Dwayne | Reading desk

Axios13 OctArticle

Feds search Rep. Ilhan Omar's home in immigration probe

Federal agents conducted a pre-dawn search Monday at the Washington home of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) as part of an ongoing immigration probe, a DOJ spokesperson confirmed to Axios. Why it matters: Searching Omar's home marks a substantial escalation of the Trump administration's fight with the outspoken progressive, who has condemned the immigration crackdown in her state. It's also an unusual move against a candidate less than a month before an election, something the Justice Department has typically avoided . The latest: President Trump said authorities are looking at Omar "very carefully" when asked whether he knew about the search of her home in advance. "I've always found her to be totally crooked personally, but that has nothing to do with me," Trump said. "I think she's a terrible person. She comes from a country that is a non-country." What they're saying: "I'm ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement," Omar said in a Monday afternoon post to X. "For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced." Driving the news: Fox News first reported that Homeland Security Investigations agents conducted the search, citing a Justice Department statement. A DOJ spokesperson confirmed to Axios that DHS agents "executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice" as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation. DHS referred Axios to the DOJ. The other s

Axios12 OctArticle

U.K. prime minister attributes plot against U.S. bomber base to Iran

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the U.K. House of Commons Monday that Iran's Revolutionary Guard was "almost certainly" behind the suspected plot to attack the RAF Fairford base where U.S. bombers were stationed. Why it matters: This was the first time the U.K. officially blamed Iran for the alleged planned attack . What he's saying: "I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by the IRGC. We will not tolerate these threats on our soil," Burnham said. Driving the news: 10 days ago, the U.S. evacuated a dozen B-1 strategic bombers from RAF Fairford in response to intelligence indicating an Iranian drone attack. It would have been an unprecedented and brazen move by Iran against a U.S. base in Europe — with the potential to dramatically escalate the war in the Middle East. The decision to move the bombers came several days after British security forces arrested several dual British-Iranian citizens suspected of planning an attack on the base. It was unclear whether the people who were arrested were connected to the alleged planned drone attack or if they were planning a different attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel provided the U.K. with intelligence that pointed to a threat of an Iranian attack. State of play: British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Monday that the Iranian ambassador was summoned to the foreign office in London to denounce the alleged Iranian plot. The other side: The Iranian ambassador to the UK, Seyed Ali Mousavi, told IRNA that Iran "categorically

Barak Ravidtop

Axios12 OctArticle

Trump's Russia deal leaves GOP candidates with a Putin problem

Republicans already saddled with Trump's unpopular policies in the midterms now face another awkward choice: whether to back his diesel deal with a dictator many of them despise. Why it matters: The agreement President Trump struck with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday is designed to ease the cost of living for U.S. consumers. But Republicans who pleaded for help with fuel prices now face a fresh dispute over Russia, with energy analysts questioning whether the deal will deliver the relief Trump is promising. The big picture: With three weeks until Election Day, Republicans are trying to answer voter anger while keeping up with a president whose proposed fixes keep becoming political liabilities of their own. Trump's decision to lock arms with Putin adds another complication. Driving the news: Weeks after signing a sweeping Russia sanctions law, Trump announced Friday that Russia would supply diesel to U.S. and global markets. The next day, Trump blamed Ukraine for soaring diesel prices and called for President Volodymyr Zelensky to be replaced, even as Russia continued attacking Ukrainian cities. Republicans who just supported squeezing Moscow have three options in the final sprint for control of Congress: defend Trump's reversal, break with him or stay quiet. Zoom out: The diesel deal packs some of the GOP's biggest liabilities into one decision: the Iran war's economic fallout, the party's split over Russia and a president determined to make the election about himself. The deal also reverses Trump's own pressure campaign. Last year, he slapped an extra 25% tariff

