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Turkish authorities reportedly detained more than 200 people, including suspected ISIS-linked militants, in a sweeping Tuesday raid in capital Ankara ahead of a July 7-8 NATO summit.

The raid came after Turkish authorities issued detention orders for 241 suspects, 209 of whom were taken into custody, The Associated Press reported, citing a statement from the office of Turkey's chief prosecutor.

Among the 209 detained, 56 were allegedly ISIS militants, according to the AP. This comes after Turkish authorities said they detained 125 ISIS members in December.

The detention operations occurred just two weeks before a planned NATO summit in Ankara on July 7 that President Donald Trump is expected to attend.

TURKEY’S NATO ROLE UNDER SCRUTINY AMID NEW REPORT ON HAMAS, MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD TIES

Other militants scooped up were 35 alleged members of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front, which a Turkish statement described as "a far‑left group known for armed attacks and assassinations in Turkey," according to the AP.

The ISIS-combating operations demonstrate the terrorist group's ongoing activity in the region, showing the group is still functioning despite the U.S. campaign during Trump's first term to eliminate the group's caliphate and its control of large swaths of territory in the Middle East.

In recent years, ISIS has spread into the African continent, prompting a strong response from the U.S. In May, Trump authorized a series of strikes in Nigeria to combat the group.

PENTAGON SLASHES NATO COMBAT COMMITMENTS AS TRUMP PUSHES EUROPE TO DEFEND ITSELF

A May 16 strike killed ISIS leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who was the group's second-in-command globally.

"Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social after the strike. "He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans."

The group's renewed activity also includes a call to supporters to make attacks on U.S. soil during the World Cup.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

In what’s being hailed as a major win for the Trump administration against Chinese domination of the rare earth minerals market, the U.S. has supported an American company, Virtus Minerals, in developing two major mines producing cobalt and copper in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

This is claimed to be the first U.S. rare earth minerals acquisition in the African nation since President Trump announced the Washington Accord last December.

Historically, China has been the heavy lifter of these metals. The Strategic Studies Institute reported that 80% of the world’s cobalt is produced in the DRC — and 80% of that is controlled by China. Cobalt, used in a wide range of applications, from electric cars and mobile phones to military jets, is on the U.S. government’s list of critical minerals. Copper, also on the list, has traditional uses such as piping for plumbing, but is also needed in electronics and the automotive industry.

During December’s signing at the White House, Trump made clear the administration’s fight to curb Chinese domination of minerals and help American mining companies make a major impact in the DRC. "A great day for Africa, a great day for the world," Trump said.  The accord also aims to bring an end to fighting between the DRC and Rwandan-backed forces, although the Rwandan-supported M23 rebel group have continued their hostile infiltration in the Eastern DRC.

American mining company Virtus is, with U.S. support, claiming to be "the first U.S.-owned operator back in the DRC in more than a decade", with its investment in Chemaf, a local cobalt and copper producer with two mining operations, one, Étoile, in Lubumbashi and Mutoshi, in Kolwezi. Together it’s planned the mines will produce a combined 75,000 tonnes of copper, and 20,000 tonnes of cobalt a year. The processing plants are currently under development and will come online next year.

The minerals will ultimately be exported to the west through the Lobito Corridor to a port in Angola. Lobito is the rail route the U.S. has backed with a $5 billion investment commitment, with, according to a Virtus statement, "the aim of obtaining a secure, auditable copper and cobalt supply chain for the U.S. and its allies."

THE WEST STILL DOESN’T GRASP THE DANGER OF CHINA’S RARE EARTH ENDGAME

Frans Cronje, president of the Washington-based Yorktown Foundation for Freedom, says the Virtus projects are significant because they show the administration is seriously trying to change the balance in a minerals battle with China.

He told Fox News Digital, "This development signals a more assertive United States effort to compete with China for access to Africa’s critical mineral base, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where cobalt and copper are strategically vital to global energy and defense supply chains."

Cronje added, "China has built deep structural dominance across much of Africa’s resource sector over the past two decades, but U.S.-backed initiatives such as this suggest a shift towards more direct engagement, rather than relying on Chinese-controlled supply routes. This matters because Africa’s vast resource endowment, combined with its geostrategic position along key Atlantic and Indian Ocean corridors, makes it central to future global economic and security competition."

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "President Trump and Secretary Rubio remain firmly committed to supporting U.S. companies that seek to do business in the DRC."

AFRICAN WAR-TORN NATION INVOKES TRUMP ‘GOLDEN AGE' FOR MINERALS DEAL IN EXCHANGE FOR BOOTING VIOLENT REBELS

"The United States government fully supports the efforts of Virtus Minerals," the spokesperson continued. "This acquisition serves as an initial flagship U.S. investment in the DRC, and sends a clear signal that the U.S. private sector interest is real and will catalyze further investment in alignment with the U.S.-DRC Strategic Partnership Agreement, which positions the DRC to play an integral role in the Trump Administration's global efforts to secure critical mineral supply chains."

The spokesperson added, "increased U.S. investment will create quality jobs for American and Congolese workers, foster skills development and support local communities that have long been exploited by the opaque systems constructed and perpetuated by adversarial foreign actors who have controlled the DRC's critical minerals sector."

Virtus holds 56 mining licenses in total in the DRC. Phillip Braun, Virtus Minerals CEO and Chemaf chairman, told Fox News Digital, "our first goal is to bring the Étoile and Mutoshi plants up to full production. From there, we will explore everything Chemaf's 56 mining permits have to offer — copper, cobalt and other metals like tungsten."

"None of this would be possible," Braun added, "without the strong partnership now growing between the United States and the DRC, and the support of leaders in both countries who saw what was possible. We look forward to bringing our two nations closer by building a steady, trusted supply of the minerals we depend on and supporting other American companies that want to invest in the DRC any way we can."

"A more active U.S. presence in these supply chains," Cronje continued, "would mark a significant rebalancing of influence on the continent, with implications not only for resource access but for broader geopolitical alignment in regions that are becoming increasingly contested."

Fox News Digital reached out to the DRC government for comment, but did not receive a response.

President Donald Trump congratulated conservative attorney and businessman Abelardo de la Espriella on becoming president of Colombia Monday at the White House. Yet while he holds a slim lead and is the favorite to win over left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda, authorities have yet to officially certify the result.

With 99.9% of votes counted, de la Espriella led with 49.7% to Cepeda's 48.7%. De la Espriella, known to his supporters as "El Tigre," dominated in the country's mountainous interior and the vote-rich state of Antioquia, while Cepeda won in the capital Bogotá and performed well in coastal regions, following trends of recent presidential elections.

Cepeda has challenged the results, citing irregularities at thousands of polling stations. Nonetheless, overturning the election would be unprecedented in Colombian history.

If de la Espriella does hold out, it will mirror a continent-wide rightward shift seen in recent electoral results in Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru, where conservative Keiko Fujimori appears poised to win the presidency.

ANTI-CARTEL HARDLINER CHANNELS TRUMP IN BID TO END COLOMBIA'S LEFTIST ERA IN PIVOTAL ELECTION

Donald Trump congratulated de la Espriella during a signing at the White House on Monday. Trump told reporters that, "He called me last night, and he thanked me for the endorsement. He won. He won the election." In response to a question on relations between the U.S. and Colombia, Trump asserted that things would be "Much better. It'll be better. He's going to be a great president."

The election featured two candidates representing polar opposites of the Colombian political spectrum. De la Espriella, known as ‘El Tigre’ by his supporters, has enjoyed the enthusiastic backing of Donald Trump, promised a return to the law-and-order approach of former President Alvaro Uribe, and pledged an aggressive military campaign against guerrilla groups and criminal organizations, while Cepeda vowed to continue the negotiation-based strategy of Petro, a longtime political ally.

