Old equipment and years of mergers and acquisitions are likely impeding the ability of telecommunications providers to toss Beijing out of their networks.
Why it matters: Until telecom networks fully secure their networks, China will keep finding ways to come back in, officials have warned.
Nearly 100 former national security officials signed a letter to Senate leaders raising concerns about President-elect Trump's nomination of former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence.
Argentina yesterday hosted its first Conservative Political Action Conference, an offshoot of the U.S. event.
Why it matters: The conservative conference is making inroads in South America.
CPAC also held a similar event in Brazil this summer.
Argentine President Javier Milei is a right-wing leader who has expressed admiration for Trump.
State of play: Among CPAC Argentina's keynote guests was Lara Trump, the co-chair of the RNC and daughter-in-law of Trump.
In her speech, she referred to cuts and austerity measures Milei's government has undertaken since last December, saying the U.S. hopes to do the same with the announced Department of Government Efficiency that will be led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.
1.Colombia's Supreme Court this week called for President Gustavo Petro to send in written statements in a corruption case.
The case involves alleged fund misuse at the agency for disaster and emergency management.
Petro has been summoned to testify because one of the people allegedly involved was Ricardo Bonilla, who until last night was Petro's finance minister.
Petro has said he had no involvement and that, while he didn't think Bonilla was guilty, it was better for Bonilla to step down to avoid "attacks" against Petro's government.
2. Cuba's electric gridwent fully offline yesterday for the third time since late October, and until today only 50% had been re-established.
Israeli intelligence officials have been startled by a faster-than-expected collapse of the Syrian army's defense lines over the last 24 hours, two senior Israeli officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: The rapid advance of the rebels — who captured the city of Hama on Thursday, days after taking Aleppo — could precipitate a collapse of the Syrian Army. One of the senior Israeli officials said the fall of Damascus now seems more plausible than it had until very recently.
Mexico's record seizure of fentanyl pills on Tuesday night was promoted as a blockbuster win, but an expert tells Axios Latino the timing is suspect.
Why it matters: The seizure comes on the heels of President-elect Trump's threats to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada, claiming it will pressure them to stop the flow of migrants and drug-trafficking along the border.
Immigrants arrested for homicides accounted for less than 1% of "at-large" arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement over the last six years, an Axios review found.
Why it matters: President-elect Trump has vowed to launch the "largest deportation of criminals in American history" — often focusing on the slaying of college student Laken Riley by an undocumented immigrant — but data shows crimes like homicide and sexual assault feature in only a small fraction of ICE arrests.
South Korean police announced an "insurrection" investigation into President Yoon Suk-Yeol and other top officials in relation to his since-retracted martial law declaration following a formal complaint from opposition lawmakers, per multiple reports.
Why it matters: Presidential immunity does not apply to this crime in South Korea and it can carry the death penalty, AFP notes.
