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The European Commission fined Google the equivalent of about $1 billion Thursday for manipulating its search results to hurt competitors and blocking app developers from directing customers to cheaper deals outside its Play store. Why it matters: The penalty lands a day before the White House is expected to impose a new round of tariffs and follows a warning to the EU from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to stop imposing fees on U.S. tech companies. Driving the news: The fine is just on

House Democrats are publicly and privately pushing for changes at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee after it spent more than $500,000 backing a failed primary candidate in Arizona. Why it matters: The House Democratic campaign arm has faced persistent criticism this year from its members for getting more heavily involved in primaries than in past election cycles. "I don't think they should get involved in primaries — I've said that before, I've said that directly to them," said Rep

House GOP leaders are turning up the heat on Senate Republicans, calling on them to move quickly on the House's $95 billion reconciliation package despite resistance from Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.). Why it matters: Before they split town, House leaders left some instructions for their Senate colleagues. "The Senate needs to move on reconciliation before November, and I think the pressure from the American people is going to be unbearable if they refuse to act," NRCC Chair Richard Hudson

President Trump told Axios on Thursday that he's seriously considering restarting major combat operations in Iran — including strikes that would be bigger than the ones carried out during Operation Epic Fury. Why it matters: In a brief interview, Trump acknowledged that such a decision would have consequences and stressed he hasn't made a determination yet. Trump didn't give a deadline for his decision. Two other U.S. officials confirmed no call has been made and no new orders have been given to

The Trump administration announced a new round of tariffs up to 12.5% on 60 trading partners on Thursday, preventing a lapse in import taxes as a temporary tariff program nears expiration. Why it matters: It shows the White House's determination to preserve its tariff agenda by turning to new trade laws as earlier authorities expire or face legal challenges. The new tariffs take effect at 12:01am ET on Friday, precisely when the temporary duties end. It's been one of the busiest weeks for Trump'

President Trump claimed Thursday the new nuclear deal the U.S. signed with Saudi Arabia will not include uranium enrichment and requires the kingdom normalize its relations with Israel. Why it matters: Trump is responding to two of the bigger criticisms of the deal: that it could open the door to nuclear enrichment and that Washington gave up leverage to push a peace deal with Israel . What they are saying: "The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the

We ask almost every AI architect and leader the same thing in private: What AI risk worries you most? Almost all of them fire back the same response: a killer pathogen, spreading too silently, widely and quickly to stop. Why it matters: The rare agreement among AI experts flows from the belief these advanced models could help a bad actor create a deadly pathogen before the government and industry perfect detection and prevention systems. This isn't a likely scenario. And some of AI's biggest opt

The wars in Iran and Ukraine show how the drone tech revolution makes it easier — and cheaper — to interrupt energy supplies by striking refineries and oil tankers. Why it matters: It's an important reason why oil traded at $100 per barrel this week and gasoline and diesel fuel are so expensive these days. Looking ahead, the way drones are reshaping modern warfare has high stakes for how policymakers and companies view new and existing power grids, pipelines, liquefied natural gas ports and plen

She has President Trump 's endorsement and is a sympathetic figure after the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham . As Graham's temporary replacement, she's a symbol of the political brand he built over more than two decades in the Senate. Driving the news: Even so, Darline Graham faces an uphill battle to win a full Senate term in November, Republicans in D.C. and her home state of South Carolina tell Axios. South Carolina's rapidly approaching Aug. 11 primary has become a test of whether

President Trump will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, the Israeli Prime Minister's office said in a statement. Why it matters: Netanyahu has met with Trump in the Oval Office six times since Trump returned to office a year-and-a-half ago — more than any other world leader. But Netanyahu is deeply unpopular in Washington these days, among Democrats, Trump's close circle and the MAGA base. Trump is considering resuming major combat operations in Iran th

The House on Thursday passed a resolution to rein in President Trump's military campaign in Iran. Why it matters: It's Congress' second successful rebuke of Trump's Iran war effort, reflecting growing GOP unease with the conflict. Four Republicans — Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Tom Barrett (Mich.), Warren Davidson (Ohio), Thomas Massie (Ky.) — voted in support of the measure along with every Democrat. The 214-208 vote to direct Trump to end hostilities is largely symbolic and does not carry th

