Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte taken into custody at Manila's international on an Interpol arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court on Tuesday morning local time, local officials said.

The big picture: The ICC in 2021 formally authorized an official investigation into alleged crimes against humanity during Duterte's war on drugs when he was president.

• A United Nations report found tens of thousands of people may have been killed in police drug operations in the Philippines during the crackdown.

Driving the news: "Early in the morning, Interpol Manila received the official copy of the warrant of the arrest from the ICC" in connection with the investigation into the 79-year-old Duterte, the presidential palace said in a statement, according to a translation.

• "As of now, he is under the custody of authorities."

Flashback: "I assume full responsibility," Duterte says of drug war

Editor's note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

President Trump said Monday he will "lead the charge" to oust Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) for his refusal to support Republicans' government funding bill.

Why it matters: A doctrinaire libertarian, Massie has been a persistent thorn in the side for both Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) by defecting on key votes and imperiling major GOP legislation.

• "Congressman Thomas Massie, of beautiful Kentucky, is an automatic 'NO' vote on just about everything," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
• Trump said Massie "SHOULD BE PRIMARIED, and I will lead the charge against him." He compared the Kentucky Republican to "Liz Chaney [sic]," the Republican former Jan. 6 committee member whom he helped oust.

Yes, but: Trump has previously tried unsuccessfully to oust Massie, who signaled on Monday he is not afraid of another Trump-backed primary challenger.

• "Three times I've had a challenger who tried to be more MAGA than me. None busted 25% because my constituents prefer transparency and principles over blind allegiance," Massie said in a post on X.
• Massie has said he will oppose the short-term government spending measure because it keeps federal funding at 2024 levels without enshrining the cuts DOGE has made.

Zoom out: With a roughly two-seat majority, Johnson has faced a nailbiter on virtually every major vote of the last three months due to Massie's refusal to be a reliable GOP vote.

• Most notably, Massie refused to support Johnson's reelection as speaker on Jan. 3 or vote for Republicans' budget bill last month.

White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is planning to travel to Moscow later this week for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a source with direct knowledge confirmed.

Why it matters: The meeting with Putin is planned to take place several days after a key meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that will focus on a possible ceasefire in the war with Russia.

• Witkoff was supposed to participate in the meeting with Ukrainian officials, but at the moment it looks like he is going to be the main channel of communication with Russia as part of the division of labor inside of President Trump's foreign policy and national security team.

Flashback: This will be Witkoff's second meeting with Putin.

• Trump's envoy traveled to Moscow in mid-February as part of a deal to release U.S. citizen Marc Fogel, who was then detained in Russian prison. Witkoff met Putin for three hours on that trip.

Driving the news: Witkoff left Miami on Monday en route Abu Dhabi. He is expected to meet with UAE president Mohammed Bin Zayed on Tuesday, according to three sources with knowledge.

• On Tuesday evening, Witkoff will travel to Doha to join Qatari and Egyptian mediators in negotiations over the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, two sources said. On Wednesday, Witkoff will meet with the prime minister of Qatar.
• On Thursday, Witkoff plans to travel to Moscow but, according to a source familiar with the knowledge, the plan could change based on the situation with negotiations in Qatar and Putin's schedule.
• Bloomberg first reported Witkoff's planned trip to Moscow.

State of play: Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz arrived in Jedda, Saudi Arabia's largest city, on Monday ahead of their meeting with senior Ukrainian officials.

• Rubio and Waltz met on Monday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) and discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, the State Department said.
• MBS met later on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who visited the kingdom.
• "The Ukrainian delegation remains in Jeddah to work with the U.S. team on Tuesday and we hope for practical outcomes. Ukraine's position in these talks will be fully constructive," Zelensky said after the meeting.

The show of House party discipline in Mike Johnson vs. Hakeem Jeffries is on course to shatter in the Senate.

Why it matters: House Democrats can vote "no" and hope "yes" on a six-month spending package. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Democrats don't have that luxury.

• Speaker Johnson (R-La.) is convinced he has the Republican votes to pass a spending package on a party-line vote and avoid a government shutdown.
• Minority Leader Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is just as confident that he'll lose only a handful of Democratic votes.

They can both be right. The only firm GOP "no" is Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Jeffries and his team are whipping the vote, Axios reported Monday.

• The most likely Democratic defections told Axios they're leaning towards voting against the bill, including Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.).
• For Republicans, there was last-minute heartburn tonight at the GOP whip meeting. Multiple members said in the closed meeting that they're holdouts, Punchbowl reported.
• Other Republicans signaled they're open to talk: Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) told CNN he's a no, but not a hard no. He said he hasn't spoken to Trump as of tonight.

The bottom line: If Jeffries holds the line, he'll have found his footing after last week, which ended with him confronting progressives who defied his guidance during President Trump's joint address to Congress.

• Jeffries first indicated on Friday that he might oppose a clean funding bill, a position that Democrats typically don't make.
• He doubled down on Saturday by announcing his "no" vote, then demanded his lawmakers follow suit.

The centrist House Democrats who House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) may need to avert a government shutdown are lining up against his plan — with many pointedly noting they haven't heard a word from his leadership team.

Why it matters: This isn't a new problem, some Democratic moderates say. "There's been no outreach all year," Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) told Axios.

• Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) said it is "very telling" that GOP leadership is trying to get members of the right-wing Freedom Caucus to back the spending measure rather than Democrats.
• "I think that puts some of the moderates — my moderate friends — in a really tough position," she told Axios.

Driving the news: The House is poised to vote Tuesday on what is known as a continuing resolution — a stopgap spending measure to keep the government funded at 2024 levels until September.

• The measure lacks language Democrats had pushed for that would stop the Trump administration from unilaterally cutting congressionally appropriated funding, leading Democratic leadership to whip against it.
• A senior House Democrat told Axios that leadership is "working hard" to ensure no Democrats vote for the measure, "just like" last month's budget vote.

What they're saying: Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) declined to say how he will vote, but said of funding the government, "I think if [Republicans] have the votes to do so without talking to Democrats, then it's their responsibility."

• "If they don't have the votes, then it would be their responsibility to talk to Democrats — which they have not," added Golden, a former co-chair of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition who often breaks with his party on key votes.
• Rep. Adam Gray (D-Calif.), another Blue Dog, told Axios: "I'm a pretty rabid independent … but I have not had anybody from the Republican Party approach me. They seem to be putting together something on their own without input."

Between the lines: Gray and Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas) — both fellow Blue Dogs — told Axios they are either against Johnson's spending measure or leaning against it.

• A Johnson spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Yes, but: Democrats are bracing for a sudden spurt of GOP calls if the budget bill fails to pass Tuesday.

• "There's been no outreach to us ... my guess is the only way that changes is if [the continuing resolution[ goes down the first time," said Moskowitz.
• He added: "If you look at the bill, they put some things in there to try to garner Republican votes. But will that cost them Democratic votes in the Senate? That's the calculus."

Axios' Hans Nichols contributed reporting for this story.

The Trump administration wants to roll back Biden-era changes to make signing up for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans easier for certain individuals and limit coverage of gender-affirming care.

Why it matters: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said in a notice Monday that the changes would reduce improper federal spending on premium tax credits for marketplace plans by $11 billion.

• Between 750,000 and 2 million people will lose their health insurance if all the changes are implemented as proposed, CMS wrote in the rule.

State of play: The first proposed CMS rule of President Trump's second term lays out a plan to end a monthly opportunity for low-income individuals to enroll in marketplace coverage, and shorten the annual open enrollment period by a month.

• "We believe several regulatory policies recently put in place to make it easier to enroll in subsidized coverage severely weakened program integrity and put consumers at risk from improper enrollment," CMS stated.
• Enrollment in ACA plans hit new record highs each year of the Biden administration. But reports of insurance brokers enrolling people in plans or changed their plan selection without consent have reportedly also increased in recent years.

CMS wants to let marketplace insurers require that enrollees pay their overdue premiums before new coverage kicks in.

• Regulators also propose requiring a $5 monthly premium for consumers who are automatically reenrolled in an ACA plan from one year to the next and would otherwise have fully-subsidized coverage.
• This premium could be eliminated once the enrollee confirms their eligibility.

Zoom out: CMS also proposes stopping non-grandfathered individual and small group market plans from covering "sex-trait modification services" — a reference to gender-affirming care — as an essential health benefit that must be offered to all enrollees. The change would go into effect for 2026 coverage.

• Health plans could still voluntarily cover the services, and states could still choose to require plans cover them, CMS said.
• The agency additionally plans to end ACA eligibility for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, known as "dreamers."

What they're saying: "Joe Biden's reckless Obamacare expansion has not only been a disaster for taxpayers and a goldmine for fraudsters, but it has also failed to meaningfully increase health care access for Americans and has instead driven up the cost of coverage for all," House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) said in a statement.

Go deeper: CMS last month announced it would significantly cut funding for ACA marketplace navigator services.

Elon Musk said Monday DOGE's staff are "pretty much" in every government department and he's looking to roughly double the number on the cost-cutting team he's the face of.

Why it matters: The Trump administration's DOGE-driven mass firings of federal workers have faced multiple legal challenges and resistance from some Republican lawmakers who are facing the impacts the department's cuts will have on their constituents and states.

Driving the news: Musk said on Fox Business Network's "Kudlow" Monday DOGE is "trying to act broadly across all departments, so it's not just one department at a time" and the department is "pretty much" in all of them now.

• Musk told host Larry Kudlow the DOGE team currently comprises "a little over 100" staff and "we're going to get to 200."
• Kudlow asked the world's richest person and senior adviser to the president where he's recruiting from.
• "Basically, it's software people, information security software people and finance," Musk said. "It's basically, yes, finance and technology."

More from Axios:

• Exclusive poll: Young Americans down on DOGE
• Elon Musk's DOGE staffers sleep in IKEA beds in federal offices
• Trump promises "scalpel rather than the hatchet" in cuts to federal workforce

The Department of Education announced Monday it's investigating 60 colleges and universities over allegations of antisemitic harassment and discrimination.

The big picture: The warning comes after President Trump threatened last week to pull federal funding from colleges he accused of allowing "illegal protests" on campus.

• His administration on Friday pulled some $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia University, citing the school's alleged "continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students."
• Columbia served as the epicenter of nationwide protests last spring over Israel's handling of the war in Gaza.

Zoom in: The Education Department sent five dozen universities, including Ivy League and UC schools, warning letters Monday, saying they must fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students.

