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Somalia, situated on the Horn of Africa, continues to be one of the most dangerous terrorist havens in the world as the Islamic State and al Qaeda terrorist affiliates continue to kill and extort the nation's population. In the latest figures, Human Rights Watch says hundreds were killed in 2024, either by jihadists or in conflict between the country’s clans and tribes.

Somalis face armed roadblocks in many areas, where terrorists or government troops extort money, and lawlessness and corruption occur on a daily basis.

President Donald Trump lashed out against Somalia again on Wednesday, saying, "It’s just a people walking around killing each other." He added, "So Somalia is considered by many to be the worst country on Earth? I don’t know, … I haven’t been there. I won’t be there anytime soon. I hope."

US DRAMATICALLY ESCALATES SOMALIA AIRSTRIKES AS TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS ISIS, AL QAEDA TERRORISTS

The Trump administration, through U.S. Africa Command, has increased the number of airstrikes carried out against terrorists in Somalia more than tenfold so far this year, compared to missions carried out under President Biden in 2024. On Nov. 25, ISIS-Somalia terrorists were attacked in the Puntland region by U.S. and Somali forces reportedly using drones and ten MH-60 helicopters. On Nov. 28, U.S. forces struck al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab terrorists in the south of the country near Kismayo.

Somalia’s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs states that more than 99% of the population is Sunni Muslim.

"Al-Shabab continues to hold significant territory in southern and central Somalia," Bill Roggio told Fox News Digital. Roggio, is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and editor of FDD’s Long War Journal. He added, "While the exact amount has not been disclosed, in 2019 the AFRICOM commander reported that Shabab controlled about 25% of Somalia. Security has worsened since then, and Shabab undoubtedly controls more ground than it did in 2019. In areas Shabab controls, it subjects civilians to taxes and its harsh version of Sharia, or Islamic law, and it recruits, indoctrinates and trains young men to wage jihad."

But on the ground, Fox News Digital found life to be complicated. "In Somalia, it all depends on where you are," Mogadishu resident Samatar Talliye told Fox News Digital. He added, "The country is big, and the experiences are very different. Mogadishu is relatively safe, and it is a big city with millions of people. Business is booming, the housing market is insane, and new projects are started every day."

MINNESOTA TAXPAYER DOLLARS FUNNELED TO AL-SHABAAB TERROR GROUP, REPORT ALLEGES

Abdisamad Artan Ahmed, who also lives in Mogadishu, recently told Reuters, "We have seen and heard what the U.S. has said about Somalia on social media, but the truth is that Somalia is currently one of the safest countries in East Africa. Whether in Mogadishu or other regions, Somalia is secure and stable. This is the best and safest time for the country."

But Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported there are still occasional terror attacks in the capital city. In August last year, HRW stated al-Shabab "attacked a beach restaurant, killing 37 civilians and injuring over 200."

There are "tangible signs of improvement in aspects of daily life in Somalia particularly in Mogadishu," Anna Mahjar-Barducci, project director at the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) told Fox News Digita. "However, progress is uneven: rural and southern regions face ongoing al-Shabab threats."

COMER TARGETS WALZ IN NEW HOUSE INVESTIGATION, CITING NEARLY $1B IN ALLEGED MINNESOTA FRAUD

"Violence and danger is mostly in places where the government has not reached," Talliye said, adding there are "pockets in Jubaland, South West State, Hirshabbele and Galmadug. The state governments are weak and mostly only control a couple of the big towns, unlike Puntland and Somaliland that control the majority of their state."

Mahjar-Barducci emphasized, "Overall safety remains precarious, with persistent al-Shabab attacks, displacement, and weak policing. These insights paint a picture of cautious normalcy in urban hubs contrasted with checkpoint-heavy, militant-influenced routines elsewhere."

"Corruption is widespread in many government offices, and obtaining services often requires paying extra fees," Mahjar-Barducci continued. "Bribery is common across various public services. In Somalia, authority is often concentrated in the hands of the governor, mayor or district officers, and, at times, anyone who is armed."

Al-Shabab’s fundraising tentacles are a cancer growing in every area of Somali society. The European Union’s Agency for Asylum recently stated, "the U.N. Panel of experts on Somalia, in its latest report from 2024, indicates that al-Shabab’s overall financial income for 2023 exceeded $150 million."

The report continues, "Among others, al-Shabab relies on the following sources of revenue: checkpoints, forced charitable or alms contributions, direct extortion of business, taxation of imports into ports, kidnappings for ransom, taxation of farm produce, livestock selling, water and irrigation resources, vehicles registration fees, operating licences fee, as well as property and business ventures in Somalia. Everything and anything is potentially a source of income."

In Somalia, you don’t have to intentionally fund al-Shabab, it just happens. "Nobody has to 'mean' to fund al-Shabab," former State Department counterterrorism analyst Tricia Bacon told Minnesota’s Kare 11 News on Nov. 26. "But that’s sort of the cost of doing business in Somalia because the government has been so ineffective at protecting people from al-Shabab’s extortion that, you know, you don’t really have a choice of whether or not to pay."

Talliye admitted, "Government corruption is visible and painful, but people are used to complete chaos." Chaos that arguably started when civil war broke out in 1991. Fox News correspondent Eric Shawn was on assignment in Mogadishu the following year.

"The country was ruled by warlords," he told Fox News Digital. "There was mass starvation and no government; it was ruled at the end of an AK-47."

"There was gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades being launched every night. The country had devolved into anarchy and total uncertainty. There was no electricity and basic human conditions were barbaric. The result was a horrific spectacle of a human catastrophe that was man-made and totally unnecessary and so unfortunate for the innocent civilians who had to endure a hardship that was beyond comprehension."

For many Somalis, more than 30 years on, freedom is still only a dream. It means, Mahjar-Barducci said, "living without fear — being able to move freely, work safely, and care for their families. It includes safety from checkpoints and clan tensions, speaking openly, running a business without intimidation, and sending children to school without worry. Western audiences often misunderstand Somalia as being entirely lawless or a failed state, overlooking the resilience of its people, strong community networks, and gradual improvements in security, governance, and business opportunities."

Talliye reflected, "People are scared of al-Shabab, and the hope is the long and painful journey towards one man, one vote. People only believe things will change when politicians are held responsible by the people."

 

Israeli authorities confirmed that the hostage remains returned on Wednesday were those of Sudthisak Rinthalak, making Israeli police officer Ran Gvili the last hostage in Gaza.

Rinthalak, a Thai national, was working in Israel to support his family in Thailand when he was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Rinthalak's body was taken from the orchards at Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the communities hit hardest in the massacre. His remains were then taken into Gaza and held hostage by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the second-largest terror organization in the enclave.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the return of Rinthalak's remains to Thailand for a proper burial would be done in coordination with the Thai Embassy in Israel.

"The government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Rinthalak family, the Thai people and all of fallen hostages' families," the statement read. "The Rinthalak family and Thai Ambassador to Israel Boonyarit Vichienpuntu asked to convey their deep gratitude and appreciation to the State of Israel for the efforts to return Sudthisak and for the continuous support provided to the family since the outbreak of the war."

HAMAS HANDS OVER REMAINS OF HOSTAGE WHOSE BODY WAS RECOVERED NEARLY 2 YEARS AGO

The office added that it and Israel's Directorate for the Hostages and the Missing "are determined, committed, and working tirelessly to return National Counter-Terrorism Unit fighter and hero Master Sgt. Ran Gvili for a proper Jewish burial."

Rinthalak was raised in Rattanawapi in Nong Khai province, and his family said that his favorite food was an omelet with tomatoes, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. Rinthalak is survived by his brother and his parents.

ISRAELI MOTHER APPEALS TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND MEDIATORS TO BRING HOME FINAL TWO GAZA HOSTAGES

Prior to his remains being returned to Israel, Rinthalak's family told Israeli news outlet Ynet that he said he would be coming home for good once he saved a bit more money.

"About 10 days before October 7 was the last time we spoke," Rinthalak's mother, On, told Ynet. "We asked him to come home to Thailand for a visit. We hadn’t seen him in many years, ever since he went to Israel for work. He told us he wanted to save a bit more money and then come home for good. Then October 7 happened and he was murdered. I want my son home as soon as possible. I wait for him every day."

