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 Erdoan 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 TRIUMPHPutin 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.

President Trump is not shy about defending Christianity. His bold commitment to protecting Christians from persecution is one reason that most evangelicals have voted for him in three straight elections. While I am grateful for his strong stand for religious liberty, Im concerned by his administrations recent actions threatening Afghan Christians to self-deport "immediately" or face criminal prosecution, fines and deportation to a Taliban regime likely to kill them for their faith in Jesus.Recently, many Afghan Christians who were lawfully allowed to enter the United States, who have been living and working lawfully in communities throughout the United States, received letters with a stark message: "It is time for you to leave the United States." The message insists that the Department of Homeland Security "is terminating your parole," the legal mechanism that allows these individuals to be safely in the United States. "Do not attempt to remain in the United States the federal government will find you depart the United States immediately," the letter concludes.Similar letters were apparently sent to hundreds of thousands of others who entered the U.S. lawfully in recent years. But no case is as troubling as Afghan Christians, for whom deportation would likely mean martyrdom. Persecuted church watchdog Open Doors classifies Afghanistan as among the ten most dangerous countries for Christians. The situation for Christians has deteriorated since the Biden administrations calamitous 2021 withdrawal that left the Taliban in power.TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ENDS TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR THOUSANDS OF AFGHANS AMID DEPORTATION PUSHOf course, President Trump himself surely did not draft this letter, and I suspect it was sent so broadly by leaders within the Department of Homeland Security without considering the full ramifications. As the administration hears from conservative evangelical leaders like Franklin Graham, I am praying President Trump will override whoever made the decision to send these letters and allow Afghan Christians to remain lawfully in the United States. At least long enough to submit and receive fair adjudication of asylum requests, or until Congress passes the Afghan Adjustment Act, a bill co-led in the last Congress by Senator Lindsey Graham, that would allow Afghans with parole to apply for permanent legal status so long as they clear stringent vetting processes.President Trump is absolutely right, of course, to prioritize border security, and most evangelical Christians are thankful for the quick progress he has made to secure our borders. Likewise, almost all evangelical Christians are glad that immigrants convicted of violent crimes are being deported.But evangelicals also agree with President Trump when he praises legal immigration of individuals who come "with love for the country." Afghans and others denied religious freedom abroad love this country profoundly and certainly should not be expelled from it now. Likewise, evangelical Christians want the U.S. to keep its doors open to carefully vetted, lawfully admitted refugees, including Christians from countries like Afghanistan and Iran who faced persecution or even martyrdom in their repressive countries of origin. Last year, roughly 30,000 Christian refugees were resettled from the fifty countries where Open Doors US says that Christians face the most severe persecution in the world.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONThe Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), my denomination, has repeatedly reaffirmed the biblical call to welcome refugees, who are individuals lawfully admitted to the United States after fleeing a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons such as their religion, race or political opinion. Seven in ten evangelical Christians, including about two-thirds of those who voted for President Trump last November, tell Lifeway Research, the SBCs research arm, that they believe the U.S. has a moral responsibility to receive refugees. As President Trump concludes a 90-day review of the refugee resettlement, nearly 20,000 Christians, including a number of prominent evangelical leaders, have affirmed a statement urging him to restart refugee resettlement, with a particular concern for those persecuted for their faith in Jesus.Of course, as Christians, we affirm the dignity of all people as made in the image of God, not only fellow Christians, so were also concerned with the wellbeing of those at risk of persecution who are not Christians. But it turns out that most refugees resettled in recent years have indeed been Christians, as are roughly four out of five of those vulnerable to deportation right now.I know that President Trump values legal immigration and is a champion for persecuted Christians. I hope and pray hell listen to the appeals of evangelical voters, override the actions of overzealous staffers and protect Afghans and others persecuted for their faith in Jesus.

Pope Leo XIV was welcomed as the newest pontiff by a sea of faithful and an uninterrupted view of St. Peters 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 XIVPope 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 NATIONPope 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 were 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.

