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Lebanon audits MEA Safety as Pilot Groups Voice Conflict Concerns
Lebanon's aviation regulator?performed a safety audit on Middle East Airlines after pilot groups expressed concerns that crews are being asked to fly near airstrikes, and penalized for reporting safety incidents. Letters seen by show. The audit focuses on the Beirut-based flag airline MEA which has kept Lebanon in touch through war, financial collapse and even when many foreign airlines have avoided Middle East airspace due to'missile and drone risk' since the Iran War began on February 28, In a statement released?on? Wednesday, the MEA stated that it would continue to fly "after obtaining international guarantees" that the airport will remain outside of the conflict zone. MEA's fleet of 20 planes, which operates in the Middle East and Europe, as well as West Africa, was praised by Lebanese authorities for its continued flights and contribution to an economy more and more dependent on tourism and remittances. The audit that took place over the past two weeks is "an annual process that has been planned for years and does not relate to the letter mentioned above", it said, adding that MEA hadn't had an accident in 60 years. MEA had earlier stated that it has an excellent safety record and that all flights conducted during hostilities are based on risk assessment developed with the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority and Lebanon's Government. Multiple Israeli airstrikes landing near Lebanon's sole commercial airport since 2024 has raised concerns for the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations. (IFALPA), a federation of global pilot unions. This is due to the history of civilian planes being shot down in or near conflict zones. Israeli strikes against Lebanon have increased this year as the conflict between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel has intensified. While some people may consider flying civilian aircraft with passengers through high-risk conflict zones in wartime heroic, we find this to be an unconscionable risk," IFALPA president Ron Hay wrote on May 12 in a letter to Lebanon's Central Bank, which owns a majority stake in MEA. The Banque du Liban referred questions to MEA. The airline said that the sons of MEA's chairman and LCAA's chairman were both MEA captains and had flown throughout the period. REGULATOR CONDUCTS MEA SECURITY AUDIT Mohammed Aziz (LCAA's head and air crash investigator) told IFALPA, in a letter dated May 15, that his team was going to conduct an aviation audit of MEA. They would also "engage in a dialog?with MEA in order to discuss your concerns stated in your letter." MEA stated that the LCAA's oversight activity on MEA between May 18 and June 1 confirmed compliance by the carrier with "regulatory requirements" as well as operational safety. Aziz said that a meeting was held with MEA on Monday but that the LCAA was still in process. "We were in the middle of mediating between the pilots" and MEA. MEA released a statement on Wednesday saying that the audit results "refuted", but did not provide any further details. MEA pilots said that they had financial incentives to fly because per-flight payments constituted a large part of their salaries. However, these have been cut due to the economic collapse in Lebanon that began in 2019. IFALPA and other aviator organizations flagged cases in which pilots who reported unintentional mistakes to improve safety were punished by being sent to "training", which meant they lost out on their per-flight payment. Hay told me by phone that "we know for sure" that pilots had spoken up, and actions were taken against them. MEA stated that IFALPA’s allegations were unfounded, and training assignments were in accordance with regulatory requirements. MEA stated in a public statement that, of the 32,000 flight it has operated since 2025's beginning, four of them had to be reviewed and five pilots sent on additional training flights. The MEA said that no training flights of this kind were conducted in 2026. Pilots Contact Partner Airlines in the U.S. and Europe The safety concerns led pilot groups contact SkyTeam, an airline alliance that includes MEA, Air France, Delta Air Lines, and other carriers. Dara van Langen, the chair of the SkyTeam Pilots Association said in an interview that if you are putting your passengers on a plane operated by a partner airline, you will want to make sure it is safe. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency both require that airlines within their jurisdiction audit codeshare partners from other countries to ensure similar safety. Air France, who has a codeshare deal with MEA, says it audits its codeshare partners regularly. SkyTeam, Delta and other interline carriers with less comprehensive agreements said that they were aware of the pilots' concerns and were closely monitoring the situation. MEA PAYS WORKERS IN CIVIL AVIATION IFALPA also expressed concern that MEA paid LCAA employees overseeing aviation safety. A spreadsheet containing financial assistance received by LCAA for the month of November was reviewed. It showed that MEA paid dozens of LCAA workers, including three 'aviation safety workers. If your airline pays (in part) for the oversight of its airline, then you don't have to say anything. Hay, IFALPA spokesperson said. MEA stated that it provided financial assistance in coordination with government to ensure Lebanon’s aviation infrastructure was functional after the collapse of its currency. It said that the pay of air traffic controllers was reduced by over 90%, to less than $100 per month. The carrier claimed that its support of the LCAA did not impact the "independence or authority" of the agency, and Aziz and other leaders were not paid. (Reporting from Allison Lampert, Montreal; Additional reporting provided by Maya Gebeily, Beirut; Editing done by Jamie Freed and Alexander Smith).
