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☆ New routes, old coaches: Europe's night trains struggle to pick up speed
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Rachel More | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

They travelled with European Sleeper, a Dutch-Belgian startup whose launch in May is part of a renaissance of night train travel. CHALLENGESYears of decline in Europe's night train network coincided with the rise of low-cost airlines. Supporters of night trains are pushing for more state help to compete against budget airlines, such as a value-added tax exemption on cross-border routes and lower track access charges. At night, trains compete with freight traffic and construction works, and during the busy morning hours they vie for arrival slots at stations with commuter services. Sarah and Sonia's train, European Sleeper's ES453 service, pulled in at 7.57 a.m., one hour and nine minutes late.

Persons: Bart Biesemans, Sarah, Sonia, Chris Engelsman, Engelsman, Alberto Mazzola, Sonia didn't, Victoria Klesty, Matthias Williams, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Berlin Central Station, Reuters Graphics, Reuters, OBB, Siemens Mobility, European Union, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Brussels, Belgium, Dutch, Belgian, Europe, Paris, Zurich, Norwegian, Oslo, Copenhagen, Prague, Amsterdam, Barcelona, France

Lufthansa reported third-quarter adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of 1.47 billion euros ($1.56 billion), up 31% year-on-year and slightly above average expectations for 1.43 billion in an analyst consensus published on the company's website. Lufthansa said bookings for the fourth quarter were up by double-digit percentages year-on-year. Costs were 0.9% lower than the same quarter last year despite rising inflation, while net profits were at 1.2 billion euros. Next year, Lufthansa expects the amount of seating capacity available to fliers to increase further to around 95% of pre-pandemic levels. Capacity will increase to 91% of pre-pandemic levels in the fourth quarter, they said.

Persons: Carsten Spohr, Bernstein, Alex Irving, Maria Sheahan, Joanna Plucinska, Kirsti Knolle Organizations: Lufthansa, Thomson Locations: BERLIN

☆ Vinci upgrades free cash flow target as order book hits record high
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Victor Goury-Laffont | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 26 (Reuters) - French infrastructure group Vinci (SGEF.PA) upgraded its full-year free cash flow guidance, pointing to a high level of liquidity, a year-on-year decline in financial debt and a record high order book. The company now expects free cash flow of at least 4.5 billion euros ($4.74 billion) for 2023, against a previous estimate of between 4 billion and 4.5 billion euros. Vinci's order book reached 63.3 billion euros at Sept. 30, a record high level according to the company. The group's net financial debt stood at 18.6 billion euros at the end of the nine-month period, down from 20.1 billion euros a year ago. The number of travellers at Vinci Airports, remained 9.1% below pre-pandemic levels in the first-half of the year and 2.8% under in the third quarter.

Persons: Charles Platiau, Grégoire Thibault, Bruno Le Maire, Vinci, Victor Goury, Chris Reese, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Vinci, Lyon, Saint, Exupéry, French Finance, Gatwick, Vinci Airports, Thomson Locations: Rueil, Malmaison, Paris, France, Vinci

☆ Slovenia deploys police on borders with Croatia, Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OBREZJE, Slovenia, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Slovenia on Saturday deployed police on border crossings with Croatia and Hungary to prevent potential security threats, leading to queues as travellers waited to have their documents checked. The Slovenian government had on Friday decided to introduce temporary border controls until Oct. 30, following its neighbour Italy which introduced controls on its border crossing with Slovenia to improve home security. Police were deployed on 14 border crossings with Croatia and Hungary, Slovenian news agency STA reported. Travellers queued to have their papers checked at the Obrezje crossing on the border with Croatia, where checks had not taken place since Jan. 1 this year when Croatia joined the control-free Schengen Area. Reporting by Antonio Bronic; Writing by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: queued, Fjacko, Antonio Bronic, Ivana Sekularac, David Holmes Organizations: Saturday, Slovenian, Police, Croatia, Croatian, Thomson Locations: OBREZJE, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Slovenian, Zagreb, Europe, Balkans

France, where Ryanair serves cities such as Marseille and Bordeaux, has floated proposals for a minimum ticket price in an effort to reduce pollution from aviation. The French price proposal, which EU officials said has drawn some support from the Netherlands and Belgium, got short shrift from senior Ryanair executive Eddie Wilson. Having established a strong position in large parts of Western Europe, Ryanair is now looking east to countries such as Poland for further growth. Europe's main airlines lobby group expressed relief and called on more European coordination to support the sector. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr has said a stronger ITA will reinvigorate competition in the Italian market but Ryanair's Wilson is unperturbed, describing ITA as a sideshow.

