Latest News
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Air India is looking for a new CEO to replace Campbell Wilson.
Air India's Board is?looking for a new Chief Executive to replace Campbell Wilson. Two people with direct knowledge said this. The airline continues to be under scrutiny due its safety lapses following a June crash that killed 260 people. After the worst aviation accident in the last decade, regulators pointed out a number of problems, ranging from not performing emergency equipment checks on aircraft to replacing engine parts late, falsifying maintenance records and failings in crew fatigue management. Wilson will take over as Air India's CEO and managing Director in July 2022, after a career of 26 years at Singapore Airlines. He held a variety of senior positions across the flagship airline and its wholly-owned low-cost subsidiary Scoot. The term of Wilson, a New Zealander, at Air India is due to expire in mid-2027, but he may be replaced sooner, according to India’s Economic Times, which reported the search for a replacement CEO on Monday. N. Chandrasekaran is the chairman of Air India, as well as its majority owner Tata Group. Singapore Airlines owns a 25% stake of Air India. Requests for comments from the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines as well as Wilson were not immediately responded to. Tata was not happy with Wilson's performance last year after the airline was bought by the Indian government. Wilson was given a "blank cheque" to fix the problems, according to one person. Both'refused to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue. According to The Economic Times, Chandrasekaran held talks with at least two top UK and U.S. international carriers about becoming Wilson's successor. This was reported by officials who were familiar with the issue. The newspaper also added that Air 'India Express, a low-cost carrier of the group, will likely see similar leadership changes. Air India, India's national carrier, was sold to Tata Group by the Tata Group to try and revive its fortunes in 2022. The conglomerate has made significant investments to modernise its fleet and expand routes. However, delays in aircraft deliveries, refurbishments, operational concerns and safety issues have hampered the turnaround of the airline. Reporting by Abhijith and Aditya Ganapavaram; Writing by Chandini monnappa; and Editing by Mrigank and Jamie Freed.
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Air India is looking for a new CEO to replace Campbell Wilson.
Air India is looking for a new CEO to replace Campbell Wilson. Two?sources? familiar with this matter said that the airline was still under intense scrutiny following a fatal crash in June. Air India's crash in June, which killed 260, has prompted a greater scrutiny of the airline. Regulators have flagged lapses that range from not checking emergency equipment to delays in replacing engine parts and crew fatigue. Wilson became Air India's CEO and managing Director in July 2022 after a career of 26 years at Singapore Airlines. He held various senior roles across the flagship carrier as well as its wholly-owned low-cost subsidiary Scoot. Wilson's tenure at Air India will end?in 2027. The Tata Group, Singapore Airlines' Air India and Wilson have not responded to requests for comment. (Reporting and writing by Aditya?Group and Abhijith?Ganapavaram; editing by Mrigank?Dhaniwala).
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Officials say that the attack on Berlin's power grid was caused by "extreme leftists".
Officials said that a fire in southwest Berlin, which has left tens?thousands without electricity in the German capital, was likely the result of an?extremist attack on the far-left. The grid company Stromnetz Berlin reported on Saturday that up to 45,000 homes could be without electricity until January 8 due to the suspected arson. It said that efforts were still being made to restore power, and around 35,000 homes and 1,900 commercial entities are still affected. Local media reported a letter purporting to be?from an activist group of the far-left called the Volcano Group? that claimed responsibility for the incident and said its actions were directed towards the fossil fuel based energy industries. Iris Sprenger, Berlin's Minister of Interior Affairs, wrote on x that "the letter claiming to be responsible has been classified by the security agencies as authentic." "I strongly condemn this inhumane attack against Berliners and tourists to Berlin." The investigation continues." A?suspected?arson attack on two?pylons in Berlin left 50,000 homes without electricity in September. Local media compared this to Volcano Group’s high-profile attack in 2024 on Tesla's gigafactory at Gruenheide. (Reporting and editing by Christina Fincher.)
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Sources say that Venezuela's PDVSA has asked some joint ventures for a reduction in oil production.
