Burmese rebels join forces, launch offensive in country's northeast

An alliance of ethnic rebel groups on Friday launched a coordinated offensive in northeastern Burma to seize military targets in areas near the Chinese border, the groups and residents of the area said.

The Arakan Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, calling themselves the Three Brotherhood Alliance, said in a joint statement that they have begun "Operation 1027" in Burma's Shan state. The offensive could become a new major front in the strife-torn Southeast Asian nation.

Major coordinated attacks initiated by opponents of Burma's military government are relatively rare, partly because the army has a great advantage in weaponry and trained manpower.

DRONE ATTACK IN EASTERN BURMA KILLS AT LEAST 5, INCLUDING SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL

"Our primary objectives in launching this operation are multi-faceted and driven by the collective desire to safeguard the lives of civilians, assert our right to self-defense, maintain control over our territory and respond resolutely to ongoing artillery attacks and air strikes" perpetrated by the military government, said the statement.

Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for the military government, acknowledged in a phone interview with pro-military media outlet NP News that towns in northern Shan state had been attacked, and members of the security forces were killed in the town of Chinshwehaw, but did not give a number. Chinshwehaw is a small town that borders China, about 200 miles northeast of Mandalay, Burma's second largest city.

The groups in the rebel alliance, like other minority groups living in border regions, have struggled for decades for greater autonomy from Burma's central government.

Fighting between the army and many ethic minority armed groups, including the alliance members, intensified after the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.

Several groups, including those in the Three Brotherhood Alliance, have collaborated with pro-democracy militias formed after the military takeover. These militias, collectively known as the People’s Defense Force, now battle the army over much of the country.

The alliance’s statement said its members are also "dedicated to eradicating the oppressive military dictatorship, a shared aspiration of the entire Myanmar population."

The politics of ethnic groups in the north is complicated because the area borders China, which maintains good relations with Burma's ruling generals. The groups in the alliance also have good relations with China and have vowed to protect foreign investments in their territories where Chinese-backed projects are located.

Another link is that the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, or MNDAA, is the fighting arm of Burma's Kokang minority, who are ethnic Chinese.

Details of Friday’s fighting are difficult to confirm, since the area is difficult to access.

Battles were reported in the townships of Kyaukme, Kutkai, Lashio, Laukkaing, Muse and Namhkan in northern Shan state, beginning with simultaneous attacks at dawn.

Media in Shan state reported the alliance forces had attacked military targets, checkpoints, toll gates and police stations, and that Chinshwehaw — which hosts one of Burma's five official border trade crossings with China — was seized by the MNDAA. It said the military responded with aerial bombardments and shelling and that many hundreds of civilians are fleeing to safer areas.

Photos on social media showed bodies apparently of security force personnel killed in the fighting, captured soldiers and damaged toll gates.

SHAN News, a local online media outlet, reported four people, including three children, were killed and six others wounded by artillery strikes in Kutkai and Namhkan townships.

A Laukkaing township resident confirmed to The Associated Press that Chinshwehaw and border trade checkpoints were seized by MNDAA on Friday morning. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because he feared reprisals from the military and rebel groups.

A member of Laukkaing’s police force told the AP that at least 17 policemen including a lieutenant were killed and others were wounded after the MNDAA attacked patrol cars and checkpoints. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information.

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Military spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said a hotel in Chinshwehaw was attacked by the MNDAA and hotel staff and civilians seized and taken away.

A truck driver from Lashio, a key trading post, said the town’s gates were closed after the rebel groups attacked a toll gate just outside of town. Road traffic was also stopped, said the truck driver, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he fears punishment from the authorities.

MNDAA-backed online media posted a statement from the group saying it had captured some strategic locations and blocked roads in order to raid online fraud operations in Laukkaing.

The alliance statement had said it is committed "to combatting the widespread online gambling fraud that has plagued Myanmar particularly along the China-Myanmar border." That refers to casinos and other properties where organized crime carries out online and phone scams employing thousands of people, many tricked into coming from China by fake job offers but who end up working in conditions of near slavery.

