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Actor George Clooney, along with his wife Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two children, have become French citizens.

The couple and their 8-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, were granted citizenship, according to a naturalization decree.

The couple has been living in France with their children after uprooting the family to get away from the culture of Hollywood, the Academy Award-winning actor and director said in October. 

AMANDA SEYFRIED BAILS ON 'TRICKY' HOLLYWOOD FOR QUIET FARM LIFE

In an interview with Esquire, Clooney, 64, opened up about his life in France and explained why they chose to move his family to the countryside. 

"You know, we live on a farm in France. A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid I hated the whole idea of it. But now, for them, it’s like – they’re not on their iPads, you know? They have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in. They have a much better life."

CANDACE CAMERON BURE EMBRACES SMALL-TOWN LIFE AWAY FROM HOLLYWOOD

"I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood. I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life," he continued. 

In addition to his family home in France, George reportedly owns an estate in England, a villa on Lake Como in Italy, and another property near his family in Kentucky, People reported. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Clooney's representatives for comment. 

During his Esquire interview, Clooney talked about living in France, away from the glamor of Hollywood. 

"France – they kind of don’t give a s--- about fame," he said. "I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids."

President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States and Israel have already destroyed Iran’s nuclear program and warned that Tehran would face renewed military action if it attempts to rebuild, as new reports allege the regime is pursuing chemical and biological warheads for its ballistic missiles.

Speaking at Mar-a-Lago alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump issued a blunt warning to Tehran over its nuclear and missile ambitions.

"Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down," Trump said. "We’ll knock the hell out of them." He added that Iran would be "much smarter" to pursue a deal.

IRAN, ISRAEL AND US AGREE THAT ISLAMIC REPUBLIC NUCLEAR SITES WERE 'BADLY DAMAGED' DESPITE LEAKED INTEL REPORT

Trump framed Iran’s defeat as central to regional stability, claiming joint U.S.-Israeli military action had fundamentally altered the Middle East balance.

"We just won a big war together," he said. "If we didn’t beat Iran, you wouldn’t have had peace in the Middle East. We wiped it out."

Pressed on whether he would support further Israeli military action if Iran continues advancing its missile or nuclear programs, Trump responded affirmatively. "If they continue with the missiles — yes," he said. "The nuclear — absolutely."

The Trump-Netanyahu meeting came as Iran’s currency has hit record lows, and shopkeepers in Tehran have staged strikes over soaring inflation and a collapsing economy.

TRUMP WOULD STRIKE IRAN 'WITHOUT QUESTION' IF IT RESTARTS NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM

Asked whether he would support the overthrow of Iran’s regime, Trump rejected the idea while pointing to unrest inside the country.

"I’m not going to talk about overthrow of a regime," he said. "But they have tremendous inflation. Their economy is busted." Trump added that protests are frequently met with lethal force by Iranian authorities.

The remarks followed a report Sunday by Iran International alleging that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is accelerating work on unconventional missile payloads, including chemical and biological options, citing unnamed military and security sources.

MOSSAD CHIEF THANKS US FOR HELP WITH IRAN, SAYS 'MISSION IS NOT YET COMPLETE'

Iran denies pursuing chemical or biological weapons and maintains its missile program is defensive. Tehran ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997 and analysts say the reported developments fit a broader pattern.

"The fact that Tehran’s ballistic missiles can carry unconventional payloads is not new," said Behnam Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Taleblu pointed to Iran’s recent military behavior. 

"What should underscore the chemical threat was Tehran’s use of warheads with cluster munitions against Israel during the 12-day war," he said. "These warheads can easily carry canisters for poison gas. In short, the conflict contained a dry run for a potential chemical attack."

He added that Iran’s history heightens concern, citing Tehran’s past use of chemical agents during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s and its transfer of such weapons to Libya.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushed back Monday against a report that Kyiv attacked Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence, calling the allegation a "complete fabrication."

According to Reuters, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Ukraine tried to strike Putin's home in Novgorod, located in northern Russia, and that Moscow intends to retaliate.

"This alleged ‘residence strike’ story is a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia’s own refusal to take necessary steps to end the war," Zelenskyy said in a post on X. "Typical Russian lies. Furthermore, the Russians have already targeted Kyiv in the past, including the Cabinet of Ministers building."

"Ukraine does not take steps that can undermine diplomacy," the Ukrainian leader continued. "To the contrary, Russia always takes such steps. This is one of many differences between us."

This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated in a post on X that Ukraine would like to have 30, 40 or even 50 years of security guarantees from the U.S. and that President Donald Trump said Congress will consider it.

Zelenskyy met with Trump in Florida on Sunday, as his nation remains locked in a deadly, protracted war against Russia, and the U.S. administration aims to help broker peace.

In a Monday post on X, the president of the embattled Eastern European nation indicated that Trump had "confirmed strong security guarantees" during their meeting.

TRUMP, ZELENSKYY SAY UKRAINE PEACE DEAL CLOSE BUT ‘THORNY ISSUES’ REMAIN AFTER FLORIDA TALKS

"He confirmed the details that had been developed up to this point by our negotiating teams regarding these security guarantees, and he confirmed that they would be put to a vote by the United States Congress. This is a very strong agreement," Zelenskyy noted.

During a joint press conference alongside Zelenskyy on Sunday, Trump was asked whether he offered any promises or assurances of security for Ukraine.

"I did. We wanna work with Europe," Trump answered, adding that Europe will "take over a big part of it" but that the U.S. will assist.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE CRITICIZES TRUMP'S MEETINGS WITH ZELENSKYY, NETANYAHU: ‘CAN WE JUST DO AMERICA?'

Zelenskyy, in another Monday post on X, indicated that Ukraine would like decades of security guarantees from the U.S.

"In the documents, the guarantees are set for 15 years, with the possibility of extension. I raised this issue with the President. I told him that our war has already been going on for more than a decade, and therefore, we would very much like the guarantees to last longer. We would like to consider the possibility of 30, 40, or 50 years. It would then become a historic decision by President Trump. The President said that the U.S. would consider it," the foreign leader noted in the post.

TRUMP SAYS RUSSIA, UKRAINE IN ‘FINAL STAGES’ OF TALKS, PREDICTS WAR WILL ‘END’ SOON OR ‘GO ON FOR A LONG TIME’

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House on Monday for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

Iran is reportedly developing chemical and biological warheads for its ballistic missiles, even as the country faces mounting domestic unrest fueled by a collapsing currency and soaring inflation, according to an exclusive report published by Iran International on Sunday.

The outlet, citing unnamed military and security sources, reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has accelerated work on unconventional missile payloads alongside upgrades to command-and-control systems. If confirmed, the developments would raise serious alarms in Washington and Israel, particularly as Tehran struggles to contain growing anger at home.

The report comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with President Donald Trump on Monday, with Iran’s missile program and broader regional security threats expected to be high on the agenda, according to Israeli and U.S. officials familiar with the discussions. The talks are also expected to address the war in Gaza, amid U.S. officials’ concerns that Netanyahu has delayed advancing a postwar framework and ceasefire-related steps. 

