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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.

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 RELEASES BODY-CAM VIDEO OF DEADLY SYRIA RAID TARGETING MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD-AFFILIATED TERRORISTS

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."

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.

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."

MADURO BRANDISHES SWORD AT RALLY AS HE RAILS AGAINST 'IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION' AMID RISING TENSIONS WITH US

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.

BONDI SHARES HEART-POUNDING FOOTAGE OF US SEIZING VENEZUELAN OIL TANKER IN RARE ACTION LAST SEEN IN 2014

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’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.

SYRIA'S INTERIM PRESIDENT AL-SHARAA EXPECTED TO MEET WITH TRUMP IN FIRST VISIT BY SYRIAN LEADER TO WHITE HOUSE 

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 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.

SPACE-BASED MISSILE-KILLING GOLDEN DOME TECH AIMS FOR CRUCIAL TEST BEFORE TRUMP LEAVES OFFICE: LOCKHEED MARTIN

"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 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.

A skydiver broke free and ultimately survived after his reserve parachute accidentally deployed and got stuck on the tail of an airplane as it was soaring through the sky. 

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau explained that the "reserve handle snagged on the aircraft's flap, resulting in deployment of the reserve parachute."

Video footage of the harrowing incident — which occurred in September — shows the parachute deploying, with the man flying into the aircraft's tail and then dangling from the plane because the chute had gotten stuck.

AMERICAN SKYDIVERS RECLAIM WORLD RECORD FROM LIBYA WITH MASSIVE FLAG JUMP ON PEARL HARBOR DAY

"The reserve parachute wrapped around the left horizontal stabiliser and elevator and deflated as" the skydiver's "lower legs struck the stabiliser," the ATSB noted, adding that the person "was then suspended beneath the tailplane."

The individual was able to utilize a hook knife to cut parachute lines.

"The reserve parachute then tore, releasing" the person "from the aircraft with part of the reserve remaining on the aircraft’s tail," the ATSB report notes.

NASHVILLE SKYDIVING INSTRUCTOR DEAD AFTER FALLING WITHOUT PARACHUTE

After breaking free of the aircraft, the skydiver was able to deploy the main parachute and land — though not without facing some complications.

The ATSB report states that "during the main parachute deployment, the remaining reserve parachute lines twisted around the main parachute lines. Additionally, during the opening sequence, the right brake toggle of the main parachute released."

"The main parachute fully inflated with line twists, and after initially turning right, commenced a rapid left turn. After several rotations," the skydiver "grabbed and pulled on the right brake line above the line twists to arrest the turn. The parachute stopped turning, and" the individual "was able to unwind the line twists and release the left brake toggle. Passing about 8,000 ft, the main parachute lines fully unwound from the reserve parachute lines and functioned normally for the remainder of the descent."

EXPERIENCED SKYDIVER DELIBERATELY PLUNGED TO DEATH ONE DAY AFTER RELATIONSHIP WITH BOYFRIEND ENDED

The pilot managed to land the damaged airplane, according to the ATSB, which noted that the skydiver "landed 9 seconds later with minor lacerations and bruising to their left lower leg and a deep gash to their right lower leg."

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro on Thursday and reassured him of Moscow’s support as the Venezuelan leader faces escalating external pressure, according to a statement from the Kremlin.

In the call, reported by Reuters, Putin expressed support for Maduro’s government "in the face of growing external pressure," as the United States under President Donald Trump continues to push for Maduro’s removal from office. Washington has increased military activity in the Caribbean as part of its pressure campaign.

The Kremlin said the two leaders discussed their shared interest in advancing a strategic partnership agreement and moving forward on joint projects in the economic and energy sectors. Moscow has long viewed Venezuela as a key partner in Latin America, particularly as both governments face isolation and international sanctions.

RETIRED GENERAL HAILS TRUMP'S 'HOLISTIC' CRACKDOWN ON VENEZUELAN DRUG TRAFFICKING AS SHOWDOWN ESCALATES

The call came one day after the United States seized a massive, U.S.-sanctioned Venezuelan oil tanker off the country’s coast, escalating already tense relations between Caracas and Washington.

