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Waymo will launch autonomous ride hailing in Dallas, Texas next year
Alphabet Waymo announced on Monday that it would launch its autonomous ride-hailing services in Dallas by 2026. This will accelerate its U.S. growth as Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer, pushes its newly launched robotaxi service. Waymo, after years of cautious expansion, has recently accelerated its pace. It is now launching in more cities, through partnerships with ride hailing platforms and fleet operators. Waymo announced in a blog that it will be operating in Dallas through a multi-year partnership between the car rental company Avis and Budget Group. Avis will manage fleet operations including maintenance, depot infrastructure and depot management. Waymo provides more than 250.000 paid trips per week in cities like Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Waymo launched its Austin service exclusively through the Uber platform this year. Tesla had already started a limited robotaxi test in the city, with about a dozen Model Y vehicles and a human safety monitoring system in the passenger seat. Tesla CEO Elon Elon Musk said that the company would rapidly expand its robotaxi service to other U.S. Cities and seeks regulatory approval from California Nevada Florida and Arizona. Commercializing autonomous cars has proven difficult, as several companies, such as GM Cruise, have shut down following collisions, recalls and federal investigations. Amazon-backed Zoox, which is preparing to launch its commercial service later this year, is one of the few remaining services. Waymo, the company that operated the paid driverless taxis for the United States until the Tesla trial in Austin, was the sole operator of these vehicles. The Waymo App will offer rides. As part of a broader nationwide rollout, the company also plans to launch in Miami and Washington, D.C., 2026. Avis has a broader strategy that includes transforming from a traditional car rental company to a mobility service provider. (Reporting from Akash Sriram, Bengaluru; Abhirup Roy, San Francisco; editing by Tasim Zaid)
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Air Canada's profit drops due to weak US travel demand
Air Canada announced a decline in its second-quarter profits on Monday. The drop was attributed to a weak passenger traffic into the U.S., which is a key market for Air Canada. This comes amid tensions between the U.S. and Canada. Canadians are cancelling trips to the United States and boycotting U.S. goods after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada. He also made controversial comments suggesting that the country be annexed. Summer is usually the busiest season for airlines. The carrier expects to increase the number of available seat miles (ASMs) between 3.25 and 3.75% compared to the same period in 2018. Canada's largest airline reported a C$0.60 ($0.4368) profit per share in the second quarter compared to C$0.98 per shares a year earlier. Air Canada reported C$5.63billion in total operating revenue for the June quarter, up from C$5.52billion a year earlier. (1 Canadian dollar = 1.3735 dollars) (Reporting and editing by Shilpa Majumdar, Alan Barona and Shivansh Tiwary in Bengaluru)
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US Airlines opposes new limitations on facial recognition at airport security checkpoints
On Monday, groups representing major U.S. airports, airlines and travel companies urged the Senate not to pass a bill which would limit the Transportation Security Administration's ability to use facial recognition technology at security checkpoints. The Senate Commerce Committee will be considering bipartisan legislation on Wednesday that would protect Americans from being subjected to TSA facial-recognition screenings in airports, and to prevent the misuse of their data. Airlines for America, representing American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and other airlines, as well as U.S. Travel, and two airport groups opposed the bill. In a letter, they said that it would "increase waiting times by slowing down identification verification at each airport security checkpoint." Two of the bill's authors, Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley, and Republican John Kennedy did not respond immediately to a comment request. Kennedy stated in May that the TSA subjected countless law abiding Americans to excessive facial-recognition screenings while they traveled, thereby invading their privacy and not letting them know they could opt out. Merkley stated in May that "people don't want to live under a surveillance state but the TSA is bringing us there with its unchecked use of facial recognition technologies." The bill would limit TSA's authority to use facial recognition and biometrics. TSA must offer passengers the option of having their identities verified without using facial recognition. TSA cannot discriminate against travelers who choose not to scan their faces. The airlines and other companies said that restricting TSA’s use of biometrics was a step in the wrong direction for national security. They added that it would prevent TSA from being able to achieve staffing efficiency through technology automation, as it would require officer-based interaction. This means 75% of TSA’s budget will be tied to staffing instead of technology investment. Airlines also warned that it could hinder innovations in the aviation industry, such as automated egates and TSA PreCheck TouchlessID and "create a chaotic and overwhelming environment at each airport security check."
