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U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday hit back against attacks over his handling of the child grooming gang scandal that has repeatedly rocked the nation, and has seen more scrutiny in the last week fueled by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

"Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and wide as possible, they’re not interested in victims, they’re interested in themselves," Starmer said in response to questions from reporters about Musk’s comments, although he did not mention Musk directly.

The U.K. grooming scandal, where it was revealed that gangs of predominantly South Asian or British Pakistani men had exploited and abused children for decades in towns in northern England, resurfaced last week amid fresh calls for a national inquiry.

ELON MUSK DEMANDS UK ACT ON GROOMING GANG SCANDAL AMID GROWING CALLS FOR PROBE

Previous reports in towns like Rotherham and Telford had found evidence of horrific crimes against children over decades and that authorities had either suppressed information or had concerns about stoking racism. It is frequently cited as a failure of multiculturalism and the impact of mass immigration. 

Musk had slammed the government for its rejection of a call for a new national inquiry into the handling of authorities' actions in Oldham. Home Office Minister Jess Phillips responded to the request in October, saying that any such inquiry should be organized locally. 

A 2022 report into Oldham's actions between 2011 and 2014 found that children were failed by local agencies, but it also found that there was no cover-up despite "legitimate concerns" that the far-right would capitalize on "the high-profile convictions of predominantly Pakistani offenders across the country."

Musk, along with top conservative officials, including Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch, demanded a full inquiry. Musk went further, calling for King Charles III to step in.

"They oppose an inquiry, because it will show that those in power were complicit in the cover-up," he said of the government on X.

Musk had called for the prosecution of Starmer, who was director of public prosecutions at the time the scandal broke, as well as Phillips – who he called a "rape genocide apologist."

BRITAIN HIT BY ANOTHER ASIAN GROOMING GANG SCANDAL AS REPORT EXPOSES CHILD SEX ABUSE IN MANCHESTER

Starmer made reference to those remarks in his answer, as he defended his record as prosecutor, saying he had reopened closed cases and "changed the whole prosecution approach" to the abuse.

"When the poison of the far-right leads to serious threats to Jess Phillips and others, then in my book, a line has been crossed," Starmer said. "I enjoy the cut and thrust of politics, the robust debate that we must have, but that’s got to be based on facts and truth, not on lies."

NIGEL FARAGE RESPONDS AFTER ELON MUSK DECLARES HE ‘DOESN’T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES' TO LEAD REFORM UK PARTY

He also criticized politicians he said "are casual about honesty, decency, truth and the rule of law, calling for inquiries because they want to jump on a bandwagon of the far-right."

Musk shot back.

"What an insane thing to say! The real reason is that it would show how Starmer repeatedly ignored the pleas of vast numbers of little girls and their parents, in order to secure political support. Starmer is utterly despicable," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that he intends to resign as party leader and prime minister after pressure from within his own Liberal Party increasingly grew amid heightened criticisms over his handling of the economy and threats levied by President-elect Donald Trump. He said he will resign once the party selects a new leader. 

"I intend to resign as party leader, as Prime Minister, after the party selects its next leader through a robust nationwide competitive process," Trudeau told reporters. "Last night, I asked the president of the Liberal Party to begin that process. This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it is become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election."

"As you all know, I am fighter and I'm not someone who backs away from a fight. Particularly when the fight is as important as this one is. But I have always been driven by my love for Canada, by my desire to serve Canadians, and by what is in the best interests of Canadians and Canadians deserve a real choice in the next election," Trudeau added. "And it has become obvious to me with,, the internal battles that I cannot be the one to carry the liberal standard into the next election."

Trudeau, who led the nation for nearly a decade, has been grappling for months with significant drops in his approval ratings over mounting frustration relating to issues like the soaring cost of living and rising inflation. 

Though there was no official path for his party to boot him from the top job, the now nearly-former prime minister faced either the threat of a Parliamentary vote of no confidence, or a lengthy fight to hold on to his position until the October 2025 elections – either option was expected to see a crushing end to Trudeau’s time in office.

TRUMP SAYS US SUBSIDIES TO CANADA MAKE ‘NO SENSE,’ SUGGESTS CANADIANS WANT ‘TO BECOME THE 51ST STATE’

The long-time prime minister saw an increase in calls for his resignation, with at least seven Liberal Members of Parliament as well as from opposition party leaders calling on him to set aside, following the abrupt departure of his finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, who wrote a scathing letter of resignation, citing criticisms over his handling of certain economic policies as well as the threats levied by Trump.

Freeland, once seen as Trudeau’s chief ally and who helped oversee the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada deal during the last Trump administration, warned that how Canada responds to Trump’s November threat to slap a 25% tariff on Canadian imports "will define us for a generation, and perhaps longer."

"For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada," she wrote. "Our country today faces a grave challenge."

 TRUDEAU ON THE BRINK AS ALLY, FINANCE MINISTER ABRUPTLY QUITS OVER TRUMP TARIFF THREATS

"The incoming administration in the United States is pursuing a policy of aggressive economic nationalism," she continued, urging the prime minister to show more backbone when it comes to standing up to Trump and his "coming tariff war."

The comments made by Freeland sent shockwaves across the Canadian government, with many backing her calls to show strength in the face of the potentially tough economic times ahead. 

Trudeau, who appointed close friend Dominic LeBlanc to take over as finance minister, later held a special meeting with his caucus, during which, according to LeBlanc, he said that he "heard very clearly, and listened carefully to their concerns, and he would reflect on it."

Trudeau’s resignation means the Liberal Party can appoint an interim prime minister to lead the country until the elections next fall, giving them potentially a fighting chance to bring renewed support back to the Liberal Party. 

It remains unclear who will likely take over Trudeau’s seat, but LeBlanc – who also met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence earlier this month alongside the former prime minister – was reported to be a leading contender.

Trump has not yet pubically commented on Trudeau's resignation and his transition team did not respond to previous Fox News Digital questions over his impact on Canadian politics. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is vowing Monday to capture the "despicable murderers" behind a terror attack in the West Bank that left three Israelis dead, including a police officer. 

Off-duty Master Sgt. Elad Yaakov Winkelstein and sisters-in-law Rachel Cohen and Aliza Raiz were killed by gunmen who opened fire on vehicles in the Palestinian village of Al-Funduq, according to The Times of Israel. 

The attack left eight others injured – including a 63-year-old bus driver – and the Israeli military has launched a manhunt for two suspected shooters affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group, the Jerusalem Post reported. 

