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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is turning to his friend, Russian President Vladimir Putin, to help him put down opposition to the recent outcome of the presidential election which most outside observers say was rigged.

Maduro’s claim to victory sparked widespread protests that have led to the arrests of 2,200 people, including opposition figures and journalists. 

Amid the tension, Putin sent his Baltic Fleet to a port near Caracas as opposition politicians have called on members of the military and security forces to respect the will of the people. The security forces have remained fiercely loyal to Maduro and show no signs of backing down.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently posted on social media platform X, "Worrying reports of Russian Wagner mercenaries being spotted in Venezuela alongside government forces."

Putin called Maduro to congratulate him on his win and invited him to the next BRICS summit to be held in Russia in October.

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Analysts say Russia’s intervention in Venezuela’s crisis and the growing links between the two countries is a warning sign for the U.S. as Putin looks to shore up authoritarian allies and oppose U.S. policies in the Western Hemisphere.

"Russia’s involvement in Venezuela is problematic for both the Venezuelan people and the United States," Jorge Jraissati, Venezuelan foreign policy expert and president of the Economic Inclusion Group, told Fox News Digital.

"If Venezuela becomes a military hub for powers like Iran and Russia, the region will become more unstable and autocratic. This is bad for business, human rights, and security," Jraissati added.

Jraissati also notes that the growing presence of the Wagner Group in Venezuela highlights the involvement of Russian military contractors in activities ranging from the protection of Maduro to the gathering of corporate intelligence.

Ariel Gonzalez Levaggi, senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Americas Program, told Fox News Digital that Wagner mercenaries made appearances in Venezuela during the last presidential crisis in 2019 and are on the ground to improve presidential security and train special military forces. 

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In the 2019 crisis, when the opposition-controlled National Assembly refused to recognize Maduro’s victory and opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself acting president, Russia sent the same S-300 Air Defense Systems to back up Maduro that were provided to help keep Bashar al-Assad in power in Syria.

Levaggi notes that even following the death of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in 2023, the group still "represents a threat to the region, since not only is it used as a tool of military influence by Moscow, but it also allows for the extension of authoritarian governments in the region."

Maduro, who has been in power since 2013 following the death of Hugo Chavez and was seeking a third six-year term, declared himself the winner on July 28 but has refused to provide the data to show that he won. The government-backed National Electoral Council said that Maduro won 6.4 million votes, and Gonzales won 5.3 million.

Venezuela’s main opposition, led by Edmundo González Urrutia released data from polling stations across the country that showed that González Urrutia received nearly 7 million votes compared to just over 3 million for Maduro.

The U.S. rejects Maduro’s claim that he won the election and recognizes González Urrutia as the official victor. 

"Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia received the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election," a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a statement, also sent congratulations to González Urrutia and called on all Venezuelan parties to begin an inclusive and peaceful negotiated transition for the Venezuelan people.

Along with the U.S. response, the European Union has not recognized Maduro’s claim to victory and says he has not shown the necessary evidence to prove that he won the election. Leaders of regional heavyweights Brazil, Mexico and Colombia have attempted to mediate the dispute. The three leftist presidents, led by Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro and outgoing Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, maintain friendly relations with Venezuela and generally prefer to stay out of regional affairs. The trio called on Maduro to release the election data but stopped short of saying he should step down.

So far, mediation efforts have failed, and Maduro continues his crackdown on dissent with assistance from Putin.

Moscow uses its influence in Venezuela as leverage against the U.S. and to thwart American power in the Western Hemisphere as a response to U.S. support for countries in Russia’s historic backyard, including Georgia and Ukraine. Similar to Russia’s support for Assad in Syria, Putin wants to preserve his strongman ally, Maduro, from falling to popular protests or democratic elections.

Venezuela expert Jraissati said Russia has maintained a close military relationship with Venezuela and has deployed the S-300s, Mi-35M and Mi-26 helicopters, military trainers, and Wagner mercenaries to the country. Moscow has also sent nuclear-capable Tu-160 backfire bombers over the years, and Venezuela has purchased over $20 billion worth of military equipment since 2006.

Russia’s ties to Venezuela also include close links in the energy sector, as Russia’s energy firms began establishing relations with Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. and worked on joint projects starting in the early 2000s. Russia’s state-owned Gazprom won the rights to explore for gas offshore Venezuela in 2006.

Jraissati said the U.S. approach to Venezuela needs reassessment.

"The foreign policy approach of the Biden administration has weakened America's global standing, including in Latin America and Eastern Europe. Doing so is essential to guarantee America’s military, commercial, and energy interests," he said.

A rare toy dating to the Viking Age was found during an archaeological excavation in Iceland. Even though the time period the toy comes from is known by researchers, the animal the figure represents is still up for debate. 

Archaeological research has been happening in the town of Fjörður in Seyðisfjordurr since 2020, Ragnheiður Traustadóttir, who is in charge of the excavation, told Fox News Digital in an email.  

Many artifacts have come from this excavation, but the finding of a toy such as this was a rare discovery. 

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"Children are not very visible in the Viking Age, so we think it is amazing to find a toy that can be connected to them," Traustadóttir said. "We also have very few finds in Iceland that are related to children." 

The toy carved from stone is small, measuring about 5 centimeters in length and 2.7 centimeters in height. There have been several theories about what the toy animal is, with archaeologists leaning most toward a pig or bear. Some believe it's an Icelandic dog. Even though more research will be done on the toy during the winter months, researchers may not get a definitive answer to what animal the toy is. 

"This winter, we will examine the finds, including the animal, to see if we can identify it, although it may remain open for discussion," Traustadóttir told Fox News Digital. 

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Archaeologists were able to give a date for the creation of the toy based on where it was found and the material it was made from. 

"It was found in the floor of the longhouse, a carved animal made from Palagonite tuff. Dating is around 940-1000 Viking Age," explained Traustadóttir. 

The stone material the toy is made of could have largely played into its preservation. Objects made of organic materials such as wood are rare to be preserved in Iceland, Traustadóttir said. 

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The small, carefully carved ancient toy is just one of over 100 gaming pieces that have been found during excavation. 

Many unique finds also came from the investigation of four graves that were uncovered. 

"In one of the male graves, only the teeth remained, yet he was buried in a boat alongside a dog, horse and grave goods," Traustadóttir shared.

Among the ancient items found in the grave were beads, gaming pieces, a silver brooch, a silver ring and an ax. 

