In an Oct. 10 press release from the University of Manchester, officials said the skeleton — found near Dorset’s Gold Cap in 2001 — is a newly identified species of ichthyosaur.

Alive around the same time as dinosaurs, ichthyosaurs were air-breathing marine reptiles that once “ruled the ancient oceans,” per officials.

TERRIFYING ANCIENT PREDATOR WITH ‘POWERFUL CLAWS’ UNEARTHED, ITS LAST MEAL STILL IN ITS JAWS

The ancient reptile has been named Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the “Sword Dragon of Dorset.” Scientists say it dates back to the Pliensbachian period, roughly 193 to 184 million years ago.

Dean Lomax, an honorary research fellow at Manchester University, was one of the paleontologists who gave the creature its new name, which he said was one of the “coolest things” about his line of work.

Scientists have identified a new species of ichthyosaur discovered on the U.K.’s Jurassic Coast, naming it the “Sword Dragon of Dorset.” (Dean Lomax / University of Manchester)

“We opted for Xiphodracon because of the long, sword-like snout — xipho from Greek xiphos for sword — and dracon, Greek and Latin for dragon, in reference to ichthyosaurs being referred to as ‘sea dragons’ for over 200 years,” he said.

Paleontologists said the Xiphodracon measured around 10 feet long and ate fish and squid.

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“The remains even show what may be traces of its last meal,” the press release added.

“It is probably the world’s most complete prehistoric reptile from the Pliensbachian period.”

The fossilized remains of Xiphodracon goldencapensis were first unearthed near Dorset’s Golden Cap in 2001. (Dean Lomax / University of Manchester)

The ichthyosaur intrigued experts for over two decades, not just for the mystery behind its species, but because of its exceptional condition.

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“The fossil is almost perfectly preserved in three dimensions,” the university press release said.

“The skeleton includes a skull with [an] enormous eye socket and a long sword-like snout.”

Dean Lomax, a University of Manchester researcher, helped name the species. (Dean Lomax / University of Manchester)

The ancient reptile “is the only known example of its kind in existence and helps to fill an important gap in the evolutionary fossil record of ichthyosaurs.”

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Lomax said he saw the skeleton for the first time in 2016.

“Back then, I knew it was unusual, but I did not expect it to play such a pivotal role in helping to fill a gap in our understanding of a complex faunal turnover during the Pliensbachian,” he said.

The Jurassic Coast is famed for its ancient marine fossils. (Saiful Islam/Majority World/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

He described Xiphodracon as a “missing piece of the ichthyosaur puzzle,” as its discovery helps researchers understand the extinction timeline better.

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“This time is pretty crucial for ichthyosaurs, as several families went extinct and new families emerged.”

Andrea Margolis is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can follow her on X at @andreamargs or send story tips to andrea.margolis@fox.com.

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Four guys, using a cherry picker truck to scale the side of the museum, break through a second-floor window, scoop up to $100 million worth of French crown jewelry and make off with the loot on motor scooters in under 10 minutes.Something out of the movies.Pink Panther.You name it.

I used to live in Paris. I’ve covered many front-page stories during my time there and after — from the death of Princess Diana to several deadly terror attacks, and the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral. Now, this.

‘BRAZEN’ LOUVRE THIEVES MADE TARGETED HEIST, JEWELS COULD BE MELTED DOWN: EXPERT

Fox News senior foreign affairs correspondent Greg Palkot reports live in front of the Louvre Museum entrance in Paris on Oct. 21, 2025. (Fox News)

Luckily, I had an ace team with me: professional cameraman and producer John Templeton and Simon Owen, seasoned Paris producer since the 1990s, Cicely Medintzeff, and a handy big Mercedes van and driver.

The trip didn’t start that well — losing a few production bags on the flight from London to Paris. But cameraman John made do. As we chatted with folks at the airport, including a nice American couple from Washington state.The robbery was already the talk of the town.

Our next challenge was finding a spot to do our live shots. Arriving by night, the road near the museum was blocked by police on one side, so we ended up backing our way in on the other side. We found a place in front of the iconic pyramid-shaped entrance to the museum. Night or day, it’s one of the great backdrops around — as we talked about a terrible crime.