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Peru considers approving $6 billion worth of mining projects
Dina Boluarte, the president of Peru, said that the country is weighing whether or not to approve a series of new mining projects, worth $6 billion, in an effort to increase revenues. Her government, which is deeply unpopular, wants to improve the revenue from the industry. Boluarte, in his traditional Independence Day speech to Congress, said that the government is evaluating 134 exploration projects and exploitation plans. Officials from Peru, which is the third largest copper producer in the world, are currently in negotiations with informal miners. They launched protests late in June and blocked a major transport corridor that was used by MMG and Glencore. The protests and blockades of the corridors by miners were halted during negotiations on a possible new law for this sector. Tensions grew among informal miners after the government removed over 50,000 from a formalization program, leaving only 31,000 to be brought in line with regulations before year's end. Boluarte stated that the government is working to establish a private mining trust to provide small miners with better access to financing. As Boluarte spoke, the police dispersed hundreds of protesters who were marching towards Congress with tear gas. Some protesters carried cardboard coffins in reference to the dozens of people killed during early unrest. Boluarte has received between 2% and 4 % of approval in recent polls, which is among the lowest ratings for a world leader. In his address, President Correa announced that a deal had been reached with Ecuador's Petroecuador, the state-owned oil company, to connect the oil fields of Ecuador to a pipeline in Peru, which would allow transport to Talara, the refinery in Peru. POVERTY NEXT TO 30% Peru's economy is recovering from the recession caused by unrest against the government, but poverty rates remain at around 30%. Boluarte's term expires in 2026. She took office late in 2022, after Pedro Castillo was arrested and ousted for trying to illegally dissolve Congress. She is under investigation for the deaths that occurred during protests. She denies any wrongdoing. In July, her cabinet caused further outrage by Double her salary "The icing is their salary increases and colluding to continue plundering our natural resources," protested Milagros Sánchez, a teacher at a public high school. Six presidents have served as Andean leaders since 2018. The next general elections are scheduled for April 20,26. (Reporting and writing by Marco Aquino, Sarah Morland, Editing by Natalia Siniawski & David Gregorio).
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Senator unveils aviation safety bill just before fatal crash hearing
Senator Ted Cruz, who revealed some details of his proposal earlier this month, will be joined by National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to discuss his proposal. It calls for the use of ADS-B technology (advanced aircraft tracking) by U.S. Army helicopters near civilian planes. Senator Ted Cruz will be joined this week by Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, and Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary, to discuss the details of his proposal. Cruz revealed some of the details earlier in the month. His proposal would require U.S. Army helicoptors to use ADS-B technology to track aircraft near civilian planes. It would also mandate a review helicopter routes throughout the country, and force the Army Inspector General to examine "systemic failures" which may have led to the most deadly U The unveiling of the new legislation on Tuesday will include some relatives of the victims. The NTSB will examine the Army Black Hawk helicopter altimeters and air data systems as well as Federal Aviation Administration oversight of Washington airspace, and will release thousands pages of documents from its investigation. The hearing will last over 25 hours on three days. The hearing will feature officials from the FAA and Army as well as airline representatives. Senators and regulators raised alarms over close calls that involved Army helicopters. The FAA reduced the area in which helicopters can operate last month. In March, FAA placed permanent restrictions on helicopter operations that were not essential to reduce the risk of collisions. This included permanently closing a key route. After an incident on May 1, in which two passenger flights had to abort their landings due to a nearby Army helicopter the FAA banned the Army from flying helicopters around the Pentagon. Seven Democratic Senators introduced legislation last month requiring an audit of helicopter operations and passenger safety at major airports. They also mandated new FAA safety assessments after fatal passenger airline crashes and required the use of ADS-B. Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Leslie Adler & Chizu Nomiyama
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US agency investigates FAA shift in airspace and controllers overseeing Newark
The U.S. Government Watchdog announced on Monday that it would investigate the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision in 2024 to move some Newark air-traffic controllers from New York to Philadelphia to deal with staffing shortages as well as congested airspace around New York City. The Office of Inspector General of the Transportation Department has opened a review following two communications failures for air traffic control operators in Newark's airspace that occurred between April and May. These outages caused alarm and delayed dozens of flight. New Jersey Airport is one of New York City's main airports and also a hub for United Airlines. The FAA cut flights at Newark in May after a series major disruptions. The Inspector General's Office said that "these events have raised serious questions about the FAA's handling of the relocation. This includes the impact on redundancy in systems, training and staffing for controllers, and operational resilience." In late July of last year, the FAA ordered 17 air traffic controllers from New York Terminal radar Approach Control (also known as N90) to Philadelphia. New York TRACON, one of the busiest facilities in the United States, is one of its most important components. The FAA cited "low staffing levels at N90 and a low training success rate as reasons for moving control of Newark airspace to increase staffing and ease congestion. The FAA announced on Monday that it welcomes feedback and will cooperate fully with audit. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has asked if former President Joe Biden's administration took sufficient precautions to ensure the reliability of telecommunications when they ordered the move. Earlier this week, the FAA started using a fiber optic communication network between New York City and the Philadelphia TRACON to direct aircraft into and out of Newark. The FAA has extended the reductions in minimum flight requirements for New York City airports that are congested until October 2026. About 3,500 air traffic control positions are not filled by the FAA. Safety concerns have been raised by a series of near miss incidents in recent years. The persistent staffing shortfall has caused delays and forced controllers to work six-day weekends and mandatory overtime at many facilities. This month, Congress approved $12.5 billion to increase hiring and revamp the system. Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Chris Reese & Nis Williams
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Houthis claim to have 10 crew members from a Greek-operated vessel they sank in Yemen
Houthis, who are Iran-aligned and live in Yemen, said on Monday that they had rescued ten seafarers off the Greek cargo ship EternityC which they had attacked and sunk earlier this month in the Red Sea. Eternity C, flying the Liberian flag, was the second vessel to sink in Yemen this month following repeated attacks from Houthi militants using sea drones and rocket propelled grenades. The Magic Seas was another Greek-operated ship that had been lost days before. The Houthis have been resuming their attacks on ships, having hit over 100 vessels between November 2023 to December 2024 as a sign of solidarity for the Palestinians during the Gaza war. After the attacks, the Eternity C's crew and three armed security guards had to abandon ship. A private mission rescued ten people, and five others are believed to be dead due to the attacks. Sources from maritime security said that 10 more people are believed to be being held by the Houthis. The Houthis released a video on Monday that showed 10 pictures of seafarers, some of whom were contacting their family members. The group also played testimonies stating that the crew was unaware of a Houthis maritime ban against vessels sailing into Israeli ports. The vessel was said to be heading to Israel's Eilat port to load fertilizers. Could not independently verify footage. The Houthis announced on Sunday that they would be targeting any ships owned by companies doing business in Israeli ports. Greece announced that it will deploy a salvage ship in the Red Sea in response to the recent attacks. The vessel is designed to help in maritime accidents, protect seafarers, and provide global shipping with protection. Reporting by Menna alaa El din in Cairo and Renee Maltezou at Athens, editing by Chizu nomiyama
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Kurdish officials estimate the oil production in Iraqi Kurdistan at 120,000 barrels per day.
Two Iraqi Kurdish officials stated on Sunday that oil production in Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdistan Region has reached 120,000 barrels of oil per day. By mid-August this is expected to increase to 280,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Officials said that no timeline has been set with the Iraqi oil ministry for the resumption of crude exports to the north. In July, a series of drones attacked oilfields in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Natural Resources reported that several oilfields had ceased operations because of significant infrastructure damage. It also stated that the attacks were meant to put civilian workers working in the energy industry at risk. There have been no reported casualties, but the oil production in this region has been reduced. Iraqi Kurdistan officials reported that the region produced around 285,000 barrels of oil per day. Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed, Baghdad. Editing by Matthew Lewis.
Portugal invests $466 Million to improve grid management and battery storage following outage
After a major blackout in Spain and Portugal, the Portuguese government is planning to invest 400 million euros (466 million dollars) to improve grid control and increase battery storage.
The Energy Minister Maria da Graca Carvalho stated on Monday that 137 million euro of the investment will go towards improving operational and control capabilities of the electricity grid in order to assist it with dealing with complex intermittent renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
In a report published last month, the Spanish government stated that the grid operator Redeia miscalculated on April 28 the correct energy mix in the system. It also accused some thermal power stations using coal, nuclear and gas of failing to maintain an appropriate voltage.
A surge in voltage caused a cascade to occur of power plant shutdowns, resulting in the outage which spread to Portugal at the time, who was importing electrical energy.
According to the plan, the Portuguese grid operator REN plans to install a shunt device that will accurately measure electrical current, prevent overloads, and equipment to regulate voltage. It also intends to improve system stability, and ensure consistent delivery of energy.
Carvalho stated that, unlike the past when thermal power plants were a stable source of energy, renewable sources are more decentralised and intermittent, making it harder to manage.
She told a news conference that "we have to make our grid digital, secure and modern...to support this new, complex energy production model", adding that the government will prepare a decree in order to accelerate the implementation of these investments.
She said that the increase in storage was also intended to prevent a country-wide shutdown, as well as provide greater energy autonomy for critical infrastructure, such hospitals, fire departments and security forces.
Although no date has been set, the goal is to achieve 750 megawatts. According to the most recent daily data provided by REN, Portugal's electricity consumption was 115 GWh as of June 20.
(source: Reuters)