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Lithuanian Lawmaker Urges Taiwan to Put Defense Budget First
World

Lithuanian Lawmaker Urges Taiwan to Put Defense Budget First

Ex-Lithuanian defense chief Dovile Sakaliene told a Helsinki gathering of Taiwanese groups that Taipei must fund its own security against China. Former Lithuanian defense minister Dovile Sakaliene told a gathering of Taiwanese groups in Helsinki over the weekend that Taiwan should place its defense budget above other spending, arguing that a country's safety cannot be traded away for competing policy goals. She spoke during the Joint Annual Meeting of the World Federation of Taiwanese Associations and the European Federation of Taiwanese Associations, held from Friday through Sunday. The meeting ran under the banner "Democratic Resilience and Trusted Democracy" and brought together more than 330 people, among them politicians and human rights campaigners from Taiwan, Finland, Lithuania, Poland and the United Kingdom. Discussions centered on how open societies can withstand legal, diplomatic and military pressure from authoritarian governments. Sakaliene tied Taiwan's position directly to Ukraine's. "Taiwan and Ukraine are the structural safety pins of global stability. Pull them and the whole transatlantic system unzips," she wrote on social media. In a separate post she added, "Vilnius and Taipei are not two separate stories. Russia and China are one problem working two fronts, and whichever of us folds first makes taking the other one cheaper." Her message carried personal weight. Sakaliene led Lithuania's defense ministry from December 2024 until October, when she left the post amid disagreements over raising military spending. At the Helsinki event she delivered a talk titled "Resilience Under Pressure: Lessons from Lithuania and NATO's Eastern Flank" and joined a panel called "Frontline Democracies - Geopolitical Resilience in an Era of Authoritarian Pressure." Taiwan, she said, needs to commit enough money to sustain its ability to defend itself, given that Chinese warplanes and drills near the island have settled into a routine. She framed the choice starkly: if a nation cannot keep itself safe, no one is left to enjoy the schools that public money builds. Governments that skimp on their own forces, she added, only hand strength to their adversaries. With China, Russia, Iran and North Korea drawing closer together, she said Taiwan now confronts the same kind of threat as Europe. Resilience built day by day Atte Harjanne, a member of the Finnish parliament and First Vice Chair of its Taiwan Friendship Group, said there is no quick route to a resilient democracy. It is assembled gradually, he said, by deepening trust across society, keeping armed forces ready and making sure democratic institutions keep working when a crisis hits. Hsu Chia-ching, minister of the Overseas Community Affairs Council, pointed to a new legal risk. Since China put its Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress into effect in July, she said, worries have mounted that Beijing may try to enforce its domestic statutes on people beyond its borders, leaving Taiwan with reason to stay especially watchful. She named Taiwanese officials, civil servants, people engaged in religious exchanges and technology workers who handle sensitive material as those most exposed when they enter China. Beijing's reach across borders Luke de Pulford, cofounder and executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, described a steady campaign of interference against his group since it was founded. Members have been sanctioned or refused visas, had their identities faked and been targeted with sexually explicit images produced by artificial intelligence, he said. Ahead of the alliance's summit in Taipei, he said, Beijing acquired the roster of delegates and leaned on lawmakers from 11 countries to keep them away. Trade between Taiwan and Finland also featured on the agenda. Finnish legislator Ville Kaunisto said Finland's shipments to Taiwan climbed 67 percent in the first half of this year against the same stretch of last year, reaching 150 million euros, or about US$173 million. Finland, he said, bought roughly 724 million euros of Taiwanese goods over the same period. Should that momentum hold, he estimated two-way trade could touch 1.8 billion euros by year's end. The weekend program combined the security warnings with these commercial figures, presenting economic ties and defense readiness as parts of the same effort to shore up democratic partners facing pressure from Beijing and Moscow. Taiwan defense spending, Dovile Sakaliene, Lithuania Taiwan, Finland Taiwan trade, IPAC, China coercion, Taiwanese associations Helsinki, democratic resilience

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1 month ago
Israel Probes Venice-Winning Gaza Documentary 'Naza' for Treason
Middle East

Israel Probes Venice-Winning Gaza Documentary 'Naza' for Treason

Israeli officials slam the award-winning documentary Naza and threaten treason charges against directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor over its Gaza allegations. Israeli officials have condemned a new documentary about the military's conduct in Gaza and are calling for legal action against the filmmakers and the people who spoke to them. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday described the film, titled *Naza*, as "shocking" and accused it of forming part of a wave of anti-Semitic incitement. The documentary, directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, alleges that large numbers of civilian deaths were routinely factored into the military's targeting decisions during the war in Gaza. It won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday and had drawn a 25-minute standing ovation when it screened two days earlier. Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir has ordered a legal probe to identify the film's sources. According to the filmmakers, those sources include members of the military and Israeli intelligence whose identities are concealed in the film. Culture Minister Miki Zohar went further, suggesting the government could pursue treason charges against the directors and others connected to the project. "It's shocking. We are fighting global anti-Semitic incitement, and when it comes from within us it is intolerable," Netanyahu said in a video posted on Telegram. "And now two Israeli directors portraying the [Israeli military] as war criminals receive applause at the Venice festival." The prime minister's remarks followed a statement from Zamir, who framed the film as an attack on the state itself. "Based on what has been published thus far, this is not a film offering criticism of the [military], nor is it an attempt to establish the truth," Zamir said. "It is based on blood libels, deliberate distortions of reality, and grave, false accusations against [Israeli] soldiers and commanders." A probe into sources and citizenship Zamir instructed the Military Advocate General, whose authority is limited to military matters, to "examine and advance possible legal measures concerning the film and those involved in it." The order is aimed at tracing how serving and former personnel came to take part in the project. Zohar said he had asked authorities to "investigate how the materials were obtained, who is behind them, and whether in the process of obtaining or publishing them, actions were taken that amount to aiding the enemy during wartime." He added that he had requested the Interior Ministry consider stripping the two filmmakers of their citizenship on grounds of "treason." What the film alleges The documentary takes its name from an Israeli military term for anticipated "collateral casualties." It is built around anonymous interviews with intelligence officers and soldiers who took part in the war. In those interviews, the participants describe how targets inside the Gaza Strip were chosen and how many civilian casualties were weighed into planned attacks. Abraham and Szor have defended the project as a work aimed primarily at their own countrymen. "We believe that the denial of a crime is what helps it persist, and this is why it is especially important for us that Israelis watch this film; it is our country," the filmmakers said. The directors received the Special Jury Prize during the closing ceremony of the 83rd Venice Film Festival on the Venice Lido. Their win, and the standing ovation that preceded it, have turned the film into a flashpoint at home, where senior figures are now weighing charges that range from investigations into leaked material to the revocation of the filmmakers' citizenship. Naza documentary, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Venice Film Festival, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Gaza, Eyal Zamir, treason investigation

