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Sri Lankan fishing boat crew may have been abducted by Somali pirates, diplomats say
Sri Lanka’s diplomats are talking with Somali authorities trying to ascertain the whereabouts of a fishing vessel and its six crewmembers suspected of being abducted by Somali pirates two days ago, officials said Monday.
The apparent abduction came two weeks after Sri Lanka said it would join a U.S.-led operation to protect merchant vessels sailing in the Red Sea against attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels. Other suspected hijackings in waters off Somalia have raised concern that Somali pirates have resumed activity, a decade after they caused chaos in international shipping.
The hijacking of the Sri Lankan vessel occurred in international waters about 840 nautical miles east of Somalia, 1,100 nautical miles from Sri Lanka and north of the Seychelles, according to Sri Lankan navy spokesman Capt. Gayan Wickramasuriya.
"So far, we have no communication with them or no details on the whereabout of them," he said.
The Sri Lankan foreign ministry said it was working to obtain the release of the fishermen. "Sri Lanka ambassadors in the African region have already established contacts with Somalian authorities to get the fishermen and trawler released as soon as possible," ministry spokesman Niluka Kadurugamuwa said.
On Saturday, an armed group arrived in an area where about 30 Sri Lankan vessels were fishing.
Two to three armed men who had arrived in a 75-foot vessel boarded the fishing trawler, fired shots apparently to warn away the other fishing boats and took away the fishing trawler and the fishermen, said Susantha Kahawatta, a top official in the Fisheries Department, adding that all the details of the abduction were provided by fishermen in the other trawlers. The other fishermen identified the attackers as Somali.
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Sri Lanka's navy said two weeks ago it would provide a ship to protect merchant ship traffic, but the date hasn't been set and the area Sri Lanka will patrol isn't finalized.
Meanwhile, the Indian navy said Monday it carried out a "swift" operation and freed an Iranian fishing vessel that was hijacked by pirates off the east coast of Somalia.
India’s navy wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the fishing vessel named, Iman, had been boarded by pirates and its crew taken as hostages. It said the naval force freed all 17 crew members, along with the boat.
The fishing vessel "was subsequently sanitized and released for onward transit," the navy said.
Iran says claims it is linked to Jordan drone attack, deaths of US soldiers are 'baseless'
Iran is claiming that accusations of its involvement in an attack that left three U.S. service members dead in Jordan over the weekend are "baseless."
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani also claimed that "resistance groups" in the region do not take orders from Iran, according to Reuters.
The remarks come after three American service members were killed and other were wounded in a drone attack near the Syrian border over the weekend.
"While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq," President Biden said in response to the strike. Some Republicans have pressed Biden to authorize stronger action against Iran, with members of both parties concerned about the safety of U.S. troops overseas.
34 AMERICAN SERVICE MEMBERS INJURED, 8 EVACUATED FROM JORDAN FOLLOWING ATTACK
Iran's Mission to the United Nations said in its own statement that "Iran had no connection and had nothing to do with the attack on the U.S. base," Reuters reported.
"There is a conflict between U.S. forces and resistance groups in the region, which reciprocate retaliatory attacks," the statement also said.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose coalition of Iran-backed militant groups, is claiming responsibility for the deadly attack.
Militant groups targeted the logistics support base located at Tower 22 of the Jordanian Defense Network. There are around 350 U.S. Army and Air Force personnel deployed at the base to counter ISIS.
By late Sunday, the number of injured had climbed to 34 service members. This included at least eight personnel whose injuries warranted an evacuation from Jordan to higher-level care, though they were believed to be in stable condition.
Fox News is told all service members are being fully evaluated. The number of injured was expected to fluctuate.
The fatalities marked a major escalation after months of strikes by such groups against American forces across the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, "we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our troops, and our interests."
Fox News’ Bradford Betz, Liz Friden and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Putin officially registers as candidate in Russia's presidential election, expected to extend 24-year reign
Russia's election commission on Monday formally registered President Vladimir Putin as a candidate for the March presidential election, a vote in which he’s all but certain to win another six-year term in office.
Putin, 71, is running as an independent, but he retains tight control over Russia's political system that he has established during 24 years in power. With prominent critics who could challenge him either jailed or living abroad and most independent media banned, his re-election in the March 15-17 presidential vote looks all but assured.
In 2018, Putin also ran as an independent, snubbing the United Russia party that nominated him to run in 2012. With his approval ratings hovering around 80 percent, Putin is far more popular than United Russia, which is widely seen as a part of the Kremlin-controlled state bureaucracy rather than a political force.
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The Central Election Commission formally cleared Putin for the race after reviewing 315,000 signatures gathered by his campaign from all 89 regions of Russia. Russian election law requires independent candidates to present at least 300,000 signatures to get on the ballot.
The commission already has approved three other candidates who were nominated by parties represented in parliament and weren’t required to collect signatures: Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party, Leonid Slutsky of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party and Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party.
All three parties have been largely supportive of the Kremlin’s policies. Kharitonov ran against Putin in 2004, finishing a distant second.
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Boris Nadezhdin, a 60-year-old liberal politician who serves as a local legislator in a town near Moscow, is also seeking to run. He has openly called for a halt to the conflict in Ukraine and starting a dialogue with the West.
Thousands of Russians have lined up across the country to leave their signatures in support of Nadezhdin's candidacy to allow him to qualify for the race, an unusual show of opposition sympathies in the rigidly controlled political landscape that raised a challenge for the Kremlin.
The Central Election Commission is expected to review Nadezhdin's papers later this week to decide whether to register him for the race.
Under a constitutional reform that he engineered, Putin is eligible to seek two more six-year terms, potentially allowing him to remain in power until 2036.
Pakistan and Iran vow collaboration to improve security after fatal airstrikes
Pakistan and Iran on Monday agreed to work together to improve security cooperation in the wake of deadly airstrikes by Tehran and Islamabad earlier this month that killed at least 11 people, marking a significant escalation in fraught relations between the neighbors.
The development came after the top Iranian diplomat, Hossein Amirabdollahian, held talks in Islamabad with his Pakistani counterpart, Jalil Abbas Jilani. The Iranian foreign minister also met with Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul-Haq-Kakar.
Iran-Pakistan ties were dramatically imperiled on Jan. 17, when Iran launched airstrikes in Pakistan’s restive southwestern Baluchistan province, targeting what Tehran said were hideouts of the anti-Iran Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl, or the Army of Justice. Pakistan said two children were killed and tree others were wounded.
