RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s inflation held at 1.8 percent in August for the fourth-straight month, as housing, food and transport costs continued to drive consumer prices higher, official data showed.
The annual increase matched July’s reading, while the Consumer Price Index rose 0.1 percent from the previous month, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics.
This increase was mainly driven by a rise in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel prices by 3.9 percent, food and beverage prices by 1.4 percent, and transport prices by 2 percent, the report added.
Saudi Arabia’s inflation remains relatively subdued compared with some regional peers.
Oman’s rate accelerated to 3.4 percent in August, driven by an 8.5 percent increase in transport costs and a 7 percent rise in food and non-alcoholic beverages, while inflation averaged 2.9 percent in the first eight months.
Jordan’s inflation stood at 2.66 percent in August, taking the average for the first eight months to 2.20 percent.
This comes as Kamco Invest said in a report last month that regional tensions could fuel inflation by pushing up oil prices and disrupting fertilizer exports, although inflation across the Gulf Cooperation Council remained subdued in June and July.
In its latest report, GASTAT stated: “The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels division was the main contributor to the annual inflation with a contribution of 0.8 percentage points, followed by the food and beverages division with a contribution of 0.3 percentage points, in addition to the transport division with a contribution of 0.3 percentage points.”
Since housing remains the single largest driver of Saudi CPI, authorities have leaned heavily on real estate interventions to keep it in check. A five-year freeze of annual rent increases for new and existing residential and commercial contracts within Riyadh’s urban boundaries took effect in September last year.
Housing and personal care lead gains
The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels division rose 3.9 percent year on year, largely due to a 3.9 percent increase in actual rents.
The personal care, social protection and other goods and services division followed with a 3.5 percent annual rise, pushed up by a 13.3 percent jump in other personal effects, itself driven by a 14.4 percent surge in jewelry and watch prices.
Recreation, sport and culture climbed 2.8 percent, helped by a 4.7 percent rise in holiday package prices.
On the downside, furniture, home appliances and routine home maintenance fell 0.6 percent, while clothing and footwear slipped 0.5 percent.
Monthly movements mixed
On a monthly basis, personal care, social protection and other goods and services rose 0.8 percent in August, transport gained 0.6 percent, and insurance and financial services rose 0.5 percent.
Housing costs edged up 0.2 percent on a 0.2 percent rise in actual rents. Food and beverages slipped 0.1 percent, while restaurants and accommodation services fell 0.4 percent, the steepest monthly decline among divisions.
Average prices show sharp swings
A separate GASTAT report on average prices of goods and services showed some of the sharpest monthly moves came from fresh produce and construction inputs.
Local onions posted the largest monthly gain of any tracked item, up 17.9 percent, followed by imported onions at 11.6 percent, medium local potatoes at 7 percent, and local zucchini at 6.7 percent.
Hotel accommodation rose 2.5 percent, while furnished apartments increased 2.8 percent on the month.
On the other side, local tomatoes recorded the steepest monthly drop at 15.2 percent, followed by imported tomatoes down 9.3 percent and medium African lemons down 9.2 percent.
Among construction materials, national reinforcing iron of various diameters fell between 1 and 2 percent month on month, while national electrical cables and wires rose broadly, led by a 25.7 percent annual increase in 35mm cables.
Wholesale Price Index
Saudi Arabia’s Wholesale Price Index stood at 4.6 percent in August, down from 5 percent in July, GASTAT said.
This was driven mainly by an 8.2 percent jump in other transportable goods, excluding metal products, machinery and equipment, on the back of a 51.4 percent surge in basic chemical prices and a 4 percent rise in refined petroleum product prices.
Metal products, machinery and equipment prices rose 2.2 percent annually, while agriculture and fishery products increased 4.8 percent. Ores and minerals prices fell 1.8 percent.
“On a monthly basis, the WPI recorded a decline of 0.2 percent in August compared to July 2026,” the report noted, weighed down by a 1 percent drop in other transportable goods and a 2 percent fall in ores and minerals, even as metal products, machinery and equipment rose 0.8 percent and food, beverages, tobacco and textiles gained 0.6 percent.
Producer Price Index
Separately, Saudi Arabia’s Producer Price Index for July — the most recent data available — recorded a 5.3 percent annual increase compared with July 2025, according to GASTAT.
The rise was driven by a 5.5 percent increase in manufacturing prices, a 2.3 percent rise in electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply prices, and a 6.8 percent increase in water supply, sewerage and waste management activity prices.
