China lodges complaints over US, South Korea, Japan Camp David statement - CNA

BEIJING: China said on Monday (Aug 21) that it had lodged complaints over a statement released at a first-of-its-kind summit of the leaders of the United States, South Korea and Japan in which they criticised Beijing's "aggressive behaviour".

US President Joe Biden hosted the summit - described as launching a "new chapter" of close, three-way security cooperation - at the Camp David presidential retreat.

The three leaders said in a joint statement on Friday that they opposed the "dangerous and aggressive behaviour" of China in maritime disputes in the East and South China Sea.

Beijing hit back on Monday, saying that the leaders had "smeared and attacked China on Taiwan-related and maritime issues, grossly interfered in China's internal affairs and deliberately sowed discord between China and its neighbours".

It also expressed "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition and has lodged solemn representations with relevant parties", foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular news briefing.

Camp David marks the first time that the leaders of the United States, Japan and South Korea have met for a standalone summit, rather than on the sidelines of a larger event.

Biden praised the "political courage" of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in turning the page on historical animosity.

Such a summit would have been unthinkable until recently due to the legacy of Japan's harsh 1910 to 1945 occupation of the Korean peninsula.

The three leaders agreed to a multi-year plan of regular exercises in all domains and made a formal "commitment to consult" during crises, with Biden saying they would open a hotline.

The leaders also agreed to share real-time data on North Korea and to hold summits every year.

On Monday, Wang slammed the grouping as an example of an "attempt to revive Cold War mentality by inciting division and confrontation represented by various closed and exclusive small circles".

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2023-08-21 10:25:00Z
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Tropical Storm Hilary reaches California after pummelling northern Mexico - The Straits Times

PALM SPRINGS, California – Tropical Storm Hilary made its historic arrival in California on Sunday with forecasters warning of possibly catastrophic flooding after the storm pummelled Mexico’s Baja California peninsula with heavy rains.

One person died in Mexico amid reports of flash flooding in the peninsula, where some roads were swept away and images on social media showed raging torrents gushing down city streets that had turned into rivers.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for much of Southern California, with flash flood warnings in effect throughout a region that is more accustomed to drought.

Hundreds of flights in San Diego, Las Vegas and Los Angeles were cancelled, and professional sporting matches rescheduled. The Los Angeles Unified School District and San Diego Unified School District cancelled classes for Monday.

San Diego County, just north of the Mexican border, braced for its first-ever recorded tropical storm. Throughout Southern California, some desert and mountain areas could receive a year’s worth of rain in one day. Some areas also could experience tornadoes.

Floodwaters raced through the concrete banks of the Los Angeles River, which normally contains barely a trickle. In Ocotillo, a desert town about 145km east of San Diego, rock slides brought boulders down on Interstate 8, causing traffic delays on the highway to Arizona.

Hilary would be the first recorded tropical strength storm ever to hit San Diego County, and such a storm is exceedingly rare for Southern California. Nora hit a remote part of Imperial County to the east in 1997, and in 1939, before storms were named, another came ashore in Long Beach to the north, in Los Angeles County.

Mountain and desert areas could get 12cm to 25cm of rain, the forecasters said.

“In some places in the desert, that’s a year’s worth,” Mr Alex Tardy, a senior meteorologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in San Diego, told a news briefing. “The normal rainfall in Southern California and San Diego is nothing in August. So, a very unusual event is unfolding here.”

Areas such as Palm Springs, California, which typically gets around 11.7cm of rain in an entire year, could receive about 15cm to 25 cm from this one storm. California’s Death Valley area, which receives only around 5.6cm of rain a year, could receive about 7.6cm to 10cm from this event.

Amid all the storm preparation, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake rocked the Ventura County city of Ojai, about 130km north-west of Los Angeles. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Storm Hilary, which made landfall earlier in the day in the northern part of the Baja California peninsula, has been weakening over the last 48 hours. But it is still set to be the wettest storm ever to hit the US Southwest, according to Mr Zack Taylor, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS).

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2023-08-20 23:10:00Z
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'Strong enough now': BRICS nations eye global geopolitical shift - CNA

JOHANNESBURG: Leaders of the BRICS emerging economies, which account for about a quarter of the world's wealth, meet in Johannesburg this week looking to widen the bloc's influence and push for a shift in global geopolitics.

South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to host China's President Xi Jinping, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for the annual three-day summit starting on Tuesday (Aug 22).

Russian President Vladimir Putin also will join remotely.

Putin decided against attending in person as he is the target of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant that South Africa is in theory bound to enforce if he sets foot in the country.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will travel to Johannesburg instead.

Representing billions of people across three continents, with economies undergoing varying levels of growth, the BRICS share one thing in common - disdain for a world order they see as serving the interests of rich Western powers.

