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Urals diffs unchanged, loading plans revision awaited
The differential between Brent and Urals crudes dated on Wednesday remained unchanged, as traders awaited any changes to the grade's September export plans. This is because Russian ports and refineries are still repairing after recent drone attacks in Ukraine. Traders said that oil loadings at Baltic Primorsk continued, but they were delayed several days. Some volumes may be diverted to another port. Kazmunaygaz, the state energy company, announced on Wednesday that Kazakhstan will resume oil supply via the Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan pipeline by September 13. PLATTS WINDOW On Wednesday, there were no bids or offers made on Urals, Azeri BTC Blend or CPC blend in the Platts Window. Poland's Energy Minister Milosz Motyka announced on Wednesday that it will help member states of the European Union that still import Russian energy by 2026. RIA reported that Sergei Ryabkov, the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, said on Wednesday, Moscow is ready to intensify discussions with the U.S. about energy cooperation, which includes the Sakhalin 1 Project. (Reporting and Editing by Kirsten Doovan)
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Poland calls on the EU to stop Russian oil imports before 2026, citing risks geopolitical
Poland's Energy Minister Milosz Motyka stated on Wednesday that Poland will help member states of the European Union who are still importing Russian energy by 2026. The Druzhba pipeline transports Russian oil to Hungary, Slovakia and other EU countries that have cut off ties with Russia following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022. After a phone call with U.S. president Donald Trump, EU executive director Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday that the European Commission would propose a faster phase-out of Russian fossil fuel imports. The bloc had planned to stop buying Russian oil and gas on January 1, 2028. The Polish Minister said that this should have happened two years earlier. This is especially true in light of recent events, such as the Russian drone incursion last week on Polish territory. Motyka's letter to the EU energy ministers urged them to reach a consensus on a goal to eliminate all imports of Russian crude by 2026. This decision would demonstrate our commitment to becoming independent of oil supplies that pose political and strategic risk. Due to the opposition of Slovakia and Hungary who receive Russian pipeline supplies, and maintain close ties with Moscow, the EU has imposed sanctions against most Russian oil imports. Slovakia and Hungary have defended the purchases they made, stating that alternatives were more expensive, such as transit fees when oil is transported via Croatia. Denisa Sakova, the Slovak Economy minister, said that she discussed with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday her call to stop Russian supplies and explained how Slovakia needs conditions for diversification so as not to cut off its industry or economy. "We diversify gas supplies, and we want to diversify further in the future." We have to rely upon the transmission capacity of other routes", she added, adding that the situation with oil was similar and left Slovakia at the mercy of other countries. Wojciech Wrochna, deputy to Motyka and Poland's chief energy security official, said that U.S. gas liquefied via Poland can help eliminate Russian gas in Europe. Wrochna, a reporter, said: "I had an excellent meeting yesterday with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. U.S. Gas flowing south via Poland can help eliminate Russian gas." Orlen, a Polish company, began shipping U.S. Gas to Ukraine in the spring of this year to replenish Kyiv's stores before winter. Slovakia is still reliant upon Russian imports, and has not taken advantage of a gas connection with Poland to secure alternate supplies. (Reporting by Marek Strzelecki. Writing by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk. Mark Potter, Ed Osmond and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk edited the book.
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Italy's privacy watchdog stops facial recognition at Milan Airport
Documents revealed on Wednesday that the privacy watchdog in Italy has temporarily suspended facial recognition technology from being used at Milan's Linate Airport pending the completion of a lengthy data protection investigation. Concerns about possible misuse of passenger data have been raised by airport facial recognition screenings. The Privacy Watchdog in Italy (known as Garante) justified the suspension of the facial recognition system by stating that there were not enough safeguards in place at Linate in order to prevent the use of the technology on passengers who hadn't signed up for it. The decision, dated 11 September, was made public by the government on Wednesday. The website of Milan airports operator SEA claims that its "Faceboarding technology" is "safe, easy and fast". It allows passengers to pass through security checks without having to show their passports or ID cards. SEA responded to Garante’s action on Wednesday by stating that it complies to current regulations, and is working with the watchdog in order to clarify every aspect of data processing. The company said that it would like to restart the facial recognition service as soon as it can, but only for adult passengers. It added that it improves airport security, and speeds up procedures.
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UN Aviation Assembly: Global emissions deal is a top priority for airlines
The head of the trade association IATA told journalists on Wednesday that a global emissions agreement is crucial for airlines before a U.N. Aviation gathering next week. Despite skepticism about the industry's ability to meet its own environmental goals, the chief of the trade body IATA said. In 2016, the U.N. CORSIA agreement was signed to limit rising emissions on international flights by requiring airlines to purchase carbon credits and using green jet fuel. IATA, however, has questioned the U.N.'s goal to achieve a 5% decrease in industry emissions by 2020 due to a lack of credits and fuel made from used cooking oil. Even though the Trump administration does not prioritize environmental protection, reducing plane pollution remains a goal. Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, said: "I believe that changing geopolitical environments may have a short-term effect on how people perceive these issues." The vast majority of industry players have consistently told us that they understand that the industry has a role to play. The triennial meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization, which takes place from September 23 to October 3 this year, will see regulators from 193 nations discuss topics such as the environment, the raising of the retirement age for pilots from 65 to 67, and safety concerns regarding radio frequency interference from the Global Navigation Satellite System in certain parts Europe. The countries will decide if Russia receives enough votes to be re-elected to the 36-member ICAO council in 2022 after it failed to gain enough support following its invasion of Ukraine. Walsh said that the Trump administration was "quite correct" in dropping a proposal by former president Joe Biden, which would have required airlines to compensate passengers for flight disruptions caused by them. He said that the recent Trump Administration order to terminate a joint venture between Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico, and United States concerns about Mexico's violation of bilateral air agreements was "a natural progression of geopolitical matters." The Department of Transportation claims that Mexico has violated an air agreement bilaterally by cutting slots for passenger flights, and forcing all cargo carriers to relocate their operations. Walsh warned that joint ventures between airlines, which allow them to coordinate pricing, scheduling and capacity decisions, can improve service for consumers. He said, "I believe we have to separate the consumer impact from the political impact" of these joint ventures.
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Oil prices drop on US demand fears ahead of Fed rate decision
The oil prices fell on Wednesday as data revealed an increase in U.S. Diesel stockpiles. This stoked concerns about demand while investors awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve decision on interest rate. Brent crude futures fell 44 cents or 0.64% to $68.03 per barrel at 11:29 am EDT (1529 GMT), while U.S. West Texas intermediate crude futures also dropped 44 cents or 0.68% to $64.08. The Energy Information Administration reported on Wednesday that U.S. crude stocks fell dramatically last week due to a spike in exports and sharp drops in imports. Analysts said that a surge in distillate stocks fueled demand concerns, and held prices down. The markets seem to be responding on diesel which is the underbelly of this entire complex, said Phil Flynn a senior analyst with Price Futures Group. Investors also awaited the outcome of U.S. Federal Reserve’s meeting on September 16-17. Later on Wednesday, the Fed is expected cut interest rates by quarter of a percent. After Ukraine intensified its attacks on Russia's infrastructure, the risks to Russian oil supply were also brought into focus. Three industry sources said that Transneft, the Russian oil pipeline monopoly, warned producers on Tuesday that they may have to reduce production after Ukraine's drone strikes on key export ports and refineries. Kazmunaygaz, the state energy company, announced on Wednesday that Kazakhstan has resumed oil supply through the Baku-Tbilisi Ceyhan pipeline as of September 13. Last month, supplies were suspended due to contamination concerns. Reporting by Nicole Jao, Seher Dareen, and Enes Tugagur in London; Jeslyne Lerh and David Goodman in Singapore.
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Embraer confirms that Brazil's plants are operating normally despite metalworkers' strike.
