Fox World News

Pope Leo XIV held his first "Regina Caeli" prayer at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican on Sunday.

The newly elected holy father delivered the message just hours after visiting the tomb of his predecessor, Pope Francis.

"I wanted so much to come here in these first days of the new Ministry that the Church has given me, to carry forward this mission as Successor of Peter," the pope said.

He also delivered a message to young Catholics regarding vocations, saying, "Do not be afraid! Welcome the Church's invitation and that of Christ the Lord!"

INCLUSIVE TONE OF NEW POPE ISN'T SITTING WELL WITH SOME IN THE ‘AMERICA FIRST’ MOVEMENT

"May the Virgin Mary, whose entire life was a response to the Lord’s call, always accompany us in following Jesus," he said.

Pope Leo also appealed for "no more war" during his address to those gathered in St. Peter's Square. He also called for an "authentic and lasting" peace in Ukraine as well as a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages being held by Hamas.

The pope went on to say he was grateful for the ceasefire declared between India and Pakistan, adding that he is praying for God to grant the world the "miracle of peace."

POPE LEO XIV, VILLANOVA GRAD, INTRODUCES HIMSELF ADORNED IN SYMBOLISM, PROVERBIAL RELIGIOUS DEVOTION

"No more war!" the pope said, repeating a frequent call of the late Pope Francis and noting the recent 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, which killed some 60 million people.

FIRST AMERICAN ELECTED PONTIFF, GET TO KNOW POPE LEO XIV

In his first official remarks as pope on Saturday, Leo delivered a powerful message to the College of Cardinals, warning that artificial intelligence (AI) presents serious new risks to human dignity. He called on the Catholic Church to step up and respond to these challenges with moral clarity and bold action.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

A former missionary and head of the Dicastery for Bishops, Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost, speaks English, Spanish and Italian and was widely seen as a unifying choice after the death of Pope Francis. His decision to take the name "Leo" connects his mission with Pope Leo XIII’s focus on social justice.

Reuters contributed to this report.

The U.S. Marine Corps established an attack drone team earlier this year to respond to the rapid development of armed first-person view (FPV) drone technology and tactics, offering a glimpse into the evolving landscape of modern warfare and how future battles could be fought.

The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team (MCADT) will be based at the Weapons Training Battalion, Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia.

The FPV drones used will offer squad-level lethality at a range of up to 20 kilometers, nearly 12.5 miles, for under $5,000, compared to more expensive weapons systems with less capability, according to a press release from the service.

"MCADT is committed to rapidly integrating armed first-person view drones into the FMF [Fleet Marine Force], enhancing small-unit lethality and providing organic capabilities that warfighters currently lack," said Maj. Alejandro Tavizon, the headquarters company commander at Weapons Training Battalion and officer in charge of MCADT.

"By leveraging emerging technologies and refining drone employment tactics, we are ensuring that Marines remain agile, adaptive, and lethal in the modern battlespace."

Brett Velicovich, an Army veteran with extensive drone experience, told Fox News Digital that the creation of MCADT has been long overdue as the United States enters a drone arms race with adversaries like China, Russia and Iran.

"For a while now, we haven't had the needed technology, the needed expertise in low-cost, highly scalable, lethal drone technology that, frankly, is going to be the next part of every piece of the next war that we fight," he said.

Velicovich argued that the United States is far behind other countries, especially China, when it comes to the production of drone technology, and needs to start looking at drones not just as surveillance assets, but as a form of ammunition.

He pointed to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the large-scale advancements in domestic drone production that have allowed Ukrainian forces to strike multi-million-dollar enemy tanks and vehicles with drones that cost a few hundred dollars.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced in December that Ukraine manufactured over 1.5 million FPV drones in 2024, including reconnaissance, kamikaze and long-range deep-strike drones. Domestically produced drones accounted for 96.2% of all unmanned aerial vehicles used by Ukrainian forces during the year.

"You have companies and manufacturing plants in Ukraine building 100,000 drones per month. One manufacturing plant is building 100,000 of these things per month. That's real scale. That's where we need to be," Velicovich told Fox News Digital.

The WSJ, citing one Department of Defense estimate, reported that the U.S. has the capacity to build up to 100,000 drones a year.

US, EUROPEAN ALLIES DEMAND ACTION TO END RUSSIA'S USE OF IRANIAN DRONES IN UKRAINE

The number is far below what the United States’ adversaries, such as Russia and China, produce in a year, raising national security concerns.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission in late April, said that almost all of the country’s defense enterprises had met their orders in full last year, highlighting Moscow’s efforts to ramp up its war machine.

"Over 1.5 million drones of various types were delivered, with about 4,000 so-called FPV drones equipped with virtual reality control systems supplied to the frontlines daily," Putin said, according to a transcript released by the Kremlin. "I know well, just as many of you here do, that these weapons are still in short supply. We need more of them."

Chinese technology company DJI is also making significant inroads in drone production, in both U.S. and Asian markets. It touts itself as the world's leading manufacturer of consumer and commercial drones.

Craig Singleton, a senior China fellow at the non-partisan Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that the Shenzhen-based company dominates the global drone market, controlling more than 70% of the worldwide market share.

"That’s alarming, because DJI drones are essentially data collectors for Beijing — giving China potential access to sensitive infrastructure imagery, flight patterns, and more. It’s not just a market-share problem — it’s a national security threat," he said.

AI-POWERED ATTACK DRONES TAKE FLIGHT

Singleton added that the U.S. doesn’t need to match China drone for drone, but it needs a production floor that’s sustainable, somewhere around a minimum of 250,000 drones per year.

"We are absolutely in a drone arms race with China — and losing isn’t an option. Success will depend on scaling production, protecting sensitive supply chains, and turbocharging innovation," he said. "It's not just about building drones — it’s about fielding smarter, cheaper and more resilient swarms faster than Beijing."

The U.S. National Drone Association will host the Military Drone Crucible Championship in Florida later this summer, where the Marines and the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment will compete to demonstrate their drone skills and tactics in modern combat.

Pope Leo XIV was welcomed as the newest pontiff by a sea of faithful and an uninterrupted view of St. Peter’s Square on Thursday.

Conversely, Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost, introduced himself to the public using Italian and Spanish dialects and greeted onlookers both in person and virtually with a concise speech about building bridges and fostering hope for a synodal church.

"In his opening remarks, he mentioned being a missionary church that includes all people, and that comes right out of Pope Francis," Dennis Doyle, professor emeritus at the University of Dayton in Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

Doyle taught at the Catholic research university for 40 years.

FIRST AMERICAN ELECTED PONTIFF, GET TO KNOW POPE LEO XIV

Pope Francis, the 266th Vicar of Christ, created Provest a cardinal in 2023.

"Pope Francis’ first major document was called ‘Evangelii gaudium’, ‘The joy of the gospel," Doyle said.

In his evanescent address, Pope Leo XIV said, "To all you brothers and sisters of Rome, Italy, of all the world, we want to be a synodal church, walking and always seeking peace, charity, closeness, especially to those who are suffering."

