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Smoke in the cabin causes emergency landing of a Boston bound Delta flight in Portugal
Delta Airlines reported that a flight from Barcelona to Boston made an emergency landing in Porto, Portugal on Sunday afternoon. The company reported that Flight DL251 had been diverted from Barcelona to Porto due to a mechanical problem and landed safely there. Flightradar24, a tracking service, indicated that the plane left Barcelona at 3:15 pm (1315 GMT), and landed in Porto at 5 p.m. (1645 GMT). A spokesperson for Portugal's emergency and civil protection authority said that eight passengers who were on board the Airbus A330 were treated at the Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport, while three others were transported to hospital. The Portuguese spokesperson said that the forced landing was due to "smoke" in the cabin.
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Increased security at US Fairford Air Base in England
A witness said that security measures at an 'US airbase in southwest England have increased significantly in the last few days, with roadblocks and armed police blocking access, as well as emergency vehicles parked near. A spokesperson from the US Air Force confirmed that they are aware of the current reports but will not discuss specific measures to protect forces. The spokesperson stated that "the 501st combat support wing and our UK-based Wings will remain vigilant and take appropriate actions to ensure safety and security for?our US servicemen, civilians and contractors, as well as their families." "We continually assess a number of factors to determine which measures we implement?or change in order to protect our installations and our people, as well as their families." Britain declared?in July that its armed forces were ready to protect the country against any attack, after Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned not to allow US bombers fly out of Fairford. Fairford in Gloucestershire was used to launch operations against Iran during the Middle East Conflict.
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Boeing flags 737 MAX Software Bug Affecting Landing Navigation Feature, WSJ Reports
The Wall Street Journal, citing documents from the company, reported that Boeing has discovered a previously unknown software bug in its 737 MAX aircraft. This glitch could cause an automated navigation 'feature' to fail on landing. Report said that the issue was caused by a software update in the cockpit and could occur when crews change their flight plan after a missed landing. Boeing, when asked for comment, said that it had informed 'all 737 operators' last month of the software problem under which pilots could not?have access to automated flight guidance in a certain landing scenario. Our engineers are working on a software update to 'permanently address the issue. Boeing stated in an email that engineers were working on a permanent software update. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that it was aware of a possible issue with a software update to the flight computers in certain Boeing 737 MAX aircrafts, and worked closely with Boeing as well as the airlines. The FAA issued a statement saying that it would convene a Corrective Action Review Board if a safety concern was identified. Boeing has come under heavy regulatory and safety scrutiny over the past few years, following two 'fatal 737 MAX crash incidents in 2018 and 2019, which led to a 'worldwide grounding of the aircraft. Also after a cabin panel blew out mid-air on a brand new Alaska Airlines MAX 9 in 2018. Southwest Airlines and 'United Airlines' have requested that Boeing not deliver new 737 MAX aircraft with the affected software, and instead request an earlier version. The report stated that it was not immediately clear how many aircraft were operating with the flawed software. Boeing, airlines, and regulators are evaluating the issue to determine if it poses a safety concern for flight, according to the report.
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Russia claims it has struck Ukrainian defence industry vessels and facilities
On Friday, the Russian Defence Ministry said that 'its forces' had carried out drone strikes overnight on Ukrainian defence industry installations, logistic centres and vessels used in Ukraine by its armed forces. The 'Ministry' said that the strikes targeted a 'drone assembly and storage site, in the Kyiv region; logistics hubs in Odesa and port infrastructure in Reni along the Danube River. It was also reported that Russian forces had struck a cargo vessel carrying dual-use and military goods bound for the port of Odesa. Later, on Friday, the ministry announced that its forces had hit another cargo ship?in Odesa that was delivering a?logistics centre?to the port Chornomorsk. This centre is used by Ukraine's armed forces and security forces. It also houses a data center for the?processing of intelligence data and the transmission of it. Could not independently verify statements.
