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An unholy alliance is being blamed for instigating the violence seen across France as experts point to a bond between extreme left and radical Islamic groups.

What began as protests over school conditions and funding is entering its third week, and the factors behind the widespread, more violent protests are being debated.

"The protests started in an apparently spontaneous way in the disadvantaged, immigrant suburbs of Paris," Nathalie Szerman, researcher in radicalization and extremism in France at MEMRI, told Fox News Digital, but "it quickly became clear that the violence demonstrated in these protests conveyed a huge amount of hate towards the ‘system’ and not much concern for better material conditions in schools, as dozens of schools across France have suffered vandalism and blockades, and many were even set on fire."

FRANCE ROCKED BY STUDENT RIOTS AS HUNDREDS ARRESTED, VIOLENCE SPREADS NATIONWIDE

Szerman said that while demonstrations over school conditions at the beginning of an academic year in France "is not a new phenomenon," the "scope of these demonstrations and their character should raise concerns." She points to protestors taking to the streets carrying Palestinian flags. "Pro-Palestinian organizations, such as Urgence Palestine, have declared the month of October to be a month of revolt, and these groups are supporting and fueling these demonstrations."

"The French are notorious for strikes, labor shortages and street demonstrations," former U.S. Assistant Attorney General Theo Wold told Fox News Digital, and added that these protests are "a consequence of mass immigration. The rioters are not of French culture, and they don’t respect the rule of law … France is learning that importing an underclass of foreigners causes broader societal damage."

ISRAELI AMBASSADOR COMPARES FRANCE'S FAR-LEFT LEADER'S RHETORIC TO HITLER AS ANTISEMITISM SURGES

Nile Gardiner, director of The Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, told Fox News’ Outnumbered on Tuesday, "I think at the very heart of this, is the far-left and the Islamists combining forces to undermine France itself … This is a form of uprising, frankly, by far left wing forces together with second, third generation migrants. And also, at the same time, France is in real economic trouble."

Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, senior envoy to Europe at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that, "Students have reason to be angry about overcrowded classrooms and absent teachers." She added: "What does Gaza have to do with a shortage of teachers in France? I’ll tell you what: [the far-left La France Insoumise party] has spent years making hostility to Israel a central part of its appeal to young voters. Bringing that cause into the school protests helps fuel the racial dynamics and turn a demand for better classrooms into a much broader confrontation with the government," she said.

EUROPE’S LEFT COURTS MUSLIM VOTERS AS ANTI-ISRAEL POLITICS RESHAPE CONTINENT

"LFI is the perfect embodiment of the Red-Green alliance – the alliance between leftists and Islamists," added Szerman. "LFI rallies Islamist and pro-Palestinian groups on the one hand, and other French anti-system leftists who accuse the elite of enriching itself at the expense of the poor on the other. It is a revolutionary party using Islam as an inner drive. Politicized Muslims are aware of this and are also using LFI to promote their own agenda.

"They are fueling and empowering each other, the common ground being the claim that they are the people," Szerman continued. "The people are seen as the enemy of the ‘elite’ running the country, which therefore has to be overthrown."

Rodan-Benzaquen said, "French students need their teachers to show up to class, and their parents need to know they will be safe at school. But [LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon] is not interested in these goals." She says he is "encouraging the citizens to see their schools as a front in a larger political battle, one whose real prize is the presidency."

FRANCE’S TEEN RIOTS TAKE EXPLOSIVE NEW TURN AS GOVERNMENT POINTS FINGER AT HARD LEFT

French President Emmanuel Macron is term-limited and cannot run for a third consecutive term in elections this coming spring. Many observers believe a runoff match-up between the far-left Mélenchon and right-wing populist Marine Le Pen of the National Rally party could be on the horizon.

"No matter how the protests play out, Mélenchon will likely benefit," said Rodan-Benzaquen. "If the unrest drives voters toward the far right, he can hope to emerge as the leader of the opposition. If he succeeds in mobilizing enough voters himself, he could reach the presidency. Either prospect gives him a reason to keep the confrontation going. Neither gives him much incentive to lower the temperature."

"I do not think that the LFI leadership made a conscious decision to trigger destructive demonstrations all over France," added Szerman, "but once the movement was launched, LFI did provide a backbone for the violence, as it will never blame any of its followers."

FRANCE EXPLODES AGAIN AS STUDENTS RIOT OVER EDUCATION

So far, the protests have not spread across the continent even as spending on education seems close between countries.

According to the latest available figures from Eurostat, the European Union’s official statistical office, in 2024 France spent over 5% of its GDP on education, more than it spent on defense. In that same year, neighboring Germany spent only 4.5% of its GDP on education.

In Macron’s latest proposed budget, about $74 billion is earmarked for French schools, more than proposed for defense, but both are cuts from the last official budget narrowly approved by Parliament over the winter. Germany’s Federal Statistical Office reports spending on education was up to 7% of GDP at over $340 billion when including federal, state and local government spending. Meanwhile, in the U.K., Department for Education spending for the 2025/26 school year was estimated at around $142 billion.

When comparing the latest figures for expenditures per student, France’s ministry of education says in the 2024/25 school year, it spent $9,950 per student, Germany’s Federal Statistical Office says $12,000 was spent per student in 2025, and the U.K. spent about $10,100 per student in 2024/25. Meanwhile, the Organization for European Economic Co-operation says the Europe-wide average is around $12,000 per student per year.

Some 500 high schools are closed in France on Wednesday, down from 891 on Tuesday. The schools have been ordered by the ministry of education to replace normal lessons through Friday with structured dialogue and staff crisis management meetings in an effort to calm tensions, to avoid confrontations at school gates and to give staff time to reorganize.

The Associated Press reports more than 6,100 people have been arrested since the protests began, with the Interior Ministry saying 715 police officers have been injured.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu defended the police response to student protests after one teenager lost a hand in an incident involving a police grenade and another lost sight in one eye after being struck by a projectile.

In parliament on Tuesday, Lecornu pushed back on accusations of police brutality or state repression, adding that the term "police brutality" implies that officers had been instructed to use force, according to Politico.

"What triggers police action is the occurrence of urban violence," Lecornu said.

"Can accidents happen? The answer is yes," he added.

FRANCE EXPLODES AGAIN AS STUDENTS RIOT OVER EDUCATION

Lecornu and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez have both argued that the police response was sparked by urban violence, arson and vandalism, while maintaining that officers have acted within their authority. Nuñez also called the police response proportionate in "almost all cases."

The prime minister also accused opposition party France Unbowed of exploiting the student protests to sow chaos and score political points ahead of next year’s presidential election.

President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting with senior ministers to address the nationwide student protests and their potential political fallout.

The French government is facing mounting pressure after more than 6,500 people were arrested and hundreds were injured as students demand better funding and learning conditions in schools. Most of those arrested were minors, according to the Associated Press.

Lecornu said 215 students and 85 school staff members had been injured since the protests began, while his office said 715 police officers had also been injured.

"I hope we can provide a political response to a very real anxiety among high school students," Lecornu acknowledged.

As Lecornu delivered his remarks on Tuesday, demonstrators from several French unions and teachers’ groups gathered with high school and university students. Members of France’s left-wing parties were also at the protest, according to Politico.

The Interior Ministry estimated that 266,000 people took part in demonstrations nationwide Tuesday, including 56,000 in Paris.

The Paris demonstration was largely peaceful, although smaller groups later clashed with riot police, according to the Associated Press.

The protesters' movement began at high schools in the Paris region in mid-September before spreading nationwide.

TEEN'S HAND BLOWN OFF BY POLICE GRENADE DURING FRENCH STUDENT PROTESTS: REPORT

On Monday, a 15-year-old boy in northern France lost a hand after a police grenade exploded during the protests, Politico reported. A prosecutor said he could not "say for certain whether the student picked up the grenade or whether it was thrown at him."

In the city of Tours, a 16-year-old lost sight in one eye after being hit by a projectile, according to the outlet. The prosecutor said the projectile may have been fired from a sub-lethal riot-control weapon used by police.

Boris Vallaud, leader of the center-left Socialist group in parliament, said the group's lawmakers would introduce legislation restricting the use of sub-lethal riot-control weapons at student demonstrations, warning that they can cause irreversible injuries, the outlet reported.

A former spy chief for Germany's foreign intelligence service was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of espionage and attempted treason over allegations that he obtained classified documents and used secret information to prepare an analysis for an employee of a foreign intelligence service, prosecutors said.

