Latest News
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Five people are killed and over 40 injured in a chain-reaction crash on a Virginia highway
State police reported that five people died and over 40 were injured, including three critically, when a tour vehicle plowed into a sport-utility vehicle on a U.S. highway in Northern Virginia early Friday morning, triggering a chain reaction crash. Police said that a preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the motor coach failed to slow down as it approached slower traffic in an area where construction was taking place along Interstate 95. This is a major highway corridor running north-south through the region. The bus then slammed a Chevrolet Suburban into another vehicle, and the Acura SUV. According to a press release from the state police, an Acura caught on fire. The accident occurred around 2:35 am?EDT on the southbound lanes of I-95, in Stafford County. This is about 45 miles southwest from Washington, D.C. The motor coach charter company E&P Travel in North Carolina operated the bus that carried about 34 passengers, including its driver, between New York City and Charlotte, North Carolina. Four of the five fatalities were in the Acura that was on fire - a man aged 45, a woman aged 44, a girl aged 13 and a boy aged 7 - all from Greenfield Massachusetts. According to police, the fifth person killed was a woman aged 25 from Worcester, Massachusetts. She was in a Chevy Suburban that had been hit by the bus. Police?stated that 44 people, including the driver of the bus, were injured and taken to hospitals in the area for treatment. Three of those patients are listed as being in a critical condition. Matthew Demlein, a spokesperson for the state police, said that charges are pending against the driver of the bus in relation to the accident. He declined to provide further details. Steve Gorman, Los Angeles; Sanjeev Mikleni, editing.
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Castlelake considers offer for British low-cost carrier EasyJet
Castlelake L.P., a U.S. investment firm, said on Friday that it was in the early stages of considering an offer for British budget airline easyJet. This sent the 'airline’s U.S. traded shares up nearly 10%. Castlelake stated in a press release that no approach had been made to easyJet's board and it was impossible to predict whether or not an offer would be made. According to UK takeover regulations, Castlelake must submit a firm bid by the 26th of June or abandon a deal. EasyJet announced the news a week ago, after warning that its outlook for the full year was 'uncertain' due to the Iran War driving up fuel prices and bookings being weaker during the summer peak season. According to LSEG's data, the?company is worth 3.02 billion pounds. The carrier's share price closed Friday at 398 pence and is down more than 22% for the year. As the Strait of Hormuz is constrained, the Iran conflict has disrupted global aviation. Jet fuel prices have risen by more than 80% in just a few months, forcing airlines to increase fares, reduce capacity, or accept'margin pressure. Castlelake entered into talks with Spirit Airlines in January, months before the bankrupt airline permanently ceased flight operations. Merit AirFinance is an aviation lending platform that was launched by the investment firm in 2013. It has $1.8 billion of deployable capital and aims to offer debt financing for airlines and aircraft lessors. EasyJet, in 2021, rejected an offer by rival 'Wizz Air. Instead, it raised $1.7 billion from shareholders, and went 'it alone' in an industry that is struggling to recover from pandemic.
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US Postal Service wants to force states to provide lists of voters
The U.S. As part of a new rule proposed on Friday, the Postal Service will require that states provide a list of voters who have received mailed ballots. This comes one day after an?internal judicial?judge refused to block immediately President Donald Trump's executive order. USPS's proposal was published in the Federal Register and would require that states provide the USPS with the names of voters who received mailed ballots. However, it would not be applicable to primary elections. The public has 30 working days to provide feedback on the plan. Postal Service proposes that states must also apply unique barcodes to outbound and return ballot mail envelopes. They say this "will facilitate law enforcement efforts" as well as help ensure adherence to federal laws. Carl Nichols, a U.S. District Judge in Washington, declined on Thursday to block Trump's order of March 31 regarding?mail-in votes but did not state if it was legal. A Boston judge has scheduled a hearing on Tuesday for a separate lawsuit brought by Democratic state attorneys against Trump, USPS and other parties challenging the voting order. The order directed that the federal government use data to verify the eligibility of voters in each state, ordered the Postal Service only to deliver mail-in ballots to those on the approved list. It also required states to keep election records for five years. A group of Democratic Senators claimed that the order sought to illegally transform USPS into an election administration agency, with the authority to determine who could vote by mail and establish ballot specifications. Trump, who is a Republican, has been promoting the false claim for years that his defeat in the 2020 election was due to widespread voter fraud. He has also called for tighter voting rules by mail ahead of the midterm elections of November. Trump will oust?Postmaster-General Louis DeJoy in?March 2025. David Steiner, the current Postmaster General of the USPS, has warned that USPS may run out money as early as next year.