Andrew Pantazitop

Axios12 OctArticle

Business faces a more interventionist Washington post-midterms

Both parties will be pressured to intervene more in markets after the midterms as economic frustration animates the new Congress, according to an FGS Global sketch of 2027 Washington scenarios, shared first with Axios. Why it matters: In a Trump-dominated Washington, Congress ceded much of its power and relevance. That'll change three weeks from Tuesday if Democrats win the House, as expected, and perhaps the Senate in the midterms. The new analysis by FGS , a worldwide strategic leadership advisory with huge clients, is a sequel to a popular FGS report that Jim VandeHei and I used as the basis for a series of popular "Behind the Curtain" columns before the 2024 elections. FGS bills "Alternative Futures: Beyond November" as a framework for processing the epic battles ahead: how power will get used, how both parties will evolve, and how business leaders can navigate the uncertainty. "The 2026 midterms will begin — not end — a 27-month period of unusually high strategic uncertainty," the report says. Zoom in: Michael Feldman — FGS partner and co-chairman, North America — tells me that for Republicans, "intervention may mean tariffs, industrial policy, domestic manufacturing incentives, and other measures aimed at strengthening U.S. production capacity, economic security, and competitiveness." "For Democrats, intervention may mean affordability policies, labor protections, antitrust enforcement, plus regulation designed to reduce costs, curb concentrated corporate power and address inequality." "Everyone is focused on who controls Congress," Feldman added. "We think the more i

Mike Allentop

Axios12 OctArticle

Trump privately expresses doubts about livestreaming execution

President Trump has privately shared misgivings about livestreaming the firing-squad execution of a former Army major who murdered 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas, according to four people who have spoken with the president. Why it matters: Trump has been deluged with "negative input" about the idea from a bipartisan chorus of lawmakers as well as advisers inside and outside of his White House, a senior administration official said. A livestream of former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan's execution on Dec. 3 "might not happen," Trump told one confidant, who doesn't work in the administration and shared the comment with Axios. "He didn't sound particularly enthusiastic" about webcasting the execution, the source said. "That's why he's calling around, doing the Trump thing, asking people what they think." Zoom in: Hasan faces a firing squad at Fort Hood, where he went on his murderous shooting rampage 17 years ago. He would be the first person in the U.S. whose execution would be livestreamed. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the norm-shattering idea Thursday on Real America's Voice. "We'll make sure that people are able to watch it — that it's public — because people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things," Hegseth said. Zoom out: The idea was roundly condemned domestically and internationally . In the ensuing days, Trump started to publicly shift his positions: At first, Trump was full-throated in his support. "Absolutely, I approve," Trump told reporters early Friday evening. Later that night, Trump was more nuanced : "They want to do

Marc Caputotop

Axios12 OctArticle

Two U.S. professors win Nobel prize in economics

Stanford University's Robert E. Hall and Columbia University's Michael Woodford won the Nobel Prize in economics for research on how policymakers can stabilize economies , the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said on Monday. Why it matters: Their work helped shape how central banks set interest rates and communicate policy. The win comes as those institutions fight energy-driven inflation and risks to economic growth. Zoom out: For decades, policymakers relied on economic models that linked higher inflation with lower unemployment. But that framework broke down during the 1970s stagflation when both prices and joblessness surged at the same time. "The solution by Robert Hall and Michael Woodford was to build a new framework ground up," Timo Boppart, a member of the Nobel economics prize committee, said on Monday. What they're saying: Woodford, who called into Monday's press conference hosted by the committee, said he was "elated" by the win. " It's a tremendous honor. It's a surprise — but I'm feeling very good about it," Woodford said. The intrigue : Asked by a reporter about the threat to the global economy, Woodford said the Middle East conflict has disrupted energy markets and driven price changes with consequences far beyond the region. He pointed to the 2008 financial crisis as a key test of his research, when central banks cut interest rates to near zero but struggled to revive economic activity. His framework helped explain how other tools, including forward guidance and asset purchases, could support the economy. Zoom in: In research culminating in a landmark 2003

Courtenay Browntop

Axios12 OctArticle

Judge halts Trump administration's taxpayer-funded ads

A federal judge on Sunday ordered the Trump administration to immediately halt taxpayer-funded ads featuring President Trump. Why it matters: The ruling temporarily blocks the ads weeks before November's midterm elections as multiple lawsuits challenging the Trump administration's use of taxpayer money play out in court. Sunday's ruling stems from a suit filed in the Southern District of New York by Washington, D.C.-based watchdog Common Cause, non-profit Democracy Forward and other plaintiffs. A similar lawsuit , filed by the Democratic National Committee, was filed in D.C. federal court earlier this month. The big picture: The Trump administration maintains that the ads are public service announcements and that previous Republican and Democratic administrations have used taxpayer-funded advertising to promote government policies. Trump pledged to pay for the ads himself after both lawsuits were filed, though the White House told Axios there were no plans to reimburse the government for millions already spent on the ads. Driving the news: The plaintiffs in the New York lawsuit allege that the Trump administration exceeded congressional authorization and violated restrictions on publicity and propaganda. In a brief order , U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon found that a motion filed by the coalition was "not moot." She found they had "demonstrated that they are likely to succeed on the merits, will suffer irreparable harm in the absence of an injunction, the balance of the equities tips in their favor, and an injunction serves the public interest," according to the order.

