July 29, 2022

*) Xi warns Biden not to 'play with fire' amid tensions over Taiwan US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have agreed to schedule their first in-person summit as leaders. The decision came during a phone call, where Xi warned the United States not to "play with fire" in Taiwan. In response, Biden reassured Xi that the US policy, known as "strategic ambiguity", was unchanged — essentially favouring the status quo in Taiwan. Tensions are escalating over the self-ruled island that China considers its own, and there are fears that Xi could ultimately order an invasion to impose Beijing's rule. *) ​​UK: Russia puts Wagner fighters on frontline duty in eastern Ukraine Russia has tasked Wagner Group mercenaries to hold sections of the frontline in Ukraine in a sign it is running short of combat infantry, Britain's Ministry of Defence has said. The ministry said in an intelligence update that Russia is relying more on the forces from its private military company for frontline duties rather than their usual work in special operations. However, the ministry said the mercenaries are unlikely to make up for the loss of regular infantry units or alter the trajectory of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine. *) Venezuela, Colombia agree to reestablish diplomatic relations Venezuela and Colombia will reestablish diplomatic relations at an ambassadorial level when leftist President-elect Gustavo Petro takes office in Bogota in August. Venezuela's minister of foreign relations, Carlos Faria, hosted Colombia's Foreign Minister-elect Alvaro Leyva in San Cristobal on Thursday. Leyva read out a statement saying that both men had "expressed their desire to progress…towards the gradual normalisation of bilateral relations." Relations between the two countries were broken in 2019 after Colombian President Ivan Duque refused to recognise the reelection of his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro. *) Two foreign climbers ascending Pakistan's peaks announced dead An Australian and a Canadian mountai