Latest News
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A coach crash has killed several people in a Swiss Alpine village
Police said that a bus crash occurred in the Alpine village Susch, in eastern Switzerland. Police?in Graubuenden posted a message on X about the dispatch of emergency response teams to the scene of the accident. A spokesperson for the General 'Dutch Association of Travel Companies' (ANVR) confirmed to Dutch media, acting as spokesperson for tour company OAD that a serious accident involving an OAD bus had occurred and that 48 passengers were aboard. We cannot yet say how many people have been killed or injured. She told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that she could not yet confirm the number of people killed or injured. Could not?immediately contact ANVR? for comment.
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US FAA chief meets with airline CEOs on plan to reduce flight delays
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) met with the CEOs of U.S. passenger airline companies on Thursday to discuss the FAA's plans to use advanced software for a re-organization of flight schedules to improve 'flight management. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has met with top executives of American Airlines, United Airlines Delta Air Lines Southwest Airlines and other airlines to discuss the plan for the agency to start rolling out the SMART system this month. Bedford told reporters at the end of August that "it's going be transformational." We'll be able to make better decisions if we have more effective decision-making tools. The system uses predictive analytics. It is intended to be used to reschedule cancelled flights more efficiently. Later, its use could be extended to other tasks like strategically coordinating flight schedules and trajectory before departure. Bedford will also testify separately next week before a U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee about the progress of the $12.5 Billion overhaul of 'air traffic control. The FAA is asking for another $10 billion to make further improvements. The FAA awarded a 12-year, $875 million contract to Air Space Intelligence in June for a system called Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories (SMART). This system uses data to analyze airline scheduling, weather, airport capacities, airspace conditions, and operational constraints in order to predict traffic flow and identify potential conflicts before they happen. By strategically coordinating flight schedules and trajectory before takeoff, the system can prevent major delays and congestion. The FAA has struggled for years to solve the problem of congestion. The agency, citing concerns about congestion, ordered the airlines to reduce 300 flights per day at Chicago O'Hare through October 2027. In June, FAA extended the flight cuts at Newark Airport and other airports in the New York area. Airlines for America, which is the industry's main trade group and organized the meeting, has praised FAA SMART, stating that it will "have a positive impact on American travelers" by reducing cancellations and delays across the nation. United CEO Scott Kirby stated, "Using smart to open the airspace in an intelligent manner has the potential of significantly reducing delays and cancellations when weather events occur."
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Descartes reports that the monthly US container import volume reached its third highest level ever in August.
The U.S. ocean containers imports for August were the third highest monthly total in history as consumer demand held steady despite uncertainty about a possible U.S. Descartes Systems Group, a provider of supply chain technology, said that the U.S. and Israel war against Iran was causing a rise in inflation as well as a change in trade policy. In August 2026, the U.S. container imported volumes were 2.6 million 20 foot equivalent units (TEUs), which is more than 3% above August 2025. This figure was almost 22% higher than pre-pandemic August 2019 according to Descartes. Container shipping's usual peak season arrived a few months earlier than usual this past year, after some importers rushed to get their goods in before the new U.S. tariffs were implemented. These replaced those that had been overturned in court. Volumes are expected normalize over the course of the year. "The wider?trade climate remains unsettled," said Descartes, citing the ongoing disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Panama Canal as a result of drought and the expanded U.S. Tariffs which rattled supply chain and increased transportation costs. According to Drewry's World Container Index, spot off-contract rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles, the busiest U.S. port for container shipping, were $7,352 per container 40 feet on Thursday. Imports of China in August totaled 884 318 TEUs, an increase of 1.7% over the previous year. Descartes reported that China accounted for?34% (or 884,318 TEUs) of the total container imports during August. Plastics, furniture, and bedding were among the top three categories. Analysts and economists?view container exports as a gauge of the health of the?U.S. Consumers are the engines of the economy. Nearly half of the global container volume is accounted for by retailers, such as Walmart and Amazon.com.
