UAAP: UST’s Collins Akowe shows why he’s a sought-after recruit

Posted on 21/09/2025 by admin

MANILA, Philippines – Collins Akowe was glad to put on a strong impression for the University of Santo Tomas in his debut performance, which came at the expense of last year’s UAAP champion, the University of the Philippines.

The Nigerian center dominated on the Growling Tigers’ home floor, delivering an outstanding performance with 29 points and 17 rebounds, leading UST to a victory over the Fighting Maroons.

https://sports.inquirer.net/641110/uaap-usts-collins-akowe-shows-why-hes-a-sought-after-recruit

FIVB Men’s World: Belgium sets up Italy rematch in quarters

Posted on 21/09/2025 by admin

MANILA, Philippines — Belgium reached the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship final eight for the first time in 55 years after sweeping Finland, 25-21, 25-17, 25-21, on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Belgians, who did not qualify for the previous World Championship in 2022, continued their dream run by staying unbeaten in four games.

https://sports.inquirer.net/641140/fivb-mens-world-belgium-sets-up-italy-rematch-in-quarters

Starmer confirms UK recognition of a Palestinian state

Posted on 21/09/2025 by admin

Keir Starmer has confirmed that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state in a historic, if largely symbolic, move. The British Prime Minister said the decision was intended to revive hope for peace between the Palestinians and Israelis.

The announcement comes ahead of the UN General Assembly this week, with other nations—including Australia and Canada—making similar recognitions shortly before Starmer’s statement.

The UK Government has acknowledged that recognising a Palestinian state will not ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza nor directly contribute to the freeing of hostages taken by Hamas. However, the UK believes the move is necessary to safeguard the prospect of a lasting two-state solution to the Middle East conflict, envisioning Israel existing alongside a Palestinian state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded the decision “absurd” and described it as simply a reward for terrorism. In response, Starmer emphasised that Hamas is a brutal terrorist organisation and confirmed plans to increase sanctions on the group.

“Our call for a genuine two-state solution is the exact opposite of their hateful vision,” he said.

With the humanitarian crisis in Gaza escalating and Israel advancing settlements in the West Bank, Starmer acknowledged that the hope of a two-state solution is fading but stressed, “we cannot let that light go out.”

He added, “Today we join over 150 countries who recognise a Palestinian state also—a pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people that there can be a better future.”

In a video message, Sir Keir Starmer said:
“Today, to revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, I state clear as Prime Minister of this great country that the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine. We recognised the State of Israel more than 75 years ago as a homeland for the Jewish people. Today we join over 150 countries who recognise a Palestinian state also. A pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people that there can be a better future.”
https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/starmer-confirms-uk-recognition-of-a-palestinian-state-1809431.html

JAYS Protest At Indore’s MY Hospital Over Infamous Rat-Bite Incident

Posted on 21/09/2025 by admin

**Indore Hospital Rat Bite Incident Sparks Protests Demanding Accountability**

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Anger over the infamous rat bite incident at MY Hospital refuses to die down. On Sunday, members of Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS) staged a protest at the hospital gates, demanding the suspension of the dean, superintendent, and other responsible officials, along with the registration of a culpable homicide case against them.

The protest began around noon when JAYS workers gathered outside the hospital, raising slogans against the administration. Holding placards, they alleged that negligence by the hospital management endangered the lives of newborn babies.

JAYS national president Lokesh Mujalda condemned the incident, stating, “The rat incident in Indore has shaken the entire state. Playing with the lives of innocent newborns due to administrative negligence is a shameful act against humanity. Our aim is to expose the corruption and disorder prevailing in the hospital and ensure justice for the victims.”

He further warned that if immediate action, including the suspension of the dean and superintendent, is not taken, the lives of infants will continue to remain at risk. “This movement is not just about seeking justice but also about fixing accountability in the healthcare system,” Mujalda added.

To address the protest, dean Dr. Arvind Ghanghoria and SDM Pradeep Soni arrived at the hospital to calm down the demonstrators. However, JAYS workers asserted that their phased agitation would continue until their demands are fulfilled.

