Fox World News

A Canadian politician who claimed a voicemail she allegedly left a potential mayoral candidate last summer was artificial intelligence has been arrested and charged with making threats.

Ontario Councilor Corinna Traill was arrested on Wednesday and charged with two counts of uttering threats, the Peterborough Police Service in Ontario said.

In September, former mayoral candidate Tom Dingwall wrote on his Facebook that in August Traill left him a voicemail, telling him not to run for mayor so a friend of hers could run unencumbered.

MIT STUDENTS FLOCK TO AI MAJORS AMID PROMISES OF HIGH-PAYING CAREERS

"Miss Traill made it clear that if I did not, she would come to my home, kill me, and sexually assault my wife, then sexually assault her again," he alleged.

He called for Traill to step down, adding, "To be clear, no elected official, paid to represent us, should utilize intimidation or threats to dissuade anyone from pursuing elected office or engaging in public service, especially to the benefit of their friend."

In her own statement posted to Facebook in September, Traill denied having sent the voicemail.

OPEN AI'S SAM ALTMAN ISSUES ‘CODE RED’ TO BOLSTER CHATGPT'S QUALITY, DELAYS OTHER PRODUCTS: REPORT

"I want to state clearly and unequivocally: I did not create this message," she wrote. "I have been advised that artificial intelligence technology was involved. Portions of the voicemail were my voice, but other parts were artificially generated."

She wrote at the time that her team was trying to figure out who created the message.

"For more than a decade I have worked to represent the best interests of our community, advocate for our residents, and ensure that local decision-making reflects the values and priorities of the people I serve," she added. "That dedication will not waver in light of these circumstances."

Traill has been released from jail on her own recognizance and is expected to next be in court in January, the police department said.  

Fox News Digital has reached out to Traill for comment.

The Trump administration is being urged to go on offense and make sure the next United Nations chief is aligned with U.S. and Western values and doesn't kowtow to what critics say is an increasingly anti-American institution.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres’ tenure ends Dec. 31, 2026. The former socialist prime minister of Portugal's tenure has been beset with major wars and crises that have led to accusations of bias against him, especially when it comes to Israel. 

Experts agree the Trump administration needs to keep a close handle on who is best to serve the interests of the U.S.

Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and president of Human Rights Voices, told Fox News Digital, "As long as the United States continues to make the mistake of being the largest bankroller of the United Nations and in keeping U.N. headquarters (some call a fifth column) a stone’s throw from our financial capital, it ought to care deeply about who leads the organization."

TRUMP DOES UN’S JOB ON WORLD STAGE, LEADS ON PEACE WHILE SECRETARY-GENERAL EARNS MORE AT ANTI-US BODY

Jonathan Wachtel, a former director of communications and a senior policy advisor at the United States Mission to the United Nations to U.S. ambassadors Nikki Haley and Kelly Craft, said, "Since its inception, the United Nations has been a frontline of the Cold War, and today it is increasingly a frontline of hostility toward the United States.

"As the Security Council prepares for its mid‑2026 straw polls, we face the stark reality that Russia and China can veto any candidate who reflects our values, even as they work to undermine U.S. foreign policy and erode Western principles. The next secretary‑general must … be a leader with backbone and conviction to champion the ideals on which the U.N. was founded, and the United States has long stood — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for as many people as possible."

With just over a year to go for the selection process, member states have begun to nominate candidates who best fit their national interests. 

Brett Schaefer, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told Fox News Digital that of the candidates named thus far, few would be considered acceptable to the U.S. 

"The announced and rumored candidates … are, for the most part, either U.N. insiders or on the left side of the political spectrum," Schaefer said. "It’s hard to say that the U.S. would be willing to support any of them at the current stage."

UN URGES COUNTRIES TO HONOR TRUCE DURING WINTER OLYMPICS, NOT DENY VISAS TO ANY NATION’S ATHLETES

As electioneering gets underway, Hugh Dugan, former National Security Council special assistant to the president and senior director for international organization affairs, told Fox News Digital, "After campaigns and a series of straw pulls and eliminations of candidates, members of the Security Council will present the U.N. General Assembly with a preferred candidate for their formal acceptance late next year."

Dugan said that custom would indicate that the next secretary-general should come from Latin America. He also emphasized that there is an appetite to appoint a woman after 15 years of calls for a female secretary-general.

"If they really are to take the helm of a suffering, more or less irrelevant and unmanageable organization like this, they’re going to have to show up as managers," Dugan said.

In the midst of the election’s "three-ring circus," he said, there are six candidates who have officially been named and an additional eight who are considered possible contenders for the role.

Seemingly the most palatable candidate for the U.S. of those declared is the current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi of Argentina. An Argentine diplomat, Grossi has been dealing with Iran's ambition to develop nuclear weapons while also working to prevent a nuclear disaster in Russia's war against Ukraine. 

Schaefer said Grossi is "probably the most acceptable among the candidates that have been listed so far" given the "great deal of courage" he has shown in his role at the IAEA.

Others include former Bolivian Vice President David Choquehuanca. A member of the Movement for Socialism, Choquehuanca once expressed his disdain for Western thinking after his election as Bolivia’s foreign minister. 

Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet was the U.N. high commissioner for human rights between 2018 and 2022. U.N. Watch said that, in this role, Bachelet often condemned Israel and the U.S. but "turned a blind eye to widespread violations by China, Turkey, North Korea, Cuba, Eritrea" and others.

According to Schaefer, it is "extraordinarily unlikely that [Bachelet] would receive support from the U.S." given her political leanings and her "remarkable lack of bravery in the conduct of her position as the high commissioner for human rights."

US-BACKED AID GROUP ENDS GAZA MISSION AFTER DEFYING HAMAS THREATS, UN CRITICISM

Former Vice President of Costa Rica Rebeca Grynspan, who headed the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), had recommended regulation as a means "to address the deepening asymmetries" of international finance.

Schaefer said Grynspan would not "be an ideal candidate from a U.S. perspective" because her 30-year U.N. career makes her a "consummate insider" who would likely be unwilling "to shake up the system."

The field is rounded up by two outside candidates, Colombe Cahen-Salvador, a left-wing political activist and co-founder of the Atlas Movement, and Bruno Donat, a joint Mauritius-U.S. citizen and official at U.N. Mine Action Service.

WALTZ CALLS UN MISHAPS DURING TRUMP SPEECH ‘UNACCEPTABLE,’ VOWS FUNDING FREEZE UNTIL REFORMS

Though they have not been officially named by a member state, Dugan listed several other officials that are likely to be nominated in the coming months. Many come from the left of the political aisle and are unlikely to get the backing of the Trump administration. 

Jacinda Ardern is a former prime minister of New Zealand who resigned from the role but is considered "a global icon of the left." Schaefer noted that Ardern’s prior resignation is not "a ringing endorsement" of her capability to take on the demanding role of secretary-general.

Mexico's former top diplomat, Alicia Bárcena, has 14 years of experience as the head of the U.N.’s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. She is the secretary of environment and natural resources. 

Other names include María Fernanda Espinosa, formerly defense and foreign minister of Ecuador; Nigeria's Amina Mohammed, U.N. deputy secretary‑general; Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund since 2019 of Bulgaria; and former head of the U.N. Development Programme Achim Steiner of Germany.

"A long list of anti-American secretaries-general, topped off by the profoundly hostile Antonio Guterres, have done enormous damage to America’s international relations, fueled antisemitism on a global scale and gravely diminished global peace and security," Bayefsky said.