Rebecca Falconertop

Axios11 OctArticle

Buttigieg gambles on a different path for 2028

Pete Buttigieg has been able to campaign for Democrats across the country more than many of his potential 2028 rivals this past year. One reason: He doesn't have a job. That's by choice. Buttigieg said no when top Democrats urged him to run for governor or the U.S. Senate in Michigan this year. Why it matters: That decision is a gamble for Buttigieg's presidential ambitions. He's been able to build a national network over the last two years but hasn't added to his relatively thin resume as a former mayor of South Bend, Ind., and Joe Biden's transportation secretary. Buttigieg, 44, became a national political figure without following the typical path. He ran for president in 2020 as a small-town mayor and won the Iowa caucus by offering an optimistic vision and impressing voters with his communication skills — including in hostile environments. Driving the news: In early 2025, Democratic lawmakers and strategists including New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and former Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow urged Buttigieg — who had moved to Michigan — to run for office in his new state. Winning such an office, they argued, would help Buttigieg build his resume for a future White House run and give him a chance to distance himself from the unpopular Biden administration. Buttigieg passed, citing both a desire to stay home more with his husband and young twins, and figuring that he could still get his message out without being in the Senate. Instead, he set about building a larger national network among Democrats — particularly with Black voters in the South, where he had struggled in the 202

Holly Otterbeintop

Axios11 OctArticle

Trump bears down on Zelensky as Russia keeps up attacks on Ukraine

President Trump's announcement Sunday about an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine referred to a potential deal that includes each side stopping attacks on oil refineries — and he expects Volodymyr Zelensky to abide by it, a White House official said. The official said if attacks on oil refineries cease, a deal to stop hitting power plants and energy grids could come next. Why it matters: Trump appears to be singlehandedly trying to will a partial ceasefire into existence. But for now Russia hasn't accepted any kind of ceasefire — and Ukraine wants one that forbids attacks on power plants. Reality check: The "refinery for refinery" proposal, as the official dubbed it, is lopsided. A Ukrainian official told Axios that the country has a single oil refinery which the Russians have attacked multiple times and isn't fully functional. Russia, by contrast, has a vast network of refineries. "We import diesel and gas. What we need is for the Russians to stop attacking our electricity grid," the Ukrainian official said. "The Russians are thinking about" it, the White House official said. "We will know soon if they are ready." Case in point: Hours after Trump's announcement, Russia conducted strikes on power plants in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian media. What he said: Trump's Truth Social post sounded at first like a major breakthrough. "Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!" he wrote. It appears much more tenuous than that. Zelensky said the announced ceasefire "was news for me

Barak Ravidtop

Axios11 OctArticle

Trump claims Russia and Ukraine agree to energy ceasefire

President Trump claimed Sunday that Russia and Ukraine agreed to an " energy ceasefire " and will halt attacks on each other's energy facilities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tells Axios the announcement "was news for me. But if Russians agree to an energy ceasefire, Ukraine will agree." Why it matters: An " energy ceasefire" would be a dramatic diplomatic breakthrough ahead of the winter. It remains unclear if Russia indeed agreed to stop the strikes. Trump made a similar announcement last month, but neither party confirmed that there was a deal. Both Russia and Ukraine continued attacking energy infrastructure. What they're saying: "Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. In a short interview after Trump's announcement, Zelensky told Axios, "If President Trump negotiated it with Putin, please tell us when the ceasefire begins. We are ready, and we will accept it." Catch up quick: The announcement follows days of escalating tensions between Trump and Zelensky over Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries. On Friday, Trump announced a deal to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports in an effort to lower soaring fuel prices, infuriating Ukraine. On Saturday, Trump called for Ukraine to replace Zelensky , accusing him of refusing opportunities to end the war. Zelensky responded Sunday on ABC's "This Week," saying Ukraine would hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day ceasefire. He also said Ukraine was prepared to stop attacking Russian

