THE Philippines raked in medals in athletics, swimming and chess on Sunday to continue its stranglehold of No. 4 in the medal race and eclipse its previous performance nearing the conclusion of the 13th ASEAN Para Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
Cleford Trocino, Evenezer Celebrado and Cyril Cloyd Ongcoy each struck gold in centerpiece track and field while Gary Bejino claimed his fourth gold medal at the pool.
FIDE Master Sander Severino and Darry Bernardo snared a gold each in the individual men’s PI and B2, respectively, in rapid chess to hike their total to three mints each.
Mr. Trocino clocked two minutes and .16 second to rule the men’s 800-meter (m) T52 where he also edged countryman Jerrold Pete Mangliwan, who settled for his second silver in 2:00.73.
Mr. Celebrado, for his part, timed in 20:03.55 in reigning supreme in men’s 5000-m T11 while Mr. Ongcoy registered 17:32.19 in topping the 5000-m T12 for their second gold in this biennial event.
Mr. Severino dumped Indonesian Azhar Panjaitan in the sixth and last round and then edged another Indonesian Maksum Firdaus, who likewise finished with five points for a share of first, via tiebreaker to snare the gold.
In contrast, Mr. Bernardo encountered less trouble as he needed to just split the point with Indonesia’s Adji Hartono in the last round to run away with the gold with 5.5 points, or a clear full point over Indonesian Gayuh Satrio and Mr. Hartono, who settled for the silver and bronze, respectively.
Those triumphs kept the country well entrenched at fourth with a 37-gold, 27-silver and 43-bronze haul behind Thailand (155-145-135), Indonesia (117-113-95), and Malaysia (56-56-63).
It also surpassed the country’s 33-gold, 33-silver, 50-bronze haul for a fifth-place finish in Phnom Penh, Cambodia three years ago. — Joey Villar
THE Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) can now focus on strengthening the national team program after its new set of officials headed by President Tonyboy Liao recently got the blessings of the FIVB, or the sport’s world governing body.
“Our focus is always Philippine volleyball gaining progress,” said Mr. Liao after FIVB Head of Legal and General Counsel Stephen Bock wrote the PNVF a letter on Friday from Lausanne, Switzerland affirming his presidency.
“The FIVB hereby informs you that the election process at the Philippine National Volleyball Federation satisfies the legal and administrative requirements in compliance with the FIVB regulations,” said Mr. Bock.
“Thus, the FIVB confirms that your elections are recognized by the FIVB and will update all of our records, including the FIVB website directory,” he added.
When asked if Tai Bundit had assumed the coaching job of Alas Pilipinas women, Mr. Liao said it’s up to the PNVF board and the Thai’s boss at Criss Cross where the former is the current mentor at the Spikers Turf — Jonathan Ng.
“Will be approved by the Executive board after my meeting with Jojo Ng by the end of the month,” he said. —Joey Villar
LeBron James has spent the better part of the last decade trying to graft purple and gold back onto the mountaintop. When he arrived in Los Angeles in 2018, the Lakers were mired in mediocrity, their last Finals appearance half a generation back. Eight seasons later, a championship banner hangs, playoff appearances are the norm rather than the exception, and the lore feels, once again, alive. Yet in the shadows of those tangible gains, another, more fragile narrative has taken shape: the relationship between him and Jeanie Buss, the figure those very shadows once cast in the dual roles of steward and ally.
The headlines in the past week were fueled by an ESPN story that dug into the internal dynamics of the Lakers: part ownership change, part organizational introspection, part familial discord. And, in its margins, the narrative suggested that Buss had grown frustrated with James’ influence and perceived lack of deference. The tension supposedly stretched back to the failed Russell Westbrook experiment, extended into private musings about contract extensions, and even included a time when she allegedly “floated” the idea of trading him. The draft selection of his son Bronny was cast in some circles as a flashpoint for ingratitude, a narrative she publicly disputes.
What makes the story stick is not simply the possibility of tension at the highest levels of one of sport’s most iconic franchises, but the way it refracts through the careers and egos involved. James, at 41 and in his 23rd season, does not shy from the spotlight, but he does not bend to it, either. When asked about the reports after a recent Lakers loss, his answer was blunt and uncluttered: “I don’t really care.” Loyalty, respect, and honor, he argued, are the metrics by which he views his tenure, not secondhand impressions or views in gossip columns.