August Hanning, 80, led Germany's Federal Intelligence Service, known as the BND, from 1998 to 2005.

According to federal prosecutors, Hanning is "strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason, and espionage."

A former aide, identified as Manfred D., was also arrested in western Germany and is accused of aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage in connection with the case.

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Prosecutors said Manfred D. worked as Hanning’s chief of staff before going on to serve as chief of staff to several of Hanning's successors at the BND between March 2012 and March 2026, giving him access to confidential information.

Beginning in 2010, the men allegedly reached an agreement under which Manfred D. would routinely transmit intelligence to Hanning in exchange for payment.

The arrangement continued until June 2022, with Manfred D. allegedly providing Hanning with roughly 2,000 documents, many of which contained classified information intended strictly for internal use, according to prosecutors.

Hanning allegedly used the information in his private consulting work.

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A spokesperson for the federal prosecutor’s office told German broadcaster RTL that investigators believe Hanning used classified information to prepare an analysis for an employee of a foreign intelligence service.

Prosecutors also said Hanning passed along information following extensive exchanges with an employee of another intelligence service.

German authorities have not publicly identified the foreign intelligence services allegedly involved.

The investigation grew out of an apparently unrelated case involving the 2024 abduction of the children of Hamburg businesswoman Christina Block during a custody dispute.

Prosecutors said Hanning's arrest stemmed from evidence gathered during that investigation.

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Hanning's arrest marks the first detention of a former head of Germany's foreign intelligence service, according to Reuters.

Hanning and Manfred D. were expected to appear before a judge at Germany's Federal Court of Justice following their arrests.

Fox News Digital has reached out to GLOBSEC, where Hanning previously held an affiliation, for comment on his arrest and the allegations against him.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The U.S. military in Okinawa, Japan, is beginning an operational pause for 48 hours, prohibiting off-base liberty and ordering training after a Marine was arrested on suspicion of killing and robbing a woman.

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, Okinawa Area Coordinator and commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, said in a letter on Tuesday that incidents like this "demand we pause for reflection" and that serving on the island "comes with responsibility."

"We speak often about standards and discipline. Standards are what we expect, and my standards are clear: be accountable for your actions; do the right thing, especially when no one is looking; and always be guided by our core values that govern our conduct at every rank," he wrote.

"We live, work, and socialize alongside the people of Okinawa; their home is our home. Every interaction with our neighbors either builds or undermines the trust that is essential to our team. When that trust is damaged, it affects the strength of our alliance and the security of this region. Accordingly, we will take time to think hard about discipline, standards and our alliance responsibilities," Watson added.

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The arrest of the Marine has sparked protests against the heavy American military presence on the southern Japanese island and concerns over military-related crime.

Japanese officials have also lodged a formal protest with the U.S. government. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned U.S. Ambassador George Glass and called for cooperation with the investigation, stricter discipline among U.S. personnel and measures to prevent similar incidents.

The killing could complicate Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s push to both strengthen the Japanese military on Okinawa and work more closely with the U.S. military to deter China.

The pause in operations will last from Wednesday through Friday, during which no "off-base liberty" or alcohol will be allowed. Restricting troops from leaving military bases and interacting with the local community is a common response by military leaders to major crime incidents.

Service members will receive training on standards, discipline and "our responsibilities as members of the Okinawan community," Watson said.

"This Period of Training will include discussions on liberty policy, enforcement mechanisms, alcohol awareness, Okinawan culture, and alliance responsibilities. Every member of this force must understand that individual conduct has consequences," he said.

After the training, which will begin on Friday, troops will transition into a 30-day "Period of Reflection."

NAVY SAILOR SENTENCED TO 44 YEARS FOR STRANGLING FELLOW SERVICEMEMBER IN VIRGINIA BARRACKS ROOM

During this period, Watson said there will be "restrictions on liberty" to remind all military personnel that "liberty is a privilege and a collective responsibility." These restrictions will include a curfew and enhanced supervision.

"Liberty is a mission, and like any other mission it requires discipline, trust and teamwork to complete it successfully," he said. "Take care of your teammates. Hold one another accountable. Live up to the high standards that come with the uniform you wear."

Okinawa prefectural police said they arrested Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who is stationed at Futenma Air Station, on suspicion of strangling Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in the island’s capital city of Naha early Saturday and stealing her wallet and backpack.

Ballard has denied the allegations.

Security camera footage showed a man entering the hotel with the woman and later leaving alone.

Ballard was arrested after a patrolling officer spotted him walking later on Saturday in an entertainment district in Okinawa City, about 15 miles northeast of Naha. His shaved head and the tattoos on his arms matched those of the man seen in security footage, Kyodo News agency reported.

People in Okinawa have long opposed the heavy U.S. military presence on the island, although some have acknowledged its strategic benefit due to what is seen as a growing threat from China.

Okinawa was under U.S. occupation from World War II until 1972. Now, the U.S. population on the island is nearly 80,000, with nearly 30,000 being active duty troops from all four branches of the armed forces. The Marines make up most of the service members on the island.

A rise in crime linked to U.S. military-related personnel has led to renewed protests on the island. The number of criminal cases involving U.S. military-related personnel rose from about 40 in 2020 to 101 in 2025, according to Okinawa prefectural police.

After three U.S. service members raped a 12-year-old girl in 1995, huge crowds protested the U.S. military presence on Okinawa. There was also frustration over a U.S. service member's rape of a teenage girl in 2024 and the delayed disclosure of the case.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A commercial ship sank and its crew vanished Tuesday after an apparent coordinated air-and-sea drone attack off NATO member Bulgaria, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed Russia before warning Moscow was preparing a broader "massive strike."

A second vessel was also heavily damaged and set ablaze inside Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, with a drone expert warning the dual precision strikes signaled a dangerous escalation and possible "larger invasion posture" by Russia.

"They were likely using the Geran-4 aerial drone to take the vessel out or the Maran surface vehicle to take it out," Cameron Chell, founder of drone manufacturer Draganfly, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday of the first strike.

RUSSIA MAY BE USING HIDDEN 'LUNCHBOX-SIZE' DRONE DEVICES TO COUNTER UKRAINE DEFENSES: EXPERT

"The reason it wasn't just an air vehicle or an air drone that took this ship out was that the Gerans generally come in at a pretty steep angle when they're on final attack," Chell said.

"There are not really any precision drones that fly closely above the surface, which is where they would have had to hit in order to create an impact that would sink this ship fast enough," he added.

"The nature of this strike suggests there was a combination of an air attack and surface attack," Chell said.

The dual attack occurred roughly 70 nautical miles off the eastern Bulgarian coastal town of Byala, according to Reuters, bringing the conflict into the economic zone of a NATO member.

Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence and security services were working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the attack.

US ALLIES NEED TO SHOOT DOWN RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT TESTING NATO BOUNDARIES, CZECH PRESIDENT WARNS

"Our intelligence and special services are now working to establish all available information about yet another attack in the Black Sea targeting civilian vessels," he wrote on X.

"Our Navy contacted its counterparts in Bulgaria, and it has been established that this was a combined Russian attack using maritime and aerial drones."

Chell suggested the attack’s location and hybrid nature could serve Russia by sowing greater uncertainty across the region.

"We can see the amount of geopolitical chaos that's involved, and this is exactly the type of thing that would benefit Russia in the region," Chell said.

"The hybrid element here is really blurring the lines between traditional military actions," he added, describing the attack as "an expansion of strategy and tactics."

"This is indicative of this larger invasion posture that seems to be unfolding for Russia," Chell said. "And a real desire, what appears to be, for Russia to take things up a notch."

RUSSIA'S SHADOW WAR IS PUTTING EUROPE ON EDGE AS GERMANY CONFRONTS A GROWING THREAT

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev also confirmed that aerial and maritime drones targeted two commercial vessels in shipping lanes inside Bulgaria’s EEZ, calling the attack a "gross, flagrant violation of international law," according to Reuters.

The sunken vessel, identified by British maritime risk group Vanguard as the cargo ship Alfa Watan, suffered catastrophic structural damage before submerging with an undisclosed cargo and an unknown number of crew members aboard.

A nearby Bulgarian ferry, the Dioscuria, diverted to the scene after witnessing an explosion and receiving distress signals, Reuters reported.

Rescuers found an overturned lifeboat, life rafts and life jackets floating in the debris field.

