INTERNACIONAL
Tulsi Gabbard’s warning to Senate on Syria proves prophetic as Al Qaeda-linked regime slaughters minorities
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s warning of a terrorist takeover in Syria looks to be coming true amid reports that al Qaeda-linked terror forces aligned with Syria’s interim new president—a former al Qaeda terrorist—are being accused of massacring Alawites as well as members of the country’s dwindling Christian community.
Syrian security forces and affiliated gunmen have killed more than 340 civilians, the vast majority of them from the Alawite minority, over the last two days, Rami Abdulrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told Reuters on Saturday.
At Gabbard’s Senate confirmation hearing she said «I have no love for Assad or any dictator. I just hate al-Qaeda. I hate that our leaders cozy up to Islamist extremists, calling them «rebels», as Jake Sullivan said to Hillary Clinton, «al Qaeda is on our side in Syria.» Syria is now controlled by al-Qaeda offshoot HTS, led by an Islamist Jihadist who danced in the streets on 9/11, and who was responsible for the killing of many American soldiers.»
An Alawite woman from the region of Al-Ghab plain, where there is a majority Alawite population, told Fox News Digital that the forces said, «Alawites are pigs, and they have to execute all of them and the small children before the elderly people.»
TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL
Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s choice to be the Director of National Intelligence, arrives to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee for her confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell) (AP)
The witness spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal from the authorities. She said that two militias had entered her house on Thursday and searched her residence for weapons. One of the members «put a gun to my head and asked for all my money. They took all the money and took money from our neighbors.»
She confirmed reports that the Islamist forces murdered the prominent Alawite 86-year-old cleric Shaaban Mansour and his son Hussein Shaaban. Reuters reported that Mansour was killed on Friday with his son in the village of Sahlab in western Syria. Residents there accused fighters aligned with Damascus of killing them.
A sizable Christian population living in the area has also reportedly been under attack. Greco-Levantines Worldwide media reported that a young family, including their infant child, was killed on Friday. A father and son, Tony and Fadi Petrus, were also executed by Islamists.
The witness said that in other Alawite towns—Nahr al-Bared and Deir Shamil—the Islamist militias «are entering houses and killing people and stealing everything. They are covering their faces.»
«I feel there is no safety. There is no homeland. There is nowhere to escape to, and no one to defend us. I feel fear and horrifying feelings.»
The witness added that the Islamists are Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other such groups affiliated with HTS, who stormed her region. She said HTS terrorists were Syrian Arabs, because of their spoken Arabic.
TRUMP CONGRATULATES US MILITARY AFTER AIRSTRIKE THAT KILLED OFFICIAL OF AL-QAEDA AFFILIATE: ‘DEALT JUSTICE’
Ahmed al-Sharaa and his group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, overthrew former Syrian President Bashar Assad in December (Photo by Omar Haj Kadour/AFP via Getty Images)
Ahmed al-Sharaa and his group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a U.S.-designated Sunni terrorist organization, toppled the former Syrian President Bashar Assad in December. Assad is a member of the Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. The Alawites comprise roughly 10% of the Syrian population.
The Alawite source told Fox News Digital that the community is seeking support from the U.S., noting that the Islamists «want to kill all of us. They don’t want us in Syria. We have to flee Syria. They are seeking revenge from the former regime. I am asking for protection and to live in dignity, because we can be killed at any moment.»
One Alawite, who asked to remain anonymous, and who lives in Europe and is in constant contact with her community in Syria, claimed that in the coastal region and Alawite, more than 4,000 people are estimated to have been killed. She claimed to have received lists of people from Alawites who have documented the mass murder.
The Syrian army sends reinforcements, including tanks, armored vehicles and rocket launchers, to Latakia and Tartus as search operations against the ousted regime forces expand following an attack on security forces in Latakia province of Syria on March 7, 2025. (Izettin Kasim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
She and her group wrote on Telegram that al-Sharaa’s «fighters have unleashed a wave of terror against civilians in Syria’s coastal cities. Reports from Alawite community sources indicate hundreds of casualties, with Christians also among the victims.»
In his first comments on the violence, interim President al-Sharaa said that government forces would pursue «remnants» of the ousted Bashar Assad government.
UNCOVERING THE ATROCITIES OF THE ASSAD REGIME AT ITS ‘DEATH FACTORY’ ON THE HILL
People wave guns in the air as they gather to celebrate the fall of the Syrian regime in Umayyad Square on Dec. 8 in Damascus, Syria. (Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images)
«We will continue to pursue the remnants of the fallen regime. . . . We will bring them to a fair court, and we will continue to restrict weapons to the state, and no loose weapons will remain in Syria,» Sharaa added in a pre-recorded speech.