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1 month ago
Houthis Seize 130km of Yemen Coast, Widening Iran's Reach
Middle East

Houthis Seize 130km of Yemen Coast, Widening Iran's Reach

Iranian-backed Houthi fighters have captured up to 130km of Yemen's Red Sea coastline, tightening Tehran's grip on a vital global shipping chokepoint. Iranian-backed Houthi fighters have swept across the southern edge of the Tihamah, Yemen's dry Red Sea coastal plain, seizing ground that the anti-Houthi National Resistance coalition held only days earlier. Some estimates put the captured territory at as much as 130km (81 miles) of strategically vital shoreline, a gain that took most watchers of the conflict by surprise. Saudi-backed Yemeni units, which had controlled significant stretches of the coast, were unable to hold the line and lost much of it within a matter of days. Analysts describe the offensive as the most striking military success the group has achieved in years, coming after 12 years of civil war, repeated Saudi bombing runs, and strikes by American, Israeli and British forces. "Now that they are there, they're going to be entrenched," Hisham al-Omeisi, a senior analyst at the Brussels-based European Institute of Peace, told the BBC. "And it's going to be a lot more costly to push them out." With their opponents shaken and short on morale, few expect the Houthis to be forced back soon. Tehran redirects its support The advance underscores how central the Houthis have become to Iran's regional strategy. Tehran has leaned more heavily on the group after reverses suffered elsewhere by its allied network, the so-called Axis of Resistance, including Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas in Gaza and the fallen Assad government in Syria. "So they redirected their support to the Houthis," al-Omeisi said. "And of course they need that support." Most analysts caution against dismissing the Houthis as mere Iranian proxies, but the past week has produced an uncomfortable outcome for the group's rivals. Seven months after the United States and Israel jointly attacked Iran, Tehran now holds sway, directly or through allied forces, over two of the world's most important sea lanes: the Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, and the Bab al-Mandab, the gateway between the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. A grip on 35% of the oil trade "Now Iran, directly and through proxies, controls two of the most strategic choke points in the Middle East and the world," said Farea al-Muslimi, a research fellow at the London think tank Chatham House, "controlling more than 35% of the fuel and oil trade globally." "This is as much leverage as a nuclear bomb," he added. The scale of that leverage helps explain jittery energy markets: crude oil touched $100 a barrel for the first time since July following exchanges of strikes involving US and Houthi forces. Reports that the Houthis have also taken several key islands in the Red Sea, among them Perim, would sharpen the threat further. Perim sits at the tightest point of the Bab al-Mandab, and holding it would give the group a far greater ability to disrupt vessels moving through the passage. The group has already demonstrated what it can do at sea. During its campaign linked to Israel's war in Gaza, Houthi missiles, drones and small attack boats repeatedly targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, exposing how exposed traffic through the corridor can be. Yemen expert Iona Craig told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday that the group had managed to police movement through the Bab al-Mandab and toward Suez even before securing land along the coast. "But of course now they're controlling the area immediately overlooking the Bab al-Mandab, and this gives them far more leverage," she said. Shipping firms are expected to treat any Houthi assurances about safe passage with caution. For now, the rebels have converted a rapid battlefield gain into a commanding position over one of the arteries of global trade, and their opponents have shown no sign of being able to reverse it. Houthis, Yemen, Bab al-Mandab, Red Sea shipping, Iran, Strait of Hormuz, National Resistance, Perim island

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1 month ago
England Cancer Waits Worsen as 62-Days Treatment Target Slips
Health

