Chinese President Xi Jinping is struggling in his quest to combat corruption. The issue is so pervasive that U.S. analysts made it a focal point in an annual blue-chip study of the People's Liberation Army.
Why it matters: Shortcuts and self-dealing could slow China's plans to invade Taiwan, the biggest flashpoint between Beijing and Washington.
"For any military, this level of corruption would be a crisis," Christian Le Miere, the CEO of defense consultancy Arcipel, told me.
"When Xi first came to power, he could blame it on his predecessors. Now he is investigating corrupt officials that he himself promoted and installed."
The big picture: The X owner has used his social media platform to promote his own ideologies. Since gaining more influence in the incoming Trump administration, the billionaire CEO appears to be exercising that power over politics in the U.S. and abroad.
Top State Department officials visited Damascus on Friday and met with the leader of the opposition group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Ahmad al-Sharaa, U.S. officials said.
Why it matters: It was the first public meeting between U.S. diplomats and al-Sharaa, who led the Syrian revolution that toppled the Assad regime.
The State Department's top diplomat for the Middle East, Barbara Leaf, will travel to Damascus in the coming days, two U.S. officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: This will be the first visit by a State Department official to Syria in many years. The visit is part if a resumption of U.S. diplomatic engagement with the transitional government in Syria after the toppling of the Assad regime.
I also loved to highlight Latinas' inroads in industries like beauty and VC funds, along with environmental, health and techinitiatives and accomplishments, and projects addressing major issues in Latin America.
As the Axios Latino newsletter ends, senior reporter Russell Contreras reflects on covering Latino communities.
The now-defunct Houston Post's Hispanic insert, Viva Magazine, published my first professional piece of journalism in 1994. It was about Latino immigrants passing U.S. citizenship tests and the celebrations that followed.
Why it matters: My Mexican-born grandmother, Guadalupe "Lita" Ramos, was among the first to see the piece. She cut it out and saved the clipping.
Over the past nearly four years, Axios Latino has highlighted Latinos of all nationalities and political ideologies — their successes and struggles. But the work isn't over.
Why it matters: Latinos make up nearly 19% of the U.S. population, and that share will only grow as the country moves toward having no majority racial or ethnic group.
The U.S. economy grew at a 3.1% annualized pace in the third quarter — stronger than previously thought, the Commerce Department said on Thursday.
Why it matters: The revision suggests 2024 was yet another shocker year in which the U.S. economy surprised to the upside, as other major nations grappled with sluggish growth.
This Sunday on "60 Minutes," Lesley Stahl interviews the recently retired Mossad agents who masterminded the exploding pager operation against Hezbollah.
Why it matters: The stunning, decade-long Israeli plot to manufacture and sell booby-trapped devices sparked chaos among Hezbollah's leadership and helped devastate the group's operations.
