Ukraine

The developments that matter out of Beijing.

China

The developments that matter out of Kabul.

Afghanistan

The developments that matter out of Pyongyang.

North Korea

The developments that matter out of Tehran.

Iran

The developments that matter out of Moscow.

Russia

The developments that matter out of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

Israel

What matters about the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union.

Brexit

The stories that most affect the U.S. Latino community on both sides of the border, in collaboration with Noticias Telemundo.

Latin America and Latinos

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

World

National

The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday night it's stepping up efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking across the Southern border with the launch of a major new, multi-agency operation.

Driving the news: "Operation Blue Lotus" has already "stopped more than 900 pounds of fentanyl from coming into the United States in its first week," per a DHS statement.

A screenshot of a DHS tweet announcing a new fentanyl  trafficking crackdown, Operation Blue Lotus, "has led to:    ✔️ 18 seizures  ✔️ 16 federal arrests  ✔️ 2 state arrests."

The "coordinated surge operation" that launched on March 13 includes "an increase in targeted inspections" by Customs and Border Patrol officers and Homeland Security Investigations agents, canine units and advanced technology at locations along the border, per the DHS.

Why it matters: Fentanyl is much more potent than prescription opioids and it's been linked to an increase in drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in recent years, per the National Institutes of Health.

A record 107,622 people died from overdosing in the U.S. in 2021 and the vast majority was caused by fentanyl, according to the latest available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

"President Biden's Republican critics blame his border policies for the crisis, saying U.S. authorities are too busy to stop illegal drugs from entering the United States because they're contending with record numbers of migrants," the Washington Post notes.

Details: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced the new operation following a meeting with CBP officials at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona, after touring the border with state Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) on Tuesday.

Mayorkas said in a statement it's part of the Biden administration's "multi-pronged strategy to combat the scourge of fentanyl that is devastating communities across the United States" and noted that the DHS has in the past two years "seized more fentanyl than the previous five years combined."

He said during a news conference that "Operation Blue Lotus" marked a "monumental shift" and an example of how the Biden administration is "taking it to the cartels, to the traffickers and we will not stop."

Of note: "Operation Blue Lotus" has also prevented more than 700 pounds of methamphetamines and over 100 pounds of cocaine from entering the U.S., according to the DHS.

DHS launches major border operation targeting fentanyl trafficking

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas hailed "Operation Blue Lotus" as a "monumental shift" during a visit to the border.

A US Customs and Border Protection agent weighs a package of Fentanyl at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on October 2, 2019 in San Ysidro, California. 

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent weighs a package of fentanyl at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Ysidro, California, in 2019. Photo: Sandy Huffaker/AFP via Getty Images

Fentanyl

Health

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Japan won the World Baseball Classic after beating defending champion the U.S. 3-2 in Miami, Florida, on Tuesday night.

Of note: It's Japan's third W.B.C. title and it's first since 2009.

Shohei Ohtani #16 of Team Japan applauds fans after being awarded the MVP following Japan's World Baseball Classic Championship win at loanDepot park on March 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida. 

Shohei Ohtani, #16 of Team Japan and the Los Angeles Angels in Major League Baseball, applauds fans after being given the MVP award by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred (left), following Japan's defeat of Team USA in the World Baseball Classic Championship on March 21. Photo: Eric Espada/Getty Images

Tetsuto Yamada #1 of Team Japan steals second bae as Trea Turner #8 of Team USA attempts to make the tag in the eighth inning during the World Baseball Classic Championship on March 21, 2023 in Miami.

Tetsuto Yamada, #1 of Team Japan, steals second base as Trea Turner, #8 of Team USA, attempts to make the tag in the eighth inning of the World Baseball Classic Championship game on March 21. Photo: Eric Espada/Getty Images

Kyle Schwarber #12 of Team USA reacts after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning against Team Japan during the World Baseball Classic Championship on March 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida. 

Kyle Schwarber, #12 of Team USA, reacts after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning against Team Japan during the World Baseball Classic Championship game on March 21. Photo: Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Shohei Ohtani #16 of Team Japan stretches for first base as Paul Goldschmidt #46 of Team USA attempts to make the out in the seventh inning during the World Baseball Classic Championship on March 21.

