The Biden administration is crediting its new border policy for a significant drop in the number of Cubans and other migrants who have tried to unlawfully cross the southern border.
But immigration experts say the new measures may not be an effective long-term strategy to stem the flow of Cubans attempting to come to the U.S.
Ecuadorians on Sunday will vote on several measures aimed at reforming the nation's constitution, including reducing the size of its legislative body.
Details: President Guillermo Lasso, a center-right leader, called for the referendum late last year, saying it would create better legislative representation and help battle a crime wave and environmental problems.
A new generation of Latino artists is reinterpreting old R&B classics and producing new ones in a soul music revival that's hot on streaming services, YouTube and music venues.
Why it matters: The music, sometimes called modern "souldies" or "brown-eyed soul," shows the deep, historic influence of Black culture on Latinos.
The European Central Bank and Bank of England both continued to raise interest rates at a historically rapid pace on Thursday — but they sent different signals about how much more policymakers will need to restrain the economy to contain inflation.
Driving the news: Both central banks raised rates by a half-percentage point, matching the same pace as the last round of hikes in December.
The United States said on Thursday it will boost its military presence in the Philippines after Manila agreed to give the U.S. access to four additional bases as it seeks to counter China's aggression in the region.
Why it matters: The announcement comes amid growing concern over China's increasing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea and aggression toward Taiwan.
King Charles III won't feature on Australia's $5 note after the country's central bank announced it will replace the late Queen Elizabeth II's image with a design honoring the first Australians.
Why it matters: The Australian Reserve Bank Board's decision ends a longstanding tradition of Australia's British-based head of state on the bank notes.
Power was being restored at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Wednesday afternoon after most terminals experienced outages earlier in the day.
Driving the news: TSA is expected to resume screenings by 3:30pm PST after halting operations in most terminals, the airport said, adding that conveyances will take longer to restart.
The new Israeli government is conducting a policy review of its response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the possibility of supplying defensive weapon systems to Kyiv, three Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it matters: Israel is under growing pressure from the Biden administration, members of the U.S. Congress and other Western governments to provide military aid like missile defense systems to Ukraine.
Secretary of State Tony Blinken pressed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to accept and implement a U.S. security plan aimed at reestablishing Palestinian Authority control over the cities of Jenin and Nablus, which have become centers of unrest in the occupied West Bank, U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios.
Driving the news: The Biden administration is looking for ways to de-escalate the situation in the West Bank and prevent it from deteriorating into a third intifada.
Chad's interim President Mahamat Idriss Déby after arriving in Jerusalem announced on Wednesday that his country will open an embassy in Israel — the latest step in the two countries' efforts to normalize relations.
Why it matters: Forty-seven years after Chad, a Muslim-majority nation, cut ties with Israel, the two countries in January 2019 reestablished diplomatic relations. But after former President Idriss Déby Itno, the current leader's father who ruled the country for 30 years, was killed in April 2021, relations with Israel cooled down.
President Biden will host Jordan's King Abdullah II for a private lunch at the White House on Thursday, a spokesperson for the National Security Council confirmed to Axios.
Why it matters: Thursday's visit, the king’s third to the White House since Biden assumed office, comes amid rising tensions in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.
Secretary of State Tony Blinken publicly reminded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the values of democracy this week — reflecting just how concerned the Biden administration is about the new Israeli government's plan to overhaul the country's judicial system.
Why it matters: It's rare that the U.S. weighs in on domestic legislation of such a close ally. But Blinken's public remarks — albeit diplomatic and polite — urging Netanyahu to get a broad consensus on the judicial overhaul plan highlights the growing anxiety U.S. officials have about what the legislation could mean for Israel's democracy.
Authorities in Western Australia announced Wednesday they've found a tiny radioactive capsule that went missing along a vast stretch of highway in the Outback earlier this month.
Why it matters: Authorities said it was possible the capsule containing a small amount of radioactive Caesium-137 would never be found after it vanished while being transported by truck from Rio Tinto's Gudai-Darri mine in the remote Pilbara region of W.A. to a storage facility about 870 miles away in the state capital Perth.
Nine Republican-led states asked a federal judge in Texas Tuesday to strike down a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program rule that protects undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children.
Driving the news: The latest lawsuit challenging the Obama-era policy seeks to halt protections for renewing deportation protections and work permits for the immigrants, known as "Dreamers," and phase out the program over two years, arguing that the rule which affects some 800,000 people is unlawful.
Four men were extradited to the U.S. and charged for their alleged involvement in the assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, the Department of Justice announced on Tuesday.
Driving the news: Two Haitian-American citizens, James Solages, 37, and Joseph Vincent, 57, and one Colombian citizen, German Alejandro Rivera Garcia, 44, were each charged with conspiring to commit murder or kidnapping outside the U.S.
