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Pope Leo pleads with breakaway Catholic group not to commit 'sin of extreme gravity'
Pope Leo XIV issued an extraordinary last-minute plea Tuesday to a breakaway traditionalist Catholic group to abandon plans to consecrate four bishops without Vatican approval, warning the move was a "sin of extreme gravity" and could deepen a decades-old split with the Church.
In a letter addressed to the Rev. Davide Pagliarani, leader of the Society of St. Pius X, Leo urged the group to reconsider before Wednesday's planned ceremony in Econe, Switzerland, saying it would place the bishops involved outside the Church’s communion.
"I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!" the pope wrote.
POPE LEO SENDS UNMISTAKABLE MESSAGE ON IMMIGRANTS DURING VISIT HONORING AMERICA'S FIRST SAINT
Under church law, consecrating bishops without papal approval is considered a schismatic act and carries automatic excommunication for both the bishops being ordained and the bishop performing the ceremony.
"I urge you to consider carefully the spiritual good of the faithful, because the schismatic act you are about to undertake would deprive them of the licit, and in some cases, even valid reception of the sacraments," Leo wrote.
The dispute marks the first major challenge of Leo's pontificate. Since becoming pope, the American-born pontiff has emphasized healing divisions within the Church, including tensions with traditionalist Catholics who favor the old Latin Mass.
POPE LEO XIV JOKES YOUNG SPANIARDS WOULD PICK BAD BUNNY OVER HIM DURING MADRID VISIT THIS WEEKEND
The Society of St. Pius X was founded after the Second Vatican Council, rejecting many of the church's reforms, including allowing Mass to be celebrated in local languages instead of Latin. The group has long argued that it is preserving authentic Catholic teaching.
The society defended its decision to consecrate four new bishops, saying there is a "state of necessity" requiring it to provide bishops for its faithful.
The planned ceremony echoes a similar confrontation in 1988, when the group's founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, consecrated four bishops without papal approval. The Vatican responded by excommunicating Lefebvre and the newly ordained bishops, though those excommunications were lifted in 2009 as part of an effort to restore relations.
Despite years of dialogue with the Vatican, the SSPX remains outside the church's formal structure.
The society has continued to expand in recent decades, reporting hundreds of priests, seminarians and religious members across dozens of countries, making it one of the largest traditionalist movements operating outside the Catholic Church's official authority.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
UK asylum seekers could have to pay government $13K before applying for settlement
People granted asylum in Britain could have to repay the government about £10,000, roughly more than $13,000, for accommodation and basic living support before they can become eligible to apply for settlement, officials announced on Monday.
This comes as immigration has become one of the most important issues in British politics, consistently ranking among voters' top concerns in polling.
Under the proposed rules, the government says repayments would be means-tested and limited to adults above an income threshold. Officials say safeguards would be included to prevent people from being pushed into extreme poverty, though key details of the threshold and enforcement mechanism have not yet been published.
The rules would not be applied retrospectively and children would not be subject to the payments.
"Receiving asylum support is a right, but it is also a responsibility," Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said. "Once people can contribute and repay the generosity of the British people, we expect them to do so."
Mahmood explained that her latest reforms aim to reduce the burden on taxpayers' wallets.
The Home Office also said over the weekend that it aims to remove 45,000 more people with no legal right to remain and foreign criminals within the next decade, in addition to the tens of thousands already being removed on a yearly basis.
The center-left Labour Party has increased efforts to curb both legal and illegal immigration as it seeks to counter the rising popularity of Nigel Farage's Reform UK party, which has vowed to deport up to 600,000 asylum seekers and other people whose claims or appeals have failed.
"Mass migration has changed this country, certainly in many of our cities, literally beyond recognition," Farage told Fox News Digital last week. "We’ve not been selective about who’s been able to come into the country. That is a major contributory factor."
Refugee advocates and migration researchers have criticized the proposal, arguing it could punish people who fled persecution and questioning whether many refugees would earn enough to repay the proposed sum. Critics have also warned that tying repayment to settlement could create uncertainty for people trying to rebuild their lives in the UK.
The Labour Party has faced internal divisions over how tight its immigration policy should be, and the party is up against further overall uncertainty after its leader, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, announced last week that he will resign.
Reuters contributed to this report.
'Parcel bomb' explodes in Monaco residential area, leaving 2 critically injured: reports
Police in Monaco and France were reportedly searching Monday night for a man suspected of detonating a makeshift explosive device that injured several people, including two critically.
The explosion happened shortly before 9 p.m. local time in the center of Monaco, near the entrance of a residential building. Surveillance video appeared to show a man leaving a backpack at the scene moments before the blast, Reuters reported, citing French newspaper Le Figaro.
Christophe Mirmand, Monaco’s minister of state, told BFM TV that two of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries.
"No event of this nature has ever happened in the principality before," Mirmand told the outlet.
French emergency crews were sent to the scene to assist. Authorities in France and Monaco launched a joint operation to find the suspect, according to France’s Interior Ministry.
PARIS DEPUTY MAYOR BLAMES THE UNITED STATES' CARBON EMISSIONS FOR DEADLY HEAT WAVE
BFM TV, citing Monaco’s prosecutor general, described the device as a "parcel bomb."
Eric Ciotti, the mayor of nearby Nice, France, condemned the incident in a post on X.
"The attack carried out this evening is a tragedy that strikes Monaco. Thoughts for the victims, their families, and the people of Monaco. Total support for the security forces and emergency services mobilized," Ciotti wrote.
FAMILIES WATCH IN HORROR AS SKYDIVING PLANE CRASHES IN FRANCE, KILLING ALL 11 ABOARD
Alexandra Masson, the mayor of nearby Menton, expressed support for Monaco and said her thoughts were with the victims and their families.
"I extend my full support to the Principality of Monaco during the ordeal it is going through. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and their loved ones. I express my deepest gratitude," Masson wrote.
Monaco police could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Gunman kills 6 at youth welfare facility in suspected child custody dispute: reports
A suspect is in custody after six people were shot and killed Monday at a youth welfare facility in northern Germany, officials said.
The shooting happened around midday in Stade, a town of about 50,000 people near Hamburg. Authorities said the victims — four women and two men — all worked at the youth center or affiliated organizations. Five were pronounced dead at the scene, while a sixth died later at a hospital, according to The Associated Press, citing authorities.
Several others were wounded in the shooting, which may have been tied to a child custody dispute, the outlet reported.
2 PEOPLE ARE KILLED IN A KNIFE ATTACK IN GERMANY; SCHOLZ SAYS THERE MUST BE CONSEQUENCES
Police said the shooting happened at a facility on Dankersstrasse that houses pregnant women and young mothers with children, according to The Associated Press.
The suspect, a 45-year-old man, had an appointment at the facility earlier in the day before the shooting unfolded around midday. His 3-month-old daughter and the child’s mother were safe, Reuters reported.
