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FAA delays flights as shutdown enters Day 31
Federal Aviation Administration delayed flights on Friday at airports in Austin and Newark, as staffing issues continue to cause delays and the government shutdown enters its 31st week. The FAA reported that there were staffing problems at nine FAA facilities on Friday, and said this was likely to cause delays in flights later for Houston and Dallas airports. Flight delays averaged 61 minutes in Nashville, 50 minutes in Austin and 101 minutes in Newark. FlightAware, a tracking website for aviation, reported that 2,200 U.S. flight delays and 300 cancellations had occurred as of 12:25 p.m. ET. On Thursday, there were 1,250 canceled flights and 7,300 flight delays in the United States. Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation secretary, said that he expected more flight delays to occur in the next few days. Duffy told Fox News' America's Newsroom that there would be more disruptions to the airspace this weekend, and the following week. Staffing shortages in air traffic control caused delays on Thursday at Orlando, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Washington, D.C. The shutdown forced 13,000 air-traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to work for free. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines have all called for Congress to pass a temporary funding bill so that the government can reopen, and to continue discussions on healthcare policy disagreements. Transportation Department officials said that the shutdown caused flight delays because of air traffic controllers' absences. The airlines have repeatedly called for an end to this shutdown, citing safety concerns. The shutdown has worsened existing staffing shortages and threatens to cause widespread disruptions. Even before the shutdown, many air traffic controllers were working six-day weekends and mandatory overtime. (Reporting and editing by Andrea Ricci; David Shepardson)
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Staff of the Border Force patrolling UK waters are planning a strike over pay
The union that represents British Border Force employees announced on Friday, more than 120 staff members who patrol Britain's waterways in "sometimes harrowing" roles plan to go on strike on November 14, to protest pay and working conditions. Most of the UK Border Force's 10,000 staff members work in ports and airports across the UK and abroad. The website of the agency does not provide a breakdown showing how many people are employed to patrol the waters in the UK. The union representing Britain's Public and Commercial Services said that the government started a review of the issue six years ago, addressing the need for standardisation in pay and roles. However, despite long discussions the concerns of the members have not been addressed. The UK interior ministry didn't immediately respond to an inquiry about the planned stoppage of one day or the status on the review. The union stated that workers are involved in dangerous tasks such as patrolling for illegal entry or smuggling into the UK and boarding vessels to inspect them, responding to incidents including small boats with asylum seekers, and boarding vessels for inspection. The Labour Party of British Prime Minister Keir starmer, which is trailing in the polls, has promised to crush the gangs that traffic migrants into Britain via small boats. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, a populist party with a strong political agenda has also made illegal immigration a key issue. In a statement, PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote stated that "this strike sends a message clear to the Home Office": We will not accept further delays or inadequate proposals. Heathcote said, "We are prepared to escalate the situation if needed." (Reporting and editing by Muvija m; Alexander Smith).
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Buffett will send a letter to his children and shareholders as well as Abel's annual letter, according to WSJ
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Buffett's assistant said Warren Buffett would release a letter on November 10 to his children and Berkshire Hathaway's shareholders. Greg Abel, who will become Berkshire Hathaway's chief executive in February, will write Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder's letter. Buffett will step down from his role as chief executive officer at the end this year. He will, however, remain chairman. Abel is a vice chairman of Berkshire but has taken on additional responsibilities since Buffett announced a management change during Berkshire’s annual meeting held May 3. Buffett plans to join other directors in the audience, and not on stage, for next year's meeting. Berkshire has not responded to any requests for comment since Friday. The Omaha-based conglomerate, which will announce its third-quarter results this Saturday. Buffett's letter of November 10, to his children Susie and Howard, and to shareholders is not clear. Buffett sent letters to his family in November 2023, and again in November 2024. In these letters he discussed estate planning. He also expressed gratitude for the opportunities that the U.S. offers. He announced four donations to family charities. Howard Buffett will eventually become the non-executive Chairman of Berkshire. New York Newsroom reported the story.