Three sources familiar with the decision told reporters that Venezuela's PDVSA, the state-owned oil company, is asking joint ventures to reduce crude production due to an "export paralysis". This will add pressure to an interim government struggling to hold on to power. These include?shutting down oilfields and well clusters, as the stocks onshore increase. The company also runs out of diluents needed to mix Venezuela's heavy crude before shipping. Caracas is currently in a political crisis, under an interim government. This comes after U.S. troops rescued President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday. Oil exports from the OPEC nation, which are its'main source of income, have come to a halt following a U.S. sanctions-imposed blockade of tankers and the seizure of 2 oil cargoes in December. Chevron cargoes heading to the U.S. were an exception. They continued to move?because Washington has granted the company a license for its operations. Shipping data on Sunday showed that since Thursday, all of these have stopped. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that an "oil boycott" was in force on Venezuela as part of the announcement of Maduro’s detention, and the U.S. overseeing the transition. Sources said that PDVSA asked joint ventures such as Petrolera Sinovensa of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Petropiar from Chevron, and Petroboscan, Petromonagas and Petroboscan to reduce production. Petromangas is now solely operated by PDVSA. Previously, it was jointly run by PDVSA, Roszarubezhneft and the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). PDVSA and CNPC didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Chevron stated on Sunday that it continues to operate in "full compliance with all relevant laws, regulations and standards," without giving any details. One source said that workers at Sinovensa were preparing to disconnect up to ten well clusters on Sunday due to a PDVSA demand after "an excess accumulation of extra-heavy crude and diluents". The person said that the wells can be quickly reconnected if necessary in the future. Chevron, on the other hand, hasn't cut back yet, as it still has plenty of room to store products, especially at Petropiar. Tankers are also still loading. Although its vessels haven't left the country in recent days, and storage capacity at Petroboscan is limited, it could still lead to cuts. Delcy Rodriguez (now Venezuela's interim President), Venezuela's former oil minister, stated last month that the country will continue to produce and export oil despite U.S. sanctions.
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Officials say that at least 25 people are dead and 14 others missing after a boating accident in Nigeria.
Officials said that at least 25 people were killed and 14 more are still missing after a boat capsized with dozens of passengers in Yobe State, north-eastern Nigeria. Accident?occurred? just before 8 pm local time on Saturday, 1900 GMT, when the large canoe that had left Adiyani in northwestern Jigawa State overturned while en route from Garbi to Yobe State. According to Mohammed Goje of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, the vessel carried 52 passengers. "So far, 13 passengers were rescued alive while 25 bodies were recovered. Goje stated that search and rescue operations were ongoing for the 14 missing people. He added that local volunteers, security agencies and emergency teams had been present at the scene. The police in the state of?Jigawa confirmed the incident, and stated that the canoe capsized because it was leaking. It was a day of trading and the victims were heading home. "If the driver survives, then he will face criminal charges for negligence," Lawan Adam, a spokesperson for the state police, said. He noted that safety laws prohibiting night trips and overloading had been ignored. Babagana Shettima is a resident of Adiyani and said that the casualties came from his village as well as Yobe. "When the boat's arrival was late, relatives raised alarm. Later, it was discovered that the canoe?capsized half way. Divers recovered a few bodies," he said to?. In Nigeria, boating accidents can be deadly. Many vessels operate without safety precautions. In September, 60 people were killed when a boat that was overloaded sank in central Nigeria after colliding with a stump of a tree.
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Radio frequency failures cause flight cancellations in Greece, leaving thousands stranded
Flights in Greece were grounded Sunday after a 'collapse of radio frequency crippled the air traffic communication. This left thousands of travellers stranded and brought airport operations to an end. The cause of the disruption was not clear. It began early on Sunday morning and rapidly escalated. The civil aviation authority of Greece said that some overflights in Greek and regional airspace are still being serviced. However, airport operations have been restricted for safety purposes. Dozens were affected. Panagiotis Psarros of the Association of Greek Air Traffic Controllers told ERT that "for some reason, all frequencies were suddenly gone.. we couldn't communicate with aircraft in flight." He stated that the problem appeared to be the 'collapse of the central radio frequency systems? at the Athens-Macedonia area control system, the largest aircontrol facility in the nation based in Athens. It monitors Athens Flight Information Region - a vast area of airspace controlled by Greek authorities. Flight tracking showed that the Greek airspace is largely empty. ERT reported that airport 'arrivals and departs' were suspended at 9 a.m. (0700 GMT) local time, reporting from a departures hall at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport?crowded with travelers. "We've not been told the cause of the problem... the equipment we have is almost ancient." Psarros stated that they had raised the issue many times before. An official from the Transport Ministry told us that some aircraft headed north or east were allowed to depart. An official reported that more than 75 flights had been delayed. A spokesperson for the Israel Airports Authority said that Greek airspace was closed until 4:00 pm local time (1400 GMT). The spokesperson warned travellers to expect delays on arrivals and departures. (Reporting and editing by Hugh Lawson, Ros Russell and Hugh Lawson; Additional reporting in Israel by Steven Scheer and Renee Maltezou;
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President says Serbia's NIS Refinery will be operational on Jan. 17 or 18.
Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia, said that the Russian-owned NIS refinery in Serbia, sanctioned by the United States, would be operational as early as 'January 17 or 18, after it received a temporary license. The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department granted NIS on Wednesday a temporary operating license until January 23. This will allow it to resume its production after a 36 day?break. The US has given NIS - which owns Serbia’s only oil refinery - until 24 March to negotiate the sale of its Russian shareholders' stake. Vucic, speaking to reporters in Belgrade, said: "I expect the first 85,000 tonnes of crude oil to be delivered by January 15th... and that 'the refinery will start operating on either January 17th or 18th... and that 'we can begin producing oil derivatives as early as January 25th and 26th." Gazprom, the Russian oil company, owns 11.3% of NIS while its sanctioned oil subsidiary Gazprom Neft (SIBN.MM), holds 44.9%. The Serbian Government holds 29.9% of the shares, while small shareholders and employees hold the rest. The Serbian government has said that it supports the ongoing talks between NIS and its?Russian owners, MOL. After granting several waivers since the start of last year, the US sanctioned NIS in October as part of wider measures against Russia's Energy Sector. The sanctions had halted the crude supply via Croatia's JANAF pipeline (JANF.ZA), shutting down the NIS refinery located in Pancevo, a northern town. This week, JANAF announced that it also received a license allowing it export crude oil to NIS. (Reporting and editing by Hugh Lawson, Christina Fincher and Aleksandar Vaovic)
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Overnight, Bergamo Airport in Italy halted flights leaving thousands stranded
Due to technical problems with the landing guidance system, and poor visibility at Bergamo Orio-al-Serio airport in Italy, flights were halted on Saturday evening. This left thousands of passengers stranded over night. SACBO, which operates the airport, stated in a press release that the technical issue was resolved around midnight. However, a warning posted on the website of the 'airport' warned "flights could be delayed or canceled". Local media reported that the incident led to 26 flights being cancelled, 6 being diverted to other airports, and 7 being rescheduled for Sunday. Images show people sleeping on the ground and luggage check-in belts. The Bergamo edition of the Corriere della sera?daily?online said that first flights had been halted around 1700 GMT?Saturday. The airport's website showed real-time information on flights, including a list of many Ryanair flights that were delayed. However, several had departed as early as Sunday morning. A 0605 GMT Ryanair flight from Cagliari was delayed until 0850 GMT and a 0620 GMT Neos Flight to Sharm-el-Sheikh was delayed until 0855 GMT. (Reporting and editing by Elaine Hardcastle; Reporting by Valentina Z.)
What disturbances have been reported after the global tech failure?
An international tech outage that appeared to be related to concerns at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and Microsoft on Friday affected operations in sectors consisting of airports, airline companies, media and banks.
Below is a list of disruptions that have been reported:
AIRLINES, AIRPORTS
Airports and airlines around the world have actually cautioned of delays and cancellations or changed to manual check-in, with some halting flights.
- Berlin airport temporarily halted all flights, a. spokesperson told . Lufthansa's Eurowings stated. it was halting domestic German flights in addition to flights to and. from Britain until 3 p.m. (1300 GMT).
- Spanish airport operator Aena reported a. computer systems incident while Lisbon airport, Portugal's. greatest, likewise experienced disturbance. Amsterdam's Schiphol. Airport rebooted services after its operations were impacted. Dubai airport was running generally once again after the interruption. affected check-ins for some airline companies, its operator stated.
