Australia's government said Tuesday that it will upgrade airport security around the country and increase police powers in response to an alleged attempt to smuggle an improvised explosive device aboard a flight out of Sydney last year.
In this June 21, 2011, file photo, an almost deserted domestic terminal is seen at Sydney Airport, Australia. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith, File)
The government will spend 294 million Australian dollars ($222 million) on improving security equipment and staffing levels at all major city airports plus 13 regional airports, government ministers said.
It follows an attempt to check in a bag allegedly containing military-grade explosives into the luggage hold of an Etihad Airways Airbus A380 double-decker jet headed to the Middle East last July in a plot authorities say was directed by the Islamic State group.
The airline rejected the bag at the check-in counter because it was overweight. The alleged plot wasn't discovered until weeks later, but two Sydney men were eventually charged with planning a terrorist act.
Under the upgrade, body scanners and advanced X-ray equipment will be rolled out across Australian airports. Inbound air cargo and international mail will be subjected to stricter screening.
An additional 140 police trained to detect improvised explosive devices would be assigned to airports. They would be supported by police intelligence specialists.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said police would be given new powers to check people's identities at airports and to remove from airports people suspected of "certain criminal activities." He did not elaborate on those activities.
Police can only demand to see people's identity documents at airports under certain conditions, a restriction that Dutton described as an absurdity.
"We're addressing an anomaly and a deficiency in the law at the moment," Dutton told reporters.
He said that had the July plot succeeded, the explosion would have had a multibillion-dollar impact on tourism and the number of foreign students studying at Australian universities, which is one of Australia's most lucrative industries.
"Had that been successful, hundreds of people would've of course lost their lives, but it would've had an enormous impact on the psyche of the Australian traveling public," he said.
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WEEKEND COVERAGE
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For weekend stories, please click here for the Weekend Lookahead digest.
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ONLY ON AP
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EMERGENCY ROOMS-PREGNANCY — Complaints about pregnant women being turned away from emergency rooms spiked in the months after states began enacting strict abortion laws following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The cases are detailed in federal documents obtained by The Associated Press and raise serious questions about the state of emergency pregnancy care in the U.S. By Amanda Seitz. SENT: 1,580 words, photos.
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TOP STORIES
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TRUMP-HUSH MONEY — A jury of 12 people and six alternates has been seated in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York. The completion of the jury selection process Friday tees up the trial for opening statements and weeks of testimony in a case charging the Republican ex-president with falsifying business records to suppress stories about his sex life emerging in the final days of the 2016 election. By Jennifer Peltz, Michael R. Sisak, Jake Offenhartz and Alanna Durkin Richer. SENT: 850 words, photos, video, audio. WITH: TRUMP-HUSH-MONEY-THE-LATEST.
MIDEAST-TENSIONS — Israel and Iran are both playing down an apparent Israeli airstrike near a major air base and nuclear site in central Iran. The muted public responses signal the two bitter enemies are ready to prevent their latest eruption of violence from escalating into a full-blown regionwide war. But the indecisive outcome of weeks of tensions — which included an alleged Israeli strike that killed two Iranian generals, an unprecedented Iranian missile barrage on Israel and the apparent Israeli strike early Friday in the heart of Iran — has done little to resolve the deeper grievances between the foes and left the door open to further fighting. By Josef Federman and Jon Gambrell. SENT: 980 words, photo, video, audio. WITH: MIDEAST-TENSIONS-THE-LATEST.
CONGRESS-UKRAINE -- The House has pushed a $95 billion national security aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies closer to passage. A key procedural vote gained approval to move ahead with the bill, Democrats joining Republicans in a rare assist. House Speaker Mike Johnson has been making the rounds on conservative media working to salvage the wartime funding, particularly for Ukraine as it faces a critical moment battling Russia. His own job is also under threat as the restless right flank threatens to oust him from office. President Joe Biden sent a swift endorsement of the speaker’s plan. Final votes on the package are expected Saturday. By Stephen Groves, Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking. SENT: 780 words, photos, audio. WITH: UNITED-STATES-UKRAINE-WEAPONS-EXPLAINER -- How the U.S. could rush weapons to Ukraine for its war with Russia. SENT: 950 words, photos.
