The high-stakes effort to set nutrition standards for the food industry and government programs like Head Start is about to get a makeover from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Why it matters: It's an opportunity for Kennedy to exert more leverage over food and beverage companies and the products they make after narrower actions like pressing them to voluntarily eliminate synthetic food dyes.

• But experts worry Kennedy will short-circuit the evidence-based process behind the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and use the requirements to ban targets of his public health movement, like seed oils or sugary drinks.

"The biggest impact he can have on food in America is what's in the dietary guidelines," said Jerold Mande, former deputy undersecretary of agriculture and CEO of Nourish Science.

• "The industry's worst nightmare [is] that there's substantial changes in the dietary guidelines," Mande said. "I've just recently been in a number of meetings with CEOs of big food companies. They're not looking forward to wholesale changes."

State of play: The guidelines are issued every five years and underpin federal nutrition policies. They dictate such basics as what goes into free school lunches and even what soldiers eat.

• They also influence what doctors and nutritionists tell patients and the content on public-facing tools like the USDA's MyPlate and its predecessor the food pyramid.
• Kennedy and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have said they're pushing ahead with new recommendations that could be released soon.
• The expectation is a Make America Healthy Again-inspired revamp would not only call for more of a focus on locally sourced whole foods, but could call for the return of meat with high fat content, whole milk and beef tallow, in the name of healthier alternatives.

What we're hearing: Kennedy said he intends to have the guidelines, which can be hundreds of pages long, published in a more consumer-friendly four-page document by August.

• During a speech at Texas A&M in April, he indicated he'd scrap a scientific report that a panel of nutrition experts issued under the Biden administration in December to guide this year's update. It called for eating less meat and saturated fats, and more fiber-rich legumes, fruits and vegetables.
• MAHA-aligned nutritionists suggest existing guidelines downplay nutritional inadequacies and mistakenly stress the health benefits of beans, peas and lentils over animal products.
• "There are myriad problems with an approach that oversimplifies nutrition science — not the least of which is that lawmakers can't make sound policy off of a short high-level overview," a food industry executive told Axios, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the deliberations.

Experts point to a number of areas Kennedy could change:

Saturated fats: The Dietary Guidelines have long recommended limiting saturated fat consumption to less than 10% of daily calories to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, said Jessi Silverman, a dietician at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

• The organization fears Kennedy will instead promote disputed ideas about the benefits of beef tallow and increased consumption of meat and whole fat dairy products, she said.

Additives: While food manufacturers defend their ingredients as safe, experts have been largely supportive of scrutiny around additives like artificial food dyes.

• Schools have already been purchasing products without synthetic dyes in response to limits in some states, said Diane Pratt-Heavner, spokesperson for the School Nutrition Association.
• "The colors are a no-brainer because there's enough question about their safety that they really shouldn't be there. Just get rid of them," said Marion Nestle, emerita professor of nutrition at New York University.

Ultra-processed foods: Another area of focus is ultra-processed foods and their role contributing to obesity.

• But the science is more complicated than it may seem, Silverman said. "Ultra-processed as a category includes so many different foods that have a variety of different nutritional profiles," she noted, adding it's not yet clear what about ultra-processed foods is driving this correlation.
• School meals are already the most regulated in the country, with districts stretched to meet limits for calories, saturated fat, sodium and sugar. Upending those goals without a corresponding increase in funding would be an enormous challenge, she said.

Alcohol: Specific recommendations to limit consumption to one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men are expected to be eliminated from the guidelines, Reuters reported.

• It's been an area of disagreement and not something the dietary advisory committee took up in December, Mande said.
• Health and Human Services did not respond to requests for comment.

Reality check: Studies show the vast majority of Americans' diets (86%) don't meet to the U.S. dietary guidelines, Mande pointed out.

• So far, Kennedy has avoided mandating changes, raising questions about how willing he is to lower the hammer on the food industry.

The bottom line: The dietary guidelines are inherently a political document and both Kennedy and Rollins aren't legally obligated to follow expert advice.

• "There's no reason it wouldn't say exactly what RFK Jr. and Brooke Rollins intend it to say," Mande said.

Elon Musk's push to form a new political party is fielding offers for help from Andrew Yang's Forward Party, the Libertarian Party and several consultants, Axios has learned.

• "I'm in touch with Elon and his team, and I've said to them, 'Look, anyone who wants to challenge the duopoly has a friend in me,' " Yang said in an interview with Axios.

Why it matters: Musk has said he wants his America Party to be a political disruptor in the 2026 midterms — a likely outlet for the billionaire's push to cut the nation's runaway debt and boost sustainable energy.

• And, perhaps, strike back at President Trump and those Republican lawmakers who left Musk feeling betrayed by backing Trump's "big beautiful bill," which is projected to balloon the nation's deficits by more than $3 trillion over the next decade.

Zoom in: So far, Musk's plans are mostly all talk — a germ of an idea to target a few members of Congress.

• Creating a third party in U.S. politics isn't easy, and requires an organization that's able to gather the signatures of thousands of voters in a state just to get on a ballot. Musk, who sank well over $200 million into backing Trump and Republicans last year, has the money to do that.
• Then there's the question of which voters and candidates would be willing to stand with Musk. He has a history of erratic behavior — and polls indicate he's alienated voters on both sides of the spectrum by cozying up to Trump, leading DOGE, and then bitterly breaking with Trump.

But Monday, there were indications that other third parties might be willing to align with Musk.

• Yang said he might help Musk recruit candidates in the House districts where Musk is looking to challenge incumbents.
• Yang's Forward Party — founded in 2021, after his unsuccessful run in the Democratic presidential primary the year before — now has 46 elected officials representing the party.
• "Right now they're in learning mode," Yang said of Musk and his team.
• Musk "could make a third-party effort immediately viable, and that changes the game," said Ron Nielson, who managed Gary Johnson's Libertarian campaign for president in 2016 and said he would consider working for Musk's party.

