Monday, March 31, 2025

The president of Finland is urging President Trump to impose a deadline on Vladimir Putin of April 20 to agree a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Speaking to Fox News in London following a weekend visit with Trump in Florida, Alexander Stubb praised Trump's negotiating efforts, saying Trump is "probably the only person in the world who can mediate the peace."

DAN HOFFMAN: TRUMP HAS TRIED ‘EVERYTHING’ HE COULD TO ‘ENTICE’ RUSSIA TO COME TO BARGAINING TABLE

But he argued the ceasefire negotiation process should not be open ended.

"We need a ceasefire, and we need a date for the ceasefire," Stubb said. "And that date should be the 20th of April."

April 20 would mark three months since Trump's inauguration, and is also Orthodox Easter.

"If President Putin — who is the only one who is not accepting a ceasefire, because the Americans want it, the Europeans want it, the Ukrainians want it — if he doesn't oblige by the ceasefire, then we should go for a colossal set of sanctions coming from the United States and Europe," Stubb said.

Trump has spoken of a "psychological deadline" for Russia to agree to a ceasefire, but has declined to name a date.

TRUMP THREATENS SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA, DEMANDS PEACE AFTER MAJOR HITS IN UKRAINE

Stubb said Putin "respects, and in many ways fears, Donald Trump."

Finland — a neighbor of Russia's, with a shared border running more than 800 miles — upended decades of neutrality two years ago when it joined NATO, alarmed by the war in Ukraine.

Stubb believes Ukraine should also be allowed to join the military alliance "in the long run" — a position that runs counter to the Trump administration's.

Following talks and a round of golf with Trump in Florida, the Finnish leader said European leaders are heeding American complaints that Europe does not spend enough money on defense, relying instead on the United States.

"Europe needs to take more responsibility for its own security, more responsibility for its own defense," Stubb said. "I think we're doing exactly that."

He described the U.S.-European relationship as "in a transition," but insisted: "We're allies.

"Just because ideologically there are differences at times between Europeans and Americans doesn't mean that we're going to sever or divorce."



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A Palestinian man protesting Hamas, the terror group that rules the Gaza Strip, was fatally tortured, with his body left on his family's doorstep as a warning to others who are thinking of publicly opposing the organization. 

Uday Al Rabay, 22, was beaten and died after participating in an anti-Hamas protest in the Palestinian territories last week, said a senior officer affiliated with the opposition Fatah party, The New York Post reported.

IRAN'S KHAMENEI WARNS OF 'STRONG BLOW' AS TRUMP THREATENS TO DROP BOMBS, PUTIN SILENT ON US IRE

"Uday was martyred by the criminals of Hamas. And what’s his crime? He told the truth, because he refused to be silent on injustice, because he did not kneel to Hamas," said Mazen Shat, a police officer linked to Fatah, to the Telegraph.

Rabay was targeted allegedly after pictures purportedly of him were shared on the Telegram messaging app. He was allegedly kidnapped after the protest last week. 

"Hamas is oppressing people in a brutal way," Shat said. "Like a puppy [with] a rope around his neck, they dragged [Uday’s body] to the door of his house and told his family that this is the punishment for those who complain about Hamas."

TRUMP VINDICATED AS EXPLOSIVE REPORT CONFIRMS IRAN SUPERVISES HOUTHI 'POLITICAL AND MILITARY AFFAIRS'

Protests against Hamas happened in Gaza after Israel resumed its bombing of the territory following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire between Hamas and the Jewish state. 

Israel has bombarded Gaza since, prompted backlash against Hamas. 

"People have been under Israeli bombing since October 2023, they don’t want the war to continue by all means," said Sam Habeeb, a London-based Gazan, to the Telegraph.

Protesters have called for Hamas to be removed from power.

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"The people do not want the rule of Hamas. The rule of Hamas is over," a protester said, according to the Akron Jewish News. "This Hamas rule has destroyed us, killed us and displaced all the people."



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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reportedly called for the destruction of Israel during Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Çamlıca Mosque in Istanbul on Sunday.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Erdoğan said "May Allah, for the sake of his name ‘Al-Qahhar,’ destroy and devastate Zionist Israel." His call for the annihilation of the Jewish state has drawn fierce condemnation, particularly from Israeli officials.

In response to his remarks, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated on X, "The dictator Erdogan revealed his antisemitic face," adding that "Erdogan is dangerous to the region, as well as to his own people, as has been proven in recent days," Sa’ar referred to the widespread protests in Turkey and added, "Let's hope NATO members understand how dangerous he is, and not before it's too late." 

Following his comments, Turkey's foreign ministry issued a statement that read, in part, "We categorically reject the outrageous statement made by the Foreign Minister of the Netanyahu government.

TURKEY'S ERDOGAN CONTINUES CRACKDOWN ON PROTESTERS FOLLOWING ARREST OF MAIN RIVAL ON CORRUPTION CHARGES 

"These disrespectful and baseless allegations are part of an effort to cover up the crimes committed by Netanyahu and his associates," adding, "We will continue to stand by the innocent civilians targeted by Israel and to defend their rights."

In a social media post, Israel’s foreign ministry demanded clarity on whether Erdoğan denies his antisemitic views, emphasizing the president’s problematic actions both domestically and internationally. 

"What bothered the Turkish Foreign Ministry? Here’s a way to clarify the dictator’s words: Clearly state that Erdogan is not an antisemite, that he is not an obsessive hater of the Jewish state." 

The post underscores the growing concern over Erdoğan’s intentions toward Israel.

The tensions between Turkey and Israel go beyond Erdoğan’s support for Hamas, although that remains a central issue. Hamas, which carried out the brutal massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis on October 7, 2023, has long had Turkish backing. Erdoğan’s refusal to denounce Hamas, describing them as a legitimate political party, has angered Israel and much of the international community.

The diplomatic relationship between Turkey and the U.S. has also been under scrutiny. While Turkey’s domestic actions, like cracking down on political opponents, including the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem İmamoglu, have sparked unprecedented protests, U.S. officials are attempting to stabilize relations. On March 26, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, discussing Turkey’s potential support for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire and other geopolitical issues, despite recent internal turmoil.

"Turkey’s strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing the worst domestic political crisis of his career. The streets are flooded now with protesters who are outraged over the arrest of opposition leader Ekrem Imamoglu, restrictions on the internet, and other authoritarian maneuvers," Jonathan Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP UNIQUELY PLACED TO ‘WHISPER’ IN ERDOGAN’S EAR OVER TURKISH REGIONAL AMBITIONS: GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER

"To deflect, Erdogan has engaged in blistering rhetoric against Israel. This comes amidst Erdoğan’s unflinching financial and political support for Hamas since the October 7 war erupted, not to mention Erdoğan’s support for the al-Qaeda government in Syria, which also poses a threat to Israel," Schanzer said.

The tensions between Turkey and Israel are not limited to Hamas support. Erdoğan’s actions in Syria, where Turkey has backed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, who overthrew the Assad regime and gained control over parts of the country, have further strained relations with Israel, leading to growing concerns over Ankara’s role in fostering instability on Israel’s borders.

Before Erdoğan's most recent threats against Israel, Trump administration officials had indicated that they may lift restrictions on defense contracts with Turkey, including the potential reinstatement of Turkey’s F-35 program participation. This comes after a phone call between Presidents Trump and Erdoğan on March 21, which may pave the way for a change in policy that could potentially allow the sale of the F-35s to Ankara.

As a NATO member, Turkey plays a pivotal role in the alliance’s security framework. 



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The Taliban's supreme leader said Sunday there is "no need" for Western laws in Afghanistan, noting that democracy is dead as long as sharia laws are in place.

Hibatullah Akhundzada was speaking during a sermon marking Eid al-Fitr, an Islamic holiday, at the Eidgah Mosque in the southern city of Kandahar.

"There is no need for laws that originate from the West. We will create our own laws," Akhundzada said as he emphasized the importance for Islamic laws, according to audio of his message that was published on X by the Taliban government’s chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

FAYE HALL, AMERICAN DETAINED BY TALIBAN, HAS BEEN RELEASED

The Taliban’s interpretation of sharia has resulted in restrictions for Afghan women and girls, who have been denied an education, working roles in many job fields and from appearing in most public spaces.

