A California family's unshaken faith emerged in the form of a lone statue of The Virgin Mary — untouched by the relentless flames of southern California's wildfires — her resilience amid the smoldering ruins leading them to sing in praise."It was remarkable how everything had gotten fried, but the statue of The Virgin Mary and another statue of Saint Joseph were in perfect condition," Peter Halpin, the family patriarch, told 'Fox & Friends Weekend' on Sunday. "Obviously, they were a little singed, but we just took that opportunity to pray," he continued. "Our home is dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus and always has been and all my family members, my extended family, so we said a prayer to the sacred heart of Jesus, and then we sang that special song that our entire family has known for decades to The Blessed Virgin, and it was a remarkable thing."POWER GRID FAULTS SURGED RIGHT BEFORE LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES BEGAN: EXPERTAccording to Halpin, the family "broke the law" by visiting what remained of their home of 37 years last week. When they discovered that the deadly Eaton fire had diminished the rest to rubble, they leaned on faith, singing in praise alongside their six children and other loved ones in a since-viral video posted to Instagram."Our intention was not for this thing to go viral at all," he continued. "It was pretty much just a family thing, but the response from the community has been unbelievable and so heartfelt."Peter's wife Jackie said she fell to her knees in emotion after her son-in-law snuck up to the site of the home the day before, snapping a photo that revealed the statue was still standing.She knew then they had to make their own pilgrimage to the site to thank God for the years they spent there.CALIFORNIANS ‘ANGRY’ AMID DEVASTATING WILDFIRES, ASKING WHERE HIGH TAX DOLLARS WENT: LOCAL RESEARCHER"That was my intention," she said. "We're going to pray. We're going to thank God that we're safe, and we have entertained a lot for years. We feel very strongly in the virtue of hospitality, so I just wanted to pray and say, ‘If we can do it again, that would be great.’ "The song [in the video] kind of came about on its own, so I just wanted to pray. I just want to be grateful as much as I can for what we've had."Wildfires continue to tear through southern California with no end in sight, devastating communities and claiming 16 lives so far. 

Glenn Close revealed the identity of the Hollywood legend whose kissing prowess left a lasting impression on her.The 77-year-old actress participated in a round of "Plead the Fifth" during her appearance on Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live!" on Thursday. In the segment, host Andy Cohen asks guests three questions, and they are given only one opportunity to "Plead the Fifth."At the beginning of the game, Cohen noted that Close has starred in "so many romantic movies," before asking her, "Who has been your best on-screen kiss?"The "Fatal Attraction" star briefly closed her eyes and smiled before replying, "Robert Redford… in ‘The Natural.’"GLENN CLOSE BELIEVES ROBIN WILLIAMS WOULD STILL ‘BE ALIVE’ IF CHRISTOPHER REEVE HADN'T DIED However, Close expressed her regret that the encounter was brief."I only got to kiss him once," she recalled."Only one take?" Cohen asked."No, no, maybe we did two takes," Close remembered. "But I also threw him out of my apartment in that movie," she added. "But I ended up with him."In the 1984 movie "The Natural," Redford played Roy Hobbs, a young baseball player with a "natural" talent for the game. Hobbs' career is derailed after he is inexplicably shot by a disturbed woman, but he returns to professional baseball 16 years later and defies expectations to become one of the league's best players. Close played Hobbs' former girlfriend, Iris Gaines, who reunites with him over the course of the movie. During her appearance on "Watch What Happens Live," Cohen pointed out that Close earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in "The Natural."LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSHe noted that Close had been nominated for an "incredible" eight Academy Awards. "What performance of yours do you think, at the time, was most deserving of an Oscar?" Cohen asked Close, who has never won an Academy Award."All of them!" she exclaimed to laughter and applause from the audience.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERClose was also asked to name the project she "took on strictly for the paycheck.""Oh my goodness," Close said with a smile. "I plead the Fifth!"The actress earned her most recent Oscar nomination for her performance "Hillbilly Elegy," the 2020 film based on Vice President-elect JD Vance's 2016 memoir of the same name. In the movie, Close played Bonnie "Mamaw" Vance, the grandmother of Vance, who was portrayed by Gabriel Basso.While appearing on "The View" earlier this week, Close shared that Vance's family was "generous" while they were filming the movie adaptation.Close said he and his family visited the set and Vance helped Owen Asztalos, the young actor who played him as a boy in the film, with the role."We all met members of the family. We all sat with them individually, you know, one-on-one and, for me, with Mamaw, I'd say, ‘How did she walk into a room? How did she sit? How did she smoke? How did she laugh? How did she change the chemistry?’ So that was, you know, the family was very generous with their time," Close said. Fox News Digital's Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.

More than 92,000 people have signed a Change.org petition as of Sunday morning demanding the resignation of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as wildfires in the area continue to rage on. The petition was started by a user named "Frustrated Californian" who accused Bass of "gross mismanagement" during the natural disaster crisis, and even called her out for not being in the country when the fires started.Bass took major heat for traveling overseas to Ghana last week, which meant she was thousands of miles away from her city during the initial day of the destruction on Tuesday. "Water supplies have been severely strained, billions of taxpayer dollars have been misallocated or left unaccounted for, and countless lives have been lost," the petition reads. FLASHBACK: LA MAYOR KAREN BASS WAS ONCE CONSIDERED TOP VP CHOICE BY BIDEN, PRAISED BY OBAMA AS ‘OUTSTANDING’There are currently five active wildfires in Los Angeles County — Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth, Hurst and Archer.Bass has been active on social media since her return to the U.S., with her latest post on X and Facebook on Saturday evening."Angelenos, we're still going through it and to any of you and all of you that have experienced a loss, the grief, the anger, the just utter shock. I've seen the devastation. It is unbelievable the amount of loss that people have experienced, but we have to get through this crisis and I know that we will," she said in a minute-long video.  AURORA CULPO RIPS DEMOCRATIC LEADERS FOR LACK OF WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS, CALLS ON NEWSOM, BASS TO RESIGNPrior to drawing intense public scrutiny for her response to handling the wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, Bass was held in the highest esteem by the Democratic Party’s most prominent figures.President Biden once considered Bass to be a top contender for his vice presidential running mate in 2020, while former President Barack Obama previously predicted that she would be an "outstanding mayor" of the city.Sarah Michelle Gellar, Patricia Heaton and Jillian Michaels are among vocal celebrities providing government officials with scathing reviews."This disaster did not come out of left field," Aurora Culpo, host of the podcast "Barely Filtered," told Fox News Digital. "We were well aware of the possibility for fire, and we had the preparedness of a third world country in a place that pays some of the highest taxes in the world. Those in power should be forced to take responsibility and resign."FOX News' Gabriel Hays and Gabrielle Regalbuto contributed to this report. 

Private drones being flown near the wildfires consuming Los Angeles County continued to interfere with aerial firefighting efforts Saturday evening, according to officials, as the death toll from the flames rises.Officials have detected 48 privately owned drones flying over the fires since the infernos erupted Tuesday, Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief Robert Harris said during a briefing Saturday evening."When those privately owned drones are detected, we have to pause firefighting activities, so we ask you to please assist us by not operating drones in the area," Harris said, adding that the drones’ owners are being sought by police and will face potential prosecution.Authorities urge civilians not to fly drones near wildfires because they can get in the way of low-flying firefighting aircraft and delay emergency responders. Pilot distractions can be deadly.LIVE UPDATES: LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES DEATH TOLL RISES TO 16 AS GAVIN NEWSOM FACES NEW FIREFIGHTING FUNDING SCRUTINYOn Thursday, someone flew a private drone into the wing of a Quebec 1 Super Scooper firefighting aircraft as it carried water to battle the wildfires. Officials said the collision caused a "fist-sized hole" in the aircraft and knocked it out of service until at least Monday.The Super Scooper, which had flown down from Canada, was working to contain the Palisades Fire at the time of the incident. The pilots were unaware of the drone hit, which wasn’t discovered until they landed at Van Nuys airport and maintenance staff noticed the hole, officials said.The FAA is investigating, and a spokesperson told Fox News Digital that interfering with firefighters is a federal crime punishable by up to a year in prison and a $75,000 fine.CALIFORNIANS ‘ANGRY’ AMID DEVASTATING WILDFIRES, ASKING WHERE HIGH TAX DOLLARS WENT: LOCAL RESEARCHERMeanwhile, the death toll in connection with the wildfires has jumped to 16, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner. Five of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 resulted from the Eaton Fire.As of Saturday evening, the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco, Cal Fire said. The Palisades and Eaton fires – the two largest wildfires – have so far scorched 59 square miles.Firefighters are still working to contain the Palisades and Eaton fires. Cal Fire reported containment of the Palisades Fire at 11% and the Eaton Fire at 15% on Saturday night.With the battle set to continue, firefighters are bracing for another round of strong winds expected starting on Monday, said Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services.Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz and Julia Bonavita, along with The Associated Press, contributed to this report.

