The United States delayed a "long-planned" intercontinental ballistic missile test amid increased tensions with China, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby announced on Thursday.
Vice President Kamala Harris will meet Friday with Latina state legislators from seven states to discuss building "a diverse coalition to combat the attacks" on abortion rights, a White House official tells Axios Latino.
Why it matters: Harris has been meeting with state lawmakers, health care providers and activists to discuss reproductive rights since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. This is her first with Latina state lawmakers specifically.
Several grain silos that were damaged exactly two years ago in a deadly explosion at Beirut's port collapsed on Thursday, as Lebanon marked the second anniversary of the blast.
The big picture: Smoke billowing from the collapsed silos were reminiscent of the scenes following the 2020 explosion that killed more than 200 people, wounded thousands and left roughly 250,000 homeless.
A Latino group that connects venture capitalists with startups and pushes media to diversify has raised its first $100 million fund focusing on new Hispanic companies, Russell writes.
Why it matters: Less than 1% of funds from the top 25 venture capital and private equity firms wind up in the hands of Latino-owned businesses, according to a study by Bain & Company, the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, and the research nonprofit firm Latino Donor Collaborative.
WNBA star Brittney Griner was found guilty on drug charges by a Russian court and sentenced to nine years in prison on Thursday, concluding a trial that has captured national attention and reached the highest levels of U.S. diplomacy.
Why it matters: Griner's conviction comes nearly six months after she was arrested at a Moscow airport in February, when Russian authorities said they found a vape cartridge with hashish oil in her luggage.
Ukrainian forces endangered civilians and exposed them to Russian attacks by basing themselves in residential areas such as schools and hospitals, according to a new Amnesty International report published Thursday.
Why it matters: The report alleges that these tactics by Ukrainian forces constitute a violation of international humanitarian law, which requires all combatants to "avoid locating, to the maximum extent feasible, military objectives within or near densely-populated areas."
TAIPEI, Taiwan —If Chinese naval forces enter Taiwan's territorial waters amid Beijing's ongoing military drills off the island's coast, that would constitute an invasion, Taiwanese member of parliament Wang Ting-yu told Axios.
Why it matters: A Chinese military incursion within 10 miles of Taiwan's coast would likely trigger defensive protocols from the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense and could raise the risk of miscalculation leading to military conflict.
The Bank of England enacted the steepest interest rate hike since 1995 on Thursday, lifting borrowing costs by half a percentage point.
Why it matters: It's the latest central bank to move aggressively to lift interest rates in response to soaring costs across the globe. But in perhaps the most dire forecast yet from a major central bank, the Bank of England warned the U.K. could fall into a deep and protracted recession, while inflation could hit 13% by year-end.
The latest: Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said it activated its defense systems after China's military launched 11 ballistic missiles into waters near Taiwan's northern, southern and eastern coasts. "We condemn such irrational action that has jeopardized regional peace," the ministry said.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan expressed concern to Iranian American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad on Wednesday over her safety "following the arrest of an armed individual" outside her New York home, the White House said.
The big picture: Alinejad was allegedly the target of a kidnapping plot by Iranian intelligence operatives last year. Police say they arrested a suspect who turned up at her Brooklyn home last week and was found with an AK-47 assault rifle in a car nearby, per CBS News. A 23-year-old man is facing federal charges in the case.
Australia's House of Representatives has passed the federal government's bill by 89 votes to 55 to cut the country's emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Why it matters: The landmark bill enshrines into law the Labor government's election pledge for the world's driest inhabited continent, where fossil-fuel exports have been in high demand in recent years as Australians faced a series of climate-change related extreme weather events — from deadly wildfires to flooding.
The Senate voted95 to 1Wednesday to ratify the applications of Finland and Sweden to join the NATO alliance, clearing the two-thirds threshold needed for approval.
Why it matters: All 30 NATO members must approve the applications of the two Nordic states, which had both been neutral for decades but sought out the NATO security umbrella after Russia invaded Ukraine.
