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A South Korean court on Friday ordered impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol to be released from jail, a move that could allow Yoon to stand trial for his rebellion charge without being physically detained.

Yoon was arrested and indicted in January over the Dec. 3 martial law decree that plunged the country into political turmoil. The opposition-controlled parliament separately voted to impeach him, leading to his suspension from office.

The hearings in his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court concluded in late February, and that court is expected to rule soon on whether to formally remove him from office or reinstate him.

The Seoul Central District Court said it accepted Yoon’s request to be released from jail because the legal period of his formal arrest expired before he was indicted.

SOUTH KOREAN PROSECUTORS INDICT IMPEACHED PRESIDENT WHO DECLARED MARTIAL LAW

The court also cited the need to resolve questions over the legality of the investigations on Yoon. Yoon’s lawyers have accused the investigative agency that detained him before his formal arrest of lacking legal authority to probe rebellion charges.

Investigators have alleged that the martial-law decree amounted to rebellion. If he’s convicted of that offense, he would face the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Yoon's defense team welcomed the court's decision and urged prosecutors to release him immediately. The presidential office also welcomed the court’s decision, saying it hopes Yoon will swiftly return to work.

However, South Korea law allows prosecutors to continue to hold a suspect whose arrest has been suspended by a court temporarily while pursuing an appeal.

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which led Yoon’s Dec. 14 impeachment, called on prosecutors to immediately appeal the court’s ruling.

IMPEACHED SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT DETAINED WEEKS AFTER MARTIAL LAW CHAOS

Yoon’s martial law decree, which involved the dispatch of troops and police forces to the National Assembly, evoked traumatic memories of past military rules among many South Koreans. The decree lasted only six hours, as enough lawmakers managed to get into an assembly hall and voted to overturn it unanimously.

Yoon later argued his decree was only meant to inform the people of the danger of the opposition Democratic Party, which undermined his agenda and impeached top officials, and said he dispatched troops to the assembly only in order to maintain order. But some top military and police officers sent to the assembly have told Constitutional Court hearings or investigators that Yoon ordered them to drag out lawmakers to obstruct a vote on his decree or detain politicians.

If the Constitutional Court upholds Yoon’s impeachment, he will be officially thrown out of office and a national election will be held to choose his successor within two months. If the court rejects his impeachment but he is still in jail, it's unclear whether and how soon he will be able to exercise his presidential powers.

Massive rallies by opponents and supporters of Yoon have filled the streets of Seoul and other major South Korean cities. Whatever the Constitutional Court decides, experts say it will likely further polarize the country and intensify its conservative-liberal divide.

Yoon is the first South Korean president to be arrested while in office. South Korean law gives a president immunity from most criminal prosecution, but not for grave charges like rebellion or treason.

By law, a president in South Korea has the power to put the country under martial law in wartime and similar emergency situations, but many experts say South Korea wasn’t in such a state when Yoon declared martial law.

At least two people have died and 186 others are missing after four boats carrying migrants from Africa capsized overnight in waters off Yemen and Djibouti, the U.N.'s migration agency said on Friday.

Two vessels capsized off Yemen late Thursday, said Tamim Eleian, a spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration, or IOM. Two crewmembers were rescued, but 181 migrants and five Yemeni crewmembers remain missing, he told The Associated Press.

VENEZUELAN GANGS ARE FAR FROM A 'FAKE' PROBLEM, COLORADO DA SAYS: 'GIANT ISSUE'

Two other boats capsized off the tiny African nation of Djibouti around the same time, he said. Two bodies of migrants were recovered, and all others on board were rescued.

Strong winds caused the two boats to capsize near the beach in Djibouti after they started sailing off, Abdusattor Esoev, head of the IOM mission in Yemen, told AP.

COAST GUARD INTERCEPTS 21 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS OFF CALIFORNIA COAST

The third boat, which capsized off Dhubab district in Taiz governorate, southwestern Yemen, was carrying 31 Ethiopian migrants and three Yemeni crew.

The fourth boat, which capsized near the same area, was heading to Ahwar district in Abyan governorate and carried 150 Ethiopian migrants and four Yemeni crew.

DEATH TOLL IN SUDAN MILITARY PLANE CRASH RISES TO 46

Yemen is a major route for migrants from East Africa and the Horn of Africa trying to reach Gulf countries for work, with hundreds of thousands attempting the route each year. To reach Yemen, migrants are taken by smugglers on often dangerous, overcrowded boats across the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden.

The numbers making it to Yemen reached 97,200 in 2023 — triple the number in 2021. Last year, the number dropped to just under 61,000, probably because of greater patrolling of the waters, according to an IOM report this month.

Over the past decade, at least 2,082 migrants have disappeared along the route, including 693 known to have drowned, according to the IOM. Some 380,000 migrants are currently in Yemen.

Hostages freed from Gaza visited President Donald Trump in the Oval Office to tell him that his re-election to the White House gave them hope after hundreds of days in Hamas captivity. 

In a Thursday press event, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told reporters that seven people freed from Gaza, along with some of their loved ones, met with the president this week to share their horrific stories of abduction, severe abuse and time in captivity.

One Israeli hostage, Omer Shem Tov, who was freed on Feb. 22, told the president that he believed Trump had "been sent by God" to secure their release.

HAMAS TREATMENT OF HOSTAGES 'INTOLERABLE,' TRUMP ENVOY SAYS

"They talked about how they heard about his election, and they were uplifted," Witkoff said of the meeting.  "They were elated waiting for him because they knew he was going to help them get rescued."

Witkoff, who described the event as "emotional," also reiterated the Trump administration’s commitment to securing the release of more hostages.

