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Tropical Storm Arthur forms near Texas Coast, with life-threatening floods expected
The U.S. National Hurricane Center announced on Wednesday that Tropical Storm?Arthur?formed off the Texas coast. It is expected to cause life-threatening floods in parts of the Southeastern U.S. The first named system for the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season was about 40 miles east-northeast from Port O'Connor in Texas on Wednesday morning. It produced maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h. Tropical storm warnings are in effect from High Island, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana. This is an important energy corridor, which includes major refineries, liquefied gas processing facilities, and other key energy infrastructure around Port Arthur and Lake Charles. Earth Science Associates COO Tony Dupont said that an Earth Science Associates model, based on previous storms, predicts that "around 10,000 barrels" of oil may be lost due to shut-ins offshore platforms along the storm's path. In an email response, he explained that "part of the past losses were due to the 'overabundance of caution for personnel, other dangers and the weather forecast model. For the current storm, we haven’t seen these actions so the forecast is more likely to be low." Gulf Coast refinery region, which runs from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Pascagoula in Mississippi, has around half the total U.S. capacity of 18.4 millions barrels per day. According to Motiva Enterprises, the Saudi Aramco owned Port Arthur, Texas plant has a throughput of 730,000 bpd. Exxon Mobil in Beaumont, Texas is another major Gulf Coast refinery that could be in the path of the storm. Cheniere, Venture Global and other LNG giants have also built major?liquefaction plants along the coast. Exxon Mobil Motiva Enterprises Cheniere Venture Global and Cheniere did not respond immediately to requests for comments about storm preparations. Arthur will produce rainfall totals between 5 and 10 inches. The Miami-based NHC stated that isolated higher totals of 20 inches were expected to continue through Friday, from the Mid- and Upper-Texas coast east-northeast, into the southern and central parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as the?western portions Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather's Hurricane Expert, said that "very heavy rain is expected across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi where there can be life-threatening floods, before spreading northeastward to the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida Panhandle." AccuWeather predicts significant rain to continue through Friday in the Southeast. The zone of highest risk will move from Louisiana and Texas to Georgia on Friday. Reporting by Anjana Anil in Bengaluru and Ashitha Shivprasad; editing by Mark Porter, Nathan Crooks, and Aurora Ellis
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US and Europe close to approval of Boeing 737 MAX 7, 10, airplanes
Europe and the U.S. Both Europe and the?U.S. On Wednesday, an aviation official confirmed the news. Chris Rocheleau, Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), said that the FAA is in the final stages certifying both the MAX 7 and the MAX 10, the smaller one. At a recent safety conference, the Executive Director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency Florian Guillermet stated that validating the MAX 10 is the top priority for his agency. Guillermet stated at the forum that "we are making good progress in the final closure?of the last action." "It's great that we can close this?in the next period because then we will be able turn the page, and move forward." He told reporters, "We haven't got many obstacles or major milestones." It's the last step of the process. According to the current schedule, it's "very, very intensive" to process all of the?relevant documentation. Rocheleau, FAA's Rocheleau, told reporters at the event that most of the remaining MAX certification is "crossing t's and dotting i's." The FAA "is making sure there's a level of comfort between our two authorities and our two certification offices - that this is ready for flight." Rocheleau believes that EASA will either validate FAA certification for the MAX planes at the same time or very shortly after. Rocheleau stated that "we're in a great place." FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated last month that he expects the MAX 7 will be certified by the summer, and the MAX 10 before the end the year. The MAX 7 is a shortened version of the MAX 8 and 9 which are already in service. These aircraft have accumulated thousands of flight hours. Boeing has faced delays with the certification of 7 and 10 aircraft due to an engine de-icing problem. The relationship between EASA and FAA deteriorated after the fatal Boeing 737 MAX crash in 2018 and 2019. This was attributed to faulty software and inadequate oversight. Rocheleau stated that the FAA and EASA were working on a data sharing agreement to improve certification and risk management. (Reporting and editing by David Shepardson)
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While Trump praises Gulf oil flow, Iran's Fleet is also gearing up for increased exports
