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As negotiations for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas approach a decisive moment, the toll of the conflict continues to grow.

Today, the Israeli military reported five soldiers were killed in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, and eight injured from an ammunition explosion, one of the deadliest incidents in recent operations. On Sunday, another four soldiers were killed in Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas has fired 20 rockets at Israel over the past two weeks, highlighting its continued ability to launch attacks after 15 months of war.

Negotiations involving the U.S., Qatar and Egypt are reportedly close to an agreement. The draft deal would secure the release of 33 hostages out of 98 – children, women, female soldiers, men over the age of 50 and humanitarian cases – in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile detainees. This phase is expected to last 42 days.

According to an Israeli official, most of the 33 hostages who were abducted by Hamas from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, are still alive. Humanitarian aid will be delivered to the Gaza Strip during this phase. Israel will reportedly release 50 prisoners for every female hostage and 30 children and women for every hostage.

BIDEN CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE IN CALL WITH ISRAEL'S NETANYAHU

The deal would also include a significant Israeli concession allowing 1 million displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, a move security experts warn could enable Hamas to regroup.

"The pace at which Hamas is rebuilding itself is higher than the pace that the IDF is eradicating them," retired IDF Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi told the Wall Street Journal on Monday.

Avivi also told Israeli radio that the deal has to include all the hostages, but there is only one Hamas demand that can't be agreed to: "ending the war." He said as long as ending the war is not part of the deal, then "hard concessions" can be made.

During his farewell foreign policy address at the State Department on Monday, President Biden said, "We’re on the brink of a proposal laid down months ago finally coming to fruition. We're pressing hard to close this – free the hostages, halt the fighting, secure Israel and ensure humanitarian aid to Gaza. Palestinians deserve peace, Israel deserves peace, and we are working urgently to close this deal as we address the challenges."

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan emphasized the urgency in a statement, "We have coordinated very closely with the incoming administration to present a united message to all the parties, which says it is in the American national security interest…to get this deal done as fast as possible. And now we think those details are on the brink of being fully hammered out, and the parties are right on the cusp of being able to close this deal. Whether or not we go from where we are now to actually closing it, the hours and days ahead will tell."

ISRAEL SENDS REPORT TO UN ON 'BRUTAL' TREATMENT USED BY TERRORISTS AGAINST HOSTAGES IN GAZA

Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the proposed cease-fire over the phone on Sunday, reflecting the high-level coordination between the U.S. and Israel. U.S. envoy Brett McGurk has been stationed in Qatar working nonstop to finalize the agreement.

The Israeli military has reported killing approximately 17,000 Hamas terrorists and detaining thousands more since the war began. Before the conflict, Hamas maintained a force of 30,000 terrorists organized into 24 battalions. While the IDF claims to have dismantled much of this structure, Hamas, which still controls large parts of Gaza, has not disclosed its losses or new recruitment figures. The Hamas-run Ministry of Health claims some 46,000 Gazans have been killed so far in the war.

The cease-fire proposal has sparked fierce debate within Israel’s government. Most coalition members, including Netanyahu, support the deal, viewing it as a critical step toward the hostages’ release. However, some coalition members to Netanyahu's right strongly oppose the deal, citing security risks and fears that Hamas will use the pause to rebuild.

President Biden on Monday spoke for the last time from the State Department on the state of American foreign policy and national security following his four-year term set to conclude in one week when President-elect Donald Trump will once again take up the top job. 

Biden did not specifically address or name the inbound president, but he referenced the prior, and incoming, Trump administration and touted that he is leaving a "strong hand to play."

BIDEN CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE IN CALL WITH ISRAEL'S NETANYAHU

The president listed off a number of major nations of top geopolitical importance to U.S. national security, but he also referenced the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan – which has been among the president’s most heavily criticized policy decisions and which resulted in the death of 13 American service members and roughly 140 Afghan civilians ISIS-K launched an attack on those evacuating at Abbey Gate.

"[I am] the first president in decades who's not leaving a war in Afghanistan to his successor," Biden said.

The president pointed to the 2011 assassination of 9/11 mastermind, Osama bin Laden, during the Obama administration and said he assessed that large numbers of American forces were no longer needed when he took up office.  

"So when I took office, I had a choice – only I saw no reason to keep thousands of servicemen in Afghanistan," he added. "In my view, it was time to end the war and bring our troops home, and we did."

This is a developing story.

Millions of Hindu devotees, mystics and holy men and women from all across India flocked to the northern city of Prayagraj on Monday to kickstart the Maha Kumbh festival, which is being touted as the world's largest religious gathering.

Over about the next six weeks, Hindu pilgrims will gather at the confluence of three sacred rivers — the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati — where they will take part in elaborate rituals, hoping to begin a journey to achieve Hindu philosophy’s ultimate goal: the release from the cycle of rebirth.

AT LEAST 9 MINERS ARE TRAPPED IN A COAL MINE IN INDIA'S NORTHEASTERN ASSAM STATE

Here’s what to know about the festival:

Hindus venerate rivers, and none more so than the Ganges and the Yamuna. The faithful believe that a dip in their waters will cleanse them of their past sins and end their process of reincarnation, particularly on auspicious days. The most propitious of these days occur in cycles of 12 years during a festival called the Maha Kumbh Mela, or pitcher festival.

The festival is a series of ritual baths by Hindu sadhus, or holy men, and other pilgrims at the confluence of three sacred rivers that dates to at least medieval times. Hindus believe that the mythical Saraswati river once flowed from the Himalayas through Prayagraj, meeting there with the Ganges and the Yamuna.

Bathing takes place every day, but on the most auspicious dates, naked, ash-smeared monks charge toward the holy rivers at dawn. Many pilgrims stay for the entire festival, observing austerity, giving alms and bathing at sunrise every day.

"We feel peaceful here and attain salvation from the cycles of life and death," said Bhagwat Prasad Tiwari, a pilgrim.

The festival has its roots in a Hindu tradition that says the god Vishnu wrested a golden pitcher containing the nectar of immortality from demons. Hindus believe that a few drops fell in the cities of Prayagraj, Nasik, Ujjain and Haridwar — the four places where the Kumbh festival has been held for centuries.

The Kumbh rotates among these four pilgrimage sites about every three years on a date prescribed by astrology. This year’s festival is the biggest and grandest of them all. A smaller version of the festival, called Ardh Kumbh, or Half Kumbh, was organized in 2019, when 240 million visitors were recorded, with about 50 million taking a ritual bath on the busiest day.

At least 400 million people — more than the population of the United States — are expected in Prayagraj over the next 45 days, according to officials. That is around 200 times the 2 million pilgrims that arrived in the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage last year.

The festival is a big test for Indian authorities to showcase the Hindu religion, tourism and crowd management.

A vast ground along the banks of the rivers has been converted into a sprawling tent city equipped with more than 3,000 kitchens and 150,000 restrooms. Divided into 25 sections and spreading over 15 square miles, the tent city also has housing, roads, electricity and water, communication towers and 11 hospitals. Murals depicting stories from Hindu scriptures are painted on the city walls.

Indian Railways has also introduced more than 90 special trains that will make nearly 3,300 trips during the festival to transport devotees, besides regular trains.

About 50,000 security personnel — a 50% increase from 2019 — are also stationed in the city to maintain law and order and crowd management. More than 2,500 cameras, some powered by AI, will send crowd movement and density information to four central control rooms, where officials can quickly deploy personnel to avoid stampedes.

India’s past leaders have capitalized on the festival to strengthen their relationship with the country’s Hindus, who make up nearly 80% of India’s more than 1.4 billion people. But under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the festival has become an integral part of its advocacy of Hindu nationalism. For Modi and his party, Indian civilization is inseparable from Hinduism, although critics say the party's philosophy is rooted in Hindu supremacy.

The Uttar Pradesh state, headed by Adityanath — a powerful Hindu monk and a popular hard-line Hindu politician in Modi’s party — has allocated more than $765 million for this year’s event. It has also used the festival to boost his and the prime minister’s image, with giant billboards and posters all over the city showing them both, alongside slogans touting their government welfare policies.

The festival is expected to boost the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party’s past record of promoting Hindu cultural symbols for its support base. But recent Kumbh gatherings have also been caught in controversies.

Modi's government changed the city’s Mughal-era name from Allahabad to Prayagraj as part of its Muslim-to-Hindu name-changing effort nationwide ahead of the 2019 festival and the national election that his party won. In 2021, his government refused to call off the festival in Haridwar despite a surge in coronavirus cases, fearing a backlash from religious leaders in the Hindu-majority country.

A new report shared with the Trump transition team and shown to Fox News Digital recommends drastic steps to curtail the Iranian regime just days away from the start of President-elect Donald Trump's second term in office.

"President-elect Trump now has the unique opportunity to push back on the regime in a moment of its significant decline. By using diplomatic, informational, military, and economic means to hold Tehran accountable, he can promote regional stability and a new Middle East," Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, CEO and founder of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), told Fox News Digital.

The UANI report, titled "A 100 Day Plan for the Incoming Trump Administration on Iran" is a blueprint for the administration to employ against Iran and has been shared with the Trump transition team, according to its authors.

INSIDE ISRAEL’S DARING RAID THAT DESTROYED IRAN-FUNDED UNDERGROUND MISSILE FACTORY IN SYRIA

"Since 1979, Iran has been the world’s number one state sponsor of terrorism, the major cause of instability in the Middle East, and has brutally repressed its people with impunity," Wallace said.

The report recommends that the incoming Trump administration take a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach across, as Ambassador Wallace said, the diplomatic, informational, military and economic sectors alongside allies to properly hold Iran accountable for its regional destabilization efforts.

Iran fears the incoming Trump administration, said co-author of the report Jason Brodsky, adding he believes there is a strategic opportunity for Washington and its allies to capitalize on that fear to advance U.S. interests.

"Rushing into premature diplomacy risks undermining that dynamic," Brodsky, policy director of UANI, told Fox News Digital. 

The report outlines several specific policy prescriptions in order to weaken Iran and argues that the U.S. government should first build a pressure campaign against Iran which will sharpen the regime's choices.

IRAN EXECUTES OVER 1K PRISONERS IN 2024, HIGHEST TOTAL IN 30 YEARS, REPORT SAYS

In this new policy approach, the United States should learn from Israel's experience since Oct. 7 about how to strike the Islamic Republic militarily without triggering a wider war.

"If the Israelis can do so without triggering a wider war, so can the U.S. government," Brodsky said.

The authors assert that President-elect Trump should deliver a major policy address to warn Tehran that the U.S. would not hesitate to use military force to destroy Iran’s nuclear program if it takes steps to further advance its capabilities. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported in early December enriched uranium to weapons-grade levels. French President Emmanuel Macron said Iran's nuclear program is nearing the "point of no return" with many seeing it as a method to build leverage against the incoming Trump administration.

Additionally, the report’s authors say the incoming Republican administration could also use targeted strikes against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, Quds Force and Intelligence Ministry assets inside Iran if Iran or its proxies harm Americans. Targeted strikes should also hit Iran’s repressive apparatus through cyber and kinetic means if security forces violently suppress innocent protesters, as happened in 2009 after the disputed presidential election and in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested by the morality police for not covering her hair with a hijab.

U.S. strikes or retaliations against the regime, the report notes, have been non-existent or focused on the Islamic Republic's proxies.

"That dynamic only emboldens Iranian decision-making to calculate the benefits of these operations against Americans outweigh the costs and to doubt the U.S. resolve to defend its interests. The incoming Trump administration should reverse that calculus and one way to do so is to start holding Iran's regime responsible on Iranian soil for the terrorism of its proxies," Brodsky explained. The U.S. should also build a military defector program and encourage political and military actors across the Islamic Republic, including within the Revolutionary Guard and other security forces, to defect from the regime. 

IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS NEARING 'THE POINT OF NO RETURN,' FRANCE'S MACRON SAYS

A key source of Iranian revenue is provided by its vast oil exports and allows Iran to sustain its terror across the Middle East through its "Axis of Resistance" proxy networks. In 2024, Iran exported 587 million barrels of oil, an increase of 10.75% compared to the previous year due to OPEC cuts and lack of sanctions enforcement. 

Claire Jungman, co-author and director of the Tanker Tracking Program and chief of staff of UANI, told Fox News Digital that Iran’s oil exports have surged to nearly 2 million barrels per day—the highest in five years—under President Biden's administration, reflecting weakened sanctions enforcement and the impact of billions in unfrozen assets. 

"The incoming Trump administration has a critical opportunity to halt Tehran's illicit revenue streams and restore maximum pressure on the regime," Jungman added.

Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and is a key source of regional Islamist terror groups including Hezbollah and Hamas, the group responsible for the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel. The State Department estimates that Iran provides some $100 million annually to Hamas and helps fund Hezbollah with about $700 million a year.

UANI cautions against some in Western capitals who wish to seek negotiation with Tehran and views this flawed approach of endless negotiations as a way Iran can buy time and avert pressure. Ambassador Wallace said the previous maximum pressure campaign worked, and it's time to reapply this policy as the regime faces setback after setback as it became embroiled in regional conflict with Israel after October 7th.

"With the loss of its proxies and the support of the Iranian people … the Iranian regime's days are numbered and, inevitably, the brave Iranian people will rise against the weakened corrupt mullahs," Wallace said.

A long-awaited cease-fire in Gaza and a hostage deal appears to be on the verge of finally being secured, according to a statement released by the Hamas terrorist group on Monday.

"We renew the alliance with our patient people. We confirm that the release of our prisoners is close," Hamas released in a statement following overnight negotiations in Qatar and a Sunday call between President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

During the phone call, the two discussed a release deal first talked about in May of last year, according to White House officials. That deal was endorsed unanimously by the U.N. Security Council.

ISRAELI PM OFFICE DENIES REPORTS THAT HAMAS FORWARDED LIST OF HOSTAGES TO RELEASE IN EVENT OF DEAL

The deal would be carried out in three stages – beginning with the release of some 34 captives that are classified as "humanitarian" hostages. 

Saudi news outlet Al-Arabiya reported that the first stage would last a total of 42 days and will include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from several areas, allowing residents to return to their homes, and an increase in humanitarian aid will be supplied.

The second stage would start on the 16th day of the cease-fire, when all parties would apparently begin discussing the return of young men and soldiers, reported Israeli media outlet 12 News, and the remainder of all Israeli forces would apparently withdraw from the Gaza Strip. 

The third stage would then focus on steps to establish an alternative government in the Gaza Strip and the rehabilitation of Gaza following more than a year of destruction and fighting.

Negotiators have told Hamas they must respond to "final" draft of a hostage-ceasefire deal by midnight Israeli time tonight, reported Israel's Channel 12.

There are believed to be 96 hostages still held by Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, only 50 of whom are still assessed to be alive, including three Americans. It is unclear when the deceased hostages would be returned to their families. 

"The President discussed the fundamentally changed regional circumstances following the cease-fire deal in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and the weakening of Iran's power in the region," the White House reported in a statement.

US LAWMAKERS REACT TO CEASEFIRE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH

The Biden administration, Egypt and Qatar have been attempting to reach a compromise for the last year in efforts to secure a release for the hostages and end the war between Israel and Hamas.

There has been a firm divide in the negotiations and Hamas has said it won’t release the captives without a clear end to the war, while Netanyahu has said he will continue until "total victory" over the terrorist group.

HAMAS TO FACE 'MORE PRESSURE' AFTER HEZBOLLAH CEASEFIRE DEAL, EXPERT SAYS | FOX NEWS VIDEO

Biden has stressed the immediate need for the cease-fire and return of the hostages with a surge in humanitarian aid.

Netanyahu has said he is only committed to the first phase with a partial hostage release in exchange for a week-long halt in the fight. Hamas is demanding a full withdrawal and a complete end to the fighting.

During the call, Netanyahu thanked Biden for his support of Israel and America's support for Israel’s security and national defense.  

Yaara Litwin contributed to this report. 

Ukraine captured two wounded North Korean soldiers who were fighting on behalf of Russia in a Russian border region, South Korea’s intelligence service said, confirming an account from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday.

Seoul's National Intelligence Service (NIS) told AFP it has "confirmed that the Ukrainian military captured two North Korean soldiers on January 9 in the Kursk battlefield in Russia."

The confirmation comes after Zelenskyy said in a post on the Telegram messaging app that the two captured North Korean soldiers were wounded and taken to Kyiv, where they are communicating with Ukrainian security services SBU.

SBU released video that appears to show the two prisoners on beds inside jail cells. The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.

TRUMP'S DESIGNATED SPECIAL ENVOY FOR UKRAINE AND RUSSIA SETS LONGER TIMETABLE THAN ‘24 HOURS’ FOR ENDING WAR

A doctor interviewed in the SBU video said one soldier suffered a facial wound while the other soldier had an open wound and a lower leg fracture. Both men were receiving medical treatment.

SBU also said one of the soldiers had no documents at all, while the other had been carrying a Russian military ID card in the name of a man from Tuva, a Russian region bordering Mongolia.

Ukraine’s military says North Korean soldiers are outfitted in Russian military uniforms and carry fake military IDs in their pockets, a scheme that Andrii Yusov, spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, says could mean Moscow and "its representatives at the U.N. can deny the facts."

Despite Ukrainian, U.S. and South Korean assertions that Pyongyang has sent 10,000 – 12,000 troops to fight alongside Russia in the Kursk border region, Moscow has never publicly acknowledged the North Korean forces.

TRUMP SETTING UP MEETING WITH PUTIN, IN COMMUNICATION WITH XI

While reports of their presence first emerged in October, Ukrainian troops only confirmed engagement on the ground in December.