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Portugal announces that the sale of TAP Airlines has cross-party support
The government of Portugal expects that the partial privatisation process for flag carrier TAP will proceed smoothly. This is due to a rare political consensus across parties and interest shown by Europe's biggest airlines, Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz stated on Friday. He stated that the centre-right minority government initially wanted to offer 100% of TAP but settled for 49.9% when the two major opposition parties threatened to stop any larger sale. This led to a “broad consensus” in parliament with the extreme right Chega and Socialist parties. He told a committee of parliament that "dialogue and mutual respect is always the best way for politics." To ensure transparency, the sale of the property will be reviewed and monitored by an independent commission as well as a working group within the parliament. Portugal has relaunched its long-delayed TAP privatisation in July. The aim is to sell a stake of 44.9% to a carrier that can bring global scale and competition, plus an additional 5% for TAP staff. Airlines interested in TAP are required to submit a formal "manifestation" of interest by November 21, and non-binding bids by the end the year. Lufthansa and Air France-KLM have expressed interest in purchasing TAP. British Airways and IAG, the owner of British Airways, also met with the government last year.
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KLM signs two-year contract with unions of ground staff
Dutch airline KLM announced on Friday it had reached a deal with five unions that represent ground staff in The Netherlands for a two-year agreement that included pay increases, bonuses and improved retirement options. The Collective Labor Agreement (CLA), which is retroactive to March 1, this year and ends on February 28, 2027, will be in effect. This includes a salary increase of 3.25 percent in total as well as a one-time payment of 500 euros ($583) net in December 2025, and 250 euros in January 2026. KLM has also agreed to permanentize the 80-90-100% scheme, which allows older workers to work 90% of their working hours and still accrue full pension. "We are happy that we reached an agreement with all five unions. We have reached solid agreements with KLM on remunerations, career development and productivity. The agreement came amid ongoing labor unrest in KLM. Two major unions, FNV and CNV, had rejected the September deal with other unions and continued to organize strikes.
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Tanzania opposition claims hundreds of deaths in protests against voting
Tanzania's main Opposition Party said that hundreds of people were killed this week in protests against elections throughout the country, while the government claimed it was restoring the order following "isolated" incidents. The United Nations has confirmed credible reports that at least ten people have been killed in protests across three cities. This is the first estimate of fatalities made public by any international body since the vote on Wednesday. The government hasn't responded to any requests for comment or released any estimates of casualties. Could not independently verify these figures. Since Wednesday, protesters have been taking to the streets in anger over the exclusion of the two main challengers to President Samia Hassan from the race. They also criticized what they called widespread repression. Police have been accused of using tear gas and firearms to disperse some protests, according to witnesses. The police have imposed a curfew overnight in Dar es Salaam's commercial capital over the last two nights, after burning down government offices and other structures. Since Wednesday, internet access has been interrupted. HIGH SECURITY PRESENCE On Friday, the military and police patrolled Dar es Salaam's streets to prevent people from moving without a valid excuse. The government has extended the order for civil servants to work from home. John Kitoka, a spokesperson of the CHADEMA Party which was banned from the elections for refusing to adhere to a code and whose leader was arrested in April for treason, said that the party has documented 700 deaths based on the accounts of health workers. He said that protests were still ongoing in several cities on Friday, but they had diminished in others due to heavy security deployment. He said: "We want the protests continue until we get our electoral reforms." Hassan faces a challenge in the unrest. He was praised for his easing of repression after taking office 2021, but has faced criticism more recently from opposition parties and activists following a series arrests and allegations of abductions. Hassan denies allegations of widespread human rights abuses. She claimed that she ordered an investigation last year into reports of abductions. However, no official findings were released. Thursday, the electoral commission announced provisional results of the election. Hassan won a majority in several constituencies. GOVERNMENT : "NORMALICY WILL RETURN" The first direct comments from her government on the unrest were made on Friday by the Foreign Affairs Ministry in a broadcasted message to diplomatic missions on state television. In the message, it was stated that "due to isolated incidents where law and order were violated, the government has increased security and taken other precautionary steps." The statement added that the security measures are temporary, but necessary. Normalcy is expected to return soon. Seif Magango, spokesperson for the U.N. Human rights office, told reporters in Geneva that there are credible reports of 10 deaths in Dar es Salaam and Shinyanga. He urged the protesters to remain peaceful and called for security forces to "refrain from excessive or unnecessary force". A Dar es Salaam local, who requested anonymity for safety, said that a family had lost a member when a protester was mistakenly shot outside a hospital. No one from the police department responded to our requests for comment. In a joint statement released on Thursday, two members of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee called the election a fraud, saying that it "took place in an atmosphere of intimidation and fear". The article was written by Vincent Mumo Nzilani, George Obulutsa and edited by Aaron Ross. Ros Russell and Andrew Heavens.
