World News
Zelenskyy visits frontline Ukrainian city weeks after Russia claimed it took control
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the frontline city of Kupiansk on Friday, just weeks after Russia claimed its forces had taken control.
In a video posted to X, Zelenskyy is seen wearing a flak jacket and speaking in front of a heavily damaged sign in Cyrillic that says "Kupiansk."
"Today, I am in the Kupiansk sector, with our warriors who are getting the job done for Ukraine here," he said. "The Russians kept going on about Kupiansk – the reality speaks for itself. I visited our troops and congratulated them."
Russian state media outlet Tass reported in November that Russian forces had "liberated" the city of Kupiansk in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, citing a briefing from Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff of Russia's armed forces, to President Vladimir Putin.
EUROPEAN TALKS RESHAPE UKRAINE’S PEACE PLAN AS ZELENSKYY REFUSES TERRITORIAL CONCESSIONS
Zelenskyy’s visit comes as he and his negotiating team prepare for a new round of talks Sunday in Berlin with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.
He is also expected to hold talks with European leaders on a broader political agreement to end the war and secure long-term safety for Ukraine, as well as plans to support the country’s postwar recovery and development.
"We are focusing on how to reliably guarantee Ukraine’s security so that the experience of the Budapest Memorandum and Russia’s invasion are never repeated. We are counting on constructive talks," said Zelenskyy on X.
UKRAINE'S ZELENSKYY YET TO READ PEACE PLAN, TRUMP SAYS
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz added that any sustainable ceasefire in Ukraine must include firm guarantees and protect European security interests, warning that peace cannot be reached at the expense of the EU or NATO or without their participation.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte echoed those concerns last week, warning members of the transatlantic alliance that they could be Russia’s next target.
Rutte, speaking at the Bavarian State Representation during a Munich Security Conference event in Germany, told attendees that raising defense spending wasn't a moment for self-congratulation while Russia continues its large-scale attacks on Ukraine.
"I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don't feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now," he said.
The NATO chief urged allies to boost defense spending and production, saying their armed forces must have the resources needed to protect their homelands, and cautioning that Moscow could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years.
Australian bystander disarms suspected shooter in Australia Hanukkah attack
Harrowing footage from the Hanukkah shooting in Sydney, Australia, shows a bystander tackling and disarming one of the gunmen on Sunday.
The footage shows the bystander sneak up on the shooter as he is firing on victims off-screen. The man then tackled the shooter and wrenched the gun away from him. He then turned the weapon on the shooter, but did not fire.
The hero has been identified by Australian media as Ahmed al-Ahmad, 43. The man's cousin, Mustafa al-Ahmad, told Australia's News 7 that Ahmed was shot once in the arm and once in the shoulder. The injuries came when the second gunman fired on Ahmed after he tackled the first man.
"He's a hero. One hundred percent a hero. Once we saw on social media, he's one hundred percent a hero," Mustafa told the outlet.
Ahmed is currently in surgery and is expected to make a full recovery, according to Australian media.
Praise and gratitude poured in for Ahmed on social media as the footage of his takedown spread.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the man as "brave" in a statement regarding the shooting. Netanyahu had initially stated that the man who intervened was a Jew, but that was before Ahmed was identified.
"We saw an action of a brave man--turns out a Muslim brave man, and I salute him--that stopped one of these terrorists from killing innocent Jews," Netanyahu said.
Chris Minns, the premier of Australia's New South Wales state, also hailed Ahmed as a hero.
"That man is a genuine hero, and I've got no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery," Minns said in a statement.
Sunday's shooting killed at least 11 people and hospitalized at least 28. One of the gunmen was killed and the other remains in critical condition.
Australian authorities have confirmed the attack targeted the Jewish community, which was celebrating the first day of Hanukkah on Bondi Beach.
Neither of the shooters have been identified.
Israeli officials heap blame on Australian government after Bondi Beach shooting: 'Countless warning signs'
Israeli officials were quick to lay blame for the deadly shooting in Sydney, Australia, at the feet of the nation's government on Sunday, saying it had ignored "countless warning signs" of antisemitism.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu read aloud at a government meeting a letter that he sent to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier this year when Albanese declared his support for a Palestinian state.
"Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on the antisemitic fire. It rewards Hamas terrorists. It emboldens those who menace Australian Jews and encourages the Jew hatred now stalking your streets. Antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent; it retreats when leaders act. I call upon you to replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve," Netanyahu read.
"Instead, Prime Minister, you replaced weakness with weakness and appeasement with more appeasement. Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia. You did nothing to curb the cancer cells that were growing inside your country. You took no action. You let the disease spread and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today," Netanyahu said.
MOSSAD–EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE OPERATION LAUNCHES SWEEPING CRACKDOWN ON HAMAS GLOBAL TERROR NETWORK
Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also released uncommonly stark statements following Sunday's shooting, which killed at least 11 people and hospitalized 29.
"Time and again we called on the Australian government to take action and fight against the enormous wave of antisemitism that is plaguing Australian society," Herzog said in a statement on social media, posting an image of a prayer shawl stained in blood.
Saar was even more heavily critical of Australian authorities, arguing they had ignored clear signs of rising Islamist extremism and antisemitism.
"I am appalled by the murderous shooting attack at a Hanukkah event in Sydney, Australia. This is the result of the antisemitic rampage in the streets of Australia over the past two years, including the antisemitic and inciting calls of 'Globalize the Intifada,' which were realized today," Saar said in a statement, sharing the same photo as Herzog.
"The Australian government, which received countless warning signs, must come to its senses!" he added.
Police say at least two gunmen participated in Sunday's attack, which targeted a Jewish "Chanukah By The Sea" event at Sydney's famous Bondi Beach. One of the alleged gunmen was killed in the attack, and the other is hospitalized. Police are investigating whether there may have been a third shooter.
Police say they also found evidence of multiple improvised explosive devices in a vehicle near the scene of the attack.
"We have our rescue bomb disposal unit there at the moment working on that," said the police commissioner for New South Wales.
Albanese condemned Sunday's attack and the targeting of Jewish Australians.
Australia terror attack: 16 dead, including gunman, after father-son duo opens fire on Jewish community
Police say a father and son were behind the horrifying mass shooting that left 16 people dead, including one of the gunmen, and 40 people hospitalized during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said during a press conference on Monday in Australia that it was a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son that carried out the terror attack.
