World News

Israel’s military encircled two of the last functioning hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip, staff and aid groups say, as the World Health Organization is warning that the activity is "stretching the health system beyond the breaking point." 

The development comes as an Israeli military spokesperson said Wednesday that "We are entering a new phase, different in size and strength, to achieve the war's objectives of returning the kidnapped soldiers and defeating the terrorist [group] Hamas. 

"Forces from the 401st Brigade and the Givati Brigade, under the command of the 162nd Division, began operating in the northern Gaza Strip, where they identified and destroyed suspicious buildings in the area and eliminated dozens of Hamas terrorists," IDF Col. Avichay Adraee wrote on X. 

The Indonesian hospital and al-Awda hospital are among northern Gaza's only surviving medical centers, according to the Associated Press. 

ISRAEL FIRES BACK AT UK OVER SUSPENDED TRADE TALKS, REJECTS ‘EXTERNAL’ PRESSURE 

Israeli authorities issued evacuation orders Friday for large parts of northern Gaza ahead of military activity intended to pressure Hamas to release more hostages. 

Both hospitals as well as another and three primary health care centers are within the evacuation zone, though Israel has not ordered the evacuation of the facilities themselves. Another two hospitals and four primary care centers are within 1,000 yards of the zone, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organization. 

Israeli military operations and evacuation orders "are stretching the health system beyond the breaking point," he said. 

Israeli drones have been hovering around the Indonesian hospital since Sunday, an aid group that supports the hospital told the AP. 

The Israeli military said its forces were operating around the hospital and targeting Hamas infrastructure but that troops had not entered the facility and ambulances were allowed to move. 

However, Israeli bulldozers demolished a perimeter wall of the hospital, according to the aid group MERC-Indonesia and a hospital staff member who had since evacuated. Then on Tuesday, airstrikes reportedly targeted the hospital’s generators, sparking a fire and damaging its main power supply. 

TRUMP HOSTAGE ENVOY DISMISSES REPORT OF ISRAEL HOSTAGE ABANDONMENT AS ‘FAKE NEWS’ 

At least one staff member was killed, according to WHO, which said those who remained in the hospital were in urgent need of water and food. The U.N. said it was working to transfer remaining patients to other facilities. 

Nearly a half a mile away, Israeli drones fired Monday into the al-Awda hospital courtyard, preventing movement, Rami Shurafi, a board member of that hospital, told the AP. 

On Tuesday, Israeli drones fired at two ambulances that transferred three patients to Gaza City as the crews tried to return to the hospital, spokesperson Khaled Alhelo reportedly added. 

"Anyone moving in the hospital is fired at. They are all keeping low inside the hospital," he said. 

About 47 patients, including nearly 20 children and several pregnant women, and some 140 doctors and medical staff members are still at the hospital, according to Shurafi. 

Israel has also begun allowing a trickle of food and medicine into the Gaza Strip after sealing the territory’s 2 million Palestinians off from all imports for more than 2 1/2 months. 

A few dozen trucks have entered since Monday, but none of the aid has been distributed because of delays caused by Israeli military procedures, the U.N. said. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

A suicide car bomber struck a school bus in Pakistan on Wednesday, killing five people, including at least three children, and wounding 38 others, according to officials.

This is just the latest attack in Balochistan province, which has seen a long-running insurgency, with an array of separatist groups carrying out attacks, including the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army, or BLA, which has been designated as a terror group by the U.S. in 2019.

A local deputy commissioner, Yasir Iqbal, said the attack on Wednesday happened on the outskirts of the city of Khuduzar as the bus was taking children to their military-run school in the area.

Troops quickly arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area as ambulances rushed the victims to hospitals.

TRUMP VOWS TO INCREASE TRADE WITH INDIA PAKISTAN AFTER PRAISING CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT: 'A JOB WELL DONE!'

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but ethnic Baloch separatists, who frequently target security forces and civilians in the region, are likely to be blamed.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the attack and expressed deep sorrow following the children’s deaths. He also said the attackers are "beasts" who deserve no leniency and who committed an act of "sheer barbarism by targeting innocent children."

Officials initially reported that four children were killed but later changed the death toll to say two adults were among the dead. The death toll may rise, as several children were listed in critical condition.

INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE'S EFFORT TO PULL INDIA, PAKISTAN BACK FROM THE BRINK OF WAR

The military claimed the bombing was "yet another cowardly and ghastly attack" allegedly planned by neighboring India and carried out by "its proxies in Balochistan."

Most of the attacks in the province are claimed by the BLA, which Pakistan alleges has the back of India. However, India has denied the allegations.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences and also attributed the attack to India without providing evidence.

"The attack on a school bus by terrorists backed by India is clear proof of their hostility toward education in Balochistan," Sharif said, saying that the government would bring the perpetrators to justice.

Pakistani officials regularly accuse India of violence in their country. The accusations have intensified amid heightened tensions between the two countries during a cross-border escalation since last month over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. Both countries rule part of Kashmir but claim full control.

The escalation prompted fears of a broader war, and the BLA during this time appealed to India for support, although India has not commented on the appeal.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the western Kursk region on Tuesday, the first time he stopped by since Russian forces ejected Ukrainian troops from the area last month.

During the visit, Putin met with volunteer organizations in the region and went to the Kursk-II nuclear power plant, according to the Kremlin.

State TV showed the Russian president, accompanied by Kremlin first deputy chief of staff Sergei Kiriyenko, meeting volunteers and local officials in the region, including acting Gov. Alexander Khinshtein.

US AWAITS CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL AFTER TRUMP PHONE CALL, RUBIO SAYS

Russia said late last month that it had ejected Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region, putting an end to the biggest incursion into Russian territory since World War II.

On Aug. 6, Ukraine carried out its boldest attack, pushing through the Russian border into the Kursk region, supported by swarms of drones and heavy Western weaponry.

Ukrainian forces have claimed as much as about 540 square miles of Kursk.

