History is set to be made on the Moon again this week, with Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission Nova-C class lunar lander Athena scheduled to land there at 12:32pm ET on Thursday.

The big picture: Intuitive Machines has partnered with Lunar Outpost to roll out the first commercial rover on the Moon and with Finnish multinational tech firm Nokia to deliver the first cellular network on Earth's only natural satellite.

• This mission comes after the Cedar Park, Texas-based company Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander achieved on Sunday the first successful commercial Moon landing.

State of play: Intuitive Machines' second lunar mission is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services ("CLPS") initiative, which allows the agency to hire private space companies to deliver its lunar instruments.

• Athena is "slated to land in Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon's South Pole, as part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence," per a NASA statement.
• It will be carrying "NASA technology demonstrations and science investigations," the space agency added.

What to expect: "Two device modules make up additional components of Nokia's LSCS, and they have been installed in two lunar mobility vehicles: Intuitive Machines' Micro-Nova Hopper and Lunar Outpost's Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) rover," per a Nokia statement.

• "Upon landing on the Moon, the two vehicles are designed to deploy on the lunar surface where they would immediately use the Nokia device modules to establish connections to the network on Athena."
• The rover will deploy Nokia's 4G/LTE antennas to establish connection on the Moon.

🧵1/2: Flight controllers confirmed that Athena completed lunar orbit insertion with enough accuracy to forego the IM-2 mission's optional lunar correction maneuver.

Athena continues to be in excellent health, completing lunar orbits every two hours, waiting for the sun to rise… pic.twitter.com/dPt2bXLGMX

— Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) March 4, 2025

Zoom in: The Lunar Outpost MAPP is on a mission to explore the uncharted territory of the Moon's South Pole — which the Arvada, Colorado-headquartered firm noted in a statement is "a region critical to future lunar infrastructure and sustainability."

• It will also "execute the first sale of space resources with NASA" through the collection of regolith, rock and dust from the Moon's surface and "gather critical data to shape the future of lunar exploration," Lunar Outpost added.
• Meanwhile, Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AstroAnt robotic swarm prototype will "wheel around MAPP's roof to take temperature readings and monitor its operation," according to Lunar Outpost.

The intrigue: Lego announced on Friday it was "teaming up" with Lunar Outpost "over a shared love of space, the exploration of space and building ridiculously cool things," telling fans to watch out for "a future product and more than a few surprises along the way."

• The Danish toymaker also published a cryptic post on the matter on Facebook:

• When asked for comment on the partnership, a spokesperson for Lunar Outpost said in an emailed statement on Wednesday night "yes, we're partnered with LEGO, but there's not much more I can share quite yet... More to come!"

How to watch: The mission landing will be live-streamed on Intuitive Machines' YouTube channel and on the NASA+ streaming service on Thursday.

• Broadcast is due to begin at 11:30am ET.

What's next: The mission team will "begin transmitting the first images, data, and discoveries from the Moon's surface over Nokia's LSCS using a device module integrated in the MAPP rover," per a Lunar Outpost statement.

Go deeper: The race to tap the Moon's immense value

Los Angeles County is suing Southern California Edison over the Eaton Fire, which killed 17 people in January.

The big picture: The cause of the blaze that was one of California's most destructive wildfires on record remains under investigation, but LA County alleges in a lawsuit there's "clear evidence" from images and witness statements that SCE's equipment was responsible for it.

• It's one of several lawsuits the utility faces over the Eaton Fire. The cities of Pasadena and Sierra Madre also announced suits against SCE.

Zoom in: The wildfire that was one of several to erupt on Jan. 7 during dry, windy conditions destroyed 9,414 properties and damaged 1,074 others as it burned for 24 days over 14,021 acres in the Altadena and Pasadena, Calif., areas, injuring nine firefighters, per Cal Fire.

• LA County said in a statement it filed the lawsuit to "recover costs and damages sustained" from the blaze, which it's estimated "will total at least hundreds of millions of dollars."
• The lawsuit alleges that the Eaton Fire has "massively impacted the County's natural resources, harmed the environment and wildlife, and threatened public health," the statement added.

What they're saying: "Our hearts are with the communities affected by the wildfires in Southern California," said Brian Leventhal, a spokesperson for SCE.

