Ukraine war: Poland security patrols on high alert at Belarus border
Polish guards describe their concerns over Russia's Wagner group and the threat of unpredictability.
2023-07-10 17:24
Muddling up wars, dozing off mid-event and a series of tumbles: Biden’s best gaffes
President Joe Biden is kicking off his first full day of his trip abroad this week with a visit to the UK where he will meet with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III. The president landed in London on Sunday night ahead of Monday’s meeting with Mr Sunak, where the two leaders will discuss a range of topics including the war in Ukraine and will seek to bolster the US-UK “special relationship”. After that, he is heading to Windsor to meet the King – after infamously snubbing his coronation back in May. From there, the president will travel to Vilnius, Lithuania, for a meeting of NATO leaders. While Ukraine – and the US’s recent controversial decision to send cluster munitions to help in the war efforts – is expected to dominate conversations among the leaders, all eyes will also be on the president’s actions. Mr Biden has a well-documented history of embarrassing gaffes – something he admits, having once referred to himself as a “gaffe machine”. The president, 80, has a speech impediment which is often blamed for his verbal gaffes on the world stage. However, his string of verbal – and physical – slip-ups have been seized upon by his political rivals, in particular Donald Trump, who have sought to claim that they are a sign of a lack of mental competence. Whatever the reason, it’s undeniable that Mr Biden has become notorious for his blunders from muddling up leaders and wars to a series of trips and falls. As all eyes turn to his actions during his visit to the UK, here are some of his most notable gaffes to date: Muddling up the wars in Ukraine and Iraq In another infamous slip-up in June 2023, the president muddled up the ongoing war in Ukraine for the Iraq War, which ended in 2011. Mr Biden was speaking to reports on the south lawn of the White House before heading to Chicago when he was asked whether he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin had been weakened by the Wagner Group’s mutiny. Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin had briefly led a rebellion marching towards Moscow. Mr Biden responded by saying that Mr Putin was “clearly losing the war in Iraq”. “It’s hard to tell, but [Putin’s] clearly losing the war in Iraq, losing the war at home. And he has become a bit of a pariah around the world,” he said. ‘God save the Queen’ That same month, Mr Biden made another verbal gaffe when he bizarrely closed out a speech on gun control with the proclamation: “God save the Queen, man.” The president was speaking to a group of gun control advocates at the National Safer Communities Summit in Connecticut at the time. The slip-up raised eyebrows as to who he was referring to. Was it Queen Elizabeth II who died in September 2022? Or was it Queen Camilla who was crowned just one month earlier when King Charles III took the throne in a coronation that Mr Biden famously snubbed? The White House later sought to explain away the bizarre reference by saying that he was merely “commenting to someone in the crowd”. ‘Mr President?’ The last time Mr Biden and Mr Sunak met, the US president accidentally called him by his own moniker: “Mr President.” The UK PM travelled to Washington DC for a two-day trip in early June where the two leaders held a meeting in the Oval Office White House. As they smiled for photos, Mr Biden said: “Well, Mr President...” Quickly correcting himself, he added: “I just demoted you, Mr Prime Minister.” The two laughed off the slip-up and continued with their meeting. Biden tumbles on stage at Air Force Graduation Mr Biden took a rather large tumble while on stage at the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony in early June. The president delivered the commencement address at the event and stayed on stage as graduates were handed their diplomas. As he walked off, he then stumbled and fell to the ground. He was helped up by Air Force officials and appeared to point at a sandbag as the culprit responsible for the mishap. White House communications director Ben LaBolt later tweeted that he was “fine” and that “there was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands”. This is far from the only time Mr Biden has taken a tumble. Napping at COP26 In a video that went viral on social media, Mr Biden was caught sleeping on the job at the COP26 climate change conference in Scotland in November 2021. In the clip, the president was seen appearing to nap during the opening remarks at the climate event – with his eyes shut at one point for more than 20 seconds. An aide was seen popping over and nudging him from his apparent slumber. Read More Biden news – live: US president to meet King Charles and Rishi Sunak ahead of Nato summit What are cluster bombs and what is controversial about Biden sending them to Ukraine? Biden touches down in UK as president expected to be challenged over cluster bombs at Nato summit Budget 2022: Hunt says UK in recession as he announces huge tax rises Jeremy Hunt increases energy windfall tax in budget Jeremy Hunt freezes tax allowances and hits 45p rate payers
2023-07-10 17:23
Inmate facing murder charge escapes California medical center
California authorities have launched a manhunt after an inmate accused of murder escaped a medical center in Placer County early Sunday morning.
