Axios

The sharp spike in gas and oil prices caused by the Iran war will likely lead to a further rise in food prices in the coming weeks, economists and agricultural experts tell Axios.

Why it matters: The war is just the latest stress driving up food inflation — on top of tariffs, rising electricity prices and an immigration crackdown that has driven up labor costs.

Democrats weighing runs for the White House want to forget many of the positions they took in 2020 — and they're hoping voters will too.

Why it matters: Leaders and would-be leaders in the party have shifted their views on border security, DEI, crime, climate change, COVID-era lockdowns and more — all with an eye on this year's midterms and the 2028 presidential election.

Pope Leo XIV and the top U.S. Catholic bishop for the military both used Easter Sunday to emphasize Jesus' message of peace amid the escalating Iran war.

Why it matters: The first U.S.-born pope urged those who "unleash wars" to lay down weapons as President Trump continued his increasingly aggressive wartime rhetoric on Sunday to demand that Tehran "Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell — JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah."

President Trump threatened to bomb Iran's power plants and bridges starting Tuesday if the regime doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz.

Why it matters: Trump's 10-day deadline to Iran is expected to expire Monday. He previously threatened to bomb the country's energy, water and oil infrastructure if no deal was reached to open the strait.

President Trump told Axios the U.S. initially worried that a message from the stranded crew member of an F-15 downed by Iran was a trick by the Iranians to lure U.S. forces into a trap.

The big picture: The crew member survived more than 24 hours in the mountains despite being wounded, before being rescued in a special forces operation on Saturday.

Data centers have become a boxy, hulking flashpoint heading into the midterms — and the backlash is spreading fast across red and blue states.

Why it matters: With no federal action, states are fielding constituent anger over power grids, water supplies and strained local infrastructure. But investment keeps accelerating; Wall Street isn't slowing down, and neither is Washington's appetite for AI dominance.

Criminals are growing bolder, stealing priceless art, jewels and truckloads of goods — but it's harder than it looks for them to cash in on their heists.

Why it matters: Because massive heists immediately dominate global news cycles, thieves quickly find themselves stuck with highly recognizable merchandise that even underground buyers are too afraid to touch.

President Trump's new budget lays bare the transformation of his presidency, pairing a historic surge in military spending with historic cuts to domestic programs.

Why it matters: The most powerful populist of this century is at risk of becoming what he ran against — a deficit-spending interventionist asking working-class Americans to shoulder the cost of war.

Keep a close eye on the ads that inundate your screens as the 2026 midterm elections heat up. You, the taxpayer, paid for some of them.

Why it matters: Each election cycle, incumbent House members use a privilege called "franking" to put millions in taxpayer dollars towards giving their reelection campaigns a thinly veiled boost.

A U.S. judge on Friday stood by his decision to quash Department of Justice subpoenas targeting Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell.

Why it matters: The ruling is the latest development in the Trump administration's unprecedented investigation into the nation's top central banker.