August 9, 2022

Daily News Brief

*) FBI 'raids' former US president Trump's house Former US president Donald Trump says his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida has been "raided" by FBI agents in what he has called an act of "prosecutorial misconduct". The FBI did not comment on whether the search was happening or what it might be for. Trump did not give any indication of why federal agents were at his home. Multiple US media outlets cited sources as saying that agents were conducting a court-authorised search related to the potential mishandling of classified documents sent to Mar-a-Lago. *) Kenya begins voting in close presidential election Kenyans have lined up to vote in a high-stakes election as two political heavyweights battle it out in a fiercely contested race for the presidency. The East African powerhouse is praying for a peaceful transition of power after almost a decade under President Uhuru Kenyatta, but concerns about vote-rigging linger. Deputy president and erstwhile heir apparent William Ruto is pitted against Raila Odinga, a veteran opposition leader now backed by his longtime rival Kenyatta. *) Taiwanese minister: China using war games to prepare for invasion Taiwan's foreign minister has said China is using the military drills it launched in protest against US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit as a game-plan to prepare for an invasion. Joseph Wu, speaking at a press conference in Taipei, offered no time-table for a possible invasion of Taiwan, a self-ruled island which is claimed by China as its own. A Pentagon official had said on Monday that Washington was sticking to its assessment that China would not try to invade Taiwan for the next two years. *) Two more ships carrying over 70,000 tonnes of grain leave Ukraine Türkiye's National Defence Ministry has said two more ships carrying over 70,000 tonnes of grain have left Ukraine. A Liberian-flagged ship carrying 64,720 tonnes of corn to South Korea set sail on Tuesday under a historic Türkiye-brokered deal to unblock Ukrainian grain exports. A Turkish-flagged ship, carrying 5,300 tonnes of bulk sunflower meal to Istanbul, too left Ukraine, where shipments had been stuck for months due to Russia's military offensive. And finally… *) Grease star and Grammy-winning singer Olivia Newton-John dies at 73 After a 30-year battle with breast cancer, Grammy-winning superstar Olivia Newton-John has died at age 73. Newton-John won countless hearts when she starred as Sandy in the blockbuster film version of “Grease” alongside John Travolta. She reigned on pop, country, adult contemporary and dance charts with hits such as “Physical” and “You’re the One That I Want”. Her sales topped 100 million records.