World News
Boy, 12, dies following shark attack while swimming at popular cliff-jumping spot: 'We are heartbroken'
A 12-year-old Australian boy has died following a brutal shark attack in Sydney Harbor, his family confirmed Saturday.
Nico Antic had been fighting for his life since Jan. 18, when he was attacked while swimming at a popular cliff-jumping spot known as Jump Rock near Shark Beach in the eastern Sydney suburb of Vaucluse.
His family announced Saturday that he had died.
"We are heartbroken to share that our son, Nico, has passed away," Nico’s parents, Lorena and Juan, said in a statement. "Nico was a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit. He was always full of life and that’s how we’ll remember him."
SURFER SAYS SHARK ATTACK FELT 'LIKE BEING HIT BY A CAR' AS BOARD BITTEN IN HALF: REPORTS
They also thanked first responders and medical staff at Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick for their efforts, as well as members of the community for their support.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by a family friend had raised more than $266,000 as of Saturday evening.
FOURTH SHARK ATTACK IN THREE DAYS ROCKS AUSTRALIA AS AUTHORITIES CLOSE BEACHES AND DEPLOY DRUMLINES
According to police, the attack took place at around 4:20 p.m. on Jan. 18, after Antic jumped from a 20-foot ledge into the water. He suffered severe injuries to both legs, believed to have been caused by a large shark.
His three friends immediately jumped into the water, pulled him to shore and called for help. Antic was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Local media reported at the time that he had lost both legs.
SURFER SAYS SHARK ATTACK FELT "LIKE BEING HIT BY A CAR" AS BOARD BITTEN IN HALF: REPORTS
The tragedy comes amid a surge in shark incidents across Australia. Dozens of beaches were closed this week after four shark attacks in mere days.
Australia averages roughly 20 shark attacks a year, with fewer than three proving fatal, according to Reuters.
Fox News Digital's Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
Lindsey Graham says 'strong consensus' to protect Kurds as Syrian forces advance on territory
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo both issued dire warnings about the pressing need to protect the endangered Syrian Kurdish population under attack by government forces in the war-torn nation.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who earlier this month ordered his army, which reportedly has a large jihadist element in it, to conquer territory controlled for more than a decade by the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF.)
Writing on the social media platform X on, Graham declared, "There is strong and growing bipartisan interest in the U.S. Senate regarding the deteriorating situation in Syria. There is strong consensus that we must protect the Kurds who were there for us in destroying the ISIS caliphate, as well as many other groups."
Pompeo responded to Graham’s post, stating, "Turning our backs on our Kurdish allies would be a moral and strategic disaster."
CHAOS IN SYRIA SPARKS FEARS OF ISIS PRISON BREAKS AS US RUSHES DETAINEES TO IRAQ
The Trump administration is facing criticism from its long-standing ally, the Syrian Kurds, who played a crucial role in the defeat of the Islamic State in the heartland of the Middle East, following a U.S. government announcement on social media that seemed to hint that the partnership had ended this past week with the Kurdish-run SDF in northern Syria.
The SDF formed as a bulwark against the rapid spread of the Islamic State’s terrorist movement in 2013. ISIS created a caliphate covering significant territory in Syria and Iraq. Al-Sharaa was a former member of the Islamic State and al Qaeda.
Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department regarding U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, who also serves as the Special Envoy for Syria, for a response to his recent statement on X wrote that indicated the U.S. partnership with the SDF was over.
Barrack wrote, "The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by Kurds, proved the most effective ground partner in defeating ISIS’s territorial caliphate by 2019, detaining thousands of ISIS fighters and family members in prisons and camps like al-Hol and al-Shaddadi. At that time, there was no functioning central Syrian state to partner with — the Assad regime was weakened, contested, and not a viable partner against ISIS due to its alliances with Iran and Russia."
He added, "Today, the situation has fundamentally changed. Syria now has an acknowledged central government that has joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (as its 90th member in late 2025), signaling a westward pivot and cooperation with the U.S. on counterterrorism."
TURKEY SAYS SYRIA USING FORCE IS AN OPTION AGAINST US-BACKED FIGHTERS WHO HELPED DEFEAT ISIS
Iham Ahmed, a prominent Syrian Kurdish politician, told Fox News Digital that, "We really wished to see a firm position from the U.S. The Kurdish people are at the risk of extermination. The U.S. does not give any solid or tangible guarantees."
Ahmed cast doubt on statements like Barrack’s, warning the "Syrian army is still consisting of radical factions that no one can trust. Alawites, Christians, Sunnis and Druze cannot trust these factions. We could face massacres, which happened in other Syrian cities."
When asked by Fox News Digital if the SDF wants Israel to intervene to aid the Kurds as it did to help the Syrian Druze and other minorities last year, Ahmed said, "Whoever wants to help us should do so – today is the day." She said that "the Islamic State is showing itself in the image of an official army. Everyone is threatened now."
She urged a "special status for the Kurdish region" in northeastern Syria.
Ahmed accused the Erdoğan government of nefarious involvement. "Turkey stands behind the attacks on our region. Turkish intelligence and small groups are leading attacks. Statements from Turkey are encouraging the extermination of our people," she claimed.
Fox News Digital sent a press query to the Turkish embassy spokesman in Washington D.C.
ISRAELI OFFICIAL ISSUES STARK WARNING AFTER CHILLING SYRIAN MILITARY WAR CHANTS SURFACE
The influential president of the Family Research Council, Tony Perkins, wrote on X that, "Sen. Graham is right. I’ve been discussing the situation in NE Syria with Republican House leaders. It is not in America’s interest for Islamist forces to seize territory once governed by trusted U.S. allies who protected minorities and advanced religious freedom. Yet this is happening as Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa’s forces move into northeast Syria, displacing the Syrian Democratic Forces — our partners in the fight against ISIS, who lost thousands of fighters, guarded U.S. bases, and detained ISIS prisoners."
He continued, "Before we place trust in al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda insurgent who fought U.S. forces in Iraq and was held at Abu Ghraib, he has to show he is trustworthy. So far, he is failing the test."
Sinam Mohamad, the representative of the Syrian Democratic Council to the U.S., had harsh words for the administration, telling Fox News Digital, "American officials continue to describe the SDF as a reliable partner in that narrow mission. Washington avoids framing the relationship as a political alliance. The U.S. never intended a long-term political commitment to the Syrian Kurds. It was a military partnership without political guarantees. From Washington’s view, that’s consistency. From the Kurdish view, that’s betrayal."
She added there has been an announcement of a 15-day extension of a ceasefire, "But both the SDF and outside observers noted continued [Syrian] government troop buildups near Kurdish-held areas, signaling that conflict could resume." She added, "The Kurds want to have peace and stability through negotiations."