"The traditional global governing system has become dysfunctional, deficient and missing in action," Chen Xiaodong, the Chinese ambassador to Pretoria said at a briefing on Friday, adding the BRICS are "increasingly becoming a staunch force in defending international justice".

There is growing interest in the bloc - at least 40 countries have expressed interest in joining, and 23 of those have formally submitted applications to become BRICS members.

"POLARISED WORLD"

Anil Sooklal, South Africa's ambassador-at-large for Asia and the BRICS, told AFP on Friday that one of the reasons countries are lining up to join is "the very polarised world we live in, that has been further polarised by the Russia-Ukraine crisis, and where countries are being forced to take sides".

"Countries in the South don't want to be told who to support, how to behave and how to conduct their sovereign affairs. They are strong enough now to assert their respective positions," added Sooklal.

The BRICS have raised hope for countries looking to restructure the global "architecture", he said.

"The major markets are now in the Global South ... but we are still on the margins in terms of global decision-making."

Lebogang Legodi, international politics lecturer at the University of Limpopo, agrees that many states keen on joining the group "are seeing BRICS as an alternative to the current hegemony" in world affairs.

Around 50 other leaders will attend a "friends of BRICS" programme during the summit, which will be held at a convention centre in the heart of Johannesburg's Sandton, historically referred to as the richest square-mile on the continent.

This year's gathering is themed "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism".

It comes at "a critical inflection point," said Steven Gruzd of the Africa-Russia Africa project at the South African Institute of International Affairs.

"The current multilateral system is under strain," he said.

A decision on expanding the BRICS membership is expected at the end of the summit, according to Sooklal.

An upbeat Ramaphosa told a meeting of the ruling ANC party in Johannesburg on Saturday that "we are going to have a fantastic BRICS summit".

He said the presence of so many heads of state "goes to show the influence and the impact that South Africa" has in the world.

But experts closely watching the BRICS aren't very optimistic about the meeting's outcomes.

"I don't think this summit will yield those dramatic results because the power is still with Western countries. China is rising, but is not the dominant power yet," said SAIIA's Gruzd.

Formally launched in 2009, the BRICS now account for 23 percent of global GDP and 42 per cent of the world's population.

The combined bloc represents more than 16 percent of the world's trade.

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2023-08-20 15:15:57Z
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Women's World Cup 2023: Who won the Golden Boot, Golden Glove and Golden Ball? - CNA

Spain beat England 1-0 in the Women's World Cup final to win the tournament for the first time. The following are the winners of the various awards presented after the final:

Golden Boot: Hinata Miyazawa (Japan) - five goals, one assist

Silver Boot: Kadidatou Diani (France) - four goals, one assist

Bronze Boot: Alexandra Popp (Germany) – four goals

Golden Glove: Mary Earps (England)

Golden Ball: Aitana Bonmati (Spain)

Silver Ball: Jennifer Hermoso (Spain)

Bronze Ball: Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden)

Best Young Player: Salma Paralluelo (ESP)

Fair Play Award: Japan

(Compiled by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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2023-08-20 13:41:55Z
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England, Spain pursue history in Women's World Cup final - CNA

"NEXT QUESTION"

England have been mostly ruthless and machine-like in reaching the final, especially in silencing the home crowd in the 3-1 victory over Australia.

Spain are more slick and have often passed their opponents into submission, coupled with sparks of attacking flair.

England are unbeaten at the tournament, but a notable blip for Jorge Vilda's side was their 4-0 drubbing to a Japan team which hit Spain at pace on the counterattack in the group phase.

Spain had never even won a knockout match at the World Cup until this edition and their exploits are even more impressive for the turmoil that threatened to torpedo their chances.

In September last year, 15 players - many of them from European powerhouse Barcelona - came out and said they no longer wanted to represent their country.

They had numerous complaints, but their chief issue was with Vilda - how strict he was, his lack of success, his tactics and his methods.

Three of the 15 mutineers returned for the World Cup and one of them, Barcelona midfield schemer Aitana Bonmati, has been among the best players at the tournament.

Vilda has been asked repeatedly by reporters at the World Cup about the missing players and was once quizzed if the ones he brought to Australia and New Zealand even liked him.

On the eve of the final he appeared to have had enough of that line of questioning, replying: "Next question, please."

He was more forthright about the spirit among his players, saying they were "united".

"The training sessions, the games, everything that's happened outside has been extraordinary," he said.

"They will have memories for the rest of their lives."

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2023-08-20 04:54:03Z
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Spain Women vs England Women Prediction and Betting Tips | 20th August 2023 - Sportskeeda

Spain Women will take on England Women at Stadium Australia in the FIFA Women's World Cup final on Sunday.

