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Senators briefed on Texas drone incident by the US
Senators have been informed that U.S. officials are to give a classified briefing to key senators on Wednesday, following two incidents in Texas with 'government drones' which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to close 'airspace? for airplanes. The U.S. Military shot down an unintentional government drone on February 25, using a laser-based system to combat drones. This prompted the FAA, who oversees flight restrictions around Fort Hancock in Texas, to extend this area. The FAA announced on February 18 that it would halt all flights at El Paso Airport, Texas for 10 days. However, the FAA reversed course after eight hours and lifted its order. The FAA's action was prompted by Customs and Border Protection using a?high energy laser system near the Mexican border in order to combat drone threats. Senate Commerce Committee Chair?Ted Cruz (a Texas Republican) said: "I requested the?classified Briefing because I wanted to understand what exactly happened." Aides to Congress said that the briefing from the FAA, Pentagon, and Homeland Security Department is only for the top Republicans and Democrats of three key committees. Senator Maria Cantwell is the top Democrat in the Commerce Committee. She said that drone attacks have become a major issue, but emphasized a need for coordination between the military and FAA. "I hope they'll tell us how to better address these issues in the future." Cantwell stated that the environment was changing. The Pentagon refused to comment on the briefing. The FAA was concerned about the use and safety of the laser anti-drone systems. They agreed to lift the restrictions in El Paso, if the Pentagon agreed to postpone further testing until an FAA safety evaluation. CBP used the laser technology to "take down" four suspected cartel drones in February, despite warnings from the FAA. The technology had not been deemed to be safe for use near commercial flights. A congressional aide said that agencies had stated the laser was never deployed in the United States before. (Reporting and editing by Peter Graff.)
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US extends flight restriction to Haiti's capital until early September
The U.S. federal aviation administration announced on Thursday that it would extend its?ban on U.S. flights landing in the?Haitian Capital Port-au-Prince until September 3 citing threats from armed groups. The FAA suspended all flights in November 2024 after three commercial jetliners from the United States were hit by gunfire. Later, it allowed flights to resume at six other airports in the northern part of Haiti but maintained its ban on Port-au-Prince. The FAA announced on Thursday that it would extend the restriction due to the security forces' inability to stop attacks on aircraft in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and the surrounding areas. U.S. planes are allowed to fly over Port-au-Prince at a height of 10,000 feet (3,048 meters). In the midst of a political vacuum, armed gangs are in control of much Haiti's capital. There is no president or election scheduled, and an expanded U.N. security force is still pending. According to the FAA, since?September 2025 Haitian groups have used small arms fire to 'attack at least three aircraft in an area where U.S. Civil Aviation is prohibited. The FAA stated that "an expanded and shifted gang-operating area increases the risk of small arms 'fire to civil aviation operations?at lower altitudes." The agency continues to allow flights into six airports: Port-de-Paix (Cap-Haitien), Pignon (Jeremie), Antoine-Simon, and Jacmel. Rosalba o'Brien, Rosalba Shepardson and David Shepardson report.
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Urals differs have remained the same despite a growing interest in Asia for this grade.
