While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Aug 12
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Mr Biden criticised the US’ top geopolitical and economic rival, referring to Chinese Communist Party leaders as “bad folks”.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
White House downplays Biden’s ‘ticking time bomb’ remark
The White House pushed back on suggestions that President Joe Biden is toughening his rhetoric on China, a day after he called the world’s second-largest economy a “ticking time bomb,” saying the remarks were consistent with US criticisms of Beijing.
“The president is referring to the domestic challenges that China has at home, and some of those are on the economic front. And some of those are on the social and cultural front,” said US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday.
Mr Kirby said he wanted to counter the idea that the US had “sharpened our language.”
Mr Biden on Thursday criticised the US’ top geopolitical and economic rival, referring to Chinese Communist Party leaders as “bad folks”.
Hawaii fire leaves death, painful questions in its wake
EPA-EFE
Hawaiian officials on Friday were still trying to determine what caused a deadly wildfire to sweep through Lahaina on Maui island with terrifying speed, killing at least 55 and decimating the historic resort town with little warning to residents.
The death toll was expected to rise as search teams combed through the charred ruins of the town with the aid of cadaver dogs, after the fire torched 1,000 buildings and left thousands homeless in what officials say is the worst natural disaster in the state’s history.
Three days after the disaster, it remained unclear whether some residents had received any warning before the fire engulfed their homes.
EU delivers Ukraine 224,000 shells under ammo plan
REUTERS
The EU has delivered Ukraine 223,800 shells under the first part of a plan to provide a million artillery rounds to aid Kyiv’s fight against Russia, a spokesman said on Friday.
Earlier this year, the 27-nation European Union pledged to step up supplies of much-needed artillery shells to Ukraine as Kyiv’s forces faced shortfalls.
Its members agreed a €2 billion (S$3 billion) plan to raid their stockpiles and place joint orders for shells, in a bid to deliver Ukraine a million shells over 12 months.
Phil Mickelson denies Ryder Cup bet after book claim
Getty Images via AFP
Phil Mickelson has denied placing bets on the outcome of the 2012 Ryder Cup made by a former gambling associate in a forthcoming memoir.
In a statement distributed to US media, Mickelson hit back at claims by professional US gambler Billy Walters, who said the six-time major winner tried to place a US$400,000 (S$540,000) bet on the 2012 Ryder Cup in which he was playing.
Walters’ revelations were made in an excerpt of his memoir, Gamble: Secrets From A Life At Risk, published by the FirePit Collective website on Thursday.
Haaland double as City cruise to opening win at Burnley
Action Images via Reuters
Erling Haaland started the Premier League season with a bang as the Norwegian struck twice in defending champions Manchester City’s 3-0 win at promoted Burnley.
Rodri completed the scoring after Haaland’s first-half double to give City a perfect start to their quest to become the first side to win four consecutive English top-flight titles.
Haaland fired City to a treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup glory last season by scoring 52 times in his first year at the club.