PRESIDENT TRUMP CONFIDENT PUTIN WANTS PEACE WITH UKRAINE, THINKS HE'S 'HAD ENOUGH' OF WAR

This comes after Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Turkey last week for their first direct peace talks in years, but the two sides failed to reach a ceasefire agreement.

The negotiations were the first face-to-face talks between the two countries since the early weeks of the war that began with a February 2022 invasion by Moscow.

Reuters contributed to this report.

JOHANNESBURG — President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House on Wednesday for a make-or-break session, despite new accusations from the president this past Friday that South Africa is "out of control" and committing genocide.

Speaking on Air Force One as it returned from the Persian Gulf region, Trump repeated his claim that white Afrikaner South African farmers are being slaughtered and forced off their land. The Afrikaners are descendants of mostly Dutch settlers who first arrived in South Africa in 1652.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio elaborated on these claims Sunday on CBS, saying "all evidence [indicates] the farmers in South Africa are being treated brutally."

Some 50 Afrikaners were flown to the U.S. as refugees last week. Rubio said there’s "more to come". South Africa, and its president, denies claims of genocide and harassment.

INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN, CONGRESS SHOWDOWN LOOMS WITH SOUTH AFRICA OVER SUPPORT FOR RUSSIA, US FOES

Could the Oval Office and the Wednesday meeting be the setting for a Zelenskyy-style dressing down of the South African president? In February, Ukraine’s president was involved in a shouting match with Trump and others, which reportedly led to him being ejected from the White House.

"The meeting is set to occur at a time when the relationship between the two countries has soured to unprecedented lows," analyst Frans Cronje, Yorktown Foundation for Freedom advisory board member, told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP ADMIN MAKES NEW MOVE TO BRING SOUTH AFRICAN REFUGEES TO US AS PRESIDENT BLASTS NATION'S RULERS AGAIN

South Africa is "hosting Hamas and Hezbollah, doing business with Iran’s IRGC, prosecuting Israel at the ICJ and cozying up to Beijing and Moscow. These choices have consequences," Max Meizlish, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

Meizlish said South Africa has "attracted the ire of the president and key members of Congress, who play significant roles in shaping the future of U.S.-South African relations. Unfortunately, President Ramaphosa and his colleagues in the ANC do not appear to fully appreciate this fact. President Trump should insist on meaningful change and be ready to back his demands up with tools like targeted sanctions and tariffs."

But will the White House meeting be icy, feisty, even loud? Not from the South African side, former U.S. diplomat and Daily Maverick Associate Editor J. Brooks Spector told Fox News Digital. "Ramaphosa has a long track record of careful negotiating with adversaries."

"He doesn’t raise his voice, even when others become heated. I’ve seen this firsthand. In a smoke-filled room in 1990 in South Africa’s dusty Free State, I watched Ramaphosa, then a leader of a black miners' union, sometimes even smile as he quietly and successfully calmed down [the] often-shouting white miners accused of killing black colleagues underground and got the murders stopped."

Spector continued, "It is almost certain Ramaphosa and his team have closely studied the way three recent prior meetings with Trump have gone – those with Zelenskyy (Ukraine), Starmer (the United Kingdom) and Carney (Canada) – in an effort to draw lessons about how to present their best face. He will not make neophyte negotiation mistakes."

WHITE SOUTH AFRICAN REFUGEES BROUGHT TO US DUE TO ‘GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED RACIAL DISCRIMINATION’: STATE DEPT

Cronje told Fox News Digital that Ramaphosa and his country badly need the U.S.

"At home, Mr Ramaphosa is presiding over economic stagnation, with South Africa facing a rate of economic growth estimated at just over 1% together with an unemployment rate of over 30%. Mr. Ramaphosa will, therefore, be under great pressure to secure a deal."

Some 600 U.S. companies operate in South Africa. Ramaphosa has taken four top ministers to Washington hoping to offer new deals, especially reportedly on natural gas, minerals and agricultural product sales to the U.S., and possibly finally the licensing of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet system in South Africa.

Cronje noted a military perspective the U.S. will also want to consider: "South Africa commands the southern sea route between the Indian and Atlantic oceans, which is an important trade and naval choke point."

Meizlish added that South Africa "holds vast mineral wealth and could anchor U.S. investment in Africa, but that doesn’t mean we should turn a blind eye to its alignment with America’s enemies." 

South Africa’s chief rabbi, Dr. Warren Goldstein, told Fox News Digital that South Africa could "easily withdraw" its ICJ case against Israel if it wanted to, adding that "opinion polls show that there is very little domestic support for his (Ramaphosa’s) anti-Israel stance, with most holding positive views towards Israel, sharing the same conservative Christian values that deeply resonate with Mr. Trump’s support base in the U.S."

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Meizlish said, "This visit can’t be about optics or deals that fail to address the root of South Africa's malign foreign policy. Trump needs to push Ramaphosa to make substantive, structural reforms in his country's foreign policy while also creating pathways for greater U.S. investment. It can't just be one or the other."

As South African politicians swept through Washington on Tuesday on a major lobbying exercise, trying to get traction on the idea of focusing on trade, Rubio told senators during a hearing that a reset in relations might be possible.

"If there's a willingness on their side to reset relations, obviously [that's] something we'll explore, but we do so with eyes wide open to what they've done so far," he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the South African government for comment but received no response.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a fiery statement after the U.K. suspended free trade talks over Jerusalem’s handling of the war in Gaza. The U.K. simultaneously imposed new sanctions on the West Bank as it condemned the "persistent cycle of serious violence undertaken by extremist Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank."

The ministry claimed that talks for a new U.K.-Israel free trade agreement were already at a standstill before London’s announcement on Tuesday. Additionally, it accused the U.K. of harming its own citizens due to its "anti-Israel obsession and domestic political considerations."

"Even prior to today’s announcement, the free trade agreement negotiations were not being advanced at all by the current UK government," Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote. "More than that, the agreement would serve the mutual benefit of both countries. If, due to anti-Israel obsession and domestic political considerations, the British government is willing to harm the British economy – that is its own prerogative."

