US-Boeing deal over 737 Max crashes ‘morally repugnant’, says lawyer for victims’ families
Boeing has agreed to pay $1.1bn (£812m) to avoid prosecution over two plane crashes that killed 346 people, in a deal that a lawyer for 16 families of the victims has described as “morally repugnant”.The plane manufacturer has secured a deal – agreed in principle last month – with the US Department of Justice (DoJ), which includes paying $444.5m to the families of those who died in the crashes of 737 Max jetliners in 2018 and 2019.The company has also agreed to invest $445m towards improving its compliance, safety and quality programmes, according to an agreement signed by the DoJ and Boeing last week, detailed in a US court filing.
On top of this, Boeing has already paid $243m of a $487.2m criminal penalty agreed in 2021.Sanjiv Singh, the counsel for family members of some of the victims of the plane crash in Indonesia in 2018, told the BBC the deal allowed Boeing to “sidestep true criminal accountability”.The aerospace company has previously said it was “deeply sorry” for the families’ losses and was committed to honouring the memories of the victims by pursuing broad and deep changes within the business.If the deal is approved by a federal judge, the fraud charge in the criminal case against Boeing will be dismissed.
Two Boeing planes crashed off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019.Many relatives of the victims have spent years pursuing a public trial, more severe penalties for Boeing and the prosecution of former company officials.In October 2018, 189 people were killed when Lion Air flight 610 fell into the Java Sea off Indonesia.In March 2019, Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa airport, which killed 157 people.Both incidents were linked to faulty flight control systems.
The second crash prompted the grounding of the 737 Max plane for almost two years.The company avoided prosecution in 2021 after it reached a settlement with the US DoJ, which included the $243.6m fine.Sign up to Business TodayGet set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morningafter newsletter promotionHowever, last year prosecutors argued that Boeing had violated the terms of the 2021 agreement by failing to make promised changes to detect and prevent violations of federal anti-fraud laws.Last July, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to the felony fraud charge instead of enduring what may have been a lengthy public trial.
However, in December, the US district judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth rejected the deal,The judge said the diversity, equity and inclusion policies in government and at Boeing could result in race being a factor in picking an independent monitor to oversee Boeing’s compliance with the agreement,Boeing was approached for comment,A company spokesperson told the BBC regarding the new agreement with the DoJ: “Boeing is committed to complying with its obligations under this resolution, which include a substantial additional fine and commitments to further institutional improvements and investments,”
EU agrees to increase flight delay times before passengers get compensation
EU countries have agreed to increase the amount of time aircraft passengers are delayed before they can qualify for compensation.Passengers on short-haul flights would have to be delayed by four hours or more before they could claim compensation, under the plans. For long-haul flights delays would have to be six or more hours. Current EU rules dictate that passengers can ask for compensation if their flight is delayed for more than three hours.The EU countries also agreed to increase the amount of compensation for those delayed on short-haul flights from €250 (£211) to €300, but plan to reduce compensation for long-haul flights from €600 to €500
Donald Trump calls for big cut to US interest rates after jobs report shows hiring slowdown – as it happened
Newsflash: Hiring slowed across the US economy last month, and fewer jobs were created than previously thought in March and April too.The US added 139,000 new jobs in May, according to the latest non-farm payroll report, with the US unemployment rate unchanged at 4.2%.Economists had expected the non-farm payroll to rise by 130,000 jobs, so this is slightly higher than forecast.The U
Shopper put on facial ID watchlist after dispute over 39p of paracetamol at Home Bargains
A London woman has made a data complaint after discovering she had been put on a facial recognition camera watchlist at a Home Bargains store after a dispute over 39p worth of paracetamol.She learned of her entry on a database of banned customers when a member of staff at the store in Grove Farm retail park in Chadwell Heath asked her to leave and directed her attention to a Facewatch sign.Facewatch is a facial recognition system used by retailers to identify and deter shoplifters by analysing CCTV footage and comparing faces against a private database of known offenders. It triggers an alert to staff when a match is made by the software.Stores including Asda, Budgens, Sports Direct and Costcutter have used the technology, despite privacy campaigners arguing that the surveillance infringes the rights of shoppers
Trump says Musk has ‘lost his mind’ and dismisses peace offering
Donald Trump appeared to dismiss a peace overture from his former close political ally Elon Musk on Friday, calling him someone who had “lost his mind” as the extraordinary falling out between the two men looked set to continue.The US president and the richest person in the world – who had been tasked with slashing the federal government – fell out in spectacular fashion on Thursday in a series of escalating social media posts that roiled the political world.On Friday, ABC News interviewed Trump by phone and he doubled down on his newfound hostility to Musk, who had backed him with millions of dollars in the 2024 election campaign.The news channel asked Trump about reports of a call scheduled with Musk for later in the day. “You mean the man who has lost his mind?” Trump replied, saying he was “not particularly” interested in talking to him right now
French Open 2025 semi-finals: Alcaraz battles past Musetti, Sinner v Djokovic to come – live
Tomorrow, of course, we’ll be bringing you the women’s final between the top two seeds, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff. It’s hard to look beyond the former, who’s playing better and absolutely devastated Iga Swiatek in the deciding set of the semi. But Gauff has a terrific temperament and an equally good backhand, knows she can win a major, and that she’s facing an opponent who isn’t totally at home on clay and still has a collapse in her. Sabalenka remains a warm favourite, but she is pregnable.TNT have just shown a great little spot with Andre Agassi, who says that of the three best movers on tour, De Minaur and Paul are 5% slower on clay, where Alcaraz is only 1 or 2% down
Horse racing: Minnie Hauk holds on for Oaks glory after thrilling Epsom duel – live
5.10pm Debenhams Handicap bettingMiss Information 2/1Partisan Hero 9/2Rhoscolyn 9/2Stanage 8/1Alzahir 12/1Majestic Wave 14/1Darkness 18/1Legal Reform 22/1Marlay Park 25/1Samuel Colt 33/1Persuasion 40/1Golden Mind 40/1Full betting via Oddschecker5.10pm Debenhams HandicapThe getting-out race on the Friday card has not been much of a friend to the punters in recent seasons, with relatively unfancied winners in the last three seasons including Bowman, at 80-1, in 2022, and it is probably not a race to get seriously involved with this time around, either. That said, Rhoscolyn will be a popular pick to win it for a third time, after going in at 9-2 and 9-1 in 2021 and 2024 respectively, while ALZAHIR, at around 10-1,could well step up on his run behind Old Cock in a strong race at York last time.SELECTION: ALZAHIR1 Mirsky (Oisin Murphy) 9-4 Fav 2 Alpha Crucis (Jason Watson) 8-1 3 Julia Augusta (Tom Marquand) 40-1 10 ran Non Runner: 104
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