Israel launched a preemptive strike against Iran early Saturday, according to an announcement from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
Katz declared a special and immediate state of emergency across the entire country.
He said the strike was "to remove threats" against the state of Israel.
This is a developing story; please check back for updates.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) abruptly cut off a video statement after the speaker began criticizing several United Nations officials, including one who has been sanctioned by the Trump administration. The video message was being played during a U.N. session in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday morning.
Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust Director and Human Rights Voices President Anne Bayefsky called out several U.N. officials in her message, including U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who is the subject of U.S. sanctions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against Albanese on July 9, 2025, saying that she "has spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism, and open contempt for the United States, Israel and the West."
"That bias has been apparent across the span of her career, including recommending that the ICC, without a legitimate basis, issue arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant," Rubio added.
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"I was the only American U.N.-accredited NGO with a speaking slot – and I wasn’t allowed even to conclude my 90 seconds of allotted time. Free speech is non-existent at the U.N. so-called 'Human Rights Council,'" Bayefsky told Fox News Digital.
Bayefsky noted the irony of the council cutting off her video in a proceeding that was said to be an "Interactive Dialogue," an event during which experts are allowed to speak to the council about human rights issues.
"I was cut off after naming Francesca Albanese, Navi Pillay and Chris Sidoti for covering up Palestinian use of rape as a weapon of war and trafficking in blatant antisemitism. I named the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, who is facing disturbing sexual assault allegations but still unaccountable almost two years later. Those are the people and the facts that the United Nations wants to protect and hide," Bayefsky told Fox News Digital.
"It is an outrage that I am silenced and singled out for criticism on the basis of naming names," she said.
Bayefsky's statement was cut off as she accused Albanese, as well as Navi Pillay, the former chair of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Chris Sidoti, a commissioner of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. She also slammed ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, who has faced rape allegations. Khan has rejected the sexual misconduct allegations against him.
Had her video message been played in full, Bayefsky would have gone on to criticize Türk's recent report for not demanding accountability for the atrocities committed by Hams on Oct. 7, 2023.
When the video was cut short, Human Rights Council President Ambassador Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro characterized Bayefsky's remarks as "derogatory, insulting and inflammatory" and said that they were "not acceptable."
"The language used by the speaker cannot be allowed as it has exceeded the limits of tolerance and respect within the framework of the council which we all in this room hold to," Suryodipuro said.
MELANIA TRUMP TO TAKE THE GAVEL AT UN SECURITY COUNCIL IN HISTORIC FIRST
In response to Fox News Digital's request for comment, Human Rights Council Media Officer Pascal Sim said that the council has had long-established rules on what it considers to be acceptable language.
"Rulings regarding the form and language of interventions in the Human Rights Council are established practices that have been in place throughout the existence of the Council and used by all Council Presidents when it comes to ensuring respect, tolerance and dignity inherent to the discussion of human rights issues," Sim told Fox News Digital.
When asked if the video had been reviewed ahead of time, Sim said that it was assessed for length and audio quality to allow for interpretation, but that the speakers are ultimately "responsible for the content of their statement."
"The video statement by the NGO 'Touro Law Center, The Institute on Human Rights and The Holocaust' was interrupted when it was deemed that the language exceeded the limits of tolerance and respect within the framework of the Council and could not be tolerated," Sim said.
"As the presiding officer explained at the time, all speakers are to remain within the appropriate framework and terminology used in the Council’s work, which is well known by speakers who routinely participate in Council proceedings. Following that ruling, none of the Member States of the Council have objected to it," Sim added.
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While Bayefsky's statement was cut off, other statements accusing Israel of genocide and ethnic cleansing were allowed to be played and read in full.
This is not the first time that Bayefsky was interrupted. Exactly one year ago, on Feb. 27, 2025, her video was cut off when she mentioned the fate of Ariel and Kfir Bibas. Then-President of the U.N. Human Rights Council Jürg Lauber stopped the video and declared that Bayefsky had used inappropriate language.
Bayefsky began the speech by saying, "The world now knows Palestinian savages murdered 9-month-old baby Kfir," and is almost immediately cut off by Lauber.
"Sorry, I have to interrupt," Lauber abruptly said as the video of Bayefsky was paused. Lauber briefly objected to the "language" used in the video, but then allowed it to continue. After a few more seconds, the video was shut off entirely. Lauber reiterated that "the language that’s used by the speaker cannot be tolerated," adding that it "exceeds clearly the limits of tolerance and respect."
Last year, when the previous incident occurred, Bayefsky said she believed the whole thing was "stage-managed," as the council had advanced access to her video and a transcript and knew what she would say.
As the Trump administration weighs its next move on Iran, one of the most advanced aircraft in the U.S. arsenal has taken up position closer to Tehran.
Eleven U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters have arrived at Israel’s Ovda Air Base in the country’s south, Fox News reported, marking the first-ever operational deployment of American combat aircraft to Israel. The move comes amid a broader U.S. military buildup in the region not seen at this scale in years and as concerns grow over Iran’s nuclear program and missile capabilities.
For American decision-makers, the significance is straightforward: The F-22 changes the military equation.
"The F-22 is indeed the most air-to-air capable fighter in the world; nothing comes close to it in the air-to-air role," said retired Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella, former deputy chief of staff for operations at U.S. Air Force headquarters. During a May 26 webinar hosted by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), he described its presence as "a very clear deterrent signal" that allows the United States to "negotiate with strength."
TRUMP 'NOT HAPPY' WITH IRAN TALKS, HASN'T MADE 'FINAL DECISION' ON US STRIKES
Designed to establish and maintain air superiority, the F-22 can operate in heavily defended airspace and suppress enemy air defenses. In any potential strike scenario against Iran, that capability would be critical. Before bombers or strike aircraft can reach hardened nuclear or missile targets, someone has to clear the skies. That is the F-22’s core mission, former generals explained in the webinar.
Guastella underscored what forward positioning means in practical terms. "The advantage of the large force that’s there is that it can hold almost any target in Iran at risk … if that’s what the president wants to do," he said.
Retired Lt. Gen. Charles Moore, former deputy commander of U.S. Cyber Command, said in the webinar that the deployment is about expanding presidential options rather than signaling a predetermined strike.
TRUMP ISSUES STERN IRAN WARNING AS TEHRAN ANGRILY REACTS TO SPEECH AMID MUTED WORLD REACTION
"There is a lot of combat capability that’s been moved into the region … the more capability, the more assets we put, the more options that the President has. We don’t box him in," Moore said.
He added that the posture allows the United States "to be prepared for a long-term type of deployment and sustainment of combat capability if that’s what the President decides he wants us to do."
Trump signaled Friday that diplomacy remains his preference but did not rule out force. Speaking to reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Texas, he said he was not happy with Iran and wants to make a deal with Tehran, but warned that "sometimes you have to" use military force. He added that Iran remains unwilling to forswear nuclear weapons as demanded by the United States.
The choice of Israel as the deployment site also matters. Unlike some Gulf bases, where operational restrictions can apply, Israel offers fewer political constraints, they explained. That gives U.S. planners additional freedom of action in a fast-moving crisis.
THE ONLY MAP YOU NEED TO SEE TO UNDERSTAND HOW SERIOUS TRUMP IS ABOUT IRAN
JINSA’s fellow for American Strategy, Jonathan Ruhe, said the move follows a JINSA recommendation to expand U.S. basing options in Israel, outlined in a report the organization published last fall.
That report argued that forward basing in Israel would enhance U.S. flexibility and deterrence in the region. The organization has for months pushed the idea that Israel could function as a land-based platform for American airpower in the Middle East.
Former Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amikam Norkin said deploying such high-end aircraft to the region is not routine and framed the move as both operational and strategic. "It presents the American commitment to Israeli security once you are landing with your best airplane in Israel," he said, adding that regional actors "understand the very strong commitment of the American government, American military, American President, to the national security of Israel."
At the same time, he rejected the idea that the deployment represents a shift toward American "boots on the ground" in Israel.
"Well, it’s not the first time that America is on the ground. As you remember the 12-Day War, the American Air Defense System supported us. So it’s already been done," Norkin said.
More broadly, he emphasized that Iran is not solely an Israeli problem. "The Iranian threat, it’s not just an Israeli threat, it’s a regional threat, and the American forces support the region, not just Israel."
Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command briefed President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday on potential military options targeting Iran, a source familiar with the meeting confirmed to Fox News. The president’s top military adviser, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, also attended the briefing.
For now, officials describe the move as part of preparedness rather than a prelude to immediate conflict. But the arrival of America’s premier air-dominance fighter on Israeli soil signals a new phase in U.S.-Israel military coordination and a clear message to Tehran: If the president chooses to strike, the tools are already in place.
A man was arrested after a statue of late United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill was defaced with red graffiti in London, the Metropolitan Police noted in a post on X.
Photos show the statue and its base defaced with messages such as "NEVER AGAIN IS NOW," "ZIONIST WAR CRIMINAL" AND "GLOBALISE THE INTIFADA!"
"Overnight, the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square was graffitied with red paint," the police noted in the post on Friday.
FORMER UK AMBASSADOR TO US RELEASED ON BAIL AFTER ARREST IN EPSTEIN MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATION
"Officers were on scene within two minutes of being alerted shortly after 4am. A 38-yr-old man is in custody having been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage," the police added.
A Dutch activist group claimed credit for the graffiti.
