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Thousands flocked to Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas for the first time since the implementation of the U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas peace deal. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who has served as the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem since 2020, kicked off the celebration during a traditional procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, calling for "a Christmas full of light," The Associated Press reported. Upon his arrival at Manger Square, which is named for the manger in which Christian tradition says Jesus was laid after his birth, Pizzaballa said that he came with greetings from the Christian community in Gaza where he held a pre-Christmas Mass on Sunday, the AP reported. "We, all together, we decide to be the light, and the light of Bethlehem is the light of the world," Pizzaballa told the crowd, according to the AP. BIRTHPLACE OF JESUS TO RESUME CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AFTER WAR FORCED A TWO-YEAR PAUSE In November, Bethlehem Mayor Maher Canawati announced that the city would see a return of Christmas celebrations. "From the heart of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, the city of peace — once again, we ignite the flame of hope and raise our prayers for peace," Canawati said in a video posted to Instagram. "Let us celebrate together the message of Christmas," he added. " Glory to God in the highest — on Earth, peace, goodwill to all. Bethlehem keeps the light alive." Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born, started its Christmas festivities on Dec. 6 with the city's first Christmas tree lighting since 2022. "We came to celebrate, watch and enjoy, because for several years we haven't had the chance," said Randa Bsoul, a Palestinian from Haifa, Israel , told Reuters at the time. HISTORIC ITALIAN VILLAGE CREDITED FOR FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND CHRISTMAS NATIVITY SCENE DRAWS CROWDS FOR 800 YEARS Bethlehem, over which the Palestinian Authority has limited control due to the Oslo Accords, has seen limited, if any, Christmas celebrations over the past two years due to the war in Gaza. During the war, Manger Square featured a nativity scene of baby Jesus surrounded by rubble and barbed wire in homage to the situation in Gaza. During the war, Bethlehem, which relies on tourism, saw a massive drop in visitors. Canawati said earlier this month that the city's unemployment rate jumped from 14% to 65%, according to the AP. Additionally, poverty in Bethlehem soared with approximately 4,000 people left searching for work. The U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal has largely remained in place, despite both sides accusing the other of violating the agreement. Recently, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said that preparations for the second phase of the plan were underway, following high-level talks in Miami with representatives from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. Fox News Digital's Ashley J. DiMella and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and the United States are close to finalizing a framework of security guarantees and economic arrangements tied to a proposed peace plan, while Russia has signaled it will seek significant changes before any agreement to end the war. Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on Dec. 22, Zelenskyy said talks with U.S. officials had produced a 20-point plan and accompanying documents that include security guarantees involving Ukraine, the United States and European partners. He acknowledged the framework was not flawless but described it as a tangible step forward. "There are 20 points of the plan, probably not everything is perfect there, but this plan is there," Zelenskyy said. "There are security guarantees between us, the Europeans and the United States of America, there is a framework document." US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH 'LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE' BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA Zelenskyy said a separate bilateral document with Washington covering security guarantees is intended to be reviewed by the U.S. Congress , adding that key annexes critical to Ukraine’s military needs were largely agreed to. "I saw the first developments, there are almost 90%, to be honest, exactly those attachments that are important for us, what our army and Ukraine can count on," he said, describing the draft as "quite decent." He also said a first version of an agreement on Ukraine’s recovery had been prepared, calling it an economic strategy that, together with the security documents, forms "the basic block of all documents." Zelenskyy warned, however, that diplomacy has not reduced the immediate military threat from Russia. He criticized Moscow for rejecting proposals for a Christmas ceasefire , calling it a "bad signal," and warned of potential attacks during the holiday period. MOMENTUM BUILDS IN UKRAINE PEACE PUSH, BUT EXPERTS FEAR PUTIN WON’T BUDGE "When Russia says there will be no Christmas ceasefire, I think that this is, in principle, always what they say, they emphasize intimidation," Zelenskyy said. He added that Ukraine faces an air-defense shortfall and urged civilians to remain vigilant. Reuters also reported that Zelenskyy confirmed Russian forces captured a border village in Ukraine’s Sumy region, taking dozens of civilians and 13 Ukrainian soldiers prisoner. He said Ukrainian troops refrained from striking Russian forces because civilians were present. Reuters noted it could not independently verify the account and that Russia had not commented. On the Russian side, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on the U.S. peace proposals, with Moscow expected to formulate its position in the coming days, according to Reuters and Anadolu Agency. Bloomberg News reported that Russia views the 20-point plan agreed to between Ukraine and the U.S. as only a starting point . According to a person close to the Kremlin, Moscow intends to seek key changes, including additional restrictions on Ukraine’s military, arguing that the proposal lacks provisions important to Russia and leaves many questions unanswered. The emerging positions underline a widening gap between Kyiv’s portrayal of progress toward security guarantees and Moscow’s insistence on renegotiating core elements of the U.S.-backed plan as diplomacy continues . Reuters contributed to this report.

Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday he was "very disappointed" after his home state of Illinois approved a law allowing medically assisted suicide. Leo, who grew up in Chicago, said he had spoken "explicitly" with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker while the legislation was on his desk and urged him not to sign the bill into law, saying the measure undermines respect for human life from "the very beginning to the very end." "Unfortunately, for different reasons, he decided to sign that bill," Leo told reporters outside Rome. "I am very disappointed about that." The Medical Aid in Dying Act, also referred to as "Deb's Law," was signed into law by Pritzker on Dec. 12 and allows eligible terminally ill adult patients to obtain life-ending medication after consultation with their doctors. NY GOV. HOCHUL TO SIGN BILL TO LEGALIZE PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE: 'WHO AM I TO DENY YOU?' The measure was named after Deb Robertson, a lifelong Illinois resident with a rare terminal illness who had pushed for the bill's approval. The law takes effect in September 2026, giving participating healthcare providers and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) time to implement required processes and protections. Leo said Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich also urged Pritzker not to sign the bill, but his efforts were unsuccessful. BISHOPS, CATHOLIC GROUPS SLAM CARDINAL CUPICH'S PLAN TO HONOR PRO-ABORTION SEN DICK DURBIN: ‘GREAT SCANDAL’ "I would invite all people, especially in these Christmas days, to reflect upon the nature of human life, the goodness of human life," Leo said. "God became human like us to show us what it means really to live human life, and I hope and pray that the respect for life will once again grow in all moments of human existence, from conception to natural death." The state’s six Catholic dioceses have also criticized Pritzker’s decision to sign the bill, saying it puts Illinois "on a dangerous and heartbreaking path." Illinois joins a growing list of states allowing medically assisted suicide. Eleven other states and the District of Columbia allow medically assisted suicide, according to the advocacy group, Death with Dignity, and seven other states are considering allowing it. After signing the bill, Pritzker said the legislation would allow patients with terminal illnesses to "avoid unnecessary pain and suffering at the end of their lives," and said it would be "thoughtfully implemented" to guide physicians and patients through deeply personal decisions. Fox News Digital has reached out to Pritzker's office for comment. Fox News Digital's Alexandra Koch and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele responded to allegations by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about the conditions at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), the country's maximum-security prison that has received migrants deported from the United States. Bukele was responding to a post on X by Clinton that was accompanied by an 11-minute video of the PBS Frontline documentary titled: "Surviving CECOT." "Curious to learn more about CECOT?" she wrote. "Hear Juan, Andry, and Wilmer share firsthand how the Trump administration branded them as gang members without evidence and deported them to the brutal El Salvadoran prison." '60 MINUTES' POSTPONES SEGMENT ON MIGRANT INMATES FROM EL SALVADOR'S CECOT PRISON The short documentary tells the story of three Venezuelan men — Juan José Ramos Ramos, Andry Blanco Bonilla and Wilmer Vega Sandia — who were deported by the Trump administration to CECOT, a description of the short film states. All three men were branded by the U.S. government as Tren de Aragua gang members, which they deny. In response, Bukele said his country was ready to cooperate if Clinton thinks people have been tortured in the notorious prison that houses many of the country's gang members and migrants deported from the U.S. "We are willing to release our entire prison population (including all gang leaders and all those described as "political prisoners") to any country willing to receive them," he wrote. "The only condition is straightforward: it must be everyone." FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED FROM ICE CUSTODY "This would also greatly assist journalists and your favorite NGOs, who would then have thousands of former inmates available for interviews, making it far easier to find additional voices critical of the Salvadoran government (or willing to confirm whatever conclusions are already expected)," added Bukele. "Surely, if these testimonies reflect a systemic reality, a much larger pool of sources should only reinforce the claim, and many governments should be eager to offer protection." Until then, he continued, El Salvador will continue prioritizing the human rights of the millions of Salvadorans who today live free from gang rule," Bukele said. Bukele solidified his relationship with President Donald Trump by offering to house certain migrants deported from the U.S. at CECOT. The U.S. has deported Venezuelan migrants deemed to be gang members to El Salvador after their home country refused to take them back. A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to provide due process to a class of Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador in March, and gave it two weeks to detail how it will do so – setting up another high-stakes clash between the White House and the federal courts.

Airspace over Turkey’s capital was shut down Tuesday night after a business jet carrying Libya’s top military commander crashed south of Ankara shortly after takeoff, prompting flight diversions, an emergency security response, and an ongoing investigation in a NATO member state. The Falcon 50 business jet was carrying Chief of the General Staff of Libya’s armed forces Muhammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad and four others when it lost contact roughly 30 minutes after departing Esenboga International Airport, according to Turkish officials cited by Al-Monitor. Libyan and Turkish authorities have since confirmed Al-Haddad's death. The temporary shutdown of airspace over Ankara elevated the incident beyond a routine aviation accident. Such measures are typically reserved for situations involving unresolved security risks or the need to secure the nation's capital while authorities assess potential follow-on threats. TRUMP EYES LIFTING SANCTIONS, POTENTIAL SALE OF PRIZED FIGHTER JET TO TURKEY Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said contact with the aircraft was lost at 8:52 p.m. local time after it transmitted an emergency landing notification near Haymana, approximately 75 kilometers south of the capital. The jet, tail number 9H-DFJ, had taken off at 8:10 p.m. bound for Tripoli. Following the loss of contact, Turkish authorities closed Ankara’s airspace as a precaution and diverted multiple commercial flights away from Esenboga Airport, according to Turkish broadcaster NTV and flight tracking data cited by TRT. Search and rescue teams were deployed to the suspected crash area. The crash came just hours after Al-Haddad concluded an official visit to Ankara. Turkey's Defense Ministry had earlier announced that the Libyan army chief met with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Turkish Chief of General Staff Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, and other senior commanders as part of ongoing military and security coordination between Turkey and Libya, according to TRT. US GENERAL WARNS OF KREMLIN INTERFERENCE IN LIBYA AMID REPORTS OF RUSSIAN MERCENARIES Türkiye Today reported that the visit underscored deepening defense ties between Ankara and Libya’s Tripoli-based government, adding sensitivity to the incident given the seniority of those aboard the aircraft and the timing immediately following high-level meetings. The prime minister of Libya’s U.N.-recognized Government of National Unity , Abdulhamid Dbeibah, said he had received news of the death of Libya’s army chief of staff after Al-Haddad’s plane lost radio contact above Turkey’s Ankara, Reuters reported . Dbeibah, who said he was mourning Al-Haddad’s death, added that the army chief had been accompanied by others on board the aircraft, including military officials. No additional details about the other passengers’ identities or conditions were immediately released. Turkish officials have not yet publicly detailed the cause of the crash. No official statements have indicated sabotage or hostile fire, and any conclusions beyond a reported in-flight emergency remain pending verification. Search and recovery efforts were continuing, and Turkish authorities said further information would be released as it is confirmed.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested Tuesday in London while supporting pro-Palestinian activists in British prisons staging a hunger strike. Prisoners for Palestine, the protest group, released a video showing the 22-year-old Swede holding a sign saying: "I support Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide," referring to the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. She was later released on bail, the group said on X. GRETA THUNBERG’S FLOTILLA BOMBARDED WITH ABBA MUSIC AFTER RADIOS HIJACKED: REPORT The protest was in support of the group on hunger strike, Palestine Action, which has been banned in Britain as a terrorist organization. The protests were part of a larger demonstration in which two other activists sprayed red paint in front of an insurance company in London . Prisoners for Palestine says they targeted the insurer because it supports the Israel-linked defense firm Elbit Systems. GRETA THUNBERG'S ALLEGED JAIL COMPLAINTS CALLED 'BRAZEN LIES' BY ISRAELI GOVERNMENT A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. A third woman was later arrested on suspicion of supporting a banned organization. Eight Palestine Action members have staged a hunger strike to protest their detention without bail . They are awaiting trial on charges related to earlier protests. Two of the members have been on hunger strike for 52 days and are at a "critical stage, where death is a real possibility," Prisoners for Palestine said in a statement. Last year, Thunberg was acquitted by a London court of refusing to follow a police order to leave a protest that was blocking the entrance to an oil and gas industry conference. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A foiled ISIS-inspired terror plot targeting Manchester’s Jewish community has renewed fears over Jewish safety in Britain, after three men were convicted on Tuesday of planning a mass-casualty gun attack. English authorities said the Manchester case exposed a highly advanced ISIS-inspired terror plot that could have become the deadliest terrorist attack in U.K. history Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were convicted at Preston Crown Court of planning a firearms attack against Jewish targets in Manchester. A third man, Saadaoui’s brother Bilel Saadaoui, 36, was convicted of failing to disclose information about the plot, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Prosecutors said the men planned a marauding gun attack using military-style weapons. Saadaoui paid an initial deposit toward the purchase of four AK-47 assault rifles, two pistols and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, with funds raised after selling his home and business. The plot was uncovered through an undercover police operation, and Saadaoui was arrested while attempting to take possession of weapons and ammunition, the CPS said. MOSSAD–EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE OPERATION LAUNCHES SWEEPING CRACKDOWN ON HAMAS GLOBAL TERROR NETWORK Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said the plan could have become "the deadliest terrorist attack in U.K. history," warning that an assault on crowded Jewish sites would have had "catastrophic" consequences, according to Sky News. According to the prosecution, Saadaoui admired Hamid al-Abaoud, the ISIS operative who led the deadly 2015 Paris terrorist attacks, and sought to replicate a similar style of mass murder . The court heard that Saadaoui told an undercover officer he wanted to kill "young, old, women, elderly, the whole lot," and described Christian victims as "a bonus," Sky News reported. Prosecutors said the men planned to move between locations and intended to kill police officers who might respond to the attack. Saadaoui and Hussein also traveled to the White Cliffs of Dover in March and May 2024 to observe port security, believing they were surveilling how weapons would be brought into the U.K., according to the CPS. The plot was disrupted on May 8, 2024, when Saadaoui was arrested while attempting to take delivery of firearms and ammunition during the undercover operation . Sky News reported that police body-worn camera footage showed armed officers arresting him moments after the handover. POLAND FOILS ISIS-TYPE BOMB PLOT AS SYDNEY ATTACK TRIGGERS UK, EUROPE TERROR ALERTS Sky News also reported that intelligence sources said MI5 believed Saadaoui had previously been in contact with a British extremist who left the U.K. to join ISIS in 2013. Prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC told the jury the plan "hardly had the innocence of a teddy bear picnic," describing it as a deliberate attempt to inflict mass civilian casualties, Sky News reported. The foiled plot revived painful memories in a city that has already suffered major terrorist attacks. Manchester was the site of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, when an ISIS-inspired suicide bomber killed 22 people at a concert, the deadliest terror attack in the U.K. since the July 7, 2007, one in London. More recently, counterterrorism police responded to an attack outside a synagogue in Manchester in October when an assailant rammed pedestrians and stabbed worshipers during Yom Kippur services, killing two Jewish men. British authorities declared the incident a terrorist attack, according to Reuters. ISIS, IRAN ESCALATING GLOBAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST JEWS, ISRAEL SPY CHIEF SAYS The CPS said the foiled ISIS-inspired gun plot targeted an area of north Manchester predominantly occupied by the Jewish community, heightening concerns among security officials about repeated targeting of the same population. The convictions come as new polling shows a sharp deterioration in British Jews’ sense of security. A survey published by the Campaign Against Antisemitism in December 2025 found that 51% of British Jews do not believe they have a long-term future in the United Kingdom. According to the poll, 61% said they had considered leaving the country within the past two years, citing antisemitism and safety concerns . The survey also found that 96% of respondents said Jews are less safe in the U.K. than before the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, while 59% said they avoid wearing visible signs of Jewish identity in public due to fear of antisemitism. Confidence in the police and justice system was also low. Only 14% of respondents said police do enough to protect Jewish communities, 8% said the justice system adequately punishes antisemitic crimes , and 7% said prosecutors do enough to bring offenders to justice, the Campaign Against Antisemitism reported. Reuters contributed to this report.