"We take a back seat in this election at our peril."

Iran's military fired ballistic and cruise missiles at simulated targets near the Persian Gulf on Friday as part of an exercise aimed at deterring foreign threats, a report said.

The drills carried out by Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy began Thursday in the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, according to Reuters.

The news agency cited Iranian state media as saying that a massive launch Friday of Qadr 110, Qadr 380 and Qadr 360 cruise missiles, as well as ballistic missiles, were directed toward targets in the Gulf of Oman.

TV footage showed the missiles' launch and hitting their targets.

IRAN CLAIMS MISSILE POWER NOW ‘FAR SURPASSES’ PRE-WAR LEVELS AFTER ISRAELI BOMBARDMENT

State media said the drills demonstrated the "unwavering spirit and resistance" of Iran's sailors in confronting threats, Reuters also reported.

The drill is the second one after the Israel-Iran war in June that killed nearly 1,100 people in Iran, including military commanders and nuclear scientists. Missile attacks by Iran killed 28 in Israel. 

IRAN SMUGGLED $1 BILLION TO HEZBOLLAH THIS YEAR DESPITE US SANCTIONS, TREASURY OFFICIAL SAYS

Since the end of the war, Iran has increasingly insisted it is ready to counter any future Israeli attack. Iran launched its first naval drill in the area in August.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is mainly in charge of operations in the Persian Gulf and its narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz. The national navy is in charge of Sea of Oman and beyond. 

Iran has long threatened to close off the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of all global oil traded passes, according to The Associated Press.

The U.S. Navy has long patrolled the Mideast through its Bahrain-based 5th Fleet to keep the waterways open. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Two suspected Russian spies are believed to have secretly entered the UK on cargo ships before traveling to locations close to key military bases and critical government infrastructure, according to reports.

The i Paper claimed the two men arrived in the UK during the spring and summer of 2025, using ports at Torquay, Middlesbrough and Grangemouth, in the north-east.

A UK defense source also suggested the men were linked to President Vladimir Putin’s military and intelligence networks.

BRITAIN SAYS RUSSIAN SPY SHIP IS ON EDGE OF UK WATERS, AS DEFENSE SECRETARY ISSUES WARNING TO PUTIN

The pair are alleged to have accessed the country covertly by exploiting commercial shipping routes rather than passing through heavily monitored border entry points.

The ships they used were reportedly neither Russian-flagged nor part of the sanctioned shadow fleet associated with the Kremlin, making them far less likely to attract scrutiny.

A senior NATO official responsible for protecting Europe’s maritime waters told the outlet that intelligence agencies had detected Russian operatives traveling on non-suspicious cargo vessels.

The official said those type of ships offer an ideal way of moving personnel discreetly.

US TURNS TO FINLAND TO CLOSE ARCTIC ‘ICEBREAKER GAP’ AS RUSSIA, CHINA EXPAND POLAR PRESENCE

"It would be the most natural place to move people around in that world, and we think it’s going on," the source said.

"They are not sailing on shadow fleet tankers, they are sailing on all [types of] ships," the source claimed, adding that Russian agents had monitored and "tested European ports to find weaknesses."

One of the suspected operatives is reported to have entered the UK through Torquay in the South West after traveling from Finland. 

The second, previously seen in Moscow at an intelligence-linked facility, was suspected of traveling from Kaliningrad and entering via Middlesbrough and Grangemouth.

After spending time around the storage facility at Grangemouth, the second operative also traveled to Falkirk, where they visited a retail park.

NATO CONSIDERS ‘MORE AGGRESSIVE’ RESPONSE TO RUSSIA’S HYBRID THREATS

Both British docks were recently proposed by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) as potential sites for future UK weapons factories. 

They are currently unused brownfield locations, increasing concerns over the security implications of the alleged visits.

Elisabeth Braw of the Intelligence Council and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council told the i Paper that it makes sense for Russian intelligence to exploit these weaknesses.

"It doesn’t surprise me that Russia wants to bring certain people into the country even though they can reach people who are already there," she said.

"They need their own operatives to conduct this sort of activity," Braw added.

A powerful anti-Hamas clan leader protecting civilians in Gaza and allegedly backed by Israel has been murdered in Rafah, according to multiple reports.

Yasser Abu Shabab, head of the Abu Shabab militia, known locally as the "Popular Forces" of the Gaza Strip, had risen to prominence for his cooperation with Israel against Hamas influence in the region, according to analysts.

"Abu-Shabab militia helped Israel to protect the locals and prevent Hamas from harming them," Professor Kobi Michael, senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and the Misgav Institute told Fox News Digital.

DOZENS KILLED IN GAZA AS VIOLENCE ERUPTS BETWEEN HAMAS AND ARMED CLANS

"Hamas has become deeply troubled because of these militias and makes its utmost efforts to dismantle them. It perceives them as a real threat, but the fact that Abu Shabab was murdered by a rival, Hamula, indicates that it will not be enough just to disarm Hamas."

"Still, without an effective alternative governance to Hamas, the Strip will deteriorate into chaos," Michael added.

As reported by Fox News Digital in July, Abu Shabab’s group began forming in early 2024 after the IDF entered Rafah and Hamas started to lose control of the area.

AFTER TRUMP DECLARES ‘WAR IS OVER,’ HAMAS EXECUTES RIVALS IN GAZA TO REASSERT CONTROL

Allegedly operating under Israeli protection, his men were escorting aid trucks, distributing supplies, and asserting control over parts of eastern Rafah.

On Thursday, The Jerusalem Post reported sources claiming Abu Shabab was initially wounded in a clan-related confrontation. He was subsequently evacuated to a hospital in southern Israel, where he later died from his injuries.

The Popular Forces later released a statement, also cited by The Jerusalem Post, confirming Abu Shabab’s death and insisting he had been killed while attempting to resolve a local dispute.

WARFARE EXPERT CALLS GAZA REBUILDING PLAN 'DISNEYLAND STRATEGY' TO DEFEAT HAMAS

The group vowed to continue its operations until "the last terrorist was eliminated in Gaza," adding that it would keep pursuing "a bright and secure future for our people who believe in peace," the outlet said.

In a past interview with Ynet, Abu Shabab had said, "We will not leave the Gaza Strip and will continue to fight Hamas until the last one is dead."

A senior UN official, Georgios Petropoulos, also once referred to him as "the self-styled power broker of east Rafah," according to a previous New York Times interview.

ISRAEL SAYS HAMAS VIOLATED CEASEFIRE WITH 'MULTIPLE ATTACKS' LEADING TO IDF RESPONSE

"Israel has never believed that these militias can replace Hamas or become an effective ruler of the Gaza Strip," added Michael.

"But both sides have a common enemy - Hamas." He continued, "On the other hand, these militias were and are against Hamas and willing to fight Hamas. Israel perceived these militias as another operational tool in its war against Hamas and established cooperation with them based on local interests and essence," he added.

According to Reuters, Abu Shabab’s militia continued operating from Israeli-controlled areas of southern Gaza following the U.S.-backed ceasefire in October.

IDF STRIKES HAMAS 'TERRORIST TARGETS' ACROSS GAZA FOLLOWING REPORTED CEASEFIRE VIOLATION

On Nov. 18, the group posted a video showing fighters preparing for a security sweep to "clear Rafah of terror," referencing Hamas forces believed to be hiding in the area.

As reported by Fox News Digital, the ceasefire created a new landscape of militias, clan groups, and networks as Hamas’s control weakened throughout the region, including the Popular Forces in Rafah.

