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A U.S. Navy veteran, who was reportedly sailing in international waters until Russian authorities forced him to dock his yacht with a firearm onboard, has been sentenced to five years in prison for smuggling weapons, court officials announced Monday.

The court system of Krasnodar Krai identified the man as Charles Wayne Zimmerman, 58, whom U.S. officials had reported missing before Monday's announcement. A website set up in support of Zimmerman described him as a U.S. Navy veteran, a father of two and an electrician, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

According to local authorities, Zimmerman docked his yacht in the Russian port city of Sochi on June 19, 2025, after departing from North Carolina in July 2024 and sailing through several European countries. During border control in Sochi, Zimmerman allegedly failed to declare a firearm onboard. Authorities said an inspection later uncovered the weapons and ammunition, which they claimed had been purchased by Zimmerman prior to entering Russia.

At the subsequent court hearing, "the defendant pleaded guilty in full," the court system in Krasnodar Krai said. Records show Zimmerman was convicted in October and that the Sochi court’s verdict was upheld two months later by the Krasnodar Regional Court, the AP reported.

RUSSIA UPS JAIL SENTENCE OF U.S. CITIZEN TO 10 YEARS FOR BEATING PRISON STAFF

Zimmerman’s sister, Robin Stultz, claimed that her brother was wrongfully detained in Russia, saying that Russian authorities forced him to pilot his vessel to Sochi from international waters, according to the AP.

He was "sailing in international waters when he was intercepted by the Russian Navy and forced to motor 22 hours to Sochi," Stultz added in a statement to CBS News.

Zimmerman reportedly disclosed his weapons but was charged anyway, Stultz said, claiming that his arrest was a strategic move by Russia to use him as leverage in a potential U.S. exchange.

VENEZUELA ARRESTS MORE AMERICANS AS TRUMP RAMPS UP PRESSURE ON MADURO: REPORT

"He was sailing from the U.S. to New Zealand, so of course, he had a firearm on board," she told the AP in a statement. "You can’t just call 911 if something goes wrong out at sea. He voluntarily disclosed it to them and they charged him with arms smuggling. This is an obvious set-up to get another American they can trade. He needs to be declared wrongfully detained."

His sister added that she "wouldn't trust any 'confession' the Russians claim he's given," and alleged that Russian authorities had denied her brother access to U.S. diplomatic representatives since his arrest.

Washington has accused Moscow of imprisoning U.S. nationals to use them as bargaining chips for Russian spies held abroad. Since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, dozens of Westerners, including Americans, have been detained in Russia, with many later released in prisoner exchanges.

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

Russian authorities reported that Zimmerman decided to sail to Sochi on his own after reportedly meeting a Russian woman online. While he reportedly did not know it was illegal to store weapons on his yacht when docking, authorities said that "ignorance of the law does not exempt from liability."

"He met a girl online who lives in Kazan and decided to join her in Russia on his yacht," the Krasnodar Krai court system said. "Before setting out, he didn't bother to research Russian laws and assumed that the weapons he kept on board for self-defense should simply remain on board at all times."

A video released by the regional court shows a docked yacht, a single black hunting rifle in a case and two boxes of Remington rifle-caliber cartridges.

On Sept. 6, 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard’s East region issued a missing person alert for then-57-year-old Charles Zimmerman, who had departed North Carolina aboard his 35-foot green-and-white-hulled vessel, named the Trude Zena. He was reportedly heading to New Zealand, with planned stops in the Mediterranean Sea.

Iran’s internet blackout has hardened into a permanent system of digital repression, with the regime treating citizens’ access to the outside world as an "existential threat," according to digital rights monitors.

Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported Monday that Iran’s connectivity landscape had shifted dramatically as the country entered its 22nd day of unrest, following several days of almost total nationwide internet shutdown.

"On the twenty-second day, after several days of an almost complete internet shutdown, reports emerged of limited and unstable internet connectivity in some parts of the country," NetBlocks reported.

"Indications are that we’re seeing a move toward a kind of ‘filternet plus’ censorship scheme in Iran," NetBlocks CEO Alp Toker told Fox News Digital before pointing to "a rapid decline into a darker kind of digital darkness."

KHAMENEI CALLS TRUMP A ‘CRIMINAL,’ BLAMES HIM FOR DEADLY PROTESTS SWEEPING IRAN

"The key difference from the pre-protest filternet arrangement is that, while internet platforms were extensively censored before, the regime is selectively whitelisting only a handful of services it deems critical for business needs.

"Even this selective access is sporadic, which means the censorship is likely still in the test phase," he added. "In practice though, ordinary users remain offline."

Toker described how the digital darkness "is in fact getting darker because the information controls are getting tighter."

"Where international links were tolerated as a window to trade, the regime is approaching each of these as potential threats," he said before adding that the regime "sees its own citizens’ ability to communicate with the rest of the world as an existential threat because the people are disaffected."

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) at least 2,571 people were killed as of Monday, with additional deaths reported but not yet fully verified amid the communications blackout.

The internet blackout began Jan. 8 amid escalating demonstrations since Dec. 28, as authorities sought to prevent protesters from organizing, sharing videos of crackdowns and communicating with the outside world.

Since then, connectivity has remained inconsistent, with frequent outages and throttling even when partial access is restored.

IRAN ACCUSED OF KILLING 16,500 IN SWEEPING ‘GENOCIDE’ CRACKDOWN: REPORT

Iran International reported the blackout was expected to last until at least late March, with IranWire saying government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told media activists that access to international online services would not be restored before Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, on March 20.

"Having internet access was always a window to the outside and a lifeline for many Iranians," Toker added. "It allowed for personal expression and culture that is banned by the regime."

"These online freedoms can be as simple as online gaming, watching foreign movies or women’s ability to participate equally in spaces that would otherwise be barred by the Islamic Republic," he added.

"With the internet blackout continuing, the curtain has been drawn on that window," Toker said. "This is angering many Iranians, particularly Gen Z, who stand to lose a part of their identity."

The blackout has also coincided with cyber incidents targeting Iran’s state infrastructure.

IRAN PUSHES FOR FAST TRIALS AND EXECUTIONS OF SUSPECTS DETAINED IN PROTESTS DESPITE TRUMP'S WARNING: REPORT

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, anti-regime activists hacked Iran’s national broadcaster, briefly interrupting state television to air protest messages and calls from Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah and a prominent opposition figure.

"We aren’t able to see the specific hack here," Toker explained. "The lack of up-to-date security is an issue for Iran."

"It is caused directly by the country’s digital isolation," he said. "Iran’s internet systems are outdated, and security tools aren’t available due to internet restrictions."

Toker added that embargoes force widespread use of pirated software, which often contains hidden vulnerabilities that can be exploited to breach critical networks.

