Axios

Nine months ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky secretly left his war-torn country for the first time to deliver an emotional joint address to Congress.

Why it matters: The two-minute standing ovation he received — from both Democrats and Republicans — looks like a distant dream compared to what he faced on his second wartime trip to Washington Thursday.

President Biden announced a new $325 million aid package for Ukraine during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit Thursday.

Why it matters: Zelensky's visit comes at a crucial moment for Ukraine, as it seeks to shore up support and secure additional funding for its counteroffensive against Russia.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday extended deportation protections for Afghan refugees who fled their homes after the U.S. fully withdrew its forces from Afghanistan in August 2021.

Why it matters: Because of the extensions, thousands of refugees without proper documentation will not have to face the prospect of returning to Afghanistan and live under the Taliban's draconian government for another 18 months.

India suspended visa services for Canadian nationals on Thursday, marking a sharp escalation in the diplomatic crisis between the two countries.

Driving the news: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier this week alleged that agents of the Indian government may have been involved in the June killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, on Canadian soil.

A bipartisan group of more than two dozen nuclear and Middle East experts sent a letter to President Biden on Thursday urging him not to allow Saudi Arabia to have a uranium enrichment program on its soil, according to the letter first shared with Axios.

Why it matters: The Saudi demand for a civilian nuclear program that includes uranium enrichment is the most complicated and sensitive part of the mega-deal the White House is negotiating with the kingdom and Israel.

A Guatemalan archeological area that dates back to the early rise of the Mayans has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Driving the news: UNESCO this week added a slew of new sites to its list of places of "outstanding universal value" that should be preserved.

Regional Mexican music — a broad term to describe genres like corridos, norteñas, mariachi and ranchera— has gone global, breaking records as it reaches new audiences.

Driving the news: This week, for the first time ever, two regional Mexican hits were nominated for the Latin Grammys song of the year award, solidifying the genre's mainstream rise over the last year.

The U.N. Climate Ambition Summit on Wednesday marked a potential turning point in the global effort to limit the severity of climate change.

The big picture: For more than three decades, world leaders have gathered to discuss the increasing urgency of this issue. Yet there has been staunch resistance to centering those conversations around the biggest cause of climate change: burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas for energy.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview broadcast Wednesday that the kingdom is getting closer to normalizing ties with Israel, but added: "For us, the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part."

Driving the news: "Every day we get closer," he said in his Fox News interview on a potential normalization between the two countries. "We hope that will reach a place, that it will ease the life of the Palestinians and get Israel as a player in the Middle East."