Russian forces occupying two Ukrainian cities have begun handing out Russian passports to citizens, Russian state media said Saturday.
Why it matters: Ukrainian authorities have condemned the creation of Russian citizens on Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia as "Russification" and a "flagrant violation" of its territorial integrity, according to the BBC.
Brazilian police said on Friday that human remains were found near where British journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira were last seen five days ago on a remote river in Amazonia, The Guardian reports.
The big picture: Brazilian authorities have been searching for the two men since they did not show up in a town following a reporting trip in an area on the border between Peru and Colombia on Sunday.
Why it matters: Russia rationing its use of such weapons could suggest that its stockpile is dwindling and that Western sanctions may have hamstrung its ability to produce more.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reiterated the U.S.' support for Taiwan at a defense summit in Asia on Saturday, warning of a recent "steady increase" of Chinese military activity near the self-governing island country.
Why it matters: Austin's speech comes after China's defense minister Wei Fenghe told Austin on the sidelines of the summit that an independent Taiwan would leave the Chinese military with no choice but to "fight at any cost," according to the BBC.
An Afghan American freed in April after being detained by the Taliban used his connections to help secure the release this week of another American — a woman held in northern Afghanistan, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The State Department, which has yet to recognize the Taliban government, did not engage in negotiations to free 33-year-old Mahnaz Safi.
President Biden unveiled a sweeping declaration on Friday, with buy-in from countries from Canada to Ecuador, to help stem migration and promote welcoming policies throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and the U.S.
Why it matters: The move comes as record numbers of migrants continue to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Biden announced the declaration at the Summit of the Americas despite the absence of heads of state in several key countries such as Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.
Things are usually colder up north, but Canada's deal market is absolutely frigid.
By the numbers: Canadian M&A volume is down 46% from this point in 2021, an all-time record with around US$350 billion of activity, despite expectations of another strong year.
A giant tortoise species long believed extinct has been discovered living in the Galápagos Islands, scientists confirmed in a new study.
The big picture: An adult female Chelonoidis phantasticus, a species also known as the "fantastic giant tortoise," was the first of her kind that scientists had found since 1906, according to the study by Princeton and Yale researchers, published in the journal Communications Biologyon Thursday.
President Biden met with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for the first time on Thursday at the Summit of the Americas.
Why it matters: Bolsonaro, who has recently questioned the legitimacy of Biden's victory of Donald Trump and mocked Biden's age, only committed to making the trip to Los Angeles for the summit after Biden promised a bilateral meeting.