Gvili, who is the last hostage in Gaza, was killed in the Oct. 7 attacks and his body was taken into the Gaza Strip, where it has been held since the 2023 massacre.

"When this nightmare began, there were 255 hostages. Their families became one big family. We held each other through every unbearable moment. Every time someone returned, there was a feeling that part of us came back. And now we're down to the last two in the darkness of Gaza. I'm terrified that after bringing so many home, my Ran will be left behind. There's this crushing feeling I can't shake: when is our turn?" Gvili's mother, Talik, wrote in a Fox News op-ed.

Russia once again extended the prison sentence of U.S. citizen Robert Gilman Wednesday after a regional court found him guilty of a new assault on prison staff. 

The ruling adds two more years to the former Marine's existing term, now bringing his total sentence to 10 years, Reuters reported.

The latest extension came in the Voronezh region, where Gilman continues to serve time. 

Prosecutors accused him of attacking two prison guards, and the court ruled that the incident constituted a new offense which warranted additional punishment.

US PILOT AND INFLUENCER RELEASED FROM CHILEAN ANTARCTIC DETENTION 2 MONTHS AFTER ALLEGED UNAUTHORIZED LANDING 

The move follows a pattern of steadily increasing charges for Gilman since his initial arrest in 2022, highlighting how his prison time has lengthened over consecutive years.

Gilman, from Dracut, Massachusetts, was first arrested in January 2022 after passengers on a train reported he was drunk and causing a disturbance.

NATIONAL GUARDSMAN ACCUSED OF SEEKING TO SEND PHOTOS OF SENSITIVE MILITARY TECHNOLOGY TO RUSSIA 

Transport police took him off the train in Voronezh, where he was detained for petty hooliganism. 

At the time, Russian media reported that Gilman, who had been traveling between Sochi and Moscow to replace a damaged passport, was heavily intoxicated.

He later claimed in court that he believed his drink had been spiked.

Gilman was convicted in 2022 of assaulting a police officer, initially receiving a sentence of three and a half years. 

At the time, prosecutors recommended four and a half years, of a possible five.

US AND QATAR SECURE RELEASE OF AMERICAN CITIZEN AMIR AMIRY FROM AFGHANISTAN DETENTION

Fox News Digital also reported that Gilman bruised a Russian police officer with a kick while being dragged off of the train.

Gilman’s troubles in custody then increased in 2024 when he was found guilty of attacking a prison inspector during a cell check, assaulting an investigator and beating another guard.

Those convictions brought a sentence of eight years and one month, with Wednesday’s decision pushing the total to a decade.

UKRAINE ARRESTS BRITISH SUSPECT WHO ALLEGEDLY AIDED RUSSIA’S FSB IN ASSASSINATION PLAN

Local media, including the business newspaper Kommersant, reported that Gilman admitted to some of the assaults, per Reuters.

He said he began breaking prison rules after he was threatened with transfer from his current detention facility, which he described as humane and where he could receive packages from relatives, to a maximum-security penal colony. 

On Wednesday, Gilman apologized in court and explained he preferred to remain in the Voronezh facility.

According to Reuters, Gilman’s lawyer, Irina Brazhnikova, told the state-run TASS news agency that he would not appeal the newest verdict.

Gilman is among at least nine Americans still imprisoned in Russia following multiple high-profile prisoner exchanges in 2024 and 2025. 

FORMER SECURITY GUARD AT US EMBASSY OVERSEAS IS CONVICTED OF SPYING FOR RUSSIA AND IRAN

Several, like Gilman, have U.S. military backgrounds, including Michael Travis Leake and Gordon Black.

Supporters of Gilman in the United States argue he was ill when first detained and was provoked into actions that produced additional charges.

Bulgaria’s government withdrew an unpopular 2026 draft budget after tens of thousands of angry people took to the streets in the capital, Sofia, and other cities across the country.

The protests have been led mostly by young Bulgarians who claim the government is concealing widespread corruption. Business groups and members of the opposition also say the draft budget would harm Bulgaria’s economy just before it's set to join the Eurozone in early 2026.

"Gen Z took to the streets because they want to stay in Bulgaria, but they want a renewed, different, corruption-free Bulgaria," Daniel Lorer, member of Bulgaria’s parliament, told Fox News Digital.

BULGARIA'S SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE'S NATO MEMBERSHIP GROWS STRONGER DURING ZELENSKYY'S VISIT

"They want reforms. The government refused to listen. The budget it proposed simply extended all its previous policies, funded through higher taxes, social security contributions and more debt," Lorer added.

As the protests continued, Bulgaria’s government, led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, eventually backed down, vowing to drop the most divisive elements of the budget, including tax and social security increases.

The prime minister said a new budget will be proposed at a later date.

"The government saw what the citizens who protesters had to say…I support these people who protest for more rights, more democracy, more justice. We believe that the protest is not so much political, but more of a social, human side, in search of more dialogue, more tolerance, and more harmony in social relations," Prime Minister Zhelyazkov said at a press conference.

"This is a visible protest of young people, young people who are looking for their place in the future of Bulgaria, which we are obliged to hear, and we are obliged to do what is necessary to be secured with the funds that the country has," Zhelyazkov added.

The protests were mostly peaceful. However, some masked protesters clashed with police after attacking offices of the ruling party in Sofia.

BULGARIA IMPOSES EU ENTRY BAN ON 2 SUSPECTED RUSSIAN SPIES

Political stability in an EU country, one with a longstanding history with neighboring Russia, is ripe for Moscow’s usual tricks of intervening in the domestic affairs of its former communist bloc allies.

"Russia is always glad to stir unrest. Anything that upsets the democratic process in any EU country is welcome, and even more so in Eastern Europe, their former sphere of influence," Lorer said.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who holds a largely ceremonial position, sided with the opposition and opposed the budget, calling for the resignation of the government and early elections.

The move could risk political gridlock and weaken Bulgaria’s alliance with NATO allies and the EU, Ruslan Stefanov, director for the Center for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, told Fox News Digital.

"Radev, who echoes Kremlin talking points and opposes the Euro, could still sabotage the process despite it being legally irreversible. This is a volatile mix that threatens stability and could invite more unwelcome Russian meddling," Stefanov said.

Bulgaria, along with Romania, is set to join the Eurozone in January 2026. While joining the Eurozone is seen as a major step in Bulgaria’s political and economic development, the adoption of the currency is unpopular in large segments of society, as fears of inflation and the cost of living hamper the livelihoods of everyday Bulgarians.

FARMERS FLOOD BULGARIA'S CAPITAL PROTESTING EU REGULATIONS, HIGH ENERGY COSTS

Bulgaria, one of the poorest nations in the European Union, joined the EU in 2007 and formally began the process of joining the Eurozone in 2018. The Lev, Bulgaria’s currency, was included in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in July 2020.

Since announcing that the country will join the monetary union, skepticism has abounded, and many Bulgarians are not convinced that their economic prospects will improve once they are part of the union.

Many experts and observers have concluded that Russia has been behind a persistent social media campaign to stoke opposition and sow doubt and confusion as Bulgaria’s accession date draws near.

Bulgaria’s government withdrew an unpopular 2026 draft budget after tens of thousands of angry people took to the streets in the capital, Sofia, and other cities across the country.

The protests have been led mostly by young Bulgarians who claim the government is concealing widespread corruption. Business groups and members of the opposition also say the draft budget would harm Bulgaria’s economy just before it's set to join the Eurozone in early 2026.

"Gen Z took to the streets because they want to stay in Bulgaria, but they want a renewed, different, corruption-free Bulgaria," Daniel Lorer, member of Bulgaria’s parliament, told Fox News Digital.

BULGARIA'S SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE'S NATO MEMBERSHIP GROWS STRONGER DURING ZELENSKYY'S VISIT

"They want reforms. The government refused to listen. The budget it proposed simply extended all its previous policies, funded through higher taxes, social security contributions and more debt," Lorer added.