HUNDREDS OF RUSSIAN SHADOW TANKERS TRIGGER MILITARY ALARM TRANSITING NATO WATERS: REPORT
"On the morning of 27th February, the statue of Winston Churchill at Parliament Square was defaced with red paint. This protest was organised and executed by @freethefilton24nl," a post on Instagram claims.
The post features a pre-recorded statement in which a man says, "My name is Olax Outis. I am a citizen of the Netherlands."
THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF WINSTON CHURCHILL
He identifies himself as "part of a Dutch action group called Free the Filton 24 NL," explaining, "I've come to the United Kingdom to deface statue of one of history’s most well-known war criminals, Winston Churchill."
The State Department is allowing non-essential personnel working at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to leave Israel ahead of possible strikes on Iran. The embassy announced the decision early Friday morning and said that "in response to security incidents and without advance notice" it could place further restrictions on where U.S. government employees can travel within Israel.
The decision came after meetings and phone calls through the night Thursday into Friday, according to The New York Times, which reviewed a copy of an email that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sent to embassy workers.
The Times reported that the ambassador said in his email that the move was a result of "an abundance of caution" and that those wishing to leave "should do so TODAY." He reportedly urged them to look for flights out of Ben Gurion Airport to any destination, cautioning that the embassy's move "will likely result in high demand for airline seats today."
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In the email, Huckabee also said that there was "no need to panic," but he underscored that those looking to leave should "make plans to depart sooner rather than later," the Times reported.
"Focus on getting a seat to anyplace from which you can then continue travel to D.C., but the first priority will be getting expeditiously out of country," Huckabee said in the email, according to the Times.
TRUMP MEETS NETANYAHU, SAYS HE WANTS IRAN DEAL BUT REMINDS TEHRAN OF ‘MIDNIGHT HAMMER’ OPERATION
The embassy reiterated the State Department's advisory for U.S. citizens to reconsider traveling to Israel and the West Bank "due to terrorism and civil unrest." Additionally, the department advised that U.S. citizens not travel to Gaza because of terrorism and armed conflict, as well as northern Israel, particularly within 2.5 miles of the Lebanese and Syrian borders because of "continued military presence and activity."
It also recommended that U.S. citizens not travel within 1.5 miles of the Egyptian border, with the exception of the Taba crossing, which remains open.
"Terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Terrorists and violent extremists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities," the embassy said in its warning. "The security environment is complex and can change quickly, and violence can occur in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza without warning."
While the embassy did not specifically mention Iran in its warning, it referenced "increased regional tensions" that could "cause airlines to cancel and/or curtail flights into and out of Israel."
Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department and the White House for comment on this matter.
The Swedish armed forces jammed a suspected Russian drone Feb. 25 as it approached a French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier while docked in Malmö during major NATO drills, according to reports.
The Charles de Gaulle warship, the flagship of the French navy, was visiting the southern Swedish port as part of the mission LA FAYETTE 26.
The drills brought NATO naval forces into the Baltic Sea region at a time of rising tensions with Moscow.
NATO LAUNCHES ARCTIC SECURITY PUSH AS TRUMP EYES GREENLAND TAKEOVER
The drone security breach unfolded when the carrier was in port, underscoring mounting concerns over Russian-linked drone activity near critical Western military assets, according to SVT.
The Swedish broadcaster reported that the drone was launched from a nearby Russian vessel and moved toward the carrier before being detected by Swedish forces.
‘THEY WERE SPYING’: SULLIVAN SOUNDS ALARM ON JOINT RUSSIA-CHINA MOVES IN US ARCTIC ZONE
A ship from the Swedish navy found the suspected drone during ongoing sea patrols in the Öresund Strait.
In response, Swedish operatives activated electronic countermeasures, disrupting the aircraft’s control systems.
"A ship from the Swedish Navy observed a suspected drone during ongoing sea patrols in the Öresund," the Swedish armed forces said in a statement, SVT reported.
"In connection with the observation, the Swedish Armed Forces took countermeasures to disrupt the suspected drone. After that, contact with the drone was lost," the statement said.
‘THEY WERE SPYING’: SULLIVAN SOUNDS ALARM ON JOINT RUSSIA-CHINA MOVES IN US ARCTIC ZONE
As yet, it remains unclear whether the drone returned to the Russian vessel or fell into the sea after being jammed.
Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson told SVT Thursday that the drone came "probably from Russia, as there was a Russian military vessel in the immediate vicinity at the time of the facts," according to Le Monde.
"A drone was jammed yesterday by a Swedish system at about seven nautical miles from the Charles de Gaulle. The Swedish system worked perfectly and this did not disrupt operations on board," French General Staff spokesman Colonel Guillaume Vernet also said.
This incident came just hours after Poland sent fighter jets overnight in response to another wave of Russian strikes over Ukraine, heightening tensions between Moscow and NATO, according to reports.
It also follows warnings from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said that his "adversaries know how things could end" if they resort to using a "nuclear" response.
An Egyptian tour guide was arrested after allegedly sketching a stick figure onto the side of the 4,000-year-old Pyramid of Unas while leading a group of tourists.
Video of the incident, which circulated widely on social media, shows the man leaning toward a lower section of the pyramid’s outer casing while tourists stand nearby listening. He is then seen attempting to wipe the markings away with his hand, though remnants remain visible in the footage.
In a post on X, Egypt’s Interior Ministry said the guide "damaged an antiquity by drawing on the outer casing of one of the pyramids" while explaining the site to tourists. Although the initial report mentioned the general Giza area.
The ministry said the investigation was launched after the video spread online, prompting an antiquities inspector to file a report with the Saqqara Tourism Police Station identifying the guide. Officials said the markings were later removed by specialists.
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Authorities apprehended the suspect, who confessed to the act during questioning, according to the ministry.
"Legal measures have been taken," the ministry added, noting that specialists have since removed the markings.
Local media outlets, citing the Interior Ministry’s investigation, identified the site as the Pyramid of Unas in the Saqqara necropolis south of Giza.
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B.C. for the Pharaoh Unas, is historically significant for containing the earliest Pyramid Texts. These religious inscriptions consist of more than 200 spells carved into the pyramid's interior walls, forming what scholars consider the oldest known collection of funerary texts.
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The pyramid is located within the vast Saqqara necropolis, part of ancient Memphis – Egypt’s first capital and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains a sprawling complex of tombs, temples and pyramids.
Egypt has increased enforcement and preservation efforts at archaeological sites in recent years as officials seek to protect ancient monuments that attract millions of visitors annually.
Under Egypt’s Antiquities Protection Law, damaging actions such as writing on or damaging archaeological sites can carry prison sentences and fines, with the exact penalties varying by offense.
Pakistan’s defense minister declared an "open war" with Afghanistan on Friday after the two sides exchanged heavy fire along their shared border on Thursday, according to multiple reports.
Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said in a post on X that Pakistan had hoped the Taliban would bring stability after NATO’s withdrawal, but instead accused the group of turning Afghanistan "into a colony of India" and "exporting terrorism."
"Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us," he said.
The clashes came after the Taliban said it launched retaliatory strikes on Pakistani military positions, while Islamabad said it was responding to unprovoked fire in the area.
THAILAND LAUNCHES AIRSTRIKES ALONG CAMBODIA BORDER AS TENSIONS ESCALATE
Reuters reported that both forces clashed for more than two hours along their roughly 2,600-kilometer (1,615-mile) border, threatening a ceasefire that had been agreed to in 2025 after fighting.
Thursday's flare-up came after Pakistani forces carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan earlier this week, with Taliban officials saying the strikes killed at least 18 people, Reuters reported Feb. 24.
Pakistan said it targeted militant hideouts and rejected claims that civilians were targeted.
The Taliban described an "extensive" military operation against Pakistani army positions in response to the strikes.
"In response to repeated provocations, extensive preemptive operations have been launched against Pakistani military positions along the Durand Line," Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on X.
In a separate statement, he said "specialized laser units" were operating at night.
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Taliban military spokesman Mawlawi Wahidullah Mohammadi also said in a video shared with Reuters that the "retaliatory operation" began Thursday evening.
Mujahid said "numerous" Pakistani soldiers had been killed and some were also captured. Reuters said it could not independently verify those claims.
In another post on X, Mujahid said, "The cowardly Pakistani army has bombed some places in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia. Praise be to God, no one was harmed."
Pakistan has since rejected the Taliban’s account.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said on X that the Afghanistan Taliban's "unprovoked action along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border" was given an "immediate and effective response."
The ministry said Taliban forces had "miscalculated and opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations" along the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The post said the fire was being met with an "immediate and effective response by Pakistan’s security forces."
CAMBODIAN PM SAYS THAI FORCES OCCUPYING DISPUTED LAND DESPITE TRUMP-BROKERED CEASEFIRE
"Early reports confirm heavy casualties on the Afghan side with multiple posts and equipment destroyed," the ministry said.
"Pakistan will take all necessary measures to ensure its territorial integrity and the safety and security of its citizens."
Pakistani security sources also told Reuters that 22 Taliban personnel had been killed, and several quadcopters were shot down.
The fighting follows Pakistan’s accusations that the Taliban is sheltering TTP militants behind a surge in violence and suicide attacks.
The Afghan Taliban denies the claim. A day before February's strikes, Pakistani officials said they had "irrefutable evidence" that militants were launching attacks from Afghan soil, Reuters reported.