Iran Revolutionary Guard commander says regime has 'finger on the trigger' as US warships head to Middle East
The head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned the U.S. on Saturday that the paramilitary force is "more ready than ever, finger on the trigger" as American warships head towards the Middle East. The warning comes after weeks of pressure from President Donald Trump amid widespread anti-regime protests and a violent government crackdown in which the IRGC played a key role.
"The Islamic Revolutionary Guard and dear Iran stand more ready than ever, finger on the trigger, to execute the orders and directives of the Commander-in-Chief," IRGC chief Gen. Mohammad Pakpour said, The Associated Press reported, citing Nournews, a news outlet close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Pakpour also reportedly warned the U.S. and Israel "to avoid any miscalculation," according to the AP. This warning comes after another last week from an Iranian ambassador who said that the U.S. and Israel were responsible for "political destabilization, internal unrest and chaos."
Both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have expressed their support for the Iranian protesters. Netanyahu said that his country was "closely monitoring" the situation. He also vowed that once Iran was "liberated from the yoke of tyranny" Israel would be prepared to be a partner in peace.
IRAN WILL RETALIATE 'WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE' IF US ATTACKS, SENIOR DIPLOMAT WARNS
On Tuesday, Iran warned Trump not to take action against its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"Trump knows that if any hand of aggression is extended toward our leader, we not only cut that hand, but also we will set fire to their world," Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, said, according to the AP.
On Thursday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he was moving warships toward Iran "just in case" he wants to take action.
"We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it," Trump said, the AP reported.
A U.S. Navy official told the AP that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships traveling with it were in the Indian Ocean.
Anti-regime protests started on Dec. 28 as Iranians took to the streets to voice their displeasure with the economic woes facing the country, which has become more isolated internationally. Since then, despite an internet blackout, reports of violence against protesters have emerged.
When the protests began, Trump warned the regime that the U.S. was "locked and loaded" and ready to act if it used violence against protesters.
Trump previously put out a Truth Social post on Jan. 16 in which he claimed that the Iranian regime had cancelled over 800 scheduled hangings. However, Iran’s top prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, said Friday that, "This claim is completely false; no such number exists, nor has the judiciary made any such decision," the AP reported.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on Friday that the confirmed death toll had reached 5,137, while 7,402 people were seriously injured. HRANA also said that the total number of arrests had risen to nearly 28,000.
On Wednesday, the Iranian government offered its first death toll, saying that 3,117 people had been killed. It said 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest as "terrorists," according to the AP.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Another Christian community at risk in Africa as extremists and war take their toll
Christians in Sudan are daily facing hunger, misery and terror. The new Open Doors World Watch List for 2026, which ranks the worst countries in the world for the persecution of Christians, placed the country at No. 4, up one place from last year’s report.
There are an estimated 2 million Christians in the conflict-ridden northeastern African country. Sudan’s civil war has raged past the 1,000- day milestone with 150,000 people reported to have been killed and more than 13 million displaced. Christians have lived in Sudan since the late first century.
Many of Sudan’s Christians live in the Nuba Mountains, part of the Kordofan region. Rafat Samir, general secretary of the Sudan Evangelical Alliance, told Fox News Digital that the "Nuba Mountains now, where the majority of our church members are coming from, is under siege and bombing every day for the last six months or seven months. Last week, after Christmas, they bombed our church, hospital and school."
NIGERIA NAMED EPICENTER OF GLOBAL KILLINGS OF CHRISTIANS OVER FAITH IN 2025, REPORT SAYS
Adding to the misery, a report by MEMRI, citing Christian Daily international, said 11 Sudanese Christians were killed, as they took part in a procession to their church for a religious celebration on Christmas Day by a drone operated by the government’s Sudanese Armed Forces. 18 others were injured in the attack. MEMRI reported the SAF are backed by the Muslim Brotherhood.
A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "Since the April 2023 outbreak of conflict in Sudan, we have witnessed significant backsliding in Sudan’s overall respect for fundamental freedoms, including religious freedom. This backsliding especially impacts Sudan’s oppressed ethnic and religious populations, including Christians."
In a Fox News Digital report last year, Christians were said to be eating grass to survive. Samir says the position is even more bleak in 2026: "even the grass is gone now."
"The conflict is accelerating the erasure of ancient Christian communities and sacred heritage," Mariam Wahba, research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital. "These losses will be far harder to reverse than the rebuilding of roads or ministries once the guns fall silent," she said.
CHRISTIANS TARGETED IN SYSTEMATIC KIDNAPPING CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA BY JIHADI HERDSMEN, EXPERTS SAY
Ideologically, Sudan’s Christians face a hostile future, Samir of the Evangelical Alliance said. "Both sides in the civil conflict are daughters of the Islamist movement in Sudan, and the Islamic ideology of both of them is to not have tolerance for others. They consider everyone different from them is against them. The Christian is considered their enemy as part of their religious ideology, and opposing them their religious duty."
He continued, "So whoever does something to harm Christians is considered favorable to the law or to Allah." Samir went on to say, "the country is getting back to the dark ages."
Repeated and continuing attempts at getting the government’s Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the opposing militia, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), to reach a ceasefire have failed. Both sides admit they are still fighting and, it’s clear, killing civilians with sustained energy, particularly in the central Sudanese region of Kordofan, home to many Christians.
"The United States is committed to ending the horrific conflict in Sudan," a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, adding, "Under President Trump’s leadership, we are working with our allies and others to facilitate a humanitarian truce and bring an end to external military support to the parties which is fueling the violence. President Trump wants peace in Sudan."
The spokesperson continued, "The suffering of civilians has reached catastrophic levels, with millions lacking food, water and medical care. Every day of continued fighting costs more innocent lives. The war in Sudan is an enduring threat to regional stability."
The U.N. says fighting is increasing in Kordofan, with U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk telling reporters in Port Sudan on Jan. 18, "I am very worried that the atrocity crimes committed during and after the takeover of El Fasher are at grave risk of repeating themselves in the Kordofan region, where the conflict has been rapidly escalating since late October."
US AMBASSADOR MICHAEL WALTZ DECLARES ATROCITIES AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA 'GENOCIDE'
"The Kordofan states are extremely volatile," he continued, "with relentless military engagements, heavy shelling, drone bombardments and airstrikes causing widespread destruction and collapse of essential services."
Wahba said that "while the United States remains kinetically active across neighboring theaters, it is unlikely to wade directly into Sudan’s civil war."
