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The death toll from the fire on a Philippine ferry has risen to 76, as rescuers continue to recover more remains
Rescuers in the Philippines recovered another 41 charred remains following a ferry fire. The death toll now stands at 76, and 13 people are still unaccounted for. Forensic teams face the difficult task of identifying victims. The painstaking task had already started after 30 bodies were recovered on Friday and brought to Coron Town, where tents were set-up for forensic teams who would process and identify the deceased. As anxious relatives waited for the news, responders wearing protective suits carried black body bags into tents. Anelyn, 37, was one of those victims. Her husband, who was visiting their children in Manila, was returning to Coron when the ferry caught fire near the end. It was carrying over 130 passengers. "I hope that he's not one of the dead brought off the ship." She said, "I hope he's alive and has just drifted off to another island." She said, "It'll be difficult to accept that he is really gone." "He loved his?very children." The first firefighters entered the ferry on Friday, after putting out the fire more than a week after it started. This allowed authorities to access areas that were hard to reach due to thick smoke and extreme temperatures. Burnt remains were found in the economy section of the ferry, according to Coast Guard. The Coast Guard released images that showed the extent of the damage inside the vessel. Rows of steel bed frames were twisted and covered in ash by the intense heat. Several photographs appear to show skeletal remnants among the debris. At a Saturday press conference, Geronimo Tuvilla of the Philippine Coast Guard said that the first priority was to identify victims and determine what caused the fire. According to a statement from the Maritime Industry Authority, which cited the accounts of survivors, two explosions could be heard on board the ship shortly before it caught fire. GMA News interviewed a survivor who recalled a small amount of smoke which quickly turned into fire. The fire spread throughout the ferry in seconds. The fate of the captain of the vessel remained a mystery. At the same press conference, Coast Guard spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab stated that she received information that the captain was alive. However, the name of the captain was not included on the 43 'confirmed survivors. This is just the latest in a series of maritime accidents that have killed people in the Philippines. The archipelago has more than 7,600 island where millions of people rely on small boats and ferries to travel from provinces and islands.
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The Houthi's advance in Yemen has put the U.S. into a new situation
The Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, have launched a lightning-fast offensive that has placed them in a position to control an important Middle East waterway. This is a new and major problem for U.S. president Donald Trump while his war against Iran continues in its seventh month. Houthi fighters are advancing south along Yemen's coastline, increasing their 'ability' to choke off Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the "Gate of Tears", at the mouth of 'Red Sea, giving Tehran the potential to gain leverage over both of region's major oil-shipping routes. On Friday, militants reached Perim island in the middle strait connecting Yemen with Africa. This is bad news to Saudi Arabia. The country has been shipping most of its oil through Red Sea ports, since the war closed the Strait of Hormuz on the other side of Arabian Peninsula. This comes at a particularly difficult time for Trump who is already struggling with record low approval ratings, and looking for a solution to the conflict. Most recently, he announced an economic pressure campaign aimed at forcing concessions from Iran’s government. The conflict has led to high gasoline prices in the United States, which have weakened the Republican Party's chances at keeping control of Congress during the midterm elections of November. Iran is 'defiant' despite its economic and military losses. Stephen Wertheim is a senior fellow with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He said that Trump had adopted a strategy to squeeze Iran's economic system while maintaining military conflict levels at a level too low for it to affect American economies. The Houthis have destroyed?Trump’s plan. Joining the fight is dangerous The U.S. government can't afford for the Houthis to close the Strait, which would drive up energy prices and disrupt global trade. It would be a dangerous mission to send the U.S. military, already overstretched by the war in Iran, into a battle with a foe who has resisted previous attacks from Saudi Arabia and the U.S. Three sources say that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, the de facto ruler in Saudi Arabia, called Trump on Thursday to ask for U.S. military assistance against the Houthis. The sources say that he was told Washington wouldn't intervene directly at this time but would provide intelligence. Trump confirmed Saturday that he spoke to the crown prince and claimed the Houthis also called his administration to ask Washington to refrain from getting directly involved in this conflict. Senior Trump?administration officials declined to answer specific questions but stated that the U.S.?is focusing on national security concerns such as ensuring the freedom of navigation in Red Sea, "while empowering regional partners to manage and resolve regional security challenges". Saudi Arabia, Iran and Houthis all declined to comment on a request. Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a Thursday statement that the Yemen conflict cannot be resolved by a blockade or a military action against Houthis. It called for dialogue without addressing Irans role. A SECOND KEY STRAIN Iran disrupted the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. attacks and Israeli attacks that took place earlier this year. This was the outlet into the Gulf, through which a fifth of the world's oil supply flowed prior to the war. The Houthis closing Bab el-Mandeb would be another economic blow. It would constrain 7% more of the global petroleum supply and 12% more of the global trade. David Schenker is a Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank and former Assistant Secretary of State for Near East affairs during Trump's initial term. The Iranians have a huge amount of leverage in their hands. Analysts and ex-officials say that Trump now faces a difficult choice. He can either devote U.S. troops and limited air defense munitions towards pushing back the Houthis or leave Saudi Arabia, its allies and the Yemeni government in the south to face them alone. Houthis have seized Yemen's Capital for 12 years, and a Saudi-led intervention has not been able to remove them. By taking on the Houthis, Trump would be putting an end to a deal he made last year whereby the U.S. agreed to stop bombing them in exchange for a suspension of strikes against Red Sea shipping. This would expose U.S. troops to possible missile attacks from Yemen. A STRETCHED U.S. MILITARY The U.S. military would have to shoulder an additional burden. U.S. officials claim that a battle with the Houthis would require significant naval, aerial and intelligence resources. This is because the U.S. needs to identify Houthi positions which have changed from last year. It could be a bad thing for the stockpiles of U.S. air defense interceptors and munitions if U.S. Navy aircraft and vessels have to begin shooting down Houthi missiles and drones. Senior administration officials denied that the U.S. is concerned about its resources. The official stated that the United States Military had more than enough ammunition, munitions and stockpiles in order to meet the strategic goals of the Commander-in Chief. Tim Lenderking is a principal of Squire Patton Boggs and former U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen under Joe Biden. He said that since Trump has indicated he does not want to directly engage in a military campaign against the Houthis the U.S. should do more to provide intelligence to the Saudis to support their air campaign, and to increase diplomatic and material assistance to Yemen's internationally recognised government. Lenderking stated during a Washington webcast sponsored the Middle East Institute think tank that "this administration asked the question, What can Yemen do for me?" "Well, Yemen could ruin our day."
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Philippines starts identifying the victims of ferry fire, but there are still dozens missing
The Philippine authorities started the painful process of identifying the victims of a ferry fire on Saturday. A day earlier, responders had recovered bodies from the burnt-out vessel. This brought the death toll up to 35, and more than 50 others are still missing. The bodies were taken to a port near Coron, where tents were erected for the forensic teams who would process and identify victims. Some family members gathered near the port to watch as responders wearing protective suits moved black body bags from an Coast Guard vessel into temporary tents. Anelyn magbanua was one of them. Her husband, who was visiting their children in Manila, was returning to Coron when the ferry caught fire. The vessel was carrying over 130 passengers. "I hope that he's not among the dead brought off the boat." She said, "I hope he's alive and only drifted over to another island." She said, "It'll be a very difficult thing to accept if it's true." "He loved his kids very much." Firefighters entered a ferry for the first time 'on Friday, after extinguishing a fire that broke out more than a week earlier. This allowed authorities to access areas which had been difficult to reach due to thick smoke and extreme temperatures. The Coast Guard reported that burnt remains had been discovered in the economy section of the ferry. The Coast Guard released images that showed the extent of the damage inside the vessel. Rows of steel bed frames were twisted and covered in ash by intense heat. Some photos appeared to show skeletal remnants among the debris. At a Saturday press conference, Geronimo Tuvilla of the Philippine Coast Guard said that the first priority was to identify the victims and determine what caused the fire. According to a statement by the Maritime Industry Authority, which cited survivor reports, two explosions could be heard on board the ship shortly before it caught fire. GMA News interviewed a survivor who recalled seeing smoke that quickly turned into fire. The fire spread throughout the ferry in seconds. The fate of the captain of the ship was also unclear. At the same press conference, Coast Guard spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab stated that she received information that he was alive. However, the captain's name did not appear on the list. This is just the latest in a series of maritime accidents that have killed people in the Philippines. The archipelago has more than 7,600 island where millions of people rely on small boats and ferries to travel from province to province and island.