For years, Washington has spoken about reducing its Middle East footprint, yet analysts told Fox News Digital that 2025 proved the opposite: American force — not retreat — reshaped the region. Blaise Misztal, vice president for policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), said the past year confirmed a long-standing strategic lesson. "2025 underscored what Middle East watchers have long known, and U.S. policymakers never seemed to want to admit: that strength is the currency of the realm and there is no substitute for U.S. leadership," he said. Israeli political analyst Nadav Eyal said the shift was unmistakable. "What we have seen in 2025 is an increased role of the United States, rather than a withdrawal," Eyal said. "It delivered a hostage deal and a ceasefire in Gaza. It brought a certain level of stability in Syria. We see increased cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE." "The idea that the U.S. is out of the Middle East is just out the window," he added. WHITE HOUSE TURNS TO EXPANDING ABRAHAM ACCORDS AFTER ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE During 2025, the Trump administration brokered a ceasefire that ended the two-year war in Gaza and returned all Israeli hostages except for the body of Ran Gvili, which still remains in Hamas' hands. The deal was initially met with deep skepticism inside Israel. President Donald Trump traveled to both Israel, where he addressed the Knesset, and Cairo to finalize the agreement, coordinating with Arab leaders and mediators in a complex process that included an exchange of Palestinian terrorists held in Israeli prisons for hostages. "There is absolutely no doubt that without President Trump’s intervention, this could have lasted much longer, or maybe not have ended at all, or ended in tragedy," Eyal said, adding that the administration fundamentally changed what had been considered possible. "He expanded the realm of possibilities," Eyal said. "If someone had told us six months earlier that this would be the framework of the deal, and that all the living hostages would be back home within 72 hours, we would have said it’s a great idea, but Hamas would never agree." According to Eyal, the breakthrough came from Israeli military pressure combined with U.S. insistence and regional coordination. "The military pressure put by Israel, enabled by the White House, together with the White House’s insistence and the enlistment of Qatar and Turkey, is what made the breakthrough," he said. Misztal also argued that the outcome was not the result of diplomacy alone. "The relative calm that the region is now enjoying, after two years of war, is not the result of diplomacy, which failed on its own to stop Iran’s nuclear advance or convince Hamas to return Israeli hostages," Misztal said. "It is the result of Israeli and U.S. willingness to use force, and do so together in pursuit of common objectives." "Operations Rising Lion and Midnight Hammer, coupled with the Israeli strike in Doha, unlocked the path to peace," he added. The ceasefire remains fragile but intact, with the U.S. now deeply involved in shaping the postwar phase in Gaza. US MILITARY TO OVERSEE NEXT PHASE OF PEACE DEAL FROM COORDINATION BASE IN ISRAEL On Dec. 8 last year, after Israel defeated Hezbollah, the Assad regime in Syria collapsed, signaling a dramatic shift in the regional balance of power. That momentum carried into 2025. Operation Rising Lion known as the 12-day war, underscored Israel’s air superiority, with Israeli aircraft striking Iranian military infrastructure and eliminating senior IRGC commanders. The campaign also highlighted the depth of U.S.-Israel coordination, culminating in a U.S. strike that targeted Iran’s nuclear program and curtailed Tehran’s ability to support its proxies. Eyal said Iran now faces a period of profound uncertainty. "Iran will, without doubt, try to rebuild its influence after its proxy system was shattered," he said. "It was defeated in war with Israel and lost most of its nuclear program." Two questions now dominate. "Can Iran rebuild its alliances, its prestige and its sources of power, like the nuclear program or air defenses, and stabilize itself again as a regional power?" Eyal asked. "The deeper question," he added, "is what happens to the regime." He described Iran as increasingly unstable, with a devastated economy and growing public discontent. "It seems like almost everything is ripe for a substantial change in Iran," he said. "Whether the Islamic Republic can survive without significant reform, or whether there will be a coup or counterrevolution, will take us well into 2026." FIVE POSSIBLE FUTURES FOR MIDDLE EAST FROM RENAISSANCE TO ROCKETS Eyal said the past year forced a reckoning about Hamas’ future. "In 2025, Israelis, and to a certain extent countries in the Middle East, woke up from a fantasy that Hamas would cease to exist completely as a functioning body," he said. "Everybody understands there will be some sort of presence of Hamas, and unfortunately, they will hold some sort of armed power," Eyal added. "The question is, to what level can you reduce it?" WALTZ HAILS ‘NIGHT-AND-DAY’ MIDDLE EAST SHIFT AS TRUMP’S GAZA PLAN RESHAPES REGION At the same time, he stressed the scale of Hamas’ losses. "In 2025 they suffered tremendous defeats and were wiped out as a functioning military body," Eyal said. "This is the year in which it happened." "Even after losing half of Gaza, with Gaza devastated, and the hostages returned, they are still functioning as a military organization," he added. "That means they are incredibly resistant or flexible." Misztal warned that the calm will not hold without sustained U.S. engagement. "The sands of the Middle East are always shifting," he said. "Today’s calm will not last without consistent effort applied to uphold it." He warned that 2026 could see renewed pressure from multiple fronts. "Adversaries will seek to reassert themselves and find new advantages," Misztal said. "Iran will test the boundaries of U.S. and Israeli patience and ISIS or other Sunni extremists may seek a spectacular attack to mark their comeback." "These will all be tests for the U.S. appetite to continue applying the ‘peace through strength’ approach," Misztal said. "If Washington takes its eyes off the region, the progress of the last year might quickly be lost."

Across Europe, a growing number of local governments, schools and publicly funded institutions are facing backlash over changes to how Christmas is presented, as officials promote what they describe as more "inclusive" approaches to the holiday season. In Belgium, controversy erupted this month after Brussels unveiled a modern reinterpretation of a traditional nativity scene in the city’s Grand Place. The installation features faceless figures and was promoted as a contemporary and inclusive artistic display. The scene has since been vandalized and sharply criticized by local politicians and residents, according to the Catholic News Agency. The installation also drew immediate reaction online. Belgian national soccer team player Thomas Meunier sparked widespread reaction on X when he wrote, "We’ve hit rock bottom... and we keep digging," a post that was shared thousands of times. TEXAS CHURCH DEPICTS HOLY FAMILY IN CAGE WRAPPED IN BARBED WIRE IN NATIVITY DISPLAY Brussels Mayor Philippe Close, a member of the Socialist Party, defended the decision at a Friday press conference, arguing that the city was trying to strike a balance during the holiday season. "In this Christmas period , we need to tone it down," Close said, adding that while Brussels chose to maintain a nativity display, other cities had removed theirs entirely. "The old Nativity scene had been in use for 25 years and was showing many defects," Close said. "It was time to take a new direction. We are very happy with Victoria-Maria’s creation, and we want to make sure the artist is not attacked personally." The Brussels dispute reflects a broader pattern emerging across Europe as institutions rethink traditional Christmas symbols and language. In the United Kingdom , a publicly funded museum sparked outrage after publishing a blog suggesting that Father Christmas should be "decolonized," according to The Sun . The blog post, which was originally published two years ago, was written by Simone LaCorbinière, the museum’s Joint Head of Culture Change at Brighton and Hove Museums. She argued that the traditional image of Santa Claus was "too white and too male" and criticized the idea of a single figure judging children through a "naughty or nice" list. CHURCH SPARKS CONTROVERSY WITH EMPTY NATIVITY SCENE AND ICE ENFORCEMENT MESSAGE: 'POLITICIZING CHRISTMAS' LaCorbinière urged parents to imagine Santa as a more diverse figure who "celebrates cultural exchange." "Have Santa learn about different cultures rather than judge them," she wrote, suggesting stories could show him experiencing different traditions. She also proposed including " Mother Christmases ," arguing that "patriarchy and colonialism went hand in hand." The comments drew condemnation from politicians. Senior Conservative Party MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke said the initiative was misguided, stating: "At a time of goodwill and festive cheer, it seems woke do-gooders would rather everybody was miserable. This is the worst possible use of taxpayer funds." Elsewhere in Britain, schools have also faced scrutiny for restricting Christmas-themed clothing or renaming holiday events, according to GB News . Several schools reportedly replaced Christmas sweater days with more generic "winter" or "seasonal" attire to avoid religious references. Debates have also extended to holiday music. According to The Telegraph, Labour’s controversial Employment Rights Bill, which became law last week, places a legal duty on employers to prevent harassment by third parties related to protected characteristics such as religion. Critics argue the law could affect workplace Christmas music, including songs such as "Baby It’s Cold Outside," "Do They Know It’s Christmas?" and "Jingle Bells," all of which have faced renewed criticism in recent years. In a statement on X , the head of the U.K.'s Free Speech Union, Lord Young, was quoted as saying, "The Government didn’t listen, insisting we were being alarmist, but a ban on Christmas music and carol singing will be the least of it. Prepare to live in a country in which every hospitality venue is a micromanaged ‘safe space’, overseen by lanyard-wearing banter bouncers. Welcome to Starmer’s Britain."

China has reportedly loaded more than 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles into three newly constructed silo fields near its border with Mongolia and shows little interest in arms control talks, according to a draft Pentagon report seen by Reuters. The assessment underscores Beijing’s accelerating military buildup, with the report saying China is expanding and modernizing its nuclear forces faster than any other nuclear-armed power. Chinese officials have repeatedly dismissed such findings as attempts to "smear and defame China and deliberately mislead the international community." The Pentagon declined to comment when contacted by Fox News Digital about the Reuters report. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump said he may pursue denuclearization discussions with China and Russia. The Pentagon report, however, concluded that Beijing does not appear inclined to engage. "We continue to see no appetite from Beijing for pursuing such measures or more comprehensive arms control discussions," the report said. TAIWAN UNVEILS $40B DEFENSE SPENDING PLAN TO COUNTER CHINA MILITARY THREAT OVER NEXT DECADE According to the assessment, China has likely loaded more than 100 solid-fueled DF-31 intercontinental ballistic missiles into silo fields near the Mongolian border. While the Pentagon had previously disclosed the existence of the silo fields, it had not publicly estimated how many missiles had been placed inside them. China’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The report did not identify potential targets for the newly loaded missiles and could change before it is formally submitted to Congress, U.S. officials said. CHINA’S ENERGY SIEGE OF TAIWAN COULD CRIPPLE US SUPPLY CHAINS, REPORT WARNS China’s nuclear warhead stockpile remained in the low 600s in 2024, reflecting what the report described as a slower production rate compared to previous years. Still, Beijing is on track to exceed 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030. China says it adheres to a nuclear strategy of self-defense and maintains a no-first-use policy . But analysts say Beijing’s public messaging increasingly contradicts that restraint. "For a country that still advocates a policy of ‘no-first use,’ China has become increasingly comfortable showcasing its nuclear arsenal, including parading its nuclear triad together for the first time in September," said Jack Burnham, a senior research analyst in the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. TRUMP ORDERS US NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING TO BEGIN 'IMMEDIATELY' AFTER RUSSIA TESTS NEW MISSILES Burnham said Beijing’s rejection of arms control talks reflects the pace of its weapons construction. "China has no interest in locking in a long-term strategic disadvantage, and every intention of building an arsenal on par with its perceived place in the world, alongside and potentially eventually ahead of the United States," he said. The report also warned that China expects to be able to fight and win a war over Taiwan by the end of 2027. Beijing claims the self-governed island as its own territory and has never ruled out the use of force. China is refining options to seize Taiwan by "brute force," including long-range strikes up to 2,000 nautical miles from the mainland that could disrupt U.S. military operations in the Asia-Pacific, the report said. The findings come as the 2010 New START treaty , the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia, approaches expiration. The treaty limits both sides to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads. "What is surprising is that China has now loaded only about 100 of the silos it has built recently," said Gordon Chang. "That’s an indication money is tight in the People’s Liberation Army." Chang warned against extending New START without Beijing’s participation. "This is no time for the U.S. to agree to an extension of the New START Treaty with Russia," he said. "Russia and China are de-facto allies, and they are ganging up on America. Without China in a deal — Beijing has flatly rejected every nuclear arms-control initiative of the U.S. —no treaty can be in America’s interest." Reuters contributed to this report.

Israeli officials have slammed the latest report from an organization that earlier this year claimed there was famine in parts of Gaza, saying the new document is biased and that its conclusions were "predetermined." The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a United Nations-backed organization, previously claimed famine conditions were met in Gaza Governorate in August but now says that about 1.6 million Gazans are facing "high levels of acute food insecurity. IDF Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which deals with Gaza, called out what he said were "biased claims" by the IPC which he said, "disregard the volumes of food that entered during the ceasefire, indicating that the report’s conclusions were predetermined." ISRAEL PUSHES BACK AT ‘TAILOR-MADE’ UN-BACKED REPORT CLAIMING GAZA FAMINE A statement from COGAT noted, "It is important to recall that this is not the first time IPC reports regarding the Gaza Strip have been published with extreme forecasts and warnings that do not materialize in practice. Time and again, IPC assessments have proven to be incorrect and disconnected from the data on the ground, contradicting verified facts, including aid volumes, food availability and market trends. The international community must act responsibly, avoid falling for false narratives and distorted information and refrain from legitimizing a biased and unprofessional report." In its latest report, the IPC’s Famine Review Committee addressed the changing circumstances, explaining that "following the publication of the [last] FRC report, there was a partial relaxation of the blockade and an increase in the availability of food and other essential supplies." While the FRC says this "came too late to avoid famine in Gaza Governorate in July and early August, the persistence of Famine and its spread to other governorates during the projection period has been avoided." In August, the IPC projected that two additional governorates would experience famine by Sept. 30. At the time, several experts disputed the presence of famine conditions, including Dr. David Adesnik, vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Adesnik told Fox News Digital that mortality figures, while worrisome, did not reach levels expected during famine conditions. He also said that the prices on key food items had remained relatively stagnant or even declined during the period of alleged famine. Following the IPC’s latest report, Adesnik said that the IPC are still "dodging the question of proving that they were right" about prior famine declarations. US REPORT URGES UN AGENCY'S SHUTDOWN OVER HAMAS TIES, OCT 7 TERROR LINKS In assessing the lack of mortality numbers that indicate famine, Adesnik said one of the IPC’s current arguments is that "data largely capture trauma-related deaths and overlook a substantial proportion of non-traumatic mortality." He called this "a big leap," explaining "They're basically saying that with all of its efforts to track down every name of someone killed during the war, the Gaza Ministry of Health somehow missed all the people who didn't die because of bullets, shrapnel or falling buildings — that there's just all these people who would have died of hunger, disease, other things." He said that the IPC’s figures show the highest number of malnutrition-related deaths per month being 27, with all malnutrition deaths peaking at 186. "Hundreds of people dying from malnutrition is still a terrible, terrible thing," Adesnik said. "But we were asking a question: Is this famine? And that is not remotely close to the threshold for determining famine." The IPC told Fox News Digital that to meet the famine threshold, "at least two in every 10,000 people" "or at least four in every 10,000 children under five are dying daily" on account of "outright starvation or the interaction of malnutrition and disease." US-BACKED AID GROUP ENDS GAZA MISSION AFTER DEFYING HAMAS THREATS, UN CRITICISM In response to questions about its famine data, the IPC told Fox News Digital that "in the case of the Gaza analysis, there was clear evidence that thresholds for starvation and acute malnutrition had been reached, and analysts reasonably assessed from the broader evidence that the mortality threshold (third outcome) has likely been reached." Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said on X that "The IPC also disregards the fact that, on average, between 600 and 800 aid trucks enter the Gaza Strip every day, 70% of them carrying food - nearly five times more than what the IPC itself said was required for the Strip." Though it is not claiming famine is underway, the IPC still states that in a "worst-case scenario" of a return to conflict, "the entire Gaza Strip is at risk of famine through mid-April 2026." Adesnik said that the IPC is merely "guessing about the future." He noted that accuracy from the IPC holds serious importance given the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice’s allegations of war crimes and genocide against Israel. A declaration of famine would be a "big building block in what seems to prove part of the case." Last week, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sanctioned two more members of the ICC for engaging "in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent, including voting with the majority in favor of the ICC’s ruling against Israel’s appeal on December 15. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the State Department "will continue to hold accountable those responsible for the ICC’s morally bankrupt and legally baseless actions against Americans and Israelis."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking a meeting with President Donald Trump as Israeli officials warn that recent Iranian missile drills could be used as cover for a surprise attack, raising fresh urgency around Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and military posture ahead of the expected Dec. 29 talks. Those concerns were echoed publicly on Monday by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who warned that Iran’s nuclear ambitions and military posture pose a direct threat not only to Israel but also to the United States and Europe. Speaking Monday at the Israel Institute for National Security conference, Huckabee said Trump has maintained a consistent red line on Iran. "All I can do is point out to you what the president has said repeatedly, and he consistently has said Iran is never going to enrich uranium, and they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon," he said. ISRAELI PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG THANKS TRUMP FOR 'HISTORIC' IRAN STRIKE "It presents a threat, but not just to Israel, not just to the United States. This presents a real threat to all of Europe," he added. "And if the Europeans don’t understand this, then they’re even dumber than I sometimes think they are." Huckabee suggested in his interview that Iran may not have taken that message seriously until U.S. military action earlier this year. "I don’t know that they ever took him seriously until the night that the B-2 bombers went to Fordow," Huckabee said. "I hope they got the message, but apparently they didn’t get the full message because, as you have mentioned, they appear to be trying to reconstitute and find a new way to dig the hole deeper and secure it more," he said at the conference. Huckabee also framed Iran’s long-standing threats as fundamentally aimed at Washington. "Iran has threatened America for 46 consecutive years, from 1979, when the ayatollahs took power," he said. "They’ve always said, ‘Death to Israel, death to America,’ in the same sentence." "Israel is only the appetizer because you’re closer, and you’re an easier target than the vast geographical expanse that represents the United States," Huckabee continued. "But they’ve never hidden the fact that the real entrée, their ultimate goal, is to destroy the United States." HEGSETH, PENTAGON BRASS PRAISE TRUMP'S 'SPECTACULAR' MILITARY SUCCESS IN IRAN NUCLEAR STRIKES The remarks come amid heightened concern in Israel over recent Iranian military activity. According to Axios, Israeli officials warned the Trump administration over the weekend that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile exercise "could be preparations for a strike on Israel," citing three Israeli and U.S. sources with knowledge of the issue. One Israeli source told Axios that while intelligence currently shows force movements inside Iran, Israel’s tolerance for risk is far lower than it was before Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. A senior Israeli official told Fox News Digital on background that concern over the Iranian drills is rooted in history rather than speculation. "Iran is doing drills. A concern that the drill will become a surprise attack is a real concern based on history. The Yom Kippur War started that way. I remind you, we shouldn’t ignore it," the official said. The source dismissed speculation that the drills signal imminent coordinated military action with Washington. "If we were planning an attack with the U.S., it probably wouldn’t make it into the media," the official said. UN NUCLEAR CHIEF SAYS IRAN HAS MATERIAL TO BUILD BOMBS, BUT NO PLAN TO DO SO The official acknowledged that the Iranian activity has also shifted Israel’s domestic political conversation , including debate over draft evasion legislation. "The headlines in Israel are now about the Iranian threat instead of the bill," the official said. "Is it spin? Is there something special? Is there truth? Maybe. But we always need to be prepared." NBC News reported on Saturday that Netanyahu plans to use his meeting with Trump to argue that Iran’s renewed expansion of its ballistic missile program poses a growing threat that could require swift action. According to the report, Netanyahu is expected to emphasize that Iran’s activities endanger not only Israel but also broader regional stability and U.S. interests. NBC reported that Netanyahu is expected to present Trump with several options, including potential U.S. involvement or support, should Israel determine that additional military action against Iran is necessary. Asked Thursday about a possible Dec. 29 meeting with Netanyahu , Trump told reporters, "We haven’t set it up formally, but he’d like to see me." Israeli officials have announced that a meeting is planned for Dec. 29. Fox News Digital reached out to Netanyahu's spokesperson but did not get a response.

