NASA's Parker Solar Probe will make history during a flight around the Sun on Christmas Eve.

Why it matters: "No human-made object has ever passed this close to a star, so Parker will truly be returning data from uncharted territory," said Nick Pinkine, Parker Solar Probe mission operations manager at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Maryland, in a statement.

• The project aims to "answer longstanding questions about our universe," per a statement from Arik Posner, Parker Solar Probe program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The big picture: Parker became in 2018 the first spacecraft to enter the Sun's corona, the outermost part of the star's atmosphere that can be seen during a total solar eclipse.

• The probe aims to again "touch" the Sun when it flies up to about 430,000 mph at its closest approach "just 3.8 million miles" from the surface of the star at 6:53am on Tuesday ET, per NASA.
• Scientists have been using Parker to study the heating of the solar corona and explore what accelerates the solar wind in the hope they can better predict dangerous space weather that can disrupt communications on Earth and also light up the skies with auroras.

What we're watching: During its closest approach mission operations will be out of contact with the spacecraft, which NASA notes can travel in temperatures up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Parker is scheduled to transmit a beacon tone on Friday to confirm its health following the close flyby, according to the space agency.

Flashback: Parker Solar Probe breaks record for traveling closest to the sun

President-elect Trump indicated he wants Greenland under U.S. control as he named PayPal co-founder Ken Howery as his pick for United States ambassador to Denmark on Sunday.

The big picture: Trump said during his first administration that he was looking into the U.S. buying Greenland and canceled a state trip to Denmark after Danish officials said the autonomous territory that's part of its kingdom was not for sale.

• He made his latest comments on Greenland after demanding earlier in the weekend that Panamanian authorities lower fees for U.S. ships to transit the Panama Canal or return its control to the United States.

Driving the news: "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity," Trump said in a post to Truth Social on Howery.

• "Ken will do a wonderful job in representing the interests of the United States."
• Representatives for both Trump and Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to Axios request for comment in the evening.

Background: The U.S. has on several occasions since 1867 considered or attempted to buy Greenland — the world's largest island that's not a continent.

• Greenland is part of the continent of North America, but it has close geopolitical ties to Europe and has received EU funding as it's classed as an overseas territory associated with the bloc via Denmark.

Between the lines: The territory has access to the Arctic, where there's been a race between nations for resources in a region that research shows is already feeling the impacts of climate change.

• Russia has in recent years sought to claim territory up to Greenland's Exclusive Economic Zone.
• Greenland's natural resources include gold, silver, copper and uranium and there's believed to be significant potential for oil in the waters off the territory.

Go deeper: The great game comes to Greenland

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

President Biden urged Democrats to "stay engaged" and "never give up" as he and Vice President Harris thanked donors and party members at the Democratic National Committee's holiday reception in Washington, D.C., on Sunday.

The big picture: In a nod to President-elect Trump defeating Harris and Republicans winning control of the House and Senate in November's election, Biden said at the DNC event "we all get knocked down," you've just "got to get up" as he touted his administration's legislative accomplishments.

• "That's the road ahead, to never give up, to keep the faith," Biden said. "To know, that what we're doing matters."

What he's saying: Biden pointed to achievements including 2021's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, 2022's CHIPS and Science Act that was designed to bolster domestic semiconductor manufacturing and the Inflation Reduction Act that he signed into law that same year to lower the deficit and drive down inflation while addressing climate change.

• "We passed historic legislation. Laws that are literally building the strongest economy in the world," Biden said.
• "Many of the laws we passed were so consequential it wouldn't be implemented right away. It takes time to build those ... factories for chips. It takes time to get this construction going."

Zoom in: Biden said he's always believed it's important to ask yourself in public service "have we left the country in better shape than we found it?'"

• The answer "is a resounding 'yes,'" he said. "Because of all of you assembled here, we can be proud we're leaving America in a better place today than we came here four years ago," Biden said.