England Cancer Waits Worsen as 62-Days Treatment Target Slips

NHS cancer treatment within 62 days fell to 71.2% in England as experts warn government targets set for 2027 and 2029 are now impossible to hit. Alan, a 70-year-old lung cancer patient in England, was told he would have surgery within weeks after doctors found a nodule in June last year. He waited almost five months. By the time he reached the operating table, the disease had spread and the procedure had become far harder. Twice his scans were called off because the machines had failed, and for long stretches he heard nothing from the hospital about when the urgent operation would happen. "I was so frustrated and angry and couldn't understand why they would leave me like that," Alan said. He is one of thousands of patients across England each month who begin treatment later than the health service's own deadline allows. Earlier this year the government's National Cancer Plan, published alongside NHS Planning Guidance, promised that by March 2027 four in five patients would start treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral from their GP. That figure was set to climb to 85% by March 2029. Since the pledge was made, the numbers have moved in the wrong direction. The latest NHS England data shows 71.2% of patients now begin treatment inside the 62-day window, down from 71.9%. Prof Pat Price, a senior UK clinical academic oncologist, said the deadlines "are now simply impossible to hit" following what she called a "complete loss of momentum". She blamed the decline on a "complete lack of a plan or accountability". The cancer plan committed to setting up a new independent cancer board, but the person who will lead it has still not been named. Ten trusts out of 120 meet the standard Figures released on Thursday, covering July, show that just 10 of England's 120 hospital trusts got 85% of patients into treatment within 62 days of a GP's urgent referral. Analysis by Radiotherapy UK, shared with the BBC, indicates that more than 2,800 additional patients would have to start treatment every month - an increase of almost 15% on current volumes - for the March 2027 goal to be reached. That gap is expected to widen as referrals climb across nearly every type of cancer. In total, roughly 54,000 more patients will need to begin treatment inside the 62-day limit before 2029 for the government to meet its ambition. The delays carry a measurable cost. On average, a patient's chance of survival drops by about 10% for every month that passes before treatment begins. Price warned that thousands of people "are going to die unnecessarily, just because the government can't get their act together to treat people on time". For Alan, the wait changed the shape of his illness. By the time he was operated on, the cancer had reached his lymph nodes and, according to his lung specialist, the nodule had grown at an alarming rate. He has since been told the disease has cleared and is now awaiting his one-year review. The surgery, however, has left him with lasting pain. "I used to play golf and get out and about. Now I can't do any of the things I love," he said. Salisbury focuses on the basics One trust making headway on its backlog is Salisbury, though it is still short of the targets. Staff there say there is no single solution. Instead they describe a steady effort to get the fundamentals right: making sure patients know about and attend their appointments, keeping IT systems running, hiring the right people, filling surgical lists and adding capacity where they can. Much of the gain that patients can see has come in skin and prostate cancer, two of the most common forms of the disease in the country. Diane had a cancerous lump taken from her face at Salisbury District Hospital a few weeks ago, treated with a newer surgical approach. The worsening figures leave the government's headline commitments under strain barely months after they were announced. With referrals rising, the volume of patients waiting beyond the deadline continues to build, and the body meant to drive improvement still lacks a leader. England cancer waiting times, NHS 62 day target, National Cancer Plan, cancer treatment delays, Pat Price oncologist, NHS England cancer data, lung cancer surgery delay, Salisbury District Hospital

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1 month ago
Petrol and Diesel Hit Highest UK Prices Since 2022
Business

Petrol and Diesel Hit Highest UK Prices Since 2022

UK petrol averages 169.68p and diesel 191.68p a litre as Middle East conflict lifts oil above $100 a barrel, the RAC says. The average price of petrol and diesel in the UK has climbed to its highest point since 2022, with renewed fighting in the Middle East squeezing household budgets, the RAC said. A litre of unleaded now costs 169.68p, while diesel has reached 191.68p, according to figures from the motoring body. Those levels return drivers to the costs they faced shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago. The rise is being driven by the war between the United States, Israel and Iran, which has badly disrupted oil production and shipping across the region. Fuel costs eased in June, when Washington and Tehran signed a framework agreement aimed at halting the fighting. Prices have turned upward again as tensions return and wholesale oil trades back above $100 a barrel. "There's no end in sight to high pump prices," said Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC. Crude oil forms the base of both petrol and diesel, so costlier wholesale supplies feed straight through to what motorists pay. Demand and the amount of available refining capacity also shape prices at the forecourt. Analysts estimate that each $10 (£7.44) added to the cost of a barrel translates into roughly 7p more per litre at the pump. A volatile barrel of Brent Brent crude, the international pricing benchmark, has swung sharply since the conflict began. Reports of escalation tend to push it higher, while signs of a settlement send it lower. The barrel price sat near $70 before hostilities started. It surged past $120 at the height of the fighting, then dropped back toward $70 in early July after the framework deal was reached. When the peace negotiations broke down, it rose above $100 again. A brief decline followed, but a fresh flare-up has lifted it back over the $100 mark. The turnaround at the pumps has been rapid. As recently as July, petrol averaged 150.59p a litre and diesel 164.52p. Both have since jumped. Diesel, at 191.68p, is now edging toward its all-time high of 199.05p, set in June 2022. Petrol at 169.68p still sits under its own record of 191.5p, reached during the summer of that year. Williams put the impact in everyday terms. Filling a 55-litre family car with unleaded, he said, now costs more than £93, while a diesel tank tops £105. Duty freeze and gouging claims Because moving oil around the world takes time, shifts in wholesale markets typically take about two weeks to reach forecourt price boards. Fuel retailers have rejected suggestions that they exploited the crisis to inflate margins. The markets regulator backed that up, saying it had "not seen evidence of retailers actively changing their pricing strategies to take advantage of the crisis." Drivers who want to shop around can use Fuel Finder, a government-backed tool that compares prices at filling stations nationwide. The cost of fuel has also shaped tax policy. In May, then Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that a 5p rise in fuel duty scheduled for September would be pushed back to the end of December, citing the conflict. The RAC argues there is "a very strong case" for holding duty at its current level for the rest of this Parliament. For now, with crude above $100 and the situation in the Middle East unsettled, drivers face little immediate relief at the pumps. petrol prices, diesel prices, RAC fuel, oil price, Brent crude, fuel duty, pump prices UK, Iran conflict oil

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1 month ago
Bob Mackie, the 'Sultan of Sequins,' Dies at 87
World