"The situation is very fragile and unstable as long as Hamas is able to operate freely in Gaza," Michael added.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the IDF and Israeli government for comment.

A major incident was declared in Derby, a city in central England, as approximately 200 homes were evacuated and two men were arrested on suspicion of explosive offensives.

Derbyshire Constabulary said in a social media post that the evacuations were done as a precaution and that the evacuation zone was put in place after officers executed a warrant based "on intelligence about materials" at an address on Vulcan Street.

The two suspects who were arrested were both men, one in his 40s and one in his 50s, according to the Derbyshire Constabulary. The suspects are in law enforcement custody. They have not been identified further by authorities.

FIRE­FIGHTERS HURT AFTER VAN EXPLODES IN BRONX, NEW YORK CITY

A teen who lives in the area told the BBC that he was "shocked" when he learned about the evacuation.

"I was very shocked, I didn't know what to do. I literally jumped off my bed, put my clothes on, and then I was just letting everyone know [they had to leave]," Esteban Duda, 17, said.

BRITISH MAN SAYS HE WAS ARRESTED AFTER POSTING PHOTOS HOLDING GUNS DURING JULY 4 TRIP TO FLORIDA

The British Army's Explosive Ordnance Division reportedly carried out a controlled explosion in the area, according to the BBC. Prior to the controlled explosion, authorities warned that residents in the area "may hear a bang."

Derbyshire Constabulary said that the incident was not being investigated as terrorism and that there is no risk to the surrounding community. However, as a precaution, those who live in the area are advised to prepare to be out of their homes for 24 hours.

Members of the public who are not at home or who have evacuated are advised to message the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page, as officers are knocking on doors to ensure the area is clear. Those who cannot access social media are asked to use the 101 non-emergency number.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly rejected key elements of the U.S.-backed proposal to end the war in Ukraine, as senior Kremlin officials escalate warnings toward Europe over efforts to use frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv.

According to the Associated Press, Putin said there were parts of the American proposal he "can’t accept," including requirements for Russia to withdraw from occupied Ukrainian territory. His comments came as diplomatic activity intensified following meetings in Geneva and Florida between Ukrainian representatives and U.S. administration envoys.

The latest development comes after more lethal strikes hit Ukraine overnight, where Russian forces killed a 6-year-old girl in Kherson, officials said. 

The Russian Defense Ministry boasted of footage showing how they were relentlessly pounding Huliaipole with Grad rockets. At least six people were injured in a Russian drone attack on Odesa, which damaged the city's energy infrastructure, East2West news agency reported. Six more people were wounded from a Russian strike on Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But Ukrainian drones attacked Nevinnomyssk Azot, a key supplier of explosives and rocket fuel components.

MOMENTUM BUILDS IN UKRAINE PEACE PUSH, BUT EXPERTS FEAR PUTIN WON’T BUDGE

Former Russian President and Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev warned that if the European Union uses frozen Russian state assets to provide financial support to Ukraine, Moscow could treat the move as a justification for war. Reuters reported.

"If the crazed European Union attempts to steal Russian assets, blocked in Belgium, by issuing so-called reparative loans, such actions under international law may be classified as a special kind of casus belli with all the ensuing consequences for Brussels and individual EU countries," Medvedev said. He added that repayment could come "not through court, but through actual reparations paid in natural form by the defeated enemies of Russia."

Reuters noted that EU leaders are considering ways to leverage roughly €190 billion, about $221.8 billion, in frozen Russian sovereign assets to help fund Ukraine’s budget and military needs. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this week that Europe intends to ensure Ukraine "has the means" to defend itself, proposing support totaling about €90 billion, about $105.1 billion,  over the next two years.

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

"We are increasing the cost of Russia’s war of aggression," von der Leyen said. She added that raising pressure on Moscow should help bring Putin to negotiations, even as Russia signals it is not ready to compromise.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded publicly to the diplomatic momentum, writing on X that Ukraine is preparing additional meetings with American envoys. "Ukraine was heard, and Ukraine was listened to. And that matters," Zelenskyy wrote. "A dignified peace is only possible if Ukraine’s interests are taken into account."

He added that any peace effort must combine diplomacy with continued pressure on Moscow. "Everything depends on this combination — constructive diplomacy plus pressure on the aggressor."

Russia, meanwhile, has continued military operations across Ukraine, according to Associated Press reporting, as both sides prepare for additional negotiations in the United States.

Putin’s rejection of the plan and Medvedev’s warnings to Europe highlight widening diplomatic and military pressure points just as international efforts intensify to find an exit path from the nearly three-year war.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Somalia, situated on the Horn of Africa, continues to be one of the most dangerous terrorist havens in the world as the Islamic State and al Qaeda terrorist affiliates continue to kill and extort the nation's population. In the latest figures, Human Rights Watch says hundreds were killed in 2024, either by jihadists or in conflict between the country’s clans and tribes.

Somalis face armed roadblocks in many areas, where terrorists or government troops extort money, and lawlessness and corruption occur on a daily basis.

President Donald Trump lashed out against Somalia again on Wednesday, saying, "It’s just a people walking around killing each other." He added, "So Somalia is considered by many to be the worst country on Earth? I don’t know, … I haven’t been there. I won’t be there anytime soon. I hope."

US DRAMATICALLY ESCALATES SOMALIA AIRSTRIKES AS TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS ISIS, AL QAEDA TERRORISTS

The Trump administration, through U.S. Africa Command, has increased the number of airstrikes carried out against terrorists in Somalia more than tenfold so far this year, compared to missions carried out under President Biden in 2024. On Nov. 25, ISIS-Somalia terrorists were attacked in the Puntland region by U.S. and Somali forces reportedly using drones and ten MH-60 helicopters. On Nov. 28, U.S. forces struck al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab terrorists in the south of the country near Kismayo.

Somalia’s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs states that more than 99% of the population is Sunni Muslim.

"Al-Shabab continues to hold significant territory in southern and central Somalia," Bill Roggio told Fox News Digital. Roggio, is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and editor of FDD’s Long War Journal. He added, "While the exact amount has not been disclosed, in 2019 the AFRICOM commander reported that Shabab controlled about 25% of Somalia. Security has worsened since then, and Shabab undoubtedly controls more ground than it did in 2019. In areas Shabab controls, it subjects civilians to taxes and its harsh version of Sharia, or Islamic law, and it recruits, indoctrinates and trains young men to wage jihad."

But on the ground, Fox News Digital found life to be complicated. "In Somalia, it all depends on where you are," Mogadishu resident Samatar Talliye told Fox News Digital. He added, "The country is big, and the experiences are very different. Mogadishu is relatively safe, and it is a big city with millions of people. Business is booming, the housing market is insane, and new projects are started every day."

MINNESOTA TAXPAYER DOLLARS FUNNELED TO AL-SHABAAB TERROR GROUP, REPORT ALLEGES

Abdisamad Artan Ahmed, who also lives in Mogadishu, recently told Reuters, "We have seen and heard what the U.S. has said about Somalia on social media, but the truth is that Somalia is currently one of the safest countries in East Africa. Whether in Mogadishu or other regions, Somalia is secure and stable. This is the best and safest time for the country."

But Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported there are still occasional terror attacks in the capital city. In August last year, HRW stated al-Shabab "attacked a beach restaurant, killing 37 civilians and injuring over 200."