PAKISTAN CONDUCTS RETALIATORY MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST PAKISTANI TERRORISTS OPERATING IN IRAN
Angered over the strikes, Pakistan recalled its ambassadors from Tehran and launched airstrikes against alleged militant hideouts inside Iran, in the Sistan and Baluchestan province, killing at least nine people. Islamabad said it was targeting Baluch militant groups with separatist goals.
At a joint news conference later Monday, Amirabdollahian and Jilani said they would work through existing channels in their leadership, diplomatic and military levels to cooperate with each other.
Jilani said the two countries were able to bring the "situation back to normal in the shortest possible time" after the airstrikes because both sides had agreed to resume dialogue to resolve all issues.
"Terrorism poses a common challenge to our countries," Jilani said and stressed that "respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity remains the immutable and foundational principle of this cooperation" between the neighbors.
He announced regular future meetings at top ministerial levels and also between liaison officers.
Iran and Pakistan "strongly respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other," Amirabdollahian. "We will tell all terrorists that we will not ... provide them with any opportunity to endanger our common security."
Amirabdollahian said Pakistan and Iran will also set up free trade economic zones near the border regions to enhance their bilateral trade.
PAKISTAN WARNS OF 'CONSEQUENCES' AFTER IRAN'S DEADLY BOMBING KILLED TWO CHILDREN
Iran and nuclear-armed Pakistan have long regarded each other with suspicion over militant attacks on their sides of the border. Experts say the tit-for-tat strikes this month were at least partially prompted by internal political pressures though they also raised the threat of violence spreading across the Middle East, already unsettled by Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
During his visit, Amirabdollahian was also expecting to brief his hosts about an incident Saturday in which unknown gunmen shot and killed at least four Pakistani laborers and wounded three others in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province. Pakistan has condemned the killings, describing the attack as "horrifying and despicable".
Relatives of the slain Pakistanis rallied on Sunday, demanding that the bodies of their loved ones be brought home. Pakistan said arrangements were being made for that with Iran's help and that the three wounded workers were being treated at an Iranian hospital.
Austria suspends payments to UNRWA amid Israeli allegations UN workers helped, celebrated Hamas
Austria has become the twelfth country to suspend payments to the United Nations' Palestinian aid agency (UNRWA), which provides supplies for people in Gaza, amid allegations that some of its workers were involved in the deadly surprise Hamas-led terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
The aid will remain suspended pending a full investigation into the alleged involvement of UNRWA workers, the Austrian foreign ministry said on Monday. Israel has also accused employees of the UN agency of helping keep at least one Israeli hostage captive and said UNRWA teachers celebrated the brutal attack in classrooms with students.
"We call on UNRWA and the United Nations to conduct a comprehensive, swift and complete investigation into the allegations," the Austrian ministry said in a statement.
Austria joins the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada and Japan in pausing funding to the aid agency.
Before Austria, France and Japan were the latest to announce they would be suspending aid to the Palestinian relief agency.
"France has not planned a new payment at UNRWA in the first quarter of 2024 and will decide when the time comes what action to take in conjunction with the United Nations and the main donors," its foreign ministry said Sunday.
Also on Sunday, Japan’s foreign ministry reiterated the good work done by some UNRWA workers but said the allegations warrant an investigation.
"As a United Nations agency, UNRWA plays a crucial role in providing essential services such as health and medical care, education, welfare, and food assistance to millions of Palestinian refugees in cooperation with the international community. Especially in the Gaza Strip, where the humanitarian situation is deteriorating further, UNRWA plays a vital role in delivering essential humanitarian assistance to each and every resident," the Japanese ministry said.
It added: "Against this backdrop, Japan is extremely concerned about the alleged involvement of UNRWA staff members in the terror attack on Israel on October 7 last year. In response, Japan has decided to suspend additional funding to UNRWA for the time being while UNRWA conducts an investigation into the matter and considers measures to address the allegations."
Both countries followed the U.S., which suspended aid and demanded an investigation on Friday, Jan. 26.
"The United States is extremely troubled by the allegations that twelve UNRWA employees may have been involved in the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. The Department of State has temporarily paused additional funding for UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them," the State Department said.
"UNRWA plays a critical role in providing lifesaving assistance to Palestinians, including essential food, medicine, shelter, and other vital humanitarian support. Their work has saved lives, and it is important that UNRWA address these allegations and take any appropriate corrective measures, including reviewing its existing policies and procedures," the statement continued.
It added: "There must be complete accountability for anyone who participated in the heinous attacks of October 7."
The Israeli foreign ministry has also accused several teachers at UNRWA schools in Gaza, which receive American taxpayer funding every year, of allegedly having celebrated the Oct. 7 attacks in classrooms with students present.
Despite these allegations, Norway has agreed to continue sending aid and financial assistance.
"While I share the concern over the very serious allegations against some @UNRWA staff, Norway has decided to continue its funding," the Norwegian foreign minister said. "UNRWA is a lifeline for millions of people in deep distress in Gaza as well as in the wider region."
Separately, Germany and Egypt have affirmed their commitment to providing aid to Palestinians, many of whom face dire situations.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi spoke on the phone and agreed on the importance of allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, a German government spokesperson said on Monday.
"The chancellor and the president agreed that in the conflict between Israel and Hamas there is an urgent need to significantly improve access for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and the provision of supplies to the Palestinians," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Some 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 people were taken hostage when Hamas-led forces led a brutal attack on Israel communities on Oct. 7, 2023.
Fox News' Liz Friden contributed to this report.
Zelenskyy will face 'reckoning' when war with Russia ends, expert says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will face a reckoning when the war with Russia ends, either from a victorious Moscow or from a public demanding answers after meandering – if inspired – resistance, according to an expert.
"There’s certainly going to be a reckoning, at some point, maybe even during the war – certainly after the war, related to the failure to sufficiently prepare," Simon Shuster, a 17-year senior correspondent covering Russia and Ukraine and the author of the upcoming book "The Showman," told Fox News Digital.
"Those kinds of questions and grievances are already bubbling up in the Ukrainian political arena and around kitchen tables across Ukraine," Shuster said. "Why wasn't Ukraine more prepared? Why weren't people warned more?"
Shuster has covered Ukraine and Russia for Time as an international affairs reporter, starting his on-the-ground reporting in Ukraine with the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. He looped in early on with Zelenskyy’s campaign when he noticed the "upstart" comedian making waves in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election.
ZELENSKYY MAKES URGENT CALL FOR SUPPORT AT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM AT DAVOS
"I think the issue they were having more was that no one was taking them seriously," he explained, saying that he had little trouble getting face time with the then-candidate Zelenskyy. "They didn’t have many appeals from big international publications, so they were quite happy to have a reporter from Time magazine come knocking and let me backstage."
