R&B singer R. Kelly was convicted by a federal jury Wednesday for child pornography and sex abuse charges, per AP.
Driving the news: The monthlong Chicago trial ended with Kelly, 55, found guilty of three counts of child pornography and three counts of child enticement.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived in Doha on Wednesday for a two-day visit to Qatar — the first by Sisi since he took office in 2013.
Why it matters: The visit comes as countries in the region continue to seek to decrease tensions after the end of the 2017 Gulf rift that saw Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain impose a land, sea and air blockade on Qatar.
Sven Koopmans, the European Union special envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, officially complainedto the Israeli Foreign Ministry that he has not recently gotten high-level meetings in Israel, according to a summary of the meeting Axios obtained.
Why it matters: The EU envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is appointed by the 27 member states of the European Union and reports to representatives in Brussels.
The Biden administrationwantsIsrael and the Palestinian Authority to strengthen their security coordination in order to prevent further escalation in the occupied West Bank, a top State Department official said in a briefing with reporters on Wednesday.
Why it matters: The Biden administration is highly concerned that the deteriorating security situation in the West Bank could lead to a serious crisis, including the collapse of the Palestinian Authority.
Chinese President Xi Jinping embarked on a trip to Central Asia on Wednesday, his first time leaving China since January 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why it matters: The trip is aimed at helping Xi shore up his standing as a geopolitical statesman and comes ahead of an October meeting of Communist Party leaders in which Xi is expected to secure a third term in office, per the New York Times.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed a series of proposals to combat Europe's energy crisis during her annual state of the union speech on Wednesday, promising the EU's enduring solidarity with Ukraine.
Why it matters: Previously heavily reliant on natural gas from Russia, the west's sanctions on Russia have drastically upended Europe's energy supply.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky paid a visit on Wednesday to the northeastern city of Izyum in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, which was recently recaptured from Russian control as part of Ukraine's counter-offensive.
Why it matters: Izyum was a major logistical hub for Russian forces in the north of Ukraine.
An Israeli delegation held talks in Washington last week to try to convince the State Department and U.S. intelligence agencies to back Israel's designation of six Palestinian civil society groups as terrorist organizations, three Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it matters: The designation and other moves by Israel against the Palestinian NGOs over the last year led to harsh criticism from progressives in Washington, including members of Congress and liberal Jewish organizations.
Chinese authorities are collecting genetic information from residents across Tibet, according to two recent reports by research organizations in the U.S. and Canada.
Why it matters: The collection of genetic data, though important for scientific research and for criminal investigations, can present serious ethical concerns regarding consent, exploitation and genetic surveillance.
King Charles III received a warm welcome in Belfast on Tuesday while pledging to continue his mother's work of "healing of long-held hurts" within Northern Ireland.
Why it matters:Queen Elizabeth II, who died late last week, became a symbol of reconciliation toward the end of a three-decade-long period of sectarian violence known as "the Troubles."
Latinos are taking stock of their cultural heritage and adopting accent marks in their surnames as a show of pride.
Why it matters: Pressure to assimilate and technological shortcomings have forced many Latinos in the U.S. to ditch accent marks that would normally be in Hispanic surnames and change pronunciation in dramatic ways.
GUATEMALA CITY — The Biden administration could begin forcing more human smugglers arrested in other countries to face the U.S. justice system in an effort to crack down on the illegal networks booming throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Why it matters: The border crisis is both a humanitarian challenge and a sensitive political issue that Republicans have aggressively campaigned on, sometimes prompting Democrats in close midterm contests to criticize their own president.
