The Afghanistan situation — hundreds of thousands of people desperate to flee their country with few safe and accepting places to go — is just one sign of a future that will be shaped by a growing migration crisis.
Why it matters: Whether because of violence, persecution, climate change or economic distress, rising numbers of people will leave the only homes they've known in search of a safer and better life abroad — even as the politics in destination countries sours on accepting them.
If diplomacy fails, the U.S. will consider using other means to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, senior Biden administration officials said in a briefing ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's visit to the White House.
Why it matters: Iran is the main agenda item for Bennett's visit, and he is expected to push for a "Plan B" now that nuclear talks have stalled. The U.S. officials didn't say what exactly the administration would consider but are clearly trying to reassure the Israelis that they are willing to pressure Iran.
President Biden is appointing Liz Allen, a longtime Obama-Biden aide, as assistant secretary of State for global public affairs, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Allen is a campaign veteran well known in Washington political and media circles. She worked most recently in government as White House deputy communications director and deputy assistant to President Obama.
The World Health Organization said Wednesday during a media briefing that the data on the need for or benefits of a coronavirus booster shot is inconclusive.
The big picture: The agency said that besides booster evidence being inconclusive, it's also a "moral and ethical" issue because not every country in the world has access to vaccines.
The U.S. has evacuated more than 4,500 Americans from Afghanistan, is in touch with 500 more people who are trying to get out, and believes up to 1,000 more Americans may want to evacuate, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.
Why it matters: With the window to conduct evacuations set to close within days, the number of Americans still in the country had been a critical unanswered question.
Opposition figure Alexei Navalny likened his experience as a political prisoner in Russia to a "Chinese labor camp," in his first interview since his January arrest with the New York Times.
Why it matters: Though Navalny, 45, has written occasional social media posts through his lawyers, "the written exchange of questions and answers covering 54 handwritten pages is by far his most comprehensive and wide-ranging account," since his incarceration, the Times writes.
President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett want to use their meeting on Thursday to project that the U.S.-Israeli relationship is off to a fresh start, Israeli and U.S. officials involved in the visit tell Axios.
Why it matters: The leaders will discuss Iran, military aid to Israel, the Israeli-Palestinian issue, China and more. Both need a successful meeting for their own domestic political reasons and want to build a personal relationship.
The Justice Department has forced a major Chinese-owned newspaper's U.S. subsidiary to register as a foreign agent, records show.
Why it matters: The DOJ has stepped up scrutiny of foreign-owned media in recent years, and its demand that Sing Tao U.S. register as a foreign agent comes amid high tensions between Washington and Beijing over the latter's influence efforts in the U.S.
The World Bank has suspended financial aid to Afghanistan, citing concerns over how the Taliban's takeover will impact "the country's development prospects, especially for women," the BBC reports.
Driving the news: "We have paused disbursements in our operations in Afghanistan and we are closely monitoring and assessing the situation in line with our internal policies and procedures," a World Bank spokesperson told the BBC.
Afghans fleeing Kabul aren't supposed to reach America's shores until they've passed a multi-step vetting process — 14 steps, in the case of some interpreters and others who helped the U.S military.
Where it stands: The U.S. has helped evacuate more than 70,000 Afghans since Aug. 14. Only a fraction are believed to have entered the U.S. — though exactly how many isn't clear.
With the Afghan government and military no longer able to provide cover, President Biden risks the ugliest of exits from Kabul if he blows past his promise to leave Aug. 31.
Why it matters: The Taliban now controls the area around Kabul's airport. As the U.S. removes its final 5,800 troops — and shrinks the security perimeter they've been providing — the surest way to ensure the last soldiers and diplomats get out safely is through the grace of a grisly enemy.
The U.S. and allied countries are "working around the clock" to evacuate people from Afghanistan ahead of next week's full U.S. military withdrawal from the country, per the New York Times.
The big picture: President Biden said Tuesday over 70,000 people had been evacuated since the airlift began on Aug. 14 and that the U.S. and its allies were on pace to leave Afghanistan by the Aug. 31 deadline. He's suggested U.S. troops may remain beyond then to continue with evacuation efforts.
Reps. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) visited Kabul on Tuesday as evacuation efforts continued from Afghanistan.
Why it matters: They had not previously announced their trip but said in a joint statement that as Congress members they "have a duty to provide oversight on the executive branch." The State Department and U.S. military personnel had to "divert resources to provide security and information to the lawmakers," U.S. officials said, per AP.
Cyclist Shawn Morelli won Team USA's first Tokyo Paralympic Games medal in Japan, when she snatched silver in the women's C4 3000-meter individual pursuit on Wednesday.
The big picture: It was a third Paralympics medal for Morelli, who won two golds at the 2016 Rio Games. Australia's Emily Petricola won the gold medal and Canada's Keely Shaw bronze in Wednesday's race.