New footage purportedly shows a person in a yellow jacket beside a display case amid the Louvre heist.  (BFMTV)

The next morning, we went straight to the scene of the crime — the back side of the museum. It took us about five or six times to get our video re-creation of the heist correct, adding to our recognition of the thieves’ skills. Except for a parked police car, even at that time, there wasn’t a lot of security around. There was no museum video of the break-in. The crooks beat the alarms.

We weren’t the only ones gawking.A small crowd, including American tourists, stared up and wondered. “It looks incredibly easy,” one told us.”Weird,” another sighed.

Fox News senior foreign affairs correspondent Greg Palkot reports outside the Louvre Museum, showing the second-floor window where a break-in occurred, in Paris on Oct. 21, 2025. (Fox News)

LOUVRE MUSEUM CLOSED AFTER ROBBERY, FRENCH OFFICIAL SAYS

But the big crowds were back in front of the museum.Even though it was closed that day (it had been shut following the robbery), throngs were there — many wondering about the crime.Many more just taking the usual Instagram-style selfies with the Louvre.

With our TV equipment spread on the pavement for live shots, we became another source of attention. “Where did it happen?” one person asked. “When is the museum opening again?” asked another. One more American tourist came up and described how he and his wife had been to the museum the day before the robbery and could already tell the security was terrible.

LOUVRE DIRECTOR GRILLED ON SPECTACULAR SECURITY FAILURES, INCLUDING CAMERA POINTING AWAY FROM KEY BALCONY

Police officers stand near the pyramid of the Louvre Museum after reports of a robbery, in Paris, France, October 19, 2025. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters)

Overall, though, except for a few ringers, the people around us, while quite intent, were very polite. It probably didn’t hurt that this story was more “wow” than political.

As more details of the crime emerged, the story only got stranger. How the thieves got their truck just 25 miles outside Paris. How were they in such a rush they left behind a crown studded with more than 1,300 diamonds (they got eight other pieces). And how Police — making up for lost time — gathered evidence, including a construction-style vest, a glove, a license plate and video of the suspects making their getaway on a highway outside Paris.

And the French were doing another thing they’re good at — finger-pointing and blame-casting. President Emmanuel Macron has enough political headaches these days. The last thing he needed was a high-profile catastrophe. He promised the culprits would be caught. To her credit, the director of the museum offered her resignation (it was declined) but got a good grilling by the French Senate.

Fox News team, from left, Greg Palkot, cameraman John Templeton and producer Simon Owen, at the Louvre in Paris on Oct. 21, 2025. (Fox News)

Technically, we only had a few problems. We mostly don’t use satellite dishes anymore for live shots — just a small device with a bunch of cell phone chips to get the internet. That works fine — except when there are 500 other curious people using their phones around you! And the autumn Paris weather played nice — just a few gusts knocking down some lamps and a few showers prompting umbrellas to save our gear!

All of this, as we noted, was a race against time for a team of 100 French police investigators — one of the biggest manhunts in French history — to catch the thieves before they had a chance to break up the jewelry, re-cut the gems and melt down the gold and silver to be sold off. Part of a growing trend of museum heists.

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In addition to hearing my on-air colleagues express their astonishment about the crime, we also took our share of ribbing about the “tough” assignment of being sent to Paris. And, indeed, it was lovely seeing my old hometown again. Paris is stunning. But I also must note, aside from a fine brasserie wrap dinner, the trip was more about crowding onto café chairs to write scripts and use facilities — plus Uber Eats, French style.

Fox News senior foreign affairs correspondent Greg Palkot with Paris producer Cicely Medintzeff at the Louvre in Paris on Oct. 21, 2025. (Fox News)

So now we wait to see how this incredible French crime caper pans out. Most people we heard from were pretty sure the bandits would get caught and the museum’s security would be updated. But they had their doubts that the priceless jewelry — described as France’s “soul” — would ever be retrieved. The Louvre has reopened. Let’s just hope this film-style story has a happy ending.

Greg Palkot serves as a London-based senior foreign affairs correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in 1998 as a correspondent.

