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Saudi crown prince was behind purchase of $450 million da Vinci

Dave Lawler, author of World

Saudi Press Agency via AP

Last night, a little-known Saudi prince was identified as the anonymous buyer who paid a record $450 million last month for a painting by da Vinci. According to the Wall Street Journal, that buyer was a proxy for Mohammad bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince.

The backdrop: Mohammad is in the midst of what he calls a crackdown on corruption, and has been criticized internationally as a power grab. That's interesting timing to pay nearly half a billion dollars for a painting.

Go deeper

Dion Rabouin, Courtenay Brown, Jennifer A. Kingson
17 mins ago - Economy & Business

Biden's centrist words, liberal actions

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

President Biden talks like a soothing centrist. He promises to govern like a soothing centrist. But early moves show that he is keeping his promise to advance a liberal agenda.

Why it matters: Never before has a president done more by executive fiat in such a short period of time than Biden. And those specific actions, coupled with a push for a more progressive slate of regulators and advisers, look more like the Biden of the Democratic primary than the unity-and-restraint Biden of the general election.

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Sara Fischer, author of Media Trends
18 mins ago - Technology

Review of Trump ban marks major turning point for Facebook

Photo Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Facebook's decision to ask its new independent Oversight Board to review the company's indefinite suspension of former President Trump is likely to set a critical precedent for how the social media giant handles political speech from world leaders.

What they're saying: "I very much hope and can expect … that they will uphold our decision," Facebook's VP of global affairs Nick Clegg tells Axios.

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Hans Nichols, author of Sneak Peek
Updated 26 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Biden to attempt "emergency economic relief" by executive order

President Biden. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

President Biden will continue his executive action blitz on Friday, issuing two more orders in an attempt to provide immediate relief to struggling families without waiting for Congress.

Why it matters: In his second full day in office, Biden is again resorting to executive actions as he tries to increase payments for nutritional assistance and protect workers' rights during the pandemic.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow