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Pope Francis’ condition is reportedly "improving" as he receives high-flow oxygen therapy and therapy with a ventimask, according to a statement from the Vatican.

"Given the complexity of his condition, further days of clinical stability are necessary to resolve the prognosis," the Vatican’s statement read.

POPE FRANCIS INJURED AS VATICAN CONFIRMS 2ND FALL IN MATTER OF WEEKS

The 88-year-old pontiff was hospitalized on Feb. 14 for respiratory issues and was later diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia.

"The Holy Father dedicated the morning to respiratory physiotherapy alternating it with rest, while in the afternoon after another physiotherapy session, he gathered in prayer in the Chapel of the private apartment located on the 10th floor, receiving the Eucharist; then he dedicated himself to work activities," the Vatican added.

POPE FRANCIS’ MEDICAL CONDITION: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BILATERAL PNEUMONIA

On Wednesday, the Vatican said that Pope Francis’ doctors detected the kidney insufficiency that had been detected in recent days had receded, blood tests showed a slight improvement, and a chest CT scan showed that his complex lung infection was taking the "normal evolution" as it is being treated.

When writing about the pope’s condition on Tuesday, Fox News Channel’s senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel explained that bilateral pneumonia "is more problematic and more difficult to recover from," especially for "an elderly patient with scarring from previous surgeries and bouts of pneumonia."

The pope has grappled with health issues for years and even needed to have part of his lung removed in 1957.

Dr. Siegel also touched on the pope receiving high-flow oxygen therapy, explaining that the treatment is used for breathing issues, "but is not as aggressive as CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) or mechanical ventilation." He noted that it is a "good sign" that the pope is not on a ventilator.

"Don’t underestimate the impact of great medical care combined with the power of prayer," Dr. Siegel adds.

Fox News’ Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

An American tourist reportedly vanished Thursday in Thailand while jet skiing along a beach near Phuket. 

Nina Ng, 37, was reported missing to authorities after she failed to return past her allotted rental time, jet ski rental operator Saranuwat Nasok told Asia Pacific Press.  

"I found the jet ski parked under a kilometer from the beach. Her belongings and life jacket were on it. I called my friends for help, and we searched for around an hour but we still couldn't find her," Nasok said. 

Ng, who was born and raised in New York City, is a Chinese-American nurse and the founder and president of Help Me Live USA, an organization that provides humanitarian relief to people in conflict zones such as the Gaza Strip, its website says. On an Instagram account purportedly belonging to Ng, she recently posted images taken from Lebanon and Jordan. 

LAW STUDENT KILLED BY ELEPHANT DURING VACATION TO THAILAND: OFFICIALS 

The reason for Ng’s reported disappearance near Patong Beach is unclear. 

"I asked a boat driver working in the area, and he said he saw the tourist take off her life jacket to jump into the water," Nasok told Asia Pacific Press. 

Video taken at the scene purportedly showed first responders gathering at the beach to search for Ng. 

Both Help Me Live USA and the U.S. State Department did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. 

AMERICAN TOURISTS ATTACKED BY SHARK AT BAHAMAS RESORT AREA 

Local authorities said the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok has been alerted to Ng’s disappearance, according to Asia Pacific Press. 

Ng "has served as an emergency medicine registered nurse, hospital administrator, and humanitarian leader for over 15 years," Help Me Live USA said, adding that "she has worked in numerous conflict settings and war zones including Haiti, Iraq, Bangladesh, Mexico, Ukraine, Sierra Leone, and Gaza." 

"Several years ago, Ms. Ng left the hospital setting in the United States in order to dedicate more of her time to humanitarian aid. Her calling to help underserved populations has been so strong that she founded her own non-profit organization, Help Me Live USA, in 2023," it added.  

"Nina is currently a nomad who lives in different parts of the globe in between work assignments," the organization also said. "She has a great love for children, nature, and animals." 

Israeli police say a suspected ramming attack Thursday injured at least 10 people, including at least one who is in serious condition, according to the TPS Israeli news agency.

The incident happened at a bus station in Karkur Junction on Route 65 in northern Israel. All of those wounded were evacuated to a nearby hospital, Fox News has learned.

An Israeli police spokesperson said in a statement obtained by Fox News identified the driver as a 53-year-old Palestinian from the Jenin area who was "in Israel unlawfully and married to an Israeli citizen." 

HAMAS TO RELEASE BODIES OF 4 DEAD HOSTAGES, NETANYAHU SAYS

"Preliminary findings indicate that he deliberately targeted civilians waiting at a bus stop," the statement said. "The terrorist has been neutralized. This remains an active investigation." 

The police commissioner is conducting "an on-site situational assessment" in the wake of the incident, the statement added. 

Graphic images show a man's body in the street next to the vehicle used in the incident and members of the Israeli security forces nearby in a cordoned-off area. 

FUNERAL HELD FOR SHIRI BIBAS AND HER SONS AFTER THEIR REMAINS HANDED OVER BY HAMAS

There is a heavy police presence in the area, as a search for other possible attackers is underway.

This is a developing news story. Check back for updates. Fox News' Yael Kuriel and Thomas Ferraro contributed to this report.

Pope Francis had a peaceful night and was resting Thursday morning, the Holy See announced, after doctors said the 88-year-old pontiff has shown further slight improvement as he battles double pneumonia.

Francis has been hospitalized for nearly two weeks at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for pneumonia in both his lungs. He had breakfast and continued his therapy Thursday morning in good spirits, officials said.

"The Pope slept well last night and is now resting," the Holy See said in a brief statement. The results of more medical tests were expected later Thursday. 

