Axios

The Biden administration on Tuesday approved more than $20 billion major arms sales to Israel, including new F-15 fighter jets and tens of thousands of tank and mortar shells.

Why it matters: Most of the weapons sales are long-term deals and will only be delivered several years from now, but Israeli officials said the announcement send a message to Iran and Hezbollah as they threaten to attack Israel.

President Biden told reporters he expects Iran to hold off on possibly attacking Israel if a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal is reached in the next few days.

Why it matters: The U.S., Egypt and Qatar called on Israel and Hamas to participate in a final and decisive round of negotiations on Thursday in Doha for a deal to release hostages held by Hamas and establish a ceasefire in Gaza.

1. Venezuela's opposition is calling for mass protests to take place on Saturday from citizens at home and abroad.

• The opposition wants marchers to carry printed-out ballot tallies that its volunteers gathered from 80% of poll sites showing its candidate Edmundo González Urrutia won.
• The regime of Nicolás Maduro, who claims without evidence that he won a third term during the July 28 elections, has carried out mass arrests of protesters and people who helped gather the vote tallies.

2. A chamber of Peru's high court is letting former President Alberto Fujimori off the hook, for the moment, on criminal accusations that his government ordered and carried out forced sterilizations of Indigenous women in the 1990s.

Gymnast Ángel Barajas atop a firefighting truck during a parade in Cúcuta, Colombia, to celebrate his Olympic silver medal. Source: via Noticias Telemundo

Ángel Barajas, the Colombian gymnast who last week became the youngest South American athlete to medal in an Olympic Games, got a super warm welcome when he returned to his hometown of Cúcuta.

State of play: Barajas, 17, won the silver medal in the men's horizontal bar. His victory was Colombia's first Olympic win in gymnastics.

• "I was cycling through so many emotions, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry," he tells Noticias Telemundo about when he realized he had the second best score in the final.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Monday night that war is "coming home" to Russia after his top military commander confirmed Ukraine has seized almost 390 miles of Russian territory.

Why it matters: Ukraine's surprise offensive into Russia that began a week ago has dealt an unexpected blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin and marks a dramatic shift in strategy for Kyiv.

If there were medals for the overall level of public interest in the Olympic games, Paris 2024 would be a strong contender for the podium.

Why it matters: Combined TV and streaming viewership across live and recorded highlights from the roughly 17 days of competition have exceeded NBC's expectations at a time when traditional broadcasts continue to be upended by the dynamics of digital media.

The closing of the Paris Games Sunday concluded with the handover of the Olympic flag to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, officially kicking off the countdown to the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Why it matters: Organizers of the L.A. Games are taking a cue from Paris on striving for sustainability, vowing the tournament will be a "no build" and "car-free" feat.

Black women earned 42% of Team USA's women competition medals — a much larger share than in past Games.

Why it matters: This is a big moment for Black and brown athletes, and little girls who look up to them.

From get-ready-with-me vlogs to reviews of dating app prospects in the Olympic Village, Paris 2024's athletes took fans inside the Games.

Why it matters: Younger athletes gave viewers a less polished, more personal behind-the-scenes of the global stage.

The White House on Monday said U.S. intelligence indicates it is increasingly likely Iran will attack Israel this week, matching the latest Israeli intelligence assessment.

Why it matters: The new intelligence suggests an attack could come before the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal talks planned for Thursday, which could put the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas at risk.

Bharti Enterprises of India has agreed to pay an estimated $4 billion for a 24.5% stake in BT Group from France's Altice.

Why it matters: It would make Bharti the top shareholder in Britain's largest broadband and mobile provider.

The Paris Olympic Games wowed audiences around the world, showcasing unforgettable feats of athleticism and examples of sportsmanship before drawing to a close Sunday.

The big picture: The 2024 Games delivered viral moments, from Simone Biles' comeback to Tom Cruise's unexpected stunt during the closing ceremony.

French IT giant Atos has spent the last three years preparing the computer systems needed to handle accreditation, schedule volunteers and distribute results for this year's Olympics.

Between the lines: Last week, in the middle of the Paris Games, Axios was able to peek inside the Technology Operations Center where Atos brings all the technology vendors together to jointly address issues as they crop up.