"President Trump", Wahba added, "has signaled a clear desire to see the conflict resolved — an objective echoed by both Egypt and Saudi Arabia — but translating that consensus into outcomes on the ground has proven far more difficult than the rhetoric suggests."
"For now," Wahba continued, "U.S. policy is centered on convening regional stakeholders and pressing for alignment among them, while prioritizing humanitarian corridors, aid delivery and coordination with partners willing to host talks. Washington is acting as a facilitator, not an enforcer."
"This posture reflects both constraint and caution. Sudan presents few reliable leverage points, no unified opposition partner, and (there’s) little appetite in Congress or the White House for another open-ended entanglement in a fragmented civil war. The result is a policy that remains fluid and reactive, and is shaped less by strategy than by crisis management," she said.
Despite everything, the Sudan Evangelical Alliance’s Samir has hope, "The Holy Spirit is moving and God's hand is working in our country. I can tell you through this evil, this darkness, the light of love of our God is lighting in many hearts. The devil is stealing people to death every day. We pray that let us Christians live for one day more, for one day more to proclaim Jesus’s message."
Russia, Ukraine to discuss territory as Trump says both sides 'want to make a deal'
The U.S., Russia and Ukraine are meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to discuss one of the major sticking points stopping a deal to end the nearly four-year war: territorial disputes. The talks in Abu Dhabi are the first trilateral talks since 2022.
The trilateral sit-down comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump in Davos and Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Witkoff and Kushner traveled to the UAE for the talks after their meeting with Putin in Moscow on Thursday.
ZELENSKYY BLASTS GLOBAL INACTION ON IRAN, CLAIMS EUROPE STUCK IN ‘GREENLAND MODE’
Zelenskyy and Putin are under increasing pressure to reach a peace deal as the fourth anniversary of Moscow's invasion approaches and President Donald Trump pushes to end the war.
While Russia has demanded Ukraine cede the Donbas, Zelenskyy has stood firm in his opposition to making land concessions, though the discussions in Abu Dhabi suggest that he could be ready to negotiate. Putin is demanding Ukraine surrender the 20% it holds of the Donetsk region of the Donbas, according to Reuters.
"The question of Donbas is key. It will be discussed how the three sides... see this in Abu Dhabi today and tomorrow," Zelenskyy told reporters via WhatsApp, according to Reuters. The outlet added that an aide for Zelenskyy said the talks are expected to continue Saturday.
The envoys are meeting as Ukrainians face below-freezing temperatures after Russian strikes damaged the country's power supply.
Maxim Timchenko, the head of Ukraine's top private power producer, told Reuters that the situation was nearing a "humanitarian catastrophe."
While speaking with reporters on Air Force One, Trump was asked if the trilateral meeting could lead to one with himself, Putin and Zelenskyy. He would not commit but said that "any time we meet, it's good." He also expressed doubts about whether Putin wanted to take over all of Ukraine.
"What's happened here is there were times when Putin didn't want to make a deal, times when Zelenskyy didn't want to make a deal, and it was opposite times. Now, I think they both want to make a deal. We'll find out," Trump said.
The president also acknowledged that the topics of the discussions that were happening had been debated for months.
Iran's top prosecutor criticizes Trump's announcement that 800+ executions were halted: 'Completely false'
Iran’s top prosecutor pushed back Friday on a recent announcement from President Donald Trump that Iran canceled more than 800 executions, alleging that the president’s remarks are "completely false."
Trump wrote on Truth Social last week, "I greatly respect the fact that all scheduled hangings, which were to take place yesterday (Over 800 of them), have been cancelled by the leadership of Iran. Thank you!"
However, Iran’s top prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, said Friday that, "This claim is completely false; no such number exists, nor has the judiciary made any such decision," according to The Associated Press.
"We have a separation of powers, the responsibilities of each institution are clearly defined, and we do not, under any circumstances, take instructions from foreign powers," Movahedi reportedly added in comments published by the Iranian judiciary’s Mizan news agency.
TRUMP CREDITS HALTED IRAN EXECUTIONS FOR DELAYING MILITARY STRIKES
When asked for reaction Friday, a White House official told Fox News Digital that Trump is monitoring the situation in Iran very seriously and that all options remain available if the regime in Tehran executes protesters.
The official added that following Trump’s warnings to Iran, demonstrators who were set to be sentenced to death there were not.
The White House official also said Trump believes this is good news and is hoping the trend continues.
IRANIAN SOLDIER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR REFUSING TO FIRE ON PROTESTERS DURING NATIONWIDE UNREST
"What I will say with respect to Iran is that the president and his team have communicated to the Iranian regime that if the killing continues, there will be grave consequences," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters last week.
As of Friday, there have been 5,032 deaths during the crackdown against anti-government protesters in Iran, the AP reported, citing the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
Iran’s government offered its first death toll Wednesday, saying 3,117 people had been killed. It claimed that 2,427 of the dead in the demonstrations that began Dec. 28 were civilians and security forces, with the rest being "terrorists."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Canadian PM Carney fires back at Trump over claim that 'Canada lives because of the United States'
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has rejected President Donald Trump's assertion that "Canada lives because of the United States."
"Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership in the economy, in security, and in a rich cultural exchange," Carney said on Thursday while speaking in Plains of Abraham, Québec, during a cabinet retreat.
"But Canada doesn’t ‘live because of the United States’," he said, referencing Trump's remark. "Canada thrives because we are Canadian. We are masters in our own house. This is our country. This is our future. The choice is ours."
In response to Fox News Digital's request for comment, the White House pointed to Trump's Truth Social post.
TRUMP SNUBS CANADA BY WITHDRAWING COUNTRY’S INVITE TO JOIN ‘MOST PRESTIGIOUS BOARD OF LEADERS EVER’
On Thursday, Trump published an open letter to Carney informing him that Canada's invitation to join the Board of Peace — a U.S.-led council tasked with managing Gaza's post-war future — had been rescinded.
"Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The board was inaugurated in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, though Carney had already left, according to The Associated Press.
Tensions between Carney and Trump flared as world leaders met in Davos for the annual World Economic Forum. Both Trump and Carney took swipes at each other in their respective speeches.
US TRADE REP SHRUGS OFF WORLD LEADERS’ SWIPES AT TRUMP AMID DAVOS BACKLASH
During his address on Tuesday, Carney did not mention Trump by name, but rather he said that "rules-based order is fading," referencing the U.S.
He admitted that there were benefits to US. leadership on the world stage, but painted the entire concept of a rules-based international order as a falsity that is actively failing. Additionally, in his address, Carney urged middle powers, like Canada, to assert themselves and take the opportunity to "build a new order that embodies our values."
