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TASS reports that North Korea and Russia have opened their first road link, a sign of growing ties.
North Korea and Russia officially opened their 'first road bridge' on Monday. According to the Russian state news agency TASS, this'structure spans a river called Tumen. Both sides hailed it as a milestone in their strategic relationship. The bridge is near the "Friendship Bridge", an existing rail bridge that was built in 1959, after the Korean War. Direct rail and air links already exist between Moscow and Pyongyang. The Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin, said that the bridge would spur development in various spheres between the two nations - including tourism and new jobs. Mishustin was quoted by TASS as saying, "I am convinced that 'the expansion of cross border transport infrastructure will provide a strong impetus for further development of the trade, economics, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation," at the bridge's opening ceremony. The construction of the new bridge began in April '18 after it was decided to build during President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea in 2024. Since the beginning of the Ukraine war?in 2022, the two countries have developed stronger ties. Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to Russia's Kursk Region in order to repel an Ukrainian incursion that occurred there in 2024.
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As refiners are strained by the war, they will be turning to other products.
Fuel oil for ships and power plants will be in short supply in the third quarter, as refiners are increasingly squeezed due to wars which have disrupted crude processing and tanker transport. Despite the fact that crude oil prices have not risen dramatically in recent months due to strikes in Russia and Middle East, and restrictions on shipping traffic, the price of refined products has risen as a result. China has also reduced its refining capacity as well as exports in order to prevent burning of stocks. Shipowners and generators of power who are already struggling with disruptions due to war will face higher costs if the supply is tightened. Costlier bunker fuel could affect shipping rates. Asia is the hardest hit, as it relies most on Gulf flow disruptions caused by the Iran 'war. Singapore, the largest bunker hub in the world, imports more than half of its daily demand for nearly 1 million barrels, according to Kpler import data. Rystad, a consultancy, has a similar outlook. Energy Aspects, a consultancy, has predicted that the deficit will reach 218,000 barrels of oil per day during the third quarter. This is the first time it has projected a shortfall since the third-quarter 2025 when the figure was only 6,000 bpd. Rystad analyst Valerie Panopio said that due to the prolonged supply disruption in the Middle East we expect fuel oil to be extremely tight in the third-quarter. Fuel oil is now a refined product that struggles to meet demand. U.S. Diesel prices reached record highs Friday due to renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, as well as Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries. Fuel oil prices have been affected by refiners' decision to produce other products in order to increase profits. Nigeria's 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote refinery, for example, has ramped up diesel, gasoline and jet fuel exports, while its fuel oil exports have dropped, according to Kpler. Dangote, as well as other refineries, can use fuel oil in secondary refining units for the production of other fuels. Energy Aspects analyst Royston H. Huan stated that "record-low gasoline inventories and diesel will encourage refiners to maximize secondary unit runs by using more feedstock barrels of fuel oil, thereby tightening the fuel oil balances." Gasoline stocks independently held in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp hub hit their lowest ?level in nearly five years on August 27. U.S. East Coast Distillate inventories (which include diesel) fell to a new record low during the week ending August 28. Price increases of 76% in Top HUB Singapore The fuel oil prices and storage levels already reflect this pressure. Stocks are some 30% ?below three-year seasonal averages in top hubs Singapore, Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp and Fujairah, data compiled by shows. Panopio also noted that demand is increased by ships sailing longer routes in order to avoid the key oil chokepoint - the Bab el-Mandeb strait, or to avoid the Red Sea entirely due to threats from Houthi militants. According to data from bunker pricing platform ZeroNorth, the price of very low sulphur oil, the main shipping fuel in Singapore, has increased by 76% since the Iran War began. It is now just below $825 per metric ton or $130 per barrel. This is a far greater increase than the 40% increase in Brent crude oil benchmark during the same time period. HITS TO RUSSIA AND MIDDLE-EAST OUTPUT According to data from Kpler dating back to 2017, Ukrainian drone attacks affected Russia's refinery production. Fuel oil exports hit a record-low 591,000 bpd during August, down from an average of more than 860,000 bpd by 2025. Kpler data revealed that Middle East fuel oil imports fell by 45% on average from March to August, down to 447,000 barrels a day. Kpler data revealed that the Al-Zour Refinery in Kuwait was one of the refineries in the Middle East to experience outages. This is a major fuel oil exporter and has only been able to export 26,000 barrels per day since March, as opposed with 191,000 in January-February.
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Amazon Prime Air cargo plane crashes at Miami Airport
Officials at the Miami International Airport said that an Amazon 'Prime Air' cargo flight crashed on landing after it overran its runway. This caused all taxiways and runways to be closed. Officials said Prime Air Flight 7598, which was attempting to land at Miami-Dade Airport at 2 pm EDT (1800 GMT), overran the diagonal runway and had to be disabled. Amazon and the Miami-Dade Aviation Department have confirmed that there was an incident as the plane tried to land. As of?3 pm EDT, all runways and taxiways were closed at the Miami Airport. In a post on X, U.S. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy warned travelers to "expect substantial delays and possible cancellations." National Public Radio reported that "multiple" patients were involved in the incident, citing Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, it was a Boeing 767-3000 that had left San Juan, Puerto Rico. A spokesperson for Amazon said that the plane was operated by cargo airline 21 Air. The cargo airline didn't immediately reply to an email seeking comment. Photos taken after the crash show the nose of the jet on the ground with the tail tilted upward. The right wing of the plane had what looked like scorch marks. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel stated that the company is still gathering information about what occurred. Nantel stated in a press release that "we're working with local authorities and officials to understand what exactly happened." "Right away, our top priority is the safety, health, and care of all those involved." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that it would investigate the crash.
