Axios

Attorney General Merrick Garland said Tuesday that the Justice Department is "worried" about the possibility of a terrorist attack in the U.S. after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack in Israel.

The big picture: Garland has previously said that the Justice Department is monitoring threats following the Oct. 7 attack, "with particular attention to threats to faith communities," he said during a news conference in October.

Expectations are high that Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico's first woman president-elect, will tackle violence in the country — particularly against women.

Why it matters: On average, 10 women are killed every day in Mexico.

The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player.

Why it matters: The scandal has shocked baseball fans worldwide and underscored the dangers of sports betting.

CIA director Bill Burns and Brett McGurk, President Biden's top Middle East adviser, are traveling to the Middle East to push for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, according to a U.S. official and two other sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

Why it matters: The trip is part of a full-court press by the Biden administration to get a breakthrough toward a deal, the sources said.

Russia's military has been "freaking decimated" throughout Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, President Biden said in a wide-ranging interview with Time magazine published on Tuesday.

Why it matters: Biden's comments on Russia's invasion come after he and other leaders recently gave Ukraine permission to strike Russian military targets on Russian territory using advanced Western weapons.

President Biden told Time magazine "there is every reason for people" to conclude that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war in Gaza for personal political survival.

Why it matters: Biden's remark was some of his harshest criticism of Netanyahu since Oct. 7 and was another signal that the president wants to see the Gaza war end as soon as possible.

President Biden sounded off on what he characterized as the declining might and global influence of China's economy in a new interview with Time magazine published Tuesday.

Why it matters: China is one of the main U.S. rivals on the world stage. The two countries' relationship is fraught with geopolitical and economic tensions that could impact the global economy.

The Israel-Hamas war has triggered new cycles of violence beyond the borders of Gaza, drawing global attention to the network of Iranian-backed militias that wield influence — and arms — across the Middle East.

Why it matters: More than 35,000 Palestinians and about 1,200 Israelis have been killed since Oct. 7. Escalation into a full-scale regional war would bring immense human suffering and be catastrophic to the Biden administration's diplomatic and national security goals.

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House Democrats have found themselves facing familiar divisions this week with a vote to sanction the International Criminal Court for seeking arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials.

Why it matters: The White House on Monday announced its formal opposition to the GOP legislation, but it is likely to get votes from pro-Israel Democrats anyway.

Sen. Bob Menendez who's on trial on federal bribery charges, filed to run for re-election as an independent in New Jersey on Monday.

Why it matters: Menendez comfortably won re-election as a Democrat in 2018, so his decision to run as an independent could prove a headache for the Democratic Party in what's typically been a safe Senate seat.

Israeli officials are concerned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements in recents days could sabotage the "constructive ambiguity" used by negotiators to draft a proposed Israeli hostage-ceasefire deal that could be accepted by Hamas.

Why it matters: Hamas wants to know the deal's commitment to a ceasefire in Gaza will ultimately lead to the end of the war, but Netanyahu is publicly saying he is still committed to continuing the war until Hamas is defeated.

When diplomats descend on Calí, Colombia, in October to further negotiate the pact to protect global biodiversity, they will be pushed to raise the issue's profile and its myriad connections to climate change.

Why it matters: Colombian environment and sustainable development minister Susana Muhamad will chair the summit. She's looking to go big on protecting nature and reconceptualizing humanity's relationship with it.

Russian propagandists are seeking to discredit the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and incite fears of terrorism at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris, according to a new Microsoft report released Sunday.

Why it matters: The report warned that the Russian campaign could expand and intensify in the run up to the start of the Paris Games in late July.

Claudia Sheinbaum, of the ruling party Morena, is projected to become Mexico's first woman president after a landslide victory in Sunday's election, according to a quick count by the country's electoral commission.

Why it matters: Mexico is the largest trading partner of the U.S. and a key ally, especially when it comes to migration.