Bob Mackie, the 'Sultan of Sequins,' Dies at 87

Bob Mackie, the Tony- and nine-time Emmy-winning designer behind Cher's mohawk and Elton John's Dodgers outfit, has died at 87. Bob Mackie, the American designer whose glittering stage and screen costumes defined the looks of Cher, Tina Turner, Dolly Parton and Elton John, has died at the age of 87. A message posted to his Instagram account on Monday confirmed the news. "It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr Bob Mackie passed away today," the statement read. It said he had "lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do," adding that his "genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world." Nicknamed the "Sultan of Sequins" for his shimmering creations, Mackie collected a Tony Award and nine Emmys over the course of his career, along with three Oscar nominations. He kept working almost to the end, dressing a new generation of performers decades after his first designs reached the stage. Cher's 1986 'revenge' look His partnership with Cher proved one of the most defining of his career. He created the daring showgirl-style ensemble she wore to the Oscars in 1986, complete with a plumed mohawk headdress and an exposed midriff. The outfit stunned audiences and has since been remembered as one of the boldest ever seen at the ceremony. Cher came to call it her "revenge" outfit because she had been passed over for a nomination. "I didn't get nominated for a movie that everyone thought I would actually win for [Mask] - so was dressing that night for a kind of revenge," she said in the 2024 documentary Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion. Speaking to the BBC in 2010, Mackie recalled how singular Cher had appeared early in her career, saying she "looked like no-one else in the entertainment business at the time." He added: "Everybody just went crazy over this woman as she could wear anything." Cher is widely credited as the first woman to bare her navel on American television, a moment made possible by Mackie's daring designs. Elton John's Dodgers costume Mackie was also behind some of Sir Elton John's most memorable stage wear, including the sparkling Dodgers baseball uniform the singer wore during his 1975 concerts at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Paying tribute online, Sir Elton wrote that he "felt very, very special" every time he stepped out in one of Mackie's pieces. "His costumes were works of art, and he will go down as one of the most legendary designers ever in Hollywood," the musician added. The singer Pink, another longtime collaborator, said she had been fortunate to wear his work for years, sharing photographs of the outfits he made for her 2009 Funhouse tour. "I was so lucky to be dressed by him for so long. He was loving, wickedly funny and an absolute genius," she wrote, adding: "There are going to be some fabulously dressed angels." Still designing for today's stars Mackie's reach extended well into the present. Sabrina Carpenter wore one of his creations at last year's MTV Video Music Awards, and he designed the dress Miley Cyrus performed in at the 2024 Grammy Awards. Cyrus took home a Grammy that night for her break-up hit Flowers - a fitting echo, perhaps, of the "revenge" spirit that ran through so much of Mackie's most famous work. Born Robert Gordon Mackie in Monterey Park, California, in 1939, he broke into the industry as a sketch artist working under the French-American costume designer Jean Louis. From those beginnings he built a career that carried his sequins and showmanship across film, television and the concert stage for more than half a century. His designs dressed some of the most recognizable figures in entertainment, from Marilyn Monroe to today's pop stars, cementing a style that fused old-Hollywood glamour with unapologetic spectacle. Bob Mackie, Sultan of Sequins, costume designer, Cher mohawk outfit, Elton John Dodgers costume, Emmy Award designer, Hollywood fashion, Sabrina Carpenter

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1 month ago
Linda Cardellini Wins First Emmy, Dazzles in Pearl Gown
World

Linda Cardellini Wins First Emmy, Dazzles in Pearl Gown

Linda Cardellini claimed her first Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress and wore a mother-of-pearl couture gown to the 2026 ceremony. Actor Linda Cardellini secured her first Emmy at the 2026 ceremony, taking the prize for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. The award was handed out earlier, during the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, a non-televised event held ahead of the main broadcast. Accepting the honor in tears, Cardellini thanked her parents, her longtime partner Steven Rodriguez and her daughter, Lila Rose. "To my entire DTF family, I love you so much. I'm so proud to be a part of this show," she said, before adding that she was "overcome" and calling the experience an unbelievable journey. She also praised the other nominees, describing their work as inspiring. Cardellini's screen career spans decades, from the cult series *Freaks and Geeks*, which aired from 1999 to 2000, to the Netflix dark comedy *Dead to Me*, which ran from 2019 to 2022. Her recognition this year marks a milestone after years of Emmy attention. Her first nomination came in 2013 for a guest turn as Sylvia Rosen on *Mad Men*. In 2020 she earned two nods for *Dead to Me*, one as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and another as an executive producer on the show, which competed for Outstanding Comedy Series. For the evening, Cardellini worked with stylist Jeanann Williams on a pearly, iridescent ensemble. The floor-length couture gown, made by Yara Shoemaker, was built from hundreds of square mother-of-pearl tiles joined by a diamond at every corner. The strapless design combined sharp geometric lines with the soft sheen of the shell material. She finished the look with a matching diamond necklace and heavy diamond rings. Linda Cardellini, 2026 Emmys, Outstanding Supporting Actress, Dead to Me, Emmy Awards, red carpet gown, Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Yara Shoemaker

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1 month ago
South Korea coach Moreno denies 'extreme' ChatGPT claims
Sports