When Michael Bown left New York City for a family reunion at the Jersey Shore, he never imagined he'd return to a nightmare.His beloved adopted dog, Millie, just a year old, slipped out of her collar during a walk in the East Village and vanished into the night.What followed was a frantic, emotional and ultimately heartwarming journey, one that highlights the power of community, technology and a little bit of luck.Join The FREE CyberGuy Report: Get my expert tech tips, critical security alerts and exclusive deals plus instant access to myfree Ultimate Scam Survival Guide when you sign up!Michael's story began with a simple act of trust, leaving Millie in the care of a close friend. But as Michael recalls,"She got a little spooked out on the walk with him and slipped out of her collar. This was in the East Village in New York, and she just sort of took off. I think she was trying to find me or figure out where I was."His friend chased Millie for blocks, desperately trying to catch up, even attempting to flag down cyclists and passersby. But Millie, a quick and determined pit bull mix, was gone."He called me on the phone and was just, you know, sort of, like, panting and freaking out saying, like,'Hey. So sorry, but, you know, this is what happened. I'm not able to find her.'"Michael immediately turned around, driving straight back to New York. He and his family searched the city until 2 a.m., visiting police stations and firehouses and posting in Facebook groups and lost pet websites."It was like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially in New York," he said.5 BEST PET TRACKERSThe next morning, Michael's mother uploaded Millie's photo and microchip information toPetco Love Lost, a free, innovative platform that uses AI-powered photo matching to reunite lost pets with their families. Within minutes, Michael received two alerts, one with an image match and another with a microchip match. Both pointed him to an emergency vet clinic in Paramus, New Jersey."It was fantastic. I had never heard of anything like that technology. It couldn't have worked better," Michael shared. "From the time she went missing to when I was able to find her, I think it was only thirteen, fourteen hours. So, yeah, I mean, less than a full day from that happening, or from her, you know, getting off the leash, to me reuniting with her."BEST PET TECH GIFT GUIDEMillie's adventure was as harrowing as it was miraculous. After running nearly ten miles from the East Village to Harlem, she was struck by a car. A Good Samaritan stopped traffic, scooped her up and drove her to an emergency vet in New Jersey.The staff treated her for scrapes, cuts and a leg injury and uploaded her photo and microchip info to Petco Love Lost, where the system's AI matched her with Michael's report."The technology was great. All we had to do was upload a picture of her, and then we were able to just get matched back with her through that picture, and, sort of like the AI technology of her getting matched, with the veterinary group also uploading a picture of her. So, yeah, I mean, it's crazy technology these days and how quickly, you know, people can get reunited with their pets," Michael said.HEARTLESS SCAMMERS ARE PREYING ON PEOPLES LOST PET ANGUISHAaron Klein, director of product at Petco Love Lost, explained the magic behind the platform."Petco Love Lost uses photo-matching technology to instantly scan and compare a photo of a lost or found pet against our massive, centralized database of pets," Klein said. "This includes photos from most animal shelters across North America, as well as from platforms like Nextdoor Neighbors by Ring and direct posts from community members. What used to take hours, manually searching shelter websites, scrolling through social media and piecing together information, is now done in less than a minute."The Petco Love Lost system automatically matches pets based on up to 512 data points, and as soon as you report your pet, we continue monitoring all incoming pets," Klein added. "If we find a possible match, you'll get a new match alert via text and an email right away, so you never miss a lead. This real-time, automated approach makes reunions faster, more accurate and less stressful for pet parents."WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?Reuniting lost pets with their families is a huge challenge, especially in a city as sprawling as New York. According to Klein,"The toughest part of reuniting lost pets is twofold: First, getting all lost and found pet data into one central place, and second, getting everyone, whether they've lost or found a pet, to actually look in that one place."GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREWith only 22% of pet parents going to a shelter when a pet is lost, but 80% searching online (often on just one platform), there are huge gaps in the search process. Petco Love Lost is tackling this by connecting data sources into one searchable platform, including over 3,000 shelters and major social media networks, with plans to expand even further.When Michael finally saw Millie at the vet, it was a moment of pure relief and joy."It was a very emotional, like, reunion for me," he said. "I mean, I think the good thing about, like, we got reunited so quickly. But that whole, like, night where she was missing, and I wasn't quite sure where she was was definitely, like, one of the harder nights that I've had for a while. There definitely were [tears]. I was, you know, crying like a baby not to admit it. But, yeah, it was very emotional."SUBSCRIBE TO KURTS YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR QUICK VIDEO TIPS ON HOW TO WORK ALL OF YOUR TECH DEVICESMichael's story is a testament to the power of community, technology and hope. Thanks to Petco Love Lost's innovative platform and the kindness of strangers, Millie made it home. As Michael puts it,"Love Lost helped me find Millie. It was fantastic."For pet parents everywhere, platforms like Petco Love Lost are changing the game, making it faster and easier than ever to bring lost pets home where they belong.What's the most unforgettable moment you've experienced when searching for a lost pet, and how do you think this kind of AI technology could change that story? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/NewsletterAsk Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to coverFollow Kurt on his social channelsAnswers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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 Erdoan 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 TRIUMPHPutin 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.