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US Court of appeals rejects Trump's bid to implement voting restrictions by mail
On Thursday, a U.S. appellate court refused to allow the administration of President Donald Trump to implement a new U.S. A new rule from the Postal Service would tighten voting requirements for mail-in ballots before November's congressional election. The U.S. Supreme Court is also considering a similar request. Three judges of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court in Boston have ruled that the new rule adopted by USPS at the Republican president's direction cannot be enforced. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to suspend an injunction issued by a lower court judge last week, which prevented USPS from enforcing a new rule that it adopted on the Republican President's directive. The fate of that rule will be decided soon by the 6-3 conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court. The administration took a rare move by asking the U.S. Supreme Court to lift the injunction before the 1st Circuit issued a ruling. The injunction was issued on Friday by Boston-based U.S. district judge Indira Talwani. She is an appointee to Democratic President Barack Obama. "DISENFRANCHISEMENT of MILLIONS of Voters" The U.S. Department of Justice asked the 1st Circuit to lift Talwani’s order because the plaintiffs’ case was based on a false premise, that USPS intended to take control of the federal election administration when in fact it was adopting a "modest mail-related regulation." The three-judge panel made up of all judges appointed by Democratic president Joe Biden said the argument focused on the "trees" while ignoring the forest. The?panel stated that the U.S. Constitution gives the states and Congress the power to regulate elections. Not the executive branch. The court found no fault with Talwani's conclusion, that allowing this rule to go into effect would "likely result in millions of disenfranchised voters across the nation while providing minimal gains -- if any -- in combating fraud." USPS and White House did no immediately respond to comments. The Supreme Court is still deciding the appeal. The court had lifted an injunction Talwani had issued which had prevented?USPS moving forward with its rule before it had been finalized. USPS released the rule in order to implement the executive order that the Republican President signed in March. Trump had been calling for stricter rules regarding voting by mail, and promoting the false claim that Biden's defeat at the 2020 presidential election was due to widespread voter fraud. All 50 states allow some form of mail-in voting. 29 states allow voters to request to vote by mail, without stating a reason. Eight other states conduct their entire elections by mail. All outbound and returned ballot envelopes are required to have unique barcodes. Under the rule, the USPS may refuse to deliver any ballots that don't meet the new standards, or those associated with voters not listed on the list. Talwani stopped the USPS rule 'going into effect' after concluding that it would disenfranchise voters and was likely illegal, as well as in violation of U.S. Constitution, which gives the states the power to administer elections. The U.S. released a whistleblower's statement on 1 September from an anonymous federal employee. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut claimed that USPS was rushing into implementing a new system hastily designed that could disrupt the delivery during the election.
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US Court of appeals rejects Trump's bid to implement voting restrictions by mail
On Thursday, a U.S. appellate court refused to permit President Donald Trump’s administration to implement?a new U.S. A new rule from the Postal Service would require more stringent requirements for mail-in voting before November's election. The U.S. Supreme Court is also considering a similar request. The Boston-based "1st U.S. The Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston declined to stay an injunction that a lower court judge issued last Friday, which prevented USPS from enforcing a new rule it adopted on the Republican President's directive. The injunction was issued by Boston-based U.S. district judge Indira Talwani. She is an Obama appointee and had been appointed at the request of numerous Democratic-led state governments, voting rights groups, and other interested parties. The administration before the 1st Circuit ruled had already asked the ?6-3 conservative-majority Supreme Court to intervene and pause Talwani's ruling, after it lifted an earlier injunction she issued that had blocked ?USPS from moving forward with the rule. USPS released the rule in order to implement the executive order that the Republican President signed in March. Trump had been calling for tighter voting rules by mail after years of calling and claiming widespread voter fraud was the reason why he lost the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden. The rule requires that states provide the USPS with "lists" of voters and that all return and outbound ballot envelopes have unique barcodes. According to the rule, the USPS may refuse to deliver any ballots that don't meet the new standards, or are associated with voters not listed on the list. Talwani is an Obama appointee who prevented the USPS rule going into effect. He concluded that it would disenfranchise voters and was probably illegal and in violation of the U.S. Constitution which gives the states the power to administer elections. All 50 states permit some form of mail in voting. 29 states allow voters to request to vote by mail, without giving a reason. Eight other states conduct their entire elections by mail. The U.S. released a whistleblower report?from a anonymous?federal employee on September 1. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut claimed that USPS rushed to implement a new system hastily?created that could disrupt the delivery during the election. The U.S. Department of Justice argued that the rule was legal and that the plaintiffs' claim appeared to be based on an unfounded assumption, namely that USPS intended?to take control of the administration of federal elections. The USPS said that state election officials will retain the full authority over who can vote by mail and that their role is limited to ensuring envelopes meet its "modest" envelope requirements.
