Legendary entertainer Chita Rivera passed away this week at the age of 91.
The big picture: Rivera, who was of Puerto Rican heritage, spent decades on stage and on camera, earning accolades for her many talents. In 2019, the Broadway star was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor for a civilian in the U.S.
China-backed hacking campaigns have shown a persistent willingness to shut down U.S. critical infrastructure and incite societal panic, top U.S. officials told lawmakers during a congressional hearing Wednesday.
Why it matters: As tensions escalate between the U.S. and China, officials worry that Beijing could wreak havoc on basic services, including access to clean water and electric power.
Secretary of State Tony Blinken asked the State Department to conduct a review and present policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza, two U.S. officials briefed on the issue told Axios.
Why it matters: While U.S. officials say there has been no policy change, the fact the State Department is even considering such options signals a shift in thinking within the Biden administration on possible Palestinian statehood recognition, which is highly sensitive both internationally and domestically.
Some top China experts from former President Trump's administration don't plan to work for him again, leaving the field wide open for newcomers.
Why it matters: The U.S. and China are maintaining stability in their relationship despite being at odds over Taiwan, allegations of espionage, technology controls, import bans and regional maritime disputes. The people Trump surrounds himself in a second presidency would shape the direction of its China policy during this critical time.
Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer is expected to visit Washington on Wednesday and meet White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and other senior Biden administration officials for talks on the war in Gaza and Israel's plans for the day after the fighting ends, two sources briefed on the visit told Axios.
Why it matters: Dermer is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's closest and most trusted confidant. He has key insight into Netanyahu's thinking, including on the U.S.' post-war strategy of linking possible normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia to the creation of a pathway for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The four-day workweek has received tepid interest in the U.S., but in Latin America one country is giving it a shot, while others are moving to shorten work hours.
Driving the news: The Dominican Republic next month will start a six-month pilot program for a four-day workweek. The program mimics one in the U.K. that resulted in workers' stress levels dropping and job retention rising, according to a report released last year.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has reasserted the dominance of the Chinese Communist Party over the state's duties and actions. China's foreign affairs may be next.
Why it matters: Party-led diplomacy gives Beijing a powerful and largely unscrutinized backchannel with political power brokers in other countries. In the long run, it could reshape the norms of international relations to bring them more in line with Beijing's interests.
Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was given a four-year ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday after it found she had "committed an anti-doping rule violation."
Why it matters: Team USA confirmed late Monday the U.S. figure skating team had been awarded a 2022 Winter Olympics gold medal as a consequence of the CAS backdating the ban to disqualify Valieva from all contests where she medaled during the affected period — including the Beijing Games.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Monday the state will continue installing razor wire at the U.S.-Mexico border, despite the Supreme Court ruling allowing the Biden administration to remove it.
The big picture: The Republican-led state has been pressuring the federal government to help secure the U.S. border with Mexico and as they say they're defending states from a border "invasion" in the face of a record number of migrants arriving.
