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London Underground workers to begin week-long strike action
London Underground workers will begin rolling strikes Sunday. The action is expected to cause major disruptions for Londoners and bring the network to an end. The staff are staging a series staggered walksouts, so there will be almost no "Tubes" between Monday and Friday. The Docklands Light Railway that connects Canary Wharf with the City of London and its financial centre, the City of London will also not run on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The RMT union stated that the dispute was centered on pay, fatigue, shift patterns, and a reduction of the working week. Eddie Dempsey, RMT's General Secretary said: "They don't want a king-sized ransom but fatigue and shift rotations can have a serious impact on the health and well-being of our members." Transport for London operates the public transport network in London. The union said it would accept only a deal that led to a shorter working week. Staff typically work 35 hours. It claimed to have worked hard to resolve the conflict and offered staff a pay increase of 3.4%. Despite TfL's warning that there would be a severe disruption to train services, some trains in the capital are expected to run during the strike. TfL stated that trains are likely to be very busy. The strikes will also cause disruption to commuters and tourists. Coldplay, a British rock band, has rescheduled two concerts this week at Wembley Stadium, while U.S. singer Post Malone postponed two of his London shows until later in the year. (Reporting and editing by Christina Fincher.)
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Russia strikes Ukraine with the biggest air strike of the war and sets a government building on fire
Ukrainian officials reported on Sunday that Russia had launched the largest air strike of the war against Ukraine over the weekend, causing the main government building in central Kyiv to catch fire and killing four people including an infant. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, said that the drone barrage and missiles killed four people, and caused extensive damage in the north, the south, and the east of the nation, including Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Righ, Odesa and Sumy, and Chernihiv. Zelenskiy, in a recent post on X.com, said that such killings are a deliberate act and a war prolongation. He also called for allies to reinforce Ukrainian air defences. Witnesses reported that just after sunrise, thick smoke was seen rising from the top floor of the main Government Building, located in historic Pecherskyi District, as it burned. Residents in Kyiv gathered on the street to inspect the damage done to their apartments. Rescue workers were battling to put out the fires. The attack highlighted growing pessimism among Ukrainians and their allies about the possibility of a quick end to the war. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been resisting calls for ceasefires and emboldened due to stronger relations with China, refused any call for a truce. Donald Trump has, on the other hand, expressed increasing frustration towards Moscow ever since he met with Putin last month. However, he has not imposed tougher sanctions against Russia. He said that he is still working on the security guarantees for Ukraine, which he believes will help end the deadliest conflict Europe has seen since World War Two. Kyiv’s European allies have pledged to stand by Ukraine both politically and militarily. However, concrete offers of help, including the possibility for troops on the ground are still being discussed. Zelenskiy stated that he spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron about coordinating diplomatic efforts and next steps as well as contacts with partners. WAR'S LARGEST DRONE BARAGE The Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Shvyrydenko stated that it was the very first time during the war the main government building of Kyiv has been attacked, a symbolic blow to an area well-defended in the city. In a blog post, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that the Russian attack against Kyiv's Government showed that "continued delaying of a strong response (against) Putin and attempts to appease him make no sense." The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched 805 drones and 13 missiles at Ukraine over night, while Ukrainian defence units shot down 751 drones as well as four missiles. This was the largest number of drones Russia used to attack the nation since Moscow launched its full scale invasion in February 2022. According to Tass, the Russian defence ministry claimed that it had conducted strikes against Ukraine's military industrial complex and transport infrastructure. Both sides deny targeting civilians. Timur Tkachenko is the head of Kyiv’s military administration. He said that a baby's body had been pulled out of the rubble at the Darnytskyi District, where an apartment building with four floors was damaged. He said a young woman also died in the attack. The district is located east of the Dnipro River. Interior ministry reported that more than 20 people had been injured in the attacks against the capital. The air alerts in Kyiv, and its surrounding area, lasted more than 11 hour. Klitschko reported that several floors in a nine storey residential building in Kyiv's Sviatoshynskyi District, located west of the city, were partially destroyed. He said that falling drone debris caused fires to start in two nine-storey and a 16 storey apartment buildings. UKRAINE TARGETS RUSSIAN ENERGY Svyrydenko urged the world and Ukraine to increase their weapons arsenals in response to Russian aggression. Svyrydenko stated, "We will rebuild buildings." But lost lives can't be brought back. "Our people are terrorized and killed by the enemy across the country on a daily basis." Ukraine's Defence Ministry said that a meeting of Kyiv’s allies is planned for the next week. Air defences and supplies to support Kyiv’s deep strikes against Russia will be discussed. Ukraine's military claimed it had attacked the Druzhba pipeline in Russia's Bryansk Region, causing "comprehensive damage" to the oil pipeline during an overnight attack. This is part of an overall strategy to target Russia’s vast energy complex. It is the backbone of the Russian economy and is used to fund the war. Vitalii Maletskyi, the mayor of Kremenchuk in central Ukraine, said that dozens of explosions also rocked the city, cutting off power to some residents, and damaging a Dnipro River bridge. Officials from the city of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine said that Russian attacks on Kryvyi Rih targeted urban infrastructure and transport, but there were no reported injuries. Oleh Kiper, the regional governor, said that in Odesa's southern city, residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were damaged. Fires broke out in several apartment complexes. He said three people were injured. (Additional reporting from Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv, Yuliia Dysa in Melbourne, and Valentyn girenko in Kyiv; editing by Mike CollettWhite and Alex Richardson.
