Axios

Years before he helped launch Disney+, or helped the Mouse buy Marvel and Star Wars, Kevin Mayer studied mechanical engineering at MIT and spent time working on battlefield radar systems and signal processors.

• Now he's getting back to those roots.

Driving the news: Smash Capital, the venture firm Mayer co-founded in 2021, has led a $200 million Series B round for autonomous turret maker Allen Control Systems at a $2.2 billion post-money valuation.

The U.S. economy added 172,000 jobs in May, while the unemployment rate held at 4.3%, the government said Friday.

Why it matters: The labor market is strengthening after months of lackluster jobs growth, confirming the economy is gaining momentum despite the economic fallout from the Iran war.

After an astonishing run-up last year, the price of gold is moving sideways.

Why it matters: It undercuts the idea that the precious metal is a safe-haven investment during risky times.

The Trump administration is undertaking the broadest firearm deregulation in years, a sweeping rollback that would let Americans ship handguns in the mail, gut Biden-era background check rules and make it harder to yank a gun dealer's license.

Why it matters: The effect critics fear is more guns moving with less federal scrutiny under the proposed dismantling of a 1927 criminal statute and dozens of newer rules, including President Biden's effort to close the so-called gun show loophole.

Teens seeking to socialize together in public this summer are discovering that their presence is often treated as a problem.

Why it matters: The decline of malls, cheap hangout spots and welcoming public spaces has left teenagers with few places to gather without money or access to a car, urban designers and youth researchers say.

Democratic lawmakers will roll out a bill setting guidelines for the military's use of advanced AI next week, per an announcement first shared with Axios.

Why it matters: The bill is one in a series of responses from members of Congress concerned about how AI can be used in defense or make deadly decisions without human oversight.

The majority of House Democrats voted with Republicans on Thursday to defeat a Lebanon war powers resolution forced to the House floor by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).

Why it matters: It's a blow to the anti-war left just one day after the House passed a similar measure constraining Trump's ability to wage war in Iran.

A surprise federal inspection found a prohibited chokehold, an officer who stabbed a detainee with a pen, and other issues that threatened health and safety at one of the largest ICE detention facilities in the U.S.

Why it matters: Unannounced inspections are one of the few ways to get a clear look inside the detention facilities, which otherwise have limited access for oversight.

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Thursday unveiled a proposal to regulate AI that would override some state laws.

Why it matters: The draft's release is a major step in what will be a difficult path forward for a bipartisan AI bill that can pass the House and the Senate.

President Trump will formally nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to lead the Justice Department, with the paperwork expected Thursday.

Why it matters: Confirmation would keep the Justice Department in the hands of Trump's former criminal defense attorney, who has used his tenure to fight judges, indict former FBI director James Comey and dismiss critics of the department's handling of the Epstein files.