"The woman's bones had vanished, but her position could be inferred," Traustadóttir added. "On her chest were two oval bronze brooches, with 11 large beautiful beads lying between them and a small round bronze brooch below. Remnants of clothing were preserved on the brooches. Between the woman's breasts were iron shears wrapped in a cloth. On her right side was a small oak chest containing a whetstone and flints, and on her left side was a knife and an iron object that could be a key."

Excavation of Fjörður will continue for two more weeks. 

A boy on a visit to a museum in Israel accidentally knocked over a 3,500-year-old jar, shattering the relic. 

"There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police," Lihi Laszlo of the Hecht Museum told the BBC. 

"In this case, however, this was not the situation," Laszlo said. "The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly."

The jar dated to the Bronze Age, between 2200 and 1500 B.C. — predating the time of Kings David and Solomon — and it was totally intact, making it a rare find and valuable artifact. Experts have speculated that the jar likely carried local supplies, such as wine and olive oil.

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The museum, located in Haifa, had put the piece on display near the entrance and without protection to show a piece "without obstructions."

The boy had pulled on the jar to find out what was inside, and that caused it to fall over, shattering to pieces. The museum immediately appointed a specialist in conservation to restore the jar, which will return to its place near the front entrance once completed.

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The museum insisted that the piece will also return without obstructions. 

Israeli museums are no stranger to incidents that destroy priceless works: An American tourist allegedly smashed a sculpture in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem in October last year. 

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The tourist allegedly destroyed a pair of Roman statues dating from the 2nd Century because they were "against the Torah." His lawyer, however, denied that he had acted out of "religious fanaticism." 

One statue depicted Athena, daughter of Zeus, and the other depicted a griffin grasping the wheel of fate of the Roman god Nemesis, according to The Times of Israel.

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Police arrested the tourist at the scene, identifying him only as a 40-year-old Jewish American tourist. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin will mount a counteroffensive to try to retake territory in the Kursk region captured by Ukrainian troops, but Russian forces will encounter "a difficult fight," Deputy CIA Director David Cohen said on Wednesday.

Cohen told a national security industry conference that the significance of the Ukrainian incursion, which has overrun some 300 square miles (777 square km) of the Russian province, remained to be seen.

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Ukrainian forces crashed through Russia's western border into the Kursk region on Aug. 6 in a surprise offensive that is continuing.

While Kyiv has said it has no intention of annexing the area it has captured, Ukrainian troops are building defensive lines and it appears that they intend to retain "some of that territory for some period of time," Cohen told the Intelligence and National Security Summit.

"We can be certain that Putin will mount a counteroffensive to try to reclaim that territory," Cohen said. "I think our expectation is that that will be a difficult fight for the Russians."

Putin, he said, "is not only going to have to face the fact that there is a front line now within Russian territory that he's going to have to deal with, he has to deal with reverberations back in his own society that they have lost a piece of Russian territory."

Ukraine's success in Kursk "has the potential to change the dynamic" of the conflict "a little bit going forward," he continued without elaborating.

Ukraine has claimed the capture of 100 settlements in its incursion into Russia's Kursk region, while Russian forces continue to inch forward in the eastern Donetsk region.

Cohen said that Russia has been making those gains "at extraordinary cost" in troops and equipment and "may or may not" capture the key Ukrainian logistics hub city of Pokrovsk.

"But at the end of the day, none of it is a game changer in a strategic sense" for the Russians, he continued.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the war with Russia would eventually end in dialogue, but that Kyiv had to be in a strong position and that he would present a plan to U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors.

Putin has said any deal needs to start with Ukraine's acceptance of "realities on the ground," that would leave Russia with possession of substantial chunks of four Ukrainian regions as well as Crimea.

Ukraine says it controls more than 1,200 square km (463 square miles) of the Kursk region.

Pope Francis is urging countries not to turn their backs on migrants at risk of dying as they seek refuge abroad.

The pontiff deviated from his catechesis series during his Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter's Square this week, instead focusing on what he called the "grave sin" of intentionally allowing migrants to die in extreme conditions.

"Brothers and sisters, we can all agree on one thing: Migrants should not be in those seas and in those lethal deserts," Pope Francis said. "And, unfortunately, they are there."

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The pontiff specifically condemned those who "who systematically work, using all means, to push back migrants" instead of creating more humane methods for them to be vetted and organized.

"And when this is done consciously and responsibly, it is a grave sin," he continued. "Let us not forget what the Bible says: ‘You shall not wrong or oppress a foreigner.’"

"We cannot be on the front line, but we are not excluded; there are many ways for one to make their contribution, first of all prayer," Pope Francis told the audience. "Do you pray for migrants? For those who come to our lands to save their lives?"

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The Catholic Church teaches that secular governments have two obligations to balance when dealing with immigration and outsiders seeking refugee status within their borders.

These duties are outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the definitive document outlining the church's doctrines on theological and social issues.

The first duty is to "welcome the foreigner out of charity and respect for the human person," due to the fact that human beings "have the right to immigrate and thus government must accommodate this right to the greatest extent possible, especially financially blessed nations."

The second duty, based on secular governments' obligation to care for their citizens and maintain a healthy society, is "to secure one’s border and enforce the law for the sake of the common good." 

"Sovereign nations have the right to enforce their laws and all persons must respect the legitimate exercise of this right," the Catholic Church teaches in its catechism.

"God does not remain at a distance, no. He shares in the migrants' drama, God is there with them, with the migrants," Pope Francis told the audience on Wednesday. "He suffers with them, with the migrants, he weeps and hopes with them."

The world is full of magnificent waterfalls that will surely take your breath away. 

Kunchikal Falls is India's highest waterfall, measuring 1,493 feet, according to The Times of India. 

This waterfall can be found in the Shimoga district of Karnataka, where many other magnificent waterfalls can also be found, including Jog Falls. The Facebook account, Geography Zone, shared a video on the social media platform showcasing the tallest waterfall in India. 

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The Varahi River creates Kunchikal Falls, with the water flowing into the reservoir of the Mani Dam. The creation of the Mani Dam, which is used to generate hydroelectricity, greatly reduced water flow at the falls, according to Karnataka.com. 

Even though Kunchikal Falls is open for visitors year round, the time to visit for the best views is during the rainy season, from July to September, when water will be rapidly flowing. 

Also, with the construction of the dam, access has become restricted to the waterfall, so a special gate pass is needed in order to gain entry, which can be picked up at Hosangadi village. 

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To get to Kunchikal Falls, you can take a car or public bus. There's also a railway station from Udupi, and then one can transfer to a taxi or bus from there. 