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Iraq is considering Oman pipeline as a way to boost crude exports and storage, according to SOMO chief
Iraq may build a pipeline for crude oil export to Oman. This would allow it to market Iraqi oil globally, and supply a planned storage area in the sultanate. Ali Nazar, SOMO's Director general, said that there was already an agreement in principle. Future contract negotiations will include discussions about the route and capacity of the pipeline. Nazar, speaking at an energy forum held in Baghdad, said that the pipeline would transport crude oil to a storage facility integrated at Ras Markaz. The initial capacity is expected to be 10 million barrels. He added, "We are eager to move forward to make sure the tanks have strategic value as well as being consistently supplied with Iraqi oil on a daily base." Nazar stated that the pipeline could either be maritime and pass through the Gulf or it could be overland depending on the results of a feasibility report comparing the two options. SOMO announced on Saturday that it had signed two Memorandums Of Understanding with Oman’s OQ Group. One of the agreements was to develop a storage facility in Ras Markaz. The second MoU allows OQ Trading, with the help of both sides' commercial and administrative expertise, to market Iraqi crude internationally. (Reporting and writing by Muayad Haeed; editing by Susan Fenton).
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The tanker containing Russian Arctic LNG sanctioned leaves Chinese port
Ship tracking data revealed that a tanker carrying liquefied gas from Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project, sanctioned by the United Nations, had left a Chinese port a day after docking there. The LSEG data from Sunday indicated that the Russian Voskhod LNG Tanker was sailing to the south after leaving an LNG terminal at the port of Tieshan, in China's southwest region of Guangxi. LSEG data revealed that the Russian flagged tanker with a cargo of 150 000 cubic metres of LNG was loaded at Arctic LNG 2 in Gydan, northern Siberia, on July 19. The cargo is the third from the project sanctioned to dock in China, after the tanker Arctic Mulan arrived in Beihai LNG Terminal in late August. Arctic LNG's cargo on the Arctic Mulan is the first to reach a final user since its start-up last year. It was not possible to determine immediately if LNG was discharged in Tieshan. Reporting by Farah Masters in Hong Kong, Editing by Clarence Fernandez
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Report: Cable problems likely to be behind deadly Portugal funicular crash
According to an initial report, a problem with a cable caused a Lisbon funicular rail popular with tourists, to hurtle down the hill. It crashed into a house, killing 16 people, and injuring 22 others. After leaving the track, the yellow tram-like carriage that carries people up and over a steep slope in the Portuguese capital hit a building on Wednesday. It was only a few metres away from its identical twin at the base of the steep hill. The Office for Air and Rail Accident Investigations in Portugal released on Saturday its first investigation report into the crash. The report stated that the cabins "had not travelled more than six meters" before they "suddenly ceased to be balanced by the cable connecting them". "Cabin No. "Cabin No. "Cabin No. "Cabin No. The report stated: "The brakeman of the cabin immediately applied both the pneumatic and hand brakes to try to stop the movement." The cabin continued to accelerate down the slope despite the brakeman's efforts. The report stated that an examination of wreckage revealed "the connecting cable gave way" at attachment point of the cabin on top of the hill. The final report will be released later.
