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Trump pursues era of unshackled warfare
Axios | Zachary Basu, Dave Lawler | 03/31/26

President Trump's threat to bomb Iran's water supply would constitute his most dramatic breach of the laws and norms designed to protect civilians in wartime.

Why it matters: The Iran war is the biggest test of what Trump's contempt for "politically correct" war-fighting looks like in practice.

His administration has already signed off on Israeli assassinations of political leaders, threatened "no quarter" for enemy combatants, and initially rejected responsibility for a mass casualty strike on an elementary school.

But the U.S. has been almost exclusively targeting Iran's military and nuclear program up to now.

The threat to hit civilian infrastructure shows how intent Trump is on finding ways to increase the pressure on Tehran, even if that means flouting the generally accepted principles of warfare. ... ... ... Read more

Pope vs. Trump: Pontiff takes aim at U.S. policies
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 03/31/26

Pope Leo XIV is emerging as a cautious voice of moral opposition to President Trump's policies, challenging the president's approach to world affairs without calling him out by name.

Why it matters: The first U.S.-born pontiff is in a "unique position" and standing as an international figure because of the nature of the office, papal scholars tell Axios.

The big picture: Leo has become outspoken about immigration and conflicts, and increasingly vocal in opposing the Iran war.

As the war enters a second month, he used his Palm Sunday address to note that Jesus rejects "those who wage war."

That was in stark contrast to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's comments at a Pentagon prayer service last week, during which he prayed for "overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy." ... ... ... Read more

Trump threatens to "obliterate" Iran's energy and water infrastructure
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/30/26

President Trump threatened on Monday that if a deal with Iran "is not shortly reached" and if the Hormuz Strait isn't open "immediately," the U.S. will "completely obliterate" Iran's power, energy and water infrastructure.

Why it matters: Destroying those facilities would not only have devastating implications for Iranian civilians, it could also deepen the war-driven global energy crisis. The threat comes a week before Trump's latest deadline for Iran expires, and with the regime showing few signs of bending.

While indirect negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have been taking place through international mediators, there are no signs at the moment of significant progress. ... Read more

Viktor Orban: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | 03/29/26 | 27:45

'Battle of the titans': Trump's distorted reality on Iran war runs into a brick wall
TheGuradian | David Smith in Washington | 03/30/26

-- Trump for decades: construct a narrative, declare it to be true and relentlessly force the world to submit to it --

Let me say, "we've won," he told a rally in Kentucky on 11 March. "I think we’ve won," he said on the White House south lawn on 20 March. “We've won this war. The war has been won," he said in the Oval Office on 24 March. "We are winning so big," he promised a fundraising dinner on 25 March.

Donald Trump keeps declaring victory in Iran. But saying it over and over does not make it so. While the US president insists that his military campaign in the Middle East is a historic success, the world is bracing for a conflict that continues to metastasize and could wreak havoc on the global economy. ... Read more

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, March 27, 2026 | PBS Washington Week | 03/28/26 | 26:47

Behind the Curtain: AI's looming cyber nightmare
Axios | Jim VandeHei | 03/30/26

Top AI and government officials tell Axios CEO Jim VandeHei that Anthropic, OpenAI and other tech giants will soon release new models that are scary good at hacking sophisticated systems at scale.

The one to watch: Anthropic is privately warning top government officials that its not-yet-released model - currently branded "Mythos" - makes large-scale cyberattacks much more likely in 2026.

The model allows agents to work on their own with wild sophistication and precision to penetrate corporate, government and municipal systems. It's a hacker's dream weapon.

Jim revealed in his new weekly newsletter for CEOs that one source briefed on the coming models says a large-scale attack could hit this year. Businesses are ripe targets. (C-suite only: Request beta of Jim's newsletter.) ... Read more

The American rare earths company seeking to topple China's dominance | 60 Minutes | 03/23/26 | 13:05

Pentagon weighs sending 10,000 more combat troops to the Middle East
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/27/26

The White House and the Pentagon are considering sending at least 10,000 additional combat troops to the Middle East in the coming days, according to a senior U.S. defense official.

Why it matters: If the Trump administration decides to send extra troops, it will significantly increase the number of combat soldiers the U.S. has in the region. It is another signal that a U.S. ground operation in Iran is being seriously prepared.

