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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro reportedly made a statement on television and radio early Saturday as the U.S. strikes against his country unfolded, describing them as an "attack against the sovereignty of Venezuela." 

The remarks came before President Donald Trump announced that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were "captured and flown out of the country" following a "large scale strike" carried out by the U.S. military. Attorney General Pam Bondi later said Maduro and Flores were indicted on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy. 

In comments aired on state television and radio, Maduro alleged that U.S. forces attacked civilian and military sites in Venezuela’s capital of Caracas, as well as the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, according to The Miami Herald.

"This is an attack against the sovereignty of Venezuela," Maduro reportedly said as he stood alongside military and government officials. "It is an attempt to impose a colonial war and force political change by violence."

LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO

Maduro also described the U.S. actions as a "grave military aggression" and violation of the United Nations charter, adding that it threatened peace across Latin America and the Caribbean, The Miami Herald reported. 

The U.S. has been carrying out a military campaign against alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific in recent months. 

MARIA CORINA MACHADO EMERGES AS TOP POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR AFTER MADURO'S FALL

Maduro’s government cast the U.S. strikes on Saturday as part of a larger American effort to seize Venezuela’s oil and mineral reserves, according to The Miami Herald. 

The newspaper reported that state TV broadcasted images of Venezuelan soldiers deploying to strategic infrastructure and officials holding emergency meetings. 

As part of Maduro’s response, he also signed a decree that declared a nationwide state of "external disturbance," which gives his government sweeping powers during emergencies, including mobilizing security forces and limiting certain civil liberties, The Miami Herald added. 

World leaders were sharply divided Saturday after the United States launched a large-scale strike on Venezuela and President Donald Trump announced that the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, had been captured and flown out of the country.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez condemned what he called a "criminal attack," writing on X that, "Our zone of peace is being brutally assaulted." Communist Cuba is a supporter of the Maduro government and has been a longtime adversary of the United States.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said his government viewed the reports coming out of Venezuela "with deep concern," and he warned against further escalation, claiming the U.S. strikes risked destabilizing the region.

"The Colombian Government rejects any unilateral military action that could aggravate the situation or put the civilian population at risk," Petro wrote on X.

US COAST GUARD PURSUES THIRD 'DARK FLEET' OIL TANKER AS TRUMP TARGETS VENEZUELAN SANCTIONS EVASION NETWORK

Petro said Colombia is taking preventive measures to "protect the civilian population" and "preserve stability on the Colombian-Venezuelan border," although he did not provide exact details.

Mexico also condemned the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, saying it was a "clear violation" of international law and urging an end to what it described as "any acts of aggression" against Venezuela.

"Latin America and the Caribbean is a zone of peace," a statement released by the Mexican foreign ministry reads. The statement was shared by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on X.

It warned that any military action puts regional stability at "serious risk."

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also blasted the military action, saying the bombings and the reported capture of its president crossed "an unacceptable line."

"These acts represent a most serious affront to Venezuela’s sovereignty and yet another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community," Lula said, warning the strike risked plunging the world into "violence, chaos, and instability."

Russia too criticized the strikes, calling them an act of "armed aggression" against Venezuela. Moscow warned the move risked further escalation and urged dialogue instead.

"Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as it proclaimed itself in 2014. Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny, free from any destructive – let alone military – external interference," the Russian government said in a statement. 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the strikes.

Meanwhile, President Javier Milei of Argentina, a close ally of Trump, praised the news by sharing a previous video of him denouncing Maduro's "narco-terrorist" regime as a regional threat and urging Latin American leaders to back U.S. pressure to end it.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TARGETS MADURO’S INNER CIRCLE, FAMILY IN MAJOR NARCO-STATE CRACKDOWN

"Long live freedom, dammit!" Milei wrote, using his signature pro-freedom chant.

In Europe, European Council President António Costa said he was following developments in Venezuela "with great concern," urging de-escalation and respect for international law.

"The European Union calls for de-escalation and a resolution in full respect of international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations," Costa said, adding that the bloc would continue to support a "peaceful, democratic, and inclusive solution" in Venezuela.

In the U.K., Reform leader and staunch Trump ally Nigel Farage questioned the legality of the attack but said it may lead to a favorable outcome.

"The American actions in Venezuela overnight are unorthodox and contrary to international law — but if they make China and Russia think twice, it may be a good thing," Farage wrote. "I hope the Venezuelan people can now turn a new leaf without Maduro.

Meanwhile, in Venezuela, the government called on citizens to mobilize against what it labeled an "imperialist attack," urging, "People to the streets!"

Regional reaction elsewhere in Latin America was muted in the early hours after the strike, with several governments remaining silent as uncertainty grew over who was in control in Caracas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Venezuelan dictator captured by the Trump administration worked as a bus driver and union organizer before his ascent through the South American country’s political system, where he ultimately became a wanted man by the U.S. with a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest. 

Nicolás Maduro was "captured and flown out of the country" early Saturday following a "large-scale strike" by the U.S. military, according to President Donald Trump. 

The actions mark a stunning fall for Maduro, who was serving his third term as president of Venezuela. He led an administration that grappled with economic challenges, mass protests, disputed election results and allegations of narco-trafficking. 

Maduro was born in Venezuela’s capital of Caracas on Nov. 23, 1962. As a young man, he was sent to communist Cuba in 1986 for a year of ideological instruction — his only studies after high school.

LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO

Upon returning home, Maduro found work as a bus driver and union organizer. He embraced the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez after the then-army paratrooper in 1992 staged a failed coup against an unpopular austerity government. Around the same time, he met his longtime partner, Cilia Flores, a lawyer for the jailed leader. 

After Chávez was freed and elected president in 1998, Maduro, a young lawmaker, helped push his agenda of redistributing the OPEC nation’s oil wealth and political power. 

In 2000, Maduro was elected to Venezuela’s National Assembly. He later became the president of the National Assembly in 2005.

Then in 2006, Chávez appointed Maduro as Venezuela’s foreign minister. Six years later, Maduro was appointed as Venezuela’s vice president. 

When Maduro took power in 2013 following his mentor’s death from cancer, he struggled to bring order to the grief-stricken nation. Without "El Comandante" in charge, the economy entered a death spiral — shrinking 71% from 2012 to 2020, with inflation topping 130,000% — and opponents and rivals inside the government saw an opportunity. 

