Tension between China and Taiwan escalated after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. Even before Pelosi arrived in Taiwan, its military was put on high alert to 'prepare for war' with China.

On the day of her visit, Chinese warships started moving towards the Taiwan shoreline. A day after her visit, Taiwan's defence ministry reported that 27 Chinese fighter jets entered its air defence zone.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden said al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a strike in Afghanistan. This comes as the biggest blow to the militant group since its founder Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011.