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National

Israel and Jordan conducted secret talks on Friday to coordinate about the situation in Syria, three Israeli officials told Axios.

Why it matters: The fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime has left a fragile state, a chemical weapons stockpile and numerous different armed rebel groups, some of them Islamist organizations once affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

Israeli forces are striking military sites across Syria and seized an area in the Golan Heights on the Syrian side of the border between the two countries. The Syrian mission to the United Nations says Israel's capture of the territory is a violation of Syria's sovereignty. 

Israel and Jordan, which also borders Syria, say they want to work together on their common security concerns about the situation in the country.

Jordan is also a key mediator between Israel and the Syrian rebel groups, including the Sunni Islamist opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that led the revolution that toppled the Assad regime, an Israeli official said.

Behind the scenes: The director of the Israeli Shin Bet security agency and senior Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officers met on Friday with the director of the Jordanian general intelligence service, Ahmad Husni, and senior Jordanian military commanders, the Israeli officials said. 

Two Israeli officials said they discussed the situation in Syria and both Israel's and Jordan's engagement with the rebel groups that are now forming a transitional government. 

The officials said they also discussed the growing threat of weapons smuggling by Iran through Jordan to armed groups in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which could dramatically escalate violence in the Palestinian territory.

The IDF, Shin Bet and Jordanian embassy in Washington, D.C., declined to comment. 

Driving the news: Over the past 10 days, the Israeli military has begun occupying Syrian territory in a border zone established decades ago at the end of the Yom Kippur War. Israeli forces are also occupying several other strategic locations, including the Syrian military outpost on Mount Hermon, which is the highest point in the region. 

The Israeli military said it has conducted nearly 500 air strikes on Syrian military targets in Syria and destroyed most of the Syrian Air Force, Navy, air defense, missiles and rockets.

The IDF also conducted strikes on facilities that were used in the past as part of the Syrian chemical weapons program. 

The IDF said the strikes were intended to prevent the weapons from falling into the hands of terrorist groups.     

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan in their meeting on Thursday that the IDF will   "temporarily" maintain control of the border area in Syria "until there is an effective force that will enforce the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement."   

The agreement between Israel and Syria established "a zone of separation" and called on both sides to disengage their forces. 

Senior Israeli officials said the IDF presence in the buffer zone would likely continue for several months and maybe longer. 

The other side: The Syrian mission to the United Nations sent a letter to members of the UN security council protesting the Israeli actions. The letter was sent on Dec. 9 but was made public four days later. 

"At a time when the Syrian Arab Republic is witnessing a new phase in its history in which its people aspire to a state of freedom, equality, social justice, the rule of law, peace and stability, the Israeli occupation army has escalated its ongoing aggression on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic," the Syrian ambassador to the UN wrote.

He stressed the occupation of the buffer zone and the air strikes are a violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and a violation of Syrian sovereignty.

"Syria renews its call on the United Nations and the Security Council to assume their responsibilities and take firm measures to compel Israel to immediately cease its ongoing attacks on Syrian territory, ensure that they are not repeated, and withdraw immediately according to the areas agreed upon in the Disengagement Agreement," the letter read. 

HTS leader Ahmad al-Shara commented on Saturday for the first time about Israel's actions and called them "an unjustified escalation." 

He said Israel doesn't have any reason to cross the disengagement line, especially because Iran is no longer present in Syria is over and without its ally Assad will no longer be able to use Syria as a launching ground for attacks.

"After years of war we can't afford getting into new conflicts. The top priority is reconstruction and stability and not getting dragged into conflicts that will bring more destruction," he said.   

He called on the international community to intervene and press Israel to respect Syrian sovereignty. 

Scoop: Israel and Jordan held secret talks on Syria

Jordan is a key mediator between Israel and the Syrian rebel groups, an Israeli official said.

 Israel carried out a drone strike on Al Mazzeh Airport, targeting ammunition supplies belonging to the National Syrian Army, causing significant damage to the facility on December 11, 2024 in Damascus, Syria. (

Israel carried out a drone strike on Al Mazzeh Airport, targeting ammunition supplies belonging to the National Syrian Army, on Dec. 11, 2024 in Damascus, Syria. (

China

Iran

Israel

2024 will be an election year like no other, as President Biden seeks re-election amid economic uncertainty, two wars and questions about his age. His likely foe, former President Trump, faces felony charges and vows revenge on his political enemies. Meanwhile, Americans generally are dissatisfied with those choices and are divided over immigration, race, education and more.

Politics & Policy

Conflicts, policies and powers are intersecting and shaping the world. Breaking news and analysis of national security, foreign policy and global crises.

