Axios

Civil liberties advocates worried about President-elect Trump's plan for mass deportations are suing the federal government to get information on how authorities could rapidly remove people from the U.S.

Driving the news: The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles on Monday.

With mere months until President-elect Trump's inauguration, Biden administration officials are in a race against time to safeguard their goals and achievements.

Why it matters: For President Biden — who sought to secure a legacy as the most progressive president since FDR — Trump's second term in the White House threatens to undermine many of his signature achievements.

President Biden's envoy Amos Hochstein said on Tuesday in Beirut that Lebanon and Israel have reached "a moment of decision-making" regarding a ceasefire agreement.

Why it matters: Hochstein traveled to Beirut on Monday in an effort to finalize a deal to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah.

A global alliance against poverty and hunger was one of the blockbuster agreements made Monday at the launch of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Why it matters: The agreement came during one of the last meetings President Biden is set to have with Latin American leaders — and as uncertainty loomed over how President-elect Trump will handle relations when he takes office.

The Biden administration on Monday sanctioned three private Israeli companies involved in building settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Why it matters: It's a significant broadening of U.S. sanctions against settlers, and the first time sanctions were imposed on private building companies involved in settlement expansion.

Pope Francis called for an investigation into whether Israel's military actions in Gaza legally constitute genocide, according to a book due out this week.

Why it matters: The pope has previously criticized Israel's attacks on Gaza as "immoral" and disproportionate, but had stopped short of calling for an investigation into whether they violate international law.

America witnessed tectonic shifts in politics and society in 2024 that will reshape elections, business, culture and the nation for years to come.

• X displaced Fox News as the most powerful platform for Republicans.
• Elon Musk and tech billionaires emerged as lasting, public forces in U.S. politics.

President Biden approved Ukraine using long-range missiles to fire against Russian and North Korean forces in the Kursk region of Russia's territory, multiple outlets report.

Why it matters: It's the first time Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike inside Russia. A source with knowledge of the issue confirmed the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) was only authorized for use in the Kursk area, where North Korean troops have been deployed.

President-elect Trump has picked Cabinet members who vowed to remove "woke" influences from the federal government. They aim to fight against everything from DEI mandates and transgender rights to school curriculum choices.

Why it matters: "Woke" exploded into the American vernacular after the murder of George Floyd, and has been used to describe an awareness of other cultures and social inequities. But it's also been weaponized by conservatives, who have redefined the term as a threat to traditional values and cultural/racial norms in the U.S.

President-elect Trump will be a private citizen for another two months, but his impending presidential arrival is already changing the world in ways big and small.

The big picture: Trump portends more protectionism, less U.S. spending and intervention overseas, and a new pecking order in which ideological alliances between leaders can matter more than treaty alliances between countries. For PMs and CEOs all over the world, there is no time to waste.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting in Jerusalem on Saturday to "do what you have to do" in order to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, a spokesperson for Graham told Axios.

Why it matters: Graham is close to President-elect Trump and in recent years has been highly influential in shaping Trump's Middle East policies.