As the protests continued, Bulgaria’s government, led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, eventually backed down, vowing to drop the most divisive elements of the budget, including tax and social security increases.

The prime minister said a new budget will be proposed at a later date.

"The government saw what the citizens… protesters had to say… I support these people who protest for more rights, more democracy, more justice. We believe that the protest is not so much political, but more of a social, human side, in search of more dialogue, more tolerance and more harmony in social relations," Prime Minister Zhelyazkov said at a press conference.

BULGARIA IMPOSES EU ENTRY BAN ON 2 SUSPECTED RUSSIAN SPIES

"This is a visible protest of young people, young people who are looking for their place in the future of Bulgaria, which we are obliged to hear, and we are obliged to do what is necessary to be secured with the funds that the country has," Zhelyazkov added.

The protests were mostly peaceful. However, some masked protesters clashed with police after attacking offices of the ruling party in Sofia.

Political stability in an EU country, one with a longstanding history with Russia, is ripe for Moscow’s usual tricks of intervening in the domestic affairs of its former communist bloc allies.

"Russia is always glad to stir unrest. Anything that upsets the democratic process in any EU country is welcome, and even more so in Eastern Europe, their former sphere of influence," Lorer said.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who holds a largely ceremonial position, sided with the opposition and opposed the budget, calling for the resignation of the government and early elections.

The move could risk political gridlock and weaken Bulgaria’s alliance with NATO allies and the EU, Ruslan Stefanov, director for the Center for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, told Fox News Digital.

"Radev, who echoes Kremlin talking points and opposes the Euro, could still sabotage the process despite it being legally irreversible. This is a volatile mix that threatens stability and could invite more unwelcome Russian meddling," Stefanov said.

Bulgaria, along with Romania, is set to join the Eurozone in January 2026. While joining the Eurozone is seen as a major step in Bulgaria’s political and economic development, the adoption of the currency is unpopular in large segments of society, as fears of inflation and the cost of living hamper the livelihoods of everyday Bulgarians.

FARMERS FLOOD BULGARIA'S CAPITAL PROTESTING EU REGULATIONS, HIGH ENERGY COSTS

Bulgaria, which is the poorest nation in the European Union, joined the EU in 2007 and formally began the process of joining the Eurozone in 2018. The Lev, Bulgaria’s currency, was included in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in July 2020.

Since announcing that the country will join the monetary union, skepticism has abounded, and many Bulgarians are not convinced that their economic prospects will improve once they are part of the union.

Many experts and observers have concluded that Russia has been behind a persistent social media campaign to stoke opposition and sow doubt and confusion as Bulgaria’s accession date draws near.

Israel received a coffin Wednesday that is believed to contain the remains of one of the last two deceased hostages in Gaza.

"The coffin of the deceased hostage, escorted by IDF troops, crossed the border into the State of Israel a short while ago and is on its way to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine, where identification procedures will be carried out," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on X.

The coffin that was transferred from the Red Cross to Israel may contain the remains of either Ran Gvili or Sudthisak Rinthalak.

ISRAELI MOTHER APPEALS TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND MEDIATORS TO BRING HOME FINAL TWO GAZA HOSTAGES

On Oct. 7, 2023, Gvili was supposed to be resting while awaiting surgery for a broken shoulder. However, as the emergency unfolded, Gvili, who was a police officer in a counter-terror unit, chose to fight to save others in need. He fought alongside fellow officers and was eventually killed near Kibbutz Alumim. His body was taken into Gaza, where it has been held for nearly 790 days.

"When this nightmare began, there were 255 hostages. Their families became one big family. We held each other through every unbearable moment. Every time someone returned, there was a feeling that part of us came back. And now we're down to the last two in the darkness of Gaza. I'm terrified that after bringing so many home, my Ran will be left behind. There's this crushing feeling I can't shake: when is our turn?" Gvili's mother, Talik, wrote in a Fox News op-ed.

Rinthalak, a 43-year-old Thai national, was working in agriculture in Israel to support his family in Thailand when he was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and his body was taken into Gaza. His family told Israeli news outlet Ynet that he said he would be coming home for good once he saved a bit more money.

"About 10 days before October 7 was the last time we spoke," Rinthalak's mother, On, told Ynet. "We asked him to come home to Thailand for a visit. We hadn’t seen him in many years, ever since he went to Israel for work. He told us he wanted to save a bit more money and then come home for good. Then October 7 happened and he was murdered. I want my son home as soon as possible. I wait for him every day."

On Tuesday, Israel received remains that were tested and confirmed to not belong to either Gvili or Rinthalak, The Times of Israel reported. The outlet noted that a senior Red Cross official said the findings it handed over to the IDF included "small remains, pieces" of a body.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has detained British national Ross David Cutmore for allegedly obtaining firearms and ammunition from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to carry out assassinations in Ukraine, according to​​ reports. Cutmore could face up to 12 years in prison and confiscation of property, according to the SBU. 

While some reports have claimed Cutmore was a British Army veteran, his military service remains unclear, as does whether the uniform he is pictured wearing is from the British military.

When asked about his military service record, the U.K. Ministry of Defense referred Fox News Digital to the U.K.'s Foreign Office. 

ZELENSKYY WARNS UKRAINE FACES ‘DIFFICULT CHOICE’ AS US PEACE PLAN HITS MAJOR HURDLE

A spokesperson for the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told Fox News Digital, "We are providing consular assistance to a British man who is detained in Ukraine. We remain in close contact with the Ukrainian authorities."

The spokesperson added that the FCDO cannot get a British national "out of prison, prevent the local authorities from deporting you after your prison sentence, or interfere in criminal or civil court proceedings. We must follow other countries’ systems," according to its consular assistance page.

On Oct. 29, without disclosing his name, the SBU announced the detention of a "former military instructor" who was working for the FSB in Kyiv. 

Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, foreigners have traveled to Ukraine to assist in the war effort, after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a public plea for veterans to come to Kyiv at the start of the conflict, according to the Financial Times.

The SBU said he arrived in Kyiv in early 2024 to serve as a military instructor tasked with training Ukrainian Army personnel. A few months later, Cutmore stopped working as an instructor and allegedly offered to collaborate with Russian special services as he sought "easy money," the SBU claimed. 

Investigators believe he was approached by FSB officers after he posted notices on pro-Russian social media groups, and was then allegedly recruited in Odesa in Sept. 2024 and paid $6,000 to provide Russia with sensitive information, according to reports.

An FSB handler tasked him with gathering information regarding other foreign military instructors and the coordinates of training centers in southern Ukraine.

ARMY SECRETARY LANDS IN KYIV WITH TRUMP'S NEXT MOVE IN RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR 

The SBU also said that he was sent instructions for making a homemade explosive device, in addition to the coordinates of the cache where he took a pistol with two loaded magazines, but the SBU detained Cutmore at his residence in Kyiv before the task was carried out.

He is accused of providing Russia with information regarding Ukraine’s military and of preparing for "terrorist attacks," as stated by the SBU.

The SBU and Kyiv's Prosecutor's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The FSB could not be immediately reached.

Hong Kong’s chief executive said he will establish an independent committee to examine and reform the city’s building-work system as part of efforts to prevent future disasters following the deadly Tai Po fire. 

John Lee told reporters at a news conference Tuesday that reforms are urgently needed after at least 159 people were killed when a fire engulfed several high-rise residential towers in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district in late November. 

"We will overcome the obstacles of vested interests and pursue accountability, regardless of who he or she is. We must uncover the truth, ensure that justice is served, let the deceased rest in peace, and provide comfort to the living," said Lee.

The Hong Kong leader shared that 13 people were arrested by police for suspected manslaughter and roughly a dozen others were arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption for "corrupt practices which relate to this tragedy."

TIMELINE OF THE PALISADES FIRE MANHUNT: FROM ALLEGED MIDNIGHT SPARK TO FLORIDA ARREST

Hong Kong’s Police Department said Wednesday they have completed searches of all seven fire-damaged buildings and identified 140 of the 159 victims.

Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department said it received reports of a blaze breaking out at the Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, a district in the northern New Territories, around 2:50 p.m. on Nov. 26.

The fire was upgraded to a No. 5 alarm, the most severe rating in Hong Kong, by 6:22 p.m.

