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A 67-year-old Carnival Cruise passenger died last week while snorkeling off the coast of mainland Australia during an excursion.

The woman, who has not been publicly identified, was a passenger aboard the Carnival Splendor, which offers snorkeling excursions to the Tangalooma Wrecks. She reportedly drowned near Moreton Island on April 17, Cruise Hive reported.

"Carnival Cruise Line is deeply saddened by the death of a guest on Moreton Island on Friday," the cruise line told local media. "Our Care Team is supporting the guest’s family during this difficult time."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Carnival.

FATAL FIRE ENGULFS CRUISE SHIP WITH HUNDREDS OF PASSENGERS ABOARD: ‘I PANICKED'

Local authorities said the woman, a resident of Tasmania, was found unresponsive in the water.

"Attempts were made to revive the woman, however, she was pronounced deceased at the scene," a Queensland Police spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "Investigations are ongoing into the circumstances surrounding her death."

CRUISE PASSENGERS WITNESS TERRIFYING RESCUE AT SEA AS STRANDED MAN AND CAT PULLED FROM FAILING SAILBOAT

The death occurred during the ship's four-night round trip cruise from Sydney, which included two days at sea and 10 hours at Moreton Island.

The waters around the island, located off the coast of Brisbane, are generally calm and are known for shipwreck snorkeling sites and diverse marine life.

The woman's death occurred only hours before another emergency on the same ship. On April 18, a passenger in his 70s reportedly climbed over the vessel's safety rails and went overboard.

An intensive search lasted for several hours before being suspended. The two incidents are not believed to be linked.

A strong earthquake took place off the northern coast of Japan Monday afternoon, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to put out a tsunami alert in the area.

The quake, registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.5, occurred off the coast of Sanriku in northern Japan at around 4:53 p.m. local time, at a depth of about 6 miles below the sea surface, the agency said.

NHK public television indicated that a tsunami of as high as 10 feet could impact the region soon.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Hundreds of commercial tankers are stranded on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran shut the critical chokepoint on April 18, halting traffic and leaving crews trapped amid reports of gunfire and "traumatic experiences" on board.

The Strait of Hormuz is considered an international waterway under international law, through which ships have the right of transit passage, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it a critical chokepoint for global energy markets, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Iranian gunboats opened fire on a tanker the same day, while a projectile struck a container vessel, damaging cargo.

STARMER AND MACRON ACCUSED OF ‘PLAYING AT BEING RELEVANT’ WITH STRAIT OF HORMUZ PLAN

Audio released by maritime monitoring group TankerTrackers appears to capture the moment a vessel and its crew came under fire while approaching the strait, including a distress call from a crew member.

"Sepah Navy! Motor tanker Sanmar Herald! You gave me clearance to go… you are firing now. Let me turn back!" the crew member can be heard saying in the recording, according to TankerTrackers.

Iranian state media confirmed that shots were fired near vessels to force them to turn back, while the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India said the foreign secretary was deeply concerned.

Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth-largest container shipping line, told Fox News Digital that it had activated a crisis team as its crews remain stuck on board vessels in the region.

"We have been working from Friday afternoon until today with the entire crisis team to bring the vessels out — in vain, unfortunately," said Nils Haupt, senior director of group communications at Hapag-Lloyd AG.

"These events can easily lead to traumatic experiences. There is also a significant risk from sea mines, which has made insuring vessels for passage through the Strait nearly impossible."

LISA DAFTARI: HORMUZ WHIPLASH PROVES TEHRAN CAN'T HONOR ANY DEAL IT SIGNS

"The crews are well, but they are becoming increasingly impatient and frustrated. It is very unfortunate that we could not leave today," he added. "Many ships are still stuck in the Persian Gulf."

"Our six ships are anchored near the port of Dubai, and all crews hope for an improvement in the situation," Haupt said.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on April 18 that the strait would remain closed until the U.S. lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, warning ships not to move from anchorage or risk being treated as "enemy" collaborators.

Iran has previously argued that restrictions on its oil exports and shipping amount to "economic warfare," framing actions in the Strait of Hormuz as a response to foreign pressure on its economy, according to statements from Iranian officials and state media in past incidents.

"Approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and any violating vessel will be targeted," the IRGC said in a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

TRUMP ORDERS A BLOCKADE IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS TENSIONS WITH IRAN SOAR

The United States imposed the blockade on Iranian ports to pressure Tehran to reopen the strait, with U.S. Central Command saying the measures are being enforced "impartially against all vessels."

Hapag-Lloyd said its vessels have been stuck for weeks following the initial closure after the outbreak of war with Iran on Feb. 28.

"For us, it is critical that our vessels can pass through the strait soon," Haupt said.

"We offer all crew members unlimited data so they can video call loved ones and access entertainment. Crews are strong, but after weeks on board there is growing monotony and frustration."

"One crew experienced a fire on board from bomb fragments. Others have seen missiles or drones near their vessels," he added.

"They are resilient, but each additional day makes the situation more difficult, more monotonous, and more stressful."

President Donald Trump said Iran had agreed not to close the strait again but after the closure, Trump called the situation "blackmail" and said the U.S. would not back down.

Two U.S. Embassy personnel were killed in an "accident" in Mexico, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced Sunday. 

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of two U.S. Embassy personnel, the Director of Chihuahua’s State Investigation Agency (AEI), and an AEI officer in this accident. We honor their dedication and tireless efforts to confront one of the greatest challenges of our time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones," Johnson said in a post on X.

The ambassador also said that the tragedy underscores the risks officials face while carrying out their duties.

"This tragedy is a solemn reminder of the risks faced by those Mexican and U.S. officials who are dedicated to protecting our communities," he said. "It strengthens our resolve to continue their mission and advance our shared commitment to security and justice, to protect our people."

Details remain unclear, including the nature and location of the incident and whether the personnel were U.S. citizens.

The 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire was tested April 18 after an ambush in southern Lebanon killed a French soldier, highlighting Hezbollah’s alleged "human shield" tactics and drawing another nation into the conflict, a defense analyst said.

An IDF reservist was also killed, and nine soldiers were wounded—one seriously—on the same day, when an engineering vehicle drove over a bomb planted by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, the military said.

Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the INSS and the Misgav Institute in Tel Aviv, said the Iranian-backed group had spent years preparing the region for Israel’s arrival, relying on its entrenched, signature terror strategy—even after the latest ceasefire and the IDF’s re-entry into southern Lebanon in March.

"This is the rationale of human shields, using the population and sensitive civilian facilities in order to store weapons and use places for terror and operational purposes," Michael told Fox News Digital.

LAWMAKERS QUESTION WHETHER US MOVING FAST ENOUGH TO CAPITALIZE ON HEZBOLLAH'S WEAKENED STATE

"Hezbollah worked for decades to build an entire facility, part of it underground, below private residential buildings and houses, preparing themselves for a surprise attack on Israel," Michael added.

"They were well-prepared to defend themselves once the IDF entered and tried to fight them," he said.

France’s foreign minister said the soldier was killed in a close-range ambush and struck by a direct shot.

The minister said the attack happened during a patrol clearing explosives near Ghandouriyeh, when troops came under small-arms fire from "non-state actors," a term often used to refer to groups like Hezbollah.

"They operate in the Shiite villages and among the Shiite population who are supported by Hezbollah," Michael said, before describing how "most people in these southern villages are connected to Hezbollah" in one way or another and are "heavily dependent on the terror organization."

IRAN THREATENS TO END CEASEFIRE OVER HEZBOLLAH'S EXCLUSION FROM TRUCE DEAL

"All community life and infrastructure in these Shiite villages and towns are an effective cover for terror purposes and Hezbollah activities," he added.

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the soldier's death.

"Sgt. Maj. Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment in Montauban was killed this morning in southern Lebanon during an attack against UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon)," Macron said. "Three of his comrades were wounded and evacuated."

"All indications suggest that Hezbollah is responsible for this attack. France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest those responsible and take responsibility alongside UNIFIL," Macron added.