World

President-elect Trump could resurrect his first-term goal to overhaul the U.S. Postal Service, which would influence how e-commerce giants operate, impact hundreds of thousands of government jobs and potentially undercut reliable delivery to more remote areas.

Why it matters: America's mail carrier is the second most-beloved federal agency behind the National Park Service, polling shows. Like many industries, the rise of the internet has hurt its bottom line — and its leadership has failed to reverse that financial trend in recent years.

The Washington Post reported Saturday, citing three unnamed sources, that Trump talked with his commerce secretary pick Howard Lutnick at Mar-a-Lago about his interest in overhauling the agency. He reportedly said the government shouldn't subsidize the mail agency given its recurring losses.

The president-elect also "convened a group of transition officials to ask for their views on privatizing the agency" earlier this month, The Post reported. 

Axios reached out to the Trump transition team for confirmation and comment. His specific plans are not immediately clear.

State of play: Republicans have signaled displeasure with USPS in a few other recent incidents. 

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) posted on X earlier this week alongside a Fox Business chyron about the Postal Service's fiscal-year losses: "This is what happens when government-run entities are bloated, mismanaged, and unaccountable." 

Greene, who's incoming chair of the House's "DOGE" Oversight committee, added: "It's time to demand real reform and stop wasting taxpayer dollars!"

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who was appointed to his role in 2020 and has introduced a 10-year plan to rescue the agency, faced a GOP-led grilling during a House Oversight hearing this week. 

Republicans criticized the carrier for financial losses and claimed it was providing subpar service, at one point leading to a viral moment where DeJoy covered his ears during criticism.

Democrats have been more sympathetic to the agency and against privatization. 

Privatization is "our big fear," Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) told The Post. "That could have disastrous consequences, because when you go private, the profit motive is everything."

By the numbers: The Postal Service lost $9.5 billion in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. It comparatively lost $6.5 billion during the same period the previous year. It has not been profitable since 2006.

In 2022, Congress passed a $107 billion bipartisan package to provide financial relief and help modernize its operations.

What they're saying: The Postal Service "is already engaged in an initiative to ensure that we can provide our customers with a high level of service to every delivery address in the nation at least 6-days-a-week in an efficient and financially sustainable fashion as required by law," a USPS spokesperson told Axios.

The spokesperson said USPS is seeking "an advisory opinion from our regulator concerning our plan to modernize and optimize our processing and transportation networks." It's also looking at adding automation equipment.

The big picture: USPS helps guarantee Americans in all parts of the country receive mail service under its "universal service obligation." Enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, the postal service pre-dates the country's founding.

During the COVID pandemic, its universal service was especially important as people stayed home and could still receive medication, stimulus checks and census forms by mail.

The Postal Service also provides last-mile delivery to logistics companies like Amazon, FedEx and UPS to harder-to-reach areas.

Flashback: Some of Trump's criticism toward USPS during the final year of his first term was related to mail-in voting. The Postal Service ultimately pulled off the mass delivery of ballots with limited issues. 

What to watch: In 2020, DeJoy, a longtime business executive who was a GOP megadonor, was seen as a villain on the left during the throes of the election. 

Since President Biden has been in office, DeJoy's relationship with Democrats became less icy — in part thanks to his support for millions of at-home COVID-19 test deliveries; transitioning the USPS fleet toward electric vehicles; and the sweeping bipartisan reform act in 2022.

Many expected Biden would have fired him, though the process is more complicated. How long he fares under Trump 2.0 is unclear. 

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

relationship with Democrats became less icy

Trumpworld considers Postal Service overhaul

Trump had a combative relationship with one of America's favorite agencies during his first term.

2020 election

Donald Trump

House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) underwent a hip replacement after falling during a congressional trip to Luxembourg, her office said Saturday.

What happened: The 84-year-old former speaker fell on Friday and sustained a serious injury to her hip, for which she was hospitalized, sources familiar with the matter told Axios.

The Saturday morning procedure was "successful" and Pelosi is "is well on the mend," her spokesperson Ian Krager said in a statement.

It took place at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany after Pelosi was medevaced from Luxembourg.

What they're saying: "Speaker Pelosi is enjoying the overwhelming outpouring of prayers and well wishes and is ever determined to ensure access to quality health care for all Americans," Krager said.

Pelosi was part of a bipartisan, 18-member congressional delegation to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.

The hospitalization prompted Pelosi to withdraw from the remainder of the events.

Pelosi gets hip replacement after fall during congressional trip

The 84-year-old former speaker fell on Friday and sustained a serious injury to her hip.