Photos from the scene showed the bamboo scaffolding of the towers engulfed in flames and thick, dark smoke pouring out of multiple floors.

FIRE TEARS THROUGH HONG KONG HOUSING COMPLEX, KILLING AT LEAST 13 WITH OTHERS REPORTED TRAPPED

Chan Kwong-tak, an 83-year-old retiree living in the community, told The South China Morning Post that the fire alarms failed to go off when the blaze broke out, even though the buildings were equipped with them.

"If someone was sleeping then, they were done," he said.

Lee told reporters the government had "identified failures in different stages," adding that officials must act decisively to close loopholes and hold those responsible to account.

"The bottlenecks will be addressed. And we will reform the whole building renovation system to ensure that such things will not happen again," he said.

Hong Kong’s Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said last week that the Buildings Department will review the safety rules governing scaffolding and protective nets after the fatal Wang Fuk Court fire.

Hon-ho noted that the fire is suspected to have been caused by industry non-compliance rather than from bamboo scaffolding itself, though bamboo structures are less fire-resistant than metal ones.

A marathon five-hour meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner failed to yield any major breakthroughs in efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Moscow Tuesday for talks with the Kremlin leader following a Sunday meeting with key members of the Ukrainian delegation on a revised peace plan.

Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, who also attended the Witkoff-Kushner meeting alongside Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, told reporters after that the conversations were "extremely useful, constructive and substantive," according to a readout released by the Kremlin.

"We specifically discussed territorial issues, without which the crisis cannot be settled, as we see it. Of course, we also talked about the broad prospects for future economic interaction between our countries," said Ushakov.

TRUMP ENVOY STEVE WITKOFF HEADS TO MOSCOW AS UKRAINE PEACE TALKS GAIN MOMENTUM

He added that the Russian side received four documents from Witkoff and Kushner during the meeting, including one that consisted of 27 points, but declined to go into detail of what they contained.

The original leaked 28-point plan was criticized by European leaders as too favorable to Moscow and later whittled down.

The issue of territory was a key part of the discussion, according to Ushakov, who said no compromise had yet been found.

UKRAINE PEACE TALKS PRODUCTIVE AS EX-GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS COUNTRY RETHINKING 'UNCOMPROMISING' STANCE

"However, some of the American proposals appear more or less acceptable. They do, nevertheless, require further discussion. Certain wording we have been offered is not suitable for us. In other words, the work will continue," said the senior Russian diplomat.

A key sticking point in negotiations has been territorial demands from Russia, who wants Ukraine to relinquish the entire Donbas, including parts its military does not currently control. 

The Institute for the Study of War, a nonpartisan public policy research organization that tracks the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine war, said Russian forces have advanced in Sumy Oblast and near Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk and Huliaipole.

PUTIN WARNS RUSSIA ‘READY’ IF EUROPE ‘SUDDENLY WANTS TO WAGE WAR WITH US’ AMID UKRAINE TALKS

Ukraine’s Joint Forces Task Force reported on Telegram that its forces still control most of the city of Kupiansk, though Russian forces maintain isolated groups in the northern parts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Rustem Umerov, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, was preparing for a meeting in Brussels with national security advisors to European leaders to brief their colleagues on the Witkoff-Kushner meeting with Putin.

"After Brussels, Rustem Umerov and Andrii Hnatov will begin preparations for a meeting with envoys of President Trump in the United States," said Zelenskyy. "As always, Ukraine will work constructively in pursuit of a real peace. I expect a new report following the results of today’s meetings in Europe."

KAOHSIUNG: Last week, Taiwan President William Lai unveiled a massive $40 billion supplemental defense procurement proposal, casting it as proof that the independently ruled, democratic island is serious about countering escalating military pressure from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC has not governed Taiwan for even a single day but claims it as its territory.

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that, "We welcome Taiwan’s announcement of a new $40 billion special defense procurement budget. Consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and more than 45 years of commitment across multiple U.S. Administrations, the United States supports Taiwan’s acquisition of critical defense capabilities, commensurate with the threat it faces." 

The spokesperson also commended Taipei, "We also welcome the Lai administration’s recent commitments to increase defense spending to at least 3% of GDP by 2026 and 5% of GDP by 2030, which demonstrates resolve to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities."

CHINA’S ENERGY SIEGE OF TAIWAN COULD CRIPPLE US SUPPLY CHAINS, REPORT WARNS

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) – the de facto American embassy – responded very positively almost immediately after Lai’s proposal was announced. Courtney Donovan Smith, a political columnist for the Taipei Times, told Fox News Digital that the strong support from AIT, "Amounts to a public American stamp of approval."

A day after Lai’s announcement, Taiwan’s Defense Minister, Wellington Koo, told the media that preliminary talks have already been held with the United States about the kinds of weapons it wants to buy as part of this budget that would run from 2026 to 2033. But Koo said he could not make any details of discussions public until Congress receives a formal notification.

Yet some in Taiwan expressed concern that the language from the administration was somewhat understated, and didn’t come from senior-enough officials. 

Those worried about what they perceive as a muted tone from the Trump administration wondered if the timing could be sensitive, coming shortly after President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to a trade deal, and just days after Xi phoned Trump to reiterate Beijing’s claims over Taiwan, claims the U.S. "acknowledges" but does not accept.

Even so, Taipei-based political risk analyst and Tamkang University assistant professor Ross Feingold told Fox News Digital that U.S. support fundamentally has not shifted and that when it comes to U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, "If Taiwan is a willing buyer, the Trump administration is likely to be a willing seller."

Also causing distress to the fragile egos of China’s communist leaders is Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a conservative who became Japan’s first female prime minister in October. She appeared to break long-standing Japanese strategic ambiguity over Taiwan when, asked on Nov. 7 in parliament whether a Chinese attack on Taiwan would qualify as "a situation threatening Japan’s survival."

Takaichi didn’t deflect with a "I don’t comment on hypotheticals." Instead, she said, "If there are battleships and the use of force, no matter how you think about it, it could constitute a survival-threatening situation."

Under Japan’s 2015 security law, that designation could allow Japanese military action in defense of an ally.

TAIWAN GENERAL WARNS CHINA’S MILITARY DRILLS COULD BE PREPARATION FOR BLOCKADE OR WAR, VOWS TO RESIST

China predictably lashed out, immediately calling her remarks "egregious." A Chinese diplomat in Osaka escalated further, reposting coverage on X with a threat-like warning: "The dirty head that sticks itself in must be cut off."

Kerry K. Gershaneck, a visiting scholar at National Chengchi University and a former U.S. Marine counterintelligence officer, told Fox News Digital that the U.S. needed to clearly denounce China for threats against Japan and the Japanese prime minister. Gershaneck warned that Asian allies remember past U.S. abandonment" under what he called the "do not provoke China!" policy of the Obama administration. "Unless high-level Washington officials signal stronger support, he said, "the Trump 47 administration risks going down in history as Barack Hussein Obama’s third term."

Feingold noted that while Takaichi’s stance was enthusiastically received in Taiwan, the excitement "was unsustainable and not based on a formal policy decision by Japan to defend Taiwan."

Following reports that President Trump phoned the Japanese prime minister and requested that she dial down talk about Taiwan, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru issued a strong denial, saying Trump did not advise Takaichi to "temper the tone of her comments about Taiwan."

While the geopolitical shifts grabbed headlines, Lai’s real challenge is domestic. Taiwan has a single-chamber legislature, and Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party does not have a majority.

Cheng Li-wun, the new chair of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), campaigned against boosting defense spending to 5% of GDP and has repeatedly argued Taiwan is "not an ATM" for "unreasonable" military budgets. The KMT supports renewed engagement with Beijing and acceptance of the "1992 Consensus," a proposed framework that allows both sides to claim there is "one China" while interpreting the meaning differently. Lai rejects that position entirely, calling it a path toward subordination to China.

Bryce Barros, associate fellow at GLOBSEC and a former U.S. Senate national security advisor, told Fox News Digital that there are serious hurdles. "Opposition leaders have cited cuts to other essential services like healthcare, lack of details on how the budget will be paid for and concerns over more hostilities with China," he said. But Barros said the head of the de facto American embassy has called for bipartisan support for the bill, and he noted Lai needs only six opposition defections for the vote to pass.