"My wife and I send our deepest condolences to the families of the three people murdered in this morning's horrific attack and wish the injured a full recovery," Netanyahu wrote on X. "We will reach the despicable murderers and bring them to justice and everyone who helped them. No one will be spared." 

ISRAELIS LOOK TO TRUMP DURING DEBATE ON GAZA’S FUTURE 

An eyewitness who spoke to The Press Service of Israel called the attack a "shooting spree." 

"I saw a Palestinian ... take out an M16 from his back window and aim it at vehicles and then I realized it was an attack," he said. "And I saw the vehicles turning around and all this chaos and then I realized they were coming at me in a second and I was next in line so I started shooting at them." 

"I am a civilian and I have my own private gun. If they had given me an M16 I think their situation would have been different," the eyewitness added. 

ISRAELI PM OFFICE DENIES REPORTS THAT HAMAS FORWARDED LIST OF HOSTAGES TO RELEASE IN EVENT OF DEAL 

A paramedic with Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency medical service told the Jerusalem Post that the attack "spread across multiple scenes where vehicles and a bus were hit by gunfire." 

"During our initial searches for casualties, we found 2 women ... in a vehicle, unconscious without pulse or breathing, with gunshot wounds," Avichai Ben Zuria said. "About 150 meters away, there was an unconscious driver who also suffered gunshot wounds. After medical assessments, unfortunately, their injuries were severe, and we had to pronounce them deceased." 

Winkelstein is described as being in his 40s, while Cohen, 73, is a school counselor and mother of five children, according to the Jerusalem Post. Raiz, who is 70, is a school counselor as well, the outlet added. 

The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas released a statement praising the attack, The Associated Press reported.

Business tycoon Elon Musk asserted in a post on X that Reform UK Party leader Nigel Farage does not "have what it takes" and should be replaced.

"The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes," Musk declared in a tweet. 

Farage, a member of the UK Parliament, disagreed.

ELON MUSK DEMANDS UK ACT ON GROOMING GANG SCANDAL AMID GROWING CALLS FOR PROBE: ‘NATIONAL INQUIRY NOW!’

"Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles," he tweeted.

Musk has been speaking out in support of Robinson, who is currently imprisoned. 

But Farage has noted that he does not want Robinson to join the Reform UK Party. 

MUSK RENEWS HARSH REBUKE OF DEMS WHO REJECTED DEPORTING SEX OFFENDERS: VOTE OUT ‘EVERY ONE’

Farage has said that Robinson is not in prison "for exposing grooming gangs," but for "contempt of court." 

"I know he’s in prison for contempt of court ffs, but there is NO justification for such a long prison sentence or for solitary confinement!" Musk wrote in a post on X.

Robinson's real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, reports indicate.

ELON MUSK SAYS TESLA WILL GET CYBERTRUCK ‘BACK ON THE ROAD' AFTER LAS VEGAS EXPLOSION

Musk, who strongly supported President-elect Donald Trump during America's 2024 presidential contest, has claimed that if Trump had not won the election, "civilization would be lost."

North Korea test fired a ballistic missile for the first time since President-elect Trump secured re-election on Monday.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un's regime last launched a missile test on Nov. 5 as Americans were headed to the polls. Monday's test is another sign that Kim apparently has no plans to develop a closer relationship with Trump than he had with President Biden.

The test comes more than a week after North Korea's ruling party held its annual meeting in Pyongyang. State media outlet KCNA said party leaders condemned ongoing partnerships between the U.S., Japan and South Korea, as a "nuclear military bloc."

"This reality clearly shows to which direction we should advance and what we should do and how," the Workers' Party of Korea said in a statement.

SOUTH KOREA IMPOSES A TRAVEL BAN ON PRESIDENT YOON OVER MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION

The meeting came as North Korea faces mounting tension with Western governments after sending troops to assist in Russia's invasion of Ukraine this fall.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES FOR DECLARING MARTIAL LAW AHEAD OF IMPEACHMENT VOTE

Kim's regime also condemned South Korea as an "anti-communist outpost" following this week's meetings, a reference to President Yoon Suk-Yeoul's attempt to impose martial law in December.

North Korea had remained silent for roughly a week after Yoon's attempt, which was foiled by the nation's legislature. Kim Jong Un's regime finally commented on the issue through its state-run news outlet on Dec. 11.

"The shocking incident of the puppet Yoon Suk Yeol regime, which was faced with a serious governance crisis and an impeachment crisis, suddenly declared a martial law decree and unhesitatingly wielded the guns and knives of its fascist dictatorship," KCNA said in a report.

"The international community is sternly watching, with assessments that the martial law incident exposed vulnerabilities in South Korean society ... and that Yoon Suk Yeol’s political life could face an early end," KCNA added.

South Korea's legislature impeached Yoon soon after his power grab, and a national court is deliberating over whether to uphold his removal.

The death toll in last month's attack at a German Christmas market now sits at six after a woman was unable to recover from her injuries.

The victim, who was only identified as a 52-year-old woman, died at a hospital on Monday from injuries she sustained during the Dec. 20 attack, according to The Associated Press.

She was one of hundreds injured when a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian doctor drove a vehicle through a crowded holiday market in Magdeburg. He was arrested immediately after the attack.

Five people were killed at the scene, and some of the injured were hospitalized in critical condition.

5 DEAD, MANY INJURED AFTER MAN DRIVES INTO GERMAN CHRISTMAS MARKET IN SUSPECTED TERROR ATTACK: REPORT

The other victims killed include a 9-year-old boy and four women aged 45, 52, 67 and 75.

Limited details have been released following the attack and the suspect has not been named, but it was previously reported that he arrived in Germany in 2006 and was a permanent resident of the country.

PRO-ISIS GROUP CALLED ON MUSLIMS TO CONDUCT NYE ATTACKS AHEAD OF NEW ORLEANS MASSACRE

While the attack was initially described as a suspected act of terrorism, The Associated Press reports that the suspect "doesn't fit the usual profile of perpetrators of extremist attacks."

He allegedly described himself as an ex-Muslim and criticized Islam while showing support on social media for the far right.

"The Magdeburg perpetrator had repeatedly attracted attention by threatening crimes. There were also warnings about him but, according to what is known so far, his political statements were so confused that none of the security authorities' patterns fitted him," German Justice Minister Volker Wissing said to the Funke newspaper group last month, via The AP.

In the days following the attack, mourners placed mounds of flowers, stuffed animals, candles and other trinkets near the site of the market in remembrance of the victims.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

As Israel nears the end of its military operations in Gaza, the question of what will happen after the war is becoming more urgent. With nearly 1.9 million people displaced within Gaza, the international community is watching closely as Israel prepares for the post-conflict phase. 

