Axios

Hollywood films had their highest share to date of people of color in front of and behind the cameras in 2023, according to a new UCLA report.

The big picture: About one-quarter (26.4%) of the top films last year had a cast that was at least half made up of people of color, the highest proportion since UCLA began documenting diversity trends in 2011.

The percentage of Hispanic college students who said they considered leaving school in 2023 dropped significantly from the previous year, according to a Gallup report released last week.

Why it matters: The lower rates indicate attendance by Hispanic students is rebounding after having sagged during the earlier stages of the pandemic, Astrid writes.

President Biden will announce in his "State of the Union" speech on Thursday that he ordered the U.S. military to conduct an "emergency mission" to open up a maritime route for humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

Why it matters: The plan to establish a temporary port in Gaza is the most significant U.S. humanitarian initiative since the Israel-Hamas war began and shows the sense of urgency inside the White House over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Sweden officially joined NATO on Thursday, becoming its 32nd member.

Why it matters: The nordic nation's accession to the alliance marks another major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has claimed that Moscow invaded Ukraine in hopes of blocking the alliance's eastward expansion.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and his fellow Republicans on Thursday that further inaction on additional military aid to Ukraine will only embolden Russia and other U.S. adversaries.

Why it matters: Delays to additional aid have forced Kyiv to ration ammunition and supplies, which has cost the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and allowed Russia to gain ground in eastern Ukraine.

A Houthi missile attack killed three seafarers on a merchant ship on March 6, marking the first civilian fatalities reported in the Red Sea since the Iran-aligned group began its campaign against shipping vessels.

Why it matters: The strike was the latest targeting ships passing through the maritime choke point. The attacks have prompted growing involvement from the U.S. military and fears that tensions heightened by the Israel-Hamas war could boil over into a larger regional conflict.

The White House recently asked the State Department and the Pentagon for a list of all weapons transfers to Israel that are planned or are up for approval in the coming weeks, four U.S. officials told Axios.

The big picture: The White House is seeking a full accounting of the government's weapons assistance to Israel as criticism and pressure grow across the political spectrum of U.S. support for Israel in the war in Gaza, where more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed.

The Department of Defense is examining whether debris that fisherman found off the coast of Alaska last week is from a spy ballon, CNN first reported and Axios confirmed Wednesday.

The big picture: The find on Friday comes just over a year since an American fighter jet shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that flew over the U.S.

A Russian missile exploded near Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as the two leaders were visiting the Black Sea port city of Odesa on Wednesday, according to the Greek newspaper Protothema.

Why it matters: Members of the Ukrainian and Greek delegations were not harmed, though Zelensky said other victims were killed and wounded from the strike.