axios

Americas debt is getting more expensive Governments around the world are entering a new era of higher borrowing costs already deeply indebted. More revenue will go toward interest payments as old debt gets refinanced at todays higher rates.America is already watching that dynamic play out: Annualized interest costs have reached $1.2 trillion, exceeding defense spending.What theyre saying: "The government consistently rolls over portions of its debt at market prices, so the effective interest it pays on its entire debt stock slowly rises in a high-rate environment," economic researchers at Charles Schwab wrote Tuesday morning in a note titled "Americas New Debt Reality." The risk is a vicious cycle: Bigger interest bills add to deficits and borrowing needs, putting even more bonds into a market already awash in debt.Zoom in: Debt held by the public is currently about 101 of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The nonpartisan agency projects that will rise to 120 in 10 years.The situation unfolds in relatively good economic times. A recession would mean weaker revenues and likely more spending to support the economy, requiring Washington to borrow even more.What to watch: Last week, the government paid the highest auction yields on 10-year notes since 2007 and 30-year bonds since 2001.

UN inspectors visit undeclared Syrian nuclear sites for first time UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi and his team came after diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration, first reported by Axios, that produced understandings with both Syria and Israel.It marked the first time the IAEA was given full access to suspicious nuclear sites in Syria. Flashback: The Assad regime had developed a secret nuclear program centered on the clandestine Al-Kibar reactor.After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, the Syrian nuclear program was mostly destroyed. But several research-and-development and storage sites remained, though they were mostly inactive.After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government giving it access to Al-Kibar and several other sites connected to Syrias past nuclear activity.One facility that Israel and the U.S. have been closely monitoring the past two years is known as "Site 99."Two Israeli officials said the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor project.Driving the news: At a press conference with Grossi on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said his government sent a letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing the nuclear material and inviting UN inspectors to visit the site. Grossi said IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor site in Deir Ez-Zor and "observed ongoing excavation activities" taking place in coordination with the IAEA. Grossi said he and his team visited an undeclared location outside Damascus where "several tons of natural uranium metal" were stored. They also visited a location "where large quantities of graphite are stored," material that is also related to past nuclear activities at Al-Kibar.What theyre saying: "We agreed with the Syrian government that the undeclared material will be verified and subject to routine Agency safeguards," Grossi said. He stressed that UN inspectors still need to conduct a full inventory of the nuclear material. If the Syrian government and its allies decide to move the material, the IAEA will be involved in the process, Grossi added. Al-Shaibani, the Syrian foreign minister, said the nuclear material will be placed "under IAEA safeguards, while verification activities continue."He said that the Syrian government "exercises its sovereign responsibility for all nuclear material located on its territory" and added that this material "remains in Syrian national custody."Al-Shaibani didnt mention the possibility of removing the nuclear material from the country.

TPS slow bleed leaves thousands in limbo The Trump administration has moved to end Temporary Protected Status for an estimated million-plus people — with expiration dates looming for thousands of others.The big picture: Tens of thousands who have lost their status or are bracing to lose it have lived in the country legally for upward of a decade, meaning communities could lose longtime members and employers could lose skilled workers."These individuals .. have families, and theyre either the breadwinners or theyre part of a ... team of breadwinners trying to sustain themselves in this economy," says Lucia Gomez, a national immigration and worker rights coordinator with the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA).Driving the news: The Trump administration, bolstered by a June Supreme Court decision that green-lit ending protections for Syrian and Haitian TPS holders, has gutted protections.Judges have since cleared the way for the administration to strip protections, including a federal judge who lifted his stay blocking terminations for Ethiopians on Tuesday."The administrations target on the TPS program is very clear," says Jose Palma, a coordinator with the National TPS Alliance. Whats next: For others — including some 170,000 people from El Salvador and 101,000 from Ukraine — the expiration date for their TPS status looms.Those existing designations may be automatically extended like they were for Lebanon in May, says Julia Gelatt, Associate Director of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institutes U.S. Immigration Policy Program. But theres no guarantee. Those determinations depend on the DHS secretarys review of conditions in each country. A DHS spokesperson didnt answer about the agencys plans for those designations.For Palma, the impact is personal: A TPS holder from El Salvador, he moved to the U.S. at 22, delivered milk to make his way through school and now has four U.S. citizen children."TPS is more than just a specific paper: it is a key to opportunities and a motivation to work hard for those dreams," Palma says. Zoom out: The terminations are straining industries, with the loss of Haitian workers hitting home-care services and nursing homes particularly hard. Some 152,000 Salvadoran TPS holders are in the workforce, with many in construction and building, according to data from FWD.us and the National TPS alliance."We are hoping for a miracle from this administration," says Hugo Carballo, the secretary of the DMV-based LIUNA Local 11. What theyre saying: A DHS spokesperson slammed the "assertion that the only way we can support the health care, construction, logistics, and restaurant industries" is by allowing TPS holders to remain as "grossly false and lazy."They argued that "TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program.""The Trump administration is restoring TPS to its original purpose: Temporary," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. "...This program that has been exploited and hurt American workers for years. President Trump will continue growing our economy, creating opportunity for American workers, and ensuring relevant sectors have the legal workforce they need to be successful."TPS does not lead to permanent resident status, and for many, applying for asylum "may be the only option," Gelatt explains. The bottom line: Palma acknowledges that TPS is technically a "temporary" program — though its allowed families and careers to grow in the U.S. for decades."It is a moral question for the United States: After allowing a family to get built in the United States for 25, 27 years ... youre just gonna kick them out?" he says. "These are American families."Go deeper: Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation

Young adults are losing faith in AIs upside Data: Pew; Chart: Noah Bressner/AxiosA majority of U.S. adults under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AIs growing use in daily life, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.Why it matters: AI excitement has dropped off across all age groups since 2021, as concerns about the technologys impact on job availability and society have grown. By the numbers: About 55 of adults under 30 say theyre more concerned than excited about AI, a 24-point increase from 2021, when Pew first started asking the question.Roughly 1 in ten say theyre more excited about AI embedded in daily life, while a third feel both equally.Thats more in line with other age groups: 51 of adults ages 30–49 feel more concerned, as do 47 of those ages 50–64 and 59 of those 65 and older.Zoom in: Seventy-three percent of adults under 30 say they expect AI will take away jobs over the next two decades, up from 61 in 2024.Thats comparable to the 71 of adults who think the same, up from 64 in 2024.The 65+ age group is the least likely to think AI will reduce jobs, with 63 saying so, a five-point increase from 2024.Catch up quick: About 27 of Americans aged 18 to 34 believe they or someone they know has lost a job due to AI, according to a new Axios-Generation Lab poll.Hiring of younger white-collar workers has slowed, with unemployment among college graduates under 29 increasing 3.1 before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3.7 since 2022.Reality check: Research indicates AI job losses happen far less often than people think, but alarming headlines and predictions of an impending job-loss bloodbath are clearly influencing the bad vibes.Some reporting indicates remote work — and employers being less inclined to train young, inexperienced workers — might instead be contributing to lower hiring among young white-collar workers.The bottom line: Adults under 30 are the most likely to say AI will be harmful to society and themselves, and largely think itll make connection and creativity more scarce.Wall Street might be pumped about AIs potential, but Americans are warier about the technology than ever.Methodology: Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026.Go deeper: Youth poll: Thumbs down on everything

Americas debt is getting more expensive Governments around the world are entering a new era of higher borrowing costs already deeply indebted. More revenue will go toward interest payments as old debt gets refinanced at todays higher rates.America is already watching that dynamic play out: Annualized interest costs have reached $1.2 trillion, exceeding defense spending.What theyre saying: "The government consistently rolls over portions of its debt at market prices, so the effective interest it pays on its entire debt stock slowly rises in a high-rate environment," economic researchers at Charles Schwab wrote Tuesday morning in a note titled "Americas New Debt Reality." The risk is a vicious cycle: Bigger interest bills add to deficits and borrowing needs, putting even more bonds into a market already awash in debt.Zoom in: Debt held by the public is currently about 101 of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The nonpartisan agency projects that will rise to 120 in 10 years.The situation unfolds in relatively good economic times. A recession would mean weaker revenues and likely more spending to support the economy, requiring Washington to borrow even more.What to watch: Last week, the government paid the highest auction yields on 10-year notes since 2007 and 30-year bonds since 2001.

UN inspectors visit undeclared Syrian nuclear sites for first time UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi and his team came after diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration, first reported by Axios, that produced understandings with both Syria and Israel.It marked the first time the IAEA was given full access to suspicious nuclear sites in Syria. Flashback: The Assad regime had developed a secret nuclear program centered on the clandestine Al-Kibar reactor.After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, the Syrian nuclear program was mostly destroyed. But several research-and-development and storage sites remained, though they were mostly inactive.After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government giving it access to Al-Kibar and several other sites connected to Syrias past nuclear activity.One facility that Israel and the U.S. have been closely monitoring the past two years is known as "Site 99."Two Israeli officials said the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor project.Driving the news: At a press conference with Grossi on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said his government sent a letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing the nuclear material and inviting UN inspectors to visit the site. Grossi said IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor site in Deir Ez-Zor and "observed ongoing excavation activities" taking place in coordination with the IAEA. Grossi said he and his team visited an undeclared location outside Damascus where "several tons of natural uranium metal" were stored. They also visited a location "where large quantities of graphite are stored," material that is also related to past nuclear activities at Al-Kibar.What theyre saying: "We agreed with the Syrian government that the undeclared material will be verified and subject to routine Agency safeguards," Grossi said. He stressed that UN inspectors still need to conduct a full inventory of the nuclear material. If the Syrian government and its allies decide to move the material, the IAEA will be involved in the process, Grossi added. Al-Shaibani, the Syrian foreign minister, said the nuclear material will be placed "under IAEA safeguards, while verification activities continue."He said that the Syrian government "exercises its sovereign responsibility for all nuclear material located on its territory" and added that this material "remains in Syrian national custody."Al-Shaibani didnt mention the possibility of removing the nuclear material from the country.

TPS slow bleed leaves thousands in limbo The Trump administration has moved to end Temporary Protected Status for an estimated million-plus people — with expiration dates looming for thousands of others.The big picture: Tens of thousands who have lost their status or are bracing to lose it have lived in the country legally for upward of a decade, meaning communities could lose longtime members and employers could lose skilled workers."These individuals .. have families, and theyre either the breadwinners or theyre part of a ... team of breadwinners trying to sustain themselves in this economy," says Lucia Gomez, a national immigration and worker rights coordinator with the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA).Driving the news: The Trump administration, bolstered by a June Supreme Court decision that green-lit ending protections for Syrian and Haitian TPS holders, has gutted protections.Judges have since cleared the way for the administration to strip protections, including a federal judge who lifted his stay blocking terminations for Ethiopians on Tuesday."The administrations target on the TPS program is very clear," says Jose Palma, a coordinator with the National TPS Alliance. Whats next: For others — including some 170,000 people from El Salvador and 101,000 from Ukraine — the expiration date for their TPS status looms.Those existing designations may be automatically extended like they were for Lebanon in May, says Julia Gelatt, Associate Director of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institutes U.S. Immigration Policy Program. But theres no guarantee. Those determinations depend on the DHS secretarys review of conditions in each country. A DHS spokesperson didnt answer about the agencys plans for those designations.For Palma, the impact is personal: A TPS holder from El Salvador, he moved to the U.S. at 22, delivered milk to make his way through school and now has four U.S. citizen children."TPS is more than just a specific paper: it is a key to opportunities and a motivation to work hard for those dreams," Palma says. Zoom out: The terminations are straining industries, with the loss of Haitian workers hitting home-care services and nursing homes particularly hard. Some 152,000 Salvadoran TPS holders are in the workforce, with many in construction and building, according to data from FWD.us and the National TPS alliance."We are hoping for a miracle from this administration," says Hugo Carballo, the secretary of the DMV-based LIUNA Local 11. What theyre saying: A DHS spokesperson slammed the "assertion that the only way we can support the health care, construction, logistics, and restaurant industries" is by allowing TPS holders to remain as "grossly false and lazy."They argued that "TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program.""The Trump administration is restoring TPS to its original purpose: Temporary," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. "...This program that has been exploited and hurt American workers for years. President Trump will continue growing our economy, creating opportunity for American workers, and ensuring relevant sectors have the legal workforce they need to be successful."TPS does not lead to permanent resident status, and for many, applying for asylum "may be the only option," Gelatt explains. The bottom line: Palma acknowledges that TPS is technically a "temporary" program — though its allowed families and careers to grow in the U.S. for decades."It is a moral question for the United States: After allowing a family to get built in the United States for 25, 27 years ... youre just gonna kick them out?" he says. "These are American families."Go deeper: Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation

Young adults are losing faith in AIs upside Data: Pew; Chart: Noah Bressner/AxiosA majority of U.S. adults under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AIs growing use in daily life, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.Why it matters: AI excitement has dropped off across all age groups since 2021, as concerns about the technologys impact on job availability and society have grown. By the numbers: About 55 of adults under 30 say theyre more concerned than excited about AI, a 24-point increase from 2021, when Pew first started asking the question.Roughly 1 in ten say theyre more excited about AI embedded in daily life, while a third feel both equally.Thats more in line with other age groups: 51 of adults ages 30–49 feel more concerned, as do 47 of those ages 50–64 and 59 of those 65 and older.Zoom in: Seventy-three percent of adults under 30 say they expect AI will take away jobs over the next two decades, up from 61 in 2024.Thats comparable to the 71 of adults who think the same, up from 64 in 2024.The 65+ age group is the least likely to think AI will reduce jobs, with 63 saying so, a five-point increase from 2024.Catch up quick: About 27 of Americans aged 18 to 34 believe they or someone they know has lost a job due to AI, according to a new Axios-Generation Lab poll.Hiring of younger white-collar workers has slowed, with unemployment among college graduates under 29 increasing 3.1 before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3.7 since 2022.Reality check: Research indicates AI job losses happen far less often than people think, but alarming headlines and predictions of an impending job-loss bloodbath are clearly influencing the bad vibes.Some reporting indicates remote work — and employers being less inclined to train young, inexperienced workers — might instead be contributing to lower hiring among young white-collar workers.The bottom line: Adults under 30 are the most likely to say AI will be harmful to society and themselves, and largely think itll make connection and creativity more scarce.Wall Street might be pumped about AIs potential, but Americans are warier about the technology than ever.Methodology: Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026.Go deeper: Youth poll: Thumbs down on everything

Americas debt is getting more expensive Governments around the world are entering a new era of higher borrowing costs already deeply indebted. More revenue will go toward interest payments as old debt gets refinanced at todays higher rates.America is already watching that dynamic play out: Annualized interest costs have reached $1.2 trillion, exceeding defense spending.What theyre saying: "The government consistently rolls over portions of its debt at market prices, so the effective interest it pays on its entire debt stock slowly rises in a high-rate environment," economic researchers at Charles Schwab wrote Tuesday morning in a note titled "Americas New Debt Reality." The risk is a vicious cycle: Bigger interest bills add to deficits and borrowing needs, putting even more bonds into a market already awash in debt.Zoom in: Debt held by the public is currently about 101 of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The nonpartisan agency projects that will rise to 120 in 10 years.The situation unfolds in relatively good economic times. A recession would mean weaker revenues and likely more spending to support the economy, requiring Washington to borrow even more.What to watch: Last week, the government paid the highest auction yields on 10-year notes since 2007 and 30-year bonds since 2001.

UN inspectors visit undeclared Syrian nuclear sites for first time UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi and his team came after diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration, first reported by Axios, that produced understandings with both Syria and Israel.It marked the first time the IAEA was given full access to suspicious nuclear sites in Syria. Flashback: The Assad regime had developed a secret nuclear program centered on the clandestine Al-Kibar reactor.After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, the Syrian nuclear program was mostly destroyed. But several research-and-development and storage sites remained, though they were mostly inactive.After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government giving it access to Al-Kibar and several other sites connected to Syrias past nuclear activity.One facility that Israel and the U.S. have been closely monitoring the past two years is known as "Site 99."Two Israeli officials said the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor project.Driving the news: At a press conference with Grossi on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said his government sent a letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing the nuclear material and inviting UN inspectors to visit the site. Grossi said IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor site in Deir Ez-Zor and "observed ongoing excavation activities" taking place in coordination with the IAEA. Grossi said he and his team visited an undeclared location outside Damascus where "several tons of natural uranium metal" were stored. They also visited a location "where large quantities of graphite are stored," material that is also related to past nuclear activities at Al-Kibar.What theyre saying: "We agreed with the Syrian government that the undeclared material will be verified and subject to routine Agency safeguards," Grossi said. He stressed that UN inspectors still need to conduct a full inventory of the nuclear material. If the Syrian government and its allies decide to move the material, the IAEA will be involved in the process, Grossi added. Al-Shaibani, the Syrian foreign minister, said the nuclear material will be placed "under IAEA safeguards, while verification activities continue."He said that the Syrian government "exercises its sovereign responsibility for all nuclear material located on its territory" and added that this material "remains in Syrian national custody."Al-Shaibani didnt mention the possibility of removing the nuclear material from the country.

TPS slow bleed leaves thousands in limbo The Trump administration has moved to end Temporary Protected Status for an estimated million-plus people — with expiration dates looming for thousands of others.The big picture: Tens of thousands who have lost their status or are bracing to lose it have lived in the country legally for upward of a decade, meaning communities could lose longtime members and employers could lose skilled workers."These individuals .. have families, and theyre either the breadwinners or theyre part of a ... team of breadwinners trying to sustain themselves in this economy," says Lucia Gomez, a national immigration and worker rights coordinator with the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA).Driving the news: The Trump administration, bolstered by a June Supreme Court decision that green-lit ending protections for Syrian and Haitian TPS holders, has gutted protections.Judges have since cleared the way for the administration to strip protections, including a federal judge who lifted his stay blocking terminations for Ethiopians on Tuesday."The administrations target on the TPS program is very clear," says Jose Palma, a coordinator with the National TPS Alliance. Whats next: For others — including some 170,000 people from El Salvador and 101,000 from Ukraine — the expiration date for their TPS status looms.Those existing designations may be automatically extended like they were for Lebanon in May, says Julia Gelatt, Associate Director of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institutes U.S. Immigration Policy Program. But theres no guarantee. Those determinations depend on the DHS secretarys review of conditions in each country. A DHS spokesperson didnt answer about the agencys plans for those designations.For Palma, the impact is personal: A TPS holder from El Salvador, he moved to the U.S. at 22, delivered milk to make his way through school and now has four U.S. citizen children."TPS is more than just a specific paper: it is a key to opportunities and a motivation to work hard for those dreams," Palma says. Zoom out: The terminations are straining industries, with the loss of Haitian workers hitting home-care services and nursing homes particularly hard. Some 152,000 Salvadoran TPS holders are in the workforce, with many in construction and building, according to data from FWD.us and the National TPS alliance."We are hoping for a miracle from this administration," says Hugo Carballo, the secretary of the DMV-based LIUNA Local 11. What theyre saying: A DHS spokesperson slammed the "assertion that the only way we can support the health care, construction, logistics, and restaurant industries" is by allowing TPS holders to remain as "grossly false and lazy."They argued that "TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program.""The Trump administration is restoring TPS to its original purpose: Temporary," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. "...This program that has been exploited and hurt American workers for years. President Trump will continue growing our economy, creating opportunity for American workers, and ensuring relevant sectors have the legal workforce they need to be successful."TPS does not lead to permanent resident status, and for many, applying for asylum "may be the only option," Gelatt explains. The bottom line: Palma acknowledges that TPS is technically a "temporary" program — though its allowed families and careers to grow in the U.S. for decades."It is a moral question for the United States: After allowing a family to get built in the United States for 25, 27 years ... youre just gonna kick them out?" he says. "These are American families."Go deeper: Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation

Young adults are losing faith in AIs upside Data: Pew; Chart: Noah Bressner/AxiosA majority of U.S. adults under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AIs growing use in daily life, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.Why it matters: AI excitement has dropped off across all age groups since 2021, as concerns about the technologys impact on job availability and society have grown. By the numbers: About 55 of adults under 30 say theyre more concerned than excited about AI, a 24-point increase from 2021, when Pew first started asking the question.Roughly 1 in ten say theyre more excited about AI embedded in daily life, while a third feel both equally.Thats more in line with other age groups: 51 of adults ages 30–49 feel more concerned, as do 47 of those ages 50–64 and 59 of those 65 and older.Zoom in: Seventy-three percent of adults under 30 say they expect AI will take away jobs over the next two decades, up from 61 in 2024.Thats comparable to the 71 of adults who think the same, up from 64 in 2024.The 65+ age group is the least likely to think AI will reduce jobs, with 63 saying so, a five-point increase from 2024.Catch up quick: About 27 of Americans aged 18 to 34 believe they or someone they know has lost a job due to AI, according to a new Axios-Generation Lab poll.Hiring of younger white-collar workers has slowed, with unemployment among college graduates under 29 increasing 3.1 before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3.7 since 2022.Reality check: Research indicates AI job losses happen far less often than people think, but alarming headlines and predictions of an impending job-loss bloodbath are clearly influencing the bad vibes.Some reporting indicates remote work — and employers being less inclined to train young, inexperienced workers — might instead be contributing to lower hiring among young white-collar workers.The bottom line: Adults under 30 are the most likely to say AI will be harmful to society and themselves, and largely think itll make connection and creativity more scarce.Wall Street might be pumped about AIs potential, but Americans are warier about the technology than ever.Methodology: Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026.Go deeper: Youth poll: Thumbs down on everything

Americas debt is getting more expensive Governments around the world are entering a new era of higher borrowing costs already deeply indebted. More revenue will go toward interest payments as old debt gets refinanced at todays higher rates.America is already watching that dynamic play out: Annualized interest costs have reached $1.2 trillion, exceeding defense spending.What theyre saying: "The government consistently rolls over portions of its debt at market prices, so the effective interest it pays on its entire debt stock slowly rises in a high-rate environment," economic researchers at Charles Schwab wrote Tuesday morning in a note titled "Americas New Debt Reality." The risk is a vicious cycle: Bigger interest bills add to deficits and borrowing needs, putting even more bonds into a market already awash in debt.Zoom in: Debt held by the public is currently about 101 of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The nonpartisan agency projects that will rise to 120 in 10 years.The situation unfolds in relatively good economic times. A recession would mean weaker revenues and likely more spending to support the economy, requiring Washington to borrow even more.What to watch: Last week, the government paid the highest auction yields on 10-year notes since 2007 and 30-year bonds since 2001.

UN inspectors visit undeclared Syrian nuclear sites for first time UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi and his team came after diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration, first reported by Axios, that produced understandings with both Syria and Israel.It marked the first time the IAEA was given full access to suspicious nuclear sites in Syria. Flashback: The Assad regime had developed a secret nuclear program centered on the clandestine Al-Kibar reactor.After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, the Syrian nuclear program was mostly destroyed. But several research-and-development and storage sites remained, though they were mostly inactive.After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government giving it access to Al-Kibar and several other sites connected to Syrias past nuclear activity.One facility that Israel and the U.S. have been closely monitoring the past two years is known as "Site 99."Two Israeli officials said the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor project.Driving the news: At a press conference with Grossi on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said his government sent a letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing the nuclear material and inviting UN inspectors to visit the site. Grossi said IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor site in Deir Ez-Zor and "observed ongoing excavation activities" taking place in coordination with the IAEA. Grossi said he and his team visited an undeclared location outside Damascus where "several tons of natural uranium metal" were stored. They also visited a location "where large quantities of graphite are stored," material that is also related to past nuclear activities at Al-Kibar.What theyre saying: "We agreed with the Syrian government that the undeclared material will be verified and subject to routine Agency safeguards," Grossi said. He stressed that UN inspectors still need to conduct a full inventory of the nuclear material. If the Syrian government and its allies decide to move the material, the IAEA will be involved in the process, Grossi added. Al-Shaibani, the Syrian foreign minister, said the nuclear material will be placed "under IAEA safeguards, while verification activities continue."He said that the Syrian government "exercises its sovereign responsibility for all nuclear material located on its territory" and added that this material "remains in Syrian national custody."Al-Shaibani didnt mention the possibility of removing the nuclear material from the country.

TPS slow bleed leaves thousands in limbo The Trump administration has moved to end Temporary Protected Status for an estimated million-plus people — with expiration dates looming for thousands of others.The big picture: Tens of thousands who have lost their status or are bracing to lose it have lived in the country legally for upward of a decade, meaning communities could lose longtime members and employers could lose skilled workers."These individuals .. have families, and theyre either the breadwinners or theyre part of a ... team of breadwinners trying to sustain themselves in this economy," says Lucia Gomez, a national immigration and worker rights coordinator with the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA).Driving the news: The Trump administration, bolstered by a June Supreme Court decision that green-lit ending protections for Syrian and Haitian TPS holders, has gutted protections.Judges have since cleared the way for the administration to strip protections, including a federal judge who lifted his stay blocking terminations for Ethiopians on Tuesday."The administrations target on the TPS program is very clear," says Jose Palma, a coordinator with the National TPS Alliance. Whats next: For others — including some 170,000 people from El Salvador and 101,000 from Ukraine — the expiration date for their TPS status looms.Those existing designations may be automatically extended like they were for Lebanon in May, says Julia Gelatt, Associate Director of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institutes U.S. Immigration Policy Program. But theres no guarantee. Those determinations depend on the DHS secretarys review of conditions in each country. A DHS spokesperson didnt answer about the agencys plans for those designations.For Palma, the impact is personal: A TPS holder from El Salvador, he moved to the U.S. at 22, delivered milk to make his way through school and now has four U.S. citizen children."TPS is more than just a specific paper: it is a key to opportunities and a motivation to work hard for those dreams," Palma says. Zoom out: The terminations are straining industries, with the loss of Haitian workers hitting home-care services and nursing homes particularly hard. Some 152,000 Salvadoran TPS holders are in the workforce, with many in construction and building, according to data from FWD.us and the National TPS alliance."We are hoping for a miracle from this administration," says Hugo Carballo, the secretary of the DMV-based LIUNA Local 11. What theyre saying: A DHS spokesperson slammed the "assertion that the only way we can support the health care, construction, logistics, and restaurant industries" is by allowing TPS holders to remain as "grossly false and lazy."They argued that "TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program.""The Trump administration is restoring TPS to its original purpose: Temporary," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. "...This program that has been exploited and hurt American workers for years. President Trump will continue growing our economy, creating opportunity for American workers, and ensuring relevant sectors have the legal workforce they need to be successful."TPS does not lead to permanent resident status, and for many, applying for asylum "may be the only option," Gelatt explains. The bottom line: Palma acknowledges that TPS is technically a "temporary" program — though its allowed families and careers to grow in the U.S. for decades."It is a moral question for the United States: After allowing a family to get built in the United States for 25, 27 years ... youre just gonna kick them out?" he says. "These are American families."Go deeper: Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation

Young adults are losing faith in AIs upside Data: Pew; Chart: Noah Bressner/AxiosA majority of U.S. adults under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AIs growing use in daily life, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.Why it matters: AI excitement has dropped off across all age groups since 2021, as concerns about the technologys impact on job availability and society have grown. By the numbers: About 55 of adults under 30 say theyre more concerned than excited about AI, a 24-point increase from 2021, when Pew first started asking the question.Roughly 1 in ten say theyre more excited about AI embedded in daily life, while a third feel both equally.Thats more in line with other age groups: 51 of adults ages 30–49 feel more concerned, as do 47 of those ages 50–64 and 59 of those 65 and older.Zoom in: Seventy-three percent of adults under 30 say they expect AI will take away jobs over the next two decades, up from 61 in 2024.Thats comparable to the 71 of adults who think the same, up from 64 in 2024.The 65+ age group is the least likely to think AI will reduce jobs, with 63 saying so, a five-point increase from 2024.Catch up quick: About 27 of Americans aged 18 to 34 believe they or someone they know has lost a job due to AI, according to a new Axios-Generation Lab poll.Hiring of younger white-collar workers has slowed, with unemployment among college graduates under 29 increasing 3.1 before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3.7 since 2022.Reality check: Research indicates AI job losses happen far less often than people think, but alarming headlines and predictions of an impending job-loss bloodbath are clearly influencing the bad vibes.Some reporting indicates remote work — and employers being less inclined to train young, inexperienced workers — might instead be contributing to lower hiring among young white-collar workers.The bottom line: Adults under 30 are the most likely to say AI will be harmful to society and themselves, and largely think itll make connection and creativity more scarce.Wall Street might be pumped about AIs potential, but Americans are warier about the technology than ever.Methodology: Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026.Go deeper: Youth poll: Thumbs down on everything

Americas debt is getting more expensive Governments around the world are entering a new era of higher borrowing costs already deeply indebted. More revenue will go toward interest payments as old debt gets refinanced at todays higher rates.America is already watching that dynamic play out: Annualized interest costs have reached $1.2 trillion, exceeding defense spending.What theyre saying: "The government consistently rolls over portions of its debt at market prices, so the effective interest it pays on its entire debt stock slowly rises in a high-rate environment," economic researchers at Charles Schwab wrote Tuesday morning in a note titled "Americas New Debt Reality." The risk is a vicious cycle: Bigger interest bills add to deficits and borrowing needs, putting even more bonds into a market already awash in debt.Zoom in: Debt held by the public is currently about 101 of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The nonpartisan agency projects that will rise to 120 in 10 years.The situation unfolds in relatively good economic times. A recession would mean weaker revenues and likely more spending to support the economy, requiring Washington to borrow even more.What to watch: Last week, the government paid the highest auction yields on 10-year notes since 2007 and 30-year bonds since 2001.

UN inspectors visit undeclared Syrian nuclear sites for first time UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi and his team came after diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration, first reported by Axios, that produced understandings with both Syria and Israel.It marked the first time the IAEA was given full access to suspicious nuclear sites in Syria. Flashback: The Assad regime had developed a secret nuclear program centered on the clandestine Al-Kibar reactor.After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, the Syrian nuclear program was mostly destroyed. But several research-and-development and storage sites remained, though they were mostly inactive.After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government giving it access to Al-Kibar and several other sites connected to Syrias past nuclear activity.One facility that Israel and the U.S. have been closely monitoring the past two years is known as "Site 99."Two Israeli officials said the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor project.Driving the news: At a press conference with Grossi on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said his government sent a letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing the nuclear material and inviting UN inspectors to visit the site. Grossi said IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor site in Deir Ez-Zor and "observed ongoing excavation activities" taking place in coordination with the IAEA. Grossi said he and his team visited an undeclared location outside Damascus where "several tons of natural uranium metal" were stored. They also visited a location "where large quantities of graphite are stored," material that is also related to past nuclear activities at Al-Kibar.What theyre saying: "We agreed with the Syrian government that the undeclared material will be verified and subject to routine Agency safeguards," Grossi said. He stressed that UN inspectors still need to conduct a full inventory of the nuclear material. If the Syrian government and its allies decide to move the material, the IAEA will be involved in the process, Grossi added. Al-Shaibani, the Syrian foreign minister, said the nuclear material will be placed "under IAEA safeguards, while verification activities continue."He said that the Syrian government "exercises its sovereign responsibility for all nuclear material located on its territory" and added that this material "remains in Syrian national custody."Al-Shaibani didnt mention the possibility of removing the nuclear material from the country.

TPS slow bleed leaves thousands in limbo The Trump administration has moved to end Temporary Protected Status for an estimated million-plus people — with expiration dates looming for thousands of others.The big picture: Tens of thousands who have lost their status or are bracing to lose it have lived in the country legally for upward of a decade, meaning communities could lose longtime members and employers could lose skilled workers."These individuals .. have families, and theyre either the breadwinners or theyre part of a ... team of breadwinners trying to sustain themselves in this economy," says Lucia Gomez, a national immigration and worker rights coordinator with the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA).Driving the news: The Trump administration, bolstered by a June Supreme Court decision that green-lit ending protections for Syrian and Haitian TPS holders, has gutted protections.Judges have since cleared the way for the administration to strip protections, including a federal judge who lifted his stay blocking terminations for Ethiopians on Tuesday."The administrations target on the TPS program is very clear," says Jose Palma, a coordinator with the National TPS Alliance. Whats next: For others — including some 170,000 people from El Salvador and 101,000 from Ukraine — the expiration date for their TPS status looms.Those existing designations may be automatically extended like they were for Lebanon in May, says Julia Gelatt, Associate Director of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institutes U.S. Immigration Policy Program. But theres no guarantee. Those determinations depend on the DHS secretarys review of conditions in each country. A DHS spokesperson didnt answer about the agencys plans for those designations.For Palma, the impact is personal: A TPS holder from El Salvador, he moved to the U.S. at 22, delivered milk to make his way through school and now has four U.S. citizen children."TPS is more than just a specific paper: it is a key to opportunities and a motivation to work hard for those dreams," Palma says. Zoom out: The terminations are straining industries, with the loss of Haitian workers hitting home-care services and nursing homes particularly hard. Some 152,000 Salvadoran TPS holders are in the workforce, with many in construction and building, according to data from FWD.us and the National TPS alliance."We are hoping for a miracle from this administration," says Hugo Carballo, the secretary of the DMV-based LIUNA Local 11. What theyre saying: A DHS spokesperson slammed the "assertion that the only way we can support the health care, construction, logistics, and restaurant industries" is by allowing TPS holders to remain as "grossly false and lazy."They argued that "TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program.""The Trump administration is restoring TPS to its original purpose: Temporary," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. "...This program that has been exploited and hurt American workers for years. President Trump will continue growing our economy, creating opportunity for American workers, and ensuring relevant sectors have the legal workforce they need to be successful."TPS does not lead to permanent resident status, and for many, applying for asylum "may be the only option," Gelatt explains. The bottom line: Palma acknowledges that TPS is technically a "temporary" program — though its allowed families and careers to grow in the U.S. for decades."It is a moral question for the United States: After allowing a family to get built in the United States for 25, 27 years ... youre just gonna kick them out?" he says. "These are American families."Go deeper: Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation

Young adults are losing faith in AIs upside Data: Pew; Chart: Noah Bressner/AxiosA majority of U.S. adults under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AIs growing use in daily life, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.Why it matters: AI excitement has dropped off across all age groups since 2021, as concerns about the technologys impact on job availability and society have grown. By the numbers: About 55 of adults under 30 say theyre more concerned than excited about AI, a 24-point increase from 2021, when Pew first started asking the question.Roughly 1 in ten say theyre more excited about AI embedded in daily life, while a third feel both equally.Thats more in line with other age groups: 51 of adults ages 30–49 feel more concerned, as do 47 of those ages 50–64 and 59 of those 65 and older.Zoom in: Seventy-three percent of adults under 30 say they expect AI will take away jobs over the next two decades, up from 61 in 2024.Thats comparable to the 71 of adults who think the same, up from 64 in 2024.The 65+ age group is the least likely to think AI will reduce jobs, with 63 saying so, a five-point increase from 2024.Catch up quick: About 27 of Americans aged 18 to 34 believe they or someone they know has lost a job due to AI, according to a new Axios-Generation Lab poll.Hiring of younger white-collar workers has slowed, with unemployment among college graduates under 29 increasing 3.1 before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3.7 since 2022.Reality check: Research indicates AI job losses happen far less often than people think, but alarming headlines and predictions of an impending job-loss bloodbath are clearly influencing the bad vibes.Some reporting indicates remote work — and employers being less inclined to train young, inexperienced workers — might instead be contributing to lower hiring among young white-collar workers.The bottom line: Adults under 30 are the most likely to say AI will be harmful to society and themselves, and largely think itll make connection and creativity more scarce.Wall Street might be pumped about AIs potential, but Americans are warier about the technology than ever.Methodology: Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026.Go deeper: Youth poll: Thumbs down on everything

Americas debt is getting more expensive Governments around the world are entering a new era of higher borrowing costs already deeply indebted. More revenue will go toward interest payments as old debt gets refinanced at todays higher rates.America is already watching that dynamic play out: Annualized interest costs have reached $1.2 trillion, exceeding defense spending.What theyre saying: "The government consistently rolls over portions of its debt at market prices, so the effective interest it pays on its entire debt stock slowly rises in a high-rate environment," economic researchers at Charles Schwab wrote Tuesday morning in a note titled "Americas New Debt Reality." The risk is a vicious cycle: Bigger interest bills add to deficits and borrowing needs, putting even more bonds into a market already awash in debt.Zoom in: Debt held by the public is currently about 101 of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The nonpartisan agency projects that will rise to 120 in 10 years.The situation unfolds in relatively good economic times. A recession would mean weaker revenues and likely more spending to support the economy, requiring Washington to borrow even more.What to watch: Last week, the government paid the highest auction yields on 10-year notes since 2007 and 30-year bonds since 2001.

UN inspectors visit undeclared Syrian nuclear sites for first time UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi and his team came after diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration, first reported by Axios, that produced understandings with both Syria and Israel.It marked the first time the IAEA was given full access to suspicious nuclear sites in Syria. Flashback: The Assad regime had developed a secret nuclear program centered on the clandestine Al-Kibar reactor.After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, the Syrian nuclear program was mostly destroyed. But several research-and-development and storage sites remained, though they were mostly inactive.After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government giving it access to Al-Kibar and several other sites connected to Syrias past nuclear activity.One facility that Israel and the U.S. have been closely monitoring the past two years is known as "Site 99."Two Israeli officials said the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor project.Driving the news: At a press conference with Grossi on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said his government sent a letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing the nuclear material and inviting UN inspectors to visit the site. Grossi said IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor site in Deir Ez-Zor and "observed ongoing excavation activities" taking place in coordination with the IAEA. Grossi said he and his team visited an undeclared location outside Damascus where "several tons of natural uranium metal" were stored. They also visited a location "where large quantities of graphite are stored," material that is also related to past nuclear activities at Al-Kibar.What theyre saying: "We agreed with the Syrian government that the undeclared material will be verified and subject to routine Agency safeguards," Grossi said. He stressed that UN inspectors still need to conduct a full inventory of the nuclear material. If the Syrian government and its allies decide to move the material, the IAEA will be involved in the process, Grossi added. Al-Shaibani, the Syrian foreign minister, said the nuclear material will be placed "under IAEA safeguards, while verification activities continue."He said that the Syrian government "exercises its sovereign responsibility for all nuclear material located on its territory" and added that this material "remains in Syrian national custody."Al-Shaibani didnt mention the possibility of removing the nuclear material from the country.