James views his relationship with Buss as “good,” but acknowledged that there are “two sides of the coin,” and that perceptions can differ. He noted that he doesn’t speak with her often, a candid admission that, in its way, underscores the intrinsic gulf between player and governor in modern sports: proximate in purpose, distant in personal connection.
Meanwhile, Buss herself has pushed back on the most sensational elements of the reporting. In a statement to The Athletic, she framed the narrative not as proof of animosity but as a misinterpretation of broader family dynamics that have nothing to do with James’ contributions. “It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers,” she said, “that he has to be pulled into my family drama.” In a gesture intended to signal goodwill, she even updated a social media photo showing her and James embracing after the Lakers’ 2020 title. Still, public relations gestures cannot entirely mask private perceptions. The very fact that such a story could gain traction speaks to a latent tension between legacy and self-determination, between the franchise’s storied past and the personality-driven present. If Buss did, at one point, question James’ role, even privately, it says less about one player than about the broader structural shifts in how modern franchises balance ownership prerogatives against superstar power.
For James, the stakes are both professional and existential. His contract expires at the end of this season, and while retirement remains an open question, the possibility of parting ways with the Lakers has never felt more real. In brushing off the headlines, he is not just deflecting gossip. He is asserting a singular focus on the work at hand: winning games, shaping legacy, and defying the kind of narratives that have tripped up even the greatest of careers.
What remains unresolved is whether this episode is merely noise, and James’ words suggest it is, or a symptom of deeper fissures within an organization struggling to reconcile its past with its present. The Lakers have always been bigger than any one personality, but the drama continuing to unfold reminds us that even legends are, in the end, subject to the currents of perception and power.
All things considered, James’ measured, if defiant, pronouncement may well be a declaration. His legacy, for better or worse, will be shaped not by headlines but by the work he continues to do on his own terms.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
A MYANMAR protester residing in Japan uses a face mask with an image of Myanmar’s detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a rally denouncing an upcoming election led by the military junta and demanding the immediate release of Ms. Suu Kyi and all political prisoners, outside Myanmar’s embassy in Tokyo, Japan on Dec. 14, 2025. — REUTERS/ISSEI KATO
MYANMAR’S JUNTA CHIEF on Sunday dismissed foreign criticism of the war-torn country’s general election as a final round of voting took place, with the military-backed party having secured a majority of seats in previous rounds.
The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has won 193 of 209 seats in the lower house and 52 of 78 seats in the upper house after two rounds held on Dec. 28 and Jan. 11. Voter turnout was around 55% in each round, sharply lower than levels of about 70% in the 2020 and 2015 elections.
Major opposition groups are not contesting the polls amid a civil war triggered by a 2021 coup that brought the military to power. The United Nations, rights groups and the UK have denounced the polls as a sham exercise to perpetuate the military’s hold.
Malaysia, which last year chaired the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Myanmar, has said the bloc would not endorse the election.
“Whether the international community recognizes this or not, we don’t understand their perspective. The people’s vote is the recognition we need,” junta chief Min Aung Hlaing told reporters on Sunday, according to a video broadcast on state TV.
The military has insisted the election is free of coercion and has public backing.
YANGON AND MANDALAY VOTE On Sunday, voters were casting their ballots in some 60 townships, including the large cities of Yangon and Mandalay. Dressed in civilian clothes, Mr. Min Aung Hlaing earlier met voters at a polling station in Mandalay in a seemingly relaxed atmosphere, pictures from domestic media showed.
The 69-year-old general and acting president has indicated he is considering appointing someone to succeed him as armed forces chief and will likely move into a fully political role, a source has said.
Asked on Sunday about his possible role in the future government, Mr. Min Aung Hlaing said it was too early to say. “Once the Parliament is convened, they have their own procedures and methods for selection,” he said.
While the junta has portrayed the election as a success despite the low turnout, residents of Myanmar’s biggest cities have told Reuters of an atmosphere of fear and that many felt compelled to vote to avoid potential arrest or retribution.
