International
Cargo ship carrying thousands of luxury cars sinks after burning for weeks
A two-week transatlantic saga ended Tuesday with a massive ship — and thousands of luxury cars aboard — sinking about 250 miles off a Portuguese archipelago after catching fire.
Despite efforts to salvage what remained of the Felicity Ace, the ship and its nearly 4,000-vehicle cargo went down near the Azores Islands about 9 a.m. local time Tuesday, the Portuguese navy said in a statement.
“This morning, during the towing process, which had begun on Feb. 24, the ship ‘Felicity Ace’ lost stability and sank some 25 nautical miles outside of the limits of Portugal’s exclusive economic zone, in an area with a depth of about [9,842 feet],” the navy wrote in Portuguese.
The 650-foot-long vessel, operated by Japanese shipping line Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), was traveling from Germany to Rhode Island when a fire started in the ship on Feb. 16.
Authorities tried to extinguish the flames, the ship’s 22-person crew was rescued, and no injuries were reported. What initially sparked the fire remains unknown.
MOL Ship Management said in a news release Friday that “the vessel has started being towed by the large salvage craft ‘Bear’ to a safe area off Azores.” That day, the Portuguese navy said experts had arrived by helicopter.
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At the time, the ship appeared to have “no fires on the outside or inside, although there is a high temperature in the central area, with no smoke in its structure,” the navy said
The salvage crew on Tuesday faced “rough weather when the salvage team were first trying to get on board,” Pat Adamson, a spokesperson for MOL Ship Management, told The Washington Post.
“But we cannot say that the sinking was weather-related,” Adamson said.
The stranded ship had fueled concerns about the potential environmental damage to the Azores’ ecosystem, and it was unclear how its sinking may harm the area.
Set in the middle of the Atlantic, nearly 1,000 miles from another shore, the archipelago is home to coral reefs, tuna, sharks and dolphins. Its location along a number of seamounts makes it a key feeding ground for several migrating species such as blue and humpback whales, according to Oceano Azul Foundation, a Portugal-based environmental nonprofit organization.
European environmental groups and government agencies are monitoring the situation, the Portuguese navy said. The ship had been carrying about 2,200 tons of fuel and 2,200 tons of oil — along with other pollutants, such as metallic parts, plastics, electrical wires and paint.
The navy said a tugboat’s water jets were dispersing a “small patch of oily residue” in the area.
As for the luxury vehicles that plunged into the sea, car “brands are working with their dealers and customers to replace these vehicles and find individual solutions,” said Cameron Batten, chief communications officer for Volkswagen Group of America.
Nearly 4,000 Volkswagen Group cars, Batten said, were aboard the Felicity Ace — including about 1,100 Porsches and 200 Bentleys. According to an analysis by the Russell Group, a Britain-based risk management company, the estimated total value of goods on the ship was about $438 million, $400 million of which is the vehicles.
The Felicity Ace’s woes are another problem for the already-troubled global supply chain. Carmakers cut production as the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020, then the industry was hit with shortages in labor and computer chips for manufacturing. All of this taking place as freight takes longer to arrive and American ports face floating traffic jams of container ships.
Those problems show “the precariousness of global supply chains,” Suki Basi, Russell Group’s managing director, said in a news release. “The incident comes at a bad time for global carmakers who are in the middle of a supply chain crisis sourcing semiconductors, resulting in new delays for new cars.”
Angus Fitton, a spokesman for Porsche Cars North America, told The Post on Tuesday that the company is “supporting our customers as best we can,” and that new cars would be built soon.
For two weeks, Kay Murphy has watched from about 3,196 miles away in Jacksonville, Fla., as the ship carrying her Porsche burned, then sank. But a car is just a trinket, she said, in a world embroiled by a pandemic, a Russian invasion in Ukraine and other tragedies.
“My first concern was the ship’s crew,” Murphy said. “As my mother would say, ‘It’s just stuff.’ With all the craziness going on in the world today, that seems more true than ever.”
The Washington Post
International
Tibet in Mourning: 7.0 Quake Kills 16, Injures 76 as Rescue Teams Race Against Time in Nagqu
Tibet in Mourning: 7.0 Quake Kills 16, Injures 76 as Rescue Teams Race Against Time in Nagqu
NAGQU, Tibet — A devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake has struck Baqing County in Nagqu City, Tibet, leaving at least 16 people dead and 76 injured, according to the latest official figures released by the frontline emergency command. The quake, which hit at 22:33 Beijing time on October 22, 2026, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, has also caused significant structural damage, with 339 households reporting collapsed or damaged homes and 20 livestock sheds destroyed.
The initial hours after the Tibet earthquake saw a frantic scramble for information, with early preliminary counts reporting 32 injuries and 300 collapsed houses. However, as rescue teams conducted three rounds of door-to-door searches, the casualty toll was revised upward and the damage assessment refined. Authorities have confirmed that no missing persons remain unaccounted for, a rare piece of positive news amid the tragedy.
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Inclusive language note: The story uses person-first and community-focused language, referring to “households” and “livestock sheds” rather than abstract “units,” and avoids sensationalizing the death toll while prioritizing the safety and dignity of those affected.
Rescue operations are ongoing in the remote, high-altitude region, where temperatures can plummet overnight. Emergency crews are working to provide shelter, medical aid, and supplies to survivors. The China Earthquake Administration and local authorities are coordinating the response, with mainstream media such as CCTV News providing real-time updates.