These laws have isolated the Taliban in the international community, but they have still been able to establish diplomatic ties with some countries, including China and the United Arab Emirates.

Akhundzada has taken a stronger approach on policy since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021 during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from the region, despite some officials initially promising a more moderate government.

TALIBAN FREES AMERICAN HOSTAGE GEORGE GLEZMANN FOLLOWING NEGOTIATIONS WITH US, QATAR

The terror group's supreme leader criticized the West in his remarks on Sunday by saying non-believers were unified against Muslims and that the U.S. and other countries were united in their hostility toward Islam, pointing to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Akhundzada said democracy had come to an end in Afghanistan and sharia was in effect. He also argued that supporters of democracy were attempting to separate the people from the Taliban government.

The Taliban have no credible opposition inside or outside the country, although some senior figures within the government have criticized the leadership’s decision-making process and concentration of power in Akhundzada’s circle.

Some Taliban members want greater engagement on the world stage and to eliminate harsher policies to attract more support from outsiders.

In recent months, there has been increased engagement between the Taliban and the U.S. under President Donald Trump, mostly due to prisoner exchanges and releases.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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The Israeli military issued evacuation orders on Monday for most of Rafah and suggested it may soon launch another ground operation in the city after its ceasefire with Hamas ended.

The evacuation orders appeared to cover almost all the city and nearby areas. The military ordered civilians to head to Mawasi, where tent camps were set up along the coast.

"The IDF is returning to intense operations to dismantle the capabilities of the terrorist organizations in these areas," a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces wrote on X. "For your safety, move immediately to the shelters in Al Mawasi."

Earlier this month, Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas and renewed its air and ground attacks against the terror group. In early March, Israel cut off all supplies and humanitarian aid to Gaza to pressure Hamas to accept changes to the ceasefire agreement.

ISRAEL STRIKES BEIRUT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE A CEASEFIRE ENDED THE LATEST ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH WAR

Israel launched a major operation in Rafah in May, decimating large parts of the area. The military seized a strategic corridor along the border and the Rafah crossing with Egypt, which is Gaza's only path to the outside world that was not controlled by Israel.

Israel was expected to withdraw from the corridor under the ceasefire before later refusing, citing the need to block weapons smuggling.

Israel has said it would intensify its military operations until Hamas releases the remaining 59 hostages in its custody, including 24 who are believed to be alive. Israel has also called on the terror group to disarm and leave the territory, conditions that were not in the ceasefire agreement. Hamas has rejected those demands.

LANDMARK UK REPORT ON HAMAS EXPOSES WORST ATTACK ON JEWS SINCE HOLOCAUST

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his country would take control of security in Gaza after the war and would impose President Donald Trump's controversial proposal to resettle the territory's civilians in other countries.

The proposal has been universally rejected by Palestinians, who view it as forcible displacement from their homeland. Human rights experts also say the plan would likely violate international law.

Hamas has insisted on moving forward with the signed ceasefire deal, which called for the remainder of the hostages to be released in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and Israel pulling its troops out of Gaza. Negotiations over those parts of the agreement were supposed to have begun in February after some hostages were freed in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.

The war began when Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing roughly 1,200 people and kidnapping another 251, most of whom have since been released in ceasefires or other deals.

More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military's retaliation, according to the Hamas-run government's Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and terrorists.

At the height of the war, roughly 90% of Gaza's population had been displaced, and many had fled.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Sunday, March 30, 2025

Two people were killed and 35 others were injured after a Russian drone attack struck a military hospital and shopping center in Ukraine late Saturday night, Ukrainian officials say.

Regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov condemned the attack on Kharkiv in a statement on Sunday, saying a 67-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman were killed. The attack comes as Russia's aggression in Ukraine shows no signs of stopping despite efforts by President Donald Trump's administration to speed along peace talks.

Ukraine says that many of the casualties were servicemen undergoing treatment at the military hospital.

Ukraine's air force says the attack consisted of 111 Russian drones, 65 of which were shot down and another 35 of which were disabled electronically or failed of their own accord.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy predicted late last week that Russian forces would ramp up their attacks in the coming weeks in an effort to bolster their negotiating position for peace talks.

"They’re dragging out the talks and trying to get the U.S. stuck in endless and pointless discussions about fake ‘conditions’ just to buy time and then try to grab more land," Zelenskyy said in a Thursday visit to Paris.

Saturday night's attack came after four people died and 24 were injured Friday evening after Russian drones struck Dnipro in the country’s east, according to regional Gov. Serhii Lysak and Ukraine’s emergency service. At least eight more people were injured when a Russian ballistic missile struck nearby Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown, Gov. Lysak reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin himself praised the "strategic initiative" of his forces on Thursday.

"Our troops, our guys are moving forward and liberating one territory after another, one settlement after another, every day," he said at a public forum.

Zelenskyy has pleaded with Trump's administration not to give in to Putin's demands at the negotiating table.

On Thursday, Zelenskyy met with French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of a summit in Paris of some 30 nations about how to strengthen Kyiv’s hand and its military as it pushes for a ceasefire with Russia. Proposals to deploy European troops in the country in tandem with any peace deal are also being discussed.

Fox News' Michael Dorgan and the Associated Press contributed to this report.



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A Holocaust survivor murdered at age 91 and a baby killed just 14 hours after birth are among the victims named in the U.K.'s October 7 Parliamentary Commission Report, the most detailed Western investigation to date into the Hamas-led attack on Israel. 

The 318-page report, chaired by British historian and peer Lord Andrew Roberts, documents the deaths of 1,182 people in a 48-hour period and provides extensive evidence of atrocities committed against civilians.

The report describes the assault as "a meticulously planned operation designed not only to kill but to terrorize through extreme brutality, looting and humiliation." It includes testimonies of group rapes of women and girls, some of whom were murdered, as well as evidence of sexual violence committed against corpses. It details the targeting of children, including infants shot in strollers or burned alive.

REPORT EXPOSES HAMAS TERRORIST CRIMES AGAINST FAMILIES DURING OCT 7 MASSACRE: 'KINOCIDE'

Roberts, one of Britain’s leading historians and a member of the House of Lords, said that meeting Mandy Damari, the mother of hostage Emily Damari, "reduced me to tears." Speaking in an interview with Fox News Digital, Lord Roberts recalled visiting Kibbutz Kfar Aza and hearing from families of victims while the fate of their loved ones was still unknown.

"At that time, of course, she didn’t know whether her 27-year-old daughter, Emily, was going to be released or not, or whether she was going to die in Gaza," he said. "And I have a 25-year-old daughter, and so it was brought home incredibly powerfully to me."

Despite the graphic nature of the material, Roberts emphasized that the report was deliberately limited to verified facts. "We actually made the report much less than it could have been, because we insisted on only putting things in that could be double-checked," he said. "If we had put in things that we truly believe happened but couldn't prove happened, we kept them out."

When asked what motivated him to take on the project, Roberts said, "The denialism that has already cropped up," including attempts to downplay or question the events of October 7. "It’s quite ironic that as well as celebrating and indulging in their most sort of disgusting fantasies by wearing GoPro cameras, they also seek to deny that the whole thing ever happened," he said of Hamas.

HAMAS' OCT 7 MASSACRE HAS LEGAL SCHOLARS CREATING NEW WAR CRIME CATEGORY

"October 7 denial," as the report refers to it, emerged almost immediately after the attacks and mirrors historical patterns of atrocity denial, despite the overwhelming evidence.

"I thought it was really important to get a big, thick, well-documented, irrefutable, fully footnoted document out there that will stand the test of time," Roberts said.

The report includes accounts of mass looting, arson and mutilation. It states that terrorists used victims’ phones to send images to their families, booby-trapped corpses with grenades, and dragged bodies through Gaza. It confirms that "acts of sexual violence" occurred "across all sites" during the attack, and references forensic findings of partially or fully naked bodies.