"Pope Francis was really big into this idea of synodality," Doyle said.

POPE LEO XIV, VILLANOVA GRAD, INTRODUCES HIMSELF ADORNED IN SYMBOLISM, PROVERBIAL RELIGIOUS DEVOTION

"For him, in his very brief remarks, to say we must be a synodal church, that is a big signal that he intends to continue much of what Pope Francis was about," he said of Pope Leo XIV.

The first American pope, though pointing to Francis’ papacy symbolically, dressed in traditional garb including a red mozzetta and white cassock. Pope Francis, in 2013, was notably absent of adornments on the balcony for his first public appearance as elected pontiff.

"He's signaling he intends to be traditional in some ways," Doyle said. "It'll be interesting to see if he lives in the Apastolic Palace."

The papal apartments at the Apastolic Palace are the official residence of the pope. Pope Francis broke tradition and declined residency there and, instead, lived at Domus Sanctae Marthae, the location where cardinal electors stay during a conclave.

INCLUSIVE TONE OF NEW POPE ISN'T SITTING WELL WITH SOME IN THE ‘AMERICA FIRST’ MOVEMENT

"In some ways, maybe he's going to be different from Francis," Doyle said. "Francis did do some things that alienated traditionalists."

Prevost was ordained on June 19, 1982. During his ministry, Cardinal Prevost was elected as head of the Augustinian Province of Chicago, his hometown, and served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, among other notable titles.

The newest Bishop of Rome selected the papal name "Leo" and while it is presently unclear which of the 13 namesakes he admired most, Leo the Great, the first Pope Leo, and Pope Leo XIII seem ahead of the pack, according to Doyle.

"Everybody's looking first to Leo the XIII," he said. "You never know until he says more."

FIRST AMERICAN-BORN POPE INSPIRES FAITH LEADERS ACROSS THE NATION

Pope Leo XIII is often renowned for writing the first of the great Catholic social encyclicals, Rerum Novarum.

"In Latin, Rerum Novarum is an idiom, and it means ‘On Revolutionary Changes,’" Doyle said. "It's like an idiom for revolution. Although, a lot of people just translate it literalistically as ‘On New Things.’"

The encyclical, according to Doyle, addresses the rise of communism and the industrial revolution, including new and harsh conditions for workers in the 19th century.

‘DIO BENEDICA IL PAPA’, OTHER WELL WISHES FOR THE NEW PONTIFF, POPE LEO XIV, IN ITALIAN

"It starts out with a condemnation of socialism," Doyle said. "Although, by socialism, he meant what we would only use the word ‘communism’ today."

"He condemned it as being out of touch with the natural law. Because that natural law would tell us that ownership is something that is kind of natural to human beings; that we’re going to have property, if we make things and so on, that they are ours," Doyle added.

Doyle said that Catholic social teaching is general and addresses basic human principles about the economy and society with some room for interpretation.

"I think that he's going to be a very balanced pope," Doyle said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukrainian officials to finally bring an end to the war that began with a 2022 invasion by Moscow.

Putin has thus far offered few, if any, concessions but is now proposing talks with Ukraine in the Turkish city of Istanbul that he says must be held without preconditions and with the goal of lasting peace.

"We are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions," Putin said in a televised statement on Sunday. "We offer the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations already on Thursday, in Istanbul."

The Kremlin chief said talks should address the root causes of the war and that he would speak to Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan later on Sunday about facilitating the negotiations, which he said could result in a ceasefire.

RUSSIA'S PUTIN HOSTS CHINA'S XI AT MASSIVE MOSCOW MILITARY PARADE ON RED SQUARE

"Our proposal, as they say, is on the table," Putin said. "The decision is now up to the Ukrainian authorities and their curators, who are guided, it seems, by their personal political ambitions, and not by the interests of their peoples."

The proposal was a welcome sign to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said Kyiv was willing to negotiate but that Moscow must agree to a ceasefire.

"It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war," he wrote on X. "The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire. There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire – full, lasting, and reliable – starting tomorrow, May 12th, and Ukraine is ready to meet."

U.S. President Donald Trump said hundreds of thousands of lives will be saved if the "bloodbath" of the war could end.

"A potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end. It will be a whole new, and much better, WORLD. I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens. The USA wants to focus, instead, on Rebuilding and Trade. A BIG week upcoming!"

Putin's proposal for direct talks came hours after European leaders demanded on Saturday in Kyiv that the Russian president agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face new sanctions. But Putin dismissed attempts by some European powers to issue what he described as "ultimatums."

The Russian leader said he does not rule out that Moscow and Kyiv will agree on "some new truces, a new ceasefire" during negotiations in Turkey, saying that the talks would be the first step towards a "sustainable" peace.

Russia had proposed several ceasefires, including a moratorium on striking energy facilities, an Easter ceasefire and most recently the 72-hour truce during the celebrations marking 80 years since victory in World War Two, Putin said.

Putin said that during the ceasefire in May, Ukraine attacked Russia with 524 aerial drones, 45 sea drones, and several Western missiles. But Ukraine accused Russia of violating the temporary truces, including the May 8-10 ceasefire.

Despite Putin's offer of peace talks, Russia launched a drone attack on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine on Sunday, injuring one person and damaging several private homes, Ukrainian officials said.

Putin has maintained his conditions for ending the war despite pressure from Trump and warnings from European leaders.

In June, he said Ukraine must officially drop its hopes of joining NATO and pull its troops from the entirety of the territory of four Ukrainian regions claimed by Russia. Moscow has also urged the U.S. to recognize Russia's control over parts of Ukraine.

But Russian officials have said they are not against Kyiv's ambitions to join the European Union.

BIDEN BLASTS TRUMP AS 'FOOLISH' APPEASER OF RUSSIA, SAYS FIRST 100 DAYS WERE NO TRIUMPH

Putin mentioned the 2022 draft deal Russia and Ukraine negotiated shortly after the Russian invasion started.

Under that draft, Ukraine should agree to permanent neutrality in exchange for international security guarantees from the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council: Britain, China, France, Russia and the U.S.

"It was not Russia that broke off negotiations in 2022. It was Kyiv," Putin said. "Russia is ready to negotiate without any preconditions."

Putin thanked China, Brazil, African and Middle Eastern countries and the U.S. for their efforts to mediate.

Reuters contributed to this report.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday promised to increase trade with India and Pakistan after the two nations agreed to a ceasefire to end the conflict with each other.

"While not even discussed, I am going to increase trade, substantially, with both of these great Nations," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Additionally, I will work with you both to see if, after a 'thousand years,' a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir. God Bless the leadership of India and Pakistan on a job well done!!!"

The fragile ceasefire was holding on Sunday after several days of intense fighting, with dozens killed as missiles and drones were fired at each other's military bases. The deal was reached after diplomacy and pressure from the U.S., but artillery fire was witnessed in Indian Kashmir within hours of the agreement.

Attacks were witnessed in cities near the border under a blackout, as was the case in the previous two evenings.

