Yemen’s Saudi- and Emirati-backed government launched air raids (Al Jazeera) that killed at least twelve people in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. The move came one day after the Houthi rebels claimed responsibility (NYT) for a rare air strike on the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, that killed three people.
 
Tensions have been high in Yemen since militias backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched an offensive against the Houthis in Marib Governorate and the Houthis seized a UAE-flagged ship earlier this month that they said was carrying weapons. The UAE said it reserves the right to retaliate (National) for the air strike and reportedly asked the United States (Axios) to redesignate the Houthis as a terrorist organization. The United States, United Kingdom (UK), and United Nations were among those that condemned the attack (Al Jazeera) on Abu Dhabi.

There were 7.52 births (Straits Times) for every one thousand people. In May, the government allowed couples to have up to three children in an effort to boost the birth rate.
 
CFR’s Carl Minzner examines China’s birth rate in this article that visualizes trends to watch in 2022.
 
Hong Kong: Authorities ordered the culling (SCMP) of around two thousand hamsters due to evidence of possible animal-to-human COVID-19 transmission linked to a pet store.

This week’s meeting of ministers from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries was pushed back (Al Jazeera) amid disagreement on how to deal with Myanmar’s military junta. A UN envoy called for Thailand to press Myanmar to implement a peace plan agreed upon last April.
 
For the Asia Unbound blog, CFR’s Joshua Kurlantzick discusses how ASEAN will handle Myanmar’s crisis with Cambodia as the organization’s chair.
 
India: More than ten thousand children in the country have been orphaned (TNN) because COVID-19 killed both of their parents, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights said.  

Police used the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware to hack the phones of Israeli citizens who opposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, Calcalist reported. A police statement said the report was “untrue.”

The request comes amid growing tensions (AFP) between Paris and Mali’s governing junta. France has thousands of troops in Mali.
 
Sudan: Security forces killed seven protesters (Sudan Tribune) at pro-democracy demonstrations yesterday, medics said.

The UK government will fix the BBC license fee (BBC), which is paid by every house with a television, at its current level of $217 for two years. The change could force the BBC to carry out large budget cuts to keep up with inflation.
 
Ukraine: A bipartisan group of U.S. senators met with President Volodymyr Zelensky (NBC) to show solidarity with Ukraine and warn against Russian aggression.

The government of Taiwan paid $900,000 (AP) for its ally Guatemala to hire a lobbyist to improve Guatemala City’s relations with Washington.
 
Argentina: Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (MercoPress) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Washington today to garner support as Argentina seeks a deal with the International Monetary Fund about its outstanding debt.
 
This Backgrounder unpacks Argentina’s financial woes.

The Senate will today begin deliberating (NYT) on voting rights legislation that combines two bills already passed by the House of Representatives. Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) said they will oppose it.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) predicted that in 2022, hours worked globally will be equal to fifty-two million jobs fewer than the global level in the fourth quarter of 2019.