"Regarding the latest developments involving the KMP Mutiara Sentosa II, which caught fire at the location, we are coordinating with Meratus Project III, TB Khas No. 26, the British Mentor and four other vessels already at the scene through the Kalianget communications post. They are assisting with the evacuation of passengers from the KMP Mutiara Sentosa II," he said.

"Basarnas is currently deploying the Kaisar Permadi to the location, with an estimated travel time of approximately six hours," he added.

The Mutiara Sentosa II was carrying 271 passengers and crew. Authorities said 225 people had been rescued as search teams continued looking for survivors in the Java Sea.

Some passengers reportedly jumped into the sea to escape the flames as nearby vessels evacuated those still on board.

The ferry had departed from Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya and was travelling to Makassar in South Sulawesi. Authorities said the fire broke out several hours into the journey.

Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency said the rescue operation remained underway and that the cause of the fire had not yet been determined.

Two powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela in quick succession just after 18:00 local time (23:00 BST) on 24 June 2026. A magnitude 7.2 earthquake was followed 39 seconds later by a stronger magnitude 7.5 quake.

The earthquakes struck near Yaracuy state and were felt across much of Venezuela and neighbouring countries, with tremors reported as far away as the Brazilian Amazon.

The disaster caused widespread destruction, with buildings collapsing in several cities, including the capital, Caracas, trapping residents beneath the rubble.

Venezuelan authorities launched large-scale search-and-rescue operations immediately after the earthquakes, deploying emergency teams across the affected regions as crews worked around the clock to locate survivors.

More than 20 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial earthquakes, while the magnitude 7.5 quake was the strongest recorded in Venezuela in more than 125 years.

As rescue efforts continue, families are still searching for missing relatives. Colombia n-Venezuelan national Moises Leonel Perez travelled from Bogotá to Venezuela's Caribbean coast after losing contact with his mother following the June 24 earthquakes. Perez, who moved to Colombia in 2018, returned to Venezuela to help search for her after repeated attempts to reach her failed.

Twelve days after the disaster, Venezuelan authorities said the earthquakes had killed 3,535 people , injured 16,740 others and left more than 17,000 people homeless, with recovery and rescue operations continuing across the affected regions.

The rescue came as international teams continued searching for survivors in the disaster zone following two powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday, 24 June. The back-to-back tremors, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, caused widespread destruction in Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira, prompting one of the country's largest rescue operations in decades.

Authorities said the death toll had reached 1,450 by Sunday, while 3,150 people were reported injured. Officials said 79,539 missing persons reports had been filed, with 14,695 people located and 47,205 still unaccounted for.

Emergency responders from several countries have joined Venezuelan rescue crews, working around the clock to search collapsed buildings despite continuing aftershocks and dwindling hopes of finding more survivors alive. More than 2,600 foreign rescue workers have been deployed to assist local teams, while thousands of residents remain displaced. Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com

Her uncle said the family had suffered multiple losses in the disaster.

“I lost relatives here today. Everything happened very fast, the three apartments were blown away, the whole street, the whole block is reduced to rubble. Thank God they are rescuing a niece, she is the only one we have alive right now,” he said.

The rescue followed hours of coordinated efforts by specialised emergency teams and volunteers working at the site.

Search-and-rescue operations remain underway across La Guaira, where numerous buildings have suffered partial or complete collapse. Authorities continue to deploy heavy machinery, canine search units and specialised rescue personnel in an effort to locate more survivors.

Venezuela’s National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said on Thursday that the death toll had risen to 188, with 1,520 people injured. He added that 157 people remain missing and another 200 are still believed to be trapped beneath collapsed structures.

“We are here accompanying our people in the search and rescue of people who were trapped by structures and buildings that collapsed. We are accompanying the families; we extend our solidarity and hope to recover as many people alive as possible,” she said.

Authorities have identified La Guaira as one of the hardest-hit areas, with extensive damage reported to hotels, homes and tourist buildings. Rescue teams continue to search through the rubble for survivors.

Rodríguez also announced that Venezuela had requested international assistance to strengthen rescue operations.

“We have requested international help. The first rescuers arriving from the Dominican Republic are already about to land, and in the coming hours, others will arrive from the rest of the countries of the international community,” she said.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela within seconds of each other. The first measured magnitude 7.2, followed by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake. The epicentres were located near Morón, west of Caracas, at shallow depths.

Emergency authorities continue to assess the damage as search-and-rescue operations remain underway in the affected regions.

Virginia remains the birthplace of more U.S. presidents than any other state, producing eight commanders-in-chief, according to historical records from the National Archives, the White House Historical Association, and Encyclopaedia Britannica.