Australian authorities say the suspects in the Bondi Beach shooting filmed a video manifesto that was littered with antisemitism and Islamic State leanings. Investigators say that the father-son pair accused of carrying out the attack, 50-year-old Sajid Akram and 24-year-old Naveed Akram, may have been planning it for several months. Only the son survived the attack, and he now faces charges of murder and terrorism. Police referenced a video found on the son's phone that displayed the pair's "political and religious views and appear to summarise their justification for the Bondi terrorist attack." The men are seen in the video "condemning the acts of Zionists" while they also "adhere to a religiously motivated ideology linked to Islamic State," police said. AUSTRALIA’S HANUKKAH MASSACRE: THE HORROR OF BEING PROVEN RIGHT "There is evidence that the Accused and his father meticulously planned this terrorist attack for many months," police allege. Some of the footage, shot in October, shows the pair firing shotguns in the woods and "moving in a tactical manner." The two hurled four improvised explosive devices toward a crowd but the devices failed to detonate, authorities said. The attack has placed heightened scrutiny on rising antisemitism in Australia and what Jewish leaders say was the government's refusal to act against it. AUSTRALIA TERROR ATTACK EXPOSES ISIS RESURGENCE AS EXPERTS WARN OF GLOBAL JIHADIST NETWORKS Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Anthony Albanese was met with boos while attending a vigil honoring the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting on Sunday. An estimated 10,000 mourners, including Albanese and various Australian politicians and members of the Jewish community, gathered on Bondi Beach to commemorate the victims. David Ossip, who serves as president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, remarked on Albanese's presence to the crowd and received a chorus of boos. Meanwhile, the crowd cheered at the mention of opposition leader Sussan Ley. Ley has said that a coalition government under her leadership would reverse a decision by Albanese's government to recognize a Palestinian state. The Dec. 14 attack left 15 people dead and dozens more hospitalized. The father was killed in the attack, while the son was critically injured. He woke from a coma last week and is now facing charges. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A Russian general was killed in a car bombing in Moscow on Monday, with investigators saying they suspect Ukrainian intelligence may have been behind the attack. The bombing targeted Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces' General Staff, and he died from his injuries. He was the third senior Russian military officer to be killed in a bombing this year. "Investigators are pursuing numerous lines of inquiry regarding the murder. One of these is that the crime was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services," said Svetlana Petrenko, the spokesperson for Russia's Investigative Committee. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that President Vladimir Putin had been immediately informed about Sarvarov's killing. PUTIN REJECTS KEY PARTS OF US PEACE PLAN AS KREMLIN OFFICIAL WARNS EUROPE FACES NEW WAR RISK: REPORT Sarvarov had previously fought in Chechnya and taken part in Moscow's military campaign in Syria, according to Russia's defense ministry. Ukrainian forces have yet to take responsibility for the attack. Prior to Sarvarov, Russia lost the head of its nuclear, biological and chemical protection force, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, in a similar bombing earlier this year. Ukrainian forces took responsibility for that attack. PUTIN DERIDES EUROPEAN LEADERS AS HE INSISTS RUSSIA'S WAR GOALS IN UKRAINE WILL BE MET BY FORCE OR DIPLOMACY Russian military officer Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik was also killed by a car bombing in Moscow in April. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in the aftermath of that attack that he had received reports about the successful "liquidation" of Russian military leaders, though he did not mention Moskalik directly. The Monday bombing comes as Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. remain in peace talks. Russian officials said they were proceeding "constructively" on Sunday, even as missiles rained down on Ukraine's port city of Odesa. Putin also noted on Friday that the nation's "troops are advancing," and expressed confidence that Russia would achieve its goals by military force if Ukraine does not accept its peace terms. "The goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved. We would prefer to accomplish this and address the root causes of the conflict through diplomatic means," he said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The terror attack in Australia has renewed urgent warnings from intelligence officials and counterterrorism experts that global jihadist networks are intensifying their reach, even as Western governments continue to frame groups like ISIS as weakened or in retreat. Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and one of the longest-running trackers of jihadist movements, said the Australia attack highlights a persistent miscalculation in Western capitals. "We’ve always been quick to declare terrorist organizations defeated and insignificant, and that couldn’t be further from the truth," Roggio told Fox News Digital. Roggio, who is also managing editor of The Long War Journal, said ISIS remains far from dismantled despite the collapse of its territorial "caliphate." FAMILIES MOURN LOVED ONES LOST IN BONDI BEACH TERROR ATTACK: ‘NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE THE PAIN’ "This attack in Australia is absolute proof that the Islamic State hasn’t been defeated," he said. "These groups are still able to recruit and indoctrinate people. They still have safe havens." He pointed to ISIS’ enduring presence in Afghanistan . "I just read the U.N. report. There are 2,000 ISIS fighters there, according to the United Nations," Roggio said. "That’s not what a defeated group looks like." Israeli officials say the threat revealed in Australia is part of a broader global pattern. Over the past year, they said, plots have been attempted or disrupted across Europe, North America, and elsewhere — signaling an escalating jihadist resurgence rather than isolated bursts of violence. Corri Zoli, a research associate at Syracuse University’s Forensic and National Security Sciences Institute, said Western governments cannot ignore the indicators. "Governments are on notice that there is a steep rise in the terrorist targeting of religious minorities, particularly those from the Jewish faith community and Israelis worldwide — a trend intelligence agencies say has accelerated in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, which killed more than 1,200 people in Israel," Zoli said. Roggio agrees the Israel–Hamas war has supercharged radicalization and emboldened extremists worldwide. "With Israel’s war against Hamas, it’s given new life for people to attack Jews worldwide," Roggio said. "It’s a further reason to radicalize." BYSTANDERS SEEN CONFRONTING AUSTRALIAN GUNMAN DURING ISIS-INSPIRED DEADLY RAMPAGE Intelligence officials told Fox News Digital that extremist actors across ideological lines are leveraging the conflict to inspire supporters, amplify propaganda and justify attacks in the West. Terrorist organizations, they said, are adapting quickly — merging digital incitement with on-the-ground recruitment networks. "Analysts at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center warn these networks are probing for openings in Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States, exploiting ideological ecosystems that can radicalize individuals far from traditional battlefields," Zoli said. GLOBAL WAVE OF TERROR PLOTS SPARKS NEW ALARMS OVER THE WEST’S GROWING VULNERABILITY Zoli also noted that Australian authorities had acknowledged that the attacker’s family had been on the radar of domestic intelligence. Zoli said the son "Was known to Australian officials for his extremism since 2019 and his association with extremist imam Wissam Haddad, a habitual violator of Australia’s racial hatred laws at the Al Madina Dawah Centre and a prominent figure in the Street Dawah Movement. [He] also maintained close ties to Isaac El Matari, who claimed to be an Australian ISIS commander and is currently serving jail time for insurgency and firearms offenses," she said. Roggio rejects the notion that individuals like the two of them should be viewed as "lone wolves." "I disagree with that whole ‘lone wolf’ terminology," he said, arguing that extremist ecosystems continue to provide ideological motivation, guidance and validation even when attackers act alone. A senior intelligence source put it even more starkly: "Today is ISIS, tomorrow is Iran." PHILIPPINE AUTHORITIES GIVE UPDATE ON BONDI BEACH GUNMEN'S MOVEMENTS AMID SPECULATION ABOUT TERROR TRAINING Roggio also stressed that the threat is not confined to ISIS but spans an interconnected web of jihadist actors. "This isn’t just the Islamic State. It’s al Qaeda," he said. "We were quick to declare al Qaeda defeated in Afghanistan. You read the U.N. reports, they’re still there. They’re in bed with the Taliban." "These groups aren’t defeated," he added. "They’re just operating differently." Morgan Murphy, a national security expert and former Trump White House official, and current U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, told Fox News Digital that "Because of an unprecedented influx of unvetted, Islamist, fighting-age male migrants into both Europe and the United States, the West now faces a threat from within. That internal risk undermines our global leadership and drains resources that should be used to defend freedom abroad. This is a national security disaster created by the shortsighted policies of leaders like President Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkel, who welcomed so-called refugees without considering the long-term consequences for Western society." "Just because we want to declare the war against terror over doesn’t mean it’s over," Roggio said. "We wanted to end our involvement in these wars, but the enemy gets a vote. That’s what we just saw in Australia."

Iranian officials executed a man over the weekend who was convicted of spying for Israel's intelligence arm and its army, according to state media. The man was Aghil Keshavarz, who was put to death on Saturday, state media reported. Keshavarz, 27, had "close intelligence cooperation" with the Mossad — the national intelligence agency for Israel — and captured photos of Iranian military and security areas, according to state media. IRAN’S EXECUTION RATE TOPS 1,000 THIS YEAR AS DEATH ROW INMATES LAUNCH HUNGER STRIKE Keshavarz was arrested in May while taking pictures of a military headquarters in the city of Urmia, located about 371 miles northwest of Iran's capital of Tehran. He was accused of engaging in more than 200 similar assignments for the Mossad in various Iranian cities, including Tehran. Keshavarz was tried and sentenced to death in connection with the spying accusations. The country's Supreme Court later upheld the sentence, according to state media. Iran has executed 11 people for espionage since a 12-day air conflict in June that was kicked off by Israel, killing roughly 1,100 people in Iran, including military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran countered with a missile barrage that killed 28 people in the Jewish State. In October, Iran executed an unknown person convicted of spying for Israel's intelligence agency in the city of Qom. IRAN HANGS A MAN CONVICTED OF SPYING FOR ISRAEL Various others have been executed in Iran in recent years before the June conflict on allegations of spying for the Mossad, including multiple earlier this year. Iran routinely conducts closed-door trials of people accused of espionage, with the suspects often unable to access the evidence prosecutors used against them in their case. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Australian officials should have seen the "writing on the wall" before last weekend's terror attack that left 15 people dead during the Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, said Amichai Chikli, Israel's Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism. Since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas, Australia has become a "hotbed" of antisemitism, Chikli told Fox News Digital, citing demonstrations with people shouting antisemitic slogans and engaging in violence. Slogans like "Globalize the intifada" and the waving of flags in support of Hamas, ISIS and other terror groups during an August protest on the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge encouraged the climate that led to the Bondi Beach attack, he said. "The prime minister said that it was a demonstration of unification, of unity," said Chikli. "I think that the leadership here failed to understand that words have meanings, and incitement is something which is very, very dangerous. And so there were zero actions from the government, zero condemnation." DEMOCRATS UNITE AGAINST SYDNEY TERROR — BUT FETTERMAN WARNS PARTY’S ANTI-ISRAEL RIFT BOILING OVER "The writing was on the wall," he added. "It was not a surprise. We knew that it was going to happen, this way or another, there was going [to] be violence." Since the attack, which claimed the life of a 10-year-old girl and a Holocaust survivor, among others, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has moved to tighten the country's already strong gun laws . In addition to those killed, dozens more were wounded. "The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws," Albanese said Monday after meeting with his National Cabinet. "If we need to toughen these up, if there's anything we can do, I'm certainly up for it." The focus on gun control is an attempt to bypass the real issue, said Chikli. WERE WARNINGS IGNORED IN AUSTRALIA TERROR ATTACK? "It's inconvenient for this government, who was very supportive of these pro-Palestinian demonstrations, to say it loud and clear that we have a problem of jihadist violence of radical Islam," he said. "I've never heard the prime minister of Australia even using the words radical Islam. It seems to be beyond his capabilities to just say the words radical Islam. "It's not the shotgun who killed these innocent people. It is the man behind it," he added. Albanese's office referred Fox News Digital to a Wednesday news conference in which he talked about terrorism. "People who have this perversion of Islam that leads them to support Islamic State, and to have a view that somehow there is some reward for them," he said. "There is not. They are evil. We need to make sure that we do whatever is within our powers. Now, that means education. It means as well, stamping out, calling out evil when we see it. And we'll continue to do so, not just as a government, but as a nation as well." In a podcast interview that aired the same day, Albanese said the suspects linked to the attack were motivated by "the sort of ideology of the Islamic State." "There were flags present in the back of their vehicle that they drove to Bondi in order to cause harm," he said. "This is a perverse ideology, a terrorist ideology that does not respect human life, and that is antisemitic in character, but anti-humanity as well." EYEWITNESS TO AUSTRALIA TERROR ATTACK DESCRIBES 'PANDEMONIUM' DURING DEADLY SHOOTING AT HANUKKAH EVENT Dionne Taylor, the communications manager for the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council, previously told Fox News Digital that the government was warned about the potential for violence against Jews. "It started with hate speech ," she said. "Then graffiti. Then public demonstrations. Then firebombing synagogues, preschools, people’s homes, people’s cars. And now murder." She said Jewish leaders and community representatives repeatedly raised alarms with state and federal officials, warning that inaction would lead to bloodshed. Taylor pointed to formal submissions and a detailed report produced by Australia’s special envoy to combat antisemitism, which she said was acknowledged by the government but never implemented. Chikli, who has visited Australia since the attack and has attended the funerals for the victims, compared the Australian leadership to the Biden administration, which was criticized by some who said it failed to call out Islamic extremism in favor of woke ideology. On the opposite end, he noted that the Trump administration has pressured American universities to address antisemitism and has moved to revoke the visas for foreign students who participate in anti-Israel demonstrations and foment radical movements. "The Biden administration is similar in terms of ideology to the current leadership here in Australia – progressive, woke, weak leadership," Chikli said. "Simple as that, with zero capability of addressing the threat of radical Islam and zero actions." He also noted that he hadn't seen current Australian officials at the funerals for the victims. Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.

Israel’s national intelligence chief warns that Iran, ISIS and other jihadist actors remain determined to target Jews worldwide, as senior intelligence officials sound the alarm on a sharp global rise in terrorism. Speaking days after the Hanukkah massacre in Australia, Mossad Director David Barnea said Israel’s spy agency would find "those who sent them wherever they flee, and we will hold them to account," adding that "justice will be done and justice will be seen." Barnea said the attack in Sydney reflects a broader and ongoing threat. "The criminal idea of terrorism targeting innocent civilians has been and remains a cornerstone of the security strategy of the current Iranian regime," he said. He warned that "jihadist elements, ISIS and others, have also resolved to target every Jew in the world." "Our hearts are with the families of the Australian victims," Barnea said. He added that the goal of such attacks is to break Jewish resilience, but stressed, "Our spirit will not be broken. We will continue to celebrate our holidays and live our lives in Israel and around the world." FOX NEWS ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’ NEWSLETTER: AUSTRALIA PAYS PRICE FOR CODDLING EXTREMISTS The comments came as Australian and international authorities continue investigating the attack at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that killed 15 people and wounded dozens more. Australian officials have said the shooters were inspired by Islamic State ideology, and homemade ISIS banners were found inside their vehicle. The recent attack has also fueled calls in Washington for a tougher counterterrorism posture. Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital, "We must stay on offense and never return to the weak policies. Under President Trump, American strength is back, and terrorists know it. Iran’s nuclear program was crippled, ISIS’s leadership was crushed, and a clear message was sent: If you threaten Americans, you will be eliminated." The Bondi attack followed months of warnings from Israeli intelligence that Jewish communities and Western nations face an expanding terror threat driven by Iran-linked networks alongside Sunni jihadist groups. Senior Israeli intelligence sources previously told Fox News Digital that the Mossad had alerted Australian authorities about Iranian-linked terror activity long before the attack and stressed the danger was not confined to a single country. " Today it’s ISIS . Tomorrow it’s Iran," one senior Israeli intelligence official said, describing a threat environment in which multiple extremist actors are operating in parallel and often overlapping arenas. SURVIVING AUSTRALIA TERROR SUSPECT SLAPPED WITH CHARGES IN WAKE OF DEADLY ATTACK The official added that Israeli intelligence has identified or disrupted similar activity across Europe, Africa and Asia, including alleged plots involving Germany , Austria, South America, India and Thailand. "If you knew how many terror attacks the Mossad has prevented, you would drop your jaw," the source said. Barnea also warned that Iran’s use of terrorism is inseparable from its broader strategic ambitions, including its nuclear program . He said Tehran "will sprint toward nuclear weapons the moment it is able to," and that "the idea of developing a nuclear bomb is still alive in their hearts." Barnea said Israel has a responsibility to ensure that Iran’s nuclear project, which he said has been severely damaged through close cooperation with the United States, is never revived. As investigations continue in Australia, Israeli intelligence officials say the Bondi Beach attack fits a broader global pattern of terrorism driven by both Iranian-backed networks and jihadist ideology, reinforcing Barnea’s warning that the threat remains active, adaptive and global.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was met with boos while attending a vigil honoring the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting on Sunday. An estimated 10,000 mourners, including Albanese and various Australian politicians and members of the Jewish community, gathered on Bondi Beach to commemorate the victims. David Ossip, who serves as president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, remarked on Albanese's presence to the crowd and received a chorus of boos. "This has to be the nadir of antisemitism in our country," Ossip said. "This has to be the moment when light starts to eclipse the darkness." Meanwhile, the crowd cheered at the mention of opposition leader Sussan Ley. Ley has said that a coalition government under her leadership would reverse a decision by Albanese's government to recognize a Palestinian state. FAMILIES MOURN LOVED ONES LOST IN BONDI BEACH TERROR ATTACK: ‘NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE THE PAIN’ The tense reaction comes after Jewish leaders and Israeli officials have lambasted Albanese's government for ignoring warning signs of Australia's rising antisemitism in the months before the attack on Bondi Beach. SURVIVING AUSTRALIA TERROR SUSPECT SLAPPED WITH CHARGES IN WAKE OF DEADLY ATTACK Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted a letter he sent to Albanese earlier this year when the latter's government announced it was recognizing a Palestinian state. He argued the move "pours fuel on the antisemitic fire." "Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia. You did nothing to curb the cancer cells that were growing inside your country. You took no action. You let the disease spread and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today," Netanyahu said the day of the attack. AUSTRALIA ANTI-TERROR POLICE DETAIN 7 MEN AS COUNTRY LAYS YOUNGEST BONDI BEACH VICTIM TO REST The Dec. 14 attack left 15 people dead and dozens more hospitalized. The shooters were a father-son duo, and the father was killed in the attack. The son, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, woke from a coma after recovering from severe injuries and faces charges of murder and terrorism . The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Nine people were killed and at least 10 others wounded when gunmen opened fire inside a South African pub early Sunday, sparking a manhunt for the attackers in the country’s second mass shooting in less than a month. The shooting happened just before 1 a.m. at KwaNoxolo tavern in Bekkersdal, a township located 28 miles west of Johannesburg. Police said about 12 unknown suspects in a white mini-bus and a silver sedan opened fire at pub patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they sped away from the scene. "Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen," police said. SHOOTING AT CROWDED SOUTH CAROLINA BAR LEAVES AT LEAST 4 DEAD, 20 OTHERS INJURED Maj. Gen. Fred Kekana , Gauteng’s acting provincial commissioner, told The Associated Press that the gunmen, some of whom covered their faces with balaclavas, were armed with an AK-47 rifle and several 9mm pistols. TRUMP BLOCKS SOUTH AFRICA FROM 2026 G20 SUMMIT FOR ALLEGED 'HORRIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES' Authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspects, led by Gauteng’s Serious and Violent Crime Investigations unit in coordination with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit. The attack follows a string of mass shootings at bars — often called shebeens or taverns in South Africa. Earlier this month, multiple gunmen opened fire at an unlicensed bar near the capital, killing at least 12 people and injuring 13 others. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

In the wake of the mass shooting attack at Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a national gun buyback program and proposed new hate speech laws. While the legislation has not yet been drafted, it is already causing controversy as fears that the laws could be wielded as political weapons emerge. Critics have also said that neither the gun buyback nor the hate speech laws are addressing the root of what led to the terror attack. "Well, it's a bit hard for them to actually strengthen the laws. It's not clear what they're proposing to do," Dr. Reuben Kirkham, one of the directors of the Free Speech Union of Australia, told Fox News Digital. "What they're probably going to try and do is widen it to include a bunch of things that are not to do with hate speech, necessarily." Albanese told reporters on Friday that the government was working to "get the laws right" and acknowledged the complexities surrounding the issue. He said, "There are issues of free speech involved in this as well — we want to make sure that these laws don't get passed and then get knocked over." SENATORS TED CRUZ AND JOHN FETTERMAN AGREE ON HATING ONE 'EVIL' DURING BIPARTISAN INTERVIEW The proposed changes include federal offenses for "aggravated hate speech" aimed at preachers who promote violence and "serious vilification" based on race, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. The outlet noted that just 10 months ago, the government strengthened federal hate speech laws with the goal of curbing antisemitism and Islamophobia. Simultaneously, New South Wales (NSW), where the terror attack took place, is considering banning chants of the phrase "globalize the intifada," which many consider to be an antisemitic call for violence against Jews. The ban would also apply to public displays of ISIS flags and extremist symbols. Additionally, NSW Premier Chris Minns said, under the ban, police would be given more powers to demand that protesters remove face coverings during demonstrations, according to The Associated Press . THOUSANDS GATHER AS BONDI BEACH REOPENS, COMMEMORATING VICTIMS OF HANUKKAH ATTACK Kirkham told Fox News Digital that existing anti-vilification laws have already been used to shut down speech that opposes government views. He believes that if these laws are strengthened in the wake of the Bondi Beach shooting, they would be used as political weapons, rather than protections for everyday people. Additionally, Kirkham said he sees this as the government using the attack as an opportunity to pass laws that fit its views. Furthermore, Kirkham argues that Albanese's proposal could actually increase antisemitism rather than put an end to it. "What they’re basically saying is, ‘Well, we need more censorship laws. Why? Well, apparently to protect Jewish people.’ So what they’re saying to these communities is, ‘We’re censoring you to protect the Jews.’ I mean, how is that going to go down? Is that going to improve the issue of antisemitism, or is it going to make it worse?" While the Australian government has focused its response on hate speech and gun laws, critics, such as Kirkham, say the Bondi Beach attack revealed intelligence failures. Albanese said Friday that intelligence indicated that the attack at Bondi Beach was in fact inspired by ISIS . "We've been informed that the Office of National Intelligence has identified a regular online video feed from ISIS that reinforces that this was an ISIS-inspired attack. Further work has been done by the security agencies around motivation, and we'll continue to meet and provide them with whatever support they need at this difficult time," Albanese told reporters . Fox News Digital reached out to Albanese's office for comment. FAMILIES MOURN LOVED ONES LOST IN BONDI BEACH TERROR ATTACK: ‘NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE THE PAIN’ Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that governments in the West have routinely failed to tackle the problems behind Islamic extremism-inspired attacks. "The problem here is there's this radical Islamist ideology that spans a spectrum from political Islam, the Muslim Brotherhood, to Hamas and Palestinian terrorist groups, to al Qaeda and Islamic State, and we in the West refuse to, and have from the very beginning since 9/11, refuse to actually take that on," Roggio said. "We don't want to admit that there is an actual problem within Islam, not with Islam, but within Islam." As authorities investigate the shooting attack, a focal point has become the father-son gunmen's trip to the Philippines just before the shooting at Bondi Beach. The GV Hotel in Davao City said the men booked their stay through a third party and were initially scheduled to arrive on Nov. 15 but instead arrived on Nov. 1, according to Reuters . An employee told Reuters the two booked the room for seven days but extended their stay three times and paid in cash. The hotel worker also said the men barely interacted with staff and had no visitors. Philippine National Police Brig. Gen. Leon Victor Rosete, the Davao region’s police director, told the Guardian that the older gunman was interested in firearms. He also spoke of the gunmen's "jog walk" that was captured on CCTV, adding that the two appeared to be doing "physical conditioning" exercises. "The father has shown interest in firearms. He entered a firearms shop," Rosete told the Guardian. He later said that they did not visit any firing ranges in Davao. BYSTANDERS SEEN CONFRONTING AUSTRALIAN GUNMAN DURING ISIS-INSPIRED DEADLY RAMPAGE Davao City is located on the island of Mindanao, which has been under a "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" advisory since May. However, the State Department said Davao City, in addition to a few other locations, is an exception to the advisory. Roggio told Fox News Digital that Mindanao is a "known hotbed for Islamist groups." "If they weren't at actual camps to get training, they could have been getting advice on how to plot the attack, where to plot the attack, what the target should be," Roggio told Fox News Digital. He said the two could have also received additional "indoctrination" while in the Philippines. "Three weeks-plus isn't enough to become a highly efficient two-man fire team, but they clearly got enough training to make that happen," Roggio said. As authorities work to piece together how and why the Bondi Beach attack occurred, the debate over the government’s response continues, with critics warning that a Band-Aid solution will fail to address the root of the problem.

Kremlin envoy Kirill Dimitriev told reporters in the U.S. that peace talks with Ukraine are proceeding "constructively," even as Russian forces launched a deadly missile strike on Ukraine's southern port city of Odesa. "The discussions are proceeding constructively. They began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow," Dimitriev told press gathered Saturday for a meeting in Florida. Dimitriev met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff as well as President Donald Trump 's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. That meeting came after the U.S. side completed separate meetings with Ukrainian representatives. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sounded apprehensive about where peace talks stood when speaking to the press on Saturday. US ENVOY GAVE RUSSIAN AIDE TIPS ON HOW TO SELL UKRAINE DEAL TO TRUMP: REPORT "The key question remains how the United States responds after consultations with the Russians. At this point, I honestly don’t know, but I will know later today," he said. Russia's campaign against Ukraine has continued unabated despite the peace talks. A Saturday strike on Odesa killed eight people and injured 27 others. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted on Friday that the nation's "troops are advancing," and expressed confidence that Russia would achieve its goals by military force if Ukraine does not accept its peace terms. PUTIN CALLS TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN A ‘STARTING POINT’ AS HE WARNS UKRAINE TO PULL BACK OR FACE 'FORCE' "Our troops are advancing all across the line of contact, faster in some areas or slower in some others, but the enemy is retreating in all sectors," Putin declared Friday during his annual news conference. "The goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved. We would prefer to accomplish this and address the root causes of the conflict through diplomatic means," he continued. "However, if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means," Putin declared. Russia's peace terms have so far required Ukraine to give up vast swathes of territory, including some territory not already under Russian occupation. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More than $2.6 million has been raised for the man who disarmed one of the attackers during a mass shooting targeting a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, last weekend. After the attack – which took place on Dec. 14 and left at least 15 people dead – a GoFundMe page was launched for Ahmed al Ahmed, who was deemed a hero after video showed him tackling and disarming one of the alleged gunmen. As of Sunday morning, $2.64 million had been raised through nearly 45,000 donations for al Ahmed, a Syrian-born Australian Muslim, who was one of dozens wounded during the attack when a second gunman fired on him. "In a moment of chaos and danger, Ahmed al-Ahmed stepped forward without hesitation," the fundraiser states. "His actions were selfless, instinctive, and undeniably heroic, taken without regard for his own safety. Early reports indicate he was shot twice in the process while protecting others." SURVIVING AUSTRALIA TERROR SUSPECT SLAPPED WITH CHARGES IN WAKE OF DEADLY ATTACK The organizers added that the campaign was created to show gratitude and support for someone who demonstrated "incredible courage when it mattered most." Footage from the scene shows al Ahmed, a father of two young daughters, ages 5 and 6, sneaking up behind the attacker as shots are fired off camera. He is then seen tackling the gunman and wrestling the weapon away from him, before turning the weapon on the attacker and holding him at gunpoint. One of the fundraiser’s organizers, social media influencer Zachery Dereniowski, visited al Ahmed at a Sydney hospital on Friday to present him with a check for $2.5 million, the amount raised at that time. AUSTRALIA ANTI-TERROR POLICE DETAIN 7 MEN AS COUNTRY LAYS YOUNGEST BONDI BEACH VICTIM TO REST In a video shared on social media, al Ahmed appeared overwhelmed by the gesture. Sitting in his hospital bed, al Ahmed asked, "I deserve it?" Dereniowski replied, "Every penny." Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited al Ahmed earlier this week, hailing him as an "Australian hero." "You put yourself at risk to save others, running towards danger on Bondi Beach and disarming a terrorist," he wrote on X. "In the worst of times, we see the best of Australians. And that's exactly what we saw on Sunday night. On behalf of every Australian, I say thank you." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised al Ahmed's actions as "brave," and Chris Minns, the premier of Australia's New South Wales, stated that his "incredible bravery no doubt saved countless lives." The Australian government is investigating the shooting as a terror attack targeting the Jewish community. A 24-year-old man who allegedly perpetrated the terror attack with his 50-year-old father was slapped with murder charges. The father "died at the scene," police said. Fox News Digital's Alex Nitzberg, Anders Hagstrom and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

A high-speed passenger train plowed into a herd of elephants in northeastern India early Saturday, killing seven elephants and injuring a calf. The Rajdhani Express, which was carrying around 650 passengers, was traveling through Assam when its driver spotted about 100 wild Asiatic elephants crossing the tracks and applied the emergency brakes. Despite the effort, the train collided with several of the endangered animals, The Associated Press reported . MOUNTAIN LION ATTACKS 4-YEAR-OLD WALKING WITH FAMILY AT WASHINGTON'S OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK The impact caused the engine and five coaches to derail. None of the train's passengers , who were traveling from Sairang in Mizoram state to New Delhi, were harmed in the incident, AP reported. "We delinked the coaches which were not derailed, and the train resumed its journey for New Delhi," Indian Railways spokesman Kapinjal Kishore Sharma told AP. "Around 200 passengers who were in the five derailed coaches have been moved to Guwahati in a different train." SOUTH AFRICAN ELEPHANT KILLS TOURIST WHO WAS TRYING TO SAVE CHILDREN AT KRUGER NATIONAL PARK Veterinarians later conducted autopsies on the elephants. They were scheduled to be buried later in the day on Saturday, according to AP. LAW STUDENT KILLED BY ELEPHANT DURING VACATION TO THAILAND: OFFICIALS Assam is home to an estimated 7,000 wild Asiatic elephants, and train-related deaths have been an ongoing issue. At least a dozen elephants have been killed on railway tracks in the state since 2020, AP reported. Asiatic elephants are considered endangered, and there are currently only an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 left in the wild, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

EXCLUSIVE: A former Australian government minister said a combination of Islamic extremism, government inaction and lax security screening measures for migrants from Middle Eastern hotspots were all factors that led to the nation’s worst-ever terrorist attack. Former Australian Treasurer and Member of Parliament Josh Frydenberg told Fox News Digital from Sydney that, "While guns may have stolen the lives of the 15 innocent souls killed at Bondi Beach, it was actually radical Islam which pulled the trigger." He said the government’s response to the deadly attack has focused on the weapon rather than the ideology behind the violence. FORMER HAMAS HOSTAGE WARNED AUSTRALIAN LEADERS ABOUT DANGERS OF ANTISEMITISM MONTHS BEFORE BONDI BEACH ATTACK "We’ve taken thousands of people from the terrorist hotspot in the Middle East , namely Gaza," Frydenberg said in a Zoom interview with Fox News Digital. "We have also taken people from many other countries without sufficient security checks, and we are paying a price in Australia for having people in our country who do not share the same commitment that I do and others do to democratic ideals." Frydenberg’s remarks come as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has moved to tighten Australia’s already strict gun laws in the wake of the massacre, announcing plans for a new national gun buyback scheme and additional firearms restrictions. But in an interview with Fox News Digital, Frydenberg said the measures risk avoiding a harder reckoning with what he described as years of ignored extremism, rising antisemitism and security failures that left Jewish Australians increasingly vulnerable. "The government needs to do a lot more to tackle the hate preachers, to tackle the organizations that are spreading that hate and to ensure that they prosecute those people who are inciting violence." Frydenberg said Australia has failed to take steps adopted by other Western democracies, including banning extremist groups that remain legal inside the country. "Hezbat al-Tahrir, which is banned in the United Kingdom, banned in Germany, banned in moderate Islamic states, is not banned in Australia , and it should be." Asked whether Jewish Australians feel safe, Frydenberg said the situation has reached a breaking point. INTELLIGENCE WARNED AUSTRALIA OF IRANIAN-LINKED TERROR ACTIVITY MONTHS BEFORE BONDI ATTACK, OFFICIALS SAY "Australia is unsafe for Jewish people right now," he said, citing what he described as an unprecedented escalation in harassment, intimidation and violence since Oct. 7, 2023. "We’ve seen Jewish artists that have been doxxed, Jewish businesses that have been boycotted, houses of worship, synagogues that have been firebombed, as well as childcare centers," he said. "Our universities are no longer homes of education. They’ve become hotbeds of hate as people have harassed and intimidated and acted violently towards Jewish students and staff." His warnings gained renewed attention this week after a separate television interview he gave to Australia’s ABC network went viral following a tense exchange with anchor Sarah Ferguson, who questioned whether his criticism of the government should be viewed through a political lens. FAMILIES MOURN LOVED ONES LOST IN BONDI BEACH TERROR ATTACK: ‘NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE THE PAIN’ "I’m deeply offended by what you just said," Frydenberg responded. "That is an insult. That is an insult to say that there’s any political motivation in this." "My children go to a school where there are armed guards outside," he continued. "When I visit a Jewish Aged Care Center, there are armed guards outside. When I send my kids to Jewish sporting clubs, there are police cars out there and police tape. How should we live with this? Why should we live with this?" Frydenberg rejected the suggestion that his warnings were partisan, arguing the issue cuts across politics. "This is not a partisan issue. This is a leadership issue. This is about the safety and the security and the soul of Australia," he said. He told Fox News Digital the Albanese government’s response will ultimately be judged by what it does next, not by public statements. "They won’t be judged by their words," Frydenberg said. "They’ll only be judged by their actions, and they’ll need to do a lot more than they’ve announced today in order to turn the situation around."

Preparations for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan are underway, according to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. The announcement comes after representatives from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey participated in high-level U.S.-led talks in Miami. "In our discussions regarding phase two, we emphasized enabling a governing body in Gaza under a unified Gazan authority to protect civilians and maintain public order," Witkoff wrote on X . "We also discussed regional integration measures, including trade facilitation, infrastructure development, and cooperation on energy, water, and other shared resources, as essential to Gaza’s recovery, regional stability, and long-term prosperity. "We reviewed next steps in the phased implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, underscoring the importance of sequencing, coordination, and effective monitoring in partnership with local Gazan institutions and international partners." NETANYAHU ADVISOR EXPRESSES 'DEEP FAITH' IN TRUMP'S GAZA CEASEFIRE PLAN FRAMEWORK APPROACH In addition to looking forward to the next phase, the group reflected on the implementation of the first part of the ceasefire, which Witkoff said "yielded progress." During the first phase, humanitarian aid went into the Gaza Strip, hostilities were reduced and there was a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces. Additionally, all living hostages and most deceased hostages were released. The last remaining hostage is Ran Gvili, an Israeli police officer killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. 1 HOSTAGE REMAINS WITH HAMAS AFTER LATEST BODY IS ID'D The U.S.-led talks on the second phase of the plan were proceeded by a similar meeting in Cairo, which reportedly included Turkey and Egypt's intelligence chiefs, as well as Qatar's prime minister. "During the meeting, [they] also agreed to continue strengthening coordination and cooperation with the Civil Military Coordination Center to eliminate all obstacles to ensure the continuity of the ceasefire and to prevent further violations," a Turkish source told Reuters , adding that they also discussed countering alleged Israeli ceasefire violations. The second phase of the deal involves the deployment of an international stabilization force and the development of an international body to govern Gaza. It also includes the disarmament of Hamas. Additionally, Israel will move further from the so-called "yellow line" ahead of the international force taking over, according to The Times of Israel.