Persons: Eddie Wilson, Wilson, Andrea Giuricin, Giorgia, Giuseppe Cocuzza, Ourania Georgoutsakou, Carsten Spohr, Ryanair's Wilson, Rome Fiumicino, Sacbo, Angelo Amante, Keith Weir, Joanna Plucinska, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Ryanair, Europe's, European Union, Ryanair DAC, Alitalia, TRA Consulting, European Commission, Airlines for, ITA, Lufthansa, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Thomson Locations: Italy, ROME, France, Marseille, Bordeaux, Sicily, Sardinia, Netherlands, Belgium, Europe, Western Europe, Poland, Rome, Catania, Airlines for Europe, Bergamo, Milan, Malpensa, Brescia, London

☆ Whitbread's profits jump as Premier Inn-owner enjoys steady demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Eva Mathews | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Shares in the British company, originally a brewer, were up 3.5% to 3,437 pence by 0737 GMT to lead London's blue-chip (.FTSE) index. Leisure and business demand are showing signs of staying, Paul said, adding forward-booked revenue was ahead of last year. Whitbread, which owns restaurant chains such as Bar+Block Steakhouse and Brewers Fayre has also seen signs of food inflation easing. The company announced a further 300 million pound share buyback on Wednesday and proposed an interim dividend per share of 34.1 pence, up 40% on last year. ($1 = 0.8193 pounds)Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lee Smith, WTB.L, Dominic Paul, Paul, Whitbread, Hargreaves, Derren Nathan, Brewers Fayre, Eva Mathews, Subhranshu Sahu, Jason Neely Organizations: Premier Inn Hotel, Brewers, REUTERS, H1, Whitbread, Inn, Thomson Locations: Durham, County Durham, Britain, British, Germany, Bengaluru

☆ What is the Rafah border crossing and why is it closed?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

A Palestinian with dual citizenship waits outside the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the hope of getting permission to leave Gaza, amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip October 17, 2023. WHERE IS THE RAFAH CROSSING AND WHO CONTROLS IT? Reuters GraphicsWHY IS THE RAFAH CROSSING SO IMPORTANT IN THIS CONFLICT? That means the only likely route for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza is via Rafah from Egypt's Sinai region. Line chart with data from UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs showed the share of commodity and food imports to Gaza passing through the Rafah border with Egypt.

Persons: Abu Mustafa, Antony Blinken, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, King Abdullah, Aidan Lewis, Edmund Blair, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Gaza, Palestinian, Hamas, United Nations, West Bank, Israel, UN Office, of Humanitarian Affairs, Thomson Locations: Rafah, Egypt, Gaza, Israel, Gaza City, Egypt's Sinai, Sinai, Hamas, Palestinian, Gaza . U.S, United States, Jordan, British, Palestine

STOCKHOLM/AMSTERDAM, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Airlines wrestled with the safety risk of evacuation operations in Israel on Thursday, with carriers including Dutch KLM cancelling flights while sister airline Air France mounted a special relief flight chartered by the French foreign ministry. Israel's parliamentary finance committee meanwhile approved a plan to provide a state guarantee of $6 billion to cover insurance against war risks to Israeli airlines. The framework will grant Israeli airlines cover against war risks, thereby ensuring the continuity of air operations. Foreign airlines have struggled to find a common approach and the head of European budget giant Ryanair (RYA.I) said it was up to governments to plot the way forward. PATCHY RESPONSEGermany's Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said it was sticking to its plans for evacuation flights on Thursday and Friday, while continuing to ground commercial flights to Israel.

Persons: Ben Gurion, Ben Smith, Ed Bastian, Sasha Gainullin, Rafael Schvartzman, Obama, Anna Ringstrom, Bart H, Meijer, Tim Hepher, Joanna Plucinska, Julia Payne, Carolyn Cohn, Steven Scheer, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Doyinsola, Terje Solsvik, Deborah Kyvrikosaios, Diane Craft Organizations: Airlines, Dutch KLM, Air France, Palestinian, Israel's, Norwegian Air, Insurance, Reuters, Foreign, Ryanair, KLM, Boeing, Lufthansa, Dubai's Emirates, Delta Air Lines, International Air Transport Association, Regulators, U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, AMSTERDAM, Israel, Palestinian, Tel Aviv's, Ben, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Eilat, Emirates, United States, Europe, U.S, Ben Gurion

☆ Gaza Strip: devastated by conflict and Israel's economic blockade
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Palestinians look at the destruction of a house in the aftermath of a strike amid the conflict with Israel in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, October 12, 2023. The Palestinian Gaza Strip has been a frontline of conflict with Israel for decades and cut off from much of the outside world for 16 years. Egypt held Gaza for most of the following two decades, until Israel seized it during a 1967 war. Egypt, which shares a 12-km border with Gaza, has largely supported the blockade, viewing Hamas as a threat to its own stability. More than 90% of water in Gaza is unfit for drinking, the Palestinian Water Authority says.

Persons: Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Mahmoud Abbas, Israel, Egypt's, Cross, Tom Perry, Crispian Balmer, Toby Chopra Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas, THE, Watch, Humanitarian Affairs, Palestinian Water Authority, West Bank, Palestinian Central Bureau, Statistics, International Committee, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, GAZA, Gaza City, Egypt, Rafah

☆ Egypt facilitating deliveries of aid to Sinai for Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks as he attends a press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (not pictured), in Cairo, Egypt, October 11, 2023. The Rafah crossing between Sinai and Gaza remained open, the Egyptian foreign ministry said, adding that Egypt had asked Israel to avoid targeting the Palestinian side of the crossing after strikes that prevented normal operations there. Al Arish airport in northern Sinai, about 45 km (28 miles) from the Gaza border, was preparing to receive three aid flights from Qatar and Jordan, but these would not leave the airport until humanitarian corridors had been established, two Egyptian security sources said. They said Egypt and Jordan had received assurances from the United States that aid would be delivered to Gaza, without giving details. Since Palestinian Islamist group Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, Israel and Egypt have imposed a blockade, restricting the passage of people and goods in and out of the territory.

Persons: Antonio Tajani, Sameh Shoukry, Mohamed Abd El Ghany, Israel, Jordan, retaliating, Rishi Sunak, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Sunak, Ahmed Elimam, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Nadine Awadalla, Aidan Lewis, Alex Richardson, Andrew Heavens, Angus MacSwan, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Italian, Egyptian Foreign, REUTERS, Rights, Lithuanian, Hamas, British, Thomson Locations: Cairo, Egypt, Rights CAIRO, Gaza, Sinai, Rafah, Israel, Al Arish, Qatar, Jordan, United States, Palestinian

☆ Governments repatriate citizens from Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

REUTERS/Pilar Olivares Acquire Licensing RightsOct 12 (Reuters) - Governments around the world have arranged repatriation flights from Tel Aviv in reaction to the conflict in Israel. AUSTRALIAAustralia organised two special flights on Friday and Sunday to bring back citizens from Israel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday. CANADACanada plans to operate evacuation flights for Canadians stranded in Israel, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Tuesday. ITALYItaly arranged for seven flights between Tuesday and Wednesday, the Italian foreign ministry said late on Tuesday, as part of efforts to repatriate about 900 Italian citizens from Israel. On Wednesday, Portugal had repatriated 152 Portuguese citizens directly from Israel, plus 14 citizens from other European countries.

Persons: Roseli Pereira, Pilar Olivares, Anthony Albanese, Alexander De Croo, Melanie Joly, Jan Lipavsky, Lipavsky, Elina Valtonen, Catherine Colonna, Annalena Baerbock, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Andrzej Duda, Mariusz Blaszczak, Margarita Robles, Tobias Billstrom, Srettha Thavisin, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Alessandro Parodi, Tristan Chabba, Joao Manuel Mauricio, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Rio de, REUTERS, Argentinian, AUSTRALIA Australia, Spanish Air Force, Foreign, CANADA Canada, Centre for Israel, Jewish Affairs, Boeing, Foreign Ministry, European Union, Aviation, CZECH REPUBLIC Czech, Wednesday, Reuters, French Foreign, France, Condor, German Foreign Ministry, Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel . KAZAKHSTAN Air Astana, Astana Times, Norwegian Air, Sunday . Defence, Ben Gurion, SOUTH, Incheon Airport, Korean, Acting, Airbus, SWISS, THAILAND, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Airline KLM, Facebook, Romania, UNITED, UNITED STATES, U.S . State Department, . Delta Air Lines, U.S, Thomson Locations: Israel, Brazil, Tel Aviv, ARGENTINA, Rome, Argentina, AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA Austria, Hörsching, Upper Austria, Cyprus, BELGIUM Belgium, BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, Brasilia, Embassy of Brazil, CHILE, Athens, Madrid, COLOMBIA, CYPRUS, Cypriot, CZECH REPUBLIC, Czech, Oman, Prague, DENMARK, Danish, FINLAND Finland, FRANCE France, Israel's Tel Aviv, Paris, GERMANY German, Jordanian, Aqaba, ICELAND, Germany, Keflavík, Iceland, Icelandic, ITALY Italy, Almaty, MEXICO, Oslo, POLAND Poland, Polish, Poland, Ben, Ben Gurion Airport, PORTUGAL, Portuguese, Lisbon, Portugal, SOUTH KOREA, Seoul, KS, SPAIN Spain, Spain, Torrejon, SWEDEN, Swedish, SWITZERLAND Swiss, Zurich, Bern, NETHERLANDS, Netherlands, UKRAINE Ukrainian, Gaza, Europe, U.S, Gdansk

The passage of people and goods is strictly controlled under a blockade of Gaza enforced by Egypt and Israel. Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli military revised a recommendation by one of its spokespeople that Palestinians fleeing its air strikes in Gaza head to Egypt. Gaza's Hamas-run Interior Ministry said bombardments on both Monday and Tuesday had hit an entry gate on the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing. On Monday, about 800 people left Gaza through the Rafah crossing and about 500 people entered, though the crossing was closed for the movement of goods, according to the United Nations humanitarian office. So far, there has been no sign of mass gatherings of Palestinians at the Rafah crossing, with only planned departures proceeding until Tuesday.

Persons: Abu Mustafa, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Gaza's, Sinai's, Sinai, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Yusri Mohamed, Nidal, Nadine Awadalla, Ahmed Eliman, Aidan Lewis, Alison Williams, Gareth Jones, Susan Fenton, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas, Gaza's Hamas, Ministry, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Egypt, Israel, CAIRO, GAZA, Tuesday, Sinai, Gaza's, Palestinian, Sinai's, Al Arish

☆ China's cross-border trips during Golden Week holiday recover to 85% of pre-pandemic level
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI, Oct 7 (Reuters) - China's inbound and outbound trips surged during the eight-day Golden Week holiday this year, official data showed on Saturday, recovering to 85% of their pre-pandemic level but lower than an earlier government estimate. That was equivalent to 85.1% of the number of average trips made in the same period in 2019, and nearly quadruple the 2022 average, the administration said. It had earlier said it expected an average of 1.58 million daily inbound and outbound passenger trips during the holiday. This compared with 830.8 yuan per trip in 2019 when the holiday was seven days long, and 680.6 yuan last year. Travellers made 826 million trips within mainland China, up 71.3% from a year ago and 4.1% higher than in 2019, according to data released by the official Xinhua news agency.

