US News

• A 17-year-old was killed by an Arkansas police officer. The teenager was trying to repair his truck and was on a test drive when he was pulled over. He was unable to put his truck in park so attempted to put a stop in front of his wheel. The police officer then shot and killed the teen. The cop was fired for not having the body camera on. [Link]
• Raytheon received a $2 billion contract to develop air-launched nuclear cruise missiles. [Link]

Great Power

• Russia hopes to begin nuclear stability talks with the US this month. [Link]
• The US will hold military drills with Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania in western Ukraine over the last two weeks of July. [Link]
• Japan floats the idea of naming Taiwan an ally Japan will defend with the US. [Link]

Afghanistan 

• Tajikistan calls up 20,000 reservists to defend its border. In recent days, over 1,000 Afghan soldiers fled over the border. [Link]
• The Afghan soldiers who fled across the border will return to Afghanistan and resume the fight against the Taliban. [Link]
• The Taliban say they are interested in peace talks and could see both sides present written proposals within a month. [Link]
• The Telegraph reports the UK is likely to leave special forces in Afghanistan. [Link]
• According to the Afghan Army, the US left the Bagram Air Base in the middle of the night and did not inform the new Afghan commander the US was leaving. The new commander reported looting before his forces were able to establish themselves at the base. [Link]

Middle East

• A drone was shot down near the US Embassy in Baghdad. [Link]
• The US is stealing grain and oil from Syria. [Link]
• The leader of the Iraqi Shia militia Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada says the group will retaliate against the US for Biden’s recent strikes in Iraq and Syria. [Link]