The incident has raised serious concerns about hospital safety standards and administrative responsibility in safeguarding vulnerable patients, especially newborns. The community awaits swift action to prevent such incidents in the future.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/indore/jays-protest-at-indores-my-hospital-over-infamous-rat-bite-incident

Women practising garba abducted by armed group in MP`s Mandsaur; 7 held

Posted on 21/09/2025 by admin

At around 9:30 pm on Saturday, unidentified men and women entered Bhavsar Dharamshala, located within Kotwali police station limits, brandishing illegal weapons. They forcibly dragged a woman into a four-wheeler and abducted her, according to an official statement.

Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar Meena confirmed the details, stating that the abduction was carried out by the woman’s relatives, as reported by IANS. Kotwali station in-charge Pushpendra Singh Rathore identified the arrested individuals as Ramchandra, Manisha (also known as Bunty), Kamlesh (also known as Ghota), Fakirachand, Shambhulal, Shyamabai—all residents of Chachawada Sathiya under Garoth Police Station—and Dinesh from Bhunki Hatunia.

A case has been registered under sections related to kidnapping, the Arms Act, and other relevant laws. Officials confirmed that further investigation is ongoing.

The woman was participating in a Navratri celebration alongside other women and young girls when the group of four men and two women arrived at the venue. Without warning, they grabbed her and began dragging her away. A young woman present at the scene attempted to intervene but was pushed aside.

One of the accused brandished a pistol-like object, causing panic among attendees. Video footage captured people fleeing in fear as the woman was taken away, Kotwali police station in-charge Pushpendra Singh Rathore said, as per IANS.

Police were alerted immediately, and a district-wide blockade was imposed. Within two hours, Kotwali police successfully traced and apprehended all seven accused and safely recovered the woman. The vehicle used in the abduction, as well as the pistol—which was later confirmed to be a toy—were seized by the authorities.

According to the woman’s statement, she had previously been married but left her husband due to repeated physical abuse and filed for divorce. She had been living with a young man named Yash in Khanpura for the past four months. Her family and in-laws, reportedly angered by her relationship, orchestrated the abduction to bring her back home, the news agency reported.

Local residents expressed outrage over the incident, especially given its occurrence during a cultural celebration. The incident has reignited conversations around personal freedom, family pressure, and the urgent need for stronger protections for women in both private and public spaces.

(With PTI and IANS inputs)
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/navratri-2025-women-practising-garba-abducted-by-armed-group-in-mps-mandsaur-7-held-23595111

Elon Musk’s daughter Vivian says she’s ‘financially independent’ amid estrangement from billionaire dad

Posted on 21/09/2025 by admin

At 21 years old, Wilson shared at Saturday’s Teen Vogue 2025 Summit that she is financially independent and currently making money. Addressing rumors about her career, she clarified, “Pre-Teen Vogue [cover], no. People have a lot of assumptions, and you just kinda have to deal with that.”

Wilson was featured on the March cover of Teen Vogue, where she reflected on her career options. “I haven’t made any money from being famous at all,” she told the outlet. “I have made zero dollars and zero cents. I do live in a lot of people’s heads rent-free, though.”

Initially, Wilson aspired to become a model, but she also admitted to once considering a career as a Twitch streamer. However, she revealed that her absolute dream would be to star in a reality show.

Earlier this month, Wilson opened up about her finances in an interview with The Cut. She explained that people often assume she has a lot of money, but in reality, she lives with several roommates to save costs. “I don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars at my disposal. My mom is rich, right? But, obviously, the other one is unimaginably wealthy,” she said, referring to her father.

Wilson emphasized that she doesn’t aspire to be super-rich like Elon Musk but acknowledged that she is more fortunate than most people her age living in Los Angeles.

In May, the transgender social media personality made her runway debut at a RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 10 event in New York City. Page Six’s Virtual Reali-Tea captured footage of Wilson flipping her hair and dancing as onlookers cheered.

The following month, it was announced that she would be starring in Pattie Gonias’s drag show, *Save Her!*, in Los Angeles.

By September, Wilson made her New York Fashion Week debut at a Miss USA 1991 event hosted by designer Alexis Bittar. “I purposely cast each contestant to represent a US state where trans rights are under assault,” Bittar told Page Six as Wilson sported a Miss South Carolina sash.
https://pagesix.com/2025/09/21/celebrity-news/elon-musks-estranged-daughter-vivian-is-financially-independent-amid-estrangement-from-billionaire-dad/

Murdochs could take part in TikTok deal, Trump says

Posted on 21/09/2025 by admin

US President Donald Trump has announced that media mogul Lachlan Murdoch and business leaders Larry Ellison and Michael Dell will be involved as US investors in a proposed deal to keep TikTok operating in the United States.

Trump stated that the US and China have made progress on an agreement requiring TikTok’s US assets to be transferred to local owners from China’s ByteDance. With 170 million users in the United States, TikTok plays a significant role in shaping public discourse on politics and culture.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump praised the group, calling them prominent figures and “American patriots.” He said, “I think they’re going to do a really good job,” crediting TikTok with helping build his support among young voters in the 2024 presidential election.

Lachlan Murdoch, CEO of Fox Corp, recently solidified long-term control of his family’s media empire—including Fox News and the Wall Street Journal—after settling a years-long legal battle with his siblings. Trump also suggested that the family patriarch, 94-year-old Rupert Murdoch, may be involved in the deal.

Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch’s news outlets generally attract conservative-leaning audiences but have occasionally drawn Trump’s ire. Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch over a July report alleging Trump signed a 2003 birthday greeting for the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to shared secrets. The newspaper has defended its reporting and vowed to fight the lawsuit.

Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle and a major Republican donor, has long been linked to a potential TikTok deal. Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies, is also expected to participate.

On Saturday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Oracle would be responsible for TikTok’s data and security. She added that US citizens will control six of the seven seats on a planned oversight board.

The Trump administration has declined to enforce a US law enacted during the previous administration that requires TikTok’s divestiture, citing concerns that US user data could be accessed by the Chinese government. Instead, negotiations over TikTok have been included as part of broader economic talks with China.

The Trump administration has also made several unusual interventions in US business, such as taking a 10 percent stake in Intel Corp and permitting AI chip giant Nvidia to sell its H20 chips to China in exchange for receiving 15 percent of those sales. Trump defended these moves as benefiting US interests.

However, critics—including some business leaders and Republican lawmakers—have called these interventions a stark departure from the norms of capitalism and warned that they risk undermining the competitiveness of the US economy.

(With reporting by AP)
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/technology/murdochs-could-take-part-in-tiktok-deal-trump-says-c-20098852

490km/h! BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme is world’s fastest production car

Posted on 21/09/2025 by admin

**490 km/h! BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme Sets New World Record as the Fastest Production Car**

*By Akash Pandey | September 21, 2025, 6:20 PM*

—

**A New Benchmark in Speed**

Yangwang, the luxury sub-brand of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD, has shattered records by unveiling the world’s fastest production car. At the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg track in Germany, the U9 Xtreme hypercar reached a staggering top speed of 492.22 km/h. This milestone not only breaks the company’s previous EV speed benchmark but also surpasses the top speeds achieved by many petrol-powered supercars.

—

**Design Evolution: What Makes the U9 Xtreme So Fast?**

The U9 Xtreme, initially introduced as the U9 Track/Special Edition, is an enhanced and refined version of an existing model available in China. Key upgrades include:

– A 1200V ultra-high-voltage electric powertrain, improved from the earlier 800V system.
– A lithium iron phosphate Blade Battery capable of an impressive 30C discharge rate.
– Four ultra-high-speed electric motors that reach up to 30,000 rpm.

Together, these advancements generate a mind-blowing output exceeding 3,000 horsepower, fueling the hypercar’s record-breaking performance.