Your other option is to hike, though you should expect a fairly long trek to get there. 

If you do choose to hike, the trail is 6.7 miles and begins near Hosanagara, Karnataka, according to AllTrails.com. 

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The 6.7-mile hike is considered to be a "moderately challenging" one, that takes around two hours and 55 minutes to complete. 

If you don't want to hike, mountain biking is another option. 

There are plenty of attractions close to the massive waterfall that you can explore as well, including the village of Agumbe.

While in Agumbe, you'll be encompassed by the rainforest and lots of wildlife at the Rainforest Research Station and will have the opportunity to see even more of India's waterfalls, such as Onake Abbi, which is located near the town. 

FIRST ON FOX: The new Israeli ambassador to the United Nations has issued a stern warning to the international body amid escalating tensions with Hezbollah and concerns that Iran could be close to obtaining a nuclear weapon. 

Ambassador Danny Danon told Fox News Digital that Security Council Resolution 1701 "said very clearly that there would be no military force in southern Lebanon besides the Lebanese military, but look what happened since 2006."

"Hezbollah took over, they controlled the region, and they made this area a hub for terrorism with tens of thousands of rockets that, unfortunately, in the last few months, we felt the capabilities," he argued. "I think if the U.N. is not capable of implementing the resolution, we will have to implement the resolution and push Hezbollah away from our community in the north."

Part of tackling the various groups in the Middle East – such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon or the Houthis in Yemen – requires dealing with Iran. 

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"I think it’s about time that not only Israel will deal with Iran, but the Western democracies will realize that they have to put pressure on Iran, they have to be active in order to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear capabilities," he said. 

"We thought on April 14 when they sent hundreds of projectiles into Israel and their intentions … imagine they had nuclear capabilities," Danon noted. "We will not wait for that day. We will not allow them to achieve nuclear capabilities."

Danon replaced Gilad Erdan, who in May decided to end his tenure as the permanent representative to the U.N. Danon previously held the role from 2015 until 2020, after which he took the role of Minister of Science, Technology and Space. 

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Erdan served in the U.N. during the Oct. 7 attack and roughly the first nine months of Israel’s incursion into the Gaza Strip as the Israeli Defense Forces hunted down Hamas. 

Erdan rose to international prominence for his fiery rhetoric, his bold speeches – including symbolically shredding the U.N. charter – and labeling the United Nations as a broken institution. Just last week, he declared that "the U.N. building in Jerusalem needs to be closed and erased from the face of the Earth."

Danon, on the other hand, believes that the U.N. can be saved – but it requires the U.S. to step in and make demands to seek reform. 

"Let's look at the facts," Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon told Fox News Digital. "The facts are that the UN was not able to condemn  … October 7th. I cannot accept that." 

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"Not the Security Council, nor the General Assembly, not even a small show condemnation: Zero. Nothing. Silence. That's unacceptable, and it showed that the double standards of the U.N. when it comes to Israel," Danon argued. 

"I think we should reform the U.N., and I expect the U.S. to lead the action to change the U.N.," he added. "I think the U.N. is an important organization, and we have to reform it and make sure that the U.N. will focus on the real objects of promoting security and peace and not becoming a platform for hate and incitement by radical countries." 

"I think that the major country – the strongest country, that allocates most of their budget should come with demands and look at the performance of the U.N., the resolution of the U.N. and ask for accountability and make sure that the focus will be on the right places," Danon argued. "It’s not happening today." 

The U.S. contributed more than $18 billion to the United Nations in 2022, accounting for one-third of funding for the body’s collective budget, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. 

The Israeli military carried out a major operation in the West Bank this week that killed nine militants, Israel Defense Forces announced Wednesday.

The IDF said a large group of its forces entered the city of Jenin on Wednesday, adding that all nine people who were killed in the operation were militants. IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said three of the individuals were killed in an airstrike on Tulkarem, while four others were killed in an an airstrike in Al-Faraa.

The final two were killed by Israeli soldiers.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on social media that the goal of the operation was to destabilize Iranian "terrorist infrastructure" within the West Bank.

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"We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps are required," Katz wrote. "This is a war for all terms and purposes and we must win it."

The West Bank operation comes one day after the Israeli military successfully rescued a hostage being held by Hamas in Gaza on Tuesday.

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"The IDF and ISA have rescued Qaid Farhan Alkadi from Gaza where he was held hostage, and brought him to his family in Israel. This operation was part of the IDF’s daring and courageous activities conducted deep inside the Gaza strip," said Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.

"This operation joins a series of actions taken by the IDF that bring us closer to achieving the goals of this war," Gallant continued. "I would like to reiterate and emphasize: Israel is committed to taking advantage of every opportunity to return the hostages home to Israel."

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Qaid Farhan Alkadi from Rahat was reportedly rescued by a mixed company of Israeli combatants, including members of the 401st Brigade, 162nd Division, and Shayetet 13.

Members of the engineering combat spec-ops unit Yahalom and intelligence operatives from the Israel Security Agency also contributed to the rescue.

Alkadi, 52, had been held in the Gaza Strip for almost a year. No further details are being made available on the nature of the rescue operation, "due to considerations of the safety of our hostages, the security of our forces, and national security."

A key figure in Venezuela's opposition movement livestreamed her arrest as she was removed from her home in Portuguesa in northwestern Venezuela earlier this month. Security officials from Venezuela's General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence forced entry into María Oropeza's home without probable cause or a warrant. 

Before Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's enforcers confiscated her mobile phone and terminated her Instagram stream, she said on her live broadcast, "I am not a criminal. I am just another citizen who wants a different country." Oropeza has not been heard from since.

"It was a very frustrating experience for us, as we had no power to do anything other than watch," said Ana Karina Rizo. "It was very stressful," added Rizo, who is a colleague of Oropeza.

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A few hours before being detained, Oropeza criticized the broad, intensifying crackdowns that have ensued in Venezuela over the past month. The opposition activist and lawyer referred to President Maduro's suppression as a witch hunt against politicians following the highly contested election.

Venezuela's July 28 election saw Maduro claiming victory by more than 1 million votes. Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, was seeking a third six-year term. Meanwhile, the main opposition coalition, Vente Venezuela, has accused him of trying to steal the vote. The Vente Venezuela campaign has released records showing opposition candidate Edmundo González winning by a more than 2-to-1 margin. The main leader of the opposition, González, and opposition leader María Corina Machado have gone into hiding since the vote.

