BRUSSELS: The EU said Friday it was concerned about the impact on competition of German airline Lufthansa’s plan to take over routes operated by failed rival Air Berlin.
“We have quite deep competition concerns because there is a risk that on some routes Lufthansa becomes de facto a monopoly,” EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said at a news conference.
The warning comes a week after Lufthansa offered concessions to encourage the European Commission to green-light its planned purchase of parts of Air Berlin.
The Frankfurt-based airline group hopes to pay €210 million ($250 million) for 81 aircraft from Air Berlin’s 140-strong fleet, plus takeoff and landing slots, as well as Austrian subsidiary Niki.
But Vestager said she now wanted input from customers and competitors in the European aviation market to dispel any anti-trust doubts concerning the purchase.
Vestager previously said that, given its dominant position in domestic air travel, Lufthansa might have to give up certain routes in exchange for approval.
Lufthansa chief executive Carsten Spohr responded by saying that he would be “ready” to meet her demands.
Air Berlin triggered bankruptcy proceedings in August after losing a cash lifeline from its biggest shareholder Etihad Airways.
Its aircraft were kept aloft by a €150 million emergency loan from the German government while it negotiated the sale of its assets.
Since the October deal the EU has allowed Lufthansa to operate some of Air Berlin’s planes to make sure there was no short-term negative impact on travelers.
Vestager made clear she is now focusing on the longer term impact on customers.
In “the long term it is important for the passengers in Germany and in Austria to have choice and also have businesses competing in order to keep prices down because the risk of any monopoly of course is that prices go up,” she said.
— AFP
EU has ‘deep competition concerns’ over Lufthansa Air Berlin bid
EU has ‘deep competition concerns’ over Lufthansa Air Berlin bid
Global conference in Riyadh spotlights procurement and supply chain challenges
RIYADH: Key issues concerning procurement and supply chains will take center stage at a global conference in the Saudi capital, featuring over 35 international speakers.
The upcoming CIPS MENA Conference and Excellence in Procurement Awards, slated to be hosted by the Government Expenditure and Projects Efficiency Authority on May 16 at the Hilton Riyadh Hotel and Residences, reflects the Kingdom’s position as a hub of expertise in procurement and supply chains, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The agenda will address critical topics, including building sustainable supply chains, enhancing local content, and promoting industry localization. It will also tackle current supply chain challenges and discuss the digital transformation in procurement and corruption in public procurement.
The conference will also focus on building partnerships between organizations in the private sector and government agencies, targeting specialists in the field of procurement and supply chains in the public and the private sectors, decision-makers in the field, and procurement technical systems companies.
EU urges Israel to end Rafah military operation ‘immediately’
- EU statement: ‘Further disrupting the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza and is leading to more internal displacement, exposure to famine and human suffering’
BRUSSELS: The European Union on Wednesday urged Israel to end its military operation in Gaza’s Rafah “immediately,” warning that failure to do so would undermine ties with the bloc.
“Should Israel continue its military operation in Rafah, it would inevitably put a heavy strain on the EU’s relationship with Israel,” said the statement issued in the EU’s name by its foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
“The European Union urges Israel to end its military operation in Rafah immediately,” the statement said, warning it was “further disrupting the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza and is leading to more internal displacement, exposure to famine and human suffering.”
The bloc — the main aid donor for the Palestinian territories and Israel’s biggest trading partner — said more than a million people in and around Rafah had been ordered by Israel to flee the area to other zones the UN says cannot be considered safe.
“While the EU recognizes Israel’s right to defend itself, Israel must do so in line with International Humanitarian Law and provide safety to civilians,” it said.
The law requires Israel to allow in humanitarian aid, the statement stressed.
The EU also condemned a Hamas attack on the Kerem Shalom border crossing which blocked humanitarian relief supplies.
“We call on all parties to redouble their efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas,” it said.
Israel’s military operations in Gaza were launched in retaliation for Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israeli which killed more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, and saw around 250 hostages taken, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s military has conducted a relentless bombardment from the air and a ground offensive inside Gaza that has killed more than 35,000, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Israel’s main allies, the United States and the EU, as well as the United Nations, have all warned Israel against a major operation in Rafah given that it would add to the civilian toll.
Kuwait’s emir calls on new government to pursue reforms
RIYADH: Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Wednesday met with the new prime minister and his government.