He said cyber warfare played a major role during the June 2025 clashes between Israel and Iran, prompting the blackout as a defensive measure against digital attacks. Israel, he noted, also restricted parts of its own network at the time.

"In 2026, we haven’t seen the same focus on cyber incidents, but it’s clear there’s an ongoing battle between state actors as well as individual hackers," Toker said.

The Syrian army’s rapid-fire conquest of important areas and towns previously controlled by the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), culminated on Sunday in a fragile ceasefire agreement with a stern warning from a powerful U.S. Senator and experts about the reported crimes of forces controlled by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Jim Risch, R-Idaho., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Fox News Digital, "The Syrian government’s decree to respect Kurdish rights is a good sign, but the conduct of its forces on the ground must match. Division and violence in Syria between U.S. partners only benefit bad actors like ISIS and Iran who exploit Syria to use as a breeding ground for international terrorism, including against the U.S. I welcome the announcement of a ceasefire and will be watching its implementation closely."

Al-Sharaa, a former U.S.-designated terrorist who was a member of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, greenlighted an incursion into territory ruled peacefully by the SDF for over a decade.

Amid Risch's warning, reports coming out of Syria claim skirmishes between the Syrian army and SDF are continuing. 

134 HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEMAND 'ASSURANCES' BEFORE US EASES SYRIA SANCTIONS

The news organization, Kurdistan 24, showed alleged footage of al-Sharaa’s forces releasing Islamic State prisoners. According to the report, "The Syrian Arab Army releases ISIS prisoners in al-Tabqah city." 

The footage has been widely posted on social media. Fox News Digital could not independently verify the video.

The State Department referred Fox News Digital to an X post from the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, who also serves as the Special Envoy for Syria. Barrack wrote on X about the deal between SDF General Mazloum Abdi and al-Sharra.

"Two great Syrian leaders, driven by the shared vision of liberating their country and people from tyranny, have now come together to forge a brighter future for all Syrians. This agreement and ceasefire represent a pivotal inflection point, where former adversaries embrace partnership over division."

TRUMP HOLDS KEY TO SAVING SYRIA'S VANISHING CHRISTIANS IN CRUCIAL WHITE HOUSE MEETING

Barrack added, "President al-Sharaa has affirmed that the Kurds are an integral part of Syria, and the United States looks forward to the seamless integration of our historic partner in the fight against ISIS with the Global Coalition’s newest member, as we press forward in the enduring battle against terrorism."

However, the People's Protection Units (YPG) commander Sipan Hamo — a Syrian organization that is part of the SDF — said on the Saturday meeting between U.S. envoy Tom Barrack and Kurdish officials produced no roadmap to a ceasefire. He denied Syria's Kurds wanted to secede or create an independent state and said their future was in Syria.

"Our greatest hope is that there will be a tangible outcome, especially from the coalition and the United States, meaning that they will intervene more forcefully in the existing problems than what they are currently doing," Hamo said.

The head of the main Kurdish forces told Reuters that the U.S. should intervene more forcefully to end a Syrian offensive that has gained key territory from Kurdish fighters in recent days.

DEADLY STRIKE ON US TROOPS TESTS TRUMP’S COUNTER-ISIS PLAN — AND HIS TRUST IN SYRIA’S NEW LEADER

Government troops launched an offensive on Saturday into territory run for the last decade by semi-autonomous Kurdish authorities in the northeast of Syria, capturing towns on both sides of the Euphrates River and the country's largest oil and gas field, officials and security sources said.

But given Kurdish "concerns about the changes taking place," the U.S. should offer assurances of protection to them.

Hamo said that, "In the current situation and the chaos we are living in, the only ones who can offer guarantees are the United States or the coalition," he added in a rare interview from Hasakeh province, which is still under Kurdish control.

"We believe that the responsibility for everything currently happening inside Syria lies with the Western countries, and especially the United States of America," he said.

"Of course, we consider Israel a powerful state in the region with its own agenda. We hope that the same stance taken by other countries in the region towards certain minorities in Syria will be extended to the Kurds as well," Hamo said.

Asked if he was referring to Israel's stance towards the Druze minority last summer — when Israel carried out air strikes on the defense ministry, near the presidential palace in Damascus and on Syrian troops advancing on Druze cities, Hamo said, "of course."

ISRAEL AND SYRIA RESUME DIPLOMATIC DIALOGUE AFTER MONTHS OF SILENCE UNDER US MEDIATION

Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, told Fox News Digital that, "President Trump has spoken about giving Syria and all its peoples a fresh opportunity to turn a new page. Yet, Ahmed al Sharaa’s actions appear to move against that intention, and many Kurds believe he is abusing the political space that was meant to support stability rather than deepen tensions. "

Civiroglu added that "I don’t think the U.S. is abandoning the Kurds, but President Trump’s good intention is being abused by Sharaa. Lawmakers in Washington have also expressed unease about the interim Syrian government’s treatment of minorities, which reflects broader questions about its commitment to inclusive governance."

Civiroglu posted footage on his popular X account of al-Sharaa supporters toppling "a statue of a female Kurdish fighter after interim Syrian government forces seized Tabqa from the SDF. Kurdish fighters backed by the United States had liberated the town from ISIS in May 2017."

Civiroglu said, "al-Sharaa’s confrontations with Kurdish forces, following earlier pressure on Alawite and Druze areas, reinforce doubts about the interim government’s legitimacy and its ability to represent Syria’s diverse population.

"The International community must remember that the Kurdish people have long fought alongside the United States, France and the West in the campaign against ISIS, and many are watching closely to see how these partners interpret the latest escalation," he said.

Max Abrahms, a leading expert on counter-terrorism and a professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Fox News Digital, "The YPG and then SDF were America’s primary counterterrorism forces against Islamic State in Syria during the war. Unlike the so-called "rebels," our Kurdish warrior friends exhibited both capability and moderation. It’s not surprising that the jihadists, upon taking power in Damascus, would turn their guns on the Kurdish forces. Of course, we need to stand with them."

The World Economic Forum (WEF) on Monday withdrew an invitation for Iran’s foreign minister to attend the Davos summit in Switzerland after an advocacy group urged it to bar Iranian regime officials amid nationwide anti-government protests that have left thousands dead.

In a post on X, the WEF confirmed that Abbas Araghchi would not be permitted to attend the five-day event.

"Although he was invited last fall, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year," the organization said. 

The announcement comes after the advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) sent a letter to WEF President Børge Brende on Friday, urging him to rescind the invitation and bar Iranian regime officials from attending amid a brutal crackdown on civilians.