"There is no magical solution," a security official told Fox News Digital, "But one thing everyone agrees on: the future of Gaza will depend on the policy of the new Trump administration." 

"We are waiting to see what his temperament will be," said another security official, referring to Trump. "You cannot undermine the 'Trump effect,'" said former Israeli military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin, "He is going to enable things that were not possible before, to increase pressure on Hamas."

IRAN REGIME UNDER 'IMMENSE PRESSURE' AMID INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN POLICIES, REGIONAL LOSSES, ECONOMIC WOES

Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, recently outlined his vision for Gaza’s future. In a statement that has sparked intense debate, Katz said. "After we defeat Hamas’s military and political power in Gaza, Israel will maintain full security control, just as in the West Bank. We will not allow any terrorist regroupment or attacks against Israeli citizens from Gaza."

Katz’s comments indicate a future where Israel retains security control but with new governance structures in Gaza. A proposal circulating in the media suggested that Egypt and the Palestinian Authority are discussing the creation of a "technocratic" body to oversee Gaza’s infrastructure, humanitarian aid and reconstruction. The body would be composed of 12 to 15 Palestinian figures and would be independent of Hamas’s control, potentially signaling a shift in Gaza’s power dynamics.

Officials in Jerusalem have stressed that Israel will maintain security control without re-establishing former settlements in Gaza. "We will enter whenever we want and conduct military operations to combat terrorism," an Israeli security official told Fox News Digital. There is also a desire to involve Arab countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in Gaza's reconstruction.

However, senior IDF officials are warning that without a clear strategic plan for the post-conflict period, the achievements of the military campaign could be undone. A senior IDF official explained that without alternatives to Hamas, the cycle of conflict will continue. "Unless Israel puts in place a plan for the day after, and grows an alternative to Hamas, the terror group will rebuild itself and remain in power. It’s an endless cycle," he told Fox News Digital.

Some Israeli officials believe that the lack of a coherent strategy is tied to the uncertainty surrounding U.S. policy under the upcoming administration. "The day after is still very far off," one official said. "We were dealing with Lebanon until not long ago, we are dealing with Iran and the Houthis, everything that’s happening in Syria . . . rebuilding Gaza wasn’t a top priority. For sure, the war will not end until hostages are released and Hamas is completely dismantled. And we are all waiting to see how the new Trump administration will want to handle the situation."

IRAN TERROR PROXIES AMASS ON ISRAEL’S BORDERS IN 'RING OF FIRE’

Several plans for Gaza’s future have been proposed, with differing visions for how Israel should proceed.

Retired Major General Giora Eiland, former head of Israel's National Security Council, has advocated for a more militaristic approach. His "general plan" calls for the evacuation of northern Gaza’s population, followed by the encirclement and siege of Gaza’s northern region. By cutting off supplies like water, fuel and food, Eiland believes Hamas will be forced to submit, and the hostages could be freed.

In the long term, Eiland envisions an Israel that controls parts of Gaza but only militarily- with no Israeli citizens entering and no settlements on the ground. Eiland told Fox News Digital, "If we have control over the northern part of Gaza and Hamas is no longer in power, then we can start the process of rebuilding Gaza with international cooperation."

While the approach could weaken Hamas, critics warn it might exacerbate Gaza’s dire humanitarian crisis. One senior security official told Fox News Digital, "If we carry on like this, we risk an endless cycle of violence. It’s crucial to have a strategic endgame that involves dismantling Hamas but also considering international law."

Eiland argues that his strategy aligns with international law and could force Hamas into negotiations. "When I prepared this plan, I read the manual that is published by the American Department of Defense. Twelve hundred pages of explanation of what American doctrine is in regard to the implementation of international humanitarian law. And according to this manual, all that I propose so far is written explicitly in this manual," Eiland added, "Hamas cares only about two things: humiliation and losing land. If we can make them lose control over land, they will be under real pressure."

In contrast, Major General (res.) Amos Yadlin is supportive of a diplomatic solution. "We proposed a mechanism of Palestinian technocrats who have ties to the Palestinian Authority symbolically, but not practically. These technocrats would be mentored by Arab groups such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Morocco."

PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT ABBAS SAYS US IS THE 'ONLY POWER' CAPABLE OF ORDERING ISRAEL TO END THE WAR

Yadlin, who is the CEO of the Israeli think tank Mind Israel, envisions Gaza’s future being shaped by Arab states. He said they have the necessary influence to stabilize Gaza, after Israel dismantled Hamas military infrastructure. "No one will rebuild Gaza while Hamas remains in control," Yadlin told Fox News Digital. "Hamas can be a political party, based on acceptance of the Quartet conditions from 2017: acknowledging Israel and condemning terror," he said. 

One issue that Yadlin is more pragmatic about, and which is a red line for the current Israeli government, is the role of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Gaza. Israeli officials have made it clear that the PA will not be involved in the post-Hamas governance of Gaza. "No scenario includes the Palestinian Authority," one official said. "We see its inability in the West Bank and do not want to bring that capability to Gaza."

This exclusion of the PA raises questions about Gaza’s future governance and the potential for political stability. While Israel favors a technocratic approach, it remains uncertain whether such a model can function without the involvement of the Palestinian Authority.

While the debate over the PA continues, the UAE has emerged as a key player in Gaza’s future, a role that is acceptable to all sides. The UAE’s willingness to engage in humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts has drawn attention, particularly as the region looks for alternatives to Hamas. "The UAE is the most relevant player in Gaza’s future," one Israeli security official said. "They have the resources and the desire to contribute, but we are only talking about the civil aspects."

While Israel welcomes the involvement of Arab countries in Gaza’s reconstruction, security remains a primary concern. Israel is determined to prevent a return to the pre-October 7 status quo, ensuring that Hamas does not regain control.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is reportedly expected to resign from his position as early as Monday, according to Canadian media.

The news was first reported by the Globe and Mail on Sunday night, citing three sources. The outlet said that it is unclear when exactly the Liberal Party leader will step down, but a resignation is expected to come before a national caucus meeting on Wednesday.

The news comes as Trudeau's popularity continues to dwindle in Canada, which has a national election planned for Oct. 20 of this year. The country continues to suffer from a housing crisis, a declining per-capita GDP and high inflation, among other issues.

According to Canadian pollster Angus Reid, Trudeau has a disapproval rate of around 68% as of Dec. 24, with a meager 28% of Canadians supporting him.

TRUMP SUGGESTS CANADA BECOME 51ST STATE AFTER TRUDEAU SAID TARIFF WOULD KILL ECONOMY: SOURCES

The potential resignation would also come after Trudeau, who became prime minister in 2015, braved a difficult few months in politics. In September, he faced a no confidence vote in parliament that later failed, despite efforts from the Conservative Party to remove him from office.

On Dec. 16, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced that she was stepping down from Trudeau's cabinet, dealing a significant blow to the prime minister. In her resignation letter, she claimed that the only "honest and viable path" was to leave the Cabinet.

"For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada," Freeland, who was previously seen as a Trudeau loyalist, wrote.

"Our country is facing a grave challenge," the letter added. "That means keeping our fiscal powder dry today, so we have the reserves we may need for a coming tariff war."

Later in December, one of Trudeau's key allies, New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh, said that he planned to present a formal motion of no-confidence on Jan. 27.

CANADA'S TRUDEAU FACING REVOLT FROM WITHIN AS POPULAR CONSERVATIVE LEADER LOOKS TO CAPITALIZE

"No matter who is leading the Liberal Party, this government's time is up. We will put forward a clear motion of non-confidence in the next sitting of the House of Commons," Singh said.

Trudeau's personal choices have also invited backlash from his opponents. At the end of November, Trudeau faced international criticism after he was seen dancing at a Taylor Swift concert in Toronto while a destructive riot took place in his home city of Montreal.

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

"Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances," the Canadian politician wrote. "This is the Canada built by the Liberal government."

"Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved," Stewart added. Trudeau later denounced the lawlessness, calling the riot "appalling."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Trudeau's office for comment.

Fox News' Chris Massaro, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Sunday announced that he would meet with far-right politician Herbert Kickl as speculation grows that he will ask the Freedom Party leader to form a government.

Van der Bellen made the announcement after meeting with Chancellor Karl Nehammer and others at his presidential palace. Nehammer has announced his intention to resign after coalition talks between his conservative Austrian People's Party and the center-left Social Democrats collapsed over the budget.

Nehammer has ruled out working with Kickl, but others within his party are less adamant. Earlier Sunday, the People's Party nominated its general secretary, Christian Stocker, as interim leader, but the president said Nehammer would remain chancellor for now.

Van der Bellen said that he had spent several hours talking to key officials, after which he got the impression that "the voices within the People's Party who exclude working with the Freedom Party under its leader Herbert Kickl have become quieter."

GERMANY ACCUSES ELON MUSK OF TRYING TO INTERFERE IN ITS NATIONAL ELECTIONS

The president said that this development has "potentially opened a new path," which has prompted him to invite Kickl for a meeting on Monday morning.

Kickl's Freedom Party topped the polls in the autumn's national election with 29.2% of the vote, but Van der Bellen tasked Nehammer with putting together a new government because no other party was willing to work with Kickl.

That decision drew heavy criticism from the Freedom Party and its supporters, with Kickl saying in October that it was "not right and not logical" that he did not get a mandate to form a government.

"We are not responsible for the wasted time, the chaotic situation and the enormous breach of trust that has emerged," Kickl said Sunday afternoon on social media. "On the contrary: It is clear that the Freedom Party has been and continues to be the only stable factor in Austrian politics."

Stocker addressed reporters on Sunday afternoon and confirmed that he had been appointed "unanimously" by his party to serve as interim leader. "I am very honored and happy," he said.

He also welcomed the decision by the president to meet with Kickl and said that he now expects that the leader of the party that emerged as the clear winner from the last election would be tasked with forming a government.

"If we are invited to negotiations to form a government, we will accept this invitation," Stocker added.

In the past, Stocker has criticized Kickl, calling him a "security risk" for the country.

In its election program titled "Fortress Austria," the Freedom Party calls for "remigration of uninvited foreigners," for achieving a more "homogeneous" nation by tightly controlling borders and suspending the right to asylum via an emergency law.

The Freedom Party also calls for an end to sanctions against Russia, is highly critical of Western military aid to Ukraine and wants to bow out of the European Sky Shield Initiative, a missile defense project launched by Germany. The Freedom Party has also signed a friendship agreement in 2016 with Putin’s United Russia Party that it now claims has expired.

Kickl has criticized "elites" in Brussels and called for some powers to be brought back from the European Union to Austria.

Austria was thrown into political turmoil on Friday after the liberal party Neos pulled out of coalition talks with the the People's Party and the Social Democrats. On Saturday the two remaining parties, who have only a one-seat majority in Parliament, made another attempt to form a government — but that also ended in failure after a few hours, with negotiators saying they were unable to agree on how to repair the budget deficit.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has denied reports that Hamas has forwarded a list of hostages to be released in a potential cease-fire agreement Sunday.

Reuters reported earlier Sunday that Hamas had approved a list of 34 hostages it may be willing to release in exchange for a cease-fire agreement. Hamas officials said the deal was contingent on Israel reaching an agreement to withdraw from Gaza and enact a permanent cease-fire.

"Contrary to what was claimed, Hamas has not forwarded a list of names of hostages until this moment," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

The statement comes days after Netanyahu was released from hospital on Thursday after his prostate surgery.

NETANYAHU GOES AGAINST DOCTOR’S ORDERS, APPEARS IN ISRAELI PARLIAMENT AFTER SURGERY

His office said Netanyahu, 75, was in good condition and fully conscious after the conclusion of his prostate surgery.

The Israeli leader has undergone several health procedures over the past two years. In March, Netanyahu underwent hernia surgery under full anesthesia, and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin temporarily assumed his role during the process.

Months before the Oct. 7 attacks, Netanyahu suffered dehydration and was admitted to a hospital in July 2023.  The Israeli leader said that he became dehydrated after visiting the Sea of Galilee without water or sun protection during a heatwave.

A week after being admitted for dehydration, Netanyahu's doctors implanted a pacemaker to regulate his heart rate and rhythm.

Netanyahu's most recent operation came as the 75-year-old politician continues to testify in a corruption case against him in Israel. He took the stand earlier in December and is expected to continue testifying in the new year.

Netanyahu is also currently leading the IDF on multiple fronts across the Middle East, continuing to target Iranian terrorists and their proxies.

Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman who was the world’s oldest person, according to Guinness World Records, has died, an Ashiya city official said Saturday. She was 116.

Yoshitsugu Nagata, an official in charge of elderly policies, said Itooka died Dec. 29 at a care home in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, central Japan.

