The UN Security Council adopted a U.S.-led resolution on Wednesday demanding the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen immediately halt their attacks on merchant and commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Driving the news: The attacks "impede global commerce and undermine navigational rights and freedoms as well as regional peace and security," reads the resolution, which passed 11-0 with four abstentions.
The quick escalationof violence in Ecuador,where armed men broke into a TV station days after the country's most notorious criminal escaped from prison, points to a complex and prolonged conflict that's been slowly brewing.
State of play: President Daniel Noboa, who took office in November, declared an internal armed conflict on Tuesday and ordered the mobilization of military and police to "neutralize" criminals. Citizens were told to stay home and classes were suspended.
Secretary of State Tony Blinken told Israeli leaders on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia wants to normalize relations with Israel after the Gaza war ends, but it won't agree to any deal if the Israeli government doesn't commit to the principle of a two-state solution, two U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios.
The big picture: Blinken also made clear to the Israeli officials that Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries won't get involved in day-after solutions for Gaza — mainly reconstruction — without a path to a future Palestinian state, the sources said.
A China-based company now has the ability to break the encryption surrounding Apple's AirDrop feature, according to a statement from China's Justice Bureau.
Why it matters: China-based law enforcement officials say they've already been able to identify a person who shared a video while on the Beijing subway "with inappropriate remarks" using the popular file transfer tool, per an English translation of the statement.
Voters in Taiwan say cross-strait relations is a top consideration as they cast their votes in Taiwan's presidential election this Saturday.
Why it matters: Taiwan's residents increasingly identify as "Taiwanese" rather than "Chinese," and surveys have also found a rise in the number of people who support moving the country closer to independence.
Antisemitic incidents in the U.S. have more than tripled in the three months following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel, according to new Anti-Defamation League (ADL) preliminary data.
Driving the news: Antisemitic cases involving incidents like physical assault, harassment and vandalism, were higher than the total number of antisemitic episodes tracked in almost every year since ADL started monitoring this data in the late 1970s, the group said Wednesday.
China will "never compromise or yield on the Taiwan issue," China's Ministry of Defense said in a statement Wednesday after the conclusion of a U.S.-China military dialogue held in Washington, DC.
Why it matters: The stark language is standard for China but also underscores that the Chinese government is firmly committedto its core interests ahead of improved ties with the U.S. The statement also comes ahead of a key election in Taiwan, in which cross-Strait relations are a top issue for voters.
President Biden's top Middle East adviser Brett McGurk met in Doha on Tuesday with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdelrahman al-Thani and discussed regional tensions and efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza, according to a U.S. source and two other sources familiar with the trip.
Why it matters: Qatar is a key U.S. ally in the region and is assisting the Biden administration with efforts to free the hostages held by Hamas. It is also passing messages to Iran and Yemen's Houthi rebels to try to cool down regional tensions.
The American and British navies shot down at least 21 drones and missiles in the Red Sea that the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels launched from Yemen as commercial ships were passing through the region, U.S. Defense officials said Tuesday.
Why it matters: Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the key shipping route that began in protest of the Israeli offensive in Gaza threatens supply chains and the global economy, and prices of goods around the world are spiking due to the disruptions.
Israel will allow the UN to send experts to the northern Gaza Strip to evaluate the conditions for the future return of displaced Palestinian civilians, Secretary of State Tony Blinken said on Tuesday after his meetings with Israeli leaders.
Why it matters: While necessary, the move will only modestly advance the broader U.S. goal of allowing more than 1 million Palestinians who evacuated to the southern parts of the enclave to go back to their homes.
An Italian company that provides upholstery to automakers BMW, Jaguar, and Porsche says it will no longer buy leather from suppliers that invade forests in an Indigenous region of Paraguay.
The big picture: The Pasubio Group announced the decision late last month after years of the Ayoreo people's lobbying, saying it will do its part to help stop the deforestation of the Paraguayan Chaco, also known as the Patrimonio Natural y Cultural Ayoreo Totobiegosode (PNCAT).
Guatemalan President-elect Bernardo Arévalo, after months of uncertainty,is poised to be inaugurated this Sunday, but experts say some of his political foes will likely continue trying to hinder his administration.
The big picture: Arévalo ran on an anti-corruption platform, making him popular among voters who distrust politicians, some of whom have faced allegations or have been convicted of various types of wrongdoing.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — The support of Taiwan's opposition party for the one-China principle can't bring true peace and could lead to Taiwan becoming like Hong Kong, rival Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate William Lai told reporters on Tuesday ahead of this weekend's election.
The big picture: Taiwan's relationship with China is a key issue this year as Beijing has increased its pressure on the island.
Russian authorities said on Tuesday that a U.S. national had been arrested on drug charges, making him the latest American to be detained in the country, AP reports.
Why it matters: Since the start of Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. Department of State has repeatedly warned Americans to leave Russia and refrain from visiting the country over fears that the Russian government is targeting Americans for detention.
Saturday's presidential election in Taiwan will be one of this year's most watched contests, as voters head to the polls to choose a new leader who will chart the future of the island's relations with China —a decision that will be felt far beyond the Indo-Pacific.
Why it matters: Taiwan is a potential U.S.-China flashpoint. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that China has the right to take Taiwan, by force if Beijing deems necessary.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says it's pouring $35 million into a campaign to engage with Black, Latino and Asian American and Pacific Islander voters ahead of this year's elections.