Within manufacturing, prices for chemicals and chemical products jumped 13.1 percent annually, wearing apparel rose 12.9 percent, and basic metals climbed 8.8 percent.
On a monthly basis, however, the PPI fell 2.8 percent in July compared with June, mainly on a 3.0 percent decline in manufacturing prices, led by a 6.8 percent drop in refined petroleum product prices.
RIYADH: Egypt’s annual nationwide inflation rate eased to 12.7 percent in August from 13 percent in the previous month, as lower food prices offset increases in electricity, housing and other household costs.
The nationwide consumer price index was unchanged from July at 289.8 points, according to data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics. Annual urban inflation also eased to 14.5 percent from 14.9 percent in July.
Egypt continued to experience faster price growth than several regional peers, although the latest available comparative readings are for July rather than August.
Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation was 1.8 percent in July, while Jordan’s was 2.7 percent, according to official data from the respective countries. Morocco recorded a 0.6 percent annual decline in consumer prices.
The International Monetary Fund expects Egypt’s inflation to rise to 16.7 percent in the second half of 2026, reflecting higher energy prices, exchange-rate depreciation and unfavorable base effects.
In its latest report, CAPMAS stated: “The food and beverages division recorded a decrease of 1.2 percent due to a 0.1 percent decrease in the prices of cereals and bread, a 1.5 percent decrease in the prices of meat and poultry, a 0.1 percent decrease in the prices of fish and seafood, and a 7 percent decrease in the prices of vegetables.”
Housing costs climb
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose 1.9 percent during the month. Electricity, gas and fuel prices increased 4.3 percent, while actual rents rose 0.8 percent and housing maintenance costs increased 0.5 percent.
Prices for furnishings and household equipment rose 0.7 percent, while clothing increased 0.5 percent, healthcare 0.4 percent, transport 0.2 percent, and restaurants and hotels 0.5 percent.
On an annual basis, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels recorded the largest increase, at 33 percent, with actual rents up 28 percent and electricity, gas and fuels rising 22.4 percent.
Transport costs increased 21.7 percent annually, while education rose 20 percent and recreation and culture increased 15.3 percent. Food and beverages prices rose 6.5 percent, with vegetable prices up 27.7 percent.
Monetary policy
The inflation data comes after the Central Bank of Egypt kept its key interest rates unchanged last month, with the overnight deposit rate at 19 percent and the lending rate at 20 percent. The main operation and discount rates were maintained at 19.5 percent.
The CBE expects headline inflation to accelerate through the third quarter because of unfavorable base effects before gradually declining from the first quarter of 2027. It expects inflation to converge toward its 7 percent target, plus or minus 2 percentage points, during the second half of 2027.
The central bank has warned that the inflation outlook remains exposed to risks from regional hostilities and a stronger-than-expected pass-through from fiscal consolidation measures.
ogichobanov/iStock via Getty Images
The healthcare sector (XLV) gained 4.91% in August, outperforming the broader S&P 500 (SPY), which advanced 2.68% during the month. Healthcare stocks benefited from strength in biotechnology and medical technology, while healthcare services, managed care, and selected pharmaceutical stocks
By Jonathan J. Cooper and Ben Finley
WASHINGTON — President Trump on Thursday named Adam Telle, a civilian leader in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as the acting Army secretary following the departure of Dan Driscoll amid widespread reports of tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Telle is currently the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works. But he spent more than 20 years working for Republican senators as well as in the White House during Trump’s first term, serving as the president’s chief liaison to the Senate, according to an Army bio.
“He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
Hegseth echoed that in his own post on X.
“Huge congrats to Adam. Strong and whip smart,” Hegseth wrote. “He is indeed a great Patriot — and will be an immediate asset to the @USArmy.”
Driscoll gave no explanation for his decision to quit this week as the Army’s top civilian official. His clashes with Hegseth have been widely reported, and some of Driscoll’s allies in the Army were ousted this year by Trump’s Pentagon chief.
Telle has been at the Army Office of Civil Works since August 2025, according to Legistorm, a website that tracks lawmakers and Capitol Hill staffers. Before that, Telle worked as chief of staff for Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee from 2021-25.
Telle spent 18 months working in the White House during Trump’s first term and 10 years working for the late Republican Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, according to Legistorm.
Telle also worked as the chief staff member on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Homeland Security Subcommittee, according to Hagerty’s remarks when Telle was nominated for the civil works job in May 2025.