The Vatican said in a statement late Wednesday that doctors reported the kidney insufficiency that had been detected in recent days had receded, blood tests showed a slight improvement and a chest CT scan showed that his complex lung infection was taking the "normal evolution" as it is being treated.

POPE FRANCIS SHARES WRITTEN MESSAGE WHILE CONTINUING HOSPITALIZATION

The Vatican also said the pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, remains on "high-flow oxygen therapy" but hasn't had any more respiratory crises since Saturday. 

While Francis’ health showed a "slight improvement," the Vatican said, his "prognosis remains reserved."

POPE FRANCIS' HEALTH STATUS AND PROGNOSIS: DOCTOR GIVES UPDATE

Francis was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 after a week-long bout of bronchitis worsened. Doctors first diagnosed the complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection and subsequently the onset of pneumonia in both lungs.

Thursday marked Francis' 13th day in the hospital, exceeding the longest hospitalization of his papacy. He spent 10 days at Gemelli Hospital in 2021 after he had 13 inches of his colon removed.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

An American tourist in Paris was taken into custody after allegedly throwing a newborn out of a hotel window, leading to its death. 

The incident involving the young woman, who was 18 years old, unfolded early Monday at an Ibis Styles hotel, according to the Le Parisien newspaper. French prosecutors later said the woman was traveling with a group of young people to Europe. 

"We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event, and our thoughts are with everyone affected during this difficult time," the Massachusetts-based EF Gap Year told Fox News Digital in a statement Wednesday, noting that the woman was involved in one of their programs.

"We are fully cooperating with local authorities as they continue their investigation. Counselling support has been offered to all group members, and we are extending our support to the impacted families," it added, without naming the woman. 

PROMINENT COLORADO DEVELOPER ASSASSINATED AT LUXURY BELIZE HOME: REPORT 

Emergency responders rushed the newborn to a hospital after it allegedly was thrown from the second-floor window of the hotel, but the child was pronounced dead. 

In Paris, the child protection police unit has been tasked with investigating the case as the homicide of a minor under 15 years old. 

AMERICANS CONSIDERING SPRING BREAK VACATION IN MEXICO WARNED OF MURDER SPIKE 

Authorities are considering the possibility of pregnancy denial, a condition in which a woman remains unaware of or in denial about her pregnancy until labor. 

EF Gap Year says on its website that its program is for ages 18-22. 

"Discover the world on the ultimate, global gap year: explore Europe, Asia and Australia through a combination of guided exploration and cultural immersion," it said. "Travel across three continents, then discover what it’s like to live independently abroad while learning a language or interning." 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is staring down a geopolitical tightrope ahead of his meeting with President Donald Trump on Thursday as he looks to stay strong on support for Ukraine, as well as maintaining relations with the U.S. — London’s chief ally. 

But the tense international atmosphere is not the only hurdle Starmer is facing following his waning approval ratings at home.

The U.K. saw a massive political shake-up in July 2024 after voters ended the Conservative Party’s 14-year reign and voted in the Labour Party under Starmer. But in the months following his election, Starmer’s approval ratings reportedly took a historic dip.

'TRUMP EFFECT' ON DISPLAY AS UK'S STARMER BOOSTS DEFENSE SPENDING ON EVE OF US VISIT

Controversial topics like axing a winter fuel repayment program, policy reversals relating to political donations, and partisan uproar over issues like immigration, knife crime and a deal that could hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius along with more than $11 billion, have reportedly contributed to Starmer’s tanking support. 

Colin Brazier, an award-winning retired English journalist and veteran observer of the U.K.'s culture wars, told Fox News Digital that with some eight months in power, there's a reason why Starmer's approval ratings have "fallen faster than almost any previous incumbent."

"Why?" he asked. "New taxes on everything from schools to farms and a sense that Britain is ‘undeveloping’ before our very eyes. Immigration on a scale never before seen is testing the Welfare State, transport network, housing stock and National Health Service to destruction. Starmer’s Labour Party detests MAGA at a cellular level. But their beleaguered leader needs to show statesmanship, and a picture with the president does that."

But one foreign policy expert believes that the Starmer-Trump meeting could be an opportunity for the prime minister to gain some points at home while also soothing diplomatic ties. 

"I think what he's obviously been doing is trying to take the edge off some of President Trump's sort of more surprising statements… then trying to put Britain in the best positive light when it comes to the president's considerations," Alan Mendoza, Executive Director of the Henry Jackson Society, a non-partisan U.K.-based think tank told Fox News Digital.

"The polling tells you that President Trump is very unpopular in Britain," Mendoza said. "But that doesn't mean that the British government is going to listen to those opinion polls. The British government has to govern.

"British people may have a certain view of President Trump, but the British government, the British political class, may well have a very different view of what he's trying to achieve and where they should be positioning themselves," he added.

Despite Starmer’s waning ratings and low favorability of Trump among Brits, Mendoza doesn’t think these factors will shape how Starmer approaches his meeting with Trump on Thursday.

BRACE FOR A 'POLITICAL REVOLUTION' IN EUROPE, UK'S NIGEL FARAGE SAYS AFTER VANCE'S SPEECH IN MUNICH

Instead, Mendoza pointed to the successful meeting between Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, as an indicator of how Starmer’s discussions could go.

"I think there would be a path to great popularity if he's able to shape President Trump's thinking on certain subjects," Mendoza said. 

Starmer’s ability to make inroads with Trump could have immediate implications as issues that directly impact Brits' pockets are expected to be top agenda items — including the looming U.S. tariffs on U.K. steel.

The British embassy confirmed to Fox News Digital that while topics involving U.S.-U.K. defense alliances and support for Ukraine are expected to be addressed, topics involving shared economic and trade-based partnerships will also be prioritized. 