Ivan Cepeda is a longtime figure on the Colombian left, and served as senator for 12 years, following a four-year stint in the Chamber of Representatives. His father, Manuel Cepeda, was a prominent figure in the Colombian Communist Party, and was assassinated in 1994 during a particularly bloody era in Colombia's internal conflict.

TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON COLOMBIA CRACKDOWN, CALLS PETRO ‘LUNATIC,’ VOWS TO END ALL US PAYMENTS OVER DRUGS

The first round of the election, held on May 31, saw de la Espriella win 43.7% of the vote, to Cepeda's 40.9%, with right-wing Senator Paloma Valencia placing a distant third, at 6.9%.

On Sunday evening, Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated de la Espriella on the result, saying, "The Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with your incoming administration to advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States."

COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT PETRO THREATENS MILITARY RESPONSE AFTER TRUMP WARNS COLOMBIA MAY BE NEXT TARGET

While the issues driving American and Colombian politics remain considerably distinct, de la Espriella's insurgent outsider campaign emulated Trump's in many ways, particularly in the sense that neither held elected nor appointed office prior to winning the presidency, launching successful campaigns almost entirely outside the existing party structure.

The defining safety and security issue set de la Espriella on a winning course, as he honed something of a strongman image to forcefully critique the Petro administration's policy of peace through negotiation with armed groups in opposition to the Colombian government.

It is widely believed that Petro's negotiation-based approach and restraint with respect to military action has allowed such groups as the ELN (National Liberation Army), and various dissident elements of the FARC to regroup, boost recruitment and regain control of key territory and drug trafficking routes.

De la Espriella promised a return to an aggressive military campaign to reclaim territory from terrorist groups and cartels, and pledged to build "mega-prisons", citing the policies of El Salvador's Nayib Bukele as a model for eradicating criminal groups.

A de la Espriella administration will also likely mark a return to free-market economics, decreased governmental intervention in the economy, and a renewed push to lower taxes.

A strengthened U.S.-Colombia relationship is also a certainty, following an era of considerable tensions between Petro and Trump, which led to a series of acrimonious social media exchanges. Historically, Colombia was the U.S.' strongest ally in the region, but the relationship has weakened considerably under the tenure of Petro.

Political analysts will also be closely watching the dynamic between Colombia and Venezuela.  De la Espriella is likely to follow the Trump administration's lead in Bogotá's approach to the new Delcy Rodriguez administration, demanding a timeline for free and fair elections, and calling on the Venezuelan government to aggressively pursue the ELN Marxist guerrilla group in border regions where it has long sought refuge, and had an allegedly close relationship with former dictator Nicolás Maduro.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Latvian intelligence is warning that Russia is preparing possible military provocations against the Baltic states or Poland, including drones, missiles or other hybrid attacks, in an effort to pressure NATO countries to stop supporting Ukraine. 

"We see indications that Russia is preparing military provocations against the Baltic countries or Poland — not a conventional war, because Russia is not capable of that right now, but hybrid attacks, such as missiles, drones or other actions designed to send a signal: stop supporting Ukraine, or you will have your own problems," Latvian intelligence told Fox News Digital.

The most immediate concern, according to Latvian intelligence, is not that Moscow is ready for a full-scale war with NATO, but that Russian President Vladimir Putin could miscalculate because the surrounding institutions are feeding him the version of reality he wants to hear.

The Baltic states and Poland are NATO allies, meaning a Russian provocation there could quickly test America’s treaty commitments and risk a broader confrontation. It also comes as Washington and its allies weigh how far to go in supporting Ukraine and tightening sanctions on Moscow. 

RUSSIAN DRONES TEST NATO'S ARTICLE 5 DEFENSE GUARANTEE AHEAD OF FRIDAY SANCTIONS DEADLINE

Latvian intelligence argues that Putin is not only looking for ways to pressure NATO countries to back off Ukraine, but may also be receiving distorted assessments from inside his own system — raising the risk that Russia could misjudge Western resolve.

"The biggest concern is miscalculation. Russian institutions are telling Putin what he wants to hear, and that creates a dangerous cycle that can lead to foolish and senseless decisions," Latvian intelligence said.

"We see more and more signs that Putin wants to receive only positive news. He is isolated, and that makes decision-making even more problematic as decisions are not based on the real situation," Latvian intelligence added.

The Latvian warning tracks with concerns raised by Polish officials during Fox News Digital reporting in June in Poland, where officials described Russia’s hybrid war against NATO’s eastern flank as already underway. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki pointed to assassinations, drone activity, cyberattacks and attacks on critical infrastructure on NATO territory, including what he described as a Russian-instigated cyberattack on Polish energy infrastructure intended "to black out part of Poland." 

Amb. Krzysztof Olendzki also described the Belarus border as part of a Russian and Belarusian campaign to weaponize illegal migration against NATO countries.

Latvian intelligence also assessed that Western sanctions are having a real impact inside Russia, despite Moscow’s public claims that it has absorbed the pressure.

"Russia says publicly that sanctions do not matter, but its own internal assessments show that sanctions are biting," Latvian intelligence told Fox News Digital. "They may not change Putin’s mindset, but they limit Russia’s financial resources and thus opportunities and force to make difficult choices regarding recruitment, military spending, and pressure on businesses. Its war economy is a crumbling ‘house of cards.’"

NATO'S EASTERN FLANK RACES TO REARM AS TRUMP PRESSURE EXPOSES WESTERN EUROPE'S DEFENSE GAP

The assessment comes as Latvia’s Constitution Protection Bureau, known as SAB, released a public report detailing how Russia is intensifying "lawfare" against the West — using courts, legal claims and international institutions to pressure Western governments, weaken support for Ukraine and create possible justification for more aggressive actions.

The report outlines Russian efforts to study Iran’s experience challenging Western sanctions through international legal mechanisms. 

Russian experts have analyzed Iran’s 2016 case against the United States at the International Court of Justice and are looking for ways to adapt similar tactics against Western countries, according to the Constitution Protection Bureau. 

"If you want to push Russia toward a peace deal that is acceptable to Ukraine and the West, sanctions are the right mechanism," Latvian intelligence said. "We need more international pressure on Russia through sanctions."

US ALLIES ACCUSE RUSSIA OF 'ESCALATING HYBRID ACTIVITIES' AGAINST NATO, EU NATIONS AFTER DATA CABLES SEVERED

The Constitution Protection Bureau also warns that Russia has prepared a complaint against the Baltic States at the U.N.’s International Court of Justice, formally accusing them of discrimination against Russians and Russian speakers. Latvian intelligence believes the legal campaign is not only about the courtroom, but about building a narrative Moscow could later use as a pretext for action.

"Russia believes the Baltic States are governed by pro-American elites who are disconnected from their own people. They made a similar mistake about Ukraine before the invasion, which is why this perception worries us," Latvian intelligence said.

The Constitution Protection Bureau report argues that Russia is trying to turn propaganda into legal and political action. It describes Moscow’s planned complaint as relying on a "highly manipulative approach" to international law, including selective interpretations of international norms and what the report calls "imagined evidence" of alleged discrimination.

The concern is that Russia could use those claims to justify pressure, intimidation or hybrid operations — the same broad logic Moscow used when it claimed it was acting to protect Donbas residents before invading Ukraine.

"Currently, there are no military threats to Latvia," its intelligence said. "We are not concerned about a full-scale invasion right now. Russia would need three to five years, even if the war in Ukraine ended today, to rebuild sufficient capabilities. What worries us now are provocations — drones, missiles and other hybrid attacks."

The Russian government did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

A gunman was "neutralized" Monday following a shooting in Montreal that left one police officer and one other person dead. 

