Axios

Former President Trump on Thursday doubled down on his claim that the deadly 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Virginia was a "peanut" compared to the current pro-Palestinian protests occurring across the country.

Why it matters: This is not the first time Trump has downplayed the severity of the Charlottesville rally, in which hundreds of white nationalists marched through the town's streets and a driver plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing one.

Ariel Henry formally stepped down as prime minister of Haiti on Thursday, nearly a month after vowing to do so in the face of violent unrest that gripped the country earlier this year.

The big picture: His resignation comes on the same day that a council in charge of selecting a new prime minister and cabinet is set to be sworn in, AP reported.

The new "Dora the Explorer" series has been renewed for a second season.

Why it matters: Dora debuted in 2000 as the first Latina leading character in a children's show. Since then, the number of Latinos in the U.S. has soared by 80%, from 35.3 million to nearly 64 million — and they've become more diverse as well.

Investments from Latino and Latina-led venture capital firms contributed to the creation of an estimated 51,600 jobs last year, according to a new report.

Why it matters: These gains come even as Latinos and other people of color remain deeply underrepresented in the VC world.

President Biden and the leaders of 17 countries whose citizens were abducted by Hamas issued a joint statement Thursday calling on the group to accept a hostage deal currently on the table that would lead to a ceasefire in Gaza.

Why it matters: This is the most significant joint statement the international community has published since Oct. 7 pressuring Hamas to release the hostages.

Pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University have inspired other encampments and demonstrations against the war in Gaza on campuses across the U.S. this week.

Driving the news: Hundreds of people were detained at protests at several colleges on Wednesday as universities cracked down on demonstrators, sparking First Amendment concerns.

Fifty-six brands led by The Coca-Cola Company are responsible for more than half of the plastic pollution found across the globe, according to a new study.

Why it matters: About 400 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced every year, which often ends up in landfills where most types don't decompose, biodegrade or compost.

Russia on Wednesday vetoed a draft resolution before the United Nations Security Council that would have called on countries to prevent a nuclear arms race in outer space.

Why it matters: Russia's veto comes after U.S. officials alleged earlier this year that Moscow is developing a new space-based nuclear weapon to destroy satellites.

The U.S. quietly shipped a new long-range missile system to Ukraine, which used it to bomb airfields in Russian-occupied territory, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

Why it matters: The transfer of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) marked a major policy shift within the Biden administration, which has so far been wary of giving Ukraine long-ranged missiles over concerns about escalation.

Hamas released a video of an Israeli-American hostage as a "gesture" to the Qatari government, which had pressured the militant group to provide proof-of-life in recent weeks, according to two sources with knowledge of the issue.

Behind the scenes: The undated video of Hersh Goldberg-Polin — a 23-year-old dual citizen who is among the most well-known of the hostages abducted on Oct. 7 — was delivered by Hamas to Qatar, the sources said.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken is planning to travel to Saudi Arabia and Israel next week after returning from his trip to China, two U.S. officials and and an Arab official told Axios.

Why it matters: Blinken is expected to participate at a special meeting of the World Economic Forum that will take place in Riyadh on April 28-29, the sources said.

Top Israeli intelligence and military officials met Wednesday in Cairo with Egypt's intelligence chief and other key officials to discuss a possible Israel Defense Forces operation in Rafah, three senior Israeli officials told Axios.

Why it matters: Egyptian officials are concerned an Israeli operation in the southern Gaza city would lead to tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians entering their territory, potentially involving a breach of the border that would endanger Egypt's security.

Chaotic protests at Columbia University are spurring visits to the college from at least 10 members of Congress this week from states as far flung as North Carolina, Florida and Louisiana.

Why it matters: It's a sign of how salient the issue of college antisemitism has become within Congress since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war and subsequent pro-Palestinian protests.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should resign, calling him an obstacle to a two-state solution.

The big picture: Speaking about the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and the prime minister's counteroffensive, Pelosi said Netanyahu is ultimately responsible.

Columbia University gave pro-Palestinian protesters a deadline to resolve talks with officials over dismantling their encampment, president Minouche Shafik announced Tuesday.

State of play: Shafik said in a message posted on the school's website Tuesday that the college would "consider alternative options" if students didn't leave the area by midnight. A college spokesperson said in an emailed statement just before 3am Wednesday that after "constructive dialogue" the university "will continue conversations for the next 48 hours."

The Senate is sending to President Biden's desk the sweeping, House-passed foreign aid package with tens of billions of dollars for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan — as well as a potential ban on TikTok.

Why it matters: Eight months after Biden requested tens of billions in emergency funding and four months after he promised he wouldn't "walk away from Ukraine," he can make good on his promise to U.S. allies.