Analysts also stress the proposal is not solely for U.S. weapons. Lai wants major investment in domestic defense manufacturing, including a "dome" anti-missile system, which could help blunt accusations of excessive spending to curry favor with Washington. But the plan still faces a volatile parliament and certain retaliation from China.

The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will resume on Dec. 30, the country’s transport ministry announced Wednesday, more than a decade after the airplane’s mysterious disappearance over the Indian Ocean.

The Malaysian government said that Texas-based marine robotics company Ocean Infinity is set to begin a 55-day targeted deep-sea search for the missing aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean by the end of the month, according to the Associated Press.

On March 8, 2014, the Boeing 777 took off from Kuala Lumpur heading toward Beijing, when it disappeared around 90 seconds after leaving Malaysian airspace, vanishing along with all 239 passengers in what has become one of aviation’s greatest unsolved mysteries.

Satellite data revealed the plane deviated from its flight path and went south towards the far-southern Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have crashed.

AMY BRADLEY DISAPPEARANCE SEES 3 MAJOR NEW LEADS AS INVESTIGATORS RENEW DECADES-OLD SEARCH: REPORT

According to a statement from Malaysia’s Transport Ministry, as reported by AP, Ocean Infinity will hunt in targeted areas believed to have the highest likelihood of finding the missing aircraft.

"The latest development underscores the government of Malaysia’s commitment in providing closure to the families affected by this tragedy," the transport ministry stated.

The announcement comes after Malaysia’s government gave final approval in March for Ocean Infinity to start the search, after agreeing to a "no-find, no fee" contract that rewards the company $70 million only if wreckage is discovered within the 5,800-square-mile site.

GOVERNMENT RELEASES NEWLY DECLASSIFIED AMELIA EARHART DISAPPEARANCE RECORDS FROM NATIONAL ARCHIVES

Previously, debris was found washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands, but a multinational search failed to discover clues to MH370’s location.

Ocean Infinity also conducted a private search in 2018 that failed to unearth any, but CEO Oliver Plunkett reportedly said earlier this year that his company had since improved its technology.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Ocean Infinity for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pope Leo has spoken out about the dangers of military action by the U.S. in overthrowing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and appeared to ask President Trump to prioritize dialogue and diplomatic pressure, according to Vatican reports.

The pontiff’s poignant appeal came as the White House intensified its campaign against Maduro this week, largely because of alleged involvement by his regime in illegal drug trafficking.

"We are trying to find a way to calm the situation, seeking above all the good of the people, because in these situations it is the people who suffer, not the authorities," Leo told reporters on a flight home from Lebanon Tuesday.

MADURO BRANDISHES SWORD AT RALLY AS HE RAILS AGAINST 'IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION' AMID RISING TENSIONS WITH US

"The signals coming from the United States change, and so we must see. … On the one hand, it seems there has been a telephone conversation between the two presidents; on the other hand, there is this danger, this possibility, that there could be an action, an operation, including an invasion of Venezuelan territory."

The pope spoke after the U.S. deployed its largest military presence in the Caribbean, including strikes against vessels suspected of drug trafficking.

This week, according to reports, Trump had delivered an ultimatum to Maduro in a phone call, demanding that he surrender power immediately.

Maduro reportedly refused, insisting instead on a "global amnesty" for himself and his allies.

TRUMP REVEALS MADURO 'WOULD LIKE TO TALK' AS MILITARY OPTIONS REMAIN ON THE TABLE FOR VENEZUELA

"I again believe it is better to seek dialogue within this pressure, including economic pressure, but looking for another way to bring about change if that is what the United States decide to do," the Pope added.

Speaking to 81 reporters aboard the papal plane, he appeared to express concern about the rising tensions.

Leo, answering a reporter's question, also said the signals coming from the U.S. administration about its policy toward Venezuela seemed unclear.

POPE LEO XIV STRONGLY SUPPORTS US BISHOPS' CONDEMNATION OF TRUMP IMMIGRATION RAIDS: 'EXTREMELY DISRESPECTFUL'

The 70-year-old Chicago-born pontiff, elected in May after the death of Pope Francis, also used the in-flight news conference to speak about the role of the Holy See, which works "behind the scenes" in peace negotiations so that all parties may lay down arms.

He also spoke about the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Vatican for comment.

President Maduro’s appeal to oil-rich nations Sunday laid bare just how isolated he has become, a Latin American oil expert says, before describing Venezuela as "broke" and drowning in $150 billion of debt.

The Venezuelan dictator's plea came in a letter in which he appealed to OPEC for support, claiming that U.S. "direct aggression" was undermining Venezuela’s energy sector and threatening global oil stability.

In a letter to OPEC Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais and published by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, Maduro wrote, "I hope to count on your best efforts to help stop this aggression, which is growing stronger and seriously threatens the balance of the international energy market, both for producing and consuming countries."

TRUMP GAVE MADURO ULTIMATUM TO FLEE VENEZUELA AS LAND OPERATIONS LOOM: REPORT

"OPEC is unlikely to get involved," Francisco J. Monaldi, Latin American Energy Policy Director, told Fox News Digital.

"Saudi Arabia is the key player, and they will not want to confront the Trump Administration. But more importantly, they never get involved in this kind of conflict," he added.

In his plea, Maduro argued that U.S. actions were designed to "destabilize" Venezuela and urged oil-producing nations to show solidarity.

The U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuela targeting government officials, state-run industries like oil and mining, and financial transactions in response to concerns over corruption, trafficking and human-rights abuses.

TRUMP PUSHES PEACE IN EUROPE, PRESSURE IN THE AMERICAS — INSIDE THE TWO-FRONT GAMBLE

His request followed President Trump’s order to close U.S. airspace over Venezuela, a move that tightened Washington’s pressure campaign and further restricted the regime’s ability to carry out international business.

Yet Monaldi stressed that Maduro knows his appeal was only symbolic and had "framed" the situation to suit his own narrative over oil.

"Maduro knows perfectly well that he is not going to get the reaction that he would want, but is framing the conflict as a conflict about oil," he argued.

"Venezuela could once again become a major oil producer and produce about 4 million barrels a day in less than a decade, significantly quadrupling their current output.

WASHINGTON’S SHADOW WAR: HOW STRIKES ON CARTELS THREATEN TO COLLAPSE MADURO’S REGIME

"The country could increase production if the oil sector is opened fully to private foreign investment, and that requires regime change.

Four million barrels of oil per day will be the equivalent of about $90 billion per year in revenues, which is similar to what Venezuela received in the best of times.

The income could allow Venezuela to pay the debt back and recover swiftly, micro, economically, although it will take years to get to that figure."

TRUMP SAYS VENEZUELA'S MADURO DOESN’T WANT TO ‘F*** AROUND’ WITH THE US

"Now Venezuela is a country that is broke and has $150 billion of debt," he said.

Tensions escalated further this week after a call between President Trump and Maduro, in which Trump said the Venezuelan leader should step down and leave the country, a direct push toward political transition.

"A regime change is something that the U.S., if they can achieve it, would consider a positive outcome," Monaldi said.

But he emphasized that Washington’s goals extend beyond energy. Venezuela, he said, has endured years of mismanagement and instability, making it not necessarily a safe bet.

MADURO BRANDISHES SWORD AT RALLY AS HE RAILS AGAINST 'IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION' AMID RISING TENSIONS WITH US

The broader U.S. priority, he added, is maintaining the Western Hemisphere.

"The U.S. has priorities to preserve the Western Hemisphere as a region in which geopolitical rivals are not strong," Monaldi said.

"The U.S. wants to reduce crime and drug trafficking in the region and the negative effects that Venezuela has had, you know, that have impacted the rest of the Latin American region," he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ratcheted up tensions with Europe on Tuesday, warning that if the bloc sparked a war with Russia, Moscow was prepared to meet it.

Putin also blasted European leaders, accusing them of sabotaging U.S.-led efforts to end the nearly four-year-old war in Ukraine.