LINDSEY GRAHAM SPEAKS AGAINST PENDING EXECUTION OF 26-YEAR-OLD IRANIAN PROTESTER: 'THIS REGIME MUST FALL'

UANI CEO Ambassador Mark Wallace welcomed the decision, telling Fox News Digital in a statement after Araghchi’s invitation was withdrawn: "UANI commends the World Economic Forum for revoking the invitation of Iran’s Foreign Minister from this year’s gathering in Davos. Iranian regime representatives should not be platformed at international events given their crimes against the Iranian people and their long history of supporting terrorism."

Iran is currently facing nationwide anti-government protests that have drawn a violent response from security forces and placed growing pressure on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which tracks human rights violations in Iran, said on Sunday that nationwide protests continued into the 22nd day as President Donald Trump weighs possible U.S. military action.

FETTERMAN 'OPEN' TO MORE US STRIKES ON IRAN AS REGIME 'SLAUGHTERING THOUSANDS'

The group's aggregated figures showed 624 recorded protests, the arrest of at least 24,669 people and the confirmed deaths of 3,919 individuals.

HRANA said 3,685 of those killed were protesters, including 25 children under the age of 18.

Nearly 9,000 deaths remain under investigation.

White House press secretary Karoline Levitt said at a press briefing last week that the Trump administration was closely watching the situation in Iran.

IRAN ACCUSED OF KILLING 16,500 IN SWEEPING ‘GENOCIDE' CRACKDOWN: REPORT

"All options remain on the table for the president," she told reporters.

A 12-year-old Australian boy was fighting for his life after suffering catastrophic injuries in a shark attack in Sydney Harbor, surviving only because his friends leaped from a cliff and dragged him back to shore, authorities said.

The attack happened around 4:20 p.m. Sunday after the boy jumped from a 20-foot ledge known as Jump Rock near Shark Beach in the eastern Sydney suburb of Vaucluse, police said in a statement. Police said the boy suffered severe injuries to both legs from what is believed to have been "a large shark."

His three friends immediately jumped into the water and pulled him to shore, actions authorities said likely saved his life.

"The actions of his mates who have gone into the water to pull him out have been nothing but brave," said Superintendent Joseph McNulty of the New South Wales Police Marine Area Command, calling the injuries "very confronting" for the young rescuers to witness.

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Local media reports said the boy lost both legs in the attack.

"He is in for the fight of his life now, and the actions of emergency services yesterday gave him that chance," McNulty said.

The attack was one of three shark encounters reported in the Sydney area in just over 24 hours.

SURFER SAYS SHARK ATTACK FELT 'LIKE BEING HIT BY A CAR' AS BOARD BITTEN IN HALF: REPORTS

On Monday evening, a surfer in his 20s was bitten on the leg by a shark off North Steyne Beach in the northern suburb of Manly. Bystanders pulled him from the water, and he was taken to a hospital in critical condition, police said.

Earlier Monday, an 11-year-old boy escaped unharmed after a shark bit into his surfboard at Dee Why Beach, also north of Manly.

Authorities believe bull sharks may be responsible for at least the first two attacks. Police said recent heavy rainfall had increased murky freshwater runoff into Sydney Harbor, conditions known to heighten bull shark activity.

Sydney’s northern beaches, including North Steyne and Dee Why, remained closed as a precaution. All three locations have shark netting, though officials said it was not immediately clear whether the attacks occurred near those barriers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Multiple Iranian state TV channels were hacked on Sunday amid a near-total internet shutdown to air footage of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and images of anti-government protests that have rocked Tehran in recent weeks.

Two clips of Pahlavi were shown as well as a graphic calling on Iranian security forces to side with the public, The Associated Press reported.

"Don't point your weapons at the people. Join the nation for the freedom of Iran," one graphic read, according to a translation from the outlet.

Pahlavi himself called on Iran’s military to break with the Islamic Republic and side with the people.

TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP CREATES 'RARE OPPORTUNITY' FOR CHANGE IN IRAN, FORMER IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER SAYS

"I have a special message for the military. You are the national army of Iran, not the Islamic Republic army," he said in the hacked broadcast. "You have a duty to protect your own lives. You don’t have much time left. Join the people as soon as possible."

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which tracks human rights violations in Iran, said on Sunday that nationwide protests continued into the 22nd day as President Donald Trump weighs possible U.S. military action.

The group’s aggregated figures showed 624 recorded protests, the arrest of at least 24,669 people and the confirmed deaths of 3,919 individuals.

KHAMENEI CALLS TRUMP A ‘CRIMINAL,’ BLAMES HIM FOR DEADLY PROTESTS SWEEPING IRAN

HRANA said 3,685 of those killed were protesters, including 25 children under the age of 18.

Nearly 9,000 deaths remain under investigation.

Iran International reported that witnesses across multiple cities told them security forces stormed hospitals, removed injured protesters and interfered with medical care, while reports from other areas described overwhelmed morgues and a strong security presence around medical facilities.

The outlet also reported that witnesses described injured protesters being left without medical care after shootings, as ambulances failed to arrive and phone networks were unavailable.

Others said hospitals were inaccessible or refused treatment, resulting in some wounded protesters bleeding to death while taking shelter in nearby buildings.

Iranian protesters are facing their deadliest days yet as security forces unleash mass killings and executions in a sweeping crackdown some have labeled "genocide," new reports say.

According to The Sunday Times, a report compiled by doctors entrenched in the region and reviewed by the outlet, estimates that security forces have killed at least 16,500 protesters and injured more than 330,000 others.

The report also described the violence as an "utter slaughter," warning that the true toll may be even higher due to restricted access to hospitals and the near-total shutdown of communications.

POMPEO SAYS IRANIAN REGIME HAS ARRIVED AT 'NATURAL TERMINUS': 'LET'S NOT WASTE THIS HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY'

Most of the victims, the report says, are believed to be under the age of 30, underscoring the heavy toll on Iran’s younger generation as the regime intensifies its efforts to crush dissent.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged Sunday that "several thousands" have been killed since protests erupted Dec. 28.

In a televised address, he blamed demonstrators, calling them "foot-soldiers of the U.S." and falsely claiming protesters were armed with imported live ammunition.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that as of day 22 of the protests, verified figures show 3,919 people killed, with 8,949 additional deaths under investigation, 2,109 severely injured, and 24,669 detainees.

HRANA noted that the true toll is likely far higher due to the internet shutdown.

Professor Amir Parasta, an Iranian-German eye surgeon and medical director of Munich MED, said in The Sunday Times report that doctors across Iran are "shocked and crying," despite having experience treating war injuries.

G7 THREATENS IRAN WITH NEW SANCTIONS OVER NATIONWIDE PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS

"This is a whole new level of brutality," Parasta said. He added that Starlink terminals smuggled into Iran have been the only means of communication since authorities cut internet access on Jan. 8.

Eyewitnesses who fled Iran also described snipers targeting protesters’ heads, mass shootings and systematic blinding using pellet guns.

