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Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress Nancy Pelosi may still arrive in Taiwan on the evening of August 2, and on August 3 she may meet with the head of the Taipei administration, Tsai Ing-wen. This was reported by the Japanese agency Kyodo. The same information was confirmed by a journalist from the Taiwanese state media TVBS NEWS.

🇺🇸 According to the Nikkei, The US military hardware, including aircraft carriers and large aircraft, have been moved closer to Taiwan. According to the publication, the US military expects thereby to create a "buffer zone" for the possible arrival of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

🇨🇳 In turn, 4 aircraft of the Chinese Air Force entered the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone. Four J-16 fighters participated in the maneuvers, according to reports from the Taiwanese defense department. They flew around the water area to the southwest of the island.

🇹🇼 The Taiwanese military in response to such actions distributed radio warnings and deployed anti-aircraft missile systems.

Earlier, China's state-run Global Times suggested that the landing of Pelosi's plane could be carried out under the pretext of a technical malfunction or the need to refuel.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry again warned the United States that Pelosi's visit to Taiwan would lead to "serious consequences."

🇺🇸🇰🇷🇯🇵 And in this case, Washington should also take into account the fact that there are very big disagreements among its allies in the region. Today, Japan protested to South Korea because of the entry of research vessels into the area of ​​the Takeshima Islands (Dokdo). A few days earlier, Seoul, against the backdrop of statements by the country's leadership about the possibility of inflicting a preventive strike on nuclear infrastructure facilities in the DPRK, began military exercises in the Sea of ​​Japan near these islands.

❔ So how the White House, in the event of a decision to enter the war in the Strait, is going to organize an operation to supply Taipei and deblock the island, not to mention the supply of weapons and hostilities, is not entirely clear. In addition, one should not discount the Eastern European front, both ongoing and brewing.

JPMorgan says Russia has had little problem rerouting its oil exports, meaning the expected plunge in production never happened

From Market Insider

Russia has been able to reroute its oil exports away from Europe without serious disruptions, JPMorgan has said, adding that the expected drop in output "never happened."

Better-than-expected Russian production, along with the release of oil from global strategic reserves, helps explain the recent drop in crude prices, the bank's head of commodities research Natasha Kaneva said in a note to clients.

Russia's oil exports to Europe — its biggest market — have fallen relatively sharply in 2022, as companies have "self-sanctioned" in the wake of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in late February.

However, Russia has been able to shift its exports towards Asia, with India and China in particular stepping up their purchases. More recently, a jump in domestic demand has caused Russian oil production to rise back to prewar levels.

Footage of combat operations of Pantsir self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and missile systems of the Western Military District during the special military operation.

Pantsir system continues to destroy Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles operate AFU as well as Tochka-U missiles fired at liberated civilian settlements while on combat duty.

Wheeled infantry fighting vehicles ZBL-09 on the beach in Fujian

Politico: The fact that Pelosi is apparently still planning to visit Taiwan indicates that the Pentagon has revised its assessment of the danger from the Chinese military.

"The visit ... suggests that both sides have reluctantly reached a compromise agreement that will allow it to take place while reducing the likelihood of miscalculations in a period of increased tension," the publication says.

American military experts interviewed by the newspaper have no doubt that China and the United States are in contact at the military level in order to avoid unwanted incidents. Politico adds that Washington will apparently at the same time confirm to Beijing through diplomatic channels that it remains committed to the "one China" policy.

The Washington Post, citing sources, insists that Pelosi may cancel her visit to Taiwan at the last moment.

108 years ago - on August 1, 1914 - Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary, declared war on Russia.

The Russian Empire entered the First World War on the side of Serbia.

The First World War led to the collapse of four empires and provoked the flowering of nationalism, destroying the common European civilization.

Just grim reminder, on how emotions and incompetence could lead to the millions of deaths.

Kirby says US does not support Taiwan independence.

On the beach in Fujian Province, a convoy of infantry fighting vehicles ZTD-05 of the Marine Corps of the PLA Navy was seen.

Bloomberg: “The US should give up any attempt to play the Taiwan card,” says Hua Chunying, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a briefing ahead of an expected visit by Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.

MOSCOW, August 2 - RIA Novosti. The United States is directly involved in the hostilities in Ukraine, this is confirmed by the words of the deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence about the coordination of the goals of artillery strikes, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.
"No other confirmation of the direct involvement of the United States in the hostilities on the territory of Ukraine is required. The supply of weapons is accompanied not only by instructions on its use, but in this case they perform the function of the target setters in their purest form," the diplomat noted.

