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FBI arrests multiple suspects in Michigan attack plot
Kash Patel, FBI Director, said that multiple arrests were made in Michigan to stop a possible attack. He did not provide any further details. Two sources claim that five people were being interrogated on Friday. Patel wrote on X Friday that the FBI had foiled a possible terrorist attack by arresting multiple suspects in Michigan. They were allegedly planning a violent attack for Halloween weekend. Officials at the Justice Department said that the plot was expected to occur over Halloween weekend, and it was linked to international terrorism. Dearborn police, a suburb of Detroit, announced on social media on Friday that the FBI conducted an operation there, and that "there was no threat." (Reporting and editing by Scott Malone, Franklin Paul, Chizu Nomiyama and Scott Malone; Sarah N. Lynch & Andrew Goudsward)
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FAA delays flights as shutdown enters Day 31
Federal Aviation Administration delayed flights on Friday at airports in Austin and Newark, as staffing issues continue to cause delays and the government shutdown enters its 31st week. The FAA reported that there were staffing problems at nine FAA facilities on Friday, and said this was likely to cause delays in flights later for Houston and Dallas airports. Flight delays averaged 61 minutes in Nashville, 50 minutes in Austin and 101 minutes in Newark. FlightAware, a tracking website for aviation, reported that 2,200 U.S. flight delays and 300 cancellations had occurred as of 12:25 p.m. ET. On Thursday, there were 1,250 canceled flights and 7,300 flight delays in the United States. Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation secretary, said that he expected more flight delays to occur in the next few days. Duffy told Fox News' America's Newsroom that there would be more disruptions to the airspace this weekend, and the following week. Staffing shortages in air traffic control caused delays on Thursday at Orlando, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Washington, D.C. The shutdown forced 13,000 air-traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to work for free. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines have all called for Congress to pass a temporary funding bill so that the government can reopen, and to continue discussions on healthcare policy disagreements. Transportation Department officials said that the shutdown caused flight delays because of air traffic controllers' absences. The airlines have repeatedly called for an end to this shutdown, citing safety concerns. The shutdown has worsened existing staffing shortages and threatens to cause widespread disruptions. Even before the shutdown, many air traffic controllers were working six-day weekends and mandatory overtime. (Reporting and editing by Andrea Ricci; David Shepardson)
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Staff of the Border Force patrolling UK waters are planning a strike over pay
The union that represents British Border Force employees announced on Friday, more than 120 staff members who patrol Britain's waterways in "sometimes harrowing" roles plan to go on strike on November 14, to protest pay and working conditions. Most of the UK Border Force's 10,000 staff members work in ports and airports across the UK and abroad. The website of the agency does not provide a breakdown showing how many people are employed to patrol the waters in the UK. The union representing Britain's Public and Commercial Services said that the government started a review of the issue six years ago, addressing the need for standardisation in pay and roles. However, despite long discussions the concerns of the members have not been addressed. The UK interior ministry didn't immediately respond to an inquiry about the planned stoppage of one day or the status on the review. The union stated that workers are involved in dangerous tasks such as patrolling for illegal entry or smuggling into the UK and boarding vessels to inspect them, responding to incidents including small boats with asylum seekers, and boarding vessels for inspection. The Labour Party of British Prime Minister Keir starmer, which is trailing in the polls, has promised to crush the gangs that traffic migrants into Britain via small boats. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, a populist party with a strong political agenda has also made illegal immigration a key issue. In a statement, PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote stated that "this strike sends a message clear to the Home Office": We will not accept further delays or inadequate proposals. Heathcote said, "We are prepared to escalate the situation if needed." (Reporting and editing by Muvija m; Alexander Smith).
