Axios

A swelling population of feral "super pigs" in Canada is threatening to spread across the border into northern U.S. states, wildlife experts warn.

Threat level: States including Minnesota and Montana are taking preventative measures in case this crossbreed of wild boar and domestic swine that University of Saskatchewan professor Ryan Brook calls "the most invasive animal on the planet" crosses the border, per AP.

The four-day pause in fighting between Hamas and Israel in Gaza will begin at 7 am local time on Friday, with the first group of hostages set to be released later that day, a Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Driving the news: The announcement of the timeline for the Qatar-mediated deal came after a brief delay in the implementation of the agreement, which will see Hamas free at least 50 Israeli women and children in exchange for a multi-day pause in the fighting in Gaza and the release of 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons.

Investigators of Wednesday's deadly car explosion at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing between the U.S. and Canada have not uncovered links to terrorism, the FBI and New York's governor say.

The big picture: The incident on the U.S. side of the bridge killed two people and injured a booth agent, and prompted the closure of multiple border crossings, the suspension of border train services and heightened security at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport on the eve of Thanksgiving — one of the busiest travel days of the year.

President Biden's persistent pressure on Middle East leaders was a key factor in sealing the deal between Israel and Hamas for the release of 50 hostages who were captured during Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel, U.S., Israeli and Qatari officials say.

Why it matters: Interviews with the officials reveal how Biden's team shaped the agreement during six weeks of often-tense negotiations, how he was driven by "gut-wrenching" meetings with hostages' family members, and his aggressive push to seal the deal.

Most Americans are hoping politics won't be served with Thanksgiving dinner.

Driving the news: More than 60% of people said they want to avoid discussing politics while visiting friends and family this Thanksgiving, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released this week.

Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders, whose far-right party ran on an anti-Islam, anti-immigrant platform that also called for the Netherlands to leave the EU, won the most seats in the country's parliamentary elections.

Why it matters: The surprise win by Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) will be another boost for U.S. conservatives who saw Sunday's Argentina presidential election win of self-described "anarcho-capitalist" Javier Milei as evidence that Trumpian populism is alive and well, per Axios' Zachary Basu.

Mossad director David Barnea arrived in Doha on Wednesday to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and other officials to discuss the final details of the deal for Hamas to release hostages in return for a pause in the fighting in Gaza, according to two sources with knowledge of the issue.

Why it matters: Barnea was the lead negotiator on the Israeli side. The Israeli foreign intelligence chief's trip to Qatar signals there are still some details to finalize in the deal like how it will be implemented on the ground and the exact time the pause in the fighting will begin.

A roller coaster week in Taiwanese politics saw the presidential race end up right where it started: with four candidates and a clear front-runner. The country's two main opposition parties joined forces only for their new coalition to quickly fall apart.

Why it matters: The top issue on the ballot is Taiwan-China relations. The outcome of the election could shape not just Taiwan's future but also regional security as Beijing aggressively presses its claims over the self-governing island.

The Israeli government and Hamas announced separately on Tuesday they have agreed to a Qatar-mediated deal in which the militant group will free dozens of Israeli hostages in exchange for a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza and the release of dozens of Palestinians held in prisons in Israel.

Why it matters: The deal, once implemented, will be the biggest diplomatic breakthrough and the first major pause in fighting since the war began.

Brazil has sweltered through its hottest day since record-keeping began, as an extreme spring heat wave envelopes the country.

By the numbers: The town of Araçuaí, in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, beat the nation's previous record from November 2005 on Sunday when the temperature reached 44.8°C (112.6°F), per Brazil's National Institute of Meteorology.

The University of Tampa and a Florida school district have joined a growing list of colleges and K-12 school districts being investigated by the Department of Education over alleged incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia.

The big picture: In light of the Israel-Hamas war and the resulting uptick in antisemitic and anti-Muslim threats on college campuses, the Education Department has reiterated schools' responsibility to comply with a federal civil rights law that addresses discrimination.