The father is dead, police said, and the son is in critical but stable condition in a hospital. Lanyon also said they are not looking for additional suspects at this time.
The father was a licensed gun owner with six legally registered firearms. All six of the firearms have been recovered, with some being recovered at the scene. The others were located and recovered when investigators executed search warrants at two separate locations, police said.
Police said the victims of the attack range in age from 10 to 87 years old.
The shooting happened during an annual celebration, known as "Chanukah By The Sea." It was scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. to celebrate the first day of the Jewish holiday by lighting the first candle on the Menorah. The shooting happened around 6:45 p.m. local time.
Police say the attack "targeted" the Jewish community and is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
At least 40 people remained hospitalized after the shooting, including two police officers, the agency confirmed. The shooting is the worst attack against Jews since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks.
Police added that they found evidence of multiple improvised explosive devices in a vehicle near the scene of the attack.
"We have our rescue bomb disposal unit there at the moment working on that," he said.
AUSTRALIA'S JEWISH COMMUNITY ALARMED BY RISING ANTISEMITISM: 'FEAR AND ANXIETY'
Israeli President Isaac Herzog acknowledged the attack while speaking at an event in Jerusalem recognizing immigrants' extraordinary achievements on Sunday.
"At these very moments, our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have been attacked by vile terrorists in a very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Chanukah on Bondi Beach," Herzog said. "Our hearts go out to them. The heart of the entire nation of Israel misses a beat at this very moment, as we pray for the recovery of the wounded, we pray for them and we pray for those who lost their lives."
Herzog also called on the Australian government to "seek action and fight against the enormous wave of antisemitism which is plaguing Australian society."
Australian authorities: Bondi Beach shooting was 'terrorism ... designed to target Sydney's Jewish community'
A mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday evening left at least 16 people dead and 40 people hospitalized, authorities say.
The annual celebration, known as "Chanukah By The Sea," was scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. to celebrate the first day of the Jewish holiday by lighting the first candle on the Menorah. Police say the attack "targeted" the Jewish community and is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
The New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF) said officers responded to reports of shots fired at about 6:45 p.m. on Sunday. Police say there were at least two gunmen involved in the attack, and they are investigating the possibility of a third.
On Monday morning local time, police confirmed that 16 people had died as a result of the shooting, including one of the two suspected gunmen, police said. The second alleged shooter is in critical condition.
At least 40 people remained hospitalized after the shooting, including two police officers, the agency confirmed. The shooting is the worst attack against Jews since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks.
Police added that they found evidence of multiple improvised explosive devices in a vehicle near the scene of the attack.
"We have our rescue bomb disposal unit there at the moment working on that," he said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog acknowledged the attack while speaking at an event in Jerusalem recognizing immigrants' extraordinary achievements on Sunday.
"At these very moments, our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have been attacked by vile terrorists in a very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Chanukah on Bondi Beach," Herzog said. "Our hearts go out to them. The heart of the entire nation of Israel misses a beat at this very moment, as we pray for the recovery of the wounded, we pray for them and we pray for those who lost their lives."
AUSTRALIA'S JEWISH COMMUNITY ALARMED BY RISING ANTISEMITISM: 'FEAR AND ANXIETY'
Herzog also called on the Australian government to "seek action and fight against the enormous wave of antisemitism which is plaguing Australian society."
At least 10 dead after mass shooting during Hanukkah event on Australia's Bondi Beach
A mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday left at least 10 people dead and 11 others injured, according to authorities.
The New South Wales Police Force confirmed on X that ten people were killed in the shooting, including one of the suspected gunmen. The second alleged shooter is in critical condition.
At least 11 others were injured, including two police officers, the agency confirmed.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog acknowledged the attack while speaking at an event in Jerusalem recognizing immigrants' extraordinary achievements on Sunday.
"At these very moments, our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have been attacked by vile terrorists in a very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Chanukah on Bondi Beach," Herzog said. "Our hearts go out to them. The heart of the entire nation of Israel misses a beat at this very moment, as we pray for the recovery of the wounded, we pray for them and we pray for those who lost their lives."
Herzog also called on the Australian government to "seek action and fight against the enormous wave of antisemitism which is plaguing Australian society."
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Iowa National Guard soldiers identified as victims in deadly Syria ISIS attack
The U.S. troops who were killed and injured in Saturday’s ambush attack in Syria were members of the Iowa National Guard, a senior U.S. official told Fox News.
An ISIS gunman opened fire with an automatic weapon in the central Syrian town of Palmyra, killing two Iowa National Guard soldiers and an American civilian translator, the official said.
Three additional U.S. soldiers were wounded in the attack.
TRUMP VOWS 'VERY SERIOUS RETALIATION' AGAINST ISIS AFTER DEADLY SYRIA AMBUSH KILLS US SOLDIERS
Preliminary information suggests the attacker was once affiliated with the Syrian government forces and had been a low-level member of the Syrian Security Forces, before later becoming connected to ISIS, the official said.
"He was not a part of the official delegation that was being escorted by the US and Syrian troops," the official said. "… This would not be considered a ‘green on blue’ incident because the Syrian gunman was not part of the US/Syrian partnered delegation."
Earlier Saturday, U.S. Central Command confirmed the deaths and injuries were a "result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria."
President Donald Trump warned that there will be "very serious retaliation" following the ambush.
"We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one Civilian Interpreter. Likewise, we pray for the three injured soldiers who, it has just been confirmed, are doing well," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
6 TIMES ISIS HAS INSPIRED TERROR ATTACKS ON US SOIL
Trump added, "This was an ISIS attack against the U.S. and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them."
Last month, two West Virginia National Guard members were ambushed and shot near the White House in Washington, D.C., in a targeted attack that left one soldier dead.
Fox News' Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Israel announces it killed one of the architects of the Oct. 7 attacks
Israel announced on Saturday that it had killed Ra’ad Sa’ad, the Head of the Weapons Production Headquarters in Hamas’ military wing and one of the architects of Oct. 7.
"Sa’ad was one of the last remaining veteran senior militants in the Gaza Strip and a close associate of Marwan Issa, the deputy head of Hamas’ military wing. He held several senior positions and was a central figure within the organization’s military leadership," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on X.
The IDF added that his death "significantly degrades Hamas' ability to reestablish its capabilities."