Reports this week revealed that the Trump administration has begun directly negotiating with Hamas – a revelation that apparently frustrated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Details of the negotiations remain unclear, though reports suggested the Trump team had proposed a 60-day ceasefire and the release of an additional 10 hostages – though who would be included in the next release remains unclear as there are 25 hostages still assessed to be alive, including one American.

"Edan Alexander is very important to us as – all the hostages are – but Edan Alexander is an American, and he's injured. And so, he's a top priority for us," Witkoff told reporters.

AFTER TRUMP THREAT, HAMAS REFUSES TO RELEASE MORE HOSTAGES WITHOUT PHASE 2 CEASEFIRE DEAL

Witkoff confirmed that Adam Boehler, special envoy in charge of hostages, had been involved in the recent negotiations attempting to secure the second phase of the ceasefire agreement which is supposed to see the release of the remaining hostages. 

"We feel that Hamas has not been forthright with us. And it's time for them to be forthright with us," Witkoff said.  "Edan Alexander would be a very important show."

Trump issued another warning on social media this week, telling Hamas to release all hostages immediately. Though Hamas has thus far responded by saying they will only begin the release of more hostages if a second phase in the ceasefire is agreed to.  

There are 59 hostages still held by Hamas, including one individual who was taken by the terrorist group separate from the October 2023 attacks.

Some 35 hostages are assessed to have been killed by Hamas and whose bodies are still being held, including four Americans: Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Gadi Haggai and Judi Weinstein Haggai – all of whom are believed to have been killed on Oct. 7, 2023. 

Pope Francis is still receiving breathing assistance using different types of ventilation, Vatican sources said on Friday. While the pope is "not running down the halls" of Rome’s Gemelli, he is apparently able to move. Additionally, Vatican sources say the pope is eating solid food and does not need "assisted feeding."

Yesterday, the pope recorded a message thanking those who had been praying for his recovery. The recording was "clearly an effort for him," Vatican sources said, pointing out that the noise from the pope’s oxygen machine could be heard in the audio.

"We could hear yesterday that he was getting oxygen through the nose during audio, clearly he won't read Angelus," Vatican sources told Fox News.

POPE FRANCIS SHARES FIRST AUDIO MESSAGE SINCE HOSPITALIZATION: 'MAY GOD BLESS YOU'

As the pope enters his fourth week at Gemelli Hospital, his road to recovery remains unclear. The 88-year-old pontiff’s doctors seem to be hoping for more stability in his condition before giving the public another update. 

Dr. Claudio Santini, head of internal medicine at Grassi Hospital, told Corriere della Sera that the lack of bulletins from the Vatican noting the pope’s condition has improved is "not a positive sign."

"Let us take into account that the Pope probably suffers from a chronic respiratory disease that has recently made him partially disabled. Now double pneumonia has also been added," Dr. Santini said.

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

The pope has had a long history of respiratory issues. When he was just 21 years old, Pope Francis had part of his lung removed after developing pleurisy, which is an inflammation of the membranes that cushion the lungs. Now, according to Vatican sources, he is continuing therapy for bilateral pneumonia.

While oxygen therapy has been helping Pope Francis so far, Dr. Santini warns that the pontiff cannot rely on it. The doctor warns that therapies like the ones the pope has received are "necessary," but they subject the patient to "considerable stress" and can eventually impact other vital systems.

Catholics across the globe have been praying for Pope Francis, who was unable to lead Ash Wednesday mass earlier this week because of his health struggles. Instead, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis read the pope’s homily aloud at Rome’s Santa Sabrina Basilica.

In his homily, the pope spoke of the significance of the ashes and the act of receiving them.

"We bow our heads in order to receive the ashes as if to look at ourselves and to look within ourselves. Indeed, the ashes help to remind us that our lives are fragile and insignificant: we are dust, from dust we were created, and to dust we shall return," the homily read, according to the Vatican.

The pope also called for a "return to God with all of our hearts" in his homily, urging Catholics to "place Him at the center of our lives."

Fox News' Courtney Walsh contributed to this report.

A half-ton World War II-era bomb found near train tracks in a crowded residential area just outside of Paris unleashed travel chaos across the region Friday, prompting disruptions at Europe's busiest rail station and closures of major roads leading into the French capital. 

The unexploded bomb was found overnight by workers doing earthmoving activity near the tracks in the Seine-Saint-Denis area north of Paris, according to French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot.  

Bomb disposal experts were called to the scene, locals were evacuated and "a quite large" security perimeter was set up around the operation, he added. 

Eurostar, operator of high-speed trains through the Channel Tunnel that links England with the European continent, announced the cancelation of all its services to and from its Paris hub at Gare du Nord and the U.K. and Belgian capitals. 

FLIGHT PASSENGERS NOW PAYING PLANE TICKET TAX TO DEPART POPULAR TRAVEL DESTINATION 

"An unexploded bomb from the Second World War was discovered in this area," French national rail operator SNCF wrote on X. "Traffic will not resume until mid-afternoon, after formal authorization from the authorities." 

Paris police also announced the closure of the A1 highway and sections of the capital's always-busy ring road around the city. 

MOCKING HIM AS ‘MICRON,’ RUSSIA WARNS MACRON AGAINST MAKING NUCLEAR ‘THREATS’ 

At Paris' usually bustling Gare du Nord station, bright red signs warning of disruptions greeted commuters.  

SNCF says the station hosts 700,000 travelers per day, making it the busiest rail hub in Europe. 

Images captured crowds of stranded travelers there and at the St. Pancras International train station in London. 

