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NATO secretary general warns Russia could target alliance members next amid rising tensions
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned members of the transatlantic alliance on Thursday that they could be Russia’s next target.
Rutte, delivering a keynote address at the Bavarian State Representation, hosted by the Munich Security Conference in Germany, evoked the night the Berlin Wall fell as a reminder of the power of unity.
"The dark forces of oppression are on the march again. I'm here today to tell you where NATO stands and what we must do to stop a war before it starts. And to do that, we need to be crystal clear about the threat. We are Russia's next target. And we are already in harm's way," he said.
NATO members committed in June to increase defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035, heeding President Donald Trump’s calls to take more steps to bolster its security.
'PUTIN IS PUSHING THE LIMITS’: EASTERN ALLIES WARN TRUMP NOT TO PULL US TROOPS
Rutte told attendees that the move wasn’t a moment for self-congratulations as Russia continues its large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
"I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don't feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now," he said.
The NATO chief urged allies to boost defense spending and production, saying their armed forces must have the resources needed to protect their homelands, and cautioning that Moscow could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years.
PUTIN WARNS RUSSIA ‘READY’ IF EUROPE ‘SUDDENLY WANTS TO WAGE WAR WITH US’ AMID UKRAINE TALKS
"We must all accept that we must act to defend our way of life, now. Because this year, Russia has become even more brazen, reckless and ruthless towards NATO and towards Ukraine," Rutte added. "During the Cold War, President Reagan warned about the aggressive impulses of an evil empire. Today, President Putin is in the empire building business again."
TRUMP SAYS NATO COUNTRIES SHOULD SHOOT DOWN RUSSIAN JETS THAT VIOLATE AIRSPACE
Poland accused Russia of being responsible for a railway blast on its Warsaw-Lublin line in November.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said an investigation into the incident found that Russian Secret Services "commissioned the blast of the Polish railway and recruited two Ukrainians to do it."
The railway blast was the latest in a string of security incidents in Eastern Europe, following airspace incursions in September that saw Russian drones enter Poland and three MiG-31 fighter jets cross into Estonia before being intercepted by NATO aircraft.
Skydiver survives after reserve parachute accidentally deploys, leaving him dangling from flying airplane
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."
Putin doubles down on backing Maduro amid mounting US pressure on Venezuela
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.
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.
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 accuses US of 'piracy' after seizing massive oil tanker
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.
"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.
"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 Machado reappears in Norway after months in hiding
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.
MARCO RUBIO SAYS NICOLÁS MADURO’S CARTEL DE LOS SOLES TO BE DESIGNATED A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
"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.
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.
Lavrov warns Europe of retaliation as Zelenskyy opens reconstruction talks with Trump officials
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.
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.
UK faces backlash as teacher dismissed for telling student Britain is a Christian country
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."
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.
Zelenskyy appears to change his mind on holding elections after Trump's criticism
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.
Europe 'literally being flooded with cocaine' as narco-subs evade detection crossing Atlantic
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.
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."
US deploys fighter jets to Gulf of Venezuela in closest known approach yet, amid rising tension
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.
MADURO’S FORCES FACE RENEWED SCRUTINY AS US TENSIONS RISE: ‘A FORTRESS BUILT ON SAND’
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.
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.
Jim Caviezel starring in Bolsonaro biopic, as son of jailed president launches 2026 campaign
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."
RUBIO WARNS BRAZIL OF US RESPONSE AFTER BOLSONARO'S CONVICTION FOR PLOTTING A COUP
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.
TRUMP ADMIN SANCTIONS BRAZILIAN JUDGE OVERSEEING BOLSONARO COUP-PLOT PROBE
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.
TRUMP DOJ TAKES 'UNPRECEDENTED' STEP ADMONISHING FOREIGN JUDGE IN FREE SPEECH CENTERED ON RUMBLE
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.
Syrians mark first year since Assad's fall as US signals new era in relations
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.
