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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. 

Just hours after President Donald Trump concluded his Middle East visit, Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday launched a tirade against America and Israel, charging that Trump is a liar and calling for the destruction of the Jewish state.

"Trump said he wants to use power for peace. He's lying," wrote Khamenei on X, adding, "Some of the remarks made during the US President’s trip to the region aren’t even worth a response at all. The level of those remarks is so low that they are a source of shame for the American nation." 

Washington has designated Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism since the 1980s. The rabidly anti-Western and antisemitic ayatollah called the Jewish state—America’s key ally in the Middle East — a "cancerous tumor" that must be uprooted.

According to the Trump administration, Khamenei’s regime is the world’s leading state-sponsor of antisemitism.

TRUMP PRAISES SAUDI ARABIA IN FIRST STOP ON MIDDLE EAST TRIP

Khamenei also took aim at the Sunni Arab countries that are allied with the U.S. in the Mideast, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

"This failed model, where Arab states are told they can’t survive ten days without US support, is being imposed again. But it will collapse, and America will leave this region."

The wily 86-year-old revolutionary Islamist said that Washington aimed to promote Sunni Arab dependency on Washington. "The US wants these countries unable to function without it — that’s the message in their behavior and their proposals." 

Khamenei also accused America of using its resources to attack the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

"The US has used its power to massacre in Gaza, to stoke war wherever possible, and to arm its mercenaries," said Khamenei. The U.S.-designated terrorist movement, Hamas, is a strategic partner of Iran’s regime. Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, and slaughtered over 1,200 people, including many Americans.

TRUMP SAYS HE'LL DROP SANCTIONS ON SYRIA IN MOVE TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS

During his trip to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, Trump called Iran’s regime the main force of instability in the Middle East.

 "The biggest and most destructive of these forces is the regime in Iran, which has caused unthinkable suffering in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen and beyond, "said Trump in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Alireza Nader, a Washington, D.C., expert on Iran's regime, told Fox News Digital that Iran "has been dealt a severe military setback by Israel, and the Iranian public desires the regime’s overthrow. President Trump has an overwhelming advantage in the negotiations and could severely restrict and limit the regime’s nuclear program."

Trump said he wants a deal with Iran to stop its illegal nuclear weapons program. In his speech, Trump told Iran that it must abandon its drive to build an atomic bomb.

"While you have been constructing the world's tallest skyscrapers in Jeddah and Dubai, Tehran's 1979 landmarks are collapsing into rubble," Trump said. "[Iran’s] corrupt water mafia . . . causes droughts and empty riverbeds. They get rich."

A grandmother in the U.K. who was arrested for holding a sign outside an abortion clinic is sounding the alarm against further attacks on free speech as lawmakers move to expand so-called "buffer zones" outside such facilities.

Rose Docherty, 74, was arrested in Glasgow, Scotland near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in February for holding a sign that read: "Coercion is a crime, here to talk if you want."

Docherty was the first person to be arrested and charged under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act, which went into effect in September, the BBC reported. 

The law prohibits any protests or vigils from taking place within 200m or 656ft of 30 clinics offering abortion services in Scotland, but the law specifies that the Safe Access Zone could be extended if considered appropriate. 

Docherty’s arrest came just days after Vice President JD Vance highlighted the law as an example of free speech being under attack in the U.K.

UK WOMAN THREATENED WITH FINE FOR PRAYING WITHIN ABORTION FACILITY'S ‘BUFFER ZONE:’ ‘ GROSSLY ORWELLIAN’

Now, Gillian Mackay, the Green Party parliamentarian responsible for introducing the buffer zones legislation, has now suggested that the Scottish government consider expanding the area of prohibition on "influence" outside hospitals, according to ADF International, a Christian legal advocacy group.

Docherty has rejected a formal warning from the Crown Office - arguing that it was "unjust" - and is waiting to find out what action may now be taken against her.

In her first broadcast interview since her arrest, she told the BBC she had "no reason to regret" the incident, noting it was an "alarming" and "surreal" experience. 

She said she had read the law and believed her actions did not violate the legislation. 

"I gave consideration to what I was doing…I looked at the law and saw what it said I couldn’t do, and thought, OK, well, this is what I can do…I can offer to listen, and if anyone wants to come and speak to me, they can do so, only if they want to come and speak with me," she told BBC’s Scotcast.

She said she is prepared to go to prison over the offense.

Docherty has also said that the government essentially wants to stamp out any opposition to abortion.

"I believe it wouldn’t matter where we stood…it wouldn’t matter how far they pushed the ‘buffer zone,’" she told ADF International, a Christian legal advocacy group.

NEW ONLINE 'MISINFORMATION' BILL SLAMMED AS 'BIGGEST ATTACK' ON FREEDOMS IN AUSTRALIA

"It wouldn’t matter where we stood –201 meters, or 500 meters away – it seems the authorities would still try to crack down harshly and unfairly on individuals because the government simply disagree with their point of view. This is unjust – of course, there should be laws against harassment, and we all condemn such behavior. But merely offering conversations near a hospital is not a crime." 

Dr Greg Irwin, a doctor at the QEUH, was pictured confronting a group of protesters in February 2023, saying that they "cause emotional upset to patients, but also to staff members," per the BBC. Groups have been protesting outside the hospital for 10 years, leading to the passing of the Safe Access Zones Act.

Mackay said patients and staff had told her that they still had to pass the protesters when attending the QEUH leading to distress.

"I think it's appropriate that we take those concerns seriously and the government take a look at whether an extension is appropriate or not," Mackay told the BBC.

The act allows ministers to extend the size of a buffer zone if it is decided that the existing zone is not adequate, a Scottish government spokesperson told the outlet.

Docherty isn’t the first person to be arrested outside abortion facilities. 

For instance, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a prominent pro-life activist, was arrested twice in Birmingham for silently praying without any signs near an abortion facility within a buffer zone. She was arrested under a local law known as a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). She was later awarded $13,000 in compensation for wrongful arrests, according to Christian Today.

The U.K. has drawn international attention for its alleged clampdown on free speech. A number of people have been investigated and arrested for social media posts. 

TEL AVIV – As President Donald Trump wrapped up his high-stakes Middle East tour on Friday, many media outlets portrayed his decision to bypass Israel as evidence of a rift with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

However, while Air Force One did not land in Israel, experts say Trump’s visit advanced policies that align closely with Israeli interests and presented a strategic opportunity that Jerusalem has yet to seize.

Avner Golov, vice president at MIND Israel and a former senior director of Israel’s National Security Council, told Fox News Digital, "Israel sees a massive wave approaching to sweep across the Middle East — a wave of momentum and change. The decision it faces is whether to ride it or be crushed beneath it."

TRUMP MAKES HISTORIC UAE VISIT AS FIRST US PRESIDENT IN NEARLY 20 YEARS

Throughout the visit, Trump emphasized points that directly reflect Israeli priorities. On Tuesday, he condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, called for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords and warned Iran over its nuclear ambitions. On Wednesday, he even extended the normalization initiative to Syria.

When asked aboard Air Force One about skipping Israel, Trump said, "This is good for Israel. Having a relationship like I have with these countries... I think it's very good."

In Doha on Thursday, Trump went further, stating: "I want to see [Gaza] be a freedom zone. And if it’s necessary, I think I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone."

According to two Arab officials quoted by The Times of Israel, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told mediators in Doha that Washington does not intend to pressure Israel into ending the war in Gaza — aligning with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s firm stance.

On Friday, President Trump was asked in an interview with Fox News Chief political anchor, Bret Baier on Special Report, if he was frustrated with Netanyahu. Trump responded, "No, look, he's got a tough situation. You have to remember there was an October 7th that everyone forgets, it was one of the most violent days in the history of the world. Not the Middle East, the world, when you look at the tapes. And the tapes are there for everyone to see."

A readout released on Thursday by the State Department of a call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Prime Minister Netanyahu, also showed continued support for the Jewish state.

"The Secretary stressed the deep U.S. commitment to its historic relationship with Israel and the ironclad U.S. support for Israeli security," adding "The Secretary and Prime Minister discussed Syria following President Trump’s historic meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia. The Secretary and Prime Minister also shared their mutual commitment to make sure Iran never possesses a nuclear weapon."

