‘Historic, life threatening’ hurricane Sally is set to smash the US coast

“It’s not going to be pretty,” said one forecaster.

Any hurricane is bad but authorities have grave concerns about Hurricane Sally due to its painfully slow progress, that could exacerbate its deadliness.

Sally is one of as many as five storms currently circulating in the northern Atlantic.

Late on Tuesday night US time (Wednesday afternoon in Australia) Hurricane Sally was sitting about 100 kilometres south of Mobile, Alabama, moving north through the Gulf of Mexico at a speed of just 4 kilometres an hour.

It is currently a category 1 storm but it is quickly worsening and could reach cat 3. There is the threat of tornadoes within the hurricane.

Winds of 150 km/h were recorded by an US air force reconnaissance aircraft, with gusts of 131 km/h at the eye wall as measured by a buoy in the Gulf reported the National Hurricane Centre (NHC). Already flooding is occurring in coastal areas.

It was only last month that Hurricane Laura struck Louisiana and Texas.

Satellite imagery of Sally’s progress through the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday evening, US time. Picture: NOAA

EXTRA DEADLY ASPECT TO SALLY

Sally is expected to make landfall east of Mobile, at 8am on Wednesday (11pm Sydney time). It could be the first hurricane to directly hit Alabama for 16 years.

However, some models have it smashing straight through the centre of Pensacola on the Florida Panhandle, a city of 500,000 people, just east of the Alabama border.

“Historic life-threatening flash flooding due to rainfall is likely along and just inland of the Florida Panhandle,” the NHC said in a warning.

“Life threatening storm surge is expected along the coastline from Alabama to the western Florida Panhandle, including Mobile Bay.”

The emergency services are particularly concerned because Sally’s slow passage could worsen two of the deadliest aspects of hurricanes: storm surges and flooding.

Huge gusts might be the hallmark of tropical storms, but 90 per cent of fatalities are due to the sheer amount of water.

Storm surges can see the sea level temporarily rise. In Sally’s case this could be by more than two metres on the coast around Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama with New Orleans under risk from a surge of more than a metre.

Sally is expected to hit land on Wednesday evening Australia time. Picture: Windy.

The storm’s snail pace momentum could also see vast amounts of moisture fall on the areas it passes through, producing several months’ worth of rain in a single dumping.

By some estimates, Sally could dump three quarters of a metre of rain on parts of the Florida Panhandle as it ambles through, with up to half a metre falling over a wider area.

“You could get four to five months of rain in just a matter of two to three days,” CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray said.

Heavy and persistent rain can fall far inland leading to flash flooding sweeping away vehicles and inundating homes.

Eye really coming together now! #Sally is a strengthening #hurricane and close to a CAT2. #sally will wobble most of the overnight before early morning landfall. Then still half of the eye will remain offshore! #Sally pic.twitter.com/QT3NP1o45W— Janessa Webb (@JanessaWebb) September 16, 2020

Hurricane Sally has cleared out its eye. An amazing structural evolution and improvement right off the coast. pic.twitter.com/gG1EHoS01t— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) September 16, 2020

Flood watches are now in place for a swath of land stretching almost 500 kilometres inland from the Gulf Coast encompassing all of Alabama and Georgia and as for north as Virginia.

“It’s going to be a huge rainmaker,” Phil Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University told the Associated Press.

“It’s not going to be pretty.”

Winds and rain have already hit the Gulf Coast, in Alabama above, ahead of Sally making landfall. Picture: Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP.

Flash flooding has already occurred. Picture: Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP.

The NHC’s Stacy Stewart added: “There is going to be historic flooding along with the historic rainfall.

“If people live near rivers, small streams and creeks, they need to evacuate and go somewhere else.”

The governors of the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have all declared states of emergency, and President Donald Trump has issued emergency declarations for parts of the states, Fox News reported.

“This is not worth risking your life,” Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said on Tuesday.

Mississippi State Governor Tate Reeves told CNN there was still uncertainly over the effects of Sally, but she shouldn’t be trifled with.

He urged residents living in Mississippi close to the border with Alabama to leave, adding: “the time to get out is now.”

“The good news with that is that it is during light. The not good news is that is near high tide and so as we have said the potential water event here is significant,” he said.

“We are prepared, we are going to continue to monitor this storm, and we are going to continue to prepare for the worst case scenario, pray for the best case scenario and expect somewhere in between,” Mr Reeves said.

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September 11 memorial flyover cancelled after backlash in New York City

New York City emergency management announced the flyover on Thursday evening, with a short notice message saying an F-18 jet would fly over the Hudson River and towards the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge at 3:30pm.

However it was met with swift backlash given the nature of the terror attack, that saw almost 3000 people die after two planes crashed into the World Trade Centre twin towers in 2001.

“Are you out of your mind? Cancel this immediately,” Staten Island Representative Max Rose demanded on Twitter.

Social media user Arlene Kaplan wrote “What? CANCEL THIS! This is insane and cruel to those of us who still suffer from PTSD when we hear a low-flying plane no matter where we are, yet alone flying down the Hudson River past the WTC!”

Victoria Brownworth said “This is the worst idea ever. Did you ask anyone who was in NYC on 9/11 — because every last one of them would tell you.”

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The Freedom Tower stands on the ground zero site. Picture: Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP

New York City firefighters pause to mark commemorations. Picture: Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP

Members of the public also travelled to the site which contained virtual tributes. Picture: Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP

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New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office told media he “wasn’t aware of the flyover.”

“Frankly it’s inappropriate,” a spokesman told the paper.

The Department of Defence later cancelled it after a request from City Hall, a spokesman told the New York Times.

However the initial alert continued to spark a wave of backlash, with Twitter’s own vice president of global communications, Brandon Borrman, calling it a “really bad idea, verging on completely tasteless.”

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Planned Flyover: An F-18 jet will be conducting a flyover on the Hudson River towards the Verrazzano Bridge on 9/11 at 3:30 PM. The aircraft will fly at approx 2,500 ft. Multilingual & ASL Link: https://t.co/Ic8EyOBgzI.— NYCEM - Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) September 10, 2020

“We all remember not only the original hijacked planes but also the fighter jets on 09/11. This is literally like tearing open a closed scar until it bleeds again just so you can throw some salt on it,” @nycinoc said.

