Netanyahu's defiance on Rafah

Plus BYD's ascendence and Podesta's new gig [View this email in your browser]( [The Week Evening Review]( A Rafah offensive, China's 'Tesla killer,' and travel pillows   Good evening, U.S. influence, it turns out, has limits. Today's edition looks at Biden's potentially fruitless efforts to sway Israel against an assault on Rafah, as well as how Tesla's top-dog status in the global electric vehicle industry may be waning. In other respects (Coca-Cola and football), we remain on top. Enjoy it while it lasts. Summer Meza The Week Digital     TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Why is Israel attacking Rafah despite Biden's warnings? Israel's latest effort in its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip is a planned assault on the southern city of Rafah. The international community has been pressuring Israeli leadership against such an attack. Speaking at the White House on Monday alongside Jordanian King Abdullah II, President Joe Biden said that Israel's operation in Rafah "should not proceed without a credible plan for ensuring the safety and support of more than one million people sheltering there." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu isn't ceding to international pressure. He said to ABC News that Israel was "going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah, which is the last bastion" and that "victory is within reach." What did the commentators say? Biden's remarks were a "rare measure of direct criticism at Israel," Adam Cancryn said at Politico. Biden has increasingly "grown more critical of Netanyahu in public, saying last week that Israel's war in Gaza has been 'over the top.'" Biden thinks he has "built a lot of political credit in Israel" with his past support, said Dennis Ross, the former Middle East envoy for the H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations, to NPR. Now he is seeking "a little bit more responsiveness from Netanyahu to the things that he is asking," said Ross. While Biden has not called for a total cease-fire, his "willingness to stand alongside an Arab leader who did issue such a call was notable," Yasmeen Abutaleb and Matt Viser said for The Washington Post. At a time when Biden is facing heavy criticism from Arab Americans, he "found in Abdullah a welcome ally." Even so, Arab leaders in the U.S. and Middle East have "felt his public comments allowed for little criticism of the hard-hitting military campaign." What next? Biden is working to broker a new deal for a six-week pause in the fighting. During his meeting with Abdullah, Biden said he had spoken with Netanyahu, as well as the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, two countries that were instrumental in brokering the previous release of Hamas hostages. But Netanyahu doesn't seem to be too keen on the idea and said that those warning against a Rafah invasion are "basically saying lose the war." Netanyahu said to ABC that Israel was working to relocate civilians but that the timetable to stall their offensive was running out.   Advertisement by Betterment [Betterment is the automated investing app that puts your money to work](   QUOTE OF THE DAY "I'm not saying you don't have to worry about who wins the election. I'm saying you have to worry about every day before it and every day after. Forever." Jon Stewart on the upcoming presidential election during his inaugural return to his old desk at "The Daily Show"     Talking Points What Elon Musk has to fear from China's 'Tesla killer' Last year, Chinese company BYD overtook Tesla as the world's leading seller of fully electric cars and is poised to keep growing. Just a few years ago, BYD was merely a battery manufacturer. Now it's an automotive powerhouse. "Frankly, I think if there are not trade barriers established," said Tesla CEO Elon Musk in January, "they will pretty much demolish most other companies in the world." BYD launched its first car in 2008, the same year that Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway made a $230 million investment in the company. BYD also received $4.3 billion in state subsidies between 2015 and 2020. How has BYD become so successful? The cars are cheap, Fortune said. "No one can match BYD on price. Period," said one expert. The company's cars are "not a common sight" on American roads. But that's probably just a "matter of time." China's big head start "The significance of the rise in the Chinese auto industry as part and parcel of the energy transition is hard to understate," Justin Worland said at Time. Beyond cars, Chinese companies have a head start on American companies in a "range of clean energy technologies, from solar panels to lithium-ion batteries." One undeveloped market for BYD and other Chinese automakers: Europe. "Transportation bottlenecks have held them back," Nikkei