According to Fox News Digital's report, the Venezuelan government condemned the seizure as a violation of its sovereignty and accused Washington of hostile action against its economic interests. The Trump administration has intensified enforcement targeting Venezuela’s oil sector, which remains the backbone of Maduro’s government despite years of decline.

TRUMP WARNS US MAY LAUNCH LAND OPERATIONS INSIDE VENEZUELA ‘VERY SOON,’ SAYS REGIME SENT ‘KILLERS’ TO AMERICA

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that federal agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Coast Guard, carried out the tanker operation and released unclassified video footage of the seizure. The move followed a federal warrant tied to sanctions violations.

President Trump publicly acknowledged the operation, describing the vessel as the largest tanker ever seized by the United States. Reuters reported that the action caused oil prices to rise and added new strain to U.S.–Venezuela relations.

Russia and Venezuela have maintained a close relationship for more than two decades, a partnership that deepened during the presidency of Hugo Chávez and continued under Nicolás Maduro. According to Reuters, cooperation between the two countries has focused on defense, energy production and financial assistance.

Over the past several years, Moscow has supplied military equipment to Caracas, supported Venezuela’s state oil company through joint ventures, and extended loans and credit lines that have helped keep parts of the country’s oil sector functioning. Venezuela has taken billions of dollars in Russian loans and financing arrangements tied to Venezuela’s crude exports.

Despite international sanctions targeting both governments, Russia has consistently treated Venezuela as a strategic partner. The U.S. Congressional Research Service reports describe the relationship as durable and largely unaffected by short-term political shifts or external pressure. Moscow has continued to offer diplomatic backing and economic cooperation even as Venezuela’s domestic crisis worsened and U.S. pressure campaigns intensified.

Fox News Digital's Ashley Carnahan, the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to the story.

Venezuela on Wednesday condemned the U.S. seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker off its coast, calling it an "act of international piracy."

"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela strongly denounces and repudiates what constitutes blatant theft and an act of international piracy, publicly announced by the president of the United States, who confessed to the assault of an oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea," the government said in an official communiqué. 

The statement, published by Correo del Orinoco, a state-run news outlet that regularly carries Venezuela’s official government announcements, framed the seizure as part of a broader campaign against the country’s sovereignty and natural resources.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said a joint operation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker that was allegedly being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.

RETIRED GENERAL HAILS TRUMP'S 'HOLISTIC' CRACKDOWN ON VENEZUELAN DRUG TRAFFICKING AS SHOWDOWN ESCALATES

"For multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations," she said on X. "This seizure, completed off the coast of Venezuela, was conducted safely and securely—and our investigation alongside the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the transport of sanctioned oil continues."

Bondi released unclassified video footage of the operation that showed a helicopter approaching the large tanker and tactical personnel repelling down a rope onto the deck.

President Donald Trump made the seizure announcement on Wednesday while speaking at a roundtable event at the White House with business leaders.

US BOLSTERS MILITARY PRESENCE IN CARIBBEAN NEAR VENEZUELA AMID TRUMP'S EFFORTS TO HALT DRUG TRAFFICKING

"As you probably know, we've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela. A large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized actually," Trump told reporters. "And, other things are happening. So you'll be seeing that later, and you'll be talking about that later with some other people."

"It was seized for a very good reason," he later added.

Asked by a reporter what would happen to the oil aboard the tanker, Trump responded: "Well, we keep it, I guess."

A short time later, he said, "I assume we’re going to keep the oil."

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado appeared in public Thursday for the first time in 11 months in Norway as her daughter accepted the Nobel Peace Prize award on her behalf.

Machado had been in hiding since Jan. 9, when she was briefly detained after joining supporters in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. Her recognition came after mounting a peaceful challenge to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government.

The crowd chanted, "Freedom!" as Machado stepped onto the hotel balcony in Oslo, Norway, and waved to her supporters before joining them in singing Venezuela’s national anthem.

