BOSTON, March 5, 2024 (AFP) – The US airman accused of leaking a trove of top secret Pentagon documents pleaded guilty Monday under a deal that saw him sentenced to some 17 years in prison in return for prosecutors dropping more serious espionage charges. Jack Teixeira, once a low-level Massachusetts Air National Guard IT specialist, was accused of orchestrating the most damaging leak of US classified documents in a decade, some of which concerned […]
International
Australia sets up $1.3 bn fund to grow trade with ASEAN
MELBOURNE, March 5, 2024 (AFP) – Australia unveiled plans to ramp up investment in Southeast Asia on Tuesday, setting aside US$1.3 billion to bolster trade in a region of rising economic might. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the funding as leaders from the 10-nation ASEAN forum met in Melbourne for a three-day summit. “The government I lead has made it clear. More than any other region, Southeast Asia is where Australia’s future lies,” Albanese told […]
Philippine Coast Guard says its ship damaged in collision with Chinese vessel
MANILA, March 5, 2024 (AFP) – The Philippine Coast Guard said one of its ships was damaged Tuesday in a collision with a China Coast Guard vessel during a resupply mission to Filipino troops on a remote outpost in the South China Sea. It is the latest incident in waters around Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands where the countries have contesting maritime claims. Chinese coast guard and other vessels undertook “dangerous manoeuvres […]
Gaza detainees released by Israel ‘traumatized,’ report abuse: UNRWA
Gazans detained by Israeli forces are coming back “completely traumatized” upon release and reporting abuses while in captivity, the head of the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency said Monday. Detainees reported being subjected to a “broad range of ill treatment” including threats of electrocution, being photographed naked, sleep deprivation and having dogs used to intimidate them, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini told a media briefing. The comments follow reporting by the New York Times on an internal […]
US VP meeting Netanyahu rival as pressure mounts on Israel
By Danny KEMP Agence France-Presse (AFP) — US Vice President Kamala Harris meets Monday with a key member of Israel’s war cabinet and rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day after she delivered Washington’s sharpest rebuke yet over the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Benny Gantz, Israel’s former military chief, will also hold talks with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, underscoring signs of discord in the government of Netanyahu […]
US Supreme Court rules Trump can stay on Colorado primary ballot
By Chris Lefkow Agence France-Presse (AFP) — The US Supreme Court on Monday removed a potential hurdle to Donald Trump’s bid to recapture the White House, unanimously dismissing a state court ruling that could have barred him from the ballot for engaging in insurrection. The high-stakes ruling in favor of the former president came on the eve of the Super Tuesday primaries that are expected to cement Trump’s march toward the Republican nomination to take […]
What we know about leaked German army audio recording
By Femke COLBORNE BERLIN, March 4, 2024 (AFP) – A leaked audio recording of senior German army officers discussing the war in Ukraine has caused a diplomatic firestorm and raised serious questions about the security of German military communications. Russia declared the recording proves direct involvement of Western countries in the conflict in Ukraine. Here is what we know about the intercept. – What was leaked? – On March 1, the head of Russia’s state-backed […]
Germany braces for fresh rail, air travel strikes
By Michelle FITZPATRICK FRANKFURT, Germany, March 4, 2024 (AFP) – German travellers braced for fresh upheaval after unions on Monday called for renewed walkouts at Lufthansa and rail operator Deutsche Bahn, the latest escalation in a series of rows over inflation-busting pay rises. Lufthansa ground staff will stage a two-day strike from Thursday, the Verdi union announced, accusing management at the airline group of showing “no willingness” to come up with an improved offer. The […]
Kremlin says German leak shows ‘involvement’ of West in Ukraine
MOSCOW, March 4, 2024 (AFP) – The Kremlin on Monday said the content of leaked conversations between German officials discussing potential strikes on Crimea proved Western countries were participating in the conflict in Ukraine. The leaks came as an embarrassment for Berlin, which is under pressure to supply Taurus missiles to Kyiv struggling with ammunition shortages. The conversations “once again highlight the direct involvement of the collective West in the conflict in Ukraine,” Kremlin spokesman […]
Apple hit with 1.8-bn-euro EU fine for music streaming restrictions
By Raziye Akkoc BRUSSELS, Belgium, March 4, 2024 (AFP) – The EU on Monday hit Apple with a 1.8 billion-euro-fine ($1.9 billion) for violating the bloc’s laws by preventing music streaming services from informing users about subscription options outside of its App Store. The iPhone maker immediately vowed to appeal the first ever antitrust fine slapped on Apple by Brussels, the culmination of a case triggered by a complaint by Swedish music streaming giant Spotify. […]
Gaza civilian deaths test Israel’s AI precision claims
By Joseph Boyle PARIS, March 3, 2024 (AFP) – The Israeli military has said AI helps it more accurately target militants in its five-month war against Hamas, but as Gaza deaths rise, experts are questioning how effective algorithms can really be. The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip says the war has killed upwards of 30,000 people, the majority of them civilians. “Either the AI is as good as claimed and the IDF (Israeli […]
Haiti gang attack triggers massive jailbreak, at least a dozen dead
At least a dozen people died as gang members attacked the main prison in Haiti’s capital, triggering a breakout by several thousand inmates, an AFP reporter and an NGO said Sunday. The overnight attack came as part of a new spate of extreme violence in the capital Port-au-Prince, where well-armed gangs who control much of the city have wreaked havoc since Thursday. The gangs say they want to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has […]