Less than a year into Maduro's presidency, hardliner opponents launched demonstrations demanding his exit.

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

Leaning heavily on Venezuela’s security forces, Maduro crushed the protests. However, with supermarket shelves empty amid widespread shortages, they resumed with more intensity three years later, leaving more than 100 people dead. In 2018, the International Criminal Court initiated a criminal investigation into possible crimes against humanity. 

The crackdown continued into the 2018 presidential race, which the opposition boycotted when several of its leaders were barred from running. Dozens of countries led by the U.S. condemned Maduro’s first re-election as illegitimate and recognized Juan Guaidó, the head of the National Assembly, as Venezuela’s elected leader. 

"Since 2019, more than 50 countries, including the United States, have refused to recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s head of state," the State Department said in a profile of Maduro on its website.

"Maduro helped manage and ultimately lead the Cartel of the Suns, a Venezuelan drug-trafficking organization comprised of high-ranking Venezuelan officials. As he gained power in Venezuela, Maduro participated in a corrupt and violent narco-terrorism conspiracy with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization," it added.  

TREASURY TARGETS OIL TRADERS, TANKERS ACCUSED OF HELPING MADURO EVADE US SANCTIONS

"Maduro negotiated multi-ton shipments of FARC-produced cocaine; directed the Cartel of the Suns to provide military-grade weapons to the FARC; coordinated with narcotics traffickers in Honduras and other countries to facilitate large-scale drug trafficking; and solicited assistance from FARC leadership in training an unsanctioned militia group that functioned, in essence, as an armed forces unit for the Cartel of the Suns," the State Department continued. 

"In March 2020, Maduro was charged in the Southern District of New York for narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices," it also said.

Maduro was re-elected again in 2024 in another disputed election. 

"Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election," then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the time. 

TRUMP SUGGESTS US HIT ‘BIG FACILITY’ IN VENEZUELA DRUG FIGHT

Maduro then delivered a fiery inauguration speech in January 2025, likening himself to a biblical David fighting Goliath and accusing his opponents and their supporters in the U.S. of trying to turn his inauguration into a "world war." 

He said his enemies’ failure to block his inauguration to a third six-year term was "a great victory" for Venezuela’s peace and national sovereignty. 

"I have not been made president by the government of the United States, nor by the pro-imperialist governments of Latin America," he said, after being draped with a sash in the red, yellow and blue of Venezuela’s flag. "I come from the people, I am of the people, and my power emanates from history and from the people. And to the people, I owe my whole life, body and soul." 

Months later, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.

"Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like TdA (Tren de Aragua), Sinaloa and Cartel of the Suns (Cartel de Soles) to bring deadly violence to our country," Bondi said in a video message in August 2025. "He is one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world and a threat to our national security." 

Fox News’ Michael Sinkewicz, Lucas Y. Tomlinson, Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The successors to the ousted authoritarian Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro are likely to be the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González, according to an expert on Caracas.

Jorge Jraissati, a Venezuelan who is the president of the Economic Inclusion Group, told Fox News Digital that "Machado and Gonzalez would assume a transitional government in Venezuela. They have the support of 70% of Venezuelans. They would lead this transition period." He added that "I believe Machado has the capacity and integrity to lead this very delicate transition. Key will be her ability to surround herself with young and capable Venezuelans instead of career politicians."

The United States recognized González as the legitimate leader of Venezuela after he soundly defeated Maduro by a more than two-to-one margin in the 2024 election. González replaced Machado after she was banned from running for the presidency by the Maduro-run high court. Maduro ignored the results.

VENEZUELAN DISSIDENT MACHADO CREDITS TRUMP FOR ADVANCING FREEDOM MOVEMENT, DEDICATES NOBEL TO HIM

While Machado has yet to comment on Maduro's fall, just last month she told Fox News Digital that "I am absolutely grateful to President Donald Trump for every gesture, every signal and every moment that he has stood with the Venezuelan people. I have watched it very closely, and I know what it has meant for those who are fighting to reclaim democracy and freedom in our country."

Having been announced as the winner of the Nobel Prize in December, Machado, who was hiding at the time because of Maduro’s efforts to purge the opposition, said about the award and committee, "I am very grateful to them, and this is a measure of what this recognition means to the Venezuelan people."

TRUMP CONFIRMS US STRIKE IN VENEZUELA, SAYS PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO HAS BEEN 'CAPTURED'

Her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, who accepted her Nobel Prize in Norway, said that her mother "wants to live in a free Venezuela" and "will never give up on that purpose." Machado would later appear in Norway following a daring operation to get her out of the country.

Sosa’s prediction appears to have crystallized having said, "That is why we all know, and I know, that she will be back in Venezuela very soon." Machado dedicated her Nobel to both Trump and the "suffering people of Venezuela." 

If either opposition leader María Corina Machado or Edmundo González fail to fill the vacuum in a post-Maduro Venezuela, experts point to a crowded field of dangerous actors who could attempt to seize power now that Maduro is out.

Diosdado Cabello emerges as the most feared and influential figure in the regime. La Nación describes him as the longtime number two of Chavismo, with sweeping control over party machinery and the propaganda apparatus. His power stretches from internal political enforcement to the interior and justice portfolios.

MADURO’S HEIRS: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS, CORRUPT ENFORCERS AND RUTHLESS LOYALISTS

Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and one of Maduro’s closest political operators, is another senior figure positioned for any succession scenario. La Nación highlights his prominence inside the ruling elite, noting his roles as mayor, communications minister and key strategist.

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s vice president, is described as a central political operator within the regime and part of a powerful governing duo with her brother Jorge. Her influence spans institutional, economic and diplomatic spheres. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Rodríguez as part of Maduro’s inner circle for helping dismantle democratic governance, and the European Union lists her under measures for human rights violations and the erosion of the rule of law.

Ivan Hernández Dala heads Venezuela’s military counterintelligence service (DGCIM) and commands the presidential guard, making him one of the most feared figures in the security apparatus. His control over internal repression gives him significant leverage in any power struggle. He was designated by the State Department in 2019 for his involvement in gross violations of human rights.