TRUMP SIGNS AGREEMENTS WITH QATAR ON DEFENSE AND BOEING PURCHASES

Channel 12 chief political correspondent Amit Segal told Fox News Digital, "There is an uncomfortable experience from an Israeli perspective to see Air Force One flying over us on its way to countries, some of which are outright hostile and others semi-hostile. If you are not at the table, you are on the plate."

"But this isn’t personal. It’s not about Netanyahu and Trump," Segal added. "Trump has full support for Israel — but when American interests come first, he acts accordingly. It’s America First."

Dan Senor, host of the podcast "Call Me Back" and a former state department official, agreed that despite headlines suggesting tension, policy tells a different story.

"There’s always noise in the press," Senor told Dana Perino, co-anchor of Fox News Channel's "America's Newsroom." "But policy right now is very strong. We’re seeing maximum pressure on Iran, no public criticism of Israel — even as dozens of Israeli tanks are positioned near Gaza."

TRUMP SAYS HE'LL DROP SANCTIONS ON SYRIA IN MOVE TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS

"What I found problematic in past administrations — especially under Obama — was when private criticism became public," Senor added. "That gave others a green light to pile on Israel. This administration, even if it disagrees, isn’t airing it. And that matters most."

On Friday, in a proclamation marking Jewish Heritage Month, Trump stated, "I believe there has never been a greater friend to the Jewish people than my Administration.  We will never deviate from our conviction that anti-Semitism has no place in the greatest country in the world.  As the 47th President of the United States, I will use every appropriate legal tool at my disposal to stop anti-Semitic assaults gripping our universities.  We will proudly stand with our friend and ally, the State of Israel.  I will never waver in my commitment."

Tamir Haiman, former head of Israel’s Military Intelligence and now director of the Institute for National Security Studies, said the Israeli government feared being caught off guard.

"This is a player so strong that sometimes, without intending to, he can throw a small player off the field — like a giant who’s spinning and accidentally knocks someone out of his way with his shoulder," Haiman told Fox News Digital.

However, he emphasized that the developments in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Syria are not inherently bad for Israel — unless the government fails to act.

"The missed opportunity here is enormous," he said. "There were two major levers Israel had — Israeli consent to U.S. arms deals with Saudi Arabia and American consent to lifting sanctions on Syria. Both could have been used to advance key Israeli interests: normalization with Saudi Arabia and ensuring Syria’s development follows a non-jihadist path. And we [Israel] lost both."

TRUMP SAYS US HAS GIVEN IRAN PROPOSAL FOR NUCLEAR DEAL

The sense of urgency grew last week when Trump abruptly paused U.S. airstrikes on Iranian-backed Houthis just days after a missile landed near Ben Gurion Airport. Reports soon followed that Washington had dropped its demand for Israeli-Saudi normalization as a prerequisite for a U.S.–Saudi nuclear pact — a strategic goal long championed by Netanyahu.

Reuters later confirmed the shift. Meanwhile, Saudi officials made clear that progress on the Palestinian issue remains a prerequisite for any nuclear deal — something seen as unlikely while the war in Gaza continues.

"After the Saudi story, where we were thrown under the bus, I said we need to stop and investigate," Haiman said. "We shouldn’t just say it’s the president’s whims. We need to ask, ‘What depends on us? What needs to change?’ I’m not sure they’re doing that."

The sharpest potential rift remains Iran. Jerusalem views a nuclear-armed Tehran as an existential threat. Haiman calls this "a historic window" to stop it, by force if needed. "The American interest is to finish wars, not enter them, and to seal a deal better than Obama’s," he said, warning that a diplomatic track pursued over Israel’s head could soon limit Israeli military options.

Monday’s release of 21-year-old American-Israeli Edan Alexander, freed after direct talks between Washington, Qatar and Hamas, added to some fears of Jerusalem being sidelined. Israel played only a logistical role. 

Within Israel, the Gaza war continues to divide strategists over whether to keep pressing Hamas or stop the war for a hostage deal. Haiman called the current "fight, deal, fight" rhythm "boiling the frog," but acknowledges that without a hostage deal now, the 21 living hostages might not survive.

Golov believes it is time for Israel to stop reacting and start shaping events. He urged Jerusalem to push Washington to demand that "Qatar must stop funding Hamas, stop Al Jazeera’s incitement, and pay a price for interfering inside Israel." Israel, he argued, does not have the leverage to do that alone.

"It must anchor itself in a regional bloc — with the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan — states that are just as terrified of a Muslim Brotherhood resurgence." To get there, he said, Israel must climb aboard the wave Trump has already set in motion.

A Russian drone strike hit a passenger bus in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday, killing nine people and injuring four others, Ukrainian officials allege. 

The attack came just hours after Russian and Ukrainian officials held their first direct peace talks in years, although the two sides failed to reach a ceasefire agreement for the conflict that began with a February 2022 invasion by Moscow.

Ukraine’s national police released photos showing the aftermath of Saturday's strike in the city of Bilopillia in the Sumy region. The city is about six miles from the front line and border with Russia.

"This is another war crime by Russia — a deliberate strike on civilian transport that posed no threat," the Sumy regional administration said on Telegram.

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

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as "deliberate killing of civilians."

A mourning period has been declared in Bilopillia from Saturday through Monday. Local community chief Yurii Zarko called the day of the attack "Black Saturday."

The passengers on the bus were being evacuated from Bilopillia when the drone struck, according to local media outlet Suspilne. Authorities were working to identify some of the victims, most of whom were elderly women.

The injured victims were transported to a hospital in Sumy, the regional capital. Three people were listed in serious condition.

On Saturday morning, Russia's defense ministry claimed its forces hit a military staging area in the Sumy region, around 31 miles southeast of Bilopillia, but did not mention any other attacks in the area.

It was not immediately clear how the strike would affect peace efforts.

On Friday, Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Turkey in an attempt to reach a temporary ceasefire, but the talks ended in less than two hours without a truce. The negotiations were the first face-to-face talks between the two countries since the early weeks of the war.

Both sides agreed on a large prisoner swap, but remained far apart on key conditions for ending the conflict.

One condition for Ukraine, which has the backing of its Western allies, is a temporary ceasefire as a first step toward a peaceful settlement. Russia, however, has pushed back against the truce, which remains elusive.

In Turkey, Russia and Ukraine agreed to each exchange 1,000 prisoners of war in what would be their biggest such swap, according to the heads of both delegations. Both sides also talked about a ceasefire and a meeting between their heads of state, according to chief Ukrainian delegate, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin said both sides also agreed to provide each other with detailed ceasefire proposals, with Ukraine requesting the heads of state meeting that Russia took under consideration.

TRUMP, AFTER SKIPPING RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS, WANTS TO MEET PUTIN ‘AS SOON AS WE CAN SET IT UP’

Zelenskyy said he discussed the negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump and the leaders of France, Germany, the U.K. and Poland. On X, he called for "tough sanctions" against Moscow if it rejects "a full and unconditional ceasefire and an end to killings."

Zelenskyy was in Tirana, Albania, on Friday, to meet with leaders of 47 European countries to discuss security, defense and democratic standards. The leaders he met included French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

"Pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war," Zelenskyy said on X.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the country's air force drills and emphasized the need to intensify war preparation, according to state media. 

Kim inspected anti-aircraft combat and air strike drills conducted by North Korea's 1st Air Division on Thursday, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

The North Korean leader called for all military units to achieve "a breakthrough in war preparation," according to the outlet.

NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES SHORT-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILES INTO SEA, SOUTH KOREA SAYS

Footage of the drills aired on state TV showed a MiG-29 jet launching a missile that appeared to be a North Korean version of a Russian-developed mid- to long-range air-to-air missile, according to Hong Min, North Korea analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

Earlier this month, the North Korean leader supervised a missile test, inspected tank and munitions plants, and made a rare stop at the Russian embassy in Pyongyang to reaffirm the nation's alliance with Moscow. He also oversaw tank firing drills and special operations training.

600 NORTH KOREAN TROOPS KILLED WHILE FIGHTING UKRAINE, SOUTH KOREA SAYS

North Korea also condemned the U.S. State Department for including it on a list of countries that do not fully cooperate with U.S. counterterrorism efforts -- a designation it has received annually since 1997, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. 