There are "tangible signs of improvement in aspects of daily life in Somalia particularly in Mogadishu," Anna Mahjar-Barducci, project director at the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) told Fox News Digita. "However, progress is uneven: rural and southern regions face ongoing al-Shabab threats."

COMER TARGETS WALZ IN NEW HOUSE INVESTIGATION, CITING NEARLY $1B IN ALLEGED MINNESOTA FRAUD

"Violence and danger is mostly in places where the government has not reached," Talliye said, adding there are "pockets in Jubaland, South West State, Hirshabbele and Galmadug. The state governments are weak and mostly only control a couple of the big towns, unlike Puntland and Somaliland that control the majority of their state."

Mahjar-Barducci emphasized, "Overall safety remains precarious, with persistent al-Shabab attacks, displacement, and weak policing. These insights paint a picture of cautious normalcy in urban hubs contrasted with checkpoint-heavy, militant-influenced routines elsewhere."

"Corruption is widespread in many government offices, and obtaining services often requires paying extra fees," Mahjar-Barducci continued. "Bribery is common across various public services. In Somalia, authority is often concentrated in the hands of the governor, mayor or district officers, and, at times, anyone who is armed."

Al-Shabab’s fundraising tentacles are a cancer growing in every area of Somali society. The European Union’s Agency for Asylum recently stated, "the U.N. Panel of experts on Somalia, in its latest report from 2024, indicates that al-Shabab’s overall financial income for 2023 exceeded $150 million."

The report continues, "Among others, al-Shabab relies on the following sources of revenue: checkpoints, forced charitable or alms contributions, direct extortion of business, taxation of imports into ports, kidnappings for ransom, taxation of farm produce, livestock selling, water and irrigation resources, vehicles registration fees, operating licences fee, as well as property and business ventures in Somalia. Everything and anything is potentially a source of income."

In Somalia, you don’t have to intentionally fund al-Shabab, it just happens. "Nobody has to 'mean' to fund al-Shabab," former State Department counterterrorism analyst Tricia Bacon told Minnesota’s Kare 11 News on Nov. 26. "But that’s sort of the cost of doing business in Somalia because the government has been so ineffective at protecting people from al-Shabab’s extortion that, you know, you don’t really have a choice of whether or not to pay."

Talliye admitted, "Government corruption is visible and painful, but people are used to complete chaos." Chaos that arguably started when civil war broke out in 1991. Fox News correspondent Eric Shawn was on assignment in Mogadishu the following year.

"The country was ruled by warlords," he told Fox News Digital. "There was mass starvation and no government; it was ruled at the end of an AK-47."

"There was gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades being launched every night. The country had devolved into anarchy and total uncertainty. There was no electricity and basic human conditions were barbaric. The result was a horrific spectacle of a human catastrophe that was man-made and totally unnecessary and so unfortunate for the innocent civilians who had to endure a hardship that was beyond comprehension."

For many Somalis, more than 30 years on, freedom is still only a dream. It means, Mahjar-Barducci said, "living without fear — being able to move freely, work safely, and care for their families. It includes safety from checkpoints and clan tensions, speaking openly, running a business without intimidation, and sending children to school without worry. Western audiences often misunderstand Somalia as being entirely lawless or a failed state, overlooking the resilience of its people, strong community networks, and gradual improvements in security, governance, and business opportunities."

Talliye reflected, "People are scared of al-Shabab, and the hope is the long and painful journey towards one man, one vote. People only believe things will change when politicians are held responsible by the people."

 

Israeli authorities confirmed that the hostage remains returned on Wednesday were those of Sudthisak Rinthalak, making Israeli police officer Ran Gvili the last hostage in Gaza.

Rinthalak, a Thai national, was working in Israel to support his family in Thailand when he was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Rinthalak's body was taken from the orchards at Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the communities hit hardest in the massacre. His remains were then taken into Gaza and held hostage by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the second-largest terror organization in the enclave.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the return of Rinthalak's remains to Thailand for a proper burial would be done in coordination with the Thai Embassy in Israel.

"The government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Rinthalak family, the Thai people and all of fallen hostages' families," the statement read. "The Rinthalak family and Thai Ambassador to Israel Boonyarit Vichienpuntu asked to convey their deep gratitude and appreciation to the State of Israel for the efforts to return Sudthisak and for the continuous support provided to the family since the outbreak of the war."

HAMAS HANDS OVER REMAINS OF HOSTAGE WHOSE BODY WAS RECOVERED NEARLY 2 YEARS AGO

The office added that it and Israel's Directorate for the Hostages and the Missing "are determined, committed, and working tirelessly to return National Counter-Terrorism Unit fighter and hero Master Sgt. Ran Gvili for a proper Jewish burial."

Rinthalak was raised in Rattanawapi in Nong Khai province, and his family said that his favorite food was an omelet with tomatoes, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. Rinthalak is survived by his brother and his parents.

ISRAELI MOTHER APPEALS TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND MEDIATORS TO BRING HOME FINAL TWO GAZA HOSTAGES

Prior to his remains being returned to Israel, Rinthalak's family told Israeli news outlet Ynet that he said he would be coming home for good once he saved a bit more money.

"About 10 days before October 7 was the last time we spoke," Rinthalak's mother, On, told Ynet. "We asked him to come home to Thailand for a visit. We hadn’t seen him in many years, ever since he went to Israel for work. He told us he wanted to save a bit more money and then come home for good. Then October 7 happened and he was murdered. I want my son home as soon as possible. I wait for him every day."

Gvili, who is the last hostage in Gaza, was killed in the Oct. 7 attacks and his body was taken into the Gaza Strip, where it has been held since the 2023 massacre.

"When this nightmare began, there were 255 hostages. Their families became one big family. We held each other through every unbearable moment. Every time someone returned, there was a feeling that part of us came back. And now we're down to the last two in the darkness of Gaza. I'm terrified that after bringing so many home, my Ran will be left behind. There's this crushing feeling I can't shake: when is our turn?" Gvili's mother, Talik, wrote in a Fox News op-ed.

Russia once again extended the prison sentence of U.S. citizen Robert Gilman Wednesday after a regional court found him guilty of a new assault on prison staff. 

The ruling adds two more years to the former Marine's existing term, now bringing his total sentence to 10 years, Reuters reported.

The latest extension came in the Voronezh region, where Gilman continues to serve time. 

Prosecutors accused him of attacking two prison guards, and the court ruled that the incident constituted a new offense which warranted additional punishment.

US PILOT AND INFLUENCER RELEASED FROM CHILEAN ANTARCTIC DETENTION 2 MONTHS AFTER ALLEGED UNAUTHORIZED LANDING 

The move follows a pattern of steadily increasing charges for Gilman since his initial arrest in 2022, highlighting how his prison time has lengthened over consecutive years.

Gilman, from Dracut, Massachusetts, was first arrested in January 2022 after passengers on a train reported he was drunk and causing a disturbance.

NATIONAL GUARDSMAN ACCUSED OF SEEKING TO SEND PHOTOS OF SENSITIVE MILITARY TECHNOLOGY TO RUSSIA 

Transport police took him off the train in Voronezh, where he was detained for petty hooliganism. 

At the time, Russian media reported that Gilman, who had been traveling between Sochi and Moscow to replace a damaged passport, was heavily intoxicated.

He later claimed in court that he believed his drink had been spiked.

Gilman was convicted in 2022 of assaulting a police officer, initially receiving a sentence of three and a half years. 

At the time, prosecutors recommended four and a half years, of a possible five.