The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) is proposing a ban on chants of the phrase "globalize the intifada," which many consider to be an antisemitic call for violence against Jews. This comes less than one week after a deadly mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that killed at least 15 people. NSW Premier Chris Minns said, under the ban, police would be given more powers to demand that protesters remove face coverings during demonstrations, according to The Associated Press . FORMER HAMAS HOSTAGE WARNED AUSTRALIAN LEADERS ABOUT DANGERS OF ANTISEMITISM MONTHS BEFORE BONDI BEACH ATTACK " Hate speech or incitement of hatred has no place in our society," Minns said Saturday, the AP reported. "Horrific, recent events have shown that the chant ‘globalize the intifada’ is hate speech and encourages violence in our community," Minns told reporters. "You’re running a very risky racket if you’re thinking of using that phrase." The proposed ban would also prohibit public displays of ISIS flags or extremist symbols. Offenses could be punishable by up to two years in prison and can include fines, according to the AP. AUSTRALIA MOVES TO TIGHTEN GUN LAWS AFTER HANUKKAH MASS SHOOTING LEAVES 15 DEAD AT BONDI BEACH Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Friday that intelligence further confirmed the Bondi Beach shooting was inspired by ISIS. "We’ve been informed that the Office of National Intelligence has identified a regular online video feed from ISIS that reinforces that this was an ISIS-inspired attack," Albanese told reporters, according to The Times of Israel . He also announced a gun buyback plan and a "day of reflection" following the deadly attack. The announcement of NSW's proposed ban comes after Albanese pledged to introduce measures to curb radicalization and hate, including broadening the definition of hate speech offenses. Australia had faced rising antisemitism prior to the attack at Bondi Beach, with a number of incidents occurring after Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks against Israel. Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a prominent member of the Jewish community who was killed in the Bondi Beach attack, wrote a letter to Albanese about his concerns regarding rising antisemitism. Schlanger implored the prime minister "not to betray the Jewish people. " The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A former Hamas hostage told Fox News Digital that he had warned Australian leaders to take antisemitism more seriously months before the deadly shooting at Bondi Beach. Eli Sharabi, who spent 491 days as a hostage in Gaza, said the attack on Bondi Beach was "crazy," but far from unpredictable. Sharabi told Fox News Digital that while in Australia in June, he met with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong and warned them that rising antisemitism would lead to something worse. Sharabi recalled telling the officials that a hate crime would take place in Australia and that he would "see the fears" of Jewish people walking on the streets. He urged them to speak out against antisemitism before it was too late. RABBI KILLED IN SYDNEY HANUKKAH ATTACK HAD WARNED AUSTRALIAN PM ABOUT RISING ANTISEMITISM He recounted to Fox News Digital the moment he told Marles and Wong, "When it happens, a hate crime here, it will be your responsibility, because you have to have a stronger voice against antisemitism." Though, Sharabi said he did not know why he told them that at the time. "Unfortunately, it happened. And that's crazy, it's crazy. Really, I'm so sorry for that," he said. A spokesperson for Wong said that she "deeply appreciated her meeting with Eli Sharabi and thanks him for sharing his insights and experiences." "Minister Wong has consistently condemned antisemitism and antisemitic attacks," the spokesperson said. "In response to the horrific antisemitic terror attack at Bondi, we are further strengthening laws against those who spread antisemitism and online abuse, ensuring our education system properly responds to antisemitism, and lowering the threshold to cancel visas for those who come to Australia to spread antisemitism." The spokesperson also conveyed Wong's sympathies to the loved ones of the Bondi Beach shooting victims. Sharabi told Fox News Digital that the attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that left at least 15 dead and dozens wounded reminded him of the persecution of European Jews in the 1940s. "Suddenly you feel like it's the 1940s again, and we are in 2025, 90 years later, all these things are happening again," Sharabi said. AUSTRALIA ANTI-TERROR POLICE DETAIN 7 MEN AS COUNTRY LAYS YOUNGEST BONDI BEACH VICTIM TO REST On Feb. 8, 2025, Sharabi was released from Hamas captivity, 491 days after he was taken hostage from Kibbutz Be'eri during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre. He did not know until after he was freed that his wife, Lianne, and their daughters, Noiya and Yahel, had been killed when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel. Since his release, Sharabi has traveled the world speaking to Jewish communities, world leaders and various audiences about his experience as a hostage, something he recounted in his book, "Hostage," which has been translated into multiple languages. After he was released, he learned that while he was in the hands of terrorists, there were people around the world praying for him and demanding he and the other hostages be freed. He said that while he was in the hospital in the days following his release, he was slowly exposed to the work that people in Israel and around the world did to advocate for him and the other hostages. It started with revelations about his family and friends, then his realization that people in Israel and around the world also took part in the fight for his release. He soon joined the fight, advocating for the release of all hostages, including Alon Ohel, someone who Sharabi bonded with during his time in captivity. "It was an amazing feeling to see him released. He's like my son," Sharabi told Fox News Digital. Sharabi said that he and Ohel have seen each other a few times as free men and that they try to speak every day. OPINION: AUSTRALIA’S HANUKKAH MASSACRE: THE HORROR OF BEING PROVEN RIGHT Sharabi told Fox News Digital about his life after captivity. Now a free man for nearly a year, he said he appreciates every moment. "First of all, I'm alive. Second, I'm free, and I've learned that freedom is priceless," he said. "Every morning I wake up, I say thank you very much for what I have and for my freedom, and I can be able to choose whatever I do that day and not to ask permission from anyone to eat or drink or speak," he told Fox News Digital. "I'm happy with my life. The memory of my wife, my daughters and my brother will be with me until my last day." Sharabi told Fox News Digital that while in captivity, he promised himself that he would move his family to London, where they could live a peaceful life. He said that he made the decision because of the fear he saw in his daughters' eyes on Oct. 7. While his plans on relocating to London have changed, Sharabi envisions himself living a quiet life and focusing on his own healing once the body of Ran Gvili, the last remaining hostage in Gaza, is returned to Israel. However, Sharabi said that he cannot go back to Kibbutz Be'eri and that he will likely seek a fresh start a bit further north in central Israel. "I can't go back to Be'eri. It's something I need to solve with myself and with my therapist, of course. How can I get into my house again? For me, living in Be'eri, it's not an option. In every corner, I can see the tragedy," Sharabi said. "I need a new place, a new restart for my life, so it cannot be in Be'eri." Fox News Digital reached out to Marles' office for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: From a distance, Margarita Island looks like a Caribbean escape. Palm-lined beaches, duty-free shops, and resort towns sell the image of a tropical playground just off Venezuela’s northeastern coast. But U.S. officials say the Venezuelan outpost has become something else entirely: Hezbollah’s most important base of operations in the Western Hemisphere, strengthened by Iran’s growing footprint and the Maduro regime’s protection. That threat, U.S. officials warn, reflects a broader security challenge emerging from the region. "The single most serious threat to the United States from the Western Hemisphere is from transnational terrorist criminal groups primarily focused on narcotrafficking," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at an end-of-year press conference at the State Department on Friday. "Margarita Island might be of significance to the U.S. because of its location and the security dynamics around it," Melissa Ford Maldonado, director of the Western Hemisphere Initiative at the America First Policy Institute, told Fox News Digital. "It is close to Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada, in an oil-rich part of the Caribbean along key maritime routes, and it has long had a reputation for being a major drug-trafficking hub, possibly because it’s off the mainland, and there’s not a lot of law enforcement there." The island’s isolation, she said, has made it attractive to "irregular armed groups, foreign intelligence actors and criminal networks that use it as a departure point for boats carrying illicit shipments out of Venezuela." CARTEL CONNECTION: HEZBOLLAH AND IRAN EXPLOIT MADURO’S VENEZUELA FOR COCAINE CASH CARTEL CONNECTION: HEZBOLLAH AND IRAN EXPLOIT MADURO’S VENEZUELA FOR COCAINE CASH Marshall Billingslea, the former assistant secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes in the U.S. Treasury Department, said Margarita Island now serves as Hezbollah’s key foothold in the Western Hemisphere. "From what I have seen and what I have been told, there is a wide range of activities that Hezbollah and to some extent Hamas are engaged in," Billingslea told Fox News Digital. "Margarita Island is really the center of gravity for their activities." In written testimony submitted to the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control for an Oct. 21 hearing, Billingslea traced the island’s transformation back more than two decades. Under Hugo Chávez, he wrote, Venezuela "opened its doors to Hezbollah, allowing the group to establish a major footprint, including a paramilitary training site, on Margarita Island." "When Nicolás Maduro seized power," Billingslea added, "the breadth and depth of Hezbollah’s presence in Venezuela dramatically expanded, as did their ties to the narco-terrorist regime and the Cartel de los Soles ." WHY THE US COULD SNATCH A VENEZUELAN TANKER — AND NOT UNDER ‘WARTIME’ AUTHORITY USED IN CARTEL STRIKES "The relationship is very close with the Cartel de los Soles, and it has been so for many, many years," Billingslea said, referring to the network of senior Venezuelan officials accused by the United States of drug trafficking. Billingslea said Hezbollah has embedded itself into Margarita Island’s economy, exploiting the island’s duty-free status and cross-border access to Colombia to generate revenue through smuggling and drug importation. He said the group operates a wide range of companies on the island and also maintains several training camps there. His testimony also detailed how Venezuela’s state apparatus helped embed Hezbollah inside the country. He wrote that former senior official Tareck El Aissami, while overseeing Venezuela’s passport and naturalization agency, "was instrumental in furnishing passports and citizenship documents to Hezbollah operatives as well as a large number of people from Lebanon, Syria, and Iran ." Between 2010 and 2019, Venezuelan authorities issued more than 10,400 passports to individuals from those countries, according to the testimony. TRUMP SAYS US SEIZES MASSIVE VENEZUELAN OIL TANKER AS SHOWDOWN WITH MADURO ERUPTS INTO NEW PHASE A May 27, 2020, Justice Department announcement alleged that Diosdado Cabello directed Venezuelan lawmaker Adel El Zabayar to travel to the Middle East to obtain weapons and recruit members of Hezbollah and Hamas for training at clandestine camps inside Venezuela. The filing also describes a subsequent weapons delivery at a hangar controlled by Maduro at the country’s main international airport. Recent developments in the Middle East have only increased Margarita Island’s importance, Billingslea said. Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon has damaged the group’s military leadership and financial infrastructure, forcing it to rely more heavily on overseas networks. "Israeli successes against Hezbollah in Lebanon in particular, including their strikes on the financial infrastructure Al-Qard al-Hassan that operates in Lebanon, are going to have two effects," he said. "The first is that it is making the fundraising and the revenue generation that comes out of Latin America even more important to the terrorist group. Secondly, we have seen indications that Hezbollah actually has been relocating fighters from Lebanon, several hundred from Lebanon to Venezuela in particular." US DEPLOYS FIGHTER JETS TO GULF OF VENEZUELA IN CLOSEST KNOWN APPROACH YET, AMID RISING TENSION Asked whether that shift moves the threat closer to the United States, Billingslea said Hezbollah is now operating "close to the U.S. and further away from the Israelis." He said Iran’s role in Venezuela has deepened alongside Hezbollah’s. "There is a substantial Iranian footprint in Venezuela related to the trade of weapons and drones, in particular, for gold," he said. After suffering losses in the Middle East, he added, "the Iranians find themselves even more dependent on that supply of gold in exchange for drones and weapons." He said Washington faces a strategic choice. "I think the United States has positioned sufficient forces in the Caribbean at this time to take care of the Hezbollah threat ," he said. "But obviously, when you have a terrorist group that has merged into the local population, highly precise intelligence is needed. I believe the Venezuelan opposition possesses a great deal of that intelligence, though it is not clear to me that the United States government is making the best use of that access." For Billingslea, the conclusion is cleaner — eliminating Venezuela’s narco-terrorist regime would significantly strengthen U.S. national security.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow would refrain from launching new attacks on other nations provided his country is treated "with respect." The Kremlin made the remarks during his annual televised press conference in Moscow as concerns persist among European nations that Russia poses a security threat, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. "Will there be new special military operations? There will be no operations if you treat us with respect, if you observe our interests, just as we have constantly tried to observe yours," Putin said. TRUMP TOUTS 'TREMENDOUS PROGRESS' BUT SAYS HE'LL MEET PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY 'ONLY WHEN' PEACE DEAL IS FINAL Putin uses the phrase "special military operation" to describe Russia’s offensive in Ukraine , according to AFP. He added there would be no further Russian invasions "if you don't cheat us like you cheated us with NATO's eastward expansion," according to the BBC . The Russian leader also claimed he was "ready and willing" to end the war in Ukraine "peacefully," though he offered few details suggesting a willingness to compromise , the BBC reported. PUTIN CLAIMS 'TROOPS ARE ADVANCING,' WILL ACHIEVE GOALS AS EU APPROVES MASSIVE UKRAINE LOAN The yearly news conference, which typically runs at least four hours, features questions from reporters and members of the public across Russia. More than 2.5 million questions were submitted for this year's event, which focused heavily on the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported. Putin also noted during the event that the nation's "troops are advancing" and expressed confidence that Russia will accomplish its objectives through military means if Ukraine does not assent to Russia's terms during peace talks, according to The Associated Press. PUTIN DOUBLES DOWN ON BACKING MADURO AMID MOUNTING US PRESSURE ON VENEZUELA "Our troops are advancing all across the line of contact, faster in some areas or slower in some others, but the enemy is retreating in all sectors," Putin declared. As the war drags on, the European Union has just agreed to provide Ukraine with a loan of over $105 billion. Fox News Digital's Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.

Canadian authorities charged a man who allegedly conspired with the Islamic State to provide information to ISIS and commit murder, and officials linked him to several alleged hate crimes targeting members of the Jewish community. Waleed Khan, 26, of Toronto, is accused of conspiring to commit murder for a terrorist group, providing funds and property to the terrorist group ISIS and aiding terrorist activity, Toronto police said Friday. Authorities allege Khan’s crimes took place between June 17 and Aug. 17, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police . In addition to the terrorism charges, Khan and two other men are accused of conducting several attacks against women and members of the Jewish community, according to authorities. CANADIAN SPY CHIEF WARNS OF ALARMING RISE IN TEEN TERROR SUSPECTS, 'POTENTIALLY LETHAL' THREATS BY IRAN Osman Azizov, 18, and Fahad Sadaat, 19, were arrested in two alleged attempted kidnappings in the Greater Toronto Area in May and June, according to Toronto police. In May, authorities say a woman was approached by the three men — one armed with a handgun and another with a knife — who then attempted to force her into a vehicle. However, the three individuals allegedly fled when approached by another motorist. ONLINE ‘GORE’ FORUMS ARE ‘GATEWAY TO EXTREMISM’ IN MASS SHOOTINGS, NORMALIZING HORROR FOR KIDS: EXPERTS Less than one month later, the three men allegedly approached a pair of women while carrying a handgun, rifle and knife. Authorities said they began chasing the victims until a nearby witness intervened. After taking the three suspects into custody, authorities said investigators discovered a trove of guns and evidence suggesting the commission of additional hate crimes targeting members of the Jewish community. THE NEW MAFIA: TRUMP, CIVIL RICO AND THE GLOBAL INTIFADA Police say 79 charges have been brought against the three men, with each facing 14 charges, including attempted kidnapping with a firearm, sexual assault with a weapon and hate crimes. "What began as armed, coordinated attempts to kidnap women led to significant arrests and charges, stopping a dangerous escalation of hate-motivated crimes and terrorism across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond," Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said in a statement. "Thank you to our investigators and partners at the Toronto Police Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for their collaboration and tireless efforts to keep our communities safe." Fox News Digital's Adriana James-Rodil contributed to this report.

