Venezuelan opposition leader seized by armed men after being released from jail

María Corina Machado said Monday that a Venezuelan opposition leader was seized in Caracas shortly after being released from jail.

Machado wrote in a post on X that Juan Pablo Guanipa, a key ally, was kidnapped by heavily armed men in civilian clothing in the Los Chorros area of the capital.

"We demand his immediate release," she said.

Alfredo Romero, the president of the Venezuelan human rights group Foro Penal, said 35 political prisoners were released on Sunday, including Guanipa, who was initially arrested in May.

US MOVES FAST TO REOPEN VENEZUELA EMBASSY AFTER YEARSLONG FREEZE

Reuters reported that Venezuelan authorities were seeking court approval to place Guanipa under house arrest.

The country’s Public Ministry alleged that he violated the terms of his release but provided no additional details and did not say whether he had been re-arrested.

Guanipa’s Primero Justicia party said on X that he was forced into a silver Toyota Corolla during the incident.

"We hold Delcy Rodríguez, Jorge Rodríguez, and Diosdado Cabello responsible for any harm to Juan Pablo's life," the party wrote. "We call on the international community for the immediate release of Juan Pablo Guanipa and for an immediate and unconditional end to the persecution of the opposition."

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

TRUMP EMBRACES US INTERVENTION IN VENEZUELA, OPENS DOOR TO BROADER LATIN AMERICA PUSH

Rodríguez has been serving as the interim president of Venezuela since the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores earlier this year.

In late January, President Donald Trump said Venezuela was releasing political prisoners at a "rapid rate," praising the move as a "powerful humanitarian gesture" by the country’s leadership.

An estimated 687 political prisoners remain in custody in Venezuela as of Feb. 2, according to Foro Penal.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/HeQPy1n

Japan's 'Iron Lady' thanks Trump as party secures historic supermajority

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a sweeping win in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, capturing about 316 seats in the 465-member lower house and achieving a governing supermajority alongside allies. The result gives her a strong mandate to advance a conservative agenda focused on defense, immigration and economic reforms, the Associated Press reported.

A heavy metal fan and drummer, Takaichi — who has long cited former British PM Margaret Thatcher as a personal and political inspiration — expressed gratitude for President Trump’s support, thanking him for his congratulatory message following the victory and signaling continued alignment with Washington.

Trump praised her leadership in a post after the results were announced. "Congratulations to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Coalition on a LANDSLIDE Victory in today’s very important Vote," Trump wrote on social media, "Sanae’s bold and wise decision to call for an election paid off big time. Her Party now runs the Legislature, holding a HISTORIC TWO THIRDS SUPERMAJORITY — The first time since World War II. Sanae: It was my Honor to Endorse you and your Coalition. I wish you Great Success in passing your Conservative, Peace Through Strength Agenda. The wonderful people of Japan, who voted with such enthusiasm, will always have my strong support."

SANAE TAKAICHI BECOMES JAPAN’S FIRST FEMALE PRIME MINISTER, CITING THATCHER INSPIRATION

The election outcome represents one of the strongest performances for the ruling party in years and solidifies Takaichi’s position only months after taking office as Japan’s first female prime minister.

Following the results, Takaichi said she was prepared to move forward with policies aimed at making Japan "strong and prosperous," as she seeks to implement reforms and bolster national security, the Associated Press reported.

Her agenda includes boosting defense spending, revising security policies and stimulating economic growth, while maintaining a tougher posture toward regional threats such as China. Known for her hawkish stance on Beijing, Takaichi is expected to maintain Japan’s close alignment with the United States.

"Takaichi's landslide win shows other leaders that defiance of China can be popular with voters. Nobody has to appease or please Xi Jinping anymore," Asia analyst Gordon Chang told Fox News Digital.

JAPAN'S PRIME MINISTER TAKAICHI PLANS TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT AND CALL EARLY ELECTION TO STRENGTHEN COALITION

U.S. officials also welcomed the outcome. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described aid on Fox News’ "Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo" that Takaichi is a strong ally and emphasized that her leadership strengthens the strategic partnership between Washington and Tokyo.

Takaichi’s victory is widely seen as a geopolitical signal as well as a domestic political triumph. Analysts say the strengthened mandate could deepen cooperation with the United States on security and economic policy at a time of rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific.

The snap election, called just months into her premiership, was widely viewed as a referendum on her leadership. With the opposition fragmented, voters delivered a decisive result that now gives Takaichi political space to pursue her agenda through the remainder of the parliamentary term.