US AND QATAR SECURE RELEASE OF AMERICAN CITIZEN AMIR AMIRY FROM AFGHANISTAN DETENTION

Fox News Digital also reported that Gilman bruised a Russian police officer with a kick while being dragged off of the train.

Gilman’s troubles in custody then increased in 2024 when he was found guilty of attacking a prison inspector during a cell check, assaulting an investigator and beating another guard.

Those convictions brought a sentence of eight years and one month, with Wednesday’s decision pushing the total to a decade.

UKRAINE ARRESTS BRITISH SUSPECT WHO ALLEGEDLY AIDED RUSSIA’S FSB IN ASSASSINATION PLAN

Local media, including the business newspaper Kommersant, reported that Gilman admitted to some of the assaults, per Reuters.

He said he began breaking prison rules after he was threatened with transfer from his current detention facility, which he described as humane and where he could receive packages from relatives, to a maximum-security penal colony. 

On Wednesday, Gilman apologized in court and explained he preferred to remain in the Voronezh facility.

According to Reuters, Gilman’s lawyer, Irina Brazhnikova, told the state-run TASS news agency that he would not appeal the newest verdict.

Gilman is among at least nine Americans still imprisoned in Russia following multiple high-profile prisoner exchanges in 2024 and 2025. 

FORMER SECURITY GUARD AT US EMBASSY OVERSEAS IS CONVICTED OF SPYING FOR RUSSIA AND IRAN

Several, like Gilman, have U.S. military backgrounds, including Michael Travis Leake and Gordon Black.

Supporters of Gilman in the United States argue he was ill when first detained and was provoked into actions that produced additional charges.

Bulgaria’s government withdrew an unpopular 2026 draft budget after tens of thousands of angry people took to the streets in the capital, Sofia, and other cities across the country.

The protests have been led mostly by young Bulgarians who claim the government is concealing widespread corruption. Business groups and members of the opposition also say the draft budget would harm Bulgaria’s economy just before it's set to join the Eurozone in early 2026.

"Gen Z took to the streets because they want to stay in Bulgaria, but they want a renewed, different, corruption-free Bulgaria," Daniel Lorer, member of Bulgaria’s parliament, told Fox News Digital.

BULGARIA'S SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE'S NATO MEMBERSHIP GROWS STRONGER DURING ZELENSKYY'S VISIT

"They want reforms. The government refused to listen. The budget it proposed simply extended all its previous policies, funded through higher taxes, social security contributions and more debt," Lorer added.

As the protests continued, Bulgaria’s government, led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, eventually backed down, vowing to drop the most divisive elements of the budget, including tax and social security increases.

The prime minister said a new budget will be proposed at a later date.

"The government saw what the citizens who protesters had to say…I support these people who protest for more rights, more democracy, more justice. We believe that the protest is not so much political, but more of a social, human side, in search of more dialogue, more tolerance, and more harmony in social relations," Prime Minister Zhelyazkov said at a press conference.

"This is a visible protest of young people, young people who are looking for their place in the future of Bulgaria, which we are obliged to hear, and we are obliged to do what is necessary to be secured with the funds that the country has," Zhelyazkov added.

The protests were mostly peaceful. However, some masked protesters clashed with police after attacking offices of the ruling party in Sofia.

BULGARIA IMPOSES EU ENTRY BAN ON 2 SUSPECTED RUSSIAN SPIES

Political stability in an EU country, one with a longstanding history with neighboring Russia, is ripe for Moscow’s usual tricks of intervening in the domestic affairs of its former communist bloc allies.

"Russia is always glad to stir unrest. Anything that upsets the democratic process in any EU country is welcome, and even more so in Eastern Europe, their former sphere of influence," Lorer said.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who holds a largely ceremonial position, sided with the opposition and opposed the budget, calling for the resignation of the government and early elections.

The move could risk political gridlock and weaken Bulgaria’s alliance with NATO allies and the EU, Ruslan Stefanov, director for the Center for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, told Fox News Digital.

"Radev, who echoes Kremlin talking points and opposes the Euro, could still sabotage the process despite it being legally irreversible. This is a volatile mix that threatens stability and could invite more unwelcome Russian meddling," Stefanov said.

Bulgaria, along with Romania, is set to join the Eurozone in January 2026. While joining the Eurozone is seen as a major step in Bulgaria’s political and economic development, the adoption of the currency is unpopular in large segments of society, as fears of inflation and the cost of living hamper the livelihoods of everyday Bulgarians.

FARMERS FLOOD BULGARIA'S CAPITAL PROTESTING EU REGULATIONS, HIGH ENERGY COSTS

Bulgaria, one of the poorest nations in the European Union, joined the EU in 2007 and formally began the process of joining the Eurozone in 2018. The Lev, Bulgaria’s currency, was included in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in July 2020.

Since announcing that the country will join the monetary union, skepticism has abounded, and many Bulgarians are not convinced that their economic prospects will improve once they are part of the union.

Many experts and observers have concluded that Russia has been behind a persistent social media campaign to stoke opposition and sow doubt and confusion as Bulgaria’s accession date draws near.

Bulgaria’s government withdrew an unpopular 2026 draft budget after tens of thousands of angry people took to the streets in the capital, Sofia, and other cities across the country.

The protests have been led mostly by young Bulgarians who claim the government is concealing widespread corruption. Business groups and members of the opposition also say the draft budget would harm Bulgaria’s economy just before it's set to join the Eurozone in early 2026.

"Gen Z took to the streets because they want to stay in Bulgaria, but they want a renewed, different, corruption-free Bulgaria," Daniel Lorer, member of Bulgaria’s parliament, told Fox News Digital.

BULGARIA'S SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE'S NATO MEMBERSHIP GROWS STRONGER DURING ZELENSKYY'S VISIT

"They want reforms. The government refused to listen. The budget it proposed simply extended all its previous policies, funded through higher taxes, social security contributions and more debt," Lorer added.

As the protests continued, Bulgaria’s government, led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, eventually backed down, vowing to drop the most divisive elements of the budget, including tax and social security increases.

The prime minister said a new budget will be proposed at a later date.

"The government saw what the citizens… protesters had to say… I support these people who protest for more rights, more democracy, more justice. We believe that the protest is not so much political, but more of a social, human side, in search of more dialogue, more tolerance and more harmony in social relations," Prime Minister Zhelyazkov said at a press conference.

BULGARIA IMPOSES EU ENTRY BAN ON 2 SUSPECTED RUSSIAN SPIES

"This is a visible protest of young people, young people who are looking for their place in the future of Bulgaria, which we are obliged to hear, and we are obliged to do what is necessary to be secured with the funds that the country has," Zhelyazkov added.

The protests were mostly peaceful. However, some masked protesters clashed with police after attacking offices of the ruling party in Sofia.

Political stability in an EU country, one with a longstanding history with Russia, is ripe for Moscow’s usual tricks of intervening in the domestic affairs of its former communist bloc allies.

"Russia is always glad to stir unrest. Anything that upsets the democratic process in any EU country is welcome, and even more so in Eastern Europe, their former sphere of influence," Lorer said.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who holds a largely ceremonial position, sided with the opposition and opposed the budget, calling for the resignation of the government and early elections.

The move could risk political gridlock and weaken Bulgaria’s alliance with NATO allies and the EU, Ruslan Stefanov, director for the Center for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, told Fox News Digital.

"Radev, who echoes Kremlin talking points and opposes the Euro, could still sabotage the process despite it being legally irreversible. This is a volatile mix that threatens stability and could invite more unwelcome Russian meddling," Stefanov said.