The U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, European politicians and diplomats from the former Biden administration have sought to woo Sharaa with sanctions relief and diplomatic relations since December. Critics argue that a former Islamic State and al-Qaeda terrorist, Sharra, can’t simply sport a suit and pretend he has abandoned his terrorist ideology and methods.
Just two days before the slaughter of Alawites, Guterres met with Sharaa on Tuesday in Cairo where they discussed views about a new course for Syria.
While an official statement has yet to come from the U.N. chief, his special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said he was «deeply concerned» by the reports of killings.
A group of Alawite clerics, the Alawite Islamic Council, blamed the violence on the government, saying that fighters had been sent to the coast «with the pretext of (combating) ‘regime remnants,’ to terrorize and kill Syrians.» It called for the region to be put under U.N. protection.
Syrian authorities said the violence began when remnants loyal to Assad launched a deadly and well-planned attack on their forces on Thursday.
The violence has shaken Sharaa’s efforts to consolidate control as his administration struggles to get U.S. sanctions lifted and grapples with wider security challenges, notably in the southwest, where Israel has said it will prevent Damascus from deploying forces.
The violence spiraled on Thursday when the authorities said groups of Assad-aligned militias had targeted security patrols and checkpoints in the Jableh area and surrounding countryside, before spreading.
ISRAEL DEPLOYS PARATROOPERS TO SYRIA IN ‘DEFENSE ACTIVITIES’ AFTER FALL OF ASSAD
Moussa al-Omar, a Syrian media figure close to the country’s new leadership, told Reuters that tens of thousands of fighters in Syria’s newly constituted security forces had been deployed to the coast in the operation and that order had been largely restored as of Friday night.
He said the crackdown was «a message to anyone in the south or east of Syria that the state . . . is capable of a military resolution at any time, even as it seeks peaceful solutions.»
Alawite activists say their community has been subjected to violence and attacks, particularly in rural Homs and Latakia, since Assad was overthrown in December after decades of repressive family rule and civil war.
Saudi Arabia condemned «crimes being undertaken by outlaw groups» in Syria and their targeting of security forces.
Deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad seen arriving in Jeddah, to attend the Arab League summit the following day in Saudi Arabia, May 18, 2023. Assad is in now living in exile in Russia. SANA/Handout via Reuters
Turkey, a close ally of Syria’s new government, also stated its support for Damascus, saying, «The tension in and around Latakia, as well as the targeting of security forces, could undermine the efforts to lead Syria into the future in unity and solidarity.»
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz blasted Syria’s Islamist rulers on Friday for their campaign to smash a nascent insurgency by fighters from ousted President Assad’s Alawite group.
«[Abu Mohammed] al-Julani switched his robe for a suit and presented a moderate face,» Katz said in a statement on X, using the nom de guerre of Ahmed al-Sharaa. «Now he’s taken off the mask and exposed his true face: A jihadist terrorist of the al-Qaeda school who is committing horrifying acts against a civilian population.»
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Katz added, «Israel will defend itself against any threat from Syria. We will remain in the security zones and Mount Hermon and protect the communities of the Golan and Galilee. We will ensure that southern Syria remains demilitarized and free of threats, and we will protect the local Druze population—anyone who harms them will face our response.»
The Syrian Alawite source in Europe told Fox News Digital that the Alawites want Israel to protect them like Israel’s offer of aid to the Syrian Druze population, who are also being targeted by the Islamist government in Damascus.
Reuters contributed to this report.
OTTAWA – Mark Carney has never held elected office, but for years has been touted as a future leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, and if the polling goes as expected, he is the favorite to win his party’s leadership race on Sunday.
Carney, the former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, and Goldman Sachs executive, is expected to win the race to succeed Justin Trudeau as both the 14th Liberal leader and 24th Canadian prime minister by the party’s nearly 400,000 members.
Carney recently criticized President Donald Trump as a «bully» in a statement he released in response to American tariffs being put on the northern neighbor. «Canada will not bow down to a bully. We won’t stand by as illegal U.S. tariffs hurt our workers and their families. As Canadians, we need to face this challenge as one united team.»
Canada’s CBC reported Carney compared Trump to Harry Potter’s Voldemort in reaction to the president’s comments on making Canada the 51st state.
«When you think about what’s at stake in these ridiculous, insulting comments of the president, of what we could be, I view this as the sort of Voldemort of comments… Like I will not even repeat it, but you know what I’m talking about.»