On Thursday, Zelenskyy put the number of killed or wounded North Koreans at 4,000, though U.S. estimates are lower, at around 1,200.

Despite North Korea’s suffering losses and initial inexperience on the battlefield, Ukrainian soldiers, military intelligence and experts suggest first-hand experience will only help them develop further as a fighting force.

"For the first time in decades, the North Korean army is gaining real military experience," Yusov said. "This is a global challenge — not just for Ukraine and Europe, but for the entire world."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

OTTAWA-After President-elect Trump mused about using "economic force" to acquire Canada as the 51st state during his Mar-a-Lago news conference on Tuesday, outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded on social media that "there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States."

However, as Trudeau announced on Monday his plan to resign as prime minister once the Liberal Party that he leads chooses his successor, the biggest pushback to Trump’s pitch to annex Canada – and his planned 25% tariffs on exports from the country – has come from the premier of Canada’s most populous province, Ontario.

Doug Ford, a former businessman and conservative like Trump who has served as Ontario’s 26th premier since 2018, told Fox News Digital in an interview that the president-elect’s targeting Canada is both "crazy" and "ridiculous."

He said the bilateral focus should be on "strengthening" what the Canadian government calls a nearly trillion-dollar two-way trade relationship to "make the U.S. and Canada the richest and most prosperous jurisdiction in the world."

WHO IS PIERRE POILIEVRE? CANADA'S CONSERVATIVE LEADER SEEKING TO BECOME NEXT PRIME MINISTER AFTER TRUDEAU EXIT

At a Toronto news conference on Monday following Trudeau’s resignation announcement, Ford chided Trump with a "counteroffer" to his Canada-as-a-51st state idea. 

"How about if we buy Alaska and throw in Minnesota?" the premier said at Queen’s Park, Ontario’s legislature.

Ford jokingly told Fox News Digital that he heard from Canadians after making those remarks that he should have chosen "somewhere warmer, like Florida or California."

"California never votes for him anyway," he added.

At his Monday news conference, Ontario’s premier said that "under my watch," annexing Canada "will never, ever happen."  

Ford is also taking Trump’s tariff threat seriously.

Last month, his Progressive Conservative government launched a multimillion-dollar U.S. ad campaign on television and streaming apps touting Ontario as an "ally" to generate "more workers, more trade, more prosperity, more security."

"You can rely on Ontario for energy to power your growing economy, and for the critical minerals crucial to new technologies," says the 60-second ad.

Ford said the 25% tariff against Canada, which Trump plans to implement on his first day in office on Jan. 20, would hurt millions of American and Canadian workers.

"Nine million Americans produce products for Ontario alone every single day," he said. "The problem is China shipping goods into Mexico and Mexico slapping a made-in-Mexico sticker."

JUSTIN TRUDEAU'S RESIGNATION MET WITH GLEEFUL REACTION FROM CONSERVATIVES ONLINE: ‘THE WINNING CONTINUES!’

Ontario is ready to take retaliatory measures "that will really send a message to the U.S." in response to the imposition of U.S. tariffs, said Ford, who was involved in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement during the first Trump administration, but would now like Canada to have separate deals with the U.S. and Mexico.

"It’s unfortunate because retaliation is not good for either country," he offered, noting that Ontario is the top exporter to 17 states and the second largest to 11 others. 

"The last thing I want to do is hurt those people," said Ford. "I want to create more jobs in the U.S., more jobs in Canada. And we can do that by making sure that we toughen up and put tariffs on places like China."

By way of example, he said that "someone in Texas who purchased a GM pickup truck made in Oshawa, [Ontario] might have paid between $50,000 and $60,000," and with a tariff, "would be paying 70 some-odd thousand."

"It just doesn’t make sense whatsoever," Ford said. 

He would like to have a face-to-face meeting with Trump and said he has reached out to U.S. senators and governors to make that happen. A sit-down with SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk – whom Trump appointed to co-lead, with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, the proposed "Department of Government Efficiency" – is also on Ford’s wish-list.

Ford said Trump "doesn’t realize" that Ontario is the U.S.’s third-largest trading partner, amounting to about US$344 billion in 2023, "split equally down the center."

Ontario’s premier said he wants to ship more electricity and critical minerals to the U.S., which "needs us like we need them." 

TRUMP REACTS TO TRUDEAU RESIGNATION: ‘MANY PEOPLE IN CANADA LOVE BEING THE 51ST STATE’

In 2012, the premier and his late brother, Rob, who was mayor of Toronto at the time, met Trump, along with his daughter, Ivanka, when they were in the city to open the former Trump International Hotel and Tower, now unaffiliated with The Trump Organization and known as The St. Regis Toronto.

Ford, who ran a Toronto-based family business, Deco Labels & Flexible Packaging, before entering municipal politics as a city councilor in 2010, considers Trump "a shrewd operator" and "a smart businessperson."

The incoming president "knows about Ontario," the premier said.

"Not one senator, not one governor, not one congressperson or businessperson, has said that Canada is a problem," said Ford, who opened a Deco branch in Chicago in 1999.

He said Trump has not set his sights on such other U.S. allies as the United Kingdom and France, but "wants to target" the U.S.’s "closest friend," Canada. 

"I’m not too sure if it’s personal against Trudeau, but Trudeau is on his way out, so hopefully we’ll have a better conversation," said Ontario’s premier, who added that he would consider taking a run at federal politics in the future.

On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social that "the United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat." 

"Justin Trudeau knows this, and resigned," said the next, and 47th, U.S. president.

But Trudeau is still the prime minister, and Ford and the premiers of the other nine provinces and three territories will meet with him next Wednesday in Ottawa to address the Trump tariff issue.

Despite his departure as prime minister sometime over the next two months when the next Liberal leader is expected to be chosen, Trudeau should not think "he’s off the hook" and Canadian premiers "will hold his feet to the fire" in ensuring that Canada is ready to respond to the Trump administration’s imminent and punitive trade measure, said Ford.

He chairs the Council of the Federation – a gathering of Canada’s premiers, which has kept Canada-U.S. relations top of mind and has made avoiding U.S. tariffs "a priority," according to a statement issued last month.

"Canada and the U.S. form one of the largest integrated markets in the world, with more than C$3.5 billion [about US$2.4 billion] worth of goods and services crossing the border each day. The U.S. sells more goods and services to Canada than it sells to China, Japan and Germany combined."

To help assuage Trump’s concerns over border security, Ford’s government launched on Tuesday "Operation Deterrence," to crack down on illegal crossings, and drugs and guns – 90% of which are entering Ontario from the U.S., the premier told Fox News Digital.

On drugs, he said his government is also collaborating with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to identify the source of fentanyl ingredients – and whether they originated in "China or Mexico or the U.S."

Last month, the Trudeau government announced its own border-security plan.

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Saturday denounced new U.S. sanctions against Moscow's energy sector as an attempt to harm Russia's economy at the risk of destabilizing global markets and said the country would press on with large oil and gas projects.

A ministry statement also said that Russia would respond to Washington's "hostile" actions, announced on Friday, while drawing up its foreign policy strategy.

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER BLASTS UKRAINE PEACE DEAL REPORTEDLY FLOATED BY TRUMP'S TEAM: 'NOT HAPPY'

The statement said the measures amounted to "an attempt to inflict at least some damage to the Russian economy, even at the cost of the risk of destabilizing world markets as the end approaches of President Joe Biden's inglorious tenure in power."

"Despite the convulsions in the White House and the machinations of the Russophobic lobby in the West, trying to drag the world energy sector into the 'hybrid war' unleashed by the United States against Russia, our country has been and remains a key and reliable player in the global fuel market."

The measures constituted the broadest U.S. package of sanctions so far targeting Russia's oil and gas revenues, part of measures to give Kyiv and the incoming administration of Donald Trump leverage to reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, which explore for, produce and sell oil as well as 183 vessels that have shipped Russian oil, many of which are in the so-called shadow fleet of ageing tankers operated by non-Western companies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the measures would "deliver a significant blow" to Moscow. "The less revenue Russia earns from oil ... the sooner peace will be restored," he said.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - The Biden Administration has been blasted by the incoming Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho., for "waiting" until the outgoing President had only 13 days left in office before declaring rebel actions in Sudan, a country torn apart by 21 months of bitter war, to be "genocide."

Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that members of the Sudanese rebel group, the Rapid Support Forces or RSF, "have committed genocide in Sudan." 

In a statement, Blinken said, "The United States is committed to holding accountable those responsible for these atrocities. We are sanctioning RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa, known as Hemedti, for his role in systematic atrocities committed against the Sudanese people."

BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN ACCUSED OF ‘TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE’ TO SAVE THE PEOPLE OF WAR-TORN, FAMINE-STRICKEN SUDAN

Blinken made his rulings, he stated, because "the RSF and RSF-aligned militias have continued to direct attacks against civilians, have systematically murdered men and boys—even infants—on an ethnic basis, and (have) deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence."