• "We are reviewing the lawsuits that were recently filed and we'll address them through the appropriate legal process."

Read the complaint, via DocumentCloud:

More from Axios...

• Climate change made LA fires far more likely, study says
• In photos: L.A. County burns as Eaton Fire explodes in Southern California
• L.A. wildfires destroy Black community birthed from Civil Rights era

President Trump's 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, as well as new levies on Chinese imports took effect on Tuesday.

Why it matters: Trump's confirmation of the tariffs sent markets sliding amid fears it could raise prices for U.S. customers, hurt the economy and prompt a trade war.

• Canada and China took retaliatory action against U.S. products as tariffs targeting their countries took effect.

What to watch: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that a deal with North American allies could be announced as soon as Wednesday, opening the door for potential tariff relief.

• "I think he's going to work something out with them," Lutnick told Fox Business on Tuesday, referring to Trump.
• "It's not gonna be a pause. None of that pause stuff. But I think he's gonna figure out, 'you do more, and I'll meet you in the middle,'" Lutnick added.

Where it stands: Lutnick spoke after financial markets fell for the second straight day.

• Canada and China announced retaliatory measures after the tariffs took effect on Tuesday.
• Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, said Tuesday she would hold a rally in Mexico City in the days ahead to announce a package of response measures.

Zoom in: In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the nation would impose tariffs on "$30 billion worth of goods immediately, and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion on American products in 21 days' time."

• After Chinese imports were hit with an additional 10% tariff on top of the 10% Trump had imposed earlier this year, officials in Beijing announced 15% tariffs on some U.S. agriculture imports, including chicken, corn, cotton and wheat.

State of play: Trump last month struck a deal on border security with Canadian and Mexican officials and paused the tariffs for 30 days. President Trump said no progress had been made during negotiations.

• In a statement, the White House said the tariffs would "combat the extraordinary threat to U.S. national security, including our public health posed by unchecked drug trafficking."

What they're saying: Trudeau said that Canada has "worked relentlessly" to address concerns about fentanyl entering the U.S., although a minuscule amount originates from the nation.

Go deeper: Trump tariffs will cause price hikes on these everyday goods

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comments from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Courtenay Brown contributed reporting.

Vice President JD Vance said Monday the Trump administration is working with Russia to end its war on Ukraine and that the "door is open" for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky if he's "willing to seriously talk peace."

Why it matters: In his first interview since Friday's heated White House exchange that Vance and President Trump had with Zelensky, the vice president on Fox News criticized Ukraine's leader and argued that it's in Kyiv's best interests to sign a minerals deal with the U.S.

Driving the news: "If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that [Russian leader] Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine," Vance said on Fox News' "Hannity."

• "That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years."

Zoom in: During the interview, Vance told Fox News host Sean Hannity that Zelensky had "showed a clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process" that Trump has said is "the policy of the American people and of their president."

• He accused Zelensky of showing "a certain sense of entitlement" at the Oval Office.

Zoom out: Zelensky said on X Sunday he's "ready to sign" a minerals deal with the the U.S., but a "ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine."

• The Ukrainian president has said security guarantees are needed due to Moscow's breach of a ceasefire agreement after its annexation of Crimea in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
• Meanwhile, officials in the U.S. and France are working on a plan for a European peacekeeping force, an idea that Axios' Barak Ravid reports Trump has endorsed.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional details throughout.

Firefighters in North and South Carolina were battling dozens of wildfires over the weekend during dry, windy conditions that saw authorities order some residents to evacuate.

The big picture: South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) declared a state of emergency Sunday after officials declared a statewide burn ban the previous day that the governor said would remain in effect indefinitely.

• Evacuation orders were temporarily issued in response to the state's largest blaze, the Carolina Forest Fire, near Myrtle Beach, S.C. — which officials said had razed some 1,600 acres at 30% containment on Sunday evening as residents were permitted to return home.
• North Carolina officials also issued evacuation orders in response to a fire in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The 176 Fire had burned over 500 acres by 8pm and was 30% contained Sunday, per a Polk County Emergency Management Facebook post that said a decision on lifting evacuation orders would be made Monday.