• All of the universities are under investigation for alleged Title VI violations relating to antisemitic harassment and discrimination, according to the department.

What they're saying: "The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better," newly confirmed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement.

• "U.S. colleges and universities benefit from enormous public investments funded by U.S. taxpayers. That support is a privilege and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal antidiscrimination laws."

Zoom out: Trump on Monday praised the arrest of a pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University alumnus, saying it's the first of "many to come."

• He said, "We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it."

More from Axios:

• Trump promises more arrests after pro-Palestinian activist detained by ICE
• Trump yanks $400 million from Columbia over allegations of antisemitism

U.S. stock markets cratered on Monday, with investors fearful that the economy could be headed into a recession.

Why it matters: This could put new pressures on consumer confidence and the Trump administration, all just days ahead of a possible government shutdown.

By the numbers: The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite shed 4%, or 728 points, keeping it firmly in correction territory. It was the index's third-worst point loss ever, with the only two worse coming in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 890 points, or 2.1%.
• The S&P 500 was down 2.7%, and the Russell 2000 was off nearly 5%.

Zoom in: Trump-related stocks took their lumps, with big losses for both Tesla (-15.4%) and Trump Media & Technology Group (-11.5%).

The bottom line: The sell-off is intensifying, as the government sends mixed messages on recession prospects.

U.S. and Israeli officials are trying to brush off several days of behind-the-scenes tensions over the Trump administration's unprecedented talks with Hamas ahead of crucial Gaza negotiations this week.

Why it matters: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios on Monday that President Trump "fully backs and supports" the talks his hostage envoy Adam Boehler held with Hamas. But the administration is also signaling it doesn't want those talks — and Israel's anger over them — to block other paths to a Gaza deal.

Behind the scenes: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declined to pick a public fight with Trump since Axios revealed the U.S.-Hamas talks last Wednesday, but Israeli officials have expressed their anger in private, Israeli officials say.

Driving the news: Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday while traveling to Saudi Arabia that the Hamas talks were a "one-off" that "hasn't borne fruit."

• Rubio said the primary channel for negotiations on a new Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal was being led by White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, through the Qatari mediators.
• Witkoff is expected to join the indirect Israel-Hamas talks tomorrow in the Qatari capital.
• Phase one of the Gaza ceasefire expired on March 1. While fighting has not resumed, Israel has cut off humanitarian aid to Gaza to pressure Hamas to make a deal.

The other side: Ron Dermer, Netanyahu's closest adviser, said during a security cabinet meeting on Sunday that Boehler's talks with Hamas didn't represent the Trump administration's position, an Israeli official briefed on the meeting said.

• Dermer also told the ministers that Israel received assurances from the Trump administration that "it won"t happen again" and that Witkoff will be the only channel for the negotiations over the hostages.
• However, Dermer's claim that Boehler was freelancing is at odds with Leavitt's comments that Trump personally supports Boehler's efforts. Trump also personally defended the talks last week and said they were aimed at helping Israel free its hostages.

Flashback: Dermer held an angry call with Boehler last week over the Hamas talks and the lack of coordination with Israel, as Axios reported.

What they're saying: Boehler confirmed that in an interview with Israel's Channel 13, one of several interviews he did on Sunday.

• "I don't really care about that that much, no offense to Dermer," he said. "If it was a big deal every time Dermer got a little bit upset Ron would have a lot of big deals every day."
• Boehler also confirmed during his media appearances that the talks weren't just about freeing an American hostage — part of his mandate as hostage envoy — but also about a broader deal to release all hostages and reach a multi-year truce.
• Boehler told CNN he understood Israeli concerns about his talks but emphasized the U.S. is "not an agent of Israel" with "specific interests at play."

State of play: Boehler held at least two rounds of talks with Hamas officials in Doha, including with the head of the group's negotiations team Khalil al-Hayya.

• News of the talks sparked immediate backlash on the right in Israel and, to a lesser degree, in the U.S.
• But some of Trump's critics actually praised him for circumventing Netanyahu to try to reach a deal directly with Hamas — something the Biden administration declined to do.
• This was the first major clash with Israel since Trump returned to the White House.

What's next: An Israeli delegation traveled to Doha on Monday for the primary track of negotiations, which Witkoff is expected to join Tuesday.

• In an interview with Fox News on Monday before traveling to the region, Witkoff said there needs to be "a deadline" for the negotiations with Hamas.
• "A starter is Hamas demilitarizing, not rearming, leaving all their arms on the ground and leaving Gaza. I believe they have no alternative other than to leave. If they leave, everything is on the table," he said.

What to watch: "Witkoff told us that if things [get] serious he is willing to spend 3 or 4 days and try to reach a deal," an Israeli official told Axios.

• At least initially, Witkoff is expected to be working through the Qatari mediators, not meeting directly with Hamas.
• Witkoff told the Israelis he wouldn't meet with Hamas unless the group made tangible concessions, according to the Israeli official.

President Trump praised the arrest of pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University alumnus Mahmoud Khalil on Monday, saying it's the first of "many to come."

Why it matters: The Trump administration appears willing to curb, or potentially outlaw, protest movements it disapproves of.

Driving the news: Trump wrote on Truth Social that Khalil is "a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student" and promised to "find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again."

