World
World leaders, dignitaries pay tribute to America on historic 250th birthday
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America’s role in world affairs and its special relationships with allies and partners were on full display Saturday as world leaders offered congratulations and praise while the U.S. celebrated its 250th birthday.
“This year marks a truly historic milestone and a moment of great celebration for Americans everywhere,” the United Kingdom’s King Charles III wrote in a statement.
“It offers an opportunity to pause and reflect on the remarkable journey of the United States over the past two and a half centuries, and to honour all that has been achieved since 1776.”
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Charles’ “You’d be speaking French joke” quickly went viral. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Pope Leo XIV, leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, extended his “heartfelt congratulations” to the American people on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“In marking this anniversary, it is important to recognize that freedom of religion has long been central to the American promise, protecting both individual dignity and the peaceful coexistence of a diverse people,” Leo wrote in a statement.
Pope Leo XIV arrives for the canonization Mass of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
In France, authorities illuminated the Eiffel Tower in red, white and blue in what Paris described as a “heartfelt tribute to America’s 250th anniversary” and “a powerful reminder that the friendship between our two nations dates back to the 18th century.” President Emmanuel Macron posted a picture of the Statue of Liberty during a flyover by France’s elite aerobatic team on his X account.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that the United States was “founded on freedom, democracy, and responsibility.
“Germany and the USA have always enjoyed a close friendship. Especially in challenging times, our transatlantic partnership remains indispensable,” he wrote on X.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote that July 4th marks “one of humanity’s brightest, strongest, and most influential dreams – the American Dream of an independent, free, and prosperous nation that defends people’s freedom, faith, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry shared a statement from President Vladimir Putin to his American counterpart: “Donald, I wish you and your loved ones health, well-being and every success, and I wish all citizens of the United States happiness and prosperity.”
An FDNY boat sprays its hoses in tribute in front of the Statue of Liberty ahead of an international parade of tall sailing ships in New York Harbor on July 4, 2026, in New York City. (Vincent Alban/Getty Images)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday spoke with President Trump to congratulate him and the United States. He also released a video message Saturday where he said in part, “America has been the greatest force for liberty the modern world has known. Israel is proud to stand beside her, Israel is proud to stand beside all of you, because our alliance is built not only on shared interests, but it’s built on shared values.”
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“The prime minister said in their conversation that the U.S. is a guarantor of global freedom, and Israel greatly values the close ties between nations,” according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee at the American embassy in Jerusalem on Friday.
“I am extremely moved and happy to be here at the American Embassy in Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel, at the Embassy which was launched by President Trump in his historic recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital,” said Herzog. “American Independence is one of the greatest moments in history, and it has changed the fate of humanity.”
AMERICA AND ISRAEL: A COVENANT, NOT A CONTRACT
In a letter to Trump, Herzog wrote, “This is also a time to express our deepest appreciation for the unique and unbreakable partnership between the United States of America and Israel. Our two nations draw from the same wellsprings of the Bible, and we share the same fundamental values of freedom, democracy, and human dignity.”
Argentina’s President, Javier Milei, attended the U.S. Embassy in Argentina’s Independence Day celebration, which included the national anthems of both countries, live music and celebrity lookalikes.
Milei posted on X stating in part,“MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN: 250 years ago, a group of men founded a republic on a simple yet profoundly revolutionary idea: that all men are equal before God, and that they are endowed with inalienable natural rights to life, liberty, and property. Under this premise, that country quickly became the absolute opposite of those that embraced contrary ideas: those of communism. The prosperity of the USA is the envy of all oppressed peoples, but it pales in comparison to the freedom enjoyed by its citizens and is, in fact, merely a consequence of its preservation.”
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi noted that her country had gifted America 250 cherry trees.
“Going forward, Japan and the United States will continue to work together to further strengthen the bonds between our two countries,” she wrote on X.
Hsiao Bi-khim, vice president of Taiwan, threw the first pitch at an American Institute in Taiwan baseball event celebrating America’s founding.
“Our countries share beliefs in freedom & democracy, & baseball is loved by both our peoples. Congrats and Happy July 4,” she wrote.
President Donald Trump and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan talk May 15. (AP/Alex Brandon)
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, said the “journey of the United States’ founding is one of determination and resolve, values that continue to underpin the enduring partnership and mutual trust our countries share today.”
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent a cable of congratulations to Trump, wishing the president “continued good health and happiness, and the government and people of the US steady progress and prosperity.”
Pakistan, which is acting as a mediator in ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran, extended “warmest congratulations and best wishes to the United States of America and its people on its 250th Independence Day.”
Attendees watch the Independence Day fireworks display along the National Mall in Washington, D.C. (Probal Rashid/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Qatar, another mediator in the talks with the Iranian regime, released a statement from Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani who sent a cable of “congratulations to HE President of the United States of America Donald Trump on the anniversary of his country’s Independence Day.”
