Skip to main content
Axios

Axios

Newspaper | United States | Centre
www.axios.com/

Smart brevity news covering politics, business, technology, and more. Get essential news efficiently.

Engagement Insights

4.64 score
159
Discussions
7
Participants
15
Total Votes
523
Articles

Discussions from Axios

Politics

How might changes in campaign ad rules affect the fairness of elections for all parties?

A federal appeals court ruling Tuesday could erase a new midterm advantage for Republicans. Why it matters: The 2-1 ruling would block Republicans from using cash-rich party committees to buy more political TV ads at discounted rates. Republicans plan to appeal the decision, setting up another high-stakes campaign finance fight as the fall ad wars heat up ahead of November. Driving the news: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled the FCC was wrong to extend discounted candidate broadcast rates to political parties and joint fundraising committees that include non-candidate groups for ads they coordinate with candidates. The rates paid by super PACs and other outside groups are often several times higher than candidate rates.The case was brought by four Democratic candidates running this cycle — Sen. Jon Ossoff (Ga.), former Sen. Sherrod Brown (Ohio), former Gov. Roy Cooper (N.C.) and Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (Mich.)The U.S. Supreme Court in June struck down limits on how much committees can spend in coordination with campaigns. Between the lines: Republicans believed the Supreme Court decision, paired with FCC guidance extending candidate rates to certain coordinated ads, would allow party committee cash to stretch further. The ruling applied to both parties.But while Democratic candidates generally have stronger grassroots fundraising, Republican Party committees have amassed larger war chests, fueled by megadonorsRepublicans believed the Supreme Court decision, paired with FCC guidance, allowed party committee cash to stretch further by accessing lower rates reserved for candidates. What they're saying: "Put plainly, today's ruling makes clear that lowest unit rate is an exclusive right given to candidates and incumbent campaigns and that is the law of the land," DSCC executive director Devan Barber and DCCC executive director Julie Merz said in a joint statement. "Democratic candidates' strong grassroots fundraising amplifying the voice of ever

United States
Join Discussion
Geopolitics

What should the U.S. do next regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz?

The Strait of Hormuz has been Iran's most powerful card since the start of the war in late February. But over the past two months, U.S. officials say the American military has steadily eroded Iran's leverage over the crucial waterway. Why it matters: What began six months ago with the goal of degrading Iran's missile capabilities and destroying what remained of its nuclear program has evolved into an open-ended fight over the world's most important energy chokepoint. U.S. officials say they've turned the tide in the strait and believe it could be a watershed moment in the war that brings not only gradual relief to the world economy, but also a better deal with Iran."That sucker is open. The Iranian response is very mild. They don't want us to go back at them. That's the whole ball game. The rest doesn't matter," President Trump told Axios in a phone interview on Thursday. Flashback: When the war began, the Strait of Hormuz was open, oil was flowing without interruption to global energy markets and Brent crude oil was trading at about $72 a barrel. Behind the scenes: Two Israeli officials say the move to close the Strait of Hormuz was initiated by then-commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, General Alireza Tangsiri. In the first 72 hours of the war, Iran announced it was closing the strait and warned it would attack tankers that tried to transit.But behind the scenes, Tangsiri gave an order that dramatically escalated the situation: to deploy naval mines in the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), the main international shipping lane through the strait, Israeli and U.S. officials say.Tangsiri was killed three weeks later in an Israeli airstrike in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Driving the news: Iranian attacks on ships and the threat of mines brought commercial shipping to a standstill. In the next two months, Brent crude skyrocketed to as high as $126 a barrel. Trump agreed to a ceasefire on April 8 partly in response to rising gas prices in the U.S. and pressur

United States
Join Discussion
Politics

What does Angie Nixon's win mean for the future of politics in Florida?

Socialist state Rep. Angie Nixon pulled off a stunning upset victory Tuesday to clinch Florida‘s Democratic Senate primary against impeachment-whistleblower-turned-candidate Alex Vindman and will face Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL) in the November general election. Nixon, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, was projected to win by the Associated Press with 55.8% to Vindman’s […]

United States
Join Discussion
Geopolitics

What should the international community do about the nuclear materials found in Syria?

UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi and his team came after diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration, first reported by Axios, that produced understandings with both Syria and Israel. It marked the first time the IAEA was given full access to suspicious nuclear sites in Syria. Flashback: The Assad regime had developed a secret nuclear program centered on the clandestine Al-Kibar reactor. After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, the Syrian nuclear program was mostly destroyed. But several research-and-development and storage sites remained, though they were mostly inactive.After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government giving it access to Al-Kibar and several other sites connected to Syria's past nuclear activity.One facility that Israel and the U.S. have been closely monitoring the past two years is known as "Site 99."Two Israeli officials said the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor project. Driving the news: At a press conference with Grossi on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said his government sent a letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing the nuclear material and inviting UN inspectors to visit the site. Grossi said IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor site in Deir Ez-Zor and "observed ongoing excavation activities" taking place in coordination with the IAEA. Grossi said he and his team visited an undeclared location outside Damascus where "several tons of natural uranium metal" were stored. They also visited a location "where large quantities of graphite are stored," material that is also related to past nuclear activities at Al-Kibar. What they're saying: "We agreed with the Syrian government that th

Global
Join Discussion
Economy

What are the possible impacts of the U.S.-Canada trade conflict on everyday people and businesses?

Trade talks between the U.S. and Canada fell apart late Friday night, and both sides said steep new tariffs will go into effect. Why it matters: It's an unprecedented breakdown in relations with the second-largest U.S. trading partner. Catch up quick: Trump last month threatened to invoke Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to hit a slew of Canadian goods with additional 50% duties, including alcohol, hockey equipment, cement and dairy products. No president has ever used Section 338 to impose tariffs since it became law in 1930.The tariffs were scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. ET Wednesday. The administration carved out key Canadian exports, including energy, potash and critical minerals, from the new tariffs.On Tuesday, Trump postponed the tariffs for three days, saying the two sides had a deal. Driving the news: They did not. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said late Friday that Canada had made last-minute demands that upset the pact, Bloomberg reported. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a statement posted to X, alleged it was the U.S. that had made late changes to the terms, and said he had decided to suspend the negotiations. Friction point: "Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses," Carney wrote. The exact shape of that retaliation was not immediately clear. By the numbers: Trade between the two countries totaled $376 billion in the first half of the year, per Census data — double China and trailing only Mexico. The bottom line: After more than a year of threatening various stronger tariffs against Canada, the U.S. is making its most aggressive move yet to actually impose them

United States
Join Discussion