In "The Showman," Shuster records his time on the ground in Ukraine during the first year of Russia’s invasion. He embedded with Zelenskyy’s camp once again, spending time among his advisers and getting a rare glimpse at the inner workings of one of the most inspired resistances in a David vs. Goliath showdown.
The book's prologue describes a buoyant and energetic Zelenskyy who hid his anxieties well as he won over the hearts of voters in what ended up a landslide victory. By the end of the book, Zelenskyy has lost much of that spark.
"Maybe somewhere, most likely around the eyes, the young Zelenskyy from the comedy circuit in Kryvyi Rih continued to animate his features," Shuster wrote regarding Zelenskyy’s appearance before the U.S. Congress in Dec. 2022.
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"I couldn’t see much trace of him as he walked down the aisle of the House Chamber. The early swing of his body in those early stages of his youth did not survive the impact of the invasion," he continued.
When discussing Zelenskyy’s "dramatic" changes during that first year of the war, Shuster told Fox News Digital that some things remain as they always were, including the Ukrainian president’s stubborn streak and trust in his intuition – though he notes that Zelenskyy in the run-up to the invasion continued to downplay the risk of any such military action actually occurring.
"He’s very confident in his decision-making and quick with it," Shuster said. "He doesn’t second guess himself. Once he takes a position, he carries it through, and he doesn’t have a lot of patience for people who then second guess him or try to steer him away from a decision."
Overall, understandably, Shuster found that Zelenskyy became "in many respects, a different person" after coming to "embody this persona of the wartime leader as he understood the responsibilities" of his office.
ZELENSKYY PROPOSES DUAL CITIZENSHIP FOR UKRAINIAN DIASPORA
"That’s an enormous degree of toughness, of self-sacrifice, of risk-taking, and, yea, the mood, the atmosphere inside his administration changed a lot over the months," Shuster explained, highlighting the change in Zelenskyy’s inner circle as a significant factor.
Shuster labeled the early atmosphere of Zelenskyy’s advisers as a "chaotic bunch of people with a lot of jumped, mixed-up and contradictory messages and opinions." Now, Zelenskyy surrounds himself with a "more precise and disciplined" group with fewer members but a greater sense of trust.
"One trap that leaders sometimes fall into is when they surround themselves with a small circle of very loyal advisers and their access to information is diminished," he argued. "They hear about the world through these advisers, who often, historically speaking, may be afraid to give bad or accurate news to the boss."
"Zelenskyy has a very interesting means of avoiding that trap, and I saw this firsthand while traveling with him," Shuster continued. "He asks everybody for their opinion: Soldiers at the front, the cameraman and photographer who travel with [him], drivers or whatever… and me, he would ask me, 'Simon, what do you think about what’s going on outside? Give us your opinion.'"
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The point was to align what he was hearing from those up top with the men at the front and identify discrepancies and avoid the problems of isolation.
Shuster insisted that Zelenskyy remains immensely popular even with his perceived missteps with the war effort, and no clear rival has yet stood out on the political field. Shuster noted that following the Crimea crisis in 2014, some political parties led by military commanders proved unsuccessful and failed to sway "any sizable portion of the electorate."
Both that popularity and any potential rivals will heavily depend on how the war ultimately ends, and Shuster reaffirmed the common belief that Zelenskyy will not accept capitulation or any terms "dictated to him by the Russians."
"I think one red line for him is territorial concessions – giving away land for peace," Shuster said. "He doesn’t intend to do that, and polling is very consistently showing the Ukrainian people don’t want him to do that."
"It’s difficult to imagine terms for a peace deal that would be acceptable to both him and Russia. Their positions are still very far apart," Shuster stressed. "Putin has said pretty clearly recently that his wartime aims have not changed. He intends to fulfill the goals of the military operation he started on February 2022."
"If you take him at his word, that means conquering Ukraine, so I think neither side is backing down, and that does not bode well for any kind of possible peace negotiations," he concluded.
Iran-backed militia attack update: 34 US service members injured, 8 evacuated from Jordan
The number of injured continues to climb after Iran-backed militias killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more in an overnight attack on a military base in northeast Jordan.
By late Sunday, the number of injured had climbed to 34 service members. This included at least eight personnel whose injuries warranted an evacuation from Jordan to higher-level care, though they were believed to be in stable condition.
Fox News is told all service members are being fully evaluated for follow-on care. The number of injured was expected to fluctuate.
The injuries mostly include traumatic brain injury, though the number of cases will likely go up as symptoms can take time to develop.
IRAN-BACKED MILITIA KILLS 3 US TROOPS JUST WEEKS AFTER BIDEN SAID TEHRAN KNOWS ‘NOT TO DO ANYTHING’
Militant groups targeted the logistics support base located at Tower 22 of the Jordanian Defense Network. There are around 350 U.S. Army and Air Force personnel deployed at the base to counter ISIS.
Out of respect for their families and per Defense Department policy, the identities of the service members are being withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.
The fatalities marked a major escalation after months of strikes by such groups against American forces across the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
Later Sunday, President Biden said that the U.S. "shall respond" to the attacks. In a written statement, Biden said the U.S. "will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner (of) our choosing."
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, "we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our troops, and our interests."
North Korea continues testing new nuclear-capable cruise missile, conducts 2 tests within a week
North Korea, on Sunday, test launched its new cruise missiles for the second time in a week, as the country continues to accelerate its navy’s nuclear armament, according to state media.
According to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s dictator oversaw the launch of the Pulhwasal-3-31 missile Kim Jong Un.
The agency said both missiles flew over the sea of the country’s east coast for over two hours – 7,421 seconds and 7,445 seconds – before hitting an unspecified island target.
Kim reportedly said the test was a success, "which is of strategic significance in carrying out the plan… for modernizing the army which aims at building a powerful [naval] force," KCNA said.
NORTH KOREA ATTEMPTS FIRST FLIGHT TEST OF NEW NUCLEAR CAPABLE CRUISE MISSILE
South Korean military officials confirmed North Korea launched multiple cruise missiles off its coast, but no other details were provided.
On Thursday, North Korea conducted the first test flight of the cruise missile, which KCNA said did not pose a threat to neighbors. The outlet also said the missile could eventually carry nuclear weapons.
Tensions in the region have increased in recent months as Kim continues to accelerate his weapons development and provocative threats to the U.S. and its Asian allies. In response, the United States, South Korea and Japan have been continuing their combined military exercises, which Kim condemns.
Over the past few months, North Korea has tested several types of weapons, including ballistic missile systems being developed, as well as an underwater drone.
KCNA said Kim inspected the construction of a nuclear submarine and has discussed concerns surrounding manufacturing other types of warships, though the agency did not provide additional details.
The country’s first operational nuclear attack submarine was launched last year, which some said appeared to be a modified submarine designed to carry cruise and ballistic missiles.
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U.S. and South Korean officials have accused North Korea of providing artillery shells, missiles and other supplies to Russia for its war in Ukraine. In return, North Korea is gaining much-needed economic assistance and military technology.
Both Pyongyang and Moscow have officially denied that North Korea was sending weapons to Russia. The U.S. and Ukrainian intelligence have said that Russia is using North Korean weapons in Ukraine.
Kim met with Russian President Putin at a Russian space launch center in September and the two are scheduling another meeting.
Fox News Digital's Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
Japan joins list of countries suspending funds to UNRWA after allegations of staffers participating on Oct 7
Japan joined a growing list of countries on Sunday to put a halt to providing funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees, citing concerns about allegations that staff members of the agency participated in the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel.
Also putting a stop to the funding temporarily are the U.S., Germany, U.K., Canada and at least five other countries.
Israel released evidence showing that a dozen of the organization's employees in Gaza participated in the massacre of 1,200 Israeli citizens by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023.
"Against this backdrop, Japan is extremely concerned about the alleged involvement of UNRWA staff members in the terror attack on Israel on October 7 last year," Foreign Press Secretary Kobayashi Maki from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan said. "In response, Japan has decided to suspend additional funding to UNRWA for the time being while UNRWA conducts an investigation into the matter and considers measures to address the allegations."
Kobayashi said Japan has been "strongly urging" the UNRWA to investigate the matter in a prompt and complete way and take appropriate measures.
Specifically, Kobayashi said measures should include strengthening governance within UNRWA, so the agency can fulfill the role it is supposed to play.
"At the same time, Japan will continue to make persistent and active diplomatic efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and to calm down the situation as soon as possible by providing support to other international organizations," Kobayashi added.
UN APPEALS FOR $7.9 BILLION TO HELP MILLIONS OF MIGRANTS FLEE CLIMATE CHANGE, CONFLICT
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced it was suspending UNRWA funding on the same day that U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called on member countries to resume funding for the agency, despite accusations from Israel that some of the group’s employees participated in the massacre last year.
Guterres said he understood the concerns leading to countries suspending funding to UNRWA, adding that he himself was horrified by the accusations. But he strongly appealed to those country’s governments to continue with funding for UNRWA’s operations.
"Of the 12 people implicated, nine were immediately identified and terminated by the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini; one is confirmed dead, and the identity of the two others is being clarified," he said. "Any UN employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution."
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Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan fired back at Guterres’ call for countries to renew their funding for UNRWA.
"The UN Secretary-General has proven once again that the security of the citizens of Israel is not really important for him," Erdan said. "After years in which he ignored the evidence presented to him personally about UNRWA's support and involvement in incitement and terrorism, and before he conducted a comprehensive investigation to locate all Hamas terrorists in UNRWA, he called to fund an organization that is deeply contaminated with terrorism."
Erdan said every country that continues to fund the agency before a comprehensive investigation can be conducted should be aware that the money may be used for terrorism.
He also said the aid transferred to UNRWA could reach Hamas terrorists instead of the people who need it in Gaza.
"I call on all donor states to suspend their support and demand an in-depth investigation that will investigate the involvement of all UNRWA employees in terror," the ambassador said.
Still, not all countries are on board. In a statement on Sunday, Norway's minister of Foreign Affairs, Espen Barth Eide, said his country would continue funding UNRWA.
"Norway is a major donor to UNRWA. Currently, some countries have paused their aid to the Palestinian people through UNRWA in this situation," he said. "Norway has decided to continue its funding. While I share the concern over the very serious allegations against some UNRWA staff, I urge other donors to reflect on the wider consequences of cutting funding to UNRWA in this time of extreme humanitarian distress. We should not collectively punish millions of people.
"The people of Gaza urgently need humanitarian assistance and must not pay the price for the actions of others," Eide added.
Who is the Iran-backed coalition Islamic Resistance in Iraq, responsible for deadly drone strike on US troops?
Three American troops were killed and dozens more were injured in northeast Jordan Sunday in an attack that marked a major escalation of tensions in the region.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose coalition of Iran-backed militant groups, is claiming responsibility for the deadly attack.
Per an analysis from the Pro-Israeli Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq," is not a singular unit per se but rather, an umbrella term used to tie the operations of various Iran-backed proxies in Iraq and Syria.
The report determined that an umbrella term obscures responsibility, making it more difficult to determine who is exactly responsible for attacks on U.S. targets.
IRAN-BACKED MILITIA KILLS 3 US TROOPS JUST WEEKS AFTER BIDEN SAID TEHRAN KNOWS ‘NOT TO DO ANYTHING’
It is believed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) – plays a role in organizing the loose coalition.
"Iraqi armed groups tend to jealously guard their individual identities and the credit they derive (directly or via façade groups linked to them) from attacks, so their willingness to submerge these identities and even recant an individual group attack claim suggests that higher power is coordinating them," the Washington Institute report says.
Many of the attack claims by the IRI brand have been published on the Telegram group called "al-Elam al Harbi" or "The War Media," published on October 18, 2023, following Hamas’ deadly assault on Israel.
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IRI said Sunday’s attack on an installation known as Tower 22 in Jordan was in retaliation for Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza. It regards the U.S. as complicit, given its support of Israel.
Since Oct. 7, militia groups have struck American military installations in Iraq and Syria – with a mix of drones, rockets, mortars and ballistic missiles – at least 160 times.
President Biden said Sunday that the U.S. "shall respond." This after he blamed Iran-backed militia groups for the first U.S. fatalities after months of strikes by such groups against American forces across the Middle East amid the Israel-Hamas war.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
UN calls on countries to resume UNRWA funding despite report employees participated in Oct 7 massacre
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on member countries to resume their funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), despite accusations from Israel that some of the group's employees participated in Hamas' bloody incursion late last year.
The U.S., Germany, U.K., Canada and at least five other countries have temporarily halted funding for the program. Israel released evidence showing that a dozen of the organization's employees in Gaza had participated in the massacre of 1,200 Israeli citizens by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023.
