US civil trial to hear opening arguments on Boeing MAX crash

Lawyers for US aviation giant Boeing and the families of victims of a fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash will give opening statements Tuesday in the first civil trial stemming from the disaster.The legal proceedings began Monday with the selection of an eight-person jury who will hear the case concerning the March 10, 2019 flight that went down six minutes after departing Addis Ababa for Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board.Family members of 155 victims filed lawsuits between April 2019 and March 2021, alleging wrongful death and negligence, among other claims.On four prior occasions, attorneys reached last-minute settlements that averted a trial. But this time is different.Each side will have 90 minutes on Tuesday to present its case. An out-of-court settlement is possible even during the trial, which is intended to establish compensation owed by Boeing to the victims’ relatives.The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:30 am in Chicago (1530 GMT).The two principal plaintiffs in this week’s trial are the families of Shikha Garg of New Delhi and Mercy Ndivo of Kenya.Garg had been a consultant for the United Nations Development Program who had been traveling to Nairobi for a UN Environment Assembly.She had gotten married three months earlier and had planned to travel with her husband, who canceled his flight at the last minute because of a professional meeting. Garg had attended the landmark 2015 UN climate talks in Paris.Ndivo and her husband, who also died in the crash, were parents of a girl who is now almost eight years old. She was returning from London, having attended a graduation ceremony after earning a Masters in Accountancy.Boeing has said it is “deeply sorry” for the Ethiopian Airlines crash and for a separate MAX crash on Lion Air that killed 189 people on a domestic flight in Indonesia in 2018.The American manufacturer has also stressed its commitment to settling cases when possible.The firm has “accepted responsibility for the MAX crashes publicly and in civil litigation because the design of the MCAS… contributed to these events,” a Boeing lawyer said last October.The MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System) flight stabilizing software was implicated in both the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes.Boeing also faced dozens of complaints from Lion Air family victims. Just one case remains open.

Myanmar scam hub sweep triggers fraudster recruitment rush

Recent raids on one of Myanmar’s most notorious internet scam hubs sparked a recruitment rush as fleeing workers scrambled to enlist at nearby fraud factories, experts and insiders told AFP.Online scam hubs have mushroomed across Southeast Asia, draining unsuspecting victims of billions of dollars annually in elaborate romance and crypto cons.Many workers are trafficked into the internet sweatshops, analysts say, but others go willingly to secure attractive salaries.Late October raids roiled Myanmar fraud factory KK Park, sending more than 1,500 people fleeing over the border to Thailand — but many stayed behind to pursue new opportunities in the black market.A Chinese voluntary scam worker told AFP that a few hundred people who left KK Park arrived at his own compound three kilometres (two miles) away on October 23 — lured by monthly salaries of up to $1,400. The man spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, but shared with AFP a live location on a messaging app showing he was in Myanmar, near the Thai border. “Some people will be picked up by unscrupulous bosses, while others will be picked up by good companies,” he said. “It all depends on your luck.”Jason Tower, senior expert at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, told AFP many KK Park scammers have simply been “re-recruited” by other gangs.”There are some people looking for a new location to engage in scamming from,” he said. “They might see this as a job.”- ‘Our chance to escape’ -Webs of anonymous crypto payments and chronic under-reporting by embarrassed victims make losses to scam centres hard to quantify. But victims in Southeast and East Asia alone were conned out of up to $37 billion in 2023, according to a UN report, which said global losses were likely “much larger”.War-torn Myanmar’s loosely governed border regions have proven particularly fertile ground for the hubs.The embattled junta — which seized power in a 2021 coup — has been accused of turning a blind eye to scam centres enriching its domestic militia allies.But it has also faced pressure to curb the black market by its international backer China, galled at hubs recruiting as well as targeting its citizens.Last month, the junta said its troops had occupied around 200 buildings in KK Park and found more than 2,000 scammers.Analysts say the raid was likely limited and heavily choreographed — designed to vent pressure to take action without too badly denting profits.But it nonetheless prompted an exodus of 1,500 people from 28 nationalities into Thailand, according to provincial Thai authorities.Among them were around 500 Indian nationals and around 200 Filipinos.Authorities face the daunting task of discerning trafficking victims from willing scammers.Speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, one Filipino man described fleeing KK Park on October 22 with around 30 compatriots as a pro-junta militia arrived to aid the crackdown.”Everyone ran outside,” he said. “This was our chance to escape.”Grabbing what few possessions he could, the man fled the compound he says he was trafficked into and crossed by boat to western Thailand.- Sold for scamming -With one expert estimating around 20,000 people had been working in KK Park — the vast majority believed to be Chinese nationals — those who fled to Thailand likely made up less than 10 percent.But those who stayed behind are not necessarily willing participants.After the KK Park exodus, the Chinese scammer at the nearby compound told AFP local armed groups scrambled to cash in — with unemployed scammers “sold” to other operations for up to $70,000.Whether they are willing workers being headhunted or human trafficking victims is unclear.The scammer who spoke to AFP reported hearing “booms every evening” after the raids, but dismissed it as “all for show” rather than a meaningful crackdown by Myanmar authorities.And with the continuing flow of scam workers — willing or coerced — rights advocates say the problem can only be solved by targeting the Chinese bosses running the show.”(They) must be arrested, prosecuted, and have all their assets seized,” Jay Kritiya from the Civil Society Network for Human Trafficking Victims Assistance told AFP.”That’s the real crackdown.”