Israel also slammed the additional sanctions on the West Bank in light of the recent death of Tzeela Gez, an Israeli woman who was shot and killed in a terror attack while she was en route to the hospital to give birth. The Israeli Foreign Ministry noted that doctors are still "fighting for her newborn’s life."

ISRAELI AMBASSADOR LASHES OUT AT UN OFFICIAL, CONDEMNS UK, FRANCE, CANADA STATEMENT ON AID

The ministry dismissed the U.K.’s threats toward the end of the post, saying, "[T]he British Mandate ended exactly 77 years ago. External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction."

HAMAS CAPTIVITY SURVIVORS APPEAL TO NETANYAHU, TRUMP AFTER EDAN ALEXANDER'S RELEASE

U.K. Foreign Minister David Lammy announced the suspension of trade talks as he addressed British lawmakers, saying Israel’s latest offensive in Gaza, Operation Gideon’s Chariot, marked a "dark new phase in this conflict." In his announcement, Lammy said "the Netanyahu government’s actions have made this necessary."

Lammy reiterated U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s demand that Israel allow aid to flow into the Gaza Strip. In a joint statement from the U.K., France and Canada, the countries urged Israel to work with the United Nations to "ensure a return to delivery of aid in line with humanitarian principles."

"If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response," the statement read.

Israel stopped the flow of aid into the Gaza Strip 11 weeks ago, but has resumed allowing limited aid. Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told Fox News that the NGOs that are being allowed to distribute aid have ensured that Hamas has not infiltrated their ranks or taken aid meant for civilians.

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SLAMS UN, CALLS IT 'ROTTEN, ANTI-ISRAEL, AND ANTISEMITIC BODY'

While aid is being allowed to enter Gaza, Israel has faced backlash over the stringent restrictions, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot saying it was "insufficient."

Tom Fletcher, the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator who recently accused Israel of committing genocide, described the aid as "a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed" and called for "significantly more aid" to Gaza.

"We have been reassured that our work will be facilitated through existing, proven mechanisms. I am grateful for that reassurance, and Israel’s agreement to humanitarian notification measures that reduce the immense security threats of the operation. I am determined that our aid reach those in greatest need, and that the risk of theft by Hamas or other armed groups is minimized," Fletcher said in a statement.

Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday called U.S. demands that Tehran stop enriching uranium entirely "utter nonsense" and questioned whether future nuclear talks could succeed. 

"For the Americans to say, ‘We won’t allow Iran to enrich uranium,’ is utter nonsense," he said in a post on X. "We aren’t waiting for anyone’s permission. 

"The Islamic Republic has certain policies, and it will pursue them," he added, without expanding on what these policies are. 

IRANIAN PRESIDENT CALLS FOR NEGOTIATION AND DIALOGUE AS NUCLEAR TALKS CONTINUE

Iran in recent years has been under international pressure to halt its nuclear program, as many fear Tehran is actually in pursuit of nuclear weapons development. 

Iran has not stated it intends to build a nuclear weapon, but it has enriched uranium to near-weapons grade and bolstered its missile program in what experts argue is an important step to ensure Tehran could fire a nuclear warhead.

While uranium can be enriched for civil nuclear power and nations across the globe rely on nuclear energy, including the U.S., which utilizes nuclear energy to supply nearly 20% of its energy needs and is its largest source of clean energy, Iran’s reliance on nuclear energy amounted to less than 1% in 2022, according to the International Energy Agency. 

IRAN'S KHAMENEI LAUNCHES BLISTERING ATTACK ON TRUMP AFTER MIDDLE EAST VISIT

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions over whether it has in fact demanded that Tehran halt all uranium enrichment. 

However, Khamenei suggested the Trump administration’s push to negotiate on Iran’s nuclear program could be short-lived. 

"Indirect negotiations took place during Martyr Raisi's term similar to what’s happening now. Needless to say, there was no result," he added in reference to negotiation attempts under the Biden administration. "We don’t think these negotiations will yield results now either. We don’t know what will happen."

Reports suggested that the fifth round of nuclear talks could take place this weekend in Rome, but Khamenei, as well as his Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, said Iran had not yet agreed to the talks following the U.S.’ latest demands.  

"A date has been suggested, but we have not yet accepted it," Araqchi told reporters Tuesday, according to a Reuters report. "We are witnessing positions on the U.S. side that do not go along with any logic and are creating problems for the negotiations. 

"That's why we have not determined the next round of talks, we are reviewing the matter and hope logic will prevail," Araqchi added.

FIRST ON FOX: In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital at the annual Jerusalem Post Conference in New York, Special Envoy for Hostage Response Adam Boehler responded to a Washington Post report that claimed President Donald Trump threatened to abandon Israel unless the war ended as "fake news." 

"That sounds like fake news to me," he said. "I think the president has maintained a very high degree of support for Israel." He added, "He may be saying, 'Hey, listen, let’s try to end the war,' he might speak strongly, but I think American president, in particular, this president's support, President Trump’s support for Israel is ironclad."

Separately, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also rejected the claim. In an interview with Israel's Ynet, he said, "Their reporting is nonsense. They need to listen to what the President says - not what some uninformed 'source' pretends to know.'"

ISRAELI AMBASSADOR LASHES OUT AT UN OFFICIAL, CONDEMNS UK, FRANCE, CANADA STATEMENT ON AID

Boehler emphasized that the U.S. government's primary focus remains on securing the release of the 58 hostages still held by Hamas. "I think there's obviously continued back and forth. The President made it very clear that he wants something to come to conclusion."

"I know that he and Steve [Witkoff] are working very hard right now to try to bring that home. So, a very fluid situation, but our primary focus is number one, the hostages, and number two, Israel’s security," he said.

On the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Boehler addressed the recent development of opening borders to allow aid trucks into Gaza after two months of a blockade. He also discussed the new U.S.-backed mechanism that could potentially replace the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). 

"Perhaps there needs to be a replacement for UNRWA. We’ve had a lot of issues with the U.N. And if this works, if it gets food to the Palestinian people who need it, then I greatly favor it," Boehler said.

Later, in an interview on stage at the Jerusalem Post conference, Boehler recalled the tense moments surrounding the release of American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander. "It’s an unbelievable moment. It was an unbelievable moment on Sunday. The whole time, we couldn’t sleep. It was exciting, nerve-wracking. We watched pretty much real-time. We were waiting for Steve Witkoff to come. We were waiting the whole time for the Red Cross. When the helicopter landed, we saw it on TV. That first phone call was unbelievable. It was right on Mother’s Day when we went over. It had a lot of meaning — for me, Steve, and everybody."

ISRAEL TURNS TABLES ON UN OFFICIAL CLAIMING 'GENOCIDE' IN GAZA WITH BASIC QUESTIONS

As for the timeframe for the hostage deal, Boehler expressed cautious optimism: "I think it's getting closer and closer to making a deal here. If Hamas wants to come forward and make a legitimate offer, they’re willing to stand by and release hostages, we’re always open to that." 

He also credited the recent Israeli ground operations for increasing pressure on Hamas, saying, "I do think we’re closer than we ever were. Part of that is because of the movement of Israel and the IDF on the ground."

Finally, addressing the recent joint statement from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Canada, which condemned Israel’s military operations in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire, Boehler responded firmly. "The United States has always been a fervent supporter of Israel. If I were a European country, I'd be particularly sensitive in how I criticize Israel."

FIRST ON FOX: Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon slammed international criticism from the U.K., France and Canada over Israel's war against Hamas terrorists.  

Responding to the criticism, Danon told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview at the Jerusalem Post conference in New York that while Israel values international law, it will not stop fighting Hamas until all hostages are released. 

"We have 58 hostages in Gaza. This war will not end when the hostages are left behind. We will bring all of them back," Danon said, emphasizing Israel's determination to finish the war and bring home those held captive. Danon also expressed frustration that the international community has not placed more pressure on Hamas over the hostages, urging those countries to make stronger statements on their behalf.

The joint statement issued by the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Canada condemned Israel's military operations in Gaza, criticizing the humanitarian situation and calling for an immediate ceasefire. The statement also urged Israel to allow more aid into Gaza, specifically calling on the Israeli government to engage with the United Nations to resume aid in line with humanitarian principles and to push for the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

ISRAEL TURNS TABLES ON UN OFFICIAL CLAIMING 'GENOCIDE' IN GAZA WITH BASIC QUESTIONS

Danon also took issue with remarks made by Tom Fletcher, the U.N.'s undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, who accused Israel of committing genocide during his speech before the U.N. Security Council. Fletcher criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, stating that most of the region was either under Israeli military control or subjected to displacement orders.

"What Mr. Fletcher said at the Security Council was unacceptable and shameful, accusing us for committing a genocide. He knows better than that. That’s a libel and I expect him to take back those words and apologize. We will not work with him until he will make it clear that Israeli isn’t committing a genocide. We have no intention for that, he knows that. We are doing our best to defeat the terror group Hamas. We will defeat Hamas, but blaming us for committing such atrocities, that is something we cannot accept from any U.N. official."

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SLAMS UN, CALLS IT 'ROTTEN, ANTI-ISRAEL, AND ANTISEMITIC BODY'

Regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the recent opening of the borders to allow aid trucks into Gaza after two months, Fletcher commented on X, calling Israel's temporary permission to deliver limited aid a "drop in the ocean." 

Danon stressed that the aid was only granted to NGOs that ensure Hamas does not infiltrate their ranks or loot aid intended for civilians.

"Let’s stick to the facts," Danon said. "We are still expecting a retraction of the inappropriate libel that you asserted last week at the Security Council."

In a briefing today, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary-general, also referenced the statement by Fletcher, who stressed that the scale of aid is still insufficient to meet the overwhelming needs of the population. He called for more crossings to be opened and for the simplification of procedures to ensure a regular flow of aid, emphasizing that without such measures, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza would continue to worsen.

In the interview, Danon also addressed the future of humanitarian aid in Gaza, specifically in response to proposals for replacing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) with a new U.S.-backed aid mechanism. 

"We decided that UNRWA will not have anything connected to Israel. They know it, the U.N. knows it," he said, criticizing the U.N.'s role in the region. He voiced support for the U.S. initiative, calling it a welcome step toward addressing Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. "I cannot understand how anyone can boycott a humanitarian effort," he added. "If those people in the U.N. care so much about the humanitarian crisis, they should take part in these efforts, not boycott them."

Michael A. Ledeen, a major American historian and intellectual, died after suffering a series of small strokes on Sunday at his daughter's house in Texas. He was 83 years old. Ledeen was a vigorous participant in contributing to the demise of the communist Soviet Union and its Iron Curtain allies in Eastern Europe.

Ledeen served as a special advisor on terrorism to President Ronald Reagan’s secretary of state, Alexander Haig, and later worked as a consultant for the National Security Council. Writing for the Asia Times, author and journalist David P. Goldman argued that Ledeen’s "personal contribution to America’s victory in the Cold War is far greater than the public record shows." 

Goldman noted that the Reagan administration, in 1983, sent Ledeen, a scholar of Italian history and fascism, to meet Italian Prime Minister Bettino Craxi to convince the Italian leader to allow the U.S. to deploy Pershing missiles to counter rising Soviet jingoism. Goldman added, "The incident reflects the high trust that Ledeen commanded in the Reagan administration and the strategic role that he played." 

TRUMP SAYS US HAS GIVEN IRAN PROPOSAL FOR NUCLEAR DEAL

After Italy accepted the Pershings, the then-Social Democratic German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who was reluctant for his nation to be first to house Pershing missiles, agreed to Reagan’s demand. 

Leeden was a fan of former anti-communist American philosopher Sidney Hook, who declared during the Cold War that "Freedom is a fighting word."