Ohtani stretches for first base as Paul Goldschmidt, #46 of Team USA, attempts to make the out in the seventh inning of the World Baseball Classic Championship game. Photo: Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Go deeper: Sign up for the Axios Sports newsletter

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more photos.

Miami

Miami Members

Miami Alerts

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Miami.

Axios Miami Thought Bubble

Axios Miami

In photos: Japan beats U.S. to win 2023 World Baseball Classic

: Team Japan celebrates after the final out of the World Baseball Classic Championship defeating Team USA 3-2 at loanDepot park on March 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida.

Team Japan celebrates after the final out of the World Baseball Classic Championship defeating Team USA 3-2 at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on March 21. Photo: Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Baseball

Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.

Sports

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will tell lawmakers Thursday that banning the app in the U.S. would hurt American businesses and the country's economy, according to newly released remarks prepared for his testimony before Congress.

Driving the news: The Biden administration has warned the firm that it faces a ban in the United States if its parents company, ByteDance, doesn't sell its stake in the U.S. version of the app amid national security concerns, per Axios' Sara Fischer and Ashley Gold.

What he's saying: "We do not believe that a ban that hurts American small businesses, damages the country's economy, silences the voices of over 150 million Americans, and reduces competition in an increasingly concentrated market is the solution to a solvable problem," Chew states in the prepared testimony, released by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Tuesday night.

"Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country. ... Rather, our approach has been to work transparently and cooperatively with the U.S. government and Oracle to design robust solutions to address concerns about TikTok’s heritage," Chew continues.

"We also look forward to partnering with the Committee on developing clear, consistent rules for the entire industry."

The big picture: China's ruling Communist Party has said there's no evidence that TikTok threatens national security.

But FBI director Chris Wray told the Senate Intelligence Committee earlier this month that Beijing has the ability to control the software on millions of devices due to its relationship with ByteDance.

More than a dozen countries have introduced full, partial or public sector bans on TikTok due to national security concerns.

Of note: Chew posted a video on TikTok filmed in Washington, D.C., earlier Tuesday ahead of his congressional appearance to say he's "super excited to announce" that the platform has over 150 million users in the U.S.

"That's almost half the U.S. coming to TikTok to connect, to create, to share, to learn, or just to have some fun," Chew said. "This includes 5 million businesses that use TikTok to reach their customers. And the majority of these are small and medium businesses."

He appealed directly to TikTok users in the video, saying: "Some politicians have started talking about banning TikTok. This could take TikTok away from all 150 million of you."

What we're watching: In his prepared remarks, Chew pledged to keep TikTok's American users safe by making four key commitments:

"We will keep safety — particularly for teenagers — a top priority for us;

"We will firewall protected U.S. user data from unauthorized foreign access;

"Tiktok will remain a platform for free expression and will not be manipulated by any government; 

"We will be transparent and give access to third-party independent monitors, to remain accountable for our commitments."

Go deeper: The political realities that make a national TikTok ban tricky

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

TikTok CEO to tell Congress app ban would hurt U.S. economy

"ByteDance is not an agent of China," he said of TikTok's parent company in his testimony.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew in Washington, D.C., in February. Photo: Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images

TikTok

From the Valley to D.C., Big Tech players like Facebook, Google and Amazon are under more scrutiny than ever as new technology develops and privacy and antitrust concerns grow in lockstep with companies’ ambitions.

Technology

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

U.S.-Saudi dual national Saad Ibrahim Almadi has been released from prison in Saudi Arabia over a year after he was detained for posting tweets critical of the kingdom's rulers.

Yes, but: The 72-year-old is still under a Saudi imposed travel ban that prohibits him from returning home to Florida.

The big picture: Almadi was arrested in November 2021 and sentenced last October to 16 years in prison over the tweets about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, whom U.S. intelligence officials concluded was killed in an operation authorized by MBS — a conclusion Saudi officials rejected.

An appeals court last month increased Almadi's sentence to 19 years, per the BBC.

What they're saying: State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel welcomed Almadi's release during a briefing on Wednesday, but declined to comment on the travel ban, saying "each country is going to have its own sovereign laws and each case is different."

Abdullah Alaoudh, Saudi director at the U.S.-based group Freedom Initiative, said in a statement he's "relieved" Almadi has been released, but added that "he should have never spent a day behind bars for innocuous tweets."

He urged U.S. officials to press for the lifting of travel bans and the release of other prisoners in Saudi Arabia.