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Buffett will send a letter to his children and shareholders as well as Abel's annual letter, according to WSJ
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Buffett's assistant said Warren Buffett would release a letter on November 10 to his children and Berkshire Hathaway's shareholders. Greg Abel, who will become Berkshire Hathaway's chief executive in February, will write Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder's letter. Buffett will step down from his role as chief executive officer at the end this year. He will, however, remain chairman. Abel is a vice chairman of Berkshire but has taken on additional responsibilities since Buffett announced a management change during Berkshire’s annual meeting held May 3. Buffett plans to join other directors in the audience, and not on stage, for next year's meeting. Berkshire has not responded to any requests for comment since Friday. The Omaha-based conglomerate, which will announce its third-quarter results this Saturday. Buffett's letter of November 10, to his children Susie and Howard, and to shareholders is not clear. Buffett sent letters to his family in November 2023, and again in November 2024. In these letters he discussed estate planning. He also expressed gratitude for the opportunities that the U.S. offers. He announced four donations to family charities. Howard Buffett will eventually become the non-executive Chairman of Berkshire. New York Newsroom reported the story.
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Portugal announces that the sale of TAP Airlines has cross-party support
The government of Portugal expects that the partial privatisation process for flag carrier TAP will proceed smoothly. This is due to a rare political consensus across parties and interest shown by Europe's biggest airlines, Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz stated on Friday. He stated that the centre-right minority government initially wanted to offer 100% of TAP but settled for 49.9% when the two major opposition parties threatened to stop any larger sale. This led to a “broad consensus” in parliament with the extreme right Chega and Socialist parties. He told a committee of parliament that "dialogue and mutual respect is always the best way for politics." To ensure transparency, the sale of the property will be reviewed and monitored by an independent commission as well as a working group within the parliament. Portugal has relaunched its long-delayed TAP privatisation in July. The aim is to sell a stake of 44.9% to a carrier that can bring global scale and competition, plus an additional 5% for TAP staff. Airlines interested in TAP are required to submit a formal "manifestation" of interest by November 21, and non-binding bids by the end the year. Lufthansa and Air France-KLM have expressed interest in purchasing TAP. British Airways and IAG, the owner of British Airways, also met with the government last year.
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KLM signs two-year contract with unions of ground staff
Dutch airline KLM announced on Friday it had reached a deal with five unions that represent ground staff in The Netherlands for a two-year agreement that included pay increases, bonuses and improved retirement options. The Collective Labor Agreement (CLA), which is retroactive to March 1, this year and ends on February 28, 2027, will be in effect. This includes a salary increase of 3.25 percent in total as well as a one-time payment of 500 euros ($583) net in December 2025, and 250 euros in January 2026. KLM has also agreed to permanentize the 80-90-100% scheme, which allows older workers to work 90% of their working hours and still accrue full pension. "We are happy that we reached an agreement with all five unions. We have reached solid agreements with KLM on remunerations, career development and productivity. The agreement came amid ongoing labor unrest in KLM. Two major unions, FNV and CNV, had rejected the September deal with other unions and continued to organize strikes.
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Tanzania opposition claims hundreds of deaths in protests against voting
Tanzania's main Opposition Party said that hundreds of people were killed this week in protests against elections throughout the country, while the government claimed it was restoring the order following "isolated" incidents. The United Nations has confirmed credible reports that at least ten people have been killed in protests across three cities. This is the first estimate of fatalities made public by any international body since the vote on Wednesday. The government hasn't responded to any requests for comment or released any estimates of casualties. Could not independently verify these figures. Since Wednesday, protesters have been taking to the streets in anger over the exclusion of the two main challengers to President Samia Hassan from the race. They also criticized what they called widespread repression. Police have been accused of using tear gas and firearms to disperse some protests, according to witnesses. The police have imposed a curfew overnight in Dar es Salaam's commercial capital over the last two nights, after burning down government offices and other structures. Since Wednesday, internet access has been interrupted. HIGH SECURITY PRESENCE On Friday, the military and police patrolled Dar es Salaam's streets to prevent people from moving without a valid excuse. The government has extended the order for civil servants