Biden Said the U.S. Is Ready to Strike in Yemen Again

President Biden, who last night approved air and naval strikes against dozens of targets in Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, said today that the U.S. would “make sure that we respond” if the Houthis continue to attack commercial ships in the Red Sea.

The Houthis, who have said they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas, vowed to retaliate for the strikes that U.S. officials said hit radars, missile- and drone-launch sites, and weapons storage areas. Follow our live updates.

The White House insisted that the U.S. does not want to ignite a wider war. But the military action, carried out by the U.S., Britain and a handful of other allies, confirmed that the Israel-Hamas war had turned into a broader regional conflict.

Perhaps the biggest question now is whether that broader conflict — which almost no one wanted — can be contained.

Biden administration officials said the strikes were intended to hinder the Houthis’ ability to strike Red Sea targets. A Houthi spokesman said at least five of the group’s fighters were killed.

At least one close U.S. ally, Oman, expressed concerns that the attacks would not deter the Houthis but would further inflame regional tensions.

A Midwest blizzard snarled roads and airports

A winter storm described by forecasters as “life threatening” delivered high winds and several inches of snow to much of the Midwest and the Great Plains today. Schools were closed for millions of Americans, and major airports in the region came to a near standstill. Temperatures plunged to minus 20 degrees in Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas, Minnesota and Nebraska.

Taiwan will vote for a new president

As we send this newsletter, polls are about to open in Taiwan to elect a new president and legislature. The outcome of the election on Saturday is likely to affect the island’s relations with China, which claims it as part of its territory.

All of the major candidates reject China’s demands for unification. “But there are important differences in how they propose to deal with Beijing,” said my colleague Chris Buckley, who is based in Taipei. The Nationalist Party favors expanded ties with China, while Lai Ching-te, the Democratic Progressive Party’s candidate, has promised to keep China at arm’s length. “China would most likely step up pressure on Taiwan if he wins,” Chris said. Polls suggest Lai leads by a narrow margin.

The U.S. said it will fine methane emitters

The Biden administration announced a plan to issue fines to oil and gas companies for releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is responsible for more than a quarter of the warming the planet is currently experiencing. The proposed fee, which was already approved by Congress, would be the first tax imposed by the federal government on emissions.

When the plan is finalized, the government will begin charging energy producers $900 for every ton of methane emissions that exceed preset levels. The fee would increase to $1,200 in 2025 and plateau in 2026 at $1,500 per ton — most likely forcing the companies to pay millions of dollars every year.

What to binge this weekend

“The Curse,” starring Nathan Fielder, Emma Stone and Benny Safdie, is a dark comedy about aspiring HGTV hosts that takes home-renovation TV into the heart of darkness. It is also about other wild things that we are bound by spoiler etiquette not to reveal. Its first season, streaming on Showtime and Paramount+, ended today.

For the uninitiated, our critic James Poniewozik explained what makes the show so breathtaking and uncomfortable. For fans, James and other critics discussed the last episode’s thoroughly unexpected ending.

How to reset your relationship with tech

My colleague Melissa Kirsch recently spent a whole week offline, away from the phones, tablets and laptops that consume so much of modern life. She said it was surprisingly easy: The physical world, and the people in it, provided more than enough entertainment.

For tips on replicating that feeling in her regular life, she turned to experts. One suggestion: use social media only in certain spaces, making it something you visit rather than carry around.

Why are movie studios disguising musicals?

If you’re heading to the theater this weekend to see a buzzy recent release like “Mean Girls,” “Wonka” or “The Color Purple,” you may be in for a surprise. All three are movie musicals, in which characters burst out in song and dance — though you might not know that based on their marketing.

That’s not by mistake: The Hollywood publication Deadline recently wrote that test audiences tend to snub musicals and that the only way to attract ticket buyers is to conceal the song and dance, like sneaking grated vegetables into brownie batter.

Have a surprising weekend.

Thanks for reading. We’ll be off on Monday for Martin Luther King’s Birthday. I’ll be back on Tuesday. — Matthew

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