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Bousso: The board of ROI-BP snatches victory from the jaws.
The abrupt ouster?of BP chairman Albert Manifold based on allegations of misconduct, less than eight month after he assumed office?throws the British energy company into its second scandal in leadership in less than three year. These repeated leadership failures indicate that BP's Board is?quickly turning into a liability. Sources close to the board claim that his departure was due to 'aggressive conduct towards BP employees, which became public after a 'whistleblower report. Manifold was hired by the board to oversee the strategic transformation of the company and restore investor confidence after a disastrous venture into renewables in 2020 under the former CEO Bernard Looney, and Manifold’s predecessor Helge Lund. Looney was terminated in 2023 when it was discovered that he was having affairs with his colleagues. Lund departed after shareholder support plummeted. Former head of construction company expected to bring hard-nosed business approach - and did so. Manifold made his presence known immediately. The first was a change in leadership. Auchincloss, who had joined BP two months earlier, was replaced in December by Meg O'Neill. She was an outsider, and the first female to head a major oil firm. In February, a few weeks before O’Neill's appointment, BP suspended their share buyback program, giving them the breathing space they needed to reduce their debt. Investors viewed the two actions as proof that BP - and 'Manifold' - had clear intentions. The rise in oil prices following the'start of the Iran War' has further boosted BP. Its profits for the first three-month period of this year have more than doubled from a year ago, reaching $3.2 billion – the highest level since 2023. BP today is in a much better position from an operational perspective than it was a couple of years ago. Manifold's sudden departure will not change BP's strategy or its executive leadership. The board of directors will be the focus now. DIFFICULT QUESTIONS Manifold, who has only been at the company for a little over a year now, is still being questioned about the board culture. This was brought to light by Looney's abrupt departure and the strategic mistakes made by the firm. In recent months, Manifold restructured and trimmed the board and brought in oil and gas executives with experience to address these concerns. Manifold stated in March that the changes would allow for "faster decision-making and a sharper oversight, both of which will be critical to driving long term shareholder value." Today, the words are hollow. The board announced Manifold’s appointment in July after a "rigorous and comprehensive global search." Amanda Blanc, a senior independent director on the board at the time, said that Albert's relentless focus is well-suited to the needs of bp now and in the future. In BP’s statement of Tuesday,?Blanc acknowledged that Manifold helped bring "a welcomed focus" to BP’s transformation. However, he said the board was "surprised" and "disappointed" to hear about?Manifold’s "governance and conduct issues which it deems acceptable and has taken definite action." BP's shareholders and staff are right to ask questions about prior due diligence, and any assurances regarding the selection process for the future chair and other senior appointments. BP is transforming its culture and strategy. Unreliable boards could make an already difficult challenge near impossible. You like this column? Open Interest (ROI) is your new essential source of global financial commentary. Follow ROI on LinkedIn 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 seven days a weeks.
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NTSB asks FAA to revise safety assessments of runways during heavy rain
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board called on the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday to revise its assessment of runway conditions during heavy rain, citing safety risks that airplanes could skid off the runway. These recommendations are the result of NTSB investigations into 11 runway overrun incidents and accidents that occurred from 2008 to 2022 after landing on wet runways. The NTSB asked the FAA for a reform of the so-called?Runway Condition Assessment Matrix? that uses a 6-point scale to assess the condition of paved runways. The board cited a 2019 runway overrun by a Boeing 737 at Jacksonville, Florida due, in part, to "an extreme lack of braking friction caused by heavy rain and water depth on the nongrooved 'runway which resulted viscous hydrplaning." In the incident of 2019, a Boeing chartered by the U.S. Military was returning from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, with 142 passengers on board, when it slid off the 9,000-ft (2743-m-long) runway of Naval Air Station Jacksonville. No serious injuries were reported. The?NTSB recommended that the FAA also issue new rainfall intensity descriptions for aviation weather reports in order to identify rainfall intensities above the?current threshold of heavy rain of 0.3 inch (7.62mm) per hour. The FAA stated that it takes the recommendations of the NTSB seriously and will consider them carefully. The FAA encourages all airports to "report" wet runway conditions. NTSB stated that the calculations of wheel braking friction for wet runways could be significantly less than those provided by FAA assessments due to limitations with the factors considered. The NTSB stated that landing distances on wet airport runways calculated by the FAA model can "underpredict actual landing distances, increasing the risk of runway overrun." (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed; David Shepardson)
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UKMTO: Crew safe after tanker reports external explosion near Oman coast
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations?said Tuesday that a vessel reported an external blast on its port side, near the waterline 60 nautical miles from the capital of Oman, Muscat. UKMTO stated that the Olympic Life and its crew are safe. However, the tanker reported that some bunker fuel was discharged into the sea. The cause of the incident is unknown. MarineTraffic?vessel tracking data shows that the Greek-owned Very Large Crude Carrier?was not carrying any cargo when it passed Muscat?at 0700 GMT. Springfield Shipping, the ship's technical director, confirmed that an unknown object struck the vessel at around 0920 GMT, but it remained operational and stable. Initial assessment revealed that one of the vessel's bunker tank was damaged. "A sheen was observed?in water?after incident," the statement said, adding that spill had been contained. According to the website of the?Onassis Foundation, the vessel is owned by Athens' Olympic Shipping & Management. It is the successor company to Olympic Management, founded?by the late shipping magnate, Aristotle?Onassis.