Vladimir Padrino López, Venezuela’s long-serving defense minister, is portrayed by La Nación as the backbone of the military establishment and the guarantor of Maduro’s survival. The armed forces remain loyal because of him, forming an axis of power between Padrino and Maduro.

In an interview with Fox News Digital in December, Jason Marczak, vice president and senior director at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, said, "A win isn’t just Nicolás Maduro leaving. . . . A win is actually a transition to democratic forces."

At least seven explosions could be heard in Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas early Saturday morning, according to reports.

Low-flying aircraft were seen flying over Caracas at about 2 a.m. local time on Saturday, according to The Associated Press.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a Notice to Air Missions at 1 a.m. EST on Saturday prohibiting all U.S. aircraft from operating "at all altitudes within Venezuelan airspace."

NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERT PREDICTS VENEZUELAN LEADER MADURO IS 'GOING TO BE GONE' UNDER TRUMP PRESSURE

The report comes as the U.S. military has been targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Thursday that his government was open to negotiating an agreement with the United States after months of American military pressure targeting drug trafficking networks tied to his government.

The Associated Press Contributed to this report.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

A customer at a McDonald's in Brazil was seen launching into a flying kick toward an employee during a fight in the fast-food restaurant. 

The incident happened at the chain's Sao Paulo location during a confrontation between workers and customers, The Sun reported.

A couple was seen arguing with staff members on Dec. 13 when the dispute escalated. 

MCDONALD'S WORKER SHOOTS CUSTOMER IN NECK DURING 'MCMESS' ALTERCATION, FLORIDA SHERIFF SAYS

As both sides scream at each other, a female customer is seen hurling a fallen burger at one of the employees, the outlet reported. 

In response, an employee throws what appeared to be a burger box at a man in a white T-shirt who appears to be accompanying the woman.

The man leads a small girl away before he launched himself at employees near a counter with a flying kick. An employee then appears to throw a punch, prompting the man to walk away. 

WATCH: FOOD ORDER MIX-UP TRIGGERS BRAWL AT BURGER JOINT, LEADING TO SEVEN ARRESTS

Other employees attempted to step in as the woman demanded her money back. She is seen picking something up from the counter and throwing it before the footage ends. 

The reason for the dispute was unclear, but local media outlets said it could have stemmed from a food order. 

McDonald’s said it regretted the scenes of violence at its Sao Paulo branch, the Sun report states. 

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The fast-food giant said it was investigating the incident and taking appropriate measures.

The luxury Swiss Alps nightclub where at least 40 people were killed and nearly 120 others were injured in a New Year’s Eve inferno, had previously released a promotional video advertising flaming champagne bottles, which authorities deemed the cause of the tragedy.

Le Constellation, a bar in the resort town of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, posted the video on YouTube showing waitresses in helmets moving through the dark, crowded club carrying bottles topped with sparkling candles.

In the footage, the bottles appear to be held high, at times nearly touching the ceiling.

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The video surfaced following a deadly blaze that tore through the basement nightclub at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday during a New Year’s Eve celebration.

At least 40 people were killed, and 119 others were injured, many seriously, when flames and smoke spread rapidly through the packed venue.

According to two witnesses, a bartender was carrying a female staff member on his shoulders while she held a champagne bottle fitted with a lit sparkler or flare near the wooden ceiling above the bar area.

Moments later, fire erupted overhead.

OVERNIGHT FIRE AT INDIA NIGHTCLUB LEAVES 25 DEAD

Valais Attorney General Beatrice Pilloudsaid confirmed on Friday the boozy fireworks were likely the cause, with the flames triggering a violent ignition of combustible gases known as a flashover, causing the flames to spread suddenly.

"The whole ceiling was in flames, and the fire spread really fast. It happened in seconds," two survivors later told the French broadcaster BFMTV.

Axel Clavier, 16, of Paris, said he felt as though he was suffocating as smoke filled the club.

Clavier told The Associated Press he escaped by using a table to force a plexiglass pane out of its frame amid what he described as "total chaos." 

He also said he saw waitresses arrive with champagne bottles and sparklers.

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

As of Friday afternoon, no arrests have been confirmed.

Pilloud said investigators will work to determine if anyone bears criminal liability for fire by negligence, homicide by negligence, or injuries by negligence.

Since the tragedy, hundreds of people have gathered outside the burned-out venue in Crans-Montana, laying flowers and candles as families waited for news of missing loved ones.

Italian authorities said the death toll could be as high as 47, Reuters reported, citing information provided by Swiss officials, who continue working to identify bodies.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the disaster as "one of the worst tragedies our country has ever known," noting that many of the victims were young people celebrating the New Year.

While the majority of those hurt were Swiss, four Serbians were injured, along with others from Bosnia, Belgium and Portugal.

Italy and France confirmed some of their nationals remain missing.

Le Constellation did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

As nationwide protests continued to spread across Iran on Friday, the regime’s hardline Parliament speaker warned the U.S. that American forces and bases in the region would be considered "legitimate targets" if Washington intervenes in the country’s ongoing political unrest.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the comments after President Donald Trump said earlier Friday that the U.S. would take action if Iran uses force against demonstrators. It comes as protests entered a sixth day and appear to be spreading, with Iranian opposition groups claiming at least eight deaths.

"The disrespectful President of America should also know that with this official admission, all American centers and forces across the entire region will be legitimate targets for us in response to any potential adventurism," Qalibaf wrote in Persian on X.

"Iranians have always been united and determined to act in the face of an aggressor enemy," he added.

IRANIAN PROTESTERS CLASH WITH SECURITY FORCES AS TEAR GAS FILLS TEHRAN STREETS AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST

Qalibaf’s threat emerges as the United States maintains a substantial military presence in the region.

Roughly 40,000 active-duty U.S. troops and War Department civilians are deployed across the Middle East, according to Military Times, citing Pentagon officials. Forces are stationed in countries including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Syria, according to Reuters.

Trump said earlier Friday that the United States is "locked and loaded and ready to go" if Iranian authorities violently suppress demonstrators.