Iran is also preparing to resume its exports and trade. This comes as U.S. president Donald Trump recently welcomed the return of oil from Gulf allies. Shipping data shows that at least three tankers, each carrying?some 5 million barrels of Iranian crude oil, have passed through the U.S. Naval Blockade in the past week. This is despite the U.S. Military saying it will continue its operations to block Iran-linked ships until Friday. The oil market is focused on the deal that Trump announced on 14 June and which will be signed in Switzerland on Friday. Trump posted on Sunday,?Sunday, that the deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran was now completed. Start your engines, Ships of the World! "Let the oil flow!" Iran's deputy Foreign Minister said that a more comprehensive agreement would be discussed during a period of 60 days ceasefire. The gap between the announcement of the agreement and its expected signing on 19 June gives both sides the opportunity to issue conflicting statements about the agreement, said Torbjorn Sltvedt principal Middle East Analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk. Ship-tracking data from Kpler & Vortexa revealed that the Hero II & Diona, two very large crude carriers each carrying 2,000,000 barrels of oil, had passed through the Gulf of Oman and were heading to Asia. Kpler data, Vortexa data, and LSEG's data show that the Sonia I with 1 million barrels has also cleared the blockade. It is now heading towards Singapore. According to Kpler data and LSEG, the Herby supertanker, which is partially laden with Iranian cargo, was close behind the empty VLCC Stream. The signal has been sent and the ships are repositioning themselves in anticipation of the lifting of the U.S. Blockade. Charlie Brown, senior adviser at UANI, a U.S. advocacy organization that monitors Iran's tanker traffic, said: "Clearly, a reboot of the system is underway." The U.S. Central Command did not respond immediately to a question about the movements of Iranian-linked tankers on Wednesday. UANI's analysis revealed that other vessels were also in motion. Five dry bulk and container ship flagged with the Iranian flag, which had been anchored for weeks off Malaysian coast, are now sailing towards Iran. IRAN EXPORTS ARE AT A SIX-YEAR?LOW Kpler data show that the U.S. Blockade in May sent Iranian crude oil exports to their lowest levels in six years, at 260,000 barrels a day. This is a fraction of the average 2025?of 1,67 million bpd. A senior U.S. government official stated on Tuesday that the memorandum o' understanding, announced by Trump on Thursday and scheduled to be signed this Friday, calls on the U.S. for it to allow Iran to begin selling fuel?and oil immediately. Benchmark Brent crude futures are already down, falling below $80 a barrel this week from highs of $120 per barrel. This is due to the prospect of a return in Gulf supply. This drop in prices could lead to a return of demand from China, Iran's largest buyer. China has been lukewarm due to high prices. Sources in the industry said that companies will wait until there is more clarity about the opening of "the strait" before they resume voyages. Kpler's analysis shows that 118 tankers with cargoes of other Gulf producers are still stuck in the Gulf. Intermodal, a shipbroker based in Greece, said this week that despite a formal agreement to reopen the Strait of Gibraltar, safe passage still needs to be demonstrated in practice. Reporting by Florence Tan and Siyi Liu; editing by Kate Mayberry, Jason Neely, and Jonathan Saul.
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Kyiv denies that Russia has attacked a school bus with children on board.
Russia has accused Ukraine of a drone attack that killed Belarusian children on a school bus Wednesday. Ukraine's military denies this accusation. Yegor Kovalchuk is the acting governor of the Bryansk region in?Russia, bordering?Ukraine. He said the bus was carrying a Belarusian children's soccer squad on a vacation to southern Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the attack a "monstrous crime" and said that a woman who was accompanying the children died. Eight others, including six kids, were also injured. The Ukrainian General Staff denied the Russian claim, saying via Telegram that the "Defence?Forces in Ukraine" did not use unmanned aerial vehicles to attack targets in Bryansk Oblast during the specified time period. I was unable to verify the report. Both sides deny targeting civilians. Kovalchuk posted images online showing a silver school bus with its windows blown, its right front tyre damaged, and what appeared to be bloodstains on its interior seats. The Russian authorities opened an investigation into terrorism and found that the bus was carrying 44 passengers including 28 children. It was traveling from Gomel, Belarus, to Gelendzhik, Russia. Russia has accused Ukraine of a drone attack this month on a bus that it says killed eight civilians in eastern Ukraine in the Donetsk Region under Russian control. Since the beginning of its war with Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has regularly attacked Ukrainian towns and cities such as Kyiv. Kyiv increased drone strikes against Russia in recent months in an effort to weaken Moscow's economy and bring an end to the war that has killed thousands of Ukrainians. (Reporting and editing by Andrew Osborn, Kyiv buro)
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Qantas chooses London as the first non-stop flight to break Qantas' record