Michael Henry called it a “crappy idea,” writing, “Let’s re-create the gut punching memory of a low-flying plane over the harbour.”

“Could you get any more tone deaf?” @Qasharah asked. “PTSD is real, and this will definitely trigger some people.”

“Sure. Let’s terrorise New Yorkers on the anniversary of 9/11,” Camille Duran wrote.

The navy did not immediately respond to messages about the flyover.

US President Donald Trump spoke at a ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Picture: Brendan Smialowski / AFP.

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump observe a moment of silence aboard air force One to mark the 9/11 attacks on September 11, 2020. Picture: Brendan Smialowski / AFP.

TRUMP AND BIDEN BOTH VISIT PENNSYLVANIA

Democratic contender Joe Biden appeared in New York City for the annual event honouring the almost 3,000 people who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center.

He then travelled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where an airliner crashed after the passengers tried to wrest control of the plane from the al-Qaeda hijackers.

Biden did not speak at the ground zero ceremony in Manhattan, an event traditionally reserved for families of the victims, who this year have prerecorded their contributions.

Donald Trump was absent from the memorial in his native New York, but was represented by Vice President Mike Pence.

Mr Trump instead appeared in Shanksville, Pennsylvania where he hailed those on board flight 93 who wrestled control from hijackers but lost their lives.

He also praised those who worked to find survivors at ground zero and worked to analyse the black box of the plane.

LIVE: President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS visit the Flight 93 National Memorial https://t.co/NbXON6t2yB— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 11, 2020

"When terrorists raced to destroy the seat of our democracy, the 40 of Flight 93 did the most American of things—they took a vote, and then they acted.Together they charged the cockpit, they confronted the pure evil, and in their last act on this earth, they saved our capital." pic.twitter.com/U0JVIqbQfM— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 11, 2020

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, with wife Jill Biden and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Picture: AMR ALFIKY / POOL / AFP.

TEMPORARY RESPITE FROM LEADERSHIP RACE

Robert Shapiro, a political scientist at Columbia University, said ahead of the event it was unlikely to feature any political showmanship.

The 9/11 ceremonies are traditionally “free of rhetoric, dedicated to paying tribute to victims” of the attacks, he said.

“There will be a temporary silencing of the more vitriolic rhetoric they are using against each other,” Shapiro said.

The choice of both candidates to show up in Pennsylvania, an important state to win in the presidential election, illustrates the “obvious calculations” their advisers have made.

Long a Democratic stronghold and Biden’s home state, Pennsylvania swung narrowly to Trump in the 2016 election, helping him secure his surprise victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Polls show Trump and Biden nearly even in Pennsylvania, and Democrats hope to win the state back in the November 3 vote.

But if the sombre commemorations mark a “truce,” it is likely to be a short-lived one, as was the case in 2016.

Clinton took part in the New York memorial but left the event early because she was feeling ill. Her doctor later revealed he had diagnosed her two days earlier with pneumonia, which she had kept secret.

Trump leapt on the incident and for weeks mercilessly mocked his rival’s health.

– With wires and the New York Post.

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Trump defends decision to hold rally indoors amid pandemic

Controversy loomed over the rally, which was held indoors despite the continuing threat of the coronavirus pandemic. We’ll get to that argument in a bit.

First though, let’s go over the highlights.

Mr Trump started the event with one of his current favourite jokes, quipping that he might seek a third term in four years if he wins the upcoming election.

“Fifty-one days from now, we’re going to win Nevada, and we’re going to win four more years in the White House. And after we win four more years, we’ll ask for maybe another four or so,” Mr Trump said, sparking huge cheers from the crowd.

There is no actual chance of that happening, as the 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution limits presidents to two terms in office.

Nevertheless, the line has been a frequent feature of the President’s recent appearances. He seems to think it annoys the media.

“Thank you very much. You know, whenever I say that, I watch - look at all that news back there, look at all that fake news,” he continued, pointing to the media section at the back of the room.

“When I say that, their heads explode.”

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He then mentioned the horrific shooting of two Los Angeles police officers, who were ambushed while sitting in their patrol car on Saturday night.

RELATED: Sick chants after police officers ambushed

“The radical left in America is waging open war on law enforcement. Hundreds of officers nationwide have been injured in left-wing riots and mobs. You see it. You see it all the time,” said Mr Trump.

“Sleepy Joe Biden and his supporters continue their dangerous war on the police. They’re putting the lives of our brave officers directly in harm’s way. At his convention, he never even mentioned the words law and order.

“Now he’s all of a sudden - his polls are dropping like a rock, and he’s starting to say, ‘We need law and order.’ And then he goes back into the basement for four days. What happens to this guy? I know what happened to him. He’s shot, that’s what happened to him.”

There are a few things to fact check there.

It is true that Mr Biden did not mention law enforcement in his speech to the Democratic convention last month. Nor did he explicitly mention the protests against police brutality across much of the US, some of which have deteriorated into violence.

In the aftermath of the convention, under sustained political pressure to address the rioting, Mr Biden did give a speech on the subject urging Americans to “stand against violence in every form it takes”.

“I want to make it absolutely clear, so I’m going to be very clear about all of this. Rioting is not protesting. Looting is not protesting. Setting fires is not protesting,” he said in that speech.

“None of this is protesting. It’s lawlessness, plain and simple. Those who do it should be prosecuted.

“Violence will not bring change, it will only bring destruction. It’s wrong in every way.”

The line about Mr Biden hiding in his basement is another of the President’s recurring favourites. The Democrat has, in fact, been doing campaign events across the country, though he has not held a large scale rally since his party’s primaries, citing the pandemic.

Finally, Mr Biden’s lead in the polls has been stable at more than 7 per cent since the beginning of August, though the race is much closer in the key battleground states, where he’s only ahead by about 3 per cent.

Whether those polls can even be trusted is a whole other matter.

RELATED: Yes, Trump’s polls are bad, but can they be trusted?

President @realDonaldTrump in #Nevada: “Tell your governor to open up your state!" pic.twitter.com/VViC45mQ5O— Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022) (@TeamTrump) September 14, 2020

OK, back to Mr Trump’s speech.