TPS slow bleed leaves thousands in limbo The Trump administration has moved to end Temporary Protected Status for an estimated million-plus people — with expiration dates looming for thousands of others.The big picture: Tens of thousands who have lost their status or are bracing to lose it have lived in the country legally for upward of a decade, meaning communities could lose longtime members and employers could lose skilled workers."These individuals .. have families, and theyre either the breadwinners or theyre part of a ... team of breadwinners trying to sustain themselves in this economy," says Lucia Gomez, a national immigration and worker rights coordinator with the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA).Driving the news: The Trump administration, bolstered by a June Supreme Court decision that green-lit ending protections for Syrian and Haitian TPS holders, has gutted protections.Judges have since cleared the way for the administration to strip protections, including a federal judge who lifted his stay blocking terminations for Ethiopians on Tuesday."The administrations target on the TPS program is very clear," says Jose Palma, a coordinator with the National TPS Alliance. Whats next: For others — including some 170,000 people from El Salvador and 101,000 from Ukraine — the expiration date for their TPS status looms.Those existing designations may be automatically extended like they were for Lebanon in May, says Julia Gelatt, Associate Director of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institutes U.S. Immigration Policy Program. But theres no guarantee. Those determinations depend on the DHS secretarys review of conditions in each country. A DHS spokesperson didnt answer about the agencys plans for those designations.For Palma, the impact is personal: A TPS holder from El Salvador, he moved to the U.S. at 22, delivered milk to make his way through school and now has four U.S. citizen children."TPS is more than just a specific paper: it is a key to opportunities and a motivation to work hard for those dreams," Palma says. Zoom out: The terminations are straining industries, with the loss of Haitian workers hitting home-care services and nursing homes particularly hard. Some 152,000 Salvadoran TPS holders are in the workforce, with many in construction and building, according to data from FWD.us and the National TPS alliance."We are hoping for a miracle from this administration," says Hugo Carballo, the secretary of the DMV-based LIUNA Local 11. What theyre saying: A DHS spokesperson slammed the "assertion that the only way we can support the health care, construction, logistics, and restaurant industries" is by allowing TPS holders to remain as "grossly false and lazy."They argued that "TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program.""The Trump administration is restoring TPS to its original purpose: Temporary," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. "...This program that has been exploited and hurt American workers for years. President Trump will continue growing our economy, creating opportunity for American workers, and ensuring relevant sectors have the legal workforce they need to be successful."TPS does not lead to permanent resident status, and for many, applying for asylum "may be the only option," Gelatt explains. The bottom line: Palma acknowledges that TPS is technically a "temporary" program — though its allowed families and careers to grow in the U.S. for decades."It is a moral question for the United States: After allowing a family to get built in the United States for 25, 27 years ... youre just gonna kick them out?" he says. "These are American families."Go deeper: Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation

Young adults are losing faith in AIs upside Data: Pew; Chart: Noah Bressner/AxiosA majority of U.S. adults under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AIs growing use in daily life, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.Why it matters: AI excitement has dropped off across all age groups since 2021, as concerns about the technologys impact on job availability and society have grown. By the numbers: About 55 of adults under 30 say theyre more concerned than excited about AI, a 24-point increase from 2021, when Pew first started asking the question.Roughly 1 in ten say theyre more excited about AI embedded in daily life, while a third feel both equally.Thats more in line with other age groups: 51 of adults ages 30–49 feel more concerned, as do 47 of those ages 50–64 and 59 of those 65 and older.Zoom in: Seventy-three percent of adults under 30 say they expect AI will take away jobs over the next two decades, up from 61 in 2024.Thats comparable to the 71 of adults who think the same, up from 64 in 2024.The 65+ age group is the least likely to think AI will reduce jobs, with 63 saying so, a five-point increase from 2024.Catch up quick: About 27 of Americans aged 18 to 34 believe they or someone they know has lost a job due to AI, according to a new Axios-Generation Lab poll.Hiring of younger white-collar workers has slowed, with unemployment among college graduates under 29 increasing 3.1 before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3.7 since 2022.Reality check: Research indicates AI job losses happen far less often than people think, but alarming headlines and predictions of an impending job-loss bloodbath are clearly influencing the bad vibes.Some reporting indicates remote work — and employers being less inclined to train young, inexperienced workers — might instead be contributing to lower hiring among young white-collar workers.The bottom line: Adults under 30 are the most likely to say AI will be harmful to society and themselves, and largely think itll make connection and creativity more scarce.Wall Street might be pumped about AIs potential, but Americans are warier about the technology than ever.Methodology: Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026.Go deeper: Youth poll: Thumbs down on everything

Americas debt is getting more expensive Governments around the world are entering a new era of higher borrowing costs already deeply indebted. More revenue will go toward interest payments as old debt gets refinanced at todays higher rates.America is already watching that dynamic play out: Annualized interest costs have reached $1.2 trillion, exceeding defense spending.What theyre saying: "The government consistently rolls over portions of its debt at market prices, so the effective interest it pays on its entire debt stock slowly rises in a high-rate environment," economic researchers at Charles Schwab wrote Tuesday morning in a note titled "Americas New Debt Reality." The risk is a vicious cycle: Bigger interest bills add to deficits and borrowing needs, putting even more bonds into a market already awash in debt.Zoom in: Debt held by the public is currently about 101 of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The nonpartisan agency projects that will rise to 120 in 10 years.The situation unfolds in relatively good economic times. A recession would mean weaker revenues and likely more spending to support the economy, requiring Washington to borrow even more.What to watch: Last week, the government paid the highest auction yields on 10-year notes since 2007 and 30-year bonds since 2001.

UN inspectors visit undeclared Syrian nuclear sites for first time UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi and his team came after diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration, first reported by Axios, that produced understandings with both Syria and Israel.It marked the first time the IAEA was given full access to suspicious nuclear sites in Syria. Flashback: The Assad regime had developed a secret nuclear program centered on the clandestine Al-Kibar reactor.After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, the Syrian nuclear program was mostly destroyed. But several research-and-development and storage sites remained, though they were mostly inactive.After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government giving it access to Al-Kibar and several other sites connected to Syrias past nuclear activity.One facility that Israel and the U.S. have been closely monitoring the past two years is known as "Site 99."Two Israeli officials said the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor project.Driving the news: At a press conference with Grossi on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said his government sent a letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing the nuclear material and inviting UN inspectors to visit the site. Grossi said IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor site in Deir Ez-Zor and "observed ongoing excavation activities" taking place in coordination with the IAEA. Grossi said he and his team visited an undeclared location outside Damascus where "several tons of natural uranium metal" were stored. They also visited a location "where large quantities of graphite are stored," material that is also related to past nuclear activities at Al-Kibar.What theyre saying: "We agreed with the Syrian government that the undeclared material will be verified and subject to routine Agency safeguards," Grossi said. He stressed that UN inspectors still need to conduct a full inventory of the nuclear material. If the Syrian government and its allies decide to move the material, the IAEA will be involved in the process, Grossi added. Al-Shaibani, the Syrian foreign minister, said the nuclear material will be placed "under IAEA safeguards, while verification activities continue."He said that the Syrian government "exercises its sovereign responsibility for all nuclear material located on its territory" and added that this material "remains in Syrian national custody."Al-Shaibani didnt mention the possibility of removing the nuclear material from the country.