RUSSIA PREPARING HYBRID ATTACKS ON NATO'S EASTERN FLANK, INTELLIGENCE WARNS

Search-and-rescue operations involving the Bulgarian Navy, Air Force and Border Police remained underway to locate the missing crew and monitor for environmental threats, the outlet said.

Chell suggested the apparent coordination between the attacks was particularly significant.

"Not only are you using pretty sophisticated equipment, but you're also doing it in a coordinated manner," Chell said.

"These two ships were going opposite directions. One was actually just coming, and had left Ukraine the day before," he said.

"These things coordinated and were struck relatively at the same time. So another level of coordination has unfolded here," Chell added.

UKRAINE POUNDS BLACK SEA FLEET’S ‘LAST MAJOR STRONGHOLD’ WHILE PUTIN FLEXES NAVAL POWER IN PACIFIC

The second ship, identified by Vanguard as the general cargo vessel ABLE, caught fire after being struck while carrying grain.

A Bulgarian ferry crew evacuated all 18 seafarers aboard — 11 Turkish nationals and seven Indian nationals.

Two crew members suffered severe injuries and were airlifted to a medical facility in Varna, while the remaining 16 were transported safely to shore.

Radev convened an emergency government session following the strikes. While acknowledging it remained unclear whether the drones originated from Russia or Ukraine, he warned of the widening scope of the war.

"Such an attack within the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone is absolutely unacceptable," Radev told reporters.

REPORT WARNS RUSSIA USING SHADOW FLEET TO PROBE NATO DRONE DEFENSES

"If this war is not ended in time, it will continue to expand its spatial scope and increase the risk of even a global conflict."

Chell said striking the two ships inside Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone could also have the effect of disrupting a crucial shipping corridor and creating fear among commercial operators.

"It all adds up to a perfect little scenario for the Russians to create chaos there, not just to disrupt the lane of economics for the region and in particular for Ukraine — a lifeline," Chell said.

"The Russians are really taking a playbook out of the Iranians who have basically created enough chaos in the Strait of Hormuz where the operators can't take the chance to put their ships through there," he added.

The strikes came amid a surge in attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea, including an incident off Romania’s coast Monday in which two people died in a ship fire.

Ambrey, a British firm specializing in global maritime risk, recorded more than 210 strikes on commercial ships between July and the end of September.

UKRAINE LAUNCHES WHAT APPEARS TO BE ONE OF ITS LARGEST DRONE ATTACKS AGAINST RUSSIA: REPORT

Zelenskyy later warned that Ukrainian intelligence had obtained information indicating Russia was preparing a major new assault.

"We’ve got updated intel on Russia’s preparations for a massive strike," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "I ask you, please, to take care of yourselves and respond to missile threat alerts."

"Ukrainian services and our Air Force are ready to respond — as much as our defenses allow," Zelenskyy continued. "And a lot depends on our partners — every country in the world that has the defensive capabilities we need and can provide them to us."

"It’s very important that there be the political will to do this — particularly in the United States and in Europe," he added.

NEW YORK — Nearly three decades after the Good Friday Agreement transformed Northern Ireland, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said the United States could potentially play a role in a future push for a united Ireland following President Donald Trump's backing for reunification.

Martin, whose Fianna Fáil party supports Irish unity, said the landmark 1998 agreement – which largely ended 30 years of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland known as "the Troubles" – created a peaceful mechanism for deciding Northern Ireland's constitutional future, but cautioned that the deep divide between Northern Ireland's nationalist and unionist communities must first be bridged.

"I believe in unity and my party believes in unity, but we have to work on it," Martin told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. "We have to build reconciliation among the different traditions on the island of Ireland."

"The U.S. were critical to the success of peace and conflict resolution in Ireland," Martin added.

IRISH PM REJECTS ANTISEMITISM CONCERNS IN IRELAND AMID DRAMATIC VOTE OVER BOYCOTTING ISRAEL GAME

Martin spoke to Fox News Digital during the U.N. General Assembly in New York at what he described as a global "crossroad," with war raging in Ukraine, conflict across the Middle East and negotiations underway over Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.

Throughout the interview, he repeatedly returned to Ireland's own experience of conflict and peace as a guide to how the country approaches crises abroad, while defending the country's long-standing policy of military neutrality despite its growing support for Ukraine.

The constitutional question of Irish unity gained renewed attention during Trump's recent visit to Ireland last month, when the president said he would "love" to see Ireland unified and predicted it would eventually happen.

Asked during the Fox News Digital whether Washington could play a role again if Ireland eventually moves toward reunification, Martin replied: "To a degree maybe, potentially, yeah."

Martin spoke before the latest confrontation over Garvaghy Road erupted in Portadown, reviving one of Northern Ireland's most bitter marching disputes and underscoring how potent nationalist-unionist divisions remain.

The Parades Commission last month approved a limited Orange Order march along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road for the first time in 28 years. Residents and supporters blocked the route, while police declined to force the parade through amid fears of serious disorder.

The Orange Order is a Protestant organization whose members generally support Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom, while many residents of the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road community, who are predominantly Catholic, favor a united Ireland.

The standoff has since spilled into the courts and Stormont, where parliament meets, as efforts to broker a compromise continue.

Under the Good Friday Agreement, a referendum can be called if it appears a majority in Northern Ireland would support reunification. But Martin said more work is needed to define what a united Ireland would look like and deepen engagement on both sides of the border.

IRISH PM SAYS IRELAND ‘NOT OVERRUN’ BY IMMIGRANTS, LEGAL MIGRATION TIED TO ECONOMIC SUCCESS

UKRAINE AND THE SEARCH FOR PEACE

For Martin, however, the lessons of Northern Ireland's peace process extend far beyond the island.

"Because of our conflict in Northern Ireland, we feel we can make a contribution to that conflict resolution pathway," Martin said.

He said Ireland's experience ending decades of violence now shapes how it approaches Russia's war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East and Europe's increasingly uncertain security environment.

"We don't get a sense that Russia is really interested at this particular stage," Martin said of efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

Martin, who had met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the previous evening, nevertheless argued that continued channels between Washington and Moscow were important.

Asked whether a realistic peace settlement would ultimately require Ukraine to surrender territory to Russia, Martin rejected the premise.

"Ukraine can't cede territory that Russia hasn't even conquered, despite four years of war," Martin said.

But he said a ceasefire along existing battle lines could provide a starting point for negotiations.

"If we even could get a ceasefire on existing lines, and then negotiations to start," Martin said, adding that Kyiv would need protections against renewed Russian aggression. "Ukraine needs security guarantees."

Martin also pointed to Ukraine's path toward European Union membership as potentially providing an additional layer of security and said the broader security architecture between Europe and Russia would ultimately have to be addressed in negotiations.

"From our perspective, no one has the right to go into another country and take its territory," Martin said.

HOW NEUTRAL IS IRELAND?

Ireland's extensive support for Kyiv, however, raises a more contentious question at home: how far can a militarily neutral country support one side in a war while maintaining that neutrality?

Ireland has committed more than $754 million in humanitarian assistance, military training and other non-lethal support to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 while stopping short of providing lethal weapons.

Fox News Digital asked Martin whether that level of support undermined Ireland's neutrality.

"No, because we don't give lethal aid, we haven't given military weaponry, but we have given non-lethal assistance in terms of training and so on like that, and also humanitarian aid to Ukraine," Martin said.

Ireland has also taken in large numbers of Ukrainians fleeing the war. Martin said more than 120,000 had arrived at one point, with roughly 80,000 remaining in the country at the time of the interview.

"That's not taking sides, that's taking a humanitarian response to a war," Martin said. "And many are contributing, many are working in the economy."

Ireland's neutrality has also faced scrutiny over the long-standing use of Shannon Airport by the U.S. military.

NATO's top military commander, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, described Shannon in August as a "very important logistics hub" for the United States and said withdrawing American military access would probably damage U.S.-Irish relations.

The airport's role has long drawn protests from Irish neutrality campaigners, who argue that allowing U.S. military personnel and aircraft to transit through a civilian airport undermines the country's neutral status.

Despite differing approaches to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, Martin described the U.S.-Ireland relationship in almost familial terms.

"There's a very strong bond between Ireland and the United States," Martin said.

He pointed to the long-standing tradition of Irish leaders visiting the White House on St. Patrick's Day and the enormous Irish American diaspora, which he estimated at roughly 30 million people.

"It's just family, there's kinship ties," Martin said.

MIDDLE EAST

Martin said Ireland's peace-process experience also informs its approach to the Middle East, where Dublin has emerged as one of Israel's strongest European critics.

He condemned Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attack and defended Israel's right to security while arguing that the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza had been "absolutely disproportionate."

"We believe in a two-state solution," Martin said. "We believe that Israel, of course, has a right to exist in security and its people need to be guaranteed of security. But likewise, Palestinians should have a right to live in their homeland in a peaceful way."

Martin said Ireland's strongly anti-Israel position was shaped partly by its own history and what he described as a "sense of right and justice and fairness."

WATCH: Irish PM explains Ireland's position on Israel, rejects antisemitism concerns amid controversial soccer match

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EUROPE'S SECURITY

Ireland currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, placing Martin at the center of negotiations as Europe confronts its biggest security challenges in decades.

"There's a big realization in Europe that we have to do more to provide greater security to Europe, particularly because of the Russian-Ukrainian war," Martin said.

He pointed particularly to Baltic and Nordic countries, whose governments have increased defense spending amid fears about Russia.

"Many have an existential fear of Russia," Martin said.

Martin said Europe was also tightening its approach to immigration, echoing comments he made elsewhere in the interview that asylum applications had fallen across Ireland and that governments across the continent were responding to mounting political pressure.

For Martin, those challenges — from Ukraine and the Middle East to Ireland's own unfinished constitutional future —ultimately return to the lessons he believes his country learned through decades of conflict and the peace process that followed.

"The world needs to try and turn a page toward a more peaceful sort of coexistence," Martin said.

WATCH: Irish PM explains how Ireland is responding to Trump's 'America First' agenda

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump warned Tuesday that France’s escalating riots were being driven by "out of control mass migration," as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz echoed those concerns and blamed unchecked immigration and broader European policy failures for helping fuel the unrest.

Asked by Fox News Digital about Trump’s comments and the scenes emerging from France, Waltz condemned the violence while also linking the unrest to European immigration and economic policies.

"I think we would always condemn lawlessness, condemn the violence that we're seeing in Paris," Waltz told Fox News Digital. "But I think we also have to recognize that when you have open borders, when you [have] this pro-migration, unchecked immigration kind of policy, coupled with policies over the years that deny people basic energy, that overspend on all kinds of other government programs, that you see a level of frustration boiling to the surface."

FRANCE EXPLODES AGAIN AS STUDENTS RIOT OVER EDUCATION

Trump weighed in as the unrest intensified, arguing that what was unfolding went beyond the students’ complaints about France’s education system. "What’s happening in France is nothing less than out of control mass migration. This isn’t about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great Country!" Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, I think you're seeing the results of some of that, and President Trump has brought that to light," Waltz added.

The comments came as France faced its biggest day of school unrest since the protests began in September. On Tuesday, police fired tear gas in Paris and other major cities, protesters lit fires and hurled projectiles, and France’s Interior Ministry said 6,100 people had been arrested, the overwhelming majority of them minors, according to Reuters. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu described the clashes as producing the school system’s "heaviest toll in decades".

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France’s Interior Ministry said 6,100 people have been arrested so far, the overwhelming majority of them minors. Lecornu told lawmakers Tuesday that at least 215 teenagers and 85 school staff members have been injured, while his office said more than 700 police officers have also been hurt, according to Reuters.

The latest demonstrations brought clashes in Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg and Rennes, where police fired tear gas as protesters lit fires and hurled projectiles. More than half of France’s roughly 3,700 high schools were blockaded or expected to close Tuesday, according to the High School Students Union. The ⁠Paris police said the clashes there had come about when some 300 people attempted to face off against security forces, adding that the protest was generally unfolding well elsewhere.

Theo Wold, a former assistant attorney general and former White House deputy assistant for domestic policy under Trump, also argued that immigration was contributing to the unrest.

FRANCE ROCKED BY STUDENT RIOTS AS HUNDREDS ARRESTED, VIOLENCE SPREADS NATIONWIDE

"The French are notorious for strikes, labor stoppages and street demonstrations. It’s a core part of the Fifth Republic’s civic culture," Wold told Fox News Digital. "What’s new is the violence, lawlessness and rioting. This is a consequence of mass immigration."

While Trump, Waltz and Wold linked the violence to immigration, Reuters and AP have reported that the protest movement began over school conditions, including teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating buildings and education funding. Students have cited overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and deteriorating school buildings — including water leaks and rat infestations — among their grievances.

The unrest has increasingly become part of a broader political fight ahead of France’s presidential election in April and May 2027. Reuters reported last week that French authorities and political opponents have accused lawmakers and mayors from the hard-left France Unbowed party, or LFI, of stoking the demonstrations. LFI has denied the accusations.

Fox News Digital's Greg Norman-Diamond and Reuters contributed to this story.

Authorities in Mexico say they arrested a notorious member of the Jalisco drug cartel known as "The Tank" on Tuesday.

Mexican Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch announced the arrest in a post on X, identifying the alleged cartel member as Iván Cazarín Molina.

Molina was the subject of sanctions by the U.S. in 2024 for his alleged role in fuel theft for the Jalisco New Generation cartel. Mexican authorities arrested him in Zapopan and were in contact with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

5 MEXICAN CARTEL BOSSES CHARGED IN WEAPONS, DRUG TRAFFICKING, TIMESHARE FRAUD SCHEMES, DOJ SAYS

"Investigations link him to homicides, extortion, illegal deprivation of liberty, hydrocarbon theft, money laundering, and drug trafficking. He is also accused of his alleged involvement in the attack on a Mexican Army helicopter in Jalisco in 2015, in which members of the Army and the Federal Police lost their lives," Harfuch said in a statement.

Authorities seized a vehicle, a firearm and various drugs during the arrest.

MEXICAN CARTEL BOSS LINKED TO INFLUENCER’S LIVESTREAMED MURDER ARRESTED, OFFICIALS SAY

"In September 2024, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned him for his ties to the CJNG and identified him as part of the inner circle of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias 'El Mencho,' which led to an exchange of information with [the DEA]. He will be placed at the disposal of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime Matters (FEMDO), where his legal situation will be determined in accordance with the law," Harfuch added.

The arrest comes roughly a week after the U.S. imposed a sweeping set of sanctions aimed at disrupting a Sinaloa cartel network accused of corrupting Mexican officials just across the U.S. border.

MEXICAN SENATOR ACCUSES SHEINBAUM OF SHIELDING ‘NARCO-POLITICIANS’ AFTER US CARTEL INDICTMENT

Los Mayos, a powerful faction of the Sinaloa cartel, and its U.S.-born leader are accused of funneling fentanyl and drug money through California and hiring hitmen to kill rivals on American soil.

The Treasury Department, according to material exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital ahead of their public release on Tuesday, will sanction 21 individuals and 25 entities in a crackdown against Los Mayos and their alleged illegal activity within U.S. borders.

The targets of the sanctions include Ismael Zambada Sicairos, known as "Mayito Flaco," a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen born in Anaheim, California, whom Treasury described as the "undisputed head" of Los Mayos.

Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

Violent scenes are emerging from France Tuesday as tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to demand education reform, forcing the reported closure of more than half of the country's high schools.

France's interior ministry said 6,100 people have been taken into custody since the protests began in September, while at least 715 police officers and 215 teenagers have been injured in clashes, according to Reuters.

Video taken in cities including Paris, Lyon and Strasbourg showed demonstrators facing off with police, lighting fires and dodging tear gas. In other areas such as Marseille and Nantes, protesters held up signs with messages like, "The state has killed national education," Reuters reported.

The Interior Ministry estimated that 86,000 people took part in demonstrations outside Paris on Tuesday morning. More were gathering in the capital for a protest scheduled for the afternoon.

"What’s happening in France is nothing less than out of control mass migration. This isn’t about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great Country!" Trump wrote Tuesday on Truth Social.

TEEN'S HAND BLOWN OFF BY POLICE GRENADE DURING FRENCH STUDENT PROTESTS: REPORT

Authorities began shutting schools last week to try to defuse tensions after widespread damage to schools and mounting injuries among staff, students and police. Classes were totally or partially suspended Tuesday at 891 schools, according to the Education Ministry. The High School Students Union also told Reuters that over half of France's high schools were closed or blockaded Tuesday.

Students have drawn attention to rundown classrooms that lack basics such as desks and chairs, become sweltering in summer without air conditioning and, in some cases, are infested with rats.

Other common complaints include staff shortages and exhausting workloads. French high school students’ compulsory classroom hours are among the highest in Europe.

"We want more money for the national educational system so that high schools are renovated," Roberta, a recent high school graduate in Paris, told Reuters.

FRANCE ROCKED BY STUDENT RIOTS AS HUNDREDS ARRESTED, VIOLENCE SPREADS NATIONWIDE

In one of the recent demonstrations on Monday, a 15-year-old had picked up a police dispersal grenade that detonated in the town of Lens, losing his hand and part of his lower arm, officials said.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has asked ministers in France to address student demands, including repairs to aging buildings, a call for longer lunch breaks and a review of the 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. school day, according to Reuters.

Felix Barney, a university student, told The Associated Press that the police response was disproportionate.

"It doesn’t have any sense to hit minors," he said.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez on Tuesday defended policing methods used against high schoolers, saying the police response has been proportionate in "almost all cases."

Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A legal battle between the family of an Oct. 7, 2023 attack victim and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has become a lightning rod for ongoing uncertainty about the agency’s future in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli civil rights attorney and president of the Shurat HaDin Law Center, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, told Fox News Digital that she filed a lawsuit in the District Court of Jerusalem on behalf of the family of 21-year-old Yonatan Samerano, who was murdered outside of Kibbutz Be’eri after fleeing the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023. Samerano’s body was returned to his family after 625 days in captivity, during the final stage of hostage releases, Darshan-Leitner said.

According to Darshan-Leitner, after Samerano was shot to death by terrorists, his body was picked up by UNRWA workers, placed in an UNRWA vehicle and kidnapped to Gaza. "Although the kidnapping was by UNRWA’s workers, UNRWA never revealed the place of the body, never cooperated with Israeli authorities to tell them where Yonatan Samerano was held and never admitted that it was done by its workers. And therefore we decided to sue UNRWA on behalf of the family."

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The difficulty in bringing suit against UNRWA has been the diplomatic immunity the organization enjoys by virtue of the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations. Darshan-Leitner said that the charter "specifically prohibits any act of violence, let alone terrorism" and that because "UNRWA was aiding and abetting terror organizations and participating in acts of terrorism, they can no longer enjoy the immunity granted by the treaty."

The Israeli Knesset passed legislation in December stripping UNRWA of its diplomatic immunity, which allows the Israeli government to expropriate UNRWA properties within East Jerusalem.

Due to UNRWA’s loss of immunity, the Samerano family is pursuing punitive damages of NIS 24 million (nearly $8million) under Israel’s Compensation for Victims of Terrorism Law. When the deadline for UNRWA to file its defense in the case arrived last week, Darshan-Leitner said that the agency asked for a 45-day extension.

UNRWA did not respond to requests for comment about the status of its immunity, or its response to the litigation it faces on behalf of Samerano’s family.

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Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, told Fox News Digital that Guterres has consistently "stated that the Knesset Law and its amendments are inconsistent with the status and international legal framework applicable to UNRWA. The source of UNRWA’s immunities is vested in the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, which remain applicable."

While Guterres "has been very clear that any UNRWA personnel who has been demonstrated to have participated in the terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7 must be held accountable," he added that "Whenever we have been given information by the Israeli government on such individuals, we have acted."

UNRWA’s role in the future of Gaza has been hotly contested in passing months. As the USAID Office of Inspector General and NGO Watch continue to turn up evidence of Hamas infiltration of UNRWA, Finland, Sweden and the U.S. have now fully stopped issuing funds to the organization.

The Board of Peace, charged with the reconstruction of Gaza, has stated that UNRWA will have no role in the future of the Strip.

However, the Associated Press reported on Sept. 25 that the Board of Peace members "have been more open to working with the U.N. agency for Palestine than it seems." Their article cited a Board of Peace official’s confirmation that "board members had met multiple times with UNRWA officials."

The Board of Peace shot back on X, saying that its "policy as it relates to UNRWA’s involvement in Gaza is unchanged. We will only work with trusted partners who will deliver for the people of Gaza and contribute to a deradicalized Strip. UNRWA fails on those litmus tests."

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A U.S. official told Fox News Digital that "The evidence continues to mount that UNRWA has become a vehicle for instability, violence and radicalization, and it has no place in Gaza’s future humanitarian operations. At the same time, we are confident there are many capable and dedicated service providers in Gaza today who, following robust vetting and background checks, will meet the high standards required to deliver critical goods and services to the Palestinian people. We expect many will welcome the opportunity to continue that important work in partnership with credible NGOs, other U.N. entities or alongside the [National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.] Following an orderly wind-down, UNRWA itself will neither be essential nor necessary to accomplishing the work that lies ahead in Gaza."

Guterres continues to stand behind the organization. In remarks he delivered at the Ministerial Meeting on UNRWA on Sept. 24, the U.N. leader stated that "UNRWA remains a critical stabilizing presence."

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"For years now, UNRWA has been forced to operate under extraordinary pressure. I have repeatedly condemned in the strongest terms the appalling attacks by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Since then, UNRWA’s personnel in Gaza have endured terrible loss and hardship. Nearly 400 members of its workforce have been killed. Hundreds of its premises remain inaccessible, severely damaged, or utterly destroyed," Guterres said.

Guterres also said that "a ceaseless political campaign has tried to manipulate public perceptions, undermine UNRWA’s ability to operate, and deny the rights of Palestine refugees." He called on U.N. Member States to "take immediate action" to politically and financially support the organization and protect its mandate.

Darshan-Leitner said that allowing UNRWA to continue operations inside Gaza would be problematic. "UNRWA indoctrinated [Palestinian refugees] and let the terror organizations infiltrate their schools and education facilities." She added that UNRWA facilities "served Hamas as bases, as launchers, as missile storage places," which both "risk the life of the citizens in Gaza," and ensure that there will be collateral damage if Israel retaliates against attacks.

"If the Board of Peace wants to re-educate the people to get rid of the terrorist system, to separate between the terrorists and the citizens of Gaza, it cannot do it when UNRWA is around because UNRWA is embedded in Hamas…UNRWA is Hamas. So letting UNRWA take care of the humanitarian needs of the population in Gaza is a fatal mistake," Darshan-Leitner said.

Iran has promoted a new system encouraging citizens to report information about Iranians living abroad, effectively crowdsourcing surveillance of the diaspora through a website and messaging platforms including Telegram, according to Iranian media reports and an Iranian official source who confirmed the program to Fox News Digital.

The platform, known as Alaj — Persian for "remedy" or "cure" — asks users to provide information on people overseas whom it accuses of acting against Iran’s national interests or security. Iran International reported that tips could be submitted through the Alaj website, a Telegram bot and Iran’s Bale messaging service. The outlet reported that Iranian state television and the Revolutionary Guard-affiliated Fars News Agency also promoted the initiative.

An Iranian official source confirmed to Fox News Digital that Alaj and the Telegram chatbot were established as a new system through which certain individuals could report information about Iranians living abroad. The source said the website was subsequently taken down after the project drew significant criticism inside Iran.

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The website did go offline shortly after its public rollout, although the reason for its suspension remains disputed.

Iran International reported that Alaj claimed to have identified and monitored 1,600 people, including roughly 600 identified through reports submitted by members of the public. Those numbers have not been independently verified. The platform published names and photographs of Iranians abroad and, in some cases, national identification numbers, dates of birth and fathers’ names, according to the outlet.

For Iranian-American journalist and foreign policy analyst Lisa Daftari, the most consequential element is not simply that Tehran is collecting information, but that it is asking Iranians to report on one another.

"Even if it's just the perception that other Iranians can report you or can get you in trouble or that this app exists, it makes a lot of people fearful," Daftari told Fox News Digital. "You'll think twice before going to that next protest."

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Daftari said the fear is particularly acute for members of the Iranian diaspora who still have relatives inside the country.

"Now your face could be captured, you can get in trouble," she said. "If you have family in Iran, they can get into trouble."

Daftari described the approach as a digital extension of a much older system of control, arguing that Iran’s clerical establishment has spent decades creating uncertainty over whether neighbors, colleagues or acquaintances might report one another to authorities.

"Now the regime wants to take this show on the road and do that here, here in the West," Daftari said. "They want to intimidate people. And it works."

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Daftari said she has experienced that intimidation personally for years. "I've been followed, I've been hacked multiple times, I have been approached in person in L.A., in New York, even at the airport," she told Fox News Digital.

She said that after one major hacking incident compromised her social media accounts as well as her personal and professional email, she was contacted by her local FBI office and began working closely with agents.

Daftari said hackers also obtained private photographs of her in a bikini while she was on vacation and sent them to her husband. "The message they want to send is very clear, that we know where you are, we can reach you," she said. "And obviously the point is to intimidate and silence those who speak out, who report, who speak the truth and talk about all the crimes of this regime."

She said the effects extend beyond prominent journalists or activists. Years ago, while filming at a Los Angeles cafe where Iranian Americans were watching a World Cup game, Daftari said she saw people attempting to hide their faces from the camera out of fear that footage could reach Iran and expose relatives there to retaliation.

The calculation, she said, illustrates why a system such as Alaj can have an impact even if a target never knows whether information about them has actually been submitted.

IRAN’S PROXY WAR HAS CROSSED OCEANS AND IS NOW KNOCKING ON AMERICA’S DOOR

The threat has also changed Daftari’s own behavior.

She recalled being unable to stop thinking about security when the location of her father’s memorial service had to be announced publicly after his death. Daftari said she routinely considers where she parks, what details she shares online and security vulnerabilities at places she visits. "It does silence a lot of people and it does change the freedom by which we think we can operate here in the United States where we believe we have full freedom," Daftari said.

"Their intimidation works," she added. "It works to a certain extent on each individual."

Daftari said the broader campaign should also shape how Americans understand the confrontation with Tehran, arguing that the threat extends beyond Iran’s nuclear program.

"It's not just about nuclear weapons, it's about a deadly ideology that has made its way here to U.S. soil," she said. "We have to understand that."

Fears of a pneumonic plague outbreak following the death of a Siberian plague research institute employee don't bode well for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is facing a faltering economy and a stalled war in Ukraine that has claimed estimated hundreds of thousands of Russian lives, experts say.

Putin has for years maintained a tight grip on power, and while a single lab death isn't an immediate regime-killer, suppressed biological incidents—much like the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster or the Soviet-Afghan War—add to the compounding list of systemic failures in Moscow, retired CIA officer Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital.

"The longer-term strategic question is, does this have an impact on Vladimir Putin and his hold on the Kremlin until his own people realize: 'This just isn't right for us. We don't like this. We don't like the war in Ukraine. This is just another thing,'" Hoffman told Fox News Digital.

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"The reason why the Soviet Union collapsed wasn't because of Chernobyl, but that was a part of it," he added. "It was it a failed economy? Well, they kind of got that going too. The failed war in Afghanistan? Well, that war in Ukraine doesn't look too good. So all these things just pile up on Putin."

The researcher who died has been identified as 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, who worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East.

There was no evidence that her illness was caused by pathogens linked to her work, Russian health authorities said. Shipilova died after being diagnosed with a pneumonia of "unknown" origin, authorities have said.

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On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was "watching and monitoring" the situation closely.

Anna Popova, the head of Russia's Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare, or the Rospotrebnadzor, which handles infectious disease, arrived at the research lab.

"No micro-organisms associated with the employee’s professional duties were detected in samples taken from the patient," the agency said.

Even if Shipilova's death is an isolated incident, Russia's history of hiding information related to sensitive matters could leave many outside observers with doubts, Hoffman said.

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"Putin, you know, is a dictator and he's got pretty strict control over information, so they're obviously not going to release any truth to the public, and that means we have to rely on intelligence to understand what's going on behind the scenes," he said.

The Soviet Union tightly controlled news of its invasion of Afghanistan amid global condemnation and enforced a total media blackout when the Chernobyl nuclear reactor exploded on April 26, 1986, suppressing information both domestically and internationally.

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"Whatever Russia is saying publicly, that has nothing to do with the reality on the ground," said Hoffman. "What that is, is an influence operation for their own people."

Hoffman noted that China, one of Moscow's closest allies, also controls what information is disseminated to the outside world.

"China does the same thing. How much useful information did we get out of them with COVID?" Hoffman said. "That's the way dictatorships work."

A teenager had his hand blown off as high school protesters clashed with French police during chaotic riots, as students across the country continue to protest poor conditions and teacher shortages.

The 15-year-old had picked up a police dispersal grenade that detonated in the town of Lens as the wave of school protests entered its third week, losing his hand and part of his lower arm, officials said Monday, Reuters reported.

François-Xavier Lauch, prefect of Pas-de-Calais, said roughly 200 to 250 protesters had been hurling objects at police.

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Education Minister Edouard Geffray said the wave of protests had been declining in recent days and that the government would launch a platform for students to express their dissatisfaction.

The incident involving the teen happened on the eve of a national demonstration by the pupils' union against underfunding, overcrowding, and dilapidation.

AMERICAN SCHOOLS COST MORE THAN EVER BUT OUR STUDENTS STILL KEEP FAILING

The protests come months ahead of an election to replace outgoing President Emmanuel Macron. The demonstrations began in Paris, mostly focusing on poor suburbs, before spreading nationwide.

Government officials said the protests have evolved into violence, including some schools being ransacked.

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"We’re going to keep blocking until the government hears us," Sami Karen, 18, told Reuters while demonstrating outside Charles de Foucauld high school in Paris. "As long as they don’t listen to us, we won’t stop this fight."

In total, more than 5,000 people have been arrested since the protests began, with 87% of them being minors. More than 1,800 people are facing prosecution, including 1,483 minors, France's Justice Ministry said.

The specific charges were not disclosed.

Russian authorities have quarantined a hospital and placed scores of people under medical observation after a 28-year-old employee at a Siberian plague research institute died from a mysterious case of pneumonia, fueling fears — still unconfirmed — that she may have contracted pneumonic plague.

Darya Shipilova worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East. Russian health authorities say extensive testing found no evidence that her illness was caused by pathogens linked to her work, but officials have yet to publicly identify what killed her.

The extraordinary precautions surrounding the case have fueled speculation inside and outside Russia. Reuters reported Oct. 5 that all known contacts had been traced and placed under medical supervision and that authorities said no new cases had been identified among employees of the institute.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the U.S. was "watching and monitoring it closely," adding, "I don’t think it’s cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause just to keep an eye on it."

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Rubio said information released by Russia appeared to show "there was a worker at the lab that was infected" and concern that the illness could have spread internally. He noted that travel between Russia and the U.S. is limited but warned that "something like that gets out, it just quickly spreads."

The comments follow a State Department statement to Fox News on Oct. 4 that Washington was monitoring the case alongside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies. The official stressed that many details remained unconfirmed and urged Moscow to provide accurate information quickly.

Additional reporting provided Monday by East2West news agency said more than 60 employees remained confined inside the Irkutsk institute and nearly 200 people who had contact with Shipilova had been placed under observation. Those precise figures have not been officially confirmed. The agency also reported that neighboring countries, including Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, had increased border health precautions following the case.

The hospital in Shelekhov, just outside Irkutsk, where Shipilova was treated, has been placed under quarantine and temporarily stopped admitting or discharging patients, according to The Associated Press. Irkutsk Gov. Igor Kobzev described the case as a suspected "particularly dangerous infection."

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Adding to the unusual response, Anna Popova, the head of Russia’s public health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, flew to Irkutsk for an emergency meeting after Shipilova’s death, Reuters reported. A nearby aluminum plant also ordered employees to wear masks as a precaution.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged the public to rely on official information rather than "rumors or speculation."

Rospotrebnadzor said Sunday that Shipilova was diagnosed with "pneumonia of unknown etiology" and that testing detected "no microorganisms associated with the patient’s professional activities." The agency also said an investigation found no laboratory incident involving pathogenic microorganisms.

Pneumonic plague is a severe form of plague caused by Yersinia pestis that can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets during close contact. It can be successfully treated with antibiotics when treatment begins early.

Russian officials continue to insist there is no evidence of a plague outbreak and say the epidemiological situation remains stable. For now, however, the central question remains unanswered: what caused Shipilova’s fatal pneumonia — and why authorities imposed such extensive containment measures if no dangerous pathogen has been detected.

As Israel marks three years since the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks, stories of bravery and self-sacrifice continue to emerge from within a nation grappling with recovery and rehabilitation.

For Nil Kirsht-Levi, the three years since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre have been defined by devastating personal loss, an agonizing wait for her sister who was taken hostage and brought to Gaza and an unwavering commitment to caring for fellow survivors of the cross-border terror attack.

Kirsht-Levi, a nurse with Israel's largest healthcare provider, Clalit Southern District, who lives in Kibbutz Magen, spent the morning of Oct. 7 treating patients remotely from her safe room while trying to protect her three children as terrorists invaded the community and went from house to house. At the same time, she desperately texted her sister, Rimon Buchshtab-Kirsht, who lived with her husband in nearby Kibbutz Nirim.

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"I lost more than 30 patients that day, more than 200 people I knew, and around 100 people I knew were kidnapped," Kirsht-Levi told Fox News Digital. "I’m lucky to have a job that saves me, healthy children, a healthy husband. We work every day to recover and rehabilitate ourselves. Every day, we fall and get back up, but we are here — for ourselves, for others and we have won," she continued.

"We should never forget, but we must move forward, live every moment and keep going. It’s a privilege to be alive," she added.

On Oct. 7, Kirsht-Levi’s sister sent a message saying she could hear Arabic and that terrorists had entered her home. Weeks of agonizing uncertainty followed before Kirsht-Levi saw her sister alive in a Hamas video. She had campaigned for her release and ultimately welcomed her home 53 days later, emaciated and covered in scars, as part of a ceasefire deal in November 2023.

Her sister's husband, her brother-in-law, Yagev Buchshtab however, had been murdered by the terrorists.

During the 2023 Palestinian terror assault, launched on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, Michaela Koretsky, a midwife with Clalit’s Southern District, improvised lifesaving treatments for wounded members of Kibbutz Alumim.

Like so many others, Koretsky was jolted awake by air raid sirens at 6:29 a.m. that fateful day, as Hamas launched thousands of rockets at Israel, providing cover for terrorists as they crossed the border in the ensuing invasion. She rushed with her husband and children to the shelter, where she received a message from Eran, a member of the kibbutz’s civil defense squad, asking if she was home. Eran then began bringing wounded kibbutz members to her for first aid.

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"When they entered the house carrying Amichai, he was covered in blood… I switched into nurse mode," she said.

Koretsky had Amichai placed on the floor as they continued to hear gunfire outside the kitchen window. She improvised bandages and prepared an IV while staying in contact with an emergency room doctor from Soroka Medical Center who was also in the kibbutz. He confirmed that Amichai was stable.

Then Eyal was brought in. He had been shot, with one of the bullets lodged in his lung. After Koretsky placed him on an IV and administered additional oxygen, it became clear that he needed to be evacuated.

"We needed to save lives, so I switched my brain into action mode and did what needed to be done. The whole time I did not think that the terrorists would enter my house. I knew one of my children was afraid they would figure out where the wounded were being taken and come after us, but I told myself, ‘I am protected. It will not happen,’" she told Fox News Digital.

Her husband, Tzviki, accompanied by members of the kibbutz’s civil defense squad, reached his car and alone he evacuated the wounded under fire to Netivot, where they were transferred to waiting ambulances. From there, both Amichai and Eyal were taken to Soroka Medical Center for further treatment.

Prof. Shlomi Codish, director of the hospital in Beersheba, said he made three lifesaving decisions early on Oct. 7 that shaped the response throughout the day.

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First, he and his team decided not to send the night shift home, allowing the hospital to begin the day with twice its normal staffing level. At 7:45 a.m., they declared a mass-casualty incident, despite not yet knowing how many wounded would arrive and alerted all available staff to report to the hospital. Finally, they ordered additional blood supplies in anticipation of the surge of casualties.

"We usually start the shift with 50 units of blood in our blood bank. By the end of the day, we had given 250 units. If we hadn’t ordered additional blood early that morning, we might have run out and people may have died," Codish told Fox News Digital.

Codish said the hospital faced several overwhelming challenges throughout the day, beginning with the sheer number of wounded being brought to the hospital.

"In the first 24 hours, we received 674 wounded people. At the peak, we received more than 80 in a single hour, with an average of just 40 seconds between wounded people arriving," he said.

"This was one of the largest mass-casualty events resulting from terror in human history. The hospital itself was also under fire, with dozens of incoming missile warnings from the Gaza Strip, while attacks were taking place simultaneously at a very large number of sites," he added.

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The second challenge was the immediate impact of the invasion on hospital staff themselves. "Everyone who came in left a family at home that was potentially under attack. They got into their cars and drove through air-raid sirens in areas that weren’t protected, at significant personal risk, to come in and save lives," he said.

Another major challenge was maintaining care inside the hospital as the number of casualties surged. The hospital began the day at full capacity, forcing staff to quickly free up intensive care beds and operating rooms for incoming patients. With roads around the hospital unsafe, transferring patients to other facilities was not an option in the first hours of the attack, while sending ambulances into the field risked exposing them to Hamas ambushes.

"When you see babies or children with direct injuries, that is not something you typically see on a battlefield. We saw elderly people with severe wounds inflicted directly, with no protection," Codish said, reflecting on the brutality he witnessed that day.

"As a medical professional, what we saw was beyond words. Two babies suffering from dehydration after their parents were killed, simply waiting to be rescued — I defy anyone to find a word other than ‘evil’ to describe it," he added.

The FlyDubai co-pilot accused of attacking his captain in an attempted terrorist act aboard an Israel-bound passenger jet allegedly planned to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport, according to new reports on the investigation.

Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported that Hamam al-Hammami told investigators he intended to continue FlyDubai Flight FZ1073 toward Israel as though nothing was wrong, obtain the necessary clearances to approach Ben Gurion Airport and then crash the aircraft into a building or another plane at the airport.

The information reportedly came from investigations by Saudi and Emirati authorities into the incident. Israeli investigators have not questioned al-Hammami directly, according to reporting from Channel 12 and Ynet.

FLYDUBAI CO-PILOT ACCUSED OF COCKPIT ATTACK WAS GROUNDED BY OMAN AIR BEFORE JOINING AIRLINE: REPORT

Fox News Digital reached out to the UAE Public Prosecution and FlyDubai seeking confirmation of the reported findings.

Reuters separately reported Monday that a source briefed on the UAE investigation said the Omani co-pilot had planned to crash the flight into Ben Gurion Airport. Two Israeli officials with knowledge of the investigation also told Reuters that al-Hammami said during questioning that he had planned the attack before he was hired by FlyDubai.

The latest details follow last week's dramatic incident aboard Flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain inside the cockpit.

NETANYAHU PRAISES HEROIC BYSTANDER IN BLOODY COCKPIT ATTACK FOR PREVENTING ‘ANOTHER 9/11’

UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said investigators determined that the co-pilot attempted to carry out a terrorist act by attacking the captain with a crash axe and attempting to take control of the aircraft.

Passengers and others aboard the flight ultimately intervened, and the aircraft was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.

Al Shamsi has said the UAE investigation remains underway to determine the full circumstances and motives behind the attack, as well as any potential links to others.

The UAE Public Prosecution has said the final results of the investigation will be announced after the necessary investigative procedures are completed.

Coast Guard personnel exchanged gunfire with people on the Mexican side of the border, an encounter the U.S. military later cited as an example of increased illegal activity as hundreds of U.S. troops and their equipment were repositioned to Texas’ Rio Grande Valley and 500 Mexican Army and National Guard personnel were deployed to its side of the border.

Coast Guard personnel were intercepting migrants crossing the Rio Grande River while working with other federal agencies when the initial gunshots came from the Mexican side of the border. Coast Guard personnel then returned fire, officials said on Friday, according to Stars and Stripes.

The exchange happened on Sept. 26 while federal agencies conducted joint operations near Garceno, a small town along the border in Starr County, Texas.

DHS SENDS OMINOUS WARNING AS MIGRANT CARAVAN HEADS TOWARD US-MEXICO BORDER FROM HONDURAS

The Coast Guard said it was investigating the incident alongside federal partners. It is unclear who fired the initial shots.

"No injuries to Coast Guard or other personnel were reported, and no damage to Coast Guard assets or equipment was reported," the Coast Guard said.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson said the embassy "is helping to coordinate with Mexican forces that are being deployed in the border area where shots were fired against elements of the United States Coast Guard."

