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Sources: India refuses entry to UN aviation expert in Air India crash investigation
Aditya KALA, Allison LAMPERT and David Shepardson Two senior sources with knowledge of the issue said that India would not permit a UN investigator join an investigation into a crashed Air India plane. Safety experts had criticised India for delaying analysis of black box data. Earlier this month, the United Nations Aviation Agency took an unusual step by offering India the services of one of their investigators in the wake of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner accident that killed 260 people on June 12 in Ahmedabad. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has sent investigators in the past to assist with investigations, including the downings of a Malaysian jetliner in 2014 and an Ukrainian jetliner, in 2020. However, those were requests for help. Sources said that ICAO asked Indian authorities to grant observer status to the investigator in India, but they refused. Indian news channel Times Now broke the news on Thursday. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau of India (AAIB), the agency that is leading the investigation into the deadliest aviation incident in the last decade, has not responded to a comment request. ICAO did not respond to a request for comment. The Indian civil aviation ministry announced on Thursday that investigators had downloaded the flight data about two weeks after a crash. Safety experts had previously questioned the lack of information regarding the investigation, including the state of the black box unit that was recovered on the 13th of June, along with the second set found on the 16th. The National Transportation Safety Board, which is involved in the investigation, has also been asked if the recorders will be read in India or the U.S. There was only one press briefing on the incident by the Indian government, at which no questions were asked. According to international regulations known by the legal name "Annex 13" throughout the industry, the decision on where to read flight records should be made as soon as possible in the event that the evidence obtained can prevent future tragedies. Earlier in the week, a senior official from the Indian Aviation Ministry who refused to be identified said that the department "followed all ICAO protocol." The official also said that media representatives had provided updates on major events. The majority of air crashes have multiple causes. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days. (Aditya K. Kalra, in New Delhi; Allison Lampert, in Montreal; and David Shepardson, in Washington. Editing by David Gregorio.)
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Spanish court suspends fines against two airlines for cabin bag fees
A Spanish court ordered on Thursday a temporary suspension of a fine levied by the government against two budget airlines including Ryanair for practices like charging for larger cabin luggage, which, according to the Consumer Ministry, violated the rights of customers. The airlines appealed this decision and the court stated that it was not possible to resolve the matter at the present time. Paying the fine as the case is being litigated would put financial strain on the companies. This injunction order maintains the airline's policies until a decision is made. It represents a major victory for the airlines. Ryanair and Norwegian Air filed an appeal after being fined 109.6 millions euros ($128.40million) last year. They said they believed the fine had no basis. The Madrid administrative court has ordered that both airlines issue bank guarantees in the amount of 111.8 million Euros, which is equivalent to the sanction plus interest. This order will be in effect while the suspension remains in place. The industry group ALA praised this decision, claiming that the fines are unjustified. The group argued that the fines "limit (customers') ability to choose and distort(the European Union's] common market". The EU said that airlines will continue to charge until a final decision is made. Last year, the Spanish Ministry of Consumer Rights also fined other airlines. ALA expressed its hope that the court's ruling would be applied to all airlines in the future. The Ministry of Transport imposed a combined fine of 179 millions euros on all airlines. This included IAG’s low-cost unit Vueling as well as easyJet and Volotea. They claimed they were violating customers' rights by charging for larger carry on bags, selecting seats or printing boarding passes and not allowing payment in cash at check-in or when buying items aboard. $1 = 0.8536 Euros (Reporting and editing by Joan Faus, Inti Landauro and Aurora Ellis).
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Ships near Strait of Hormuz send unusual messages to avoid attacks
According to Windward, a maritime risk analysis firm and data from ship tracking on Thursday, vessels near the Strait of Hormuz are broadcasting unusual nationality messages in an attempt to avoid being targeted as doubts persist over the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran. Since the conflict between Israel and Iran broke out early this month, U.S. forces have attacked Iranian nuclear sites. The Joint Maritime Information Center said that the U.S. president Donald Trump brokered a truce after 12 days in war, but the maritime threat remained elevated. Ami Daniel is the chief executive officer at Windward. She said that shipowners believe it's difficult to determine the ownership of nationalities in shipping which are more vulnerable, such as the UK, U.S., and Israel. Windward reported that 55 vessels sent 101 atypical signals across the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea between June 12-24. These included "China owned" (owned by China) and "Russian crude", with the aim to prevent attacks, as these countries are less likely than Western ships to be targeted. According to JMIC, the JMIC reported that the commercial maritime traffic increased by 30% the next day following the ceasefire. The Strait of Hormuz is the route of about a fifth of all fuel and oil consumed in the world. Vessels usually announce their destinations, or state "For orders". Sometimes, ships will also broadcast messages like "Armed Guards on Board", to deter attacks or pirates. Daniel from Windward said that unusual messages were seen almost exclusively in the Red Sea prior to June 12. Since the Israel-Gaza conflict broke out, Houthi rebels have focused a number of attacks on the Red Sea. Daniel stated, "I have never seen anything like it in the Persian Gulf." According to LSEG, the Panama-flagged Yuan Xiang Fa Zhan container ship, bound for Pakistan broadcast "PKKHI in all Chinese" as it crossed over the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. The supertanker Yuan Yang Hu, which is China-flagged, broadcasted "Chinese Ship" Thursday morning as it crossed the Strait of Hormuz. Once the vessel cleared the Strait, it changed the signal to "CN NBG", which is the Chinese port of Ningbo Zhoushan. As it passed through the Red Sea, Singapore-flagged Kota Cabar signaled "Vsl No Link Israel". JMIC warned that electronic interference in the area could affect Global Navigation Satellite System. A jammed GNSS could cause ships to lose their course and increase the risk of collisions with other vessels. Reporting by Georgina and Arathy in Houston; Lisa Baertlein and Ed Osmond in Los Angeles.
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Acciona confirms that the contracts referred to in a Spanish corruption probe are not irregular.
The Spanish construction firm Acciona announced on Thursday that it found no evidence to support allegations of corruption in the public works contracts which are at the center of an investigation into the Socialist Party. According to Acciona's CEO Jose Manuel Entrecanales, the case involves a former Acciona employee who left in 2021. He contracted Servinabar 2000 as a partner for a joint venture with a company that is being investigated by the police over allegations of corruption. Acciona, according to him, has over 30,000 partners. Local media reported that Servinabar had denied any criminal activity. Servinabar could not be reached for comment. After a police report was published in the media, which included recordings of former members of Sanchez's inner circle discussing kickbacks for public infrastructure projects, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez promised a complete overhaul of his political party. The contents of a leaked report have not been confirmed by the police, who has seen a scanned copy. Acciona's legal team said that it had not found any evidence of irregularities or bribery in the awarding process of the contracts cited in the report. The company said that no complaints had been made by other companies about the tenders held in different Spanish regions. Santos Cerdan, the third-ranked Socialist Party member, resigned last week after leaked recordings showed him discussing bribes in a meeting with the former Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos. Both men have claimed innocence and said that the recordings may have been manipulated. At least three shareholders expressed concern about the investigation during Acciona’s annual meeting. However, Entrecanales stated that the probe would not impact the Spanish construction business of the company, which only accounts for 3% in its global construction business. Acciona said it has terminated contracts with Servinabar, and dismissed the head its construction department in Spain because he failed to supervise the former employee adequately. Corina Poins is the reporter. (Editing by Charlie Devereux, Mark Potter and Mark Potter.)
