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Portuguese President António José Seguro has enacted a measure that largely prohibits individuals from covering up their faces while out in public, a restriction broadly viewed as aimed at Muslim women, according to AFP.

But the report noted various carve-outs to the prohibition, including for health, professional, artistic or weather-linked issues and for when people are at locations of worship, diplomatic missions or aboard planes.

Those who fail to comply could be slapped with fines of 150 euros to 3,000 euros, according to the outlet. Those figures convert to around $175 and $3,500.

MS RACHEL POSTS SUPPORT FOR HIJAB-WEARING KINDERGARTNERS AFTER TRUMP POST

The final edition of the measure, which has been characterized by local media as the "burqa law" in reference to the body and face covering that some Muslim women wear, was adopted by the Portuguese parliament last month, according to AFP.

The law bans sporting coverings meant to hide a person's face or block identification in public areas and bans requiring someone to cloak their face due to gender, religion, age or origin, the report states.

EL-SAYED BOOKED FOR MAJOR ISLAMIC CONVENTION ALONGSIDE CLERICS WITH RADICAL PASTS

"For the president of the republic, the uncovered face constitutes a structuring dimension of social trust, a characteristic of Portuguese society," according to an English translation of a Portuguese-language press release.

"Social integration, non-discrimination based on gender and the security resulting from similar decisions by the European Court of Human Rights underpin this decision. The president of the republic shares this court's conviction that the face is central to human identity and communication, serving as a minimum element for mutual recognition among fellow citizens.

PASTOR UNLEASHES ON DEARBORN AS RELIGIOUS TENSIONS ERUPT AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING: 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH'

"And to admit that women, and only women, must hide their entire faces implies an asymmetry incompatible with the values ​​of parity and equal dignity between men and women, values ​​that shape European democracies," the release added.

Authorities in Liberia received the country’s first deportation flight from the U.S. on Thursday under an agreement with Washington to accept up to 1,200 foreign nationals over the next year.

The West African nation, which was expected to receive 20 deportees, received nationals mostly from Latin America, including Venezuela, Cuba and Colombia, Liberian Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah told Reuters.

Many of the deportees were sent to Liberia to seek protection from being returned to their home countries, where judges determined they could face torture or other abuse, Liberian officials said. Liberia has said the arrivals reflect its longstanding role as a sanctuary for displaced people.

Officials said the migrants will be "free to depart the country" when desired or apply for formal asylum. The deportees will also receive services from the International Organization for Migration and the U.N. refugee agency, officials said, Reuters reported.

SOUTH AFRICA’S ILLEGAL MIGRATION BACKLASH MIRRORS POLITICAL BATTLES ACROSS THE WEST

According to Reuters, the plane departed from Louisiana and stopped in Senegal before landing in Monrovia at 12:45 p.m. local time.

In a statement Tuesday, Liberia highlighted its history of accepting people "seeking refuge from political and other crises" and said it will not repatriate anyone until legal proceedings are complete.

"The Government of the Republic of Liberia agrees not to return any person transferred to Liberia by the Government of the United States of America to their home country or country of former habitual residence until a final decision has been made regarding any pending protection claims," officials said.

"The Government wants to emphasize that those being brought to Liberia are not criminals and are not being prosecuted in any manner under United States or Liberian law. They are being received as guests of the Republic of Liberia," officials said.

DHS TOUTS MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DEPARTURES AS BORDER CROSSINGS DROP 94% UNDER TRUMP

Liberia said it is not demanding compensation under the deal but will receive "support to help manage the program and strengthen its migration system more broadly."

Reuters said the U.S. awarded Liberia $5 million this year for "migration management activities."

Liberia’s agreement to accept up to 1,200 deportees makes it one of the largest such deals on the African continent.

The U.S. also reached agreements with several other African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone, Reuters said.

Reuters contributed to this report.

China is testing whether the top of the world can become a new strategic trade corridor, launching regular seasonal container service to Europe through Russia’s Arctic as Beijing and Moscow deepen their commercial and military footprint in a region Washington increasingly views as critical to U.S. security.

The service remains limited in scale, with just over eight voyages planned this season, but China analyst Gordon Chang told Fox News Digital that its significance goes beyond the number of containers currently making the journey.

"China has a major strategic push on the Arctic for various reasons," Chang said in an interview. "Arctic ice is melting, and this means that the Northern Sea Route, which hugs Russia's north coast, does become viable at least for a few months in the summer."

TRUMP ENVOY WARNS CHINA'S POWER MOVE AT SEA IS THREAT 'WE CANNOT AFFORD TO IGNORE'

Sea Legend Shipping’s Dubai Tower departed Ningbo-Zhoushan Port on Aug. 15 for Europe via Russia’s Northern Sea Route, with the journey to Felixstowe, England, scheduled to take about 20 days, according to China Daily on Aug. 17.

The move comes as a new U.S. congressional commission staff report warns that Russia’s increasing isolation and dependence on Beijing are giving China greater leverage — including greater access to the Arctic.

Chang warned that Washington needs a stronger physical presence in response. "We need to be in the Arctic, and President Trump has authorized more icebreakers," he told Fox News Digital. "We are woefully short in that department."

TIM SHEEHY EXPOSES A 'SCARY' SHIPBUILDING COLLAPSE THAT LEAVES THE US VULNERABLE TO CHINA

A White House official told Fox News Digital on background that, "The Arctic is a critical region for U.S. national security and the economy. As an Arctic nation, the United States will pursue its security and economic interests and ensure safety, stability, and prosperity in the face of growing competition from China and Russia."

A fact sheet released Aug. 20 by staff of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent economic isolation from the West have "compelled Russia to accept a greater Chinese presence in the Arctic," a region Moscow has traditionally regarded as central to its sovereignty and national security.

CHINA IS BUILDING A MASSIVE SHIP THAT SHOULD SCARE AMERICANS ABOUT THE FUTURE

The report said Chinese state-owned enterprises now hold a combined 20% stake in the U.S.- and EU-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, while China and Russia are developing year-round commercial shipping along the Northern Sea Route. The two countries have also established a joint venture to manufacture ice-class container vessels, with the first ship planned to enter service in 2027.

The Pentagon’s 2024 Arctic Strategy similarly said changing climate conditions are increasing accessibility in the region while China seeks greater influence and access there. The strategy identified Beijing’s proposed "Polar Silk Road" as a vehicle for infrastructure and natural-resource investments in the Arctic and warned that growing cooperation between China and Russia could "‘alter the Arctic’s stability and threat picture.’"

For China-Europe commerce, the Northern Sea Route offers a radically different path from the traditional westbound journey through the Strait of Malacca, Indian Ocean, Bab el-Mandeb, Red Sea and Suez Canal.

"This of course avoids some choke points, like the Strait of Malacca, the Bab el-Mandeb, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar," Chang said. "So this is important for China."

The new USCC report argues that China is increasingly benefiting from an asymmetric relationship in which Moscow needs Beijing more than Beijing needs Moscow. It says China has become indispensable to Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, giving Beijing growing leverage to obtain discounted energy and greater access to Russian military technology while avoiding the obligations of a formal alliance.

Energy is a major part of that imbalance. According to the report, China accounts for roughly half of Russia’s crude oil exports, while Russian crude represents only about one-fifth of China’s oil imports. The report says China has purchased approximately $372 billion in Russian fossil fuels since the invasion of Ukraine.

UKRAINE POUNDS BLACK SEA FLEET’S ‘LAST MAJOR STRONGHOLD’ WHILE PUTIN FLEXES NAVAL POWER IN PACIFIC

Moscow is now making increasingly aggressive use of the same Arctic passage to move oil east.

Reuters reported Aug. 11 that Russia had sent seven crude shipments totaling roughly 6 million barrels toward Asia through the Northern Sea Route so far this season, nearly half the amount transported during the entire 2025 season. China is the principal destination for those shipments, according to Reuters.

The growing Arctic activity comes as Washington has become increasingly concerned about Chinese and Russian cooperation close to Alaska.

Chang pointed to the Bering Strait — separating Russia from Alaska — as a strategic vulnerability even on the Arctic route.

CHINA, RUSSIA, IRAN AND NORTH KOREA FORM 'AXIS OF AGGRESSORS' THAT COULD OVERWHELM US, BOOK WARNS

"There is one choke point though, which is of interest," he said. "You have to go between Russia on the west and our 49th state on the east. And that gives the U.S. some leverage over here."

The military relationship is also expanding. The new USCC fact sheet says China and Russia had participated in at least 119 combined military exercises as of April 2026, while their joint naval operations in July included submarine, anti-submarine and drone activity. It also noted that Chinese bombers entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone for the first time during a joint China-Russia bomber patrol in 2024.

For Chang, the issue extends beyond whether the Northern Sea Route itself ever becomes a competitor to Suez.

"There are some U.S. national security strategists who say, ‘Oh, the Arctic is a distraction. There are more important places in the world,’" Chang said.

"But even more important, regardless of what one thinks of the importance of the Arctic, the Chinese and the Russians are pressing us in the Arctic," he added. "So we've got no choice to respond. Whether we think the Arctic is strategic or not, the Chinese and Russians are there in force. We have to be there too."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Chinese and Russian embassies in Washington and the White House for comment.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan early Thursday, accusing him of dragging Turkey into "dangerous adventures in Syria" and warning the Turkish leader not to test Israel’s resolve.

"Israel will not allow any actor to threaten its security," Katz wrote on X. "It would be better for Erdoğan to continue his detached-from-reality, fanciful rhetoric against Israel in the Turkish Grand National Assembly than to attempt to test Israel's determination to defend itself."