"If Iran shoots and ‘violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,’" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

US AIRSTRIKE ON NUCLEAR FACILITIES FOLLOWS YEARS OF IRANIAN PLOTS ON AMERICAN SOIL

The Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) claimed Friday that protests have spread to at least 44 cities across 19 provinces, with at least eight people killed in clashes with security forces over the past two days. The group said the youngest victim was 15 years old. The claims could not be independently verified.

According to the NCRI, demonstrations and street fighting intensified overnight, with protesters blocking roads, throwing stones and setting fire to police vehicles in multiple cities, including Marvdasht, Semirom, Darreh-Shahr, Ramhormoz and Azna. 

The group also claimed demonstrators burned a statue of slain Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Lali, in Iran’s Khuzestan province.

Funerals of those killed in the uprising turned into angry demonstrations against the clerical dictatorship, NCRI reported.

In Zahedan, in Iran’s southeast near the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan, demonstrators rallied after Friday prayers, chanting slogans including "Death to the dictator" and "Death to Khamenei."

The unrest marks Iran’s most significant protests since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody sparked nationwide demonstrations. Iranian officials say the current unrest has not reached the same scale or intensity.

EXILED PRINCE WARNS IRANIAN MILITARY OF 'FINAL CHANCE' TO STAND UP TO THE REGIME

In recent demonstrations, some of the most severe violence has been reported in western Iran, where videos circulating online appear to show fires burning in streets and the sound of gunfire during nighttime protests.

In a message to the protesters, the President-elect of the NCRI, Maryam Rajavi, said that the protesters have "struck fear into a weakened enemy."

"Scenes of your courage, valor, and steadfast resistance captivate the conscience of the world," Rajavi said. "Therefore, from here, I say to the clerics, the Revolutionary Guards, the Basij forces, and their intelligence agents: whatever measures you take, you will not be able to silence a people who have resolved to overthrow the clerical regime."

"You may kill, you may wound, you may arrest and imprison, but you will not escape the relentless wrath of this nation. And let this stand as an explicit warning to all those who order and carry out these crimes and killings: the courts of a free Iran are awaiting you."

Meanwhile, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of Iran’s former shah, praised Trump’s "decisive leadership" and tough stance against Iran’s ruling clerics.

Pahlavi said Iranians are risking their lives to end 46 years of rule by the Islamic Republic.

"[The people] have entrusted me with a message along with a great responsibility: to strive for the revival of the relationship that Iran once had with America; a relationship that brought peace and prosperity to the Middle East," Pahlavi wrote on X.

"I have a clear plan for a stable transition in Iran and enjoy the support of my people to achieve it. With your leadership in the free world, we can leave behind a lasting legacy of enduring peace."

Fox News’ Bradford Betz, Greg Norman, Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukraine orchestrated a fake hit on one of Russia's enemies who has fought alongside Ukrainian forces, tricking the Kremlin into paying out a $500,000 bounty Kyiv used to fund its war effort. 

The subject of the supposed Dec. 27 assassination was Denis Kapustin, also known as "White Rex," the leader of the right-wing Russian Volunteer Corps, a group fighting for the overthrow of Vladimir Putin, Metro UK reported. 

However, Kapustin is alive despite claims from the Ukrainian Armed Forces last week that he was killed by an FPV drone in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.

CHECHEN LEADER THREATENS ZELENSKYY AMID DRONE STRIKE, ECHOES ALLEGED ASSASSINATION PLOT

"We will definitely avenge you, Denis. Your legacy lives on," the RVC group wrote on Telegram last week. 

On Thursday, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR) confirmed this was part of a special operation to save Kapustin’s life and, in the process, earn $500,000.

RUSSIAN CRUISE MISSILES HIT US COMPANY IN MASSIVE UKRAINE STRIKE AMID TRUMP’S PEACE PUSH

"Welcome back to life," HUR General Kyrylo Budanov, who heads Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, said while congratulating Kapustin and his team on a successful intelligence operation, News.com.au, an Australian news website, reported. 

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kapustin founded the RVC to fight alongside the Ukrainian army.

The group, which was banned in Russia as a terrorist organization, was known for staging cross-border attacks in Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions. He had twice been sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by kangaroo courts in Russia, The Sun reported. 

In March 2024, the RVC stormed into Russia and clashed with security forces before capturing Russian soldiers.

Ukraine and Russian are in the middle of peace talks mediated by President Donald Trump. The deal is close, but Ukrainian leaders have said the sticking point remains the issue of disputed territories.  

Eyewitnesses have been recounting the nightmare they saw after a fiery blaze erupted at a bar in Switzerland leaving dozens dead and others wounded earlier this week.

"I thought my little brother was inside so I came and tried to break the window to help people to exit, and after that I went in," a man, aged 18, said, according to the BBC. "I saw people burning... I found people burning from head to foot, no clothes anymore," he recalled, noting, "It was very shocking." 

The man's brother was not harmed, the outlet reported.

"I went in this bar every day this week — the day I didn't go, it burned," he noted, according to the outlet.

An individual named Daniella was heading home with her husband from a dinner when she witnessed some of the horror, the BBC reported.

OFFICIALS RACE TO IDENTIFY MOSTLY YOUNG VICTIMS OF DEADLY SWISS ALPS BAR FIRE

"People were running in all directions, screaming and crying. I saw several people being carried out on stretchers," she told the outlet. "A young man came up to me and said he'd seen hell — things he would never forget. And then I just froze."

Gianni Campolo, 19, headed to the bar to assist first responders after getting a call from a friend who escaped the fire, according to the Associated Press.

AT LEAST 40 DEAD IN FIRE AT SWISS ALPS BAR DURING NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATIONS, POLICE SAY

"I have seen horror, and I don’t know what else would be worse than this," Campolo informed TF1, according to the AP.

Ferdinand Du Beaudiez, a 19-year-old who escaped from the fire in the bar, said that he went back in to look for his brother, his girlfriend and others, said he "couldn't think to let them stay in the fire when I was alive outside." 

He said the first time he headed back in, he found a person "laying in the stairs" who "was completely burned, clothes were burned" — he explained that he could not tell if the individual was a man or a woman. He "slid" the person "on the ground, and he was being taken care of, um, outside … " the survivor recalled. 

MASSIVE BLAZE ENGULFS HISTORIC NEW ENGLAND WHARF; FIREFIGHTERS RACE TO CONTAIN FLAMES

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The second time he headed back in, he experienced "more smoke," and he "could breathe less," he said, explaining he "went in, couldn't see anything and went straight out."