As the United Nations adopted a resolution condemning Iran for its execution spree "in the strongest terms," a leading dissident group released a report accusing Tehran of putting 2,013 Iranians to death under President Masoud Pezeshkian between Jan. 1 and Dec. 15 of this year. The Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) report says this more than doubles the total of 975 executions that the United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights counted in 2024. The U.N. noted that the 2024 figure was the highest recorded since 2015. The group counted a similar total of 1,001 executions in 2024. According to MEK documents provided to Fox News Digital, a free-falling Iranian currency, nationwide protests , factional power struggles, "snapback" U.N. sanctions and fractures among leaders are stoking the increase in executions. The MEK says that this year’s execution total is the highest recorded since the 1980s. IRANIAN-AMERICANS AND DISSIDENTS RALLIED AGAINST 'MURDEROUS REGIME AGENTS' AS IRAN'S PRESIDENT ADDRESSED UNGA A State Department spokesperson condemned Iran's continued abuse of human rights, telling Fox News Digital that, "We strongly condemn the Iranian regime’s use of execution as a tool of political repression. For decades, the regime has subjected Iranians to torture, forced confessions, and sham trials, resulting in unlawful executions. Today, innocent civilians are being used as scapegoats for the regime’s military and economic failures." The spokesperson continued, "The Trump Administration restored the policy of maximum pressure, ending the Biden Administration’s policy of announcing fig-leaf sanctions while handing the regime billions. Since January, we have designated dozens of people and over 180 vessels in Iran’s shadow fleet to deplete the regime’s coffers." Behnam Ben Taleblu, the senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Iran Program, said there are more steps needed to be taken by Washington. He told Fox News Digital that the U.S. has "been lagging behind" other Western partners who have responded to Iranian human rights violations with sanctions and other measures, most recently Canada, which sanctioned four individuals after a protest in the Iranian city Mashhad in December. "The lack of practical measures to support the Iranian people is a strategic own goal," Taleblu said. Taleblu noted that Iran "arrested over 21,000 people" following the 12-Day War in June, alongside a " political repression that is even much more expansive than ever before." He said that the Islamic Republic "understands how weak it is," and any efforts to appear more socially lenient, including regarding hijab laws, are an attempt to "retain their oligarchic political position in a post-Khamenei Iran." RILEY GAINES, MARTINA NAVRATILOVA LEAD SPORTS COALITION CONDEMNING IRAN'S DEATH SENTENCE OF BOXER JAVAD SANI Noting the prior Trump administration’s strong stance on Iran, Taleblu says that "it certainly can do better much more cheaply and more cost effectively than it thinks." Taleblu said that one "simple" messaging strategy will present itself in March during President Trump’s Nowruz address, when he can "give an homage to the most pro-American, the most pro-Israeli population in the heartland of the Muslim Middle East." "The imperative for Washington to support Iranian protesters … stands," Taleblu said. "But that should be a constant in U.S. foreign policy, given the disposition of the Iranian street, which is almost entirely against the Iranian state. U.S. human rights policy towards Iran should not be limited to merely having social media accounts that are the stenographers for Iran's decline into failed state status." The MEK has urged U.S. policymakers to recognize the Iranian people’s right to resist and overthrow the regime, which they claim is the only means for eliminating the country’s theocracy. On Dec. 10, the European Parliament marked International Human Rights Day by calling for the world to take action against Iran on account of its execution campaign. Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, addressed the parliament with her concerns that Iran is attempting to crush dissent. She urged that "all relations with the regime must be conditioned on the halt of executions," with members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Ministry of Intelligence placed "on the terrorist list." Among those sentenced to death is Zahra Tabari, a 67-year-old engineer and mother who the MEK say was given her sentence after a "sham 10-minute trial… without her chosen legal representation." MEK documents say Tabari was arrested because she held a banner reading "Woman, Resistance, Freedom." The total number of executions in Iran has doubled since October. At the time, the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that Iran was murdering up to nine prisoners each day, which they called an "unprecedented execution spree." In response, death row prisoners staged a hunger strike. Iran's mission to the United Nations did not offer comment on the report.

Australian authorities have released seven men who were detained over concerns that they were planning an act of violence. The men are not currently facing any charges. On Thursday, New South Wales (NSW) Police said Tactical Operations officers carried out an operation in Sydney over information indicating "that a violent act was possibly being planned." Officers intercepted two cars and detained seven men. "Police acted quickly to prevent the advancement of any plan. There is no immediate safety risk to the community," NSW Police said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald . "Investigations will continue to review all available evidence and an investigation into the matter remains ongoing." FAMILIES MOURN LOVED ONES LOST IN BONDI BEACH TERROR ATTACK: ‘NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE THE PAIN’ NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson, who alleged on Friday that the men were inspired by the same ideology as the suspected Bondi Beach gunmen, defended officers' tactics, saying they were "the most appropriate for the circumstances," according to the Sydney Morning Herald. "It’s a balance when you investigate, for investigators and for the counter-terrorism police , as to interdicting at a point in time where you mitigate all risk and threat, which we did yesterday, or waiting until you can get a brief of evidence against individuals with a bow on it that you can present to court," Hudson said. Some reports indicated that the men were traveling from Melbourne to Bondi Beach, the site of a deadly mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration. However, when speaking to reporters after the group's release, one of the men refuted the claims, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). "No, why would we go there? Too much headache… it was too far from where we were anyway," he said. ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE WARNED AUSTRALIA OF IRANIAN TERROR NETWORKS NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said that the men, whose ages range from 19 to 24 and are from Victoria, will continue to be monitored while in New South Wales. Lanyon also said that NSW Police would be working with their law enforcement counterparts in Victoria. One of the men in the group was under investigation by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), intelligence sources confirmed to the ABC. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said it was too early to speculate on why the group was traveling in the area. "We’ve all seen the footage and the images of what has occurred and thank [NSW police] for their swift action," she said, according to The Guardian . "But at this stage, there was just not enough information to speculate on why these people were traveling in this vehicle in this vicinity." Australian outlets reported that one of the men chalked the incident up to a "misunderstanding." He also said the group told police that they were "here for a holiday." "They have their job to do, I don’t blame them for nothing, it was a misunderstanding," the man said. He also rejected the idea that the group held extremist beliefs.

Thousands of people gathered as Bondi Beach reopened days after a mass shooting targeting Jews at a Hanukkah celebration left 15 dead and dozens injured. The commemoration began with thousands of people standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the sand before forming an enormous circle in the ocean, signifying solidarity among Sydney's residents and support for the Jewish community, The Associated Press reported. Police reopened parts of Bondi Beach on Thursday, just five days after the attack. Additionally, as questions emerge over the Jewish community's safety as well as fears of backlash against Muslims, armed police officers were stationed outside of synagogues and mosques in Sydney on Friday, according to the AP. At Bondi Beach, surfers took to the water for a paddle-out, a ceremony commonly held when a surfer dies that involves participants sitting on boards as tributes are made and some splash and cheer. A large crowd gathered for the paddle-out at Bondi as Jews prayed on the beach and others gathered to watch the scene, according to the Sydney Morning Herald . AUSTRALIA MOVES TO TIGHTEN GUN LAWS AFTER HANUKKAH MASS SHOOTING LEAVES 15 DEAD AT BONDI BEACH The attack has spurred a sense of unity, particularly as stories about heroes of the day come to light, such as that of Ahmed al Ahmed, a Syria-born Australian Muslim store owner, who tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen. Al Ahmed was shot and wounded by the other assailant. In a video posted on social media, al Ahmed said Australia is "the best country in the world" before raising his fist and chanting "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie," according to the AP. Following the tragedy, Australians showed their unity by setting a national record for blood donations, the AP reported. Nearly 35,000 donations were made and more than 100,000 appointments booked since Monday, according to the AP, which cited Lifeblood, a branch of the Australian Red Cross. ISRAELI KNESSET MEMBER SAYS AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS 'DID NOTHING' AMID RISE OF ANTISEMITISM BEFORE SYDNEY ATTACK The iconic footbridge at Bondi Beach where the shooters were seen carrying out the attack has become a place for tributes to the victims. Beside a chalk drawing of a menorah and an Australian flag, is a drawing of a bumblebee, a symbol memorializing the youngest victim of the attack, 10-year-old Matilda. Australian Opposition Leader Sussan Ley visited the site and walked across the footbridge. "I wasn’t prepared for the feelings that hit me when I crossed the bridge," Ley told the Sydney Morning Herald. "I saw that bridge on television the night that it happened, and like all Australians, I was in shock and horror." "Then I heard directly from people who sheltered under that bridge and saw the gunmen, and will never be able to walk through this part of Bondi again without all of those feelings coming back," she added. Australian Olympians Jessica Fox, Ian Thorpe and Steve Solomon, along with other athletes, visited the memorial and laid flowers, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. "Moments like this, coming in together, connecting, vowing for change, vowing for improvements and prosperity as a community and a country, is what gives us hope to put on the uniform as we have today," Solomon, who is Jewish, told the Sydney Morning Herald. Fox, who is also Jewish, became emotional at the site and said, "It shouldn't take a tragedy to bring people together." The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russian President Vladimir Putin noted on Friday that the nation's "troops are advancing" and expressed confidence that Russia will accomplish its objectives through military means if Ukraine does not assent to Russia's terms during peace talks, according to The Associated Press. "Our troops are advancing all across the line of contact, faster in some areas or slower in some others, but the enemy is retreating in all sectors," Putin declared during his annual news conference, according to the outlet. As the war drags on, the European Union has just agreed to provide Ukraine with a more than $105 billion loan. PUTIN DERIDES EUROPEAN LEADERS AS HE INSISTS RUSSIA'S WAR GOALS IN UKRAINE WILL BE MET BY FORCE OR DIPLOMACY Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has conveyed his gratitude. "I am grateful to all leaders of the European Union for the European Council’s decision on €90 billion in financial support for Ukraine in 2026–2027. This is significant support that truly strengthens our resilience. It is important that Russian assets remain immobilized and that Ukraine has received a financial security guarantee for the coming years. Thank you for the result and for unity. Together, we are defending the future of our continent," he declared in a post on X. ZELENSKYY CALLS FOR US TO RESPOND TO ‘SIGNALS’ RUSSIA IS ‘PREPARING TO MAKE NEXT YEAR A YEAR OF WAR’ Putin has asserted that Russia will accomplish its objectives one way or the other. "The goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved. We would prefer to accomplish this and address the root causes of the conflict through diplomatic means," he said, according to a Kremlin release about a Defense Ministry Board meeting earlier this week. "However, if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means," Putin declared. UKRAINE SAYS IT CARRIED OUT FIRST-EVER UNDERWATER DRONE STRIKE ON RUSSIAN SUBMARINE IN NOVOROSSIYSK President Donald Trump's administration has been striving to help broker an end to the war between the two nations. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday called for the U.S. and other allies to respond to bellicose "signals" from Russia. "Today, we again heard signals from Moscow that they are preparing to make next year a year of war. These signals are not only for us. It is crucial that our partners see them, and not only see them but also respond — especially partners in the United States, who often say that Russia wants to end the war," Zelenskyy asserted in a post on X. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment. "Over the past few weeks, the President’s team has made tremendous progress with respect to ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, and as the President stated, he believes we are closer now than we have ever been," a White House official noted. UKRAINE SAYS IT CARRIED OUT FIRST-EVER UNDERWATER DRONE STRIKE ON RUSSIAN SUBMARINE IN NOVOROSSIYSK "Yet the signals coming from Russia are the exact opposite, taking the form of official orders to their army. This Russian mindset must be recognized — and acted upon. When Russia is in this mindset, it will also undermine diplomacy — seeking, through diplomatic language and pressure over specific points in documents — to merely mask its desire to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainians, and the desire to legitimize Russia’s theft of our land. And then come other countries in Europe, which someone in Russia might one day label their so‑called 'historical lands,'" Zelenskyy asserted in the post. "Real protection is needed against this Russian case history of madness, and we will continue working with all partners to ensure that protection is in place. Security measures are needed, financial measures are needed — including actions on Russian assets — political measures are needed. And the courage of all partners is required: to see the truth, acknowledge the truth, and act accordingly. I want to thank everyone who supports Ukraine," his post concluded. Zelenskyy also conveyed the message in a Ukrainian-language video . US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH ‘LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE’ BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA Russian President Vladimir Putin declared during a Defense Ministry board meeting on Wednesday that Russia will accomplish its goals, through either diplomacy or military force. "The goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved. We would prefer to accomplish this and address the root causes of the conflict through diplomatic means. However, if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means. The task of creating and expanding a security buffer zone will also be carried out consistently," Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript . HEADED FOR THE EXITS: WHY 3 DOZEN HOUSE MEMBERS AREN'T RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a staunch proponent of U.S. support for Ukraine, asserted in a post on X, "Again… the U.S. should send 200 long-range and extremely accurate cruise missiles to Ukraine. Maybe then, Putin will get serious and seek peace. Putin started this war, and he’ll stop this war once he realizes he cannot win and that the cost of war is too high." President Donald Trump's administration has been attempting to help broker peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Australian police have detained seven men during anti-terror raids in Sydney on Thursday as the country lays to rest the youngest victim of the deadly Bondi Beach attack. New South Wales police said that "an operation at George Street, Liverpool, in Sydney’s southwest has concluded." "Tactical Operations police responded to information received that a violent act was possibly being planned," the department said in a statement. "Police subsequently intercepted two cars as part of the investigation." "As investigations continue, seven men are assisting police with their inquiries," the statement added. Some reports indicate that the detainees were believed to be heading to Bondi. Authorities say there are no known connections to the deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Opposition lawmakers scuffled with police inside Albania’s parliament on Thursday after weeks of escalating tensions over corruption allegations against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku and other senior officials, Reuters reported. Lawmakers from the opposition Democratic Party lit black flares, threw water at the speaker and occupied seats reserved for government ministers in an attempt to disrupt the session as the country’s new ombudsperson was preparing to take the oath. Police intervened, pushing lawmakers away from the podium and allowing the confirmation to proceed. STATE DEPARTMENT STAYS QUIET AS ALBANIA REINSTATES DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION The unrest comes as Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure, known as SPAK, has requested that parliament lift Balluku’s immunity so she can be arrested on corruption charges. Parliament is expected to vote on the request on Friday. Opposition lawmakers demanded to see the formal allegations submitted to parliament after prosecutors moved to lift Balluku’s immunity. SPAK alleges that Balluku participated in corrupt practices intended to favor companies involved in major infrastructure projects, including a tunnel and the ring road in the capital, Tirana. The projects are valued at hundreds of millions of euros. Balluku, who also serves as minister of Infrastructure and Energy, is considered the closest ally of Prime Minister Edi Rama. His Socialist party secured a fourth consecutive term earlier this year. ‘GOLDEN TOILET’ SCANDAL: ZELENSKYY FACES DEEPEST CRISIS YET AS ALLIES ACCUSED IN $100M WARTIME SCHEME According to Reuters, SPAK issued a criminal indictment against Balluku on Oct. 31, alleging she improperly favored a company in a tender for a 3.7-mile tunnel in southern Albania. Prosecutors later added a charge on Nov. 21 related to alleged violations in a Tirana road construction project, the same day a court initially removed her from office . Balluku has denied the accusations. Addressing parliament ahead of a court appearance in November, she described the allegations as "mudslinging, insinuations half-truths and lies." The crisis has drawn criticism from Rama’s opponents and international scrutiny. In a Fox News Digital interview published Dec. 13, former Albanian ambassador to the U.S. and the United Nations Agim Nesho said the government appeared intent on shielding Balluku rather than allowing justice to act independently, describing the situation as "state capture." The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the case, telling Fox News Digital it has "no comment on ongoing legal matters." Albania is a NATO member and a key U.S. ally in the Balkans, with Washington funding judicial reforms aimed at curbing corruption as part of the country’s bid to join the European Union. Fox News Digital's Beth Bailey and Reuters contributed to this report.

Israel reportedly carried out a series of airstrikes across southern and northeastern Lebanon just ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline for the terrorist organization Hezbollah to disarm. The strikes hit Hezbollah infrastructure sites and launching sites in a military compound that the terror organization uses to train and hold courses for its members, according to The Associated Press , which cited the Israeli military. Israel also said it had struck Hezbollah military structures that stored weapons. The strikes were launched just ahead of a meeting of the committee monitoring the enforcement of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that ended the war between Israel and Hezbollah one year ago. The cohort also includes the U.S., France and United Nations peacekeepers deployed along the Israel-Lebanon border. ISRAEL WARNS HEZBOLLAH ‘PLAYING WITH FIRE,’ PRESSES LEBANON TO ACT ON WEAPONS PLEDGE Meanwhile, U.S., Saudi and French officials are set to participate in a meeting with Lebanon’s army commander, Gen. Rodolph Haikal. The group is expected to discuss ways to assist the Lebanese army in boosting its presence in the border area, according to the AP. US CHAMPIONS LEBANON'S RESPONSE TO HEZBOLLAH DISARMAMENT, HINTS AT ABRAHAM ACCORDS OPPORTUNITY The meeting in Paris is also meant to dissuade Israel from escalation, according to Reuters , which cited European and Lebanese diplomats and officials. The officials also said that there are concerns of political paralysis and party politics playing a role in the situation, and even possibly slowing Lebanese President Joseph Aoun from pressing for Hezbollah's disarmament, as the country prepares for legislative elections in 2026. The Lebanese government has said it anticipates that the army will have the border area south of the Litani River cleared of Hezbollah's armed presence by the end of the year. Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon Nabih Berri said that the strikes were "an Israeli message to the Paris meeting," according to the AP. "The fire belt of Israeli airstrikes is to honor the mechanism’s meeting tomorrow," Berri said during a parliament meeting in Beirut. On Wednesday, Israel said it killed a Hezbollah terrorist operating in southern Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the terrorist was collecting intelligence on the Israeli military's activity in the area and "took part in Hezbollah’s attempts to reestablish its infrastructure." Fox News Digital reached out to the IDF for comment. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Vatican on Thursday accepted the resignation of Cardinal Timothy Dolan and announced that Bishop Ronald Hicks of Joliet, Illinois, will become the next archbishop of New York. Hicks, 58, will succeed Dolan, who has led the archdiocese since 2009. He will become the fourteenth bishop and the eleventh archbishop to lead the Archdiocese of New York. Dolan submitted his mandatory letter of retirement upon turning 75 in February. Dolan will continue to oversee the archdiocese as apostolic administrator until Archbishop-designate Hicks formally takes office on Feb. 6, 2026, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The ceremony will be presided over by Cardinal Christophe Pierre , the apostolic nuncio to the United States. CARDINAL DOLAN GIVES INSIDE LOOK INTO CONCLAVE, HOLY SPIRIT'S ROLE IN SELECTING A NEW POPE Dolan most recently participated in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV in May. He also participated in the conclave that elected Pope Francis in March 2013. "The last week since I found out, I've gotten to know him [Hicks]. And I already love him and appreciate him and trust him. Is there sadness in my heart? Sure. Because I love the archdiocese in New York. That sadness is mitigated by the gift that this new archbishop already is," said Dolan at a press conference. Hicks grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and was ordained as a priest for the archdiocese in 1994. After early pastoral assignments in Chicago, he shifted into seminary leadership roles and later spent five years in El Salvador as regional director for Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a Catholic charitable organization. ‘FACE OF EVIL': CATHOLIC CHURCH NAMED AFTER ST. PATRICK VANDALIZED WITH SATANIC MESSAGE He returned to Illinois in 2015 and was named vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Pope Francis appointed him auxiliary bishop in 2018, and he became bishop of the Diocese of Joliet in 2020. In the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Hicks chairs the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations and sits on the Episcopal Advisory Board for the Catholic Leadership Institute. "I would like to simply begin by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to Pope Leo the 14th for this appointment," Hicks told reporters Thursday. "If you want to know the core of who I am and what I stand for, you should know this: I love Jesus with my mind, heart, and soul, and I strive to love my neighbor as myself. My desire is to be obedient to the Holy Spirit and to do the will of God, serving with a shepherd's heart," he added. "I trust, and I surrender my life and my will to God, and with great humility, I accept this appointment. I ask for your prayers. I ask for your support as we take these next steps together." Responding to a question about immigration and New York’s Latino community, Hicks said he agrees with the USCCB’s recent statement on the issue, stressing the importance of both border security and treating migrants with dignity and respect under due process. 50 KIDNAPPED CATHOLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NIGERIA ESCAPE AS SOME SCHOOLS ORDERED TO CLOSE The archbishop-designate has spoken warmly about his relationship with Pope Leo XIV, who grew up in the neighboring Chicago suburb of Dolton. "He doesn’t seem like some figure or theory out there. But he’s a normal guy from a normal neighborhood we grew up in. For me, it makes him so relatable," Hicks told WGN Chicago. "I recognize a lot of similarities between him and me. So we grew up literally in the same radius, in the same neighborhood together," he said. "We played in the same parks, went swimming in the same pools, liked the same pizza places to go to. I mean, it’s that real."

