SINGAPORE: Shell has temporarily shut down an oil processing unit at its Pulau Bukom facility in Singapore to investigate a suspected leak, according to statements from Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) and National Environment Agency (NEA). The company reported that a few tonnes of refined oil products and cooling water discharged from the refining process are believed to have leaked. According to i

Shell shuts oil processing unit to investigate leak in Singapore

Oil processing unit of Shell in Singapore shut down to probe leak

Shell's oil processing unit in Singapore shut to probe leak

FRANKFURT, Germany: Finnish authorities have detained a vessel suspected of damaging a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables.  Officials are investigating this as another attack on critical regional infrastructure. The Eagle S, a ship flagged in the Cook Islands but tied to Russia's so-called shadow fleet, was boarded early Thursday by Finnish police and border guards. Helsinki Police Chief Jari 

Finland detains Russia-linked ship over damaged undersea power cable

Damaged Baltic Sea power cable: Russia-linked ship detained

Russia-linked ship stopped in Finland for damaged undersea power cable

NORFOLK, Virginia: Hundreds of sailors and their loved ones got an early Christmas present when the USS Cole docked at its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, after seven months at sea. This week, the USS Cole returned to Naval Station Norfolk, greeted by a cheering crowd wrapped in coats and blankets. Families shed tears of joy and shared long hugs, and sailors embraced smiling children. Some people held flower bou

USS Cole sailors greeted with cheers on return home before Christmas

USS Cole docks at Norfolk, sailors greeted by tearful family members

Cheers, tears greet USS Cole sailors on return home before Christmas

BALTIMORE, Maryland: Maryland officials have announced that work to gather data for designing a new Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore will begin in January.  According to Maryland Transportation Authority spokesman Bradley Tanner, the Baltimore Sun reported that this work will include surveys of the land and underwater areas and soil sampling. The original bridge collapsed on March 26 when a container

Preconstruction work to begin in January to rebuild Baltimore bridge

Work on new Baltimore bridge starts with preconstruction in January

New Baltimore bridge preconstruction work to begin in January

SIMFEROPOL, Crimea: Efforts to clean up the Kerch Strait near Russian-occupied Crimea intensified a week after at least 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel oil spilled from two Russian tankers damaged during a storm. Russian media reported that more than 7,500 people, many of them volunteers, worked to rescue wildlife and clean oil-contaminated shorelines. By December 22 afternoon, more than 12,000 tons of polluted soi

Cleanup begins off Crimea shore after oil spill from Russian ships

Oil spill off Crimea shores leads to intensive cleanup efforts

Damaged Russian ships spill oil off Crimea shores; clean up on

Taipei [Taiwan], January 2 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) on Thursday reported three Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and seven People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels operating near Taiwan.
According to the MND, all three aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
Sharing a post on X, MND wrote, "3 PLA aircraft and 7 P

Taiwan detects 3 Chinese aircraft, 7 naval vessels near its territory

BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A selection of the best press photos from Xinhua.&copy; Provided by Xinhua This photo s

Xinhua Photo Daily | Jan. 2, 2025

&copy; Provided by Xinhua A worker catches a durian cut off from a tree at an orchard in Chumphon, Thailand, Sept. 18, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)<s

RCEP showcases success of open world economy

(250101) -- SHENZHEN, Jan. 1, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Emergency relief supplies with "China Aid" marks are transported onto a plane at Shenzhen Baoan International Airport in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 1, 2025. A shipment of emergency relief supplies departed Wednesday evening from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen to Port Vila,

CHINA-GUANGDONG-SHENZHEN-VANUATU-RELIEF SUPPLIES (CN)

(250101) -- PANAMA CITY, Jan. 1, 2025 (Xinhua) -- People participate in a ceremony celebrating the 25th anniversary of the handover of the Panama Canal in Panama City, Panama, on Dec. 31, 2024. Panama on Tuesday celebrated the 25th anniversary of the handover of the Panama Canal, which had been under the control of the United States for nea

PANAMA-PANAMA CITY-PANAMA CANAL-25TH ANNIVERSARY

(250101) -- XI'AN, Jan. 1, 2025 (Xinhua) -- A China-Europe freight train bound for Tashkent, Uzbekistan, awaits departure at Xi'an International Port Station in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 31, 2024. Departing early Wednesday morning, the train was the first China-Europe freight train starting its journey from Xi'an in 2025. (Xi

(Economy&Life) CHINA-SHAANXI-XI&#039;AN-UZBEKISTAN-CHINA-EUROPE FREIGHT TRAIN-DEPARTURE (CN)