The warning comes two days after Israel struck Syria’s Abu al-Duhur Airbase. The increasingly heated rhetoric has put Washington in the position of trying to contain tensions between Turkey, a NATO member, and Israel, Washington’s closest security partners in the Middle East. Israel said Syria was on the verge of breaching a security understanding by allowing Turkish troops to deploy there, while Ankara rejected Israel’s account.

Syria said there were no plans for a permanent Turkish base or troop deployment, although Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani acknowledged that Turkish military officers had visited the facility for training and exchanges of expertise. Turkey’s Defense Ministry said no Turkish military delegation was present at the base before or during the strike, Reuters reported.

CRITICS SAY TURKEY'S VERBAL ATTACKS ON ISRAEL HAVE CROSSED INTO ANTISEMITISM

On Wednesday, Turkey called these allegations from Israel "untenable," arguing that they are "intended to legitimize Israel’s unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. ... The imputations voiced stem from Netanyahu’s intent to pursue expansionist and destabilizing policies in the region ahead of the elections in Israel," Turkey's government said in a social media post.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Reuters Thursday that Washington was working on "a de-escalation process" that was already in place but still needed to be refined. Asked whether the dispute could lead to a direct Israeli-Turkish confrontation, Huckabee said, "I don't think we're even close to that." He said Israel viewed Turkey as "moving further south" in Syria and perceived that as potentially threatening.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack sounded a sharper warning after the strike. Barrack said Turkey had received no advance notice and could have prepared a military response after detecting Israeli aircraft heading north toward Turkish territory. He said Washington was working to establish a more robust deconfliction mechanism among Turkey, Israel and Syria to prevent miscalculation or an accidental confrontation.

Sinan Ciddi, director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that Ankara is portraying the confrontation through a sharply different lens.

FORMER SYRIAN PRESIDENT ASSAD SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ABSENTIA

"Turkey is chalking up the increasingly escalatory climate between Turkey and Israel to election antics/propaganda by Netanyahu and driving a narrative that Israel does not want stable neighbors and regional powers in the Middle East," Ciddi said.

At the same time, Ciddi said Erdoğan "seems intent on taking actions inside Syria that are perceived by Israel as military escalation," citing proposed arms sales, military training and assistance, continued Turkish influence over former militia members integrated into Syria’s new army and, most significantly, "developing military bases with Turkish troops and sensitive equipment."

"Israel established clear red lines about what it was willing to tolerate in Syria," Ciddi said. "Deconfliction only works if parties implement the agreed upon rules."

NETANYAHU WARNS TURKEY SHOULD NOT GET F-35S, CITING ERDOĞAN'S HOSTILITY TOWARD NATO ALLIES

The dispute was already being discussed at senior levels before the strike. Mossad chief Roman Gofman spoke with al-Shaibani on Aug. 14, four days before the attack, according to three sources cited by Reuters. The conversation focused on Israel’s concerns about Turkey’s military presence in Syria, including potential troop deployments, weapons sales and drones supplied to the Syrian military.

Attempts to prevent an Israeli-Turkish clash are not new. Turkey and Israel began technical talks in Azerbaijan in 2025 aimed at preventing misunderstandings or military incidents in Syria. Turkey’s defense minister said in June 2025 that those contacts were continuing as Ankara trained and advised Syria’s military.

Ciddi argued that a mechanism alone would not prevent further Israeli action if Ankara continued pushing against what Jerusalem considers its security red lines.

TRUMP'S TURKEY ARMS SALE PROPOSAL SPARKS CONGRESSIONAL QUESTIONS BEFORE NATO SUMMIT

"To the extent that Ankara will push boundaries and attempt to position military capabilities that Israel feels is harmful to its safety, we are likely to see pre-emptive action by Jerusalem," Ciddi said. "The ball is in Erdoğan's court to not raise the temperature."

Netanyahu is also facing criticism from inside Israel. Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, a longtime Netanyahu adversary, accused the prime minister Wednesday of deliberately escalating tensions with Turkey for political purposes ahead of the Israeli election.

"Turkey is not Iran or Assad’s Syria," Barak wrote in Hebrew on X, arguing that Israel’s strategic disputes with Ankara could be resolved, moderated or postponed through discreet diplomacy coordinated with the United States.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C., and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz for comment.

A melting glacier in the Swiss Alps revealed the remains of two Belgian mountaineers who vanished more than three decades ago, authorities said Wednesday.

A hiker spotted the remains on the Trift Glacier on July 26 after melting ice exposed them, according to police in Switzerland’s Valais canton.

Authorities recovered the remains and sent them to a forensic medicine institute at a hospital in Sion for identification.

REMAINS FOUND IN UTAH DESERT 28 YEARS AGO WITH HELP OF A PSYCHIC FINALLY IDENTIFIED THROUGH DNA GENEALOGY

DNA testing showed they belonged to two Belgian men who disappeared in the Weissmies region in 1992, police said. The men were 39 and 41 when they went missing.

Valais police have kept records of missing-person cases dating to 1925. Many involve people who disappeared in the mountains or in bodies of water.

WOMAN FOUND IN SHALLOW GRAVE ID’D AFTER 44 YEARS AS MILLIONAIRE TIED TO ESTATE MURDER PLOT

As glaciers retreat, remains hidden beneath the ice for decades can emerge, police said.

Similar discoveries have been made in Switzerland in recent years. In 2023, DNA testing identified a body found on a glacier near the Matterhorn as a German mountaineer who disappeared in 1986.

Switzerland’s glaciers have been melting at an increasing rate, a trend some scientists have linked to rising global temperatures.

A major visitors center in the West Bank town of Har Bracha in Samaria was inaugurated last month by The Israel Guys, a Christian Zionist organization that has spent nearly two decades bringing more than 5,000 volunteers from 35 countries to help develop the Land of Israel.

Joshua Waller, CEO of The Israel Guys, originally established as HaYovel, said the organization’s mission is to bring people to see for themselves how the biblical heartland is flourishing, despite what he says are media narratives portraying the area as beset by conflict.

"We live here, we see the people who live here, and then we tell everyone what is actually happening. Our role is to expand that and bring thousands of internationals to come and see for themselves," he told Fox News Digital.

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"You may love the Jewish people but be unsure how to deal with the propaganda, specifically the term ‘settler violence.’ Jews in Judea and Samaria have been branded as a radical group that would probably be dangerous to encounter. Well, come to the visitor center, and you will see the exact opposite," he said.

"You will see that it is a fake narrative built by the international community … it is a straight-up war against the Jewish [people]," he added.

The organization’s volunteer programs include the Heartland Experience, a 10-day trip to Israel combining touring, volunteer work and interaction with local residents; the Grape Harvest trip, a two-week program held in late summer and early fall that focuses on helping farmers with the harvest; and the Men’s Pruning trip, a two-week program in early spring focused on pruning vineyards.

Other programs include Zion Ops, a four-week program for young adults ages 18 to 30, and Day Visits, which offer two-hour visits to Har Bracha.

ISRAEL LAUNCHES 'BIBLICAL HIGHWAY' AMID CAMPAIGN TO ERASE JEWISH HISTORY

In 2004, Tommy Waller, Joshua Waller’s father, traveled to Israel for the first time, where he met Nir Lavi, founder of Har Bracha Winery. Lavi shared his plan to fulfill the vision of the Prophet Jeremiah: "You shall again plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food" (Jeremiah 31:5).

Waller Sr. asked how he could help.

In 2007, after moving with his wife, Sherri, and their 11 children from Tennessee to Har Bracha, Waller Sr. established HaYovel, a U.S. nonprofit that provides Christian volunteers with an opportunity to work the land alongside Israeli farmers.

In 2013, the organization sought to counter anti-Israel rhetoric by launching The Joshua & Caleb Report TV show, its first dedicated pro-Israel media project, which in 2018 transitioned into a weekly podcast. Five years ago, the organization rebranded as The Israel Guys and stepped up its advocacy efforts.

CHRISTIAN LEADERS HOLD EMERGENCY SUMMIT IN JERUSALEM TO CONFRONT GLOBAL RISE IN ANTISEMITISM

The Israel Guys currently counts more than 20 team members and, since its founding, has helped develop some 120 farms. Volunteers who come to Judea and Samaria work alongside local farmers, planting trees, erecting fences, harvesting crops and assisting with infrastructure projects.

In the aftermath of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of 1,200 Israelis, The Israel Guys launched Operation Ittai and raised $3.85 million to provide tactical supplies to communities in the area and strengthen their defenses against possible terrorist attacks.

The group went viral at the time after bringing American cowboys to Israel to help farmers whose workers had been called up as reservists.

Addressing media coverage of recent incidents involving Christians in Israel, Waller said the narrative that they are no longer welcome in the country is false.

AMBASSADOR GEORGE DEEK: THE CHRISTIAN ISRAEL YOU ARE NOT BEING SHOWN

"People put a lot of money into trying to make it seem as though Christians would somehow be better off living in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan or other Arab countries surrounding Israel. Factually, that is completely wrong," he told Fox News Digital.

"I know Christians living in those places, and I even know Christians living in areas under the control of the Palestinian Authority, and they suffer immensely. The fact is that Israel is the safest place for Christians in the entire Middle East. It is the only place where the Christian population is growing," he added.

Volunteers, Waller explained, have come from a wide range of Christian denominations, including Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals, Mormons, Amish and Mennonites.

He emphasized that Israel is a partner for peace and urged nations to align themselves with biblical values, which he said could pave the way for "some incredible days ahead."

If antisemitism leads to efforts to destroy Israel, he added, "that’s not an option," saying Israel would have to fight that war while The Israel Guys would continue to "help on the information side."

"The Bible says that this land that was desolate will become like the Garden of Eden. We are literally seeing it happen. It’s beautiful to see volunteers participate in the fulfillment of that prophecy and witness the ancient words of the Bible come back to life," Waller said.