The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people, including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.This week's quiz highlights May marvels, hamburger history, lyrical legends and more.Can you get all 8 questions right?For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyleTo try your hand at more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click here.Also, to take our latest News Quiz published every Friday click here.

Something extraordinary happened on Friday, but you likely didnt see it in the headlines.In Washington, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) quietly approved a $2.3 billion bailout package for Pakistan. On the surface, it was just another financial deal. But beneath the surface, this vote tied together three of the most pressing foreign policy theaters in the world: India-Pakistan, Ukraine-Russia, and U.S.-China.INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE'S EFFORT TO PULL INDIA, PAKISTAN BACK FROM THE BRINK OF WARAnd the common thread?President Trumps return to "Art of the Deal" diplomacy.The $2.3 billion IMF package included a $1 billion tranche under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and $1.3 billion under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). But many experts were surprised this vote even happened, let alone passed.Just last year, Pakistans IMF bailout was contingent on its assistance in rearming NATO during the Ukraine war. The Biden administration leaned heavily on Pakistan to support weapons transfers, using routes like the Nur Khan Airbase to send munitions to Europe.This time around, the vote looked shaky. The Trump administration has made it clear it wants to end the war in Ukraineand all wars that bleed U.S. taxpayers without clear gain. Meanwhile, India was lobbying both the IMF and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to block funding to Pakistan, citing terrorism financing concerns.And then came the vote.India abstained. So did China and Russia. The "yes" votes came from the United States and the United Kingdom.If youre wondering why the U.S.under Trumps second termwould back a loan to a terror-linked state in the middle of a war, heres the answer: because the deal was far bigger than Pakistan.Lets unpack what likely happened.A Strategic Concession from India?Indias abstention puzzled many. It had taken a strong stand against the IMF loan, arguing that it violated basic principles of counter-terror financing. For India to let it slide signaled something else was in play.Trumps first major diplomatic focus post-inauguration was reworking Americas global trade deals, and India was high on the list. The president had long called India the "tariff king," and negotiations had been underway to reduce agricultural and industrial tariffs. In fact, Vice President JD Vance had been dispatched to New Delhinot a low-level envoy.There were signs a deal was close. But the momentum was disrupted by a major terrorist attack in Kashmir, which India blamed on Pakistan-based groups. The India-U.S. trade deal went into a holding pattern.Now, Indias IMF abstention appears less like inaction and more like a trade-off: a quiet concession, in return for favorable terms in the broader trade agreement with the U.S.Pakistans Clock Was TickingPakistan, for its part, was running on empty. It reportedly had only four days of ammunition left and faced near-total economic collapse. Though some NATO members had sent emergency aid, the U.S. itself has been moving to reduce entanglements with NATO and phase out military support in Ukraine.But heres where it gets more interesting.The United States has long had an internal debate over Pakistan. During the Cold War and the war on terror, some intelligence factions saw Pakistan as a necessary partnereven when it meant funding terror groups like the Mujahideen. In more recent years, others have shifted toward India as the natural counterweight to China.This division within U.S. security circles matters, because it means that the fight over Pakistan is both internal and external.And yet, the Trump administration pushed the vote through.Why?One likely condition: a ceasefire in the India-Pakistan conflict.But there may have been another conditionone that had Chinas fingerprints all over it.Why Did China Sit Out?If theres one country that stands to gain from Pakistans financial boost, its China.Pakistan is deeply indebted to China through Belt and Road infrastructure deals. And more to the point, most of its military imports come from Chinese manufacturers. Any fresh IMF cash would likely end up buying Chinese weapons.So why did China abstain from voting on Pakistans loan?Simple: Because Trump likely barred it.Sources close to the matter suggest that strict terms were placed on the loanstipulating that IMF funds cannot be spent on Chinese or Russian weapons systems, only American ones. That alone would have removed Chinas incentive to back the package.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONAdd to that the increasing chatter over Chinese versus Western arms systems in the India-Pakistan conflictand Chinas abstention begins to make a lot of sense.One Vote. Three Wins.By pushing this IMF package forward under strict conditions, the Trump administration appears to have pulled off a remarkable maneuver:All in one vote.There were no headlines. No press briefings. No declarations of success.But thats often how real power operates.Critics may scoff at the idea that Trump is capable of high-level diplomacy. But for those tracking the architecture of global influencethis vote was not noise. It was signal.It was a reminder that American power, when wielded with strategic clarity, doesnt need to announce itself loudly.It just needs to move the board. Quietly. Completely. Effectively.And if you were watching this one closely, you saw just that.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM TANVI RATNA