Ledeen would take his hard-charging world view against a new set of U.S. enemies after the ground zero of communism was defeated: radical Islamism in Iran, North Korea’s totalitarian regime, and Arab and Latin American despots bent on the eradication of the U.S.

In 2003, while working as the resident scholar in the Freedom Chair at the American Enterprise Institute, Ledeen wrote about former President George W. Bush’s Axis of Evil (Iran, North Korea and Iraq), "Most commentators ridiculed the very idea of the Axis of Evil, just as they laughed at Reagan’s description of the Soviet Union as an Evil Empire. The deep thinkers laughed at Reagan, and then somberly warned that such language was not only misguided but provocative, as if the Kremlin would be more aggressive as a result of the president’s speech."

Ledeen stressed the importance of American leadership breeding inspiration among dissidents trapped in totalitarian systems: "The greatest of the Soviet freedom fighters, from [Vladimir] Bukovsky to [Natan] Sharansky, have since written about the surge of hope they felt when they saw that the American president understood why they were fighting." 

He would bring his same intellectual freedom toolkit to his principal worry in this century: the Islamic Republic of Iran. Ledeen garnered enormous respect and praise from Iranian dissidents seeking to dissolve the theocratic regime in Tehran, the world’s worst state-sponsor of terrorism, according to the U.S. State Department.

His wife, Barbara, told Fox News Digital about her late husband, "My only regret is that he didn’t outlive the regime."

IRAN’S LONG TRAIL OF DECEPTION FUELS SKEPTICISM OVER NEW NUCLEAR DEAL AS TALKS CONTINUE

Leeden did not advocate military intervention in Iran. He was in the business of replicating Reagan’s anti-Soviet playbook for Iran’s clerical regime. 

He told Fox News Brit Hume in 2005 that "the Western world, and in particular the United States" needs to support political prisoners in Iran and demonstrations against the regime. 

He told Hume, "We should be giving money to the various ... Farsi-language broadcasters, some here, some in England, some in Sweden and so forth, some in Germany, to go on the air and share with the Iranian people the now-demonstrated techniques for a successful, nonviolent revolution."

He coined the phrase "Faster, please!" for his widely read blog at PJ Media to denote the great urgency to dismantle America’s enemies and stop Islamist-animated terrorism.

Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, paid tribute to Ledeen in a post on X. He wrote in part, "Michael's understanding of the American people and the Jewish people formed the basis of his abiding faith in the future of America and Israel and in our enduring alliance and friendship."

Ledeen was born in Los Angeles in 1941 and authored numerous books on national security, including "Perilous Statecraft: An Insider’s Account of the Iran-Contra Affair." He earned a Ph.D. in history and philosophy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His academic advisor at Wisconsin was the prominent historian George Mosse, who fled Nazi Germany because of antisemitism. 

Ledeen cultivated a new generation of academics, journalists, think tank scholars and authors at his Chevy Chase home. His residence became a kind of informal salon for intellectuals and foreign policy types who had freshly arrived in Washington, D.C.

He was also a top-level bridge player and won a national championship, the Truscott/U.S.P.C. Senior Teams. He is survived by his wife, a daughter, Simone, who served as a deputy assistant secretary of defense during the first Trump administration, and his two sons, former Marine Corps officers Gabriel and Daniel.

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a 2-hour call on Monday in what the U.S. said was a push to get Russia to end its deadly war in Ukraine. 

Both Trump and Putin described the call as "frank" and "useful," but it is not immediately clear what results were achieved. 

Trump took to social media to praise the call as having gone "very well" and said, "Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War."

RUSSIA BOMBARDS UKRAINE WITH DRONES HOURS AFTER TRUMP ANNOUNCES TALKS WITH PUTIN

"The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of," he added. 

Putin, in a statement after the call, also noted that "a ceasefire with Ukraine is possible" but noted "Russia and Ukraine must find compromises that suit both sides."

Any concrete details on the nature of these compromises remain unclear, despite negotiation attempts in Turkey on Friday.

Ceasefire talks fell through last week after a Ukrainian delegation said it was presented with demands from the Russian delegation that were "unacceptable," including reported calls for the complete removal of Ukrainian troops from four Ukrainian regions that Russian illegally annexed in 2022, including Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.

The Russia delegation also allegedly demanded that the international community not only recognize the regions as now Russian, but cease all aid to Ukraine, including plans to supply peace-keeping troops once the fighting concludes.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. 

A Lufthansa flight flew for more than 10 minutes without a conscious pilot last year, according to a report conducted by the Spanish accident investigation authority CIAIAC. 

An Airbus A321 flight was traveling from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain, on Feb. 17, 2024, when the co-pilot suffered a "sudden and severe incapacitation," losing consciousness in the cockpit while the captain had stepped out of the cockpit for "physiological reasons," the investigation reported.

Autopilot was engaged during that time, according to the report, allowing the flight, which carried 199 passengers and six crew members, to continue flying in a stable manner. 

"We are aware of the report issued by the Spanish authorities," Lufthansa Airlines told Fox News Digital. 

UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT FORCED TO MAKE EMERGENCY LANDING AT NEWARK

"Lufthansa has provided intensive and comprehensive support to the authorities in their work. In addition, Lufthansa's flight safety department has conducted its own extensive investigation," the airline said, noting that they could not provide any further comment on the report. 

The Spanish investigation revealed that at 10:31 UTC, the captain left the flight deck to use the restroom moments before the copilot collapsed alone. When the captain returned eight minutes later, repeated attempts to unlock the door failed with the standard entry procedure. A cabin-crew intercom call to the flight deck also went unanswered.

FAA INVESTIGATING AFTER UNITED, DELTA FLIGHTS NEARLY COLLIDE BEFORE LANDING AT PHOENIX AIRPORT

After an emergency access code was entered and moments before the automatic door was released, the copilot opened the deck door manually from the inside despite being ill, the report continued. The captain took control of the aircraft at 10:42 UTC.

The captain found the copilot "pale, sweating and moving strangely," according to the investigation report. After a crew member and on board doctor administered first aid and suspected a possible heart condition, the captain then diverted the plane to the most suitable airport and landed in Madrid approximately 20 minutes later. The copilot was then taken to the hospital. 

The copilot was later diagnosed with a previously undetected neurological condition, the report said.

Nearly a decade after the United Kingdom (U.K.) voted to leave the European Union (EU) under Brexit and amid shifting relations with the U.S. under President Donald Trump, Britain and the EU significantly bolstered their trade and defense partnership on Monday. 

In what is the largest deal the bloc and the U.K. have agreed to since the controversial Brexit vote in 2016, the two economic powerhouses agreed to increase defense ties and slash red tape, making it not only easier for U.K. food and visitors to access the continent, but also granting fishing rights to EU vessels off of Britian’s coastline. 

The agreements have been described as a "reset" and championed by U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer, who opposed Brexit, and EU leader, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said, "At a time of global instability, and when our continent faces the greatest threat it has for generations, we in Europe stick together."

TRUMP IS COMMITTED TO 10% BASELINE TARIFF, WHITE HOUSE SAYS, DESPITE UK TRADE DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT

While the U.K. talked down the Trump administration’s 25% "reciprocal" tariffs earlier this month to limit the fees to 10% on up to 100,000 car exports to the U.S. – the U.K.’s chief export item to the States – the EU has reached no such agreement with Washington and faces 20% tariffs on all U.S. exports come July. 

While EU and U.S. officials are still working to find an agreement, reports on Monday suggested that even the existing 10% tariff slapped on the EU over the last 50 days has left a negative mark and the bloc anticipates a drop in growth for 2025.

However, it is not only Trump’s tariffs that have pushed Western allies to strengthen relations following his re-entry into the White House. 

ZELENSKYY SPEAKS WITH TRUMP, ALLIES AFTER RUSSIA PEACE TALKS BROKER NO CEASEFIRE

Trump’s hardline push for increased NATO defense spending, along with his sharp break from the Biden administration on Ukraine aid, left European allies scrambling after his inauguration.

While the Trump administration has seemingly improved ties with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump’s refusal to outright condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin has resulted in stronger ties between top nations like the U.K., France and Germany, as well as within the EU bloc.

At the heart of the new defense agreement is the U.K.’s ability to access an EU defense loan program worth roughly $170 billion, expanding joint defense procurement opportunities. 

"Britain is back on the world stage," Starmer said. "This deal is a win-win."

Far-right conservatives in the UK like Nigel Farage, an ardent proponent of BREXIT, have condemned the recently announced deal. 

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's questions. 

Reuters contributed to this report. 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke over the weekend, reiterating Iran’s commitment to dialogue and desire for a civilian nuclear program.

The Iranian leader addressed navy officials in Bandar Abbas, discussing the ongoing negotiations for a deal with the United States.

"We are not seeking war, we favor negotiation and dialogue, but we are not afraid of threats either, and we will in no way retreat from our legal rights," Pezeshkian said.

IRAN FOREIGN MINISTER VOWS NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT WILL CONTINUE 'WITH OR WITHOUT A DEAL'

Compared to previous Iranian presidents, Pezeshkian has emerged as a more level-headed and reformist leader, aiming to reach new understandings with the West, according to Politico.

The United States and Iran have completed four rounds of indirect negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program, though the public has received mixed messages on the path forward. While officials from Washington and Tehran have expressed optimism about the conversations, a number of technical details have yet to be discussed, including the specifics surrounding uranium enrichment and stockpile levels. 

Iran is insisting they will continue to enrich uranium for civilian and research purposes, while the Trump administration is calling for all enrichment to end. Right now, Iran is enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, well beyond the confines of the 2015 nuclear deal that President Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018.

IRAN'S KHAMENEI LAUNCHES BLISTERING ATTACK ON TRUMP AFTER MIDDLE EAST VISIT

Over the weekend, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi commented on the current situation, saying that Iran has received no written proposal from the United States about an agreement.

"Mark my words: there is no scenario in which Iran abandons its hard-earned right to enrichment for peaceful purposes: a right afforded to all other NPT signatories, too," Ataghchi said in a post on X.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump spoke about the ongoing talks with Iran, opening up the possibility of trade with the country, if the talks lead to a deal.

"Iran wants to trade with us," Trump told Bret Baier. "And I’m OK with it."

Trump wrapped up a four-day tour of the Gulf last week, pushing for new normalization deals and an agreement with Iran. Any deal with the United States is expected to lead to much-needed sanctions relief for Iran.

"I’ve told Iran, we make a deal," Trump said, "you’re going to be very happy."

The United Kingdom and the European Union reached a landmark agreement centered on fishing rights and defense cooperation Monday, five years after Brexit. 

British Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds announced the deal as officials from both sides met in London for their first major summit since the U.K. formally left the 27-nation trade bloc in 2020. That followed a slim-margin 2016 referendum vote calling for the U.K.'s departure. The government of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other senior EU officials, billed the summit as a major milestone in resetting relations. 

"Historic day," Thomas-Symonds wrote on X on Monday. "After months of negotiations, I can announce that the Labour Government has secured a new agreement with the EU." 

Starmer’s chief negotiator said the agreement was good for jobs, bills, borders and more. 

RUBIO TEASES DETAILS OF POTENTIAL TRUMP, PUTIN IN-PERSON MEETING AFTER RUSSIA-UKRAINE CEASEFIRE TALKS STALL

"Britain back on the world stage, with a Government in the service of working people," Thomas-Symonds added, without further elaborating on the details of the deal.

Starmer has stressed that the U.K. will not rejoin the EU's frictionless single market and customs union, nor agree to the free movement of people between the U.K. and the EU. The prime minister has faced growing challenges from the Reform U.K. party, which supported Brexit and opposes mass migration policies upending the powerful island nation. 

Reform, which recently won big in local elections, and the opposition Conservative Party have already called the deal a "surrender" of U.K. sovereignty to EU leadership in Brussels.

