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The Israeli Defense Forces carried out a "precise strike" on the central headquarters of Hezbollah in Beirut, Lebanon, the IDF announced Friday. 

IDF spokesperson Rear admiral Daniel Hagari said the headquarters were intentionally built under residential buildings "as part of Hezbollah's strategy of using Lebanese people as human shields."

Video and images show plumes of smoke rising over Beirut following the Israeli strikes.

Fox News has learned the target of the strike on Beirut was Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH WAR: NETANYAHU 'DID NOT EVEN RESPOND' TO US CEASE-FIRE DEAL, PLEDGES TO FIGHT 'FULL FORCE'

Hezbollah's al-Manar television reported that four buildings were destroyed and there were many casualties in the multiple strikes, which marked a major escalation of Israel's conflict with the heavily armed, Iran-backed Hezbollah.

HOW A US-BACKED UN RESOLUTION FAILED TO STOP HEZBOLLAH TERROR TAKEOVER: 'BIPARTISAN FAILURE'

Security sources in Lebanon said the attack targeted an area where top Hezbollah officials are usually based. It was the heaviest attack in Beirut in almost a year of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

"On Oct. 8, Hezbollah started attacking Israel after almost a year of Hezbollah firing rockets, missiles and suicide drones at Israeli civilians," Hagari said.

"After almost a year of Israel warning the world and telling them that Hezbollah must be stopped, Israel is doing what every sovereign state in the world would do if they had a terror organization that seeks their destruction on their border, taking the necessary action to protect our people so that Israeli families can leave their homes safely and securely."

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for details. 

Former President Donald Trump met with the president of Ukraine at Trump Tower in New York City on Friday, saying he has a "very good relationship" with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"It's very important to share our plan, all of our steps on how we can strengthen Ukraine," Zelenskyy said. He explained to reporters that he decided to meet with both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris because "after November, we don't know who Americans [will decide to] be the president."

Speaking with Fox News after the meeting, Trump said, "We both want to see this end and we both want to see a fair deal made. And it's got to be fair. And I think that'll happen at the right time. I think it's going to happen." 

Neither Trump nor Zelenskyy publicly explained details of a potential deal.

ZELENSKYY WARNS VANCE'S PLAN TO GIVE RUSSIA SEIZED LAND WILL LEAD TO 'GLOBAL SHUTDOWN'

"It’s an honor to have the president with us, and he’s been through a lot" Trump said of Zelenskyy's visit, at one point saying "[Zelenskyy has] gone through hell, his country has gone through hell."

The meeting at Trump Tower comes just after Zelenskyy met with Harris in Washington, D.C. 

Harris and Zelenskyy gave a joint address at the White House on Thursday, where she pledged unwavering support for the Ukrainian effort and criticized Trump's consideration of negotiated peace at the cost of some captured regions of the country.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY'S VANCE CRITICISMS COULD COME BACK TO HAUNT HIM, REPUBLICANS WARN

"In candor, I share with you, Mr. President, there are some in my country who would, instead, force Ukraine to give up large parts of its sovereign territory, who would demand that Ukraine accept neutrality and would require Ukraine to forego security relationships with other nations," Harris said.

Zelenskyy affirmed on Friday after meeting with Trump that the former president shares the "common view that the war in Ukraine has to be stopped."

"He’s going through a tremendous amount," Trump said on Friday. "We’re going to have a discussion and see what we can come up with."

A brief exchange between the two leaders highlighted the high stakes of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the U.S.'s role in ending the conflict.

"We have a very good relationship. I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin," Trump said. "And I think if we win we're going to get [the war] resolved very quickly." 

"I hope we have more good [sic] relations," Zelenskyy interjected, emphasizing his desire to have a stronger relationship with the U.S. than Russia.

"It takes two to tango, and we will," Trump responded.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored the conflicts in the Middle East as a choice between "a blessing or a curse," as he warned Iran’s "tyrants" about Israel’s ability to defend and avenge itself.

"If you strike us, we will strike you," Netanyahu said. "There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach, and that’s true of the entire Middle East: Far from being lambs led to the slaughter, Israel’s soldiers have fought back with incredible courage and with heroic sacrifice."  

Netanyahu took the podium in front of a partially empty General Assembly, with some delegates walking out, but those who gathered to hear him offered raucous applause ahead of his speech. Seemingly absent from the speech was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was hosting a global health security event on the sidelines of UNGA.

He revealed that he almost did not attend the U.N. High-Level Week, but he felt a need to "set the record straight," which included laying out the choice the world faces. 

Netanyahu brought several families with loved ones held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza to New York and once again called for their freedom, noting that, "I'll say this one more time, we remain focused on our sacred mission, bringing our hostages home. And we will not stop until that mission is complete."

THE ONLY THING NETANYAHU CAN DO IS EXUDE STRENGTH IN THE FACE OF HIS ENEMIES: ELIZABETH PIPKO

"Israel seeks peace," Netanyahu said. "Israel yearns for peace. Israel has made peace and will make peace again – yet, we face savage enemies who seek our annihilation, and we must defend ourselves against those savage murderers." 

Netanyahu framed the issue as a choice between "a blessing or a curse," with Iran’s "unremitting aggression" as the "curse" against the "blessing" of reconciliation between Arab nations and Israel.

CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER HIGHLIGHTS LACK OF EUROPEAN LEADERSHIP, FAILURE TO ‘PROJECT GEOPOLITICAL POWER’

"A normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel seemed closer than ever. But then came the curse of Oct. 7," Netanyahu said. "Thousands of Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists from Gaza burst into Israel in pickup trucks, on motorcycles. And they committed unimaginable atrocities." 

The prime minister hammered again on Iran’s aggression, warning that if left unchecked, it will "endanger every single country in the Middle East and many, many countries in the rest of the world." 

HEZBOLLAH STORES WEAPONS AMONG CIVILIANS IN LEBANON, US SAYS ITS NOT SHARING INTEL WITH IDF

"Iran seeks to impose its radicalism well beyond the Middle East," Netanyahu warned. "That's why it funds terror networks on five continents. That's why it builds ballistic missiles for nuclear warheads to threaten the entire world."

"For too long, the world is appeasing Iran. It turns a blind eye to its internal repression. It turns a blind eye to its external aggression," he added. "Well, that appeasement must end, and that appeasement must end now."

Netanyahu called on the U.N. Security Council to "snap back" sanctions against Iran and do everything in the organization’s power to "ensure that Iran never gets nuclear weapons." 

However, he lamented that the organization has an apparent bias against Israel and in favor of the Palestinians, citing the "automatic majority" of countries that will vote in favor of any policy that hurts Israel.

"For the Palestinians, this U.N. House of darkness is home court," Netanyahu said. "They know that in this swamp of antisemitic bile, there's an automatic majority willing to demonize the Jewish state on anything in this anti-Israel, flat Earth society. Any false charge, any outlandish allegation can muster a majority." 

"It's always been about Israel, about Israel's very existence, and I say to you, until Israel, until the Jewish state is treated like other nations, until this antisemitic swamp is drained, the U.N. will be viewed by fair-minded people everywhere as nothing more than a contemptuous force," he added. 

Fox News' David Hammelburg contributed to this story.