"But if Europe suddenly wants to wage a war with us and starts it, we are ready right away. There can be no doubt about that," Putin said, according to The Associated Press.

Putin was responding to a question about Russian media reports that Hungary’s foreign minister warned Europe was preparing for war with Russia. Putin insisted, as he has for years, that Moscow does not seek a war with European nations.

TRUMP: EUROPE WILL ‘TAKE A LOT OF THE BURDEN’ IN PROVIDING SECURITY GUARANTEES FOR UKRAINE

The Russian president made the remarks after speaking at an investment forum and before meeting in the Kremlin with a U.S. delegation led by envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

It’s not the first time Putin has warned Europe about meddling in the war.

In October, Putin warned that Europe would face a "significant response" if it continued supplying military aid to Ukraine, and he made similar threats in May.

In February 2024, Putin warned that Western military intervention against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could result in nuclear escalation — a statement widely interpreted as a warning to Europe and Western allies.

Putin claimed on Tuesday that European leaders introduced "demands that are absolutely unacceptable to Russia" that effectively "blocked the entire peace process." He accused them of doing so cynically in order to blame Moscow for rejecting peace.

European leaders have maintained that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is a stepping stone to a wider war with the 27-nation European Union, which has poured billions of dollars into supporting Kyiv.

TRUMP ADDRESSES UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE TALKS, SAYS ZELENSKYY WILL BE INVOLVED

Putin said European powers had locked themselves out of peace talks on Ukraine because they cut off contacts with Moscow.

"They are on the side of war," Putin said.

He also suggested the conflict in Ukraine was not a full-blown war, describing Russia’s actions as "surgical" — a restraint, he said, that would not apply in a direct confrontation with European powers, according to Reuters. 

Putin’s comments come as Witkoff and Kushner press for peace between Ukraine and Russia.

On Sunday, Witkoff — a central figure in negotiating the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — joined Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Kushner in Florida to meet with Ukrainian negotiators. Rubio described the meeting as "very productive." In a statement, Rubio said the goal is "not just the end of the war."

Last week, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that Moscow could reject the White House’s peace framework if it does not uphold the "spirit and letter" of what Trump and Putin agreed to at the Alaska summit in August. He said that if the "key understandings" were watered down, the situation would become "fundamentally different."

Despite Lavrov’s comments, Putin showed interest in Trump’s effort to end the war, calling the drafted plan a starting point. 

"We need to sit down and discuss this seriously," Putin told reporters, according to the AP.

He characterized Trump’s plan as "a set of issues put forward for discussion," rather than a draft agreement.

Fox News’ Andrea Margolis, Sarah Tobianski, Kyle Schmidbauer and Ashley Carnahan as well as The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Pope Leo XIV's first foreign trip is over. A six-day pilgrimage to the Middle East wrapped up Tuesday in Beirut.

We were in conflict-torn Lebanon just a few miles from the country's Ground Zero, where on Aug. 4, 2020, a deadly blast in Beirut's port killed over 200, injured thousands and left over 300,000 homeless.

Five years on, the Lebanese government has not concluded its investigation into how the nearly three tons of ammonium nitrate being stored in the port combusted, resulting in the largest non-nuclear explosion ever. Every fourth of the month, the families of victims go to the port to protest the government for its inaction and corruption.  

POPE LEO XIV BEGINS LEBANON VISIT AMID ECONOMIC CRISIS, HEIGHTENED SECURITY CONCERNS

Pope Leo paid homage at the port with a silent prayer and lit a lamp in the victim's memory.

Earlier in the day, Vatican press officer Salvatore Scolozzi was in the marble hallway of Beirut's Intercontinental Phoenicia Hotel doing roll call for the 80 journalists accredited.

All the windows of this luxury hotel were shattered during the 2020 explosion, injuring staff and guests and destroying all the furniture. "All the air seemed to be sucked out of the building and there was glass flying and dust everywhere," a staff member told me, adding that there were no fatalities. After extensive repairs, the hotel reopened in 2023 but is still surrounded by skeletal burned-out buildings.

In the lobby, Salvatore warns, "Non fare ritardi VAMPS, don't be late." He and his staff have worked for over a year putting together this six-day tour de force pilgrimage to Turkey and Lebanon, originally planned for the late Pope Francis.

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: THANKSGIVING WEEKEND IN TURKEY WITH AN AMERICAN POPE, NEXT STOP LEBANON

We are known collectively as the VAMPS, the Vatican Accredited Media Personnel, and on this trip we hail from 15 different countries. After our 5:30 a.m. check-in for our return flight to Rome, the lobby chatter is focused on what we should ask the new pontiff on the much-anticipated in-flight press conference en route to Rome.

Normally each language group comes up with a question for the presser, and debate can get heated. "He will never go there," was the comment after one colleague suggested we ask if the Pope's frequent references to the important role of women during the trip indicated he would be open to women deacons.

Initially, there was concern that Pope Leo might not speak with journalists at all on board.

POPE LEO XIV OPENS FIRST FOREIGN TRIP IN TURKEY WITH A VISIT TO CHRISTIANITY’S EARLY HEARTLANDS

But we were relieved when the curtain opened on our chartered Airbus flight from Istanbul to  Beirut and a rather bashful-looking Pope Leo took thorny questions such as the conflict in Gaza, confirming the Vatican's years-long support of a two-state solution, but insisting, "Israel is our friend."

Pope Leo does not want to polarize, he is measured and diplomatic, and, six months into his papacy, appears to be gaining confidence and making his speeches punchier. He kept to the script in his native English and, in Lebanon, also spoke in excellent French and said a few words of Arabic as he pressed the need for peace between local authorities, different religious groups and the country's youth.

At Monday's evening celebration with young people, a Christian type of Woodstock, he saluted the Lebanese who had not emigrated, and those who had returned. "Have hope, don't leave, your country needs you!"

Nada Merhi, a local Catholic Maronite volunteer who was only five when the civil war of 1975-1990 shattered her family's lives, spoke of her love for her country and how she would never leave despite the economic and political crisis and the renewed violence following the Iran-backed Lebanese militant Hezbollah’s attack on Israel a few weeks after Hamas’s massacre in Israel on Oct. 6, 2023.

"We need concrete help, but above all we just want peace. I hope the Pope will not forget about us."

Andre Sassine, a small-business owner from Byblos, a coastal city about 20 miles north of Beirut, is optimistic. "Business will be good if we just have peace. The Muslims in Lebanon are not the problem, don't believe the media, the problem is with external countries influencing and corrupting," he said, adding that he thought President Trump, whose daughter Tiffany married a Lebanese, could join forces with the pontiff.

"We Lebanese love America," he said, "and we love this new pope born in America. Please help us find peace."

FIRST ON FOX: As Hamas uses the ceasefire to regroup and reassert control across parts of Gaza, a small number of emerging Palestinian militias say they are trying to form an alternative force inside the enclave. One of their leaders, Shawqi Abu Nasira, told Fox News Digital the pause in fighting has become a "kiss of life" for Hamas and warned the group is rebuilding.

"Hamas works for Iran," he said. "They got weakened, yes, true, but the ceasefire, they gave them a kiss of life, and they are now preparing themselves better, trying to equip themselves. They are opening their own centers," and added, "I'd like to thank President Trump for freezing the assets of Hamas and for labeling the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization."

Abu Nasira, a former senior Palestinian Authority police official who spent 16 years in an Israeli prison, is now operating with a small band of fighters on the eastern side of Gaza’s "yellow line," in territory under Israeli military control. "I moved to the east of a yellow line, to the area that is now [controlled by the] Israeli Army. I was forced to move because I had no other option but to flee Hamas," he said.

TRUMP PEACE PLAN FOR GAZA COULD BE JUST A 'PAUSE' BEFORE HAMAS STRIKES AGAIN, EXPERTS WARN

According to Jusoor News, a pan-Arab media outlet that recently launched an English-language channel reporting on Gaza, Abu Nasira’s defection began years ago when Hamas killed his only son and "dragged his body through the Strip." He told Jusoor that the killing and public display of the body solidified his decision to oppose Hamas.

