Afghanistan
“It’s been clear for many years that in contested parts of Afghanistan, the government may control things during the day, but the Taliban, very much, owns the night.”
Afghanistan’s government has imposed a 10pm to 4am curfew in 31 of the country’s 34 provinces as the Taliban continues a lightning offensive, which has seen it capture swathes of new territory. Peace talks between the government and the Taliban have stuttered and US and NATO troops will have fully withdrawn by the end of August.
More from Al Jazeera here.
Uganda
A scandal has erupted in Uganda after MPs were given nearly $30 million to spend on new cars even as COVID-19 runs rampant. Each of the country’s 529 parliamentarians received about $56,500. A government spokesman, Ofwono Opondo, said the politicians needed the vehicles to “facilitate their engagement with the electorate.”
More from Uganda’s Daily Monitor here.
Israel-Palestine
A 17-year-old Palestinian boy has been shot dead by Israeli forces during protests over Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli army said Muhammad Munir al-Tamimi had thrown stones, was "threatening a soldier's life" and had therefore been killed in line with its rules of engagement.
More from Middle East Eye here.