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(LONDON) — A small spelling error has resulted in thousands of emails intended for the U.S. military being sent instead to Mali, an issue that Pentagon officials said they’ve taken steps to mitigate.

The suffix used for U.S. military emails is .mil, but leaving the “i” out by mistake would result in the email being redirected to .ml — the domain used by government of the West African nation Mali.

“Since 2015, the Department of Defense has been aware that typographical errors could result in the misdirection of unclassified emails intended for a ‘.mil’ recipient to the ‘.ml’ domain,” Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman, a U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson, told ABC News.

Some of the emails sent to Mali reportedly contained sensitive Pentagon information such as diplomatic documents, passwords and the travel itinerary of top defense officers.

U.S. officials are “aware of these unauthorized disclosures of controlled national security information,” Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokesperson, said on Monday.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Johannes Zuurbier, a Dutch internet entrepreneur who has a contract to manage Mali’s county domain, said he identified the problem almost a decade ago. Zuurbier, who said he has been collecting misdirected emails since January in effort to flag the issue to U.S. authorities, said he has close to 117,000 misdirected messages.

In one day, Zuurbier receiving 1,000 misdirected emails arrived as a result of the typo, he told the newspaper.

None of the redirected emails were marked as “classified,” however some are reported to have contained “highly sensitive” data including information on serving U.S. military personnel, official itineraries, contracts, maps and images of bases, he said.

The Pentagon said it’s taken steps to stop outgoing emails from being sent to the incorrect domain.

“The Department takes all disclosures of Controlled National Security Information or Controlled Unclassified Information seriously and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) began blocking .ml lookalike domains immediately,” Gorman said.

He added, “By 2023, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) was blocking outbound emails to 135 .ml domains and subdomains. In July 2023, DISA began blocking outbound email to the entire .ml domain with the ability to allow legitimate emails.”

The Department of Defense says it is coordinating with interagency, industry partners and international allies to alert them to the possibility of unauthorized disclosure of information due to the typographical error.

Mali’s government did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

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(LONDON) — As wildfires swept through the forests of Rhodes on Wednesday, Greek officials warned people in three nearby villages that they should begin to evacuate.

The blaze began Tuesday on the island, which is known for its beach resorts, and had by Wednesday “spread almost to the center of the island,” the Greek Fire Service said in a statement.

The flames were approaching Apollona and Laerma, but weren’t yet threatening residential areas, 112 Greece, the country’s emergency hotline, said on social media.

“There, 86 firefighters operate with 3 groups of pedestrian units and 28 vehicles, while 3 aircraft and 3 helicopters operate from the air,” the fire service said.

Those firefighters were just a few of the many from Greece and abroad who’ve been working this week to stamp out violent wildfires across Greece, blazes fueled by dry weather and a heat wave across southern Europe.

The villages that were asked to evacuate in Rhodes — Eleousa, Salakos and Dimylia — were among many threatened by fires across the country, including fast-moving blazes near Athens, the capital, Greek officials said.

Greece on Tuesday requested the activation of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, a coordinated rescue and humanitarian assistance, to fight wildfires that were “ravaging Attica,” the populous peninsula where Athens sits, officials said.

Firefighting planes soon arrived from France and Italy to began dousing flames, the Civil Protection agency said in a statement.

Three firefighting teams from Poland, Romania and Slovakia also arrived, the agency said. Other teams from Romania, Bulgaria and Malta, which were already in Greece when the fires started, were also helping.

In total, about 220 international firefighters and 65 vehicles were working in Greece over the last few days, the agency said.

“We are experiencing a heatwave across Southern Europe already causing devastating consequences in Greece, with thousands of hectares burned in a short period of time,” Janez Lenarčič, the European Commission’s commissioner for Crisis Management, said in a statement issued Wednesday.

A European Union satellite was also tasked with mapping and providing damage assessment on several areas in the Attica region.

Officials in Greece said late Wednesday that they had largely halted at least three large blazes in Drama, Boeotia and Messinia.

But searing temperatures and dry weather were again forecast on Thursday and expected to continue into the weekend. Highs were expected to hover around 109 degrees on Thursday before approaching 115 degrees through the weekend.

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(LONDON) — Kenya is bracing for days of anti-government protests led by the government’s political opposition over a contentious new finance bill and the rising cost of living

At least six people were shot and killed and at least a dozen others were injured on Wednesday, the first day of a planned three-day protest against higher taxes, Mathias Kinyoda, of Amnesty International Kenya, told ABC News. At least 87 demonstrators were arrested nationwide, he said.

The protests were called by opposition leader Raila Odinga. The unrest was set to take place despite Kenya’s President William Ruto vowing no protests would take place in the East African Nation.

“We are here, first and foremost, to confirm that the peaceful protests planned for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week are on as earlier declared by our leadership,” read a statement by Odinga’s party, Azimio La Umoja, sent to ABC News.

At least five protesters were injured on Wednesday as demonstrators clashed with police. Amnesty International Kenya said, said that “para-military police officers and armored water cannon trucks [are] already patrolling and engaging protestors across several towns and neighborhoods.”

In Kibera — a stronghold of the opposition — protests turned violent, with demonstrators setting fire to tires and furniture, stones being pelted, and tear gas being deployed by police. In the most recent round of anti-government protests at least 23 people are reported to have been killed according to the U.N., with over 300 arrested.

Protests have also been reported in Kenya’s Kisumu, Kisii and Migori counties.

Kenya’s Ministry of Education also announced that all primary and secondary schools in Nairobi and the coastal city Mombasa are to close on Wednesday as a “precautionary measure” following “credible security intelligence.” Several businesses also remain closed.

The protests come after Ruto last month signed into law a contentious finance bill at Nairobi’s State House that proposed doubling the tax levied on fuel from 8% to 16%.

The bill aimed to aid in offsetting Kenya’s external debt, officials said. However, the bill will have a ripple effect on the price of basic commodities, compounding on the economic strain of Kenyans already struggling with the rising cost of living.

Implementation of the Bill — which was due to come into effect on July 1 — was halted by Kenya’s High Court following a case brought by opposition Sen. Okiya Omatah, who argued it was unconstitutional.

In a joint statement with Heads of Missions from 13 countries in Kenya, the U.S. Embassy Nairobi said it was “saddened” by the loss of life from anti-government protests and “concerned by the levels of violence” exhibited during recent demonstrations.

“We recognise the daily hardship faced by many Kenyans and urge all parties to table their concerns through a meaningful dialogue and resolve their differences peacefully,” the statement said.

Speaking at a Geneva press briefing, U.N. Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence appealed for calm, saying, “We call on the authorities to ensure the right to peaceful assembly as guaranteed by the Kenyan Constitution and international human rights law.”

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(LONDON) — A suspected lion is loose in Berlin, prompting authorities in Germany to send emergency alerts to thousands of people in Berlin warning them to stay indoors.

The message has warned thousands of people across Germany’s capital city to “stay indoors” after a lion was last seen on the outskirts of the metropolitan area.

Police said they received a tip from someone who said they recorded a lion attacking a wild boar which caused authorities to quickly spring into action and warn people to be on the lookout for the large cat.

“The escaping wild animal has NOT been found yet! We still ask you not to leave the house,” Brandenburg Police said in a social media post warning the public. “If you see the animal, please call the emergency number 110!”

Helicopters and ground searches are currently taking place across the area where it was last seen as officials clamber to find the animal before it potentially attacks anything else.

It is unclear where the suspected lion escaped from, but lions are not native to the country and there have been no reports of any escaped animals from local zoos or wildlife refuges.

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(NEW YORK) — As Russia continues its nearly 16-month-long invasion of neighboring Ukraine, political turmoil has erupted in Moscow while Kyiv tries to take back territory.

A feud between Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian paramilitary organization Wagner Group, and Russia’s top military brass escalated as Prigozhin’s forces left the front line in Ukraine and marched across the border to seize a key Russian city. They then marched north toward Russia’s capital, seemingly unopposed, before turning around just hours later. The short-lived rebellion was described by international observers as the most significant challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s authority in his more than 20 years of rule.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops are in the early stages of a counteroffensive to reclaim the almost one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory that is under Russian control.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Jul 19, 9:47 PM EDT
Russian strikes hit Mykolaiv and Odesa, multiple people injured

Russian forces hit a three-story building and a garage in the city center of Mykolaiv Thursday morning, local time, injuring nine people, including five children, the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration said on Telegram.

There were fatalities stemming from the strikes, but it’s unclear how many at this time, the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration added.

In another incident, Russian strikes hit Odesa early Thursday morning, the Odesa District Administration said on Telegram.

Two people were injured and hospitalized from the attack, according to the Odesa District Administration.