Authorities told Fox News that the shooting happened at the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of the city. Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of the city.

A second officer is in critical condition.

This story is breaking. Please check back for updates. 

As the Trump administration pushes forward with a new Iran deal, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg told a Paris gathering of the National Council of Resistance of Iran — an exiled Iranian opposition coalition aligned with the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) — that Tehran’s rulers are weaker than they have been in decades and urged dissidents to seize what he described as a historic opening.

"The window is open wider than at any moment in a generation, and windows do not stay open forever," Kellogg said at the two-day event. "The theocratic regime in Tehran will not leave voluntarily. You must force it. The hope is here. Now must come the action."

Kellogg, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and former U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, framed any disarmament agreement not as an endpoint, but as "the first step of something far larger," saying it should become the foundation for Iran’s future without the current regime.

POMPEO SAYS IRANIAN REGIME HAS ARRIVED AT 'NATURAL TERMINUS': 'LET'S NOT WASTE THIS HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY'

Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI’s president-elect, used her remarks at the conference to argue that neither war nor negotiations had solved the threat posed by Tehran’s rulers. "A peaceful, non-nuclear Iran is possible only through the overthrow of this regime by the Iranian people and their organized Resistance," Rajavi said, adding that any international agreement to end the war should include an end to executions of political prisoners and the killing of protesters.

Kellogg also invoked the NCRI’s 2002 disclosure of Iran’s Natanz and Arak nuclear sites, saying the group should play a role in pushing for strict verification of any agreement. "When I say trust, but verify, understand that verification is not an abstraction to this Council. It is your legacy," he said. "You must be the conscience that ensures every barrel of uranium leaves, every centrifuge stops, and every promise on that page becomes a fact on the ground."

The remarks came as NCRI organizers had expected tens of thousands of Iranian expatriates from North America and Europe to attend two days of events in Paris. French authorities banned a planned outdoor rally, citing security threats. A French court later upheld the ban, pointing to specific intelligence about alleged bomb threats and risks of violence involving rival Iranian opposition factions, including possible threats from Iranian regime-linked actors or monarchist groups.

FRANCE CONDEMNS IRAN PROTEST CRACKDOWN, WEIGHS SATELLITE INTERNET AID AMID BLACKOUT

The NCRI's main member organization is the MEK, which was previously listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S., U.K. and European Union before being delisted in 2012. The group is a major thorn in the side of the Tehran regime and has been the target of alleged Iranian plots in the U.S. and Europe, including a foiled 2018 bomb plot against the group's rally outside Paris.

Despite the ban, demonstrators gathered at the site on Saturday. Police ordered the crowd to disperse and arrested around 20 people, a police source told AFP.

Ali Safavi, a member of the NCRI’s Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News Digital that the French decision amounted to "an unjustifiable act of capitulation," arguing that Paris should have protected the rally rather than banning it, "Rather than yielding to intimidation, France should have defended the fundamental democratic right to peaceful assembly."

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also criticized the French ban, calling it a "tragic mistake" and saying Western capitals must allow Iranian opposition voices to be heard.

IRAN GOES DARK AS REGIME UNLEASHES FORCE, CYBER TOOLS TO CRUSH PROTESTS

"If the voices of freedom are to be heard in Iran, then we in the West must allow those voices of freedom to be heard in our capitals and around the world," Johnson said during his speech.

Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also addressed the event Saturday, linking Ukraine’s struggle against Russia to the Iranian opposition’s fight against Tehran. Kuleba said Ukrainians had wanted to join the rally and were "appalled" by the French ban, adding, "The people of Ukraine stand by those who defend democracy, freedom, liberty in their lands."

He also pointed to Iran’s support for Russia’s war effort, saying that while Russian ballistic missiles were targeting Kyiv, drones using technology "provided to Russia by the current regime in Iran" were also striking Ukraine.

"Like you, I know very well what it means to be attacked and killed and destroyed by the regime that currently holds its grip over the people of Iran," Kuleba said.

The French government did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that he will resign following a mounting revolt inside the Labour Party after devastating local election losses, the resignation of government ministers and growing pressure from senior members of his own cabinet.

Starmer said he would step down as prime minister and Labour leader after concluding he could no longer unite the party, but is expected to remain in office until a successor is chosen.

"Every decision I've taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party. I have spoken to his majesty the king this morning to inform him of my decision," he said while delivering a statement outside of 10 Downing Street.

Starmer also acknowledged growing opposition within his own party, saying, "The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace."

Starmer said he would remain caretaker prime minister until Labour members choose a new leader in the coming weeks.

The announcement follows weeks of turmoil inside Britain’s ruling party after Labour lost roughly 1,500 council seats and control of more than 25 councils in local elections last month, according to reporting from U.K. outlets. The losses were fueled by major gains from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in Labour’s traditional strongholds and by Green Party advances in urban areas.

FARAGE'S REFORM UK BEATS OUT ESTABLISHMENT PARTIES IN 'EARTHQUAKE' ELECTIONS

Starmer’s domestic troubles deepened after a damaging dispute with President Donald Trump over the Iran conflict earlier this year. The British prime minister initially resisted U.S. requests to use British bases during military operations against Iran, prompting Trump to criticize him publicly, saying: "This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with," on March 3.

But after initially drawing a hard line, Starmer later approved limited defensive cooperation with the U.S., angering anti-war lawmakers inside his own party while still failing to satisfy critics who accused him of indecision and weak leadership.

Public frustration over the episode surfaced in YouGov focus groups and polling commentary, where voters described Starmer as "weak," "indecisive" and overly reactive to Washington.

AS EPSTEIN-LINKED APPOINTMENT SPARKS BACKLASH, UK PM STARMER FACES PARTY REVOLT AMID RESIGNATION CALLS

The crisis escalated after two Labour ministers resigned publicly and called for a leadership transition.

Jess Phillips resigned from her government role after Starmer reportedly refused to step aside during a cabinet meeting. Phillips said Labour needed leadership with more "gusto" and warned the government was failing to deliver the change voters expected, according to The Guardian.

Miatta Fahnbulleh also resigned and called for what she described as an "orderly transition," according to U.K. media reports Tuesday.

More than 80 Labour MPs publicly called for Starmer to resign. Steven Swinford, political editor at The Times, wrote on X, "What is striking is the fact that they hail from all wings of the party," adding that roughly a third were centrists, while others came from Labour’s soft-left and hard-left factions.

John Healey defended Starmer publicly before the resignation announcement, saying, "More instability is not in Britain’s interest. Our full focus must be on security."

UK TO RELEASE FILES RELATED TO FORMER AMBASSADOR'S JEFFREY EPSTEIN TIES

Starmer also faced criticism over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, reviving media scrutiny surrounding Mandelson’s past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

Attention now turns to a potentially divisive Labour leadership contest that will determine both Labour's next leader and Britain's next prime minister.

Wes Streeting is viewed as a leading contender from the party’s centrist wing, while Andy Burnham remains popular among Labour’s grassroots having recently won a seat in Parliament. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is also expected to play a major role in shaping the succession battle.

The U.S. military on Sunday announced a lethal strike on another vessel in the Caribbean carrying alleged narco-traffickers, killing two people.

The U.S. Southern Command said it conducted a "lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations" at the direction of the leader of the Southern Command, Gen. Francis L. Donovan of the Marine Corps.

The military claimed, citing intelligence, that the vessel "was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations."

ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS KILLED AS US FORCES STRIKE SUSPECTED DRUG-TRAFFICKING VESSEL IN CARIBBEAN

There were six male survivors in addition to the two men killed in the strike.

"Following the engagement, USSOUTHCOM immediately notified U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivors," the military said.

This is the latest attack that the Trump administration has said was launched in an attempt to eliminate alleged narco-terrorists, with the death toll in these strikes carried out since September sitting at more than 200.