Go deeper... Biden's consequential presidency: His key policies, wins and setbacks

Officials in the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte estimate Tropical Cyclone Chido killed hundreds of people after the worst storm in 90 years struck the Indian Ocean archipelago.

The big picture: Mayotte hospital officials confirmed Tropical Cyclone Chido killed at least 11 people and wounded some 250 others on Saturday, but a top Mayotte official told local news outlet Mayotte La 1ere Sunday he expects the death toll to rise exponentially.

• "I think there will certainly be several hundreds, maybe we will reach a thousand, even several thousands," prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville said.

Driving the news: Tropical Cyclone Chido was at least the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic when it made landfall in Mayotte, per the U.S. military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

• It was possibly stronger since it was so compact.
• Surface wind readings of higher intensity suggest it was stronger from the storm, which also brought powerful winds and heavy rains to Mozambique when it made landfall on Sunday.
• During the passage of the cyclone in Mayotte, 140 mph winds were recorded in the eye wall at Pamandzi on Mayotte's island of Petite-Terre, per a post to X by the weather agency Météo-France.

State of play: French President Emmanuel Macron said on X that he's closely monitoring the situation on Mayotte — which is the poorest territory in the European Union, with some 77% of people living below the national poverty line.

• "Our island is at this moment deeply affected by the most violent and destructive cyclone that we have seen since 1934," Bieuville said on Facebook Saturday. "Many of us have lost everything."
• European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Bluesky that "Europe stands alongside the people of Mayotte in this terrible ordeal" and the EU was "ready to provide support in the days to come."
• Phone and internet networks were still disrupted on Sunday, as French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau prepared to visit Mayotte on Monday.

Between the lines: Studies show that climate change is increasing maximum wind speeds of hurricanes and causing them to intensify more rapidly.

• They are also producing greater amounts of precipitation than they did just a few decades ago.

These storms are the same type of weather system, but with different terminology depending where they occur.

• Hurricanes and typhoons form in the Atlantic and western Pacific, respectively. Cyclones occur off the southeastern coast of Africa, among other locations.

In photos: Cyclone Chido causes widespread destruction in Mayotte

Go deeper: Why climate change hits poorest countries hardest

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that he's "working to pass a bill" to give local law enforcement "more tools for drone detection" following a spate of mysterious sightings in Northeastern U.S. states.

The big picture: Schumer in online statements urged Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to send "special drone-detection tech" to New York and New Jersey to tackle the unidentified flying objects problem that saw N.Y. Stewart International Airport shut down Friday.

• The Senate majority leader told reporters Sunday he's requesting Robin Radar Systems because they have "360-degree technology."
• He added: "If the technology exists for a drone to make it up into the sky, there certainly is technology that can track the craft with precision and determine what the heck is going on, and that's what the Robin does."

State of play: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) in an online statement Sunday said "our federal partners" were "deploying a state-of-the-art drone detection system" to N.Y., which she said would support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations into the matter, but she said further assistance was needed.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D), who reposted Schumer's X post Sunday, has also requested that President Biden direct more resources to investigate the origins of the mystery of the drones.

• Murphy said on X he had met with N.J. State Police officials and radar technicians Sunday night who are "surveying the area for unmanned aircraft systems."
• "The public deserves clear answers — we will keep pushing the federal government for more information and resources," he said, adding in a later post following a meeting with an FBI official on the matter: "We are ready to assist the federal government in getting to the bottom of this."

What they're saying: Mayorkas indicated on X that the Biden administration had sent some tech to N.J., saying that many of the "reported sightings have turned out to be piloted aircraft" as the "technology we have deployed to New Jersey has confirmed this."

• He told ABC News' "This Week" earlier Sunday there's no evidence of "foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the northeast."
• When asked for comment on Schumer's call, a Department of Human Services spokesperson said in an emailed statement early Monday: "DHS responds to Congressional inquiries directly via official channels, and the Department will continue to respond appropriately to Congressional oversight."
• Representatives for Schumer and Murphy did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: White House shoots down drone theories

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from the DHS and Gov. Phil Murphy, and with further context.

