Fox World News

Following Bashar al-Assad's fall from power, a new government is taking shape in Syria that has many wondering if it will moderate its Islamist stance or, as some have predicted, function like the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The U.S.-designated terrorist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) had been ruling the Idlib Governate in northwest Syria and set up its own regime known as the Syrian Salvation Government and said it had shed its global Jihadist aims for a focus on local governance. In Idlib, HTS created a bureaucratic system and various ministries to administer some public services, including public safety.

"By all accounts, it has ruled with an iron fist there," Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Fox News Digital.

At its height, HTS ruled over approximately 2 million people in Idlib Province. Its leader, Mohammed al-Golani attempted to rebrand HTS and distance the group from the global jihadist elements of al Qaeda and instead focused on local issues in Idlib. 

ASSAD PAINTS HIMSELF AS 'CUSTODIAN' TO SYRIA AS PICTURE UNFOLDS ON COLLAPSE OF DAMASCUS

Questions still remain about how al-Golani would rule all of Syria. Some Syria watchers who monitored the groups record in Idlib caution that HTS was no democratic regime.

Hall, an expert on Syria, said that HTS exhibited mixed behavior in Idlib, including kicking out Christians, although Hall noted that she knows personally of religious minorities, including Alawites, who did live peacefully in Idlib.

Other aspects of their rule in Idlib are more troubling.

ASSAD ARRIVES IN MOSCOW, IS GRANTED ASYLUM BY RUSSIA

"In terms of their iron fist, HTS tried to do away with dissent when there were protests against them. It was reported that they had killed a famous political activist, Raed Fares. There were also recent protests in Idlib over people who have died in detention under HTS custody," Hall said.

HTS was less than tolerant and known for suppressing political dissent. Hall also noted she personally knows of people who were "beat up" by HTS fighters. 

Golani did oversee a de-emphasis on strict interpretations of Islam and limited the power of the feared morality police that monitored women’s public wardrobe. The problem now, according to Hall, is not necessarily HTS’ previous record of governance in Idlib, but the power vacuum that is left with Assad ousted.

"Everyone is going to be grabbing for power and influence," Hall said, adding that the U.S. and the West need to mitigate risk and insure a more stable and peaceful future for Syria and deal with the vulnerabilities of each potential governing group.

Tammy Palacios, program manager of the Priority Sustainable Counterterrorism program at the New Lines Institute and who closely monitors Syria, noted that although al-Golani made significant efforts to disconnect from his Jihadist past, moderation at other levels of HTS remains less clear.

HTS security forces were known to "arrest, judge, torture, detain, and kill individuals as a form of sharia law enforcement" exercising control in Idlib. Elements of the HTS administration in Idlib also educated and influenced the population in accordance with a hardline interpretation of Sharia law.

SYRIA'S UNACCOUNTED FOR CHEMICAL WEAPONS 'EXTREMELY WORRYING,' UN OFFICIAL SAYS

Since toppling the Assad dynasty, HTS set up a transitional government, called the Syrian Salvation Government, and named an interim prime minister, Mohammed al-Bashir. HTS leader al-Golani and the interim prime minister met with the former prime minister of Syria during the final months of the Assad regime, Muhammad Ghazi Al-Jalali, who decided to remain in his home in Damascus when the government fell.

During their lightning two-week advance to conquer Syria, HTS promised to protect the rights of all Syrians, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and also promised to protect Shia religious sites. When the rebels finally entered Damascus and Assad fled, al-Golani ordered his fighters not to attack government ministries and, along with Jalali, ensured that the day-to-day work of the government would continue. 

Al-Golani, 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. When the Syrian uprising against Assad broke out, al-Golani built a new organization called Jabhat al-Nusra.

He also had once pledged allegiance to al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, but he officially broke ties with the group in 2016, and Nusra became HTS in 2017. Many observers of HTS at the time critiqued the break as cosmetic, but al-Qaeda actually condemned the creation of HTS, creating further divides between the groups.

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

While HTS governed Idlib in northeast Syria, the group targeted rival Islamist groups, including Ahrar Al-Sham, Hurras Al-Din and other Jihadist groups tied to al Qaeda and ISIS. Much like U.S. negotiations with the Taliban in Afghanistan, combating terrorism and ensuring that Syria does not become a safe haven for terrorists will be a prerequisite for any recognition by the U.S. and other allies.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Saturday that the U.S. has had direct contact with HTS since it overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad. HTS has already said it would cooperate with the U.S. in the search for Austin Tice, the American journalist missing in Syria since 2012 and who was believed to be held captive by the Assad regime. The initial contact with the rebel group and their promise to work with the U.S. to bring Tice home could further legitimize the group as it looks to consolidate its control over post-Assad Syria.

The U.S. and U.K. are considering whether to remove HTS off its foreign terrorist list, which will be important if HTS consolidates its rule over Syria. Hall says that HTS must establish a checklist to implement in order to get itself removed from the terrorist designation list.

"It’s vitally important right now, and it’s important to do it quickly, because if a designated terrorist group is running a country, it could have devastating humanitarian and economic effects, the likes of which we have not seen in the past decade," she said.

Fox News Digital's Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.

Eleven Indian citizens were among 12 victims of an accident at an Indian restaurant in the Georgian ski resort of Gudauri, the Indian Embassy said on Monday.

MAN IN INDIA REGAINS CONSCIOUSNESS BEFORE HIS CREMATION ON FUNERAL PYRE: REPORTS

According to a preliminary report from the Georgian Interior Ministry, the victims, which included one Georgian citizen, were found dead inside the restaurant after using a power generator "placed close to an indoor area."

The exact cause of death is yet to be determined.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Gudauri is a popular South Caucasus ski resort located north of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.

In the early hours of October 7, 2023, the Idan family of Kibbutz Nahal Oz was shattered when Hamas terrorists infiltrated their home. As the family tried to take refuge in their safe room, the terrorists murdered their eldest daughter, Maayan, in front of her parents and siblings, and then abducted the father, Tzachi. The scene was broadcast live on social media, forcing the nation to witness their agonizing last moments. 

At the same time, in Kibbutz Holit, 16-year-old Rotem Matias lay hiding under his mother's lifeless body, texting his sisters the heartbreaking news: "Mom and Dad are dead. Sorry."

In Kfar Aza, Roee Idan was killed while holding his 3-year-old daughter, Abigail, as his older children watched in horror. Their mother, Smadar, was also shot before their eyes. Afterward, the children hid in a closet, trapped with their mother’s body, unsure of their younger sister's fate, who was later abducted into Gaza.

ISRAELI POLICE SAY EXTREME SEXUAL VIOLENCE, RAPE BY HAMAS TERRORISTS WAS SYSTEMATIC

These are just a few of the countless stories documented in a new report released on Tuesday, co-authored by Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy, founder of the Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes Against Women and Children, and Dr. Michal Gilad and Dr. Ilya Rudyak. The report introduces the term "kinocide" to describe the systematic targeting and destruction of family units during the attack- an unprecedented atrocity that goes beyond typical warfare.

"A crime without a name for victims without a voice," as Dr. Elkayam-Levy described it. "The perpetrators not only killed but deliberately sought to destroy the very foundation of human society: the family."

"The hardest crimes to witness were those involving families," Dr. Elkayam-Levy continued, "While the Hamas perpetrators celebrated their violence, chanting religious slogans and broadcasting their actions on social media, the terror was not confined to the immediate victims-it was amplified globally."

"The use of social media was crucial in spreading the terror, inspiring similar acts of violence elsewhere," Merav Israeli-Amarant, CEO of the Civil Commission, told Fox News Digital. She referred to this tactic as the "terror filter," a term coined by legal scholar Tehila Schwartz Altshuler, explaining how the broadcasts were designed to radicalize and incite other terrorists.