The suspected gunman was arrested. Police said two others were also subject to police measures on suspicion of involvement but did not provide additional details, according to The Associated Press.
CHILDREN AMONG 6 WOUNDED IN MARYLAND MASS SHOOTING AS DETECTIVES WORK TO DETERMINE WHAT OCCURRED
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he was "deeply shocked" by the violence at a place meant to protect women and children.
"The horrific act of violence in Stade claimed the lives of six people today. I am deeply shaken by the extent of the violence in a place that is meant to provide protection," Steinmeier said.
"My condolences go to the families of the dead and injured, who must endure so much pain. My thanks go to all first responders and doctors."
SUSPECT 'NEUTRALIZED' AFTER MONTREAL SHOOTING LEAVES AT LEAST 2 DEAD INCLUDING OFFICER
Police warned people to avoid the area after the shooting but later said there was no danger to the public. Investigators were still collecting evidence Monday evening, Reuters reported.
Mass shootings in Germany are rare.
Earlier this year, a car plowed into a pedestrian zone in Leipzig, Germany, killing two people and leaving several others seriously injured.
Stade Police could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.
Families watch in horror as skydiving plane crashes in France, killing all 11 aboard
Families watched in horror as a skydiving plane crashed in France moments after takeoff Sunday, killing all 11 people aboard, according to French officials.
The single-engine Pilatus PC-6 crashed shortly after taking off from the Nancy-Essey Airfield near the city of Nancy in northeastern France. Officials said the victims included five skydiving instructors, five first-time jumpers and the pilot.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said some victims' relatives watched the aircraft fall from the sky.
"Some of the victims' families witnessed the aircraft falling with their own eyes," Nuñez said. "So there is tremendous emotion and an even greater psychological trauma."
MISSOURI SKYDIVING PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED ALL 12 ABOARD IS A 'DEVASTATING LOSS,' COMPANY SAYS
Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefect Yves Séguy said the aircraft suffered an apparent malfunction and "fell almost vertically," narrowly missing a populated area after crashing roughly 300 yards from the runway.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the aircraft banked left after takeoff before disappearing from radar less than a minute into the flight.
France's Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA), the country's aviation accident investigation agency, said on X that it had opened a safety investigation into the crash involving the Pilatus PC-6. The agency said four investigators and one first-response investigator were dispatched to the scene.
MISSOURI SKYDIVING PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED ALL 12 ABOARD IS A 'DEVASTATING LOSS,' COMPANY SAYS
Authorities have not determined what caused the crash, and officials cautioned that it is too early to speculate while investigators examine the wreckage.
Nancy Mayor Mathieu Klein called the crash "an immense shock that has plunged the Greater Nancy area into mourning" in a Facebook post, offering condolences to the victims' families and those who witnessed the tragedy.
Klein said he visited the crash site alongside regional officials and praised the "remarkable professionalism and commitment" of rescue, medical and security personnel. He also announced that Greater Nancy would open a gathering space at Marcel Picot Stadium where residents could pay their respects and show solidarity with the victims' families.
MISSOURI SKYDIVING PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED ALL 12 ABOARD IS A 'DEVASTATING LOSS,' COMPANY SAYS
The Meurthe-et-Moselle prefecture said it activated a public information center Sunday afternoon to assist victims' families and said the hotline would reopen Monday morning as recovery efforts and the investigation continue.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot described the crash as the country's deadliest skydiving aviation accident in roughly three decades.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
US military touts work to assist in Venezuela following deadly earthquakes
The U.S. military has been working to assist in Venezuela after the South American nation was rocked by deadly earthquakes last week.
"At the direction of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), U.S. military capabilities continue arriving in Venezuela today to support ongoing U.S. earthquake relief efforts requested by the Venezuelan government and led by the U.S. State Department," SOUTHCOM said in a Sunday press release regarding the relief efforts.
"SOUTHCOM operations are completely self-sustaining, with personnel on the ground requiring zero local resources as they work tirelessly to deliver critical relief to the people of Venezuela," SOUTHCOM noted.
Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez indicated Sunday that the death toll from the earthquakes had reached 1,450.
"Marines on the ground, saving lives," SOUTHCOM declared in a Sunday post on X.
"U.S. Marines in Venezuela are supporting U.S. and international first responders during search and rescue efforts in areas hardest-hit by the earthquakes," the post, which included several photos, continued.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLEDGES $150M IN AID, DEPLOYS NAVY WARSHIPS AFTER DEADLY VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES
"The @DeptofWar continues to work closely with the @StateDept to support earthquake relief efforts and deliver assistance to the Venezuelan communities of greatest need. At the direction of #SOUTHCOM, U.S. military forces are supporting U.S. disaster assistance to the people of Venezuela in the aftermath of the June 24, 2026, earthquakes," the post noted.
"Racing against the clock to save lives in Venezuela: First responders assist a U.S. Marine climbing through rubble during a search for survivors in earthquake-damaged structures," SOUTHCOM wrote in a different post on X. "Operating day and night, these crews continue to support international search and rescue operations across the hardest-hit communities."
Shipping giant warns Strait of Hormuz chaos is 'new normal' as Tehran shifts 4M barrels
A "new normal" of heightened risk and uncertain regulation is impacting the Strait of Hormuz, shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd warned Sunday, as military strikes escalated and conflicting routing directives plunged the waterway into operational chaos.
The remarks from the German shipping giant also came as Tehran "simultaneously" began moving millions of barrels of crude oil from Kharg Island for the first time in days, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward AI.
"At Kharg, the T-Jetty and Western Terminal loaded simultaneously for the first time in days; the East Waiting Area holds 28 tankers, 27 dark, signaling the Iranian crude export cycle restarting," Windward AI said in a post on X.
The outbound cargo consists of an estimated 4.12 million barrels of wet cargo, including crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons. Of that total, about 3.91 million barrels are crude oil, analytics firm Vortexa said.
"We have to acknowledge that this is for some months the new normal in the Persian Gulf region," Hapag-Lloyd AG spokesperson Hanja Maria Richter told Fox News Digital.
"The situation has been fluid for us since the beginning of the conflict," she said before adding that constant vigilance has become essential to operating in the region.
"We have been making and still make regular risk and situation assessments with our security partners, all relevant authorities and our people on shore and, of course, on the vessels," Richter said.
"It is a region in conflict, so we consider this with every single ship we move in the region and assess the risks for every vessel and its crew individually."
IRAN STARTS ‘INDISCRIMINATE’ STRIKES ACROSS GULF OF OMAN, HITS SHADOW TANKER TIED TO REGIME
Richter's remarks came as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched airstrikes against Iranian targets, including Qeshm Island on June 26 after a vessel was struck in the strait.
This prompted Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to retaliate by targeting U.S. military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Adding to the strike risk is a tug-of-war over control of the transit lanes.