She stressed that "nothing else needs to be known how far they (the United States) are distanced from the situation."
The Ministry of Defense also commented on the interview of the Ukrainian general. As the official representative of the department, Igor Konashenkov, noted, these words were recorded there and will be taken into account.
"No one else in Ukraine and in the world should have any doubts that HIMARS missile attacks on Novaya Kakhovka on July 12, on Stakhanov on July 17, on Krasny Luch on July 24, dozens of missile attacks on Donetsk and, of course, on July 29 on pre-trial detention centre in Yelenovka, which killed 50 and maimed 73 Ukrainian prisoners of war, was planned by the Zelensky regime and approved by Washington.” Stated the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defence Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov during a briefing

The day before, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitsky, said in an interview with Telegraph that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are consulting with the United States before attacking the Donbass from the American HIMARS MLRS. According to him, Washington can cancel the attack if "they are not satisfied with the intended target." Skibitsky at the same time refused to directly answer the question of whose satellite images the Ukrainian military uses for such strikes.

At the end of July, 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed and 73 were injured as a result of a Ukrainian strike from HIMARS on a detention centre in Yelenovka in the DPR. As the head of the republic, Denis Pushilin, pointed out, nationalists who were hiding on Azovstal were kept there. He called the strike of the Armed Forces of Ukraine deliberate, as the militants began to testify.
Russia called on experts from the UN and the Red Cross to investigate the incident.
After the start of the Russian special military operation on February 24 to protect the Donbass, the United States and its allies increased the supply of military equipment to Ukraine. US President Joe Biden signed a bill to provide the Kyiv regime with military, economic and humanitarian assistance in the amount of about $40 billion.
Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, said that military supplies only prolong the conflict, prolong the agony of the Kyiv regime and multiply the victims.

MOSCOW, August 2 - RIA Novosti. The Russian military continues to liberate the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic, recently they have liberated six settlements there, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a conference call.
"After taking control of the territory of the Lugansk People's Republic, the Donetsk People's Republic is planned to be liberated. Recently, the settlements of Grigorovka, Berestovoye, Stryapovka, Pokrovskoye, Semigorye and Novoluganskoye have been liberated. The Uglegorsk thermal power plant, the largest in Europe, with a design capacity of three thousand 600 megawatts, has come under our control." said the general of the army.

MOSCOW, August 2 - RIA Novosti. Presidents of Russia and Turkey Vladimir Putin and Tayyip Erdogan will discuss the international agenda and bilateral cooperation at a meeting in Sochi, said press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov.
"This is the economy, the discussion of regional problems, this is Syria, this is Ukraine, and a good opportunity to "synchronize watches" on the effectiveness of this mechanism for the export of grain from Ukrainian ports, how effectively it works, to see, but also to exchange views on world affairs ", he told reporters.

The Kremlin spokesman added that the agenda was "very, very tense."
The previous talks between the leaders of the two countries were held on July 19 in Tehran as part of the summit in the Astana format. They also met with Iranian Rahbar Ali Khamenei and President Ibrahim Raisi.

German Foreign Minister: Berlin will help Taiwan in case of "China's aggression"

Chairman of the Federation Council Commission on Information Policy Alexei Pushkov appreciated the statement of German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock that Berlin "will help Taiwan in the event of aggression from China."

“The leaders of Germany live in the illusion that they can go into conflict with the two leading powers of the world, throw money away and to distant countries, and the state of Germany itself will not suffer from this at all.

But it is already suffering and will suffer more: ideological mirages and “battles for democracy” are expensive,” Pushkov stressed.

BP profits TREBLE to 14-year high of £6.9bn due to surge in oil and gas prices: Energy giant will hand BILLIONS to shareholders as families face soaring bills amid cost-of-living crisis

- BP has revealed second-quarter profits more than trebled to a 14-year high
- Profits at 8.5 billion US dollars (£6.9 billion) for the three months to June 30
- This up from 2.8 billion US dollars (£2.3 billion) a year ago, the oil company said
- It comes as households face an energy bill of £3,615 this winter, analysis says
- Jacob Rees-Mogg said you need a 'profitable' energy sector to 'extract energy'
- Rachel Reeves said bills are soaring while BP enjoys 'eye-watering profits'

Who said that life is hard? Certainly not for everyone.

In addition to Chinese planes flying close to the median line of the strait, several Chinese warships have sailed near the unofficial dividing line since Monday, the source told Reuters. Chinese warships and aircraft "squeezed" the median line on Tuesday morning, the source said, an unusual move the person described as "very provocative."

Chinese aircraft repeatedly conducted tactical moves of briefly "touching" the median line and circling back to the other side of the strait on Tuesday morning, while Taiwanese aircraft were on standby nearby, the person said.

The Chinese planes left the area in the afternoon, but the vessels remained, the person said.

Neither side's aircraft normally cross the median line.

Taiwan's Defence Ministry said in a statement it has a full grasp of the military activities and will appropriately dispatch forces in reaction to any "enemy threats".