The detained man's son, Ibrahim Almadi, issued a statement following his father's release saying he hoped they could be reunited in Florida soon.

A screenshot of a tweet by Ibrahim Almadi saying he hopes he and his father Saad Ibrahim Almadi could be reunited in Florida soon now he's been released from Saudi prison..

Saudi Arabia releases American imprisoned for tweets about MBS

Advocates are urging U.S. officials to press Saudi Arabia to let Saad Ibrahim Almadi return to Florida.

 A billboard shows Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz (R) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman hanging over a highway on June 20, 2018 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

A billboard shows Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman (L) and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz displayed above a highway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Saudi Arabia

Tel Aviv

Axios from Tel Aviv

The Biden administration harshly criticized an Israeli law passed on Monday in the Israeli Knesset that repeals the 2005 Israeli disengagement from the northern occupied West Bank, calling it a "provocation" and a violation of commitments Israel made to the U.S. 

Why it matters: The law allows Israeli citizens to enter the area between the cities of Jenin and Nablus, which Israeli settlers evacuated in 2005. The law could dramatically increase the potential for friction between settlers and Palestinians in the most sensitive and volatile area of the occupied West Bank. 

Flashback: During the 2005 Israeli disengagement from Gaza, Israel also evacuated four settlements in the northern West Bank and banned Israelis from entering the area. 

In return, the Bush administration agreed to recognize that the big settlement blocks in the West Bank adjacent to the 1967 lines would stay part of Israel in any future peace agreement with the Palestinians.

This understanding between then-Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and then-President George W. Bush was enshrined in an official exchange of letters between the two governments.

Behind the scenes: The law wasn’t pushed by the government but was a private bill initiated by Yuli Adelstein, a lawmaker from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud who is the chair of the Knesset foreign relation and security committee.

Although the bill has significant national security and foreign policy implications, the Israeli security cabinet hasn’t held any known discussions about it.

Israeli defense officials told Adelstein the Israeli military opposed the law warned of its security implications.

The Biden administration, which has been focused on the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting earlier this week and efforts to reduce tensions ahead of Ramadan and the Israeli government’s judicial overhaul, started pressing the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office hard on Monday to postpone the vote, Israeli and U.S. officials said.

At this point, it was too late to stop the vote or postpone it. A European diplomat said the U.S. and several European countries pressed the Prime Minister’s Office simultaneously, but officials were told the law is part of Netanyahu’s commitment to his coalition partners.

What they're saying: State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said at the start of the daily briefing that the Biden administration is extremely troubled by the law and the fact it could lead to the rebuilding of settlements and outposts in this area.

Patel said the law was a violation of the written commitment late Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon gave then-President Bush in 2005. He added it is a violation of the commitment the current Israeli government made just last Sunday during a security summit in Sharm el-Sheikh to refrain from taking unilateral steps that could escalate the situation in the occupied West Bank.

Patel said the law is even more problematic because of its timing – shortly before Ramadan and Passover. “This law is provocative and counterproductive to the efforts to reduce tensions ahead of Ramadan and Passover," he said.

He called on the Israeli government to refrain from allowing settlers to return to the area covered by this legislation.

What to watch: Patel told reporters the Biden administration is considering several options it could take to respond to the Israeli government policy in the West Bank.

U.S. slams new West Bank law, says it's a violation of Israeli commitments

The Biden administration called it a "provocation."

Israeli right-wing activists and settlers take part in a protest march at the West Bank outpost of Homesh in Dec. 2021. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance via Getty Images

Axios World

Chinese President Xi Jinping offered Russian President Vladimir Putin a significant show of solidarity by visiting Moscow this week, but offered no indications he's prepared to step up Chinese support for Putin's war in Ukraine.

Driving the news: In a joint appearance after several hours of talks on Tuesday, Xi described China's approach to Ukraine as "unbiased" and "impartial." Putin praised the ceasefire plan Xi proposed last month but said Ukraine and the West weren't "ready" for peace talks.

China's plan doesn't call for Russia to leave the territories of Ukraine it annexed last fall. Secretary of State Tony Blinken argued Monday that a ceasefire on such terms "would effectively be supporting the ratification of Russian conquest."

