Stories for 2018

Wednesday, January 3rd 2018 - 10:05 UTC
“2017 was the safest year for aviation ever”

Airlines recorded zero accident deaths in commercial passenger jets last year, according to a Dutch consulting firm and an aviation safety group that tracks crashes, making 2017 the safest year on record for commercial air travel. Dutch aviation consulting firm To70 and the Aviation Safety Network both reported there were no commercial passenger jet fatalities in 2017.
Wednesday, January 3rd 2018 - 09:52 UTC
AI system beats cardiologists and oncologists in detecting heart diseases and lung cancer

Researchers at an Oxford hospital have developed artificial intelligence (AI) that can diagnose scans for heart disease and lung cancer. The systems will save billions of pounds by enabling the diseases to be picked up much earlier. The heart disease technology will start to be available to NHS hospitals for free this summer.
Wednesday, January 3rd 2018 - 06:55 UTC
Brazil purchases Royal Navy's fleet flagship helicopter carrier, HMS Ocean

Brazil has now confirmed the purchase of British helicopter carrier HMS Ocean, according to a report in the UKdefensejournal. “We were informed by a source in the Brazilian defense community that the vessel has been sold for £84 million. Roberto Lopes has informed us that the purchase of HMS Ocean by the Brazilian Navy was confirmed within the last week by Brazilian Defense Minister Raul Jungmann”.
Wednesday, January 3rd 2018 - 06:36 UTC
Argentina recalls when Malvinas Islands were “illegally” occupied by British forces

In advance of January 3rd, when Argentina recalls the date in 1833 in which allegedly British forces “illegally” occupied the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands, the foreign ministry, Palacio San Martín, released a statement reaffirming its imprescriptible and inalienable sovereignty rights over the South Atlantic archipelago. This is the 185th anniversary of the event.
Tuesday, January 2nd 2018 - 11:19 UTC
Busiest air route in North America is Mexico City/Cancun with 3.7m pax

A new study shows that Mexico City to Cancun is the busiest air route in North America. Almost 3.7 million passengers traveled the 1,294 km journey between Mexico City Juarez and Cancun in the twelve-month period between November 1, 2016 and October 31, 2017, putting it at the top of the study’s rankings. The average cost of a ticket was US$72.
Tuesday, January 2nd 2018 - 11:13 UTC
Panama Papers enable tax authorities worldwide to recoup US$ 500 million

More than US$500 million has been recouped by tax authorities worldwide after the Panama Papers revelations, first published in April 2016. Spain alone collected US$122 million after an investigation into the affairs of tax residents who had stockpiled money offshore. Among the countries represented in the Panama Papers data, a total of 15 – on three continents – have publicly commented on the amount of taxes recovered by tax authorities.
Tuesday, January 2nd 2018 - 11:07 UTC
Airbus closes a deal for a 430 aircraft order valued at US$ 49.5bn

Airbus announced that it had finalized agreements with Indigo Partners and its four portfolio airlines for the purchase of 430 additional A320neo Family aircraft for ultra-low-cost airlines Frontier Airlines (United States), JetSMART (Chile), Volaris (Mexico) and Wizz Air (Hungary).
Tuesday, January 2nd 2018 - 11:03 UTC
Berlusconi looks as kingmaker for 4 March general election; Merkel wished him good luck

Italians will head to the polls on 4 March in elections that look set to result in renewed instability and thrust former leader Silvio Berlusconi back to the centre of the political stage. Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni's cabinet set the date for the election after President Sergio Mattarella dissolved parliament.
Tuesday, January 2nd 2018 - 10:58 UTC
Brexit: First quarter of 2018, “point of no return” for financial services industry

The clock is ticking for the financial services industry, with banks said to be months away from being forced to act on Brexit contingency plans that could see thousands of jobs leave the UK. The first quarter of 2018 has been dubbed the “point of no return” for banks, insurers and asset managers as the industry calls on the UK to clinch a transition period that would extend market access to the EU beyond March 2019.
Tuesday, January 2nd 2018 - 10:53 UTC
Japan prepared to lift its ban on beef imports from Uruguay

Japan is planning to lift a ban on beef imports from Uruguay next year, ending a more than 17-year embargo following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the South American nation in 2000, according to government sources in Tokyo.