• Trump fired Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci. Scaramucci held the job for 11 days. [Link]

• Trump is considering spending troops or private defense contractors to Afghanistan to protect mineral mining operations. [Link] Trump is also considering continuing the troop drawdown in Afghanistan. [Link]

• One-third of the cost of a 12 pack of soda in Illinois is taxes. [Link]

• The City of Baltimore has dropped charges against 34 people because the officers involved in the cases were caught planting drugs at another crime scene. Up to 70 more cases are still under review and more charges may be dropped. [Link]

• Former sheriff Joe Arpaio has been convicted of a crime for failing to stop enforcing unconstitutional immigration laws. [Link]

• Border Patrol Agents encouraged a 16-year-old drink a water bottle full of meth and let him die. [Link]

• Saudi Arabia/UAE say they are willing to begin talks with Qatar if Qatar meets a list of demands. Qatar has refused to meet these demands in the past. [Link]

• US Central Command expressed concern about the long term impacts of the Saudi/UAE blockade on Qatar and the US base in Qatar. [Link]

• Doug Bandow explains how the UAE/Saudi blockade of Qatar has hurt UAE/Saudi Arabia. [Link]

• Emails reveal the relationship between the UAE and influential Washington DC think tanks. [Link]

• North Korea’s most recent ICBM test was a failed test. The missile broke into pieces before reaching the target. [Link]

• The US Special Investigator for Afghanistan Reconstruction said the US is giving too much money to Afghanistan. [Link]

• In Afghanistan, ISIS fighters carried out suicide bombings at the gate of the Iraqi Embassy in Kabul. Other ISIS fighters were able to enter the compound. At last seven members of security were killed in the assault. [Link]

• The Venezuelan government held elections on a vote to create a new congress appointed by the president. The opposition to the president boycotted the election. The government claims 8.5 million people voted in the election and the opposition claims 2.4 million voted. President Maduro claims the election was legitimate and plans to start appointing a new congress. Protests broke out on Monday. At least 16 people were killed in the first 24 hours after the election. [Link]

• The US has placed sanctions on Venezuela’s President Maduro. [Link]

On Foreign Policy Focus #73 I give all the latest news on the Sanctions Bill. The bill passed the House and Senate with a combined five no votes, and now Trump plans to sign it. The bill will drive a larger divide in the Russia/USA relationship. I examine how the sanctions bill fits into Trump’s Russia policy. I also update Pakistan, North Korea, Venezuela, Syria, and Yemen. LISTEN HERE!!