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted his country’s best wishes on X: “On behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I extend my warmest congratulations to President Trump and the people of the United States on the historic 250th anniversary of your Independence. India and the United States share more than a strategic partnership. Our shared belief in democracy, rule of law and the limitless potential of our people make our friendship a force for global good. May the next 250 years bring even greater prosperity, peace and progress for America and take the India-US partnership to new heights.”
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said the Declaration of Independence “gave birth to a new nation founded on the ideals of liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
“For 250 years, our transatlantic partnership has been shaped by our shared values and family bonds. And, at times, it has been strengthened by the immense bravery and lives lost in the defence of freedom,” she added.
World
Iranians Bury Slain Leader Amid Renewed Fighting
Iranians mourning the country’s supreme leader condemned U.S. strikes that Washington called retaliation for Iran’s attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. At a tightly controlled state funeral in Mashhad — one of Iran’s most conservative cities, where opponents of the government were unlikely to be found in the crowd — mourners voiced defiance and called for revenge.
World
Beloved musicians among victims in deadly Bahamas plane crash; aviation authority grounds flights
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A devastating double-aviation crisis in the Bahamas, including a deadly North Andros plane crash and a separate aircraft fire on Friday, prompted the government to suspend flight operations for a local airline and launch a federal safety probe.
Shortly after 1 p.m. local time Friday, a Cessna 402 aircraft with Bahamian registration departed Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau bound for San Andros Airport.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) said the plane “encountered difficulties” and crashed into bushes prior to landing.
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Authorities said 10 people were killed in a Bahamas plane crash on Friday. (Our News Bahamas via AP)
First responders, including the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Airport Authority and emergency medical personnel, rushed to the dense brush where the aircraft went down.
The Bahamas Musicians and Entertainers Union confirmed in a statement Saturday that 10 people died in the crash, including prominent members of the “The Pond Band” and a local DJ, whose artistry the union said “touched so many lives and helped to enrich the cultural fabric of The Bahamas.”
Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said a sole survivor was pulled from the wreckage.
“Ann and I are praying for the families who are now facing unbearable grief,” Davis wrote in a statement on X. “We are also praying for the survivor, whose recovery and care will remain in our thoughts.”
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The identities of those killed in the crash have not yet been released.
While the AAIA’s preliminary reports initially indicated seven people were on board, officials are still establishing the facts of the flight manifest.
Just hours before the fatal crash in North Andros, a Flamingo Air flight en route to Mayaguana was forced to turn back to Nassau after the pilot reported a concern, according to the Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation (MoET).
After the aircraft landed and passengers safely deplaned, the plane caught fire on the runway.
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FILE – The Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas temporarily suspended Flamingo Air’s Air Operator Certificate following two aircraft incidents Friday. (iStock)
Following the two back-to-back safety incidents, the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas (CAAB) temporarily suspended Flamingo Air’s Air Operator Certificate, according to MoET officials.
“The suspension is a precautionary safety measure and should not be treated as an adverse compliance action against Flamingo Air,” the agency wrote in a statement.
FILE – The plane crashed in North Andros on Friday after taking off from Lynden Pindling International Airport. (Melissa Alcena/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Investigators from the AAIA and inspectors from the CAAB remain at the scene in North Andros as they work to determine what caused the Cessna 402 tragedy.
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Flamingo Air did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
World
Moldova president nominates pro-European businessman Tofan for PM
Published on •Updated
Moldova’s pro-European President Maia Sandu nominated businessman Vasile Tofan on Saturday as the country’s next prime minister to replace Alexandru Munteanu, who resigned earlier this month over differences with the ruling majority.
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In a video posted to social media, Sandu said Tofan’s primary responsibility, after his candidacy is approved by the country’s parliament, would be to move the country further towards its path of “integration” into the European Union.
He should also “strengthen the resilience of state institutions and society”, and “revive the economy”, added Sandu.
The Moldovan businessman now has two weeks to secure parliamentary backing, a prospect he hopes to achieve after submitting his government programme and his ministerial cabinet nominations.
Tofan had been mentioned as a possible prime minister last year even before the appointment of Munteanu.
Igor Grosu, who heads Sandu’s Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) which won the last parliamentary elections in September, announced on Friday that he had selected him as his candidate to replace the outgoing premier.
He said Tofan shared “the same objectives” as him and PAS, specifying that “EU accession in the years to come, institutional reform and economic growth”, were among the biggest points of agreement.
The nominee for prime minister, who graduated Harvard Business School and turns 44 on Sunday, has a degree in public management from the Netherlands and is a managing partner at Horizon Capital, a private equity firm with assets primarily in Ukraine and Moldova.
He has also chaired the board of directors of Moldova’s Purcari winery, considered the crown jewel of the country’s winemaking sector.
Munteanu, another businessman who like Sandu previously worked at the World Bank, had been chosen to boost the economy and bring it closer to the EU, but turbulence with PAS saw him vacate his post less than a year into holding office.
He resigned on 3 July after less than eight months, stating that he could no longer carry out his mandate “according to (his) principles and (his) convictions”.
The EU last month officially launched a first round of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. Both countries became official EU candidate countries on 23 June 2022.
Additional sources • AFP
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