Myanmar scam hub sweep triggers fraudster recruitment rush

Recent raids on one of Myanmar’s most notorious internet scam hubs sparked a recruitment rush as fleeing workers scrambled to enlist at nearby fraud factories, experts and insiders told AFP.Online scam hubs have mushroomed across Southeast Asia, draining unsuspecting victims of billions of dollars annually in elaborate romance and crypto cons.Many workers are trafficked into the internet sweatshops, analysts say, but others go willingly to secure attractive salaries.Late October raids roiled Myanmar fraud factory KK Park, sending more than 1,500 people fleeing over the border to Thailand — but many stayed behind to pursue new opportunities in the black market.A Chinese voluntary scam worker told AFP that a few hundred people who left KK Park arrived at his own compound three kilometres (two miles) away on October 23 — lured by monthly salaries of up to $1,400. The man spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, but shared with AFP a live location on a messaging app showing he was in Myanmar, near the Thai border. “Some people will be picked up by unscrupulous bosses, while others will be picked up by good companies,” he said. “It all depends on your luck.”Jason Tower, senior expert at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, told AFP many KK Park scammers have simply been “re-recruited” by other gangs.”There are some people looking for a new location to engage in scamming from,” he said. “They might see this as a job.”- ‘Our chance to escape’ -Webs of anonymous crypto payments and chronic under-reporting by embarrassed victims make losses to scam centres hard to quantify. But victims in Southeast and East Asia alone were conned out of up to $37 billion in 2023, according to a UN report, which said global losses were likely “much larger”.War-torn Myanmar’s loosely governed border regions have proven particularly fertile ground for the hubs.The embattled junta — which seized power in a 2021 coup — has been accused of turning a blind eye to scam centres enriching its domestic militia allies.But it has also faced pressure to curb the black market by its international backer China, galled at hubs recruiting as well as targeting its citizens.Last month, the junta said its troops had occupied around 200 buildings in KK Park and found more than 2,000 scammers.Analysts say the raid was likely limited and heavily choreographed — designed to vent pressure to take action without too badly denting profits.But it nonetheless prompted an exodus of 1,500 people from 28 nationalities into Thailand, according to provincial Thai authorities.Among them were around 500 Indian nationals and around 200 Filipinos.Authorities face the daunting task of discerning trafficking victims from willing scammers.Speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, one Filipino man described fleeing KK Park on October 22 with around 30 compatriots as a pro-junta militia arrived to aid the crackdown.”Everyone ran outside,” he said. “This was our chance to escape.”Grabbing what few possessions he could, the man fled the compound he says he was trafficked into and crossed by boat to western Thailand.- Sold for scamming -With one expert estimating around 20,000 people had been working in KK Park — the vast majority believed to be Chinese nationals — those who fled to Thailand likely made up less than 10 percent.But those who stayed behind are not necessarily willing participants.After the KK Park exodus, the Chinese scammer at the nearby compound told AFP local armed groups scrambled to cash in — with unemployed scammers “sold” to other operations for up to $70,000.Whether they are willing workers being headhunted or human trafficking victims is unclear.The scammer who spoke to AFP reported hearing “booms every evening” after the raids, but dismissed it as “all for show” rather than a meaningful crackdown by Myanmar authorities.And with the continuing flow of scam workers — willing or coerced — rights advocates say the problem can only be solved by targeting the Chinese bosses running the show.”(They) must be arrested, prosecuted, and have all their assets seized,” Jay Kritiya from the Civil Society Network for Human Trafficking Victims Assistance told AFP.”That’s the real crackdown.”