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US Space Force awards SpaceX $2.29 Billion contract for military satellite data network
SpaceX has been awarded a $2.29billion contract by the U.S. 'Space Force' to build a high-speed, secure satcom network that will 'connect military sensors, weapons platforms and communications across the globe. The Space Data Network Backbone is covered by the non-traditional fixed-price contracting agreement. This resilient network architecture provides high-capacity, low-latency data transport for the military. Space Force has said that the vendor will have to deliver a fully functional prototype capability by 2027. The SDN, among other things, will be responsible for providing the communications pathways to integrate and move data from missile warning and tracking sensors to interceptors near real time. This capability is seen as a foundational part of the Golden Dome missile defence initiative by the Trump administration. Space Force Colonel Ryan Frazier said, "The SDN Backbone combines the best commercial innovation with a solid foundation for SDN missions -- a huge advantage and enabler for our warfighters." Pentagon: The SDN 'Backbone' is a proliferation of low earth orbit (pLEO), satellite constellations that will expand a mesh to deliver worldwide communication services. The SDN?Backbone will work with the Space Development Agency Transport Layer to form an unified architecture that provides critical data transport for Department of Defense missions. The Space Force has said that it plans to identify additional contractors over the summer for satellite construction and network elements. (Reporting and editing by Mark Porter and Rod Nickel in Washington.
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Sources say that US and Thailand have accelerated LNG talks due to the war in Qatar.
Two sources confirmed on Tuesday that the U.S. and Thailand were in discussions on a 'new long-term supply' of U.S. produced liquefied?gas. Negotiations have intensified since the U.S./Israeli war against Iran caused damage to LNG production in Qatar, a key LNG exporter. Sources familiar with the talks, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussion, stated that the focus is on a long-term contract between Venture Global (an international energy company) and Thailand's PTT PCL (the state-controlled power company). Sources did not specify the volume or duration of any new LNG contract being discussed but typically they run for 15 years or more. After trade talks, the Trump administration?and Thailand issued a joint press release in October saying that Thai companies will purchase around $5.4 billion per year of U.S. energy including LNG, crude?and?ethane. On February 28, the U.S., Israel, and Thailand jointly attacked Iran. In response, Qatari companies struck at Qatar's LNG facilities in 'Ras Laffan, destroying 17% of its LNG export capacity, or 12,8 million metric tonnes per year. Qatar is the second largest LNG exporter in the world after the United States. QatarEnergy CEO and State Minister for Energy Affairs, QatarEnergy, has said that repairs could take up to five years. Venture Global's press representative declined comment. PTT didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Thailand, Southeast Asia’s largest LNG importer has been seeking to diversify its LNG supply as coal is steadily being replaced for electricity production. Engie, a French utility, signed a 15-year contract in January to supply LNG to power stations owned by Gulf Development PCL. In March, U.S. LNG supplier?Cheniere Energy stated that Asian customers had requested more LNG due to the war. The largest?U.S. company. The LNG exporter has stated that it is accelerating the completion of two 'units', also known as trains, at its Corpus Christi plant in Texas. Glenfarne reported that PTT signed a contract last year to purchase 2 million metric tonnes of?LNG each year from Glenfarne’s Alaska 'LNG project for a period of 20 years. Glenfarne said that no 'final investment decisions' have been made for the project. It would require an 800-mile (1.300-km) pipe to transport gas from Alaska to Asia. Malaysia is also interested in supplying LNG to Thailand. (Reporting and editing by Timothy Gardner)
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FAA wants to fine Alaska Airlines $165,000 for allowing drunken passengers on board