The Pentagon has refused to release the identities of those killed in the strikes since last fall or provide evidence of drugs on board.

The administration has been scrutinized in recent months over the strikes by Democrats and even some Republicans, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.

RAND PAUL SAYS GOP COLLEAGUES 'DON’T GIVE A S‑‑T ABOUT THESE PEOPLE IN THE BOATS': THEY 'SAY THEY’RE PRO-LIFE'

"I look at my colleagues who say they’re pro-life, and they value God's inspiration in life, but they don't give a s‑‑- about these people in the boats," Paul said in January. "Are they terrible people in the boats? I don't know. They're probably poor people in Venezuela and Colombia."

The senator previously cited Coast Guard statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded on suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.

The attacks have also been denounced by human rights groups as "extrajudicial killings."

As U.S. and Iranian negotiators met in Switzerland on Sunday, a regional analyst warned that a dispute over billions in potentially unfrozen Iranian assets could quickly test the durability of a fledgling interim agreement.

The disagreement is emerging, they say, as Washington and Tehran begin implementing the memorandum of understanding signed June 17, with negotiators holding the first round of talks at Bürgenstock, near Lucerne, Switzerland.

According to Iran International, President Masoud Pezeshkian had signaled Tehran's expectations early Sunday, saying, "$6 billion of our funds in Qatar will be returned. Trump, who tried to deny Iran its rights, acknowledged them in his recent speech."

The dispute traces back to discussions at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, where world leaders debated the issue.

TRUMP DEFENDS WAR DEAL IN MARATHON PRESSER, USING SEMANTICS ON WHY IRAN IS GETTING $300 BILLION

"We have taken their money, it isn't our money, it is their money, and we froze it," President Donald Trump said. "At a certain point in time, I guess we're going to have to give it back."

He also stressed that any access to the funds remains strictly conditional, writing on Truth Social that Iran would receive "not ten cents" during the 60-day negotiation period if it failed to uphold its commitments.

"There are effectively two competing narratives about the frozen funds," Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital.

"Releasing frozen assets is not simply an economic question. It is one of the central political tests of trust between Tehran and Washington and will likely become one of the first major implementation disputes in the weeks ahead," Vatanka added.

Paragraph 11 of the MOU framework states that the United States "undertakes to make fully available" restricted and frozen Iranian funds.

However, the agreement ties any release of funds to a step-by-step process based on compliance, rather than granting immediate, unrestricted access.

BIDEN ADMIN EXTENDS $10B IRAN SANCTIONS WAIVER 2 DAYS AFTER TRUMP ELECTION WIN

"First, there remains considerable uncertainty over the total amount of Iranian assets frozen abroad," Vatanka said.

"Iranian officials often speak of more than $100 billion, while Western estimates range higher. The immediate negotiations, however, appear focused on securing access to roughly $24 billion to $25 billion as an initial tranche."

Iran's frozen assets are widely estimated at between $100 billion and $120 billion and held under sanctions and financial restrictions in countries including China, India, Iraq and South Korea, according to reporting by the Wall Street Journal.

Vatanka said the central dispute extends beyond the size of the payout.

"The real dispute is not simply about how much money Iran receives, but who ultimately controls how it is spent."

"Iranian officials are emphasizing sovereignty over the funds, while the United States is trying to preserve leverage by attaching conditions to their use," he added as talks got underway Sunday.

In a statement on X, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said the talks are aimed at reaching a comprehensive and lasting agreement covering all elements of the framework.

Spokesman Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari said technical teams were negotiating the final deal while oversight groups would monitor implementation and track progress.

The U.S. and Qatar are exploring a mechanism to channel an initial $6 billion toward humanitarian purchases, including food and medicine, according to reports.

US ECONOMIC CHOKEHOLD ON IRAN REACHES PEAK LEVERAGE AS COLLAPSE RISKS EMERGE

However, Western intelligence officials remain concerned that unfrozen funds could be diverted to regional conflicts rather than domestic development projects.

Reuters reported that Iran has already signaled to Hezbollah that increased financial support could resume if Tehran's cash flow improves.

"This issue also has an important regional dimension," Vatanka said. "Iran has pledged to direct a portion of those reconstruction funds toward supporting its weakened proxy network in Lebanon."

"The United States has insisted that Iran cannot use any unfrozen assets to fund terrorist organizations, warning that access to the funds would be revoked if Tehran violates the terms of the agreement," he added.

Vatanka said the two sides also remain divided over the broader purpose of the agreement.

"Tehran is presenting the roughly $25 billion as money that will be released gradually and invested in rebuilding the country's infrastructure, with officials talking about roads, airports, transport corridors and projects that visibly benefit ordinary Iranians."

"Washington, however, appears to be describing something much narrower," Vatanka added.

"U.S. officials have indicated they want the funds released through controlled mechanisms, primarily for humanitarian and other approved civilian purchases, rather than giving Tehran unrestricted access."

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s escalating feud with President Donald Trump is nothing but a calculated political strategy aimed at boosting her standing at home, a leading Italian political analyst told Fox News Digital on Sunday.

After the row between Trump and Meloni escalated on June 20, analysts also said the Italian leader may see little downside in confronting Trump, particularly as she faces declining approval ratings ahead of Italy's 2027 general election.

The diplomatic dispute had reached a boiling point after Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced June 19 that he was scrapping a trip to Washington, where he had been scheduled to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"Giorgia Meloni must have calculated that a public row with Trump yields no tangible consequences, other than an increase in her domestic and international standing," Mattia Diletti, a political science lecturer at Sapienza University of Rome, said.

TRUMP SAYS MELONI 'WANTS TO BE FRIENDS AGAIN' AFTER ITALY REFUSED TO HELP US AMID IRAN WAR

Giovanni Orsina, a political scientist at Rome’s Luiss University, also told the Financial Times that the row would offer a "positive image" for Meloni and a "silver lining" to a confrontation she had "desperately tried to avoid."

The friction between Trump and Meloni intensified after an interview broadcast by Italy’s La7 television network, where the president claimed she had asked for a photograph with him at the G7 summit and that he agreed only out of pity.

"She begged me to take a picture with her," Trump said. "She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for her."

RUBIO MEETS MELONI AS TRUMP–POPE CLASH CLASH ESCALATES US STRAINS WITH KEY EUROPEAN ALLY

Meloni fired back, releasing a video statement on X rejecting the president’s narrative.

"I am frankly stunned," Meloni said in the video message. "I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way toward his own allies. But there’s one thing he must remember: Neither I nor Italy ever beg."

Trump doubled down on Truth Social and tied the row directly to Meloni’s political fortunes.

"Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked, over and over, for a picture with me during the G7 meeting in France," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America... when it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a nuclear weapon ... She wouldn’t even let us use Italy’s landing strips or runways, a great logistical inconvenience ... Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her 'numbers up.' No thanks!!!"

Within hours, Meloni responded on social media: "As for my popularity, being your friend certainly has not helped it ... My popularity depends on my ability to defend Italy’s national interest... In any case, my popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours."

TRUMP ‘RIGHT TO BE OUTRAGED’ BY EUROPE’S BETRAYAL ON IRAN, SAYS FORMER THATCHER ADVISOR

The back-and-forth marks a reversal for two leaders who once enjoyed a close political alignment.

When Meloni first came to power, she positioned herself as a bridge between Washington and Brussels while pushing ties with Trump based on shared nationalism and stances on immigration.

"Politically, Trump has favored Meloni," Diletti noted, pointing out that she had previously visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in 2025. She was the only European Union leader to attend his second inauguration.

The cracks also appeared in April when Trump criticized Meloni for siding with Pope Leo XIV’s condemnation of the U.S. conflict with Iran.