• Khalil attended Columbia University on a student visa and was one of the most visible student activists during the Pro-Palestinian encampment at the school last spring. He gave multiple interviews on the protest and engaged in negotiations with university leaders regarding protesters' demands.
• Before his arrest, he told the AP that Columbia accused him of misconduct weeks before his December graduation, and that most of them involved social media posts he had "nothing to do with."

The latest: U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman blocked any attempt by the Trump administration to deport Khalil until the court says otherwise.

• A conference between the judge and all parties is scheduled for Wednesday in Manhattan federal court.

Between the lines: ICE agents told Khalil prior to his Saturday arrest that his student visa had been revoked. But he is a legal permanent resident and not in the U.S. on a student visa, attorney Amy Greer said in a statement.

• Khalil's whereabouts had been a mystery following his arrest, with his wife being told he was sent to a facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey. When she attempted to visit him, there was no record of Khalil being processed, Greer said.
• ICE records show Khalil is currently being held at the Jena/LaSalle Detention Facility, also known as the Central Louisiana Ice Processing Center (CLIPC), in Jena, Louisiana.

What they're saying: "We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it," the president wrote, saying many involved "are not students" but "paid agitators."

• "If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here," Trump added.
• DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told Axios in a statement that Kahlil "led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization," and that his arrest was conducted in support of the president's executive orders "prohibiting anti-Semitism."

The other side: "The disturbing arrest of Mahmoud Khalil for exercising his right to free speech marks a dramatic escalation in the Trump administration's abuse of immigration enforcement and disregard for the law," said Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center.

• Matos also called for Khalil's immediate release.

Zoom out: Khalil's arrest comes as the Trump administration moves to revoke student visas for foreign nationals it deems to be "Hamas sympathizers" — a process that will involve AI-assisted reviews student visa holders' social media accounts.

• Trump has also threatened to halt federal funding for schools and universities that allow "illegal protests."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X last week that the U.S. has "zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorists."

• He added that "violators of U.S. law — including international students — face visa denial or revocation, and deportation."
• U.S. law allows the Secretary of State to deport someone if they are deemed to have "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States."

Context: There are currently around 13 million green card holders, or lawful permanent residents, in the U.S., according to the Office of Homeland Security Statistics.

• Green card holders are immigrants who have been granted lawful permanent residence are not yet U.S. citizens.

How it works: A foreign national can get a green card through a job offer from a U.S. employer, family sponsorship from a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, a year after being granted refugee or asylum status or through the annual Diversity Green Card Lottery.

• A green card can be revoked for fraud, violating immigration laws, criminal activity or failure to maintain permanent residence.

More from Axios:

• Trump yanks $400 million from Columbia over allegations of antisemitism
• ICE fears prompt foreign workers and students to keep visas close

Editor's note: This story has been updated with an order from Judge Furman.

NASA has cut its office of the chief scientist and its Office of Science, Policy, and Strategy, among other entities, the agency said in an internal email that Axios has viewed.

Why it matters: Eliminating these offices comes ahead of potentially deep cuts to the agency's science programs.

• Katherine Calvin, a climate scientist, had the role of chief scientist. Questions have arisen about the fate of NASA science programs, particularly its Earth science work studying human-caused climate change.
• Calvin has also held the dual title of NASA's senior climate adviser.

Zoom in: In the email, Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro said the cuts were part of a "phased" reduction in force, or RIF.

• The reduction came in response to instructions from President Trump's executive orders and in conjunction with the Office of Personnel Management and Office of Management and Budget.
• Another office cut is the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility branch of the agency's Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity.
• Around 20 people were affected by the cuts.

NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner told Axios: "To optimize our workforce, and in compliance with an Executive Order, NASA is beginning its phased approach to a reduction in force, known as a RIF."

• The spokesperson confirmed the offices that would be closed and their workforce let go.

The intrigue: The NASA office of the chief scientist is responsible for providing "independent assessment and advice to the Administrator on matters related to NASA science," and leads the development of the agency's science strategy.

• The chief scientist also plays a top role in setting the agency's scientific integrity policies.
• The office of science, policy and strategy is home to NASA's chief technologist and chief economist, and was created in 2021 to provide evidence-based strategic advice to agency leadership.

What they're saying: "Change of this magnitude is never easy, but our strength comes to our shared commitment to our mission and to each other," Petro wrote in the email.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.

House Democratic leaders are urging their members to oppose the stopgap spending bill Republicans plan to bring to the floor on Tuesday, according to aides and lawmakers. This raises the likelihood that the government could shut down on March 14.

Why it matters: Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y) is trying to impose party unity ahead of a showdown with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), even if it opens Democrats to charges they played a role in shutting down the government.

• Jeffries' moves also put him on a potential collision course with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who has counseled his members not to entertain the prospect of a government shutdown.

Zoom in: Jeffries wants to show his members and his base that he's willing to confront Republicans in defense of a federal bureaucracy that they say is under assault from President Trump and Elon Musk.

• Both Jeffries and Johnson know that their strength derives from the unity they can achieve in their party.
• Johnson has talked about relying only on GOP votes, but senior Republicans are eyeing the 13 House Democrats in Trump districts to get a bill across the line.

