Chinese warplanes buzz line dividing Taiwan Strait before expected Pelosi visit

The Reuters Daily Briefing Tuesday, August 2, 2022 by Hani Richter Hello Here's what you need to know. Chinese warplanes buzz line dividing Taiwan Strait before expected Pelosi visit, How the CIA identified and killed Al-Qaeda leader Zawahiri and hotter summers mean Florida's turtles are mostly born female Today's biggest stories The Sierra Leone-flagged ship Razoni leaves the sea port in Odesa after restarting grain export, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, Ukraine August 1, 2022. REUTERS/Serhii Smolientsev WORLD The first ship carrying Ukrainian grain to world markets since Russia's invasion blocked exports more than five months ago is on track to safely arrive in Istanbul on Tuesday night, amid Ukrainian fears it could still run into problems. Taiwan is preparing its air-raid shelters as rising tension with China and Russia's invasion of Ukraine raise new fears about the possibility of a Chinese attack on the democratic island. Doctors across Sierra Leone began an indefinite strike to protest low pay and lack of benefits, leaving dozens of patients in hospital waiting rooms in need of care. For Palestinians living on the crowded Gaza Strip, a searing summer heatwave has been made worse by power cuts that leave them without electricity for as much as 10 hours a day. The frontrunner to become British prime minister, Liz Truss, said she would scrap plans to restrict multi-buy deals on food and drink high in fat, salt, or sugar and would not impose any new levies on unhealthy food. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi waves after attending a meeting with Malaysia's Parliament Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun at Malaysian Houses of Parliament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, August 2, 2022. U.S. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi was expected to arrive in Taipei later on Tuesday, people briefed on the matter said, as several Chinese warplanes flew close to the median line dividing the Taiwan Strait, a source told Reuters. Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a U.S. strike in Afghanistan over the weekend, the biggest blow to the militant group since its founder Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011. Voters in Kansas will decide whether the state constitution should go on protecting abortion rights in a closely watched referendum that could lead to abortion access being curtailed or banned in America's heartland. Floods unleashed by torrential rains in eastern Kentucky have killed at least 37 people, including four children, Governor Andy Beshear said, while warning that more dangerous weather is approaching the region. The Russian drugs trial of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner should be over "very soon," her lawyer said, as the Kremlin warned the United States that megaphone diplomacy would not secure a prisoner swap for the 31-year-old Texan. Logo of British Petrol BP is seen at a petrol station in Pienkow, Poland, June 8, 2022. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel BUSINESS & MARKETS BP's second quarter profit soared to $8.45 billion, its highest in 14 years, as strong refining margins and trading prompted it to boost its dividend and spending on new oil and gas production. U.S. crypto firm Nomad has been hit by a $190 million theft, blockchain researchers said, the latest such heist to hit the digital asset sector this year. The United States is considering limiting shipments of American chipmaking equipment to memory chip makers in China including Yangtze Memory Technologies, according to four people, part of a bid to halt China's semiconductor sector advances and protect U.S. companies. America's largest warehouse market is full as major U.S. retailers warn of slowing sales of the clothing, electronics, furniture and other goods that have packed the distribution centers east of Los Angeles. Maersk raised its 2022 profit guidance for a second time after beating quarterly revenue expectations as congested global supply chains that have boosted freight rates persist longer than expected. Quote of the day "Unfortunately, the reality is that we are still having the same conversations about equality that we had 30, 20 and 10 years ago" Elizabeth Gaines Fortescue Metals Group Chief Executive Not enough women: miners meet in Australia under a cloud after sexism report Video of the day Thousands forced to flee California wildfire The fast-moving McKinney Fire in northern California near the Oregon border has forced 2,000 residents to evacuate and has destroyed homes and critical infrastructure since it broke out on Friday. Zachary Goelman produced this report. And finally… Hotter summers mean Florida's turtles are mostly born female Florida's sea turtles are grappling with a gender imbalance made worse by climate change. Recent heat waves have caused the sand on some beaches to get so hot that nearly every turtle born was female. More from Reuters Sustainable Business The Great Reboot Disrupted Legal News Breakingviews Thanks for spending part of your day with us. You are receiving this email because you signed up for newsletters from Reuters. No longer want to hear from us? Unsubscribe from The Reuters Daily Briefing. Terms, conditions, and privacy statement © 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036