When delivering his address on Wednesday, Trump did not shy away from taking aim at Carney. He said that Canada "should be grateful" because the country gets "a lot of freebies" from the U.S., though he did not say what he was referring to.
"I watched your prime minister yesterday, he wasn't so grateful," Trump said. "Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements."
The friction between Trump and Carney underscored a growing rift between the two. In his address to a cabinet retreat, Carney framed it as a moment for Canada to assert its own power and build a future based on its own values.
Fox News Digital reached out to Carney's office for comment.
Russian oil tanker, the Grinch, intercepted as US, allies escalate sanctions crackdown
The French navy intercepted a Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean suspected of operating as part of Moscow’s shadow fleet, a network of falsely-flagged vessels used to export oil and avoid Western sanctions, according to reports.
President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that French forces had boarded and searched the tanker, which is subject to international sanctions.
The ship was reportedly sailing from Murmansk, in northern Russia, under the Comoros flag.
Writing on X, Macron said the operation took place on the high seas in the Mediterranean with the support of several allied countries.
‘GHOST SHIPS’ FERRYING ILLICIT OIL HAVE SAILED INTO TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS
The French president added that the vessel had been diverted for further checks.
The tanker, identified as the Grinch, was intercepted between the southern coast of Spain and the northern coast of Morocco in the western Mediterranean, French maritime police said.
The Associated Press reported the interception.
France and the U.K. gathered and shared intelligence on the vessel, according to French military officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FILES SEIZURE WARRANTS TARGETING SHIPS TIED TO VENEZUELAN OIL TRADE: REPORT
The interception is the latest in a growing number of Russian-linked vessels stopped by U.S. and European authorities in recent months as Western powers intensify efforts to disrupt Russia’s oil exports.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, in early January, U.S. forces seized another sanctioned tanker in the Atlantic Ocean.
U.S. European Command (EUCOM) announced the seizure of the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker in the North Atlantic Sea.
France’s Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture said the team that boarded the Grinch Thursday had inspected the vessel and decided documents raised doubts about the regularity of the vessel’s flag.
US MILITARY SEIZES ANOTHER FUGITIVE OIL TANKER LINKED TO VENEZUELA
The tanker is being escorted by the French navy to an anchorage for additional verification.
The European Union has imposed 19 rounds of sanctions on Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Despite those measures, Russia has continued to export millions of barrels of oil, mainly to China and India and often at discounted prices.
What has become known as a "shadow fleet" consists of hundreds of old and poorly regulated tankers that change names, ownership structures and flags to avoid detection and sanctions.
Maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence estimates the global shadow fleet at about 1,400 tankers, many of which are subject to U.S., British or European sanctions, Reuters reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized European countries for not doing more to stop the transport of Russian oil using sanctioned vessels and which he says helps fund the war in Ukraine.
"Why can [U.S. President Donald Trump] stop tankers of the ‘shadow fleet’ and seize their oil, while Europe can’t?" Zelensky asked at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday.
"Russian oil is transported right along the European coast. This oil funds the war against Ukraine. This oil helps destabilize Europe."
American OnlyFans star with Mexican cartel ties kidnapped at gunpoint outside mall
An Arizona OnlyFans star with alleged ties to a Mexican cartel was abducted at gunpoint by multiple armed men in Mexico on Tuesday, according to footage that captured the terrifying incident.
The reported kidnapping of 20-year-old Mexican-American Nicole Pardo Molina, known for driving a distinctive lilac Cybertruck, was captured by her vehicle’s cameras.
According to Spanish outlet El Pais, the incident took place outside a shopping center in Culiacán, Sinaloa, where she was selling merchandise bearing the image of cartel leader Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. The area where she lived, and where her father is from, is reportedly controlled by a rival faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, suggesting the kidnapping is possibly linked to cartel rivalry.
In the footage, Molina, who has more than 180,000 Instagram followers, was approached by a white Toyota Corolla and multiple attackers, who reportedly used tire spikes to bring her vehicle to a halt before pulling up alongside her, El Pais said.
DEA, FBI SEIZE $10 MILLION IN CRYPTOCURRENCY 'DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE SINALOA CARTEL'
"According to initial investigations, three armed men in a stolen white vehicle threw tire spikes at the SUV the victim was traveling in, intercepted it, and then forced the victim into the car," authorities said, El Pais reported.
Chaos erupted as she struggled, desperately trying to slam the Toyota’s rear passenger door shut and scramble back into her own car, according to the footage.
The men appeared to eventually overpower her and force her into the back of the car, while a third man in the driver’s seat sped away.
US OFFICIALS WARN SNOWBIRDS OF 'VIOLENT CRIME' IN WINTER DESTINATION HOT SPOT
El País reported that Molina was well-known in Culiacán for her customized lilac Cybertruck, a vehicle that made her instantly recognizable.
Authorities have confirmed Molina’s disappearance and opened a missing persons case to locate the 20-year-old. They are investigating possible links to the ongoing turf war between rival cartels.
According to the Attorney General's Office of the State of Sinaloa, the authorities currently have no information regarding her whereabouts and said, "it is considered that her safety may be at risk, as she could be a victim of a crime."
MEXICO TO EXTRADITE 26 TOP CARTEL LEADERS TO US IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DEAL
Molina was born and raised in the U.S., and her parents live in Phoenix, Arizona, El País reported. She frequently travels between Culiacán and Phoenix, where her family still resides.
El Pais added that Molina reportedly dropped out of school in the U.S. after the COVID-19 pandemic to pursue business ventures in Mexico.
While there were no confirmed criminal links prior to the kidnapping, authorities and media reports suggest the incident may be tied to cartel rivalries
In 2025, hundreds of women were kidnapped or disappeared in Sinaloa alone, according to official figures. A growing number of influencers have also been threatened or killed for promoting or alluding to specific cartel factions. In May 2025, for instance, influencer Valeria Marquez was murdered during a TikTok livestream.
ISIS fighters still at large after Syrian prison break, contributing to volatile security situation
Some ISIS prisoners who escaped from a prison in northeastern Syria on Jan. 19, are still unaccounted for after the ensuing chaos made tracking some of the fighters "impossible," an analyst familiar with the situation has claimed.
And as U.S. forces move to transfer thousands of male militants from the region to Iraq, the wives of ISIS fighters have been left behind in what he described as "fragile" detention camps.
"Damascus claims most of the escapees were recaptured, but some remain at large," Syria analyst Nanar Hawach told Fox News Digital.
"The exact number unaccounted for is unclear because the chaos made tracking them all impossible," said Hawach, of the International Crisis Group.