What they're saying: "Democrats are urged to VOTE NO on the CR," according to a whip notice sent to lawmakers.

• "The CR would remove most guardrails that direct where funds should be spent. It would allow the White House to accelerate its dismantling of critical services," the notice reads.
• "The bill does include Community Project Funding," it notes, reminding lawmakers that their specific projects, previously known as earmarks, are not included.
• House leaders unveiled their plan to fund the government with a short-term spending bill on Saturday, with a voted planned for Tuesday.

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a challenge to Colorado's law banning conversion therapy aimed at young people.

The big picture: The high court's eventual decision could deal a major setback to the LGBTQ+ community, which the executive branch has already targeted with an executive order blitz that undermines protections and quality of life for transgender people.

• Conversion therapy attempts to change people's sexual orientations or gender identities. LGBTQ+ advocates, major medical and mental health organizations have condemned the practice as harmful, discriminatory and ineffective.

Catch up quick: The high court agreed to take up a challenge from Kaley Chiles, a Christian counselor, who argued Colorado's restriction against licensed mental health professionals engaging in conversion therapy for minors violates her free speech rights.

• "To be crystal clear: this challenge has nothing to do with free speech, and everything to do with pushing dangerous, debunked practices that have only been proven to cause irreparable harm to LGBTQ+ young people all across the country," said Casey Pick, The Trevor Project's director of law and policy, in a statement provided to Axios.

State of play: More than 20 states have bans on subjecting minors to conversion therapy. But some 13% of LGBTQ+ young people in the Trevor Project's 2024 report on the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth reported being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy.

• That included approximately one in six trans and nonbinary young people.

Zoom in: Chiles' attorneys argued that Christian clients seek her "Christian-based counseling" on questions about their sexuality that conflict with their faith, noting she works only with "voluntary clients."

• Conservative group Alliance Defending Freedom, which has argued other high-profile cases to the highest court, said in the petition: "Colorado disagrees with Chiles's beliefs on gender and sexuality."
• It added: "So much so that the State puts itself in Chiles's counseling room, forbidding her from discussing the values she and her clients share."
• Chiles' lawyers pointed to a 5-4 decision from 2018, when the justices ruled that California could not force anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers to provide information about abortion.

Flashback: Last year, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver upheld Colorado's law barring conversion therapy for minors, which Attorney General Phil Weiser described as "humane, smart, and appropriate policy."

• The Supreme Court rejected a similar challenge in 2023 — with Justices Kavanaugh, Alito and Thomas voting to take up the case (four justices are required to grant review).
• The court separately appeared poised to uphold a Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for minors during oral arguments late last year. Roughly half of U.S. states have passed laws restricting gender-affirming care for trans youth.

What's next: The court will hear the case in its new term, which begins in October.

• That means a decision likely won't come until summer 2026.

Go deeper: Survey: Almost 1 in 10 American adults say they are LGBTQ+

The Washington Post is making major changes to its newsroom that are meant to broaden the outlet's coverage and reach a wider audience, according to a staff memo from executive editor Matt Murray obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: The shifts follow months of high-profile staff departures and blowback to recent opinion coverage changes by owner Jeff Bezos.

• Longtime Post opinion editor and columnist Ruth Marcus resigned from the Post Monday after CEO Will Lewis killed her column expressing concerns about Bezos' opinion section changes.
• Former Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron penned a scathing piece about the changes last week.

Zoom in: As part of the newsroom overhaul, the Post will divide its national desk into two sections that focus on national reporting, and politics and government coverage, respectively.

• The politics and government desk "will encompass most of our reporters and editors covering the political scene and the government, which remain a central pillar for The Post," Murray wrote. "The Economics and Economic Policy team from Business will move to this department."
• The national desk, "which incorporates the America team, the education team, and the GA desk in Washington, will have a remit to cover the United States and important issues and figures outside of Washington and across the country more broadly," he added.
• Business, technology, health, science and climate teams will be brought together in a new department that focuses on "how businesses are transforming across the economy; how scientific and technological shifts are affecting daily life; and what it all means for people's health, security and the planet," Murray said.
• New department head roles for each new desk will be posted shortly, Murray said. Murray hopes all newsroom changes are in place by no later than May 5. The Post's newsdesk will exist outside of those main departments.

Between the lines: Broadening coverage will help the Post become less dependent on political news, which can be cyclical in nature, Murray told Axios in an interview after announcing the changes.

• "I want to make sure there are a few areas that are equally staffed and strong to make sure we're always putting a strong foot forward and that we're not just the politics paper, even though that's important to who we are."
• Asked whether the newsroom changes are aligned with the opinion section changes announced by Bezos last month, Murray said the shifts run in parallel but aren't explicitly connected. Some of the newsroom changes, for example, stem from audience data about what readers want, not a broader philosophical shift at the paper.
• "Jeff is aware of my plans but they're my plans," he said. "They grew out of where we see opportunities for The Post as we grow."

Zoom out: The shifts are also meant to prioritize digital products and reader engagement, Murray said.

• Each reorganized department will have its own senior editor for audience growth and a senior editor for visuals.
• Murray is hiring a head of print to "ring-fence print from the rest of the newsroom and make it completely downstream, so the majority of us can focus our efforts on our growing digital products."
• "Text will no longer be a default (format) and length no more a reflexive measure of quality," he said.