Abu Nasira told Fox News Digital he acknowledged his own faction is small. "I have dozens of fighters now fighting with me," he said. "We lack a lot of equipment, and we need better assistance." But he argued that many Gazans share his view. "People that are now living in tents, people that are starved, people that are living in the street. They have no medication. These people don't want Hamas."

The ceasefire has exposed a chaotic landscape of militias, clan groups and local networks that have emerged as Hamas’s control weakened. Although none rival Hamas in size or capability, several factions have gained visibility.

These include the Popular Forces in Rafah, the Popular Army in northern Gaza, the Counter-Terrorism Strike Force in Khan Yunis and the Shujaiya Popular Defense Forces in eastern Gaza City, along with powerful clan-based networks such as the al-Majayda and Doghmosh families. Their alliances shift frequently, and their structure varies widely, but all have appeared or strengthened during the breakdown of centralized rule.

AFTER TRUMP DECLARES ‘WAR IS OVER,’ HAMAS EXECUTES RIVALS IN GAZA TO REASSERT CONTROL

Abu Nasira said many of these groups are in contact. "They are our brothers and sisters," he said. "All of these people, they are holding arms and fighting Hamas for a reason, because they were the first witness to Hamas terrorism and they are victims of Hamas."

He said early efforts are underway to unite the factions. "We are coordinating all of these groups together to work under one political umbrella, and they can act as a National Guard for East Gaza," he said.

Abu Nasira argued that Palestinians, not outside powers, should be the ones to remove Hamas from Gaza. "We can now, as Palestinians, attack them," he said. "We just need the support in order to win this war, and we can finish it in a few months."

WARFARE EXPERT CALLS GAZA REBUILDING PLAN 'DISNEYLAND STRATEGY' TO DEFEAT HAMAS

He rejected the idea that Gazans would fear being labeled collaborators. "Whenever you say no to Hamas, you are accused as an operator, or you will be executed," he said. "Everybody in Gaza knows that, so that's not going to scare us anymore."

In a message to Americans, Abu Nasira said the stakes go beyond Gaza. "Fighting terror is a campaign that we all should fight against," he said. "It can spread from Gaza to all over the world."

He described Hamas as part of a broader network. "As long as the triangle of Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic Republic in Iran are working all together, that is a threat to the entire human, civilized world," he said.

He dismissed the concept known as the "Disneyland strategy," which envisions building functioning civilian zones east of the yellow line to inspire pressure against Hamas over time. "This is a good, nice talk, but this is a long term," he said. "We don't need to give them the time to get strong."

As Hamas regains strength under the ceasefire, Abu Nasira said Palestinians "are ready" and "want to fight for our future," insisting that with international backing, a unified alternative can still be built.

An Australian high school teacher has pleaded guilty in a New South Wales court to sexually abusing a teenage boy several times near Newcastle, according to reports.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that 37-year-old Karly Rae, who became a mother nearly eight weeks ago, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old boy in October 2024, possessing child abuse material, grooming a child for unlawful sexual activity and committing an act with the intention of perverting the course of justice.

Rae initially pleaded not guilty to the charges in May but changed her pleas last month.

Her attorney, Mark Ramsland, reportedly urged the courts to give her case priority because she appeared in court with her eight-week-old baby.

FEMALE TEACHER IN AFFLUENT FLORIDA CITY ACCUSED OF INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH TEEN GIRL

Court documents obtained by the station reportedly show Rae and the 15-year-old communicated on social media and that the crimes she was accused of committing occurred in the suburbs of Bolton Point, Merewether and Belmont.

Police evidence presented in court included messages between Rae and the teenager on platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram.

"Hey, sorry for removing you on Snap," Rae reportedly told the teenager. "I found it too tempting for now."

FORMER DC TEACHER ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH SOLICITING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY: DOJ

A few messages later, the boy asked Rae, "Should we remove each other now?"

"It’s my fault," she responded. "I take full responsibility. Do what you want/need."

In another message reported by the station, Rae suggested to the boy that they meet one more time.

MARRIED OHIO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, 43, LEARNS SENTENCE FOR SEX WITH TEEN STUDENT IN OFFICE

"Maybe we could have one last rendezvous before school goes back," she reportedly wrote. "I’ll bring my toy."

The teenager’s cousin allegedly saw the messages between the two on Instagram, told his parents and the parents reported the matter to police, the station reported.

When police arrested Rae, court documents alleged that she told law enforcement she was unaware of the teenager’s age.

FORMER FLORIDA NURSE CAUGHT HAVING SEX WITH TEEN STEPSON SENTENCED TO 2 YEARS IN PRISON

"I thought he was of age… and leaving school," she reportedly said.

According to ABC, Rae was granted Supreme Court bail in June after telling the court she was pregnant, though an earlier application had been refused.

She had been scheduled to stand trial in August 2025, but those dates have since been vacated.

Judge Roy Ellis has allocated two and a half hours for a sentencing hearing set for March 25 and ordered that a sentencing assessment report be prepared beforehand.

Ramsland said there would be "a lot of subjective material" included in the submissions.

Police facts cited by ABC noted that a professional learning transcript from the NSW Department of Education "indicated Rae had completed child protection training in February 2024."

She remains on bail while awaiting sentencing.

A 19-year-old man was mauled to death after climbing into a lion enclosure Sunday morning in Brazil.

Viral video captured the incident, showing the victim scaling a roughly 26-foot-tall fence to enter the lioness’s enclosure at Arruda Câmara Zoobotanical Park, known locally as Bica, in João Pessoa, Paraíba.

Local media Correio Braziliense identified the victim as Gerson de Melo Machado who has long aspired to be a lion tamer. Machado reportedly had mental health issues and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

The zoo confirmed in a statement that the individual deliberately entered the enclosure, was attacked by the animal, and did not survive his injuries.

RISING CLIMBING STAR PLUNGES TO DEATH FROM YOSEMITE'S EL CAPITAN MID-LIVESTREAM

"The Arruda Câmara Zoobotanical Park (Bica) deeply regrets what happened this Sunday morning, when a man deliberately invaded the lioness's enclosure, resulting in his death," the zoo said in a statement on social media Sunday. "This is an extremely sad episode for everyone, and we express our solidarity and condolences to the family and friends of the man."

In the video, witnesses watched in horror as the teen climbed the towering fence and shimmied down a nearby tree. A lion in the enclosure spotted him, prowled to the base of the tree and waited as he continued his descent.

When the boy got close enough to the ground, the lion sprang on him. He tried to flee, disappearing into the bushes and briefly reappearing during his escape, only to be leapt on again by the lioness. The mauling then continued out of view behind a wall.

MAN CAUGHT ON CAMERA APPROACHING, SPRAYING UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE TOWARD YELLOWSTONE WOLVES: RANGERS

Following the incident, the park was closed to allow for safety procedures and the removal of the body. The zoo stated that Bica will remain closed to visitors until the investigation and all official procedures are complete.

Machado had struggled with mental health issues throughout his life, and his mother had also been diagnosed with schizophrenia, according to Correio, which cited child welfare counselor Verônica Oliveira, who had been monitoring him since childhood. Oliveira told the outlet that Machado had always dreamed of traveling to Africa to become a lion tamer and was once caught hiding in the landing gear of a plane, believing it would take him there.

The zoo stated it does not plan to euthanize the lion, emphasizing that the killing resulted from deliberate trespassing, an incident that was "completely unpredictable" and "outside of any scenario within the park’s routine."

The lion is reportedly stressed but shows no signs of behavior that would warrant concern for euthanasia.

"It is important to emphasize that euthanasia was never considered," the zoo said. "Leona is healthy, does not exhibit aggressive behavior outside the context of the incident, and will not be euthanized."

Local authorities in the UK have dramatically increased their use of drones, fueling fears that the government is monitoring or even snooping on people from above, according to reports.

Data from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) show that more than 60 councils have hired staff certified to operate aerial drones, while at least a dozen other authorities are looking for guidance to launch similar programs.

Because the CAA only records pilots sponsored by their employers, experts in the UK have since warned the real number of publicly funded drone operators could be even higher.