In an audio recording of a phone call published on the Nobel website, Machado said she wouldn’t be able to arrive to Oslo in time for the award ceremony, but that many people had "risked their lives" to get her there.

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"I am very grateful to them, and this is a measure of what this recognition means to the Venezuelan people," she said.

Her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepted the Nobel Prize in her place, saying that her mother "wants to live in a free Venezuela" and "will never give up on that purpose." 

"That is why we all know, and I know, that she will be back in Venezuela very soon," Sosa added.

BONDI SHARES HEART-POUNDING FOOTAGE OF US SEIZING VENEZUELAN OIL TANKER IN RARE ACTION LAST SEEN IN 2014

Outside the hotel, Machado interacted and hugged people in the crowd, as they snapped pictures and sprinkled her with chants of "President! President!"

"I want you all back in Venezuela," Machado said.

Machado's appearance came after President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the U.S. seized a Venezuelan oil tanker, a move that could further strain relations with Maduro’s government, which already is subject to extensive U.S. sanctions targeting the country's oil sector.

DAVID MARCUS: TRUMP'S AGGRESSION TOWARD VENEZUELA A WARNING TO PUTIN

Since September, U.S. military strikes have targeted alleged narcotraffickers near Venezuela at least 22 times, killing 87 people. Trump has also recently said Maduro's "days are numbered" and refused to rule out a ground operation in Venezuela. 

Steve Yates, senior research fellow for China and national security policy at The Heritage Foundation, said on "Fox News @ Night" on Wednesday that Machado's visit overseas was an opportunity to get "greater international support" for her cause, adding that Trump might benefit from having more of America's allies in Europe support a "non-invasion" approach.

The Venezuelan opposition leader has previously been outspoken in her support for the Trump administration's actions against Maduro's regime and the country's narcotrafficking network.

After the award was announced in October, the newly minted Nobel Peace Prize winner dedicated the award to both Trump and the "suffering people of Venezuela."

Machado said during a "Fox & Friends Weekend" interview last month that Venezuela was standing at the "threshold of freedom," highlighting her new "freedom manifesto" that envisions a future without the Maduro regime.

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned on Wednesday that Moscow will retaliate if European governments deploy troops to Ukraine or seize frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv, according to Reuters.

Lavrov delivered the remarks before the Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament, outlining Moscow’s stance on the war and its clash with the West. Reuters reported that Lavrov insisted Russia does not seek war with Europe but is prepared to act if it views Western countries as escalating the conflict.

"We will respond to any hostile steps, including the deployment of European military contingents in Ukraine and the expropriation of Russian assets. And we are already prepared for this response," Lavrov said, according to Reuters.

Lavrov also praised President Donald Trump’s approach to a potential settlement, calling him the "only Western leader" who understands what he described as the reasons the war was "inevitable." He said Moscow appreciates Trump’s interest in dialogue but noted Trump is "not only in no hurry to lift, but is actually increasing" sanctions on Russia, Reuters reported.

EUROPEAN TALKS RESHAPE UKRAINE’S PEACE PLAN AS ZELENSKYY REFUSES TERRITORIAL CONCESSIONS

His comments referenced Trump’s criticism of Europe earlier this week. In an interview with Politico on Monday, Trump said European leaders "talk but they don’t produce," describing them as "weak" and focused on being "politically correct." He added that he plans to continue endorsing European political figures who share his views, even if it "provokes pushback."

European Council President António Costa rebuked Trump’s remarks, telling an audience at the Jacques Delors Institute conference in Paris on Monday: "If we are allies, we must act as such — and allies do not threaten to interfere in each other’s domestic political life and democratic choices," according to Reuters. Costa added that Europe and the U.S. "no longer share" the same vision of the international order.

As Lavrov accused Europe of obstructing peace efforts, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced what he called the first formal meeting with senior Trump administration officials on Ukraine’s reconstruction.