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Outrage over land rights and mass graves prompted by plans for a private airport in Syria
The Syrian government's plans to transform a former military airfield in Damascus, Syria into a hub of private jets are alarming rights groups and local residents. They say the redevelopment may disturb mass graves or override land claims. According to an article published by Syria's official news agency SANA, the civil aviation authority of Syria announced last week that it was preparing to reclassify Mezzeh Military Airport for limited civilian use, focusing on private and executive aviation. This would complement Damascus International Airport. The report stated that the removal of rubble and upgrading of infrastructure had already started. The project will test how Syria's newly elected authorities can balance a desire to attract investments and redevelop the state's assets with two unresolved legacy of Assad family rule: the fates of tens thousands of Syrians who have gone missing and the property rights that are clouded after decades of expropriation. NEW DOCUMENTS SHOW AIRPORT'S ROLE AS EXECUTION SITE Mezzeh was home to the Air Force Intelligence Directorate under Bashar al Assad and his father Hafez. It also housed a number of detention centers where government opponents suspected of being spies were tortured, killed, and forced into disappearance. The air base was used to conduct official flights and for presidential flights. Air Force Intelligence documents (AFI), recently obtained by Syria Justice and Accountability Centre, a U.S. based Syrian human rights organization, and shared with exclusively, show that senior Syrian officials approved Mezzeh as a site in 2012 for the execution of detainees who were sentenced to death by field military courts. In one document, it was suggested that executions be moved from Sednaya, the most notorious prison in the country at the time, to Mezzeh due to its "closed security compounds" near Damascus. In subsequent correspondence, a firing range was discussed as an execution site. Later on, a hangar next to the runway was also mentioned. Documents that highlight the central role played by Mezzeh during the Assad era in security show that officials requested a nylon rope, ordered the construction of a platform, and instructed the work to be done "under AFI supervision" with the utmost secrecy. SJAC conducted an investigation in 2025 that identified two graves suspected to be linked to the deaths of people detained at Mezzeh. The report stated more than 1,150 prisoners died there, some from?execution, and others by torture or maltreatment. SJAC sent a letter to the National Commission for Missing Persons in Syria on July 20, 2025, giving the coordinates for the two graves suspected inside the airport. The letter urged authorities to stop construction and excavation until these sites had been investigated. SJAC was told by the commission that Mezzeh had no plans to be refurbished or built. SJAC warned the commission on the 8th of September after the plans for redevelopment were revealed, that the removal of rubble, excavation and other works may damage human remains or evidence vital to identifying victims. SJAC said it hadn't received a reply to its second email. Amer Matar of the Syria Prisons Museum in Germany, an NGO that documents detention facilities, including those at Mezzeh said the planned work showed a lack?of respect for Syrian families, who have still not received answers about the fate of their loved ones held under Assad. Matar said: "Constructing a business airport in a location that could contain mass graves without a thorough investigation prior to construction, without site protection and without searching for missing people and their remains and without preserving any evidence is an act extreme disregard and recklessness." Questions from the?about suspected graves or land claims? were not answered by the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority, Syria's National Commission for Missing Persons, and Syria's Defense Ministry, who operate the airport. SANA quoted a spokesperson from the civil aviation authority as saying that Mezzeh’s refurbishment will take into consideration the surrounding urban area, relevant legal and socio-legal issues but did not mention graves or land right. The airport's development is not clear. Residents protest over land claims The dispute over the land where airports were built dates back decades. Private land was often expropriated by the Assads for government projects without compensation. According to records shared by the Moadamiya municipal land office, Mezzeh Airport was built on land owned by hundreds of private citizens spanning 2.76 sq km (1 square mile). Former municipal officials who did not want to be identified said that retroactive expropriation laws justified the government’s use of these lands in 1956 when the airport was built, and that no compensation had been paid. Residents of Moadamiya demonstrated a day following the announcement of redevelopment plans. Abu Khaled, an organiser of the protest, said: "We welcome investments, but we should sit at the table to discuss our share with investors and not the state." "We have a legal right to this land." Syria is being urged to deal with the confiscation of property during the Assad era. On September 2, United Nations experts on land rights appealed to Syria to suspend and repeal the laws that they claimed had enabled systematic dispossession of property under Assad and either to establish mechanisms to return their legitimate owners' properties or to provide adequate compensation.
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A train derails near northern France, injuring at least 44 people
The French railway operator and French authorities confirmed that a train derailed in Normandy in northern France between Rouen-Caen on Friday night at around 7:30 pm local time. The head of the local authority Jean-Benoit Albertini told reporters that one of the injured was in a critical condition and had to be evacuated via helicopter. A spokesperson for the French police said that the train 'derailed after hitting an unknown object. The French railway operator SNCF said an investigation was underway to determine the cause of this accident. In a post on X, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot revealed that the train carried 180 passengers. He added that 140 firefighters were at the scene to help the injured passengers and drivers. The local authority,?prefecture Seine-Maritime, warned the public to avoid the area. SNCF announced that the train service between Rouen, Caen,?Caen, and Le Havre has been?suspended' and a'replacement bus services will be in place.