The crime rings are headed by ethnic Chinese, often in cooperation with local Burmese warlords. In recent weeks the Chinese government has pushed a crackdown on these operations, and thousands of people involved have been repatriated to China.

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Ex-Colombian army officer gets life for role in Haitian president's assassination plot

A federal judge in Miami on Friday sentenced a retired Colombian army officer to life in prison for his role in plotting to kill Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, which caused unprecedented turmoil in the Caribbean nation.

Germán Alejandro Rivera García, 45, is the second of 11 suspects detained and charged in Miami to be sentenced in what U.S. prosecutors have described as a conspiracy hatched in both Haiti and Florida to hire mercenaries to kidnap or kill Moïse, who was slain at his private home near the Haitian capital of Port-Au-Prince on July 7, 2021.

Rivera, also known as "Colonel Mike," had pleaded guilty in September to conspiring and supporting a plot to kill the Haitian president. According to court documents, he was part of a convoy headed to Moïse's residence the day of the killing, after he relayed information that the plan was not to kidnap the president but rather kill him.

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Rivera faced the maximum penalty of up to life imprisonment and now hopes that his sentence could be reduced in the future as part of a cooperation agreement he has signed with U.S. authorities.

Sometimes U.S. attorneys recommend judges to reduce a sentence if they determine that the convicted person helps with their investigation.

Federal Judge José E. Martínez handed down the sentence at a hearing in Miami that lasted less than 30 minutes.

"Good luck to you, Mr. Rivera," the judge said after accepting to make a recommendation for the Colombian to remain at a South Florida federal prison, as he requested.

The sentencing came just months after Haitian-Chilean businessman Rodolphe Jaar was sentenced to life in prison in June for his role in Moïse's killing. Meanwhile, former Haitian senator John Joel Joseph is set to be sentenced in December. Eight more defendants are waiting trial next year in the United States.

Rivera entered the hearing wearing a prisoner's beige shirt and pants. He was handcuffed and had shackles on his ankles as he listened to the judge's ruling seated next to his attorney.

The Colombian declined to make statements when the judge asked him if he had anything to say. "Not at the moment, your honor," Rivera answered.

According to the charges, Rivera, Jaar, Joseph and others, including about 20 Colombian citizens and several dual Haitian-American citizens, participated in the plot. The conspirators initially planned to kidnap the Haitian president, and later changed the plan to kill him. Investigators allege the plotters had hoped to win contracts under a successor to Moïse.

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Moïse was killed when assailants broke into his home. He was 53 years old.

Meanwhile, more than 40 suspects in the case remain detained in Haiti and have languished in prison more than two years after the assassination as the newest investigative judge continues his interrogations. Among those arrested after the killing are 18 former Colombian soldiers, who are in custody in Haiti.

The case received a boost last week when police arrested Joseph Félix Badio, a key suspect who once worked at Haiti’s Ministry of Justice and at the government’s anti-corruption unit. He was detained in the capital of Port-au-Prince after more than two years on the run.

Since the assassination, Haiti has experienced a surge of gang violence that led the prime minister to request the deployment of an armed force. In early October, the U.N. Security Council voted to send a multinational force led by Kenya to help fight the gangs.

Kenya has not announced a deployment date.

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More than 50 countries to attend Ukraine peace talks in Malta: 'Critical moment'

EXCLUSIVE - After two rounds of high-level international talks in Copenhagen and Jeddah, Ukraine is gathering partners to rally for peace in Malta Oct. 28-29. 

National security advisers will be discussing President Zelenskyy’s 10-point peace formula addressing everything from child abductions to environmental damage. Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor took part in a similar summit in Saudi Arabia in August.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the gathering counterproductive, saying it has "absolutely no perspective." 

Ahead of the talks in Malta, Fox News Digital exclusively spoke to Andriy Yermak, head of the office of the president of Ukraine. Yermak spoke via Zoom from the presidential office in Kyiv.