One former Iranian resident said in the report that doctors reported more than 800 eye removals in a single night in the capital alone, with possibly more than 8,000 people blinded nationwide.

"This is genocide under the cover of digital darkness," Parasta said.

Alongside the street killings, executions have surged dramatically, according to Ali Safavi, a senior official with the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

Safavi told Fox News Digital that 2,200 people were executed in 2025, while 153 have already been hanged in the first 18 days of January 2026, averaging more than eight executions per day.

IRAN REGIME OPENED FIRE WITH LIVE AMMUNITION ON PROTESTERS, DOCTOR SAYS: ‘SHOOT-TO-KILL’

"Ali Khamenei is continuing mass executions in parallel with the killing of young protesters," Safavi said. "Three executions in the form of hanging are now happening every hour according to our data."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi previously disputed high death tolls reported in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier, claiming fatalities were only in the hundreds and dismissing higher figures as "misinformation."

President Donald Trump sharply condemned Khamenei over the weekend, calling him a "sick man" and urging new leadership in Iran.

In an interview with Politico, Trump accused Khamenei of overseeing "the complete destruction of the country" and using "violence at levels never seen before," adding that Iran’s leadership should "stop killing people."

A viral video showing an Iranian refugee lighting a cigarette using a burning image of Iran’s supreme leader has become a global flashpoint as protests rock the Islamic Republic and President Donald Trump weighs military action against the regime.

The Associated Press reported the 34-second video shows a woman believed to be living in Canada igniting a photo of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – a capital crime in Iran – before calmly lighting a cigarette and letting the image fall to the ground.

The images accompanying this story show protesters recreating the act at demonstrations outside Iran, not the woman featured in the original viral video.

The footage has spread rapidly across social media as Iran’s government carries out a violent crackdown on dissent that activists say has killed thousands.

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The video has been shared millions of times across platforms such as X, Instagram and Reddit, with many viewers seeing it as a stark act of defiance against Iran’s clerical rulers.

Others have questioned whether the moment was spontaneous or staged, highlighting the growing skepticism that surrounds viral images in an age of artificial intelligence and information warfare.

What is undisputed is the symbolism of the act. In Iran, burning an image of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei can be punishable by death.

Smoking in public is considered immodest, and women are legally required to wear hijabs. In the brief clip, the woman defies all three norms at once, appearing without a headscarf as her hair hangs close to the flame.

G7 THREATENS IRAN WITH NEW SANCTIONS OVER NATIONWIDE PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS

The gesture has leapt from the digital world into the real one. Photos and videos have surfaced from protests in Europe, Israel and the U.S. showing demonstrators lighting cigarettes using images of Khamenei, mimicking what has become known online as the "cigarette girl" moment.

Iranian state media has announced wave after wave of arrests, targeting those it labels "terrorists" and seizing Starlink satellite internet equipment – often the only way videos can escape the country during government-imposed internet blackouts.

Activists say the regime has intensified repression in recent weeks as unrest spreads amid economic collapse and political instability.

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The AP reported the woman has described herself in interviews with other outlets as an Iranian refugee living in Toronto, and said she fled Iran after repeated arrests and abuse by security forces.

She filmed the video on Jan. 7, according to The AP – one day before Iran imposed a near-total internet blackout. She did so to show solidarity with "friends" inside the country, she said. She has asked that her real name not be published, citing fears for her safety and for family members who remain in Iran.

The video’s explosive reach underscores how social media has become a central battleground in modern conflicts, with images shaping global perception faster than governments can control them.

As Trump weighs next steps toward Tehran, the clip has become more than a viral moment – it has become a symbol of resistance, scrutiny and the high stakes of dissent under authoritarian rule.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Members of Iran’s ruling elite are said to have moved "tens of millions of dollars" out of the country as the U.S. imposed fresh sanctions over the regime’s violent protest crackdown, according to reports.

The regime's "capital flight" came as the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced on Jan. 15 in a release that it was taking "action against the shadow banking networks that allow Iran’s elite to steal and launder revenue generated by the country’s natural resources."

"There are several reports, some of which are yet to be confirmed, about capital flight in various forms from the Islamic Republic," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

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If confirmed, Ben Taleblu said, the suspected exodus of money underscores the need for U.S. authorities to track and "freeze and seize" assets tied to sanctioned figures.

"If capital flight has taken place, then these are accounts that the U.S. government should be looking to monitor, block, freeze and seize," he said.

"At the direction of President Trump, the Treasury Department is sanctioning key Iranian leaders involved in the brutal crackdown against the Iranian people. Treasury will use every tool to target those behind the regime’s tyrannical oppression of human rights," Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent also said in a statement on Jan. 15.

Bessent went on to reveal in an interview how his department had tracked the wiring of "tens of millions of dollars" out of Iran by leaders.

"We are now seeing the rats fleeing the ship, because we can see millions, tens of millions of dollars being wired out of the country, snuck out of the country by the Iranian leadership," Bessent added.

FREED IRANIAN PRISONER SAYS ‘IN TRUMP, THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC HAS MET ITS MATCH’

"So they are abandoning ship, and we are seeing it come into banks and financial institutions all over the world," he added.

Iranian figures were said to be moving large sums abroad, with Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei allegedly transferring roughly $328 million overseas as part of an estimated $1.5 billion shift in recent days, Channel 14 reported.

"There were also some reports on social media about large volumes of Bitcoin being transferred, or other kinds of financial assets. I haven’t been able to independently confirm that, but it is something that’s being discussed," Ben Taleblu added.

"The fact that the Treasury Department is looking at this tells you quite seriously that Washington is also trying to link its foreign economic policy with its national security policy," he said.

Ben Taleblu also claimed Iran’s shadow banking system has been deeply embedded in global finance, with billions of dollars routed through jurisdictions "including the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Singapore."

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"In the past, Washington has tracked the regime’s shadow banking activities, which, unfortunately, even include trade and money laundering through friendlier, more Western-leaning jurisdictions," Ben Taleblu explained.

"In fact, the Treasury Department identified almost $9 billion of Iranian shadow banking activity that touched U.S. correspondent accounts throughout 2024," he said.

Ben Taleblu added that the economic pressure campaign places renewed attention on President Donald Trump’s next move.

"All eyes right now are on President Trump to see if he takes a page from the Reagan playbook, the Obama playbook, or something else entirely," Ben Taleblu said.

"The million-dollar question is whether there will be something kinetic, especially after the most violent crackdown against protesters in the Islamic Republic’s history."

"Economic sanctions are helpful and necessary," he added, "but they are nowhere near sufficient to level the playing field between the street and the state."