Denmark will head to the polls March 24 after Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called a snap parliamentary election, a move widely viewed as an attempt to consolidate rising public support tied to her handling of tensions with President Donald Trump over Greenland.
Frederiksen announced the early vote Wednesday, arguing Denmark needs political clarity at a time of mounting geopolitical pressure. According to Reuters, she said the country faces "a serious foreign policy situation," adding voters should have a say in how Denmark navigates it.
Her center-left Social Democratic government has seen a lift in opinion polls in recent weeks after taking a firm stance that Greenland is not for sale and that Danish sovereignty is non-negotiable.
The dispute with Washington has reshaped the domestic political conversation, pushing Arctic security and national sovereignty to the forefront of Danish politics.
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Frederiksen, who has led Denmark since mid-2019, has spent much of the past year managing the fallout from Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland, the vast Arctic island that is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Tensions escalated sharply last month when Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on Denmark and several other European Union countries.
Trump has argued that the United States needs control of the North Atlantic island for national security reasons, citing increased activity by Russia and China in the Arctic. The region has grown in strategic importance as melting ice opens shipping routes and access to natural resources, intensifying competition among major powers.
The standoff appeared to ease after Trump announced that a framework agreement to strengthen Arctic security had been reached in talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. After that announcement, U.S., Danish and Greenlandic officials began technical discussions on implementing the arrangement, focusing on security coordination rather than any change in sovereignty.
Throughout the crisis, Frederiksen and other senior Danish officials repeatedly emphasized that Greenland’s status is not up for negotiation. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference earlier in February, Frederiksen cautioned that she did not believe the crisis had fully passed and suggested Washington could still harbor ambitions to annex the island.
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According to The Guardian, Danish commentators have described the prime minister’s polling boost as a "Greenland bounce," reflecting growing domestic approval of her firm posture toward Washington.
Frederiksen’s decision to call early elections appears aimed at converting that surge into a renewed mandate. Denmark’s next general election had not been scheduled until later this year, but the prime minister argued that the current security climate justifies seeking fresh voter backing.
Greenland, home to roughly 56,000 people, has long been strategically significant due to its location between North America and Europe. The United States maintains a military presence there at Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base. Any suggestion of U.S. acquisition has historically been sensitive in both Copenhagen and Nuuk, Greenland’s capital.
Euronews reported that Frederiksen’s government has stressed cooperation with allies while firmly rejecting any negotiations over Greenland’s sovereignty. European leaders have signaled support for Denmark, reinforcing the view that Arctic stability is increasingly central to NATO and EU planning.
Opposition parties have criticized the timing of the snap election, arguing that Frederiksen is seeking a political advantage during a moment of heightened nationalism. Others, however, have largely backed the government’s line on Greenland, suggesting that the sovereignty issue may transcend traditional party divides.
The March 24 vote will determine whether Frederiksen can strengthen her coalition or voters shift the parliamentary balance. It will also serve as a broader test of how Danes believe their country should manage its relationship with Washington as Arctic security becomes a defining issue of global competition.
Talks between Iran and the U.S. wrapped up in Geneva Thursday as officials cited "significant progress" and announced a next meeting set for Vienna within days.
Yet despite senior U.S. officials describing the third round as "positive," per Axios, Iranian state television also reported that Tehran will continue enriching uranium and rejected proposals to transfer it abroad.
According to The Associated Press , the reports claimed Iran would also push for the lifting of international sanctions — signaling it is not prepared to meet President Donald Trump’s demands.
The negotiations were carried out primarily indirectly, with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi relaying messages between the two sides.
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In a post on X, al-Busaidi confirmed that the round had concluded and said discussions would resume soon.
"We have finished the day after significant progress in the negotiation between the United States and Iran," he said on X.
"We will resume soon after consultation in the respective capitals. Discussions on a technical level will take place next week in Vienna. I am grateful to all concerned for their efforts: the negotiators, the IAEA, and our hosts, the Swiss government," al-Busaidi said.
There was no immediate public statement from U.S. or Iranian officials after the session.
Trump’s special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, attended the three-hour negotiations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi was also involved, with Iranian officials presenting a draft proposal for a potential nuclear agreement with the U.S., which has key demands.
Iran insists it has the right to enrich uranium and has appeared to refuse to negotiate over other issues, including its long-range missile program and support for armed groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
TRUMP ADMIN RAMPS UP 'MAXIMUM PRESSURE' IRAN SANCTIONS AHEAD OF NEW ROUND OF NUCLEAR TALKS
Trump, meanwhile, insists on a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program. In his State of the Union address Feb. 24, the president said he prefers a diplomatic solution.
"My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy, but one thing is certain: I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon," the president said. "Can't let that happen."
As the Geneva talks unfolded Thursday, Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also wrote on X that if the main U.S. concern is preventing a nuclear weapon, that stance "aligns" with Khamenei’s fatwa and Iran’s defensive doctrine.
He added that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has "sufficient support and authority" to come to a final agreement in the talks.
The development came as the U.S. continues assembling military assets, including a fleet of aircraft and warships in the Middle East.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
Hungary is beefing up security at its energy sites as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accuses Ukraine of threatening his country's energy supply. Orbán — a vocal ally of President Donald Trump — published a scathing open letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which he accused Kyiv of pursing an "anti-Hungarian policy."
"In recent days, you have blocked the Friendship oil pipeline, which is critical to Hungary’s energy supply," Orbán's open letter, which he published on X, read. "Your actions are against Hungary’s interests and endanger the secure and affordable energy supply of Hungarian families. I therefore call on you to change your anti-Hungarian policy!"
On Wednesday, Orbán ordered increased security at critical energy infrastructure sites, The Associated Press reported. The prime minister's order came as Budapest accused Ukraine of blocking the Druzhba pipeline, through which Russian oil is delivered to Hungary, but it crosses Kyiv's territory. Ukrainian officials have denied the allegations, according to the AP, saying that the pipeline was hit in a Russian drone attack.
HUNGARY THREATENS TO BLOCK EU LOAN TO UKRAINE UNLESS RUSSIAN OIL SHIPMENTS RESUME
In a video posted on social media, Orbán claimed Ukraine was using an "oil blockade" to pressure Hungary and that Hungarian national security services showed Ukraine was "preparing further actions to disrupt the operation of Hungary’s energy system," the AP reported.
"We will deploy soldiers and the necessary equipment to repel attacks near key energy facilities," Orbán said, according to the AP. "The police will patrol with increased forces around designated power plants, distribution stations and control centers."
The accusations lobbed against Ukraine also come as Orbán faces an upcoming election. As the election nears, Hungary has seen billboards across the country showing AI-generated images of Zelenskyy holding out his hand as if asking for money while surrounded by European officials, according to the AP.
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Hungary recently threatened to block a proposed €90 billion European Union loan to Ukraine — worth roughly $106 billion — over the blockade of the Druzhba pipeline.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Friday that "Ukraine is blackmailing" his country and that Kyiv was coordinating with Belgium and the Hungarian opposition to "push fuel prices higher before the elections."
"By blocking oil transit to Hungary through the Druzhba pipeline, Ukraine violates the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, breaching its commitments to the European Union. We will not give in to this blackmail," Szijjártó added.
Orbán also accused Ukraine, the Hungarian opposition and Belgium of coordinating to exert pressure on Budapest.
In the letter released Thursday, Orbán, who has a close relationship with the Kremlin, also said Ukraine had refused "to accept the position of the sovereign Hungarian government and the Hungarian people regarding the Russia–Ukraine war." Additionally, he accused Ukraine of trying to "force Hungary" into the war with Russia.
"We, the Hungarian people, are not responsible for the situation in which Ukraine finds itself. We sympathize with the Ukrainian people, but we do not wish to participate in the war. We do not want to finance the war effort, and we do not want to pay more for energy," Orbán wrote.
The Hungarian prime minister ended his letter with demands that Ukraine reopen the oil pipeline and "refrain from any further attacks on Hungary's energy security," as well as a demand for "more respect for Hungary."
Neither Zelenskyy's office nor the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry immediately responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
The Associated Press and Fox News Digital's Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
Russia warned Thursday against any "provocative actions" around Cuba after a shootout between the country’s coast guard and a U.S.-registered speedboat that left at least four dead.
The remark comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. was "going to have our own information" on Wednesday's incident, and that "we'll respond appropriately based on what that information tells us."
"The situation around Cuba, as we can see, is heating up. The main thing is the humanitarian component. All humanitarian issues concerning Cuban citizens must be resolved, and no one should create obstacles," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday, according to Reuters.
"As for security around the island, it is, of course, very important that everyone remain restrained and refrain from any provocative actions," he added.
RUBIO CALLS CUBAN SHOOTOUT WITH STOLEN SPEEDBOAT ‘HIGHLY UNUSUAL,’ WITHHOLDS JUDGMENT
Cuban officials say five service members approached the Florida-registered speedboat detected within Cuban territorial waters. Occupants then opened fire on Cuban troops, who returned fire, according to the Cuban foreign ministry. The ministry reported that "four aggressors on the foreign vessel were killed and six were injured." The Cuban vessel’s commander was also injured, according to the ministry.
Cuban officials also claimed the 10 passengers on the Florida-registered boat were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism.
Cuba’s government added that the majority of the 10 people on the boat "have a known history of criminal and violent activity," The Associated Press reported.