IRAN FIRES BALLISTIC AND CRUISE MISSILES AT SIMULATED TARGETS NEAR PERSIAN GULF

According to Iran International, missile infrastructure has been repositioned and expanded, with some launch assets reportedly moved to eastern Iran to reduce vulnerability. The report claims the IRGC is exploring nonconventional warhead configurations for long-range missiles.

Tehran has long denied pursuing chemical or biological weapons, insisting its missile program is defensive. Iran is a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention, though Western governments have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of violating international norms.

The missile report coincides with escalating economic unrest inside Iran. Iran International reported Monday that shopkeepers in Tehran shut down major markets for a second consecutive day, protesting inflation and the collapse of the national currency.

FROM GAZA TO IRAN: WHAT’S AT STAKE IN TRUMP-NETANYAHU MAR-A-LAGO TALKS?

A video from Tehran posted on Simay Azadi’s TV X page on Monday showed a large crowd marching in the streets and chanting slogans against the regime.

An Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the strikes spread across multiple commercial districts, including the Gold Bazaar and central arcades, with crowds gathering in surrounding streets. The group also claimed security forces linked to the IRGC were placed on heightened alert in Tehran, with additional units on standby in nearby provinces. The claims could not be independently verified.

In a statement, Maryam Rajavi, NCRI president-elect, said the protests reflected public anger over high prices, inflation and political repression, and called on Iranians to support the striking merchants.

The Iranian rial has fallen to a new record low against the U.S. dollar. Official data show year-on-year inflation reached 52.6% in December, while average annual inflation was 42.2%. Videos circulating online show chants against government officials and growing frustration among merchants, a group traditionally viewed as a key pillar of regime support.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Monday afternoon, with talks expected to focus on renewed tensions with Iran and the possibility of advancing to additional stages of the Gaza peace plan.

Before meeting with the president, Netanyahu is slated to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday morning.

Dr. Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, told Fox News Digital that President Trump has likely been pressuring Netanyahu since the peace plan’s implementation, noting that the American leader has little patience for Middle Eastern timelines, which he said are far longer than those in the U.S. and the real estate sector.

NETANYAHU CALLS ON NEIGHBORING NATIONS TO JOIN ISRAEL IN 'EXPELLING HAMAS' FROM REGION

"The problem is that Hamas knows all it has to do is survive and continue controlling the western part of Gaza while attacking Israel, as it has been doing from Gaza’s tunnel network, in order to ratchet up tensions between Israel and the U.S.," Diker said.

Netanyahu’s mission during the visit, he continued, will be first to lay out Israel’s threat assessment regarding Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas as extremely serious, and to impress upon the president that Tehran is rebuilding its military capabilities. He is also likely to seek to persuade Trump to allow Israel to take the steps it deems necessary to defeat Hamas.

Israeli opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid told Fox News Digital that "We [Israel] should be coordinating with President Trump on all the major fronts, but the top priority has to be the management of stage two in Gaza."

Lapid added, "Israel needs to achieve the disarmament of Hamas and the removal of the threat from Gaza, and that requires the implementation of President Trump’s plan."

IRANIAN PRESIDENT SAYS HIS COUNTRY IS AT 'TOTAL WAR' WITH THE US, ISRAEL AND EUROPE: REPORTS

During the meeting, Netanyahu will reportedly present Trump with plans for a potential strike on Iran. Israel has warned Washington that a recent Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps missile drill could be masking preparations for an attack, a concern that IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir conveyed to U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper during recent meetings in Tel Aviv.

In a Saturday interview reported by the country's media, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country is engaged in what he described as a "total war" with the U.S., Israel and Europe. The Times of Israel reported him saying, "In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe," Pezeshkian said. "They want to bring our country to its knees."

Axios reported that U.S. intelligence assesses there is no immediate threat, while Israeli defense officials say forces remain on heightened alert.

According to Dr. Meir Javedanfar, a lecturer on Iran and the Middle East at Reichman University, Netanyahu’s plan is expected to call for strikes on Iran’s missile program.

"Israel will probably hope that such a wide-scale attack would further undermine the legitimacy of Iran’s supreme leader, thereby creating greater political instability within the country. This is especially true given that after the recent war with Israel, Iran’s economy has deteriorated significantly, and the regime is not taking the necessary steps to address these problems," he said.

RUBIO REVEALS SHARED INTELLIGENCE PREVENTED POSSIBLE HAMAS ATTACK, DISCUSSES INTERNATIONAL STABILIZATION FORCE

Israeli Minister for Settlement and National Missions Orit Strook stressed the importance of completing full Gaza demilitarization before moving forward with further stages of the plan.

She referenced Trump’s address to the Israeli Knesset in October, noting that he highlighted his role in building international support for Gaza’s demilitarization and securing a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for the full dismantling of weapons, tunnels and terror infrastructure.

"Hamas wakes up every day with a mission to hurt us," Strook told Fox News Digital. "The IDF will not withdraw even one meter, and no rehabilitation framework will be established until full demilitarization is completed.

"If, God forbid, the opposite happens in the meeting, it will be a failure of the peace plan, a failure for Trump himself — who would be settling for fake demilitarization— and a failure for us. We will not be able to say that we won this war if Hamas remains armed," she added.

Trump is nevertheless expected to soon unveil the second stage of his Gaza framework, despite Hamas’s failure to return the remains of Israel Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, who was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre, and whose body was taken to Gaza by Hamas terrorists.

Fox News Digital's Sophia Compton contributed to this report.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing criticism after he welcomed home a recently released Egyptian prisoner who allegedly posted violent and antisemitic language on his social media in the past.

Successive British governments have pushed for the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a dual British-Egyptian national who had been behind bars in Egypt for most of the last 14 years.

He was released from prison in September following a pardon by the Egyptian president but remained in the country under a travel ban that was only recently lifted, allowing him to return to the U.K. on Friday.

Starmer celebrated Abd el-Fattah's return by saying he was "delighted" that the activist had been reunited with his family in Britain.

TRUMP SECURES RELEASE OF AMERICAN TRAPPED IN SAUDI ARABIA FOR YEARS OVER ONLINE POSTS

Meanwhile, a senior member of the opposition Conservative Party criticized Starmer for giving a "personal, public endorsement" to Abd el-Fattah.

Robert Jenrick, the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Lord Chancellor, wanted to know whether Starmer was aware of past social media posts in which Abd el-Fattah allegedly endorsed killing Zionists and police. Jenrick also demanded that Starmer condemn Abd el-Fattah’s remarks and withdraw his "unalloyed endorsement" of the activist.

"Nobody should be imprisoned arbitrarily nor for peaceful dissent," Jenrick wrote. "But neither should the prime minister place the authority of his office behind someone whose own words cross into the language of racism and bloodshed."

Jenrick, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage have called for Abd el-Fattah’s British citizenship to be revoked and for him to be deported.

UK COMEDY WRITER GRAHAM LINEHAN ARRESTED OVER SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS CRITICIZING TRANS ACTIVISTS

The U.K. government later clarified that the prime minister did not know about the "abhorrent" social media posts when he issued the welcoming statement.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement that it had been "a long-standing priority" of governments under both major parties to push for Abd el-Fattah’s release, but it said that does not imply an endorsement of his social media posts.

"The government condemns Mr. El-Fattah’s historic tweets and considers them to be abhorrent," the statement said.

Abd el-Fattah issued an "unequivocal apology" on Sunday, describing his past comments as the "expressions of a young man’s anger" during regional crises and police brutality in Egypt.

Abd el-Fattah’s family in the U.K. had argued that he spent most of the past 14 years behind bars because of his opposition to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's government.

His mother, Laila Soueif, 69, was on a 10-month hunger strike to pressure British authorities to do more to secure her son’s freedom.

Shortly after Abd el-Fattah arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport, critics began circulating his past social media posts. Abd el-Fattah has previously said the comments were taken out of context and were part of a "private conversation" that happened during an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, according to The Times of London.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Hamas is rebuilding a new Gaza terror apparatus and using the ceasefire with Israel to boost its military, restore a problematic leadership structure and recruit a new generation of teenage fighters, according to a leading national security analyst.

Professor Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital that the pause in fighting has given Hamas breathing room to regroup.

"Everything that is happening will continue happening as long as Hamas continues to effectively control the western part of the Gaza Strip," Michael said.

"Generally speaking, Hamas now has full freedom of movement," he warned.

TWO IDF SOLDIERS KILLED AMID 'SEVERE' CEASEFIRE VIOLATION, 'IT'S NOT THE LAST,' ANALYST SAYS

Since Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Gaza in October under a new ceasefire framework, Hamas has moved to fill the power vacuum.

At the time, police forces returned to the streets as Hamas fighters targeted and executed suspected opponents.

Multiple reports indicate Hamas is now rebuilding across significant portions of Gaza, including areas where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) previously operated.

A December report by the Jewish News Syndicate found that Hamas is "actively rebuilding its regime of terror" in nearly half of the territory it controls.

TREY YINGST: HAMAS MUST ACCEPT TRUMP PEACE PLAN TO END WAR ONCE AND FOR ALL

Hamas is also preparing to elect a new political leader following the deaths of Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.

According to The Jerusalem Post, senior Hamas figures Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Mashaal are the contenders, with Hayya seen as the favorite because of his popularity in Gaza and his role in the West Bank.

Michael said the leadership race is unlikely to alter Hamas’s already dangerous course.

"Both leaders are problematic," he said. "Each one, in his own way, is considered to be more militant and more radical in his Gazan orientation and his support for armed resistance."

Even Mashaal, often described as more politically oriented, "is still in favor of the continuation of armed resistance," Michael added.

TRUMP WARNS HAMAS WILL BE 'HUNTED DOWN, AND KILLED' UNLESS ISRAELI HOSTAGES RELEASED BY SUNDAY

"When it comes to Hamas, it doesn’t really matter who is going to be the next political leader of this terror organization."

Michael said one of the most alarming developments is Hamas’s growing success in recruiting teenagers during the ceasefire.

"It has become very easy for Hamas to recruit teenagers now because they effectively control the western part of the Gaza Strip," he said, noting Hamas has become "the most reliable employer in the Gaza Strip," offering small incomes to boys as young as 16 or 17.

"It seems to be very natural for them to join Hamas, because some of them have also lost relatives, and therefore there's a revenge incentive."

"They also might prefer to be in the bullyish-types of neighborhoods, like in the ghettos in Chicago," he said.

Michael suggested that because Hamas has "full freedom of movement, they have also been rebuilding tunnels."

"They also appointed new governors to the different districts in Gaza and are reconstituting their government and military stockpiles," Michael added.

Sunday's talks between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy could pave the way for the first call between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin in more than five years, a source familiar with the discussions said.

And while the Mar-a-Lago meeting was framed as a step forward in the peace effort with Trump at the helm, the source also described how securing a direct Zelenskyy-Putin phone call would be a "diplomatic victory" for the president.

"If Putin had joined in a call Sunday, this would have been the greatest achievement in the preparation of the peace talks and the first real step in the peace process," the source told Fox News Digital on condition of anonymity.

"This would be [a] diplomatic victory for President Trump."

FINNISH PRESIDENT SAYS RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE DEAL CLOSER THAN ANY POINT DURING THE WAR

"Trump seems to be the most successful mediator because the two of them, Putin and Zelenskyy, perceive each other emotionally, and it is a challenge."

Trump confirmed Sunday that he had spoken with Putin ahead of the Zelenskyy meeting, calling the conversation "good and very productive" in a Truth Social post.

"I do believe that we have the makings of a deal," Trump also told reporters as he stood next to Zelenskyy after he arrived in Florida on Sunday, adding he believes the process can "move very rapidly."

"I think we’re in the final stages of talking, and we’re going to see," Trump said.

"Otherwise, it’s going to go on for a long time. It’ll either end, or it’s going to go on for a long time, and millions of additional people are going to be killed," the president added.

The Florida meeting came days after Zelenskyy also said he had had a "good conversation" with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, both of whom were also present Sunday.

ZELENSKYY SAYS HE WILL MEET WITH TRUMP 'BEFORE THE NEW YEAR'

As Zelenskyy approached Sunday's meeting, the source said the Ukrainian leader was likely feeling anxious.

"Zelenskyy is usually very nervous before such conversations with President Trump," the source said. "He concentrates for a long time and studies the notes that the International Policy Department and the Foreign Ministry prepare for him."

Sunday also marked the third in-person meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy since Trump returned to office.

At the center of discussions was a U.S.-backed, 20-point peace plan emerging from weeks of negotiations that would need compromise from Kyiv and Moscow to engage and perhaps speak directly with Zelenskyy, the source said.

TRUMP SUGGESTS HE'LL CALL FINAL SHOTS ON PEACE DEAL AHEAD OF ZELENSKYY MEETING: 'WE'LL SEE WHAT HE'S GOT'

"The one difficulty they have is that Putin has refused to talk to Zelenskyy since July 2020, when they spoke over the Wagner scandal and the failed operation to detain Russian Wagner militants." 

"After that, Zelenskyy repeatedly tried to talk to Putin, but he refused."

"There were windows of opportunity for a conversation in August and September 2024, but they disappeared again when Ukraine invaded the Kursk region," the source said.

The last direct contact between the two leaders followed a botched Ukrainian operation targeting Russian Wagner mercenaries.

Ukrainian intelligence lured the mercenaries to Belarus and planned to intercept them on their way from Minsk to Istanbul, before the men were arrested, per The Kyiv Independent.

ZELENSKYY READY TO PRESENT NEW PEACE PROPOSALS TO US AND RUSSIA AFTER WORKING WITH EUROPEAN TALKS

"That last call between Zelenskyy and Putin came as Ukraine was trying to capture a group of Russian Wagner fighters," the source said. "The operation failed."

Even before communications broke down entirely, relations between the two leaders were strained, the source said.

"Before that point in 2020, calls between Zelenskyy and Putin were never friendly, and there was always tension between them. During talks, Putin was always taciturn, and Zelenskyy tried to establish a rapport."

"Zelenskyy always acted subservient toward Putin and pretended to be in a good mood, almost as if he was playing a role on stage," the source explained.

"He talked a lot and read from his notes, afraid of forgetting something. Sometimes he would stumble over his words or lose track of punctuation."

PUTIN CALLS TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN A ‘STARTING POINT’ AS HE WARNS UKRAINE TO PULL BACK OR FACE 'FORCE'

"When Putin stayed silent, Zelenskyy would always ask politely, ‘What do you think, Vladimir Vladimirovich?’"

"Putin was just never talkative," the source said.

The Florida talks came as Kyiv signaled a potential shift in its negotiating posture. Zelenskyy has said the 20-point plan, which U.S. officials say is about 90% complete, could include limited Ukrainian troop withdrawals from parts of eastern Ukraine without formally recognizing Russian control, along with the creation of demilitarized zones.

He also floated submitting the plan to a national referendum if Moscow agrees to a 60-day ceasefire.

Zelenskyy has drawn a firm line on security guarantees, insisting Ukraine needs legally binding assurances from the U.S. to deter future Russian aggression.

TRUMP TOUTS 'PROGRESS' ON UKRAINE-RUSSIA DEAL, ADMITS IT'S 'ONE OF THE MORE DIFFICULT' CONFLICTS TO SOLVE

"For us, it is very important that there is a signal that we want legally binding security guarantees," Zelenskyy told Ukrainian journalists Saturday. "This primarily depends on President Trump," he added.

"Ukraine is willing to do whatever it takes to stop this war," Zelenskyy also wrote on X this weekend.

"For us, priority number one — or the only priority — is ending the war. For us, the priority is peace. We need to be strong at the negotiating table. To be strong, we need the support of the world: Europe and the United States."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Kremlin and President Zelenskyy's office for comment.

LONDON: A battle over British identity and the nation's flag is just the latest issue to widen the political divide in the United Kingdom in 2025. As the Labour government continues to face growing criticism over a number of issues, from cracking down on free speech to its migration policies, many Britons are concerned about their country's future.

The issue simmered over the summer amid concerns of a growing rift between the ruling elites and members of the public centered on the nation’s flag. The debate, while ongoing for several years, gained new life since anti-Israel protests erupted after Hamas’ mass terror attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when Britain saw a proliferation of Palestinian flags across the country.

Tensions were further heightened over the display of Palestinian flags on public buildings, with critics arguing it represents an abandonment of traditional British values, and that immigrant communities are dictating community values. Several councils in major cities bowed to public pressure. Those cities — all with sizable immigrant communities — including Sheffield, Preston, Bradford and others chose to raise the Palestinian flag last month to honor the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

SHOCKING CASES REVEAL BRITAIN’S ORWELLIAN FREE SPEECH CRACKDOWN

"There's only one flag that should be flying on public buildings in the U.K., and I include the home nations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and that's the Union flag. We need to start cohering around national stories and symbols, and the flag is the simplest, most visual, visceral way of doing that," Colin Brazier, a commentator on British culture, told Fox News Digital.

Brazier is calling for a "strategy of national cohesion" with a ban on foreign flags on taxpayer-funded buildings. He said that Britain should follow America’s model of nation-building as the U.K. wrestles with "imported disintegration" and attempts to return to Britain’s core values.

Current GOV.UK guidance indicated councils should prioritize the Union flag.

In August, a group of concerned citizens started ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ which called for people to put their flags up where they live and in their everyday lives to rally Britons. The online movement encouraged Britons to continue putting up England’s St. George's Cross and Union Jack flags.

ENGLAND FLAG DISPLAYS POWERFUL SYMBOL IN IMMIGRATION FIGHT AS TRUMP-STYLE POPULISM SWEEPS THROUGH UK

Yet the sudden resurgence of British and English flags has been met with suspicion and criticism from the left, with many angered at the proliferation of the flags complaining they represent anti-migration and far-right sentiment.

Critics warn the U.K. is becoming increasingly divided — so much so that it is deemed controversial to fly the Union flag in public — and that parts of the country seem to care more about causes happening thousands of miles from its borders.

UK FACES BACKLASH AS TEACHER DISMISSED FOR TELLING STUDENT BRITAIN IS A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY

The controversy over the flags continued after Prime Minister Keir Starmer recognized a Palestinian state in September. A few days later, Starmer delivered an impassioned speech to the Labour Party’s annual conference as his center-left party pushed back against critics who said it had abandoned patriotism.

Speaking to flag-waving supporters, Starmer tried to reprise his party’s patriotic roots, urging a cheering crowd, "Let’s fly all our flags, conference, because they are our flags, they belong to all of us and we will never surrender them… And with resolve, with respect, with the flag in our hands, we will renew this country." He also made clear the flag was for all citizens ,noting, "Our flags — flying proudly, as we celebrate differences and oppose racism."

Yet opposition politicians were quick to dismiss Starmer's flag speech, with one Member of Parliament, Lee Anderson, Reform’s chief whip, saying: "You’re more likely to see a Labour member fly the flag of Palestine than a St. George’s flag. That tells you all you need to know," the Daily Telegraph reported.

While many councils ignored Fox News Digital's request for comment, Belfast City Council in Northern Ireland justified its decision by declaring the flag was hoisted, "In recognition of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, to erect the national flag of Palestine above the City Hall on the next available day from midnight."

This issue, however, is also viewed as a symbol of shifting power. Brazier lamented the government’s indifferent attitude toward immigration and says "importing 10 million people in 25 years has a ruinous impact."

According to a March 2025 report by the Muslim Council of Britain, the country’s Muslim population increased by 1.2 million between 2011 and 2021, with the total number of Muslims accounting for about 6% of the U.K. population.

A recent YouGov study found mixed views on the Union flag and England's flag of St. George. 58% of 2024 Labour voters perceive the English flag as a racist symbol but just 19% of Conservative voters and 8% of Reform voters feel the same way. The poll said that a majority of ethnic minority adults (55%) believe those putting up St George’s flags do so "mostly as a way of expressing anti-migrant and/or anti-ethnic minority sentiment", with a plurality (41%) saying the same goes for the union flag.

It also found that "White adults too tend to believe anti-migrant/minority motivations are primarily behind the flag raisings, with 49% saying so for the English flag and 39% for the British one."

Another finding of the YouGov study found that those of Pakistani or Bangladeshi heritage were, "the most likely to see racist sentiment in the flag displays. This is particularly marked when it comes to the belief that the England flag has become a racist symbol with 68% of Pakistani/Bangladeshi adults believing this, compared to 54% of those of mixed ethnicity, 51% of those with Indian heritage and 43% of Black adults."

Fox News Digital's Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

JOHANNESBURG: Millions of Christians in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), spending Christmas under the reported threat of persecution, kidnapping, sexual violence and in some cases, death from Islamist militants, have seen Friday’s U.S. strikes on Islamic State militants in Nigeria as a real sign that President Trump is serious in his efforts to stop the killing of Africa’s Christians.

Over 16 million Christians are estimated to have been displaced and ripped from their homes across the region. The alleged release of 130 kidnapped schoolchildren in Nigeria this week has done little to reduce fears, as many on the continent try to worship at Christmas.