Michael, however, claimed Macron’s response was, in some ways, inconsistent, as the president has been drawn into the war.

At first, France had called Israeli strikes on Lebanon on April 8 "intolerable" and opposed a ground offensive.

ONE AMERICAN'S DETENTION IN LEBANON EXPOSED A TRUTH THAT IS NOW DEVASTATING AN ENTIRE COUNTRY

Israel's ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, also expressed his wish to keep Macron out of ceasefire negotiations, highlighting tensions surrounding his policy.

"When it comes to Hezbollah breaches against Israel, the French demand Israel restrain and contain, but when it comes to one of their soldiers, they are furious at Hezbollah," Michael said.

"That said, Hezbollah has breached the ceasefire agreement since its first moment," Michael added.

Hezbollah has since denied the ambush, with the soldier’s death still underscoring the volatility of the 10-day ceasefire, which came into effect April 16.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack in a statement and said an initial assessment by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon found it was carried out by Hezbollah.

According to the U.S. State Department, under the terms of the 2026 ceasefire, brought about by negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, Israel retains the right to act in self-defense against threats, while Lebanon must take steps to prevent attacks by Hezbollah and other armed groups.

ISRAELI STRIKE ON HEZBOLLAH MORE DEVASTATING THAN 2024 PAGER ATTACK, IDF SAYS

Lebanon’s security forces are solely responsible for national security, and both sides have asked the U.S. to continue facilitating talks to resolve remaining issues.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also said it carried out strikes in response to what it described as "ceasefire violations by Hezbollah."

Michael also emphasized Iran’s continued influence as Hezbollah operates in southern Lebanon as an "unrestrained political force."

"Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is still in charge of Hezbollah," he added, before saying that the Lebanese army is also "unwilling to fight or confront Hezbollah."

"First, because of the Shiite segment of this army that identifies with Hezbollah, and secondly, because it is afraid that confronting Hezbollah will lead to a civil war, a trauma they still have since the first one in 1975, lasting 15 years — until 1990."

Michael added: "The Shiite militia, also controlled by Iran, is not subordinate to state authority, enabling Hezbollah to operate as an unrestrained political force within the Lebanese political system."

The killing of Iranian nuclear scientists in U.S.-Israeli military strikes has raised fears that, if the regime destabilizes, weakened control over uranium stockpiles and the spread of nuclear expertise could increase proliferation risks.

While Iran can replace its lost personnel, experts say the lost expertise will be harder to rebuild and undisclosed sites in the country may also leave dangerous materials and knowledge vulnerable.

"Currently, the risk of nuclear terrorism or nuclear material moving to the black market remains low," said Kelsey Davenport, director of nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association.

"Non-state actors would face challenges in accessing enriched uranium, and it is unlikely they would have the infrastructure to enrich it to weapons-grade levels and convert it into the metallic form required for a warhead core," she said.

UN NUCLEAR CHIEF WARNS STRIKE NEAR IRAN REACTOR RISKS CROSSING ‘REDDEST LINE’

"However, if the current Iranian government implodes or the conflict causes significant internal instability, there is an increased risk that nuclear materials will be stolen or diverted to undeclared sites."

"There is also a risk that Iranian nuclear scientists may be willing to sell their expertise to states or non-state actors seeking nuclear weapons," Davenport said in a new report.

Several senior figures in Iran’s nuclear and defense infrastructure have been killed over the past two years, coinciding with the campaign of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities between 2025 and 2026.

Among them is Hossein Jabal Amelian, head of the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), who was killed in 2026 during Operation Rising Lion and Operation Epic Fury.

ISRAELI MINISTER OUTLINES IRAN MISSION GOALS, SAYS IRANIAN PEOPLE NOW HAVE CHANCE TO ‘REGAIN THEIR FREEDOM'

SPND is seen as the successor to Iran’s pre-2004 nuclear weapons program and plays a key role in new weaponization research.

Others killed in 2025 include Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, Akbar Motallebizadeh and Said Borji, all linked to weaponization work.

"The full impact of this campaign on Iran’s weaponization capabilities remains unclear," Jim Lamson, a senior research associate at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, told Fox News Digital.

"There will be replacements of the managers and scientists, but the impact on the killed officials' experience and expertise will be hard to replace," the former CIA analyst said.

"Many key scientists involved in suspected weaponization work were killed in 2025 and 2026."

"Their successors may also fear being targeted in the future, whether by military strikes or assassination. That could affect their motivation and willingness to participate in any nuclear weapons program."

AFTER THE STRIKES, HOW WOULD THE US SECURE IRAN’S ENRICHED URANIUM?

Lamson also said many of those targeted were embedded in sensitive areas of Iran’s nuclear work, including the fuel cycle and weaponization.

"These scientists had expertise in areas of the nuclear fuel cycle of key concern for nuclear weapons, including the production of highly enriched uranium (HEU), which was Iran's main pathway for fissile material," he said.

"The scientists also had expertise in weaponization — that is, in key aspects of the design and production of nuclear explosive devices," Lamson added.

That said, U.S. and Israeli targeted strikes have also hit a network of sites tied to their work, creating extra obstacles for Iran’s program in the near term, he said.

"We have identified at least 11 weaponization-related sites that have been hit since 2024," Lamson said.

"These include SPND headquarters, a newly identified site called Min-Zadayi in northeast Tehran, SPND’s Taleghan and Sanjarian explosives testing sites, the Defense Ministry’s Shahid Meisami complex in western Tehran and several research universities."

These facilities were all involved in neutronics, explosives, metallurgy and nuclear physics — all tied to nuclear weapons development, he said.

TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST ENVOY REVEALS WHAT LED TO BREAKDOWN IN IRAN TALKS BEFORE OPERATION EPIC FURY

Despite the scale of the latest strikes, Iran retains enriched nuclear material, with President Donald Trump saying April 17 that the U.S. would work with Iran to recover "nuclear dust" — enriched uranium — from sites, adding that both countries would use heavy machinery to remove it.

The International Atomic Energy Agency also estimates Iran still holds more than 200 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% at Esfahan—enough for roughly five weapons if further enriched.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also said it remains "under the rubble" of previous strikes and that Tehran has no plans to recover it.

"It is always possible that Iran has additional sites that were not known to Israel and the U.S.," Lamson said.

"We will have to wait to see how much these operations translate into a lasting strategic impact on Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons."

"It’s easier to identify the damage and death caused by the Israeli and U.S. strikes, and harder to assess their actual impact on Iran's capabilities and intentions to produce a nuclear weapon," Lamson clarified.

British counterterror police are investigating whether suspected Iranian proxies are behind a wave of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in London, as a chief rabbi warned that such attacks are escalating.

The Metropolitan Police said specialized counterterror officers are probing fires at synagogues, Jewish-linked facilities and a Persian-language media company critical of Iran’s regime.

The latest incident caused minor damage to a north London synagogue Saturday night. No injuries have been reported in any of the blazes, which all happened within a few miles of each other.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said investigators are examining claims by a group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which has taken responsibility for several attacks. The group’s name means Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right.

TRUMP WARNS OF IRANIAN 'SLEEPER CELLS' AS CANADA ACCUSED OF HARBORING REGIME OPERATIVES

"We are aware of public reporting that suggests this group may have links to Iran. As you would expect, we will continue to explore that question as our investigation evolves," she said.

"I’ve spoken previously about the Iranian regime’s use of criminal proxies, and we’re considering whether this tactic is being used here in London," Evans added.

Authorities say the group — which Israel has described as a possible Iranian proxy — has also claimed synagogue attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands.

IRANIAN MAN, 2ND PERSON ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO ENTER UK NUCLEAR MISSILE BASE: REPORT

Police have flooded northwest London with additional officers after a series of incidents in recent weeks, including the torching of four Jewish charity ambulances in the Golders Green neighborhood on March 23.

Several suspects, ranging from teenagers to people in their 40s, have already been arrested and charged.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis warned on X that "a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum."

"Thank God, no lives have been lost, but we cannot, and must not, wait for that to change before we understand just how dangerous this moment is for all of our society," he added.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence, calling the attacks "abhorrent" and vowing those responsible "will be found and brought to justice."

The threat level rose further after the group released a video claiming it would target Israel’s embassy in London with drones carrying hazardous substances. Police shut down nearby Kensington Gardens while investigating suspicious items but said no dangerous materials were found.

UK COUNTERTERRORISM POLICE PROBE ANTISEMITIC ARSON ATTACK AS IRAN-LINKED GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY

British officials have long warned that Iran uses criminal networks to carry out attacks in Europe. MI5 says it disrupted more than 20 potentially lethal Iran-linked plots in the past year.

Police issued a blunt warning to any "thugs for hire" involved in such attacks.

"Let’s be really clear — it’s a mug’s game," said Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes. "That’s what people who are now serving long prison sentences have found out, and the same fate awaits those responsible for these recent crimes."

Investigators say the probe remains ongoing as authorities work to determine whether the attacks are part of a coordinated foreign-backed campaign.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of Spain has tried to position himself as the European counterweight to President Donald Trump, but his motives are being questioned by critics.

Sanchez, who is hosting a conference of leftist leaders from around the world in Barcelona this weekend, has rejected increasing Madrid’s NATO spending while positioning Spain against the Trump administration on several key policy issues.

More recently, the Spanish politician has taken a belligerent stand against the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against the Iranian regime, forbidding the U.S. from using its military bases in Spain to refuel aircraft or prepare for military action, decrying the campaign as illegal while staying quiet on the regime’s murder of thousands of protesters and its increased drive to produce ballistic missiles and acquire nuclear weapons-grade enriched uranium.

NATO CHIEF SIGNALS ALLIES MAY ACT ON HORMUZ, WARNS OF ‘UNHEALTHY CODEPENDENCE’ ON US

A few days after the war began with Iran, Sanchez said, "We are not going to be complicit in something that is bad for the world and is also contrary to our values and interests, just out of fear of reprisals from someone," Sánchez said, using the slogan "No to the war," the Associated Press reported.

On Saturday, Trump took aim at Sanchez’s policies in a Truth Social post, asking: "Has anybody looked at how badly the country of Spain is doing. Their financial numbers, despite contributing almost nothing to NATO and their military defense, are absolutely horrendous. Sad to watch!!!"

In March, Trump said he had asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent "to cut off all dealings with Spain."

WALZ RIPS TRUMP AND VANCE IN EUROPE, SAYS 'FEEBLE-MINDED, TRIGGER-HAPPY PRESIDENT' HAS NO EXIT PLAN FOR IRAN

Critics charge that Sanchez, already well known for his fervently anti-Israel views, has increased his public pronouncements to take pressure off him due to a series of corruption scandals involving family members, something he and his supporters have denied.

Javier Negre, a conservative Spanish journalist and owner of La Derecha Diario and UHN Plus told Fox News Digital. "The stance of President Pedro Sánchez against President Donald Trump is neither improvised nor based on convictions. It is purely electoral marketing. He has realized that by confronting the most powerful president in the world and getting Trump to speak about him, he achieves two things: first, he positions himself in the media as the leading figure of the global left and globalism against the new right."

Negre said Sánchez’s position also "diverts attention from the corruption scandals that have led to investigations involving his wife and his brother and to the imprisonment of people close to him

A Madrid judge formally charged Sanchez’s wife, Begona Gomez, with corruption Monday, creating a political storm for the PM, who’s already embattled in another corruption case involving his brother.

TRUMP SAYS HE MIGHT HAVE 'FORCED ISRAEL'S HAND' IN IRAN STRIKE DECISION AS CRITICS QUESTION WAR POWERS

Gómez’s 39-page indictment follows a two-year investigation charging her with embezzlement, influence peddling in her position at Madrid’s Complutense University, corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds to advance her personal interests. She has denied all charges while her husband says the allegations are an attempt by right-wing parties to undermine his coalition.

The charges came as the couple was on a state visit to China last week, during which Sanchez said, "I find it very difficult to find other interlocutors, beyond China, who can resolve this situation in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz," the Associated Press reported.

The complaint against Gomez was brought forward by anti-corruption group Manos Limpias.

The prime minister's family scandals also encompass his brother, David Sanchez, who was implicated in a separate influence-peddling scandal for accepting a bespoke job with a regional government in 2017, right after the Spanish leader became the secretary-general of Spain’s Socialist Workers Party (PSOE).

From 2018 to 2024, Sanchez's government reportedly authorized exports of over €6 million ($7.2 million) in dual technology equipment to Iran. While not a significant sum, the move, critics say, would contravene U.N.-approved sanctions and embargoes against Iran. Leading opposition Spanish politician Santiago Abascal denounced Sanchez in Spain’s Congress, accusing him of selling detonators and explosives to Iran.

Following the accusations, Shurat Hadin Israel Law Center filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court in the Hague against the Spanish PM on Friday, claiming Spain assisted the Ayatollah’s regime by transferring tech related to explosives at the tune of around $1.5 million in 2024 and 2025 despite international sanctions against the regime for the support of terrorism.

NATO HEAVYWEIGHTS BALK AT HORMUZ MISSION AS TRUMP WARNS ALLIANCE AT RISK

In March, Iran’s regime reportedly plastered a thank-you note with a picture of Spain’s Sanchez to a missile fired against Israel, according to footage from Iran-controlled Press TV obtained by the Middle East Media and Research Institute (MEMRI.)

The Spanish leader has also faced criticism for his anti-Israel views and its war in Gaza after the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas carried out the worst attack in the history of the Jewish state, killing 1,195 people and kidnapping 251 nationals and foreigners in 2023.

Sanchez has repeatedly called Israel a genocidal state, downgraded Spain’s diplomatic relations with Jerusalem, imposed a total arms embargo and sanctions on the Jewish state, recognized a Palestinian state, despite wide opposition, and along with Belgium, has received praise from Hamas due to his "clear and bold stance regarding the Gaza war" since the onset of the conflict.

While still popular among the left, the Spanish politician has seen a steady decline in his popularity over the past few months, with 61% of Spaniards holding an unfavorable view of their prime minister, according to a YouGov poll from March — his lowest approval ratings since assuming office in 2018.

Fox News Digital reached out to La Moncloa (the Spanish Prime Minister’s office) and to Spain’s foreign minister with a request for an interview or official comment regarding Sanchez’s diplomatic positions relating to the wars in the Middle East, the alleged sales of technology to Iran, the use by American forces of bases built under NATO in Spanish territory, and relations with the White House.

Spanish authorities told Fox News Digital, "the prime minister was not giving new interviews due to conflicts in his schedule" and that information regarding the prime minister’s positions "could be found in his many public declarations over the past few days."

A Russian gunman was killed by special forces Saturday in Ukraine after opening fire at a supermarket in Kyiv, killing six people and wounding 14 others — including a 12‑year‑old boy.

The 58-year-old shooter long resided in the Donetsk region and was born in Moscow, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.

He took at least four hostages, killed one of them, and fatally shot four others on the street, Zelenskyy said. Another woman died at a hospital from her injuries.

Graphic video captured by witnesses showed the gunman shooting at a victim within close range on the street. Other bodies were seen lying on the pavement and in courtyards.

MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER GUNMEN STORM CHICK-FIL-A LEAVING 1 DEAD

Ukranian special forces stormed the convenience store after 40 minutes of failed negotiations, according to Klymenko.

At least fourteen people were wounded in the attack, though officials cautioned the number may rise as people continue to seek medical assistance.

Among the injured is a 12‑year‑old boy and a supermarket security guard, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

NINE DEAD, 13 WOUNDED IN SECOND TURKISH MASS SHOOTING IN TWO DAYS

Zelenskyy said the shooter also set fire to an apartment prior to the attack, though it is unclear if any injuries resulted from the arson.