Last week, the opposition suffered a further setback when Venezuela's controversial Supreme Court reasserted Maduro as the winner of the disputed elections. Maduro's hand-picked court declared the voting tallies showing any reports of his loss were fabricated. 

The U.S., European Union (EU), the and a slate of Latin American countries have categorically rejected the Venezuelan high court's certification. Maduro and his government have refused to release official tally sheets from last month's election.

Maduro's claim of victory spurred an eruption of protests across Venezuela, prompting his regime to engage in a wave of violent repression. Security forces have apprehended more than 2,000 demonstrators, many of whom are taken to torture camps. Oropeza is one such prisoner.

Oropeza's activism in garnering support for the opposition party made her a significant target for the Maduro regime's crackdown on dissent. Two days after Oropeza's arrest, Venezuela's military counter-intelligence unit released the first and only video of her. In the footage, the 30-year-old was seen being escorted off a plane to the back of a van with her hands bound by zip ties.

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Last week, Vente Venezuela lawyers confirmed that Oropeza, their coordinator for Portuguesa State, was being held at the notorious El Helicoide detention center, charged with inciting hatred and terrorism, offenses that carry up to 20 to 30 years in prison.

Maduro's El Helicoide detention center in Caracas holds both common and political prisoners. It is infamous for being Venezuela's main jail for dissidents and its worst torture camp. Prisoners are kept in crowded, unhygienic underground cells where cockroaches roam and human waste fouls the environment. Female inmates often face sexual violence. Most prisoners, like Oropeza, have no legal representation and cannot contact a lawyer.

The U.S. State Department has called on Maduro "to release those detained for exercising their right to free expression" and for "the will of the Venezuelan people" to be "respected." The Biden administration has expressed its commitment to uphold the rights of Venezuelan voters, but no concrete actions to liberate those in torture camps have been taken.

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The Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA), a global organization of libertarian women, has taken prompt action in response to Oropeza's arrest. Earlier this month, LOLA filed a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, requesting precautionary measures for Oropeza's release. The organization is also striving to draw international attention to her plight, calling on human rights organizations and the international community to put pressure on the Maduro regime.

Her detention has deeply shaken protesters. The harrowing arrest video, later edited and reposted by Venezuela's counter-intelligence militia with ominous music from the horror film "A Nightmare on Elm Street," has driven many into hiding. 

LOLA President Nena Bartlett Whitfield told Fox News Digital that many activists' "appetite for risk has lowered. They are afraid of being jailed." Whitfield added, "The regime does not want a violent revolution, but they do harass the opposition to deter their fight." Whitfield says Oropeza's arrest video "has chilled people into silence."

LOLA lawyer Ana Karina Rizo expressed the danger that protesters who remain in Venezuela face, telling Fox News Digital, "We know activists like María could be targeted by the regime at any moment. That is the risk you take when challenging totalitarian regimes." 

"She chose to stay in Venezuela, even when she had opportunities to leave, because she wanted to fight for freedom and for her family," Oropeza’s friend and fellow LOLA colleague Agustina Sosa told Fox News Digital. "How can we not continue our push for her release?"

LOLA is spearheading fundraising efforts for Oropeza’s release. The organization has raised nearly $4,000 toward its goal of $5,000. An estimated 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the tumultuous country since 2014.

The collapse of the Arbaat Dam in Sudan’s eastern Red Sea state over the weekend flooded nearby homes and killed at least 30 people following heavy rains, a U.N. agency said.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said late Monday, citing local officials, that the actual number of fatalities from the collapse on Sunday might be higher. Additionally, about 70 villages around the dam were affected by the flash flooding, including 20 villages that have been destroyed.

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The Arbaat Dam, which is about 38 kilometers (nearly 25 miles) northwest of Port Sudan, was massively damaged because of heavy rains. In areas west of the dam, the flooding either destroyed or damaged the homes of 50,000 people — 77% of the total population living there. Those affected urgently need food, water and shelter, OCHA warned, adding that damage in eastern parts of the dam is still being assessed.

More than 80 boreholes collapsed because of the flooding, OCHA said citing officials, while 10,000 heads of livestock are missing, and 70 schools have been either damaged or destroyed.

Heavy rain and flooding across Sudan this month impacted more than 317,000 people. Of those impacted, 118,000 people have been displaced, exacerbating one of the world’s biggest displacement crises due to the ongoing war in the country.

Tuesday marks 500 days since Sudan plunged into war after fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF.

The conflict began in the capital, Khartoum, and raged across Sudan, killing thousands of people, destroying civilian infrastructure, and pushing many to the brink of famine. More than 10 million people were forcibly displaced to find safety, according to the U.N.

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, said in a statement Tuesday that "this is a shameful moment" for international humanitarian organizations, which for more than 16 months, "have failed to provide an adequate response to the country’s escalating medical needs — from catastrophic child malnutrition to widespread disease outbreaks."

"At the same time, heavy restrictions from both warring parties have drastically limited the ability to deliver humanitarian aid," MSF said.

Abdirahman Ali, CARE's Sudan country director warned in a statement Tuesday that the war "shattered" the health care system, "leaving countless without care."

More than 75% of health care systems have been destroyed since the war began, according to a World Health Organization estimate in July.

Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer is known to have created 36 pieces of artwork during his life, including his most famous painting, "Girl with a Pearl Earring."

The painting depicts a woman, but it's not a portrait, but rather a "tronie," according to the Maurithshus museum, which is a painting of an imaginary figure. 

In the oil painting, a woman in a dark setting looks over her shoulder. A large pearl earring dangles from the ear that faces an observer of the work, with a blue and gold turban nearly wrapped around her head. The subject of the painting wears a gold coat, with a white material peaking out at the top of her collar. 

GUSTAV KLIMT MASTERPIECE ‘PORTRAIT OF ADELE BLOCK-BAUER,’ DATING BACK OVER A CENTURY, TOOK 4 YEARS TO COMPLETE

There isn't an exact date of creation that coincides with Vermeer's most famous work, though many historians believe that it was painted around 1665, according to Britannica. 

Of the 36 paintings Vermeer is known to have created in his life, many depict women completing daily tasks, and the titles simply describe the work being done. 

Other paintings of Vermeer's include "Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window," "Young Woman with a Water Pitcher," "Woman with a Pearl Necklace" and "Lady Writing a Letter with her Maid." 

WHO IS BANKSY? THE ENGLAND-BASED STREET ARTIST'S WORK IS WELL-KNOWN, BUT HIS IDENTITY IS A MYSTERY

His work is scattered throughout the globe, with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and the Kunsthistorische Museum in Vienna all among those housing Vermeer's work. 

