President Biden held a difficult conversation last weekend with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel's decision to withhold part of the tax revenue it collects for the Palestinian Authority, according to two U.S. and Israeli officials and a source with knowledge of the issue.
The big picture: A U.S. official said this part of last Saturday's call between the two leaders was one of the most difficult and "frustrating" conversations Biden has had with Netanyahu since the beginning of the war in Gaza. It's a sign of the growing tensions between Biden and Netanyahu.
Maersk is sending more than 50 vessels via the Suez Canal in the coming days and weeks despite earlier postponing operations due to attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the Danish shipping giant announced.
Why it matters: The schedule Maersk released Wednesday suggests confidence in the ability of the new U.S.-led international maritime security force to protect vessels passing through the area.
U.S. forces in the Middle East destroyed a swarm of drones and missiles fired by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels during an hours-long attack in the Red Sea on Tuesday, U.S. Central Command said.
Why it matters: A surge of Houthi attacks in recent weeks has disrupted international shipping, and prompted the U.S. to step up its military presence in the region.
Secretary of State Tony Blinken is expected to travel to the Middle East late next week to discuss the Gaza war, five U.S., Israeli and Arab officials told Axios.
The big picture: This will be Blinken's fourth trip to the Middle East and his fifth visit to Israel since the war started. His trip is part of an ongoing series of high-level visits by Biden administration officials to conduct constant consultations with the Israeli government and regional partners about the crisis.
U.S. public pensions have invested more than $68 billion into private Chinese entities over the past three years, ending June 30, according to data from pro-democracy trade advocacy group Future Union.