But this year, Fox News Digital has highlighted the catastrophe from Africa on multiple occasions. The situation led to senior members of Congress, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., and ultimately, President Donald Trump who threatened to send U.S. troops into the worst-affected country, Nigeria, ‘guns-a-blazing’, to stop the killing of Christians, has shone a light on the violence.

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In Africa this Christmas, so far there’s reportedly little sign of improvement. "The militant Islamist onslaught across SSA is a catastrophe of global proportions unfolding before us," Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, told Fox News Digital this week.

Open Doors is a global Christian charity supporting Christians persecuted for their faith.

Blyth continued, "the last year has seen a non-stop stream of reports from sub-Saharan Africa. (including) reports of militant Islamist groups brutally attacking, among others, defenseless Christian communities."

"At Open Doors, we have been sounding the alarm through our Arise Africa campaign. We’ve prayed repeatedly that the campaign of terror will reach public awareness."

Referring to Nigeria and the thousands of Christians reported to have been killed there each year and the speeches, articles and posts against the violence, Open Doors’ Blyth states, "There is no sign that this has abated in 2025".

"The lack of global outrage and action on this issue is a moral disgrace," South Africa’s Chief Rabbi, Dr. Warren Goldstein, told Fox News Digital. He added, "It seems as if black lives do not matter if they are murdered by Islamists in Africa. The persecution of Christians in Africa needs to be seen in its global context. It is part of a multi-continental jihadi war on the ‘infidels’ — Jews and Christians — and on Western values."

He continued "it is a world war, with Israel at the epicenter of the fire of the jihadi forces of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and others. The Islamist war on Christians in Africa is another front of this world war that stretches from Sudan in the north to Mozambique in the South."

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Fox News Digital has highlighted where persecution has hit hardest in Africa in 2025:

According to Open Doors, the continent’s most populous nation saw the worst persecution in Africa in 2025, with ‘non-stop stories of deadly attacks and kidnappings’ across Nigeria’s north and Middle Belt — a litany of villages torched, citizens raped, abducted, shot and beheaded.

Pope Leo XIV spoke out this year against killings attributed to Muslim Fulani tribesmen in Nigeria’s Benue State in June, saying "Some 200 people were murdered, with extraordinary cruelty". 

Bishop Wilfred Anagbe’s Makurdi Diocese in north-central Nigeria is almost exclusively Christian. But the constant and escalating attacks by Islamist Fulani militants led him to testify at a congressional hearing  in Washington in March. Back in Nigeria, he was threatened, and some 20 of his parishioners killed.

The war-torn country is 95% Christian, yet the faithful are being targeted by jihadists. In February, terrorists linked to Islamic State from the so-called ADF group, who want the eastern part of the country to become a Muslim caliphate, rounded up 70 Christians and reportedly beheaded them — in a church. In September, at least 89 Christians were reportedly slaughtered by jihadists at a funeral and in surrounding fields.

Sudan's estimated 2 million Christians make up an estimated 4% of the country's population,

Like the rest of Sudan’s people, they face chronic food shortages and the horror of a yearslong war. But Christians are also allegedly singled out for discrimination and persecution by both sides in the conflict.

A senior Sudanese church leader  told Fox News Digital that in the Darfur city of El Fasher, that "now Christians are eating animal feed and grass. No wheat, no rice, nothing can get in."

A civil conflict and weak governance have allowed armed militants to step into the vacuum of law and order, Open Doors reported. In the far north, Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province regularly swoop into villages in overnight raids, killing, abducting and destroying. Thousands of people have fled their homes for displacement camps.

Ali, a villager, said "It never ends. I want it to end, but it doesn’t. We must sleep in the mountains for safety." 

Situated in the southwest of the continent, Mozambique has a Christian population of 55%. Islamic State Mozambique is causing havoc in the far north, targeting Christian communities, burning their churches and destroying homes. The killings have multiplied this year, and thousands more are fleeing their homes, joining more than 1.3 million who have already been displaced.

In one mass attack on the village of Napala in October, Open Doors reported militants killed 20 Christians and displaced some 2,000. A local pastor described how four elderly sisters were tied up and burned to death inside a house.

On the airstrikes in Nigeria, Open Doors' Henrietta Blyth told Fox News Digital, "a military operation like this is not going to provide any sort of quick fix for decades of violence. The Nigerian government must pursue lasting solutions that ensure peace, protection of civilians and religious freedom for everyone."

Chief Rabbi Goldstein concluded, "The West can only win this war if it can find the moral clarity to call it by its name and see all the theaters of war as part of the same fight."

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country is engaged in what he described as a "total war" with the U.S., Israel and Europe.

In an interview published Saturday by Iranian state media, Pezeshkian said that he believes the Western powers want to bring Iran "to its knees," The Times of Israel reported.

"In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe," Pezeshkian said. "They want to bring our country to its knees."

Pezeshkian argued that the current conflict is more complex than the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, saying his country is now under pressure "from every angle," according to The Times of Israel.

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"If one understands it well, this war is far more complex and difficult than that war. In the war with Iraq, the situation was clear, they fired missiles, and we knew where to hit," Pezeshkian said, according to The Jerusalem Post. 

"Here, they are besieging us from every aspect, they are creating problems for us in terms of livelihood, culturally, politically, and security-wise."

Despite the strain, Pezeshkian claimed Iran’s military emerged stronger following its June conflict with Israel, according to The Times of Israel.

"Our beloved military forces are doing their jobs with strength and now, in terms of equipment and manpower, despite all the problems we have, they are stronger than when they attacked. So if they want to attack, they will naturally face a more decisive response," he said.

IRAN'S LEADER THREATENS 'EVEN BIGGER BLOW' AGAINST US, TRUMP SAYS HE'S IN ‘NO RUSH’ TO TALK

The interview with Pezeshkian was released ahead of a planned meeting this coming week at Mar-a-Lago between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Tensions remain high following a brief but intense air conflict in June that was kicked off by Israel. 

The fighting resulted in roughly 1,100 deaths in Iran, including senior military commanders and nuclear scientists, while Iranian missile attacks killed 28 people in the Jewish State.

TRUMP’S BIG ACHIEVEMENT IN BOMBING IRAN, STILL SLAMMED BY CRITICS – AS HE SUGGESTS ‘REGIME CHANGE’

On June 22, President Donald Trump announced U.S. forces had launched attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

"Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror," the president said. "Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated."

A US-brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel took effect on June 24.

Fox News Digital's Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Italian authorities have arrested nine people linked to three charities on suspicion of raising millions in funds for the terrorist organization Hamas.

The suspects allegedly funneled approximately 7 million euros ($8.2 million) to "associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas," a statement issued by anti-terrorism prosecutors read, according to The Associated Press.

ISRAEL FM ACCUSES PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY OF AIDING TERROR WITH ‘PAY-FOR-SLAY’ AFTER DEADLY ATTACK

The official objective of the charities was to collect donations "for humanitarian purposes for the Palestinian people," but more than 71% of the funds were earmarked for the direct financing of Hamas or entities affiliated with the terror organization, The Times of Israel reported, citing police. The outlet noted that police also claimed that some of the money went to "family members implicated in terrorist attacks."

