Turkish authorities have arrested several journalists at their homes, the Disk-Basin-Is media union reported Monday, as protests escalate over the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
At least eight reporters and photojournalists were detained in what the union condemned as an “attack on press freedoms and the people’s right to learn the truth.”
Since Erdoğan took office in 2014, press freedoms have sharply declined. Reporters Without Borders estimates 77 journalists have been convicted of “insulting the president,” while five have been killed. The government controls at least 85% of national media.
US OFFICIALS MOCK EUROPE’S DEFENSE EFFORTS
A leaked group chat among top Trump national security officials has exposed deep disdain for Europe, after a journalist was mistakenly added to the conversation.
“I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s pathetic,” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote in the chat, which included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz.
The chat, which the US National Security Council said “appears to be authentic,” also contained details of planned strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, revealing both classified military discussions and US frustration with European allies.
EU AI DEPLOYMENT PLAN TO GO LIVE IN APRIL
The European Commission will unveil its AI Continent action plan on 9 April, aiming to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence by businesses, EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen announced in Brussels on Tuesday.
The plan will focus on five key pillars: infrastructure, data access, cloud, talent and skills, and simplification. While the AI Act, which regulates AI tools based on their risk levels, will only take full effect in 2027, the Commission is also working on simplifying existing regulations. Additionally, a digital fitness check will be conducted to ensure the EU’s rules remain effective and aligned with technological advancements.
FROM A PUBLIC SERVANT TO SPY?
Alice Leal Guo’s meteoric rise in Bamban, Philippines, seemed almost too good to be true. The 31-year-old mayor captivated supporters with promises of prosperity, arriving at rallies in a helicopter, exuding confidence and charisma. But just three years later, she now finds herself behind bars, accused of human trafficking and suspected of being a Chinese spy.
Her downfall began with a police raid that exposed a massive scam operation—run from a compound right behind her office. As investigators probed deeper, Guo’s murky past raised even more questions. Now, the town she once led is left wondering: Who is Alice Guo, really?
WEEKLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS APP’ LETS USERS TRACK NASA’S WORK
NASA has launched a new “Weekly Accomplishments App” for agency employees to track productivity and streamline reporting. The tool aligns with Elon Musk’s government-efficiency push, serving as a secure, centralized hub for submitting weekly progress updates to supervisors.
Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro described it as a way to simplify reporting and help civil servants keep track of their contributions throughout the year. NASA CIO Jeff Seaton added that the app features a PowerBI dashboard for performance insights and organizational reporting.
The tool is internal and exclusively for NASA civil servants, ensuring data security and efficiency.