(250101) -- PORT VILA, Jan. 1, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Chinese experts check on a damaged building in Port Vila, Vanuatu, Jan. 1, 2025. At the request of the Vanuatu government, China has sent four experts to assist with post-earthquake response in the Pacific island country, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday. The f

(SpotNews) VANUATU-PORT VILA-CHINESE EXPERTS-POST-EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE

Doha [Qatar], January 1 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in his first diplomatic engagement this year.
Jaishankar said Al Thani and he reviewed their bilateral cooperation.
In a post on X, he said, "Delighted to meet PM and FM Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha today. My first diplomatic engagement

EAM Jaishankar meets Qatar PM as year's first diplomatic engagement

&copy; Provided by Xinhua A logo of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is seen in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)<span st

Xinhua Commentary: WTO at 30 -- a pivotal moment for reaffirming global free trade and multilateralism

New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): State-owned company RITES Limited has bagged an order for upgrading of a creek highway in Guyana worth staggering USD 9.7 million (excluding taxes), as per a stock exchange filing Wednesday.
RITES today said it has received notification of 'Intention to Award' from Ministry of Public Works, Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
The project in the South American country -- P

RITES receives order worth USD 9.7 million from Guyana

New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): India ushered in the New Year 2025 with a lovely sunrise, spreading warmth and optimism across the nation. From the easternmost states to the heartlands, people welcomed the dawn with hopes for a brighter and happier year ahead.
People across the country captured the stunning hues of the New Year's first sunrise. From Uttarakhand to Tamil Nadu and Bengal to Assam, the breathtaking views

India welcomes "New Year" with the first sunrise of 2025

Taipei [Taiwan], January 1 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) reported the detection of two Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and seven People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels operating near Taiwan.
According to the MND, one of the two PLA aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
In a post shared on X, the MND

Taiwan detects 2 Chinese aircraft, 7 naval vessels near its shores

(Photo credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images)
The Christmas break has come and gone, and Villanova and Butler hope to right the ship on New Year's Day when they face off in a Big East Conference matchup Wednesday in Indianapolis.

Villanova (8-5, 1-1) comes in off an 86-79 conference loss at Creighton on Dec. 21, allowing the Bluejays to shoot 56 percent from beyond the arc.

"I thought we got a lot of good stuff offensi

Villanova, Butler look to bounce back in first game of 2025

&copy; Provided by Xinhua A drone photo taken on Nov. 15, 2024 shows the 100,000th China-Europe freight train, coded X8083, departing from the Tuanjiecun Station in Chongqing, s

A Hungarian expert&#039;s first visit to China

Puri (Odisha) [India], January 1 (ANI): Odisha-based sand artist Manas Sahoo welcomed the New Year 2025 with a 20-foot-wide sand sculpture at Puri Beach, spreading festive cheer with the message "Happy New Year 2025."The creation, made from 10 tons of sand, took Sahoo seven hours to complete.
Sahoo has previously showcased his artistic talents through sand art. On Christmas Eve, he created a sculpture featuring Mother Mar

Odisha artist Manas Sahoo creates 20-foot-wide sand sculpture to welcome 2025

CHEYENNE, Wyoming: Late last week, Governor Mark Gordon signed off on a deal to sell a one-square-mile parcel of pristine land bordering Grand Teton National Park to the U.S. government for US$100 million, effectively ending the state's longstanding threats to unload it to a developer. Under the agreement, the federal government will pay $62.5 million for the land, based on its appraised value, with additional f

Wyoming governor approves sale of state land to US government

Pristine land in Wyoming sold to US government for $100 million

Wyoming sells 1 square mile of land to US government for $100 million

MOSCOW, Russia: Russia's state-owned energy giant Gazprom has announced it will stop supplying gas to Moldova starting January 1, citing unpaid debts-a claim strongly contested by the Moldovan government.  The decision raises concerns over potential power outages during the winter months as Moldova braces for energy shortages. Gazprom stated it reserved the right to take further measures, including termin

Russia's Gazprom to halt gas supplies to Moldova from January 1

Russia's Gazprom to end gas supply from January 1 to Moldova

Moldova to stop receiving gas supplies Russia's Gazprom from January 1

ALBANY, New York: Under a newly signed law by Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State will charge major fossil fuel companies for their contributions to climate change.  The legislation requires companies with significant greenhouse gas emissions to pay into a state fund dedicated to climate resiliency projects and repairs caused by extreme weather events. The law, known as the Climate Change Superfund Act,

