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• Two trains collide in Slovakia, injuring many passengers

  Police and Slovakia's Interior Minister said that two trains collided in Slovakia Sunday night after one train ran into the rear of the other. Dozens of passengers were injured, they added. Matus Sutaj Estok, the Interior Minister who spoke at the accident site, said in a televised press briefing that 11 people were hospitalized and dozens of others were only lightly injured. He said that there were no fatalities in the accident. The accident occurred on the corridor connecting Bratislava, the capital city, with Pezinok (about 20 km) to the northeast. According to preliminary information there was neither a head-on collision nor a derailment of trains," the police posted on Facebook. The news website Aktuality.sk quoted a passenger who described the crash as a "bang". This is the second accident in Slovakia within the last month. Two trains collided Eastern Slovakia on October 13, injuring 91 people.

• US Government Shutdown Continues as Senators Failed to Find a Way Out

  Senate Democrats in the United States continued to resist an agreement to end the record-long shutdown of federal agencies on Thursday, despite Republican attempts to reverse layoffs and reopen closed agencies. Democrats held their second caucus closed-door meeting in just two days, on the 37th of the longest shutdown in U.S. History. The government shutdown has resulted in the furloughing of 750,000 federal workers, the forcing of thousands to work for free, and the cutting off of food assistance and Head Start subsides for millions of Americans including children. In the coming days, a new pressure point would be created as major U.S. Airports prepared for a 10% reduction in airline flights because air traffic controllers are not being paid. After 14 failed votes, the Senate will vote again on a short term funding measure on Friday. However, this time the Senate will do so with the understanding that in the coming days the bill will be amended to include bipartisan legislation reopening federal agencies and funding some programs for the entire year. John Thune, the South Dakota Senate majority leader, told reporters that he always hopes and expects to see enough Democrats for us to move forward. "We'll see. "They seem to be slowing walking or walking backwards this." The Republicans have a majority of 53 to 47, but they need 60 votes in order to reopen government. Thune needs at least eight Democrats who are willing to leave their party, as one Republican is opposed to the short-term funding. Only two Democrats, plus an independent member of their caucus, have so far been willing. Chuck Schumer, the New York Senate Democratic leader, described the meeting of his caucus as "a very productive and good meeting". Other speakers also expressed optimism. Some Democrats, however, were not so optimistic. "I don’t know how effective it was there," said Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman. He is one of three Senate Democrats who voted for a bill that would reopen government on a short term basis. Republicans offered Democrats a way to reopen the government, which included a stopgap measure for funding and a full-year package of appropriations bills that would pay for agricultural programs, including food assistance, construction projects, veterans affairs, and the legislative branch. Possible Reversal of Layoffs In bipartisan discussions, Republicans also showed an openness towards reversing the massive layoffs of federal workers ordered by President Donald Trump’s White House as well as protecting federal jobs against future cuts. "The discussion started as a healthcare conversation, but in recent days it has also evolved into a discussion of what I have called the moratorium on mischief," Democratic senator Tim Kaine from Virginia told reporters. Before reopening government, Democrats insist that Republicans negotiate an extension of federal health subsidies. Republicans insist that the government has to reopen before reopening. "We need to ensure that the deal we reach can be supported by both sides," said Democratic Michigan Senator Gary Peters, who was involved in bipartisan discussions. The deal has been discussed in many ways. "Nothing's really been crystallized." Uncertainty about the move of a house Thune offered Democrats a Senate Floor vote as an incentive for reopening government. This would extend federal tax credits expiring that help lower income Americans pay private health insurance. There was no such guarantee in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives . House Speaker Mike Johnson, of Louisiana, told reporters: "I am not a part of the negotiations." "I don't promise anything to anyone." Peters responded, "That is a serious problem." Democrats have repeatedly urged Trump to start negotiations on healthcare. Republicans, however, say that this should only happen after the government has reopened. Thom Tillis, a Republican senator, said that the White House would intervene to ensure a vote in the House on ACA tax credit legislation if the Senate passes it. Tillis of North Carolina said, "That's an important task that the White House should take on." "They can at the very least signal that we will allow voting if all of you get out of here." Even if Senate Democrats and Republicans were able to reach an agreement to reopen government this week agencies would likely be closed for several days. Before Trump could sign such a measure into law, it would need to be approved by the House. House Republican leaders have promised to give 48-hour notice to members before they are called back to Washington, and 72-hours to review the legislation before any votes. (Reporting and editing by Scott Malone, Diane Craft and Scott Malone)

• Emirates Group's profit for the first half of 2018 increases 13% due to strong travel demand