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Bangladesh battles rising tide of dengue and chikungunya
Bangladesh is facing a public health crisis that is rapidly worsening as dengue and the chikungunya mosquito-borne disease spread simultaneously, overloading hospitals and raising fears of a larger outbreak in the coming weeks. According to the Directorate General of Health Services in South Asia, there have been over 33,800 cases of dengue and 132 deaths so far this year. At least 10 deaths and over 1,500 hospital admissions were recorded in the first week of Septembre alone. Chikungunya is back after years of absence. Four Dhaka labs have confirmed 785 cases between January and July. In some laboratories, the detection rate was as high as 30%. Officials in the port city Chittagong reported 30 cases within 24 hours. This brings the total for the year to almost 3,000. Hospitals struggle to cope. Wards at Dhaka Medical College Hospital are bursting with patients, more than threefold the capacity of the wards. Experts warn of a possible worsening of the situation if mosquito control campaigns do not intensify. Kabirul Bashar is a medical entomologist from Jahangirnagar University. He said that the Aedes mosquito adapts quickly to our cities. "Stagnant waters in construction sites and rooftops as well as flower pots have become breeding grounds. We must destroy these habitats to prevent outbreaks of dengue and Chikungunya. Dengue was the deadliest disease in 2023 with 1,705 dengue-related deaths and over 321,000 infections. World Health Organization (WHO) has identified dengue as a global threat that is growing rapidly, and this is exacerbated by urbanization and climate change. WHO recommends that you recognize the warning signs of dengue fever, such as abdominal pain, nausea, bleeding or reduced urination, and avoid using NSAIDs. The patients said that this season's fever was unlike any other. Sultana Parveen (48), who had been bedridden in Dhaka, Bangladesh for over two weeks and was waiting for further tests, said that although her dengue test came back negative, the pain continued. "I can't walk because my ankles are so painful." Experts say that with multiple fevers spreading at the same time, Bangladesh needs to strengthen its hospitals, expand testing, and implement year-round mosquito prevention campaigns.
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Ukraine claims it has attacked the Druzhba Oil Pipeline in Russia's Bryansk
Robert Brovdi said that the Ukraine had attacked the Druzhba pipeline in the Russian region of Bryansk, causing "comprehensive damage" to the oil pipeline. The reports could not be independently verified. Russia has not yet responded. The transit pipeline provides Russian oil to Hungary, Slovakia and other European Union countries, who continue to purchase energy from Russia even after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Kyiv claims that its attacks on Russian energy targets are a response to Moscow’s continuing attacks against Ukraine. They aim to undermine their adversary’s war effort. In recent weeks, Ukrainian attacks on the pipeline that runs through Ukraine and Slovakia to Russia have disrupted oil shipments into both countries. Reporting by Olena Hartmash and Pavel Polityuk from Kyiv, Writing by Lidia Kelley in Melbourne, Editing by William Mallard & Clarence Fernandez
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Air Canada Flight Attendants reject wage agreement
Air Canada flight attendants rejected a wage deal on Saturday. A bitter wage dispute is now expected to be resolved through mediation, as workers are not allowed to take any further legal strikes. The union reported that 99.1% of flight attendants at Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada voted against the wage offer from the company. Negotiators reached a tentative agreement on August 19, to end a 4-day strike which stranded 500,000 passengers. Flight attendants had refused to comply with the Canadian government's efforts to end this strike, forcing Canada's largest airline back to the negotiating table. Air Canada and CUPE have agreed that there will not be a strike or lockout and flights will continue as usual, the airline announced on Saturday. The strike brought to light the demands of North American flight attendants who want to be paid from when they check-in to when they clock-out. Flight attendants from Air Canada, as well as other U.S. airlines such United Airlines, have been fighting a compensation system that pays the cabin crew primarily when an aircraft moves. Sara Nelson, International president of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), said that the public's support for the Air Canada strikes also benefits her U.S.-based members. United flight attendants are represented by the AFA. They recently rejected a tentative deal, partly because of demands for ground wages. Nelson stated that the inspirational fight by Air Canada flight attendants was helpful and created momentum. Reporting by Allison Lampert and Rajesh K Singh in Montreal; Writing by Caroline Stauffer, Editing by Edmund Klamann
Israel claims drone from Yemen hit arrivals hall of Ramon Airport
Israel's Airports Authority reported on Sunday that an Israeli drone, launched from Yemen, struck the arrivals area at Ramon Airport in the Red Sea town of Eilat.
The airport said that takeoffs, landings and other operations were suspended. It was working hard to get back to normal as quickly as possible.
On Sunday, the Israeli military announced that it was looking into the crash of an unmanned drone launched from Yemen which fell near the airport.
The Israeli military stated that the incident is being reviewed without providing any details about the impact. The Israeli military did not say if the drone fell after being intercepted, or if it was a direct strike.
Most domestic flights are handled at the airport near Eilat, a resort town on the border of Jordan and Egypt.
Houthis, backed by Iran, have launched missiles and drones towards Israel from thousands of kilometers away in an act of solidarity they claim with the Palestinians.
Israel retaliated against the Houthi by bombing areas in Yemen controlled by them, including Hodeidah's vital port. In its latest attack, Israel killed several senior Houthi officials including the head government. Since the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023, the Houthis who control most of Yemen have been attacking vessels on the Red Sea. (Reporting and writing by Steven Scheer, Menna Alaa el-Din, Alexander Cornwell and Bernadette Baum; editing by Tomasz and Bernadette Janowski).
(source: Reuters)