As Elkayam-Levy and her team dug deeper, they realized that similar tactics have been documented in conflicts across the globe, from Argentina and Iraq to Syria, Sierra Leone and Myanmar. "We’ve been in contact with survivors of kinocide, including Yazidis, who have shared their experiences. The pain is universal. This has happened before, but it never had a name," Dr. Elkayam-Levy said.

In collaboration with the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights, the commission worked to identify these patterns of abuse and ensure that kinocide is recognized as a distinct crime. The new report, released after a year of research, includes interviews with survivors, visits to the sites where the atrocities took place, and an extensive review of evidence. The goal is to bring kinocide into international legal discourse, advocating for its urgent need to be recognized as a distinct crime.

'I WILL BE HAUNTED FOREVER’: ISRAEL’S HORRIFIC VIDEO OF HAMAS ATROCITIES LEAVES VIEWERS SHOCKED AND SICKENED

Professor Irwin Cotler, former Minister of Justice of Canada and International Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights, stated, "Silence in the face of such evil is not neutrality; it is complicity. Worse still, there has been denial, justification, and even the glorification of these heinous acts, underscoring the moral and legal imperative to act decisively against such crimes. The dangers of antisemitism are not just the oldest and most lethal of hatreds- they are also a presage of global evil, as evidenced by the events of October 7."

"We need an international coalition to address this systematic targeting of families," Elkayam-Levy said. "But international law has failed the survivors of October 7. The current legal frameworks do not adequately protect families in these kinds of attacks."

The report, which has been endorsed by international law experts and human rights activists worldwide, highlights the urgent need for legal and social recognition of kinocide. However, despite the report’s widespread endorsement, Elkayam-Levy expressed her concern over the international community’s response. 

As someone who faced the denial of prominent figures in the international human rights community in response to her last report on sexual violence on Oct. 7, she said, "We live in dark times when international law is weaponized against us (Israelis) in terrifying ways. As an international human rights scholar, I never imagined that we would live in a time when such abuse is directed at us. It really scares me."

Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the commander of Russia’s chemical, biological and radiation defense forces, and his assistant were killed during an explosion in Moscow on Tuesday, just a day after he was charged criminally by Ukraine's Security Services.

Russia's Investigative Committee said the explosive device was placed in a scooter near a residential apartment block on Ryazansky Avenue and triggered remotely, according to The Associated Press.

The bomb had the power of roughly 300 grams of TNT, according to Russian state news agency Tass.

Reuters reported that Ukraine's Security Services, also known as the SBU, claimed responsibility for the hit on Kirillov. Fox News Digital has reached out to the intelligence agency for confirmation.

UKRAINE’S ZELENSKYY SAYS WAR WITH RUSSIA IS BEING PUSHED ‘BEYOND BORDERS’

"Investigators, forensic experts and operational services are working at the scene," RIC spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said in a statement. "Investigative and search activities are being carried out to establish all the circumstances around this crime."

Petrenko also said Russia is treating the explosion as a terrorist attack.

1,000 DAYS OF WAR IN UKRAINE AS ZELENSKYY DOUBLES DOWN ON AERIAL OPTIONS WITH ATACMS, DRONES AND MISSILES

Kirillov was charged by the SBU on Monday with using banned chemical weapons on the battlefield. Several countries had also placed him under sanctions for his role in the war against Ukraine, The AP reported.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The SBU said it has recorded more than 4,800 uses of chemical weapons during Russia's attack on Ukraine, which began in Feb. 2022.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This report has been updated to identify Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov as the commander of Russia’s chemical, biological and radiation defense forces.

Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense Forces, and his assistant were killed during an explosion in Moscow on Tuesday.

Russia's Investigative Committee said the explosive device was placed in a scooter near a residential apartment block on Ryazansky Avenue and triggered remotely, according to The Associated Press.

Russian state news agency Tass reported that the bomb had the power of roughly 300 grams of TNT.

"Investigators, forensic experts and operational services are working at the scene," RIC spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said in a statement. "Investigative and search activities are being carried out to establish all the circumstances around this crime."

Petrenko also said Russia is treating the explosion as a terrorist attack.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

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

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced the biggest test of his political career after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, long one of his most powerful and loyal ministers, announced Monday that she was resigning from the Cabinet.

The stunning move raised questions about how much longer the prime minister of nearly 10 years can stay on in his role as his administration scrambles to deal with incoming U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Trudeau's popularity has plummeted due to concerns about inflation and immigration.

Opposition leader Jagmeet Singh, whose party Trudeau's ruling Liberals have relied upon to stay in power, called on Trudeau to resign. The main opposition Conservatives demanded an election.

Freeland, who was also deputy prime minister, said that Trudeau had told her Friday that he no longer wanted her to serve as finance minister and that he offered her another role in the Cabinet. But she said in her resignation letter to the prime minister that the only "honest and viable path" was to leave the Cabinet.

CANADIAN PREMIER THREATENS TO CUT OFF ENERGY IMPORTS TO US IF TRUMP IMPOSES TARIFF ON COUNTRY

"For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada," Freeland said.

Freeland and Trudeau disagreed about a two-month sales tax holiday and $250 Canadian ($175) checks to Canadians that were recently announced. Freeland said that Canada is dealing with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's threat to impose sweeping 25% tariffs and should eschew "costly political gimmicks" it can "ill afford."

"Our country is facing a grave challenge," Freeland said in the letter. "That means keeping our fiscal powder dry today, so we have the reserves we may need for a coming tariff war."

A Liberal party official said Freeland was offered a position as minister in charge of Canada-U.S. relations without portfolio and without a department. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said the position would have been in name only and wouldn't have come with any of the tools Freeland previously had when she negotiated trade with the U.S.

The resignation comes as Freeland, who chaired a Cabinet committee on U.S. relations, was set to deliver the fall economic statement and likely announce border security measures designed to help Canada avoid Trump's tariffs. The U.S. president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico unless they stem the numbers of migrants and drugs.

Trudeau has said that he plans on leading the Liberal Party into the next election, but some party members have said they don't want him to run for a fourth term, and Freeland's departure came as strong blow to Trudeau's administration.

"This news has hit me really hard," Transport Minister Anita Anand said, adding that she needed to digest the news before commenting further.

Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said that the government is losing control at the worst possible time.

"Justin Trudeau has lost control, but he's hanging onto power," Poilievre said. "All this chaos, all this division, all this weakness is happening as our largest neighbor and closest ally is imposing 25% tariffs under a recently elected Trump with a strong mandate, a man who knows how to identify weakness."

No Canadian prime minister in more than a century has won four straight terms.

The federal election has to be held before October. The Liberals must rely on the support of at least one other major party in Parliament, because they don’t hold an outright majority themselves. If the opposition New Democratic Party, or NDP, pulls support, an election can be held at any time.

"I’m calling on Justin Trudeau to resign. He has to go," NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said.

Trudeau’s Liberal party needs the support of the NDP party to stay in power. Singh didn't say if he would note no confidence in the government but said all options are on the table.

"Mr. Trudeau’s government is over," Opposition Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-François Blanchet said. "He must acknowledge that and act accordingly. The departure of his most important ally, his finance minister, is the end of this government."

Trudeau channeled the star power of his father in 2015, when he reasserted the country’s liberal identity after almost a decade of Conservative Party rule. But the son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau is now in big trouble. Canadians have been frustrated by the rising cost of living and other issues like immigration increases following the country’s emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As a country we have to project strength," Ontario Premier Doug Ford said. "It’s chaos right now up in Ottawa."

Trudeau’s legacy includes opening the doors wide to immigration. He also legalized cannabis and brought in a carbon tax intended to fight climate change.

Freeland said in the resignation letter that Canadians "know when we are working for them, and they equally know when we are focused on ourselves. Inevitably, our time in government will come to an end."

Freeland's resignation comes as Trudeau has been trying to recruit Mark Carney to join his government. Carney is the former head of the Bank of England and Bank of Canada.

He was so well regarded after helping Canada dodge the worst of the global economic crisis that the U.K. named him the first foreigner to serve as governor of the Bank of England since it was founded in 1694.

Carney has long been interested in entering politics and becoming the leader of the Liberal Party. It wasn't immediately clear if Carney has agreed to join Trudeau's Cabinet.

"This is quite a bombshell," said Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. "Freeland was not only finance minister but also deputy prime minister and, until a couple of years ago, was seen as Trudeau’s heir as Liberal leader and prime minister."

Wiseman said that leaks from the prime minister’s office suggest that she was a poor communicator and made Freeland’s status questionable.

"There was talk about her becoming foreign minister again and that would have been a good fit for her, but the stab in the back from the prime minister's office cast the die," Wiseman said.

Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, also called it a political earthquake and not just because Freeland was the second most powerful official in government.

"Also because of how she resigned: by publishing a letter on social media that clearly criticizes the prime minister only hours before she was supposed to present the government’s fall economic statement," Béland said.

"This is clearly a minority government on life support but, until now, the (opposition) NDP has rejected calls to pull the plug on it. It’s hard to know whether this resignation will force the NDP to rethink its strategy."

President-elect Trump on Monday described the recent fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime as an "unfriendly takeover" orchestrated by Turkey. 

"I think Turkey is very smart," he said from a press conference at his Florida residence. "Turkey did an unfriendly takeover, without a lot of lives being lost. I can say that Assad was a butcher, what he did to children."

Assad fled to Russia just over a week ago after the al Qaeda-derived organization dubbed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rapidly took over western Syria in an offensive that began on Nov. 27, first taking Aleppo, Hama and Homsc, before seizing the capital city of Damascus. 

ASSAD PAINTS HIMSELF AS 'CUSTODIAN' TO SYRIA AS PICTURE UNFOLDS ON COLLAPSE OF DAMASCUS

The future of Syria, for both its government and its people, remains unclear as the HTS organization, deemed a terrorist network by the U.S. but which has the backing of the Turkey-supported Syrian National Army (SNA), looks to hold on to power. 

The fall of the Assad regime has meant an end to the nearly 14-year civil war that plagued the nation, though the threat against the U.S.- backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is not over as Turkey continues to view it as one of its chief regional adversaries. 

The SDF have assisted the U.S. in its fight against ISIS for more than a decade, but Turkey, which shares a border with Syria, has long viewed the group as being affiliated with the extremist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and which, through the SNA, has clashed with the Kurdish-led forces. 

It remains unclear how the Kurds will fair under a potential HTS regime, but Western security experts are increasingly concerned that Turkey could have an outsized amount of influence on the neighboring nation. 

"The fall of Assad greatly amplified Turkey’s influence in Syria, giving unprecedented influence to his partners and proxies. If the United States wants to ensure that Syria has the best chance to become a reasonably free and stable country, it needs to keep a very close eye on [Turkish President Recep] Erdogan," David Adesnik, vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

TURKEY HITS US-ALLIED KURDS IN SYRIA, IRAQ FOLLOWING TERRORIST ATTACK ON DEFENSE GROUP

Last week, the U.S. brokered a cease-fire agreement between the SDF and the SNA over the northeastern city of Manbij, where SDF coalition forces agreed to withdraw from the area after resisting attacks since Nov. 27, according to a Reuters report. 

But sources told Fox News Digital on Monday that negotiations relating to the cease-fire had collapsed and that the SNA had begun building up military forces west of the Kurdish town of Kobani – roughly 35 miles east of Manbij – in an apparent threat to resume combat operations.

The terms of the cease-fire remain unclear, and neither the White House nor the State Department responded to Fox News Digital’s questions.

According to a statement released by the SDF, the mediation efforts by the U.S. failed to establish a permanent truce in Manbij-Kobani regions due to Turkey's "evasion to accept key points," including the safe transfer of civilians and Manbij fighters.

"Despite U.S. efforts to stop the war, Turkey and its mercenary militias have continued to escalate over the last period," the SDF said.

A spokesperson for Turkey's U.N. Mission did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

"The re-eruption of tensions around Kobani underlines the extent to which Assad's fall has 'opened the gates' for Turkey and its SNA proxies in northern Syria," Charles Lister, director of the Syria and countering terrorism and extremism programs at the Middle East Institute (MEI), told Fox News Digital. "For the first time, they're free to act without a green light from Assad or Russia."

The dynamic between the SDF and SNA forces, backed by Washington and Ankara, respectively, has long proved difficult to maneuver given that both the U.S. and Turkey are allies in NATO.

"After the loss of Tel Rifat and Manbij in recent weeks, the only possible obstacle to further SDF losses is the presence of U.S. troops – but Turkey's role within NATO has always limited U.S. options," Lister explained.

"[U.S. Central Command Gen. Michael' Kurilla's recent visit and the SDF's willingness to cede Manbij spoke to the unprecedentedly isolated position the SDF currently faces," he added in reference to a visit Kurilla made to Syria last week. "If the SDF is going to survive these challenges, it's going to need to be extremely flexible, willing to concede on major issues, and rely heavily on U.S. diplomacy with Turkey."

The German parliament accepted Chancellor Olaf Scholz's invitation to withdraw its confidence in him and his government on Monday, clearing the way for an early election on Feb. 23 necessitated by the collapse of his government.

Scholz's three-party coalition fell apart last month after the pro-market Free Democrats quit in a row over debt, leaving his Social Democrats and the Greens without a parliamentary majority just as Germany faces a deepening economic crisis.

Under rules designed to prevent the instability that facilitated the rise of fascism in the 1930s, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier can only dissolve parliament and call an election if the chancellor calls, and loses, a confidence vote.

GERMANY’S SCHOLZ REJECTS CALLS FOR NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE AS COALITION GOVERNMENT COLLAPSES

The debate preceding the vote also opened serious campaigning for the election, with party leaders trading ill-tempered barbs.

The chancellor and his conservative challenger, Friedrich Merz, who surveys suggest is likely to replace him, charged each other with incompetence and lack of vision.

Scholz, who will head a caretaker government until a new one can be formed, defended his record as a crisis leader who had dealt with the economic and security emergency triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

If given a second term, he said, he would invest heavily in Germany's creaking infrastructure rather than making the spending cuts he said the conservatives wanted.

"Shortsightedness might save money in the short term, but the mortgage on our future is unaffordable," said Scholz, who served four years as finance minister under a previous coalition with the conservatives before becoming chancellor in 2021.

GERMAN CHANCELLOR SCHOLZ WARNS NEXT EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT AGAINST COURTING FAR-RIGHT SUPPORT

Merz told Scholz his spending plans would burden future generations and accused him of failing to deliver on promises of rearmament after the start of the Ukraine war.

"Taking on debt at the cost of the young generation, spending money - and you didn't say the word 'competitiveness' once," said Merz.

Neither mentioned the constitutional spending cap, a measure designed to ensure fiscal responsibility that many economists blame for the fraying state of Germany's infrastructure.

Conservatives In Clear Lead In Opinion Polls

The conservatives have a comfortable, albeit narrowing lead of more than 10 points over the SPD in most polls. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is slightly ahead of Scholz's party, while the Greens are in fourth place.

The mainstream parties have refused to govern with the AfD, but its presence complicates the parliamentary arithmetic, making unwieldy coalitions more likely.

Scholz has outlined a list of measures that could pass with opposition support before the election, including $11 billion in tax cuts and an increase in child benefits already agreed on by former coalition partners.

The conservatives have also hinted they could back measures to better protect the Constitutional Court from the machinations of a future populist or anti-democratic government and to extend a popular subsidized transport ticket.

Measures to ease unintended burdens on taxpayers could also pass if regional governments agree, but Merz rejected a Green proposal to cut energy prices, saying he wanted a totally new energy policy.

Robert Habeck, the Greens' chancellor candidate, said that was a worrying sign for German democracy, given the growing likelihood in a fractured political landscape that very different parties would again have to govern together.

"It's very unlikely the next government will have it easier," Habeck said.

AfD leader Alice Weidel called for all Syrian refugees in Germany to be sent back following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime.

This holiday season, you can spread joy by learning to say "Merry Christmas" in a different language. 

Wishing a friend a "Merry Christmas" in their native language can give them a piece of home this holiday season. If spending the festive season abroad, learning to say "Merry Christmas" in the language spoken can help spread the holiday spirit. 

Christmas is a holiday widely observed around the world but isn't celebrated the same way. Each culture has their own unique traditions used to mark the occasion. 

HERE'S THE CHRISTMAS TOWN WHERE SANTA'S ELVES ANSWER THOUSANDS OF LETTERS

Read on to learn how to say "Merry Christmas" in several different languages, plus how the holiday season is celebrated around the world.

"¡Feliz Navidad!" is how you say "Merry Christmas" in Spanish. 

With Spanish as one of the most spoken languages in the world, this is a phrase widely known.

It's also widely recognized by those who don't speak Spanish, in large part thanks to the popular song by José Feliciano. 

A TRAVEL GUIDE TO SPAIN: VISIT ANY OF THESE LOCATIONS IN THE IBERIAN NATION

Spain has many traditions used to mark the holiday season, including Lotería de Navidad.

The lottery dates back to 1812. Many strengthen their odds for the historic lottery by pooling together their money for tickets. 

Annually, on Dec. 22, the winning numbers are sung by schoolchildren in a live broadcast. 

Nochebuena, a large Christmas Eve feast with family and friends, is another tradition widely observed in Spain. 

Lastly, in Spain, instead of awaiting Santa Claus for goodies, children look to Los Reyes Magos (the Three Kings) to bring them treats.

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS REVEAL THE SURPRISING DAY TO TRAVEL AHEAD OF THE CHRISTMAS RUSH

On the night of Jan. 5, parades are held where Los Reyes Magos bring treats to children. 

In Portuguese, "Feliz Natal!" is how you say "Merry Christmas."

In Portugal, Christmas Eve is generally when most of the festivities happen, rather than on Christmas Day itself. 

On Christmas Eve, loved ones get together for a large dinner with bacalhau, or salted cod, typically taking center stage, according to Portugal.com. 

Christmas Eve is also when most families and friends exchange presents with one another. 

Additionally, Catholics attend Missa do Galo, midnight Mass, on Christmas Eve. 

A PORTUGUESE FOOD GUIDE THAT WILL SEND YOUR TASTE BUDS TO ANOTHER COUNTRY

If you have any French friends, you can impress this holiday season by saying "Joyeux Noël!" which translates to "Merry Christmas."

As for Christmas traditions in France, Advent calendars are popularly given to children leading up to the holiday. 

Children of France eagerly await the arrival of Père Noël" (Father Christmas) on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Eve, loved ones often get together for a large feast called Le Réveillon. 

TRAVELING TO PARIS? HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GOING TO THE ‘CITY OF LOVE’

Midnight Mass is another widely observed tradition in France, with Nativity scenes also in abundance. 

"Buon Natale!" is how you say "Merry Christmas" in Italian. 

Throughout the holiday season, there are many Christmas markets set up in Italy to buy unique gifts for loved ones. 

In Vatican City, many religious services are held, including a midnight Mass. 

The holiday spirit extends into the New Year in Italy, officially ending on Jan. 6, known as Epiphany.

On the eve of this day, children often receive presents from La Befana, according to the website See Italy. According to Italian tradition, the "good witch" rides on a broom and delivers gifts to children before Epiphany.

A GUIDE TO SIGHTSEEING IN ITALY: A ROMAN ADVENTURE AWAITS YOU

In Icelandic, "Gleðileg Jól!" is how you say "Merry Christmas." 

If you've been dreaming of a white Christmas, a holiday spent in Iceland is almost guaranteed to satisfy your wishes. 

Not only is Iceland snowy, it often displays a bright night sky during the Christmas season, with the northern lights often visible during that time.

Christmas in Iceland is spent with family, food and giving gifts. 

The holiday is celebrated for 26 days in Iceland, according to the Guide to Iceland website, from Dec. 11 to Jan. 6.

In Iceland, there are 13 Santa Clauses, often referred to as Yule Lads, who deliver gifts to children in the 13 days leading up to Christmas, according to the source. 

CATCH THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD WITH THESE VIEWING TIPS

Iceland also recognizes Boxing Day on Dec. 26, which is often thought of as "the second day of Christmas," according to the Reykjavík Excursions website.  

While the day is not as formal as Christmas, it is a time often used to see family and friends that didn't get together on Christmas Day, per the source.

In both Swedish and Norwegian, "God Jul!" translates to "Merry Christmas." 

Part of Swedish celebrations is Saint Lucia's Day, the day that marks the winter solstice, celebrated on Dec. 13, according to the Visit Sweden website.

Like many other cultures, Christmas Eve is typically the main event centered around the buffet-style feast called Julbord, according to the source.

Santa, or Jultomten in Sweden, is a bit less mysterious to children in the country as he hands out presents in person rather than while they are asleep, according to the Visit Sweden website. 

Similar to Sweden, Norway's Christmas traditions include a Christmas Eve dinner, where ribbe, pork ribs or pork belly is often served, according to Oslo.com.

9 AUTHENTIC SWEDISH FOOD DISHES TO TRY, FROM COMFORT FOODS TO SWEET DESSERTS

In Greek, "Καλά Χριστούγεννα! (Kalá Christoúgenna!)" translates to "Merry Christmas."

Greece holds many unique holiday traditions, including the decoration of boats, according to the Greek Reporter, although the decoration of trees has also become a widely accepted tradition in many households. 

In Greece, many children take part in the singing of carols during the holiday season. 

Additionally, it's typical not to exchange gifts in Greece until St. Basil Day on Jan. 1, according to The Simple Greek, though it is not uncommon for families to give gifts on Christmas, too, per the source.

"Sretan Božić!" is how to say "Merry Christmas" in Croatian. 

Christmas festivities in Croatia begin several weeks before Dec. 25. 

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS WITH THESE FESTIVE HOLIDAY FLICKS

In Croatia, it is common to create an Advent wreath at the start of the season. 

Dec. 6 marks St. Nicholas' Day in Croatia, with St. Lucia's Day following on Dec. 13. 

After Christmas Eve and Christmas, those in Croatia have an additional day to get together with loved ones called St. Stephen's Day, which takes place on Dec. 26.

In Polish, "Wesołych Świąt!" means "Merry Christmas."

In Poland, Wigilia is a Christmas Eve feast. 

Families will typically fast leading up to the feast, according to PolishCulture-NYC.org. 

THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST: 100 SONGS TO PLAY TO GET YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY STARTED

Also, during this feast, families share opłatek, which is a thin wafer, according to the source. 

Carp typically takes center stage at the feast.

"Frohe Weihnachten!" means "Merry Christmas" in German. 

Even those with no religious affiliation in Germany widely celebrate Christmas. 

In 2023, 81% of Germans celebrated the occasion, according to deutschland.de. 

In Germany, putting up a Christmas tree and giving gifts are both customary. 

In addition, adventskranz, or Advent wreaths, are common in Germany, according to the U.S. Army website. 

The wreaths feature four candles symbolizing the four Sundays before the holiday. 

Advent calendars are also popular in Germany, which allow children to count down the days until Christmas Eve, per the source. 

Another day celebrated in Germany is Dec. 6, which is Saint Nikolaus Day.

On the eve of the day, children typically leave their boots by the door to be filled with gifts from Saint Nikolaus, per the U.S. Army website.

Christmas markets filled with vendors selling trinkets and treats are in abundance during the holiday season in Germany.

Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday looked to portray himself as a dedicated "custodian" of his nation who remained fighting "against the terrorist onslaught" before being forced to flee to Russia.

Assad, who over the last decade and a half became notorious for his brutal and oppressive tactics employed during the civil war, released a statement on Telegram suggesting he was nothing but dedicated to Syria and remains hopeful that "Syria will once again be free and independent."

Following nearly 14 years of conflict, human rights abuses and harsh living conditions for most Syrians, Assad was ousted on Dec. 8 following a major offensive led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which swept western Syria from the north to the south, taking over Damascus in a matter of weeks. 

MOTHER OF AN AMERICAN JOURNALIST IMPRISONED IN SYRIA SEES HOPE FOLLOWING NEWS OF TRAVIS TIMMERMAN'S RELEASE

Assad looked to counter what he described as a "flood of misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth, aimed at recasting international terrorism as a liberation revolution for Syria" and said he remained fighting in Syria for as long as he could. 

Though it has been known for a week that the Syrian dictator fled to Moscow following the collapse of Damascus, the details of his departure had remained unclear.

Assad said that following the offensive that first swept Aleppo, Hama and Homs before hitting the capital, he remained in Damascus until the morning of Dec. 8. 

"As terrorist forces infiltrated Damascus, I moved to Lattakia in coordination with our Russian allies to oversee combat operations," he wrote. 

He said it became immediately apparent upon arriving at the Hmeimim Air Base – located on Syria's northern coastline where Russian forces have operated since 2015 – that all Syrian army positions in the area had fallen and opposition forces increasingly began targeting the base with drone strikes. 

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: CHRONICLING THE ASSAD REGIME FROM DEATH OF THE FATHER TO DEFEAT OF THE SON

"With no viable means of leaving the base, Moscow requested that the base's command arrange an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday 8th December," Assad said. 

He claimed that as the rebel group swept the nation, he "stood alongside the officers and soldiers of the army on the front lines, just meters from terrorists in the most dangerous and intense battlefields."

In addition, Assad looked to validate the actions of his oppressive regime and said he "refused to barter the salvation of his nation for personal gain, or to compromise his people in exchange for numerous offers and enticements."

Despite the abhorrent conditions in Syria, and years of reporting on human rights abuses, torture, mass arbitrary detentions – including of children – and executions, Assad claimed his actions were done for the people of Syria. 

"I have never sought positions for personal gain but have always considered myself as a custodian of a national project, supported by the faith of the Syrian people, who believed in its vision," he said. "I have carried an unwavering conviction in their will and ability to protect the state, defend its institutions, and uphold their choices to the very last moment."

Russian paramilitary soldiers were accidentally targeted and killed by North Korean troops in a recent bout of friendly fire, according to Ukrainian officials.

In a statement published on Saturday, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) detailed how Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) soldiers have recently assisted Russian troops in the Kursk Oblast, which is currently occupied by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian officials estimate that around 11,000 DPRK personnel are stationed in Russia.

"The aggressor state of Russia has begun to use DPRK soldiers in assault operations in the Kursk region, in particular, as part of the combined units of the marines and airborne troops of the Russian Armed Forces," the statement read. 

"The North Korean troops suffer sanitary and irreversible losses as a result of a successful fire attack by the Ukrainian Security and Defense Forces," the DIU added. "In particular, at one of the positions in the Kursk region, the DPRK army was effectively targeted by FPV drones."

ZELENSKYY FEARS DANGER IF UKRAINE LOSES UNITY, DEFEAT IF US CUTS FUNDS, 1,000 DAYS AFTER WAR BEGAN 

The DIU noted that, in a recent incident, the language barrier between Russian and North Korean troops ultimately led to the death of eight soldiers in the Akhmat special forces unit, which is a paramilitary group in Chechnya. 

"When using the DPRK troops on the battlefield, the language barrier remains problematic to control and coordinate actions," the statement said.

TRIUMPHANT TRUMP AT NOTRE DAME SIGNALS AMERICA AND THE WEST ARE BACK

"Because of this problem, North Korean soldiers opened ‘friendly fire’ on the vehicles of the so-called Akhmat battalion," the DIU added. "As a result, they killed eight Kadyrovite soldiers."

This latest development in the Russo-Ukrainian war came as the Russian military continued to pummel Ukraine’s power grid, taking advantage of freezing conditions to devastate the country’s largest energy company. 

In one of the largest-ever mass attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, Russian forces fired nearly 100 missiles, including cruise missiles, and 200 drones across Western Ukraine on Friday, according to the Kyiv Independent.

Fox News Digital's Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

Families of Israeli hostages held a rally in New York City's Central Park on Sunday, and called for President Biden and President-elect Trump to bring them home.

"Seize the opportunity, seal the deal, and bring the hostages home," a press release from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said.

Photos from the rally show dozens of participants, some holding signs with photos of hostages, and others speaking with microphones and megaphones. 

"Please join me for a minute, close your eyes, and imagine the emotional moment we will feel when our government seals the deal, when they release everyone, every single hostage," Yarden Gonen, sister of hostage Romi Gonen, said in a statement. "And see in your eyes the hugs we will share with our loved ones when we finally see them free from Hamas' hands. And even for those who didn't survive, may they have a proper burial in Israel, and may the families find closure. By Hanukkah."

AMERICAN-ISRAELI IDF PLATOON COMMANDER KILLED IN BATTLE, BODY HELD IN GAZA, IDF SAYS

Weeks ago, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on social media that Capt. Omer Neutra, 21, from New York was killed in battle on Oct. 7, 2023, and "his body has been held hostage in Gaza since."

Prior to the X posting, it was believed that Neutra was alive and being held hostage.

Due to Neutra's body being held by Hamas, he is still considered one of seven American hostages held in Gaza.

7 US HOSTAGES STILL HELD BY HAMAS TERRORISTS AS FAMILIES PLEAD FOR THEIR RELEASE: 'THIS IS URGENT'

"Being an American was always a big part of my identity," hostage Itay Chen's brother, Roy Chen, said in a statement. "We just got back from a meaningful week in Washington. The message remains the same: it will take leadership to make hard decisions. We are strong enough to make that deal. While we rebuild our country and plan ahead for a better future, we must finish the suffering of the hostages. We must bring them all home now."

Chen, a U.S.-Israeli citizen who was kidnapped on Oct. 7 while Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel and massacred hundreds, was confirmed dead in March by the IDF.

Fox News' Yonat Friling and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report. 

The mother of American journalist Austin Tice, who was taken captive during a reporting trip to Syria in August 2012, voiced hope on Sunday that upheaval in Syria will lead to freedom for her son.

Debra Tice said news that Missouri resident Travis Timmerman had been freed from a Syrian prison by rebels felt "like a rehearsal." Her children woke her up when images of Timmerman began circulating on social media misidentifying him as Tice.

Asked if Timmerman's misidentification was a moment of false hope, Debra Tice instead characterized it as a moment of joy to be shared. Timmerman has said he had traveled into Syria for a spiritual mission earlier this year and was arrested for entering the country illegally.