"The white flag has been waved outside Downing Street. The great EU surrender by the UK is taking place as we speak," Reform UK's Richard Tice told British media, billing the deal as a betrayal of the terms of Brexit on fishing in particular.  

Talks on strengthening ties focused largely on security and defense, and on a youth mobility plan that would allow young Britons and Europeans to live and work temporarily in each other’s territory. That remains a politically touchy issue in the U.K., seen by some Brexiteers as inching back toward free movement, according to the Associated Press. The U.K. already has youth mobility arrangements with countries including Australia and Canada. 

JOHNSON PUSHES 'AGGRESSIVE' TIMETABLE FOR HOUSE TO PASS TRUMP'S BUDGET BILL AFTER GOP MUTINY: 'WE CANNOT FAIL'

Another issue that has long been a sticking point in U.K.-EU relations is fishing — a symbolically important issue for the U.K. and EU member states such as France. Disputes over the issue nearly derailed a Brexit deal back in 2020. The summit is also expected to cover aligning standards on the sale of agricultural products, which could eliminate costly checks on food products exported across the English Channel. 

Thomas-Symonds told the BBC he was confident that trade could be improved for food imports and exports. 

"We know we’ve had lorries waiting for 16 hours, fresh food in the back not able to be exported, because frankly it’s just going off, red tape, all the certifications that are required, we absolutely want to reduce that," he reportedly said. 

The New York Times cited an unnamed European diplomat as saying the agreement will allow European boats access to U.K. fishing waters until June 30, 2038. 

The agreement comes as the return of President Donald Trump brings a greater sense of urgency for cooperation between the U.K. and the bloc, as the incoming U.S. administration takes a new approach to European trade and security, as well as the Ukraine-Russia war. It’s unclear how Trump, who backed Brexit, will react to Starmer’s new deal with the EU. 

"The reset could still be blown off course by disagreements over how to consolidate existing areas of cooperation like fisheries and/or external factors, such as a negative reaction from the U.S. to the U.K. seeking closer ties with the EU," Jannike Wachowiak, a research associate at the UK in a Changing Europe think tank, told the AP. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russia targeted Ukraine with its largest single drone attack yet just hours ahead of President Donald Trump’s phone call with Vladimir Putin about ending the war. 

Russia on Sunday fired a total of 273 exploding drones and decoys targeting Ukraine's Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions, according to Ukraine’s air force. Of those, 88 were intercepted and 128 lost, likely being electronically jammed.  

The barrage was the biggest drone attack since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Yuriy Ihnat, head of the air force's communications department, told the Associated Press. 

It came after Trump said he would be "speaking, by telephone, to President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Monday, at 10:00 a.m." regarding the war in Ukraine. 

PRESIDENT TRUMP DISHES ON 'GREAT' PHONE CALL WITH RUSSIA'S VLADIMIR PUTIN

"The subjects of the call will be, stopping the ‘bloodbath’ that is killing, on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, and trade," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. "I will then be speaking to President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and then, with President Zelenskyy, various members of NATO." 

"Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end," Trump added. "God bless us all!!!" 

The previous largest known single drone attack from Russia against Ukraine was on the eve of the war’s third anniversary, when Russia pounded Ukraine with 267 drones. 

Kyiv regional Gov. Mykola Kalashnyk said a 28-year-old woman was killed in Sunday’s drone attack, and three other people, including a 4-year-old child, were wounded, the AP reported. 

MASSIVE RUSSIAN DRONE ATTACK KILLS 7 IN UKRAINE AHEAD OF US PEACE TALKS

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio also met with Zelenskyy in Rome Sunday for ongoing peace talks. 

"During our talks we discussed negotiations in Istanbul to where the Russians sent a low-level delegation of non-decision-makers. I reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to be engaged in real diplomacy and underscored the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible," Zelenskyy shared on X regarding the meeting.  

"We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation and upcoming prisoners exchange. Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war. And, of course, we talked about our joint steps to achieve a just and durable peace," he continued.  

World leaders converged in Rome this weekend for Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass at the Vatican on Sunday, with Vance leading the U.S. delegation. Zelenskyy also attended the mass. 

Fox News’ Emma Colton and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Pope Leo XIV on Monday held a private meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, according to the Holy See Press Office.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife, Jeanette, were also at the private meeting, according to Vatican News.

Vance, Rubio and their wives had attended the pope's inaugural mass on Sunday.

POPE LEO SAYS FAMILY BASED ON ‘UNION BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN,’ DEFENDS DIGNITY OF UNBORN

After the private audience with the first American pope on Monday, Vance met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, the Holy See Press Office said.

Vance and Gallagher had "cordial" talks in the Secretariat of State, where they reiterated good bilateral relations between the U.S. government and the Holy See.

POPE LEO XIV VOWS TO WORK FOR UNITY, PEACE DURING INAUGURAL MASS

The two also discussed the collaboration between the Church and the U.S. government as well as "some matters of special relevance to ecclesial life and religious freedom."

"Finally, there was an exchange of views on some current international issues, calling for respect for humanitarian law and international law in areas of conflict and for a negotiated solution between the parties involved," the Holy See Press Office said.

Iran’s foreign minister said Sunday that regardless of whether a nuclear deal is reached with the U.S., enrichment will continue.

Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi addressed negotiations between Iran and the U.S. in a post on X regarding Iran’s "peaceful nuclear program."

In the statement, Araghchi pointed out that U.S. officials privy to the discussions are free to state whatever they want to ward off special interest groups or malign actors that set the agendas of previous administrations.

"Iran can only control what we Iranians do, and that is to avoid negotiating in public—particularly given the current dissonance we are seeing between what our U.S. interlocutors say in public and in private, and from one week to the other," Araghchi said. "Our stance on Iran's rights as a [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] member is crystal clear, and there is no scenario in which Iranians will permit deviance from that. 