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Sources say that Druzhba oil exported to Hungary and Slovakia returned to normal levels in the month of May
Three industry sources said that in May, Russia's oil exports via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia were restored to normal levels at 165,000?barrels?per day. After a long outage, Slovakia and Hungary began receiving crude oil through the pipeline on April 23, following a month-long interruption. The first month following the resumption of the oil route is May. Sources said that Hungary and Slovakia only received 55,000 bpd during April when the route was operational for just a week. Although the flow of oil through the pipeline is now "unrestricted", May deliveries were lower than the levels seen before the suspension (200, 000 to 235,000 bpd), as states took measures to diversify their imported products. Hungarian oil firm MOL, which has?refineries both in Hungary and Slovakia, said it had purchased 10 different types of crude this year, in line with its diversified acquisition strategy, which it intends to continue. It said that "both the eastern crude oil pipeline and the southern crude oil pipeline are currently operating without interruption, and we are looking at additional pipeline connections in the future, including the possibility of using a route through Odessa." Ukraine blamed a Russian airstrike for the damage that caused the Druzhba Pipeline to be halted. Ukraine completed repairs on?the pipeline? in April. Russia supplies oil to Hungary via Druzhba’s southern leg, under an exemption from the EU sanctions imposed over Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Since?May, Kazakhstan's oil has been transiting via the northern Druzhba to Germany due to a lack of?technical capabilities?, according to Russia. Ukraine's drones have repeatedly attacked the Russian?Transneft network this year, as Kyiv intensifies its attacks on Moscow's energy grid.
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Portugal General Strike over Labour Reform halts Trains, Flights, and Shuts Schools
On Wednesday, the second 'general strike' in six months caused a disruption of services across Portugal. Trains were stopped, hundreds of flights cancelled, and schools closed as unions protested government labour reform plans. Portugal's centre-right minority government will likely pass a bill, with the support of the extreme-right Chega Party, proposing changes to more than 100 articles in the labour code. The aim is to "boost productivity" and "spur growth", after talks with the unions failed. Tiago Oliveira is the head of Portugal’s largest umbrella federation CGTP. He called for the general strike. According to him, the reform will worsen the conditions of workers by enforcing precarious employment and reducing parental and strike protections. Rodrigo Azevedo is a 30-year old bank employee. He said that the reform would force young workers to be "stuck" on precarious contracts throughout their lives, forcing them to work up to 50 hours per week without any extra pay, instead of 'the standard 40-hours'. It will also make it easier to replace them with outsourced labour who are cheaper. He said that the labor package was a threat to not only the future of our young workers but also to us. Lisbon's Metro shut down. The state-owned railway CP has suspended all long-distance and regional trains. Staff shortages caused schools to close across the country, and hospitals delayed most appointments and surgeries following a nurses' walkout. TAP, the Portuguese flag carrier, said that it would only operate 79 flights out of 300+ daily flights. Iberia expects a reduction of between 50% and 75%. The Labour Minister Maria do Rosario Ramalho stated that the participation of private sector workers, who are outnumbered by public sector employees five to one and to whom this reform is directed, was marginal. She told reporters that "the vast majority of workers continue to work and the economy is not stagnant." The reform aims to make it easier for companies to dismiss workers without cause, deny them a re-employment in the event of an illegal dismissal, provided they pay compensation and lift limits on outsourcing. The first shutdown of the year was a strike that took place in December, following protests against austerity measures in 2013. Reporting by Sergio Goncalves, Miguel Pereira and Charlie Devereux; editing by Sharon Singleton, Ros Russell and Charlie Devereux
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EU diplomatic arm suggests naval mission play a 'primary' role in clearing Strait of Hormuz Mines
