The Israeli military in two weeks will begin a wide-ranging exercise to train for a possible attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, senior Israeli officials said Tuesday.
Why it matters: It will be the first time in at least five years that the Israeli military will engage in such an exercise. The goal is to redevelop a credible military option against Iran's nuclear program, the Israeli officials said in a briefing with reporters.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Brittney Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, a State Department spokesperson confirmed to Axios Tuesday.
The big picture: Blinken told Cherelle Griner the case is a top priority for the State Department and that she should reach out if there is anything she is not getting, per CNN.
The Biden administration is moving to ease some economic sanctions on Venezuela to encourage peaceful negotiations between the opposition and Nicolás Maduro's regime, senior administration officials said Tuesday.
Driving the news: Officials told reporters that they are taking these measures "at the request" of the Venezuelan interim government led by Juan Guaidó, who the U.S. still recognizes as the country's legitimate president.
Chinese investment projects across Latin America are booming, but they can cause significant damage to the environment and indigenous communities, one advocate tells Axios.
The big picture: China is South America's top trade partner, and Chinese banks and companies have built roads, dams, mines, solar power plants, and even a space mission control center in countries across the continent.
Top French officials rarely lambast China publicly, but in recent years, France has come to see one of its most important economic partners as a competitor, a security concern and, in some cases, a threat.
Why it matters: The Biden administration is trying to build trans-Atlantic consensus on a more assertive agenda to counter Beijing's growing power. Paris, in some ways, doesn't need persuading.
Saudi Deputy Minister of Defense Khalid bin Salman is visiting Washington this week for security talks with senior White House and Pentagon officials, two U.S. officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: The U.S. is trying to improve relations with Saudi Arabia as it pushes the kingdom to increase its oil output, and ahead President Biden's upcoming visit to the Middle East toward end of June.
President Biden will meet with the leaders of Finland and Sweden on Thursday as bothcountries are poised to apply for NATO membership.
Why it matters: The addition of Finland and Sweden to the NATO alliance would dramatically change the security landscape in Europe and more than double the length of the alliance's borders with Russia, Axios' Erin Doherty writes.
Ukraine said Monday that it had stopped fighting at a steel plant besieged by Russian forces in the port city of Mariupol and evacuated more than 250 soldiers through a humanitarian corridor to Russian-controlled areas.
Why it matters: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address that the evacuation was necessary to save the soldiers, who have endured a months-long defense of the plant, though he stressed that bringing them back to Ukrainian-controlled areas "requires delicacy and time."
North Korea officially claimed zero COVID-19 cases until last Thursday. Now, Pyongyang says 1.2 million people have feverish, COVID-like symptoms, 50 people have died and the entire country is under lockdown.
Why it matters: North Korea has a 0% vaccination rate and meager health facilities, and it was already struggling to feed its population. Leader Kim Jong-un has called the outbreak the "greatest turmoil" since North Korea's founding, but he has yet to accept foreign assistance.
The Biden administration announced Monday that it will reinstate a program allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents to apply for their family members in Cuba to enter the U.S. without waiting for immigrant visas.
Why it matters: The move is part of a series of actions the U.S. is taking intended to bolster support for the Cuban people, one year after the largest anti-government protests on the island in decades took place.
President Biden has approved a request from the Pentagon to once again deploy U.S. special forces to Somalia to address the growing threat posed by al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabab, a senior administration official confirmed Monday.
Why it matters: Biden's decision to re-establish a "persistent presence" reverses former President Trump's order in the final weeks of his term to withdraw all 750 U.S. military personnel operating in Somalia.
Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced Monday that her government will formally apply to join NATO, paving the way for the Scandinavian country to submit a joint bid this week with its strategic ally and neighbor Finland.
Why it matters: Sweden's reversal of more than 200 years of military non-alignment is the latest historic shift in Europe precipitated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
McDonald's said Monday it plans to sell its business in Russia after more than 30 years of operation in the country.
Driving the news: "The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and the precipitating unpredictable operating environment, have led McDonald’s to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values," the company said in a statement.