IRAN EXPANDS IT ‘SHADOW EMPIRE’ ACROSS MIDDLE EAST AS TRUMP PULLS TROOPS FROM IRAQ, SYRIA
"The U.S. transfer to Iraq covers male detainees from prisons, but those detained in camps remain in Syria under Damascus’ control."
U.S. Central Command confirmed Jan. 21 that it had begun transferring ISIS prisoners to Iraqi-controlled facilities as an emergency effort to prevent a resurgence of the terror group amid deteriorating security conditions.
The move followed the prison escape at a detention facility in Hasakah province during clashes between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
Militants broke out during the unrest, and while many were later recaptured, the full scope of the escape remains unclear.
U.S. forces have already transported roughly 150 ISIS fighters from a detention facility in Hasakah to secure locations in Iraq, according to CENTCOM, which said as many as 7,000 detainees could ultimately be transferred.
TRUMP ORDERS ISIS STRIKES IN SYRIA AFTER IOWA NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS KILLED
An Iraqi intelligence general told The Associated Press on Jan. 21 that Iraqi authorities received an initial batch of 144 detainees, with additional transfers planned by aircraft.
"The U.S. is facilitating transfers to Iraqi custody as an emergency measure because of the unstable security situation in northeast Syria," Hawach said, noting that Iraq’s secure prisons "reduce the risk of further mass breakouts."
"Human rights organizations have raised concerns about trial procedures in Iraq, but the priority right now is preventing escapes, and Iraq can deliver that."
Hawach emphasized that the transfers apply only to male fighters held in prisons — not to women and children confined in camps such as the notorious al-Hol.
TURKEY SAYS SYRIA USING FORCE IS AN OPTION AGAINST US-BACKED FIGHTERS WHO HELPED DEFEAT ISIS
Al-Hol camp has held tens of thousands of ISIS-affiliated women and children since the group’s territorial defeat in 2019.
"Women and children are held in camps, not prisons, and are processed differently than male fighters," Hawach said.
"The long-term solution for women and children is repatriation to their home countries, but most governments have been reluctant," Hawach said.
"Some women are ideologically committed; some are not. Distinguishing between them requires case-by-case assessments that haven’t happened at scale." Still, Hawach warned, the deeper problem remains unresolved.
"The detention system was always fragile, always underfunded, always a temporary solution waiting for permanent answers," he said.
"The transfers to Iraq address the immediate crisis but don’t solve the underlying problem of what to do with this population long-term."
U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said this week that "the original purpose of the SDF as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired, as Damascus is now both willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps."
Trump pressures UK over Hamas-linked figure as US intel flags potential terror threat
The Trump administration has stepped up pressure on Sir Keir Starmer after imposing sanctions on a Britain-based activist accused by U.S. intelligence of working on behalf of Hamas, according to reports.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced Jan. 21 that it was "taking action against Hamas’s covert links to nonprofit organizations."
The statement went on to name six Gaza-based groups and the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA).
U.S. officials said the PCPA operates as a front for Hamas overseas. OFAC also designated Zaher Birawi, 64, accusing him of being a "senior official" in Hamas through his leadership role in the PCPA.
The Treasury Department said Birawi is a founding member of the organization and part of its general secretariat, alleging the group was used to "clandestinely expand" Hamas’ international influence and fundraising.
This included backing flotillas that attempted to reach Gaza. Some have received public backing from prominent activists, including Greta Thunberg.
"Hamas continues to show a callous disregard for the welfare of the Palestinian people," John K. Hurley, the U.S. Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in a statement.
Hurley added that "the Trump administration will not look the other way while Hamas leadership and enablers exploit the financial system to fund terrorist operations."
TRUMP ADMIN WEIGHS TERRORISM SANCTIONS AGAINST UN PALESTINIAN AID AGENCY OVER HAMAS ALLEGATIONS
The sanctions have put pressure on the U.K., which has been reviewing possible counterterror measures against Birawi for weeks, according to The Times.
U.K. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said it was "good to see" the U.S. take action, adding, "Under no circumstances should Britain be a place of sanctuary for anyone involved in or supportive of terrorist (organizations) like Hamas."
Alex Hearn of Labour Against Antisemitism said Birawi continued to broadcast from London and organize flotillas despite the U.S. designation.
Lord Austin of Dudley has urged the U.K. to examine the intelligence "very carefully."
Birawi, who lives in Barnet in north London, has been in the U.K. for more than 30 years.
He chairs the Palestine Forum in Britain and is a prominent organizer of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the city.
He has been named in Parliament as a security concern, and Israel designated him a Hamas member in 2013, allegations he has consistently denied.
In 2023, Birawi said he is a "law-abiding British citizen" and rejected claims of links to Hamas, saying his work focuses on "defending the national and human rights of Palestinians who survive under occupation."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Birawi and Sir Keir Starmer's office for comment.
Denmark's prime minister insists sovereignty is non-negotiable as Trump announces Greenland deal 'framework'
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is insisting that Denmark will not negotiate on its sovereignty despite President Donald Trump announcing a "framework" of a deal on Greenland has been reached.
In a statement, she indicated that the nation is open to discussions with allies as long as the engagement respects Denmark's "territorial integrity."
"Security in the Arctic is a matter for the entire NATO alliance. Therefore, it is good and natural that it is also discussed between NATO's Secretary General and the President of the United States. The Kingdom of Denmark has long worked for NATO to increase its engagement in the Arctic," Frederiksen noted in the statement, which was written in Danish.
"We have been in close dialogue with NATO and I have spoken to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on an ongoing basis, including both before and after his meeting with President Trump in Davos. NATO is fully aware of the position of the Kingdom of Denmark. We can negotiate on everything political; security, investments, economy. But we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty," she asserted.
TRUMP UNLOADS ON BIDEN POLICIES FROM DAVOS, WARNS EUROPE TO DROP THE OLD PLAYBOOK
The Danish prime minister noted that "only Denmark and Greenland themselves can make decisions on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark wishes to continue to engage in a constructive dialogue with allies on how we can strengthen security in the Arctic, including the US's Golden Dome, provided that this is done with respect for our territorial integrity."
Her comments come after Trump announced on Truth Social that, "Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region."
"This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations," Trump wrote in the post. "Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st. Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland."
TRUMP TELLS DAVOS US ALONE CAN SECURE GREENLAND, INSISTS HE WON'T ‘USE FORCE’
During a speech at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Switzerland on Thursday, Trump seemed to indicate that he would not use force to seize Greenland.
While discussing NATO, he said, "We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But, I won't do that."
"I won't use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland," Trump said.