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Swiss Federal Prosecutors Probe Terror Links to Knife Attack
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG), a Swiss federal prosecutor, has taken charge of the investigation into the knife attack that occurred at Winterthur Railway Station on Thursday. They are treating this case as terrorism-related. The federal prosecutor announced that criminal proceedings had been opened against the suspect on suspicion of multiple attempts at murder, participation in or support for a terrorist organization, and involvement with a terrorist group. Three Swiss men have been injured in the 'attack that took place in Winterthur on Thursday morning, just north of Zurich. Three men were stabbed, one in the leg and two in the neck. A third was stabbed on the thigh. All three men were taken to hospital, with the third requiring emergency surgery. The police arrested the suspected perpetrator, a dual Swiss-Turkish citizen of 31 years, at the station, just a few moments after the initial emergency call. Investigators have now focused on the motive of the attack. This includes a thorough review of the background and history of the suspect. The prosecutor's department said that its "main hypotheses" is that the attack was suspected to be terrorism. Police said that the suspect was reported to police in 2015, for "spreading propaganda" from the militant hardline group Islamic State. The Swiss newspaper Blick said it had also 'obtained a video of a man running out of Winterthur Station shouting 'Allahu akbar, an Arabic phrase that translates to 'God is the greatest. The video was not independently verified. The federal prosecutor said on Friday that the incident was a sign of jihadist-motivated terror in Switzerland. (Reporting and editing by John Revill)
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European shares gain monthly on Middle East Peace Hopes
European shares edged higher on Friday to close the month with gains. Investors clung to hopes that a proposed agreement could be reached extending a Middle East truce and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Market optimism was sparked by reports that U.S. president Donald Trump had been weighing a preliminary U.S. Iran agreement. He said that he would reach a decision on the deal by Friday. Kathleen Brooks is the research director for XTB. She said that the market may test its patience if a deal cannot be reached by the end of June. This could have a major impact on the oil price as well as the rally in the global stock markets. The STOXX 600 pan-European index rose 0.1%, to 626 points. This was a positive week's end. The benchmark index was 'within striking range of record highs this week, and had secured a monthly gain of 2.5%. However, recent escalation in the Middle East conflict has capped further advancements. European stocks?continue?to lag behind tech-heavy counterparts in Asia and the United States because of the region's limited?exposure to technology stocks. Marija Veitmane is the head of equity analysis at State Street. When asked if a geopolitical solution?could spark a major rally Marija said no, pointing to structural demand destruction as well as looming rates hikes which could impact corporate profitability. The data confirmed the hawkish view, with inflation in four of the largest eurozone economies above the European Central Bank’s 2% target rate for the third consecutive month. Investors are pricing in 50 basis points tightening before year's end, according to LSEG. Crude oil prices, which are a vital resource in Europe's energy crisis, have fallen and could be on course for their first drop in two months. Airline stocks, such as Lufthansa, Air France, and consumer discretionary stocks, like luxury, are sensitive to energy price changes. Both have added more than 2%. Defence stocks are among the top sectors with a 0.7% increase. NATO has accused Moscow of reckless behavior and promised to "defend each inch of allied territory" following Romania's report that a Russian drone crashed into an apartment building in the member state of NATO during an attack against Ukraine. During geopolitical conflict, the sector usually gains on increased military spending. CTS Eventim rose 10.7% after the German ticket company said that its revenue grew by 23% during the first quarter of 2026. This was due to strong demand for live performances. Orkla shares fell 5.3% as UBS downgraded it from "neutral" to "sell", citing the increasing pressure from inflation and the Middle East Conflict. (Reporting and editing by Johann M Cherian, Bengaluru. Sherry Jacob Phillips, Joyjeet Das, Joe Bavier.