Lloyd's List described the fracturing of the waterway as a "confused, two-tier system now operating in the strait, which remains split between the Iran-controlled northern route and a U.S.-protected southern 'highway,' with the pre-war routes rendered unusable because of the risk of mines, separating them."
Iran is responsible for managing and fully reopening maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz under recent understandings, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday, according to Iran International.
Iranian state television said that passage through the Strait of Hormuz demands coordination with the IRGC.
Hapag-Lloyd pushed back against any future attempts to weaponize or monetize passage through the critical global chokepoint.
"It would be fundamentally wrong to impose fees for passage through international waters," Richter said.
"Fees for infrastructure such as the Suez Canal or the Panama Canal are a different matter, as they reflect major infrastructure investments. That is not the case with the Strait of Hormuz."
While thousands of crew members remain caught by conflicting naval directives, Hapag-Lloyd said it had successfully navigated the initial bottleneck.
"Good news is that we were able to have all Hapag-Lloyd vessels that were affected by the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz and had been waiting in the Persian Gulf depart safely from the Gulf," Richter noted before adding that "the safety of our crews is our highest priority."
French investigators probe fatal skydiving plane crash that killed pilot and 10 parachutists
A plane carrying participants in a skydiving activity crashed shortly after takeoff in northeastern France on Sunday, killing all 11 people aboard, authorities said.
The Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefecture said on X that the aircraft crashed after departing from Nancy-Essey Airport, prompting officials to activate the department's operational command center.
The Associated Press reported the victims included five parachuting instructors, five novice jumpers preparing for tandem skydives and the pilot.
MISSOURI SKYDIVING PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED ALL 12 ABOARD IS A 'DEVASTATING LOSS,' COMPANY SAYS
Prefect Yves Séguy told reporters the aircraft suffered a malfunction and "fell almost vertically," narrowly missing a populated area.
"Had it occurred just a few dozen meters away, the accident could have caused collateral casualties," Séguy said.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the single-engine Pilatus PC-6 banked left shortly after takeoff before crashing less than a minute later near residential homes, about 300 yards from the runway.
MISSOURI SKYDIVING PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED ALL 12 ABOARD IS A 'DEVASTATING LOSS,' COMPANY SAYS
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said he traveled to the crash site with Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot, where they met with local officials and emergency responders.
Nunez wrote on X that he felt "immense emotion" while meeting with local officials and praised the coordinated response of firefighters, emergency personnel, police, gendarmerie and civil security teams.
He said a medico-psychological emergency unit was activated shortly after the crash to support victims' loved ones and those who witnessed the tragedy. Some family members waiting at the airport witnessed the crash, according to officials.
MISSOURI SKYDIVING PLANE CRASH THAT KILLED ALL 12 ABOARD IS A 'DEVASTATING LOSS,' COMPANY SAYS
Nunez added that the investigation, directed by the Paris prosecutor's office and assigned to the Air Transport Gendarmerie's investigative unit, will determine the cause of the crash.
Tabarot described the incident as a "terrible tragedy" and extended his condolences to the victims' families before traveling to the scene alongside Nunez.
In a later post on X, Tabarot said investigators from France's Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses had visited the crash site and opened an investigation to determine the precise circumstances of the accident. He also described the crash as France's deadliest aviation accident involving a skydiving flight in about 30 years.
The parachutists were preparing for tandem jumps, in which novice participants are harnessed to experienced instructors for the descent.
French broadcaster BFM-TV spoke with a local resident who said he heard what sounded like the aircraft's engine stopping before a loud impact. When he reached the crash site, he said there were no signs of life.
Sunday's tragedy came just weeks after another deadly skydiving plane crash in the U.S. that killed 12 people about 65 miles outside Kansas City, Missouri.
In that crash, the aircraft was carrying 11 skydivers and a pilot. Many of the passengers were preparing for tandem jumps and were inexperienced first-time skydivers, officials said. Some family members waiting at the airport also witnessed the crash.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Iran targets US with psychological warfare campaign to manipulate Americans, embarrass Trump: experts
Tehran has deployed a new front on Western social media, including a covert influence campaign to sway Americans and undermine President Donald Trump's push for a nuclear deal, experts warned Sunday.
Following the February U.S. strikes on Iran that decapitated much of Tehran's leadership and the signing of an interim memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Tehran and Washington, the analysts also claim Iranian officials are relying more on digital proxies to project centralized control.
"Iran's leadership now lives on X because it is a decapitated leadership," counterterrorism expert Dr. Omar Mohammed told Fox News Digital.
"The regime has moved its legitimacy contest onto a platform, and once you are fighting there, you optimize for it," Mohammed, of the George Washington Program on Extremism, added.
IRANIAN REGIME SPREADING ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA ACROSS DOZENS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS: REPORT
"There are English, screenshot-ready lines, memeable contempt and civilizational pride. It is adaptation under pressure — an influence operation forced by the fact that the men running Iran can no longer stand at a podium."
After Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed on Feb. 28, the regime's senior leadership was largely eliminated, and the new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is in hiding. Mohammed said Iran's digital messaging has since become more centralized.
"The coordination between the leadership is visible: You watch the same lines reposted verbatim by the judiciary chief, the vice president and the security council within minutes," the expert explained.
"That is a central media shop pushing copy, not officials independently moved by the same spirit at the same moment. And the register gives it away."
According to Mohammed, the regime's X accounts serve as a manufactured proxy for the leadership vacuum while exploiting political divisions in the United States, a strategy that he says surfaced even more after Trump signed a new peace deal on June 17 in Versailles.
"Tehran is not aiming at the United States as a single entity," Mohammed said.
IRAN'S UNPRECEDENTED 'WHOLE-REGIME' DELEGATION AT US DEAL TALKS SIGNALS ONE GOAL: EXPERT
"It reads Washington as two power centers and pitches to both — working to embarrass the deal the president owns while speaking the language of multipolarity back to the worldview it attributes to the vice president."
In the wake of the signing and the first round of negotiations in Switzerland, for example, Trump said on Truth Social that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy American agricultural products, including soybeans, wheat and corn.
The Treasury Department, he wrote, would release the Iranian assets "into escrow, controlled by the United States, and will be used for the purchase of food and medical supplies, exclusively from the United States, including corn, wheat and soybeans from our great American farmers. These are things that are desperately needed by Iran."
The regime's posts from its lead negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, mocked the claims as "trash talks."
"America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture. Interesting. The only crop we're harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust. It's organic, abundant, and homegrown. But apparently the U.S. only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talks," Ghalibaf wrote on X.
"The agriculture jab is aimed straight at Trump, who personally sold the frozen-assets release to American farmers as a corn-and-soybean windfall, so mocking 'GMO soybeans and broken promises' is built to embarrass the deal he owns," Mohammed claimed.
VANCE REJECTS CLAIMS TRUMP-IRAN DEAL ECHOES OBAMA-ERA LOGIC AS HAWKS RAISE ALARM
"Tehran gains if it can discredit the deal the president is selling," he added.
