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2 skiers killed in avalanche on popular Mont Blanc skiing route near French-Swiss border
Two skiers were killed and another injured Sunday when an off-trail avalanche tore through a popular freeride route on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif near the French-Swiss border, officials said.
Three skiers were swept up in the Sunday morning slide along the Couloir Vesses, a well-known off-piste route in Courmayeur’s upper Val Veny, according to Italy’s Alpine Rescue, The Associated Press reported.
Search and rescue operations involved 15 rescuers, three canine units and two helicopters. One victim was transported to a hospital in serious condition but later died, the agency said.
Authorities said another person was partially buried in an avalanche in Trentino but was pulled to safety by companions.
LINDSEY VONN TRAINS WITH KNEE BRACE AFTER COMPLETELY RUPTURING ACL ONE WEEK BEFORE OLYMPIC RETURN
The deadly slide comes amid a particularly dangerous stretch in the Italian Alps. Italy’s Alpine Rescue said last week that 13 backcountry skiers, climbers and hikers died in the Italian mountains in the week ending Feb. 8 – a record toll – with 10 of those deaths caused by avalanches linked to an unusually unstable snowpack.
Officials said recent storms have dumped fresh snow onto fragile underlying layers, while strong winds have created unstable drifts, producing hazardous conditions across the Alpine arc bordering France, Switzerland and Austria.
The main issue is caused by "persistent weak layers in the snowy cloak, often covered by fresh snow or wind, conditions that make detachments unpredictable and easily triggered even by the passing of a single skier or alpinist," the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps said. "The dangerous points are many and difficult to identify, even for an expert."
LINDSEY VONN CRASHES IN WINTER OLYMPICS ALPINE SKI WOMEN'S DOWNHILL EVENT
Federico Catania, a spokesperson for Italy’s Alpine Rescue Corps, said recent snowstorms have drawn visitors eager to take advantage of fresh slopes, "and as a result, the number of accidents, and therefore fatalities, has increased proportionally," The AP reported.
Courmayeur, a town of roughly 2,900 residents, sits about 200 kilometers – or 124 miles – northwest of Milan, a host city for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The incidents occurred as the Winter Olympics were kicking off in the region on Feb. 6.
AMERICAN SKIERS RESCUED AFTER GETTING LOST NEAR OLYMPIC VENUE IN THE ITALIAN ALPS
Authorities stressed that competition sites – located in Lombardy near the Swiss border, Cortina d’Ampezzo in Veneto and Val di Fiemme in Trentino – remain safe, well-maintained and closely monitored.
"There is no danger for people skiing within managed ski resorts, and, in particular, no risks to the Olympic sites," Catania said previously. "All of these areas are constantly monitored and are generally safe regardless of Olympic events."
Prior to the start of the Winter Olympics, Vigili del Fuoco said crews would maintain safety measures for all visitors to the sites.
Fox News Digital’s Bonny Chu and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Zelenskyy ally arrested trying to flee Ukraine as massive corruption probe deepens
Ukraine’s former energy minister was detained Sunday after authorities removed him from a train at the border as he allegedly attempted to flee the country, a source has confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Herman Halushchenko's arrest, the source said, followed requests from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and marked an uptick in an anti-corruption probe engulfing the political spectrum.
"Halushchenko tried to escape Ukraine," the source said under the condition of anonymity.
"The border guards had a request from NABU and SAPO about him and also to get information in case he tried to cross the border," they added.
"This essentially means that because he tried to cross, the president has lost some control here."
NABU released a statement on the matter Sunday but did not name Halushchenko, according to the Kyiv Post.
He had served as the country’s energy minister under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but resigned in November.
"Today, while crossing the state border, NABU detectives have detained the former Minister of Energy as part of the ‘Midas’ case," the agency said in a statement, referring to a corruption scandal in the country’s energy sector.
"Initial investigative proceedings are ongoing, carried out in accordance with the requirements of the law and court sanctions. Details to follow," NABU added.
Operation Midas centers on allegations of a $100 million embezzlement scheme within Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company.
Investigators say funds meant for critical energy infrastructure, including wartime grid repairs after Russian attacks, were siphoned off through contract kickbacks.
Halushchenko was one of several ministers who resigned in 2025 as NABU uncovered what it described as the massive money-laundering scheme orchestrated by Tymur Mindich, also an ally of Zelenskyy.
The controversy has also affected border operations. Border head Serhiy Deineko was dismissed in January, the Kyiv Independent reported.
On Jan. 4, Valerii Vavryniuk, the agency’s first deputy, was appointed acting head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS), according to to Pravda.
"The last border head had also been accused of corruption," the source said. "There is a new acting head of the border service who is not loyal to Zelenskyy but more so to the institutions."
FORMER UKRAINIAN PM ACCUSED OF BRIBING POLITICIANS WITH US DOLLARS TO WEAKEN ZELENSKYY'S GOVERNMENT
The source also said since Halushchenko was considered an "unofficial but direct subordinate" of Zelenskyy, this latest arrest will prove difficult for Ukraine's leader.
"Halushchenko had been [an] (unofficial but direct) subordinate to Zelenskyy, so if his corruption is proven then it will be hard to convince people the president knew nothing," they said.
"With the corruption probes, Zelenskyy loses control and this infuriates him," the source added.
The developments come as Zelenskyy continues to navigate Ukraine’s war with Russia.
The source described high emotion inside the Ukraine parliament with Zelenskyy's "stress rising" in the wake of Herman Halushchenko's arrest.
"Recently Zelenskyy became angry over initiatives in parliament that were not pushed through, and he shouted and threatened parliamentarians," the source said.
"This week he appeared quite emotionally uncontrollable and almost aggressive behind the camera, so some parliamentarians have seen his stress rise many times recently – and more than pre-war levels," they said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Zelenskyy's office for comment.
Doctors Without Borders reduces operations at Gaza hospital over security concerns
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), commonly known as Doctors Without Borders, suspended non-critical medical operations at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, citing security concerns.
MSF said it made the decision, as of Jan. 20, due to concerns about the management of the hospital and what it described as a pattern of unacceptable incidents within the compound.
The suspension had not been widely reported at the time, and it was not immediately clear when the decision was first publicly posted.
MSF’s frequently asked questions page, where the update appears, shows it was last revised on Feb. 11.
US-BACKED GAZA AID GROUP SLAMS DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS, ACCUSES IT OF SPREADING 'FALSE' CLAIMS
In recent months, the international medical humanitarian aid group said staff and patients have reported the presence of armed and sometimes masked men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients and the suspected movement of weapons on hospital grounds.
"While none of these incidents occurred in parts of the hospital compound where MSF works, they pose serious security threats to our teams and patients," MSF wrote on its website.
"MSF formally expressed its strong concern to relevant authorities and emphasized the incompatibility of such violations with our medical mission. Hospitals must remain neutral, civilian spaces, free from military presence or activity, to ensure the safe and impartial delivery of medical care," the group continued. "MSF calls on all armed groups, Hamas, and Israeli forces to respect medical facilities and ensure the protection of civilians."
HAMAS PLOTS INFILTRATION AT US-BACKED GAZA AID SITE, FORCES TEMPORARY SHUTDOWN
In a statement issued Saturday, Nasser Hospital rejected what it called "false, unsubstantiated, and misleading allegations" by MSF regarding the presence of weapons or armed groups inside the facility.