Planemaker Embraer announced on Wednesday that their plants in Brazil are operating normally, after a union representing the metalworkers called a strike indefinitely to demand higher salaries. The union of metalworkers from Sao Jose dos Campos where Embraer headquarters and the main production lines for commercial aircraft are located said they had gone on strike earlier due to "the refusal to apply a true increase in wages" by the firm. This move is made at a time that the company wants to increase production in order to reach its annual targets, since the second half of the year is typically busier for aircraft manufacturers. Embraer delivered 26 commercial jets before the end of June, compared to a target for the full year of 77-85. The company played down the effects of the move by saying that its operations in Brazil weren't disrupted. In Sao Paulo, shares of the planemaker fell 1.3% while the benchmark Bovespa index rose 0.8%. Fiesp, the entity that represents the aerospace industry, according to the Sindmetal Union, proposed during negotiations an adjustment in salary based only on inflation. They also suggested a reduction of job stability for those who are injured or have occupational diseases. The union stated in a press release that this proposal was rejected and a strike was approved. It added that the offer for an increase of 5.05% was turned down, while the workers wanted an 11% hike. Embraer released a statement in which it expressed surprise at the union's actions, as negotiations were ongoing. The union had not yet made its latest proposal, it stated. Fiesp offered a salary adjustment of 5.5% on Tuesday. The third largest planemaker in the world, with shares that reached an all-time high Earlier this year, the tailwinds have been on the back of robust demand For its jets. The factory has broken records for profitability, revenue, and order backlog. Herbert Claros, union director, said that it was time to share the results with workers on the production lines. Reporting by Gabriel Araujo, Alberto Alerigi Jr., Isabel Teles and Mark Potter; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Ed Osmond.
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Italian island Pantelleria plans to rename its airport in honour of Giorgio Armani
Pantelleria, a small island in Italy, plans to rename their airport after the late fashion designer Giorgio Armani. Armani often spent his holidays at his estate on this island. Armani, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 91, owned a large property on the Mediterranean island that lies between Tunisia and Sicily. He would retreat there with his family and friends during August when he was taking a rare vacation from work. Armani's home was a collection of seven "dammusi", rural traditional buildings made from white lava stones with a dome roof and surrounded by over 150 palm trees. Italian civil aviation group ENAC announced on Wednesday it supported the proposal for a name change, which was made by the local council. Matteo Salvini, the Transport Minister also endorsed the plan. ENAC President Pierluigi Di Palma stated that the renaming was in line with the company's plans to improve and promote tourism on the island, which is accessible via flights to Rome or Sicilian Airports such as Palermo. (Reporting and editing by Alvise Armellini and Richard Chang; Reporting by Keith Weir)
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Frontier Airlines CEO: Ultra-low-cost model "alive and well"
Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle stated on Wednesday that despite claims by a peer in the industry that the model had failed, the ultra-low cost carrier model was "alive and thriving" in the U.S. Denver-based airline Frontier Airlines said that it was committed to becoming the U.S.'s leading low-fare carrier and would help fill the gaps left by Spirit Airlines. Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy last month, for the second consecutive year. Frontier Airlines has announced 42 new routes in total since late August. This will allow it to expand its presence into some of Spirit Airlines' top markets, including the U.S. and Latin America. Biffle stated that the cost advantage for ultra-low cost carriers continues to grow, and so "the model is alive and well." Biffle said that the industry is suffering from too much domestic demand, which hurts yields and hurts everyone. He spoke at a travel conference held in New York City on Wednesday. Biffle stated that there will be less seats in the industry over the next year or two, not only for ultra-low cost carriers like Spirit, but also for legacy carriers. TD Cowen data shows that ultra-low-cost carriers' capacity will fall by 3.7% in the fourth-quarter, primarily due to Spirit's cuts. Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, has repeatedly questioned the viability of low-frills airlines' business models. He described the ultra-low cost airline model as "an interesting experimental" that "failed", and compared Frontier Airlines to the last man on a sinking vessel. It's absurd. The people who fly Frontier aren't people who spilled from United. "They are people who would never have flown with (United)," Biffle said. Frontier Forecast The company has been betting that network changes, capacity reductions and better product offerings will help it improve its earnings. Frontier Airlines said that Southwest Airlines' decision not to allow free checked baggage and the financial problems at Spirit Airlines have helped it gain market share. Biffle stated that the company experienced a surge in bookings after it announced its free baggage policy, only to see bookings flatten after a week. He added, "Customers didn't seem to care... Southwest probably would have charged for bags 20 years earlier." Frontier is planning to introduce first class seating by early 2026, and aims to double its revenue. You can also find out more about our loyalty program. Revenue to $6 per passenger next year. Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo, New York; editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Mark Porter.
