CIA director Bill Burns arrived in Cairo on Friday to join Egyptian mediators in their efforts to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, three sources with knowledge of the issue told Axios.
Why it matters: Burns' trip reflects the pressure the Biden administration is under to get a deal as soon as possible and signals that it sees the current moment as a critical point in the negotiations.
In the U.S., where it's celebrated with tacos, tequila and margarita specials, Cinco de Mayo is often incorrectly believed to be Mexico's Independence Day.
Reality check: Cinco de Mayo — or, in English, May 5 — marks a Mexican victory over France 50 years after Mexico's independence.
A wild orangutan was seen rubbing the mash of a medicinal plant in his wound, scientists reported Thursday.
Why it matters: It's believed to be the first documented case of the behavior in a wild animal and could point to the origins of wound care in humans, the researchers wrote.
A bipartisan group of senators held a virtual meeting on Wednesday with senior officials at the International Criminal Court to express their concern about possible arrest warrants being issued for Israeli leaders over the war in Gaza, according to three sources who were in the meetingor briefed about it.
Why it matters: Israeli officials have grown increasingly worried over the last two weeks that the ICC is preparing to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.
Smugglers in Mexico are increasingly using overloaded semitrailers to transport people trying to enter the U.S., often with deadly consequences, an investigation from Noticias Telemundo found.
The big picture: The situation lays bare the human toll of modern migration amid the growing and increasingly dangerous human smuggling industry.
A British college is exhibiting the works of a Mexican American photographer who captured some of the Civil Rights Movement's most critical moments.
Why it matters: MariaVarela, 84, is receivinginternational praise for her work after being largely forgotten for decades. This is the first time the exhibit, "Time to Get Ready," has traveled out of the United States.
Why it matters: In addition to the accusation, the State Department and Department of Treasury announced sanctions on over 280 individuals and entities connected to Russia's military-industrial base and financial system.
A new ad campaign that targets antisemitism and disinformation online features Holocaust survivors who are visibly shaken as they read a series of social media posts denying the massacre of Jews.
Why it matters: The online videos arrive at a time when antisemitic incidents in the U.S. surged last year amid the Israel-Hamas war — and as pro-Palestinian protests on some college campuses have left some Jewish students feeling threatened and harassed.
Canvassers trying to register new voters are staring down unprecedented hostility and navigating a minefield of new laws ahead of November's election.
Why it matters: Many advocates say somestate governments have made it harder to cast a ballot over the past few years amid rising public distrust of the election process.