UNITED NATIONS, New York - Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, during an interview with Fox News Digital, bemoaned that Europe now struggles to impact geopolitical issues and lacks clear leadership in the over two dozen member bloc. 

"I think it's a clear show that Europe has lost its ability to project geopolitical power, especially into Africa and the Middle East, because we are basically not able to do any kind of measures to stop this irregular migration," Lipavsky said. 

"When somebody who really has no right for asylum is in Europe, there are no true mechanisms … so they will need to put more effort into that, definitely," he added. 

Czechia, also known as the Czech Republic, sits in the middle of Europe and still considers itself the continent’s "natural crossroads," which places it in a unique position to discuss matters regarding immigration and conflicts on the border. 

HUNGARIAN FM RECALLS STRONG TRUMP ADMIN ‘EXPERIENCE,’ CLAIMS ‘OUR HOPE IS ALL’ ON FORMER PRESIDENT

Despite that prominent perspective, Lipavsky noted that "the leadership must come from the big" countries, as "that’s how things are done in international politics." 

Lipavsky argued that this lack of leadership has made the conflict between Ukraine and Russia more difficult, but he admitted the war helped waken the bloc’s members to certain issues they had ignored. 

"We have rediscovered our ability, at least in the east, to protect Ukraine, but, still, we need to do more, honestly," Lipavsky said. "I would not say it’s a dire situation, but certainly the lack of leadership also could be visible." 

TALIBAN DISMISS DISCRIMINATION ACCUSATIONS AS ‘ABSURD’ DESPITE BANNING WOMEN FROM PUBLIC IN AFGHANISTAN

"As minister of foreign affairs from Czechia, I’m trying to come up with proposals. I’m trying to call for common action," he continued. "For example, we are delivering a lot of ammunition to Ukraine. We have this ammunition initiative." 

"Those are hundreds, thousands of shells, which then make a difference on the battlefields – more than words," he added.   

Lipavsky framed the current state of international politics as one of "global confrontation," with conflicts across multiple regions that impact all nations due to their effects on everything from energy to food supplies and general shipping.

"We see many conflicts in the Middle East," Lipavsky said. "It’s not only Gaza or now Lebanon, where the north of Israel is being shelled by rockets for many months, but it is also the navigation in Red Sea, which is being endangered by Houthis, and those are supported by Iran."

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT BACKS UN CLAIM RELIEF WORKERS ACCUSED OF AIDING HAMAS ARE IMMUNE

"This is a very complex matter, and we need to de-escalate," he added. "We need to put a lot of effort into peace, but also not forget that Israel has a right to defend itself." 

Czechia earlier this year voted against the Palestinian States gaining expanded powers in the United Nations and last week was one of 14 countries that voted against a Palestinian-drafted resolution that adopted the International Court of Justice opinion that demanded Israel leave Gaza and the West Bank. Lipavsky explained that the resolution "skewed in one direction," which was "a very basic reason to vote against" the resolution. 

However, he stressed that Russia remains "definitely" the most important crisis facing Czechia and other European countries. 

"Russia wants to destroy the complete Ukrainian nation. They want to include them into Russia and … It's like Hitler during the World War. It's absolutely similar," Lipavsky insisted. 

"We know that we used to be in a sphere of influence of Soviet Union during Czechoslovakia … after the Second World War until the fall of the Berlin Wall," he said. "I don't want to happen to Czechia again that some dictator will tell us what to do and what to not and to exploit us. 

"So we have to defend from this, from this Russian trust, and then of course, to be a good ally to U.S., and good to NATO," he added. 

"Marginalized," "powerless," living in the "Twilight Zone."

Parents of a trans teenager living in Geneva used those words to describe how they have lived in shock and fear over the last 19 months after their then 15-year-old daughter was removed from their home by court order following their objections to giving her puberty blockers.

Now, they are fighting under threat of criminal charges to preserve her identity and stop her from making potentially irreversible changes to her body.  

"This is not a question of human rights," the father told Fox News Digital. "This is a question of conducting medical experiments on children."

BIDEN OFFICIALS PUSHED TO DROP AGE LIMIT ON TRANS SURGERIES FOR MINORS: REPORT

The parents of the now 16-year-old – who wish to remain anonymous to preserve their family’s privacy – claim they have struggled to combat the institutional powers that have accused them of parental abuse for their refusal to give their daughter elective medicine.

The tumultuous journey began when the girl sat her parents down in 2021 and told them she identified as a boy.

"It was an absolute surprise. She was 13 at the time, and she had never previously demonstrated any inclination toward masculinity or any proclivity for masculine behavior ever," the father explained.

The father – who said he and his daughter were always very close – detailed how she reached this conclusion following a difficult time for their family after first his work took him abroad for several years, and then the coronavirus pandemic hit.

The pandemic forced school closures, which meant increased isolation for kids around the globe, and a significant amount of time spent online.

"We said to our daughter, ‘Well this is a surprise, but we will listen to you, and we will seek medical advice. We will all learn together and make decisions together,'" he said.

At the recommendation of their child’s pediatrician, they took their daughter to the public children’s hospital in Geneva, where she was shown a "gender unicorn" and was asked to identify with various aspects of the image, after which it was determined that she was "likely experiencing gender dysphoria."

The director of the ward then met with the parents and explained that the hospital was conducting "rigorous research" around the question of gender identity and that their daughter would receive a "comprehensive and serious assessment."

NEW HAMPSHIRE SENATE PASSES BILL THAT WOULD PROHIBIT TRANS ATHLETES' INCLUSION WITH GENDER IDENTITY

The advice was to "support her in her identity" by allowing her to cut her hair, dress as a boy and wear breast binders if that’s what she wished.

"And so, initially, we did that. We followed the medical advice," the father said.

However, after seeing a psychiatrist at the hospital for a few months, the parents were told the next step they should pursue for their daughter would be to begin the use of hormone blockers – a medication that prevents puberty-related changes to the body, like breast growth.

"We’re not at the stage where we're going to be giving our daughter any medication," he said, reflecting on their response to the psychiatrist.

"We saw firsthand in our interaction with the hospital, that there was no serious medical assessment being conducted. It was simply, well your daughter has pointed to these elements on the gender unicorn, and therefore, she’s a boy because she says so," he added, noting that they then sought out a private psychiatrist.

In response to Fox News Digital's questions, the Geneva University Hospital (HUG) said they could not comment on individual cases but said in cases of gender dysphoria the hospital works "to promote dialogue between the child and his parents."

Spokesperson for the hospital, Nicolas de Saussure, also said the "HUG does not push any patient in the direction of a legal or medical transition but supports them in their individual journey according to their values and preferences by referring to existing scientific data and international recommendations."

According to the statement sent to Fox News Digital, the hospital has received roughly 100 minors with gender dysmorphia, about half of which have begun hormonal treatments after they have reached the age of 16. 

However, the father described a sense of frustration regarding what the parents felt was a lack of adequate medical care and support offered for their daughter and their family – a frustration that marked only the beginning of what would become a long and arduous journey as they struggled to maintain their parental rights.

Against the parent’s wishes, the private school their child attended began to "socially transition" their daughter and connected her with a transgender advocacy organization.

By the time their daughter was 15, a school psychologist – who she saw in addition to the private psychiatrist hired by her parents – reached out to the Swiss Child Protection Agency (SPMI) and claimed the minor needed protection from her "transphobic" parents following their continued objection to puberty blockers.