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House Democrat calls for US action against sleeping Tesla drivers
A Democratic lawmaker called for a U.S. agency responsible for auto safety to take action against misuse of Tesla Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Systems, citing videos that appeared to show drivers sleeping or disengaged. In a letter sent to Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation secretary, Illinois Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi cited a report by NBC News that identified 43 videos of individuals sleeping in the driving seat of Teslas moving, including 17 of them this year. Krishnamoorthi, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's director of safety policy and research, said that "the agency must ensure that manufacturers provide adequate safeguards for preventing foreseeable misuse and drivers aren't encouraged to rely on systems to dangerous levels." "They still need their full attention." Tesla drivers claim that the system allows them to perform other tasks behind the wheel. Some have even posted videos showing this. Tesla,?DOT and NHTSA have not responded to comments immediately. "Is NHTSA cognizant of the growing number of videos that are publicly available showing Tesla drivers appearing to be asleep or otherwise disengaged while Autopilot or FSD operates?" Krishnamoorthi asked. He wants to know whether NHTSA has assessed Tesla's safety measures when the camera in the cabin is blocked, visibility is impaired or drivers wear sunglasses or hats that interfere with detection. Tesla will recall about 2,000,000 vehicles in 2023 - nearly all of its electric cars on U.S. highways - to ensure that drivers are paying attention when they use Autopilot. Tesla says Autopilot allows vehicles to accelerate, brake, and steer within their lane, while Full Self Driving vehicles can obey traffic signs and change lanes. Both technologies, according to the automaker, require drivers who are "fully attentive", with their hands on the steering wheel. The NHTSA intensified its investigation into the?3.2million Teslas with Full Self-Driving in March. They were concerned that the system might fail to detect issues or warn the driver when there was poor visibility. NHTSA launched a separate investigation in October into 2.9 millions Tesla vehicles that were equipped with its FSD system. This was due to more than 50 reports of safety violations and a series of crashes. The agency for auto safety said that FSD, an assistance system which requires drivers to be attentive and intervene when necessary, has "induced vehicle behaviors that violate traffic safety laws."
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Trump Administration proposes to waive the grace period for H-1B Holders after Job Loss
According to a government announcement posted online on Thursday, the Trump administration is proposing to eliminate a 60-day "grace period" that allows certain immigrants — including skilled workers with H-1B visas — to remain?in _the United States after losing their jobs and to find a new employer. According to the proposed rule change published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the Federal Register, those with H-1B visas and certain other temporary work permits would be required to leave the United States as soon as they finish their employment. This could prove to be a blow to American tech companies who rely heavily on the services of foreign workers. This is the latest move by U.S. president Donald Trump to limit legal immigration?since he returned to office in January of 2025. His administration also increased visa fees for skilled workers, and recently paused the immigrant visa appointments at U.S. mission around the world as it implemented a new training programme. DHS said in its proposal that the changes could cause some disruptions, but the jobs would go to American workers. It added that in some cases, immigrants who have left their jobs could potentially reapply for the job if they are offered by their former employer. The notice stated that "DHS assumes they will either hire equally qualified U.S. employees or use the I-129 process based on their workforce requirements." The 60-day grace is in place since 2017 and gives foreign workers the time they need to secure another U.S. position or take care of their affairs, such as selling a house or taking children out of school before leaving. H-1B visas were established by Congress in 1989 and are particularly important for tech companies that seek talent from India or China. They allow them to fill positions where there may be a shortage of qualified U.S. workers. Top H-1B sponsors include consulting firms like Deloitte and PwC, as well as giants in the outsourcing industry such as Infosys and HCL - Tech. Lawyers at Berardi Immigration Law - a firm that specializes in immigration matters affecting business - said this move would "sharply reduce the time HR teams have to manage layoffs or offboarding of foreign national employees." The change will also affect holders of E-1 international traders visas, E-2 commercial vehicle operators visa holders, L-1 short-term employment for international company executives and managers, O-1 visas to?people with "extraordinary ability" in sports, science or the arts, as well as TN professional workers. This would also?impact H-1B1 skilled workers visa holders from Singapore, Chile, and E-3 special worker visa holders in Australia. Before the rule can become law, it must be subjected to a public comment period of two months.