  Emirates Group announced on Thursday that its net profit grew by 13% to $2.9 billion for the six-month period ending September. The company cited a strong and consistent travel demand in all regions, which boosted their airline's business. The Gulf carrier is continuing to recover from the pandemic and consolidating Dubai's status as a global hub for aviation. In a press release, Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum stated that "global demand for air travel and travel services have been buoyant despite geopolitical events in some markets and economic concerns." Emirates Group plans to increase capacity with the delivery of Airbus A350 aircraft. The company also said that new facilities at its subsidiary dnata (ground-handling) will contribute to growth. Emirates airline's revenue increased 6% from $17.9billion last year to five A350 aircraft delivered in six months. 23 Airbus and Boeing aircraft were also brought online through the retrofit program.

• Wall Street Journal, November 6,

  These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch their accuracy. - Due to the U.S. Government shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a 10% reduction of airline traffic in 40 major airports. The UK's Intermediate Capital Group has advanced discussions to sell Singapore’s PSB Academy for almost $382.5million to Sun Venture. Cathay Pacific is buying back Qatar Airways' 9.5% stake for $6.97 billion Hong Kong Dollars ($896.5 Million). Pfizer will sweeten their offer for Metsera again, the weight loss drug startup that is at the heart of a bidding battle with Novo Nordisk. Snap's share price rose by 25% after the announcement of a deal that will integrate Perplexity AI into Snapchat Chat's interface by early 2026. CoreWeave CEO Michael Intrator dismissed fears about an AI infrastructure boom, citing the potential for economic acceleration.

• Belgium scrambles for solutions to airport closures due to drones

  After drone sightings on Tuesday night forced the closure of airports, a military base and an airbase, the Belgian government called for an emergency meeting with key ministers. Drones are causing major disruption Europe In recent months, airports have been forced to temporarily close in several countries. Several officials have attributed the incidents to "hybrid war" by Russia. Moscow denies any involvement in the incidents. Skeyes, the Belgian air navigation company, said that Brussels airport, Belgium’s busiest airport, was shut down at 8 pm (1900 GMT), after three drones flew above its perimeter. Around the same time drones were seen over airports in Antwerp and Liege, forcing those airports to close until early Wednesday morning. According to the Defence Ministry, drones were also seen hovering above Florennes Air Base. After two hours the airport briefly reopened, but was then closed again when at least one drone appeared. Around 2 am, the suspension of flights was lifted. Theo Francken, the Minister of Defence, told a committee in parliament that it appeared as if the incidents were coordinated to cause disruption and involved large drones flying together. It is similar to hybrid techniques used in other countries. It's not someone flying a drone randomly over an airport or military site... There are several indications that it was planned in a structured manner." Brussels Airport reported that 81 flights were cancelled and 24 diverted since the initial shutdown. Nearly half of the cancellations happened after the airport reopened Wednesday morning due to planes being in the wrong places. The first flight on Wednesday was at 6.30 am. The major cargo hub of Liege Airport reopened its doors at 3 am, almost seven hours after being closed. Five flights were cancelled, 37 were delayed, and eight flights had to be diverted. The authorities in Denmark, Norway, and Germany are investigating the drone sightings which have temporarily grounded airport air traffic in Oslo, Copenhagen, and Munich since September. However, so far, little information has been made public about what happened in these cases. Reporting by Inti, Charlotte, Blenkinsop, and Tierney Kugel. Editing by Mark Heinrich.

• Report shows that holiday travel demand is down across the board.

  Even high-income travelers may not be as eager to travel this holiday season, according to a Deloitte report released on Wednesday. The report shows that Americans plan on taking fewer trips in the coming year and spending less money on them due to growing financial worries. Report: The number of holiday trips planned has decreased to an average of 1.83 from 2.14 last years, and the average budget for planned travel is down 18% at $2,334. The report stated that the tighter budgets are rooted in a more tempered money mood. Nearly one fifth of households with incomes over $100,000 per year, or wealthy Americans, reported that they were in a worse financial situation than a previous year. About 80% plan to opt for cheaper travel options. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, as well as Marriott International, a hotel operator, all pointed out that there was a solid demand in the last two months for premium offerings, such a premium seats and luxurious hotels. This trend could be changing, with a disproportionate effect on airlines and tour operators, since high-income travellers tend to spend more money and travel further. The prolonged U.S. shutdown has also put holiday travel at risk. According to airline estimates, the government shutdown forced airlines to reduce flights and delay 3.2 million passengers. The report found that millennials were the most likely to adopt generative AI for travel planning. They have increased their adoption by 1.5 times in comparison with 2024. The report found that while travelers are most likely to use generative AI for finding activities and attractions, restaurant recommendations were the most likely to be followed.