"These allegations are factually incorrect, irresponsible, and pose a serious risk to a protected civilian medical facility. The Gaza Strip is under an extreme and prolonged state of emergency resulting from systematic attacks on civilian institutions," it said. "Under these conditions, isolated unlawful actions by uncontrolled individuals and groups have occurred across society, including attempts by some to carry weapons."
Hospital officials said a civilian police presence had been arranged to help safeguard patients, staff and infrastructure and called on MSF to retract its claims and reaffirm its commitment to medical neutrality.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday on X that it has intelligence indicating Hamas is using Nasser Hospital as a headquarters and military post, reiterating longstanding allegations that the militant group embeds operations within civilian facilities in Gaza.
"For over two years, the IDF and the defense establishment has warned about the cynical use by terrorist organizations in Gaza of hospitals and humanitarian shelters as human shields to conceal terrorist activity," it wrote.
Hamas has previously denied using hospitals or other civilian facilities for military purposes.
Israeli intelligence sources reject claims Jeffrey Epstein was Mossad operative following document releases
A wave of recent reporting and newly released documents detailing the relationship between former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Jeffrey Epstein has reignited claims that Epstein worked for Israel’s Mossad, a theory Israeli intelligence sources and senior political leaders are forcefully rejecting.
Ex-Israeli intelligence officials told Fox News Digital that Epstein never worked for Mossad, describing the allegation as baseless and inconsistent with how the agency operates.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly pushed back on the claims, writing on X: "Jeffrey Epstein's unusual close relationship with Ehud Barak doesn't suggest Epstein worked for Israel. It proves the opposite."
PRINCESS SOFIA OF SWEDEN BREAKS SILENCE ON EPSTEIN ENCOUNTERS AFTER DOJ FILE RELEASE
In the same post, Netanyahu escalated his criticism, writing: "Stuck on his election loss from over two decades ago, Barak has for years obsessively attempted to undermine Israeli democracy by working with the anti-Zionist radical left in failed attempts to overthrow the elected Israeli government."
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also sharply dismissed the accusations, writing: "As a former Israeli Prime Minister, with the Mossad having reported directly to me, I say to you with 100% certainty: The accusation that Jeffrey Epstein somehow worked for Israel or the Mossad ran a blackmail ring is categorically and totally false. Epstein’s conduct, both the criminal and the merely despicable, had nothing whatsoever to do with the Mossad or the State of Israel. Epstein never worked for the Mossad."
Ex-Mossad director Yossi Cohen also rejected the claims in a podcast interview with The Free Press, saying Epstein had "absolutely nothing" to do with the Mossad — "not an agent, not an operative, nothing."
The strong denials come amid renewed scrutiny of emails, financial records and communications included in U.S. Justice Department materials and other public reporting, none of which indicate that Epstein cooperated with Israeli intelligence.
Barak, who served as prime minister from 1999 to 2001 and later as defense minister in Netanyahu’s government, has become one of Netanyahu’s most vocal political opponents.
PRINCE WILLIAM’S ENVIRONMENTAL CHARITY REPORTED OVER PARTNER’S EPSTEIN TIES
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Barak’s office fired back, describing Netanyahu’s remarks as politically motivated and reiterating that he regrets ever meeting Epstein while denying any wrongdoing.
"Barak has repeatedly and publicly stated that he regrets ever meeting Jeffrey Epstein. There is no credible allegation—none—that Barak engaged in any illegal or inappropriate conduct," the statement said.
Barak’s office also called Netanyahu’s attacks "the desperate acts of a failed and panicked politician" and "a pathetic attempt to divert attention from his catastrophic record," accusing the prime minister of attempting to shift blame for national failures.
Newly surfaced materials continue to document Barak’s personal and professional interactions with Epstein, including stays at Epstein’s New York apartment and meetings arranged through the financier.
EXCLUSIVE: EPSTEIN EMAILS RELEASED AS DOJ SAYS NO CRIMINAL OR INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT BY TRUMP
Emails cited in document releases describe the apartment as being used by Barak and his then-wife during visits to the United States, with staff coordinating logistics and maintenance requests tied to the property.
Other communications referenced financial ties and introductions facilitated by Epstein, including meetings with prominent business figures, as well as broader correspondence and internal notes referencing allegations, warnings and speculation surrounding Epstein’s activities.
Barak has acknowledged meeting Epstein multiple times and said he regrets the association. In a previous interview, he said he never witnessed improper behavior and never participated in anything illegal.
"At times during my occasional visits to the United States, I was sometimes a participant in a breakfast or lunch or dinner at his New York townhouse, together with respected American public figures," Barak said. "At no point in my dealings with him did I ever witness any improper behavior, and I certainly never participated in anything like that."
US forces board sanctioned oil tanker after vessel tried to evade Trump quarantine, Department of War says
The Department of War (DOW) said Sunday that U.S. forces interdicted a vessel in the Indo-Pacific after it attempted to evade a quarantine order issued by the Trump administration.
In a statement on X, the DOW said the Veronica III was boarded without incident while it was operating in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility.
"The vessel tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine — hoping to slip away. We tracked it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance, and shut it down. No other nation has the reach, endurance, or will to do this," the government account wrote.
"International waters are not sanctuary. By land, air, or sea, we will find you and deliver justice," it added. "The Department of War will deny illicit actors and their proxies freedom of movement in the maritime domain."
US MILITARY SEIZES ANOTHER FUGITIVE OIL TANKER LINKED TO VENEZUELA
The Veronica III is the latest in a series of high-profile maritime seizures by the U.S. military aimed at enforcing sanctions and curbing the export of Venezuelan oil.
President Donald Trump announced a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going in and out of Venezuela in mid-December, as Washington increased its naval presence in the Caribbean to put pressure on now-former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
According to OpenSanctions, the Veronica III is listed on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals sanctions list.
The tanker, a large crude oil carrier built in 2006 and flagged in Panama, has been linked to the transport of hundreds of thousands of metric tons of sanctioned Iranian oil and is affiliated with a Chinese ship-management company that has also been sanctioned.
OpenSanctions notes that the ship has previously sailed under different names and flags as part of efforts to evade sanctions and disguise its activities at sea.
The Veronica III was among the vessels sanctioned by Treasury in December 2024 as part of a broader action targeting 35 other entities and tankers involved in transporting illicit Iranian oil to foreign markets.
Waltz calls UN a 'cesspool for antisemitism' as Trump administration pushes major reforms
EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz is calling for sweeping reform at the world body, placing the fight against antisemitism at the top of the agenda as the Trump administration pushes for changes across the institution.
In an exclusive on-camera interview, Waltz argued that confronting antisemitism should be a central pillar of any overhaul of the U.N., alongside a broader return to what he described as the organization’s core mission of peace and security.
"The U.N. has an atrocious history and record when it comes to antisemitism. Number one, it's a cesspool for antisemitism in many ways," Waltz said. "This administration is determined to fight it."
TRUMP ADMIN WEIGHS TERRORISM SANCTIONS AGAINST UN PALESTINIAN AID AGENCY OVER HAMAS ALLEGATIONS
He framed the issue as both urgent and historic, linking rising global antisemitism and the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks to what he said must be a renewed commitment inside international institutions.
