Israel told the Biden administration it wants Hezbollah's forces to be pushed roughly 6 miles from the border as part of a diplomatic deal to end tensions with Lebanon, three Israeli and U.S. officials told Axios.
Why it matters: The Biden administration is deeply concerned that escalating border skirmishes could lead to an all out war that will be even worse than the Gaza conflict.
BP announced Monday that it will halt oil tanker transits through the Red Sea in response to recent attacks on vessels by Iran-backed Houthi militants from Yemen.
Why it matters: The oil giant is the latest company to stop shipments through the crucial trading route.
Pope Francis approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples under certain circumstances, the Vatican announced Monday.
Why it matters: The rule change affirms and expands on a progressive shift to Roman Catholic Church doctrine around blessings proposed by Francis in a letter he sent two conservative cardinals earlier this year.
CIA director Bill Burns met Monday with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and the head of Israel's Mossad spy agency in Warsaw to discuss a potential new deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, two U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it matters: Burns played a key role in brokering the previous deal that led to the release of more than 100 hostages last month, among them several Americans.
North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile on Monday that has the range to strike anywhere in the U.S., Japanese officials said.
Why it matters: North Korea has tested similar missiles in the past, but the latest one came just hours after the U.S. warned Pyongyang against launching a nuclear attack against the U.S. or its allies, Reuters reports.
Life-threatening flooding in Australia's Far North Queensland saw rescue teams respond to more than 370 callouts and receive over 1,000 requests for assistance in 24 hours, the state's Fire and Emergency Services said Monday.
The big picture: Thousands were without power and officials in Cairns raised concerns the city that's the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef could lose drinking water as heavy rains from ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper lashed the region.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday defended former President Trump's border policy as he shrugged off remarks that undocumented immigrants were "poisoning the blood of our country."
Driving the news: NBC's Kristen Welker noted to Graham on "Meet the Press" that the Biden campaign accused Trump of "parroting Adolf Hitler" by using such language.
The Biden administration on Sunday denounced former President Trump after he reiterated at a New Hampshire rally remarks he's made previously that undocumented immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country."
Why it matters: The Biden campaign and other Trump critics are ramping up their scrutiny of the former president's extreme rhetoric as he moves closer to becoming the GOP nominee, per Axios' Zachary Basu.
The Biden administration is proposing the Palestinian Authority re-activate members of its security forces in Gaza to prepare a local security and police force for the enclave after the conflict, U.S. officials say.
Why it matters: The move is part of the administration's stated goal to "revitalize" the unpopular and weak Palestinian Authority so it could once again play a role in governing the Gaza Strip in the coming months.