ISRAEL UNMASKS IRAN-DIRECTED HAMAS CASH NETWORK IN TURKEY AS ANKARA PUSHES FOR GAZA ROLE
An IDF official told Fox News that in recent months Sa'ad had been working to reestablish the terror group's capabilities and weapons manufacturing, in violation of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The official also stated that under the ceasefire agreement, Israel is allowed to strike targets that are actively engaging in terrorism.
Sa'ad previously served as the Gaza Brigade Commander and is regarded as one of the founders of Hamas' military wing, the IDF official told Fox News. He was considered to be one of the highest-ranking Hamas members remaining in Gaza. The IDF official said that Sa'ad was privy to Hamas leadership matters and was a central figure in the orchestration of the Oct. 7 massacre.
POWERFUL ISRAEL-BACKED CLAN LEADER WHO FOUGHT HAMAS MURDERED IN GAZA
The IDF and ISA said in a joint statement that Sa'ad was responsible for the deaths of many soldiers killed in Gaza by explosives that the Weapons Production Headquarters manufactured during the war.
"Ra’ad Sa’ad was a leading figure in the leadership of Hamas’ military wing in recent months and was directly responsible for violations of the ceasefire agreement by the Hamas terrorist organization," the IDF and ISA said in a joint statement.
Maduro’s heirs: human rights violators, corrupt enforcers and ruthless loyalists
As the Trump administration escalates pressure on Venezuela, experts warn that Nicolás Maduro’s downfall could open the door to a successor "even worse" than the dictator himself and unleash a landscape dominated by drug cartels, guerrilla factions and armed warlords who have embedded themselves across Venezuela for decades.
Venezuela today is less a centralized dictatorship and more a patchwork of criminal territories controlled by cartels, Colombian insurgents and regime-aligned militias. Analysts told Fox News Digital that U.S. policy now confronts not only Maduro but an entrenched ecosystem of non-state armed groups that could seize power in a post-Maduro vacuum.
Roxanna Vigil, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former U.S. national security official focused on Latin America, said the trajectory is now binary.
PUTIN DOUBLES DOWN ON BACKING MADURO AMID MOUNTING US PRESSURE ON VENEZUELA
"The way I see it, what comes next will largely depend on what direction this U.S. pressure campaign goes in," Vigil said. "If it goes in the direction of escalation and conflict, that means there’s going to be very little control — or even less ability to influence what comes next."
The danger, experts say, is not simply a stronger version of Maduro but the rise of armed actors who already control swaths of Venezuelan territory. Vigil said that an uncontrolled collapse could unleash something far more dangerous than the current regime. "You could have someone potentially worse than Maduro," she said.
Jason Marczak, vice president and senior director at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, told Fox News Digital those power centers include some of the most violent criminal syndicates in the Western Hemisphere.
"It’s hard to imagine things getting any worse than they are under Nicolás Maduro. But what’s critical is not just Maduro leaving, but those around him — those who will only be further perpetrators of the injustices that Maduro puts forward — that none of them are allowed to just come to power."
If either opposition leader María Corina Machado or Edmundo González fail to fill the vacuum in a post-Maduro Venezuela, experts point to a crowded field of dangerous actors who could attempt to seize power if Maduro suddenly falls.
Diosdado Cabello emerges as the most feared and influential figure in the regime. La Nación describes him as the longtime number two of Chavismo, with sweeping control over party machinery and the propaganda apparatus. His power stretches from internal political enforcement to the interior and justice portfolios.
Cabello was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2018 for corruption, money laundering, embezzlement and links to drug-trafficking networks inside the state. Reuters reporting documented how the United States later increased rewards for information leading to his arrest as part of broader efforts to target the Cartel de los Soles. Analysts say a government headed by Cabello could consolidate party power, state security forces and media control under a single hardline operator.
Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and one of Maduro’s closest political operators, is another senior figure positioned for any succession scenario. La Nación highlights his prominence inside the ruling elite, noting his roles as mayor, communications minister, and key strategist.
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Rodríguez for actions that undermine democratic institutions, according to an Atlantic Council summary of OFAC designations. Experts caution that Rodríguez could impose a more technocratic — but no less authoritarian — version of Chavismo, pairing negotiation skills with control over electoral processes and state information systems.
Vladimir Padrino López, Venezuela’s long-serving defense minister, is portrayed by La Nación as the backbone of the military establishment and the guarantor of Maduro’s survival. The armed forces remain loyal because of him, forming an axis of power between Padrino and Maduro.
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Padrino López as part of Maduro’s inner circle for sustaining an authoritarian system and enabling repression. Observers warn that if Padrino were to assume leadership, Venezuela could shift toward an even more militarized model — one in which political authority is openly fused with military command structures.
Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s vice president, is described as a central political operator within the regime and part of a powerful governing duo with her brother Jorge. Her influence spans institutional, economic and diplomatic spheres. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Rodríguez as part of Maduro’s inner circle for helping dismantle democratic governance, and the European Union lists her under measures for human rights violations and the erosion of the rule of law.
Analysts note that Rodríguez has increasingly taken control of critical sectors, including the oil industry, placing her at the center of the opaque revenue structures that sustain the regime. A transition led by her, they warn, could tighten state control over the economy and political apparatus even further.
Cilia Flores, the first lady and a longtime Chavista power broker, rounds out the circle of figures identified by La Nación as essential to Maduro’s hold on power. Flores has held senior positions, including National Assembly president, attorney general, and member of the PSUV leadership.
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Flores in 2018 as part of broader actions targeting Maduro’s inner circle and their networks of corruption, a move widely reported by Reuters. Her family members have also faced sanctions or indictments linked to narcotics cases. Analysts say Flores’s political reach and influence inside the party and the legal system make her a pivotal actor in any succession calculus.
Hernández Dala heads Venezuela’s military counterintelligence service (DGCIM) and commands the presidential guard, making him one of the most feared figures in the security apparatus. His control over internal repression gives him significant leverage in any power struggle. He was designated by the State Department in 2019 for his involvement in gross violations of human rights.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) wrote that under his command "Abuses reportedly carried out by the DGCIM and SEBIN include brutal beatings, asphyxiation, cutting soles of feet with razor blades, electric shocks, and death threats."
Marczak and Vigil beieve Washington’s next moves — and whether they drive negotiation or escalation — will determine whether Venezuela moves toward democracy or toward something even worse.
As Marczak put it: "A win isn’t just Nicolás Maduro leaving… A win is actually a transition to democratic forces."