Persons: Florence, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, National, National Immigration Administration, Travellers, Xinhua, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Thailand

☆ Exclusive: Iraq to end all dollar cash withdrawals by Jan. 1, 2024, central-bank official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Timour Azhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

But dollars deposited in 2024 could only be withdrawn in local currency at the official rate of 1,320. The parallel market rate of the Iraqi dinar sat at 1,560 on Thursday, roughly 15% percent below the official rate. Here you go, you can use the card inside Iraq at the official rate, or if you want to withdraw cash, you can at the official rate in dinars," Ahmed said. "But don't talk to me about cash dollars anymore." He added: "As long as all transparent and legal financing operations happen via us (at the official rate), the rest does not matter."

Persons: Mazen Ahmed, It's, Ahmed, Timour Azhari, William Maclean 私たち Organizations: New York Federal Reserve, CBI, Reuters Locations: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Iran, Iraqi, U.S, Syria, Tehran, Baghdad

☆ Libya flood disaster damaged ancient city but revealed new remains
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Ayman Al-Warfali | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CYRENE, Libya, Oct 5 (Reuters) - The flooding that killed thousands in Libya's Derna last month damaged the ruins at the ancient Greek city of Cyrene in the mountains nearby, but it also revealed new archaeological remains there by washing away earth and stones. The flooding caused mud and rubble to pile in Cyrene's Greek-era baths that will require specialised clearing said local antiquities department official Adel Boufjra. "The flooding has revealed a new site - a water canal that I believe dates back to the Roman era. One of Libya's five UNESCO World Heritage sites, along with the extensive Roman ruins overlooking the Mediterranean at Sabratha and Leptis Magna, Cyrene's stone pillared temples stand on a fertile hillside near rocky crags. Reporting by Ayman al-Warfali, writing by Angus McDowall, editing by Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Storm Daniel, Adel Boufjra, Boufjra, Ayman al, Angus McDowall, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Reuters, UNESCO, Heritage, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: CYRENE, Libya, Derna, Cyrene, Greek, Hellenic, Sabratha

☆ China says it will resume visa-free policies to spur inbound travel
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Passengers push their luggage through the international arrivals hall at Beijing Capital International Airport after China lifted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quarantine requirement for inbound travellers in Beijing, China January 8, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Sept 29 (Reuters) - China will resume visa-free policies and consider adding more countries to its visa-exemption list to help boost the country's post-pandemic tourism business, according to a policy document released on Friday. In a statement posted on the central government's website, it said visa-free policies and visa assurances on arrival would be promoted as well as smoother immigration clearances for cruises and self-driving tourists. The government also called for enhanced tax-rebate services such the creation of more tax-rebate shops. Reporting by Chen Aizhu; editing by Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Thomas Peter, Chen Aizhu, Christina Fincher Organizations: Beijing Capital International, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, Rights SINGAPORE, China's

[1/5] Bed bugs are seen in a sofa bed, in L'Hay-les-Roses, near Paris, France, September 29, 2023. At the Paris Gare de Lyon train station, travellers said they doubted whether authorities would be able to get on top of the problem. Once I get home, I'll have to wash all my clothes," Laura Mmadi, a sales worker heading to the south of France said. Deputy mayor Gregoire called on insurers to include bedbug cover in house insurance policies, as low-income people rarely had the means to call in pest control firms. Reporting by Antony Paone and Geert De Clercq; Editing by Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Stephanie Lecocq, Charles de, Emmanuel Gregoire, Elisabeth Borne, Clement Beaune, I'm, Laura Mmadi, Sophie Ruscica, Anses, bedbugs, Sacha Krief, Gregoire, Antony Paone, Geert De Clercq, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Paris Olympics, Paralympic, Transport, Gare de Lyon, Thomson Locations: L'Hay, Paris, France, Charles de Gaulle, Nice

☆ Pilots at Australia's Qantas demand chair quit over scandals
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Qantas Airways QF100 flight, which marks the airline's 100th birthday, departs from Sydney Airport to fly over Sydney Harbour in Australia, November 16, 2020. "We have totally lost confidence in Goyder and his board," AIPA President Captain Tony Lucas said in a statement. "Qantas desperately needs a culture reset but how can this happen with Richard Goyder as chairman?" Qantas declined to comment, referring Reuters to previous public comments from Goyder where he refused to quit. Goyder, who has been the airline's chairman since 2018, is not up for reelection at its annual meeting in November.