Democrats are indicating to their Republican counterparts that they are prepared to vote as early as next week on a Russia sanctions package that includes an 11th-hour demand from President Trump that the bill also include Iran, according to people familiar with the matter. Why it matters: It would mark a rare bipartisan breakthrough on legislation to help end the war in Ukraine in a Senate that has spent much of the year engaged in partisan combat . It also would show that Majority Leader John

"Choke point" is having a moment. Why it matters: The term is an increasingly popular shorthand for the bottlenecks tying up the oil market and the AI buildout — and sometimes the entire economy — as the old global economic order gives way to intensifying competition and outright war. Where it stands: The latest choke point is in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has been routing more oil there via pipeline, bypassing the OG choke point in the Strait of Hormuz. Now, Iranian-backed Houthi militants are t

The Trump administration this week staked out a new position that could reshape its approach to AI policy, accusing Chinese companies of stealing U.S. technology even as it defends open AI development. Why it matters: That distinction could become the foundation for U.S. action against Chinese AI companies without broadly restricting the open-weight models that businesses, researchers and startups increasingly rely on. Driving the news: The Trump administration is backing open-weight models whil

Data: CDC ; Map: Brad Jennings/Axios. Note: Estimated rates calculated using CDC case range midpoints and 2025 U.S. Census population estimates. Cases of cyclosporiasis have now been reported in at least 41 states, and infection rates continue to increase in the five states where the CDC has declared an outbreak. The big picture: Although some cases of the diarrhea-inducing illness are reported each year, the outbreak will make 2026 the worst year on U.S. record for this food-borne parasitic inf

Poor morale among employees is contributing to delayed model releases from Google's DeepMind AI lab , according to conversations with half a dozen current and former Google DeepMind employees. Why it matters: As the company's cash flow just turned negative, investors and competitors are questioning Google's standing in the AI race. State of play: Google's Gemini 3.5 Pro, its most powerful model in the works, is months behind, per Bloomberg , but the company did just release a series of smaller ,

Data: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, U.S. Treasury Department; Chart: Courtenay Brown/Axios The relentless run-up in Treasury yields reflects the globe's new economic reality: It takes a much richer reward to persuade investors to lend their money, especially for the longer run. Why it matters: Unlike previous bond sell-offs driven by inflation fears, this one reflects a world in which governments and companies are scrambling for enormous amounts of capital to finance wide fiscal deficits, t

The U.S. government will withdraw subpoenas of New York Times journalists over their reporting on President Trump's Qatari-gifted jet , the Department of Justice said in a Thursday court hearing. Why it matters: The Trump administration backed down in its battle with the media on the eve of the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, where the president is expected to speak. Driving the news: U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian reportedly grilled the Trump administration in

Data: Department of Labor; Chart: Neil Irwin/Axios The last time this few Americans were filing for unemployment benefits, Creedence Clearwater Revival topped the music charts , while "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" was the star of the box office. Driving the news: Only 187,000 people filed new claims for unemployment insurance benefits last week, pointing to an astoundingly low level of firings across the economy . It was the lowest since September 1969. The labor force was much smaller th

The Democrats' main Senate super PAC is booking another $54 million in TV ads for the midterm campaign's final stretch, targeting four Republican-held seats. Why it matters: The new reservations offer a roadmap to where Democrats think they can flip seats. Republicans' last major advertising reservation was aimed largely at defending incumbents — and protecting the GOP "red wall" to preserve their majority. By the numbers: Senate Majority PAC, the super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Ch

The pace of AI development combined with soaring compute costs is squeezing the AI researchers responsible for evaluating frontier models — just as those models' capabilitie s are becoming harder to measure. Why it matters: When safety testing can't keep pace, models capable of hacking companies or aiding in the development of bioweapons could reach the public before anyone knows what they can do. Last week's breach of Hugging Face, carried out autonomously by OpenAI's models in the middle of sa

Vance Boelter, the man who dressed up like a police officer and killed former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark last summer , was given two life sentences followed by 40 years in prison by a federal judge Thursday. The big picture: The sentence puts Boelter behind bars without a possibility of parole and brings some resolution to a politically motivated crime that rocked Minnesota. Catch up quick: Boelter, 58, pleaded guilty in June as part of a deal with U.S. Attorney

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday laid out an optimistic view of the agentic future , arguing the company's focus on connecting the world will only be strengthened with new AI tools and technologies. Why it matters: His position is framed as a stark contrast to some of Meta's AI competitors, who — according to a video ad posted with Zuckerberg's comments — promote fear and a dystopian vision of the future. "Some people will have you believe AI will make us less connected, that it's going to l

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is warning the Trump administration and other policymakers not to let "science fiction" fears about AI drive policy — arguing that overreaction could slow adoption and weaken America's competitive edge. Why it matters: Washington is navigating two AI minefields at once: how to manage increasingly advanced systems , and whether to restrict powerful open-source models emerging from China over alleged IP theft and security risks. Driving the news: Huang railed against AI doo

A markets mystery has perplexed some analysts this year: Why are stocks sitting near all-time highs while the global economy is rocked by geopolitical conflict and inflation pressures? Why it matters: The usual retort is that the stock market is not the economy, but a new report from Moody's offers a more nuanced explanation. Markets have adjusted to the new economic world order — you just have to know where to look. How it works: You can see the change in bond markets, where government yields h

ASHBURN, Va. – A test server hall tucked inside America's "data center alley" offers a rare firsthand look inside the AI boom. Why it matters: Seeing how AI is physically made helps sharpen our understanding of the unprecedented data center buildout that is becoming increasingly unpopular around the country. Behind the scenes: I recently toured an innovation lab by Digital Realty in Northern Virginia, home to the world's largest concentration of data centers. Digital Realty is one of the world's

A long-simmering feud between Black and Latino leaders in the Democratic Party exploded into the open Wednesday over which state should vote first in the 2028 presidential primary — South Carolina or Nevada. Why it matters: The racially fraught battle could help determine which candidates will have an early edge in the race to be the party's next nominee for the White House. The debate focuses on two groups of voters who are crucial to Democrats' success in presidential elections. Any Democrat s

Frontier AI models are getting scary good at breaking rules in ways their creators didn't anticipate. Why it matters: Forget AGI and superintelligence timelines. Today's models are already slipping past guardrails, carrying out sophisticated, multistep cyberattacks and — in at least one case — compromising real-world infrastructure, sometimes before their creators know what happened. Case in point : OpenAI said Tuesday that GPT-5.6 Sol and "an even more capable pre-release model" carried out las

The U.S. military used a B-1 long-range bomber on Tuesday to strike Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets in Iran , U.S. officials said. Why it matters: It was the first time the U.S. conducted a B-1 mission since fighting with Iran resumed 12 days ago. Using B-1 bombers, which can carry two dozen 2,000-lb. bombs or dozens of cruise missiles, signaled a significant escalation and expansion of the U.S. military campaign. The B-1 can fly faster than the speed of sound at low altitudes while ca

House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) referred former Special Counsel Jack Smith to the Justice Department on Wednesday, alleging he knowingly made false statements during congressional testimony last year. Why it matters: The referral escalates House Republicans' efforts to scrutinize the former special counsel who prosecuted President Trump , even though the Justice Department is not required to act on congressional criminal referrals. Driving the news: "Smith seemingly made willfully and

Threats against people the U.S. Secret Service protects are up about 40% from a year ago, the agency says, as it prepares for Friday's rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner . Why it matters: The surge is forcing the Secret Service to devote more agents and investigative resources to protecting senior government officials, potentially straining other protective operations. Driving the news: The Secret Service says it has investigated roughly 10,000 threat cases so far this year, about ha

Tesla's massive investments in humanoid robots , self-driving cars and AI chips are hurting profits, but the company says it'll all pay off down the line. Why it matters: CEO Elon Musk indicated he's "never been more optimistic about the future," but acknowledged the investments could lead to uneven results. Zoom in: Tesla revenue jumped on record vehicle deliveries in the second quarter, but the company saw a significant dip in operating profit because of its heavy spending on R&D. Tesla plans

Senators on both sides of the aisle are quietly hopeful about avoiding a third government shutdown this year. Why it matters: Time is short, patience is wearing thin and neither party wants to head into the campaign's final sprint under the cloud of a funding lapse. "People understand that it would be helpful to have a [continuing resolution] that extends beyond the election," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) told Axios. "So it doesn't get all bound up in partisan discussions around the elections."

