US News

• A judge approved the $600 million settlement agreement between Michigan and the residents of Flint poisoned by their water. The settlement was announced in 2020. [Link]
• Ten states are suing the federal government over Biden’s healthcare worker mandate. [Link]
• The Army is looking to increase its space-based capabilities and recently signed an agreement with Capella Space. [Link]
• Chief of the National Guard Gen. Daniel Hokanson is pushing for a separate Space National Guard. [Link]
• Biden signs a new anti-Ortega law that will increase sanctions on Nicaragua. [Link]
• A US diplomat in South Korea got in a car accident and fled the scene. The diplomat is now refusing to speak with the South Korean police. [Link]

Belarus

• Migrants are attempting to cross from Belarus to Poland. The US and the EU have sanctioned Belarus for allowing border crossings. As Poland deploys more forces to its border with Belarus, Belarus is threatening to cut gas exports to the EU. [Link]

China

• China says it will work to repair its relationship with the US as Biden prepares to meet with the Chinese leader in the coming days. [Link]
• China calls on the US to end official visits to Taiwan. [Link]

Afghanistan 

• The Taliban claim to capture 600 ISIS-K members. [Link]

Israel

• Israel has a program called Blue Wolf to spy on Palestinians. The program had Israeli soldiers collect photos of millions of Palestinians. Now, facial recognition IDs Palestinians and Israeli soldiers get a signal if they should arrest or detain the Palestinian. [Link]
• The head of Israel’s NSO Group resigns. [Link]
• The UAE and Bahrain hold joint military drills with Israel for the first time. The US is also engaged in the war games. [Link]

Middle East

• Iran is talking with the remaining JCPOA members before resuming indirect talks with the US scheduled for later this month. [Link]
• A drone targeted a Shia militia near the Iraq-Syria border. [Link]
• Saudi Arabia says its troops are not withdrawing from Yemen, but redeploying within Yemen. [Link]
• The UN Security Council adopts sanctions on three Houthi leaders. [Link]