The State Department on Wednesday waived sanctions on the corporate entity and CEO overseeing the construction of Nord Stream 2, a move widely interpreted as a signal that the U.S. will not stand in the way of the Russia-to-Germany pipeline's completion.
Yes, but: State Department officials told reporters that by listing several vessels and companies participating in the controversial project for sanctions, as mandated by Congress, they were in fact sending a "clear signal" to Russia — even contending that they would continue to employ sanctions "to try to stop this pipeline."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Wednesday will block a Republican resolution that underlines United States support for Israel, calling the GOP response to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict "destructive," his office said.
Why it matters: Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) will co-sponsor Sanders' alternative to the GOP resolution, his office told Axios' Alayna Treene. The resolution calls for the Senate to urge "an immediate cease-fire" and to protect the human rights of Israelis and Palestinians.
What to watch: The floor debate on the resolution begins Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
As the Gaza crisis has raged on, the most serious clashes in years between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli military in the West Bank have broken out.
Why it matters: Israel is concerned that further escalation in the West Bank could turn into a third intifada. The Second Intifada, or Palestinian uprising against Israel, lasted from 2000 to 2005 and left about 1,000 Israelis and over 3,000 Palestinians dead.
Shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine are growing more dire in Gaza, and further fighting will make them dramatically worse, Matthias Schmale, the Gaza director for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) told Axios in a Zoom interview on Tuesday evening.
The state of play: The most urgent problem is the displacement of Palestinians, including the around 50,000 who left their homes near the border with Israel, fearing a ground invasion, and are now taking shelter in 60 UNRWA schools.
Bad memories from the 2014 war in Gaza have shaped the U.S. response to the latest crisis, U.S. officials tell me.
Why it matters: The 2014 war lasted for 50 days and included an Israeli ground invasion into Gaza. Almost 2,500 Palestinians were killed, many of them civilians, along with 69 Israeli soldiers and five Israeli civilians.
After 10 days of standing behind Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip, President Biden made clear that he is running out of patience. Biden told Netanyahu he expects "significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire," per the White House readout of their call.
Why it matters: 219 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, at least half of them civilians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel is under growing international pressure to end its operation — though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted earlier on Wednesday that Israel wouldn't "stand with a timer" and needed additional time to complete its objectives.
Klarna, a Swedish online payment platform, said its decision on whether to IPO in London will hinge on the British government's post-Brexit financial services rules.
Why it matters: Klarna is Europe's most valuable tech unicorn, recently securing funds at a $31 billion post-money valuation.
The European Union on Wednesday said it would allow vaccinated people to travel into its countries, easing restrictions that were placed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the Washington Post reports.
Details: Travelers would need to have taken vaccines approved for use in the EU, which would include all available in the U.S. and exclude those made in Russia and China.
The fighting in the Gaza Strip has entered its tenth day with efforts toward a ceasefire ramping up but still yielding little progress.
Why it matters: 219 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, at least half of them civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry. Israel is now under growing international pressure to end its operation, including from the Biden administration, Israeli officials say.
India's health ministry reported 4,529 deaths from COVID-19 in a single day on Wednesday and another 267,122 new cases.
Why it matters: It's the most number of deaths from the coronavirus reported by a country in a 24-hour period since the pandemic began, per the Washington Post, citing Johns Hopkins data.
Darwin's Arch in the Galápagos Islands, "considered one of the best places on the planet to dive" and observe marine species, has collapsed, the Ministry of Environment for Ecuador has announced.
Why it matters: Although the ministry said the collapse of the 140-feet-high rock formation Monday was due to natural erosion, it casts a spotlight on a region that the United Nations has classified as "one of the world's most vulnerable places to the effects of climate change," per the New York Times.
Palestinians across the occupied territories and Israel on Tuesday went on strike in a collective show of unity as the fighting between Israel and Hamas raged on.
The big picture: Businesses shuttered for the day and schools were closed to protest the Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, the looming evictions of several Palestinian families in East Jerusalem, the Israeli occupation and the treatment of Palestinian citizens of Israel.