"Girl with a Pearl Earring" is on display in the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands, and has been on display there for the most part since 1902.

When the Mauritshuis museum underwent renovations in 2012, the painting hit the road, allowing different audiences in Japan, Italy and the United States to see the famous art first hand, according to Britannica. 

Once it went back to the Mauritshuis museum in 2014, it has stayed, except for a time in 2023, when it was loaned to the Rijksmuseum. 

The painting, also often referred to as the "Mona Lisa of the North," was the inspiration for a 1999 book by Tracy Chevalier of the same name. 

The book was later made into a film starring Scarlett Johansson as Griet, a fictional representation of the painting's subject, and Colin Firth as Vermeer. The 2003 movie was nominated for three Oscars. 

A separatist group claimed responsibility Tuesday for the deadliest day in recent history in Pakistan's Balochistan and warned that "even more intense and widespread" attacks were coming, while the prime minister declared there would not be peace talks with the insurgents who also have targeted Chinese-funded projects there.

The multiple attacks in southwestern Pakistan killed more than 50 people, mostly civilians. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army group insisted it did not harm civilians and claimed that 800 of its well-trained fighters took part in the shootings and bombings that began late Sunday.

SUICIDE ATTACK THAT KILLED 5 CHINESE NATIONALS WAS PLANNED IN AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN'S MILITARY SAYS

The attacks indicate that the BLA, which has targeted security forces for years in small-scale attacks and is allied with the Pakistani Taliban, is now much more organized.

But Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told a Cabinet meeting there would be no peace talks with the group. And Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Quetta, Balochistan's capital, there was no need for a large-scale operation, saying the insurgents can eliminated by police.

Provincial chief minister Sarfraz Bugti said 53 people, including security forces, were killed in the attacks that drew nationwide condemnation. On Monday, he said operations against the insurgents continued and that "those who killed our innocent civilians and security with be dealt with a full force."

The prime minister said the attacks in Balochistan seek to harm Chinese-funded development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which includes roads and rail systems to link western China’s Xinjiang region to Pakistan’s southwestern Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea. In recent years, BLA and other militants have attacked Chinese nationals working on CPEC projects.

Some killed in the latest attacks were ordered off local transport and shot, a witness said.

Sakina Nazir said she was traveling in a bus with her husband when gunmen signaled the driver to halt. She said the gunmen entered their bus, checked passengers' national identity cards and ordered some people out, including her husband. Minutes later, the survivors heard gunshots.

Balochistan has long been the scene of a long-running insurgency, with an array of separatist groups staging attacks mainly on security forces. The separatists demand independence from the central government.

Also Tuesday, Pakistan's army said its troops killed 25 militants in recent days in the country's northwest. In a statement, it said four soldiers were also killed in the shootout in Khyber, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border.

Tombs dating back to the ancient Roman era have been opened to the public for the first time after a meticulous restoration process, according to an announcement from the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The two tombs, estimated to be nearly 2,000 years old, were originally discovered by British archaeologists in the 1930s.
 
For nearly 100 years, the tombs were closed to the public to protect the paintings depicting vines, Roman deities, and mythological creatures.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNSEAL 2,000-YEAR-OLD TOMB, FIND MUMMY IN 'EXCELLENT STATE'

The tombs, located in Ashkelon, Israel about 6 miles from the Gaza Strip, were ultimately renovated when the city decided to make the site an educational park for public visits.

They are located within a stones' throw of the beach, and were likely a burial site for aristocratic Roman citizens in Ashkelon about 1,800 years ago.

"This tomb has wonderful paintings that were preserved remarkably well, and that’s surprising considering that the time that has passed and the location next to the sea, the humidity, the sand, the winds, everything affects the plaster and the paintings," said Anat Rasiuk, an archaeologist with the Antiquities Authority to the Associated Press.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS DISCOVER UNDERWATER MOSAIC BELIEVED TO DATE BACK TO ROMAN EMPIRE

The murals depict birds, children picking bunches of grapes, nymphs with lotus plants, and figures from Greek mythology that were adopted by the Romans like the head of Medusa and Demeter, the goddess of the harvest.

Some of the lime-based plaster paintings were removed from the tombs' walls and taken off-site for restoration, where others were painstakingly cleaned and given touch-ups that look the same as the ancient pigment on-site.

The new educational park in Ashkelon will feature more archeological discoveries from ancient Roman times from around the city, like wine and olive presses and ancient sarcophaguses. 

Another tomb discovered in the 1990s has been relocated to the educational park site and preserved, also featuring similar murals.

Ashkelon was not just a Roman city, but also a Philistine one prior to that. Cemeteries discovered in the city date back to the early Iron Age, about 3,000 years ago.

Rockets in the early days of the war against Hamas affected Ashkelon, and materials from the U.S.-built pier ultimately beached on the coast of the Israeli city after some bad weather in early May.

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The Israel Antiquities Authority did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A doorway that could have been used by famous playwright William Shakespeare was discovered in the United Kingdom's oldest working theater. 

The discovery in St. George's Guildhall in King's Lynn, Norfolk, which has been undergoing major conservation efforts, was sparked when the Guildhall's creative director, Tim FitzHigham, noticed a "weird shape in the wall," according to a news release put out by the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk on August 21, 2024. 

Upon further investigation, the boards were removed to reveal an archway. 

ANCIENT TREASURE DATING BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS UNEARTHED IN BURIAL MOUND

"It has got to be pre-1405 as the hall’s medieval roof is held up above it," FitzHigham said per the news release. 

"Further exploratory work identified the arch as the door to what is believed to be the Guild Robing Room. This room was used by the highest level of Guild members to dress in their finery before feasting upstairs," he continued. 

"This is another mind-boggling discovery at the Guildhall," FitzHigham said. "We’ve got a door that would definitely have been here in the years we think Shakespeare played here and, in all likelihood, was the door to a room where the players changed and stored props."

RARE PIECE OF ARMOR DATING BACK TO 14TH CENTURY FOUND IN NORWAY

"It is simply staggering that again a slight hunch or weird shape in the wall has turned out to be something frankly extraordinary," he added.

Last year, another discovery with possible links to Shakespeare was uncovered, when researchers found boards underneath the flooring of St. George's Guildhall, which dated back to the early 15th century and could have been walked upon by the famous playwright. 

The earliest recorded production at the Guildhall was a nativity play in January 1445, according to Shakespeare's Guildhall Trust. 