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ITA Airways will resume flights from and to Tel Aviv on January 1, 2019.
Italy's ITA Airways has announced that it will resume direct flights to Tel Aviv on January 1. This will restore connections with Rome's Fiumicino airport, the main airport. According to the statement, the company, which is part of the Lufthansa Group, will operate at first two daily routes between Tel Aviv and the rest of Europe. The route is "of strategic importance to ITA Airways, and it represents a significant move for Italy. It further strengthens the commercial, cultural, and social ties between Italy and the United States." Hamas has reached a fragile truce with Israel this month, brokered by U.S. president Donald Trump. The deal is being tested periodically by violent outbreaks, as part of the conflict that was sparked by the October 7, 2020 attack by the militants group. As a result, several airlines have suspended flights in the past two years.
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Asia spot prices stable on ample stocks and tepid Demand
The Asian spot price of liquefied gas held steady in this week's market, despite a tepid global demand and healthy stocks. Average LNG price for delivery to North-east Asia in December Industry sources estimate that the price per million British Thermal Units (mmBtu) was $11.10, a slight drop from $11.20/mmBtu in the previous week. Arturo Regalado is Kpler's senior LNG analyst. He said that while Asian LNG prices were supported by higher European prices last week, this week's gains were limited by weaker Asian fundamentals. He said that he expects Asian LNG prices to remain stable next week due to the fact that weaker industrial gas demand and lower gas-fired usage in China combined with higher than average Japanese LNG inventories for December will cap any upside. The data from the Ministry of Industry shows that the LNG stocks of the major Japanese electric utilities increased to 1.97 million tonnes for the week ending October 26 compared with 1.84 million tons in October last year. Martin Senior, Argus' head of LNG prices, added that supply expectations were also confirmed this week by the cooling-down cargo declaration at the Golden Pass U.S. export terminal and Shell's announcement of the impending start of the second LNG Canada train. In Europe, S&P Global Commodity Insights estimated its daily Northwest Europe LNG Marker for cargoes to be delivered in December ex-ship at $10.126/mmBtu. This is a $0.53/mmBtu reduction from the December price at Dutch TTF hub. Spark Commodities estimated the November price to be $9.907/mmBtu. Regalado said that the abundance of LNG and pipeline supply helped to keep prices down, while the warmer weather and increased wind output also kept gas-fired generators in check. Last week, hedge funds and institutional investors began selling TTF futures, reinforcing that the bullish sentiment in the EU Gas market has collapsed, according to independent gas analyst Seb Knastle. The U.S. arbitrage for the front month to Northeast Asia via Cape of Good Hope has now been closed, and is marginally pointing towards Europe rather than Asia. However, the arbitrage through Panama remains open, according to Spark Commodities analyst Qasim Afghanistan. He added that LNG freight rates have risen to $61,250/day in the Atlantic, and to $41,250/day in Pacific. Harikrishnan Nair, Harikrishnan Chow and Emily Chow contributed to this report.
Key minutes in the recent history of Boeing's 737 MAX
Boeing has actually accepted plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge and pay a fine of $ 243.6 million to fix a U.S. Justice Department investigation into 2 737 MAX deadly crashes, the federal government said in a court filing on Sunday.
Previously this month, Boeing accepted redeem Spirit AeroSystems for $4.7 billion in stock and Airbus relocated to handle the supplier's loss-making Europe-focused activities.
Here is a timeline of current issues surrounding limit given that the crashes in 2018 and 2019:
OCTOBER 2018: A Lion Air MAX airplane crashes in Indonesia, killing all 189 individuals on board.
NOVEMBER 2018: The U.S. Federal Air Travel Administration ( FAA) and Boeing begin evaluating the need for software application or design modifications to 737 MAX jets following the Lion Air crash.
MARCH 2019: An Ethiopian Airlines MAX crashes, eliminating all 157 individuals on board. China becomes the first nation to ground the MAX, followed by others including the U.S. FAA.