Bulgaria, along with Romania, is set to join the Eurozone in January 2026. While joining the Eurozone is seen as a major step in Bulgaria’s political and economic development, the adoption of the currency is unpopular in large segments of society, as fears of inflation and the cost of living hamper the livelihoods of everyday Bulgarians.

FARMERS FLOOD BULGARIA'S CAPITAL PROTESTING EU REGULATIONS, HIGH ENERGY COSTS

Bulgaria, which is the poorest nation in the European Union, joined the EU in 2007 and formally began the process of joining the Eurozone in 2018. The Lev, Bulgaria’s currency, was included in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in July 2020.

Since announcing that the country will join the monetary union, skepticism has abounded, and many Bulgarians are not convinced that their economic prospects will improve once they are part of the union.

Many experts and observers have concluded that Russia has been behind a persistent social media campaign to stoke opposition and sow doubt and confusion as Bulgaria’s accession date draws near.

Israel received a coffin Wednesday that is believed to contain the remains of one of the last two deceased hostages in Gaza.

"The coffin of the deceased hostage, escorted by IDF troops, crossed the border into the State of Israel a short while ago and is on its way to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine, where identification procedures will be carried out," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on X.

The coffin that was transferred from the Red Cross to Israel may contain the remains of either Ran Gvili or Sudthisak Rinthalak.

ISRAELI MOTHER APPEALS TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND MEDIATORS TO BRING HOME FINAL TWO GAZA HOSTAGES

On Oct. 7, 2023, Gvili was supposed to be resting while awaiting surgery for a broken shoulder. However, as the emergency unfolded, Gvili, who was a police officer in a counter-terror unit, chose to fight to save others in need. He fought alongside fellow officers and was eventually killed near Kibbutz Alumim. His body was taken into Gaza, where it has been held for nearly 790 days.

"When this nightmare began, there were 255 hostages. Their families became one big family. We held each other through every unbearable moment. Every time someone returned, there was a feeling that part of us came back. And now we're down to the last two in the darkness of Gaza. I'm terrified that after bringing so many home, my Ran will be left behind. There's this crushing feeling I can't shake: when is our turn?" Gvili's mother, Talik, wrote in a Fox News op-ed.

Rinthalak, a 43-year-old Thai national, was working in agriculture in Israel to support his family in Thailand when he was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and his body was taken into Gaza. His family told Israeli news outlet Ynet that he said he would be coming home for good once he saved a bit more money.

"About 10 days before October 7 was the last time we spoke," Rinthalak's mother, On, told Ynet. "We asked him to come home to Thailand for a visit. We hadn’t seen him in many years, ever since he went to Israel for work. He told us he wanted to save a bit more money and then come home for good. Then October 7 happened and he was murdered. I want my son home as soon as possible. I wait for him every day."

On Tuesday, Israel received remains that were tested and confirmed to not belong to either Gvili or Rinthalak, The Times of Israel reported. The outlet noted that a senior Red Cross official said the findings it handed over to the IDF included "small remains, pieces" of a body.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has detained British national Ross David Cutmore for allegedly obtaining firearms and ammunition from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to carry out assassinations in Ukraine, according to​​ reports. Cutmore could face up to 12 years in prison and confiscation of property, according to the SBU. 

While some reports have claimed Cutmore was a British Army veteran, his military service remains unclear, as does whether the uniform he is pictured wearing is from the British military.

When asked about his military service record, the U.K. Ministry of Defense referred Fox News Digital to the U.K.'s Foreign Office. 

ZELENSKYY WARNS UKRAINE FACES ‘DIFFICULT CHOICE’ AS US PEACE PLAN HITS MAJOR HURDLE

A spokesperson for the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told Fox News Digital, "We are providing consular assistance to a British man who is detained in Ukraine. We remain in close contact with the Ukrainian authorities."

The spokesperson added that the FCDO cannot get a British national "out of prison, prevent the local authorities from deporting you after your prison sentence, or interfere in criminal or civil court proceedings. We must follow other countries’ systems," according to its consular assistance page.

On Oct. 29, without disclosing his name, the SBU announced the detention of a "former military instructor" who was working for the FSB in Kyiv. 

Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, foreigners have traveled to Ukraine to assist in the war effort, after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a public plea for veterans to come to Kyiv at the start of the conflict, according to the Financial Times.

The SBU said he arrived in Kyiv in early 2024 to serve as a military instructor tasked with training Ukrainian Army personnel. A few months later, Cutmore stopped working as an instructor and allegedly offered to collaborate with Russian special services as he sought "easy money," the SBU claimed. 

Investigators believe he was approached by FSB officers after he posted notices on pro-Russian social media groups, and was then allegedly recruited in Odesa in Sept. 2024 and paid $6,000 to provide Russia with sensitive information, according to reports.

An FSB handler tasked him with gathering information regarding other foreign military instructors and the coordinates of training centers in southern Ukraine.

ARMY SECRETARY LANDS IN KYIV WITH TRUMP'S NEXT MOVE IN RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR 

The SBU also said that he was sent instructions for making a homemade explosive device, in addition to the coordinates of the cache where he took a pistol with two loaded magazines, but the SBU detained Cutmore at his residence in Kyiv before the task was carried out.

He is accused of providing Russia with information regarding Ukraine’s military and of preparing for "terrorist attacks," as stated by the SBU.

The SBU and Kyiv's Prosecutor's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The FSB could not be immediately reached.

Hong Kong’s chief executive said he will establish an independent committee to examine and reform the city’s building-work system as part of efforts to prevent future disasters following the deadly Tai Po fire. 

John Lee told reporters at a news conference Tuesday that reforms are urgently needed after at least 159 people were killed when a fire engulfed several high-rise residential towers in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district in late November. 

"We will overcome the obstacles of vested interests and pursue accountability, regardless of who he or she is. We must uncover the truth, ensure that justice is served, let the deceased rest in peace, and provide comfort to the living," said Lee.

The Hong Kong leader shared that 13 people were arrested by police for suspected manslaughter and roughly a dozen others were arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption for "corrupt practices which relate to this tragedy."

TIMELINE OF THE PALISADES FIRE MANHUNT: FROM ALLEGED MIDNIGHT SPARK TO FLORIDA ARREST

Hong Kong’s Police Department said Wednesday they have completed searches of all seven fire-damaged buildings and identified 140 of the 159 victims.

Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department said it received reports of a blaze breaking out at the Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, a district in the northern New Territories, around 2:50 p.m. on Nov. 26.

The fire was upgraded to a No. 5 alarm, the most severe rating in Hong Kong, by 6:22 p.m.

Photos from the scene showed the bamboo scaffolding of the towers engulfed in flames and thick, dark smoke pouring out of multiple floors.

FIRE TEARS THROUGH HONG KONG HOUSING COMPLEX, KILLING AT LEAST 13 WITH OTHERS REPORTED TRAPPED

Chan Kwong-tak, an 83-year-old retiree living in the community, told The South China Morning Post that the fire alarms failed to go off when the blaze broke out, even though the buildings were equipped with them.

"If someone was sleeping then, they were done," he said.

Lee told reporters the government had "identified failures in different stages," adding that officials must act decisively to close loopholes and hold those responsible to account.

"The bottlenecks will be addressed. And we will reform the whole building renovation system to ensure that such things will not happen again," he said.