Barak Ravidtop

Axios11 OctArticle

Silicon Valley's horror shows

Hollywood's hottest villain right now is the tech billionaire. Four films hitting theaters this fall put some of Silicon Valley's most powerful and controversial figures in the spotlight: Elon Musk , Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman and Elizabeth Holmes. Why it matters: Hollywood's portrayal of Silicon Valley and its leaders is getting darker as negative headlines about the tech industry seep into pop culture. Once portrayed as brilliant but flawed innovators, tech leaders are increasingly being cast as creepy villains whose ambitions may do more harm than good. Zoom in: This fall's tech billionaire films span genres, from documentaries to thrillers. 💻 "The Social Reckoning," Aaron Sorkin's follow-up to his 2010 hit, "The Social Network," opened Friday with Jeremy Strong portraying a more sinister Mark Zuckerberg during the 2021 Facebook whistleblower leak . Sorkin takes some cinematic liberties with chronology and other details. 🚀 "Musk," the four-hour documentary ( including a 10-minute intermission) about Elon Musk's rise, is playing in select theaters and opens nationwide on Friday. The roller-coaster rollout of the film, directed by Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney, included critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival and legal threats from Musk's team. 🩸 "You Can See Everything," out Friday, is an experimental documentary from Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim that follows ex-Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in the weeks before she went to prison. The studio, A24, says an "intimate portrait of an enigmatic felon becomes a mind-bending three-year journey into the

Erica Pandeytop

Axios11 OctArticle

Pope Leo to have "nodule" removed from lung

Pope Leo said Sunday tests had discovered a nodule in his lung , which he will have removed surgically this week. The big picture: The first American pontiff , aged 71, is less than 18 months into a papacy that has been defined by public stances at odds with the White House , including clashes over immigration and deep skepticism about AI. What he's saying: "Dear friends, during some recent medical examinations, doctors found a localized nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well localized. The doctors believe surgery is appropriate," the pope said during public remarks, per a translation from the Vatican. "Following their advice, I have therefore decided to undergo an operation to remove it. The operation is already scheduled for the coming days. I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers." The pope did not explicitly say the nodule was malignant. Vatican officials later said the operation would be in the next few days and the recovery would take about a week. Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.

Ben Berkowitztop

Axios11 OctArticle

As youth sports booms, churches compete for American families' Sundays

America's youth sports boom is quietly rewriting Sunday mornings, turning the family calendar into a competition between the pews and the playing fields. Why it matters: For generations, churches helped organize American family life around a shared weekly ritual. Youth sports are increasingly filling that role on Sundays — reshaping what families treat as sacred time. The U.S. has undergone one of its fastest religious shifts in modern history, marked by a rapid increase in the religiously unaffiliated and in church closures . Youth sports are one of the less visible forces driving that broader cultural change. As it's boomed into a multi-billion-dollar industry , more games are moving to Sundays, something less common a generation ago. "The idea of missing church for sports is just assumed," Linda Flanagan, author of " Take Back the Game : How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids' Sports — and Why It Matters," tells Axios. "It's just not even a consideration anymore." By the numbers: Among parents of children ages 5-17, Sunday religious participation fell from 26.8% in 2003-07 to 16.7% in 2021-24, an Axios analysis of American Time Use Survey data found. Meanwhile, youth sports participation climbed to 58% in 2024, up from 53.8% in 2022 and marking a third consecutive annual increase, according to the Aspen Institute's Project Play . Another measure found 65% tried a sport at least once — the highest share in Sports & Fitness Industry Association data dating to at least 2012, the Aspen Institute's Project Play found. State of play: The youth-sports industrial complex is rapidl

