Philippines' Taal Volcano Erupts

View of a forest fire with Cotopaxi volcano in the background in Latacunga, Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Galo Paguay / AFP)
View of a forest fire with Cotopaxi volcano in the background in Latacunga, Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Galo Paguay / AFP)
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Philippines' Taal Volcano Erupts

View of a forest fire with Cotopaxi volcano in the background in Latacunga, Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Galo Paguay / AFP)
View of a forest fire with Cotopaxi volcano in the background in Latacunga, Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador, on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Galo Paguay / AFP)

The Philippines' Taal Volcano near the capital region has erupted, the country's seismology agency said on Wednesday.
The agency did not immediately provide details on the extent of the eruption but said the alert level remained at the lowest on the scale.
Taal, located about 70 km (45 miles) south of central Manila, is one of the world's smallest active volcanoes and some of its previous eruptions have impacted the capital and air travel.
Despite standing at only 311 m (1,020-feet), it can be deadly and an eruption in 1911 killed more than 1,300 people, Reuters reported.
In January 2021, thousands of people were evacuated after it spewed a 1 km (0.62 mile) high plume of gas and steam.
A year earlier, the Taal volcano shot a column of ash and steam as high as 15 km into the sky, forcing more than 100,000 people to abandon their homes and triggered widespread disruption in the



81-year-old SKorean Falls Short in Bid to Become Oldest Miss Universe Contestant

South Korean Choi Soon-hwa, 81-year-old, performs during the 2024 Miss Universe Korea in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
South Korean Choi Soon-hwa, 81-year-old, performs during the 2024 Miss Universe Korea in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
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81-year-old SKorean Falls Short in Bid to Become Oldest Miss Universe Contestant

South Korean Choi Soon-hwa, 81-year-old, performs during the 2024 Miss Universe Korea in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
South Korean Choi Soon-hwa, 81-year-old, performs during the 2024 Miss Universe Korea in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

An 81-year-old model fell short in her bid to become the oldest Miss Universe contestant after competing in the South Korean pageant against much younger rivals.
Dressed in a beaded white gown, the silver-haired Choi Soon-hwa strutted across the stage and performed in a singing contest at the Miss Universe Korea pageant held Monday at a hotel in South Korea’s capital, Seoul.
She missed out on the crown but did take home the “best dresser” award.
Han Ariel, a 22-year-old fashion school student, won the contest and will head to Mexico City for the Miss Universe pageant in November.
Choi, a former hospital care worker who began her modeling career in her 70s, was announced as a Miss Universe Korea finalist earlier this month along with 31 other contestants.
“Even at this age, I had the courage to grab onto an opportunity and take on a challenge," Choi told The Associated Press hours before Monday's pageant.
“I want people to look at me and realize that you can live healthier and find joy in life when you find things you want to do and challenge yourself to achieve that dream.”
It would have been impossible for Choi to compete in the pageant a year ago as Miss Universe had limited the participation to women between 18 and 28. The age limit, which had long drawn criticism, was lifted this year to make the competition more modern and diverse.
Organizers of the Korean pageant also removed the swimsuit competition and eligibility requirements related to education, height and foreign language abilities to open the contest to more women.