Takaichi backs strengthening Japan’s defense posture and supports constitutional revision to expand the role of the military. Economically, she has praised the stimulus-driven policies associated with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Her public thanks to Trump underscores how central the U.S. alliance remains to Tokyo’s strategy moving forward, experts say, as she prepares to translate electoral momentum into legislative and security action at home and abroad.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/0MBnoiV

As Epstein-linked appointment sparks backlash, UK PM Starmer faces party revolt amid resignation calls

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing one of the most serious crises of his premiership after a cascade of resignations, renewed scrutiny over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington and mounting unrest inside the ruling Labor Party ahead of a critical meeting of members of Parliament Monday evening.

On Monday, Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar became the most senior party figure to call for Starmer’s resignation, saying "the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change," according to the Associated Press. His intervention piles fresh pressure on the prime minister.

At the center of the crisis are newly publicized materials detailing Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein, revelations that have reshaped the political stakes and triggered questions about vetting at the highest levels of government. Documents cited by Fox News Digital report Mandelson maintained contact with Epstein after his 2008 conviction, and that Epstein transferred about $75,000 in 2003 and 2004 to accounts connected to Mandelson or his husband.

KEIR STARMER’S CHIEF OF STAFF RESIGNS AFTER RECOMMENDING EPSTEIN-CONNECTED AMBASSADOR

Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief of staff and one of the most influential figures inside Downing Street, stepped down on Sunday after acknowledging his role in recommending Mandelson for the diplomatic post. In a resignation statement obtained by The Guardian, McSweeney said the decision was "wrong" and he accepted responsibility, calling his departure the "only honorable course."

The pressure intensified hours later when Tim Allan, the prime minister’s director of communications, also resigned, according to GB News. Allan, a veteran New Labor strategist, became the second senior aide to exit as the political fallout deepened.

Dr. John Hemmings, director of the National Security Center at the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital the prime minister is now under escalating political pressure and that "it’s unclear as to whether he’ll survive."

"Prime Minister Starmer is coming under ever-increasing political pressure to resign here in London in the wake of the scandal around Lord Mandelson — his appointed ambassador to the United States — and his connection to Jeffrey Epstein. He has lost two close aides and is under attack for his China foreign policy. The Chagos Deal is under scrutiny and his trip to Beijing was largely viewed as devoid of real results," Hemmings said.

Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, added: "It is extraordinary to be in a situation where a prime minister who won a landslide general election victory only 20 months ago is now on the verge of being forced to resign. We are here as a result of a series of policy U-turns and bad judgment calls culminating in the Lord Mandelson debacle. His fate is now ultimately in the hands of the Parliamentary Labor Party tonight. If he feels he no longer has their confidence, then there is every chance that this will be the end of Keir Starmer."

STARMER CALLS ON EX-PRINCE ANDREW TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS AFTER LATEST EPSTEIN RELEASE

Starmer has sought to contain the damage, saying he regrets the appointment. In remarks reported by GB News on Monday, the prime minister said: "I have been absolutely clear that I regret the decision that I made to appoint Peter Mandelson. And I’ve apologized to the victims, which is the right thing to do." He added that scandals of this kind risk undermining public faith in politics.

The prime minister now faces a showdown with Labor lawmakers, with backbench MPs expected to challenge his leadership at a party meeting Monday evening U.K. time. A senior Labor MP told GB News the "clock is ticking" and called for decisive action to "cleanse politics."

Downing Street has insisted Starmer will not resign despite the double departure. A spokesperson told journalists that the prime minister is "getting on with the job in hand and delivering change across the country," and he remains "upbeat and confident," and retains Cabinet support.

The political damage, however, extends beyond staffing turmoil. Mandelson was withdrawn from the ambassador role after additional details about his relationship with Epstein emerged, and he resigned from the Labor Party earlier this month, leaving Starmer confronting what experts describe as the most acute test of his leadership since taking office.

Fox News Digital's Ashley Carnahan and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/ZeO59cg

Keir Starmer’s chief of staff resigns after recommending Epstein-connected ambassador

Morgan McSweeney resigned Sunday as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, stepping down amid mounting criticism over his role in advising the appointment of Peter Mandelson as the United Kingdom’s ambassador to the United States.

In a resignation statement obtained by The Guardian, McSweeney said the decision to appoint Mandelson was "wrong" and accepted full responsibility for recommending it, calling his departure the "only honourable course" under the circumstances.

"He [Mandelson] has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself," the former chief of staff wrote, noting the decision to resign wasn’t easy.

McSweeney said the controversy had damaged public trust and called for a fundamental overhaul of the government’s vetting and due-diligence process, while pledging his continued support for Starmer and the Labour government’s agenda.