According to data retrieved by Fox News Digital, the vessel, registered in Florida with number FL7726SH, is a 24-foot Pro-Line boat.
CHINA SLAMS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER US SANCTIONS ON CUBA
"Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in the open sea like that. It's not something that happens every day. It's something, frankly, that hasn't happened with Cuba in a very long time. But we're going to find out," Rubio said Wednesday. "We're not going to base our conclusions on what they've told us. And I'm very, very confident that we will know the full story of what happened here, and we will know it soon. And then, you know, we'll respond appropriately based on what that information tells us."
U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones from the Southern District of Florida also said Wednesday that, "Today's reports indicate that four people aboard a Florida-registered vessel were killed, and several others wounded, during a deadly gunfire exchange off the coast of Cuba. This is a tragic and deeply concerning event. The Cuban regime asserts their forces were fired upon, but the facts remain unclear and conflicting."
"We are using all available federal tools to understand exactly what happened, who was involved, and whether U.S. citizens or lawful residents were among the casualties. We are committed to a thorough, impartial, and fact-based investigation," he added.
Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf, Emma Bussey and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Børge Brende, who has faced scrutiny due to the revelation of links between him and the late Jeffrey Epstein, is stepping down from his role as World Economic Forum president and CEO.
"I am grateful for the incredible collaboration with my colleagues, partners, and constituents, and I believe now is the right moment for the Forum to continue its important work without distractions," Brende said in a statement.
Disclosures by the U.S. Justice Department indicated that Brende had attended three business dinners with Epstein and engaged him in communications through email and texts, according to Reuters.
FORMER CLINTON, OBAMA OFFICIAL TO RESIGN FROM HARVARD OVER EPSTEIN TIES
"In light of these interactions, the Governing Board requested the Audit and Risk Committee to look into the matter, which subsequently decided to initiate an independent review," the WEF noted in a statement, the outlet reported earlier this month. "This decision underscores the Forum's commitment to transparency and maintaining its integrity."
In the statement about Brende's departure, the globalist body noted, "The independent review conducted by outside counsel has concluded. The findings stated that there were no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed."
WEF's co-chairs André Hoffmann and Larry Fink said in a statement on behalf of the board of trustees that they wanted "to express our sincere appreciation for Børge Brende's significant contributions to the World Economic Forum."
"His dedication and leadership have been instrumental during a pivotal period of reforms for the organization, leading to a successful annual meeting in Davos. We respect his decision to step down," they said.
"We are pleased to announce that Alois Zwinggi will serve as Interim President and CEO and looking forward to his continued collaboration and partnership over time," Hoffmann and Fink added. "The Board of Trustees will oversee the leadership transition including the plan to drive a proper process to identify a permanent successor."
FORMER NORWEGIAN PM THORBJØRN JAGLAND HOSPITALIZED AMID EPSTEIN PROBE
Brende asserted in a statement that he met Epstein while attending a dinner that former Norwegian Deputy Prime Minister Terje Rod-Larsen invited him to, according to Reuters.
Brende noted that he later went to two similar dinners that included Epstein and that those dinners plus "a few emails and SMS messages" comprised the full scope of his engagements with Epstein, according to the outlet.
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"I was completely unaware of Epstein's past and criminal activities," Brende noted, according to the outlet.
"Had I known about his background, I would have declined the initial invitation to join Rod-Larsen and any subsequent dinner invitations or other communications," he said.
India and Israel declared themselves a "special strategic partnership" on Thursday after signing 16 new agreements, the two countries announced in a joint statement on Thursday.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week. Representatives of the two countries held working meetings this week to discuss agreements spanning security, agriculture, water, development and labor.
"This is an amazing visit. An amazing conclusion to an amazing visit," Netanyahu said alongside Modi. "It was short, but extraordinarily productive and also extraordinarily moving."
"The future belongs to those who innovate, and Israel and India are bent on innovation. We are proud ancient civilizations, very proud of our past, but also absolutely determined to seize our future and we can do it better together." he added.
TRUMP, NETANYAHU TO MEET AT WHITE HOUSE IN HIGH-STAKES TALKS ON IRAN, GAZA PLAN
The two countries ultimately signed 16 agreements spanning a range of topics, including artificial intelligence, cultural exchange, agriculture and energy, with Netanyahu adding that they are still working on a more "concrete" agreement.
"This friendship is built on a deep foundation of democratic and human values," Modi said, as translated by Israel's Ynet News. "Our ties have stood the test of time. Today we made a historic decision to elevate our longstanding partnership to a special strategic partnership, symbolizing the aspirations of our two peoples."
The elevated relationship comes as the U.S. and Israel have ramped up tensions with Iran. The U.S. has undergone a massive military buildup in the region, and Netanyahu discussed Iran with President Donald Trump during a White House visit earlier this month.
TRUMP ENVOY WITKOFF AND JARED KUSHNER IN GENEVA FOR CLOSELY WATCHED IRAN NEGOTIATIONS
Trump said Wednesday that he wants to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy, but he also accused Tehran of expanding its missile capabilities.
"They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas," he said. "And they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America."
"My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy," Trump added. "They want to make a deal. But we haven’t heard those secret words: we will never have a nuclear weapon."
"But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror… to have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let that happen."
Fox News' Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.
Nearly five years after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, Kabul has appointed its first envoy to India, marking a significant milestone in diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
Noor Ahmad Noor, a Taliban-appointed diplomat, has assumed responsibility as Chargé d’Affaires at the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, the first such posting to India since the Taliban returned to power more than four years ago. The move is the latest step in cultivating goodwill, as India's role evolves in Afghanistan.
PAKISTAN THREATENS TO 'OBLITERATE' TALIBAN AFTER PEACE TALKS FALL APART
The renewed political and economic engagement with the Taliban comes at a time of surging cross-border violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which has plunged relations between the two neighbors to a dangerously low point. Just this week, tensions flared back up after a fresh round of deadly strikes and clashes. And nuclear-armed India wasted no time in strongly condemning Islamabad over the attacks and voiced support for Kabul’s sovereignty.
Against this backdrop of sustained hostilities, India stands out as one country that has much to gain. Experts say India’s reset with the Taliban reflects a pragmatic policy, aimed at countering Pakistani influence while protecting its own long-term security interests in the region.
"This is a classic case of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend,’" Sid Dubey, a visiting professor at Bennett University in India, told Fox News. "The only thing the two parties are mutually aligned on is Pakistan and the enmity both have toward the Islamic Republic."
Kabul’s rapidly deteriorating relationship with Islamabad factors heavily into India’s calculations. For decades, Pakistan sought what it called "strategic depth" in Afghanistan, backing Taliban factions to ensure a friendly government in Kabul. But now, as frictions rise over border disputes, closer coordination between India and Afghanistan stretches Pakistan’s capacity to manage tensions on multiple fronts.
At the same time, analysts say, it gives India the opportunity to extend its influence in the region at the expense of another rival, China. Furthermore, Pakistan buffers India and Afghanistan, making strategic alignment between New Delhi and Kabul particularly significant.
TRUMP: US TRYING TO GET BAGRAM AIRBASE 'BACK' FROM TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN
"Afghanistan is cursed by its geography and proximity to foreign powers who will always meddle," Dubey explained, as regional fault lines only continue to sharpen. "And with virtually no American influence on the Taliban government anymore, Delhi feels secure in going ahead with its own India-centric Afghan policy."
Like most other countries, India does not formally recognize the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, both nations have been taking a series of quiet but significant steps to deepen ties. Over the last year, several high-level diplomatic interactions have been billed as groundbreaking. Cooperation has expanded across the board, from healthcare and humanitarian aid to cultural exchanges and economic projects.
Dubey claimed there's another big reason for Delhi's push. "India supports all this in the hope or understanding that one day, if needed, India can use Afghanistan as a platform to strike Pakistan."
For its part, Kabul is embracing this new era of cooperation, hailing the stronger ties with India as Pakistan views these developments with deep suspicion. Engagement with India also offers the Taliban a measure of legitimacy on the world stage.
As Dubey noted, Afghanistan remains one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, heavily dependent on external assistance, making India’s aid extremely beneficial.
If sustained, India’s growing engagement with the Taliban could reshape changing regional dynamics. A weakened Pakistan-Taliban relationship undercuts Islamabad’s long-standing leverage in Kabul, altering the formerly established balance of power. It also complicates China’s calculus, as Beijing weighs its own security concerns.
Looking further ahead, if Washington again expands its involvement in Afghanistan, New Delhi could serve as a key intermediary, given that U.S. and Indian ties are also on an upward trajectory.
A U.S. military aircraft slammed into a concrete barrier during a takeoff attempt from a Philippine roadway, according to a report, and officials confirmed American service members on board were injured.
The incident happened Tuesday in Central Luzon, Philippines, as the aircraft was conducting training, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command confirmed to Fox News Digital in a statement.
"Two service members were transported to a medical facility for medical attention," the statement said. "One of the individuals has been discharged, while the other remains in medical care and is in stable condition. No civilians were injured."
The command said that the incident is currently under investigation.
US MOVES TO EXPAND MISSILES IN PHILIPPINES, PUTTING CHINA WITHIN RANGE
The accident happened during contingency training on a bypass road in Laoac town, The Associated Press reported, citing a local police report.
The aircraft had successfully landed but veered off course during takeoff and struck a concrete barrier, Philippine officials told the outlet.
