2025-08-17 06:24
Aug 17 (Reuters) - The Israeli military said it had targeted an energy infrastructure site that was used by the Iran-aligned Houthis south of the Yemeni capital Sanaa early on Sunday, with Israeli media saying the Haziz power station had been hit. The military said in a statement that the strikes were in response to repeated attacks by the Houthis against Israel, including launching missiles and drones towards its territory. Sign up here. Israeli media reported earlier that the attack on the Haziz power station near the capital was carried out by the Israeli navy. Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said that the power station was hit by an "aggression", knocking some of its generators out of service. It did not indicate the source of the attack. Teams were able to contain a resulting fire, Al Masirah reported, citing the deputy prime minister. At least two explosions were heard earlier in Sanaa, residents said. Israel has been bombing Yemen in response to Houthi attacks on Israel. The Yemeni group has been firing missiles towards Israel, most of which have been intercepted, in what they describe as support for Palestinians during the war in Gaza. The United States and the UK have also previously launched attacks against the Houthis in Yemen. In May, the U.S. announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to the group's attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-says-it-targeted-energy-infrastructure-site-used-by-houthis-near-yemeni-2025-08-17/
2025-08-17 06:22
Aug 17 (Reuters) - Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, has been downgraded to Category 3, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said early on Sunday, as the storm's wind speed eased slightly. The hurricane was about 330 miles (530 km) east-southeast of Grand Turk Island packing maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph). Sign up here. It had been gauged as high as a catastrophic Category 5 with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (240 kph), then downgraded to a Category 4. It had earlier been forecast to strengthen into this week. The meteorological services of France and the Netherlands discontinued tropical storm watches for St. Martin, St. Barthelemy and Sint Maarten, the NHC said. On Sunday, Erin was moving west-northwest at nearly 14 mph (22 kph) with a decrease in forward speed expected on Sunday and a turn to the north on Monday and Tuesday, the NHC said. Erin was forecast to pass to the east of the Turks and Caicos islands and the southeastern Bahamas on Sunday night and Monday. Swells generated by Erin will continue to affect parts of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos Islands for the next couple of days, the NHC said. These swells will spread to the Bahamas, Bermuda, the east coast of the United States, and Atlantic Canada during the early and middle portions of the week. Rough ocean conditions will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip currents, the NHC said. The Bahamas, which provides some meteorological services for the Turks and Caicos Islands, issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the British islands to its southeast. Erin has also raised concerns about wildfire risks if human-caused sparks ignite parched vegetation and strong dry winds fan the flames. BMS Group Senior Meteorologist Andrew Siffert said these conditions could arise if Erin grows into a powerful offshore storm fueled by colliding warm and cold air rather than tropical seas. Insurance-linked securities manager Twelve Securis said on Friday that Erin was forecast to remain far enough offshore to spare the U.S. East Coast from significant impacts. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/erin-downgraded-category-3-hurricane-nhc-says-2025-08-17/
2025-08-17 06:16
BEIJING, Aug 17 (Reuters) - At least eight people have died in a flash flood in northern China, state media reported on Sunday, with four others still missing, as the East Asian monsoon continues to unleash atmospheric chaos across the world's second-largest economy. The banks of a river running through the grasslands of Inner Mongolia burst at around 10 p.m. (1400 GMT) on Saturday, the report said, washing away 13 campers on the outskirts of the city of Bayannur, a major agricultural hub. One person has been rescued. Sign up here. China has suffered weeks of extreme weather since July, battered by heavier-than-usual downpours with the monsoon stalling over its north and south. Weather experts link the shifting pattern to climate change, testing officials as flash floods displace thousands and threaten billions of dollars in economic losses. Bayannur is an important national grain and oil production base, as well as a sheep breeding and processing centre. At the other end of the country, a three-and-a-half-month fishing suspension in the southern province of Hainan ended on Saturday, state media reported, after agricultural affairs officials ordered ships to shelter in port owing to persistent, heavy rain. In the southwestern province of Sichuan, "severe weather" on Friday killed two people and injured three others at a beer festival in the city of Mianzhu, after a truss fell on them, according to a local police report issued on Saturday. The deluge in Inner Mongolia follows a deadly downpour in Beijing - just under 1,000 km (621 miles) away - late last month which killed at least 44 people and forced the evacuation of more than 70,000 residents. The central government announced last week 430 million yuan ($59.9 million) in fresh funding for disaster relief, taking the total allocated since April to at least 5.8 billion yuan. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/northern-china-flash-flood-kills-8-xinhua-reports-2025-08-17/
2025-08-16 17:52