NEW FEDERAL TRANSGENDER RULES PLACE WOMEN'S WORKPLACE RIGHTS 'UNDER ATTACK,' EEOC COMMISSIONER CHARGES

"The school was facilitating meetings between our daughter and [the transgender advocacy agency], and our daughter and the SPMI – not only without our knowledge, but fraudulently because they were marking her absentee form as if she was doing school activities," he told Fox News Digital. "We later found out she wasn't. She was out of school meeting with [the transgender advocacy group] and meeting with the SPMI."

The school, which Fox News Digital has not named for the sake of the family's anonymity, rejected the accusation that it did anything untoward and said, "The school abides by Swiss law and complies with the decisions of the child protection authorities. 

"We refute all allegations implying otherwise," a school official added, though questions regarding how the child was marked absent were not directly answered. 

Eventually, based on alleged mental and physical health concerns, a Swiss court decided their daughter should be placed in a supervised home run by social services known as a "foyer" – where the now 16-year-old has remained for more than a year.

"International law holds that a child shall not be separated from her parents against their will, except in cases of abuse," legal counsel for ADF International, Dr. Felix Boellmann, said in a statement.

The father told Fox News Digital that it is still unclear to him and his legal team what abuse was identified in order to allow them to remove his daughter from her home. 

In return to Fox News Digital's questions, Swiss authorities with the République et canton de Genève said they would not comment on "individual situations" but provided a broad response to Switzerland's legal system. 

"The SPMI respects parental authority, unless the exercise of this authority endangers the child concerned, in which case it is up to the judge to decide the child's best interests," communications officer Constance Chaix said. "No child is removed from his or her parents because of ‘a lack of consent to the transition.'"

"No child is placed for lack of consent or opposition to treatment," Chaix said.

A series of battles have ensued as the parents desperately try to maintain a relationship with their daughter and return her to their home.

But as their daughter continues to age, the harder the fight becomes. 

In Switzerland, minors are allowed to legally change their name and registered sex at the age of 16, which her parents fear could make it that much easier for her to physically transition.

"We've met too many other parents and kids who have been victimized and now regret the situation they're in, in life. And we are up against these institutions," he said, referring to the court, the school and the SPMI, which he argues have not taken an evidence-based approach when it comes to minors experiencing gender dysphoria.

"Our inclination was to not only, of course, follow doctor's advice, but LGBTQI – everybody – we support that," he continued. "But as we started to get educated about gender identity, we started to understand that this was not a question of sexual orientation, but a question of cosmetic surgeries, hormones and other sort of Frankenstein-like experiments on children."

The father said the education system in Switzerland has put trans children on a "pedestal for being somehow more courageous," which influences hasty solutions like puberty blockers that could have lasting consequences.

The effects of hormone blockers are reportedly reversible, though government institutions like the U.K.’s National Health Institute have noted the limited research there is on its use in children, and the unknown long-term effects it could have on physical development like bone density or reproductive health.

"We [need to] start taking decisions based on facts and evidence instead of a radical, harmful ideology," the father said. "This is not a question of human rights. This is a question of conducting medical experiments on children.

"I want her to come home so that we can get her back on a healthy track," he said. "For her own well-being and that of her entire family."

The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has drastically escalated over the last month as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has begun targeting the terrorist network's hot spots and military storage units, all of which are strategically embedded within civilian villages.

Images and videos provided to Fox News Digital of the recent strikes in southern Lebanon show precision missiles hitting what have been deemed civilian buildings.

Hezbollah's use of civilian infrastructure has not only created a sophisticated network of meeting houses, weapons storage units and well-hidden missile launching positions across southern Lebanon and in the suburbs of Beirut, it has ensured a war with Hezbollah cannot be conducted without immense collateral damage. 

ISRAEL READIES RESERVE TROOPS ON BORDER WITH LEBANON: 'PREPARE YOURSELVES'

Since Monday, more than 1,800 casualties have been reported and at least 560 people are believed to have been killed, including 50 children and more than 90 women, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. 

On Thursday, the U.S. again urged Israel to agree to a cease-fire in Lebanon, and deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh confirmed with reporters that the U.S. is not aiding Jerusalem militarily or with intelligence in its Lebanon-based campaign.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the international community’s calls for a cease-fire and instead instructed his troops to continue fighting "with full force."

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday warned Israel that it "cannot without consequence just expand its operations to Lebanon" as commanders on the Israeli-Lebanon border ordered its troops to "prepare" for a possible ground invasion. 

No invasion has been ordered at this time, though Israeli and U.S. security experts have told Fox News Digital that the network Hezbollah has established on the foundation of everyday life within Lebanon means war with the terrorist network will likely be even more costly in terms of human lives than what has been witnessed in Gaza.

According to the Israel-based Alma Research and Education Center, a nonprofit organization that researches Israeli security challenges along the border with Lebanon, Hezbollah has long relied on the use of civilian infrastructure to serve its needs. 

ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH WAR: NETANYAHU 'DID NOT EVEN RESPOND' TO US CEASE-FIRE DEAL, PLEDGES TO FIGHT 'FULL FORCE'

"The phenomenon of renting houses, rooms, warehouses within the Shiite civilian areas by Hezbollah is well known since the beginning of the 2000s," Tal Beeri, head of the research department at Alma, told Fox News Digital, adding that the terrorists also rent structures in non-Shia areas of Lebanon as well.

"Evidence of this matter was found in looted documents and investigations of Hezbollah operatives during the Second Lebanon War in 2006. Since then, Hezbollah has only accelerated the phenomenon and estimates are that every third house in southern Lebanon has been used by Hezbollah for its needs," he added. 

Beeri shared research with Fox News Digital that showed findings from 2021 breaking down the sophisticated system in which Hezbollah has intertwined itself in the everyday running of local villages across the country. 

Hezbollah officials dubbed a "Rabat" – loosely translated to "the liaison" – are installed in villages across Lebanon and serve as the representative of the terrorist group, facilitating the needs of the villagers in coordination with the hyper-localized operations of Hezbollah.

The Rabat, which can oversee multiple villages, reportedly establishes relationships with the residents by facilitating requests for aid such as money, food and even with localized disputes.  

"In places where Hezbollah decides to expropriate or lease civilian land or properties from the residents for the purpose of its military activities, the ‘Rabat’ conducts the expropriation or leasing procedure vis-à-vis the relevant resident," Beeri found. 

The report, based on documents seized following the 2006 war with Hezbollah, found that the Rabat also recommended to local Hezbollah units the best locations in each town that are "suitable to serve the human shield tactic" based on the storage requirements surrounding concealment, infrastructure type and weapons placement. 

The Rabat then coordinates the logistics between the terrorist organization and the local property owner. 

"The ‘Rabat’ strengthens Hezbollah’s grip on the Lebanese village residents’ day-to-day life, their property, and needs, allowing Hezbollah to turn them into human shields on a wider scale," the report found.

Hezbollah’s control over local communities and its ability to stockpile and transfer weapons throughout the country through a sophisticated tunnel system signifies that the UN Resolution 1701 passed in 2006 to prevent a third war between the terrorist network and Israel has failed. 