'I WILL BE HAUNTED FOREVER’: ISRAEL’S HORRIFIC VIDEO OF HAMAS ATROCITIES LEAVES VIEWERS SHOCKED AND SICKENED

Roberts said the attack was "not just spontaneous — it was a premeditated bloodlust." He compared it to historical atrocities like the Rape of Nanjing in 1937. "Once Hamas got into a bloodlust, they were going out of their way to murder and kill absolutely anybody who came anywhere near them," he said.

Despite the horrors, Roberts said the report also includes examples of heroism. For example, of Netta Epstein — a young man who "threw himself on a grenade to save his fiancée's life" — Roberts said such acts "stand up with the great acts of heroism of any age."

"We have the names in it of everybody who was killed ... mostly with the circumstances of their deaths as well," Roberts added: "Speaking as a historian, there are moments when one thinks of 9/11, or Pearl Harbor, various other attacks like this. They become part of history very quickly, but the actual individuals involved tend to get forgotten."

Asked what role democracies should play in countering denialism, Roberts answered, "The first is properly to memorialize the victims," he said. "The second ... is to see this appalling act of barbarism for what it is, which is a complete denial of democracy, a blow struck deliberately against civilization, and ... the most appalling act of racism."

"Britain should be doing everything in its power to help Israel protect itself forever against such another attack," Roberts clarified that he was expressing a personal view: "At the moment, it seems [the British government] is not doing that at all."

In the report’s conclusion, Roberts and his colleagues wrote: "Our report will hopefully permit people to see such denials and justifications for what they really are: a perversion of and rejection of human decency. We owe it to the victims and their grieving families to set down the ghastly unvarnished truth about the sheer barbarism that Hamas and its terrorist allies unleashed on October 7, 2023."

 



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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Sunday a plan to upgrade the U.S. military command in Japan, a country he described as indispensable in combating Chinese aggression.

"We share a warrior ethos that defines our forces," Hegseth told Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in Tokyo, adding that Japan is "our indispensable partner" in "deterring communist Chinese military aggression," including across the Taiwan Strait.

Hegseth said Japan is a "cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific" and that the Trump administration would continue to work closely with the Asian country.

HEGSETH SAYS US TO BOOST TIES WITH PHILIPPINES AS DETERRENCE AGAINST CHINA: 'PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH'

Last year, then-President Joe Biden's administration announced a major restructuring of the U.S. military command in Japan to deepen coordination with the country's forces, as the two allied countries called China their "greatest strategic challenge."

The change will place a combined operational commander in Japan, who would be a counterpart to the head of a joint operations command established last week by Japan's Self-Defense Forces.

Hegseth's high praise for Japan contrasts with his criticism of European allies in February, telling them they should not assume the U.S. presence in the region would last forever.

U.S. President Donald Trump has complained that the bilateral defense treaty in which the U.S. government vows to defend Japan is not reciprocal. In his first term, Trump said Japan should fork over more money to host U.S. troops.

Japan hosts 50,000 U.S. military personnel, squadrons of fighter jets and America's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier strike group along a 1,900-mile East Asian archipelago that hems in Chinese military power.

This comes as Japan doubles military spending, including money to purchase longer-range missiles. But the operational scope of its forces is limited by its U.S.-authored constitution – adopted after its defeat in World War Two – which renounces the right to start war.

REPORTERS SAY THEY FOUND WALTZ, GABBARD, HEGSETH PRIVATE INFO ONLINE

Hegseth and Nakatani agreed to accelerate a plan to jointly produce beyond-visual-range air-to-air AMRAAM missiles and to consider working together on the production of SM-6 surface-to-air defense missiles to support a shortage of munitions, Nakatani said.

The Pentagon chief said he asked Nakatani for greater access to Japan's strategic southwest islands, along the edge of the contested East China Sea near Taiwan.

In his first official visit to Asia, Hegseth traveled to Japan from the Philippines.

On Saturday, he attended a memorial service on Iwo Jima, the site of fighting between U.S. and Japanese forces 80 years ago.

Reuters contributed to this report.



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Saturday, March 29, 2025

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing allegations that he copied parts of his 1995 doctoral thesis at Oxford University without proper credit. The report comes as he's seeking election to remain the country's PM next month, when Canadian voters head to the polls on April 28.

The National Post reviewed Carney’s thesis, "The Dynamic Advantage of Competition," with three university experts, who found at least 10 instances of apparent plagiarism. 

The experts told the National Post that Carney copied full quotes, paraphrased ideas, and slightly modified sentences from four different sources without giving proper credit.

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY SAYS 'OLD RELATIONSHIP' WITH US 'IS OVER' AMID TENSION OVER TRUMP TARIFFS

"He's just directly repeating without quotations. That’s plagiarism," said Geoffrey Sigalet, a professor at the University of British Columbia who helps handle academic misconduct cases, told the National Post.

Carney’s campaign responded to the National Post with a statement from his former Oxford supervisor, Margaret Meyer, who dismissed the allegations. "I see no evidence of plagiarism in the thesis," she said. "Mark’s work was thoroughly researched and approved by a faculty committee."

Meyer also told the National Post that "it is typical that overlapping language appears" if sources are regularly referenced.

Oxford University defines plagiarism as "presenting work or ideas from another source as your own without full acknowledgment." Another professor, speaking anonymously to the National Post, said Carney’s thesis appears to meet that definition.

Carney’s campaign spokesperson, Isabella Orozco-Madison, called the accusations an "irresponsible mischaracterization" of his work.

CANADA’S NEW PM AND TRUMP CRITIC MARK CARNEY ACCUSED OF BEING OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE 'COMMON MAN’

One of the key examples from the National Post’s report shows Carney closely copying a passage from economist Michael E. Porter’s 1990 book, "The Competitive Advantage of Nations." On page 206 of his thesis, Carney wrote: "First, government intervention can impede international competition and artificially support domestic profits." This is nearly identical to Porter’s original wording.

Carney also reportedly copied sections from Jeremy C. Stein’s 1989 article in The Quarterly Journal of Economics and H.S. Shin’s 1994 article in The RAND Journal of Economics, with only minor wording changes.

The possible plagiarism appears throughout the thesis. "It’s all over the dissertation, not just one part," said Sigalet. Even small wording changes without proper citation are still considered plagiarism.

Oxford University warns that plagiarism is a serious offense that can lead to penalties, including expulsion. "Even when you reword something, you still need to cite the source," Sigalet added.

Carney, a former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor, has had a high-profile career, including top roles at Goldman Sachs and Brookfield Asset Management. He has faced criticism for his elite background and globalist tendencies.

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However, plagiarism allegations have led to resignations and revoked degrees for politicians and academics in the past.

Last year, Harvard University’s president Claudine Gay stepped down amid plagiarism claims, though she denied wrongdoing.

Carney is an outspoken critic of President Trump amid ongoing tariff battles between Canada and the U.S.



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Brits have until Aug. 1 to get rid of all their ninja swords as the U.K.’s Labour government looks to crack down on knife crime.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Thursday that "ninja swords" specifically will be banned this summer after the 2022 murder of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was stabbed to death by a ninja sword just outside his home. 

"Confirmed: Ninja swords will be banned by this summer," Starmer said in a post on X. "When we promise action we take it."

UK STABBING SUSPECT IN DEATHS OF 3 GIRLS FOUND WITH RICIN, AL QAEDA MATERIAL AND CHARGED UNDER TERRORISM ACT

The new ban, "Ronan's Law," will now make it illegal to possess, sell, make or import ninja swords.

"Since losing our beautiful boy Ronan, we have relentlessly campaigned for a ban on ninja swords, the lethal weapon which took his life," Pooja Kanda, the mother to the 16-year-old boy, said, according to a government readout. "We believe ninja swords have no place in our society other than to seriously harm and kill.

"Each step towards tackling knife crime is a step towards getting justice for our boy Ronan." 

UK STABBING SPREE LEAVES 2 KIDS DEAD, 9 OTHERS INJURED AT TAYLOR SWIFT-THEMED EVENT: 'DEEPLY SHOCKING'

The British government has set up a surrender process for any owner of a ninja sword, defined as a blade between 14 inches and 24 inches "with one straight cutting edge with a tanto-style point."

"From 1 August, anyone caught in possession of a ninja sword in private could face 6 months in prison, and this will later increase to 2 years under new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill," the government said in a statement. "There is already a penalty of up to 4 years in prison for carrying any weapon in public."  