EX-CIA STATION CHIEF WARNS PUTIN USING TALKS TO GAIN LEVERAGE AS UKRAINE DELEGATION MEETS TOP TRUMP OFFICIALS

In a post on X on Wednesday, Zelenskyy wrote: "Together with our team, I held a productive discussion with the American side... In fact, this could be considered the first meeting of the group that will work on a document concerning the reconstruction and economic recovery of Ukraine."

He said they discussed "key elements for recovery, various mechanisms, and visions for reconstruction" and reviewed updates to the "20 points of the framework document for ending the war." Zelenskyy added that "overall security… will determine economic security and underpin a safe business environment."

The Ukrainian president said both sides agreed to continue talks, adding: "As always, there will be no delays on our side. We are working to deliver results." He closed by thanking Trump, writing: "I thank President Trump and his team for their substantive work and support."

Reuters contributed to this article.

An elementary school teacher in London was dismissed and referred to authorities after telling a Muslim pupil that Britain was a "Christian country," according to the lawyer supporting his legal challenge. 

The case from earlier this year has added to the broader debate about free expression, multiculturalism and the use of safeguarding mechanisms in British schools — the system designed to ensure a safe environment in which children can learn.

Lord Toby Young, director of the Free Speech Union, told Fox News Digital that the central accusation was triggered by the teacher’s statement that Britain remains a Christian country." To claim that Britain is a Christian country and to point out that the king is the head of the Church of England isn’t a particularly politically contentious thing to say. It’s just stating a pretty straightforward fact."

PASTOR WINS FIGHT TO KEEP PREACHING ON UK STREETS AFTER POLICE TOLD HIM HE COULDN'T DISCUSS OTHER RELIGIONS

The complaint also involved the pupil washing his feet in a school sink — a pre-prayer ritual for Muslims. "The parent of a boy at the school complained because the teacher had told the boy not to wash his feet in one of the sinks in the school lavatories," Young added.

He said the Free Speech Union is seeing a rise in referrals to safeguarding panels for mainstream views. "We’ve got over a dozen cases of people being referred to safeguarding panels because they are said to be a threat to children’s safety just because of the views they’ve expressed."

UK GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF CRACKING DOWN ON FREE SPEECH: 'THINK BEFORE YOU POST'

After the school dismissed the teacher, the case was referred to the Teaching Regulation Authority (TRA). Young said the TRA held a full hearing and ultimately "dismissed the charges," finding "no case to answer." Had it gone the other way, he said, the teacher could have been barred from the profession for life. The Free Speech Union is now funding the teacher’s lawsuit for unfair dismissal.

Young also tied the case to a national debate over the U.K. government’s work on a nonstatutory definition of Islamophobia, something his organization opposes. He warned such a definition could be embedded into "speech codes," with potential disciplinary consequences.

He said the governing party fears losing parliamentary seats to Muslim independent candidates — a dynamic he argues has created political incentives to grant "special protections" to Muslim constituencies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country could be ready to hold its first election since Russia's invasion in 2022 as long as partners can give him security guarantees.

Zelenskyy, whose term was set to end in May 2024, said there are two main issues that have to be addressed before Ukraine can hold elections: security and the legislative framework. Zelenskyy said he has asked lawmakers from his party to work on legislative proposals to allow Ukraine to hold elections while the country remains under martial law, according to The Associated Press.

Because Ukrainian law prohibits elections when martial law is in place, Zelenskyy has declined to call a vote, a stance widely supported by Ukrainians, according to the AP. The country has been under martial law since the war with Russia began in February 2022.

EUROPEAN TALKS RESHAPE UKRAINE’S PEACE PLAN AS ZELENSKYY REFUSES TERRITORIAL CONCESSIONS

"Moreover, I am now asking — and I am stating this openly — for the United States, possibly together with our European colleagues, to help me ensure security for holding elections," Zelenskyy told reporters on WhatsApp, according to reports. "And then, within the next 60–90 days, Ukraine will be ready to hold them."

