Monday briefing: Houthis hold firm after strikes
Houthis hold on after US attacks
Following U.S.-led attacks on Houthi-controlled locations in Yemen on Thursday and Friday, U.S. officials said the militia had retained about three-quarters of its ability to attack ships transiting the Red Sea.
The airstrikes damaged or destroyed about 90 percent of their targets. But much of the Houthis' offensive capabilities are mounted on mobile platforms and can be easily moved or hidden.
And finding goals is more challenging than expected. Western intelligence agencies have not spent much time or resources in recent years collecting data on the location of Houthi air defenses, command centers, ammunition depots and drone and missile facilities, the officials said.
The shortcomings reveal the challenges the US and its allies face as they try to stop the Iran-backed Houthis from retaliating, secure critical shipping lanes between Europe and Asia and contain the spread of regional conflict. The Houthis have said they will continue to attack ships in solidarity with the Palestinians until Israel withdraws from Gaza.
What's next: In response, the militia launched a single missile into the Red Sea. U.S. officials are bracing for more but said the Houthis appear divided over how to respond.
Analysis: Since Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel, President Biden has sought to prevent a broader war in the Middle East. Now the question seems to be: how wide will it be?
Background: Here's a primer on the Houthis, their relationship with Hamas, and the attacks in the Red Sea.
Taiwan's new president represents a setback for China
Lai Ching-te, Taiwan's vice president, was elected the next president on Saturday. His victory is a setback for Beijing: Lai has vowed to continue his party's policies to protect Taiwan's sovereignty and has been reviled as a dangerous enemy by the Chinese Communist Party.
How Taiwan deals with an increasingly aggressive Beijing was central during the elections. Lai will be Taiwan's president at a time when, some U.S. officials have warned, China will be increasingly willing to try to conquer or subjugate Taiwan by force.
Lai, who will come to power in May, campaigned on ensuring continuity with his predecessor, President Tsai Ing-wen. She has tried to keep Beijing at bay while avoiding conflict. At the same time, she has strengthened ties with the US and other democracies and sought to build up Taiwan's military defense line.
Lai faces the challenge of navigating the dangerous nuances of dealing with Beijing. People who know him say he may need to watch his penchant for off-the-cuff remarks, which Beijing could exploit and lead to crises.
Background: Lai, the son of a miner who died of carbon monoxide poisoning on the job, is a former doctor and mayor and sensitive to issues such as rising housing costs and underemployment, his supporters say.
India's overburdened legal system
There are more than 50 million criminal and civil cases pending across India, and about 77 percent of prisoners are awaiting trial, compared to one in three globally. People wait decades for justice, and clearing the backlog could take more than 300 years.
The country has one of the lowest judge-to-population ratios in the world. There have been no significant increases in funding for the courts; archaic rules inherited from the British hinder the process; Lawyers do not opt for brevity. “How long will it take for a decision to be made in your case?” said a judge. “If you're lucky, maybe in your lifetime.”
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Netflix bows to Hindu complaints
Netflix pulled 'Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food' two weeks after its premiere after an activist filed a police complaint claiming the film was “deliberately released to hurt Hindu sentiments.” The activist, a self-described “very proud Indian Hindu nationalist,” said the film made fun of Hinduism by “depicting our gods consuming non-vegetarian food.”
The film, a sunny melodrama, is about a female chef who overcomes caste prejudices. (Her father, a Brahmin, does not want her to cook meat, a taboo in their heritage. There is even talk of a romantic subplot between Hindus and Muslims.)
The production studio sent a letter to a right-wing group linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, apologizing for “hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindu and Brahmin community.” The film was removed from Netflix both in India and around the world at the request of its licensor, Netflix officials said in Mumbai.
Netflix and other companies in its position have become increasingly comfortable with the right-wing campaigns against films deemed damaging to the sentiments of Hindu communities. Tire burning and stone throwing in theaters are the new norm.