While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Aug 19, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump took questions from the media in the Oval Office before meeting in private.
Trump tells Zelensky US would help with Ukraine's security in a peace deal
US President Donald Trump said on Aug 18 that the United States would help Europe in providing security for Ukraine as part of any deal to end Russia's war in Ukraine, as he and President Volodymyr Zelensky began a hastily arranged White House meeting to discuss a path to peace.
But he also suggested to reporters that he no longer believed reaching a ceasefire was a necessary prerequisite for striking a peace agreement, backing a position staked out by Russian President Vladimir Putin and opposed by Mr Zelensky and most European leaders.
The two leaders took questions from the media in the Oval Office before meeting in private, six months after their last appearance there descended into disaster when Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance upbraided Mr Zelensky in an extraordinary a public dressing-down.
READ MORE HERE
Hamas accepts new Gaza truce plan: Hamas official
AFP
Hamas has accepted a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza without requesting amendments, a source from the group told AFP on Aug 18, after a fresh diplomatic push to end more than 22 months of war.
Mediators Egypt and Qatar, backed by the United States, have struggled to secure a lasting truce in the conflict, which has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
But after receiving a new proposal from meditators, Hamas said it was ready for talks.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
World Trump says arrangements being made for Putin, Zelensky to meet over Russia-Ukraine peace deal
Singapore 'I vaped when I woke up until I slept': More youth vaping to cope with stress, say social workers
Singapore 'I'd have phone in one hand, vape in the other': Youth addicted to vapes gets help to quit habit
Singapore 'We don't want youth to enter darker places': Counsellors say support key to kicking vaping habit
World Hamas accepts proposed deal for ceasefire with Israel and hostage release, Egyptian source says
Singapore Jobs, infrastructure and homes at the core of Singapore's resilience: Economists
READ MORE HERE
Novo Nordisk offers Ozempic at $640 per month to eligible US cash-paying customers
REUTERS
Novo Nordisk said on Aug 18 it was offering its diabetes drug Ozempic for US$499 (S$640.83) per month to eligible cash-paying patients with type 2 diabetes in the US via its own pharmacy, a tie-up with telehealth service GoodRx and other platforms.
US-listed shares of the Danish drugmaker were up 5.3 per cent, while shares of GoodRx rose 34.2 per cent.
Novo and rival Eli Lilly have expanded into direct-to-consumer sales for the highly effective and sought-after medicines, in part due to competition from online telehealth companies and pharmacies that sell cheaper compounded versions.
READ MORE HERE
Hong Kong arrests 2 over suspected water scam
Hong Kong police said on Aug 18 they have arrested two people over a suspected scam involving a water supplier that may have cheated the government in a contract worth nearly US$7 million (S$8.99 million).
A company named Xin Ding Xin won a deal in June to provide 1.88 million bottles of water which would go into dispensers in some government offices – the first time such a contract went to a Chinese brand, according to local media.
But police said the firm was found to have relied on false documents during the tender process, claiming to source its water from another mainland Chinese supplier when in fact they had no business ties.
READ MORE HERE
US FTC sues ticket reseller for evading Taylor Swift's Eras tour ticket limits
AFP
The US Federal Trade Commission sued ticket reseller Key Investment Group for evading purchasing limits to buy up thousands of tickets to live events including Taylor Swift's Eras tour and resell them at a markup, according to a complaint filed in Maryland federal court on Aug 18.
The Baltimore, Maryland-based company, which operates ticket resale sites including TotalTickets.com, used thousands of Ticketmaster accounts, including fake or purchased accounts, the FTC said.