Qantas Airways announced on Wednesday that?London was the first destination of the world's largest direct commercial flight. The trip is roughly 20 hours from Sydney, eliminating the?traditional halt on the "Kangaroo Route". Vanessa Hudson, the CEO of Australian carrier, told an audience in Toulouse, France that they plan to start selling tickets by February, and launch flights in October 2027. The airline is part of "Project Sunrise", which will serve New York in the future using modified Airbus A350 1000ULR jets that can fly up to 22-hours with 238 passengers aboard. The announcement is part a fleet revamp that began in 2017, when Qantas challenged Airbus to develop planes capable for ultra-long haul non-stop routes out of Australia. Hudson, who unveiled the first Airbus plane in bright sunshine without its Rolls-Royce XWB-97 engine because it was still in its early testing stages, said: "Australia's separation from the rest should not stand in the way." It is hoped to reduce the five-day journey on the Kangaroo Route to London from around 19 to 21 hrs, depending on wind direction and routing. Qantas plans to use polar routes around a quarter of time, particularly during winter in the northern hemisphere. The journey now takes between 24 and 25 hours, via Singapore. Qantas is taking a big risk with this project, which involves billions in aircraft upgrades, research on passenger health and a re-design of the cabin. It must be able to convince passengers to pay more in order to avoid long layovers while minimizing the discomfort of long flights. John Strickland, aviation analyst, said: "What they're selling is time. They need to charge a premium for all cabins, especially premium economy and business." Qantas named Project Sunrise in honor of its double sunrise endurance flight during World War Two. The airline remained airborne for long enough to witness two sunrises. The airline estimates that the project will add A$400,000,000 ($283,000,000) to its earnings every year. Hudson stated in February that this was based on ticket prices being around 20% higher in premium cabins than other one-stop options. Analysts say that high energy prices due to the Gulf conflict has raised the threshold for achieving break-even. 'POSITIVE MARKET' In an April note, Jefferies analysts predicted that after the initial U.S. Iran ceasefire and before this week's peace agreement, passengers would continue to prefer direct routes to Europe via Perth. They also said they expected Middle Eastern hubs to shift to Asian hubs through 2027. They said: "We expect Project Sunrise flights from London to have a good market." Gulf carriers like Emirates, who re-drew the aviation map around their hubs are expected to defend their share of the market. Australia lifted its "do-not-travel" warning against Gulf hubs, which had been in place for months. This had invalidated many travel insurance policies, even those of transit passengers. Airbus won Project Sunrise?order in 2019, after a fierce battle with Boeing's 787X. Airbus conducted the first test flight of one of 12 modified A350 1000ULR aircraft ordered by Qantas earlier this month. The planes with 238 seats have an additional rear-centre tank that helps to increase range from 1,000 nautical miles (1.852 km) up to 10,000 nautical mile. Flights are so long that fuel is used to carry the weight. Due to COVID-19 and the supply chain delays, the?first aircraft will be delivered in April 2027. This is about five years after originally anticipated. Reports this month stated that Qantas was in discussions to purchase 20 additional wide-body jets, including the smaller A350 900 or Boeing 787s.
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Sources say that Russia will import gasoline via sea due to a shortage.
Four industry sources have confirmed that 'Russia will import fuel this month by sea as it seeks to manage its 'gasoline shortage after extensive drone attacks on 'its refineries. Sources said that in a move rare for one of the largest oil exporters and refiners of refined products in the world, Russia will receive a shipment of gasoline through one of its western port's in June. One source said that it would be shipped out of Asia without giving any details about volumes or suppliers. Another source said that Russia considered importing gasoline by sea last year but the domestic supply was enough. The Ukrainians have been launching drone attacks against Russian refineries, pipelines, and fuel storage facilities to try to limit Moscow's ability for financing its?war effort. This has resulted in a reduction of supplies. Recent attacks on the TANECO and Moscow refineries led to the suspension of processing in both plants. Exports are banned ahead of peak driving season According to data collected by, the media has reported fuel shortages in Russia in a dozen different regions. The Russian-held Crimea, and two regions of Siberia, have confirmed the shortages. The government has announced that gasoline producers will be prohibited from exporting the fuel until July 31st. This is to ensure sufficient supplies during the summer when demand for driving is at its highest. Moscow also imports?fuel from Belarus and in the past has sought?small quantities from Kazakhstan to meet shortages. Sources said that neither Belarus nor Kazakhstan has enough spare capacity to help Russia in case of a more serious supply crisis. One of them stated that seaborne imports were only temporary and unlikely to produce significant volumes due to logistical problems and high prices. Sources asked to remain anonymous because they weren't authorised to speak publicly about the matter. The Russian?Energy Ministry didn't respond to a comment request. According to industry sources the country exported approximately 117,000 barrels of gasoline per day last year. Barbara Lewis, Barbara Lewis (reporter)