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YERMAK: First of all, it's very important that the process continues after Copenhagen and Jeddah. We expect more countries to gather in Malta. As of now, more than 50 countries have confirmed participation, which exceeds the number of participants at the Jeddah summit.

Secondly, timing matters. The war in Ukraine continues, and there is another war in the Middle East. At this moment in time, it’s important that countries from different continents come together, sit at the table and talk about peace, about just peace.

President Zelenskyy's peace formula is unique because it's not just about how to end Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine. It's also about the crisis, which we face because of this war. And, in crisis, I mean food security. I mean energy. I mean ecology, humanitarian issues, kidnapped and illegally deported Ukrainian children. It's important that we talk about these issues, that we show responsible countries can talk to each other, can agree to respect international law and, most importantly, that we talk about how to end the war, how to end the killings of innocent children. 

I'm optimistic about this meeting.

YERMAK: The fact that the war in Ukraine has not ended and stills goes on has its implications beyond Ukraine. Every day we are attacked with Iranian drones, Russia is tightening ties with Beijing and, right before this interview, there were reports of Moscow hosting Hamas delegation. I think this says enough about the complexity of the situation. 

When it comes to our war, we are not disputing anything with Russia. They came to our land. They occupied our territories. They killed our civilians. They want to destroy our nation. We are really fighting for the freedom and democracy here. 

President Zelenskyy's peace formula is a real platform to end the war, a platform to return to international law and to help Ukraine to return to our internationally recognized territories. It can also be used in other wars, other conflicts. One of the principal parts is bringing kidnapped children home. Bringing them from illegal captivity, something we are now seeing in Israel as well. 

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As long as war in Ukraine goes on, the threats will continue. Aggressors do not stop until they are stopped. Ending war and bringing just peace to Ukraine prevents other wars and conflicts from happening.

We feel the pain of the Israeli people, we know it firsthand. Every day for almost two years, our people have been under the attacks of Russian missiles and Iranian drones. We know what they are experiencing.

YERMAK: We have been repeatedly saying this. Those are Iranian drones. And when Iran provides Russia with those drones, Iran knows what they are used for. They are used to kill Ukrainians.

Wars divide people. They also show who is on the side of light and who sides with devil. I am very happy that most people are on the right side. That's how we started closely working with American people. They understand that we have common values. Nothing has changed, we continue to fight. It's been two years, but every day we continue to fight for millions of Ukrainians. We fight every day, every minute.

Just as we speak, our people fight on the frontlines. Just now, cities are under attack, but our people keep fighting because we strongly believe in our victory. We strongly believe in freedom. And we believe in our friends, especially in the United States, our biggest partners. Our victory will be a joint victory just as much as Russia losing is in the strategic and political interests of the United States because the U.S. is the leader of the free world.

YERMAK: First of all, I'd like to congratulate the American people with the new speaker and congratulate Rep. (Mike) Johnson on his election. Any elections in the states are purely American business. Every state must respect this, and we respect this.

We are very happy that we have bipartisan support of the American Congress, which, once again, we felt during President Zelenskyy's recent trip to New York and D.C. I am sure that Americans will support Ukraine, and Americans will support our freedom and democracy. 

I hope that we will build a very constructive, very open relationship with the new speaker, I have no doubts about that. We often hear, especially coming from the Russian propaganda, that American support to Ukraine will decrease. I do not believe in this because our unity is not only for this brief moment. The United States, the White House, Congress, State Department and ordinary American people support democracy. They clearly see how Ukraine not just survived, but continues to liberate its territories. I am positive we will have a constructive, successful relationship with the new speaker. We will do our best for this.

YERMAK: President Zelenskyy has said this many times, and this is the position of our team, as well as the Ukrainian people: We do not mind accountability. We are open to it. We are open to any checks and transparency. 

If I am asked to summarize President Zelenskyy's trip to the states in one word, I'd say trust. It's impossible to build a strong relationship without trust. On our end, we are ready to do everything to maintain this trust. Keeping this strong trust is our priority, for which we are ready for any cooperation at any level.