AMERICAN FREED FROM SYRIAN PRISON AFTER ASSAD'S OVERTHROW TAKEN OUT OF COUNTRY BY US MILITARY

"It was almost like having a rehearsal ... an inkling of what it's really going to feel like when it is Austin walking free," she told NBC television's "Meet the Press".

Tice is the focus of a massive search following the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last week after 13 years of civil war. Rebels, led by the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, have released thousands of people from prisons in Damascus where Assad held political opponents, ordinary civilians and foreigners.

A week after Assad's ouster, some U.S. officials fear that Tice could have been killed during a recent round of Israeli airstrikes. Officials are also concerned that if Tice was being held underground in a cell, he may have run out of breathable air as Assad's forces shut off the electricity in many of the prisons in Damascus before the president fled.   

SYRIA'S LIBERATED POLITICAL PRISONS REVEAL GRIM REALITY OF BASHAR ASSAD'S REGIME OF TORTURE

Asked whether the U.S. government should be looking for Tice on the ground in Syria, Debra Tice was cautious, expressing gratitude for efforts by journalists and other civilians on the ground searching for him, including from the organization Hostage Aid Worldwide.

"The U.S. government has made the decision that they're not going into Damascus. So, my feeling is, if they don't want to be there, they shouldn't be there. And the people that are there are the people that are determined," she said.

Tice, who worked as a freelance reporter for the Washington Post and McClatchy, was one of the first U.S. journalists to make it into Syria after the outbreak of the civil war.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In August 2012, during fighting in Aleppo, he was taken captive.

Weeks later, a YouTube video was published showing Tice blindfolded, hands tied behind his back. He was led up a hill by armed men in what appeared to be Afghan garb and shouting "God is great" in an apparent bid to blame Islamist rebels for his capture, although the video only gained attention when it was posted on a Facebook page associated with Assad supporters.

On Friday, Reuters was first to report that in 2013 Tice, a former Marine, managed to slip out of his cell and was seen moving between houses in the streets of Damascus' upscale Mazzeh neighborhood.

Israel says it will close its embassy in Ireland in the coming weeks over the Irish government's "extreme anti-Israel policies."

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar made the announcement on Sunday after recalling Israel's ambassador to Ireland from Dublin. Saar says the Irish government "crossed every red line," and cited the nation's decision to recognize a Palestinian state.

"The actions and anti-semitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel are rooted in the de-legitimisation and demonisation of the Jewish state, along with double standards," Saar said.

"Israel will invest its resources in advancing bilateral relations with countries worldwide according to priorities that also take into account the attitudes and actions of these states toward Israel," he added.

JAKE SULLIVAN SAYS NETANYAHU 'READY TO DO A DEAL' AS HAMAS SAID TO CONCEDE TO ISRAEL CEASE-FIRE DEMANDS

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said the decision was "deeply regrettable" in a statement, according to the BBC. Deputy Prime Minister Micheál Martin echoed that sentiment in a longer statement.

ISRAEL'S UN AMBASSADOR INSISTS NATION IS 'NOT GETTING INVOLVED' IN SYRIAN REGIME CHANGE

"I believe firmly in the importance of maintaining diplomatic channels of communication and regret that this decision has been taken," Martin said.

"Ireland's position on the conflict in the Middle East has always been guided by the principles of international law and the obligation on all states to adhere to international humanitarian law," he added.

The announcement comes as Israel is considering further strikes against Iran this week. Israeli reports on Thursday said the evolving reality in the region has prompted Israel to once again consider targeting Iran’s nuclear program, which Jerusalem and its international allies have deemed one of the greatest emerging threats at a time when tensions between the West and nations like Russia and Iran continue to deteriorate.

The U.S., under the Biden administration, along with its international partners including the International Atomic Energy Agency, have urged Israel not to strike Iran’s nuclear installations. 

However, last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the IDF had hit and degraded part of Iran’s nuclear program during a retaliatory strike in late October, but he warned it was not enough to thwart Tehran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon.

Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

JERUSALEM – President-elect Trump could be the key factor in stopping the reported Turkish destruction of the pro-U.S. Syrian Kurdish community, Fox News senior strategic analyst and retired four-star Gen. Jack Keane told Fox News' Mark Levin on "Life, Liberty & Levin" on Saturday.

"Erdoğan is a real problem here. He has a corridor in northern Syria. He backed the radical leader who took over, al-Golani, in deposing Assad because he's been wanting Assad to go like we all did for years, but now what is he doing? Now he's attacking the Syrian Kurds, who we support, in eastern Syria."

Keane said, "Biden is not going to do anything about it, but President Trump has a huge opportunity, and I know for a fact that President Trump dealt with Erdoğan once before over the same issue. And it stopped as a result of a phone conversation that he had with President Erdoğan."

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

Keane said one of Trump’s first telephone conversations once in office will probably be with Erdoğan, "if he hasn't started talking to him already." 

He said the motivation of the Syrian Kurds in eastern Syria is not to seize Turkish territory but to ensure ISIS remains defeated and make sure "they do not rise again," adding that the U.S. "doesn't need to get involved in any consequential way in Syria other than to protect our own interests and make certain that ISIS doesn't rise again in eastern Syria which they have the potential to do."

While world leaders are largely focused on the collapse of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad’s regime, Turkey’s strongman ruler Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has mobilized forces loyal to his government to eradicate Kurdish combatants on his southern border to Syria that helped the U.S. defeat the terrorist movement ISIS. 

Alarm bells are ringing about the dire plight of the Syrian Kurds. 

"Turkey has become too aggressive. If they get a free rein in Syria, they may covertly commit an ethnic cleansing," warned Efrat Aviv, a professor in the Department of General History at Bar-Ilan University in Israel and a leading expert on Turkey, in a statement to Fox News Digital.

In an apparent effort to modify his jihadi movement, Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the U.S.-designated terrorist movement, Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which played a decisive role in toppling Assad’s regime, said, "The Kurds are part of the nation and have suffered great injustices, just as we have. With the regime's fall, the injustice they faced may also be lifted."

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

Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was until recently known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Golani, is allied with Turkey. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the U.S. had made "direct contact" with HTS despite it being an outlawed terrorist entity.

Mazloum Abdi, the head of the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on Saturday urged Kurdish parties in northeast Syria (Rojava) to generate a unified front.

"Today, Kurdish national unity in Syria has become a historic necessity in response to the challenges of this critical phase. We call on all Kurdish parties to set aside partisan interests and genuinely engage with public calls for dialogue and unity," Abdi wrote on X.

Last week, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., posted on X, "In the past I have drafted sanctions targeting Turkey if they engage in military operations against the Kurdish forces who helped President Trump destroy ISIS. I stand ready to do this again in a bipartisan way.

"We should not allow the Kurdish forces – who helped us destroy ISIS on President Trump’s watch – to be threatened by Turkey or the radical Islamists who have taken over Syria."

The Dutch Parliament also intervened last week to protect the Syrian Kurds, urging its government to advocate for a cessation of Turkish attacks on Kurds. 

The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) announced on Sunday in response to the ongoing attacks by pro-Turkey forces, "We are facing significant threats and dangers, and we call on the Global Coalition and the entire world to unite with us to protect Kobani."

"The world now owes Kobani and its fighters, and it is time to stand with Kobani," the statement continued, "calling on the Global Coalition and freedom-loving individuals to unite and safeguard the region’s dignity and humanity."

TURKEY'S INVASION THREATS SHOULD BE TAKEN 'VERY SERIOUSLY': CYPRUS OFFICIAL

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who was the former head of the country’s formidable intelligence service, MIT, said on Sunday in Jordan about his country’s view of the Kurdish political and military organizations, Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and The People's Defense Units (YPG): "We are under threat from Iraq and Syria. Over the past decade, the PKK has sought to exploit the chaos in Syria, attempting to restructure itself within the SDF organization. We continue to combat PKK/YPG terrorism, targeting them wherever they are."

