Axios

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.

South Korea's parliament on Saturday voted to impeach embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol after his surprise martial law declaration earlier this month stunned global allies and set off constitutional concerns.

Why it matters: Yoon's impeachment marks the second time in less than a decade that a South Korean leader in office has faced such proceedings. The upheaval comes as America's closest allies abroad including Germany and France face political and economic chaos.

Some of America's closest allies are melting down politically and sputtering economically, even before President-elect Trump takes office promising tariffs and unpredictability.

The big picture: South Korea's president impeached, warnings of economic crisis in Germany, an unprecedented government collapse in France — and that was just last week.

President-elect Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and met Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), two sources with knowledge of the meeting told Axios.

Why it matters: It was the first meeting between MBS and a member of the incoming Trump administration since the November elections.

Nation-state hackers continue to exploit the weak U.S. response to cyberattacks, according to experts.

Why it matters: The ongoing Chinese hack of U.S. telecommunications networks is considered the "worst telecom breach" in American history — but it remains to be seen if the U.S. response can match the severity.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on Thursday evening published his first story for the newspaper since returning home from Russia.

Why it matters: Gershkovich was freed as part of a historic prisoner exchange in August after spending more than 16 months imprisoned in Russia.

Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has made chess history by becoming the youngest world champion after his surprise win over the defending champion, China's Ding Liren, on Thursday in Singapore.

The big picture: The 18-year-old from the southeast Indian city of Chennai's FIDE World Chess Championship win means he's surpassed Garry Kasparov's record set in 1985, when the Russian grandmaster won the title at age 22.