The world's two richest men and biggest space entrepreneurs both believe humanity's survival depends on life beyond Earth — for very different reasons, Axios' Dave Lawler and Alison Snyder report.

• Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos explained this week that his vision is to move all polluting industries into space to preserve Earth.
• His rival Elon Musk envisions inhabiting space as a way for humanity to live on beyond Earth, if a cataclysm strikes our planet.

Why it matters: Both are pouring tens of billions of dollars into space travel with those endgames in mind.

👓 Bezos' vision is for Blue Origin to lay the groundwork such that "the next generation, or the generation after that, will be able to move polluting industry off Earth, and then this planet will be maintained as it should be," he said Wednesday at the N.Y. Times' DealBook conference.

• In Bezos' view, human civilization needs to continually use more and more energy in order to advance. But Earth's resources are finite and must support many life forms beyond humans. That means tapping natural resources beyond Earth.
• "There is no plan B. We have to save Earth," Bezos said.

🚀 Musk's SpaceX is actively drawing up plans for what life could look like on Mars, including specialized spacesuits and domed habitats, the N.Y. Times reports.

• Musk has repeatedly argued that a mass extinction event on Earth, such as an asteroid strike, is inevitable. "Either become a spacefaring civilization or die," he tweeted in September. "Those [are] the two choices."

The bottom line: Both billionaires could make an astronomical amount of money from their space ventures even if their dreams don't come to fruition.

• SpaceX is considering selling shares at a $350 billion valuation, Bloomberg reported this week. That's because its Starlink satellite system and Starship mega-rocket — developed to fund and power Musk's Mars ventures — are already so valuable to governments and militaries here on Earth.
• Blue Origin is growing more slowly, but Bezos argued Wednesday that it will ultimately be more profitable than Amazon.

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Syrian rebel groups seized control of the capital city of Damascus today and declared the country to be "free," following the capture of several major cities in a lightning offensive over the past several weeks.

• Why it matters: The rebels' move into Damascus with no meaningful resistance marks the collapse of the Assad regime, which has clung to power through 14 years of civil war, Axios' Barak Ravid writes.

The latest: President Bashar al-Assad has left Syria, Russia's foreign ministry said today. The Russian ministry claimed Assad resigned and gave his prime minister orders for a peaceful transition of power.

• An Israeli official told Axios that Assad left Damascus around midnight last night and flew to a Russian base in Syria intending to continue from there to Moscow.

Zoom out: It's a stunning development and another major regional earthquake after a year of war in the Middle East.

• There could also be implications for Syria's allies, Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, which helped keep Assad in power after the 2011 uprising.

Joyful crowds gathered in central squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, AP reports.

• The prime minister of the Assad regime, Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, said in a statement from his home in Damascus that he was not leaving Syria and was willing to transfer power peacefully. He called for all Syrians, including the opposition, not to damage state institutions or harm anyone.
• Shortly after Al-Jalali's statement, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani — the leader of the Islamist rebel group HTS — called on all rebel groups in Damascus to stay away from government institutions.

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During job interviews at the Trump transition offices in West Palm Beach, some prospects for top Pentagon and intelligence jobs have been asked what they thought about Jan. 6 and whether the 2020 election was stolen, the N.Y. Times' David E. Sanger, Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman report.

• Loyalty questions have been asked in interviews across multiple agencies. President-elect Trump's team has researched what candidates said about him on the day of the Capitol riot and in the days following, sources told The Times.

Why it matters: The questions go beyond the typical focus on alignment with the incoming president's agenda. "The Trump transition team appears to be trying to figure out whether prospective hires have ever shown a hint of daylight between themselves and Mr. Trump on specific issues," The Times notes.

👀 Behind the scenes: The sense interviewees got "was that there was only one right answer to each question," The Times learned from nine people who interviewed for or were directly involved in the process.

• "Among those were applicants who said they gave what they intuited to be the wrong answer — either decrying the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 or saying that President Biden won in 2020. Their answers were met with silence and the taking of notes. They didn't get the jobs."

Candidates are rated on a scale of one to four in more than a half-dozen categories, including competence.

• Karoline Leavitt, the incoming White House press secretary, said: "President Trump will continue to appoint highly qualified men and women who have the talent, experience, and necessary skill sets to make America great again."

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President-elect Trump held a trilateral meeting in Paris yesterday with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and discussed the war in Ukraine and ways to end it, Axios' Barak Ravid reports.

• Afterward, Trump called on Truth Social for "an immediate ceasefire" in Ukraine, saying Zelensky and Ukraine "would like to make a deal and stop the madness."

Why it matters: This is the first time Trump has met with Zelensky since the election.

🇫🇷 Behind the scenes: Macron has worked in recent days to convince Trump, who was in Paris for the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral, to hold the joint meeting with Zelensky.

• A source familiar with the meeting said it lasted 45 minutes and was "good and fruitful."

🇺🇦 Zelensky wrote on X: "President Trump is, as always, resolute. I thank him. ... We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way."

• "We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace. We agreed to continue working together and keep in contact. Peace through strength is possible."

🖼️ The big picture: The quick trip to Paris marked Trump's return to the global stage. He was welcomed like a sitting dignitary, with a prime seat next to Macron.

• The once-and-future American president was warmly embraced by Macron upon arriving at the Élysée Palace.

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The 860-year-old Notre Dame Cathedral, which took nearly 200 years to build, reopened just five years after a devastating fire destroyed the spire and roof, dumping debris onto the altar.

• "I stand before you to express the gratitude of the French nation, our gratitude to all those who saved, helped and rebuilt the cathedral," President Emmanuel Macron said at a ceremony that drew more than 50 heads of state — plus President-elect Trump and Elon Musk.

The cathedral's bells rang out and the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, struck the doors of Notre Dame three times with his crozier (ecclesiastical staff) before symbolically reopening the building.

• Thousands of experts — from carpenters and stonemasons to stained glass window artists — worked round the clock for five years, using age-old methods to restore, repair or replace everything that was destroyed or damaged. Restorers and first responders got a standing ovation. (Reuters)

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President Biden's relations with House Democrats have hit rough patches before. But lawmakers tell Axios' Andrew Solender that they're particularly icy as he prepares to leave office.

• Why it matters: Tensions had already been simmering after the 2024 election — but Biden's pardon of his son Hunter, in the words of one senior House Democrat, sent many "over the edge."

The Hunter pardon, for many members, was the straw that broke the camel's back — especially after Biden said he wouldn't do it. The senior House Democrat estimated that "more than 50%" of House Democrats are frustrated about it.

• Vice President Harris' loss raised questions about whether Biden's refusal to leave the race until July cost the party dearly. Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) praised Biden for getting "a ton done" but said there are "legitimate questions as to whether or not he should have served one term and been done."

Many top Democrats have praised the pardon, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.).

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NYPD technicians gingerly opened the backpack left in Central Park by the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and found only two items — a jacket and Monopoly money, ABC News reports.

Taylor Swift will be on stage tonight in Vancouver for the last time in her nearly two-year-long, record-shattering international tour.

• Why it matters: With 149 shows in more than 50 cities across five continents, the Eras Tour became the highest-grossing concert tour of all time and boosted local economies worldwide, Axios' April Rubin writes.

💰 By the numbers: The Eras Tour became the first tour to gross $1 billion as of December 2023, according to Pollstar, a concert trade publication.

• Pollstar predicted it would bring in $2.2 billion by the time it was over.

Between tickets, travel, outfits and lodging, the average Swiftie spent $1,300 per show, per the Washington Post.

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