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Taiwan Readies Travel Warning as China Tightens Border Rules
World

Taiwan Readies Travel Warning as China Tightens Border Rules

Taipei is drafting guidance for citizens visiting China as Beijing prepares device inspections at the border, NSC adviser Alex Huang says. Taiwan's government is drawing up official guidance to help its citizens reduce the dangers of visiting China, as Beijing readies border rules that could see travellers' mobile phones and other electronic devices searched. Alex Huang (黃重諺), an adviser to the National Security Council, set out the plan in an interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times published on Thursday. Beijing's rewritten entry and exit regulations are due to take effect next Tuesday, a change that has drawn concern abroad and led Washington to revise its own travel advisory for China. From next month, Chinese authorities will start carrying out random checks of personal communication devices. Huang said many Taiwanese fear that commercial secrets could be uncovered during such searches, or that remarks they posted on social media in the past might later be turned against them. The Mainland Affairs Council, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and other departments are preparing the advisory together, Huang said. He singled out three categories of travellers who should take extra care. Officials, clergy and tech workers at risk The first group is public employees at every level of government, whether in local, central or security posts. Huang said they could be treated as sources of intelligence. He pointed to recent episodes in which police officers were quizzed about how critical infrastructure is protected and court staff were pressed on the inner workings of the judiciary. Village heads and local civil affairs officers, he added, could be approached for details about air-raid shelters, emergency stockpiles and how supplies are distributed. Religious workers make up the second group. Huang argued that China lacks true freedom of worship, noting that missionary activity, ordinations and baptisms have to take place under the watch of religious affairs bodies answering to the Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department. Meetings of worshippers and religious study sessions, he said, are handled as national security concerns. He cited reports that several members of the I-Kuan Tao faith who went to China as tourists were detained without clear cause and are still being held. The third group covers people employed in sensitive fields such as semiconductors, quantum research, advanced materials and defence, along with staff at major foreign firms and companies tied to businesses that Beijing has sanctioned. Huang said such workers face an especially high chance of having their movements curtailed. Beijing extending its reach Huang linked the tighter border regime to a broader effort by Beijing to keep skilled workers and technology inside the country and to dissuade its own citizens from pursuing careers overseas. He said China's slowing economy has left a small circle of people prospering while many others struggle, and that supply chains around the world are moving faster to cut their dependence on the country. He described the new measures as part of a pattern that began with the so-called "22 guidelines to penalise Taiwanese independence separatists." Together, he said, these steps show Beijing trying to project its legal authority beyond its own territory and reveal a deep suspicion of its population. As an illustration, Huang pointed to China's Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress. He said it places Han Chinese culture above other cultures, gives priority to standard spoken Chinese and simplified characters, and goes as far as instructing parents to raise their children to "love the CCP." Rules of that kind, he said, twist basic constitutional and governing norms. He also flagged changes to China's National Defence Mobilisation Law. The amendments would widen what can be mobilised to take in supply chains and other assets bound up with the country's development. Under the revised text, Huang said, civilian resources would no longer be temporarily requisitioned but expropriated outright, with ownership transferred to the state. Taiwan travel advisory China, China border rules, Alex Huang National Security Council, China phone inspections, Mainland Affairs Council, I-Kuan Tao detained, Taiwan semiconductor workers China, China entry exit regulations

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1 month ago
UK Sanctions Israeli Settlements Over E1 Plan Israel Hits Back
Middle East

UK Sanctions Israeli Settlements Over E1 Plan Israel Hits Back

UK sanctions on West Bank settlements over Israel's E1 building plan near Jerusalem draw Israeli counter-measures against UK nationals and organisations. The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, prompting Israel to hit back with a series of counter-measures aimed at UK nationals and organisations. The UK measures followed Israel's move to open tenders for the construction of settlement homes in the so-called E1 area, a strip of land east of Jerusalem. The building plans have drawn widespread international condemnation. The E1 zone sits at the centre of the dispute because of where it lies. Development there would, in effect, split the occupied West Bank into two separate parts and cut off East Jerusalem from the rest of the Palestinian territory. That geography is why the tenders have been treated as more than a routine housing decision. In response to the British sanctions, Israel announced its own steps directed at UK nationals and UK organisations, turning a dispute over settlement construction into a direct diplomatic confrontation between the two governments. Khan al Ahmar and Maale Adumim Inside the E1 area lies Khan al Ahmar, a Palestinian community that has been living under demolition orders issued by Israel. Its residents face the prospect of losing their homes at the same time that Israeli settlement building in the surrounding area is being expanded. Next to the Palestinian community stands Maale Adumim, an established Israeli settlement. The two sit side by side in the same contested landscape, on opposite sides of a dispute that the E1 tenders have brought to a head. The sanctions on settlements are part of a wider British response. The UK has also moved to ban imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, tightening the economic pressure alongside the targeted measures. The standoff leaves a small Palestinian community threatened with demolition at the exact spot where planned Israeli construction would reshape the map of the West Bank, and where a disagreement over building permits has now widened into sanctions and counter-sanctions between London and the Israeli government. UK sanctions Israel, West Bank settlements, E1 area, Khan al Ahmar, Maale Adumim, East Jerusalem, Israeli settlement homes, demolition orders

