According to Chinese astrology, there's a reason 2026 may already feel intense: It's the Year of the Fire Horse.
Why it matters: For many people, astrology offers a lens for self-reflection and decision-making, and sometimes a shorthand for explaining why life feels more challenging than expected.
Plans for U.S.-Iran nuclear talks on Friday are back on, after several Middle Eastern leaders urgently lobbied the Trump administration on Wednesday afternoon not to follow through on threats to walk away, two U.S. officials told Axios.
The talks will be held in Oman, as Iran insisted, despite the U.S. initially rejecting changes to the original plan to meet in Istanbul.
Why it matters: The standoff had sparked fears across the Middle East that President Trump would pivot to military action. At least nine countries from the region reached out to the White House at the highest levels strongly urging the U.S. not to cancel the meeting.
Like shuffleboard or bowling, curling involves throwing an object toward a target for points. But there's one big difference: Players can influence shots after they're thrown. That's where sweeping comes in.
Why it matters: The sweeping in curling might look simple, but it's a real-time mix of strategy, physics and athleticism in a game that can be decided by a matter of inches.
In a few short years the drone zeitgeist has dramatically changed, from how they're used to where they're used, according to Doodle Labs co-CEO Amol Parikh.
"Because we are in so many different types of systems and we're vehicle-agnostic, I have the perspective that we have to pay attention globally," he told Axios in an interview.
"It is across Latin America. It is across the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East. There are conflict zones, specifically, that we all know."
Why he matters: Doodle's radios are used across commercial and defense markets, including aboard Red Cat's Black Widow drone and on the front lines in Ukraine.
From Chrome Dome flightsto Golden Dome missile protections, the U.S. has for decades staked a national-security interest in the Arctic. Today's conversation is quickly evolving, though, spurred by:
The coziness of Russia and China;
Global warming, ice melts and easing navigation;
And the Trump administration's chaotic approach to foreign affairs, compounding already strained transatlantic relationships.
Why it matters: "The Arctic is affected by many different factors, many different narratives. There's the focus on natural resources, shipping routes, and then, of course, its strategic positioning between global powers," Pavel Devyatkin, a senior associate at the Arctic Institute, told Axios.
Tomorrow, the world lurches toward an age of international uncertainty and increased nuclear-weapons spending. New START is expiring.
Why it matters: The treaty capped and encouraged inspections of the deployed nuclear arsenals of the U.S. and Russia — Cold War rivals with shared animosity and some 85% of the world's warheads.
With the 2026 Winter Olympics just a few days away, athletes from around the world are settling into the Olympic Village: sampling the food, exploring the mediation rooms and recreation areas and — of course — trying to score the coolest pins.
Why it matters: The village isn't just where the athletes sleep, but also where they train, eat and get to know their fellow athletes.
Skier Lindsey Vonn says she will compete at the Milan Cortina Winter Games with a ruptured ACL in her left knee.
Threat level: Vonn crashed Friday in a World Cup race in Switzerland, which left her ACL "completely ruptured" along with bone bruising and "meniscal damage," the Park City Olympian said in a Tuesday news conference.
Iran has demanded changes to the venue and format for negotiations with the U.S. this Friday, two sources with knowledge tell Axios.
Meanwhile, the Iranian military conducted two provocations against U.S. vessels in the Gulf, according to U.S. officials.
Why it matters: The incidents and new demands risk pushing President Trump off the diplomatic path and toward the military option at a time when he has already assembled enormous firepower in the Gulf.
French prosecutors raided X's Paris offices Tuesday and summoned Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino for voluntary questioning in a criminal probe tied to Grok's Holocaust denial and explicit deepfakes.
The Trump administration's aim to build a U.S. strategic reserve of critical minerals for commercial use opens a new front in U.S. efforts to ease reliance on China.
Why it matters: It's designed to protect domestic manufacturers from supply shocks.
A suspected China-based hacking group spun up a phishing campaign around Christmas that mimicked U.S. policy briefings in an attempt to hack diplomats, according to new research from cybersecurity firm Dream Security shared first with Axios.
Why it matters: The campaign successfully infected "a lot of people," Dream CEO Shalev Hulio said in an interview. "We just don't know who and how big [of a] scale," he added.
For the third time since returning to office, President Trump is seeking a nuclear deal with Iran.
While U.S. officials say the renewed effort is sincere, Trump has veered away from diplomacy and into war once before.
The big picture: Trump heads into the talks planned for Friday with significant leverage: A massive military buildup in the Gulf that presents a credible military threat, and an Iranian regime left weaker and more isolated by massive protests.
A former Google engineer was found guilty of economic espionage and theft of confidential AI technology for the benefit of China's government, the FBI said Monday.
Why it matters: Intelligence and defense officials have long warned of increased efforts by Beijing and others to obtain U.S. intellectual property and use AI against American interests.
More than 500,000 Haitian refugees living under temporary residency in the U.S. can remain and continue working in the country, a federal judge ruled Monday evening.
Why it matters:Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which provides short-term refuge to people fleeing crisis, was set to expire for Haitian immigrants Tuesday— despite ongoing violence and instability in the Caribbean island nation.