New York to fine fossil fuel companies for damage from climate change

Fossil fuel firms to pay New York for contributions to climate change

New York to charge fossil fuel firms for climate change contributions

TOKYO, Japan: Japan is set to revise its energy policy, emphasizing nuclear power and renewable energy to meet rising electricity demand and its decarbonization targets.  A government-commissioned panel of experts reviewed the draft plan on Wednesday. The plan seeks to maximize nuclear energy while significantly boosting renewable energy sources by 2040. The Industry Ministry's proposal includes increasin

Japan to maximize nuclear power in clean-energy push

Nuclear energy will lead Japan's renewable energy push

Japan reviews plan to maximize nuclear energy as a power source

SEATTLE, Washington: An unticketed passenger disrupted a Delta Air Lines flight from Seattle to Honolulu on Christmas Eve, marking the second such incident during the holiday travel season.The individual, whose identity has not been disclosed, was discovered on board Delta Flight 487 while the plane was taxiing for departure. Delta confirmed that the aircraft returned to the gate, following protocol to remove th

Another stowaway attempts to fly on Delta flight on Christmas eve

Stowaway disrupts Delta flight in Seattle, apprehended before take-off

Stowaway attempt foiled on Delta flight in Seattle this holiday season

MAUI, Hawai: A dead body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane after it landed on the Hawaiian island of Maui, the airline said this week.  The body was discovered in the compartment holding the plane's landing gear when United Flight 202 from Chicago O'Hare Airport landed at Kahului Airport. No additional details about the person were shared. United Airlines stated that the wheel well co

Dead body found in wheel well after United flight lands in Hawaii

Dead stowaway found in United flight wheel well that lands in Hawaii

United flight lands in Hawaii with dead body in wheel well

ROSEAU, Minnesota: After seven decades of operation, the Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport near Roseau, Minnesota, and Piney, Manitoba, in Canada, will close for good on December 27. It has a unique claim to fame-its runway straddles the U.S. and Canadian borders.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced earlier in December that the airport would close due to very low use and high maintenance co

Airport with runway straddling border of U.S. and Canada to close

Airport with runway straddling U.S. and Canada to shut after 70 years

After 70 years, airport with runway on border of U.S., Canada to close

SEOUL, South Korea - 179 people are now confirmed dead following a fiery plane crash just off the tarmac at the Muan International Airport in South Korea, approximately 288 kilometers southwest of the capital, Seoul.A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 airliner carrying 181 people, including 175 passe

South Korean airliner crashes, bursts into flames

Rescuers battle flames to free airline passengers after crash

Many casualties in South Korean plane crash

WASHINGTON, D.C.: American Airlines faced a major disruption December 24 as all flights nationwide were briefly grounded due to a technical problem, just as the holiday travel season intensified.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop at the airline's request following an outage in its flight operating system (FOS), which manages operations such as dispatch, flight planning, and passenge

Big travel day opens with brief grounding of American Airlines flights

Busy day starts with brief disruption of all American Airlines flights

All American Airlines flights grounded briefly at start of a busy day

New Delhi [India], January 2 (ANI): The national capital is experiencing a significant dip in temperatures, as the mercury in many regions has plummeted significantly as the cold weather prevails at the start of the new year.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature at Delhi's Palam has dipped further to 6.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday from 7 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the mi

Delhi faces severe cold, dense fog as mercury drops to 6.5C at Palam

New Delhi [India], January 2 (ANI): A thick layer of fog has enveloped the national capital as well as sweeping through several major cities across the nation as the cold winter weather continues to prevail with the start of the New Year 2025.
According to the India Meteorological Department, visibility at airports in Delhi on Thursday was recorded at zero meters. Similar conditions were reported in Gwalior, Agra, Amritsa

Thick fog engulfs Delhi, major cities as cold wave continues into 2025

Xinhua Headlines: China&#039;s homegrown C919 aircraft begins regular flights to Hong Kong

New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): To ensure preparedness for the fog season, Ministry of Civil Aviation conducted a series of consultations over the past two months with all stakeholders including airlines, security agencies and airport operators.
In line with the Minister for Civil Aviation's emphasis on promoting "Ease of Flying", these initiatives are intended to streamline the travel experience, reduce delays, and o

Aviation ministry conducts consultations with all stakeholder to ensure preparedness for fog