One of the people arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, the AP reported, citing prosecutors. The outlet noted that prosecutors described Hannoun as the "head of the Italian cell of the Hamas organization."

MAN LINKED TO HAMAS ATTACK ON ISRAEL INDICTED IN LOUISIANA FOR CONSPIRING TO SUPPORT TERRORIST GROUP

Prosecutors said that the funds were sent to the terror organization through "triangulation operations" via bank transfers or through organizations based abroad to associations based in Gaza, which have been declared illegal by Israel for their ties to Hamas, the AP reported.

Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Paintedosi said the arrest operation was "important and significant" and that it "lifted the veil on behavior and activities which, pretending to be initiatives in favor of the Palestinian population, concealed support for and participation in terrorist organizations."

Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2006, is considered by many nations and international institutions to be a terror organization. The U.S., the U.K., Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel and the European Union are among those that have designated Hamas as a terror organization.

Fox News Digital reached out to Israel's embassy in Italy for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Fifteen people were injured, and a suspect is in custody following a stabbing spree and chemical attack at a tire factory in central Japan. 

The 38-year-old attacker allegedly stabbed eight people and wounded seven others with what was believed to be bleach on Friday at a Yokohama Rubber Co. facility in Mishima, west of Tokyo, officials said. 

The motive for the incident is unclear, but the suspect is believed to be a former employee at the factory, the Kyodo news agency reported, citing investigative sources. 

The suspect was carrying a survival knife and wearing what appeared to be a gas mask, Japanese newspaper Asahi added.

GEORGIA WOMAN HOSPITALIZED AFTER ATTACKER HURLS CORROSIVE CHEMICAL DURING EVENING WALK 

The Fujisan Nanto Fire Department told The Associated Press that five of the people who were stabbed were in serious condition. 

Images and video taken at the scene showed first responders swarming the factory. 

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Shizuoka prefecture police said the attacker was arrested for alleged attempted murder. 

Media reports described the stabbing victims as all being conscious while being transported to local hospitals.

The seven others injured by the bleach thrown at them during the attack were hospitalized as well, the fire department said. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

A fresh Russian attack against Kyiv involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles is putting the "true attitude of Putin and his inner circle" on display, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday, as he prepared to meet with President Donald Trump. 

The overnight blitz in Ukraine’s capital left at least one person dead and 27 injured, local authorities told the Associated Press. It unfolded as Zelenskyy is set to meet with Trump in Florida on Sunday, where he said he will share a 20-point peace proposal to end the conflict with Russia. 

"Another Russian attack is still ongoing: since last night, there have been almost 500 drones – a large number of ‘shaheds’ – as well as 40 missiles, including Kinzhals. The primary target is Kyiv – energy facilities and civilian infrastructure," Zelenskyy wrote on X on Saturday morning. "Regrettably, there have been hits, and ordinary residential buildings have been damaged. Rescuers are searching for a person trapped under the rubble of one of them." 

"There have been many questions over the past few days – so where is Russia’s response to the proposals to end the war offered by the United States and the world? Russian representatives engage in lengthy talks, but in reality, Kinzhals and ‘shaheds’ speak for them. This is the true attitude of Putin and his inner circle," Zelenskyy added. "They do not want to end the war and seek to use every opportunity to cause Ukraine even greater suffering and increase their pressure on others around the world."

ZELENSKYY SAYS HE WILL MEET WITH TRUMP 'BEFORE THE NEW YEAR' 

Zelenskyy also said Saturday that, "If Russia turns even the Christmas and New Year period into a time of destroyed homes and burned apartments, of ruined power plants, then this sick activity can only be responded to with truly strong steps." 

"The United States has this capability. Europe has this capability. Many of our partners have this capability. The key is to use it," he declared. 

Trump, ahead of the meeting with Zelenskyy, has said he will call the final shots on a peace deal to end the conflict.

US OFFICIALS TOUT PROGRESS IN TALKS TO REACH 'LASTING AND DURABLE PEACE' BETWEEN UKRAINE, RUSSIA 

"He doesn’t have anything until I approve it," Trump told Politico Friday. "So we’ll see what he’s got." 

The Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday that it carried out a "massive strike" overnight, using "long-range precision-guided weapons from land, air, and sea, including Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles" and drones, on energy infrastructure facilities "used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces," as well as "Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises." 

The ministry said the strike came in response to Ukraine’s attacks on "civilian objects" in Russia.

Earlier on Saturday, the ministry said its air defenses shot down seven Ukrainian drones over the Russian regions of Krasnodar and Adygeya overnight. 

Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancey and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Donald Trump entered 2025 pledging to end wars and reorient U.S. foreign policy around what he repeatedly described as "peace through strength."

Throughout the year, Trump has cast his diplomacy as peace-focused, telling reporters, "We think we have a way of getting peace," and publicly arguing that his record merited a Nobel Peace Prize. The U.S. State Department echoed that framing in its year-end summary of diplomatic efforts, highlighting initiatives it said aimed to "secure peace around the world."

By the close of 2025, several conflicts saw impressive diplomatic progress, while others were still experiencing issues after years of hatred and violence.

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The most consequential diplomatic development of the year came in early October, when the Trump administration helped broker a ceasefire framework between Israel and Hamas. The agreement halted large-scale fighting after months of intense combat and enabled the release of all remaining hostages from Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, except for the body of Ron Gvili that remains held captive by Hamas terrorists. 

The administration later cited the ceasefire as a central element of its 2025 diplomatic record. While the truce largely held through the end of the year, core issues including Gaza’s long-term governance, demilitarization and enforcement mechanisms remained unresolved, as well as rebuilding the enclave after the massive destruction and displacement. U.S. officials continued working with regional partners on next steps as fighting paused, as Israel's Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Trump next week for talks on Gaza and other issues. 

In August, Trump hosted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House for a U.S.-brokered peace declaration aimed at addressing decades of conflict tied to Nagorno-Karabakh. The agreement focused on transit routes, economic cooperation and regional connectivity and was promoted by the administration as a historic step.

While the historic declaration was signed, implementation and deeper reconciliation is still ongoing.

Ukraine remained the most ambitious and elusive peace target of Trump’s 2025 agenda. The year opened with Trump insisting the war could be ended through direct U.S. engagement and leverage over both Kyiv and Moscow. Diplomacy intensified in August, when Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, a summit framed by the White House as a test of whether personal diplomacy could unlock a settlement.

In parallel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was received at the White House, where Trump reiterated U.S. support for Ukraine while signaling that any peace would require difficult compromises. U.S. officials explored security guarantees and economic incentives, while avoiding public commitments on borders or NATO membership.

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By December, talks accelerated. Ukraine entered new rounds of U.S.-led negotiations, and Trump told reporters the sides were "getting close to something." On Christmas Zelenskyy said talks with U.S. officials had produced a 20-point plan and accompanying documents that include security guarantees involving Ukraine, the United States and European partners. He acknowledged the framework was not flawless but described it as a tangible step forward. Zelenskyy is reportedly readying a visit to meet with President Trump, possibly as soon as Sunday.

