US News

• The FDA approved a third dose of the two-dose covid vaccinations. [Link]
• Pizer and Moderna could make up to $12.5 billion giving covid booster shots. [Link]
• Snopes suspends co-founder David Mikkelson after BuzzFeed discovered over 50 of his articles were plagiarized. [Link]
• The new Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship has severe engine issues that will be difficult and costly to repair. [Link]

Caribbean 

• Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced sanctions on Cuba’s communist party. [Link]
• Over 1,200 people have died from an earthquake in Haiti. The US deployed USAID chief Sam Powers. [Link]

China

• Bloomberg reports the CIA is looking to create a new intelligence center exclusively focused on China. [Link]
• 10,000 Russian and Chinese troops participated in joint military drills. [Link]

Afghanistan

• The Afghan government falls to the Taliban. The Taliban now control Kabul and almost all of the country. The Taliban declared the war was over. [Link]
• Biden announces the US will deploy 5,000 troops to Afghanistan. On Sunday, the US announced an additional 1,000 troops will be deployed. Bringing the total to 6,000. 
• The Afghan government surrenders the Bagram Airbase to the Taliban. About 5,000 prisoners were held on the base. 
• The US will move up to 30,000 Afghans to Fort McCoy and Bliss. [Link]
• The Taliban will likely name Mullah Baradar the next president of Afghanistan. [Link]
• Russia says it will keep its embassy in Kabul open. [Link]

Middle East

• Israel reports militants from Gaza fired rockets at Israel. [Link]
• The US condemns Israeli plans to build 2,000 new settler homes in the West Bank. [Link]
• Israel’s foreign minister says he does not see a plan B to the Iran Nuclear Deal. [Link]
• Millions of Iraqis are without power due to an ISIS attack on electric infrastructure. [Link]

Africa

• Zambia’s electoral commission declared Hakainde Hichilema the winner of the presidential election. [Link]
• Militants killed 22 people in Nigeria. [Link]
• The US deployed several special forces soldiers to the Congo to assist the government against militants. [Link]