• Trump's trade battle with China in 2025

  U.S. president Donald Trump has targeted China as his top economic rival with a cascade on tariffs that are worth billions of dollar. He is trying to reduce a trade surplus, bring back lost manufacturing and cripple fentanyl traffic. In reverse chronological order, here are the key events of this year in U.S. China trade war: China has announced that it will continue to expand access to and investment opportunities for U.S. firms, especially in the services sector. On November 10, China suspends for a full year the port fees it charges vessels with ties to the United States, as well sanctions imposed on U.S. affiliates in the South Korean shipbuilding company Hanwha Ocean. This comes after Washington suspended its punitive actions resulting from Section 301 investigations of China's maritime and shipbuilding industries. China will adjust its list of drug precursor chemicals and require export licenses for certain chemicals going to the U.S. Sources say that the FBI director visited China to discuss law enforcement and fentanyl issues. China lifts its ban on exports of gallium, antimony and germanium to the U.S. China suspends the export controls it implemented on October 9 including increased curbs for some rare earths and equipment, lithium batteries and super-hard material. Industry insiders claim that Beijing has begun to form a new licensing system for rare earths, which could speed up shipments. China has announced that it will reinstate soybean import licenses for three U.S. companies and lift the ban on U.S. logging imports beginning November 10. China starts modest purchases of U.S. agricultural products on November 6, including two cargoes each of wheat and sorghum. A business association in agriculture says that China's COFCO held a signing ceremony for soybean purchases. November 5 - Beijing will suspend retaliatory duties on U.S. Imports starting November 10, including farm products duties up to 15%. However, it will keep levies at 10% in response to Trump's "Liberation Day tariffs". Imports from the United States still face a 13% tariff, but China will ease its measures against U.S. entities and drop some curbs on optical fibres. After talks between Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping in South Korea, the United States and China reach a new trade truce on October 30. Trump agrees with Beijing to crack down on the illicit fentanyl market, resume U.S. soya bean purchases and pause controls on rare earth exports. Beijing claims that the United States has also promised to delay by a year its plan to ban Chinese firms from using their technology. The two leaders will decide the framework of a trade agreement after Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary and Jamieson Greer met with He Lifeng, Vice Premier and chief trade negotiator in China. The U.S. State Department describes Chinese sanctions against the Hanwha Ocean as "coercion" and says that they undermine ties between Washington, Seoul, and Beijing. Greer and Bessent criticize China's increased rare earth export controls, citing them as a threat to global supply chain. Bessent promises to tighten up control over strategic sectors in order to combat China. Apple CEO Tim Cook pledges China investment boost. On October 14, both nations start collecting port fees on each other's vessels. China, however, exempts the ships that it has built. Five Hanwha Ocean units with ties to the United States are sanctioned as a threat to its sovereignty and security. Bessent confirms that plans for the Trump-Xi meeting are still on track. Trump announces new levies on China imports, including 100% additional duties. He also introduces export controls for "any and all software critical" starting November 1. In response to China's restrictions on rare earth exports, he threatens to impose export controls on Boeing parts. Trump claims that there is no need to meet Xi but doesn't cancel his plans. China opens antitrust investigation against U.S. Qualcomm for the purchase of Israeli chip designer Autotalks. China will start charging port fees to U.S.-linked vessels from October 14 in response the similar U.S. charges on China-linked vessels. China tightens its grip on minerals critical to the world economy. The United States is planning to prohibit Chinese airlines from flying above Russia on U.S. routes. This would be detrimental to U.S. carriers. Trump declares that the major topic of discussion at the Xi-Meet will be soybeans. He calls China's sharply decreased U.S. purchases as a tactic in negotiations. Greer, September 30: Tariffs of around 55% on Chinese imports is a "good status quo", but the United States wants to see more free trade. Bessent: Chemicals, aircraft engines and components offer U.S. leverage in China negotiations. Visitor U.S. legislators tell Premier Li Qiang to increase engagement between China and the United States. Trump and Xi have a telephone conversation on September 19, during which Trump claims they made progress in a TikTok pact, and that they agreed to meet face to face to discuss illicit drugs, trade and the Ukraine war. China welcomes TikTok commercial talks. Both sides reach agreement to transfer TikTok under U.S. control. The U.S. has pledged to not impose any more tariffs against Chinese products over Russian oil imports, unless European levies are first imposed. September 14th - Bessent, China's He, and Bessent, Spain, discuss the trade and TikTok divestiture by September 17th. August 11: Both nations extend the tariff truce by 90 more days. August 10 - As the trade truce expires on August 12, Trump urges China quadruple U.S. soya purchases. As part of the talks on rare Earths, the United States lifts its April ban and starts issuing Nvidia licenses for exports to China of advanced AI H20 chip technology. After two days of discussions in Stockholm, U.S. officials and Chinese officials agreed to extend the 90-day truce on tariffs. However, they did not make any major breakthroughs. Bessent: Both sides have resolved issues regarding rare earth minerals and magnetics bound for the United States. June 9-12: Framework agreement reached at London round of discussions, and some Chinese rare earths producers start to receive export licenses. Trump claims that a trade truce has been re-established. June 5, Xi and Trump have a telephone conversation lasting an hour. Trump claims that China has violated the Geneva agreement to roll back tariffs, and relax restrictions on exports of critical minerals. China denies this and accuses the U.S. instead of "discriminatory restrictive curbs". May 28-29, United States threatens Chinese students with revocation of visas while ordering certain companies to stop shipping goods to China. May 10-12: First round of trade negotiations in Geneva agrees a 90-day pause for tariffs. U.S. tariffs are reduced to 30% from 145% on Chinese goods, while China reduces tariffs to 10%. China will also cancel non-tariffs measures taken since April 2. Nvidia, a chipmaker, says U.S. officials informed it that China sales of H20 chips would require an export license. China raises its tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%, calling Trump's strategy "a joke". It also signals that it will ignore further U.S. "numbers games with tariffs". China imposes a tariff of 84% on U.S. Imports. It also imposes controls that prevent exports of dual use items to 12 U.S. Companies and labels six others as "unreliable" entities. The United States increases tariffs on Chinese imports from 84% to 125%. China warns its citizens to avoid U.S. travel. Tariffs on Chinese imports are raised to 84% from 34% by the United States on April 8. April 4: China imposes retaliatory duties of 34% on all U.S. imports starting April 10, and limits exports for some rare earths. Trump announces "Liberation Day Tariffs" on April 2, which will impose a 10% tariff on all imports. Some countries may face even higher tariffs, including China. From May 2, the U.S. will no longer allow low-value shipments to China and Hong Kong to enter duty-free. March 3-4, 2019 - From March 4, 2019, the United States will double its fentanyl tariffs to 20% on all Chinese imports. China retaliates with 10% to 15% tariffs on U.S. agricultural exports and $21 billion of exports. It also clamps export and investment restrictions on 25 U.S. companies. China responds to the U.S. business with measures that target U.S. companies, including 15% tariffs on U.S. LNG and coal, and 10% for some autos and crude oil starting February 10. China responds with measures targeting U.S. businesses, as well as 15% levies on US coal and LNG from February 4, and 10% for crude oil and some autos starting February 10. Trump imposes a 10% penalty duty on China's goods, along with 25% on Mexico & Canada to pressure the United States into curbing illegal immigration and fentanyl.