CANADA PUNCHES BACK AGAINST TRUMP WITH MAJOR TARIFFS OF ITS OWN AS TRADE WAR SET TO BEGIN ON TUESDAY
Mark Carney speaks at the Sustainable Finance conference, Nov. 28, 2024. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
More than half of the Liberals’ 153-member caucus in the House of Commons has endorsed him for leader over former Cabinet ministers Chrystia Freeland and Karina Gould, as well as past member of Parliament (MP) Frank Baylis – all three of whom served in Trudeau’s government.
On fundraising, Carney has amassed the most campaign contributions with $1.3 million – or more than double what Freeland, a former foreign affairs minister, collected last month.
Polls have also shown that Carney is the frontrunner to become the next Liberal leader. Should he hold that job and automatically become Canadian prime minister as Trudeau’s successor, he would help boost his party’s fortunes at the ballot box.
A survey by the Angus Reid Institute, released on March 5, found that a Carney-led Liberal Party was only three points (37%) behind the official opposition Conservative Party, at 40%.
The results of a Leger poll, released on March 3, reported a slightly wider margin, with the Conservatives at 41% and the Liberals, with Carney as leader, at 33%.
However, the same recent Angus Reid poll also found that 43% of Canadians believe Carney would be best suited, as prime minister, to deal with Trump, compared to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, at 34%.
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre speaks during a «Spike the Hike – Axe the Tax» rally on March 27, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Even Poilievre has acknowledged that he will face the frontrunner in the Liberal race in the next general election, regularly calling him «Carbon Tax Carney,» with reference to the Canadian government’s consumer tax on carbon emissions that Carney initially supported. During his leadership run, the former central bank governor said he would replace it with an incentive program that rewards Canadians for «making greener choices,» such as purchasing an energy-efficient appliance.
In a Jan. 26 open letter to Carney, Poilievre asked him whether he would be «any different than the man you are trying to replace» and commit to «banning any prior Trudeau minister from serving in your Cabinet» or «pursue the same Trudeau agenda?»
TRUMP EXEMPTS MEXICO FROM TARIFFS FOR USMCA GOODS UNTIL APRIL 2
Norman Spector, who served as chief of staff to former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, views Carney’s political-rookie status as serving him well as prime minister when dealing with the White House.
«He doesn’t start out with any baggage with Trump, and I think that’s very, very important,» said Spector. He suggested that Carney meet with the president as soon as possible to address areas where Canada and the U.S. can closely collaborate, such as on continental security.
Mark Carney officially announced his bid for the Liberal Party leadership at Laurier Heights Community League in Edmonton, Canada, on Jan. 16, 2025. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Carney cannot appear to be «Justin Trudeau in a different set of clothes or with a different resume,» John Manley, a former Canadian Liberal deputy prime minister and finance minister, told Fox News Digital.
«He’s got to be a candidate for change and be seen as the serious dude who can take on Donald Trump,» while noting that the ballot-box question in Canada has shifted from the unpopularity in Canada of Trudeau to Trump.
No longer a member of Canada’s Liberal Party, Manley said Carney has «promised to move the party back toward the center and make the economy his focus, and those would both be welcome.»
Last Wednesday, Carney said he would remove domestic trade barriers between the 10 provinces and three territories that would expand the Canadian economy by up to $140 billion.
On the same day, Trudeau and the provincial and territorial premiers agreed to do the very same to reduce reliance on trade with the U.S. in response to the Trump administration’s tariffs on Canada.
Manley said the Liberals «have got to stop focusing on identity politics,» which he said is only «important to a small band of people.»
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau waves as he leaves the offices of Salesforce on Feb. 8, 2018, in San Francisco. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
«We can’t keep fighting cultural wars. It badly hurt the Democrats in the U.S.»
He also said Carney needs to quickly call a general election before Parliament is scheduled to resume on March 24.
Should he become Liberal leader on Sunday, Carney would also automatically become the prime minister-designate since the Liberals lead the government under Trudeau.
The formal transition date for Carney to assume office has yet to be determined, but he would be the first Canadian prime minister to have never held elected office and would need to win a seat in the House of Commons. Therefore, the need for a national vote is also personal as it would enable Carney to run in a yet-to-be-determined riding (district) to become a member of Parliament.
TRUMP TELLS TRUDEAU FENTANYL CRACKDOWN ‘NOT GOOD ENOUGH’ TO STAVE OFF TARIFFS
Manley, who ran for the Canadian Liberal leadership in 2003, won by former prime minister Paul Martin, said Carney will need new faces in his Cabinet.
He also sees Carney – a Harvard and Oxford universities graduate with a doctorate in economics – as holding an advantage over Poilievre in the next election.
