While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Jan 31
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US President Joe Biden is briefed on the deadly drone attack at a US outpost in Jordan, by director of national intelligence Avril Haines, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and other members of the national security team. PHOTO: REUTERS
PHOTO: REUTERS
Biden decides how to respond to attack on US troops
US President Joe Biden said on Jan 30 he has made up his mind on how to respond to a drone attack that killed US service members in Jordan, as he weighs punishing Iran-backed militias without triggering a wider war.
Mr Biden, speaking to reporters as he left the White House on a campaign trip to Florida, did not elaborate on his decision, which came after consultations with top advisers at the White House.
But Mr John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, told reporters aboard Air Force One as Mr Biden flew to Florida that the United States could respond more than once.
“It’s fair for you to expect that we will respond in an appropriate fashion and it is very possible that what you’ll see is a tiered approach here, not just a single action, but essentially multiple actions,” he said.
Israel flooding Gaza tunnels to halt Hamas attacks
REUTERS
The Israeli army said on Jan 30 it is channelling water into Gaza’s tunnels in a bid to destroy the sprawling underground network used by Hamas militants to launch attacks on Israel.
“It is part of a range of tools deployed by the IDF (Israeli army) to neutralise the threat of Hamas’ subterranean network of tunnels,” the military said in a statement, confirming media reports.
Dubbed “the Gaza metro” by the Israeli army, there were 1,300 tunnels over 500km in Gaza at the start of the war in October, according to a study from US military academy West Point.
Swift love affair sparks Republican conspiracy theory mania
You knew Taylor Swift was influential, but Republicans are now crediting the singer with James-Bond-villain-level powers in a wacky conspiracy theory claiming the singer’s romance with NFL star Travis Kelce is really a plot to rig the Super Bowl and get President Joe Biden reelected.
The relationship between the pop powerhouse and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end has gripped the nation for weeks, with TV cameras repeatedly panning from the field during the team’s surging NFL season to a cheering Swift in the stands.
Fascination peaked this weekend when the Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens to book their berth in February’s Super Bowl and, in the midst of celebrations, Swift descended onto the field to kiss Kelce, fresh from playing one of the best games of his life.
Deep sea explorer may have found Amelia Earhart’s plane
A deep sea exploration company has released a sonar image they say may be the remains of the plane of Amelia Earhart, the famed American aviatrix who disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937.
Deep Sea Vision (DSV), a South Carolina-based firm, said the image was captured after an extensive search in an area of the Pacific to the west of Earhart’s planned destination, remote Howland Island.
Earhart went missing while on a pioneering round-the-world flight with navigator Fred Noonan.
South Korea reach Asian Cup quarter-finals
Son Heung-min’s South Korea came back from the dead to beat Saudi Arabia 4-2 on penalties on Jan 30 and set up an Asian Cup quarter-final with Australia.
After a nail-biting game ended 1-1, Hwang Hee-chan scored the decisive penalty for Jurgen Klinsmann’s side, who are aiming to end a 64-year Asian Cup title drought.
South Korea goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo was the hero in Doha, saving penalties from Sami Al-Najei and Abdulrahman Ghareeb in the shootout.
