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Business Times
13-08-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Striking Boeing defence workers turn to US Congress
BOEING defence industry workers currently on strike asked for congressional lawmakers' support on Wednesday as they seek to pressure the aviation giant to improve its bargaining offer to the union. 'We respectfully ask you to join us in supporting this vitally important, highly skilled workforce,' the machinist union said in letters to the Missouri congressional delegation, describing Boeing's latest offer as 'substandard.' Some 3,200 members of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District 837 have been on strike since Aug 4 after rejecting a contract proposal. The two sides have not held talks since the walkout, representatives of both sides said. The strike affects Boeing facilities in St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri and Mascoutah, Illinois. 'We ask you to urge the Boeing Company to promptly return to the bargaining table with new ideas and proposals in order to seek a fair and equitable settlement to this disagreement,' said a letter signed by IAM International President Brian Bryant. Products produced at the affected sites include the F-15 and F-18 combat aircraft, the T-7 Red Hawk Advanced Pilot Training System and the MQ-25 unmanned aircraft. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Prioirties for the union include fair compensation, with wages that meet the cost of living and 'a contract that respects seniority and experience,' the IAM said. Boeing said its offer includes 40 per cent average wage increases, as well as more vacation and sick leave. 'We're surprised to hear the IAM International call our offer 'substandard' after hailing it as a 'landmark' agreement which they endorsed just three weeks ago,' said Boeing Air Dominance vice-president Dan Gillian. 'We remain ready and willing to listen to any constructive proposals from the union.' The St. Louis local's stoppage follows a bruising Boeing strike last fall in the Pacific Northwest region of some 33,000 workers that halted production at factories that assemble Boeing commercial planes. Boeing executives have characterised the St. Louis strike as manageable, noting that they had prepared for a stoppage before the workers joined the pickets. AFP
Business Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Boeing and Justice Department seek judge's approval for deal opposed by crash victims' families
BOEING and the Justice Department on Wednesday asked a US judge to approve an agreement that allows the company to avoid prosecution despite objections from relatives of some of the 346 people killed in two 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019. The deal enables Boeing to avoid being branded a convicted felon and to escape oversight from an independent monitor for three years that was part of a plea deal struck in 2024 to a criminal fraud charge that it misled US regulators about a crucial flight control system on the 737 MAX, its best-selling jet. Boeing argued the executive branch solely has the power to decide whether to bring or maintain a prosecution. 'Because it is entirely within the government's discretion whether to pursue a criminal prosecution, an agreement not-to-prosecute does not require court approval,' Boeing said, asking a judge to reject objections filed by the families and grant the government's motion to dismiss the charge. 'Disputing the government's considered assessment of litigation risk, the calculation of the maximum fine, or the appropriate mechanism for compliance oversight, do not demonstrate - even remotely - that the government was clearly motivated by considerations contrary to the public interest.' The Justice Department said in a court filing it acted in good faith and in accordance with the law, agreeing to dismiss the case for an agreement 'that secures a significant fine, compliance improvements, and a substantial victim compensation fund.' BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The families cited Judge Reed O'Connor's statement in 2023 that 'Boeing's crime may properly be considered the deadliest corporate crime in US history.' They argue dismissal is not in the public interest and obligations imposed on Boeing are not enforceable. If the government declined to move forward with the prosecution even if the court rejected the deal, O'Connor should appoint a special prosecutor, the families said. Boeing and the Justice Department both asked O'Connor to reject appointing a special prosecutor. Under the deal, Boeing agreed to pay an additional US$444.5 million into a crash victims fund to be divided evenly per crash victim, on top of a new US$243.6 million fine. Boeing in July 2024 agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge after the two fatal 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Under the non-prosecution agreement, Boeing will pay US$1.1 billion in total, including the fine, compensation to families and more than US$455 million to strengthen the company's compliance, safety and quality programmes. The vast majority of the families have settled civil suits with Boeing and collectively have been 'paid several billion dollars,' the Justice Department said. REUTERS
NDTV
12-06-2025
- Business
- NDTV
"Anything We Can Do, We Will Do": Trump On Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Washington DC: US President Donald Trump spoke about the tragic plane crash in India on Thursday, offering any support the United States can provide as investigations are under way to ascertain what the reasons were that led to the incident. "It was a horrible accident. Anything we can do, we will do," President Trump said at a press conference in Washington DC. An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed immediately after take-off from Ahmedabad airport this afternoon, in one of the worst-ever aviation tragedies in history. There were 232 passengers and 10 crew on the flight which was headed to London. 'LOOKED LIKE THE ENGINES MAYBE LOST POWER' "The plane crash was terrible. I've already told them that anything we can do, we will do (to help). India is a big country, a strong country, and they will handle it, I'm sure, but I let them know that anything the US can do, we'll be over immediately," President Trump said. "It was a horrific crash, and it looks like most are gone. We're hearing that there may be a couple of survivors. The crash was horrible and nobody knows what exactly happened. I gave them a couple of pointers, saying, 'maybe you'd want to look at this'. We saw the plane - it looked like it was flying pretty didn't look that there was any explosion (on board). Just looked like the engines maybe lost power, but boy, that was a terrible crash - looks like the worst in aviation history," he added. WORRY MOUNTS FOR BOEING Today's plane crash adds to American aviation company Boeing's concerns, since it is already facing global challenges following a series of safety and production challenges. Its new CEO has been trying to rebuild trust since he took over, but today's Dreamliner 787-8 crash, and the manner in which it went down has left Boeing without answers. For the time being, there is no clarity on what may have caused the crash. Air disasters can occur for a number of different reasons, and only an investigation will reveal what happened on the Ahmedabad-London flight. Boeing's stock price went down about 4.9 per cent shortly after the Dreamliner crash on Thursday. In a statement later in the day, Boeing said it was aware of the initial reports about the crash and was working to gather more information. Shares of Spirit AeroSystems, a key supplier, and GE Aerospace, which makes engines for the jet, also fell about 2 per cent each. According to news agency Reuters, the wide-body 787 planes, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service, have never had a fatal crash until the Air India incident. They were grounded in 2013 due to battery issues, but no one was reported injured. Boeing's narrow-body 737 MAX jets, however, were grounded for years following two fatal crashes and have faced years of scrutiny and production delays. Last year, the American planemaker came under renewed scrutiny after a door plug blew off a 737 MAX 9 mid-flight, prompting a temporary grounding by US' aviation body and fresh concerns over quality control.