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

The fighting began on Wednesday after 26 men were killed two weeks prior in an attack targeting Hindus in Pahalgam in Kashmir. Both countries rule part of Kashmir but claim full control.

Late on Saturday, India accused Pakistan of violating the agreement to stop firing and that the Indian armed forces had been told to "deal strongly" with any continued firings.

Pakistan blamed India for violating the truce and said it was committed to the ceasefire.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES INDIA AND PAKISTAN AGREED TO CEASEFIRE

The fighting and explosions reported overnight had quieted on both sides of the border by dawn on Sunday.

"I am very proud of the strong and unwaveringly powerful leadership of India and Pakistan for having the strength, wisdom, and fortitude to fully know and understand that it was time to stop the current aggression that could have lead to to [sic] the death and destruction of so many, and so much," Trump said in his post.

"Millions of good and innocent people could have died! Your legacy is greatly enhanced by your brave actions. I am proud that the USA was able to help you arrive at this historic and heroic decision," he added.

In the Indian border city of Amritsar, a siren sounded Sunday morning to resume normal activities.

Officials in Pakistan said there was some firing in Bhimber in Pakistani Kashmir overnight, but there was no fighting anywhere else and no casualties were reported.

The two countries have gone to war three times, including twice over Kashmir.

Reuters contributed to this report.

In his first official remarks as pope, Leo XIV delivered a powerful message to the College of Cardinals on Saturday, warning that artificial intelligence (AI) presents serious new risks to human dignity. He called on the Catholic Church to step up and respond to these challenges with moral clarity and bold action.

Speaking at the New Synod Hall, the Pope said the Catholic Church has faced similar moments before. 

He compared today’s rapid AI technological change to the upheaval of the 19th century industrial revolution, saying the Church must again defend workers and promote justice.

"Pope Leo XIII, with the historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum, addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution," Pope Leo XIV said. "Today, the Church offers to all her treasure of social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and the developments of artificial intelligence."

CARDINAL DOLAN DESCRIBES POPE XIV AS 'CITIZEN OF THE WORLD,' WILL BUILD BRIDGES WITH TRUMP

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, is the first American to be elected pope.

A former missionary and head of the Dicastery for Bishops, he speaks English, Spanish and Italian and was widely seen as a unifying choice after the death of Pope Francis. His decision to take the name "Leo" connects his mission with Pope Leo XIII’s focus on social justice.

Under Pope Francis, the Vatican greatly expanded its digital outreach. It restructured its media operations, launched popular social media efforts and introduced ethical guidelines for AI. The "Rome Call for AI Ethics" is a joint initiative between the Church and tech leaders promoting transparency in AI development.

Pope Leo XIV made clear that he would continue this work. In his speech, he described AI as a powerful force that could reshape labor, society and even how we see ourselves. He emphasized that people, not profit, must remain at the center.

POPE LEO XIV’S BROTHER REACTS TO HIS HISTORIC ELECTION: ‘THERE ARE NO WORDS’

"These are Gospel principles through which the merciful face of the Father has been revealed and continues to be revealed in the Son made man," he said. "Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey, inspired by the same hope that is born of faith."

He also urged Catholics to stay grounded in quiet prayer and discernment in a noisy digital world. He quoted Scripture to say that God is often heard not in thunder or spectacle, but in "the whisper of a gentle breeze" or "the sound of sheer silence."

The Pope also reflected on the recent death of Pope Francis. He called the moment both sorrowful and filled with God’s grace. He described the transition to a new pope as a "paschal event," a kind of spiritual turning point, and thanked his predecessor for his life of service.

"I would like us to renew together today our complete commitment to the path that the universal Church has now followed for decades in the wake of the Second Vatican Council," he said. He also encouraged more listening, dialogue and care for the poor.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

As Vatican Media reported, the Pope’s remarks "invoked a vision of a Church firmly rooted in tradition but willing to meet the future with courage," particularly in its response to technologies that are reshaping human identity.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former campaign advisors of President Donald Trump are at work on a new campaign in the Balkans, hoping to tip the scales for the right-wing Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha, who faces off against the highly favored Socialist Party leader and Prime Minister Edi Rama in Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

Former Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita, Trump 2016 campaign manager Paul Manafort, and strategist and pollster Tony Fabrizio round out the team backing Berisha, according to the Associated Press. LaCivita has compared Trump and Berisha, saying they are both "unfairly prosecuted and persecuted by a government that has no regard for Democracy." 

When asked by Syri TV’s Cim Peka why the Albanian election is important for the world, LaCivita said that "one of the things that many of us know in the United States is that the Soros family is very active in politics around the globe, and it’s not just regular politics, it’s destabilizing politics." LaCivita said that the family thrives "in an environment where the governments are insecure and they found the perfect home unfortunately in Albania, and they found the perfect prime minister in Edi Rama."

SOROS V TRUMP — SOCIALISTS TARGET CONSERVATIVES IN UPCOMING EUROPEAN NATION'S ELECTION

The Socialist Rama is hoping to win a fourth consecutive term as PM in Sunday's election on a promise of bringing Albania into the European Union while the country still faces major problems of graft and corruption.

LaCivita explained that calling out Soros’ involvement was important "because it has an impact on Albania’s future." He said that Berisha’s campaign is "about the Albanian people," explaining that their "biggest desire is to be able to work, live, and raise a family and have a future and so any time that there are individuals or that there are organizations that want to create an atmosphere that make that difficult, to me they’re the actual enemy and those are the people that we wage campaigns to actually defeat." 

George and Alex Soros’ Open Society Foundations has been very involved in the Balkans and has invested over $131 million in Albania in a period of 18 years.   

Requests sent to representatives of the Soros' Open Society were not returned by press time. 

When Fox News Digital spoke to Berisha in April about the impediments he faced in the May 11 elections, he named the sanctions placed against him by the Biden administration for allegations of corruption in 2021. "I’m not able to meet with Albanian Americans, which are so numerous, and in this election, for the first time, they have the right to vote for the party and candidate they prefer in their country of origin," Berisha explained.

ALBANIA ISSUES YEARLONG TIKTOK BAN AMID YOUTH VIOLENCE CONCERNS

To date, there appears to be no movement on sanctions against Berisha. In April, the State Department did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about whether it would consider lifting sanctions against Berisha, and whether the sanctions in place impeded free and fair elections in Albania. A spokesperson told Fox News Digital Thursday that "the Department has nothing to report on this designation at this time."

Berisha’s race has been fraught by other complications, including being stripped of his legal immunity in December 2023 and held under house arrest until November 2024. Berisha is currently awaiting trial on corruption charges. 

Berisha told Fox News Digital that the charges were the product of lawfare leveled against him by Rama and Soros.

Berisha is not the only opposition candidate who has faced charges in the lead-up to elections. Former Albanian president Ilir Meta was also arrested on corruption allegations in October 2024.

