Axios

More countries have officially recognized a Palestinian state, as the Israel-Hamas war drags on and the civilian death toll in Gaza continues to rise.

Why it matters: These countries have aligned with the growing international support for Palestinian people's rights — contrasting with the positions of the U.S. and other Western nations.

The River Seine is still falling short of the requirements needed to qualify for participation in this summer's Paris Olympic Games, Paris officials announced Friday.

Why it matters: Organizers hope that the Seine will have a starring role in the Paris Games, by playing host to the opening ceremony and swimming events during the tournament.

There's an "unprecedented" scramble underway to find defense industry workers, per a new FT report and survey of nearly two dozen U.S. and European companies in the sector.

Why it matters: Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago coupled with evolving geopolitical risk have pushed global military spending to new highs.

The U.S. is far from the only country seeing record heat, flash flooding and wildfires, among other extreme weather events. In fact, few places have been untouched recently.

Why it matters: Amid record warm global temperatures that have stretched on for at least a year, climate change-related extremes have affected hundreds of millions of people, with all-time heat records falling in parts of Europe, Africa and Asia.

The trial of a Russian-American woman accused of treason in Russia began on Thursday, multiple outlets reported.

The big picture: Ksenia Karelina is the latest American to be detained in Russia as relations between the two nations remain fraught. She has been accused of treason for allegedly providing material support to Ukraine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new feud with the Biden administration is hampering U.S.-Israeli diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions on the Lebanese border and avoid war with Hezbollah, U.S. officials say.

Why it matters: Three Biden administration officials tell Axios they are concerned that Netanyahu's actions create "daylight" between the two allies and as a result are further eroding Israel's deterrence power in the region, especially in the eyes of Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah and the group's main backer Iran.

The remains of at least 1,500 people who died trying to cross the southern border have not been identified, per a new investigation by Noticias Telemundo's Anagilmara Vílchez and Damià Bonmatí.

The big picture: The U.S.-Mexico border is considered the world's deadliest land migration route by the International Organization of Migration.

Brazil's Congress is considering a bill that would allow authorities to charge with homicide anyone who has an abortion.

Why it matters: The bill would curtail abortion rights in one of the most populated countries in the Americas, when other nations have made decriminalization a key public health policy.

U.S. immigrant workers whose employers offer programs to learn English are extremely likely to stay at their jobs, per a new survey.

Why it matters: Immigrants are critical to economic growth and are filling major gaps in the labor market.

The Biden administration announced Thursday that the U.S. will facilitate the shipment of air defense systems to Ukraine by temporarily pausing deliveries to other allies.

Why it matters: Ukraine has been repeatedly pleaded for more air defense systems, as Russia has intensified its strikes on Ukraine in recent months and launched a fresh offensive in the country's northeast.

The Bank of England kept interest rates at the highest in 16 years on Thursday, joining the Federal Reserve in moving cautiously before cutting borrowing costs as a critical election looms.

Why it matters: Although U.K. inflation was the lowest since 2021 last month, the nation's central bankers worry subdued price pressures won't last.

House members from both parties are forming a new group to crack down on China's role in the U.S. fentanyl epidemic as part of a more aggressive push to cut off illicit supply of the lethal drug.

Why it matters: Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids kill tens of thousands of Americans every year, tearing apart families while fracturing communities and disrupting the labor market.

Democrats no longer hold the robust advantage among Latinos they once did on immigration, according to a new poll.

Why it matters: Once reliably Democratic voters, many Latinos are increasingly identifying as independent, and working-class voters are leaning more toward the GOP.

NASA's Voyager 1 is back "conducting normal science operations" for the first time since a technical glitch some seven months ago sidelined the spacecraft, space agency officials announced.

Why it matters: The spacecraft that launched in 1977 has collected key scientific data, and at more than 15 billion miles from Earth it's the farthest human-made object in space.