The Secretary continued, "Those same militias have targeted fleeing civilians, murdering innocent people escaping conflict, and prevented remaining civilians from accessing lifesaving supplies."

Blinken added that the African nation is suffering through "a conflict of unmitigated brutality that has resulted in the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe, leaving 638,000 Sudanese experiencing the worst famine in Sudan’s recent history, over 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, and tens of thousands dead."

Risch has held out that the situation in Sudan has been catastrophic for well over a year, and called into question the timing of Blinken’s declaration. In a statement earlier this week, he wrote, "It has been nearly a year since I introduced a resolution calling the atrocities in Sudan what they are: a genocide. Additionally, I first called for Global Magnitsky sanctions to be imposed against the RSF and Hemedti 263 days ago – and yet these sanctions still have not been leveraged."

BIDEN TRAVELS TO AFRICA WHERE POLICIES WERE ‘OVER-PROMISED AND UNDER-DELIVERED,' AMID MASSIVE CHINA EXPANSION

Risch spoke to Fox News Digital, declaring, "The Biden Administration waited until it has less than two weeks in office to sanction RSF-affiliated companies and Hemedti for their crimes and to call atrocities in Sudan a genocide."

Risch said, "This neglect to address the crisis in Sudan weakened America’s influence in the region and the world years ago. If the Biden Administration backed its rhetoric with action, Sudan would be in a better position today, more lives would be saved, and the foreign proxies exacerbating this conflict would be kept at bay."

Risch added, "This war must end. Further instability in Sudan will only breed terrorism and regional turmoil, threatening global security. The U.S. and our allies must seek to end the killing and atrocities, end the malign actions by proxies, manage migration pressures from mass displacement and protect strategic interests like the Red Sea corridor."

UAE, OTHER COUNTRIES REMOVED FROM INTERNATIONAL MONEY LAUNDERING WATCHLIST

In his declaration, Blinken announced new sanctions stating, "We are also sanctioning seven RSF-owned companies located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and one individual for their roles in procuring weapons for the RSF."

The Treasury Department also sent out a statement, virtually simultaneously to the one from State, saying "the RSF's ability to acquire military equipment and generate finances continue to fuel the conflict in Sudan." Treasury stated one particular company in the UAE, owned by a Sudanese national  "has provided money and weapons to the RSF."  

Other UAE companies sanctioned this past week have been accused by the Treasury Department of handling financial transactions, of being "an essential part of the RSF’s efforts to finance its operations", and of importing IT and security equipment .

One gold company in the UAE has been sanctioned because it has allegedly "purchased gold from Sudan, presumably for the benefit of the RSF, and subsequently transported it to Dubai." Additionally, Treasury claimed "the RSF’s procurement director and brother of RSF leader Hemedti maintained access to (the gold company’s) bank account in the UAE, which held millions of dollars."

"The United States continues to call for an end to this conflict that is putting innocent civilian lives in jeopardy," Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo stated. "The Treasury Department remains committed to using every tool available to hold accountable those responsible for violating the human rights of the Sudanese people."

In response to Fox News Digital questions involving UAE registered companies an official from its foreign ministry fired back, stating. "The UAE’s primary focus in Sudan remains on addressing the catastrophic humanitarian crisis. We continue to call for an immediate cease-fire and a peaceful resolution to this man-made conflict. In this regard, the UAE has already made absolutely clear that it is not providing any support or supplies to either of two belligerent warring parties in Sudan."

The official continued, "the UAE takes its role in protecting the integrity of the international financial system extremely seriously. We remain committed to combating financial crime globally, enhancing international cooperation and developing strategies to address emerging risks."

President-elect Donald Trump issued a warning ahead of the inauguration of contested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who took up the top job for a third term on Friday. 

Despite significant opposition both at home and abroad to the July election in which Maduro claimed victory without providing ballot-box proof, the Venezuelan leader, deemed a "dictator" by American lawmakers, is now set to hold office until 2031.

On Thursday, opposition leader María Corina Machado emerged from months of hiding to join hundreds of anti-Maduro protesters in the capital city of Caracas and demand that opposition candidate Edmundo González be sworn in instead.

TWO AMERICANS ARRESTED IN VENEZUELA ON EVE OF MADURO INAUGURATION OVER ‘TERRORISM’ CLAIMS

Machado was briefly detained by government security forces after they "violently intercepted" her convoy as she attempted to leave the protests, the Associated Press reported.

Trump took to social media to demand she remain "safe and alive."

"Venezuelan democracy activist Maria Corina Machado and President-elect Gonzalez are peacefully expressing the voices and the will of the Venezuelan people with hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating against the regime," he wrote. "These freedom fighters should not be harmed, and must stay safe and alive."

The opposition figure was apparently forced to record several videos before she was released, though the details of those recordings remain unclear. 

THOUSANDS OF VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS TAKE TO THE STREETS AHEAD OF MADURO'S THIRD INAUGURATION

Maduro’s supporters have reportedly denied that Machado was arrested.

On Friday, the Biden administration backed the efforts by the opposition leaders and, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, "President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia should be sworn in, and the democratic transition should begin.

"Today, Nicolás Maduro held an illegitimate presidential inauguration in Venezuela in a desperate attempt to seize power. The Venezuelan people and world know the truth – Maduro clearly lost the 2024 presidential election and has no right to claim the presidency," the secretary said in a statement. "The United States rejects the National Electoral Council’s fraudulent announcement that Maduro won the presidential election and does not recognize Nicolás Maduro as the president of Venezuela. 

"We stand ready to support a return to democracy in Venezuela," Blinken added. 

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Friday slapped a new round of sanctions on the Maduro regime, this time targeting "officials who lead key economic and security agencies enabling Nicolás Maduro’s repression and subversion of democracy in Venezuela."

Eight officials were named in the sanctions, including the recently appointed head of Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA, Hector Obregon, as well as the nation’s transportation minister, Ramon Velasquez, according to a statement by the department.

"In addition, OFAC is sanctioning high-level Venezuelan officials in the military and police who lead entities with roles in carrying out Maduro’s repression and human rights abuses against democratic actors," the statement said. 

Maduro was also once again targeted by Washington's sanctions, and the reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction was increased to $25 million.

The same amount was offered up for the Venezuelan Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, along with a $15 million reward for Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino. 

Members of the military and police were also named in the sanctions. 

Blinken confirmed on Friday that some 2,000 Maduro-aligned individuals have had visa-restrictions imposed on them.

President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday that his team is in the works of setting up meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

"He wants to meet. And we're setting it up," he told reporters during a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago club regarding Putin. "President Xi – we've had a lot of communication. We have a lot of meetings set up with a lot of people. 

"I'd rather wait until after the 20th," he added in reference to his inauguration date later this month.

"President Putin wants to meet," Trump added. "We have to get that war over."

RUSSIA MONITORING TRUMP’S ‘DRAMATIC’ COMMENTS ON GREENLAND ACQUISITION

Trump pointed to the "staggering" casualty rates endured by both Russia and Ukraine and suggested the number of civilian casualties was also likely to be considerably higher than what has been reported. 

The Kremlin confirmed Trump’s comments on Friday and said it was ready "to resolve problems through dialogue," reported Russian news agency Tass.

The Trump-appointed special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Gen. Keith Kellogg, told Fox News Digital that he has set a goal to end the war in Ukraine within 100 days of taking up the top job. 

Kellogg described the war as "carnage" but said he was confident that Trump can end the war in the "near term."

The retired three-star general told Fox News' "America Reports" on Thursday that he and Trump are going to make sure the cease-fire agreement is "fair" and "equitable," though he did not detail what this means as far as withdrawing Russian forces from Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders. 

Trump has not detailed how he intends to end the three-year-long war, though he suggested he could support Putin’s demand that Ukraine be barred from entering the NATO alliance, and told reporters Thursday he "could understand [Putin’s] feeling about" not wanting NATO "on their doorstep."

Prior to its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow already had four nations on its borders that were members of the international security alliance, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Finland then joined NATO in 2023, applying for membership just 3 months after the Feb. 22, 2022 invasion. 

Moscow and Kyiv have made clear that stipulations surrounding Ukraine's NATO membership are non-negotiable. 

NATO LEADERS PREDICT ERA OF 2% DEFENSE SPENDING 'PROBABLY HISTORY' AS TRUMP REPORTEDLY FLOATS HIGHER TARGET

Trump did not detail when he could meet with the Chinese president, and it remains unclear if Xi has plans to meet personally with him.

Trump reportedly invited Xi to his inauguration ceremony, though Beijing said it would instead send a top-level envoy, which is more inline with tradition. 

In his final meeting with President Biden in November, Xi had expressed a willingness to work with the former and soon-to-be president of the United States.

However, Trump, who once said he and Xi "love each other," in late-November promised to hit China with 60% tariffs and then this week said he would consider using military action to seize the Panama Canal, which the U.S. returned to Panama in 1979 before then ending its partnership over control of the strategic thoroughfare in 1999.

"The Panama Canal is vital to our country and its being operated by China – China. We gave the Panama Canal to Panama – we didn’t give it to China," he added. 

Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the Panama Embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment.

The Trump transition team did not respond to questions by Fox News Digital over concerns of sparking a military confrontation with China in Panama. 

Lebanon’s political landscape has undergone a dramatic shift with the election of Joseph Aoun as president. After more than two years of political deadlock, the Lebanese Parliament elected the army commander on Thursday with 99 out of 128 votes. 

Aoun’s election represents a significant achievement for the anti-Hezbollah camp, reflecting the weakening influence of the powerful Shia terrorist organization within Lebanon’s political system. Despite this, experts say Hezbollah remains a formidable force in the country, and the challenges Aoun faces in balancing Lebanon's internal politics and foreign relations remain immense.

For much of the past two years, Hezbollah worked tirelessly to block any movement toward the election of a new president. The group had strongly opposed Aoun’s candidacy. However, as the political situation evolved and the ousting of Assad from Syria unfolded, Hezbollah was ultimately forced to accept Aoun, who secured the presidency. 

"Hezbollah had been opposed to his election for the last two and a half years and had blocked any process toward electing a president for all that time. Now, they’ve voted for him in the second round, which indicates they are in a bind, that they are weaker, and their leverage is not what it was," Vice President for International Engagement at the Middle East Institute Paul Salem told Fox News Digital.

ISRAEL DEGRADES IRAN-BACKED HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS IN SPECTACULAR PAGER EXPLOSION OPERATION: EXPERTS

Salem points to the broader shift in regional politics, notably the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, which has left Hezbollah increasingly isolated. "They are now not only cut off from Iran, but they're also isolated in the region. They're the only Shiite community between here and Basra, and it’s a Sunni takeover of Damascus, which used to be dominated by a friendly Alawite, pro-Iranian regime. It’s a huge historic shift that leaves the Shiites and Hezbollah deeply isolated. Hezbollah’s future is worse than its present," he added.

The U.S. and Israel, along with other Western and Arab powers, have long sought to distance Lebanon from Hezbollah’s influence, and Aoun’s election could be a step in that direction.

Aoun, a Maronite Christian and the commander of the Lebanese army, took office with a strong message focused on Lebanon’s sovereignty. In his inaugural speech, he emphasized the necessity for the state to have a monopoly on the use of force.

David Schenker, former head of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. State Department under the first Trump administration, remarked that Aoun’s speech was both a positive and pragmatic step for Lebanon. "He talked about disarming all groups and ensuring that weapons are under the control of the state," Schenker said. "This was a good move, as it shows a commitment to sovereignty and the rule of law."

CHRISTIAN LEADER IN LEBANON URGES US, ALLIES TO INTERVENE TO STOP HEZBOLLAH

However, Schenker, who is currently the Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics, cautioned that Aoun’s position as president does not grant him absolute power in Lebanon’s political system. "The president is not the most powerful position in Lebanon. The key position will be the prime minister. It remains to be seen whether Aoun will show the same courage in his new role that he demonstrated as chief of staff," Schenker noted.

Though Hezbollah has been militarily weakened by recent Israeli campaigns and the assassination of its leader Hassan Nasrallah, among other key leaders, it still retains significant influence, particularly in southern Lebanon. However, Schenker says the organization’s ability to intimidate Lebanon’s population is diminishing. "Hezbollah isn’t the force it was. It can still reactivate its killing machine if needed, but it no longer dominates the way it did before," he said.

"Hezbollah has calculated that they’ve lost this battle against Israel, and then they lost another battle in Syria. So their interest now is to lay low, have a president and government that’s acceptable to the U.S. and the region, which, at the end of the day, they hope will protect them from any further Israeli incursions and help their people," Salem explained. "They need a functioning government to secure international aid for the millions displaced by their actions in southern Lebanon. It’s about survival for them, not just politically, but financially."

Aoun’s election is not only significant for Hezbollah’s position in Lebanon, but also for the country’s relations with external powers like the U.S. and Israel. Lebanon has faced economic collapse, with its currency devalued by over 99%, and nearly 80% of the population now living below the poverty line. Hezbollah’s previous resistance to international pressure now seems less tenable.

The U.S. has long supported Lebanon’s military and is expected to strengthen its ties with Aoun, given his role in the army and his pro-sovereignty stance. Schenker said that Lebanon’s future alignment with the U.S. and regional allies such as Saudi Arabia could provide the country with much-needed international support.

"The U.S. military has been close to the Lebanese military for many years," Salem told Fox News Digital. "That has been the strongest link between the U.S. and Lebanon. So to have the head of the military come to power, he’s a known figure in Washington. He’s known to the military, and now, he’s known to the diplomats and politicians, and will be known to President Trump and others over time. This realignment could put Lebanon on a much more natural path of cooperation with the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and other regional allies."

Israel will also be closely monitoring Aoun’s presidency. Schenker said that Aoun’s commitment to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for disarmament in southern Lebanon, could lead to a more cooperative stance from Lebanon toward Israel. "Israel will be invested in Lebanon’s implementation of 1701," Schenker said. "Aoun’s stance will influence Israel’s position toward Lebanon, as the Trump administration has clearly signaled a desire to end the wars in the region."

TAIPEI, Taiwan - The United States should increase and promote both official and unofficial contacts with Taiwan’s government and the Taiwanese military during President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, regardless of the inevitable Beijing response of "anger" and "hurt feelings," analysts say. 

Exchanges between U.S. officials, scholars, as well as members of think tanks, foundations, and institutes, will be crucial for accurate information to be relayed to both the American and Taiwanese public and their respective governments, say experts.

On Thursday, a delegation from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute met with Taiwan President William Lai, Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung. 

TRUMP CABINET PICKS DELIGHT TAIWAN, SEND STRONG SIGNAL TO CHINA

"We deeply appreciate the bipartisan support from our American friends and welcome delegations from the U.S. and like-minded nations," Lin told Fox News Digital in exclusive comments. 

The foreign minister added, "These visits demonstrate concrete support for Taiwan and contribute to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, essential for global security and prosperity." 

Speaking from Taipei, David Trulio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, told Fox News Digital, "We met with the President, Vice President, Foreign Minister, and other government leaders to advance President Reagan’s legacy and our shared values of freedom and democracy, economic opportunity, and peace through strength." 

Describing Taiwan as "a vibrant democracy and key economic partner of the United States," Trulio added that visits to Taiwan – by U.S. civil society groups, foundations, think tanks, and official U.S. government officers – serve as "valuable opportunities to maintain relationships with Taiwan’s leaders, address challenges and opportunities, and visibly promote shared values." 

The Reagan Foundation, comprised of national security and business leaders, met with representatives from all three of Taiwan’s main political parties, as well as top Taiwanese government officials, during a weeklong visit to Taiwan, a self-ruled island that has never been governed by Communist China. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and never misses a chance to make bombastic statements against what it calls "secessionist forces." 

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s 2024 New Year’s address included claims that "reunification" was a "historical inevitability," despite the two sides being separately ruled for more than 70 years. Beijing refuses to pledge to use only peaceful means to achieve "unity" with Taiwan and says it reserves the option of using military force.

While Foreign Minister Lin did not directly reference pre-U.S. election comments by then-Republican candidate Trump that "Taiwan should pay us for defense," he did not sidestep the issue. In comments to Fox News Digital, Lin said, "Taiwan has increased its defense spending by over 80% since 2016, reaching US$20 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. In 2025, if the special budget for military procurement is included, Taiwan’s total military spending is expected to account for 20% of the central government’s annual budget—higher than that of the U.S."

CHINA OFFICIALLY 'DOESN'T CARE' ABOUT TRUMP WIN; UNOFFICIALLY, EXPERTS SAY BEIJING IS RATTLED

This is the Reagan Foundation’s second time leading a delegation to Taiwan in as many years. A recent poll conducted by the foundation showed roughly 70-75% of Americans – Democrats and Republicans alike – would support strong measures should China make the ill-advised choice to use military force against Taiwan. For example, a significant majority agreed that should there be an attack, the U.S. should immediately recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. 

The current reality is that China faces significant domestic challenges and is not in a position of strength. In 2022, despite threats of "dire consequences," then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, and the Chinese response was hardly "dire." The following year, after Republicans took control of the House, the then-President Tsai Ing-wen met with then-Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy during a stop in California, a historic first meeting between a Taiwanese president and a U.S. House speaker on U.S. soil. 

China responded with three days of war games and a simulated blockade of the island, but those exercises and maneuvers demonstrated no new capabilities that the U.S. or Taiwanese defense departments were not aware of already. Speaking after meeting with McCarthy in 2023, President Tsai told the media, "To preserve peace, we must be strong," clearly paraphrasing former President Ronald Reagan. 