ALBANIANS RALLY BY THE THOUSANDS AGAINST RULING SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT

Former Albanian Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations Agim Nesho told Fox News Digital that "May 11 elections are unfolding under intense pressure from the ruling Socialist Party, which has clung to power for over 12 years. The regime stands accused of jailing opposition leaders on fabricated charges, weaponizing state institutions, and silencing dissent in a country where citizens are increasingly afraid to speak freely."

Nesho claimed that "the Albanian people are being denied the basic democratic rights to organize, vote, and oppose the government without fear. This system of repression, critics say, is supported—either tacitly or directly—by elements of the Biden administration and global actors like Alex Soros, who have worked to undercut the opposition and prevent free and fair elections, much like the political persecution seen in the United States against former President Donald Trump."

Saying that the "election could mark a turning point," as "a true grassroots movement is rising—ready to challenge state corruption and restore Albania’s path to freedom, development, and democratic self-determination," Nesho called "on the Trump administration to closely monitor these elections and send a clear message to Tirana: America is watching." 

Nesho said "the United States must stand firmly on the side of democracy and the rule of law. The Albanian people deserve free elections, not another manipulated outcome enforced through fear and political imprisonment."

Politico reported that while Rama’s Socialist Party appears to be ahead in polling, the impact Albanians who live abroad being allowed to vote for the first time, and a lack of reliability in polling data may still leave room for Berisha to secure victory and return to office as prime minister. 

In a show of unity in Kyiv on Saturday, leaders from four major European countries threatened to ratchet up pressure if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

The leaders, from France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Poland, said the proposal to start the ceasefire on Monday was supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, whom they had briefed over the phone earlier in the day. Their statement came amid mounting efforts to persuade Moscow to agree to a truce that would allow for peace talks on ending over three years of full-scale war.

ON THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF UKRAINE INVASION, EUROPEAN LEADERS SHOW SUPPORT, EXPRESS UNEASE

The demand was announced in a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and countries leading the so-called "coalition of the willing": a group of over 30 countries who have pledged to strengthen Ukraine to deter Russian aggression. They included French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who on Saturday traveled to Ukraine together for the first time.

The ceasefire would include a halt to fighting on land, sea and in the air. The leaders threatened to ratchet up sanctions, including on Russia’s energy and banking sectors, if Putin did not comply.

Earlier that day, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv and its allies are ready for a "full, unconditional ceasefire" with Russia for "at least 30 days" starting Monday. He added the four visiting leaders and Zelenskyy had had a "constructive" phone call with Trump.

Saturday marked the last day of a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russia that Ukraine says the Kremlin’s forces have repeatedly violated.

In March, the United States proposed an immediate, limited 30-day truce, which Ukraine accepted, but the Kremlin has held out for terms more to its liking.

Building up Ukraine’s military capabilities will be a key deterrent against Russia, the European leaders said Saturday. This will require supplying Ukraine with robust quantities of arms to deter future attacks and investing in its defense sector. A force comprised of foreign troops could also be deployed as an added "reassurance" measure, Macron said.

RUSSIA DECLARES 3-DAY CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE FOR WWII VICTORY DAY

The French president added that the United States will take the lead in monitoring a proposed ceasefire, with support from European countries, and threatened "massive sanctions ... prepared and coordinated between Europeans and Americans," should Russia violate the truce.

But he said details about potential European deployments to Ukraine were still being fine-tuned. No mention was made of NATO membership, still Kyiv’s top choice for a security guarantee.

The priority is to make the war too costly for Russia to keep fighting, Ukraine's Sybiha told reporters on the sidelines of the event.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, said Saturday that a "comprehensive" 30-day ceasefire, covering attacks from the air, land, sea and on infrastructure, "will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II."

Earlier on Saturday, the European leaders joined a ceremony at Kyiv's Independence Square marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. They lit candles alongside Zelenskyy at a makeshift flag memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers and civilians slain since Russia's invasion.

Trump has pressed both sides to quickly come to an agreement to end the war, but while Zelenskyy agreed to the American plan for an initial 30-day halt to hostilities, Russia has not signed on. Instead, it has kept up attacks along the roughly 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometer) front line, including deadly strikes on residential areas with no obvious military targets.

On Saturday morning, local officials in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region said Russian shelling over the past day killed three residents and wounded four more. Another civilian man died on the spot on Saturday as a Russian drone struck the southern city of Kherson, according to regional Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin.

Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron said: "What’s happening with Poland, Germany and Great Britain is a historic moment for European defense and toward a greater independence for our security. Obviously, for Ukraine and all of us. It’s a new era. It’s a Europe that sees itself as a power."

PUTIN ORDERS PARTIAL CEASEFIRE AFTER CALL WITH TRUMP BUT NOT THE ONE HOPED FOR

Trump said last week that he doubts Putin wants to end his war in Ukraine, expressing new skepticism that a peace deal can be reached soon, and hinted at further sanctions against Russia.

Progress on ending the war has seemed elusive in the months since Trump returned to the White House, and his previous claims of imminent breakthroughs have failed to come to fruition. Trump has previously pushed Ukraine to cede territory to Russia to end the war, threatening to walk away if a deal becomes too difficult.

Ukraine’s European allies view its fate as fundamental to the continent’s security, and pressure is now mounting to find ways to support Kyiv militarily, regardless of whether Trump pulls out.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post that India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" the president declared in his Saturday morning post.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

Pakistan’s foreign minister said Saturday his country would consider de-escalation if India stopped its attacks, after India said it sought non-escalation if Pakistan agreed to do the same.

Both countries traded strikes Saturday during the conflict sparked by a massacre last month, which India attributes to Pakistan.

Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's foreign minister, warned that "our response will follow" if India launched any strikes.

Dar told Pakistan’s Geo News that he also delivered his message to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who contacted him after the top U.S. diplomat spoke to India's officials.

PAKISTAN SAYS IT HAS STRUCK MILITARY TARGETS INSIDE INDIA IN SERIES OF NEW ATTACKS

"We responded because our patience had reached its limit. If they stop here, we will also consider stopping," Dar said.

Rubio spoke to his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar, stressing that "both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Saturday, adding that the secretary offered U.S. support to facilitate "productive discussion."

India said it targeted Pakistan's air bases after Islamabad fired several missiles at military and civilian infrastructure in India's Punjab state early Saturday.

Pakistan earlier said it had intercepted most missiles and that it was carrying out retaliatory strikes.

Indian Col. Sofiya Qureshi said at a news conference in New Delhi that Pakistan had targeted health facilities and schools at three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions," she said.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said India was committed to "non-escalation" if Pakistan reciprocated. But, she said, Pakistani ground forces were seen moving toward forward areas, "indicating an offensive intent to further escalate the situation."

"Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness," she said.

VANCE SAYS INDIA-PAKISTAN CONFLICT 'NONE OF OUR BUSINESS' AS TRUMP OFFERS US HELP

Singh said India's forces carried out "precision strikes only at identified military targets in response to Pakistani actions," which included technical infrastructure, command and control centers, radar locations and weapon storage areas to ensure "minimum collateral damage."