On Sunday, Trump also criticized Italy and Giorgia Meloni over their approach to Iran, accusing the NATO ally of failing to help confront Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

"As the 2027 Italian general election approaches, Meloni is facing a decline in approval ratings for the first time," Diletti explained.

"The opportunity to counter a President so unpopular in Europe and Italy helps bolster her approval ratings and allows her to build European solidarity," he claimed.

The government of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama is under increasing pressure as Albanians continue taking to the streets to call for his resignation, as well as the leader of the opposition, Sali Berisha, faulting them and their parties for some thirty years of corruption ever since the end of the communist regime in 1991.

The catalyst for the protests first began over a multi-billion-dollar luxury resort plan by Jared Kushner and his business partners pursuing the creation of two resort properties through investment firm Affinity Partners that will add around 10,000 hotel rooms and villas to Albanian coastal lands.

One planned location, the abandoned Sazan Island, is the home of a former Soviet military base. The other property in Zvërnec is said to be home to the Vjosa-Narta protected landscape where monk seals and flamingos make their homes and sea turtles nest.

EUROPEAN CAPITAL ROCKED BY VIOLENT PROTESTS AS GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION PROBE FUELS UNREST

Agim Nesho, former Albanian ambassador to the U.S. and the United Nations, told Fox News Digital that, "Unlike some of the misinformation in the media, the protests in Albania are not against the family of President Donald Trump and foreign investors like Jared Kushner. These investors are bringing in $4 billion dollars into Albania that will create jobs and opportunity for our youth. 

"They are building on private land whose protected status was revoked years ago by Rama and his oligarchs. Global investors have standards and demonstrate accountability, and there is a hope they will show more care and consideration for the environment than Edi Rama and the business interests around him, who would instead build there on their own," he said.

Nesho claimed that "After 12 years and at least three stolen elections, including last year’s parliamentary election which was not recognized by the United States, and which handed Rama a supermajority that can change laws and the constitution, Rama’s days now look to be numbered."

Eric Czuleger, Editor-in-Chief of The Under Report, has lived in Albania for five years and has documented the growing protests. He told Fox News Digital that "Rama’s government has never been under such direct pressure from the Albanian people and his response is instructive. First, he denied the existence of the protests, claiming that they were a couple hundred people with an axe to grind. When they grew, the international media forced the domestic media [to] stop its blackout. Suddenly, the protests were a ‘hybrid war’ spurred on by Iran and Russia."

The protests, which began in May, have not swayed Prime Minister Rama’s support for planned investments. The Rama government sent a lengthy response to Fox News Digital on behalf of the prime minister directed at "all interested foreign parties and individuals, who have spread all kinds of misinformation and launched all kinds of baseless attacks all over the globe against a highly ambitious project with the potential to become another role model for how next-generation tourism destinations can be built."

ALBANIANS RALLY BY THE THOUSANDS AGAINST RULING SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT

His statement added that "Sazan Island is state property and has never been intended, nor requested, to be sold." He also said that the "area in Zvërnec is privately owned land," and explains that additional claimants to the land have taken their claims to court. 

In an effort to clear up misconceptions, Rama's statement said that "the project must undergo not merely an ordinary Environmental Impact Assessment, but an In-Depth Environmental Impact Assessment." Rama also claims that the project location "has no connection whatsoever with the Vjosa Delta," and says that claims that protected status labels were removed from development areas to allow for investment "is one of the greatest falsehoods inflated beyond all imagination."

Irrespective of Rama’s defense of the projects, on Wednesday, the European Parliament urged the Albanian government to stop construction on protected lands, Politico reported. They also called for a moratorium on further permits and construction in protected areas.

A source familiar with the situation with the luxury resort project told Fox News Digital that some of what is circulating online about the project is fabricated and doctored, and that some disinformation has emerged from outside the country.  

ALBANIAN OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS LIGHT FLARES, SCUFFLE WITH POLICE AMID PARLIAMENT CHAOS OVER CORRUPTION PROBE

Asher Abehsera, Chair of Sazan Real Estate Development LLC, told Fox News Digital that "for four years, we have worked toward creating a world-class destination on the Albanian coast—one rooted in thoughtful design, environmental stewardship, and long-term economic opportunity. Our goal is simple: celebrate Albania’s natural beauty, create jobs, and build something future generations can be proud of." Abehsera said that the project's "future will ultimately be determined by Albania and the Albanian people."

As the protests continue, Czuleger said that Albanians are both "concerned that nothing will happen" and "concerned that something bad could happen" if the Rama government does step down. "If leadership doesn’t change now, then people wonder if the corruption will ever stop," he said. "If leadership does change then it’s possible someone worse comes in." Czuleger said that "protesters are tired," and "the news cycle is moving on." Noting that the "only thing that will bring a change to the administration is patience, pressure, and a clarification of the movement’s goals."

Albanian actor and artist Florjan Binaj told Fox News that the protests "are the biggest protests that have ever happened in Albania since 1991." He called the protest atmosphere "amazingly powerful.

Binaj said that he plans to join the protests for "as long as [he] can," noting that "the protesters want Rama’s resignation" to pave the way for an alternative government.

Nesho added," The protesters have risen up due to the fact that one of the poorest countries in Europe can count billions and billions in corruption by a government that holds itself accountable to no one. It is difficult for the protesters to compromise and negotiate with PM Rama under these circumstances. The only path is resignation of the government and early elections under international monitors."

The Rama government did not respond to direct questions about protesters’ concerns. 

The scope of the Iranian delegation at Switzerland’s first round of technical talks with the United States on Sunday underscored what an analyst described as Tehran’s red-line demand for "immediate cash flow" and significant financial concessions from the get-go.

The team’s arrival at Bürgenstock came within days of a breakthrough memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and after follow-up talks were called off, fueling uncertainty across the region.

"These are the most consequential negotiations America has entered in the Middle East in years. Iran knows that, and it is playing it very well," counterterrorism expert Dr. Omar Mohammed told Fox News Digital.

"Tehran arrived as if this were the moment to collect," Mohammed, director of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, said.

TRUMP'S IRAN AGREEMENT RAISES A BASIC QUESTION: IS IT ACTUALLY A DEAL?

Iranian state media also confirmed that Tehran had sent a whole-regime apparatus, led by chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Their team includes top security, legal and financial figures, including Abdolnaser Hemmati, governor of the Central Bank of Iran, leading the economic committee; Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council; Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's deputy foreign minister handling legal affairs; as well as senior state oil and energy officials.

Mohammed noted that Iran purposely bypassed a narrow, diplomatic-only team to protect its domestic leverage.

"Iran has not only sent diplomats; it has sent the foreign ministry, the security state, the central bank, legal affairs and oil," he explained. "This is a whole-regime delegation built around implementation, money, leverage and red lines."

Araghchi, Mohammed said, is the diplomatic face, while Bagheri Kani brings the Supreme National Security Council into the room, meaning the security establishment is overseeing the process and "protecting the regime’s red lines."

The inclusion of Iran's top financial and energy officials also sends the clearest signal of Tehran's primary objective: immediate cash flow, "energy leverage" and control of maritime operations, the expert said.

TRUMP’S 'ECONOMIC FURY' SQUEEZES IRAN — BUT CAN TEHRAN OUTLAST THE PRESSURE?

"Hemmati’s presence on Sunday was one of the clearest signals. You do not send the central bank governor to a symbolic meeting. You send him when the question is money: frozen assets, sanctions relief, banking channels, usable currency and how quickly Iran can turn promises on paper into cash it can actually spend," Mohammed said.

"The oil official is another major signal. If oil is in the room, Hormuz is in the room. For an American policymaker, that means maritime security and energy leverage."