New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): Air India is fully committed to improving the quality and consistency of services, in all areas, so that it becomes the world-class airline, said CEO Campbell Wilson on Wednesday.
In his new year's greetings, Wilson mentioned that "Air India's global coverage will further increase in the years ahead, not least because of the recent addition of 100 aircraft to its orderbook, augmenting t

Air India fully committed to improving quality, consistency of services: CEO Wilson

Cairo [Egypt], January 1 (ANI/WAM): The passenger traffic at Egyptian airports rose 9 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023, the Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported, citing the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The total number of passengers at Egyptian airports in 2024 reached 22.097 million, up from 20.276 million in 2023. Additionally, the number of flights also rose by 3 per cent, reaching 167,684 in 2024, compared to 162,7

9 per cent increase in passenger traffic at Egyptian airports in 2024

New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): In its first, Air India on Wednesday rolled out Wi-Fi internet connectivity services on board domestic and international flights operated by Airbus A350, Boeing 787-9 and select Airbus A321 neo aircraft.
This makes Air India the first to offer in-flight Wi-Fi internet connectivity on flights within India, enabling travellers - flying for leisure or business - to stay connected to the in

Air India introduces in-flight internet connectivity on domestic flights, becomes first Indian airline to offer WIFI service

(250101) -- HONG KONG, Jan. 1, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Passengers of the C919 Flight MU721 arrive in Hong Kong, south China, Jan. 1, 2025. China Eastern Airlines on Wednesday started using China's domestically-produced C919 jetliner for regular flights between Shanghai and Hong Kong. Flight MU721 carrying 157 passengers took off from Shangh

FOCUS | China&#039;s homegrown C919 aircraft begins regular Shanghai-Hong Kong flights

Washington DC [US], January 1 (ANI): The US government may move forward with the controversial plea agreements involving three men accused of orchestrating the 9/11 attacks, following a ruling by a Defence Department appeals court, the Washington Post reported.
The court's unanimous decision, issued on Monday night, rebuked Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who attempted to block the agreements in August despite their prior

United States: Pentagon appeals court upholds plea deals of 9/11 plotters

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 1 (ANI): The Pakistan government on Tuesday (local time) announced an increase in the price of high-speed diesel by PKR 2.96 per litre and an increase in the price of petrol by 56 Pakistan paisas per litre, ARY News reported.
The updated prices for petrol and high-speed diesel are now set at PKR 252.66 per litre and PKR 258.34 per litre, respectively.
According to ARY News, these adjustments 

Pakistan hikes petrol and diesel prices amid public outcry over inflation

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 31 (ANI): Actor Vijay Varma is all set to welcome the New Year 2025 as he is vacationing at an undisclosed location with his friends. He treated his fans with a glimpse.
On Tuesday, Vijay posted a couple of pictures and videos on Instagram and wrote, "Seas the dayAdios 2024."In the pictures, Vijay can be seen posing for stunning clicks on a yacht against the ocean.
He also shared a v

"Adios 2024": Vijay Varma shares glimpse of his vacation with friends, check out

DUBAI, 31st December, 2024 (WAM) -- Emirates is bringing forward the deployment of its Airbus A350 to Kuwait and Bahrain. Services will start 8 January, making them the second and third destinations to be served by the airline's newest aircraft, according to a press statement released by the air carrier today. Emirates will operate its Airbus A350 on the following services to Kuwait and Bahrain:-Kuwait: T

Emirates to operate Airbus A350 to Kuwait, Bahrain starting January 8

New Delhi [India], December 31 (ANI): In 2024, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), often referred to as the 'Green Court,' took significant strides in addressing the pressing environmental issues of India. With over 4,000 cases currently under adjudication, the tribunal has increasingly leveraged technology and scientific approaches to manage environmental concerns across the country. Suo moto cognisance of various environ

From Ganga preservation to air quality management: NGT's major decisions in 2024

DUBAI, 31st December, 2024 (WAM) -- Emirates airline will operate an additional scheduled service between Colombo and Dubai, starting from 2nd January 2025. The newly-introduced flight, to operate as EK654/655, increases the seat capacity on the route by 30 percent and supports Sri Lanka's plans to considerably increase tourist arrivals in 2025.The additional service will operate six times a week until 31

Emirates introduces additional flights to Colombo

Bern [Switzerland], December 31 (ANI): Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) on Monday confirmed the death of a crew member following the emergency landing of flight LX1885 last week.
In a post on Facebook, the Swiss International Air Lines wrote, "Today is a dark day for SWISS. It is with heavy hearts that we must share the loss of a dear colleague following the emergency landing of LX1885 on 23 December 2024. Our though

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