For years, Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro has defied predictions of collapse. Sanctions, diplomatic isolation and internal unrest have failed to unseat him. But the latest escalation by the Trump administration — including the seizure of a Venezuelan crude tanker and the enforcement of a blockade on sanctioned vessels — has hit the regime where it is most vulnerable: its oil trade. Melissa Ford Maldonado, director of the Western Hemisphere Initiative at the America First Policy Institute, told Fox News Digital that while the timeline and outcome remain uncertain, the regime’s dependence on oil leaves it uniquely vulnerable. "One thing is clear: the Maduro regime can’t sustain itself without oil revenue," she said. While the U.S. move has raised concerns among European allies , who warned that the escalation could undermine regional stability and complicate efforts toward a political resolution in Venezuela, Ford Maldonado says the administration’s approach is striking at the core of Maduro’s power. "What we’re seeing now with President Trump’s order for a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela is a direct hit against Maduro’s revenue streams," she said. "He needs the oil money from these tankers to buy loyalty and pay off generals, cartel partners and political enforcers to stay in power. That pipeline is finally being cut." MADURO SINGS, DANCES AND THREATENS TO 'SMASH THE TEETH' OF THE 'NORTH AMERICAN EMPIRE' According to Reuters, up to 11 million barrels of Venezuelan crude are currently stranded aboard 39 tankers anchored offshore. Jorge Jraissati, president of the Economic Inclusion Group, said the recent U.S. actions "fundamentally change the economics of Venezuela’s oil exports. "That oil is neither sold nor paid for," Jraissati said. "Until those cargoes move, they generate no cash flow for PDVSA and deepen Maduro’s liquidity strain." PDVSA is Venezuela's state-run oil company. Venezuela is one of the most oil-dependent countries on Earth. Oil accounts for more than 80% of exports and roughly 90% of government revenue, leaving the nation extraordinarily exposed when crude shipments falter. "After years of economic collapse as a result of Venezuela’s socialist policies, virtually all other sectors of the economy are bankrupted," Jraissati noted. U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan oil have been in place since 2019, but enforcement often lagged, and PDVSA continued to move crude through intermediaries and opaque trading networks, mainly toward Asia. The recent tanker seizure appears to have changed that dynamic. The Trump administration said the seized vessel was headed for Cuba, but Jraissati argued China was the more likely destination. "Tankers of that size are typically deployed on long-haul routes, and China accounts for roughly 60% percent of Venezuela’s oil exports," he said. Not only has crude become harder to sell, it has become cheaper. Venezuelan heavy crude is trading at discounts of up to $21 per barrel below Brent, according to sources cited by Jraissati and confirmed by Reuters reporting. US AND UKRAINE TARGET 1,000-VESSEL 'DARK FLEET' SMUGGLING SANCTIONED OIL WORLDWIDE "The seizure is already reshaping Venezuela’s oil trade," he said. "PDVSA is facing stuck cargoes, rising price discounts and new demands from buyers to renegotiate spot contracts." Oil tankers, with cargoes worth tens of millions of dollars, now face heightened risk if they enter Venezuelan waters. This has sent buyers and shipowners scrambling for insurance and new terms. "In general terms, this is a game-changing policy because it fundamentally alters the economics of exporting oil from Venezuela," Jraissati said. "Exports will not stop, but the conditions under which they are sold will deteriorate sharply. It will weaken Maduro’s cash flow." EXPERT REVEALS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR TRUMP TO DEPLOY TROOPS TO VENEZUELA: ‘POSSIBILITY OF ESCALATION’ For years, Venezuela has used a "shadow" or "dark" fleet — vessels that turn off tracking systems, swap names and switch flags — to move crude around sanctions. Jraissati said this network of ships tries to obscure ownership through shell companies and frequent reflagging. Even these workarounds are under strain as insurers and ports become wary of vessels linked to Venezuelan crude. MADURO TRAPPED WITH FEW RETALIATION OPTIONS AFTER TRUMP ADMIN SEIZES VENEZUELAN OIL TANKER Jraissati painted a grim picture of Venezuelan society already unraveling under economic collapse. "Eighty percent of people in Venezuela are in poverty," he said. "Fifty percent are in extreme poverty, meaning they don’t make even $3 a day." He added that more than 30% of the population — around 8 million people — have left the country amid the ongoing crisis. Jraissati cautioned that oil pressure alone will not topple Maduro, but described the current combination of sanctions, seizures and diplomatic isolation as unprecedented. "This needs to be seen as a combination of actions . Oil pressure alone is not enough. Diplomatic pressure alone is not enough. But when all of these are combined, there is a much greater possibility of Maduro actually falling," he said. Cale Brown, chair of Polaris National Security and a former State Department principal deputy spokesperson, said authoritarian regimes often endure sanctions by shifting into illicit revenue streams . US SET TO SEIZE TENS OF MILLIONS IN VENEZUELAN OIL AFTER TANKER INTERCEPTION, WHITE HOUSE SAYS "Regimes like Maduro’s display little concern about the impact of sanctions on their own people, and when traditional sources of income dry up, they seek other lifelines, as Maduro has with narcotics and other forms of illicit finance," Brown said. Still, Brown said Washington’s strategy reflects broader security concerns , drug and human trafficking and hostile foreign influence in the Western Hemisphere. "President Trump is right to identify Venezuela as ground zero for many of the problems we are concerned with in the Western Hemisphere," Brown said. Maduro has survived sanctions, protests and isolation before. But analysts say the current oil crackdown directly threatens the regime’s ability to pay security forces, maintain patronage networks and keep the state functioning. "It’s very important that we continue to emphasize that Venezuela’s oil does not belong to Maduro or his cronies," Ford Maldonado said, "It belongs to the Venezuelan people who made their choices clear at the ballot box last year and have been robbed blind by the regime which continues to enrich itself and hijack the country’s primary economic lifeline to stay in power. Cutting off that cash is the fastest way to weaken the regime, and weakening the regime helps the Venezuelan people!"

The families of seven victims of Sunday’s fatal Bondi Beach shooting released heartbreaking statements about their loved ones on Thursday, expressing profound grief and sharing touching memories. The deadly terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia , left at least 15 dead. Authorities have identified the assailants as a father-son duo, and believe the attack was inspired by ISIS. The father was killed on the scene, while the son was shot by police and taken for medical care. He has been slapped with dozens of charges, including 15 counts of murder. Marika Pogany, 82, was a member of COA Sydney, a volunteer service for Jewish seniors. "Marika, known lovingly to all as Omi, was a beautiful mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and steadfast friend, whose warmth and energy touched countless lives," her family wrote. "Vibrant and full of life, she brought joy and energy into every room and found her greatest happiness surrounded by her adoring family. Her darling son Romy was her greatest achievement and her world." Pogany came to Australia in 1968 from Czechoslovakia with her son and brother, her family said, and she became a "proud" Australian citizen in 1972. ‘WE WARNED THEM’ JEWISH LEADER SAYS AFTER BONDI BEACH TERROR ATTACK THAT KILLS 15 "She had an extraordinary gift for connecting with people," her family stated. "Her kindness, laughter, and generosity left a lasting mark on everyone she met, and her incredible network of friends was a true reflection of the love and loyalty she inspired. "Deeply devoted to her community, she gave her time and heart in service to others, delivering meals and helping people in need, embodying love in action." Pogany's family added, "Though she is gone, her light will continue to shine brightly through the family and friends who were so blessed to have her in their lives. Forever our gorgeous Darlink." Adam Smyth, 50, was a father of four children and husband to Katrina. His family said the couple was walking on Bondi Beach Sunday evening when they found themselves in the middle of the attack. "No words can describe the pain of our loss," Smyth's family wrote. "Adam and Katrina were living their best lives together. Their shared love of family and friends, travel and sport — if not always the same team — made their time together truly special." Smyth loved many sports clubs, including the English Premier League football team Liverpool. "We will forever cherish the time we have had with him. Adam was a generous and kind person who will be dearly missed and is forever irreplaceable," his family wrote, adding, "You’ll never walk alone." Boris Gurman, 69, and Sofia Gurman, 61, were a Russian-Jewish couple who confronted one of the gunmen before the attack began, momentarily disarming the assailant before he grabbed another rifle and killed them. The couple was going to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary in January and were going to mark Sofia's birthday just days after the attack, "a moment that now feels incredibly hard to comprehend," the Gurman family wrote. "Boris and Sofia were deeply devoted to their family and were well known in their community for their kindness, warmth and willingness to help others," they wrote. "Boris was a retired mechanic, and Sofia was working at Australia Post for the past five years. They lived honest, hardworking lives and treated everyone with care and respect." They added, "We are deeply grateful for the love and support shown to our family during this unimaginable time." Dan Elkayam, a 27-year-old French national, was playing football at Bondi Beach and celebrating the lighting of the Hanukkah candles. "During a mass shooting, Dan was shot in the back while trying to run away," Elkayam's family wrote. "He was murdered because he was Jewish." Elkayam played football at the 2022 Maccabiah Games and for several teams in both France and Australia. SURVIVING AUSTRALIA TERROR SUSPECT SLAPPED WITH CHARGES IN WAKE OF DEADLY ATTACK "Dan loved life – fully and intensely," his family stated. "He traveled the world and was known for his gentle, kind, fun and loving nature , making friends wherever he went. Alongside football, he had a deep connection with nature. He was a certified scuba diver and an explorer at heart, always eager to discover new places, cultures, and experiences." Elkayam's family said his smile "could light up any room" and was someone "who truly wanted to do good in the world." "It is now our responsibility to carry forward the light that Dan spread," his family stated. "He was surrounded by loved ones from all walks of life and all communities, and in times as dark as these, we all have a duty to continue spreading kindness, compassion, and joy — in his name." Boris Tetleroyd "was loved by everyone he met," his family said. "He was profoundly loved and adored by his sons Yaakov and Roman and by his wife Svetlana," they continued. "He is also deeply loved by his brother, aunt, nieces, nephews, cousins and all who had the privilege of knowing him." Tetleroyd's family added that he was a "gentle man" and " gifted musician ." Alex Kleytman, 87, was a Holocaust survivor from Ukraine. He was celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach with his wife of 57 years, Larisa Kleytman, who is also a Holocaust survivor, when the shooting began. "He was a fascinating person of many talents and an unwavering spirit," his family wrote, adding that he was also "very stubborn." Kleytman "survived the hardships of World War II in frozen Siberia, carrying with him a lifetime of extraordinary stories of resilience, survival, and unexpected luck" and worked as a civil engineer and estimator, first in the former Soviet Union and then in Australia. His family said he died "doing what he loved most: protecting Larisa, standing proudly as a Jew , and celebrating the Festival of Lights." "The two gunmen killed him, but his memories, his legacy, and his books will bring light for generations to come," his family added. Fox News Digital's Alex Nitzberg and Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia’s goals in Ukraine are unchanged and will be accomplished either through negotiations or by further military advances if diplomatic efforts fail. Putin, speaking at an annual board meeting of the country's Defense Ministry, touted Russia's military progress on the battlefield and technological advancements as his war in Ukraine grinds on into a fourth year. "The goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved," he said, using the Kremlin's term to refer to Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion. "We would prefer to accomplish this and address the root causes of the conflict through diplomatic means. However, if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means," the Russian leader told military officials, according to a transcript of the speech released by the government. PUTIN CALLS TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN A ‘STARTING POINT’ AS HE WARNS UKRAINE TO PULL BACK OR FACE 'FORCE' Putin also took aim at Kyiv and its European allies for "whipping up hysteria" about Moscow as the Trump administration works to end the war. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned allies last week that Russia could be ready to use military force against the alliance within five years and urged members to boost defense spending and production, so their armed forces have the resources to protect their homelands. Putin referred to European leaders as "piglets" during the Defense Ministry meeting, according to a translated video of the remarks posted by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev. TRUMP TOUTS 'TREMENDOUS PROGRESS' BUT SAYS HE'LL MEET PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY 'ONLY WHEN' PEACE DEAL IS FINAL The comment was part of a broader tirade against the West, with Putin accusing European governments of helping Washington try to weaken and divide Russia. "They were hoping to profit from the collapse of our country. To get back something that was lost in previous historical periods and try to take revenge," said Putin. "As it has now become obvious to everyone, all these attempts and all these destructive plans towards Russia completely failed." The remarks come as U.S., European, Russian and Ukrainian officials engage in a flurry of diplomacy over potential paths to ending the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his negotiating team met in Berlin Sunday with Jared Kushner and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. Witkoff and Kushner previously held a five-hour meeting in Moscow with Putin and top foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov in early December to hash out elements of a revised peace proposal after the original leaked 28-point draft drew criticism for being too favorable to the Kremlin. Ushakov said the Russian side received four documents from the U.S. envoys during the meeting, including one that consisted of 27 points, but he declined to go into detail of what they contained.

Authorities in the Philippines gave an update on their investigation of the accused Bondi Beach gunmen's movements during their weeks-long trip to the country. The father-son duo – who are now accused of carrying out a deadly attack at a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, this week — allegedly previously traveled to Davao City for their four-week visit to the Philippines, according to reports. This comes after a recent confirmation by Philippine authorities that the father and son spent nearly the entire month of November in the country. Philippine police and hotel staff said the father and son rarely left their hotel room except for an hour or so at a time, according to The Guardian . The outlet added that both police and hotel staff noted that the accused gunmen never talked to other guests or had visitors. There was speculation that the father and son traveled to the Philippines to receive training from Islamist groups believed to be operating in the country, but authorities have pushed back against the assertion. SURVIVING AUSTRALIA TERROR SUSPECT SLAPPED WITH CHARGES IN WAKE OF DEADLY ATTACK On Tuesday, the Philippines Bureau of Investigation said the two accused gunmen traveled to the Philippines on Nov. 1 aboard Philippine Airlines Flight PR212 from Sydney to Manila before making their way to Davao, according to Reuters. The two left the Philippines on Nov. 28, just weeks before they allegedly carried out the Bondi Beach attack. Davao City is located on the island of Mindanao, which has been under a "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" advisory since May. However, the State Department said Davao City, in addition to a few other locations, is an exception to the advisory. "Terrorist and armed groups in Mindanao have historically engaged in kidnappings for ransom, in addition to bombings and other attacks. These incidents often target foreign nationals, including U.S. citizens, as well as civilians, local government entities, and security forces," the State Department's advisory reads. POLICE: BONDI BEACH SHOOTING SUSPECTS HAD BOMBS, ISIS FLAGS AND RECENTLY TRAVELED TO PHILIPPINES In 2017, Islamic State-inspired militants stormed Marawi, the capital of Lanao del Sur province in the Muslim-majority Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Mindanao. Reuters reported that the siege of Marawi displaced approximately 350,000 residents and left more than 1,100 dead, most of whom were militants. The city is currently under a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" advisory, with the State Department warning that "civilians face risk of death or injury from ongoing clashes between terrorist group remnants and Philippine security forces in Marawi." Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) noted that while the influence and strength of Islamic State-aligned groups has declined in recent years, the Philippines military has had infrequent clashes with remnants of the groups. The Bondi Beach attack unfolded on Sunday as gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration, killing at least 15 and leaving dozens injured. The older gunman, who was the younger gunman's father, died at the scene. On Wednesday, New South Wales Police announced the 59 charges against the 24-year-old surviving suspected gunman, including "commit terrorist act," 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of "cause wounding/grievous bodily harm to person with intent to murder," "discharge firearm etc intend cause grievous bodily harm," "cause public display of prohibited terrorist org symbol" and "place explosive in/near building with intent to cause harm." NSW Police said the alleged gunman is still hospitalized and under police guard.