The differential between Urals crude and dated Brent has remained relatively unchanged, although buyers in Asia have increased their 'interest' in this grade due to Middle Eastern oil supply disruptions. They are still weighing the risks as well as the duration of the shortages. The disruption to the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, at the southern tip of Gulf, has led to a tightening of availability of Middle Eastern grades and increased freight rates. According to two traders and an industry source, Indian refiners are contacting Russian sellers about March and April deliveries. Chinese buyers also show interest, but recent purchases have left them with supply. The traders reported that the demand for Russian oil grades was 'on the rise', but new price signals were still awaited as trades had not yet been concluded. The discounts in Chinese and Indian port on a delivery-basis were also not much different from the levels before?the conflict in Iran. PLATTS WINDOW Traders said that no bids or offers for Urals, Azeri BTC, and CPC Blend were made on the day. Intelligence sources and military analysts say that Iranian drone attacks could disrupt the Strait of Hormuz indefinitely, but it is unclear how long they could continue. Libya's maritime agency issued an advisory to the media on Wednesday stating that a Russian gas?tanker Arctic Metagaz, IMO number 9243148, sank off Libya's coast after a fire and explosions. (Reporting and Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
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Israeli Airlines to Increase Flights to Tel Aviv This Week
Israel's three airlines announced that they would begin to resume flights at the Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, as the?airspace of Israel is expected to gradually open later on Wednesday. Israir is one of Israel's smaller airlines, along with Arkia. It announced that it would be flying to Ben Gurion from Rome, Berlin and Athens on Thursday, as well as Batumi, Rovaniemi/Lapland, and Rome. During the first phase, only one passenger flight will be allowed to land per hour. Ben Gurion didn't give a timetable for the second phase of opening up to two passenger flights an hour. Israel's airspace - was closed on Saturday, at the beginning of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. This triggered a missile barrage?from Iran towards Israel, leaving tens if not thousands of passengers stranded.abroad. Arkia operates one flight from Rome to Tel Aviv on Thursday, but six flights from Athens and Larnaca on Friday. Both airlines are simultaneously operating daily repatriation flight to Taba, Egypt, which is adjacent to the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat?and Aqaba, Jordan, which also borders Eilat from a number of European cities. El Al Israel Airlines, the flag carrier, has announced that it is planning to fly rescue flights from more than 20 cities, including New York City, Miami, Los Angeles and Bangkok as well as London, Paris, London and other European cities, in order to bring back 40,000 passengers who are stranded abroad. It plans to fly nine times on Thursday, from nine European cities, including Athens and Milan. Israel's airlines halted the sale of tickets between March 15th and March 21st to accommodate customers whose cancelled flights could be accommodated when airspace reopened. Reporting by Steven Scheer. (Editing by Louise Heavens, Mark Potter and Mark Potter.)
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Israeli Airlines to Increase Flights to Tel Aviv This Week
As the?airspace of Israel is expected to gradually open later on Wednesday, two Israeli airlines have announced that they will'start' to resume flights at Ben 'Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. Israir - one of Israel's smaller carriers, along with Arkia - said that it would be flying five flights from Rome, Berlin and Athens to Ben Gurion, on Thursday, as well as Batumi, Rovaniemi, and Rovaniemi/Lapland. In the first phase, only one passenger flight per hour is allowed to land. Ben Gurion didn't give a timetable for the airport to open. Israel's airspace closed Saturday, at the beginning of U.S. and Israeli strikes on?Iran. These attacks triggered a missile barrage from Iran towards Israel, stranding tens of thousand of passengers abroad. Arkia operates one flight on Thursday from Rome to Tel Aviv, but six flights from Athens or Larnaca on Friday. Both airlines are simultaneously operating daily flights from many European cities to Taba, Egypt (which is adjacent to the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat) and Aqaba, Jordan, which also borders Eilat. Flag carrier El 'Al Israel Airlines has announced that it is planning rescue flights to and from over 20 cities including New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, Bangkok, London Paris, and other European cities. This will bring home an estimated 40,000 passengers who are stranded overseas. It has not yet released a schedule. Israel's airlines have stopped ticket sales between March 15th and March 21st to accommodate customers whose flights had been cancelled once the airspace reopened. (Reporting and editing by Louise Heavens, Steven Scheer)
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Indian gas companies restrict local supply due to Middle East Crisis
