Axios

The U.S. State Department on Friday sanctioned former Argentinian President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner due to her conviction in a $1 billion fraud scheme.

Why it matters: While a U.S. senator, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other Republicans called for anti-corruption sanctions to be imposed on Kirchner, a leftist, following her conviction in December 2022. The Biden Administration declined.

Elon Musk met with the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday after President Trump and other officials denied reports that he was originally scheduled to receive a top-secret briefing for a potential war with China.

Why it matters: Some lawmakers and ethics experts have raised conflict of interest concerns about Musk's role as senior adviser to the president while his companies hold substantial government contracts — in particular SpaceX, which has deals with the Pentagon and NASA.

London's Heathrow Airport resumed some flights after closing earlier Friday when a fire at an electrical substation caused a major power outage and sparked travel chaos.

Why it matters: Heathrow Airport is the busiest airport in Europe and one of the best-connected travel hubs in the world. At least 1,350 flights that were scheduled to arrive at or depart from the airport have been affected so far, per the flight-tracking service Flightradar24.

Kyivstar, the Ukrainian mobile operator that just agreed to list on the Nasdaq via a reverse merger, has agreed to buy local ride-hail and delivery firm Uklon for $155 million.

Why it matters: This suggests some level of economic optimism for the besieged country, even as that giant minerals deal with the U.S. remains in limbo.

A Supreme Court judge on Friday issued an injunction freezing the dismissal of the Shin Bet director until a hearing can be held on the matter, hours after Israel's cabinet voted unanimously to dismiss him.

Why it matters: The vote to fire Ronen Bar, the head of Israel's most powerful security agency, was unprecedented. No government in Israel's history has ever before sought to remove someone from the position.

An expected travel ban by the Trump administration on more than three dozen countries could prevent some Major League Baseball players from Cuba and Venezuela from coming into — or leaving — the United States.

The big picture: President Trump could announce a travel ban as soon as Friday, under an executive order he issued on his first day in office.

The United Kingdom has issued new travel advice for citizens traveling to the U.S. amid President Trump's immigration crackdown.

Why it matters: The revised guidance coincides with several high-profile cases in which federal immigration authorities detained tourists and permanent residents in the U.S.

A senior Israeli delegation is expected to visit the White House early next week for strategic consultations about Iran, two Israeli officials and one U.S. official tell Axios.

Why it matters: President Trump has given Tehran a two-month window to negotiate a new nuclear deal, as Axios reported, and has raised the threat of military strikes on Iran's nuclear program if no deal is reached.

U.S. citizen George Glezmann was released by the Taliban Thursday after being held for more than two years in Afghanistan, the State Department said.

Why it matters: Glezmann's release results from diplomatic efforts by President Trump's hostage envoy Adam Boehler and his predecessor, Biden administration hostage envoy Roger Carstens, with the help of Qatari mediators.

To fully appreciate President Trump's mesmerizing control over Republicans, consider their scant public dissent over ideas many of them privately disdain:

1. Support for Vladimir Putin.
2. Support for on-again, off-again tariffs, and a worsening economy.
3. Support Elon Musk's haphazard budget-cutting.
4. Making Canada the 51st state.
5. Pardoning most Jan. 6 defendants.

Federal immigration authorities detained a Georgetown University graduate student from India who was teaching at the D.C. institution on a student visa, the Trump administration confirmed Wednesday evening.

Why it matters: The detention of Badar Khan Suri comes after President Trump said the arrest by immigration authorities of the green card-holding Columbia University alumnus and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil was the first of "many to come."

Tesla was excluded from the Vancouver International Auto Show that began in Canada on Wednesday due to safety concerns, organizers said.

The big picture: President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have denounced as "domestic terrorism" a spate of attacks that the FBI is investigating on Tesla vehicles and dealerships, spurred by #TeslaTakedown protests targeting CEO Elon Musk's involvement in DOGE-driven cuts to the federal workforce and agencies.

The U.S. hit a new record low on the annual World Happiness Report released Wednesday night.

Why it matters: The drop in the U.S.' ranking comes on the back of a monumental U.S. election and as many Americans report struggling to stay afloat financially.