Russia is preparing to target Europe's biggest nuclear power plant's power lines in a move that could unfold within days, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Ukrainian officials had said Moscow's plan was focused on high-voltage transmission infrastructure rather than direct strikes on nuclear reactors, but a source has since claimed the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lines (ZNPP) are Moscow’s focus.

In a statement released Jan. 17, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry (HUR) had warned that Russia was weighing attacks on substations critical to nuclear power generation.

"In order to force Ukraine to sign unacceptable surrender demands to end the war, the aggressor state Russia is considering the option of attacking strategic facilities of our state's energy system — we are talking about electricity transmission substations that ensure the operation of Ukrainian nuclear power plants."

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"The threat is at ZNPP," a source told Fox News Digital. "There are talks of a massive attack either tonight or in the coming nights," the source said on condition of anonymity, adding that "the talks within the Ukrainian government are about ZNPP and the lines, and these talks have not been for the first time."

According to The Associated Press, Russia also targeted energy infrastructure in Odesa region overnight Sunday, according to Ukraine’s Emergency Service.

ZNPP is located in southern Ukraine and consists of six VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors, and has been under Russian occupation since March 2022, according to reports.

Although the reactors are no longer producing electricity, the plant needs external power to maintain cooling and safety systems. 

The IAEA has repeatedly warned that disruptions to off-site power supplies and lines pose a serious nuclear safety risk.

A Jan. 16 localized ceasefire was agreed between Russia and Ukraine for repairs under IAEA coordination on one backup power line at ZNPP that had already been damaged.

In a statement, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said Jan. 16: "The IAEA continues to work closely with both sides to ensure nuclear safety at the ZNPP and to prevent a nuclear accident during the conflict. This temporary ceasefire, the fourth we have negotiated, demonstrates the indispensable role that we continue to play."

"A deterioration of Ukraine’s power grid from persistent military activity has direct implications on the nuclear safety of its nuclear facilities," Grossi said.

"Russia is said to be going to do this strike, maybe even tonight," the source said of the ZNPP operation.

RUSSIA FIRES NEW BALLISTIC MISSILE AT UKRAINE, KILLING AT LEAST FOUR

"Information also from the Ukrainian Parliament and Ukrainian Security Service, or internally, is that the Russian army told the Ukrainian army that if they don't stop shelling their tankers in the sea or shelling their oil refineries, as well as their electric stations like power stations," the source said, "then they will fully destroy Kyiv energy facilities aswell."

"The parliament knows this. But we keep shelling," the source added.

"This is a very difficult situation," the source continued, saying Ukrainian leadership, the Ukrainian parliament and "obviously the office of the president" are fully aware that "if we keep shelling Russian tankers and oil refineries, then they will destroy everything that we have."

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also recently urged NATO allies to urgently deliver additional air-defense missiles, warning that some systems are running low on ammunition, according to reports.

"To actually preserve the energy in the country when it is minus 20 outside and people are literally suffering hugely," the source added. "People don't have electricity, don't have warmth and some don't even have water."

"And this is a very controversial situation," the source said, "particularly for the Ukrainian people sitting inside, hungry and freezing, and overall being in this disastrous humanitarian situation."

Fox News Digital has reached out to President Zelenskyy's office for comment.

The United States has extended invitations to multiple foreign governments to join President Donald Trump’s "Board of Peace," with at least six countries confirming on Sunday that they were invited.

The Associated Press reported the six countries are: Jordan, Greece, Cyprus, Pakistan, Hungary and India.

Canada, Turkey, Egypt, Paraguay, Argentina and Albania have already said they too were invited, according to the outlet.

The White House on Friday released a statement outlining the next phase of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, naming senior international figures to oversee governance, reconstruction and long-term development of the enclave.

FROM GAZA TO IRAN: WHAT’S AT STAKE IN TRUMP-NETANYAHU MAR-A-LAGO TALKS?

"The Board of Peace will play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the President’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development," the statement said in part.

Trump will chair the board and be joined by a group of senior political, diplomatic and business figures, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and billionaire Marc Rowan, among others.

The Gaza Executive Board, which supports governance and the delivery of services, will work alongside the Office of the High Representative and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to advance "peace, stability, and prosperity."

US ENVOY WITKOFF SAYS HIGH-LEVEL MIAMI TALKS FOCUSED ON 'UNIFIED GAZAN AUTHORITY' AS ISRAEL CEASEFIRE ADVANCES

Notably, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi were named as appointed members.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on X that the composition of the Gaza Executive Board was not coordinated with Israel and "runs contrary to its policy."

Netanyahu’s office said it told Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to contact Rubio to convey Israel’s concerns.

Under Trump's plan, Hamas was to turn over all living and deceased hostages that were still being held in Gaza. To date, one dead hostage, Ran Gvili, has yet to be handed over.

The White House said additional Executive Board and Gaza Executive Board members will be announced over the coming weeks.

Ukrainian drone strikes targeted energy infrastructure across Russian-controlled areas in southern Ukraine in an attack on Sunday, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power.

Ukrainian officials say the attack is an effort to "weaponize winter," much as Russian forces targeted Ukraine's power grid. Russia's attacks continued in kind overnight, killing two people, Ukraine says.

More than 200,000 households in the Russia-held part of Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region had no electricity on Sunday, according to the Kremlin-installed local governor.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post that repairing the country’s energy system remains challenging, "but we are doing everything we can to restore everything as quickly as possible."

RUSSIA SAYS UKRAINE PEACE TALKS 'PROCEEDING CONSTRUCTIVELY,' AS KREMLIN LAUNCHES DEADLY STRIKE ON ODESA

He said that two people were killed in overnight attacks across the country that struck Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi and Odesa.

In total, more than 1,300 attack drones, 1,050 guided aerial bombs and 29 missiles of various types were used by Russia to strike Ukraine this week, Ukraine says.

Meanwhile, discussions continue between the U.S., Ukraine and Russia in an effort to secure a peace deal. Zelenskyy has consistently argued Russia is not committed to the peace process.

RUSSIA FIRES NEW HYPERSONIC MISSILE IN MASSIVE UKRAINE ATTACK, KREMLIN SAYS

"If Russia deliberately delays the diplomatic process, the world’s response should be decisive: more help for Ukraine and more pressure on the aggressor," Zelenskyy said Sunday.

President Donald Trump argued last week, however, that it was Ukraine, not Russia, holding up a possible peace agreement.

"I think he's ready to make a deal," Trump told Reuters of Putin. "I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal."

When he was asked why U.S. intervention had not brought about an end to the war, Trump responded: "Zelenskyy," Reuters reported.

Trump refused to go into detail on why he believed Zelenskyy was holding back, saying that he believes the Ukrainian president was "having a hard time getting there," referring to a peace agreement. However, later in the interview, Trump said he would be willing to meet with Zelenskyy at the upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The World Economic Forum is facing calls to freeze out members of the Iranian regime from an upcoming summit in Davos this week.

