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Montenegro may face fuel shortages as a result of truckers' blockade
Montenegro may face fuel shortages as a result of regional protests and the blockade by truck drivers?of Bar's Adriatic port over restrictive EU entry laws?that could lead to their deportation if they exceed Schengen visit limitations. Montenegro has no own oil refinery and so the port of Bar is a major entry point for fuel imported from abroad. The port of Bar is also home to the largest fuel?depots in the country. The blockade of border crossings that began Monday in Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro, and North Macedonia has halted transportation along a crucial road corridor connecting?the EU to Turkey and the Middle East. The Montenegrin Energy Ministry issued a statement late on Tuesday in which it said that they had asked the oil companies to provide information about their stocks and the period estimated during which fuel supplies can be kept regular. The current fuel supplies have been effectively reduced to what is available in petrol stations. This will allow the market to continue to function 'for just a few days more. The ministry also advised people to refrain from purchasing excessive amounts of fuel at petrol station. Montenegrin Police said that the truckers had a permit allowing them to protest until Thursday midday. Truckers want to extend the time they can stay in Schengen, claiming that they are quickly reaching the limit due to the volume of freight they carry. (Reporting and editing by Ros Russell; Aleksandar Vasovic)
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Maersk: Storms and snowfall disrupt cargo flow in Europe
Container shipping company Maersk said on Wednesday that storms and heavy snowfall were disrupting cargo flow across the south-west and western parts of Europe, as well as affecting deliveries into and out of northern areas. Portugal and Spain are among the countries that were affected by severe weather alerts on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Italy declared a state-of-emergency on Monday for its southern regions which had been ravaged?by an intense storm last week. Maersk stated that terminals in the western Mediterranean had ceased operations. There is no current timeline for their resumption. Maersk sent an advisory to its customers saying that the severe weather conditions were causing industry-wide disruptions. "Vessels are sheltering, and terminals have to stop working or work with reduced productivity," it said. Maersk has not named the terminals affected, and its spokesperson did not respond immediately to a question for comment. The advisory stated that "this situation affects the entire industry and we expect delays and closings to continue to impact vessels and terminals on a wide scale." Last week, rival?shipping company CMA CGM?said that one of their ships lost 58 containers in the sea due to 'unexpectedly strong weather off Malta. Some additional containers were also damaged on the vessel's deck. Reporting by Stine Jacquebsen and Soren Jppesen, Copenhagen; Editing and production by Terje Solsvik & Jan Harvey
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Albanese: Australia is committed to retaking control of Darwin Port
Australia is committed to returning to Australian ownership a major northern port that has been leased to a Chinese firm for 99 years, said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday. This was after Beijing's ambassador to Canberra had warned of possible trade retaliation. The Northern Territory government sold Darwin Port in 2015 to Landbridge, a Chinese company for A$506 millions. This was criticized by the United States. The contract was awarded just a few short years after the United States deployed the first group of rotating Marines to Darwin. U.S. and Australia have expanded air bases in Australia’s north for U.S. bombers. Albanese, who was in East Timor for an official visit Wednesday, said that his government has made it clear that it wants the port to be returned to Australian ownership. He said, "It is in the 'national interest of Australia that this?port returns to Australian hands." Landbridge Australia, the port's owner did not respond immediately to a comment request, but in November, said that the port was in good financial standing. Xiao Qian - China's Ambassador in Canberra - told reporters on Wednesday at the annual press conference that Beijing would take "measures to protect the Chinese Company's interests" if a forced sale of the Port was made. Xiao told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that if Landbridge were forced to leave this port, it could also have a negative impact on "substantive investment, cooperation, and trade" between Chinese companies in that part of Australia. Xiao is not the only one to criticise Albanese for his election promise?last year that the strategically located Northern port would be returned to?local ownership. Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that at a regular press conference in Beijing: "China would like reaffirm that the Chinese enterprise concerned obtained the lease of the Port?of Darwin by market means." "Their legitimate interests and rights should be protected fully," he said. (Reporting from Sydney by Kirsty Neetham; Additional reporting in Beijing by Liz Lee; Editing by Raju Gopikrishnan).