Zelenskyy's change in tune comes after President Donald Trump accused him of using the war as an excuse to not hold elections. The U.S. president, who has called Zelenskyy a "dictator without elections" in the past, warned that Ukraine was on the verge of not being a democracy anymore.

"They haven’t had an election in a long time," Trump told Politico. "You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore."

NO UKRAINE PEACE DEAL AFTER LENGTHY FIVE-HOUR PUTIN-WITKOFF-KUSHNER MEETING 

In his interview with Politico, Trump also accused Zelenskyy of not being up-to-date on peace talks, saying he heard the Ukrainian president had not read the White House's most recent proposal.

The Trump administration has been working to secure a peace deal to end the war that has gone on for nearly four years. Late last month, the administration presented a 28-point plan that Ukrainian and European leaders thought was too deferential to Russia’s demands. Ukrainian officials met with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and whittled the plan down.

"We are working very actively on all components of potential steps toward ending the war," Zelenskyy posted on X on Tuesday. "The Ukrainian and European components are now more developed, and we are ready to present them to our partners in the U.S. Together with the American side, we expect to swiftly make the potential steps as doable as possible."

"We are committed to a real peace and remain in constant contact with the United States," he added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and the State Department for comment.

As the U.S. ramps up attacks on alleged drug-trafficking boats, blowing up vessels and killing their crews, American allies across the Atlantic are waging their own at-sea fights with suspected narcotics smugglers.

"Europe is literally being flooded with cocaine," Artur Vaz, Portugal's narcotics police chief, told Fox News.

"Criminal organizations... acquire the drugs in Latin America, and then the price at which they place it in the markets... there's a big profit margin here," said Vaz, director of the National Unit for Combating Drug Trafficking at Portugal's Judiciary Police.

The drugs come over in cargo ships, high-speed boats and, increasingly, low-budget, semi-submersible vessels known colloquially as "narco-subs." These boats sail largely undetected with only the top of the craft visible — often painted, researchers say, in steely blues and grays to blend in with the stormy Atlantic waves and evade surveillance efforts.

AS TRUMP’S STANDOFF WITH MADURO DEEPENS, EXPERTS WARN THE NEXT MOVE MAY FORCE A SHOWDOWN

Portuguese authorities scored a notable capture this fall, intercepting a narco-sub in the mid-Atlantic with 1.7 metric tons of cocaine on board. But European authorities acknowledge that many others are making it past their defenses.

"The interdiction rates for these subs is between 10%, roughly, and maybe as low as 5%," said Sam Woolston, a Honduras-based investigative journalist specializing in organized crime.

"Even if one or two get nabbed by the authorities, it's not enough to dissuade them."

European authorities mostly choose to intercept narco boats, stopping far short of the Trump administration's policy of destroying them. Instead, the often low-rung crews are detained for interrogation, in the hope of shedding light on shady drug kingpins, gang operations and distribution networks.

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Officials tell Fox News, though, that they would like to do more.

"We must be more muscular — that is, with greater means and a greater capacity for intervention," said Vaz. "But, of course, within the rule of law."

As for the narco-subs, those vessels aren't new, but they never used to cross oceans.

"It's mind-boggling, the level of sophistication," Derek Maltz, a former acting chief of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, told Fox News.

"But it's all about the money, and it's all about the risk, and right now I don't think these networks perceive Europe as a huge risk for them."

Journalist Woolston says the transatlantic voyage is typically crewed by "desperate people," given its perilous nature.

"You'll be locked up in a very small compartment for days, usually inhaling things like diesel fumes. There have been cases of narco submarines found with a crew of dead bodies.

"The kingpins would not get on these boats."

The U.S. deployed two fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela Tuesday, marking what appeared to be the closest known approach of military aircraft to Venezuelan airspace to date, according to reports.

The F/A-18 jets were observed on Flightradar24 flying for roughly 30 minutes over the waters north of Venezuela, the Associated Press reported.

A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the short mission as a "routine training flight" designed to demonstrate the aircraft's operational reach.