EDUCATION-TITLE-IX-SEXUAL-ASSAULT — The rights of LGBTQ+ students will be protected by federal law and victims of campus sexual assault will gain new safeguards under new rules from the Biden administration. The Education Department issued its new Title IX regulation on Friday. By Collin Binkley. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
CHICAGO-MIGRANTS-BLACK RESIDENTS — Chicago is one of several big American cities grappling with a surge of migrants. With help from state and federal funds, the city has spent more than $300 million to provide housing, health care and more to over 38,000 mostly South American migrants. The speed with which these funds were marshaled has stirred widespread resentment among Black Chicagoans. By Matt Brown. SENT: 1,150, photos, video.
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ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
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UNITED-STATES-ISRAELI-SETTLER-SANCTIONS -- The Biden administration imposed sanctions on two entities accused of fundraising for extremist Israeli-occupied West Bank settlers who have harassed and attacked Palestinians, as well as the founder of an organization whose members regularly assault Palestinians. SENT: 400 words, photo.
ISRAEL-AMPUTEE-SOCCER — Israel’s national amputee soccer team is heading to France for the 2024 European Amputee Football Championships in June. The team lineup includes two Israeli soldiers who were seriously wounded and lost limbs during the war in Gaza. SENT: 870 words, photos, video.
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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR
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RUSSIA-NEW-OFFENSIVE — Russian troops are ramping up pressure on exhausted Ukrainian forces across the front line to prepare to grab more land this spring and summer. With a vital U.S. aid package for Kyiv slowed in Congress, Russia has relied on its edge in firepower and personnel to step up attacks across eastern Ukraine. Military experts predict the Russian offensive will intensify in the coming weeks as muddy fields dry up to allow armor and other heavy equipment to move off roads. SENT: 800 words, photos.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Ukraine’s air force is claiming it shot down a Russian strategic bomber. But Moscow officials say the plane crashed Friday in a sparsely populated area due to a malfunction after a combat mission. Neither claim could be independently verified. Meanwhile, officials say Russian missiles struck cities in the central Dnipro region of Ukraine, killing eight people, including a 14-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy, and injuring 28. SENT: 490 words, photos, video.
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MORE NEWS
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ENT-DAYTIME-EMMYS-DICK-VAN-DYKE — Dick Van Dyke earns historic Daytime Emmy nomination at age 98. SENT: 300 words, photo.
NIGERIA-CHESS-CHAMPION — A Nigerian chess champion is trying to break the world record for the longest chess marathon. SENT: 440 words, photos.
TESLA-RECALL — Tesla is recalling nearly 4,000 of its 2024 Cybertrucks after it discovered that the accelerator pedal can become stuck. SENT: 210 words, photo.
EATING-CICADAS — Would you like a cicada salad? The monstrous little noisemakers descend on a New Orleans menu. SENT: 500 words, photos, video.
CHINA-APPLE — Apple pulls WhatsApp and Threads from App Store on Beijing’s orders. SENT: 370 words, photo.
NOT-REAL-NEWS- A look at what didn’t happen this week. SENT: 1,580 words, photos.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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ELECTION 2024-DECISION NOTES-PENNSYLVANIA — President Biden and former President Donald Trump will go before voters Tuesday in Pennsylvania’s presidential primaries. It’s a prelude to the November general election, when the commonwealth is expected to once again to play a critical role in the race for the White House. SENT: 1,240 words, photos.
EPA-FOREVER-CHEMICALS -- The Environmental Protection Agency has designated two forever chemicals used in cookware, carpets and firefighting foams as hazardous substances. The action is intended to ensure quicker cleanup of the toxic compounds and require those responsible for contamination to pay for its removal. SENT: 820 words, photos.
ALASKA-ARCTIC-DRILLING — The U.S. oil industry’s top lobbying group says Biden administration rules restricting oil and gas leasing in 13 million acres of Alaska’s petroleum reserve are “misguided.″ The Biden administration finalized rules that would restrict new oil and gas leasing and development in portions of the federal petroleum reserve in Alaska that are considered particularly sensitive as the Arctic continues to warm. SENT: 900 words, photos.
Find the AP’s latest Election 2024 coverage plans, including live video and text plans, our explanatory journalism and highlights from previous cycles and candidate schedules in The Daily Rundown, which publishes around 8 a.m. Monday through Friday.
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NATIONAL
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COLUMBINE-SCHOOL-SHOOTING — The 12 students and one teacher killed in the Columbine High School shooting will be remembered in a vigil on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the tragedy. Friday’s gathering is the main public event marking the anniversary. SENT: 620 words, photos. WITH: COLUMBINE-25-YEARS-LATER-AP WAS THERE -- On April 20, 1999, two teenage boys dressed in black trench coats went on a killing rampage at Columbine High School in suburban Denver. SENT: 1,650 words, photos.
OKLAHOMA-CITY-BOMBING-ANNIVERSARY — A Department of Homeland Security official told survivors and loved ones of the 168 people killed in the Oklahoma City bombing that federal officials are resolved to never allow a similar terrorist attack again. Deputy Security Advisor Caitlin Durkovich spoke during a ceremony on the 29th anniversary of the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. SENT: 420 words, photos.
AP-EXPLAINS-HISTORY-OF-420 — Marijuana advocates are gearing up for April 20. Known as 4/20, marijuana’s high holiday on Saturday is often marked by large crowds gathering in parks, at festivals and on college campuses to smoke together. This year activists can reflect on how far the legalization movement has come in the U.S. Medical marijuana is now legal in 38 states. Of those, 24 also allow recreational use. SENT: 1,120 words, photos.
GULF-SPILL-BOAT-CAPTAIN -- John Maas helped clean up the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and is likely the only sick worker to prevail in a lawsuit against BP. He had to be stubborn and lucky to reach a settlement when thousands of other cases were thrown out. The BP medical settlement left stranded many cleanup workers who say they got sick, especially if they were diagnosed later on and had to file individual federal lawsuits. Maas had to repeatedly switch law firms, find just the right expert and pursue his case in Tennessee to give himself a chance. For months, he even represented himself, writing out legal filings in longhand. SENT: 990 words, photos.
ASBESTOS-TOWN-RAILROAD — BNSF Railway attorneys are expected to argue before jurors that the railroad should not be held liable for the lung cancer deaths of two former residents of an asbestos-contaminated Montana town. Closing arguments are scheduled Friday in a civil lawsuit against the railroad. SENT: 720 words, photos.
CALIFORNIA-TENANTS-PETS — Finding an apartment may be easier for California pet owners under new legislation. Assembly Bill 2216 would ban blanket no-pets policies and prohibit landlords from charging extra for security deposit and rent for tenants who have cats, dogs or other household animals. SENT: 710 words, photos, video., audio.
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INTERNATIONAL
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MEXICO-RUSHED-PRESIDENT — Mexico’s president is in a rush to finish the big projects he promised before his term ends in September, and experts say officials are getting a bit sloppy amid all the haste. On Wednesday, legislators from the governing Morena party mistakenly submitted the wrong bill on pension reform for a vote in Congress, before sheepishly admitting the error and rescheduling the vote. The pension reform has become a lightning rod for criticism, because it would essentially seize unclaimed pension funds if a worker doesn’t start drawing them by age 70. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
PAKISTAN-SUICIDE-ATTACK — Five Japanese autoworkers narrowly escaped an attack by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosive-laden vest near their vehicle in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi. The local police chief said the van carrying the Japanese nationals was heading to an industrial area where they worked at Pakistan Suzuki Motors when it was targeted. SENT: 500 words, photo, video.