The President complained that the Biden campaign had created an attack ad based on a recent story in The Atlantic, which cited unnamed sources to claim he had called fallen US soldiers “losers” and “suckers”.

“Biden is too weak to be president, and he’s not a smart person,” he said.

“He wasn’t smart 25 years ago. Everybody knew it. Now we don’t even have to discuss the matter.

“But I was going to say, when he put that ad up - we told him to take it down - when he put that ad up that dishonoured our fallen heroes. They are great, great heroes of mine, of yours, of everybody’s.”

This is the ad in question. It features some military veterans slamming Mr Trump.

Our nation’s veterans speak for themselves. pic.twitter.com/ai5Y1MzCaQ— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 5, 2020

The President then transitioned into a riff about Mr Obama.

“No bad person, the worst person I know - I saw some beauties, I know some beauties from New York. I know some developers in New York, actually. Nobody would say what they said. They made it up. It was a made up statement, and they put it up in the form of an ad, from a third-rate magazine whose best friend is Obama,” he said.

“Who, by the way, got caught spying on my campaign. He got caught. We caught him cold. We have him cold. Now let’s see what happens.”

The crowd responded by chanting, “Lock him up!” - a reprise of the “Lock her up!” chant Mr Trump’s supporters used against Hillary Clinton four years ago.

Mr Trump’s allegation that Mr Obama illegally directed US intelligence agencies to “spy” on his campaign - a theory he calls Obamagate - is not supported by the facts.

Multiple investigations, conducted by both major parties in Congress and Mr Trump’s own Justice Department, have found no evidence the former president was involved in initiating the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s election interference, which targeted four people with ties to the 2016 Trump campaign.

“We did not find documentary or testimonial evidence that political bias or improper motivation influenced the decision to open Crossfire Hurricane,” the Justice Department Inspector-General said in his report, using the FBI operation’s code name.

The investigations also found no evidence that Mr Obama interfered in the operation after it started.

RELATED: What is Obamagate? Trump’s accusation explained

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Former president Barack Obama. Picture: DNC/AFP

Mr Trump’s campaign has defended his decision to hold the rally indoors, brushing off concerns about the crowd’s safety amid the ongoing pandemic.

The President spoke at a facility run by Xtreme Manufacturing, a company that makes construction equipment, in Henderson, Nevada.

It was his first indoor rally since the one in Tulsa, Oklahoma back in June.

Attendees were required to undergo temperature checks, and were encouraged to use masks and hand sanitiser, both of which were provided by the campaign.

But the City of Henderson warned the event violated an order from Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, limiting public gatherings to 50 people. Before the rally started, it sent a compliance letter and verbal warning to Xtreme Manufacturing.

“If the Governor’s directives are not followed, the city may assess a fine of up to $US500 per violation as well as suspend or revoke the business licence,” said city spokeswoman Kathleen Richards.

Defending its choice of venue, the Trump campaign compared the President’s rally to the mass protests against police brutality across the US.

“If you can join tens of thousands of people protesting in the streets, gamble in a casino, or burn down small businesses in riots, you can gather peacefully under the First Amendment to hear from the President of the United States,” campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said.

That argument did not satisfy Mr Sisolak, who posted an extended criticism of the rally on Twitter.

“Tonight, President Donald Trump is taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada,” he said.

“The President is knowingly packing thousands into an indoor venue to hold a political rally. The President appears to have forgotten that this country is still in the middle of a global pandemic.

“As usual, he doesn’t believe the rules apply to him. Instead, he came into our state and blatantly disregarded the emergency directives and tough choices made to fight this pandemic and begin reopening our economy by hosting an indoor gathering that’s categorised as ‘high risk’ according to his own Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It’s a direct threat to all of the recent progress we’ve made, and could potentially set us back.

“The President’s actions this weekend are shameful, dangerous and irresponsible.”

Mr Trump did briefly address his campaign’s decision to hold the rally indoors during his speech, reassuring the owner of Xtreme Manufacturing that he would stand with him “all the way” if Mr Sisolak tried to punish him for hosting it.

“We had many sites, by the way. All exterior sites, all outside,” he said.

“And if the governor comes after you, which he shouldn’t be doing, I’ll be with you all the way. Don’t worry about a thing.”

Some of Mr Trump’s supporters at today’s rally. Picture: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

The President has resumed regular campaigning in recent weeks, having suspended his trademark rallies at the height of America’s epidemic. But his other events have all been outdoors.

Over the weekend, he spoke to supporters at Minden-Tahoe Airport – which is also in Nevada – and compared his throng of supporters Mr Biden’s socially distanced campaign events.

“The governor of your state tried very hard to stop us from having this event tonight,” the President said.

“They can have riots and they can have all sorts of things, and that’s OK. You can burn up the house, that’s OK.

“We call this a protest, because if you call it a protest, you’re allowed to have it. It’s OK. So if anybody asks outside, this is called a friendly protest, OK? It’s true.

“You can’t have political rallies. That’s because of me. Because if Biden were here, he’d have about three people. Do you ever see him with his little circles? The circle? You know why he puts the circles. Because he wants to be correct with COVID.

“But it’s not really, because they can’t get anybody to fill up a room. So they put up these big circles. So he can’t get anybody to fill. Nobody wants to go.”

As we mentioned earlier, Mr Biden has not held any rallies since the Democratic primaries. His events typically feature just a handful of people – the exact number varies, depending on the coronavirus guidelines of whichever state he’s in – and face masks are mandatory.

“I really miss being able to, you know, grab hands and shake hands. You can’t do that now,” he told his supporters recently.

RELATED: Donald Trump’s own words on virus haunt him

The scene at Minden-Tahoe Airport as Mr Trump spoke. Picture: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

A different Trump rally in Michigan last week. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP

Not much social distancing going on here. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP

Mr Trump spent a few minutes at his Minden rally criticising Mr Sisolak, along with the news media, and celebrating the size of his crowds.

“Your governor tried to stop us. He tried to stop us. The governor of Nevada, he tried to stop us, and we went to different venues,” he said.