Singapore Airlines flight hits extreme turbulence, one guest dead, seven critically injured
One traveler was killed and 30 hurt after a Singapore Airlines flight from London hit serious turbulence en path on Tuesday, requiring it to make an emergency situation landing in Bangkok, authorities and the airline company said.
Singapore Airlines offers its deepest acknowledgements to the household of the deceased. We deeply apologise for the distressing experience that our guests and crew members suffered on this flight, the airline company stated, adding it was working with Thai authorities to provide all essential help.
The flight fell under an air pocket while cabin team was serving breakfast before it came across turbulence, prompting the pilots to request an emergency situation landing, Suvarnabhumi airport basic manager Kittipong Kittikachorn informed an interview.
A 73-year-old British man passed away during the incident, likely due to a cardiovascular disease, he said. Seven people were critically hurt with head injuries.
Eighteen people have actually been hospitalised and 12 are being dealt with in health centers, Singapore Airlines said.
It was not instantly possible to reconstruct the occurrence from publicly available tracking data, but a representative for FlightRadar 24 said it was evaluating information at around 07:49 GMT which reveals the plane tilting upwards and go back to its cruising elevation over the area of a minute.
A guest who was on the flight informed that the occurrence involved the experience of increasing then falling.
Unexpectedly the aircraft starts tilting up and there was shaking so I started bracing for what was occurring, and extremely all of a sudden there was an extremely significant drop so everybody seated and not using a seat belt was introduced instantly into the ceiling, Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student on board the flight told .
Some people strike their heads on the luggage cabins overhead and dented it, they struck the locations where lights and masks are and broke straight through it, he stated.
Kittikachorn stated most of the guests he had actually talked to had been wearing their seatbelts.
The representative for FlightRadar 24 stated with regard to data showing a drop in height, our initial thinking is the turbulence occasion is prior to the basic descent from 37,000 to 31,000 feet. That appears to just be a flight level modification in preparation for landing.
The Boeing 777-300ER airplane with 211 guests and 18 team was headed to Singapore when it made the emergency landing, the airline company said.
Singapore news outlet CNA brought blurred pictures provided by readers that it stated appeared to be from the flight. They showed anxious passengers clinging to seats, with oxygen masks hanging from above, personal products scattered throughout the aisle and rubbish spilled on the floor of the cabin crew location.
Suvarnabhumi airport stated the aircraft requested an emergency situation landing at 3:35 pm local time and landed at 3:51. Unimpaired passengers disembarked and an another airplane will fly them onwards. The airline stated it landed at 3:45.
TURBULENCE
Turbulence-related airline accidents are the most common type, according to a 2021 research study by the National Transportation Safety Board.
From 2009 through 2018, the U.S. company discovered that turbulence accounted for more than a third of reported airline accidents and a lot of led to several major injuries, however no airplane damage.
Singapore Airlines, which is widely acknowledged as one of world's leading airline companies and is a criteria for much of the industry, has not had any major events over the last few years.
Its last accident resulting in casualties was a flight from Singapore to Los Angeles via Taipei, where it crashed on Oct. 31, 2000 into construction devices on the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport after trying to take off from the wrong runway. The crash killed 83 of the 179 individuals on board.
Singapore Airlines has actually had seven accidents according to records by the Air travel Security Network.
Boeing stated it was in touch with Singapore Airlines and was all set to offer support. It referred more questions to the airline and local authorities.
We extend our inmost acknowledgements to the family who lost a. enjoyed one, and our thoughts are with the travelers and crew,. it said.
(source: Reuters)