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Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY., will soon appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to seek confirmation for her role in President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. 

Several former diplomats who spoke to Fox News Digital say that an immediate concern for an incoming U.N. ambassador should be reigning in U.S. expenditures at the world body. Outflows to the organization grew from $11.6 billion in 2020 to $18.1 billion in 2022, when the U.S. covered one-third of the total U.N. budget.

A former senior U.S. diplomat told Fox News Digital on condition of anonymity that, with "many different tasks in front of her, [Stefanik] will need to be selective about what she really wants to pursue." The diplomat cited chief areas of concern as cronyism and corruption, and employing more Americans at the U.N.

STEFANIK MEETS WITH SENATORS AS TRUMP’S AMBASSADOR NOMINEE, TOUTS ‘AMERICA FIRST PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH’

He said the U.N. is "an organization that doesn’t align often with U.S. foreign policy," which makes it "kind of weird to be pouring in all this money," and then "seeing a lot of anti-American sentiment and support of causes that we take issue with."

Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and president of Human Rights Voices, called for Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team, headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, "to halt funding for the U.N. that is totally antithetical to American interests. This immediate cost-saver of billions ought to be low-hanging fruit. At the General Assembly, the United States has but one vote of 193 member states and is routinely and overwhelmingly outvoted by an undemocratic, anti-American, and anti-Israel mob on key issues. But as soon as we lose, we turn around and pay for all the lawfare and antisemitic schemes those very same resolutions concoct."

"DOGE - for which the money is the matter - should have no such inhibitions when it comes to taxpayer dollars being used to fund dangerous and lethal U.N. output," Bayefsky said. "The days of the United Nations as a global money-launderer for terrorists and antisemites dressed up as human rights experts and refugees need to stop right now." 

A spokesperson for Rep. Stefanik, when asked about her plans for reforming the U.N. if confirmed, told Fox News Digital that "Elise Stefanik is deeply honored to earn President Trump’s nomination to serve as United States Ambassador to the United Nations. She looks forward to earning the support of her Senate colleagues and working through the confirmation process. Once confirmed, she stands ready to push for needed reform and advance President Trump’s America first, peace through strength national security agenda on the world stage on day one at the United Nations." 

To aid the reform effort, Hugh Dugan, former National Security Council adviser on international organizations and U.S. diplomat at the world body, created DOGE-U.N., which he says mimics the "methodology and purpose" of DOGE. 

While Dugan said that DOGE-U.N. is "a standalone resource," he explained that he hopes it can be a tool for collaboration and "save [DOGE] some of the upfront analytical work" about which outlays need to be examined more closely.

ISRAELI OFFICIAL PRAISES STEFANIK AS UN PICK, SAYS HER ‘MORAL CLARITY’ WITH COMBAT BODY’S ‘HATE AND LIES’

Dugan is working to "identify some practicable early wins" that show "the potential for making the U.N. more efficient and cost-saving." This includes reviewing the U.N. procurement manual "to avoid corruption and malfeasance" and "make sure that there’s a sense of consequences attached to all procurement matters on behalf of the American taxpayer." Dugan said that DOGE-U.N. will also look into "where and how the U.N. has been evolving into its own Deep State, and more or less ignoring and overlooking the member states’ desires and will and need for efficiency and accountable resource management." 

The U.S. "can’t be passive shareholders" in the U.N., Dugan said. "We need to develop better competency in Washington, better guidance, more dedicated resources to these dry matters, because if the U.S. doesn’t show up with these questions and concerns and criticisms, no other country will."

Though Dugan says that DOGE-U.N. is "trying to stick with attacking inefficiencies," he said there is the possibility of addressing funding to programs that are "impossible to support from a policy point of view." To that end, Dugan said that "strong accountability" for the secretary-general’s use of U.S. resources is vital to ensure the U.N. does not "play a shell game with our contributions and continue to fund even those things we don’t like." 

While U.S. departments have independent inspectors general who search for waste and fraud, Dugan noted that the secretary-general directs the U.N.’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), which means that the secretary-general can choose whether the findings of U.N. investigations should be "publicized or kept quiet."

Peter Gallo, formerly an investigator with the OIOS, told Fox News Digital that the independent oversight function lacks independent oversight and said that the investigative function should be taken "out of the hands of the U.N." Gallo said that "in the immediate term," he would suggest making investigations "subject to independent oversight, and every dollar they spent subject to review." 

The extent to which employees of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) have been affiliated with terror organizations is especially concerning to Gallo, who says investigations into the issue have been neither transparent nor independent.

Dugan said he believes that stepping back from the organization would be counterintuitive, adding that China is "more than willing to swoop in and fill whatever leadership vacuum we don’t fill and they will use that opportunity to promote their own hegemonic ambitions."

Dugan said he hopes that DOGE-U.N.’s findings will "serve the administration" and "help them identify valuations that have been overlooked, and principally to help us create the resource that the world needs so that China cannot abscond with it."

CONTROVERSY-PLAGUED UN AGENCY THAT EMPLOYED OCT. 7 TERRORISTS FACING NEW PROBLEMS AS COUNTRY REDIRECTS FUNDING

A recent topic of debate at the U.N. illustrates the divergence of the organization from U.S. interests. 

In January 2024, the U.S. ended contributions to UNRWA until March 2025 after evidence emerged that members of the agency participated in the attacks of Oct. 7, which killed 1,200, including 45 Americans.

In October, the Israeli Knesset banned UNRWA from operating within Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, given mounting evidence of Hamas infiltration in UNRWA.

In December, a resolution came before the Fifth Committee of the U.N. General Assembly, which is responsible for budgetary and financial matters. The resolution suggested that the International Court of Justice create an advisory opinion on Israel’s UNRWA ban, citing Israel’s "obligations…to ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies" and "of basic services and humanitarian development assistance."

The U.S. voted against the resolution. However, on a related vote about funding the estimated $298,900 required to carry out the resolution, the U.S. simply abstained.

When asked about the discrepancy in its votes, a U.S. Department of State spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the U.S. "has consistently demonstrated opposition to this request for an advisory opinion, including voting against the relevant General Assembly resolution. The budget is a separate matter.  The role of the U.N. General Assembly’s Fifth Committee is not to second-guess mandates authorized by other U.N. bodies." 

Bayefsky told Fox News Digital that the State Department’s comment represents a "twisted, indefensible strategy" by the Biden administration. "When it comes to spending our money via the U.N.'s budget committee, allegedly the U.S. role is not to ‘second-guess.'"

Leaders in the U.S. and around the world commended the recent Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal on Wednesday.

Biden announced the terms of the cease-fire during a news conference Wednesday at the White House. It will consist of two phases and will take place over the next several weeks. 

The first phase, which is set to begin Sunday, "includes a full and complete cease-fire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and elderly and the wounded," Biden said.

The second phase is contingent on Israel negotiating "the necessary arrangements," to mark a complete end to the war.

BIDEN BALKS WHEN ASKED IF TRUMP DESERVES CREDIT FOR ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE DEAL: 'IS THAT A JOKE?'

The response to the deal was overwhelmingly positive. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that she was "very encouraged" to see the cease-fire come to fruition.

"This is something I've called for many, many months over the last year since the horrific, barbaric attack on innocent civilians in Israel that occurred on October 7 of last year," Hochul said. "My main priority has been bringing home the hostages."

Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., wrote on X that he felt "an indescribable sense of relief," about the return of the hostages.

"The return of the hostages will mark the beginning of closure for Israelis and Jews, as well as countless others, who continue to be deeply affected by the indelible terror and trauma of October 7th," Torres wrote. "The hostages have been brought home by the power of the world’s most powerful friendship – the US-Israel relationship."

The deal also attracted international attention. In a statement, British Prime Minister Kier Starmer called the cease-fire "long-overdue news."

FOX NEWS GETS AN INSIDE LOOK AT IDF'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS

"[The Israeli and Palestinian people] have borne the brunt of this conflict – triggered by the brutal terrorists of Hamas, who committed the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust on October 7th, 2023," Starmer said. "The hostages, who were brutally ripped from their homes on that day and held captive in unimaginable conditions ever since, can now finally return to their families.

"But we should also use this moment to pay tribute to those who won’t make it home – including the British people who were murdered by Hamas. We will continue to mourn and remember them. "

In an X post translated from French to English, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the cease-fire must be respected.

"After 15 months of unjustifiable ordeal, immense relief for the Gazans, hope for the hostages and their families," Macron said. He also referenced Ohad Yahalomi and Ofer Calderon, two French-Israeli hostages.

Though many are celebrating, some have expressed caution about the possibility of the deal falling through. 

On Wednesday, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said that the "big hurdle" — which included finalizing the deal — had been "overcome."

Hopefully, come this weekend, we'll start to see some families reunited," Kirby said, adding that he was "confident" that the deal will be implemented, despite hard work ahead.

Fox News Digital's Joshua Comins contributed to this report.

Daniel Chapo of Mozambique's long-ruling Frelimo party was sworn in as president on Wednesday at a sparsely attended ceremony after months of protests against his disputed election victory.

A local civil society monitoring group says more than 300 people have been killed in clashes with security forces since the Oct. 9 vote, which the opposition says Frelimo won through vote-rigging and Western observers say was not free and fair.

DEATH TOLL IN MOZAMBIQUE FERRY DISASTER CLIMBS TO 98

Frelimo denies accusations of electoral fraud.

It has ruled Mozambique since the end of the war against Portuguese colonial rule in 1975, clinging on throughout a 15-year civil war that killed a million people before a 1992 truce.

Chapo told a group of about 1,500 supporters from a stage in the capital Maputo that social and political stability would be his government's top priority.

He also promised to shrink the size of the government by reducing the number of ministries, tackle youth unemployment and prioritise health and education.

The city centre was largely deserted with a heavy police and army presence, Reuters witnesses said.

Cyril Ramaphosa, president of neighbouring South Africa, was one of the few heads of state attending Chapo's inauguration.

Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, who official results say came second to Chapo in the presidential election, returned from self-imposed exile last week and has urged his supporters to continue demonstrating.

The post-election protests amount to the largest against Frelimo in Mozambique's history and have affected foreign businesses operating in the resource-rich southern African country of 35 million people. They have also disrupted cross-border trade and forced some to flee to neighbouring countries.

TEL AVIV — Israeli negotiators have reached agreement with the Hamas terror group for a hostages-for-cease-fire deal that will also reportedly see the release of thousands of Palestinian security prisoners, many with blood on their hands, and an Israeli military withdrawal from key areas of the Gaza Strip.

"I am trying to breathe," Efrat Machikawa, the niece of Israeli captive Gadi Moses, told Fox News Digital in response to the development.

"We will not know for sure that it is really happening until we will get the phone call to come see Gadi at the hospital. Although I am optimistic by nature, I am trying to control myself because we were very close to so many deals since the last one when my aunt Margalit was released," Machikawa said.

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL REACHED

In November 2023, a weeklong Israel-Hamas cease-fire agreement saw 105 hostages freed from Gaza.

Palestinian terrorists are still holding 98 hostages in Gaza, 94 of whom were abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre. Thirty-six of the hostages have been confirmed dead.

"I am disappointed that this agreement does not talk about all the hostages. It is unacceptable that the second phase is not defined in a way that shows when my son will be released from captivity," Ruby Chen, the father of American-Israeli IDF Sgt. Itay Chen, told Fox News Digital.

Chen visited Qatar last week to meet with U.S. negotiators.

"We will continue the fight until all the hostages come out," he said. "With the inauguration of President-elect Trump next week, my hope is that in his speech he will say, ‘Mr. Chen, I am able to get your son back.’"

"My focus is on the second phase when my son will be released," Yehuda Cohen, the father of IDF soldier Nimrod Cohen who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists near Kibbutz Nirim on Oct. 7, 2023, told Fox News Digital. 

"He is one of the youngest and one of three living soldiers who were captured in uniform. I assume he will be one of the last to be released," Cohen continued. "He would have been in captivity for about a year and a half then, and I don’t know what condition he is in physically or mentally. Our private fight to get him back to normal life will soon start."

WIFE OF US HOSTAGE KEITH SIEGEL PLEADS FOR HOLIDAY MIRACLE: 'WE NEED TO GET THEM BACK'

The breakthrough in long-stalled negotiations came after the U.S. Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend in Jerusalem. The two held a "tense" meeting, according to local media, with Witkoff having demanded significant concessions.

Trump warned on Monday that the failure to reach an agreement would have consequences.

"If they don’t get it done, there’s going to be a lot of trouble out there like they have never seen before," he stated.

During Hamas’s terror invasion 467 days ago, the Bibas family, including mother Shiri, husband Yarden and their children, Ariel, 4, and 9-month-old baby Kfir, were taken by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

"We hope they’ll come back alive and we can get them treated, to do the best for them to readjust. But we don’t know in what situation they will return. We are very afraid," Jimmy Miller, Shiri Bibas’s cousin, told Fox News Digital.

"I hope for the best, but I don’t want to be disappointed if something bad happens. I try not to think about it too much before it really happens. We thought it would happen before. Saturday is Kfir’s [second] birthday. Maybe he can celebrate it with us even a few days later," he added.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters issued a statement, "We, the families of 98 hostages, welcome with overwhelming joy and relief the agreement to bring our loved ones home. We wish to express our profound gratitude to President-elect Trump, President Biden, both administrations, and the international mediators for making this possible. Since November 2023, we have been anxiously awaiting this moment, and now, after over 460 days of our family members being held in Hamas tunnels, we are closer than ever to reuniting with our loved ones.

"This is a significant step forward that brings us closer to seeing all hostages return - the living to rehabilitation, and the deceased for proper burial," the statement continues. "However, deep anxiety and concerns accompany us regarding the possibility that the agreement might not be fully implemented, leaving hostages behind. We urgently call for swift arrangements to ensure all phases of the deal are carried out."

"We will not rest until we see the last hostage back home."

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire deal that also ensures the release of hostages, Fox News has confirmed.

"A Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal was reached following the Qatari Prime Minister's meeting with Hamas negotiators, and separately Israeli negotiators in his office," a source briefed on the matter told Fox News.

Separately, a senior Hamas official confirmed to Fox News that a deal was reached. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has yet to confirm the deal.

The conflict, which began with Hamas’ brutal attacks on October 7, 2023, has left over 1,200 Israelis dead, more than 250 taken hostage, and thousands of others killed on both sides.

The deal, brokered by Qatari negotiators and facilitated by Egyptian intermediaries, also saw significant involvement from the United States. Both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration applied strategic pressure to finalize the agreement, despite concerns about Hamas rearming and internal tensions within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. 

Sources told Fox News Digital that a weekend meeting between Netanyahu and President-elect Trump's incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, led to the breakthrough. Witkoff’s assurances reportedly convinced Netanyahu to accept the deal, despite threats from a right-wing party to withdraw from the coalition if it passed.

CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS GETTING CLOSER AMID CONCERNS TERROR GROUP REARMING IN GAZA

The agreement calls for the release of three hostages on the first day, followed by weekly batches. Women, children, and men over 50 will be prioritized initially, with younger men in humanitarian cases included later. Updates on hostages’ statuses will alternate between announcements of survivors and confirmation of those who did not survive captivity.

The operation’s execution relies on extensive coordination among the IDF, Shin Bet, Israeli Police, the Ministry of Health, the International Red Cross, and Egyptian authorities. Over 42 days, 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be released. Early stages will focus on civilian women, children and female soldiers, followed by elderly men. The final hostage in this group is scheduled for release on the 42nd day.

HAMAS HAS ACCEPTED DRAFT AGREEMENT FOR GAZA CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE: OFFICIALS

On the 16th day, the second phase will begin, addressing the release of younger men, soldiers, and the return of remains. Netanyahu assured hostage families that every captive is accounted for in the deal. Approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be freed in exchange, with murder convicts barred from returning to the West Bank. Instead, they will be sent to Gaza, Qatar, or Turkey.

The cease-fire will also facilitate significant humanitarian aid to Gaza, with up to 600 trucks of supplies entering daily. By the 22nd day, displaced residents will be allowed to return to northern Gaza. Qatari and Egyptian teams will manage vehicle inspections, while pedestrian crossings will not require checks. The IDF will withdraw from the Nitzarim corridor but maintain a limited presence along the Philadelphi Route.

Although intelligence on the hostages’ conditions remains limited, assessments suggest that most are alive. Before each release stage, Israel will receive updated information on their identities and health statuses. The International Red Cross will oversee their transfer from Gaza to Israel, ensuring their safety while addressing logistical challenges such as crowd control.

Upon entering Israel, hostages will undergo identity verification and initial questioning by Shin Bet and the IDF. Medical teams stationed at the border will provide immediate care, and those requiring further treatment will be airlifted to hospitals. After receiving necessary care, hostages will be reunited with their families.

Israel’s security forces are preparing for various contingencies to ensure the operation’s success while maintaining stability. The coming weeks will be marked by tension and emotion as families and the nation anticipate the return of those held captive, including seven Americans, in this prolonged conflict.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says his country "never" plotted to assassinate President-elect Trump and affirmed that "we never will."

Pezeshkian made the statement during an interview with NBC News' Lester Holt on Tuesday in Tehran. U.S. intelligence authorities had stated that Iran was exploring an attempt on Trump's life prior to Election Day. 

"This is another one of those schemes that Israel and other countries are designing to promote Iranophobia. ... Iran has never attempted to nor does it plan to assassinate anyone. At least as far as I know."

"You’re saying there was never an Iranian plot to kill Donald Trump?" Holt asked.

IRAN REGIME UNDER 'IMMENSE PRESSURE' AMID INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN POLICIES, REGIONAL LOSSES, ECONOMIC WOES

"None whatsoever," Pezeshkian replied. "We have never attempted this to begin with, and we never will."

The statement comes as Trump's incoming special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Ret. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, recently stated that the United States must return to the policy of "maximum pressure" on Iran.

"For the United States, a policy of maximum pressure must be reinstated, and it must be reinstated with the help of the rest of the globe, and that includes standing with the Iranian people and their aspirations for democracy," Kellogg said.

IRAN EXPANDS WEAPONIZATION CAPABILITIES CRITICAL FOR EMPLOYING NUCLEAR BOMB

The retired lieutenant general said that Iran’s development and acquisition of a nuclear weapon would be the most destabilizing event for the Middle East. Kellogg reminded the opposition group that then-President Trump walked away from the Iran nuclear deal during his first term, even with opposition from those who served in the first administration.

ISRAEL EYES IRAN NUKE SITES AMID REPORTS TRUMP MULLS MOVES TO BLOCK TEHRAN ATOMIC PROGRAM

Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, during his first term in 2018 and reapplied crippling economic sanctions. While some, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, applauded the move, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany had urged the president to remain committed to the deal.

Kellog's remarks, made just days before Trump is set to take office for his second term, are yet another signal of how a second Trump administration will face the threat posed by Iran in a new environment with much of the Middle East embroiled in conflict since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. 

The governor of Puerto Rico pleaded for President-elect Trump to intervene after Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro threatened to invade the U.S. island territory.

In a letter addressed to Trump, Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón said, "[J]ust a few days after holding an illegitimate swearing-in ceremony in a desperate attempt to cling to power in Venezuela," Maduro "publicly proposed an invasion of Puerto Rico."

Maduro, who was sworn in for a third six-year presidential term despite international condemnation of his recent reelection as illegitimate, made the threat Saturday at the end of the "International Anti-Fascist Festival" hosted in Caracas. The socialist dictator made an apparent reference to Trump's remarks eyeing U.S. control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, stating: "Just as the North has an agenda of colonization, we have an agenda of liberation." Maduro vowed that the "freedom of Puerto Rico is pending, and we will achieve it with Brazilian troops," according to Latin America Reports.

"This is an open threat to the United States, our national security, and stability in the region," González-Colón told Trump. "I trust your incoming administration will swiftly respond and make clear to the Maduro regime that, under your leadership, the United States, will protect American lives and sovereignty and will not bow down to the threats of petty, murderous dictators." 

WHITE HOUSE REMOVES CUBA'S STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM DESIGNATION, REVERSING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVE

González-Colón, who took office just earlier this month, went on to say that Puerto Rico has been an "essential part of the United States" since 1898, and she reiterated how Puerto Ricans were granted American citizenship in 1917 and "have contributed to every aspect of American life, including the hundreds of thousands of service members from the Island who have fought alongside our fellow citizens in every U.S. military conflict since World War I." 

"Contrary to Maduro's and other adversaries' calls for independence, the people of Puerto Rico have repeatedly rejected this option. Instead, we have voted to strengthen our union with the United States through statehood – most recently in the November 5, 2024, plebiscite held alongside our general elections," González-Colón wrote, referring to the latest nonbinding referendum regarding Puerto Rico’s political status. 

The results showed 56.87% voted in favor of U.S. statehood, while 12.29% opted for "free association with the United States." Meanwhile, 30.84% voted for independence. 

The option of retaining the island's current status as a U.S. territory, as well as U.S. citizenship, was not included on the referendum ballot.

González-Colón, a Republican and member of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, also reiterated how Puerto Rico is home to Fort Buchanan – the only U.S. Army installation in the Caribbean – and National Guard facilities like Camp Santiago, Fort Allen, and Muniz Air National Guard Base, "all of which strategically support exercises and operations conducted by the U.S. military and our partners." The letter went on to say how Puerto Rico also hosts "critical U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection assets and units that help secure our borders and combat the drug trafficking networks that fund the Maduro narco-regime." 

She noted that the United States shares a maritime boundary with Venezuela in Puerto Rico.

"Maduro’s calls for an invasion are a clear attempt to get rid of the United States’ presence and grow his influence in the area," González-Colón wrote, telling Trump that she’s "ready to work with you and your administration to counter this and other threats posed by the illegitimate Maduro dictatorship and support the people of Venezuela in their quest for freedom." 

SULLIVAN CLAIMS BIDEN ADMIN LEAVES RUSSIA, CHINA AND IRAN 'WEAKER,' AMERICA 'SAFER' BEFORE TRUMP HANDOFF

González-Colón also said she looks forward to meaningful discussions to "best enhance Puerto Rico’s national security role and take a strong stance against the growing presence of our adversaries in the region." 

Rep. Mario Rafael Díaz-Balart, R-Fla., commended González-Colón's "leadership in condemning the absurd and pathetic threats to Puerto Rico from Venezuela’s dictator – a dictator who is desperately clinging to illegitimate power." 

"What a contrast to the courage and inspiration demonstrated by the Venezuelan people and heroine María Corina Machado," Díaz-Balart wrote. "With Biden in the White House, adversaries such as those within the Maduro narco-dictatorship have been emboldened by his weak policy of appeasement. But in less than a week, a new foreign policy will begin where freedom and U.S. national security interests are paramount. Friends will be treated as friends, and adversaries as adversaries." 

"Maduro’s days are numbered," the congressman added. "If the dictator in Venezuela does not want to end up like other dictators Mussolini and Gaddafi, he should leave Venezuela without delay." 

When Maduro was sworn in last week, Biden defended his decision not to toughen sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector, saying he was worried it could have created an opening to be filled by Iranian oil.

Despite sanctioning a number of Maduro officials, the administration did not end a license it granted oil giant Chevron to export Venezuelan oil to the U.S. That license has significantly boosted oil production, and state coffers, as a result.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Gangs in Haiti killed at least 5,600 people last year, according to a new United Nations report. The report from the Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights said an additional 3,700 were injured or abducted, leading some to criticize the Biden administration for not doing enough.

"The Biden administration has taken a piecemeal and politicized response to the crisis which focused on preventing it from blowing up ahead of the elections but not resolving it," Andrés Martínez-Fernández, senior policy analyst for Latin America at The Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital.

Biden gave $629 million in financial and equipment support to Haiti with $600 million already allocated, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital. By comparison, Congress provided Ukraine with more than $113 billion. 

"At the end of the day, it is a similar issue in both Ukraine and Haiti that our involvement does not seem to have a clear strategy underlying it," Martínez-Fernández added. 

SITUATION IN HAITI WORSENS AMID ‘ACUTE VIOLENCE’ AS UN SUPPORT MISSION FALTERS UNDER GANG VIOLENCE 

In a horrific incident in early December, at least 207 people were massacred in the capital city Port-au-Prince by the Wharf Jérémie gang. The victims, many of them elderly, were accused of using voodoo to harm the gang leader’s son. Their bodies were mutilated and burned, and others were thrown into the sea.

Gangs now control approximately 85% of the capital, according to a recent VOA report. 

"These figures alone cannot capture the absolute horrors being perpetrated in Haiti, but they show the unremitting violence to which people are being subjected," said the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

Türk emphasized the urgent need to restore the rule of law in Haiti. He called for strong logistical and financial backing for the U.N.-supported Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) to help it carry out its mandate effectively.

The MSS pledged more than 2,500 personnel from several countries, yet only around 500 have been deployed so far. Many have not been paid for months and are hugely outnumbered against the 12,000 gang members operating in the country, according to a BBC report.

‘LAWLESS’ HAITI PLAGUED BY CORRUPTION AND DEADLY GANG VIOLENCE FUELS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

The State Department defended its record and pointed to a joint operation on Dec. 15 by MSS and Haitian police that resulted in the death of a high-profile gang leader. But with violence surging, even the State Department admits that more needs to be done. 

"Current personnel levels are clearly insufficient at restoring the rule of law and security to Haiti," said the spokesperson, adding, "Given current challenges, however, the United States has backed the Haitian-led call for transitioning the MSS mission to a UNPKO (United Nation Peacekeeping Operation)."

Martínez-Fernández said that is unlikely to happen. "There are significant challenges regarding its feasibility, especially due to the lack of approval in the Security Council. China, in particular, has strongly opposed such efforts and I anticipate they will continue to veto them."

In the U.N. report, Türk renewed his call for the U.N. Security Council's sanctions on Haiti and the arms embargo to be fully implemented to stop the flow of weapons into the country. 

"Weapons flowing into Haiti often end up in the hands of the criminal gangs, with tragic results: thousands killed, hundreds of thousands displaced, essential infrastructure and services, such as schools and hospitals, disrupted and destroyed."

South Korean law enforcement detained impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, bringing him in for questioning following his short-lived martial law declaration last month. Yoon reportedly said he was cooperating with the anti-corruption probe to avoid violence.

"Although it is an illegal investigation, I decided to agree to appear at the CIO in order to prevent ugly bloodshed," Yonhap, one of the country’s largest news outlets, quoted Yoon as saying in a statement. Yoon was reportedly referring to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO).

Law enforcement deployed some 3,000 personnel to Yoon’s compound, which was surrounded by protesters both opposing and supporting the embattled leader, according to Yonhap. After detaining Yoon, authorities have 48 hours to seek a warrant for his formal arrest, according to Yonhap.

Yoon is referred to as "ringleader of insurrection" in a search warrant, Reuters reported.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT LIFTS MARTIAL LAW AFTER LAWMAKERS REJECT MOVE

"As I have repeatedly emphasized the need for prevention of physical conflict between state agencies," acting President Choi Sang-mok said in a statement Wednesday. "I will sternly hold those responsible if unfortunate events occur."

A previous attempt to detain Yoon was called off on Jan. 3, which ended in a six-hour-long standoff between military guards and the president's security staff. Following the incident, the CIO expressed "serious regret about the attitude of the suspect, who did not respond to a process by law." Following the failed arrest, Yoon remained at his compound surrounded by his security team.

SOUTH KOREA’S IMPEACHED PRESIDENT AVOIDS ARREST ATTEMPT AFTER HOURSLONG STANDOFF

Executing a warrant for Yoon's arrest has proven difficult for investigators, as the president's legal counsel insists it is impossible to do so under a law barring non-consensual searches of locations potentially linked to military secrets.

Following his failure to arrive for questioning about the martial law fiasco, a warrant for Yoon’s arrest was issued on Dec. 31.

ARREST WARRANT ISSUED FOR IMPEACHED SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT AS POLITICAL CRISIS DEEPENS

On Dec. 3, Yoon declared martial law, vowing to get rid of "anti-state" forces. Yoon also accused the country’s parliament of sympathizing with North Korea. The parliament’s speaker and the leader of Yoon’s own party opposed the declaration. Yoon was suspended on Dec. 14 in a 204-85 vote.

Attorneys for Yoon maintain that the probe was not legal and classified the warrants as being part of an attempt to publicly humiliate the embattled leader.

President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Ret. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, recently said the United States must return to the policy of "maximum pressure" and that the Iranian regime's weakness has reopened what the future of Iran will look like.

"I believe this year should be considered a year of hope, it should be considered a year of action, and it should be considered a year of change," Kellogg, who served in Trump’s first administration, said at an event sponsored by an Iranian opposition group, The National Council of Resistance of Iran, in Paris.

The retired lieutenant general said that Iran’s development and acquisition of a nuclear weapon would be the most destabilizing event for the Middle East. Kellogg reminded the opposition group that then-President Trump walked away from the Iran nuclear deal during his first term, even with opposition from those who served in the first administration.

IRAN REGIME UNDER 'IMMENSE PRESSURE' AMID INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN POLICIES, REGIONAL LOSSES, ECONOMIC WOES

"For the United States, a policy of maximum pressure must be reinstated, and it must be reinstated with the help of the rest of the globe, and that includes standing with the Iranian people and their aspirations for democracy," Kellogg said.

Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, during his first term in 2018 and reapplied crippling economic sanctions. While some, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, applauded the move, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany had urged the president to remain committed to the deal.

The remarks, made just days before Trump is set to take office for his second term, are yet another signal of how a second Trump administration will face the threat posed by Iran in a new environment with much of the Middle East embroiled in conflict since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. 

IRAN EXPANDS WEAPONIZATION CAPABILITIES CRITICAL FOR EMPLOYING NUCLEAR BOMB

"The beginning of the end of Iran's primacy began, ironically, a year ago, on 7 October," Kellogg said.

Kellogg noted that pressures applied to Iran would not only be kinetic or military force, but must include economic and diplomatic as well.

Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told the event that the fall of Syria’s longtime dictator, Bashar al-Assad, provided a unique opportunity for Iranians to remake their own future.

"Khamenei and his IRGC were unable to preserve the Syrian dictatorship, and they certainly cannot preserve their regime in the face of organized resistance and uprising. The regime will be overthrown," Rajavi said.

ISRAEL EYES IRAN NUKE SITES AMID REPORTS TRUMP MULLS MOVES TO BLOCK TEHRAN ATOMIC PROGRAM

Rajavi said it was a decisive moment in the history of Iran. The National Council of Resistance of Iran, according to Rajavi, has a path forward for a democratic Iran, which includes a step-by-step process after the overthrow of the current regime. A transitional government would be formed for a maximum of six months, and its main task would be to hold free elections for a Constituent Assembly and transfer power to the people’s representatives.

"The overthrow of the mullahs’ regime is the only way to establish freedom in Iran and peace and tranquility in the region," a hopeful Rajavi said.

Kellogg championed these ideas and said a "more friendly, stable, non-belligerent, and a non-nuclear Iran" must be the near term goal and that the United States needs to exploit Iran’s current weaknesses.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei slammed France for hosting what the Iranian government called a "terrorist group" and accused the French government of violating its international legal obligations to prevent and fight terror.

Earlier this month, New York implemented its widely-contested Congestion Relief Zone tolling scheme, which charges drivers between $9 and $21.60 per day to drive below 60th Street in Manhattan. 

On Jan. 6, the State Department released guidance that exempts employees and personnel from foreign missions and international organizations, including the United Nations, from paying Congestion Relief Zone fees. 

"Wait ‘til the people get a load of this," New York City Republican Councilwoman Vickie Paladino told Fox News Digital. "Why should a truck driver from Queens or New Jersey face a new burden of $10K a year for delivering into Manhattan while some corrupt Iranian diplomat gets total immunity?"  

The Queens Republican told Fox News Digital that the announcement of special treatment for United Nations personnel did not "come as any surprise." Paladino said the U.N. "has been using our city as their personal playground for decades, and the State Department has enabled them with blanket exemptions from the many laws and fines that regular New Yorkers struggle with," adding, "it's just one big mess."

NJ DEM SLAMS NEW YORK AS CONTROVERSIAL NYC CONGESTION PRICING TAKES EFFECT

"Our diplomats can just skate about anywhere they like in the five boroughs," Paladino said, explaining how diplomats are routinely forgiven for speeding tickets, fines and parking tickets. "We’ve seen cars with diplomat plates rack[ing] up six figures in unpaid parking fines," she said.

An investigation by NBC New York in 2022 found that Russian diplomats had accumulated over $100,000 in unpaid fines for parking since 2003. A State Department spokesperson referred NBC to a policy indicating that "three or more unpaid violations since 2003 will result in a nation being suspended from registering or renewing diplomatic license plates." Russia had 46 outstanding unpaid tickets, but the State Department "declined to say definitively" to NBC News reporters if Russia’s ability to register or renew diplomatic plates was suspended.

The Congestion Relief Zone charges drivers based on the size of their vehicle. These rates, which will increase in 2031, are meant to raise funds to upgrade the transportation system and reduce traffic in the zone. Paladino said that these fees will not result in "any improvement that is going to be worth the kind of money they’re going to be raking in." Describing an "absolutely filthy, dirty, disgusting" subway system and a Metropolitan Transportation Authority deeply in debt, Paladino said that "the trust factor here is nil." 

NEW YORK DEMOCRATS’ NEW TAX FORCES MIDDLE-CLASS WORKERS INTO LAWLESS SUBWAY TUNNELS

Congestion pricing has already had an impact beyond decreasing traffic. The New York Post reported on Jan. 3 that the New York City union for EMTs and paramedics urged its members to transfer from stations within the Congestion Relief Zone because workers making less than $19 per hour could not afford the $45 weekly charge to enter the zone.

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department to ask why they issued an exemption for U.N. personnel, how many vehicles were estimated to be exempted by their guidance and whether New York and New Jersey residents ought to shoulder the economic burden of the Congestion Relief Zone while U.N. personnel, including representatives from unfriendly foreign regimes, pay nothing. There was no response.

Fox News Digital also reached out to the offices of New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul's office for comment but received no response.

"As far as economically," congestion pricing is "probably the worst thing that could happen so soon after COVID," Paladino added. She said that fixing a "broken city" does not occur "by just doubling down on the middle class and the lower middle class." 

There are 193 member states of the United Nations, many with missions in and around New York City.
 

Authorities investigating suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived at his residence Wednesday in a second attempt to detain him over his ill-fated martial law declaration last month.

Police dispatched some 3,200 officers to the president's sprawling hillside estate in Seoul, according to Reuters, where he has spent weeks in hiding whilst surrounded by a personal security detail.

Video shows officers closing in on Yoon's residence, according to Reuters, where hundreds of his supporters had already gathered to protest on his behalf. Earlier, they were reportedly seen pushing through a group of them.

SOUTH KOREA’S IMPEACHED PRESIDENT AVOIDS ARREST ATTEMPT AFTER HOURSLONG STANDOFF

A previous attempt to detain Yoon was called off on Jan. 3 following a six-hour standoff between military guards and the president's security staff. 

"As I have repeatedly emphasized the need for prevention of physical conflict between state agencies," Acting President Choi Sang-mok said in a statement Wednesday. "I will sternly hold those responsible if unfortunate events occur."

Executing a warrant for Yoon's arrest has proven difficult for investigators, as the president's legal counsel insists it is impossible to do so under a law barring non-consensual searches of locations potentially linked to military secrets.

Yoon's lawyers have also decried such a warrant as an illegal means of publicly humiliating him.

ARREST WARRANT ISSUED FOR IMPEACHED SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT AS POLITICAL CRISIS DEEPENS

The arrest warrant is the first ever to be levied against a sitting South Korean president. Yoon's warrant stems from his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 out of apparent frustration with the opposition-dominated parliament's refusal to pass key items on his political agenda.

The move was decried within South Korea and abroad, where analysts expressed shock at the sudden and unprecedented move in what is typically one of Asia's most stable democracies.

Parliament unanimously rejected Yoon's declaration, and subsequently suspended him on Dec. 14 in a 204-85 vote that included members of his own party. 

Yoon will be formally impeached should the Constitutional Court uphold the motion with a three-fourths majority.

The court's next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Months after South African authorities initially cut off supplies to miners working illegally in an abandoned gold mine, rescuers brought dozens of bodies and emaciated survivors to the surface Tuesday with hundreds more still believed to be underground, many of them dead and others too weak to come out on their own.

At least 60 bodies and 92 survivors had been pulled from one of South Africa's deepest mines since Monday in a red cagelike device lowered thousands of feet underground, police said. Police are uncertain how many miners remain inside but said it is likely in the hundreds. Another nine bodies were brought out Friday in a community-led rescue effort, according to a group representing the miners.

DEATH TOLL CLIMBS TO 13 IN SOUTH AFRICA MINING DISASTER

The mine has been the scene of a tense standoff between police, miners and members of the local community since authorities launched an operation in November to force the miners out by cutting off food and water from the surface for a period of time. At the time, a Cabinet minister said the aim was to "smoke them out" and the government would not send help because they were "criminals."

But that tactic has been fiercely criticized by civic groups and the community, and the South African government is under scrutiny for the way it has dealt with the issue at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine, where more than 100 miners are believed to have died underground of starvation or dehydration, according to the group representing them.

Authorities, who removed the ropes and pulley system miners used to enter and to lower supplies, say the survivors are able to come out but refuse to because of fear of arrest. That has been disputed by the civic groups, which won a court case to force authorities to allow food, water and medicine to be sent down to the miners. But they say the supplies aren’t enough and many of the miners are dying of starvation and unable to climb out because the shaft is too steep.

Residents desperately waiting for news of family members gathered at the mine Tuesday near the town of Stilfontein, southwest of Johannesburg, some holding placards criticizing authorities for their response. One sign said there had been a "Sacrifice at Stilfontein" while some handcuffed survivors were led away in a line by police.

The community organized its own rescue operation on Friday before the official effort by authorities began Monday. They say a proper rescue operation should have been launched months ago.

"We are happy that this operation is happening, even though we believe that if it was done earlier, we wouldn’t even have one dead person," said Mzukisi Jam, the regional chairperson of the South African National Civics Organization, an umbrella for civic and rights groups.

Authorities have grappled with informal mining for years

Illegal mining is common in parts of gold-rich South Africa where companies close down mines that are no longer profitable, leaving groups of informal miners to enter them illegally in a search for leftover deposits.

Large groups of miners often go underground for months to maximize their profits, taking food, water, generators and other equipment with them, but also relying on others in their group on the surface to send down more supplies.

Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe visited the site Tuesday and said that more than 1,500 miners who resurfaced from the Buffelsfontein mine have been arrested since authorities began a larger crackdown on illegal mining in late 2023. He said the vast majority were foreign nationals from neighboring countries.

Police have also doubled down on their assertion that the miners who are still underground aren't coming out because they are afraid of being arrested.

Activists said the only way out is for miners to make a dangerous trek to another shaft, which can take days, and crawl out there, but many are too weak or ill to climb out. The mine is 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) deep with multiple shafts, many levels and a maze of tunnels. The group representing the miners said there are numerous groups in various parts of the mine.

"The last time I spoke to my brother was in July, when he told us that he is going underground," said Zinzi Tom, a sister of one of the miners who remained underground. "We had not heard anything from him, but yesterday one of the miners who surfaced said he saw him about two weeks ago. Apparently he is very sick and he is struggling to survive."

Cellphone videos emerge from underground

The Mining Affected Communities United in Action group, which took authorities to court in December to force them to allow supplies to be sent down to the miners, released two cellphone videos that they said were from underground and showed dozens of dead bodies of miners wrapped in plastic. A spokesman for the group said "a minimum" of 100 miners had died.

The cellphone videos purportedly from the depths of the mine are filmed by a man who can be heard saying, "This is hunger. People are dying because of hunger," as he records emaciated-looking men sitting on the damp floor of the mine. He adds: "Please help us. Bring us food or take us out."

The rescue operation will go on for 10 days and authorities would then reassess, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said. Police also said that the survivors who had been brought to the surface will be arrested and charged with illegal mining and trespassing after receiving medical attention.

Authorities made clear their approach when South African Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters in November that the government would not help the miners, who they consider criminals.

"We are not sending help to criminals," she said. "We are going to smoke them out. They will come out."

She added: "Criminals are not to be helped. Criminals are to be persecuted."

India's foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, met acting Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai last week, making a strong leap forward in bilateral relations. 

While India has been gradually increasing its engagement with the Taliban, this latest meeting represents the highest-level talks since the Islamic group's takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. Notably, this was the second meeting between officials from New Delhi and Kabul in just two months, indicating both countries' readiness to step up diplomatic engagement.

"We shouldn’t overstate the impact of Pakistan’s tensions with the Taliban on India’s stepped up engagement with the Taliban. New Delhi had already taken some small steps toward Taliban engagement soon after the Taliban’s return to power, before tensions crept into the Taliban’s relations with Pakistan," Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center, tells Fox News Digital.

TALIBAN GOVERNMENT TO CEASE OPERATIONS AT AFGHAN EMBASSY IN INDIA'S CAPITAL

During the discussions, Misri emphasized the "historic friendship" and "strong people-to-people contacts" between the two nations. Meanwhile, the Afghan foreign minister described India as "an important and economically significant country in the region." 

According to a statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs, the talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations, addressing security concerns, engaging in development projects and enhancing humanitarian assistance.

India is among several countries actively facilitating trade, aid and medical support to Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. The country, which hosts thousands of Afghan refugees, also pledged to provide "material support" for their rehabilitation back in Afghanistan.

"New Delhi’s outreach to the Taliban is driven by the view that closer engagement can help India better pursue its security and strategic interests in Afghanistan – and these include strengthening trade and connectivity links and ensuring India isn’t threatened by terrorists on Afghan soil," Kugelman explained.

BIDEN ADMIN'S AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL FAILURES DETAILED IN REPORT

The discussions also touched on enhancing trade via the Chabahar Port in Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province. India has been developing the Chabahar Port to enable goods to bypass ports in its rival, Pakistan. This strategic port, which lies just across the border from Pakistan, could provide landlocked Afghanistan with an alternative route to receive and send goods, circumventing Pakistan.

The meeting between India and the Taliban could unsettle Pakistan, which shares borders with both countries. India and Pakistan are long-standing rivals, having fought three wars over Kashmir since both countries gained independence in 1947. This meeting also takes place amid deteriorating relations between the Taliban regime and Pakistan, once considered friendly neighbors, as cross-border violence escalates.

PAKISTANI AIRSTRIKES TARGET TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN FOLLOWING SUICIDE BOMBING

The talks occurred just days after India "unequivocally" condemned Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan in late December. These rare airstrikes resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians, including women and children. Pakistani officials claimed the strikes targeted militants of the Pakistani Taliban. Islamabad frequently accuses the Pakistani Taliban of using Afghan territory to launch attacks in Pakistan, a charge Kabul denies.

The diplomatic engagement also follows the Taliban’s appointment of an acting consul in the Afghan consulate in Bombay in November, the same month India’s joint secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs visited Kabul. Although no foreign government, including India, has officially recognized the Taliban administration since it swept to power in 2021, India reopened its embassy in Kabul less than a year after the Taliban's return to power. 

"Islamabad has already seen its relations with its former Taliban asset take a major tumble," Kugelman, said. "Now it must grapple with the fact that its rival India may fill the vacuum left by Pakistan’s distancing from the Taliban. No matter how you slice it, this is bad news for Pakistan all around."

BIDEN SAYS HE’S LEAVING TRUMP ‘STRONG HAND TO PLAY,' DEFENDS HIS RECORD ON AFGHANISTAN

Several factors, in addition to deteriorating Pakistani relations, may have led India to strengthen its relationship with Afghanistan. The weakening of Iran, due to conflicts in the Middle East and internal issues, has diminished its influence over the Taliban. At the same time, Russia, one of India's closest allies, is moving toward recognizing the Taliban government in Afghanistan, even calling the group a partner in combating terrorism. Moscow perceives a significant security threat from Islamist militant groups across countries from Afghanistan to the Middle East, especially after losing Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

China is also enhancing its connections with the Taliban, causing India to be wary of Beijing's increasing influence. Additionally, India's approach may be influenced by President-elect Trump’s imminent return to the White House. The Trump administration initially brokered the U.S.-Afghanistan withdrawal deal. Trump's re-election could now introduce new dynamics to the region, prompting India to safeguard its long-term interests.

In contrast, the United States has severed diplomatic ties with Kabul since its chaotic withdrawal from war-torn Afghanistan. Washington maintains a policy of sanctions and isolation toward Taliban leaders. But now, nations in the region are evaluating the implications of a new Trump administration for the Taliban.

North Korean soldiers fighting in Russia’s Kursk region against Ukrainian forces have begun resorting to drastic measures to evade capture, including suicide, a report by Reuters on Tuesday said. 

Following a battle this week, Ukrainian special forces reportedly scoured the snowy terrain where more than a dozen North Korean soldiers lay slain before they came upon one who was still alive. The North Korean soldier apparently pulled out a grenade and detonated it, killing himself, though without injuring the nearby Ukrainian troops.

UKRAINE HAS CAPTURED 2 NORTH KOREAN SOLDIERS, SOUTH KOREA'S INTELLIGENCE SERVICE SAYS

The news of the self-sacrificing tactics being employed came just days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, for the first time, two North Korean prisoners of war had been captured by Ukrainian forces.

Zelenskyy confirmed the capture in a Saturday address to the nation, saying "it was not easy" and claiming that North Korean and Russian forces apparently "finish off their wounded Korean" troops to prevent their capture.

Ukraine has repeatedly claimed that Russia has issued military IDs to North Korean forces in a move to conceal evidence that foreign troops have entered the war in support of Moscow, though Western nations, including the U.S., have confirmed for months Pyongyang’s deployment of forces to Russia.

As many as 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Russia, an estimated 11,000 of whom have been stationed in Kursk to fend off Ukrainian advancement. 

Zelenskyy, as well as South Korean intelligence, have said North Korean troops in Kursk have seen some 3,000 casualties since they entered the fight in mid-November.

KIM JONG UN’S BIG GUNS SPOTTED ON RUSSIAN FRONT LINES: REPORT

In a Sunday post on X, Zelenskyy shared a video of the two captured North Korean soldiers receiving medical attention and being questioned about what they knew before they found themselves embroiled in the front-line-fight.

One of the soldiers said he did not know he was going to war against Ukraine to aid Russia, and instead believed he and his troops were being sent for training exercises. 

However, by Jan. 3, one of the soldiers found himself in an active operation and witnessed North Korean soldiers dying before he hid in a dugout for two days. He was found on Jan. 5. 

Western intelligence has repeatedly suggested that North Korean troops are unprepared for the fight they have been thrown into, and Zelenskyy said on Sunday, "It’s only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others."

"Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un’s soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia," Zelenskyy said.  "For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available."

Reuters contributed to this report.

Hamas has reportedly agreed to a draft cease-fire deal with Israel that would include the release of dozens of hostages, according to The Associated Press, which cited "officials involved in the talks." This potential agreement is the first sign in months that the war between Israel and Hamas, which has gone one of over a year, could be nearing its end.

The possible agreement will reportedly take place in three phases, the first of which would kick off a 42-day cease-fire. During that time, 33 hostages, including children, women, female soldiers, men over the age of 50 and humanitarian cases would be released. In exchange, Hamas would receive hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile detainees. According to an Israeli government official, "most" of the 33 hostages who were abducted by Hamas from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, are still alive.

Addressing the exchange of hostages for prisoners, the Israeli government official noted that there is a "price" for getting the terrorist group to release the captives. The source vowed, however, that Israel would "not leave the Gaza Strip until all of our hostages are back home."

CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS GETTING CLOSER AMID CONCERNS TERROR GROUP REARMING IN GAZA

As part of the first phase of the agreement, Israel would begin to withdraw from parts of northern Gaza, allowing Palestinians to return to their homes. However, security experts warn that this could allow Hamas to rebuild itself.

Additionally, during the first phase of the deal, humanitarian aid would be delivered to the Gaza Strip.

FOX NEWS GETS AN INSIDE LOOK AT IDF'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS

Details of the second phase are expected to be negotiated during the first. However, a draft agreement cited by the AP, indicates that during this phase, Hamas will release the remaining living hostages in exchange for a "complete withdrawal" of Israeli forces from Gaza. An Egyptian official allegedly told the AP that before the end of the first phase, there will be deals for phases two and three.

"This is the only time since November 2023 that we are really negotiating with Hamas, and they are not playing a game in negotiations," an Israeli government official told FOX News.

The official cited multiple events, such as the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and domestic pressure against the terror group, as crucial turning points in creating the right "conditions" for a deal.

PALESTINIAN OFFICIAL PREDICTS TRUMP WILL 'DESTROY' IRAN, LEADING TO BREAKDOWN OF REMAINING HAMAS CELLS: REPORT

Qatari and Israeli officials who spoke with FOX News expressed optimism about the potential deal that could bring about an end to the war.

Thousands have been killed in the 15-month war, which started after Hamas’ brutal attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, in which more than 1,200 Israelis were killed and over 250 were taken hostage.

Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.

Hotels around the world hold impressive records for their height, age and impressive suites for guests. If you're looking to stay at the world's largest hotel, Malaysia is where you can find it. 

Malaysia is home to the First World Hotel, which, according to Guinness World Records, is the largest hotel of any around the globe, for the number of rooms it offers. 

The hotel is made up of 7,351 rooms, according to the Resorts World Genting website, among the three towers part of the property. The last time rooms were added to the property was 2015, taking the count from 6,118 to the current 7,351. 

SET SAIL ON WORLD'S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP, WHICH CAN ACCOMMODATE OVER 7,000 GUESTS PER VOYAGE

There are quite a few different room options to choose from with a stay at First World Hotel, including a standard room, deluxe room, superior deluxe room, triple room and the world club room. 

The smallest rooms in the hotel offer around 180 square feet of space, while the largest are laid out over about 430 square feet, according to the Resorts World Genting website. 

There are three eateries on site. Guests can grab a bite at The Food Factory, The Junction or the Ice Cream Parlour, without leaving the comfort of the hotel. 

A LOOK AT THE WORLD'S LONGEST SNAKE WHICH MEASURES OVER 32 FEET, A RECORD-BREAKING SLITHERING SERPENT

Surrounding the hotel is the scenic rainforest, providing picturesque views for guests. 

There are also additional offerings around the Resorts World property to explore.  

First World Hotel is just one of several hotels part of Resorts World Genting. Among others are Crockfords, Resorts World Awana and Genting SkyWorlds Hotel. 

WORLD'S BIGGEST SPIDER COMES FROM NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA, CAN MEASURE AS LARGE AS A DINNER PLATE

For those looking to add a little thrill to their travels, there are two different theme parks part of Resorts World Genting. There's Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park, as well as Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park. 

Skytropolis includes rides like bumper cars, tea cups, carousels and a Ferris wheel. 

Genting SkyWorlds is made up of several different lands inspired by popular films. There's Studio Plaza, Eagle Mountain, Central Park, Rio, Andromeda Base, Liberty Lane, Epic, Robots Rivet Town and Ice Age, according to the theme park's website. 

Besides the theme parks, there are lots of dining and shopping opportunities around Resorts World Genting.  

As a whole, Resorts World has unique locations all around the world. There are several Resorts World locations in the United States, including in Las Vegas and New York City. 

An ancient structure uncovered on the eastern slope of the City of David inside Jerusalem Walls National Park is believed to have been used for ritual practices during the time of the First Temple, according to a new study.

The structure contained eight rooms containing things like an altar, a standing stone, an oil press and a wine press.

Excavation director Eli Shukron said in an article published in the scientific journal Antiqot that the uncovered structure may have been used by residents of Judah for cultic or religious practices.

The study suggests the structure, which is in overall exceptional shape, dates to the First Temple period and was revealed during excavations performed by the Israel Antiquities Authority in the City of David.

ANCIENT TOMB BELONGING TO DOCTOR WHO TREATED EGYPTIAN PHARAOHS DISCOVERED BY ARCHAELOGISTS

"When we began excavating the City of David in 2010, we discovered that the site had been sealed with fill from the 8th century BCE (Before the Common Era), indicating it had fallen out of use during that time," Shukron said. "The standing stone we uncovered remained upright in its original place, and the other rooms in the structure were also well-preserved."

Shukron’s article proposed that the structure, comprised of eight rock-hewn rooms, was used for ritualistic purposes, not far from the Temple on the Temple Mount, nearly a few hundred meters away.

It is also the only known structure of its type from the period in Jerusalem and one of only a few found in Israel.

HIDDEN STAIRCASE IN CHURCH LEADS ARCHAEOLOGISTS TO UNEARTH 400-YEAR-OLD BURIAL VAULT

The structure itself covers an area of about 220 square meters and has eight rooms, each used for different purposes.

One room contained an oil press for producing oil. Another contained a wine press for making wine.

Other rooms contained things like a carved installation with a drainage channel, which researchers identified as an altar; a large standing stone; and a floor with V-shaped carving marks, though researchers remain puzzled about the carvings’ purposes.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER ONE OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

Shukron hypothesized that the carvings may have been used as a base for a tripod used during ritual activities.

On the edge of the structure is a small cave that includes a cache of items dating to the 8th century BCE. The items in the cache included cooking pots, jars with fragments of ancient Hebrew inscriptions, loom weights, scarabs, stamped seals and grinding stones for crushing grains.

Shukron and his team believe the structure was used until the 8th century BCE, when the Kings of Judah ruled.

ARTIFACT WITH STRANGE INSCRIPTION DUG UP AT HOLY SITE IN JERUSALEM: 'UNUSUAL LOCATION'

"The structure ceased to function during the 8th century BCE, possibly as part of King Hezekiah’s religious reform," Shukron said.

The Bible says Hezekiah wanted to centralize worship at the Temple in Jerusalem, and in doing so, he abolished the ritual sites located across the kingdom.

It also describes that during the First Temple period, other sites used for rituals were used outside the temple, and Kings Hezekiah and Josiah implemented reforms to eliminate the sites.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS STUMPED BY STRANGE ALIEN-LIKE FIGURINE DATING BACK 7,000 YEARS: ‘RAISES QUESTIONS’

"Nearly 3,000 years later, Jerusalem's Biblical heritage continues to be unearthed in the City of David, and with the passage of time, its relevance and meaning only continues to increase, with significance to billions, not just millions, around the world," Ze’ev Orenstein, the director of internal affairs at the City of David, told Fox News Digital. "Unlike most sites of antiquity, Jerusalem's Biblical heritage remains both timeless and timely – not limited to museums & history books – but a necessary component in understanding the world today – past, present and future."

The northern part of the structure was uncovered in 1909 by British explorer Montague Parker, who searched in Jerusalem for the Ark of the Covenant and the Temple treasures.

It was not until 2010 that Shukron began to excavate the property, which lasted over several excavation seasons.

"This discovery in the City of David once again affirms the Jewish people's ongoing 3,000+ year-old bond with Jerusalem – not simply as a matter of faith, but as a matter of fact – from Bible times to the modern day," Orenstein said.

Attacks on underwater cables running through strategically significant bodies of water in both the Baltic Sea and the South China Sea by Russia and China, respectively, in recent months has top officials concerned they are not "mere coincidence."

Maritime sabotage efforts in both regions of the world appear to have been on the rise over the last several years, with a notable spike in recent months after at least three separate attacks occurred in as many months, beginning in November, and the top suspects are Russia and China. 

"The Kremlin has been running a hybrid campaign against Europe for years, ranging from spreading disinformation and cyberattacks to weaponizing energy supplies. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, these efforts have intensified dramatically," EU High Representative Kaja Kallas told Fox News Digital. "However, Russia is not the only challenge we face."

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

In November, two cables under the Baltic Sea were severed, and a Chinese-flagged commercial ship dubbed the Yi Peng 3 was stopped by Danish naval forces and made to anchor at sea while international authorities began investigating the incident.

The Chinese ship, which is reported to have left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on Nov. 15, was discovered to have dragged its anchor for over 100 miles along the Baltic seabed, cutting an undersea cable that connected Sweden and Lithuania on Nov. 17 as well as the only communication cable connecting Finland with Germany on the 18th.

The incident rang eerily similar to an October 2023 event in which a Chinese ship dubbed the NewNew Polar Bear, was found to have dragged anchor, again, over 100 miles in the Gulf of Finland and damaged the Balticconnector gas pipeline as well as two telecommunications cables between Sweden and Estonia.

The damage to the pipeline reminded the Western world of the vulnerability of its subsea infrastructure just one year after the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines had been significantly damaged.

By Oct. 22, 2023, the Chinese ship was reported to have docked in the Russian port of Arkhangelsk with its port side anchor missing. 

This time, European leaders were quick to voice their suspicions that the November attack was an act of sabotage, and former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis pointed out the likeness between the two attacks in an X post that said, "If I had a nickel for every time a Chinese ship was dragging its anchor on the bottom of the Baltic Sea in the vicinity of important cables I would have two nickels, which isn't much, but it's weird that it happened twice."

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While Beijing has denied any intentional wrongdoing in either incident, targeting international undersea cables is not a new tactic for China to employ.

Taiwan last week began investigating whether a China-linked ship was responsible for intentionally damaging one of its cables that connect the island with the internet, and Taipei has taken steps to increase its low-orbit satellite network in a move to circumvent future attempts by Beijing to cut it off from the international community by targeting its fiber-optic cables. 

But the tactics China has long employed against Taiwan are now being optimized in the Baltic Sea.  The U.S. Defense Department has been warning of China's plans to invade and annex the neighboring island nation by 2027.

"Chinese vessels have now been implicated in the recent damage to Baltic Sea cables, something we have seen in [the] Taiwan strait for years," the EU’s top diplomat told Fox News Digital. "Considering China’s vast support for Russia in its war against Ukraine, it is difficult to view these incidents as mere coincidences. 

"China is closely monitoring our response to Russia’s war. The U.S. must be strong on Russia to prevent trouble with China," Kallas warned. "Supporting Ukraine today helps keep American forces out of future conflicts."

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But China isn’t the only country suspected of sabotaging international undersea cables.  

A vessel accused of being tied to Russia has been seized by Finland, which is investigating a suspected attack that damaged four telecommunications and the Finnish-Estonian Estlink 2 power cables on Christmas Day by, again, dragging its anchor across the seabed. 

The tanker dubbed Eagle S is suspected of being used by Moscow under a scheme known as "shadow fleet" which relies on dated vessels under dubious ownership to help Russia skirt sanctions and keep up its oil exports to help finance its war in Ukraine. 

Neither the Pentagon nor the White House responded to Fox News Digital’s questions about whether the recent attacks in both regions of the world are connected. But security experts have signaled that in international politics there is little room for "coincidence." 

"Despite the lack of public information clearly proving Chinese and Russian coordination and collusion, I don't believe in coincidence in international affairs," former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Heino Klinck told Fox News Digital. "Both malign actors thrive in the gray zone, and these attacks seem to be mutually reinforcing and mutually inspiring as they demonstrate the ineffectual international response to date."

NATO on Tuesday will announce a new defensive strategy titled "Baltic Sentry" that will involve the deployment of more ships, a naval drone fleet and the use of AI to better detect, deter and respond to attacks or acts of sabotage in the Baltic Sea, a NATO spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

NATO did not respond to questions about whether the alliance assesses the recent maritime sabotage to be a coordinated operation between Russia and China, though a Western security official familiar with the intelligence on the attacks said these are not believed to be incidents of opportunity.

"It seems to be a bit more coordinated than one could initially think," said the security official, who spoke to Fox News Digital on the condition of anonymity. "It's not just that somebody throws the anchor, and then they see what happens. This is a bit more planned and a bit more coordinated."

China is reportedly building a series of "D-Day style" barges that could be used to aid an invasion of Taiwan, according to media reports. 

At least three of the new craft have been observed at Guangzhou Shipyard in southern China, according to Naval News.

The barges are inspired by the World War II "Mulberry harbours," which were portable harbors built for the Allied campaign in Normandy, France, in 1944, The Telegraph reported.

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Tensions between China and Taiwan, a key U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific region, have remained heightened over Beijing's refusal to recognize the independence of the island nation. 

In its report last week, Naval News said at least three but likely five or more barges were seen in China's Guangzhou Shipyard. The barges, at over 390 feet, can be used to reach a coastal road or hard surface beyond a beach, the report said. 

In his New Year's message, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said "reunification" with Taiwan is inevitable.

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"The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. No one can sever our family bonds, and no one can stop the historical trend of national reunification," he said on CCTV, China’s state broadcaster.

Using barges, Chinese forces could land in areas previously considered unsuitable, including rocky or soft terrain, and beaches where tanks and other heavy equipment can be delivered to firmer ground or a coastal road, the report said. 

"Any invasion of Taiwan from the mainland would require a large number of ships to transport personnel and equipment across the strait quickly, particularly land assets like armored vehicles," Emma Salisbury, a sea power research fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, told Naval News. "As preparation for an invasion, or at least to give China the option as leverage, I would expect to see a build-up of construction of ships that could accomplish this transportation."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Defense, the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, also in Washington.