Born in Canada’s Northwest Territories, 59-year-old Carney was also a longtime Goldman Sachs executive, who additionally served as the United Nations special envoy for climate action and finance.
Canada’s Liberals vote on a new leader on Sunday. (iStock)
By contrast, 45-year-old Poilievre has «done nothing but politics for his adult life,» said Manley.
The opposition leader was first elected as a Conservative MP for an Ottawa riding in 2004 when he was 24.
But Manley said, «Poilievre is a very effective communicator,» and Carney has to «prove that he can relate to the ordinary man on the street.»
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
«Can he appeal to people who elect governments, many of whom don’t particularly read books – and may not even read newspapers?»
«Being a successful politician today requires a different skill set than it was even in my time,» he said.
INTERNACIONAL
British PM criticized for blocking bill banning first-cousin marriage amid mounting health concerns
A former British Conservative minister and current MP renewed his push in Parliament last week for legislation that bans first-cousin marriage, prompting opposition from the ruling Labour party, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and a British-Muslim MP.
The Conservative MP Richard Holden said during a parliamentary debate, «A marriage between first cousins carries significant health issues, many of which aren’t even knowable until post-birth.» He added, «When practiced generation after generation, there is a significant multiplier effect.»
Adverse health effects on the children of first cousin marriages have been established in medical research. Holden added that «the real impacts on the openness of our society and women’s rights in our country are significant. After all, there are significant dynamics in sharing the same set of grandparents.»
Holden urged Starmer to «think again» about blocking his legislation from moving forward. Starmer responded to Holden, stating «We’ve taken our position on that Bill, thank you.»
‘TRUMP EFFECT’ ON DISPLAY AS UK’S STARMER BOOSTS DEFENSE SPENDING ON EVE OF US VISIT
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a press conference after hosting a summit of European leaders in central London on March 2, 2025. (Julian Simmonds/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
The Daily Mail reported that nearly 46% of females from the Pakistani community in Bradford, England had a «common ancestor,» according to a 2024 study. A government study showed that the number was at 62% 10 years earlier.
While the prime minister’s office did not say why they are against the bill’s codification into law, a spokesman for Starmer told Fox News Digital, «Expert advice risks on first-cousin marriages are clear. In terms of legislation and what the government set up in the King’s Speech after the election, so of course we do not want people to enter in cousin marriages.»
He continued, «We are focused on making sure every part of the govt is focused on delivering on issues that matter to the British public. We set out our legislative priorities in the King’s Speech.»
Given the large influx of migrants from the Middle East and North Africa to Scandinavian countries, the BBC reported that Norway has banned cousin marriage while a ban is expected to come into effect in Sweden next year.
The Houses of Parliament are seen in London on June 12, 2024. (Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
The failure to codify a ban on interfamily marriage among first cousins has outraged many prominent conservative voices in the United Kingdom.
Ben Habib, chairman of the Great British Political Action Committee, told Fox News Digital, «Liberalism in the U.K. is out of control. In the pursuit of allowing people to do whatever they like, sanity is being set aside. It matters not whether that which you wish to do is deeply damaging. If you’re a minority, you have a protective blanket put around you and encouraged to continue.»
BRACE FOR A ‘POLITICAL REVOLUTION’ IN EUROPE, UK’S NIGEL FARAGE SAYS AFTER VANCE’S SPEECH IN MUNICH
Women walk by a store in Bradford, England. A recent UK study said the number of Pakistani women in Bradford involved in cousin marriage had dropped to 46%. Ten years earlier, that number was at 62%, according to a government-funded study. (Daniel Harvey Gonzalez/In Pictures via Getty Images)
Habib added that «marrying cousins was a practice which exited Western culture over a hundred years ago. It’s now back with a vengeance. Why? Because we’ve had mass immigration from cultures which haven’t kept pace with ours. Instead of requiring them to adopt our approach, the British government allows them to continue this debilitating practice. Liberalism is reversing cultural advancement. And our government is in on the act. This insanity must stop.»
During one of the parliamentary debates on the bill, Independent MP Iqbal Mohamed, who rejects a legislative prohibition on first-cousin marriage, admitted «there are documented health risks with first-cousin marriage.» He said this is an issue that «needs greater awareness.» He, however, said the way to address this «is not to empower the state to ban adults from marrying each other.» He does not think a ban would be «effective or enforceable.»
According to medical experts, the children of first-cousin marriages are highly vulnerable to contracting an autosomal recessive genetic disorder,
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Mohamed said, «The matter needs to be approached as a health awareness issue and a cultural issue where women are being forced against their will to undergo marriage.»
