Negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah have made significant progress in the last 24 hours but the Biden administration hasn't reached a final agreement with either Israel or Lebanon, two U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the issue said.
Why it matters: A ceasefire deal would stop more than a year offighting between Israel and Hezbollah and significantly de-escalate the regional war in the Middle East for the first time since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
Latin music superstar Nicky Jam rescinded his endorsement of former President Trump on Wednesday following a comedian's joke about Puerto Rico during a campaign rally.
Why it matters: Jam, who has nearly 44 million followers on Instagram, drew criticism when he endorsed Trump at a rally in Las Vegas last month.
Vice President Harris' and her campaign are seizing on a Trump rally speaker's racist jokes about Puerto Rico this weekend to woo Latino voters in the election's home stretch.
Why it matters: Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's racist jokes have infuriated Puerto Ricans and Latinos across the country, who make up sizable voting blocs in several key swing states with only days left in the campaign.
Israel is spending more than $500 millionto ramp up production of Iron Beam, a futuristic laser meant to shield the country from mortars, rockets and drones.
Why it matters: The funds vouch for directed-energy weapons, which are not yet widely adopted and polarize defense-tech watchers.
Canada's deputy foreign minister alleged Tuesday that Indian Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah, a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had driven plots targeting Sikh separatists on Canadian soil.
The big picture: The two countries have been embroiled in an escalating diplomatic standoff since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last year accused "agents of the Indian" government of being involved in the killing of a prominent Sikh community leader in Canada.
Two senior advisers to President Biden will arrive in Israel on Thursday to try to close a deal that would end the war in Lebanon and allow displaced civilians from both sides of the border to return to their homes, three sources with direct knowledge of the trip told Axios.
Why it matters: If Biden's senior advisers Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk strike a diplomatic deal between Israel and Hezbollah during their visit, it would significantly de-escalate the regional war in the Middle East for the first time since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Tuesday warned the Trump campaign against critizing Latinos or being "overly masculine."
The big picture: Haley said on Fox News that Trump rally Tony Hinchcliffe's likening of Puerto Rico to "a floating island of garbage" was "harmful" to the campaign.
A comedian's bigoted joke at former President Trump's Madison Square Garden rally comparing Puerto Rico to "a floating island of garbage" risks alienating a significant voting bloc across crucial swing states in the election's closing days.
The big picture: Over 5 million people identifying as Puerto Rican live in the United States — including significant populations in highly contested Pennsylvania, Georgia and Wisconsin.
Elements of a throne room recently discovered in Pañamarca, Peru. Source: via Telemundo
New discoveriesin Peru point to a pre-Incan civilization that was probably ruled by women.
State of play: Most Mesoamerican civilizations had male rulers, even if they had important female deities.
But a recent discovery of a throne room seemingly dedicated to a matriarch in Pañamarca, an archeological site in northwest Peru, indicates that was not the case for the Moche society that existed a millennia ago.
Wells Fargo fused cooking with financial literacy in classes held last week in New York City's historic East Harlem, also known as El Barrio.
Why it matters: The latest financial outreach comes as U.S. Latino buying power has grown to $3.6 trillion, but reports show many Latinos lack retirement accounts and other financial assets needed to build wealth.
The average value of houses owned by U.S. Latinos is the closest it has ever been to that of homes owned by white non-Hispanics, per a new report.
Why it matters: Homeownership is one of the biggest contributors to wealth-building for Latinos, yet homes owned by Latinos and other people of color have traditionally had lower values.
Six statesand Washington, D.C., have referendums on Election Day to end closed primary systems, opening the door for independent voters to engage more in the political process.
Why it matters: Polls show Latino voters ages 18-29 lean left, but nearly one-third identify as independents. Closed primaries mean they can't vote until the general election.
Salt Typhoon, the recently uncovered Chinese hacking group, used its access in U.S. telecommunications networks to target former President Donald Trump, his running mate JD Vance and associates of Vice President Kamala Harris, according to recent reports.
The big picture: Beijing has become more brazen in its attacks on the U.S. government and the country's infrastructure.
Former President Trump said Tuesday that he didn't know the comedian who cracked several bigoted jokes at his Madison Square Garden rally over the weekend.
Why it matters: Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's controversial remarks have drawn bipartisan backlash,and Trump frequently claims not to know people in his orbit when they become political liabilities.
In a world where crucial resources — workers, electricity, housing and more — are in short supply, the globe is expected to have an abundance of at least one commodity: oil.
Why it matters: This new reality might keep a lid on consumer energy prices even as geopolitical strife intensifies. It could also wreak havoc on the longstanding economics that underpin oil production.
Driving the news: Republicans on Monday tried to stop the fallout from the racist, sexist and vulgar rhetoric by several rally speakers, including a comedian who called Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage."
Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) said Monday he doesn't believe Trump rally comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's racist joke about Puerto Rico will stop people voting for the Republican presidential ticket.
Why it matters: Hinchcliffe's likening of Puerto Rico to a "floating island of garbage" at former President Trump's N.Y. rally Sunday drew widespread criticism, including from Republican lawmakers, and the GOP presidential nominee's representatives said it "does not reflect" his views nor those of the campaign.
CIA Director Bill Burns discussed a new formulation for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal in a meeting on Sunday with Israeli and Qatari counterparts: a month-long pause in the fighting, with Hamas releasing around 8 hostages and Israel releasing dozens of Palestinian prisoners, according to three Israeli officials.
Why it matters: A partial deal could break a two-month deadlock in the ceasefire talks, jump-start negotiations for a more comprehensive agreement, improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza and free some of the hostages held in Gaza.
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