He added, "Our aim is to distinguish the Syrian Kurds from the terrorist organization PKK/YPG. We support the legitimate representatives of Syrian Kurds in their efforts to advocate for their rights in Damascus."

The YPG is the main U.S.-allied force that contributed to the defeat of ISIS. The U.S. classified the PKK as a foreign terrorist organization. The YPG falls under the rubric of the Syrian Kurdish organization, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF.)

Turkey’s government has intensified its rhetoric against the Kurds. Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said on Sunday  "Our primary agenda is the dissolution of the PKK/YPG."

Incoming freshman Rep. Abraham Hamadeh, R-Ariz., whose parents are Syrian immigrants, told Fox News Digital, "As we evaluate Turkey’s recent airstrikes on Syrian Kurds and reports of Hamas operatives in Turkey, it’s clear that our alliances must be anchored in mutual respect and shared goals. For decades, Turkey has been a strategic partner, but hosting groups like Hamas without clear steps toward dismantling their operations undermines that relationship. Turkey must seize this opportunity to demonstrate it is committed to fighting terror, not enabling it."

When asked by Fox News Digital if the U.S. was contemplating sanctioning Turkey, a State Department spokesperson said, "As a general matter, we do not preview sanctions."

The State Department referred Fox News Digital on Friday to comments made earlier on Friday after Blinken's meeting with Fidan in Turkey. 

The statement said, in part, "Secretary Blinken emphasized the importance of U.S.-Turkish cooperation in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS mission in Syria."

The dramatic and historic scenes coming out of Syria this week are a reminder of the horrors that country has been through in the last several decades. We were there for some key moments in recent history:

The funeral of Bashar al-Assad’s father, Hafez al-Assad. His "departure" was much more stately and calm than his son’s retreat this past week. For some 30 years, he had ruled Syria with an iron grip. Stabilizing a politically raucous country but in a brutal way. Stamping out Islamist rebels and those caught in the crossfire in the town of Hama (which today’s rebels breezed through on their liberating path), killing as many as 40,000 people there.   

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

The state funeral (including in attendance then-Secretary of State Madeline Albright) we watched was well stage-managed right down to one mourner telling us, on cue, "All the people loved him." I noted in the on-camera close to my story, "His legacy will live on . . . for better or for worse." This week, it was for worse. His mausoleum and grave were destroyed and burned by rebels in his hometown.

Just eleven years later came the uprising. One more outbranching of the Arab Spring revolts in 2011 that had sprung up across the Mideast. Bashar Al-Assad in the crosshairs. His regime had gone from using police to put down peaceful protesters to using the military to bomb rebel hold-outs. Locking up and torturing the so-called enemy.

We went there in 2012, one of the only Western media teams there at the time. We saw the battered town of Homs, another town the current rebels made it through with little resistance. My on-camera line as we watched Syrian military air strikes and artillery blasts against the heart of that city: "You’re looking at a country at war with itself."  

We walked the battered streets where American journalist for the London Times Marie Colvin had been killed earlier that year. We dodged our own air strikes near a medical clinic. Was "shaken down" at a government militia checkpoint. Cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski’s camera was briefly taken away. And we saw deadly violence all around the region, one blast targeting a state TV station . . . another at a busy intersection in the heart of Damascus.

Questions about this tumult which we put to Bashar al-Assad himself in an exclusive interview we conducted for Fox News along with former Congressman Dennis Kucinich the following year. We spoke at the huge palace that has now been overrun by rebels and curious civilians (although we were told off-the record he stayed most of the time in an apartment in Damascus).   

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

We were amazed at the mild-mannered demeanor of the man leading this bloodthirsty regime. He admitted to us publicly that he had chemical weapons but still claimed he hadn’t used them. (The regime was responsible for a chemical weapon attack the month before, which left over a thousand dead.)

He also claimed that the public grassroots protest, which had turned into a civil war, was now run "80-90% by Al-Qaeda." We disputed that figure and asked if the growing revolt was a self-fulfilling prophecy. The harder the government hit, the more bad guys were attracted. And we asked Assad whether he shared the disappointment of many that he might’ve made a better turn for Syria after his father’s passing. "I’m still a reformer," he dead-panned. As the rumble of rebel gunfire was heard beyond the palace’s thick walls.

One year later, we were on the Syria-Turkey border when the revolt truly did get out of hand. We watched as the relatively new, but very dangerous, ISIS terror group duked it out with local Kurdish militia on the ground and U.S. air strikes hitting targets in the critical town of Kobani. Big towering smoke from bomb blasts minute after minute. The eventual victory by the Kurds and the U.S. called a turning point in the fight against ISIS. By that time, the war had become a globalized conflict with ISIS - and yes, Al-Qaeda and other jihadi groups piled into Syria to grab as much of the country as they could get. The Assad regime was only saved (for a while) by Russia, Iran and its proxy militia Hezbollah doing most of the fighting. When the three allies were weakened and/or distracted by their own wars, the rebels pounced, liberated the country and toppled the Assad regime.

This week we got in touch with one of our important contacts in Syria during those times. He wrote, in an email, some pretty salient words: "It’s an extraordinary moment . . . so far so good." The people of Syria are exulting over the end of a dictatorship. They are returning to homes they had been forced out of by fighting. They search feverishly, sometimes with joy, or with desperation, in prisons where their fellow citizens were incarcerated and tortured. A half million people have been killed in the last 13 years. Millions are injured and displaced. The economy is a disaster.

But my friend also went on to write, "I am a bit cautious about what may come . . . and fill the vacuum." The HTS group which led this uprising had former ties with Al-Qaeda and is still on the U.S. terror list. Its leader, Ahmad al-Sharar, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, was a dyed-in-the-wool jihadist and has only in recent years transformed. He and the group, so far, have been talking a good line. Still, there are many factions, religious sects, and splinter groups who will all have to work together if a new free Syria is to be realized. A tall order. For the proud people of the country who we’ve come to know over the years, it is absolutely worth a try.

The head of a political party and a Christian coalition group in Lebanon is calling on the U.S. and its Western allies to step in and deploy deterrent forces to permanently dismantle Hezbollah.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Ibrahim Mrad, president of the Universal Syriac Union Party and secretary general of the Lebanese Christian Front, said now is the time for the U.S., the U.K. and Germany to send troops in coordination with the United Nations and, alongside the Lebanese army, finally dismantle the terrorist group propped up by Iran.

"If that [were] to be delayed, the Mullah could get, again, more power, and that will be, again, impossible [to dismantle Hezbollah]," Mrad said through a translator in reference to the leaders of the Islamic Republic, which is headed by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

ISRAEL WARNS IT WILL GO AFTER LEBANON DIRECTLY IF CEASE-FIRE WITH HEZBOLLAH COLLAPSES

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed early last month that Hezbollah had been "defeated" in Lebanon after just over a month of targeted hits focused on destroying the terrorist group’s strongholds in southern Lebanon and in the capital city of Beirut, chiefly in the Dahiyeh suburb.

A shaky 13-point cease-fire was then agreed to late last month between Israel and Hezbollah that largely ended the strikes, though intermittent attacks have since been levied by both sides.

But reports this month suggested that U.S. intelligence officials believe that Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has not made any move to dismantle its military operations in Lebanon — a key pillar of the agreement — and that it will likely look to rebuild its forces and stockpiles. 

