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Zelenskyy ally arrested trying to flee Ukraine as massive corruption probe deepens
Ukraine’s former energy minister was detained Sunday after authorities removed him from a train at the border as he allegedly attempted to flee the country, a source has confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Herman Halushchenko's arrest, the source said, followed requests from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and marked an uptick in an anti-corruption probe engulfing the political spectrum.
"Halushchenko tried to escape Ukraine," the source said under the condition of anonymity.
"The border guards had a request from NABU and SAPO about him and also to get information in case he tried to cross the border," they added.
"This essentially means that because he tried to cross, the president has lost some control here."
NABU released a statement on the matter Sunday but did not name Halushchenko, according to the Kyiv Post.
He had served as the country’s energy minister under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but resigned in November.
"Today, while crossing the state border, NABU detectives have detained the former Minister of Energy as part of the ‘Midas’ case," the agency said in a statement, referring to a corruption scandal in the country’s energy sector.
"Initial investigative proceedings are ongoing, carried out in accordance with the requirements of the law and court sanctions. Details to follow," NABU added.
Operation Midas centers on allegations of a $100 million embezzlement scheme within Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company.
Investigators say funds meant for critical energy infrastructure, including wartime grid repairs after Russian attacks, were siphoned off through contract kickbacks.
Halushchenko was one of several ministers who resigned in 2025 as NABU uncovered what it described as the massive money-laundering scheme orchestrated by Tymur Mindich, also an ally of Zelenskyy.
The controversy has also affected border operations. Border head Serhiy Deineko was dismissed in January, the Kyiv Independent reported.
On Jan. 4, Valerii Vavryniuk, the agency’s first deputy, was appointed acting head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS), according to to Pravda.
"The last border head had also been accused of corruption," the source said. "There is a new acting head of the border service who is not loyal to Zelenskyy but more so to the institutions."
FORMER UKRAINIAN PM ACCUSED OF BRIBING POLITICIANS WITH US DOLLARS TO WEAKEN ZELENSKYY'S GOVERNMENT
The source also said since Halushchenko was considered an "unofficial but direct subordinate" of Zelenskyy, this latest arrest will prove difficult for Ukraine's leader.
"Halushchenko had been [an] (unofficial but direct) subordinate to Zelenskyy, so if his corruption is proven then it will be hard to convince people the president knew nothing," they said.
"With the corruption probes, Zelenskyy loses control and this infuriates him," the source added.
The developments come as Zelenskyy continues to navigate Ukraine’s war with Russia.
The source described high emotion inside the Ukraine parliament with Zelenskyy's "stress rising" in the wake of Herman Halushchenko's arrest.
"Recently Zelenskyy became angry over initiatives in parliament that were not pushed through, and he shouted and threatened parliamentarians," the source said.
"This week he appeared quite emotionally uncontrollable and almost aggressive behind the camera, so some parliamentarians have seen his stress rise many times recently – and more than pre-war levels," they said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Zelenskyy's office for comment.
Doctors Without Borders reduces operations at Gaza hospital over security concerns
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), commonly known as Doctors Without Borders, suspended non-critical medical operations at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, citing security concerns.
MSF said it made the decision, as of Jan. 20, due to concerns about the management of the hospital and what it described as a pattern of unacceptable incidents within the compound.
The suspension had not been widely reported at the time, and it was not immediately clear when the decision was first publicly posted.
MSF’s frequently asked questions page, where the update appears, shows it was last revised on Feb. 11.
US-BACKED GAZA AID GROUP SLAMS DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS, ACCUSES IT OF SPREADING 'FALSE' CLAIMS
In recent months, the international medical humanitarian aid group said staff and patients have reported the presence of armed and sometimes masked men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients and the suspected movement of weapons on hospital grounds.
"While none of these incidents occurred in parts of the hospital compound where MSF works, they pose serious security threats to our teams and patients," MSF wrote on its website.
"MSF formally expressed its strong concern to relevant authorities and emphasized the incompatibility of such violations with our medical mission. Hospitals must remain neutral, civilian spaces, free from military presence or activity, to ensure the safe and impartial delivery of medical care," the group continued. "MSF calls on all armed groups, Hamas, and Israeli forces to respect medical facilities and ensure the protection of civilians."