Persons: Gregg Porteous, Vanessa Hudson, Richard Goyder, Captain Tony Lucas, Goyder, Alan Joyce, Albanese, Byron Kaye, Jamie Freed Organizations: Qantas Airways QF100, Sydney Airport, Sydney Harbour, Handout, REUTERS, Rights, Australia's Qantas Airways, Australian, International Pilots Association, Qantas, Reuters, Qatar Airways, Thomson Locations: Australia, Goyder

MARTIGNY, Switzerland, Sept 26 (Reuters) - St. Bernard dogs, one of Switzerland's national symbols that were internationally renowned for helping in alpine rescues, are now saving people in other ways. "The dogs work in hospitals, in nursing homes with senior citizens. They are descendants of Barry I, a St. Bernard credited with saving the lives of more than 40 people on the Great St. Bernard Pass in the early 19th century. "They have a great sense of smell," said Anne Hölzer, in charge of training at Barry Foundation. "It's a very strong symbol of Switzerland," Zollinger said.

Persons: Bernard dogs, Bernard, Andrea Zollinger, Zollinger, Roxy van de Burggravehoeve, Barry, Denis Balibouse, Barry Foundation's, Roxy, Barry I, Napoleon, Anne Hölzer, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Barry Foundation, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Switzerland, Swiss, Martigny, Italy, France, Bernard

☆ Israel says US to announce it has joined Visa Waiver Program
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen speaks during a press conference with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis at the Foreign Ministry in Athens, Greece, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Israel's Foreign Ministry said on Monday it expects the United States to announce this week that it will be admitted to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which would allow Israeli citizens visa-free entry to America as of November. "Israel joining the Visa Waiver Program is a diplomatic achievement and good news for all Israeli citizens," said Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. In Israel's case, that would mean free passage for Palestinian Americans at its airports and when travelling into and out of the occupied Palestinian territories. Between 45,000 and 60,000 Palestinian Americans live in the West Bank, a U.S. official estimated.

Persons: Eli Cohen, Giorgos Gerapetritis, Louiza, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Israel, Henriette Chacar, Simon Lewis, Caitlin Webber, James Mackenzie, Mark Heinrich, Sonali Paul Organizations: Israel, Greek Foreign, Foreign Ministry, REUTERS, Rights, Visa, Israeli, U.S . State Department, Homeland Security, State, Palestinian, West Bank, U.S, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece, United States, America, Israel, U.S, Washington, Palestinian, Croatia

PESHAWAR/KABUL, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The main Afghanistan-Pakistan land border crossing reopened on Friday after being closed for nine days following firing between guards on both sides, a senior Pakistani official told Reuters. Thousands of travellers and hundreds of trucks laden with goods were left stranded last week by the closure the Torkham border crossing, at the western end of the fabled Khyber Pass. Spokespersons for Pakistan's foreign ministry and the Afghan authorities in Nangarhar province confirmed the reopening of the crossing. "The border closure was causing huge losses to traders and common people of the two neighbouring countries," Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry said. The Taliban foreign ministry criticised the closure of the crossing and said Pakistan security forces had fired on its border guards as they fixed an old security outpost.