Now is a critical moment. We have a plan, and we see how this war can be won. We also know what we need to do it. And to win this war will be very difficult, maybe even impossible, without the help of the United States and other partners. 

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We showed that it is possible to defeat what once was called the "second army in the world." We showed it's possible. We showed it's doable, and we proved we are capable of doing it.

The U.S. will be represented in the Malta meetings by Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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White House says Russia is executing its own soldiers for not following orders

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Thursday said Russia is executing soldiers who have failed to follow orders and threatening entire units with death if they retreat from Ukrainian artillery fire.

It's a development that U.S. national security officials believe reflects Russia's morale problems 20 months into its grinding invasion of Ukraine, said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

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"It’s reprehensible to think about that you would execute your own soldiers because they didn’t want to follow orders and now threatening to execute entire units, it’s barbaric," Kirby told reporters. "But I think it’s a symptom of how poorly Russia’s military leaders know they’re doing and how bad they have handled this from a military perspective."

The White House has downgraded and released intelligence findings about Russian action over the course of the war. In the past, the administration has said it has acted to disclose the intelligence to highlight plans for Russian misinformation and other activity so allies remain clear-eyed about Moscow’s intent and Russia thinks twice before carrying out an operation.

This latest unveiling of intelligence about Russia's struggles comes as President Joe Biden is pressing the Republican-controlled House to go along with providing more funding for Ukraine as Kyiv tries to repel Russia in a war that has no end in sight.

Kirby pointed to the information as he renewed a plea for Congress to pass a nearly $106 billion supplemental funding request that Biden unveiled last week. The funding request includes more than $61 billion for Ukraine.

"President Putin is not giving up on his aspirations to take all of Ukraine and as long as Russia continues its brutal assault we have to continue to support the Ukrainian people and their self defense, because his intentions are clear," Kirby said. Putin "basically said that if Western weapons to Ukraine stop, Ukraine would have a week to live. So to ensure that we can continue to do that it’s critical that Congress step up and pass the supplemental requests that the president put forward last week."

Kirby did not provide any details on how many Russian troops have been executed for failing to follow orders or any specific examples of units threatened with execution for retreating from Ukrainian fire.

The Wagner Group military contractor was reported to have had a practice of executing those who fled. The contract soldiers were pulled out of Ukraine after their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, mounted an armed rebellion in June. There also have been reports, including from the British Defense Ministry, that the regular Russian military has deployed "barrier troops" that threaten to shoot any deserters.

"They are in such desperate need to make some kind of progress, particularly in the Donbas, the Donetsk areas, that they are literally throwing young men into the fight who haven’t been properly trained, haven’t been properly equipped, and certainly are not being properly led," Kirby said.

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WATCH: Brawl breaks out during early showing of anticipated horror movie, 'Five Nights at Freddy's'

During an early showing of the highly-anticipated horror flick, "Five Nights at Freddy’s," a fight broke out between audience members in a United Kingdom movie theater.

In a video posted by @jojoincel on X, moviegoers are seen attacking another guest as he sits in his seat while the film's closing credits scroll on the screen in Acton, London. 

Other people are seen using their cellphone's flashlights during the brawl.

The X-user said he did not know what started the fight, but said most of the audience was upset about the ending of the horror movie.

"Everyone in the audience was just complaining, and they started fighting at the end of the movie," @jojoincel wrote on X. "Honestly, I have no idea what happened."

‘BARBIE’ MOMS BRAWL OVER BAD THEATER BEHAVIOR IN VIRAL VIDEO

The film adaptation of the popular video game has been released at select locations before it comes to theaters Friday.

The Metropolitan Police in Acton did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request on the fight.

This is not the only movie brawl that has happened in recent months. 

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In July, "Barbie" moviegoers in Brazil went viral after a woman confronted a parent who allegedly let her child watch YouTube videos throughout the entire screening of the blockbuster film.

The clip, shared by TikTok user Sophia Ferreira, shows a woman in pink pants storming up the stairs of the theater as the credits roll and shoving the offending mom, sending her falling into a row of seats.