“Kelly O’Donnell, she’s a fading reporter for NBC. Do you know that? She was on, she said, ‘Well, they have a crowd tonight.’ Behind her it looked like 25,000 people. That’s what we have, by the way, a lot more coming in. But she said, ‘He’s got maybe a thousand people. A thousand.’ You know what I got? I have a thousand people here.

“No, this is the fake news. You know what? It’s not a question of how many. They are just a bunch of dishonest people. I’ve never seen anything like it. Being in real estate and being in New York and being in all over, I’ve seen a lot of dishonest people. I think the media, the fake news, is the most dishonest group of people I’ve ever seen anywhere in my entire life.

“And that includes, by the way, leaders of foreign countries that aren’t our friends, OK? That’s a big statement. They really are bad news. But here we are, and this is really amazing. The governor tried to stop us. He couldn’t.

“But think of this, he’s in control of millions of votes. Here’s a guy calling venues, telling them not to have the rally, calling different venues. ‘Don’t have the really. We’re not going to let you have the rally.’ And he’s calling, this governor who was a political hack. He was a political hack, and then he became governor.

“This is the guy that we’re entrusting with millions of ballots, unsolicited ballots, millions and millions. And then we’re supposed to win these states, and we have a guy that would do that, where he won’t let us have – and... ( подробнее )

‘Disgusting, barbaric’: China’s bizarre Australia rant

The comments in Chinese state media come as diplomatic relations between Beijing and Canberra continue to plummet even as many trade links remain solid.

On Tuesday, the China correspondents for the ABC and The Australian Financial Review, Bill Birtles and Mike Smith, arrived back in Sydney after police came to there respective homes in China in the middle of the night and demanded they present themselves for questioning.

The pair sought shelter in Australian missions due to fears they would be arbitrarily detained and were later allowed to depart the country.

The journos were already planning to leave following the arrest of Australian Cheng Lei who worked for a Chinese state broadcaster and who local authorities have said “endangered national security”.

RELATED: Two Australian reporters extracted from China

The Australian Financial Review's Michael Smith (left) and the ABC's Bill Birtles flew out of Shanghai on Monday night. Picture: ABC.

It has since emerged that Australia has now cancelled the visas of two Chinese academics, Chen Hong and Li Jianjun, who can now not re-enter the country.

It’s also believed four Chinese journalists left Australia earlier this year after being questioned by ASIO. Police and security services have been investigating alleged attempts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence proceedings at the New South Wales state parliament.

Since Birtles’ and Smith’s departure, Chinese officials and media have focused instead on the four Chinese journalists who left Australia reportedly after their homes were raided as part of the ASIO investigation.

That’s despite barely a peep from Chinese media when the raids occurred in June.

A piece from the CCP aligned Global Times from late yesterday said Australia was engaged in an “extreme anti-China witch-hunt” which was a “McCarthyism-style horrific persecution of Chinese journalists and scholars”.

The article does not have a byline and is listed as a “viewpoint” but no articles in the Global Times go against Beijing’s wishes. Indeed, many of the sentences used the same phrasing as China’s foreign affairs spokesman when he piled into Australia on the same day.

The article was illustrated with a picture of a benign looking panda staring at an angry kangaroo.

“The witch hunt campaign under the excuse of investigating the so-called Chinese infiltration, promoted by Australian security departments, is getting infuriating,” the piece stated.

“The raid was a horrendous violation of the basic rights and freedom of the press of the Chinese journalists.”

That line might come as a surprise to countless Western journalists who claim they have been harassed in China by authorities, with many now expelled, not allowed into the country or, like Cheng, in detention.

RELATED: China fires ballistic missiles as warning to US

Australian journalist Cheng Lei has been held since at least August 14, 2020. Picture: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade/Australia Global Alumni/AFP.

“It is unbelievable that such barbaric behaviour actually happened in broad daylight in a country that claims to be a free and democratic country,” it said of the raids in Australia.

“Australia‘s so-called freedom of the press and freedom of speech have become a complete joke.”

As in most Global Times’ pieces, the author accused Australia of being subservient to the US. Although it said that Australia was carrying out the policies of Washington D.C. in a more “ruthless way”.

“The intent of Australian authorities is clear – they want to hype the anti-China sentiment to the largest extent possible so that political figures who hold somewhat neutral views fear voicing their opinion which in turn has led to anti-China Australian public opinion to become one-sided.”

The piece was one of the first from inside China to reference the departure of the two Australian journalists. It attempted to compare the treatment of Birtles and Smith with the four Chinese journalists.

Angry roo, benign panda. How Chinese media outlet Global Times illustrates the relationship. Picture: Liu Rui/GT.

“Chinese authorities did not search their residences or electronic devices. However, Australian media has spared no efforts in discrediting China‘s actions, deliberately fabricating a scene in which China suppresses journalists from Western countries.

“Such double standard is disgusting. To be honest, the bizarre logic of Australian journalists leaves us speechless,” the piece frothed.

On Wednesday, China‘s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian also attacked the June raids.

“The Australian Government‘s behaviour severely interrupts the normal reporting of Chinese media outlets in Australia, blatantly violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese journalists there and caused severe harm to the physical and mental health of the journalists and their families.”

Mr Zhao said China had asked Australia to “immediately stop such blatant irrational behaviours, stop harassing and oppressing Chinese personnel in Australia”.

China has accused Australia of “barbaric behaviour” despite Australian journalists fleeing Chine. Picture: Anthony Wallace/AFP

Former ASIO director-general Dennis Richardson told The Australian on Thursday that the treatment of Birtles and Smith was incomparable to the raids of Chinese journalists.

“Foreign journalists in China are being systematically harassed and … those that have left China have done so out of concern for their own safety, or they have been expelled by the Chinese.”

Investigating Chinese journalists in Australia in the context of an investigation into foreign interference was “legitimate,” Mr Richardson said.

Last week, a Global Times editorial called Australians “poor white trash” and darkly warned there will be “consequences” if we don’t play nice with China.

Australia, it claimed, was “provoking China” and was on a “lose-lose path” that would “undoubtedly cause huge damage to its already severely injured economy”.

“The momentum of trade liberalisation, investment facilitation, economic complementarity and normalisation of cultural exchanges has come to an abrupt end,” it said.

