Axios

Audio companies are being hit with new rounds of job cuts and cost cutting measures, despite how music and podcast listenership continue to grow in the U.S.

Why it matters: Digital audio revenue has yet to make up for the rapid decline in traditional radio ad spend.

President Biden said on Monday the U.S. will do everything possible to get a new hostage deal and pause in fighting in Gaza.

Why it matters: His comments come a day ahead of a critical meeting between U.S. Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials in Cairo about the hostage talks. Biden's strategy for the Gaza war is largely dependent on getting a hostage deal and pause in the fighting that will allow the delivery of crucial humanitarian aid and time to work on day-after diplomatic solutions.

Former President Trump's recent anti-NATO comments fit into his longtime disdain for the defensive alliance, but went a step further with the suggestion he'd stand by Russia if it invaded a NATO ally.

The big picture: The comments from the GOP presidential frontrunner ignited a wave of backlash. They signal a second Trump presidency could further upend the U.S. role in NATO, fundamentally reshaping the international order.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, Jr. told NBC News in an interview that the U.S.' credibility in its military alliances is "at stake" when asked to respond to former President Trump's recent comments on NATO.

Why it matters: Trump said at a South Carolina rally over the weekend he would not defend a NATO member against an attack by Russia if the country did not meet defensive spending levels obligated by the treat — and would "encourage" Moscow "to do whatever the hell they want" to such an ally.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his call with President Biden on Sunday protested and criticized Biden's recent executive order that paved the way for sanctions on Israeli settlers involved in attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, an Israeli official and a source briefed on the call told Axios.

Why it matters: Netanyahu's initial response to Biden's executive order was very mild. But his protest to Biden this weekend signals he increasingly believes the order, which also allows sanctions on Israeli officials directly or indirectly involved in settler violence, could have unprecedented implications for the entire settlements enterprise in the West Bank.

The Elie Wiesel Foundation has agreed to house the personal papers of the late Nobel Peace Laureate and Holocaust survivor at the Florida Holocaust Museum — and the museum plans to recreate his working space for visitors.

The big picture: The announcement — and a massive project to digitize Wiesel's unfinished manuscripts and correspondence with world leaders — comes as museums race to save testimonies from the last generation of Holocaust survivors.

Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Monday blasted former President Trump's suggestion that he encouraged Russia to attack "delinquent" NATO allies, saying "no sane American President would encourage" such an action.

Why it matters: The comments set off a fresh round of worry among some anti-Trump Republicans and international observers on how a second Trump presidency could impact the United States' role in the international military alliance.

A special force of the Israeli military rescued two Israeli hostages who were held in the Gaza city of Rafah, IDF officials said early Monday local time.

The big picture: The rescue operation took place as the Israeli military conducted heavy strikes in Rafah, killing at least 67 Palestinians, according to the Ministry of Health in Hamas-run Gaza said.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby is being promoted to an expanded role, a White House official said Sunday.

Why it matters: Kirby, a retired U.S. Navy admiral, has become the public face of the Biden administration's response to the Israel-Hamas war, and Axios' Alex Thompson notes he's a favorite of the president.

President Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their call on Sunday to try to find ways to close the gaps with Hamas in the talks to get a new hostage deal, a senior U.S. official said in a briefing with reporters.

Why it matters: Sunday's call took place two days before CIA director Bill Burns is expected to arrive in Egypt for a critical meeting with Qatari, Egyptian and Israeli officials over the hostage deal.

President Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday and cautioned him against a military operation in Rafah without planning for the evacuation of Palestinian civilians in the area.

Why it matters: There's growing frustration in the White House with Netanyahu and the Israeli government's rejection of several U.S. requests. Biden earlier this week called the Israeli military operation in Gaza "over the top."

World leaders who thought they'd seen the back of former President Trump are now bracing for the uncomfortable prospect of a second Trump presidency.

Why it matters: U.S. allies had never seen a president like Trump, who threatened to rip up treaties and often made bilateral disagreements personal. While long-serving leaders may have known Trump's return was possible, it's now something they have to actively prepare for.