"Due to an object on the tracks near Paris Gare du Nord, we are expecting disruption to our services this morning. Please change your journey for a different date of travel," Eurostar wrote on X. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that his team will meet with their American counterparts in Saudi Arabia for peace talks. The statement comes just one week after Zelenskyy’s Oval Office clash with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, which ended with him leaving the White House ahead of schedule.

"Next Monday, I have a visit planned to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with the Crown Prince. After that, my team will stay in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. "Ukraine is most interested in peace."

TRUMP READING ZELENSKYY LETTER MET WITH SUPPORT FROM GOP, INDEPENDENT VOTERS

Zelenskyy included a message to President Trump in the post, vowing Ukraine "is working and will continue to work constructively for a swift and reliable peace."

On Thursday, Ukrainian opposition leaders, former President Petro Poroshenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, confirmed that they had their own talks with the U.S., the Guardian reported. However, they deny being part of an alleged White House plan to remove Zelenskyy from power. 

Prior to the Oval Office blowup, in a post criticizing Zelenskyy, President Trump slammed the Ukrainian leader for not holding elections. However, Poroshenko, who lost to Zelenskyy in 2019, said he was against wartime elections and believes they should be done when martial law ends, according to the Guardian.

Russia appeared to respond to Zelenskyy’s agreement to have his team participate in the talks by launching an attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

SECRETARY OF STATE RUBIO VOWS DIPLOMACY ATTEMPTS WILL CONTINUE IN EFFORT TO END RUSSIA'S WAR IN UKRAINE

Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko confirmed the "massive missile and drone" attack on his Facebook page, according to the Associated Press. At least 10 people, including a child, were reportedly injured, the Associated Press reported, citing authorities.

"Ukraine is ready to pursue the path to peace, and it is Ukraine that strives for peace from the very first second of this war. The task is to force Russia to stop the war," Zelenskyy wrote about the attack in a post on X.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reportedly said the attack on Ukraine’s energy supply was legitimate because it is "linked with Ukraine’s military industrial complex and weapons production," according to the Associated Press.

Russia has attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure multiple times during the bloody three-year war. In April 2024, Russia destroyed one of Ukraine's largest power plants, and in December 2024, Russia pummeled Ukraine's power grid.

On Tuesday, while delivering an address to a joint session of Congress, Trump spoke about his desire to end the war and announced that he had received a letter from Zelenskyy. President Trump read the letter aloud and said that he appreciated it.

"Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine," President Trump said. "The letter reads, ‘Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians, he said. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.’"

Zelenskyy’s emphasis on peace seems to be a response to Trump’s accusation that the Ukrainian leader had no interest in it following last week’s Oval Office clash.

"I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace," Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after the heated meeting.

An internal United Nations memo obtained by Fox News Digital shows that the organization is trying to brace itself for U.S. funding cuts as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) works to root out waste.

The memo was sent to heads of various departments and offices with the subject line "Managing the 2025 regular budget liquidity crisis." According to the memo, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres issued a directive to manage cashflow "conservatively" and to suspend hiring. It also contained a warning to the department heads, telling them to prepare to work with 80% of their allocated budgets. 

"We are aware that the 80% ceiling could pose significant challenges for many entities to meet some of their non-discretionary spending for non-post costs. However, we are constrained by the lack of overall liquidity," the memo reads.

UN CHIEF SOUNDS THE ALARM AMID FEARS OVER POSSIBLE DOGE-INSPIRED CUTS AFTER TRUMP'S ORDER

Secretary-General Guterres’ spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed to Fox News Digital that this memo was sent out and said that it was "not unusual."

Despite the U.N. memo stating that cutting back to 80% of allocated funds would potentially harm entities, insiders tell former Principal Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Hugh Dugan that they do not see any "real cuts" in it. Insiders were allegedly surprised by the personnel freeze, though they doubt there will be any concrete pause to hiring.

In addition to the memo, Secretary-General Guterres sent an invitation to all secretariat personnel to participate in a virtual town hall later this month. The invitation did not state an official topic for the town hall, but Dujarric confirmed to Fox News Digital that "the secretary-general will address the financial situation of the U.N."

FORMER HIGH-LEVEL UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS TO LAUNCH 'DOGE-UN' TO HIGHLIGHT AGENCY INEFFICIENCIES

Dugan told Fox News Digital that the town hall invitation’s lack of a topic and the event’s late date show that "the urgency is not present enough at all." 

While the U.N. has been able to get by on its assumption that it could find ways to bail itself out, it may have exhausted those methods, according to Dugan. Additionally, Dugan said the U.N.’s assumption that it can use its power on the world stage as leverage in negotiations with the U.S. has proven to be "preposterous" in recent years.

The U.N. may very well have a reason to worry after President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress in which he listed numerous examples of "appalling waste" identified by DOGE. However, the possibility of other countries that provide major funding to the international body reassessing their spending as well could be causing further concern.

However, Dujarric denied the memo was a "direct result of the political situation in the U.S." and that the U.N. has "faced a liquidity crisis" for decades, as "not all member states pay in full" or "on time."

The memo comes just about a month after Secretary-General Guterres sent a letter to staff reassuring them that the U.N. was working to mitigate the impact of possible budget cuts. He also doubled down on the importance of the international body and seemed to include a message to boost morale.

"Now, more than ever, the work of the United Nations is crucial. As we face this difficult challenge, your dedication and support will help us to overcome and move forward," Guterres’ February letter read.

Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit's chronic lung disease has worsened to the point where it’s affecting "her ability to perform her duties," the Royal House of Norway announced. 

