Tag: Transport

Japan transport officials visit Toyota HQ over testing scandal

TOKYO, June 4, 2024 (AFP) – Japanese transport officials inspected Toyota’s headquarters Tuesday after the top-selling automaker and four others including Honda and Mazda admitted failure to fully comply with national vehicle inspection standards. Five representatives visited the offices in central Aichi region to probe breaches declared by the company related to domestic shipment certifications. The transport ministry on Monday told five Japanese auto giants — Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Suzuki and Yamaha — to stop […]

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Jakarta’s only MRT line shuts down due to construction mishap

JAKARTA, May 30, 2024 (AFP) – A mass rapid transit line in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta was suspended on Thursday due to a construction incident along part of its elevated line, the operator said. No one was hurt due to the incident, Ahmad Pratomo, corporate secretary at operator PT MRT Jakarta, said in a statement to AFP. “Due to an incident at a construction activity carried out at the Attorney General office’s building… affecting the train’s […]

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Workers remove first chunk of destroyed Baltimore bridge

BALTIMORE, March 31, 2024 (AFP) – Workers have lifted out the first, 200-ton chunk of Baltimore’s collapsed bridge, officials said Sunday, as efforts get underway to clear the harbor of the steel structure destroyed by an out-of-control ship. Demolition crews using blow torches sliced through the upper part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which crumbled when the Dali cargo vessel lost power and struck it on Tuesday, killing six people. Authorities hope that removing […]

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Baltimore bridge being cut up after ship collision

The crumpled Baltimore bridge was being cut up in preparation for its removal, Maryland’s governor said Sunday, promising “progress” was being made after it was destroyed by an out-of-control ship. Demolition crews using blow torches sliced through the top part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed when the Dali cargo vessel lost power and struck it on Tuesday, killing six people. “Progress is beginning to happen despite the fact that it’s an incredibly […]

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Bulgaria, Romania take first steps into Europe’s visa-free zone

By Diana Simeonova with Antrada Lautaru SOFIA, March 31, 2024 (AFP) – Bulgaria and Romania joined Europe’s vast Schengen area of free movement on Sunday, opening up travel by air and sea without border checks after a 13-year wait. A veto by Austria however means the new status will not apply to land routes, after Vienna expressed concerns over a potential influx of asylum seekers. Despite the partial membership, the lifting of controls at the […]

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S.African president sends condolences after bus crash kills 45 Easter pilgrims

JOHANNESBURG, March 29, 2024 (AFP) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his condolences on Friday over an Easter bus crash that only an eight-year-old girl survived out of 46 people on board. She had been admitted to hospital after Thursday’s crash but did not suffer serious injury. Police have said they are investigating a case of culpable homicide, with the driver among the dead after allegedly losing control. The accident occurred when the bus […]

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Impact of Baltimore port closure on global supply chains

By Marie-Morgane LE MOEL PARIS, March 29, 2024 (AFP) – The bridge collapse that closed the Port of Baltimore has raised concerns about the disaster’s potential impact on the global supply chain. Authorities have warned that extensive work is needed before the major port can reopen following Tuesday’s catastrophic cargo ship collision, which has blocked the harbour’s entrance. Here is a look at what it could mean for global trade: – A major car terminal […]

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Cleanup begins in ‘very long road’ to recovery for Baltimore bridge, port

By Amel SEMMACHE BALTIMORE, March 29, 2024 (AFP) – Cranes began arriving Thursday at the scene of the catastrophic bridge collapse over Baltimore harbor, as authorities shifted to a clean-up phase of the recovery and warned of extensive work before the major US port can reopen. The machinery will be deployed in a tricky operation to clear the twisted steel remnants of the Francis Scott Key Bridge from where it fell into the Patapsco River […]

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What is the economic impact of the Baltimore bridge collapse?

By Beiyi SEOW with Elodie MAZEIN in New York WASHINGTON, March 27, 2024 (AFP) – Diverted cargo and supply chain disruptions have left businesses rushing to avoid an economic hit following the collapse of a major bridge in Baltimore after it was hit by a cargo ship. With vessel traffic at the Port of Baltimore suspended until further notice since Tuesday’s accident, experts warn of knock-on effects but say these should be manageable in the […]

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Port blocked by Baltimore bridge collapse is key hub for US shipping

BALTIMORE, March 26, 2024 (AFP) – Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, named after the poet who penned the lyrics to the US national anthem, used to carry an average of around 31,000 passengers a day across one of the busiest harbors in the United States. Its nighttime collapse, within seconds of being struck by a container ship, is likely to cause substantial economic damage for as long as it continues to force the closure of […]

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Baltimore bridge collapses after ship collision

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2024 (AFP) – The Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed after a ship collided with it, the Maryland Transportation Authority said early Tuesday. “I-695 Key Bridge collapse due to ship strike,” the MTA posted on social media platform X, referring to the interstate highway. It urged drivers to avoid the route over the Patapsco River, which it called an “active scene”. Earlier, the MTA had said interstate […]

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Gunman surrenders after three-hour hostage ordeal on Rio bus

By Lucia LACURCIA, Pablo PORCIUNCULA RIO DE JANEIRO, March 13, 2024 (AFP) – A gunman wounded two people at Rio de Janeiro’s main bus station Tuesday and held 16 passengers hostage for three hours before being convinced to surrender, police said. There were scenes of panic as gunshots rang out in the afternoon at the Novo Rio station through which some 38,000 people pass daily, with buses headed for all regions of Brazil. Witnesses said […]

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