In his most recent job, Telle focused on matters involving commercial navigation, flood damage reduction and permitting under the Clean Water Act. Telle issued a statement in August about the approval of a company’s plans to reroute an aging oil pipeline around a Wisconsin tribal reservation. In May, he was quoted in a story in the Forum, a newspaper in Fargo, N.D., about a $3.2-billion flood control project that will protect more than 200,000 people.
Telle will now be overseeing the nation’s largest fighting force at a time when the U.S. is still engaged in conflict with Iran and significant Army forces are stationed in the Middle East.
The war has significantly contributed to the U.S. military’s shortfall in critical weapons like the Patriot and THAAD defense missile interceptors systems, which are operated by the Army.
Driscoll, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, is a friend of Vice President JD Vance and had good relationships with both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
His allies in the Army who were ousted by Hegseth included its top uniformed leader, Gen. Randy George. Gen. Christopher LaNeve took over as the Army’s acting chief of staff and recently pulled the plug on a drone modernization program that Driscoll had championed.
Driscoll spoke with Trump on the current state of the Army before he submitted his resignation, the Associated Press has reported.
Driscoll did not allude to any problems in the only public statement on his departure, saying Tuesday that it has been “the honor of a lifetime” to serve as Army secretary under Trump and Hegseth.
Democrats and Republicans lamented Driscoll’s departure, with some blaming Hegseth directly.
Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who is retiring and sometimes has clashed with Trump, said on social media that Hegseth “is creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks.”
Cooper and Finley write for the Associated Press.
The United States economy has added 162,000 jobs in August, with large gains in local government education and food services.
The unemployment rate remained unchanged, according to the monthly jobs report released by the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Friday.
list of 4 itemsend of list
The data was well above analysts’ expectations. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 56,000 gains, the Wall Street Journal forecast 53,000, and Bloomberg had forecast 55,000, following a loss of 23,000 in July.
Local government education, or public schools, accounted for nearly 42,000 of the jobs added as the 2026–27 school year begins across much of the US. Teachers typically fall off payrolls during the summer months when school is not in session.
Food service jobs also saw large increases, with the sector adding 59,000 jobs for the month of August compared with the month prior.
There were also gains in construction, which added 22,000 jobs, and healthcare, which added 12,000.
The information sector, which accounts for industries like data processing, web hosting, publishing, broadcasting and telecommunications, fell by 23,000, with notable layoffs at companies including Scripps TV and Zillow, which fall under the umbrella of these industries.
The financial activities sector, which accounts for industries like insurance, commercial banking and real estate, dropped by 12,000.
The data comes in sharp contrast to the ADP national employment report, which tracks private payrolls and found 38,000 jobs added across the US economy.
Meanwhile, the Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report released on Tuesday revealed job openings were slightly changed, with 7.3 million in July, up from 7.2 million the previous month, while total separations fell to 5.1 million in July from 5.3 million in June.
The move in job gains comes ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting later this month, where the central bank will vote on interest rates. Amid the job gains, CME Group’s FedWatch, which tracks the likelihood of monetary policy decisions, had a 60 percent chance of a 25 basis point rate increase to 3.75–4.00 percent, up from 49 percent on Thursday.
US President Donald Trump was quick to comment on the jobs report and push for rate cuts.
“Lower the interest rates because the U.S.A. is a much stronger credit than it was a short time ago!” he said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
He also ramped up threats to cut off trade with nations that the US has a deficit with if the central bank does not cut rates.
Despite a strong jobs report, US markets are trending downwards. The Nasdaq is down 0.2 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 0.5 percent, and the S&P 500 is down 0.3 percent amid Trump’s comments.
Meanwhile, Canada released its jobs report amid the ongoing trade dispute with the US. The Canadian economy lost 41,700 jobs, according to Statistics Canada, with the unemployment rate holding steady at 6.4 percent.
“We expect the economy will continue struggling to create jobs in the near term as mounting headwinds from new US-Canada tariffs, greater uncertainty from a flare-up in the trade war, and the ongoing Iran conflict and a shrinking population weigh on hiring,” Tony Stillo, director of Canada Economics at Oxford Economics, said in a note provided to Al Jazeera.
ronniechua
China’s service sector activity expanded at a faster pace in August 2026, with the RatingDog China General Services PMI rising to 51.4 from July’s 50.4, which had marked the softest growth since September 2024.