Mette-Marit, 51, is suffering from pulmonary fibrosis, described by the Mayo Clinic as a condition that irreparably damages and scars the lungs, leading to shortness of breath. 

"The Crown Princess has daily symptoms and ailments that affect her ability to perform her duties," the Royal House of Norway said in a statement, noting her disease has "progressed." 

"The Crown Princess needs more rest, and her daily routine changes more quickly than before. This means that changes to her official schedule may occur more frequently, and at shorter notice than we are used to," it added. 

FLASHBACK: METTE-MARIT OF NORWAY REVEALS SHE’S BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE 

"The Crown Princess has a strong desire to continue working, and therefore we will organize her official program in the future in the best possible way so that her health and work can be combined," the Royal House of Norway also said. 

Mette-Marit was diagnosed with the disease in October 2018. 

"For a number of years, I have had health challenges on a regular basis, and now we know more about what is involved. The condition means that my working capacity will vary," she said at the time.  

SON OF NORWAY’S CROWN PRINCESS ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF RAPE 

"The Crown Prince and I are choosing to make this public now partly because in future there will be a need to plan periods of time without an official program to accommodate treatment and when the disease is more active," she added. 

The Mayo Clinic said some people with pulmonary fibrosis "can stay stable for a long time, but the condition gets worse faster in others."  

"As it gets worse, people become more and more short of breath," it also said. "Medicines and therapies can sometimes help slow down the rate of fibrosis, ease symptoms and improve quality of life. For some people, a lung transplant might be an option." 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday accused the United States of "meeting good with evil" for imposing a new round of "arbitrary tariffs" and vowed retaliation.  

The fiery words from Wang came during a Friday news conference on the sidelines of China’s annual parliamentary session, just days after the U.S. levied duties against China – as well as Canada and Mexico – over accusations of fentanyl smuggling.

All countries have called these allegations unjustified, with China maintaining it has done a lot in recent years to curb the exports of industrial chemicals that are used to make fentanyl – which, Wang alleged, have been with punitive tariffs. 

Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian earlier this week argued that fentanyl was a "flimsy excuse" to raise tariffs on Chinese imports, cautioning that "intimidation does not scare us" and "bullying" would not work. 

CANADIANS ARE ‘FED UP,’ SAYS ALBERTA LAWYER LEADING DELEGATION TO WASHINGTON FOR STATEHOOD TALKS

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Wang said it was a fantasy to believe that the U.S. could simultaneously "suppress China and maintain a good relationship." 

"Such two-faced acts are not good for the stability of bilateral relations or for building mutual trust," Wang said. 

The duties were the latest in a series of retaliatory tariffs Washington and Beijing have imposed against one another since President Donald Trump's return to office in January. Trump raised flat tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20%, while Beijing countered with additional 15% duties on American imports including chicken, pork, soy and beef, and expanded controls on doing business with key U.S. companies.

GOLDMAN SACHS HIGHLIGHTS TARIFF WARS WINNERS AND LOSERS

The foreign minister's annual press conference is the one occasion on which Wang speaks to Chinese and foreign media on a range of topics. Friday's event was dominated by questions about China's ties with the U.S., along with other topics such as regional conflicts and collaborations within the Global South.

Regarding the Trump administration's policy of safeguarding U.S. interests above international cooperation, Wang said such an approach, if adopted by every country in the world, would result in the "law of the jungle."

"Small and weak countries will get burnt first, and the international order and rules will be under severe shock," Wang said. "Major countries should undertake their international obligations … and not seek to profit from and bully the weak."

The Albanian Cabinet decided on Thursday to shut down TikTok for 12 months, blaming the popular video-sharing platform for inciting violence and bullying, especially among children.

Education Minister Ogerta Manastirliu said officials are in contact with TikTok on installing filters like parental control, age verification and the inclusion of the Albanian language in the application.

Authorities had conducted 1,300 meetings with some 65,000 parents who "recommended and were in favor of the shut down or limiting the TikTok platform," the minister said.

The Cabinet initiated the move last year after a teen stabbed another teenager to death in November after a quarrel that started on TikTok.

APPLE AND GOOGLE RESTORE ABILITY TO DOWNLOAD TIKTOK APP

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the government's decision.

When Prime Minister Edi Rama said in December they were aiming at closing the social media platform, TikTok asked for "urgent clarity from the Albanian government" on the case of the stabbed teenager.

On Thursday Rama said they were in a "positive dialogue with the company," and that TikTok would visit the country soon to offer "a series of measures on increasing the security for children."

The company said it had "found no evidence that the perpetrator or victim had TikTok accounts, and multiple reports have in fact confirmed videos leading up to this incident were being posted on another platform, not TikTok."

Albanian children comprise the largest group of TikTok users in the country, according to researchers.

There has been increasing concern from Albanian parents after reports of children being inspired by content on social media to take knives to school, or cases of bullying promoted by stories they see on TikTok.

Authorities have increased police presence at some schools and set up other measures including training programs for teachers, students and their parents.

The opposition has not agreed with TikTok’s closure and has set March 15 for a protest against the move. It said the ban was "an act of intolerance, fear and terror from free thinking and expression."

TikTok, which is operated by Chinese technology firm ByteDance, has faced questions in many countries and was briefly offline in the United States recently to comply with a law that requires ByteDance to divest the app or be banned in the U.S.

The app suspended its services in the U.S. for less than a day before restoring service following assurances from Trump that he would postpone banning it.

Earlier this week, the U.K.’s data protection watchdog said was investigating how the app uses the personal information of 13 to 17-year-olds to deliver content recommendations to them.

The Information Commissioner’s Office said that there are growing concerns around how social media platforms were using data generated by children’s online activity to power their recommendation algorithms, and the potential for young people to see inappropriate or harmful content as a result.

Russia warned French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday not to threaten it with nuclear rhetoric and, mocking his height by calling him "Micron," ruled out European proposals to send peacekeeping forces from NATO members to Ukraine.

Macron said in an address to the nation on Wednesday that Russia was a threat to Europe, Paris could discuss extending its nuclear umbrella to allies and that he would hold a meeting of army chiefs from European countries willing to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine after a peace deal.

The Kremlin said the speech was extremely confrontational and that Macron wanted the war in Ukraine to continue.

FORMER LEADER OF NATO NATION SLAMS PRESIDENT TRUMP IN BLUNT INTERVIEW: 'NO LONGER AN ALLY'

"This (speech) is, of course, a threat against Russia," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"Unlike their predecessors, who also wanted to fight against Russia, Napoleon, Hitler, Mr. Macron does not act very gracefully, because at least they said it bluntly: ‘We must conquer Russia, we must defeat Russia.’"

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to the biggest confrontation between the West and Russia since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Kremlin and White House have said missteps could trigger World War Three.

Russia and the United States are the world's biggest nuclear powers, with over 5,000 nuclear warheads each. China has about 500, France has 290 and Britain 225, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

Russian officials and lawmakers accused Macron of rhetoric that could push the world closer to the abyss. Russian cartoons cast him as Napoleon Bonaparte riding towards defeat in Russia in 1812.

"Micron himself poses no big threat though. He'll disappear forever no later than May 14, 2027. And he won't be missed," former President Dmitry Medvedev wrote on X, looking ahead to the end of Macron's term.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova suggested Macron might want help measuring his true military size, and her ministry said his speech contained "notes of nuclear blackmail" and amounted to a threat directed towards Russia.

"Paris' ambitions to become the nuclear 'patron' of all of Europe have burst out into the open, by providing it with its own 'nuclear umbrella', almost to replace the American one. Needless to say, this will not lead to strengthening the security of either France itself or its allies," it said.

Russian advances in Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump's upending of U.S. policy on the war have caused fears among European leaders that Washington is turning its back on Europe.

Russian officials say tough rhetoric from Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other European powers is not backed up by hard military power and point to Russia's advances on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Lavrov and the Kremlin dismissed Macron's proposal to send peacekeepers to Ukraine and said Russia would not agree to it.

"We are talking about such a confrontational deployment of an ephemeral contingent," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Lavrov said Moscow would see such a deployment as NATO presence in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Western assertions that Russia could one day attack a NATO member.

He portrays the war as part of a historic struggle with the West following the collapse of the Soviet Union and NATO's encroachment on what he considers Moscow's sphere of influence.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week cast the conflict as a proxy war between Russia and the U.S., a position the Kremlin said was accurate.

"This is actually a conflict between Russia and the collective West. And the main country of the collective West is the United States of America," Peskov said. "We agree that it is time to stop this conflict and this war."

Lone-wolf terrorist attacks were more common than ever in the West during 2024 as terrorism continues to spread across the globe, according to a new report from the Global Terrorism Index (GTI).

The GTI released its 2025 report on Wednesday, finding that the number of countries that recorded a terrorist attack grew from 58 in 2023 to 66 last year. That reverses nearly a decade of improvement on the issue, GTI said.

In the West, 93% of fatal attacks were carried out by lone wolf terrorists. 

"The majority of Western attacks are now carried out by individuals without formal group affiliations, who radicalize through social media, gaming platforms and encrypted messaging apps," GTI said in its report.

ALLEGED ABBEY GATE PLOTTER EXTRADITED TO US TO FACE ‘JUSTICE FOR OUR 13,’ FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL SAYS

"The shift towards online radicalization has enabled potential terrorists to access extremist content, and organize with minimal physical contact. Algorithmic radicalization on popular social media sites can drive users toward progressively more extreme content over time," the report continued.

ISIS-K MEMBER CONFESSED TO SCOUTING ABBEY GATE ATTACK ROUTE, TRAINING MOSCOW ATTACKERS: AFFIDAVIT

The report came the same day U.S. authorities arrested a suspect who the Justice Department says confessed to scouting the attack route in 2021’s Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan, which left 13 service members dead.

ISIS-K member Mohammad Sharifullah made his first federal court appearance in Virginia Wednesday on a charge of providing and conspiring to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death.

Sharifullah was extradited to the U.S. on Tuesday night to "face American justice," FBI Director Kash Patel said.  

"3 and 1/2 years later, justice for our 13," Patel added on X.

President Donald Trump announced Sharifullah’s capture during his address before a joint Congress on Tuesday night, saying he was "pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity."  

New Zealand’s most senior diplomat to the UK was fired after seeming to question President Donald Trump’s understanding of history and his handling of Russia. The incident took place during an event hosted by Chatham House, a think tank in London.

Phil Goff, who was serving as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the UK, apparently tried to draw a contrast between Winston Churchill’s handling of Nazi Germany and Trump’s approach to Russia. 

UK PRIME MINISTER LAYS OUT UKRAINE PEACE DEAL FRAMEWORK AS ZELENSKYY RESPONDS TO RESIGNATION CALLS

The New Zealand official said he was re-reading a famous Churchill speech from 1938 in which the British leader blasts then-Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s decision to sign the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler. 

"President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?," Goff asked Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, referencing the bust seen during President Trump's heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Valtonen seemed uncomfortable with the question, saying she would "limit" herself in her response. Rather than saying anything about Trump, the Finnish official said many of Churchill’s remarks were "timeless."

