Secretary of State Tony Blinken said on Friday that Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank is "inconsistent with international law," reversing a Trump-era decision that had overturned decades of U.S. policy on the issue.
Why it matters: Blinken's decision to reverse what has been known as the "Pompeo doctrine" comes as a response to the Israeli government's announcement on Thursday that it plans to expand the settlements in the West Bank, a U.S. official told Axios. The move has been considered by the State Department for the last three years.
The Biden administration on Friday announced a new package of sanctions targeting Russian officials and companiesover the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the invasion of Ukraine.
Why it matters: President Biden has said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for Navalny's death in prison, and Navalny's allies have said they suspect high-level Russian authorities were involved.
China is set to send two new pandas to the San Diego Zoo — so is there hope for D.C.?
Why it matters: This is the first time in two decades that the Chinese government will send new pandas to the U.S. — a promising sign for "panda diplomacy" and the future of the National Zoo's panda program.
Ukraine's best hope for year three of Russia's invasion may be to avoid losing additional territory — andsome military analysts question whether even that will be achievable without urgent help from Washington.
Why it matters:Ukrainian hopes for a decisive breakthrough were dashed in 2023, and Russia now has clear manpower and firepower advantages. As the war crosses the two-year mark, it has devolved into a deadly stalemate that could tilt in Russia's favor.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's post-war plan for Gaza, which was unveiled Thursday, doesn't rule out a role for the Palestinian Authority and stresses Israel will only allow reconstruction to take place after the enclave is demilitarized.
Why it matters: It's the first time Netanyahu has presented any written position on his plans for the day after the war in Gaza. But the principles laid out in Thursday's document are short on concrete details and largely based on Netanyahu's public statements from the last few months.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed on Thursday to send Israeli negotiators to Paris on Friday for talks with CIA director Bill Burns, the Qatari prime minister and Egyptian spy chief on a new hostage deal, an Israeli official and a source with direct knowledge told Axios.
Why it matters: The decision follows external pressure from the Biden administration and internal pressure from some members of Netanyahu's war cabinet and the leadership of Israel's defense establishment and intelligence community.
The mother of former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said on Thursday that authorities are attempting to pressure her into accepting a secret burial for her son, who died in prison last week.
Why it matters: A restricted funeral would prevent Navalny's family, allies and supporters from publicly mourning, and would represent yet another attempt by Russian authorities to reduce his influence, even after his death.
A new poll shows more than half the young people in Mexico who identify as LGBTQ+ have seriously considered suicide, indicating a mental health crisis among millions of people in the country.
The big picture: The data from The Trevor Project's Mexico office shows the work that needs to be done even as Mexico has made strides in LGBTQ+ inclusion.
Venezuela's tightening grip on the work of non-governmental organizations is a troubling sign as it heads into an election, a human rights observer tells Axios Latino.
The fight is on to help Latino voters find credible information this election season amid surging concerns over the use of generative AI and deepfakes.
Why it matters: A record-high 36.2 million U.S. Latinos are eligible to vote this year, but many get their news from social media platforms like YouTube and WhatsApp, whereexperts saymisleading information in Spanish is less likely to be intercepted by moderators.
President Biden's top Middle East adviser Brett McGurk urged Israel to send a delegation to the upcoming hostage talks in Paris, telling Israeli officials there has been progress in the negotiations between Egyptian and Qatari mediators and Hamas, three sources with knowledge of the issue told Axios.
Why it matters: Biden administration officials say they want to try and get a deal before the start of Ramadan in less than three weeks to ensure there is a temporary ceasefire in place during the Muslim holy month. But major gaps between Israel and Hamas remain.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — A bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers assured Taiwan's president-elect William Lai of strong U.S. support in a meeting in Taipei on Thursday.
Why it matters: The U.S. delegation takes a hard line on the Chinese government, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan and has ramped up pressure on the self-governing island after Lai's election in January, sending warships, military jets and high-altitude balloons near Taiwan.
The Los Angeles woman who was detained in Russia is 33-year-old Ksenia Karelina, an esthetician and former ballerina, multipleoutlets reported.
Why it matters: Karelina — who has dual U.S.-Russian citizenship — is the latest American to be detained in the country. Authorities arrested and charged her with treason for allegedly providing financial support to Ukraine.
China's government is set to send two giant pandas to the San Diego Zoo as soon as the end of this summer, U.S. zoological officials told AP late Wednesday.
Why it matters: The presence of the iconic bears at U.S. zoos has been a sign of friendship between the two nations since the arrival of the first giant pandas following the normalizing of ties in 1972.
House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) "fear" of being ousted could result in a government shutdown over the foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific, Financial Services Chair Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) said in an interview released Wednesday.
Why it matters: Congress is racing toward a potential government shutdown, with two funding deadlines in early March to keep all government services in operation.