The massive surge in ground troops is being considered as President Trump says the U.S. is negotiating with Iran on a deal to end the war. Iranian officials haven't agreed yet to hold a high-level meeting with the U.S. and they are suspicious that the U.S. diplomatic push is another trick.

State of play: The U.S. defense official expects the decision to be made next week and said the troops will be from different combat units than the ones which have already been sent to the region. ... Read more

Trump extends deadline for Iran negotiations
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/27/26

President Trump extended the deadline for negotiations with Iran and paused his threat to bomb Iranian energy facilities by another 10 days.

Why it matters: The Trump administration through a group of mediators, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey, has asked Tehran to hold a high-level meeting this week to discuss a U.S. proposal for ending the war.

Trump's initial five-day pause on strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure was supposed to expire Saturday, and a dramatic military escalation will grow more likely if no progress is made in diplomatic talks, particularly if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

The Pentagon is developing military options for a "final blow" in Iran that could include ground forces and a massive bombing campaign, Axios previously reported. ... Read more

Why these 6 Iranian islands could be crucial to Trump's "final blow" of the war
Axios | Herb Scribner | 03/27/26

The importance of the islands comes from their proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy chokepoint, and in some cases their role in Iran's own oil industry or military defenses. But taking and holding Iranian territory would be far riskier than anything the U.S. has attempted thus far in the war.

State of play: The Pentagon is developing military options for a knockout blow to the war, including potential ground and bombing operations, multiple officials and sources familiar tell Axios' Barak Ravid.

Options on the table include seizing ships near the Strait of Hormuz or invading Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub.

Other plans under consideration involve different islands in the Gulf. ... ... ... Read more

Trump tells Iran to "get serious" in negotiations "before it is too late"
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/26/26

President Trump on Thursday called on the Iranian regime "to get serious soon" in negotiations with the U.S. "before it is too late."

Why it matters: The Trump administration through a group of mediators - Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey - has asked Iran to hold a high-level meeting this week to discuss a U.S. proposal for ending the war.

Trump's five-day pause on strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure expires Saturday, and a dramatic military escalation will grow more likely if no progress is made in diplomatic talks, particularly if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

Some U.S. officials think a crushing show of force to conclude the fighting would create more leverage in peace talks or simply give Trump something to point to and declare victory.

The Pentagon is developing military options for a "final blow" in Iran that could include ground forces and a massive bombing campaign, Axios reported. ... Read more

Pentagon prepares for massive "final blow" of Iran war
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/26/26

In interviews with Axios, officials and sources familiar with the internal discussions describe four major "final blow" options Trump could choose from:

1. Invading or blockading Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub.
2. Invading Larak, an island that helps Iran solidify its control of the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic outpost hosts Iranian bunkers, attack craft that can blow up cargo ships and radars that monitor movements in the strait.
3. Seizing the strategic island of Abu Musa and two smaller islands, which lie near the western entrance to the strait and are controlled by Iran but also claimed by the UAE.
4. Blocking or seizing ships that are exporting Iranian oil on the eastern side of the Hormuz Strait. ...

'Congress Is Totally Unprepared': Bernie Sanders Delivers Shocking Warning In Senate | AI | US News | Hook Global | 03/25/26 | 37:35

Iran rejects Trump's 15-point plan to end war: State TV
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/25/26

Iran has informed the U.S. through intermediaries that it rejects the Trump administration's 15-point proposal for negotiations, Iran's English-language Press TV reported on Wednesday.

Why it matters: The U.S. offer includes many elements Tehran has repeatedly opposed, but rejecting it outright could increase the risk of a major escalation - including the possibility Trump will revive his threat to destroy Iranian power plants.

The Iranian position, which was reported in other Iranian and pro-Iran media outlets in the region, could take the U.S. push for in-person peace talks this week off the table for now.

What they're saying: A senior Iranian official told Press TV the U.S. terms were "excessive" and the war would only end "on Tehran's own terms and timeline." ... Read more

'Congress Is Totally Unprepared': Bernie Sanders Delivers Shocking Warning In Senate | AI | US News | Hook Global | 03/25/26 | 37:35

Mysterious trading patterns follow Trump into war
Click to enlarge
Axios | Zachary Basu | 03/25/26

An epidemic of suspicious trading has emerged around President Trump's most consequential decisions - each time, just minutes or hours before he rattles global markets, according to exchange data.