Asia said. Established giants like Toyota have transport ships that carry thousands of cars to Europe, but Chinese electric vehicle makers have relied on shipping lines. But no longer. BYD just launched a ship that can carry up to 5,000 EVs in a single voyage. That's a "pioneering move" that should open the continent to massive new sales. Smart-car crackdown? BYD may face one significant obstacle: The Biden administration is considering tariffs on Chinese "smart car" imports to "address growing U.S. concerns about data security," Fortune said. EVs, after all, "collect vast amounts of information about their drivers and surroundings." That's a big concern amid growing tensions between the U.S. and China. Tesla plans to begin production on a new lower-cost EV starting in 2025, said Reuters. The entry-level vehicle is expected to be priced at about $25,000, which should allow it to compete. We'll see if that happens, though. "Tesla has a track record of missing its targets for launches and pricing."   Advertisement by Betterment [Betterment is the automated investing app that puts your money to work](   Statistic of the day 123.4M: The number of people who watched Sunday's Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. This makes the game the most-watched telecast in the history of broadcast television. Of these viewers, 112 million saw the game on CBS, which is also a record for a single network. Variety     Profile John Podesta, the journeyman now leading on climate John Kerry recently announced he would step down as the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate to help President Joe Biden with his reelection campaign. And the White House has replaced one Democratic mainstay with another, tapping John Podesta to replace Kerry as the nation's top climate diplomat. Podesta's political beginnings Podesta was born in Chicago in 1949 and graduated with a doctorate in law from Georgetown University Law Center in 1976. Starting in the mid-1980s, he began his foray into politics by working for various Capitol Hill offices. Podesta first arrived at the White House in 1993, where he eventually became then-President Bill Clinton's chief of staff in 1998 and served in that role until Clinton left office in 2001. He returned to the White House in 2008 as a counselor on then-President-elect Barack Obama's transition team. Following this, he became the chair of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, where he memorably addressed the crowd on the night of her loss to Donald Trump. In September 2022, Biden appointed Podesta as his senior adviser for clean energy innovation and implementation. Then this January, Podesta was named to succeed Kerry. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement that Podesta will play a "lead role in restoring U.S. domestic leadership on climate, including leading the administration's implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act." Podesta's role as climate adviserPodesta is a "passionate veteran of the federal government's efforts to fight climate change," said The New York Times, and someone who urged Clinton to embrace the cause during Clinton's administration. As Biden's senior adviser for clean energy innovation and implementation, Podesta has been tasked with the rollout of the $375 billion climate law signed by Biden in 2022. Podesta is expected to take on his new role this spring when Kerry departs. Podesta's official title will be senior adviser to the president for international climate policy.     Poll watch About two-thirds of millennials are satisfied with their romantic relationship, according to a new poll from Ipsos. The poll surveyed more than 24,000 adults across 31 countries and found that 67% of millennials were satisfied with their romantic partner and sex lives. This was the highest satisfaction rate of the generations polled.     INSTANT OPINION Today's best commentary 'Elite universities have not sacrificed excellence for diversity'Christopher L. Eisgruber in The Atlantic The claim that pursuing diversity at elite universities has set back "scholarly excellence" is a "noxious and surprisingly commonplace myth," says Christopher L. Eisgruber, Princeton University's president. "Much the reverse is true." Embracing diversity has made the nation's great research universities better. They haven't "forsaken merit" but found it in more places. "If you want excellence, you need to find, attract and support talent from every sector of society, not just from privileged groups and social classes." 'An infuriating poll finding about Trump should galvanize Democrats'Greg Sargent in The New RepublicFor an ex-president, Donald Trump "wields unprecedented influence over his party," says Greg Sargent. Trump "explicitly and repeatedly" pressured his fellow Republicans to kill the bipartisan border security bill last week. But a new ABC News-Ipsos survey found Trump gets "substantially less blame" than anybody else. Democrats, who supported the bill, should take this as a call to "do more to communicate that Republicans are sabotaging the country because Trump told them to." 