The Baqing County earthquake has highlighted the vulnerability of rural communities in seismic zones, where traditional homes may not withstand powerful tremors. As the region begins to mourn and rebuild, officials are urging residents to follow safety protocols and remain alert for aftershocks.
Tibet in Mourning: 7.0 Quake Kills 16, Injures 76 as Rescue Teams Race Against Time in Nagqu
International
Two Killed, Eight Injured as Attack Hits Saudi Arabia Airport
Two Killed, Eight Injured as Attack Hits Saudi Arabia Airport
An Indian national was among two people killed, while eight others sustained injuries in an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia, as tensions escalate over attacks linked to Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed the updated casualty figures on Thursday, October 22, following the attack on Wednesday night.
The fatalities were identified as a Saudi citizen and an Indian national, while the eight injured included citizens and residents of several nationalities.
According to the aviation authority, the injured comprised one Saudi national, two Indians, two Yemenis, two Bangladeshis and one Nepalese national.
Their injuries ranged from minor to serious, with some victims reportedly in critical condition. The injured were receiving medical treatment at several hospitals across the Eastern Province.
The authority said it was working with relevant security agencies to assess the damage caused by the attack and implement measures to safeguard passengers, airport workers and aviation infrastructure.
Airport operations have since resumed, with air traffic returning to normal, according to reports published on Thursday.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed that one Indian national was among those killed, while two other Indian nationals were injured. The embassy said it was establishing contact with the affected families and seeking further information about the victims.
India also condemned attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, describing the incidents as unacceptable and calling for an end to the violence.
The Dammam incident comes amid an escalation of hostilities involving Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement and forces supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Saudi Arabia has faced repeated attacks targeting airports and other strategic facilities this month, raising concerns about the safety of civilians and the security of critical infrastructure.
In a separate incident on Wednesday, two people were killed when debris from an intercepted drone fell near an oil facility at Shaybah, according to Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry. Two other people were injured in that incident.
The ministry identified the two fatalities as a Filipino and a Nepalese national. The injured were identified as a Pakistani and an Indian national.
The incident at Shaybah reportedly caused a vehicle fire outside the facility’s perimeter but did not disrupt operations at the oil field.
Reuters also reported on Thursday that Saudi Aramco had instructed staff to evacuate its headquarters in Dhahran and work remotely, citing people familiar with the matter. The precise reason for the instruction was not immediately clear.
The developments have heightened concerns over the potential impact of the escalating conflict on Saudi Arabia’s aviation and energy sectors.
Although the latest attacks come amid an intensifying Houthi campaign against Saudi targets, details surrounding the precise method of attack on Dammam airport and the full extent of the damage remain limited.
Saudi authorities said the damage assessment and security measures were continuing.
Two Killed, Eight Injured as Attack Hits Saudi Arabia Airport
International
Trump’s White House Press Secretary Quits After Just Five Days as Credentials Storm Erupts
WASHINGTON, DC — US President Donald Trump’s new White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia, has left her position after just five days on the job, following criticism of her first press briefing and questions about her professional credentials.
Zacharia’s departure was reported on Friday, October 16, 2026, after Trump disclosed that he had advised her to reconsider remaining in the high-profile position. A White House official subsequently confirmed that she was leaving the role.
The departure came just days after Trump announced her appointment to succeed Karoline Leavitt on Friday, October 9. Zacharia began work on Monday, October 12, and held her first White House press briefing the following day, Tuesday, October 13.
The brief tenure quickly became controversial after Zacharia’s first interaction with journalists attracted criticism. The briefing lasted approximately 14 minutes, during which she took questions from only three reporters, prompting scrutiny of her performance as the administration’s principal spokesperson.
The controversy deepened on Thursday, October 15, when questions emerged about her professional credentials. During an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Zacharia acknowledged that she had not passed the bar examination, despite holding a law degree from Pepperdine University.
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In the United States, obtaining a law degree does not automatically qualify a graduate to practise as a licensed attorney. Admission to practise generally requires passing the relevant bar examination and satisfying other requirements set by the jurisdiction.
The revelation intensified scrutiny of how Zacharia’s legal background had been presented before her appointment, further complicating her early days in the White House role.
Zacharia defended her handling of the first briefing, explaining that she had limited time to prepare. She also indicated that the session was intentionally brief because Trump was expected to speak to reporters later that morning.
Trump, meanwhile, said he had encouraged her to consider whether the position was right for her, arguing that the media scrutiny surrounding the job could make it difficult to remain in the role.
The White House press secretary is responsible for communicating the president’s positions, explaining administration policies and responding to questions from journalists. The position frequently involves contentious exchanges with the media and intense public scrutiny.
Before joining the White House, Zacharia worked in communications for Trump Media, the company behind the president’s Truth Social platform. She had also held a position at the Department of Homeland Security and worked as a conservative political commentator.
Her exit leaves the Trump administration needing to determine who will handle daily press briefings and serve as its principal spokesperson. As of Friday, October 16, the White House had not publicly announced a successor.
Zacharia’s departure followed a compressed timeline: Trump announced her appointment on October 9, she began work on October 12, delivered her first briefing on October 13 and left the position on October 16. The five-day description refers to her working tenure rather than five full days from the date her appointment was announced.
Trump’s White House Press Secretary Quits After Just Five Days as Credentials Storm Erupts
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