Trump’s threat to slap 25% tariffs on U.K. and EU imports is a topic Britain hopes it is uniquely positioned to address given its "very specialized" trading position on steel and aluminum, U.K. secretary for business and trade, Jonathan Reynolds, told the BBC this month.  

A British embassy spokesperson said Starmer will look to highlight the economic "synergies" shared between the U.K. and U.S. when it comes to tech, AI, trade and investments.

"That's going to be a big priority," spokesman Ed Roman said. 

Hamas released four dead hostages to the Red Cross on Thursday, marking another step in the first phase of the cease-fire between the terrorist group and Israel.

The exchange, which took place in the Gaza Strip, was confirmed by an Israeli security official. Egyptian mediators assisted in the delivery of the caskets, which Israeli officials have begun to identify.

At the same time, Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in a move that was previously delayed. Red Cross convoys assisted with the transport of the detainees.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office previously confirmed the exchange on Wednesday, noting that it was likely to take place without the humiliating "ceremonies" that Hamas has engaged in prior.

ISRAEL'S UN AMBASSADOR SLAMS HAMAS' 'EVIL AND DEPRAVED' DISPLAY OF HOSTAGES' COFFINS

On Saturday, Netanyahu temporarily delayed the seventh hostage-prisoner exchange in protest of Hamas's release ceremonies, which were used to generate propaganda. In one ceremony, hostages were forced to pose with Hamas fighters and kiss militants on the head.

"In light of Hamas’s repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes, it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies," Netanyahu's statement said.

Hamas had called the delay a "serious violation," though the militant group's treatment of prisoners was condemned by international groups, including the United Nations.

FUNERAL HELD FOR SHIRI BIBAS AND HER SONS AFTER THEIR REMAINS HANDED OVER BY HAMAS

"Under international law, any handover of the remains of [the] deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families," the United Nations Geneva said on X last week, attributing the quote to High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

Israeli United Nations Ambassador Danny Danon told Fox News Digital that Hamas' "ceremonies" were "evil and depraved."

"For 16 months, Israel has been fighting a deranged terrorist organization that places no value on human life, especially if it is Israeli or Jewish — all while international institutions like the U.N. refrained from condemning Hamas and formally demanding the immediate return of our hostages," Danon said.

The Associated Press and Fox News' Rachel Wolf and Yael Rotem-Kuriel contributed to this report.

JERUSALEM: The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency announced on Wednesday that Iran has produced dramatically more uranium that can be used in six atomic bombs and stressed that Tehran has made no progress on resolving outstanding issues.

"The significantly increased production and accumulation of high enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon state to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern," the IAEA noted in a report according to Reuters.

Last week, Fox News Digital reported that, according to Iranian regime media outlets, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) General Ebrahim Jabbari said, "Operation True Promise 3 will be carried out at the right time, with precision, and on a scale sufficient to destroy Israel and raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground."

IRAN ‘TERRIFIED’ OF TRUMP PRESIDENCY AS IRANIAN CURRENCY FALLS TO AN ALL-TIME LOW

Tehran’s regime launched two massive aerial attacks against the Jewish state, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, in 2024.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and President Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Israel issued a dire warning about the Islamic Republic of Iran’s desire to wipe Israel and the United States off the map.

Huckabee told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo on "Mornings with Maria," on Wednesday that Iran’s regime is "crazy enough to use it" with respect to an atomic bomb and "when someone keeps telling you they're going to kill you at some point, you better take them seriously, and you better preempt it before they get the shot off."

He added, "The Iranians have to be taken seriously. They constantly said and never backed away from the fact that Israel is the appetizer, but the United States is the entree. They don't want to just annihilate Israel, which they do. Yeah. They want ultimately to annihilate the rest of us as well."

OVER 150 LAWMAKERS LEND SUPPORT TO RESISTANCE MOVEMENT INSIDE IRAN AS REGIME'S PROXIES FALL

Trump reimposed his maximum pressure economic campaign on Iran’s clerical state to prevent the rogue regime from completing the construction of a nuclear weapon and stop its sponsorship of terrorism across the world. The U.S. State Department under both Republican and Democratic administrations has designated Iran’s regime as a state-sponsor of terrorism.

Huckabee said, "Let's be real clear. When President Trump was in office in his first term, the maximum pressure that he put on Iran bankrupted them. President Trump didn't have to bomb them, but he bankrupted them. They didn't have any money, and they couldn't fund the hoodies, Hezbollah or Hamas. Joe Biden comes in, takes the pressure off. They get money again. They fund terrorism. They fund the building of their bomb. And now we're having to go back. Thank goodness the president has reestablished the pressure on Iran economically. That's a plus."

Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran UANI, told Fox News Digital, "I think Gov. Huckabee’s comments underscore the danger Iran’s regime poses to the U.S. and our allies and partners. It’s why presidents for years have stated an Iran with nuclear weapons is unacceptable and that the U.S. will use all instruments of national power to prevent that outcome. One of the pillars of Tehran’s grand strategy is the eradication of Israel and another is anti-Americanism."

He continued, "That won’t change as long as the Islamic Republic remains the Islamic Republic and Ali Khamenei or a like-minded successor is the decision-maker. This is why weakening the regime and depriving it of resources — through maximum pressure and peace through strength — is necessary."

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic claimed he was "tired and overwhelmed" when he mistakenly backed a United Nations resolution Monday at the U.N. General Assembly that blames Russia for the war with its neighbor. 

Instead of backing the resolution, Vucic said he actually meant to join the 65 nations who abstained from the vote that called Moscow the aggressor state and for it to "immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces" from Ukraine.

"I believe that Serbia made a mistake today. I apologize to the citizens of Serbia for that, and I take the blame for that because I was probably tired and overwhelmed," Vucic, who is generally considered pro-Russian, told Serbia’s public broadcaster RTS.