The publication recalled an infamous 1980 quote about Australia from then Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

“If Australia doesn’t open up its economy and reduce unemployment, it risks becoming the ‘poor white trash of Asia’, the Global Times editorial stated.

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Eerie first pics of deadly NZ island

Now, a filmmaker has captured the first images from the air of White Island to show how the volcanic remains look 10 months after the disaster.

Filmmaker Geoff Mackley asked for permission from the Civil Aviation Authority to enter the no-fly zone and photograph what lingered below.

RELATED: White Island volcano eruption victims named as soldiers retrieve bodies

NZ Based Volcano explorer Geoff Mackley has reported that he is the first to capture drone images of the White Island Volcano since its eruption in December 2019. Picture: Geoff Mackley/GWN

Mr Mackley had to get permission from the Civil Aviation Authority to enter the no-fly zone. Picture: Geoff Mackley/GWN

RELATED: White Island tour guide survivor Jake Milbank opens up about recovery

In an interview with Stuff, Mr Mackley said he could still smell the sulphur during his visit, and while there was no heat coming off the island – he could see a yellow chemical slick swirling into the ocean.

Sending the drone into the sky, Mr Mackley shot the video showing the volcano below which is the first documentation of close-up images since the December 9 eruption.

“It’s not like it was before, where there was clearly defined tracks,” he said.

“They’ve been totally obliterated. It’s like no-one has ever been there. So yeah, it’s pretty eerie.”

Mr Mackley said he witnessed mud and ash, however there was no clear sign of destruction aside from the abandoned helicopter on the island with its broken blade after being blown off the helipad during the 2.11pm blast.

An abandoned helicopter on White Island, New Zealand. Picture: Geoff Mackley/GWN

Mr Mackley has he’s filmed dozens of volcanoes around the world. Picture: Geoff Mackley/ GWN

Despite being close to the island to capture the shots, Mr Mackley said he wasn’t “nervous” about his visit to the waters surrounding the eruption site.

“Obviously I know that it can blow up without warning at any time,” he said.

“It’s Russian roulette. Something’s not highly likely to happen today, but if you were going out there every day, something will happen eventually.

“The volcano doesn’t care what we’re doing up top, it will do what it wants to do. It’s really just unfortunate that it happened when it did. There were 20 other hours in each day when it could have happened when there was no-one there, and all night.

Mr Mackley said the island looked very grey. Picture: Geoff Mackley/GWN

The NZ island that used to once bring in millions in tourism dollars each year. Picture: Geoff Mackley/GWN

“You obviously thought about what went on out there and how terrible it would have been.”

Since the eruption, no one has stepped foot on the island that used to once bring in millions in tourism dollars each year.

Many of the visitors to the island were trapped by the plumes of smoke, unable to outrun the acidic gas and ash that surrounded them.

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‘I did not choke her’

In a statement posted on Twitter, Aaron Coleman responded to a report published by The Intercept last week in which Taylor Passow, 21, recalled the alleged assault last year.

Ms Passow said they were sitting in a hot tub at an Airbnb in Kansas City last December when Mr Coleman brought up his interest in having a threesome.

According to Ms Passow, she told him she wasn’t interested but as a joke said maybe as a birthday present she could break up with him for one day and he could have one.

“He sat there for a few seconds, then he jumped on top of me, put his hands around my throat and started squeezing, and slapped me three times, and said, ‘I don’t know where the f**k you think you’re going’,” she told The Intercept.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 09-06-2020Statement from Democratic Party nominee Aaron Coleman of Kansas’ 37th District on relationship problems pic.twitter.com/THia6h7TA1— Aaron Coleman

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Man sues British wife over anti-Australian racial discrimination

Duncan Bendall, a businessman who grew up in Sydney, took his wife Fiona and the company they set up together to the London Employment Tribunal after the couple separated, The Times reported.

Mr and Mrs Bendall founded The Female Social Network in 2016 while they were living in Sydney. Their marriage began to break down after they returned to London last year, until Mr Bendall was eventually sacked in August for “gross misconduct”.

He took his case to the tribunal alleging he had been unfairly dismissed and discriminated against based on his race and sex.

As the relationship deteriorated Mrs Bendall became “increasingly abusive and bullying”, Mr Bendall said.

Mr Bendall told the tribunal he had been victimised by his wife, with the board forcing through a change in share holdings from 50-50 to 51-49 in favour of Mrs Bendall in order to market the company as female-owned.

“Fiona told them (the board) that I would be compliant as long as the investment comes in,” Mr Bendall told the tribunal, according to The Times. “I believe the optics were not as good as introducing a male founder to prospective investors, especially one as a plain-talking Australian, compared to an English woman.”

Mrs Bendall, who was nominated for the 2019 NSW Business Woman of the Year Award, allegedly gave her husband just 12 hours to object to the proposal while he was in Australia for Anzac Day.

Duncan and Fiona Bendall pictured with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, at the UK launch of The Female Social Network at The Ivy in London. Picture: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

During the argument, she sent him an email which read, “I hate Australian mentality and you have it droves just shit ... And DO NOT say you are a founder in MY business MY efforts ever again You Leech – you don’t even believe in women or have ever struck your neck out.”

In August he learned his bags had been packed and he was being kicked out of the London home they shared, which was also the company’s office. “It is clear that we are done ... Your belongings will be packed ... Ed and Praveen will meet with you to discuss TFSN and the way forwards,” Mrs Bendall texted her husband.

Mr Bendall told the tribunal running the business from their family home had put a strain on their relationship, with staff often drinking and smoking at the house after work.

“Fiona had an ­almost exclusively female team — there was one male who worked as a sales intern — and they got into the habit of staying up late drinking excessive amounts of alcohol in the family home,” he told the tribunal.

“Many of the colleagues were smokers and used to stand outside the house smoking directly under the bedroom window of my and Fiona’s 15-year-old daughter. This used to distress me and I would ask them to stop.”

He said it was one of these altercations that was cited as justification for his dismissal.

“She kept treating Australia as an inferior race, despite living there for 15 years,” he said.