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1 month ago
Israeli Demolitions Hit Homes and Schools in Masafer Yatta
Middle East

Israeli Demolitions Hit Homes and Schools in Masafer Yatta

Israeli forces demolished homes and school rooms in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, as students vow to keep attending classes despite the threats. Twelve-year-old Sundus al-Hamamdeh set off for class on Tuesday morning from her family's home in Khirbet al-Fakhit, a village in Masafer Yatta in the occupied West Bank. It was the third day of the new school year. By the time the sixth-grader at al-Fakhit Secondary School came back, the house was no longer standing. Israeli forces had swept through Khirbet al-Fakhit that day and carried out a wide demolition, flattening residences along with livestock pens, water systems and solar-power equipment. For al-Hamamdeh, the building she returned to each afternoon had been her one place of refuge. Masafer Yatta sits south of Hebron, and the risk of losing a home is a constant for the children who live there. A large share of the area falls inside Area C, the portion of the West Bank where Israel holds authority over planning and building. Israeli officials say the demolished structures went up without permits. Palestinians, supported by the United Nations, point out that securing such permits is almost never possible for them. The threat extends beyond family houses to the classrooms themselves. On August 4, Israeli forces encircled the Shaab al-Butum school, according to Bassam Jabr, the director-general of education in Masafer Yatta. A military bulldozer then tore down two rooms used by teaching and administrative staff, along with a storage room. The United Nations verified the demolition on its own, reporting that Israeli authorities gave the absence of an Israeli-issued building permit as the reason. The damage may not end there. A demolition order still hangs over the main school building. A remote school with nowhere to send its students Shaab al-Butum school opened in 2015 and now teaches roughly 60 pupils, from kindergarten age up to the 11th grade. Because the community sits so far from other facilities, moving those students elsewhere would be especially hard, Jabr said. Education officials have taken their case to Israeli courts and have asked the United Nations and foreign governments to step in. So far, the schools remain exposed to the same orders. Schools carry particular weight in Masafer Yatta. They allow families to keep their children in class without long journeys, and Palestinians argue this is precisely why the buildings have been singled out. Keeping education within reach is one of the main reasons residents have been able to stay on the land, and the loss of a school makes remaining far harder. Firing zones and harsh conditions Violence tied to the Israeli military and to settler attacks has continued across the West Bank, but residents describe Masafer Yatta as facing unusually heavy pressure. The communities are small and scattered, with limited means to resist, and daily life is already difficult. Adding to that, the Israeli military has declared large stretches of the area a firing zone for training. That designation has become a further basis for pushing the Palestinian population out. The reach of the threat spans many of the small communities in the district. Intisar Omar Abu Sabha, an administrative director at the Masafer Yatta Directorate of Education, listed schools in Zif, ar-Rifaiyah, Umm Qussa, Umm al-Kheir, Jinba, Shaab al-Butum and Khirbet al-Daba among those affected. For now, the students say they intend to keep showing up. Even with homes reduced to rubble and classrooms under demolition orders, the children of Masafer Yatta have pledged to carry on with their education. Masafer Yatta, West Bank demolitions, Shaab al-Butum school, Khirbet al-Fakhit, Area C, Israeli military firing zone, Palestinian education, Hebro

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1 month ago
Hyundai Custo Facelift Leaks With Staria-Inspired New Face
AutoMobiles