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Britain will step up its subsea cables protection in response to the rising Russian threat
Britain has proposed tougher punishments for shipowners or operators who damage'subsea cables,' including prison sentences. The aim is to deter Russia and hostile?states sabotaging the nation's infrastructure. Subsea cable carries over 99% of international data traffic. This includes calls, messages, and other internet services, as well as more than PS1.4 trillion worth of British financial transactions every day. Last month, Britain claimed to have exposed a Russian covert submarine operation around UK waters. This was a bluff? to hide other specialist vessels operating near critical underwater infrastructure. Liz Lloyd, the Telecoms Minister said that Britain had strong military capabilities for protecting cables. However, overhauling 140 year-old legislation will remove a "grey zone" of legal uncertainty around suspected malicious activities to increase deterrence. She said that "as hostile activity from Russia and other countries grows, protecting these cable is more important than ever" for our economy, daily life, and security. "That's why we intend to go further, with tougher sanctions for reckless damage and stronger security obligations as well as new powers to react quickly when incidents occur." Russia previously denied British allegations that it had threatened or targeted subsea cable. Lloyd said sabotage committed by an enemy state already carries a life sentence for the perpetrators, but that new laws will cover the use of proxy actors by state actors as well as reckless damage. She said that the government would also "work with cable operators and owner to reduce accidental damages arising from fishing activities or vessels dragging their anchors which, she said, "accounted for almost all cable outages". Lloyd stated that the company was consulting with industry about establishing a British repair ship in order to increase resilience. He added that a final decision would be made 'later this year. She added that the government would also examine?environmental regulations to accelerate the laying down of new cables in deep water where the impact on marine wildlife was very limited. (Reporting and editing by Kirsten Doovan; Paul Sandle is the reporter)
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Putin says that it is too early to determine if the drone that strayed in Romania was Russian
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, said that it was still too early to say if a drone crashed into a Romanian apartment block. He suggested that the drone could have been Ukrainian. NATO condemned Moscow for its reckless behavior and promised to "defend each inch of Allied Territory" after Romania reported that a Russian drone crashed into an apartment 'block' in the member state of the alliance during an attack against Ukraine. "Who in Romania claims that this drone is Russian?" Putin asked reporters at a press conference in Astana (Kazakhstan) He claimed that he only heard about the incident after a day of talks. He said that until an investigation is carried out, no one could say what the origin was of a drone. Putin claimed that drones from Ukraine had been seen in Finland, Poland, and the Baltic states. Putin said: "The first reaction was the same as what is happening in Romania now, namely that Russians were coming." After a few days, it became clear that the incident had nothing to do with Russian drones. Putin also responded to remarks made by European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen. Von der Leyen accused Russia of having crossed 'another line' with this incident and said that she hadn't examined the drone debris herself. Putin asked Romania to'share information about what happened? and possibly drone fragments, so that Moscow can conduct its own investigation. Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Anton Kolodyazhnyy; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge/Maxim Rodionov. Editing by Andrew Osborn.
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South Bow aims for a decision in 2027 on Canada-US oil pipe revival
The company announced on Friday that it had secured the shipper agreements it needed to move the project forward. The proposed 550,000-barrel-per-day Alberta-to-Wyoming pipeline, dubbed Prairie Connector, could increase Canada's crude exports to the U.S. by 12%, ?adding much-needed Canadian pipeline capacity. South Bow, in collaboration with its U.S.-based partner Bridger Pipeline, has said that it had'secured 20 year binding contracts' from oil companies, through a process started this year to gauge interest. This?month, sources said that South Bow is close to achieving its goal of 450,000 bpd or 80% initial pipeline capacity. PIPELINE - PARTLY ASSEMBLED in Canada South Bow was spun off by TC Energy, the former Keystone XL promoter, in 2024 to takeover its oil pipeline business. The new pipeline will not use the same route in the United States as an earlier project, which was canceled by former President Joe Biden in 2021. However, some of the Keystone XL pipe that has already been assembled on the Canadian border would be used. The new proposal has been granted a cross-border permit by U.S. president Donald Trump. South Bow CEO Bevin Wizba said on Thursday that the company could not proceed until it had evidence of a "durable" permit, and that it would not be revoked in the future by another administration. TPH Energy analyst AJ O'Donnell said that while the open season was successful in securing?shipper's commitments, there are still lingering risks with the U.S. Permit. O'Donnell stated that "without assurances" that the new U.S. government would not revoke permits in 2029 as Biden did for KXL, it is likely the project will be stalled. South Bow hasn't publicly disclosed the price of its project. However, ATB Capital Markets analysts estimated that it would cost $2.2 billion ($3 billion C$) and could take between two and three years to complete after an investment decision. Canada is the fourth largest oil producer in the world, producing 5.5 million barrels per day. Forecasts indicate that this could rise to 6.1 millions bpd in 2030. Reporting by Amanda Stephenson, Calgary; Arathy Smasekhar, Houston Editing Rod Nickel
As the Middle East conflict escalates, airlines cancel more flights
The global air travel industry is still severely affected by the Iran War. Many people are still unable fly to their destinations as planned after major Middle-Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi were closed.