Bloomberg reported that Russia views the 20-point plan agreed to between Ukraine and the U.S. as only a starting point. According to a person close to the Kremlin, Moscow intends to seek key changes, including additional restrictions on Ukraine’s military, arguing that the proposal lacks provisions important to Russia and leaves many questions unanswered.

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In early December, Trump hosted the signing of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The agreement reaffirmed commitments to end decades of conflict and expand economic cooperation through a regional integration framework.

By the end of the year, Reuters and the Associated Press reported that armed groups remained active in eastern Congo, underscoring the fragility of the accord, though both sides seemed to be invested in a long-term peace.

After a terrorist attack in Kashmir and retaliatory strikes raised fears of escalation, U.S. officials engaged in emergency diplomacy. Trump announced a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed rivals, with a potentially catastrophic escalation between the two nuclear powers avoided.

On the sidelines of an ASEAN summit, Trump helped mediate a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand following months of border clashes. 

Diplomatic efforts led by ASEAN and supported by external parties are ongoing, but fresh clashes and mutual recriminations between Thailand and Cambodia continue to challenge peace prospects and have led to large-scale displacement and civilian harm. Following the recent flare-ups, and with offers for mediation from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a new ceasefire was agreed upon on Saturday to end weeks of fighting on the border.

Following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, the Trump administration focused on containing escalation and reinforcing deterrence. No diplomatic agreement followed, but the confrontation did not expand into a broader regional war by year’s end.

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Recently Israel warned that Iran might use its ballistic missile drills as a cover for a surprise attack. 

Sudan remained one of the world’s deadliest conflicts. U.S. diplomacy has focused primarily on efforts to halt fighting and expand humanitarian access rather than brokering a comprehensive peace.

In December, Saudi Arabia and the United States presented Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan with a three-point proposal aimed at ending the war, facilitating aid delivery and transferring power to civilians, according to Sudan Tribune.

As the year closed, Venezuela emerged as the United States’ clearest point of direct confrontation. The administration framed its posture as an extension of its broader "peace through strength" doctrine, even as the risk of escalation lingered.

While the White House pursued de-escalation and negotiated arrangements elsewhere, its approach toward Nicolás Maduro relied almost entirely on pressure, not talks. Trump continued to cast Maduro as a criminal threat tied to drug trafficking, accusing him of rejecting the results of Venezuela’s last election and stealing the presidency.

With no diplomatic channel open, the U.S. maintained sweeping sanctions and stepped up efforts against cartel networks linked to the regime. There was no peace process in sight — but some opposition figures and U.S. allies argued that sustained pressure could still force political change in 2026, and ultimately hasten the end of Maduro’s rule.

Israel has officially become the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent nation, marking a significant diplomatic development for the state.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the decision Friday, Dec. 26, along with Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Moshe Sa’ar and the president of the Republic of Somaliland. 

Israel and Somaliland signed a mutual declaration "in the spirit of the Abraham Accords," which were brokered by President Trump.

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Sa’ar shared in a statement on X that relations between Somaliland and Israel have grown, "based on extensive and ongoing dialogue."

Full diplomatic relations include Israel’s appointment of ambassadors and opening of embassies in the state, according to Sa’ar.

Somaliland's President, Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, said in a statement that the Republic of Somaliland, "warmly welcomes and deeply appreciates" Israel’s decision to recognize the state’s sovereignty.

"This recognition represents a milestone in Somaliland’s longstanding pursuit of international legitimacy, reaffirming its historical, legal and moral entitlement to statehood," Abdullahi said in the statement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Somaliland said this decision was a "constructive contribution to peace, stability and cooperation" in the Horn of Africa and across the Middle East in a release issued Friday.

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"The Republic of Somaliland hereby expresses its firm intention to accede the Abraham Accords, … Somaliland looks forward to engaging with the State of Israel on the foundation of formal diplomatic relations and mutual recognition," said Somaliland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Shortly after Israel’s decision, South Sudan reportedly became the second country to officially recognize Somaliland, with some now questioning whether the U.S. will follow suit.

President Donald Trump was reportedly "looking into" the recognition of Somaliland in August. The official recognition would land the U.S. a new foothold in the Horn of Africa through a new air and sea base near the entrance of the Red Sea at Berbera Port. 

When asked about the state’s recognition and the potential resettlement of Gazans there, Trump told reporters Aug. 8, "We’re looking into that right now."

This would position U.S. defense forces directly across from Yemen and the Houthi fighters, an armed political group prominently known for its attacks against Israel and shipping in the Red Sea, according to reports. 

Thirty percent of the world’s container ship traffic is reported to pass through its waters en route to or from the Suez Canal, according to previous Fox News reports.

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Trump is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu Monday, Dec. 29, at his Mar-a-Lago residence to discuss "next steps" in the Gaza peace deal. 

Despite previous talks, Trump is reportedly, "not ready" to embrace Somaliland's independence and was reportedly "unimpressed" by its expressed interest in joining the Abraham Accords.

Trump told the New York Post he has to "study" Netanyahu's pitch and asked from his golf course, "Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?"

"We’ll study it. I study a lot of things and always make great decisions, and they turn out to be correct," Trump told the Post.

Somalia has been battling Islamist fundamentalist fighters for decades, with the U.S. Africa Command increasing attacks against ISIS and al-Shabab terrorists, according to previous Fox News Digital reporting.

The breakaway has allegedly "eliminated radicalism" and aligned itself with the U.S. Somaliland Minister of the Presidency Khadar Hussein Abdi said that, for over three decades, Somaliland has "remained democratic, peaceful and self-governing — unlike Somalia.

"It’s time for Somalia to focus on its own challenges and to be constructive. The illusion of Somali unity ended long ago."

Netanyahu reportedly invited Abdullahi to Israel and "praised his leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace."

JERUSALEM: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar blasted the Palestinian Authority (PA) for emboldening terrorism with its infamous "Pay-for-Slay" program after a Palestinian on Friday murdered two Israelis.

Palestinian terrorists murdered 19-year-old Aviv Maor from Kibbutz Ein Harod and Mordechai Shimshon, 68, from Beit She’an on Friday in northern Israel.

The Palestinian Authority "Pay-for-Slay" policy gained wide public attention when Taylor Force, a West Point graduate who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, was savagely knifed to death by a Palestinian terrorist on March 8, 2016, while on a tour of Israel. President Donald Trump signed the Taylor Force Act into law in October 2018, after a vigorous campaign by Force's parents, Robbi and Stuart Force.

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Prior to Friday’s terrorist attacks, Sa'ar issued warnings to the international community about alleged Palestinian leadership deception. He wrote on X: "Don't believe Mahmoud Abbas' lies. The Palestinian Authority's payments to terrorists and their families haven't stopped. The PA decided to continue its ‘Pay-for-Slay’ policy. This includes payments to the families of ‘martyrs’ and injured terrorists, jailed terrorists and released terrorists.  The PA is also disguising the payments to the released murderers as payments to pensioners of the Palestinian Security Services!   This is distorted.  End ‘Pay-for-Slay’ now!"