According to a document seen by the. In a letter dated 26 May and sent to all member states, the European External Action Service stated that "the situation demands the Union provide a meaningful" contribution to a coalition headed by France and Britain. "The coalition will be actualised as soon as conditions permit and are separated from "the belligerents". It would take unanimity to change the Aspides mission mandate, and it is unclear whether the 27 EU member states would support such a move. The mission was created in 2024 in order to protect ships from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. "IMMENSE" CONSEQUENCES FROM DE FACTO STRAIT CLOSURE Around a fifth of world oil and gas supplies travel through the Strait of Hormuz. This key waterway was effectively closed when the U.S., Israel and other countries launched attacks on Iran. The hostilities erupted again on Wednesday, as Iranian attacks in Kuwait caused damage to its airport and injured many while the U.S. military conducted strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomacy was unable to stop the war. In a note, the EU diplomatic branch wrote that the de facto closing of the Strait of Hormuz had "immense consequences for both the region and Europe." Iran was selectively allowing the passage of ships. France and Britain are leading the way in putting together countries to ensure safe transit of the Strait after the situation stabilizes or the conflict is resolved. Uncertainty exists as to whether Iran has placed mines on the waterway. REINFORCING CAPACITIES The EU diplomatic service stated that a European response would "showcase?EU-wide responsibility and ownership in addressing a situation affecting all Member States", and "visa-vis 'NATO Allies'". Aspides would allow all Member States "to financially support those who are willing and able, through the Operation's Common Costs," they wrote. (Reporting by Lili Bayer; Editing by Andrew Gray, John Irish, Alexandra Hudson)
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Ships stuck in Hormuz cause a strain on the shipping industry
Even if the U.S. Even if the?U.S. The renewed hostilities of the three-month conflict test a fragile ceasefire, while about 20,000 sailors and hundreds of ships remain trapped in the area with Hormuz mostly closed. V.Group manages 800 vessels and has 13 stuck in the Gulf, half of which are tankers. Rene Kofod Olsen, the group CEO of one of the top ship management specialists in the world, confirmed this. He said this during the Posidonia Shipping Week in Athens. "But, you still have kinetic activity." Kofold-Olsen was referring to missile or drone strikes. He said that for traffic to return at pre-war levels when 125 ships passed through Hormuz on average daily, "ship operators" would need a solid assurance of safe passage. The international community should be involved in this. Kofod Olsen stated, "I do not believe that global shipping will be able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in a meaningful way before these things are guaranteed." The shipping executives who met in Athens stated that the tensions were increasing as the conflict intensified. While crews in Gulf received supplies, it was still possible to rotate the teams within the region. Alex Gregg Smith, President for Marine and Offshore at Bureau Veritas' top ship safety certifier, said that "Ship Owners are forced to operate within irregular frameworks which can be difficult for the industry and difficult for insurers." It puts pressure on the owners' operations." Dwain HUTCHINSON, the managing director of the Bahamas' maritime registry, said that there were 14 "Bahamas"-flagged vessels with more than 900 "seafarers" on board in the Gulf. This included smaller offshore ships which normally operate in the area. The flag registry didn't restrict ships from entering the region, even though their safety and well-being was the number one priority. He said: "We believe that is an owner's decision, and we hope they will review and weigh the risks and make a balanced decision to operate in the area." Evangelos Marinakis said that his group was "lucky enough" to not have any vessels in the Gulf on the day the conflict began. "In the event of a tragedy, we would not be able take this risk," he said at the TradeWinds Ship Owners' Forum in Athens. (Reporting and editing by Tomaszjanowski)
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There are some flights to the Middle East that have resumed but there is still disruption.
The Middle East is slowly getting back on the map as airlines rebuild their schedules following the war disruptions. However, the conflict continues disrupting wider traffic flows. Middle Eastern airlines added capacity following severe disruptions linked to the Iran War, but many carriers outside the Gulf still divert Europe-Asia flight to avoid the Middle East. The latest flight information is listed below alphabetically: AEGEAN AIRLINES Greece’s largest carrier has cancelled flights between Thessaloniki and Tel 'Aviv until 26 June. Dubai flights are cancelled through August 31. Erbil and Baghdad flights will be canceled until July 2. AIRBALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, has canceled flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until the 28th of June. AIR CANADA The Canadian carrier has canceled flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai and Abu Dhabi until September 7. AIR EUROPA Spanish Airlines has canceled flights to Tel Aviv from June 28 until now. AIR FRANCE-KLM Air France has suspended Tel Aviv flights through June 14. Air France suspended