Knife crime has long plagued the U.K. and though offenses involving a "sharp instrument" committed last year across England and Wales were down from a 15-year peak in 2019, they were still substantially higher than crimes reported in 2010, when 33,800 crimes were reported, versus the 50,500 cases in 2024.

A sharp instrument, according to the U.K., could include knives, but it could also include the use of a broken bottle to commit an offense.

The U.K. saw a significant drop from the 52,000 cases involving a "sharp instrument" reported in 2019 by the following year with 41,700 cases reported.

But these incidents have continued to increase each year since. 

Nearly two dozen different types of knives are already banned in the UK, including swords that are not a part of a national uniform, switch blades, zombie knives, belt buckle knives or butterfly knives, to name a few. 

Knives that are permitted are those used for cooking or while working and have a cutting edge of no more than three inches. 

Though the government states that "it’s illegal to use any knife or weapon in a threatening way."

Under Ronan’s Law, jail sentences were also increased for selling knives to minors and the illegal sale of banned knives.

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"Knife crime is destroying young lives as too many teenagers are being drawn into violence, and it is far too easy for them to get hold of dangerous weapons," Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement. "Ronan Kanda was just 16 when he was ruthlessly killed by two boys only a year older than him.

"We are acting with urgency to bring forward measures to prevent deadly weapons from getting into the wrong hands and will continue to do whatever is needed to prevent young people being killed on our streets as part of our mission to halve knife crime over the next decade." 



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President Donald Trump's continued criticism of Germany’s failure to pay its defense bills looks to have pushed one of Europe's wealthiest nations into action. 

The president's criticism of Berlin has compelled Germany to increase funding for its military forces and infrastructure, which critics say are in a bad state of affairs.

Richard Grenell, U.S. Ambassador to Germany during the first Trump administration, told Fox News Digital "multiple German leaders ignored the warnings from President Trump that Russia was using energy as a weapon against them. 

US BRISTLES AT GERMANY'S DEFENSE BUDGET PLANS AFTER IT FALLS SHORT

"The war in Ukraine and the invasion of Putin showed the new German leadership that Donald Trump was absolutely right about Germany feeding the beast that ultimately turned on them."

Trump appointed Grenell as presidential envoy for "special missions" in December.

In 2018, Trump rebuked Germany’s addiction to Russian gas, according to observers of German-U.S. relations. He told the U.N. General Assembly that "Germany will become totally dependent on Russian energy if it does not immediately change course. Here in the Western Hemisphere, we are committed to maintaining our independence from the encroachment of expansionist foreign powers."

During his remarks, the camera panned to Germany’s delegation to the U.N. in 2018, including its then-U.N. Ambassador, Christoph Heusgen, and former Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who all seemingly laughed and smiled at Trump. 

‘MAKE NATO GREAT AGAIN’: HEGSETH PUSHES EUROPEAN ALLIES TO STEP UP DEFENSE EFFORTS 

However, those smirks soon turned into raw anxiety, when four years later, in 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine and Germany scrambled for a way to wean itself off Russian gas to avoid helping reward Putin.

Matthew Kroenig, director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, told Fox News Digital, "Every U.S. presidential administration since Eisenhower has complained about European free riding, but asking "pretty please" has not worked. Trump’s tough rhetoric is achieving results that eluded his predecessors.

"The Trump effect is in part due to Trump raising NATO burden sharing to the very top of the transatlantic security agenda and in part due to genuine fears that Washington could abandon NATO and Europe would need to fend for itself."

After Trump and Grenell helped to cajole the Germans out of their security slumber, Berllin reached the NATO goal of spending 2% of gross domestic product spending in 2024. This was the first time Berlin reached 2% since 1991, the end of the Cold War. 

Trump, however, called for Germany to spend 5% on defense because, he argues, the U.S. is contributing significant resources to protect the central European country.

The frustration with Germany and other European allies was captured in text messages reported between Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance. 

TRUMP WATCHES STRIKE ON IRAN-BACKED HOUTHIS IN YEMEN IN NEW WHITE HOUSE PICS AS LARGE-SCALE OP CONTINUES

"I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It's PATHETIC," Hegseth said in response to Vance, who questioned U.S. leadership in advancing security policies in the Red Sea to counter Houthi aggression and reopen shipping lanes. 

Germany’s export trade greatly benefits from free navigation in the Middle East, but it refuses to aid the U.S. in stopping the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist movement via military strikes. Europe and Germany are unwilling to follow Trump’s lead and sanction the Houthis as a terrorist entity.

The so-called Trump Effect has also affected the German parliament’s decision to relax restrictions on debt so it can pump funds into its military superstructure.  

The likely new German chancellor, Friedrich Merz of the conservative Christian Democratic Union party, said he would do "whatever it takes" to rebuild Germany’s frail military. Berlin’s mainstream parties aim to invest hundreds of billions of euros in defense and infrastructure. Germany’s armed forces (Bundeswehr) are, according to reports, in a state of disarray, with a mere 181,174 soldiers at the end of last year. Germany’s Defense Ministry seeks to expand its armed forces to 203,000 by 2031.

Recruitment remains an ongoing challenge within a population raised on pacifism. After Germany started two World Wars in the last century, Germany's power politics stressed the role of multilateral institutions like the U.N. and diplomacy in remedying conflicts.

The Associated Press recently reported that Germany's parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, Eva Högl, said, "The biggest problem is boredom. She added "If young people have nothing to do, if there isn’t enough equipment and there aren’t enough trainers, if the rooms aren’t reasonably clean and orderly, that deters people, and it makes the Bundeswehr unattractive."

In an interview earlier this month with German news outlet WELT, the German historian Michael Wolffsohn, who taught at the Bundeswehr University Munich, said of Germany and Western Europe’s failure over the decades to address its severe defense deficits, "Now we get the receipt for everything we neglected."

Fox News Digital sent a detailed press query to the German Foreign Ministry about Trump’s criticism that Berlin has chronically underinvested in defense and remained wedded to Putin’s gas supply after his warnings.

Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.



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Friday, March 28, 2025

The United Kingdom could be the first G7 nation not to manufacture its own steel, with a major steel firm blaming President Donald Trump's tariffs for the planned closure of its two blast furnaces. 

British Steel, which is owned by Jingye, the Chinese steel group, announced plans to close its two blast furnaces in England, The Telegraph reported. The closures put 2,700 jobs at risk and the end of steel production in the United Kingdom after 150 years. Jingye bought British Steel in 2020. 

Jingye said the "imposition of tariffs" had made the blast furnaces and steel-making operations "no longer financially sustainable". 

THE LEFT THINKS TRUMP’S TARIFFS ARE A DECLARATION OF WAR. BUT THEY’RE CLUELESS ABOUT THE BATTLEFIELD

Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to the United States that went into effect earlier this month.

Jingye said it has invested billions of dollars to maintain operations since 2020 but that losses have ballooned to around hundred of thousands of dollars daily.

The closures could have national security implications. 

"There is a reason why Russia bombed all the blast furnaces in Ukraine pretty much straight away; because countries need steel not just for defense but to build the roads and the infrastructure," said Sarah Jones, the energy minister. 

Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community union, said: "We urge Jingye and the government to get back around the table to resume negotiations before it is too late."

TRUMP’S 25% TARIFF INCREASE ON ALL STEEL, ALUMINUM IMPORTS TAKES EFFECT, PROMPTING RETALIATION FROM EUROPE

"Given that we are now on the cusp of becoming the only G7 country without domestic primary steelmaking capacity, it is no exaggeration to say that our national security is gravely threatened," he added.

Trump has fought to keep U.S. Steel in American hands. Nippon Steel, a Japanese company, said it was willing to increase investment in U.S. Steel facilities to $7 billion as it tries to convince Trump thah the Pittsburgh steelmaker would be in good hands with foreign ownership. 

"We are also going to keep U.S. Steel right here in America," Trump said during a September 2024 campaign rally. 

Trump first opposed the deal in February 2024, but said earlier this year that Nippon would negotiate an investment in U.S. Steel, rather than a purchase, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. 



