Axios

The U.S. vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza on Friday.

Why it matters: This is the second time the U.S. has been the only opposing vote on such a resolution — indicating its ongoing support for Israel, which is under international pressure as its military campaign continues.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — After five days in Dubai for the UN COP28 climate talks, my throat hurts and I can't stop coughing, writes Axios "1 Big Thing" podcast host Niala Boodhoo.

Driving the news: Axios Publisher Nick Johnston said his lungs felt like they were on fire. Other colleagues felt similarly — complaining of lungs hurting or heartburn.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Young people at COP28 in Dubai are calling on the world to "do better" to ensure their countries — and the planet — are habitable for generations to come.

The big picture: COP28 kicked off its second week with youth day, injecting energy in what will undoubtedly be the toughest days so far as negotiators work to hammer out some of the thorniest issues for the final text of the key Global Stocktake document.

U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron described China on a visit to Washington this week as an "epoch-defining challenge" — a sharp shift from his approach as prime minister and in business dealings more recently.

Why it matters: Outreach to China was a pillar of Cameron's foreign policy during his tenure in Downing Street from 2010-2016, at which time he heralded a "golden era" in China-U.K. relations.

A senior Israeli defense official told Axios Israel expects to end its military operation in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis in three to four weeks. The high-intensity phase of the war would likely last another three to four weeks, the official said.

Why it matters: The Biden administration has backed the Israeli operation in Gaza and says it supports Israel's stated goal of ousting Hamas in Gaza but the White House is under mounting international and domestic pressure to tell Israel to end the war.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The COP28 climate talks are shifting into high gear in the second week of the summit.

The latest: Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, who heads the talks, has handed off sections of a potential agreement to pairs of ministers who must wrestle with negotiators over the final text.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday announced plans to seek another presidential term next year, AP reported.

Why it matters: The announcement sets the stage for Putin, who is widely expected to win, to extend his rule over the country to 2030.

Hanukkah starts at sundown on Thursday and comes amid the Israel-Hamas war, a war in Ukraine and rising antisemitism around the world.

Through the lens: Despite the anxiety, Jewish communities and their allies from Berlin to New York gathered together in public spaces to celebrate the start of the Jewish eight-day, wintertime festival of lights.

Egypt warned the U.S. and Israel that if Palestinian refugees flee into the Sinai as a result of the Israeli military operation in southern Gaza, it could create "a rupture" in relations between Egypt and Israel, according to four U.S. and Israeli officials.

Why it matters: The close relations between Egypt and Israel, especially between the military and intelligence services, have been critically important at several points in the war, including around the release of hostages.

Testimony by the leaders of three top universities at a congressional hearing this week on antisemitism on college campuses has sparked significant backlash, including calls to resign.

Why it matters: Rarely has a congressional hearing generated this much bipartisan rage.

The big picture: Universities have been under fire over their responses to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which has coincided with student protests and a surge in antisemitic and anti-Arab hate crimes in the U.S.

Major economic powers, including the U.S., are turning inward — a trend sped up by the pandemic and efforts to boost domestic industries.

Why it matters: The shift away from hyper-globalization poses huge questions for what lies ahead.

The average number of people per family household is largest among Latinos, an Axios analysis of new census estimates shows.

Why it matters: Despite the higher likelihood of living in multi-generational households, which for many is seen as a means to save money, Latinos still have higher than average poverty rates and lower rates of home ownership and savings and retirement accounts.

Recently declassified notes reveal for the first time the entire scope of the role an agent in Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's secret police played in multiple assassinations and in a fatal 1976 Washington car bombing that shocked Americans.

The big picture: That assassination in Washington of an exiled Chilean diplomat laid bare the brutality of Pinochet's regime to U.S. government officials, some of whom, including former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, had facilitated the coup that resulted in Pinochet coming to power.

As obesity rates soar in the U.S., policymakers can look to several Latin American policies that are successfully tackling junk food consumption.

The big picture: Nearly 20% of U.S. children and teens ages 2 to 19 are obese, according to the latest available Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. That rate is more than 26% for Hispanic children and teens.

The U.S. in tandem with the U.K. on Thursday issued new sanctions on people affiliated with a years-long hacking campaign sponsored by Russia's top security agency.

Why it matters: Since as early as 2016, the campaign by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has targeted entities associated with the governments, militaries and other affiliates of the U.S., U.K. and other NATO countries, the Treasury Department said in a release.

Democrats are feeling better about President Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war than they were a month ago, according to a new AP/NORC poll published Thursday.

The big picture: The shift comes as the Biden administration has sought to underscore the need to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza and after a weeklong pause in fighting that led to the release of dozens of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7.

Facebook is rolling out default end-to-end encryption for personal messages and calls across the platform and on Messenger, the company announced Wednesday night.

Why it matters: The full encryption service that will extend to Instagram at a date to be determined is a win for privacy advocates who've urged tech companies to adopt the practice to protect consumers, but Meta has previously faced pushback from law enforcement and other agencies over the move.

The Israeli security cabinet approved increasing the amount of fuel that Israel allows into Gaza, the Israeli Prime Minister's office said on Wednesday.

Why it matters: The decision comes as Israeli Defense Forces push into southern Gaza and fighting intensifies around the city of Khan Younis. The UN humanitarian office warned this week that the dire humanitarian crisis is deepening in Gaza.