Tehran is deepening its financial and military ties with Beijing and Moscow, forging a critical lifeline as it seeks to circumvent U.S. sanctions and weather Washington’s renewed "maximum pressure" campaign, regional security analysts warned Wednesday.

As the U.S. continues to ramp up Operation Economic Fury, Iran, they say, has turned to non-Western blocs and alliances to unite further with Russia and China while positioning itself as a "linchpin" in a network that directly challenges American influence.

The warning came as President Donald Trump announced Wednesday what he called the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country," threatening sweeping consequences for nations and businesses that provide Iran with an economic lifeline as he seeks to further isolate Tehran.

"This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale," Trump said in a post shared on Truth Social.

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"The Islamic Republic is looking to survive, but in order to survive, it needs to adapt," Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital.

"It needs to adapt not just to U.S. and Israeli military pressure, but this U.S. political and economic pressure."

"There's no doubt the Islamic Republic is looking to maximize its enmeshment with countries like Russia and China that have been subject to U.S. political and economic pressure in the past."

BRICS — an economic bloc consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and several recent expansion nations — and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Eurasian political, economic and security alliance led by Beijing and Moscow, have become key vehicles for Iran’s outreach of late.

Trump has previously labeled BRICS policies "anti-American," CNBC reported.

CHINA ORDERS FIRMS TO IGNORE US IRAN SANCTIONS, DARING US TO ENFORCE CRACKDOWN

Abdolnasser Hemmati, governor of the Central Bank of Iran, said Tehran will soon join the BRICS-backed New Development Bank, though the bank told Reuters it could not confirm Iran’s membership.

"The most important result of cooperation among BRICS member countries is the establishment of the New Development Bank, and our country will soon become a member of this bank," Hemmati said, according to state media.

"You can see Iran trying to benefit from its role in BRICS, as well as a constellation of other organizations, that really would allow itself to be shielded—or try to make itself more shielded—from U.S. political and economic pressure," Taleblu explained.

"The Islamic Republic is looking to be more formally integrated into economic orders brought about by Russia and China, which are looking to contest the U.S. dollar as much as they're looking to contest U.S. power and influence."

"It is quite key and important for policymakers in Washington to wake up and see how interconnected these state threats are becoming," Taleblu warned.

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"These are independent relationships that have been coming together. They have differences, but as an authoritarian axis, these are countries that are better able to manage their differences at present than it seems like America and the liberal western order are able to handle their differences."

NBC News also reported Aug. 17 that Russia is supplying Iran with ammunition, drone components and TNT via Caspian Sea shipping routes, citing a European government document verified by a Western official.

The report comes amid indications that Tehran is relying on Russian technology and military support to adapt to U.S. military and economic pressure.

"Even limited technology and military flows from Russia to the Islamic Republic help it fight to survive, adapt, and live another day to combat the U.S. order in the region," Taleblu said.

"In the short term, there is less transaction cost on this anti-American authoritarian order that is fast emerging than there is on the pro-American order."

TRUMP TO CONFRONT XI AT HIGH-STAKES SUMMIT OVER CHINA BACKING FOR IRAN, RUSSIA

Taleblu also highlighted Iran’s dual role in what he terms the "Axis of Aggressors" — a coalition of hostile, authoritarian states including Russia, China and North Korea — and the "Axis of Resistance," Tehran’s network of regional proxy groups including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Shiite militias in Iraq.

"They all have hostile intentions towards the U.S. and the liberal world order. They are authoritarians at home and creditors abroad.

He also noted that even if Tehran’s economic goals within BRICS fail to fully materialize, the political and military backing it gets from Moscow and Beijing is significant.

"So even if what the Islamic Republic wants from the BRICS countries, particularly the likes of Russia and China, doesn't happen, that doesn't mean that political, economic, and military support to this regime at a critical time is not happening.

"The linchpin between the state threats that the U.S. faces in the 21st century, from the Axis of Aggressors and the non-state threats in the Middle East, is the Islamic Republic of Iran," Taleblu clarified.

"It is actually a bridge for capabilities, money, and technology from states to flow to non-state actors," he warned.

A guide published by Britain's Home Office reminds asylum seekers not to rape women or sexually harass people, while noting that women are allowed to "earn their own money" and "make their own decisions about their lives."

The nine-page document is among the resources provided to asylum seekers seeking refuge, though it appears to target mostly men.

The guidance is meant to foster an understanding of expected behaviors for those arriving from other countries. Aside from earning a living, women are allowed to attend school, choose who they marry, travel freely and generally make their own decisions.

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"Women do not need permission from a husband, father, brother, or any other man to do any of these things," the guide states.

Sections of the booklet cover gender equality, domestic abuse, sex and consent, respect in public, getting help and living in the U.K.

The section on domestic abuse warns of arrest and prison time for committing physical or emotional abuse against a partner.

"We expect everyone who comes to the U.K. to abide by our laws," a Home Office spokesperson told GB News. "If they do not, they will face consequences, including the refusal of their asylum claim and removal from the U.K."

SOUTH AFRICA’S ILLEGAL MIGRATION BACKLASH MIRRORS POLITICAL BATTLES ACROSS THE WEST

"Returns of failed asylum seekers have reached their highest level since 2010 under this government," the spokesperson added.

The booklet notes that asylum seekers are expected to "treat your partner and family with respect," "let them make their own choices," and "never physically or verbally abuse or control them."

In public, one must not direct sexual comments at people, even if they think it's appropriate, follow someone or block their path to refrain from whistling or making kissing noises at someone, it states.

A section on consent adds that both people must consent to sex without threat or pressure and that anyone can change their mind at any time.

"If you have sex with someone without their consent, this is called rape. Rape is a serious crime in the U.K. You could go to prison, lose your support and accommodation, and it will affect your asylum claim," the document states.

Anyone under the age of 16 is considered a child and cannot legally consent to sex, according to the guidance.

Support hotline numbers for victims of sexual and domestic abuse are provided at the end of each section and at the back of the booklet.

BYSTANDERS HAILED AS 'HEROIC' AFTER INTERVENING IN BRUTAL KNIFE ATTACK BY SUDANESE MIGRANT IN UK

Nearly 70,000 illegal immigrants and foreign criminals have been returned or deported from the United Kingdom since the Labour Party came to power in July 2024, the BBC reported.

"Instead of trying to train these mainly young, male illegal immigrants to behave in a civilized way towards women, they should be deported," Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said.

Five Americans died Wednesday in a helicopter crash in northern Kenya, according to the U.S. State Department.

Seven people were on board when the accident occurred around 9 a.m. in a mountainous region near Kirish in Samburu County, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority said.

One of the deceased reportedly includes Telemundo executive José Suárez, who oversaw multiple stations in Florida as president and general manager. 

He was identified in a message to employees by NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde, according to NBC News.

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Lady Lori Helicopters, the company that operated the aircraft, said it was "deeply saddened" by the incident and extended its condolences to all those affected.

"Our deepest sympathies are with the guests, crew, their families and loved ones, and all those affected by this tragic accident," Lady Lori said in a post on social media.

MISSOURI SKYDIVING PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED ALL 12 ABOARD IS A 'DEVASTATING LOSS,' COMPANY SAYS

According to the operator, the aircraft was on a charter flight from Suyian Conservancy, a 44,000-acre private wildlife refuge, to Ololokwe when it crashed near Mount Ololokwe. 

Officials said the aircraft was a Eurocopter EC130 B4, and Lady Lori said it was registered as 5Y-GYM.

The cause of the accident has not yet been determined and is subject to investigation by the relevant authorities, the operator said.

The U.S. Embassy is in contact with local authorities and is providing consular assistance.

"The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans," the State Department said. "We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones on their loss."

A new report warns that Cuba’s relationships with Russia, China and Iran could provide America’s adversaries with a strategic foothold just 90 miles from Florida, arguing that the island’s deepening economic crisis does not necessarily make it less dangerous to the United States.

The America First Policy Institute report, The Dictatorship Next Door: Cuba and the Fight for the Western Hemisphere, argues that Washington has too often viewed Cuba primarily as a human rights, migration or economic problem while overlooking the national security implications of Havana’s relationships with U.S. adversaries. The report says those partnerships create opportunities for intelligence collection, military cooperation, cyber operations and political influence close to the U.S. homeland.

"Cuba is a massive national security threat to the U.S.," report author Melissa Ford Maldonado, director of AFPI’s Western Hemisphere Initiative, told Fox News Digital in an interview ahead of the report’s release.

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"They are a hostile communist regime that is only 90 miles from Florida," Ford Maldonado said, arguing that Cuba has a decades-long history of working against American interests and supporting U.S. adversaries.

The report’s most concrete current concern centers on China and suspected intelligence facilities on the island.

A June 18, 2026, analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found continued activity at Cuban sites capable of supporting signals intelligence collection. CSIS said it had previously identified four such sites, several with possible links to China.

Ford Maldonado said she believes the broader evidence of Chinese intelligence activity on Cuba is compelling.

"There is a lot of credible evidence that there are Chinese bases and that there is spying going on in Cuba," she said, claiming that China has taken advantage of Cuba’s geographic position to monitor U.S. activity.

CUBA BUILT COVERT NETWORK INSIDE AMERICA THROUGH SPIES, ACTIVISTS AND UNIVERSITIES, STATE DEPT ALLEGES

Russia’s relationship with Havana is older and more extensive.

Ford Maldonado described Moscow and Havana as increasingly "intimate, reliable partners," pointing to diplomatic and military cooperation as well as Cuban nationals joining Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.

