Latest News
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Canada invests C$4.7 Billion to build VIA Rail Cars domestically
The Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced on Thursday that his government will invest C$4.7 billion ($3.41billion) in Canada to build and maintain VIA Rail's passenger cars. This is the first time the company has built its cars domestically in 40 years. For the first time since four decades, VIA passenger cars will be assembled and produced in Canada. Cars that were previously built in the United States are now being built here in Thunder Bay by Alstom Canada," Carney said at a news conference in Thunder Bay. Carney stated that the investment will support 313 new-generation cars in Ontario and Quebec and nearly 700 jobs. The announcement coincides with a worsening of the trade war between Canada and the United States. The announcement comes amid a worsening trade war with the?U.S. Carney said that his government is "ready" to strike a deal with Washington when it's ready. But, any agreement must have stability and credibility.
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Airbus reduces A330 deliveries following a stray item found in the plane
A person with knowledge of the situation said that Airbus was forced to slow down deliveries of the A330neo after a stray instrument was found in the tail section on an aircraft currently in production. The company confirmed that it had recently discovered a 'quality issue' on a horizontal tail plane A330 in an email. This led us to inspect A330s during the production process and slow down monthly deliveries throughout the summer. The root cause has been identified, and A330 deliveries are now resumed. Bloomberg News was the first to report on the quality lapses and delays. Airbus did not deliver any A330s in either June or July. Airbus data will be released 'next week and is expected to show that only one A330 out of 57 jets was delivered in the month of August. A person with knowledge of the issue said that the problem was caused by a tool found inside the aircraft's structure. It was discovered during an inspection before delivery. Airbus' Spanish factories manufacture the horizontal tail plane that controls the nose angle of an aircraft. Airbus has not revealed where the aircraft was at the time the object was 'left behind or found. The person stated that the discovery was not connected to a recent?of strikes in Spanish?plants. The industry has repeatedly launched campaigns to ensure that loose objects are not damaged by Foreign Objects, including tools and rags. RFID and internet-connected technologies are being used by manufacturers to track tools, equipment, and other items. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau stated in a report published last month about a maintenance failure on an aircraft that was already in service that FOD could pose a serious risk to the safe operation of an aircraft.
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France begins testing Tesla's self driving tech
The French Ministry of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, announced that France had begun testing two cars in order to assess Tesla's FSD (advanced driver assistance system). This could be a major step towards Europe's approval of Elon Musk’s autonomous driving technology. The Netherlands Road Authority RDW approved Tesla’s Full Self Driving System for use on Dutch highways on a proviso basis in April. This prompted Belgium, Denmark and Estonia to follow suit in anticipation of a bloc wide vote on the plan that could happen as soon as next month. FSD is an assistance system for drivers that allows them to accelerate, brake and steer their car while the driver remains available. However, it does not result in a self-driving vehicle. Tabarot said in July that the safety 'trade-offs' were not sufficient to justify an authorisation. This was specifically true for areas such as speed limiters and driver attention alerts. In a late-night post on X, the minister?said he'd had "a productive exchange" with Musk about the technology. He had worked closely with Tesla over several?months to adapt the technical aspects needed by France?to approve it. "With the supply of two Tesla vehicles with FSD, we now enter a new phase - that of road testing," he stated. Test Results Expected Mid to Late September In a photo that was shared with the post, Musk is smiling on a computer monitor in a videoconference with Tabarot. A source in the transport ministry said that Tesla had initiated the meeting. Tesla had no immediate comment. The company had previously said that FSD approval was key to increasing sales in Europe. The electric vehicle manufacturer said earlier this week that its FSD system had recorded 4.1 times less collisions than Tesla cars driven manually in the five European countries where the technology is allowed. This was based on a total of more than 100,000,000 km (62,000,000 miles) worth of driving data collected between?April?and?August. A source from the transport ministry said that France wanted to conduct its own tests in order to verify the data provided to it by the Netherlands and Tesla and test the system using French roads and urban areas, which are different to those of other countries. The aim is to have the test results by mid-late September so that it can vote on a bloc decision in the coming months. The EU's Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles is due to meet on 6 October. The source from the Transport Ministry said that a vote could take place on that day, or at the next group meeting, which is scheduled for early December. He also added that he expects Tesla to be willing to address their concerns and allow the technology to become approved in Europe.
