International news brief: China to begin military drills encircling Taiwan

Beijing, Aug 04: China is due on Thursday to kick off its largest-ever military exercises encircling Taiwan, in a show of force straddling vital international shipping lanes following a visit to the self-ruled island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Pelosi left Taiwan Wednesday after a less than 24-hour visit that defied a series of increasingly stark threats from Beijing, which views the island as its territory.

US Senate backs NATO membership for Finland, Sweden

The United States Senate on Wednesday approved Finland and Sweden's accession to NATO.

The Nordic countries, which had long maintained neutrality, launched a bid to join the 30-member alliance in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The vote on Wednesday easily surpassed the two-thirds majority needed to back the ratification of the accession documents, with 95 senators voting in support.

Only one Republican senator, Josh Hawley, voted against the the candidacy of the two European nations.

Musk response to Twitter lawsuit to be made public by Friday

Elon Musk's answer to Twitter's lawsuit over his attempt to back out of a USD 44 billion deal to buy the social media company will be made public by Friday evening at the latest, a judge has ruled. Attorneys for Musk wanted to file a public version of their answer and counterclaims in Delaware court on Wednesday. But Twitter attorneys complained that they needed more time to review and potentially redact Musk's sealed filing, saying it refers "extensively" to internal Twitter information and data given to Musk.

Iraq: Influential cleric demands early elections

Powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Wednesday called for the dissolution of Iraq's parliament and early elections.

Al-Sadr's demand came after thousands of his followers stormed the parliament building over the weekend and declared a sit-in.

The protesters were demonstrating against the involvement of Iran-backed political groups in the formation of the next government.

In a televised speech in the holy city of Najaf, in central Iraq, al-Sadr insisted that the sit-in by "revolutionaries" must continue until parliament is dissolved.

US: Indiana Rep Walorski killed in car crash

Republican US Rep. Jackie Walorski was on Wednesday killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District, according to her office. "Jackie's husband, was just informed by the Elkhart County Sheriff's office that

Jackie was killed in a car accident this afternoon. She has returned home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers. We will have no further comment at this time," her office said in a statement.

with agency inputs