UK PRIME MINISTER SUGGESTS FORMER PRINCE ANDREW SHOULD TESTIFY IN EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION

Emails and documents made public by the Justice Department in January show Mandelson maintained contact with Jeffrey Epstein after his 2008 conviction on two felony counts of soliciting prostitution, one of which involved a minor.

The Associated Press reported that newly surfaced documents indicate Mandelson may have passed along sensitive government information to Epstein in the period following the 2008 global financial crisis.

The outlet also cited documents and financial records indicating Epstein transferred a total of $75,000 in 2003 and 2004 to accounts connected to Mandelson or his husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva.

BILL CLINTON COMES OUT SWINGING AGAINST COMER FOR REJECTING PUBLIC EPSTEIN HEARING: ‘STOP THE GAMES’

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told the House of Commons on Sept. 11 that Starmer asked him to withdraw Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the United States after emails showed Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein was "materially different" from what was known at the time of his appointment.

"In particular, Lord Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information," Doughty said. "In the light of that and mindful, as we all are, of the victims of Epstein’s appalling crimes, Lord Mandelson has been withdrawn as ambassador with immediate effect."

Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party on Feb. 1.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/EtL1Dq4

Iran’s top diplomat says nation’s power lies in defying pressure: ‘No to the great powers’

Iran is prepared to pursue diplomacy while remaining ready to defend itself if challenged, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday, arguing that Tehran’s strength lies in its ability to stand firm against pressure.

"We are a man of diplomacy, we are also a man of war; not in the sense that we seek war, but … we are ready to fight so that no one dares to fight us," he said, according to Press TV, Iran’s state-run English-language broadcaster.

Araghchi made the remarks in Tehran at the National Congress on the Islamic Republic’s Foreign Policy, two days after Iran and the United States held nuclear talks in Oman.

Fox News previously reported that negotiations between Iranian and U.S. officials in Muscat, the capital, were held face-to-face, marking the first such meetings since U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites in June.

IRAN PUSHES FOR FRIDAY NUCLEAR TALKS IN OMAN AMID RISING TENSIONS WITH US FORCES: SOURCE

Iran’s Foreign Ministry described the talks as "intensive and lengthy" in a post on X, saying the meetings allowed both sides to present their positions and concerns.

"It was a good start, but its continuation depends on consultations in our respective capitals and deciding on how to proceed," the government account said.

It added there was broad agreement on continuing the negotiations, though decisions on timing, format and the next round will be made following consultations in the two capitals, with Oman continuing to serve as the intermediary.

US MILITARY SHOOTS DOWN IRANIAN DRONE APPROACHING USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN IN ARABIAN SEA, OFFICIAL SAYS

Araghchi said Sunday that Iran views its nuclear program as a legitimate right and is seeking recognition of that position through negotiations.

"I believe the secret of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s power lies in its ability to stand against bullying, domination and pressures from others," he said, according to Press TV.

"They fear our atomic bomb, while we are not pursuing an atomic bomb. Our atomic bomb is the power to say no to the great powers," the top diplomat added. "The secret of the Islamic Republic’s power is to say no to the powers."

President Donald Trump has expanded the U.S. military presence in the Middle East, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and the USS Michael Murphy, a guided-missile destroyer.

Other U.S. naval assets, including the USS Bulkeley, USS Roosevelt, USS Delbert D. Black, USS McFaul, USS Mitscher, USS Spruance and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., are positioned across key waterways surrounding Iran, from the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea to the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/x4BgcGv

North Korea executed teens for listening to K-pop, watching ‘Squid Game’: report

North Korean authorities executed teenagers for watching the South Korean television series "Squid Game" and listening to K-pop, human rights researchers announced in early February.

Amnesty International cited testimony from an escapee with family ties in Yanggang Province who said people, including schoolchildren, were executed for specifically watching the popular survival drama series.

It also separately documented accounts of forced labor sentences and public humiliation for consuming South Korean media elsewhere in the country, particularly for those without money or political connections.

"Usually when high school students are caught, if their family has money, they just get warnings," said Kim Joonsik, 28, who was caught watching South Korean dramas three times before leaving the country in 2019.

WATCHDOG HIGHLIGHTS NATIONS WHERE CHRISTIANS FACE PERSECUTION AROUND THE GLOBE

"I didn't receive legal punishment because we had connections," he told Amnesty International in an interview.

NORTH KOREA MISSILE LAUNCH THAT PUT SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN ON HIGH ALERT ENDS IN FAILURE

Joonsik said three of his sisters’ high school friends were given multi-year labor camp sentences in the late 2010s after being caught watching South Korean dramas, a punishment he said reflected their families’ inability to pay bribes.

