Month: August 2024

On Tuesday, BMW announced it is recalling it is recalling 720,796 vehicles in North America due to an issue with the water pump’s electrical connector that may short circuit as a result of faulty installation, posing a fire hazard.

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, the impacted vehicles have water pumps with insufficient sealing, and may be susceptible to fluid ingress at the electrical plug connector over time. There is the possibility that a short circuit could occur, and there’s the potential for a fire, in rare cases.

Recall documents posted by the NHTSA read that “an improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit .. specifically, blowby-liquid from the positive crankcase ventilation system may collect on the intake air hose, eventually drip onto the plug connector .. this could increase the risk of a thermal event and, in rare cases, a fire.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the recall applies to the following BMW models:

• BMW 228XI 2014-2016
• BMW 328I 2012-2016
• BMW 328XI 2012-2016
• BMW 428I 2014-2016
• BMW 428XI 2015-2016
• BMW 528I 2012-2016
• BMW X1 2012-2015
• BMW X3 2013-2017
• BMW X4 2015-2018
• BMW X5 2016-2018
• BMW Z4 2012-2016

Notification letters will be mailed to vehicle owners on October 4, where they will be instructed to take their cars to an authorized BMW center  where water pumps and plug connectors will be inspected and replaced as necessary for free. Per the recall report, a shield will be also installed to divert any fluid that might drop down onto the pump from the positive crankcase ventilation system’s intake air house.  Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW’s number for the recall is “24V-608.” Owners can also contact NHTSA’s safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (toll-free at 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.nhtsa.gov for further information.

Editorial credit: Best Auto Photo / Shutterstock.com

The Israeli military said Tuesday that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages who were taken into the Gaza Strip following the Hamas-led Oct. 7 terror attacks. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that troops recovered the bodies of six Israeli hostages in an overnight operation in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The operation came as the United States, Egypt and Qatar pushed for a cease-fire deal that would end Israel’s monthslong military offensive in Gaza and see the release of the hostages who remain held in the enclave.

In a joint statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) identified the hostages as: Haim Perry, 80; Yoram Metzger, 80; Avraham Munder, 79; Alexander Dancyg, 76; Nadav Popplewell, 51; and Yagev Buchshtav, 35.  Metzger, Munder, Popplewell and Buchshtav had family members who were also abducted but freed during a November cease-fire.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that he’d had a productive meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and he had accepted a bridging proposal for a cease-fire deal and that it was “now incumbent on Hamas to do the same.” Hamas on Tuesday expressed “astonishment” at the suggestion that it was holding up a deal, calling the comments by Blinken and President Joe Biden “misleading claims that do not reflect the true position of the movement, which is keen to reach a cessation of aggression. We consider these statements a renewed American green light for the government of Zionist extremists to commit more crimes against defenseless civilians, and in pursuit of the goals of exterminating and displacing our people.”

Netanyahu said in a statement on Tuesday: “tonight our forces returned the bodies of six of our hostages who were held by the murderous terrorist organization Hamas… we thank those involved in the operation for their bravery and determined action .. our hearts ache for the terrible loss.” 

According to Israeli officials, more than 100 hostages remain held in Gaza, with around a third of them believed to be dead. Netanyahu said in a statement shared on X:  “The State of Israel will continue to make every effort to return all of our hostages — the living and the deceased.”  

According to data from the Israeli Government Press Office, there are currently 109 Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, including 36 believed to be dead. More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 92,000 injured during Israel’s war in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the enclave.

Editorial credit: Shabtay / Shutterstock.com

According to officials in Italy, a 183-foot sailboat carrying 22 people sank early on Monday off the coast of the Italian island of Sicily following stormy weather in the area, killing at least one passenger.

Sources and Italian officials told CNBC that British tech magnate Mike Lynch and his daughter were among several other people still missing after the luxury superyacht sank near Sicily’s main city of Palermo during a violent storm. The U.K.-flagged vessel — named the Bayesian — sank off Porticello, near the coastal city of Palermo at around 5 a.m. local time (11 p.m. ET) with 22 people on board. Per the Associated Press, Lynch – described in U.K. media as “Britain’s Bill Gates” – was not among those rescued, but his wife Angela Bacares is said to have been found safe. The couple’s daughter Hannah, 18, is also said to be among those still missing (per BBC.)

According to the Italian coast guard and a local port authority, members of the coast guard have rescued 15 passengers, but six are still missing – with at least one American is believed to be among those still missing, as well as British and Canadian citizens also unaccounted for. Of those recovered, eight have been transported to local hospitals, officials said.

An authority from the Palermo Port Authorities told ABC News that the ship is currently located at a depth of around 164 feet, with firefighter divers now attempting to reach it. One body was recovered and six people were missing, with divers reaching the hull of the ship early on Monday and still searching the waters. The port official was unable to confirm whether any Americans were among the missing, but added that authorities were still working to verify the nationalities of those who had been on board. Four coast guard vessels, one helicopter and a team of fire brigade divers are involved in the search, which is being coordinated by the Palermo Coast Guard, the statement said.

Local Mayor Giuseppe D’Agostino wrote on Facebook that the “tragedy that struck our community is unparalleled in history. The administration has activated all channels with the police and is taking care of the people recovered alive so far. The search continues at sea and all we can do is pray and hope to find someone alive,” adding that local authorities are gathering clothes and finding accommodation for the survivors.

Lynch, 59, founded the enterprise software firm Autonomy and became the target of a protracted legal battle with Hewlett Packard after the U.S. tech giant accused him of inflating the company’s value in an $11 billion sale. He was acquitted of fraud following a three-month trial after being extradited from Britain to the U.S. last year.

Editorial credit: Filippo Carlot / Shutterstock.com