The senior U.S. military commander in charge of the Middle East is expected to go to Israel Thursday to coordinate around a possible attack on Israel by Iran and its proxies, two Israeli officials said.
Why it matters: Iranian officials have publicly threatened to retaliate against Israel for an attack in Syria last week that killed a top Iranian general. An attack on Israel or its bases could lead to another regional escalation.
The United Steelworkers on Wednesday reaffirmed its opposition to Japan-based Nippon Steel's $14.9 billion proposed takeover of U.S. Steel.
Why it matters: The politics here are awkward — the statement is out on the same day President Biden is hosting Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida at the White House.
President Biden said on Wednesday his administration is "considering" Australia's request for the U.S. to end its effort to prosecute Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for one of the largest classified intelligence leaks in U.S. history, according to pool reports.
Why it matters: Australia, where Assange was born, has for years called on the U.S. to drop its decades-long case against the 52-year-old, who faces life in prison if convicted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Axel Springer media outlets on Tuesday that he has urged former President Trump to visit the country to hear Trump's ideas to end Russia's invasion.
Why it matters: The invitation comes amid reports that Trump has privately said he could end Russia's ongoing assault on Ukraine by pressuring Kyiv into ceding territory to Moscow.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said the new U.S. proposal for a hostage deal is "serious" and stressed Hamas needs to accept it in order to get a ceasefire in Gaza.
Why it matters: Hamas didn't reject the proposal out of hand. In a statement on Monday, the group said "despite the Israeli rejectionist position" Hamas' leadership will discuss the new U.S. proposal "in a responsible manner" and when finished will deliver a response to the Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Monday that Israel has not yet set a date for an operation in Rafah, despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's public claim Monday that "there is a date," according to a source with direct knowledge.
Why it matters: The Biden administration is pushing Netanyahu not to proceed with an operation in Rafah, where more than one million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. Netanyahu has presented the plans as a done deal, but both U.S. officials and now Gallant are now contradicting him.
Why it matters: Latinos are part of a multi-ethnic coalition that President Biden needs to win re-election, and his support of Israel has become a vulnerability.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a Senate committee Tuesday that the U.S. does not have "any evidence" that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Why it matters: Israel has been accused by other nations of carrying out or inciting genocide against Palestinians throughout the war with Hamas — by restricting humanitarian aid to the enclave, displacing millions and killing civilians.
More than halfof U.S. Latino adults worry any new mass deportations would target all Latinos regardless of legal status, a new Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll in partnership with Noticias Telemundo finds.
Why it matters: Former President Trump has promised mass deportations if he wins a second term, and past efforts have swept up U.S. citizens, creating generations of trauma.
Europe's highest human rights court on Tuesday sided with a group of 2,000 Swiss women over 64 years old who sued their government for not doing enough to combat climate change.
Why it matters: It's a landmark ruling that helps to determine to what extent almost all European countries violate the human rights of their citizens by not adequately mitigating the effects of climate change.
U.S. Latinos have steadily soured on President Biden while warming to former President Trump — even as they're trending toward Democrats on several key issues, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll in partnership with Noticias Telemundo.
Why it matters: The results point to a troubling gap in support for Biden: Many Latinos — a rapidly growing and crucial voting bloc, particularly in swing states Nevada and Arizona — appear to like Democrats' ideas more than they like Biden.