"We have to live up to the mantra of never again," Waltz said. "As we see antisemitism on the rise around the world… after October 7th, in particular, we have to live up to that mantra."
Waltz pointed to Holocaust remembrance and survivor testimony as essential tools in combating denial and historical revisionism, saying education must be central to any U.N. response.
"It's about education. It's about fighting back on these ridiculous denials of the Holocaust," he said. "But most importantly, while we still have them, it's about hearing from the survivors and hearing their personal stories."
He added that U.N. forums should elevate survivor testimony rather than political messaging.
"My recommendation to the U.N. is, get the diplomats and the politicians out of the way, let's just hear from the survivors because their stories are compelling, they are tragic, they need to be heard and documented, and they certainly can't ever be denied," Waltz said.
The ambassador’s remarks come as the administration calls for broader structural reform at the United Nations, including changes to how it approaches development aid, humanitarian operations and leadership.
Waltz said Washington wants to see a more focused institution centered on conflict prevention and peacekeeping, with less reliance on traditional aid frameworks.
"I see, and I think what the president sees, is a much more focused U.N. that we have taken back to the basics of promoting peace and security around the world and enforcing peace when conflict breaks out through its peacekeeping forces," he said.
The push for reform comes against the backdrop of longstanding criticism from U.S. officials and watchdog groups over how Israel is treated within the U.N. system and concerns about antisemitism linked to some U.N.-affiliated bodies.
UNRWA, the U.N. agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, has faced mounting scrutiny in recent years. Reports by education monitoring organizations documented content in materials used in UNRWA-linked classrooms that delegitimizes Israel or includes antisemitic themes.
Media investigations after Oct. 7 further intensified attention on the agency, with allegations involving staff and militant ties triggering donor freezes and internal probes.
An independent review commissioned by the United Nations acknowledged neutrality challenges and recommended stronger oversight and vetting mechanisms.
ISRAEL'S NETANYAHU DEMANDS WESTERN GOVERNMENTS ACT TO BATTLE ANTISEMITISM: 'HEED OUR WARNINGS'
Beyond UNRWA, critics have pointed to structural patterns across the U.N. system. Israel remains the only country assigned a permanent agenda item at the U.N. Human Rights Council, mandating discussion at every session.
At the General Assembly, Israel has frequently been the subject of more country-specific resolutions than any other state in many annual sessions.
Successive U.S. administrations have described that focus as disproportionate.
U.N. officials reject the characterization of institutional antisemitism, arguing that scrutiny reflects the scale and duration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and humanitarian concerns, and pointing to reforms underway within agencies including UNRWA.
Waltz said confronting antisemitism must remain a priority as the U.N. prepares for leadership changes and debates over its future direction. He placed combating antisemitism within that broader reform push, alongside other policy priorities and future leadership decisions at the world body.
"So those are just some of the things in addition to… taking on antisemitism… getting… good, strong leadership in the U.N. going forward that we hope to get done during our time here."
Global protests call for Iran regime change in major cities worldwide after bloody crackdown
Anti-Iran regime protesters gathered in major cities across the globe on Saturday calling for a leadership change in the Global Day of Action Rally.
Over 250,000 protesters rallied in Munich, Germany on Saturday on the backdrop of the Munich Security Conference.
"With the number of participants recorded, this gathering is one of the largest rallies held in Munich in recent years," the Munich Police reported in a press release. "The peaceful atmosphere is particularly noteworthy, despite the high number of participants in the meeting."
IRAN REGIME REPORTEDLY ISSUED NATIONWIDE SHOOT-TO-KILL ORDERS AS PROTEST DEATH TOLL SURGES
Crowds reportedly chanted "change, change, regime change" and "democracy for Iran" with green-white-and-red flags with lion and sun emblems waving in the air with a few "Make Iran Great Again" red hats spotted.
Exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi was among the hundreds of thousands protesting, telling Reuters, a possible attack on Iran will either weaken the regime or accelerate its fall.
"It's a matter of time. We are hoping that this attack will expedite the process and the people can be finally back in the streets and take it all the way to the ultimate regime's downfall," said Pahlavi.
He shared that he hopes President Trump will have the United States intervene and "have the people's back."
UPROAR AFTER IRAN NAMED VICE-CHAIR OF UN BODY PROMOTING DEMOCRACY, WOMEN’S RIGHTS
On Friday, President Trump said regime change in Iran would be the "best thing" to happen while speaking to troops at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
"People are hoping that at some point the decision will be made that there's no use, there's no point, we're not going to get anywhere with negotiations," said Pahlavi. ""Intervention is a way to save lives."
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham was present in Munich for the security conference and echoed a similar sentiment in a sideline interview on Friday.
NIKKI HALEY URGES TRUMP TO MAKE IRAN ACTION A 'LEGACY-DEFINING MOMENT' BEFORE LEAVING OFFICE
"There's no negotiating with these people, in my view. They're hell-bent on enacting an agenda based on religion that teaches them to lie, teaches them to destroy in the name of God," said Graham.
He shared that the regime is the weakest they have been since 1979, adding, "it is a regime with American blood on its hand," calling on protesters to "keep protesting."
The senator also took the stage at the Global Day of Action speaking to the crowd and holding up a "Make Iran Great Again" black hat.
Large demonstrations were also held in Toronto, Melbourne, Athens, Tokyo, London, and Los Angeles.
An estimated 350,000 people marched on the streets of Toronto, the city’s police spokesperson, Laura Brabant, told the Associated Press (AP).
Iranian American activist and Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian told Fox News Digital the protests across the globe represent a universal truth.
"When regimes silence their people, the people eventually find their voice. Whether in the streets of Tehran or in diaspora communities around the world," she said.
Nazarian left Iran when she was 6 years old along with her family.
"As someone who came to this country from Iran, I know firsthand that these protests are not about politics, they’re about basic human dignity, women’s rights, and the fundamental freedom to live without fear," she added.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
US military in Syria carries out 10 strikes on more than 30 ISIS targets: Photos
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Saturday that it had carried out ten strikes against over 30 ISIS targets in Syria, in recent days as part of a joint military effort to "sustain relentless military pressure on remnants from the terrorist network."
CENTCOM said, from Feb. 3 – 12, its forces "struck ISIS infrastructure and weapons storage targets with precision munitions delivered by fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft."
US MILITARY IN SYRIA CARRIES OUT 5 STRIKES AGAINST 'MULTIPLE ISIS TARGETS'
Recently, CENTCOM forces conducted five strikes against an ISIS communication site, critical logistics node, and weapons storage facilities in Syria between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2.
"Striking these targets demonstrates our continued focus and resolve for preventing an ISIS resurgence in Syria," Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of CENTCOM, said in a statement at the time.
"Operating in coordination with coalition and partner forces to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS makes America, the region and the world safer," he added.
AFTER TRUMP DECLARED ISIS DEFEATED, US FACES NEW TEST AS DETAINEES MOVE AMID SYRIA POWER SHIFT
On Jan. 27, President Trump told reporters he had a "great conversation with the highly respected" President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
"All of the things having to do with Syria in that area are working out very, very well," said President Trump. "So we are very happy about it."
The Operation Hawkeye Strike mission was launched in response to an ISIS "ambush" attack that left two U.S. service members and an American interpreter dead on Dec. 13, 2025, in Palmyra, Syria.