Gharibabadi’s presence, Mohammed said, pointed directly to a legal battlefield over verification and language, perhaps designed to ensure Iran can bypass future enforcement.

The U.S. delegation, which includes Vice President JD Vance, is anchored by U.S. Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff and former senior White House adviser Jared Kushner.

Vance had indicated that Washington was hopeful it could make progress on both the nuclear issue and the escalating Lebanon ceasefire crisis while in Switzerland.

On Sunday, he said Trump had asked to turn over "a new leaf" to transform the U.S. relationship with Iran and that the talks starting in Switzerland would allow both sides to work to resolve issues.

TRUMP ENVOY WITKOFF AND JARED KUSHNER IN GENEVA FOR CLOSELY WATCHED IRAN NEGOTIATIONS

In contrast, according to Iran International, hardline lawmaker Mahmoud Nabavian read excerpts he described as top-secret letters from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Iranian state TV.

He alleged the leader opposed nuclear talks, demanded compensation from Washington and insisted on Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz before the live program was cut.

Now, the differing composition of the two teams underscores the starkly different approaches both nations are bringing to the table, Mohammed said.

"Iran is not only negotiating substance, but negotiating the terms under which it can later avoid pressure," Mohammed warned. "If the money comes first and the concessions come later, Tehran will not interpret that as compromise. It will interpret it as victory."

"If Washington gives Iran cash, oil access and legal protection while Iran keeps Hormuz, proxies, missiles and nuclear options alive, then America has not bought peace. It has financed Iran’s next phase," Mohammed suggested.

"This delegation is not designed to end Iran’s leverage. It is designed to collect the benefits of the pause, preserve the regime’s pressure points and carry them into the next round."

On Sunday, talks between Iran and the U.S. were paused but not ended, Reuters reported.

JERUSALEM, Israel: In a move being praised by many Christian leaders, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced the appointment of a new position of envoy to the Christian world — with the goal of better and smoother relations with the Christian world.

In an exclusive interview in Jerusalem, Ambassador George Deek told Fox News Digital the importance the Netanyahu government has put on his position.

"We see the ethnic cleansing of the region from its Christians, who have been diminished from 20% of the population of the Middle East to less than 2% of the population today," Deek said. "All those places that used to have thriving Christian communities today have been reduced to nothing."

CHRISTIAN LEADERS HOLD EMERGENCY SUMMIT IN JERUSALEM TO CONFRONT GLOBAL RISE IN ANTISEMITISM

Israel counts 300 churches, double the number in 1948, while its Christian population has grown from 34,000 in 1948 to more than 180,000 today.

Deek said of his role. "My hope is to also be able to build strong bridges between the State of Israel and Christian leaders… by telling a fuller story of the State of Israel, which I think is missed in most of the narratives we hear today in the world," he said.

According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, as of December 2025, Israel’s Christian population stood at approximately 184,200, representing 1.9% of the country’s total population. The community grew by 0.7% over the previous year.

Deek, who served for six years as Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan before assuming his current role, said most people know Israel only through its Jewish identity and are unaware of the complexity and diversity of Israeli society.

Deek said the decision announced by the Foreign Ministry in April to appoint him to the role stems from three factors: first, the special connection between Christians and the land of Israel as the birthplace of Christianity.

Second is the deep historical bond reflected in the churches of the Holy Land and in Christians and Jews living under shared biblical values, from which they derive societal principles including democracy, individualism, and freedom of conscience and thought.

Third is the importance Israel places on relations with people of all denominations and religions.

CHRISTMAS RETURNS TO HOLY LAND CITIES AS BETHLEHEM’S CHRISTIAN POPULATION DWINDLES, NAZARETH REMAINS STRONG

"It has a special relationship with the Christian people abroad and the Christian community in Israel, which is the only Christian community in the entire Middle East that is actually growing in numbers and basically thriving as part of Israeli society," Deek said.

"As the only nation to appoint a special envoy to the Christian world, Israel has indicated its deep appreciation for Christian support and its long-term interest in guarding Christian-Jewish relations. This is especially vital in this time of resurgent antisemitism spreading like wildfire in the poorly regulated digital sphere," International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) ‘s President Dr. Jürgen Bühler told Fox News Digital. 

The organization has operated from Jerusalem for 46 years and maintains branch offices and representatives in 95 countries, with a presence spanning approximately 185 nations worldwide.

It recently organized an emergency summit on antisemitism that brought together more than 200 theologians, pastors and ministry leaders from over 30 countries in person, alongside approximately 3,000 participants attending online.

CHRISTIAN PASTORS, INFLUENCERS JOIN 1,000-STRONG ISRAEL MISSION BACKING JEWISH STATE, FIGHTING ANTISEMITISM

He says Israel has the potential to serve as both an inspiration and a partner across the region and beyond, helping ensure that people can practice their faith freely and remain in the lands of their forefathers.

Still, Deek noted that in recent months there have been several isolated incidents involving attacks on Christian symbols and, in one case, an assault on a Christian nun.

"More than anything, this was an attack on the values on which this country is established—values of tolerance and acceptance — where no one has the right to attack anyone or use violence against anyone for any reason whatsoever, especially not attack a symbol of Christianity, Islam or Judaism," he said.

DISPUTED FIRE BY ANCIENT CHURCH IN HOLY LAND SPARKS DIPLOMATIC, RELIGIOUS FALLOUT

"That is absolutely unacceptable and that is why the leadership of the State of Israel, from the prime minister to the foreign minister and others, have all condemned it unequivocally and unanimously," he added.

The Israeli soldier who desecrated a cross in southern Lebanon is in prison, as is the individual who pushed a nun to the ground and attacked her in Jerusalem. These cases, Deek said, demonstrate that the State of Israel takes such incidents very seriously and fully enforces the law.

Amid a surge in antisemitic incidents in Europe and elsewhere following the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre, Deek said hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews, and that the same hate that drove out Jews from Arab countries in the 20th century has over the past two decades been directed against other minorities in the region.

TURKEY DEPORTS PEACEFUL CHRISTIANS UNDER GUISE OF ‘NATIONAL SECURITY’ CLAIMS WATCHDOG

"We see it even with Hamas pushing out the Christian population there, which has completely disappeared from Gaza," he added.

Within this environment, Israel is the only place where such minorities have been able to live safely and practice their faith without fear. In fact, they do not merely survive in the State of Israel, they thrive, Deek said.

He nevertheless pointed to a well-oiled campaign by forces on the woke left and right, along with extremist Islamist groups, that are manipulating the Christian faith and promoting claims of what he says is the so-called mistreatment of Christians in Israel.

"I see it as a personal mission to bring as many Christians as possible to visit the land of Israel, not as a political campaign....  I want them to come here to connect to their Bible. I want them to connect to their Scripture, I want them to connect to the roots of their values by simply going to those places," Deek said.

"And, under the protection of Israel as the guardian of the holy sites of Christianity… to reconnect to these values and to remember that these are the biblical values that connect Jews, Christians and all the people of the book in this world," he added.

U.S. President Donald Trump declared in a Sunday Truth Social post that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will resign from his post.

Trump indicated that he wishes Starmer well, but also accused the British politician of failing on two issues.

"Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well! President DJT," Trump declared in the Truth Social post.

Trump's statement comes amid reporting that Starmer could be on his way out as early as Monday, with Reuters reporting Sunday the prime minister was still deliberating over his future.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated

As Colombia heads into a pivotal presidential runoff on Sunday, conservative outsider Abelardo de la Espriella is riding a wave of voter frustration over crime, cartels and economic uncertainty.

His rise comes as outgoing President Gustavo Petro faces mounting political turmoil, turning the election into a high-stakes battle over the future of one of America’s most important allies in Latin America.