U.S. intelligence reportedly showed that Hezbollah was continuing to recruit to its ranks even as it was taking heavy hits from Israel through November. It was also reported to be attempting to rearm itself through domestic production as well as smuggling efforts through Syria, though it is unclear how these efforts have been impacted by the deteriorating situation in the neighboring nation over the last week.

The Christian Front, led by Mrad, said during a meeting at its headquarters in Beirut’s Achrafieh neighborhood earlier this month that it does not believe the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah will hold. It is therefore urging the Lebanese members of Parliament to request the deployment of international forces amid "the anticipated failure of the cease-fire agreement."

EXCLUSIVE: A LOOK AT HEZBOLLAH'S PLAN TO TERRORIZE AND INVADE NORTHERN ISRAEL

Mrad explained to Fox News Digital that while, by his estimate, roughly 70% of the country does not back Hezbollah, the government and the army are not strong enough to completely dismantle the terrorist group or to prevent it from posing a future threat to Israel, a situation that risks a repeat of past failures. 

Previous international agreements under U.N. Resolution 1559, signed in 2004, and Resolution 1701, signed in 2006, called for the disarmament and dissolution of all militia groups and for the deployment of U.N. and Lebanese forces to the south of the country to stop Hezbollah from gaining a hold in the areas bordering Israel. Both resolutions failed to be realized.

"We know now, in this situation, the Lebanese army couldn't implement Resolution 1559 to force Hezbollah to [drop] their arms," Mrad told Fox News Digital through a translator. "That's why our demand for help is from the United Nations. They could come in and implement those two resolutions … [but] we want Americans and Germans and the British to be present in these forces."

Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the State Department for comment on whether the U.S. has been approached by Lebanon about a request to deploy U.S. troops. 

Concerns in Beirut that the cease-fire will fail coincided with threats levied this week by Israel’s defense minister that Jerusalem will no longer distinguish between Lebanon and Hezbollah should the terrorist group break the agreement. 

When asked about the warning issued by Katz last week, the Lebanese Christian leader said this approach would be a "mistake" that could turn the tide against Jerusalem.

"If they do that, then the Lebanese people will be against Israel. As I said before, most of the people are against Hezbollah now, not against Israel," he said.

"If they target [civilians], that will be a mistake," he added, noting he did not believe Jerusalem will actually begin pursuing non-Hezbollah targets.

Numerous major international figures died in 2024, ranging from Putin critic Alexei Navalny to Israel's top foes in the Middle East. 

Here are five of the biggest names to have lost their lives this year: 

Alexei Navalny — a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin — died at a penal colony in Siberia on Feb. 16. Russian officials at the time said Navalny reported feeling unwell following a walk before losing consciousness and dying.    

Navalny was being held at the IK-3 penal colony, also known as "Polar Wolf," in Kharp, which is considered one of the country's toughest prisons. The 47-year-old had been serving a prison term on charges he says were politically motivated. 

RUSSIA LISTS CAUSE OF NAVALNY'S DEATH AS WIDOW ALLEGES ‘PATHETIC’ COVER UP

Navalny previously was the victim of an alleged assassination attempt in 2020, when he suffered poisoning from a suspected Novichok nerve agent. 

In August, Navalny’s widow pushed back on a report from investigators claiming he died as a result of an irregular heartbeat and a combination of diseases, calling the findings a "rather pathetic attempt to hide what happened — a murder." 

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials died on May 19 after their helicopter crashed in a mountainous region of the country. 

Raisi, a 63-year-old nicknamed the "Butcher of Tehran," previously was sanctioned by the first Trump administration for his role in carrying out the massacre of 5,000 Iranian political prisoners in 1988 and for his role in the clerical regime’s slaughter of 1,500 Iranian demonstrators in 2019. 

An official investigation into the helicopter crash later revealed it was caused by challenging climatic and atmospheric conditions. 

Ismail Haniyeh, a 62-year-old who led the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas’ political bureau, was killed by an airstrike in Tehran on July 31 after attending the inauguration of Iran’s new president. 

Nobody immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Israel was quickly blamed after pledging to kill Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders over the terrorist group's Oct. 7 attack on the Jewish state. 

A LOOK AT HEZBOLLAH'S PLAN TO TERRORIZE AND INVADE NORTHERN ISRAEL

Haniyeh was detained by Israeli troops in 1989 for Hamas membership and spent three years in prison. In 1992, he was deported to Lebanon with a group of top Hamas officials and founders. He later returned to the Gaza Strip following the 1993 interim peace accords, which were signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. 

Since 2018, the U.S. had designated Haniyeh as a terrorist, saying he was closely linked to Hamas’ military wing. 

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Sept. 27. 

The 64-year-old was inside Hezbollah’s central headquarters. 

The IDF said Nasrallah founded Hezbollah in 1982 and "initiated, planned and executed thousands of terrorist attacks against the citizens of Israel, Jewish communities and people around the world." 

"Under his leadership, Lebanon became an armed base with advanced precision weapons of various ranges aimed at Israel and the entire region," it added. 

Yahya Sinwar died on Oct. 16 during an Israeli military operation inside the Gaza Strip. 

Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, is widely seen as being behind the massacre of Israeli civilians carried out by thousands of Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7. 

The 61-year-old was referred to by Israel as "The Butcher of Khan Younis" for his violent and cruel torture methods against his enemies, both Israeli and Palestinian. 

The Israel Defense Forces had long targeted Sinwar, referring to him as a "dead man walking." For months, he remained hidden in the Gaza Strip during Israel's war with Hamas. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sinwar "ran away in fear from our soldiers" prior to being killed. 

Fox News' Landon Mion, Benjamin Weinthal, Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

South Korean lawmakers on Saturday voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law declaration earlier this month. 

The National Assembly passed the motion in a 204-85 vote on Saturday.

Saturday’s vote means that Yoon's presidential powers and duties will be suspended after the copies of a document on the impeachment are delivered to him and to the Constitutional Court.

The court has up to 180 days to determine whether to dismiss Yoon as president or restore his powers. If he's thrown out of office, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. 

Observant officers in a New Zealand airport unwrapped $2 million worth of methamphetamine wrapped as Christmas presents that a Canadian woman attempted to conceal.

The woman, 29, arrived at Auckland International Airport in New Zealand on a flight from Vancouver on December 8 carrying the illicit drugs in her carry-on bag, according to a release from the New Zealand Customs Service. 

FLORIDA MAN WHO WAS HALF-NAKED, 'HIGH ON METH' BREAKS INTO HOME, GRABS CARPET CLEANER

Upon landing, officers questioned the woman and searched her carry-on duffle bag, where they discovered more than 22 pounds of methamphetamine concealed beneath brightly wrapped snowflake wrapping paper.

Officials say the Canadian national's bag contained the equivalent of more than $2 million U.S. dollars worth of the illicit drug. 

MORE THAN $31M OF METH CONCEALED IN SHIPMENT OF PEPPERS SEIZED AT TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER

Auckland Airport Manager Paul Williams called the incident a "classic attempt by transnational organized criminal groups" at exploiting the busy travel season.

BRITISH WOMAN BUSTED AT LOS ANGELES AIRPORT WITH METH-SOAKED T-SHIRTS: POLICE

"But a busy airport does not mean Customs is not focused on or paying attention to anyone who may pose a drug risk," Williams said in a statement. "The airport teams are made up of vigilant officers who are intently focused on catching those trying to bring harm to New Zealand."

The woman has since appeared in district court on charges of importation and possession for supply of a Class A controlled drug, officers noted.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"More collaborative work is being done with our Canadian partners to disrupt criminal gangs and the importation of drugs, including through the passenger stream," Williams told Fox News Digital in an email. "As this is part of an ongoing investigation, Customs would not release further information for operational reasons."

Authorities said the woman has been taken into custody.