"That is also not a 64-year-old Iranian speaker writing for himself; that is a young social media team writing in his name," Mohammed said.
Mohammed also noted Trump's posts are his own, with the "account and the man the same."
"The Iranian accounts are the reverse. They come from an institution manufacturing a public presence for a leadership that can no longer appear in person," he said.
As ordinary Iranian citizens continue to face strict internet restrictions at home, Tehran's elite enjoy open access to foreign platforms to target Western audiences.
IRAN REGIME ESCALATES REPRESSION TOWARD 'NORTH KOREA-STYLE MODEL OF ISOLATION AND CONTROL'
Alp Toker, of internet monitoring firm NetBlocks, told Fox News Digital that the regime had "learned" asymmetric information warfare.
"These regimes are learning to combine social media, AI and internet censorship as tools for asymmetric information warfare, benefiting from a global audience while sidestepping accountability to their own citizens," he said.
"There is a two-tier system in which government officials can use the platform freely to promote their agenda while denying access to their citizens, as they do in Iran.
"It's a double-edged sword — you get more open politics at the cost of regime propagandization.
"Iranian authorities, among others, are getting better at gaming this system," Toker added.
Mohammed said the parallel systems — a heavily censored internet at home and what he described as an "open megaphone" aimed at Western audiences — provide the strongest evidence the campaign is an external influence operation rather than organic domestic speech.
33 rescued from Venezuelan rubble: Survival window desperately fading with nearly 50,000 missing
Search-and-rescue crews in Venezuela pulled 33 people alive from collapsed buildings over the weekend after twin earthquakes devastated the country’s northern coast, but officials and aid workers warned Sunday that time was rapidly running out for nearly 50,000 still feared missing.
The death toll stood at 1,430 as of late Saturday, according to The Associated Press. More than 3,000 have been injured and roughly the same number are living in shelters, according to Venezuelan authorities.
The worst devastation is concentrated in coastal La Guaira state, where entire apartment blocks, hotels and public housing buildings pancaked after magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck in quick succession Wednesday. Hundreds of aftershocks have continued to rattle damaged neighborhoods, complicating rescue work and keeping survivors outside in the heat.
Among the 33 rescued were an infant removed alive from rubble by U.S. rescuers, an 11-year-old boy found by a Colombian team after a scanner detected him about 10 feet below the surface, and another 11-year-old rescued by Mexican crews in Caraballeda.
"In these hours each life is hope for Venezuela," Acting President Delcy Rodríguez wrote on X after one of the rescues.
Swiss rescue-team leader Sebastian Eugster told Reuters that the odds of finding survivors drop sharply after roughly 72 hours under rubble. That mark passed Saturday evening.
"There exists a window of roughly three days, 72 hours, where the probability afterwards decreases that you can save people alive," Eugster said.
The missing toll remains highly uncertain. The government has spoken of hundreds missing or trapped, while some estimated just under 50,000 people as missing Sunday, down from 55,000 a day earlier. The AP reported that families had listed 68,900 people missing Saturday, underscoring the chaos in accounting for the dead, the displaced and those cut off by communications failures.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLEDGES $150M IN AID, DEPLOYS NAVY WARSHIPS AFTER DEADLY VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES
With the desperation of the survival window closing as the days and hours wear on, Starlink has provided communication services for the humanitarian crisis.
"Starlink Mobile is providing free connectivity to @MovistarVe customers in the La Guaira region, and we are working to provide free service for @DigitelAyuda and @movilnet_ve customers as quickly as possible," Starlink posted Sunday to X.
"Families, communities and businesses with compatible LTE smartphones can now stay connected through SMS even if terrestrial networks are not available and customer phones will automatically connect to Starlink Mobile. Coverage will work best with a clear view of the sky."
Pope Leo on Sunday expressed solidarity with survivors and victims' families holding out hope.
"I wish to express my closeness to the Venezuelan sisters and brothers affected by the recent earthquakes that caused numerous victims and injuries," the pontiff said in Spanish before worshippers gathered for Sunday's Angelus prayer in Rome.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
As America turns 250, a rare 1790 exchange between Washington and Bishop Carroll takes on new relevance
As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, historians are looking back at the founding-era documents that helped define the nation's earliest ideals.
Among them is a little-known 1790 exchange between John Carroll, the first Catholic bishop in the United States, and President George Washington — a correspondence that helped answer a fundamental question facing the young republic: Could Catholics, long viewed with suspicion under British rule, truly become equal American citizens?
The answer still rests today inside the Library of Congress.
About 50 feet from Dr. Kevin Butterfield's office in the Library's Manuscript Division sits the original letter Carroll sent to Washington, preserved among the George Washington Papers.
Washington "was spending the entire year of 1790, more or less, connecting with the entire nation," said Butterfield, acting chief of the Library of Congress Manuscript Division. "He connected with the people because he believed that it was important as the new president that they interact directly with him and have a chance to see the new government in action."
As Washington traveled through the states during his first year in office, letters poured in from religious congregations, civic organizations and local communities seeking reassurance about their place in the new federal government. Among them was a March 1790 address from John Carroll, who became the first Catholic bishop in the United States after the Vatican established the nation’s first diocese in Baltimore in 1789, and other Catholic leaders asking whether Catholics — long viewed with suspicion under British rule — would be fully included in the new republic.
Michael Breidenbach, dean of the Honors College at Ave Maria University, said the exchange also reminds Americans that Catholics were not merely beneficiaries of the nation's founding — they helped shape it.
"As America approaches its 250th anniversary, there is a heated debate about whether the nation's foundation had Protestant, secular or other roots," he said. "Often missing from these conversations are the Catholic contributions to the American founding."
Carroll's letter, Butterfield said, stood out because it sought reassurance that Catholics would be fully included in the new republic.
"They were sharing their thoughts about religious liberty and the importance of having a nation where they were included as full citizens," he said.
Catholic priests had ministered in the American colonies for generations, but until the Vatican established the Diocese of Baltimore in 1789, there had been no Catholic bishop in the United States. Carroll was consecrated the following year, becoming the country's first bishop.
Reading from the original manuscript, Butterfield pointed to the passage that captured the Catholics' appeal:
"Whilst our country preserves her freedom and independence, we shall have a well-founded title to claim from her justice equal rights of citizenship as the price of our blood spilt under your eyes and of our common exertions for her defense."
The words reminded Washington that Catholics had fought beside him throughout the Revolutionary War.
"Carroll's remembering eight years of George Washington's service as commander in chief through the bloody war for independence and saying, as Washington fully knew, Catholics were a part of that battle from the start and served under his leadership to win independence," Butterfield said.
For centuries before the American Revolution, Catholics in England and many of its colonies faced sweeping restrictions.
"It's important to understand that many English people and colonists mistrusted Catholics," said Catherine O'Donnell, a historian at Arizona State University. "They were thought to be loyal to Rome rather than to their countrymen, and to lack independence of mind."