"Mexican military commanders will communicate directly with the U.S. forces deployed. Together, we intend to patrol both sides of our shared border, protect our communities, and disrupt the operations of criminal and terrorist organizations. Any threat from criminal or terrorist elements on either side of the border will be addressed swiftly," he added.

The Coast Guard launched Operation River Wall in October 2025, deploying additional personnel, boats and other assets to patrol the river between the U.S. and Mexico. The Coast Guard said its forces would focus on approximately 260 miles of the Rio Grande along the U.S.-Mexico border.

It was working closely with Border Patrol, the Pentagon and the Texas Military Department "to secure the border, disrupt illicit activity and protect the American people," the Coast Guard said, according to Stars and Stripes.

"We will continue to leverage a layered, integrated approach to control, secure and defend the border that strengthens our collective ability to counter illicit activity and safeguard our personnel and the communities we serve," the Coast Guard said.

TRUMP ADMIN'S LIST OF US-DESIGNATED 'FOREIGN TERRORIST' GROUPS IN LATIN AMERICA EXPANDS TO 21

The U.S. military said on Friday it had deployed hundreds of troops and their equipment to the Rio Grande Valley as part of planned preparations to address "historically observed seasonal increases in attempted illegal activity."

"The Sept. 26 Coast Guard encounter is an example of this uptick in illegal activity," the Joint Task Force-Southern Border said in a statement.

The U.S. military on Sunday announced a lethal strike on another vessel in the Caribbean carrying alleged narco-traffickers, killing four people on board.

The U.S. Southern Command said the vessel was traveling along "established narco-trafficking routes" in the Caribbean. The military shared a video that showed what appeared to be an explosion destroying a moving boat it described as a go-fast vessel.

"Under the direction of U.S. Southern Command, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere executed a lethal, kinetic strike on a go-fast vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean," the military said in a statement.

US FORCES OBLITERATE SUSPECTED 'NARCO-TERRORIST' VESSEL IN LETHAL EASTERN PACIFIC STRIKE, KILLING 3

Southern Command claimed that intelligence revealed the vessel's "active involvement in narco-trafficking." The military did not provide evidence to back up this allegation.

"The operation killed four narco-terrorists," the statement added.

This is the latest attack that the Trump administration has argued was launched in an attempt to eliminate alleged narco-terrorists, with the death toll in these strikes carried out since September 2025 sitting at more than 235.

The Pentagon has refused to release the identities of those killed in the strikes since last year. It has also refused to provide evidence of drugs on board.

The administration has been scrutinized in the past year by Democrats and even some Republicans, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.

The attacks have also been denounced by human rights groups as "extrajudicial killings."

US KILLS 4 ALLEGED DRUG SMUGGLERS ON BOAT IN CARIBBEAN, BRINGING TOTAL TO 227 IN 68 STRIKES

The administration is pursuing deals with allied nations to extend its military attacks to land in multiple Latin American countries. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said during a visit to Panama in August that Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had agreed to allow the U.S. to carry out joint military operations against criminal groups on their soil, although Guatemala denied reaching a deal.

Ecuador launched similar operations with the U.S. in March.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, won the first round of the Brazilian presidential election tonight, turning in a surprisingly strong showing, and continuing a long run of wins for Latin American Trump-backed right-wing candidates.

Although the race had tightened considerably in the weeks leading up to the election, the vast majority of the polls showed incumbent President Inacio Lula da Silva with a single digit lead.

Bolsonaro will now face off against President Lula da Silva in an October 25 second round election. With 99% of the votes in, Bolsonaro led Lula 47.2% to 44.9%, in a race Lula had widely been expected to win.

LATIN AMERICA’S CONSERVATIVE SHIFT FACES ITS BIGGEST TEST YET IN BRAZIL ELECTION

Tonight, the question on everyone's mind: how could the pollsters get the results so wrong?

The epic polling failure will serve to give further ammunition to the Brazilian right and the Bolsonaro camp, which have long alleged that the nation's leading pollsters turn in work biased in favor of Lula and his Workers Party.

The polling situation was similarly unfavorable to Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 and 2018 elections, but relatively minor in comparison with the disparity in tonight's electoral results.

Bolsonaro put in an incredibly strong showing in his electoral strongholds in the south of Brazil, winning the country's three largest states by large margins: 

In Sao Paulo state, the nation's largest, Bolsonaro led Lula 52% to 38%.

In Minas Gerais, which is Brazil's historic "bellwether state", Bolsonaro led Lula 48% to 43%, while in his stronghold of Rio de Janeiro, he bested the incumbent president 53% to 39%.

BRAZIL'S LULA INAUGURATED AS NEW PRESIDENT AFTER BOLSONARO REPORTEDLY FLED TO FLORIDA HOME OF MMA FIGHTER

Lula racked up large margins in his traditional strongholds in the Northeast, where he won vote-rich Bahia, Pernambuco, and Ceara by large margins, but it was not enough to surmount Bolsonaro's unprecedented electoral strength in Brazil's south.

Bolsonaro enjoyed a close relationship with Donald Trump through the course of the campaign, who made no secret of his intent to unceremoniously eject longtime geopolitical adversary Lula from office.

Tonight's surprising result is merely the latest in a long string of right-wing victories across Latin America, which has recently ushered in a red wave of conservative candidates in Chile, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia.

The election will undoubtedly prompt a period of soul-searching for the Brazilian left, which may be asking, "Should Lula have run at all?"

At 80 years old, with three presidential terms under his belt, and aspiring to a fourth, Lula was widely viewed as the only contender who could unite the contentious and often-fractured Brazilian left.

Lula's political story marks one of the greatest comebacks in history. Once imprisoned on corruption charges, Lula was freed by the nation's Supreme Court, and then defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a heated 2022 election by a razor-thin margin.

Famously, he pledged to serve only one term as president in 2022, and then reneged on that promise. Now, the move seems likely to backfire on him, in what will almost certainly be his last electoral campaign.

Flavio Bolsonaro will now face off against incumbent Lula in a second round election on October 25. Bolsonaro begins the race with several structural advantages.

In addition to vastly outperforming across the country, and proving the pollsters wrong, he is likely to win the vast majority of the votes of the major third-party candidates: Augusto Cury, Renan Santos, Ronaldo Caiado, and Romeu Zema.

Together, these four candidates received nearly 8% of the vote. What remains to be seen is whether any of these candidates will make an endorsement. It is suspected that Caiado and Zema will back Bolsonaro, while Cury and Santos will likely not make an endorsement.

If elected, Flavio Bolsonaro is all but certain to free his father, and senior Brazilian military officers, who are currently jailed on charges of planning a coup to remain in power following the 2022 election.

The election also saw other members of the Bolsonaro family ushered into higher office: Jair Bolsonaro's wife, Michelly, was elected senator, as was his son Carlos, while another son, Renan, was elected federal deputy.

Bolsonaro's Liberal Party also turned in strong results in races for both chambers of Brazil's Congress, particularly in the Senate, where they are expected to hold 29 seats, compared to just 9 for Lula's Workers Party.

The State Department is monitoring reports of a suspected fatal pneumonic plague case in Russia and is urging Moscow to share accurate information quickly as details remain unconfirmed.

A State Department official told Fox News that the U.S. is aware of reports of a death in Irkutsk Oblast, a region in southeastern Siberia, and is watching the situation closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies. The official stressed that many details have not been confirmed and called on Russian authorities to reveal what they know.

Former CIA officer Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital that the U.S. intelligence community is likely to be collecting all-source intelligence on the incident.

SCIENTISTS CRACK THE CODE ON NEW VACCINE FOR DEADLY PLAGUE BACTERIA

"I would also expect our embassy in Moscow to be engaging with their diplomatic counterparts at an official level because we might have people in Russia who might be at risk," Hoffman warned.

"Washington will be speaking to all of our allies and partners in the region and sharing what we know."

DEADLY BACTERIA THAT DOOMED NAPOLEON'S ARMY DISCOVERED 213 YEARS AFTER RUSSIAN RETREAT

Pneumonic plague can be treated with common antibiotics, especially when treatment begins early, the official said. Appropriate therapy should begin as soon as plague is suspected, and patients can be treated with intravenous or oral antimicrobials depending on the severity of illness and other factors, according to the CDC.

Cases of pneumonic plague occur naturally in many parts of the world, according to the State Department official.

The official said the safety and security of U.S. citizens remains the department’s top priority and encouraged Americans traveling overseas to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, to receive updates.