DENMARK-FIRE — Firefighters in Copenhagen stabilizing the burned-out husk of Copenhagen’s historic Old Stock Exchange tried to use giant shears on a crane to cut away dangling scaffolding, but suffered a setback when the implement fell into the debris. A large blaze broke out at the 400-year-old landmark on Tuesday, toppling its roof and iconic dragon-tail spire and collapsing much of its structure. SENT: 450 words, photos.
MALI-EXTREME-WEATHER — Laborers and street vendors in Mali find no respite as deadly heat wave surges through West Africa. SENT: 700 words, photos, video.
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BUSINESS
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BITCOIN-HALVING-EXPLAINER — Bitcoin’s next “halving” is right around the corner. Slicing new production of the world’s largest cryptocurrency in half could have a lot of implications, from the price of the asset to the day-to-day operations of bitcoin miners themselves. SENT: 1,080 words, photo.
UAW-VOLKSWAGEN — The United Auto Workers’ ambitious drive to expand its reach to nonunion factories across the South and elsewhere faces a key test Friday night, when workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, will finish voting on whether to join the union. The UAW’s ranks in the auto industry have dwindled over the years, and workers at the Chattanooga plant have previously rejected union membership. But this time, the UAW is operating under new leadership and basking in a successful confrontation with Detroit’s major automakers. SENT: 910 words, photos. Eds: Story will be updated, likely after 11 p.m. with a vote tally.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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MUSIC-TAYLOR SWIFT-FEATURE — “The Tortured Poets Department” is here. So what do professors in the poetry department, whether tortured or not, think of Taylor Swift’s lyrics? By Music Writer Maria Sherman. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos by 3 p.m. WITH: MUSIC-TAYLOR SWIFT-NEW SONGS—Taylor Swift released 15 additional songs after midnight. SENT: 220 words, photo.
ENT-BLUEY-AND-ADULTS — Viewers don’t have to be young or a parent to appreciate the Australian kids’ television program “Bluey,” as this week’s release of a special episode proved. Not only is the animated blue-colored Australian cattle dog a favorite among children for her playful humor, but the show also appeals to adults who are reminiscing about their childhood. “Bluey” premiered in Australia in 2018 and began streaming on Disney+ in 2020. UPCOMING: 1,000 words by 3 p.m.
ENT-BOOKS-Q&A-SALMON-RUSHDIE — Nearly two years after the shocking knife attack that nearly killed him, Salman Rushdie appears both changed and very much the same. He is thinner, paler, scarred and blind in his right eye. He tells The Associated Press of “iron” in his soul and the struggle to write fiction as he concentrates on promoting his current book, “Knife,” a memoir about his stabbing that he decided to write if only because he had no choice. But he remains engaging, articulate and uncensored. By Hillel Italie. SENT: 1,500 words, photos.
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SPORTS
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BKN-NBA-PLAYOFF-PREVIEW -- There’s a 64-win team in Boston that ran away with the league’s best record. The defending champions in Denver, a group that won 57 games. A fearless young bunch in Oklahoma City, whose No. 1 seed was no fluke. A trio of Villanova alums in New York, who turned the Knicks into a real contender. And, once again, there’s LeBron James, too. The NBA playoffs are about to begin with the Celtics and Nuggets the heavy favorites to collide in the Finals, and no shortage of teams have realistic belief that they can win the whole thing as well. SENT: 950 words, photos.
