El Paso airspace was closed late Tuesday due to the Defense Department's use of new anti-drone technology, according to four sources briefed on the situation, challenging the official explanation from the Trump administration. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, along with representatives for the White House and the Pentagon, had insisted the closure was prompted by a sudden incursion of drones from Mexican drug cartels.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was forced to close El Paso's airspace after the Defense Department deployed the technology without sufficient warning to assess risks to commercial airlines, according to sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The military's actions were in response to a perceived threat, but the lack of communication with aviation officials led to the airspace closure.
In other news, a powerful cyclone, Gezani, struck Madagascar on Tuesday, resulting in at least 31 deaths. The disaster authority in the Indian Ocean island reported "total chaos" in the main port city of Toamasina, where houses collapsed and neighborhoods were plunged into darkness due to snapped power lines. Drone footage showed the extensive damage, with an overturned truck and widespread destruction. The country's military leader described the devastation, stating that nearly 75% of Toamasina was destroyed.
Meanwhile, in Switzerland, the mother of two young women injured in a New Year's Day fire in Crans-Montana had a private encounter with the owners of the bar where the fire occurred. The fire, which left 41 people dead and 115 injured, prompted a hearing where the bar owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, were questioned. A lawyer for the victims' families described the meeting as "an extremely intense moment and rare in its humanity."
In the technology sector, a report by the children's commissioner for England revealed that children are routinely exposed to advertisements for weight loss injections and pills online. The report found young people were "bombarded" with ads for products claiming to change their bodies and appearance, despite such advertising being banned. Dame Rachel de Souza, the children's commissioner, called the posts "immensely damaging" to young people's self-esteem and advocated for a ban on social media advertising to children.
Additionally, Apple and Google have agreed to make changes to their app stores in the UK following an intervention from the UK markets regulator. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that the tech giants have committed to not giving preferential treatment to their own apps and will be transparent about how others are approved for sale. This agreement comes seven months after the regulator stated that Apple and Google had an "effective duopoly" in the UK app market. The CMA's head, Sarah Cardell, said the proposed commitments "will boost the UK's app economy."
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