Taliban advances in Afghanistan ‘deeply concerning’, says Pentagon – as it happened

• UN calls on Taliban to immediately halt offensive', citing humanitarian concerns
• Pentagon says leaders concerned by Taliban's speed
• CDC officially recommends Covid booster shots for immunocompromised people
• July was hottest month Earth has ever recorded, scientists confirm
• Biden's eviction moratorium survives first legal test
• Taliban seize four more provincial capitals in Afghanistan

1.14am BST

That's all for today, thanks for following along. Some key links and developments:

12.53am BST

The US education secretary has sent letters to the governors of Texas and Florida criticizing their threats to take funds away from school districts that adopt mask mandates:

Breaking: U.S. Education Secretary Cardona writes to Education Commissioner Mike Morath and Gov. Abbott that he stands with school districts enforcing masks.

Banning mask mandates may infringe on school district authority, he writes. #txed #txlegehttps://t.co/7yELWFcDGS

Cardona sends letters to TX and FL governors, criticizing their bans on CDC-recommended health measures in schools and making clear that @usedgov stands with districts who have resisted them:
FL: https://t.co/kHuhlvUXZ4
TX: https://t.co/n1PF8eHdV5 pic.twitter.com/OgO2ejukk9