One Yangon resident said polling stations in neighborhoods where army officers and their families reside appeared to have a high turnout on Sunday, but few voters were seen in other areas.
The military took control of the impoverished Southeast Asian nation in a dawn coup on Feb. 1, 2021, ousting an elected civilian government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
The 80-year-old politician remains in detention, and, like several other opposition groups, her National League for Democracy has been dissolved by the junta.
Fighting has continued through the election campaign and earlier voting in many parts of Myanmar, including air strikes around civilian areas in the border states of Rakhine, Shan and Kayin.
MILITARY SET TO HOLD POWER The USDP, which was formed in 2010 and governed the country for five years following the end of a previous military government, is chaired by a retired brigadier general and packed with other former high-ranking officers.
Myanmar’s military, which has ruled the country for five of the past six decades, does not appear to have any real intention of withdrawing from its political leadership role.
“Rather than resolving a crisis now in its fifth year, the vote is more likely to reinforce the military’s hold on power, with little prospect of restoring domestic legitimacy or improving the country’s standing with Western partners,” said Kaho Yu, principal Asia analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.
Using an election protection law, the junta has charged over 400 people for criticizing and obstructing the election process, according to state media. — Reuters
A EUROPEAN UNION’S flag flutters outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 15, 2020. — REUTERS
HANOI — The European Union (EU) and Vietnam will elevate ties during a visit to Hanoi by the European Council President Antonio Costa on Thursday, an EU official said, as both sides seek to expand international partnerships amid disruptions from US tariffs.
The visit comes on the heels of To Lam’s reappointment as Vietnam’s top official, potentially making Mr. Costa the first leader of a major power to meet Mr. Lam since the ruling Communist Party on Friday appointed him for a new term as general secretary.
The elevation of ties to Vietnam’s highest level has been planned for months and was delayed largely because of schedule complications, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
It would place the EU on the same tier as China, the US and Russia among others, further expanding Vietnam’s advanced partnerships, in line with the country’s strategy of balancing big powers.
The European Council declined to comment. Vietnam’s government did not respond to a request for comment.
These upgrades are largely symbolic, as they merely entail more frequent high-level meetings and usually no binding agreements.
Vietnam’s relations with the United States worsened last year after the Trump administration imposed tariffs, despite the upgrade of bilateral ties inked by former President Joseph R. Biden during a visit to Hanoi in late 2023.
MORE COOPERATION ON TECH, MINERALS The upgrade with the EU is expected to generate more cooperation in multiple fields, including research, technology, energy and critical minerals, according to a draft joint statement, the official said. Vietnam has significant but often little exploited deposits of rare earths, gallium and tungsten.
The Southeast Asian trade-reliant nation is a major link in global supply chains, especially for electronics, clothing and footwear. It has a string of free trade agreements with multiple partners, including with the EU.
The EU has repeatedly criticized Vietnam’s implementation of the free trade agreement, which has boosted Vietnam’s surplus with the 27-nation bloc since it came into force in 2020. The EU deficit with Hanoi stood at €42.5 billion ($50.26 billion) in 2024.
EU officials accuse Hanoi of hampering EU imports with multiple non-tariff barriers, but Brussels has so far taken limited action to address the situation.
Also, facing tariffs from the United States, the EU has prioritized improving ties with economic partners and expanding trade agreements, including recently with South American nations of the Mercosur bloc.
Mr. Costa will visit India before Vietnam, where together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he intends to hold trade talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a schedule published by the EU Council. — Reuters
LONDON — Britain’s government said on Saturday it will create a new National Police Service, described as a “British FBI,” to modernize policing and deal with terrorism, fraud, organized crime and other complex criminal activity.
The new force will bring together the work of the National Crime Agency, which investigates serious organized crime such as drug smuggling and people trafficking, with other country-wide roles like counterterrorism and national road policing.
Once appointed, its chief — the National Crime Commissioner — will be the most senior officer in the country. Currently, the head of London’s Metropolitan Police is Britain’s highest-ranking law enforcement official.