"While I understand their concerns – I was myself horrified by these accusations – I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA's operations," Guterres said in a statement on Sunday.
"Of the 12 people implicated, nine were immediately identified and terminated by the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini; one is confirmed dead, and the identity of the two others is being clarified," he added. "Any UN employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution."
"The abhorrent alleged acts of these staff members must have consequences. But the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalized. The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met," Guterres said.
UN APPEALS FOR $7.9 BILLION TO HELP MILLIONS OF MIGRANTS FLEE CLIMATE CHANGE, CONFLICT
The State Department under former President Trump cut ties with the UNRWA in 2018, but President Biden resumed the relationship shortly after taking office. He continued to increase spending for the organization, with funds exceeding $1 billion.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised the U.S. decision to suspend funding as "an important step in holding UNRWA accountable."
CHINA FACES SCRUTINY OVER MINORITY RIGHTS AS UN BODY REVIEWS RECORD
"At least a dozen UNRWA employees participated in the horrific attack conducted on Oct. 7: These are ‘humanitarian workers,’ with salaries paid for by international donations, with blood on their hands," Gallant said in a press release following the State Department's announcement.
The funding cut follows growing allegations that started in December 2023 when an Israeli citizen taken hostage by Hamas said upon release that they had remained captive in the attic of a UNRWA teacher. Another hostage said a Gazan doctor – reportedly a pediatrician – helped hold another hostage captive for Hamas.
Fox News' Timothy H.J. Nerozzi and Peter Aitken contributed to this report.
NATO chief urges US lawmakers to continue supporting Ukraine, warns Beijing is watching
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday encouraged U.S. lawmakers to continue funding Ukraine in its war against Russia, warning that Beijing and other authoritarian powers will be emboldened should Russian President Vladimir Putin succeed.
Stoltenberg appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and warned that Beijing is closely watching the allies’ response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
"What matters is that Ukraine gets continued support because we need to realize that this is closely watched in Beijing," he said.
He argued that the U.S., Europe and other parts of the world will be made more vulnerable if Putin "gets what he wants in Ukraine."
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"It is important that Putin doesn’t get his way in Ukraine," the NATO chief said. "That will embolden other authoritarian powers. Today it’s Ukraine, tomorrow it might be Taiwan."
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and believes it must be reunified with the mainland.
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Stoltenberg is meeting with top U.S. defense officials and lawmakers this week to discuss the continued funding to Ukraine, which is being tied up in Congress over a dispute on U.S. border policies and other political issues.
Ukraine's aid remains a divisive issue, with critics flagging Ukraine's longtime struggles with corruption.
Five Ukrainian officials were arrested over the weekend for allegedly stealing nearly $40 million in funds meant to purchase military equipment for the war against Russia. Ukraine's security service said members of the defense ministry conspired with members of a Ukrainian arms firm to embezzle the funds, which were meant to purchase 100,000 mortar shells.
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
Activists throw soup at Mona Lisa in Louvre climate protest
Two climate activists threw soup at the glass protecting the famed Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre Museum in Paris while shouting slogans advocating for a sustainable food system.
Video posted to social media shows two women with the words "Riposte Alimentaire" written on their t-shirts passing under a security barrier to get close to the painting before throwing soup at the glass protecting Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Associated Press reports.
"What’s the most important thing?" they shouted. "Art, or right to a healthy and sustainable food?"
"Our farming system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work," they added.
PURPORTED EARLIER VERSION OF DA VINCI'S 'MONA LISA' WOWS ART LOVERS AFTER GOING ON DISPLAY
Louvre employees could then be seen putting black panels in front of the Mona Lisa and asking visitors to evacuate the room. Staff told the BBC that pumpkin soup was sprayed on the painting by members of an environmental movement around 10 a.m. local time, but there was no damage to the artwork.
Paris police said two people were arrested following the incident.
The display happened while French farmers protest against several issues, including low wages.
Riposte Alimentaire took credit for the attack on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
SCIENTISTS USE X-RAYS TO REVEAL CLUE ABOUT TECHNIQUES DA VINCI USED WHEN PAINTING 'MONA LISA'
On its website, the group said the French government is breaking its climate commitments and called for the equivalent of the country's state-sponsored health care system to be put in place to give people better access to healthy food while providing farmers a decent income, the AP states.
Angry French farmers have been using their tractors for days to set up road blockades and slow traffic across France to seek better remuneration for their produce, less red tape and protection against cheap imports. They also dumped stinky agricultural waste at the gates of government offices.
On Friday, the government announced a series of measures that farmers said do not fully address their demands. Those include "drastically simplifying" certain technical procedures and a progressive end to diesel fuel taxes for farm vehicles.
Some farmers threatened to converge on Paris, starting Monday, to block the main roads leading to the capital.
Back in May 2022 a man threw a piece of cake at the protective glass surrounding the famed painting in an apparent climate protest stunt.
The protester – a young man disguised as an old woman in a wheelchair – attacked the glass and attempted to smash it on Sunday. One witness tweeted that the man proceeded to "smear cake on the glass, and throws roses everywhere" before being tackled by security.
Fox News' Haley Chi-Sing, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Father of murdered IDF soldier says Hamas terrorists tried to sell his son's head for $10,000
The father of a deceased Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier revealed that Hamas terrorists had tried to sell his son’s head for $10,000.
"That is just insane barbarism," David Tahar said in an interview with Channel 14. He had tried for months to find his son’s head after the IDF recovered his body following the Oct. 7 attack, saying, "A father needs to know everything about his children."
"From a CT scan I received recently, his whole body is full of shrapnel, and unfortunately the body of Adir was also abused after he was killed," his father claimed.
David Tahar told Fox News Digital that the terrorists killed his son, Cpl. Adir Tahar, 19, with an anti-tank missile after he helped save some of his comrades. The attack devastated the Golani Brigade unit that his son served in, and the terrorists then decapitated Adir Tahar.
David Tahar claimed that evidence showed the terrorists shot at Adir Tahar's body with their guns after he died. The IDF only managed to identify Adir Tahar’s body thanks to his identity tags, DNA testing and personal items in his pockets, The Times of Israel reported.
David's father said that "on Tuesday night, I saw Adir before I buried him, I received his casket and I opened it and there, I saw that he was missing his head."
He described the horrifying moment as "one of the most difficult moments a man can experience is seeing his son lying down, dead, especially when he is lying down without a head. It is one of the more horrifying feelings in the world," he told Fox News Digital.
Reports say the fate of Adir Tahar’s head was finally resolved after Israeli forces learned from two captured Hamas terrorists that they had tried to sell an IDF soldier’s head and gave details as to where the forces could find it.