There is destruction “in the center” of Odesa and a fire broke out stemming from the strikes, the administration said.

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(AUKLAND, New Zealand) — Two people were killed after a gunman opened fire at a construction site in Auckland, New Zealand, police said.

The suspected shooter was also found dead, New Zealand Police said.

Shots were initially reported inside the building around 7:22 a.m. local time Thursday, and the male suspect continued to shoot as he moved throughout the site, police said.

“Upon reaching the upper levels of the building, the male has contained himself within the elevator shaft and our staff have attempted to engage with him,” New Zealand Police said in a statement. “Further shots were fired from the male and he was located deceased a short time later.”

Police added that details on what happened “are still emerging.”

Multiple injuries were reported in the shooting, police said. No details were immediately provided on the victims killed in the incident.

There is no national security risk, police said.

“This is a scary situation for Aucklanders on their Thursday morning commute to work,” Mayor Wayne Brown tweeted. “Please stay at home, avoid travel into the city centre.”

The incident occurred as the FIFA Women’s World Cup is set to kick off in New Zealand and Australia.

Following the shooting, the United States Soccer Federation said that all U.S. women’s national soccer team players and staff “are accounted for and safe.”

ABC News’ Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

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(ROME) — The intense heat gripping Europe won’t end soon and according to the European Space Agency bulletin, it has only just begun.

The prolonged sizzling temperatures in Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Poland and more countries on the continent, are potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe.

Rome shattered records on Tuesday with a high temperature of 108 F, according to Italy’s national meteorological service. The meteorological service also issued red alerts for extreme heat throughout southern Italy, and the islands of Sicily, and Sardinia with temperatures all above 40°C.

Italian meteorologists predict the brutal heat to continue, especially in the southern half of the country. Antonio Sano from Il Meteo weather service, told ABC News that the high pressure from Africa to the Mediterranean region is pushing air up directly from the Saharadesert, causing the heat wave.

“Today was the hottest day in Rome at 42 C. By the end of the week, we expect thunderstorms to cool the north of the country slightly, but temperatures in the south of Italy will continue to rise for the foreseeable future,” Sano said.

The Italian Ministry of Health is urging regions to increase house-call services so the sick and elderly don’t have to endure the heat and leave their homes. They also set up heat stations at hospitals for emergency cases.

Forecasters predict the historically high temperatures will continue to scorch cities across

European cities, such as Madrid, Seville and Athens, all reached temperatures of well over 100 F Tuesday, and also showed no signs of a cooling down throughout the rest of the week, according to forecasts.

European extreme heat tied to climate change

The ESA said such intense heat is due to global warming.

“As climate change takes a grip, heatwaves such as this are likely to be more frequent and more severe, with worse consequences,” the agency stated in the bulletin issued Tuesday.

Climate experts warn that this trend of such extreme heat waves in the Northern Hemisphere have been growing since the 1980s, and are likely to continue. Dr. John Nairn, a Senior Extreme Heat Advisor at the World Health Organization, said the current heatwave in Europe, and around the globe is directly related to climate change.

“Climate change is causing the loss of polar ice, which leads to the weather pattern staying in one place,” Nairn said.

Other climatologists concur.

Dr. Kai Kornhuber, a research scientist at Columbia University in New York City, told ABC News the extreme heat can be attributed to human activities.

“The emission of greenhouse gases directly translates into a higher likelihood of such extreme heat weather events,” Kornhuber said Tuesday.

He also said that circulation patterns have become more stationary, leading to persistent high-pressure systems, meaning the heatwaves last longer, and are more severe.

As the ruthless heat shows no signs of slowing down, tourists are adjusting their travel plans and daily schedules by staying indoors during the day.

Jim Jones, a college student from the University of Richmond in Virginia, just returned from a study abroad program in Seville, Spain. He said the daily temperatures were over 100.

“My friends and I did not go out much during the middle of the day. We took advantage of the cooler mornings and late evenings instead,” Jones told ABC News.

Some tourists are canceling their trips to heat-affected areas. A couple from Killorglin, Ireland, told ABC News they changed a planned trip to Malta.

“We have some health issues and did not want to go into the extreme heat. It would not be enjoyable for us to stay in the hotel all day,” Norma and Dave Waugh told ABC News. “It is more comfortable in Ireland for now, and we cango to Malta when it cools down.”