He eventually found his girlfriend, who told him where his brother was.

Swiss authorities on Friday began the grim task of identifying the mostly young victims of a deadly New Year’s Eve bar fire that killed around 40 people and injured more than 100 at a ski resort in Crans-Montana.

Italian authorities said the death toll could be as high as 47, Reuters reported, citing information provided by Swiss officials. Several Italian nationals were reportedly among the dead, injured or still missing.

The fire tore through the Le Constellation bar in the Alpine resort town in the early hours Thursday, turning a packed night of celebration into panic and tragedy. Officials said the blaze appeared to be an accident rather than an attack.

HONG KONG LEADER SAYS 'WE MUST UNCOVER THE TRUTH' AFTER DEADLY APARTMENT FIRE, CALLS FOR BUILDING REFORM

Swiss authorities said the severity of the burns suffered by many of the victims could delay formal identifications for days, as forensic teams worked to determine the identities of those killed.

Police and government officials said a large share of the victims were teenagers and young adults, with many believed to be between 16 and 26 years old. In Switzerland, the legal drinking age is 16 for beer and wine.

"All this work needs to be done because the information is so terrible and sensitive that nothing can be told to the families unless we are 100% sure," said Mathias Reynard, head of government of the canton of Valais. He said investigators were using dental records and DNA samples to identify the victims.

Italy and France said some of their nationals remain missing, and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani visited Crans-Montana on Friday and laid flowers. 

The number of Italians involved in the incident currently stands at 19, according to the BBC, which cited Italy's foreign ministry.

Australia has also confirmed that one of its nationals was injured. 

OVERNIGHT FIRE AT INDIA NIGHTCLUB LEAVES 25 DEAD

Some survivor accounts and video broadcast on social media suggested the ceiling of the bar’s basement may have caught fire when sparkling candles used during bottle service got too close, though authorities said the cause had not yet been formally determined.

Officials said the blaze triggered the violent ignition of combustible gases — a phenomenon known to English-speaking firefighters as a flashover or backdraft, according to The Associated Press.

Axel Clavier, a 16-year-old from Paris who survived the blaze, described "total chaos" inside the bar. One of his friends died and "two or three were missing," he told the outlet.

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

Clavier said he did not see the fire start but recalled waitresses entering the room carrying Champagne bottles topped with sparklers shortly before the blaze erupted.

Another witness told BFMTV that people smashed windows to escape the flames. Panicked parents rushed to the scene to see whether their children were trapped inside.

Helicopters and ambulances rushed to the scene to assist victims from multiple countries, officials said. Hospitals were quickly overwhelmed, with intensive care units and operating theaters reaching capacity.

Swiss authorities later said the burn unit in Valais was full, and that Italy made a major burns unit in Milan available to treat the injured. 

By Friday, mourners had begun leaving flowers and candles at a makeshift memorial near the cordoned-off bar as the resort town struggled to absorb the scale of the tragedy.

Fox News' Bradford Betz, Greg Norman, Emma Bussey, as well as The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. 

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Thursday that his government is open to negotiating an agreement with the United States after months of American military pressure targeting drug trafficking networks tied to his government.

In a pre-taped interview with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet that aired on state television, Maduro said Venezuela is "ready" to discuss a drug-trafficking deal with the U.S. He called on the countries to "start talking seriously, with data in hand."

"The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready," he said. "If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it."

Chevron Corp. is the only major U.S. oil company currently exporting Venezuelan crude to the United States.

MADURO TRAPPED WITH FEW RETALIATION OPTIONS AFTER TRUMP ADMIN SEIZES VENEZUELAN OIL TANKER

Maduro said the U.S. wants a regime change in Venezuela and access to its oil reserves through a months-long pressure campaign that began with a major military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August.

He said it is clear the U.S. wants "to impose themselves through threats, intimidation and force."

The interview was recorded on New Year’s Eve, the same day the U.S. military announced a kinetic strike that killed five people aboard two vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations involved in narcotics trafficking.

SEN. KENNEDY DOUBLES DOWN ON VENEZUELA CRACKDOWN, URGES SANCTIONS TO 'CHOKE OFF' FUNDS

At least 114 people have been killed since the U.S. began bombing alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific in early September.

The U.S. may be signaling a possible expansion of its Venezuela-focused campaign, including potential ground operations.

President Donald Trump confirmed that a strike last week targeted what he described as a Venezuelan port used for drug trafficking, but declined to say whether the operation was carried out by the U.S. military or another entity, such as the CIA.

SOUTHCOM SAYS 8 NARCO-TERRORISTS KILLED IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC LETHAL KINETIC STRIKES

Maduro declined to comment on that strike during the interview, but said he could "talk about it in a few days."

In recent weeks, Trump has intensified pressure on Maduro, ordering a total blockade of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, designating his regime a foreign terrorist organization, and accusing it of using stolen U.S. assets to fund terrorism, drug trafficking and other criminal activity.

U.S. authorities have also seized two ships carrying sanctioned oil.

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner, Morgan Phillips, Jasmine Baehr and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appeared publicly with his daughter, Ju Ae, during a New Year’s Day visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, a symbolic site honoring the country’s founding leaders.

Images from the state news agency KCNA show Ju Ae standing between her parents in the main hall of the mausoleum, a moment that analysts say has fueled speculation about her future role in the regime.

Ju Ae has been featured more often in state media over the past three years, fueling speculation by analysts and South Korea’s intelligence agency that she may be positioned as a potential successor to Kim Jong Un.

The appearance comes amid a longstanding tradition in North Korea, where Kim visits the mausoleum on key dates and anniversaries to reinforce the legitimacy of the nuclear-armed country's dynastic heritage.

TRUMP AND KIM JONG UN SHOULD MAKE 'BOLD DECISION' TO MEET DURING HIS ASIA TRIP, SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL SAYS

North Korea has never confirmed Ju Ae’s age, and her exact age remains unknown, but she is believed to be around 12 or 13.

After being publicly introduced in North Korea in 2022, Ju Ae made her first public appearance outside of her home country while accompanying her father on a trip to Beijing in September, his first visit to China in years, a move analysts said may signal her role as North Korea’s heir-in-waiting.