Spain Women vs England Women Preview

The curtain will come down on the ninth edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup on Sunday, with Spain and England contending for their first title. Both teams have been impressive in the tournament but Spain are obviously the surprise package. With their previous best record being a round-of-16 finish, reaching the final was historic.

La Roja have built much confidence since the start and will likely stick to their brand of football when they face England. Their ability to build from the back and sophisticated passing patterns could break England’s long ball style. Spain and England's last three clashes ended in one draw and a win for each side.

England have been in red-hot form, posting a flawless run of six wins in the competition. This will be their first final in the Women's World Cup, but the second for coach Sarina Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to the 2019 final. She lost that final to the United States but is now hoping for the best against Spain.

The Lionesses will register the return of Lauren James, who received a two-game suspension against Nigeria in the round of 16. It’s a huge boost to England’s attack, as the Chelsea striker will be looking to atone for her unsporting behavior. The European Champions have the quality to tie up their campaign with the ultimate prize.

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Spain vs England Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

• Spain have won once, drawn once, and lost thrice in their last five clashes with England.
• Spain have scored 17 goals and conceded seven so far in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
• Spain have played 13 World Cup games, winning six, while England have won 20 in 32 games.
• England have scored 13 goals and conceded five in the ongoing World Cup.
• Spain have won four times and lost once in their last five matches while England have won all five.

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Spain vs England Prediction

Spain will be showcasing Aitana Bonmatí, Jennifer Hermoso, and Alba Redondo, who have scored three goals each. All three players are adept at cutting through the flanks which makes them very dangerous.

England will have Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, and Alessia Russo to rely on upfield. They boast three goals each and have displayed good pace and trickery all along.

England’s individuality and experience put them a step ahead in the race, and we expect them to secure the World Cup title.

Prediction: Spain 1-2 England

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Spain vs England Betting Tips

Tip 1: Result – England Women to win

Tip 2: Game to have over 2.5 goals – Yes

Tip 3: England to score first – Yes

Tip 4: Spain to score - Yes

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Edited by Peter P

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2023-08-20 04:01:34Z
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England-Spain final to round off record-breaking Women's World Cup - CNA

SYDNEY: England and Spain go head-to-head in the final of the Women's World Cup on Sunday (Aug 20), capping off a tournament that has broken attendance and TV records and raised hopes of a surge in interest for the women's game.

Co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, the ninth edition of the global showpiece event was the first to be held in the southern hemisphere and has already broken attendance records.

While local interest ebbed when Australia exited in the semi-finals, some 2 million fans will have passed through the gates in nine host cities by the time Sunday's final kicks off at the Stadium Australia in Sydney.

Australia's semi-final loss to England on Wednesday drew an average of 7.13 million viewers on the channels of local broadcaster Seven Network, the highest viewership ever recorded by research firm OzTAM, which launched in 2001.

Matildas (nickname of the Australian women's football team) matches sold out months in advance, and organisers expect the average attendance to overtake 30,000 once all 64 matches are completed.

The last Women's World Cup in France four years ago attracted more than 1.1. million fans to 52 matches with an average crowd of 21,756.

Demand was weaker in New Zealand, whose team went out in the group stages. FIFA gave away thousands of tickets and some games attracted as few as 7,000 fans, although White Ferns matches broke records for a soccer crowd in the country.

FUNDING GAP

Australia's players, who lost 2-0 in a third-place playoff match to Sweden on Saturday, will earn US$165,000 each in prize money for this tournament, more than 300 times the A$750 (US$480) they received for a quarter-final appearance in 2015.

But at the grassroots level, the sport needs more resources, Matildas striker Sam Kerr said after the loss to England on Wednesday.

"We need funding in our development, we need funding in our grassroots," she said.

"We need funding, you know, we need funding everywhere."

The Matildas' standout World Cup campaign has led to calls for more support to women's soccer in Australia, where it lags more popular football codes like rugby league and Australian rules.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded on Saturday by promising A$200 million for women's sport in the wake of the Matildas' run to the semi-finals.

Albanese said the money would be used to improve sports facilities for women and girls, with soccer tipped to receive "significant resourcing".

The government also wants to ensure women's sporting events are available on free-to-air television, after criticism that most World Cup games not involving Australia were behind a paywall.

Women's football has also confronted a variety of challenges involving finalists England and Spain, who will both be chasing a first world title in Sydney on Sunday.

Women were banned from official facilities in England, the home of the game, until 1970, and have long lagged the men's team in interest and funding, although that began to change after the Lionesses won the European championship last year.

The Spanish team, meanwhile, has been rocked by a locker room dispute with coach Jorge Vilda and the Spanish football federation, with some of their best players absent from the tournament as a result.

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2023-08-20 03:09:00Z
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