HISTORIC MARYLAND CHURCH OPENS DOORS TO VISITORS 320 YEARS AFTER CLOSING DOWN
Catholics were barred from holding office in many places, prevented from voting, required to swear oaths rejecting papal authority and, in some colonies, prohibited from openly practicing their faith.
Carroll experienced that discrimination firsthand. As a child, he was sent to Europe for a Catholic education because such schooling was unavailable to him in Maryland. He later joined the Jesuits, a Catholic religious order known for education, missionary work and scholarship. While Jesuits later became deeply rooted in American Catholic life, Carroll’s formation had to take place overseas because Catholic institutions in the colonies were still sharply limited.
Yet rather than seeking a return to an established Catholic state, Carroll believed the new American republic offered something better.
"He thought the separation of church and state was a good thing," O'Donnell said.
The letter to Washington was sincere, she said, but also carefully calculated.
"Carroll admired Washington throughout Washington's life," O'Donnell said. "This letter was sincere and also in a way strategic: Carroll wanted Washington to publicly affirm Catholics' welcome place in the new nation."
BISHOP ROBERT BARRON: MY YEAR WITH DOJ'S RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION: WHY I SAID YES
If the letter was a test, she added, it was one Carroll expected Washington to pass.
Carroll was joined by several of the young nation's most prominent Catholic leaders. The address was signed by his cousin Charles Carroll of Carrollton — the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence — as well as his relative Daniel Carroll, a signer of the U.S. Constitution, and Congressman Thomas FitzSimons of Pennsylvania. Together, they argued that American Catholics had earned the same rights of citizenship through their contributions to the Revolutionary War and the nation's founding.
"American Catholics' remarkable transformation — from being suspected subjects of a king to being trusted citizens of a new republic — is wonderfully illustrated in Bishop John Carroll's 1790 letter to George Washington," said Breidenbach, who is also the author of the book "Our Dear-Bought Liberty: Catholics and Religious Toleration in Early America".
Washington's reply left little doubt where he stood.
He thanked Catholics for the "patriotic part" they had played during the Revolution and wrote that they were already "realizing, instead of anticipating, the benefits of the general Government."
Butterfield said the response reflected Washington's broader vision for the country.
"As long as you demean yourself as a good citizen and follow the laws, it doesn't matter what your religious beliefs are," Butterfield said, summarizing Washington's message. "You're fully a part of the nation."
Washington, Butterfield said, recognized that every public word he spoke helped define the new republic.
"He is fully aware that he is a symbol of the nation, that the words that he speaks have consequences, that every word that he says matters."
Washington expressed the same principle in his correspondence with other minority religious communities, including the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island.
"Washington makes clear that he's not asserting 'toleration,' which would imply that a group of people are being given some kind of special permission to exist and worship," she said. "Rather, all good citizens have the same rights regardless of religion."
Although several states continued to maintain religious restrictions for decades, the new federal government charted a different course.
COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG GEARS UP FOR AMERICA 250 BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER
Even before the First Amendment was ratified, Article VI of the Constitution prohibited religious tests for federal office. Washington, who had presided over the Constitutional Convention, consistently defended that principle throughout his presidency.
"At the national level from day one, this was an experiment in religious freedom," Butterfield said.
The correspondence itself survived because Washington understood that his papers would matter to future generations.
According to Butterfield, Washington preserved the collection, leaving it to his nephew, Supreme Court Justice Bushrod Washington. Congress purchased the papers in 1834, and they were later transferred from the State Department to the Library of Congress, where they remain today.
The Carroll letter is now one of roughly 77,000 items in the George Washington Papers. While researchers around the world can consult digitized versions, the original manuscript is only brought out in rare circumstances to preserve it.
O'Donnell believes the lesson extends beyond Catholic history.
"I think that it's valuable for Americans to understand that the history of the founding period contains just about everything: ideals such as religious liberty and prejudices, such as those against Catholics," she said.
She also believes the correspondence demonstrates the importance of public leadership.
Washington's belief that good citizenship did not require any particular religious views "seems timely," O'Donnell said, as does Carroll's belief that "public exchanges about important matters can help make ideals part of people's sense of their community, rather than just a theoretical set of rights."
More than two centuries later, the exchange remains more than a forgotten piece of correspondence. It captures an early moment when one of America's smallest religious minorities asked whether the promises of the Revolution truly applied to them — and when the nation's first president answered that they did.
American rescue teams pull infant alive from rubble in Venezuela days after devastating twin earthquakes
American search-and-rescue teams pulled an infant alive from beneath the rubble in Venezuela days after the country's devastating earthquakes, the U.S. Department of State said Saturday.
The State Department shared video on social media showing U.S. personnel pulling the infant from the rubble as rescue crews continued searching for survivors more than 72 hours after two powerful earthquakes struck the South American country.
The rescue came as emergency crews raced against time to locate survivors before the critical rescue window closes.
"Against impossible odds, hope endures," the State Department posted on X.
TRUMP SAYS VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES LEFT 'DEVASTATING NUMBER OF DEATHS' AS US READIES AID
"American search and rescue teams rescued an infant from beneath the rubble following the earthquake in Venezuela," the post continued. "Every life saved is a victory."
The White House also shared the video, calling it "America at its best."
"Thank you to the American search and rescue teams providing assistance in Venezuela," the White House wrote.
PLAYERS, FANS FLEE STADIUM AS POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES STRIKE DURING VENEZUELA BASEBALL GAME
Round-the-clock rescue efforts have continued since magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck Venezuela's northern coast Wednesday.
As of Saturday evening, officials said the death toll from the twin earthquakes had reached 1,430.
Earlier Saturday, officials reported that 243 people had been rescued.
FORMER METS PITCHER NARROWLY ESCAPES DEATH IN VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES THANKS TO ELEVATOR MALFUNCTION
According to The Associated Press, more than 68,000 people remain missing across the country.
Aid groups consider the first 48 to 72 hours after a disaster to be the most critical window for finding survivors, though access to food and water can extend that period.
Venezuelan officials said 17 flights carrying more than 1,600 rescue personnel had arrived Saturday to assist with search-and-rescue efforts.
US RESCUE TEAMS TO DESCEND ON HARD-HIT CARIBBEAN AFTER CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE MELISSA'S IMPACT
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams from Virginia, California and Florida were dispatched to Venezuela on Friday to help search collapsed buildings.
According to the State Department, the three USAR teams include 312 personnel and 18 canine teams, including firefighters, physicians, structural engineers and canine search specialists. The teams also deployed more than 200,000 pounds of specialized rescue equipment.
The Los Angeles County team includes 73 members equipped with concrete-breaking equipment and specialized listening devices used to detect survivors trapped beneath debris.