TRUMP SAYS US HAS GIVEN IRAN PROPOSAL FOR NUCLEAR DEAL

"Mastering enrichment technology is a hard-earned and homegrown scientific achievement; an outcome of great sacrifice of both blood and treasure," he continued. "If the U.S. is interested in ensuring that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, a deal is within reach, and we are ready for a serious conversation to achieve a solution that will forever ensure that outcome. Enrichment in Iran, however, will continue with or without a deal."

The statement comes just days after President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the U.S. had given Iran a proposal for a nuclear deal.

While making the announcement, Trump said Iranian officials know they have to move quickly or "something bad is going to happen."

MARCO RUBIO WARNS IRAN 'AT THE THRESHOLD' OF NUCLEAR WEAPON CAPABILITY AS US-IRAN TALKS CONTINUE

U.S. and Iranian officials have held four rounds of talks, primarily in Oman, since Trump took office to address Tehran’s nuclear program.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, often referred to as the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, noted in a March report that Iran’s stockpile of 60% enriched uranium had alarmingly grown from 182 kg to 275 kg, approximately 401 pounds to 606 pounds, in early 2025.

"Once you're at 60, you're 90% of the way there. You are, in essence, a threshold nuclear weapons state, which is what Iran basically has become," Rubio said Thursday on "Hannity".

IRAN’S LONG TRAIL OF DECEPTION FUELS SKEPTICISM OVER NEW NUCLEAR DEAL AS TALKS CONTINUE

"They are at the threshold of a nuclear weapon. If they decided to do so, they could do so very quickly. If they stockpile enough of that 60% enriched, they could very quickly turn it into 90 and weaponize it. That's the danger we face right now. That's the urgency here," he said.

The president also said Thursday in the United Arab Emirates that the U.S. and Iran have "sort of" agreed to terms on a nuclear deal.

"Iran has sort of agreed to the terms. They’re not going to make — I call it, in a friendly way — nuclear dust," Trump told reporters. "We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran."

Fox News Digital's Greg Norman, Ashley Carnahan and Christina Shaw contributed to this report.

Photo collection shows pontiff greeting nearly 150,000 faithful and world leaders at Vatican ceremony

Pope Leo XIV spoke of unity and those suffering due to war during his inaugural mass in St. Peter's Square.

The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary, who is the first American pope, spoke before 200,000 people on Sunday, Vatican News said. 

"I would like that our first great desire be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world," he said during his homily, the Associated Press reported. 

"In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest."

POPE LEO SAYS FAMILY BASED ON ‘UNION BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN,’ DEFENDS DIGNITY OF UNBORN

His call for unity was significant, given the polarization in the Catholic Church in the United States and beyond.

"In the joy of faith and communion, we cannot forget our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of war," Leo said while praying the Regina Caeli, mentioning Gaza, Myanmar and Ukraine. 

POPE LEO XIV DISHES ADVICE TO JOURNALISTS, MENTIONS AI CHALLENGE IN FIRST NEWS CONFERENCE

The pope said he "strongly felt the spiritual presence of Pope Francis accompanying us from heaven."

He concluded by inviting Catholics to pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her titles as "Star of the Sea and Our Lady of Good Counsel," to entrust his ministry.

"We implore her intercession," he said, "for the gift of peace, for support and comfort for those who suffer, and for the grace for all of us to be witnesses to the Risen Lord."

Leo officially opened his pontificate by taking his first popemobile tour through the piazza, a rite of passage that has become synonymous with the papacy’s global reach.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Pope Leo XIV has affirmed traditional Catholic doctrine regarding marriage, saying that it is founded on the "stable union between a man and a woman."

The pope, who was elected to lead the Catholic Church on May 8, was making his first major remarks as pontiff during a private audience with the Vatican's diplomatic corps on Friday, where he also stressed the inherent dignity of the frail and vulnerable, including the unborn, elderly and immigrants.

"It is the responsibility of government leaders to work to build harmonious and peaceful civil societies," the pope said. "This can be achieved above all by investing in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman."

While Pope Francis also said the Church could not accept same-sex marriage, conservatives accused the late pontiff of sowing confusion among the faithful by being more welcoming than his predecessors to LGBTQ people and approving the blessing of individuals in same-sex relationships.

FOOTBALL LEGEND LOU HOLTZ CALLS ON CATHOLICS TO 'DEFEND AND ENCOURAGE' POPE LEO XIV

Pope Leo, the first American to lead the Catholic Church and a member of the Augustinian order, reaffirmed the Church's position against abortion, called for protection of religious freedom and said he would continue to pursue inter-religious dialogue.

"No one is exempted from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike," Leo said.

The gathering with the Vatican's diplomatic corps is standard protocol following the election of a new pope and allows him to greet representatives of world governments ahead of his formal installation Mass on Sunday. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with many other world leaders, will attend the mass, the Vatican said. 

In emphasizing dignity for immigrants, Pope Leo noted that his own family had immigrated to the United States. His remarks could lead to friction with President Donald Trump, who seeks to deport millions of illegal immigrants from the U.S. Trump and Pope Francis also publicly clashed on immigration. 

MEDIA POSITIONS POPE LEO XIV AS POTENTIAL 'COUNTERWEIGHT' TO TRUMP

"My own story is that of a citizen, the descendant of immigrants, who in turn chose to emigrate," Pope Leo told ambassadors at the Vatican.

"All of us, in the course of our lives, can find ourselves healthy or sick, employed or unemployed, living in our native land or in a foreign country, yet our dignity always remains unchanged. It is the dignity of a creature willed and loved by God," he added.

Pope Leo's father was of French and Italian descent, while his mother was of Spanish descent.

Pope Leo called on attendees to keep in mind three essential words – "peace," "justice" and "truth" – and said that they represent the pillars of the church’s missionary activity and the aim of the Holy See’s diplomacy. 

Truth, for instance, he said, "does not create division, but rather enables us to confront all the more resolutely the challenges of our time, such as migration, the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the protection of our beloved planet Earth."

"These are challenges that require commitment and cooperation on the part of all, since no one can think of facing them alone.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.