Zoom out: Strong winds and very dry conditions were promoting "critical to extremely critical fire weather conditions across portions of the Southern Plains, especially across eastern New Mexico and far western Texas" on Sunday, per the National Weather Service.

• "As this system initially comes through the Southwest and out into the southern High Plains, there will be concerns for gusty winds, and this coupled with the dry conditions will support elevated to critical fire weather concerns," the NWS said in Sunday forecast discussion.
• "Areas of southern Arizona through southern New Mexico and western Texas will see the greatest fire weather concerns through Sunday and early Monday."

In photos: Firefighters tackle fires across the Carolinas

Go deeper: Climate change plays key contributing role in LA fires

New York launched a job recruitment ad campaign targeting fired federal workers at midnight Monday.

The big picture: Gov. Kathy Hochul's (D) "you're hired" campaign to fill 7,000 public sector roles follows similar jobs initiatives in other states aimed at people who were laid off in the Trump administration's federal government overhaul, driven by DOGE, which billionaire Elon Musk is the face of.

The latest: N.Y. has opened a portal with resources for job-seekers that updated early Monday, with the message: "If you have lost your federal job due to cuts, or just want to get out, New York says 'You're Hired!'"

• The message notes that N.Y. has more than 7,000 current job openings in a "wide range of career fields" and that the state "values its state workforce, providing a host of benefits, including a nation-leading Paid Parental Leave policy."
• Meanwhile, recruitment ads were displayed on digital directory displays throughout New York City's Union Station from midnight, per an emailed statement Sunday from Sam Spokony, a spokesperson for the governor.

Zoom in: Spokony said in a text message Monday evening some of the most in-demand jobs that were currently vacant included for engineers, educators, health care workers, attorneys, technologists and public policy experts.

• "We'll continue to update our online resources whenever new job opportunities become available," Spokony added.

What they'e saying: "Elon Musk and his clueless cadre of career killers know nothing about how government works, who it serves, and the tireless federal employees who keep it running," Hochul said in a statement to Axios.

• "Here in New York we don't vilify public servants, we value them and their efforts. So when DOGE says 'You're fired,' New York is ready to say 'You're hired' — and we're making sure talented, experienced federal workers know about the many opportunities available in our state workforce."

The other side: White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement shared with outlets including Axios,"Leave it to the failed New York State bureaucracy to stack their payrolls with more bureaucrats … Growing the public sector is not President Trump's definition of job creation."

• Representatives for the Trump administration did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Zoom out: Other states to announce recruitment and support campaigns for fired federal workers include Virginia, which has launched a resources roundup page.

• "Come experience those powerful words of 'You are hired.' Take advantage of the resources that will help you find your pathway to that career of your dreams," said Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) at a briefing announcing the drive to promote the state's more than 250,000 open positions.
• In Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore (D) on Friday announced "expanded resource webpages across state government, partnerships to launch job fairs across the state, and directives for agencies to facilitate public servant transitions to new careers in Maryland," per a statement from the governor's office.
• In Hawai'i, Gov. Josh Green (D) signed an executive order designed to expedite the state's hiring process and attract fired federal workers, and the City and County of Honolulu launched the Federal-to-Municipal Workforce Transition Initiative.

More from Axios:

• How DOGE cuts might show up in the data
• The states that could feel DOGE cuts the most
• DOGE workers quit, refuse to "dismantle public services" on Musk's orders

Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional developments in N.Y. since the ad drive launched and with details of other states' campaigns.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke of the benefits of the MMR vaccine on Sunday in response to a growing measles outbreak in Texas.

Why it matters: Kennedy has a long record of sowing skepticism about vaccines and last week appeared to downplay the situation in Texas when he described such outbreaks as "not unusual."

• He has previously repeated debunked claims about vaccines and provided elusive answers to senators on his stance on vaccinations ahead of being confirmed.

Driving the news: Kennedy wrote an op-ed for Fox News Digital on Sunday with the headline "Measles outbreak is call to action for all of us" and the subheading "MMR vaccine is crucial to avoiding potentially deadly disease."

• Kennedy wrote that before the introduction of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in the 1960s, "virtually every child in the United States contracted measles."
• He noted that from 1953 to 1962, "on average there were 530,217 confirmed cases and 440 deaths," with a fatality rate of 1 in 1,205 cases.
• "Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons," Kennedy wrote.