COLORADO AVALANCHE VICTIM RESCUED IN DRAMATIC VIDEO
Rescuers have fanned out across La Guaira, where the worst destruction occurred, and parts of Caracas, where families and volunteers have spent days pulling survivors and victims from the rubble.
The United States has pledged $150 million in emergency assistance and support for international relief organizations responding to the disaster.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department for additional information on the rescue.
Fox News Digital's James Cirrone, and The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Gulf countries strongly condemn Iran's drone attack on Bahrain as rising tensions threaten MOU
Several Gulf countries have strongly denounced Iran's Saturday drone strikes on the island nation of Bahrain, while vowing to stand united against any possible aggression from Tehran in the future.
This escalation poses the greatest threat yet to the memorandum of understanding signed last week by President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
After Iran struck a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, the U.S. launched overnight airstrikes on Iranian missile, drone and radar sites. Iran responded Saturday with the drone strikes on Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.
TRUMP IRAN FRAMEWORK GAMBLES ON DIPLOMACY DESPITE WARNING TEHRAN WILL 'LIE AND CHEAT'
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, called Iran's attack on Bahrain "treacherous," adding that it will undermine ongoing peace efforts in the Middle East.
The GCC represents the interests of Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, several of which released their own statements condemning Iran.
Bahrain itself issued a response, confirming that Iran flew a number of drones into its territory and calling the strikes a "flagrant threat" to the nation's security. It remains unclear exactly which areas Iran targeted.
US ALLY KUWAIT CONDEMNS 'BRUTAL AND ONGOING IRANIAN ATTACKS' AFTER AIRPORT WAS HIT
"While the Ministry condemns this heinous aggression, it affirms that the Iranian regime’s continued attacks, at a time when regional and international efforts are moving towards de-escalation, place the sole responsibility on Tehran for undermining peace efforts, and reveals an approach based on destabilizing security, exporting chaos, and undermining regional stability," Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry also said Saturday.
Officials in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also came out with statements on Saturday condemning Iran.
Kuwait's Foreign Ministry said the Iranian strikes represent "a dangerous undermining of endeavors for peace and stability, and a threat to the security and stability of the region."
Both Kuwait and the UAE said they remain committed to supporting Bahrain's safety and stability.
US STRIKES IRAN AFTER STRAIT OF HORMUZ CARGO SHIP ATTACK AS CEASEFIRE TENSIONS ESCALATE
Also joining in the public denouncements of Iran were Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with both countries saying the latest strikes violate Bahrain's sovereignty and international law.
Notably, Oman's foreign ministry has not addressed the attack. Oman has maintained a neutral stance throughout the war and has frequently acted as a mediator between Washington and Tehran.
Oman and Iran are also still in the midst of negotiating a joint framework for the future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard took responsibility for the strikes on Bahrain, saying on state-run TV that it had targeted several locations "of the U.S. terrorist army in the region" without specifying which areas were hit, according to The Associated Press.
So far, no casualties or significant damage has been reported from the drone attack, which occurred days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Gulf allies in Bahrain.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Farage says mass migration has changed the UK ‘literally beyond recognition,’ believes party can win election
EXCLUSIVE: Nigel Farage told Fox News Digital that mass migration has radically changed the country's makeup. The Reform UK leader argued that Britain’s political system is "completely broken" following Prime Minister Keir Starmer's resignation. Farage is calling for a new general election, predicting his party has "every chance of winning."
Speaking exclusively from the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference in London this week, a forum focused on debates over culture, Western civilization and Judeo-Christian values, Farage said Starmer’s downfall was not an isolated political event, but the latest aftershock of the Brexit revolt that upended British politics a decade ago.
"Ten years ago yesterday, we had a political earthquake in Britain. It was called Brexit," Farage said. "And the two old parties have never quite adapted to it."
Farage, one of the most prominent figures behind the Brexit campaign and now leader of Reform UK, has long argued that Britain’s political establishment failed to deliver on voters’ demands for tighter borders and greater national sovereignty.
Starmer announced his resignation,on Monday paving the way for Britain to have its seventh leader in a decade. Reuters reported on June 24 that Andy Burnham appeared positioned to succeed him, with the Labour leadership contest expected to begin July 9.
Farage said that Starmer’s defeat was sealed in local elections earlier this year, when Reform UK made sweeping gains in former Labour strongholds. Farage said those voters were the same people who powered Brexit — and that immigration remained central to their anger.
"All of those were Brexit voters," he said. "Starmer wants to take us closer back to the EU. But one of the reasons we voted Brexit was immigration and border controls. So the boats certainly did him harm."
He said Starmer’s reported strained relationship with President Donald Trump was not the direct cause of his resignation, but added that it contributed to the image of a leader who had lost control.
"I don’t think the breakdown of his relationship with Donald Trump impacted directly," Farage said, "but it was part of a picture of a prime minister who’d lost control."
Farage then delivered one of his sharpest assessments of Britain’s political instability.
"And can you believe it, but when Mr. Burnham becomes our next prime minister, it’ll be our sixth prime minister in seven years," he said. "So our political system is completely broken."
He argued that Burnham, if he entered Downing Street through a Labour leadership contest rather than a national election, would lack a public mandate. "I don’t even know what his policies are. Literally, I don’t," he said.
"So I think for all of those reasons, there ought to be a general election and a fresh mandate," he added, "and I certainly think Reform would have every chance of winning. Yes, I do."
STARMER ON THE BRINK: UK PM FIGHTS FOR SURVIVAL AS PARTY TAKES BEATING IN LOCAL ELECTIONS
Farage also used the interview to cast Britain’s political turmoil as part of a broader Western crisis over borders, national identity and traditional values. He delivered a warning for Americans, saying the U.S. should avoid what he described as mistakes Britain made in diversity policies, policing and justice and immigration.
"Mass migration has changed this country, certainly in many of our cities, literally beyond recognition," he said. "We’ve not been selective about who’s been able to come into the country. That is a major contributory factor."
"I think the pendulum has swung so far in the DEI direction," he said, "and we finished up, no doubt, in this country, with two-tier policing, with two-tier justice."
"My message to Americans is that political change is coming," he said. "All of this nonsense will get reversed."
"But also, we’ve just lost our way," he continued. "Our leaders do not want to stand up and defend any sense of traditional values."
Asked about the relationship with the United States, Farage said he believes Britain should move closer to America, particularly on trade and financial services.
"My whole adult life has been closely intertwined with the United States of America," he said, noting that his first job in 1982 was with the Wall Street firm Drexel Burnham Lambert.
"I think I can get on well with American leaders," he said. "I hope and believe they can get on well with me."
Farage said the two countries remain bound by investment, language and culture.
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: KING CHARLES’ VISIT PUTS FRAYING US-UK ALLIANCE IN THE SPOTLIGHT
"You are the biggest foreign investor in Britain, and we’re still just about the biggest foreign investor in America," he said. "And we share so much, not just language, but culture and so much else."
"I really believe that a closer relationship with America, particularly breaking down some of the trade barriers in financial services, as an example, would be really good for both of us," he said.