HAMAS PLOTS INFILTRATION AT US-BACKED GAZA AID SITE, FORCES TEMPORARY SHUTDOWN
In a statement issued Saturday, Nasser Hospital rejected what it called "false, unsubstantiated, and misleading allegations" by MSF regarding the presence of weapons or armed groups inside the facility.
"These allegations are factually incorrect, irresponsible, and pose a serious risk to a protected civilian medical facility. The Gaza Strip is under an extreme and prolonged state of emergency resulting from systematic attacks on civilian institutions," it said. "Under these conditions, isolated unlawful actions by uncontrolled individuals and groups have occurred across society, including attempts by some to carry weapons."
Hospital officials said a civilian police presence had been arranged to help safeguard patients, staff and infrastructure and called on MSF to retract its claims and reaffirm its commitment to medical neutrality.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday on X that it has intelligence indicating Hamas is using Nasser Hospital as a headquarters and military post, reiterating longstanding allegations that the militant group embeds operations within civilian facilities in Gaza.
"For over two years, the IDF and the defense establishment has warned about the cynical use by terrorist organizations in Gaza of hospitals and humanitarian shelters as human shields to conceal terrorist activity," it wrote.
Hamas has previously denied using hospitals or other civilian facilities for military purposes.
Israeli intelligence sources reject claims Jeffrey Epstein was Mossad operative following document releases
A wave of recent reporting and newly released documents detailing the relationship between former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Jeffrey Epstein has reignited claims that Epstein worked for Israel’s Mossad, a theory Israeli intelligence sources and senior political leaders are forcefully rejecting.
Ex-Israeli intelligence officials told Fox News Digital that Epstein never worked for Mossad, describing the allegation as baseless and inconsistent with how the agency operates.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly pushed back on the claims, writing on X: "Jeffrey Epstein's unusual close relationship with Ehud Barak doesn't suggest Epstein worked for Israel. It proves the opposite."
PRINCESS SOFIA OF SWEDEN BREAKS SILENCE ON EPSTEIN ENCOUNTERS AFTER DOJ FILE RELEASE
In the same post, Netanyahu escalated his criticism, writing: "Stuck on his election loss from over two decades ago, Barak has for years obsessively attempted to undermine Israeli democracy by working with the anti-Zionist radical left in failed attempts to overthrow the elected Israeli government."
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also sharply dismissed the accusations, writing: "As a former Israeli Prime Minister, with the Mossad having reported directly to me, I say to you with 100% certainty: The accusation that Jeffrey Epstein somehow worked for Israel or the Mossad ran a blackmail ring is categorically and totally false. Epstein’s conduct, both the criminal and the merely despicable, had nothing whatsoever to do with the Mossad or the State of Israel. Epstein never worked for the Mossad."
Ex-Mossad director Yossi Cohen also rejected the claims in a podcast interview with The Free Press, saying Epstein had "absolutely nothing" to do with the Mossad — "not an agent, not an operative, nothing."
The strong denials come amid renewed scrutiny of emails, financial records and communications included in U.S. Justice Department materials and other public reporting, none of which indicate that Epstein cooperated with Israeli intelligence.
Barak, who served as prime minister from 1999 to 2001 and later as defense minister in Netanyahu’s government, has become one of Netanyahu’s most vocal political opponents.
PRINCE WILLIAM’S ENVIRONMENTAL CHARITY REPORTED OVER PARTNER’S EPSTEIN TIES
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Barak’s office fired back, describing Netanyahu’s remarks as politically motivated and reiterating that he regrets ever meeting Epstein while denying any wrongdoing.
"Barak has repeatedly and publicly stated that he regrets ever meeting Jeffrey Epstein. There is no credible allegation—none—that Barak engaged in any illegal or inappropriate conduct," the statement said.
Barak’s office also called Netanyahu’s attacks "the desperate acts of a failed and panicked politician" and "a pathetic attempt to divert attention from his catastrophic record," accusing the prime minister of attempting to shift blame for national failures.
Newly surfaced materials continue to document Barak’s personal and professional interactions with Epstein, including stays at Epstein’s New York apartment and meetings arranged through the financier.
EXCLUSIVE: EPSTEIN EMAILS RELEASED AS DOJ SAYS NO CRIMINAL OR INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT BY TRUMP
Emails cited in document releases describe the apartment as being used by Barak and his then-wife during visits to the United States, with staff coordinating logistics and maintenance requests tied to the property.
Other communications referenced financial ties and introductions facilitated by Epstein, including meetings with prominent business figures, as well as broader correspondence and internal notes referencing allegations, warnings and speculation surrounding Epstein’s activities.