IRAN EXPANDS IT ‘SHADOW EMPIRE’ ACROSS MIDDLE EAST AS TRUMP PULLS TROOPS FROM IRAQ, SYRIA
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 to begin enforcing social media law banning children under 16 from major platforms
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.
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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.
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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."
China sharpens confrontation with Japan following reported radar run-in
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.
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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."
Trump pressures Zelenskyy for new elections, warns Ukraine of 'a point where it’s not a democracy anymore'
President Donald Trump appeared to take a swipe at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by reiterating his call for elections, despite Ukraine's wartime prohibition against them.
The remarks come as Washington works to secure a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
"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."
It's not the first time that Trump has called for Ukraine to hold elections. In February, Trump sparked controversy when he referred to Zelenskyy as a "dictator without elections" in a Truth Social post.
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"He refuses to have elections, is very low in Ukrainian polls and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden 'like a fiddle.' A dictator without elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a country left," Trump wrote.
A few days after the post, Zelenskyy visited the White House, where he had an infamous clash with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The three men sparred over the war as Zelenskyy attempted to paint it as a possible threat to the U.S., something Trump and Vance rejected.
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On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said that after speaking with European leaders, he was ready to present a peace proposal to the U.S.
"We are working very actively on all components of potential steps toward ending the war. 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," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "We are committed to a real peace and remain in constant contact with the United States."
Zelenskyy said the end of the war depended on Russia's willingness to "take effective steps to stop the bloodshed."
The peace deal is not the only issue on Zelenskyy's plate. He's also facing turbulence on the home front after a recent political scandal. Andriy Yermak, the head of the office of the president of Ukraine, resigned late last month after his home was raided by anti-corruption investigators. Upon Yermak's resignation, Zelenskyy thanked him for "always presenting the Ukrainian position in the negotiation track exactly as it should be."
Fox News Digital reached out to Zelenskyy's office and the White House for comment.
Fox News Digital's Alex Nitzberg and Fox News' Simon Owen contributed to this report.
Belgium balks at EU plan to seize Russian assets, citing fear of Kremlin retaliation
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are in talks with a reluctant Belgium over what to do with billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets held in the country.
According to the Belgian government, at least €197 billion (approximately $224 billion) of sanctioned Russian assets are held in Euroclear, a Brussels-based financial institution. The European Commission wants to seize these assets and transfer them to Ukraine as part of a €165 billion financial package for Ukraine (approximately $190) to help pay its bills and fund the war effort.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever is concerned that taking Russia’s assets could be interpreted as an act of war by Russia and provoke Russian President Vladimir Putin to retaliate against Belgium.
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Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of the country's Security Council, even threatened Brussels and its European allies in an inflammatory post on X.
"If the crazy EU does steal frozen Russian assets for a "reparations loan," we may view it as a casus belli with all the relevant implications for Brussels & Co.," the former Russian president said.
EU leaders are up against a tight clock, as Ukraine is projected to run out of funds for the war in April and EU leaders will convene on Dec.18 to make a final decision on how to support Ukraine’s budgetary needs for the next two years.
Key European leaders have traveled back-and-forth to Belgium to convince the government to sign on to the reparation proposal. The plan has widespread support within the European Union, but Belgium’s prime minister has so far stood in the way.
"Belgium’s particular situation regarding the use of the frozen Russian assets is undeniable and must be addressed in such a way that all European states bear the same risk. We agreed to continue our discussions with the aim of reaching a consensus at the European Council meeting on December 18," von der Leyen posted on X after meeting with Merz and De Wever.
Merz said after the meeting that Belgium’s concerns were legitimate and must be heard.
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"What we decide now will determine Europe's future: Belgium's particular vulnerability in the issue of utilizing the frozen Russian assets is indisputable and must be addressed in such a way that all European states bear the same risk," Merz said on X.
Robert Kremzner, an associate analyst with the New Lines Institute and an expert in Russian gray zone warfare, said Russia has a number of ways it can target Belgium that fall below the threshold of open hostilities.
"Russia has been very active in using something called gray zone warfare, which sees Russia undertaking hostile actions against other nations that are below the threshold of war, and thus not that easy to respond to," Kremzner told Fox News Digital.
He said some examples include information warfare, cyberattacks, election interference, GPS spoofing, cutting undersea cables, and increasingly arson attacks and assassinations.
The Belgian government, along with Euroclear, are looking for financial guarantees from fellow EU member states before committing to supporting the plan. De Wever fears that Belgium will ultimately be held responsible and be forced to pay back the assets that are seized in the event a sanctions deal is negotiated with Russia as a way to end the war in Ukraine.
The European Commission said it put in place safeguards to protect Member States and financial institutions from possible retaliatory measures from Russia.
If Belgium remains recalcitrant, von der Leyen could resort to the EU’s Article 122 emergency powers, which would allow the commission to move forward with the proposal on a majority-rule basis.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Belgian government and Euroclear but did not hear back before publication.
Honduras issues warrant for former president pardoned by Trump
Honduras’ attorney general is calling for the arrest of former President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was recently pardoned by President Donald Trump.
Johel Antonio Zelaya Alvarez said Monday that he ordered Honduran authorities and asked Interpol to execute a 2023 arrest order against Hernández for alleged fraud and money laundering charges. Hernandez, who in 2024 was sentenced to 45 years for allegedly helping to move tons of cocaine into the U.S., was released from federal prison in the U.S. a week ago.
"We have been lacerated by the tentacles of corruption and by the criminal networks that have deeply marked the life of our country," Zelaya said, according to a translation of a post he wrote on X.
Zelaya included a photo of the two-year-old order signed by a Honduras Supreme Court magistrate that says that it must be executed "in the case that the accused is freed by United States authorities."
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Dozens of Honduran officials and politicians were implicated in the so-called Pandora case in which Honduran prosecutors alleged government funds were diverted through a network of nongovernmental organizations to political parties, including Hernández's 2013 presidential campaign, according to The Associated Press.
Hernández went from supposed U.S. ally in the war on drugs to the subject of a U.S. extradition request shortly after he left office in 2022, the AP added. He was detained and sent to the U.S. by current President Xiomara Castro of the social democrat LIBRE party.
A lawyer for Hernández, Renato Stabile, told the AP in an email that, "This is obviously a strictly political move on behalf of the defeated Libre party to try to intimidate President Hernandez as they are being kicked out of power in Honduras. It is shameful and a desperate piece of political theatre and these charges are completely baseless."
Hernández was freed after Trump announced he was issuing him a "full and complete pardon" following his conviction of conspiring with drug traffickers to import more than 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S.
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Trump said Hernández was "treated very harshly and unfairly," implying that his trial was politically motivated or over-prosecuted.
Hernández was convicted in New York on charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the U.S. and two related weapons offenses after a two-week trial.
Hernández portrayed himself as a hero of the anti-drug trafficking movement who teamed up with American authorities under three U.S. presidential administrations to reduce drug imports, according to the AP. But the judge said trial evidence proved the opposite and that Hernández employed "considerable acting skills" to make it seem that he was an anti-drug trafficking crusader while he deployed his nation’s police and military, when necessary, to protect the drug trade.
Hernández later thanked Trump for pardoning him, writing on social media that he was "wrongfully convicted."
"My profound gratitude goes to President @realDonaldTrump for having the courage to defend justice at a moment when a weaponized system refused to acknowledge the truth. You reviewed the facts, recognized the injustice, and acted with conviction. You changed my life, sir, and I will never forget it," Hernández wrote on X.
Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan, Michael Dorgan, Bradford Betz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
‘Depart immediately’: State Department warns Americans as al Qaeda threatens to overrun African Nation
As the West African country of Mali teeters on becoming the first nation on the continent to be ruled by an al Qaeda–linked terror organization, a State Department spokesperson warned American citizens to leave or not travel there.
On the situation in Mali, the spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "Do Not Travel for any reason due to crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest and health risks," while cautioning, "U.S. citizens should avoid travel to Mali, and those currently in Mali should depart immediately."