De le Espriella’s campaign is built on a platform of law and order, anti-cartel crackdowns and repairing U.S.-Colombia relations as he faces leftist politician Iván Cepeda in the presidential runoff. Cepeda is from Petro’s socialist party.

COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT PETRO THREATENS MILITARY RESPONSE AFTER TRUMP WARNS COLOMBIA MAY BE NEXT TARGET

In a region increasingly defined by larger-than-life political figures, de la Espriella is known universally as "El Tigre," and has transformed his nickname into a political movement. Campaign rallies feature tiger imagery, merchandise and slogans built around strength and fearlessness.

He has openly embraced comparisons to President Trump, presenting himself as a political outsider willing to confront entrenched elites, challenge progressive orthodoxies and restore what supporters describe as strength and order to government.

Earlier this week Trump endorsed him stating in part on social media that: "Colombian Presidential Candidate, "El Tigre (THE TIGER)," Abelardo de la Espriella, is a Smart, Strong, and Tough Leader, who fights tirelessly for, and loves, his Great Country and People, just like I do for the United States of America."

Trump added, "Because of his tremendous accomplishments in life, and his political support for me, it is my Honor to give Abelardo my Complete and Total Endorsement. GET OUT AND VOTE FOR "EL TIGRE" ABELARDO DE LA ESPRIELLA — HE WILL NOT LET THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE OF COLOMBIA DOWN. It will rise to a new height of Greatness!"

TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON COLOMBIA CRACKDOWN, CALLS PETRO ‘LUNATIC,’ VOWS TO END ALL US PAYMENTS OVER DRUGS

Aside from the Trump comparison, he’s also been likened to El Salvador’s President Bukele. Like Bukele, he has built a political brand around toughness, disruption and public frustration with crime. His campaign rhetoric frequently emphasizes restoring state authority and defeating criminal organizations through overwhelming force.

Petro’s ally, Iván Cepeda, has pledged to continue the administration’s social and economic agenda while expanding negotiations with armed groups.

Cepeda’s campaign did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment on his campaign and hopes for the country.

Carlos Chacón, executive director of Instituto de Ciencia Política (ICP), a think tank in Colombia told Fox News Digital, "Colombia is torn between two models and two visions: the leftist model, which seeks to increase state intervention in the economy, a model already proven to generate fiscal deficits and economic crises; a model that prioritizes negotiations and appeasement over security, resulting in the strengthening of criminal networks nationwide; and, above all, a model whose political agenda is to alter the Constitution."

US SANCTIONS COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT AND FAMILY OVER DRUG TRAFFICKING ALLEGATIONS

Chacón said the difference between the two candidates is clear, saying that Abelardo’s model "favors free enterprise and seeks to ensure security, regain territorial control, downsize the state, revitalize strategic sectors, and mend international relations, would be implemented entirely within the framework of the 1991 Constitution." He added, "Abelardo has never spoken of replacing the constitutional model with an authoritarian one, as is the case with the project proposed by Petro, Cepeda."

One of the recurring themes of de la Espriella’s campaign has been rebuilding a close relationship with Washington and pursuing a more aggressive security partnership against narcotrafficking and armed groups. He has advocated U.S.-backed operations against narco-terrorist camps and stronger bilateral cooperation on security issues.

De la Espriella rise comes as the outgoing Colombian President Petro faces a battle over allegations of improper involvement in the country’s presidential election. The head of Colombia’s congressional investigative commission has proposed suspending president Petro while authorities examine allegations that he improperly intervened in the presidential campaign on behalf of his political movement.

The proposal has triggered fierce debate across Colombia, with supporters describing it as necessary accountability and critics arguing it exceeds constitutional authority. Petro has denied wrongdoing and remains in office.

The outcome of this election will help determine not only the future of Colombia’s security strategy, but also the trajectory of one of Washington’s most important allies in the Western Hemisphere.

African and Caribbean leaders are demanding financial compensation, debt cancellation and formal apologies from countries that benefited from the transatlantic slave trade after adopting a sweeping reparations plan at a conference in Ghana.

The 19-point framework calls for financial compensation, debt relief, a Global Reparations Fund and the return of looted cultural artifacts and ancestral remains. It also seeks reforms to international financial institutions that supporters say disadvantage Third World countries.

The proposal is expected to be presented at the next UN General Assembly as African and Caribbean nations step up a coordinated push for slavery reparations.

The plan was adopted Friday by the African Union and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Commission on Reparatory Justice at the end of a three-day conference.

REPARATIONS ADVOCATES PUSH FOR PAYMENTS TO BLACK AMERICANS DESPITE BUDGET AND LEGAL CHALLENGES

"None of us gathered in this hall today can be held personally responsible for the atrocities of the transatlantic slave trade," Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama told delegates.

"History does not ask us to inherit guilt, but it asks us to inherit responsibility," Mahama added.

The proposal does not identify specific countries that should provide compensation or issue formal apologies.

TULSA MAYOR PROPOSES $100M REPARATIONS PLAN FOR DESCENDANTS OF 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE

It does call for debt cancellation, climate justice financing, expanded citizenship pathways for Africans in the diaspora and what organizers describe as a "right of return" for descendants of enslaved Africans.

The plan also urges African countries to preserve former slave forts and castles as memorial sites.

According to advocates, at least 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped and transported aboard European ships between the 15th and 19th centuries. Supporters of reparations argue the effects of slavery continue to be felt across Africa and the Caribbean generations later.

UN COURT RULES WEALTHY NATIONS PAY UP FOR CLIMATE CHANGE DAMAGES IN CONTROVERSIAL GLOBAL RULING

The conference follows a UN vote in March recognizing transatlantic slavery as the "gravest crime against humanity."

The resolution passed with 123 votes in favor, but the U.S., Israel and 52 other countries either voted against it or abstained.

According to Reuters, the United States and European Union raised concerns that the resolution could be interpreted as creating a hierarchy among crimes against humanity by treating some atrocities as more serious than others.

MACRON TAKES THE STAGE UNINVITED AT AFRICA SUMMIT TO SCOLD CROWD FOR 'TOTAL LACK OF RESPECT'

Heads of state from Namibia, Liberia, Senegal, Barbados and Sao Tome and Principe attended the conference, along with senior officials from several other countries.

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the gathering virtually from the Élysée Palace, where he acknowledged the suffering caused by slavery.

Enslaved people were "torn from their homelands, deported, dehumanised, and treated as goods," Macron said.

Macron also said reparations should not be viewed "as an end point, or a cheque written to bring the story to a close."

The conference in Ghana brought together separate reparations efforts previously pursued by African and Caribbean nations into a single document that organizers plan to take before the United Nations.

Reuters contributed to this report.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly considering stepping down and could announce a timetable for his departure as early as Monday, according to a report published Saturday.

Britain's Observer newspaper reported that Starmer was discussing his future with his wife at his Chequers country residence before making a final decision.

The outlet reported that senior Labour Party figures expect a statement addressing his future as early as next week.

A government source told Reuters that Starmer remains focused on governing and pointed to previous comments in which he vowed to remain in office.

AS EPSTEIN-LINKED APPOINTMENT SPARKS BACKLASH, UK PM STARMER FACES PARTY REVOLT AMID RESIGNATION CALLS

Fox News Digital has reached out to the prime minister's office for comment.

Pressure on Starmer has been building for months amid growing dissatisfaction within his party and concerns over the government's handling of the economy and cost-of-living issues.

The political threat to Starmer intensified Friday after rival Andy Burnham won a seat in Parliament, positioning him to mount a formal leadership challenge.

LABOUR MP PUTS CABINET 'ON NOTICE,' THREATENS TO TRIGGER LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE AGAINST STARMER BY MONDAY

Starmer congratulated Burnham following the victory, writing on X that voters, "chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate."