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(LONDON) — Kenya is bracing for three days of anti-government protests led by the government’s political opposition over a contentious new finance bill and the rising cost of living

The protests, which began on Wednesday, have been called by opposition leader Raila Odinga. The unrest was set to take place despite Kenya’s President William Ruto vowing no protests would take place in the East African Nation.

“We are here, first and foremost, to confirm that the peaceful protests planned for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week are on as earlier declared by our leadership,” read a statement by Odinga’s party, Azimio La Umoja, sent to ABC News.

At least five protesters were injured on Wednesday as demonstrators clashed with police. Amnesty International Kenya said, said that “para-military police officers and armored water cannon trucks [are] already patrolling and engaging protestors across several towns and neighborhoods.”

In Kibera — a stronghold of the opposition — protests turned violent, with demonstrators setting fire to tires and furniture, stones being pelted, and tear gas being deployed by police. In the most recent round of anti-government protests at least 23 people are reported to have been killed according to the U.N., with over 300 arrested.

Protests have also been reported in Kenya’s Kisumu, Kisii and Migori counties.

Kenya’s Ministry of Education also announced that all primary and secondary schools in Nairobi and the coastal city Mombasa are to close on Wednesday as a “precautionary measure” following “credible security intelligence.” Several businesses also remain closed.

The protests come after Ruto last month signed into law a contentious finance bill at Nairobi’s State House that proposed doubling the tax levied on fuel from 8% to 16%.

The bill aimed to aid in offsetting Kenya’s external debt, officials said. However, the bill will have a ripple effect on the price of basic commodities, compounding on the economic strain of Kenyans already struggling with the rising cost of living.

Implementation of the Bill — which was due to come into effect on July 1 — was halted by Kenya’s High Court following a case brought by opposition Sen. Okiya Omatah, who argued it was unconstitutional.

In a joint statement with Heads of Missions from 13 countries in Kenya, the U.S. Embassy Nairobi said it was “saddened” by the loss of life from anti-government protests and “concerned by the levels of violence” exhibited during recent demonstrations.

“We recognise the daily hardship faced by many Kenyans and urge all parties to table their concerns through a meaningful dialogue and resolve their differences peacefully,” the statement said.

Speaking at a Geneva press briefing, U.N. Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence appealed for calm, saying, “We call on the authorities to ensure the right to peaceful assembly as guaranteed by the Kenyan Constitution and international human rights law.”

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(LONDON) — An American soldier who had just been released from a South Korean detention facility fled across the border to North Korea where he was detained and remains in custody.

Here’s what we know about the situation.

Who is the detainee?

The soldier in question was identified as 23-year-old U.S. Army Private 2nd Class Travis King, according to a U.S. official. King has been a cavalry scout in the U.S. Army since January 2021 and has no deployments, according to service information provided by Army spokesperson Bryce Dubee.

King has received three medals while serving in the U.S. military: the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon. These medals are commonly received by American service members in Korea.

Why was he in prison?

King served 47 days in a South Korean detention facility following an altercation with locals, according to a U.S. official.

South Korean media reported that King allegedly punched someone in the face repeatedly while drinking at a club in Seoul last September. He also allegedly kicked and broke the door of a police patrol car that was sent to the scene of a reported assault in Seoul last October, according to South Korean media.

He was released from prison earlier this month, according to reports.

How did he get to North Korea?

Two U.S. officials told ABC News that King spent about a week under observation at a U.S. military base in South Korea after being released from jail. He completed out-processing from the facility and on July 17 was escorted by U.S. military officials to South Korea’s Incheon International Airport as far as the customs checkpoint.

The military escort had no ticket and was not allowed past the checkpoint, so King continued into the terminal alone, according to the U.S. officials.

A U.S. official told ABC News that King was supposed to board a flight and end up in Fort Bliss, Texas. Awaiting him there was a “pending administrative separation actions for foreign conviction,” another U.S. official said.

Because King had finished serving his prison sentence, he was no longer under custody and, thus, an escort to the gate was not required. There was also no reason to suspect he would fail to board his flight.

But instead, King left the airport terminal for a tour of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, the heavily militarized border that separates North and South Korea. It’s unclear when he bought a ticket for the tour.

While on the tour, the soldier “wilfully and without authorization crossed the military demarcation line,” according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who didn’t identify King by name.

“We’re very early in this event and so there’s a lot that we’re still trying to learn,” Austin told reporters on Tuesday. “We believe that he is in DPRK custody. We’re closely monitoring and investigating the situation, and working to notify the soldier’s next of kin and engaging to address this incident.”

“I’m absolutely foremost concerned about the welfare of our troop. We will remain focused on this, and this will develop in the next several days,” he added.

The United Nations Command also confirmed the incident via Twitter on Tuesday, saying an American “on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorization, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.” The Joint Security Area, or JSA, sits in the DMZ along the border between North and South Korea.

“We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident,” the U.N. command tweeted.

What does his family say?

King’s mother, Claudine Gates, who lives in Racine, Wisconsin, said she was shocked when she heard her son had crossed into North Korea.

“I can’t see Travis doing anything like that,” Gates told ABC News during an interview on Tuesday.

Gates said the U.S. Army told her on Tuesday morning that King had crossed into North Korea. She said she last heard from her son “a few days ago,” when he told her would return soon to his base in Fort Bliss.

She told ABC News that she just wants “him to come home.”

What’s next?

U.S. President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation, while the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of State work with the U.N. “to ascertain more information and resolve this situation,” according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who declined to say how much political capital the Biden administration would expend to secure the soldier’s safe return.

“I don’t have more to share beyond that,” Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday. “We are looking into this.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — An American soldier who had just been released from a South Korean prison fled across the border to North Korea where he was detained and remains in custody.

Here’s what we know about the situation.

Who is the detainee?

The soldier in question was identified as 23-year-old U.S. Army Private 2nd Class Travis King, according to a U.S. official. King has been a cavalry scout in the U.S. Army since January 2021 and has no deployments, according to service information provided by Army spokesperson Bryce Dubee.

King has received three medals while serving in the U.S. military: the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon. These medals are commonly received by American service members in Korea.

Why was he in prison?

King served 47 days in a South Korean detention facility following an altercation with locals, according to a U.S. official.

South Korean media reported that King was charged with assault after he allegedly punched someone in the face repeatedly while drinking at a club in Seoul last September.

He was released from prison earlier this month, according to reports.

How did he get to North Korea?

Two U.S. officials told ABC News that King spent about a week under observation at a U.S. military base in South Korea after being released from jail. He completed out-processing from the facility and on July 17 was escorted by U.S. military officials to South Korea’s Incheon International Airport as far as the customs checkpoint.

The military escort had no ticket and was not allowed past the checkpoint, so King continued into the terminal alone, according to the U.S. officials.

A U.S. official told ABC News that King was supposed to board a flight and end up in Fort Bliss, Texas. Awaiting him there was a “pending administrative separation actions for foreign conviction,” another U.S. official said.

Because King had finished serving his prison sentence, he was no longer under custody and, thus, an escort to the gate was not required. There was also no reason to suspect he would fail to board his flight.

But instead, King left the airport terminal for a tour of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, the heavily militarized border that separates North and South Korea. It’s unclear when he bought a ticket for the tour.

While on the tour, the soldier “wilfully and without authorization crossed the military demarcation line,” according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who didn’t identify King by name.

“We’re very early in this event and so there’s a lot that we’re still trying to learn,” Austin told reporters on Tuesday. “We believe that he is in DPRK custody. We’re closely monitoring and investigating the situation, and working to notify the soldier’s next of kin and engaging to address this incident.”

“I’m absolutely foremost concerned about the welfare of our troop. We will remain focused on this, and this will develop in the next several days,” he added.

The United Nations Command also confirmed the incident via Twitter on Tuesday, saying an American “on a JSA orientation tour crossed, without authorization, the Military Demarcation Line into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.” The Joint Security Area, or JSA, sits in the DMZ along the border between North and South Korea.

“We believe he is currently in DPRK custody and are working with our KPA counterparts to resolve this incident,” the U.N. command tweeted.

What does his family say?

King’s mother, Claudine Gates, who lives in Racine, Wisconsin, said she was shocked when she heard her son had crossed into North Korea.

“I can’t see Travis doing anything like that,” Gates told ABC News during an interview on Tuesday.

Gates said the U.S. Army told her on Tuesday morning that King had crossed into North Korea. She said she last heard from her son “a few days ago,” when he told her would return soon to his base in Fort Bliss.

She told ABC News that she just wants “him to come home.”

What’s next?

U.S. President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation, while the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of State work with the U.N. “to ascertain more information and resolve this situation,” according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who declined to say how much political capital the Biden administration would expend to secure the soldier’s safe return.

“I don’t have more to share beyond that,” Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday. “We are looking into this.”

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