It was not just shocked Democrats — President Biden's debate performance Thursday attracted international consternation and dismay.
Why it matters: The debate sowed fresh pessimism for Biden beating former President Trump in November, which carries wide-reaching consequences for many U.S. allies.
Americans are unknowingly being bombarded with media manipulated by China, Russia and Iran, despite U.S. efforts to stem the tide, according to an analysis first shared with Axios.
Why it matters: The messaging stokes stateside divisions and undermines support for some of Washington's most pressing security pursuits — Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel.
Former President Donald Trump attacked President Biden during Thursday's presidential debate and claimed Biden isn't allowing Israel to eliminate Hamas.
Why it matters: Trump's attack echoed growing criticism Biden has faced in recent weeks from Israel's supporters over his decision to withhold a weapons shipment and his support of calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Biden administration is expected to soon release 500-lb. bombs that were part of a weapons shipment to Israel put on hold in April over U.S. concerns about the Israel Defense Forces' military operation in Rafah, one U.S. and one Israeli official told Axios.
The big picture: The move suggests the U.S. is now less concerned about Israel possibly using these bombs in Gaza and that the White House wants to decrease some of the tension between President Biden and Israel's supporters over his decision to withhold this specific shipment.
The core economic fact of the 2010s was that there were not enough jobs. The key to understanding the economy of the 2020s is that there aren't enough workers.
Why it matters: Labor shortages that first emerged in the pandemic aftermath are likely to stick around, a new report from the McKinsey Global Institute finds — along with the benefits it entails for workers, headaches it causes for employers, and strains on inflation and growth.
Rock art recently discovered in Venezuela is providing new clues about how early South American settlers spread out across the region.
Why it matters: It is the first rock artto be discovered in southern Venezuela, a country mired in crisis — and may even point to "a heretofore unknown culture," the lead researcher says.
UCLA and Arizona State University have teamed up on a new initiative that will help policymakers use U.S. census data to push for health, education, housing, and employment reforms affecting Latinos.
Why it matters: Data on Latinos is difficult to access in one location. The new initiative will help policy advocates and community leaders learn how to navigate droves of data to better advocate for Latino communities.
Latinos accounted for more than 70% of the overall growth of the U.S. population between 2022 and 2023 — driven mainly through high Hispanic birth rates, new U.S. Census estimates released Thursday show.
Why it matters: The Hispanic population is expanding at a much faster rate than the non-Latino population, and its growth comes as the far-right, racist "white replacement theory" gains traction among more Republicans.
Scientists unveiled Tuesday a humanoid robot face they created from lab-grown, self-healing human skin.
Why it matters: The researchers from the University of Tokyo, Japan, hope the breakthrough could one day prove "useful in the cosmetics industry and to help train plastic surgeons," per a statement announcing the breakthrough.
NASA picked SpaceX to develop and deliver a spacecraft that'll bring the International Space Station out of orbit after the operational life of the ISS ends in 2030, the space agency announced Wednesday.
Why it matters: The spacecraft, which NASA is calling the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, needs to guide the ISS safely back through Earth's atmosphere before its planned crash into the Pacific Ocean.