Why it matters: As the Iran war sends prices soaring for ordinary Americans, a select few appear to be profiting in plain sight. It's precisely the kind of alleged corruption Trump built his political career railing against.

Democrats, favored to win the House in November, already are laying the groundwork for investigations into whether insiders are trading on Trump's market-moving decisions.

Zoom in: The pattern has become impossible to ignore, spanning both traditional financial markets and fast-growing prediction platforms. ... Read more

"We're in a tough spot": Mattis delivers harsh Iran assessment
Axios | Ben Geman, Chuck McCutcheon | 03/24/26

HOUSTON — Former Defense Secretary James Mattis offered a sobering take Monday on the Strait of Hormuz, criticizing the Trump administration for what he saw as a failure to think strategically about Iran.

Why it matters: The CERAWeek conference here has been clouded by uncertainty over the future of a conflict that's bringing historic supply disruptions - and upending industry planning in the process.

"We're in a tough spot, ladies and gentlemen, and I can't identify a lot of good options," the retired Marine general told attendees at the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference. ... Read more

America's next class war: AI fluency
Axios | Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen | 03/24/26

Anthropic just dropped the most granular data yet on who's actually using AI and how - and the findings should rattle anyone thinking AI's gains will be evenly distributed.

It won't. In fact, it's creating a new form of economic inequality: AI fluency.

Why it matters: The Anthropic data, out Tuesday, reveals something subtler and more consequential than the "robots take your job" narrative.

The real divide isn't between people who use AI and people who don't. It's between experienced AI users and newcomers to AI. ... Read more

People who don't use AI will be left behind | Axios | 03/24/26 | 6:48

U.S. negotiating with senior Iranian official: Trump
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/23/26

President Trump told reporters his envoys had been negotiating with a senior Iranian official and claimed the parties agreed on many points.

Why it matters: Regional leaders and global markets were bracing for major escalation on Monday, but Trump walked back his threat to strike Iran's power plants, citing productive negotiations.

1. Iran denied any such talks had taken place and claimed Trump was just trying to calm the energy markets.
2. An Israeli official told Axios that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been in touch with the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
3. Trump did not name the Iranian interlocutor, saying he did not want to get him killed, but claimed the U.S. and Iran were aligned on many of the key issues. "We are dealing with a man that I believe is the most respected, not the supreme leader, we have not heard from him," Trump said. ... ... ...

Police Stings: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | 03/22/26 | 30:21

Markets surge after Trump says Iran resolution is near
Axios | Neil Irwin | 03/23/26

Things were on track for a rough start to the week amid the escalation of the Iran conflict that threatens global energy supplies. Then, soon after 7am ET Monday, President Trump dropped an all-caps social media post that suggested that all will be fine, sending markets ripping.

The big picture: That's good news for Monday's prices of risk assets, but it speaks to a more tumultuous backdrop for global commerce that decision-makers across the global economy are only starting to recognize.

1. In effect, an entity that has for generations been a source of stability in the world economy - the U.S. government - is now a source of chaos.
2. These developments have had echoes of last year's on-and-off "Liberation Day" tariffs, though with vastly higher life-and-death stakes. ...

Washington ignores America's fiscal cliff
Axios | Neil Irwin | 03/22/26

The United States faces a dire and unsustainable fiscal outlook. You'd never know it from the action in Washington.

Across parties and policy areas, you'd never guess that the U.S. faces fiscal constraints created by its high-and-rising public debt, ballooning deficits without precedent in times of prosperity, and a looming entitlement spending crisis when the Social Security trust fund runs out.

State of play: Consider, instead, recent policy developments that will meaningfully affect the fiscal picture for the worse.

The Trump administration is seeking $200 billion to fund the Iran war and replenish depleted weaponry. ... ... ... Read more

Heatwave scorching US west 'virtually impossible' without climate crisis, say scientists
TheGuardian | Dharna Noor | 03/20/26

The record-breaking heatwave scorching the US west this week would have been "virtually impossible" if not for the climate crisis, a team of scientists has determined.

Millions of Americans from the Pacific coast to the Rockies baked under unseasonably warm and even dangerous temperatures this week, with temperatures up to 30F (17C) above average for the time of year.

