While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Sept 9
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A handout photo shows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) welcoming US President Joe Biden in New Delhi.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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Journalists barred as India’s Modi welcomes Biden
US President Joe Biden was welcomed warmly by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday ahead of a Group of 20 summit in New Delhi, but journalists were blocked from covering the key meeting.
Media access to such bilateral encounters on the sidelines of major summits like the G-20 is always tightly controlled, but it is rarely blocked entirely.
The incident comes after protracted negotiations were needed before Indian officials agreed to Mr Modi taking one question from US reporters at a press briefing when he made a state visit to Washington in June – the Indian leader rarely if ever takes questions from foreign media.
The White House “pool” of journalists accompanying Mr Biden usually attends the start of face-to-face meetings such as Friday’s, hearing preliminary statements, taking a few photographs – and asking some questions.
Biden fires 2024 salvo with Ukraine ‘war zone’ ad
With its war zone imagery and macho voiceover it could be a movie trailer – but the sunglasses-clad star of a new campaign ad is none other than 80-year-old US President Joe Biden.
Facing a battle in the opinion polls, America’s oldest ever commander-in-chief is using his surprise trip to Kyiv in February to sell himself as a “true leader” ahead of the 2024 election.
The 60-second spot – which debuted on social media on Thursday and will air on TV in US battleground states during prime time on Saturday – draws a stark contrast with his Republican rivals over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Musk says blocked Ukraine attack on Russian warships
REUTERS
US tech billionaire Elon Musk says he prevented Ukraine from wiping out Russia’s Black Sea navy fleet last year by denying Starlink Internet access – a revelation that prompted a furious response from Kyiv on Friday.
The satellite-based communications system Starlink, operated by Musk-owned company SpaceX, has been deployed in Ukraine since shortly after the country was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
The network, which helps increasingly high-tech soldiers to operate in areas where other means of communication are down, is a key battlefield tool for Kyiv.
iPhone hacked remotely using Pegasus spyware
REUTERS
An iPhone belonging to a staffer at a Washington-based civil society organisation was hacked remotely with spyware created by Israel’s NSO Group.
The hack was discovered last week and reported to Apple, which moved quickly to investigate and patch the breach, according to Mr John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher with Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto’s Munk School.
NSO Group has been sanctioned by the US since 2021 due to its Pegasus hacking tool, which has been used by some governments to target journalists and dissidents beyond their borders.
Yamal, 16, becomes Spain’s youngest player and scorer
REUTERS
Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal became Spain’s youngest international and goalscorer aged 16 years and 57 days as he made his debut away to Georgia in their Euro 2024 qualifier on Friday.
Yamal came off the bench in the 44th minute to replace injured forward Marco Asensio, to break the previous record of Barca team mate Gavi, who was 17 years and 62 days when he made his debut in 2021.
Yamal later scored Spain’s seventh goal with a tidy finish from inside the box to put the 2023 UEFA Nations League champions 7-1 ahead.
