Axios Bias Rating

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is wreaking havoc on Israel's standing with Americans as the Iran war supercharges a deterioration in relations with the U.S. Why it matters: Israel's polling collapse among younger Americans is hitting Congress, too. Lawmakers who started out staunchly pro-Israel are becoming increasingly vocal critics. "We need to have a discussion about how to normalize that relationship and what change is necessary; there's no doubt about that," Rep. Jason Crow (D-

Iran said on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz is again closed to traffic following threats of such action if the U.S. continued its blockade of the shipping channel. Why it matters: The closure could be a setback to efforts toward a new round of negotiations on a deal to end the war and will add pressure to an already tense situation between Iran and the U.S. The latest: Fars, Iran's semi-official state news agency, first reported the closure, citing the ongoing blockade and quoting an Irania

The competitive landscape for U.S. airlines is confronting seismic turbulence as energy price spikes wreak havoc on the industry. Why it matters: Rising fuel and labor costs are squeezing airlines — and pushing higher fares and fees onto travelers already facing economic uncertainty. The big picture: Airlines are entering a shakeout — with consolidation talk rising, the financial divide widening between the haves and have nots, and profit decisions impacting fees and service. State of play: Un

One of the beauty industry's biggest headaches today isn't split ends or bad blending: It's the influx of bridal parties and other clients seeking 'dos from an AI fantasy. Why it matters: AI-generated content has inundated digital platforms and social media, often leaving makeup artists, hair stylists and others in client-facing roles to serve as the industry's reality checkers. Case in point: "I have to really dive deep into the consultation [with clients] to really let them know the clarity

The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia met Friday on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey to discuss the efforts to reach a deal to end the war between the U.S. and Iran. Why it matters: This was the third such "quad" meeting since the beginning of the war. While Pakistan has been the main mediator and hosted last weekend's peace talks, Egypt and Turkey have helped push the negotiations forward behind the scenes. A source with knowledge said the "qu

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent joined a meeting on Friday between White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, a source briefed on the meeting told Axios. Why it matters: Anthropic is building tools that could have enormous implications for the federal government. But that same government is currently fighting Anthropic in court after the Pentagon declared it a "supply chain risk." The meeting points to a potential thaw. "This is a big problem. Everyone's complaining

The House GOP revolt on FISA Friday wasn't just a setback for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) — it was a rare defeat for President Trump with his own party. Why it matters: Trump usually delivers House Republicans on big votes. This time he couldn't — exposing the limits of his influence and leaving Johnson exposed. Charging ahead on a clean extension of Section 702 was a White House call, but some of Trump's closest allies refused to budge on long-held beliefs around the national security tool.

U.S. State Department officials met in Havana with Cuban apparatchiks —including the grandson of aging strongman Raul Castro— to urge democratic and economic freedoms and warn of the risks of not heeding their advice, Axios has learned. The U.S. delegation also offered to help restore internet services by setting up Starlink satellite services. Why it matters: The meeting last Friday itself marks a diplomatic breakthrough because it's the first time a U.S. government plane has touched down sin

Israel asked the White House for clarifications about President Trump's post that Israel was "prohibited" from conducting any more airstrikes in Lebanon, a U.S. source and another source familiar tell Axios. Why it matters: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his advisers were shocked by Trump's post, which contradicted the text of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon that the State Department published on Thursday. The implication of Trump's post — that he was issuing

A company co-founded by OpenAI's Sam Altman and known for its iris-scanning orbs announced new and expanded integrations on Friday with companies including Zoom, DocuSign, Tinder, Okta, Shopify and VanEck as it looks to grow its user base. Why it matters: World, formerly known as Worldcoin, has struggled to convince everyday internet users to sign up for its identity verification system. But as AI agents proliferate, companies are increasingly looking for ways to verify not just who users are,

President Trump told Axios that U.S. and Iranian negotiators will probably meet this weekend, and he expects them to hammer out a final deal to end the war. Reality check: Multiple U.S. officials and other sources briefed on the negotiations have told Axios that while significant progress has been made, and the U.S. and Iran are now closing in on a three-page peace plan, gaps still remain on critical issues. Trump, who has held at least one direct call with an Iranian official in recent days,

The blockage to energy supplies through the Persian Gulf appears to have ended. If it holds, it takes a massive weight off the world economy. Why it matters: The possibility of a prolonged disruption to the supply of crude oil, liquefied natural gas, fertilizer and other commodities looks to be off the table. The Trump administration's strategic move from last weekend — matching Iran's strait blockade for ships that don't pay a toll with a U.S. blockade — seems to have worked, at least for now.