An elite unit deployed to central Gaza found the head in a bag inside a freezer in Palestine Square, according to Israeli outlet i24. DNA and dental records identified it as Adir Tahar’s head, and it was returned to Israel.
David Tahar told Fox News Digital about his son. "Amir was a very, very smart boy, a humble boy, a very talented boy, a loved boy, a boy who tried to create unity between his friends, between his family members. Adir was the third of four kids, a really special kid: a kid who tried to bring only good into the world… Adir was a kid who cared for others. He would always care for his friends. He was very proud to be in Golani." The Golani Brigade is one of the most famous units of the IDF.
EXCLUSIVE: ISRAEL CREATES AI PLATFORM TO MONITOR THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN GAZA
Amir's father says he has established a way to keep his son's memory alive through the Jerusalem Great Synagogue Emergency Israel Campaign.
The IDF confirmed Adir's death but was not able to confirm the attempts to sell the head for $10,000.
David Adir warned that the world needs to wake up to what Israel is dealing with today, or other countries could experience a similar fate at the hands of "barbarians." "The world better wake up and uproot... those who hate life and sanctify death."
The atrocities Hamas terrorists committed remain largely unobserved by the mainstream media, with Telegram flooded by videos of the violence from Oct. 7 as well as a compilation of the footage shown to select audiences, including journalists and politicians around the world.
5 Ukrainian officials arrested over theft of $40 million in war funds as Ukraine corruption persists
Five Ukrainian officials were arrested this weekend on accusations of stealing nearly $40 million in funds meant to purchase military equipment for the war against Russia.
Ukraine's security service said members of the defense ministry conspired with members of a Ukrainian arms firm to embezzle the funds, which were meant to purchase 100,000 mortar shells. The allegations come amid division in the U.S. over whether to send more aid to Ukraine, with some critics pointing to Ukraine's longtime struggles with corruption.
The five individuals arrested face up to 12 years in prison if found guilty. Ukraine's prosecutor general says the $39.6 million has since been seized and returned to the defense budget.
Accusations from Ukraine say defense officials organized the payment to Lviv Arsenal, a defense contract firm, to secure the delivery of artillery shells. The ordnance never arrived, however, and the funds were instead transferred to accounts belonging to the defense officials and members of the firm.
RUSSIAN TRANSPORT PLANE CRASHES NEAR UKRAINE WITH MORE THAN 60 UKRAINIAN PRISONERS OF WAR ABOARD
Corruption has been a longstanding issue in Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy winning election on an anti-graft campaign even before Russia's invasion in 2022.
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This fall, however, an advisor to Zelenskyy said the government had suffered "reputational damage" on the world stage for its sluggish efforts to battle corruption.
One aide to Zelensky told Time Magazine in October that "People are stealing like there’s no tomorrow."
Meanwhile, Ukraine's efforts to push back Russia's invasion have largely stalled. A Ukrainian counteroffensive has achieved a few slim victories, but has failed to achieve a major breakthrough against Russian lines.
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Ukraine's most significant successes relate to its grain exports, which have resumed despite Russian efforts. Ukrainian officials have touted their campaign against Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
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Zelenskyy highlighted the efforts in several speeches during his foreign state visits in the final months of 2023, claiming the Russian fleet "is no longer capable of operating in the western part of the Black Sea and is gradually retreating from Crimea."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
China's tightly controlled internet flooded with antisemitism following Hamas massacre
KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — Speaking to the U.S. Bar Association last week, Aaron Keyak, the State Department's deputy special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, warned of the growth of antisemitism in China following Hamas' massacre of Israelis Oct. 7.
"There’s been an increase in the People’s Republic of China’s state media and online discourse of antisemitic tropes that Jews control the United States through deep U.S.-Israel ties, as well as control over banks, the media, and that they have influence over government leaders," Keyak said.
"Conjecture that Jews control the U.S. government and U.S. wealth is an antisemitic falsehood intended to degrade trust in the United States, our democratic institutions and, ultimately, democracy around the globe."
The statements from the administration will be welcomed by many who have been monitoring Chinese antisemitism, an already existing problem that has grown worse since the Hamas massacres Oct. 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza.
ISRAEL OMITTED FROM ONLINE MAPS IN CHINA AMID WAR ON HAMAS IN GAZA
Most of the hatred expressed has been online. Reports show Chinese "netizens" openly mocking the parents of the half-Chinese, Israeli-born captive Noa Argamani, who was seen in a viral video looking terrified as she was kidnapped by Hamas. Argamani's Chinese-born mother has been targeted with strings of profanities after she asked Beijing to help secure her daughter's release.
Chinese web users frequently compare Israel’s actions in Gaza to the Holocaust, with Israel playing the role of the Nazis. YouTube is banned in China, but the most popular Chinese version of a video site, Bilibili, along with other social media platforms operated by TikTok owner ByteDance, including TouTiao and Xigua, is awash with pro-Hitler videos, memes, pro-Nazi content and antisemitic tropes.
The Times of Israel reported in late 2023 that Steven Spielberg’s "Schindler’s List," previously a hit in China, had been "review-bombed" down from 9.7 to a 4.3 rating. One highly-rated comment from a reviewer in China asked, "Where is the Palestinian Schindler?"
As Israel’s war against Hamas heated up in October, Chinese search giants Alibaba and Baidu, for a time, made Israel disappear. The Jewish state could no longer be found on either site’s map apps.
The chance that this removal of Israel "from the river to the sea" was due to a tech glitch is virtually zero. China's internet is the most policed on earth, and few observers believe this map incident was anything other than a childish gesture meant to bring a few moments of joy to pro-Hamas Chinese netizens.
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Meron Medzini, professor emeritus at the Department of Asian Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91, has had a front-row seat to history, watching both the emergence of the State of Israel and the People’s Republic of China, a country he’s visited a dozen times.
Medzini told Fox News Digital that the "recent antisemitic publications and other forms of [antisemitic] expression in China should be seen as an expression of anti-Americanism. The belief is that Jews have vast influence on American politics, media, academia, banking and finance and, thus, in fact, control America. It is easier to attack Jews than America."
Medzini is the author of books on the history of Taiwan-Israel relations as well as Japan and the Jews during the Holocaust era.
Speaking to Fox News Digital from his office in Taipei, Ross Darrell Feingold, founding chairman of the Chabad Taipei Jewish Center in Taiwan and an analyst of Chinese foreign policy, explained that even if the CCP is not directly promoting antisemitic hate speech, up to now it has not required the platform operators to clamp down.