"All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately," Singh said.

The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in the Indian cities of Pathankot and Udhampur.

Pakistan Army spokesman, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, said the country's air force assets were safe after India's strikes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Friday that "you cannot spy against an ally" in response to reports that the U.S. was gathering intelligence on Greenland, as U.S. President Donald Trump has continued to suggest purchasing the Arctic island.

"Cooperation about defense and deterrence and security in the northern part of Europe is getting more and more important," Frederiksen told The Associated Press. "Of course, you cannot spy against an ally."

Frederiksen made the comments as Denmark and Greenland push back on Trump's desire to acquire the autonomous Danish territory, stressing that it is not for sale. Trump, however, has not ruled out taking it by military force despite Denmark being a NATO ally.

GREENLAND'S PRIME MINISTER SAYS ISLAND CANNOT BE BOUGHT, US HAS 'NOT BEEN RESPECTFUL'

"I don’t rule it out. I don’t say I’m going to do it, but I don’t rule out anything," Trump said earlier this week during an interview on NBC News' "Meet the Press." 

"We need Greenland very badly. Greenland is a very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of and we’ll cherish them and all of that, but we need that for international security," he added.

The Danish prime minister's statement on Friday came the day after Denmark summoned the top American diplomat in the country for an explanation to a report from The Wall Street Journal about several high-ranking officials under the U.S. director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, directing intelligence agency heads to collect information on Greenland’s independence movement and views about U.S. resource extraction on the island.

Acting head of the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, Jennifer Hall Godfrey, met with Danish diplomat Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen at the Danish Foreign Ministry, although details of the meeting were not disclosed.

Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen told Greenland newspaper Sermitsiaq that the reports of U.S. espionage are unacceptable and disrespectful. 

Nielsen said last month that Greenland "will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone" and that "the talks from the United States have not been respectful."

TRUMP SAYS HE WASN'T 'TROLLING' ABOUT ACQUIRING GREENLAND, CANADA AS 51ST STATE

Gabbard’s office released a statement saying she had made three "criminal" referrals to the U.S. Justice Department over intelligence community leaks in response to the report from The Wall Street Journal, which cited two sources familiar with the matter.

"The Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of aiding deep state actors who seek to undermine the President by politicizing and leaking classified information," Gabbard said. "They are breaking the law and undermining our nation’s security and democracy. Those who leak classified information will be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pakistan's armed forces said they hit back at India, targeting military sites, after India fired missiles at three of its air bases in a frightening escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

India had earlier targeted the three air bases inside Pakistan with missiles, most of which were intercepted, on Saturday, Pakistani military officials said. 

The strike marks the latest escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals, a move triggered by a mass shooting that India blames Pakistan for.

TRUMP OFFERS TO HELP INDIA, PAKISTAN AMID GROWING CONFLICT: ‘I WANT TO SEE THEM STOP’

In a televised address, Pakistani army spokesman, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, said the country’s air force assets were safe. 

He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit India’s eastern Punjab. There was no immediate comment from India.

"This is a provocation of the highest order," Sharif said.

INDIA LAUNCHES STRIKES ON TERRORIST CAMPS IN PAKISTAN

The missiles targeted Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district of eastern Punjab province, Sharif said. 

Some of the missiles landed in Afghanistan, he said. 

"I want to give you the shocking news that India fired six ballistic missiles from its city of Adampur," said Sharif. One of the ballistic missiles hit Adampur, the remaining five missiles hit the Indian Punjab area of Amritsar."

Earlier this week, Pakistan shot down more than two dozen drones.

The fraught relationship between the neighboring nations hit a low following an attack at a popular tourist area in India-controlled Kashmir, leaving 26 people dead. 

Most of those killed were Hindu tourists. India has blamed Pakistan, which denies any involvement.

Two men were found guilty on Friday of cutting down Britain's 'Sycamore Gap' tree two years ago, felling the much-loved landmark whose dramatic silhouette had featured in a Hollywood movie in what prosecutors described as a "moronic mission".

The sycamore, estimated to be almost 200 years old, stood at the centre of a dramatic dip in the landscape alongside the historic Hadrian's Wall in northern England, making it a popular spot for photographers, hikers and even marriage proposals.

2 MEN CHARGED WITH FELLING 150-YEAR-OLD ‘ROBIN HOOD’ TREE IN ENGLAND

Such was its fame that it featured in the 1991 film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and its felling in September 2023 provoked widespread grief and anger.

Prosecutor Richard Wright told jurors at Newcastle Crown Court last month that Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, were responsible for the "mindless vandalism", expertly and deliberately cutting it down with a chainsaw.

The felling also caused damage to part of Hadrian's Wall, built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Graham and Carruthers, who travelled to the site in the Northumberland National Park from their homes in the Carlisle area, about 25 miles away, had denied any involvement. But they were convicted of two counts of criminal damage.

The men will be sentenced on July 15.

"For over a century, Sycamore Gap has been an iconic natural landmark in the north east of England, bringing immeasurable joy to those visiting the area," Chief Crown Prosecutor Gale Gilchrist said.

"In just under three minutes, Graham and Carruthers ended its historic legacy in a deliberate and mindless act of destruction."

During the trial, the jury was shown a video of their "moronic mission", filmed on Graham's mobile phone, which showed grainy footage of what appeared to be the iconic tree being cut down.

The prosecution said the men had taken a wedge of the tree as a trophy and messages they sent to each other afterwards showed they had been "revelling" in the worldwide reaction to the incident. No explanation has been given for their actions.

The National Trust, a heritage conservation charity which looks after the site, said last August there were signs of life at the base of the tree, giving hope it might live on.

The hostilities between India and Pakistan over the contested territory of Kashmir are igniting fears that a localized skirmish could boil over into a wider conflict and threaten the stability of the region.

Watching closely is China and President Xi Jinping, a party to the Kashmir dispute with a stake in the outcome.

"For China, the stakes are high. Pakistan is its closest ally, and Beijing would not like to see it humiliated," Sadanand Dhume, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), told Fox News Digital.

"Seen through the prism of U.S.-China competition, each country has a 'side' in this conflict. China is joined at the hip with Pakistan, whereas the U.S. and India have grown increasingly close over the past two decades," Dhume added.

PAKISTAN FEARS INDIA INCURSION 'IMMINENT' AMID HEIGHTENED TENSIONS FOLLOWING TERROR ATTAC

The U.S. war in Afghanistan after 9/11 created a dependence on Pakistan’s military and intelligence that required close cooperation. Since the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, U.S. engagement with Pakistan has been limited and Islamabad has less relevance for Washington’s foreign policy aims.

Max Abrahms, an expert on terrorism at Northeastern University, told Fox News Digital that the fight over Kashmir could now become a venue for U.S.-China competition.

"The India-Pakistan conflict may emerge as a proxy war where India is backed by the U.S. and Pakistan is backed by China," Abrahms said.