Farage also dismissed any serious push to take Britain back into the European Union.
"The price of going back into Europe would be giving up the currency, paying a massive membership fee every year," he said. "So no, there is no demand for it, other than those stuck in the Westminster bubble who seem to be obsessed by it."
As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Farage framed the American Revolution as a predecessor to the Brexit movement he championed.
"America was the first Brexit," he said. "You struck out on your own, the first Brexit, and you became the most successful country in the world."
Venezuelan earthquake death toll hits at least 920 as US rescuers race against critical survival window
Three days after the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, the death toll has climbed to at least 920, with more than 3,300 injured and tens of thousands still missing.
Rescue operations have continued since the 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes struck the northern shore of the country on Wednesday, with authorities saying 243 people have been saved so far.
American search and rescue teams from Virginia, California and Florida were dispatched to Venezuela on Friday, joining the effort to pull people out of collapsed buildings.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLEDGES $150M IN AID, DEPLOYS NAVY WARSHIPS AFTER DEADLY VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES
Anthony Marrone, the Los Angeles County fire chief, told The New York Times that local fire units from Los Angeles County and Fairfax County, Virginia, are the only ones in the United States trained to work abroad.
The Los Angeles County team is 73-strong and brought with them concrete-busting machines, listening devices to hear people trapped under rubble and a myriad of other equipment to aid in the ongoing humanitarian effort.
The State Department is leading the federal response to the earthquakes, according to U.S. Southern Command.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLEDGES $150M IN AID, DEPLOYS NAVY WARSHIPS AFTER DEADLY VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES
"Day or night, the [Department of War] is moving critical life-saving equipment to Venezuela," U.S. Southern Command said in a Friday night post. The post included several pictures of a heavy construction vehicle hauling large boxes of supplies.
Even with all the assistance coming from the United States — which has pledged $150 million to emergency aid — and international organizations, Venezuelans have reported that their government has not had a robust response to the earthquakes.
Locals told The Associated Press that they've seen few state rescue teams in the hardest-hit areas. According to aid agencies, the first 48 to 72 hours is the most crucial window to retrieve people alive.
DEATH TOLL FROM VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES RISES TO AT LEAST 589, WITH THOUSANDS REPORTED MISSING
On Friday night, Venezuelan authorities said they would begin blocking access to La Guaira — where the worst destruction occurred — so search teams can operate without getting hampered by citizens.
According to the AP, officials said anyone who wants to enter now will have to get permits, though they did not explain who would be eligible for one.
This move from the state comes after locals have been taking the search for their missing loved ones into their own hands.
Nazareth Jimenez, who lives in the state of La Guaira, just north of Caracas, said she had to watch as her neighbors used hammers and power tools to try to cut through the concrete of an apartment building.
She stood by and waited to see if her siblings, nephews, nieces and friends would emerge alive.
"We're making a call for help to the government and countries across the world," Jimenez told the AP. "There are still people alive in there."
The Venezuelan government, led by acting President Delcy Rodriguez, has distributed food and water to survivors in La Guaira, but residents still say it has not been enough.
The earthquakes pose a great challenge to Rodriguez, the former vice president whose governing coalition took shape after the United States mounted an operation that captured and deposed then-President Nicolás Maduro.
Rodriguez's leadership will be tested during this crisis, as well as the legitimacy of her government, given that she was not elected to the presidency and has not given any timetable on when elections will be held.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Video shows gaping hole after small plane crashes into towering skyscraper
Video captured a large emergency response after a small plane crashed into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper on Friday, prompting an immediate information blackout from Chinese authorities, The Associated Press reported.
Video and photos shared on social media appear to show the aircraft plummeting to the ground after smashing a large hole in the 108-story CITIC Tower, located in the Chinese capital's business district.
Police, fire and EMS workers were spotted at the scene preventing witnesses from taking photos and attempting to clear the area.
SEE IT: SMALL PLANE CRASH IN CALIFORNIA LEAVES GAPING HOLE IN ROOF, PILOT KILLED
A person working inside the high-rise said the plane crash triggered the building's fire alarms.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 indicated the aircraft was a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, which took off about 30 miles east of the city and crashed shortly before 6 p.m. local time.
ADS-B data for the flight only includes a partial flight path and stops prior to the crash, according to air traffic data.
FBI SEARCHING FOR OPERATOR OF PRIVATELY OWNED DRONE THAT PUNCHED HOLE IN CANADIAN FIREFIGHTING PLANE
The AP reported that photos and videos of the incident escaped the country’s "great firewall" and were circulated on social media platform X, though Chinese censors have removed content about the crash from the country's restricted internet.
No information has been released by government officials or state-run media, as of Friday afternoon.
The cause of the crash, identity of the pilot, and the number of casualties remain unclear.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Rubio announces framework deal between Israel and Lebanon as experts warn Iran will fight to sabotage it
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the U.S.-brokered framework agreement between Jerusalem and Lebanon on Friday as a robust first step toward peace and a rejection of Iranian interference in the region.
The breakthrough could lead to a path of diplomatic normalization between the two countries, Lebanon and Israel, that are in a formal state of war. The framework agreement may impede the Iran-backed terrorist movement Hezbollah that has gained control over parts of the Lebanese state, according to experts.
Hezbollah and Israel have fought two wars since the terrorist organization joined Hamas’ invasion of Israel in Oct. 7, 2023 and following U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran in February.
US ENVOY NEARS LEBANON-ISRAEL CEASEFIRE THAT WOULD DISARM HEZBOLLAH TERROR GROUP
Rubio said, "Today is a good day in that we are happy to announce a framework agreement between the sovereign government of Lebanon and, of course, the government of Israel, with a mediation and support of the United States of America, that begins to put in place a framework for lasting peace and security."
He added, "And that’s what these two nations deserve."
According to the Press Service of Israel (TPS-IL), Netanyahu termed the deal "a severe blow to Iran." He added that the Islamic Republic seeks to force an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and "essentially Israel, Lebanon and the United States are telling them: This is none of your business. You have no role in southern Lebanon — neither you, nor Hezbollah nor any other terrorist organization."
U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, wrote on X:" Was there all week but had to fly back to Israel Thursday night. Historic opportunity but key is disarming Hezbollah, evil terrorists who have killed Americans. Israel, Lebanon sign framework peace agreement following US-backed negotiations."
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, in an Arabic-language X Post, thanked the U.S. administration, led by President Donald Trump, "for its efforts in hosting and facilitating the negotiations and for supporting Lebanon’s position."
Rubio’s optimistic announcement encouraged some veteran Lebanon experts about a historic opportunity for peace, while others warned about the necessity to proceed with caution.
