Global business leaders are warning that the Hamas-Israel war could spiral into wider uncertainty, threatening economic growth.
Driving the news: "If these things are not resolved, it probably means more global terrorism, which means more insecurity, which means more [of] society is going to be fearful, less hope," BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said on Tuesday, speaking at an investment forum in Saudi Arabia often dubbed "Davos in the Desert."
President Biden said Wednesday he is alarmed by reports of "extremist settlers" attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank — attacks he said are "pouring gasoline on the fire" as U.S. and Israeli officials try to contain the war between Israel and Hamas.
Why it matters: Biden's remarks at the White House follow his private warnings to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the growing tension in the West Bank could escalate the already complicated war in Gaza, two U.S. officials briefed on the issue told Axios.
The UN and other aid groups say they're in desperate need of fuel in order to keep operations running in the Gaza Strip.
The big picture: The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an "unprecedented point," as hospitals shut down, food stocks deplete and people resort to unsafe drinking water, the UN aid office warned on Wednesday.
The United States is experiencing a significant spike in antisemitic cases following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel, according to a new Anti-Defamation League report.
Driving the news: Early numbers from the ADL Center on Extremism show that reported incidents of harassment, vandalism and assault so far have increased by 388%over the same period last year.
Chinese authorities have launched tax and land-use investigations into Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics maker, in what some experts say may be a warning to U.S. companies and the Biden administration.
Why it matters: Foxconn factories assemble about 70% of Apple iPhones. COVID lockdowns and a huge protest at a major Foxconn factory in November last year resulted in significant delays in iPhone deliveries.
The mother of Travis King, the U.S. soldier who recently returned to the U.S. after crossing into North Korea this summer, says the family plans to "fight the charges" against the Army private "hard."
The big picture: King has been charged with eight counts, including desertion, assaulting other military personnel, and possession of child pornography.
Driving the news: Biden dangled high-level visits (including his own), military support and public backing to buy time in Gaza. He also made plain that America doesn't want Israel to act impulsively, or without considering U.S. concerns.
U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken told a group of American Jewish community leaders on Monday that he asked the Qatari prime minister less than two weeks ago to tone down Al Jazeera's rhetoric about the war in Gaza, according to three people who attended the meeting.
Why it matters: Blinken's comments suggest the administration, which has asserted its support for the independent press globally, is concerned Al Jazeera's framing of the conflictcould escalate tensions in the region.
Broader conflict in the Middle East could jeopardize China's energy needs and economic interests in the region, analysts say, just as China's economy is facing its roughest headwinds in decades.
Why it matters: Beijing is making a big diplomatic push for peace in the region, where it has significant sway among Arab states and Hamas-backer Iran.