The number of Cubans fighting for Russia is contested. A U.S. State Department cable obtained by Reuters on Oct. 5, 2025 estimated that 1,000 to 5,000 Cubans were fighting in Ukraine alongside Russian forces. Reuters reported that Ukrainian officials had also raised concerns with U.S. lawmakers about Russia’s recruitment of Cuban nationals.

Cuba has denied sending troops to Ukraine. In an Oct. 11 statement reported by Reuters, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said Cuba was not participating in the conflict with military personnel and said it had prosecuted Cubans for mercenary activity. Havana said 40 defendants had faced criminal proceedings between 2023 and 2025, with 26 convicted.

Ukraine nevertheless closed its embassy in Havana in October 2025 and downgraded relations, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accusing Cuban authorities of failing to act against what Kyiv described as large-scale Russian recruitment of Cuban citizens, according to The Kyiv Independent.

The public evidence regarding Iran is considerably less developed — something Ford Maldonado acknowledged when pressed by Fox News Digital. "Iran was a little bit trickier," she said.

"There wasn’t that much substance that I could find to include it in the report," Ford Maldonado said, adding that she believes Iran has used Cuba primarily as a platform for influence operations.

"The evidence was not as substantive as we saw with China and Russia and Venezuela," she said.

The Trump administration has nevertheless grouped Iran with Russia and China in its own assessment of Cuba.

US SANCTIONS FIVE CUBAN ENTITIES, CASTRO FAMILY MEMBER IN LATEST PRESSURE CAMPAIGN, RUBIO SAYS

In a Jan. 29, 2026, executive order, President Donald Trump declared Cuba’s policies an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security and said Havana aligns itself with Russia, China, Iran and Iranian proxies – Hezbollah and Hamas. The order also accused Cuba of hosting foreign military and intelligence capabilities and specifically alleged deep intelligence and defense cooperation with China and Russian signals-intelligence activity.

AFPI’s report calls for a substantially tougher U.S. response.

"We are not advocating for new American bases," she clarified. Instead, she said Washington could pursue expanded access agreements, overflight rights, cooperative security locations and stronger regional partnerships.

"The objective is just permanent and persistent... American capability," Ford Maldonado said.

The call for even greater pressure, however, comes as ordinary Cubans are enduring a severe humanitarian crisis.

Power outages were exceeding 20 hours a day in most provinces, Reuters reported Aug. 13, 2026, crippling food production, transportation and tourism and pushing Cuba’s electrical system toward technical collapse. Reuters described the situation as one of the most severe economic and political crises in Cuba’s modern history and said it had been exacerbated by the Trump administration’s oil restrictions and hardened sanctions.

A July 7 investigation by Human Rights Watch (HRW) described severe shortages of food and medicine, prolonged blackouts, water shortages and deteriorating living conditions.

WALTZ WARNS OF CHINESE, RUSSIAN-FUELED ‘NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT’ LOOMING CLOSE TO US SHORES

HRW attributed Cuba’s crisis to multiple factors, including longstanding structural inefficiencies in its highly state-controlled economy, decades of U.S. restrictions on trade and financing, the collapse of tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent tightening of U.S. sanctions. HRW said the 2026 restrictions on oil supplies further deepened the energy crisis.

Critics of the Trump administration’s maximum-pressure strategy argue that further squeezing an already collapsing economy risks worsening civilian suffering and triggering additional instability and migration.

On June 8, U.N.-appointed independent human rights experts called for the sanctions to be lifted, arguing that they were putting Cubans’ access to essential goods and services at risk.

Asked about that broader criticism, Ford Maldonado said the blame belongs with Havana rather than Washington.

"Maximum pressure isn’t harming the Cuban people, it’s harming their regime," she said, arguing that the Cuban government and Cuban people should be treated as distinct.

"One has brutalized and repressed the other for 67 years now," Ford Maldonado said. "So maximum pressure is what’s necessary from the United States and from the rest of the world in order to be able to help the Cuban people."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Russian, Chinese and Iranian embassies but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Trump administration has sanctioned two top International Criminal Court officials, escalating its campaign to dismantle a body that has investigated alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan and issued arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials over the war in Gaza.

In announcing the sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan and the ICC's senior trial lawyer, Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the court "corrupt and fatally politicized."

"These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction," Rubio said in a statement, adding that the ICC "has maliciously abused its authority and exceeded its mandate."

The sanctions against Akane and Seye freeze assets they hold in U.S. jurisdictions and largely cut them off from transactions with Americans or the U.S. financial system.

SEN MIKE LEE: TRUMP PROVES AMERICA CAN STAND UP TO A POWER-MAD FOREIGN COURT

"Our whole of government campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the ICC to national sovereignty will be sweeping and we expect more countries to join our campaign by ending their funding and participation in this politicized and unaccountable court," Rubio said. "The ICC’s ability to target American nationals and those of other non-States Parties must end."

An executive order signed by President Donald Trump in February 2025 created the sanctions' framework.

The Trump administration argues that the ICC lacks the power to investigate soldiers, military commanders and political leaders from countries that are not parties to the court, including the U.S. and Israel.

NETANYAHU FIRES BACK AT NYC MAYOR MAMDANI'S VOW TO ENFORCE 'BOGUS ARREST WARRANT'

The ICC said the Trump administration's latest sanctions "undermine the rule of law," adding that they amount to "a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution."

The ICC maintains that it can exercise jurisdiction over nationals of non-member states when they are accused of qualifying crimes committed on the territory of a state that has accepted the Court’s jurisdiction.

Qualifying crimes under the Rome Statute include genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

Afghanistan and Palestine are both members of the court, which the ICC says allows it to investigate alleged crimes committed on their territories, including alleged war crimes by U.S. personnel in Afghanistan and alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity by Israeli officials in Gaza.

In September 2024, the ICC also issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the minister of defense at the time.

Liberia announced Tuesday that it will accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the U.S. over the next year under an agreement between the two countries.

The agreement marks one of the largest arrangements of its kind under the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown. Liberia's President Joseph Boakai was one of five West African leaders who traveled to the White House last year to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump.

As part of the arrangement, the first group of 20 deportees are expected to arrive on Thursday, Liberia’s Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah told reporters.

The 1,200 deportees who will be sent to the country within the next 12 months will include Africans as well as nationals from North America, South America and the Caribbean, Piah said.

TRUMP ADMIN SCORES COURT WIN TO END DEPORTATION PROTECTIONS FOR ETHIOPIAN MIGRANTS

Piah said the deportees would be received "as guests," adding that they could leave when they wanted and apply for asylum in Liberia.

He also said Liberia will receive support from the U.S. to manage the program and strengthen its migration system. But he said the deal was not part of a quid pro quo with the U.S. government and that the African nation was not demanding compensation in exchange for taking in the deportees.

"Liberia’s gesture is entirely humanitarian and in keeping with the country’s longstanding traditions," he said. "The government of Liberia intends to provide the transferred persons with the necessary support to seek protection in Liberia and to be safe during their stay here."

Liberia's government referenced its historical ties to the United States, including its roots in a 19th-century settlement established for free and formerly enslaved Black Americans and its history as a country with "a long history of accepting people seeking refuge from political and other crises."

Liberia’s Justice Minister Natu Oswald Tweh said that the country has screened the migrants ahead of their arrival.

"Most of them are people who had immigration violations and offenses," he said.

The Liberian government said the arriving deportees are not criminals and are not being prosecuted under U.S. or Liberian law.

Since Trump returned to the White House in January of last year, his administration has reached several deals with African countries to accept third-country deportees, including in some cases migrants who have legal protections barring their return to their countries of origin because of risks of torture, persecution or other abuses. It was not immediately clear whether any members of the group being sent to Liberia have such protections.

TRUMP SCORES MAJOR IMMIGRATION VICTORY AS JUDGE CLEARS WAY TO END TPS PROTECTIONS FOR THOUSANDS OF SOMALIS

Under several agreements that have not always been publicly disclosed in full, the administration has deported thousands of people to nearly two dozen countries that are not their own, with about 10 of them in Africa, according to immigration advocates.

The administration has defended the third-country deals as lawful, saying federal immigration law permits the government to remove migrants to willing third countries. The Supreme Court last year stayed a lower-court order that had imposed additional procedural requirements on third-country removals while litigation continued.

The U.S.-Liberia agreement says Liberia will not return a transferred person to their home country while a protection claim is pending and that both governments intend to act consistently with their obligations under refugee and anti-torture law.

Rights groups say some migrants have been sent to countries they have never visited or where they could face safety risks, potentially increasing pressure on them to return to their countries of origin.

Other African countries that have taken in third-country deportees include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Iran is rebuilding the upper ranks of its military and security establishment after months of wartime losses by turning largely to familiar veterans — figures whose careers in some cases stretch back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iran-Iraq War and previous domestic crackdowns.

The appointments follow the deaths of several senior Iranian commanders in U.S.-Israeli strikes since the war began Feb. 28, The National reported Aug. 11.

For Washington, the stakes go beyond who fills the vacancies. The reshuffle puts veteran hardliners atop institutions that shape Iran’s military operations, national-security policy and internal security at a time of renewed confrontation with the United States.

The appointments do not prove that Tehran has run out of younger commanders or that loyalty was the sole criterion, but the reliance on figures whose careers stretch back decades is raising a broader question for U.S. policymakers: whether wartime losses have left Iran increasingly dependent on a smaller circle of trusted ideologues — potentially narrowing the room for compromise even as Washington tries to pressure Tehran back toward a deal.

IRAN’S REVOLUTIONARY GUARD SIDELINES PRESIDENT AS MILITARY GRIP EXPANDS

Former American prisoner Morad Tahbaz, who was detained in Iran in 2018 and freed in a U.S.-Iran prisoner exchange in September 2023, told Fox News Digital that he views the latest appointments as evidence of Tehran's continued dependence on longtime loyalists.