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USDA report report fails in its attempt to reverse EU wheat's decline
European wheat prices fell on Friday after U.S. grain forecasts did not provide enough positive news to counteract a bearish mood that had pushed the price to a two-week low in earlier'session. The daily session for December wheat traded on Paris' Euronext ended with a loss of 1.6%, or EUR241.25 per metric ton. The benchmark contract fell to a 2-week low at EUR240.25 earlier in the day, from a contract peak of EUR259.25. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly "supply and Demand" forecasts for world wheat ending stocks on Friday. These were slightly higher than average estimates. Investors who had built up a large position in wheat were encouraged to take profits by the report's publication. Prices were also affected by diplomatic efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Commerzbank, which announced its forecasts on Friday, increased their year-end wheat prices, citing the ongoing attacks by Russia and Ukraine against each other's port. The CBOT wheat price at the end the year is now $7, up previously from $6.50, and the Euronext wheat price at EUR240, up previously from EUR220. The market is still bouncing between the bearish expectation of a stable shipping agreement in the Black Sea and the bullish expectation that Russia and Ukraine will continue to attack ports and shipping. Importers from Egypt and Libya showed an interest in small quantities of 11.5% protein wheat at $300-$305 per ton C&F for shipment between September/October. According to a trader, Pakistan's wheat tender of 750,000 tons next week will likely?attract mainly Romanian or Bulgarian offers and possibly include Ukrainian wheat that is transported overland to Romania. Pakistan could cancel the tender if prices are well above $300 per ton c&f. As Rhine water levels dropped, ships were only able to sail partially loaded and transport costs increased.
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Poste Italiane acquires Telecom Italia for 66.6% at the end of the offer period
Poste Italiane secured a 66.6% share in Telecom Italia (TIM)'s capital. Calculations based on stock exchange data were revealed on Friday at the conclusion of the main phase for the takeover bid by the state-backed company. Poste, who had previously acquired a 20% stake in TIM, increased its cash component by 18%, to EUR1.97 a share. It also confirmed an exchange ratio of 0.218 newly -issued Poste?shares for each TIM share. At Friday's closing price, the bid was valued at around EUR13 billion. Borsa Italiana (the Italian stock exchange) reported that the take-up of the bid for the former Italian telephone monopoly had reached 58.2%. Poste waived its initial acceptance threshold of 66.67% for this upcoming?week. The offer period will reopen between September 21 and 25.
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Tesla targets European freight market by releasing long-delayed semi truck
Tesla will bring its Semi-electric truck to Europe, expanding its reach beyond North America. It is looking to gain a foothold in the heavy-duty market where competitors already sell battery-powered models. Elon 'Musk-led 'automaker will reveal European specifications and launch information at the IAA Transportation Trade Fair in Hanover Germany next week. It said in a posting on X. The European push comes almost a decade after Tesla unveiled the Semi back in 2017. The company initially planned to produce the Semi by 2019, but this timeline was continually delayed because the company prioritized the supply of battery cells for its passenger vehicles. Tesla began limited deliveries in late 2022 to customers such as PepsiCo, including the United States. Tesla announced in April that the first "Semi" had been produced on a Nevada high-volume line. In its shareholder update for July, Tesla only stated that Semi production would start in 2026 and removed an earlier forecast of volume production this summer. Tesla's German language website lists the version of?truck that has a range up to 550km (342 miles), with a combined gross weight of 40 tonnes and an energy consumption of around 1 kilowatt hour per kilometer. The 'company' said that the truck is able to take off with electric power up to 25 kW and weighs around 9,100 kg without a cargo or trailer. The truck can recover 60% of its range within 30 minutes by using Tesla's Megacharger network, which the company claims is capable of delivering up to 800 kilowatts. Tesla also cited dedicated service centers and route-based scheduling as features that would reduce downtime.
Brussels airport traffic disrupted on Friday evening following drone sighting
The traffic at Brussels Airport was disrupted on Friday night for a half-hour after a drone was spotted.
Kurt Verwilgen, a spokesperson for the airport, said that the 'drone procedure' was initiated, and includes an interruption of traffic on the runway up to 30 minutes after the last sighting.
He refused to "give any details" on the type of drone or how many flights it diverted. He added that the drone vanished after the sightings.
After a series of?attacks on civilian airports, military bases, and a nuclear plant, the Belgian authorities purchased defensive kamikazes in November.
Belgian officials said at the time that the incursions "bore the hallmark of" Russian interference while acknowledging they had no proof. Russia denied any involvement.
(source: Reuters)