VOTERS WANT MORE US INVOLVEMENT ON WORLD STAGE DESPITE ISOLATIONIST TALK, RONALD REAGAN INSTITUTE SURVEY FINDS

"China can and will huff and puff over visits, especially ones involving in-office U.S. government personnel," Liam Keen told Fox News Digital via email. "But we cannot allow the theatrics of mock blockades and firing rockets into the sea to in any way deter closer U.S.-Taiwan exchanges." Keen, who is part of the U.S.-based NGO Formosan Association for Public Affairs, noted his organization strongly supported and was instrumental in helping the Taiwan Travel Act get passed in Congress and signed into law by then-President Donald Trump in 2018. 

The Taiwan Travel Act – which China predictably harshly criticized – removed many previous restrictions on travel to Taiwan by U.S. officials. Keen noted that "The act passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate. I think China calling it a ‘red line’ only emboldened sponsors of the law such as Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and [former] Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio., which is exactly the right way to respond to bullying by the Chinese Communist Party."

Foreign Minister Lin told Fox News Digital that Taiwan’s government looked forward to working with the new U.S. administration. "Strengthening economic partnerships is also crucial," he said. "Taiwanese businesses, such as TSMC with its $65 billion investment in Arizona, are increasingly investing in the U.S." Lin noted that Taiwanese President Lai has emphasized the importance of Taiwan’s global role, with Lin quoting Lai as saying, "The more secure Taiwan is, the more secure the world will be." 

War between the U.S. and China over Taiwan would be catastrophic for both superpowers and the globe. Aside from horrific human losses, Bloomberg Economics estimated in 2024 that the "price tag" of such a war could be around $10 trillion; 10% of global GDP – "dwarfing the blow from the war in Ukraine, COVID pandemic and global financial crisis." Increased contact between the United States and Taiwan to build trust, and transmit accurate, bias-free information is a major key to ensuring such a conflict never happens. 

President-elect Donald Trump's victory in November's election has given hope to Brazil's former leader Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently barred from running for public office until 2030 due to a ruling by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court. 

Known as the "Trump of the Tropics," the court decision stemmed from his alleged abuse of power and "unfounded attacks on the country’s electronic voting system."

Despite the prohibition, Bolsonaro and his supporters are actively seeking avenues to overturn the ruling. The expected legal challenges and political strategies pin a lot of hope on Trump. Furthermore, Bolsonaro is counting on the president-elect to exert pressure on the government of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) so he can challenge for the presidency in 2026.

"Trump’s victory goes far beyond being positive for democracy in Brazil and the world; it is good news for global peace," Bolsonaro’s son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, told Fox News Digital. 

He noted how "President Lula, days before the election, had expressed support for Kamala Harris and suggested that a new Trump administration would be ‘Nazism in another form.’ However, after Trump’s victory, Lula congratulated the president-elect and tried to downplay his earlier, widely criticized statement."

BRAZIL’S FORMER PRESIDENT BOLSONARO AND AIDES INDICTED FOR ALLEGED 2022 COUP ATTEMPT

Nonetheless, key Lula allies, including the leader of the Workers Party, Gleisi Hoffmann, along with Finance Minister Fernando Haddad and Agriculture Minister Paulo Teixeira, have lambasted the incoming Trump administration.

Bolsonaro believes Trump’s victory will put the present government in a bind.

"Lula and his team know they will not be able to control Trump, so their only option is to try to destroy him by aligning themselves even further with China. The result is the continued political polarization and debates far removed from the true concerns of the population, which seeks solutions for issues like healthcare, education, security, employment, and basic sanitation. This disconnect from ordinary citizens strongly resembles the reasons behind the Democratic Party’s defeat in the last American election – it’s almost a ‘déjà vu.’"

Lula and BRICS countries have discussed ways to combat the dominance of the dollar in global financial markets, but Bolsonaro argues that such a strategy will be counter-productive. 

"Trump announced on his social media that countries adopting this stance would face a 100% tariff on their exports to the U.S. Such a conflict never occurred during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency, whether under Trump or Biden," he said, adding, "This situation will create significant pressure on Lula’s business base. A large portion of these entrepreneurs maintain substantial trade relations with the U.S. and are often the largest donors to the socialist’s electoral campaigns. Despite ideological alignment in some areas, these businesspeople prioritize economic pragmatism."

The BRICS countries include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Bolsonaro also views the Bolsonaro/Trump ideological alignment on freedom of speech issues as a key component to a potential return of Bolsonaro to the political realm.

BOLSONARO BANNED FROM RUNNING FOR OFFICE FOR 8 YEARS

In March 2022, Minister of the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil Alexandre de Moraes ordered the suspension of the messasging app Telegram in Brazil, and in 2024, he ordered X to block accounts allegedly spreading false information. Elon Musk publicly criticized these orders as censorship. The dispute escalated when de Moraes imposed fines and threatened legal action, leading to a temporary suspension of X’s operations in Brazil. The platform resumed services after complying with court mandates. 

The last opinion polls conducted in May 2024 indicated that Bolsonaro would secure 39% of the vote in a hypothetical matchup against current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who polled at 47%. However, experts consider these figures to be hypothetical, given Bolsonaro’s current ineligibility. At the same time, Bolsonaro’s popularity has been rising again in recent months. 

The relationship between some Republicans and Lula’s administration has been characterized by limited direct engagement, primarily due to differing ideological stances and policy priorities. Historically, the Republican Party has maintained closer ties with right-leaning Brazilian leaders, notably President Bolsonaro, who shared similar conservative viewpoints.

BRAZIL ELECTION: LULA DA SILVA WINS PRESIDENCY AS NATION SWINGS LEFT — WILL BOLSONARO ACCEPT THE RESULTS?

Political analyst Sandra Bronzina told Fox News Digital, "Not long ago Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar sponsored a measure to deny visas to members of the Brazilian Supreme Court for abuse of power. At the time, the measure was not approved, but now that the Republicans will have a majority, it could be revisited. We cannot forget that Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Brazilian Supreme Court, was in direct confrontation with Elon Musk, even removing X from Brazil. It turns out that now Elon Musk will be part of the Trump government."

Bronzina said, "The fact that Trump has returned with a resounding electoral win does not bode well for the Lula administration. In a very short time, Lula's economic policies have been a disaster, the dollar has risen a lot, inflation has increased, the country's debt already exceeds 9 trillion reals, and all of this impacts the voter daily. I think that just like in the U.S., where bad economic policies made them miss Trump, the Brazilians right now are also missing Bolsonaro and his Economy Minister, Paulo Guedes."

Analysts consider that while Bolsonaro enjoys a significant support base and is actively seeking to overturn his political ban, his chances of being re-elected president remain uncertain due to existing legal constraints.

"The Supreme Court disqualified Jair Bolsonaro in a very unfair decision…but the right will be strengthened now since Donald Trump's victory gave the right in Brazil new hope in 2026. The 2024 elections were favorable for right-wing candidates. Lula's popularity is also very low, which means that in 2026 the right's options are enormous", Congressman Marcel van Hattem told Fox News Digital.

Aides to Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said she was detained Thursday, followed moments later by official denials, in a confusing episode that capped a day of protests seeking to block President Nicolás Maduro from clinging to power.

It's not clear exactly what transpired after Machado bid farewell to hundreds of supporters, hopped on a motorcycle and raced with her security convoy through the empty streets of eastern Caracas to an undisclosed location.

At 3:21 p.m. local time, Machado’s press team said in a social media post that security forces "violently intercepted" her convoy. Her aides later confirmed to The Associated Press that the opposition hardliner had been detained, and international condemnation immediately poured from leaders in Latin America and beyond demanding her release.

But about an hour later, a 20-second video of Machado was posted online by a Maduro supporter in which the opposition leader said she was followed after leaving the rally and that she had dropped her purse. "I'm good, I'm safe," Machado said in a raspy voice, adding "Venezuela will be free."

THOUSANDS OF VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS TAKE TO THE STREETS AHEAD OF MADURO'S THIRD INAUGURATION

Her aides later said in a social media post that the proof-of-of-life video message had been coerced, and that after recording it she was freed. They said she would provide details of her "kidnapping" later.

Meanwhile, Maduro supporters denied that she was detained and gloated that government opponents were trying to spread fake news to generate an international crisis. "Nobody should be surprised," Communications Minister Freddy Nanez said. "Especially since it's coming from the fascists, who were the architects of the dirty trick."

Earlier Thursday, Machado addressed hundreds of supporters who heeded her call to take to the streets a day before the ruling party-controlled National Assembly was scheduled to swear in Maduro to a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost the presidential election.

"They wanted us to fight each other, but Venezuela is united, we are not afraid," Machado shouted from atop a truck in the capital minutes before she was reported detained.

Machado, 57, is a hardliner former lawmaker who stayed and fought against Maduro even after many of her allies in the opposition leadership fled, joining an exodus of some 7 million Venezuelans who’ve abandoned their homeland in recent years.