Yes, but: Kennedy emphasized that the decision to vaccinate is "a personal one."

Situation report: At least 146 measles cases have been identified in the South Plains and Panhandle since January, according to the latest available information from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

• A school-aged child in Lubbock who was not vaccinated against measles died after contracting the highly contagious virus, according to the department.

Zoom out: The outbreak comes as vaccination rates fall and trust in public health institutions declines.

Go deeper: FDA cancels meeting to pick flu vaccine strains for next winter

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further context.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is having a huge impact on cervical cancer prevention among young women, a U.S. government report published Thursday suggests.

Why it matters: The CDC report shows that rates of precancerous lesions among women aged 20-24 screened for cervical cancer dropped by about 80% from 2008 to 2022. The report comes just days after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who once called the HPV vaccine "dangerous and defective" — was confirmed as health and human services secretary.

• During questioning from senators ahead of his confirmation, Kennedy said he was divesting his financial interest in legal challenges against Gardasil, an HPV vaccine made by Merck.

By the numbers: Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. and the virus is responsible for some 10,800 cases of cervical cancer every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

State of play: The CDC report found drops in precancerous lesion rates in other age groups screened, falling 37% among women who were 25 to 29 years old for the same period.

• "Observed declines in cervical precancers are consistent with HPV vaccination impact and support Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations to vaccinate children against HPV at age 11–12 years with catch-up through age 26 years," the CDC said.
• "The data are consistent with a considerable impact from the U.S. HPV vaccination program on cervical precancers, with the largest decreases in the youngest age group for which benefit of vaccination would first be observed," it added.
• "As vaccinated women age into older age groups, declines in cervical precancers are expected."

Zoom in: The CDC noted limitations, including that cervical cancer screening numbers were estimated using claims, survey data, and ecological trends rather than individual records.

• However, the CDC said "trend analyses such as these are routinely used to evaluate the impact of vaccination programs, and no other plausible explanations for the decreases in precancers have been identified."

The bottom line: The CDC findings add to growing global evidence that the uptake vaccine is helping to cut cases of cervical cancer.

• Cancer-prevention researcher Jane Montealegre told AP the rise in uptake of the safe, effective HPV vaccine can be credited for the substantial drop in precancerous lesions.
• "This should reassure parents that they're doing the right thing in getting their children vaccinated against HPV," added Montealegre, of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Go deeper: FDA cancels meeting to pick flu vaccine strains for next winter

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more details from the report.

The Pentagon is moving to disqualify transgender service members from the military within 30 days, per a policy memorandum included in a Wednesday court filing.

The big picture: The memo that builds on existing Trump administration restrictions that target transgender troops states the military will consider granting waivers on a "case-by-case basis," but only if there's "a compelling government interest in retaining the service member that directly supports warfighting capabilities."

Driving the news: The Trump administration was responding on Wednesday to a lawsuit filed in D.C. on behalf of six transgender service members who are challenging the legality of President Trump's January executive order targeting transgender troops.

• The suit contends the order that states that the federal government will recognize only two sexes, male and female, and which calls on the Pentagon to formulate a policy that would target transgender service members is unconstitutional.

Zoom in: "Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria will be processed for separation from military service," states the policy, which echoes language similar to that used in Trump's order.

• Service members who seek to obtain a waiver must show they never tried to transition, according to the Pentagon.
• They must also demonstrate "36 consecutive months of stability in the Service member's sex without clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning."

Between the lines: Gender dysphoria is defined as distress related to gender incongruence.

• The number of transgender people serving on active duty in the military was estimated to be up to 8,000, per a 2020 study published by the NIH that notes the actual number may be greater due to factors including fear of disclosure.

Flashback: Trump rescinded on his first day in office a policy allowing trans people to serve, implemented by his predecessor, former President Biden.

Go deeper: Senate sets up vote to restrict trans women from women's sports

The Trump administration is axing 92% in foreign assistance-related grants to save nearly $60 billion as part of a budget cuts drive across all federal agencies, the State Department confirmed on Wednesday night.

The big picture: It plans to terminate nearly 10,000 contracts and grants given out by the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), per a Wednesday court filing from administration attorneys.