Hyundai Custo Facelift Leaks With Staria-Inspired New Face

Leaked Chinese MIIT documents reveal the facelifted Hyundai Custo minivan with a Staria-like front, vertical LED headlights and a black grille. Hyundai's Custo minivan has received its first facelift in China, with the updated model surfacing through homologation documents filed with the country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The leaked images reveal a heavily reworked front end that draws clear inspiration from the larger Staria MPV. The Custo first appeared in 2021 and is built by Beijing Hyundai, the joint venture between China's BAIC Motor and Hyundai. The same vehicle is sold under the Custin name in the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam, and the exterior changes shown in the leaked documents could eventually reach those markets. The Custo name is a nod to Jacques Cousteau, the French explorer credited with inventing SCUBA equipment. A completely revised front end The entire face of the minivan has been redesigned, giving the Custo a new identity. The grille now carries a black finish that stands out sharply against the white body colour shown in the leaked photos, with contrasting elements covering almost the whole front section. The update introduces vertically arranged LED headlights, with daytime running lights flanking them on the outer edges. A connected LED bar may run across the top, with either end doubling as turn indicators. A cascading grille sits in the centre and holds the Hyundai logo. Lower down, the design adds bull-bar-style elements and a faux skid plate. Familiar sides and rear The side profile has been left largely untouched. The changes there are limited to a new alloy wheel design and triangular elements added to both front fenders. The Custo continues to ride on 18-inch alloy wheels, which adopt a fresh pattern with this facelift. At the rear, the tail lights carry over unchanged, while the bumper gains new chrome elements. Depending on the variant, Hyundai will fit a single-pane sunroof at the front and a panoramic sunroof for the rear. The interior was not shown in the leaked pictures. Dimensionally, the facelifted Custo measures 4,959 mm in length, up to 1,856 mm in width and 1,733 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 3,055 mm, and its sliding doors open into a wide aperture for access to the rear seats. Two turbo-petrol options Badges on the tailgate point to the powertrain line-up. The leaked images show 270T and 380T markings, both of which relate to the engines on offer. For Beijing Hyundai, the 270T designation refers to a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 270 Nm of torque and 170 bhp, paired with either a seven-speed or eight-speed automatic gearbox. The 380T badge denotes a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit rated at 353 Nm and 230 bhp, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai does not currently sell any minivan or MPV in India, but the Custo is part of a broad global line-up for the South Korean carmaker. The facelift keeps the model competitive in China, where it has been on sale since 2021, and the revised styling could filter through to the Custin-badged versions in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. Hyundai Custo facelift, Hyundai Custo, Beijing Hyundai, Hyundai Staria, Hyundai Custin, MIIT leak, Hyundai minivan, Custo facelift specs

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1 month ago
Kia Opens Pre-Bookings for Carens CNG, Carnival Hybrid in India
AutoMobiles

Kia Opens Pre-Bookings for Carens CNG, Carnival Hybrid in India

Kia India has opened pre-bookings for the factory-fitted Carens CNG, Carens Clavis CNG and the Carnival Hybrid. Launch and prices are due soon. Kia India has opened pre-bookings for three new models - the Carens CNG, the Carens Clavis CNG and the Carnival Hybrid. The bookings began the same day the company launched the Sorento in India, and Kia says the launch, deliveries and prices for the new variants will follow soon. All three vehicles were first shown to the public alongside the Sorento, together with a Syros Flex Fuel model. While the Sorento went on sale immediately, the two CNG-powered MPVs and the hybrid minivan were held back for a later launch. Pre-orders are being taken through Kia's authorised dealer network. Factory-fitted CNG for the Carens twins The key change for the Carens CNG is where the gas system is installed. Kia had offered a CNG Carens before, but the kit was fitted at the dealer level rather than on the assembly line. The new Carens CNG and Carens Clavis CNG will both carry a factory-fitted kit installed directly in the production line at Kia's manufacturing facilities. Both MPVs pair the CNG system with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and a 6-speed manual gearbox. Each gets a single 60-litre CNG tank in the boot, covered by a new flap. The cars run on a bi-fuel setup, with the engine modified to operate on CNG and the suspension revised to account for the added equipment. Kia has set out the trim structure for private and commercial buyers. The Carens CNG will be sold in the Premium (O) trim, while the Carens Clavis CNG will come in HTE and HTE (O) trims. For commercial use, the Carens CNG gets an M-Drive 6MT trim and the Carens Clavis CNG an HTM 6MT trim. Equipment on the CNG models includes 16-inch wheels, front and rear disc brakes and a 4.2-inch colour TFT driver display with CNG distance-to-empty logic. Kia is positioning the combination of three-row seating and a conventional factory-fitted CNG kit as the main draw for buyers. Hybrid power for the Carnival The Carnival, which Kia describes as the only luxury diesel minivan on sale in India, has been shown with a hybrid powertrain for the first time. The Carnival Hybrid uses the same 1.6T HEV strong-hybrid engine paired with a 6-speed automatic as the Sorento, with slightly different tuning. The hybrid version will be based on the Limousine+ trim. Its features include 18-inch wheels, active air flaps, virtual engine sounds and a smart air purifier with an air-quality-index display. Inside, it offers seat-back tray tables with wireless charging, powered lounging recliner seats with extending calf support and ambient lighting. Kia has flagged the Carnival Hybrid as relevant for buyers in the Delhi NCR region who want a luxury MPV. Pricing and delivery timelines for all three models are still to be announced. Kia Carens CNG, Kia Carens Clavis CNG, Kia Carnival Hybrid, Kia India pre-bookings, factory-fitted CNG kit, Kia Sorento, CNG MPV India

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1 month ago
UK Vaccine Injury Scheme Costs £83m to Run, £32m Paid Out
Health