Barak has acknowledged meeting Epstein multiple times and said he regrets the association. In a previous interview, he said he never witnessed improper behavior and never participated in anything illegal.
"At times during my occasional visits to the United States, I was sometimes a participant in a breakfast or lunch or dinner at his New York townhouse, together with respected American public figures," Barak said. "At no point in my dealings with him did I ever witness any improper behavior, and I certainly never participated in anything like that."
US forces board sanctioned oil tanker after vessel tried to evade Trump quarantine, Department of War says
The Department of War (DOW) said Sunday that U.S. forces interdicted a vessel in the Indo-Pacific after it attempted to evade a quarantine order issued by the Trump administration.
In a statement on X, the DOW said the Veronica III was boarded without incident while it was operating in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility.
"The vessel tried to defy President Trump’s quarantine — hoping to slip away. We tracked it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance, and shut it down. No other nation has the reach, endurance, or will to do this," the government account wrote.
"International waters are not sanctuary. By land, air, or sea, we will find you and deliver justice," it added. "The Department of War will deny illicit actors and their proxies freedom of movement in the maritime domain."
US MILITARY SEIZES ANOTHER FUGITIVE OIL TANKER LINKED TO VENEZUELA
The Veronica III is the latest in a series of high-profile maritime seizures by the U.S. military aimed at enforcing sanctions and curbing the export of Venezuelan oil.
President Donald Trump announced a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going in and out of Venezuela in mid-December, as Washington increased its naval presence in the Caribbean to put pressure on now-former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
According to OpenSanctions, the Veronica III is listed on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals sanctions list.
The tanker, a large crude oil carrier built in 2006 and flagged in Panama, has been linked to the transport of hundreds of thousands of metric tons of sanctioned Iranian oil and is affiliated with a Chinese ship-management company that has also been sanctioned.
OpenSanctions notes that the ship has previously sailed under different names and flags as part of efforts to evade sanctions and disguise its activities at sea.
The Veronica III was among the vessels sanctioned by Treasury in December 2024 as part of a broader action targeting 35 other entities and tankers involved in transporting illicit Iranian oil to foreign markets.
Waltz calls UN a 'cesspool for antisemitism' as Trump administration pushes major reforms
EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz is calling for sweeping reform at the world body, placing the fight against antisemitism at the top of the agenda as the Trump administration pushes for changes across the institution.
In an exclusive on-camera interview, Waltz argued that confronting antisemitism should be a central pillar of any overhaul of the U.N., alongside a broader return to what he described as the organization’s core mission of peace and security.
"The U.N. has an atrocious history and record when it comes to antisemitism. Number one, it's a cesspool for antisemitism in many ways," Waltz said. "This administration is determined to fight it."
TRUMP ADMIN WEIGHS TERRORISM SANCTIONS AGAINST UN PALESTINIAN AID AGENCY OVER HAMAS ALLEGATIONS
He framed the issue as both urgent and historic, linking rising global antisemitism and the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks to what he said must be a renewed commitment inside international institutions.
"We have to live up to the mantra of never again," Waltz said. "As we see antisemitism on the rise around the world… after October 7th, in particular, we have to live up to that mantra."
Waltz pointed to Holocaust remembrance and survivor testimony as essential tools in combating denial and historical revisionism, saying education must be central to any U.N. response.
"It's about education. It's about fighting back on these ridiculous denials of the Holocaust," he said. "But most importantly, while we still have them, it's about hearing from the survivors and hearing their personal stories."
He added that U.N. forums should elevate survivor testimony rather than political messaging.
"My recommendation to the U.N. is, get the diplomats and the politicians out of the way, let's just hear from the survivors because their stories are compelling, they are tragic, they need to be heard and documented, and they certainly can't ever be denied," Waltz said.
The ambassador’s remarks come as the administration calls for broader structural reform at the United Nations, including changes to how it approaches development aid, humanitarian operations and leadership.
Waltz said Washington wants to see a more focused institution centered on conflict prevention and peacekeeping, with less reliance on traditional aid frameworks.
"I see, and I think what the president sees, is a much more focused U.N. that we have taken back to the basics of promoting peace and security around the world and enforcing peace when conflict breaks out through its peacekeeping forces," he said.