No Labels, an organization that considered trying to run an independent presidential candidate in 2024, is also intrigued by Musk's interest in creating a new governing coalition in Congress, according to a representative from the group.

• The Libertarian Party, meanwhile, is lobbying Musk where he lives — on X, his social media platform — urging him to join Libertarians over a shared interest of fiscal responsibility and concern about the deficit.
• The Libertarian Party has the most ballot access of the minor parties and regularly has candidates for offices at all levels of government.
• "Perhaps there is grounds for a coalition between the Libertarians and the America Party to run pro-liberty, small-government, fiscally conservative candidates against the Republicans, who have proven that they cannot be trusted," party chair Steven Nekhaila said.
• "There's many billionaires and very wealthy, rich, iconic people that have tried, but none of them have been successful" in third-party politics, Nekhaila said.

Representatives for Musk didn't respond to a request for comment.

Zoom out: State laws govern ballot access, and "the laws in each state tend to be very complex and arcane, and they are enforced by partisan election officials," said Oliver Hall, founder and executive director for the Center for Competitive Democracy. "If the partisan election officials are not disposed to want you on the ballot, then they can enforce them in somewhat arbitrary ways."

• Hall, whose organization helps all non-major party candidates navigate ballot access and litigation, has dealt with the numerous — and often frivolous — lawsuits filed by Democratic and GOP operatives to stifle third parties.
• One lawsuit against independent candidate Cornel West in 2024 aimed to keep West off the ballot in Wisconsin because his two-page candidate declaration wasn't stapled together, Hall said.
• "That's the kind of thing they will come after you for if they don't want you on the ballot," he said.

In some states, it's harder for a new party to get on the ballot for a congressional race than a presidential election, said ballot access expert Richard Winger, who runs Ballot Access News.

Between the lines: The third-party consulting and petitioning world is niche, but many people are motivated to expand voters' choices so Musk shouldn't struggle to find experts willing to work with him, several consultants told Axios.

• Being the world's richest person also will help Musk — where there's money, there are consultants and advisers. But Musk and his team will have to find the right team members, political veterans said.
• "I guarantee you every grifter in the petitioning world is already trying to get their claws into Musk," one third-party ballot access consultant told Axios.
• Musk, the consultant added, needs "the pros, not the bros."

Axios' Hans Nichols and Alex Isenstadt contributed to this story.

Federal immigration agents would be banned from wearing most face coverings but be required to wear visible ID during public enforcement operations, according to a proposal from Democratic U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ).

Why it matters: The long-shot proposal comes following images of masked, heavily armed immigration agents snatching people off the streets and taking them away in unmarked cars have shocked many Americans.

Driving the news: Under the proposed bill unveiled Tuesday, Homeland Security agents from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would be required to display a legible ID that includes the agency name or acronym.

• They'd also have to include information on their names or badge numbers.
• This requirement would extend to federal agents detailed to immigration operations, and deputized state or local officers.

Zoom in: The bill also would prohibit non-medical face coverings (such as masks or balaclavas) that obscure identity or facial visibility, with exceptions for environmental hazards or covert operations.

• In addition, it would require the Department of Homeland Security to establish disciplinary procedures for violations, report annually to Congress, and investigate complaints through its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

Context: ICE agents are currently not required to wear body cameras, can cover their faces, don't have to provide badge numbers or identify themselves, can arrive in unmarked cars and they don't need a warrant from a judge to detain someone.

• ICE agents operated with vastly more enforcement power, less transparency and fewer guardrails than local police and other federal agencies since ICE was created in 2003.

State of play: The Trump administration's stepped-up immigration enforcement as part of a mass deportation effort has exposed the ICE agents' tactical exceptions.

• Administration officials say the secrecy is necessary to prevent agent doxing and for enforcement.
• Critics argue that other agencies are required to identify themselves, and the lack of transparency is merely an excuse to create a secret police force.

What they're saying: "When federal immigration agents show up and pull someone off the street in plainclothes with their face obscured and no visible identification, it only escalates tensions and spreads fear while shielding federal agents from basic accountability," Padilla said.

• Padilla said the VISIBLE Act would "restore transparency and ensure impersonators can't exploit the panic" during raids.
• "The masked bandit is a symbol of fear, and having government agents dressed like paramilitaries is un-American," Scott Shuchart, a former ICE and DHS (Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties) official who supports the measure, said.

The other side: Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, has defended ICE agents' tactics and the use of face coverings.

• She told Axios that ICE agents have faced a 700% surge in assaults against them in recent weeks.
• McLaughlin said DHS enforcement operations are highly targeted and blamed Democrats for "violent rhetoric" against ICE agents.

Zoom out: ICE was formed in 2003. It was placed under the control of the new Department of Homeland Security and replaced the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which had been under the Justice Department.

• To protect national security after the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, lawmakers gave ICE a unique combination of civil and criminal authorities.

Between the lines: Officers in other agencies are required to identify themselves and provide badge numbers to prevent impersonators.

• ICE has no such requirement, and there have been reports of ICE impersonators harassing people, creating more chaos and uncertainty in some communities.

What we're watching: The pressure to rein in some of ICE's enforcement tactics does have support among some conservatives worried about over policing.

• However, it's unclear whether such a proposal would garner any support from Republicans concerned about upsetting President Trump.

Elon Musk's empire isn't exactly crumbling, but it looks increasingly vulnerable as his falling out with President Trump intensifies.

Why it matters: The world's richest person enjoyed ballooning wealth in the early days of his alliance with the president, but their partnership has collapsed after Musk assailed Republican spending plans.

Driving the news: Tesla shares fell sharply again Monday after Musk said he'd launch a new political party, the America Party, and suggested a strategy of targeting a few key House and Senate seats in 2026.

• Musk is personally out nearly $20 billion — at least on paper — since breaking with President Trump last month, and his investors are out more than $100 billion on top of that.

By the numbers: Tesla shares closed down 6.8% Monday.