Russell Contrerastop

Axios10 OctArticle

House Republican, invoking Reagan, moves to block Trump's Russia oil deal

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) vowed Saturday to force a House vote to block Russian oil purchases, challenging President Trump's diesel deal with President Vladimir Putin. Why it matters: Trump has touted the deal as a way to lower fuel prices, but it could also provide revenue for Russia's war in Ukraine. Driving the news: Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said he would introduce the "Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act" and force a vote through a discharge petition. "It will be forced to the Floor via discharge and it will pass overwhelmingly," Fitzpatrick wrote on X . Retiring Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) tells Axios he has "already agreed" to sign the petition. Catch up quick: Trump said Friday Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to U.S. and global markets, with more shipments to follow. Energy analysts are skeptical the additional diesel will meaningfully lower prices. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the deal "not fair and not honest," telling Axios it amounted to a gift to Putin. Trump called Saturday for Ukraine to replace Zelensky with a leader willing to reach a deal with Russia. The White House has not yet responded to Axios' request for comment about Fitzpatrick's bill. The big picture: Fitzpatrick is the latest Republican lawmaker to break with Trump in a high-profile way, as the party fights to keep control of Congress amid mounting disapproval of the president. Zoom out: Fitzpatrick is turning to a tactic lawmakers have increasingly used to bypass Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.): a discharge pet

Andrew Pantazitop

Axios10 OctArticle

Trump tells Ukraine to replace Zelensky over Russia fuel deal

President Trump called Saturday for Ukraine to replace President Volodymyr Zelensky with someone willing to make a deal with Russia to end the war. Why it matters: Trump's attack on Zelensky came after the Ukrainian president criticized his diesel deal with Russia and signals the most serious crisis between the two leaders since their February 2025 meeting exploded in front of cameras. Driving the news: Trump announced Friday he had reached a deal with Russia to lift sanctions to allow Russian diesel exports to the U.S. and the global energy market. Zelensky, who was surprised by the deal made behind Ukraine's back, attacked the move and told Axios it was "not fair and not honest" and was a "sign of weakness" by Trump and a "birthday gift" to Putin. A U.S. official told Axios later that Trump struck the diesel fuel deal after Zelensky ignored half a dozen U.S. requests to stop attacking Russian oil refineries. What he is saying: Trump said Zelensky could have reached a deal with Russia many times "but chooses not to." "I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal," Trump told reporters Saturday. "… And I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president." He said he asked Zelensky to stop attacking Russian oil refineries and claimed Zelensky's actions harmed American farmers. "He better damn well stop," Trump said.

Barak Ravidtop

Axios10 OctArticle

Christa Pike left the hospital and returned to Tennessee prison after failed lethal injection

Tennessee inmate Christa Pike was released from the hospital and is back in prison more than a week after she survived the state's attempt to execute her by lethal injection , her attorneys said Saturday. The big picture: The failed execution was unprecedented. Pike, 50, got two doses of the deadly drug pentobarbital on Sept. 30 and was still breathing. The state called an ambulance and Pike got life-saving care at a local hospital. Pike's attorneys said they believed she was "brain dead" and on life support. It shocked them and her doctors when she woke up and began talking earlier this week . What they're saying: Pike's attorneys said she had returned to Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center, where she had been housed for decades. "She is grateful to the first responders and her medical team for their care in these extraordinary circumstances," the attorneys said in a statement. "She is continuing to receive medical care at the prison, and we will continue to track her recovery." Catch up quick: Gov. Bill Lee ordered an independent review to determine how Pike was able to survive the attempted lethal injection. Another execution set for December was called off while that investigation plays out. Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer.

Adam Tamburintop

Axios10 OctArticle

The big unknown behind Democrats' polling leads

Poll after poll spells trouble for GOP candidates — in purple states and deep-red ones alike — but while Democrats see a blue wave coming, some Republicans see a polling mirage. Why it matters: Pollsters worry they're flying partly blind. Even a modest polling error could mean the difference between Republicans retaining control of Congress and President Trump facing Democratic majorities in both chambers. The big picture: Polling Trump voters has long been notoriously difficult. The polls underestimated Trump's support in 2016, 2020 and 2024. Midterm polling has been more accurate, though some still underestimated Republican support in 2022, notes Scott Keeter, senior survey adviser at Pew Research Center. Catch up quick: With less than a month until the midterms, the polls paint a bleak picture for Republicans. The House: Democrats lead Republicans 49.8%-41.9% in the RealClearPolling generic congressional ballot average. Cook Political Report projects Democrats will gain nine to 19 seats, enough to win a narrow majority. The Senate: Cook now sees a potential Democratic net gain of two to six seats. Democrats need four to take control, and Cook just moved the Kansas Senate race into its toss-up column. Trump: The president's approval rating stands at 37.6% in Cook's polling tracker . A recent Economist/YouGov poll found 35% approving and 60% disapproving of his performance. State of play: Research suggests Republicans have become somewhat less likely than Democrats to participate in telephone surveys, and response rates overall have plummeted since the late 1990s, per Pew