The Iran watchdog group United Against Nuclear Iran sent a letter to WEF President Borge Brende on Friday urging the group not to invite any officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran. The group tells Fox News Digital that WEF did not respond to the letter, and instead the forum added an interview with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to the summit's schedule on Sunday.

WEF did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

UANI CEO Mark Wallace, who previously served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush, cited human rights group reports regarding the mass slaughter of Iranian civilians by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's regime.

EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE REVEALS 6-STEP PLAN TO EXERT PRESSURE ON TEHRAN'S REGIME

"Just this month, the Iranian regime has carried out what some believe to be the largest massacre in its history," Wallace wrote to Brende. "Araghchi is a member of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), which reportedly issued an order to use live fire on Iranian civilians protesting. Estimates suggest the regime killed at least 12,000 and up to 20,000 Iranians over the course of a few days in January as they exercised their fundamental rights to demonstrate against the Ayatollah and his tyranny."

"Hosting Iranian regime officials, such as Araghchi, who whitewash this record is deeply offensive and would be wholly inappropriate to platform at a Forum whose theme this year is 'A Spirit of Dialogue.' Instead of dialogue, the Islamic Republic offered bullets to these brave Iranians," Wallace continued.

Iran’s supreme leader publicly acknowledged for the first time Saturday that thousands of people were killed during recent anti-government protests, according to reporting from the BBC.

TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP CREATES 'RARE OPPORTUNITY' FOR CHANGE IN IRAN, FORMER IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER SAYS

Khamenei made the remarks during a public address Saturday, blaming the U.S. for the unrest and violence and saying some protesters died "in an inhuman, savage manner."

U.S.-based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that more than 3,000 people were killed over roughly three weeks of unrest, though Iranian authorities have not released an official death toll and other estimates have been higher.

Videos authenticated by BBC Persian and BBC Verify show Iranian security forces firing on demonstrators during the unrest.

Trump told Politico on Saturday that "it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran," after being read a series of hostile posts from Khamenei’s X account accusing the president of responsibility for the violence.

"What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before," Trump said, according to Politico. "Leadership is about respect, not fear and death."

Fox News' Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez has appeared in U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) intelligence files dating back several years and was labeled a "priority target" in 2022, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The documents show the DEA has intelligence files on Rodríguez going back to at least 2018, with her name appearing in multiple investigations across several U.S. and international field offices, though she has never been publicly accused of any criminal wrongdoing, the outlet reported.

The DEA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The "priority target" designation is used by the agency to focus investigative resources on individuals or organizations believed to play a significant role in major drug trafficking or money laundering operations affecting the United States, according to a 2008 DEA assessment.

VENEZUELA’S ACTING PRESIDENT TOUTS ‘NEW POLITICAL MOMENT,’ HINTS AT FURTHER RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS

Rodríguez was formally sworn in as Venezuela's new leader on Jan. 5, just two days after U.S. forces extracted Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their compound in Caracas in an early-morning military operation.

Maduro and Flores were taken into U.S. custody and flown to New York to face federal charges.

Maduro is charged with four counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine-guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine-guns and destructive devices. His wife is charged with three counts: cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine-guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine-guns and destructive devices.

TRUMP PLANS TO MEET WITH VENEZUELA OPPOSITION LEADER MARIA CORINA MACHADO NEXT WEEK

The White House has been working with Rodríguez in the weeks since Maduro was ousted. President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that he spoke with Rodríguez by phone and praised her as a "terrific person."

"We discussed a lot of things and I think we’re getting along very well with Venezuela," he said.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado criticized Rodríguez as the Trump administration engages with the Maduro ally, arguing she does not represent the Venezuelan people.

"I want to insist on this: Delcy Rodríguez, yes, she’s a communist. She’s the main ally and representation of the Russian regime, the Chinese and the Iranians, but that’s not the Venezuelan people and that’s not the armed forces, as well," Machado said at a Heritage Foundation event on Friday.

"So I am profoundly, profoundly confident that we will have an orderly transition. This is a complex phase we are in right now. Some of the dirty work is being done by them," she added. "But then, the result of a stable transition will be a proud Venezuela who is going to be the best ally the United States has ever had in the Americas."

More than half a dozen European countries warned in a joint statement on Sunday that tariff threats over Greenland undermine transatlantic relations as the White House seeks to pressure allies into a deal to acquire the Arctic island.

The statement, issued by Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, said the countries remain committed to strengthening Arctic security and are prepared to engage in dialogue grounded in respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response," the statement said in part. "We are committed to upholding our sovereignty."

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members said they also stand in "full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland."

JOHNSON: 'NO BOOTS ON THE GROUND' FOR TRUMP'S GREENLAND ACQUISITION PLANS AMID MILITARY SPECULATION

The statement comes after President Donald Trump threatened on his Truth Social platform to impose a 10% tariff on the eight countries unless a deal is reached for what he called the "complete and total purchase of Greenland."

Trump said the 10% tariff would go into effect on Feb. 2 and could rise to 25% on June 1. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Trump’s post Saturday on social media.

Kristersson wrote on X that allies would not be "blackmailed."

"Only Denmark and Greenland decide on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland," he said, adding that other European Union (EU) countries were discussing a coordinated response.

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, also voiced concern over Trump’s remarks, warning that Russia and China were "having a field day" and stood to benefit from divisions within NATO.

"If Greenland’s security is at risk, we can address this inside NATO. Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity," she said. "We also cannot let our dispute distract us from our core task of helping to end Russia’s war against Ukraine."

Trump has repeatedly said the United States needs Greenland, a semiautonomous Danish territory, for "national security" purposes.

Greenland’s natural resource wealth has also long-drawn strategic interest, the Center for Strategic and International Studies said in a January report, noting the territory is rich in iron ore, graphite, tungsten, palladium, vanadium, zinc, gold, uranium, copper and oil.

TRUMP KNOWS GOOD REAL ESTATE — AND HE KNOWS GREENLAND'S VALUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY

Greenland’s leaders, however, have firmly rejected any suggestion the territory’s future or sovereignty is open to negotiation.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Facebook Thursday that the territory is "not for sale" and will not be owned or governed by the U.S.

DENMARK'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS TRUMP HAS A POINT ON CHINA, RUSSIA THREAT TO GREENLAND

"Greenland does not want to be a part of the United States," Nielsen argued.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said the Trump administration’s efforts to "seize" the territory of an ally were "beyond stupid."

"It hurts the legacy of President Trump and undercuts all the work he has done to strengthen the NATO alliance over the years," Tillis explained.

