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EXCLUSIVE - In a rare bipartisan push Wednesday morning, senators on both sides of the aisle called on President Biden to instruct his administration to brief the upper chamber by Dec. 20 on efforts underway to free Austin Tice from Syria. 

A letter, first obtained by Fox News Digital, was sent to the Oval Office by Sens. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md, calling on Biden to "seize" the rapidly changing situation in Syria and secure Tice’s return.

"Given the recent fall of the Assad regime and the rapidly changing dynamics on the ground in Syria, we think this moment presents a critical opportunity to secure Austin’s release and bring him home to his family," the letter, signed by 34 senators, read. 

COLLAPSE OF SYRIA’S ASSAD REGIME RENEWS US PUSH TO FIND AUSTIN TICE

The letter applauded comments issued by both Biden and his national security advisor Jake Sullivan affirming that Tice’s return was a "top priority" amid the rebel takeover of Damascus, but lawmakers are looking to be briefed on detailed steps being taken to secure his release.

Multiple rewards systems have been initiated by both the FBI, which is offering up to $1 million, and the State Department's Rewards for Justice program, which is offering up $10 million, for information pertaining to Tice’s whereabouts. 

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters Monday evening, "There are intensive efforts underway by the United States to find Austin Tice and bring him home to his family."

HERE IS WHO IS VYING FOR POWER IN SYRIA AFTER THE FALL OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD

Efforts to connect U.S. officials with on the ground sources who may have information on where Tice is have been renewed. 

Sullivan told ABC’s "Good Morning America" on Monday that the U.S. was working with partners in Turkey through back-channel communications with people in Syria who may have information on which prison Tice was kept in, and the State Department confirmed that hostage-affairs envoy Roger Carstens has been engaging in a similar outreach approach in Beirut. 

The fall of the Assad regime on Sunday brought renewed hope for the return of Tice, who is still assessed to be alive despite his 2012 capture in Damascus and unknown condition, as rebel groups in recent days have begun freeing men, women and children held in Syria’s notoriously deplorable prisons.

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"For more than 12 years, Austin’s parents have demanded our government bring him home, and given the evolving situation in Syria, we urge you to seize this opportunity to launch an urgent effort to secure Austin’s release," the letter penned by Cronyn and Van Hollen stressed. "As a beloved son, brother, Eagle Scout, journalist, and veteran, Austin represents the best our nation has to offer and deserves the full and active support of our government to secure his release. 

"Congress is committed and more than willing to work with you to return him to his loving family. We encourage your administration to utilize all available means to further discourage the hostage taking of American citizens," it added. 

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

North Korea condemned South Korea as a "fascist dictatorship" Wednesday in reaction to President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law.

North Korea had remained silent for roughly a week after Yoon's attempt, which was foiled by the nation's legislature. Kim's regime finally commented on the issue through its state-run news outlet, KCNA.

"The shocking incident of the puppet Yoon Suk Yeol regime, which was faced with a serious governance crisis and an impeachment crisis, suddenly declared a martial law decree and unhesitatingly wielded the guns and knives of its fascist dictatorship," KCNA said in a report.

SOUTH KOREA IMPOSES A TRAVEL BAN ON PRESIDENT YOON OVER MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION

"Yoon Suk Yeol, who was faced with the possibility of being kicked out, committed an insane act that was reminiscent of the coup during the military dictatorship several decades ago and that drew strong condemnation from all walks of life, including the opposition party and further ignited the public anger demanding impeachment, the statement continued.

"The international community is sternly watching, with assessments that the martial law incident exposed vulnerabilities in South Korean society ... and that Yoon Suk Yeol’s political life could face an early end," KCNA added.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES FOR DECLARING MARTIAL LAW AHEAD OF IMPEACHMENT VOTE

While the legislature blocked Yoon's attempt to enforce martial law earlier this month, it failed in an impeachment vote against Yoon this week. Investigations into Yoon's power grab remain active, however.

South Korea’s former defense minister, Kim Yong Hyun, attempted suicide while in detention over the president's martial law declaration before officials stopped him.

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party plans to hold a second impeachment vote against Yoon on Saturday for his declaration to impose martial law after the first attempt failed.

Shin Yong Hae, commissioner general of the Korea Correctional Service, told lawmakers Wednesday at a parliament committee meeting that Kim attempted to kill himself overnight at a detention center in the capital of Seoul but that the attempt to end his life was unsuccessful after officials stopped him.

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

South Korea’s former defense minister, Kim Yong Hyun, attempted suicide while in detention over the president's martial law declaration before officials stopped him.

This, as police raided President Yoon Suk Yeol's office Wednesday amid the investigation into the president's declaration.

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party plans to hold a second impeachment vote against Yoon on Saturday for his declaration to impose martial law after the first impeachment attempt failed last weekend.

Shin Yong Hae, commissioner general of the Korea Correctional Service, told lawmakers Wednesday at a parliament committee meeting that Kim attempted to kill himself overnight at a detention center in the capital of Seoul but that the attempt to end his life was unsuccessful after officials stopped him.

SOUTH KOREA IMPOSES A TRAVEL BAN ON PRESIDENT YOON OVER MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION

Kim is listed in a stable condition.

Justice Minister Park Sung Jae also confirmed Kim’s failed suicide attempt during the parliament committee meeting.

Kim was detained early Wednesday after a Seoul court approved a warrant for his arrest on allegations of playing a key role in a rebellion and committing abuse of power. Kim was the first person formally arrested over the president's Dec. 3 martial law decree.

A close associate of Yoon, Kim is accused of recommending martial law to the president and sending troops to the National Assembly to block lawmakers from voting on the motion. Lawmakers eventually managed to enter a parliament chamber, where they unanimously rejected Yoon’s decree, forcing it to be lifted just hours after it was declared.

Prosecutors have up to 20 days to decide whether to indict Kim in the case.

Cho Ji Ho, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, and Kim Bong-sik, head of the metropolitan police agency of Seoul, were detained over their actions during martial law on allegations of deploying police forces to the National Assembly to block lawmakers from voting.

SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENT YOON SURVIVES IMPEACHMENT ATTEMPT AFTER HIS PARTY BOYCOTTS VOTE

The country’s main law enforcement agencies are centering on whether Yoon, Kim and others involved in the martial law decree committed the crime of rebellion, for which a conviction carries a maximum sentence of death.

Yoon, a conservative, apologized on Saturday for the martial law declaration, saying he would not seek to avoid legal or political responsibility for the motion. He also said he would leave it to his party to lead the country through its political turmoil, "including matters related to my term in office."

In declaring martial law, Yoon said he wanted to rebuild the country by eliminating "shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces," a criticism of his liberal rivals who control parliament.

Opposition parties and many experts say the martial law decree was unconstitutional. This was the first time martial law was imposed in South Korea in more than 40 years.

During a parliamentary hearing Tuesday, Kwak Jong-keun, commander of the Army Special Warfare Command whose troops were sent to parliament, testified that Yoon called him and requested that troops deployed at parliament "quickly destroy the door and drag out the lawmakers who are inside."

Kwak said he did not follow Yoon's order.

Senior officer Kim Dae-woo of the military’s counterintelligence agency said at the same hearing that his commander, Yeo In-hyung, asked him if an army bunker in Seoul had space to detain politicians and other figures after martial law was declared. Yeo is considered a close associate of Kim.

If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the second in command in the South Korean government, would take over his presidential responsibilities.

Should the president be removed, an election to replace him must be held within 60 days.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

U.S. Navy destroyers shot down Houthi missiles and drones for the second time in a month, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday.

The USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS O’Kane (DDG 77) successfully defeated a range of Houthi-launched weapons while transiting the Gulf of Aden on Dec. 9 and 10, the Navy said.

The ships were escorting U.S. owned and operated merchant vessels when they successfully engaged and defeated multiple one-way attacks, uncrewed aerial systems and one anti-ship cruise missile.

DISAPPROVAL MOUNTS BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD AS US AVOIDS DIRECT ACTION AGAINST HOUTHI REBELS

This attack marks the second in a month, with the first taking place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 when the ships defeated an Iran-backed Houthi attack.

US NAVY SHIPS REPEL ATTACK FROM HOUTHIS IN GULF OF ADEN 

"These actions reflect the ongoing commitment of CENTCOM forces to protect U.S. personnel, regional partners, and international shipping, against attacks by Iran-backed Houthis," the command said in a statement.

American personnel were not injured, CENTCOM added, and there were no injuries or damage to the ships.

The attacks against shipping are ongoing and Houthi militants vow to continue until Israel ends its campaign in Gaza.

Footage from the streets of China captured a scene straight from a science fiction novel – spherical drones alongside patrolling law enforcement. 

Chinese robotics company, Logon Technology, unveiled the RT-G autonomous spherical robot in a release, saying it was a "technological breakthrough" designed to assist and even replace humans in dangerous environments.

The spherical robots are capable of operating both on land and water. 

The robots can reach speeds of up to 35km/h (approximately 22 mph) and withstand impact damage of up to 8,818 pounds (4 tons), the company said.

NO TENNIS PARTNER? NO WORRIES WITH THIS AI ROBOT

In footage, posted by TikTok user @di.q60, a large spherical robocop was seen patrolling Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China. 

The large robocop was flanked by 4 officers along the busy streets of Hangzhou, which has a population of nearly 12 million.

Along with the robocop's intimidating presence, the robots are equipped with an impressive lineup of technological advancements.

According to Logon Technology, the robots are powered by advanced AI. 

ROBOTIC SHORTS GIVE YOUR LEGS A BOOST TO WALK FARTHER AND TIRE LESS

The company said that the RT-G will assist law enforcement by identifying and immobilizing criminals through using advance AI and using facial recognition technology.

China's recent use of robots points to countries blending technology and traditional policing methods to enhance public safety.

In the U.S., New York Mayor Eric Adams unveiled robotic dogs in April 2023.

"We want the public to know that the use of these technologies will be transparent, consistent, and always done in collaboration with the people that we serve," NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at the unveiling.

The robotic dogs were designed to assist the NYPD in investigating high-risk or hazardous incidents.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he wants to establish "relations" with the new regime in Syria after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, but he warned Israel will not hesitate to attack the Middle Eastern nation should it pose a threat.

"We want relations with the new regime in Syria," Netanyahu said in a live address. "But if this regime allows Iran to return to establishing itself in Syria or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah or [if it] attack[s] us, we will respond strongly. And we will exact a heavy price.

"What happened to the previous regime will also happen to this regime." 

ISRAEL DEPLOYS PARATROOPERS TO SYRIA IN 'DEFENSE ACTIVITIES' AFTER FALL OF ASSAD

It remains unclear who exactly will take over the leadership of Syria or what that government will look like now that rebel forces control Damascus.

Overnight on Monday, Israel launched massive strikes against Syrian military targets, including two Syrian naval sites, the Al-Bayda port and the Latakia port, where 15 Syrian naval vessels were docked, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Tuesday afternoon. 

"Manned aircraft flew hundreds of hours over Syrian airspace, conducting over 350 aerial strikes together with fighter jets," the IDF reported.

Israel said a "wide range of targets were struck" including anti-aircraft batteries, Syrian Air Force airfields and dozens of weapons depot sites in Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia and Palmyr that housed sophisticated weaponry like ballistic and cruise missiles, UAVs, fighter jets, attack helicopters and tanks. 

Netanyahu appeared to claim the strikes were similar to actions taken by Britain during World War II when it bombed a French fleet at the Algerian port of Mers-el-Kébir to prevent the ships from falling into the hands of the Nazis.

NETANYAHU HAILS 'HISTORIC' FALL OF BASHAR ASSAD IN SYRIA, CREDITS ISRAELI ATTACKS ON HEZBOLLAH, IRAN

It is unclear if any casualties were inflicted in Israel’s overnight strikes, though the United Nations on Tuesday condemned the attacks as well as Israel’s military encroachment beyond the Golan Heights and into a demilitarized buffer zone.

"We are continuing to see Israeli movements and bombardments into Syrian territory. This needs to stop," U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said, calling Israel’s developments "troubling."

"This is extremely important," he added. "We need to see a stop to the Israeli attacks, and we need to make sure that the conflict in the northeast stops. And we need to make sure that there are no conflicts developing between the different armed groups."

Israel received some international criticism after it sent a military contingent this week beyond the Golan Heights, a contested area that Jerusalem seized in 1967 and which is still internationally recognized as a part of Syria, though the U.S. recognizes Israeli sovereignty over the area.

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"We're against these types of attacks. I think this is a turning point for Syria. It should not be used by its neighbors to encroach on the territory of Syria," U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reportedly said Tuesday. 

In his address, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s position and said, "We have no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of Syria, but we clearly have the intention of doing what is necessary to ensure our security."

The fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria over the weekend has brought a renewed effort by the Biden administration to find American journalist and Marine veteran Austin Tice and bring him home. 

An immense push to return Tice, who was abducted in Syria 12 years ago, has been initiated as hostage-affairs envoy Roger Carstens has begun outreach in Beirut, and efforts to engage with sources in Syria to gain information on Tice's whereabouts have begun, according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

"There are intensive efforts underway by the United States to find Austin Tice and bring him home to his family," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Monday evening. "We encourage anyone who has information about Austin’s whereabouts to contact the FBI immediately." 

HERE IS WHO IS VYING FOR POWER IN SYRIA AFTER THE FALL OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD

Miller pointed to the FBI's reward program offering up to $1 million for anyone with credible information pertaining to Tice and his safe return.

The State Department's Rewards for Justice program is also offering up to $10 million for information about Tice's whereabouts. 

"As Secretary [of State] Blinken has said directly to Austin’s family – including in the past few days – we will not rest until he is returned home safely to his loved ones," the spokesman confirmed.

Similarly, Sullivan told ABC’s "Good Morning America" on Monday that the U.S. was also working with partners in Turkey to communicate with people in Syria who may have information to help locate the prison where he may be being held.

"This is a top priority for us," Sullivan said. 

Tice was 31 years old when he was detained in Damascus in August 2012 while reporting on the uprising against the Assad regime, which marked the early stages of the Syrian civil war, and ultimately ended with Assad’s ousting on Sunday after rebels seized the capital city.

The Tice family has said they believe he is still alive, and reports have suggested the U.S. has received intermittent information pertaining to his whereabouts, though one official told Reuters the credibility of this information has been difficult to verify.

The U.S. reportedly received information over the summer from a Lebanese source who claimed they saw Tice alive and said he was believed to be held captive by a group connected with Hezbollah, a former U.S. official familiar with the intelligence told Reuters. 

In 2020, President Biden issued a statement that said he knew "with certainty" that the Assad regime was responsible for Tice’s imprisonment and demanded they release him. 

The regime responded by claiming it neither abducted nor held the American journalist. 

THE RISE AND FALL OF BASHAR AND ASMA ASSAD

The U.S. has reportedly engaged in back-channel talks with Syria with the help of Lebanese intermediaries for years, including under the Biden administration, though to no avail.

Syrian officials apparently refused to engage in talks regarding the release of Tice and offered only proof-of-life information if the U.S. would meet its demands, like the withdrawal of its forces from the country. 

The last communication the Biden administration reportedly had with Syria regarding Tice was one month prior to the fall of Aleppo, which fell to rebel forces in late November.

Since the demise of Hezbollah following Israel’s campaign in Lebanon, along with Russia and Iran’s inability to once again back the Assad regime, and the subsequent rebel takeover of the country, tens of thousands of captives held in Syria’s notoriously brutal prisons have been released. 

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The infamous Saydnaya military prison, dubbed the "human slaughterhouse" where torture, disease, starvation and secret executions were common, was liberated on Sunday by the rebels who smashed open cells where they found men, women and children held, reported The Associated Press.

Prisoners in cities including Aleppo, Homs, Hama as well as Damascus have been freed, giving new hope to relatives who have not seen family members held in these prisons for years.

In a Saturday address, Biden expressed some hope regarding Tice and said, "We believe he’s alive. We think we can get him back, but we have no direct evidence to that yet."

"We have to identify where he is," the president added.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is recovering in an intensive-care unit after undergoing surgery for an intracranial hemorrhage, the Sirio-Libanes hospital said in a statement in the early hours of Tuesday.

The procedure was performed after the 79-year-old leftist leader felt headaches doctors believed resulted from a fall at home in October.

BRAZIL'S FIRST LADY AIMS EXPLICIT JOKE AT KEY TARGET OF HUSBAND'S ADMINISTRATION: 'F--- YOU, ELON MUSK'

The hospital said Lula, who traveled from the capital Brasilia to be treated 620 miles south in Sao Paulo, is "well, under monitoring in an ICU bed" after the bleeding was drained.

Brazil’s presidency has yet to issue any comment.

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Lula canceled a trip to Russia for a BRICS summit after the accident, his office said at the time. It left him with a cut visible on the back of his head, slightly above his neck.

Sirio-Libanes said a press conference will be held at 9 a.m. local time to discuss the surgery.

The regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fell after over 13 years of civil war and nearly 54 years of his family’s dynastic rule. 

While many Syrians across the country and members of the Syrian diaspora cheered the downfall of his brutal dictatorship, many in the region and in the U.S. fear what will come of his substantial stockpile of chemical weapons. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said in a statement that it was monitoring closely the developments in Syria, with "special attention" to the status of its chemical weapons. 

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

Izumi Nakamitsu, the U.N. high representative for Disarmament Affairs, said in a statement on Sunday that Syria’s reported destruction of large quantities of chemical weapons still cannot be verified.

"I reiterate that this is extremely worrying," Nakamitsu said in a statement.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the U.S. will "support international efforts to hold the Assad regime and its backers accountable for atrocities and abuses perpetrated against the Syrian people, including the use of chemical weapons."

It is unclear what specific chemical weapons Assad had left at the time of his regime crumbling and his fleeing to Moscow. As part of international negotiations following Assad’s use of chemical weapons, Syria joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013 and agreed to destroy over 1,300 tons of chemical warfare material in 2014. 

The OPCW said that there remain serious concerns about the completeness of Syria’s initial declaration in 2013 and "the fate of significant amounts of chemical weapons are unaccounted for."

U.S. Ambassador to the OPCW Nicole Shampaine warned that Syria’s undeclared chemical weapons posed a "proliferation risk."

Assad was not the only bad actor to use chemical weapons on Syrian civilians. A joint United Nations and OPCW investigation found that the Islamic State conducted chlorine attacks and used sulfur mustard gas in 2015 and 2016. Fears are growing around where exactly Assad’s chemical weapons are hidden and what groups may gain control of them. 

Chemical weapons falling into the wrong hands, particularly ISIS or other terrorist groups, would be a worst-case scenario for the region.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the rebel group that led the offensive in the eventual overthrow of Assad, released a statement in its newly created Political Affairs Department, asserting it has no intention of using what’s left of Assad’s chemical weapons and committed to maintaining the security of the sites while working with the international community to monitor the sites.

Despite the initial positive rhetoric from HTS, there is trepidation among experts and policymakers about how reliable assurances are from a group that once pledged allegiance to al Qaeda. HTS is a designated foreign terrorist organization by the State Department and has a Salafi-Jihadist ideology. The leader of HTS, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is wanted, and the FBI is offering up to $10 million for information leading to his capture.

Some experts who closely monitor nuclear weapons proliferation are advocating for the U.S. to join forces with Israel to destroy the remains of Assad’s chemical weapons.

"Israel and the United States must immediately destroy any known, remaining Syrian chemical weapons capabilities, while laying the basis for resumed OPCW inspections and efforts to attribute responsibility for the Assad regime and Russia’s past chemical weapons attacks," Andrea Stricker, deputy director of Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program, told Fox News Digital.

"Allowing such weapons to fall into the wrong hands risks terrorist attacks across the globe if such actors seek to exploit their newfound weaponry," Stricker added.

ASSAD ARRIVES IN MOSCOW, IS GRANTED ASYLUM BY RUSSIA

Israel already announced that it has conducted strikes on some of Assad’s suspected chemical weapons. So far, the U.S. has conducted dozens of precision air strikes targeting ISIS camps and operatives, striking over 75 targets, according to U.S. Central Command. The U.S. has not yet targeted the Assad regime's chemical weapons sites.

The HTS statement also noted that the Assad regime used chemical weapons against innocent Syrians during the civil war, and the group sees these weapons as a crime against humanity. One of the most gruesome attacks was in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta in August 2013, when the regime launched rockets carrying sarin gas that killed more than 1,400 people.

The OPCW concluded in extensive investigations that the Assad regime "definitely or likely" used chemical weapons in at least 17 cases during the civil war. Assad used an array of outlawed chemical weapons on his own people. At his disposal were "nerve agents, such as sarin, choking agents, such as weaponized chlorine, and blister agents, such as sulphur mustard," according to the Arms Control Association. 

Then-President Trump ordered military strikes on Syria at the Shayrat Air Base in April 2017, the base from which the Assad regime launched a nerve agent attack, and again in a joint U.S.-UK-French coordinated precision strike in April 2018 against Syrian chemical weapons facilities.

Taiwan defense officials are raising concerns about a substantial deployment of Chinese naval ships and military planes in the past 24 hours, saying the build-up could eventually lead to war as tensions continue to rise in the area.

Officials say China has sent about a dozen ships and 47 military planes to regional waters around the Taiwan Strait, as the nation braces for military drills following Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s recent overseas trip that included visits to Hawaii and Guam, an American territory.

The trip angered China, which claims Taiwan as its own.

TRUMP CABINET PICKS DELIGHT TAIWAN, SEND STRONG SIGNAL TO CHINA

Lai, who has been in office since May, spoke with U.S. congressional leaders by phone while in Guam. 

The visits came just weeks after the U.S. approved a potential $2 billion arms sale package to Taiwan, including the delivery of an advanced air defense missile system battle tested in Ukraine and radar systems. The potential sales package includes three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and related equipment valued at up to $1.16 billion, according to the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.

The Chinese communist government has pledged to annex Taiwan, through military force if necessary, and sends ships and military planes near the island almost daily.

Regarding the latest build up, Taiwan's Lt. Gen. Hsieh Jih-sheng said China’s navy is creating two walls — one at Taiwan's perimeter and another outside the first island chain, which extends south from Japan and through Taiwan to the Philippines. 

"The message they are sending is very simple: The Taiwan Strait is ours," he said, referring to the waters between Taiwan and China.

Taiwan officials say the deployment came without an announcement and are calling the ongoing activity a training exercise.

However, Hsieh warned that training can become drills, and drills can become war.

"It’s in the status of regular training," he said. "But under the status of normalized training, it’s able to mobilize military forces on such a large scale and carry out exercises in such a large area."

Taiwan's military is on high alert, setting up an emergency response center on Monday and announcing flight restrictions in seven zones off China's east coast. The restrictions are in place until Wednesday.

PHILIPPINES WARNS OF ‘RED LINE’ WITH BEIJING AMID HEIGHTENED TENSIONS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA

The U.S. has repeatedly signaled its support for Taiwan through military deals, operations and diplomatic interactions with Taiwanese officials.

Recent years have found a cadence of U.S. officials, such as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meeting with Taiwanese officials only for Beijing to react with saber-rattling.

Pelosi made a rare trip to the island in 2021, and China reacted by holding live-fire military drills surrounding Taiwan. Those drills occurred again in 2023 when then-Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.

China, which views Lai as a separatist, also held major military exercises around Taiwan following his inauguration in May and his National Day speech in October.

Meanwhile, President-elect Trump’s nominees to serve as United Nations ambassador, national security adviser, and most importantly, secretary of state are regarded by many as "China Hawks." 

For instance, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who has been tapped for secretary of state, said during the Republican National Convention in mid-July that he expected a re-elected Trump to "continue to do what he did in his first term and that is … continue to support Taiwan."

Rubio, however, has been in lockstep with Trump on insisting Taiwan increase defense spending, a view shared by security experts, but not necessarily the majority of Taiwanese people.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., has been nominated as ambassador to the United Nations while Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., is Trump’s choice for national security adviser.

Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom and Eryk Michael Smith, as well as The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. 

JERUSALEM — The rapid-fire collapse of the Syrian dictatorship of Bashar Assad has engulfed the Biden administration in a new wave of criticism about its efforts to claim a win for the end of one of the most brutal regimes in the Middle East.

Questions abound about whether Biden’s foreign policy team had a significant blind spot in Syria, where roughly 900 U.S. troops and American military contractors operate in the northeastern part of the war-ravaged country.

Speaking from the White House on Sunday, President Biden seemed to claim a much-needed victory for his administration's foreign policy, "Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East."

"This is a direct result of the blows that Ukraine, Israel have delivered upon their own self-defense with unflagging support of the United States," he said.

John Hannah, a senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America's Gemunder Center for Defense and Strategy and who served as Vice President Dick Cheney's national security adviser, told Fox News Digital, "President Biden’s efforts to take credit for the fatal weakening of Iran and Hezbollah is, frankly speaking, unseemly."

SYRIAN DICTATOR BASHAR ASSAD FLEES INTO EXILE AS ISLAMIST REBELS CONQUER COUNTRY 

"The harsh reality is that if Israel had succumbed to the Biden administration’s pressures and followed its advice over the past 14 months of war, Iran and Hezbollah would have been far stronger and Israel far weaker than they are today," said Hannah, who also served in the Clinton administration.

"There’s no doubt that President Biden deserves a lot of credit for his unflagging support of Israel’s ability to defend itself against the multifront war that Iran and its proxies launched on Oct. 7, 2023," he continued. "But what he refused to do was provide that same unflagging support of Israel’s ability to actually win that war by inflicting a comprehensive defeat on its enemies, particularly Iran and Hezbollah, precisely the element that was required to make last week’s historic events in Syria possible."

"The collapse of the Syrian regime is a direct result of the severe blows we inflicted on Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters at a press conference on Monday. "I would like to clarify: challenges are still expected in the campaign, and our hand is outstretched."

He also expressed appreciation to President-elect Donald Trump for recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019.

"The Golan will forever be an inseparable part of Israel," he said, per Israeli news agency TPS-IL.

FALL OF SYRIA'S BASHAR ASSAD IS STRATEGIC BLOW TO IRAN AND RUSSIA, EXPERTS SAY

Fox News Digital has reported that since Hamas terrorists from Gaza slaughtered nearly 1,200 people, including more than 40 Americans, on Oct. 7, 2023, in southern Israel, the Biden administration sought to curtail Israel's efforts to root out Hamas, as well as Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, and not launch counterstrikes against Iran's regime.

After Biden's speech, a senior administration official seemed to echo the president's bravado, "I think U.S. policy is a direct contributor to this for the reasons I laid out, and the president laid out, is significant, is important, has completely changed the equation in the Middle East, and you saw that play out here over the last week."

Behnam Ben Taleblu, an Iran expert and senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, offered a different take, saying, "Respectfully, it’s a bit odd to have an administration, which pulled punches against the Assad regime in Syria as well as its patron, the Islamic Republic of Iran, try to take credit for the fall of the Assad regime."

"Less, not more, has defined Biden’s risk-averse approach to the region," he continued. "Over the past year, the administration has watched Israel box in the Iran-backed threat network in the region, and in so doing break taboos that have long hindered Washington’s regional policy."

Democrat politicians like former Secretary of State John Kerry and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi courted Assad before his use of chemical weapons on his population after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Former National Security Council spokesperson Gordon Johndroe said about Pelosi’s 2007 visit with Assad, "On the contrary, these visits have convinced the Assad regime that its actions in support of terrorists have no consequences."

Deeply misjudging Middle East dictators and radical Islamist movements has plagued the Biden and Obama administrations, according to experts. 

The Biden-Harris administration faced congressional criticism for the reportedly premature and botched withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 that resulted in the radical Islamist Taliban movement absorbing the country and U.S. weapons.

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wrote on X, "As to U.S. interests in Syria, there are over 50,000 ISIS prisoners primarily being held by the Kurdish forces who helped President Trump destroy the caliphate. These ISIS fighters planned and executed plots against the American homeland and our allies. A breakout and reestablishment of ISIS is a major threat to the U.S. and our friends. Obama and Biden got this wrong big time, requiring President Trump to clean up their mess."

On Sunday it was announced that U.S. Central Command launched dozens of key strikes against ISIS in a move said to stop the terror group from taking advantage of the fluid situation in Syria.

The Syrian Kurds have faced slashing attacks from Turkey and pro-Turkey Syrian Sunni jihadi organizations, including the Islamic State, over the years.

Sinam Sherkany Mohamad, the representative of the Syrian Democratic Council mission in the United States, told Fox News Digital, "Defeating Assad was the goal of all Syrians, to build a pluralistic democratic system that guarantees the rights of all ethnic and religious components and diversity in Syria."
 

"ISIS is still present in the Syrian desert and has sleeper cells in northern and eastern Syria in addition to the prisons of ISIS fighters and the Al-Holl camp, all of which threaten our people, while warning the current situation could whet ISIS's appetite to become active again," Mohamad said.

Incoming freshman Rep. Abraham Hamadeh, R-Ariz., told Fox News Digital, "We cannot ignore the impact of President Biden’s weak leadership, which has eroded deterrence and encouraged our allies to hedge their bets. President Trump understood that arming the Kurds and working with them to dismantle ISIS was a critical success. The reward for standing with America should never be betrayal or abandonment."

Hamadeh, whose parents are Syrian immigrants, added, "We must ensure Syrian Kurdish civilians are not caught in the crossfire and that they are integral to any peace process."

Max Abrahms, a leading expert on counterterrorism and a tenured professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Fox News Digital, "It is also expected that ISIS will manifest as a non-trivial issue in the new Syria. It is on this issue where the Kurds and America have the most strategic overlap, as both regard ISIS as a serious threat. The more ISIS presents as a problem, the stronger the logic of maintaining American forces to work with the Syrian Democratic Forces."

The U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has been a key player in stopping the spread of ISIS in Syria.

The Taliban has reportedly banned women in Afghanistan from attending nursing and midwifery classes in yet another blow to women’s rights since the Taliban takeover. The latest directive closes one of the last remaining avenues women had to get an education.

"This devastating decision has crushed the hopes of hundreds of women who aspired to pursue an education and serve their communities," Manizha Bakhtari, ambassador and permanent representative of Afghanistan in Austria, told Fox News Digital.

Human Rights Watch noted that the Taliban’s supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, issued the decree and it was communicated by the Taliban's Ministry of Public Health during a meeting with private medical institutions.

ON 9/11 ANNIVERSARY AFGHAN OPPOSITION LEADER WARNS COUNTRY ONCE AGAIN A 'SAFE HAVEN FOR TERRORISTS'

The latest decree follows earlier bans from the Taliban on secondary education for girls and universities for women, extinguishing the last glimmer of hope for Afghanistan’s young women. 

Ambassador Bakhtari, who is also Afghanistan’s representative to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said the ban is not only a gross violation of human rights, but is also a grave setback for Afghanistan’s development. 

"Preventing women from participating in essential professions will lead to higher maternal and neonatal mortality rates, undermining the country’s health system and progress," the ambassador said.

Women who were attending courses to study nursing and midwifery were ordered not to attend classes any longer. Nursing and midwifery provided women with one of the last opportunities to have a profession that was exempt from bans the Taliban implemented on women’s employment after taking power in 2021. 

U.N. Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett said in a post on X that the "inexplicable and unjustifiable" announcement will have a devastating impact on the entire population if implemented and must be reversed.

3 YEARS AFTER US WITHDRAWAL, AFGHAN RESISTANCE STILL IGNORED BY US, WEST

Access to health care and a lack of adequate services has left Afghanistan’s population vulnerable to disease and even routine illnesses that could be treated with basic medical services. Preventing women from studying at medical institutions harms Afghanistan’s entire population, which is desperately in need of health care workers.

Rural areas will be the hardest hit by the Taliban’s latest ban, where cultural norms prevent male doctors from treating female patients. 

Afghanistan has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world and is one of the most dangerous places on Earth to give birth. According to the World Bank, 620 women die per 100,000 live births due to pregnancy-related causes. The World Health Organization estimated in 2020 that 24 women die every day during childbirth or pregnancy.

The ban on medical training for women will likely compound Afghanistan’s growing humanitarian crisis that has only worsened since the Taliban came to power and the international community dramatically reduced its financial support over objections to the Taliban’s oppressive policies toward women.

WITH TALIBAN VICTORY, AFGHANISTAN COULD BECOME THE 'SECOND SCHOOL OF JIHADISM'

More than 23 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance in 2023, according to the U.N. The world body also reported that 4 million Afghans were malnourished, including 3.2 million children under the age of 5.

Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where women and girls are banned from secondary and higher education as well as many sectors of the economy and government, according to Human Rights Watch. 

The Taliban have reneged on all of their promises they made following their takeover of Kabul to respect the rights of women. In September 2021, shortly after overthrowing the U.S.-backed Afghan Republic, the Taliban barred young girls from attending secondary school after the sixth grade and then banned women from attending higher education in December 2022.

The U.N. and international nongovernmental organizations have urged the Taliban to repeal the directive as well as their other repressive policies toward women.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) deployed paratroopers into Syria to conduct "defense activities" on Sunday, after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime.

The IDF said the deployment was meant to "proactively ensure the defense of Golan" amid the instability in Syria. Footage and images show paratroopers and heavily armored tanks deploying to the buffer zone. The move comes as both the U.S. and Israel have struck multiple targets within Syria following Assad's ouster.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said early Monday morning that Israel also conducted strikes on suspected Syrian chemical weapons sites. Assad infamously used chemical weapons on his own civilians when former President Barack Obama was in office. The U.S. and Israel are taking steps to ensure that those weapons do not fall into the hands of the Islamist rebels now in control of Syria.

"The only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens," Saar said Monday. "That's why we attacked strategic weapons systems, like, for example, remaining chemical weapons, or long-range missiles and rockets, in order that they will not fall in the hands of extremists."

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

Leaders in the U.S. and Israel have praised the toppling of Assad but also expressed concern about who will lead the country moving forward. The main rebel group at play is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which translates to Organization for the Liberation of the Levant. The organization is a terrorist group with links to both ISIS and al Qaeda.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Assad's fall in a statement on Sunday, going on to announce Sunday's troop movements in order to "take action against possible threats."

"One of them is the collapse of the Separation of Forces Agreement from 1974 between Israel and Syria. This agreement held for 50 years. Last night, it collapsed," Netanyahu said. "The Syrian army abandoned its positions. We gave the Israeli army the order to take over these positions to ensure that no hostile force embeds itself right next to the border of Israel. This is a temporary defensive position until a suitable arrangement is found."

Netanyahu closed by offering a "hand of peace" to people in Syria, including to "Muslims who want to live in peace with Israel."

President Biden echoed Netanyahu's cautious optimism in his statement responding to Assad's fall.

"At long last, the Assad regime has fallen. The fall of this regime is a fundamental act of justice. It is a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their country. It is also a moment of risk and uncertainty," Biden said.

"New opportunities are now opening up for the people of Syria and for the entire region," he added.

For his part, Assad fled Damascus with his wife and three children shortly before the country fell to rebel forces this weekend. He has since been granted asylum in Moscow.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to take the witness stand for the first time on Tuesday in his ongoing case over alleged fraud and corruption in Israel.

The trial comes as Netanyahu's government manages several conflicts with Iran and its proxy terrorist groups, as well as the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime this weekend. 

The corruption trial kicked off in 2020, with prosecutors accusing Netanyahu of exchanging regulatory favors for positive press coverage in under-the-table dealings with media moguls.

So far, some 140 witnesses have taken the stand in the trial, though that falls short of the 300 witnesses initially expected. Those witnesses include high-profile figures, such as a former prime minister, former security chiefs and media personalities.

'CHEERLEADING FOR TERRORISM': TWITCH STAR CALLED FOR NEW 9/11, DISMISSED HORROR OF OCT 7

Police have already interviewed Netanyahu and his wife multiple times regarding the charges, but Tuesday will be the first time he takes the witness stand.

His testimony will be an arduous process expected to last weeks, with him testifying three days a week for hours at a time. The defense has repeatedly sought to postpone the prime minister's testimony, but those efforts have come up short.

ICC REJECTS ISRAELI APPEALS, ISSUES ARREST WARRANTS FOR BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, YOAV GALLANT

Critics have accused Netanyahu of drawing out and even escalating Israel's conflict with Hamas in an effort to delay the legal proceedings. The prosecution rested its case in July, and a verdict is not expected until 2026, at which point either side could then appeal to the country's supreme court.

Netanyahu is receiving more support in the International Criminal Court's case against him, however, with American politicians rallying to his defense amid accusations of war crimes. The Pentagon also stated that it "fundamentally rejects" the ICC's decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

ISRAELI OFFICIAL PRAISES STEFANIK AS UN PICK, SAYS HER 'MORAL CLARITY' WILL COMBAT BODY'S 'HATE AND LIES'

"We remain concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants, and, you know, some of the processes that have played out," Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters in November. "And again, we’ve been very clear that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over this matter."

Several senior members of the Senate have said they would support sanctions against the ICC after it issued the arrest warrants. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The stunning collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has sent shock waves throughout the region and beyond, marking a dramatic turning point after nearly 14 years of civil war. Assad’s rule, long sustained by Russia and Iran, has come to an end, leaving his former patrons scrambling to manage the fallout. The implications for these two powers, as well as for the broader regional and global landscape, are profound.

Russia’s involvement in Syria was never just about Assad, experts say. Securing a foothold in the Middle East was a cornerstone of Moscow’s strategy, with the Khmeimim Air Base and Tartus naval facility serving as vital assets for projecting power. However, with Assad now gone, Russia’s assets in Syria are at risk.

Rebekah Koffler, strategic military intelligence analyst and author of "Putin’s Playbook," emphasized the significance. "Syria has been a key theater in the broader proxy conflict between Russia and the U.S. losing Assad represents a strategic defeat for Russia, costing them critical bases in the Middle East and further stretching their military resources as they continue fighting in Ukraine."

TRUMP RESPONDS AFTER REBELS OVERTAKE SYRIA, OUSTING LONGTIME DICTATOR: ‘ASSAD IS GONE’

Ksenia Svetlova, a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, described the fallout as, "Russia has been exposed for what it really is- a power that overpromises but underdelivers. They came to Syria with grand ambitions, but apart from helping Assad survive through joint efforts with Iran and Hezbollah, they achieved little. The post-war reconstruction never began, and with Russia now focused on Ukraine, Syria became a secondary priority. Now, Russia has abandoned Assad, revealing itself as an unreliable partner."

She said this failure sends a message to Moscow’s allies. "In the Middle East, Russia now looks weak compared to the United States. Syrians are stunned that Moscow left 'Baby Assad,' as the regime opponents call him, to collapse, while the U.S. has demonstrated strength by standing firmly with Israel in its time of need."

The fall of Assad highlights Syria’s role as a battleground in the U.S.- Russia proxy war, as Koffler explained. "Before Assad’s fall, President Trump reportedly called Putin to de-escalate tensions, but instead, Putin doubled down by escalating his nuclear doctrine, signaling a refusal to back down. Now that Assad, one of Putin’s key allies, has lost Syria, the balance of power shifts dramatically. With this loss, Trump may have newfound leverage over Putin, as losing Syria undermines Russia’s influence in the region and strains its already overstretched resources. This could open a path for Trump to negotiate the end of the war in Ukraine from a stronger position, leveraging Putin’s setbacks in Syria."

For Iran, Assad's fall deals a devastating blow to its long-term regional strategy. Syria was a crucial link in Tehran’s "Axis of Resistance," connecting Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon and enabling the smuggling of weapons across the region via a corridor stretching from Iran through Iraq and Syria into Lebanon.

"This is an unprecedented, historic moment," Svetlova said. "The Iranian ‘Ring of Fire,’ meticulously built by Qassem Soleimani, has been shattered. If Soleimani was still alive, he would be horrified to see the collapse of his life’s work."

The weakening of Hezbollah during its war with Israel further exacerbated Assad’s vulnerability, leaving the regime without critical support on the ground. Hezbollah had been a key force assisting Assad’s army during the civil war, but after sustaining heavy losses to Israeli forces, it could no longer provide sufficient support. Meanwhile, Iran refrained from sending additional troops to bolster Assad.

SYRIAN DICTATOR BASHAR ASSAD FLEES INTO EXILE AS ISLAMIST REBELS CONQUER COUNTRY 

An Iranian journalist, speaking anonymously to Fox News Digital from Iran, shed light on the internal reaction in Iran. "The majority of Iranians are celebrating Assad’s downfall. For years, Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guard funneled resources into preserving the Axis of Resistance, draining the Iranian people’s wealth. Now, with Assad gone, there is hope that Iran’s oppressive influence in the region will weaken. This is a moment of joy for those who have long opposed the regime’s policies."

"The Iranian people and the regime are worlds apart in their perspectives," said another Iranian dissident who spoke anonymously to Fox News Digital from the country. "While the regime has largely watched Assad's downfall from the sidelines, likely due to its own internal weaknesses or strategic agreements, the Iranian people are celebrating. There’s a wave of hope and joy spreading across social media, fueled by the idea that revolutions in countries aligned with the Islamic Republic - past or present - could spark a domino effect. For many, Assad's collapse represents the weakening of the resistance axis and a glimmer of possibility for change within Iran itself."

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

While Assad’s fall creates opportunities for a new order in the Middle East, it also presents significant risks. The surprise attack on Assad’s forces, led by the Salafi-jihadist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under the command of Abu Mohammed al-Golani, underscores the complexity of the situation. HTS, Syria's most powerful rebel faction, evolved from the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front but claimed to sever ties with the group in 2016. It remains designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and other nations.

"Who will fill the void?" Koffler warned. "The rebels aren’t good people - they’re the same extremists we’ve seen before. While they may appear on Western media wearing a green T-shirt and giving polished interviews, the reality is different. Removing one dictator often leads to even worse outcomes, as we saw in Iraq and Libya."

Avner Golov, former senior director of Israel’s National Security Council and vice president at Mind Israel, believes there is a potential upside for both the U.S. and Israel.

"The collapse of Assad’s regime underscores the failures of Russia and Iran as powers in the region. Meanwhile, the U.S. has shown its strength by standing with Israel and choosing the winning side. This is a critical opportunity for Washington to leverage its position and build a coalition of moderate Arab states - Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt - with Israel, to counter both Sunni and Shia Islamist forces. This coalition could provide a stabilizing force in the region and counter the growing influence of extremist groups."

Golov said there are ramifications for Beijing. "China has been largely absent in the Middle East conflicts, focusing instead on its global economic goals. In contrast, Russia has proven itself unreliable in Syria, retreating while the U.S. supported its allies. This presents a unique opportunity for America to strengthen its position in the Middle East amid the collapse of the Iranian axis."

The South Korean Justice Ministry imposed an overseas travel ban against President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday amid an investigation into allegations of rebellion and other charges over his short-lived martial law declaration.

Yoon had declared martial law last Tuesday, leading to special forces troops being deployed into the streets of Seoul and resulting in political protests.

On Saturday, Yoon escaped an opposition-led effort to impeach him, but the opposition parties pledged to issue a new impeachment motion against him this week.

Bae Sang-up, a Justice Ministry official, said at a parliamentary hearing that it banned Yoon from leaving the country after requests by police, prosecutors and an anti-corruption agency as they expand their investigations into the circumstances surrounding Yoon’s declaration.

SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENT YOON SURVIVES IMPEACHMENT ATTEMPT AFTER HIS PARTY BOYCOTTS VOTE

A senior National Police Agency officer told local reporters on Monday that police could also detain Yoon if conditions are met.

A sitting South Korean president has immunity from prosecution while in office, but that does not include protecting him from allegations of rebellion or treason.

Former President Park Geun-hye was thrown out of office in 2017 after being impeached by parliament over a corruption scandal. Prosecutors failed to search her office and ended up receiving documents outside the compound because presidential officials refused them entry.

After refusing to meet with prosecutors during her time in office, Park was questioned and arrested after the Constitutional Court approved her impeachment and ruled to dismiss her as president in March 2017.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES FOR DECLARING MARTIAL LAW AHEAD OF IMPEACHMENT VOTE

The main opposition Democratic Party called Yoon’s martial law declaration "unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or a coup." The party has filed complaints with police against at least nine people, including Yoon and his former defense minister, over the rebellion allegations.

South Korean prosecutors detained former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun on Sunday for allegedly recommending that Yoon declare martial law, making him the first person detained in the martial law case.

The Defense Ministry last week separately suspended three top military commanders over their alleged involvement in imposing martial law.

Yoon, a conservative, apologized on Saturday for the martial law declaration, saying he will not seek to avoid legal or political responsibility for the motion. He said he would allow his party to lead the country through its political turmoil, including matters related to his term in office.

In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a "den of criminals" bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate "shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces."

Yoon’s martial law decree only lasted six hours because the National Assembly, including some members of Yoon's governing People Power Party, voted to reverse it, forcing Yoon’s Cabinet to lift it.

Governing party leader Han Dong-hun said Sunday his party will push for Yoon’s early and orderly exit from office in a way that minimizes social confusion and that Yoon will not be involved in state affairs, including foreign policy.

During a Monday briefing, the Defense Ministry said Yoon maintains control of the military, which the constitution explicitly reserves for the president.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Syrian President Bashar Assad fled to Russia over the weekend, ending a nearly 14-year struggle to maintain power in his country amid a civil war that turned into a battlefield for international and regional powers.

But the Assad people came to know through the news of war in Syria was not who some expected when he came to power.

Assad’s father, Hafez Assad, had been cultivating Bashar’s oldest brother Basil as his successor. In 1994, Basil was killed in a car crash in Damascus. Bashar was then brought home from his ophthalmology practice in London and put through military training, where he was elevated to the rank of colonel to give him the credentials to one day rule Syria.

Hafez ruled Syria for nearly 30 years, during which he established a Soviet-style centralized economy. He also formed an alliance with the Shiite clerical leadership in Iran, sealed Syrian domination over Lebanon and set up a network of Palestinian and Lebanese militant groups.

NETANYAHU HAILS ‘HISTORIC’ FALL OF BASHAR ASSAD IN SYRIA, CREDITS ISRAELI ATTACKS ON HEZBOLLAH, IRAN

When Hafez died in 2000, the country’s parliament lowered the age requirement to become president from 40 to 34, and through a nationwide referendum, Bashar became president, having been the only candidate.

Bashar initially seemed the opposite of his father. When Bashar came to power, he spoke with a slight lisp, was tall, lanky, quiet and had a gentle demeanor. His only official position previous to becoming president was the head of the Syrian Computer Society, so people believed he was a geeky tech-savvy fan of computers with a gentle demeanor.

Bashar also freed political prisoners and allowed more open discourse.

SYRIAN DICTATOR BASHAR ASSAD FLEES INTO EXILE AS ISLAMIST REBELS CONQUER COUNTRY

Several months after taking office, Bashar married Asma al-Akhras, a British-born woman who is known for being attractive and stylish. The two eventually had three children.

