Great Power

• The UK will increase its cap of nuclear weapons from 180 to 260. [Link]
• Biden says Putin will pay for alleged election interference. [Link]
• The US pressured Brazil not to buy Russia-made Covid vaccines. [Link]
• Four Senators call for increasing the State Department budget by $12 billion to combat China. [Link]
• The Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, issue a joint statement with their Japanese counterparts slamming China. [Link]
• The US approved the sale of three key components for Taiwan’s submarine program. [Link]

Afghanistan

• The IG for the Afghan War says without continued US support, the Afghan government will collapse. [Link]

Middle East

• Five rockets hit an Iraqi base that houses US contractors. [Link]
• Israel attacked targets near Syria’s capital. Syria claims to have intercepted the missiles. [Link]
• The UN reports at a migrant detention center in Yemen, Houthi actions attempting to quell a riot caused a fire that killed 40. [Link]

Africa

• At least 33 Malian soldiers were killed in an ambush attack. [Link]
• Armed men attacked a convoy and killed 58 people in Niger. [Link]
• The US deployed special forces to Mozambique to train the country’s marines. [Link]