In a post on X, Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said, "We welcome that POTUS has ruled out to take Greenland by force and paused the trade war. Now, let’s sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the KoD."
Iran accused of sex assaults on teenage prisoners, while families charged to recover remains of loved ones
Reports have emerged from eyewitnesses in Iran alleging sexual assaults on teenagers held in custody, as well as authorities forcing families of those protesters killed to pay as much as 10 billion rials to recover their bodies.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI-US) also told Fox News Digital Wednesday that the "barbarity continues" across the nation, with prison detainees allegedly being killed and their bodies burned.
The reports came as Iran’s government claimed it had successfully crushed weeks of unrest that swept the country.
Beginning Dec. 28, the protests erupted amid deep public anger over political repression, economic hardship and state violence before rapidly expanding nationwide.
"The sedition is over now," Iran’s prosecutor general Mohammad Movahedi said, according to the judiciary’s Mizan News Agency.
"And we must be grateful, as always, to the people who extinguished this sedition by being in the field in a timely manner," he added, according to the New York Times.
The regime's claims emerged on day 25 of the protests with the number of confirmed fatalities reaching 4,902, and the number of deaths still under review standing at 9,387.
The total number of arrests has risen to 26,541, the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said.
IRAN STATE TV HACKED TO SHOW EXILED CROWN PRINCE PAHLAVI
The France-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) also said it received information indicating that some families were forced to pay sums of up to 10 billion rials to recover the bodies of their relatives.
In many cases, funeral ceremonies were held under heavy security control in the hometowns of those killed.
Some families were reportedly subjected to threats and pressure to falsely attribute responsibility for the killings to protesters.
KHRN further said that two protesters, including a 16-year-old, said they were sexually assaulted by Iranian security forces who detained them in Kermanshah, according to reports.
G7 THREATENS IRAN WITH NEW SANCTIONS OVER NATIONWIDE PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS
Meanwhile, NCRI’s Ali Safavi said eyewitnesses reported that "several young women and men were forced to undress, so the military could see whether they had pellet wounds."
"There has been barbarity with people who were detained. When they were killed, their bodies were burned," he added.
Safavi also said clashes continued in multiple cities Tuesday night, including "Kermanshah where protesters and armed units of the IRGC fought in parts of the city."
"There was the same in Rasht and Mashhad where the people and the regime will not return to the status quo even if the uprisings have slowed down. This is because of the blood of thousands of martyrs on their hands."
"The regime is still in power, and it won’t abandon brutal and bloody suppression so there is no pathway to a velvet revolution in Iran."
"The shoes and sneakers seen left along the sidewalks remind us of the 30,000 MEK members and Iranian prisoners who were hanged during the 1988 massacre based on a fatwa by Khomeini," Safavi added.
Trump slams UK island handoff deal that could put key US military base at risk
President Donald Trump dramatically reversed course Tuesday on a U.K. plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while warning it could jeopardize U.S. access to the Diego Garcia military base.
Trump’s reversal highlights what a defense expert called a "new Trump Doctrine," before linking the president's opposition to the Chagos deal with his Greenland push and cited fears Mauritius could later back out.
Writing on his Truth Social platform Tuesday, Trump had called the U.K.’s Chagos decision "an act of great stupidity."
"Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," Trump wrote. "There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness."
TRUMP ISSUES STERN WARNING TO NATO AHEAD OF VANCE'S HIGH-STAKES GREENLAND MEETING
"Trump has done a 180 partly because of the U.K.’s support for Denmark’s sovereign claims over Greenland and partly because of a new strategy outlined by the White House," Dr. John Hemmings, director of the National Security Center at the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital.
"These moves are linked and part of a ‘new Trump Doctrine’, outlined in November’s National Security Strategy," he explained.
"Diego Garcia is a potential threat to Beijing’s strategy to control vital shipping lanes between the oil-rich Middle East and China’s industrial heartland," he added, describing how "nearly 23.7 million barrels of oil transit the Indian Ocean every day, with the base being vital in any U.S.-China conflict over Taiwan."
TRUMP TELLS DAVOS US ALONE CAN SECURE GREENLAND, INSISTS HE WON’T 'USE FORCE'
In a separate post, Trump explicitly linked the Chagos dispute to his Greenland push.
"The U.K. giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of national security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired," Trump wrote.
The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius during Britain’s decolonization process, a move the International Court of Justice ruled unlawful in 2019.
The U.K. later agreed to transfer sovereignty while leasing Diego Garcia back for at least 99 years, at a cost of at least $160 million annually.
Diego Garcia is a hub for long-range bombers, logistics and power projection across the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific and Africa. Around 2,500 personnel, mostly American, are stationed there.
TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON GREENLAND PUSH AS POLLS SHOW LITTLE PUBLIC SUPPORT
"If Mauritius were to offer the islands to China after taking de jure control, it would put immense pressure on the U.S. in the eyes of international public opinion," Hemmings explained.
"After all, once Mauritius has de jure sovereignty, it can renegotiate the lease terms or even renege on the treaty at any time it wants."
"It might also provide access to the exclusive economic zone, with all of its rich fishing grounds, to Chinese fishing fleets, adding another layer of risk to U.S. Air Force operations around the island," Hemmings said.
"At this moment, the U.S. base at Diego Garcia is thought to be secure, with Mauritius promising the U.K. (and by proxy, the U.S.) a 99-year lease, which will not, it is supposed, interfere with the operations of the air base at all. But the devil is in the details," he warned.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
US begins transferring ISIS detainees from Syria to Iraq amid security transition
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday it has begun moving ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraqi-controlled facilities as part of a broader effort to prevent the terror group's resurgence and maintain long-term security in the region.
CENTCOM said U.S. forces transported 150 ISIS fighters who were being held at a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq, with up to 7,000 detainees potentially slated for transfer.
"We are closely coordinating with regional partners, including the Iraqi government, and we sincerely appreciate their role in ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS," said CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper. "Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security."
US LAUNCHES WAVE OF STRIKES IN SOMALIA TARGETING ISIS, AL-SHABAB TERROR THREATS
The announcement comes one day after U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said Damascus is prepared to assume security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps.
The State Department said in a 2025 report to Congress that roughly 8,400 ISIS-affiliated detainees from more than 70 countries are being held in detention facilities run by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the largest of which is the al-Hol camp.
Barrack helped broker a fragile four-day ceasefire agreement Tuesday between the new interim Syrian government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the Kurdish-led SDF, after escalating clashes threatened to spiral further.
The U.S. official said the Trump administration does not seek a long-term military presence in Syria, emphasizing the need instead for a continued focus on defeating remaining ISIS elements.