"My condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims," Zelenskyy wrote in an X post. "...We wish all the wounded a swift recovery."

The gunman had previously been prosecuted for criminal offenses, but held a valid weapons permit, according to authorities. Investigators from the National Police and the Security Service of Ukraine are investigating.

GUNMAN OPENS FIRE AT HIGH SCHOOL IN TURKEY, WOUNDING AT LEAST 16

Ukraine’s security service labeled the attack an act of terrorism.

"All available information about him and the motives behind his actions is being thoroughly investigated," Zelenskyy said. "Every detail must be verified."

One of the shooter's neighbors, Hanna Kulyk, 75, described him as an "educated, refined man," who lived alone and did not socialize often.

"You’d never guess he was some kind of criminal," Kulyk told The Associated Press.

Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that remarks he made this week in which he said the "world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants" were not directed at President Donald Trump, a report said. 

The pope, speaking onboard a flight to Angola during his 10-day Africa tour, said reporting about his comments "has not been ‌accurate in all its aspects" and his speech "was ⁠prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting," according to Reuters.

The news outlet cited the pope as saying his comments were not aimed at Trump.

"As it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate the president, which is not in ​my interest at all," the pope reportedly said.

'60 MINUTES' ACCUSED OF USING LEFT-LEANING CARDINALS TO BAIT TRUMP INTO FEUD WITH VATICAN

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment. 

Trump last Sunday accused Pope Leo XIV of being "terrible" on foreign policy as the pontiff has criticized the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

"He talks about 'fear' of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. 

"I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon," he continued. 

POPE LEO SLAMS THOSE WHO 'MANIPULATE RELIGION' FOR MILITARY OR POLITICAL GAIN, TRUMP RESPONDS

During a speech in Cameroon on Thursday, the pope said, "We must make a decisive change of course — a true conversion — that will lead us in the opposite direction, onto a sustainable path rich in human fraternity." 

"The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters!" he added.

"Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth," the pope also said. 

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

President Donald Trump publicly thanked what he called Pakistan’s "great prime minister and field marshal, two fantastic people!!!" in a Truth Social post Friday praising Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s military chief, Asim Munir.

Sharif quickly responded on X, "On behalf of the people of Pakistan, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and on my behalf, I express my deep and profound appreciation for your kind and gracious words."

The public exchange capped a remarkable rise for Munir, who has become one of the few foreign officials trusted both by Trump and by Iran’s security establishment.

TRUMP AGREES TO 2-WEEK CEASEFIRE IF IRAN OPENS STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Munir recently became the first foreign military leader to visit Iran since the latest escalation between the United States and Iran, according to Pakistani and Iranian reports. Arriving in full military uniform, he was warmly greeted by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and held meetings with senior Iranian military officials.

Retired Pakistani Gen. Ahmed Saeed told Fox News Digital that Munir has for months served as an informal back channel between Washington and Tehran, Iran, as the Trump administration tries to negotiate an end to the conflict, Iran’s nuclear program and the naval blockade in the Persian Gulf.

Few foreign figures appear to have closer ties both to Trump and to Iran’s military hierarchy.

That has raised a striking question: How did the same man become close both to Trump and to some of Iran’s most powerful commanders?

Saeed, who said he has known Munir personally for years, told Fox News Digital that Munir began building ties with Iran while serving as Pakistan’s director general of military intelligence in 2016 and 2017.

"He has been interacting with the leadership. He has been interacting with the intelligence community. He has been interacting with the IRGC," or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Saeed said.

According to Saeed, Munir built ties not only with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps but also with Iran’s regular army and intelligence apparatus. Saeed said Munir had longstanding contact with former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. strike in 2020, commander Hossein Salami, who was killed in an Israeli strike in June 2025, and other Iranian military figures.

JD VANCE SAYS THE BALL IS 'IN IRAN’S COURT' AFTER PAKISTAN PEACE TALKS STALL

"He continues to be a figure internationally who has personal interactions, a personal equation in the intelligence community in Iran, in the military hierarchy in Iran, in the diplomatic corps of Iran and also on the side of the political leadership," Saeed said.

That longstanding relationship appears to explain why Iran welcomed him so warmly, even as he remains in direct contact with Trump and his team.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies' Bill Roggio told Fox News Digital that, "Trump should not trust the Pakistanis. Pakistan was a perfidious ‘ally’ in Afghanistan, backing the Taliban while pretending to be our friends. Munir’s ties to the IRGC should be a massive red flag for the Trump admin."

Munir’s relationship with Trump dates back to the India–Pakistan crisis of May 2025. Munir played a key role in helping de-escalate the confrontation, and afterward Pakistan formally nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, a move widely viewed by Pakistani analysts as encouraged by Munir.

Since then, Trump repeatedly has praised him. Trump has called Munir an "exceptional man," a "great fighter" and "my favorite field marshal." 

Pakistani officials and media reports say the two men now speak directly.

Pakistani analyst Raza Rumi told Fox News Digital that Munir’s appeal to Trump is not surprising.

"Trump has long shown a preference for strong, decisive leaders," Rumi said. "Munir fits that mold as a centralized authority figure who can deliver outcomes."

WHY TRUMP, IRAN SEEM LIGHT-YEARS APART ON ANY POSSIBLE DEAL TO END THE WAR

Rumi described Munir as "a disciplined, institution-first leader with a strong emphasis on order, hierarchy and strategic clarity."

"Unlike more publicly charismatic military figures, his style is relatively understated, shaped by intelligence work and operational experience rather than overt political signaling," Rumi said.

Munir’s background helps explain both his style and his influence.

Munir studied at the Fuji School in Japan, the Command and Staff College in Quetta, the Malaysian Armed Forces College in Kuala Lumpur, and Pakistan’s National Defence University, where he earned an master of philosophy degree n public policy and strategic security management, according to Pakistan’s Geo News. Munir was the first army chief in Pakistan to receive the Sword of Honour, the military’s highest distinction for a cadet. The outlet also described him as an avid reader, traveler and sportsman.

Munir is also a Hafiz-e-Quran, meaning he has memorized the entire Quran by heart.

A former head of both Pakistan’s Military Intelligence and Inter-Services Intelligence agencies, Munir spent years overseeing Pakistan’s most sensitive regional relationships, including with Iran, Afghanistan and India.

TRUMP AGREES TO 2-WEEK CEASEFIRE IF IRAN OPENS STRAIT OF HORMUZ

In 2025, after the India-Pakistan crisis, he was elevated to field marshal, the first Pakistani officer to hold the rank since former military ruler Ayub Khan.

Pakistani officials say that later that year, he also was given the newly created title of chief of defense forces, further cementing his authority above the country’s military branches.

Munir rarely gives interviews, but his speeches offer clues to his worldview.

WHO ACTUALLY RUNS IRAN RIGHT NOW? THE KEY POWER PLAYERS AS TRUMP CLAIMS TALKS TO 'TOP' OFFICIAL

At the Margalla Dialogue in Islamabad in November 2024, he warned that "absence of proper regulations for freedom of expression is leading to the deterioration of moral values in societies worldwide."

The remark reflected a broader emphasis on order, discipline and centralized authority.

Rumi said Munir operates from "a transactional, state-centric worldview rather than an ideological one."

Yet critics argue that his rise has come at a cost to Pakistan’s democracy.

After becoming army chief in 2022, Munir focused heavily on domestic politics, including what critics described as a crackdown on political opposition and an unprecedented concentration of military power, according to The Guardian, which reported that key negotiations with the United States and Iran have been coordinated not from Islamabad, Pakistan’s civilian capital, but from Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the military.

Critics say that reflects a broader reality: Pakistan’s foreign policy is increasingly being run by the army rather than the elected government.

Rumi said Munir’s rise reflects "the military increasingly eclipsing civilian leadership in Pakistan."

As the current negotiations continue, much appears to rest on Munir. Saeed said that is because Munir has spent years building trust on both sides and is unlikely to stop now.