The Philippine officials reportedly said that the training exercise, which was fully coordinated with local civilian, police and military authorities, was designed to prepare forces for emergencies when traditional runways are unusable due to disasters such as typhoons or earthquakes.
SEVEN US SERVICE MEMBERS INJURED IN VENEZUELA RAID TO CAPTURE MADURO, OFFICIAL SAYS
U.S. forces frequently deploy aircraft in the Philippines to assist with humanitarian relief following natural disasters. The 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement allows U.S. troops to train alongside Filipino forces.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region, particularly in the South China Sea, where China and the Philippines have clashed over disputed territory.
The U.S. has reaffirmed that it would defend the Philippines under a mutual defense treaty if its forces were attacked.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Thursday that his country could "completely destroy" South Korea if it feels threatened, escalating rhetoric while ruling out renewed talks.
Speaking at North Korea’s weeklong Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, Kim labeled South Korea the "most hostile enemy" and said "the conciliatory attitude that South Korea's current government advocates on the surface is clumsily deceptive and crude," according to state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim said North Korea "can initiate arbitrary action" if South Korea engages in "obnoxious behavior" directed at his country, dismissing recent efforts by Seoul to improve relations.
"South Korea's complete collapse cannot be ruled out," Kim said, according to KCNA.
TRUMP SAYS HE'D BE WILLING TO EXTEND ASIA TRIP TO MEET WITH NORTH KOREA'S KIM JONG UN
During the congress, Kim outlined sweeping five-year policy goals centered on expanding North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. The country is believed to possess around 50 warheads and enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more, according to an estimate last year from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The North Korean leader said the country's "international status has risen extraordinarily."
"It is our party's firm will to further expand and strengthen our national nuclear power, and thoroughly exercise its status as a nuclear state," Kim said, according to KCNA. "We will focus on projects to increase the number of nuclear weapons and expand nuclear operational means."
NORTH KOREA RELEASES IMAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINE
Kim laid out plans for North Korea to develop more advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of underwater launches, along with artificial intelligence-driven weapons systems and unmanned drones, KCNA reported.
Kim, who met with President Donald Trump three times during Trump’s first term, signaled he may be open to future negotiations with Washington but placed responsibility squarely on the United States.
"Whether it’s peaceful coexistence or permanent confrontation, we are ready for either, and the choice is not ours to make," he said.
NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG UN'S DAUGHTER SEEN AS FUTURE SUCCESSOR: SPY AGENCY
Kim said that if the U.S. "withdraws its policy of confrontation" with North Korea and acknowledges the country's "current status," there would be "no reason why we cannot get along well with the U.S."
Following the congress, Kim’s teenage daughter attended a military parade in Pyongyang on Wednesday, according to KCNA. Ju Ae, believed to be 13 or 14, was photographed standing beside her father and senior military leaders.
Her appearance comes after South Korean media reported that Kim recently gave her a leadership role in the regime’s powerful "Missile Administration," which oversees Pyongyang’s nuclear forces.
Fox News Digital's Emma Bussey, along with Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Chagos Islands deal fell into disarray Wednesday amid conflicting U.K. government messages about whether ratification was paused for talks with the United States over the strategic Indian Ocean military base Diego Garcia.
Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer had told members of Parliament that ratification of the deal to cede the islands to Mauritius had been paused while discussions with Washington continued.
A U.K. government spokesperson later denied there was any formal suspension of the process, insisting no deadline had ever been set and reiterating that Britain would not move forward without American backing.
"We are continuing discussions with the U.S., and we have been clear we will not proceed without their support," the spokesperson said, Reuters reported.
TRUMP WARNS IRAN, DELAYS STRIKES AS RED LINE DEBATE ECHOES OBAMA’S SYRIA MOMENT
The confusion saw critics claim the deal reveals weaknesses that could affect Western security amid heightened tensions.
"The U.S. saw this first-hand when the U.K. alerted Mauritius to an impending operation against Iran — an alert Mauritius then protested," Robert Midgley, spokesperson for Friends of the British Overseas Territories, told Fox News Digital.
"This is what prompted President [Donald] Trump’s statement," Midgley said, after Trump publicly criticized the deal despite having initially supported it.
Trump had reignited the controversy Feb. 18 in a post on Truth Social, urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to abandon the agreement.
"DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!" Trump wrote, calling the deal a "big mistake" and placing additional strain on transatlantic negotiations.
STARMER SENDS UK STRIKE GROUP TO ARCTIC, CITES RISING RUSSIA THREAT AS TRUMP PUSHES GREENLAND DEAL
Midgley argued the deal should be "withdrawn" in line with Trump’s wishes.
"The U.K. government should now go one step further and withdraw the bill from Parliament and find an alternative solution," he said.
"Ministers have inadvertently exposed that the deal has no legal basis and risks creating a more insecure world in the face of states like China and Iran," he added.
The agreement, struck last year, would see Britain cede sovereignty of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius while securing a 99-year lease over Diego Garcia, the strategically vital island that hosts a major joint U.S.-U.K. military base.
The base plays a central role in operations across the Middle East, Africa and the Indo-Pacific, meaning the proposal has faced mounting political pressure on both sides of the Atlantic.
TRUMP SIGNALS WILLINGNESS TO DEFEND DIEGO GARCIA MILITARY BASE IF FUTURE DEAL THREATENS US ACCESS
The legislation is currently before the House of Lords, where objections have been raised. No date has yet been set for a debate or vote, further adding to the uncertainty.
Midgley urged Washington to continue to resist the agreement and back Britain in retaining control of the territory.
"The U.S. should stand firm, continue to reject the deal, and support the U.K. in asserting sovereignty to help preserve the future of Western security," he warned.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the UK government for comment.
Russian-operated shadow tankers carrying millions of dollars in sanctioned oil are transiting the English Channel, raising warnings of a potential military confrontation in NATO waters, according to reports.
The movements came amid heightened tensions between Russia and NATO, with the Royal Navy stepping up surveillance of U.S.- and allied-sanctioned vessels in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
SECOND TANKER SEIZED NEAR VENEZUELA AS US ENFORCES OIL BLOCKADE
Sky News reported Wednesday that as many as 800 shadow tankers had passed through the channel, and continue to bankroll Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
Several Russia-linked oil tankers — including the Rigel, Hyperion and Kousai — have been tracked by VesselFinder and are known to be under Western sanctions.
The outlet reported that three of the vessels were monitored this month as they transited loaded with sanctioned crude.
The Rigel, an 885-foot Suezmax-class tanker sailing under a Cameroonian flag, left the Russian port of Primorsk on Feb. 2, with up to one million barrels of oil, a cargo valued at around $55 million.
Sanctioned by the U.K., the EU and Canada, it is barred from using port facilities in those jurisdictions but is still permitted "innocent passage" under maritime law.
The Kousai, sailing under a Sierra Leonean flag, left Ust-Luga on Feb. 2 and was warned by authorities to provide proof of insurance within 24 hours.
The Hyperion, also sanctioned by the U.S., switched flags after delivering oil to Venezuela, to obscure ownership and evade enforcement, according to reports.
Security experts warned of an increased risk of geopolitical escalation in the region.
SEN. KENNEDY DOUBLES DOWN ON VENEZUELA CRACKDOWN, URGES SANCTIONS TO 'CHOKE OFF' FUNDS
Professor Michael Clarke told Sky News that there may come a point when Britain and its allies "get much tougher with these Russian ships," adding that a "militarized confrontation at sea" this year is a real possibility, in the Channel or the North Sea.
A U.K. Ministry of Defense (MoD) spokesperson said: "Deterring, disrupting and degrading the Russian shadow fleet is a priority for this government.
"Alongside our allies, we are stepping up our response to shadow vessels — and as the Secretary of State set out, we will continue to do so," the spokesperson said.
The MoD said it has requested proof of insurance from more than 600 suspected vessels since October 2024.
The U.S. has also taken a firm stance, seizing at least seven tankers linked to sanctioned oil trades since December 2025, including several in the Caribbean.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia is trying "to play with the president of the United States" and stalling U.S.-brokered efforts to end the war.
In an interview with Fox News in Kyiv, Zelenskyy pushed back on suggestions from President Trump that Ukraine is holding up the peace process.
"We always supported peace," Zelenskyy said. "When you are at your home, in your house, on your territory, in your city, of course you want to stop it."
Instead, Zelenskyy charged that Russia is attempting to drag out discussions to avoid making concessions.
"They try to play with the president of the United States," he said.
Asked by Fox News if he thinks Vladimir Putin is playing a game, Zelenskyy replied, "Yeah, I think so. Yeah. He needs to postpone any kind of negotiations."
Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to freeze the conflict along its current lines, proposing a ceasefire followed by negotiations. But he said he would not accept a Russian demand for Ukraine to surrender territory the Russian army has not been able to capture in four years of fighting.
Fox News spoke with Zelenskyy at his offices in Kyiv, a heavily guarded complex where the lights are dimmed and sandbags dot the corridors. Among the grand marble staircases and high ceilings, walls are decorated with giant portraits of soldiers, standing some 12 feet tall.
Speaking one day after the conflict entered its fifth year, Zelenskyy accepted that some in Ukraine are weary of war. But he said peace proposals so far are heavily tilted toward Russia's demands.
"Everybody wants peace, and a lot of people are tired," Zelenskyy said. "But believe me, not everybody is ready ... to eat what Putin cooked for us."