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A manager is seen breaking up the fight as the two women continue to exchange angry words. 

Fox News Digital's Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.

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Business owners in a Ukrainian front-line city adapt even as 'a missile can come at any moment'

KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (AP) — In a city where damaged buildings are everywhere, a destroyed pizzeria stands out as a painful reminder of lives and livelihoods dashed in an instant.

A Russian ballistic missile struck the popular eatery in eastern Ukraine in June, killing 13 people including an award-winning Ukrainian writer and several teenagers. Seven of the victims were staff.

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Today, fresh flowers and notes have been placed where the entrance once was. A T-shirt, part of the waitstaff’s uniform, hangs near the makeshift memorial with the inscription "We will never forget."

"As an entrepreneur, of course, I regret the loss of property, but there’s something that cannot be returned: human lives," said Dmytro Ihnatenko, the owner of RIA Pizza.

The bombed-out building in Kramatorsk underscores the massive risks for businesses in this front-line city in the Donetsk region. But that has not deterred many other business owners who have reopened their doors to customers in the past year.

The city council estimates there are 50 restaurants and 228 shops now open in Kramatorsk, three times the number open at the same period last year. Most are believed to be existing business that closed in the early days of the war and have reopened.

"We understand that this is a risk, and we are taking it because this is our life," said Olena Ziabina, chief administrator of the White Burger restaurant in Kramatorsk. "Wherever we are, we need to work. We work here. This is our conscious choice."

The White Burger chain operated mainly in Donetsk and Luhansk regions before the war. But after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, it could reopen only in Kramatorsk. It launched two new restaurants in the capital, Kyiv, and Dnipro to keep the chain alive.

Kramatorsk’s restaurant is the chain's top performer in profitability, even though prices are 20% lower than in the capital’s restaurant.

After the attack on RIA Pizza, White Burger's operators didn’t consider closing the Kramatorsk restaurant, Ziabina said. "I cried a lot," she said, recalling the day she heard about the attack.

Kramatorsk's economy has adapted to war. The city houses the Ukrainian army’s regional headquarters, and many cafes and restaurants are frequented mainly by soldiers as well as journalists and aid workers.

Ukrainian women often travel there to reunite for few days with husbands and boyfriends.

Soldiers joke that Kramatorsk is their Las Vegas, providing all the "luxuries" they need like good food or coffee. But restaurants offer only non-alcoholic beer due to the city's proximity to the battlefield.

The city streets are mostly empty except for military cars. The residents who stayed avoid big gatherings and crowded places.

Still, it is a far cry from the war’s early days, when Kramatorsk's shops, restaurants and cafes were shuttered. Tens of thousands of people were left without jobs, and factories were closed.

"Probably, thanks to the military, we can still come back to this city," said Oleksandr, who asked to be identified only by his first name because of security concerns.

He is a co-founder of one of the numerous military shops in Kramatorsk serving soldiers. Oleksandr said he marks up prices by only 1 hryvnia (2 cents) above the manufacturer’s price. He said the aim isn’t to earn money but to provide the military with the necessary equipment.

Many residents cherish new work opportunities brought by the reopening of shops and restaurants.

But there are fewer options for older people, said Tetiana Podosionova, 54. She worked at the Kramatorsk Machinebuilding Plant for 32 years, but the plant closed due to security risks when the war started.

"I had hoped to work at the factory until retirement," Podosionova said. Most jobs are now in restaurants and shops, where she had no experience.

Finally, she found a job at Amazing Fish Aquarium, which resumed operations months after the war began. The aquarium has hundreds of exotic fish and dozens of parrots and remains open to entertain residents, who are often stressed from missile strikes.

But every reopened business carries risk. Ihnatenko, the pizzeria owner, still comes to his destroyed restaurant every day when he's in Kramatorsk. He doesn't know why. He looks tired. His voice is hardly above a whisper.

