Happy Friday. Biden’s threat to halt Israeli arms deliveries faces backlash from all-sides, Americans choose travel over savings, and most popular Mother’s Day gifts.

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Good morning,

It’s Mother’s Day this Sunday, and we’re here to give you just the facts.

• The first celebration took place on May 10, 1908 in Grafton, West Virginia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1914, Congress officially made the second Sunday in May Mother’s Day.

• 💐 What folks are buying: 74% are buying flowers, and luckily there are over 11,000 florists in the US. About the same percentage will buy a card, while 59% of people who plan to celebrate will go for a meal.

• It’s big business: On average, consumers plan to spend $254 per person, or $33 billion across the US.

  • 🔌 Mo News premium or merch is also a pretty great gift!

• Axios reports an emerging trend this Mother’s Day is to celebrate mother figures, like teachers, neighbors, aunts and family friends.

Here’s to all the mamas!

Mosheh, Jill, & Lauren

Shoutout to our moms: Debby Oinounou, Carol Wagner, and Patty Janes. And happy 1st Mother’s Day to Mosheh’s wife, Alex.

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🇮🇱 ISRAEL FUMES AS BIDEN SIGNALS HARD LINE AGAINST RAFAH OPERATIONS

Washington and the world reacted Thursday to President Biden’s announcement that he will temporarily withhold certain bombs and weapons from Israel if it invades the Gaza city of Rafah.

It is the first time since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack that he has threatened to withhold any US military aid, and the most direct warning he’s delivered to Israel since the war started.

THE REACTION
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded Thursday, saying: “If Israel needs to stand alone, it will stand alone."

• Israeli officials added that they have enough weapons for an operation in Rafah — where they believe the remaining four Hamas battalions are located, as well as a number of hostages are being held. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant added, “Whatever the cost, we will ensure the existence of the State of Israel.”

In the US: Biden officials say they were trying to keep this quiet and handle the dispute diplomatically, but the news — no surprise — leaked. The White House maintains that the vast majority of the recently approved $15 billion in aid is still headed to Israel, but they are withholding 2,000 pound and 500 pound bombs.

• The reaction ranged from some progressives saying the move is too little, too late, to Democrats supporting Biden, and then Republicans and some pro-Israel Democrats criticizing the move.

• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) expressed “faith” in Biden’s decision. One of the 37 House Democrats who voted against the Israel aid package, Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT), said, “It has been very satisfying to see the message, I believe, is getting through.”

The criticism: Biden is being slammed by critics for withholding aid from a key ally during a time of war. Former President Trump said what Biden is doing to Israel is disgraceful, adding that “if any Jewish person votes for Biden, they should be ashamed. He’s totally abandoned Israel.”

• GOP Leader Mitch McConnell called out the move, as another GOP senator says he thinks Biden deserves to be impeached.

  • Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK) said: "The House has no choice but to impeach Biden based on the Trump-Ukraine precedent of withholding foreign aid to help with reelection. Only with Biden, it’s true.” [Trump’s first impeachment came after it was revealed he held up congressionally-approved military aid from Ukraine for political reasons. Democrats say this is not the same situation.]

WHY RAFAH
For months, the Biden administration has said it opposes a major Israeli ground operation in Rafah if it didn’t have a plan to protect civilians. And so far, they do not feel they’ve gotten one

• There are more than 1 million Palestinians who have taken refuge in the city, many displaced from other parts of Gaza, with nowhere to go.

• So far, Israel has captured the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, but has not conducted a full-scale operation into the center of the city.

  • The Israeli military views Rafah as Hamas’ last stronghold—where the 100+ hostages are likely being held.

  • There is some debate within Israel about whether invading Rafah is necessary. The IDF hasn’t controlled it in nearly 20 years, since it ended its occupation of Gaza in 2005. Hamas is dug in with tunnels, weapons and battalions. It’s also a huge smuggling point.

💸 AMERICAN SPENDING HABITS: LESS SAVING, MORE TRAVEL

Hot girl/guy summer may be coming up, and data shows that Americans are already vacationing. Those travels, however, are at the expense of saving.

There are different names for the trend: doom spending, soft saving, YOLOing. The bottom line is that Americans’ spending habits have changed since the pandemic.

SHOW ME THE MONEY
In 2023, international travel and live entertainment spending shot up 30%. That was 5x the rate of overall spending growth, per the Washington Post. Data shows that the fun comes at the expense of personal savings. American savings rates are at their lowest since the Great Recession of 2008-09.

• A survey from last summer showed 63% of Gen Zers and 59% of millennials would rather spend money on “life experiences” now than save up for retirement later.

  • Last summer, Bank of America cardholders spent 7% more on travel and entertainment than they did in 2022.

• Hotels: Marriott saw its global revenue per available room — a metric used to measure hotel performance — climb 4.2% this past quarter from 2023 and Hyatt’s increased 5.5%.

• Air travel: United Airlines is among the airlines expecting record breaking passenger numbers this summer.

CREDIT CARD DEBT
Pandemic savings are gone, and now folks are turning to credit cards to fund the fun, in addition to the rising costs of food and housing.

• The personal savings rate peaked at 32% in April 2020. Now, it keeps falling: It was 3.2% in March, 3.6% in Feb., and 4.1% in Jan.

• How folks are paying: Credit card debt has risen 22% since the pandemic.

• The ‘buy now, pay later’ mindset is hitting Gen Z.

  • Americans ages 22-24 spent, on average, $2,834 in the last quarter of 2023. A decade before, the inflation-adjusted balance was $2,248. And that nearly $600 difference isn’t made up in salary or lower rent.

Mo News Podcast: A daily conversation about the news that matters.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Florida airman gunned down in his own apartment by police officer (NY POST)

📌 Back-to-back rulings against Hunter Biden pave way for June gun trial (CNN)

📌 Harvey Weinstein will remain in NY prison as he awaits new rape trial (ABC NEWS)

📌 Barron Trump, 18, to make political debut as delegate to the RNC (AP)

📌 Stormy Daniels stands her ground in tense Trump trial testimony (AXIOS)

📌 Anti-Israel protester who vandalized WWI memorial in NY turned into cops by his father (NY POST)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Taliban affirms that stoning will be punishment for adulterers — especially women (NPR)

📌 UN says 80,000 have fled Rafah in Gaza as Israeli strikes intensify (BBC)

📌 Prisoners in Ukraine to be granted parole for military service as part of mobilization overhaul (CNN)

📌 Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul is being inundated by its worst flooding in 80 year — photos of impact (REUTERS)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Where the class of 2024 wants to work (AXIOS)

📌 CDC announces strict rules for traveling to the US with your dog (USA TODAY)

📌 Apple’s new iPad Pro ad sparks backlash, company issues apology (TIME)

📌 OpenAI considers allowing users to create AI-generated pornography (GUARDIAN)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Hailey Bieber is pregnant! Expecting first child with Justin Bieber! (COSMO)

📌 Taylor Swift changes set list as Eras Tour heads to Paris (BBC)

📌 Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA’s resignation (CNN)

📌 Andy Cohen addresses John Mayer dating rumors (E!)

🎉 CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN WEEKEND

• WHAT WE’RE WATCHING: Mosheh: Unfrosted ~ Netflix;

  Jill: My daughter in High School Musical— Go Alex!

• WHAT WE’RE READING: Mosheh: 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work ~ Bonnie Hammer; Jill: Goodnight Nobody ~ Jennifer Weiner

• WHAT WE’RE EATING: Mosheh: Alex’s short ribs; Jill: An anniversary cake from Mia’s bakery in Brooklyn.