The Queen's Men, a prestigious acting company in London formed in 1583, performed at the venue on numerous occasions through the late 1500s. 

Shakespeare's association with the Guildhall came in 1592 or 1593, according to the news release, as he and his company of actors were on tour in King's Lynn when London's theaters were closed due to a plague outbreak. 

Shortly following this, Shakespeare joined the acting company Lord Chamberlain's Men, later called the King's Men, according to Biography.com.

Archaeologist Johnathan Clarke believes the archway never had a door in its frame, and rather provided privacy for performing actors with a sort of hanging. 

"This 15th century doorway appears to have provided access to a medium sized low status room, and not to have ever had a door closing up the arch; it may have been made private with a simple hanging when required," Clarke said per the news release. 

"It is the type of room where traveling groups of players might change due to its location within the Guildhall.  It would have given them a private space where they could put things, change and then travel up the staircase to appear on the first floor in their costume," he added.

Ukraine continues to reel from Russia’s missile strike on Monday, which ranks as the largest attack since the start of the war, as Moscow is beginning to suggest that Ukraine could make desperate moves. 

"Russia’s large-scale strikes on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure on Monday are almost certainly in response to Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Oblast, breaching Russia’s border," Rebekah Koffler, told Fox News Digital. 

"Zelenskyy likely anticipated Russia’s retaliation and accepted the risk anyway," Koffler explained. "Zelenskyy wants to stay in the fight - there’s no other path for him personally or professionally."

"To stay in the fight, he needs more weapons and financing from the West," she added. "Zelenskyy likely seeks from the Biden Administration the removal of restrictions for the employment of U.S.-provided weapons, so Ukrainian forces can strike targets deeper inside Russia that are currently within range." 

ON UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY, OVER 100 POWS SWAPPED WITH RUSSIA

On Monday, Russia launched 100 missiles and 100 drones as Ukraine continued its incursion into the Kursk region, which marked the first land invasion of Russia since World War II and the most significant setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin since his troops invaded Ukraine. The strikes knocked out key energy infrastructure in 15 regions across the country, killed five people and injured many others, French outlet Le Monde reported. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed on his Telegram channel that Western allies had effectively hamstrung Ukraine with restrictions on weapon use, arguing that "We could do much more to protect lives if the air forces of our European neighbors worked together with our F-16 [fighters] and anti-aircraft defenses."

Russia followed up that massive strike with a second volley overnight Monday, which killed at least two people as missiles and drones rained down across the Zaporizhzhia region in the southeast, the BBC reported. Ukraine used newly-deployed F16s to help shoot down five missiles and 60 drones, limiting the second strike's impact to a couple dozen projectiles overall.  

President Biden blasted Russia for the "outrageous" attacks and promised to support Ukraine's energy grid. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy ridiculed Russia for "cowardly missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure." 

DOGS OF WAR: BRITAIN'S NEW ROBOTS AIDING UKRAINE, TERRORIZING RUSSIA AS DRONES CONTINUE DOMINATING BATTLEFIELD

Ukraine has started compiling a list of long-range targets to hit should Western allies agree to Zelenskyy’s request and lift restrictions on defensive strike capabilities. 

The Kursk invasion, which continues to take Moscow by surprise, aimed to divert attention away from other areas – specifically the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors, according to Reuters. 

Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrskyi in remarks broadcast on television argued that Russia had tried to disrupt Ukraine’s supply lines going into those two areas, but that following the Kursk invasion, Moscow had to redeploy around 30,000 servicemen to the Kursk front "and this figure is growing." 

Syrskyi also reported that Ukraine had captured 594 Russian servicemen during the Kursk operation along with 100 settlements, and he claimed that Ukraine had rebuffed Russia’s efforts to counterattack their push.

RUSSIA LOOKS TO DOWNPLAY UKRAINE INVASION AS ‘NEW NORMAL’ WHILE PUTIN FAILS TO STOP WAR ON HOME TURF: REPORT

Koffler advised, however, that as significant as Ukraine’s effort has proven, it remains a double-edged sword that could end up hurting Kyiv in the long-run, with Russia looking to calibrate attacks to keep them "below the threshold of U.S./NATO deploying forces into the theater."

"While Kyiv was trying to stretch the Russian forces, it stretched its own also," Koffler explained. "And the manpower ratio overwhelmingly favors Russia and in the war of attrition."

"Putin, on the other hand, seeks to deter Ukraine from future strikes on Russia and to compel the West to stop assisting Kyiv," she suggested. "His objective is not a decisive military victory but the degradation of Ukraine’s defensive and industrial capacity, to make it useless for NATO and the West."

"Putin would rather end this war sooner rather than later, but only on his terms," she said. "The key question now is whether the Biden-Harris Administration will change policy, allowing Ukraine to be more aggressive in eroding Russia’s red lines."

Peace efforts continue to prove distant, but various world leaders have tried their hand at seeking a deal between Russia and Ukraine to bring the conflict to a close: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, in his first week as the rotating chair of the European Union, immediately visited both Zelenskyy and Putin to seek a path forward for peace.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past week took a run at finding a peace deal, visiting Zelenskyy over the weekend before speaking with President Biden on Monday and with Putin on Tuesday.

Modi, who reached Kyiv via train from Poland, stressed to Zelenskyy that "both sides will have to sit together and to look for ways to come out of this crisis," the BBC reported. Zelenskyy had expressed displeasure two months ago when Modi was photographed embracing Putin during a face-to-face meeting. 

Modi circled back to Putin after both Ukraine and U.S. talks, speaking with his Russian counterpart over the phone on Tuesday. A readout of the call did not mention what the two leaders discussed. 

Fox News Digital's Caitlin McFall and Reuters contributed to this report. 

Concerns over an all-out war between Israel, Hezbollah and Iran have eased, according to comments made by U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. to Reuters on Monday, but statements issued by Jerusalem and Tehran suggest otherwise. 

Brown met with top Israeli officials in Tel Aviv to discuss ongoing security issues facing Jerusalem just one day after the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah exchanged fire on Sunday – during which hundreds of rockets and drones were fired by the terrorist group at northern Israeli military positions.

Jerusalem said it too had fired a series of strikes on Hezbollah strongholds after 100 warplanes took to the sky to preemptively hit thousands of rocket launchers reportedly positioned to fire upon Israel.