South Korea coach Moreno denies 'extreme' ChatGPT claims

New South Korea interim boss Robert Moreno calls reports of heavy AI reliance at Sochi false, names first squad with Son Heung-min as captain. Robert Moreno used his first news conference as South Korea's interim head coach to reject reports that he leaned excessively on artificial intelligence during his previous job at Russian club Sochi. Speaking in Cheonan on Monday, the 48-year-old Spaniard described the accounts as untrue and said his approach had been misrepresented. Moreno was appointed in August on a deal that runs to the end of November. The Korea Football Association can prolong the agreement through the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in January and February, though any extension would depend on an assessment of his results. He is the first Spanish coach to lead South Korea, and previously managed Spain across nine matches in 2009. The AI dispute traces back to his exit from Sochi, where he was let go in September 2025 after a weak start to the campaign. Moreno had joined the Russian Premier League side on December 15, 2023, with the team sitting last in the standings. He departed by mutual agreement on September 2, 2025, after Sochi took a single point from the opening seven fixtures of the season. Across his tenure he recorded 22 victories, 17 draws and 23 losses. After he left, Sochi's former sporting and general director, Andrei Orlov, alleged that the coach had leaned on ChatGPT to an unusual degree. Club officials claimed the software shaped decisions ranging from training plans and scouting targets to team selection and logistics. One cited case involved a trip to Khabarovsk, where an AI-produced schedule was said to have suggested keeping players awake for 28 hours straight. Another claim concerned advice about striker Artur Shushenachev, adding to the picture of a tool that had allegedly crossed into central sporting choices. Moreno pushed back firmly. "It was a piece of news that is completely false and went viral," he said. He did not deny using digital tools but argued that his working methods had been twisted. "Obviously I use technology," he added. "If you verify facts, you will see that much of what was reported was taken out of context and blown out of proportion." He went further, saying: "Anyone who spends 10 minutes looking into it can see that everything has been taken out of context and put together to cause harm." Son Heung-min keeps captaincy With the controversy addressed, Moreno turned to the task of steadying a national side low on morale. His opening squad keeps Son Heung-min as captain. The 34-year-old, now playing for LAFC, stays at the heart of a team trying to move past a poor World Cup. Moreno praised the forward's adaptability, saying: "We're all aware of Son's versatility. For me he can play in three positions." The coach also pledged a better experience for the country's fans. "We're going to try to do our work honestly and with the aim of making all Korean football fans happy," he said. His first test comes on September 24 against Ecuador, the start of a run of friendlies. Moreno took over from Hong Myung-bo, who quit after South Korea went out at the group stage of the World Cup. Hong's hiring in 2024 had already angered supporters, and the tournament exit sharpened the criticism. Turmoil at the KFA The federation has been through a rough stretch off the pitch. In July, Hong appeared before lawmakers at a parliamentary hearing alongside Chung Mong-gyu, the former Korea Football Association chief. Police searched the KFA's offices in August. The body also issued an apology after a leaked government audit stated it had arranged "sexual entertainment" for visiting referees in 2011 and 2012. Moreno said he would not offer a public verdict on his predecessor, even after examining South Korea's recent matches in detail. "I have studied World Cup matches and players inside out but I think it is inappropriate to publicly evaluate my predecessor," he said. He framed the setbacks as material to build on: "It is important to use whatever happened in the past as a learning opportunity. What is clear is that when you lose, many problems surface. But when you win, they fade away." Moreno has six games in his initial spell. Beyond Ecuador, South Korea are set to meet Uruguay, Venezuela and Uzbekistan, plus two further opponents still to be confirmed, as the team builds towards the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. Robert Moreno, South Korea national football team, Son Heung-min, ChatGPT football, Sochi, Korea Football Association, interim coach, Asian Cup

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1 month ago
Betis Fight Back to Sink Villarreal 2-1 at Estadio de la Cerámica
Sports

Betis Fight Back to Sink Villarreal 2-1 at Estadio de la Cerámica

Real Betis came from behind to beat Villarreal 2-1 in La Liga on 14 September, climbing to third while the hosts stayed 18th. "villarreal cf vs real betis standings" Real Betis came from behind to beat Villarreal 2-1 in the Spanish La Liga on Monday, 14 September 2026, scoring twice before half-time at the Estadio de la Cerámica. The result was played out in front of a crowd of 18,267. Villarreal struck first through Gerard Moreno, who put the hosts ahead in the 29th minute after being set up by Renato Veiga. The lead lasted 10 minutes. Betis levelled through C. Hernández in the 39th minute and then turned the game around before the interval, with Natan scoring in the 43rd minute to make it 2-1. There was no further scoring after the break, and the half-time score of 1-2 stood as the final result. The win lifts Real Betis to third place in the table on 12 points from five matches. Manolo Pellegrini's side have won four and lost one of their opening fixtures, scoring seven goals and conceding six for a goal difference of plus one. Their recent form has been strong, with victories in five of their last six league games. They now sit level on points with second-placed Real Madrid, who also have 12 but a superior goal difference of plus 10, and trail runaway leaders Barcelona, who have won all five of their games to reach 15 points. For Villarreal, the defeat deepens a difficult start to the season. The Yellow Submarine are 18th in the 20-team division on just two points, still without a win after five rounds. They have drawn two and lost three, and their tally of seven goals scored against 10 conceded leaves them with a goal difference of minus three. Villarreal have now lost their last three matches, having taken their only points from two early draws. The two clubs are separated by 10 points and 15 league positions despite the narrow scoreline. Betis are pushing at the top end of the table alongside the traditional heavyweights, while Villarreal find themselves inside the relegation zone, sitting just above Elche, who also have two points, and bottom side Valencia on one. The congested standings underline how tight the early running has been below Barcelona and Real Madrid. Alavés, Atlético Madrid and Sevilla are all locked on 10 points in fourth, fifth and sixth, while a cluster of clubs from seventh-placed Deportivo de A Coruña down to 11th-placed Osasuna sit within two points of each other. Betis' ability to grind out a comeback away from home may prove valuable in such a compressed table. Villarreal, meanwhile, will look for a first victory to pull clear of the bottom three. Their attacking output has not been the problem - seven goals in five games matches Betis' return - but 10 goals conceded points to defensive frailties that were exposed again on Monday, when they surrendered a lead within minutes and could not respond after the break. Villarreal vs Real Betis, La Liga, Gerard Moreno, Real Betis, Estadio de la Ceramica, La Liga standings, Natan, C. Hernandez