"They keep rotating the same old people, most of whom are fairly inept but are loyal to the Khamenei father and son," Tahbaz told Fox News Digital.

The reshuffle spans Iran's conventional military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, its naval arm, the Basij paramilitary force and the country's highest national-security council.

Iran's state-run IRNA reported Aug. 10 that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei appointed Ali Abdollahi chief of staff of the Armed Forces, Kioumars Heydari his deputy, Ahmad Vahidi commander of the IRGC, Mostafa Izadi deputy IRGC commander, Ali Ozmaei commander of the IRGC Navy and Hossein Taeb head of the Basij.

The previous day, former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei, 71, was named secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and Khamenei's representative on the powerful body. Reuters reported Aug. 10 that the SNSC coordinates Iran's security and foreign policy and that Rezaei replaced Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, who had been appointed secretary in late March following the death of his predecessor, Ali Larijani.

The appointments do not establish that Iran has run out of younger or less familiar commanders. But the reliance on longtime military and security figures has fueled assessments that wartime losses have narrowed the regime's pool of officials it regards as sufficiently experienced and politically trustworthy.

Erfan Fard wrote for the Middle East Forum on Aug. 15 that Khamenei was not promoting a new generation but turning to veterans of the revolution, the Iran-Iraq War, intelligence operations and domestic repression, arguing that an architecture based on "institutional memory, loyalty, and coercive power" was taking shape.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies argued in an Aug. 12 policy brief that the reshuffle looked "less like renewal than a game of musical chairs among regime veterans."

The appointments also formalized the position of Ahmad Vahidi, a veteran hardliner who had already emerged near the center of wartime decision-making. Vahidi was a major player in shaping Tehran's wartime policy and had risen through the IRGC's early intelligence and external-operations apparatus before later serving as defense and interior minister. As interior minister, Vahidi oversaw police units involved in the crackdown on the 2022 protests.

IRNA confirmed Aug. 10 that Khamenei promoted Vahidi to major general and formally appointed him commander-in-chief of the IRGC.

WHO IS AHMAD VAHIDI? IRAN’S NEW IRGC CHIEF TIED TO GLOBAL ATTACKS AND ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ IDEOLOGY

One of the most closely watched appointments is Hossein Taeb, the cleric and veteran security official tapped to lead the Basij, the IRGC's volunteer paramilitary force that has repeatedly been used against domestic dissent.

The National reported that the Basij has been used to suppress internal dissent, while The Times reported Aug. 12 that the force is embedded in neighborhoods, universities, workplaces, factories, ministries and mosques and has played a central role in suppressing successive uprisings.

For Tahbaz, Taeb's return is personal. Tahbaz was detained in 2018, while Taeb was leading the IRGC Intelligence Organization.

"Ta’eb is extremely close to Mojtaba Khamenei but was very unceremoniously fired from his former position as head of the IRGC Intelligence Organization," Tahbaz told Fox News Digital. "He was personally responsible for my and my colleagues' arrests and detentions. He lives and breathes conspiracy theories."

The Times reported Aug. 12 that Taeb and Mojtaba Khamenei's relationship dates back more than four decades and that both served in the Habib Battalion during the Iran-Iraq War. The newspaper also reported that IRGC intelligence arrested environmentalists and dual nationals during Taeb's tenure.

Taeb previously commanded the Basij before moving into IRGC intelligence. The Times reported that months after the disputed 2009 election, the Guards' intelligence division was elevated into an independent organization with Taeb as its first chief.

Taeb's earlier leadership of the Basij also drew U.S. sanctions. In a Sept. 29, 2010 Treasury Department fact sheet, the U.S. government said that while Taeb commanded the Basij during the June 2009 election, forces under his command participated in "beatings, murder, and arbitrary arrests and detentions of peaceful protestors."

According to IRNA, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf congratulated Taeb on his appointment as head of the Basij Organization, saying his tenure could mark a new chapter for the volunteer force. Ghalibaf said the Basij now needs a more comprehensive and forward-looking approach and argued that Taeb’s appointment by the supreme leader could help advance what he described as one of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s longstanding goals: building a 20-million-strong Basij force.

UN WATCHDOG SLAMS POTENTIAL ELECTION OF IRAN TO PANEL WITH HUMAN RIGHTS SWAY: 'LUNATICS RUNNING THE ASYLUM'

Few appointments better illustrate the return of Iran's old guard than Mohsen Rezaei, who was named secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

Reuters reported Aug. 10 that Rezaei joined the IRGC shortly after the 1979 revolution, became its commander in 1981 at age 27 and led the force for 16 years, including through most of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War.

He later served as secretary of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council for more than two decades and as vice president for economic affairs from 2021 to 2023 under President Ebrahim Raisi. Now, at 71, he is secretary of the SNSC and Khamenei's representative on the body.

Beni Sabti, an Iran expert at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, argued that bringing back longtime figures such as Rezaei reflects weakness rather than renewal.

"This is, again, another evidence that they don't have anyone else," Sabti told Fox News Digital. "So they have to bring him out again from the desk and put him somewhere. These are the guys that they have."

Rezaei and Vahidi were also among six people for whom INTERPOL authorized Red Notices requested by Argentina in 2007 in connection with the investigation into the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires.

INTERPOL said in November 2007 that its General Assembly upheld the publication of notices for six individuals, including Ahmad Vahidi and Mohsen Rezaei, after Iran challenged Argentina's requests.

Sabti argued that Rezaei's re-emergence is particularly telling because Tehran's decision-making circle has become less ideologically diverse.

"Today, there is only one opinion, and this is the main problem," Sabti said. "This is why you think that there is unity and the system is stronger. No, it's not stronger. Actually, it's weaker also because of that."

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Ali Abdollahi was elevated to chief of staff of Iran's Armed Forces, putting him at the top of the country's military command structure. IRNA confirmed the appointment Aug. 10.

Abdollahi had previously commanded the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran's joint operational command responsible for coordinating its armed forces in wartime, according to Iran International on Aug. 10.

His appointment also comes amid an effort to integrate the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters more closely with the Armed Forces General Staff. Le Monde reported Aug. 11 that Abdollahi's task includes completing that integration in an effort to further centralize command and coordination.

Fard argued in his Aug. 15 Middle East Forum analysis that Abdollahi's elevation exemplifies Tehran's reliance on longstanding revolutionary-security figures rather than a generational break.

FREED AMERICAN REVEALS BRUTAL IRAN PRISON ORDEAL, WARNS HOSTAGES FACE GREATER DANGER

Former Army Ground Forces commander Kioumars Heydari was appointed deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces, bringing a senior officer from Iran's conventional military into the new command structure.

The National reported that Heydari formerly commanded the Army Ground Forces and has held senior positions in Iran's regular army, known as the Artesh. IRNA independently confirmed his appointment.

His inclusion also demonstrates that the reshuffle is not limited to the IRGC.

Fard argued in the Middle East Forum that Heydari's previous public rhetoric surrounding protest suppression indicates that Tehran has increasingly integrated the regular army into its domestic-security posture.

Mostafa Izadi: Another veteran rises inside the IRGC

Mostafa Izadi was appointed Vahidi's deputy, putting another longtime commander near the top of the IRGC hierarchy.

IRNA confirmed Izadi's appointment Aug. 10, while The National described him Aug. 11 as a veteran commander who has held a number of senior positions in Iran's military and security establishment.

Iran International reported that Izadi previously commanded the Cyber and New Threats Headquarters within the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.

IRAN HARDLINER BEHIND US DEAL WARNS TEHRAN WON’T HONOR AGREEMENT IF TRUMP FAILS TO DELIVER

Rear Adm. Ali Ozmaei was appointed commander of the IRGC Navy, putting him in charge of a force central to Iran's military posture in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.

The National reported Aug. 11 that Ozmaei replaced Alireza Tangsiri, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in March, and that the IRGC Navy is responsible for Iran's military operations in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state media also highlighted Ozmaei's longstanding maritime experience. IRNA reported Aug. 11 that Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf praised Ozmaei's years in maritime defense and his familiarity with the current conflict and the Strait of Hormuz. 

The appointment came one day before Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless the United States changed its behavior and accepted Iran's conditions. Reuters reported that Rezaei said Washington would have to end the war and unfreeze Iranian funds overseas, with other conditions relayed through mediators.

Taken together, the seven personnel changes show Tehran moving to fill and reshuffle critical military and security posts after significant wartime losses. What remains an assessment rather than an established fact is whether the identities of those chosen reveal a deeper shortage of trusted successors.

Sabti said the return of veteran figures reflected what he sees as a shrinking bench of trusted officials and a less diverse decision-making circle.

Tahbaz offered a less academic version of that assessment.

"They keep rotating the same old people," he said.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urged his nation to boost its independent military capabilities Tuesday after President Donald Trump ordered a cut to join U.S.-South Korean military exercises.

Lee made the statement during a meeting with his cabinet on Tuesday, a day after the annual joint Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises began. Trump announced on social media this weekend that he ordered War Secretary Pete Hegseth to "substantially reduce" U.S. involvement in the drills.

Trump's statement expressed concern that the drills presented an overly hostile tone toward North Korea, whose leader, Kim Jong Un, Trump spoke of with warm words.

TRUMP ORDERS MAJOR CUT TO US-SOUTH KOREA DRILLS AS NORTH KOREA RAMPS UP MISSILE TESTS

Lee emphasized in his cabinet meeting that Ulchi Freedom Shield is a purely defensive exercise.

"A strong alliance makes the foundation of security stronger, and strengthening our own capabilities increases our value and necessity as an ally," Lee said.