"On my Chinese social media account, the antisemitic vitriol directed at me is astounding," Feingold said. "It includes the usual stereotypes such as Jews control global wealth and U.S. foreign policy, to more extreme comments such as references to Jews going up in smoke or are better off being turned into soap".
There is evidence that even the official Chinese news media have been given the green light to air antisemitic tropes. In his address to the U.S. Bar Association, SEAS Deputy Aaron Keyak noted, "For example, in an October 2023 program on ‘uncovering the Israel elements of U.S. elections in history,’ PRC state media (China’s central television) alleged that ‘Jews who represent 3% of the U.S. population control 70% of its wealth.'"
The hate, however, runs deeper than old tropes. As the Gaza war continued into the end of 2023, Su Lin, a frequent contributor to Chinese state media and a senior research fellow at China’s most prestigious "private" think tank, the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), reportedly went as far as saying publicly, "Hamas was too gentle" or, in another translation, "Hamas went too soft on Israel."
Feingold also says the CCP, to maintain tight control and prevent internal ethnic strife, would not tolerate similar vitriol on social media if it was directed at China’s Muslims, such as Uyghurs or the Hui ethnic group.
Medzini noted that China was once a sincere friend to the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
"The father of modern China, Sun Yat Sen, supported Zionism and the return of Jews to Israel," he said. "Although Japan was an ally of Nazi Germany during WWII, in Japanese-occupied China, Jews were not persecuted, and as a result, some 30,000 Jews survived the war. Nationalist China was the first Asian nation to recognize Israel in March 1949, while Israel was among the first ten non-Communist nations to recognize the People's Republic of China in January 1950."
Before the Israel-Hamas war started, Feingold published a commentary calling on the Biden-Harris administration to send the U.S. antisemitism ambassador to China. However, he told Fox News Digital, "Despite a few references recently in public remarks, I’m not optimistic that the Biden-Harris administration’s China engagement efforts will really include tackling antisemitism in China."
Another country that seems concerned about the growing trend is Germany. Writing in Chinese, the German embassy posted a comment on Weibo, China’s version of X, formerly known as Twitter.
The translated tweet says, "Dear netizens, we need to emphasize the rules of the comment area again: We believe in the power of free speech and rational debate. Therefore, we allow some negative, critical and controversial comments to appear below our posts. … But all this is not without limitations. … We also want to make it clear that those who deliberately combine the Israeli flag with Nazi symbols in their profile pictures are either ignorant idiots or shameless bastards! Such accounts will be permanently blocked by us."
But stern comments from the German embassy have had little to no effect in reducing the vast amount of antisemitic content on Chinese social media platforms. Considering how tightly controlled China’s internet is, critics wonder if it’s fair to ask why the platform operators or Chinese government haven’t taken action.
US withdrawal from Syria would put 'whole region at risk,' allow Iran to 'sow' more discord, expert warns
Recent reports have raised the specter of a U.S. withdrawal from Syria, and while brushed off by the Biden administration, one expert made clear that if such a withdrawal ever happened, the consequences would be disastrous for not only the region but the U.S. and its allies as well.
Sinam Sherkany Mohamad, the representative of the Syrian Democratic Council, the political wing of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told Fox News Digital that a U.S. withdrawal from the region would have lasting effects.
"If the U.S. withdrew from Syria, our whole region would be at risk. We currently are guarding over 12,500 hardened ISIS fighters who would be released back to the battlefields in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond," she said.
"[A] U.S. withdrawal would also mean that hundreds of thousands of persecuted minorities who were critical in ending the violent ambitions of ISIS would be subject to retaliation by the Assad regime, and by a Turkish government that is hostile to religious and ethnic minorities," said Mohamad. "This would mean the continued persecution of Christians and other religions, total loss of the current equality of women, and the ethnic cleansing of protected minorities."
The U.S. has roughly 900 troops stationed in Syria to counter ISIS and Iranian-backed militias. It also works closely with the SDF to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State and carries out counterterrorism operations in the region.
A senior U.S. official told Fox News earlier this week that the U.S. has no plans to withdraw its 900 troops from Syria. Additionally, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the U.S. is in the country to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and continues to work with local partners to maintain pressure on the jihadist group.
The U.S. has no changes planned for its mission in Syria, the spokesperson said.
Mohamad told Fox News Digital that Iran has sought for years to "control the historic capitals of the Levant, seeking influence and control in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon." She explained, "The Autonomous Region is of vital strategic importance to blocking Iran's strategy to pursue regional hegemony in the Middle East. If Iran succeeds in removing the SDF, it would be able to continue to sow discord across the region, sponsoring terrorist attacks on countries, targeting U.S. military facilities, and threatening its allies."
The Institute for the Study of War said in a report last year that Iran, Russia and the Syrian regime are "coordinating a coercive campaign to expel the United States from Syria," possibly as part of a "broader political-military campaign to bolster the Assad regime’s international legitimacy and expand Iranian-Russian control over Syrian territory."
The SDF said in a recent press release that its anti-terrorism units, along with international coalition partners, conducted an operation in Deir Ezzor in early January, targeting and killing senior ISIS leader Muhammed Atiyah.
Atiyah, also known as Abu Mahmoud, was responsible for carrying out assassinations against security and military personnel in the region, according to the SDF.
Mohamad said ISIS’ activities have significantly increased in Deir Ezzor and the Syrian desert regions, specifically Al-Sukhnah and Palmyra.
"The Syrian Democratic Forces continue special operations focused on targets belonging to ISIS in Deir Ezzor, Raqqa and the entire region. Within two weeks, there were three operations by the Syrian Democratic Forces in participation with the international coalition against ISIS cells, during which ISIS officials were killed in Al-Hawl, Deir Ezzor, and five individuals belonging to ISIS subversive cells were arrested," she noted.
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"If tensions continue in the region and Turkish and Iranian attacks continue, we expect that the activity of ISIS cells will continue to increase, as they always benefit from the tensions and bombings caused by Iranian and Turkish strikes."
Turkey has ramped up its airstrikes in northern Syria and Iraq against Kurdish militants, destroying 29 bunkers, shelters, caves and oil facilities in the two regions earlier this month, according to Turkey’s defense ministry.
Turkey considers the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a Syrian branch of the PKK, as terrorist groups. The PKK is a U.S.-designed foreign terrorist group, but the U.S. supports the YPG because it has played an integral role in the fight against ISIS.
David Adesnik, a senior fellow and the director of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital earlier this month that there has been a historic animosity between Turks and Kurds.