UK Vaccine Injury Scheme Costs £83m to Run, £32m Paid Out

Administration and medical checks for the UK's Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme have topped £83m - more than double the £32m paid to victims. Running the UK government's compensation scheme for people harmed by vaccines has cost £83m since April 2022 - more than twice the roughly £32m handed to victims over the same period, newly disclosed figures show. The money went on staffing, administration and independent medical reviews, while payouts to claimants lagged far behind. The totals were released for the first time in a written answer to backbench Conservative MP Sir Christopher Chope. Health minister Dame Diana Johnson confirmed the £83m figure covered the period from April 2022 to March 2026. The scheme is run for the government by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). Of the claims lodged since November 2021, just 264 have succeeded out of 24,260 submitted. Most applications now relate to the AstraZeneca jab and other Covid vaccines, a sharp shift since the pandemic pushed applicant numbers up steeply. From £4.3m to £19.3m in medical checks The cost of the medical assessments alone has climbed steeply. In 2022/23 they came to £4.3m; by 2025/26 the annual bill had reached £19.3m. The NHSBSA links the rising expense directly to the growing caseload, saying claim volumes have jumped significantly since it took over administration of the scheme in November 2021. By contrast, the damages actually reaching bereaved and injured families have grown far more slowly. Drawing on data up to June 2026, the total paid to those who died or were harmed after a Covid vaccination stood at £31.6m. The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme dates back to 1979 and was designed to help the small number of people seriously harmed by vaccines of any kind. Under its rules, each application is examined by an independent doctor, who decides whether the claimant meets a threshold described as "severe disablement." Those who clear that bar receive a single, tax-free sum of £120,000. Reaching a decision can stretch on for months or, in some cases, years. Campaigners call the scheme unfit The Taxpayers' Alliance said members of the public would be taken aback by the running costs and urged ministers to review the arrangement without delay. Critics who represent affected families were blunter. The campaign group Vaccine Injured and Bereaved UK (VIBUK), formed to support those hit by vaccine harm, said the scheme was not doing its job. "It offers too little, too late, to too few and the cost of running it shows how inefficient it is," said the group's Kate Scott, whose husband Jamie was left severely disabled after receiving the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine. Scott pressed the government to adopt the findings from module four of the Covid public inquiry and overhaul the scheme. The inquiry's chair, Baroness Heather Hallett, recommended earlier this year that the payout be raised and calculated according to how badly a person had been injured, rather than paid as a flat sum. Ministers are still due to give their response. The figures land against a backdrop where the value of vaccination itself is not in dispute. The AstraZeneca jab is widely credited with saving millions of lives around the world. Yet for the small group left with serious, lasting harm, the injuries have been life-changing - and the compensation route, campaigners argue, has proved slow, costly to operate and reluctant to pay out. With more than 24,000 claims filed and fewer than 300 approved, the gap between what the state spends processing applications and what it pays to successful claimants has become the central complaint. As claim numbers keep climbing, so too do the administrative and medical-assessor bills that now dwarf the support reaching families. Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, VDPS running costs, AstraZeneca vaccine injury, NHSBSA, Covid vaccine compensation, Taxpayers Alliance, Diana Johnson, Covid public inquiry

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1 month ago
Apple Unveils Foldable iPhone Duo as Ternus Debuts as CEO
AutoMobiles

Apple Unveils Foldable iPhone Duo as Ternus Debuts as CEO

Apple's launch event brought the folding iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro, and new Apple Watches with an always-on microphone, in John Ternus's first outing as CEO. John Ternus introduced Apple's first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, in his first public appearance as the company's chief executive. The debut, staged at Apple's launch event, paired a high-profile product with a high-profile leadership change, giving the new CEO a marquee device to headline his opening act. The iPhone Duo marks Apple's entry into a category that Android manufacturers have occupied for years. Rather than break new ground on the format, Apple appears to have studied its rivals closely, selecting the features it judged to work best from existing Android foldables and building around them. The Verge's Allison Johnson tested the new phones in Cupertino ahead of the event. The iPhone 18 Pro and its variable aperture Alongside the foldable, Apple introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The headline camera change is a new variable aperture, which lets the lens open and close to different f-stops. But the standout improvement may be simpler than the mechanism suggests. The more meaningful gain appears to be the wider maximum aperture itself, which lets in more light, rather than the added ability to stop the lens down to narrower settings. New Apple Watches that listen Apple also refreshed its smartwatch line with the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4. Both carry a new sensor array, raising the question of whether the added hardware delivers genuinely new health metrics or simply more loosely defined wellness data. Victoria Song tested the watches for The Verge. The more striking addition is on the software and privacy side. Both new watches can keep a microphone switched on at all times, using it to summarize the conversations a wearer has throughout the day. The Series 12 pairs this with an always-on Siri capable of generating AI recaps of a user's day. Apple published a document explaining how the listening features are designed to protect user privacy, an acknowledgment that an always-listening wrist device invites scrutiny. Local AI and the OpenAI math dispute The event coverage extended beyond Apple's own hardware. In a separate segment, The Verge's Nilay Patel and David Imel spoke with AI researcher CJ Trowbridge about the current state of running local large language models directly on the Mac, a growing interest for users who want to keep AI workloads on their own machines rather than in the cloud. Attention also turned to a controversy surrounding OpenAI. The company has claimed a significant mathematical breakthrough, but the announcement has unsettled parts of the academic community. Mathematicians are pressing OpenAI for proof that it did not rely on their existing work to reach the result, and the dispute has cast a shadow over what the company presented as a milestone. Several shorter items rounded out the week's technology news. The so-called Trump phone was hit with a $250 price increase. Sony returned to one of its best-known audio products, revisiting the XM4 headphones six years after their original release. And Hori released an electronic take on the Ocarina of Time that, by design, requires no musical ability to play. Together, the announcements point to a busy stretch for Apple and the wider industry. For Apple, the day carried added weight: a new foldable, a redesigned camera system, and a set of always-listening wearables all arrived under a new chief executive making his first impression from the stage. iPhone Duo, foldable iPhone, John Ternus Apple CEO, iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, variable aperture camera, Apple AI features