to work from home. John Kitoka, a spokesperson of the CHADEMA Party which was banned from the elections for refusing to adhere to a code and whose leader was arrested in April for treason, said that the party has documented 700 deaths based on the accounts of health workers. He said that protests were still ongoing in several cities on Friday, but they had diminished in others due to heavy security deployment. He said: "We want the protests continue until we get our electoral reforms." Hassan faces a challenge in the unrest. He was praised for his easing of repression after taking office 2021, but has faced criticism more recently from opposition parties and activists following a series arrests and allegations of abductions. Hassan denies allegations of widespread human rights abuses. She claimed that she ordered an investigation last year into reports of abductions. However, no official findings were released. Thursday, the electoral commission announced provisional results of the election. Hassan won a majority in several constituencies. GOVERNMENT : "NORMALICY WILL RETURN" The first direct comments from her government on the unrest were made on Friday by the Foreign Affairs Ministry in a broadcasted message to diplomatic missions on state television. In the message, it was stated that "due to isolated incidents where law and order were violated, the government has increased security and taken other precautionary steps." The statement added that the security measures are temporary, but necessary. Normalcy is expected to return soon. Seif Magango, spokesperson for the U.N. Human rights office, told reporters in Geneva that there are credible reports of 10 deaths in Dar es Salaam and Shinyanga. He urged the protesters to remain peaceful and called for security forces to "refrain from excessive or unnecessary force". A Dar es Salaam local, who requested anonymity for safety, said that a family had lost a member when a protester was mistakenly shot outside a hospital. No one from the police department responded to our requests for comment. In a joint statement released on Thursday, two members of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee called the election a fraud, saying that it "took place in an atmosphere of intimidation and fear". The article was written by Vincent Mumo Nzilani, George Obulutsa and edited by Aaron Ross. Ros Russell and Andrew Heavens.
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ITA Airways will resume flights from and to Tel Aviv on January 1, 2019.
Italy's ITA Airways has announced that it will resume direct flights to Tel Aviv on January 1. This will restore connections with Rome's Fiumicino airport, the main airport. According to the statement, the company, which is part of the Lufthansa Group, will operate at first two daily routes between Tel Aviv and the rest of Europe. The route is "of strategic importance to ITA Airways, and it represents a significant move for Italy. It further strengthens the commercial, cultural, and social ties between Italy and the United States." Hamas has reached a fragile truce with Israel this month, brokered by U.S. president Donald Trump. The deal is being tested periodically by violent outbreaks, as part of the conflict that was sparked by the October 7, 2020 attack by the militants group. As a result, several airlines have suspended flights in the past two years.
China's fast renewables rollout hits grid limits: Kemp
China's recordbreaking deployment of wind and solar capability has actually gotten worse local power imbalances, requiring the nation to idle increasing amounts of eco-friendly generation when it overwhelms local intake.
New federal government guidelines aim to decrease the quantity of sustainable generation that needs to be deserted by increasing long-distance transmission links and better coordinating generation plans throughout provinces.
Given that completion of 2018, China's overall producing capacity has increased by 1.137 billion kilowatts (kW), compound annual growth of 9%, according to data from the National Bureau of statistics (NBS).
Thermal capability, mainly from coal-fired plants but some from gas-fired generators, rose by 257 million kW or 4% per year ( China analytical yearbook, NBS, 2023).
Many capability additions, nevertheless, have originated from what the federal government calls brand-new energy sources - wind farms (277 million kW, 19% annually) and solar generators (517 million kW, 29% per year).
Increased penetration of intermittent renewables is making it more difficult to handle an across the country transmission system that was currently fighting with large local imbalances between generation and load.
The solution to variable wind and solar output is to smooth out variations across a bigger number of generators spread over much bigger locations of the nation, which will need more transmission and much better scheduling.
LONG-DISTANCE TRANSMISSION
For years, the country has actually been characterised by huge west-to-east electrical energy transfers from interior locations with surplus generation to the huge load centres on the east and south coasts.
Ten provincial-level locations in the east and south (Liaoning,. Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang,. Fujian and Guangdong) accounted for 50% of nationwide intake. however just 40% of generation in 2022.
By contrast, six remote and sparsely populated northern and. western locations (Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu. and Ningxia) represented 18% of intake but 25% of. generation.