The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was not a client of the medical insurer, a spokesperson for parent company UnitedHealth Group confirmed to Axios on Thursday night.

The big picture: NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC New York earlier Thursday there's "no indication" that Luigi Mangione "was ever a client of UnitedHealthcare," but evidence police allege the suspect wrote "does make mention that it is the fifth largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America."

• That's possibly why the company was targeted in the Dec. 4 New York City shooting, said Kenny who alleged the suspect "had prior knowledge" that the conference Thompson was due to attend when he was killed "was taking place on that date, at that location."
• Mangione's defense attorney Thomas Dickey, who is representing him on forgery and gun charges in Pennsylvania, said the 26-year-old would plead not guilty in the state and suggested he'd do the same with the New York counts, which include a murder charge.

What they're saying: "Today we are confirming that [Mangione] and his mother were not UnitedHealthcare members," a spokesperson for UnitedHealth Group said in a statement first shared with the Star Tribune on Thursday.

• "We are working closely with law enforcement officials who continue their investigation of this horrific crime, and we continue to support those who depend on us for their health care."

Between the lines: AP notes that UnitedHealthcare isn't the fifth-largest company by market capitalization, though it is in the top 20 and is the biggest health insurer in the U.S.

Zoom in: Kenny gave more details to NBC New York on the spinal fusion surgery investigators believe Mangione underwent.

• "It seems that he had an accident that caused him to go to the emergency room back in July of 2023, and that it was a life-changing injury," Kenny said.
• "He posted X-rays of screws being inserted into his spine. So the injury that he suffered was, was a life-changing, life-altering injury, and that's what may have put him on this path."

What we're watching: Mangione, who remains in jail after being denied bail, is fighting extradition to N.Y.

• A hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 30 at the Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg, Penn.
• New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Thursday she expects an indictment to be issued in N.Y. "any day now and at the second that happens, I'm issuing a warrant for extradition."

More from Axios:

• America obsesses over Luigi Mangione's digital footprint
• Corporate America gets more reclusive following CEO's killing
• Book is a bestseller after "delay," "deny" bullet casings found on CEO killing site

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Amazon gave $1 million to President-elect Trump's inaugural fund, the company confirmed Thursday — one day after Facebook and Instagram parent Meta announced a similar donation.

Why it matters: Trump noted to CNBC's Jim Cramer on Thursday that he's returning to the White House with warmer relations with Big Tech leaders and said Amazon founder Jeff Bezos planned to visit him next week, following a similar Mar-a-Lago meeting with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

• Trump had an at times adversarial relationship with both Amazon and Facebook during his last term, but last week Bezos expressed optimism about the incoming administration. He described the president-elect as "calmer than he was" and "more settled."

Details: In addition to the $1 million cash donation, a source close to the company said Amazon would provide a $1 million in-kind donation by broadcasting Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20 on Prime Video.

• Amazon also streamed President Biden's inauguration and offered to donate to the 2021 event but his campaign told the online retailer it wasn't accepting donations from Big Tech companies, according to the source.

The big picture: Bezos and Zuckerberg were among a series of Big Tech CEOs who quickly congratulated the president-elect on his election win last month, as business leaders seek access to and gain influence with the second Trump administration.

Go deeper: Tech titans scramble to be inside Trump's tent

President-elect Trump appeared to indicate his support for the dockworkers union in its contract dispute with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) that led to a major strike at East Coast and Gulf ports earlier this year.

Why it matters: Though port workers are back on the docks after a three-day work stoppage in October, they haven't yet finalized a new contract with the shipping companies — the prospect of an economy-crushing strike still looms. The deadline is just five days before Trump's inauguration.

Driving the news: "I've studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it," Trump said on Truth Social after meeting with International Longshoremen's Association president Harold Daggett and executive vice president Dennis Daggett.

• "The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen."
• Trump said foreign companies had "made a fortune in the U.S." and he'd rather they spend it on dock workers than expensive machinery that will constantly have to be replaced.
• "For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries," Trump added.

Context: The United States Maritime Alliance and International Longshoremen's Association agreed to a 62% pay rise over six years to end the strike, but negotiations have reached an impasse over semi-automated cranes.

What they're saying: "It's clear President-elect Trump, USMX, and the ILA all share the goal of protecting and adding good-paying American jobs at our ports," USMX said in a statement.

• "We need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains."

Between the lines: The president-elect's post is a sign that Trump 2.0 might be more labor friendly than Trump 1.0.

• Trump's pick for Labor Secretary, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), also has appeared to signal a more pro-union approach.

Go deeper: Striking port workers are trying to fend off the inevitable

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more details from the negotiations.

President-elect Trump said Wednesday the next head of the agency in charge of Voice of America will appoint former television news anchor Kari Lake to serve as director of the federally funded broadcaster.

The big picture: Lake will work with the next head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media "to ensure that the American values of Freedom and Liberty are broadcast around the World FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, unlike the lies spread by the Fake News Media," Trump said of the MAGA loyalist on Truth Social.

• "Kari was a beloved News Anchor in Anchor in Arizona, which supported me by record margins, for over 20 years," he added in reference to the state that elected Trump in November but voted for President Biden in 2020.

State of play: Lake had a 30-year media career in Arizona before unsuccessfully running for looking to go into politics.

• The staunch Trump supporter unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in Arizona last month.
• She was also the defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate in 2022 and unsuccessfully challenged the results.

VOA was established in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda with unbiased news and information.

• It's funded by the government through the U.S. Agency for Global Media and is governed by a longstanding charter that legally requires the VOA to report "accurate, objective, and comprehensive" news abroad, per Axios' media correspondent Sara Fischer.

By the numbers: VOA broadcasts in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly global audience of more than 354 million people.

What she's saying: Lake said on X she's "honored" that Trump asked her to lead VOA.

• "Under my leadership, the VOA will excel in its mission: chronicling America's achievements worldwide," she added.

Flashback: Two top VOA officials resigned from their posts in 2020 after the Trump White House accused the independent international news agency of promoting Chinese propaganda in its coverage of the COVID pandemic.

What's next: Trump said he would announce his pick to run the U.S. Agency for Global Media soon.

Go deeper: Senate GOP leader hopefuls swarm Kari Lake for MAGA cred

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Two real estate tycoons and their brother were arrested on federal sex trafficking charges, New York prosecutors announced Wednesday.

The big picture: Oren and Tal Alexander are accused of using their wealth and prominent positions in real estate in ultra-luxury markets in N.Y. and Florida for over a decade to "repeatedly and violently drug, sexually assault and rape dozens of women," per an indictment unsealed Wednesday.

• The two brothers and Oren Alexander's twin, Alon Alexander, have previously denied sexual assault allegations after lawsuits were filed in civil court against them earlier this year.

Driving the news: The brothers were arrested in Miami, Florida, the city listed by officials as their hometown, though prosecutors say they also reside in New York. They were expected to be transferred to New York.

• They're each charged with one count of engaging in a sex trafficking conspiracy and one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. Tal Alexander faces an additional charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

Zoom in: The brothers are accused of identifying and luring women to events through methods including social media, dating apps, in-person encounters or via party promoters in a sex trafficking scheme that allegedly began in 2010.

• "At times, the Alexander brothers arranged for these sexual assaults well in advance, using the promise of luxury experiences, travel and accommodations to lure and entice women to locations where they were then forcibly raped or sexually assaulted, sometimes by multiple men, including one or more of the Alexander brothers," the indictment alleges.
• "As of today, law enforcement has interviewed dozens of women who reported being forcibly raped or sexually assaulted by at least one of the Alexander brothers," said Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, at a briefing in Manhattan on Wednesday.
• "This conduct, as alleged, was heinous."

What they're saying: While a lawyer for 38-year-old Tal Alexander declined to comment on the charges, a lawyer for 37-year-old Alon Alexander, said he would plead not guilty, per Reuters.

• Susan Necheles, who represents Oren Alexander, said in a media statement that her client is "innocent" and the "evidence will show that neither he nor his brothers ever committed a crime."

Zoom out: Oren and Tal Alexander co-founded the real estate brokerage, Official. Its website states that the firm operates in the New York, Miami, Aspen and the Hamptons markets. The brothers stepped down from their roles in June, per the New York Times.

• Alon Alexander worked at a private security firm, prosecutors said.

Meta donated $1 million to President-elect Trump's inaugural fund, Trump representatives and the social media giant confirmed.

Why it matters: Big Tech CEOs have been working to gain access and influence with Trump since he won the election last month, per Axios' Ivana Saric.

• The donation comes two weeks after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg went to Mar-a-Lago to dine with Trump, with whom he previously had a fractious relationship.

State of play: "Neither Zuckerberg nor Meta donated to Trump's inaugural fund in 2017 or to President Biden's fund in 2021," per the Wall Street Journal, citing public records, which first reported on the donation Wednesday.

• Meta banned Trump from its Facebook and Instagram platforms following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, but removed restrictions on his accounts during the 2024 election campaign in July.
• Zuckerberg previously criticized Trump's executive orders on immigration during the Republican's first term.
• Trump said in a book that came out in August that Zuckerberg would "spend the rest of his life in prison" if he tried to influence the outcome of the election.
• Zuckerberg said he reached out to Trump following the attempted assassination on him over the summer and described the Republican's response to that attack as "badass."
• A spokesperson for Meta confirmed the donation, but declined to comment further on the matter.

Zoom out: Zuckerberg joined Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and other tech leaders in rushing to congratulate Trump following his election win.

• Trump has previously had fraught relationships with all of their companies.
• Meanwhile, incoming Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) co-leader and Tesla owner Elon Musk and Zuckerberg openly feuded online last year when the pair talked up having a "cage match" that never eventuated.

Go deeper... Behind the Curtain: The Silicon swamp

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

A federal appeals court on Wednesday struck down the Nasdaq's diversity disclosure rules for companies listed on the stock exchange, which were designed to boost the representation of women and minority directors on boards.

The big picture: The conservative-majority New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the Securities and Exchange Commission did not have the power to approve the rule that required companies to ensure women and minority directors were on their boards or provide an explanation of why this was not the case.

• It was implemented after George Floyd's killing pushed companies to address racial inequality and move toward diversity, equity and inclusion.
• An SEC spokesperson said in an emailed statement Wednesday evening that the agency was "reviewing the decision and will determine next steps as appropriate."

Thought bubble, via Axios' Emily Peck and Felix Salmon: These diversity rules have been hotly contested and this decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals was expected, as it has a reputation for politicized and idiosyncratic jurisprudence.

• A similar board diversity law in California was struck down in 2022 as unconstitutional. The rules touch on one of the most reviled parts of DEI: quotas.

State of play: Conservative groups the National Center for Public Policy Research and Alliance for Fair Board Recruitment challenged an earlier court ruling in favor of the move.

• Alliance for Fair Board Recruitment is founded by Edward Blum, who previously led a legal fight that resulted in the Supreme Court last year striking down affirmative action in higher education.

What they're saying: "We maintain that the rule simplified and standardized disclosure requirements to the benefit of both corporates and investors," a Nasdaq spokesperson said in an emailed statement on Wednesday evening.

• "That said, we respect the Court's decision and do not intend to seek further review."

Go deeper: Regulation is slowing deal environment, Nasdaq CEO says

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more details from the case and further context.