"Knowing our field marshal, and from my own personal knowledge of him, he is relentless. He would not give up," Saeed said.

An international fugitive was arrested in Dubai this week following a years-long manhunt.

Daniel Kinahan, the alleged leader of one of Ireland’s biggest criminal gangs, the Kinahan cartel, was arrested on organized crime charges on Wednesday in a covert operation involving Irish and United Arab Emirates authorities.

The 48-year-old alleged crime boss is expected to face charges in Ireland related to a gangland feud between the Kinahan cartel and the Hutch gang that has left 18 people dead since 2015.

Dubai police didn’t name Kinahan, saying they had "arrested an Irish fugitive for his alleged role in an organised criminal ​group involved in international crimes in his ​home country."

MAN CLAIMING TO BE CARTEL MEMBER ALLEGEDLY THREATENS TO PUT 'GREEN LIGHT' ON COPS AND THEIR FAMILIES

He was identified by Irish media outlets on Friday.

Ireland’s national police force, the Garda Síochána said an Irish man in his 40s was arrested under a warrant from the Irish courts.

"An Garda Síochána has been steadfast in our determination that we would pursue those allegedly involved in serious Organized Criminal activity, wherever they go," the police said in a statement, according to The Irish Star. "Today’s arrest is another extremely important demonstration of the need for international law enforcement co-operation in tackling transnational organized crime."

FBI'S ICONIC MOST WANTED LIST ENTERS NEW ERA WITH UNPRECEDENTED ADDITION

Kinahan fled Ireland for Spain, then the UAE after he was the believed target in an assassination attempt that left an associate of the Kinahan cartel, David Byrne, dead at a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin.

The U.S. Treasury Department offered a reward of $5 million in 2022 for information leading to the arrest of the Kinahan cartel’s leaders or the organization’s "financial destruction."

The cartel is considered a juggernaut in the European drug trade, and, along with other European crime organizations, has created a "super cartel" that controls around a third of Europe’s cocaine trade.

Kinahan is also affiliated with the boxing world, and was the founder of boxing management company MTK Global.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

A wolf who escaped a South Korean zoo nine days ago, captivating international attention, has been found and safely returned.

Neukgu burrowed his way out of the O-World zoo and theme park in Daejeon, south of Seoul, April 8.

The search for Neukgu kept the country on edge, and many worried about the 2-year-old wolf eight years after a puma named Bbo-rong was shot and killed hours after it escaped from the same zoo.

Neukgu was seen several times before he was captured, including on surveillance video.

CHIMPANZEE ESCAPES FROM INDIANAPOLIS ZOO ENCLOSURE, TRIGGERING EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN

He was also seen near a highway nearly 3 miles from the zoo, a zoo official said.

The animal was captured just after midnight Friday after he was shot by a veterinarian using a tranquilizer gun.

His vital signs were normal after a health check, but a fishhook was removed from his stomach, zoo officials said.

CALIFORNIA 4-YEAR-OLD BOY SURVIVES ATTACK BY COYOTE THAT BIT AND TRIED TO DRAG HIM AWAY

Neukgu, born in captivity in 2024, is part of a breeding program to bring up the numbers of the Korean wolf, which is considered extinct in the wild.

He is of the third generation of wolves brought to South Korea from Russia to reintroduce an animal similar to the Korean wolf, which went extinct in the 1960s.

Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo expressed his gratitude to those involved in the search for bringing Neukgu back safely and pledged on Facebook to "prepare measures for animal ​welfare and civil safety in the process of reorganising (the zoo)."

DOG CRASHES WOMEN'S OLYMPIC TEAM SPRINT RACE, CROSSES FINISH LINE IN CHAOTIC MOMENT

The extensive search included drones with thermal image cameras.

Neukgu escaped an earlier attempt at capture when he evaded a perimeter set for him on a mountain near the zoo.

South Koreans were enthralled by Neukgu’s escape, with some calling him an "honorary ambassador for the zoo." He even sparked an eponymous cryptocurrency meme.

Fans of the wolf lit up social media after his rescue, writing, "welcome back" and "Neukgu, it’s dangerous outside the house."

After Neukgu’s escape last week, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung wrote on X, "Currently, the police, fire services, and military are mobilizing their full resources to ensure a safe capture and return. I sincerely hope that no casualties occur, and I pray that Neukgu, too, returns safely and unharmed."

O-World remains closed after Neukgu’s return, and it faces scrutiny after as series of animal escapes. A nearby elementary school also briefly closed after the wolf's escape for safety reasons.

Lee Kwan Jong, director of O-World, said Neukgu will be kept separate from the other animals until he has recovered.

Zoo officials said they aren’t sure when O-World will reopen as they review security measures, and the director added that Neukgu’s health will take precedence.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A British bride has battled depression and has been unable to work in the nearly two years since she was drenched in black paint by her spiteful sister-in-law. The attack occurred moments before she was slated to walk down the aisle to wed her childhood sweetheart — the climax of a revenge attack amid an ongoing feud.

Gemma Monk, 35, a mother of two, was looking forward to marrying her now-husband, Ken Monk, in May 2024. She was walking with her father on a cream-colored carpet at the venue in Maidstone, England, when someone called out her name. Seconds later, she was splashed with black paint, she told Kent Online in an article published Friday.

Realizing the attacker was her sister-in-law, Antonia Eastwood, who is married to Gemma’s older brother, Ashley, Gemma grabbed her by the hair, but Eastwood managed to get away. The bride was left distraught and in tears.

JEALOUS EX-BOYFRIEND ACCUSED OF ‘VICIOUS’ ACID ATTACK THAT LEFT COLLEGE STUDENT SEVERELY BURNED: DA

"This has had a dramatic impact on my life," Monk told Kent Online on Wednesday, after Eastwood was sentenced by a British court for two offenses of criminal damage. "Even while I was providing this statement at the police station, I got extremely emotional and started crying while talking about the incident.

"Since the incident, if it wasn’t for my children or my family, I don’t think I would even get out of bed to care for myself," she added. "I have lost all my dignity and good habits in life. I have lost who I used to be. This has turned the most special day of my life into the worst memory — one I will never forget, and neither will my family."

The attack occurred after Monk had lost significant weight during a cancer scare. Though she has since been given a clean bill of health, Monk said her sister-in-law knew about the medical struggle at the time but "still decided to ruin the most important day of my life and put me at risk."

Eastwood, 49, had been banned from the wedding following a feud that stemmed from her own nuptials, during which Monk was accused of "trying to trip up" Eastwood.

MICHIGAN WOMAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STARVING, TORTURING DISABLED SISTER-IN-LAW SHE LOCKED IN BASEMENT

In court, Eastwood was handed a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. She was also ordered to perform 160 hours of community service. 

"This was meant to be a special day for Gemma Monk and her family. Courtesy of your conduct, it turned into a nightmare," Judge Oliver Saxby told Eastwood before imposing the sentence.

Eastwood's husband, Ashley, was once Ken Monk's best friend and actually introduced him to Gemma when she was only 14.

Despite the attack, Gemma scrubbed the paint from her face and body in the changing room and borrowed a dress fetched by an usher so she could marry her partner of more than 20 years. 

"We had waited for that day for so long. Nothing was going to stop me," she said. "I did not think twice; I would have walked down the aisle in my knickers and with black paint over my face if I had to."

However, Monk, a mental health worker, has since suffered from depression and has been unable to work. In a statement to the court, she said the incident changed her outlook on life and "made me question whether I had done something really bad, whether I had done something wrong."

The couple also called off a planned honeymoon to the Maldives because Gemma "wasn't up to it."

"I had a gut feeling—a bad feeling that something was wrong—when I got out of the car with my dad," Monk said. "But he said it must be nerves."

"I will never accept her apology," she added. "I thought the sentence was too light. She should have received at least 23 months for the wait we have had to get this to court."

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s most decorated living veteran, Ben Roberts-Smith, walked free on bail from a Sydney prison on Friday, 10 days after he was charged with war crimes in the killings of five people while serving in Afghanistan.