The post Reporter’s Notebook: A Paris jewel heist straight out of the movies appeared first on My Blog.

The Lithuanian armed forces said that at approximately 6:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, two Russian aircraft — an SU-30 and an IL-78 — flew about 765 yards into Lithuanian airspace, The Associated Press reported. The aircraft allegedly flew away after approximately 18 seconds.

“This evening, Russian military planes violated Lithuanian airspace. This is a blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity of Lithuania. Once again, it confirms the importance of strengthening European air defense readiness,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda posted on X.

NATO WARNS RUSSIA AFTER POLAND SHOOTS DOWN ‘HUGE NUMBER’ OF DRONES THAT VIOLATED ITS AIRSPACE

Lithuania accused Russia of violating its airspace, leading to the scrambling of two jets on a NATO mission. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images; Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via Reuters)

Nausėda announced that the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs would summon representatives from the Russian embassy in Vilnius “to protest against reckless and dangerous behavior.” The ministry later confirmed on X that the Russian charge d‘affaires was summoned in protest of the airspace violation.

“Russia must cease its aggressive behavior, respect international law and the borders of neighboring states,” the ministry said in a post on X.

Russia’s defense ministry denied Lithuania’s claim, saying that SU-30 fighter jets were conducting training flights over the Kaliningrad region in strict compliance with the rules, the AP reported.

“The aircraft did not deviate from their flight route or violate the borders of other states, as confirmed by objective monitoring means,” the ministry said, according to the AP.

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his annual end-of-year press conference in Moscow on Dec. 19, 2024. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)

RUSSIAN JETS CARRYING BALLISTIC MISSILES VIOLATE ESTONIAN AIRSPACE, FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS

Baltic nations have been on heightened alert amid Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, according to the AP. The outlet added that the recent airspace incursions have fueled fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be testing NATO, though Moscow has denied this.

Poland, Denmark and Romania, which are all NATO member states, reported airspace violations by Russian drones in the last few months. In August, Romania was forced to scramble F-16 jets after Russia carried out a strike just half a mile from its territory as U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin ahead of the Kremlin leader’s Alaska summit with President Donald Trump.

Earlier this week, Trump called off a meeting with Putin that was set to take place in Budapest, Hungary. While the White House did not rule out the possibility of a future summit, Trump has criticized Putin for his lack of action to move toward peace with Ukraine.

President Donald Trump canceled a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. (Getty Images)

Trump “feels as though, unfortunately, from the Russian side as of late, he has not seen enough interest in enough action in terms of moving the ball forward toward peace,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday.

“And so a meeting between these two leaders is not completely off the table. I think the president and the entire administration hope that one day that can happen again, but we want to make sure that there’s a tangible positive outcome out of that meeting, and that it’s a good use of the president’s time,” she added.

While sitting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters that the meeting was canceled and that “it didn’t feel right” to him.

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“It just didn’t feel right to me,” Trump said Wednesday. “It didn’t feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get, so I canceled it, but we’ll do it in the future.”

No plans for a future meeting have been announced since the cancellation of the summit in Hungary.

Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

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Merz has rejected criticism from some German political circles over his government’s tough stance on illegal immigration.

“But we still have this problem in the cityscape, of course, and that’s why the federal interior minister is facilitating and carrying out large-scale deportations,” he said during a visit to Potsdam last week.

GERMANY BRACES UNDER COLLAPSING GOVERNMENT AND LOOMING TRUMP TRADE WAR

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sparked backlash while remarking about the country’s migration policies.  (Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

The statement prompted backlash, some accusing the German leader of being racist. He rejected the criticism while on the sidelines of a summit on the Western Balkans in London, saying migrants were “an indispensable part of our labor market,” German-based DW News reported.

He also claimed that many people in Germany and across Europe are nonetheless “afraid to move around in public spaces” because of migrants “who do not have permanent residence status, do not work and do not abide by our rules,” the outlet reported.

