Updated
Aug 28, 2024, 05:26 AM
Published
Aug 28, 2024, 05:26 AM
Kirby says US would defend Israel in attack by Iran
The United States remains committed to defending Israel in any Iranian attack, and was hopeful about a possible Gaza ceasefire agreement, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Aug 27.
Mr Kirby told Israel’s Channel 12 that it was tough to predict the chances of an attack but the White House takes Iranian statements seriously.
“We believe that they are still postured and poised to launch an attack should they want to do that, which is why we have that enhanced force posture in the region,” he said.
Iran has vowed a severe response to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, which took place as he visited Tehran in late July and which it blamed on Israel. Israel has neither confirmed or denied its involvement.
Trump’s edge over Harris slips on economy, crime, poll finds
Donald Trump’s advantage over Kamala Harris on the economy and crime is eroding among US voters, a sign the Democratic vice-president’s campaign is gathering momentum ahead of the Nov 5 presidential election, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The three-day poll, conducted Aug 23-25, showed Republican former president Trump’s approach to the economy and employment was preferred by 43 per cent of registered voters compared to 40 per cent who preferred Ms Harris’ approach.
The 3 percentage point difference was too small to be significant given the poll’s 4 percentage point margin of error. A prior Reuters/Ipsos poll in late July showed Trump with an 11-point advantage on the economy.
Ukraine’s Zelensky to present plan to Biden to end war
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug 27 that the war with Russia would eventually end in dialogue, but that Kyiv had to be in a strong position and that he would present a plan to US President Joe Biden and his two potential successors.
The Ukrainian leader, addressing a news conference, said Kyiv’s three-week-old incursion into Russia’s Kursk region was part of that plan, but that it also comprised other steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts.
“The main point of this plan is to force Russia to end the war. And I want that very much – (that it would be) fair for Ukraine,” he told reporters in Kyiv, of the war launched by Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Israeli military rescues hostage from Gaza tunnel
Israeli special forces have recovered an Israeli hostage from a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip in “a complex rescue operation”, the military said on Aug 27 , more than 10 months after he was abducted by Hamas-led gunmen on Oct 7.
It said 52 year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a member of the Bedouin community in southern Israel, had been transferred to hospital and his condition was stable.
Military spokesperson Rear-Admiral Daniel Hagari said Alkadi had been rescued in an underground tunnel but gave no details of the operation, citing the security of the remaining hostages and Israeli forces.
Left for dead, shot Pakistan truck driver is recovering
A Pakistani truck driver, who rescuers initially thought was dead, was recovering on Aug 27 after hospital staff receiving bodies realised he was alive despite being shot five times in one of the most widespread attacks by ethnic militants in years.
On Aug 26, Munir Ahmed was driving with three colleagues in a convoy of four trucks through the southern province of Balochistan.
The drivers did not notice anything amiss and had not heard of any violence until they were about an hour outside of the provincial capital, Quetta.