标签： Asia

A significant maritime emergency unfolded in the southern Philippines early Monday as the inter-island ferry M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 sank near Baluk-baluk village in Basilan province. Carrying 359 people total—332 passengers and 27 crew members—the vessel encountered apparent technical complications and foundered approximately one nautical mile from shore shortly after midnight, despite favorable weather conditions.

The subsequent search and rescue operation mobilized a substantial force from multiple agencies. Coast guard and navy vessels were deployed to the area, supported by an air force Black Hawk helicopter, a surveillance aircraft, and local fishing boats. Coast Guard Commander Romel Dua confirmed that a safety officer aboard the ferry provided the initial alert, enabling the rapid emergency response.

Authorities reported that 316 individuals have been successfully rescued from the waters. Tragically, the bodies of 15 victims have been recovered. Survivors were initially transported to the island village of Baluk-baluk, with several others, including two fatalities, arriving at the provincial capital of Isabela. Provincial Governor Mujiv Hataman was present at the pier to receive them.

Commander Dua stated that an official investigation will be launched to determine the precise cause of the sinking. He noted that the vessel had received clearance from the coast guard prior to its departure from Zamboanga port and showed no indications of overloading. This incident highlights the persistent challenges of maritime safety in the Philippine archipelago, where sea accidents remain common due to factors including frequent storms, inadequate vessel maintenance, overcrowding, and inconsistent enforcement of safety protocols. The nation’s history includes the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster—the 1987 sinking of the Dona Paz, which resulted in over 4,300 fatalities.

In an unprecedented event that captured public attention, Saudi Arabia’s capital witnessed its first childbirth aboard the Riyadh Metro system on January 25, 2026. The remarkable incident occurred at Al Andalus Station, where the metro’s operations team successfully assisted in the delivery, showcasing exceptional emergency response capabilities.

The emergency situation was managed with what officials described as ‘remarkable professionalism, compassion, and composure.’ Female staff members played a crucial role in providing support throughout the process until medical professionals arrived. The incident served as a real-world test of the metro system’s emergency protocols, with the team demonstrating effective coordination and unwavering commitment to passenger welfare.

To commemorate this historic occasion, Riyadh Metro authorities presented the newborn’s family with special gifts including two first-class Darb cards valid for one year of complimentary travel. The transportation network also issued an official statement expressing appreciation for all staff involved, recognizing their ‘humanity and readiness’ in handling the exceptional circumstance.

The successful handling of this medical emergency highlights the evolving preparedness of Saudi Arabia’s public infrastructure systems. It also represents a significant milestone for Riyadh’s expanding public transportation network, which continues to gain prominence as a modern urban mobility solution. The incident has generated positive public engagement through social media platforms, where the metro authority shared details of the event with celebrating citizens and residents alike.

At the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, Palestinian journalist and author Plestia Alaqad delivered a poignant testimony on the profound personal toll of displacement and the complex burden of public visibility. Having fled Gaza with her family in November 2023 with merely five minutes to gather her belongings, Alaqad articulated a fractured sense of identity, moving between Australia and Lebanon without permanent residency in either nation.

Alaqad described the perpetual instability of life in exile, a reality defined by constantly renewing visas and justifying her right to exist in a place. ‘You’re always renewing visas, proving yourself, explaining where you belong,’ she stated. ‘And no place ever fully feels like home again.’ This relentless transience has reshaped her understanding of belonging, reducing personal possessions until ‘all that remained was your truth and your words.’

The journalist, who garnered a global following of over four million for her reporting from Gaza, revealed the immense pressure that accompanies such visibility. She noted that even a single day of social media silence triggers panic among her audience, with many fearing she had been killed. ‘The more visible you become, the more targeted you are,’ Alaqad explained, detailing how this surveillance seeped into her most private spaces, even causing her to censor her own diary entries for her book, ‘The Eyes of Gaza’.

This work, a blend of diary entries, reflections, and poetry written between October 2023 and January 2025, documents her life under bombardment and exile. The publishing process itself became a battleground for narrative control. Alaqad disclosed intense scrutiny from publishers and lawyers in the United States who debated politically charged language, often seeking to soften her account. She firmly resisted, asserting, ‘You can’t censor someone’s lived experience.’

Reflecting on her career choice, Alaqad framed journalism not as a mere profession but as a mission born from the Palestinian experience of being dehumanized. ‘I saw how dehumanised we were. I wanted to reclaim the narrative,’ she told the audience, adding that Palestinians often grow up with missions rather than dreams. Without occupation, she mused, she might have pursued her passion for theater and comedy.

Despite the weight of her testimony, Alaqad emphasized the importance of recognizing human limits and mental health, rejecting the notion that witnesses must be superheroes. She concluded by looking forward, revealing plans to explore storytelling through acting, including a role in an upcoming film centered on Palestine.