ISRAEL WARNS US DEFENSE CHIEF IRAN AGGRESSION HAS ‘REACHED ALL-TIME HIGH’

Despite the heavy fire that was exchanged, relatively few deaths were reported, with three Hezbollah militants and one Israeli soldier killed in the day’s events, which concluded by mid-morning Sunday. 

When asked if the threat of a large-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah – which is backed by Iran – had abated, Brown replied, "Somewhat, yes."

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said the Sunday operation was ordered in response to the killing of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr at the end of July, reported Al Jazeera. 

But the terror group and Iran have pledged retaliation for one other killing that also occurred late last month when Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated while visiting Tehran, though Israel has never claimed credit for the attack.

"You had two things you knew were going to happen," Brown told reporters in detailing the two acts of revenge pledged by the Israeli adversaries. "One's already happened. Now it depends on how the second is going to play out."

"How Iran responds will dictate how Israel responds, which will dictate whether there is going to be a broader conflict or not," Brown added. 

Brown’s cautious optimism that a broader conflict had so far been avoided remains at odds with how Israel and Iran are viewing the current tensions.

Iran’s chief of staff of the armed forces, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, responded to the Sunday exchange of fire and warned that "revenge against the Israeli entity is inevitable" following the death of Haniyeh. 

ISRAEL ATTACKS TARGETS IN LEBANON TO THWART HEZBOLLAH'S PREPARED STRIKES: IDF

"What we witnessed yesterday is only part of that revenge," he confirmed, according to a report by the Arab news outlet Al Mayadeen English. "[Iran] will decide how and when to take revenge and will not fall into the trap of media provocations initiated by the enemies."

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday also warned that "Iran’s aggression has reached an all-time high" and said Israel and the U.S. must expand their joint defenses.

Gallant further emphasized the threat Iran poses in its continued pursuit of developing nuclear capabilities, adding that Jerusalem and Washington must work to stop Tehran’s military from gaining nuclear weapons. 

On Tuesday, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said there were no "barriers" in communicating with the "enemy," which some news outlets interpreted as a potential signal that Tehran may once again engage in nuclear talks with the West. 

"We do not have to pin our hope to the enemy. For our plans, we should not wait for approval by the enemies," Khamenei said, according to The Associated Press. "It is not contradictory to engage the same enemy in some places, there’s no barrier."

The AP report said this rhetoric echoed comments made in the lead-up to the 2015 deal made between Iran, the U.S. and other Western nations.

But Khamenei also warned that "the enemy" could not be trusted. 

NETANYAHU VOWS MORE 'SURPRISING BLOWS' AFTER ISRAEL THWARTED 'THOUSANDS' OF HEZBOLLAH ROCKETS: 'NOT THE END'

Talks with Iran over its nuclear development collapsed after the U.S. withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) under the Trump administration in 2018 – a move Tehran has since claimed voided their commitments to the agreement.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in June that Iran is not believed to possess nuclear weapon capabilities, though it has enriched uranium to levels just short of weapons-grade standards.

While any new deal with Iran appears unlikely, another "historic" deal between the U.S. and a Middle Eastern nation, Saudi Arabia, may be on the horizon, Michael Ratney, the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said Monday. 

"While we came very close and are very close on very important elements of this agreement, it is important that we finalize all of it together, and with that we would have a history-making agreement between the U.S. and Saudi," he told Saudi news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat, according to a translation reported by Al Arabiya English.

Ratney said the agreement would encompass several issues like bolstering the strategic partnership between Washington and Riyadh, enhancing military agreements and strengthening economic ties.

But it also includes efforts to normalize ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel – a push first launched throughout the Middle East under the Trump administration’s Abraham Accords. 

Washington, under both the Trump and Biden administrations, has held the belief that improving Israel’s ties in the Middle East could better secure it from terrorist organizations as well as the Iranian regime – which is often at loggerheads with several Sunni nations. 

"We are in a complicated region and there are a lot of complexities to the agreement itself, but we will do it as quickly as possible," Ratney reportedly said.

The U.S. ambassador said the Biden administration and Riyadh support the establishment of a two-state solution when it comes to stopping the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly made it clear he does not support Palestinian statehood. 

"We fundamentally believe that Palestinian statehood needs to come through a political process, through negotiations between the parties, not through any other means," Ratney said. 

"In the meantime, the deep priority is to stop the violence in Gaza, to stop the misery of the people of Gaza, to move forward with our efforts toward a cease-fire, to release Israeli hostages, and to end this conflict to find ways to deliver much-needed humanitarian assistance in Gaza," he added.

Two U.S. Navy carrier strike groups have been ordered to remain in the Middle East as part of America’s commitment to "support Israel's defense against threats from Iran and its regional partners and proxies," the Pentagon says. 

The maneuvers involving the USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Abraham Lincoln come as the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah announced Sunday that it had launched hundreds of rockets and drones at northern Israeli military positions.  

The Israeli military responded by deploying around 100 fighter jets that it says "struck and eliminated thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels, aimed for immediate fire toward northern and central Israel." 

The same day, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant in which he "reiterated Israel's right to defend itself and the United States' ironclad resolve to support Israel's defense against threats from Iran and its regional partners and proxies," according to the Pentagon. 

ISRAEL WARNS US DEFENSE CHIEF THAT IRAN AGGRESSION HAS ‘REACHED ALL-TIME HIGH’ 

"As part of that support, the Secretary has ordered the presence of two Carrier Strike Groups to remain in the region," the Pentagon added. "The Secretary also expressed support for completing negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage-release deal." 

The two carrier strike groups -- the USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Abraham Lincoln – are both currently in the Gulf of Oman. 

NAVY TO SIDELINE 17 VESSELS DUE TO MANPOWER SHORTAGE, OPERATING CREWS WILL BE REDISTRIBUTED: REPORT 

A Pentagon spokesperson would not elaborate Tuesday when asked by Fox News Digital how long both strike groups are expected to remain in the region. 

The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in the Middle East on Wednesday while the USS Theodore Roosevelt has been there since June, according to USNI News. 

In a Monday meeting with U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Gallant warned "Iran’s aggression has reached an all-time high." 

Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report. 

One more Israeli hostage has been rescued.

The Israel Defense Force and Israel Security Agency announced Tuesday that another hostage taken during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack has been rescued.

"The IDF and ISA have rescued Qaid Farhan Alkadi from Gaza where he was held hostage, and brought him to his family in Israel. This operation was part of the IDF’s daring and courageous activities conducted deep inside the Gaza strip," said Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.