FORMER HAMAS HOSTAGE BRIEFS UN SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE 'PURE HELL' THAT WAS CAPTIVITY IN GAZA

"I didn't have time to deal with this (issue) enough, maybe I'm too tired, maybe I have too many things (to deal with)... I don't think we should pander to any power, neither Russians nor Americans," he added. "I think it was in the interest of the state of Serbia. Unfortunately, it didn't happen,"

Moscow has accepted Vucic's apology. 

"Of course, we heard it. Of course, we accepted it. Indeed, technical errors do happen and, of course, such a prompt reaction from the head of state is very appealing to us," Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said, according to RIA News.

Like Belarus, Serbia is one of Russia's closest allies in Europe. 

Monday's vote shocked some when the United States stood with 18 other nations in voting against the Ukrainian resolution.

"President Trump is committed to ending the Russia-Ukraine war and to a resolution that leads to a lasting peace, not just a temporary pause," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

The death toll from a Sudanese military aircraft crash in the city of Omdurman increased to at least 46 people, including women and children, officials said Wednesday, one of the deadliest plane crashes in the northeastern African nation in the past two decades.

The Antonov aircraft crashed on Tuesday over a populated district in Omdurman, also injuring at least 10 people, according to the government-run Khartoum Media Office. An initial death toll of 19 was provided by the health ministry.

A DAM COLLAPSE IN EASTERN SUDAN KILLS AT LEAST 30 PEOPLE FOLLOWING HEAVY RAINS, A UN AGENCY SAYS

The military said in a statement that the plane crashed while taking off from the Wadi Sayidna air base north of Omdurman, the sister city of the capital, Khartoum.

The crash also damaged a number of houses in the Karrari district of Omdurman, the media office said.

The military earlier said that armed forces personnel and civilians were killed in the crash, but didn’t provide figures. It didn’t say what caused the crash.

The health ministry said some bodies were transferred to the Nau hospital in Omdurman.

Among the dead were senior military officers, including Maj. Gen. Bahr Ahmed Bahr and Lt. Col. Awad Ayoub, and the aircraft crew, according to a military official.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, said the dead include women and children, among them five siblings.

Local media reported that the aircraft was on the way to the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, the seat of the military-backed government, when it crashed over the Al-Thawra neighborhood in the Karrari district. Residents reported loud explosions from the crash, which sent thick clouds of smoke and dust over Omdurman.

Aircraft crashes are common in Sudan, which has a poor aviation safety record. In 2020, at least 16 people were killed when a military plane, a Russian Antonov An-12, crashed in the western region of Darfur.

In 2003, a civilian Sudan Airways plane crashed into a hillside while trying to make an emergency landing, killing 116 people, including eight foreigners. Only a boy survived the crash.

Over 1,400 died from cholera in recent months

Sudan is also battling a cholera outbreak that has killed 1,472 people across a dozen provinces in recent months, the Health Ministry said. The disease has sickened around 56,000 since it was detected in July last year.

The dead included over 70 people who died in two cities in the White Nile province earlier this month, the ministry said. More than 2,000 others were diagnosed with the disease in the cities of Kosti and Rabak, it said.

The outbreak was detected last year during the rainy season between July and October. Heavy rainfall and floods especially hit the country’s eastern areas where millions of war displaced people sheltered.

The outbreak added further burdens on the country, which has suffered from nearly two years of devastating war.

Sudan has been in a state of civil war since 2023 when tensions between the military and a notorious paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open warfare.

The fighting has wrecked urban areas and has been marked by atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in the western region of Darfur, according to the United Nations and international rights groups.

The war has intensified in recent months, with the military making steady advances against the RSF in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country.

The RSF, which controls most of Darfur, said that it downed a military aircraft on Monday in Nyala, the provincial capital of South Darfur province.

Hamas will hand over the remains of four dead hostages, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed on Wednesday. Additionally, Netanyahu’s office said that the terror group is expected to deliver the hostages’ remains without "ceremonies."

Last week, Hamas was widely condemned for holding a ceremony with the coffins of four dead hostages: Ariel Bibas, Kfir Bibas, Shiri Bibas and Oded Lifshitz. The coffin that was supposed to contain Shiri Bibas’ remains was later discovered to have the body of an unidentified Gazan woman. Shiri’s remains were later returned to Israel.

"These Hamas monsters also cynically refused to bring back the boys’ mother, Shiri, and sent the body of a Gazan woman instead, in brazen violation of the agreement," Netanyahu said in a statement on Feb. 21.

ISRAEL'S UN AMBASSADOR SLAMS HAMAS' 'EVIL AND DEPRAVED' DISPLAY OF HOSTAGES' COFFINS

Top United Nations officials, including the spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, condemned the ceremonies. 

U.N. Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told the press that Secretary-General Guterres found the "parading of bodies and displaying of the coffins of the deceased hostages" to be "abhorrent and appalling."

In his statement, Türk cited international legal requirements for the returning of remains of the deceased, but did not specifically say that Hamas’ ceremony violated international law.

"We urge that all returns are conducted in privacy, and with respect and care," Türk said. "Under international law, any handover of the remains of [the] deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families."

FUNERAL HELD FOR SHIRI BIBAS AND HER SONS AFTER THEIR REMAINS HANDED OVER BY HAMAS

Many, however, were not satisfied with the statements from U.N. officials, with some critics slamming the international institution for its alleged lack of action after Oct. 7.

"For 16 months, Israel has been fighting a deranged terrorist organization that places no value on human life, especially if it is Israeli or Jewish – all while international institutions like the UN refrained from condemning Hamas and formally demanding the immediate return of our hostages," Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

While Hamas released a list of the hostages whose bodies will supposedly be returned later today, Israel has not officially confirmed the identities of the deceased hostages. 

Oded Lifshitz, one of the slain hostages whose remains were returned last week, was laid to rest on Tuesday. His wife, Yocheved, delivered an emotional eulogy in which she vowed to fight to get the remaining hostages home.

While Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were buried on Wednesday together in one casket, according to the Times of Israel. Yarden Bibas, who was also taken hostage on Oct. 7 but was later released, eulogized his wife and two young sons. He also apologized to his wife and sons for not being able to protect him during Hamas’ brutal attacks.

"Shiri, this is the closest I’ve been to you since October 7th, and I can’t kiss or hug you, and it’s breaking me," Yarden Bibas said. 

Pope Francis has shown "slight" improvement over the past 24 hours, but remains in critical condition, the Vatican announced Wednesday.

"The clinical conditions of the Holy Father in the last 24 hours have shown a further, slight improvement. The mild renal failure found in recent days has returned. The chest CT scan, performed last night, showed a normal evolution of the pulmonary phlogistic picture. Today's blood chemistry and blood tests confirmed yesterday's improvement," the Vatican said in a statement.

"The Holy Father continues high-flow oxygen therapy; even today he has not presented respiratory crises. Respiratory physiotherapy continues. Despite registering a slight improvement, the prognosis remains confidential. During the morning, the Holy Father received the Eucharist. The afternoon was dedicated to work activities," the statement continued.

This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.

Calin Georgescu, a far-right populist candidate who won the first round of Romania's canceled presidential election last year, was taken into custody for questioning by the country's top prosecutors on Wednesday.

His communications team said on Facebook that Georgescu was stopped in traffic on his way to submit his new candidacy for the presidency when he was "taken in for questioning at the General Prosecutor’s Office." 

The country's prosecutors said Wednesday that authorities raided 47 addresses of people and associations connected to Georgescu, Reuters reported. Prosecutors said the allegations against them included "false statements regarding the sources of financing" of an electoral campaign, illegal possession of weapons and initiating or establishing an organization "with a fascist, racist or xenophobic" character. Authorities searched the home of Georgescu's campaign manager earlier this month. 

Georgescu said on Facebook that authorities "are looking to invent evidence to justify the theft of the elections and to do anything to block my new candidacy for the presidency." He called on supporters to attend a protest on Saturday in Bucharest.

VANCE EVISCERATES 'SOVIET'-STYLE EUROPEAN CENSORSHIP IN ADDRESS TO MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on X, "The judiciary is independent & the law must be applied regardless of persons."

Romania's Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the election two days ahead of the Dec. 8 runoff after Georgescu's first-round win. He had polled in single digits and declared zero campaign spending, according to The Associated Press. Allegations of Russian interference and electoral violations quickly emerged. After the election cancelation, prosecutors launched an investigation into alleged campaign funding fraud, as well as alleged antisemitism and hate speech. 

The Trump administration has criticized Romania for canceling last year's presidential election, with Vice President JD Vance alleging that the court's ruling was based on "flimsy suspicions" and "enormous pressure" from Romania’s neighbors.

At the Munich Security Conference, Vance said the threat he worried about the most regarding Europe was not Russia, China or another external factor. 

"What I worry about is the threat from within – the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America," Vance said. "Now, I was struck that a former European commissioner went on television recently and sounded delighted that the Romanian government had just annulled an entire election. He warned that if things don't go to plan, the very same thing could happen in Germany too."  

"Now, these cavalier statements are shocking to American ears," he said. "For years, we've been told that everything we fund and support is in the name of our shared democratic values. Everything from our Ukraine policy to digital censorship is billed as a defense of democracy. But when we see European courts canceling elections and senior officials threatening to cancel others, we ought to ask whether we're holding ourselves to an appropriately high standard." 

Vance said in December, "Romania straight up canceled the results of a presidential election based on the flimsy suspicions of an intelligence agency and enormous pressure from its continental neighbors." 

ROMANIAN OLIGARCH PAID HUNTER BIDEN TO INFLUENCE US POLICY, DOJ ALLEGES

"The argument was that Russian disinformation had infected the Romanian elections. But I'd asked my European friends to have some perspective," Vance said. "You can believe it's wrong for Russia to buy social media advertisements to influence your elections. We certainly do. You can condemn it on the world stage, even. But if your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn't very strong to begin with." 

Vance warned European leaders that they cannot win a "democratic mandate" by "censoring your opponents or putting them in jail," nor by "disregarding your basic electorate on questions like who gets to be a part of our shared society." 

"To many of us on the other side of the Atlantic, it looks more and more like old, entrenched interests hiding behind ugly Soviet-era words like misinformation and disinformation, who simply don't like the idea that somebody with an alternative viewpoint might express a different opinion or, God forbid, vote a different way, or even worse, win an election," Vance said. 

Vance further criticized Romania's top court at the Conservative Political Action Conference over the weekend. 

"You don't have shared values if you cancel elections because you don't like the result – and that happened in Romania – if you're so afraid of your own people that you silence them and shut them up," Vance said. "So let's have shared values. Let's defend democracy. Let's have free expression, not just in the United States, but all over the Western world. That is the path to strong alliances in Europe."

Elon Musk, the tech billionaire involved with the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency, described Romanian top court chief, Judge Marian Enache – who voted to annul the election's first round – as a "tyrant." 

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bucharest on Saturday to support Georgescu, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and argued the election was "canceled illegally and unconstitutionally."

The first round of the rerun of the election is scheduled for May 4. If no candidate gets more than 50% of ballots, a runoff will follow on May 18. It is not clear whether Georgescu will be able to participate in the vote.