Hong Kong’s Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said last week that the Buildings Department will review the safety rules governing scaffolding and protective nets after the fatal Wang Fuk Court fire.

Hon-ho noted that the fire is suspected to have been caused by industry non-compliance rather than from bamboo scaffolding itself, though bamboo structures are less fire-resistant than metal ones.

A marathon five-hour meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner failed to yield any major breakthroughs in efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow Tuesday for talks with the Kremlin leader following a Sunday meeting with key members of the Ukrainian delegation on a revised peace plan.

Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, who also attended the Witkoff-Kushner meeting alongside Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, told reporters after that the conversations were "extremely useful, constructive and substantive," according to a readout released by the Kremlin.

"We specifically discussed territorial issues, without which the crisis cannot be settled, as we see it. Of course, we also talked about the broad prospects for future economic interaction between our countries," said Ushakov.

TRUMP ENVOY STEVE WITKOFF HEADS TO MOSCOW AS UKRAINE PEACE TALKS GAIN MOMENTUM

He added that the Russian side received four documents from Witkoff and Kushner during the meeting, including one that consisted of 27 points, but declined to go into detail of what they contained.

The original leaked 28-point plan was criticized by European leaders as too favorable to Moscow and later whittled down.

The issue of territory was a key part of the discussion, according to Ushakov, who said no compromise had yet been found.

UKRAINE PEACE TALKS PRODUCTIVE AS EX-GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS COUNTRY RETHINKING 'UNCOMPROMISING' STANCE

"However, some of the American proposals appear more or less acceptable. They do, nevertheless, require further discussion. Certain wording we have been offered is not suitable for us. In other words, the work will continue," said the senior Russian diplomat.

A key sticking point in negotiations has been territorial demands from Russia, who wants Ukraine to relinquish the entire Donbas, including parts its military does not currently control. 

The Institute for the Study of War, a nonpartisan public policy research organization that tracks the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine war, said Russian forces have advanced in Sumy Oblast and near Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk and Huliaipole.

PUTIN WARNS RUSSIA ‘READY’ IF EUROPE ‘SUDDENLY WANTS TO WAGE WAR WITH US’ AMID UKRAINE TALKS

Ukraine’s Joint Forces Task Force reported on Telegram that its forces still control most of the city of Kupiansk, though Russian forces maintain isolated groups in the northern parts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Rustem Umerov, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, was preparing for a meeting in Brussels with national security advisors to European leaders to brief their colleagues on the Witkoff-Kushner meeting with Putin.

"After Brussels, Rustem Umerov and Andrii Hnatov will begin preparations for a meeting with envoys of President Trump in the United States," said Zelenskyy. "As always, Ukraine will work constructively in pursuit of a real peace. I expect a new report following the results of today’s meetings in Europe."

KAOHSIUNG: Last week, Taiwan President William Lai unveiled a massive $40 billion supplemental defense procurement proposal, casting it as proof that the independently ruled, democratic island is serious about countering escalating military pressure from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC has not governed Taiwan for even a single day but claims it as its territory.

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that, "We welcome Taiwan’s announcement of a new $40 billion special defense procurement budget. Consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and more than 45 years of commitment across multiple U.S. Administrations, the United States supports Taiwan’s acquisition of critical defense capabilities, commensurate with the threat it faces." 

The spokesperson also commended Taipei, "We also welcome the Lai administration’s recent commitments to increase defense spending to at least 3% of GDP by 2026 and 5% of GDP by 2030, which demonstrates resolve to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities."

CHINA’S ENERGY SIEGE OF TAIWAN COULD CRIPPLE US SUPPLY CHAINS, REPORT WARNS

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) – the de facto American embassy – responded very positively almost immediately after Lai’s proposal was announced. Courtney Donovan Smith, a political columnist for the Taipei Times, told Fox News Digital that the strong support from AIT, "Amounts to a public American stamp of approval."

A day after Lai’s announcement, Taiwan’s Defense Minister, Wellington Koo, told the media that preliminary talks have already been held with the United States about the kinds of weapons it wants to buy as part of this budget that would run from 2026 to 2033. But Koo said he could not make any details of discussions public until Congress receives a formal notification.

Yet some in Taiwan expressed concern that the language from the administration was somewhat understated, and didn’t come from senior-enough officials. 

Those worried about what they perceive as a muted tone from the Trump administration wondered if the timing could be sensitive, coming shortly after President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to a trade deal, and just days after Xi phoned Trump to reiterate Beijing’s claims over Taiwan, claims the U.S. "acknowledges" but does not accept.

Even so, Taipei-based political risk analyst and Tamkang University assistant professor Ross Feingold told Fox News Digital that U.S. support fundamentally has not shifted and that when it comes to U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, "If Taiwan is a willing buyer, the Trump administration is likely to be a willing seller."

Also causing distress to the fragile egos of China’s communist leaders is Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a conservative who became Japan’s first female prime minister in October. She appeared to break long-standing Japanese strategic ambiguity over Taiwan when, asked on Nov. 7 in parliament whether a Chinese attack on Taiwan would qualify as "a situation threatening Japan’s survival."

Takaichi didn’t deflect with a "I don’t comment on hypotheticals." Instead, she said, "If there are battleships and the use of force, no matter how you think about it, it could constitute a survival-threatening situation."

Under Japan’s 2015 security law, that designation could allow Japanese military action in defense of an ally.

TAIWAN GENERAL WARNS CHINA’S MILITARY DRILLS COULD BE PREPARATION FOR BLOCKADE OR WAR, VOWS TO RESIST

China predictably lashed out, immediately calling her remarks "egregious." A Chinese diplomat in Osaka escalated further, reposting coverage on X with a threat-like warning: "The dirty head that sticks itself in must be cut off."

Kerry K. Gershaneck, a visiting scholar at National Chengchi University and a former U.S. Marine counterintelligence officer, told Fox News Digital that the U.S. needed to clearly denounce China for threats against Japan and the Japanese prime minister. Gershaneck warned that Asian allies remember past U.S. abandonment" under what he called the "do not provoke China!" policy of the Obama administration. "Unless high-level Washington officials signal stronger support, he said, "the Trump 47 administration risks going down in history as Barack Hussein Obama’s third term."

Feingold noted that while Takaichi’s stance was enthusiastically received in Taiwan, the excitement "was unsustainable and not based on a formal policy decision by Japan to defend Taiwan."

Following reports that President Trump phoned the Japanese prime minister and requested that she dial down talk about Taiwan, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru issued a strong denial, saying Trump did not advise Takaichi to "temper the tone of her comments about Taiwan."

While the geopolitical shifts grabbed headlines, Lai’s real challenge is domestic. Taiwan has a single-chamber legislature, and Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party does not have a majority.

Cheng Li-wun, the new chair of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), campaigned against boosting defense spending to 5% of GDP and has repeatedly argued Taiwan is "not an ATM" for "unreasonable" military budgets. The KMT supports renewed engagement with Beijing and acceptance of the "1992 Consensus," a proposed framework that allows both sides to claim there is "one China" while interpreting the meaning differently. Lai rejects that position entirely, calling it a path toward subordination to China.

Bryce Barros, associate fellow at GLOBSEC and a former U.S. Senate national security advisor, told Fox News Digital that there are serious hurdles. "Opposition leaders have cited cuts to other essential services like healthcare, lack of details on how the budget will be paid for and concerns over more hostilities with China," he said. But Barros said the head of the de facto American embassy has called for bipartisan support for the bill, and he noted Lai needs only six opposition defections for the vote to pass.