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HOW TO REACH US
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FILE -A steel worker moves a 155 mm M795 artillery projectile during the manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pa., Thursday, April 13, 2023. The Pentagon could get weapons moving to Ukraine within days if Congress passes a long-delayed aid bill. That's because it has a network of storage sites in the U.S. and Europe that already hold the ammunition and air defense components that Kyiv desperately needs. Moving fast is critical, CIA Director Bill Burns said Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
Richard Wallace, founder and director of Equity and Transformation, poses for a portrait at the Westside Justice Center, Friday, March 29, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
The Rev. Dr. Chauncey Brown speaks during an interview at Second Baptist Church, Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
FILE - This undated photo shows members of the Allman Brothers Band, from left, Dickey Betts, Duane Allman, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, Gregg Allman and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson, eating at the H&H Restaurant in downtown Macon, Ga. Guitar legend Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man,” died Thursday, April 18, 2024. He was 80. (The Macon Telegraph via AP, File)
FILE - Todd Chrisley, left, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, pose for photos at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2, 2017, in Las Vegas. Todd and Julie Chrisley, who are in prison after being convicted on federal charges of bank fraud and tax evasion, are challenging aspects of their convictions and sentences in a federal appeals court.(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
World Bank President Ajay Banga is interviewed by The Associated Press, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at the World Bank in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
FILE - An advertisement for the cryptocurrency Bitcoin displayed on a tram, May 12, 2021, in Hong Kong. Sometime in the next few days or even hours, the “miners” who chisel bitcoins out of complex mathematics are going to take a 50% pay cut — effectively slicing new emissions of the world’s largest cryptocurrency in an event called bitcoin halving. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (25) shoots against Atlanta Hawks forward Bruno Fernando (24) during the second half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game in Chicago, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. The Bulls won 131-116. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
The soccer player of Israel Amputee Football Team, Ben Binyamin and his teammates prepare to run during a practice session in Ramat Gan, Thursday, April 11, 2024. Ben Binyamin was celebrating his 29th birthday at the Tribe of Nova music festival on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and opened fire on thousands of Israelis dancing to electronic music. Binyamin raced into an air raid shelter, but attackers fired shots and then threw in grenades. He was seriously wounded; his right leg was blown off. He was left for dead. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
FILE - A guest takes a puff from a marijuana cigarette at the Sensi Magazine party celebrating the 420 holiday in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles, April 20, 2019. Marijuana advocates are gearing up for Saturday, April 20, 2024. Known as 4/20, marijuana's high holiday is marked by large crowds gathering in parks, at festivals and on college campuses to smoke together. This year, activists can reflect on how far the movement has come. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
FILE - A vendor makes change for a marijuana customer at a cannabis marketplace in Los Angeles, April 15, 2019. Marijuana advocates are gearing up for Saturday, April 20, 2024. Known as 4/20, marijuana's high holiday is marked by large crowds gathering in parks, at festivals and on college campuses to smoke together. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
FILE - Ukrainian National Guard soldiers simulate an assault during tactical training at a shooting range in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Feb. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko, File)
Firefighters work on a building that was partially destroyed after a Russian bombardment in Chernihiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Three Russian missiles slammed into a downtown area of the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on Wednesday, hitting an eight-floor apartment building and killing at least 17 people, authorities said. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian signs a visitor's book before a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Iranian army members march during Army Day parade at a military base in northern Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. In the parade, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned that the "tiniest invasion" by Israel would bring a "massive and harsh" response, as the region braces for potential Israeli retaliation after Iran's attack over the weekend. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Palestinians mourn next to dead ones in the Al Aqsa hospital in Deir al Balah following an Israeli bombardment in the Maghazi refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Several killed in a strike in Maghazi camp in Central Gaza on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with Poland's President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in New York, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah
President Joe Biden waves during a campaign event in Philadelphia, Thursday, April 18, 2024, with members of the Kennedy family. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings during jury selection at Manhattan criminal court, Thursday, April 18, 2024 in New York. (Jeenah Moon/Pool Photo via AP)
Former President Donald Trump appears at Manhattan criminal court during jury selection in New York, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Brendan McDermid/Pool Photo via AP)