Georgescu, a staunch critic of NATO and Western support for Ukraine, has sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes, according to the AP. 

He has also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past as "a man who loves his country," and has called Ukraine "an invented state."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not seem like he’s afraid of playing hardball with President Donald Trump during their expected meeting on Friday. While speaking with the media in Ukraine, Zelenskyy vowed to "resolve" the issue around NATO, saying he is looking to either join the alliance or "something similar."

Zelenskyy has been pushing for Ukraine to gain NATO membership, and on Sunday he said he would resign from the presidency if that meant peace and entry into the alliance for his country. However, U.S. officials have said NATO membership for Ukraine is off the table in the near future, as Russia would not agree to such terms.

When briefing the press on Wednesday, Zelenskyy also teased possible topics for discussion during his expected meeting with Trump and said he has "very important questions" for the U.S. president, including whether the U.S. will cut off aid. 

ZELENSKYY NAMES HIS TERMS FOR GIVING UP POWER AS US, UKRAINE LOCK IN ON MINERAL DEAL

Trump and Zelenskyy are expected to discuss a possible rare earth minerals deal, which the U.S. president says has been "pretty much negotiated." On Monday, Trump said that the deal included minerals and "various other things."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told "Sunday Morning Futures" that the first part of the deal involves the formation of a partnership between the two countries and "involves strategic minerals, energy and state-owned enterprises."

"We make money if the Ukrainian people make money, and I believe that with the United States of America, our businesses are willing to come in and provide capital that we can accelerate the Ukrainian growth trajectory and take in substantial monies for the U.S. taxpayers and get the Ukrainian economy on a great growth trajectory."

TRUMP ENVOY FOR RUSSIA AND UKRAINE CALLS ZELENSKYY A 'COURAGEOUS LEADER' AFTER TRUMP LAMBASTS FOREIGN FIGURE

The Ukrainian leader also told the press on Wednesday that it was important that Trump answers his questions before meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Earlier this month, Trump said he had a "lengthy and highly productive" call with Putin, however, no face-to-face meeting is scheduled as of the time of this writing. The Kremlin said a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin could possibly happen this month, but that it might take more time, according to Reuters.
 

US VOTES AGAINST CONDEMNING RUSSIA FOR UKRAINE WAR AS TRUMP ADMIN CHASES PEACE DEAL

Friday’s meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy comes at a crucial moment as the relationship between the two nations grows rocky.

Earlier this week, the U.S. voted against a United Nations resolution laying blame on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and demanding the removal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. Subsequently, the U.S. abstained from a vote on its own resolution after several nations succeeded in amending it to make it clear that Russia was responsible.

Zelenskyy recently criticized Trump, saying the president was in a "disinformation space." Vice President JD Vance later called out the Ukrainian leader’s "atrocious" approach to the administration. 

Following the criticisms, Trump accused Zelenskyy of being "a dictator without elections" in a Truth Social post and said that if the Ukrainian leader doesn’t "move fast" he wouldn’t "have a country left."

Fox News’ Morgan Phillips, Greg Norman and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

A nurse who allegedly said she wouldn’t treat Israeli patients is now facing multiple federal charges in Australia. 

Sarah Abu Lebdeh, 26, was detained Tuesday after she made the comments in a video posted online earlier this month, according to the Associated Press. 

Abu Lebdeh and another nurse, Ahmed Rashid Nadir, were suspended from Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital near Sydney on Feb. 12. Abu Lebdeh said in a video the night before that she wouldn’t treat Israeli patients while Nadir suggested he had killed Israelis, the AP reported. 

However, the hospital examined patient records and found no evidence that the nurses had harmed patients. 

AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE WORKERS THREATEN ISRAELI MAN, CLAIM TO HAVE KILLED JEWS IN THEIR CARE ON CAMERA 

The video posted online was described as "antisemitic" by the New South Wales Police Force. 

They added that it was "filmed at Bankstown Hospital and circulated widely on social media." 

Abu Lebdeh was charged with the federal offenses of threatening violence to a group, using a carriage service to threaten to kill and using a carriage service to menace, harass and offend, police said.  

The charges carried a potential maximum penalty of 22 years in prison. 

Abu Lebdeh has been released on bail and is expected to appear in court on March 19. 

AUSTRALIA’S JEWISH COMMUNITY ALARMED BY RISING ANTISEMITISM 

In the video, a man and woman, who said they were doctors, spoke with another individual via Chatrouletka, a website where strangers are matched internationally to have conversations. 

After the Israeli man revealed his nationality, the female worker said "it's Palestine's country, not your country you piece of s---," according to the video. 

As the Israeli man asked for peace, the conversation escalated, and the woman said "when the time comes, I want you to remember my face, so you can understand that you will die the most disgusting death." 

The pair went on to say they would not treat the man and would kill him if he came to their hospital. 

The man in scrubs said "you have no idea how many Israelis came to this hospital and…," while sliding his arm across his neck in a throat-slashing motion. 

Fox News' Alexandra Koch, Beth Bailey and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Taiwan dispatched naval, land and air forces on Wednesday after China launched a live-fire exercise zone just 40 nautical miles off of Taiwan's coast.

Taiwan's defense ministry says it only became aware of the exercise when local Taiwanese vessels were warned to stay out of the area after the drills had begun. The drills are centered off the coast of the Taiwan port city of Kaohsiung. Taiwanese officials say China "blatantly violated international norms" by unilaterally designating the drill zone.

"This move not only poses a high risk to the navigation safety of international flights and ships at sea, but is also a blatant provocation to regional security and stability," the defense ministry said in a statement.