Persons: It's, Abdul Nasir Khan, Torkham, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Amir Khan Muttaqi, Mushtaq Ali, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Gibran Peshimam, Tom Hogue, Gerry Doyle, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Reuters, Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Thomson Locations: PESHAWAR, KABUL, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Pakistan's Khyber, Nangarhar province, Pakistani, Peshawar, Jalalabad, Nangarhar, Kabul, Torkham

☆ London's India Club to serve its last curry after more than 70 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Sachin Ravikumar | Thomson Reuters | Sachin Ravikumar Is A Correspondent For Reuters In London Covering General News Across The Uk. Over Nine Years At Reuters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The India Club, a historic London curry house with links to India's freedom struggle, will close its doors for the last time on Sunday after failing to stop a hotel redevelopment plan. For decades, the India Club has drawn regulars craving a masala dosa or bhuna lamb with a pint of Cobra or Kingfisher beer, but also many Londoners of Indian descent. Retired civil servant Ian Angell, who has been an India Club regular for nearly a decade, said its closure was very sad news. "It's such a great shame," he added, sitting below portraits of Indian independence heroes Gandhi and Nehru. Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shashi Tharoor, Chandran, Phiroza Marker, Ian Angell, Gandhi, Sachin Ravikumar, Alexander Smith Organizations: India, India League, Reuters, India Club, Nehru, Thomson Locations: London, India

☆ AirAsia's operations to return to pre-pandemic level by Dec, says Capital A CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of AirAsia under Capital A is seen displayed in this illustration picture taken March 7, 2022. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Capital A Berhad (CAPI.KL), parent of Malaysian budget airline AirAsia, expects to see the carrier's operations returning to pre-pandemic levels by December, Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes told Reuters on Monday. The target indicates a slight delay from his earlier forecast of putting all 204 of its fleet back in service by August. Fernandes did not elaborate on the delay, but said drivers for capacity growth included improving demand from migrating workforce, tourism, students and connecting travellers. Reporting by Yantoultra Ngui; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Florence Lo, Tony Fernandes, We'll, Fernandes, Yantoultra Ngui, Himani Sarkar, Muralikumar Organizations: AirAsia, REUTERS, Rights, Berhad, Malaysian, Capital, Reuters, Forbes Global, Thomson Locations: Capital, Rights SINGAPORE, Singapore

Emirates airliners are seen on the tarmac in a general view of Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates January 13, 2021. REUTERS/Abdel Hadi Ramah/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsABUJA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Emirates Airlines will resume immediate flight schedules to Nigeria and lift a visa ban on Nigerian travellers, following a meeting between the leaders of the two countries, the Nigerian presidency said on Monday. Tinubu stopped in Abu Dhabi on his way from G20 summit in India, where he wooed investors to Nigeria. Last month Tinubu said he wanted an immediate resolution to the disagreements with Emirates Airlines and visa issues by the Arab country. The UAE stopped issuing visas to Nigerians last year after Dubai's Emirates suspended flights due to an inability to repatriate funds from Nigeria.

Persons: Abdel Hadi Ramah, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Emirates Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Tinubu, Ajuri Ngelale, Ngelale, Chijioke Ohuocha, Felix Onuah, David Evans, Peter Graff, Richard Chang Organizations: Emirates, Dubai International, United Arab Emirates, Rights, Emirates Airlines, United, UAE, Dubai's Emirates, Etihad Airlines, Thomson Locations: Dubai, United Arab, Rights ABUJA, Nigeria, Emirates, Abu Dhabi, India, State, Nigerian

☆ Pakistan says Taliban forces building 'unlawful' structure in border dispute
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Trucks loaded with supplies to leave for Afghanistan are seen stranded at the Michni checkpost, after the main Pakistan-Afghan border crossing closed after clashes, in Torkham, Pakistan September 7, 2023. The Torkham border crossing between the neighbouring nations has been closed since Wednesday after forces from both sides exchanged fire, stranding hundreds of trucks laden with goods and thousands of travellers. The Taliban administration foreign ministry at the weekend criticised the closure of the border and said Pakistan security forces had fired on its troops when they were fixing an old security outpost near the border. Disputes linked to the 2,600 km (1,615 mile) border have been a bone of contention between the neighbours for decades. The Taliban administration denies it allows the use of Afghan soil for militancy and says Pakistan's security is an internal matter for the Pakistani government.

Persons: Fayaz Aziz, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Charlotte Greenfield, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Afghan, Torkham, Rights ISLAMABAD, Taliban

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