Loyalists who control the country's judiciary banned her from running against Maduro last year. In a deft move, she backed an unknown outsider — retired diplomat Edmundo González — who crushed Maduro by a more than two-to-one margin, according to voting machine records collected by the opposition and validated by international observers.

González, invoking the title of president-elect recognized by the U.S. and other countries, was among those who demanded Machado's release in the immediate aftermath of what was believed to be her shock arrest.

"To the security forces, I warn you: don't play with fire," he said in a social media post from the Dominican Republic, where he met with President Luis Abinader and a delegation of former presidents from across Latin America.

There was a relatively small turnout for Thursday's protests as riot police were deployed in force. Venezuelans who’ve witnessed Maduro’s security forces round up scores of opponents and regular bystanders since the July election were reluctant to mobilize in the same numbers as they have in the past.

"Of course, there’s fewer people," said empanada vendor Miguel Contrera as National Guard soldiers carrying riot shields buzzed by on motorcycles. "There’s fear."

Those demonstrators that did show up blocked a main avenue in one opposition stronghold. Many were senior citizens and dressed in red, yellow and blue, answering Machado’s call to wear the colors of the Venezuelan flag. All repudiated Maduro and said they would recognize González as Venezuela’s legitimate president.

The deployment of security forces as well as pro-government armed groups known as "colectivos" to intimidate opponents betrays a deep insecurity on the part of Maduro, said Javier Corrales, a Latin America expert at Amherst College.

Since the elections, the government has arrested more than 2,000 people — including as many as 10 Americans and other foreigners — who it claims have been plotting to oust Maduro and sow chaos in the oil rich South American nation. This week alone, masked gunmen arrested a former presidential candidate, a prominent free speech activist and even González’s son-in-law as he was taking his young children to school.

"It’s an impressive show of force but it’s also a sign of weakness," said Corrales, who co-authored this month an article, "How Maduro Stole Venezuela’s Vote," in the Journal of Democracy.

"Maduro is safe in office," said Corrales, "but he and his allies recognize they are moving forward with a big lie and have no other way to justify what they are doing except by relying on the military."

Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, also stacked with government loyalists, declared Maduro the winner of the election. But unlike in previous contests, authorities did not provide any access to voting records or precinct-level results.

The opposition, however, collected tally sheets from 85% of electronic voting machines and posted them online. They showed that its candidate, González, had thrashed Maduro by a more than two-to-one margin. Experts from the United Nations and the Atlanta-based Carter Center, both invited by Maduro’s government to observe the election, have said the tally sheets published by the opposition are legitimate.

The U.S. and other governments have also recognized González as Venezuela’s president-elect. Even many of Maduro’s former leftist allies in Latin America plan to skip Friday’s swearing-in ceremony.

President Joe Biden, meeting González at the White House this week, praised the previously unknown retired diplomat for having "inspired millions."

"The people of Venezuela deserve a peaceful transfer of power to the true winner of their presidential election," Biden said following the meeting.

Venezuelan opposition parties and their supporters - including leader Maria Corina Machado, who had been in hiding - protested around the country on Thursday in an eleventh-hour effort to put pressure on President Nicolás Maduro, one day before he is due to be sworn in for his third six-year term.

The opposition and the ruling party are locked in an ongoing dispute over last year's presidential election, which they both claim to have won.

The country's electoral authority and top court say Maduro, whose time in office has been marked by a deep economic and social crisis, won the July vote, though they have never published detailed tallies.

VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER MARÍA MACHADO HAS URGENT MESSAGE FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP

The government, which has accused the opposition of fomenting fascist plots against it, said it will arrest opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez should he return to the country and has detained prominent opposition members and activists in the lead-up to the inauguration.

The opposition says Gonzalez, 75, won in a landslide. It has published its own vote tallies as evidence, winning support from governments around the world, including the United States, which consider Gonzalez the president-elect.

Machado, who is the country's most popular opposition leader but who was barred from running in 2024, joined a protest in Chacao in eastern Caracas at around 2:20 p.m. local time (18:20 GMT), dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans and waving a Venezuelan flag from the top of a truck.

"They lost the streets, which are ours, they are barricaded in Miraflores (presidential palace)," Machado told the crowd. "From today we are in a new phase."

Her appearance marked her first public outing since August when she went into hiding at an unknown location.

Machado, 57, urged protesters to peacefully flood the streets and repeatedly asked members of the police and military - who guarded polling stations during the election - to back Gonzalez's victory.

"I'm not afraid, I lost my fear a long time ago," said 70-year-old Neglis Payares, a retired central bank worker, as she gathered with other opposition supporters in western Caracas in the morning.

"We don't know how many of them have their heart on our side," she added, gesturing at security forces who had gathered near the protest.

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Reuters witnesses estimated some 7,000 people had gathered in Caracas by around 2:20 p.m. local time. In the days after the election, thousands also took to the streets.

Maduro, 62, has been in power since 2013. He has the vociferous support of leaders in the armed forces and the intelligence services, which are run by close allies of powerful Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

"I am convinced nothing will happen," Cabello said on state television on Monday. "But that doesn't mean we will lower our guard."

The military's financial interests make loyalty shifts unlikely, said BancTrust, a London investment bank, in a note. "A limited military rebellion would entail significant risks for those involved, thus diminishing incentives to participate," it wrote.

Security forces set up checkpoints around the country.

In the western oil city of Maracaibo, an opposition protest of dozens of people was quickly dispersed by motorcycle-mounted security forces by late morning. In central Valencia, protesters gathered at another location after initially being met with tear gas.

Opposition supporters also gathered in San Cristobal, near the border with Colombia, in the western city of Barquisimeto and in eastern Puerto Ordaz.

"I'm here because we need to get rid of this government. We have no money, we have no work," 62-year-old housewife Roisa Gomez said at a protest in the central city of Maracay. "I'm fighting for my vote, which I cast for Edmundo Gonzalez. They cannot steal the election."

Soon afterward, security forces used tear gas to disperse the Maracay protesters.

Many of the demonstrators were of retirement age and said they wanted change so their migrant children and grandchildren would return to the country. More than 7 million Venezuelans live abroad.

The ruling party was holding rival marches nationwide, images of which were broadcast on state television.

"We've come out to show that there is a democracy. On this side are the patriots who will be sworn in with Nicolas (Maduro), on the other side are fascists who want (foreign) intervention, war, to sell their country," said 50-year-old Caracas motorcycle taxi driver Manual Rincon.

Gonzalez, who has been on a tour of the Americas this week and met with U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump's national security advisor, has repeatedly pledged to return to Venezuela but given no details about how.

An arrest warrant was issued for Gonzalez for alleged conspiracy, prompting his September flight to Spain.

Machado is being investigated by the attorney general in at least two cases, but no warrant for her has been made public.

The government has detained several high-profile politicians and activists, including a former presidential candidate. This week, the attorney general's office said it had freed more than 1,500 of the 2,000 people, including teenagers, detained during post-election protests.

Venezuelans living abroad also held protests, including in Madrid, where Gonzalez's daughter Carolina Gonzalez spoke to hundreds of demonstrators.

"My dad sends a hug to all of you, glory to the brave people of Venezuela," she said, her voice breaking.

The Polish government adopted a resolution on Thursday vowing to ensure the free and safe participation of the highest representatives of Israel — including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who chose to attend commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau later this month.

Netanyahu became an internationally wanted suspect last year after the International Criminal Court, the world's top war crimes court, issued an arrest warrant for him and others in connection with the war in Gaza, accusing them of crimes against humanity.

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"The Polish government treats the safe participation of the leaders of Israel in the commemorations on January 27, 2025, as part of paying tribute to the Jewish nation, millions of whose daughters and sons became victims of the Holocaust carried out by the Third Reich," read the resolution published by the office of Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The government published the statement after Polish President Andrzej Duda asked Tusk to ensure that Netanyahu can attend without the risk of being arrested.

German forces occupied Poland at the start of World War II and set up a system of ghettos and death camps where they killed millions of Jews and others.

There had been reports suggesting that the arrest warrant could prevent Netanyahu from traveling to Poland to attend observances marking the anniversary of the liberation in 1945 of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp by Soviet forces on Jan. 27.There had been reports suggesting that the arrest warrant could prevent Netanyahu from traveling to Poland to attend observances marking the anniversary of the liberation in 1945 of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp by Soviet forces on Jan. 27.

Member countries of the ICC, such as Poland, are required to detain suspects facing a warrant if they set foot on their soil, but the court has no way to enforce that. Israel is not a member of the ICC and disputes its jurisdiction.

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The court has more than 120 member states, though some countries, including France, have already said that they would not arrest him. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán even said he would defy the warrant by inviting Netanyahu to Hungary.

It was not even clear if Netanyahu wanted to attend the event. The Polish Foreign Ministry said earlier Thursday that "it has not received any information so far indicating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going to attend the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz."

