China's air force on Saturday sent 20 military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the second incursion in less than 24 hours, NBC News reports.
Driving the news: Taiwan reported on Friday that 38 aircraft entered its ADIZ, the largest Chinese incursion into the area to date, per NBC News.
The State Department's energy envoy, Amos Hochstein, will serve as the new mediator between Lebanon and Israel in a dispute over the maritime border and natural gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean, Israeli and U.S. officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: Hochstein is one of President Biden’s closest confidants and has worked with him for many years. Appointing Hochstein as the mediator raises the profile of this ongoing conflict, and signals it is a higher priority for the Biden administration.
An English-speaking narrator of many violent ISIS recruitment videos was charged on Saturday with conspiring to provide material support to the terrorist group, resulting in death, prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia announced.
Why it matters: Prosecutors allege Mohammed Khalifa, a Saudi-born Canadian citizen, served in prominent roles within ISIS before he was captured by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in January 2019 and recently transferred into the custody of the FBI.
The World Bank announced plans Thursday to give Nigeria $400 million to help fund COVID-19 vaccines for its citizens.
Why it matters: The World Bank stated that the additional funding, provided through the International Development Association, would help Nigeria vaccinate 51% of its citizens in two years.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit France next week as the U.S. continues efforts to regain ground with the European country after the fallout of the Australia-U.S.-UK (AUKUS) deal, the State Department said Friday.
Why it matters: America's oldest ally was blindsided earlier this month when President Biden announced a new agreement to help Australia acquire nuclear submarines as part of a trilateral Indo-Pacific security initiative. The pact canceled Australia's $90 billion submarine deal with France.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story was based on statements from a Twitter account claiming to be chancellor Mohammad Ashraf Ghairat. The headline and the bulk of the story have been corrected and updated after the Taliban told Axios that the account was not from Ghairat.
The Taliban told Axios Friday that a Twitter account claiming to be Kabul University's newly appointed chancellor Mohammad Ashraf Ghairat is "fake" following outrage over tweets from the account that said women will be barred from the university for work and study.
What they're saying: "[T]he account [belonging] to the university chancellor, it is [a] fake account," Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen told Axios via WhatsApp. "Women have right of access to education and work while observing hijab. Work is underway to formulate a mechanism in this regard."
There's plenty written about what oil giants like Exxon are — and aren't — doing on climate, but a report from a Columbia University energy think tank explores how Chinese companies are approaching the matter.
Why it matters: Chinese state companies have a role to play in China's vow to peak emissions before 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060.
Australia on Friday announced plans to lift its travel ban for fully vaccinated citizens starting next month.
Why it matters: The announcement comes 18 months after Australia imposed some of the world's most severe border restrictions — trapping most Australians and permanent residents in the country, and preventing thousands of others outside the island nation from returning home.
North Korea tested a new anti-aircraft missile Thursday, the country announced Friday, according to AP.
Why it matters: The test was the country's latest weapons firings since it restarted missile launches in September in protest of international sanctions.
The travel itineraries of the Biden administration’s top foreign policy officials show a clear pattern.
The big picture: Early engagement with long-standing partners in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia; An effort to deepen relationships in Southeast Asia; Limited emphasis on Latin America beyond migration issues.
Fresh off his first visit with Vladimir Putin in over a year, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused a top Biden official of "supporting terrorism" and demanded the U.S. pay $1.4 billion for kicking Turkey out of a stealth fighter jet program.
Why it matters: Erdoğan's belligerence and deepening cooperation with Russia is sending a key U.S. relationship in the wrong direction, serving up yet another foreign policy headache for President Biden.
Why it matters: Tai's comments come as the Biden administration seeks a new trade strategy with Beijing while navigating U.S. companies' calls to lift tariffs.