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1 month ago
Vivo Y600i, Y600i AI Edition Charging Details Surface in Listings
Technology

Vivo Y600i, Y600i AI Edition Charging Details Surface in Listings

Vivo's Y600i and Y600i AI Edition (model V2617A) cleared 3C certification on September 10 with 44W wired charging, while a separate V2620A shows 90W support. Vivo is lining up several new smartphones, with two Y-series models and a separate unidentified handset now appearing in China's certification records. The Vivo Y600i and Y600i AI Edition, which already featured in Google's supported device list, have surfaced in a fresh certification that spells out their charging support. The filing covers Vivo model V2617A, which cleared 3C certification in China with 44W wired charging. The listing marks it as a 5G smartphone and carries a certification date of September 10. That same V2617A model number was earlier tied to both the Y600i and the Y600i AI Edition on the Google Play Console Supported Devices list, where the two phones shared a device code - a sign they may run on much the same hardware. The AI Edition is expected to bring added AI-focused features, though what those will be remains unclear. Both phones are set to slot into the Y600 line alongside the Y600 Pro and Y600 Turbo, which reached China in April and May respectively. The Y600i is likely to follow the Vivo Y500i, released in China in January this year. That earlier model shipped with a 7,200mAh battery and the same 44W wired charging seen on the new certification. A separate model points to the X500 series A second Vivo phone, listed as V2620A, has also reportedly turned up on China's 3C database. It carries 5G connectivity and around 90W wired charging support. That figure has led to speculation the device belongs to the Vivo X500 series, given earlier reports of comparable charging on the Vivo X500 Pro Max. For now, the phone's commercial name and any link to the X500 range remain unconfirmed. Vivo has not announced launch dates for any of the handsets, and the certification listings stop short of revealing full specifications. Vivo Y600i, Vivo Y600i AI Edition, Vivo V2617A, 44W charging, Vivo X500 series, 3C certification, Vivo Y600, Vivo smartphones

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1 month ago
Croma Cuts iPhone 17 Pro to Rs 69,990 as Apple Ships iPhone 18
Technology

Croma Cuts iPhone 17 Pro to Rs 69,990 as Apple Ships iPhone 18

Apple discontinued the iPhone 17 Pro, but Croma still has stock and is dropping the 256GB model to as low as Rs 69,990 with cashback and exchange offers. Apple's official Indian retail partner, Tata-owned Croma, is offering the discontinued iPhone 17 Pro for as little as Rs 69,990, even as the newer iPhone 18 series prepares to reach stores. The discounts on the 256GB and 512GB models go live on Croma's online store from September 15. Apple stopped making the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, but Croma says it still holds good stock of the phones. The listed price of the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro is Rs 1,26,490, while the 512GB version carries a maximum retail price of Rs 1,45,990. Both figures already include Rs 4,000 in cashback. Buyers can push the price much lower by stacking offers. On the 256GB model, customers can combine the Rs 4,000 cashback on select credit cards with an exchange deal worth up to Rs 44,500 on an old phone, plus an additional exchange bonus of up to Rs 12,000. Together, those deductions bring the effective cost down to Rs 69,990. The 512GB model can be picked up for an effective price of Rs 88,490 under the same terms. Why the older Pro still holds up The iPhone 17 Pro runs Apple's A19 Pro chipset, which is faster and more power efficient than the processors in most premium Android phones. Its main triple-camera system remains strong, and the phone carries one of Apple's most advanced security setups against cyber threats. Support is another draw. The handset is expected to receive regular software updates and security patches through 2031. It is also set to get iOS 27 this week, which brings new photography tools, a redesigned Siri built on Apple Intelligence, added productivity features and child safety protections. Prices climbed instead of falling Apple usually cuts prices on older iPhones once a new generation arrives. This year it did the opposite. A supply crunch in Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and flash storage drove up costs, and Apple raised prices by between Rs 15,000 and Rs 65,000 across the iPhone 16, 17, 17e and iPhone Air. It then discontinued the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max outright, leaving retailer stock as one of the few ways to buy the model. Against that backdrop, the Croma deal stands out. For under Rs 90,000, the 512GB iPhone 17 Pro undercuts the entry price of the current Pro line by a wide margin. iPhone 18 and 18 Pro arrive September 18 Apple began taking pre-orders last weekend for the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro, along with the Watch Series 12, Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5. Those products are due in stores on September 18. The iPhone 18 Pro comes in four storage options. The 256GB model is priced at Rs 1,64,900, the 512GB at Rs 1,89,900, the 1TB at Rs 2,39,900 and the 2TB at Rs 3,14,900. The larger iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,79,900 for 256GB, followed by Rs 2,04,900 for 512GB, Rs 2,54,900 for 1TB and Rs 3,29,900 for the 2TB version. Shoppers can reserve the new iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, Watch Series 12, Ultra 4 and AirPods 5 at a Croma store with a token payment of Rs 5,000. Croma is offering cashback benefits, EMI plans through select partner bank cards, and an exchange bonus of up to Rs 12,000 on eligible trade-ins. Foldable iPhone Duo lands in October Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, will open for pre-order later, on October 16, and reach stores on October 23. It also ships in four storage sizes. The 256GB model is priced at Rs 2,99,900, the 512GB at Rs 3,34,900, the 1TB at Rs 3,74,900 and the top 2TB variant at Rs 4,49,900, making it the most expensive iPhone in the current lineup. For buyers who do not need the latest hardware, the math favours the older Pro. The iPhone 17 Pro at Rs 69,990 sits well below every iPhone 18 and iPhone Duo variant, while still carrying a flagship chip, a capable camera system and years of promised updates. iPhone 17 Pro price, Croma iPhone discount, iPhone 18 Pro India price, iPhone 17 Pro 256GB, Apple iPhone Duo foldable, iPhone 18 Pro Max price, A19 Pro chipset, iPhone exchange offer