A wildfire threatening Malibu homes has forced thousands to evacuate, and forecasters warn "very dry air and elevated fire weather conditions would persist" into Wednesday night, even after red flag warnings ended earlier in the day.

The big picture: Santa Ana winds and very low humidity have driven the dire conditions, as hundreds of firefighters tackle the fast-moving Franklin Fire, which was burning out of control across an estimated 4,000-plus acres in Malibu Wednesday.

Go deeper: How wildfire smoke impacts your health

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

A federal bankruptcy judge rejected The Onion's winning bid to buy Alex Jones' Infowars platform in a Tuesday night ruling.

The big picture: Judge Christopher Lopez, of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, cited problems with transparency during the sealed bidding of the sale at November's court-ordered auction, per Bloomberg and other outlets.

• Ben Collins, CEO of Global Tetrahedron, The Onion's parent company, said in a statement posted to social media they will "continue to seek a path towards purchasing Infowars in the coming weeks."

Context: Far-right conspiracy theorist Jones was forced to sell Infowars to help repay the $1.5 billion in damages he owes to the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims for falsely claiming the massacre in Connecticut was a hoax.

• Christopher Murray, the court-appointed trustee who is liquidating Jones' estate in the bankruptcy proceedings, valued The Onion's total bid at over $7 million, including $1.75 million in cash that the satirical news site offered, according to multiple reports.
• The total takes into account Sandy Hook families' offer to forgo their portion of potential earnings from the defamation judgment to support The Onion's bid.

Driving the news: Jones and First United American Companies, a bidder affiliated with the Infowars co-founder, who offered $3.5 million in cash for the platform, argued against the sale to The Onion during a two-day hearing this week.

• Lopez said in his ruling from the bench in Houston that he didn't think "anyone acted in bad faith," the Washington Post reports.
• "I think everyone was trying to buy an asset and put their best foot forward and play by the rules," he added.
• However, Lopez didn't think the winning bid was "enough money" and so he said he would not approve the sale, according to NBC News.

What they're saying: Christopher Mattei, an attorney for the Sandy Hook families who sued Jones in Connecticut, said in a statement emailed early Wednesday they were "disappointed the Bankruptcy Court rejected a purchase of Infowars that the court-appointed trustee recommended as being in the best interest of the creditors."

• He added: "These families, who have already persevered through countless delays and roadblocks, remain resilient and determined as ever to hold Alex Jones and his corrupt businesses accountable for the harm he has caused.
• "This decision doesn't change the fact that, soon, Alex Jones will begin to pay his debt to these families and he will continue doing so for as long as it takes."

Collins said in his statement The Onion "will continue to seek a resolution that helps the Sandy Hook families receive a positive outcome for the horror they endured."

• He said pursuing the purchase of Infowars "is part of our larger mission to make a better, funnier internet, regardless of the outcome."

The other side: "It's like being held underwater and finally getting air," Jones said in response to the ruling during a live broadcast, per Bloomberg.

State of play: "Lopez said he does not want another complex auction, but deferred to Murray on how to proceed with fetching top dollar for Jones' assets," WaPo reports.

• The Onion planned to relaunch a new version of Infowars with Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that fights gun violence, as its sponsor, per Axios' Tim Baysinger.

Go deeper: Musk's X claims ownership of InfoWars accounts in sale to The Onion

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Coca-Cola and 10 other major food companies are accused in a lawsuit from a Pennsylvania teenager of "engineering" ultra-processed products to be addictive, marketing the items towards children and allegedly causing chronic disease in kids.

The big picture: Bryce Martinez alleges in the "first-of-its kind" lawsuit the actions of the firms that also include Kraft Heinz, Mars and PepsiCo "caused him to develop Type 2 Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by age 16," per a statement from Morgan & Morgan, the major national personal injury attorneys representing the teen in the case.

Zoom out: The lawsuit, filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday, comes as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, pledges to remove from school lunches processed foods — which he has been highly critical of.