APRIL 2019: The FAA forms an international group to examine the safety of 737 MAX. Boeing cuts monthly production by almost 20%.
SEPTEMBER 2019: Boeing's board creates a permanent security committee to manage development, manufacturing and operation of its airplane.
OCTOBER 2019: Boeing fires Kevin McAllister, the top executive of its commercial aircrafts department.
DECEMBER 2020: The company fires CEO Dennis Muilenburg in the wake of the twin crashes.
JANUARY 2020: Boeing suspends 737 production, its most significant assembly-line halt in more than 20 years.
MAY 2020: Boeing resumes 737 MAX production at a low rate.
JUNE 2020: Boeing starts a series of long-delayed flight tests of its revamped 737 MAX with regulators at the controls.
NOVEMBER 2020: The U.S. FAA lifts the grounding order, enabling the 737 MAX to fly once again.
DECEMBER 2020: U.S. Congress passes legislation to reform how the FAA accredits new planes, consisting of requiring producers to reveal specific safety-critical details to the regulator.
JANUARY 2021: The European Union Air Travel Security Agency authorizes the MAX's go back to service in Europe.
MARCH 2021: China's air travel regulator says significant safety worry about the MAX required to be effectively addressed before conducting flight tests.
APRIL 2021: Boeing stops 737 MAX shipments after electrical problems re-ground part of the fleet.
NOVEMBER 2021: Existing and former Boeing directors reach a. $ 237.5 mln settlement with shareholders to settle suits over. security oversight of the 737 MAX.
OCTOBER 2022: The FAA tells Boeing that some essential files. sent as part of the accreditation evaluation of the 737 MAX 7. are insufficient and others need a reassessment.
DECEMBER 2022: U.S. Congress agrees to extend a due date for. new requirements for modern cockpit signals stemming from the 2020. legislation after extreme lobbying from Boeing.
APRIL 2023: Boeing stops briefly shipments of some 737 MAXs to. handle a new supplier quality problem involving non-compliant. fittings.
JULY 2023: Boeing's first shipment of the 737 MAX 7 is. postponed to 2024.
AUGUST 2023: Boeing determines a brand-new 737 MAX supplier. quality issue involving improperly drilled holes on the aft. pressure bulkhead.
SEPTEMBER 2023: Boeing 737 MAX deliveries fall to their. lowest levels considering that August 2021.
DECEMBER 2023: Boeing makes its first direct delivery of a. 787 Dreamliner to China given that 2019, viewed as a precursor to the. nation possibly thawing shipments of the 737 MAX.
JANUARY 2024: A mid-air cabin blowout forces Alaska Air to. perform an emergency situation landing of its just recently obtained 737 MAX 9. airplane, triggering the FAA to ground 171 of these jets and. initiate an investigation. The FAA bars Boeing from increasing. MAX output, but raises the grounding of MAX-9s as soon as examinations. were completed.
FEBRUARY 2024: The U.S. National Transport Safety Board. published its initial report on the Alaska Air event. According to the examination, the door panel that flew off the. jet mid-flight appeared to be missing out on 4 essential bolts.
MARCH 2024: The FAA's 737 MAX production audit found. several circumstances where Boeing and provider Spirit AeroSystems. allegedly stopped working to abide by making quality control. requirements. This came days after Boeing said it was in. initial talks to buy Spirit.
The planemaker likewise stated top boss Dave Calhoun would step. down at the end of the year.
APRIL 2024: 737 MAX production falls as U.S. regulators action. up factory checks and employees slow the assembly line outside. Seattle to complete exceptional work.
May 2024: The U.S. Department of Justice states Boeing. breached its commitments in a 2021 arrangement that shielded it. from prosecution over 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019.
The FAA head says he does not anticipate the firm will quickly. provide Boeing the authority to increase 737 MAX production.
July 1, 2024: Boeing obtains Spirit AeroSystems back in an. all-stock deal for $4.7 billion in equity value. The deal comes. as Boeing, which had actually sold Spirit in 2005 to cut costs, efforts. to resolve its quality obstacles and accelerate jet shipments.
July 7, 2024: Boeing consents to plead guilty to a criminal. fraud conspiracy charge and pay a fine of $243.6 mln to solve. the U.S. Justice Department examination into the two 737 MAX. deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019.
(source: Reuters)