'A vote for President Kamala Harris'The Wall Street Journal editorial boardPresident Joe Biden's "evident mental decline" means a vote for him is "also really a vote for President Harris," says The Wall Street Journal editorial board. Vice President Kamala Harris is "reassuring everyone that she's up to the job of succeeding her boss if the moment arrives," but many voters aren't convinced. The possibility Biden, 81, wouldn't finish his term "might scare more swing voters" than his frailty or "Donald Trump's daily diatribes."     Picture of the day A centuries-old tradition Members from opposing teams, the Up'ards and Down'ards, fight for possession of the ball during the annual Royal Shrovetide football game in Ashbourne, England  Paul Ellis / Getty Images     Good day 🥤 … for Coca-Cola. The Atlanta beverage giant overcame lower demand in the U.S., reporting higher-than-expected revenue in the fourth quarter "fueled by increases in both price and volume" in other markets. Revenue rose 7% to $10.8 billion for the October to December period, topping Wall Street's forecast of $10.7 billion, according to analysts polled by FactSet.     Bad day 🙀 … for Oregon cat owners. Public officials in Oregon reported a case of the bubonic plague in a resident who "likely contracted it from a pet cat," The Associated Press said. Anyone who had close contact with the person and their cat has been notified, and the county said the case "poses little risk to the community."     Puzzles [Daily crossword]( Test your general knowledge with The Week's daily crossword, part of our puzzles section, which also includes [sudoku]( and [codewords](. [Play here](     The Week recommends [3 great travel pillows for any journey]( Whether you aim to take a cat nap on a short flight or catch some serious rest on a long road trip, a good travel pillow is great to have on hand. Here are three handy, comfy options to pack for your next adventure. Trtl Pillow ($62)This Trtl wins the race. The lightweight, adjustable pillow wraps around your neck and has an internal support structure that keeps your head up. The Trtl resembles a scarf, and The Strategist's Rachael Griffiths said the first time she tried it, "I was out like a light." The angle of the brace "hits just right," and there was "no sloping so much that your neck bends unnaturally, but it's supportive enough for you to relax into a decent sleep." Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Neck Pillow ($40)This substantial memory foam travel pillow has rave reviews, with Conde Nast Traveler saying it is "the best we've tested so far." Its biggest strength is the straps on the back of the pillow, which can be attached to a seat headrest. This helps to "keep your head upright and take any pressure off your neck," Conde Nast Traveler said. There is also a small storage area, so you can securely tuck away your earbuds or ear plugs. Bcozzy Neck Pillow for Travel ($44)The Bcozzy pillow is for everyone, with its "multipurpose design for all sleeping positions," Good Housekeeping said. The arms of the pillow can be positioned to "support your head whether it tends to fall forward or sideways," and there is a flat back to maintain spine alignment. The pillow is covered in a soft fleece, making it easy to relax and sink into. [Read more](     WORD OF THE DAY shrove Flapjacks take the main stage for Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, a religious celebration observed the day before Ash Wednesday. The name is derived from the word "shrive," which means to confess your sins and seek absolution.     In the morning Tomorrow, you can read why the demise of Greyhound bus stations is such an issue. And if the state of U.S. transit stresses you out, may we suggest you also read about why you should give tai chi a try? Thanks for reading, Summer     Evening Review was written and edited by Theara Coleman, Nadia Croes, Catherine Garcia, Harold Maass, Scott Hocker, Justin Klawans, Kelsee Majette, Joel Mathis, Summer Meza, Devika Rao, Rafi Schwartz, Anahi Valenzuela and Peter Weber, with illustrations by Stephen Kelly and Julia Wytrazek. Image credits, from top: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Shutterstock / Getty; Qilai Shen / Bloomberg via Getty Images; Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images; Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images   © Future US, Inc • [theweek.com]( [Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( [Privacy Policy]( The Week is published by Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036.