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Volkswagen recalls 4 million cars, Handelsblatt reports
The Handelsblatt reported that Volkswagen, the German automaker, will recall 4 million vehicles from four different brands. This is the largest recall since the Dieselgate scandal. According to the German KBA, there will be a recall of 2.16 million VW and 700,000 Audi vehicles. The Handelsblatt reported that Volkswagen's Czech?brand Skoda, and Seat in Spain would also be affected by the action. Seat confirmed that the number. Skoda has not yet commented on the report. Volkswagen stated in an earlier press release that customers were asked to bring their vehicles to be repaired due to a?risk of corrosion associated with a screw within the steering system. If left unchecked this could affect the steering system's function in the long run. The company said that the recall is a precautionary measure, and that replacing the screw will take less than an hour. Volkswagen refused to comment on the cost estimate of the recalls.
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US airlines oppose China’s bid to increase flights
On Thursday, the head of the industry group Airlines for American?said that US carriers opposed adding more direct flights to the United States from China despite the fact that Xi Jinping, the Chinese President raised the idea. Chris Sununu, the head of the group that represents American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, among others, has said US carriers are still hampered because their Chinese counterparts have been allowed to fly over Russia on eight flights. He told reporters that he had been urging officials in the Trump administration not to cave. It's not a small thing. Sununu told an interview that it is a costly exercise for airlines to travel around Russia. Xi brought up the issue of increased flights at a Washington event on Thursday. At the moment, each country can only operate 50 round-trips per week. "Our two parties may also increase direct flight to facilitate travel in both directions and trade," Xi - said. The White House has not yet commented. Before the COVID-19 epidemic, each side was allowed to fly more than 150 round-trip flights per week. Chinese and US carriers were limited to 12 flights a week each between the two nations until August 2023. Air China was asked to increase the number of flights it offers from the US East coast to China, but Airlines for America resisted the request last week. US carriers are banned from doing so because they cannot access Russian airspace. Chinese carriers however can fly eight US flights. "It's imbalanced. Sununu stated, "It's unfair." "They have an advantage already with eight flights. "It would be a huge advantage to give them even more," he said. "Don't worsen it for us." In?March 2022, the US banned Russian flights in American airspace following Russia's invasion into neighboring Ukraine. This prompted Russia to prohibit US carriers from flying over?the country. The United States did not ban other countries from flying over Russia, but they made a deal in 2023 with China that any additional flights would not be allowed to do so. The US Transportation Department proposed in October 2025 to ban Chinese airlines from flying above?Russia along routes between the United States and Canada. They argued that the shorter flight times this practice allows puts American carriers at an unfair disadvantage. The proposal was withdrawn after it faced opposition from US agencies.
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Alaska Air expects certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 10 by end-September
Alaska?Air?expects Boeing’s?737 MAX 10 aircraft to be certified before the end of September, and plans to deliver its?first plane next spring. Chief Operating Officer?Jason Berry said on Thursday. Berry said that the airline expects to begin passenger service with the MAX 10 between mid-April and April. Before Boeing can start deliveries, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must certify that aircraft. This timeline could be impacted by any delays in the 737 MAX 10 certification process, which is already several years behind schedule. Alaska must then certify the heads-up displays for pilots after the single-aisle aircraft is certified by federal regulators. This will take "a few?months," according to him. He said that the tight schedule "is sport," adding, "We're not panicking yet."
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Maguire: The cement boom in Africa signals the next big shift in global energy usage.
Africa consumes less than 5% of the global energy supply. It is therefore vastly outweighed by other regions when it comes to assessing current trends in energy and pollution. The aggressive plans to build cement plants in the region may change this. Global Energy Monitor data shows that Africa dominates the global pipeline of cement production capacity being built. This construction share is compared to a 8% share of the currently operating cement capacity. This indicates a 'rapid growth in planned production on the continent. But cement investments are about a lot more than just construction materials. These bets are on urbanization, regional economic growth and industrialization. Concrete is used to build roads, houses, factories, ports and other infrastructure before countries use more steel, chemicals or manufactured goods. The cement pipeline is a good indicator of Africa's energy needs. These are expected to increase dramatically if the construction boom linked to the plans for cement capacity materializes. The trend of energy consumption and emissions in the rest of world is expected to be curbed by electrification, and the slowing of heavy industrial production. Leaning In GEM data indicates that Africa has a cement production capacity of 441 million metric tons per year in operation and 43.3 millions tons per annum under construction. African nations also announced plans to add 23 million tons to the current annual cement production capacity. This would increase the total capacity of the region by 15%, compared to its current level, bringing it to just under 507 million tonnes. The overall increase in capacity for cement in Africa is far greater than planned additions to cement capacity in other regions. This indicates that Africa’s development plan looks set to be?more raw materials-intensive' than other parts of the globe. Africa's heavy-duty cement plans indicate a similar steep rise in raw materials and energy requirements, since cement production is notoriously high energy-intensive and requires large quantities of coal, petroleum, coke, and natural gas to ensure ample output. These cement projects will increase the demand for electricity, as well as infrastructure to import, store, and distribute coal, gas, and other fuels. They also need to ship out concrete produced. The plans to expand Africa's cement manufacturing footprint are a response to the growing demand for industrial energy in Africa, which will initially be supplied by fossil fuels. FRONTRUNNERS EGYPT & NIGERIA Egypt, among African countries, has the largest cement production footprint of 88 million tonnes per year. Nigeria is second to India for the amount of cement currently being produced. Libya, Mali and Angola are also among the top 20 countries in the world for cement construction. This shows that growth is expected across the entire continent. Even if Africa adopts cleaner energy technology more rapidly than other industrializing regions, the scale of planned construction of cement suggests that it will still need large quantities of materials to urbanize. The fact that 16 African nations are building new cement kilns suggests that Africa is on the right track to follow some of the same blueprints as countries in Asia. CLEANER CONCRETE? The African cement plan is different from those of other regions because African developers can use the most modern and efficient components to build their?cement plants. Modern kilns have a higher efficiency than those that were installed ten or more years ago. They should therefore be able to produce more cement using fewer inputs. Locally produced renewable electricity -- such as rooftop solar installations -- may also be used to run milling and processing equipment, reducing energy costs for producers. Electric cement kilns, which are becoming more widespread, offer the potential to further reduce energy intensity in countries that want to limit their industrial carbon footprint. Cost considerations will likely remain paramount on many African markets. This may delay the adoption of expensive emissions-reduction techniques such as carbon sequestration. This means that cement production in Africa will be energy- and material-intensive, even though they use the latest kilns available and the most advanced components. Cement projects in Nigeria, Libya Mali, Mozambique, and other countries are not just industrial investments. These projects are early indicators of future growth in?energy demand. Africa's urbanization and industrialization could make it one of the world's largest sources of demand for electricity, fuels for transport and industrial energy. This would force policymakers to find a balance between rising living standards and rising emissions. These are the opinions of the columnist, an author for. You like this column? Check out Open Interest, your new essential source for global financial commentary. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, X and X. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast daily on Apple, Spotify or the app. Subscribe to the Morning Bid podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets 7 days a weeks.
China's drivers stress as robotaxis pick up speed - and guests
Liu Yi is among China's 7 million ridehailing chauffeurs. A 36yearold Wuhan citizen, he started driving parttime this year when construction work slowed in the face of an across the country excess of unsold houses.
Now he forecasts another crisis as he stands beside his car seeing neighbours order driverless taxis.
Everybody will go starving, he said of Wuhan motorists competing versus robotaxis from Apollo Go, a subsidiary of innovation huge Baidu.
Baidu and the Ministry of Industry and Info Technology declined comment.
Ride-hailing and cab driver are among the first workers globally to face the threat of task loss from synthetic intelligence as thousands of robotaxis hit Chinese streets, financial experts and industry specialists said.
Self-driving innovation remains speculative however China has moved aggressively to green-light trials compared to the U.S. which fasts to introduce investigations and suspend approvals. after mishaps.
A minimum of 19 Chinese cities are running robotaxi and robobus. tests, disclosure revealed. 7 have approved tests without. human-driver displays by at least 5 market leaders: Apollo. Go, Pony.ai, WeRide, AutoX and SAIC Motor.
Apollo Go has stated it plans to release 1,000 in Wuhan by. year-end and operate in 100 cities by 2030.
Pony.ai, backed by Japan's Toyota Motor, runs. 300 robotaxis and prepares 1,000 more by 2026. Its vice president. has said robotaxis might take 5 years to end up being sustainably. lucrative, at which point they will expand exponentially.