He stated that South Korea's top priority is maintaining peace with North Korea, but said the country must be prepared for a "worst-case scenario."

Lee specifically mentioned boosting South Korea's nuclear-powered submarine program, among others.

NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES ANOTHER BALLISTIC MISSILE AS US, SOUTH KOREA PREPARE FOR MILITARY DRILLS

Trump's statement on Monday, posted to Truth Social, was openly critical of Lee's administration with respect to North Korea.

"Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea," Trump wrote.

"These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful."

Lee's administration noted the kind words for North Korea in his statement on Tuesday, with Lee's national security advisor, Wi Sung-lac, remarking that he hopes Trump's relationship with Kim could lead to lasting change.

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"We hope the friendly relationship between the U.S. and North Korean leaders will lead to meaningful North Korea-U.S. dialogue," Wi said at a Tuesday briefing.

Trump also took the opportunity to highlight Lee's apparent refusal to assist the U.S. in the conflict with Iran.

"While somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, ‘No thanks!’" Trump wrote.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Residents of Ceuta, Spain's North African enclave bordering Morocco, are saying that the government is not doing enough to prevent another mass immigration event like the July 30 influx of approximately 70,000 migrants into the city, conservative Spanish journalist Javier Negre told Fox News Digital.

"The local citizens, they are really sad. And no matter if they are left or right, What they say is like, it's really complicated to live right now in Ceuta," Negre told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Negre said citizens have cited incidents in which migrants committed crimes, including robbery and attempted rape, adding "they live in the street and the people are really scared."

"We need in Spain, we need in Europe, governments that try to avoid the illegal immigration right now because it's not fair for the citizens that pay taxes to have social security, to have healthcare and these illegal migrants, they collapse the hospitals, they collapsed the universities, the schools, and it's not fair for the Spanish people," Negre said.

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The residents who reportedly spoke to Negre seemingly echoed comments from Juan Jesús Vivas, Ceuta's mayor-president. Speaking during an extraordinary session of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Vivas said the migrant rush put public safety and public health at risk and threatened to collapse the city's immigration infrastructure.

"Furthermore, the morale of Ceuta's residents is severely affected. Our population feels sad, helpless, uneasy, fearful and worried — and with good reason. It is inevitable to wonder whether this will happen again, and if that next time will be the definitive plunge into the abyss, causing us to cease being what we are: Spain and Europe," Vivas said.

Following a circulation of social media messages in Morocco calling for migrants to again rush the Spanish enclave on Aug. 15, both Spain and Morocco beefed up security on their respective sides of the border, in addition to the maritime barriers Spain put up after the initial incident saw migrants swim ashore.

But, Negre said Moroccan officials told him that the increased measures are not enough.

"I know that today the Spanish government and the Moroccan government, they say that they are going to put more police, but it's not enough," Negre said.

"We need more police," he continued. "We need to have more border security because people don't understand why they're paying taxes, why they're giving a lot of money to the state if they can't block the frontier to these illegal migrants that they are not escaping from a war or a difficult situation," Negre told Fox News Digital.

Negre criticized Spain's government, led by left-wing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his party, Vox. The journalist pointed to Spanish media reports arguing that Sánchez's frosty relationship with Morocco may have contributed to the migration incident.

"Pedro Sánchez, who is involved in a lot of scandals of corruption, he went to Algeria, and there are some rumors that maybe the king of Morocco try to promote this illegal invasion to tell the Spanish government, 'hey, take it easy,'" Negre explained.

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Sánchez traveled to Algeria on July 20, 10 days before the migration incident, in an effort to restore diplomatic ties after a freeze in the countries' relationship over Morocco's claim to the Western Sahara.

Western Sahara, a desolate region in northwest Africa, has long been the focus of hostile relations between Algeria and Morocco. In 2020, the U.S. officially recognized Morocco's claim of sovereignty over the region.

While Spain does not officially recognize that claim, Sánchez did endorse Morocco's autonomy plan for the region, which proposes limited self-governance under Moroccan sovereignty to be the "most serious, realistic, and credible basis" for resolving a long-standing dispute between Morocco and Algeria over the territory.

Sánchez revealed his decision in a March 2022 letter to Morocco's King Mohammed VI, a letter he sent less than a year after another migrant influx from Morocco into Ceuta. During that May 2021 incident, Moroccan border guards appeared to stand down while 10,000 people flooded into Ceuta from the African nation.

'YOU'RE DESTROYING YOUR COUNTRIES': IS EUROPE FINALLY HEEDING TRUMP'S WARNING ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION?

While Moroccan officials denied they instructed border guards to stand down, the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning Morocco for the incident, citing statements from Morocco's Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledging that the incident was retaliation for Spain treating the leader of a Western Saharan rebel group at a Spanish hospital.

Negre also took aim at European leadership writ large, contrasting the European Parliament with President Donald Trump.

"Europe is going really bad with illegal immigration, with the open frontiers, completely opposite as the politics of President Trump with border security and deporting all the illegal migrants," he told Fox News Digital, while praising Trump's proposed legislation to require voter identification, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, known as the SAVE Act.

Fox News Digital contacted the governments of Spain, Ceuta, Morocco and Algeria for further comment.

The mysterious wounds found on one of the world's oldest orcas have triggered an investigation in Spain and raised questions about whether someone took aim at the famed killer whale amid years of tense encounters between orcas and boats.

Toñi, the oldest known Iberian orca, surfaced in the Strait of Gibraltar with multiple fresh marks across her dorsal fin and back that conservationists believe were caused by shotgun pellets. The injuries were not visible in photographs taken just weeks earlier.

The orca, known as Toñi, was spotted this week with marks Spanish officials described as compatible with possible pellet shots, according to Spain's Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO).

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The ministry said it learned of Toñi's injuries on Aug. 11, after receiving information from marine conservation group WeWhale, which operates in the area with government authorization.

Officials opened preliminary investigative proceedings the next day to determine what happened and potentially identify those responsible.

While Spanish authorities have stopped short of concluding that Toñi was shot, conservation groups WeWhale and Iberian Orca Guardians said their teams believe the appearance, number and distribution of the wounds point to a shotgun discharge.

The groups said the injuries appeared suddenly. They had photographed and observed Toñi only weeks earlier, when the wounds were not present.

WeWhale said its team counted roughly 10 apparent pellet impacts on the left side of her dorsal fin. At least two or three projectiles appear to have passed straight through the fin, while others may still be lodged inside, according to the group.

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At an estimated 60 years old, Toñi could face added risks from the injuries. WeWhale said the fin has a rich blood supply and helps the animal regulate its body temperature, meaning the wounds could lead to tissue damage, swelling or infection. If pellets remain lodged inside, the group warned that an infection could, in the worst case, become life-threatening.

For now, however, there are encouraging signs. WeWhale said Toñi appears to be swimming and hunting normally, and its team will continue watching her closely.

"We know Toñi. We were with her a few weeks ago and these wounds were not there," Janek Andre, founder and president of WeWhale and the Iberian Orca Guardians Foundation, said in a statement.

Andre said the groups are now seeing "multiple impact wounds" across the animal's dorsal fin and back that they believe are consistent with a shotgun blast.

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"If someone has deliberately fired a shotgun at her, this is not only an act of extreme cruelty against an individual animal," Andre said. "It is an attack on one of the last remaining members of a critically endangered population."

Toñi, also known as "La Abuela," or "the grandmother," is the oldest known member of the Iberian orca population, according to the conservation groups. Her population in the Strait of Gibraltar and Gulf of Cádiz is classified as vulnerable under Spain's Catalog of Endangered Species.

The stakes for anyone found responsible could be steep. Spanish law prohibits killing, capturing, pursuing or disturbing protected species, and violations of regulations protecting the orcas can carry penalties of up to 2 million euros, equivalent to about $2.3 million, along with potential criminal liability, according to MITECO.

The ministry's General Directorate of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification is investigating the incident.

The investigation comes amid years of documented interactions between Iberian orcas and boats off the Iberian Peninsula.

Since 2020, orcas in the region have repeatedly interacted with vessels in Atlantic waters, prompting Spanish authorities to issue guidance aimed at protecting boaters, vessels and the animals. Officials advise sailors not to use deterrent measures that could kill, injure or disturb the cetaceans.

WeWhale said the apparent shooting should not be viewed as an acceptable response to those encounters.

"There has been enormous public discussion about Iberian orcas and their interactions with vessels," Andre said. "Whatever someone's opinion about those interactions may be, shooting at these animals can never be an acceptable response."

The conservation groups said they are preserving their original photographs and observational records and will continue monitoring Toñi's physical condition and behavior as the government investigation moves forward.

Authorities have not announced a suspect or identified anyone who may be responsible for the injuries.

U.S. special envoy Jared Kushner delivered a stark ultimatum to Hamas on Monday, warning that the terrorist group must honor its commitments to disarm in Gaza or face an Israeli military operation to "finish the job."

Speaking exclusively to Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, Kushner also detailed high-stakes diplomatic meetings in Egypt and Israel over the last 48 hours aimed at advancing President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace roadmap as fighting and disagreements between Israel and Hamas persists.

Israel has carried out air strikes and seized more territory in Gaza despite an October ceasefire, while Hamas has refused to give up its weapons, Reuters also reported Monday.

Kushner met first with Hamas in Cairo, together with the National Committee, the new technocratic Palestinian government that will take over control. 

HILLARY CLINTON BREAKS WITH DEMOCRATIC CRITICS BY BACKING TRUMP’S GAZA PLAN AS THE 'ONLY GAME IN TOWN'

Kushner told Yingst that the group reaffirmed its commitment to Trump’s 20-point peace plan and to the "15-point roadmap that we've been working on with them for the last four months, where they commit to giving up their weapons."