"The more the U.S. provokes the [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] with unnecessary and inefficient malicious acts, the further it will escalate the irreconcilable hostility between the DPRK and the U.S.," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

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"The DPRK will ... take effective and proper measures to cope with the U.S. hostile provocations in all spheres," the spokesperson continued.

Reuters contributed to this report.

A bronze statue of Melania Trump was sawed off at the ankles and stolen this week in the first lady’s native Slovenia, police said. 

The statue replaced a wooden one that was erected near her hometown of Sevnica in 2020 at the end of President Donald Trump’s first term after it was targeted in an arson attack. 

Both statues were a collaboration between Brad Downey, an artist from Kentucky, and a local craftsman, Ales "Maxi" Zupevc. 

The original figure, made of wood and cut from the trunk of a linden tree, portrayed the first lady in a pale blue dress, similar to the one she wore at Trump’s 2016 inauguration.

FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP TURNS 55: HER LIFE IN PHOTOS, FROM SLOVENIA TO WHITE HOUSE

The new statue was placed on the same stump as the old one and modeled after the previous design. In July 2020, Downey said the statue would be made "as solid as possible, out of a durable material which cannot be wantonly destroyed," according to The Guardian.

Slovenian police spokesperson Alenka Drenik Rangus said Friday that police were investigating after the vandalism and theft were reported Tuesday. 

Franja Kranjc, a worker at a bakery that sells cakes with the first lady’s name in support of her, told The Associated Press the rustic likeness wasn’t well liked. 

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY SAYS STATUE OF LIBERTY GOING NOWHERE, REPLIES TO FRENCH POLITICIAN

"I think no one was really proud at this statue, not even the first lady of the USA," Kranjc said. "So, I think it’s OK that it's removed."

Zupevc said he and Melania Trump were born in the same hospital, which partly inspired him to create the design. He carved the statue with a chainsaw and sanded it with a power tool. 

"I plugged in my angle grinder. … I worked and made mistakes … finished the hair … the eyes and all. Then, I called my brother, who said, ‘Spitting image of our waitress.’ And so it was," Zupevc said during a documentary film by Downey on the making of the original statue.

A plaque next to the statue says it is "dedicated to the eternal memory of a monument to Melania which stood at this location."

Born Melanija Knavs in nearby Novo Mesto in 1970, the first lady grew up in Sevnica while Slovenia was part of the Communist-ruled former Yugoslavia. An Alpine nation of 2 million people, Slovenia is now a member of the European Union and NATO.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

While the United Nations, through its UN80 Task Force, continues a public-facing attempt to slash its budget to manage a decline in external contributions and in recognition of overlapping mandates and duplicated efforts, a U.N. diplomatic source tells Fox News Digital that the effort is an attempt "to keep a mammoth organization untouched" until 2026 midterm elections.

The source explained that the "zero-growth budget" proposed for 2026 has already been prepared, and that "talk about how we’re going to get it leaner" is only intended to "take [President] Trump for a sucker." The source said that the U.N. believes that the budget will tide the U.N. over until the House flips to Democratic control and Trump will no longer be able to "inflict damages to the U.N."

The source claimed the effort is the "brain child" of the U.N. Foundation, something the group refuted.

"We have never proposed linking U.N. budgetary deliberations to the U.S. mid-term elections," a spokesperson from the U.N. Foundation told Fox News Digital.

WATCHDOG ORG CALLS FOR SANCTIONS AGAINST UN APPOINTEE ACCUSED OF ANTISEMITISM

"The U.N. Foundation is an independent organization, separate from the U.N. itself. We are not involved in the U.N.’s budget process, which is decided by the U.N. General Assembly. We also share a widely held view that there is scope for efficiencies and innovations to strengthen delivery of the U.N.'s lifesaving work," the spokesperson added.

Fox News Digital viewed internal documents which show efforts by various U.N. entities to direct cost-cutting measures. The source says some show the disingenuous nature of the effort. 

A UN80 memo from the U.N. Resident Coordinators in Africa from April 2025 discusses how previous reforms have failed. It explains that they "did not fully address incentives for collaboration," which left U.N. entities to "too often prioritize their corporate obligations over system-wide coherence." Coordination, the memo reads, "is too easily viewed as additional work rather than a core responsibility," and "funding competition further compounds these issues."

UN GLOBAL COMMS ARM UNDER FIRE FOR ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS AS CRITICS CALL FOR REFORMS

While the memo identifies two options for reorganization, it notes that "implementing such ambitious structural reforms, especially Option 1, will require a medium-term phased approach over a 5-10 year horizon," and notes that Option 2 "is not likely to be viable if no structural changes are made to [headquarters] level entities." 

The U.N. source says the memo "shows…the inability of the U.N. to reform itself." 

Another memo from the office of the Secretary-General sent on April 25 directs Secretariat entities to perform a "functional review for cost reductions and efficiencies." Among the directions provided is that personnel "identify which functions could be relocated," including "at a minimum the functions, organizational units, post numbers, and grade levels proposed for relocation." 

Numbers were to be sent to the Office of the Controller by May 16, noting that the "tight deadline" is in line with the "very limited timeframe" the U.N. has "to prepare and submit the revised estimates through [the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ)]" so they might be considered "within the overall context of the proposed programme budget for 2026."

Fox News Digital’s source called foul on the earnestness of the endeavor. "This Secretary-General has to deal with bodies that, even though they are called the United Nations, they do not depend on him," they explained. "The document does not represent any value legally, because none of their boards have committed nor listened or reviewed" the order. 

REPUBLICANS SEEK TO BLOCK THE REAPPOINTMENT OF UN OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF ANTISEMITISM

Fox News Digital asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric whether Guterres could expect organizations with independent boards to enforce changes like those addressed in his memo. "We do not take such a pessimistic view. The Secretary-General and the heads of the U.N. Funds and Programmes will act in areas under their authority while, of course, keeping the governing bodies informed," Dujarric said.

Before the deadline for responses came due, Guterres delivered a May 12 briefing admitting that the proposal for the 2026 budget "was already given to ACABQ some time ago and it will be impossible to change it at the present moment." While Guterres said he would present revised proposals in September in time for budget approvals, he explained that "changes that require more detailed analysis will be presented in the proposal" for the 2027 budget.

Fox News Digital’s source says the admission is proof that "this whole attempt is a lie to appease the Americans so they don’t go harsh enough and cut anything right now." 

On May 13, Guterres addressed a letter to all U.N. staff about the need for "bold, transformative thinking" and extensive reforms to bring the U.N. out of its liquidity crisis. While expressing gratitude for employees’ "extraordinary dedication, expertise and creativity" he warned "that ‘leaks’ and rumours may create unnecessary anxiety," Guterres said that "it will be inevitable that we cannot leave all posts untouched."

After over three decades of working for the U.N., the source says they have "seen the U.N. attempt to change itself at least five times." Instead, they said that the U.N. only got "a larger footprint." They explained that other insiders "are fed up that the organization is not changing."

"You have…a super state that basically controls itself," the source explained. "And you should also trust them to reorganize themselves?" they asked.

Whether the U.N. could hold out for promised change is unknown. The Economist reported in May that due to nonpayment of fees, the U.N. may run out of funds to pay its suppliers and employees by the General Assembly in September.

JERUSALEM—The scandal-plagued prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been compelled to step down, pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, the court announced Friday. Khan has categorically denied the allegations against him. 

Fox News Digital sent detailed press queries to the ICC and embattled prosecutor Karim Khan on Thursday, asking if the world court planned to oust him and whether he would resign.

The Associated Press reported the court said in a statement that Khan on Friday ″communicated his decision to take leave until the end″ of an external investigation that will be carried by the Office of Internal Oversight Services, the U.N. internal watchdog.  

That same report said that women's rights groups welcomed the move, who had called for him to step down after the allegations emerged last year, but Khan initially resisted leaving.

ICC REQUESTS ARREST WARRANTS FOR NETANYAHU, HAMAS LEADERS OVER ‘WAR CRIMES’ 

Last year, an Associated Press investigation found that two court employees in whom the alleged victim confided came forward with the accusation in May. That was a few weeks before Khan sought arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, his former Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders on war crimes charges.

Israel has been waging an existential war against the U.S.-designated terrorist movement, Hamas, since it invaded the Jewish state on October 7, 2023 and slaughtered more than 1,200 people, including American citizens.