The latest reading comfortably beat market
Sept. 2 (UPI) — Private payrolls rose by 38,000 in August, though it was less than expected and fell below the 46,000 jobs added in July, ADP reported on Wednesday.
August’s new hires report was the slowest month in terms of hiring since January with the manufacturing, professional services and information industries cutting jobs.
“Pay can tell us a lot about today’s choppy hiring,” Dr. Nela Richardson, chief economist for ADP, said in a statement. “To understand hiring patterns, you have to look deeply into where pay growth is accelerating, where it’s slowing, and for whom. Once-predictable wage growth has been overtaken by the complexities of demographic change, persistent inflation, and AI’s effects on jobs.”
Manufacturing jobs posted the biggest losses, down 17,000, followed by professional and business services, down 16,000. The losses offset a 45,000 gain in education and health services jobs and 16,000 new hires in the leisure and hospitality industry.
Large businesses of more than 500 employees added the most new hires, up 34,000, followed by small businesses with one to 19 employees, up 20,000. Small businesses with 20 to 49 employees decreased by 17,000 jobs.
The Dow Jones consensus estimate projected 47,000 new hires in August, 9,000 jobs more than ADP’s reported results.
Wednesday’s report comes ahead of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly nonfarm payrolls report expected on Friday.
The Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestsellers list for Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, including hardcover and paperback fiction and nonfiction.
Source link
RAIL commuters have been warned of disruption to services over the bank holiday weekend.
With strike action set to take place, a number of services will be effected on Sunday and Monday.
Travel chaos is expected at East Midlands Railway (EMR) this weekend as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are set to walk out in a dispute over safety.
EMR has confirmed plans for a “significantly reduced” timetable for services to and from London on both days.
It has advised passengers to check details before embarking on their journeys and to only travel if absolutely essential this bank holiday weekend.
This Sunday (August 30) will see even further disruption, with no LNER trains running between London King’s Cross and Peterborough as digital signalling upgrades are carried out by Network Rail.
EMR services to and from London St Pancras are expected to be extremely busy on Sunday, with the increase in demand coinciding with the reduced services.
Meanwhile, Sheffield station and Nottingham station will be very busy, with queues to board services set to be in place.
The strike action comes as the RMT continues to voice concerns about safety issues on some trains.
EMR said it is holding “constructive discussions” with the RMT, meeting with the union six times as it works towards resolving the issues.
Philippa Cresswell, customer experience director at EMR, said the company recognise “how frustrating this disruption will be for customers”.
“We are very sorry for the impact this will have on August bank holiday plans,” she said.
“We strongly advise customers to only travel to or from London if their journey is essential on Sunday, August 30 and Monday, August 31, and to check their full journey, including first and last trains, before setting out.”
Meanwhile, the RMT said its members have been instructed to refuse to work a Class 810 train if a list of specified faults continue, including lack of air-con, door faults, and non-working toilets.
The union’s general secretary Eddie Dempsey said it would ensure representatives will be permanently involved in discussions with both EMR and manufacturers Hitachi to try to improve the situation.
“RMT is demanding that whilst these faults exist and until these trains are shown to be operating properly, they should be taken out of service,” he said.
“It is now time for EMR management to act on the safety concerns of our members.”
Ibiza is a popular destination for many holidaymakers thanks to its natural beauty, serene beaches, and world famous bars and clubs (file)(Image: Getty Images)
A mum who booked a trip to Ibiza is having regrets after a spate of “extreme weather” has left her worried her “flight may be delayed”. Ibiza is widely regarded as the party capital of the world, with images of vibrant clubs packed with keen revellers moving to beats spun by world famous DJs most often coming to mind when hearing its name.
But that’s not all it’s known for – its pristine, serene beaches offer a breathtaking retreat for those craving a spot of relaxation; hikers are spoiled for choice with rugged yet scenic cliffs, coastal paths, pine forests and other dramatic areas; while the UNESCO-listed walled old town of Dalt Vila is a haven for history lovers; with plenty more on offer too.
It’s no surprise then that the destination is a top choice for a wide range of holidays, with its usually hot summers and mild, gentle winters making it a decent getaway destination all year round.
This August, however, is a different story entirely. A sudden change in sea levels has led to flooding, heavy rainfall and strong winds.
There’s been reports of locals and tourists alike bolting from Platja de s’Arenal beach, which can be found in the town of Sant Antoni de Portmany, while an event planned to honour the music of a Spanish rock band was cancelled by San Antonio Town Hall “for security reasons”, after the stage was surrounded by sea water.
