Escalating tensions and violence at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound over the last few weeks have exacerbated the already strained relations between Jordan and Israel, twoU.S. and two Israeli officials said.
Why it matters: Jordan’s King Abdullah II is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem. Because of Jordan's huge Palestinian population, any tensions in Jerusalem, and specifically at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, immediately become a domestic political issue.
About 83% of Americans view China negatively, and most believe Washington and Beijing can't cooperate on issues like climate change and infectious diseases, according to a new survey from Pew.
BEIRUT — Last week’s intense exchange of rocket fire over Lebanon’s southern border with Israel left Lebanon in fear of being dragged into another war, which would be catastrophic as the country faces an unprecedented economic crisis.
The big picture: The rocket attack — the worst escalation since the 2006 war — also demonstrated the increasing coordination between Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah and Palestinian armed group Hamas, experts say.
Saudi Arabia and Iran started working this week on reopening their embassies in Tehran and Riyadh.
Why it matters: The step is a key element in the normalization process between the countries, which started several weeks ago after Saudi and Iranian officials signed a China-mediated agreement to reestablish diplomatic relations.
There's growing optimism that the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government are inching closer to a truce and establishing a road map to end the yearslong war.
The big picture: The progress in the peace talks in Yemen comes as part of a broader wave of normalization after Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to reestablish full diplomatic relations easier this year.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is askingU.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to provide more information to Congress about why many products made in Xinjiang are still reaching U.S. shores, according to a letter viewed by Axios.
Why it matters: Media reports last year found that China's Xinjiang region was still exporting tens of millions of dollars of products, despite a new U.S. law banning imports from the region unless importers can prove that the goods are not made with forced labor.
The baffling leakof classified U.S. intelligence documents on social media is swiftly unfurling into a debacle for the Biden administration, which is struggling to provide answers to Congress, the public and U.S. allies.
Why it matters: As President Biden kicks off his latest overseas trip — this time in Ireland, his ancestral homeland — the leak is threatening to undermine two defining planks of his foreign policy: strengthening U.S. alliances and supporting Ukraine.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva departed Tuesday for a visit to China that will include a meeting with President Xi Jinping on Friday.
Why it matters: Lula is seeking to elevate Brazil's role in international diplomacy after a period of relative isolation under his nationalist predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. He's expected to raise with Xi his idea for a "peace club" of countries including Brazil and China to help mediate an end to the war in Ukraine.
China's military ended three days of live-fire drills around Taiwan on Monday, after a show of force intended to intimidate Taiwan.
Why it matters: The drills signal Beijing's resolve but they also alienate neighboring countries and strengthen the U.S.' own resolve to support Taiwan.
Researchers are conducting what they call a first of its kind clinical trial to study how Hispanic and Black patients respond to a common medication for multiple sclerosis.
The big picture: Much remains unknown about MS, a chronic illness of the central nervous system, especially how it affects non-white people.
The Biden administration tried to reassure Israeli officials in recent days that Washington is committed to its security relationship with Israel after details contained in a trove of purported secret Pentagon documents leaked on social media appeared to suggest that the U.S. had spied on some of its closest allies, including Israel, two Israeli officials said.
Why it matters: The leak, which also included sensitive details from U.S.-Israeli consultations, could have major implications for the vast intelligence sharing between Israel and the U.S., especially if Israeli secrets are at risk of being shared due to any kind of security breach.
Northern Ireland remains at peace 25 years on from the Good Friday agreement, but sectarian divides are rearing their heads.
The big picture: President Biden will visit Belfast Tuesday to mark the anniversary of an agreement that is heralded as a triumph of peacemaking and power-sharing. However, the Northern Ireland Assembly created under the accords has not convened since February 2022.
The U.S. and Philippines militaries launched their largest-ever joint exercises on Tuesday, a day after Chinese forces finished drills around Taiwan.
The big picture: More than 17,600 military personnel are taking part in the scheduled annual bilateral exercise that runs through April 28 and will include live-fire drills — twice the number that took part last year, per the U.S. Embassy in Manila.