Judge Greg Grogin granted Roberts-Smith bail in a Sydney court around five hours earlier, ruling the former Special Air Service Regiment corporal had established exceptional circumstances to justify his release from custody. Prosecutors had opposed bail and argued there was a risk that Roberts-Smith would flee Australia or interfere with witnesses and evidence.

Roberts-Smith, 47, was arrested on April 7 and charged with five counts of war crime murder involving the deaths of five Afghans in Uruzgan province in 2009 and 2012.

AUSTRALIA’S MOST DECORATED LIVING SOLDIER CHARGED AMID FIERCE DEBATE OVER WAR CRIMES ALLEGATIONS

Australian law defines war crime murder as the intentional killing in a context of armed conflict of a person who is not taking an active part in the hostilities, such as a civilian, prisoner of war or a wounded soldier.

Roberts-Smith was driven away from Sydney’s Silverwater Correctional Complex late Friday apparently wearing the same clothes he wore when police escorted him from a commercial airliner at Sydney Airport last week, news media images showed.

Roberts-Smith was awarded both the Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan and is only the second Australian veteran of the Afghanistan campaign to be charged with a war crime.

The charges follow a military report released in 2020 that found evidence elite SAS and commando regiment troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and other noncombatants. Around 40,000 Australian military personnel served in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021, of whom 41 were killed.

Similar allegations against Roberts-Smith were found credible in a civil court case in 2023 when a judge rejected his claims that newspaper articles defamed him.

AUSTRALIA'S MOST DECORATED WAR VETERAN APPEALS COURT RULING THAT BLAMED HIM FOR UNLAWFUL KILLING OF AFGHANS

At that trial, Roberts-Smith testified he had never killed an unarmed Afghan and denied ever committing a war crime. He claimed he has the victim of spiteful fellow soldiers’ lies and of others’ envy of his medals.

But while the civil court found the war crimes allegations were mostly proven on a balance of probabilities, the war crime murder charges would have to be proved in a criminal court to a higher standard of beyond reasonable doubt.

Roberts-Smith is accused of personally shooting dead two victims. He allegedly ordered subordinates to shoot the other three victims.

In opposing bail, prosecutor Simon Buchen described the charges against Roberts-Smith as "among the most serious known to the criminal law."

Buchen said Roberts-Smith had been "on the cusp of relocating overseas" without telling authorities when he became aware that prosectors were considering charges.

Roberts-Smith had made "advanced plans to relocate overseas. Consideration was being given to moving to various destinations overseas," Buchen told the court.

Roberts-Smith faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison on each conviction. He has yet to enter pleas.

JUDGE RULES AUSTRALIA'S MOST DECORATED WAR VETERAN UNLAWFULLY KILLED POWS, COMMITTED WAR CRIMES IN AFGHANISTAN

Defense lawyer Slade Howell told the bail hearing Roberts-Smith’s case "may properly be described as exceptional in the sense that it is out of the ordinary."

"The use of domestic courts to prosecute alleged war crimes committed by a highly decorated Australian soldier deployed overseas repeatedly by the Australian government to fight a war on its behalf is unprecedented and is uncharted legal territory of the common law of this country," Howell said.

Howell also said Roberts-Smith’s "proceedings will be beset by a multitude of delays, many of which are peculiar to these proceeding."

Potential delays could arise if prosecutors decide to charge one or more of Roberts-Smith’s fellow veterans, some of whom now live overseas, Howell said.

Roberts-Smith took part in the bail hearing by video link from prison and spoke only when asked by the judge to confirm that he could see and hear proceedings.

As British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron convene a summit Friday on the future of the Strait of Hormuz, the two leaders are pushing a European-led plan to reopen the vital shipping lane after the war, without U.S. leadership.

The proposal envisions a post-conflict naval mission made up of Britain, France and other "non-belligerent" countries that would deploy only after fighting ends. Unlike President Donald Trump’s current strategy of blockading Iranian ports with U.S. naval power, the Anglo-French initiative is intended to be separate from the warring parties and focused on restoring commercial shipping.

A senior European official insisted the initiative is not meant to go around Washington, telling Fox News Digital that Paris began discussing a future maritime mission "from day one" of the conflict and is now formalizing those plans jointly with London.

NATO CHIEF SIGNALS ALLIES MAY ACT ON HORMUZ, WARNS OF ‘UNHEALTHY CODEPENDENCE’ ON US

Macron and Starmer are expected to host a summit to advance what both governments describe as a "coordinated, independent, multinational plan" to reopen the Strait of Hormuz once the fighting ends.

"France and the United Kingdom will also host a conference in Paris this Friday, bringing together by video conference non-belligerent countries ready to contribute, alongside us, to a multilateral and purely defensive mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait when security conditions allow," Macron wrote on X.

Starmer similarly described the effort as a "coordinated, independent, multinational plan to safeguard international shipping when the conflict ends," saying Britain had already convened more than 40 nations around the initiative, Reuters reported. Washington was not part of those earlier talks.

The European senior official said the proposed force would be "strictly defensive" and would only deploy after active fighting and bombardment have ended, with the goal of restoring normal shipping rather than enforcing a wartime corridor.

"What we want in the end is no blockade, no toll, no nothing that blocks the fluidity of what is going through the Strait of Hormuz," the official told Fox News Digital, while stressing that Iran remains "the first problem."

The official also rejected suggestions that Paris and London are trying to sideline the Trump administration, saying the U.S. has been kept informed and that there is extensive coordination with Washington even if the emerging mission is currently limited to "non-belligerent" countries.

WATCH: EX-NATO CHIEF DRAWS RED LINE AS TRUMP FUMES ALLIANCE ABANDONED US DURING IRAN WAR

"We’re coordinating a lot with them," the official said, adding that the goal is to create a framework that can operate once the conflict is over.

Macron has repeatedly emphasized that France’s envisioned mission would be "strictly defensive" and ruled out escorting ships while "bombings" are ongoing. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said "several dozen countries" already had participated in preparatory discussions led by military chiefs of staff, and that any future mission would also require coordination with Gulf coastal states, according to Reuters.

The Anglo-French initiative comes as Trump has taken a far more aggressive approach, ordering the U.S. Navy to blockade Iranian ports and continue operations aimed at securing the strategic waterway after ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran collapsed in Pakistan.

Critics argue that without American military power, the European proposal risks being largely symbolic.

PAKISTANI GENERAL SAYS IRAN DIPLOMACY STILL 'ALIVE, DESPITE US BLOCKADE, FAILED TALKS

Britain and France are overstating what they can realistically achieve, The Henry Jackson Society analyst Barak Seener said. 

"Britain and France are playing at being relevant as so-called ‘Middle Powers’ in international affairs," Seener told Fox News Digital.

"Keir Starmer’s assertion ‘We’re not getting dragged into the war’ disguises the embarrassing fact that the Royal Navy is facing a hollowed out crisis, causing the initiative to be ‘strictly defensive’," he said.

"France’s navy is also facing structural and budgetary pressures that strain its ability to conduct high-tempo operations."

"It is laughable that a European coalition of ‘non-belligerent’ countries that are only willing to engage once hostilities have ended can even speak of protecting its shipping lanes," Seener added.

"Ultimately, the U.S.’s deployment of hard power, consisting of carrier strike groups and fighter aircraft to blockade Iranian ports and clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz, can protect shipping lanes."

The U.K. government and the White House did not reply to Fox News Digital’s request for comment before publication.

The Chinese government is increasing pressure on underground Catholic communities to join the state-controlled church while tightening surveillance and restrictions on an estimated 12 million Catholics, according to a Human Rights Watch report.

The group said in its report that the increased pressure is part of a decade-old campaign to ensure religious groups align with Communist Party ideology.

The Associated Press reported that the Chinese government has rejected the claim, saying Human Rights Watch is "consistently biased against China."

China’s Catholics have long been split between a state-run church and an underground church loyal to the Vatican. In 2018, Pope Francis reached a deal allowing the Chinese government a role in appointing bishops to ease tensions.

