Axios

Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that he would conduct a nuclear strike in Ukraine, saying Thursday that "it doesn't make sense for us to do it.

Driving the news: Putin has deployed veiled nuclear threats several times in the past few months. His remarks come just a day after Putin oversaw the start of annual drills of Russia's strategic nuclear forces.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told Axios his country's military has shot down 260 Iranian-made drones used by Russia in the war in Ukraine.

The big picture: Russia and Iran have repeatedly denied Iranian-made drones are being used in the war, despite growing evidence to the contrary. In recent weeks Russia used Iranian-made Shahed-136 Kamikaze drones against Ukrainian military positions and cities and civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian officials say.

A climate activist was arrested after gluing his head to Johannes Vermeer's iconic "Girl with a Pearl Earring" painting at a museum in the Netherlands on Thursday in protest of oil production, the museum said.

Why it matters: Several demonstrators in Europe have recently glued themselves to famous works of art and streets as part of an attempt to raise awareness the effects of oil production on the environment.

Israel and Lebanon on Thursday finalized the historic U.S.-mediated maritime border agreement in a joint ceremony at the UN base in Naqoura on the border between the two countries.

Why it matters: The agreement ends more than a decade of U.S. diplomatic efforts with several rounds of direct and indirect talks between Israel and Lebanon.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz met his Turkish counterpart on Thursday to relaunch security cooperation between the countries.

Why it matters: It's the first visit by an Israeli defense minister to Turkey in a decade.

Commercial satellites that the U.S. and its allies are using could become "legitimate" targets for retaliatory action by Russia, a senior Russian foreign ministry official told the United Nations on Wednesday.

Why it matters: Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, western commercial satellites have documented Russia's military developments, damage to Russian air bases, and even mass graves in areas occupied by Russian forces.

Some good news for Europeans, heading into winter: Natural gas prices are plunging, as warm weather and growing stockpiles have massively alleviated pressure.

Why it matters: It suggests the nightmare scenario of winter without heat for millions of Europeans — resulting from the cutoff of Russian energy to the West — has been averted, for now.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) provoked an unusually direct rebuke from the Chinese government this week by proposing sanctions on President Xi Jinping for Beijing's human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Axios has learned.

Driving the news: The Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., sent a furious, 800-word email dated Monday in response to what it called an "arrogant and despicable" bill. 

United Nations agencies are analyzing satellite imagery to document the destruction of Ukraine heritage sites since Russian forces launched their invasion last February.

By the numbers: The UN Satellite Center and UNESCO have verified damage to 207 sites, per an initial list published ahead of the release of a public tracking platform showing before-and-after satellite images of damaged Ukrainian cultural sites.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog met President Biden at the White House on Wednesday.

Why it matters: The meeting comes less than a week before the Israeli elections.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told Axios he is concerned about recent threats by senior U.S. Republican lawmakers to cut aid to Ukraine if they win control of the House in next month's U.S. midterm elections.

Why it matters: Any U.S. cuts to Ukraine aid would deal a significant blow to Kyiv and could alter the course of the war.

The U.S. Treasury issued new sanctions on Wednesday against a slate of Iranian individuals and two companies in connection to the government's ongoing crackdown on protests over the death of Mahsa Amini and efforts to suppress digital freedom in the country.

Why it matters: The sanctions were issued on the 40th day since Amini's death, a significant day in Shiite Islam that marks the end of the traditional mourning period.

Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw the start of annual drills of Russia's strategic nuclear forces on Wednesday, which involved the use of nuclear submarines, ballistic missiles and strategic bombers.

Why it matters: The routine exercises come amid heightened fears concerning Russia's claims that Ukraine plans to detonate a "dirty bomb" on its own territory.

Nearly all of the children on earth will experience more frequent heat waves by 2050 as the earth's climate crisis ramps up, according to a new UNICEF report.

Why it matters: Heat waves pose a threat to children because they are less capable of regulating their body temperatures than adults.

Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed (ABZ) during a recent trip to Israel expressed concerns to opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu about the possibility of ultra-right extremists being included in a new government if he wins the upcoming elections, three sources briefed on the meeting told Axios.

Why it matters: Netanyahu's relationship with ABZ dates back to 2012. Eight years later, they signed a peace treaty between the two countries. It's seen as Netanyahu's biggest political achievement as prime minister.

Fossil fuel "addiction" is rapidly worsening climate change as the related effects of extreme weather leave 98 million people facing severe food insecurity and heat-related deaths surge, a new report warns.

The big picture: The burning of fossil fuels including coal, oil and natural gas that cause toxic air pollution kills some 11,800 Americans and about 1.2 million people globally every year, according to the report, published in the medical journal The Lancet Tuesday ahead of next month's UN Cop27 climate summit in Egypt.

President Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak discussed policy on Russia, Ukraine, China and outstanding issues over Northern Ireland and the European Union Tuesday, the White House said.

Driving the news: In their first call since Sunak became prime minister, the leaders "discussed their shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the need to maintain momentum toward reaching a negotiated agreement with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol," per a White House readout.