Guila Fakhoury, whose father, Amer, was kidnapped by Hezbollah in 2019, told Fox News Digital that "Today marks a historic achievement. For the first time since 1983, Lebanon and Israel have reached an agreement through direct negotiations. It also represents a fundamental shift in regional dynamics, demonstrating that Lebanon’s future need not be contingent upon broader regional negotiations or arrangements negotiated through proxy influence. In that sense, this agreement supersedes previous efforts to tie Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty to external agendas."
Fakhoury, added, "If these commitments are fulfilled, this agreement could become the foundation for long-term cooperation, security, economic opportunity and shared stability that benefits both the Lebanese and Israeli people."
She continued, "However, whether this agreement brings lasting peace and stability will depend entirely on its implementation. The Lebanese state and its legitimate institutions must be the ones to create stability, not external actors or armed organizations operating outside government authority."
Walid Phares, a leading U.S. expert on Lebanon and the Mideast, told Fox News Digital, "This agreement is just a ceasefire not a conduit to a larger peace deal. Hezbollah take orders from Iran. It’s clear Tehran will complain about such a deal and pressure the negotiators to get some statement from Washington asserting the Islamic Republic's say over Lebanon. Hezbollah will attack the deal but will pray Israel won't strike. The Trump administration will have to calibrate between the Rubio-sponsored agreement on Lebanon and the fragility of the situation in the Gulf."
He added, "The regime is telling Hezbollah ‘keep the narrative up and radical but let us get the money first.’ Israel is giving its public something and mindful of Trump's concerns about the deal with Iran. The Lebanese government is hoping their army does not have to engage. The only unknown is the ability of the Lebanese opposition to rise and resist Hezbollah. We are still inside the Lebanese status quo."
Hanin Ghaddar, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, wrote on X: "Absolutely a breakthrough," This is the first agreement between Israel and Lebanon since 1983. A clear and loud ‘NO’ to Iran as it challenges its efforts to control Lebanon ‘s file."
She added, "But as the 1983 agreement was toppled by the bad guys then (Assad regime), Iran will try everything to make sure this one fails as well. Lebanon and Israel have a responsibility in making sure this agreement is protected, and its implementation is successful. We will probably not have another chance."
Woman stalked by charging bear on morning dog walk captures terrifying encounter on camera
A woman walking her dog in a wooded area in Canada recently found herself stalked by a large bear, according to a tense viral video she shot on her phone.
Despite the woman repeatedly shouting at the bear "No! Go away" and making loud noises to scare it away, it continued to follow her down the road.
After at first slowly moving toward her, the bear suddenly started charging, circling her as she kept backing away and screaming for it to leave them alone.
For nearly two agonizing minutes, the bear runs toward her then backs away, rearing up on its hind legs several times, revealing its massive size.
SECURITY FOOTAGE SHOWS DOG'S DRAMATIC SHOWDOWN WITH FULL-SIZED BEAR INSIDE CALIFORNIA HOME
She was finally able to distract the bear by throwing what appeared to be her water bottle behind a gate. The video ends as she races away after the bear went to investigate what she had thrown.
GRIZZLY BEAR MAULS HIKER, DRAGS HIM HUNDREDS OF FEET ON GLACIER NATIONAL PARK TRAIL
The woman had just grabbed her morning coffee and was only planning to go for a short walk with her dog near where she was camping with others when the encounter happened, according to Wilderness Escape Adventures in Alberta, which said on TikTok they interviewed the woman.
She had just picked up her dog’s leash and began to head back to camp when the bear appeared.
The woman stayed calm during the encounter and didn’t run from the bear until it had moved away from her.
Experts say to never run from a bear because it can trigger their predatory instincts and bears can outrun humans at up to 35 mph.
Cops drop murder probe after coroner rules man’s bloody stabbing death was freak accident
A British man who was believed to have been murdered after he was found slumped over on a blood-soaked bench last year actually passed out drunk on a knife in his own bag, officials said this week.
Authorities initially believed Robert Brown, 57, was stabbed to death after he was found on Aug. 1, 2025, in Northampton, England, according to reports from the Northampton Chronicle and Echo.
FARAGE'S REFORM UK BEATS OUT ESTABLISHMENT PARTIES IN 'EARTHQUAKE' ELECTIONS
Three people were eventually arrested in connection with his death and later released. A coroner on Thursday ruled Brown's death a "tragic accident."
Investigators believe Brown, who authorities said had alcohol dependence issues, fell into a deep sleep and put his weight on his bag, resulting in the knife piercing his body.
The blade penetrated the bag and all three layers of Brown's clothing, slashing his arm and leaving him to bleed out as he slept, authorities said.
Brown's alcoholism made him vulnerable to blood loss, experts said at a court hearing.
Northamptonshire Police dropped the murder inquiry in February, saying Brown's death was likely self-inflicted. Investigators noted that there was no apparent motive to murder Brown.
"We have reviewed the extensive amount of information gathered as part of the investigation, including all forensic submissions, and can confirm the evidence does not support the hypothesis that his death was a homicide," police said at the time.
Ukraine launches what appears to be one of its largest drone attacks against Russia: report
As the brutal war between the two nations continues to rage, Ukraine conducted a significant nighttime assault against a dozen Russian regions, Russian-held Crimea as well as the surrounding seas, Russia's Ministry of Defense indicated on Friday, according to The Associated Press, which reported that the effort appeared to be one Ukraine's largest drone attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion several years ago.
The ministry reported that the country's air defenses intercepted a whopping 660 Ukrainian drones, according to the outlet, which noted that the prior largest Ukrainian assault during the past year included 556 drones last month on May 17.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin indicated that 47 Ukrainian drones were taken out as they headed for the capital city, according to the report.
'PURE HELL' IN MOSCOW AS UKRAINIAN DRONES STRIKE MAJOR REFINERY SUPPLYING CAPITAL'S FUEL MARKET
The AP reported that Ukraine's air force indicated that the nation's defenses stopped 174 of 189 Russian drones overnight, though four out of seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles breached air defenses and hit various places.
But even as the years-long war between the two countries drags on, the bitter enemies engaged in a prisoner swap, according to the AP, which reported that officials said 160 individuals from each side were going home on Friday.
RUSSIA PREPARING HYBRID ATTACKS ON NATO'S EASTERN FLANK, INTELLIGENCE WARNS
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted in a Friday post on X, "We continue bringing Ukrainians home from Russian captivity. Today, 160 servicemembers were released from captivity. All of them had been held captive since 2022."
"Among those released today are servicemembers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, National Guard warriors, and border guards. They defended Ukraine in Mariupol and at Azovstal, as well as in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy sectors," he continued.
FUNERALS, BEAUTY QUEENS AND BOMBS: THE UKRAINIAN CITY THAT WON'T LET PUTIN WIN
"I thank our entire team, which works every day to bring our people back. Special gratitude to all our units on the frontline who replenish Ukraine’s 'exchange fund' and, through their courage, make it possible for us to bring people home. We remember everyone who remains in captivity. We are checking every name. We must bring everyone back – both military personnel and civilians," Zelenskyy added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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