House Democrats are demanding a reckoning after the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent over $500,000 backing a candidate in Arizona who is on track to lose her primary. Why it matters: This is the third time in 2026 the House Democratic campaign arm has tried and failed to intervene in a party primary, leading some lawmakers to argue that its money is better spent elsewhere. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a top DCCC dues payer , said the party should be "rationing our res

Almost a quarter of workers in the U.S. — 23 million adults — are experiencing " job lock ," staying in roles they don't want to avoid losing health insurance benefits, according to a new Gallup analysis . Why it matters: Women and people who have chronic health conditions feel the burden most because health care costs limit their career mobility , wage growth and life satisfaction . By the numbers: Almost half (48%) of respondents who described health care as a "major financial burden" are stay

House Republicans officially kicked off reconciliation 3.0 on Wednesday, narrowly approving a budget framework to unlock work on their planned $95 billion package. Why it matters: The vote gets Republicans into the reconciliation process , but lawmakers in both chambers have signaled the package itself faces a difficult path to passage. Two Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) — voted against the measure, along with all Democrats. GOPer- turned-Independent Rep.

President Trump threatened Wednesday to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant, including in Tehran, each time Iran attacks a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Why it matters: Trump sent the new threat as he considers both a ceasefire and a significant military escalation. His key condition for a ceasefire is for Iran to stop its attacks on ships and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Driving the news: U.S. Central Command said Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels over the past three months

NovaGold Resources (TSX: NG) on Wednesday announced plans to buy the 40% stake it doesn't already own in Donlin Gold Holdings, creating a company valued at $4.2 billion. Why it matters: Mining M&A has hit the motherlode this year. There were $26.3 billion in deals in Q2. That's up 68% quarter over quarter , and is the second highest quarterly total since S&P began tracking the metric in 2013. Driving the news: NovaGold is acquiring the stake it does not own in the Alaskan gold miner from Paulson

Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh testified before Congress over two days last week, totaling more than five hours. Yet it was comments from several of his colleagues that gave the clearest picture of what the central bank is likely to do at next week's policy meeting. Why it matters: It is a central paradox of Warsh's communications strategy. He is determined to get out of the business of giving markets and the public much guidance on future policy , which means the markets fill in the gaps

The new director of Israel's Mossad spy agency, Roman Gofman, visited Washington two weeks ago for talks about the war in Iran and the Iranian nuclear program, according to two sources with knowledge. Why it matters: Gofman is one of the closest advisers to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was Gofman's first visit to Washington since he assumed office in June. Driving the news: The Mossad chief's visit took place right before tensions around the Strait of Hormuz escalated and fighti

Don't expect a lot of public lamentations from House Democrats next month if Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) loses to his Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-backed primary opponent. Why it matters: That would be a drastic deviation from r ecent DSA primary wins , which set off alarm bells among the Democratic establishment. In the telling of both progressive and moderate House Democrats, Thanedar's anomalous political profile and the makeup of his district will make it difficult to extrapolate

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes America has nothing to fear from China's open-source AI models — and everything to fear from the growing campaign to ban them. "These Chinese models are excellent," Huang told Axios' Mike Allen on Tuesday in an exclusive interview for our "Behind the Curtain" video series. "Open-source models that are excellent should be used." Why it matters: The world's top AI chipmaker says American companies should "absolutely" be allowed to use Chinese models — a direct chal

" Regime Change ," the juicy exposé on President Trump's second term by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, has passed the publishing milestone of 500,000 units sold (hardcover, audio, e-book) in just one month. Publishing sources tell me the blockbuster is on track to be the bestselling nonfiction book of 2026. Simon & Schuster has ordered a seventh printing, bringing the total hardcovers in print to 460,000. "Reports of the death of the nonfiction book have been greatly exaggerated," said Matt

President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio aren't planning to block the extradition to the U.K. of the Tate brothers, the notorious "manosphere" influencers accused of rape and human trafficking. Why it matters: Andrew and Tristan Tate were part of the coalition of hyper-masculine social media voices advocating for Trump when he was reelected in 2024. The brothers have reported connections to two of Trump's sons and have had support from top Trump advisers. Officially and publicly, Trump

The U.S. measles case count for this year has surged past last year's total and now stands at 2,295 — a level that hasn't been seen in 35 years, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker that compiles state and local health data. Why it matters: It's the latest sign that the virus is rebounding in areas with low vaccine coverage, threatening the United States' measles elimination status , which is due to be reviewed in November. The big picture: The majority of cases are in unvaccinated pe

Hardline conservatives are gaining power in the Senate atop key committees. Why it matters: The senators known for rankling GOP leadership now have gavels that let them hold hearings, advance legislation and even issue subpoenas. Driving the news: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) will be the new chair of the Budget Committee, Senate Republicans agreed in their closed-door lunch Tuesday. The committee, which has a key role in reconciliation, had been chaired by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) John