As part of the drill, Taiwan says it detected 32 Chinese military aircraft carrying out joint exercises with warships. Chinese officials have so far not acknowledged Taiwan's complaints.

TAIWAN FM HAILS IMPORTANCE OF US RELATIONSHIP, SAYS GROUP VISITS 'CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE AND STABILITY'

The drills around Taiwan are only the latest example of Chinese aggression this month. The country's military has also launched live-fire drills off the coast of Vietnam as well as between New Zealand and Australia, forcing commercial flights between the two countries to be diverted.

Wednesday's exercise came just days after the Chinese Communist Party’s fourth-ranked leader, Wang Huning, called for greater "reunification" efforts. China has long maintained that Taiwan is a rebel territory belonging to Beijing.

TRUMP MUST DUMP 'ONE CHINA' POLICY AND RECOGNIZE 'FREE' TAIWAN, HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAY

China must "firmly grasp the right to dominate and take the initiative in cross-strait relations, and unswervingly push forward the cause of reunification of the motherland," Huning said, according to a translation by Chinese state media.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly said in recent years that he is willing to take over Taiwan by force.

China's drills come one day after Taiwan's coast guard (CGA) detained the Chinese crew of a Togolese-registered vessel suspected of severing an undersea fiber optic cable connecting the islands of Taiwan and Penghu on Tuesday.

The CGA says the vessel, the Hong Tai 168, had been loitering within roughly 925 meters of the cable since 7 p.m. local time on Feb. 22. A coast guard vessel was dispatched to the ship at 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, demanding that the vessel leave the area, Taiwan's state-owned media said.

Coast guard officials received confirmation that the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 undersea cable had been cut at 3 a.m. Tuesday, and they began efforts to detain the ship's Chinese crew. All eight crew members were Chinese nationals, according to the coast guard.

Taiwan split from mainland China in 1949, when pro-democratic forces fled to the island after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's Chinese Communist Party.

With just days to go before the first phase of the fragile ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was set to expire, the terrorist group has agreed to release the bodies of four dead Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. 

Israel has delayed the release of about 600 Palestinian prisoners since Saturday to protest what it regarded as the cruel treatment of hostages during their release by Hamas. 

"In light of Hamas’s repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes, it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies," the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

Tensions were made worse after Hamas said it was turning over the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two sons – only for it to later be revealed that the identity of the mom did not match. 

FORMER HAMAS HOSTAGE BRIEFS UN SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE ‘PURE HELL’ THAT WAS CAPTIVITY IN GAZA

The militant group said it had "no interest in withholding any bodies in its possession," claiming that the dead hostages handed over had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in November 2023 and that the bodies could have been misidentified due to bombardments in the area. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari denies this and said Ariel and Kfir Bibas were killed by their captors.

Hamas has accused Israel of committing a "serious violation" by delaying the ceasefire agreement and said that talks on a second phase aren't possible until the Palestinians are freed.

GOP LAWMAKERS PUSH TRUMP TO RECOGNIZE WEST BANK AS ISRAELI TERRITORY

But Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou later told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Hamas would hand over the bodies of four Israelis the next day.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, thousands of Israelis lined the highways as the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two children were transported to their burial.

Shiri Bibas was kidnapped with her two sons — Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months old — from their home on Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023. 

Yarden Bibas, their father, was taken separately, and released during the ceasefire last month. The three will be buried on Kibbutz Nir Oz on Wednesday afternoon.

JOHANNESBURG: The key to Africa’s future is in increasing trade with the U.S., not in receiving aid from it, a message key analysts told Fox News Digital in the wake of President Donald Trump’s foreign aid freeze.

"U.S. trade dollars exchanged with Africa massively exceed aid dollars granted," South African-based Frans Cronje, an advisor for the Yorktown Foundation for Freedom, told Fox News Digital. 

Some $11 billion of USAid funds were reportedly spent in Africa in 2024, but trade between the U.S. and Africa during the same period was seven times higher - $71.6 billion, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

'WASTEFUL AND DANGEROUS': DOGE'S TOP FIVE MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS

Cronje said "the idea of helping people with aid may be admirable, but in practice achieves little in Africa by way of addressing the structural factors that underpin poverty. Trade, on the other hand, is a more viable route by which the U.S. can build strong relationships with Africa, and is also in line with President Donald Trump’s style of diplomacy through transactions."

Cronje elaborated, saying, "Aid acts as a subsidy to bad governments, and thereby keeps them in power despite an absence of reform - whereas trade requires reforms and improving governance to be sustainable."

Following the Trump administration's policy change, Ledama Olekina, senator for Kenya’s Narok County, added, "We don’t need aid in Kenya; we can do it on our own!" Posting on X on Jan. 28, Olekina wrote, "Relying on aid from the West limits our opportunities to be industrious and creative. From now on, we must learn to live within our means, eliminate corruption, and instill a spirit of patriotism in our citizens. Together, let’s build a brighter future for our country. Thank you @realDonaldTrump and @USAID it’s time!"

Anna Mahjar-Barducci, a senior research fellow at the Middle East Media Research Institute, told Fox News Digital that aid "does not help the needy, as foreign aid keeps the needy always being needy … international aid doesn't go directly to the starving population, but to governments. The direct consequence is the growth of the role of the State in the economy of the recipient country, which does not offer incentives to (the) private sector's development."

She added, "Foreign aid has been financing central governments, which (has) ended up promoting statism, and discouraging the creation of an entrepreneurial culture. As a result, government bureaucrats became richer, and regular citizens got poorer. As British economist Peter Bauer put it: "Aid is a process by which the poor in the rich countries subsidize the rich in poor countries."