Ju Ae's existence was inadvertently revealed by retired NBA star Dennis Rodman over a decade ago in an interview with The Guardian.

NORTH KOREA FIRES BALLISTIC MISSILE DAYS AFTER HEGSETH WRAPS SOUTH KOREA VISIT

Rodman told reporters during a 2013 trip to Pyongyang he had "held the baby Ju Ae," while calling Kim Jong Un a "good dad."

Parenting expert Kirsty Ketley told Fox News Digital in September that placing Ju Ae in the global spotlight at a young age could have lasting consequences.

"She’s being shaped into a role rather than being supported to figure out who she is as an individual, and that pressure could have a huge impact on her mental health," she said. 

Fox News Digital's Emma Bussey and Reuters contributed to this report.

Pope Leo XIV opened the new year Thursday with an appeal to the world for peace and urging people everywhere to begin 2026 by rejecting violence and committing to reconciliation.

Speaking during his first Angelus address of 2026, the pope invited the faithful to "build a year of peace by disarming our hearts and refraining from every form of violence."

Around 40,000 gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Rome to hear the pope’s New Year's Day message on the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, which also coincides with World Day of Peace.

POPE LEO XIV CALLS OUT CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION AMID LATEST MASSACRE OF CIVILIANS IN AFRICAN NATION

At the start of his address, Pope Leo extended his wishes for peace and good in the new year and offered a special greeting to the president of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella.

After the Angelus prayer, the pope said Jan. 1 has been marked as the World Day of Peace since 1968 at the initiative of Pope St. Paul VI.

Reflecting on the meaning of the day, Pope Leo referred to the words that came to him after his election as bishop of Rome: "Peace be with you all."

"This peace," the pope said, "is unarmed and disarming. It comes from God; it is a gift of his unconditional love, and it is entrusted to our responsibility."

ADVENT PEACE DEMANDS ACTION: DEFEND THOSE WHO RISK THEIR LIVES TO WORSHIP FREELY

He also emphasized that peace is not something imposed by force, but a gift that needs personal conversion and choices in daily life.

Calling on Christians and all people of goodwill, Pope Leo urged them to begin immediately.

"With Christ’s grace," he said, "let us start today to build a year of peace, disarming our hearts and refraining from all violence."

The pope acknowledged that efforts to build peace are already underway across the world and expressed appreciation for individuals and organizations dedicated to ending conflict and promoting dialogue.

POPE LEO XIV DELIVERS FIRST CHRISTMAS MESSAGE CALLING FOR END TO VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EAST, RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

In line with the peacekeeping theme, he highlighted a national peace march held Dec. 31 in Catania, Italy, and mentioned another organized by members of the Community of Sant’Egidio, known for its international peace initiatives.

Pope Leo also welcomed students and teachers from Richland, New Jersey, who were in the square watching.

At the end of the address, the pope spoke about the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, a figure also closely associated with peace.

He closed with the saint’s biblical blessing: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace."

Pope Leo ended by entrusting the new year to Mary, the Mother of God, asking that she guide humanity on its journey in the new year.

Protests in Iran entered a fifth consecutive day on Thursday, with demonstrations and clashes reported across Tehran and multiple provincial cities as authorities, state-linked media and rights groups cited additional deaths overnight.

According to Reuters, several people have been killed since the unrest escalated, based on reports from Iranian media and human rights groups. Iranian authorities have confirmed at least one death, while other fatalities have been reported in different provinces.

Opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) told Fox News Digital in a statement that protests and street clashes continued Thursday morning in Tehran and in cities including Marvdasht, Kermanshah, Delfan and Arak, and claimed that two protesters were killed by direct fire in Lordegan. Fox News Digital could not independently verify the deaths.

ANTI-IRAN REGIME PROTESTS GROW ACROSS COUNTRY AS TRUMP ADMIN BOOSTS DEMONSTRATORS OFFERING SUPPORT

The protests began on Sunday after shopkeepers and merchants demonstrated against soaring inflation, unemployment and the sharp depreciation of Iran’s currency. The unrest quickly spread beyond bazaars to include students and wider public demonstrations in cities across the country.

In Lordegan, in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, clashes intensified overnight. Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, reported that crowds threw stones at government buildings, including the governor’s office, the judiciary, the Martyrs Foundation, the Friday prayer complex and several banks. Police used tear gas to disperse protesters, and multiple buildings were heavily damaged. Fars said two people were killed during the clashes, without specifying whether they were protesters or security personnel.

The Kurdish rights group Hengaw reported that protesters in Lordegan were killed by security forces. In Kuhdasht, authorities said a member of the Basij volunteer paramilitary force was killed, and 13 others wounded during clashes, blaming demonstrators. Hengaw disputed that account, telling Reuters that the individual was a protester killed by security forces. Reuters said it could not confirm either version.

Separately, Iran International reported that a 37-year-old man was shot dead in Fooladshahr, in Isfahan province, during overnight protests. Iran International said it verified the man’s identity and reviewed video footage, while provincial police confirmed the death of a 37-year-old citizen without providing further details.

IRANIAN PRESIDENT SAYS HIS COUNTRY IS AT 'TOTAL WAR' WITH THE US, ISRAEL AND EUROPE: REPORTS

Six women who were detained during protests in Tehran have been transferred to the women’s ward of Evin prison, U.S.-based rights group Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said.

President Donald Trump and other administration officials voiced support for the demonstrators this week. Speaking Monday, Trump pointed to Iran’s economic collapse and long-standing public discontent, while stopping short of explicitly calling for regime change.

Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, issued a statement on the continuing protests, noting: "The four-day uprising by merchants, students, and other sectors of society signals the Iranian people’s determination to be free from religious tyranny. This wretched regime is doomed to be overthrown by the risen populace and rebellious youth. The final word is spoken in the streets by the people and the rebellious youth, those with nothing left to lose. This regime must go."

The unrest comes as Iran’s economy remains under severe strain from years of international sanctions, high inflation and currency depreciation. Authorities declared a nationwide shutdown on Wednesday, officially citing extreme cold weather, and said the government offered to hold talks with representatives of merchants and trade unions over what it described as "legitimate demands."

