Alcohol, brain injury contributed to US sailor’s beach rampage in Japan, defense says

Japanese authorities allege Daniel Krieger, 29, slammed into five people in Zushi, a beach town near Yokosuka that’s popular with locals and U.S. service members alike. He pleaded not guilty March 8 to four counts of bodily injury. 

US-French-Filipino armada begins Balikatan exercise in South China Sea

A U.S. Navy amphibious ship, a French frigate and a pair of Philippine vessels have kicked off the at-sea portion of a joint-force exercise taking place throughout the Philippines this month.

First Japanese troops qualify for US Army’s Expert Soldier Badge

A soldier in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force became one of the first Japanese troops to earn the U.S. Army’s Expert Soldier Badge after a five-day test of physical and mental endurance.

Over 100 hidden-camera videos, mostly of Navy sailors, were uploaded to porn site

Scores of nonconsensual pornographic videos depicting U.S. service members on Guam were briefly available on one of the world’s most-visited websites, according to recently unsealed records in Guam federal court.

‘I didn’t care if I got carried out’: US soldier gave his all in Netflix reality competition

Army officer Maj. Gibson Kim was among 100 contestants on the second season of Netflix’s “Physical: 100” reality show battling in theatrical feats of strength and pushed beyond his limits to finish in the top 20.

Chemical quirk in Hawaii tap-water test led to hundreds of false positives for petroleum

The Navy has determined that hundreds of tap water tests taken at Pearl Harbor in recent months produced false positives for low-level petroleum contamination due to the test’s chemical reaction with chlorine in the samples, the service announced Thursday.

Ukraine pulls US-provided Abrams tanks from front lines over Russian drone threats

Ukraine has sidelined U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks for now in its fight against Russia, in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack.

US-China talks start with warnings about misunderstandings and miscalculations

The United States and China butted heads over a number of contentious bilateral, regional and global issues as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and both men warned of the dangers of misunderstandings and miscalculations.

USS George Washington aircraft carrier leaves Norfolk to begin new chapter in Japan

The USS George Washington aircraft carrier departed Thursday from Naval Station Norfolk, Va., embarking on a months-long journey to its new homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, where it will begin a new chapter.

Air Force relaunches warrant officer corps to beef up cyber, IT capabilities

The Air Force is reinstating its long-dormant warrant officer corps and looking for airmen to specialize in information technology and cyberspace as the U.S. confronts China’s rising military might.

US military begins construction at sea on pier to help funnel more aid to Gaza

U.S. ships have begun constructing the initial stages of the temporary floating pier off Gaza’s coast, and defense officials expect it will be ready to flow aid into the war-torn Palestinian enclave by early May.

Spilimbergo brims with discoveries, frescoes and mosaic art

The small Italian city of Spilimbergo is home to Europe’s largest natural stream and a center for the creation of mosaic artwork. Throughout the city, which is 30 to 40 minutes away from Aviano Air Base by car, remnants of frescoes painted on the sides of the buildings are still visible.

WWII veteran Army pilot, 101, gets birthday wish to fly again

Donald Stern, a WWII pilot who flew 32 combat missions in Europe had a wish for his 101st birthday — to fly once again in a small plane. He fulfilled his dream Thursday sitting in the front passenger’s seat for a 40-minute flight aboard a Cessna Skyhawk that soared above the Statue of Liberty and other landmarks.

Star in your own night out at this movie-themed bar in Tokyo

The Whales of August is a bar where customers can order drinks named after their favorite films, from “The Shining” to “Love Actually.” The massive menu, which offers more than 100 movie-themed cocktails, is available in English.

Burkina Faso’s army massacred over 200 civilians in a village raid, Human Rights Watch says

Military forces in Burkina Faso killed 223 civilians, including babies and many children, in attacks on two villages accused of cooperating with militants, Human Rights Watch said in a report published Thursday.

Virginia defense contractor acquires Ohio business near Wright-Patterson AFB

A Chantilly, Va.-based national security company has announced its acquisition of Vana Solutions LLC, in Beavercreek, positioning the company to better serve the Air Force and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Health data of millions of veterans might have been leaked in cyberattack of VA vendor

Fifteen million veterans were notified by the Department of Veterans Affairs this week that a cybersecurity breach involving one of its vendors might have exposed their private health care information