AFTER TRUMP DECLARED ISIS DEFEATED, US FACES NEW TEST AS DETAINEES MOVE AMID SYRIA POWER SHIFT
"More than 50 ISIS terrorists have been killed or captured and over 100 ISIS infrastructure targets have been struck with hundreds of precision munitions during two months of targeted operations," states CENTCOM.
On Thursday, CENTCOM announced it has completed its withdrawal of American forces from al-Tanf Garrison in Syria pointing to a broader shift in U.S. posture in the region.
CHAOS IN SYRIA SPARKS FEARS OF ISIS PRISON BREAKS AS US RUSHES DETAINEES TO IRAQ
Operation Inherent Resolve was launched in 2014 to combat ISIS with American troops maintaining a limited presence to support partner forces and prevent ISIS from returning after it was territorially defeated in 2019.
Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan and Greg Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.
Russia murdered Alexei Navalny with deadly frog poison, European countries conclude
Alexei Navalny was murdered by Russia with a type of frog poison, the governments of the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Germany and The Netherlands have concluded.
In a joint statement on Saturday, the NATO countries said they were "confident" the Russian dissident had been poisoned by the Russian government with a "lethal toxin" known as epibatidine, which is found in South American poison dart frogs. The frogs aren't native to Russia.
"Russia claimed that Navalny died of natural causes. But given the toxicity of epibatidine and reported symptoms, poisoning was highly likely the cause of his death," the countries wrote. "Navalny died while held in prison, meaning Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer this poison to him."
ALEXEI NAVALNY'S DEATH REPRESENTS MAJOR BLOW TO POLITICAL DISSENT IN RUSSIA
The conclusion was made based on samples taken from Navalny's body.
Navalny, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most powerful opponents, died in a Russian prison in Siberia in 2024 after he decided to go back to his home country in 2021.
Navalny was immediately detained upon his return to his home country on charges that included fraud and contempt of court that were widely considered to be politically motivated.
The activist was famously brought to a German hospital in 2020 to recover after Western powers, including the U.S., accused Russia of poisoning him with a nerve agent known as novichok that was developed by the Soviet Union.
RUSSIA AGREES TO ABIDE BY EXPIRED NEW START NUCLEAR ARMS LIMITS - AS LONG AS US DOES THE SAME
"Russia’s repeated disregard for international law and the Chemical Weapons Convention is clear," the statement said, adding that Russia was also widely believed to have used novichok in England in 2018, leading to the death of a British woman named Dawn Sturgess.
"These latest findings once again underline the need to hold Russia accountable for its repeated violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and, in this instance, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention," the statement said.
The countries added that they had written to the director general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to "inform him of this Russian breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention."
Rubio blasts ‘world without borders’ fantasy, warns mass migration threatens Western civilization
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday blasted the idea of a "world without borders," warning European leaders that unchecked mass migration is destabilizing Western civilization and eroding national sovereignty.
Speaking at the annual Munich Security Conference, Rubio criticized the post-Cold War belief that the world had reached the "end of history" — an era in which liberal democracy would spread, and national borders would fade — calling it a "dangerous delusion."
"This was a foolish idea that ignored both human nature, and it ignored the lessons of over 5000 years of recorded human history, and it has cost us dearly," Rubio said.
Rubio stressed that border security is not rooted in exclusion, but in responsibility.
TRUMP PLEDGES TO REASSERT MONROE DOCTRINE TO RESTORE AMERICAN POWER
"We must also gain control of our national borders, controlling who and how many people enter our countries," he said. "This is not an expression of xenophobia. It is not hate. It is a fundamental act of national sovereignty."
Failing to do so, Rubio warned, is "not just an abdication of one of our most basic duties owed to our people — it is an urgent threat to the fabric of our societies and the survival of our civilization itself."
The U.S. top diplomat added that lax enforcement threatens "the cohesion of our societies, the continuity of our culture, and the future of our people."
Rubio’s remarks come amid mounting political tensions in both Europe and the U.S. over migration, asylum policy and border security.
RUBIO STEPS INTO MUNICH SPOTLIGHT AS TRUMP LEANS ON HIM TO CARRY VANCE’S POPULIST MESSAGE ABROAD
Outlining America’s direction under President Donald Trump, Rubio said the U.S. seeks to rebuild its alliance with Europe on stronger footing.
"We want allies who can defend themselves so that no adversary will ever be tempted to test our collective strength," he said. "This is why we do not want our allies to be shackled by guilt and shame. We want allies who are proud of their culture and of their heritage, who understand that we are heirs to the same great and noble civilization, and who, together with us, are willing and able to defend it."
"We in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West's managed decline," Rubio said. "We do not seek to separate, but to revitalize an old friendship and renew the greatest civilization in human history."
RUBIO WARNS NATO ALLIES US IS 'NOT SIMPLY FOCUSED ON EUROPE,' DOESN'T HAVE UNLIMITED RESOURCES
The secretary said the U.S. seeks an alliance "ready to defend our people, to safeguard our interests, and to preserve the freedom of action that allows us to shape our own destiny, not one that exists to operate a global welfare state and atone for the purported sins of past generations."
Rubio reminded attendees that America’s ties to Europe stretch back centuries, saying the U.S. will remain permanently linked to the continent.
"What we have inherited together is something that is unique and distinctive and irreplaceable," Rubio said. "Acting together in this way, we will not just help recover a sane foreign policy, it will restore to us a clear sense of ourselves. It will restore a place in the world, and in so doing, it will rebuke and deter the forces of civilizational erasure that today menace both America and Europe alike."
Marco Rubio could not be immediately reached by Fox News Digital for comment.
Bolsonaro dynasty eyes comeback as Brazil’s socialist president faces challenge from jailed rival’s son
FIRST ON FOX: Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of the currently incarcerated former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, is a man on an unofficial diplomatic mission in the United States. His objective is to free his father, who is currently serving a 27-year sentence at the Federal Police headquarters in the nation's capital.
Convicted on charges of plotting a coup d'état, leading an armed criminal organization and attempting to violently abolish the democratic rule of law, Jair Bolsonaro remains a popular yet controversial figure in Brazil, and who still commands a devoted following nationwide, especially in the southern strongholds of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
Eduardo Bolsonaro has pursued a "maximum pressure campaign" against the current Brazilian regime on behalf of his father, lobbying the Trump administration for sanctions against the country, and for Magnitsky sanctions against the head of the Brazilian Supreme Court Alexandre de Moraes.
RUBIO WARNS BRAZIL OF US RESPONSE AFTER BOLSONARO'S CONVICTION FOR PLOTTING A COUP
In 2022, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva narrowly defeated incumbent Bolsonaro in the closest election since Brazil's 1985 return to democracy. This followed Lula's dramatic release from prison by the Brazilian Supreme Court in 2019, where he was serving a sentence for corruption.
While many expected São Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas to run in 2026, he declined, clearing the way for the former president's other son, Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, who declared his candidacy last December.
Speaking to Fox News Digital at the Hispanic Prosperity Gala at Mar-a-Lago Eduardo Bolsonaro discussed the present situation.
"A lot of polls are showing that my brother, Senator Flavio (Bolsonaro), is tied and some of them he's a little bit ahead… Flavio just launched, just announced that he is going to run. It was a big decision that Jair Bolsonaro took, recognizing that it would be impossible for him to run in the October election, for sure, because he's in jail now. Unfairly, but he is. This is a fact."
