Top Asian News 1:22 a.m. GMT

Associated Press

Updated 27 August 2024 at 9:22 pm·1-min read

US military open to escorting Philippine ships in the South China Sea, senior admiral says

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The U.S. military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Tuesday amid a spike in hostilities between Beijing and Manila in the disputed waters. Adm. Samuel Paparo’s remarks, which he made in response to a question during a news conference in Manila with Philippine Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., provided a glimpse of the mindset of one of the highest American military commanders outside the U.S. mainland on a prospective operation that would risk putting U.S. Navy ships in direct collisions with those of China.

The Independent
Trump gave Harris a shocking two-word compliment after the debate
Presidential candidates both attended a memorial ceremony at Ground Zero hours after the debate
Reuters
Pope criticizes Harris and Trump, tells US Catholics to choose 'lesser evil'
Pope Francis on Friday criticized both former U.S. President Donald Trump over his plan to deport millions of immigrants and Vice President Kamala Harris over her stance supporting abortion rights. Asked about the U.S. presidential election on his flight back to Rome from Singapore, the pope said not welcoming migrants is a "grave" sin, and likened having an abortion to an "assassination". He said U.S. Catholics would have to "choose the lesser evil" when they vote in November, without elaborating.
Futurism
Psychiatrist Says Trump’s Speech Patterns at Debate Were Cause for Alarm
An expert psychiatrist is sounding the alarm in the wake of Donald Trump's bizarre presidential debate performance against Kamala Harris. "Tuesday’s presidential debate was, among other things, an excellent real-world test of the candidates’ cognitive fitness," Richard A. Friedman, a psychiatry professor at Cornell Weill Medical College in New York, wrote in The Atlantic, "and any […]
The Hill
Van Jones: Harris could’ve stopped ‘elder abuse’ late in debate with Trump
CNN political commentator Van Jones said late Thursday that Vice President Harris “humiliated” former President Trump at this week’s debate, adding that the Democratic nominee could’ve stopped the “elder abuse” toward the end of the event. “Kamala Harris did something that no politician has done, ever,” Jones said during an appearance on “CNN NewsNight.”…
The Daily Beast
Trump Reveals Who He Will Blame If He Loses Election
Is Donald Trump gearing up to blame old folks if he loses the presidential election to Kamala Harris in November? It sure sounded that way Thursday at a rally held by the former president in Tucson, Arizona, where he took note of the changing demographic of his supporters and wondered aloud if they will be to blame if he’s defeated on Election Day.“We have a lot of young people here,” Trump said. “My audiences, they’ve gotten younger and younger, do you notice that?”Read more at The Daily Beast.
The Telegraph
Watch: Woman arrested for eating a cat amid Springfield pet controversy
Police have released video footage of an American woman being arrested for eating a cat – 170 miles away from Springfield, Ohio where Donald Trump claimed Haitian immigrants were devouring pets.
BBC
Israeli special forces 'raid missile site in Syria'
US media say the operation included special forces who rappelled down from helicopters.
The Hill
Biden congratulates McBride: ‘Beau’s looking down from heaven’
President Biden on Wednesday called Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride (D) to congratulate her on her primary win for the state’s only House seat, a victory that all but guarantees McBride will be the first openly transgender person elected to Congress in November. “I called her, and I said, ‘Sarah,’ I said, ‘Beau’s looking down from…
INSIDER
The US Army put on a sudden show of force out on the far edge of Alaska to send the message it can as Russia and China partner in the Pacific
The 11th Airborne Division led efforts to deploy artillery and over 130 soldiers to the far tip of Alaska as US rivals conducted massive naval drills.
HuffPost
Donald Trump Mocked For 'Epic Freudian Slip' About Tim Walz
The former president made two mix-ups about Kamala Harris' running mate in less than a minute.
Associated Press
Germany sails two warships through Taiwan Strait for the first time in two decades
Germany sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait on Friday in its first transit of the disputed waters in more than two decades, as Berlin seeks to increase its defense engagement in the Asia-Pacific region. China claims the self-governing democratic island of Taiwan as its own, and views such transits as provocative actions. To challenge China's claims, the United States and allies including Australia, Canada, Britain and France, have regularly conducted “freedom of navigation” operations there, sailing through the strait to emphasize that it is international waters.
Sky News
Israel-Hamas war: Tunnels under children's bedrooms and silent streets - Sky News witnesses flattened city in Gaza
Rafah is now a wasteland. The city in Gaza has been totally flattened by months of war. The silence is occasionally broken by gunfire as remaining Hamas fighters step out of the ruins to fight a battle they're losing.
BBC
Ukrainians warn of being surrounded as Russia advances in east
Speaking to the BBC, soldiers in eastern Ukraine fear that Russia is trying to surround them.
Associated Press
Sri Lankans' fury forced the powerful Rajapaksa clan out. Now its heir is running for president
When an uprising ousted Sri Lanka's president, many saw it as the end of his powerful family’s hold on the island nation after more than 12 years of rule. Now, as Sri Lanka prepares to elect a new leader, Namal Rajapaksa is running for president. The 38-year-old is the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the nephew of the ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
HuffPost
I've Traveled Across The Country To Attend Trump Rallies. Here's What You Won't See On TV.
"The real action takes place while everyone is waiting for the rally to start, not during the actual speech."
HuffPost
Bill Maher Goes Big With Trump Prediction: 'I Have The Credibility For This'
"I'm going to make this a very momentous night with a prediction," the "Real Time" host promised.
HuffPost
Trump’s Ranting Review Of Kamala Harris At Debate Has Many People Saying Same Thing
The former president talked about the "same old lies" and more.
Reuters
China approves plan to raise retirement age from January 2025
HONG KONG (Reuters) -China's top legislative body has approved a proposal to raise the country's retirement age, the official Xinhua news agency said on Friday, accelerating an overhaul of decades-old laws to tackle the economic pressure of a shrinking workforce. China's retirement ages are currently amongst the lowest globally. Reform is urgent with life expectancy in China having risen to 78 years as of 2021 from about 44 years in 1960 and projected to exceed 80 years by 2050.
BBC
Bangladesh leader’s ‘megaphone diplomacy’ irks India
Ties between India and Bangladesh remain frosty more than a month after Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power.
The Daily Beast
Rod Stewart Takes On Trump With Very Political Message
Rod Stewart made an intervention in the race for the White House on Friday with a plea for aid for Ukraine—and by implication an attack on Donald Trump.The veteran British singer used an appearance at a stadium concert in Cleveland, Ohio, to call explicitly for continued support for Ukraine, calling the Russian invasion “evil” and displaying pictures of the toll it has taken on the country’s people.Stewart, 79, has rarely spoken on political issues in public—but has recently become a Trump criti

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