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1 month ago
Congress Rejects TMC's Bengal Bypoll Alliance Offer
India

Congress Rejects TMC's Bengal Bypoll Alliance Offer

The West Bengal Congress turned down a Trinamool Congress proposal to coordinate on the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls, opting to contest alone. The Congress has declined a proposal from the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress to form an alliance for upcoming bypolls in West Bengal, choosing instead to contest the seats on its own. The TMC had reached out to the Congress with an offer to coordinate: the Congress would contest Nandigram, while the Trinamool would fight Rejinagar. The West Bengal unit of the Congress rejected the arrangement. On Monday, the TMC announced its own candidates for both Nandigram and Rejinagar - a move that came only after the Congress had already named its nominees. Party sources said the state Congress refused a tie-up because it is trying to rebuild its organisation after a decade of steep decline in Bengal. Aligning with the Trinamool now, they argued, would undercut that effort to revive the party's base. "It's a local party decision," sources said when asked about the failure to strike a deal, even as the BJP has grown more aggressive after recently winning what was described as a Trinamool stronghold. A senior Congress leader stressed that the two parties remain closely aligned against the BJP. He said the Congress stands firmly with the Trinamool in opposing what he called the misuse of state power against the party, and pointed to their cooperation in Parliament. "But these are by elections, it is a very local affair. The local unit takes such decisions," he said. The breakdown in Bengal appears to have spilled over into Assam. The Trinamool has fielded a candidate in the Lok Sabha byelection for the Nagaon constituency, where the Congress is in a direct contest with the BJP. The BJP recently returned to power in Assam with a large majority. By entering the Nagaon race, the Trinamool threatens to turn a two-way fight into a triangular one. The party has fielded a Muslim candidate in the seat - a choice that could split votes and hurt the prospects of the Congress, its ally on the national stage. Congress TMC alliance, Bengal bypolls, Nandigram bypoll, Rejinagar bypoll, Mamata Banerjee, Nagaon byelection, Trinamool Congress, West Bengal politics

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1 month ago
SpiceJet Denies AC Failure After Delhi-Gorakhpur Flight Complaint
India

SpiceJet Denies AC Failure After Delhi-Gorakhpur Flight Complaint

Travellers on SpiceJet flight SG2471 said the cabin turned stifling before takeoff. The airline says the air conditioning worked throughout. Passengers aboard a SpiceJet service from Delhi to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh said they were left sweltering inside a stationary cabin for close to two hours on Sunday after the aircraft's air conditioning reportedly stopped cooling. The airline has rejected the account, saying the system ran normally. Flight SG2471 was booked to leave Delhi for Gorakhpur at about 4:30 pm but did not lift off until roughly 5:50 pm, according to one traveller. During that wait, passengers said, warm air filled the cabin while they remained seated on board. Virendra Upadhyay, who was on the flight, told NDTV that the cooling had stopped working and that children and elderly travellers were among those affected. "The AC of the flight was not functioning, and they made us sit inside the aircraft and wait in the heat," he said, describing crying children and mounting anxiety among those around him. Upadhyay said the atmosphere grew harder to bear as the technical fault dragged on, calling conditions "suffocating." Video he shared showed passengers reaching for reading material stowed by their seats and waving it to move the air. The situation grew tense when some travellers demanded that a cabin door be opened, and several stepped off the plane, sparking a disturbance. CISF personnel reached the aircraft, worked to settle the passengers and guided them back inside. According to Upadhyay, the pilot then told those on board that engineers were addressing a fault with the air conditioning. He said travellers were left drenched in sweat and hemmed in by the heat as they waited for the problem to be fixed. The cooling eventually resumed and the aircraft departed at around 5:50 pm. Upadhyay said proper cooling only returned about half an hour after takeoff, easing conditions for those on board. SpiceJet gave a different version of events. In a statement, the carrier said the flight was "delayed due to operational issues" and insisted the "air conditioning remained operational throughout." A spokesperson added that "due to prevailing weather conditions in Delhi, some passengers may have experienced discomfort." SpiceJet, SG2471, Delhi Gorakhpur flight, air conditioning failure, flight delay, Indian aviation, passenger complaint, CISF

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1 month ago
Pakistan Raises Bounty on Jaish Chief Masood Azhar Before FATF Meet
India