Gas importers and other sources confirmed on Wednesday that several Indian?companies had restricted their domestic?supply, including the 'important' fertiliser industry, due to a force majeure provision due to the escalating conflict across the Middle East. Qatar, India's main supplier of liquefied gas, has been affected by the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran. Lower gas supplies have already affected the production of several fertiliser companies, including the Indian Farmers?Fertilisers Cooperative Ltd and Kribhco Fertilizers Ltd. Both companies failed to respond to the request for comments outside of normal working hours. Gujarat Gas Ltd., which supplies domestic and industrial customers with gas, announced in a filing to the stock exchange that it declared "force majeure" to limit gas supplies to industries as of Thursday. Its parent company GSPC gets the majority of its?gas from Qatar National Oil Co and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co to sell locally. Petronet LNG Ltd, India's largest gas importer, issued a notice of force majeure to its supplier QatarEnergy and local buyers GAIL (India) Ltd., Indian Oil Corp., and Bharat Oil Corp. after its three LNG tanks were unable reach the Ras Laffan loading port. GAIL and IOC already have reduced gas supplies for industries, according to a report on Tuesday. QatarEnergy also sent a notice Petronet, "indicating the potential of a 'force majeure event'" due to hostilities occurring in the region. As of yet, the companies have not announced any reductions in gas supply for automobiles or households. According to government data, India imported 27 millions tonnes of LNG in 2024/25. This is about half its total gas consumption. Qatar is the main supplier of LNG. The attacks on Iran, and the retaliatory strikes by Tehran, have caused the transit of the 'Strait of Hormuz' between Iran, Oman and the world to come to a halt. This area carries one fifth of all oil used globally as well as large amounts of liquefied gas. Reporting by Nidhi verma, Editing by Nivedita battacharjee and Andrei Khalip
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LME fines PAC Global Services Spain PAC Global Services Spain PAC Global Services Spain PAC Global Services Spain PAC Global Services Spain PAC Global Services Spain PAC Global Services 250,000 pounds for violations in the warehouse
The LME announced on Wednesday that it had fined PAC Global Services Spain?250,000 pounds ($334,175) as a disciplinary action for violating its rules. In a notice to members, the exchange, which is the oldest and largest market for industrial metals in the world, listed eight PGS violations of its warehouse agreement. The most serious violations were found during an investigation at a PGS warehouse in Taiwan. Copper was discovered in a yard in the open outside of the facility. The notice stated that "the storage of metal outside an approved?LME shed is an egregious violation of the warehouse agreement... as such, the financial 'penalty' reflects this." According to the LME's website, PGS operates 39 LME-registered warehouses in Europe and Asia. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd. is the owner of LME.
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Milei appoints chief Buenos Aires prosecutor as new justice minister
Argentine 'President Javier Milei announced on 'Wednesday that he had appointed chief Buenos Aires prosecutors Juan Bautista Mahiques to the position of?the newest justice minister for Argentine. Milei announced on X that Mahiques will replace Mariano Cuneo Libarona who was the?justice ministry since December 2023. La Nacion, a local newspaper in Mexico City, reported that Libarona cited personal motives for his departure. Mahiques stated in a separate X post that he assumed this role with the conviction that there can be no investment without 'legal certainty,' no development without stable rules, and no republic without independent judges. Milei said in a speech to Congress on Sunday that he would seek to pass more reforms this year to the 'penal code' to implement harsher sentences for criminals. Last week, the government achieved several legislative victories when Congress passed a controversial labor reform as well as a change in the penal code that reduces the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 14 years old. (Reporting and writing by Lucila SIGAL; Editing and proofreading by Nicolas Misculin, Paul Simao).
As flights to the Middle East cease, governments plan to repatriate their citizens
Commercial flights have been grounded in some parts of the Middle East due to an escalating conflict after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. This has left foreigners stranded and prompted?governments' to plan repatriations.
In alphabetical order, here is what government officials and representatives have said about the repatriation plan:
AUSTRIA
Austria's Foreign Ministry said that it has assisted?117 citizens who were vulnerable to leave the UAE or Israel via neighbouring countries. It is planning a charter flight for 170 passengers from Muscat tomorrow, but warned that travellers would be leaving on their own risk.
BULGARIA
GullivAir (Bulgaria Air), State Aviation Operator and GullivAir will return Bulgarian citizens to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Oman - on Wednesday and Thursday. This includes a GullivAir flight with 326 seats from Dubai and a Bulgaria Air Boeing 737 via Oman. Also included is a 90 seat government aircraft that flies from Abu Dhabi.
CZECH REPUBLIC
According to the CTK news agency, government officials and Czech government officials, three flights have been organised so far from Oman, Jordan, and Egypt in order to evacuate 175 people who were stranded.
ESTONIA
The Estonian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that it had booked a flight from Muscat to Oman or the United Arab Emirates for Thursday. Each passenger would pay 400 euros.