The employment judge accepted he had been discriminated against based on race, but not on sex, ordering Mrs Bendall to pay him more than £100,000 ($180,500).

frank.chung@news.com.au

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Australians caught on live export ship missing after typhoon in Japan

The Japanese coastguard believes the vessel may have sunk, and has launched a massive search for Gulf Livestock 1, which was carrying 5800 cattle.

The cargo ship went missing after sending a distress signal during Typhoon Maysak while in the East China Sea. The live export ship was in waters west of Amami Oshima Island in south west Japan, according to a report from Japan’s public broadcaster NHK.

The ship was en route to China after departing from Napier in New Zealand last month and was due to arrive in China on today when it hit rough weather and allegedly capsized after a freak wave.

The Japanese coast guard has spent the day conducting a large air and sea search for the vessel or any crew members but so far to no avail.

Late last night, authorities were able to rescue one crew member who shared harrowing details of the moment the ship capsized.

Queensland vet Lukas Orda, who is married with a six-month-old son, has been named by local media as one of the two Australians on board the missing cargo ship.

Mr Orda studied at James Cook University and worked at the Gold Coast Equine Clinic before joining the cattle export ship as a veterinary officer in June.

The vet’s heartbreaking last Facebook post was on June 24, revealing his excitement at the journey ahead.

“And the first 20 day stretch of my trip starts.....” Mr Orda wrote.

It was accompanied by a map showing he was travelling to Yantai, China from Port of Portland in Victoria.

The livestock carrier, which left New Zealand for China on August 14, was expected to arrive in the Chinese port city of Tangshan about 17 days later, New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Lukas Orda has been named as one of those on board the ship.

Lukas Orda.

Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) says it understands the other Australian on-board is a stock handler.

Chief executive Mark Harvey-Sutton told ABC radio they’re waiting “anxiously” for news.

“It is a very close-knit community the live stock industry both here (Australia) and in New Zealand, so everyone is very concerned about the situation and we’re just hoping for the best,” he said.

Lukas’ last Facebook post reveals he was travelling from Port of Portland in Victoria to Yantai, China on June 24. Picture: Facebook

He told Seven News on Thursday, that what we’re seeing is a “tragedy unfolding” and while they’re holding onto hope, “as time passes that hope decreases”.

Mr Harvey-Sutton said it is common for Australians involved in the live stock industry to supply their trades globally.

“It’s a valued skillet and Australians are very good at it, so it’s not uncommon for Australians to be on livestock vessels around the world at any one time.”

He said their jobs are to look after the animals both from a veterinary perspective and general stock handling point of view.

ONE CREW MEMBER RESCUED

One crew member has since been rescued by the Japanese Coast Guard, however the welfare of the rest of those on-board remains unknown, according to a report from RNZ.

The rescued man, identified as Sareno Edvardo, 45, of the Philippines, was hospitalised on the Japanese island of Amami Oshima, The New York Times reports.

Images of his rescue released by the Coast Guard shows Mr Edvardo bobbing in dark waters.

He told rescuers the ship had suffered engine failure during the typhoon, before it capsized after being hit by a freak wave.

“When it was capsizing, an on-board announcement instructed us to wear a life jacket,” Mr. Edvardo said, according to the Coast Guard. “So I wore a life jacket and jumped into the sea.”

A crew member being rescued. Picture: Reuters

He was on-board a live export ship which is missing after a typhoon hit waters south west of Japan. Picture: Reuters

Japan’s coast guard dispatched planes and rescue boats to hunt for the ship when they found the sole survivor late Wednesday.

He was quickly brought to a large vessel, where coast guard personnel with surgical masks and gloves wrapped him with blankets, AFP reports.

“Water,” said the man. “Thank you, thank you very much.” “I am the only one? No other one?” he asked.

Yuichiro Higashi, a spokesman for the Coast Guard, said on Thursday that patrol ships were continuing to search for other crew members.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) told news.com.au they were in contact with the families of the Australian crew members on board.

“The Australian Government is providing consular assistance to the families of two Australian crew members on board a cargo vessel reported missing in Japanese waters,” DFAT said in a statement.

“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.”

Friends of Mr Orda have since taken to his Facebook page, leaving messages of support for his family, and sending prayers that he is found safe.

“If only we could turn back time and stop you from getting on that boat,” one friend wrote.

“Prayers you are found safe Lucas. The whole of the Gold Coast is praying for you tonight,” another person wrote.

On board the missing vessel are also two New Zealanders, as well as a crew including 39 people from the Philippines and one person from Singapore according to The New Zealand Herald, as well asabout 5800 head of cattle.

RELATED: ‘Stay indoors’: Warning for 100km/h winds

The Gulf Livestock 1 is missing in waters south west of Japan. Picture: Vesselfinder.com

Millions of cattle and sheep are transported by sea every year, a trade that generates hefty profits for meat producers in countries like Australia and New Zealand, The New York Times reports, adding that animal rights advocates say that such journeys are often too long, regulations are not up to scratch and the rules are often flouted.

Gulf Livestock 1 was built in 2002 with its home port in Panama. The 456-foot ship’s registered owner is Rahmeh Compania Naviera SA, a company based in Amman, Jordan, Reuters reported.

SHIP PROBLEMS

This is not the first time the ship has run into problems.

In May 2019, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority identified stability and navigation issues in the Gulf Livestock 1, delaying its departure on a journey from Broome to Indonesia.

However, according to an independent report on the Department of Agriculture’s website, the ship safely completed the journey.

“The observer noted this was a successful voyage where the stockpersons and crew were professional and caring throughout the voyage. The welfare of the cattle was observed to be paramount to all stockpersons, crew and officers,” the report’s conclusion read, adding it was compliant with ASEL requirements.

Livestock carrier goes missing in the East China SeaThe GULF LIVESTOCK 1 has disappeared, probably hit by high waves & strong winds caused by typhoon #MAYSAK, our data shows. The search for the livestock carrier in load began as concern for the safety of 43 crew onboard rises pic.twitter.com/6H3yGOkUqr— MarineTraffic (@MarineTraffic) September 2, 2020

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Top doc’s wild coronavirus sex advice

Social distancing, mask wearing and good hand hygiene have been the top three measures adopted by all countries but the latest bit of advice from Canada’s chief public health officer is a little different.