The Ukrainian leader urged President Trump to visit his country, saying, "He will see such a result of the attacks. And he will see how the nation really lives. Not just surviving."
Despite massive losses, Zelenskyy hailed Ukraine’s fight.
"Russia couldn't and can't occupy us. They didn't win, and for us, it's a victory. We defended our independence and freedom," he said.
"They didn't change the country. They didn't change our flag.
"I'm sure that Russia recognized — really recognizes now — that it was a big mistake."
FIRST ON FOX: A new report detailing the inner workings of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s office says the Islamic Republic’s real command structure lies not in Iran’s visible government, but in a shadow apparatus designed to preserve regime control even if the supreme leader himself disappears from public view.
The report, Unmasking the Bayt: Inside the Supreme Leader’s Office, published by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and authored by Saeid Golkar and Kasra Aarabi, describes the Bayt, the Office of the Supreme Leader, as a vast institutional network embedded across Iran’s military, economy, religious institutions and state bureaucracy.
"It is the hidden nerve center of the regime in Iran… it operates as a state within a state," Aarabi said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
WITKOFF WARNS IRAN IS ‘A WEEK AWAY’ FROM 'BOMB-MAKING MATERIAL' AS TRUMP WEIGHS ACTION
According to Aarabi, the system allows Khamenei to oversee and influence decision-making at every level of the Islamic Republic, including nuclear policy, war planning and internal security.
"This is what gives Khamenei absolute control. It’s not the visible state, this is the invisible state," he said.
The report estimates roughly 4,000 people operate inside the Bayt’s core structure, with tens of thousands more working through affiliated institutions across the country.
"There’s around 4,000 close employees… think of them as commissars… the real policymakers," Aarabi said. "Beyond that, the Bayt’s umbrella has 40,000 individuals working for it… entrenched at every single layer of policy, every single state entity."
The report maps a tightly controlled inner circle at the top of the Bayt, including Khamenei’s sons, particularly Mojtaba Khamenei, who is described as operating like a "mini-supreme leader" within his father’s office.
It details how the structure reaches directly into Iran’s military chain of command, with senior promotions requiring approval from the Supreme Leader’s office and parallel counterintelligence bodies monitoring loyalty across the armed forces. The Bayt, the report says, also plays a decisive role in nuclear negotiations and wartime decision-making, ensuring ultimate authority remains concentrated around the supreme leader.
The network, Aarabi said, effectively duplicates state ministries inside Khamenei’s office, allowing direct oversight and ideological enforcement across government agencies, universities and cultural institutions.
TRUMP ISSUES STERN IRAN WARNING AS TEHRAN ANGRILY REACTS TO SPEECH AMID MUTED WORLD REACTION
The report also outlines how the Bayt sustains regime durability through control of the economy, religious institutions and the education system. Networks of foundations and conglomerates tied to the supreme leader oversee major sectors of Iran’s economy, while clerical institutions, universities and cultural bodies are monitored by embedded representatives tasked with enforcing ideological compliance and suppressing dissent.
"Think of the Bayt as the nucleus of the core power of the regime," Aarabi said.
The findings come amid renewed speculation about Khamenei’s health and reduced public visibility, as well as growing regional tensions and the possibility of military confrontation involving Iran.
Aarabi pushed back on suggestions that Khamenei’s absence from public appearances signals weakening authority or internal fragmentation.
"We saw this during the 12-day war… even if he is hiding in a bunker, he is in full control. The Bayt has been tightening Khamenei’s grip on power," he said.
The structure, he argued, was deliberately built to function even without the supreme leader physically present.
"Even if he is eliminated, the Bayt as an institution enables the supreme leader to function," Aarabi said. "Think of the supreme leader as an institution rather than just a single individual."
The report places the Bayt at the top of Iran’s power hierarchy, above the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the formal government.
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S IRAN WARNING IS SERIOUS — BUT AMERICANS NEED THE FULL FACTS
"The Bayt is the core apparatus… the strategic policymaking body that is driving the ballistic missile program, the nuclear program, [and] regional destabilization," Aarabi said.
The implications, he added, are significant for policymakers in Washington and across the region, particularly as the U.S. weighs options for confronting Iran’s nuclear program and regional activities.
"Eliminating Khamenei in isolation on its own is not enough… you have to dismantle this extensive apparatus that he has created," Aarabi said.
Instead, any effort to weaken the regime would require targeting the broader institutional structure surrounding the supreme leader, not just the individual at its center.
"It involves a comprehensive strategy… cyber operations, sanctions, [and] a military component," he said. "For any meaningful change in Iran… you have to go after the core nucleus of power within the Islamic regime, and that is the Bayt."
He said on reports of Khamenei being a target that, "the elimination of Khamenei alone is not enough… dismantling the extensive apparatus of the Bayt is essential," he added.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday her government is weighing legal action against Elon Musk after the billionaire accused her, without evidence, of having ties to drug cartels after the killing of a major cartel leader.
Musk made the allegation in a post on X responding to a resurfaced 2025 video in which Sheinbaum discussed cartel violence and rejected a return to a militarized crackdown.
"Returning to the war against the narco is not an option. First, because it is outside the framework of the law," she said in the clip.
The video was shared by an X user who asked, "She’s a cartel plant right?"
MEXICAN PRESIDENT REJECTS US SENDING TROOPS TO HER COUNTRY: 'I DON'T BELIEVE IN AN INVASION'
"She’s just saying what her cartel bosses tell her to say," Musk replied. "Let’s just say that their punishment for disobedience is a little worse than ‘a performance improvement plan.’"
Sheinbaum responded to the comments during her daily morning press conference, saying her government was evaluating its options.
"We are considering whether to take legal action," she said, adding that government lawyers were reviewing the matter.
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Musk’s post came after Mexican security forces captured and killed Nemesio Oseguera, known as "El Mencho," the longtime leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel, in an operation that triggered roadblocks and arson attacks in parts of the country.
A military offensive against cartels launched in 2006 by former President Felipe Calderón led to bloody turf battles as gangs splintered, fueling a spiral of violence that analysts say contributed to Mexico’s persistently high homicide rates.
Asked whether the operation against Oseguera signaled a shift toward a more aggressive security posture, Sheinbaum rejected that notion.
"The detention of a suspected criminal with an arrest warrant can generate this type of circumstance, but we are looking for peace, not war," she said.
Ruling Morena party President Luisa Alcalde also criticized Musk’s remarks, urging him to use his platform to address drug consumption, addiction, disinformation and the promotion of narco culture.
"Wealth does not give moral authority," she said. "The lives that are lost in this fight, often fueled by consumption in other countries, are worth infinitely more than any fortune amassed in Silicon Valley."
More than 130,000 people are listed as missing in Mexico, where much of the violence is linked to drug cartels that sell narcotics to the U.S. and obtain guns from across the border.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Cuba’s coast guard shot dead four people and wounded six others aboard a U.S.-registered speedboat in an exchange of gunfire off the communist island’s coast, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday.
In a statement, the ministry said a Cuban patrol vessel had approached the Florida-registered boat to identify those on board when shots were fired from the boat, wounding the captain of the Cuban craft.
According to Havana’s statement, the boat was detected within Cuban territorial waters Wednesday morning on the northeast side of the El Pino channel near Cayo Falcones in Villa Clara province.
RUBIO HOLDING SECRET TALKS WITH RAUL CASTRO’S GRANDSON OVER CUBA’S FUTURE: REPORT
Cuban border troops moved in to inspect the vessel, but the "crew of the violating speedboat opened fire," prompting return fire from Cuban forces.
"As a consequence of the confrontation, as of the time of this report, four aggressors on the foreign vessel were killed and six were injured," the ministry said, adding that the injured were evacuated and are receiving medical care.
"In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region."
It also said investigations are ongoing to fully clarify the events.
The Ministry of Interior also released a statement late Wednesday confirming the speedboat was carrying 10 "armed individuals who, according to preliminary statements from the detainees, intended to carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes."
The ministry said that "assault rifles, handguns, handcrafted explosive devices (Molotov cocktails), bulletproof vests, telescopic lookers and camouflage uniforms" were found.
Seven of the men have been identified, the ministry said, while work continues to confirm the identities of the remaining three.
The list included Amijail Sánchez González, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra.
Among the deceased was Michel Ortega Casanova.
"All participants are Cubans living in the United States," the ministry said, adding that, "most have a known history of criminal and violent activity."
TRUMP SAYS CUBA IS ‘READY TO FALL’ AFTER CAPTURE OF VENEZUELA’S MADURO
It specifically named Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez as being on the National List of persons and entities that, by virtue of Resolution 1373 of the United Nations Security Council, international law and the Cuban legal system.
"They have been subjected to criminal investigations and are sought by the Cuban authorities, based on their involvement in the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission of actions materialized in the national territory or in other countries, based on acts of terrorism," the ministry said.
The ministry also said that Duniel Hernández Santos had "confessed to his actions."
According to data retrieved by Fox News Digital, the vessel, registered in Florida with number FL7726SH — is a 24-foot Pro-Line boat.
A source told Fox News that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement contacted the Miami-based owner, who confirmed the vessel had been docked at a marina in the Florida Keys.
POST-MADURO, PRESSURE BUILDS ON MEXICO OVER CUBA’S NEW OIL LIFELINE
After being notified by authorities, the owner — who is not considered a suspect — reported the boat stolen.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also announced on X that he had directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to work with federal, state and local law enforcement partners to start an investigation.
