Morning headlines: Who are the Houthis and why did the US and UK retaliate for their attacks in the Red Sea?

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Who are the Houthis and why did the US and UK retaliate for their attacks on ships in the Red Sea?

When U.S. and U.K. warships and aircraft launched waves of missiles at Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen early Friday in Sanaa, it capped weeks of warnings to the group to cease their drone and missile attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea or face severe consequences.

Previously the U.S. had withheld striking back, reflecting larger U.S. concerns about upending the shaky truce in Yemen and triggering a wider conflict in the region. But on Tuesday the Houthis launched their largest-ever barrage of 18 one-way attack drones, anti-ship cruise missiles and an anti-ship ballistic missile at a host of international commercial vessels and warships in the Red Sea.

Here’s a look at the Houthis and their increasing attacks, and why the U.S. believes it is more acceptable to bomb some Iranian-linked targets than others.

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MORE TOP STORIES

US investigating if Boeing made sure a part that blew off a jet was made to design standards

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether Boeing failed to make sure a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week was safe and manufactured to meet the design that regulators approved.

Boeing said Thursday it would cooperate with the investigation, which is focusing on plugs used to fill spots for extra doors when those exits are not required for safety reasons on Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners.

One of two plugs on an Alaska Airlines jetliner blew out shortly after the plane took off from Portland, Oregon, leaving a hole in the plane.

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The US relationship with China faces a test as Taiwan elects a new leader

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At stake is the peace and stability of the 110-mile-wide strip of water between the Chinese mainland and the self-governed island. Any armed conflict could put Washington head-to-head against Beijing and disrupt the global economy.

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Ohio woman who miscarried at home won't be charged with corpse abuse, grand jury decides

The Trumbull County prosecutor’s office said grand jurors declined to return an indictment for abuse of a corpse against Brittany Watts, 34, of Warren, resolving a case that sparked national attention for its implications for pregnant women as states across the country hash out new laws governing reproductive health care access in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned.

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Worried about losing in 2024, Iowa's Republican voters are less interested in talking about abortion

Abortion has largely been absent as an issue in the lead-up to this year's Iowa Republican caucuses, a remarkable change in a state that has long backed religious conservatives vowing to restrict the procedure. Part of the change is because Republicans achieved a generational goal when the Supreme Court overturned a federally guaranteed right to abortion. But it also underscores a pervasive fear among Republican candidates and voters alike that vocalizing their desire to further restrict abortion rights in 2024 has become politically dangerous.

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Playoff game behind a Peacock paywall is a new frontier in NFL's embrace of streaming

Saturday night's Kansas City-Miami matchup will be shown on Peacock after NBCUniversal won the rights last May. The game will be broadcast on the NBC affiliates in Kansas City and Miami, following the NFL's protocol for Thursday night games streamed on Amazon Prime Video.

Everyone else will have to pay for a Peacock subscription — plans start at $5.99 per month — to watch the game, and some fans are less than thrilled about the NFL putting a playoff game behind a paywall for the first time.

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MORNING LISTEN

The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards are finally here after a four-month delay caused by the actors and writers strikes. And even though the period of eligibility differs, last week's Golden Globes may have offered a glimpse at which shows will dominate when the stars arrive Monday at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

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TODAY IN HISTORY

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TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS