Weekly News Roundup

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31

Australia’s ambassador to the US Joe Hockey says Donald Trump is one of the most formidable politicians he’s seen in his life an is backing him for re-election.

A couple of rounds of golf with Donald Trump and Joe Hockey is singing the US president’s praises, reports the ABC.

Australia’s ambassador to the United States says Trump is authentic, not as aggressive in person as he is on Twitter, and is underestimated by many people.

“He is one of the most formidable politicians I’ve ever seen in my life,” he told Sydney’s 2GB radio.

Mr Hockey, in Australia this week, said he’s had a number of private engagements with the president – including some fairway therapy, most recently in April – and admired his “very inquisitive mind”.

“He’s always asking questions about ‘what do you think of this? What do you think of that?’

“The thing about Donald Trump is he is authentic. He’s a little less aggressive privately than he is on Twitter.”

The former Liberal treasurer felt there was a lot of momentum behind him in the US, and lauded him for fulfilling his promises to cut taxes, boosting the American economy, tearing up the Trans-Pacific Partnership, pulling out of the Paris climate agreement and moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

“When is the last time you had a president like that?

“If I was a betting man I would say you would bet that he’d be re-elected.”

Mr Hockey said the relationship between Australia’s prime minister and the president was very important and was in “no doubt” that new leader Scott Morrison will do well to maintain it.

#####

The British Government could ban the sale of high-caffeine soft drinks to children due to public health concerns, reports Reuters Newsagency.

The so-called “energy drinks” contain high levels of sugar and caffeine and have been linked to obesity and a range of other health issues including headaches and sleeping problems.

“With thousands of young people regularly consuming energy drinks, often because they are sold at cheaper prices than soft drinks, we will consult on banning the sale of energy drinks to children,” Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement.

“It is vital that we do all we can to make sure children have the best start in life and I encourage everyone to put forward their views.”

Adolescents in Britain who drink energy drinks consume around 50 per cent more than their counterparts in Europe, the statement said.

The government launched a consultation seeking views on the subject, including at what age the ban should apply.

Shops which sell the drinks to people under the legal age — expected to be either 16 or 18 — would face fines of up to $4,400.

####

Australian hurdler Sally Pearson is determined to have another tilt at Olympic glory in Tokyo even if it means turning her world championship defence into a “side run” next year.

The former Olympic champion was struck down by a serious Achilles injury before her home Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast earlier this year but has returned to training with a view to competing in Australia’s domestic season in coming months.

Pearson will be on the cusp of 34 when the 2020 Olympics roll around, but she will focusing her preparations on the Games rather than next year’s world championships in Doha.

“I know that we’re planning for the world championships next year, and that’s really important for our sport and really important to me, because I love the world championships and have had quite a lot of success there,” the 100 metres hurdles world champion told local media at Athletics Australia’s season launch on Thursday.

“But the Olympics are the ultimate — everyone wants to win those and everyone wants to get that Olympic cycle right.

“So everything I do now is planning for the Olympics — with a side run

“Because they are so close together, there won’t be a lot of downtime between Doha and Tokyo.”

After claiming silver in her pet event at the 2013 worlds, the 2012 London Olympics champion endured three injury-ravaged seasons and nearly retired in despair after missing out on her title defence at the 2016 Rio Games.

But she coached herself back to fitness and form to win the 100m hurdles at last year’s world championships in London, six years after her first title in Daegu.

On the comeback trail after another big injury setback, Pearson said she would be selective about her events to nurse her body through the Olympic cycle.

“Now that I have that experience of what my body can and can’t do, I’ll make sure I do everything I possibly can to back up from Doha going into Tokyo in the best possible shape,” she said.

 

This weekly news roundup is curated with stories from ABC News.