Eugene Kontorovich, a legal expert and senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, told Fox News Digital, "Removing Khan is not enough. The entire tribunal, including his prosecutorial team and judges, enabled his blood libel. The scandal points to the inherent defects of the institution - a total lack of accountability."

The Associated Press reported that two co-workers in whom the woman confided at the ICC’s headquarters at The Hague reported Khan’s alleged misconduct in May to the court’s independent watchdog, which says it interviewed the woman and ended its inquiry after five days when she opted against filing a formal complaint. Khan himself wasn't questioned at the time.

While the court’s watchdog could not determine wrongdoing, it nonetheless urged Khan in a memo to minimize contact with the woman to protect the rights of all involved and safeguard the court’s integrity.

Khan has been facing increasing pressure on multiple fronts. U.S. President Donald Trump filed sanctions against Khan in February in relation to his Israel warrants. The sanctions are hampering work on a broad array of investigations at the court.

ICC REJECTS ISRAELI APPEALS, ISSUES ARREST WARRANTS FOR BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, YOAV GALLANT

The Wall Street Journal reported Khan’s decision to prosecute Netanyahu and the country’s former Defense Minister raised "questions about whether Khan was aiming to protect himself from the sexual-assault allegations. The day before announcing the warrant application, Khan abruptly canceled a trip to Israel and Gaza that he had previously said was important to make his decision." 

The Wall Street Journal reported the ICC employee’s graphic account of Khan allegedly raping the woman and sexually molesting her.

Lawyers for Khan from the firm, Carter-Ruck Solicitors, told Fox News Digital on Friday that, "Our client does wish to make clear, however, that it is categorically untrue that he has engaged in sexual misconduct of any kind."

Khan’s lawyers continued, "Our client is cooperating fully and transparently with the investigation by the U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) in relation to allegations that have been raised against him."

With respect to information that Khan exploited the ICC to save his own skin by charging Israeli leaders, Carter-Ruck Solicitors said "The decision to announce that arrest warrants for individuals including Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Gallant and leaders of Hamas, our client also wishes to make clear that the fact that ICC Judges approved the applications for those warrants underscores that the evidence on which they were based met the rigorous legal threshold required under the Rome Statute. Suggestions that the Prosecutor’s applications were linked to, or precipitated by, unrelated allegations of misconduct are totally false."

HOUSE PASSES BILL THAT WOULD SANCTION INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FOR TRYING TO ARREST NETANYAHU

Kontorovich said about the ICC case against Israeli leaders: "This fundamentally undermines the integrity of the case, and in a normal judicial system, would lead not just to these charges being thrown out, but cast doubt on all his prior cases."

He continued that "Given that the ICC has only managed to secure final convictions against six people for atrocity crimes in its quarter-century of existence, a massive scandal of prosecutorial misconduct should be grounds for shutting down the institution, not just removing the prosecutor."

When asked if the ICC plans to rescind the arrest warrants against the Israeli leaders, Fadi El-Abdallah, the spokesman for the ICC, told Fox News Digital that "As there is a pending request, I can’t offer comment or speculation on its outcome."

El-Abdallah referred Fox News Digital to Khan’s media team regarding questions related to his alleged sexual misconduct and allegations he damaged the integrity of the world court.

Israel asked the ICC to withdraw the arrest warrants in early May. 

Fox News Digital previously reported the British chief prosecutor, Khan, published an academic essay in 2013 that suggested his own current effort to arrest Netanyahu would be a travesty of justice because the court cannot provide due process to defendants. 

"Make no mistake: the problem is bigger than Khan. They’re throwing him under the bus to protect the institution and salvage their campaign against Israel. But the rot runs deep. This was never about justice, it was always about a political agenda," Hillel Neuer, a lawyer and UN Watch Executive Director, told Fox News Digital.

A spokesperson for the United Nations told Fox News Digital that it does not comment on the ICC because it is an independent judicial body.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with President Donald Trump and chief Western allies from France, Germany, the U.K. and Poland after peace talks with Russia on Friday failed to secure any ceasefire terms. 

Delegations from Ukraine and Russia met for the first time in three years in Turkey as Trump looks to pressure both sides to end the war as quickly as possible.

"Spoke with [the President of the United States] together with President Macron, Federal Chancellor Merz, Prime Ministers Starmer and Tusk," Zelenskyy said in a Friday post on X. "We discussed the meeting in Istanbul." 

TRUMP, AFTER SKIPPING RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS, WANTS TO MEET PUTIN ‘AS SOON AS WE CAN SET IT UP’

"Ukraine is ready to take the fastest possible steps to bring real peace, and it is important that the world holds a strong stance," he continued. "Our position – if the Russians reject a full and unconditional ceasefire and an end to killings, tough sanctions must follow. 

"Pressure on Russia must be maintained until Russia is ready to end the war," Zelenskyy added. "Thank you to everyone in the world who is helping."

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed Moscow’s renewed rejection of a ceasefire and said, "Once again, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin refuses to respond to the unconditional ceasefire proposal put forward by the Americans and supported by Ukraine and the Europeans."

"By rejecting the ceasefire and dialogue with Ukraine, Russia shows it does not want peace and is merely trying to buy time by continuing the war," Macron added, noting the U.S. and European allies must "define a united response."

President Trump has not commented on the failed talks or the conversation he had with the world leaders on Friday, and Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the White House for comment. 

RUBIO DOUBTS 'ANYTHING PRODUCTIVE' WILL HAPPEN IN UKRAINE PEACE TALKS WITHOUT TRUMP, PUTIN

Instead, Trump reiterated his belief that he and Putin need to meet in order for any progress to be made and told reporters on Friday from the UAE, "We have to meet. He and I will meet. I think we'll solve it. 

"Or maybe not, but at least we'll know," Trump continued. "And if we don't solve it, [it’ll] be very interesting."

Trump has not said when he plans to meet with Putin or what steps he will take if Putin does not agree to end his war. 

The talks, first proposed by Putin last week, were agreed to by Zelenskyy, who upped the ante and suggested the leaders of the warring nations should attend the negotiations. 

However, in a last-minute announcement on Thursday, after officials from Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. landed in Turkey, the Kremlin confirmed that not only would Putin not be in attendance, but the delegation would not be led by any senior members of Putin’s government – a move Zelenskyy said proved Russia was "unserious" about a ceasefire.

The talks failed to materialize on Thursday after officials were left wondering when and if they would even meet for discussions. The negotiations were then pushed to Friday, but this time neither Zelenskyy nor Secretary of State Marco Rubio said they would be in attendance. 

EXCLUSIVE — Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon condemned a United Nations official over remarks that he said "shattered any notion of neutrality."

On Tuesday, U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher accused Israel of committing genocide in his remarks before the U.N. Security Council.

"Israel is deliberately and unashamedly imposing inhumane conditions on civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," Fletcher told the Security Council on Tuesday. He went on to say that most of Gaza "is either within Israeli-militarized zones or under displacement orders."

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

Fletcher, who heads the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), also described how Gazans are struggling due to a lack of supplies, as aid trucks have not been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip for 10 weeks. Hospitals are "overwhelmed," and people are facing famine and starvation, according to Fletcher. 

"So, for those killed and those whose voices are silenced: what more evidence do you need now? Will you act – decisively – to prevent genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law? Or will you say instead that ‘we did all we could?’," Fletcher said.

READ THE LETTER – APP USERS, CLICK HERE:

TRUMP'S DOJ SAYS UN AGENCY CAN BE SUED FOR OCT. 7 ATTACKS, REVERSING BIDEN-ERA POSITION

While much of Fletcher's remarks focused on Gaza, he also condemned the "appalling violence" increasing in the West Bank. The next day, May 14, a pregnant Israeli woman was killed in a shooting attack while on her way to the hospital to give birth. Tzeela Gez lost her life, but doctors were able to save her baby, who, according to The Associated Press, is "in serious but stable condition."

UN CASH APP FOR GAZANS EXPLOITED BY HAMAS AS TERROR GROUP STEALS AID MONEY MEANT FOR CIVILIANS

In his response, Danon said Fletcher’s remarks "shocked and disturbed" him, accusing the U.N. official of making an "utterly inappropriate and deeply irresponsible" statement that "shattered any notion of neutrality."