The Federal Aviation Administration proposed Tuesday that Alaska Airlines be fined $165,000 for allegedly allowing 'intoxicated' passengers to board multiple flights. The FAA stated that the alleged incidents took place on 11 flights between Feb 2024 and Feb 2025. They added that FAA regulations prohibit airlines from allowing anyone who appears intoxicated to board a plane. Alaska has said that it took the matter seriously and participated in a FAA audit of its policies regarding guests who are drunk on aircraft. Alaska announced Tuesday that since the FAA shared these concerns with us more than a year earlier, we have made significant changes to ensure compliance. This includes enhanced training for flight attendants and agents of customer service. Alaska said Tuesday that it respected the FAA audit results and was confident about the changes made in the last year to ensure the standards were met. The FAA announced last month that it was proposing to fine Southwest Airlines $304,000, and American Airlines $250,000. It claimed the carriers had violated regulations regarding employee drug and alcohol testing by failing to conduct follow-up tests for their employees including pilots and flight attendants. Bill Berkrot edited the report by David Shepardson.
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UKMTO: Crew safe after tanker reports external explosion near Oman coast
'United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations' said 'on Tuesday' that a tanker'reported an external explosion' on its port side near the waterline 60 nautical miles from Muscat, the capital of Oman. UKMTO said the vessel, identified by the name 'Olympic Life', and its crew are safe. However, the tanker reported that some bunker fuel was discharged into the sea. The cause of the incident is unknown, according to UKMTO. MarineTraffic data shows that the Greek Very Large Crude Carrier, owned by the Greek government, was sailing through Muscat around 0700 GMT and heading out of the Gulf of Oman. It was not carrying any cargo. According to the website of the Onassis Foundation, Olympic 'Shipping and Management, based in Athens, is the successor to Olympic Management, founded by late shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. The company did not respond to a request for comment. Reporting by 'Ahmed Elimam,?Jana Choukeir and Nerijus Adomiaitis; Additional reporting in Oslo by Alida Williams and Bernadettebaum
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Sources say that Italy's RAI wants to extend the contract with EI Towers before RaiWay.
Three sources said that RAI wants EI Towers?to extend contracts with broadcasters using its infrastructure, before it merges into the state broadcaster RaiWay. This is to ensure long-term stability of business. Sources who declined to give their names because the talks are not public said that the issue was a sticking-point in the negotiations between RaiWay, and the shareholders of EI Towers, ahead of the June 15 deadline for a?deal?. The merger of RaiWay, a Milan-listed company, and EI Towers, a privately owned company has been on the radar for almost a decade. EI Towers is 60% owned by Italian infrastructure fund F2i, with the remainder held ?by Italy's top commercial broadcaster Mediaset, part of the Berlusconi-controlled MFE-MediaForEurope which ?is also the tower company's ?biggest customer. The combined company would be worth approximately EUR4 billion including debt. The people stated that RAI wants EI Towers, which includes Mediaset, in order to extend its contracts to 2037. Contracts are set to expire by 2032 when the concessions to use broadcasting frequencies will cease. They added that if the issue is to be addressed, the discussions may need to continue beyond the current deadline. F2i MFE RAI refused to comment. RaiWay and EI Towers?were unable to comment. The negotiations, which were based on a memorandum signed by Treasury owned RAI, MFE and F2i in December 2024, had already been prolonged after failing to meet earlier deadlines at the end of March and September. Rome passed a decree in 2024 that any reduction in RAI's share must be achieved by combining entities within the same sector. The agreement confirmed that RAI, who owns 65% in RaiWay would be required to keep at least 30% of its tower business listed. Reporting by Elvira pollina; additional reporting by Giuseppe Fonte; editing by Alexander Smith
Airline pilots are faced with increasing stress as the war continues to spread. They must contend with drones and missiles.
In recent years, airline pilots have been faced with a growing number of risks. From drone incursions to conflict-induced flight paths, the dangers are increasing. The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have made the skies more dangerous, increasing the pressure for those who fly through them.