its flights to Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh from June 2 to June 17. KLM suspends flights to Riyadh, Dammam and?Dubai till August 2 and until July 12. CATHAY PACIFIC Hong Kong Airlines has suspended its flights to Dubai and Riyadh through August 31. The U.S. carrier suspended service for the Atlanta-Tel Aviv routes through December 18. It plans to resume New York JFK to Tel Aviv flight on September 6. The launch of Boston-Tel Aviv, scheduled for late October has been postponed until further notice. FINNAIR Finnair has cancelled all Doha flights up to October 2 and continues to avoid airspace in Iraq, Iran Syria, and Israel. The airline will resume Dubai flights in October, which they only operate during the winter. British Airways, owned by IAG,?reduced its flights to Dubai and Doha to one daily flight on August 1st. British Airways plans to reduce flights to Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv to one flight per day when it resumes services. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines has suspended its scheduled Tokyo-Doha and Doha-Tokyo flight until August 1 and until July 31. Polish Airlines has cancelled all flights to Riyadh and Beirut until 30 June. LOT will begin operating its winter route from Dubai in October. LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa has announced that it will resume Tel Aviv flights as early as 1 July, while ITA Airways has confirmed they will resume them on July 1. SWISS delayed the return of flights to August, while Brussels Airlines suspended its operations until October 24. The suspension of Dubai flights by Lufthansa SWISS and ITA Airways continues until September 13th. Until October 24, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and SWISS have suspended their flights to Abu Dhabi and other destinations, including Amman, Beirut and Dammam as well as Riyadh. Erbil, Muscat, Tehran and Riyadh are also affected. Eurowings, the low-cost carrier, has suspended flights from Tel Aviv to Beirut and Erbil. ITA Airways also extended its suspension of flights to Riyadh through June 30. MALAYSIA AIRLINES From July 2, the Malaysian carrier will resume limited service to Doha. NORWEGIAN AIR The low-cost carrier has delayed the launch of Tel Aviv and Beirut flights until June 15. QANTAS Australia's flag-carrier is increasing flights to Rome, Paris and other European destinations to meet a surge in demand. The number of flights to Paris will be increased from three to five per week, and the Perth to Singapore service will go from daily to ten. A new schedule for flights will be implemented gradually from mid-April until late July. ROYAL MAROC Moroccan airline announced that flights to Doha have been cancelled until 30 June. SINGAPORE Airlines In response to increased demand, the carrier has extended the suspension of its Singapore-Dubai flights until August 2. It also added services on Singapore-London Gatwick (late March) and Singapore-Melbourne (late March until October 24). TURKISH AIRLINES SunExpress, Turkish Airlines joint venture with Lufthansa has cancelled flights until June 30, including to Dubai, Bahrain and Erbil. WIZZ AIR Low-cost airlines have suspended flights from Europe to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until mid-September. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed. Elviira Louma, Tiago Branao, Agnieszka Olesnska, Bernadette HOG, Boleslaw LaSocki, Romolo Tosiani, and Bernadette Hogg. Matt Scuffham and Alexander Smith edited by Milla Nissi, Susan Fenton, Jonathan Ananda, Milla Nissi-Prussak, and Jonathan Ananda.
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IATA: Many airlines are affected by the fluctuations in jet fuel prices, but not all of them can hedge.
The head of fuel for the International Air Transport Association said that many airlines are being impacted by price fluctuations in the jet fuel markets. Daniel Chereau said that some airlines who have more sophisticated hedging strategies can get a little cushion. He was speaking at the S&P Global Energy Middle East Petroleum?and Gas Conference. The impact of the crack spreads on jet fuel refinery profits, also known as profit margins, is not good for the airline industry. According to LSEG, in North West Europe the crack spread of jet fuel peaked in March at a record high of?over $121. This compares with?around $30 per barrel if you consider the period before the Iran War in late February. Middle East is a major supplier of jet fuel to the world, but the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as well as attacks on energy facilities have severely limited its ability. Chereau said that demand destruction in the aviation industry is not due to the price of jet-fuel itself. He said that airlines canceling flights has caused demand destruction, and in some places, airports run out of fuel within a short period of time. He warned such incidents could become more common, and the longer the conflict continues, the more demand destruction from the passenger side could occur. Chereau didn't name any specific airlines or airports that were the worst affected.