While it remains unclear if U.N. Security Council members are looking to revamp the resolution to counter the terrorist group's movements and stop Israeli operations in civilian areas, the international community has called on Netanyahu to cease his campaign – many leaders from both adversary and allied nations, have fervently warned against invading Lebanon.

Netanyahu is set to address the U.N. body on Friday during what has been described by the Israeli ambassador to the U.N. as the most "hostile" environment he has seen in his roughly 10 years of attending the top summit.  

The Chinese government reportedly covered up the sinking of its newest nuclear-powered submarine as it sat tied to a pier, and U.S. officials say it is no surprise.

"It’s not surprising that the PLA Navy would try to conceal the fact that their new first-in-class nuclear-powered attack submarine sank pierside," a senior U.S. Defense official said. "In addition to the obvious questions about training standards and equipment quality, the incident raises deeper questions about the PLA’s internal accountability and oversight of China’s defense industry, which has long been plagued by corruption."

China’s first Zhou-class submarine likely sank between May and June, The Associated Press reported based on information from an official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Satellite images showed cranes in the area that would have been necessary to salvage the vessel from the bottom of the river.

The incident reportedly forced Chinese authorities to rush to cover up the matter, which had not been previously disclosed.

CHINA'S NEW ROLE FOR ITS NUCLEAR SUBMARINES HAS THE PENTAGON'S ATTENTION

China has previously said it is building a world-class military so it can deter aggression and protect its overseas interests.

Last year, the Pentagon announced it had discovered in a little-known report that China’s military adopted a policy of keeping at least one nuclear-capable submarine at sea at all times.

China maintains a fleet of six nuclear-capable submarines, carrying missiles that could hit the continental U.S. from the South China Sea.

AUSTRALIA COMMITTED TO BUILDING SUB FLEET POWERED BY US NUCLEAR TECH DESPITE CRITICISM FROM FRANCE

The report on China's new submarine activity came just as the U.S., U.K. and Australia entered an agreement for the production and sale of nuclear-powered attack submarines. Australia was also expected to purchase the vessels to modernize its fleet.

The attack submarines are prime candidates for tracking missile submarines like those China has deployed, and increasing Australia's capabilities will take some pressure off U.S. and U.K. forces in the region.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Reuters contributed to this report.

Vatican City may be small, but it's steeped in religious history.

It has a long history of being strongly linked with Christianity as the site of Saint Peter's tomb as well as being filled with famous churches, museums and beautiful gardens that millions visit every year. Vatican City was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. It became an independent state in February 1929, as defined by the Lateran Treaty. 

Vatican City is deemed the smallest country in the world. The city-state in Italy is landlocked in Rome and operates with its own telephone system, post office, gardens, radio station and more, per Britannica. Most of the supplies that Vatican City uses to remain functional are imported.

A GUIDE TO VISITING ROME: HOW TO PREPARE FOR TRAVEL AND MUST-SEE SPOTS

Vatican City is just around 100 acres. The pope is the ruler of Vatican City and the Holy See, which is the government of the Catholic Church. 

The official residence of the pope is the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. The Apostolic Palace is a popular destination for tourists to visit on their travels there as parts of the residence are open for the public to explore. 

One popular part of the palace to visit is the Sistine Chapel. 

A GUIDE TO SIGHTSEEING IN ITALY: A ROMAN ADVENTURE AWAITS YOU

St. Peter's Basilica is a must-see destination in Vatican City. St. Peter's Basilica was completed in 1615 under Paul V, according to Britannica. It's one of the largest churches in the world. 

It is full of breathtaking architecture, holy relics and beautiful artwork. You can purchase tickets for a self-guided or guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica.

While visiting, make sure to display proper decorum by wearing long or below-knee trousers, skirts below the knee and shirts that cover shoulders, the church's website explains. 

CHURCH IN SYRIA WIDELY CONSIDERED OLDEST IN THE WORLD; DURA-EUROPOS IS A HISTORICAL LANDMARK

Visiting the Gardens of Vatican City, exploring St. Peter's Square and enjoying a tour of the Vatican Museums are all worth the time during your trip. 

While traveling around Vatican City, you'll likely see the Swiss Guard at their posts. 

The Swiss Guard is the private security for the pope. They have been in charge of the safety of the pope since 1506. 

Rome has two major airports you can fly into if you are planning a visit to Vatican City. One is Rome-Fiumicino Airport (FCO), and the other is Ciampino Airport (CIA). 

Once you've touched down in Rome, you can get to Vatican City by means of the metro, train or bus. 

A British woman was in for a surprise when her friends called to say her obituary was posted online, but she was still alive.

United Kingdom publication, Metro, reported that 39-year-old Faye Finaro of Nottingham was stunned to see her name and photo in the obituary section of the Mansfield Chad.

Along with Finaro’s obituary was an option to send flowers to her grieving family.

Finaro reportedly only saw the post after a friend called her to make sure "she wasn’t dead," after seeing her name on the page’s "Legacy" section.

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"[Two] years ago, a celebration was sent in to the Mansfield Chad website congratulating me on my business launch. It appears this section of the Chad is merged now with the legacy obituaries, and it is showing that I am dead," the undead Finaro wrote to the publication.

She then asked Legacy to remove the obituary, saying she is the "only person in the world" with her name, and the obituary is causing people to become concerned.

Finaro was later told by the publication the obituary had been removed, adding that the obituary could still appear in search engine results for about 30 days.

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"Yayyyy I’m alive again," Finaro wrote on Facebook.

Metro reported that Finaro said she thinks the issue happened when a post celebrating her new business became mixed up with the publication’s legacy section.

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"I might have 30 days of flowers coming," she said. "It was a standard day in my life when I got a call from a friend asking me if I was alive.

"My friend was quite concerned," Finaro added. "I posted it on Facebook and quite a few people commented and thought it was hilarious – my son found it really funny."

President Biden on Thursday pledged another $8 billion in security aid to Ukraine just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested he might change Moscow’s rules when it comes to its nuclear doctrine. 

In a proposal to the Russian Security Council on Wednesday, the Kremlin chief suggested that any attack by a non-nuclear nation that has the backing of a nuclear-armed nation could be seen as a "joint attack" — a move that could have a resounding impact on the war in Ukraine. 

The comments were issued ahead of a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Biden on Thursday, in which Zelenskyy is expected to go over a "victory plan" and likely, once again, appeal for long-range strike capabilities. 

ZELENSKYY WARNS VANCE’S PLAN TO GIVE RUSSIA SEIZED LAND WILL LEAD TO ‘GLOBAL SHOWDOWN’

Ukraine, a non-nuclear equipped nation, has relied heavily on the U.S.’ military support in its war against Russia. 

Neither the U.S. nor Russia have a "no first use policy" when it comes to the deployment of a nuclear weapon. And Putin looked to make clear the "conditions" for which Moscow might determine its right to use its nuclear capabilities.

"The conditions for Russia's transition to the use of nuclear weapons are also clearly fixed," Putin said, according to a Reuters translation of his comments. 

Putin said that Russia could use nuclear weapons to respond to a conventional attack — including the employment of missiles, drones and aircraft — that poses a "critical threat to our sovereignty."

Despite the Kremlin’s attempts to once again to escalate the threat of a nuclear conflict amid its war in Ukraine, Biden renewed his commitment to Kyiv on Thursday morning to help it "win this war."