- Top Dutch airline KLM said it could not deal with flights on. Friday and that it had actually suspended the majority of its operations. Air. France, KLM's parent company, stated its operations were. interrupted.
- Turkish Airline companies is experiencing problems with ticketing,. check-in, and reservation, it stated in a post on X. Budapest Airport. said numerous airline check-in systems were out of operation.
- Major U.S. providers consisting of American Airlines,. Delta Airlines and United Airlines halted. flights on Friday early morning citing communication problems. American. Airlines later on said it had actually re-established operations. Frontier. and Spirit too cancelled regulations to ground aircrafts.
- An SAS spokesperson said the Scandinavian airline was. expecting hold-ups. Australia's national airline Qantas. and Sydney airport stated airplanes were postponed but still flying.
- Swiss air traffic control service business Skyguide temporarily. minimized Swiss air traffic capability by 30%.
- Indian airlines, including SpiceJet, Indigo,. Akasa Air, Vistara, Air India and Air India Express were also. facing issues on Friday.
- Panama's Copa Airlines stated its os were. experiencing troubles.
FINANCIALS
- Australia's biggest bank, Commonwealth Bank, stated. earlier concerns impacting PayID instant transfers had been. dealt with. Provider consisting of Netbank, the CommBank app, CommBiz,. merchant payments and ATMs are available.
- Numerous significant oil and gas trading desks in London and. Singapore were struggling to perform trades, 6 industry. sources told .
- Macquarie Capital was unable to provide liquidity for. unexpired warrants on HKEX.
- South Africa's Capitec stated card payments, ATM and app. services were fully restored following substantial nationwide. disruptions.
- LSEG Group's Workspace news and information platform. suffered a failure that impacted user access worldwide, triggering. disturbance throughout monetary markets. It later on said information and. services were back up and running once again.
- Some brokerages in India dealt with technical difficulties,. traders at the brokerages told .
- German insurer Allianz said it was experiencing. a major blackout that was impacting staff members' capability to go to. to their computer systems.
- Some German banks were dealing with interruptions, a spokesperson. for the Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft monetary industry. association, stated on Friday, without offering additional details.
- Barclays said its digital investing platform. Smart Investor was affected.
- Brazilian loan provider Bradesco said its digital platforms were. unavailable on Friday.
MEDIA
- Britain's Sky News resumed broadcasting after an. hours-long interruption, however operating at very little capacity and without. many of its usual services.
- Australia's state broadcaster ABC stated it was experiencing. a major network outage, without giving a factor.
- Regular programs at Sky News Australia was interfered with.
EMERGENCY SERVICES, HEALTHCARE
- England's National Health Service (NHS) stated reservations of. medical professionals' appointments and patient records were disrupted, but. emergency services had actually not been affected.
- A number of hospitals in the Netherlands had to scale down. their operations, Dutch press company ANP reported.
- Victorian state police in Australia stated some internal. systems had been struck but emergency services were operating. usually.
- Copenhagen's fire department said on X it was experiencing. problems receiving immediately transferred emergency alarm, and. advised people to call 112 in case of a fire.
- 2 healthcare facilities in the northern German cities of Luebeck and. Kiel cancelled elective operations arranged for Friday.
OTHER
- Important facilities in Germany has actually been affected, an. interior ministry representative stated.
- New Zealand's parliamentary computer system systems were. affected, according to Rafael Gonzalez-Montero, head of the. parliamentary service.
- Australia's Telstra Group was facing interruptions. to some of its systems, a representative for the telecom company informed. .
- The Baltic Center container terminal in the Polish city of. Gdansk stated it was struck by the worldwide failure and was working to. resolve the issue.
- The Paris Olympics organising committee said the failure. was slowing its operations, however the effect was limited and. ticket sales were unaffected.
- The United Arab Emirates foreign ministry stated its. electronic systems were operating generally again.
- Maruti Suzuki, India's biggest carmaker, stated it. quickly halted production and despatch operations. It has. resumed operations and does not expect any material effect from. the incident.
- FedEx Corp said it faced considerable disruptions. throughout its networks due to the outage.
- Italy's greatest energy Enel stated there were. breakdowns and downturns in its online customer services.
- Dominion Energy said customer service call centers. had been affected by the outage.
(source: Reuters)