Eduardo Bolsonaro believes the nation's economic and security issues will propel his brother to victory.
"The strategy of Flavio is to show how bad the Lula administration is, mainly in economy and also in security. These are areas where Flavio is doing very well… everybody's fed up with Lula supporting Hamas, increasing criminality, and not doing a great job in the economic area. So, Flavio, for sure his focus is going to be on the economy and security to defeat Lula."
While Flavio Bolsonaro and Lula are clearly the top two contenders, several other right-wing and center-right candidates have entered the race, including Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema, Parana Governor Ratinho Junior and Goias Governor Ronaldo Caiado.
Eduardo Bolsonaro dismisses concerns that the current electoral scenario could split the vote and lead to a first-round electoral victory for Lula.
"It doesn't matter who is going to the second round; against Lula, everybody will be together. Because we all know that the worst that can happen to the country is the re-election of Lula da Silva. So these polls that are trying to say that Lula… can win in the first round, if the right-wing movement splits the votes between these candidates, this is a lie. For sure, this is not going to happen."
"And for sure, it's very good that we have more candidates on the right-wing… Why? Because they will all criticize Lula da Silva. So, even Flavio is publicly saying that it would be a good thing to do to support more and more candidates for the right… against Lula."
JIM CAVIEZEL STARRING IN BOLSONARO BIOPIC AS SON OF JAILED FORMER PRESIDENT LAUNCHES 2026 CAMPAIGN
While former president Bolsonaro is incarcerated, his movement enjoys strong support in the Brazilian Congress, which recently passed legislation that would dramatically cut his prison sentence.
However, Lula vetoed the legislation in January, which means that Congress may now seek to override that veto. Additionally, the Supreme Court, which is unfavorably disposed to Bolsonaro, may also review the legislation on grounds of constitutionality.
"Everything that the Supreme Court does not like, they say that this is against our constitution. It's the way that they try to get all of the power over the legislative [branch], and even sometimes the executive power. So, this is one more chapter of this long invasion by the judiciary… Lula da Silva doing the veto against this bill that was approved by the Congress only shows that he is always speaking with the left-wing bubble, he's talking to the radical left people."
Eduardo Bolsonaro believes the Brazilian people support his father over the Supreme Court, and points out that his father was not even present in Brazil for the Jan. 8 riots.
"In Brazil they do not approve [of the veto], they are fed up with all of this… On the very same day [Jan. 8, 2023]… the ‘protest dictator’, Jair Bolsonaro, was in Orlando, in Disney World. So everybody knows this is a fake thing and no one can support any more debates around this."
"That's why Jair Bolsonaro is in jail because if he wasn't convicted to 27 years in jail, he would be free to run, and for sure he would be the next president of Brazil. That's the only reason that he is in jail: because of political reasons. That is why when Flavio Bolsonaro gets elected in October and changes the political scenario, this will also change the scenario inside the judiciary of Brazil."
Eduardo Bolsonaro is entirely focused on his brother Flavio's 2026 presidential campaign as the means to freeing his father from prison.
"Now, I only have one role… electing Flávio Bolsonaro, and he will give the pardon to Jair. Not only to Jair, but also to me. I am accused of committing crimes in the United States because I was talking with authorities, American authorities, and they consider this an attack against the sovereignty of Brazil."
"The judge of the Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes, who got sanctioned by the Trump administration with the support of Scott Bessent and Marco Rubio, he blames me for that. But as he does not have the courage to sue Trump, Bessent and Rubio, he's suing me for that. So we hope that Flavio is going to get elected and then as president he has the power to pardon me, my father and more than 400 conservative people that are in jail."
While the Bolsonaros have historically performed very well in the vote-rich and wealthy southern states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Minas Gerais, they have underperformed in Brazil's poorer Northeast region, which is where Lula is originally from.
Yet, Bolsonaro promises a strong showing nationwide, and says that voters in the Northeast are ready for a change:
"It's bringing the truth. People nowadays know that the ‘assistencialismo’ (populist social assistance for purposes of vote-buying), that is the way that Lula gets this high amount of votes in the Northeast of Brazil."
"We are also going strong in the Northeast. The Northeast, you're going to see, it's not anymore a region of Brazil that is under the [control of] Lula."
Eduardo Bolsonaro weighed in on recent U.S. military action in Venezuela, and pledged a renewed U.S.-Brazilian geopolitical relationship, and full support for American action against Communist regimes:
"Maduro is not the president anymore and in Nicaragua Daniel Ortega arrested seven opponents… that were running for president. How can you consider this a democracy? So, for sure, it's not a democracy. There is no difference between these guys and Chapo or Pablo Escobar. The difference is only that Nicolás Maduro and Daniel Ortega took over the country, they took over the institutions."
"So everybody, not only Venezuela, but also Brazil, is really happy that the great military of the United States arrested Maduro… It's bringing hope to the people. And for sure, we do support them, not only in public… but also in international forums."
This interview was lightly edited for style and clarity.
Starmer sends UK strike group to Arctic, cites rising Russia threat as Trump pushes Greenland deal
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the United Kingdom will deploy its aircraft carrier strike group to the North Atlantic and the High North later this year, marking a show of force as security tensions escalate across Europe.
Speaking on Saturday at the annual Munich Security Conference in Germany, Starmer said the mission would be led by HMS Prince of Wales and carried out alongside the U.S., Canada and other NATO allies.
"I can announce today that the U.K. will deploy our carrier strike group to the North Atlantic and the High North this year, led by HMS Prince of Wales, operating alongside the U.S., Canada and other NATO allies, in a powerful show of our commitment to Euro-atlantic security," Starmer told the high-profile forum aimed at strengthening European defense and diplomatic ties.
NATO LAUNCHES ARCTIC SECURITY PUSH AS TRUMP EYES GREENLAND TAKEOVER
The High North — a term referring to the Arctic and surrounding regions — has become increasingly strategic amid growing Russian military activity.
The deployment is intended to bolster security against potential Russian threats, according to BBC News.
The announcement comes as President Donald Trump has repeatedly reiterated interest in the U.S. acquiring Greenland, citing national security concerns in the Arctic regarding Russia and China.
Starmer warned that Moscow’s military buildup could intensify even if a peace agreement is reached in Ukraine, arguing that Russian rearmament would "only accelerate."
Europe, he said, must be prepared to "deter aggression" and, if necessary, be ready to fight.
"We must build our hard power, because that is the currency of the age," he said.
The carrier strike group is an international naval task force led by the Royal Navy. It consists of one aircraft carrier, about 40 aircraft, a frigate, a destroyer, a submarine and a supply ship, according to BBC News.
HMS Prince of Wales, a roughly $3.5 billion aircraft carrier, serves as the Royal Navy’s flagship, BBC News reported.
TROOPS FROM EUROPE DEPLOY TO GREENLAND IN RAPID 2-DAY MISSION AS TRUMP EYES US TAKEOVER
Trump has previously threatened tariffs on Britain and other European countries unless an agreement is reached allowing the U.S. to take control of the Danish territory.
After meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in late January, Trump announced that he would not impose tariffs that were set to take effect Feb. 1 given they formed the "framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region."
Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday that the administration is "negotiating right now for Greenland," adding that, "We get along very well with Europe."
The president was also asked about the Munich Security Conference.
