Axios

The Biden administration and President-elect Trump's team closely coordinated to push for Gen. Joseph Aoun to be elected as the new president of Lebanon, a U.S. official and a source familiar with the issue told Axios.

Why it matters: The election of Aoun, a U.S. ally, broke the political deadlock that left Lebanon without a president for more than two years.

Democratic support for a bill sanctioning the International Criminal Court ticked up Thursday as the House passed the measure a second time.

Why it matters: The House voted to approve the same bill last year, but with Republicans now in control of the Senate and, soon, the White House, it has a chance of becoming law this time.

The Lebanese Parliament on Thursday elected the commander of the Lebanese armed forces Gen. Joseph Aoun as the country's next president.

Why it matters: Lebanon hasn't had a president for more than two years while the country's leaders tried to reach consensus on a candidate, which has exacerbated Lebanon's deep political and economic crisis.

President-elect Trump — whose power was immense after his comeback win, enhanced by the coming full Republican control of Congress — has expanded that power substantially in the nine weeks since his victory.

Why it matters: It's rare, if not unprecedented, for a newly elected leader to have so many world leaders and CEOs shift their policies or posture so blatantly during the transition to curry favor with a new president.

Fresh off their bruising 2024 losses, Democrats seem to more willing to engage with Republican legislation on issues like immigration and Israel.

Why it matters: The dynamic is putting some "messaging bills" that House Republicans passed in the previous Congress on a path to actually becoming law.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Wednesday that President-elect Trump has invited him to attend the inauguration — but it may be difficult for Bolsonaro to attend amid his ongoing legal troubles.

The big picture: Bolsonaro — like Trump — had refused to concede his election loss while his supporters rioted. Now Bolsonaro is taking inspiration from the president-elect's impending White House return to plan his own political comeback.

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum clapped back at President-elect Trump on Wednesday and said parts of the U.S. should be called "América Mexicana," in response to Trump's proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America" at a press conference on Tuesday.

Why it matters: The response, using a troubled history of the U.S.-Mexican War in 1846-8, signaled that the Sheinbaum administration would not be intimidated by Trump's antics and threats.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has launched a new multimedia campaign in southern border states highlighting the stories of asylum seekers who have fled Mexico, El Salvador and Cameroon.

Why it matters: Immigrant rights and civil liberties groups are preparing a public relations and court challenge blitz ahead of President-elect Trump's mass deportation plan in hopes of slowing down immigrant removals.

Expanding the AUKUS model of cooperation would benefit other likeminded countries and militaries, according to Thales North America CEO Alan Pellegrini.

• "I would say the biggest challenge is how to scale up capacity to meet the challenges we face," he told Axios in an interview.

Missile-toting drone boats blew up two Russian helicopters and damaged a third in a Black Sea skirmish.

Why it matters: Ukrainian outlets said the shoot-downs were world firsts.

The debut of Chinese military hardware on the heels of Christmas — or, more poignantly, Mao Zedong's birthday — shows Beijing can pump out futuristic-looking tech and still catch outsiders off guard.

Why it matters: It takes only a few grainy photos, a batch of aggressively zoomed-in cellphone videos and some state-media pomp to ignite Cold War fever.

State Department officials told the Trump administration transition team there could be a humanitarian "catastrophe" in Gaza when a new Israeli law barring contact with the UN refugee agency for Palestinians takes effect at the end of the month, three U.S. officials told Axios.

Why it matters: The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is the primary aid agency operating in Gaza. U.S. officials say there's no serious backup plan for providing humanitarian supplies and services to Palestinians.

The Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday that Greenland is not for sale after President-elect Trump refused to commit to avoiding use of military force to take control of Greenland.

Why it matters: Trump's remark, which he also applied to the Panama Canal at a press conference on Tuesday, is an escalation of his rhetoric regarding Greenland and the Panama Canal.