NAVY SOLAR DRONE SOARS NONSTOP FOR 3 DAYS

UK watchdog group Big Brother Watch has accused local governments of drifting toward "spies in the sky" tactics that further erode civil liberties in a nation already covered by widespread CCTV monitoring.

Jake Hurfurt, head of research and investigations, cautioned that while drones can support legitimate tasks such as flood monitoring or land surveys, they must not become tools for unchecked surveillance.

"There may be a role for drones in helping councils monitor flooding or conduct land surveys, but local authorities must not use the technology as spies in the sky" he said.

"Britain is already one of the most surveilled countries on Earth. With CCTV cameras on street corners, we do not need flying cameras too. Councils must make sure that they do not use this technology for intrusive monitoring of their citizens."

UFO-LIKE ‘DRONES’ TARGETED POLICE HELICOPTER OVER AIR BASE BEFORE VANISHING: REPORT

"Just because it's possible, it does not mean it's something they should do," he added.

Previously, Hurfurt also criticized London's Metropolitan Police’s use of drones as first responders, warning that the rollout is occurring without clear policies governing when, how or why drones can be deployed.

Without safeguards, he said, the technology risks becoming airborne CCTV or, worse, a way to monitor lawful protest activity.

"Without robust safeguards, there is a real risk of mission creep and drones becoming flying CCTV cameras or watching people lawfully protesting," he said in a statement shared online.

PENTAGON EXPLORING COUNTER-DRONE SYSTEMS TO PREVENT INCURSIONS OVER NATIONAL SECURITY FACILITIES

"The Metropolitan Police must be transparent about its thresholds for using drones and take care to balance the rights of Londoners with the purported benefits of drone use," he added.

Despite the concerns, Hammersmith and Fulham Council plans to integrate drones into its 70-member law enforcement team, which issued more than 2,200 fines last year.

The borough says drones will help in combating antisocial behavior, supplementing a lack of police manpower and work alongside CCTV equipped with live facial recognition.

Sunderland currently operates the largest known council drone fleet, with 13 aircraft and multiple trained pilots.

Their drones are used to detect and prevent crime, enforce environmental rules and oversee public gatherings. 

Other councils, including North West Leicestershire, Stockton-on-Tees, Newcastle, North Norfolk and Thurrock are also said to be using drones for everything from planning enforcement to monitoring coastal disputes, according to GB News.

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Lebanon's tradition of interfaith coexistence Monday as a beacon of hope for a conflict-torn region, as he asked for "the divine gift of peace" alongside the country’s Christian and Muslim religious leaders.

Leo received a raucous, ululating welcome from the crowds and a sincere welcome from its spiritual leaders on his first full day in Lebanon, where billboards with his image dotted highways around the capital. Thousands of ordinary Lebanese braved a steady rain in the morning to line his motorcade route, some throwing flower petals and rice on his car in a gesture of welcome.

History’s first American pope is on his maiden papal voyage, and it has taken him to the heart of Christianity: First to Turkey to commemorate a founding profession of the Christian faith and now to Lebanon to encourage an ancient Christian community in a country that is unique in the Arab world for its religious tolerance.

The highlight of his day was an interfaith meeting in Martyr’s Square in Beirut, with the country’s Christian patriarchs and Sunni, Shiite and Druze spiritual leaders gathered under a tent. After listening to hymns and readings from the Bible and Quran, Leo praised Lebanon’s tradition of religious tolerance as a beacon for "the divine gift of peace" in the region.

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: THANKSGIVING WEEKEND IN TURKEY WITH AN AMERICAN POPE, NEXT STOP LEBANON

"In an age when coexistence can seem like a distant dream, the people of Lebanon, while embracing different religions, stand as a powerful reminder that fear, distrust and prejudice do not have the final word, and that unity, reconciliation, and peace are possible," he said.

Leo’s remarks underscored the vital importance of Lebanon and its Christian community to the Catholic Church, a place that St. John Paul II famously said was more than just a country, but a message of freedom to the rest of the world. At the end of the event, the spiritual leaders planted an olive sapling as a symbol of peace.

While Lebanon is now often cited as a model of religious coexistence, it hasn’t always been that way. The country's civil war from 1975 to 1990 was largely fought along sectarian lines.

Leo’s visit comes at a newly tenuous time for the tiny Mediterranean country after years of conflict, economic crises and political deadlock, punctuated by the 2020 Beirut port blast. At a time of conflict in Gaza and worsening political tensions in Lebanon, Leo’s visit has been welcomed by the Lebanese as a sign of hope.

"We, as Lebanese, need this visit after all the wars, crises and despair that we have lived through," said the Rev. Youssef Nasr, the secretary-general of Catholic Schools in Lebanon. "The pope’s visit gives a new push to the Lebanese to rise and cling to their country."

More recently, Lebanon has been deeply divided over calls for Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group and political party, to disarm after fighting a war with Israel last year that left the country deeply damaged. Despite a ceasefire, Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes targeting Hezbollah members.

The Grand Sunni Muslim Mufti of Lebanon, Abdul-Latif Derian, welcomed Leo at the interfaith event and recalled the good relations forged by his predecessor, Pope Francis. He cited the 2019 joint statement on human fraternity signed by Francis and the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning in Cairo, Sheikh Ahmad al-Tayeb.

"Lebanon is the land of this message," Derian said.

A top Lebanese Shiite Muslim cleric, Ali al-Khatib, deputy head of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, urged Leo to help Lebanon end Israel’s attacks amid rising concerns in the Mediterranean country of wider Israeli strikes.

"We put Lebanon in your hands so that maybe the world helps us," al-Khatib said.

POPE LEO XIV BEGINS LEBANON VISIT AMID ECONOMIC CRISIS, HEIGHTENED SECURITY CONCERNS

Leo opened his day by praying at the tomb of St. Charbel Makhlouf, a Lebanese saint revered by many Christians and Muslims.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, Christian and Muslim, visit the tomb at the hilltop monastery of St. Maroun overlooking the sea at Annaya, around 25 miles from Beirut.

Bells rang out as Leo’s covered popemobile snaked its way through the rain to the monastery where Leo prayed quietly in the darkened tomb and offered a lamp as a gift of light for the community there.

Leo was moving through Lebanon in a closed popemobile, a contrast with Francis, who eschewed bulletproof popemobiles throughout his 12-year pontificate. Lebanese troops deployed on both sides of the roads all along his motorcade routes, but his warm welcome underscored the joy his visit had brought.

Many Lebanese posted footage of the welcome alongside a widely shared hot mic video of Queen Rania of Jordan, during an October visit to the Vatican, asking Leo if it was safe to go to Lebanon. Leo’s response, "Well, we’re going," had cheered Lebanese who were otherwise offended by the suggestion that Lebanon wasn’t safe for the pope to visit.

Leo ended the day at a jubilant rally of Lebanese youth at Bkerki, the seat of the Maronite Church, where he sought to encourage them to persevere and not leave the country as many others have done.

"This is an unforgettable moment," said Nawal Ghossein, a Maronite Catholic who welcomed the pope with a group from her church. "We are so proud because we are Christians. So proud!"

Today, Christians make up around a third of Lebanon’s 5 million people, giving the small nation on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean the largest percentage of Christians in the Middle East.

A power-sharing agreement in place since independence from France calls for the president to be a Maronite Christian, making Lebanon the only Arab country with a Christian head of state

The Vatican sees Christian presence as a bulwark for the church in the region.

Lebanese Christians have endured in their ancestral homeland even after an exodus following the country's civil war. The region has also seen Christians from Iraq and Syria fleeing in large numbers after the rise of the Islamic State Group, which was defeated in 2019 after losing its last stronghold in Syria.

"We will stay here," said May Noon, a pilgrim waiting for Leo outside the St. Charbel Monastery. "No one can uproot us from this country. We must live in it as brothers because the church has no enemy."

Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay accompanied a group of 60 people from the Lebanese diaspora in Australia not only to welcome Leo and join in his prayer for peace but also to reinforce Christian presence in the country.

"Even though we live abroad, we feel that we need to support young people and the families to stay here," he said. "We don’t like to see more and more people leaving Lebanon, especially Christians."