WASHINGTON POST DELETES 'UNACCEPTABLE' POST SCOLDING AMERICAN HOSTAGE PARENTS FOR NOT BEING CRITICAL OF ISRAEL

"This operation joins a series of actions taken by the IDF that bring us closer to achieving the goals of this war," Gallant continued. "I would like to reiterate and emphasize: Israel is committed to taking advantage of every opportunity to return the hostages home to Israel."

Qaid Farhan Alkadi from Rahat was reportedly rescued by a mixed company of Israeli combatants, including members of the 401st Brigade, 162nd Division, and Shayetet 13.

Members of the engineering combat spec-ops unit Yahalom and intelligence operatives from the Israel Security Agency also contributed to the rescue.

ISRAEL RESCUES 4 HOSTAGES KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS: 'WE ARE OVERJOYED'

Alkadi, 52, has been held in the Gaza Strip for almost a year. No further details are being made available on the nature of the rescue operation, "due to considerations of the safety of our hostages, the security of our forces, and national security."

He is currently being held in the hospital for medical care and is undergoing extensive health checks. He is in stable condition.

Alkadi's family has been alerted to his recovery and are being accompanied by IDF personnel to meet with him.

Following the rescue of Alkadi, 108 Israeli hostages remain under terrorists' control in the Gaza Strip. 36 are confirmed dead.

The vast majority were taken during the Oct. 7 attack last year and have been held for over 320 days.

Fox News Digital's Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

A Venezuelan electoral official has denounced what he calls a "grave lack of transparency and veracity" in last month's election results, rebuking authorities who declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner despite strong evidence to the contrary presented by his opponents and doubts from several foreign governments.

Juan Carlos Delpino is one of five members of the National Electoral Council, or CNE in Spanish, and the only one who prior to the vote had shown a willingness to go against the wishes of Maduro's government.

On Monday, he published a letter on social media detailing several alleged irregularities before and on the day of the July 28 election. He said polling centers were slow to report results from automated voting machines while several opposition volunteers were banished, in violation of electoral rules guaranteeing the transparent transmission of tallies to CNE headquarters.

Delpino said he was informed that the hourslong delay was caused by a supposed hacking of the CNE platform and that only 58% of results had been collected. He said he decided in protest not to join his fellow rectors in monitoring the vote-counting from the CNE data hub or attending the midnight press conference when CNE President Elvis Amoroso, a ruling party loyalist, declared Maduro the winner.

VENEZUELANS WILL KEEP FIGHTING FOR DEMOCRACY. THEY HAVE NO CHOICE

"I deeply regret that the results don't serve the Venezuelan people, that they don't help resolve our differences or promote national unity but instead fuel doubts in the majority of Venezuelans and the international community," Delpino wrote.

Delpino, an electoral expert close to one of Venezuela’s traditional opposition parties, was named to the CNE by the National Assembly controlled by Maduro’s allies last year after several predecessors were removed.

His letter comes as Maduro doubles down on assertions he won reelection by more than 1 million votes. His government has defied calls from the U.S., European Union and even leftist allies from Brazil, Colombia and Mexico to release voting records that would back such claims.

Meanwhile, the opposition has published online what appear to be authentic tallies from 80% of polling machines showing that its candidate, Edmundo González, won by a more than 2-to-1 margin.

Last week, the Venezuelan Supreme Court certified the results and said voting tallies published online by the opposition were forged. Attorney General Tarek William Saab ordered González to testify this week in a criminal investigation over alleged attempts to spread panic in the South American nation by contesting the results.

González on Sunday indicated he had no intention of complying with the order, saying his due process rights and Venezuela's constitution were being trampled and the only authority he is accountable to are voters. He repeated calls for Maduro to release the voting records from about 30,000 machines nationwide so the results can be independently verified by international experts.

"Venezuela is living moments of uncertainty and unease due to your efforts to violate the desire for change," González said, addressing Maduro directly in a video published on social media. "Releasing the voting tallies is the guarantee of peace."

Former diplomat González and his chief backer, opposition powerhouse María Corina Machado, went into hiding after the election as security forces arrested more than 2,000 people and cracked down on demonstrations throughout the country protesting the results.

The two have called for Venezuelans to take to the streets on Wednesday to commemorate a month since their purported victory at the polls.

Meanwhile, mothers of several people arrested by security forces gathered Monday outside a high security prison in central Venezuela where dozens of detainees have started to arrive as a result of a transfer order. Holding signs that read "They Aren't Terrorists" and "Free our Children," several said their loved ones were arrested far away from any demonstrations against Maduro.

Eliana Perez said her two adult children were coming home from work and sitting inside a car when they were arrested at a police checkpoint.

"There were no traffic restrictions, no curfew," said Perez while holding back tears. "They are in agony because they've never had any problems with the law before."

Delpino, in an interview with The New York Times published Monday, said he too had gone into hiding.

His letter also highlighted what he called a number of irregular decisions by the CNE including a lack of meetings prior to the vote that made it difficult to set clear rules on the participation of campaign poll workers, international observers and millions of Venezuelans living abroad.

The Taliban on Monday rejected concerns and criticism of the United Nations over new vice and virtue laws which ban women in Afghanistan from baring their faces and speaking in public places.

Roza Otunbayeva, who heads the U.N. mission in the country, UNAMA, said Sunday the laws provided a "distressing vision" for Afghanistan’s future. She said the laws extend the " already intolerable restrictions " on the rights of women and girls, with "even the sound of a female voice" outside the home apparently deemed a moral violation.

Zabihullah Mujahid, main spokesman for the Taliban’s government, in a statement warned against "arrogance" from those who may not be familiar with Islamic Sharia law, particularly non-Muslims who might express reservations or objections.

TALIBAN GOVERNMENT ISSUES PUBLIC BAN ON WOMEN'S VOICES, BARE FACES

"We urge a thorough understanding of these laws and a respectful acknowledgment of Islamic values. To reject these laws without such understanding is, in our view, an expression of arrogance," he said.

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers last Wednesday issued the country’s first set of laws to prevent vice and promote virtue.

They include a requirement for a woman to conceal her face, body and voice outside the home. They also ban images of living beings, such as photographs.

"After decades of war and in the midst of a terrible humanitarian crisis, the Afghan people deserve much better than being threatened or jailed if they happen to be late for prayers, glance at a member of the opposite sex who is not a family member, or possess a photo of a loved one," Otunbayeva said.

In response to the UNAMA statement, Mujahid added, "We must stress that the concerns raised by various parties will not sway the Islamic Emirate from its commitment to upholding and enforcing Islamic Sharia law."