DAVID MARCUS: TRUMP'S AGGRESSION TOWARD VENEZUELA A WARNING TO PUTIN

The official also did not disclose whether the jets were armed but did emphasize that the operation remained entirely within international airspace.

Tuesday's dual flight follows months of heightened U.S. military activity in the region.

Although the U.S. has previously flown B-52 Stratofortress and B-1 Lancer bombers along Venezuela’s coastline, those aircraft did not appear to approach as closely as Tuesday’s F/A-18s.

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The increase in activity in the region first began after U.S. strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in both the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific.

The first reported U.S. military strike on a vessel that allegedly departed from Venezuela carrying drugs was in September.

The Trump administration said the operations were essential to curbing illicit drug trafficking, though Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro continues to deny this.

Tensions surrounding Venezuelan airspace escalated in November after President Trump instructed airlines to treat the region as effectively closed, aligning with FAA warnings to civilian carriers.

SENATORS VOW PUSH TO PROHIBIT US MILITARY ACTION IN VENEZUELA IF TRUMP PURSUES STRIKES AGAINST THE COUNTRY

Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation previously told Fox News Digital that Venezuela’s most significant military threat stems from its own air-naval systems.

Isaias Medina, an international lawyer and former Venezuelan diplomat also said Venezuela's own military’s capabilities look better on paper than in reality.

He said that included fighter jets, limited surface vessels, and Russian-made surface-to-air missiles.

"Reasonably speaking, in the first day or two of a campaign plan, we can eliminate the air and maritime threat to U.S. forces," Montgomery said.

A biopic about Brazil’s jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro is in production, his son Carlos has confirmed.

In a post shared on X — which came after his brother, Flavio entered the country's 2026 presidential race — Carlos lavished praise on American actor Jim Caviezel, who stars as the ex-president in the film.

"Jim Caviezel, thank you for everything," Carlos wrote, describing the Passion of the Christ actor as a figure whose legacy would be "admired by good people and envied by those who seek destruction."

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Carlos added that working with Caviezel had given him "one of the greatest gifts" of his life, before closing with: "God, Jesus and Freedom."

Caviezel himself has been linked to far-right conspiracy circles in the U.S. and has drawn scrutiny over the political messaging in some of his roles.

He also famously starred as Jesus in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and The Sound of Freedom.

According to The Guardian, the biopic, titled Dark Horse, presents a heroic vision of Jair Bolsonaro and is based on Bolonaro’s successful 2018 campaign for the presidency.

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It is directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh and written by former Bolsonaro Culture Secretary Mário Frias.

Bolsonaro himself remains in prison after receiving a 27-year sentence for attempting to overturn the 2022 election results.

Authorities said he orchestrated a plot to invalidate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s victory, leading to his imprisonment in September.

In addition to his sentence, a separate ruling has barred him from holding office until 2030, effectively ending his political career.

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From prison, the former president issued a rare public endorsement naming Flávio as his preferred successor.

According to the Associated Press, Flávio, 44, has confirmed through his Senate office that he will run in the October 2026 presidential election against the candidate of the Liberal Party.

Flávio, who is the eldest of the brothers, described his decision to run as "irreversible," setting up a direct challenge to President Lula, who is seeking a fourth nonconsecutive term.

"It is with great responsibility that I confirm the decision of Brazil’s greatest political and moral leader, Jair Messias Bolsonaro, to entrust me with the mission of continuing our national project," Flávio wrote on X.

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His office also confirmed he has visited his father in prison.

Meanwhile, production on Dark Horse is expected to continue into 2026, with filming planned in both Brazil and Mexico.

Tens of thousands of Syrians flooded the streets of Damascus on Monday to mark the first anniversary of the Assad regime’s collapse. 

The 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.

A wave of transformations and historic firsts has since redrawn Syria's political landscape, culminating in a diplomatic breakthrough with the United States that saw President Donald Trump host interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in an unprecedented White House visit.

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).