The push for reform comes against the backdrop of longstanding criticism from U.S. officials and watchdog groups over how Israel is treated within the U.N. system and concerns about antisemitism linked to some U.N.-affiliated bodies.
UNRWA, the U.N. agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, has faced mounting scrutiny in recent years. Reports by education monitoring organizations documented content in materials used in UNRWA-linked classrooms that delegitimizes Israel or includes antisemitic themes.
Media investigations after Oct. 7 further intensified attention on the agency, with allegations involving staff and militant ties triggering donor freezes and internal probes.
An independent review commissioned by the United Nations acknowledged neutrality challenges and recommended stronger oversight and vetting mechanisms.
ISRAEL'S NETANYAHU DEMANDS WESTERN GOVERNMENTS ACT TO BATTLE ANTISEMITISM: 'HEED OUR WARNINGS'
Beyond UNRWA, critics have pointed to structural patterns across the U.N. system. Israel remains the only country assigned a permanent agenda item at the U.N. Human Rights Council, mandating discussion at every session.
At the General Assembly, Israel has frequently been the subject of more country-specific resolutions than any other state in many annual sessions.
Successive U.S. administrations have described that focus as disproportionate.
U.N. officials reject the characterization of institutional antisemitism, arguing that scrutiny reflects the scale and duration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and humanitarian concerns, and pointing to reforms underway within agencies including UNRWA.
Waltz said confronting antisemitism must remain a priority as the U.N. prepares for leadership changes and debates over its future direction. He placed combating antisemitism within that broader reform push, alongside other policy priorities and future leadership decisions at the world body.
"So those are just some of the things in addition to… taking on antisemitism… getting… good, strong leadership in the U.N. going forward that we hope to get done during our time here."
Global protests call for Iran regime change in major cities worldwide after bloody crackdown
Anti-Iran regime protesters gathered in major cities across the globe on Saturday calling for a leadership change in the Global Day of Action Rally.
Over 250,000 protesters rallied in Munich, Germany on Saturday on the backdrop of the Munich Security Conference.
"With the number of participants recorded, this gathering is one of the largest rallies held in Munich in recent years," the Munich Police reported in a press release. "The peaceful atmosphere is particularly noteworthy, despite the high number of participants in the meeting."
IRAN REGIME REPORTEDLY ISSUED NATIONWIDE SHOOT-TO-KILL ORDERS AS PROTEST DEATH TOLL SURGES
Crowds reportedly chanted "change, change, regime change" and "democracy for Iran" with green-white-and-red flags with lion and sun emblems waving in the air with a few "Make Iran Great Again" red hats spotted.
Exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi was among the hundreds of thousands protesting, telling Reuters, a possible attack on Iran will either weaken the regime or accelerate its fall.
"It's a matter of time. We are hoping that this attack will expedite the process and the people can be finally back in the streets and take it all the way to the ultimate regime's downfall," said Pahlavi.
He shared that he hopes President Trump will have the United States intervene and "have the people's back."
UPROAR AFTER IRAN NAMED VICE-CHAIR OF UN BODY PROMOTING DEMOCRACY, WOMEN’S RIGHTS
On Friday, President Trump said regime change in Iran would be the "best thing" to happen while speaking to troops at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
"People are hoping that at some point the decision will be made that there's no use, there's no point, we're not going to get anywhere with negotiations," said Pahlavi. ""Intervention is a way to save lives."
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham was present in Munich for the security conference and echoed a similar sentiment in a sideline interview on Friday.
NIKKI HALEY URGES TRUMP TO MAKE IRAN ACTION A 'LEGACY-DEFINING MOMENT' BEFORE LEAVING OFFICE
"There's no negotiating with these people, in my view. They're hell-bent on enacting an agenda based on religion that teaches them to lie, teaches them to destroy in the name of God," said Graham.
He shared that the regime is the weakest they have been since 1979, adding, "it is a regime with American blood on its hand," calling on protesters to "keep protesting."
The senator also took the stage at the Global Day of Action speaking to the crowd and holding up a "Make Iran Great Again" black hat.
Large demonstrations were also held in Toronto, Melbourne, Athens, Tokyo, London, and Los Angeles.
An estimated 350,000 people marched on the streets of Toronto, the city’s police spokesperson, Laura Brabant, told the Associated Press (AP).
Iranian American activist and Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian told Fox News Digital the protests across the globe represent a universal truth.
"When regimes silence their people, the people eventually find their voice. Whether in the streets of Tehran or in diaspora communities around the world," she said.