TRUMP FREEZES AID TO SOUTH AFRICA, PROMOTES RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES FACING RACE DISCRIMINATION

Aid has other negative effects, according to Mahjar-Barducci, who added, "aid is providing governments, many of which are dictatorships, in Africa with freely usable cash, which not only discourages the creation of an entrepreneurial culture, but it also discourages steps toward peace in war-torn areas.

"While many Westerners (mainly belonging to the radical left) criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to pause U.S. foreign aid, many African intellectuals welcomed the new administration’s policy." 

She pointed to a recent column by Nigerian expert Mfonobong Inyang, titled, "Wake Up Africa, Foreign Aid Is Not A Development Strategy." She said "in his article, he stated that foreign aid is meant to be a temporary relief and intervention, not an official policy of any country that seeks to assert its sovereignty."

Mahjar-Barducci said, "Many African economists are saying that the suspension of USAID funding, offers an opportunity to redefine the African countries’ development strategy, and establish an ‘Africa-first approach,’ based on direct investments, innovation, partnerships, (and) empowering local governance."

On Sunday, The Associated Press reported that some 1,600 posts at USAID would be eliminated after reviewing notices that were sent to USAID workers.

Enter the dragon. China is whipping its Belt and Road Initiative into a virtual frenzy in Africa. Beijing has invested over $700 billion in infrastructure development on the continent in the decade up to 2023, according to China’s commerce industry. 

Cronje said that when it comes to Africa, China already believes in pushing trade, rather than aid, "in terms of both foreign investment flows and trade flows, China is a significantly more important economic partner for Africa than is the U.S. Since around 2010, Chinese trade with Africa escalated sharply in dollar terms whilst trade levels between the U.S. and Africa remained relatively flat."

Mahdar-Barducci borrowed Ghanian economist George Ayittey’s phrase "Chopsticks Mercantilism" to describe China’s policy in Africa, commenting on "China's dexterity in striking deals with African leaders that were stacked in its own favor. Chinese multinational companies are investing in the African continent, in exchange for access to natural resources." 

Cronje stated that for the U.S., instead of aid, "trade is likely to be a more effective route to securing sound economic and diplomatic relations with Africa, as it helps to build sustainable African economies without being a direct cost to American taxpayers."

Additionally, on China, Cronje concluded, "In many respects, the U.S. is having to play catch-up in Africa. For American policy makers, the trade and investment deficit relative to China should be a more important concern than the question of future aid flows."

A funeral procession for a mother and her two young sons is being held Wednesday morning in Rishon Lezion, Israel, after their remains were turned over by Hamas last week.

The remains of Shiri Bibas and her sons Ariel and Kfir were handed over to Israeli authorities late last week as part of an ongoing hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas. 

The funeral will be held near the family’s home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, at a private ceremony in Zohar, The Times of Israel reported. It will be closed to the public.

REMAINS OF SHIRI BIBAS POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED AFTER EVENTUALLY BEING HANDED OVER BY HAMAS

The family published the route of the funeral procession and urged the public to show support as the remains are transported.

On Friday, Hamas handed over a coffin carrying Shiri Bibas' remains to the Red Cross, which turned the coffin over to Israeli authorities. She was positively identified on Saturday morning.

REMAINS OF SHIRI BIBAS, MOM OF TWO KILLED, ALLEGEDLY RETURNED TO ISRAEL FOLLOWING HAMAS' BROKEN PROMISE

Hamas had initially handed over a Palestinian woman from Gaza on Thursday. 

The terror group said it had "no interest in withholding any bodies in its possession." It said the dead hostages handed over on Thursday had been killed by an Israeli airstrike in November 2023 and that the bodies could have been misidentified due to bombardments in the area.

Before the handover of Shiri Bibas' remains, Israeli authorities positively identified the remains of her two sons along with another hostage, Oded Lifshitz.

At least four people died and six were injured on Tuesday after a collapse at a highway construction site in an area south of the South Korean capital, Seoul, fire authorities said.

The accident took place at 9:49 a.m. (0049 GMT) in Anseong, about 70 km (43.5 miles) from Seoul, when five 50 metre (164 ft) concrete structures supporting the highway bridge collapsed one after another after being hoisted into place by a crane, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

SOUTH KOREA DEADLY PLANE CRASH: US SENDS INVESTIGATORS TO COUNTRY STILL REELING FROM DISASTER THAT KILLED 179

Ko Kyung-man, an Anseong fire official, said that four people had died, including two Chinese nationals, and six were injured, including five who were in a critical condition. The five also included one Chinese citizen.

"They were working to install a deck on the bridge," Ko told a televised briefing. "All of the 10 were up on the deck ... and fell from both sides when it collapsed."

Broadcaster YTN aired dramatic footage showing a deck of a towering bridge collapsing at the site.

Rescue workers at the site were seen examining twisted metal struts and fractured concrete slabs below the columns of the highway bridge.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok called to mobilise all available personnel and resources to rescue any missing people and to ensure safety measures to prevent further damage, his office said.

The National Fire Agency said that it has mobilised three helicopters and nearly 150 officials for the search and rescue operation, and the Transport Ministry said it has dispatched a team of officials to the scene.

Deadly accidents continue to regularly occur at industrial sites in South Korea, which introduced a law in 2022 to address safety lapses and punish company management if a worker is killed on the job.

Earlier in February, six people died in a fire in a hotel construction site in the port city of Busan, with around 100 people evacuated including 14 workers plucked to safety by a helicopter after they had taken refuge on a rooftop.

In June last year, a fire at a lithium battery factory that authorities blamed on quality control failures and inadequate safety training killed 23 workers.

Data released in March by South Korea's labour ministry showed that 598 industrial workers died in 2023, with the construction sector accounting for nearly half, or 303, though the total death toll was down from 644 in 2022.