MD GOV DEFENDS $190K TRUMP-CENTRIC IRISH CONSULTANT CONTRACT AS POTUS MOVES IN NEXT DOOR

Numerous demonstrators gather for a demonstration in Berlin Oct. 19, 2025, with the slogan “Brandmauer hoch!” (“We are the cityscape”), referring to a statement made by Chancellor Merz in reference to migration policy.   (Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images)

“I don’t know whether you have children. If you do, and there are daughters among them, ask your daughters what I might have meant. I suspect you’ll get a pretty clear and unambiguous answer. There’s nothing I need to retract,” he said when asked if he would withdraw his earlier remarks.

Some have signed a petition disputing Merz’s comments. The signees include actor Marie Nasemann and environmental activist Luisa Neubauer.

Video

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“There are approximately 40 million daughters in this country. We have a genuine interest in ensuring that our safety is taken seriously,” Neubauer wrote on Instagram. “What we are not interested in is being misused as a pretext or justification for statements that were ultimately discriminatory, racist and deeply hurtful.”

Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com.

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The burglars pretended they were hiring the freight lift for a move and when the equipment owner or representative arrived to verify the job, the suspects threatened that person, forcing them to hand it over and leave the scene, Beccuau said in an interview with RTL radio, according to The New York Times.

Authorities said the thieves spent less than four minutes inside the Louvre on Sunday morning. They allegedly wheeled the vehicle to the Seine-facing façade, a window was forced open and two vitrines were smashed.

WATCH: Louvre security was ‘not up to par’ after jewelry heist, author says

Video

The thieves made away with a total of eight objects, including a sapphire diadem, necklace and single earring from a set linked to 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense. The heist has prompted a national reckoning, with some officials comparing the shock to the 2019burning of Notre-Dame cathedral.

They also stole an emerald necklace and earrings tied to Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife, and a reliquary brooch. Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and her large corsage-bow brooch — an imperial ensemble of rare craftsmanship — were also part of the loot.

BRAZEN LOUVRE ROBBERY CREW MAY HAVE BEEN HIRED BY COLLECTOR, PROSECUTOR SAYS

Police secure the area outside the Louvre Museum in Paris, where burglars used a truck-mounted moving lift to reach a second-floor window and steal royal jewelry valued at more than $100 million. (Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

One piece — the emerald-set imperial crown of Empress Eugénie, with more than 1,300 diamonds — was later found outside the museum, damaged but recoverable.

Beccuau said the stolen items were valued at around $102.1 million and that the team investigating the heist has grown to 100 people.

The pieces were not insured, which is not uncommon for state collections because of the prohibitive costs, the Times reported, citing France’s culture ministry. The ministry reportedly said that the state “acts as its own insurer” when works are in their usual place of conservation “given the cost of taking out insurance” and the fact that “the accident rate is low.”

French crime scene officers gesture as they examine the cut window and balcony of a gallery at the Louvre Museum on Oct. 19, 2025. (Kiran Ridley/Getty; Zhang Weiguo/VCG/AP)

LOUVRE MUSEUM CLOSED AFTER ROBBERY, FRENCH OFFICIAL SAYS

Beccuau told local media that investigators believe the robbers may have been commissioned by a collector or were purely motivated by the value of the jewels and precious metals, Reuters reported.

“We’re looking at the hypothesis oforganized crime,” Beccuau told BFMTV, noting that the thieves could be professionals operating on spec for a buyer.

Beccuau added that if a collector did commission the heist, there is hope that the stolen pieces will remain intact and well-preserved until recovered, the outlet reported. If the thieves acted independently, they may have targeted the jewels for their potential use in laundering criminal proceeds.

“Nowadays, anything can be linked todrug trafficking, given the significant sums of money obtained fromdrug trafficking,” Beccuau said, according to Reuters.

Investigators are keeping all leads open, but foreign interference has reportedly been largely ruled out in the case.

Forensic police officers arrive at the Louvre Museum after reports of a robbery in Paris on Oct. 19, 2025. (Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes)

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The Sunday morning smash-and-grab unfolded just 270 yards from the “Mona Lisa.”

Prosecutors revealed Monday that a vest, bottle of liquid and equipment left behind at the scene are now being examined.

The Louvre reopened Wednesday morning to crowds under its glass pyramid

Fox News Digital’s Bonny Chu, Ronn Blitzer and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.

You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.

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