Ticketmaster faced intense criticism after its botched 2022 sale of tickets to Swift's much-hyped New Eras Tour, when billions of requests from Swift fans, bots and ticket resellers overwhelmed its website and the company canceled a planned ticket sale to the general public.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
18 minutes ago
- CNA
Ukraine allies meet with hopes of peace talks breakthrough
PARIS: Ukraine's allies were meeting on Tuesday (Aug 19) to discuss the outcome of fast-moving talks to end the war with Russia, after indications that Volodymyr Zelenskyy could sit down with Vladimir Putin for a peace summit. Hopes of a breakthrough rose when the Ukrainian president and European leaders met US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, who said he had also spoken by phone with his Russian counterpart. The Ukraine war, which has killed tens of thousands of people, has ground to a virtual stalemate despite a few recent Russian advances, defying Trump's push to end it. A face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin would be their first since Russia's brutal invasion nearly three-and-a-half years ago. French President Emmanuel Macron, who was in Washington for the talks on the key issue of long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, said France and Britain would hold a meeting on Tuesday with around 30 of Kyiv's allies. The virtual meeting of the so-called "coalition of the willing" would "keep them up to date on what was decided", Macron told French news channel LCI. "Right after that, we'll start concrete work with the Americans." Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are co-hosting the meeting, which will "discuss next steps" for Ukraine, a UK government spokesperson told AFP, as Kyiv seeks backing from allies to enforce any peace deal. Macron suggested Geneva could host peace talks, but said it was "up to Ukraine" to decide whether to make concessions on territory, including parts of the eastern Donbas region still under its control. "Putin has rarely honoured his commitments," he added, calling the Russian leader a "predator, an ogre at our gates" - comments that underscored wider European wariness. Putin "has constantly been a force for destabilisation. He has sought to redraw borders to increase his power", Macron said. OPEN TO TALKS Trump, who last week held talks with Putin in Alaska, wrote on his Truth Social network after Monday's meetings that "everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine". "At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy," he added. Trump said he would then hold a three-way summit with the Ukrainian and Russian leaders. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was part of the European delegation, said Putin had agreed to the bilateral meeting within the next two weeks. Zelenskyy said he was "ready" to meet his bitter foe Putin, while in Moscow, a Kremlin aide said that Putin was open to the "idea" of direct talks with Ukraine. Zelenskyy then rushed to the White House to meet with Trump after the US president increasingly pushed the Ukrainian leader to make concessions to Russia. The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the European Commission and NATO then announced that they would also be attending, in a pointed show of support. Zelenskyy also met one-on-one in the Oval Office with Trump in their first encounter there since their acrimonious blow-up in February. The Ukrainian president said the meeting was their "best" yet, with little of the tension that erupted when Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated him in front of TV cameras for not being "grateful" for US support. SECURITY GUARANTEES Trump, meanwhile, said he had discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, adding that Putin had agreed to them despite ruling out Kyiv's long-held dream of joining the NATO alliance. The guarantees "would be provided by the various European Countries, with a coordination with the United States of America", he said. The Financial Times, citing a document seen by the newspaper, said Ukraine had undertaken to buy US$100 billion of US weapons financed by Europe in return for US guarantees for its security. Zelenskyy later spoke to reporters about a US$90 billion package, and said Ukraine and its allies would formalise the terms of the security guarantees within 10 days. The presence of the European leaders however also underscored continuing nervousness about whether Trump will pivot towards Putin as he has on a number of occasions.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Russian attack hit energy facilities in central Ukraine, Ukrainian energy ministry says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox KYIV - Ukraine's energy ministry said on Tuesday an overnight Russian attack hit energy facilities in the central Ukrainian region of Poltava, causing large fires. The ministry said a gas transport facility was targeted by several dozen drones, which caused damage. "Russian occupation forces launched another massive attack on energy infrastructure facilities in the Poltava region, using cruise missiles and strike drones simultaneously. The attack resulted in large-scale fires," the ministry said on Telegram. The ministry did not specify what other facilities besides gas infrastructure were attacked. Russia's Interfax news agency reported that the defence ministry had carried out a strike on an oil refinery that was supplying fuel to Ukrainian armed forces. The Poltava region is home to Ukraine's only oil refinery, Kremenchuk, which has been repeatedly attacked by both drones and missiles. Local media and Kremenchuk's mayor published videos of city neighbourhoods against a smoke-filled sky. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore What led to Changi Airport runway incident involving 2 China Eastern Airlines planes in Aug 2024 Singapore Fairprice apologises after woman finds worm in salmon bought from Bedok North outlet Singapore CPIB nabs 9 suspects for alleged match-fixing in national basketball league Singapore Live Singapore-raised seafood on sale at 3 Giant supermarkets from Aug 19 Singapore Singapore seals carbon credit deal with Thailand, its first South-east Asian partner Asia Singaporean man sentenced to 72 years' jail in Malaysia for murdering wife and stepson Singapore Court to assess if teen who advertised vapes for sale on WhatsApp can receive probation Kyiv authorities have not reported whether the refinery is operational. The ministry noted on Tuesday that Russia attacked Ukrainian oil refining infrastructure twice in June. Russia has launched massive attacks on Ukrainian oil depots and fuel storage facilities since the first days of the war. As a result, Ukraine's fuel needs were completely covered by imports, mainly from European countries. The ministry said that Ukrainian energy facilities had been attacked 2,900 times since March 2025 alone. Russia has repeatedly said it does not attack civilian infrastructure. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Israel studying Hamas reply to Gaza ceasefire proposal
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: An aerial view from a Jordanian military aircraft shows the Gaza Strip, before humanitarian aid is airdropped over it, in Gaza, August 17, 2025. REUTERS/Alaa Al Sukhni/File Photo JERUSALEM/CAIRO - Israel is studying Hamas' response to a Gaza ceasefire proposal, two officials said on Tuesday of a potential deal for a 60-day truce and the release of half the Israeli hostages still held in the battered enclave. Efforts to pause the fighting gained new momentum over the past week after Israel announced plans for a new offensive to seize control of Gaza City, and Egypt and Qatar have been pushing to restart indirect talks between the sides on a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan. The proposal includes the release of 200 Palestinian convicts jailed in Israel and an unspecified number of imprisoned women and minors, in return for 10 living and 18 deceased hostages from Gaza, according to a Hamas official. Two Egyptian security sources confirmed the details, and added that Hamas has requested the release of hundreds of Gaza detainees as well. The proposal includes a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, which presently control 75% of Gaza and the entry of more humanitarian aid into the enclave, where a population of 2.2 million people is increasingly facing famine. The last round of indirect talks between the sides ended in deadlock in July, with the sides trading blame for the collapse. Israel had previously agreed to the outline, advanced by U.S. special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, but negotiations faltered over some of its details. Israel's plans to seize control of Gaza City in the heart of the Palestinian enclave have since stirred alarm abroad and among the estimated one million people presently living there. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore What led to Changi Airport runway incident involving 2 China Eastern Airlines planes in Aug 2024 Singapore Singapore seals carbon credit deal with Thailand, its first South-east Asian partner Singapore CPIB nabs 9 suspects for alleged match-fixing in national basketball league Singapore Live Singapore-raised seafood on sale at 3 Giant supermarkets from Aug 19 Asia Singaporean man sentenced to 72 years' jail in Malaysia for murdering wife and stepson Singapore Court to assess if teen who advertised vapes for sale on WhatsApp can receive probation Life Local indie theatre The Projector ceases operations from Aug 19 after a decade On the ground, there were no signs of a ceasefire nearing as Israeli gunfire, tank shelling and airstrikes killed at least 20 Palestinians on Tuesday, according to Gaza health officials. Tanks completed taking control of the Zeitoun suburb, an eastern neighbourhood on Gaza City's outskirts, and continued to pound the nearby area of Sabra, killing two women and a man, medics said. Local health authorities said dozens of people had been trapped in their houses because of the shelling. The Israeli military said it was checking the report. ISRAELI PROTESTERS DEMAND DEAL On Friday, it said its forces were operating in nearby Zeitoun to locate weapons, tunnels and gunmen. "It has been one of the worst nights in Sabra and Gaza City as the explosions are heard throughout the city," said Nasra Ali, 54, a mother of five, who lives in Sabra. "I was planning to leave my house when I heard there is a possible ceasefire. I might stay for a day or two, if nothing happens, then I will run away with my kids," she told Reuters via a chat app. Thousands of people are estimated to have fled the area in the past few days. In Israel, the threatened offensive prompted tens of thousands of Israelis on Sunday to hold some of the largest protests since the war began, urging a deal to end the fighting and free the remaining hostages held in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to convene discussions about the ceasefire proposal soon, the two Israeli officials said. He faces pressure from his far-right government partners who object to a truce with Hamas. Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir have called for Israel to keep the war going until Hamas' defeat, and annex Gaza. Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq said that the truce proposal it has agreed to is an interim accord that would pave the way for negotiations on ending the war. A source close to the talks said that, unlike previous rounds, Hamas accepted the proposal with no further demands. But prospects for agreeing an end to the war appear remote, with gaps remaining on the terms. Israel is demanding the group lay down its arms and its leaders leave Gaza, conditions which Hamas has so far publicly rejected. The war began when Hamas-led fighters stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, plunged Gaza into humanitarian crisis and displaced most its population. REUTERS