While it is unlikely that Biden reneges on his, thus far, strict opposition to U.S. missiles being used to hit targets deep inside Russia, Washington approved the first-ever shipment of a medium-range precision-guided glide bomb called the Joint Standoff Weapon, which has a range of up to 81 miles, Reuters reported. 

ZELENSKYY QUESTIONS CHINA'S 'TRUE INTEREST' BEHIND PLAN TO END RUSSIA’S WAR

The missile would allow Ukraine to strike Russian targets at a safer distance — a capability that Ukrainian officials have said is needed to effectively counter Russian advances on its eastern front-line. 

Biden said the funds would be divided between a previously authorized $5.5 billion presidential drawdown set to expire on Monday, along with another $2.4 billion authorized through the Department of Defense under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. 

The president — who also said the U.S. would be sending another Patriot air defense battery and expand training into next year for another 18 F-16 pilots — championed what Ukraine has been able to achieve with the help of Western partners, including winning the battle for Kyiv, retaking roughly half the territory Russian had seized at the onset of the war, and "safeguard[ing] its sovereignty and independence."

"But there is more work to do," Biden said. "That is why, today, I am announcing a surge in security assistance for Ukraine and a series of additional actions to help Ukraine win this war."

The push to send additional aid to Ukraine comes as the U.S., and by extension Kyiv, face potentially a second Trump White House in which some fear aid to Ukraine would likely be largely cut off from further U.S. assistance. 

Two pro-democracy journalists in Hong Kong have been sentenced to prison for "seditious" activities and "illegal ideologies."

Chung Pui-kuen, 55, and Patrick Lam, 36, were found guilty in August of conspiring to publish seditious materials through their Stand News media outlet. 

Chung was the former editor-in-chief of Stand News and received a 21-month prison sentence.

HONG KONG JOURNALISTS CONVICTED OF SEDITION AS CHINA CRACKS DOWN ON FREE PRESS: REPORT

Lam, Chung's successor, was sentenced to 14 months but had his time reduced due to a variety of factors, such as his time served pre-trial and his health conditions.

The two men are the first journalists convicted of such crimes in Hong Kong since the United Kingdom handed over the nation state to Chinese rule in 1997.

Best Pencil, the publication's parent company, was also convicted.

PROTEST ANTHEM 'GLORY TO HONG KONG' OUTLAWED IN CITY

"The three defendants were not conducting genuine media work, but participating in the so-called resistance," District Court Judge Kwok Wai-kin claimed.

Hong Kong was placed under a national security law in the years following the 2019 protest movement as Beijing began to crack down on pro-democracy voices throughout China. 

The Safeguarding National Security Bill, passed in March, offers punishments for treason and insurrection with life imprisonment and allows for punishment for possession of treasonous publications with time in prison. 

"We didn’t have a hidden agenda, or any other goals that you couldn’t see," Chung said in his trial last year, according to The New York Times. "We saw very important events with a lot of public interest; we only wanted to document them."

In May, 14 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong were also convicted in a national security case.

Fox News Digital's Jeffrey Clark and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

JERUSALEM—Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, once again delivered a stridently anti-Israel speech at the U.N. on Thursday, where he also praised the anti-Israel protests across the U.S. and condemned Washington for its support of Israel. 

Abbas, who presented a 12-point plan for a post-war Gaza that calls for a permanent cease-fire, accused the Jewish state of committing genocide, while calling for its expulsion from the U.N. and taking aim at the Biden Administration for vetoing Security Council resolutions on the issue, while supplying arms to the Israelis. 

He charged the U.S. "furnished Israel with the deadly weapons that it used to kill thousands of innocent civilians, children and women. And this further encouraged Israel to continue with aggression."

Abbas started his speech by questioning Israel's legitimacy: "We will not leave. We will not leave. We will not leave. Palestine is our homeland. It is the land of our fathers, our grandfathers. It will remain ours. And if anyone were to leave, it would be the occupying usurpers." 

EXTREMISTS RISE IN NEW PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY GOVERNMENT AS BIDEN THREATENS ISRAEL OVER GAZA WAR

"Abbas spoke for 26 minutes and did not say the word ‘Hamas’ once. Since the massacre of October 7, Abbas has failed to condemn Hamas for their crimes against humanity," Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon charged in a statement following the speech. 

Yet while leaders from around the world watched his UNGA speech, some critics complain the 88-year-old's rule and domination of Palestinian politics in the West Bank (known in Israel by its biblical name of Judea and Samaria in Israel) has done little for the Palestinian cause.

Abbas was born Safed duing the British mandate period [now in Israel]). His family fled to Syria when Arab armies invaded Israel to prevent the establishment of the Jewish state.

Abbas has been accused of rewarding Palestinian terrorism via the infamous "pay for slay" system that supports financial stipends for convicted Palestinian terrorists and their family members.

He has also garnered a reputation over the decades as an anti-American agitator who stokes wild antisemitic conspiracy theories. Just last month, Abbas delivered a speech to the Turkish parliament, where he announced that that "America is the plague, and the plague is America" and "We implement Shari'a law: victory or martyrdom."

Asaf Romirowsky, executive director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME), told Fox News Digital that "Mahmoud Abbas aka Arafat's appointed successor after 20 years has done what Arafat hoped he would, that is maintain a Palestinian stasis while at the same time refusing to root out the corruption within the PA or combat terrorism. Further, as he has shown during his recent speech in the Turkish Parliament, a clear allegiance to Hamas and an endorsement of 10/7, underscoring the consistent antisemitism of his leadership."

Romirowsky added "With no heir apparent, Abbas's legacy, as was Arafat's, is that of self-inflicted victimology while maintaining wealth on the back of his own people in the name of the so-called Palestinian struggle."

MORE THAN A MILLION PALESTINIANS IN GAZA ARE NOW DISPLACED; WHY ARE ARAB COUNTRIES NOT OPENING THEIR DOORS?

Fox News Digital reported shortly after Hamas slaughtered nearly 1,200 people in Israel on October 7, including over 30 Americans, that the Abbas’ PA might compensate convicted Hamas terrorists for their role in the attack.

Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, told Fox News Digital the PA and Abbas "duplicate all of the corruption, nepotism, and inefficiency of the Palestine Liberation Organization" that was created by Arafat. 

He said "Abbas does not accept the basic right of the Jewish people to self-determination, and therefore he doesn’t recognize the right of the state of Israel to be a nation state of the Jewish people in any borders."

Michael, who is affiliated with the Misgav Institute continued, "He has not educated the young generation and has not educated PA officials for peace. On the contrary, Abbas has led and enabled the indoctrination toward hatred and toward delegitimization of the state of Israel."

In contrast to the U.S.-designated terrorist movement, Hamas, Abbas and the PA are considered to be relatively moderate, according to some Mideast observers. 

In 2022, Fox News Digital reported Abbas, issued a shocking diatribe against Israel in the German capital of Berlin, where the Holocaust – the mass extermination of European Jewry – was organized, claiming that the Jewish state has carried out "50 Holocausts."  

Abbas refused to apologize (or aid in a professional inquiry) in Berlin at the time of the Palestinian Black September massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and a German police officer during the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Fox News' David Hammelburg contributed to this story.