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1 month ago
NFL Debuts in Australia as Goodell Plots Global Growth
Business

NFL Debuts in Australia as Goodell Plots Global Growth

Roger Goodell talks NFL's first regular-season game in Australia, his contract to 2031, and plans for up to 16 international games and overseas teams. The National Football League stages its first regular-season game on Australian soil this week, with the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams set to kick off the Week 1 matchup on Thursday at 8:35 p.m. ET. Commissioner Roger Goodell, speaking in Melbourne, framed the milestone as one piece of a much longer campaign to plant the sport around the world. Goodell, 67, told CNBC that running the league now means mapping out decisions over a decade or more. "Whether it's media, or whether it's labor, or whether it's our international plans or what we're doing with stadiums, all of that [requires] taking a 5-, 10-, 15-year look, and it's critical to do that," he said, adding that failing to plan that far out would be "irresponsible." The commissioner has secured the time to see those plans through. Earlier this month he agreed to a four-year contract extension that keeps him in charge until March 2031. This season marks his 20th at the helm, a tenure that has seen the league expand to a 17-game regular season and move its broadcast inventory onto streaming platforms. Overseas expansion may prove the most consequential shift of all. The NFL has already brought regular-season contests to Germany, France, Brazil and Mexico, and the Melbourne fixture widens that footprint further. The schedule calls for nine games outside the United States in 2026 and 10 the following year. Goodell has said he would eventually like to reach 16, but that ambition depends on the players. That constraint is written into the sport's labor deal. The current collective bargaining agreement limits the league to 10 games abroad, and it runs out in March 2031 - the same month Goodell's new contract concludes. Pushing past the cap will require fresh negotiation and the athletes' agreement. Long flights and time-zone changes can upset the strict routines players lean on to stay healthy across a grueling season. Even so, Goodell said the roster embraces the trips. "I think they see the opportunity. I get calls, texts from our players during the offseason, and they're all over the world, so I think this generation of players is used to being international," he said. He added that today's athletes view the games as a chance to build their personal brands, calling that "great for the NFL." Beyond a one-off visit Goodell was candid that dropping a team into a foreign city for a single week does little to create lasting supporters. The league is betting instead on its Global Markets Program, under which every franchise holds marketing rights to at least one country. The idea is to nurture followings in places that have no historic tie to any particular club. "You don't want to be at the circus to come in and play a game and leave," Goodell said. "You want to have events and sponsors and media partners. I think we'll continue to modify [the Global Markets Program], but I think it's worked well." The numbers show how far that work still has to go. Last season's Week 1 international game, between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers, streamed on YouTube and drew 18.5 million viewers inside the United States. Abroad, it pulled in just 1.2 million. American audiences remain enormous - NFL broadcasts regularly top the country's television rankings - but interest elsewhere is still slight. A franchise overseas Goodell has gone further in describing his vision, saying he expects the league to one day place a team permanently outside the United States. He suggested he could picture multiple NFL clubs based in Europe. He would not attach any timeline to establishing an overseas franchise, saying it forms part of the broader strategy still taking shape. For now, the focus is on Thursday's contest in Melbourne, a first for the sport in a country the NFL hopes to add to its growing list of overseas hosts. The game tests, in real time, whether a week-long visit can be turned into something more durable - the central question behind Goodell's international push. NFL Australia game, Roger Goodell, NFL international games, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, NFL Global Markets Program, NFL collective bargaining agreement, NFL streaming right

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1 month ago
Rescuers Board Burning Philippine Ferry 40 Hours After Fire
World