TRUMP’S CROWN JEWEL ABRAHAM ACCORDS MAY EXPAND TO NORMALIZE TIES BETWEEN ISRAEL AND OTHER NATIONS 

"Every Syrian is celebrating liberation and now celebrating the removal of the Caesar Act," said Mouaz Moustafa, the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, who helped draft and name the original bill, in an interview with Fox News Digital.

"Caesar was shattering Syria's economy and Syria's future, even if everything else went well. And now, Syria has true hope. Today, with the first anniversary of liberation, the greatest gift that the Syrian people could have gotten is the lifting of the Caesar Act."

The NDAA is slated for a vote in the House this week.

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As Syrians celebrate the overthrow of Assad, the country now faces the daunting task of rebuilding, from reconstruction and revitalizing the economy to seeking justice for families still waiting for answers about loved ones forcibly disappeared by the regime.

Data from the Syrian Network for Human Rights indicate that more than 170,000 people remain forcibly disappeared in Syria between March 2011 and August 2025, an overwhelming majority of whom were held in former Assad regime detention centers.

TRUMP’S GAMBLE IN NORMALIZING RELATIONS WITH SYRIA IN THE FACE OF IRAN: ‘HIGH-RISK, HIGH-REWARD’

Syria has also grappled with outbreaks of sectarian violence this year, most notably in Sweida, where Druze militias, Sunni Bedouin tribes and Syrian government forces engaged in violent clashes.

"There have been occasional clashes and atrocities. I note, and it's interesting, that this new President Ahmed al-Sharaa has put on trial, publicly, on live television in Syria, more than a dozen security force members who are charged with violating human rights, such as extrajudicial killing and illegal detention and torture," said former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford in an interview with Fox News Digital.

"If they are convicted and held accountable, that will be remarkable. All the more remarkable under the presidency of a man who used to be in al Qaeda."

In July, the U.S. State Department formally revoked the foreign terrorist organization designation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist group formerly led by al-Sharaa.

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Trump has met al-Sharaa, who is also known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, three times since returning to the White House. 

He has praised Syria’s new leader despite his past and urged Israel to maintain a "strong and true dialogue" with Damascus amid Israeli ground incursions into southern Syria.

"We are doing everything within our power to make sure the Government of Syria continues to do what was intended, which is substantial, in order to build a true and prosperous Country," said Trump in a December Truth Social post.

SYRIA'S NEW PRESIDENT TAKES CENTER STAGE AT UNGA AS CONCERNS LINGER OVER TERRORIST PAST 

"It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria’s evolution into a prosperous State."

Al-Sharaa called on the Russian government earlier this year to hand over Assad — who was granted asylum in Moscow — to face justice for atrocities committed during his time in power.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., a longtime advocate for the Syrian people and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News Digital in a statement that it's time for a new era in Syria.

"The progress we've seen in the year since the fall of dictator Assad is incredible. Syria has transformed from a Putin puppet and Iranian regime ally to a partner of the United States, joining the coalition against ISIS and removing Hezbollah, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. Led by Ambassador Tom Barrack, under President Trump, we have seized an historic opportunity by supporting the efforts of President al-Sharaa and lifting crippling sanctions on Syria," said Wilson. 

"There is progress to be made, but absent these bold and visionary actions to give Syria a chance, the country would descend into factionalized chaos to be exploited by terrorists," he said. "Syria has a rich, multi-ethnic, and religiously pluralistic history. The people suffered over half a century under sadistic socialist Assad."

Australia’s landmark new social media age law is set to go into effect, barring anyone under 16 from holding an account as the government moves to enforce one of the world’s strictest online safety measures.

The Australian government’s Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, passed in November 2024, will start being enforced on Wednesday.

"From December 10, if you’re under 16, you’re no longer allowed to have a social media account," said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a video statement that was played in classrooms ahead of the social media restrictions, according to 9 News Australia. "You’ll know better than anyone what it’s like growing up with algorithms, endless feeds and the pressure that can come with that."

The platforms that will be banned for youth in Australia are Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube.