The Hill
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump says Russia-Ukraine direct talks to ‘begin immediately'
PRESENTED BY BOEING The Big Story President Trump on Monday said Russia and Ukraine will immediately begin negotiations on a ceasefire, following phone calls with the leaders of each country. © (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, left and center, Pavel Bednyakov, right The White House said Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for about two hours, after speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier in the day. The president also noted the Vatican has offered to host the negotiations. Trump has been pushing for a 30-day ceasefire in the war, and the White House said before Monday's calls that he was frustrated with both sides. The president called for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine before entering office, and more than two months of direct diplomacy has failed to get Putin to agree to even basic terms. The announcement of direct negotiations comes after Putin last week skipped appearing at direct talks in Istanbul that he proposed. While Zelensky traveled to Turkey in a bid to entice Putin, the Russian leader sent a low-level delegation to meet with the Ukrainian team. Agreement on a ceasefire was not reached, but the two sides agreed on a swap of 1,000 prisoners and committed to keep talking. On Monday, Trump described the tone and spirit of his conversation with Putin as 'excellent.' Trump also said he spoke with the leaders of the European Union, France, Italy, Germany and Finland immediately after his call with Putin and said the Vatican 'would be very interested in hosting the negotiations. Let the process begin!' Putin, in remarks reported by Russian state media, said Russia was ready to work with Ukraine on a memorandum on a future peace treaty. But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed expectations of quick agreement, saying ending the Ukraine war would require 'rather painstaking and, perhaps, prolonged work,' Russian state media reported. Zelensky, speaking at a press conference Monday evening, rejected Putin's demands to withdraw Ukrainian troops from four partially occupied regions. Russian negotiators reportedly raised those conditions during the talks in Istanbul. Read the full report at Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future: Retired 4-star Navy admiral found guilty in bribery case The Navy's former No. 2 officer on Monday was found guilty of bribery and other counts related to steering work to a company in exchange for a job after leaving the service, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. Retired Adm. Robert Burke, former Navy vice chief of naval operations, was convicted of bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery, performing acts affecting a personal … Pentagon touts major defense partnership with United Arab Emirates The Trump administration plans to establish a 'Major Defense Partnership' with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), bilateral cooperation that could mean joint weapons development and closer military collaboration between the United States and the wealthy Gulf nation. The letter of intent, signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and UAE Defense Minister Mohamed Mubarak Al Mazrouei on Friday in Abu Dhabi, sets in motion a 'roadmap … Rubio says 'we'll find out pretty soon' if Russia is 'tapping us along' in Ukraine talks Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday expressed cautious optimism about the Kremlin's commitment to brokering peace with Ukraine as the U.S. continues to press for an end to the war that's stretched on for nearly three years. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with Rubio on Saturday and, per Rubio, Lavrov said Russia is in the process of drafting a ceasefire proposal. 'He communicated in our call, … On Our Radar Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Comey calls Trump seashell photo backlash a 'distraction' after Secret Service scrutiny Former FBI Director James Comey on Monday called the recent backlash to his '8647' seashell photo a 'distraction' and maintained that his intentions were 'totally innocent' behind the now-deleted post. In an interview on MSNBC's 'Deadline: White House,' host Nicole Wallace asked … A MESSAGE FROM BOEING Our air dominance systems deliver the decisive edge against the threats of today and tomorrow. Learn more. On Tap Tomorrow Events in and around the defense world: What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets: Trending Today Two key stories on The Hill right now: First Trump $1,000 'self-deport' flight conducted by DHS The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has conducted its first charter flight for migrants who agreed to 'self-deport' after starting … Read more Nearly 80 more Big Lots stores to reopen in June: Here's where More than 100 Big Lots stores have reopened this year. Now, 80 more are preparing to reopen soon. Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
Fox News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump visits Qatar as country's jet offer puts spotlight on nation's growing influence in Washington