Creation of the National Police Service will form part of major police reforms the government is due to unveil on Monday, which it is casting as the biggest shake-up in policing since Robert Peel established the first professional force in 1829.
“The current policing model was built for a different century,” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the UK’s interior minister, said in a statement.
“We will create a new National Police Service — dubbed ‘the British FBI’ — deploying world class talent and state of the art technology to track down and catch dangerous criminals,” she said, likening it to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
There are currently 43 local police forces in England and Wales, with some holding national roles, such as the London police, which is responsible for counterterrorism.
Ms. Mahmood said the shake-up would allow local forces to focus on dealing with everyday offences, such as shoplifting and anti-social behavior, and catching criminals in their areas.
It is also expected that, as part of the changes announced on Monday, the government will cut the overall number of forces in Britain in a move to save money and reduce crime. — Reuters
STOCK PHOTO | Image by L.Filipe C.Sousa from Unsplash
WASHINGTON — More than 4,000 flights were canceled in the US on Saturday ahead of a monster winter storm that has already cut power to more than 160,000 electricity customers as far west as Texas and threatened to paralyze eastern states with heavy snowfall.
Forecasters said snow, sleet and freezing rain, accompanied by dangerously frigid temperatures, would sweep the eastern two-thirds of the nation on Sunday and into next week.
Calling the storms “historic,” President Donald J. Trump on Saturday approved federal emergency disaster declarations in South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia.
“We will continue to monitor and stay in touch with all States in the path of this storm. Stay Safe, and Stay Warm,” Mr. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have declared weather emergencies, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.
“We do have tens of thousands of people in affected states in the South that have lost power. We have utility crews that are working to restore that as quick as possible,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said late Saturday afternoon.
The number of power outages continued to rise. As of 10:17 p.m. EST, more than 160,000 US customers had no electricity, the bulk of them in Louisiana and Texas, according to PowerOutage.com.
The US Department of Energy on Saturday said it issued an emergency order authorizing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to deploy backup generation resources at data centers and other major facilities, aiming to limit blackouts in the state.
The US National Weather Service warned of an unusually expansive and long-duration winter storm that will bring widespread, heavy ice accumulation in the southeast US, where “crippling to locally catastrophic impacts” can be expected.
Weather service forecasters predicted record cold temperatures and dangerously cold wind chills descending further into the Great Plains region of the US by Monday.
As of 10:21 p.m. EST, more than 4,000 US flights scheduled for Saturday had been canceled, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. More than 9,400 US flights originally set for Sunday also have been canceled.
Major US airlines warned passengers to stay alert for abrupt flight changes and cancellations.
In an update on Saturday morning, Delta Air Lines said it was continuing to make schedule adjustments, with additional cancellations in the morning for Atlanta and along the East Coast, including in Boston and New York City.
It added it was relocating experts from cold-weather hubs to support de-icing and baggage teams at several southern airports.
JetBlue said that as of Saturday morning it had canceled about 1,000 flights through Monday, with additional cancellations possible.
United Airlines said in an e-mail that its weather preparations included proactively canceling some flights in places with the worst weather.
US electric grid operators on Saturday stepped up precautions to avoid rotating blackouts.
Dominion Energy, whose Virginia operations include the largest collection of data centers in the world, said if its ice forecast holds, it could be among the largest-ever winter events to affect the utility’s operations.
Ms. Noem, speaking at a news conference about US government preparations for the storm, warned Americans to take precautions.
“It’s going to be very, very cold,” Ms. Noem said. “So we’d encourage everybody to stock up on fuel, stock up on food, and we will get through this together.” — Reuters
Filmmakers Rodson Verr Suarez and Darryll Rapacon discussing the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in films at Google Philippines' office in Taguig City, Jan. 23. — KAELA B. GABRIEL
Two Filipino creators of Portrait No. 72, a short film created with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (AI), said AI is not a threat to human creativity but merely a tool to assist in production for those without the means. Portrait No. 72 recently made it to the top five in Google’s international AI Film Award out of 3,500 entries. Co-presented with 1 Billion Followers Summit content creators expo, the top prize for the AI-assisted filmmaking competition is $1M.