"If it wasn't for me, they'd be paying 2% and not paying," Trump said of NATO allies. "They're paying 5% and they're paying. We have a very good relationship with NATO."
The three-day Munich conference brings together world leaders, defense chiefs and security officials.
Starmer did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
AOC accuses Israel of genocide in Germany where Holocaust was launched, sparking outrage
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., alleged at the Munich Security Conference on Friday that U.S. aid to the Jewish state enabled a genocide against Israel. AOC’s attack on the Jewish state in Munich unfolded in the birthplace of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi movement that carried out the worst genocide in human history.
AOC’s assault on Israel’s war campaign to defeat the U.S. and EU-designated terrorist movement in the Gaza Strip sparked outrage and intense criticism from academic military and Middle East experts.
During the town hall event in Munich, the Squad member said, "To me, this isn't just about a presidential election. Personally, I think that the United States has an obligation to uphold its own laws, particularly the Leahy laws. And I think that personally, that the idea of completely unconditional aid, no matter what one does, does not make sense. I think it enabled a genocide in Gaza. And I think that we have thousands of women and children dead that don't, that was completely avoidable."
'DOUBLING DOWN ON STUPID': NEWSOM, AOC, TRASH TRUMP AT EUROPEAN SUMMIT AS THEY RAISE 2028 PROFILES
She continued, "And, so I believe that enforcement of our own laws through the Leahy laws, which requires conditioning aid in any circumstance, when you see gross human rights violations, is appropriate."
The Leahy Laws prohibit the Department of Defense and the State Department from funding "foreign security force units when there is credible information that the unit has committed a ‘gross violation of human rights." Former Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT., introduced the bill in 1997.
Tom Gross, an expert on international affairs, told Fox News digital that "AOC has flown all the way to Munich — infamous as the city in which Hitler staged his Nazi Beer Hall Putsch that marked the beginning of the road to the Holocaust — in order to smear the Jewish people further with a phony genocide allegation."
Gross added, "Such preposterous allegations of ‘genocide’ form the bedrock of modern antisemitic incitement against Jews in the U.S. and globally. This shocking ignorance and insensitivity by Ocasio-Cortez should rule her out of any potential presidential bid or other high office."
Military experts and genocide researchers have debunked the allegation that Israel carried out a genocide against Palestinians during its self-defense war against the Hamas terrorist organization that started after Hamas terrorists attacked communities in parts of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 that saw over 1200 Israeli and foreign nationals killed and 251 brutally kidnapped and taken into Gaza by Hamas and other terrorists.
Danny Orbach, a military historian from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and co-author of "Debunking the Genocide Allegations: A Reexamination of the Israel-Hamas War from October 7 2023, to June 1, 2025," told Fox News Digital that Ocasio-Cortez accusation that Israel committed genocide is an "accusation that is incorrect both factually and legally. Under the Genocide Convention, genocide requires proof of a special intent to destroy a protected group, in whole or in part, and as a baseline condition, an active effort to maximize civilian destruction.
"The evidence shows the opposite: as demonstrated in our multi-author study Debunking the Genocide Allegations, Israel undertook unprecedented measures to mitigate civilian harm, including establishing humanitarian safe zones that independently verified data show were approximately six times safer than other areas of Gaza."
Orbach added, "Israel also issued detailed advance warnings before strikes and facilitated the entry of over two million tons of humanitarian aid, often at significant cost to its own military advantage, including the loss of surprise and the sustainment of an enemy during wartime."
He concluded, "These measures were taken despite Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, its systematic use of human shields and hospitals for military purposes, and a tunnel network exceeding 1,000 kilometers — an operational challenge without historical precedent. Finally, no credible evidence demonstrates the kind of unambiguous, exclusive genocidal intent toward Palestinians that international law requires and that cannot be reasonably interpreted otherwise."
The conservative commentator Derek Hunter posted on X. "Imagine going to Germany to complain about a fake genocide by Jews...in Munich, of all places. @AOC is about as smart as clogged toilet."
In Dec. 2024, Germany joined the U.S. in rejecting the allegations that Israel committed genocide in Gaza.
Chaotic video shows passengers trading blows midair as plane forced to divert: reports
Chaotic video shows the moment a midair brawl erupted between passengers on a Jet2 flight bound for the United Kingdom on Thursday, reportedly forcing the plane to make a diversion.
Flight LS896, traveling from Antalya, Turkey, to Manchester, England, was diverted to Belgium after what the airline described as the "appalling behavior" of two "disruptive" passengers onboard, representatives told the New York Post.
"They were both offloaded by police in Brussels and the flight continued to Manchester," the representatives said.
Video circulating online appears to show passengers exchanging punches in the aisle as other travelers scream.
PASSENGER’S WI-FI NAME TRIGGERS BOMB SCARE, FORCES TURKISH AIRLINES EMERGENCY LANDING
It was not immediately clear what prompted the brawl. However, an eyewitness alleged that a male passenger made "racist" remarks earlier in the flight, the Sun reported.
"From early on in the flight, a passenger seated behind us began making racist remarks, quiet enough that others couldn’t clearly hear, but loud enough for us to," the traveler alleged.
According to the eyewitness, tensions escalated after the man — who had allegedly been drinking — was unable to purchase cigarettes onboard and became aggressive.
Cabin crew members attempted to defuse the situation, but the dispute ultimately turned physical.
After diverting to Brussels, authorities removed the two passengers from the aircraft. The flight then resumed its journey and landed in Manchester at around 10 p.m., the Post reported.
Jet2 confirmed both individuals have been placed on the airline’s no-fly list.
"We can confirm that the two disruptive passengers will be banned from flying with us for life," Jet2 told the Post. "We will also vigorously pursue them to recover the costs that we incurred as a result of this diversion."
'SECURITY-RELATED SITUATION' GROUNDS FLIGHT TO VACATION HOT SPOT, PASSENGERS CONFINED FOR HOURS
The airline added, "As a family-friendly airline, we take a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive passenger behavior, and we are very sorry that other customers and our colleagues onboard had to experience this too."
Jet2 did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital's Kelly McGreal contributed to this report.
Terror convict, recently released, shot dead by Paris police after alleged knife attack near Arc de Triomphe
A man who had recently been released from prison on a terrorism charge was shot and killed by a police officer after he allegedly tried to attack another officer with a knife and scissors near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris Friday.
The incident happened near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the ceremony for relighting the eternal flame, which is carried out nightly.
The unidentified man, who is a French national born in 1978, allegedly tried to attack an officer guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and was shot by another officer.
He died of his wounds at a hospital, the French counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said.
He was sentenced to 17 years in prison in Brussels in 2013 on a terrorist-related offense of attempted murder of three police officers in Belgium and had just been released in December.
The man served 12 years in prison and was placed under police supervision with routine checks, the French prosecution office said.
VIDEO SHOWS THE ‘HEIST OF THE CENTURY’ AT THE LOUVRE
The French counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said it had opened an investigation into the man related to his ties to a "terrorist enterprise" before his death.
The man was held in a Belgian prison until 2015, when he was transferred to France and released on Christmas Eve.
The Arc de Triomphe was closed to guests after the incident, which had no other reported injuries.
The Arc de Triomphe, at the end of the Champs-Élysées, is one of Paris and Europe’s most popular sights, and millions of tourists visit the monument in the heart of the French capital each year.
Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ukraine strikes major Russian ammo depot with 'Flamingo' missile as Trump urges Zelenskyy to move on deal
Video released this week shows Ukraine launching domestically produced FP-5 "Flamingo" cruise missiles, as Kyiv pushes deeper strikes on Russian military infrastructure nearly four years into the war.
Ukraine’s military said the missiles were used in an overnight attack on February 11 to 12 targeting a missile, ammunition and an explosives arsenal near the settlement of Kotluban in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast, describing the facility as belonging to Russia’s Main Missile and Artillery Directorate, known as GRAU, and said it was among the largest ammunition storage hubs used by Russian forces.
Ukrainian officials said powerful explosions and secondary detonations were recorded at the site, while the extent of damage was still being assessed.
RUSSIAN ATTACK ON KHARKIV WIPES OUT YOUNG FAMILY, LEAVING PREGNANT MOTHER AS SOLE SURVIVOR
Russian regional authorities acknowledged an incident at a Defense Ministry facility in the same area. Volgograd Governor Andrey Bocharov said air defenses repelled a missile attack and that falling debris triggered a fire at a military facility near Kotluban. He said an evacuation of nearby residents was ordered during firefighting because of the threat of detonation. Anadolu Agency reported that buses were prepared to move residents to temporary accommodation centers.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has also publicly referenced the Flamingo system. In a daily update carried by Russian state media, the ministry said its air defenses shot down five Flamingo long-range cruise missiles over the previous 24 hours. The ministry did not provide evidence in the statement, and Kyiv has not confirmed how many missiles were intercepted.
BATTERED IN UKRAINE, RUSSIA RACES TO REARM — BUT QUESTIONS LINGER OVER ITS MILITARY STRENGTH
Ukraine has increasingly highlighted indigenous long-range capabilities, including the FP-5. An East-to-West News agency video report previously cited Ukrainian officials describing the missile’s range as 3,000 kilometers, or about 1,864 miles, and said officials claim accuracy within about 14 meters, though battlefield performance is difficult to independently verify.
In response to a reporter's question on Friday on the talks between the sides, President Donald Trump put the onus back on President Zelenskyy to make a deal.
"Well, Zelenskyy is going to have to get moving. Russia wants to make a deal, and Zelenskyy is going to have to get moving otherwise, he's going to miss a great opportunity. He has to move," he said.
A new round of U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine is expected in Geneva next week, even as fighting persists along the more than 1,200-kilometer front line.
Ukrainian officials said Russian attacks across Ukraine continue, saying on Friday that a Russian drone assault on port infrastructure near Odesa killed one person and injured six others, while a separate strike near the eastern front line killed three brothers, including an eight-year-old and wounded their mother and grandmother.
Iran regime accused of killing 19 Christians in anti-regime protests as persecution continues: watchdog
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s atrocities against demonstrators opposed to the regime has reportedly resulted in security forces killing at least 19 Iranian Christians, according to Article 18, an organization that promotes religious freedom in Iran.
Article 18 reported on Feb. 9 that "The total number of Christians confirmed to have been killed during the protests is at least 19, including members of Iran’s recognized (Armenians and Assyrians) and unrecognized (converts) communities."
According to the Article 18 statement, the Islamic Republic’s "brutal response to last month’s mass demonstrations" resulted in the security forces murdering Iranian Christians Nader Mohammadi, 35, and Zahra Arjomandi, 51, who were both shot dead on Jan. 8 in separate protests 1,000 miles apart.
INSIDE TRUMP’S IRAN WARNING — AND THE UNEXPECTED PAUSE THAT FOLLOWED
Mohammadi was the father of three young children, and was killed in Babol in northern Iran. Arjomandi, who was a mother of two children, died in her son’s arms on the Persian Gulf island of Qeshm, in southern Iran, noted Article 18.
The Iranian Christian website Mohabat News stated that regime security forces refused to release Arjomandi's body for six days. Mohabat reported that her body was only released for burial under "strict security measures", which included a media blackout and prohibiting a memorial service.
Mansour Borji, the executive director for Article 18, told Fox News Digital that, "Today, Christians, like millions of other Iranians, seek the freedom and justice that they have been denied for nearly five decades, and they know well that this comes at a price. Every year many Christians are arrested and imprisoned under torturous conditions for practicing their right to religious freedom, where a simple act like praying together in house-churches seems like an act of civil disobedience."
IRAN WILL RETALIATE 'WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE' IF US ATTACKS, SENIOR DIPLOMAT WARNS
He continued, "Our organization considers the Islamic Republic’s massacre of all peaceful protesters a crime against humanity that should not go unpunished. There must be an end to the impunity that, for far too long, has enabled this regime to commit crimes like at home and abroad. Branding peaceful protesters as ‘terrorists,’ and Christians that are persecuted every year as ‘Zionist mercenaries,’ is nothing but scapegoating."
He warned that "The Islamic Republic's regime has, since its inception, demonstrated all traits of a totalitarian state. Most Iranians have now come to realize that their fundamental rights have been taken away from them, including the freedom to choose one’s own religion or belief, political self-determination and even their lifestyle choices. Christians were some of the earliest to experience this, when an Anglican priest and convert to Christianity, Rev. Arastoo Sayyah, was killed in his church office less than 200 hours after the 1979 revolution."
A comprehensive 2025 report titled, "The Tip of the Iceberg" about the persecution of Iranian Christians was released by Article 18 in collaboration with Open Doors, Christian Solidarity Worldwide and Middle East Concern.
According to the "The Tip of the Iceberg" report, Mohammad Nasirpour, the deputy prosecutor of Tehran and head of the 33rd District Prosecutor’s office, stated in his indictment against four Iranian Christians on June 2022: "Armenian and Assyrian Christians in the Protestant denomination, with their evangelical nature and mission to Christianize Iran, are perceived as a security threat to the Islamic Revolution, aimed at undermining the Islamic foundation of the Islamic Republic. It could be said that Persian-speaking evangelical movements are supported by fundamentalist evangelical Christians and Zionists."
According to a Feb. 10 report on the website of Christianity Today, Iranian Christians want President Trump to intervene to stop the Ayatollah’s regime from continuing with its massacre of Iranians.
"That’s probably one of the most frustrating aspects of the whole situation right now," said Shahrokh Afshar, founder of Fellowship of Iranian Christians. "Everyone was hoping he would do something," Afshar told the outlet after the Iranian authorities killed thousands of protesters in January, according to some estimates.
Fox News Digital has reported over the decades on the Islamic Republic’s high-intensity persecution of Iranian Christians in the wake of the growing popularity of Christianity in the Muslim-majority country. Iran’s regime targets diverse groups of Christians, including Evangelicals and Catholics. In 2017, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) arrested two Christians – a mother and her son – as part of a brutal crackdown on Catholicism in the country’s West Azerbaijan Province.
STATE DEPARTMENT DEMANDS IRAN HALT EXECUTION OF 19-YEAR-OLD WRESTLING STAR AS IOC REMAINS SILENT
The family’s bibles and literature on Christian theology were also seized during the raid.
The United States State Department has designated Iran as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC)" because the Islamic regime has "engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom" with respect to violations of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
The Iranian regime -controlled statistical center of Iran claims there are 117,700 Christians of recognized denominations as of the 2016 census, according to the most recent U.S. State Department report on the plight of Iranian Christians.