Rescuers Board Burning Philippine Ferry 40 Hours After Fire

Philippine crews boarded the fire-gutted MV June Aster on Friday. Five dead, 43 rescued and 84 still missing after the Manila-to-Coron blaze. Philippine rescuers climbed aboard the burnt-out hulk of the MV June Aster on Friday, more than 40 hours after a fire tore through the passenger-cargo ferry as it neared the end of a voyage from Manila. Crews reached the vessel at about 11:30 local time (03:30 GMT), the Philippine Coast Guard said, forcing their way past smoke that was still rising from the wreck. Five people have been confirmed dead and 43 have been pulled to safety, many of them now under hospital care. Another 84 passengers remain unaccounted for. The ferry had left the capital and was closing in on the island of Coron, in Palawan province, when flames broke out on Wednesday evening. Reaching the hull proved dangerous from the moment operations began on Wednesday. Coast guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab said searing heat and poisonous fumes kept teams off the ship for hours. "The biggest challenge for us really is to penetrate the ship [as] there is still a visible, thick smoke," she told the BBC. "No matter how we try to push through, high temperatures and toxic smoke remain a severe risk to our personnel," she told local media. Fires that burn without enough oxygen throw off heavy loads of carbon monoxide, a gas that can kill quickly. Images released by the coast guard on Friday morning showed smoke twisting up from the ferry, though later pictures taken that afternoon suggested the plumes had eased. The maritime agency said it would restart firefighting from the cargo hold, the storage compartment for containers and freight. Early accounts from survivors point to that same section as where the blaze first took hold. Investigators also noted that some passengers had not been wearing life vests. The missing count was revised down from 86 to 84 after officials determined that two people listed on the ship's manifest never actually boarded. Search crews have since expanded the area they are combing. The coast guard has sent out one of its largest ships, broadcast radio appeals to nearby vessels and flown an aerial sweep over the surrounding waters. Divers and nurses are working alongside the search parties. In Coron, a local diver told the BBC his team was ready to assist and waiting for word from the coast guard. One survivor described the chaos that gripped the vessel as the fire spread. Roland Lerma, 30, said he was knocked to the deck as passengers rushed for the exits. "When I was on the floor, people were trampling me," he told the BBC. He crawled until he could stand, then threw himself overboard. In the dark, he made out children who had also leapt into the water but could not see their faces. "It was cold [in the sea] If the rescue had been delayed, I would definitely have died," he said. The Philippines' maritime authority is examining what caused the disaster. MV June Aster, Philippine ferry fire, Philippine Coast Guard, Coron Palawan, Manila ferry disaster, ferry rescue Philippines, Roland Lerma, maritime accident

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1 month ago
Frances Tiafoe Girlfriend Ayan Broomfield What to Know
World

Frances Tiafoe Girlfriend Ayan Broomfield What to Know

Frances Tiafoe reaches his third US Open semifinal against Ben Shelton. Here's what is known about his girlfriend, Canadian tennis player Ayan Broomfield. Frances Tiafoe reached the US Open semifinals for the third time in his career on Friday, September 11, 2026, keeping alive his bid for a first Grand Slam final. The 28-year-old American, ranked world No. 12, advanced by beating Daniil Medvedev and Alex Michelsen in his previous two rounds. His opponent in the semifinal is fellow American Ben Shelton, who reached the last four by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals. Shelton holds a 3-1 edge over Tiafoe in their career meetings, giving the match an added edge beyond a place in the final. Tiafoe is chasing his first Grand Slam singles title. Shelton is also seeking his first appearance in a major final, setting up a clash between two of the leading American men in the game. As Tiafoe prepared for the match, attention also turned to his personal life and his relationship with girlfriend Ayan Broomfield. Broomfield, 29, is a Canadian tennis player who competed at the collegiate level for Clemson and UCLA. The couple made their relationship public in 2018. Since then, Broomfield has been a regular presence in the stands at Tiafoe's matches, following his run through the professional tour. With a semifinal spot secured, Tiafoe now stands two wins away from a maiden Grand Slam title, beginning with the head-to-head test against Shelton. Frances Tiafoe, Ayan Broomfield, US Open semifinal, Ben Shelton, Tiafoe girlfriend, Grand Slam, American tennis

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1 month ago
Razaullah's 81 lights up Edgbaston as Pakistan fight back
Sports

