Ex-Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández on Wednesday wassentenced to 45 years in a U.S. prison for his drug trafficking and weapons conviction.
The big picture: Hernández, once embraced by U.S. officials who leaned on him for efforts to stem northbound migration, is one of several leaders of Latin American countries who have faced accusations of corruption.
The U.S. and Israel resolved some of the problems that have slowed down U.S. weapons shipments to Israel but the delivery of bombs put on hold by President Biden before Israel invaded Rafah is still under review, U.S. and Israeli officials said.
Why it matters: The supply of U.S. weapons to Israel has become a significant source of tension between the Biden administration and the Israeli government after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Biden of withholding weapons from Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu two weeks ago re-established working groups made up of members of Israel's defense establishment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the intelligence community to focus on Iran's nuclear program, three senior Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it matters: Israel and the U.S. are concerned Iran will try to advance its nuclear technology, including weaponization efforts, in the weeks leading to the U.S. presidential elections, according to two Israeli and two U.S. officials.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich's trial on espionage charges began in Russia on Wednesday, 15 months after his arrest.
Why it matters: Gershkovich is the first U.S. journalist that Russia has arrested and accused of espionage since the Cold War,though Russian authorities have not presented any evidence to back up their allegations.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich's closed-door trial on espionage charges began on Wednesday in Russia.
Why it matters: Gershkovich, 32, is the first American journalist to stand trial in Russia on spying charges since the Cold War. Russian authorities have failed to publicly produce any evidence against him.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returned to his home country of Australia, a day after pleading guilty in a deal with U.S. authorities that saw him charged with one espionage offense and sentenced to time served.
Why it matters: Assange's guilty plea marked the culmination of a years-long legal battle that accumulated massive international intrigue — with some press freedom advocates viewing Assange as a hero while prosecutors saw him as a national security threat.
Israel and the U.S. agreed to reconvene a joint meeting on Iran in July that was cancelled by the White House last week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Biden administration of withholding weapons from Israel, five Israeli and U.S. officials said.
Why it matters: There's growing concern in Israel about developments in the Iranian nuclear program that Israeli leaders believe could be related to possible weaponization efforts, Israeli officials said.
Nearly half a million people in the Gaza Strip are at risk of starvation and the entire population faces acute food insecurity, a UN-backed body said in a report on Tuesday.
The big picture: The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, and restrictions on humanitarian access, have put Palestinians in danger of famine, the organization warned.
As extreme heat increases and global warming heightens the risks from UV radiation, Latinos' historically lower rates of sunscreen use could expose them to dangerous conditions.
Why it matters:Rates of melanoma (the deadliest skin cancer) have risen 20% for Hispanics in the U.S. in the last two decades, the most recent studies show.
Outdoor and evenindoor workers in the states being hardest hit by a dangerous heat wave have few if any protections to keep them safe.
Why it matters: About 64.3 million people in the U.S. — including millions of Latino laborers— are under heat alerts, with a brutal wave hitting large swaths of the country.
U.K. private equity and venture capital investors are girding themselves for a dour July 4th, when British voters are expected to barbecue the Conservative Party for the first time in 14 years.
The big picture: Labour Party leaders have pledged to eliminate the favorable tax treatment of carried interest, thus raising the figure to 45% from 28%.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for two prominent Russian officials who are accused of violating international law during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Why it matters: The ICC has alleged that former Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian general Valery Gerasimov committed war crimes and crimes against humanity for targeting critical infrastructure and Ukrainian civilians.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is expected to plead guilty to a felony charge related to his alleged role in one of the biggest leaks of classified information in recent U.S. history, per court documents filed Monday.
The latest: "Julian Assange is free," per a WikiLeaks statement posted to X stating that the publisher had boarded a flight out of the U.K. and was headed for his native Australia after London's High Court granted him bail on Monday morning.
During his visit to Beirut last week, President Biden's envoy Amos Hochstein told Lebanese officials Hezbollah is wrong to think the U.S. would be able to stop Israel from invading Lebanon if the militia continues its attacks, according to a U.S. official, an Israeli official and a Western diplomat briefed on the issue.
Why it matters: The Biden administration is highly concerned that both Israel and Hezbollah are miscalculating as they escalate their rhetoric and fighting on the ground while thinking they can avoid an all-out war.