META STRENGTHENS TEEN SAFETY WITH EXPANDED ACCOUNTS 

Australia’s eSafety  commissioner, the independent national regulator for online safety, says the new minimum-age law requires platforms to take "reasonable steps" to stop anyone under 16 from holding an account, including deploying age-assurance measures, removing existing underage users and preventing them from re-registering through tools such as VPN detection.

SPOTIFY GIVES PARENTS NEW POWER TO CONTROL WHAT THEIR KIDS HEAR ON STREAMING PLATFORM

The eSafety commissioner also expects social media platforms to offer clear review pathways and support resources for young users whose accounts are deactivated. 

"eSafety expects providers’ initial focus to be on the detection and deactivation/removal of existing accounts held by children under 16, including via accessible pathways to report underage accounts. We expect this to be accompanied by clear and timely information to those account holders about what will happen to their account, how they can download their information, where they can get support if they are feeling distressed, and how to challenge or seek review of the platform’s determination that they are under 16," read the regulatory guidance in part.

Companies that fail to comply face penalties of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars, or roughly $32 million.

"We’ve said very clearly that this won’t be perfect. But it’s the right thing to do for society to express its views, its judgment about what is appropriate," said Albanese. 

"And there is no doubt when we look at the rise in mental health issues faced by young people, when we look at the social harm which is being caused by social media, that we want kids to have the opportunity to enjoy their childhood, and we want parents to be empowered as well to have that discussion."

Beijing escalated its war of words with Tokyo after Japan said Chinese fighter jets aimed a fire-control radar at Japanese F-15s flying near Okinawa, an action Tokyo called "dangerous" and "extremely regrettable."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his German counterpart Johann Wadephul in Beijing that "Japan is threatening China militarily," a stance he called "completely unacceptable," after the radar incident, Reuters reported.

Wang accused Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of "trying to exploit the Taiwan question — the very territory Japan colonized for half a century, committing countless crimes against the Chinese people — to provoke trouble and threaten China militarily. This is completely unacceptable," Wang said, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency. He added that Japan, as a World War II "defeated nation," should act with greater caution.

CHINESE DIPLOMAT THREATENS TO CUT OFF NEW JAPANESE PM'S HEAD OVER TAIWAN COMMENTS

China expert Gordon Chang told Fox News Digital, "China, with Saturday’s radar-lock incidents against Japan and other belligerent acts recently, looks like it wants to start a war. In any event, these incidents could easily spiral into war, especially because China cannot act constructively or deescalate."

Japanese officials say the confrontation unfolded Dec. 6, when Chinese J-15 fighter jets operating from the aircraft carrier Liaoning twice aimed radar at Japanese F-15s over international waters near Japan’s Okinawa islands.

"These radar illuminations are a dangerous act that goes beyond what is necessary for the safe flight of aircraft," Takaichi told reporters, adding that Japan had lodged a protest with China and calling the incident "extremely regrettable," Reuters reported.

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Japan’s government later said the Self-Defense Force fighters "were maintaining a safe distance during their mission" and denied China’s accusation that its jets obstructed Chinese operations, according to comments by Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, according to The Associated Press.

The radar clash came on the heels of remarks by Takaichi that have already put relations on edge. In early November, she told parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could amount to a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and potentially trigger a military response under Japan’s 2015 security laws, Reuters reported. Beijing condemned those comments as "egregious," accused Tokyo of severe interference in its internal affairs and warned of "serious consequences" if they were not retracted.

Chinese officials and state media have since portrayed Takaichi as hyping up an external threat to justify Japan’s military buildup and closer alignment with Taiwan. In parallel, Chinese spokespeople have accused Japan of "hyping up" the radar incident itself and "deliberately making a false accusation" to build tension, according to official statements carried by People’s Daily and other Chinese outlets.

Chang said, "China has not been able to get Prime Minister Takaichi to back down, so its choices are to accept its humiliation or ramp up the crisis. It will ramp up. China is now proving Takaichi right: Beijing is creating a ‘survival-threatening situation’ for Japan."