"You had the audacity, in your capacity as a senior U.N. official, to stand before the Security Council and invoke the charge of genocide without evidence, mandate, or restraint," Danon wrote in his response. "As a senior representative of the United Nations, you are obligated to refrain from prejudging complex international matters. Yet, this is precisely what you did before the Council. You did not brief the Council; you delivered a political sermon."

In response to a Fox News Digital request for comment, OCHA spokesperson Eri Kaneko said that "As Mr. Fletcher made clear in his Security Council remarks, it is for legal bodies to consider whether a genocide is taking place - Mr. Fletcher's point is that the world must take decisive action to prevent genocide and ensure respect for international humanitarian law."

When asked whether Fletcher was accusing Israel of deliberately killing and harming civilians, Kaneko said that the official's words speak for themselves, as "not a single civilian in Gaza - teachers, artists, merchants, aid workers, hostages - has been spared."

Danon questioned under whose authority Fletcher issued the accusation and said the U.N. official’s use of the word "genocide" was a "desecration and subversion of a term with unique force and weight." He went on to say that what made Fletcher’s remarks "far worse" was the fact that Israel had "engaged with you and your office in good faith at the highest levels."

The Israeli ambassador concluded his letter by turning the questions around on Fletcher, telling the OCHA chief to ask himself whether he had done enough to prevent Oct. 7, accelerate the release of the hostages and hold Hamas accountable.

Kaneko told Fox News Digital that "Mr. Fletcher has repeatedly and publicly spoken out against what he calls the horrendous Hamas-led attacks and called for the release of the hostages. Mr. Fletcher was deeply moved by his visit in February to the kibbutz of Nir Oz, where one in four people were killed or taken hostage."

A Mexican social media influencer was shot dead while livestreaming at a beauty salon in a region renowned for cartel violence, with prosecutors saying she was the victim of a targeted attack by a hitman.

Valeria Márquez, 23, a model and beauty influencer with more than 113,000 followers on TikTok, collapsed on camera after being shot in the head and chest by a masked gunman who fled the scene on a motorbike with an accomplice, prosecutors said. 

The brazen murder is being investigated as femicide, a gender-based crime under Mexican law, with Mexican President Claudia extending her condolences to Márquez’s family and saying that Mexico's security cabinet is working to solve the murder with the prosecutor's office.

AFTER CARTELS KILLED MY HUSBAND, MY FAMILY WAITED 40 YEARS FOR JUSTICE. THANKS TO TRUMP, IT’S FINALLY HERE

Hours before the grisly killing, Márquez had expressed concern that two men had arrived at the salon in the state of Jalisco near Guadalajara in western Mexico, claiming to have a "very expensive" gift that needed to be delivered to her in person but she wasn’t there at the time, according to a witness.

"Maybe they were going to kill me," Márquez said in her video minutes before she was killed while livestreaming from the salon. "Were they going to come and take me away, or what? I’m worried."

When the men returned, they asked if it was Márquez who was now in the salon.

She was heard saying, "They're coming," before a voice in the background asked, "Hey, Vale?"

"Yes," Marquez replied, just before muting the sound on the livestream.

Moments later, she was shot to death. A person appeared to pick up her phone, with their face briefly showing on the livestream before the video ended.

Denis Rodríguez, a spokesperson for the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office said investigators believe that the men were hired assassins.

WEALTHY SUBURB ROCKED BY SUSPECTED CARTEL MURDER-FOR-HIRE SHOWS DRUG LORDS' REACH ACROSS US: EXPERT

"The aggressor arrived asking if the victim (Márquez) was there. So it appears he didn’t know her," Rodríguez said. "With that, you can deduce — without jumping to conclusions — that this was a person who was paid. It was obviously someone who came with a purpose."

Márquez was handed a stuffed animal and a bag of Starbucks coffee while she was on the livestream before the fatal shots rang out. 

The region is firmly controlled by one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and murders by hired guns on motorcycles, often known as "sicarios," have become a common occurrence.

Rodríguez said that authorities were also investigating if the death was connected to the murder of a former congressman just hours earlier in the same area of Guadalajara, also carried out by two men on a motorcycle.

The killing has sent shockwaves through a country that faces high levels of violence against women.

Sheinbaum said on Thursday that an investigation is under way to first find those responsible and the motive behind this situation.

"We are working to find those responsible and determine the motive behind this situation. Obviously, we express our solidarity with the family during this unfortunate situation. Our solidarity goes out to her family," she said. 

Friends and relatives held a funeral for the slain influencer on Thursday.

Jalisco is ranked sixth out of Mexico's 32 states, including Mexico City, for homicides, with 909 recorded there since the beginning of Sheinbaum's term in October 2024, according to data consultancy TResearch.

Fox News' Alexis McAdams, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump on Friday told reporters he wants to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine "as soon as we can set it up." 

The president, speaking from Abu Dhabi during the last stop of his four-day Middle East tour, said: "I think it’s time for us to just do it." 

Trump had said earlier that a meeting between him and Putin was crucial to breaking the deadlock. 

Putin spurned an offer this week by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet face-to-face for peace talks in Istanbul. Trump said he didn’t think Putin would show up if he didn’t attend the talks himself.

RUBIO DOUBTS 'ANYTHING PRODUCTIVE' WILL HAPPEN IN UKRAINE PEACE TALKS TRUMP, PUTIN

"I said, you know, they all said Putin was going, Zelensky was going, and I said, if I don't go, I guarantee Putin's not going. And he didn't go," Trump told reporters Friday. 

When asked for a timeline, Trump said, "as soon as we can set it up." 

In place of Zelenskyy and Putin, a Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to meet with a low-level Russian team headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. 

Officials and observers expect these talks to yield little immediate progress on stopping the more than three-year war between Russia and Ukraine. 

RUBIO TAKES SOMBER TONE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE DEAL: 'CLOSE BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH'

The two sides are far apart in their conditions for ending the war. Ukraine has accepted a U.S. and European proposal for a full, 30-day ceasefire, but Putin has effectively rejected it by imposing far-reaching conditions.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian government and Western military analysts allege that Russian forces are preparing a fresh military offensive.

After Putin declined Zelenskyy's challenge to sit down with him in the Turkish capital on Thursday, the Ukrainian president accused Moscow of not making a serious effort to end the war by sending a low-level negotiating team that he described as "a theater prop."

PUTIN SENDING FOREIGN MINISTER TO SAUDI ARABIA FOR TALKS WITH TRUMP OFFICIALS

Even so, Zelenskyy said that he was sending a team headed by his defense minister to Friday's meeting in Istanbul. That would show Trump that Ukraine is determined to press ahead with peace efforts despite Russian foot-dragging, Zelenskyy said, amid intense diplomatic maneuvering by Kyiv and Moscow.

The Russian delegation also includes three other senior officials, the Kremlin said. Putin also appointed four lower-level officials as "experts" for the talks.

Ahead of Friday’s talks, a three-way meeting between Turkey, the U.S. and Ukraine also took place, per Turkish Foreign Ministry officials. The U.S. side included Secretary of State Marco Rubio as well as retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg.

Rubio on Thursday said he did not foresee any major breakthroughs in Istanbul.

"We don't have high expectations of what will happen tomorrow. And frankly, at this point, I think it's abundantly clear that the only way we're going to have a breakthrough here is between President Trump and President Putin," Rubio told reporters Thursday in Antalya, Turkey.

Secretary of State Macro Rubio cast a pessimistic tone ahead of talks in Turkey now set for Friday after both Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump said they would not be in attendance. 

The peace talks, which were supposed to happen on Thursday, got thrown into disarray after both Russian and Ukrainian delegations, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, landed in various cities in Turkey as confirmation arrived that not only would Putin not be engaging in the discussions, but neither would senior members from the Kremlin.

According to reports, frustration grew as the delegations and mediators spent much of the day questioning when, and even whether, they would meet on Thursday before the meeting was ultimately pushed to Friday.

TRUMP TO SKIP RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE TALKS, CALLS ZELENSKYY THE ‘GREATEST SALESMAN, MAYBE IN HISTORY’

"Frankly, at this point, I think it's abundantly clear that the only way we're going to have a breakthrough here is between President Trump and President Putin," Rubio told reporters. "It's going to require that level of engagement to have a breakthrough in this matter. 

