Israeli military intelligence and senior officials in the Mossad briefed a meeting of the nation's security cabinet that talks in Vienna between Iran and other world powers will lead to the U.S. returning to the 2015 nuclear deal, two officials who attended the meeting told me.
Why it matters: The Israeli government is very concerned about a U.S. return to the nuclear deal and is trying to convince the Biden administration not to take the pressure off the Iranian regime.
The Biden administration warned the Russian government "that there will be consequences" if jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny dies, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN on Sunday.
The big picture: Sullivan also defended President Biden for not mentioning Navalny in a Thursday speech about Russia or in a Tuesday call with Russian President Vladimir Putin,saying the White House aims to deal with the issue "privately and through diplomatic channels."
Russia is menacing Ukraine’s borders, China is sending increasingly ominous signals over Taiwan and Iran is accelerating its uranium enrichment to unprecedented levels.
The big picture: Ukraine, Taiwan and Iran’s nuclear program always loomed large on the menu of potential crises President Biden could face. But over the last several days, the lights have been blinking red on all three fronts all at once.
Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny faces possible kidney failure as he continues his multi-week hunger strike, a medical trade union told Reuters on Saturday.
What they're saying: "His condition is indeed critical ... His potassium is high and he has other high readings which indicate that his kidneys may soon fail. This would lead to severe pathology and cardiac arrest may occur," Alexandra Zakharova, a representative for the Doctors Alliance trade union, told Reuters.
Czech police on Saturday connected two Russian men suspected of carrying out a poisoning attack in Salisbury, England, with a deadly ammunition depot explosion southeast of the capital, Prague, per Reuters.
Driving the news: Czech officials announced Saturday they're expelling 18 Russian diplomats they accuse of being involved in the blast in Vrbětice, AP notes. Czech police said later they're searching for two men carrying several passports — including two with the names Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov.
Ontario officials reversed new pandemic restrictions Saturday that bolstered police powers to enforce a stay-at-home order and banned playgrounds in Canada's most populous province, one day after Premier Doug Ford announced them to curb surging COVID-19 cases.
Why it matters: There was widespread criticism of the ban and a measure authorizing officers from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to require anyone not at home to provide them with "their home address and purpose for not being at their residence." Several police forces pushed back on the direction.
Despite an increasingly tense relationship, the U.S. and China agreed Saturday to work together to tackle global climate change, including by "raising ambition" for emissions cuts during the 2020s — a key goal of the Biden administration.
Why it matters: The joint communique released Saturday evening commits the world's two largest emitters of greenhouse gases to work together to keep the most ambitious temperature target contained in the Paris Climate Agreement viable by potentially taking additional emissions cuts prior to 2030.
President Biden on Saturday sought to explain why he didn't immediately lift the Trump administration's historically low refugee cap.
Driving the news: Several Democrats accused Biden Friday of not fulfilling his pledge to raise the limit after it was announced he'd keep the cap. The White House said later it would be raised by May 15. Biden told reporters Saturday, "We're going to increase the number."
As many as 65,000 people have fled their homes in the northeast Nigerian town of Damasak following a recent series of attacks, the United Nations refugee agency said Friday.
Driving the news: Armed groups have attacked the Borno state town at least three times over the last week, according to UNHCR. At least eight people have been killed and several others injured. A UNHCR facility was looted and burned, and several NGO offices and vehicles were destroyed.
A judge on Saturday ordered former Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini to stand trial on kidnapping charges related to his decision to prevent a Spanish rescue ship carrying over 100 refugees and migrants to dock at an Italian port in 2019.
Driving the news: Salvini, who was also deputy prime minister at the time, refused to the allow the ship to dock, leaving those onboard stranded at sea for nearly three weeks. Eventually, prosecutors ordered the seizure of the ship and the evacuation of those onboard, per Reuters.
Russia on Saturday said it would expel a Ukrainian diplomat it accused of trying to obtain classified information, prompting Ukraine to say it would do the same to a Russian diplomat, according to Reuters.
Why it matters: The tit-for-tat expulsions come amid heightened tensions between the two countries over Russia's build-up of military personnel and equipment on Ukraine's eastern border where Ukrainian soldiers are fighting Kremlin-back separatist troops.
Iran on Friday started enriching uranium to 60% purity after the resumption of negotiations between the nation and other world powers in Vienna to restore the 2015 nuclear deal, Al Jazeera reports citing Iran's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi.
Why it matters: The production news comes days after an apparent Israeli attack on Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment facility. It also pushes the country one step closer to producing weapons-grade uranium and is a severe violation of the nuclear deal.
The Indian Premier League's 2021 season got underway this week, and the sprint to the championship is officially on.
Why it matters: The size of the IPL's fanbase is staggering. For reference, more than twice as many people watched the 2020 season opener (200 million) as this year's Super Bowl (96 million).
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who died April 9 at age 99, will be laid to rest on Saturday following a funeral service at St. George’s Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
The big picture: "His send-off will be highly unusual — in part because coronavirus restrictions meant the ceremony had to be scaled back, but also because it comes just after a very public airing of a family rift," The New York Times writes.
/2021/04/16/1618599160625.gif?w=3840)