Itooka, who loved bananas and a yogurt-flavored Japanese drink called Calpis, was born May 23, 1908. She became the oldest person last year after the death of 117-year-old Maria Branyas, according to the Gerontology Research Group.

WORLD'S OLDEST MAN, DEAD AT 112, ATE THIS MEAL EVERY FRIDAY

When she was told she was at the top of the World Supercentenarian Rankings List, she simply replied, "Thank you."

When Itooka celebrated her birthday last year, she received flowers, a cake and a card from the mayor.

Born in Osaka, Itooka was a volleyball player in high school and long had a reputation for a sprightly spirit, Nagata said. She climbed the 3,067-meter (10,062-foot) Mount Ontake twice.

OLDEST PERSON IN THE US, ELIZABETH FRANCIS, DIES AT 115 YEARS OLD IN HOUSTON

She married at 20, and had two daughters and two sons, according to Guinness.

Itooka managed the office of her husband’s textile factory during World War II. She lived alone in Nara after her husband died in 1979.

She is survived by one son and one daughter and five grandchildren. A funeral service was held with family and friends, according to Nagata.

According to the Gerontology Research Group, the world's oldest person is now 116-year-old Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was born 16 days after Itooka.

JERUSALEM — Elite Israeli forces conducted a dramatic raid in Syria, destroying a secret underground long-range missile factory that also contained information about Syria's chemical weapons program in September, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The IDF first revealed the mission Thursday in a call with reporters.

"This is one of our most significant and complex special operations in recent years, even in this complex year and a half," IDF spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said.

The IDF provided spectacular footage of the Israeli commandos during the daring mission as well as the massive explosion of the subterranean complex after the troops had cleared it.

ISRAELI OFFICIAL REVEALS HOW 'TO TRULY DEFEAT HEZBOLLAH'

"The precision-guided missile factory or facility was dug into the side of a mountain underground," the IDF spokesperson said.

Information about Syria’s chemical weapons program was uncovered during the mission. 

"I have seen some of them — notebooks and documents — and a lot of them contain very specific chemicals,"  Shoshani said. "One of them that I saw was a chemical handbook that describes how to manufacture a missile at the end of the raid. The troops dismantled the facility, including the machines and the manufacturing, to ensure the safety of Israel."

Assad’s regime repeatedly used chemical weapons on his population during the nearly 14-year civil war that ripped apart the country. The U.S.-designated terrorist movement Hezbollah played a key role in aiding Assad’s regime during the civil war.

IDF FINDS HEZBOLLAH WEAPONS CACHE IN UNDERGROUND TUNNEL: VIDEO

The factory was designed to manufacture between 150-350 missiles a year, including precision-guided missiles (PGM), according to the IDF. Commandoes from the IDF’s elite air force unit Shaldag participated in the mission. The IDF said 30 Syrian soldiers were killed during the operation.

The IDF spokesperson told reporters the operation "was aimed at an Iranian-funded precision-guided missile factory inside Syrian territory near the border with Lebanon. This facility was designed to manufacture hundreds of strategic missiles per year from start to finish for Hezbollah to use in their aerial attacks on Israel and for its Iranian axis in Syria.

"Because of the specific terrain and this facility being underground, we could not operate from the air area. Also, on Sept. 8 last year, 2024, special forces conducted a nighttime targeted raid on the facility. This raid involved over 100 soldiers. There were also dozens of aircraft, including helicopters and other types of aircraft. The forces were flown in by helicopters."

"I salute our heroic fighters for the daring and successful operation deep in Syria," Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. "This was one of the most important preventive operations that we have taken against the efforts of the Iranian axis to arm itself in order to attack us; it attests to our boldness and determination to take action everywhere to defend ourselves."

After the devastating Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of Israel, which resulted in the murder of more than 1,200 people, including 40 Americans, Israel has faced multi-prong attacks from Iran’s regime — the main sponsor of Hamas, Hezbollah; the Houthis; and the toppled Bashar Assad regime in Syria.

Amit Segal, chief political analyst of Israel's Channel 12, told Fox News Digital, "The Israeli perspective for years was that Iran operates as an octopus in the Middle East, with the head being the nuclear program in Tehran and the arms being the conventional terrorist organizations surrounding Israel. Netanyahu’s view was that the arms were meant to harass and occupy Israel while the head raced toward nuclear capability, and therefore it was preferable to contain them and focus on the main threat.

"This perception shattered on Oct. 7 when it became clear that the arms were not just a nuisance but an existential threat."

The complex commando raid on the underground Syrian factory could also be a shot across the bow for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities embedded in mountains.

"After a year and a quarter dedicated to severing the octopus’s arms, Israel stands in 2025 at a historic crossroads for the confrontation Netanyahu has long sought and for which history will judge him: eliminating the nuclear threat once and for all," Segal noted.

The IDF spokesperson said construction on the Syrian missile factory "began at the end of 2017 and ended in 2021 when manufacturing machinery was sent from Iran to the site. Most of the components in the factory were sourced from Iran."

From October 2023 to November 2024, Hezbollah launched over 17,000 projectiles toward Israel, killing dozens of Israelis, the IDF spokesperson said.

A missing 7-year-old boy survived five days alone in an African game park, alongside elephants and lions, in what Zimbabwean politicians are calling "a true miracle."

Tinotenda Pudu spent nearly a week alone in Matusadonha game park after "wander[ing] away" and losing his sense of direction, Mutsa Murombedzi, a Member Parliment in Zimbabwe, wrote in a post on X.

Pudu was found by rangers from Matusadona Africa Parks after walking nearly 15 miles from home, according to officials.

SAN DIEGO ZOO TO WELCOME PAIR OF GIANT PANDAS FROM CHAIN UNDER CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP

"After [five] long, harrowing days in the jungle near Hogwe River, which feeds into Ume river, the boy has been found alive," Murombedzi announced. "Sleeping on a rocky perch, amidst roaring lions, passing elephants, eating wild fruits and just the unforgiving wild [is] too much for a [7]-year-old."

The park hosts lions, leopards, buffalo, zebras, elephants, hippos and antelope, according to African Parks' website.

OUTSIDE OF CHINA, PANDAS ARE ONLY FOUND IN THESE 5 ZOOS AROUND THE WORLD

The Nyaminyami community beat night drums each day in hopes the boy would hear the sound and find his way back home, according to Murombedzi.

"Above all, we thank God for watching over Tinotenda and leading him back home safely," she said. "This is a testament to the power of unity, hope, prayer and never giving up."

Officials confirmed the child's age to the BBC.