He, like many business owners, saw Ukraine's successful counteroffensive in the neighboring Kharkiv region last year as a sign that life could return to Kramatorsk.

"It seemed safer here," he explained, standing in the rubble of his restaurant.

He has no plans to rebuild and reopen yet again.

His tragic experience shows the challenges that business owners face while keeping their doors open.

"A missile can come at any moment," he said.

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Israeli forces conduct ground raids in Gaza ahead of expected invasion

Israeli troops and tanks conducted a ground raid in northern Gaza overnight into Thursday, Israel Defense Forces said, attacking Hamas targets.

The operation was meant to "prepare the battlefield" for an expected ground operation in the Palestinian territory after two-week long airstrike campaign, a military spokesman said.

Additionally, IDF made 60 arrests in the West Bank, of which 46 where Hamas members. Since the start of the war on Oct. 7, about 1,000 wanted individuals have been arrested, IDF said.

The Israel-Hamas war, now in its 20th day, has exacted devastating casualties on both sides. In the initial attack on Israel, terrorists with the Islamic group Hamas infiltrated the Jewish state and killed at least 1,400 Israeli men, women and children in the most brutal ways imaginable, many tortured and raped first. Israeli officials say as many as 224 people were taken captive back into Gaza and are now being held hostage by Hamas. The military says 309 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the start of the war. 

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At least 10 Americans are feared to be among the 224 people held captive by Hamas. 

The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza claimed Wednesday that more than 750 people were killed over the past 24 hours, higher than the 704 killed the previous day, the Associated Press reported. The death toll reported by Hamas could not be independently verified, and the ministry does not distinguish between Palestinian civilians and terrorist combatants. By comparison, 2,251 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed in the entire six-week-long war in 2014, according to U.N. figures.

The Israeli military has urged Palestinian civilians to flee areas in the Gaza Strip where Hamas has placed infrastructure to fire rockets at Israel. These military targets are embedded within civilian buildings and U.S. officials have said Hamas uses the Palestinian people as human shields. 

During the overnight raid, soldiers killed fighters and destroyed militant infrastructure and anti-tank missile launching positions, the military said. It said no Israelis were wounded. There was no immediate confirmation of any Palestinian casualties.

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Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a military spokesman, said the raids were "part of our preparations for the next stages of the war." 

The military also reported it executed some 250 airstrikes across Gaza in the past 24 hours, targeting tunnel shafts, rocket launchers and other militant infrastructure.

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has warned that lack of fuel, food and medical aid for Palestinians caught in the crossfire will make the humanitarian crisis there worse.

The Gaza Strip is home to 2.3 million Palestinians, and about 1.4 million of them have been displaced from their homes by the war. Many are staying in crowded U.N. shelters as Israel's relentless airstrikes continue. 

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Days ago, Israel permitted more than 60 trucks to enter Gaza with humanitarian aid from Egypt, but U.N. officials and aid workers say the limited supplies is insufficient. Israel has refused to permit fuel to be delivered to Gaza, which is needed to power generators, fearing that Hamas will confiscate it and launch more rockets at Israeli residential areas. 

The rising death toll will increase if Israel begins a full-scale ground operation in Gaza. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his country Wednesday evening during a primetime address that its cabinet is "deciding" on the timing for a possible ground incursion into the Gaza Strip. 

"The goal, the timing of what the Israel Defense Forces is going to do is based on the cabinet and the chief of staff and the cabinet are deciding," Netanyahu said. "And when we get into Gaza as we go on, we will exact the highest price from these murderers for what they've done." 

Netanyahu said Israel has two goals in the war – to "destroy Hamas and all its infrastructure" and to "do everything that's possible to bring our hostages back home." 

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The Israeli military remains poised for a ground invasion of Gaza at any moment, though plans for such an operation have been delayed. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi told reporters on Tuesday that Israel is "ready to invade," but nevertheless explained the delay. 

Reports have said U.S. officials have pressured the Israelis to delay an invasion while negotiations to release hostages happen behind the scenes.

Fox News' Greg Norman and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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