Pakistan Raises Bounty on Jaish Chief Masood Azhar Before FATF Meet

Pakistan has raised its reward for information leading to Masood Azhar's arrest to 7 million rupees, weeks before the FATF plenary in Paris. Pakistan has raised the reward for information leading to the capture of Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar to 7 million Pakistani rupees, equal to about Rs 24.09 lakh in Indian currency. The country's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) still counts him among its most-wanted terrorists. The decision lands only weeks before the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) holds its plenary session in Paris from October 26 to 30. Those gatherings examine nations placed under closer scrutiny and take up matters tied to money laundering and the financing of terror groups. For years, officials in Islamabad have insisted that Azhar is no longer inside the country, saying he crossed into Afghanistan. Despite that claim, his details stay on the FIA's books, appearing in its 2026 "Red Book of Most Wanted High-Profile Terrorists." Azhar, 58, leads Jaish-e-Mohammed, a group based in Pakistan that India blames for several of the deadliest strikes on its soil over the last twenty years. The outfit has long been linked to Bahawalpur, one of the locations India targeted during Operation Sindoor. The United Nations Security Council has named Azhar a global terrorist. His organisation has been tied to the 2001 attack on Parliament, the 2008 Mumbai assault, the 2016 raid on the Pathankot airbase and the 2019 Pulwama bombing. His name surfaced again after the November 10, 2025 explosion close to Delhi's Red Fort. From Indian custody to Kandahar Azhar was once held in India but walked free in the aftermath of the December 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814. Five men seized the plane as it travelled from Kathmandu to Delhi. The aircraft was flown through Amritsar, Lahore and Dubai before reaching Kandahar in Afghanistan, then held by the Taliban. Following a drawn-out standoff, New Delhi freed Azhar along with two other imprisoned militants to secure the release of the hostages. He set up Jaish-e-Mohammed shortly afterwards, around 1999-2000. Family losses in Operation Sindoor Azhar lived through Operation Sindoor, though the offensive claimed several of his relatives. On May 7, India carried out strikes on nine sites housing terrorist infrastructure, acting in response to the Pahalgam attack. Reports put the toll at no fewer than 10 members of Azhar's family, along with four of his associates. Among the dead were his elder sister, her husband, a nephew, the nephew's wife, a niece and five children from the wider family. Masood Azhar, Jaish-e-Mohammed, FATF plenary Paris, Pakistan bounty, Operation Sindoor, IC-814 hijacking, cross-border terrorism, Red Fort blast

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1 month ago
Texas Buys 1,720-Acre Ranch for Rugged Bear Creek State Park
World

Texas Buys 1,720-Acre Ranch for Rugged Bear Creek State Park

Texas paid $33.5 million for a 1,720-acre Uvalde County ranch to build Bear Creek State Park, a backcountry alternative to nearby Garner State Park. Texas has bought a 1,720-acre ranch in Uvalde County to build Bear Creek State Park, a site the state plans to keep deliberately wild rather than paving it over for easy access. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) paid $33.5 million for the land through a one-time state appropriation. The new park sits less than a mile from Garner State Park, the busiest site in the entire Texas system. Both parks touch the same spring-fed Frio River, but visitors will reach the water very differently. At Garner, people can drive close to the river and use paved areas. At Bear Creek, getting to the Frio will mean hiking for miles across steep canyons, limestone ridges and rough backcountry trails. TPWD says the tight limits on vehicles near the river are intentional. The goal is to open more land for public recreation while shielding fragile ground from crowds. Garner regularly fills to capacity by midday on summer weekends, as visitors pack its lawns, roads and river banks. Bear Creek is being designed for lower-impact, quieter pursuits instead. Early surveys of the property turned up thick woodland, deep ravines and oak grasslands. State officials say those areas hold sensitive habitats, including territory for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler, along with several rare plants found in the deeper canyons. Governor Greg Abbott pointed to the recreational payoff when the deal was announced. "The acquisition of Bear Creek State Park will provide Texans access to the Frio River along with streams, canyons, and hiking trails for visitors to explore," he said. "I encourage all Texans and out-of-state visitors to witness our beautiful Texas parks up close." Trails through the Balcones Canyonlands Under TPWD's preliminary plans, the emphasis falls on walking the land rather than parking beside it. Planners are laying out a web of natural-surface trails across the Balcones Canyonlands. Some routes are expected to reach overlooks facing Old Baldy, the well-known peak inside neighboring Garner State Park. Hikers heading for the Frio and its feeder streams, including Spring Creek and Bear Creek itself, will follow backcountry paths meant to spare the sensitive banks from wear. Draft public-use plans call for walk-in campsites, primitive backpacking zones and spots for stargazing. Those low-footprint options are being prioritized over large RV areas and paved lots. "The department is excited to add Bear Creek to the Texas State Park system and provide Texans with another picturesque slice of the Texas Hill Country to enjoy," said David Yoskowitz, TPWD's executive director. "The rolling grasslands and unnamed creeks stretching across the landscape will one day provide visitors with a new place to explore the peaks and valleys that make up Uvalde County." Paid for by the Centennial fund Money for developing Bear Creek will come from the $1 billion Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, which Texas voters approved in 2023 to speed up land buys and park building statewide. Agency rules require some form of public access within 18 months of a purchase, with full operations expected inside four years. According to early plans, limited access such as guided hikes and special events should begin in late 2026, while resource surveys continue. Paul Foster, chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, tied the deal to the state's push for more outdoor space as its population grows. "This latest land purchase is another feather in the cap of the department for their efforts to provide more public spaces for Texans to recreate in the outdoors," he said. "Combined with the previous additions, Texas has added more than 6,800 acres of new parkland." Old campsites and dark skies The ranch also carries a long human record. Early archaeological work found signs of Native American campsites, including former cooking areas and spots where tools were shaped along the creek beds. Later, the land became part of the region's ranching past. Records show that in the late 1800s, rancher Abraham B. "Abe" Kelly built a homestead at the junction of Bear Creek and Spring Creek. Planners also want to guard the area's night sky. By holding down artificial light and avoiding heavy overnight construction, they hope to keep the Hill Country dark overhead. Officials are still refining the final master plan through public meetings, aiming to make Bear Creek a draw for hikers, birdwatchers and backpackers seeking a calmer stretch of the Frio River valley. Bear Creek State Park, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Frio River, Garner State Park, Uvalde County, Greg Abbott, Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, golden-cheeked warbler

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1 month ago