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Siemens Energy aims to produce US transformers by 2027 and can expand the factory
Senior executives from Siemens Energy said that the company expects to begin production in the United States of large industrial power transformers by 2027. The factory can be expanded if import tariffs and demand remain high. Siemens Energy generates more than a quarter of its revenue in the U.S., where around 12% its 100,000 employees work. It also runs several production facilities that produce everything from gas and wind turbines to components for electricity grids. Siemens Energy board member Tim Holt stated that more than 80% (of the so-called "large power transformers" or LPT) - components bus-sized needed to convert voltage for grid transmission – are imported into the United States. Holt added that there is enough room to expand further, if necessary, at Siemens Energy's site in Charlotte, North Carolina. The first local LPTs will be produced in the early 2027. The company anticipates that the outdated U.S. grid will require $2 trillion in investment by 2050. This is due to an increase in demand for power, fueled by data centres and artificial intelligence technologies. This time, we anticipate a longer boom period for grid expansion than usual. Holt, the U.S. Business Manager for Siemens Energy, told a company gathering that "the market is very optimistic right now". Maria Ferraro, Siemens Energy's chief finance officer, said that the group had a long-term outlook on the U.S. Market. This is at a moment when many firms are re-evaluating their presence in the U.S. after President Donald Trump’s trade war. "Do we alter our approach or tactic to the U.S.?" Ferraro replied: "I would say no because we have a strong base there, and it's a major market for us." Siemens Energy stated in May that it expected U.S. tariffs to reduce the group's net profit by less than 100 millions euros ($117million) in 2025. This was before Trump threatened 50% tariffs on EU products if an agreement could not be reached by July 9. Ferraro added that "any large change in tariffs would require a re-evaluation of our estimated impacts."
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Gulf shipping prices drop after Israel-Iran ceasefire
Sources in the shipping and insurance industries said that the cost of shipping to the Gulf has dropped over the last two days following the ceasefire between Israel and Iran. However, rates may rise if tensions continue to increase. Concerns were raised that Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, through which 20% of the global oil and gas supply flows. There was also a fear that oil prices could rise to $100 per barrel. Supertankers that can transport 2 million barrels per day of oil saw their shipping rates more than double in the week prior to the ceasefire, reaching $60,000 per day. Freight data revealed that rates were around $50,000 per day on Thursday. In a note, Jefferies analyst Omar Nokta stated that "tanker rates have decreased following the ceasefire between Israel and Iran." After 12 days of fighting, Israel and Iran reached a ceasefire Tuesday. The Greek shipping ministry eased Thursday requirements for its merchants, no longer advising that they report their voyages through Hormuz. They said the situation appeared to have improved. Sources said that war risk insurance rates for Gulf shipments have dropped to 0.35-0.45% from Monday's peak of 0.5%. Sources said that this is a drop from recent levels of 0.3%. The cost of a 7-day cruise is determined by the value of the vessel. This means that the additional costs per day will be reduced by tens and thousands of dollars. David Smith, the head of marine at McGill and Partners Insurance Brokerage, said that rates have definitely lowered. "While war premiums remain significant, there are a number of war-risk insurers who want to offer capacity and underwrite risks. This in combination with an improved political climate is pushing rates down. The situation is still fluid. Ayatollah Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, said that Iran would strike American military bases throughout the Middle East in response to any future U.S. attacks. This was his first public statement since the ceasefire. Reporting by Jonathan Saul and Yannis Soulieotis, with additional reporting by Michael Jones from The Insurer. Editing by Ed Osmond.