A Japanese court found an 88-year-old former boxer not guilty on Thursday after a retrial for a 1966 quadruple murder, reversing a decision that made him the world's longest-serving death row inmate.

Iwao Hakamada’s acquittal by the Shizuoka District Court makes him the fifth death row inmate to be found not guilty in a retrial in postwar Japan, where prosecutors have a more than 99% conviction rate. The case could rekindle a debate around abolishing the death penalty in Japan.

The court found that evidence was fabricated and planted by investigators and that Hakamada was not the culprit, his lawyer Hideyo Ogawa said.

MAN GETS $300K SETTLEMENT AFTER WRONGFUL ACCUSATION; COPS CHANGE FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

After the ruling and an explanation were read out, his 91-year-old sister Hideko Hakamada walked out of the courthouse with a big smile, welcomed by cheers and two big bouquets of flowers to celebrate the acquittal of her brother after the 58-year legal battle.

"Thank you, everyone, we won an acquittal," she told a televised news conference. "When I heard the main sentence, it sounded almost divine. I was so touched and could not stop crying with joy."

Hakamada was convicted of murder in the 1966 killing of an executive and three of his family members, and setting fire to their home in central Japan. He was sentenced to death in 1968, but was not executed due to the lengthy appeal and retrial process in Japan's notoriously slow-paced criminal justice system.

He spent 48 years behind bars — more than 45 of them on death row — making him the world’s longest-serving death row inmate, according to Amnesty International.

UK TO OVERTURN CONVICTIONS FOR HUNDREDS OF POSTAL WORKERS WRONGLY ACCUSED OF FRAUD

Ogawa said he asked the prosecutors not to appeal the case, as is possible, but was told they have not yet decided what to do.

The lawyer also said the defense team is considering filing a lawsuit against the government, in part to learn more about the troubled investigation. If prosecutors do not appeal and his acquittal is finalized, Hakamada would be entitled to seek compensation.

It took 27 years for the top court to deny his first appeal for retrial. His second appeal for a retrial was filed in 2008 by his sister.

That request was granted in 2014, when a court ruled there was evidence suggesting he was wrongly accused. He was not cleared of the conviction, but he was released from prison and allowed to await retrial at home because his poor health and age made him a low risk for escape.

But the case continued to bounce among several courts, until one finally ruled in his favor in 2023, paving the way for the latest retrial that began in October.

Following his arrest, Hakamada initially denied the accusations, but then confessed. He later said his confession was forced during a violent interrogation by police.

CALIFORNIA MAN WRONGLY CONVICTED FOR RAPE RELEASED AFTER 28 YEARS IN PRISON: 'GRAVE INJUSTICE'

"I have nothing to do with the case … I am innocent," he wrote in his letter to his mother while on trial in 1967.

On Thursday, the court concluded that five pieces of bloodstained clothing that investigators claimed to have found hidden in a tank of fermented soybean paste, or miso, a year after Hakamada's arrest must have been put there long after the arrest.

The court cited scientific experiments that showed the bloodstains should not have been visible on clothing soaked in miso for a year. The ruling concluded that investigators, who had said Hakamada wore the clothes during the crime, had applied the bloodstains themselves and planted the clothing.

According to defense lawyers and earlier court rulings, the blood samples did not match Hakamada’s DNA, and trousers that prosecutors submitted as evidence were too small for him.

Thursday's ruling also blamed the prosecutors for forcing Hakamada into a false confession because of an "inhumane" interrogation.

Ogawa, Hakamada’s lawyer, praised the ruling as "groundbreaking" for clearly stating that the prosecution fabricated key evidence at the beginning. "I believe this ruling puts an end to the case. ... Now we must prevent prosecutors from appealing no matter what."

WRONGFULLY CONVICTED MAN WALKS FREE AFTER MORE THAN 2 DECADES AS PODCAST SHED LIGHT ON HIS MURDER CASE

After Hakamada was sentenced to death, he expressed fear and anger at being falsely accused.

"When I go to sleep in a soundless solitary cell every night, I sometimes cannot help cursing God. I have not done anything wrong," he wrote to his family. "What a cold-blooded act to inflict such cruelty on me."

Hakamada, whose Christian name is Paulo, was invited to a Mass in Tokyo during Pope Francis' visit in 2019, five years after his release.

Supporters say Hakamada’s nearly half-century detention took a toll on his mental health. Most of his 48 years behind bars was spent in solitary confinement. The first two months after Hakamada's release, he kept pacing inside the apartment, without even trying to go outside, his sister said.

One day, she asked him to help her with groceries to get him to agree to leave the house. Going out for a walk then became his daily routine, though today he is less able and he goes out by car, assisted by his supporters.

The case has drawn attention to and criticism of Japan's legal system. Japan Bar Association Chairperson Reiko Fuchigami urged the government and parliament on Thursday to promptly take steps to abolish the death penalty and lower hurdles for retrials.

"The Hakamada case clearly shows the cruelty of the wrongful death penalty, and the tragedy should never be repeated," she said, expressing hope that Hakamada truly regains his freedom and lives in serenity as a citizen.

CHICAGO MAN WRONGFULLY CONVICTED FOR MURDER AWARDED $50M AFTER SUING CITY, POLICE DETECTIVES

At a final hearing at the Shizuoka court in May before Thursday’s decision, prosecutors again demanded the death penalty, triggering criticism from rights groups that prosecutors were trying to prolong the trial.

Japan and the United States are the only two countries in the Group of Seven advanced nations that retain capital punishment. A survey by the Japanese government showed an overwhelming majority of the public supports executions.

Executions are carried out in secrecy in Japan and prisoners are not informed of their fate until the morning they are hanged. In 2007, Japan began disclosing the names of those executed and some details of their crimes, but disclosures are still limited.

Hideko Hakamada has devoted around half of her life to her brother's case. Before Thursday's ruling, she said she was in a never-ending battle.

"It is so difficult to get a retrial started," She told reporters in Tokyo. "I’m sure there are other people who have been wrongly accused and crying. … I want the criminal law revised so that retrials are more easily available."

UNITED NATIONS, New York - Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó revealed in an interview with Fox News Digital that former President Donald Trump alone is his country’s "hope" for helping bring stability to a fraught and increasingly chaotic international security landscape. 

"We do believe that actually the game changer here can be the U.S. presidential election, in case President Trump wins," Szijjártó said, referring specifically to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "Because knowing Trump, I think it’s absolutely possible – absolutely likely – that with two phone calls he can end this conflict." 

"No one else can do so," he insisted. "I think only President Trump has the hope and our hope is all in President Trump to do this."

When pressed on whether that could be understood as a preference for a second Trump administration, Szijjártó insisted that "We are not Americans, so we cannot say we prefer this or that." 

EL SALVADOR'S BUKELE SLAMS CENSORSHIP AS HE TOUTS HIS COUNTRY'S TURNAROUND: ‘WE HAVE FREED MILLIONS’

"What we can definitely say is the following: Politics is based on experience, and we have a clear experience about the term of President Trump in office, and we have clear experience from the terms when the Democrats were there," he said. 

"From the aspect of the U.S.-Hungary relations and from the aspect of the global security situation, when it comes to the U.S.-Hungary relations, it’s obvious that during President Trump[‘s term] these relations have been on the top – best ever," Szijjártó added. 

Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán have done little to hide their rosy friendship, with Trump invoking the Hungarian leader as a "strong man of Europe" who speaks well of the former president. 

DANNY DANON: UN ABDICATES ROLE OF MIDDLE EAST PEACEMAKER BY BACKING TERRORISTS

Orbán proved this is a mutual dynamic when he chose to leave the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this year to instead meet with Trump in Mar-a-Lago in Florida to discuss foreign relations.

"Under President Trump, everything was under control," Szijjártó said. "Since President Trump has left office, the whole global security situation is deteriorating, so, I mean, these are experiences." 

"If we base it on our experience, we say yes, from a perspective of U.S.-Hungary relations, I think President Trump would bring another impetus, freshness, dynamism to this relationship, and I think if President Trump is elected, I think the world has a good chance to become a more peaceful place compared to the current situation." 

Szijjártó argued that "if you look at an administration which is led by a president and vice president, and we didn’t hear too much initiatives from the vice president … means to me that the vice president was part of the structure 100%." He noted that this comment came from a personal opinion "based on logic" and not the opinion of the Hungarian foreign minister. 

ARGENTINA'S PRESIDENT JAVIER MILEI SAYS UN TURNING INTO ‘LEVIATHAN’ LIKE ORGANIZATION

Hungary has attempted to pursue peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, positioning itself as a chief facilitator for resolving the conflict. Hungary assumed the presidency of the European Union as part of a rotating six-month structure.

Orbán seized on the opportunity to visit both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within the first days after taking the seat, but European leaders moved quickly to stress that the role is purely ceremonial and that Hungary had no official capacity to represent Europe in any peace talks. 

Szijjártó blasted those who criticized the Hungarian effort, claiming "those who have been criticizing us, the prime minister, the peace mission, have clearly been the pro-war politicians." 

"They just simply don't like that there is a country, there is a government, there is a prime minister in Europe who speaks direct language, who speaks honestly and who is not a hostage of the liberal mainstream," Szijjártó said. "Therefore, it is very unpleasant and inconvenient for them that we are there and that we act, that we speak, that we make actions."

Szijjártó resisted the idea that Ukraine should join NATO, noting that "including Ukraine into NATO would put us in a totally exposed situation, security-wise, because it would mean that NATO could be easily dragged into a war against Russia at any time, and this is something that we don’t want." 

"Everyone knows that any kind of direct confrontation between NATO and Russia would mean an outbreak of Third World War immediately, and we have joined the NATO to enhance our security and not to make ourselves exposed," he said.  

Discovering ancient treasure resulted in a major payday for the lucky finder. 

A 34-year-old archaeologist named George Ridgway found a collection of more than 680 gold and silver coins with his metal detector in September 2019, according to a press release from Noonans Mayfair, the London-based auction house responsible for the sale of the coins. 

The coins were discovered with a metal detector in the grounds of Helmingham Hall near Stowmarket in Suffolk.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS DISCOVER UNIQUE ARTWORK IN ENGLAND DATING BACK TO THE EARLY 2ND CENTURY

"It was on September 8th, 2019, that I decided to investigate an unusual crop mark in a recently harvested barley field in Suffolk with my Garrett AT Pro metal detector. I knew that a Roman road ran close to the field and was hoping the two might be related, but after scouring the area nothing turned up," Ridgway said prior to the sale, per the press release. 

No immediate luck didn't turn away Ridgway. He moved just 30 yards from where he was, where he uncovered two Roman brooches that dated back to the mid first century A.D. His detector went off again, and he found a silver coin issued by Julius Caesar from 46 B.C., according to the press release.

"I couldn’t believe that over the next 3 hours of searching, I found 160 more Roman silver coins, with a few of the coins stuck to pottery fragments. I knew I had made an important archaeological discovery and called my dad to guard the site overnight while we waited for an archaeological team to arrive and excavate the site. It took three months to recover the hoard," Ridgway went on to say. 

12-YEAR-OLD BOY STUMBLES UPON STUNNING ANCIENT FIND WHILE WALKING DOG IN ENGLAND: ‘RELATIVELY RARE’

Through further excavation, "Iron Age gold coins of Cunobelin, the king of the Catuvellauni and Trinovantes tribes started appearing," Ridgway said, per the press release. The collection of coins dates back as early as 206 B.C. up to the emperor Claudius in 46-47 A.D.

The find was a remarkable one for Ridgway, who said in the press release that he was inspired at a young age to "start history hunting" by Indiana Jones. Ever since he was gifted a metal detector by his grandmother when he was 12, finding a Roman hoard has always been on his mind. When he finally detected Roman gold and silver coins, he called the moment "awe-inspiring."

"We are very pleased with the result of todays (sic) sale. This is one of the largest hoards containing both Iron Age coins and Roman coins found in Britain, with the latest coins of Claudius and those of Cunobelin in virtually as struck condition," said Alice Cullen, coin specialist at Noonans, per the press release.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND SEVERAL ROCK CARVINGS OF ANCIENT BOARD GAME DATING BACK 4,000 YEARS

Sixty-three of the coins collected went to the British Museum and the Colchester & Ipswich Museum for their own collections. 

The coins up for auction were estimated to bring in £75,000 (about $100,000), but they ended up selling for even more. 

The total amount brought in during the Sept. 18 auction of the coins was £132,865 (about $177,000), Noonans announced in the press release.

The money earned at the auction is being split between the landowner and Ridgway, according to Noonans.

When asked what he was going to do with the money, Ridgway told Noonans, "I would like to buy my dad a pint!"

The Taliban said Thursday it was absurd to accuse them of gender discrimination and other human rights violations, as four countries vow to hold Afghanistan’s rulers accountable under international law for their treatment of women and girls.

Australia, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands are set to start legal proceedings against the Taliban for violating a U.N. convention on women, to which Afghanistan is a party.

The countries launched the initiative on Wednesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, which is taking place in New York until Monday.

NEW GOP-BACKED BILL WOULD BAN AID TO AFGHANISTAN TO AVOID GIVING US DOLLARS TO THE TALIBAN

Despite promising more moderate rule after they seized power in 2021, the Taliban have barred women and girls from education beyond sixth grade, many public spaces and most jobs. In August, the Vice and Virtue Ministry issued laws banning women’s bare faces and prohibiting them from raising their voices in public.

More than 20 countries expressed their support Thursday for the proposed legal action against the Taliban.

"We condemn the gross and systematic human rights violations and abuses in Afghanistan, particularly the gender-based discrimination against women and girls," the countries said.

"Afghanistan is responsible under international law for its ongoing gross and systematic violation of numerous obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women," they added.

AFTER 3 YEARS OF TALIBAN RULE, LIFE CONTINUES TO GET WORSE IN AFGHANISTAN

The countries said they did not politically recognize the Taliban as the legitimate leaders of the Afghan population.

"Afghanistan’s failure to fulfill its human rights treaty obligations is a key obstacle to normalization of relations," they said.

The Taliban’s deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said human rights were protected in Afghanistan and that nobody faced discrimination.

"Unfortunately, an attempt is being made to spread propaganda against Afghanistan through the mouths of several fugitive (Afghan) women and misrepresent the situation," he said on social media platform X.

"It is absurd to accuse the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan of violating human rights and gender discrimination," he added.