• They're down about 14% since early June, when Musk first publicly blasted the "big, beautiful bill," which quickly spiraled into a full split with the administration.

The big picture: Anyone who's at odds with Trump risks being at odds with his legion of supporters, including Republicans who control all three branches of government in Washington.

• Investors who were counting on favorable regulatory treatment for Tesla and a continued flow of government contracts for SpaceX now have reason to question where they stand.
• Ivana Delevska, founder of Spear Invest, recently sold off Tesla shares amid mounting risks associated with Musk's political entanglements: "While the opportunity is outsized the risks are very significant as well," she wrote Monday. "While the reward potential is clearly here the risks are significant as well."

Threat level: Any sustained damage would come at a critical time for Musk's businesses.

• Tesla began rolling out robotaxis in Austin in June, in a preview of a service that the company deems as critical to its future.
• Tesla is also facing mounting global competition from the likes of Chinese EV maker BYD, which is rapidly gaining market share in China and Europe. And the company's sales have been tumbling amid a backlash over Musk's political involvement, with second quarter deliveries falling nearly 14%.
• SpaceX is hoping to send an uncrewed mission to Mars in 2026.

What they're saying: "We expect that investors are growing tired of the distraction at a point when the business needs Musk's attention the most and only see downside from his dip back into politics," William Blair analyst Jed Dorsheimer writes in a research note.

Yes, but: Musk was still worth over $100 billion more than the world's second-richest person, Mark Zuckerberg, as of Monday with an estimated net worth of about $361 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The big question: Will board members try to get Musk to tamp down the political stuff?

• The Tesla board has historically been relentlessly supportive of Musk, though the WSJ reported in the spring that the board had launched a process to potentially identify a replacement CEO. Musk and Tesla chair Robyn Denholm denied it.
• Musk likely has more structural control at his myriad of private companies, like SpaceX and xAI, and more personal relationships with his largest investors, Axios' Dan Primack notes. Those businesses also don't have volatile public stocks or face the same sort of consumer brand pressures that can bedevil Tesla.

The bottom line: Investors were heartened when Musk recently declared he was effectively done with politics and would refocus his time on his companies — but that pivot didn't last long.

• "We would prefer this effort to be channeled towards the robotaxi rollout at this critical juncture," Dorsheimer says.

Contributing: Ben Berkowitz

The Senate GOP's top super PAC and affiliates have more than doubled their fundraising record for the first half of an off-year — bringing in $85 million, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Senate Leadership Fund is a campaign powerhouse for the GOP. But its new leaders want to shake things up after a decade of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his allies at the helm.

• This is the group's first fundraising release since Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) took over as Senate GOP leader.

President Trump is more involved than ever, SLF executive director Alex Latcham told Axios in an interview.

• Latcham and former Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) now run SLF after years under Steven Law, a close McConnell ally.
• "We're working with [the White House] to identify and vet Senate candidates," Latcham said, describing it as an asset "as we navigate some of these primaries."
• Discussions with the White House about 2026 come at a "regular cadence, whether it's in person, over the phone," he told Axios.

Zoom in: The group is planning to spend more money far ahead of the traditional blast after Labor Day of an election year.

• They have already started spending in Georgia, North Carolina, Maine, Alaska and Nebraska.
• They are planning an imminent Texas ad buy. SLF has backed Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who has been trailing his primary challenger Attorney General Ken Paxton in polls.

By the numbers: SLF and its affiliated group One Nation have raised over $85 million since the start of the year — far more than the $38 million raised over the same period in 2023, the group told Axios.

• Together they have $83 million cash on hand.
• SLF alone has $29 million on hand. That is three times as much as SLF had in 2023 and five times as much as in 2021, at the same point in the cycle.

Between the lines: Latcham gave credit to Thune's activity in fundraising for SLF and GOP candidates — both in D.C. and on the road.

• But he also cited the GOP majority and excitement around the administration.
• The team has also been targeting new donors.
• "Obviously, you've got the crypto community, which is more engaged in politics writ large," Latcham said, adding there are others who are more engaged with Trump in office.

What to watch: SLF plans to put more emphasis on streaming and digital ads to reach the modern electorate, including younger voters and "cord-cutters."

• Strategists are starting to map out how to reach voters who are solid Trump supporters, but are less likely to turn out in mid-term election years.
• They plan to coordinate that work with other outside groups and the White House.

The bottom line: "What will not change is that SLF will continue to be the preeminent outside group dedicated to, you know, keeping and expanding the Senate Republican majority, " Latcham said.

President Trump's decision Monday to send defensive weapons to Ukraine followed days of consultations with aides and other world leaders about where those arms would actually come from.

Why it matters: The Trump Administration had paused shipments of some arms to Ukraine, including Patriot missile interceptors. Now the desperately needed weapons are on the way. But Trump is also seeking alternative solutions, including pressing Germany to send its own Patriot battery.

Driving the news: "We are going to have to send more weapons to Ukraine. Defensive weapons, they have to defend themselves," Trump told reporters during a Monday evening meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

• "At President Trump's direction, the Department of Defense will send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace," the Pentagon said later Monday night.
• Still, Trump and his team are reluctant to part with many Patriot interceptors. He wants the Europeans to send more of their own money and materiel as well.

Driving the news: Trump's change of heart started to become clearer on Friday when he spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in what both sides said was their best phone call since Trump assumed office.

• Trump told Zelensky he wants to help Ukraine's air defenses but stressed that the U.S. had to pause the latest weapons shipment to review its own stockpiles, according to two sources briefed on the call.
• Two sources said Trump promised to immediately send 10 Patriot interceptors — fewer than had been planned in the paused shipment — and help to find other means of supply.
• The day prior, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had called Trump to ask him to release the Patriot interceptors that were paused while en route to Ukraine, a German official said.

Friction point: The official said Merz told Trump that Germany is ready to buy Patriot batteries from the U.S. and send them to Ukraine.