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Le puissant typhon Kalmaegi inonde le centre des Philippines, 2 morts

Les Philippins trouvent refuge sur les toits pour échapper aux inondations provoquées par les pluies et vents violents du puissant typhon Kalmaegi qui traverse l’archipel mardi et a tué au moins deux personnes. A 08H00 (00h00 GMT), le typhon se déplaçait vers l’ouest à travers les îles centrales de Cebu et Negros, avec des vents de 150 km/h et des rafales de 185 km/h renversant arbres et lignes électriques.Le typhon est entré par l’est de l’archipel lundi peu avant minuit (15H00 GMT), touchant terre au niveau de la province des îles Dinagat, dans l’archipel des îles Visayas, dans l’est du pays, avec des rafales pouvant atteindre les 205km/h, d’après le service météorologique national.”Des personnes bloquées sur les toits demandent à être secourues”, a indiqué par téléphone à l’AFP Rhon Ramos, responsable de l’information à Cebu, ajoutant que certains centres d’évacuation ont eux-mêmes été inondés. Des voitures flottent dans les rues inondées, d’après des images récupérées par l’AFP.”L’eau est montée si vite. D’après ce qu’on m’a dit, les inondations ont commencé vers 3 heures du matin. A 4 heures, la situation était déjà incontrôlable, les gens ne pouvaient plus sortir (de leurs maisons)”, témoigne Don del Rosario, 28 ans. Il fait partie des résidents de Cebu City qui ont cherché à se réfugier dans les étages supérieurs de leurs habitations alors que la tempête faisait rage.”Je vis ici depuis 28 ans, et c’est de loin la pire catastrophe que nous ayons connue.”Des centaines de personnes qui vivaient à l’intérieur de tentes dans des camps installés après le séisme de magnitude 6,9 qui a secoué l’île fin septembre ont également été “évacuées de force pour leur propre sécurité”, a déclaré Rhon Ramos.Le directeur adjoint du Bureau de la protection civile, Rafaelito Alejandro, a dit à une radio locale que 387.000 personnes avaient été évacuées de la trajectoire du typhon, et qu’un homme a été tué par la chute d’un arbre dans la province de Bohol (centre).Une personne âgée est également morte noyée dans la province méridionale de Leyte, a indiqué Danilo Atienza, responsable des secours en cas de catastrophe. “La personne âgée était coincée à l’étage supérieur et incapable de recevoir de l’aide”, a-t-il expliqué à la radio DZMM.- D’autres tempêtes attendues -Chaque année, une vingtaine de tempêtes ou typhons frappent les Philippines ou s’en approchent, les régions les plus pauvres du pays étant généralement les plus durement touchées. Après Kalmaegi, la météorologue Charmaine Varilla s’attend à ce que “trois à cinq” autres tempêtes frappent le pays asiatique d’ici la fin de l’année.Le phénomène climatique naturel La Niña, qui refroidit les températures de surface dans le centre et l’est de l’océan Pacifique équatorial, s’accompagne généralement d’un nombre plus élevé de typhons, explique-t-elle à l’AFP.”Pour l’instant, il y a de fortes pluies et des vents violents. Nous sommes assis sur les escaliers et nous prions tout en essayant d’évaluer la force du typhon”, a rapporté lundi soir à l’AFP Miriam Vargas, 34 ans, se tenant dans le noir avec ses deux enfants à Dinagat, la tempête ayant coupé l’électricité. Roel Montesa, un responsable de la gestion des catastrophes naturelles de la province de Leyte, au nord de Dinagat, avait indiqué un peu plus tôt lundi que des évacuations étaient en cours à Palo et Tanauan. Ces deux circonscriptions, peuplées au total de 140.000 personnes selon le dernier recensement de 2024, avaient déjà été frappées durement en 2013 par le super-typhon Haiyan, qui avait tué au moins 6.000 personnes.Les Philippines ont été frappées en septembre par les meurtriers tempête Bualoi et typhon Ragasa.Selon les experts, le changement climatique favorise des phénomènes météorologiques extrêmes plus fréquents et plus intenses.