Nancy Pelosi, wearing an orange blazer, speaking at a podium with a microphone in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 19. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images.

Elections 2024

Secretary of State Tony Blinken said the U.S. has been in direct contact with Sunni Islamist opposition group HTS, which led the revolution that toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. 

Why it matters: This is the first time the U.S. has publicly confirmed any direct contact with HTS, which it designates as a terrorist organization. 

Blinken said at a news conference in Jordan that the talks with HTS were focused on discussing the fate of American journalist Austin Tice, who has been missing in Syria for 12 years. 

He said he also stressed U.S. principles for recognizing a future Syrian government.

Driving the news: Over the last few days, Blinken held talks in Turkey and Jordan about the situation in Syria. 

On Saturday, he held a joint meeting in Aqaba with the foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq and Saudi Arabia and agreed on joint principles for recognizing any future government in Syria. 

Blinken laid out the principles in his press conference: 

He said the transition process in Syria needs to be "Syrian led and Syrian owned and produce an inclusive and representative government."

Rights of all Syrians including minorities and women should be respected, Blinken said. 

He stressed humanitarian aid should be able to reach people who need it and added state institutions should deliver essential services to the Syrian people.

"Syria should not be used as a basis for terrorist groups or others to threaten Syrian people its neighbours and the world," the secretary of state said.

He stressed that chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria should be secured and safely destroyed.

"Syria should have peaceful relations with its neighbors," he said. 

Between the lines: Blinken also stressed that relevant organizations should have access to facilities that can help determine the fate of missing Syrian and foreign nationals and hold human rights abusers accountable.

What he's saying: "Our message to the Syrian people is: We want you to succeed and we are ready to help you do so", Blinken said.

Blinken says U.S. had direct contact with Syria's Islamist rebels

Rights of all Syrians including minorities and women should be respected, Blinken said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers a statement to the press after the meeting with the foreign ministers of the Arab Contact Group on Syria in Jordan's southern city of Aqaba on December 14, 2024.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to press after the meeting with the foreign ministers of the Arab Contact Group on Syria in Jordan's southern city of Aqaba on Dec. 14. (Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Axios AM

A Wall Street Journal headline calls this "The Week CEOs Bent the Knee to Trump."

Driving the news: Apple CEO Tim Cook dined at breezy Mar-a-Lago last night — a day after a pilgrimage to Trump's table on Thursday by Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Google cofounder Sergey Brin. Mark Zuckerberg flew in on Thanksgiving Eve. Jeff Bezos will sit down with Trump next week.

Meta! Amazon! OpenAI! Rat-tat, each donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund. "President Trump will lead our country into the age of AI, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a statement to Axios.

Trump basked in literal Wall Street applause as he rang the bell to open the New York Stock Exchange, beneath a giant Platon cover portrait of himself as "Person of the Year" in his beloved TIME magazine.

Why it matters: The bullish "Trump trade" shows markets, from stocks to crypto, believe he'll be good for business. But after staying arms-length during the campaign, CEOs aren't "leaving anything to chance," as The Journal puts it.

Being there: "When Donald Trump arrived at the New York Stock Exchange this week for a postelection victory lap, dozens of influential executives lined up to catch a glimpse of the man who holds the future of their businesses in his hands," The Journal reports.

"Gathered behind red velvet ropes were senior executives at Visa, Meta Platforms, Goldman Sachs, Charles Schwab and Citadel ... Real-estate and aerospace magnate Robert Bigelow was spotted in the crowd, as was investor [and Trump stan] Bill Ackman."

Between the lines: In tech, the "turnabout has been especially stark as some tech executives who made donation pledges or met with Mr. Trump this week had appeared to be avowed liberals," the N.Y. Times' Teddy Schleifer and David Yaffe-Bellany note.

CEOs court Trump at Mar-a-Lago

President-elect Trump waves Friday as he leaves Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. Photo: Marco Bello/Reuters

Big Tech

Latest news on Wall Street, Corporate America and financial regulation.

Axios

Saturday's top stories

Scoop: Israel and Jordan held secret talks on Syria

Trumpworld considers Postal Service overhaul

Pelosi gets hip replacement after fall during congressional trip

Blinken says U.S. had direct contact with Syria's Islamist rebels

CEOs court Trump at Mar-a-Lago

South Korean president impeached and suspended from duties

Inside Democrats' emerging Trump inauguration boycott

Company holiday parties are falling out of fashion

America's allies are in trouble

Dating in 2025: Hot rodents, black cats, refusing to settle

OpenAI hits back at Elon Musk's lawsuit in court filing