Yigal Carmon, president of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) and a former counterterrorism advisor to the Israeli government, told Fox News Digital that Kashmir is not just a clash between India and Pakistan. If the war escalates, he said, it could lead to the dismantling of Pakistan and have repercussions in Afghanistan, Iran and China.

"Balochistan may soon acquire a de-facto independence. China will be one of the main losers of such a development, as it has heavily invested in the Gwadar Port, located in the Balochistan province of Pakistan," Carmon said.

New Delhi launched retaliatory strikes against Punjab and Pakistan-administered Kashmir following a deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region on April 22 that saw 26 people killed by terrorists.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged a forceful response, saying the perpetrators will be pursued till the "ends of the earth."

TRUMP OFFERS TO HELP INDIA, PAKISTAN AMID GROWING CONFLICT: ‘I WANT TO SEE THEM STOP’

How far Pakistan will target India is uncertain, but Pakistan’s military, which yields significant influence in Pakistani politics, will likely want to exert a powerful response and avoid any appearances that the country looks weak.

"If Pakistan suffers a humiliating defeat, it would weaken the military’s grip on the country," AEI’s Dhume said.

Dhume also said that any conflict that unravels Pakistan’s domestic stability would give a boost to separatist groups in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces who have long sought independence from Pakistan.

PAKISTAN CALLS INDIA'S STRIKES AN ‘ACT OF WAR’ AND CLAIMS IT SHOT DOWN INDIAN FIGHTER JETS

Chietigj Bajpaee, senior research fellow for South Asia at Chatham House, said that India will try to ensure that the conflict remains limited and focus its efforts on targeting terrorists, avoiding civilian casualties. 

Bajpaee told Fox News Digital that maintaining an anti-Indian stance is important to the legitimacy of the Pakistani military and intelligence establishment, and adopting an assertive military posture will be necessary to assuage domestic pressures.

"Although I don’t see an imminent possibility of Pakistan breaking up or a spillover of the conflict into Iran or Afghanistan, the conflict could fundamentally alter the relationship between the military and the civilian government and population, which has already been in decline," Bajpaee said.

The fear for many experts and policymakers is whether the clashes lead to inadvertent escalation between two nuclear-armed powers. India and Pakistan have an estimated combined 342 nuclear warheads, according to the Arms Control Association, and their nuclear doctrines are motivated by their mutual enmity and desire to deter the other.  

President Donald Trump has not yet engaged directly with Indian or Pakistani officials, but said Wednesday he wants to see them "work it out" and that "if I can do anything to help, I will be there."

A 2018 deal between the Vatican and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) secured by Cardinal Pietro Parolin is once again under scrutiny as questions remain over how newly appointed Pope Leo XIV will take on the CCP.

The Parolin-brokered deal was and remains a controversial agreement between the leaders of the Catholic Church and the CCP, which has long oppressed Catholics across China. 

While the agreement was championed by the late Pope Francis and his secretary of state, Parolin — the Vatican’s top diplomat — as a step toward "normalizing" Catholicism in the communist nation, experts argue it has brought dangerous consequences for the faithful.

WORLD LEADERS CONGRATULATE POPE LEO XIV, FIRST AMERICAN PONTIFF

"It erodes papal authority to appoint bishops, the leadership of the Catholic Church in China," Nina Shea, senior fellow and director of the Center for Religious Freedom at Hudson Institute, told Fox News Digital. 

"A principal responsibility of a bishop is to train and ordain priests," she explained. "Therefore, the CCP has been given control in determining the chain of authority in the hierarchical church."

Under this agreement, all Catholic clergy are required to register with the CCP’s Patriotic Association — which was created in 1957 and was long rejected by the Catholic Church as illegitimate because it required that all clergy reject foreign influence, including that of the pope.

Parolin in 2019 said the aim of this agreement was "to advance religious freedom in the sense of finding normalization for the Catholic community."

Details of the deal remain unclear because it has been kept secret, explained Shea. 

While the agreement reportedly looked to end the decades-long negative ties between the Vatican and the CCP by allowing China to have more influence over bishop appointments, experts have argued for years it gave too much authority to the oppressive government. 

But there is an even greater problem when it comes to the Vatican seeming to have capitulated to the CCP.

FIRST AMERICAN ELECTED PONTIFF, GET TO KNOW POPE LEO XIV

Following the agreement, the Vatican additionally agreed to drop its support for the underground Catholic network, which has existed in China for decades and has supported millions of Catholics in the country.  

According to Shea, the CCP essentially "tricked" the Vatican because it simultaneously, in what she believes was an unbeknownst move to Parolin, banned children from being allowed in the Catholic Church — this ban included important sacraments of the church like baptisms, holy communion and confirmations.

The ban effectively blocks the continuation of the Catholic Church in China.

"The underground, even during the harshest period under Mao, carried out this education and evangelization," Shea said. "Without being able to perpetuate itself, the Catholic Church in China could die out in a couple generations."

"It’s a campaign to create an atheist society," she added. 

The Vatican did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions over whether Pope Leo will adhere to the agreement with the CCP or look to forge a new one.

TAIWAN EYES VATICAN-CHINA TIES AFTER POPE FRANCIS' DEATH

But in his first homily on Friday since being made leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo highlighted the church’s fight against rising atheism.

"There are many settings in which Jesus, although appreciated as a man, is reduced to a kind of charismatic leader or superman. This is true not only among non-believers but also among many baptized Christians, who thus end up living, at this level, in a state of practical atheism," he said. "These are contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied."

The pope said, for this reason, "missionary outreach is desperately needed."

Pope Leo warned that a "lack of faith" has led to not only a "loss of meaning in life" for many, but also "the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society."

While congratulatory messages were issued by leaders of Catholic and non-Catholic nations alike, China did not issue a similar message upon the pope’s appointment on Thursday.

In a Friday press conference, when asked about the Church’s new leader, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, "We hope that under the leadership of the new pope, the Vatican will continue to have dialogue with China in a constructive spirit, have in-depth communication on international issues of mutual interest, jointly advance the continuous improvement of the China-Vatican relations and make contributions to world peace, stability, development and prosperity." 

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff to take up the highest seat in the Catholic Church, returned to the Sistine Chapel on Friday to deliver his first mass in an address to the more than 1.4 billion Catholics he now leads. 

The pontiff urged outreach and missionary work and warned that much of what the Church stands for, and the belief in Jesus Christ, has been lessened in the eyes of both believers and non-believers.

"Today, too, there are many settings in which Jesus, although appreciated as a man, is reduced to a kind of charismatic leader or superman," he said in a homily translated from Italian, warning that this has led to even baptized Christians living in "a state of practical atheism."

FIRST AMERICAN ELECTED PONTIFF, GET TO KNOW POPE LEO XIV

"There are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure," the pope said. 

The new pontiff will face many challenges ahead as followers wait to see how he will lead the church and which issues he will choose to put great emphasis on. 

The pope has not said why he chose the name Leo to call himself, but papal names signify predecessors or values they admire, suggesting the newest pontiff will put great emphasis on social issues based on others in the papacy who have held that name. 

