Axios

The head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency announced Thursday that Israelis had twice set fire to the perimeter of the agency's headquarters in East Jerusalem.

Why it matters: Although there were no casualties among UN staff, the fires resulted in "extensive damage" to the compound's outdoor areas, Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency wrote on X.

Sunday is Mother's Day, a day to celebrate moms and also grandmas — or grams, nans and abuelas.

The big picture: While "Grandma" still reigns supreme in many families, other names are becoming more mainstream, according to a BabyCenter poll conducted for Axios.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded Thursday to President Biden's threat to suspend military aid if Israel invades Rafah, declaring in a video: "If Israel needs to stand alone, it will stand alone."

Why it matters: Netanyahu's defiance in the face of Biden's "red line" will further exacerbate tensions between the Israeli government and the White House over the war in Gaza.

Luis A. Miranda Jr., a longtime political strategist who has devoted much of his life to building Latino political power, put decades worth of lessons and anecdotes into a book out this week.

Why it matters: Those lessons could be key for politicians trying to woo the estimated 36.2 million Latinos eligible to vote in this year's U.S. elections — a record high.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights could reframe how governments across Latin America and the Caribbean — and perhaps beyond — deal with climate change and its effects on people.

Why it matters: A case before the court is unfolding as experts issue warnings about how little time remains for countries, corporations and people to reduce emissions and curb global warming.

American Swifties are headed across the pond to see Taylor Swift's European leg of her smash-hit Eras Tour, which kicks off in Paris on Thursday.

Why it matters: Swift's tour was credited with boosting local economies across the U.S. last year. Many European cities are anticipating the same boom.

The body representing University of Southern California faculty voted Wednesday to censure the university's president and provost over their handling pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

The big picture: The move comes after USC canceled its valedictorian's commencement speech and later scrapped its main commencement ceremony following the arrest of nearly 100 people on campus during a pro-Palestinian protest.

President Biden said in an interview with CNN on Wednesday that if Israel invades the Gaza city of Rafah, the U.S. will stop supplying it with artillery shells, bombs for fighter jets and other offensive weapons.

Why is it matters: This is the first time that Biden or any other official in his administration has said publicly that an Israeli military ground operation in Rafah will result in a halt to the supply of offensive weapons to Israel.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) sent a letter to President Biden expressing alarm about the White House decision to put on hold a weapons shipment to Israel and asking for details about the decision by the end of the week.

Why it matters: The unprecedented move by the Biden administration, first reported by Axios on Sunday, was a way for the U.S. to signal its concern over Israel's plans for a possible ground invasion of Rafah, U.S. officials said.

Senior Israeli officials have expressed "deep frustration" with the Biden administration over its decision to pause a weapons shipment to Israel, warning the move could jeopardize hostage negotiations, two sources briefed on the issue told Axios.

Why it matters: The unprecedented move by the Biden administration, first reported by Axios on Sunday, was a way for the U.S. to signal its concern over Israel's plans for a possible ground invasion of Rafah, U.S. officials said.

European Union diplomats in Brussels agreed on Wednesday to use frozen Russian state assets to aid Ukraine in its defense against Russia's unprovoked invasion.

Why it matters: Since the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022, the West has frozen around $300 billion worth of sovereign Russian assets, but until recently, it has made little progress in deciding if or how to leverage those assets to aid Ukraine.

The weapons shipment to Israel that the Biden administration decided to put on hold last week included 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs, a senior U.S. official told Axios.

Why it matters: The unprecedented move by the Biden administration, which was first reported by Axios last Sunday, was a way for the U.S. to signal to Israel its concern over a possible ground operation in Rafah, the senior U.S. official said.