According to Mohamed, an estimated 35% to 50% of all sub-Saharan populations prefer or accept first-cousin marriage, and it is common in the Middle East and South Asia. In July 2024, British voters pulled the plug on the Conservative Party’s 14-year reign and voted in Starmer’s leftist Labour Party.
INTERNACIONAL
Pope Francis responding well, showing gradual improvement as Vatican holds another Holy Year event without him
Pope Francis is responding well to treatment and has shown a «gradual, mild improvement» in recent days as he remains in the hospital recovering from double pneumonia, the Vatican said Sunday.
«The night was quiet; the Pope is resting,» the Vatican said in a statement.
Francis, 88, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14 after a week-long bout of bronchitis worsened. Doctors first diagnosed the complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection and subsequently the onset of pneumonia in both lungs.
POPE FRANCIS SHOWS ‘SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT’ DURING FOURTH WEEK IN HOSPITAL, VATICAN SAYS
Pope Francis waves to believers as he leaves the Cercle Cite after a meeting Luxembourg’s Prime Minister during a four-day apostolic journey in Luxembourg and Belgium, in Luxembourg City on September 26, 2024. (Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP/Getty)
This is the fourth Sunday in a row that the pope will not appear for his weekly noon blessing, but the Vatican plans to distribute the message he would have delivered.
The pope’s condition has remained stable, as he has had no fever and good oxygen levels in his blood for several days, doctors said. The doctors said that his stability «as a consequence testifies to a good response to therapy.»
This marks the first time doctors have reported that Francis, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed when he was younger, was responding well to the prescribed therapies since he was admitted to the hospital more than three weeks ago.
Pope Francis waves from his popemobile after the weekly Angelus prayers, at Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican on October 20, 2024. (Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty)
But his prognosis remains «guarded,» doctors said, meaning he is not yet out of danger.
Despite Francis’ absence, the Vatican’s daily operations continued alongside celebrations of its Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century Jubilee that brings pilgrims from around the world to Rome. The Holy Year is celebrating volunteers this weekend, and many are extending their pilgrimage to pray for Francis outside the hospital.
POPE FRANCIS CONTINUES TO REST IN HOSPITAL AS VATICAN’S HOLY YEAR PROCEEDS WITHOUT HIM
Pope Francis attends a mass at the Esplanade of Tasitolu in Dili, East Timor, on September 10, 2024. (Tiziana Fabi/Pool/AFP/Getty)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny will preside over the Holy Year Mass on Sunday for the volunteers.
The pope has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC, en vivo
Pedro Rosemblat imitó a Javier Milei y se burló de Jonatan Viale tomando leche: «Hicieron una parodia de su entrevista»
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4: Tamaño de la descarga, precios, regalos por la reserva, idiomas y más detalles en Nintendo Switch – Nintenderos
Metrodelegados advierten: «Faltan limpieza y seguridad en el subte»
Gustavo Costas palpitó el clásico ante Independiente: “Tenemos que ganarlo”
La denuncia de Mauro Icardi que deja en jaque a Wanda Nara
Javier Milei advirtió a Grupo Clarín que no autorizará la compra de Telefónica
Guillermo Francos salió a defender a Santiago Caputo y apuntó contra Facundo Manes: «Fue preparado para hacer un acto de campaña»
Elisa Carrió anunció que será candidata a diputada en las próximas elecciones legislativas
Los datos de la indigencia en CABA: en dos años aumentaron un 55% las personas en situación de calle
Manes confirmó que irá a la Justicia contra Santiago Caputo: «Me amenazó el hombre más poderoso de la Argentina»
Tormenta en Bahía Blanca: la ciudad quedó bajo el agua por la lluvia y varias familias fueron evacuadas
El show de Kudelka ante Racing: del festejo de gol en la cara a la frase que se volvió viral
Uno de los ayudantes del DT de Racing le reclamó al técnico del Globo por su manera de celebrar La...
Tres métodos para pelar las naranjas
Trucos para pelarlas de forma práctica y sin mancharte La entrada Tres métodos para pelar las naranjas se publicó primero...
River-Atlético Tucumán: horario, TV y formaciones del duelo en el Estadio Monumental
Tras la dura derrota en la final de la Supercopa Internacional, el equipo de Marcelo Gallardo quiere levantar cabeza ante...
-
POLITICA3 días agoLos datos de la indigencia en CABA: en dos años aumentaron un 55% las personas en situación de calle
-
POLITICA2 días ago
Tormenta en Bahía Blanca: la ciudad quedó bajo el agua por la lluvia y varias familias fueron evacuadas
-
POLITICA9 horas ago
Documentos oficiales: la Argentina enfrenta 236 demandas fuera del país por más de US$27.000 millones