Abbas is the 90-year-old chain-smoking president of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank (the region is known in Israel by its biblical names of Judea and Samaria.)

Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, told Fox News Digital that contrary to Palestinian Authority claims about stopping the "Pay-for-Slay" program, there has been "no substantial change in Palestinian Authority policy with regard to the payments to terrorists."

He continued that "They are making noises as if they are changing their policies." But he termed it a "façade" with no change in policy.

Michael said that "Pay-for-Slay will continue in a different manner. Donors and the international community [who finance the PA] will find it more difficult to monitor it."

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The counter-terrorism expert, Michael, who is also a fellow at the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy, said the PA "defines terrorists as social welfare. They continue to support incitement against Israel. They continue remaining dysfunctional."

According to a Dec. 19 report in the Times of Israel, a PA-linked organization –The Palestinian National Economic Empowerment Institution (also known as Tamkeen) — disputed the Israeli government claim that "Pay-for Slay" is still intact.

Tamkeen noted in its statement that it "confirms that the payment system linked to the number of years of imprisonment has been completely and permanently abolished and is no longer in effect in any way." It added that "Claims regarding its continuation fall under the category of deliberate misinformation and falsification of facts."

Fox News Digital reached out numerous times to the Palestinian Authority for a comment and sent press queries to the Palestinian National Economic Empowerment Institution (Tamkeen.)

When asked by Fox News Digital what donor nations can do to stop "Pay-for-Slay," Michael said, "Be strict when it comes to financial donations," adding there are "many ways to pressure the Palestinian Authority."

He sharply criticized Western European leaders who recognized an independent Palestinian state in 2025 without ensuring that the state would be a non-sponsor of terrorism. "Western leaders, the British prime minister, the French president and the Spanish prime minister are rushing and running to recognize a Palestinian state, and they don’t care what takes place under the Palestinian Authority in the territories." He said their recognition is "an incentive to continue to 'Pay for Slay."’

Michael said the Trump administration is the only one "applying pressure on the Palestinian Authority."

He stressed that if the U.S.-designated terrorist movement Hamas is not dismantled and disarmed in Gaza, "it will be another achievement of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority."

The U.S. State Department and American Embassy in Jerusalem did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital press queries.

Nigeria said it shared intelligence with the U.S. ahead of Christmas night airstrikes on ISIS targets in the country.

The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday that it was "engaged in structured security cooperation" with other nations, including the U.S., adding that the cooperation "led to precision hits on terrorist targets." The ministry said that the joint security efforts include the sharing of intelligence and strategic coordination.

"Nigeria reiterates that all counter-terrorism efforts are guided by the primacy of protecting civilian lives, safeguarding national unity, and upholding the rights and dignity of all citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity. Terrorist violence in any form whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to international peace and security," the ministry wrote in a statement posted on X.

TRUMP’S WARNING TO NIGERIA OFFERS HOPE TO NATION'S PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

President Donald Trump announced the Christmas night airstrikes in northwest Nigeria, saying the targets were ISIS militants who he accused of killing Christians. The president also included a warning that further attacks would take place if the violence against Christians continued.

"Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!" Trump said Thursday on Truth Social. 

"I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.

"Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper," he continued. "May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues."

NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN LEADER CALLS TRUMP'S SPOTLIGHT ON VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA AN 'ANSWERED PRAYER'

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz, who has been outspoken about the violence against Christians in Nigeria, praised the strikes. The ambassador said the precision strikes showed Christians in Nigeria and around the world that Trump would "fight for them."

Last month, Trump threatened to "do things in Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to be happy about" and "go into that now disgraced country guns-a-blazing."

That warning set the stage for the Christmas-night strikes, which Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said fulfilled the president’s demand that the killings stop. Hegseth also included in a post on X a reference to the U.S.-Nigeria cooperation that led to the strikes.

US AMBASSADOR MICHAEL WALTZ DECLARES ATROCITIES AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA 'GENOCIDE'

"The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end," Hegseth wrote on X. "The [War Department] is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come… Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!"

Christians and Christian institutions in Nigeria have been under attack in recent months, prompting global outrage and drawing the ire of the Trump administration.

In November, armed gunmen stormed the Christ Apostolic Church, killed two people and kidnapped dozens. The 38 abducted worshipers were freed almost a week later.

The attack on the Christ Apostolic Church was preceded and followed by attacks on Christian schools in Nigeria.

In the days before the attack, gunmen kidnapped 25 girls from a boarding school in Nigeria’s Kebbi State and killed at least one staffer. One of the girls managed to escape on the same day as the kidnapping, while the remaining 24 were rescued about a week later, The Associated Press reported.

Days after the attack on Christ Apostolic Church, armed attackers raided the Saint Mary's School and kidnapped more than 300 students and staff. School officials said 50 of the students were able to escape in the following days, while 253 students and 12 teachers remain captive.

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

Three Palestinians were arrested on accusations of lighting a Christmas tree on fire and damaging part of a Nativity scene at a Catholic church in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Jenin, the Palestinian Authority Police announced.

The attack happened at around 3 a.m. Monday, according to the church.

Palestinian Authority Police said Wednesday the three were taken into custody after a review of surveillance footage targeting the Holy Redeemer Church of Jenin. Tools believed to have been used in the attack were seized from the suspects.

Police condemned the apparent attempt to incite sectarian and religious tensions in the West Bank.

CHRISTMAS RETURNS TO HOLY LAND CITIES AS BETHLEHEM'S CHRISTIAN POPULATION DWINDLES, NAZARETH REMAINS STRONG

The church shared photos on social media showing the skeleton of a synthetic Christmas tree that had been cleared of the green plastic branches, and red and gold ornaments were scattered across a courtyard.

The torched tree was quickly cleaned up by the church, which erected a new one a day after the attack in time for Christmas Mass.

The church held a special ceremony with local Muslim and Christian leaders and politicians in attendance. Rev. Amer Jubran, the local priest at the church, said the arson was an isolated incident and emphasized the city’s unity.

"This occasion reaffirmed that attempts to harm religious symbols will never diminish the spirit of the city nor the faith of its people," the Holy Redeemer Church said in a statement.

The small Christian community in the West Bank is facing increasing threats of extremism from various sides, including both Israeli settlers and Palestinian extremists, prompting them to escape the region.

Christians make up between 1-2% of the West Bank’s roughly 3 million residents, and the vast majority of the community is Muslim. Across the entire Middle East, the Christian population has been declining as people have fled conflict.

In Israel, some church authorities and monitoring groups have documented a recent uptick in anti-Christian sentiment and harassment, including in Jerusalem’s Old City. Extremist Israeli settlers have also reportedly vandalized and torched areas around churches and Christian villages.

POPE LEO XIV DELIVERS FIRST CHRISTMAS CALLING FOR END TO VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EAST, RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza kicked off a surge of violence in the West Bank, with the Israeli military's offensive targeting terrorists killing hundreds of Palestinians and displacing tens of thousands. Terrorists have also attacked and killed Israelis in Israel and the West Bank.

The conflict has coincided with an increase in Israeli settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.