Young adults are losing faith in AIs upside Data: Pew; Chart: Noah Bressner/AxiosA majority of U.S. adults under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AIs growing use in daily life, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.Why it matters: AI excitement has dropped off across all age groups since 2021, as concerns about the technologys impact on job availability and society have grown. By the numbers: About 55 of adults under 30 say theyre more concerned than excited about AI, a 24-point increase from 2021, when Pew first started asking the question.Roughly 1 in ten say theyre more excited about AI embedded in daily life, while a third feel both equally.Thats more in line with other age groups: 51 of adults ages 30–49 feel more concerned, as do 47 of those ages 50–64 and 59 of those 65 and older.Zoom in: Seventy-three percent of adults under 30 say they expect AI will take away jobs over the next two decades, up from 61 in 2024.Thats comparable to the 71 of adults who think the same, up from 64 in 2024.The 65+ age group is the least likely to think AI will reduce jobs, with 63 saying so, a five-point increase from 2024.Catch up quick: About 27 of Americans aged 18 to 34 believe they or someone they know has lost a job due to AI, according to a new Axios-Generation Lab poll.Hiring of younger white-collar workers has slowed, with unemployment among college graduates under 29 increasing 3.1 before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3.7 since 2022.Reality check: Research indicates AI job losses happen far less often than people think, but alarming headlines and predictions of an impending job-loss bloodbath are clearly influencing the bad vibes.Some reporting indicates remote work — and employers being less inclined to train young, inexperienced workers — might instead be contributing to lower hiring among young white-collar workers.The bottom line: Adults under 30 are the most likely to say AI will be harmful to society and themselves, and largely think itll make connection and creativity more scarce.Wall Street might be pumped about AIs potential, but Americans are warier about the technology than ever.Methodology: Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026.Go deeper: Youth poll: Thumbs down on everything

Americas debt is getting more expensive Governments around the world are entering a new era of higher borrowing costs already deeply indebted. More revenue will go toward interest payments as old debt gets refinanced at todays higher rates.America is already watching that dynamic play out: Annualized interest costs have reached $1.2 trillion, exceeding defense spending.What theyre saying: "The government consistently rolls over portions of its debt at market prices, so the effective interest it pays on its entire debt stock slowly rises in a high-rate environment," economic researchers at Charles Schwab wrote Tuesday morning in a note titled "Americas New Debt Reality." The risk is a vicious cycle: Bigger interest bills add to deficits and borrowing needs, putting even more bonds into a market already awash in debt.Zoom in: Debt held by the public is currently about 101 of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The nonpartisan agency projects that will rise to 120 in 10 years.The situation unfolds in relatively good economic times. A recession would mean weaker revenues and likely more spending to support the economy, requiring Washington to borrow even more.What to watch: Last week, the government paid the highest auction yields on 10-year notes since 2007 and 30-year bonds since 2001.

UN inspectors visit undeclared Syrian nuclear sites for first time UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi and his team came after diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration, first reported by Axios, that produced understandings with both Syria and Israel.It marked the first time the IAEA was given full access to suspicious nuclear sites in Syria. Flashback: The Assad regime had developed a secret nuclear program centered on the clandestine Al-Kibar reactor.After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, the Syrian nuclear program was mostly destroyed. But several research-and-development and storage sites remained, though they were mostly inactive.After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government giving it access to Al-Kibar and several other sites connected to Syrias past nuclear activity.One facility that Israel and the U.S. have been closely monitoring the past two years is known as "Site 99."Two Israeli officials said the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor project.Driving the news: At a press conference with Grossi on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said his government sent a letter to the IAEA on July 17 disclosing the nuclear material and inviting UN inspectors to visit the site. Grossi said IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Kibar nuclear reactor site in Deir Ez-Zor and "observed ongoing excavation activities" taking place in coordination with the IAEA. Grossi said he and his team visited an undeclared location outside Damascus where "several tons of natural uranium metal" were stored. They also visited a location "where large quantities of graphite are stored," material that is also related to past nuclear activities at Al-Kibar.What theyre saying: "We agreed with the Syrian government that the undeclared material will be verified and subject to routine Agency safeguards," Grossi said. He stressed that UN inspectors still need to conduct a full inventory of the nuclear material. If the Syrian government and its allies decide to move the material, the IAEA will be involved in the process, Grossi added. Al-Shaibani, the Syrian foreign minister, said the nuclear material will be placed "under IAEA safeguards, while verification activities continue."He said that the Syrian government "exercises its sovereign responsibility for all nuclear material located on its territory" and added that this material "remains in Syrian national custody."Al-Shaibani didnt mention the possibility of removing the nuclear material from the country.

Young adults are losing faith in AIs upside Data: Pew; Chart: Noah Bressner/AxiosA majority of U.S. adults under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AIs growing use in daily life, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.Why it matters: AI excitement has dropped off across all age groups since 2021, as concerns about the technologys impact on job availability and society have grown. By the numbers: About 55 of adults under 30 say theyre more concerned than excited about AI, a 24-point increase from 2021, when Pew first started asking the question.Roughly 1 in ten say theyre more excited about AI embedded in daily life, while a third feel both equally.Thats more in line with other age groups: 51 of adults ages 30–49 feel more concerned, as do 47 of those ages 50–64 and 59 of those 65 and older.Zoom in: Seventy-three percent of adults under 30 say they expect AI will take away jobs over the next two decades, up from 61 in 2024.Thats comparable to the 71 of adults who think the same, up from 64 in 2024.The 65+ age group is the least likely to think AI will reduce jobs, with 63 saying so, a five-point increase from 2024.Catch up quick: About 27 of Americans aged 18 to 34 believe they or someone they know has lost a job due to AI, according to a new Axios-Generation Lab poll.Hiring of younger white-collar workers has slowed, with unemployment among college graduates under 29 increasing 3.1 before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3.7 since 2022.Reality check: Research indicates AI job losses happen far less often than people think, but alarming headlines and predictions of an impending job-loss bloodbath are clearly influencing the bad vibes.Some reporting indicates remote work — and employers being less inclined to train young, inexperienced workers — might instead be contributing to lower hiring among young white-collar workers.The bottom line: Adults under 30 are the most likely to say AI will be harmful to society and themselves, and largely think itll make connection and creativity more scarce.Wall Street might be pumped about AIs potential, but Americans are warier about the technology than ever.Methodology: Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026.Go deeper: Youth poll: Thumbs down on everything