air

Europe’s air‑quality watchdog has sounded the alarm: conditions are set to worsen across several countries, including Ireland, over the next few days, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), said the downturn stems from a continent‑wide upswing in fine particulate pollution, known as PM2.5. PM2.5 pollution is made up of tiny, nano‑sized organic compounds, roughly one thirtieth the width of a human hair. So small they can cross the lung’s…

Gulf flight disruption is rippling across global travel, forcing families to reroute long-haul journeys and pushing up fares as airlines cut capacity and fuel costs surge. The uncertainty is especially acute for Irish passengers trying to reach Australia and New Zealand, routes that have long relied on the Middle East’s mega-hubs and are now being squeezed by war-related constraints and shifting safety perceptions. Dublin native Brian Sullivan was due to fly home with his wife and three children from Melbourne via Abu Dhabi…

NATO intercepts suspected Iranian ballistic missile over southern Turkiye, no casualties NATO air defenses intercepted what Turkish authorities said was a ballistic missile launched from Iran toward Turkiye, shooting it down over the Sahinbey district of Gaziantep on Monday as regional tensions intensified amid the United States and Israel’s war against Iran. The Turkish Ministry of National Defence said no casualties or damage were reported and described the operation as a demonstration of Ankara’s readiness to defend its…

Ireland charters Oman flight to repatriate citizens as airlines add Dubai–Dublin services amid Middle East airspace shutdown Ireland will repatriate up to 280 citizens stranded across the Middle East on a government-chartered flight from Oman in the coming days, as commercial carriers add limited services and thousands of travelers race to leave the region following days of US-Israeli strikes on Iran that have effectively shut down much of the region’s airspace. Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee called the Oman charter…

Turkey denies reports of deploying S-400 air defenses to Somalia ANKARA — Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense on Thursday rejected reports that Russian-made S-400 air defense systems had been transported to Somalia, framing the claims as unfounded and reiterating that the systems remain on Turkish soil under national control. The ministry said there are no plans to position S-400 batteries outside Turkey and emphasized the systems are fully operational and available for use by the Turkish Armed Forces as required. It…

ALGIERS — Algeria has begun the process of terminating its air services agreement with the United Arab Emirates, a bilateral aviation pact signed in Abu Dhabi in May 2013 and ratified the following year, state media said Saturday. Algeria’s state-owned radio said authorities had “initiated procedures to terminate the air services agreement with the United Arab Emirates, signed in Abu Dhabi on 13 May 2013 and ratified by a presidential decree dated 30 December 2014.” The broadcaster cited Article 22 of the accord, which…

Turkey boosts air and ground support as Somalia escalates war on al-Shabab MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkey has expanded its military footprint in Somalia, reinforcing air and ground units to support the country’s campaign against al-Shabab as attacks intensify in and around the capital, Turkish security officials said Thursday. The buildup includes new deployments to Türkiye’s Air Component Command in Somalia, with the added assets dedicated to counterterrorism missions. The moves come alongside ongoing work by the…

U.S. begins $70 million upgrade of Kenyan air base after 2020 al-Shabab attack NAIROBI, Kenya — The United States has launched a $70 million project to expand an airfield at Manda Bay Air Base in coastal Kenya, deepening counterterrorism cooperation with Nairobi four years after an al-Shabab assault killed three Americans at the site. The expansion is underway at the Kenyan Defense Forces facility in Lamu County near the Somalia border, a longtime hub for operations against the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab. U.S. Deputy…

Snowfall from Storm Goretti forced hundreds of flight cancellations in Paris and Amsterdam and snarled ground transport across parts of Western Europe, stranding passengers and disrupting supply chains as authorities warned residents to stay home and avoid icy roads. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, one of Europe’s busiest hubs, said at least 700 flights were canceled because of snow and high winds after days of weather-related disruption. More than 1,000 people spent the night at the airport, which set up camp beds and…

MOGADISHU — North Western State of Somalia has instructed Air Djibouti to suspend all flights to its territory starting Jan. 7, deepening a diplomatic rift with neighboring Djibouti amid tensions tied to Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, according to BBC Somali. Neither North Western State of Somalia officials nor Djibouti’s state-owned carrier immediately commented on the reported directive, and BBC Somali said the airline is expected to issue a statement. Air Djibouti has been operating several…