The climate crisis, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, has made this kind of heatwave four times more likely to occur over the last decade, according to a new rapid analysis released Friday.

"These findings leave no room for doubt. Climate change is pushing weather into extremes that would have been unthinkable in a preindustrial world," said Friederike Otto, a climate science professor at Imperial College London, who also worked on the study. ... Read more

White House eyes Friday rollout for AI framework
Axios | Maria Curi, Ashley Gold | 03/20/26

The White House is expected to send Congress its ideas for regulating AI on Friday, sources familiar with the matter told Axios, but policy disagreements on the Hill are far from resolved.

Why it matters: Republicans are looking to the White House for direction on AI, but its plan is likely to run into the same sticking points that have stalled action for years.

Those include how to protect children online and whether to preempt state laws that conflict with the federal standards they're trying to set.

Pressure is mounting for Congress to act as states move ahead with laws that AI companies are increasingly comfortable living with.

What's inside: The White House is eyeing Friday to announce a legislative framework for federal AI rules, multiple sources familiar with the matter told Axios. ... Read more

Why is One Man Always Blamed For Everything Wrong With America? | How History Works | 03/19/26 | 21:01

Hegseth on seeking $200 billion for Iran war: "That number could move"
Axios | Dave Lawler | 03/19/26

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the Pentagon would ask Congress for more money to wage war in Iran, though he said the reported $200 billion figure "could move."

Why it matters: A request on that scale would likely face stiff opposition from many Democrats and some Republicans, given the unpopularity of the war and the fact that it would be in addition to the Pentagon's existing $1 trillion budget.

Driving the news: The Washington Post reported on Wednesday night that the Pentagon had asked the White House to send a request for more than $200 billion to Congress.

Hegseth confirmed the Pentagon was seeking more money to accelerate production of weapons systems the U.S. and Israel have expended during the war, and ensure adequate stockpiles in future. ... Read more

Gabbard defers to Trump when asked if Iran posed "imminent threat"
Axios | Avery Lotz | 03/19/26

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said that only the president can determine if a nation poses an "imminent threat" during a Wednesday Senate hearing on worldwide threats.

Why it matters: The spotlight on Gabbard, who has been largely quiet about the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, has intensified after top aide Joe Kent, who directed the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation in a scathing letter about the war.

The White House said that Iran posed an imminent nuclear threat, but offered no public proof of what spurred the strikes.

Driving the news: Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) asked Gabbard whether it was the intelligence community's assessment that the Iranian regime posed an "imminent nuclear threat," to which she said the IC assessed that Iran maintained the intention to rebuild its nuclear enrichment capabilities. ... Read more

Germany's foreign minister warns Iran war could plunge 'entire world into major crisis'
Politico | Nette Nostlinger | 03/18/26

Johann Wadephul warns of unintended consequences of the war in Iran, including a possible food crisis and a new wave of refugees coming to Europe.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday warned of a dangerous spiral of unintended consequences if the Middle East war escalates further.

"There is a real risk of escalation, which could plunge not only this region but the entire world into a major crisis," Wadephul said during a joint press conference with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, in Berlin. ... Read more

Trump aides foresee Iran endgame divide: "Israel doesn't hate the chaos"
Axios | Barak Ravid, Marc Caputo | 03/18/26

President Trump and Bibi Netanyahu have spoken almost every day since the war began. Trump told Axios that they're "working great together."

But U.S. officials realize the two countries' endgames and risk tolerance may diverge as the 19-day-old war continues.

Why it matters: Several U.S. officials described Trump as the most bullish person in the White House on going to war with Iran. He also appears more aligned with Netanyahu's maximalist objectives than many of his aides.

Officials in Washington, Tel Aviv and Tehran all know any split between the allies could define the outcome of the war.

Three of President Trump's advisers tell Axios they believe he'll want to end major operations before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. ... ... ... Read more

Most NATO members reject U.S.-led Hormuz Strait coalition, Trump says
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/18/26

Most NATO members have informed the U.S. that they don't want to get involved in the Strait of Hormuz coalition the Trump administration is trying to put together, President Trump said on Tuesday.

Why it matters: The strait closure has become the main crisis in the war for the White House. As long as the Iranian blockade holds and Gulf oil remains trapped, Trump can't end the war and declare victory even if he wants to.

