Axios

The Economist says former President Trump presents the world's "biggest danger" in 2024.

Why it matters: The respected 180-year-old British newspaper said a "second Trump term would be a watershed in a way the first was not" and the "fate of the world" will depend on the ballots of "tens of thousands of voters in just a handful of states" in the 2024 presidential election.

A pro-Palestinian student group at the University of Florida is suing school leadership and Gov. Ron DeSantis for allegedly violating its First Amendment rights.

Driving the news: The University of Florida's Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed the lawsuit Thursday alleging its First Amendment rights were violated with the order to deactivate its group "as punishment for a statement."

The number of U.S. voters who sympathize with Palestinians more than Israelis has slightly grown since near the start of the Israel-Hamas war, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll published Thursday.

Why it matters: The new survey reinforces the generational divide and disagreements within the Democratic Party over the war, as the decrease in sympathies for Israelis was largely driven by young voters and Democrats.

Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, is expected to visit Israel on Friday and meet with senior Israel defense and military officials to discuss the war in Gaza and the situation on the Israeli-Lebanese border, two Israeli officials told Axios.

Why it matters: The U.S. has expressed concerns that Israel's military actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon could escalate and lead to the opening of a second front in the war.

Dozens of countries around the world have called on Israel to show more restraint in the war in Gaza, while a smaller number have gone a step further by severing relations or making other official diplomatic protests.

Why it matters: The moves underscore the growing dissent as international calls for a calls for a ceasefire have grown, as the humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated.

The percentage of Latinos in households without a smartphone is highest in states with large rural areas where cell service is spotty and broadband access is low, according to an Axios analysis of data from the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute.

Why it matters: Smartphones are one of the most essential communication devices in today's digital world, and households without them may fall significantly behind in obtaining information, emergency services and economic stability.

A government-ordered audit of Mexico's missing people database has human rights observers worried it will be used to obscure the extent of the problem.

Why it matters: In the registry, which uses data going back to 1962, the number of people missing or disappeared stands at an all-time high of 113,275.

The population of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. is becoming more diverse, and Mexicans now have the smallest share they've ever had, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center.

Why it matters: Geopolitical conflicts, climate change and more sophisticated smuggling networks are driving more migrants from Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Asia, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa to make dangerous journeys to the U.S. without permission, absent many legal options for entry.

The Israeli military searched Gaza City's Al-Shifa hospital for a second day on Thursday in what it said was a "complex and ongoing" operation.

Driving the news: Thousands of injured and displaced people were sheltering in the hospital, Gaza's largest, when the raid began. Prior to the riad, Israel and the U.S. said, without specifying, that they have evidence that Hamas houses a command center and tunnels under the hospital — a claim the militant group and hospital workers deny.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping suggested Wednesday that his country may lend more giant pandas to U.S. zoos in the future.

Why it matters: With the departure of the National Zoo's giant pandas earlier this month, the U.S. will soon be without any of the beloved bears.

Lawmakers were evacuated from the Democratic National Committee headquarters and House office buildings locked down on Wednesday after law enforcement clashed with protesters pressing for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Why it matters: The incident, which resulted in arrests, marks the latest in a series of large demonstrations on Capitol Hill over the Middle East conflict that have been putting Capitol security on edge.

The Biden administration warned Israel that it is violating the visa waiver agreement with the U.S. by preventing Palestinian Americans who live in the occupied West Bank from entering Israel since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, two Israeli and U.S. officials told Axios.

Why it matters: A continued violation of the agreement by Israel could trigger a snap-back mechanism in the deal and suspend the privileges Israeli citizens get by not needing a visa to enter the United States.

President Biden said Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday agreed to take steps to crack down on companies in China that produce chemical precursors for fentanyl.

Why it matters: An epidemic of fentanyl-related deaths in the U.S. is worsening as bipartisan consensus erodes about the causes and possible solutions.

President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping concluded their four-hour meeting at the APEC summit in San Francisco on Wednesday with agreements on restarting military-to-military communications and steps to curb fentanyl production.

Why it matters: The meeting — the first between the two leaders in a year — may help usher in a period of more stable U.S.-China relations after years of deepening tensions have brought the bilateral relationship to its lowest point in decades.