The man accused of carrying out a subway shooting in New York last year pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal terrorism charges, per the Department of Justice.
Driving the news: Frank James, 63, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation vehicle, one count for each gunshot victim, and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of his attack, the DOJ said.
The late Brazilian soccer legend Pelé was laid to rest on Tuesday after hundreds of thousands of people paid tribute to him in the city where he played most of his career.
The big picture: Pelé, who died last week at the age of 82, is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time. He won three FIFA World Cups during his international career — the most of any player.
The Chinese government on Tuesday threatened to take "corresponding measures" against countries that have recently announced COVID-19 testing requirements or other curbs for those traveling from China.
The big picture: China has experienced a surge of COVID-19 cases since early last month, shortly after the country abruptly scrapped its zero-COVID policies. A growing list of countries, including the U.S., U.K., France and Japan, have mandated COVID-19 screening for travelers coming from China.
A new analysis of the 2022 midterms suggests Democrats kept just enough Latino voter support to win key state and federal races in Arizona, Nevada, and Texas while faltering in Florida.
Why it matters: Democrats have not lost as much ground with Latino voters as some predicted — at least for now, according to preliminary findings by the research firm Equis that were shared with Axios.
Israel's new radical right-wing minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Tuesday, drawing international condemnation and raising tensions in the region.
Why it matters: The compound, which Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims call Haram al-Sharif, is the most religiously sensitive site in Jerusalem. It is the holiest site for Jews and the third holiest for Muslims.
An enormous wave of COVID infections is straining China's medical facilities, as Chinese state media said authorities had implemented “a planned, science-based approach.”
What's happening: Cases swept through China's cities over the holidays and may have now peaked but rural areas are starting to see a surge in infections.
Washington, Beijing and Taipei all finished out the year by making strong moves to bolster their respective positions on Taiwan's sovereignty.
Why it matters: The Chinese government's territorial claims over Taiwan — and the support for the self-governing island that is now coalescing with many democratic nations — is a major geopolitical flashpoint.
The Ukrainian Air Force shot down 41 drones and one cruise missile launched by Russia in another aerial attack on its capital, Kyiv, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said Monday.
Why it matters: The barrage was a continuation of Russia's brutal year-end bombardment against Ukraine, including one on New Year's Eve that killed at least two people and injured dozens of others.