The U.S. embassy in Mali also posted on their website, "U.S. citizens should depart using commercial aviation, as overland routes to neighboring countries may not be safe for travel due to terrorist attacks along national highways."
It also warned Americans not to try to travel outside the capital city. "The U.S. Embassy in Bamako is rarely able to provide emergency services or support to U.S. citizens outside the capital," noting the information was still relevant as of Monday.
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A former senior military official with detailed knowledge of the situation has told Fox News Digital that the situation in Mali has made a threat to the U.S. homeland "increasingly likely."
Islamist JNIM fighters have surrounded its capital, Bamako, preventing fuel tankers from reaching the city and setting fire to some vehicles. The Malian army has tried to break the blockade by mounting armed convoys for the trucks, but JNIM has attacked several of these.
Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman, a retired Air Force general, told Fox News Digital he believes Mali’s success at keeping JNIM at bay is important — for Washington. Ekman was a key player for the U.S. military in Mali, Niger and other Sahel countries as the Department of Defense’s West Africa Coordination Element lead for U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) until he retired earlier this year.
"The U.S. still has security interests in West Africa," he said. "An external operations threat to the American homeland is intolerable, increasingly likely and far more difficult to detect given the dearth of remaining U.S. forces and intelligence assets in the region."
He continued, "This threat also affects the safety and security of U.S. diplomats and their families in Bamako, Ouagadougou, Niamey (Niger) and other West African nations."
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U.S. and French troops were asked to leave Mali a year ago by the military junta that controls the country, which brought in the Russian Wagner/Afrika Corps mercenary group instead — the Kremlin’s private army. The Russians, reportedly more interested in extracting the region’s minerals, have not, Mariam Wahba told Fox News Digital, "been very helpful." Wahba is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).
Referring to the risk of the al Qaeda-linked group taking over Mali’s capital city, Ekman said, "Both Bamako and Ouagadougou (capital of neighboring Burkina Faso) are at risk."
He continued, "JNIM seems to be gaining momentum and appears to have both expanded objectives and greater resolve."
"During and after the 2024 withdrawal of American forces from Niger, the U.S. (under the Biden administration) also chose to forego keeping those forces in the region," the former major general added. "Resultantly, the U.S. surrendered its ability to monitor and respond to the activities and growth of Sahel terrorist organizations, come to the assistance of U.S. embassies under threat, and solve crises like the October kidnapping of an American missionary."
The missionary, a pilot, was kidnapped in Niger on Oct. 21 and has not been heard from since.
JNIM has been designated both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the State Department.
"The Malian army is fighting an irregular and asymmetric enemy," Wahba said, adding, "They are jihadists, at the end of the day, and the government is having trouble out-predicting them. If this continues, Bamako may fall in days or weeks."
Mali’s fight with an al Qaeda terror group is on the administration’s threat radar. Last month, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau flew to Bamako and met with the junta’s foreign minister, Abdoulaye Diop, "to discuss our shared security interests in the region."
Caleb Weiss, senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation and editor at the FDD’s Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital he is worried strict Sharia Muslim law will be enforced by the terrorists in Mali, stating JNIM, "Al Qaeda’s branch in West Africa, is putting intense economic and social pressure on Bamako, likely in hopes that the military junta there will concede in some fashion."
Weiss continued, "The regime in Bamako is absolutely overstretched, and its allies in Russia’s Wagner/Afrika Corps are proving to be ineffective."
"JNIM is also consolidating its position in other areas of Mali, in which they are allowed to enforce Sharia for an end to a blockade, siege or violence in general. It’s possible this is what they are seeking with Bamako as well. JNIM is far less likely to accept anything but a Mali governed by its strict interpretation of Sharia law," he said.
Ekman said things could have been different: "Whatever access and relationship other U.S. government agencies are able to develop in countries like Mali will likely fall short of what the U.S. could have achieved in redistributing its military capabilities as they exited Niger."
