DJT. The airport stated on its website that passengers must still use PBI until August 18 to book flights. The airport reported that the name change was $5.5 million. Eric Trump, his wife and children were on board?the private plane that landed at the newly-named airport? in the early morning hours. In an interview with Fox & Friends, Eric Trump stated that "there's no way in hell" he would have allowed UPS to be the first plane on the ground. JetBlue Airlines is the biggest carrier in Palm Beach, and together with Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, they operate two-thirds or more of the flights. Little Rock Airport in Arkansas was named after former President Bill Clinton, and Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State. However, the airport code remained LIT. Some airports, including those in Las Vegas and San Jose (California), have been named after former legislators.
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Palm Beach Airport, Florida -- the home of Trump's resort in Palm Beach -- is named after him
Palm Beach Airport in Florida renamed after President Donald Trump, the latest of a number of institutions, government programs and warships that have adopted the Republican identity. The renaming of Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport is a public nod to the Republican Leader's popularity in Florida, where his lavish Mar-a-Lago Resort is located. Eric Trump, Trump's son, said in an exclusive interview with Fox News that "I don't believe there's anyone more synonymous with Palm Beach in Florida than Donald Trump." Since Trump?took over the White House for a second term last year, his name has appeared on a new class of Navy warships that is planned, a program to grant visas to 'wealthy' foreigners, an online prescription drug store run by the government, and federal savings accounts set up for children. He has also undertaken an ambitious remaking Washington. The Trump name has been added to the United States Institute of Peace, but courts have refused to add it to the John?Kennedy?Center for the Performing Art. In March, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis passed legislation to rename southeast Florida city's airport in honor of Trump. On August 18, the Federal Aviation Administration's three-letter code will change from PBI to DJT, which is Trump's initials. Eric 'Trump and his entire family were on the first private plane to land in the early morning hours at the newly named airport. Eric Trump told "Fox & Friends" that he would never let UPS be the first plane to arrive. (Reporting from Maria Alejandra Cardona, Palm Beach; writing by Doina Ciacu; editing by Nick Zieminski).
Trump unveils Qatari Boeing 747 before joining Air Force One
The President Donald Trump got to see his upgraded Boeing 747, which was a gift from Qatar, on Friday at the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, as the aircraft approached delivery and would join the Air Force One fleet.
This is the most luxurious aircraft in the world. It was built to a standard that was probably never seen before," Trump said in front of a crowd gathered at a brand new hangar on the base.
The jumbo jet, which Qatar gave to Trump as a present last year, has been overhauled and repainted in the red, white and dark blue livery that Trump chose. This is a departure from Air Force One's iconic design.
Trump said that the upgrade was needed to keep up with foreign leaders who fly more modern aircraft.
"These countries respect us a great deal, but they also have an aircraft that is much better and newer." Trump said, "It's a bit ridiculous."
Trump has said that the rest of Air Force One's fleet will be redesigned.
The new addition to Trump’s fleet will provide a modern, luxurious aircraft that the president, his aides and security detail, as well as the media, can travel on. The cost of the upgrade has not been revealed, and because it was completed so quickly, some experts are concerned that it might not be as safe as Air Force One.
Air Force fast-track program skipped some planned modifications to the next-generation Presidential jet to deliver interim version earlier, but officials claimed?it was upto presidential standards.
In a Friday statement, Secretary of Air Force Troy Meink stated that "the safety and security of the commander-in-chief is our top priority." "We meticulously evaluated each requirement from the start to ensure delivery was expedited while maintaining the high standard expected for the presidential mission."
JULY 4, WASHINGTON FLYOVER
Trump said the aircraft would lead the formation, which he called the "biggest in American history", during the July 4th ceremony on the National Mall.
Trump said, "This will lead a large group of planes."
Trump arrived back in the United States on Thursday morning, aboard a Boeing 747-200 military grade that has been serving U.S. Presidents for over three decades. Trump announced that this was the final flight of the aircraft, and it would be eventually placed in a Museum.
The U.S. government accepting the 747 luxury jet from Qatar raised concerns about whether this was an excessively expensive gift. Trump dismissed criticisms of the arrangement by saying that it would be "stupid' to reject the offer.
Experts said that retrofitting the luxury aircraft required upgrades in security, communication to prevent eavesdropping and missile defense capabilities. Democratic senators estimated that the conversion would cost more than $1 billion, and increase security risks.
The Qatari aircraft is being used as a temporary bridge while Boeing delivers two 747-8s built to order under a fixed-price $3.9 billion contract signed in 2018. The program is currently four years behind schedule. Delivery will not be expected until the middle of 2028. This delay could leave Trump without a plane by January 2029, when his term ends. The Boeing program has cost more than $5 billion. Boeing posted $2.4 billion of charges against its earnings.
The new color scheme is a departure from the two-tone white and blue design that dates back to President John F. Kennedy. The Air Force has revived a palette of red, white and navy blue that Trump had pushed for but was scrapped by the service in 2022 because darker colors were deemed to be overheating.
The new livery, which includes red, white and dark blue, will also be used on the VC-25B, the military designation of the Boeing 747-8, and four modified Boeing 757 200s that are used to transport senior officials, including the vice president and cabinet members. (Reporting from Washington by Mike Stone; Jarrett Renshaw, additional reporting; and Alistair Bell, Stephen Coates and Edmund Klamann editing)
(source: Reuters)