The couple lived in an apartment in the upscale neighborhood of Abu Rummaneh in Damascus, as opposed to a mansion like other Arab leaders.

Asma, who was born in Acton, West London, to Sunni Muslims from Homs, Syria, became known as Syria’s Princess Diana.

ASSAD ARRIVES IN MOSCOW, IS GRANTED ASYLUM BY RUSSIA

She gained degrees in computer science and French literature at Queen’s College London and went into banking, working as a hedge funds analyst.

She married Bashar in a "secret" wedding in 2000 when he was 35, and she was just 25.

As Bashar continued to rule, things began to change.

In 2005, Bashar suffered a blow with the loss of Syria’s decades-long control over neighboring Lebanon after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Many in Lebanon accused Bashar of being behind the murder. Syria was forced to withdraw its troops from Lebanon and a pro-American government came to power.

During the same time, the Arab world split into two – one side was U.S.-allied and included Sunni-led countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, while the other side consisted of Syria and Iran, along with their connections to Hezbollah and Palestinian militants.

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

Bashar appointed family members to key roles, while also giving entrusted roles to Asma.

In 2011, rulers in Tunisian and Egypt were toppled by protesters, though Bashar dismissed that it could also happen in Syria.

His security forces staged a brutal crackdown while Bashar denied he faced a popular revolt. Instead, he blamed "foreign-backed terrorists" for trying to destabilize his regime.

The uprising spiraled into civil war with millions of Syrians fleeing to Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Europe.

In March 2011, Vogue magazine published a profile on Asma, calling her a "Rose in the Desert" and "the very freshest and most magnetic of first ladies." The article, which described the Assads as "wildly democratic" and portrayed them as progressive and intelligent, was based on an interview conducted in late 2010. It was pulled from the internet weeks after its publication, as Assad's bloody crackdown on Syrian dissidents was well under way.

"Subsequent to our interview, as the terrible events of the past year and a half unfolded in Syria, it became clear that its priorities and values were completely at odds with those of Vogue," the magazine's editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, said at the time.

In 2012, Wikileaks published private emails from the 42-year-old Brit showing she blew through $350,000 on 130 pieces of furniture when the country’s civil war had been raging for one year.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

The published emails also reportedly showed she also bought a pair of $7,000 shoes with crystal-encrusted heels and had the goods shipped to Dubai to get around sanctions.

The couple’s ultra-modern presidential mansion – commissioned in 1979 and designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange – is thought to have cost $1 billion.

In 1989, the Washington Post reported that a single room was fitted with 125,000 Italian marble tiles at a cost of $85 per tile. The total cost spent on a single room was about $10.6 million.

On the same day her husband is believed to have dropped sarin gas on civilians in Khan Sheikhoun, Asma posted a photo of herself wearing a chic polka-dotted dress, seemingly deep in thought and smiling.

Asma's social media posts depicted her as a humanitarian, adorned with photos of the first lady reading to children and embracing the family of a Syrian who was killed in the nation's civil war – all with the affectionate hashtag #WeLoveYouAsma.

The photos are a stark contrast to the ones on news channels that showed Syrian children lying dead in the streets after choking on poison gas that the U.S. and its allies said was unleashed by her dictator husband.

In May, Syrian officials announced that Asma had been diagnosed with leukemia, forcing her to temporarily withdraw from public life.

Bashar's office released a statement at the time, saying Asma was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and will "adhere to a specialized treatment protocol that includes stringent infection prevention measures.

Acute myeloid leukemia is an aggressive cancer of the bone marrow and the blood.

Asma was previously been treated for breast cancer.

Fox News Digital's Timothy H.J. Nerozzi and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Following numerous allegations and charges against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) over its ties to terrorists with involvement in the Hamas terrorist massacre in Israel, the scandal-hit agency is facing new allegations of wrongdoing.

U.N. Watch a Geneva-based NGO, has released parts of a 150-page dossier that Executive Director Hillel Neuer told Fox News Digital shows "high-level UNRWA staff who are complicit with terrorists, who meet with them regularly." 

Before presenting his documentation to the world, Neuer attempted to address it directly with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. In a letter to Lazzarini, Neuer explained that Lazzarini’s staff have previously complained that U.N. Watch did not submit its reports to UNRWA for comment prior to publishing. Neuer then recounted several attempts to meet personally with Lazzarini to discuss U.N. Watch’s findings and explained that when it released its dossier, Lazzarini would be unable to "claim… that we do not show you the evidence in advance."

UN, ISRAEL AT ODDS OVER CAUSE OF DECLINE IN AID DELIVERIES: ‘FALSE NARRATIVES BY INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’

Neuer's group then released photographs of senior UNRWA staff, including Lazzarini and former UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl, meeting with alleged terror leaders. "You wouldn’t find these photos on [UNRWA officials’] own social media," he said. "We found them our own ways, but they don’t post them." 

Neuer pointed Fox News Digital to two undated photos showing Lazzarini meeting with groups that included members of terror organizations, including the Jihadi Islamic Movement, the Islamic Ansar League, and Hamas.

In another photo dating back to late 2014, multiple UNRWA regional directors met with senior Hamas member Ali Baraka. Neuer said, and reporting from Al Watan Voice confirms, that the UNRWA staff wanted to "to congratulate [Baraka] on Hamas’ anniversary."

In another instance, Neuer said he was able to find a photo and transcript from a February 2017 meeting between former UNRWA chief Pierre Krahenbuhl, Baraka, members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and others. According to U.N. Watch, Krahenbuhl reportedly told the assembly that "we are united, and no one can separate us."

In September 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice announced "terrorism, murder conspiracy, and sanctions-evasion charges" against Baraka and five other Hamas leaders for their roles in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack, which killed 40 Americans and over 1,000 others.

UN ACCUSED OF DOWNPLAYING HAMAS TERRORISTS’ USE OF GAZA HOSPITALS AS NEW REPORT IGNORES IMPORTANT DETAILS

Krahenbuhl and his staff were investigated in 2019 for reports of "sexual misconduct, nepotism, retaliation, discrimination and other abuses of authority." Krahenbuhl resigned from his position, but in April 2024 was named the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Leading congressional voices requested that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power "persuade the ICRC to reconsider this appointment" given Krahenbuhl’s "disastrous tenure" as UNRWA commissioner-general.

Fox News Digital asked the ICRC about the photos of Krahenbuhl posing with terror leaders, and of congressional concern about his fitness for the position in the Red Cross. An spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the ICRC "was not present in the meeting, so it cannot speak to the full context of the discussion." 

They also stated that Krahenbuhl "has demonstrated through his work at ICRC and his decades of humanitarian experience that he has one objective: to secure aid to civilians in conflict zones. Meeting with any group that controls access to civilians, is an essential part of the ICRC work and other humanitarian organizations in conflict zones."

U.N. Watch’s latest dossier also includes interviews of UNRWA students taken by local Palestinian film crews over a period of three weeks during the summer of 2024. In one interview, a 14-year-old former student of UNRWA’s Ein Arik co-ed school said that his school taught him "’to fight back and resist’ so that ‘Palestine will be liberated and our lands will return to us by the good grace of Allah.’" The child later explains that the solution for Jerusalem is to "kill the Jews. We get rid of the Jews."

A second NGO, IMPACT-se has reported extensively on educational materials used in UNRWA schools for over two decades. In a Nov. 13 report, IMPACT-se names 12 high-ranking UNRWA principals, deputies, directors or deputy directors of training centers who held membership in either Hamas or PIJ. The report notes that nine of the 12 participated in the terror attack of Oct. 7, with "some even serving as Nukhba operatives," members of the special forces units of Hamas. Two of the dual UNRWA- and Hamas-member principals headed schools "under which Hamas tunnels were built." 

ISRAELI PARLIAMENT BANS UNRWA OVER TERRORISM TIES, FACES INTERNATIONAL BACKLASH

The latest IMPACT-se review complements findings from March 2023 that two UNRWA schools headed by Hamas members had "promote[d] violence and terrorism in self-created study material." Now, IMPACT-se has named three additional schools where Hamas operatives served as UNRWA staff. The NGO found that these schools promoted "libels against and non-recognition of Israel" and "gratuitously insert[ed] content promoting hatred and violence against Israel into grammar exercises."