—

**Behind the Wheel: Expert Precision**

The record-setting run was piloted by Marc Basseng, a renowned German track specialist with extensive experience in sports-car racing and endurance motorsport. Basseng praised the vehicle’s electric powertrain, emphasizing how its quiet operation helped him focus entirely on driving.

“Technically, something like this is not possible with a combustion engine,” Basseng remarked, highlighting the advantages EV technology brings to high-speed driving.

—

**Exclusivity: Limited Production for the Elite**

The BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme is available to customers but remains an exclusive offering with production limited to just 30 units worldwide. The name ‘Xtreme’ embodies the concepts of limitation and the ultimate performance, with the letter ‘X’ symbolizing the unknown—pushing the boundaries of automotive engineering.

BYD Executive Vice-President Stella Li expressed immense pride in this achievement: “This is a proud moment for everyone involved in research and development.”

—

**See It in Action**

Check out BYD Yangwang’s official announcement and witness the future of speed in electric hypercars on their [Twitter page](#).

—

With the U9 Xtreme, BYD Yangwang has not only redefined what electric hypercars can achieve but has also set a new standard for the automotive world, proving that the future of speed is electrifying.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/auto/byd-s-yangwang-sets-record-for-fastest-production-car/story

How Modi government plans to boost municipal bond issuance

Posted on 21/09/2025 by admin

**How the Modi Government Plans to Boost Municipal Bond Issuance**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Sep 21, 2025, 06:47 PM*

The Indian government is considering increasing the interest subvention cap beyond the existing limit of ₹26 crore per Urban Local Body (ULB) to promote the issuance of municipal bonds for urban infrastructure development. This initiative is part of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme.

### Slow Progress Despite Key Initiatives

Despite flagship programs like AMRUT and the Smart Cities Mission, progress in mobilizing funds through municipal bonds—often called ‘muni bonds’—has been slower than expected. To address this, the government aims to enhance incentives and institutional support to encourage more ULBs to access the capital markets.

### Understanding the Interest Subvention

The interest subvention is a financial incentive provided under AMRUT to make municipal bonds more attractive to issuers and investors. Currently, the maximum interest subvention available to a ULB from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is capped at ₹26 crore.

To stimulate market participation, the central government offers a 2% interest subvention on bond issuances by ULBs.

### Incentive Structure for Bond Issuance

– **First Bond Issuance:**
ULBs can receive incentives up to ₹13 crore for every ₹100 crore raised, with an overall cap of ₹26 crore under AMRUT 2.0.

– **Subsequent Issuances:**
Bonds issued must be classified as green bonds, focusing on sectors such as water, sanitation, renewable energy, or urban resilience.
In such cases, ULBs are eligible for incentives of ₹10 crore per ₹100 crore raised, subject to a cap of ₹20 crore.

### Institutional Support from NaBFID

The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) is set to play a crucial role in supporting ULBs throughout the bond issuance process. The bank may empanel agencies including merchant bankers, brokers, and rating agencies to provide expert guidance.

As a development finance institution, NaBFID will assist municipal bodies with statutory paperwork and ensure compliance with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) listing requirements — simplifying access to capital markets for infrastructure projects.

—

By expanding financial incentives and offering institutional support, the Modi government seeks to unlock the potential of municipal bonds as a vital tool for urban infrastructure development, enabling cities to better meet the growing needs of their populations.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/municipal-bonds-goi-considers-raising-interest-subvention-cap-for-ulbs/story

FIVB World: Alas coach still does his homework, supports ex-player

Posted on 21/09/2025 by admin

MANILA, Philippines — Angiolino Frigoni shared a moment with his former player Alessandro Michieletto after Italy advanced to the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship quarterfinals on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Italian Alas Pilipinas coach headed to the mixed zone shortly after Italy’s straight-set victory over Argentina, winning 25-23, 25-20, 25-22. Michieletto was a key contributor in the match, delivering 15 points to help secure the sweep.
https://sports.inquirer.net/641092/fivb-world-alas-coach-still-does-his-homework-supports-ex-player