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DEFENDS REMOVING CHURCHILL STATUE FROM OVAL OFFICE

When speaking with media, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who fired Goff, called the diplomat’s question "deeply disappointing." He also said that it made "his position as high commissioner to London untenable."

Peters called Goff’s firing "one of the most difficult" things he has had to do in his career. He also said that had the former high commissioner made the statement about any other nation, he would have been "forced to act," implying that the firing was not because Goff specifically insulted Trump. 

"When you’re in that position, you represent the views of the government and the policies of the day – you’re not able to free-think, you are the face of New Zealand," Peters told the press on Thursday.

Goff has had a storied political career and has served as foreign minister, a Labour Party leader and mayor of Auckland. He was appointed to his position as high commissioner to the UK in 2022.

The Hamas terror group on Thursday dismissed President Donald Trump’s latest threat and refused to release more Israeli hostages without a permanent ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua said the "best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages" is through negotiations on a second phase of the ceasefire agreement. 

The first phase of the ceasefire, which lasted 42 days, ended on Saturday. A second phase was supposed to begin in early February, though only limited preparatory talks have been held so far.

Hamas’ response comes after Trump met with eight former hostages in Washington and posted what he called a "last warning" to Hamas on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday.

KAROLINE LEAVITT EXPLAINS US EFFORTS TO NEGOTIATE WITH HAMAS TO FREE AMERICAN HOSTAGES

"‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye - You can choose," the president's post began. "Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you."

Trump added that he is "sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job," and that "not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say.

"Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages," the president wrote. "If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!"

ISRAEL AGREES TO TRUMP ENVOY'S TEMPORARY GAZA CEASEFIRE EXTENSION PROPOSAL AS FIRST PHASE EXPIRES: REPORTS

Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that led to the ongoing war. It is also holding the bodies of 34 others who were either killed in the initial attack or in captivity, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in the 2014 war.

Hamas terrorists killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and took a total of 251 people hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more.

Israel's military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.

Fox News Digital's Andrea Margolis and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump’s vision for Gaza remains unwavering, despite ongoing regional discussions. 

In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes emphasized that the Egyptian proposal for Gaza’s reconstruction does not reflect the grim realities on the ground. 

"The current proposal does not address the reality that Gaza is currently uninhabitable and residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance. President Trump stands by his vision to rebuild Gaza free from Hamas. We look forward to further talks to bring peace and prosperity to the region," Hughes said.

Citing a Reuters report, The Times of Israel said that talks were held on Wednesday evening between senior U.S., Egyptian, Qatari and Hamas officials. The report added that the talks between U.S. and Egyptian officials also focused on plans for the future governance of Gaza. 

PRESSURED BY TRUMP’S GAZA PLAN, ARAB COUNTRIES MEET IN EGYPT TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL

The Israeli Foreign Ministry also voiced strong reservations about the Egyptian proposal, which was endorsed at a recent Arab summit in Cairo. The ministry’s statement criticized the plan for overlooking the violence of Oct. 7, 2023 and Hamas’ ongoing role in Gaza.

"The statement issued at the Emergency Summit fails to address the realities of the situation following October 7th, remaining rooted in outdated perspectives," the Israeli government said. "Notably, Hamas' brutal terrorist attack, which led to thousands of Israeli deaths and kidnappings, is not mentioned, nor is there any condemnation of this murderous terrorist entity." The Israeli response also pointed to the Arab League’s reluctance to confront Hamas, emphasizing the group's destabilizing impact and its hindrance to peace efforts.

THE HISTORY OF GAZA AMID TRUMP'S PLAN TO REBUILD ENCLAVE

However, Hamas expressed support for Egypt’s plan, with spokespersons welcoming the initiative and calling for the full allocation of resources to ensure its success. This backing underscores the challenges of any reconstruction effort in Gaza, where Hamas’ involvement poses a severe threat to both the population in Gaza and the broader region.

Egypt’s 112-page reconstruction plan envisions rebuilding Gaza in stages by 2030, with an estimated cost of $53 billion. The plan includes clearing debris and recycling rubble, part of which would be used to expand Gaza’s coastline. It also outlines the construction of hundreds of thousands of housing units, an airport, a commercial harbor, and recreational parks. 

While Egyptian officials have stressed the need for a technocratic administration to govern Gaza until a reformed Palestinian Authority can take over, the plan is contingent on substantial financial backing from Gulf Arab states, which are crucial to the reconstruction’s success.

Before Trump proposed resettling Gazans outside the enclave, Egypt and other Arab states had shown little interest in Gaza's reconstruction. However, since Egypt has ruled out accepting displaced Palestinians for "national security" reasons, it now feels compelled to formulate an alternative plan. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said the proposal would enable the reconstruction of Gaza while ensuring Palestinians are able to "stay on their land without displacement."

Despite these developments, the White House and Israel continue to assert that a broader solution, one that removes Hamas from power- remains essential for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.

Pope Francis on Thursday shared his first audio message since being hospitalized nearly three weeks ago for double pneumonia, expressing thanks to his well-wishers around the world.

Francis sent a short, two-line recorded message made at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, which was played Thursday evening at the start of the rosary in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the Square," he said in a message that was translated from Spanish to English. "I accompany you from here. May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you."

The pope has shared written messages via the Vatican since being admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14, but Thursday was the first time his voice had been heard.

CHRISTIANS USE HALLOW APP'S PRAY40 CHALLENGE AMONG OTHER TRADITIONAL WAYS TO GROW CLOSER TO GOD AS LENT BEGINS 

Francis' condition remained stable and "guarded" Thursday, a day when the pontiff did not have difficulty breathing and remained fever-free.