State Department stays quiet as Albania reinstates deputy PM accused of corruption
The State Department is so far refusing to comment on a growing corruption crisis engulfing the Balkan nation of Albania — a vital U.S. ally in the region.
Following an Albanian court’s decision to remove Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku from her position on allegations she interfered in two construction bids, socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama took the issue to the country’s Constitutional Court, which on Friday reinstated her until a "final decision" could be made, according to media reports.
The Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK) issued a criminal indictment against Balluku on Oct. 31, alleging that she had been improperly influenced in her decision to favor one company in a tender for the construction of a 3.7-mile tunnel in southern Albania, Reuters reported. SPAK delivered an additional charge for violating rules in a Tirana road construction project on Nov. 21, the date when Balluku was removed from office.
The day prior to her November court appearance, Balluku told the country’s parliament that the accusations against her constituted "mudslinging, insinuations, half-truths and lies."
FORMER TRUMP ADVISORS WAGE BALKAN CAMPAIGN AS MAGA MOVES INTO EUROPE
As the second member of Rama’s cabinet to face corruption accusations since 2023, her charges have drawn the ire of Rama opponents.
Agim Nesho, former Albanian ambassador to the U.S. and the United Nations, told Fox News Digital that Balluku’s case demonstrates "the Rama government shows no sign of assuming moral responsibility or allowing justice the space to act independently. Instead, it appears intent on shielding Ms. Balluku, portraying the judiciary’s actions as an attack on the executive."
Tirana's ex-ambassador to Washington argued that "influencing the Constitutional Court may be an attempt to set a protective precedent — one that could prove useful if investigators ever seek to involve Mr. Rama himself in their investigations."
"It’s becoming increasingly clear that the emperor has no clothes, Nesho said, adding that Rama’s rule has amounted to "state capture" as the "lack of checks and balances has enabled a recurring system of corruption across multiple of his terms."
Nesho also claimed that Balluku had pointed to broader involvement of the Rama government in decision-making. Former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj, who went on the run after coming under SPAK investigation, has likewise alleged that Rama "directed all key decisions on tenders, finances, and public assets," according to Nesho's claims.
Ahmetaj’s accusations included allegations that Rama is involved with mafia bosses. Rama responded to these insinuations by saying Ahmetaj "should not be taken seriously. Albanian politics is not tainted by the mafia," Balkanweb reported.
The U.S. has funded efforts for judicial reforms in Albania to aid its efforts toward accession into the European Union by cutting down on corruption. However, those reforms have led to legal backlogs that have drawn frustration and violence from the public.
Nesho said that "it is hard to see how a government that behaves like a banana republic gains accession to the E.U." He said that "Albania is a living contradiction in terms of law and order." While Nesho says Rama’s opposition has been "decimated by ‘lawfare’ and the compromising of legal institutions," Rama remains in office despite "documented multi-billion-dollar corruption scandals, documented electoral thefts across multiple voting cycles, and, most concerning, documented links to international drug cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel."
MEET RAMADURO: EUROPE’S PROGRESSIVE, SOROS-TRAINED AUTOCRAT AND ENEMY OF TRUMPISM
Allegations that Rama is linked to the Sinaloa Cartel emerged after the prime minister met with Sinaloa-connected Luftar Hysa, who is sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury. Rama told an Albanian news outlet that he met with Hysa just once.
With Balluku’s removal, Nesho says that "public anger is directed not only at [her] but also at the irresponsible conduct of a regime that rules without accountability, abuses public property and finances, and faces no consequences despite society’s reaction." Nesho said many in the country have given the prime minister the nickname "Ramaduro," saying it’s "a direct comparison to the Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro."
Rama’s press office told Fox News Digital that it declined to comment on Nesho’s allegations against him.
In May 2021, the State Department sanctioned former Prime Minister Sali Berisha over corruption allegations, which forbade him from traveling to the U.S. Fox News Digital asked the State Department whether it had plans to issue similar sanctions against Balluku.
A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "We have no comment on ongoing legal matters."
The U.S. Embassy in Tirana issued the same response to Fox News Digital when asked whether it would suspend Balluku’s visa as a result of her removal from office.
US, Syrian troops come under fire while on patrol: report
U.S. and Syrian forces from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria have come under fire Saturday, reports said.
Two local Syrian officials told Reuters that the convoy was targeted while on patrol in the central town of Palmyra and that there were casualties.
The Department of War told Fox News Digital that "we are aware of reports," but added that it had "nothing additional to provide at this time."
"The United States, CIA and military forces are reportedly deeply involved in securing and stabilizing the situation in Syria," Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, recently told Fox News Digital.
SYRIANS MARK FIRST YEAR SINCE ASSAD'S FALL AS US SIGNALS NEW ERA IN RELATIONS
As of June, the U.S. had about 1,500 troops left in Syria following withdrawals and consolidations ordered by the Pentagon, and that number was expected to drop to just several hundred by the end of this year, according to Fox News Chief National Security correspondent Jennifer Griffin.
ISRAELI OFFICIAL ISSUES STARK WARNING AFTER CHILLING SYRIAN MILITARY CHANTS RESURFACE
Griffin reported that the U.S. had eight bases in Syria to keep an eye on ISIS since the U.S. military went in to prevent the terrorist group from setting up a caliphate in 2014, although three of those bases have since been closed down or turned over to the Syrian Democratic Forces.
On Monday, tens of thousands of Syrians flooded the streets of Damascus to mark the first anniversary of the Assad regime’s collapse.
Those celebrations came a year after former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fled the capital as rebel forces swept through the country in a lightning offensive that ended five decades of Assad family rule and opened a new chapter in Syrian history.
Fox News' Benjamin Weinthal and Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
Archaeologists uncover rare fresco of Jesus in town Pope Leo XIV recently visited
Archaeologists in Turkey have discovered a fresco of a Roman-looking Jesus as the "Good Shepherd," which is being hailed as one of the most important finds from Anatolia's early Christian era.
The work of art was found in August in an underground tomb near the town of Iznik, where the Nicene Creed, a foundational statement of Christian belief, was adopted in A.D. 325. The tomb itself is believed to date back to the third century, when the area was still under the Roman Empire and Christians faced persecution.