"I don't think anything productive is actually going to happen from this point forward… until they engage in a very frank and direct conversation, which I know President Trump is willing to do," he added. 

The peace talks first came about after Putin suggested last week that Ukraine and Russia should engage in direct talks. Zelenskyy agreed and said those talks should be held by the leaders of the warring nations. 

Trump sparked surprise earlier this week when he suggested he might travel to Turkey from the UAE if progress was made in the talks on Thursday, but it was never previously suggested that the U.S. president, who was set to be wrapping up a Middle East tour, would be present for the negotiations. 

PUTIN PROPOSES DIRECT PEACE TALKS WITH UKRAINE TO END WAR

The Kremlin on Thursday confirmed Putin was not going to participate in the peace talks. 

Aboard Air Force One on Thursday, Trump suggested Putin did not attend because of a scheduling miscommunication and told reporters that there was no hope on any real progress in negotiations until he and Putin speak.

"Look, nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together. OK?" Trump said. "He was going to go, but he thought I was going to go. He wasn't going if I wasn't there. 

"I don't believe anything's going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together," he added.

Any future plans for Trump and Putin to talk remain unknown.

"What I can say with certainty is that the president's… willing to stick with [this] as long as it takes to achieve peace," Rubio said. "What we cannot do, however, is continue to fly all over the world and engage in meetings that are not going to be productive.

"The only way we're going to have a breakthrough here is with President Trump sitting face to face with President Putin and determining once and for all whether there's a path to peace," he added.

Zelenskyy did not hold back in expressing his frustration over what he said is proof that Putin’s "attitude is unserious."

"No time of the meeting, no agenda, no high-level of delegation – this is personal disrespect to Erdoğan, to Trump," Zelenskyy reportedly said at a Thursday news conference after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

U.S. energy officials are reassessing the risk posed by Chinese-made devices that play a critical role in renewable energy infrastructure after unexplained communication equipment was found inside some of them, two people familiar with the matter said.

Power inverters, which are predominantly produced in China, are used throughout the world to connect solar panels and wind turbines to electricity grids. They are also found in batteries, heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers.

While inverters are built to allow remote access for updates and maintenance, the utility companies that use them typically install firewalls to prevent direct communication back to China.

CHINESE OFFICIALS CLAIMED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS PRC PLAYED ROLE IN US CYBERATTACKS: REPORT

However, rogue communication devices not listed in product documents have been found in some Chinese solar power inverters by U.S. experts who strip down equipment hooked up to grids to check for security issues, the two people said.

Over the past nine months, undocumented communication devices, including cellular radios, have also been found in some batteries from multiple Chinese suppliers, one of them said.

Reuters was unable to determine how many solar power inverters and batteries they have looked at.

The rogue components provide additional, undocumented communication channels that could allow firewalls to be circumvented remotely, with potentially catastrophic consequences, the two people said.

Both declined to be named because they did not have permission to speak to the media.

"We know that China believes there is value in placing at least some elements of our core infrastructure at risk of destruction or disruption," said Mike Rogers, a former director of the U.S. National Security Agency. "I think that the Chinese are, in part, hoping that the widespread use of inverters limits the options that the West has to deal with the security issue."

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said: "We oppose the generalization of the concept of national security, distorting and smearing China's infrastructure achievements."

Using the rogue communication devices to skirt firewalls and switch off inverters remotely, or change their settings, could destabilize power grids, damage energy infrastructure, and trigger widespread blackouts, experts said.

"That effectively means there is a built-in way to physically destroy the grid," one of the people said,

The two people declined to name the Chinese manufacturers of the inverters and batteries with extra communication devices, nor say how many they had found in total.

The existence of the rogue devices has not previously been reported. The U.S. government has not publicly acknowledged the discoveries.

Asked for comment, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said it continually assesses risk associated with emerging technologies and that there were significant challenges with manufacturers disclosing and documenting functionalities.

"While this functionality may not have malicious intent, it is critical for those procuring to have a full understanding of the capabilities of the products received," a spokesperson said.

Work is ongoing to address any gaps in disclosures through "Software Bill of Materials" - or inventories of all the components that make up a software application - and other contractual requirements, the spokesperson said.

As U.S.-China tensions escalate, the U.S. and others are reassessing China's role in strategic infrastructure because of concerns about potential security vulnerabilities, two former government officials said.

"The threat we face from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is real and growing. Whether it's telecom hacks or remotely accessing solar and battery inverters, the CCP stops at nothing to target our sensitive infrastructure and components," said U.S. Representative August Pfluger, a Republican member of the Committee on Homeland Security.

"It is about time we ramp up our efforts to show China that compromising us will no longer be acceptable," he told Reuters.

In February, two U.S. Senators introduced the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act, banning the Department of Homeland Security from purchasing batteries from some Chinese entities, starting October 2027, due to national security concerns.

The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on March 11 and has yet to be enacted.

THE REAL BREAKTHROUGH IN U.S.–CHINA TRADE TALKS IS MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST TARIFFS

It aims to prevent Homeland Security from procuring batteries from six Chinese companies Washington says are closely linked to the Chinese Communist Party: Contemporary Amperex Technology Company (CATL), BYD Company, Envision Energy, EVE Energy Company, Hithium Energy Storage Technology Company, and Gotion High-tech Company.

None of the companies responded to requests for comment.

Utilities are now preparing for similar bans on Chinese inverter manufacturers, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

Some utilities, including Florida's largest power supplier, Florida Power & Light Company, are attempting to minimize the use of Chinese inverters by sourcing equipment from elsewhere, according to two people familiar with the matter. FPL did not respond to requests for comment.

The DOE spokesperson said: "As more domestic manufacturing takes hold, DOE is working across the federal government to strengthen U.S. supply chains, providing additional opportunities to integrate trusted equipment into the power grid."

Huawei is the world's largest supplier of inverters, accounting for 29% of shipments globally in 2022, followed by Chinese peers Sungrow and Ginlong Solis, according to consultancy Wood Mackenzie.

German solar developer 1Komma5 said, however, that it avoids Huawei inverters, because of the brand's associations with security risks.

"Ten years ago, if you switched off the Chinese inverters, it would not have caused a dramatic thing to happen to European grids, but now the critical mass is much larger," 1Komma5 Chief Executive Philipp Schroeder said.

"China's dominance is becoming a bigger issue because of the growing renewables capacity on Western grids and the increased likelihood of a prolonged and serious confrontation between China and the West," he said.

Since 2019, the U.S. has restricted Huawei's access to U.S. technology, accusing the company of activities contrary to national security, which Huawei denies.

CHINESE IMPORTS TO US PLUMMET TO LOWEST LEVELS SINCE PANDEMIC AMID TRUMP TARIFFS

Chinese companies are required by law to cooperate with China's intelligence agencies, giving the government potential control over Chinese-made inverters connected to foreign grids, experts said.

While Huawei decided to leave the U.S. inverter market in 2019 - the year its 5G telecoms equipment was banned - it remains a dominant supplier elsewhere.

Huawei declined to comment.

In Europe, exercising control over just 3 to 4 gigawatts of energy could cause widespread disruption to electricity supplies, experts said.

The European Solar Manufacturing Council estimates over 200 GW of European solar power capacity is linked to inverters made in China - equivalent to more than 200 nuclear power plants.

At the end of last year, there was 338 GW of installed solar power in Europe, according to industry association SolarPower Europe.

"If you remotely control a large enough number of home solar inverters, and do something nefarious at once, that could have catastrophic implications to the grid for a prolonged period of time," said Uri Sadot, cybersecurity program director at Israeli inverter manufacturer SolarEdge.

Other countries such as Lithuania and Estonia acknowledge the threats to energy security. In November, the Lithuanian government passed a law blocking remote Chinese access to solar, wind and battery installations above 100 kilowatts - by default restricting the use of Chinese inverters.

Energy minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas said this could be extended to smaller rooftop solar installations.

Estonia's Director General of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Kaupo Rosin, said the country could be at risk of blackmail from China if it did not ban Chinese technology in crucial parts of the economy, such as solar inverters.

Estonia's Ministries of Defense and Climate declined to comment when asked if they had taken any action.

In Britain, the government's review of Chinese renewable energy technology in the energy system - due to be concluded in the coming months - includes looking at inverters, a person familiar with the matter said.