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Five people killed in an air charter crash, including the Deputy Chief Minister of India's Maharashtra State
Ajit Pawar and four other passengers died when the charter plane he was on caught fire on Wednesday. The aviation regulator confirmed this. Media reported that Pawar, a member of a prominent political family, had left for his home region in order to campaign at local elections. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that two of his staff members and two crew were also on board a VSR Ventures Learjet 45 operated by VSR Ventures. In an initial statement, it said: "No one on board has survived." VK Singh of VSR Ventures told India Today that there was no clear cause for the crash, which occurred as the plane approached Baramati. He said, "The aircraft was 100% safe." The crew was 'fairly experienced. The video shows smoke rising from the burning wreckage scattered on an open field. Unidentified witnesses told ANI that the plane exploded and then caught fire. "Four or five explosions followed," they said. The flames were too intense to save anyone, he said. Pawar led a faction in the state government that split from the Nationalist Congress Party in 2023 and backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. Modi wrote on X that Pawar's passing was "shocking" and "sad". The media reported that Pawar's aircraft, traveling from Mumbai, the financial capital, attempted to land in Baramati, the family stronghold, which is 250 km away. He was going to canvass for the elections in Baramati. Holds a minority stake of ANI.
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Japan-born pandas Xiao Xiao, and Lei Lei have arrived in China amid a freeze of bilateral relations
China's panda?media base announced that giant pandas Xiao Xiao & Lei Lei had arrived in Sichuan Province on Wednesday. This is the first time Japan has been without pandas since 1972, at a time of tense relations between Japan and China. A WeChat posting by the China Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Panda revealed that Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei had arrived at Chengdu’s Tianfu?International?Airport at 1 a.m., on Wednesday. The pair arrived at the centre in Ya'an (Sichuan) at 6 am on Wednesday. They will quarantine. They were born at the Ueno Zoo, Tokyo in 2021. Their departure was accompanied by an emotional farewell from their fans who grew up in Tokyo. Since their parents, Shin Shin, and Ri Ri went to China in the year 2024, they have been a major attraction at the zoo. Since 1949, China has used panda diplomatics to express its dislike for other countries or cement its ties. The pandas usually are lent and returned home when the agreement is over. Pandas that are born in China, like Xiao Xiao or Lei Lei, usually go to a Chinese breeding programme between the ages of 2 and 4. The WeChat post showed pictures of the pandas being transported from the plane to the truck by?workers wearing white protective suits. The research centre stated that Xiao Xiao, and Lei Lei "have made a positive contribution in promoting friendship between peoples of both countries". Since 1972, when the two countries normalized their relations, Japan has been hosting pandas from China. The departure of the pandas, although long-planned, occurs at a time when Sino-Japanese ties are at their lowest point. Sanae Takaichi, the Japanese prime minister, said in November that Japan would respond militarily if China attacked democratically-governed Taiwan. China, who reacted furiously to the comment and warned citizens not to travel to Japan, sees Taiwan as its territory, despite objections from the government in Taipei. The future offering of pandas may indicate Beijing's desire to improve relations. You?Ya, the loan was for 20 years to the U.S. Return to the Homepage After a suspected Chinese terrorist attack in April 2023, the United States will be returning to China. Spy balloon The U.S. As Beijing and Washington's engagement increased, China offered to send two pandas younger to Washington, which the Chinese ambassador called a "very positive sign" for bilateral relations. Li Qiang, Premier of China, offered Australia pandas as a gift. Goodwill gesture In 2024, as relations warmed up following a trade dispute that dated back to 2020. South Korea may be the next testing ground for China’s panda diplomatic strategy. During a summit in January, Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, and Lee Jae Myung his?Korean equivalent, agreed to begin panda discussions, Yonhap News Agency said. Lee had called for a Full restoration During his first trip to Beijing as President, he visited China and South Korea. South Koreans will bid farewell in tears to the world of 2024. Fu Bao The first giant panda to be born in China, though it still has four other pandas. (Reporting and editing by Christopher Cushing; Colleen howe)
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Wall Street Journal, January 28,