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Israel on Friday launched an attack on Lebanon's capital for the first time since a ceasefire ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war in November.

Associated Press reporters in Beirut heard a loud boom and witnessed smoke rising from an area in the city's southern suburbs that Israel's military had vowed to strike.

EXCLUSIVE: A LOOK AT HEZBOLLAH'S PLAN TO TERRORIZE AND INVADE NORTHERN ISRAEL

It marked Israel's first strike on Beirut since a ceasefire took hold last November between it and the Hezbollah militant group, though Israel has attacked targets in southern Lebanon almost daily since then.

Israel’s army said it hit a Hezbollah drone storage facility in Dahiyeh, which it called a militant stronghold. The strike came after Israel, which accuses Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields, warned residents to evacuate the area.

The area struck is a residential and commercial area and is close to at least two schools.

Israeli officials said the attack was retaliation for rockets it said were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel. They promised strikes on Beirut would continue unless Lebanon's government worked to ensure such attacks ceased.

"We will not allow firing at our communities, not even a trickle," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. "We will attack everywhere in Lebanon, against any threat to the State of Israel."

Hezbollah denied firing the rockets, and accused Israel of seeking a pretext to continue attacking Lebanon.

Lebanon’s government ordered all schools and universities in Beirut’s southern suburb of Hadath to close for the day. Residents were seen fleeing the area in cars and on foot ahead of the strike.

Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles into Israel the day after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel by its Hamas allies ignited the war in Gaza. Palestinian militants killed about 1,200 in Israel and abducted 251 others during the 2023 attack.

The Israel-Hezbollah conflict exploded into all-out war last September when Israel carried out waves of airstrikes and killed most of the militant group’s senior leaders. The fighting killed over 4,000 people in Lebanon and displaced about 60,000 Israelis.

Under the ceasefire, Israeli forces were supposed to withdraw from all Lebanese territory by late January. The deadline was extended to Feb. 18, but Israel has remained in five border locations while carrying out dozens of strikes on what it said were Hezbollah targets in southern and eastern Lebanon. Last week, Israeli airstrikes on several locations in Lebanon killed six people.

Speaking in Paris, Lebanon’s President, Joseph Aoun, said the Beirut area strike was a continuation "of Israel’s violations of the agreement" sponsored by France and the U.S.

During a joint news conference with Aoun, French President Emmanuel Macron called the attack "unacceptable," and promised to address it with Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump. Macron said that the U.S. can exert pressure on Israel.

A U.S. State Department spokeswoman called on Lebanon's government to act.

"Israel is defending its people and interests by responding to rocket attacks from terrorists in Lebanon," the spokeswoman, Tammy Bruce, said Friday. "We expect the Lebanese Armed Forces to disarm these terrorists to prevent further hostilities."

The U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, said the escalation had created "a critical period for Lebanon and the wider region."

Israeli strikes in other parts of Lebanon on Friday killed three people and wounded 18, including children and women, in the southern village of Kfar Tibnit, said Lebanon's health ministry.

The strikes comes less than two weeks after Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas with surprise strikes that killed hundreds of people in Gaza. Earlier this month, Israel halted deliveries of food, fuel, medicine and humanitarian aid to Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians.

Israel has vowed to escalate the war until Hamas returns 59 hostages it still holds — 24 of them believed to be alive. Israel is demanding that the group give up power, disarm and send its leaders into exile.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Israel's offensive in the Strip has killed over 50,000 people and wounded 114,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants.

The ministry said Friday that nearly 900 have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire ended in mid-March, including more than 40 over the past 24 hours.



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A massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake rattled Burma and Thailand Friday, causing buildings to collapse as people scrambled for safety. 

The massive earthquake shook across almost every region of the country and aftershocks were reportedly felt in India and China.

The aftershock was reported to have been 6.4 magnitude, the United States Geological Survey (USGS). People in Bangkok evacuated from their buildings were cautioned to stay outside in case there were more.

AMERICA'S MOST EXPENSIVE NATURAL DISASTERS IN RECENT DECADES

A dramatic video circulated on social media showed the multi-story building in Bangkok with a crane on top collapsing into a cloud of dust, while onlookers screamed and ran.

Police were responding to the scene near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak Market, and had no immediate information on how many workers were on the site at the time of the collapse.

IS THE EAST COAST ON THE BRINK OF A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE — AND ARE WE PREPARED?

Police were responding to the scene near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak Market, and had no immediate information on how many workers were on the site at the time of the collapse.

The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany's GFZ center for geosciences said the earthquake was a shallow 6.2 miles, with an epicenter in Myanmar, according to preliminary reports.

Water from high-rise rooftop pools in Bangkok sloshed over the side as they shook, and debris fell from many buildings.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra called an emergency meeting to assess the impact of the quake.

The greater Bangkok area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments.

Alarms went off in buildings as the earthquake hit around 1:30 p.m., and startled residents were evacuated down staircases of high-rise condominiums and hotels in densely populated central Bangkok.

They remained in the streets, seeking shade from the midday sun in the minutes after the quake.

Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention said the quake was felt in almost all regions of the country.

The epicenter of the earthquake was in central Myanmar, about 30 miles east of the city of Monywa.

In the capital Naypyitaw, the quake damaged religious shrines, sending parts toppling to the ground, and some homes.

"We have started the search and going around Yangon to check for casualties and damage. So far, we have no information yet," a Burmese fire official told Reuters.

Meanwhile, dozens are missing, and rescue teams are currently forming to search for survivors, according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC).

Further reports of damage were not immediately available from Burmese, which has for years been embroiled in a civil war.

There are reportedly 188 people injured so far in Tibet on the Chinese side of the border, reports the official Xinhua News Agency.



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Thursday, March 27, 2025

The Polish military has established a group to assist the Lithuanian Army and U.S. Army in a recovery operation for four U.S. Army soldiers who disappeared early Tuesday during a training exercise near Pabradė, Lithuania.

The soldiers, based in Fort Stewart in Georgia, were riding in an M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle on a scheduled maintenance mission to recover another U.S. Army vehicle in the training area when they disappeared, U.S. Army Europe and Africa public affairs in Wiesbaden, Germany, confirmed.

Hundreds of U.S. and Lithuanian soldiers and law enforcement, Lithuanian military helicopters and dive teams aided in the initial ground-based search through the thick forests and swampy terrain.

However, the soldiers have yet to be located, and the M88 Hercules was found submerged in a body of water inside the training area, located over a highly pressurized gas pipeline near Pabradė, a town north of the capital Vilnius.

BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS MISSING AND MURDERED UNIT INVESTIGATING ALLEGED MILITARY BASE KILLING

In an interview with Fox News Digital Thursday afternoon, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said from the moment the country learned of the incident, it had "given everything" it has, both from its armed forces and internal affairs ministry institutions, to find the soldiers.

"From helicopters with thermal vision to forces on the ground, we are continuing very intensely," Šakalienė said.

U.S. Army Europe and Africa public affairs noted water, thick mud and soft ground around the site "have complicated recovery efforts," requiring specialized equipment to drain water from the side and stabilize the ground. 

Polish officials announced Thursday they were sending a group of troops with engineering equipment to assist.

As of Thursday afternoon, officials said land dredging equipment was on the way, and a dam was being reinforced to isolate the mud pumping area. 

The pressurized gas has been removed, and it is now safe to work at the site, according to Šakalienė.

The internal water waste agency will send out a water master dredger and more than 900 feet of bulk pipe on Friday morning, and they should reach the the location by midday. 

It will take several hours to install the pipeline and the dredgers. Then, they will begin making water influx with the excavator.

"The dredger pump usually pumps 80% of water, while working with 20% of mud or sludge, and the goal is to start working with the pump until the evening, so that, finally, on Saturday morning, a diver and the hydrographic team can use a multi-beam echo founder to assess the position of the vehicle, because we don't know yet if it has overturned or what position it is in," Šakalienė said.

A diver will attach cables, and workers will use pulleys to tow the vehicle to shore.

"Then we will be able to check if the missing soldiers are inside," she said. 

Šakalienė said it is unknown if the soldiers could have escaped the vehicle before it sank but reiterated there was "no evidence" confirming the deaths of the missing soldiers as of Thursday afternoon.