• It's the administration's latest effort to cap U.S. spending abroad, after a federal judge this month ordered the administration to resume $1.9 billion in foreign aid payments it had frozen — which the Supreme Court temporarily paused on Wednesday night.
• The impacts of the freeze on aid have been felt by organizations across the globe, as have the firings at USAID, despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing waivers for "life-saving humanitarian assistance programs."

Driving the news: Nearly 5,800 USAID awards and another 4,100 from the State Department will be cut, the filing states.

• Some 500 USAID awards and about 2,700 State Department ones will remain.
• "USAID evaluated 6,200 multi-year awards with $58.2 billion in value remaining," a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Zoom in: The State Department conducted a 90-day review of foreign assistance at the State Department and USAID that saw it examine 9,100 grants valued at $15.9 billion, the Washington Free Beacon first reported.

• "At the conclusion of a process led by USAID leadership, including tranches personally reviewed" by Rubio, the State Department spokesperson said "nearly 5,800 awards with $54 billion in value remaining were identified for elimination as part of the America First agenda."

What we're watching: Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts granted a stay and requested aid groups that sued the administration respond by 12 noon Friday ET.

• Meanwhile, the State Department and USAID is set to undergo a process in consultation with Congress to reform the way the U.S. delivers foreign assistance.

Go deeper: Supreme Court pauses order on Trump administration foreign aid payments

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday night temporarily paused a lower judge's order that would've required the Trump administration to restart $1.9 billion in foreign aid payments by midnight.

Why it matters: In the first case the Supreme Court has intervened in since the Trump administration moved to overhaul the federal government and make drastic budget cuts, Chief Justice John Roberts granted a stay and requested aid groups that sued the administration to respond by 12 noon Friday ET.

• Last week, the high court declined to immediately intervene in a lower court decision to block the administration from firing Hampton Dellinger, the head of independent watchdog agency the Office of Special Counsel, postponing its decision until the lower court's ruling expired.

Driving the news: U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali had given the administration until 11:59pm Wednesday to resume payments for contracts and grants related to foreign aid work contracted by the State Department and USAID.

• Acting solicitor general Sarah Harris asked the justices to vacate the midnight deadline, which she called an "arbitrary timeline."
• Justice Department lawyers said in a filing earlier Wednesday that the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals moved to dismiss that "regardless whether this Court stays the district court's order, agency leadership has determined that the ordered payments 'cannot be accomplished in the time allotted by the' district court."
• Two groups, the Aids Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and the Global Health Council, are suing the administration after President Trump signed a Jan. 20 executive order pausing U.S. foreign aid amid a wider, DOGE-led cost-cutting overhaul of the federal workforce and agencies.

Go deeper: Trump administration to cut 92% of USAID foreign aid contracts

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more details on the leadup to the order signed by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Apple said Tuesday it's working to fix an iPhone bug after some users reported its automatic dictation feature briefly displays "Trump" when they say "racist" before the text-to-speech transcription software corrects itself.

The big picture: A viral TikTok video of the glitch that Apple says erroneously suggests the word "trump" when users dictate some words that also include an "r" consonant caused outrage among conservatives online who've accused Big Tech of political bias.

• The glitch underscores artificial intelligence's accuracy problems as the technology develops and as companies like Apple move to make AI a key differentiator in choosing a smartphone.

Zoom in: Apple says the glitch is sometimes occurring during initial analysis when the speech recognition models that power dictation have on occasions displayed words that contain some phonetic overlap, but then further analysis identifies the intended word.

What they're saying: "We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers Dictation and we are rolling out a fix today," an Apple spokesperson said in an emailed statement Tuesday evening.

Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, said Tuesday more than 100 intelligence officers will be fired for taking part in sexually explicit discussions in agency chat rooms.

The big picture: Gabbard said on Fox News she "put out a directive" on Tuesday that those who took part in these chats on the National Security Agency's (NSA) "Intelink" messaging platform will also have their security clearances revoked.

Driving the news: Gabbard earlier Tuesday confirmed a report by conservative activist Christopher Rufo, who writes for City Journal, that the DNI was sending a memo directing all intelligence agencies to identify the employees who participated in the chats that included discussion on transgender identity.