FIRST ON FOX: Multiple documents released by Argentine President Javier Milei last year reveal how Argentina’s search for Nazi war criminals, who found refuge in the country during and after the Second World War were able to avoid arrest and, for the most part, live ordinary lives.

While Argentina’s Peronist government sympathized and often knew of Nazi criminals hiding in their territory – often under their auspices – once the populist regime fell, the South American nation half-heartedly tried to keep tabs on the war-criminals hiding there. 

Though while many high-profile cases went nowhere, the case of Hitler’s henchman Martin Bormann is exemplary in showing how inefficient Argentina was in its investigations.

ARGENTINA REVEALS SECRET WWII FILES ON HITLER'S HENCHMEN WHO FLED BEFORE, AFTER THE WAR

Bormann was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi regime, despite his relatively low profile in the public. He used his position as private secretary to Hitler and head of the Nazi Party Chancellery to control the flow of documents personally received by Hitler and who had access to him.

Through enormous administrative influence, he shaped policy and controlled what Hitler saw, who he met, and advised on major decisions. Bormann supported extreme antisemitic measures and was one of the masterminds of the Aryanization project. Bormann disappeared in May 1945 during the fall of Berlin. For decades, it was speculated he had fled to Argentina along the ratlines — escape routes facilitated by Nazi sympathizers. Bormann was sentenced to death in absentia during the Nuremberg Trials.

The files show that Bormann was one of the very few Nazis the Argentinians actively tried to pursue and bring to justice. However, most of the leads came from sensationalist press articles often devoid of factual and actionable intelligence beyond the mere mention that he was hiding in Argentina.

The files meticulously depict intelligence agencies trying to corroborate such reports and assert whether the floated false aliases matched the actual man in Argentina. Agencies followed information coming from reports in the Argentine, U.S., British and Brazilian press, along with some translations from German-language media published in Argentina by the émigré community who were suspected of harboring Nazi sympathizers.

The articles triggered extensive paper trails between the ministry of justice, intelligence bodies, border and customs agencies, the federal police, and local authorities, but were often disconnected from one another, or took a long time to be referred to the various sub-offices for action.

ARGENTINA REVEALS SECRET WWII FILES ON HITLER'S HENCHMEN WHO FLED BEFORE, AFTER THE WAR

As a result, multiple similar searches were carried out at various points haphazardly and a tangle of bureaucracy made authorities play catch up to press reports rather than conducting independent and rational investigations. The files are a testament that the hunt for Nazis in South America was shaped by rumor, miscommunication, mistaken identities, Cold War politics and intense media speculation.

Some of the information reviewed by Fox News Digital showed authorities took rumors such as a hunt for Bormann in the jungles of Peru, Colombia and Brazil as credible. A case of an elderly German man detained in Colombia in 1972 as Bormann (later cleared and released) despite voiced skepticism by Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal is also part of the files.

The diplomatic shockwaves that followed Israel’s Mossad seizing Adolf Eichmann in Argentina left local officials acutely sensitive to international scrutiny, recasting the search for Bormann as a bid to ensure the country would not be embarrassed on the world stage a second time.

A pivotal—and ultimately flawed—lead in the Bormann files emerged in 1955, when police, relying on fading testimonies about an illegal German laborer, along with rumors, seized correspondence, and aging witnesses, began pursuing a man named Walter Wilhelm Flegel.

Flegel had arrived through Chile, was missing an arm due to an accident, and had been previously arrested and brought to court twice on assault and robbery charges. Suspicions led to his arrest in Mendoza in 1960 despite his complete dissemblance, lack of education, long presence in the country, age gaps and missing factual connections that could tie him to Martin Bormann. Notwithstanding such mismatching profiles — and fingerprints — it still took a week for Argentinians to be convinced Flegel was not Martin Bormann and free him.

Ultimately, despite continued rumors, and Argentina’s singular resolve in finally arresting one of the many Nazi fugitives thought to be in the country, human remains found in Berlin in 1972 were a match and confirmed Bormann’s death during the city’s fall through dental and cranial records. Later, in the 1990s, further DNA testing confirmed the remains found in Berlin indeed belonged to Bormann, bringing the misdirected Argentinian search finally to a close

"Oh baby. Don’t move. There is like a 2.5-meter python on you."

An Australian woman woke up in the middle of the night to discover a massive carpet python coiled across her chest after the snake slithered into her second-story bedroom in Brisbane, Queensland.

Rachel Bloor said she initially believed the heavy weight on her stomach and chest was her dog lying on top of her. But when she reached out under the covers, she felt something smooth move beneath her hand and realized it was not her pet.

"To my horror, I realized it wasn’t my dog," Bloor told the BBC.

550-POUND BEAR FINALLY EVICTED FROM CALIFORNIA HOME AFTER BIZARRE STRATEGY ENDS MONTHLONG ORDEAL

The 2.5-meter, or roughly 8-foot, snake had made its way into her bedroom Monday night, according to the report.

Bloor said she immediately woke her husband and asked him to turn on the lights.

"He goes, ‘Oh baby. Don’t move. There is like a 2.5-meter python on you,’" she recalled.

Her first concern, Bloor said, was getting the family dogs out of the room before anything escalated.

"I thought if my Dalmatian realized that there’s a snake there, it is gonna be carnage," she said.

After her husband removed the dogs, Bloor carefully worked her way out from beneath the covers.

LARGE BURMESE PYTHON ON VIDEO GETTING PULLED FROM FLORIDA NEIGHBORHOOD TREE: 'IT WAS PRETTY DANGEROUS’

"I sort of side shuffled out," she said.

Rather than calling a professional snake catcher, Bloor said she stayed calm and ushered the large reptile out of the bedroom herself through a window.

"I grabbed him," she said, adding that the python "didn’t seem overly freaked out."

"He sort of just wobbled in my hand," she said.

Bloor suspects the snake entered through plantation shutters on her window and crawled onto the bed while she slept.

"It was that big that even though it had been curled up on me, part of its tail was still out the shutter," she said.

FLORIDA WOMAN WINS ANNUAL PYTHON CHALLENGE WITH RECORD SNAKE HAUL

The snake was identified as a carpet python, a non-venomous constrictor commonly found in Australia’s coastal regions.

Despite the frightening encounter, Bloor said she was relieved it was not another animal.

"Toads freak me out," she said.

Snake catcher Kurt Whyte told ABC News that snake activity has increased with breeding season over and eggs beginning to hatch.

"Obviously, with this hot weather, we’re seeing plenty of them getting out and about and basking in this sun," Whyte said.

Whyte added that while snake populations have not necessarily increased, sightings are becoming more common as housing developments expand into Australian bushland.

"They have got to find places to live, and our backyards are offering the perfect habitat," he said.

He warned that common household features could provide easy access for snakes seeking shelter.