State of play: In a town hall meeting discussing the changes, deputy managing editor Mark Smith — who has been tasked by Murray with leading newsroom transformation — announced 10 new principles that will guide the Post's journalism and culture moving forward.

• Those principles include things like "We center reader value and impact in all of our journalistic decision making and commit to measuring this impact" and "We know the best journalism and reporting has humans at the core. We work in interdisciplinary teams so that our audience benefits from the diverse skills in our newsroom."

The big picture: The newsroom "reinvention," as Murray describes it, reflects a broader scramble at the Post to transform itself following years of profit losses and shrinking readership.

• Murray was named interim executive editor after Lewis announced sweeping changes to the newsrooms's editorial structure and leadership last spring. Murray was quietly named permanent executive editor late last year.
• Those changes include the creation of a "third newsroom," called WP Ventures, that focuses on video, audio, newsletters and social engagement. New roles will be posted for WP Ventures shortly, per Murray.
• During the town hall, WP Ventures editor Krissah Thompson gave examples of ways the Post is innovating its approach to social journalism, including allocating more resources for journalists to film their own social videos, piloting video podcasts and YouTube shows, and experimenting more with AI video.

What to watch: Murray acknowledged that the new changes may not align with everyone at the company.

• "It is a time of change across The Post, including for our colleagues in the company and in Opinion. This is a big effort involving all of us, and it is disruptive. There will be some confusion and even some mistakes. Candidly, I realize it may not be for everyone," he wrote.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray and additional details from the publication's town hall.

Mark Carney stepped into the international spotlight Sunday when Canada's ruling Liberal party chose the former central banker to succeed Justin Trudeau as the country's next prime minister.

Why it matters: Carney is assuming leadership during a trade war and escalating tension with the U.S., after President Trump imposed tariffs on its longtime ally and has made repeated annexation threats.

Driving the news: Carney won 85.9% of the vote to be elected Liberal Party leader.

• In his victory speech, he referenced the turmoil created by U.S. tariffs, saying, "These are dark days brought on by a country we can no longer trust."
• "America is not Canada. And Canada never, ever, will be part of America in any way, shape or form," Carney said.
• "We didn't ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves."
• Carney will serve as prime minister for the duration of the party's ruling term. An election is scheduled to take place by Oct. 20, but the new prime minister could trigger a contest sooner.

Here's what to know about the new Canadian PM:

Mark Carney education and career

Carney was born in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, and attended Harvard University, where he earned a bachelor's in economics in 1988, according to his Bank of Canada bio.

• He received both a master's degree and a doctorate in economics from Oxford University in the '90s.
• Both of his parents were educators.

His 13-year career with Goldman Sachs took him to London, Tokyo, New York and Toronto before he transitioned to public service.

• One of his former colleagues at Goldman Sachs told The Telegraph that Carney left the company "right at the inflection point in his career."

Carney's history at Bank of Canada

Carney was appointed deputy governor of the Bank of Canada in 2003.

• Later that year, he became the senior associate deputy minister of finance.
• He held that position until he was appointed to the Bank's top job.

Flashback: As governor of the Bank of Canada, he helped the country navigate the 2008 financial crisis.

• In 2013, he was recruited to return to London as the governor of the Bank of England, where he became the the first non-Brit to run the institution since it was founded in 1694.
• He faced more tumult across the pond: Brexit. He raised alarms about the risks leaving the EU could pose to the economy — though some critics alleged he politicized the bank with his warnings, the Guardian reported.

Mark Carney's political career

After he left the Bank of England, Carney became the United Nations special envoy for climate action and finance.

• In 2020, he joined investment firm Brookfield Asset Management. A release announcing his appointment to the firm described him as a"longtime advocate for sustainability, specifically with regard to the management and reduction of climate risks."
• He advised Trudeau through Canada's COVID-19 economic response amid long-held speculation he had political aspirations.

In September of last year, he was tapped to chair the Liberal Party's Task Force on Economic Growth.

• In January, he formally launched his campaign to replace Trudeau, saying, "I'm not the usual suspect when it comes to politics but this is no time for politics as usual."

Go deeper: Trump turns Canadian politics upside down

The pandemic upended America's housing market, delivering wins for homeowners and roadblocks for those still dreaming.

Why it matters: Sky-high home prices, elevated mortgage rates and a shortage of houses for sale are pushing homeownership out of reach for many.

In the past five years, here are five ways the market transformed and what could come next.

1. Home prices skyrocketed

Cheap borrowing costs and remote work unleashed a homebuying frenzy early in the pandemic — and sent prices soaring.

By the numbers: The median U.S. home price in January was $418,000, up around 45% from $289,000 five years ago, according to Redfin.

• Those who own their houses sit on a mountain of wealth.

The big picture: A stubborn housing shortfall is keeping prices high, even as buyers have retreated, with 2024 sales hitting a nearly 30-year low.

2. Rates surged, buyers stalled

Mortgage rates surged after falling to the lowest levels on record in 2021.

• Higher monthly payments are sidelining many home shoppers, especially first-timers.

What we're hearing: "It's very sad to be priced out of our communities," says Kylie Carpenter, a Seattle teacher who tells Axios it feels almost impossible to buy a house nearby.

Between the lines: Rates are now hovering near 7% and are unlikely to drop much soon, experts say.

