Australia edge France in penalty drama to reach Women's World Cup semis - CNA

BRISBANE : Co-hosts Australia beat France 7-6 in a dramatic penalty shootout to reach the last four of the Women's World Cup for the first time after their quarter-final finished deadlocked at 0-0 following extra time on Saturday.

Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold saved three French penalties and missed one herself in the shootout but it was teenager Vicki Becho hitting the post with the 12th spot-kick that opened the door for the hosts.

Cortnee Vine showed nerves of steel when she stepped up to fire the ball past Solene Durand into the bottom right corner of the net and send the Matildas into a semi-final against England or Colombia on Wednesday.

The substitute winger raced back towards the centre circle to celebrate with her team mates as the stadium and fan zones around the country exploded in delight.

Spain will play Sweden on Tuesday in Auckland for the other spot in the final.

France, who were looking to reach the semi-finals for the second time after 2011, had the better of the first half and extra time and will rue a few chances left out on the pitch as they head home.

Australia forward Mary Fowler had earlier spurned several chances - one stopped by a sensational block from Elisa de Almeida - and captain Sam Kerr was unable to get a clear shot on goal after being introduced as a 55th-minute substitute.

France dominated possession for much of the match and had the best of the early chances with Maelle Lakrar fluffing a golden opportunity to give Les Bleues the lead from a corner in the 12th minute.

Australia's only early chances came against the run of play from set pieces but Fowler had as many as six as the game opened up around halftime.

Kerr entered the fray to a huge ovation in the 55th minute, her first charge forward giving Hayley Raso space for a rasping long-range shot that France's starting goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin did well to push over.

France weathered the storm triggered by the introduction of the Australia captain, however, and their 19-year-old substitute Becho was soon threatening down the other end.

The last quarter of an hour of normal time was a tense but ragged affair with half chances at both ends, a theme reprised in the first half of extra time.

Australia's Alanna Kennedy headed the ball into her own net in the 100th minute under the attentions of Wendy Renard only for the France captain to be penalised for a foul on Caitlin Foord.

France had the better of the second period with Becho lashing a shot from the edge of the box in the 107th minute that goalkeeper Arnold saved well.

That was just a precursor to her heroics in the shootout, in which she twice saved penalties from Kenza Dali with her first stop scratched off because she moved off the line before it was taken.

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2023-08-12 10:28:23Z
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'It's gone': Stunned residents find nothing but ashes in Hawaii wildfire town - CNA

Elsewhere there was shocked elation as neighbours hugged.

"You made it!" cried Chyna Cho, as she embraced Amber Langdon amid the ruins. "I was trying to find you."

For Keith Todd there was the unspeakable relief of finding his home still standing, his solar panels still pumping electricity to his kitchen.

"I just couldn't believe it," Todd told AFP.

"I'm so grateful, but at the same time it's so devastating," he said, looking around at the unrecognisable piles that were once his neighbours' homes.

BANYAN TREE

Here and there in the seemingly bombed-out landscape were pockets of improbable hope.

The Maria Lanakila Catholic Church was seemingly unscathed, looming over the ashes of Waine'e Street.

The stone walls of the historic Hale Pa'ahao prison still stood, but the wooden building that was used to punish unruly sailors was no more - 170 years of history wiped out.

Blocks away, Front Street, where restaurants had jostled with clothing stores for a view of the harbor, was all-but gone.

Boats that had been moored in the harbor days earlier were blackened, melted or sunk.

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2023-08-12 04:23:00Z
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Hawaii Maui wildfire kills 67, leaves painful questions in its wake - CNA

MAALAEA, Hawaii: Hawaiian officials on Friday (Aug 11) were still trying to determine what caused a deadly wildfire to sweep through Lahaina on Maui island with terrifying speed, killing at least 67 and decimating the historic resort town with little warning to residents.

The death toll was expected to rise as search teams combed through the charred ruins of the town with the aid of cadaver dogs, after the fire torched 1,000 buildings and left thousands homeless in what officials say is the worst natural disaster in the state's history.

"As firefighting efforts continue, 12 additional fatalities have been confirmed as of 1pm today amid the active Lahaina fire. This brings the death toll to 67 people," Maui County said in a statement.

Governor Josh Green has been warning the number was likely to climb further.

"Without a doubt, there will be more fatalities. We do not know, ultimately, how many will have occurred," Green told CNN when the toll stood at 59.

Three days after the disaster, it remained unclear whether some residents had received any warning before the fire engulfed their homes.

The island includes emergency sirens intended to warn of natural disasters and other threats, but they did not appear to have sounded during the fire.

Officials have not offered a detailed picture of precisely what notifications were sent out, and whether they were done via text message, email or phone calls.

Maui County Fire Chief Bradford Ventura said at a Thursday press conference that the fire's speed made it "nearly impossible" for frontline responders to communicate with the emergency management officials who would typically provide real-time evacuation orders. He also noted that cellular service was knocked out.