"Time will tell whether that's going to be implemented," he added, before stating that Washington feels it could be "very close to knowing, and we're making a lot of progress towards trying to get to the next steps."

"If they don't follow through now on their commitment, everyone will see that they're not genuine about peace, and then Israel will have a lot more support from the U.S. and others to go and finish the job in the appropriate way," Kushner also told Yingst of the militant group.

The warning from Trump’s son-in-law followed the rare face-to-face meeting — only Kushner's second known meeting with the group.

"They said all the right things, but obviously, it's very, very hard to trust, you know, a terrorist organization that committed these terrible atrocities," Kushner continued. "But we had a very cordial meeting, and they said all the right things, and so we're going to give them a chance to perform. 

"It's going to have to be based on actions and steps, and I hope it will be true."

HAMAS SAYS IT WILL DISSOLVE GAZA GOVERNMENT, BUT ISRAEL WARNS GROUP STILL SEEKS HEZBOLLAH-STYLE CONTROL

The U.S.-led "Board of Peace" proposal centers on a phased ceasefire, demilitarization of Gaza, Israeli troop withdrawal, Palestinian technocratic governance and international reconstruction efforts.

On Monday, Kushner also traveled to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for further talks whereby the central sticking point remains the roadmap execution timeline.

Israel demands full demilitarization before withdrawing further or allowing reconstruction, while Hamas insists withdrawal and disarmament must happen in parallel.

Netanyahu, facing political pressure ahead of Israel's upcoming elections, appears cautious about phased compromises.

NETANYAHU REJECTS BOARD OF PEACE'S GAZA PLAN: NO 'WITHDRAWAL UNTIL HAMAS IS GENUINELY DISARMED'

Despite the friction, Kushner expressed optimism following a four-hour session with Israeli officials.

"I think today we had a very, very good meeting," Kushner said. "I think there were some valid concerns that they raised that we were able to address, and we were able to go through some of the misunderstandings and misinformation that's been out about it as well."

Kushner emphasized that Washington’s support for reconstruction remains tied to demilitarization.

"We will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until demilitarization occurs," Kushner warned. "We're also not going to restrict Israel's right to defend itself if there are any imminent threats. And so we had to clarify what that means."

Outlining a clear timeline, Kushner highlighted the urgency of Hamas laying down its weapons. 

"We could be seeing progress, you know, in as much as in as little as 30 days," Kushner said. "Hopefully, on starting to take some of the weapons out, and hopefully, you know, filling in some of the tunnels as well in the next 60 to 90 days as well."

TRUMP REVEALS THE LINE IRAN HAS TO CROSS FOR US TO RESTART OFFENSIVE MILITARY CAMPAIGN

"For Israel, we think this is a win-win situation because if Hamas actually gives over the weapons and the tunnels willingly over the next 60 to 90 days, that obviously would be the elimination of a huge security threat for Israel, almost an unthinkable achievement," he added.

The conflict — triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack that killed nearly 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw more than 240 taken hostage — has dragged on for nearly three years.

"Israel has a strong desire to live in peace," Kushner told Yingst.

"They've been through three years of war. It's been very, very hard for the country, very hard for the people. I think there's a lot of emotion in Israel and in the region."

"As I travel around the region, I do think people are tired of war. I think they're ready for something new," he continued. "But it's just sometimes hard. You know, who's going to take the first step, and how do you build trust when there's so little trust that's now been eroded?"

IS ISRAEL REALLY ISOLATED? POLLS AND DIPLOMACY POINT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS

Kushner also voiced confidence in President Trump’s ability to broker a lasting deal.

"We see a lot of positive indications, and President Trump has pulled off miracles before in the Middle East," Kushner said. "He's very committed to continuing to do things that nobody thinks are possible."

A rift between the right-wing Italian government and Spain's leftist rulers continues to grow over immigration and border security.

It has been over a week since Italy’s conservative government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, enacted stricter border controls at air and seaports for any non-EU citizen traveling from Spain. The two countries do not share a land border.

Two days later, Spain’s left-wing government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, enacted reciprocal measures on any non-EU citizens traveling from Italy. Even EU citizens need to show their ID to move on, causing travel delays during a month when most Europeans travel, including over 2 million between Italy and Spain.

At issue is border security. More specifically, the five-mile border between Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Ceuta. The Associated Press reported that roughly 72,000 people reportedly attempted to illegally cross the border to Ceuta during the late July surge, before Spain and Morocco could reinforce the border to prevent what the EU calls "irregular migration."

SPAIN STOCKS AFRICAN ENCLAVE CEUTA WITH BOOSTED SECURITY AS MOROCCO MONITORS CALLS FOR SECOND BORDER RUSH

Emma Schubart of the Henry Jackson Society told Fox News Digital that Italy’s border checks and Spain’s reciprocal measures "highlight the Meloni–Sánchez divide: enforcement-first versus a regularization program that drew 1.2 million applications."

On July 31, Meloni’s government, in what she called an "extraordinary measure," decided to "temporarily suspend the free movement regime (under the Schengen agreement) in maritime and air connections with Spain, reintroducing border controls," while also offering "to support every European initiative to assist Spanish institutions as needed to restore full control of the Union's external borders." The implementation involved random checks for non-EU travelers.

Even some countries of Europe’s left are taking notice. Meloni teamed up with Denmark’s left-leaning Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to lead a group of 22 European Union leaders, including Hungary’s new prime minister, Péter Magyar, in a letter calling for an "extraordinary" meeting of EU interior ministers to define a "coordinated European response." The letter placed blame on Spain, noting that "the recent ruling of the Spanish Supreme Court has been used to trigger this attack and abuse (of) our migration and asylum system." They added that the EU "cannot allow mass crossings, the instrumentalization of migration or other hybrid threats to create the perception that illegal entry into the European Union is possible."

EU ADMITS IT ‘DIDN’T HAVE CONTROL’ ON MIGRATION AS BLOC RUSHES CRACKDOWN AHEAD OF NEW RULES

Spain’s Supreme Court issued a July 8 ruling regarding the immediate return of migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to enter Ceuta or Melilla.

Spain’s Sánchez called the letter "politically motivated," saying the situation in Ceuta was "under control" and that his government had acted in "full compliance with EU law." On his account, Sánchez posted, "Solidarity and empathy are optional. Respect for European treaties and data is not… It is the time to continue building a strong and united EU," while noting EU Frontex data that there were 470,600 "irregular entries" via Italy since 2021, compared to Spain’s 234,760.

The Spanish Foreign Ministry said, "Entering Spain irregularly through Ceuta or Melilla does not grant the right to remain in the country, to travel to mainland Spain, or to move freely within Europe."

Meloni responded on X that Ceuta "once again demonstrated how urgent it is for Europe to respond to illegal immigration.… Defending the external borders of the (European) Union is not the interest of a single Nation. It is a shared responsibility of Europe."

As soon as the Italian border controls went into effect, Spain responded, with Sánchez's administration calling the controls "unjust" and "discriminatory towards the Spanish population." The Spanish warned of "proportionate measures" to defend their interests, reciprocating with their own border controls on Italian travel on Aug. 8.

The Palazzo Chigi, the office of the Italian prime minister, said, "Italy does not accept ultimatums or impositions from abroad regarding national security and border control. Under no circumstances do we intend to review our decision… at least until 15 August… Another wave of migration is expected in Ceuta on that date, as the Spanish authorities themselves have announced."

Morocco stepped in this past Saturday, Aug. 15, ahead of that attempted rush on the border, with officials saying more than 111 were arrested trying to reach Ceuta via mountain roads in an attempt to avoid checkpoints. Morocco’s Le360 news agency said that the number was closer to 300.

After the arrests, Italian foreign ministry officials told the AGI news agency they were "closely monitoring what is happening in Morocco and reaffirm the necessity of the measures adopted," with a spokesman telling ANSA, "The checks at the border with Spain remain necessary in light of the latest developments in Morocco."

NATO ALLY POLAND WARNS RUSSIA, BELARUS PUSHING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS TOWARD ALLIANCE — AND THE US

Lorenzo Vidino, director of the program on extremism at George Washington University, told Fox News Digital that this "tit for tat" between the two countries could continue "for the foreseeable future." Vidino said EU immigration policies are "complicated" because "there is one policy, but enforcement is by the country," so politics plays a role. "Country A thinks Country B is not enforcing things correctly, so Country A closes the border to create de facto border controls." He said a contributing factor to Italy’s decision may be the large Moroccan population in Italy, especially in northern Italy, which could be a draw for illegal immigrants from Morocco.

Vidino added that these types of internal EU border controls are nothing new. "France also reintroduces these ‘routine checks’ from time to time." Austria continues sporadic checks on land crossings from Slovenia and Hungary and traffic at crossings into Germany can also be miles long due to continued controls there.

And it’s not only outside governments upset with Madrid’s response. Ceuta’s center-right mayor-president, Juan Jesús Vivas, held a press conference Friday, two weeks after the initial incursion, in the city’s Palacio de la Asamblea. He called the situation "unsustainable," saying "Ceuta cannot endure much longer like this." Despite Spanish authorities saying only 5,000 migrants remained in the city, Vivas says that number is closer to 9,000, adding, "Each passing day worsens the situation."

Vivas said he felt "misunderstood and powerless in the face of the lack of legal tools" from Madrid, adding the government is moving too slowly. "I cannot understand that if a part of our territory is invaded… there is no legal mechanism that allows for an expeditious and immediate action for the return of these people who entered this territory illegally and irregularly."

