US News

• The sailor accused of setting the fire to the USS Bonhomme Richard has been found not guilty. The $1.2 billion warship was destroyed in the fire. Military Times
• Joe Biden is withholding the full report on the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. A government panel has recommended the report be released. Khashoggi was murdered by the Saudi government. WSJ

NATO

• Sweden has resumed arms exports to Turkey. US News
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated on Saturday that Ankara could block Sweden and Finland from joining NATO if the two countries don’t fulfill a deal they signed with Turkey on joining the alliance. AWC
• Lithuania calls for NATO membership negotiations for Ukraine to begin. Newsweek The Institute 

Russia

• Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, angered Ukrainian officials on Monday when he tweeted an idea for a potential peace deal in Ukraine along with a poll to gain public support. AWC
• Ukraine offers the White House oversight over its target selection if the US sends Kiev more advanced missiles. CNN The Institute 
• Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that the attacks on the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines that connect Russia to Germany offer a “tremendous opportunity” to end Europe’s dependency on Russian energy. AWC
• The US and its European allies have begun depleting their arms stockpiles by transferring myriad weapons systems to Kiev. The civilian head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, said he is working with the arms industry to increase production. The Institute 
• Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Sunday said it was possible that Russian President Vladimir Putin could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, although he hasn’t seen indications that such a decision has been made. AWC
• Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that Moscow was exploring the idea of holding in-person talks with the US on New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the two powers. AWC
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared his country would be submitting an “accelerated” bid to join NATO on Friday. He made the announcement shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed documents to formally annex four regions of Ukraine. Zelensky said the alliance should welcome Kiev, as Ukraine is already a de facto member. AWC
• The Senate on Thursday approved a stopgap funding bill needed to avert a government shutdown that includes up to $16 billion in new aid for Ukraine. AWC
• NATO on Thursday formally labeled the leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines as “sabotage” and warned that attacks on an ally’s “critical infrastructure” could be met with a response, although the pipelines are owned mainly by Russia. AWC
• NATO is concerned Russia is preparing to test the Poseidon torpedoes. Yahoo
• The US is planning to establish a new command base in Germany that will focus entirely on supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia, The New York Times reported on Thursday. AWC
• The Kremlin announced Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will take the first step to annex four Ukrainian territories by signing a document at a ceremony that will take place at 3 PM Moscow time on Friday. AWC
• Ukrainian forces have made some gains in the southern Kherson region, Russian officials acknowledged on Monday. AWC
• Ukraine told the European Union on Monday that the EU needs to increase the pace at which it provides billions of euros in promised aid. AWC

Armenia 

• Armenia and Azerbaijan hold talks in Geneva. AJ

China

• The US kicked off two-week war games in the Philippines. 2,500 American soldiers will take part in the drills. Japanese and South Korean troops will observe. Reuters

Korea

• US Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to the border of North Korea and slammed the government in Pyongyang. After she departed South Korea, the DPRK carried out its third missile test this week. The Institute
• North Korea test-fired a missile over Japan. Forbes  The Institute 

Middle East

• A Palestinian seven-year-old boy suffered a heart attack after being chased by Israeli soldiers. MEE
• Turkey’s Defense Ministry reported attacks on northern Iraq and Syria, saying at least 30 PKK were killed. The larger attack was in Asos, Iraq, where 23 were reported killed. AWC
• Several Iranian the CIA recruited into being informants were caught by Tehran because the agency did not sufficiently protect their communications. Reuters
• The US imposed new sanctions on companies that facilitate the trade of Iranian oil. VOA AWC
• According to Iranian media, Iran is expecting the US to unfreeze $7 billion in Iranian funds that are held by South Korea after Tehran released two Iranian-Americans from prison. AWC
• Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that Tehran is still “exchanging messages” with the US on the nuclear deal and that an agreement is still possible. AWC
• The US State Department has reported that Wednesday’s attack on Iraqi Kurdistan killed an American citizen, though declined to offer details. Beyond that no troops or officials were killed. AWC
• The UN special envoy for Yemen said Sunday that the ceasefire between the Houthis and the US-backed Saudi-led coalition expired on Sunday without the two sides agreeing on an extension. AWC

Africa

• The US claims to kill the leader of al-Shabaab in a drone strike. France 24
• An al-Shabaab attack leaves 20 dead. AP
• The leader of Burkina Faso’s ruling military junta was disposed and fled the country. Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba is now in Togo and Capt. Ibrahim Traore is the country’s new ruler. Yahoo