The families of U.S. hostages held in Gaza asked to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his upcoming trip to Washington, along with the members of Congress who represent their districts, according a letter obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: Netanyahu, who is expected to arrive in Washington on July 22, has met some of the families of the U.S. hostages in other settings but never met them as a group.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday departed early from a NATO summit in Washington, D.C., where he played his perennial role of internal irritant, for a much friendlier meeting at Mar-a-Lago with former President Trump.
Why it matters: Thursday's Orbán split-screen highlights one dramatic change coming if Trump replaces Biden: a very different set of leaders will have VIP status with the White House.
President Biden introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "President Putin" at the NATO summit on Thursday, before quickly correcting himself.
Why it matters: Many members of Congress, along with the American public, are watching Thursday's presser to assess Biden's performance after his debate disaster in June.
The U.S. will shut down its short-lived humanitarian aid pier for Gaza, the Pentagon announced Thursday.
Why it matters: The $230 million project, which was intended to stave off famine in Gaza as other aid routes into the enclave closed, has suffered from inconsistent aid deliveries amid logistical issues.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hardened his demands for a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas on Thursday, even as the White House expressed optimism that a deal was getting closer.
Why it matters: Talks were making progress in part because Hamas had softened some of its positions, U.S. and Israeli officials say. But Netanyahu has responded to intelligence suggesting Hamas wants a ceasefire because of its weak military position by toughening his own stance.
Mexican cinematographer Alejandro Martínez, who has worked on "Fallout" and "House of the Dragon," tells Axios Latino that being part of a team behind two of TV's biggest successes has been a blast and creative boon.
The big picture: Although there is no data on crew members, past reports show that Latino directors, scriptwriters and showrunners in TV are still few and far in between, according to UCLA's yearly Hollywood diversity report.
As pressure mounts for President Biden to step down from the Democratic ticket, some strategists have been trying to assess Vice President Kamala Harris' standing with Latinos and other voters who will play a key role in the upcoming elections.
The big picture: Harris is adamant she is not seeking the nomination, but political strategists have been exploring all possible avenues in case Biden drops out of the race.