• DNI spokesperson Alexa Henning said on X Tuesday that the memo was sent to "all intelligence agencies" over the "obscene, pornographic, and sexually explicit" chats.
• Gabbard said on "Jesse Watters Primetime" there "are over 100 people from across the intelligence community that contributed to and participated in what is really just an egregious violation of trust."
• She added to Fox News' Jesse Watters: "They were brazen in using an NSA platform intended for professional use to conduct this kind of really, really horrific behavior."

Zoom in: The National Security Agency/Central Security Service said in a post to X Tuesday it was aware of posts that "appear to show inappropriate discussions" by intelligence personnel and investigations to "address this misuse of government systems" were ongoing.

• "Potential misuse of these platforms by a small group of individuals does not represent the community," the post said.

Undocumented immigrants age 14 or older must register and provide fingerprints or face a fine or even imprisonment under new Trump administration plans announced Tuesday.

The big picture: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the escalation in the administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants that she vowed the administration would enforce.

Driving the news: Undocumented immigrants will from Tuesday be required to register and create an USCIS online account, per a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services online page.

• The Department of Homeland Security will soon announce a form to complete the registration requirement, according to the post.
• The requirement applies to anyone in the U.S. for 30 days or longer.
• Once a person has registered and been fingerprinted, DHS will issue "evidence of registration," which immigrants over 18 must carry and keep with them at all times, according to USCIS.

Zoom in: Per a DHS statement, penalties will be imposed on undocumented immigrants who:

• Willfully fail to depart the U.S.
• Fail to register with the federal government and be fingerprinted.
• Fail to tell the federal government of changes to their address.

What they're saying: Noem said on Fox News' "Jesse Watters Primetime" Tuesday evening those who follow the requirements "can avoid criminal charges and fines and we will help them relocate right back to their home country."

• The program provides "them an opportunity to come back someday and to be a part of the American dream," but if they don't register, "they're breaking the federal law, which has always been in place," Noem told Fox News' Jesse Watters.
• "We're just going to start enforcing it to make sure" the undocumented immigrants go "back home," Noem said. "And when they want to be an American, then they can come and visit us again."

Between the lines: The new order will likely face strong opposition from civil liberties organizations and immigrant rights groups since it attempts to criminalize undocumented immigrants.

• Being in the country illegally is a civil violation and not a criminal one.
• Critics will likely say such requirements would require new laws, not executive orders or policy changes.

Zoom out: Since President Trump declared a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border soon after taking office in January, his administration has moved to unleash sweeping limits on undocumented immigrants, asylum-seekers and refugees.

• The administration has faced several lawsuits challenging the crackdown, including Trump's move to end birthright citizenship.
• DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Trump and Noem were sending a "clear message for those in our country illegally" with the latest drive.
• "The Trump administration will enforce all our immigration laws — we will not pick and choose which laws we will enforce," McLaughlin said. "We must know who is in our country for the safety and security of our homeland and all Americans."

Go deeper: Texas, Mississippi have the most detained immigrants

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further context.

Mars once featured sun-soaked, sandy beaches with gentle, lapping waves from an ancient ocean, a new study suggests.

Why it matters: The research marks the "clearest evidence yet" that the Red Planet once contained a major body of water and a more livable environment for life, per a statement from study co-author Benjamin Cardenas, assistant professor of geology at Pennsylvania State University.

• "When we look back at where the earliest life on Earth developed, it was in the interaction between oceans and land, so this is painting a picture of ancient habitable environments, capable of harboring conditions friendly toward microbial life," Cardenas said.

Driving the news: A team of Chinese and U.S. researchers identified hidden layers of rock under Mars' surface that strongly suggested the presence of a past northern ocean while analyzing data from China's Zhurong Mars rover, according to the study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

• Zhurong sent back data in 2021 while searching for signs of ancient water or ice after landing in an area known as Utopia Planitia.

What they found: The scientists discovered "extensive dipping deposits in the subsurface" of this area, the study notes.

• Analysis of radar data indicated "foreshore deposits" similar to beaches on Earth with sediments.
• The research indicates the presence of "coastal sedimentary deposits formed by ancient ocean waves and possibly composed of sand and pebble gravels transported by tidal currents," per the study.
• Cardenas said this "stood out to us immediately because it suggests there were waves, which means there was a dynamic interface of air and water."
• Contributing author Michael Manga, a University of California, Berkeley, professor of Earth and planetary science, said in a statement the research showed "classic indications of sloping, sandy beaches lining an ocean."