In a top meeting with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan roughly a month ago, President Biden was presented with a series of strike options should Iran make a move to develop a nuclear weapon, reported Axios on Friday. 

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions regarding the strike options, but according to the report, Biden has not signed off on any plans to hit Iran’s nuclear program. 

Biden has vowed not to let Iran develop a nuclear weapon on his watch, but it remains unclear what steps Iran would have to take in order for the Biden administration to respond with direct hits, given that Tehran has already been reported to have stockpiled near-weapons-grade uranium and to be bolstering its weaponization capabilities. 

IRAN EXPANDS WEAPONIZATION CAPABILITIES CRITICAL FOR EMPLOYING NUCLEAR BOMB

The president was reportedly presented with a series of scenarios and response options during the meeting, though sources told the outlet that Biden has not made any final decisions regarding the information he was given. 

Another source reportedly said that currently there are no active discussions on militarily hitting Iran’s program.

Biden repeatedly warned Israel against hitting Tehran’s nuclear program as tensions between the two nations reached a boiling point last year amid the conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah – both of which had the backing of Iran. 

But some aides close to the president have reportedly argued that the U.S. has the "imperative" and the "opportunity" to strike Tehran’s nuclear ambitions given its efforts to accelerate its program and its weakened position given the significantly degraded standing of Iran's proxy forces. 

Sources told Axios that Sullivan did not advise the president to take action either way but merely presented him with scenarios. 

IRAN LAUNCHES ROCKET WITH HEAVIEST-EVER PAYLOAD INTO SPACE AMID HEIGHTENED CONCERN OVER NUCLEAR PROGRAM

The report also noted that the National Security Adviser, along with other aides to the president, believed that the degraded nature of Iran’s air defenses and missile capabilities and weakened proxy forces could improve the likelihood of a successful strike and decrease the chance of Iranian retaliation. 

Biden reportedly focused on the issue of urgency and whether Iran had taken specific steps to justify a potentially conflict-inducing military strike just weeks before a new administration takes office – though it remains unclear what those steps would include. 

"You can look at the public statements of Iranian officials, which have changed in the last few months as they have been dealt these strategic blows, to raise the question: Do we have to change our doctrine at some point? The fact that that's coming out publicly is something that has to be looked at extremely carefully," Sullivan said during remarks in New York just one week before Christmas Day. 

He also pointed to the blows Iran has seen this year and argued that they could push Iran to develop a nuclear weapon rather than deter it. 

"It generates choices for that adversary that can be quite dangerous, and that's something we have to remain extremely vigilant about as we go forward," Sullivan said.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is throwing his weight behind growing calls for a new investigation into the scandal of child abuse by grooming gangs, going so far as to back calls for King Charles III to intervene.

"National inquiry now!" Musk stated on X on Friday, declaring the scandal "the worst mass crime against the people of Britain ever."

The U.K. has for years been dealing with the revelation that a number of grooming gangs, often consisting of men of South Asian or British Pakistani heritage, exploited children for decades across the north of England in cities and towns including Rochdale, Telford, Manchester and Rotherham.

BRITAIN HIT BY ANOTHER ASIAN GROOMING GANG SCANDAL AS REPORT EXPOSES CHILD SEX ABUSE IN MANCHESTER

A 2014 independent review of grooming in Rotherham found that the majority of perpetrators were of Pakistani heritage and said that it was "hard to describe the appalling nature of the abuse that child victims suffered."

"They were raped by multiple perpetrators, trafficked to other towns and cities in the north of England, abducted, beaten, and intimidated. There were examples of children who had been doused in petrol and threatened with being set alight, threatened with guns, made to witness brutally violent rapes and threatened they would be next if they told anyone," the report said. "Girls as young as 11 were raped by large numbers of male perpetrators."

That report found that around 1,400 children were abused between 1997 and 2013. It also stressed that abuse "is not confined to the past but continues to this day."

The report found that police gave no priority to the abuse cases and failed to act. It also found that at least one report "was effectively suppressed" and others were ignored by local authorities. It found that while some did not believe the information, others were spooked by political correctness.

"Several staff described their nervousness about identifying the ethnic origins of perpetrators for fear of being thought racist; others remembered clear direction from their managers not to do so," it said.

1,510 CHILDREN ABUSED IN ROTHERHAM SEX SCANDAL, NEW REPORT SAYS

A review in Telford found that a high proportion of the cases involved men described as "Asian" or "Pakistani" and that authorities in Telford were concerned that allegations "had the potential to start a ‘race riot.’" A broader Home Office report in 2020 said that while high-profile cases have "mainly involved men of Pakistani ethnicity," it also cited research showing that group-based child sex exploitation offenders are most commonly White.

The scandal was seen by many as a prioritizing of multiculturalism and political correctness over the welfare of British children and the prosecution of criminals.

The issue recently reignited when local politicians in the town of Oldham asked the Home Office in July for a government inquiry into child abuse. A 2022 report into Oldham's actions between 2011 and 2014 found that children were failed by local agencies, but it also found that there was no cover-up despite "legitimate concerns" that the far-right would capitalize on "the high-profile convictions of predominantly Pakistani offenders across the country."

The Manchester Evening News reported Home Office Minister Jess Phillips responded to the request in October, saying that any such inquiry should be organized locally. 

"Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation. Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge,’ a Home Office spokesperson told the outlet.

20 MEN FOUND GUILTY OF RAPING MORE THAN A DOZEN TEENAGE GIRLS IN NORTHERN ENGLAND

"We all recognize that terrible mistakes were made in the past, with children ignored or dismissed," they said.

That response was slammed by Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch, who called for a full national inquiry into what she called the "rape gangs scandal."

"The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal," she said on X. "Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots."

"2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice," she said.

Musk, who has been tapped by President-elect Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, also backed calls for King Charles III to intervene-noting that current Prime Minister Keir Starmer was head of the Crown Prosecution Service at the time of the scandals, although the scandals generally involved local authorities.

"Yes," Musk said in response to a post saying the King "must step in." 

He continued, "They oppose an inquiry, because it will show that those in power were complicit in the cover-up," he said of the government.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting responded to Musk's comments, telling ITV News that the government takes child abuse "incredibly seriously" and repeating that an inquiry in Oldham should be led locally.

"Some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made, I think are misjudged and certainly misinformed, but we’re willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue," he said. "So if he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, we’d welcome that."

Fox News Digital reached out to the British government's Home Office for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck a hopeful tone on Thursday during a televised interview and said he believes President-elect Donald Trump could be "decisive" in ending the war as Kyiv stares down the third anniversary of Russia's invasion. 