Doctor Theresa Tam, the country’s chief public health officer, issued a statement earlier this week, urging couples to wear masks during sex to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

“Sex can be complicated in the time of COVID-19, especially for those without an intimate partner in their household or whose sexual partner is at higher risk for COVID-19,” Dr Tam said in a statement.

“The lowest risk sexual activity during COVID-19 involves yourself alone.”

Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer. Picture: David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images

But those having sex with a partner who is at risk or from outside their household should be “skipping kissing and avoiding face-to-face contact or closeness (and) consider using a mask that covers the nose and mouth,” Dr Tam added.

Dr Tam also recommended Canadians should limit their consumption of alcohol and other substances “so you and your partner(s) are able to make safe decisions”.

Couples should also practice the usual safe sex methods, including condom use, to reduce other risks.

“Current evidence indicates there is a very low likelihood of contracting the novel coronavirus through semen or vaginal fluids. However, even if the people involved do not have symptoms, sexual activity with new partners does increase your risk of getting or passing COVID-19 through close contact, like kissing,” Dr Tam said.

“Remember as with all social interactions, try to keep your number of close contacts low if possible.

“By taking these precautions and staying conscious of the risks we assume, Canadians can find ways to enjoy physical intimacy while safeguarding the progress we have all made containing COVID-19.”

2/5 When deciding to have sex with a new partner(s) during #COVID19, regardless of their sex or gender, remember to consider personal and public health risks. Key to this is establishing a trusting relationship with your sexual partner.— Dr. Theresa Tam (@CPHO_Canada) September 2, 2020

There has been more than 130,000 cases of coronavirus in Canada since the pandemic hit this year with the country averaging around 490 new cases each day.

Canada has also lost 9171 people to the virus however almost 90 per cent of the country’s coronavirus cases have now recovered.

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Bombshell story claims Trump called fallen soldiers ‘losers’

The trip we’re talking about here marked the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I.

While he was staying in Paris, Mr Trump famously cancelled a planned visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery – where he had been scheduled to lay a wreath and observe a moment of silence – because of weather conditions.

The cemetery stands at the site of the Battle of Belleau Wood, where more than 1800 US marines died stopping a German push towards Paris in 1918.

RELATED: Trump defends decision to cancel cemetery visit

Today The Atlantic published a story detailing a number of comments Mr Trump allegedly made behind the scenes. One of those remarks came during a conversation with his senior staff on the morning of the scheduled visit to Aisne-Marne Cemetery.

“Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers,” the US President reportedly said.

During a different conversation on the same trip, Mr Trump reportedly referred to the fallen marines from Belleau Wood as “suckers”.

The story includes other remarks from the President, which we’ll get to in a moment, but first let’s be clear about where the information is coming from.

The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, cites four anonymous sources “with first-hand knowledge” of Mr Trump’s remarks.

Shortly after the story was published, AP investigative reporter James LaPorta, a former marine infantryman, said he had confirmed Goldberg’s story “in its entirety” with an anonymous “senior Defence Department” official.

A senior Defense Department official I just spoke with confirmed this story by @JeffreyGoldberg in its entirety. Especially the grafs about the late Sen. John McCain and former Marine Gen. John Kelly, President @realDonaldTrump former chief of staff. https://t.co/ol2lhBbgv8— James LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) September 3, 2020

The White House, meanwhile, says it is completely untrue.

“This report is false. President Trump holds the military in the highest regard,” spokeswoman Alyssa Farah told The Atlantic.

“He’s demonstrated his commitment to them at every turn, delivering on his promise to give our troops a much-needed pay raise, increasing military spending, signing critical veterans reforms and supporting military spouses.

“This (story) has no basis in fact.”

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany responded to Goldberg’s story on Twitter, labelling it “garbage”.

I see President @realDonaldTrump consistently express his heartfelt gratitude and absolute admiration for our brave men and women in uniform.Just yesterday, he was truly humbled to be in the presence of our courageous World War II veterans. This Atlantic story is garbage!— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) September 4, 2020

So there’s your context. It’s an anonymously sourced story, and it has been explicitly denied by the White House. On the other hand, another reporter has confirmed it.

We also need to talk about Goldberg’s first two paragraphs, which allege Mr Trump “rejected the idea” of visiting the cemetery for unsavoury reasons.

“When President Donald Trump cancelled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris on 2018, he blamed rain for the last-minute decision, saying that the ‘helicopter couldn’t fly’ and that the Secret Service wouldn’t drive him there. Neither claim was true,” he writes.

“Trump rejected the idea of the visit because he feared his hair would become disheveled in the rain, and because he did not believe it important to honour American war dead.”

Buzzfeed reporter Jason Leopold has previously obtained Navy documents confirming the President’s flight on Marine One was cancelled due to the weather conditions.

Regarding the lede of this story: I obtained documents from the Navy via #FOIA about Trump's 2018 trip to Aisne-Marne American Cemetery   near Paris and the documents say his transport was canceled by the Navy due to rain. https://t.co/oNWsvAPy1z pic.twitter.com/keFtW7QC8b— Jason Leopold (@JasonLeopold) September 4, 2020

The visit’s cancellation was also referenced in former White House national security adviser John Bolton’s recent memoir.

“Marine One’s crew was saying that bad visibility could make it imprudent to chopper to the cemetery. The ceiling was not too low for marines to fly in combat, but flying POTUS was obviously something very different,” Mr Bolton - no fan of the President - wrote.

He also provided an explanation for why Mr Trump was not driven to the cemetery instead.

“If a motorcade were necessary, it could take between 90 and 120 minutes each way, along roads that were not exactly freeways, posing an unacceptable risk that we could not get the President out of France quickly enough in case of an emergency.

“It was a straightforward decision to cancel the visit.”

US President Donald Trump boarding Air Force One. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP

OK, what else does the story allege?

On Memorial Day in 2017, Mr Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery with his then-future (and now former) White House chief of staff, retired marine general John Kelly.

Gen Kelly’s son Robert was killed in Afghanistan in 2010, and is buried at Arlington. Standing next to his grave, Mr Trump reportedly turned to Gen Kelly and said: “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?”