WeRide is understood for autonomous taxis, vans, buses and street. sweepers. AutoX, backed by e-commerce leader Alibaba Group. , runs in cities including Beijing and Shanghai. SAIC has actually been operating robotaxis considering that the end of 2021.
We have actually seen a velocity in China. There's certainly now. a quick speed of licenses being issued, stated Boston Consulting. Group managing director Augustin Wegscheider. The U.S. has actually been. a lot more steady.
Alphabet's Waymo is the only U.S. firm operating. uncrewed robotaxis that gather fares. It has more than 1,000 cars and trucks in. San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix however could grow to. thousands, stated an individual with understanding of its operations.
Cruise, backed by General Motors, rebooted screening. in April after one of its automobiles struck a pedestrian in 2015.
Cruise stated it operates in three cities with safety its core. objective. Waymo did not react to an ask for comment.
There's a clear contrast between U.S. and China with. robotaxi developers dealing with even more scrutiny and greater obstacles. in the U.S., said previous Waymo CEO John Krafcik.
Robotaxis trigger safety concerns in China, too, however fleets. multiply as authorities approve screening to support economic. goals. Last year, President Xi Jinping required brand-new. productive forces, triggering local competitors.
Beijing announced testing in minimal locations in June and. Guangzhou said this month it would open roads citywide to. self-driving trials.
Some Chinese companies have actually sought to test self-governing cars in. the U.S. however the White House is set to prohibit vehicles with. China-developed systems, said individuals briefed on the matter.
Boston Consulting's Wegscheider compared China's push to. develop self-governing lorries to its assistance of electrical automobiles.
As soon as they commit, he said, they move quite fast.
' DUMB RADISHES'
China has 7 million signed up ride-hailing motorists versus. 4.4 million 2 years back, main data revealed. With. ride-hailing providing last-resort jobs throughout financial. downturn, the side effects of robotaxis might prompt the. government to tap the brakes, financial experts stated.
In July, conversation of job loss from robotaxis soared to the. top of social networks searches with hashtags consisting of, Are. driverless cars and trucks taking taxi drivers' incomes?
In Wuhan, Liu and other ride-hailing chauffeurs call Apollo Go. vehicles silly radishes - a pun on the brand's name in regional. dialect - stating they cause traffic congestion.
Liu concerns, too, about the upcoming introduction of. Tesla's Full Self-Driving system - which still. requires human drivers - and the automaker's robotaxi aspirations.
I hesitate that after the radishes come, he said, Tesla. will come.
Wuhan motorist Wang Guoqiang, 63, sees a hazard to employees who. can least manage disruption.
Ride-hailing is work for the most affordable class, he stated, as he. viewed an Apollo Go lorry park in front of his taxi. If you. exterminate this market, what is left for them to do?
Baidu declined to talk about the chauffeurs' issues and. referred Reuters to comments in May by Chen Zhuo, Apollo Go's. general manager. Chen stated the company would end up being the world's. initially commercially rewarding autonomous-driving platform.
Apollo Go loses practically $11,000 a cars and truck each year in Wuhan,. Haitong International Securities approximated. A lower-cost design. could make it possible for per-vehicle annual revenue of almost $16,000, the. securities firm stated. By contrast, a ride-hailing cars and truck makes. about $15,000 overall for the driver and platform.
' CURRENTLY AT THE FOREFRONT'
Automating jobs could benefit China in the long run provided a. shrinking population, economic experts stated.
In the brief run, there should be a balance in speed in between. the development of new tasks and the damage of old jobs, said. Tang Yao, associate teacher of applied economics at Peking. University. We do not necessarily need to press at the fastest. speed, as we are currently at the forefront.
Eastern Leader Driving School has more than. halved its instructor number because 2019 to about 900. Instead,. it has teachers at a Beijing control centre from another location monitoring. students in 610 automobiles equipped with computer direction tools.
Computer systems score trainees on every wheel turn and brake tap,. and virtual truth simulators coach them on browsing winding. roads. Enormous screens offer real-time analysis of motorist. jobs, such as one student's 82% parallel-parking pass rate.
Zhang Yang, the school's intelligent-training director, stated. the machines have succeeded.
The efficiency, pass rate and security awareness have considerably. improved..
(source: Reuters)