"The authorities criminalize access to information in violation of international law, then allow officials to profit off those fearing punishment. This is repression layered with corruption, and it most devastates those without wealth or connections," said Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International's deputy regional director.

RUSSIA'S TURN TO NORTH KOREA FOR MUCH-NEEDED AMMO A ‘LAST RESORT’ IN UKRAINE CONFLICT: ‘HITTING THE DREGS’

"This government's fear of information has effectively placed the entire population in an ideological cage, suffocating their access to the views and thoughts of other human beings," she added. "People who strive to learn more about the world outside North Korea, or seek simple entertainment from overseas, face the harshest of punishments."

Several defectors told the human rights organization that they were required to witness public executions while still in school, describing the practice as a form of state-mandated indoctrination designed to deter exposure to foreign culture.

"When we were 16, 17, in middle school, they took us to executions and showed us everything," said Kim Eunju, 40. "People were executed for watching or distributing South Korean media. It's ideological education: if you watch, this happens to you too."

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/AZbMgLq

Congressional commission warns China's Pacific infrastructure projects could pose a military threat

FIRST ON FOX: Chinese-funded infrastructure projects across the Pacific Islands may appear civilian on the surface but could provide future military access for Beijing, senior members of a bipartisan congressional advisory commission warned in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

Senior members of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said runways, ports and other facilities financed by the People’s Republic of China are often "dual use" and part of a broader strategic pattern that blends economic investment with long-term security objectives.

"When you see a broader trend of militarization of the region… you see a lot of activities that suggest there are at least some security and military-related interests involved," commission chair Randall Schriver said. "Even if it’s declared for civilian use… it is by its very character dual-use and could be used for military purposes."

CHINA INFILTRATES KEY PACIFIC TERRITORY OF MICRONESIA WITH INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AS US URGED TO ACT

Schriver warned that China’s investments in the Pacific should not be viewed in isolation. "We know that China is very ambitious. We know that even civilian infrastructure projects often have strings attached," he said. "In many instances, those involve access for the Chinese military."

Commission Vice Chair Michael Kuiken said Beijing frequently pairs infrastructure financing with financial leverage. "There’s a cycle of debt diplomacy here," Kuiken said. "China loads these islands up with debt and then uses their position of weakness to gain access… to build runways, to do things with respect to ports."

"It’s a cycle that we see over and over again," he added, calling it "a flywheel of debt diplomacy. There’s a vicious rinse-and-repeat cycle here. And whether it’s Taiwan, Palau, Micronesia or the Solomon Islands, it is a playbook that the Chinese go back to every time."

CHINA’S GLOBAL AGGRESSION CHECK: TAIWAN TENSIONS, MILITARY POSTURING, AND US RESPONSE IN 2025

Schriver acknowledged Washington was slow to recognize the security implications of China’s expansion in the region.

"In a word, yes," he said when asked whether the U.S. reacted too slowly.

He noted the timing coincided with major U.S. military investments in Guam, even as Chinese projects advanced nearby. "While this was happening, the Chinese were making inroads in the Pacific Islands … with great proximity to Guam," he said, describing the island as central to U.S. logistics and combat operations.

Asked what would signal a shift from civilian infrastructure to operational military use, Schriver said some warning indicators are already visible.

"The practice of undersea cable cutting… has been very provocative," he said, describing it as activity that could be tied to military contingencies.

He also warned that visible deployments of Chinese military aircraft to Pacific facilities would mark a major escalation, citing a pattern previously seen in the South China Sea.

US TURNS TO FINLAND TO CLOSE ARCTIC ‘ICEBREAKER GAP’ AS RUSSIA, CHINA EXPAND POLAR PRESENCE

"We’ve seen a particular pattern that wouldn’t surprise us at all to see in other parts of Oceania," Schriver said.

Kuiken urged lawmakers to increase scrutiny and transparency. "The thing members can do most easily is just ask the intelligence community for imagery and for intelligence reports … raise the alarm, shine a light on it and expose the activities," he said.

Kuiken also revealed the future hearing focused on undersea infrastructure and security risks in the region.

"Data is the lifeblood of the global economy these days," he said. "Those cables are a vital source of information… and those are really quite aggressive actions and need to be exposed."

The commission has proposed a broader U.S. response, including increased Coast Guard cooperation and expanded support for Pacific Island nations to strengthen resilience against security threats and economic pressure.

Schriver referenced a "Pacific Island Security Initiative" recommendation aimed at combining economic, law enforcement and defense engagement.

Kuiken described the approach as "a layered cake." "We want there to be a civilian aspect… a law enforcement piece… and a military piece," he said. "You sort of need to do all of them in order to really be effective and really to combat the influence of the Chinese in this space."

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/ZnRFiq8