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Trump administration renews Supreme Court request to limit mail-in votes
On Sunday, the Trump administration renewed its appeal to?U.S. The Supreme Court should allow a plan to limit the number of?mail-in votes ahead of November's elections for Congress. A federal judge had blocked this plan last week. Attorneys for the Trump administration have filed an urgent application with the nation's highest courts to allow U.S. Postal Service is implementing a new rule that restricts mail-in voting. This comes as some U.S. States have already begun sending postal ballots in advance of the midterm elections on November 3. The U.S. district judge in Boston, Indira Talwani, extended the ban on Friday to prevent the new rule from going into effect. Supreme Court will likely make the final decision about whether or not the mail-in voting restrictions of the administration can continue. John Sauer, the Solicitor General for the Trump Administration, asked the Supreme Court to allow the rule to go into effect immediately, warning that every day the lower court's order remains in place, "risks sowing chaos and confusion" as more states issue ballots by mail. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has set a deadline for the Trump Administration's request of?Wednesday. The administration filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court earlier to reverse Talwani’s shorter-term ban. She extended her ban before the Supreme Court had even ruled on the application. This led to the new filing by the administration on Sunday. USPS released its rule in order to implement the executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March. Trump has been calling for restrictions to voting by mail since he falsely claimed that his defeat in the 2020 presidential election was due to widespread voter fraud. The rule requires that states provide the USPS with lists of recipients and that all envelopes containing mail ballots, both outbound and returned, must have unique barcodes. USPS can refuse to deliver ballots that don't comply with new standards, or are associated with voters who are not listed on the lists. All U.S. States allow some form of mail in voting. 29 states allow voters to request to vote by mail, without stating a reason. Eight other states conduct their elections exclusively by mail. North Carolina became the first state on Friday to mail out ballots in the November elections.
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Poland suspects bird flock as possible cause of airspace violation
A large flock of birds was blamed by the authorities in Poland for a suspected violation of the airspace of the country. The alleged violation originated on the other side bordering Belarus. A spokesman from the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command said that the event had caused 'the Polish military' to send helicopters out to check if there was any violation of radiolocation system data shortly after noon local time (1100 GMT). The radar system did not record any violations of Polish airspace. The 'flock of birds that caused them was logged by the airspace surveillance system," wrote the?army? later on X. In a separate posting on X, Poland's PANSA said that Rzeszow airport in southeastern Poland has resumed operations after being briefly suspended to facilitate military aviation.
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Jakarta airport suspends flight due to Ash from Anak Krakatau
Jakarta's international airport, Soekarno Haatta, suspended flight operations until 9:30 am (0230 GMT) on Sunday because of volcanic ash. Indonesia's transport ministry reported that the suspension extended a halt scheduled to last until 5:30 am. It affected 209 flights including international flights. Anak Krakatau erupted late Friday night, and volcanic ash was detected at the airport on Sunday morning, according to a ministry statement. Berton Panjaitan is a spokesperson of Indonesia's disaster management agency BNPB. He said that the dispersal and accumulation of volcanic ash in Lampung Province on Sumatra Island, Indonesia, as well as Banten Province in Java has caused disruptions in?activities. The BNPB is urging the public to be calm and vigilant. In the event of volcanic ash falling, people should wear eye protection and masks, reduce outdoor activities, cover any water sources, and drive with caution. Local media outlet Kompas reported that several schools cancelled activities due to the eruption on Saturday. Students and residents were affected by ash irritation, while fishermen canceled their fishing trips. The disaster mitigation agency stated on Saturday that there is no imminent tsunami risk from the volcano.
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Greek F-4 crashes during air show near Athens, two pilots dead, sources say
Two officials confirmed that a Greek two-seat F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed on Saturday during an airshow at Tanagra Air base north of Athens killing both pilots. The two pilots were confirmed dead by an official, who added that the Phantom crashed two kilometers outside of the airport. There was no report of injuries amongst the residents or passersby. ERT, a public?broadcaster, broadcast footage of the F-4 making a right turn a couple meters above ground before it crashed into a fireball. Eleven helicopters and firefighting planes were working to contain the fire which spread into the nearby forest. "We were all stunned. An eyewitness reported to ERT that the plane hadn't been in flight?for a?more than?three minutes. Loudspeakers were installed at the air base to urge people to leave the area. The F-4 took part in the annual Athens Flying Week. This event attracts military and civilian aviation teams from around the world.
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Protesters in Dover, England disrupt cross-Channel travel
Police and port authorities reported that groups of masked men protesting on roads around Dover (the main hub for ferries to France) disrupted traffic on Saturday. Social media videos posted by users showed men wearing black and balaclavas, and wearing scarves and?scarves, blocking roads at the port. Kent Police confirmed that it was "aware" of a protest currently taking place in the Port Of Dover. In a short statement, the police said that officers were present and engaged with protesters. The police didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for more information and details about the protest. The Port of Dover said that there is a "continuing public order incident" around the town of Dover, affecting all routes into and out of the port. The statement read: "We are in touch with Kent Police to understand the situation." Ferry operator P&O Ferries confirmed that its sailings are proceeding as planned. If you miss your booked departure today, we'll get you on the next available," said X.
Berlin Police investigates substation fire after series of attacks against grid
The police in Berlin said that they are investigating an incident at a transformer substation. This raises security concerns due to a recent series of attacks against Germany's grid.
Separately Bild reported that the police in the western city Wesel had?launched a major assessment operation after it was discovered that the security 'fence around a transformer substation has been 'cut open.
Berlin police stated?on X that they are attempting to determine whether the fire that affected a construction site in Moabit and a nearby substation was an accident?or deliberate.
The authorities added that power supply is currently not affected.
German police announced on Friday that they were searching for a suspect who had sent letters to the German power grid last week claiming responsibility for a series of sabotage attempts. They found what looked like explosives in his home.
(source: Reuters)