Chartbook: China local electrical energy transfers
In reaction, China's State Grid Corporation has constructed. a network of ultra-high voltage transmission lines to move power. thousands of kilometres from surplus areas in the west and north. to deficit areas in the east and south.
While doing so, China has ended up being the world leader in. ultra-high voltage transmission to move electricity over long. distances while minimising line losses, and is exporting its. know-how worldwide.
INNER ASIA'S ENERGY ABUNDANCE
China's northern and western locations are a few of the least. populated and poorest parts of the nation, but abundant in energy. resources, generally coal and now progressively gas and. renewables.
The north and west contains the nation's essential. coal deposits and has become a significant centre of pit-head. generation, with some electrical power utilized in your area by heavy. market, and the rest transmitted east and south.
Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Xinjiang alone accounted. for 81% of coal mine production and 25% of all thermal. generation in 2022, according to information from the NBS.
In a peculiarity of fate, the dry and windswept northern and. western plains and deserts are likewise the best sites for giant. wind farms and solar parks.
Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Xinjiang together with. neighbouring Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai represented 42% of all. wind and solar generation in 2015.
But the addition of a lot wind and solar generation in a. region already saturated with coal-fired power threatens to. overwhelm the transmission system.
During peak durations of wind and solar generation, there is. not enough population and industry in these areas to soak up all. the output, and not enough long-distance transmission capacity. to move the surplus east and south.
MORE TRANSMISSION AND PREPARATION
In 2016, the nationwide utilisation rate for new energy. sources was up to a record low of 84%, prompting the main. government to introduce a Clean Energy Absorption Action Strategy to. minimize the waste of eco-friendly resources.
The strategy focused on improvements in regional distribution,. long-distance inter-provincial transmission, and energy trading. to decrease the curtailment of brand-new energy generation.
By 2023, the utilisation rate for wind power had actually climbed to. a remarkable 97.3% and solar had reached 98%, according to the. state-run news firm Xinhua.
With quick implementation of eco-friendly capacity, however, the. problem of abandonment is reappearing, with wind utilisation. down to 96.1% and solar down to 96% in the very first 5 months of. 2024.
Sliding utilisation has prompted an alert from the National. New Energy Intake Monitoring and Early Caution Center. ( Solving the discomfort points and difficulties of brand-new energy. consumption, Xinhua, July 1, 2024).
The action is likely to be comparable, with renewed emphasis. on integrating renewables at local level and more transmission. capacity to move surplus power across provincial limits.
In the last 2 years, main federal government policy statements. have actually consistently focused on the requirement for better coordination of. transmission and generation in between provinces.
DEVELOPING A TRULY NATIONAL SYSTEM
In an indication of the importance attached to the issue, the. Communist Celebration's Politburo held a group research study session on brand-new. energy innovation and energy security on Feb. 29, 2024.
The session, combining leading central and regional. leaders, consisted of a conversation on enhancing the grid's capability. capability to incorporate, disperse and regulate clean energy.
President Xi Jinping stressed requirement for coordinated. advancement of the energy sector ( Xi stresses high-quality. advancement of brand-new energy, CPC International Department, March. 2, 2024).
In many methods, China's long-distance UVDC transmission system. is an amazing engineering achievement, likely to be copied. in other parts of the world as increasingly more renewables are. connected to grids.
It has enabled a remarkable penetration of periodic. renewables, along with hydroelectric generation, into the. nationwide power system while keeping or enhancing. reliability.
As an outcome, wind and solar producers supplied 15% of all. generation in the very first 5 months of 2024, up from 7% in the. exact same duration in 2019.
In some ways, nevertheless, China is still struggling to create a. genuinely integrated across the country system from fragmented. provincial-level energies that pursue their own top priorities.
If government strategies to achieve even greater renewables. penetration are to be achieved, there will have to be much. better links and more coordination in between various types of. generators and throughout far wider areas.
John Kemp is a market expert. The views expressed. are his own. Follow his commentary on X https://twitter.com/JKempEnergy.
(source: Reuters)