In his statement, Uthmeier said the Cuban government "cannot be trusted" and vowed that his office would "do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable."
SANCTIONED RUSSIAN JET TOUCHES DOWN IN CUBA, ECHOING SECRET FLIGHTS BEFORE MADURO'S OUSTER
The incident happened while Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in the Caribbean for a summit of the Caribbean Community, or CARICOM, in Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Rubio was meeting regional leaders for closed-door talks on security, economic cooperation and shared concerns about U.S. policies in the hemisphere.
Later Wednesday, he told reporters that the U.S. was not going to base conclusions on "what they've told us," before adding that it would "respond appropriately based on what that information tells us."
"We don't generally make decisions in the United States on the basis of what the Cuban authorities are saying," Rubio clarified.
CUBA’S PRESIDENT DEFIANT, SAYS NO NEGOTIATIONS SCHEDULED AS TRUMP MOVES TO CHOKE OFF OIL LIFELINE
Referring to the details already supplied by Cuba, Rubio said they were "the things we're going to we're going to independently verify."
Meanwhile, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., called for an "immediate investigation" Wednesday in a statement.
"I am calling for an immediate investigation into this massacre. United States authorities must determine whether any of the victims were U.S. citizens or legal residents and establish exactly what occurred," Gimenez said.
"The regime in Cuba must be relegated to the dustbin of history for its countless crimes against humanity," he added.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said he agreed with Rep. Carlos Gimenez, writing on X: "We need a full investigation into this deeply concerning situation and to determine what happened. The Communist Cuban regime must be held accountable!"
VENEZUELAN OIL SHIPMENTS SURGE TO US PORTS WITH HEAVY CRUDE AFTER MADURO CAPTURE
Vice President JD Vance also said he was briefed by Rubio regarding the Cuba situation but indicated that details remain limited.
"We don’t know a lot of details," Vance told reporters before adding that the administration is closely monitoring the situation.
"Certainly, you know, it’s a situation that we’re monitoring. Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be, but I can’t say more because I just don’t know more," Vance said.
Representatives from Ukraine and the U.S. are reportedly set to meet ahead of high-stakes trilateral talks in Geneva that will include Russian envoys. The report about the meeting comes just after the Russia-Ukraine war entered its fifth year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters about the Thursday U.S.-Ukraine meeting, The Associated Press reported. The Ukrainian leader reportedly said that Thursday's meeting would focus on the possibility of post-war recovery for Ukraine as well as preparations for an upcoming trilateral meeting with Russia, according to the AP.
The meeting is expected to involve Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, according to the AP, which cited Zelenskyy. Additionally, Umerov’s press secretary Diana Davytian told the AP that the meeting would take place in Geneva. The outlet noted that the Swiss city is also expected to be the site of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations on the same day as the trilateral talks.
RUSSIA’S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE ENTERS FIFTH YEAR AS EXPERTS OUTLINE 3 POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
Zelenskyy said that he had tasked Umerov with discussing a possible prisoner exchange, the AP reported. He added that Ukraine would like the talks with Russia to take place next week.
The Trump administration's push to end the years-long war has brought Russian and Ukrainian envoys to the table in both Abu Dhabi and Geneva, though the meetings have yet to produce a breakthrough for peace.
PUTIN PUTS ‘NUCLEAR TRIAD’ ON FAST TRACK, ZELENSKYY CLAIMS ‘WORLD WAR 3’ UNDERWAY
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on X that he had met with Zelenskyy and discussed "Ukraine's security and deepening defense and economic partnerships."
"President Trump wants a solution that ends the bloodshed once and for all," Rubio wrote.
Additionally, last week, Zelenskyy said that he spoke with Witkoff and Kushner ahead of the trilateral meetings in Geneva, which he said the Ukrainian government expects to be "truly productive."
"We also discussed some developments following the meetings in Abu Dhabi. Not everything can be shared over the phone, and our negotiating team will present Ukraine’s position next week. I also spoke about our meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. We greatly appreciate that America consistently maintains a constructive approach and is ready to assist in protecting lives," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "I thank President Trump, his team, and the people of the United States for their support."
On Tuesday, which was the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Zelenskyy stood firm, saying that Putin had not defeated Ukraine nor broken the country's spirit. The statement came as Ukrainian forces made the biggest gains since 2024, according to the AP, which cited the Institute for the Study of War. The institute noted that Ukranian forces have pushed back on Russia's army at points along the front line in eastern areas of the country.
The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland has been hospitalized, just two weeks after he was charged with aggravated corruption following disclosures in files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Jagland, 75, was hospitalized "due to the strain arising in the wake of this case," attorney Anders Brosveet at Elden Law Firm told Bloomberg in a statement Monday.
Jagland, who also served as the secretary general of the Council of Europe and chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, is currently a focus of the high-profile Epstein probe.
Reports on the Epstein file disclosures suggest Jagland may have stayed at Epstein's properties in Paris, New York and Palm Beach while leading the Council of Europe. Jagland has denied any criminal wrongdoing and maintains that he never visited Epstein's private island.
FORMER UK AMBASSADOR TO US ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF MISCONDUCT IN PUBLIC OFFICE
The Council of Europe recently lifted Jagland's immunity for his 10-year tenure at the organization’s request, opening up the corruption charge investigation.
Norway's economic crime authority has already conducted searches of Jagland's private residences. Norwegian diplomats Terje Rød-Larsen and his wife, Mona Juul, are also under investigation by police, according to Bloomberg.
Jagland is one of several prominent global figures named in the recently disclosed documents. His legal team insists he is cooperating with authorities but argues there are no grounds for prosecution.
Jagland "takes this matter very seriously, but wishes to emphasize that he believes there are no circumstances that constitute criminal liability," Brosveet said in a Feb. 11 statement.
Jagland was the central figure behind the decision to award the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to then-President Barack Obama, a Democrat. At the time, Jagland was the newly appointed chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and the choice was a controversial one at the time.
Jagland was the primary Nobel Prize advocate for Obama within the five-member committee. While some members were initially skeptical — given that Obama had been in office for less than nine months and the nomination deadline was just 12 days after his inauguration — Jagland reportedly used his influence to secure a unanimous vote.
He argued the prize should not just reward past deeds but should be used to "strengthen" a leader's ongoing efforts toward global diplomacy.
President Donald Trump rebuked Obama's Nobel Peace Prize from 2009 as he pitched his own candidacy for the prize last fall.
"He got it for doing nothing," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Oct. 9. "Obama got a prize — he didn't even know what [for] — he got elected, and they gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country."
Iran lashed out after President Donald Trump put the regime on notice in his State of the Union address, delivering a forceful warning about Tehran’s ambitions while world leaders largely stayed silent in the immediate aftermath of the speech.
Speaking amid the largest deployment of U.S. aircraft and warships to the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq War buildup, Trump said he wanted to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy while accusing Tehran of expanding its missile capabilities.
"They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas," he said. "And they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America."
IRAN’S TOP DIPLOMAT SAYS NATION’S POWER LIES IN DEFYING PRESSURE: ‘NO TO THE GREAT POWERS’
"My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy," Trump added. "They want to make a deal. But we haven’t heard those secret words: we will never have a nuclear weapon."
"But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror… to have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let that happen."
Trump argued that previous U.S. action, including the "Operation Midnight Hammer" strike in June, had severely degraded Iran’s capabilities but warned the threat had not disappeared.
"We wiped it out and they want to start all over again and are at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions," he said.
TRUMP GIVES IRAN 10-DAY ULTIMATUM, BUT EXPERTS SIGNAL TALKS MAY BE BUYING TIME FOR STRIKE
Tehran sharply rejected Trump’s claims about its missile and nuclear programs. According to The Associated Press, Iranian officials characterized U.S. statements as propaganda while stopping short of closing the door on diplomacy ahead of the Geneva talks.
The Times of India reported that Iranian officials warned that any U.S. military strike, even a "limited" one, would be treated as aggression and met with a decisive response.
The exchange underscored the widening gap between public rhetoric and ongoing diplomatic efforts as Washington and Tehran prepared for another round of nuclear talks in Geneva.
WITKOFF WARNS IRAN IS ‘A WEEK AWAY’ FROM 'BOMB-MAKING MATERIAL' AS TRUMP WEIGHS ACTION
Trump also linked his foreign policy agenda to broader regional security efforts, pointing to recent operations in the Western Hemisphere and the U.S. campaign against drug cartels.
"We’re also restoring American security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere, acting to secure our national interests and defend our country from violence, drugs, terrorism, and foreign interference," he said. "Large swaths of territory in our region, including large parts of Mexico… have been controlled by murderous drug cartels. That’s why I designated these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations… We’ve also taken down one of the most sinister cartel kingpins of all. You saw that yesterday," he said, referring to the operation that killed Mexican drug lord El Mencho.
European coverage portrayed the speech as assertive and confrontational, with analysts watching closely for implications for NATO coordination, Ukraine policy and trade relations. Reporting emphasized Trump’s linkage between diplomacy and military readiness, as well as the administration’s broader posture toward alliances and deterrence.