SAO PAULO, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Brazilian state-run oil company Petrobras is considering an investment in sugar and ethanol producer Raizen (RAIZ4.SA) , opens new tab as a way to re-enter the ethanol market, local newspaper O Globo reported on Saturday, citing sources. Petrobras had previously said it was eying a return to the ethanol sector after having announced in its 2017-2021 strategic plan it would no longer produce biofuels, while Raizen is open to a new partner as it faces financial hurdles. Sign up here. Petrobras and Raizen did not immediately respond to requests for comment. O Globo said Petrobras could make a decision by year-end. The oil company is studying several options, including joining Raizen as a partner or buying assets from the firm, the report added. Raizen, the world's largest sugar maker and a leading ethanol producer, is controlled by Shell (SHEL.L) , opens new tab and Brazilian conglomerate Cosan (CSAN3.SA) , opens new tab. The company also has businesses in the fuel distribution sector. Raizen earlier this week acknowledged the possibility of a new shareholder after reporting weak results, which caused its stock to plunge to a record low. Cosan said bringing in a new partner for the company was "an option we like." Raizen has been facing operational challenges and high debt. Recent measures put in place to reduce leverage included divestitures and shutting down a major mill. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/petrobras-mulls-investment-raizen-re-enter-ethanol-market-o-globo-reports-2025-08-16/
2025-08-16 16:46
LONDON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Oil markets are set for a muted price reaction when they open on Sunday after U.S. President Donald Trump's and Russian leader Vladimir Putin's meeting in Alaska, at which Trump said a fully-fledged peace deal was the aim for Ukraine rather than a ceasefire. Trump said he had agreed with Putin that negotiators should go straight to a peace settlement - not via a ceasefire, as Ukraine and European allies, until now with U.S. support, have been demanding. Sign up here. Trump said he would hold off imposing tariffs on countries such as China for buying Russian oil following his talks with Putin. He has previously threatened sanctions on Moscow and secondary sanctions on countries such as China and India that buy Russian oil if no moves are made to end the Ukraine war. "This will mean Russian oil will continue to flow undisturbed and this should be bearish for oil prices," said ICIS analyst Ajay Parmar. "It is worth noting that we think the impact of this will be minimal though and prices will likely see only a small dip in the very near term as a result of this news." The oil market will wait for developments from a meeting in Washington on Monday between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. European leaders have also been invited to the meeting, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. "Market participants will track comments from European leaders but for now Russian supply disruption risks will remain contained," said Giovanni Staunovo, analyst at UBS. Brent settled at $65.85 a barrel on Friday, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate at $62.80 - both down nearly $1 before the talks in Alaska. Traders are waiting for a deal, so until that emerges, crude prices are likely to be stuck in a narrow range, said Phil Flynn, a senior analyst with Price Futures Group. "What we do know is that the threat of immediate sanctions on Russia, or secondary sanctions on other countries is put on hold for now, which would be bearish," he said. After the imposition of Western sanctions, including a seaborne oil embargo and price caps on Russian oil, Russia has redirected flows to China and India. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-markets-seen-bearish-after-trump-putin-alaska-meeting-2025-08-16/
2025-08-16 16:31
Aug 16 (Reuters) - Hurricane Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, has become a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Saturday. The storm was about 175 miles (285 km) northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h). Sign up here. The NHC forecast Erin would turn west-northwest on Saturday night and slow its advance, then turn northward early next week. A slow weakening was expected to begin on Monday. The NHC had previously said it expected Erin to strengthen into next week. The hurricane's center was forecast to pass north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico through Sunday and move to the east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas on Sunday night and Monday. Swells generated by Erin will affect portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos Islands through the weekend, the NHC said. The swells will spread to the Bahamas, Bermuda and the East Coast of the United States early next week, it said. The Bahamas, which provides some meteorological services for the Turks and Caicos Islands, issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the British islands to its southeast. Erin has also raised concerns about wildfire risks if human-caused sparks ignite parched vegetation and strong dry winds fan the flames. BMS Group Senior Meteorologist Andrew Siffert said these conditions could arise if Erin grows into a powerful offshore storm fueled by colliding warm and cold air rather than tropical seas. Insurance-linked securities manager Twelve Securis said on Friday that Erin was forecast to remain far enough offshore to spare the U.S. East Coast from significant impacts. Erin is expected to produce areas of heavy rainfall through Sunday across the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, the NHC said. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/erin-strengthens-category-5-hurricane-nhc-says-2025-08-16/
