(AFP) — O.J. Simpson, the star NFL football player whose 1995 acquittal in the so-called “trial of the century” for the brutal murders of his wife and a male friend gripped the world, has died at the age of 76, his family announced. “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” a message signed by the family said on social media site X. © Agence France-Presse
International
Ethical questions abound as wartime AI ramps up
By Didier LAURAS PARIS, April 10, 2024 (AFP) – Artificial intelligence’s move into modern warfare is raising concerns about the risks of escalation and the role of humans in decision making. AI has shown itself to be faster but not necessarily safer or more ethical. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Friday that he was “profoundly disturbed” by Israeli media reports that Israel has used AI to identify targets in Gaza, causing many civilian casualties. […]
Biden promises Israel ‘ironclad’ support against Iran reprisals
WASHINGTON, April 10, 2024 (AFP) – US President Joe Biden on Wednesday promised “ironclad” support for Israel as Iran threatens reprisals over a strike that leveled an Iranian consulate building in Damascus and killed two generals. Biden’s promise comes despite his public criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the toll on civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas, especially after a strike killed seven aid workers. Iran is “threatening to launch a significant attack on […]
China’s Xi tells ex-Taiwan leader ‘external interference’ cannot block unification
By Matthew WALSH BEIJING, April 10, 2024 (AFP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that “external interference” would not stop Beijing from unifying with Taiwan, as he met the self-ruled island’s former leader in a rare display of cross-strait dialogue. Taiwan’s former president Ma Ying-jeou is in China as part of what he has called a “journey of peace” to calm tensions with Beijing, which claims the island as its own territory and has […]
Taiwan quake death toll rises to 16
TAIPEI, April 10, 2024 (AFP) – The toll from a massive earthquake that struck Taiwan last week rose to 16 on Wednesday after three more bodies were found on a hiking trail, officials said. The magnitude 7.4 quake that hit the island on April 3 also left more than 1,100 people injured, with strict building codes and widespread disaster readiness credited with averting an even bigger catastrophe. Authorities discovered the three victims Wednesday as they […]
Thai soldiers on alert as Myanmar border clashes enter second day
By Watsamon TRI-YASAKDA, Thanaporn PROMYAMYAI MAE SOT, Thailand, April 10, 2024 (AFP) – Thai armoured cars patrolled the town of Mae Sot Wednesday as the deep boom of artillery thundered across the border in Myanmar where the junta and an ethnic armed group fought for a second day near a vital trade hub. Hundreds queued to enter Thailand at the immigration checkpoint in Mae Sot, many fleeing the latest round of fighting to rock Myanmar […]
Kremlin warns floods may worsen as Kazakhstan, Russia evacuate 100,000
Water levels on rivers in Russia and Kazakhstan continued to rise and flood whole villages and cities on Wednesday, with more than 100,000 people evacuated and the Kremlin warning a “very, very tense” situation was expected to worsen. Fast-melting snow and ice has caused rivers in Russia’s southern Urals, western Siberia as well as northern Kazakhstan to reach unprecedented heights, threatening major cities. Moscow and Astana have been battling the rising rivers for more than […]
Whistleblower claims Boeing prioritized profit over safety in 787 Dreamliner production
NEW YORK, April 10, 2024 (AFP) – Federal aviation authorities are investigating claims by a Boeing engineer that the 787 Dreamliner suffers from assembly defects that threaten safety, US officials said Tuesday. Attorneys for the whistleblower, Sam Salehpour, accuse the company of putting profit over safety — and retaliating against him after he raised concerns by “involuntarily” transferring him to the 777 program. At the 777 program, he raised more issues, for which his attorneys […]
Kazakhstan and Russia battle huge floods
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 9, 2024 (AFP) – Water levels in overflowing rivers were still rising on Tuesday in swathes of Russia and Kazakhstan that have been hit by massive floods, as cities braced for a new peak in the southern Urals and western Siberia. Both Astana and Moscow have called the floods the worst in decades, introducing a state of emergency as water covered entire cities and villages. More than 90,000 people have been evacuated […]
US sent seized Iran weapons, ammo to Ukraine
By W.G. DUNLOP WASHINGTON, April 9, 2024 (AFP) – Washington has given Ukraine small arms and ammunition that were seized while being sent from Iranian forces to Tehran-backed rebels in Yemen, the US military said Tuesday. The transfer last week came as Ukraine suffers from significant shortages of ammunition and US Republican lawmakers block new aid, but it does not address Kyiv’s need for key items such as artillery and air defense munitions. “The US […]
US says ‘very, very concerned’ about Chinese actions in disputed sea
SYDNEY, April 9, 2024 (AFP) – The top US military officer in the Pacific on Tuesday said Washington was “very, very concerned” about Beijing’s recent “dangerous” actions in the disputed South China Sea, after confrontations with Philippine vessels. Speaking in Sydney, United States Indo-Pacific Command head Admiral John Aquilino referenced recent encounters between Chinese and Philippine boats around a remote shoal in the Spratly Islands. “I’m very concerned about what’s happening at the Second Thomas […]
Simon Harris becomes Ireland’s new prime minister
By Peter MURPHY DUBLIN, April 9, 2024 (AFP) – Simon Harris on Tuesday became Ireland’s new prime minister, replacing Leo Varadkar after he abruptly quit last month citing personal and political reasons. Ireland’s parliament voted 88 to 69 in favour of Harris, 37, becoming “taoiseach” — a Gaelic word for “chieftain” or “leader” pronounced “tee-shock”. He was officially installed later at a ceremony with President Michael D. Higgins, becoming the country’s youngest ever prime minister. […]