In November, solar power inverters in the U.S. and elsewhere were disabled from China, highlighting the risk of foreign influence over local electricity supplies and causing concern among government officials, three people familiar with the matter said.

Reuters was unable to determine how many inverters were switched off, or the extent of disruption to grids. The DOE declined to comment on the incident.

The incident led to a commercial dispute between inverter suppliers Sol-Ark and Deye, the people said.

"Sol-Ark does not comment on vendor relationships, including any relationship with Deye, nor does it have any control over inverters that are not branded Sol-Ark, as was the case in the November 2024 situation you referenced," a Sol-Ark spokesperson said.

Deye did not respond to requests for comment.

The energy sector is trailing other industries such as telecoms and semiconductors, where regulations have been introduced in Europe and the U.S. to mitigate China's dominance.

Security analysts say this is partly because decisions about whether to secure energy infrastructure are mostly dictated by the size of any installation.

Household solar or battery storage systems fall below thresholds where security requirements typically kick-in, they said, despite now contributing a significant share of power on many Western grids.

NATO, the 32-country Western security alliance, said China's efforts to control member states' critical infrastructure - including inverters - were intensifying.

"We must identify strategic dependencies and take steps to reduce them," said a NATO official.

President Donald Trump on Thursday will soon land in the United Arab Emirates for his final stop in the Middle East this week in a visit that marked the first time a U.S. president has traveled to the nation in nearly 30 years, following President George W. Bush's trip in 2008.

Trump, who has secured major business deals first in Saudi Arabia and then Qatar, is expected to announce more agreements with what has long been one of the U.S.’ chief trading partners in the region — though given recently announced trillion-dollar deals, it is unclear what more the Emiratis will agree to. 

In March, the UAE pledged a $1.4 trillion investment in the U.S. economy over the next decade through AI infrastructure, semiconductor, energy and American manufacturing initiatives, including a plan to nearly double U.S. aluminum production by investing in a new smelter for the first time in 35 years. 

TRUMP SIGNS AGREEMENTS WITH QATAR ON DEFENSE AND BOEING PURCHASES

On the eve of the president’s visit to the Middle Eastern nation, the State Department also announced a $1.4 billion sale of CH-47 F Chinook helicopters and F-16 fighter jet parts to Abu Dhabi.

However, lawmakers on Wednesday suggested they may block this sale amid concerns over direct personal business ties, as Trump’s crypto venture has also received a $2 billion investment by a UAE-backed investment firm.

"If I was a betting person, I’d bet that the Emiratis almost certainly kept some things in reserve for President Trump’s actual visit that can be announced when he’s on the ground in Abu Dhabi," John Hannah, former national security advisor to Dick Cheney and current Randi & Charles Wax senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), told Fox News Digital. "I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we see some new items unveiled or some additional details put out on some of the earlier announcements." 

"The UAE has clearly staked its future on being the Middle East leader in a wide range of 21st-century technologies, from AI to chips to space," he added. "And of course, the shopping list for high-end weapons is almost limitless and always a possible deliverable for a trip like this."  

Increased scrutiny arose around Trump’s Middle East tour as engagement with all three nations holds personal value to him, given the Trump Organization’s luxury resorts, hotels, golf courses, real estate projects and crypto investment schemes in the region.

TRUMP CONTINUES TO DEFEND QATAR GIFTING US $400M JET: 'WE SHOULD HAVE THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PLANE'

But all three nations also hold significant value to Washington, as they have become key players in some of the toughest geopolitical issues facing the U.S. and its allies. 

Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been integral in facilitating U.S. negotiations when it comes to ending Russia’s war in Ukraine and hostage negotiations in the Gaza Strip.

While neither of these issues appeared to be top points of discussion in Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia or Qatar, he may hit on geopolitical ties more heavily when it comes to the UAE, particularly given that Abu Dhabi is one of the few Middle Eastern nations that holds normalized diplomatic ties with Israel.

The UAE has ardently opposed Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip, has called for a two-state solution, and has rejected Trump’s "riviera plans," instead favoring an Egypt-reconstruction alternative.

But Abu Dhabi has also maintained relations with the U.S.’ biggest adversaries, including China, Russia and Iran, which could be a topic of conversation during Trump’s one-day visit.

"As everywhere on this trip, the headlines will likely be dominated by the dollar signs and deal-making," Hannah said. "But I’m personally most interested in the geopolitical angle of trying to reset the U.S.-Emirati strategic partnership, especially in the context of America’s great power competition with China and to a lesser extent Russia, and regionally with Iran."

Hannah explained that Trump's visit to the UAE exemplifies a recommitment by the U.S. economically and militarily to support Abu Dhabi’s "stability, security, and success in a dangerous neighborhood" and could "pay real dividends going forward."

 "The UAE’s top leadership has come to believe that putting most of its eggs into the American basket was an increasingly risky bet as one president after another decided that the Middle East was a lost cause — nothing but ‘blood and sand’ as President Trump famously said in his first term — and the country needed to pivot its focus toward Asia," he continued. "With a country as influential and resource-rich as the UAE, correcting that unhelpful perception and putting the strategic relationship back on a much more positive dynamic is an important goal."   

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he would skip Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul and downplayed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision not to attend. 

The president had pressed for Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet in Istanbul. But speaking at a business roundtable with executives in Doha as part of a four-day tour of the region, Trump said he wasn’t going because of scheduling conflicts. 

"I actually said, why would he go if I’m not going?" Trump said when asked by a reporter if he was disappointed by Putin’s decision not to attend the peace talks. "I didn't think it was possible for Putin to go if I'm not there."

Trump earlier this week floated the idea of potentially attending himself. But he noted during the business roundtable that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was already in Istanbul for meetings with NATO counterparts. Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, also plans to be in Istanbul on Friday for the anticipated Russia-Ukraine talks.

TRUMP CONSIDERS JOINING RUSSIA-UKRAINE NEGOTIATIONS IN TURKEY, UNCLEAR IF PUTIN WILL SHOW

The push for direct talks between Zelenskyy and Putin comes amid a flurry of negotiations aimed at producing a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

RUBIO TAKES SOMBER TONE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE DEAL: 'CLOSE BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH'

Putin was the first to propose restarting direct peace talks Thursday with Ukraine in the Turkish city that straddles Asia and Europe. Zelenskyy challenged the Kremlin leader to meet in Turkey in person.

But the Kremlin has said its delegation at the talks will be led by Putin's aide, Vladimir Medinsky, and include three other officials. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Zelenskyy will only sit down with the Russian leader.

Speaking in Doha, Trump said the Russia-Ukraine war "has to stop." The president lamented the lives lost and money spent on the war effort.

"We spent $350 billion there – just handed. Nobody even knows where the money is. There’s no accounting. There’s no one. It’s just give him money," Trump said, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.   

RUBIO DENIES TRUMP IS EXCLUDING UKRAINE FROM RUSSIA TALKS, PUSHES BACK ON NATO CRITICISM

"I have to hand it to him. I think he’s the greatest salesman, maybe in history. Every time he came to the United States, he’d walk away with $100 billion. That’s a good salesman, right?" Trump said. "Last time he didn’t do as well. He only got $60 billion." 

Zelenskyy last visited the White House in February, but tensions quickly broke out with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The two leaders last met on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral last month. 

Later Thursday, Trump will visit a U.S. installation in Qatar at the center of American involvement in the Middle East. He has used his four-day visit to Gulf states to reject the "interventionism" of America's past in the region.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.  

Former Hamas hostages are calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to move quickly to free the remaining hostages, even if it means halting military operations. 

After American Israeli Edan Alexander’s release earlier this week, 65 survivors of Hamas captivity urged Netanyahu, Trump and Witkoff to seize the moment and "not let this historic momentum stop."

"We believe the Israeli government now faces a genuine opportunity to return to the negotiating table. We urge all those involved in this process: Please do not walk away until a comprehensive deal is signed," the letter states.

EDAN ALEXANDER'S RELEASE OFFERS ‘WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY’ FOR WIDER HOSTAGE DEAL AMID TRUMP MIDDLE EAST VISIT

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas took 251 hostages, 12 of whom were American citizens. Keith Siegel, Edan Alexander and Sagui Dekel-Chen have all been released alive. Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s body was taken out of Gaza in August 2023. Hamas is still holding the remains of multiple Americans who have been confirmed dead: Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Judith Weinstein Haggai and Gadi Haggai.