"The deal integrates SDF fighters into the national military (as individuals, which remains among the most contentious issues), hand over key infrastructure (oil fields, dams, border crossings), and cede control of ISIS prisons and camps to Damascus," Barrack wrote on X.
"This creates a unique window for the Kurds: integration into the new Syrian state offers full citizenship rights (including for those previously stateless), recognition as an integral part of Syria, constitutional protections for Kurdish language and culture (e.g., teaching in Kurdish, celebrating Nawruz as a national holiday), and participation in governance—far beyond the semi-autonomy the SDF held amid civil war chaos," he added.
ISIS SOLDIERS BEHEAD CHRISTIANS IN MOZAMBIQUE, BURNING CHURCH AND HOMES: ‘SILENT GENOCIDE’
Syria’s Ministry of Interior said Monday that security forces had recaptured 81 of the 120 ISIS prisoners who escaped from the al-Shaddadi prison in the Hasakah countryside and were continuing efforts to track down the remaining escapees.
The interim government and the SDF have since traded blame over responsibility for the escape, which occurred amid heightened tensions over security arrangements in the region.
62 Nigerian hostages rescued, 2 militants killed, army says
Nigeria’s military announced Wednesday that 62 hostages were rescued, and two militants were killed in a pair of operations against armed groups, a report said.
The development comes after more than 160 worshippers were kidnapped from two churches in Nigeria Sunday by gangs. It's unclear if any of the worshippers were among the hostages rescued.
Lt. Col. Olaniyi Osoba, an Army spokesperson, told Reuters that Nigerian forces raided a location in the northwestern Zamfara state after receiving tips that captives were being held there.
The 62 rescued hostages are now in safe custody and are in the process of being reunited with their families, Reuters reported, citing the army.
GUNMEN ABDUCT DOZENS OF WORSHIPPERS FROM MULTIPLE NIGERIAN CHURCHES
In a separate operation, Nigerian soldiers ambushed militants in the border area between the Kebbi and Sokoto states, Osoba added.
Sunday’s church kidnapping incident, which the BBC said targeted both Christians and Muslims, marks the latest mass kidnapping in Nigeria’s long-running streak of religiously fueled attacks.
Nigeria has experienced a dramatic surge in mass attacks by armed gangs, particularly Islamist militants, who often operate from forest enclaves and target villages, schools and places of worship.
NIGERIA NAMED EPICENTER OF GLOBAL KILLINGS OF CHRISTIANS OVER FAITH IN 2025, REPORT SAYS
Muslim Fulani militants frequently carry out violence in northern and central parts of Nigeria to bankrupt Christian communities while receiving ransom payments.
Kaduna state police said gunmen armed with "sophisticated weapons" attacked two churches in the village of Kurmin Wali in Afogo ward at about 11:25 a.m. on Sunday, Reuters reported.
While Kaduna state police on Monday reportedly cited conservative figures, saying dozens were being held captive as the investigation remains in its early stages, a senior church leader noted that more than 160 worshippers were abducted by gunmen over the weekend.
Fox News Digital’s Bonny Chu and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Iran will retaliate 'with everything we have' if US attacks, senior diplomat warns
Iran warned it would respond "with everything we have" to any new U.S. military attack, accusing Washington and its allies of exploiting recent unrest to push the region toward a wider war.
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said protests in Iran began peacefully before being hijacked by "foreign and domestic terrorist actors," prompting a violent crackdown and near-total internet and communications shutdown.
He blamed U.S. rhetoric for escalating the bloodshed, arguing that warnings from President Donald Trump created incentives for mass violence.
While insisting Iran prefers diplomacy, Araghchi cautioned that future attacks would trigger a far more forceful response and risk igniting a prolonged regional conflict.
KHAMENEI CALLS TRUMP A ‘CRIMINAL,’ BLAMES HIM FOR DEADLY PROTESTS SWEEPING IRAN
"As Iranians grieve their loved ones and rebuild what has been destroyed, another threat looms: the final failure of diplomacy. Unlike the restraint Iran showed in June 2025, our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack," he said.
"Iran’s message to President Trump is clear: The U.S. has tried every conceivable hostile act against Iran, from sanctions and cyber assaults to outright military attack—and, most recently, it clearly fanned a major terrorist operation—all of which failed. It is time to think differently. Try respect, which will allow us to advance farther than one may believe."
Trump is weighing military action against Tehran, with U.S. assets moving into the region amid international scrutiny over a crackdown that has killed thousands of anti-government protesters.
KEANE WARNS IRAN'S LEADERSHIP TO TAKE TRUMP 'AT HIS WORD' AS MILITARY ASSETS MOVE INTO REGION
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which tracks human rights violations in Iran, said on Tuesday that nationwide protests continued into the 24th day.
The group's aggregated figures showed 629 recorded protests, the arrest of at least 26,314 people and the confirmed deaths of 4,519 individuals.
HRANA said 4,251 of those killed were protesters, including 33 children under the age of 18.
The United Nations Human Rights Council announced it will hold a special session to address the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran on Friday.
Iranian journalist Elaheh Mohammadi said on X that for the past day or two, VPN access has worked only sporadically for 30 minutes to an hour at a time, allowing brief internet connections to let people know they are still alive.
"The city smells of death. In all my life, I had never seen snow fall in Tehran and not a single person even smile," she wrote. "Hard days have passed and everyone is stunned; a whole country is in mourning, a whole country is holding back tears, a whole country has a lump in its throat."
Netanyahu agrees to join Trump’s Gaza Board of Peace after initial pushback
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he would join President Donald Trump’s new Board of Peace, after previously criticizing the makeup of its executive committee.
Netanyahu confirmed that he would join the newly established Board of Peace, which the Trump administration says will supervise the next phase of the Gaza peace plan.
The Israeli prime minister's announcement comes after he initially pushed back on Trump's proposal, following the inclusion of Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi as appointed members to a separate "Gaza Executive Board."
Netanyahu’s office said that move was not coordinated with Israel and "runs contrary to its policy."
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU PUSHES BACK ON 'FAKE SPINS' SUGGESTING TENSION BETWEEN HIM AND TRUMP
The announcement coincides with Trump's trip to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where he is expected to provide more details about the board. Fox News confirmed that the president is planning to arrange a signing ceremony for the Gaza Board of Peace during his visit.
On Tuesday, when asked if the board should replace the United Nations, Trump said, "It might."
Trump said that the world body "hasn’t been very helpful" and "has never lived up to its potential," but added that the U.N. should continue to exist "because the potential is so great."