According to the Kuwait News Agency, Sheikh Mishal said: “We are in a new phase of reforms and serious actions must be taken.”
He added that ministers should “accelerate the implementation of long-awaited strategic development projects, address needed files and work on the infrastructure projects, develop healthcare and the educational system, and take into account transparency and to preserve public funds.”
Sheikh Mishal appointed Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as prime minister in April, and dissolved parliament last Friday in a televised speech.
He urged ministers to ensure that Kuwait has a strong and sustainable economy by investing in human capital and promoting innovation and scientific research.
Data Fusion Now Available on Google Cloud in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: Cognite, a leader in industrial software, announced that its flagship Industrial DataOps product, Cognite Data Fusion, designed to enable customers to seamlessly migrate their data, is now available on Google Cloud in Saudi Arabia.
Collaborating with Google Cloud, Cognite is using artificial intelligence and data analytics to help industrial companies like energy, manufacturing, and logistics industries while providing them with valuable insights, increase efficiency, and drive digital transformation.
Francois Laborie, Executive Vice President, Cognite, said in a press release : "This is a significant milestone in our partnership, and as well as our commitment to the Kingdom. The power of data and AI, from Cognite and Google Cloud, enables industry transformation via solutions that deliver business value to our customers."
Abdul Rahman Al Thehaiban, Managing Director, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Google Cloud said: By leveraging Google Cloud's scalable and secure infrastructure, Cognite Data Fusion will enable customers to harness the power of their data to make smarter business decisions and accelerate their digital transformation journey."
Cognite Data Fusion is brought to the market by CNTXT, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Cognite. Abdullah Jarwan, CEO of CNTXT said "Cognite Data Fusion is poised to revolutionize how the Kingdom’s industries harness insights from their data. Cognite Data Fusion offers world-leading gen AI capabilities tailored for industrial sectors."
Sri Lanka says 16 citizens killed fighting in Ukraine war
- Soldiers from Sri Lanka’s regional neighbors India and Nepal have also signed up to fight since last year
- Sri Lanka opened an inquiry last week into the recruitment of its citizens for the conflict
COLOMBO: At least 16 Sri Lankan mercenaries have been killed fighting in the war between Russia and Ukraine, the island’s deputy defense minister said Wednesday.
Tens of thousands of Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since the invasion began more than two years ago, and Moscow has been on a global quest for more troops.
Soldiers from Sri Lanka’s regional neighbors India and Nepal have also signed up to fight since last year, with several confirmed deaths in combat from citizens of both countries.
Sri Lanka opened an inquiry last week into the recruitment of its citizens for the conflict that has since identified the participation of 288 retired soldiers from the island nation, deputy defense minister Pramitha Tennakoon said.
“We have confirmed information about 16 who have been killed,” he told reporters in Colombo.
Tennakoon did not say which side of the conflict the soldiers had been fighting on.
But ruling party lawmaker Gamini Waleboda told parliament on Monday that most had been recruited to fight alongside the Russian army.
Those who joined had been duped with promises of high salaries and falsely told they would be given non-combat roles, Waleboda said.
Tennakoon said the recruitment of Sri Lankans was being treated as a human trafficking enterprise and urged military officers not to fall prey to the recruitment drive.
The Sri Lankan government was also in talks with both the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministries to track down Sri Lankans in the two countries and bring them back safely.
“This is a delicate issue,” Tennakoon said. “We are friends with Russia, we are friends with Ukraine. Both are important for us so we are talking to the foreign ministries to get our people back safely.”
Complaints began pouring in from relatives after the defense ministry established its probe last week to collect information on those who had traveled to both countries to join the war effort.
Sri Lanka has repeatedly warned its citizens against traveling to Russia or Ukraine to join the fighting.
But there are no restrictions on Sri Lankans traveling abroad and large numbers have left in the wake of an unprecedented economic crisis in mid-2022.
Police arrested two retired army officers, including a major general, last week for illegally acting as recruiting agents for Russian mercenary firms.
India and Nepal have also confirmed that numerous citizens of those countries had been recruited to fight alongside the Russian army over the past year.
At least 19 Nepalis had been killed in combat, according to figures from the Himalayan republic published in March.
Russia’s army held off a much-hyped Ukrainian counter-offensive last year and it has since made gains as Kyiv struggles with ammunition and manpower shortages.