HOSTAGES FREED FROM GAZA TELL TRUMP HE WAS 'SENT BY GOD' TO SAVE THEM, BUT DOZENS MORE REMAIN

Siegel is among the former hostages who signed the letter. He has previously thanked Trump for securing his release, even crediting the president for his being alive. Now, he is joining other former Hamas captives demanding freedom for those who remain in Gaza, "regardless of which citizenship they hold."

While in the Middle East in the days after Alexander’s release, Trump has worked on making deals for the U.S., many of which could also benefit Israel, though the latest slate of deals seems to be unrelated to the remaining hostages.

The president asked Syria to join the Abraham Accords and normalize ties with Israel in exchange for sanctions relief. Additionally, Trump said Damascus would need to deport "Palestinian terrorists," help the U.S. prevent the resurgence of ISIS and assume charge of ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria. 

Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on the letter. The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment in time for publication.

Fox News Digital's Bradford Betz contributed to this report.

Jose Mujica, a one-time guerrilla and later president of Uruguay who drove a beat-up VW Beetle and enacted progressive reforms that carried his reputation well beyond South America, has died aged 89.

The straight-talking Mujica, known to many Uruguayans by his nickname "Pepe," led the small farming country's leftist government from 2010 to 2015 after convincing voters his radical past was a closed chapter.

FORMER URUGUAYAN PRESIDENT JOSE MUJICA ANNOUNCES ESOPHAGEAL CANCER DIAGNOSIS

"It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of our comrade Pepe Mujica," President Yamandu Orsi said in a post on X. "Thank you for everything you gave us and for your deep love for your people."

As president, Mujica adopted what was then a pioneering liberal stance on issues related to civil liberties. He signed a law allowing gay marriage and abortions in early pregnancy, and backed a proposal to legalize marijuana sales. The gay marriage and abortion measures were a big shift for Catholic Latin America, and the move on marijuana was at the time almost unprecedented worldwide.

Regional leaders, including leftist presidents in Brazil, Chile and Mexico, mourned Mujica's passing and praised his example.

"He defended democracy like few others. And he never stopped advocating for social justice and the end of all inequalities," said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Mujica's "greatness transcended the borders of Uruguay and his presidential term," he added.

During his term in office, Mujica refused to move to the presidential residence, choosing to stay in his modest home where he kept a small flower farm in a suburb of Montevideo, the capital.

Shunning a formal suit and tie, it was common to see him driving around in his Beetle or eating at downtown restaurants where office workers had lunch.

In a May 2024 interview with Reuters in the tin-roofed house that Mujica shared with his wife, former Senator Lucia Topolansky, he said he had kept the old Beetle and that it was still in "phenomenal" condition.

But, he added, he preferred a turn on the tractor, saying it was "more entertaining" than a car and was a place where "you have time to think."

Critics questioned Mujica's tendency to break with protocol, while his blunt and occasionally uncouth statements sometimes forced him to explain himself, under pressure from opponents and political allies alike.

But it was his down-to-earth style and progressive musings that endeared him to many Uruguayans.

"The problem is that the world is run by old people, who forget what they were like when they were young," Mujica said during the 2024 interview.

Mujica himself was 74 when he became president. He was elected with 52% of the vote, despite some voters' concerns about his age and his past as one of the leaders of the Tupamaros rebel group in the 1960s and 1970s.

Lucia Topolansky was Mujica's long-term partner, dating back to their days in the Tupamaros. The couple married in 2005, and she served as vice president from 2017-2020.

After leaving office, they remained politically active, regularly attending inaugurations of Latin American presidents and giving crucial backing to candidates in Uruguay, including Orsi, who took office in March 2025. They stopped growing flowers on their small holding but continued to cultivate vegetables, including tomatoes that Topolansky pickled each season.

BEHIND BARS

Jose Mujica's birth certificate recorded him as born in 1935, although he claimed there was an error and that he was actually born a year earlier. He once described his upbringing as "dignified poverty."

Mujica's father died when he was 9 or 10 years old, and as a boy he helped his mother maintain the farm where they grew flowers and kept chickens and a few cows.

At the time Mujica became interested in politics, Uruguay's left was weak and fractured and he began his political career in a progressive wing of the center-right National Party.

In the late 1960s, he joined the Marxist Tupamaros guerrilla movement, which sought to weaken Uruguay's conservative government through robberies, political kidnappings and bombings.

Mujica later said that he had never killed anyone but was involved in several violent clashes with police and soldiers and was once shot six times.

Uruguay's security forces gained the upper hand over the Tupamaros by the time the military swept to power in a 1973 coup, marking the start of a 12-year dictatorship in which about 200 people were kidnapped and killed. Thousands more were jailed and tortured.

Mujica spent almost 15 years behind bars, many in solitary confinement, lying at the bottom of an old horse trough with only ants for company. He managed to escape twice, once by tunneling into a nearby house. His biggest "vice" as he approached 90, he later said, was talking to himself, alluding to his time in isolation.

When democracy was restored to the farming country of roughly 3 million people in 1985, Mujica was released and returned to politics, gradually becoming a prominent figure on the left.

He served as agriculture minister in the center-left coalition of his predecessor, President Tabaré Vázquez, who would go on to succeed him from 2015 to 2020.

Mujica's support base was on the left, but he maintained a fluid dialogue with opponents within the center-right, inviting them to traditional barbecues at his home.

"We can't pretend to agree on everything. We have to agree with what there is, not with what we like," he said.

He believed drugs should be decriminalized "under strict state control" and addiction addressed.

"I do not defend drug use. But I can't defend (a ban) because now we have two problems: drug addiction, which is a disease, and narcotrafficking, which is worse," he said. 

In retirement, he remained resolutely optimistic.

"I want to convey to all the young people that life is beautiful, but it wears out and you fall," he said following a cancer diagnosis.

"The point is to start over every time you fall, and if there is anger, transform it into hope."

Several nations met at the United Nations (U.N.) on Monday to revisit a topic that the international body has been discussing for over a decade: the lack of regulations on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), often referred to as "killer robots." 

This latest round of talks comes as wars rage in Ukraine and Gaza.

While the meeting was held behind closed doors, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres released a statement doubling down on his 2026 deadline for a legally binding solution to threats posed by LAWS. 

"Machines that have the power and discretion to take human lives without human control are politically unacceptable, morally repugnant and should be banned by international law," Guterres said in a statement. "We cannot delegate life-or-death decisions to machines," he later added.

FORMER TRUMP OFFICIAL SLAMS UN REFORM EFFORTS AS 'EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS LATE'

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric delivered a statement to nations participating in Monday's meeting. Spoljaric expressed the ICRC’s support for efforts to regulate LAWS but warned that technology is evolving faster than regulations, making threats posed by the systems "more worrying."

"Machines with the power and discretion to take lives without human involvement threaten to transform warfare in ways with grave humanitarian consequences. They also raise fundamental ethical and human rights concerns. All humanity will be affected," Spoljaric said.

NUCLEAR WATCHDOG URGES 'TRUST BUT VERIFY' THAT IRAN ENGAGES IN GOOD-FAITH NEGOTIATIONS

Artificial intelligence is not necessarily a prerequisite for something to be considered an autonomous weapon, according to the U.N., as not all autonomous systems fully rely on AI. Some can use pre-programmed functions for certain tasks. However, AI "could further enable" autonomous weapons systems, the U.N. said.

Vice President of the Conservative Partnership Institute Rachel Bovard, however, says that while regulation of autonomous weapons is necessary, the U.S. needs to be cautious when it comes to the development of international law.

"AI is the wild west and every country is trying to determine the rules of the road. Some regulation will be imperative to preserving our humanity. When it comes to international law, however, the U.S. should proceed with caution," Bovard told Fox News Digital. "As we have learned with everything from trade to health, subjecting our national sovereignty to international dictates can have lasting unintended consequences. If existing international law is sufficient at the moment, that is what should govern."

Countries in the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons have been meeting since 2014 to discuss a possible full ban on LAWS that operate without human control and to regulate those with more human involvement, according to Reuters.

In 2023, more than 160 nations backed a U.N. resolution calling on countries across the globe to address the risks posed by LAWS. However, there is currently no international law specifically regulating LAWS.