The pope had a "good night" and continued physical therapy at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for his third week of treatment for double pneumonia, the Vatican said Thursday. 

"Today, the Holy Father dedicated himself to some work activities during the morning and afternoon, alternating rest and prayer," the Vatican said. "Before lunch, he received the Eucharist."

The next update on Francis' condition will come Saturday, the Vatican said, because of his stable condition.

"The night passed quietly; the Pope is still resting," the Holy See press office said earlier Thursday, adding that the Pope’s "clinical condition has remained stable for the last couple of days, and his doctors say he has not had more episodes of respiratory insufficiency." 

The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been stable for two days after suffering a pair of respiratory crises on Monday. Doctors underlined that his prognosis remained guarded due to the complex picture.

In recent days, he has been sleeping with a non-invasive mechanical mask to guarantee that his lungs expand properly overnight and help his recovery. He has been transitioning to receiving oxygen with a nasal tube during the day.

The pope on Wednesday marked the start of Lent by receiving ashes on his forehead and by calling the parish priest in Gaza, the Vatican said. He also added physical therapy to his hospital routine of respiratory therapy.

The Catholic Church opened the solemn Lenten season without the pope's participation. A cardinal took his place leading a short penitential procession between two churches on the Aventine Hill and opened an Ash Wednesday sermon prepared for the pontiff with words of solidarity and thanks.

On Ash Wednesday, observant Catholics receive a sign of the cross in ashes on their foreheads, a gesture that underscores human mortality. It is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence that signals the start of Christianity's most penitent season, leading to Easter on April 20.

The pope was supposed to attend a spiritual retreat this weekend with the rest of the Holy See hierarchy. On Tuesday, the Vatican said the retreat would go ahead without Francis but in "spiritual communion" with him. The theme, selected before Francis got sick, was "Hope in eternal life."

Pope Francis had a "good night" as he continues to rest at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for his third week of treatment for double pneumonia, the Vatican said early Thursday. 

"The night passed quietly; the Pope is still resting," the Holy See press office said in a statement posted on X, adding that the Pope’s "clinical condition has remained stable for the last couple of days, and his doctors say he has not had more episodes of respiratory insufficiency." 

The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been stable for two days after suffering a pair of respiratory crises on Monday. Doctors underlined that his prognosis remained guarded due to the complex picture.

CHRISTIANS USE HALLOW APP'S PRAY40 CHALLENGE AMONG OTHER TRADITIONAL WAYS TO GROW CLOSER TO GOD AS LENT BEGINS 

In recent days, he has been sleeping with a non-invasive mechanical mask to guarantee that his lungs expand properly overnight and help his recovery. He has been transitioning to receiving oxygen with a nasal tube during the day.

The pope on Wednesday marked the start of Lent by receiving ashes on his forehead and by calling the parish priest in Gaza, the Vatican said. He also added physical therapy to his hospital routine of respiratory therapy.

The Catholic Church opened the solemn Lenten season without the pope's participation. A cardinal took his place leading a short penitential procession between two churches on the Aventine Hill and opened an Ash Wednesday sermon prepared for the pontiff with words of solidarity and thanks.

On Ash Wednesday, observant Catholics receive a sign of the cross in ashes on their foreheads, a gesture that underscores human mortality. It is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence that signals the start of Christianity's most penitent season, leading to Easter on April 20.

The pope was supposed to attend a spiritual retreat this weekend with the rest of the Holy See hierarchy. On Tuesday, the Vatican said the retreat would go ahead without Francis but in "spiritual communion" with him. The theme, selected before Francis got sick, was "Hope in eternal life."

Multiple sources told Fox News Digital that the U.N.’s Department of Global Communications may be a target for reform and even funding cuts, since it is often at odds with the U.S. and Israel.

The calls for reform come a month after President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for a review of funding to the U.N. At the time, Trump said that the world body "has tremendous potential," but is "not being well run." 

Last week, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned about cuts to U.S. spending at the U.N., stating that "going through with recent funding cuts will make the world less healthy, less safe, and less prosperous."

So far, Trump has halted new funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Administration for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and withdrew the U.S. from the U.N. Human Rights Council. On Feb. 27, the U.S. also terminated $377 million in grants with the United Nations Population Fund, which offers sexual and reproductive health services in 150 countries.

TRUMP CUTS US OFF FROM UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, BANS UNRWA FUNDING

The U.N. media branch’s nearly 700 employees are tasked to "leverage the power of communications to tell the United Nations story to global audiences in multiple languages and platforms in order to mobilize action in support of the United Nations agenda."

Anne Bayefsky, Director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and President of Human Rights Voices, told Fox News Digital that, through the Department, "the U.S. taxpayer pays the U.N. to hire media experts and do P.R. for the purpose of blasting anti-American and antisemitic trash around the globe."

Asked whether funding the Department of Global Communications serves U.S. interests, a U.N. spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the Department performs media outreach, operates as a newswire, and hosts the Dag Hammarskjöld Library.  

Many of the Department of Global Communications’ personnel, the spokesperson explained, are "based at 59 U.N. Information Centers across the world, which communicate about the U.N. and the collective will of its Member States in local languages, closer to the people that the U.N. serves." 

Former member of the U.S. delegation to the U.N. Hugh Dugan told Fox News Digital that the need to use information centers "to lobby its own members on their dime in their countries speaks to the deep state to me." With U.S. public support for the U.N. declining, Dugan said the Department of Global Communications "is more than failing in its own backyard in the most consequential country for its future."