• For his part, Trump suggested Germany sell one of its Patriot batteries to Ukraine, according to three sources familiar with the discussion. They said the U.S. and European allies would split the cost of the purchase.
• Trump and Merz didn't reach an agreement, but officials say the discussion is ongoing. German officials contend Germany has given a very high percentage of its Patriots to Ukraine — even more than the U.S. in relative terms.

The big picture: With stocks dwindling amid multiple ongoing wars, there's increasing concern among NATO countries about giving up munitions — particularly interceptors — more quickly than they can be produced.

• "Getting a Patriot missile isn't like going to Walmart and picking 10 off the shelf and going home," one Trump adviser told Axios.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth identified available Patriot missile batteries in Germany and Greece that the U.S. would prefer to finance and send to Ukraine. "Those conversations have been ongoing for months," the Trump adviser said.
• The U.S. recently conducted its largest-ever Patriot missile salvo to defend U.S. troops in Qatar from an Iranian attack.

Reality check: Trump isn't just concerned about stockpiles. He's told confidants that "this isn't my war," but it will be if he starts sending arms to Ukraine.

• Trump overcame some of his reticence to use military force when he bombed Iran's nuclear sites, however, and some advisers think he can similarly find a justification for sending Ukraine purely defensive weaponry.

Zoom out: Trump's thinking is informed by his mounting exasperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who unleashed a massive air barrage on Ukraine after hanging up with the U.S. president on Thursday.

• By contrast, Trump's call with Zelensky was friendly and productive, as was their meeting a week prior at a NATO meeting in The Hague.
• "They [Ukrainians] should feel better than they have at any point during the Trump presidency," said a source familiar with the discussions. "Putin was a jerk."

The intrigue: At The Hague, Trump also had a notable exchange with BBC reporter Myroslava Petsa, a Ukrainian, who asked him about sending Patriots to her homeland, where her husband is a soldier.

• "It made an impression," said one source who spoke with Trump.
• But another cautioned that Trump might have been suspicious and asked others, "was that a setup?"

What's next: Zelensky and his aides will meet in Rome later this week with Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg. They hope to get more clarity on the future of U.S. weapons shipments.

The bottom line: "This is the president's administration. What he decides, we do," a Trump adviser said. "We're waiting on him."

The above chart may explain why your boss is taking longer to get back to you lately: She's got a lot more underlings to watch over.

Driving the news: People managers now oversee about twice as many workers as just five years ago, per a new analysis.

Why it matters: Middle managers — i.e. bosses who have bosses — were already quietly going extinct, and now AI may be hastening the process.

By the numbers: There are now nearly six individual contributors per manager at the 8,500 small businesses analyzed in a report by Gusto, which handles payroll for small and medium-sized employers. That's up from a little over three in 2019.

• "It's happening broadly across the economy," Nich Tremper, a senior economist at Gusto, told Axios.
• For small companies, a lot of this happened through attrition, he says. "Rather than replacing a manager, an existing one will just see an expanded scope." (Pity these folks during performance review season.)

The big picture: Big Tech has been shedding middle managers for the past few years, a process that's been dubbed the Great Flattening.

• It's not totally clear that AI is replacing the work managers do. Instead, the headcount reduction seems to be a way to cut costs, particularly as companies spend huge sums on AI.

Zoom in: Reducing management layers is one of Microsoft's stated goals in laying off thousands of workers this year as it ramps up its AI strategy. Most recently the company announced it was shedding 9,000 employees — a mix of individual contributors and managers.

• Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced an effort to reduce managers in a memo last year.
• Google cut the number of vice president and manager roles by 10% last year, according to reporting from Business Insider.
• And Meta has been "flattening" since 2023's "year of efficiency."

State of play: Small businesses in the service sector — including restaurants and other hospitality businesses — were first to this trend, says Tremper.

• These companies needed to find a way to cut labor costs, as wages soared coming out of the pandemic and interest rates spiked, too.

Between the lines: AI may allow for more flattening to come.

• The use of the technology has freed up managers' time, as their direct reports turn to AI for help instead of their manager, per a recent study highlighted in this month's Harvard Business Review.
• Meanwhile, supervisors are also increasingly using AI to automate managing, as Axios' Megan Morrone reported earlier this month, though it's not exactly clear how.

What to watch: "Flattening" can backfire. Gusto found that industries with more managers had higher worker productivity.

• Junior employees especially need the training and mentorship that a close relationship with a manager offers, Tremper says.

The bottom line: "Middle manager is almost a cultural joke in a lot of ways," Tremper says.

• But getting rid of them all might not be so funny.

President Trump said Monday the U.S. will send more weapons to Ukraine.

Why it matters: Trump's pledge comes after the Pentagon last week paused some shipments of precision munitions to Ukraine that included air defense missiles amid concerns about declining U.S. stockpiles.

• Trump told Ukrainian President Zelensky in a call last Friday that the U.S. wanted to help Kyiv with air defense due to escalating Russian attacks, per Axios' Barak Ravid.

Details: "We're going to send some more weapons, we have to," Trump told reporters during a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

• "They have to be able to defend themselves. They're getting hit very hard now," he added.
• "Defensive weapons, primarily, but they're getting hit very, very hard. So many people are dying in that mess."

Zoom in: Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in an emailed statement soon after Trump's remarks that at the president's direction, "the Department of Defense is sending additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops."

• The department's framework for Trump "to evaluate military shipments across the globe remains in effect and is integral to our America First defense priorities," Parnell added.

Go deeper: Trump tells Zelensky he wants to help Ukraine with air defense, sources say

President Trump said at the top of his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he thinks Hamas and Israel "want to have that ceasefire" in Gaza.

Why it matters: Trump has been pressuring both Israel and Hamas — through Qatari and Egyptian mediators — to agree to a deal that includes a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and the release of 10 living hostages and 18 bodies.

• The president wanted to reach an agreement with Netanyahu in their meeting on terms for ending the war in Gaza.