The flooding followed previous warnings from weather chiefs on the threat of ‘mini tsunamis’ – or rissagas, as they’re known locally – due to hit parts of the Balearic Islands at the beginning of the week.
Majorca Daily Bulletin reported: “Mallorca experienced two minor ‘rissagas’, also known as meteotsunamis, in the ports of Andratx and Soller on Monday, as the Balearic Islands remained under watch for sudden sea level changes.”
Many visitors to Ibiza have shared their experiences of the “extreme weather” online. One mum captured footage of the pool area around her hotel, with winds whipping the palm trees and the cushions strapped to the sun loungers, and shared it to TikTok.
In text written over the top of the clip, the mum penned: “Go to Ibiza in August they said!!!” while in the caption, she added: “Think our flight may be delayed!”
In the comments section, fellow TikTok users were keen to share their thoughts. One person said: “I went in August and it was so sunny and hot 33 degrees.”
Another shared: “Mate last year we were caught in the worst storm’s Ibiza’s had in decades.”
A third said: “We are doing 12 hours in Ibiza with no hotel THIS SATURDAY.”
To which, the mum replied: “Saturday will be beautiful I’m sure! Don’t worry, it’s very rarely like this!”
But someone else said: “Everyone knows around this time of year there is a chance for extreme weather.”
And another agreed: “It rains every year by this time so it’s nothing new and won’t stop anything either.”
Another Ibiza-holidaymaker shared a light-hearted clip mocking herself after sharing envious clips of her getaway before being “humbled” by the torrential downpour.
In the caption, she explained: “Yesterday: ‘Basically, I’m in Ibiza… and you’re not.’
“Today: Ibiza humbled me. We held out under that umbrella for FAR longer than was sensible before admitting defeat!”
The TWZ Newsletter
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is heading home, finally. After nine months that surely felt longer for the crew and their families and friends waiting at home, the CSG left the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR) over the weekend, formally ending a 200-plus-day combat deployment to the Middle East. The supercarrier was most recently transiting eastbound in the Indian Ocean, once again operating under U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM). The flattop will reportedly make a port call in Thailand, according to a just-released report from USA Today – the first and only liberty port call since deploying late last year – before continuing on to Naval Base San Diego. In Lincoln’s stead, USS George Washington has taken up station in the Arabian Sea, as the Navy maintains dual-carrier coverage in theater to support the ongoing blockade of Iran.
This is TWZ’s weekly carrier tracker monitoring America’s flattop fleet, including deployed Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG), using publicly available open-source information. Check out last week’s report here.
The Lincoln CSG has been deployed for 277 days, as of publication, in what will shake out to be one of the longest deployments in the modern carrier era. The CSG served as the tip of the spear during Operation Epic Fury, pressuring Iran’s southern axis from the northern Arabian Sea, and was instrumental in enforcing the two rounds of blockades that followed. Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 launched more than 10,000 sorties and dropped over 1.5 million pounds of ordnance in support of both operations, according to a statement from the acting Secretary of the Navy.
For the vast majority of Sailors and Marines aboard the Lincoln, the last time they stepped on solid ground was in November 2025 when the flattop deployed. The carrier has pulled into two ports since departing last year, but they have been characterized as brief “pit stops,” and were not “liberty” calls, where the crew has the opportunity to disembark and disengage. The first, in December 2025, was publicized on DVIDS when Lincoln spent a day in Guam; the second, lesser known and reported, took place in early July at a friendly port in the Middle East that TWZ will not identify for operational security purposes. During the latter stop, CNN reporter Pamela Brown embarked for the first media embed of the war, right around the time that Lincoln was set to break the record for the most consecutive days at sea without a port call, which TWZ was among the first to report. It’s still unclear if the record was broken, or if the flattop pulled into port a few days before.
Lincoln is scheduled to enter a Drydocking Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA) after returning home, according to budget documents reviewed by TWZ, and when she will return to service is unclear, as lengthy deployments tend to extend maintenance periods. You can read our recent deep-dive on the status of the four carriers undergoing availabilities, and the broader strain on the carrier fleet, here.
USS George Washington has assumed Lincoln’s watch in CENTCOM, joining USS George H.W. Bush to “support maritime security and stability in the Middle East” as the conflict with Iran approaches the half-year mark, without a negotiated deal in sight. Washington is America’s only forward-deployed flattop, homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, and was conducting a routine patrol in the Western Pacific before transiting the Malacca Strait and steaming toward CENTCOM to relieve Lincoln. Prior to deploying, Washington completed a pierside Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) in Japan “to service critical systems and conduct repairs,” the Assistant Public Affairs Officer (PAO) told TWZ earlier this year.
Washington achieved a significant aviation milestone just before entering the CENTCOM AOR, surpassing 200,000 fixed-wing traps. “Two hundred thousand traps is not just a number, it is a testament to the enduring strength of American naval aviation and the unmatching professionalism of the Sailors who make it possible,” the commander of CSG 5, Rear Adm. Jeffrey L. Heames, said. “This milestone reminds the world that U.S. carriers remain ready to launch and recover aircraft anywhere, anytime, in defense of freedom and our allies,” he added. Washington, which has been in active service for 34 years, is “capable of landing one aircraft on deck per minute, and typically lands 70 aircraft across several events throughout the day,” according to a statement released by the PAO.
TWZ reached out to Washington’s PAO to confirm the composition of the carrier’s air wing. Here’s the current accounting:
Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5
Like Lincoln, Washington embarks a single squadron of F-35C Joint Strike Fighters, as well as three squadrons of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. However, Washington’s F-35C squadron is operated by the Navy, while Lincoln’s is flown by the Marine Corps. The Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) commander for CSG-5 is classified.
The second carrier underway in the CENTCOM AOR, USS George H.W. Bush, has been deployed for more than four months and is operating at an undisclosed location in the Arabian Sea. The ship was spotted on DVIDS, the military’s content-sharing platform, conducting daytime and nighttime flight ops over the past two weeks.
In the continental United States, two carriers are currently underway and working up off the east and west coast. USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, got underway on August 21 and is operating 35 nautical miles off the coast with her AIS transponder on. USS Carl Vinson departed San Diego on August 10 and is conducting Tailored Ship’s Training Availability (TSTA) and Final Evaluation Period (FEP). The next carrier scheduled to deploy, USS Theodore Roosevelt, is still pierside in San Diego, based on commercial satellite imagery.
Overall, three U.S. carriers are deployed (with one heading home), one is preparing to deploy in the near term, two are working up in various states of readiness, four are currently in maintenance, and one is being used primarily for training before deactivation next year. One amphibious ready group is deployed, one is forward-deployed, four are working up or in port, and three are in maintenance.
Note: Positions are general approximations. Non-deployed LHA/LHD amphibious warships are not shown.
Contact the author: ian.ellis-jones@recurrent.io
People travelling through Spain should be aware(Image: Getty Images)
Summer is drawing to a close, and lots of people are on the hunt for some last of the season sunshine. However, if you’re one of them, there is one holiday location that experts are warning tourists to be careful of over the next month.
If you have a holiday planned to Madrid in Spain, or are travelling through the airport to get to another location, you should be prepared for a hold up with your checked bags.
Maintenance workers who are responsible for Madrid-Barajas Airport’s baggage handling system are undertaking strike action throughout the rest of August and into September.
The dispute involves workers maintaining the SATE system, which helps transport and sort checked baggage through the airport.
On August 23rd, 28th and 30th, a minimum service level of 50% has been ordered, so luggage won’t stop being processed entirely, however, if you have planned travel on those days, it would be wise to expect delays.
The strikes are expected to continue every Thursday, Friday and Sunday until at least the end of September.
Andrea Platania, travel expert at Transfeero, says passengers should not assume that clearing check-in and boarding successfully confirms their suitcase has reached the aircraft.
He said: “This is a baggage-system maintenance strike, so the disruption may be less visible than a walkout involving check-in or security staff.
“A passenger could receive a boarding pass, clear security and watch their flight leave on time while their suitcase remains behind. The first sign of a problem may come after landing, when the baggage carousel stops and their bag has not appeared.”
As a good rule of thumb, anything you cannot afford to lose should go in your cabin bag, and board the plane with you. This includes medications, travel documents, house keys and basic necessities.
Andrea said: “Pack your hand luggage as though your checked bag could arrive one day later than you.
“This does not mean trying to carry your entire suitcase into the cabin. It means protecting the small number of items that would create an immediate problem if they disappeared. Medication, keys and documents are far harder to replace than ordinary clothing.”
It’s also a good idea to keep in mind that if your cabin bag is too large, it can be placed in with the checked luggage at the gate.
If this happens, take a few minutes to remove all your essentials from the bag and carry them on to the plane with you to ensure they are not lost if your bag is delayed or missing when you land.