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Utilities NextEra and Santee Cooper switch legacy systems to Google AI
Google's artificial intelligence will replace legacy systems at major U.S. electricity companies NextEra Energy and Santee Cooper. This includes weather forecasting, certain operational planning and other legacy systems. The development of AI is upending the U.S. Electric Utility industry. Data centers are driving up the power demand, while utilities try to implement AI in their businesses at the same time. Santee Cooper has announced that it will be switching from its current weather prediction to Google AI tools. The company claims these are targeted enough to "predict" changes in the'microclimates' caused by two large South Carolina lakes. * The development of long-term hedge strategies and near-term planning are heavily influenced by weather forecasts. Santee Cooper's CFO Tami wilson said that if the company is caught off guard by unpredicted weather changes, buying power on the spot market can cost $100,000 per hour. NextEra has also announced that it launched a system developed with Google's Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform. The system will bring together information on power generation, fuel, and energy storage to help the company and its customers plan and work on-the-ground.
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Sources and data: Russia ships more than 10 millions barrels of crude oil via Arctic to China
Two trade sources and LSEG data show that Russia has shipped over 10 million barrels via the Northern Sea Route this 'year. This is a boost to supplies to China, as buyers look for alternative sources amidst disruptions in iranian oil exports, and worries about Middle -East shipping routes. The NSR is navigable between July and October, offering a quicker route to Asia compared to the usual Suez Canal. Last year, Russia shipped 13 million barrels through the 'Arctic Route' during the entire navigation season. This suggests that the demand for supplies via the NSR this year is high. LSEG data shows that China is the only destination of crude?cargoes shipped via this route. However, traders?said that deliveries to other Asian countries including India are planned for later in the season. The data showed that 12 oil tanks have used the Arctic Route this year. All of them are currently scheduled to discharge cargoes in China. Traders said that China recently increased its purchases of Russian crude due to a tightening iran oil supply and concerns about transit through the Strait of Hormuz. This has pushed premiums for Russia’s Far -East ESPO blend crude for delivery in November to China to new highs. The NSR is a new trade route that Russia has been promoting as an alternative to the regular shipping lanes, which are affected by geopolitical tensions. Rakesh Mihshra, Director of Indian Logistics Company Y&H Cargo told Russia's TASS News Agency at the Eastern Economic Forum held in Russia last week that 'the importance of the route is increasing' because 'of the growing uncertainty in the 'Middle East'. Mishra stated that the Middle East situation is unclear and many airlines have canceled their services through the Suez Canal.
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Boeing fined FAA $3.1 Million for widespread safety violations
Boeing?paid a fine of $3.1 million to the U.S. federal aviation?administration this year after the agency claimed that the planemaker committed a number?of safety violations including?actions related to the '2024 Alaska -Airlines MAX 9 in-flight emergency. The FAA announced Wednesday. Boeing paid the FAA in January, and it was not disclosed before. Boeing confirmed that it had paid the fine. Boeing was also fined last year by the FAA for interfering in safety officials' autonomy and for presenting two unairworthy aircraft to the agency. The FAA reported that it had found hundreds of?quality system violations in 2024 at the Boeing 737 Factory in Renton Washington and the 737 Fuselage Factory of the then Boeing Subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems located in Wichita Kansas from September 2023 to February 2024. The FAA has found that a Boeing employee 'pressured' a coworker performing tasks for the FAA, to sign off a 737 MAX in order to meet the delivery schedule of the company. This was despite the fact that the coworker determined the aircraft did NOT comply with regulatory standards. Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal called the FAA's fine insufficient, adding, "For Boeing such fines are easily absorbable as a cost of doing business and not a meaningful dissuasion to dangerous behavior." Blumenthal investigated Boeing safety issues before and presided over a committee that looked into the Alaska mid-air cabin blowout. The panel's report revealed that Boeing whistleblowers had raised serious concerns about the manufacturing processes of the company. Alaska Airlines' incident, in which a 737 MAX was found to be missing four bolts, damaged?Boeing’s reputation. It led to a temporary grounding of the MAX 9 as well as a FAA monthly production limit of?38 aircraft that was lifted in October 2025. In July, the FAA announced that it would permit Boeing to issue airworthiness certifications for all 737 MAX aircraft and 787 planes following "months-long data analysis and safety reviews demonstrating consistent quality production."
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Sources say that Chinese buyers are seeking alternatives to Middle East oil as they increase their purchases of Russian ESPO crude.