As a result of the 'outbreak of war' in the Middle East, hundreds of ballistic rockets and attack drones have been launched above some of the busiest airports around the globe. Tehran has retaliated against the U.S., and its allies by hitting airports. Scores of flights were grounded from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. A small number of rescue flights have been able to reach thousands of passengers.
Eight pilots and more than half a dozen aviation and security experts said that the accumulation of conflicts, from Ukraine to Afghanistan to Israel has increased the burden for pilots. They are forced to manage a shrinking airspace as well as the use of military drones away from active war zones. This has increased the stress on pilots who are desperate to ensure the safety of themselves and their passengers.
"We aren't military pilots." Tanja Harter is a Middle East-experienced pilot and the president of the European Cockpit Association.
She said that the current crisis was the latest of a series of security threats to the aviation sector over the years. This could cause pilots "fear and worry." She said that airlines have peer-to-peer programs, and as a pilot, she would not want "to share airspace with missiles."
Industry experts say that airspace safety has deteriorated over the past two and a half years due to an increase in conflicts. This is due to a combination GPS spoofing, which involves intentionally tricking planes as their location, and increased drones and missiles.
Air France's flight from the United Arab Emirates to return stranded French nationals was forced to turn back on Thursday due to missiles. On Friday, a Lufthansa flight diverted to Cairo from Riyadh due to regional security concerns.
FLYING HIGHER IS THE BEST WAY TO AVOID MISSILES
The head of Lebanon's Civil Aviation said that pilots trained in the Middle East have grown accustomed to emergency situations. The escalating war put these skills to the ultimate test. On March 5, video footage showed smoke rising from buildings in Beirut as planes took off.
"Lebanon's Civil Aviation Authority Director General, Captain Mohammed Aziz said that Middle East pilots are always facing crises. We trained them from the beginning on how to handle contingencies, emergency situations and other things."
No one can guarantee they won't or won't bomb an airport.
One Middle East Airlines pilot with over a decade's experience says routes to Beirut are more complicated. He said that shoulder-fired missiles used by the Lebanese army had a maximum range of 15,000. Pilots therefore increased their altitude in order to avoid being hit. They also carried extra fuel to be prepared in case of a forced divert.
Most missile strikes are still far enough away to not be a threat, and most pilots are too busy to even think about them.
He said, "You are so busy on the plane making sure that you have permission to land and everything is in order that you don't even have time to think about what's going on outside the plane."
DRONES DISRUPT EUROPEAN AERIALPORTS
Risques are not limited to the Middle East. Drones have been a major weapon for both sides since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Drone disruptions have been reported in airports from Stockholm to Munich - though the cause has not yet been confirmed.
Airline Captain Christian von D'Ahe is concerned by this 'emerging' threat. He has been a commercial pilot for over 15 years, and is the head of the Danish Air Line Pilots Association.
Von D'Ahe stated that drones were not easy to detect. We can see them flying in the sky, and they are very small. "So sooner or later something will happen."
Drones that damage an aircraft's wings or engines can cause a total loss of power.
Drones, on the other hand, do not emit any signal. This leaves pilots in a 'dark place. Airport radars are unable to detect drones. There are specialised radars, but they are usually operated by the military or law enforcement.
Dedrone, which produces counterdrone technologies, reported that there will be over 1.2 millions drone?violations? in the U.S. by 2025.
There's not much you can do
Airports can counter drones using radar, frequency sensors, and jamming devices, while other systems can "spoof them off their course". Airports are not allowed to shoot down drones due to safety concerns.
Tim Friebe is an air traffic controller based in Germany, and vice president of the Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Coordination. He said that drones are a growing threat to airports.
We have reports from pilots or controllers who spot drones. He said that there is not much one can do other than shutting down an airport.
According to a half dozen industry officials, drones caused the closure of some of the biggest airports in the world, from Munich to London Gatwick, last year. This prompted operators to upgrade their foreign object detection and drone detection systems.
Moritz Burger is a German commercial pilot who recalled seeing an object which looked like a ballon with a structure beneath it as he was about to arrive at a European Airport.
I was looking out of the window when an object passed just below our plane. He said that he could only see it for a maximum of two seconds. It was a startling sight and he had no time to react.
When you come across a near miss or a passing object, the time is too short to react. It is therefore unrealistic to think that pilots can fly around an object of this size. "There's not much we can do."
(source: Reuters)