Asian markets swing as trades eye tech rally, US rate outlook

Asian markets fluctuated Tuesday as investors assessed the latest tech rally on Wall Street amid worries a bubble is forming in the sector, while mixed signals from Federal Reserve officials fed uncertainty over its next interest rate move.A flood of multi-billion-dollar investment into artificial intelligence has been a key driver of the surge in mostly technology equities across the globe this year, sending valuations to record highs.The rally has been helped by easing trade tensions since US President Donald Trump’s April tariff bombshell and expectations that the Fed will continue lowering borrowing costsThere is also a fear of missing out, in turn pushing prices up further, but there is increasing talk that the gains may have gone too far — with most of the gains coming from the tech sector — and a painful correction could be on the way.ChatGPT-maker OpenAI signed a $38 billion deal with Amazon’s AWS cloud computing arm, marking its latest huge tie-up following agreements with Oracle, Broadcom, AMD and chip titan Nvidia.”Even after the tariff-induced swoon in April, global equities have tacked on $17 trillion in market value, with the rally increasingly bottlenecked into the same handful of tech titans,” wrote SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes.”It’s as if the entire market has narrowed to a single crowded corridor, the walls lined with AI logos and venture dreams. “Amazon’s move simply adds another rocket to the booster stack — and traders are cheering the ignition, not asking how much fuel remains.”Wall Street ended on a mixed note, with the tech-rich Nasdaq rising along with the S&P 500 but the Dow in the red.Asia struggled to extend Monday’s advances.Hong Kong rose with Wellington, Manila and Jakarta but Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, Seoul and Taipei edged down with Shanghai flat.Remarks from Fed officials did little to provide support for further buying after boss Jerome Powell indicated last week that a third rate cut this year — after one in each of the past two meetings — was not definite.Governor Lisa Cook said she saw inflation remaining elevated in the coming year as tariffs bite, pointing out that some businesses had indicated they were running down inventories before passing on costs to consumers.”Looking ahead, policy is not on a predetermined path,” Cook said. “We are at a moment when risks to both sides of the dual mandate are elevated,” she added, referring to the bank’s target to support jobs while keeping rates at a level to put a cap on inflation. “Every meeting, including December’s, is a live meeting.”Meanwhile, Chicago Fed chief Austan Goolsbee said his main worry was inflation, while San Francisco boss Mary Daly was open to any options with regards to a cut in December. Governor Stephen Miran, a Trump nominee, wanted to see more cuts.”The divergence in opinions reinforces Fed Powell’s assessment that another fed funds rate in December is not a foregone conclusion, with the lack of data adding to the need to wait before making a decision (when driving in a fog, best to slow down),” wrote National Australia Bank’s Rodrigo Catril.Data on Monday indicated some further weakness in the US economy, with a key gauge of activity in the manufacturing sector contracting more than expected and for an eighth straight month in October as demand and output weakened.- Key figures at around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.1 percent at 52,361.14 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.2 percent at 26,207.16Shanghai – Composite: FLAT at 3796.80Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1506 from $1.1518 on MondayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3120 from $1.3138Dollar/yen: UP at 154.31 yen from 154.20 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.70 pence from 87.67 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.2 percent at $60.93 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.2 percent at $64.76 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 47,336.68 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 9,701.37 (close)