China begins Taiwan military drills after Pelosi visit | First Thing
Taiwan says it is preparing for war without seeking war'. Plus, US Senate votes for Finland and Sweden's Nato entry
Good morning.
Taiwan's army has said it is preparing for war without seeking war" after China's military began an unprecedented four days of live-fire exercises near the island's shores following Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei.
How worried should we be? Experts agree that neither the US nor China want the tension to escalate to war. Amanda Hsiao, a senior analyst for China at the Crisis Group, said while China's military escalation was concerning, its response was not a surprise.
Has this happened before? The most recent of several crises in the Taiwan Strait was in 1995 - but Chinese missile tests appeared to be closer to the island this time.
Follow the latest developments on our live blog.
Who brought the case? The parents of six-year-old Jesse Lewis, who was killed in the massacre, are suing Jones for defamation. They are seeking at least $150m for the harassment and death threats they endured.
What does Jones say? That it was unreasonable to expect him to predict the harassment they would suffer.
Continue reading...