🇨🇳 🇺🇸 Chinese ambassador to the United States Qin Gang said that he does not believe that the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan was not authorized by US President Joe Biden.

▪️ Biden accommodated Pelosi's trip because the US Congress "is not an independent, uncontrollable branch, according to international law," Qin said during a closed-door conference for US journalists, as cited by Axios news portal.

▪️ Washington should show restraint in its policy toward Taiwan otherwise there will be another round of tensions with China, Qin warned, according to Axios. He added that the one China principle should be the foundation of all US-China relations, without the respect of which no dialogue on climate change or nuclear issues is possible.

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❗️ Russia dismantles Hizb ut-Tahrir cell coordinated by Ukraine in Crimea: Federal Security Service

🇷🇺🇮🇳 Despite Western pressure, India has remained Russia’s top partner in terms of arms trade, driven by its national interests: a large share of Indian defense resources are devoted to maintaining security along its vast border with China and Pakistan.

According to various estimates, the share of Russian weaponry in the Indian Armed Forces could be upwards of 85%. For instance, two-thirds of the Indian Air Force’s tactical combat aircraft are of Russian origin, such as the Sukhoi Su-30MKI Flanker - although it is, like many other models, a license-produced variant made under the slogan ‘Make in India.’

Check out the details of India’s arms deals with Russia in Sputnik’s new infographics!

🇰🇷 🇰🇵 South Korea cannot guarantee the stability of the current government system in North Korea, but does not seek a regime change, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Wednesday.

🗯 "A guarantee of the system preservation? The South Korean government cannot provide this, but neither I, nor our government are seeking a coarse or violent change in the status quo in the North Korean region," Yoon said at a press conference marking his 100 days in office.

▪️ Peace between South and North Korea is of utmost importance, but if North Korea changes in some way as a result of economic or diplomatic assistance from Seoul, then South Korea will only welcome such changes, Yoon said.

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😬 UK newspaper The Guardian gained access to an audio recording of Liz Truss' statements made five years ago, when she was chief secretary to the Treasury.

🔉 In an audio recording leaked to The Guardian, Liz Truss, now the Tory leadership frontrunner, said that those living outside the British capital were less likely to be hard workers and she suggested paying attention to China.

👂 "If you look at productivity, it's very, very different in London from the rest of the country,” she said. "Essentially, it's partly a mindset and attitude thing, I think. It's working culture, basically. If you go to China it's quite different, I can assure you."

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❗️ Russian MoD’s latest statements on the Ukraine crisis:

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces hit an ammunition depot of the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade in the DPR using high-precision weapons. It resulted in the destruction of over 3,000 122mm artillery shells, mines, and over 30 nationalists.

▪️ High-precision strikes by the Russian Aerospace Forces against AFU manpower and military equipment concentration sites in the Kherson region destroyed over 40 nationalists and 10 special military vehicles.

▪️ Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile troops, and artillery strikes continue to strike military facilities in Ukraine.

▪️ Russian air defense units destroyed 4 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the Kharkov region, Kherson, and the DPR.

▪️ Some 267 Ukrainian airplanes, 148 helicopters, 1,747 unmanned aerial vehicles, 365 anti-aircraft missile systems, 4,334 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 799 multiple launch rocket systems, 3,310 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 4,922 special military vehicles have been destroyed during the operation.

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💎 The United States, the European Union and Canada have called for labeling Russian diamonds "bloody" over the conflict in Ukraine, the New York Times reported, citing US officials.

♦ The Western countries have taken steps against Russian precious stones because "proceeds from that [diamond] production are benefiting the same state that is conducting a premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war," a US State Department official, George Cajati, said in a letter to the Kimberley Process organization, as cited by the New York Times.

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😬 The head of the UK’s RAF recruiting team has resigned amid concerns the service paused recruitment of white males in favor of ethnic minorities and women in order to tackle diversity-related issues, according to Sky News.

▪️ The news outlet cited unnamed defense sources as saying that the RAF head - the senior female office whose name was not revealed – quit a few days ago in protest against “an effective pause” on recruiting white men.

▪️ The sources claimed that such a pause could undermine the RAF’s combat strength, berating the service for trying to hit "impossible" diversity targets.

▪️ Last year, UK Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston called for “profound” change in the hiring of personnel as he committed the Royal Air Force (RAF) to doubling recruitment of women to 40% by 2030 and 20% from ethnic minorities.

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