These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These'stories' have not been?verified and we cannot vouch for the accuracy of these stories. SoftBank has been in talks with OpenAI to invest an additional $30 billion, adding to the Japanese conglomerate’s existing stake in the startup. - Grain trader Archer-Daniels-Midland ?Company has agreed to pay a $40 million civil penalty ?to settle charges from the ?U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission alleged that the company had inflated performance in a key segment of its business. Mary Barra, the Chief Executive Officer of General Motors, said that a recent agreement by Canada to let 'tens of thousands' of cheap Chinese electric cars into the country is a threat to North American auto manufacturing. The National Transportation?Safety Board of the U.S. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the Federal Aviation Administration had a number of?systemic failures that led to an air collision last year that resulted in 67 deaths. (Compiled by Bengaluru Newsroom)
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Sun PhuQuoc Airways, Vietnam's first international airline, will launch its service by the end of March
Sun PhuQuoc Airways, a newly-established airline in Vietnam, will launch its first regular flight overseas by the end of March. The company announced that the flight to 'Taipei' is scheduled for 29 March. Sun PhuQuoc began operations in November of last year and focuses on serving tourists to Phu Quoc Island, off the coast of Southern Vietnam. It said that the airline would begin flying to other destinations in Asia, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok from May and then Kaohsiung, and Kuala Lumpur, starting from October. Sun PhuQuoc said it aims to increase its aircraft fleet from 25 to 100 by 2035. The airline operates six aircraft including four Airbus A321NXs. Khanh Vu (Reporting; David Stanway, editing)
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Japan-born pandas Xiao Xiao, and Lei Lei return to their home in China's Sichuan
China's giants pandas Xiao Xiao & Lei Lei have arrived in Sichuan safely on Wednesday.?China's Panda Research Base said this in a post on social media, 'following a heartfelt goodbye from fans who grew up in Tokyo, where Xiao Xiao & Lei Lei were raised. A WeChat posting by the China Conservation and Research Centre of the Giant Panda revealed that Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei had arrived at Chengdu’s Tianfu International Airport around 1 a.m., on Wednesday. The pair arrived at the centre in Ya'an, Sichuan around 6 am on Wednesday. They will be quarantined. In 2021, twin pandas were born at the Ueno Zoo of Tokyo. Shin Shin and Ri Ri returned to China with their parents in 2024. China, since its founding in 1949 has used panda diplomacy to enhance its international image and strengthen ties with other nations?by loaning or gifting pandas. After the agreement expires, the pandas usually return to China. Pandas born abroad like Xiao Xiao or Lei Lei are then sent to a Chinese breeding programme between two and four years old. WeChat pictures showed pandas' crates being?unloaded from a Sichuan Airlines flight and then transported to truck as workers in protective white suits looked?on. The research centre stated that Xiao Xiao, and Lei Lei "continuously built bridges of friendship" between the 'people of China and Japan", and "made a significant contribution to promoting the friendship between people of the 'two countries". The panda’s journey coincided with a low in Sino-Japanese relationships. In November, Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Japan would'respond militarily in case of a Chinese invasion on democratically-governed Taiwan. China, which views Taiwan as a province that has gone off course, was furious at the comment, and warned its citizens not to travel to Japan. (Reporting and editing by Christopher Cushing; Colleen howe)
VNG will begin testing a 30-MW electrolyser by Q3, 2025
Eastern German gas company VNG is majority owned by utility EnBW. On Wednesday, it announced that in 2025, the company will begin testing operations at a 30-megawatt (MW) electrolysis facility as part of a green hydrogen value chain.
VNG has intensified its green gas strategy and acquired alternative sources of gas to replace Russia, who in 2022 will stop exporting to the West. This will affect VNG as well as its competitors SEFE and Uniper.
In a statement, Hans-Joachim Polk, technical director of the company said: "We plan to commission and test the 30 MW Electrolyser during the third quarter."
The VNG plant in Bad Lauchstaedt, Saxony-Anhalt, will produce green hydrogen from wind power. TotalEnergies is the anchor customer.
Hydrogen is greener when it's produced using renewable electricity by electrolysing water rather than by removing it from natural gases and releasing CO2. It leaves only oxygen and water as by-products after burning.
Polk stated that "the plant will then feed 2,700 tonnes green hydrogen per year into the grid for commercial use at... TotalEnergies refinery." (Reporting and editing by Kirstiknolle, $1 = 0.9268 Euros)
(source: Reuters)