Print Close By Morgan Phillips Published May 14, 2025 The deepening U.S. relationship with Qatar is drawing fresh scrutiny this week as President Donald Trump began a Middle East tour amid reports that he may accept a free jet from the Qatari royal family to replace his current plane as Air Force One. The prospect has drawn bipartisan pushback, which Trump has met with indifference. "Qatar is not, in my opinion, a great ally. I mean, they support Hamas. So what I'm worried about is the safety of the president," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told reporters on Tuesday. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told Fox News, "I think it's not worth the appearance of impropriety." TRUMP DEFENDS QATAR JUMBO JET OFFER AS TROUBLED BOEING FAILS TO DELIVER NEW AIR FORCE ONE FLEET "[The Qataris] said to me, 'we would like to, in effect, we would like to make a gift. You've done so many things. and we'd like to make you a gift to the Defense Department,' which is where it's going. and I said, 'Well, that's nice.' Now, some people say, 'Oh, you shouldn't accept gifts for the country.' My attitude is, why wouldn't I accept the gift? We're giving to everybody else, why wouldn't I accept a gift?" Trump explained to Fox News' Sean Hannity on Tuesdsay. U.S. relations with Doha have come a long way since 2017, when Trump accused Qatar of harboring terrorism: "The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level," Trump said at the time. From there, Qatar became a major non-NATO ally to the U.S. in 2022 under President Biden and is home to Al Udeid Air Base, one of the U.S.' largest Middle East bases and a key hub for U.S. Central Command operations. Qatar has been at the forefront of peace and hostage negotiations, especially in the war between Israel and Hamas. An Israeli delegation traveled to Doha on Tuesday to hash out a potential agreement on a hostage exchange and ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. "Qatar is an indispensable security and energy partner to the United States. It's a strategic partnership that has grown stronger and more expansive over time," Ali Al-Ansari, media attaché at the Qatari embassy, told Fox News Digital. "His highness the Amir and President Trump have a longstanding relationship over many years, and both leaders have the shared goals of peace, security and stability." "Qatar is working closely with the president and his team to advance these shared goals, whether in Gaza, Ukraine, Congo or other areas of instability." TRUMP SAYS HE'LL DROP SANCTIONS ON SYRIA IN MOVE TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS In March, weeks of negotiations led by U.S. and Qatari mediators led to the release of American George Glezmann, who had been imprisoned by the Taliban in Afghanistan for more than two years. Doha's negotiators were also involved in the U.S.-Hamas deal to release the last living American hostage, Edan Alexander, on Monday. "They're very smart at making themselves useful," said Michael Makovsky, CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. The Trump Organization has cinched a new deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar, partnering with Qatari Diar, a real estate company backed by that country's sovereign wealth fund. "Their financial connections to people in Trump's orbit, their making themselves useful as our mediators, communicating that strategically, the Qataris have been very effective at making themselves important," Makovsky added. And despite its relatively small population – less than 3 million – Qatar controls over 10% of the world's natural gas reserves. "They have an enormous amount of influence as a result of the money they spend," said Jonathan Schanzer, executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Energy Secretary Chris Wright praised Qatar as a "valued energy partner" – the second-largest producer of liquid natural gas in the world. "I look forward to building on this new era of U.S.-Qatari relations together," he said. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has praised Qatar as a valued partner in negotiations. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kans., joined Trump officials in defending Qatar during a Senate hearing on campus antisemitism recently. As a witness described links between the Qataris donating billions to universities and antisemitic protests, Marshall shot back: "Qatar has been a great ally to America. So I don't know why you're attacking them." But others are skeptical. "The Qataris have been sponsoring a wide range of terror groups for decades," said Schanzer. "It's been a bipartisan decision to turn a blind eye to the problem." Israel supporters have long accused Qatar of funding Hamas. Prior to the outbreak of war after Oct. 7, 2023, Doha for years sent millions of dollars per month to the Gaza Strip to prop up Hamas' governing structure there. They've also spent billions in the U.S., including an aggressive lobbying operation in Washington. "We have seen them invest billions of dollars into higher education. We know that they're investing in K-12 education in this country," said Schanzer. "They're buying up parcels of valuable real estate. They are … spending massive amounts of money in states like Texas and South Carolina, where you have the defense industry and the energy industry." "Over the last two decades or so they have spent a lot of money, expended a lot of effort, and it's now paying dividends." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Schanzer said he was pleased the discussion over the Boeing plane had spurred a national conversation over Qatar's influence in the U.S. "This is a longstanding problem that has gone unaddressed by Barack Obama, by Joe Biden, by George W. Bush and by Trump." Print Close URL
