US News

• US airstrikes have dropped about 54% since Biden took office. [Link]
• Military families in Hawaii believe they have been exposed to contaminated water for months longer than the Navy currently admits. [Link]
• The US sanctions three people in Brazil for supporting al-Qaeda. [Link]

Covid

• Secret Service reports over $100 billion in covid relief funds was stolen through fraud. [Link]
• The US donates over 600,000 vaccine doses to Lebanon through Covax. [Link]

Great Power

• Putin says he sees an overall positive reaction from the US to the Russian security proposal. [Link]
• The State Department approves the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Lithuania. The sale is for over 300 missiles for $125 million. [Link]
• China places retaliatory sanctions on four US officials. [Link]
• CNN reports China is aiding Saudi Arabia in building ballistic missiles. [Link]

Middle East

• The US will exempt US and UN officials from sanctions on the Taliban. [Link]
• National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan tells Israel the US is willing to take a harder stance against Iran and the US is looking at a “freeze for freeze” option with Iran. [Link]
• Saudi Arabia bombed Yemen’s capital. [Link]