Axios

The U.S. economy added 115,000 jobs in April, while the unemployment rate held at 4.3%, the Labor Department said on Friday.

Why it matters: Employers kept hiring through the Iran war's energy shock, a sign of labor market resilience that complicates the case for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions Thursday on Cuba's military-industrial enterprise, its leader and a state-owned natural resources company.

Why it matters: The new sanctions show the Trump administration is pushing forward for regime change in Cuba, a long-held goal of Rubio and President Trump.

If the U.S. stock market is now largely a bet on the AI boom, then South Korea's market is a supersized, turbocharged version of that wager.

Why it matters: Investors' optimism about the promise of AI is global, but such a concentration of wealth in one sector could be risky in a market downturn.

If a U.S.-Iran peace deal actually happens this time — and that's still a big if — consumers have a long road ahead before filling up returns all the way to the good old days of early 2026.

Why it matters: Even if the Strait of Hormuz opened right away, pump prices will likely remain higher — maybe a lot higher — than pre-war levels at least through the midterm elections.

A federal appeals court struck down the Trump administration's mandatory detention policy on Wednesday.

Why it matters: The Miami, Florida-based 11th Circuit ruling is the latest case to weigh the administration's controversial policy to hold people in immigration detention with the possibility for bond.

President Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. and Iran have had "good talks over the last 24 hours," and expressed confidence that a deal is possible in the coming days.

Why it matters: The White House is waiting for Iran's response to a one-page memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations, as Axios first reported.

Nearly 10 weeks into the Iran war, there's new — if still anecdotal — evidence that it could bring tailwinds for global uptake of clean energy tech.

Why it matters: The energy shock highlights many nations' vulnerability to the expensive disruption of oil and gas imports — and the security case for diversifying.

The United Arab Emirates is buying 10 Embraer-made C-390 aircraft and is keeping the door open for another 10 in the future.

Why it matters: It's a big buy, and the first such deal for the Millennium transporter in the Middle East.

• Embraer's other customers include Brazil, Hungary, Lithuania and the Netherlands.

The U.S. has killed more than 180 people in eight months in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. While the headlines have slowed, the Southern Spear strikes on alleged drug runners have not.

Why it matters: The Trump administration says it's reprioritizing security in "America's neighborhood." Critics say it's carrying out an indefinite campaign of extrajudicial killings.

• Public scrutiny of the operation, meanwhile, has largely faded.

Physical assaults against Jewish people in the U.S. last year reached the highest levels since 1979, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: An overall decline in anti-Jewish harassment and vandalism didn't extend to a reduction in violence.