Top Asian News 3:48 a.m. GMT
New Zealand ship didn’t sink because its captain was a woman, the ‘appalled’ defense minister says
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand's defense minister issued stinging rebukes of what she said were “vile” and “misogynistic” online remarks by “armchair admirals” about the woman captain of a navy ship that ran aground, caught fire and sank off the coast of Samoa. “Seriously, it’s 2024,” Judith Collins told reporters Thursday. “What the hell’s going on here?” After days of comments on social media directed at the gender of Commander Yvonne Gray, Collins urged the public to “be better.” Women members of the military had also faced verbal abuse in the street in New Zealand since the ship — one of nine in the country's navy — was lost on Sunday, Collins said.