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Lyft asks drivers to provide strategic input on robotaxi rollout
Lyft launched its first ever Driver Autonomous Forum, an initiative that aims to involve seasoned drivers as they begin to integrate robotaxis in its ride-hailing services. This move is in response to the continued disruption of the ride-hailing market by self-driving cars. Robotaxis promises increased efficiency and lower cost, but they also threaten gig workers whose income is based on platforms such as Lyft or Uber. Experts and analysts have warned that robotaxis, if not implemented in a phased manner and with caution, could result in the displacement of large sections of the workforce. Tesla has recently used a few self-driving Model Y vehicles as robotaxis to ferry paying passengers around Austin, Texas. The forum will bring together drivers at key points in the robotaxi expansion process to discuss policy, planning and future employment opportunities, such as fleet management and remote vehicle support. The first session will feature six to eight Atlanta drivers, and coincides with the launch of Lyft's autonomous rides with May Mobility in Atlanta this summer. Alphabet Waymo, Uber and other companies have made great strides towards the development of robotaxis. Waymo expanded its fully automated ride service to Phoenix and San Francisco. Uber has partnered up with several self driving technology companies in order to operate driverless cabs in certain markets. As the technology improves, Lyft anticipates that its ride-hailing fleet will be a hybrid between human drivers and roboticaxis. Jeremy Bird is executive vice president for Driver Experience at Lyft. "We're not claiming to have all of the answers, but are committed to finding solutions with you," he said. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)
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EU prosecutors uncover criminal conspiracy involving Chinese imports through Greece
European prosecutors have discovered a criminal conspiracy involving fake documentation of Chinese imports into Europe via the Greek port of Piraeus. This scheme defrauded the authorities of approximately 700 million euros (820 million dollars) in lost VAT and customs revenue. In a Thursday statement, the European Public Prosecutor's Office said that the investigation was conducted by 14 EU member countries, and included raids in Greece and Spain as well as France and Bulgaria. During more than 100 searches of offices and other locations, on Wednesday, ten suspects including two customs agents were arrested. In the Port of Piraeus law enforcement agents confiscated thousands of ebikes and scooters, along with 480 containers, for further inspection and verification. They also issued freezing orders to seize property, boats, and bank accounts. In total, 5.8 million Euros in various currencies, including 4.75 millions euros in Greece, were seized. Also, several firearms and weapons were found in the homes of three suspects. The EPPO also reported that 11 properties were seized in Spain, along with 27 luxury vehicles and other items. EPPO stated that the scheme involved a number of criminal networks, primarily controlled by Chinese nationals, who handled Chinese imports to the EU, distribution and sales as well as money-laundering and sending profits back home to China. The EPPO stated that after the goods arrive from China in the EU - mainly via the port of Piraeus - they are misclassified or undervalued to evade the customs duties. They are then cleared by customs agents and sold to other companies in EU states using the scheme to avoid VAT payment. The report added that criminal organisations are under investigation create false invoices and documents of transport to hide the true destination of goods. They also recruit a network sham firms that sell products at extremely competitive prices because VAT is not paid and customs duties, anti-dumping and other fees remain unpaid.
Britain rejects $34 billion subsea energy project between Morocco and the UK
The UK has rejected a Moroccan renewable energy project worth 25 billion pounds ($34.39billion) that would have used wind and solar power from the Sahara for up to 7 million UK households.
The British government said that it believes domestic projects can offer greater economic benefits.
Michael Shanks, minister of energy at the UK's Department of Energy, said in a written message to parliament that the government had concluded it was not in the UK's national interest to consider further support for the Morocco UK Power Project.
The project, he said, did not align with the UK government's goal to develop home-grown energy.
Xlinks’ Morocco-UK Power Project would have tapped Moroccan Renewable Energy via what would be the world's largest subsea cable.
The plan included building 3,800 km (2,361 mi) of high voltage direct current submarine cables from Morocco to Southwest England.
The company was seeking from the British government a contract for difference (also known as a minimum guaranteed price) for electricity provided.
Dave Lewis, the former Tesco Chief Executive and chair of Xlinks, expressed his company's disappointment at the decision.
He said that "over 100 million pounds ($137.38 millions) has been spent by leading players in the energy sector on project development and lenders are clamoring to be involved in the construction phase, which is more than we need," in an email statement.
Lewis stated that "we are now working on unlocking the potential of this project and maximising its value for everyone in a new way."
The project was originally designated as "national importance" by the Conservative government, but funding and regulatory obstacles were encountered. Early investors included Abu Dhabi's energy company TAQA as well as Total Energies and Octopus Energy. However, the company hasn't disclosed exactly what percentage each company owns.
(source: Reuters)