IMPACT-se found that UNRWA schools are "shamelessly flout[ing]" UNESCO standards, which include "peace-building, respect for non-Palestinian groups, and avoiding incitement to violence." 

The group's report cites intelligence claiming that "over 10% of the 510 [senior] employees in UNRWA’s education system in the Gaza Strip," are members of PIJ or Hamas. UNRWA members are not allowed to be participants in terror groups designated by the U.N. Security Council. But as Neuer explained, "The U.N. terror list is one of the thinnest lists in the world," because "Russia and China can block any designation they don’t like." Neuer said this means "there’s virtually no Palestinian groups" on the list.

Fox News Digital reached out to UNRWA media officials on numerous occasions for its response to the contents of IMPACT-se’s and U.N. Watch’s dossiers, about allegations that UNRWA schools were not adhering to UNESCO standards, and about Lazzarini’s refusal to meet with Neuer. 

Bill Deere, director of the UNRWA representative office in Washington, told Fox News Digital, "UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has cautioned the spread of disinformation against UNRWA," which he says "is meant to create chaos and divert attention from the political aims to dismantle the Agency." Reiterating the content of a statement Lazzarini shared on X in the aftermath of Neuer’s dossier being released, Deere said, "UNRWA recommends before giving oxygen to accusations like these, double-check the source and question the intent to avoid becoming an echo chamber for disinformation and de facto the fueling of hate and putting other people’s lives in danger."

Addressing U.N. Watch’s interviews with UNRWA students, he said, "What they don't tell you is these children were filmed without the knowledge or permission of their parents," Deere said. "The kids were isolated and asked a series of leading questions designed to elicit a response. This is beyond misleading, it's twisted and desperate." 

The U.S. was among numerous countries to pause support to UNRWA in January after the initial proofs emerged of members’ participation in the terror attack of Oct. 7. Congress has halted funding to UNRWA through March 2025.
 

A group of unknown gunmen stormed the Iranian embassy in Damascus on Sunday after Islamist rebels took the city and overthrew the regime of Bashar Assad, who the Russian Foreign Ministry says fled the country and left "instructions" for a transfer of power.

Iranian state television reported on the embassy incident, saying they did not believe the gunmen were affiliated with the wider rebel group that took the city. Iran had withdrawn most of its officials and their families on Saturday, leaving only a handful of diplomats.

"It is said that the Iranian embassy was stormed alongside nearby stores by an armed group different from the group now controlling [most of] Syria," Iranian state TV said, referring to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) which spearheaded recent rebel advances.

Arab and Iranian media have shared footage from inside the embassy's premises, where assailants rummaged through furniture and documents inside the building and damaged some windows.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

Assad and his British-born wife, Asma al-Assad, fled Damascus with their three children this weekend, according to Syrian television reports. It was not known where they were headed.

A video statement from a group of men on Syrian state TV said that Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners have been set free. 

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said early Sunday he didn't know the whereabouts of Assad. He told the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya that they lost communication Saturday night.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a Telegram post Sunday that Assad left Syria following negotiations with rebel groups, and that the long-time Syrian leader had left "instructions" to "transfer power peacefully." The Russian ministry said the Kremlin was not directly involved in those discussions.

Crowds of Syrians gathered in the central squares of Damascus to celebrate the news of Assad's departure. Some chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked horns. In other areas, celebratory gunshots rang out.

Syria has been embroiled in a bloody, nearly 14-year civil war as Islamist rebels looked to overthrow the Assad dynasty. The apparent collapse of more than 50 years of Assad family rule over the Syrian Arabian Republic is a monumental turning point in Middle East politics.

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the Islamist leader of HTS, who has a $10 million bounty on his head from the U.S., seeks to present a toned-down version of the radical Islamism that has defined his years of fighting in Syria and in Iraq against American troops. Al-Golani was detained by the U.S. military in the first decade of this century.

Syrian experts have told Fox News Digital that HTS seeks to impose a totalitarian Islamist regime on the population. Phillip Smyth, an expert on Iranian regime proxy groups and Syria, who is with the Atlantic Council, told Fox News Digital, "HTS is a group that is an outgrowth of Al-Qaeda and has connections to Turkey. Their endgame is to create a Taliban-esque society with a few tweaks."

Al-Golani banned his fighters from opening fire into the air in Damascus. 

"Public institutions will remain under the supervision of the prime minister until they are officially handed over," he said in a statement published on his group’s social media outlets.

Fox News' Benjamin Weinthal, Bradford Betz, the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report

JERUSALEM — Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, who used chemical weapons multiple times on his population, has fled Syria after rebels stormed the capital city of Damascus, according to Reuters.

Assad, who was trained as an eye doctor in the United Kingdom before succeeding his father, and his British-born wife, Asma al-Assad, fled with their three children, according to Syrian television reports. It was not known where they were headed.

Syria has been embroiled in a bloody, 13-year civil war as Islamist rebels looked to overthrow the Assad dynasty. The apparent collapse of more than 50 years of Assad family rule over the Syrian Arabian Republic would a monumental turning point in Middle East power politics. 

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

A coalition of largely radical Islamist groups dislodged Assad’s Iran-backed regime. The U.S.-designated terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist former Al-Qaeda affiliate that is part of the rebel forces, played the decisive role in evicting Assad, who inherited his presidency in 2000 following the death of his father, Hafez Assad.

Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the Islamist leader of HTS, who has a $10 million bounty on his head from the U.S., seeks to present a toned-down version of the radical Islamism that has defined his years of fighting in Syria and in Iraq against American troops. Al-Golani was detained by the U.S. military in the first decade of this century.

Syrian experts have told Fox News Digital that HTS seeks to impose a totalitarian Islamist regime on the population. Phillip Smyth, an expert on Iranian regime proxy groups and Syria, who is with the Atlantic Council, told Fox News Digital, "HTS is a group that is an outgrowth of Al-Qaeda and has connections to Turkey. Their endgame is to create a Talibanesque society with a few tweaks."

Assad’s decision in 2011 to launch a violent crackdown on pro-democracy Syrian activists during the Arab Spring revolts, which engulfed Egypt and Tunisia, resulted in the protracted civil war. Assad’s scorched-earth policy against the citizens of his country caused the killing of over 500,000 people. The UN recently announced that it has stopped tracking the mounting death toll.

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Egyptian and Jordanian officials urged Assad to flee Syria and form a government-in-exile. Jordan’s government denied the report.

In 2015, Assad’s regime was teetering when Russia intervened to save the dictatorship. The U.S.-sanctioned Lebanese terrorist movement, Hezbollah, and its main sponsor, Iran, both threw their weight behind Assad’s regime. 

The rebel forces who routed Assad’s forces—with the swift capture of the major Syrian cities of Aleppo, Hamas, and Homs—jolted both Putin and Iran. Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion of its territory has weakened Moscow. Israel has inflicted a number of aerial attacks on Iran’s military infrastructure since Tehran’s ally, Hamas, launched a surprise attack against the Jewish state on October 7, 2023.

The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2254 in 2015, which called for a cease-fire, UN-run elections and a new constitution. Assad rejected the resolution’s implementation. 

After Assad launched a shocking mass chemical weapons strike on Syrian civilians in 2013, in which more than 1,400 people were killed, former President Obama’s administration reneged on its promise to take military action against Assad. 

The origin of Assad’s forced departure can be traced back to a group of schoolboys in the southwestern dusty city of Daraa—the cradle of the Syrian revolt—in 2011.  The young boys used cans of graffiti to write on a concrete wall:"The people / want / to topple the regime!"

Assad’s cousin, Gen. Atef Najeeb, oversaw an operation that involved reported torture of the arrested 15 boys between the ages of 10 and 15. Syrian officials ripped the boy’s fingernails out and burned and beat them.