A Pew Research Center found that 52% of Americans had a favorable perspective of the U.N. as of April 2024, down from 57% in 2023.

UN ACCUSED OF DOWNPLAYING HAMAS TERRORISTS’ USE OF GAZA HOSPITALS AS NEW REPORT IGNORES IMPORTANT DETAILS

Fox News Digital asked Under Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming whether the Department of Global Communications is involved in oversight of communications for additional U.N. entities. 

Fleming said that her department "does not have oversight, but convenes regular coordination meetings with communication colleagues from across the U.N. system to discuss crisis situations and content plans." Fleming also confirmed that the Department of Global Communications has charge of the main United Nations’ social media account.

Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of U.N. Watch, told Fox News Digital that "in terms of its regular communications, whether it's the Secretary General, or whether it's various U.N. social media accounts, are routinely engaged in anti-American and anti-Israel, and you could say, to the extent that it's demonizing the Jewish people, antisemitic messaging."

U.S. Ambassador-designate to the U.N. Elise Stefanik recently tweeted that "the days of propping up organizations at the United Nations that run counter to our interests are long gone. We will no longer fund terrorism, antisemitism, and anti-Israel hate." Stefanik was speaking at the ADL's 'NEVER IS NOW' summit.

AMERICAN CENSORED BY UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, ACCUSED OF USING ‘DISRESPECTFUL LANGUAGE’

Fox News Digital found multiple Tweets from the U.N. Twitter account that promote a one-sided narrative of the Israel-Gaza conflict. These included a Jan. 29 Tweet in support of the UN Relief and Works Administration for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which states that "Israeli legislation imposes massive restraints on UNRWA’s operations," but fails to note why Israel has banned UNRWA’s operations and a growing number of countries have pulled funding from the terror-tied organization.

A Dec. 27 World Health Organization Tweet retweeted by the United Nations said that a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital was part of a "systematic dismantling of the health system in Gaza," but did not mention that the Israel Defense Forces entered the facility to apprehend multiple members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, including the director, who stored weaponry inside the hospital, as terror groups have done repeatedly during the war.

Spokespersons from the U.S. State Department, U.S. Mission to the U.N., and the United Nations were unable to provide Fox News Digital with figures about what percentage of the Department of Global Communications’ more than $117.9 million budget is covered by the U.S.

In 2022, the U.S.’s $18.1 billion contribution to the U.N. covered 30% of the organization’s total budget. By 2024, U.S. contributions to the U.N. were at 22% for the general budget and 27% for the peacekeeping budget. The U.N. reports that more than 40% of humanitarian aid it donated in 2024 was provided by the U.S. 

A State Department spokesperson did not answer direct questions about whether funding the Department of Global Communications serves U.S. interests, but explained that a 90-day review period instated by a Jan. 20 executive order "is a measure put in place for us to align our ongoing work with the America First agenda. The results of the in-depth review will be communicated transparently." The spokesperson said that the State "Department and USAID take their role as stewards of taxpayer dollars very seriously.
 

South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area during a live-fire training exercise with the U.S. on Thursday, injuring multiple people and damaging multiple buildings, including three houses and a Catholic church.

The MK-82 bombs "abnormally" released by the KF-16 fighter jet fell outside a firing range, causing unspecified civilian damages, the air force said in a statement.

PASSENGER PLANE CATCHES FIRE AT SOUTH KOREAN AIRPORT; ALL 176 PEOPLE ON BOARD ARE EVACUATED

Reports of the number of people injured varied, but South Korea’s Yonhap news agency put the number at 15, including civilians and soldiers. Two of the injured were serious but not life-threatening, the outlet reported. At least seven buildings were damaged.

The air force said the fighter jets were taking part in the air force's joint live-firing drills with the army. It apologized for the incident and promised to establish a committee to investigate the cause of the accident and the extent of the damage. 

AT LEAST FOUR DEAD IN SOUTH KOREA HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT COLLAPSE

South Korean media reported that the accident happened in Pocheon, a city near the heavily armed border with North Korea. In a televised briefing, Pocheon Mayor Paek Young-hyun called the bombings "awful" and urged the military to halt drills in the city until it formulates reliable steps that can prevent a recurrence. He said that Pocheon, a city of 140,000 people, provides three major firing ranges for the South Korean and U.S. militaries.

The military later said it has decided to suspend all live-fire drills across South Korea. Observers say the military will resume firing exercises after it learns the exact cause of Thursday's accident and maps out steps to prevent recurrences.

Three houses, a Catholic church and a greenhouse were partially damaged but they did not appear to have been directly hit by the bombs, according to the Pocheon department.

A South Korean fighter jet accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area during a training exercise on Thursday, injuring multiple people. 

The MK-82 bombs "abnormally" released by the KF-16 fighter jet fell outside a firing range, causing unspecified civilian damages, the air force said in a statement.

PASSENGER PLANE CATCHES FIRE AT SOUTH KOREAN AIRPORT; ALL 176 PEOPLE ON BOARD ARE EVACUATED

Reports of the number of people injured varied, but South Korea’s Yonhap news agency put the number at 15, including civilians and soldiers. Two of the injured were serious but not life-threatening, the outlet reported. At least seven buildings were damaged.

The air force said the fighter jet was taking part in the air force's joint live-firing drills with the army. It apologized for the incident and promised to establish a committee to investigate the cause of the accident and the extent of the damage. 

AT LEAST FOUR DEAD IN SOUTH KOREA HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT COLLAPSE

The air force has not said where the accident occurred, but South Korean media reported it happened in Pocheon, a city near the heavily armed border with North Korea.