POPE LEO XIV OPENS FIRST FOREIGN TRIP IN TURKEY WITH A VISIT TO CHRISTIANITY’S EARLY HEARTLANDS
The fresco shows a youthful, clean-shaven Jesus dressed in a toga and carrying a goat on his shoulders, according to The Associated Press, which was the first international media organization given access to the tomb. The outlet noted that researchers say the fresco represents one of the rare instances in Anatolia in which Jesus is portrayed with Roman attributes.
The lead archaeologist on the project believes the artwork could be the "only example of its kind in Anatolia," the AP reported.
POPE LEO XIV CALLS FOR 'DIVINE GIFT OF PEACE' IN MAIDEN VISIT TO MIDDLE EAST
Pope Leo XIV recently visited the town as part of his first overseas trip since taking the helm of the Vatican. While in Iznik, Pope Leo XIV marked the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which set forth the Nicene Creed that millions of Christians still read today.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presented a tile painting of the "Good Shepherd" discovery to the pope, according to the AP.
While in Turkey, Pope Leo XIV was joined by Eastern and Western patriarchs and priests as they prayed that Christians would one day be united once again. They prayed together over the site where the council produced the Nicene Creed. The men recited the creed, which the pope said was "of fundamental importance in the journey that Christians are making toward full communion," according to the AP.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Venezuelan dissident Machado credits Trump for advancing freedom movement, dedicates Nobel to him
FIRST ON FOX: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado is crediting President Donald Trump for helping sustain Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement while dedicating her Nobel Peace Prize to him, telling Fox News Digital that he provided critical support at a moment when Venezuelans felt abandoned by the international community.
"I am absolutely grateful to President Trump for every gesture, every signal and every moment that he has stood with the Venezuelan people. I have watched it very closely, and I know what it has meant for those who are fighting to reclaim democracy and freedom in our country," she stated.
"A free and democratic Venezuela is not only possible — it is closer than ever. And that free Venezuela is breathing louder than ever before," Machado said, adding that her Nobel Peace Prize is also dedicated to Trump. "This Nobel Prize is symbolic of that fight for freedom and is dedicated to the Venezuelan people and to President Trump for showing what strong leadership looks like in the moments that matter most."
An official familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that Machado hopes to visit the U.S. and meet the president to formally honor him for what she views as his support for the Venezuelan people.
Machado’s remarks come as she re-emerged publicly in Oslo, Norway, after spending 11 months in hiding. After a brief detention during an anti-government protest in Caracas, she went underground as pressure from the Maduro government intensified.
Her return to the public eye coincided with the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, where her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepted the award on her behalf. The Associated Press reported that Machado waved to cheering supporters from a hotel balcony — her first public appearance in nearly a year.
SCHUMER ACCUSES TRUMP OF PUSHING US TOWARD ‘FOREIGN WAR’ WITH VENEZUELA
Machado was barred from running in the 2024 presidential election despite winning the opposition primary by a wide margin, a move that drew strong criticism from Western governments.
Roxanna Vigil, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, told Fox News Digital that Machado remains "the most popular political figure in Venezuela," adding that she secured "over 90% of the vote" in the opposition primary before being blocked by Maduro. "She became a real threat… and so they disqualified her from running," Vigil said. Machado ultimately endorsed Edmundo González, who went on to win the election.
Machado ultimately endorsed González, who was widely regarded by independent tallies of the result as having won the 2024 election, but who did not assume the presidency after Venezuela’s official National Electoral Council, controlled by Maduro allies, declared Nicolás Maduro the winner and inaugurated him for another term.
Machado has signaled she intends to return to Venezuela when conditions allow and continues to call for a peaceful transition away from Maduro’s rule.
As world fixates on other wars, Sudan sees 12 million forcibly displaced in devastating conflict
While the world’s attention has focused on Russia’s war in Ukraine and Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement crisis, with some 12 million people driven out of their homes.
"Sudan is under the darkest of clouds, a catastrophe that has, for far too long, been met with paralysis by the international community," Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., chair of the House Foreign Affairs Africa subcommittee, said during his opening statements during a December 11 hearing on crimes against humanity in Sudan.
Smith said the hearing was a global call to action and that there must be an immediate cessation of hostilities between the warring factions.
TRUMP ADMIN RAMPS UP SUDAN PEACE EFFORT AS CIVIL WAR LEAVES TENS OF THOUSANDS DEAD
"Crimes against humanity — particularly by the Rapid Support Forces — including mass rape, ethnic targeting and systematic looting, must be investigated, and perpetrators held accountable," Smith added.
The conflict in Sudan has received renewed attention after President Donald Trump vowed to secure a peace deal in the African nation following his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in November.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, recently said repeated drone strikes on Dec. 4 in Sudan’s South Kordofan region struck a kindergarten and nearby hospital, killing 114 people, including 63 children.
"Disturbingly, paramedics and responders came under attack as they tried to move the injured from the kindergarten to the hospital," Tedros said in a statement.
Sudan Doctors Network, a medical organization, said the attacks were perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces.
The conflict in Sudan has been raging since April 2023, when an uneasy alliance between Sudan’s two warring factions, the government-led Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) collapsed following a tenuous power-sharing agreement struck in 2021.
TRUMP SAYS US TO WORK ON SUDAN PEACE DEAL AT REQUEST OF SAUDI CROWN PRINCE
Sudan’s army and the RSF had collaborated for years under the previous regime of ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir.
The situation has only escalated since fighting first broke out in 2023 and has not garnered the same level of international effort or outrage that the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have generated.
"The war in Sudan has been one of the most gruesome humanitarian catastrophes in world history. However, there has been frequent paralysis by world leaders and international institutions to solve it, in addition to reduced, fluctuating media attention on the conflict," Caroline Rose, director of Military and National Security Priorities at New Lines Institute, told Fox News Digital.
"This could be attributed to the fact that, unlike wars in Ukraine and Gaza, there is not a component of great-power competition or regional contestation," she added.
Rose and other observers of the conflict note that there is inhibited ground access, creating challenges not only for journalistic reporting, but also the documentation of war crimes and testimonies.
The Sudanese armed forces have prevented access to aid workers in territories they control on the basis of sovereignty and have expelled humanitarian workers that had been in the country.
TRUMP HAS 'LEVERAGE' TO STOP SUDAN KILLINGS AS SATELLITE IMAGES REVEAL MASS DEATHS: YALE RESEARCHERS
The RSF has also been accused of committing grave human rights violations and reportedly killed over 400 aid workers and patients in October at the Saudi Maternity Hospital in the North Darfur city of El Fasher. The RSF siege of El Fasher caused at least 28,000 people to flee to neighboring towns, and the U.N. Human Rights Office accused the RSF of "summary executions, mass killings, rapes, attacks against humanitarian workers, looting, abductions and forced displacement."
