While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Aug 24
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Palestinians watch as smoke rises from a building hit by an Israeli strike, in central Gaza City, on Aug 21.
PHOTO: AFP
Biden speaks to Egypt, Qatar leaders in Gaza ceasefire push
President Joe Biden spoke by phone to the leaders of Qatar and Egypt on Aug 23, pushing for an elusive Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal as negotiators met in Cairo to try to overcome remaining obstacles.
A White House description of the calls said Mr Biden spoke to Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and separately with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss “diplomatic efforts to bring the ceasefire and hostage release deal to a conclusion.”
Mr Biden is spending a week of vacation on a ranch in California’s Santa Ynez valley and is closely monitoring the Gaza ceasefire talks.
Mr Biden’s conversations came after the White House described talks in Cairo aimed at reaching a ceasefire as “constructive,” and urged all sides to come together to work toward implementation of a proposed agreement.
11 dead, 14 missing in north-east China floods
Eleven people have been killed and 14 more are missing after heavy rain in recent days lashed China’s northeastern province of Liaoning, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Aug 23.
China is enduring a summer of extreme weather, with deadly torrential rains and scorching heat waves.
The world’s biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say are driving climate change and making extreme weather more frequent and intense declared July the hottest month in China since records began six decades ago.
RFK Jr ends US presidential campaign, endorses Trump
REUTERS
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr abandoned his campaign on Aug 23 and endorsed Republican Donald Trump, ending a presidential bid that he began as a Democrat trading on one of the most famous names in American politics.
His campaign indicated that he feared staying in the race would siphon support from former president Trump, who is locked in a tight contest with Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris ahead of the Nov 5 election.
Mr Kennedy said he met with Trump and his aides several times and learned they agreed on issues like border security, free speech and ending wars.
Spain bracing for African migrant surge in Canary Islands
REUTERS
Spanish authorities fear that as many as 150,000 more migrants from Africa may be set to make the perilous crossing this year to the Canary Islands, already grappling with over 20,000 illegal arrivals so far, the regional leader said on Aug 23.
“We are seeing (mass arrivals) in August with bad sea conditions. In September, October and November it could be total distress,” Mr Fernando Clavijo told a news conference, after a visit by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
He said charity groups working with migrants had warned of some 150,000 people, many fleeing armed conflict in Mali, preparing to cross first to neighbouring Mauritania and then by boat to the Spanish archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean.
Korda heads a star-studded leaderboard at British Open
World number one Nelly Korda shot to the top of the leaderboard at eight under par on the second day of the women’s British Open at St Andrews.
Korda won six times in seven starts on the LPGA Tour between January and May, including her second major at the Chevron Championship.
However, she failed to even make the cut at two of the last three majors since.
