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Political cartoons from the desk of Matt Wuerker

Just 72 hours after the U.S. and Israel began bombing Iran, the war has already consumed nearly the entire Middle East, reached the gates of Europe and raised new fears of attacks on American soil. Why it matters: The sheer geographic scope of the war is staggering — directly involving at least 11 countries, disrupting the global flow of oil and gas, and rattling markets worldwide. President Trump said Monday that Operation Epic Fury is designed to last four to five weeks. In that window, the c

Congressional security officials are instituting "heightened security measures" at the U.S. Capitol in response to escalating conflict in the Middle East, according to a notice to House offices obtained by Axios. Why it matters: It is a signal of how seriously domestic law enforcement is taking the possibility of attacks on U.S. soil related to ongoing U.S. operations in Iran. House Sergeant-at-Arms William McFarland wrote in an email Monday afternoon that his office is "working closely with ..

President Trump has made a scattershot case for Israel and America's joint attacks on Iran through a series of one-on-one interviews with various media outlets. The big picture: The mission's timelines and goals vary depending on when and to whom Trump is speaking as the administration tries to assure the American public the operation will not be another prolonged war in the Middle East. State of play: Trump has not delivered a live address to the nation with the specific intent of laying out h

President Trump's historic strikes on Iran happened without Congress' approval, becoming the latest example of the president sidelining the GOP-controlled legislature in his second term. Why it matters: Since returning to office, Trump has bypassed Congress and asserted executive power in unprecedented ways that could have long-term consequences for the U.S. and international order. While Democrats have seethed, Republicans have largely defended Trump's broader decisions, though some signs of d

Several polls conducted in the wake of the U.S. attacks in Iran found the military operation broadly unpopular.

Westminster's expenses watchdog says MPs are dealing with higher levels of complex casework and abuse.

Corporations are starting to find their backbone: from AI labs resisting military ultimatums to retailers successfully suing the president. Why it matters: The prevailing corporate strategy has been one of high-profile compliance, particularly with the Trump administration. Now, corporates are pushing back, because the cost of that compliance is existential. Driving the news: Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei rejected a Friday deadline from the Pentagon to strip safety guardrails from its AI models f

This is delicate terrain for the prime minister both in the UK and among international leaders too.

The Reform UK leader says postal voting should be restricted to those with a 'valid reason'.

Adults and accompanied children claiming asylum will only receive refugee status for 30 months under the changes.

In his first live address since striking Iran, President Trump said the initial U.S. military plan called for four to five weeks of combat operations — but that the campaign is moving "substantially ahead" of schedule. Why it matters: Trump has floated several possible timelines and "off ramps," keeping his plans vague as reporters have pressed him on the scope, duration and goals of the massive U.S.-Israel bombing campaign. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman

The Iran conflict abroad threatens to worsen the affordability crisis at home, as an oil price spike ripples through to pump prices Americans see every day. Why it matters: This has become one defining tension of President Trump's second term — foreign policies that could undercut core domestic promises to lower prices for American consumers, just months ahead of midterm elections. That tension has been on display with global trade: Trump imposed steep import taxes aimed at leveling the trade p

Americans will see higher prices for energy in the weeks ahead. They aren't likely to see the kind of broad economic slowdown that has accompanied oil price shocks in the past. The big picture: That's the implication of early market moves following the U.S. and Israeli strikes. It follows logically from a reordering of global energy markets over the last two decades. Indeed, it's easy to imagine that this new geoeconomics of oil gave President Trump comfort in launching the attacks, grave risks

Anthropic has raised more than $60 billion from over 200 "venture capital" investors, half of which came just last month. Why it matters: That massive investment is now at risk due to a contract dispute with the Pentagon that's become as much about ego as AI. Catch up quick: Anthropic and the Defense Department on Friday failed to reach agreement on a long-term deal for the military to continue licensing Anthropic's AI models, as it has done in both the Venezuela and Iran operations. Axios fir

Findings from the experiment will be published later this year and inform future electoral reform.

Data: Financial Modeling Prep; Chart: Axios Visuals A Saudi oil refinery — one of the world's largest — suffered "limited" damage overnight from an Iranian attack, per the kingdom's press agency and multiple news reports. Why it matters: "The attack on Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura refinery marks a significant escalation, with Gulf energy infrastructure now squarely in Iran's sights," Torbjorn Soltvedt, a top analyst with risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft, said in a note. The overall confli

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

Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico have been locked in a fierce Senate primary loaded with racial overtones and questions about electability.

The primary of Rep. Valerie Foushee, a North Carolina Democrat, is putting a spotlight on the shifting politics of Israel within the party.

President Trump's strikes on Iran have emerged as a potent issue in Democratic congressional primaries just days after the start of military operations in the region. Why it matters: The new internal divide threatens to add even more upheaval to a midterm campaign that has been marked by severe fractures in the Democratic coalition. In North Carolina, progressive House candidate Nida Allam is seizing on the issue as an 11th-hour appeal against Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.) before their March 3

GOP operatives tell Axios they're worried that their worst possible scenario is unfolding in the Texas Senate primaries. Why it matters: Sen. John Cornyn's seat has long been a virtual lock for the GOP. But competitive races in both parties' primaries Tuesday — and the national headwinds facing Republicans — have blown up all assumptions. Zoom out: Top Republican campaign operatives believe James Talarico, a state House member and seminary student, has a slight edge over his Democratic rival, R

No president in the modern era has ordered more military strikes against as many different countries as Donald Trump. He's attacked seven nations, three of which — Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela — had never been targeted by U.S. military strikes. He authorized more individual air strikes in 2025 than President Biden did in four years. Why it matters: Trump explicitly ran as the anti-war candidate. The White House argues he still is — that he always exhausts diplomacy before acting, and that proje

A poll carried out for the BBC examines the issues which will influence how people plan to vote on 7 May.

Hezbollah fired several missiles from Lebanon towards Israel on Sunday, two days after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, the Tehran-backed militant group and the IDF said. Why it matters: This would expand the current conflict to another country in the region and threatens to seriously destabilize Lebanon. While seriously degraded by almost daily Israeli strikes over the past year, Hezbollah remains Iran's strongest and most important proxy in the region. The latest: Israel Def

Crude oil prices soared to their highest level in slightly over a year in early trading in Asian markets Sunday night. Why it matters: The surge from the Asia markets' opening is an early concrete sign that prices at the pump could go up because of supply disruptions from the strikes against Iran. The surge is likely to push up U.S. gasoline prices, though the impact will depend on the evolving market response as well as the scope and duration of the conflict. My thought bubble: The early incr

The U.S. and Israel originally planned to attack Iran a week earlier than they did, but the opening strike was delayed for operational and intelligence reasons, according to senior U.S. and Israeli officials. Why it matters: The delay gave President Trump another week to choose between the two parallel tracks — diplomacy and war — he had been walking for nearly two months. It also made the final round of nuclear talks in Geneva far more consequential, giving Iran one last chance to make a deal.

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

Discussions over what measures to implement to protect children's wellbeing will last for three months.

Democratic candidates face new litmus tests as AIPAC money and U.S. intervention dominate primary races.