Four traders reported that the premiums for Russia’s Far East ESPO blend crude for delivery in November to China have risen to record levels as Chinese refiners increase their purchases amid shrinking Middle East and Iranian supplies. ESPO cargoes due to be delivered at the end October and November trade at a premium of over $7 a barr to ICE Brent. According to traders, offers have been heard up to a record-breaking plus $10 a barron on a shipped basis to China. Trading firms said that Sinopec, the state-owned Chinese refiner, was at the forefront of this buying spree, which reflects a strong demand for alternative crude oil supplies, as traders continue to express concerns about disruptions in shipments across Strait of Hormuz. As tensions in the Middle East threaten regional oil supplies, Chinese refiners are increasingly turning to Russian grades. Early trade on Wednesday saw oil prices rise by nearly 1%, after the United States & Iran exchanged strikes overnight. This fueled fears of more supply disruptions & reduced expectations of a near-term ease in tensions. Traders said that the strong Chinese demand for ESPO had already led to most of November's cargoes selling well ahead schedule. IRANIAN CRUDE IS NOW AVAILABLE AT A LOWER PRICE The traders reported that November ESPO cargoes started trading this week. Premiums for deliveries to China's independent re-finers (known as teapots) have risen to $10 per barrel delivered. The rally is a dramatic turnaround from the early?summer when ESPO blend cargoes were trading at discounts to ICE Brent. As demand has increased, October cargoes are now back in premium territory. The latest increase in crude oil prices was attributed to a decrease in the availability of Iranian crude. This has traditionally been the main source for teapot refiners from China. After the U.S. resumed its naval blockade mid-July it forced buyers to look for replacement barrels. ESPO blend, a product highly prized by Chinese refiners due to its proximity?and short shipping time, is now one of the biggest beneficiaries?of this shift in crude purchasing patterns. Participants in the market said that premiums will likely remain high as long as there is uncertainty about Middle Eastern supplies and Iranian imports.
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Iran's website shows that more ships are blacklisted for trying to pass through the Hormuz Strait.
According to a government website, Iran has added new ships that it considers non-compliant and subject to fines or confiscation if they try to sail through Strait of Hormuz. Tehran announced on August 24 that it had blacklisted 45 tankers for violating its rules to navigate the Strait of Hormuz and that any vessel transferring cargo would be subjected to action. This comes six months after the U.S.-Israeli war began. Updated on the website of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a body created by Iran to'manage the strait', eleven more ships have been added. The total number of blacklisted vessels is now '56. Sources in the shipping industry said that the update took place within the last 24 hours. Iranian officials have not responded to a comment request. This list is restricted to very large crude carriers, liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural?gas, and other clean product vessels. The PGSA website states that "any vessel cooperating (via STS oil transfer, transshipment), will be added to this list." To request removal from the area, vessels must submit an official application with reasons." ADNOC Logistics and Shipping of the United Arab Emirates, ADNOC subsidiary Navig8 tankers and Saudi Arabian national shipping carrier Bahri are among the owners of some of the previously named ships. Sources with direct knowledge told late August that after the announcement of the 'blacklisted' tankers, three Indian oil refiners, and one global energy'major, planned to stop using the vessels because of security concerns. The restrictions are likely to further restrict efforts to export oil through the strait. Traffic in this area, which handled 20% of all global oil and LNG shipments before World War II but has since been reduced to a trickle, is expected to continue to decline. The U.S. imposed sanctions?? on the PGSA? in May. This complicates any engagement with this body, which could result in the U.S. Treasury freezing assets if any fees or transactions are paid.
As flights to the Middle East cease, governments plan repatriations
Commercial flights have been grounded in some parts of the Middle East due to the escalating conflicts following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. This has left foreigners stranded and prompted governments to plan for repatriations.
The European Commission has announced that it is now coordinating the repatriation of citizens under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, as more member states ask for help in evacuating their citizens from the Middle East.
Six flights have already been made to Bulgaria, Italy and Slovakia. Ten EU countries, including Belgium, Czech Republic France, Cyprus Luxembourg and Romania, have activated this mechanism so far.
In alphabetical order, below is what government officials and representatives have said about the repatriation plan:
AUSTRIA
Austria's Foreign Ministry said that it had helped 117 vulnerable citizens leave the UAE via Israel and neighbouring countries. It also planned a charter flight for 170 passengers from Muscat, but warned that travellers would have to take land departures at their own risk.
