Qatar on Wednesday slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he was heard in a leaked recording earlier this week criticizing Doha's mediation efforts in the talks to secure the release of hostages being held in Gaza.
Why it matters: The public confrontation comes at a sensitive and delicate point in the mediation efforts Qatar and Egypt are conducting between Israel and Hamas in an attempt to get a new hostage deal.
The number of Holocaust survivors globally has dwindled to less than a quarter of a million, and many are struggling with poverty in their final years, a new demographic study has found.
Why it matters: Child survivors — the last generation of the Holocaust — are aging as advocates race to record their testimonies and as rising antisemitism and misinformation threaten to erase their stories.
Chinahas sent a growing number of high-altitude balloons near Taiwan in recent days as it steps up pressure on the self-governing island after it held elections this month in defiance of China's claims of sovereignty.
Why it matters: It’s part of a larger intimidation effort that Taiwan's defense ministry has called "cognitive warfare" — an attempt to weaken the resolve of Taiwan's residents and leaders and bring their behavior more in line with Beijing's will.
The U.S. launched retaliatory airstrikes against facilities in Iraq used by Iranian-backed militias and later hit two Houthi anti-ship missiles in Yemen, American officials said Tuesday.
Why it matters: A key Biden administration goal since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack that resulted in the ongoing war with Israel was to prevent the fighting in Gaza from spilling over to elsewhere in the region, but Axios' Barak Ravid notes that this is becoming harder to achieve as time passes.
Alaska Airlines chief Ben Minicucci told NBC that the company had found loose bolts in "many" of its Boeing 737 Max 9s during inspections, as both he and United Airlines' CEO raised concerns about the aircraft maker on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The findings come after one of Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737 Max 9 planes lost its exit door plug during a flight earlier this month — prompting grounded aircrafts, a multi-passenger lawsuit and further questions about the aircraft's safety.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said on Tuesday it believes the world is, metaphorically, still 90 seconds away from midnight, or "global catastrophe."
The big picture: The bulletin said it's keeping the Doomsday Clock at its closet setting to midnight ever again this year because of climate change and the relentless proliferation of nuclear arms.
Turkey's parliament on Tuesday approved Sweden's accession to NATO roughly a year and a half after Stockholm applied to join the alliance in response to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, multipleoutlets reported.
Why it matters: Sweden will be one step closer to joining the defensive alliance once Turkish President Recep Erdoğan signs the legislation. It would leave only Hungary left to approve Sweden's membership, which requires a unanimous vote from all NATO members.
The Supreme Court's decision on Monday allowing the removal of razor wire at the Texas border is one win for the Biden administration in a bigger battle over federal authority in the state.
The big picture: In Texas, immigration is the arena of fights between the state and the federal government that could prompt other states to adopt similar legal strategies, leading to long and costly lawsuits.
A fictionalized miniseries about the Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco is coming to Netflix, but not without controversy over Sofía Vergara's portrayal of the ruthless killer.
The big picture: The six-part series "Griselda" is scheduled to debut Thursday and is facing a lawsuit from Blanco's surviving son, along with public criticism for casting a much thinner person in the role of Blanco, who was known as "The Godmother," or "la madrina."
A $10 billion lawsuit that Mexico's government filed against American gun makers whose weapons it says are used by drug cartels can go ahead, a U.S. appeals court ruled Monday.
Why it matters: The first-of-its kind case that's likely to be appealed comes as Mexican officials demand American authorities urgently investigate why cartels have U.S. Army weapons that are not available to U.S. citizens.
Mexico's government is demanding American officials urgently investigate why drug cartels in the country have U.S. military-grade weapons.
Why it matters: It's estimated that up to half a million weapons are smuggled every year from the U.S. to Mexico, which has seen spiking gun violence despite strict regulations.
Why it matters: The strikes that the U.S. Central Command said began at 11:59pm local time come amid ongoing fears of escalation in the Middle East as the Houthis continue to attack merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