2023-07-10 09:18
Migrant boat from Senegal carrying 200 people missing off Canary Islands
The aid group Walking Borders says many children are on board the missing boat, which departed from Senegal.
2023-07-10 08:58
Investors Balance Rate Risks, Boost for China Tech: Markets Wrap
Investors in Asian assets faced a host of competing forces as trading got underway in the region in
2023-07-10 07:24
A Texas zoo is mourning the death of its 31-year-old giraffe, Twiga
A Texas zoo has announced the death of its 31-year-old giraffe, Twiga, saying she was believed to have been one of the oldest in captivity.
2023-07-10 05:51
Rutte Faces No-Confidence Vote After Dutch Government’s Collapse
Dutch opposition parties have called a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Mark Rutte for Monday, putting
2023-07-10 05:25
Trump’s encounter with Guy Fieri at UFC fight sparks mixed reactions
Donald Trump attended an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Las Vegas on Saturday night after a volunteer event for his Nevada primary campaign. While the former president was met with cheers from the crowd and high-fived supporters at the T-Mobile Arena for UFC 290, his interactions with some of the notable names present caused a mixed reaction online, Newsweek reports. UFC commentator and podcast host Joe Rogan was present and met with Mr Trump, but pictures of the former president conversing with celebrity chef Guy Fieri seemed to spur the most scorn and praise. Turning Point USA chief creative officer Benny Johnson, a Trump supporter, posted a picture of the two men to Twitter, referring in the caption to Fieri’s catchphrase: “Trump in Flavor Town”. In the comments, Trump supporters were thrilled to see the two men together with one Twitter user saying: “My respect for flavortown and Guy Fieri has gone UP!” Others said: “Guy isn’t afraid of the mob”, “I knew Guy had good judgment!” and “I knew Guy was one of a kind!!! But now he is on top of my list!!! MAGAFieri”. Detractors of the twice-indicted, twice-impeached former president also didn’t hold back, with one writing: “He just ruined his reputation.” “Literally one of the worst cooks out there hang with worst president ever,” another post read, while others riffed on variations that Mr Trump was “still going to jail”. A meme created using the photo reads: “Does this Flavortown have an extradition treaty with US?” On the more amusing side were posts reading: “Twitter can’t handle these two hair icons” and “Trump thinking ‘this mfs hair is as ridiculous as mine’.” Fieri has rarely spoken about politics but he was praised for raising more than $21.5m in just seven weeks to help unemployed restaurant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Also spotted chatting with the former president at the event were controversial Australian actor Mel Gibson, and Republican campaign strategist Roger Stone, who was pardoned by Mr Trump after being sentenced to prison in relation to a probe into 2016 election interference. Read More Donald Trump high-fives fans at UFC 290 in Las Vegas Trump lawyer Alina Habba leaves his defence team in New York fraud case Trump vows to keep ‘communists and markers’ out of the US in latest gaffe DeSantis nervously laughs when asked about 2024 ‘failure to launch’ in Fox interview Trump lawyer Alina Habba leaves his defence team in New York fraud case Stymied by the Supreme Court, Biden wants voters to have the final say on his agenda
2023-07-10 04:54
Canadian port strike talks resume, supported by federal mediators
TORONTO Talks in Pacific Canada between striking dock workers and their employers have resumed after four days away
2023-07-10 03:55
Marine taken into custody after missing 14-year-old girl found at Camp Pendleton, authorities say
A United States Marine has been taken into custody for questioning after a 14-year-old girl who was reported missing was found at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego County, California, last month, authorities said.
2023-07-10 03:49
Nigeria’s First-Quarter Capital Inflows Drop 28% From a Year Ago
Capital inflows into Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation declined 28% in the three months through March to $1.1
2023-07-10 01:57
Why Trump's Republican rivals should focus on New Hampshire, not Iowa
Donald Trump continues to be the clear favorite to win the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
2023-07-10 00:58