"There's been effectively a civil war raging in Turkey for a generation, pitting the Kurdish minority there against the government. Initially, the current government, or led by [president Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, was more open to reconciliation, but over time, took a more nationalist bent and became very anti-Kurdish," he explained. "And especially, it seemed that the Kurds were carving out an ever larger domain of autonomy within northern Syria and that sort of struck Erdogan as intolerable. And he also sees no distinction between the Kurds in Turkey, who are fighting the state and the Kurds in Syria, who are fighting the Islamic State and others."
Adesnik said that the U.S. has tried to make an operational distinction that even if they consider some of the Kurds in Turkey as terrorists, they need to work with the Syrian Kurds.
"It's hardly a perfect arrangement," he noted.
Holocaust survivors gather at 79th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation for historic remembrance day
About 20 Holocaust survivors solemnly gathered to mark the 79th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp during World War II in a ceremony in Poland on Saturday.
The approximately 20 survivors from surrounding Nazi concentration camps gathered to lay wreaths and flowers and to light candles at the Death Wall in Auschwitz, where the Nazis executed thousands of inmates.
Later, the group, along with state officials, gathered to memorialize the camp's 1.1 million camp victims.
The group gathered by a brick women's barracks at the former concentration camp and lit candles and prayed for the victims.
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Halina Birenbaum, a 94-year-old survivor, spoke during the memorization beside barrack 27, where she spent part of August 1943 until the forced evacuation of camp inmates on foot on Jan. 18, 1945.
She said the suffering and tragedy of people from the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel was "painful" for her and an extension of her Auschwitz experience.
Israeli Ambassador to Poland Yacov Livne defended Israel's retaliation following the unprecedented Hamas terrorist attack.
"We hoped that the lessons of the Holocaust have been learned," Livne said. "Yet, today we are astonished by accusations of genocide against the Jewish state while we fight for our existence."
In Germany, residents gathered to remember the 79th anniversary of the Holocaust by laying flowers.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his country would continue to bear responsibility for this "crime against humanity."
He called on citizens to defend Germany’s democracy and fight antisemitism as the country marked the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
"Never again’ is every day," Scholz said in his weekly video podcast. "Jan. 27 calls out to us: Stay visible! Stay audible! Against antisemitism, against racism, against misanthropy — and for our democracy."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the day by posting an image of a Jewsih menorah on X.
"Every new generation must learn the truth about the Holocaust," Zelensky wrote. "Human life must remain the highest value for all nations in the world."
FAR-LEFT HATRED OF JEWS TODAY ECHOES THE SOCIALISM AND ANTISEMITISM OF HITLER IN THE 1930S
In Italy, Holocaust commemorations included a torchlit procession and official statements from top political leaders.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said her conservative nationalist government was committed to eradicating antisemitism that she said had been "reinvigorated" by the Israel-Hamas war.
President Biden wrote that it's "our responsibility" to combat antisemitism and hate-fueled violence.
"Today, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we mourn one of the darkest chapters in history, when six million Jews and countless others were systematically murdered," Biden wrote on X. "It's our responsibility to stand up to Antisemitism and hate-fueled violence everywhere."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Biden admin slams 'political targeting' of Venezuela opposition leader banned from running for president
The U.S. government, along with 30 other world leaders condemned the decision of Venezuela’s highest court to block the presidential candidacy of María Corina Machado.
President Biden previously threatened the South American country to reimpose economic sanctions on Venezuela if it failed to allow fair democratic elections.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the U.S. State Department said it is reviewing Venezuela's election process after Venezuela's highest court-the Tribunal Supremo de Justicia- ruled that Machado would not be allowed to run for president.
"The United States is currently reviewing our Venezuela sanctions policy, based on this development and the recent political targeting of democratic opposition candidates and civil society," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
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The move comes after Venezuela’s highest court upheld a ban on Machado's candidacy.
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Machado, a former lawmaker, won the opposition’s independently run presidential primary in October with more than 90% of the vote.
Her victory came despite the government announcing a 15-year ban on her running for office just days after she formally entered the race in June.
She was able to participate in the primary election because the effort was organized by a commission independent of Venezuela’s electoral authorities.
Machado rejected the ban and has continued to campaign against incumbent President Nicolás Maduro.
She had argued that she never received an official notification of the ban, and insisted that voters were the rightful decision-makers of her candidacy.
In December, she filed a claim with the Supreme Tribunal of Justice to confirm that the ban was null and void, and to pursue an injunction to protect her political rights.
Instead, the court ruled against her and upheld the ban.
Preventing Machado and other candidates from running would go against an agreement between the government of President Maduro and U.S.-backed opposition figures last year.
The agreement caused the U.S. government to ease some sanctions on Venezuela’s oil, gas, and mining industries.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
China sends several warplanes, navy ships toward Taiwan after U.S.-China talks
Taiwan's defense ministry announced on Saturday that over 30 Chinese warplanes were headed toward its country, in addition to navy ships.
Thirty-three aircraft were sent by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army from 6 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, officials said. The aircraft included SU-30 fighters.
Six Chinese navy vessels were also headed to Taiwan, and 13 of China's warplanes crossed the median of the Taiwan Strait. According to the Associated Press, Taiwanese officials are currently monitoring the situation.
Saturday's development happened shortly after Senior U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed to meet in Bangkok. Sullivan announced the end of the talks on X Saturday evening.
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"Just finished two days of meetings with Director Wang Yi in Bangkok to follow up on the Woodside Summit between President Biden and President Xi last November," the post read, which included a photo of Sullivan and Wang shaking hands.
National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said that Sullivan and Wang's meeting "continues the commitment by both sides…to maintain strategic communication and responsibly manage the relationship."
On Thursday, the Chinese government called out the U.S. Navy for sailing a warship through the Taiwan Strait, accusing the U.S. of causing "trouble and provocation on China's doorstep."
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On Jan. 17, the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan said in an English-language press release that "18 sorties of various CCP primary and auxiliary aircraft" had been detected. Eleven of the sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
"The Armed Forces adopted combined intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance measures to closely monitor the situation, and dispatched mission aircraft, warships, and shore-based missile systems to respond appropriately," the statement read.
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"The MND emphasized that the security and prosperity of the Taiwan Strait is a matter of concern of global development and stability, so it is an obligation and responsibility for all parties in the region to take up and shoulder collectively," the defense ministry added. "The Armed Forces will continue to strengthen its self-defense capabilities to cope with regional threats based on enemy threats and self-defense needs."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