Nazarian left Iran when she was 6 years old along with her family.
"As someone who came to this country from Iran, I know firsthand that these protests are not about politics, they’re about basic human dignity, women’s rights, and the fundamental freedom to live without fear," she added.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
US military in Syria carries out 10 strikes on more than 30 ISIS targets: Photos
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Saturday that it had carried out ten strikes against over 30 ISIS targets in Syria, in recent days as part of a joint military effort to "sustain relentless military pressure on remnants from the terrorist network."
CENTCOM said, from Feb. 3 – 12, its forces "struck ISIS infrastructure and weapons storage targets with precision munitions delivered by fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft."
US MILITARY IN SYRIA CARRIES OUT 5 STRIKES AGAINST 'MULTIPLE ISIS TARGETS'
Recently, CENTCOM forces conducted five strikes against an ISIS communication site, critical logistics node, and weapons storage facilities in Syria between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2.
"Striking these targets demonstrates our continued focus and resolve for preventing an ISIS resurgence in Syria," Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of CENTCOM, said in a statement at the time.
"Operating in coordination with coalition and partner forces to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS makes America, the region and the world safer," he added.
AFTER TRUMP DECLARED ISIS DEFEATED, US FACES NEW TEST AS DETAINEES MOVE AMID SYRIA POWER SHIFT
On Jan. 27, President Trump told reporters he had a "great conversation with the highly respected" President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
"All of the things having to do with Syria in that area are working out very, very well," said President Trump. "So we are very happy about it."
The Operation Hawkeye Strike mission was launched in response to an ISIS "ambush" attack that left two U.S. service members and an American interpreter dead on Dec. 13, 2025, in Palmyra, Syria.
AFTER TRUMP DECLARED ISIS DEFEATED, US FACES NEW TEST AS DETAINEES MOVE AMID SYRIA POWER SHIFT
"More than 50 ISIS terrorists have been killed or captured and over 100 ISIS infrastructure targets have been struck with hundreds of precision munitions during two months of targeted operations," states CENTCOM.
On Thursday, CENTCOM announced it has completed its withdrawal of American forces from al-Tanf Garrison in Syria pointing to a broader shift in U.S. posture in the region.
CHAOS IN SYRIA SPARKS FEARS OF ISIS PRISON BREAKS AS US RUSHES DETAINEES TO IRAQ
Operation Inherent Resolve was launched in 2014 to combat ISIS with American troops maintaining a limited presence to support partner forces and prevent ISIS from returning after it was territorially defeated in 2019.
Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan and Greg Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.
Russia murdered Alexei Navalny with deadly frog poison, European countries conclude
Alexei Navalny was murdered by Russia with a type of frog poison, the governments of the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Germany and The Netherlands have concluded.
In a joint statement on Saturday, the NATO countries said they were "confident" the Russian dissident had been poisoned by the Russian government with a "lethal toxin" known as epibatidine, which is found in South American poison dart frogs. The frogs aren't native to Russia.
"Russia claimed that Navalny died of natural causes. But given the toxicity of epibatidine and reported symptoms, poisoning was highly likely the cause of his death," the countries wrote. "Navalny died while held in prison, meaning Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer this poison to him."
ALEXEI NAVALNY'S DEATH REPRESENTS MAJOR BLOW TO POLITICAL DISSENT IN RUSSIA
The conclusion was made based on samples taken from Navalny's body.
Navalny, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most powerful opponents, died in a Russian prison in Siberia in 2024 after he decided to go back to his home country in 2021.
Navalny was immediately detained upon his return to his home country on charges that included fraud and contempt of court that were widely considered to be politically motivated.
The activist was famously brought to a German hospital in 2020 to recover after Western powers, including the U.S., accused Russia of poisoning him with a nerve agent known as novichok that was developed by the Soviet Union.
RUSSIA AGREES TO ABIDE BY EXPIRED NEW START NUCLEAR ARMS LIMITS - AS LONG AS US DOES THE SAME
"Russia’s repeated disregard for international law and the Chemical Weapons Convention is clear," the statement said, adding that Russia was also widely believed to have used novichok in England in 2018, leading to the death of a British woman named Dawn Sturgess.
"These latest findings once again underline the need to hold Russia accountable for its repeated violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and, in this instance, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention," the statement said.
The countries added that they had written to the director general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to "inform him of this Russian breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention."
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