• Fraport reports a profit increase, but reduces the 2025 passenger estimate at Frankfurt Airport

  Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, reported on Tuesday a 22.6% increase in its core earnings for the third quarter. This was largely due to a reduction in personnel costs resulting from a pension refund. Jefferies, a financial research firm, reported that the German company's quarterly earnings were 593.1 millions euros ($691.7) - well above the analysts' consensus estimate of 533million euros. Fraport has confirmed its financial forecast for the year. However, it expects 63 million passengers will fly via Frankfurt by 2025. This is down 1 million from the previous estimate. The company reported that the number of passengers at Germany's busiest airport was 87.8% below the levels seen in the first nine month of 2019. The report said that this underperformance was due to "excessively expensive" costs for aviation security, regulatory costs and air traffic charges. Fraport said that passenger numbers in the entire group had returned to levels seen before the pandemic, and airports such as Greece, Peru, and Antalya were well above the 2019 volume.

• Air Current reports that Boeing has been given the go-ahead to begin next phase of certification trials for the 777X.

  The Air Current reported Monday that Boeing was given approval by the U.S. Aviation Regulatory Agency last week to start the third phase of certification flight testing for its 777-9 Wide-body Jet. According to people familiar with the program's progress, the aviation industry publication said that this was the biggest round of evaluations ever for the long delayed aircraft program. Air Current's report could not be verified immediately. Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration have not responded to'requests for a statement. Boeing's wide-body strategy is based on the 777X, which was previously dominated by Boeing's 747 and its 777 jets. The repeated delays in certification and production have delayed deliveries by several decades, adding more than $15 billion to the costs and putting pressure on the company's finances. As international travel recovers, Airbus' rival A350 has an opportunity. Boeing's earnings report for last month revealed that it had delayed the delivery of its long-delayed program 777X to 2027, and taken a $5 billion charge larger than expected. Boeing updated its assessment of 777-9 certification timeline and predicted that the first delivery would be in 2027. The FAA approved the long-awaited increase in 737 MAX production from 38 to 42 aircraft per calendar month.