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 Lords 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 XIVIn 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 APPA 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 XIIIs 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 Russias 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 RustemUmerov 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 theU.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 UKRAINEThe 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 countrys defense enterprises had met their orders in full last year, highlighting Moscows 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."Thats alarming, because DJI drones are essentiallydata collectors for Beijing giving China potential access to sensitive infrastructure imagery, flight patterns, and more. Its not just a market-share problem its a national security threat," he said.AI-POWERED ATTACK DRONES TAKE FLIGHTSingleton added that the U.S. doesnt need to match China drone for drone, but it needs a production floor thats sustainable, somewhere around a minimum of 250,000 drones per year."We are absolutely in a drone arms race with China and losing isnt an option. Success will depend on scaling production, protecting sensitive supply chains, and turbocharging innovation," he said. "It's not just about building drones its 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 Armys 75th Ranger Regiment will compete to demonstrate their drone skills and tactics in modern combat.

A photo of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tackling her other big job went viral Thursday.Just before Mother's Day, Leavitt was photographed feeding her nine-month-old son Nicholas Robert Riccio, nicknamed "Niko," while typing at her desk. The photo was captured by Margo Martin, special assistant to the president and communications advisor, and posted on her official White House account.Martin was impressed by Leavitt juggling the two tasks, a rare glimpse of the press secretary behind-the-scenes when she is not at the podium fielding questions from reporters.WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT PRAYS BEFORE FACING REPORTERS"Walked in to @PressSec typing with one hand, and feeding her son with the other. Super Mom!" Martin posted on X. It had more than 9 million views on X as of Friday afternoon.Leavitt is married to 59-year-old Nicholas Riccio, a successful real estate developer. The couple got married in January, just days before President Donald Trumps inauguration. They got engaged in December during the Christmas holiday in 2023.Their son, Niko, was born on July 10, 2024.According to The Sun, Leavitt has been open about her work-life balance as a mother of a newborn baby.The Sun reported in February that Leavitt shared in her Instagram story a picture of her baby with the caption: "Work at white house, baby bedtime routine, & then @seanhannity at 9pm."Leavitt, 27, is the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history.She started her career in the White House as an intern during President Donald Trump's first term before later joining the staff as an assistant press secretary under former White House press secretary, and now Fox News co-host, Kayleigh McEnany.Leavitt did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for further comment.