The two Filipino finalists, Rodson Verr Suarez and Darryll Rapacon, created the nine-minute digital film with over 1,500 video generations using the AI platforms prescribed by the awarding body, but made sure to keep the storytelling and post-processing human-made.
“It is now easier, it makes the storytelling accessible to everyone since we are given these tools. They are now able to make their own stories. To us, this is just a product of lack of resources, lack of time,” Mr. Suarez said during Google’s intimate film viewing of Portrait No. 72at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig last Friday.
Mr. Suarez and Mr. Rapacon, who both have full-time jobs, saw AI as a new tool to speed up the production of storytelling.
“Aside from upskilling, like during the launch of Photoshop, a lot of people were against it because the process was sped up and everything but to us, this [AI] is just a new tool of storytelling. So just be open,” Mr. Suarez added.
Fresh from their entry as one of the top 5 finalists at the AI Film Award in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the filmmakers acknowledged people’s mixed opinions on the integration of artificial intelligence in movies, which they have experienced during the two-month process of their filmmaking.
“When we created this, we really hoped that it will open people’s minds about how to use AI in telling stories. That creating films like this is not just one prompt, that AI is not just a heartless video,” Mr. Rapacon said.
Mr. Suarez and Mr. Rapacon, as video editors themselves, expounded on the application of a human’s touch in AI-generated works through keeping the story entirely human-made and drawn from personal experiences.
The photorealistic Portrait No. 72 explores the life of a death photographer, set in Varanasi, India. The two creators opted to explore grief, having lost their loved ones in 2025.
“I want to emphasize how the enemy here is not AI. The real enemy are the people who think that AI can replace humans because that’s not the case. At the end of the day, it’s our heart and our mind, both me and Rodson, that really made this film powerful,” Mr. Rapacon said.
The new Mactan Expo is Megaworld's first standalone convention center located in the 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown Township in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. — EDG ADRIAN A. EVA
LISTED property developer Megaworld Corp. is considering building additional convention centers in strategic tourism hubs across the country over the next decade, following its recent entry into the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector, a company official said on Thursday.
Last Tuesday, the developer unveiled the Mactan Expo, a P1.5-billion standalone convention center, marking its initial foray into the MICE sector. The facility is located within the 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown township in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
The Mactan Expo will serve as the inaugural venue of the ASEAN Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) from Jan. 28 to 30, one of the key events under the Philippines’ chairmanship of the ASEAN Summit.
“We’re even looking at expanding our MICE business in the next five to 10 years. We are studying opportunities for convention centers in major tourism areas around the country, particularly in locations where we already have townships,” Harold Brian C. Geronimo, First Vice President at Megaworld Corp., told reporters during the media preview of the Mactan Expo.
“Palawan could be one of the destinations that we are looking into, but these are still internal discussions,” Mr. Geronimo said, noting that the province is a top tourist destination.
“But let’s see how this convention center business will perform and whether opportunities will open up in destinations such as Palawan and Ilocos,” he added.
Megaworld currently has 37 townships nationwide, with its largest being the 1,200-hectare Twin Lakes estate located near Tagaytay City.
Mr. Geronimo said building new convention centers annually may not be feasible, citing factors such as demand, available space, and the size requirements of specific areas.
However, he noted that each township is being evaluated for the potential development of convention centers.
Meanwhile, Louella Caridad, Megaworld’s Head of Conventions and Events and the recently appointed lead for the Mactan Expo, said the outlook for developing additional convention centers is positive and that projects must be built in areas where they are needed.
There is no allocated capital expenditure (capex) yet for the initiative as plans are still being finalized, Mr. Geronimo said.
However, he noted that Megaworld is likely to maintain its P50-billion capital expenditure budget for 2026 to support future projects and developments.
The real estate budget forms part of the P63-billion capex of parent company Alliance Global Group, Inc., led by tycoon Andrew L. Tan, according to the company’s 2025 CAPEX report. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
DELHI — India will seek to triple the nation’s exports by 2035 by boosting manufacturing through structural changes rather than with hefty spending, according to two government officials.
In Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third such attempt, the South Asian nation is prioritizing manufacturing in 15 sectors, including high-end semiconductors, metals and the labor-intensive leather industry, aiming to lift India’s growth and boost annual goods exports to $1.3 trillion, they said.