FOREIGN NATIONALS FLYING DRONES OVER US MILITARY SITES RAISES ‘ESPIONAGE’ CONCERN: EXPERT

The area surrounding the site is a forested area with swamps and bogs, similar to an environment found in Alaska. Weather conditions are also similar, making it a challenging training area for Army personnel.

"Maybe they were lost, confused, hurt or in hypothermic condition, and we haven't found them yet," Šakalienė said. "But we are not losing hope until the very last moment. These are strong soldiers, strong, grown men. All scenarios are possible."

She added Lithuania, a member of NATO, considers American soldiers their own and will not leave them behind.

"We are working with them. We are friends with them, and all of our society is heartbroken watching every single moment of this rescue operation," Šakalienė said. "I have a 24-year-old son. It's difficult for me even to imagine what they are going through. … Let me assure you, we will do everything in our power to find them and to find the answers as soon as possible."

SEARCH ‘ONGOING’ FOR 4 AMERICAN SOLDIERS MISSING FROM TRAINING AREA IN LITHUANIA: NATO

Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed on X a task force of several dozen Polish soldiers with heavy equipment and frogmen were "urgently" heading to Lithuania to help.

"We are responding to a request from our allies #StrongerTogether," Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote in the post.

The country, also a member of NATO, has reportedly feared talks between Russia and Ukraine could end in a settlement that would allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to threaten the region.

Lithuanian officials said they are in touch with U.S. Ambassador Kara C. McDonald and U.S. Army personnel.

"We are leveraging every available U.S. and Lithuanian asset to coordinate and provide the required resources for this effort," U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, the commanding general of 1st Armored Division, wrote in a statement.

The rescue mission has now turned into "search and recovery efforts," according to a statement from U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

"We are incredibly appreciative of the dedicated and professional efforts of our Lithuanian allies in ensuring the safety of U.S. personnel," Taylor added. "They have worked tirelessly alongside us over the last 48 hours, and we continue to be grateful for their support." 

The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division is keeping the soliders' families updated on the search.

"This tragic situation weighs heavily on all of us, and we’re keeping the families, friends and teammates of our soldiers and recovery team in our thoughts and prayers," Taylor wrote. "We want everyone to know we will not stop until our soldiers are found."

President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday he had not been briefed about the missing soldiers.

The training site is less than 6 miles from Belarus, a Russian ally since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.

Lithuania, a Catholic country, will be organizing a joint prayer Sunday at its main church, the capital cathedral, and will host a mass for the missing soldiers.

The White House and Fort Stewart did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The Associated Press and Fox News Digital's Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.



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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday said the "old relationship" with the United States "is over" while vowing to engage in a renegotiation over a trade agreement. 

Carney, 60, who won the Liberal leadership this month with 86% of the vote after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood down, was speaking in Ottawa after meeting the nation’s provincial premiers when he spoke about President Donald Trump's new tariffs. 

CANADA 'RAGE ROOM' LETS VISITORS SMASH TRUMP, VANCE, MUSK PORTRAITS TO RELEASE TARIFF ANGST

"The old relationship we had with the United States, based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperations, is over," he told reporters. "The time will come for a broad renegotiation of our security and trade relationship."

Carney's remarks didn't specify the future of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which was renegotiated during Trump's first term in office.

Carney said what the U.S. will do next "is unclear." 

CANADA’S NEW PM AND TRUMP CRITIC MARK CARNEY ACCUSED OF BEING OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE 'COMMON MAN'

"What is clear is that we as Canadians have agency. We have power. We are masters in our own home," he said. "We control our destiny. We can give ourselves much more than any foreign government, including the United States, can ever take away."

Trump's tariffs and remarks about making Canada the 51st state have unsettled Canadian leaders and upset many Canadians. 

On Wednesday, Trump said that he would impose a 25% tariff on imports of foreign-made cars, a move intended to boost the U.S. auto industry. He paused the tariffs on goods covered by the USMCA.



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A man wielding a knife seriously wounded five people in Amsterdam, including two from the U.S., during a stabbing attack in a shopping district on Thursday, according to Dutch police.

The Associated Press said police noted the attack, which lasted for several minutes, ended when the suspect was stopped by a passerby near the city’s Dam Square late Thursday afternoon.

Police closed off the area, which was tended to by emergency crews who responded in ambulances and a trauma helicopter.

In a statement, authorities said the motive for the attack had not been established, though police were investigating a situation where the suspect randomly targeted victims.

TRAM SET ON FIRE AS AMSTERDAM RIOTS RAGE ON

Authorities identified the victims as a 69-year-old man and 67-year-old woman from the U.S.; a 73-year-old woman from Belgium; a 26-year-old man from Poland; and a 19-year-old woman from Amsterdam.

ISRAEL SENDS EVACUATION PLANES TO AMSTERDAM AFTER ‘SHOCING’ ATTACK ON ISRAELI SOCCER FANS

"The police investigation is in full swing and has full priority at the moment. We hope to soon get more clarity about the background of this horrible stabbing," Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said. "Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and loved ones."

Police told the AP that the suspect was injured when a bystander overpowered him.

ISRAELI SOCCER FANS TARGETED IN WAVE OF VIOLENCE IN AMSTERDAM

"The suspect was detained with the help of a civilian," police spokesperson Eline Roovers told the AP.

Guido Oostorm, another spokesperson for the police department, said the victims had been taken to area hospitals for treatment.

A State Department spokesperson confirmed to Fox News that two U.S. citizens were injured during the incident.

"The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas," the spokesperson said. "We are closely following reports of a stabbing in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We extend our sympathies to the victims and to the families of those affected. We can confirm that two U.S. citizens were injured. Due to privacy and other considerations, we have no further comment."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Liran Berman calls his brothers, Gali and Ziv, "the light of every room [they] walk into." 

Twins Gali and Ziv were taken hostage from their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. He told Fox News Digital that it was fitting that they brought light into every room, as the two brothers were lighting technicians. 

While most Israelis in their 20s move to the center of the country to live in cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Gali and Ziv opted to stay in their family’s home in southern Israel. They wanted to help their mother care for their father, who is suffering from dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

Liran told Fox News Digital that his brothers were ripped from their beds while sleeping late on a Saturday during a holiday weekend.

​BROTHER OF ISRAELI TWIN HOSTAGES RECOUNTS OCT. 7 TERRORIST ATTACK ON THEIR HOME

The Berman brothers were kidnapped together from the kibbutz, but their family has since learned from released hostages that they were separated shortly after arriving in Gaza. They are not the only brothers who were separated. Iair Horn was freed from Hamas captivity in February 2025 but had to leave his brother, Eitan, behind in Gaza.

"This is the longest they've been separated in their whole lives," Liran told Fox News Digital. Gali and Ziv were kidnapped along with Emily Damari, who was freed during the most recent ceasefire deal. When he spoke with Fox News Digital, Liran said he had not had a chance to talk to Emily since her release.

"Gali and Ziv have done nothing wrong to anyone. They are victims of a conflict," Liran told Fox News Digital.

The Berman family received signs of life after Gali and Ziv had spent more than a year in Gaza. Prior to the confirmation, which has come from freed hostages, Liran said his family "fought with the belief that my brothers were alive." 

"It was a breath of fresh air, really it’s, it’s — For more than a year, we fought with a belief that they are still alive, nothing more. Because for more than a year we had information from November ‘23 and until late January ’25 we didn’t know anything," Liran told Fox News Digital. "It gave us strength. We have the knowledge now that they are alive, not just a belief."

ISRAELI ACTIVIST VISITS US CITIES TO BRING AWARENESS TO TWIN BROTHERS CAPTURED BY HAMAS TERRORISTS

Liran believes that President Donald Trump has the power to secure his brothers’ release. He told Fox News Digital that Trump’s election brought a "different atmosphere" to the negotiations.

"We are in awe of what President Trump has done in his short term this far, and we are still hopeful that with the current administration we will see the remaining hostages, until the last one. Because that’s what they promised us. Until the last one will be home. It gives us a lot of strength," Liran told Fox News Digital. He also described himself as a "firm believer in the Trump effect."