In pricey Portland, Oregon, aspiring homebuyer Jake Turner tells Axios this year actually feels like a good time to jump in since there's less competition.

• "My wife and I will just buy less of a home with 20% down and work responsibly with the expensive housing payment."

3. Inventory dried up

Those who scored ultra-low mortgage rates during the pandemic are hesitant to sell, locking up supply.

Yes, but: That's starting to change as homebuyers adjust to higher rates.

• Roughly 83% of U.S. homeowners with mortgages have a rate below 6%, down from around 88% a year ago, according to a recent Redfin analysis.
• And in 15 of the 50 largest metro areas, including Denver, San Antonio and Dallas, inventory in February topped pre-pandemic norms, per Realtor.com.

What they're saying: "This is my forever home," says Ben Kolb, one of many homeowners who refinanced when rates dropped.

• A retired veteran with a disability, Kolb tells Axios he "would never be able to afford" the mortgage on his Columbia, Missouri, house if he bought it now.
• In suburban Minneapolis, Mark and Joann Shockey say they're glad they sold when the market was hot, downsizing to a townhouse and nabbing "a very small 10-year mortgage at a low rate."

Others feel stuck. The benefit "of having an affordable mortgage has locked us out of even considering selling and moving closer to where we both work" in Seattle, says Sean Bucknam, who moved to Tacoma with his wife as remote setups took off.

• Now, she's being called back into the office.

4. Builders ramped up, then pulled back

Buyers flocked to newly built homes, searching for options and deals, too.

• Construction boomed in parts of the South and Sunbelt, helping to cool competition and runaway prices.

Reality check: Homebuilding has slowed since then, partly due to elevated interest rates and steep construction costs.

What we're watching: Builders have warned that President Trump's pledged tariffs (some that have since been paused) on imports could make construction more expensive and drive up home prices.

Meanwhile, mayors across the country are sounding the alarm about the housing crunch.

• Several have pushed to loosen construction restrictions, despite some proposals sparking local backlash.

What we're hearing: "The big concern in the housing market today is cooling new construction," Zillow senior economist Orphe Divounguy tells Axios.

5. Cash-rich people jumped in

Cash buyers, many of them investors, snapped up homes at record speeds during the pandemic.

The latest: They've taken a step back, though the share of purchases made in cash remains historically high.

• It fell to just under one-third in 2024, the lowest since 2021, Redfin research shows.

The bottom line: Wealthier people are those most likely to buy homes in this expensive housing market.

Anyone who thinks President Trump's mesmerizing hold over the GOP will slip if his poll numbers slide is missing one of his biggest innovations in American politics:

• The creation of a cash-flush political operation that has raked in around a half-billion dollars — about the same amount the GOP's House and Senate campaign arms spent during the entirety of the last midterm campaign.

Why it matters: It's unheard of for a president not running for reelection to raise that kind of money. But the cash is just one piece of a bigger power play that's arguably the most powerful, well-funded political apparatus ever.

• The day after Election Day, Trump — at a time most presidents-elect are scrambling to get their transitions rolling — started calling major donors to start building an enforcement machine for his agenda.
• "Right now, there's a huge price to pay by crossing Donald Trump," said Republican strategist Corry Bliss, who formerly led the Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC. "When you combine a 92% approval rating among Republican voters with unlimited money, that equals: 'Yes, sir.' "

Zoom in: Two Trump-aligned outside groups, MAGA Inc. and Securing American Greatness, are poised to play big in 2026, including by helping Republicans expand their congressional majorities. The groups also have another focus: Reward Republicans who support Trump — and punish those who don't.

• Elon Musk has his own super PAC, America PAC, which he can use to target Republicans who cross Trump.

The big picture: Trump lacked a well-funded political operation after the 2016 election, hampering his ability to put pressure on Republicans who waffled over backing his agenda and to support or oppose candidates of his choosing. Trump advisers say that won't be the case this time.

• Now, combine Trump's super PACs with Musk's resources, then toss in Musk's control of X plus Trump's control of Truth Social. Any GOP skeptics or critics could instantly face a dangerous primary challenge — and unending waves of critical messaging.

How it works: Chris LaCivita and pollster Tony Fabrizio, who held top roles in Trump's '24 campaign, are spearheading the effort.

• MAGA Inc. and Securing American Greatness are closely aligned with the White House political team, which is led by Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair. The groups were founded during the campaign by Taylor Budowich, now a White House deputy chief of staff.
• Trump team hasn't dipped into its war chest yet, but it's prepared to. It cut ads aimed at pressuring Republican senators to confirm Pete Hegseth, Trump's then-nominee for secretary of defense. But once it became clear Hegseth had the support he needed, the ads were sidelined.

Behind the scenes: Trump made his first fundraising call the day after he won the election — and directed his team to ask donors to his 2024 campaign for another round of checks, according to a person with knowledge of the conversations.

• Two weekends ago, Trump hosted a dinner for major contributors at Mar-a-Lago. Minimum cost of entrance: $1 million. The dinner was attended by Republican mega-donor Miriam Adelson, who spent more than $100 million to bolster Trump last year.
• Trump had to woo donors during the 2024 campaign, but now many are flocking to him in hopes of winning access.