BULGARIA
GullivAir and Bulgaria Air, as well as the State Aviation Operator, will return Bulgarian citizens to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Oman this Wednesday and Thursday. The flights include a GullivAir Boeing 737 flight via Oman and a Bulgaria Air Boeing 737 rotating through Dubai.
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 organized a flight from Muscat to the United Arab Emirates and Oman with 180 seats. This would cost 400 euros for each passenger.
FINLAND
The Finnish foreign ministry announced that Finland would organize a single flight to bring home the approximately 3,000 Finns who are currently living in the United Arab Emirates. The flight will leave 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 being planned to bring home French nationals who are currently in the area. Around 400,000 French citizens live in this region.
France has said that it has deployed consular teams to Israel's border with Egypt and Jordan in order to facilitate the land exits for people so they can fly onward. It has also put in place similar mechanisms in the UAE, at the borders with Oman, and Saudi Arabia where airspace remains open.
GERMANY
Johoann Wadephul, German Foreign Minister, announced that two more flights, each carrying about 250 passengers, are planned for Thursday and/or Friday, following the arrival of the first flight in Frankfurt on Thursday. He said that commercial air traffic has increased and Germany is reviewing its options for further assistance.
GREECE
According to the Greek Foreign Ministry, 162 Greeks were repatriated between Tuesday and Thursday from the Middle East.
HUNGARY
In a press release, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry said that 87 people had been?repatriated from Amman in Jordan on Wednesday, and another flight with 88 passengers was scheduled for Thursday.
On Friday, a flight will depart from Sharm es Sheik in Egypt. Hungary signed a deal with Flydubai to rent a plane on Thursday and Friday for the repatriation of Hungarians from Dubai. On Saturday and Sunday, Hungary will be departing from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia with two flights.
The Italian Foreign Ministry said that about 2,500 Italians had returned from Abu Dhabi and Riyadh on commercial flights organized by the ministry.
The consulate has increased its staffing levels in Oman and in the UAE, and it is now coordinating the return of large groups from the UAE, and other transiting via land via Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. Additional Italians living in Oman, Israel and Thailand, as well as the Maldives, are also being helped or given priority for transport.
Netherlands
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that repatriation from the Middle East would resume on Friday. Flights include a KLM flight out of Muscat, the capital city of Omani, and a TUI service from Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. The contribution per person is 600 euros.
POLAND
A Polish army spokesperson said that the first of two Polish aircraft sent to Oman for repatriation of Polish citizens will land in Poland around midnight on Friday.
ROMANIA
The Romanian foreign ministry announced on Wednesday that FlyDubai had scheduled two flights from Dubai to Bucharest for Wednesday and Thursday. The ministry has received over 3,000 requests for repatriation and around 16,000 people are registered in the region.
SERBIA
Air Serbia's flight from Sharm el-Sheikh landed in Belgrade at dawn on Wednesday with 67 passengers evacuated from Israel.
SLOVAKIA
The Slovak Foreign Ministry reported that two evacuation flights from Jordan, organised by Slovakia, landed Tuesday. They carried a total 127 people, mainly Slovaks. There are more flights planned.
SLOVENIA
The prime minister's statement said that on Tuesday, four buses were organized by Slovenia, escorted and accompanied by police officers, to transport Slovenian citizens, families with children, from Dubai to Muscat Airport in Oman.
Two more flights are scheduled for late afternoon or evening on Wednesday.
Jose Manuel Albares, Spain's Foreign Minister, announced on Tuesday that the country has started evacuating citizens from the Middle East. He said that more than 175 Spanish citizens arrived in Abu Dhabi on a flight on Tuesday night. Additional flights are expected to arrive from the UAE via Istanbul.
Albares said that Spain would also reinforce its embassies located in the UAE and Saudi Arabia to facilitate repatriations and provide support.
THAILAND
Thailand will 'evacuate' its nationals to Turkey by land on 7 and 10 March, 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 airports in the country to assist some of the tens and thousands of passengers stuck in the region.
UNITED KINGDOM
The British Foreign Office announced that British chartered flight will leave Oman on Friday after technical delays on Tuesday. Priority will be given to vulnerable UK citizens who wish to leave the area, following the registration of 130,000 UK citizens in the region.
(source: Reuters)