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Air Transat Faces Flight Suspensions Amid Pilot Strike Notice

  Air Transat has announced it will gradually suspend flights starting Monday following a 72-hour strike notice issued by its pilots’ union. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), representing roughly 700 pilots, delivered the notice after nearly a year of unsuccessful negotiations with the airline’s parent company, Transat A.T. Inc. Background The union filed the strike notice on Sunday, giving pilots the legal right to walk off the job as early as Wednesday. Last week, pilots voted 99% in favor of strike action , underscoring their frustration over stalled contract talks. ALPA leaders emphasized that pilots do not want to strike but feel compelled to act after management failed to meet demands for a modernized agreement. Airline Response Air Transat confirmed it will begin suspending flights gradually between December 8 and 9 to prepare for a possible full shutdown. The company stated it is working “around the clock” to reach a deal and minimize disruption for trave...

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Turkey and Syria Seal Military Cooperation Deal Amid Regional Tensions

 

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shakes hands with his Syrian counterpart Asaad Hassan al-Shibani as they meet in Ankara

Turkey has signed a new military cooperation accord with Syria that will see Ankara supply weapon systems, logistical equipment, and training support to the Syrian armed forces. The memorandum of understanding, inked on August 13 after high-level meetings between the countries’ foreign and defense ministers and intelligence chiefs, marks the first step toward a broader defense partnership.

According to a Turkish Defence Ministry source, the agreement covers coordinated military training, consultancy, information sharing, and the procurement of arms and related services. Turkey, a NATO member, has pledged to help restructure Syria’s military and support efforts to safeguard its territorial integrity following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

The deal comes amid Ankara’s frustration over what it calls Syria’s failure to implement a March agreement with the Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on integrating the group into the state apparatus. Turkey considers the SDF a terrorist organization and has warned of possible military action if the terms are not met.

Officials in Ankara say they expect “full compliance” with the earlier deal and stress that the new accord is aimed at bolstering Syria’s political unity and stability.

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