US News

• A 76-year-old woman was released from jail on home confinement during the covid pandemic. She attended a class and didn’t answer a call from her parole officer. She was rearrested and will be sent to federal prison. [Link]
• The government plans to remove the fencing around the Capitol building. [Link]
• The Army tells commanders to prepare for mandatory covid vaccinations starting in September. [Link]

Afghanistan 

• The Taliban captured three districts in northern Afghanistan after 300 Afghan soldiers fled over the border to Tajikistan. [Link]
• The Afghan Army is planning an offensive to retake some northern territory taken by the Taliban. [Link]
• The new command structure for the Afghan War will be based out of the Kabul embassy. The Post will be headed by Navy Rear Admiral Peter Vasely. [Link]

Middle East 

• Israel has deployed a semi-autonomous, armed, unmanned vehicle to the border with Gaza. [Link]
• At the UN, the US accused Iran of being behind attacks by Shia militias. Iran denied the US claims. [Link]
• Rockets hit the Ain al-Asad Air Base in Iraq. The base houses US soldiers. No casualties were reported in the attack. [Link]
• Doctors Without Borders reports Italy seized a ship the group uses to save migrants attempting to cross from Africa to Europe. [Link]
• Turkey will allow Qatar to base 36 aircraft and 250 soldiers in Turkey. [Link]

Africa 

• The group controlling Ethiopia’s Tigray calls the government’s ceasefire declaration a joke. The group calls for a full withdrawal of Eritrean and other militias from Tigray because ceasefire talks begin. [Link]
• The UN warns that 400,000 people in Tigray are in famine conditions and 1.8 million are on the brink of famine. [Link]
• About 150 students were kidnapped from high school in Nigeria. [Link]