Driving the news: Negotiators from Israel and Hamas, together with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, have been meeting in Doha since Sunday to try and reach an agreement for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living and 18 deceased hostages.

• White House envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Doha as early as Tuesday to join the talks and try to seal the deal, the White House said.
• "We have an opportunity to finally get a peace deal - I am hopeful for it very quickly", Witkoff said at the top of Trump's meeting with Netanyahu.
• Ahead of the dinner with Trump at the White House the Israeli Prime Minister met separately with Witkoff and with Secretary of state Marco Rubio.

What to watch: Trump said at the top of his meeting with Netanyahu that the U.S. will hold a meeting with Iran soon to try and get a nuclear deal.

• Witkoff said the meeting will take place "in the next week or so."
• Axios reported last week that Witkoff has been discussing with Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi about holding a meeting in Oslo.
• If it happens, it would be the first meeting between the parties since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran ended.
• "I hope the war with Iran is over. I think they want to meet and make peace," Trump said when asked if he sees the war resuming.

Go deeper: Israeli officials think Trump could give them green light to attack Iran again

The American Academy of Pediatrics and other physician groups on Monday sued HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for unilaterally changing federal COVID vaccine recommendations, saying the move undercut some patients' right to get the shots.

The big picture: The lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts charges that Kennedy's revised vaccine policies have already caused confusion, and seeks a freeze of Kennedy's May directive to remove COVID vaccine from immunization schedules for healthy kids and pregnant women.

Driving the news: The medical associations claim Kennedy's directive to change COVID vaccine recommendations violates federal administrative law.

• Their complaint also noted he fired members of the federal independent vaccine advisory commission, though it doesn't make a formal charge against Kennedy for doing so.
• CDC guidance has since been updated to say that healthy children from six months to 17 years old may get COVID vaccines after consulting with a health care provider. The new CDC vaccine schedule has no recommendation on COVID vaccine for healthy pregnant women.

Zoom in: The American College of Physicians, American Public Health Association, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the Massachusetts Public Health Alliance and a pregnant woman who intends to get the COVID vaccine are also plaintiffs.

• In addition to Kennedy, the complaint also names FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, saying they acted in violation of federal law.

What they're saying: "We will not stand by while a single federal official unilaterally and effectively strips Americans of their choice to vaccinate with actions that thoroughly disregard overwhelming scientific evidence and decades of established federal processes," Tina Tan, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said in a statement.

• The medical associations say in a statement that parents and patients should follow qualified medical professionals' guidance on what vaccines to get, and note that their websites provide "evidence-based resources to help patients make decisions grounded in facts, not fear."

An HHS spokesperson said "the Secretary stands by his CDC reforms."

President Trump's former national security adviser Mike Waltz is scheduled to appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next Tuesday or Wednesday for his confirmation hearing to be ambassador to the UN, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Waltz's hearing will give Democrats an opportunity to put Trump's foreign policy on trial and grill the former Florida congressman and Green Beret on everything from his role in Signalgate to the White House's long-term goals on Iran and China.

• Trump dismissed Waltz from his position on May 1, about a month after he inadvertently included The Atlantic's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal chat discussing sensitive details about a strike in Yemen.
• In announcing his firing as the national security adviser, Trump also found him a new position, UN ambassador, a post that had been promised and then was pulled from Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.).
• Since then, Waltz has kept a low profile.

The intrigue: On Iran, Waltz was perceived to be more hawkish than Vice President Vance and Steven Witkoff, Trump's envoy.

• But less than two months after Waltz was ousted, Trump ordered strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities.

Zoom out: Waltz's ouster was the first major shake-up of Trump's second term. It came after he ran afoul of Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer.

• He also clashed with other members of the Cabinet and White House staff. On a March trip to Greenland, Vance counseled him about "working more collaboratively," with the Cabinet, Axios reported at the time.

Zoom in: Democrats on the foreign relations committee, including Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), have been deeply critical of Trump's foreign policy. Kaine forced a War Powers Act vote on the floor after Trump's Iranian strikes, but it failed.

• There's also broad concern among Democrats about Trump's commitment to international institutions like the UN and how the White House will use them to counter China's growing influence.

Even as floodwaters rose with terrifying speed, people sprang into action, making split-second decisions that helped save lives in Kerr County, Texas.

The big picture: From camp counselors guiding children to safety in the dark to first responders navigating dangerous conditions, stories of courage are emerging from the chaos.

Between the lines: No single account can capture the full scope of heroism in the Hill Country since early Friday.

• Hundreds of volunteers and rescue crews continue to work across miles of wreckage.

Here are a few of the stories.

Silvana Garza Valdez and María Paula Zárate

The Camp Mystic counselors told Foro TV, a Mexican news station, that the storm woke them in the middle of the night.

• Garza Valdez and Zárate said they gathered the campers and used permanent markers to write the girls' names and ages on their arms to identify them if the worst happened. They then moved the group to a nearby dining hall for safety.
• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly recognized the two young women Monday morning, saying she was "very proud."

Scott Ruskan

Scott Ruskan, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer based in Corpus Christi, was deployed to Camp Mystic on Friday. Speaking to "Good Morning America," he described it as one of the most difficult flying conditions he's faced. It was his first mission in his one-year career.

• "When I got on scene, there were 200 kids looking to someone for comfort and safety," he said. "They don't know my experience, my rank or my age. They just see someone who's here to help — and I had to live up to that. The real heroes, I think, are the kids on the ground."
• The Department of Homeland Security applauded Ruskan's 65 aircrew members, including Lt. Ian Hopper, Lt. Blair Ogujiofor and flight mechanic Seth Reeves.

La Junta counselors

Roughly five miles upstream from Camp Mystic, young counselors at Camp La Junta moved about 150 boys to higher ground. A volunteer who goes by @DavidEReal4 on X told Sky News they instructed the boys to climb into the rafters of a cabin.

