US News

• The Biden Administration announced support for the Equal Act that will work to eliminate the sentencing disparities between cocaine and crack cocaine. [Link]
• A proposed bill will double Amtrack’s funding. [Link]

Great Power

• Russian President Putin condemned NATO expansion in an op-ed. [Link]
• A UK destroyer entered Russian waters in the Black Sea. Russia used live ammunition and dropped bombs in front of the ship to push it out of Russia’s waters. [Link] The UK Ministry of Defense denies these claims and says Russia’s live-fire drills were not directed at the destroyer. [Link]
• The US carried out military drills in Poland. [Link]
• Turkey will sell drones to Ukraine. [Link]
• The US sailed a warship through the Taiwan Strait. [Link]

North Korea

• Western media falsely reported that North Korea dismissed the idea of talks with the US. [Link]

Afghanistan 

• Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby said the US could slow its withdrawal from Afghanistan because of an increase in Taliban attacks. [Link]
• The Taliban seized a border crossing with Tajikistan. [Link]
• US and Turkish officials will meet this week to discuss Turkey’s ongoing mission to secure the Kabul Airport. [Link]

Middle East

• The US condemned the Iranian election as denying the people a free choice. [Link]
• Four Saudis who received training in the US participated in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. [Link]
• The US seized several domain names including from Press TV. The US also seized domain names from Houthi and Palestinian groups. [Link]
• A UK aircraft carrier deployed to the Mediterranean Sea will conduct the majority of anti-ISIS operations over the next few weeks. [Link]
• The Hashd al-Shaabi bloc in Iraqi politics is becoming the dominating faction. [Link]
• 90 fighters were killed in two days of fighting in Yemen. [Link]