Another influential dissident leader, the exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of the late Shah of Iran, took to X and appealed to the international community "to stand with the people of Iran." He continued in part, "The current regime has reached the end of the road. It stands at its most fragile: weak, deeply divided, and unable to suppress the courage of a rising nation. The growing protests show this year will be the definitive moment for change."

Iran has faced repeated waves of unrest over the past decade. While nationwide protests in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini centered on women’s rights and state repression, the current demonstrations are rooted primarily in economic grievances, with protesters in several cities now openly directing their anger at Iran’s political leadership.

Reuters contributed to this report.

A University of Alabama student reportedly suffered multiple skull fractures and other injuries after he fell while on vacation with his family in the Caribbean. 

A GoFundMe page set up for Matthew Polaski and his family reads, "What should have been a joyful time together quickly became every parent’s worst nightmare." 

"Mike, Steph, Matthew, and Evan were on a family vacation in the Dominican Republic during the holidays while Matthew was home on winter break from his freshman year at the University of Alabama," the GoFundMe page added.  

"On December 28th, Matthew suffered a severe head injury after a fall. He was rushed to a local hospital where doctors performed emergency surgery to relieve swelling on his brain and save his life. He remains in critical care and was placed in a medically induced coma," it continued. "Once stabilized, Matthew was transported by international medical flight to Miami, where his treatment continues."

POLICE SHOULD BE TAKING 'CLOSER LOOK' AT COLLEGE STUDENT'S DEATH AFTER MOTHER'S ALLEGATIONS: FORMER PROSECUTOR

The circumstances of the fall were not immediately clear. Fox News Digital also has reached out to the University of Alabama for comment. 

The GoFundMe describes Polaski as a "hardworking, respectful young man with a deep passion for gymnastics." 

"He recently began his college journey at Alabama, joined Sigma Pi fraternity, and has his whole future ahead of him. Mike and Steph have always been unwavering in their support — traveling to countless meets, tournaments, and college visits to help Matthew pursue his dreams," it added.

AMERICAN TOURIST ATTACKED BY SHARK IN VACATION HOT SPOT

An update posted Wednesday on the GoFundMe page described how Matthew Polaski suffered "skull fractures, fractured pelvis and lower back vertebrate fractures." 

"They reduced sedation and checked motor responses, both arms and legs responded on chest stimulation, another good early sign. Much is still being determined with mostly with the head injury for unknowns," the update added. "Probably the most emotional update as a parent, Matthew started motion on his own, opened his mouth, and squeezed Steph’s hand in responses. I can’t imagine how many tears Steph had in that moment." 

The Robbinsville Police Department in New Jersey said Matthew’s father used to be its chief.

The GoFundMe page said Matthew Polaski’s medical bills in the Dominican Republic have reached nearly $75,000. 

"International medical transport costs alone are estimated between $35,000 and $55,000. Unfortunately, insurance provides very limited coverage for international medical care, and even with insurance, medical expenses in the U.S. add up quickly. This is only the beginning," it said. 

An explosive fire at a bar in the Swiss Alps killed multiple people and injured others during New Year’s celebrations, police said.

The blaze happened in the Alpine ski resort municipality of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, police said.

"The fire started around 1:30 a.m. this morning in a bar called 'Le Constellation,'" police spokesperson Gaëtan Lathion said. "More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead."

EXPLOSION AT PENNSYLVANIA SENIOR HOME PROMPTS MASS CASUALTY RESPONSE

Investigators were working to determine the cause of the fire, police said.

"We're just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is an internationally renown ski resort with lots of tourists," Lathion said.

A reception center and helpline have been established for impacted families, Lathion said.

A news conference was scheduled by police for 10 a.m. The community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, about 25 miles north of the Matterhorn.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

France is planning to ban children under 15 from social media and to restrict cellphone use in high schools starting next year, local media Le Monde reported on Tuesday.

The proposal aims to curb excessive screen time and shield minors from online risks such as inappropriate content. President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly cited social media as a contributing factor to violence among young people.  

"Many studies and reports now confirm the various risks caused by excessive use of digital screens by adolescents," a draft law stated, according to Le Monde.

The document added that children with unrestrained access online have been exposed to "inappropriate content" and could suffer from cyber-harassment or experience changes to their sleep patterns, according to the outlet.

AFTER AUSTRALIA PASSES SOCIAL MEDIA BAN, LAWMAKERS PROBED ON WHY CONGRESS HASN'T DONE MORE TO PROTECT KIDS

The proposal follows Australia’s lead after the country introduced a world-first ban on social media for children under 16 years old in December, restricting access to platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.

Macron is aiming for Parliament to debate the proposal in January, with a potential start date of September next year, according to the local outlet.

In June, Macron said he wanted to push for similar regulations across the European Union (EU), following a fatal school stabbing in eastern France that shocked the nation in April, Reuters reported.

TEXAS FAMILY SUES CHARACTER.AI AFTER CHATBOT ALLEGEDLY ENCOURAGED AUTISTIC SON TO HARM PARENTS AND HIMSELF

Macron has previously taken numerous steps to protect minors digitally. However, technical challenges, including EU legal constraints and weak enforcement, have limited the effectiveness of such measures. 

Cellphones have already been banned in French elementary and middle schools since 2018, according to Le Monde.

In 2023, France reportedly attempted to pass a law calling for a "digital legal age," which required parental consent for social media users under 15 years old. The law, however, was blocked by EU regulations.

In November, the European Parliament urged the EU to set minimum social media ages to tackle adolescent mental health issues, though final decisions rest with its member states, Reuters reported.

China will begin charging a 13% value-added tax on contraceptives starting Jan. 1 while exempting childcare services from the same tax, a move authorities say is part of a broader effort to boost births as the country faces a sustained population decline, according to the BBC and The Associated Press.

The tax overhaul, announced late last year, removes exemptions that had been in place since 1994, when China was still enforcing its decades-long one-child policy.

Alongside the new tax on contraceptives such as condoms and birth control pills, the Chinese government is exempting childcare, marriage-related services and elderly care from the value-added tax (VAT), the BBC reported.

Beijing has been pressing young people to marry and have children as it grapples with an aging population and a sluggish economy. Official figures show China’s population has shrunk for three consecutive years with about 9.54 million babies born in 2024.