UN SECURITY COUNCIL BACKS TRUMP'S GAZA PEACE PLAN AFTER WALTZ CALLS TERRITORY 'HELL ON EARTH'
On Jan. 16, the White House said the Board of Peace will play an "essential role" in carrying out all 20 points of the president’s Gaza plan, including providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development.
Dozens of countries have been invited, with notices going out over the weekend, according to officials, including Belarus, China, Ukraine, India, Canada, Argentina, Jordan, Egypt, Hungary, and Vietnam, among others.
Others, including the executive arm of the European Union, confirmed that they have received invitations, but have not responded.
On Monday, Trump confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin received an invitation to join the new board.
The Kremlin said Putin had received the invitation and was "studying the details," adding it will seek clarity on "all the nuances" in communications with the U.S. government.
France also received an invitation, but does not plan to join "at this stage," according to a French official close to President Emmanuel Macron.
The White House has said Trump will chair the Board of Peace and be joined by senior political, diplomatic and business figures, including Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, and billionaire Marc Rowan.
Fox News Digital's Landon Mion, Ashley Carnahan, Gillian Turner and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Iranian soldier sentenced to death for refusing to fire on protesters during nationwide unrest
A young soldier who refused to obey orders to shoot protesters during one of Iran's most intense waves of nationwide unrest has been sentenced to death, a human rights group reported on Tuesday.
The Iran Human Rights Society (IHRS) identified the soldier as Javid Khales, who was arrested during the nationwide protests of 1404, a major wave of anti-regime demonstrations from late 2025 to early 2026 calling for an end to the country’s current dictatorship.
"According to informed sources, when faced with the command to shoot at protesting people, he refused to execute the order, leading to his immediate arrest and the opening of a case against him," IRS said.
Witnesses claimed that Khales, now in Esfahan prison, did not commit a crime but refused to shoot in an act of humanity, the group said.
While the unrest has already led to thousands of arrests and deaths among protesters, Khales’ planned execution further raises concerns over unfair, state-sanctioned killings and rushed trials that deny defendants proper legal protections.
"Amid the continuation of protests and the intensification of deadly repression against the people, the news of Javid Khales — a young soldier who refused to shoot at protesters — being sentenced to death has heightened concerns about a new wave of judicial massacre," the human rights group said. "This sentence comes at a time when judiciary officials have openly spoken of summary trials and the swift execution of death sentences against those arrested in the protests."
IRAN ACCUSED OF KILLING 16,500 IN SWEEPING ‘GENOCIDE’ CRACKDOWN: REPORT
A judiciary spokesperson and the Tehran prosecutor, in separate statements, emphasized that cases involving dissidents must be resolved as quickly as possible, IRS reported, raising concerns that executions could take place outside proper legal procedures. Human rights sources say many detainees have remained in custody without access to a lawyer or a fair trial.
The organization added that Khales’ death sentence is seen as part of a broader effort to instill fear, "enforce absolute obedience and intensify protest repression."
Over the past several days, the government shut down and restricted the internet nationwide to prevent protesters from organizing. Human rights activists say the blackout was also a strategic move to conceal the realities on the ground and suppress public reaction.
Currently, no precise details are available regarding Khales’ case, his current status or the judicial process.
Armed militias fire heavy machine guns through Tehran streets in deadly night attacks
Gunfire echoed through Tehran Tuesday as heavily armed militias were deployed across the Iranian capital, transforming some districts into fortified zones under intense security.
Video footage showed bursts of automatic weapons after dark as government buildings, state media sites and major intersections were reportedly placed under guard, with armored pickups and masked fighters patrolling the streets in Toyotas.
The trucks were mounted with heavy machine guns and were moving in convoys with weapons firing into the darkness as armed men shouted commands.
In the video, large-caliber guns can be heard rattling as vehicles maneuver through urban streets.
ARMED KURDISH FIGHTERS TRY TO BREACH IRAN BORDER AS REGIONAL THREAT GROWS AMID PROTESTS: REPORTS
"There has been a deployment of dozens of Toyotas mounted with heavy machine guns (DShK) and other heavy weapons in Tehran," Ali Safavi, a senior official with the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told Fox News Digital.
"They are reportedly being used by elements linked to Lebanese Hezbollah and Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)," he said.
"Their commander speaks in Farsi, and these fighters are Iraqi Hashd al-Sha’bi, Popular Mobilization Force and Hezbollah fighters who have joined the IRGC. The IRGC are their commanders, and you can hear them shouting in Farsi."
According to Safavi, the Iranian regime has increasingly relied on foreign proxy forces to maintain control of the capital.
"The regime has brought in at least 5,000 foreign elements now from Iraq and Hezbollah to control Tehran," he explained.
"They are guarding the government buildings and the state radio and TV and are using heavy machine guns, which are Russian-made and 50 caliber."
Safavi added that "at night, there are fierce clashes that are ongoing as well as running street battles between the protesters and the special unit forces."
The footage emerged as the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported what it described as Day 24 of nationwide protests marked by a continued communications blackout.
"The number of confirmed deaths has reached 4,519, while the number of deaths still under investigation stands at 9,049," the agency said, adding that at least 5,811 people have been seriously injured and 26,314 arrested.
HRANA reports also described an overwhelming security presence, particularly with law enforcement, the IRGC, Basij units and plainclothes agents after nightfall, creating what the group called an atmosphere of deterrence and fear.
The first protests began Dec. 28 and rapidly spread nationwide, driven by economic grievances and opposition to clerical rule.
IRAN ACCUSED OF KILLING 16,500 IN SWEEPING ‘GENOCIDE’ CRACKDOWN: REPORT
Demonstrations have persisted despite mass arrests, lethal force and internet shutdowns.
"Sometimes the protesters hold their ground to the gunfire, ammunition and volleys of tear gas," Safavi said.
He alleged that IRGC units attacked a hospital in Gorgan, killing wounded patients, stationing snipers on rooftops and firing into surrounding areas.
"They then took around 76 bodies to a warehouse and are refusing to hand them over to families because the forces want to bury them in secret," he claimed.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly blamed foreign enemies for unrest while backing the IRGC’s response.
President Trump on Tuesday warned Iran that continued assassination threats from leaders in Tehran would trigger overwhelming retaliation.
"Anything ever happens, we’re going to blow the whole — the whole country’s going to get blown up," Trump told NewsNation.
NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi rejected the notion that external military action could topple the regime.
"A foreign war cannot bring down this regime," she said in a statement. "What is required is an organized nationwide resistance rooted in active, combat-ready forces inside Iran’s cities to defeat one of the most brutal and repressive apparatuses in the world today — the IRGC."
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