The state's unmatched contribution includes four of the nation's first five presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe, earning Virginia the nickname "Mother of Presidents." Also born in Virginia were William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Woodrow Wilson.

Virginia's prominence reflects its central role in the nation's founding. During the colonial period, it was the largest and most influential British colony in North America, producing many of the leaders who shaped the American Revolution and drafted the U.S. Constitution.

Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe each served during the republic's formative decades, helping establish the presidency, expand the nation's territory through the Louisiana Purchase, and define key constitutional principles.

Historians note that Virginia's political influence gradually declined after the early 19th century as population and economic power shifted westward.

Ohio ranks second with seven presidents, including Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft and Warren G. Harding.

Ohio's rise reflected the country's westward expansion during the 19th century. By the late 1800s, it had become one of America's largest states by population and an industrial powerhouse, making it a crucial battleground in national politics .

The state's influence earned it the nickname "Mother of Presidents" during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it produced five presidents within just 28 years.

New York has produced five presidents: Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Donald Trump.

Massachusetts follows with four: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John F. Kennedy and George H. W. Bush, who was born in Milton before later establishing his political career in Texas.

Four other states have produced two presidents each: North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Vermont.

While birthplace is a notable historical distinction, historians emphasise that many presidents built their political careers elsewhere. Abraham Lincoln, for example, was born in Kentucky but became politically identified with Illinois, while Ronald Reagan was born in Illinois and rose to national prominence in California .

England generated more transfer revenue than any other football association between 2014 and 2023, earning €13.8 billion from player transfers, according to the latest CIES Football Observatory report, highlighting the Premier League's central role in the global transfer market.

The CIES Football Observatory's analysis of international transfer activity shows England comfortably leading the rankings ahead of Italy (€9.8 billion), France (€8.0 billion), Spain (€7.7 billion) and Germany (€7.0 billion).

The figures cover transfer revenues earned by clubs affiliated with each national football association over the ten years, reflecting both domestic and international player trading.

Although England recorded the highest overall transfer revenue, only 36.6% of its earnings came from international transfers, the lowest proportion among the top ten associations.

The data reflects the Premier League's enormous domestic transfer market, where clubs frequently buy and sell players within England for substantial fees. Financial regulations, broadcasting income and commercial revenues have enabled English clubs to spend more than their European counterparts, creating a highly active internal market.

According to Deloitte's Annual Review of Football Finance , Premier League clubs consistently generate the highest revenues of any football league worldwide, supporting record-breaking transfer activity.

By contrast, several football associations depend far more on exporting players abroad.

Portugal recorded €3.9 billion in transfer revenue, with 91.3% generated from international transfers, the highest share among the top ten. Portuguese clubs have long developed young talent before selling players to wealthier European leagues, particularly England, Spain, France and Germany.

The Netherlands (90.0%), Belgium (86.7%), Brazil (85.8%), and Argentina (82.6%) also earned the vast majority of their transfer income through overseas deals.

France generated €8.0 billion, with 73.4% coming from international transfers, reflecting Ligue 1's reputation as one of Europe's leading talent-producing leagues. French academies continue supplying players to elite clubs across Europe, particularly the Premier League.

Outside Europe, Brazil (€2.9 billion) ranked seventh, while Argentina (€1.8 billion) completed the top ten. Both South American nations remain among the world's most important exporters of football talent despite comparatively smaller domestic broadcasting revenues.

“Today, at around 18:00 in the evening, two earthquakes occurred in succession, the first a 7.2 and immediately afterward a 7.5. By this hour, 20 aftershocks have already been recorded,” she said.

“It is an event with serious consequences, and there are states that are particularly affected. In the capital city, Caracas, there were building collapses in different parishes, the state of Miranda, and the state of La Guaira. The states of Aragua, Carabobo, and Falcon, where we have had impact, have also been severely affected.”

The US Geological Survey (USGS) measured the earthquakes at magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, with epicentres near Morón, approximately 160 kilometres west of Caracas.

The USGS issued a red alert through its Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) system, indicating the potential for severe humanitarian impacts. The agency estimated that fatalities could eventually range between 10,000 and 100,000 based on the intensity of the shaking, population exposure and the vulnerability of affected buildings.

Rodríguez later confirmed that at least 32 people had been killed and more than 700 injured, warning that the number of casualties could increase as search and rescue operations continue.

Emergency authorities have deployed specialised search-and-rescue teams to affected areas to search collapsed buildings, while residents have been urged to remain outdoors because of continued powerful aftershocks.

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