US News

• California is requiring all school employees to get vaccinated or get weekly covid tests. [Link]
• The NY Stock Exchange will require all floor traders to get vaccinated. Medical and religious exemptions are available. Anyone who receives an exemption will have to wear a surgical mask and be tested three times a week. [Link] 
• A UK judge rules in favor of the US appeal in the Assange extradition case. The US can now argue the mental health determination made by the first judge was incorrect. [Link]

China

• The US tells China it is no longer afraid of its ‘ship-killer missiles’ after the USS Ford passed shock trials. The shock trials involved detonating 18,000 pounds of explosives near the ship, causing a minor earthquake. [Link]
• The US is carrying out massive 21-nation war games in the Pacific called SEACAT. [Link]
• The US Coast Guard will build ties with the Taiwanese coast guard. [Link]

Afghanistan

• Ghazni City fell to the Taliban, the group’s 10th provincial capital. [Link]
• Russia reports the Taliban have seized the border crossing with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. [Link]
• The US is considering abandoning its embassy in Kabul. [Link]
• Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby says no decision has been made about continuing US airstrikes in Afghanistan past August 31st. [Link]
• The Taliban are capturing a lot of Afghan military equipment as they push their offensive. [Link]
• The Taliban seized a prison in Kandahar and were able to release some of their fighters. The government evacuated 240 prisoners before it was taken over. [Link]

Israel

• Israel is planning to allow the construction of 2,000 settler homes and 1,000 Palestinian homes in the West Bank. [Link]
• CIA head William Burns traveled to Israel and met with several officials to discuss Iran, including the Mossad chief. [Link]