• "Their feet still got wet, but if the water had risen just a few feet more, they all would've been lost," he said. "Those young men and adults who saved all those kids — they're the real heroes."
• According to the volunteer, the boys declined to be identified.

Emma Foltz

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry recognized the Camp Mystic counselor and Louisiana Tech senior on Sunday.

• "She played an instrumental role in helping evacuate 14 of her campers to safety. Please join me in thanking Emma for all her hard work and bravery under immense pressure," he wrote online.

There have been 1,267 confirmed cases of measles in the U.S. this year, almost 4.5 times the total for all of last year and on track to pass the highest annual count since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Why it matters: While the disease isn't consistently spreading due to immunization campaigns, there have been outbreaks well beyond West Texas, where low immunization rates and high school exemptions stoked spread of the highly contagious virus early this year.

Driving the news: There have been 27 outbreaks reported in the U.S. so far this year, accounting for 88% percent of the cases. In comparison, there were 16 outbreaks across the entire year in 2024 and 69% of cases were associated with those outbreaks.

• There have been three confirmed deaths.
• Measles cases have been confirmed in 38 states.
• Of the 1,267 cases, 360 (28%) were in kids younger than 5 and 464 (37%) were in kids between the ages of 5 and 19 years old.
• In 92% of the confirmed measles cases, the individuals were unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown.

While the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and effective, vaccination coverage among kindergartners has been falling and is now below the herd immunity target of 95%, per the CDC.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ended its emergency response to the H5N1 bird flu and said Monday it will streamline future updates on the virus with routine reports on seasonal influenza.

The big picture: A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said the response was "deactivated to transition back to regular program activity" last Wednesday due to animal infections with the H5N1 strain declining and no human cases being reported since February.

• CDC data shows 70 bird flu cases were reported in the U.S., but there are no known person-to-person exposures in the U.S. right now, eliminating the need for the virus' emergency declaration.
• The agency will continue to monitor the situation and report data on the number of people monitored and tested for bird flu monthly.
• Detections in animals will no longer be reported on the CDC's website, but can be found on the USDA's website.

State of play: There has only been one fatality from H5N1 in the U.S. since the CDC H5N1 Bird Flu Response was activated in April last year, which was reported earlier this year in Louisiana.

• The highest concentration of cases on the West Coast in California and Washington, according to CDC data.
• The most affected states have either ended or are winding down their responses.
• The HHS spokesperson said in their email statement that although the current public health risk from H5N1 bird flu is low, the CDC will continue to monitor the situation and scale up activities as needed.

Go deeper: Bird flu's wild range

Elon Musk's proposed new political party has some hurdles to clear before it becomes a reality.

The big picture: The call for a third political party isn't new, and it's been done before to varying success. But experts agree that it will require a herculean effort from Musk to make the so-called "America Party" successful.

• "People should take it seriously until proven otherwise," said Collin Anderson, clinical assistant professor of political science at the University at Buffalo. "There's a lot of hurdles in his way, especially pretty significant institutional barriers."
• "But it's not impossible."

What to know about Elon Musk's political party

Musk, the richest man in the world, has teased a new political party since taking umbrage with President Trump's signature "big, beautiful bill," calling it irresponsible and a negative to America's global power.

• Musk floated targeting tight congressional races that would make the hypothetical third party "the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people."

The other side: Trump called Musk a "train wreck" in response to the idea, and longtime Musk foe Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Musk's companies may not stand for it.

Musk's America Party vs. history of third parties

Musk would be battling the unsuccessful history of third parties.

• Third parties have made waves before — like Ross Perot's 1992 run. Many contend that the Green Party, which has consistently shown up on ballots for decades, tipped the 2000 election in favor of George W. Bush.
• Third parties historically don't work long-term because they don't have the boots on the ground or the institutional history to win seats like the major two parties can, said Bernard Tamas, author of "The Demise and Rebirth of American Third Parties."
• Still, they can disrupt the status quo by corralling votes, making the major parties "sweat a lot," he said.

State requirements for new political parties

Musk's battle begins at the state level where ballot access is governed by law.

• Though states have different requirements, most generally look for strong voter support to make the ballot. Consistent votes help keep the party qualified, according to the Federal Election Commission.
• Most states allow parties to have limited recognition "by being named as the organization represented by the candidate in his or her nominating petition," according to the FEC.

Anderson said Musk would likely target states with tossup elections where races are typically close, like North Carolina and Georgia.

Zoom in: North Carolina's current guidelines require new parties to collect petition signatures from voters who cast ballots in the most recent general election for the state's governor and from three different congressional districts in the state.

• In total, that's just under 14,000 signatures, according to the state's requirement fact sheet.
• The party must submit the signatures to the county board of elections where the signatures were obtained.

FEC guidelines for a new political party

To become a national political party, the FEC would need to approve an advisory opinion request filed by Musk's America Party.

• The FEC has specific guidelines for organizations or parties that wish to be on national ballots and have national control over their party.
• Prospective parties have to follow federal campaign finance laws and regulations, register with FEC and file financial reports regularly, as outlined by the FEC.

By focusing on the states, Musk's party could avoid registering with the FEC. This would allow his party to be recognized as a Section 527 political organization, which must register with the IRS but has "no dollar or source limitations," said Brett Kappel, an election lawyer.

Musk's political party name recognition

Outside of the legal requirements, Musk, already a polarizing figure, would need to mobilize media and a grassroots campaign to remind voters of the America Party, experts said.

• "This is one of the mistakes that some of the other third parties in the U.S. do where they show up for the presidential election, run a presidential candidate, don't do anything and then disappear for four years," Anderson said. "You can't do that. That's not gonna work."

Because of his deep pockets (and because super PACs can now supercharge grassroots efforts), Musk could stroll through the legal challenges and the campaigning grind.

• But getting people to remember the America Party when they hit the voting booth is what "he's gonna need to work on," Anderson said.