Despite Xi's claim of neutrality, Chinese officials and state media have echoed Russia's claims that NATO countries provoked or inflamed the conflict. A joint statement the leaders signed Tuesday condemned "unilateral sanctions" and "moves that lead to tensions and the protraction of fighting."

Yes, but: Xi hasn't explicitly endorsed the invasion, openly breached sanctions or supplied weapons to Russia. He offered no indications on Tuesday that China's positions on those issues had changed.

Xi seems intent on projecting China as a responsible actor and plausible mediator at a time when the other members of the UN Security Council are either at war (Russia) or arming Ukraine (France, U.K., U.S.), says Alexander Gabuev of the Carnegie Endowment.

Xi is expected to hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky some time after he returns from Moscow on Wednesday.

Xi and Putin also signed a series of joint statements and memorandums of understanding about cooperation on trade and other issues on Tuesday. Those didn't include a final deal on a pipeline to export Russian gas to China.

Some analysts contended the summit underscored the increasingly lopsided nature of the relationship, with Putin praising Xi effusively and pledging favorable trade terms and Xi offering little beyond the visit itself (though he did call Putin a "dear friend" and endorse his re-election in 2024).

Still, it's unclear what Xi and Putin may have decided behind closed doors. Even if something more substantive was agreed, Xi might not want to make any announcements that distract from his peace plan, Gabuev notes.

The big picture: While Xi and Putin were meeting in Moscow, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was making a surprise visit to Ukraine. He visited Bucha and expressed "great anger at the atrocity" committed there by Russian troops. He also met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky got another boost this week when 18 European countries announced a joint agreement to procure much-needed artillery shells for Ukraine.

Ukraine is expected to undertake a counteroffensive this spring to try to win back some of the territory currently occupied by Russia. 

show of solidarity by visiting Moscow this week

Xi and Putin stick to same Ukraine positions after summit

Xi offered Putin a significant show of solidarity by visiting Moscow this week.

Xi and Putin at Tuesday's signing ceremony. Photo: Contributor/Getty Images

Russian invasion of Ukraine

The International Criminal Court's decision last week to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin marked its most significant step yet to try to hold the Russian leader accountable for the alleged atrocities committed during the war in Ukraine.

Why it matters: The decision was also the first time the court has indicted a leader of one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Putin joins a small group of world leaders who have been indicted for alleged war crimes while still serving as head of state. Others include Sudan's Omar al-Bashir and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi.

The ICC accused Putin of the unlawful deportation and unlawful transfer of children from occupied parts of Ukraine to Russia, in violation of the Rome Statute.

The ICC alleged that Putin committed the crimes "directly, jointly with others and/or through others" and failed to properly "exercise control" over civilian and military subordinates who committed the acts or allowed for their commission.

The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia's commissioner for children’s rights, over similar allegations.

State of play: The transfers and deportations of Ukrainian children are allegedly ongoing, the ICC said.

Russia systematically relocated at least 6,000 children from Ukraine to Russia since the start of the war, a Conflict Observatory report published in February said. 

The Russian Embassy in the U.S. called the allegations "absurd" in a statement last month, saying that Russia ensured the protected the "lives and well-being" of Ukrainian children.

Karim Khan, the ICC's chief prosecutor, said in a statement last week that the cases his office had identified included "at least hundreds of children taken from orphanages and children’s care homes."

What is the International Criminal Court?

The ICC, located in The Hague, is intended to investigate and prosecute the most serious crimes, such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

The ICC was established by the Rome Statute in 2002 and has 123 member states that are party to the statute.

Zoom in: Some 40 countries — including China, India and Saudi Arabia — never signed the Rome Statute. 

Dozens of other states — including the U.S., Israel, Syria and Iran — signed it but never had their legislatures ratify it.

Russia initially signed the Rome Statute but withdrew its signature in 2016 after the ICC classified its annexation of Crimea as an occupation.

Ukraine is not a state party to the Rome Statute but has twice accepted the ICC's jurisdiction in response to alleged crimes occurring on its territory.

Chances are slim that either of the ICC cases will make it to trial at this point. The ICC cannot conduct a trial unless the relevant people are in custody — and Russia is unlikely to turn over its own people.

The ICC's 123 member states are obligated to arrest Putin if he steps into their territory, but Putin is unlikely to travel to any country where he would face such a risk.

What does Russia say about the ICC and arrest warrant?

Russia considers the ICC's warrants "null and void" because it does not recognize the court's jurisdiction, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian-state media last week.

Days after the ICC issued the arrest warrants, Russia's top investigative body issued a symbolic rebuttal, announcing that it was opening a criminal case into the ICC's prosecutor and judges.

What does Ukraine say about the arrest warrant?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the ICC's "historic decision" in his nightly address Friday.

"Separating children from their families, depriving them of any opportunity to contact their relatives, hiding children on the territory of Russia, throw them in remote regions — all this is an obvious state policy of Russia, state decisions and state evil. Which begins precisely with the top official of this state," he added.

Go deeper: What counts as a war crime and why they're so hard to prosecute

What counts as a war crime and why they're so hard to prosecute

What to know about the ICC arrest warrant against Putin

It was the first time the court has indicted a leader of one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Russian President Vladimir Putin giving a speech

Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting at the Interior Ministry on March 20. Photo: Contributor/Getty Images

The United States and Japan will duke it out in the World Baseball Classic championship in Miami Tuesday evening after nearly two weeks of captivating games — but a disappointing showing for Latin America. 

The big picture: Several of the eight Latin American and Caribbean teams were knocked out earlier than expected, while some players left with injuries that will likely have lingering effects for Major League Baseball teams when the season officially begins.

The Dominican Republic, considered a favorite in this year's WBC, was ousted by Puerto Rico.

Mexico lost to Japan last night in a nail-biter of a game.

Puerto Rican pitcher Edwin Díaz, who plays with the New York Mets, will be out for the rest of the MLB season after injuring his right knee while celebrating the island's victory over the Dominican Republic. Puerto Rico eventually lost to Mexico.

Houston Astros star José Altuve, who played for Venezuela, fractured his right thumb during the country's loss to the U.S. Altuve will need surgery, the Astros announced.

What they're saying: The injuries to MLB players have led to questions about whether playing in the baseball classic before the season officially starts is worth the risk. The games coincided with spring training, when players develop more strength and stamina before the season kicks off on March 30.

David Ortiz, a retired MLB Hall of Famer who once played for the Dominican Republic, said the team lost because players were not in their best condition and added the series should be played in June and or July, when everyone is ready to play.

"We're one of the best producers of Major League Baseball players in Latin America, but in baseball anything can happen," Ortiz said.

Of note: This year's World Baseball Classic has broken attendance and viewership records, according to MLB. 

If the U.S., who defeated Cuba in the semifinals, wins, they will be the other only team besides Japan to win two consecutive championships.

Subscribe to Axios Latino to get vital news about Latinos and Latin America, delivered to your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

World Baseball Classic ends tonight with no Latin American teams in final matchup

The MLB says this year's World Baseball Classic has broken attendance and viewership records

Illustration of a baseball stylized as the Earth floating in space.  

Latinas have been making inroads in the venture capital world, but they fear economic uncertainty will undo the gains they’ve made in diversifying who gets to decide who and what types of enterprises receive funds.

Why it matters: Latinos have for years started businesses at higher rates than other groups in the U.S., with Latinas especially having an entrepreneurial drive. But less than 1% of money doled out by the biggest VC and private equity firms has gone to Latino-led enterprises. 

"Every time we pitch we have to defy the odds," Daniela Corrente, Chief Strategy and Business Officer of Latina-led fintech company Suma Wealth.

The big picture: Venture capital has long been dominated by white, non-Hispanic men who usually back those who look like them, Noramay Cadena, managing partner of Supply Change Capital, tells Axios Latino.

That means projects or ideas by others, including Latino men and especially Latinas, often don’t get financed or even heard.

"There's both money being left on the table as well as great ideas because there's not enough of us," Sarah Kunst, Cleo Capital managing director, says about people of color in the venture capital sphere.

There has been some progress over the last few years.

Latina venture capitalists in partner or managerial positions rose from just one in 2010 to about 10 in 2020, according to data compiled by Kunst and Paul Gompers, a Harvard Business professor.

There has also been an increase in non-partner and junior-level investors, according to a 2022 report from the nonprofit LatinxVC.

That has led to more capital for entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities.

And studies have shown that demographically diverse VC firms can outperform homogenous ones financially.

Latina venture capitalists fear economy woes could stunt gains

Less than 1% of money doled out by the biggest VC and private equity firms has gone to Latino-led enterprises