Zoom in: Manga said the "sand that's on those beaches is coming in from the rivers, and then it's being transported by currents in the ocean and continually being transported up and down the beaches by the waves coming and going up and down the beach."

• He noted that Mars has many features that resemble ancient rivers. "So there must have been rivers transporting sediment to the ocean, though there's nothing in the immediate vicinity that would have disturbed these beach deposits," Manga added.

The bottom line, via Cardenas: "We're finding places on Mars that used to look like ancient beaches and ancient river deltas.

• "We found evidence for wind, waves, no shortage of sand — a proper, vacation-style beach."

Between the lines: Aaron Cavosie, a planetary scientist at Curtin University in Australia, said the find marked an "extraordinary contribution" to research into water on the Red Planet, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

• "There is abundant evidence from orbital images and mineral mapping that surface water was present during the Noachian period from 4.1–3.7 billion years ago," added Cavosie, who was not involved in the study.
• "Its origin and duration continue to be debated."

Go deeper: Setting up the next scientific era on Mars

A government watchdog who oversees federal workers' whistleblower reports said Monday his office is seeking to halt some of the Trump administration's mass firings of federal workers.

The big picture: Hampton Dellinger, who's suing the administration after President Trump tried to remove him from his role leading the Office of Special Counsel, said he's requested that the firing of six probationary agency workers be halted due to concerns the action may violate the law — and he indicated he may intervene in more cases.

• The Trump administration is facing several lawsuits as it conducts mass firings of federal workers that officials say is part of a drive to save money and reduce bloat.

Driving the news: Dellinger filed a request on Friday for a 45-day stay in the probationary workers' firings "across various executive branch agencies" with the independent agency the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which reviews the Office of Personnel Management actions, per a statement from the special counsel's office.

• "Firing probationary employees without individualized cause appears contrary to a reasonable reading of the law, particularly the provisions establishing rules for reductions in force," Dellinger said in the statement.
• "I believe I have a responsibility to request a stay of these actions while my agency continues to investigate further the apparent violation of federal personnel laws," he added, citing a Congressional direction for watchdogs to protect government employees from prohibited personnel practices.
• "The Special Counsel believes other probationary employees are similarly situated to the six workers for whom he currently is seeking relief. Dellinger is considering ways to seek relief for a broader group without the need for individual filings."

Zoom in: Dellinger recommended halting the firings following a class complaint brought by advocacy group Democracy Forward and the Alden Law Group seeking to reinstate federal workers, Government Executive first reported Monday.

Zoom out: Dellinger sued the Trump administration after Trump moved to fire him on Feb. 7 and a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order temporarily blocking his dismissal.

• Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris called the judge's action an "unprecedented assault on the separation of powers," but the U.S. Supreme Court declined to weigh in on the matter until the judge's order expires this Wednesday.

Meanwhile, MSPB chair Cathy Harris was also removed from her role by Trump before filing a lawsuit against the administration and being reinstated after a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order.

• Representatives for the Trump administration did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: Supreme Court delays Trump's firing of agency head

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more context.

President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed during a White House meeting on Monday to deploy European peacekeeping forces to Ukraine following a peace deal with Russia to end the war.

The big picture: While the meeting on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine was cordial, the peacekeepers deployment was about the only significant plan the two world leaders agreed on during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office.

What they're saying: Trump said during a briefing he believed the war could end "soon" and said he and his representatives had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and "they want to do something."

• The war could end "within weeks... if we're smart," Trump told reporters. "If we're not smart, it'll keep going and we'll keep losing."
• Macron said: "We want peace, peace swiftly, but we don't want an agreement that is weak.
• "Peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine, it must not mean a ceasefire without guarantees."

Meanwhile, Trump declined to call Putin a "dictator" after describing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as that last week and said he planned to meet with the Russian leader soon.

• Macron said Russia "is the aggressor" and noted "President Putin violated the peace."

Zoom in: At one point, Macron moved to correct Trump after the U.S. president said, "Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine, they're getting their money back."