VANCE WARNS IRAN THAT 'ANOTHER OPTION ON THE TABLE' IF NUCLEAR DEAL NOT REACHED
"NATO countries… have just agreed, at my very strong request, to pay 5% of GDP for military defense rather than the 2%," Trump said during the address, presenting the move as evidence of shifting burden-sharing within the alliance.
Across global media, one theme emerged clearly: the address appeared primarily geared toward domestic political messaging while still carrying international signaling effects.
Trump repeatedly tied American military power to deterrence, telling lawmakers the United States would "never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must," while emphasizing a broader strategy of "peace through strength," according to Reuters coverage of the speech.
Foreign policy analysts cited in international reporting described the address as reinforcing a transactional approach to global security, with diplomacy presented as conditional and backed by force.
For Tehran, the message was unmistakable. Trump framed the nuclear issue as non-negotiable in outcome, as the next round of negotiations is set to start in Geneva on Thursday.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
MEXICO CITY: Firsthand accounts are emerging from Americans trapped by this week's cartel-related violence in Mexico following the death of cartel boss Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho."
As news spread of the Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG) cartel boss's murder, reports described armed clashes between rival criminal organizations and Mexican security forces, as well as coordinated vehicle burnings and temporary highway blockades. Mexican authorities say that such operations are often linked to internal cartel disputes or targeted law enforcement actions.
With the situation improving, Americans in the tourist area of Puerto Vallarta and beyond shared their experiences of the violent scenes they were caught up in.
CRUZ WARNED MEXICO OFFICIALS 'PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS GOING TO' ACT IF THEY DIDN'T FIGHT CARTELS
"My group was seven people, and we were on our way to the main port in Puerto Vallarta with a local shuttle driver when we saw a bus stopped horizontally across the road in front of us. At first, we thought it was an accident, but then we saw people running full speed away from the bus," Colorado resident Scott Posilkin told Fox News Digital.
"As we were trying to register what was happening, we saw a man with a gun come around the far side of the bus. He waved it at us and gave us a hand signal to turn around, which we immediately did. We tried to head in the opposite direction, but we encountered another burning car, which left us essentially trapped between the two."
He continued, "We went down to the only beach we could access. One of the locals advised us that the safest place for us would be out on the water. We took a tender boat out to the snorkeling boat we were supposed to be on and stayed there for a few hours. From the water, we could see what looked like much of the town burning."
Posilkin said, "Getting a boat back to shore took a long time, and at one point we even considered swimming because there was no one on the beach to come get us. The captain said he had never seen the beach empty like that in his life, and he grew up there. We eventually flagged down a passing tender that brought us to shore. There were cartel members on a motorcycle who yelled ‘Viva Mexico’ at us, but we did not feel that they were threatening us in any way. Both our shuttle driver and the locals assured us that the cartel was not interested in harming Americans and that it was still safest for us to get home that way."
Posilkin gave credit to the locals for their help and support. "I want to emphasize how above and beyond the locals went to help us during an incredibly stressful situation. Everyone we interacted with — from our boat captain to our shuttle driver — had grown up here, and none of them had ever seen anything like this before… More than anything, I feel bad for the locals. Tourism is their livelihood, and I worry about the impact this will have on them. This experience hasn’t changed my love for travel or for Mexico, though it was a serious ordeal."
TROOPS REINFORCE PUERTO VALLARTA AS UNREST SHOWS SIGNS OF EASING FOLLOWING EL MENCHO’S DEATH
Rodolfo Flores, an American citizen and executive in the energy sector talked to Fox News Digital: "Although it wasn't one of the worst-affected areas, on Sunday I saw a convenience store in Querétaro that had been burned down with a Molotov bomb."
He said, "On the way to Mexico City, we saw cars and trucks that had been set on fire. This is just one example of how vulnerable we are, and it's astonishing how these criminal organizations can terrorize the population. The authorities are to blame for allowing them to grow and expand with highly effective criminal cells."
Security analysts note that cartel violence often intensifies following high-profile arrests, internal leadership disputes, or shifts in territorial control. Public displays of force — such as coordinated blockades or attacks on infrastructure — can serve as demonstrations of operational capacity.
Another American, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, told Fox News Digital, "I left Coalcoman Michoacan on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. when the chaos began. As I left town, I saw them burning cars and trucks, pulling people out of their vehicles, and setting them on fire. Luckily, I managed to escape and cross the mountains; it's a mountainous region. All along the way, I kept seeing burning cars and armed people. I was fortunate that they didn't stop me," he said.
"I made it all the way to Colima and then to Guadalajara. Later, things got worse in my town. I heard they started burning gas stations and set fire to a supermarket. They closed off the town so people couldn't get in or out."
On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico posted an update stating that "U.S. citizens are no longer urged to shelter in place."
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has handed his teenage daughter a leadership role in the regime’s powerful "Missile Administration," the body that oversees Pyongyang’s nuclear forces, South Korean media reported Monday.
The girl, Ju Ae, who is believed to be 13 or 14 years old, was assessed by South Korean intelligence received on Sunday to be acting as a "missile general director" while authorities monitor developments at the ongoing Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, the reports said.
The Chosun Daily, citing high-level government sources familiar with the matter, said intelligence agencies obtained reports that Kim’s daughter has been elevated to the position.
While Jang Chang-ha is officially listed as director of the administration, intelligence suggested Kim’s daughter is receiving briefings from generals and issuing directives.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service recently told lawmakers that her public profile signals she is also in the "stage of being designated as a successor," adding that circumstances have been seen where she provides opinions on policy, The Associated Press reported.
The teen has appeared alongside her father at high-profile military events, including intercontinental ballistic missile launches and weapons inspections.
North Korean state media first confirmed her existence in November 2022, and described her only as a "beloved child" when she accompanied Kim at the launch of the Hwasong-17 ICBM.
Her name has never been officially disclosed by Pyongyang.
NORTH KOREA TEST-LAUNCHES HYPERSONIC MISSILE SYSTEM IN FRONT OF KIM, NATION SAYS
Her reported role comes as Kim continues to showcase advances in the country’s weapons programs.
On Feb. 18, Kim was photographed taking the wheel of a nuclear-capable 600mm multiple rocket launcher in Pyongyang, touting it as among the most powerful of its kind.
State media showed rows of launch vehicles and said the rockets, which Kim claimed rival short-range ballistic missiles and use artificial intelligence in their guidance systems, have "completely changed" modern artillery warfare, Reuters reported.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, Kim was re-elected general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea on Feb.22, a decision announced by state-run media following the party’s Ninth Congress.
North Korea has suspended all meaningful diplomacy with the United States and South Korea since the collapse of a 2019 summit between Kim and President Donald Trump.
This came over disagreements about sanctions relief in exchange for steps to wind down Kim’s nuclear and missile program.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., on Tuesday urged spring breakers with plans to visit Mexico to cancel their trips due to violent clashes in the country triggered by the Mexican army's killing of cartel leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," earlier this week.
Mullin made the comments during an appearance on CNBC's "Squawk Box," in which he said his chiropractor was still planning to visit a popular tourist destination in Mexico.
"Anybody that’s planning on going to Mexico for spring break … I mean, my chiropractor called me yesterday and said he’s still planning on going to Cancún, I said, 'Are you crazy?'" Mullin said.
"No one should be going down there right now, it is very volatile and the United States is laser-focused on watching what’s taking place," he continued.
WHO IS EL MENCHO? INSIDE THE RISE OF CJNG’S FALLEN KINGPIN AND THE CARTEL HE BUILT
The senator's comments come after Mexican troops conducted operations on Sunday in Tapalpa, Jalisco, targeting El Mencho, a former police officer who became the leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, which U.S. authorities have identified as a major supplier of fentanyl to the United States.
El Mencho carried a $15 million U.S. bounty and rose to power following the arrest of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel. Over roughly the past 15 years, the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación has expanded from a regional criminal group into a global trafficking organization operating from its stronghold in Jalisco.
The Mexican Defense Department said the operation was conducted as part of bilateral coordination and cooperation with the U.S., and that U.S. authorities provided complementary intelligence that contributed to El Mencho's killing.
After El Mencho's death, cartel members burned cars and blocked roads in several Mexican states. Violent clashes were also reported in parts of western Mexico.
Mexican authorities later said that the security situation had been "stabilized."
"The security situation has now stabilized following targeted operations in Jalisco," the Mexican Embassy in the U.S. said on Tuesday.
"Federal and State authorities are proceeding to reopen transit corridors and restore public services smoothly," the embassy continued. "Airline operations are normal, and international carriers are resuming flights today. Puerto Vallarta International Airport has reopened to domestic traffic."
The embassy added: "If traveling through Jalisco, some local security measures remain in place, while authorities are restoring airport operations to full capacity. We are working with international partners to ensure safety and stability at all transit hubs and tourist destinations."
But the U.S. State Department’s travel advisory for Mexico remains in effect. The U.S. government earlier issued a shelter-in-place order for Americans in Mexico, but that order has since been lifted.
STATE DEPT SLAMMED WITH HUNDREDS OF CALLS FROM AMERICANS TRAPPED IN MEXICO
The Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación is considered the most powerful cartel in Mexico with an estimated 19,000 members and operations across 21 of the country's 32 states.
The Trump administration designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization.
Mullin said on Tuesday that cartels splitting after Mexico's operation is a "great opportunity for us, and Mexico, to take them all out."
"Now, are we going to eliminate all the drug trafficking in the world? Absolutely not. But can we get a handle on it again? Absolutely," he added.