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf has said he believes that ultra-processed food is probably addictive, notes Reuters, which first reported on the lawsuit.

What they're saying: "Companies adhere to the rigorous evidence-based safety standards established by the FDA to deliver safe, affordable and convenient products that consumers depend on every day," said the Consumer Brands Association's Sarah Gallo, via email on Tuesday night.

• "There is currently no agreed upon scientific definition of ultra-processed foods," continued the senior vice president of product policy for the industry group that represents food and drinks manufacturers.
• "Attempting to classify foods as unhealthy simply because they are processed, or demonizing food by ignoring its full nutrient content, misleads consumers and exacerbates health disparities," she added.
• "We fully support providing consumers the dignity of choice when making decisions about healthy dietary patterns and the makers of America's household brands are continuously innovating to meet the health and lifestyle needs of their customers."

Zoom in: The 11 defendants listed in the lawsuit are: Coca-Cola, Conagra Brands, General Mills, Kellanova, Kraft Heinz, Mars Inc., Mondelēz International, Nestlé USA, Post Holdings and WK Kellogg Co.

• Martinez, whom local media report is now 18 years old, says in the suit that he suffers from severe chronic illness and alleges he will live the rest of his life sick and suffering, and that he'll only get sicker.
• "These diseases did not exist in children prior to Defendants' conduct," the lawsuit alleges, in regards to Martinez's condition.

Between the lines: Research out this year has suggested links between greater consumption of ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of 32 harmful effects on people's health, including higher risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and common mental health disorders.

Read the complaint in full, via DocumentCloud:

Go deeper: How RFK Jr.'s MAHA movement could shake up public health

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more context.

South Korea's former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was accused of involvement in a failed martial law attempt, tried to kill himself inside a detention center, per multiple reports citing a prison official.

The big picture: Kim was moved to a "protective cell" following the attempt, Korea Correctional Service head Shin Yong-hae told lawmakers during a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday Seoul time, Yonhap News Agency reports.

State of play: The former defense minister has been in detention since being arrested on insurrection charges on Sunday following the martial law declaration that President Yoon Suk Yeol declared on Dec. 3 and retracted after about six hours.

• Kim is in stable condition following the suicide attempt, Shin said, per multiple reports.
• Yoon remains under investigation for the incident and is now under a South Korean Justice Ministry-imposed travel ban.
• South Korean police said they deployed officers to search Yoon's office as part of the investigation.

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Ayuda disponible en español.

Go deeper: South Korean president hit with travel ban after martial law mayhem

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Daniel Penny, a Marine veteran charged with criminally negligent homicide in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely, a Black unhoused man, on a New York City subway train, was acquitted by an N.Y. jury on Monday.

The big picture: The death of the 30-year-old Michael Jackson impersonator who performed in Times Square triggered a wave of demonstrations at the time and Black Lives Matter members protested throughout the trial of Penny, who is white, per the New York Times.

• Penny maintained he was trying to hold Neely, who had a history of mental illness, until police arrived.
• The verdict came after the judge presiding over the case dismissed a more serious charge of second-degree manslaughter on Friday after the jurors could not reach an agreement.

Zoom in: Neely's father, Andre Zachery, was removed from the courtroom for yelling out in response to the jury finding Penny not guilty of the lesser charge, according to multiple reports.

• Zachery told reporters outside court he missed his son.
• "My son didn't have to go through this. I didn't have to go through this either. It hurts. It really, really hurts," he said. "I had enough of this, the system is rigged."

What they're saying: "We couldn't be more pleased that a jury of Danny's peers acquitted him of any wrongdoing," said Penny's attorneys, Steven Raiser and Thomas Kenniff, in a joint media statement.

• "And now New Yorkers can take some comfort in knowing that we can continue to stand up for one another without sacrificing our rights or our freedoms."

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said he respected the jury's decision.

