Axios

Alexei Navalny, a fierce voice for Russian democracy and critic of President Vladimir Putin's authoritarian rule, died on Friday after languishing in Russia's brutal penal system for over 35 months, according to authorities.

The big picture: Navalny's death solidifies the uncertain future of the Russian opposition movement he helped organize to transform Russia into what he described in 2018 as "a normal country."

President Biden on Friday blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Why it matters: Biden has said Russia would face "devastating" consequences if Navalny died in prison. On Friday, he said his administration was "looking at options" after being asked about additional sanctions against Moscow over Navalny's death.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died, according to a statement from Russia's prison service.

The big picture: Navalny, 47, was imprisoned after exposing corruption in Vladimir Putin's inner circle and forming the most effective political movement opposing the Russian leader. His death, if confirmed, has happened in the custody of the Russian state that persecuted him relentlessly.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog secretly met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference Friday to discuss the negotiations aimed at securing the release of the hostages in Gaza, two sources with knowledge of the meeting told Axios.

Why it matters: The unusual meeting between the Israeli and Qatari political leaders takes place at a crucial point in the hostage negotiations, as mediators try to create momentum, despite significant gaps.

U.S. Border Patrol acting Deputy Chief Joel Martinez was suspended after he was accused of misconduct, the Washington Post first reported on Thursday.

The big picture: Agency officials cited privacy laws in declining to comment on the details of the misconduct allegations leveled against Martinez, a 31-year agency veteran and native of San Benito, Texas, who previously served as chief of the Laredo Sector, on the Rio Grande, according to his biography.

President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday held their second call this week, as concerns mounted globally over the lack of major progress in the hostage talks and the possibility of an Israeli ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Why it matters: Biden has grown increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu and Israel's actions during the war. The U.S. president last week called the Israeli military operation Gaza "over the top."

In the lead-up to Venezuela's elections, President Nicolás Maduro's regime is ramping up actions against dissenting voices through arrests, a proposed ban on NGOs, and an order issued Thursday for the United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) to cease operations in the country.

What they're saying: OHCHR said it regrets Thursday's order and is evaluating the next steps. "Our guiding principle has been and remains the promotion and protection of the human rights of the people of Venezuela," OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said.

About 80% of Americans say the U.S. government is doing a bad job dealing with the large number of migrants at the border, including 45% who say it is doing a very bad job, a new survey finds.

Why it matters: Infighting, blame-shifting and indecision has plagued the Biden administration's struggle with the border crisis, Axios exclusively reported this week.

About 17.5 million Latinos are projected to vote in this year's U.S. election, with the biggest increases in turnout expected to take place in some battleground states, according to an analysis by the NALEO Educational Fund.

Why it matters: Latinos are projected to play a critical role in a tight election year, especially in swing states such as Arizona and Nevada.

A program that uses genetically engineered mosquitoes in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico to reduce the prevalence of diseases that can be fatal may soon serve millions more people.

Why it matters: Outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, zika and yellow fever —diseases carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito —have long hit the Americas and other tropical regions hard.

CIA director Bill Burns arrived in Israel on Thursday to meet with Mossad chief David Barnea and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the recent hostage negotiations, per two sources with knowledge of the issue.

Why it matters: The Biden administration, as well as Qatari and Egyptian mediators appear to want to create momentum for the negotiations for a new hostage deal. But Netanyahu declined to send an Israeli delegation to Egypt for follow-up talks after a critical meeting in Cairo earlier this week ended without a major breakthrough.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Secretary of State Tony Blinken last week that a direct or indirect U.S. recognition of a Palestinian state "would be a prize for those who planned and orchestrated the Oct. 7 massacre," two Israeli officials told Axios.

Why it matters: Such recognition by the U.S. would change decades of American policy that advocated for a Palestinian state only as a result of direct negotiations with Israel. The Israeli government is increasingly concerned if that happens, it would put more pressure on Israel to accept a Palestinian state.

As much as half of the Amazon rainforest may cross tipping points as soon as 2050, beyond which those areas would no longer support such an abundance of life and buffer Earth from climate change, a new study shows.

Why it matters: The Amazon is home to more than 10% of Earth's biodiversity and holds up to 20 years' worth of global carbon dioxide emissions.

U.S. officials are warning of Russia's rising ability to station nuclear weapons in space, illuminating the next, scarier frontier of warfare.

Why it matters: The future of war is autonomous weapons, robots, sophisticated artificial intelligence and a race to dominate space. The new intelligence suggests Russia might be gaining a tactical edge in the space race.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that he prefers President Biden win the 2024 election over former President Trump.

The big picture: The public comments are Putin's first about the 2024 U.S. presidential election and follow Russian interference in the 2016 and 2020 elections.

In other languages, there's one word describing "the parents of your child's spouse" — not so much in English.

Why it matters: Having a specific word for a relationship underlines a special connection.