EXCLUSIVE: Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) claims its forces now control all eight southern governorates and are prepared to serve as Washington’s frontline partner against Iran-backed Houthis , al Qaeda affiliates and Muslim Brotherhood factions. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Ahmed Atef, the STC’s representative to the United States and United Nations, said STC hopes for expanded cooperation with Washington — militarily, diplomatically and economically. "All kinds of support are welcome," he said. "President Trump is very courageous and very strong, and we are really looking forward to his support." The STC has emerged as the dominant power in southern Yemen, and is reportedly backed by significant Emirati funding and military support. Formed in April 2017, it unites factions seeking to reestablish an independent South Yemen — reviving the state that existed from 1967 until unification in 1990. Last week, the head of Yemen’s internationally recognized government called on STC to withdraw from territories they have recently captured in the southeastern parts of the country, The Associated Press reported. US MILITARY CONDUCTS SUCCESSFUL AIRSTRIKES ON HOUTHI REBEL FORCES IN YEMEN On Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned that Yemen was facing a dangerous new escalation following recent advances by forces affiliated with the STC in the eastern governorates of Hadramawt and al-Mahra. Guterres said such unilateral actions risk deepening divisions, hardening positions and accelerating fragmentation, with potential spillover effects on regional security, including the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa. Bridget Toomey, a researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital that for the U.S. to support southern secession would be "at odds with the stated policy of the internationally recognized government of Yemen, which currently exists for one Yemen." She said the United States supports that government, but added that backing the STC as a partner in counterterrorism missions and in the fight against the Houthis "would not necessarily be at odds with the government," particularly because the STC and its leadership are part of the current governing framework. Yemen’s war has long divided the nation. In the north, the Houthis rule Sanaa and much of western Yemen with support from Iran and ties to Hezbollah. In the south, STC-aligned forces dominate Aden, the temporary capital, and a belt of inland and coastal regions that include Lahj, Abyan, Shabwa, Hadramout and al-Mahra. The internationally recognized Yemeni government, which the United States continues to support, is formally based in Aden but remains fragmented. The Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council serves as the recognized authority and has relied heavily on a coalition of competing factions, including the STC, to govern and confront the Houthis and to maintain control on the ground. Toomey said, "The government has faced serious economic, oversight and capacity challenges and has struggled to deliver basic services, a situation compounded by the ongoing fight against the Houthis and Yemen’s broader humanitarian crisis." That reliance has drawn criticism. Yemen’s internationally recognized government has accused STC-affiliated forces of carrying out deadly attacks in Hadramout and warned that the group’s recent expansion risks sparking conflict between rival factions within the anti-Houthi camp. The Associated Press reported that Yemeni officials urged the STC to withdraw from areas seized in the east, cautioning that unilateral moves could undermine the political process and destabilize a fragile balance in the south. Atef rejected that characterization, describing the Hadramout operation as a major success that demonstrated the STC’s ability to fight what he called hostile forces operating in coordination with the Houthis. He accused those forces of collaborating with "Houthi terrorists" and said the STC’s actions strengthened security rather than undermined it. YEMEN'S CHILD SOLDIERS FACE LONG ROAD AFTER SEXUAL, PHYSICAL ABUSE Atef described the Houthis as a destabilizing force well beyond Yemen’s borders. "They have this slogan of ‘death to America, death to Israel,’ which is really very unacceptable," he said. As long as the Houthis maintain control of Sanaa, he warned, they will "continue threatening maritime traffic in the Red Sea , continue threatening us in the South and Saudi Arabia, and continue threatening the UAE and the Gulf region." He also accused Houthi factions of cooperation with outside extremist groups, including Somalia’s al-Shabab, and of receiving training and support from Iran and Hezbollah . STC President Aidarous Al-Zubaidi has pledged assistance to northern Yemeni forces seeking to "re-liberate Sanaa," Atef said, dismissing prospects for a negotiated political settlement. "It is impossible," he said. "We will talk the language that the Houthis understand." ISRAEL CONFIRMS STRIKE ON HOUTHIS IN YEMEN, MARKS SECOND TIME THIS WEEK Atef repeatedly framed the STC as a natural U.S. partner on counterterrorism and regional stability. He praised President Donald Trump for designating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization and for efforts targeting branches of the Muslim Brotherhood. "In Yemen, we have Muslim Brotherhood. We believe that they are terrorists. We believe that they sponsor terrorism," Atef said, adding that he supported a recent bill to classify certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters abroad as terrorist entities, but he argued the organization is "extremist everywhere, even in the United States. Not only in these chapters." Atef also said the STC intends to open southern Yemen’s oil , agriculture, fisheries and tourism industries to American companies as a path toward long-term self-sufficiency. "We invite U.S. companies to come and explore the oil fields and help us in getting revenues to develop our people," he said. The STC’s ultimate objective, Atef emphasized, is an independent, pro-Western South Yemen that can secure its territory while helping counter Iran’s regional influence. "Once we have got this front against the Houthis strengthened and emboldened with the support of the international community and the United States," he said, "that is going to help us very much on the ground to continue our fight and bring stability and peace to the region." The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that Western countries immediately take action to battle antisemitism and ensure the safety of Jews around the globe. "I demand that Western governments do what is necessary to fight antisemitism and provide the required safety and security for Jewish communities worldwide," he said, according to the prime minister's office, which issued the English translation of the remarks that Netanyahu delivered in Hebrew in a video posted on Tuesday. "They would be well-advised to heed our warnings. I demand action from them — now," he added. POLICY GROUP PRAISES TRUMP'S 100 GLOBAL WINS SINCE TAKING OFFICE, FROM CARTEL CRACKDOWNS TO PEACE DEALS Netanyahu's demand came in the wake of the heinous Sunday terror attack in Australia. That attack was "deliberately targeted at the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has noted. ISRAELI KNESSET MEMBER SAYS AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS ‘DID NOTHING' AMID RISE OF ANTISEMITISM BEFORE SYDNEY ATTACK During remarks Tuesday at a White House Hanukkah reception, President Donald Trump claimed that Congress "is becoming antisemitic." TRUMP ENCOURAGES JEWISH AMERICANS TO ‘CELEBRATE PROUDLY’ DURING HANUKKAH AFTER DEADLY BONDI BEACH SHOOTING "You have AOC plus three. You have those people," he said, referring to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and the progressive "Squad." "Ilhan Omar: She hates Jewish people," he added, referring to the Minnesota congresswoman.

Ukraine said Monday it carried out an underwater drone strike that critically damaged a Russian Kilo-class submarine docked in the port of Novorossiysk, marking the first known attack of its kind. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said its "Sub Sea Baby" underwater drones struck a Russian submarine equipped with four launchers for Kalibr cruise missiles used to target Kyiv and other parts of the country. The operation was carried out by the Ukrainian Navy and the SBU's 13th Main Directorate of Military Counterintelligence. Video released by the SBU showed several ships docked at the Novorossiysk naval base in Russia’s Krasnodar region before a large explosion occurred. EX-CIA STATION CHIEF WARNS PUTIN USING TALKS TO GAIN LEVERAGE AS UKRAINE DELEGATION MEETS TOP TRUMP OFFICIALS The base has become a key refuge for Russia’s fleet as Ukraine intensifies strikes on Sevastopol and other occupied Crimean ports. The SBU said the submarine had been forced to remain in Novorossiysk because of other Ukrainian operations, including the use of Sea Baby surface drones that drove Russia’s Black Sea Fleet out of Sevastopol Bay. A spokesperson for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet denied the strike caused any damage, writing on Telegram that no submarines or crews were harmed. PUTIN CALLS TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN A ‘STARTING POINT’ AS HE WARNS UKRAINE TO PULL BACK OR FACE 'FORCE' "[Ukraine] once again proved that minnows can swallow sharks using innovation," drone expert Brett Velicovich told Fox News Digital. "Underwater drones are the next evolution in drone warfare." The submarine strike comes as Russia continues to launch large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine and as the United States works to end Russian President Vladimir Putin ’s war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his negotiating team met in Berlin on Sunday with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy also held talks with European leaders earlier in the week on a broader political framework to end the war, secure long-term protections for Ukraine and support the country’s postwar recovery.

The Trump administration has moved its hemispheric security doctrine into full force in Venezuela, ordering a sweeping naval blockade on sanctioned oil tankers and labeling Nicolás Maduro’s government a Foreign Terrorist Organization — a dramatic escalation aimed at choking off the regime’s primary source of revenue and confronting what the White House calls a growing threat of cartel-driven "drug terrorism" and foreign influence in the region. Announcing the move on social media, Trump said Venezuela was now "completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the history of South America," a strike at an oil sector that accounts for roughly 88% of the country’s export earnings. The administration’s new National Security Strategy (NSS) places the Western Hemisphere at the center of U.S. national security planning, elevating regional instability, mass migration, cartels and foreign influence as direct challenges to American security. While the document does not single out Venezuela by name, its framework positions crises like Venezuela’s collapse as central to protecting what the strategy calls America’s "immediate security perimeter." MADURO’S FORCES FACE RENEWED SCRUTINY AS US TENSIONS RISE: ‘A FORTRESS BUILT ON SAND’ According to the NSS, U.S. policy toward the hemisphere now focuses on preventing large-scale migration, countering "narco-terrorists, cartels, and other transnational criminal organizations," and ensuring the region remains "reasonably stable and well-governed enough to prevent and discourage mass migration." It also pledges to assert a "Trump Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine, aimed at blocking "hostile foreign incursion or ownership of key assets" by strategic competitors. A senior White House official said the Western Hemisphere chapter is designed to "reassert American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere" by strengthening regional security partnerships, curbing drug flows and preventing pressures that fuel mass migration. The official said the strategy situates the hemisphere as a foundational element of U.S. defense and prosperity. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the NSS reflects what the administration sees as a historic realignment of U.S. foreign policy. "President Trump’s National Security Strategy builds upon the historic achievements of his first year back in office, which has seen his Administration move with historic speed to restore American strength at home and abroad and bring peace to the world," Kelly told Fox News Digital. "In less than a year, President Trump has ended eight wars, persuaded Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defense, facilitated U.S.-made weapons sales to NATO allies, negotiated fairer trade deals, obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities, and more." The strategy, she added, is designed to ensure "America remains the greatest and most successful nation in human history." Melissa Ford Maldonado, director of the Western Hemisphere Initiative at the America First Policy Institute, said Venezuela illustrates why the hemisphere is now treated as America’s "first line of defense." "The Maduro regime functions as a narco-dictatorship closely tied to criminal cartels, which are now considered foreign terror organizations, and supported by China, Iran and Russia," she said. "Confronting this criminal regime is about keeping poison off our streets and chaos off our shores." MADURO’S FORCES FACE RENEWED SCRUTINY AS US TENSIONS RISE: ‘A FORTRESS BUILT ON SAND’ She called the NSS "the most radical and long-overdue change in U.S. foreign policy in a generation," arguing that instability in Latin America now reaches the United States "in real time" through migration surges, narcotics trafficking and foreign intelligence networks. Some analysts caution that the strategy’s sharper posture could become destabilizing if pressure escalates into a confrontation. Roxanna Vigil, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the path ahead depends heavily on how forceful the administration’s approach becomes. "If it goes in the direction of escalation and conflict, that means there’s going to be very little control," she said. "If there is a power vacuum, who fills it?" HEGSETH HINTS MAJOR DEFENSE SPENDING INCREASE, REVEALS NEW DETAILS ON TRUMP’S ANTI-NARCOTERRORISM OPERATIONS Vigil warned that without a negotiated transition, a sudden collapse could produce outcomes "potentially worse than Maduro." She said armed groups, hardline regime actors and cartel-linked networks would all compete for power, with potential spillover effects across a region already strained by mass displacement. Jason Marczak, vice president of the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, said the NSS underscores why the administration views Maduro’s continued rule as incompatible with its regional priorities. "All of those goals cannot be accomplished as long as Nicolás Maduro or anybody close to him remains in power," he said, pointing to the strategy’s focus on migration, regional security and countering foreign influence. "Venezuela is a conduit for foreign influence in the hemisphere." US SET TO SEIZE TENS OF MILLIONS IN VENEZUELAN OIL AFTER TANKER INTERCEPTION, WHITE HOUSE SAYS Marczak said Venezuelans "were ready for change" in the 2024 election, but warned that replacing Maduro with another insider "doesn’t really accomplish anything." He argued that only a democratic transition would allow Venezuela to re-enter global markets and stabilize the region. Both Marczak and Vigil noted that the danger extends beyond Maduro to the criminal ecosystem and foreign partnerships that sustain his rule. Without a negotiated transition, Vigil said, the forces most likely to prevail are those already controlling territory: militias, cartel-linked groups and pro-Chavista power brokers. Ford-Maldonado said that reality is precisely why the administration’s strategy elevates Venezuela’s crisis within its broader Western Hemisphere doctrine. "Confronting a narco-regime tied to foreign adversaries is not a distraction from America First — it’s the clearest expression of it," she said. "What’s ultimately being defended are American lives, American children, and American communities." The administration’s adoption of a "Trump Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine indicates a more assertive U.S. stance toward the hemisphere, framing Venezuela not only as a humanitarian or political crisis but as a critical test of the strategy’s core principles: migration control , counter-cartel operations and limiting foreign adversaries’ reach. Within this framework, experts say the consequences of inaction could create security risks that extend well beyond Venezuela’s borders.

EXCLUSIVE: A new report released Wednesday from Polaris National Security details what the group says are 100 foreign policy achievements from President Donald Trump’s second term. The document is organized chronologically, starting with his return to office in January and tracking each major foreign policy move through the present day. The report, titled "100 Trump Foreign Policy Wins From 2025 the Media Wants You to Miss," is an advocacy and policy analysis document that reflects the authors’ evaluation of U.S. foreign policy developments over the past year. "Since January, the Trump administration has moved with historic pace to restore America’s strength and security," the report states, arguing that the administration has emphasized deterrence, alliance burden-sharing and direct engagement with adversaries. TRUMP’S AMERICA FIRST STRATEGY BUILDS DETERRENCE THROUGH STRONG US-ISRAEL ALLIANCE, EXPERTS SAY The report groups several Venezuela-related actions into what it describes as a broader U.S. policy shift in the Western Hemisphere. It highlights expanded counter-narcotics operations off Venezuela’s coast, including airstrikes on maritime vessels linked to organizations such as Tren de Aragua and the National Liberation Army. The campaign, called Operation Southern Spear, is described as underscoring a commitment to "defending the homeland from the influx of fentanyl and other illicit drugs ravaging American communities." The administration also raised the U.S. reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, citing a public announcement from Attorney General Pam Bondi accusing Maduro of central involvement in narcotics trafficking. Venezuela has rejected the allegations. Polaris links these actions to the 2025 National Security Strategy, calling it "the most significant hemispheric reorientation of U.S. foreign policy in decades." Cale Brown, chair of Polaris National Security and former State Department principal deputy spokesperson, said the administration’s posture marks a reset on the global stage. "President Trump has taken the world stage by storm, reasserting American strength after four years of weakness," he said. TRUMP NATIONAL SECURITY BLUEPRINT DECLARES ‘ERA OF MASS MIGRATION IS OVER,' TARGETS CHINA’S RISE A substantial section of the Polaris report focuses on the October Gaza ceasefire , which it calls a central diplomatic breakthrough involving the United States, Israel and Hamas. According to the document, the agreement "secured an immediate ceasefire and the return of all surviving hostages," including Americans, with one hostage still unaccounted for. It also outlines plans for prisoner exchanges, Gaza’s demilitarization, an international stabilization force, transitional governance and large-scale reconstruction. The report also highlights a November U.N. Security Council vote in which a U.S.-led Gaza resolution passed 13–0, with Russia and China abstaining. The resolution is described as providing "an international legal framework for the next phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire." Additionally, the administration’s prohibition on U.S. taxpayer funding for UNRWA is noted, citing U.S. concerns over alleged ties between some personnel and Hamas. UNRWA denies institutional involvement in terrorism, while U.S. officials say the move was based on national security considerations. TRUMP ADMIN RAMPS UP SUDAN PEACE EFFORT AS CIVIL WAR LEAVES TENS OF THOUSANDS DEAD The report cites U.S. military strikes carried out in June against Iranian nuclear facilities using B-2 bombers and bunker-buster munitions, framing the mission as proof that the United States "will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran." Iran denies pursuing a military nuclear program. Nathan Sales, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council and former State Department counterterrorism coordinator, said the administration views regional diplomacy primarily through the lens of countering Tehran. "The Trump administration gets that the Iranian regime is the fundamental source of violence and instability across the Middle East," Sales said. However, some analysts say the administration’s record presents sharp contrasts. Foreign policy analyst and editor-in-chief of the Foreign Desk Lisa Daftari said that while Trump has delivered on several strategic priorities — including strong support for Israel, terrorist redesignations, aggressive action against drug cartels and renewed momentum behind the Abraham Accords — other moves warrant closer scrutiny. "This record is tempered by concerning diplomatic overtures that urge caution. The characterization of Syria's president as ‘young, attractive tough guy’ appears premature given unverified claims about severing ties with terrorist organizations—particularly troubling in light of recent attacks on U.S. servicemen. Similarly, the administration's approach to Turkey and Saudi Arabia suggests a willingness to extend trust and strategic concessions that may exceed what these relationships warrant, potentially squandering leverage on critical issues like the Abraham Accords. Whether these calculated diplomatic gambles yield strategic gains or prove costly remains an open question. The true measure of this foreign policy doctrine will ultimately depend on how these relationships and decisions unfold in 2026." The report also points to commitments made at the NATO summit in The Hague, where alliance members pledged to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, far above the longstanding 2% benchmark. The document says the pledge followed sustained U.S. pressure for "fairer burden-sharing among allied nations." The report highlights an August agreement signed at the White House by the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan aimed at ending the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The declaration includes commitments on border security, regional transit routes and economic cooperation involving the United States.

The 24-year-old man who allegedly perpetrated the terror attack in Australia on Sunday with his 50-year-old father was slapped with charges on Wednesday, according to news releases. In addition to "15 counts of murder" and "40 counts of cause wounding/grievous bodily harm to person with intent to murder," other offenses he has been charged with include "Commit terrorist act," "Discharge firearm etc intend cause grievous bodily harm," "Cause public display of prohibited terrorist org symbol" and "Place explosive in/near building with intent cause harm," according to the announcements . 10-YEAR-OLD GIRL, HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR AMONG VICTIMS OF DEADLY AUSTRALIA HANUKKAH ATTACK Police shot the father, who "died at the scene," while the son, who sustained "critical injuries," remains hospitalized, the releases note. The deadly shooting resulted in 15 fatalities, while others were injured, including two officers who were shot during the episode. SENATORS TED CRUZ AND JOHN FETTERMAN AGREE ON HATING ONE ‘EVIL’ DURING BIPARTISAN INTERVIEW Of those who have passed away, "police believe their ages range between 10 and 87," the releases state. AUSTRALIA MOVES TO TIGHTEN GUN LAWS AFTER HANUKKAH MASS SHOOTING LEAVES 15 DEAD AT BONDI BEACH The attack "was an act of pure evil," "antisemitism," and " terrorism " that was "deliberately targeted at the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said.