While the U.K. has circulated a plan among potential coalition members, responses from several other countries have ranged from skepticism to "hell no," according to sources familiar with the diplomatic talks.

What he's saying: "I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street - We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need," Trump wrote on Truth Social. ... Read more

Trump waives shipping law as gasoline prices soar
Axios | Ben Geman | 03/18/26

President Trump has formally waived requirements that only U.S. ships can carry cargo between domestic ports as officials look to ease access to fuel and supplies while the Strait of Hormuz remains throttled.

Why it matters: The White House is looking to pull multiple levers as the Iran war sends gasoline prices soaring and restricts access to goods needed by farmers and other industries.

Driving the news: Trump issued a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act, the White House confirmed Wednesday.

It's the 1920 law requiring that cargo transported by water between U.S. ports be shipped solely aboard vessels that are U.S.-built and citizen owned as well as registered under the U.S. flag and primarily crewed by Americans.

The waivers could make it easier to move fuels from the Gulf Coast to areas on the East Coast. ... Read more

"No imminent threat": U.S. Counterterrorism Center head resigns over Iran war
Axios | Dave Lawler, Marc Caputo | 03/17/26

Joe Kent, who led the National Counterterrorism Center and was a top aide to intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard, became the first senior Trump administration official to resign over the war in Iran.

Why it matters: Kent's stinging rebuke - that Trump launched the war under pressure from Israel despite Iran posing "no imminent threat" to the U.S. - underscores the discomfort many in the "America First" camp feel about the war.

Trumpworld is now bracing for an expected Tucker Carlson interview of Kent, three sources inside and outside the administration told Axios. Carlson has been one of the most vocal right-wing critics of both the war and Israel. ... ... ... Read more

How the Iran war is an economic world war
Axios | Emily Peck | 03/17/26

Countries across South Asia are imposing emergency measures like rationing energy, closing universities, cutting short workweeks and even changing the way crematoriums work to deal with the fallout from the Iran war.

Why it matters: Yes, the war is raising gas prices for Americans and causing a political headache for President Donald Trump - but it's also creating a deeper crisis abroad that governments and businesses are scrambling to manage.

The big picture: It's the latest global economic shock in a turbulent decade.

The 2020s have seen a pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the resulting inflation, and, more recently, Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, which rocked markets and panicked some countries.

Between the lines: The laws of supply and demand make the math fairly straightforward here: 20% of the world's oil and other energy products go through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran has effectively shuttered traffic. ... Read more

'WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE': Trump rages after allies ignore his pleas for help in Iran
Politico | Gregory Svirnovskiy and Jacob Wendler | 03/17/26

President Donald Trump on Tuesday fumed at longtime American allies he says aren't doing enough to help the U.S. and Israel in their war against Iran, now arguing that their assistance was never needed after spending days publicly requesting their help.

"Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries' assistance - WE NEVER DID!" he wrote on Truth Social. "Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea. In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!"

America's top allies have largely resisted the president's calls to take on an active role in the Middle East war, which the U.S. and Israel launched in February, arguing Iran presented an imminent threat. ... Read more

Iranian oil squeeze tests Trump's war plans
Axios | Marc Caputo | 03/12/26

President Trump's advisers warn the Iran war could drag on longer if the regime succeeds in strangling the Strait of Hormuz and driving oil prices beyond his tolerance.

"The Iranians f*cking around with the Strait makes him more dug in," a senior Trump administration official told Axios.

Why it matters: Trump launched Operation Epic Fury to destroy Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missiles, navy and regional proxies. But oil markets now are occupying as much of his headspace as battlefield data.

"The president sees the briefings. He sees the numbers. And he feels good about his decision, militarily," one Trump adviser said.

"Oil is another matter. No one is panicking, but it's a concern. He's pulling out the stops. There's plenty of oil. It's just getting it on the market that's the thing." ... ... ... Read more

Remaking the Middle East: The U.S., Israel & Iran (updated documentary) | FRONTLINE (PBS) | 03/11/26 | 1:53:18

Dems drafting AI guardrails for autonomous weapons, domestic spying
Axios | Stephen Neukam | 03/12/26

Senate Democrats are drafting legislation to codify federal guardrails around the use of AI in fully autonomous weapons and domestic mass surveillance, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The issue is at the heart of the Trump administration's standoff with Anthropic over the government's access to the company's AI models.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is writing legislation that he said would place "commonsense safeguards" around the use of AI in warfare and surveillance, adding that there's an "urgent need for guardrails on how AI is used by the Defense Department."