• Abra Group to acquire Chile's Sky in the latest Latin American aviation reshuffle

  Latin American airline holding Abra Group said on Monday it has reached an agreement-in-principle for Chilean low-cost carrier Sky Airline to join the group, which already includes Brazil's Gol and Colombia's Avianca. This move comes after Abra announced last month that it planned to make an initial public offering (IPO) in the United States. It further consolidates Abra as one of Latin America's largest airline groups, competing with Chile-based LATAM Airlines. Abra was formed in 2022 when Gol and Avianca announced their merger under a single roof. Abra holds a strategic stake in Spain's Wamos and had a convertible debt that represented a minority share in Sky. Abra and Sky submitted documents to the competition authorities in order to obtain regulatory approval for this transaction. The holding added that Sky would keep its brand under the agreement. Abra Group CEO Adrian Neuhauser said, "Bringing Sky to the group will enable us to continue strengthening our region's aviation market." Abra announced that it would consolidate Sky's ownership at the closing of the transaction, and the majority shareholders in the Chilean airline will become minority shareholders of Abra. Sky's Holger Paulmann, its president, will continue as its chairman. No financial details are disclosed. Paulmann stated that the deal will bring Sky's customers more options and routes, as Abra has more than 300 aircraft in its fleet, including both Boeing and Airbus jets. Sky was established in the early 2000s. It operates a fleet Airbus A320/A321neo with subsidiaries in Chile, and Peru. It serves over 40 destinations across the Americas. Gabriel Araujo reports.

• Belgium recruits foreign forces to fight drone incursions

  Belgian officials have enlisted foreign forces to help them track or seize drones that are making incursions near its airports and military bases, as well as a nuclear power plant. They claim this is all a result of Russian interference. Last Tuesday, drone sightings caused the authorities to temporarily close Belgium's busiest airport, Brussels Airport. This was one of several recent incursions which also resulted in a brief closure at the cargo hub, Liege Airport, and disrupted a nearby airbase. "We don't say it's Russia. "We're not saying it's Russia. It is impossible to link any incident with a specific actor. "We have nothing", said a Belgian official, who spoke under condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly. We are working with our partners to either get a hold of a drone or to detect the launch point and destination. Russia has denied involvement in the drones. In a statement issued last week, its Brussels embassy stated that it had "neither a motive nor an interest in such activity". Theo Francken, Belgium's defence minister, told Het Laatste Nieuws that there are assumptions that Russia is behind the incursions. "But I can't prove" it. He said that Belgium was being closely watched because Russian assets were frozen at the securities depository Euroclear in Brussels. The EU has suggested using these funds to finance Ukraine. Russia has warned that it will respond with a "painful" response if this happens. French and German anti drone teams have arrived in Belgium. Twenty British Royal Air Force specialists are due to deploy systems that can jam electronic signals required by drones to operate. Richard Knighton told the BBC that the British armed forces would help the Belgians by providing their equipment and capabilities. The Belgian official stated that in some cases the drones were large and flew in formation. This indicates they likely had been operated by specialists who are trained. The Belgian government gave approval on Friday for the expenditure of 50 million Euros ($58.3 millions) on systems that detect drones and put them out-of-action. However, it is unclear when this equipment will be ready.

• Official data shows that fewer Germans are moving to the US since Trump took office.

  Official data released on Monday showed that the number of Germans moving to the United States will drop sharply after the second term of Donald Trump. According to preliminary data from the German federal statistics office, between January and September, emigration into the U.S. dropped by 17.8% on an annual basis, to 17,100. The office released a statement saying that departures to the U.S. were at the lowest level since 2021, the year when the pandemic hit. In the same time period, migration from the U.S. into Germany increased by 3.4%. This is the first time that the U.S. has seen more people move to Germany. The tourism between the two countries has also decreased. In the period January-August, 1,96 million U.S. tourists visited Germany, a decline of 3.2% compared to 2024. Arrivals in July fell by 10.2%, the most dramatic drop. The U.S. remains the most popular non-European airport destination despite a decline of 1.3% in air travel to the U.S. Spain, Turkey, and Italy were the top three foreign travel destinations for Germans during this period. After several Germans were arrested at the border, Germany updated their travel advice for the U.S. in March. (Reporting and writing by Rene Wagner; editing by Thomas Seythal).