"Unfortunately, the gaps in our garage doors… provide the perfect entry points for a snake," Whyte said.

Iran’s supreme leader has publicly acknowledged for the first time that thousands of people were killed during recent anti-government protests, according to reporting from the BBC, as President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric and called for new leadership in Iran.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the remarks during a public address Saturday, blaming the U.S. for the unrest and violence and saying some protesters died "in an inhuman, savage manner," the BBC reported.

The protests, which began in late December over economic conditions, later expanded into calls for an end to Iran’s ruling system. 

U.S.-based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that more than 3,000 people were killed over roughly three weeks of unrest, though Iranian authorities have not released an official death toll.

According to the BBC, nationwide internet shutdowns have made independent verification difficult, with connectivity dropping to roughly 2% of normal levels, citing data from cyber monitoring group NetBlocks.

A 'TEAR DOWN THE WALL' MOMENT IN IRAN WILL DAMAGE BOTH THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC — AND CHINA

Videos authenticated by BBC Persian and BBC Verify show Iranian security forces firing on demonstrators during the unrest.

Trump told Politico on Saturday that "it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran," after being read a series of hostile posts from Khamenei’s X account accusing the president of responsibility for the violence.

"What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before," Trump said, according to Politico. "Leadership is about respect, not fear and death."

TOP IRANIAN GENERAL THREATENS TO 'CUT OFF' TRUMP'S HAND OVER POTENTIAL MILITARY STRIKES

Trump went further in personal terms, telling Politico, "The man is a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people."

"His country is the worst place to live anywhere in the world because of poor leadership," Trump added.

Trump has previously urged Iranians to continue protesting and "take over institutions," saying that "help is on its way," according to Politico. The president later said he had been informed that the killings had stopped.

"The best decision he ever made was not hanging more than 800 people two days ago," Trump told Politico, when asked about the scope of potential U.S. military action.

In a series of posts on X posts, Khamenei accused Trump of responsibility for the violence, writing, "We find the US President guilty due to the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted upon the Iranian nation."

In another post, Khamenei claimed that "America's goal is to devour Iran."

Trump has said in recent days he was looking at "very strong options" including possible military involvement.

The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Protests erupted in Greenland on Saturday as demonstrators rejected pressure from President Donald Trump to take over the Arctic island, with protesters chanting that Greenland is "not for sale" and saying they want to determine their own future, Reuters reported.

"We are not interested in being Americans," one protester said in video during demonstrations in the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk.

The protests followed Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland, including a Truth Social post made Saturday in which he announced new tariffs on several European countries unless a deal is reached for the island's purchase by the U.S.

In the post, Trump wrote that Denmark and other European nations would face a 10% tariff beginning Feb. 1, rising to 25% on June 1, and said the tariffs would remain in place "until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."

TRUMP'S GREENLAND TAKEOVER WOULD LIKELY ENTAIL ENORMOUS PRICE TAG: REPORT

Some demonstrators wore red baseball caps styled after the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) hats worn by Trump supporters, but with the slogan "Make America Go Away."

In Nuuk, thousands of protesters led by Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen marched toward the U.S. consulate carrying flags and banners while chanting "Kalaallit Nunaat," the island’s name in Greenlandic, according to Reuters. Nielsen addressed the crowd outside the consulate, drawing loud cheers.

"I’ve come here today because I think it’s important to show that Greenland is not for sale. It is not a toy. This is our home," Naja Holm, a civil servant, told Reuters.

NATO AMBASSADOR SAYS EUROPE 'HAS A TENDENCY TO OVERREACT' OVER GREENLAND DISPUTE

Trump has said Greenland is vital to U.S. national security because of its strategic Arctic location and mineral resources, and has warned that China and Russia are seeking influence on the island. He has argued that U.S. control would strengthen Western security in the region.

The dispute has drawn sharp reaction from European leaders. 

Sweden’s prime minister said Europe would not be "blackmailed," while French President Emmanuel Macron warned that tariff threats were unacceptable and said Europe would respond in a united and coordinated manner in an X post.

"No intimidation nor threat will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations," wrote Macron in an X post. "Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context. Europeans will respond to them in a united and coordinated manner if they were to be confirmed."

Prime Minister David van Weel of the Netherlands also took to social media in response.

"We have taken note of President Trump’s announcement on tariffs," van Weel wrote. "Military efforts related to exercises in Greenland are intended to contribute to security in the Arctic region. The Netherlands is in close contact with the @EU_Commission and partners on our response."

Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of about 57,000.

All political parties represented in Greenland’s parliament support eventual independence, but they differ on timing and have said they would prefer to remain part of Denmark rather than become part of the U.S., Reuters reported.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday a leader affiliated with al Qaeda, who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for killing two U.S. service members and an American interpreter on Dec. 13, was killed in a U.S. strike in northwest Syria on Friday.

CENTCOM officials said Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was "directly connected" with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.

"The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces," said CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper. "There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you."

CENTCOM launched large-scale strikes in Syria in response to the Dec. 13 attack.

US TROOPS PULL OUT OF MAJOR IRAQ AIRBASE AMID ONGOING REGIONAL CONSOLIDATION EFFORT, PROGRESS AGAINST ISIS

Operation Hawkeye Strike resulted in U.S. and partner forces hitting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with over 200 precision munitions.

More than 300 ISIS operatives were captured and more than 20 were killed across Syria within the past year, according to CENTCOM.

U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, and members of their team in Damascus on Jan. 10 to discuss recent developments in Aleppo and the broader path forward for Syria’s historic transition.

TRUMP ATTENDS SOLEMN DIGNIFIED TRANSFER FOR IOWA GUARDSMEN, CIVILIAN KILLED IN SYRIA ISIS ATTACK

In a statement on X, Barrack said President Donald Trump agreed to lift sanctions in order to "give Syria a chance" to move forward. 

"The United States Government welcomes Syria’s historic transition and extends its support to the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa as it works to stabilize the country, rebuild national institutions, and fulfill the aspirations of all Syrians for peace, security, and prosperity," Barrack wrote in the post.

REPUBLICAN SENATOR CONDEMNS ALLEGED SYRIAN ARMY ABUSES AS CEASEFIRE FOLLOWS ALEPPO FIGHTING 

He added Syrian government has reaffirmed its commitment to the March 2025 integration agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), but called developments in Aleppo that "appear to challenge the terms of this agreement," deeply concerning.

"We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, immediately cease hostilities, and return to dialogue in accordance with the March 10 and April 1, 2025 agreements between the Syrian government and the SDF," Barrack wrote. "Violence risks undermining the progress achieved since the fall of the Assad regime and invites external interference that serves no party’s interests. … The objective remains a sovereign, unified Syria—at peace with itself and its neighbors—where equality, justice, and opportunity are extended to all its people."