Maldita.es, an independent Spanish fact-checking platform, reports health officials have confirmed cases of scabies, impetigo and an outbreak of gastroenteritis among the migrants. Other news outlets report at least two cases of tuberculosis, but health officials say those affected were treated in Morocco before they crossed the border, and are not contagious. The National Institute of Health Management, the Spanish body responsible for managing healthcare in Ceuta, told reporters that, as of Aug. 11, there were "no confirmed cases of tuberculosis" originating in Ceuta.

Schubart said the EU should look to the U.S. "The U.S. experience is clear, over 8.7 million Southwest border encounters under weakened enforcement produced record surges and secondary pressures. Without consistent external controls, Schengen’s internal free movement erodes."

The 60-day window for the United States and Iran to reach a final agreement expired Monday with no deal announced, as President Donald Trump hardened his rhetoric toward Tehran and his administration prepared what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described as an unprecedented new phase of economic pressure.

"They should put up the white flag of surrender," Trump told Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst in a phone interview Monday. Trump said he was in no rush to reach a deal and also confirmed a direct back channel with officials from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The June memorandum of understanding committed Washington and Tehran to negotiate a final deal within a maximum of 60 days, extendable by mutual consent. Reuters reported Monday that the interim agreement quickly unraveled over a dispute involving control of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump declared the pact "over" on July 7 and Tehran later said it was suspended.

The deadline now puts a central question at the heart of Trump’s Iran strategy: whether the United States can turn military and maritime pressure into political concessions by squeezing Tehran financially rather than escalating again on the battlefield. Before the war, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas moved through the Strait of Hormuz, making the standoff a threat not only to Tehran but to global energy supplies and U.S. fuel prices.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ AS 84-DAY WAR NEARS POSSIBLE END

"Watch this space for more announcements coming next week because we are going to apply measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation of a country," Bessent told Newsmax on Aug. 13.

In comments provided to Fox News Digital on background, a Treasury spokesperson said, "Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash," arguing that the campaign has constrained Tehran’s ability to generate and move revenue and pushed it further toward shadow-banking networks and cryptocurrency to evade sanctions.

Average Iranian oil loadings had fallen from 1.8 million barrels per day before the war to less than 500,000 barrels per day over the previous month, The Associated Press reported Aug. 11, citing Treasury figures. AP also cited an IMF projection that Iran’s economy would contract 5.4%.

IRAN’S DEEPEST WEAKNESS IS GETTING EXPOSED THROUGH AMERICA’S MAXIMUM PRESSURE CAMPAIGN

Miad Maleki, a former Treasury sanctions analyst and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that the pressure is real.

"The numbers are brutal," Maleki said, citing inflation, the collapsing rial and reduced oil traffic. He described the current campaign as "a maximum pressure campaign on a steroid."

Reuters reported Monday, citing Iran’s Statistical Centre, that consumer prices in July were 87.9% higher than a year earlier and food prices were up 128%. President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged last week that Iran was selling less oil and collecting less tax revenue from struggling businesses.

Maleki argued that what distinguishes the current campaign from previous rounds of sanctions is the combination of financial restrictions and a physical blockade. "What really started, I would say, as Economic Fury, has now turned into maximum pressure on steroids," he said, arguing that Tehran is being squeezed not only in its ability to export oil but also in its ability to bring critical goods into the country.

He pointed in particular to Iran’s gasoline deficit and weakening government revenues as vulnerabilities that could become increasingly difficult for the regime to manage. In November 2019, a sharp increase in government-set gasoline prices triggered nationwide demonstrations that rapidly broadened into anti-government protests. Reuters reported at the time that Iranian officials said roughly 200,000 people participated in the unrest, while thousands were arrested.

"The regime is very scared of another 2019," Maleki said, arguing that Tehran has been reluctant to significantly raise retail fuel prices because of the potential political consequences.

But history also illustrates the limitation of Washington’s strategy: economic pain can bring Iranians into the streets without necessarily forcing the regime itself to concede.

IRAN’S REVOLUTIONARY GUARD SIDELINES PRESIDENT AS MILITARY GRIP EXPANDS

The larger question, Maleki said, is who ultimately absorbs the pain.

Iran’s economic system, he argued, includes powerful foundations and elite networks tied to the IRGC and the supreme leader that were built long before today’s sanctions architecture.

"That elite network has spent about three decades insulating themselves from exactly this kind of pain," Maleki said. "And historically, the regime always burns the population clock before really having to absorb any of that pressure themselves."

Maleki said pressure can force "tactical concessions," but broader concessions depend on whether the financial pain reaches IRGC-linked foundations, oligarchs and regime elites rather than remaining concentrated among ordinary Iranians.

Washington is already near "the ceiling on sanctions with Iran," he argued, meaning the next phase may depend less on new legal tools than on enforcing existing restrictions against foreign enablers, including Chinese refineries, Hong Kong shell traders, exchange houses, shadow-fleet tankers and cryptocurrency channels.

So far, the pressure has not produced a final deal. Reuters reported Monday that a senior Iranian official threatened military escalation within weeks if Washington does not fully implement the interim agreement.

"The worst is still ahead for the Iranian regime," Maleki said, arguing that payment-cycle delays mean the full fiscal impact of reduced oil exports may not be felt until the fall.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

A prominent Russian state economist was fired after publicly warning that Moscow is losing an economic "war of attrition" with the West and could eventually face a social crisis, as the European Union prepares a major expansion of sanctions targeting Russia’s military-industrial base.

The episode goes beyond an internal Kremlin personnel shake-up. For Washington and its European allies, the central question is whether years of economic pressure are beginning to constrain Moscow’s ability to sustain the war — or whether Russia can continue absorbing the costs while replenishing the resources needed to fight.

Andrei Klepach, chief economist at state development bank VEB.RF, was dismissed after remarks in which he said Russia was falling behind technologically and economically and suffering mounting costs from the war in Ukraine, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Aug. 17.

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VEB confirmed to Reuters that Klepach was no longer its chief economist but did not give a reason for his departure. Klepach, who had held the position since 2014 after spending a decade at Russia’s Economy Ministry, also confirmed his dismissal.

"We are falling behind. We are losing both the technological and economic competition in the world," Klepach said in a May speech to the Nikitsky Club, a forum of economists, academics and government officials. The remarks were delivered in May but did not draw attention in Russian media until last week.

"And we are losing it not only to China and the United States, in some ways we are losing it to Ukraine too," he said, attributing Ukraine’s resilience in part to continued financial backing from the West.

"We will not win the competition in this war of attrition," Klepach said. "We have the illusion that everything there [in Ukraine] will collapse. It has not collapsed and will not collapse. Our costs are mounting."

Klepach acknowledged that Russia had proved resilient to Western sanctions but warned that Ukrainian attacks on energy and logistics infrastructure were creating additional economic pressure. Reuters noted that Russia’s central bank said in July that economic growth could fall as low as zero this year, while repeated Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries and other facilities have caused supply disruptions and added to inflation risks.

BRINGING THE WAR TO PUTIN’S FRONT DOOR: IS UKRAINE’S ENERGY STRIKE STRATEGY WORKING?

"Economically we will not collapse, but our lag will continue to grow, with all the resulting consequences," Klepach said, predicting that Russia could face a social crisis "precisely when nobody is particularly expecting it."

A European intelligence source told Fox News Digital that Russia’s deeper economic problems should not be confused with immediate financial pressure on President Vladimir Putin. The source said higher oil prices had helped Moscow cover more of its budget deficit and could give the Kremlin additional time before economic constraints begin forcing difficult choices over the war. "It doesn’t solve the fundamental economic problems in Russia, but from a budgetary point of view, Putin is OK actually," the source said. "He’s not under pressure."

The source argued that this could delay expectations that deteriorating economic and budget conditions would eventually pressure Putin to end the war, potentially allowing Moscow to continue fighting "another spring" or "another season." The assessment adds a counterpoint to Klepach’s warning: Russia may be losing ground economically over the longer term while still retaining enough near-term revenue to sustain its war effort.

The warning comes as the European Union prepares to intensify its economic pressure on Moscow.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Germany’s Die Welt that she plans to propose what she called the "most far-reaching sanctions listings since the start of the war." Kallas said existing EU sanctions had deprived Russia’s war machine of more than $1.16 trillion, a figure presented by Kallas and reported by Reuters on Aug. 17.

EU diplomatic sources told Reuters that the bloc’s diplomatic service is expected to propose sanctions against approximately 1,600 additional Russian individuals and entities, with a particular focus on the country’s military-industrial complex.

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The measures are expected to include asset freezes along with travel and transaction bans. Officials plan to present the list to EU governments in early September and aim for adoption in October.

Inside Russia, authorities also moved Monday against one of the country’s remaining prominent liberal opposition figures.

Lev Shlosberg, deputy chairman of the Yabloko party, was sentenced to 11 years and one month in a penal colony, independent Russian outlet Mediazona reported. Shlosberg was accused of "discrediting Russia’s armed forces and spreading false information" about them.

Shlosberg, who described the war during his trial as a catastrophe for Russia, maintained his innocence and said the case against him was political. He also repeated his call for a ceasefire. The sentencing came a week after Russia’s Supreme Court barred Yabloko from participating in next month’s parliamentary election.

Meanwhile, attacks continued through the weekend and into Monday.

Russian strikes targeted port infrastructure in Ukraine’s Izmail district in the Odesa region overnight, according to Ukrainian authorities. A separate strike damaged a civilian Togo-flagged vessel and injured four people. Across the border, a Ukrainian drone attack killed a woman and struck an industrial facility in Russia’s southern Astrakhan region, the regional governor said.

Separately, ArcelorMittal said a Russian missile strike on its Kryvyi Rih steel plant over the weekend killed two employees and injured three employees and contractors, damaging major energy and blast-furnace facilities and partially halting production.

Reuters contributed to this report.