Analysts also stress the proposal is not solely for U.S. weapons. Lai wants major investment in domestic defense manufacturing, including a "dome" anti-missile system, which could help blunt accusations of excessive spending to curry favor with Washington. But the plan still faces a volatile parliament and certain retaliation from China.

The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will resume on Dec. 30, the country’s transport ministry announced Wednesday, more than a decade after the airplane’s mysterious disappearance over the Indian Ocean.

The Malaysian government said that Texas-based marine robotics company Ocean Infinity is set to begin a 55-day targeted deep-sea search for the missing aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean by the end of the month, according to the Associated Press.

On March 8, 2014, the Boeing 777 took off from Kuala Lumpur heading toward Beijing, when it disappeared around 90 seconds after leaving Malaysian airspace, vanishing along with all 239 passengers in what has become one of aviation’s greatest unsolved mysteries.

Satellite data revealed the plane deviated from its flight path and went south towards the far-southern Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have crashed.

AMY BRADLEY DISAPPEARANCE SEES 3 MAJOR NEW LEADS AS INVESTIGATORS RENEW DECADES-OLD SEARCH: REPORT

According to a statement from Malaysia’s Transport Ministry, as reported by AP, Ocean Infinity will hunt in targeted areas believed to have the highest likelihood of finding the missing aircraft.

"The latest development underscores the government of Malaysia’s commitment in providing closure to the families affected by this tragedy," the transport ministry stated.

The announcement comes after Malaysia’s government gave final approval in March for Ocean Infinity to start the search, after agreeing to a "no-find, no fee" contract that rewards the company $70 million only if wreckage is discovered within the 5,800-square-mile site.

GOVERNMENT RELEASES NEWLY DECLASSIFIED AMELIA EARHART DISAPPEARANCE RECORDS FROM NATIONAL ARCHIVES

Previously, debris was found washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands, but a multinational search failed to discover clues to MH370’s location.

Ocean Infinity also conducted a private search in 2018 that failed to unearth any, but CEO Oliver Plunkett reportedly said earlier this year that his company had since improved its technology.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Ocean Infinity for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pope Leo has spoken out about the dangers of military action by the U.S. in overthrowing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and appeared to ask President Trump to prioritize dialogue and diplomatic pressure, according to Vatican reports.

The pontiff’s poignant appeal came as the White House intensified its campaign against Maduro this week, largely because of alleged involvement by his regime in illegal drug trafficking.

"We are trying to find a way to calm the situation, seeking above all the good of the people, because in these situations it is the people who suffer, not the authorities," Leo told reporters on a flight home from Lebanon Tuesday.

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

"The signals coming from the United States change, and so we must see. … On the one hand, it seems there has been a telephone conversation between the two presidents; on the other hand, there is this danger, this possibility, that there could be an action, an operation, including an invasion of Venezuelan territory."

The pope spoke after the U.S. deployed its largest military presence in the Caribbean, including strikes against vessels suspected of drug trafficking.

This week, according to reports, Trump had delivered an ultimatum to Maduro in a phone call, demanding that he surrender power immediately.

Maduro reportedly refused, insisting instead on a "global amnesty" for himself and his allies.

TRUMP REVEALS MADURO 'WOULD LIKE TO TALK' AS MILITARY OPTIONS REMAIN ON THE TABLE FOR VENEZUELA

"I again believe it is better to seek dialogue within this pressure, including economic pressure, but looking for another way to bring about change if that is what the United States decide to do," the Pope added.

Speaking to 81 reporters aboard the papal plane, he appeared to express concern about the rising tensions.

Leo, answering a reporter's question, also said the signals coming from the U.S. administration about its policy toward Venezuela seemed unclear.

POPE LEO XIV STRONGLY SUPPORTS US BISHOPS' CONDEMNATION OF TRUMP IMMIGRATION RAIDS: 'EXTREMELY DISRESPECTFUL'

The 70-year-old Chicago-born pontiff, elected in May after the death of Pope Francis, also used the in-flight news conference to speak about the role of the Holy See, which works "behind the scenes" in peace negotiations so that all parties may lay down arms.

He also spoke about the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Vatican for comment.

President Maduro’s appeal to oil-rich nations Sunday laid bare just how isolated he has become, a Latin American oil expert says, before describing Venezuela as "broke" and drowning in $150 billion of debt.

The Venezuelan dictator's plea came in a letter in which he appealed to OPEC for support, claiming that U.S. "direct aggression" was undermining Venezuela’s energy sector and threatening global oil stability.

In a letter to OPEC Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais and published by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, Maduro wrote, "I hope to count on your best efforts to help stop this aggression, which is growing stronger and seriously threatens the balance of the international energy market, both for producing and consuming countries."

TRUMP GAVE MADURO ULTIMATUM TO FLEE VENEZUELA AS LAND OPERATIONS LOOM: REPORT

"OPEC is unlikely to get involved," Francisco J. Monaldi, Latin American Energy Policy Director, told Fox News Digital.

"Saudi Arabia is the key player, and they will not want to confront the Trump Administration. But more importantly, they never get involved in this kind of conflict," he added.

In his plea, Maduro argued that U.S. actions were designed to "destabilize" Venezuela and urged oil-producing nations to show solidarity.

The U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuela targeting government officials, state-run industries like oil and mining, and financial transactions in response to concerns over corruption, trafficking and human-rights abuses.

TRUMP PUSHES PEACE IN EUROPE, PRESSURE IN THE AMERICAS — INSIDE THE TWO-FRONT GAMBLE

His request followed President Trump’s order to close U.S. airspace over Venezuela, a move that tightened Washington’s pressure campaign and further restricted the regime’s ability to carry out international business.

Yet Monaldi stressed that Maduro knows his appeal was only symbolic and had "framed" the situation to suit his own narrative over oil.

"Maduro knows perfectly well that he is not going to get the reaction that he would want, but is framing the conflict as a conflict about oil," he argued.

"Venezuela could once again become a major oil producer and produce about 4 million barrels a day in less than a decade, significantly quadrupling their current output.

WASHINGTON’S SHADOW WAR: HOW STRIKES ON CARTELS THREATEN TO COLLAPSE MADURO’S REGIME

"The country could increase production if the oil sector is opened fully to private foreign investment, and that requires regime change.

Four million barrels of oil per day will be the equivalent of about $90 billion per year in revenues, which is similar to what Venezuela received in the best of times.

The income could allow Venezuela to pay the debt back and recover swiftly, micro, economically, although it will take years to get to that figure."

TRUMP SAYS VENEZUELA'S MADURO DOESN’T WANT TO ‘F*** AROUND’ WITH THE US

"Now Venezuela is a country that is broke and has $150 billion of debt," he said.

Tensions escalated further this week after a call between President Trump and Maduro, in which Trump said the Venezuelan leader should step down and leave the country, a direct push toward political transition.

"A regime change is something that the U.S., if they can achieve it, would consider a positive outcome," Monaldi said.

But he emphasized that Washington’s goals extend beyond energy. Venezuela, he said, has endured years of mismanagement and instability, making it not necessarily a safe bet.

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

The broader U.S. priority, he added, is maintaining the Western Hemisphere.

"The U.S. has priorities to preserve the Western Hemisphere as a region in which geopolitical rivals are not strong," Monaldi said.

"The U.S. wants to reduce crime and drug trafficking in the region and the negative effects that Venezuela has had, you know, that have impacted the rest of the Latin American region," he added.