US News
- Twitter restores some of the blocked accounts of Cuban officials. [Link]
- Trump is planning to meet with South Korean leader Moon Jae-in at the UN in September. Trump said he is open to meet with Kim Jong-un again. [Link]
- The US sails warships through the South China Sea to challenge China’s territorial claims. [Link]
- Trump says the US killed Hamza bin Laden in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region. [Link]
- Reports say Trump discussed easing sanctions on Iran to allow for a meeting with the Iranian president at the upcoming UN meeting. [Link] Trump said these reports are incorrect. [Link]
Assange
- The UK extends Assange’s detention indefinitely claiming they fear he will flee the impending extradition case. Assange was set to be released on the 22nd. [Link]
Israel
- Trump Tweets that he talks with Netanyahu about creating a mutual defense pact with Israel. [Link]
- Netanyahu hints that Trump’s deal of the century will allow for his proposed annexation of significant parts of the West Bank. The annexation would completely surround the Palestinian city Jeroico inside of Israeli borders. [Link]
- Facebook shuts down a chatbot on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Facebook account for making racist statements. [Link]
Saudi
- Secretary of Energy Rick Perry will meet with Saudi officials about selling Saudi Arabia a nuclear energy program. Perry said the Saudis must agree to a 123 nonproliferation agreement. [Link]
Yemen
- The Houthis claim responsibility for a coordinated drone attack on major Saudi oil facilities. [Link]
- The US claims that Iran was behind the attack on the Saudi oil facilities and would provide evidence within days. [Link]
- Trump says the US is ‘locked and loaded’ to respond to the attack on Saudi oil facilities. Daniel Larison explains why the US does not need to retaliate on behalf of Saudi Arabia. [Link]
- The UAE says six of their soldiers died in a car accident in Yemen. [Link]