Like his predecessor, Pope Francis, Leo is expected to focus on humanity and kindness, particularly in the face of global migration and helping the poor. 

It remains unclear how this American pope will interact with the Trump administration, given apparent divisions over positions on the treatment of migrants and other issues involving human rights.

POPE LEO XIV, VILLANOVA GRAD, INTRODUCES HIMSELF ADORNED IN SYMBOLISM, PROVERBIAL RELIGIOUS DEVOTION

In his homily, the pope also pointed to a loss of faith and argued it has not only led to a loss in the meaning of life, but a loss in "human dignity."

"These are contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied," he said. 

Pope Leo went on to say that "A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society."

As silence and stillness calmed the eager world, Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti, overlooking a sea of tens of thousands of teary-eyed viewers in St. Peter’s Square, introduced Catholics and non-faithful to the newest pontiff.

American Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, was elected to take the papal seat and succeed the deceased Pope Francis on May 8, 2025, after four rounds of conclave voting by 133 members of the College of Cardinals.

As the world explores both the tender and commanding qualities that make Pope Leo XIV papabile and worthy of the Vicar of Christ title, one place, a small place of around 10,000 people, is beaming with pride for the newly elected Chicago-native.

‘DIO BENEDICA IL PAPA’, OTHER WELL WISHES FOR THE NEW PONTIFF, POPE LEO XIV, IN ITALIAN

"It's a super-happy day for all Catholics to have a new pope," Patrick Brennan, chair of Catholic Legal Studies at Villanova University, told Fox News Digital.

"I was sitting in the studio when I discovered, as everyone else did, that it was a Villanova graduate who was now the pope."

Pope Leo XIV is a graduate of the Class of 1977.

Villanova University, a private Catholic university 12 miles outside of Philadelphia, enrolls just 6,700 undergraduate students and 3,100 graduate and law students, according to its website.

"It’s a hometown boy not just makes good but breaks all the molds," Brennan said. "We have an American pope."

FIRST AMERICAN ELECTED PONTIFF, GET TO KNOW POPE LEO XIV

Pope Leo XIV is the first pope to ever be elected from the United States.

Despite skepticism that the Sacred College would vote for an American pope, Brennan says he was "thrilled" to hear the announcement of Prevost.

"The people that I know who know him think that he's a wonderful priest," Brennan told Fox News Digital. "He's been a wonderful member of the Augustinian order, and we know that Pope Francis has entrusted him with great responsibilities. It’s a happy day."

Prevost was created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023.

The Augustinian religious order, formerly known as the Order of Saint Augustine and deeply rooted in the beliefs and teachings of influential theologian Saint Augustine, bishop of Hippo, was established in the 13th century.

WORLD LEADERS CONGRATULATE POPE LEO XIV, FIRST AMERICAN PONTIFF

"The Augustinians are not as well-known in the United States as the Jesuits are an important part of the life of the American church," Brennan said.

Pope Francis, a Jesuit and the first to serve as a pontificate, made history as the first member of a religious order in centuries.

Pope Leo XIV has followed suit historically.

"Though they don't have the presence that the Jesuits do, they do an amazing job," Brennan said of the Augustinians. "This will give a huge vote of confidence for them about the work they're doing in the Church."

In 1842, the Augustinians founded Villanova University in downtown Philadelphia until later relocating to suburban Philly, where the college is surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful architecture.

POPE LEO XIV IS ESCORTED OUT OF SISTINE CHAPEL AFTER BECOMING 267TH POPE

"When [Pope Leo XIV] would have been in Villanova in the 1970s, it was a beautiful suburban campus of a small Catholic liberal arts college with high standards and a great love of the Catholic tradition and a whole lot of Villanova spirit," Brennan said. "When I came to Villanova, I was stunned, and I still am by the incredible enthusiasm Villanova students and alumni have for their experience and for the Villanova community."

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his electoral triumph by praying the prayer of the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with the world.

"I think that that was one of the ways he symbolized his traditional piety," Brennan said.

WHO IS POPE LEO XIV?

"His desire to signal to the world that he's a Catholic who prays the way that Catholics traditionally do. Pope Francis was known for his great devotion to the blessed Virgin Mary, which is part of the reason he made the unusual decision to be buried in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore."

Pope Francis, shortly after becoming the Bishop of Rome in 2013, revealed his burial plans.

"Choosing to pray the Hail Mary was a signal of continuity and piety," Brennan said of Pope Leo XIV.

Finally, for the namesake, Brennan says he envisions the selection was made as a symbolic gesture.

"He jumped over a whole century, back to the name of a pope who died in 1903 who left the Church a huge legacy of deep understanding of the place of a human person and the Catholic Church in the modern world," Brennan said.

"I think Pope Leo XIV, by choosing that name, is attaching himself to a legacy that he can, and I believe intends to, open for a world that's changed a great deal and needs new light and understanding of the kind he probably associates and finds in the world of Pope Leo XIII," Brennan said. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping was photographed standing next to Vladimir Putin on Friday as thousands of Russian troops and military vehicles rumbled through Moscow’s Red Square during the country’s annual Victory Day parade. 

The event, marking Russia’s 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, featured over 11,500 troops and more than 180 military vehicles, including tanks, armored infantry vehicles and artillery used on the battlefield in Ukraine. 

"We are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory," Putin said about the Russian troops fighting in the war. 

Russian flag carrier Aeroflot canceled more than 100 flights to and from Moscow and delayed over 140 others on Wednesday as the military were repelling repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on the capital. 

CHINA’S XI STANDS WITH PUTIN AGAINST ‘INTERNATIONAL BULLYING’ AMID TRUMP TRADE WAR 

Ukrainian authorities also reported scores of Russian strikes on Friday that killed at least two people in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions and damaged buildings. 

The strikes in Ukraine came despite Putin declaring a three-day ceasefire with Ukraine last month ahead of the Victory Day celebrations. 

"All military actions are suspended for this period," the Kremlin said in a statement at the time, noting that the ceasefire would run through the end of Saturday, May 10. "Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example." 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke with President Donald Trump on Thursday, who "confirmed that he wants this war to end, is ready to help, and supports the need for a ceasefire." 

Zelenskyy said he informed Trump that "Ukraine is ready for a 30-day ceasefire, starting even today. We are waiting for Russia to support this proposal. I also reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to engage in talks in any format. But for that, Russia must demonstrate the seriousness of its intentions to end the war, starting with a full unconditional ceasefire." 

BIDEN BLASTS TRUMP AS ‘FOOLISH’ APPEASER OF RUSSIA, SAYS FIRST 100 DAYS WERE NO TRIUMPH 

Prior to the parade, Putin and Xi held two rounds of talks and an informal chat about the conflict, the BBC reported, citing Chinese media.  

Among the other world leaders to attend Friday were Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was the only European Union leader to head to Moscow, according to the BBC. 

The outlet also reported that Chinese troops and contingents of soldiers from North Korea, Vietnam and Mongolia marched through Red Square. 