Hundreds of mutilated bodies found in suspected Nigerian organ-harvesting ring
An extensive organ-harvesting ring has been uncovered in Nigeria after weeks of covert surveillance, local officials have said.
In a statement shared on X, the Imo State Police Command said their investigation was launched after reports of a worrying spate of kidnappings near a hotel and mortuary in Ngor Okpala.
According to police, intelligence-led investigations went on to identify a man called High Chief Stanley Oparaugo, also known as "Morocco," as the suspected leader of the criminal network and who is now on the run and wanted, per reports.
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Oparaugo is alleged to own Jessy Best Hotel in Ihitte Okwe and the nearby mortuary known as Ugwudi.
Police said victims were said to have been lured into the hotel before being robbed and abducted, with families also forced to pay ransom.
Authorities said some people who paid never saw their loved ones again.
The Command said abducted victims were then taken from the hotel to the mortuary, where they were allegedly killed and their organs harvested for sale.
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When officers raided the Jessy Best Hotel, it was abandoned, but at the mortuary they found decomposed and mutilated corpses.
Police spokesperson Henry Okoye said more than 100 bodies had been found.
"A hotel and a private mortuary owned by the suspect, allegedly used by kidnappers and violent criminals, were inspected," he said in a statement.
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"At the mortuary, decomposed and mutilated corpses were discovered in unhygienic conditions, raising suspicions of illegal organ-harvesting activities."
He added that the suspect’s residence was also searched and "crucial exhibits" were recovered, with forensic teams documenting evidence for the ongoing investigation.
"Maximum security has been deployed along the Owerri–Aba Expressway. The Command assures travelers during the holidays of its commitment to their safety," he added.
Nigeria has seen a rising amount of crime with kidnappings and abductions.
As reported by Fox News Digital, the government of Nigeria also secured the release of the 100 schoolchildren who were abducted, according to local media.
Those children were taken from St. Mary's School in Papiri, Niger state, on Nov. 21.
The news came as Christians face ongoing persecution in Nigeria, leading President Donald Trump to declare the West African nation a "country of particular concern."
Two teen Afghan asylum seekers learn fate for raping 15-year-old in local park
Two teenage asylum seekers from Afghanistan have been jailed after admitting to the rape of a 15-year-old girl in a U.K. park, officials have confirmed.
According to police, the victim had been in Leamington in Warwickshire with friends on May 10 when they met Jan Jahanzeb and Israr Niazal.
The teenage girl began talking with them before they asked her to join them on a walk.
They then led her to a park area known as Newbold Comyn, where they raped her, Warwickshire police confirmed in a statement released online.
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Following the attack, the teenager managed to flag down a passerby, who contacted local police.
Detectives launched an investigation using CCTV footage and photographs the victim had taken on her phone earlier in the day.
Officers were able to identify and arrest the two 17-year-old suspects.
Jahanzeb and Niazal were charged with rape and later appeared before the youth court in Coventry, where they admitted the offense.
At their sentencing hearing at Warwick Crown Court on Monday, the judge lifted reporting restrictions that had previously prevented the pair from being named because of their age.
It was also confirmed in court that both are Afghan asylum seekers.
Jahanzeb was sentenced to 10 years and eight months, while Niazal received nine years and 10 months.
Both will begin their terms in a Young Offenders’ Institution and will be transferred to an adult prison at a later stage.
They were also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and handed indefinite restraining orders.
U.K. Detective Chief Inspector Richard Hobbs praised the victim for her courage in coming forward.
"This was a hugely traumatic incident, and I can’t speak highly enough of the victim for the bravery she has shown," he said in a statement.
He added that the investigation had been handled by specially trained officers who had supported the victim from the outset.
"Jahanzeb and Niazal went out of their way to befriend the victim with the intention of raping her. The length of their sentence reflects the severity of their crime and the need to protect the public from them," he added.
DCI Hobbs said he hoped the case would reassure other victims of sexual violence that they would be listened to and supported if they report offenses.
"We will always investigate thoroughly and sensitively, and do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice," he added.