Even as the Trump administration works for a ceasefire between the warring factions, the killings continue.
Tom Perriello, the former U.S. special envoy for Sudan, said in a September New York Times interview that he believed up to 400,000 have been killed since the outbreak of violence in 2023. A recent article in Foreign Policy put the figure at 100,000 in what it called the "forgotten war."
In addition to the deaths, it's been estimated by various groups that more than 30 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and around 21.2 million, or 45% of the population, are facing high levels of acute food insecurity.
Israeli official issues stark warning after chilling Syrian military war chants surface
A group of soldiers of the Syrian army was documented chanting a jihadi declaration of war on Israel during a military parade in Damascus on Tuesday, prompting a minister for the Jewish state to issue a chilling prediction.
Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs, posted on X, "War is inevitable." Chikli embedded a video from Visegrád 24 showed Syria’s new army marching through Damascus. Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa attended the military parade.
The footage, according to Fox News Digital’s independent verification of the Arabic, showed them chanting "Gaza, Gaza, our rallying cry, Victory and steadfastness, night & day. We rise against you, enemy, we rise. From mountains of fire we make our way. From my blood I forge my ammunition. From your blood, rivers will flow."
SYRIA’S NEW PRESIDENT TAKES CENTER STAGE AT UNGA AS CONCERNS LINGER OVER TERRORIST PAST
In a statement to Fox News Digital about his posts on X, Chikli said, "The harrowing testimonies coming from our Druze brothers about what is happening in Sweida leave no doubt. A regime that kills like ISIS, rapes like ISIS, and destroys like ISIS everything that is not itself — it is ISIS, even if it wears a suit and plays basketball."
The Trump administration is pushing for a security deal between Syria and Israel that would stabilize the heartland of the Middle East. Al-Sharaa met with Trump in the White House last month.
Speaking at a Jerusalem Post conference on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., Tom Barrack, who is U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, said Damascus is not interested in aggression toward Israel, according to the newspaper.
TRUMP TEASES 'LOADING UP' ABRAHAM ACCORDS WITH NEW NATIONS AFTER MIDDLE EAST SHAKEUP
"Syria joining the anti-ISIS coalition was unthinkable not long ago." Barrack said the U.S. and Syria have eliminated nine Hezbollah cells and several Islamic State cells over the past few weeks. "After Oct. 7, Israel doesn’t trust anyone," he said at the event, adding "That’s why we’ve offered to serve as a peacekeeping force. Verification replaces trust."
Barrack claimed Jerusalem sees Syria as "the softest play" in the complex Mideast security situation. "Syria has no alternative path," he said. "And neither does Israel, if it wants to avoid perpetual military confrontation on every border." He said the Abraham Accords, which normalized diplomatic relations between moderate Sunni states United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Israel, could be expanded to Syria.
The Associated Press reported that al-Sharaa said at a conference over the weekend in Qatar that "There are currently negotiations, and the United States is participating and engaged in those negotiations."
The Syrian president wants Israel to withdraw its forces from Syria and recommit to a 1974 truce agreement.
Israel says it seized the 400-square-kilometer (155-square-mile) demilitarized buffer zone in southern Syria in a preemptive move to prevent militants from moving into the area after Islamist insurgents toppled Assad.
Israeli troops have regularly carried out operations in villages and towns inside and outside the zone, including raids snatching people it says are suspected militants. At least 13 people were killed in an Israeli operation against suspected terrorists last month.
When questioned about his record as an al Qaeda member (the U.S. scrapped its $10 million bounty for al-Sharaa’s arrest for terrorism last year) at the Doha Forum in Qatar, the Syrian president said: "What is the definition of terrorism or a terrorist? Saying that I was a terrorist and judging me as a terrorist is politicized… we saw wars in Afghanistan, in Iraq — all of those that were killed were innocent."
TRUMP TO SIGN ORDER LIFTING SANCTIONS ON SYRIA
He added that "Judging people as terrorists needs to be proven. There’s been 25 years of us hearing this word in the world, but there’s a lot of confusion in understanding the word ‘terrorist.’ Terrorists, in my opinion, are those who kill innocent people — children and women — and who use illegitimate means to harm people." He noted that he fought "honorably."
Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, told Fox News Digital, "The ongoing security situation in Syria is of the utmost complexity. Israel and Syria, under U.S. mediation, are in highly intensive talks to reach a formal security arrangement between the two countries, while the Iranian regime and its proxies are engaging in armed subversion to prevent any possible agreement between the sides. The United States, CIA and military forces are reportedly deeply involved in securing and stabilizing the situation in Syria, which accounts for President Trump’s recent statements to Israel in helping maintain the framework in Syria."
He added, "It must be emphasized that Iran’s Hezbollah proxy and associated cells and groups are doing everything to torpedo a security arrangement between the al-Sharaa government and the Israeli government. The Iranian regime and associated terror groups tried to assassinate al-Sharaa several times. They are mobilizing terror cells in southern Syria and sending them toward the Israeli border, which is what has triggered ongoing Israeli counterterrorism strikes, just like we saw in Bet Jinn."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently visited reserve soldiers who were wounded in clashes with Syrian terrorists in Bet Jinn, where he said, "After Oct. 7, we are determined to defend our communities on our borders, including the northern border, and to prevent the entrenchment of terrorists and hostile actions against us, to protect our Druze allies, and to ensure that the State of Israel is safe from ground attack and other attacks from the border areas."
He added, "What we expect Syria to do, of course, is to establish a demilitarized buffer zone from Damascus to the buffer zone area, including the approaches to Mount Hermon and the summit of Mount Hermon. We hold these territories to ensure the security of the citizens of Israel, and that is what obligates us. In a good spirit and understanding of these principles, it is also possible to reach an agreement with the Syrians, but we will stand by our principles in any case."
Pickleball player plunges to his death in 3-story fall after climbing over safety rail to retrieve ball
Video shows the horrifying moment a pickleball player fell to his death after climbing over a safety rail to retrieve a ball at a sports center in Malaysia.
CCTV footage acquired by Newsflare shows the 32-year-old player leaping over a safety rail at a Kuala Lumpur pickleball facility on Dec. 2.
