Axios

The U.S. has sanctioned a Chinese cybersecurity company and charged one of its employees with developing and distributing malware used to infect thousands of firewalls worldwide.

Why it matters: Many of the victims were U.S. critical infrastructure companies, officials said.

1. The UN partly restarted operations at its human rights office in Venezuela yesterday after it had been forced to shut in February by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

• Volker Turk, the UN's human rights commissioner, did not give details of the agreement that permitted the office to reopen, simply telling reporters it hopes to recommence prison visits and other activities soon.

2. Bolivia is holding elections this Sunday for the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court.

• The South American nation was the first to implement elections for these top-level federal justices with two previous votes, in 2011 and 2017.
• Observers say the elections undermine judicial independence.

A project honoring Silvia Hector Webber, known as the "Harriet Tubman of the Underground Railroad to Mexico" in Texas, is using a $150,000 grant to create an interactive mapping project and infrastructure improvements at a cemetery in Texas.

The big picture: The Mellon Foundation grant to the Webber Family Preservation Project will help support research and archive development.

Mexico has intercepted nearly 1 million migrants this year — a record high as it has ramped up policies that reduce migration to the U.S.

Why it matters: President-elect Trump has threatened to impose tariffs that he says would force the country to "act" to stop the flow of migrants.

• But Mexico has been increasingly doing just that — though some experts say it's not a viable long-term fix for the problem of unauthorized immigration to the U.S.

Nippon Life Insurance of Japan is in advanced talks to buy control of Bermuda-based insurer Resolution Life from investors like private equity giant Blackstone for $8.2 billion, as first reported by Nikkei.

Why it matters: It would be the largest-ever acquisition by a Japanese insurer, and reflects how the sector is seeking to diversify as the domestic population ages and shrinks.

Bashar al-Assad fled Syria more than 13 years after an uprising against him began during the Arab Spring.

The big picture: Of the six countries that saw the most sustained protest movements in 2011, when fury at the ruling elites bubbled across the Arab world, Assad is the fifth leader to be ousted — more than a decade after the previous four.

The Syrian revolution has quietly played a seismic role in the trajectory of the 21st century, transforming global politics with shock waves still echoing 14 years after the Arab Spring.

Why it matters: The fall of Bashar al-Assad has ushered in an unpredictable new era not only for Syria and the Middle East, but for the great powers that have long treated the region as a battleground.

The start of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's long-awaited testimony in his corruption trial on Tuesday brings more uncertainty to the chaos and conflict in the Middle East.

Why it matters: Netanyahu's testimony, which he repeatedly tried to postpone and is expected to go on for months, will be a pivotal moment in the prime minister's fight for political survival and for his personal freedom.

Two top Syrian officials under the Assad regime have been charged by the Department of Justice with war crimes against Americans and others, according to a U.S. indictment that was unsealed on Monday.

The big picture: Former Syrian Air Force Intelligence officers Jamil Hassan, 72, and Abdul Salam Mahmoud, 65, have been charged with conspiracy to commit a war crime of cruel and inhuman treatment, marking the first time the U.S. has brought charges against Assad officials for human rights abuses.

Nvidia, the key backbone in global AI infrastructure and 2024's most important stock, has a new distinction: giant corporate ping pong ball caught up in U.S.-China tensions.

Why it matters: Geopolitical forces bearing down on the U.S. tech giant could have far-reaching ripple effects for investors and tech ecosystems.

The Chinese government is turning to an old strategy to stimulate activity: easier money and more fiscal spending.

Why it matters: China's economic challenges include a massively overbuilt and debt-heavy property sector, overreliance on export-oriented manufacturing, and inadequate consumer demand.

Historic political chaos and economic stagnation leave Europe in a weaker position to handle the expected fallout from President-elect Trump's looming tariffs.

Why it matters: Europe's economic powerhouses, Germany and France, no longer look like the reliable centers of political and economic stability of years past.

South Korea's Justice Ministry imposed a travel ban on embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol Monday as he remains under investigation for his since-overturned martial law declaration, multiple outlets reported.

The big picture: Yoon's surprise decree sparked a flurry of protests and catapulted the U.S. ally into political turmoil. The unpopular leader faces an impeachment vote and a probe over potential rebellion charges.

A lightning offensive in Syria that began late last month successfully toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime this weekend, after 14 years of civil war.

Why it matters: Though Syria's future remains uncertain, the collapse of the regime is sure to send shockwaves through the Middle East. It could also have vast implications for Assad's allies — Russia and Iran — who, though recently bogged down by other conflicts, helped Assad stay in power for years.

The stunning collapse of Syria's Assad regime has sent tremors throughout the Middle East and wider world, launching a new chapter in a great power struggle that has shaped the region for decades.

Why it matters: The culmination of 14 years of war in Syria was accelerated by 14 months of war between Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed proxies allied with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The U.S. is working with several other countries in the Middle East to prevent chemical weapons possessed by the Assad regime from falling into the wrong hands, a U.S. official told reporters.

Why it matters: The U.S. and its allies are concerned that the collapse of the Syrian army and other security forces — and the chaos engulfing the country — will allow terrorist groups to seize dangerous weapons held by the Assad regime.

Stephen Miller, the incoming White House deputy chief of staff for policy, on Sunday gave new details on the Trump administration's plan for what he called "the largest deportation operation in American history."

Why it matters: Miller made clear during his interview on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" that deportations would be Trump's no.1 priority ahead of issues including making reforms to tax and trade and the debt ceiling.