Schiff is eyeing an upcoming must-pass defense authorization package as one potential vehicle, a source familiar with the matter said.

Driving the news: The Trump administration this month designated Anthropic a supply chain risk after a high-profile dispute over how the military can use the company's technology. ... Read more

Behind the Curtain: America's big lie
Axios | Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen | 03/11/16

Watch TV, scroll social media or listen to politicians, and the verdict seems clear: Americans are hopelessly divided and increasingly hateful.

It's a ubiquitous, emphatic, verifiable ... lie.

Why it matters: Most Americans are too busy for social media, too normal for politics, too rational to tweet. They work, raise kids, coach Little League, go to a house of worship, mow their neighbor's lawn - and never post a word about any of it.

This isn't a small minority. It's a monstrous, if silent, majority. Most Americans are patriotic, hardworking, neighbor-helping, America-loving, money-giving people who don't pop off on social media or plot for power.

The hidden truth: Most people agree on most things, most of the time. And the data validates this, time and time again.

Oh, but you're so naive, so delusional and detached from reality. Everywhere I look, I see dispute and decline! ... ... ... Read more

Trump's Iran war messaging is all over the map
Axios | Avery Lotz, Julianna Bragg | 03/11/26

Ten days after the U.S. and Israel struck Iran, President Trump's endgame is a murky, ever-moving target.

The big picture: Across interviews, press conferences and social media, Trump floated and erased timelines, predicted the war's end or promised new escalation, and argued he must choose Iran's new leader while the administration denies regime change is the goal.

The administration claims its goals of knocking out Iran's nuclear capabilities, ending its support for terrorism and defeating its navy are clear.

But Trump's messaging is more fluid. ... Read more

Tornadoes hit Illinois, Indiana and Texas as severe storms sweep US
TheGuardian | Richard Luscombe | 03/11/26

A series of tornadoes hit parts of Texas, Illinois, and Indiana late Tuesday and overnight, as forecasters warn that the threat of severe weather, including flooding, will continue on Wednesday for tens of millions of people from Texas to Michigan.

At least four tornado touchdowns were reported in eastern Illinois, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, leaving a trail of damage stretching into Indiana, where at least two people were killed.

Video of a separate tornado in Taylor county, central Texas, on Tuesday was posted to weather.com. Officials there reported 60mph wind gusts and "baseball-sized" hail.

A search continued on Wednesday for possible victims of a supercell of storms that followed a path from Kankakee county, Illinois, into Indiana late on Tuesday. Rob Churchill, chief of the Lake Township fire department in Indiana, said in a video on Facebook that the small town of Lake Village had taken "a direct hit". ... Read more

A world at war: Iran conflict goes global
Axios | Zachary Basu | 03/10/26

Ten days into President Trump's Iran campaign, the war has gone global.

At least 20 countries are now militarily involved - shooting, shielding or quietly supplying - while a widening energy shock punishes nations far from the front lines.

Why it matters: This isn't World War III. But it may be the closest we've come in decades - drawing in more countries, more great powers and more overlapping conflicts than any crisis since the Cold War.

Zoom in: Iran has struck at least 10 countries since the war began, hitting U.S. and Israeli bases, Persian Gulf capitals, oil infrastructure and civilian areas in an attempt to impose maximum pain on Washington and its allies.

Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz - the narrow chokepoint through which 20% of the world's oil flows - sending prices for oil, gas, plastics and fertilizers soaring across the globe.

Israel is fighting on two fronts - pounding Iran while battling Hezbollah on the ground in Lebanon, where more than 500,000 people have been displaced in a week. ... ... ... Read more

Jensen Huang: AI's biggest buildout is still ahead
Axios | Herb Scribner | 03/10/26

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang wrote in a blog post Tuesday that decisions about how fast to build AI, who gets access and how to govern it will determine the technology's legacy.

Why it matters: Huang — whose company underpins the AI boom - rarely publishes long essays about the tech's broader impact, offering other industry players and investors a rare window into his thinking.

The big picture: Huang argues that chip demand, expansion and hiring are still in the early stages of what he calls a long buildout.