"Poland is a safe country and any leader visiting Poland is entitled to protection granted by the Ministry of the Interior," it added. The ministry also suggested that any idea that Netanyahu could be arrested in Poland is "fake news" that spread in U.S. media.

The commemoration will be attended by international officials and elderly survivors. It is to take place in Oswiecim, a town that was under German occupation during the war.

More than 1.1 million people were murdered at Auschwitz. Historians say that most of them, about a million, were Jewish, but the victims also included Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, and others.

The Kremlin on Thursday said it is closely monitoring the "dramatic" comments made by President-elect Donald Trump over his desire to acquire Greenland amid his expansionist rhetoric to take over the Panama Canal and assume Canada as a "51st state."

"The Arctic is a zone of our national interests, our strategic interests," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to a Reuters transcript. "We are interested in preserving the atmosphere of peace and stability in the Arctic zone.

"We are watching the rather dramatic development of the situation very closely, but so far, thank God, at the level of statements," he added.

FRANCE PUSHES BACK ON TRUMP USING MILITARY PRESSURE TO TAKE GREENLAND, SAYS IT'S NOW 'SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST'

Trump, who earlier this week said he could not rule out using military or economic force to take the Danish territory as well as the Panama Canal, has drawn some rebuke from European leaders like German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who reminded the former, and soon-to-be president of the United States, that national sovereignty is a "fundamental principle of international law and a key part of what we call Western values."

In a comment posted to X on Wednesday, Scholz, who has voiced "incomprehension" at Trump’s expansionist comments, said the principle of national sovereignty "applies to every country, whether in the East or the West."

"In talks with our European partners, there is an uneasiness regarding recent statements from the U.S.," he added, without mentioning which European leaders. "It is clear: We must stand together."

Despite international concern over Trump’s comments, some European leaders appear to be toeing the line when it comes to the level of rebuke they have issued.

Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded to Trump’s comments on Tuesday by clarifying that Greenland is not for sale but added she was glad the arctic country was garnering international interest.

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Similarly, in a Wednesday statement, Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede, who supports independence from Denmark, urged calm and said, "Greenland looks forward to working with the incoming U.S. administration and other NATO allies to ensure security and stability in the Arctic region."

The statement is a subtle reminder that Greenland, as a territory of Denmark which is a NATO member, is protected under the international alliance – though it is unclear if Greenland would remain so upon seeking independence or whether it, like Sweden and Finland have in recent years, would then need to apply for its own membership. 

While Greenland remains under NATO protection, this means any attack on the Arctic nation – including by the U.S. – would trigger Article Five of the international treaty and prompt a military response from the other 31 NATO allies. 

The Trump transition team did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions over how Trump’s threats could violate that treaty and threaten military conflict with NATO allies. 

Instead, a statement from Trump transition team spokesperson Karoline Leavitt was provided which said, "Every decision President Trump makes is in the best interest of the United States and the American people. That’s why President Trump has called attention to legitimate national security and economic concerns regarding Canada, Greenland, and Panama." 

However, Russian leaders have picked up on the apparently restrained response from some European leaders and on Thursday Peskov said, "Europe is reacting very timidly to this, it is clear that it's scary to react to Trump's words, so Europe is reacting very cautiously, modestly, quietly, almost in a whisper. 

"After all, if they say that it is necessary to take into account the opinion of the people, then perhaps we should still remember the opinion of the people of the four new regions of the Russian Federation, and we should show the same respect for opinion of these people," he said in reference to the four regions in Ukraine that Russia illegally annexed in 2022, not including Crimea, but which are not internationally recognized as a part of Russia. 

NATO did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's questions. 

A worker digging up clay in a southern England limestone quarry noticed unusual bumps that led to the discovery of a "dinosaur highway" and nearly 200 tracks that date back 166 million years, researchers said Thursday.

The extraordinary find, made after a team of more than 100 people excavated the Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire in June, expands upon previous paleontology work in the area and offers greater insights into the Middle Jurassic period, researchers at the universities of Oxford and Birmingham said.

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"These footprints offer an extraordinary window into the lives of dinosaurs, revealing details about their movements, interactions, and the tropical environment they inhabited," said Kirsty Edgar, a micropaleontology professor at the University of Birmingham.

Four of the sets of tracks that make up the so-called highway show paths taken by gigantic, long-necked herbivores called sauropods, thought to be Cetiosaurus, a dinosaur that grew to nearly 60 feet in length. A fifth set belonged to the Megalosaurus, a ferocious 30-foot predator that left a distinctive triple-claw print and was the first dinosaur to be scientifically named two centuries ago.

An area where the tracks cross raises questions about possible interactions between the carnivores and herbivores.

"Scientists have known about and been studying Megalosaurus for longer than any other dinosaur on Earth, and yet these recent discoveries prove there is still new evidence of these animals out there, waiting to be found," said Emma Nicholls, a vertebrate paleontologist at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

Nearly 30 years ago, 40 sets of footprints discovered in a limestone quarry in the area were considered one of the world's most scientifically important dinosaur track sites. But that area is mostly inaccessible now and there's limited photographic evidence because it predated the use of digital cameras and drones to record the findings.

The group that worked at the site this summer took more than 20,000 digital images and used drones to create 3-D models of the prints. The trove of documentation will aid future studies and could shed light on the size of the dinosaurs, how they walked and the speed at which they moved.

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"The preservation is so detailed that we can see how the mud was deformed as the dinosaur’s feet squelched in and out," said Duncan Murdock, an earth scientist at the Oxford museum. "Along with other fossils like burrows, shells and plants, we can bring to life the muddy lagoon environment the dinosaurs walked through."

The findings will be shown at a new exhibit at the museum and also broadcast on the BBC's "Digging for Britain" program next week.

The CEO of the Panama Canal has denied President-elect Donald Trump's allegation that the waterway built by the United States over a century ago is now under the control of China. 

"The accusations that China is running the Canal are unfounded," Panama Canal Authority leader Ricaurte Vásquez Morales told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. "China has no involvement whatsoever in our operations."

"Rules are rules and there are no exceptions," Vásquez Morales reportedly added. "We cannot discriminate for the Chinese, or the Americans, or anyone else. This will violate the neutrality treaty, international law, and it will lead to chaos."

In the 1970s, then-President Jimmy Carter negotiated what became known as the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which agreed the United States could use military force to defend the waterway against any threat to its "neutrality." That aspect was considered crucial for the U.S. at the time amid the threat of Soviet-aligned states. Carter also agreed that the Panama Canal itself would be turned over to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999.

TRUMP: CARTER WAS A 'VERY FINE' PERSON BUT PANAMA CANAL MOVES WERE 'A BIG MISTAKE'

On Tuesday, a reporter asked Trump at Mar-a-Lago if he would assure the world he would not use "military or economic coercion" to gain control of the Panama Canal, as well as Greenland. 

"No, I can't assure you on either of those two. But, I can say this. We need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for our military," Trump said. "Look, the Panama Canal is vital to our country. It's being operated by China. China. And we gave the Panama Canal to Panama. We didn't give it to China. And they've abused it. They've abused that gift. It should have never been made." 

While former President Carter was lying in state at the Capitol, Trump said he liked the man but disagreed with the deal he struck regarding the canal.

"Giving the Panama Canal is why Jimmy Carter lost the election, in my opinion, more so maybe than the hostages. The hostages were a big deal. But if you remember, nobody wants to talk about the Panama Canal because, you know, it's inappropriate, I guess. But, because it's a bad part of the Carter legacy," Trump added later. "But, he was a good man. Look, he was a good man. I know him a little bit, and he was a very fine person. But that was a big mistake." 

This is not the first time the Panamanian government has denied China's influence. 

Last month, Trump posted on TRUTH Social, "Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal."

In response, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino dismissed the claim as "nonsense," saying at a press conference, "There is not a single Chinese soldier in the canal." 

"The canal is Panamanian and belongs to Panamanians. There's no possibility of opening any kind of conversation around this reality," he added, according to the BBC. 

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Trump's concerns echo those from the U.S. Department of Defense over growing Chinese investments in shipping ports around the world. 

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee last March, Gen. Laura J. Richardson, the head of U.S. Southern Command, told lawmakers that the People's Republic of China (PRC) "messages its investments as peaceful, but in fact, many serve as points of future multi-domain access for the PLA and strategic naval chokepoints." 

"These investments include critical infrastructure such as deep-water ports, cyber facilities, and space facilities," Richardson warned. "In Panama, PRC-controlled State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) continue to bid on projects related to the Panama Canal – a global strategic chokepoint." 

Five percent of world commerce passes through the Panama Canal, Richardson said. 

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Two seaports on either side of the Panama Canal have been run for decades by the Hong-Kong-based company Hutchison Ports PPC, the New York Times reported, noting how the Chinese government has increasingly implemented its national security laws on the island of Hong Kong that can force companies to comply with intelligence-gathering and military operations. 

Roughly 40% of U.S. container traffic runs through the Panama Canal, according to the newspaper.