US Senate Power Struggle: A Republican-led Senate committee voted to hold former top COVID adviser Anthony Fauci in contempt after he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times; the referral now heads to the Justice Department, setting up a high-stakes legal fight over whether the move can bypass a full Senate vote. US Politics & Health: Mitch McConnell was discharged from rehab after a June fall and said he’ll continue recovery at home while staying engaged with Senate business during the state work period. US Accountability & Ethics: Ohio Sen. Jon Husted urged Rep. Max Miller to resign and end his reelection bid amid an ethics probe tied to domestic abuse allegations. Impeachment Watch (Philippines): Malacañang criticized senator-judges in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial for appearing to act like defense lawyers, arguing they must stay impartial. Constitutional Negotiations (UN/UK): The UN’s decolonisation committee advanced a draft resolution backing constitutional negotiations for the Virgin Islands with the UK, emphasizing monitoring and self-determination. Regional Diplomacy (Serbia/Ukraine): Serbia confirmed Zelenskyy will visit on Aug. 8, his first trip since the full-scale invasion. Africa’s New Institutions (Benin): Patrice Talon was elected the first president of Benin’s newly created Senate, marking the upper house’s start after constitutional reforms. Electoral Fairness (Nigeria/Osun): A political commentary backed Tinubu’s call for EFCC to return to court over frozen Osun accounts, stressing elections must be free and seen to be fair.