"AI is one of the most powerful forces shaping the world today. It is not a clever app or a single model; it is essential infrastructure," he writes in his seventh blog post since 2016.

"Every company will use it. Every country will build it."

AI is different from software ... ... ... Read more

Iran war's energy price shock is likely to spiral economy-wide
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 03/09/26

The Iran conflict has a new economic front: oil topping $100 a barrel, with a near-immediate impact for drivers, travelers and grocery shoppers - while the benefits will flow more slowly to a handful of oil patch states.

Why it matters: Americans were already fed up with high prices. The effects of a widening conflict will ripple across the economy, with uncertainty about how high prices will rise and how long the surge will last.

Fears about a stagflationary scenario are back, with a fresh inflationary shock coming alongside new signs of labor market weakness.

While higher oil prices should mean higher revenue for America's energy extraction industries and limit the damage to GDP, the cost for already-strained households and key industries is likely to be immediate and visible. ... ... ... Read more

USAID: Last Week Tonight | John Oliver | 03/08/26 | 33:33

Microsoft launches AI tool that competes with Anthropic
Axios | Madison Mills | 03/09/26

Microsoft launched Copilot Cowork on Monday, an enterprise AI agent built on Anthropic's technology and named after the Anthropic product that wiped hundreds of billions off Microsoft's market cap.

Why it matters: Anthropic invented the product that threatened Microsoft's stock, and Microsoft's answer was to take the name, license the technology, and turn it into a Copilot feature, signaling that Copilot is no longer just an OpenAI product.

State of play: Anthropic launched Claude Cowork in January, a business product for non-technical workers that can manipulate, read, and analyze files on a user's computer.

The launch was in part what sparked a near $1 trillion selloff in software stocks: investors felt Anthropic's products looked a lot like software and could replace much of the sector. ... Read more

Behind the Curtain: Trump's power play
Axios | Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen | 03/06/26

President Trump seethed when the Supreme Court stripped away his unilateral tariff authority, the first real check on his presidency.

Then he set out to impose his will on every remaining vector of American power - smashing norms and shrugging off Congress in a historic, 14-day show of executive force.

Why it matters: Over the past two weeks, Trump launched a massive Middle East war, blacklisted the hottest AI company on the planet, ordered new global tariffs, and presided over the biggest media merger in two decades.

He did it all unilaterally - without passing a single law, and without pretending he needed to. ... ... ... Read more

White House puts red state AI laws under scrutiny
Axios | Ashley Gold | 03/06/26

GOP lawmakers in several red states want to pass AI safety bills, but their efforts are being chilled by the fear of angering the White House.

Why it matters: State lawmakers eager to tackle AI over concerns about kids, jobs and privacy are facing pushback from the White House, with tensions poised to spike next week.

The Trump administration's pending list of "onerous" state AI laws could set up a federal crackdown on state regulation and reshape who writes the rules for AI.

Driving the news: The White House has made it clear - states should back off on AI laws in almost all cases until a federal framework passes.

Next week, the administration is expected to announce which state-level AI laws it has identified as "onerous" that should be referred to the AI Litigation Task Force at the Justice Department, per President Trump's executive order. ... Read more

Trump administration says it can't comply with order to start tariff refunds
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 03/06/26

The Trump administration said on Friday that it could not immediately start issuing tariff refunds, casting new doubt about when U.S. businesses will get the hundreds of billions of dollars owed to them.

Why it matters: Trump officials say the process is too sprawling and complex, likely dragging out repayment.

The government's argument appears to have been successful: Later on Friday, the Court of International Trade reversed a previous order that mandated the government instantly start the refund process, Reuters reported.

Between the lines: It is the latest in the fallout from the Supreme Court decision last month that ruled the bulk of Trump tariffs - those imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act - were illegal. ... Read more

Here are all the countries now involved in the Iran war
Axios | Herb Scribner | 03/05/26

The war in Iran has rapidly expanded beyond the Middle East, pulling in U.S. allies and bystanders alike.

The big picture: Since the U.S. strikes began on Saturday, Iran has retaliated against Israel and multiple Gulf states, plunging the region further into chaos.

U.S. embassies across the region remain on high alert, with the State Department urging Americans to leave immediately.

How Iran's Strait of Hormuz shutdown could hit the global economy
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Axios | author | date

The U.S. and Israel's war with Iran is likely to impact people around the world as tensions escalate around the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway on Iran's southern coast, where traffic has ground to a halt.

Why it matters: Trade disruptions along this key waterway on Iran's southern coast that handles 25% of the world's maritime oil trade and 20% of liquefied natural gas shipments will likely produce a domino effect across the global economy.

About 33% of the world's fertilizers, including sulfur and ammonia, travel through the strait, according to the trade analysis firm Kpler.

It's a key route for alumimum and sugar as well.

Blocked access to the strait will likely impact the price of some products, including clothing, cookware, medical equipment, and more. ... Read more

Strikes kill head of Iranian unit that plotted to assassinate Trump: Hegseth
Axios | Avery Lotz | 03/04/26

The leader of an Iranian unit that sought to assassinate President Trump was "hunted down and killed," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday.

The big picture: The plot to target then-candidate Trump has seemingly fueled his ire toward Tehran, with him recently telling ABC News that the U.S. "got" Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei "before he got me."

Driving the news: Hegseth said that killing the leader was "not the focus of the effort by any stretch of the imagination," but "if we had the opportunity to get at those who are trying to get at Americans specifically, we would."

The opportunity arose "from the air," he said. He did not name the individual killed but said the operation took place Tuesday. ... Read more

This is Why America will Lose in Iran | The Invisible Hand | 03/02/26 | 23:17

Exclusive: The Trump-Netanyahu call that changed the Middle East
Axios | Marc Caputo, Barak Ravid | 03/04/26

Last Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called President Trump with a stunning tip: Iran's supreme leader and his top advisers were all set to meet at one location in Tehran on Saturday morning.

They could all be killed in a single devastating airstrike, Netanyahu told Trump and his team, according to three sources briefed on the discussion.

Why it matters: The Feb. 23 call - held from the White House Situation Room and unreported until now - was a pivotal moment that set the Iran war in motion.

It answers the question that lawmakers, MAGA skeptics and world leaders have all been asking since Saturday: why now?

The answer: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his inner circle were irresistible targets of opportunity that neither Trump nor Netanyahu wanted to pass up. ... Read more

How Lindsey Graham got Trump to yes on Iran
Politico | Jordain Carney | 03/04/26

Lindsey Graham's effort to convince Donald Trump to attack Iran began - to the surprise of no one familiar with the relationship between the South Carolina senator and the president - on the golf course.

After the 2024 election, the pair hit the links to discuss a second-term agenda for the resurgent president, and Graham had lots of advice.

In an extensive interview Tuesday in his Capitol Hill office, Graham recalled pushing Trump to "blow some shit up" to combat drug trafficking. He talked about taking on Big Tech by challenging the legal underpinnings of their industry dominance. And he counseled Trump to build on agreements he'd brokered between Israel and U.S. allies in the Middle East.

That last part, Graham emphasized, would require confronting the elephant in the region. ... Read more

Top U.S. general says it will take time to achieve Iran war goals
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/02/26

The U.S. military operation against Iran, dubbed "Epic Fury," will not end "overnight," Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said at a Pentagon press conference Monday.

The top officials declined to offer a specific timetable for the historic joint bombing campaign with Israel.

Why it matters: The briefing marked the first time senior Trump administration officials publicly described the ongoing combat operations and took questions from reporters since the fighting began Saturday.

What they are saying: "To be clear ... this is not a single overnight operation," Caine said. "The military objectives CENTCOM and the Joint Force have been tasked with will take some time to achieve, and in some cases will be difficult and gritty work." ... ... ... Read more

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, Feb. 27, 2026 | PBS Washington Week | 02/27/26 | 24:10

Centrist Dems launch '28 mission: Stop AOC
Axios | Holly Otterbein | 03/02/26

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Moderate Democrats are on a mission to stop the next Bernie Sanders, starting with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Third Way, an influential center-left group, is bringing together hundreds of elected officials, party leaders and operatives here this weekend to build a case for nominating a middle-of-the-road Democrat - not a liberal - for president in 2028.

Why it matters: Centrist Democrats' efforts to shape the next election have taken on a new urgency as liberals such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and others have unexpectedly won races.

It's a reflection of the deep divisions within the party over how to take on President Trump's MAGA Republicans. ... ... ... Read more