Mr. Modi’s government has twice failed to double the share of manufacturing to 25% of gross domestic product – with a “Make in India” campaign in 2014 and a $23 billion package of incentives in 2020.
“In past years, several government initiatives to boost manufacturing growth have led to modest, incremental progress at best. What is needed is a bold, focused and cohesive strategy to drive transformative change,” according to a government official involved in drafting the policy.
MODEST FUNDING TO BE DECIDED BY GOVERNMENT PANEL The government will spend about 100 billion rupees ($1 billion) to build infrastructure for about 30 manufacturing hubs across the targeted sectors while providing grants of $218 million for advanced areas such as chips and energy storage, said the officials, who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak to media.
The Finance Ministry and government think tank NITI Aayog, which is tasked with preparing the policy, did not respond to requests for comment.
Funding this time is modest as the plan focuses on easing regulatory and compliance burdens, the biggest impediment to Indian manufacturing, rather than doling out subsidies, the officials said.
Financial support to industries will be decided case by case with recommendations from a new government panel to administrative departments, replacing the pre-budget fiscal packages of earlier schemes, they said.
The new structure, called the National Manufacturing Mission, was announced in the budget last year but details were not disclosed. Details could be announced in the budget on February 1, but that will be decided closer to the date, the officials said.
FOCUS ON CUTTING RED TAPE The panel’s focus will be to ensure faster regulatory clearance, approvals for land and cheaper financing for large projects, the officials said. It will be chaired by a minister and composed of bureaucrats, including the cabinet secretary, they said.
It will oversee the building of manufacturing hubs for the 15 sectors, and work with state governments to assure steady and cheap electricity supplies for such units, the sources said.
Manufacturing hubs have been identified based on existing infrastructure, geographic advantages and proximity to ports, the officials said.
Divergent policies by India’s federal and state governments have weighed on investment and hampered manufacturing. States have followed different regulations for labor and business compliance, increasing costs for companies operating in multiple states.
The proposed panel would coordinate with states to ease regulations such as those requiring multiple permits for power, land, and water.
It would also recommend cutting red tape by reducing overlaps between quality and standards checks, and suggest aligning tariffs to industry requirements and “national priorities”, the sources said.— Reuters
Grace had always been that friend — the one whose vanity cabinet looked like a miniature skincare lab. Toners from Japan, serums from Korea, creams from the US — each promising radiant, youthful skin. But one day, standing in front of her mirror, she realized that despite all her knowledge and devotion, something had gone missing — clarity.
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Skin Republic Three Central Mall branch in Makati
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1 of 3
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JAKARTA — Indonesian rescuers on Friday had found the bodies of 10 passengers on a fishery surveillance plane that went missing in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi province at the weekend, the country’s search and rescue agency said.
The ATR 42-500 turboprop owned by aviation group Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) lost contact with air traffic control on Saturday at about 1:30 p.m. local time (0530 GMT) around the Maros region in South Sulawesi.
There were seven crew members and three passengers on board the plane, which was chartered by Indonesia’s Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry to conduct air surveillance on its fisheries. The passengers were ministry staff members.
Andi Sultan, an official at South Sulawesi’s rescue agency, said through tears during a video statement that authorities found the ninth and tenth bodies early on Friday, adding that the evacuation process was still ongoing.
The agency said separately on its Instagram account that 10 victims have been found.
Local rescuers previously discovered the wreckage of the plane in different locations around Mount Bulusaraung in the Maros region, about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) northeast of the sprawling island nation’s capital, Jakarta.
Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), which probes transport accidents, is currently investigating the contents of the recently-found black box, its chief told local media this week.
It was Indonesia’s first deadly crash involving the ATR 42, manufactured by Franco-Italian planemaker ATR, in more than a decade. In 2015, a Trigana Air Service ATR 42-300 crashed into a mountainside in Indonesia’s Papua region, killing all 54 people on board.
A Boeing 737-500 jet operated by airline Sriwijaya Co crashed into the Java sea in 2021, killing 62 people.— Reuters
Skin Republic Today