Axios

Senior Israeli and Syrian ministers met in Paris for four hours on Thursday under the auspices of President Trump's special envoy Tom Barrack and discussed de-escalation of tensions between the countries.

Why it matters: The meeting that was brokered by the Trump administration was the most high-level official engagement between Israel and Syria in more than 25 years.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday that Hamas' latest response in Gaza talks "shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire," and warned the U.S. is now considering "alternative options" for bringing the hostages home.

Why it matters: The breakdown of negotiations came as Witkoff arrived in Italy for talks on Gaza with Qatari and Israeli officials. Witkoff hoped to then travel to Doha to seal the deal for a 60-day ceasefire this week.

This year may turn out to be historic for investors, requiring high levels of discipline to avoid chasing unreasonable valuations, the CEO of Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC said Thursday.

Why it matters: GIC is one of the world's largest investors, with more than $800 billion under management, so its cautious view at a time of surging markets globally is noteworthy.

President Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship in the U.S. is "unconstitutional," a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.

Why it matters: The 2-1 ruling upholds a nationwide pause on enforcement of the policy, which is likely headed for the Supreme Court.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) agreed to support former Rep. Mike Waltz's nomination to be ambassador to the UN after securing an agreement with the State Department to release $75 million in foreign aid for Haiti and Nigeria.

Why it matters: Waltz will now likely be confirmed by the full Senate.

A UN court's finding that countries face climate obligations under international law will find its way into climate litigation in multiple venues — as well as diplomatic and policy battles.

Why it matters: It's also a win for the nations most vulnerable to climate change, including the Pacific island nation Vanuatu, which spearheaded the push for a decision.

The stock market barely moved off the trade deal with Japan this week, as market sources said that's the new investor playbook for tariff headlines: Ignore them unless it's about China.

Why it matters: The stock market, which is up 27% since the April 8 lows, has already priced in trade deals.

The Trump administration's new AI Action Plan, which offers the industry much of what it says it needs to compete with China, also contains a time bomb for tech companies — an attempt to dictate how chatbots deal with contentious political issues.

The big picture: Trump's move could spark a broader wave of efforts by governments around the world to require AI systems to toe political lines, setting up endless conflicts between tech firms and rulers eager to promote agendas and quash dissent.

The State Department is launching an investigation into Harvard's ability to sponsor exchange visas, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday.

The big picture: It's a part of the Trump administration efforts to bar Harvard from hosting international students.

The Department of Justice announced Wednesday it's forming a strike force "to assess evidence" Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard raised about the "alleged weaponization of the intelligence community."

The big picture: The DOJ statement did not specify which evidence she publicized that it was responding to, but Gabbard accused former President Obama's administration earlier Wednesday of a "manipulation of intelligence" around Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Immigration agents can't immediately take Kilmar Ábrego García into custody after he is released ahead of his human smuggling trial in Tennessee, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

Why it matters: Immigration officials told a federal court that Ábrego García could be immediately deported again — potentially to a country other than El Salvador — if he were released ahead of his upcoming trial despite the White House calling that assertion "fake news" later.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife filed a defamation lawsuit against ring-wing podcaster Candace Owens alleging she circulated "outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions" about the couple for profit.

The big picture: The 219-page complaint, which was filed in Delaware, alleges Owens' "lies have caused tremendous damage to the Macrons," subjecting the French leader and his wife to "a campaign of global humiliation."

Hackers have already compromised more than 400 organizations using a recently discovered flaw in Microsoft SharePoint servers, according to researchers at Eye Security.

Why it matters: That number has raised dramatically from estimates earlier this week that hackers had only broke into about 60 government agencies, critical infrastructure entities and companies.

The U.S. is reportedly closing in on a trade agreement that would impose 15% tariffs on goods from the European Union.

Why it matters: The framework — details of which were reported by Reuters and the Financial Times on Wednesday — would be the latest that implements hefty tariffs on a key ally.

Iran is willing to return to the negotiating table with the U.S., "the sooner the better," but must be convinced the talks aren't cover for further military action, Tehran's nuclear negotiator Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday.

The big picture: U.S. officials were discussing the dates for future talks with Tehran last month while simultaneously coordinating war plans with Israel, Gharibabadi said. While Tehran knows it needs to negotiate with the U.S. to get sanctions lifted and avoid new ones, he said bluntly that "we don't trust the U.S."

The United Nations' judicial arm — citing "severe" effects and "existential" risks — ruled Wednesday that multiple international agreements require countries to battle climate change and cut emissions under international law.

Why it matters: While non-binding, advocates hope the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion adds new weight to global courtroom and diplomatic efforts to win tougher climate policies.

President Trump on Tuesday said the U.S. notched a trade agreement with Japan that would see 15% tariffs on all goods imported from one of the nation's key trade partners.

Why it matters: A U.S.-Japan trade deal would be the most significant since the White House threatened to impose sharply higher tariffs on much of the globe.

White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff plans to meet in Rome on Thursday with senior Qatari and Israeli officials to continue negotiations over the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, two sources with knowledge of the meeting told Axios.

Why it matters: The trilateral meeting in Rome will take place as negotiators from Hamas and Israel holding indirect negotiations in Doha on the last sticking points.