• Macron responded: "No, in fact, to be frank, we paid. We paid 60% of the total effort. It was like the US: loans, guarantees, grants."

More from Axios...

• Mapped: Control in Ukraine three years on from Russia's invasion
• U.S. votes against UN resolution condemning Russia for Ukraine invasion

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more comment from Presidents Trump and Macron from the briefing.

Germany's CDU/CSU conservative alliance won Sunday's general election and the Elon Musk-endorsed far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party came second, preliminary results show.

The big picture: Friedrich Merz, of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is set to become Germany's chancellor and he's indicated that Europe's biggest economy and the largest EU member intends to move away from the U.S. once coalition talks have concluded.

By the numbers: While preliminary results show CDU/CSU won 28.6% of the vote and AfD 20.8%, the conservative alliance has ruled out working with the anti-immigration AfD, as did all other major parties.

• Outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats won 16.4% of the vote and the Greens secured 11.6%, per the preliminary results.

Driving the news: Merz singled out the U.S. in claiming victory, days after Vice President JD Vance accused the Munich Security Conference of not allowing far-right and far-left politicians to attend the annual event in a speech that criticized European allies.

• "My impression over the last few days is that Russia and America are finding common ground — over the heads of Ukraine, and consequently over those of Europe," said the 69-year-old former lawyer Merz, who's previously worked for U.S. law firms, on X.
• "Therefore, everyone is turning their attention to Germany. How quickly are the Germans going to form a government after this complicated election result? For me, this is now a priority."

Zoom in: Merz said on a TV show that his "absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA," according to a translation.

• President Trump's statements on Ukraine last week as the U.S. pushes for talks with Russia make it "clear that the Americans, at least this part of the Americans, this administration, are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe," Merz said.
• "I am very curious to see how we are heading toward the NATO summit at the end of June," he added. "Whether we will still be talking about NATO in its current form or whether we will have to establish an independent European defense capability much more quickly."

What he's saying: Trump on Truth Social called the CDU/CSU win a "great day for Germany," saying: "Much like the USA, the people of Germany got tired of the no common sense agenda, especially on energy and immigration."

• Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: Trump's first month turns U.S. foreign policy upside down

Conservative commentator Dan Bongino was named deputy FBI director, President Trump announced on Sunday night.

The big picture: The "Dan Bongino Show" podcast host will serve in the role that doesn't require Senate confirmation under newly confirmed FBI director Kash Patel, a fellow Trump loyalist.

• The appointment comes as Trump seeks to test the limits of presidential authority and expand the powers of law enforcement.

Background: Bongino lacks FBI experience, but he previously served in the New York Police Department (NYPD) before joining the U.S. Secret Service and working in the Presidential Protective Division during the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Obama.

What they're saying: Bongino thanked Trump on X as he shared the president's original post praising the former Fox News host as "a man of incredible love and passion for our Country."

Go deeper: What to know about Kash Patel, Trump's pick for FBI director

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further context.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday he's "ready" to "give up" his leadership in exchange for peace in his nation or Kyiv becoming a member of NATO.

The big picture: Zelensky made the comments on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as U.S. and Russian officials hold talks on the war ahead of a possible summit between President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

What he's saying: "If to achieve peace you really need me to give up my post — I'm ready," said Zelensky, who was democratically elected in 2019, in response to a question during a briefing Sunday. "I can trade it for NATO membership, if there are such conditions."

• Zelensky shrugged off Trump's claims that Ukraine's leader is "a dictator without elections" — in reference to Kyiv postponing going to the polls in 2024.
• "I wasn't offended, but a dictator would be," Zelensky said. "I am focused on Ukraine's security today, not in 20 years, I am not going to be in power for decades."

Context: Ukraine's Constitution "does not allow national elections during martial law, which was introduced in 2022 and remains in place" due to Russia's war on Ukraine, per the Atlantic Council think tank.

Between the lines: Ukraine's possible membership of NATO has been a source of tension between the Kyiv and Moscow officials for years.

• Putin used the matter in part to try and justify his forces' invasion of Ukraine, while Zelensky sees NATO membership as an essential guarantee of his country's long-term security.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said Ukraine joining NATO would not be a "realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement" with Russia.

Go deeper: Trump puts Ukraine in a vise

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further context.