Razaullah's 81 lights up Edgbaston as Pakistan fight back

Debutant Razaullah smashed 81 off 63 balls with nine sixes at Edgbaston, dragging Pakistan back into the third Test against England on day three. A 21-year-old debutant named Razaullah hijacked the third Test between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston on Friday, hammering 81 from 63 balls to drag his side back into a match they had been expected to lose. Coming in at number nine, he struck nine sixes in an innings that lasted around two hours and left England's bowlers scrambling. By the close of day three, England needed 130 to win, a target that had looked far more comfortable before Razaullah walked to the crease in Birmingham. Instead of wrapping up the game and taking Saturday off, both sides must return for a fourth day. Razaullah arrived in international cricket almost unknown. He had played just eight first-class matches, with a single century to his name, and was picked as part of wholesale changes Pakistan made before the final Test. Selectors saw him primarily as a raw, quick fast bowler, with comparisons drawn to Waqar Younis. His name was not one England's attack had prepared for. That changed quickly. He broke two bats during his onslaught and had to call for a third, flaying the England bowling to all corners. His nine sixes equalled the most ever hit in a single Test innings in England, matching Ben Stokes' 155 against Australia during the 2023 Ashes. In one innings he cleared the rope as many times as Sir Geoffrey Boycott did across his entire 108-Test career. England captain Joe Root ran out of answers. At one stage he pushed eight fielders back to the boundary, a defensive setting that did nothing to slow the debutant, who kept swinging with the confidence of a player untroubled by the situation. Pakistan, well behind in the match and written off before a ball was bowled, batted with a freedom absent from earlier in the series. Razaullah was not alone in the fightback. Opener Shan Masood anchored the innings with a patient 95, providing the application at one end that allowed the hitting at the other. Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja, on BBC Test Match Special, said the innings marked the arrival of a genuine talent. "It's the first time he's been out there for Pakistan ever, and he absolutely lights up the show. This is the attitude that was needed," he said. "Someone with a strong body language and who believes in himself. They'll want him playing all formats because he's a natural in mind, body language and attitude. It was a tremendous fightback." The style of the knock drew comparisons to Pakistan's great entertainers, with echoes of Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq in the way Razaullah attacked. For a player with only one first-class hundred and a reputation built on bowling pace, it was a startling introduction on the biggest stage. With 130 still to get, England remain favourites to close out the Test. But Razaullah's assault has ensured the match runs into a fourth day and handed Pakistan a contest they had appeared certain to concede. Razaullah, Pakistan cricket, England Pakistan Test, Edgbaston, third Test, Shan Masood, nine sixes, Test cricket

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1 month ago
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 3 Leak Reveals New Look and Price
AutoMobiles

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 3 Leak Reveals New Look and Price

A fresh leak shows Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag 3 with a redesigned body, Black and White options and a rumoured EUR 45.95 price tag. Samsung's next Bluetooth tracker, expected to carry the name Galaxy SmartTag 3, has appeared in a fresh leak that reveals a reworked design, two colour choices and a possible price. The images and details, published by tipster SammyGuru, surface almost three years after the Galaxy SmartTag 2 reached buyers in October 2023. Samsung has made no official statement, so every specification, price and timing detail remains unverified. The leaked renders show the tracker from several angles. According to the report, the device carries a squircle body - a square softened into rounded corners - with a circular panel set in the middle. On the White model, a pale frame wraps the outer edge while the central disc appears to use a brushed metallic texture, marked off from the surround by a raised ring. Alongside White, the tracker is said to come in Black. One notable absence in the images is any opening for a keyring or lanyard. Without a built-in loop, owners would likely need a separate holder with an attachment point to clip the tracker onto keys, luggage or a bag. The rounded-square outline with its central circle echoes the very first Galaxy SmartTag rather than the model it directly follows. A Companion for the Next Galaxy FE Phone The report suggests the SmartTag 3 will launch alongside Samsung's upcoming Galaxy FE handset. It would mark the company's first refresh of the tracker line since the SmartTag 2 arrived in October 2023. Samsung is positioning the accessory against Apple's AirTag and the trackers built around Google's Find Hub network. No hardware specifications for the SmartTag 3 have leaked. As a reference point, the SmartTag 2 runs on Bluetooth Low Energy 5.3 with a stated reach of up to 120 metres and adds Ultra-Wideband for pinpointing an item's exact spot. That model connects to Galaxy phones and tablets on Android 9 or newer and is set up through the SmartThings app. The second-generation tracker also carries an IP67 dust and water rating and an NFC-driven Lost Mode. When someone taps a misplaced tag, that feature can surface the owner's saved contact details and a note on the finder's phone. Its battery is rated for as long as 500 days in the standard setting and up to 700 days when Power Saving Mode is switched on. Whether the SmartTag 3 keeps or improves on any of these figures is still unknown. What the Leak Says About Price On cost, the leak points to a European figure of EUR 45.95, or roughly Rs. 5,100, for either colour. That would place the new tracker about EUR 6 - close to Rs. 700 - above its predecessor. In the United States, the price is reportedly set to hold at $29.99, or around Rs. 2,900. The device has also reportedly cleared certification with South Korea's National Radio Research Institute, a step that often precedes a product's release. Even so, Samsung has confirmed none of the leaked material, and the price, feature set and launch date all await an official announcement. Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 3, Samsung tracker leak, SmartTag 3 price, SmartTag 3 design, Samsung SmartThings, Apple AirTag rival, Galaxy FE, Bluetooth tracker