WHY GEN Z DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE KIDS

That figure is roughly half the number of births recorded a decade earlier, when China began easing limits on family size, according to national statistics cited by the BBC and the AP.

China’s population pressures have been mounting for years. Births fell from about 14.7 million in 2019 to roughly 9.5 million in 2024. In 2023, India officially overtook China as the world’s most populous country.

The new tax on contraceptives has drawn ridicule and concern inside China. On social media, some users joked about stockpiling condoms before prices rise, while others argued that the cost of contraception is insignificant compared with the expense of raising a child, the BBC reported.

"I have one child, and I don’t want any more," Daniel Luo, a 36-year-old resident of Henan province, told the BBC. He said the price increase would not change his family plans, comparing it to small hikes in subway fares that do not alter daily behavior.

Others worry the policy could have unintended consequences. Rosy Zhao, who lives in the central city of Xi’an, told the BBC making contraception more expensive could lead students or people under financial strain to take risks. She called that the policy’s most dangerous potential outcome.

A SOLUTION TO THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY PROBLEM: MARRIAGE

Health experts echoed those concerns in interviews with the AP, warning that higher prices could reduce access to contraception and contribute to more unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. China recorded more than 670,000 cases of syphilis and over 100,000 cases of gonorrhea in 2024, according to data from the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration.

China has also reported some of the highest abortion numbers in the world. Between 2014 and 2021, authorities recorded between 9 million and 10 million abortions annually, according to the National Health Commission. China stopped publishing abortion data in 2022.

Demographers and policy analysts remain skeptical that taxing contraceptives will meaningfully raise birth rates. Yi Fuxian, a senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, told the BBC the idea that higher condom prices would influence fertility decisions amounts to overthinking the policy.

Value-added tax revenue, which totaled close to $1 trillion last year, accounts for about 40% of China’s tax collection, according to figures cited by the BBC.

Henrietta Levin of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) described the move as symbolic, reflecting Beijing’s attempt to lift what she called strikingly low fertility numbers. She also cautioned that many incentives and subsidies depend on provincial governments that are already heavily indebted, raising questions about whether they can fund the measures adequately.

JAPAN REJECTS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE TO SAVE ITSELF FROM DEMOGRAPHIC COLLAPSE

Public health experts interviewed by the AP said the policy could disproportionately affect women, who shoulder most responsibility for birth control in China. Research released by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2022 found condoms are used by about 9% of couples, while 44.2% rely on intrauterine devices and 30.5% on female sterilization. Male sterilization accounts for 4.7%.

Some women say the tax revives resentment toward the government’s long history of involvement in reproductive decisions. The Communist Party enforced the one-child policy from roughly 1980 until 2015 through fines, penalties and, in some cases, forced abortions, according to the AP. Children born outside the policy were sometimes denied household registration, effectively rendering them non-citizens.

"It is a disciplinary tactic, a management of women’s bodies and my sexual desire," Zou Xuan, a 32-year-old teacher in Jiangxi province, told the AP.

Concerns about further state intrusion have also surfaced in recent months. The BBC reported that women in some provinces have received calls from local officials asking about menstrual cycles and pregnancy plans. A health bureau in Yunnan province said the information was needed to identify expectant mothers, a move critics say risks alienating the very families Beijing hopes to encourage.

Levin warned that such approaches could damage public trust. She told the BBC, "The [Communist] party can't help but insert itself into every decision that it cares about. So, it ends up being its own worst enemy in some ways."

While the government is adjusting policies once used to limit population growth, experts caution that reversing decades-long demographic trends will be much more difficult than increasing prices at the checkout counter, especially after years of policies that shaped whether families could have children.

Iran ground to a near standstill Wednesday as businesses, universities and government offices closed under a government-ordered shutdown amid protests caused by a growing political and economic crisis.

Video footage circulating online and shared by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) shows intense clashes between protesters and security forces in cities, including Shiraz, Isfahan, Kermanshah and Tehran.

In the videos, protesters chant anti-regime slogans and confront security forces in crowded streets.

Footage included scenes of screaming and apparent gunfire, with demonstrators throwing objects and shouting, "Death to the Dictator" and "Proud Arakis, support, support."

IRAN REPORTEDLY DEVELOPING CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL MISSILE WARHEADS AS PROTESTS SPREAD OVER COLLAPSING ECONOMY

Additional footage shared by MEK shows crowds chanting, "Death to Khamenei!" and "Shame on you, shame on you!" as anger appears to spread across the country, with a particular focus on bazaar-led protests in Tehran.

Some of the most dramatic scenes were reported in the city of Fasa in south-central Iran. Video circulating online shows demonstrators hurling objects at the gates of a government complex and shaking them until they opened.

Opposition groups also reported that protesters stormed the governor’s office, prompting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces to open fire, per Reuters.

IRANIAN PRESIDENT SAYS HIS COUNTRY IS AT 'TOTAL WAR' WITH THE US, ISRAEL AND EUROPE: REPORTS

Military helicopters were seen flying over the city, apparently to intimidate residents and prevent the unrest from spreading.

In Kermanshah, in western Iran, bazaar merchants were seen confronting security forces while chanting, "Dishonorable, dishonorable," according to video footage.

The one-day shutdown affected 21 of Iran’s 31 provinces, including Tehran, as President Masoud Pezeshkian sought to contain mounting public anger fueled by inflation, currency instability and declining living standards.

IRAN KILLING SPREE CONTINUES AS REGIME SETS NEW RECORD FOR 2025 EXECUTIONS, DISSIDENT GROUP SAYS

Demonstrations, strikes and clashes with security forces continued for a fourth consecutive day in cities across the country.

The unrest has unfolded alongside a series of high-level leadership changes that have added to uncertainty.

On Wednesday, Pezeshkian appointed Abdolnaser Hemmati, a former economy minister, as the new head of Iran’s central bank after the resignation of Mohammad Reza Farzin.

State media quoted the president as acknowledging the role was "extremely difficult and complex," warning that the new central bank chief would face intense pressure and criticism amid ongoing economic turmoil, according to IRNA.

Separately, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced the appointment of IRGC Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi as deputy commander in chief of the Revolutionary Guards.