• "The jury carefully deliberated for four days," Bragg said in a statement. "Their lengthy deliberation — and the totality of the facts and the evidence — underscored why this case was put in front of a jury of Mr. Penny's peers."

Zoom out: Bragg noted that during the trial "talented career prosecutors and their family members were besieged with hate and threats — on social media, by phone and over email."

New York prosecutors filed a murder charge against Luigi Mangione in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, on Monday night, according to online court documents.

The big picture: Mangione, 26, was arrested in Pennsylvania on forgery and gun charges earlier Monday. He also faces several other charges in N.Y.

• In N.Y., he faces one count of murder, two of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document and one of third-degree criminal possession of a firearm, online court documents show, per a court docket.

State of play: Thompson's shooting in New York City last week prompted a wave of online rage directed at the insurance industry, which Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Monday called "deeply disturbing."

• Mangione was taken into custody after being arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after police received a tip earlier on Monday following a nationwide manhunt.
• He was later charged with five counts unrelated to Thompson's killing, including the gun charges, and appeared in a Pennsylvania court for a preliminary arraignment.

Zoom in: Law enforcement officials said Mangione was carrying a ghost gun and fake IDs when he was arrested.

• Investigators also found a manifesto that criticized health insurance companies, per the New York Times.
• Mangione is a Maryland native with ties to California and Hawai'i, officials said.

Go deeper: Altoona McDonald's review-bombed after CEO shooting police tip

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout. Axios' Noah Bressner contributed reporting.

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.

• They're accused of "cruel and inhuman treatment on detainees under their control, including U.S. citizens, in detention facilities at the Mezzeh Military Airport (Mezzeh Prison), near Damascus, Syria," from 2012 to 2019, per a DOJ statement Monday.

Zoom in: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime "sought to terrify, intimidate, and repress any opposition, or perceived opposition, to the Regime" during the Syrian Civil War that began in 2011, per the indictment that was filed in the Northern District of Illinois.

• Hassan and Mahmoud allegedly "whipped, kicked, electrocuted, and burned their victims; hung them by their wrists for prolonged periods of time; threatened them with rape and death," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in statement.
• It's alleged they also falsely told detainees that their family members had been killed.

What we're watching: Arrest warrants have been issued for the men, who remain at large.

Zoom out: Hassan and Mahmoud were tried in absentia in France and convicted of crimes against humanity earlier this year.

• The charges were brought against the pair and another Syrian official over the "imprisonment, enforced disappearance and torture of two dual Syrian-French citizens," per Human Rights Watch.

Read the indictment in full, via DocumentCloud:

Go deeper: U.S. working to destroy Syria's remaining chemical weapons, official says

Lara Trump announced Sunday she plans to formally step down as Republican National Committee co-chair at the next RNC meeting.

Why it matters: Several Republican senators are pushing for her to fill the U.S. Senate seat set to be vacated by Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio in Florida, and President-elect Trump's daughter-in-law confirmed Sunday she's seriously considering the move.

State of play: Lara Trump wrote on X Sunday evening that the RNC had achieved three distinct goals: surpassing all fundraising records, building "the largest army of lawyers and poll watchers to ensure election integrity" and turning out "millions" of voters during early voting in the 2024 elections.

• "The job I came to do is now complete," she added, thanking RNC Chair Michael Whatley and her father-in-law, of whom she said she was "so proud" and "grateful" that he trusted her in the position.
• Trump said last week that he asked Whatley to remain in his role.

What we're watching: If the Senate confirms Rubio, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) would appoint a successor who would serve until a special election in 2026 to determine who finishes the term that's set to end in 2028.

• Lara Trump told AP in an interview published Sunday that she would "seriously consider" putting her name forward for the Senate seat.
• "If I'm being completely transparent, I don't know exactly what that would look like," she added. "I certainly want to get all of the information possible if that is something that's real for me. But yeah, I would 100% consider it."

Flashback: RNC officially installs Trump allies in leadership roles