However, the State Department noted that, "The Christian advocacy NGO Article 18 estimates there are 500,000 to 800,000 Christians in the country, while the Christian advocacy NGO Open Doors International estimates the number is 1.24 million. Christian NGOs report many Christians are converts from Islam or other recognized faiths." The population of Iran is roughly 92 million.
European capital rocked by violent protests as government corruption probe fuels unrest
Thousands of anti-government protesters violently faced off against riot police outside government buildings in Albania’s capital, Tirana, earlier this week, as people called for the resignation of the government following a massive corruption scandal.
The main Albanian opposition party called for people to take to the streets and demand the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku after she was indicted by a special prosecutor who alleged 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.
Albania’s Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime suspended Balluku from the government in November, but Prime Minister Edi Rama took the issue to the country’s Constitutional Court, which reinstated Balluku in December.
STATE DEPARTMENT STAYS QUIET AS ALBANIA REINSTATES DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION
Balluku denied the allegations, calling the accusations against her amounted to "mudslinging, insinuations, half-truths and lies." Rama has refused to dismiss her.
The corruption allegations touched off widespread outrage, sparking protests in recent months.
"The wave of popular protests in Albania reflects a growing societal backlash against what critics describe as the increasingly autocratic rule of Prime Minister Edi Rama," Agim Nesho, former Albanian ambassador to the U.S. and the United Nations, told Fox News Digital.
"Over more than a decade in power, Rama is accused of centralizing authority and personalizing state institutions, while his government has faced persistent allegations of cooperation with organized crime and the misuse of public funds and public assets for the benefit of politically connected clients," Nesho claimed.
The shady circumstances surrounding Rama’s most important ally and the lack of accountability reinforces the sentiment that is pervasive in Albanian society that their government is rife with corruption. With both the incumbent government and opposition figures accused of corruption, public confidence in institutions and the justice system has steadily been eroded.
ITALY ROCKED BY ANARCHIST-LED RIOTS AS OVER 100 POLICE INJURED, MELONI CONDEMNS VIOLENCE
Albania has a long legacy of government corruption and ranks 91st out of 182 countries in Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index.
The protests on Tuesday turned violent when supporters of Berisha’s opposition Democratic Party threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at government offices in Tirana. Security forces responded with water cannons and tear gas.
Berisha claims the protests have been peaceful, and people are only voicing their opposition to Rama’s increasing autocratic rule and his attacks of the justice system.
At least 16 protesters were treated for injuries and 13 protesters were arrested, according to The Associated Press.
Observers of the region believe Berisha, who was prime minister from 2005 to 2013 and faced his own corruption charges, is angling to topple the socialist prime minister and main political rival, Rama, and return to power.
The turmoil in Albania comes as the country has long sought European Union membership, which began in 2014 when it became an official candidate for accession. While the 2025 annual European Commission report stated that Albania made significant strides in judicial reforms and combating organized crime, the latest allegations against Rami’s government will complicate its path to EU membership.
The United States helped implement Albania’s judicial reform process, including the creation of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK). The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) invested millions to foster democratic progress in Albania and assisted in combating Albania’s struggles with corruption and strengthening its weak institutions.
Nesho warned the U.S. and European Union need to get serious with policy in the Western Balkans and help move Albania closer to European integration.
"If Washington and Brussels continue to look the other way — failing to enforce the rule of law, restore real checks and balances, and cut the regime’s ties to organized crime and drug trafficking — Albania risks drifting into the orbit of Eastern-style autocracy," Nesho said.
Netanyahu urges court to revoke Palestinians' Israeli citizenship after convictions for violent crimes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday asked a court to revoke the Israeli citizenship of two Palestinian men convicted of terrorism offenses.
The effort appears to be the first use of a law enacted three years ago allowing the revocation of citizenship and subsequent deportation of Palestinian citizens who were convicted of certain violent crimes such as terrorism and received financial support from the Palestinian Authority as a reward.
Netanyahu filed court documents arguing that the severity of the crimes, along with payments the men reportedly received from a Palestinian Authority fund, justify pulling their citizenship and expelling them from the Jewish State.
The prime minister has long claimed the fund rewards violence, including attacks on civilians.
But Palestinian officials have contended that it is a safety net for the broad cross‑section of society with family members in Israeli detention. They also accused Netanyahu of focusing on the relatively small number of beneficiaries who carried out the attacks.
When the law passed, critics argued that it allowed Israel's legal system to treat Jewish and Palestinian people differently. Civil rights groups said that basing a deportation law on Palestinian Authority payments effectively excluded Jewish Israelis, including settlers convicted of attacks against Palestinians, from the threat of losing their citizenship, as the statute targeted people of a certain race.
Netanyahu said this week that the government launched proceedings against the two men and that similar cases would be brought in the future.
TRUMP MEETS NETANYAHU, SAYS HE WANTS IRAN DEAL BUT REMINDS TEHRAN OF 'MIDNIGHT HAMMER' OPERATION
Israeli officials said Mohamad Ahmad, a citizen from Jerusalem, was convicted of "offenses that constitute an act of terrorism and receiving funds in connection with terrorism." He allegedly received payment after he was sentenced in 2002 for a shooting attack and served 23 years before his release in 2024.
Mohammed Ahmad Hussein al-Halsi was sentenced in 2016 to 18 years behind bars for stabbing elderly women. He also allegedly received payments while in prison.
Ahmad would be deported immediately, while al-Halsi would be removed upon his release, as individuals are subject to removal to Gaza once their sentences are complete under the 2023 law, which applies to citizens or permanent residents convicted of "committing an act that constitutes a breach of loyalty to the State of Israel," including terrorism.
The general director of Israel's Adalah legal center, Hassan Jabareen, called the move to use the law "a cynical propaganda move" by Netanyahu. He said stripping citizenship violated the most basic principles of the rule of law, including by acting against people who have completed prison sentences.
"The Israeli government is attempting to strip individuals of the very foundation through which all rights are protected, their nationality," he said on Thursday, according to The Associated Press.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
USS Ford ordered to the Middle East, the second aircraft carrier being sent to the region
The USS Gerald R. Ford has been ordered to move from the Caribbean Sea to the Middle East, as President Donald Trump weighs whether to take military action against Iran amid tensions in the region, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News.
This will put two aircraft carriers and their accompanying warships in the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and three guided-missile destroyers arrived in the Middle East more than two weeks ago.
The USS Ford, which set out on deployment in June 2025, was sent from the Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean last fall as the administration established a significant military presence ahead of the operation to strike Venezuela and capture its president, Nicolás Maduro.
SCOTT BESSENT SAYS IRAN UNDERSTANDS 'BRUTE FORCE' AS TRUMP WEIGHS OPTIONS AMID NUCLEAR STANDOFF
On Thursday, Trump warned Iran that failure to reach a deal with the U.S. regarding its nuclear program would be "very traumatic" after the two countries held indirect talks in Oman last week.
"It should happen quickly. They should agree very quickly," he told reporters.
Trump held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and said he insisted to the Israeli leader that negotiations with Iran must continue.
TRUMP SAYS IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER KHAMENEI SHOULD BE 'VERY WORRIED' AMID TENSIONS
Netanyahu is calling on the Trump administration to push Tehran to scale back its ballistic missile program and end its support for terror groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah as part of any deal.
Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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