The Taliban reject all criticism of their policies, especially those affecting women and girls, describing it as interference. They maintain that their actions are in line with their interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.

Fereshta Abbasi, an Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, urged other countries to register their support for the four countries’ legal action and for them to involve Afghan women as the process moved forward.

"The announcement by Germany, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands may mark the beginning of a path to justice for the Taliban’s egregious human rights violations against Afghan women and girls," said Abbasi.

Hong Kong welcomed a new pair of giant pandas gifted by Beijing on Thursday with a lavish ceremony, raising hopes for a boost to the city's tourism.

An An and Ke Ke are the third pair of giant pandas to be sent to the city from mainland China since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Their arrival came after their new neighbor, Ying Ying, gave birth to twins last month and became the world’s oldest first-time panda mother on record.

With the addition of the new bears, the twins, and their father, Le Le, Hong Kong now houses six pandas.

GIANT PANDA CELEBRATES HER 20TH BIRTHDAY IN TAIWAN: 'FUNNY AND CUTE'

Chief Executive John Lee on Tuesday said An An is a 5-year-old male panda who is agile, intelligent and active, while Ke Ke, a 5-year-old female, is good at climbing, cute and has a gentle temperament.

The new arrivals will undergo two months of quarantine and adapt to their new home at Ocean Park, a zoo and aquarium that has long been a favorite of residents and tourists. Lee expressed hope that the public could meet the new bears in mid-December.

In October, the government will invite residents to propose new names that showcase the pandas’ characteristics.

Tourism industry representatives are optimistic about the potential impact of housing six pandas, hoping it will boost visitor numbers in Hong Kong. Officials have encouraged businesses to capitalize on the popularity of the new bears and newborn cubs to seize opportunities in what some lawmakers have dubbed the "panda economy."

Pandas are widely considered China’s unofficial national mascot. The country's giant panda loan program with overseas zoos has long been seen as a tool of Beijing’s soft-power diplomacy. Giant pandas are only found in China's southwest and their population is under threat from development.

But caring for pandas in captivity is expensive. A zoo in Finland agreed with Chinese authorities to return two loaned giant pandas to China more than eight years ahead of schedule because they were too costly for the facility to maintain amid declining visitors.

Hong Kong's Ocean Park has been hosting pandas since 1999, when the first pair, An An and Jia Jia, arrived in the financial hub shortly after it was handed back to China.

Jia Jia, who died at 38 in 2016, is the world’s oldest-ever panda to have lived in captivity. The average lifespan for a panda in the wild is 18 to 20 years, while in captivity it’s 30 years, according to the Guinness World Records.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shut down reports of a cease-fire at the Israel-Lebanon border on Thursday, saying he "did not even respond" to the U.S. proposal.

Netanyahu vowed to continue fighting both in Gaza and against Hezbollah "with full force." The statement comes as Israel stands on the brink of all-out war with Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy terrorist group that operates in Lebanon.

The Commanding Officer of the IDF Home Front Command, MG Rafi Milo, said Israeli forces are currently engaged in "a very significant offensive effort."

"We have set a very, very clear goal. We want to change the security reality in the north fundamentally. So that we can bring the residents back home with security, with a sense of security, and truly change the security situation. This week we are in a very significant offensive effort, with strikes that are taking away a lot of [Hezbollah's] capabilities and resources," Milo said.

HOW A US-BACKED UN RESOLUTION FAILED TO STOP HEZBOLLAH TERROR TAKEOVER: 'BIPARTISAN FAILURE'

Israeli forces say they carried out 75 airstrikes within Lebanon overnight on Thursday, targeting Hezbollah terror cells and weapon caches.

ISRAEL STRIKES WITHIN LEBANON AFTER HEZBOLLAH BALLISTIC MISSILE FORCES MILLIONS IN TEL AVIV INTO BOMB SHELTERS

Meanwhile, the IDF is also transferring large amounts of military power northward. The military released photos of tanks being mobilized toward the northern border.

IDF troops also conducted drills simulating "maneuvers in Lebanon" on Thursday, a potential indication of plans to invade.

"The exercise took place a few kilometers from the Lebanese border and trained the troops in maneuvering and combat in thicketed, mountainous terrain. During the exercise, the troops enhanced their operational and logistical readiness for various combat scenarios in enemy territory on the northern front," the IDF said in a statement.

KIRBY SLAMS HAMAS CHIEF SINWAR AS 'THE MAJOR OBSTACLE' TO CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL WITH ISRAEL

Israel's conflict with Hezbollah has continued to escalate in recent weeks, with both sides exchanging dozens of missiles and rockets. Israel's attacks have been far more effective, however, as most of Hezbollah's missiles never reach their targets.

A massive bombardment from Israel earlier this week killed at least 560 over the course of two days, according to Lebanese officials. Israel says it targeted Hezbollah personnel, weapons and infrastructure with the strikes, but it has also said those targets have been purposely placed near civilians.

In a pointed warning to the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin said any nation’s conventional attack on Russia supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on his country.

Putin's announcement came as the Biden administration announced $375 million in additional security assistance to Ukraine, including air-to-ground weapons, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons.

The warning came at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council, with Putin announcing revisions to the country's nuclear doctrine.

Putin said a revised version of the document states that an attack against his country by a nonnuclear power with the "participation or support of a nuclear power" will be seen as a "joint attack on the Russian Federation."

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY'S VANCE CRITICISM COULD COME BACK TO HAUNT HIM, REPUBLICANS WARN

Putin emphasized that the revised doctrine spells out conditions for using nuclear weapons in greater detail, noting they could be used in case of a massive air attack.

"Conditions for Russia’s move to use nuclear weapons are clearly stated" in the revisions, he said.

IRAN SPOUTS 'PROPAGANDA' FROM UN PODIUM, CALLS ON MIDDLE EAST TO UNITE BEHIND TEHRAN

"We will consider such a possibility when we receive reliable information about a massive launch of air and space attack assets and them crossing our state border," Putin added, citing "strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, hypersonic and other flying vehicles."

The Kremlin's revision of its nuclear response doctrine has opened the door for a major nuclear power to loosen its declaratory policy, which is "never good," one expert warned.

"Regardless of whether you think this is a bluff or not, it’s never good when a major nuclear power loosens the conditions for nuclear use in its declaratory policy," Samuel Charap, senior political scientist at RAND, said in a post on X.

The $375 million package for Ukraine was announced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken late Wednesday.

"The United States is committed to Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s brutal aggression," Blinken said in a statement. "We will deploy this new assistance as quickly as possible to help Ukraine protect its territory and its people."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with President Biden and Vice President Harris in Washington Thursday to discuss allowing his troops to use long-range weapons to strike deeper into Russia.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Japan's Self Defense Force patrolled the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday for the first time in an attempt to send a message to China, the Yomiuri newspaper, reported citing multiple government sources.

JAPAN SAYS RUSSIAN PATROL AIRCRAFT VIOLATED ITS AIRSPACE, RESPONDS BY FIRING FLARES

SDF destroyer Sazanami entered the waters from the East China Sea on Wednesday morning, spending more than 10 hours sailing southward to complete the passage, the Japanese newspaper reported on Thursday.

The passage was conducted in concert with naval ships from Australia and New Zealand, the paper said.

An SDF official declined to comment on the report.