Axios

Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised his predecessor Hillary Clinton for "calling out" Russian leader Vladimir Putin "for who he really is, from the start," during an unveiling of her portrait at the State Department on Tuesday.

The big picture: Clinton took swipes at former President Trump, who defeated her in the 2016 presidential election, during the unveiling ceremony as she praised Blinken for "helping to restore America's standing."

At least 68 people were killed in an explosion at a Nagorno-Karabakh fuel depot this week as thousands of residents attempted to flee the region, the local human rights ombudsman said on Tuesday.

The big picture: Monday's explosion came just days after Azerbaijan attacked Nagorno-Karabakh and took control of the previously autonomous region, marking a major escalation in a decades-long dispute over the territory.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken in recent days signed a letter recommending that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas allow Israel to join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, according to two sources briefed on the issue.

Why it matters: While Blinken's letter is largely a technical procedure, it is needed in order for Mayorkas to make a final decision on whether Israel can join the program, which allows a country's citizens to travel to the U.S. for 90 days without first obtaining a visa. The deadline for the decision is Sept. 30.

The Biden Administration is pushing for Latinos to be better prepared for natural disasters and the effects of climate change.

Why it matters: A large percentage of Latinos live in the Southwest, where wildfires hit annually, and along hurricane-prone areas like Florida and North Carolina. But until a couple of years ago, the federal government didn't have enough materials targeting Latinos about potential disasters.

Latinos will take center stage during the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Rosie Rios, the former U.S. treasurer and head of the planning commission, tells Axios Latino.

The big picture: Latinos are deeply underrepresented in media, government, national politics and business — and their history is rarely taught in schools.

Karen Sanchez-Griego is a longtime educator who has defied the odds as a superintendent of a rural New Mexico school district, dramatically improving graduation rates and growing enrollment, especially among Native American students in nearby communities.

Through the lens: This month, Axios Latino spent time with Sanchez-Griego — who has held her position for six years in a state where the average superintendent tenure is about two — to see firsthand how she does her job.

The U.S. approved new sanctions Monday on firms in several countries, including China and Russia, accusing some of them of supplying components for unmanned aerial vehicles used by the Russian military in Ukraine.

Driving the news: The Commerce Department named 28 entities in countries including Finland, Germany, Oman, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, that it deemed are "acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests."

Two world heritage sites in Ukraine risk being damaged from Russia's military attacks on historic cities, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) warns.

Driving the news: UNESCO said in a statement on Monday that it included on the List of World Heritage in Danger sites Lviv's historic center and a cathedral complex in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv "due to threats linked to shelling."

A bipartisan resolution to be introduced in the Senate on Tuesday will urge U.S. universities to support educational ties with Taiwan as an alternative to programs funded by the Chinese government.

The big picture: China-funded language programs in the U.S. are closing amid growing scrutiny, leaving a gap that could be filled by an increasingly robust U.S.-Taiwan relationship.

China's chief climate diplomat, Xie Zhenhua, has laid out that country's climate positions in advance of the UN climate summit in Dubai later this year.

Why it matters: China is the world's top current emitter of greenhouse gases, and it can either pave the way or block a new climate agreement.

Lego has halted efforts to make building bricks from recycled plastic instead of oil-based plastics, the Danish toymaker announced Sunday.

Yes, but: A Lego spokesperson said in an emailed statement Monday that the family-owned company was not abandoning its effort to make oil-free bricks. "On the contrary, we remain fully committed to making LEGO bricks from sustainable materials by 2032," he said.