FINLAND
The Finnish foreign ministry announced that Finland would organize a single flight to bring home the approximately 3,000 Finns currently living in the United Arab Emirates. The flight is scheduled to depart Muscat, Oman this weekend. The tickets will cost 2300 euros each, plus any travel expenses to Muscat.
FRANCE
On Wednesday, the French Foreign Minister announced that several flights were scheduled to bring home French nationals who are currently in the area. Around 400,000 French citizens live in this region.
France has deployed consular teams to Israel's border with Egypt and Jordan in order to facilitate the land exits of people so they can continue their journey by air. A similar mechanism has been implemented in the UAE, at the borders with Oman, Saudi Arabia and Oman, where there has been no restriction on airspace.
GERMANY
Berlin plans to charter two Lufthansa?flights from Riyadh, and one from Muscat to bring back particularly vulnerable citizens, such as children and pregnant women, and people with disabilities.
Emirates Airline flight departures to Dusseldorf, Munich and Frankfurt were scheduled for Wednesday. Lufthansa will fly a plane from Muscat to Germany at noon local time. The plane should arrive in Frankfurt early on Thursday.
GREECE
Aegean Flight carrying Greek Nationals from Oman requested by the Foreign Ministry will land in Athens Wednesday afternoon. Prime Minister KyriakosMitsotakis stated that Greece had a plan for repatriating thousands of its citizens stranded across the Middle East.
HUNGARY
The Hungarian Foreign Minister said that repatriation flights would be operated from Amman and Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday and Friday, each aircraft carrying 90 passengers.
The Italian foreign ministry reported that about 2,500 Italians had returned from Abu Dhabi and Riyadh on commercial flights supported by the ministry. It added that additional departures will be made from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Muscat and Riyadh in the next few days, as well as Male and Colombo.
Netherlands
On Wednesday, the Dutch government announced that it would be organising several repatriation flight with Dutch tour operators in the next few days. On Wednesday, a first KLM flight was used to bring back 85 Dutch citizens who had been in Oman.
POLAND
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that a plane dispatched for the pick-up of Poles in need of medical assistance was expected to land on Oman at the same time.
ROMANIA
The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that FlyDubai had scheduled two flights from Dubai to Bucharest on both Wednesday and Thursday. The ministry has received over 3,000 requests for repatriation and around 16,000 Romanians are registered in the area.
SERBIA
Air Serbia's flight from Sharm el-Sheikh landed at Belgrade early Wednesday morning with 67 passengers evacuated from Israel.
SLOVAKIA
The Slovak Foreign Ministry announced that two evacuation flights from Jordan, organised by Slovakia, landed in the country on Tuesday. They carried 127 people, mainly Slovaks. There are more flights planned.
SLOVENIA
The Prime Minister's Office announced in a statement that on Tuesday four buses were organized by Slovenia to transport Slovenians and families with young children from Dubai airport to Muscat Airport in Oman.
Two more flights are scheduled for late afternoon or evening on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Jose Manuel Albares, Spain's Foreign Minister, announced that the country had begun to evacuate its citizens. On Tuesday night, more than 175 Spanish citizens arrived in Abu Dhabi via Istanbul. Further flights are expected to arrive from the UAE.
Albares said that Spain would also reinforce its embassies located in the UAE and Saudi Arabia to support and facilitate future repatriations.
THAILAND
Thailand will evacuate its citizens from Iran by land into Turkey between March 7 and 10 while those stranded are either returning to their home countries or will do so once the airspace is reopened.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
State news agency WAM reports that the UAE Civil Aviation Authority will start operating "special flight" across all of the country's international airports in order to assist some of the tens and thousands of passengers stranded within the region.
UNITED KINGDOM
The British Foreign Office announced that British chartered flights would leave Oman Wednesday evening and on Thursday morning. Priority will be given to vulnerable UK citizens who wish to "leave" the region.
Announced: Limited or no government evacuations
Australia has said it will not evacuate its citizens as long as regional airspace is closed. With 115,000 Australians currently in the Middle East the government plans to focus on commercial flights when normal services resume.
Switzerland announced that it will not organize evacuations for 4,400 travellers and 35, 000 residents of the region.
The U.S. State Department advised Americans to immediately leave more than 12 Middle Eastern countries using commercial options.
(source: Reuters)