The video then shows him jumping onto mesh netting that covered an open gap, but it tore under his weight and he plunged three stories.
Other players rushed to the railing before heading to the first floor. When they reached him, they learned he had died, according to Newsflare.
DAD FINDS 13-YEAR-OLD SON DEAD AFTER 200-FOOT FALL FROM BLUFF INSIDE POPULAR NATIONAL PARK SITE
"The deceased was playing pickleball on the third floor and he had climbed over the court’s fence to retrieve a ball and fell to the lower floor," Wangsa Maju district police chief Mohamad Lazim Ismail said in a statement obtained by Newsflare. "The case has been classified as sudden death."
Officials at the Playa Racquet Club, where the incident occurred, expressed their condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones.
WEALTHY CALIFORNIA TOWN BANS PICKLEBALL OVER NOISE COMPLAINTS FROM PADDLES HITTING BALLS
"We are deeply saddened by a tragic incident that occurred at our TREC facility, which resulted in the loss of a life," the officials said. "At this time, we ask for understanding and compassion as we respect the privacy of the family and loved ones affected.
"We kindly urge the public to refrain from speculation while the appropriate authorities carry out their investigation," club officials said.
WHAT IS PICKLEBALL? HOW TO PLAY, WHAT YOU NEED AND HOW TO FIND A COURT NEAR YOU
Pickleball is a sport that blends tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It was invented in 1965 by three dads looking for a fun family activity.
Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum gathered on Bainbridge Island, near Seattlenear Seattle, where they had access to an abandoned badminton court. They began using ping-pong paddles to volley with a perforated plastic ball over the net.
They ended up with some random equipment, which led to the birth of pickleball.
Fox News’ Ashlyn Messier contributed to this report.
Maduro sings, dances and threatens to 'smash the teeth' of the 'North American empire'
Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro warned that his country must "stand like warriors… ready to smash the teeth of the North American empire" on Wednesday, a moment that coincided with the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast.
Maduro delivered the remarks while holding the sword of Simón Bolívar at a rally where video showed him singing and dancing to a recording of American singer Bobby McFerrin's late-80s hit, "Don’t Worry, Be Happy." Maduro told supporters that Venezuelans must stay alert as tensions with Washington escalate.
"In these times, things have to be different, but we must always stand like warriors, women and men," he said in a translated interpretation. "With one eye wide open – and the other one too – working, producing, building, keeping everything running, and ready to smash the teeth of the North American empire if necessary, from Bolivar’s homeland."
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. had seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, sharply escalating tensions with Caracas. The tanker was taken for allegedly transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER MACHADO REAPPEARS IN NORWAY AFTER MONTHS IN HIDING
Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry condemned the move in an official statement, calling it "a brazen robbery and an act of international piracy" and accusing Trump of openly pursuing a plan to "take Venezuelan oil without paying anything in return."
The ministry said the action fits into what it described as a longstanding U.S. effort to plunder the country’s natural resources and compared the episode to the loss of Citgo Petroleum Corp., which Caracas claims was seized through "fraudulent judicial mechanisms."
The statement argued that "the true reasons for the prolonged aggression against Venezuela" have nothing to do with migration, drug trafficking, democracy, or human rights, insisting "it has always been about our natural resources, our oil, our energy."
It also accused Washington of using the tanker incident to distract from what it described as the failure of political efforts in Oslo by groups seeking Maduro’s removal.
Caracas urged Venezuelans to "remain firm in defense of the homeland" and called on the international community to reject what it described as "vandalistic, illegal, and unprecedented aggression."
The government said it will take its complaint to all available international bodies and vowed to protect the country’s sovereignty and control over its energy assets, declaring that "Venezuela will not allow any foreign power to attempt to seize from the Venezuelan people what belongs to them by historical and constitutional right."
MARCO RUBIO SAYS TRUMP WILL NOT BE 'SUCKERED' BY MADURO LIKE BIDEN
Tensions between the two countries have grown following months of U.S. maritime strikes that Washington says targeted vessels used by drug traffickers to transport narcotics.
Reuters has reported that more than 80 people have been killed since September, and a separate Reuters report detailed heightened surveillance and security crackdowns in coastal communities affected by the strikes.
Late last month, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro appeared at a mass rally in Caracas holding the sword of Simón Bolívar as he warned supporters to brace for "imperialist aggression," delivering a defiant address after Trump said the U.S. will "very soon" begin stopping suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers on land.
Trump said he had not ruled out sending U.S. troops to Venezuela as part of the administration’s crackdown on criminal networks tied to senior figures in Caracas. "No, I don’t rule out that, I don’t rule out anything," he said.
He also left room for potential talks. "We may be having some conversations with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out. They would like to talk," Trump told reporters over the weekend.
Since early September, U.S. strikes across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific have destroyed dozens of vessels. U.S. officials say many were linked to Venezuelan and Colombian criminal groups.
Maduro appeared at last month’s rally holding the sword of Simón Bolívar, the 19th-century independence leader regarded as the liberator of much of South America. He told supporters the country was facing a decisive moment.
Fox News’ Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.
Syria registers first Jewish organization in nation's history
Syria’s minister of social affairs and labor on Wednesday approved the registration of a Jewish organization for the first time in the country’s history.
Hind Kabawat, the first woman appointed to Syria’s transitional government cabinet, registered the Jewish Heritage in Syria Foundation (JHS), marking a milestone for the country's Jewish community.
The move allows JHS to fully operate in Syria, including establishing an office, working officially with the government and local communities and serving as the recognized entity responsible for protecting Jewish sites.
The registration also enables the foundation to coordinate the return of Jewish properties and to bring Jewish delegations to the country on a regular basis.
TRUMP DECLARES IMPORTANCE OF NOT DERAILING 'SYRIA'S EVOLUTION INTO A PROSPEROUS STATE'
"Judaism and Syrian Jews have long been part of Syria's religious and cultural landscape. Restoring their right to belong, to visit and to live back in their homeland is a natural step toward a more just, tolerant and inclusive society," Kabawat told Fox News Digital in a statement.
"For decades, Syrian Jews were denied the right to celebrate their own cultural and religious heritage, and today we take a step toward long-term peace, security and stability. We wish the organization success in its efforts to preserve Jewish heritage in Syria, and we look forward to deeper cooperation and a stronger relationship going forward."
Syria’s Jewish community, once numbered in the tens of thousands, dwindled dramatically after 1948 as restrictions and regional tensions pushed most families to emigrate.