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Taiwan claims its delegates were barred from Ocean Conference in Kenya
Taiwan's government claimed that Kenya had banned delegates from Taiwan from attending an international conference in East Africa on oceans. This was due to pressure from China. China considers?democratically-governed?Taiwan to be?its territory and objects to any treatment of Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Taiwan's government has rejected Beijing's claims of sovereignty. In a statement posted on X, Tuesday, the 'Ocean Affairs Council', a Taiwan government agency said that visas were revoked for Taiwanese researchers at the last moment. Participants had their passports seized and phones confiscated. Kenyan officials from the foreign ministry and event organizers have not responded to requests for comments. Lin Chia-lung (Taiwan's Foreign Minister) told reporters in Taipei that Kenyan authorities had insisted on distorting "their" so-called interpretation "One China", expanding it to the point where they prevented our people from attending. "This is a grave injustice and we strongly protest against it." The OAC statement condemned "barbaric obstructions" that prevented their?scientists? from participating in the "Our Ocean Conference 2026"?in the kenyan port of Mombasa. China's Foreign Ministry said that the "One China principle", was the fundamental norm of international relations. In a separate statement, China said that Kenya was highly regarded for its resolute adherence to the One China Principle. The Our Ocean conference brings together scientists, governments and civil society to discuss ocean protection and sustainable use. Reporting by Vincent Mumo Nzilani, Ben Blanchard and Elias Biryabarema; Editing and Gareth Jones.
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IEA: UAE's post OPEC expansion drive to raise oil production above 5 million bpd in next year
The International Energy Agency reported on Wednesday that the United Arab Emirates could have a production of more than 5 million?bpd in 2015 as it moves to increase its output after?its 'exit from OPEC. This would make it a major contributor to non-OPEC+ growth. The UAE announced its decision to exit OPEC earlier this year. It was made in order to prioritise production capacity expansion, maximise the value of their resources and free output from the 'constraints' of the group quotas. The IEA has forecast that the total oil production in 2027 will reach 5.2 millions barrels per day, an increase of 730,000 bpd on a year-on-year basis. The IEA reported that the UAE's crude production capacity increased from?3.1m bpd to nearly 4.4m bpd between 2016 and 2026. This expansion was accompanied by a 1.1m bpd increase in condensate, natural?gas liquids, and other products. ADNOC HAS?COMMITTED $55 BIILLION TO PROJECTS FOR GROWTH? Abu Dhabi National Oil Company announced last month that it would award 200 billion dirhams (55 billion dollars) in projects between 2026-2028, to accelerate its growth and achieve its strategy. The company plans to invest $150 billion between 2026-2030. Suhail al-Mazrouei, UAE Energy Minister, has said that the country can increase oil production to?6m bpd depending on market conditions. However he stressed that this was not an official goal. The IEA said that exports have remained resilient despite disruptions caused by the Iran 'war. Infrastructure such as the 1.8m bpd Habshan to Fujairah pipe and the 42 mb of storage in Fujairah has supported this. The agency reported that shipments rose in May. Total exports increased by 260,000 bpd from one month to the next, to 3.1m bpd. Crude production climbed to 2.8m bpd. This is still about 835, 000 bpd less than pre-conflict. IEA stated that the increase in 'dark activity' was a result of 'tankers' increasing their journeys along Omani coast?while turning off their transponders. ADNOC stated that it is fast-tracking the construction of a new West East pipeline in order to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and double Fujairah's export capacity. The project has already been completed at about 50% and the delivery date for the pipeline is 2027. (Reporting and editing by Jan Harvey; Ahmad Ghaddar)
CNBC reports that JetBlue will reduce its Newark and LaGuardia services.
JetBlue Airways will close its 'flight attendant' base in New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport, as well as its 'tech operations' bases at the airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York this fall. CNBC reported.
The report said that the move was part of an effort to reduce costs and improve service at Florida's Fort Lauderdale airport. JetBlue is a major carrier in the area, which is a lucrative hub.
According to the company's annual report, JetBlue had a 13% market share for airline seats in?five airports of the New York metropolitan area, including Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK.
According to CNBC, the airline said that staff would not lose their jobs if operations were stopped; they could instead "bid or move to other bases".
JetBlue announced plans earlier this year to reduce?hiring and?cut the capacity of its flights, as well as to raise fares, to help ease the impact of soaring jet fuel prices that threatened to halt the carrier's turnaround efforts.
The company said, however, that it would continue to expand?in South Florida by leveraging the?increased availability of gates in this region. (Reporting and editing by Aatreyee Dasgupta in Bengaluru, Nandan Mandayam)
(source: Reuters)