Musk's political operation functions independently of Trump's, but is expected to work aggressively to bolster the president's agenda.

• America PAC, a super PAC that Musk loaded with more than $250 million in 2024, last week ran a TV ad praising Trump for "saving the American dream."

The bottom line: Jason Thielman, a former National Republican Senatorial Committee executive director, said Trump's outside political operation "is a juggernaut that will be one of the most dominant forces in modern elections."

Some Democrats are starting to publicly second-guess the party's stances on transgender rights and DEI programs — positions they've long embraced on principle, but now see as potential political liabilities.

Why it matters: The issues are creating a divide among some of the most powerful people in the party, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and a few others widely seen as potential 2028 candidates for president.

• Newsom sent ripples through the party last week during a podcast interview with MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk. Echoing a GOP talking point, Newsom said he believed transgender women and girls playing in women's sports was "deeply unfair."

The big picture: The remark by Newsom, a former San Francisco mayor and longtime supporter of LGBTQ causes, stung many progressives as a betrayal.

• Whether it represented a true shift in belief or a move of political convenience, it reflected a growing argument between Democrats — whether they should be more pragmatic on some social issues, or stand on principle at a critical moment.
• The backdrop for the debate is how Democrats — namely presidential nominee Kamala Harris — struggled last year to respond as Republicans spent tens of millions on ads bashing transgender women and girls in sports, and declaring that "Kamala is for they/them, Donald Trump is for you."

Some Democrats quietly agree with Newsom. Others say emphatically that the party should support transgender people and others now targeted by Trump administration policies.

• The Human Rights Campaign, a prominent LGBTQ+ advocacy group, said in a statement: "Our message to Gov. Newsom and leaders across the country is simple: The path to 2028 isn't paved with the betrayal of vulnerable communities. It's built on the courage to stand up for what's right, and do the hard work to actually help the American people."

Asked if Newsom supports any changes in the law to address fairness in women's sports, the governor's office declined to specify any.

• On his podcast, Newsom also criticized how some Democrats introduce themselves with their pronouns. "I had one meeting where people started going around the table with the pronouns," he said. "I'm like: 'What the hell? Why is this the biggest issue?'"

Rahm Emanuel — former Chicago mayor and U.S. ambassador to Japan, who has played coy about a 2028 White House run — told Axios: "Some kids in the classroom are debating which pronouns apply, and the rest of the class doesn't know what a pronoun is. That's a crisis."

• Emanuel has said Democrats in power should focus on the historic decline in children's reading abilities in the aftermath of the pandemic.
• Democrats "can't be a party that believes in equity and allows two-thirds of your kids who can't read," he said last week in a speech at the Economic Club of Chicago.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a 2028 presidential contender who's openly gay, removed his pronouns from his profile on X in recent months, according to the Internet Archive.

• A Buttigieg spokesperson didn't respond to Axios' request for comment.

Zoom in: Democratic lawmakers also are fracturing about their positions on DEI programs and how to talk about race.

• Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Service Committee, told The New Yorker that some DEI programs go "off the beam, to my mind, when they imply that racism, bigotry and settler colonialism is the unique purview of white people. ... You don't need to imply that all white people are racists, and that all white people are oppressors."
• Newsom told Kirk that "not one person ever in my office has ever used the word LatinX."

Between the lines: The term "woke" went mainstream during Black Lives Matter protests in 2014 and through Trump's first term, signifying a person who was alert to prejudice and discrimination that much of society didn't acknowledge.

• For millions of Americans, Trump and Republicans have turned "woke" into an insult — and a political dog whistle.
• "Our country will be woke no longer," Trump said in his address to Congress.

Zoom out: Trump has tried to put Democrats on the defensive on these issues in his first weeks in office.

• He signed several executive orders aimed at transgender and DEI policies implemented by President Biden, schools and businesses.
• One order banned transgender women and girls from competing in girls' and women's sports, prompting the NCAA to change its policy on transgender athletes.

During last week's address, Trump highlighted the story of a high school volleyball player who suffered brain damage when a transgender girl hit the ball hard onto her head.

• "From now on, schools will kick the men off the girls' team or they will lose all federal funding," Trump said. "We've ended the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government."

Republicans in Congress have been forcing Democrats to take votes on legislation focused on transgender people.

• Republicans last week brought up legislation to prohibit schools receiving government funding from allowing transgender women and girls to participate in women's sports.

Democrats unanimously opposed the measure in the Senate. But privately, they're workshopping their future responses to GOP attacks on transgender rights, Axios' Stephen Neukam and Hans Nichols report.

• Some Democratic lawmakers have disagreed with the GOP-led legislation, but not the issue.

"I support fair play and safety and do not support transgender athletes competing in girls' and women's sports when it compromises those principles," Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) said in a statement after the vote.

• But Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who has voted against his party on various issues, voted no and wrote on X: "The small handful of trans athletes in PA in a political maelstrom deserve an ally, and I am one."

Hundreds of people rallied at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, to mark 60 years since "Bloody Sunday," when authorities beat peaceful protesters who were marching against race discrimination in voting.

The big picture: The anniversary follows President Trump's moves to ax federal affirmative action programs and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and many of Sunday's marchers displayed protest signs warning civil rights remain under threat.

Go deeper: Civil rights questions cloud "Bloody Sunday" anniversary in Selma