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1 month ago
Caribbean Premier League: BBT vs SNP in 32nd Match Draws Indian Fans
India

Caribbean Premier League: BBT vs SNP in 32nd Match Draws Indian Fans

The 32nd match of the Caribbean Premier League 2026, BBT vs SNP, is trending among Indian cricket fans following live commentary. The 32nd match of the Caribbean Premier League 2026, between BBT and SNP, has drawn attention from cricket followers in India, where the tournament climbed the Google Trends charts with more than 200 searches. The fixture is being tracked through live ball-by-ball commentary, the format that lets fans follow the T20 contest in real time even when a broadcast is not available. Interest in the match pushed "caribbean premier league" into the trending list for India. The Caribbean Premier League is the region's flagship Twenty20 competition. The 32nd match marks another step through the 2026 season's fixture list, with BBT and SNP meeting in a league-stage encounter. The surge in Indian searches points to the growing overseas audience for franchise T20 cricket beyond the Indian Premier League. Fans in India increasingly follow leagues staged in other time zones, checking scores and commentary online as matches unfold. Further details on the toss, playing conditions, team line-ups and the result were not available at the time of writing. Supporters have been relying on the live commentary feed for updates as the innings progress. The CPL season continues with more fixtures to follow, and the spike in search interest suggests Indian viewers will keep tracking the results of the remaining matches. Caribbean Premier League, CPL 2026, BBT vs SNP, 32nd match, T20 cricket, live commentary, cricket India

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1 month ago
Russia Sanctions Bill Eyeing India Tariffs Heads to House Vote
India

Russia Sanctions Bill Eyeing India Tariffs Heads to House Vote

A US Russia sanctions bill that would authorise tariffs on India and China over Russian oil heads to a House vote next week. The US House of Representatives is preparing to take up a wide-ranging Russia sanctions bill next week that would clear the way for steep tariffs on India, China and other buyers of Russian oil and gas. The House rules committee has set a meeting for Monday afternoon to weigh the measure. If the Republican-controlled committee signs off, the full chamber could vote later in the week. The bill has already cleared the Senate, but it runs into firm resistance from House Democrats. The legislation is built to squeeze Moscow financially over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Alongside the tariffs aimed at cutting other nations' reliance on Russian energy, it targets Russian officials directly and would place fresh sanctions and visa bans on President Vladimir Putin and senior military commanders. The measure was driven by Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who died in July. One of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine in Congress, Graham devoted his final days to pushing the bill forward. For India, the tariff provision is the sharpest point of interest. The bill treats purchases of Russian oil and gas as a lever, seeking to pressure importing countries into reducing those trade ties. New Delhi has been among the larger buyers of discounted Russian crude since the war began. The path ahead is not settled. Committee approval would only open the door to a floor vote, and Democratic opposition signals a contested passage in the House. What emerges from that chamber, and whether the tariff language survives intact, remains to be seen as lawmakers return to the measure in the coming days. Russia sanctions bill, India tariffs, Russian oil, US House vote, Lindsey Graham, Ukraine sanctions, Putin sanctions, China tariffs

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1 month ago
Hurricane Lowell Batters Western Hawaii With Winds and Flooding
OtherNews

Hurricane Lowell Batters Western Hawaii With Winds and Flooding

Hurricane Lowell lashed western Hawaii on Monday and Tuesday with powerful winds and torrential rain, downing trees, cutting power and raising flood fears. Hurricane Lowell battered western Hawaii on Monday and Tuesday, driving powerful winds and torrential rain across parts of the island and downing trees. The storm caused power outages and prompted warnings about flash flooding and mudslides. The centre of the hurricane passed to the west of the islands early on Tuesday, keeping the most intense core of the system offshore. Even so, the outer bands delivered damaging conditions on land, with heavy rain and strong gusts reported across the affected areas. Fallen trees and flooding were among the visible effects as the storm moved through. The combination of sustained wind and rain over two days left debris scattered and knocked out electricity in parts of the region. The torrential rain drove the main concern for residents: flash flooding and mudslides. Sustained downpours can quickly overwhelm drainage and destabilise slopes, and both hazards were flagged as risks while the storm lingered near the islands. Lowell struck across Monday and Tuesday before its centre tracked west of Hawaii early Tuesday, signalling that the closest approach had passed. The details available point to wind damage, flooding, downed trees and power outages as the storm's principal impacts on western Hawaii. Hurricane Lowell, Hawaii hurricane, flash flooding Hawaii, mudslides, power outages, severe weather, torrential rain, downed trees

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1 month ago