Axios

Sri Lankan protesters continue to occupy the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who hasn't been seen or heard from in three days, though his allies say he's agreed to step down.

The big picture: The island country of 22 million is bankrupt. With virtually no foreign currency remaining, the government is unable to import nearly enough fuel. Lines for gasoline can stretch for days, medicine supplies have run short, grocery shelves are bare and inflation has climbed to 50%.

Countries on the UN Security Council are scrambling to find a compromise that would extend the UN's mandate for humanitarian aid deliveries to more than 4 million people in rebel-held areas of northwest Syria.

Driving the news: The mandate expired Sunday — two days after Russia vetoed a vote on a one-year extension, and failed to garner enough votes on its own proposal for a six-month extension.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that the Biden administration believes Iran is planning to deliver Russia "up to several hundred" unmanned aerial vehicles, including weapons-capable drones, for its invasion of Ukraine.

Why it matters: It's the first time the administration has publicly accused Iran of helping Russia's war effort in Ukraine. Sullivan's comments come on the eve of President Biden’s trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia for talks that will also focus on countering Iran.

Contenders to replace U.K. Prime Minster Boris Johnson will need the support of 20 Conservative members of Parliament by Tuesday to qualify for the following day's first round of the Conservative leadership election, according to rules announced Monday.

How it works: That will likely eliminate several of the 11 candidates. Even fewer will clear the 30-vote threshold in Wednesday's first ballot. The bar will continue to be raised in subsequent ballots until two candidates are left, likely within a week. The full party membership will select the winner, with the results expected on Sep. 5.

The Chinese government has ordered partial lockdowns in three new cities as it continues its attempt to contain Omicron, the New York Times reports.

Driving the news: Xi’an, Lanzhou and Haikou have shut down nonessential businesses and begun mass testing on several million residents.

India is expected to surpass China as the world's most populous country by 2023, according to a new report from the United Nations looking at population trends.

Why it matters: India, despite democratic backsliding in recent years, is the world's largest democracy and viewed by the West as a key counterweight to China's influence in the region, per Axios' Zachary Basu.

The U.S. rejected an Israeli request to allow Israeli government officials to join President Biden’s upcoming visit to the Augusta Victoria Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem, four Israeli officials told Axios.

Why it matters: Biden’s visit to the hospital is diplomatically sensitive due to the fact it is located in East Jerusalem, which most countries see as the future Palestinian capital.

Most American adults under 30 hold unfavorable views of Israel, according to a new Pew report released ahead of President Biden's trip this week to the Middle East.

The big picture: While 55% of Americans view Israel favorably and 74% believe U.S.-Israel relations are in a good place, those views vary starkly by generation and political affiliation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday extending a simplified process for obtaining Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians.

Why it matters: The fast-track procedure was previously only available in certain parts of Ukraine, and the move to expand it signals Russia's aim to broaden its influence inside Ukraine.

Russian forces launched a massive military assault on Ukraine's second city Kharkiv and other eastern towns following a deadly weekend strike on an apartment block in the Donetsk region town of Chasiv Yar, Ukraine's general staff said Monday.

Driving the news: No casualties were immediately reported in a strike on an apartment building in Kharkiv, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address late Sunday that "dozens of people" were still trapped after Saturday night's strike in Chasiv Yar that killed at least 15 people.

Uber allegedly attempted to lobby politicians, including Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron, to help the ride-sharing service in its "bare-knuckled global expansion" from 2013 to 2017, according to a joint media investigation published Sunday.

Why it matters: Uber's history of challenging or ignoring local laws and regulations has long been a matter of record. But these revelations, outlined in the Guardian-led probe, shared with nonprofit the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and outlets including the Washington Post, add new details and help fill out the portrait.