The source Goldberg cites for this, again anonymously, is described as “one of Kelly’s friends” and a retired four-star general.

That source told The Atlantic Mr Trump’s comment summed up the President’s world view, and his inability to understand why someone would sign up for military service.

“He can’t fathom the idea of doing something for someone other than himself,” they said.

“He just thinks that anyone who does anything when there’s no direct personal gain to be had is a sucker. There’s no money in serving the nation.

“Trump can’t imagine anyone else’s pain. That’s why he would say this to the father of a fallen marine on Memorial Day.”

RELATED: General John Kelly called Donald Trump ‘an idiot’

General John Kelly served as Mr Trump’s second chief of staff. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP

There’s more.

In 2018, as the White House planned a military parade, Mr Trump reportedly asked his staff not to include wounded veterans, saying viewers would not want to look at amputees.

“Nobody wants to see that,” he allegedly said.

Goldberg cites three sources who claim Mr Trump twice referred to former president and navy pilot George H.W. Bush, who died in 2018, as a “loser” because he was shot down during World War II.

Republican senator John McCain, another former navy pilot, also died in 2018 after a battle with brain cancer.

Mr Trump had feuded with Mr McCain for years. Their loathing for one another went back to 2015, when Mr Trump publicly took issue with people describing Mr McCain as a war hero.

“He’s not a war hero. He’s a hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured,” Mr Trump said at the time.

Mr McCain was indeed shot down and captured during the Vietnam War in 1967.

He spent the next five years in a prisoner-of-war camp, where he was repeatedly tortured. Mr McCain, whose father was an admiral, refused to accept a deal that would have seen him released before his fellow prisoners.

According to Goldberg’s sources, Mr Trump erupted in the aftermath of Mr McCain’s death, when he found out America’s flags had been lowered to half-mast in honour of the late senator.

“What the f**k are we doing that for? Guy was a f***ing loser,” he reportedly said.

The President also said the administration was “not going to support that loser’s funeral”.

A few hours after the story was published, and after the White House’s official response, Mr Trump himself jumped on Twitter to deny having made those comments, saying he would swear to it “on whatever or whoever I was asked to swear on”.

RELATED: McCain’s warning: ‘That’s how dictators start’

RELATED: John McCain’s final rebuke for Donald Trump

I was never a big fan of John McCain, disagreed with him on many things including ridiculous endless wars and the lack of success he had in dealing with the VA and our great Vets, but the lowering of our Nations American Flags, and the first class funeral he was given by our....— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020

..Country, had to be approved by me, as President, & I did so without hesitation or complaint. Quite the contrary, I felt it was well deserved. I even sent Air Force One to bring his body, in casket, from Arizona to Washington. It was my honor to do so. Also, I never called..— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020

....John a loser and swear on whatever, or whoever, I was asked to swear on, that I never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES. This is more made up Fake News given by disgusting & jealous failures in a disgraceful attempt to influence the 2020 Election!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020

I should note that Mr Trump’s assertion he “never called John a loser” is easily disproved, given he did exactly that publicly.

Speaking to the White House press corps after returning to Washington D.C. in the evening, the President repeated that he would be “willing to swear on anything” that he “never said that about our fallen heroes”.

“What animal would say such a thing?” he asked.

Mr Trump added that Goldberg’s sources were probably “a couple of people that have been failures in the administration that I got rid of”. Either that, or the story was “just made up”.

For the record, Mr McCain received a memorial service at Washington National Cathedral, with his casket draped in the American flag. That service was approved by Mr Trump.

Three former presidents, representing both major political parties, attended to pay their respects. Barack Obama and George W. Bush both delivered eulogies.

Mr Trump was not invited. He spent the day at one of his golf courses in Virginia, and his daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner attended the service in his stead.

They watched from the audience as Mr McCain’s daughter, Meghan, used her eulogy to deliver an explicit rebuke of Mr Trump’s politics.

“The America of John McCain has no need to be made great again, because America was always great,” she said, clearly alluding to the President’s campaign slogan from 2016.

“We gather here to mourn the passing of American greatness. The real thing, not cheap rhetoric who will never come near the sacrifice he gave so willingly, nor the opportunistic appropriation of those who lived lives of comfort and privilege while he suffered and served.”

Mr Trump received repeated medical deferments for bone spurs in his foot, which prevented him from being drafted for the Vietnam War.

Ms McCain responded to The Atlantic’s story today by calling Mr Trump “vile and disgusting”.

I just got through two years without my Dad a few days ago. The loss is still incredibly painful and raw. No one is more acutely aware of how vile and disgusting Trump has been to my family, it is still hard to understand - America knows who this man is...— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) September 4, 2020

This never stops being incredibly painful, triggering, and it rips off new layers of grief that wreak havoc on my life. I wouldn't wish any of it on my worst enemy. I truly pray for peace for my family, our grief, and for this country.— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) September 4, 2020

Mr Obama’s eulogy at Mr McCain’s memorial service also included some pretty obvious swings at Mr Trump.

“So much of our politics, our public life, our public discourse, can seem small and mean and petty. Trafficking in bombast and insult and phony controversies and manufactured outrage,” the former president said.

“It’s a politics that pretends to be brave and tough, but in fact is born in fear. John called on us to be bigger than that. He called on us to be better than that.”

The late senator John McCain on the deck of the US navy ship named in his honour. Picture: US Embassy/AFP

The scene at Mr McCain’s memorial service as his casket was carried out. Picture: Saul Loeb/AFP

Goldberg’s article has so far been met with silence by the United States’ current military brass, but it has provoked outrage from a number of retired officers.

General Mark Hertling, a Purple Heart recipient, described Mr Trump as “incredibly toxic” and said the President had “no understanding of service or sacrifice”.

General Michael Hayden, a frequent critic of Mr Trump, retweeted comments calling the President a “thoroughly despicable human being”. He pointed out that conservatives, including Mr Trump, had slammed NFL player Colin Kaepernick for “disrespecting” the US military by taking a knee during the national anthem in protest against police brutality.

General Paul Eaton posted a video online reacting furiously to the article.

“I’ve got to tell you, it was a tough read,” Gen Eaton said.

“You have the President of the United States... ( подробнее )