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When asked about the renewed anti-Israel unrest on U.S. college campuses, Liran told Fox News Digital that he wants those students to realize that they are not so different from Gali and Ziv. They are around the same age and likely share the same interests.

"I want them to know that Gali and Ziv have their whole lives ahead of them," Liran told Fox News Digital. "And I want them to know that Gali and Ziv are missed by so many people."



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The United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) session in Geneva on Wednesday was marked by the interruption and scolding of pro-Israel speakers.

Meanwhile, those speaking against the Jewish state were allowed to lob insults and accusations of "genocide."

U.N. Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer was interrupted twice while speaking out against United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, whose term is up for renewal. He was interrupted and ultimately blocked from delivering his full remarks.

The Permanent Observer Representative of the State of Palestine to the U.N. Ibrahim Khraishi first interrupted Neuer with a "point of order." Khraishi started his remarks by saying Neuer was out of order and accused the U.N. watchdog chief of being "affiliated with the Mossad." This claim went unchallenged by the officials running the session, who complained repeatedly about "disrespectful language."

FREED ISRAELI HOSTAGE TELLS UNITED NATIONS THAT HAMAS STEALS AID

Neuer called the incident "censorship in its rawest form" and said it was "a day of shame for the United Nations" in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"They let the PLO spew slander but shut down my microphone when I cited the words of France, Germany, Canada, and the United States. What is more ‘disrespectful’—reporting the fact that democracies have condemned Francesca Albanese for antisemitism, or allowing a U.N.-accredited delegate to accuse a human rights defender of being a Mossad operative?"

After the first interruption, Neuer cited precedent for bringing a complaint against a U.N. official in the council session. However, Khraishi once again objected and, at that point, the U.N. official running the session moved to proceed to the next speaker rather than let Neuer conclude.

"I was silenced today, but the truth will not be. France, Germany, Canada, the U.S., and the Netherlands have all spoken. They’ve condemned Francesca Albanese’s antisemitism. They’ve called her unfit. It’s time for every democracy to find its voice. Silence is complicity," Neuer told Fox News Digital.

UN BLAMES ISRAELIS FOR ATTACK ON COMPOUND BUT DOESN'T MENTION HAMAS, SAYS FORCED TO REDUCE GAZA FOOTPRINT

Neuer was not the only pro-Israel speaker who was reprimanded for their language. Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust Director Anne Bayefsky was also scolded. After her video was played in the session, she was condemned for what the U.N. officials running the session deemed to be "disrespectful" and outside of "acceptable limits."

"They don’t define terrorism. They don’t name Hamas. Albanese and [Navi] Pillay are immune from condemnation for their atrocities. There is no U.N. accountability. And for that the new American administration must hold them to account," Bayefsky told Fox News Digital.

Albanese, who was appointed special rapporteur in 2022, has been condemned by the governments of multiple countries and faced accusations of antisemitism. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Albanese responded to a Hamas-organized conference in Gaza by saying "you have the right to resist this occupation." That was just a few months after her appointment to the U.N. position.

PAUSE IN US FOREIGN AID HAS UN IN PANIC OVER FUNDING CUTS, TRUMP SAYS WORLD BODY ‘NOT BEING WELL RUN’

On Wednesday, Neuer sent an official letter to Human Rights Council President Jürg Lauber urging him not to reappoint Albanese. In the letter, Neuer accuses Albanese of "routinely" violating the Code of Conduct, characterizing her breaches as "widespread, systematic and grave."

"Failure to address this issue would gravely undermine the credibility of the UNHRC and signal an unacceptable tolerance for antisemitism within its ranks," Neuer warned in the letter.

Albanese’s response to French President Emmanuel Macron calling the Oct. 7 attacks "the largest antisemitic massacre of our century" sparked backlash from France, the U.S. and Germany.

In February 2024, Albanese said that those killed on Oct. 7 were murdered "in response to Israel’s oppression," and not because they were Jewish.

The French Mission to the U.N. condemned Albanese’s response in a post on X. According to the ADL’s translation, the post read: "The October 7 massacre is the largest antisemitic massacre of the 21st century. To deny it is wrong. To seem to justify it, by bringing in the name of the United Nations, is a shame." This was just a few months after the mission condemned her "hate speech and antisemitism."

The German Mission to the U.N. backed France’s condemnation. The office reposted France’s post and wrote, "To justify the horrific terror attacks of 7/10 & deny their antisemitic nature is appalling. Making such statements in a U.N. capacity is a disgrace and goes against everything the United Nations stand for."

Michèle Taylor, who was serving as the U.S. ambassador to UNHRC at the time, condemned Albanese’s statements "justifying, dismissing and denying the antisemitic undertones of Hamas’ October 7 attack are in and of themselves antisemitic."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Palestinian Mission to the U.N. regarding Khraishi’s accusation against Neuer and has yet to get a response.



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North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has overseen tests of newly developed AI-powered suicide drones and called for their increased production, North Korean state media said Thursday.

Photos released from the communist country show Kim inspecting new upgraded reconnaissance drones that are capable of detecting various tactical targets and enemy activities on land and at sea, KCNA state news agency said.

Kim said unmanned control and AI capability must be the top priorities in modern arms development.

NORTH KOREA UNVEILS ITS FIRST NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINE

In recent months, he has been emphasizing the development of drones, and the tests were the latest display of his country’s growing military capabilities.

"The field of unmanned equipment and artificial intelligence should be top-prioritized and developed in modernizing the armed forces," KCNA quoted Kim as saying of the "defense science research work."

Kim was seen walking with aides with what appeared to be an unmanned surveillance aircraft that resembles the U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude surveillance aircraft parked on the tarmac in the background.

Other images showed a fixed-wing drone zeroing in on a tank-shaped target then exploding in flames. Kim previously inspected other demonstrations of drones that explode on impact in November and August last year.

The agency said the test demonstrated the reconnaissance drone’s ability to track multiple targets and monitor troop movements on land and at sea, potentially enhancing North Korea’s intelligence-gathering operations and ability to neutralize enemy threats. The report said the new exploding drones are designed for various attack missions and feature unspecified artificial intelligence capabilities.

TRUMP MUST NOT REPEAT HIS KIM JONG UN MISTAKE WITH IRAN, SECURITY EXPERT WARNS

Kim was also seen walking to a large aircraft with four engines and a radar dome mounted on the fuselage. Analysts have previously reported that North Korea was converting the Russian-made Il-76 cargo aircraft for an early-warning role to help augment the North's existing land-based radar systems, which are sometimes limited by the peninsula's mountainous terrain, London's International Institute for Strategic Studies said in a report in September.

The drone display comes just weeks after North Korea revealed, for the first time, a nuclear-powered submarine under construction, a weapons system that could pose a major security threat to South Korea and the U.S.

It also comes as North Korea has been sending more missiles, artillery equipment and ammunition to help Russia -- raising concerns that North Korea may receive Russian technology transfers in return.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea has said that North Korea could increase its weapons supplies further depending on the war situation. Russia and Ukraine recently agreed on a limited ceasefire, though both sides have accused each other of violations.

North Korea has sent approximately 11,000 military personnel to fight alongside Russia in the war against Ukraine in its first involvement in a large-scale conflict since the 1950-53 Korean War. The South Korean military assessed that around 4,000 of them have been killed or wounded.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Unprecedented wildfires ripping through South Korea’s southern regions have destroyed large parts of an ancient Buddhist temple complex, burning down two buildings that had been designated national treasures.

Five days of wildfires, considered among South Korea’s worst, have left 24 people dead, destroyed more than 300 structures and forced more than 28,000 residents to evacuate, officials said Wednesday.

MOTORCYCLIST WHO VANISHED INTO SINKHOLE IS FOUND DEAD FOLLOWING SEARCH

The Gounsa temple was reportedly originally built in 681 A.D. during the Shilla dynasty that ruled more than half of the Korean Peninsula. It is nestled at the foot of Deungun Mountain in the southeastern town of Uiseong. While it doesn’t house buildings constructed during that ancient period, it is home to several famous cultural heritages built later.