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Starlink rival Eutelsat plans OneWeb expansion after EUR1 billion satellite order
Eutelsat, the satellite operator in France and Britain, announced on Thursday that it will'replenish and expand its OneWeb Network through 2034. The Franco-British company signed a contract with Airbus for 229 low?Earth orbital satellites. This new order, which represents a?investment of EUR1 billion ($1.16billion), will be added on to the 440 Airbus satellites ordered between 2024 and 2025. The previous orders will be delivered in the fourth quarter. Eutelsat plans to expand after raising approximately EUR5 billion in order to combat the financial strain caused by its $3.4 billion merger. The company hopes to challenge Elon Musk’s dominant Starlink. Eutelsat, the only satellite low-Earth orbit network other than Starlink, which provides secure communications and broadband Internet services, is considered important by the French government and the British government. The agreement extends the roadmap for?Eutelsat?s low-Earth orbit fleet beyond previous plans. Under those plans, the company had expected to spend around EUR2 billion on the procurement and launch of the 440 satellites before 2030. OneWeb has more than 600 satellites. However, Jean-Francois Fallacher, CEO of Eutelsat in March, said that the fleet would soon exceed?1,000. Starlink has more than 11000 satellites in orbit. OneWeb, however, requires fewer satellites to provide global coverage. This is because its satellites are higher up and it focuses on government, enterprise and telecom clients rather than mass market consumers. The additional 229 satellites will ensure service continuity up until the commercial deployment of IRIS2, a planned 348-satellite constellation for secure communications by the European Union, which is expected to enter service at the end of this decade. Eutelsat, a SpaceX client as well, announced in a separate announcement made at the Paris space summit that it had reserved two Ariane launches to launch OneWeb satellites between 2027 and 2028.
FAA will not need immediate 737 MAX engine action after bird strikes
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday it will not require any immediate action after assembling an evaluation board to consider concerns about Boeing 737 MAX engines after two bird strike events on Southwest Airlines airplanes in 2023.
The FAA Corrective Action Evaluation Board evaluated the CFM LEAP-1B engine bird strikes which resulted in smoke entering two Boeing 737 MAX airplane. The board determined the issue does not warrant instant action and the FAA will follow its requirement regulatory procedure to resolve it, the firm said.
The FAA continues to examine how these events could impact other engines with comparable structural designs, the firm stated, adding it will release a notice to foreign air travel regulators about new details Boeing offered to operators of aircraft with LEAP-1B engines.
The FAA had been considering suggestions for brand-new launch procedures to close the airflow to one or both engines to address the potential impact of a bird strike and prevent smoke from going into the cockpit.
The development of a long-term repair might extend hold-ups to certification of Boeing's MAX 7 and MAX 10 designs.
Reuters reported last week the FAA was considering whether a change in procedures made sense to attend to the incredibly uncommon occurrence when pilots have actually an established treatment to deal with the issue.
Boeing said Tuesday it continues to follow regulatory processes to properly address possible concerns and guarantee the continued security of the international fleet.
Southwest Airlines said on Tuesday it formerly alerted flight teams about the impacts of certain bird strikes following the two events and restated the value of following recognized security procedures that become part of the business's recurrent pilot training.
Southwest stated it continues to work with makers and safety regulators to recognize a permanent option.
The Seattle Times reported a style change could involve a. software upgrade to modify what occurs to airflow valves when an. engine fan blade breaks since of a bird strike or other. factor.
CFM, the world's biggest engine maker by systems offered, is. co-owned by GE Aerospace and Safran. GE. Aerospace stated it is encouraging of FAA's choice and will. continue to work closely with Boeing and regulators.
Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board stated it. opened an examination into the Southwest left engine bird. strike and subsequent smoke in cockpit occasion that occurred near. New Orleans in December 2023.
The other event occurred in a Southwest March 2023 flight. that had actually left Havana and in which a bird strike caused smoke. filling the guest cabin.
Boeing in February published a publication to notify flight. crews of possible flight deck and cabin effects associated with. extreme engine damage.
Boeing's 737 MAX 7 and 10 are postponed as the planemaker. works to deal with an engine anti-ice system that could result in it. overheating and possibly triggering an engine failure before the. planes can be accredited.
(source: Reuters)