"Trump can be decisive. For us, this is the most important thing," Zelenskyy said according to a Reuters report. "His qualities are indeed there. 

"He can be decisive in this war. He is capable of stopping [Russian President Vladimir] Putin or, to put it more fairly, help us stop Putin," he added. "He is able to do this."

UKRAINE: HOW THE WAR SHIFTED IN 2024

Zelenskyy said Trump assured him that Kyiv would be among his first presidential visits following his inauguration later this month as Ukraine looks to stabilize the front lines. 

Stopping Russian advances early in the new year is a top priority for Zelenskyy, who also reportedly claimed that Putin feared negotiations as it would be seen by the Kremlin chief as tantamount to a Russian defeat.

Despite nearly three full years of war, Russia has been unable to achieve not only its initial war aims, but even Putin’s amended plans, which he announced last year when he said his main goal is now to take all the Donbas – a region in eastern Ukraine encompassing much of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

However, it is not only Putin who views potential peace negotiations with apparent trepidation. 

Zelenskyy has said he welcomes peace talks, but he has also made it clear that any negotiations on ending the war will only be accepted if Ukraine is granted certain security guarantees – like the possibility of joining NATO.

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER BLASTS UKRAINE PEACE DEAL REPORTEDLY FLOATED BY TRUMP'S TEAM: 'NOT HAPPY'

"Naturally, any security guarantees without the United States are weak security guarantees for Ukraine," he said, though he added that Washington must take into account Kyiv’s future security.

"It cannot be otherwise," he added. "We are Ukraine, and it's our independence, our land and our future."

Putin, on the other hand, has said he will not accept any cease-fire negotiations that do not include guarantees that bar Kyiv from joining the 32-member body, which under Article 5 of the alliance’s treaty says an attack on one member will trigger an attack from all NATO nations and would effectively ensure a united strike on Moscow should it once again target Ukraine. 

Zelenskyy, who has led the country since 2019, was also asked if he would consider re-running for the presidency. 

The Ukrainian president reiterated that the nation cannot hold elections while in a state of war under the nation’s existing constitution but said he may consider it once the conflict has ended. 

"I don't know how this war will end," he said. "If I can do more than I am able, then I will probably view such a decision [seeking re-election] more positively. For now, this is not an objective for me."

Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the Trump transition team for comment. 

The Islamic Republic of Iran executed over 1,000 prisoners in 86 prisons across the country in 2024, according to a report by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). The report says the death toll is "an unprecedented figure in the past three decades," and represents an increase of 16% from the 864 executions conducted in 2023.

Most of the regime’s executions took place in the latter half of the year. Almost 70% occurred after the July election of President Masoud Pezeshkian. About 47% took place in the fourth quarter of 2024, when the regime "faced severe defeats in the region and mounting economic and social crises," the NCRI said.

Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the NCRI, said that the series of executions represent a "desperate attempt to prevent the uprising of an angry populace who will settle for nothing less than the regime’s complete overthrow. These medieval crimes, however, double the resolve of Iran’s youth to topple the religious dictatorship."

IRAN SLAMMED FOR RECORD SURGE IN EXECUTIONS OF REGIME OPPONENTS: ‘TRUE FACE IS ON DISPLAY’

According to Rajavi, "any negotiations or dealings with [the regime] must be conditioned on ending executions and torture. Its leaders must be brought to justice for 45 years of crimes against humanity and genocide."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations for comment about the regime’s record level of executions. The Mission declined to comment.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that "the more the regime looks weak abroad, the more it is trying to double down to prevent a contagion effect on the home front. It is doing this by increasing the number of executions, including of political prisoners, non-violent offenders, and even hostages." Taleblu said that October saw "a record number of killings by the clerical regime."

IRAN REGIME UNDER ‘IMMENSE PRESSURE’ AMID INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN POLICIES, REGIONAL LOSSES, ECONOMIC WOES

The prisoners executed this year in Iran included 34 women and seven prisoners whose crimes were committed when they were juveniles. They also included 70 Afghan nationals, Amu TV reported. This represented an increase of about 300% over the prior year.

The NCRI reports that 119 of the executed prisoners were from the Baluchi minority. An August 2024 report from the United Nations-mandated Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran said that the Baluchis make up 2% of the Iranian population. The fact-finding mission also found that ethnic and religious minorities have been "disproportionately impacted by the Government’s response to the protests that began in September 2022," after Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman arrested for not wearing a headscarf, died in Iranian custody.

Also among those executed by the Iranian regime in 2024 was 69-year-old journalist Jamshid Sharmahd, a German citizen and 20-year resident of the United States who was kidnapped in Dubai in 2020. Sharmahd was executed in October after being charged with "corruption on earth" in what was called a "grossly unfair" trial. 

In an open letter shared by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, 25-year-old political prisoner Saeed Masouri wrote that "we witness an execution every four hours on average." During Christmas, Masouri said that "nearly 25 innocent people were executed, equating to almost one execution every 2.5 hours." 

"I no longer know how much more I must see and endure," Masouri writes, explaining that from the moment of his sentencing, he "consider[ed] every meeting to be [his] last and every ‘opening and closing’ sound of the door as a death knell." 

The NCRI reported that on the first day of 2025, 12 prisoners were executed by hanging at four Iranian prisons.

The threat posed by the Islamic State has once again hit the headlines following the New Year's Day attack on a crowded street in New Orleans on Wednesday by a man who may have ties to the terrorist network.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S.-born citizen who lived in Texas and an Army Veteran, drove a pickup truck with an ISIS flag into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens of others.

However, the FBI has not confirmed his direct "affiliation" or "association" with the infamous terrorist network which has been expanding across the globe in recent years, particularly in regions like the Sahel in Africa, despite the 2019 assertion that the terrorist network had been "defeated."

WHO IS SHAMSUD-DIN JABBAR? WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE NEW ORLEANS NEW YEARS' TERRORIST SUSPECT

"Claims of the Islamic State defeat, just like claims of the defeat of al Qaeda, are premature," Bill Roggio, senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital. "These groups may have setbacks, but they're persistent. 

"The Islamic State poses a threat from Afghanistan. It has a significant network in Africa, particularly in the Sahel and in East Africa, in Somalia. And its network in Iraq and Syria persists," he added. 

While the FBI has not confirmed that the New Orleans attacker was directly involved in ISIS, reports have suggested he was apparently sympathetic to the terrorist network and "pledged allegiance to ISIS" in a series of videos posted to his Facebook page, according to The New York Times. 