Marc Caputotop

Axios10 OctArticle

Hegseth's public execution plan meets the age of viral violence

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's announcement that the Fort Hood shooter's execution will be livestreamed reflects a shift toward putting raw, real-world violence on display for unlimited audiences. Why it matters: The Trump administration has made a show of flexing American power, sometimes with grisly footage. Now, it's preparing to make the government's ultimate punishment available for all to see. The big picture: Americans are increasingly encountering shocking images on their phones, often without warning. Graphic footage of Charlie Kirk's assassination spread widely across social media, searing in the brains of social media users — often young ones. Since Oct. 7, 2023, footage from the Hamas attacks and Israel's military campaign in Gaza has circulated online. Some videos have spread from Telegram to social platforms like X , where clips are easy to find. Footage of the August 2025 killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte train went viral across X, stirring debate about crime and public safety. President Trump later said he had watched the video and wished he hadn't. A livestream of Nidal Hasan's execution would be the first known public broadcast of a lawful execution, according to death penalty experts interviewed by Reuters. Public executions are increasingly rare worldwide. In recent years, most have taken place in Iran and Taliban-run Afghanistan, according to Amnesty International. Friction point: Tech companies are now facing the question of whether they would allow the Pentagon to livestream the execution on their platforms. Hasan, who kille

Herb Scribnertop

Axios10 OctArticle

Trump rages over Nobel Peace Prize loss

President Trump lashed out late Friday night after he once again did not win the Nobel Peace Prize he has openly coveted . Why it matters: The award is Trump's white whale, an honor he talks about frequently and believes he deserves. This year's prize went instead to a former judge of a court Trump has sanctioned and called "rogue" and "evil." Navi Pillay, the winner, reacted to the award by saying world leaders have a "legal obligation to protect human rights and refrain from war," according to the AP . What he's saying: " I know nothing about this woman, and neither does anyone else! In fact, to the best of my knowledge, no one ever heard of her other than the fact that she, very obviously, hates Israel. I don't know what the woman has done," Trump said in a Truth Social post of nearly 600 words that went up just before midnight on Friday. "I settled 8 Wars, with letters being sent from every President and Prime Minister from the countries that I helped to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and I'm about to settle, or win, two more, Iran and, Russia/Ukraine," Trump wrote. "They're both happening at breakneck speed but, forget them, it's the 8 that I've already settled, any one of which, in particular, Pakistan and India, would be far more than necessary to win the Nobel Prize. In actuality, I should have won 8 Nobel Peace Prizes, not just 1." Between the lines: Pillay, this year's winner, is a former judge of the International Criminal Court and also the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Nobel officials said she received the honor "for her efforts to promote peace

Ben Berkowitztop

Axios10 OctArticle

U.S. official: Trump cut deal with Putin after Zelensky ignored his requests

President Trump decided to make a diesel fuel deal with Russia after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ignored half a dozen U.S. requests to stop attacking Russian oil refineries, a U.S. official with direct knowledge told Axios. Why it matters: Trump's deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin sparked a new crisis with Ukraine and threatens to derail a new push by the Trump administration for a deal to end the war. "Zelensky is misreading the room. By continuing to hit refineries, he is eroding the good will that he has built with Trump over the last six months," the U.S. official said. Zelensky, in an interview with Axios after the announcement, said he was blindsided by the deal, which he called "not fair and not honest" and an unwarranted gift to Putin. Driving the news: Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries in recent months were highly effective and caused an energy crisis in Russia. Russia imposed a ban on diesel exports in response, which added more pressure to global diesel markets under strain from the war in Iran. Zelensky told Trump and his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner that he was prepared to stop attacking Russian oil refineries if the Russians halted attacks on Ukrainian power plants. The U.S. official said Trump wanted Ukraine to unilaterally stop attacking Russian refineries because the strikes were contributing to high gas prices in America. Trump didn't see the attacks on refineries as equivalent to Russian strikes on Ukraine's power grid, the U.S. official said. Inside the room: During eight hours of talks in Miami on Friday, Witkoff

Barak Ravidtop