Prominent Palestinian detainee Khader Adnan died in Israeli custody on Tuesday after an 87-day hunger strike, prompting Palestinian factions in Gaza to fire dozens of rockets toward Israel and the Israeli military to respond with air strikes on the Palestinian enclave.
The big picture: Adnan was a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militant group and was perceived by many Palestinians as a symbol of resistance. His death and the rocket fire that followed could lead to a wider escalation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
President Biden is planning to nominate former Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), who led the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2022, as his ambassador to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, according to people familiar with the matter.
Why it matters: Biden has been looking for a soft landing for the former lawmaker, who lost his seat in upstate New York after being pummeled by negative Republican ads, but helped minimized House Democrats' losses in the midterms.
The U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority recently sent the State Department a new report about the death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, according to a senior U.S. official and a letter written by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and sent to Secretary of State Blinken.
Why it matters: Abu Akleh was killed during an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin nearly a year ago. The killing has been a point of tension in the U.S.-Israel relationship and a sensitive political issue within the Democratic Party.
Data shows Afro Latinos have higher educational attainment rates but fewer markers of financial success when compared to other Latinos.
Why it matters: An analysis of the data in a report by UCLA's Latino Policy and Politics Institute is among the first to delve into the differences and disparities between Afro Latinos and Latinos who are not Black.
A new projectat the University of New Mexico seeks to record oral histories and gather photos of Mexican Americans and Mexican immigrants in the U.S. who are the descendants of formerly enslaved Black people.
The big picture: The multi-state initiativeis part of a growing number of international efforts investigating the often overlooked history and lives of Afro Mexicans.
A recent deep diveinto how the criminal justice system's assumptions of who is Hispanic and who is not found that Latinos who are perceived to be racially white are much less likely to serve prison time.
The big picture:The study is the latest to indicate how Latinos, who can be of any race, may be treated differently by criminal justice institutions based on someone's assumption of their ethnic background. These studies could help inform how Latinos interact with the criminal justice system and lead to reforms.
Local governments and businesses across Chinaare hoping to tap pent-up demand from Chinese consumers who are enjoying their first big holiday since the end of COVID restrictions and the resulting surge in cases in December and January that kept many at home.
Why it matters: Consumption has led China's economic growth so far this year, but manufacturing data unexpectedly dropped off in April, raising concerns about continued recovery. Record-breaking travel and consumption during the May Day holiday could offer a needed economic boost.
A war between the U.S. and China over Taiwan would be a nightmare scenario for America's allies in the Pacific, but it’s becoming increasingly clear what roles they might play if one breaks out.
The big picture: French President Emmanuel Macron declared last month that Europe should not get “caught up in crises that are not ours,” such asescalation over Taiwan sparked by U.S.-China rivalry. U.S. allies in the region don’t have that luxury.
Adidas is facing a lawsuit from investors who allege the sportswear giant "routinely ignored extreme behavior" of Ye years before it dropped its partnership with the artist formerly known as Kanye West.
Driving the news: Adidas told USA Today Sunday it would fight the lawsuit, which alleges a 2018 report "ignored serious issues" of partnering with Ye by "generally alluding" to risks "rather than stating that the company had actually considered ending the partnership as a result of West's personal behavior."
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters Monday that democracy must include checks and balances, but stressed "Israel can decide what it wants to do" when asked about the Israeli government's controversial judicial overhaul plan.
Why it matters: The comments were a subtle jabat the Biden administration, which put significant pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to suspend the overhaul legislation and reach a broad consensus on judicial reform.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot urged Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in a letter Sunday to stop sending migrant buses to the city because it has "no more shelters, spaces, or resources to accommodate" any more.
Driving the news: The outgoing mayor said in the letter she's aware the state was due to "resume bussing individuals and families" to Chicago and other cities from Monday — a practice she called "inhumane and dangerous." She said they continued to "suffer under the humanitarian crisis you have created."