Only a handful remain in the country today, and most synagogues have since been destroyed after 14 years of civil war.
Henry Hamra, a Syrian American Jew and president of JHS, and his son, Joseph, spoke with Fox News Digital from the Jewish quarter in Damascus about the landmark moment.
"We're ready to start working on the synagogues and to start getting all the people to come see what we have here — a beautiful place. And we're ready for everybody to come," he said.
TRUMP’S PUSH FOR ISRAEL-SYRIA PEACE GETS MAJOR BACKING AS ACTIVIST BRINGS MESSAGE TO JERUSALEM
"Being able to regularly travel to Damascus and Aleppo brings me so much joy. Syria was closed off to us for so long. The Assad regime would arrest anyone who even met with a Jew or hosted a Jewish person. Today, Syria is finally back to its people regardless of faith or ethnicity."
Hamra told Fox News Digital he has returned to Syria four times since former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s government was overthrown last year in a lightning offensive that ended five decades of family rule.
Monday marked the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime, and tens of thousands of Syrians took to the streets of Damascus to mark the momentous occasion.
WHY SYRIA PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN TRUMP’S PLANS FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE
The long-standing Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, viewed as the United States’ most restrictive sanctions on Syria since its enactment in 2019, is on the verge of being rolled back, with a full repeal written into the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The NDAA passed the House on Wednesday and now returns to the Senate for final approval before heading to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature.
Hamra told Fox News Digital there are 22 synagogues in Damascus but most have been destroyed.
During a recent visit, he and his team saw the rubble of the Jobar Synagogue, also known as Eliyahu Hanavi, one of the oldest synagogues in the world.
The Faranj Synagogue, he added, is the only one largely intact.
"It still [has] their books [and] Torah scrolls," Hamra said. "It's a work of art, really."
Israel unveils 'Iron Beam' laser weapon while achieving record $15B arms sales
Israel isn’t the world’s most popular country, except when it comes to military hardware. A country the size of New Jersey is now the world’s 8th largest arms exporter with a record-breaking $15 billion in sales in 2024.
Behind Britain, but ahead of Turkey and South Korea in foreign arms sales, governments are flocking to Israel to buy battle-tested weapons, especially rockets from its vaunted Iron Dome missile defense system.
Europe accounts for most of the sales – Germany and Finland being the largest, but India, Thailand, and Greece are buyers as well. Even Muslim majority countries — Morocco, the UAE and Bahrain buy missiles, drones and cybersecurity systems from the Jewish state.
The record sales come as Israel unveils its latest weapon. The Iron Beam is a laser capable of knocking out incoming missiles, mortar rounds and drones up to six miles away for as little as $2 per interception. By contrast, interceptor missiles typically cost anywhere from $100,000 to $1 million apiece.
"With the laser, the only cost is electricity," says Yuval Steinitz, chairman of Rafael Defense Industries, manufacturer of the Iron Beam. "It is like between $1 and $2— less than the price of a hot dog in New York."
Unlike conventional missile interceptors, fast as they are, take time. A laser travels at the speed of light.
"We have already used it against UAVs launched by Hezbollah in the north and missiles from Iran. It works," says University of Tel Aviv professor Issac Ben-David. "The most important advantage is, once you see the target, it is intercepted at the speed of light. It takes a fraction of a second and the laser is already destroying it."
TAKING OUT HAMAS' MILLION-DOLLAR 'ROOT' TUNNEL IS GAME CHANGER, ANALYST SAYS
After decades of failed tests by multiple nations, Israel is the first country to successfully use the weapon in war. One of those who oversaw development was Prof. Issac Ben-David, former head of research and development at Israel’s Ministry of Defense.
Israel will deploy the first Iron Beam systems in the north, where Hezbollah rockets fired in southern Lebanon take under a minute to cross the Israeli border. Applications will expand to include ships and specific air bases.
"This is just the beginning of a new era," says Steinitz. "In time, maybe five years, it will enable us to shoot down every hostile object in the air around Israel. It’s really a game changer."
Rafael developed the technology with U.S.-based Lockheed Martin and $1.2 billion from the Pentagon. Steinitz says the technology is already being shared with the U.S. Army’s own directed energy program.
"We cannot do without the United States," he said. "But sometimes in a partnership, even the dwarf can contribute to the giant."
NATO secretary general warns Russia could target alliance members next amid rising tensions
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned members of the transatlantic alliance on Thursday that they could be Russia’s next target.
Rutte, delivering a keynote address at the Bavarian State Representation, hosted by the Munich Security Conference in Germany, evoked the night the Berlin Wall fell as a reminder of the power of unity.
"The dark forces of oppression are on the march again. I'm here today to tell you where NATO stands and what we must do to stop a war before it starts. And to do that, we need to be crystal clear about the threat. We are Russia's next target. And we are already in harm's way," he said.
NATO members committed in June to increase defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035, heeding President Donald Trump’s calls to take more steps to bolster its security.
'PUTIN IS PUSHING THE LIMITS’: EASTERN ALLIES WARN TRUMP NOT TO PULL US TROOPS
Rutte told attendees that the move wasn’t a moment for self-congratulations as Russia continues its large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
"I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don't feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now," he said.
The NATO chief urged allies to boost defense spending and production, saying their armed forces must have the resources needed to protect their homelands, and cautioning that Moscow could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years.
PUTIN WARNS RUSSIA ‘READY’ IF EUROPE ‘SUDDENLY WANTS TO WAGE WAR WITH US’ AMID UKRAINE TALKS
"We must all accept that we must act to defend our way of life, now. Because this year, Russia has become even more brazen, reckless and ruthless towards NATO and towards Ukraine," Rutte added. "During the Cold War, President Reagan warned about the aggressive impulses of an evil empire. Today, President Putin is in the empire building business again."
TRUMP SAYS NATO COUNTRIES SHOULD SHOOT DOWN RUSSIAN JETS THAT VIOLATE AIRSPACE
Poland accused Russia of being responsible for a railway blast on its Warsaw-Lublin line in November.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said an investigation into the incident found that Russian Secret Services "commissioned the blast of the Polish railway and recruited two Ukrainians to do it."
The railway blast was the latest in a string of security incidents in Eastern Europe, following airspace incursions in September that saw Russian drones enter Poland and three MiG-31 fighter jets cross into Estonia before being intercepted by NATO aircraft.
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