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Maguire: South America's ascent as a key crude oil supplier swing supplier
South America has quietly emerged as an important new source of global crude flow. While oil markets are fixated on disruptions to Middle East exports in 2026 and the surging U.S. production, South America will be a major player. The region, led by Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela, has seen the biggest increase in oil exports this year of any producing block. This is reshaping trade patterns globally, and reinforcing Atlantic basin's position in global supply. The shift?has been?gradual?, dispersed?and largely uncoordinated? In aggregate, this is turning South America into an invisible swing supplier. Overlooked Oil market attention has been focused on the collapse of crude oil exports to date from the Middle East. Kpler, a commodities intelligence company, shows that the region has accounted for 43% of seaborne oil exports during the last decade. This is a major factor in anchoring the global crude trade. The near-total closing of the Strait of Hormuz in March has reduced shipments by over a quarter from January to May, compared with the previous year. This leaves a shortfall of approximately 675 million barrels. This gap is so large that no single producer can quickly fill it, and the markets are forced to rely heavily on their inventories. This has increased the importance of a growing supply from elsewhere, particularly South America. Exports have been reduced by several exporters this year to help offset some of the disruption. South America has seen the largest increase in exports, with a gain of 155 million barrels, surpassing all other regions. RAPID RISE According to Kpler, among the 10 nations that have increased crude oil exports most in 2026, United States ranks first. They registered a nearly 112-million barrel increase from January to May in comparison to the same period in 2025. South America has made a more significant contribution, both structurally and in terms of its size. Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela are the three countries that have seen the largest annual increase in crude oil shipments, adding collectively around 145 millions barrels. With the addition of 12 million barrels in Argentina, these key nations have seen gains exceeding 157 million barrels over the previous year. South America's expansion has been curtailed by a few small declines in export volumes this year. However, the region still shipped 787 million barrels from January to may, a record. This represents an 84% increase compared to the 430 million barrels produced in the same period of 2021. Brazil and Guyana have been the driving forces behind this regional expansion. Brazil is the top exporter in the region since 2019. This was the year that it overtook Venezuelan shipments for the first. The total Brazilian crude oil exports from January to May grew by 71%, going up from 211 million barrels to 361 million this year. This 'growth spurt' has been overshadowed, however, by the rapid increase in oil exports from Guyana. The country only began exporting in 2020 but has already increased its loadings from 17 million barrels per year in?2021 up to 137 million this year. The 700% increase in Guyana’s oil exports was the largest among major oil exporters during that time period. It helped to keep South America as a major source of oil despite the steady decline in Venezuela’s output. Following massive investments by Exxon, the Uaru and Whiptail oil projects should begin production within the year. Guyana is expected to export nearly all its additional barrels, as it does not have a refining facility of its own. Add to that the expected growth in Venezuela's exports, and South America is well positioned to continue its expansion on the oil markets and establish itself as an important source of oil outside the Middle East. These are the opinions of the columnist, an author for. You like this column? Open Interest (ROI) is your new essential source of global financial commentary. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, X and X. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast daily on Apple, Spotify or the app. Subscribe to the Morning Bid podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets 7 days a weeks.
Bosnia seeks new peace envoy after sudden Schmidt exit
On Wednesday, the?body overseeing Bosnia’s peace process will meet to select a new envoy. Schmidt, appointed in 2021, resigned?unexpectedly?in May from the Office of High Representative. This office monitors implementation of U.S.-backed Dayton peace accords that ended Bosnia’s war in 1995. Schmidt, who was appointed to the Office of the high Representative in 2021 and resigned unexpectedly in May, said he quit under "enormous" U.S. pressure.
It is a difficult time for Bosnia as it remains deeply divided on ethnic lines. Washington has been a strong supporter of the country, but in its May report on Western Balkans, the U.S. State Department signaled a shift towards a more commercial approach, stressing the importance of "mutually-beneficial partnerships", which include energy projects.
Kurt Bassuener is the co-founder of the Democratization Policy Council and a senior associate.
The U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo did not immediately comment.
The Peace Implementation Council is scheduled to meet on Thursday and Wednesday. They will decide who will be the successor. This person will also have a say in the policies of Bosnia.
According to Istraga.ba, a portal that investigates news and analysis, the frontrunners are veteran Italian diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi as well as French diplomat Rene Troccaz.
"ENORMOUS AND SURPRISING?PRESSURE"
Schmidt's tenure in office was plagued by tensions with Bosnian Serb leaders who questioned his legitimacy as he opposed the secession of their region from Bosnia and unification with Serbia.
He first said he would step down due to personal reasons. But in late May, he revealed that the U.S. had put "enormous pressure" on him to leave sooner than planned.
Many diplomats and analysts have confirmed that the U.S. has been putting pressure on him for some time. Unnamed U.S. analysts linked the pressure on Schmidt to lobbyists who are close to Donald Trump. They helped lift U.S. Sanctions against Bosnian Serb Nationalist Leader Milorad Dodik in October last year and also reportedly lobbied to have Schmidt leave.
One EU ambassador who spoke under condition of anonymity said Schmidt was seen as being "backed" by the administration of former U.S. president Joe Biden.
The ambassador stated that "they see him as a remnant of the old regime, and wanted to rid him." Since its establishment, the role of the Office of the high representative has grown. It can now impose laws and remove certain officials. However, the U.S. prefers to have a more restricted mandate.
The State Department stated in its?May report that "the U.S. led nation-building period has passed." Washington's policy in the area is about "stability" and "mutually beneficial partnerships." This includes U.S. support for a 'gas pipeline that will carry U.S. gas from an LNG facility in Croatia to Bosnia. A U.S. firm led by Jesse Binnall - a former Trump attorney - and Joseph Flynn – the brother of Trump’s former national security advisor Michael Flynn - will lead the project.
(source: Reuters)