When asked about Burnham's apparent ambitions to replace him, Starmer insisted he intends to remain in office.

"I’ve said repeatedly I’m not going to walk away from that," Starmer said.

UK’S STARMER JUGGLES TROUBLE AT HOME AS HE WALKS GEOPOLITICAL TIGHTROPE WITH TRUMP

Starmer has led the Labour Party since 2020 and became prime minister in 2024.

Calls for his resignation intensified last month, with more than 100 Labour lawmakers publicly urging him to step aside or set out a timetable for his departure. Several parliamentary aides also resigned in protest.

The internal revolt followed a series of disappointing local election results for Labour, which lost hundreds of council seats across England, surrendered long-held ground in Wales and fell behind political rivals in Scotland.

Starmer's popularity has also declined amid a persistently high cost of living, sluggish economic growth and criticism over his acceptance of gifts from wealthy donors.

Fox News Digital's James Cirrone and Emma Bussey, and Reuters contributed to this report.

The first case of H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed in Australia, meaning the virus has now found its way to every continent.

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said the virus was found in a single seabird, a brown skua, near Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia, in Cape Le Grand National Park.

Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development said it was "responding as part of a nationally coordinated plan with the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and stakeholders across [Western Australia] to reduce the impact of this disease."

The outbreak in the U.S. has left millions of birds dead and has caused grocery store hikes and shortages, most notably with eggs.

BIRD FLU UPTICK IN US HAS CDC ON ALERT FOR PANDEMIC 'RED FLAGS': REPORT

The spread to humans is rare.

"We all knew we couldn't be bird flu-free forever," Australia’s federal Agricultural Secretary Julie Collins said in a press conference on Saturday.

Jackie Jarvis, Western Australia’s agricultural minister, said in a press conference on Friday: "As a result of WA’s established early detection system, appropriate action was taken, including isolating the bird and collecting samples for testing."

HUNDREDS OF WILD BIRD DEATHS REPORTED ACROSS 7 COUNTIES PROMPTING PARK CLOSURES

She added, "this shows that Australia’s and Western Australia’s preparedness measures have worked. We are pleased to see the surveillance, and reporting system working as intended, with the bird reported through to DPIRD for further investigation."

By Saturday, Jarvis said further testing confirmed the strain that she said was consistent with bird flu found in the remote Australian territories of Heard Island and McDonald Islands near Antarctica, which devastated the wildlife there.

Last year, around 13,000 of a population of 17,000 elephant seal pups died there in just a few months after being exposed.

The islands are wildlife sanctuaries.

"Importantly, there have been no detections in poultry and there is no evidence of mass mortality," Jarvis said of the mainland case.

A second case of another migratory bird is also suspected near Esperance.  

Reuters contributed to this report.

Counterterrorism officials are investigating after a suspect went on a rampage in Scotland, leaving five men injured.

The attacks, which are believed to have been anti-Muslim, began near a mosque in Edinburgh where two men were injured just before 9 p.m. Friday, officials said, according to BBC News. 

The suspect, who is a 36-year-old Scottish man, also allegedly attacked three other men in another part of the city.

None of the victims, who range in age from 22 to 39, have life-threatening injuries. Three of the victims were taken to the hospital.

FLORIDA MAN INDICTED FOR ALLEGEDLY PLOTTING MASS SHOOTING TARGETING JEWISH EMPLOYEES AT ADVOCACY ORGNAIZATION

The suspect also allegedly attacked a car at a gas station, which was found with its windows smashed out and an axe inside, and he was seen pushing down shelves inside the station’s mart, BBC News reported.

He was also caught on surveillance video allegedly on the attack outside a pizzeria with a weapon, the outlet reported, adding that social media videos show havoc in other areas of the city as well.

"Officers responded to multiple reports of a fast-moving sequence of events across Edinburgh before arresting a man and public safety was our priority," Police Scotland said in a statement.

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

The man was taken into custody around 9:30 p.m. local time and he remains there.

"This was a shocking attack and my first thoughts are with those who were injured and most directly affected," Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said.

She added, "I want to send a clear message of support to all our communities that there is no place for racism or faith-based hate in a Scotland which is at its best when we stand together." 

The suspect allegedly told police when he was caught that he was "protecting the country," BBC News reported.

"Extensive work is ongoing to establish all the circumstances," Paton said. "We are being supported by Counter Terrorism Policing and working under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

The Muslim Council of Britain condemned the attack, saying the community is "rightly nervous and worried."

"This incident comes not long after racist pogroms on the streets of Belfast that targeted minority families, and is a direct consequence of political rhetoric that demonises entire communities," the council added. "To our community: stay vigilant, look out for one another, and please report any Islamophobic hate crimes to the police.

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations (U.N.) Danny Danon erupted at Vanessa Frazier, the U.N. Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, in a tense exchange over Frazier's role in placing Israel on a blacklist on sexual violence.

The pair shouted over each other during a Friday U.N. meeting marking the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict after a report Frazier helped author placed Israel on a sexual violence blacklist.

"You caved to the pressure. You caved to the Secretary General's obsession with targeting Israel. And in doing so," Danon began before Frazier chimed in.

"Wait, I'm speaking now!" Danon yelled.

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"No, you will be quiet, because I'm speaking now! You spoke, now I speak. You spoke, and now I'll speak. Shame on you, you're part of the bullying of Israel. Shame on you, you can walk out. You spoke now, I speak. You can walk out, shame on you! You're part of this, you're part of his obsession," he continued.

The United Nations Secretary-General's office listed Israeli entities in the annex of the U.N.'s annual Conflict-Related Sexual Violence report in May. The report specifically mentioned the Israel Defense Forces, the Israel Prison Services and the country's border police Counter Terrorism Unit after U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres labeled the organizations "a party credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other sexual violence."

Danon had previously condemned the U.N.'s decision to add Israel to the blacklist and announced a freezing of relations between Israel and Guterres' office.

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In a statement to Fox News, Danon's office blasted the decision as a "stain" and noted that Israel was being placed on a list with terrorist organizations.

"Israel has been placed on a blacklist alongside Hamas, ISIS, and Boko Haram. This is a moral disgrace that will be remembered as one of the darkest stains on António Guterres’ legacy," he said.

On Friday, Danon also called for U.N. Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Pramila Patten to resign. He then rebuffed an apparent attempt by Frazier to defend Patten, noting that Patten was not present at the meeting.

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"Ms. Patten was invited here, she chose not to be here. You will allow me to finish my words. Shameful. You are part of this shameful behavior. You are a part of it. Shame on you. Shame on you," Danon shouted.

"I will speak and you will be quiet. You work for the U.N. and you will respect the rule of the U.N. Respect the rule. We will not allow you to bully us. We are a member state, and you work for the U.N., and you will be quiet now. You will be quiet. Shameful. You and your shameful report. We know why you took this position. We will not let you be part of this shameful campaign. I will finish my words. If you don't want to listen, go out," Danon continued.

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Danon contended that Israel cooperated with the U.N. and that the organization did not independently review the evidence or give Israel a fair opportunity to address the allegations. He also accused Patten of lending credibility to a politically motivated campaign against Israel.

"If verifying the facts is not Ms. Patten’s responsibility, then what exactly is her responsibility?" Danon asked.

"You knew Israel had cooperated. You knew you had not reviewed the evidence yourself. Yet you chose to stand behind this falsehood. You should have said no. You should have resigned. You tried to stain Israel’s name. But the stain is not on Israel. The stain is on you," he said during the U.N. meeting.

Danon's office also plans on filing a formal complaint with the U.N. over Frazier's interruptions during the meeting, his office told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital contacted a spokesperson for Patten and for Frazier but did not immediately receive a response.