The latest flight information is listed below alphabetically:
AEGEAN AIRLINES
Greece's biggest carrier has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut until April 22 and Erbil and Baghdad till May 24. Dubai flights have been cancelled until April 19, and Riyadh flights are on hold until April 18.
AIRBALTIC
AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, announced that all flights to Tel Aviv have been cancelled up until April 29. All flights to Dubai are cancelled until October 24, according to airBaltic.
AIR CANADA
All flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai have been cancelled by Air Canada until September 7.
AIR EUROPA
Spanish Airlines has canceled all flights to Tel Aviv from April 10 until now.
AIR FRANCE KLM
Air France has cancelled Tel Aviv, Beirut and Dubai flights until April 4, and Riyadh and Dubai flights until March 31. They have also cancelled an April 1 departure out of Dubai.
KLM has suspended flights until May 17 to Tel Aviv and Riyadh.
CATHAY PACIFIC
Hong Kong Airlines has cancelled all flights to Dubai, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi until May 31. In April, the airline will increase passenger flights from London to Paris, Zurich and London to meet the surge in demand for European destinations.
The U.S. carrier has cancelled all flights between New York and Tel Aviv, and will not resume its Atlanta-Tel Aviv service until September 5. The launch of the Boston-Tel Aviv route, originally planned for late October has been postponed until further notice.
EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES
Customers who were planning to leave Israel by April 11th had their flights, including the return flight, cancelled. The airline operates a limited number of flights between Israel and several important destinations.
EMIRATES
The UAE airline announced that it would operate a reduced schedule after a partial opening of the regional airspace.
ETIHAD AERWAYS
The UAE carrier announced that it operated a commercial flight schedule from Abu Dhabi to around 80 destinations.
FINNAIR
The Finnish airline has cancelled all Dubai flights until 29 March and Doha flights till 2 July, while continuing to avoid airspace in Iraq, Iran Syria and Israel.
FLYNAS
Saudia, the budget airline, has suspended flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah as well as Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, and?Syria, until April 15th.
British Airways, owned by IAG, has extended the cancellations to Amman and Bahrain until May 31, and Doha until April 30. Flights to Bangkok and Singapore have also been added. Flights to Abu Dhabi are suspended until the end of this year.
JAPAN AIRLINES
Japan Airlines has suspended its scheduled flights between Tokyo and Doha until April 10, and Doha to Tokyo until April 11.
LOT, the Polish airline, announced that all flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv have been cancelled up until 28 March. The airline has also cancelled all flights to Riyadh and Beirut between March 31 and April 30.
LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa Group, Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines have suspended flights from Dubai and Tel Aviv to October 24, and Abu Dhabi, Amman and Beirut to Riyadh. Lufthansa Cargo will be the same except for Tel Aviv, which is suspended until April 30.
Eurowings, a low-cost airline, plans to suspend its flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut through April 30, and to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until October 24.
MALAYSIA AIRLINES
Malaysia Airlines has suspended all flights to Doha from April 15 until further notice.
NORWEGIAN AIR
It has delayed the launch of its Tel Aviv service to June 15 from April 1, and that of Beirut's services, respectively. The airline has cancelled all Dubai flights until April 8.
PEGASUS
Pegasus Airlines, Turkey's national airline, has cancelled all flights to Iran, Iraq, Amman Beirut, Kuwait Bahrain Doha Dammam Riyadh Dubai Abu Dhabi Sharjah and Abu Dhabi until April 13th.
QANTAS
Australia's flag airline is adding more flights to Rome and Paris in response to a surge in demand for European destinations. Flights from Perth to Singapore will be increased from daily to ten flights per day. A new?schedule' will be implemented gradually for flights starting in mid-April, and running until late July.
QATAR AIRWAYS
The airline said that it will gradually increase its flight frequencies to and from Doha, with more flights being offered to over 90 destinations.
SINGAPORE Airlines
In response to increased demand, the carrier has extended the suspension of Singapore-Dubai flights through?April 30. It also added services for Singapore-London Gatwick?and Singapore-Melbourne routes from late March until October 24, in order to accommodate the longer suspension.
TURKISH AIRLINES
Turkish Airlines has cancelled most Middle East flights up until the end March. SunExpress, a joint venture between Lufthansa and SunExpress has cancelled flights from Dubai to Bahrain to April 30.
WIZZ AIR
Low-cost carrier has suspended all flights from Europe to Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until the middle of September. All flights to Medina have been suspended indefinitely. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed; edited by Matt Scuffham and Milla Nissi Prussak; Christopher Cushing, Sumana Nady, and Joe Bavier.
(source: Reuters)