"They were basically self-evacuating with fairly little notice," he said, referring to residents of the neighborhood where the fire initially struck.

County Mayor Richard Bissen told NBC's "Today" show on Friday that he did not know whether sirens went off but said the fire moved extraordinarily quickly.

"I think this was an impossible situation," he said.

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2023-08-11 18:36:00Z
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All ears on hot button issues ahead of Malaysia state polls, with rising popularity of podcasts among politicians - CNA

“If you want to find out if it is true, you will have to find the article. For social media, sometimes it is not true, sometimes it is true. I do not believe 100 per cent,” he told CNA.

Despite the importance of such social media tools, politicians still go back to the basics by going on the ground to get up close and personal with their supporters.

But all the messaging and outreach, whether in person or online, are only important if voters are motivated to go to the ballot box.

VOTER APATHY

One key election concern this time round is voter apathy.

Some fear that not many Malaysians working overseas would return for the local polls, while others are worried that voters are getting tired of elections and politicians' rhetoric.

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2023-08-11 05:55:00Z
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Singapore and China reaffirm upgraded bilateral relations during Wang Yi's visit - CNA

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday (Aug 11) reaffirmed the two countries' "longstanding and substantive relations", which were upgraded in April.

The decision to elevate bilateral ties followed a meeting earlier this year between Mr Lee and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said at the time that the upgraded partnership reflects the commitment by both sides to continually expand bilateral cooperation, as well as pursue new collaboration in forward-looking areas such as digital and green economies.

On Friday, Mr Lee and Mr Wang discussed how to expand and enhance collaboration that would benefit both countries and the region, MFA said in a press statement.

Mr Wang also updated Mr Lee on China's foreign policy priorities.

Mr Lee welcomed China's continued engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and looked forward to closer ASEAN-China cooperation, said MFA.

"Both sides affirmed the importance of building an open, peaceful and inclusive region," it added.

Mr Wang also called on Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.

"They took stock of the good progress in bilateral cooperation, anchored by our three government-to-government projects in Suzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing, and institutionalised platforms such as the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC)," MFA said.

This is the 15th anniversary of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City project and both sides seek to leverage the opportunity to refresh bilateral cooperation.

Mr Wong will visit China later this year to co-chair the 19th JCBC with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.

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2023-08-11 12:28:33Z
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Like a warzone: Hawaii's fleeing tourists tell of escape - CNA

Guests were finally evacuated to the airport when the hotel ran out of food, she said.

But she was not sure when she would be able to get home, with her flight booked for Saturday, and her husband in a long queue to try to change the tickets.

"I don't know if we'll be able to get a hotel room, or we'll have to sleep here on the floor," she said.

Tourists were taken to the airport in school buses, where they were met by volunteers distributing sandwiches and water.

Canadian Brandon Wilson had travelled to Hawaii with his wife to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

But two days after they arrived, the fires cut the power to their AirBnB.

By Thursday morning they were running low on food and had no cash to buy groceries, so they decided to try to leave.

"As we drove through Lahaina it looked like a warzone," he told AFP.

"It really looks like somebody came along just bombed the whole town. It's completely devastated."

"It was really hard to see," he said, sobbing. "You feel so bad for people. They lost their homes, their lives, their livelihoods."

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2023-08-11 05:01:44Z
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'We won't feel intimidated': Chinese scientists see limited impact from US hi-tech investment ban - CNA

As Beijing directs more funding into science and technology to meet its goal of self-reliance, some see the latest restrictions as an opportunity.

“China will continue to advance its technologies and is firmly supporting home-grown alternatives, so the withdrawal of US capital is a chance for us to step in,” said one investor in Shanghai focused on Chinese hi-tech firms.

Li from the ministry-affiliated centre also said the order could motivate Chinese scientists and that could “give a boost to these industries”. But he said those working overseas who had planned to return to China may now reassess their options.

According to Zeng Liaoyuan, from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in Chengdu, universities and research institutes are prepared for the restrictions.

“We won’t feel intimidated or devastated,” said Zeng, an associate professor of information and communication engineering. “We will continue to find ways to enhance China’s technological strength in these areas.”

But the tech rivalry between the two powers has had an impact in China. The quantum physicist said it was a pity that scientists found themselves in what he called a “lose-lose” situation, and that his start-up had been unable to source essential components from the US in recent years.

Sourcing parts has also been a problem for other Chinese companies. One researcher gave the example of Origin Quantum, a major Chinese player in quantum technologies.

“Origin Quantum used to say it should be able to build a quantum computer with hundreds of qubits,” said the researcher, who does not work for the company, referring to the basic units of information. “So far it has only built a computer with more than 70 qubits.”

This article was first published on SCMP. 

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2023-08-11 02:33:00Z
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