Afterward, Putin shook hands with Russian military officers who led the troops on Red Square and spoke to a group of senior North Korean officers who watched the parade, hugging one of them. 

Last month, Putin thanked North Korea for fighting alongside Russian troops against Ukrainian forces and hailed their sacrifices as Pyongyang confirmed its deployment for the first time. 

Fox News’ Stephen Sorace and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

At least 119 Amtrak employees and doctors took the railroad company for a ride in a massive $12 million health fraud scheme, a watchdog found. 

Amtrak's Office of Inspector General (OIG) said employees based in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Connecticut and Washington, D.C., accepted cash kickbacks from three healthcare providers in exchange for the use of their insurance information and that of their dependents in a scheme from 2019 to 2022.

"The sheer volume of employees who cavalierly participated in this scheme to steal Amtrak’s funds suggests not only a serious lapse in basic ethics, but a troubling workforce culture, at least in the Northeast region, in which blatant criminal behavior was somehow normalized," said Amtrak Inspector General Kevin H. Winters. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Amtrak. 

AMTRAK APOLOGIZES AFTER STRANDING 110 PASSENGERS

The healthcare providers used that employee information to file fraudulent and questionable medical claims for services that were never provided or not medically necessary, the OIG said. Overall, the taxpayer-funded railroad carrier's health plan was billed more than $16 million and was bilked out of $12 million. 

Of the 119 employees implicated, 28 retired or resigned as a result of the OIG’s investigation, and 30 left the company for "other reasons." Another dozen employees have been criminally charged, and seven have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Sixty-one are still on the job. 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Amtrak said it has taken "significant steps" to address medical insurance fraud. 

AFTER TRUMP SPEECH, AOC TELLS DEMOCRATS TO ORGANIZE IN GOP DISTRICTS AGAINST MEDICAID CUTS

"Like many employers, Amtrak calls on medical benefit providers and insurers to do more to identify suspicious activity and stop medical insurance fraud," the company said. "Amtrak strongly condemns this reprehensible act that occurred between 2019 and 2022 and is taking swift action with all active employees involved in the investigation. 

"While we continue to work closely with the OIG to identify and stamp out fraud, we also continue to work on other initiatives to address this issue," the statement added. "Amtrak has implemented various measures to enhance fraud prevention and empower employees to report suspected wrongdoing. These efforts include increasing oversight and strengthening efforts to eliminate fraudulent schemes."

The OIG launched a probe when an agent noticed unusual billing patterns in reports by data analysts. Three New York healthcare providers with "questionable" billings who shared a high number of Amtrak employees as patients were identified by investigators. 

An undercover agent posing as an Amtrak employee met with Punson Figueroa, aka "Susie," an acupuncturist from Long Island City, New York, June 16, 2021. During the visit, Figueroa told the agent to sign his name 30 times for service without dating the signatures, the OIG said. 

Figueroa then submitted alleged fraudulent claims to Amtrak’s healthcare plan, saying the agent had visited providers at least seven times in May 2021 for acupuncture and physical therapy. The agent visited Figueroa’s office again on July 29, 2021, where she allegedly handed him an envelope containing $1,000. 

Figueroa continued to use the agent’s insurance information to submit dozens of fraudulent claims to Amtrak’s healthcare plan, investigators said. 

Figueroa pleaded guilty to defrauding Amtrak’s healthcare plan, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution of $9.05 million. Two other healthcare providers and a medical biller have also pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme.

Michael DeNicola, a podiatrist from New York, pleaded guilty June 29, 2022, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, distribution of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a gun. He has not yet been sentenced. 

Regina Choi, a medical biller from Woodside, New York, who previously worked for Figueroa, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud June 11, 2024, for submitting false and fraudulent claims to the Amtrak health care plan and paying cash kickbacks to Amtrak employees. Her sentence is also pending. 

In 2018 and 2019, OIG auditors issued separate reports that said Amtrak could strengthen measures to identify fraudulent medical claims sooner. Both reports noted billing patterns indicative of potential fraud among hundreds of providers, the OIG said. 

The Vatican on Thursday announced that Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost, will take up the highest authority in the Catholic Church after only two days of deliberation and voting by the papal conclave. 

Upon the announcement of the first American pontiff to be elected, world leaders began reacting with their own messages of support and good wishes. 

FIRST AMERICAN ELECTED PONTIFF, GET TO KNOW POPE LEO XIV

President Donald Trump took to his social media site to offer his "congratulations" and said, "It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope.

"What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country," he added. "I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

Chicago's Mayor Brandon Johnson, the current leader of Leo’s hometown, posted his excitement of the news on X and said, "Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago! Congratulations to the first American Pope Leo XIV! 

"We hope to welcome you back home soon," he added. 

Italy’s leader, President Giorgia Meloni, who was reportedly close with Pope Francis, extended her "most sincere wishes to Pope Leo XIV for the beginning of his pontificate."

"In a time marked by conflict and unrest, his words from the Loggia delle Benedizioni are a powerful call for peace, brotherhood and responsibility," she said in reference to the central balcony at St. Peter’s Basilica. "A spiritual legacy that follows the path traced by Pope Francis, and that Italy looks at with respect and hope."

DAVID MARCUS: POPE LEO XIV'S GREATEST CHALLENGE IS ALREADY CHANGING THE WORLD

The government of Peru – where Leo spent more than a decade serving in the Catholic Church and where he was appointed bishop in 2014 before getting his dual citizenship in 2015 – offered its congratulations from President Dina Boluarte, offering their "fraternal greetings" to the pontiff.

"He served our people with love and faith. In his first message as pontiff, he recalled with emotion his time in Chiclayo and his closeness to Peru," the statement highlighted. "May God bless him in his mission!"

"Congratulations to the entire Catholic Church for the election of the new Pope Leo XIV as [Pontiff]," the President of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, the leader of the predominantly Catholic country, said on X. "May his pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defense of human rights in a world that needs hope and unity."

"A historic moment for the Catholic Church and its millions of faithful," French President Emmanuel Macron said. "To Pope Leo XIV, and to all Catholics in France and around the world, I extend a message of fraternity. 

"On this May 8th, may this new pontificate be one of peace and hope," he added in apparent reference to the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. 

CARDINAL ROBERT PREVOST ANNOUNCED AS FIRST AMERICAN POPE, TAKING NAME LEO XIV

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wished Pope Leo congratulations along with "wisdom, inspiration, and strength—both spiritual and physical—in carrying out his noble mission."

"Ukraine deeply values the Holy See’s consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation’s military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians," he continued.  "At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraine’s efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace."

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the appointment of the first American pontiff a "momentous moment" and said, "The election of Pope Leo XIV is a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom and around the world. 

"I look forward to meeting the Holy Father soon," he added. 

The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, wrote on X, "We congratulate His Holiness Leo XIV, elected by the College of Cardinals as Head of Vatican City State and spiritual leader of the Catholic Church. 

"I reaffirm our humanist convergence for world peace and prosperity," she added.