More from Axios:

• Top MAGA voices stunned by Trump administration debunking Epstein theories
• Tesla shares plunge again as politics, China weigh on Musk
• America's newborns to get $1,000 investment accounts

Israel is preparing for the possibility of further military action if Iran tries to revive its nuclear program, and Israeli officials think President Trump could greenlight renewed Israeli attacks, two sources with knowledge tell Axios.

Zoom in: The path forward on the Iranian nuclear crisis will be a primary topic when Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sit down for dinner on Monday evening at the White House.

• Israeli officials say Netanyahu wants to reach understandings with Trump about future U.S. nuclear negotiations with Iran, and on possible scenarios that would justify renewed military strikes.

Behind the scenes: Netanyahu's top adviser, Ron Dermer, told officials in closed briefings that he came away from a recent visit to Washington with the impression that the Trump administration would back new Israeli strikes on Iran under certain circumstances, the sources say.

• One scenario would be an Iranian attempt to remove the highly enriched uranium inside the damaged facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, according to the sources.
• Another would be if the Iranians start rebuilding their nuclear program, particularly enrichment facilities.
• Dermer met last week with Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House envoy Steve Witkoff, Israeli officials say. Dermer declined to comment.

The other side: Trump said twice since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran ended that the U.S. could attack Iran again in the future if it restores uranium enrichment.

• But he has also said he wants to reach a negotiated settlement and to avoid any further conflict.
• The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

One key issue discussed in Dermer's meetings was Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which includes 400kg enriched to 60%. Weapons-grade uranium requires about 90% enrichment.

• Israeli and U.S. officials say the material is currently "sealed off" inside the three nuclear sites. The U.S. and Israel assess those sites were significantly damaged, but that not all nuclear material or infrastructure was destroyed.
• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview that aired Monday with Tucker Carlson that the nuclear facilities were seriously damaged, but Iran doesn't currently have access to them to accurately assess the situation.

The intrigue: U.S. and Israeli officials say both countries' intelligence services are monitoring Iranian actions around its nuclear facilities to detect efforts to remove material or restore operations.

What's next: White House envoy Steve Witkoff is planning to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oslo in the coming days to restart nuclear talks.

• The Iranians confirmed such a meeting is in the works but so far no final date has been set.
• Dermer told Israeli officials the U.S. remains committed to the principle of zero enrichment on Iranian soil in the nuclear talks.

Go deeper: Trump hopes to align with Netanyahu on Gaza war endgame during visit

The U.S. started imposing tariffs by letter to a variety of countries Monday, pairing new rates with an explicit warning that even those could change at any time.

Why it matters: After months of threats, President Trump is abruptly re-escalating the trade war.

• For businesses craving certainty, who've had a period of relative calm, the move could once again upset that balance.
• It also injects a new risk into financial markets that have largely already moved on to a post-tariff world.

Driving the news: Trump posted copies of the letters to Truth Social, starting with South Korea and Japan, both of which were hit with 25% tariffs, effective Aug 1.

• Those tariff rates are similar to what the White House announced on the April 2 "Liberation Day," before swiftly pausing the implementation for 90 days.
• He later posted similar letters to Myanmar (40% tariff), Laos (40%), Thailand (36%), Cambodia (36%), Serbia (35%), Bangladesh (35%), Indonesia (32%), Bosnia & Herzegovina (30%), South Africa (30%), Kazakhstan (25%), Malaysia (25%) and Tunisia (25%).
• Many rates were slightly lower than April, or unchanged; Malaysia's was 1 percentage point higher.
• Cambodia was the big "winner," with its rate dropping 13 percentage points from the original target.

What they're saying: "If you wish to open your heretofore closed Trading Markets to the United States, eliminate your tariff, and Non Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, we will, perhaps consider an adjustment to this letter," both the letters to the South Korean and Japanese leaders say.

Zoom in: Later Monday, Trump told reporters at the White House that the Aug. 1 deadline was "firm but not 100% firm," adding the U.S. would be open to listening to offers from other countries.

What to watch: Trump threatened to up the ante if countries threatened to retaliate.

• "If for any reason you decide to raise your tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge," the letter addressed to Japan reads.
• There is similar language in the letter to South Korea and others.
• The letters also end with an ominous warning for those craving some sort of finality: "These Tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country."

By the numbers: Markets initially sold off to hit session lows on the news, rebounded, and then dropped off again.

• The S&P 500 fell 0.8%, while the small-cap Russell 2000 — whose constituents are more vulnerable to tariff costs — fell 1.6%.

Madison Mills contributed reporting.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional comments by President Trump.

Global trade rules are about as hazy now as in early April, when the White House touted "90 deals in 90 days" that would ease the uncertainty.

Why it matters: Since the April 9 trade war de-escalation, businesses have been waiting for clarity on where tariffs will settle so they can adapt their supply chains and pricing accordingly.

• It now appears as if the July 9 deadline for those deals will pass with little certainty.
• For business leaders, the fear is that the trade wars started when Donald Trump took office don't have a firm end date, a worry that grows with each shifting deadline.

What they're saying: "Whatever deals there are going to be, let's just ink it and move on," says Sue Spence, the chair of the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing business survey committee.

• "But even if that happens, there is such a disbelief it will stick," says Spence, who surveys manufacturers each month to gauge the industry's health.

What's new: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC early Monday that trade announcements were coming in the next 48 hours.

• Bessent said "we've had a lot of people change their tune in terms of negotiations" since Trump threatened that countries could revert back to the tariffs outlined on Liberation Day.
• "My mailbox was full last night with a lot of new offers, a lot of new proposals," he said.

Yes, but: Bessent also pointed to August 1 as the next date to watch, when countries that have not landed deals will see tariff rates revert back to those announced in early April.

• Trump posted on Truth Social last night that "UNITED STATES TARIFF letters and/or Deals with various Countries from around the World" will be delivered starting at noon Monday.

What to watch: Today sets off the latest murky timeline that business leaders will struggle to understand.