WATCHDOG HIGHLIGHTS NATIONS WHERE CHRISTIANS FACE PERSECUTION AROUND THE GLOBE

"A decade into Xi Jinping’s Sinicization campaign and nearly eight years since the 2018 Holy See-China agreement, Catholics in China face escalating repression that violates their religious freedoms," Human Rights Watch researcher Yalkun Uluyol said in the report. 

"Pope Leo XIV should urgently review the agreement and press Beijing to end the persecution and intimidation of underground churches, clergy, and worshipers."

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s office told The Associated Press that Human Rights Watch "fabricates all manner of lies and rumors and lacks any credibility whatsoever."

The office added that the government "oversees religious affairs in accordance with the law and protects citizens’ freedom of religious belief and normal religious activities."

BISHOP ROBERT BARRON: THE WAR ON CHRISTIANS IS REAL, AND THE WORLD CAN NO LONGER STAY SILENT

Human Rights Watch said its researchers are not allowed into China and that the report is based on interviews with people outside the country who had firsthand knowledge of Catholic life in China, along with experts on Catholicism and religious freedom.

The 2018 agreement stipulates that Beijing proposes candidates for bishop, which the pope can veto, though the full text has never been made public.

In June 2025, Pope Leo XIV, who had just become the pope, appointed a Chinese bishop under the 2018 agreement and said he would continue to honor the deal "in the short term."

POPE LEO XIV TO VISIT FASTEST-GROWING CATHOLIC CONTINENT DURING 4-NATION AFRICA TRIP

"I’m also in ongoing dialogue with a number of people, Chinese, on both sides of some of the issues that are there," Leo said. "It’s a very difficult situation. In the long term, I don’t pretend to say this is what I will and will not do, but after two months, I’ve already begun having discussions at several levels on that topic."

Since 2018, Human Rights Watch says Chinese authorities have pressured underground Catholics to join the state-run church through detentions, disappearances and house arrests, citing accounts from unnamed individuals who have left China.

The report also said China has tightened ideological control, surveillance and restrictions on religious activity and foreign ties, including requiring state approval for clergy travel, while officially recognizing and closely overseeing five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Islam.

POPE LEO PICKS NEW VATICAN AMBASSADOR TO US AS TRUMP TENSIONS MOUNT OVER POLICIES

Xi Jinping said in 2016 he would "Sinicize" the country’s religions, a policy aimed at aligning religious practices with Communist Party ideology.

Human Rights Watch said authorities have taken sweeping steps to curb religious practice, including tearing down churches and crosses, blocking gatherings at unregistered churches and seizing religious materials not approved by the state.

The group said the broader "Sinicization" campaign has also led to intensified crackdowns on Tibetan Buddhists and Muslims.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Testimony at a major South African corruption inquiry was briefly overshadowed Tuesday by an unscripted moment — a suspended police chief with a tissue stuck to his brow.

Julius Mkhwanazi, the former deputy chief of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department, was testifying before the Madlanga Commission when the awkward moment unfolded.

Mkhwanazi, who was suspended in November 2025 amid misconduct allegations, had been wiping sweat from his face after answering questions from the commission.

Part of the tissue, however, remained stuck to his head.

PRO GOLFER HOSPITALIZED AFTER FALLING DOWN ELEVATOR SHAFT IN FREAK ACCIDENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

The slip didn’t go unnoticed for long. Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga halted proceedings as the room took in the scene.

"Oh, you have a tissue stuck on your forehead," Madlanga tells the ex-police chief.

"I’m sweaty," Mkhwanazi says. "Thank you, thank you."

SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT THANKS PUTIN AFTER 17 MEN 'LURED' TO RUSSIAN FRONT LINES BEGIN RETURNING HOME

The Madlanga Commission is a public inquiry probing allegations of corruption and political interference in South Africa’s justice system. The current inquiry has been hearing testimony from current and former law enforcement officials.

Mkhwanazi has been under scrutiny since an internal audit recommended his suspension as part of a broader probe into alleged misconduct.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, in what he described as a major step toward ending weeks of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Trump said he had spoken separately with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that both sides had agreed to begin formal talks aimed at reaching a broader peace agreement.

"I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel," Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday. 

Trump said he has directed Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan "Razin'" Caine to work with both sides to achieve what he called a "lasting peace."

IDF UNCOVERS HEZBOLLAH WEAPONS STASH INSIDE HOSPITAL IN LEBANON

The president later said he plans to invite Netanyahu and Aoun to the White House for what he described as the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983.

"Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly!" Trump wrote.

The announcement came after days of intense U.S. diplomacy and appeared to resolve an earlier dispute over whether Aoun would speak directly with Netanyahu.

"We are trying to create a little breathing room," Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday, adding that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon had not spoken in some 34 years and saying, "It will happen tomorrow."

Earlier Thursday, Lebanese officials had insisted that Aoun would not speak directly with Netanyahu before a ceasefire was reached.

Three Lebanese officials told Reuters that Aoun had no plans to speak with Netanyahu in the near future, and two of the officials said Lebanon's embassy in Washington conveyed that position to the Trump administration before Aoun held a phone call with Rubio.

A senior Lebanese official later told Fox News Digital that there was intense domestic pressure inside Lebanon against further contacts with Israel while the fighting continued.

According to the official, many in Lebanon believed the government had already entered negotiations without receiving anything in return, making a ceasefire a prerequisite for any direct contact.

But shortly afterward, Lebanon's presidency announced that Aoun had spoken directly with Trump.

According to the Lebanese presidency's official X account, Aoun thanked Trump for his efforts to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon and achieve what it described as a lasting peace and stability that could pave the way for a broader regional peace process.

Aoun, who served as commander of Lebanon's U.S.-backed armed forces before becoming president in 2025, said an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon would be a necessary first step before Lebanese troops could fully deploy to the border region.

The diplomatic dispute comes as the White House presses for a broader deal to end the regional war that erupted after Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group entered the conflict March 2 in support of Iran. 

Hezbollah's intervention opened a new front in Lebanon just 15 months after the last major Israel-Hezbollah war.

Pakistan, which helped mediate the April 8 ceasefire between Israel and Iran, said ending the fighting in Lebanon is essential to preserving that agreement.

ISRAEL WARNS HEZBOLLAH ‘PLAYING WITH FIRE,’ PRESSES LEBANON TO ACT ON WEAPONS PLEDGE

"Peace in Lebanon is essential for peace talks," Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said.

The Israeli security cabinet met late Wednesday to discuss a possible ceasefire in Lebanon, according to Israeli media.

Israeli officials have signaled openness to negotiations, but they are also insisting on continuing military operations until Hezbollah is pushed away from the border.

Israeli cabinet minister Gila Gamliel told Israeli media that Netanyahu had been expected to speak with Aoun "for the first time after so many years of no contact between the two countries."

Israel and Lebanon remain formally at war and have had no direct leader-to-leader contact in decades.

The latest U.S. diplomatic push follows a rare meeting Tuesday in Washington between Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter.

Those talks, held at the State Department under U.S. mediation, marked the first face-to-face discussions between senior Israeli and Lebanese officials in more than three decades.

Still, the prospect of a direct call between Netanyahu and Aoun has run into strong opposition inside Lebanon.

Hezbollah, which has opposed any contact with Israel, remains publicly against negotiations.

At the same time, Lebanon's government has increasingly distanced itself from Hezbollah since the terror group entered the war.

The Lebanese government formally banned Hezbollah's military activities March 2 and has spent the past year trying to disarm the Iranian-backed group without triggering a broader civil conflict.

Meanwhile, fighting intensified Thursday in southern Lebanon.

IRAN THREATENS TO END CEASEFIRE OVER HEZBOLLAH'S EXCLUSION FROM TRUCE DEAL

Battles continued around the border town of Bint Jbeil, Lebanon, a longtime stronghold of Hezbollah — an Iran-backed terror group — that Israeli officials see as a key objective in the current offensive.

Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israeli forces were close to "overcoming" Hezbollah in Bint Jbeil. 

The Israeli military's immediate objective is to push Hezbollah farther from the border and prevent anti-tank missiles and other direct-fire weapons from threatening northern Israeli communities, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said in an interview with Fox News Digital. 

He said Israeli troops are now holding what the military calls "defense lines" several kilometers inside Lebanon, positions designed to keep Hezbollah gunmen and anti-tank squads from once again overlooking Israeli towns.

"We're going to make sure we keep diminishing them," Shoshani said.

Lebanese security officials also said an Israeli airstrike destroyed the last remaining bridge over the Litani River leading into southern Lebanon.

The strike effectively cut off nearly a tenth of the country from the rest of Lebanon after earlier Israeli attacks destroyed other crossings.

HEZBOLLAH, IRAN UNLEASH COORDINATED CLUSTER BOMB STRIKES ON ISRAEL IN MAJOR ESCALATION

Israel has vowed to turn the area south of the Litani River into a "no-go zone" for Hezbollah.

Israeli military chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Wednesday that Hezbollah operatives would no longer be allowed to operate south of the river.

The Litani River, which runs roughly 20 miles north of Israel's border, has long been viewed by Israel as the line beyond which Hezbollah forces should not be allowed to operate.

Hezbollah responded Thursday with fresh rocket fire into northern Israel.

Warning sirens sounded in several Israeli communities, sending residents into bomb shelters. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

More than 2,100 people have been killed in Lebanon since March 2 and more than 1.2 million have been displaced, according to Lebanese authorities. 

Israeli officials say Hezbollah attacks have killed two Israeli civilians and 13 Israeli soldiers during the same period.

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department, Lebanon's embassy in Washington and the Israeli government for comment, but did not receive responses in time for publication.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will not speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for now, a Lebanese official told Fox News Digital, dealing a setback to U.S. efforts to broker direct contact between the two countries as fighting continues across southern Lebanon.

The development came after President Donald Trump said late Wednesday that the two leaders could speak for the first time in decades.

"We are trying to create a little breathing room," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon had not spoken in some 34 years and saying, "It will happen tomorrow."

But Lebanese officials quickly pushed back. A senior Lebanese official told Fox News Digital Thursday that no call between Aoun and Netanyahu is likely before a ceasefire is reached.

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The official said there is mounting domestic pressure on Lebanon's government not to deepen contacts with Israel while fighting continues, especially because many in Lebanon believe the government has already begun negotiations without receiving anything in return.

The lack of a ceasefire or any tangible concession has made public opinion increasingly important, he explained.

Three Lebanese officials told Reuters that Aoun has no plans to speak with Netanyahu in the near future. Two of the officials said Lebanon's embassy in Washington conveyed that position to the Trump administration before Aoun held a phone call Thursday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

In a brief statement after the call, Lebanon's presidency said Aoun thanked Rubio for U.S. efforts to secure a ceasefire.

Shortly afterward, Lebanon's presidency said Aoun also spoke by phone with Trump.

According to the Lebanese presidency official X account, Aoun thanked Trump for his efforts to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon and achieve what it described as a lasting peace and stability that could pave the way for a broader regional peace process.

The presidency said Aoun urged Trump to continue those efforts in order to stop the fighting as quickly as possible.

Trump, according to the Lebanese readout, voiced support for Aoun and Lebanon and said he remained committed to securing a ceasefire as soon as possible.

Less than an hour later, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had separately spoken with both Aoun and Netanyahu and said the two sides had agreed to formally begin a 10-day ceasefire at 5 p.m. Eastern Time Thursday. 

"I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel," Trump wrote.

Trump said he had directed Vice President JD Vance, Rubio and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan "Razin'" Caine to work with both sides to achieve what he called a "lasting peace." 

"It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let's, GET IT DONE!", the president wrote.

The announcement appeared to mark a shift from earlier statements by Lebanese officials that Aoun would not speak directly with Netanyahu before a ceasefire was in place.

Lebanon has made clear it wants a ceasefire before any direct negotiations with Israel.

"A ceasefire is the natural entry point for direct negotiations," Aoun said Thursday.

Lebanon has made clear it wants a ceasefire before any direct negotiations with Israel.

"A ceasefire is the natural entry point for direct negotiations," Aoun said Thursday.

Aoun, who previously served as commander of Lebanon's U.S.-backed armed forces before becoming president in 2025, said an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon would be a necessary first step before Lebanese troops could fully deploy to the border region.

The diplomatic dispute comes as the White House presses for a broader deal to end the regional war that erupted after Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group entered the conflict March 2 in support of Iran. 

Hezbollah's intervention opened a new front in Lebanon just 15 months after the last major Israel–Hezbollah war.

Pakistan, which helped mediate the April 8 ceasefire between Israel and Iran, said ending the fighting in Lebanon is essential to preserving that agreement.

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"Peace in Lebanon is essential for peace talks," Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said.

The Israeli security cabinet met late Wednesday to discuss a possible ceasefire in Lebanon, according to Israeli media.

Israeli officials have signaled openness to negotiations, but they are also insisting on continuing military operations until Hezbollah is pushed away from the border.

Israeli Cabinet minister Gila Gamliel told Israeli media that Netanyahu had been expected to speak with Aoun "for the first time after so many years of no contact between the two countries."

Israel and Lebanon remain formally at war and have had no direct leader-to-leader contact in decades.

The latest U.S. diplomatic push follows a rare meeting Tuesday in Washington between Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter.

Those talks, held at the State Department under U.S. mediation, marked the first face-to-face discussions between senior Israeli and Lebanese officials in more than three decades.

Still, the prospect of a direct call between Netanyahu and Aoun has run into strong opposition inside Lebanon.

Hezbollah, which has opposed any contact with Israel, remains publicly against negotiations.

At the same time, Lebanon's government has increasingly distanced itself from Hezbollah since the terror group entered the war.

The Lebanese government formally banned Hezbollah's military activities March 2 and has spent the past year trying to disarm the Iranian-backed group without triggering a broader civil conflict.

Meanwhile, fighting intensified Thursday in southern Lebanon.

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Battles continued around the border town of Bint Jbeil, Lebanon, a longtime stronghold of Hezbollah — an Iran-backed terror group — that Israeli officials see as a key objective in the current offensive.

Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israeli forces were close to "overcoming" Hezbollah in Bint Jbeil, Lebanon. 

The Israeli military's immediate objective is to push Hezbollah farther from the border and prevent anti-tank missiles and other direct-fire weapons from threatening northern Israeli communities, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said in an interview with Fox News Digital. 

He said Israeli troops are now holding what the military calls "defense lines" several kilometers inside Lebanon, positions designed to keep Hezbollah gunmen and anti-tank squads from once again overlooking Israeli towns.

"We're going to make sure we keep diminishing them," Shoshani said.

Lebanese security officials also said an Israeli airstrike destroyed the last remaining bridge over the Litani River leading into southern Lebanon.

The strike effectively cut off nearly a tenth of the country from the rest of Lebanon after earlier Israeli attacks destroyed other crossings.

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Israel has vowed to turn the area south of the Litani River into a "no-go zone" for Hezbollah.

Israeli military chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Wednesday that Hezbollah operatives would no longer be allowed to operate south of the river.

The Litani River, which runs roughly 20 miles north of Israel's border, has long been viewed by Israel as the line beyond which Hezbollah forces should not be allowed to operate.

Hezbollah responded Thursday with fresh rocket fire into northern Israel.

Warning sirens sounded in several Israeli communities, sending residents into bomb shelters. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

More than 2,100 people have been killed in Lebanon since March 2 and more than 1.2 million have been displaced, according to Lebanese authorities. 

Israeli officials say Hezbollah attacks have killed two Israeli civilians and 13 Israeli soldiers during the same period.

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department, Lebanon's embassy in Washington and the Israeli government for comment, but did not receive responses in time for publication.

Reuters contributed to this report.