The FBI has not yet released a motive for the attack, and Roggio explained that this incident is unlikely to indicate there is a "resurgence" of ISIS, though the security expert did highlight that increasingly the terrorist network is finding itself up against less resistance in areas where it was previously opposed. 

The 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan and the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria last month to the al Qaeda-derived organization dubbed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham left security vacuums in the Middle East and South Asia – similar to what contributed to the rise of ISIS following the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. Security experts have warned ISIS and other terrorist networks could use these power gaps. 

GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR RAGES AS ISIS, AL QAEDA EXPAND 23 YEARS AFTER 9/11

ISIS-K – the regional affiliate of the terrorist group that originated in Iraq and Syria – garnered international attention in August 2021 when it attacked Afghans fleeing the Taliban takeover amid the U.S. withdrawal and used a suicide bombing to kill 13 American service members and some 170 Afghan civilians.

The Taliban takeover prompted concern that Afghanistan would become a safe haven for terrorists like Taliban allies al Qaeda, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other jihadi groups, though there was also concern that the new governing body in Afghanistan would be unable to oppose ISIS-K.

ISIS-K has largely been unable to significantly thrive in Afghanistan following the fall of the democratic government and the withdrawal of U.S. forces, but it is also no longer as fervently opposed. 

"The Taliban and the Islamic State are enemies. The Taliban goes after the Islamic State even while we're not there – that doesn't make them a counter-terrorism partner, but now they don't have the dual threat against them – the U.S. targeting the Islamic State and the Taliban targeting the Islamic State – they have greater freedom of movement," Roggio said.  

TRUMP COULD FACE RENEWED ISIS THREAT IN SYRIA AS TURKEY GOES AFTER US ALLY

The security expert said that when it comes to Afghanistan and the threats posed against the U.S. and its Western allies, the Taliban and al Qaeda remain a greater threat than ISIS, though he emphasized that ISIS does increasingly have "more space to operate."

"The Assad regime was an enemy of the Islamic State," Roggio said. "One of the Islamic State's enemies has been taken off the board, and therefore it will give ISIS more space to regenerate strength in an area where it already has a significant presence."

However, there is a third area where ISIS has strong roots and where it could see a resurgence should the U.S. again pull troops from the area. 

The Biden administration in September announced that, in coordination with the Iraqi government, the U.S. will end its military mission in Iraq to combat the Islamic State by 2026. The move was met with immediate concern from security experts who argued that ISIS remains a top threat to the U.S., and it could further endanger American soldiers still fighting the terrorist network in Syria. 

Specifics on the troop drawdown remain unclear, and plans to renegotiate a change to the withdrawal plans following the collapse of the Assad regime and the ambiguous state of Syria have not emerged. 

It remains further unlikely that the incoming Trump administration will push to keep U.S. soldiers in Iraq despite the threat posed by ISIS given the president-elect’s push to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan during his first term. 

"The U.S. has to decide if it wants to remain in Iraq and Syria in order to counter the Islamic State and other target groups," Roggio said. "And if it decides to stay, it needs to beef up [its] presence in order to deter threats from militia groups that have been attacking U.S. troops.

"The U.S. effort to keep the Islamic State down is critical. Without the U.S. presence there, groups like the Islamic State, will thrive given the lawlessness," the security expert added. "As bad as the Assad regime was, and it was a horrible regime, it did fight the Islamic State – so without their presence, you have another terrorist organization that is in nominal control of large areas of Syria.

"As we learned in Afghanistan, you can't trust terrorists to fight other terrorists," Roggio added. 

Fox News Digital could not reach the Trump transition team for comment on his plans regarding U.S. troops in the Middle East.

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday fended off an arrest attempt Friday after a hourslong standoff between investigators with the country’s anti-corruption agency and presidential security. 

Investigators left the president's official residence after the presidential security service blocked them from entering for nearly six hours due to concerns about their safety. 

The agency expressed "serious regret about the attitude of the suspect, who did not respond to a process by law."

Yoon, who was impeached last month over his short-lived martial law declaration, has defied investigators' attempts to question him for weeks. He has not left the residence since Dec. 12, when he went to the nearby presidential office to make a televised statement to the nation, vowing to fight efforts to oust him.

ARREST WARRANT ISSUED FOR IMPEACHED SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT AS POLITICAL CRISIS DEEPENS

Apparently frustrated that his policies were blocked by an opposition-dominated parliament, Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3 and dispatched troops to surround the National Assembly. 

Parliament overturned the declaration within hours in a unanimous vote and impeached Yoon on Dec. 14, accusing him of rebellion. Anti-corruption authorities and public prosecutors, meanwhile, have opened separate investigations. 

A Seoul court issued a warrant for Yoon's detention on Tuesday, but enforcing it is complicated as long as he remains in his official residence.

COURT ISSUES ARREST WARRANT FOR SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENT YOON

Yoon's lawyers, who filed a challenge to the warrant on Thursday, say it cannot be enforced at his residence due to a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge.

The office said it will discuss further actions, but did not immediately say whether it would make another attempt to detain Yoon. The warrant for his detention is valid for one week.

If investigators manage to detain Yoon, they will likely ask a court for permission to make a formal arrest. Otherwise, he will be released after 48 hours.

Thousands of police officers gathered at Yoon's residence on Friday, forming a perimeter around a growing group of pro-Yoon protesters who braved subfreezing temperatures for hours, waving South Korean and American flags while chanting slogans in his support. 

There were no immediate reports of major clashes outside the residence.

Nearly five hours after dozens of investigators and police officers were seen entering the gate of the residence in Seoul to execute a warrant for Yoon's detention, the dramatic scene appeared to have developed into a standoff. Two of Yoon's lawyers, Yoon Kap-keun and Kim Hong-il, were seen entering the gate of the presidential residence around noon.

It wasn’t clear whether investigators successfully entered Yoon's residential building, but South Korea's YTN television reported scuffles as investigators and police confronted the presidential security forces.

Yoon's presidential powers have been suspended since the National Assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14. Yoon's fate now lies with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Yoon from office or reinstate him. At least six justices on the nine-member Constitutional Court must vote in favor of removing him from office.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was released from hospital on Thursday after his prostate surgery ended "successfully," his office reported on X.

NETANYAHU GOES AGAINST DOCTOR’S ORDERS, APPEARS IN ISRAELI PARLIAMENT AFTER SURGERY

"I have just left Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital," he said on X. The hospital is in Jerusalem.

His office said Netanyahu, 75, was in good condition and fully conscious after the conclusion of his prostate surgery.