• The list of dates already includes July 21, when the U.S. and Canada are supposed to notch a deal. There is also Aug. 12, when the 90-day trade truce with China expires.
• The Trump administration has announced trade frameworks with the U.K. and Vietnam, though agreements with other major trading partners — Japan and Mexico, for instance — look uncertain.
• The European Commission's Ursula von der Leyen "had a good exchange" with Trump last night, the bloc said. It is a hint that talks might be moving in the right direction ahead of Wednesday, when tariffs on European goods are threatened to jump to 50%.

Tariff threats ahead

The prospect of substantially higher import taxes remains, even if there are a wave of tariff deals announced in the days ahead.

• The Commerce Department is considering the potential for tariffs on individual sectors — including chips, pharmaceuticals and more — under its trade authorities, Section 232 and Section 301.
• Trump last night threatened to impose additional tariffs on the "BRICS" (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), ahead of their annual gathering in South America.

The big picture: "Historically, fully fledged trade deals take, on average, three years to conclude, not three months," Morgan Stanley economists wrote in a note this morning.

• "Our best guess is that any near-term announcements will not be comprehensive and permanent, and will likely be some kind of blanket agreement," they add.
• "Even if we get a range of agreements on July 8/9, because of all the uncertainty noted above, the next question will obviously be, for how long is this agreement valid?"

The intrigue: Businesses are yearning for some clarity — a sense that whatever the new tariff regime may look like, it will remain relatively stable.

• Asked what certainty in this new era might look like, ISM's Spence says: "Enough time needs to go by with no other changes."
• "If I'm the CFO of a company, and there is a deal in place with China and Europe, and three months go by and there hasn't been a big change, relations seem good with no new threats — then maybe I am going to be comfortable enough to move forward with decisions I have delayed," Spence says.

The MAGA movement erupted in disbelief Monday after top administration officials said convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had not blackmailed elite figures, kept a "client list" or been murdered in prison.

Why it matters: MAGA's fundamental distrust of the "deep state" sparked years of conspiracy theories over Epstein's suicide in prison while facing federal sex trafficking charges. Now, even declarations from movement stalwarts like Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, the top two officials at the FBI, are not enough to placate adherents.

What they're saying: Social media lit up with posts casting doubt on the findings Sunday and Monday, even questioning the integrity of Patel, Bongino and Attorney General Pam Bondi, who were either longstanding allies of President Trump or prominent figures in MAGA media themselves before entering the administration.

• "As trusted voices like @FBIDDBongino, @FBIDirectorKash, and @AGPamBondi align with the official story, many are asking: Who's still willing to demand real answers?" LindellTV, the outlet helmed by Trump ally Mike Lindell, posted on X.
• "Assuming this leaked Epstein Files memo is true, then we all know this is a shameful coverup to protect the most heinous elites," added influencer Rogan O'Handley, who goes by DC Draino.

Zoom out: Axios first reported Sunday that the Justice Department and FBI had written a memo saying they found no evidence Epstein had been murdered, kept a "client list" or extorted powerful figures.

• The administration also released video from the hours before Epstein's death showing that nobody else had entered his cell.
• The memo said nobody else involved in the Epstein case will be charged and that the administration would not release any material in its possession detailing child sexual abuse or information on Epstein's victims.

Between the lines: Patel and Bongino were both prominent purveyors of conspiracy theories around Epstein's death as influencers prior to Trump's inauguration.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the DOJ and FBI found no evidence that Epstein was murdered (not that there was no evidence he killed himself).

Kerr County, Texas, officials have recovered 84 people following catastrophic flooding throughout Central Texas that washed through an all-girls summer camp and sparked a desperate, days-long search for survivors.

The big picture: Across the state, more than 100 people have been killed in the flash flooding that began early Friday on the Guadalupe River, where the water surged by more than two dozen feet in less than an hour.

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said at a Sunday briefing that 41 people in areas throughout the state remain unaccounted for, though he noted there are more people not on the known missing list.

The latest: Of the 84 reported dead in Kerr County, 56 were adults and 28 were children, per a Monday evening Facebook post from the local sheriff's office.

• Twenty-two of the adults and 10 children were pending identification.
• Search and rescue operations continue throughout the county, officials said, stressing it is crucial for those seeking to volunteer to register with the Kerrville Salvation Army.
• Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said at the Monday briefing that there have been over 850 high-water rescues since the floods began, applauding stories of local heroism.

Zoom in: Camp Mystic, a private Christian camp for girls, confirmed on its website that 27 campers and counselors had died following the flooding.

• "Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy," a statement read. "We are praying for them constantly."
• The camp said it is "tirelessly deploying extensive resources" to search for the girls who remain missing.
• As of Monday, officials said 10 campers and one counselor are still unaccounted for.

Dick Eastland, the director of the camp, was among those who died in the flood, as were girls as young as 8 and 9.

• Abbott said Sunday that what he saw on his visit to the camp was "nothing short of horrific."

Zoom out: While Kerr County has the largest death toll, deaths were reported across five other counties.

• President Trump on Sunday announced he signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, adding that federal officials were coordinating with state and local officials.
• The president confirmed that he would visit Texas on Friday. "That was a terrible event, terrible event," Trump said on Monday.
• Details of where in the state Trump will visit were not immediately released.

Situation report: A flood watch was in effect for areas throughout the state until 7pm CDT Monday as more rainfall is expected, according to the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio.

• "After several days of active thunderstorms and torrential rains, resulting in catastrophic flooding across south-central Texas, some relief is in store during Tuesday," per a Monday National Weather Service forecast discussion.
• "The ongoing active thunderstorms Monday afternoon will continue to pose life threatening flash flooding across south central Texas into this evening," the NWS added.
• "However, by Tuesday, thunderstorm activity expected to be less active, with the primary area of scattered thunderstorms to the north of the recently hard hit areas of south-central Texas."

Go deeper: Trump says NWS staffing levels didn't affect Texas storm preparedness

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information.