The temple was engulfed in flames on Tuesday as strong winds fanned the wildfires. About 20 of its 30 buildings and structures were completely burned down, including the revered Gaunru, a pavilion-shaped structure built in 1668 overlooking a stream, and Yeonsujeon, built in 1904 to mark the longevity of a king, according to the state-run Korea Heritage Service.

Both were constructed during the Joseon dynasty, the last one on the Korean Peninsula, and were given the government designation of "treasure," a status given to old buildings, paintings and other cultural assets with historic and artistic significance and which receive state-level protection and maintenance.

"I went there this morning and found they’ve been reduced to heaps of ashes," said Doryun, a senior monk who had lived at the temple for more than three years when he was younger. "I feel really empty. Life is transient."

Doryun now works for a Buddhist organization in charge of the temple. He said that monks and Buddhist faithful managed to move the temple's third "treasure," a stone Buddha statue reportedly built in the 8th century, to a safe place.

"Many buildings were burned down, but we moved and protected other sacred assets so that we can maintain the temple. We feel it’s very fortunate," Doryun told The Associated Press over the phone.

Doryun also said about 20 monks and other workers live at the temple, but none have been injured.

The Korea Heritage Service said the temple’s two other lower-level cultural assets, including a stone pagoda, have also been found intact.



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Israel’s war in Gaza resumed in full force last week after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire and a deadlock in negotiations over the release of the remaining hostages. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a new wave of airstrikes, quickly followed by coordinated ground operations in three key areas: the Netzarim Corridor, Gaza’s northern coastline and the Rafah district in the south.

With expanded U.S. support and favorable shifts in the regional landscape, this next phase signals a significant evolution in Israel’s military objectives, from degrading Hamas’s battlefield capabilities to dismantling its ability to govern.

"We’ve been fighting them for 10 days," said Maj. Gen. Yaakov Amidror (res.), former Israeli national security advisor. "All they’ve managed to do is fire seven rockets. That tells you how much damage we’ve inflicted already."

ISRAEL LAUNCHES NEW GROUND OPERATION IN GAZA

A senior Israeli security official told Fox News Digital: "We seized weapons caches, labs, and command centers. Hamas today is not functioning like an army. It’s a dangerous terror group, but it’s not what it was on October 7."

According to Israeli data, most of Hamas’s senior command has been eliminated and only fragmented units remain.

"They’ve lost their experienced leadership," the official said. "They’re operating in survival mode."

This time, Israel is operating under dramatically improved conditions, both militarily and diplomatically.

"The strategic environment has changed," Amidror told Fox News Digital. "Hezbollah is weaker, Iran is constrained, and the American administration is offering us true support. They’re not telling us where to bomb or how to fight."

With fewer threats on other fronts and strong backing from the Trump administration, the IDF has broadened its scope to include Hamas’s political leadership.

"We’re not just degrading military capabilities anymore," Amidror said. "We’re dismantling the structure that allowed Hamas to govern."

During the pause in fighting, Hamas consolidated control over humanitarian aid, confiscating supplies, reselling goods and using them to recruit fighters and maintain loyalty. Israeli officials now say that won’t be allowed to continue.

TRUMP SAYS US WILL 'TAKE OVER' GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABILIZE MIDDLE EAST

"We are working to find a solution so that humanitarian aid reaches civilians and is not weaponized by Hamas," the senior Israeli security official explained. He noted that Gaza currently has sufficient food reserves and that Israel is developing new delivery mechanisms that bypass Hamas entirely.

Fifty-nine Israeli hostages remain in Hamas captivity. Their continued detention has sparked nationwide protests, with families urging the government to prioritize a negotiated release. But the renewed fighting puts those hostages in greater danger.

"The only real limitation is the hostages," Amidror acknowledged. "We want them alive, and fighting a war while trying to protect them is a huge challenge."

"My position is that first we have to get the hostages back, even if we need to commit to end the war and pull back to a security perimeter," said Ram Ben Barak, former deputy head of Mossad and current Knesset member. "We can commit to that, but only if Hamas gives all the hostages back. If they don’t, that alone is a reason to go back to war. And even if Hamas does return them, we’ll be watching. If Hamas starts smuggling weapons again or training fighters, that, too, will be a reason to go in and hit them hard."

The security official said military pressure is part of a coordinated effort to bring the hostages home.

"They released a group of hostages earlier than planned because of the pressure we applied in Netzarim when they refused to release Arbel Yehud," he said.

Despite tactical gains, Israeli leaders know the war cannot eliminate Hamas’s ideology. The mission, they say, is to prevent it from ever ruling Gaza again.

MORE AID IS SUPPOSED TO BE ENTERING THE GAZA STRIP. WHY ISN’T IT HELPING?

"We won’t go back to the days when we let them quietly build an army," Ben Barak told Fox News Digital. "We’ll strike every time we see military training or arms smuggling. They’ll never have tanks or armored vehicles again."

Ben Barak said Israel can't remain in Gaza long-term: "If we stay like we did in Lebanon for 19 years, we’ll leave in shame. The only way to win is to have someone else replace Hamas and govern Gaza."

He also pointed to the West Bank as a partial model: "In the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority governs, and we operate from the perimeter when needed. We need the same in Gaza: an internationally backed civil authority that rebuilds the [Gaza] Strip and keeps Hamas out."

Still, he cautioned against illusions of peace.

"There won’t be peace in the next 20 years. But like Egypt did with the Muslim Brotherhood, we can suppress Hamas’s ideology and stop it from taking root again."

Ben Barak also said Gazans who wish to leave should be allowed to: "Let them out. If they have visas and want to go, Israel should let them. It will make military operations easier in a less densely populated area."

Israeli forces are now deeply embedded in Gaza, with simultaneous operations in the north, south and central regions.

"These aren’t symbolic moves," Amidror said. "We’re positioning ourselves for the next stage. We will eventually need to reach every tunnel, blow up the infrastructure, and kill every Hamas terrorist. It is achievable, but it will take at least a year."



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Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Houthi militants in Yemen are claiming responsibility for recent attacks against U.S. warships in the Red Sea. 

The terror group claimed in a statement published by the Jerusalem Post Tuesday that they had attacked the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and several U.S. warships in the Red Sea.

Early on Wednesday, the Houthis said they had targeted a U.S. vessel and Israeli military locations using drones.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Defense for comment.

TRUMP'S SIGHTS SET ON IRAN AFTER US AIRSTRIKES DECIMATE MORE THAN 30 HOUTHI TARGETS

The Houthis had claimed earlier this month that they had attacked the Truman and its warship in response to U.S. attacks on Yemen, but offered no evidence to support their claim of retaliation.

The U.S. military had shot down several Houthi drones a short time before the group's claim.

This comes after several Trump administration officials discussed plans for a forthcoming military strike against the Houthis in a group chat on the encrypted messaging service Signal in which they mistakenly added Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, who said he received a request to join the group on March 11 from what appeared to be the president's National Security Advisor Michael Waltz.

The group, called "Houthi PC Small Group," featured top Trump officials discussing what turned out to be an upcoming attack on the Houthis, as many are criticizing the group chat as a massive breach of national security and note that senior officials are not supposed to discuss detailed military plans outside special secure facilities or protected government communications networks.

TRUMP OFFICIALS ACCIDENTALLY TEXT ATLANTIC JOURNALIST ABOUT MILITARY STRIKES IN APPARENT SECURITY BREACH

Goldberg reported that 18 people were listed in the group, including Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

The article noted that officials were discussing "war plans," and Goldberg said he elected not to publish some of the highly sensitive information he saw in the Signal chat, including precise information about weapons packages, targets and timing, because of potential threats to national security and military operations.

The editor also said that Ratcliffe put the name of a CIA undercover agent into the Signal chat.

The White House has confirmed that the group chat "appears to be authentic," although administration officials, including Hegseth, have sought to downplay concerns and discredit Goldberg as a reporter.

"I've heard how it was characterized. Nobody was texting war plans, and that's all I have to say about that," Hegseth said Monday.

Hegseth criticized Goldberg as "a deceitful and highly discredited, so-called journalist who's made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again, to include the, I don't know, the hoaxes of Russia, Russia, Russia, or the fine people on both sides hoax or suckers and losers hoax. So this guy is garbage."



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