When I was visiting my family for Christmas just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to partner with a local church and deliver Christmas gifts and supplies to families in my home county of less than 20,000 people, nestled in the North Carolina and Tennessee border.This experience gave me the opportunity to listen to the stories of my neighbors, many of whom I have known for my entire life.One story stuck out to me. A multi-generation household of six living in a fifth-wheel trailer. They had lost their home and everything they cherished — except their faith.HURRICANE HELENE: ‘BACKBONE OF AMERICA’ HELPING FARMERS ACROSS SOUTHEAST WHO LOST BILLIONS IN CROPS, LAND Unfortunately, their story is all too familiar throughout the small mountain communities of Southern Appalachia.It has been almost five months since Hurricane Helene forever reshaped the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina.In the months since, we have seen the true nature of humanity.Our community has come together. Businesses are helping each other clean out and rebuild. Churches are still delivering warm clothes and hot meals on foot and horseback. Nonprofits from across the southeast are delivering necessary supplies such as diapers, blankets, and baby formula.It was Elon Musk, with the help of private citizens like former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and the Cajun Navy that delivered Starlink routers to every crevice of Western North Carolina, connecting us with the outside world.Western North Carolina and Southern Appalachia are rebuilding on their own.The federal government has been slow to respond and help despite the incredible efforts of leaders like Congressman Chuck Edwards and Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd.Partisan politics have slowed relief efforts, with many in Raleigh and Washington putting party over people.With temperatures plummeting and inches of snow falling every week, many North Carolinians remain unhoused, relying on tents for shelter.FEMA has delivered trailers to the region but failed to efficiently approve those who applied to obtain them nearly five months ago.The shining light through this storm is the resilience of Appalachia. Despite instigators on both sides trying to use this disaster for their own political gain, our communities have come together and helped each other out.Towns like Marshall, North Carolina, are planning to reopen in the coming months despite more than half of the town being destroyed by the floodwaters.In the more than 25 years that I have called Western North Carolina home, we are stronger than I have ever seen before.However, the strength and resilience of our community can only sustain our perception of normalcy for so long.Western North Carolina is in desperation.Leaders on both sides of the aisle need to hold accountable the government bureaucracy that is defying the needs of our communities.Winter is only just beginning. With temperatures dipping into the single digits and windchills in the negatives, churches and nonprofits are leaping into action to fill the ever-so-present void left by inefficient government red tape.The time to act was five months ago, but late action is better than no action.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONOur community desperately needs investments in affordable housing and infrastructure to boost our local economies and give families the resources they need to get back on their feet.Insurance companies are redefining flood zones; many families are being priced out of their homes and properties. The Small Business Administration is running out of money, slowing recovery in regions desperately needing economic opportunity. And county and municipal governments are relying on the slow distribution of disaster relief funds to get critical agencies back online.This is not a political issue and should not be controversial. For more than 100 years, Appalachia has been left behind by our federal government. Now, when we need them the most, they still cannot be bothered to act with urgency.Appalachia will not defined by Helene; it will be defined by the overwhelming response of the people who call these mountains home.

CES 2025 has once again showcased a remarkable array of health and fitness technology that promises to transform our well-being. From artificial intelligence-powered sleep aids to smart ear-cleaning devices, this year's event highlights cutting-edge solutions designed to enhance our health and fitness routines. These groundbreaking innovations are sure to offer something for everyone.I’M GIVING AWAY THE LATEST & GREATEST AIRPODS PRO 2The Frenz Brainband is this cool new AI-powered sleep headband that not only tracks your sleep, but actually helps you sleep better and focus more during the day. The Frenz Brainband uses some seriously advanced tech to monitor your brain waves, eye movements and even tiny facial twitches while you snooze. The Brainband uses all that info to play personalized audio through bone-conduction speakers, helping you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. The folks at Earable Neuroscience, the company behind Frenz, have done their homework. They've got research backing up their claims, and they've even snagged a CES Innovation Award. So, whether you're struggling with insomnia or just want to optimize your sleep and daytime focus, the Frenz Brainband might be worth checking out. It's available for purchase at a price of $680 or through a rental option for $45 per month.A BREAKTHROUGH GADGET COULD HELP YOU DETECT MICROPLASTICS IN YOUR DRINKING WATER The Bebird EarSight Flow is an innovative ear care device that combines high-resolution imaging with advanced cleaning technology. Featuring a 1 million-pixel camera and Aquatic Ear Canal Cleaning Technology, this device allows you to safely remove earwax while providing a live view through a smartphone app. As a CES 2025 Innovation Awards honoree in the digital health category, the EarSight Flow offers a modern solution to ear hygiene, enabling you to see inside your ear canal during the cleaning process.The device comes equipped with a high-definition camera with over 1 million pixels and a Ball Axis Adjustment Megapixel Lens for precise positioning. You can easily integrate the device with your smartphone, using compatible Android and iOS apps to stream the real-time cleaning process. The advanced cleaning technology gently removes earwax and debris, providing a safe and interactive ear care experience. You can buy a Bebird EarSight Flow by clicking here.Note: Health care professionals recommend consulting with a medical expert before using any ear-cleaning device to ensure safe and proper usage.SUBSCRIBE TO KURT’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR QUICK VIDEO TIPS ON HOW TO WORK ALL OF YOUR TECH DEVICESThe Circular Ring 2 introduces a groundbreaking digital sizing method that allows you to determine your ring size using only a smartphone camera and a dedicated app. This innovative approach eliminates the traditional plastic sizing kit used by competitors like Oura Ring and Samsung Galaxy Ring.A standout feature of the Circular Ring 2 is its FDA-approved atrial fibrillation detection algorithm, which marks the first such certification in the smart ring market. The Circular Ring 2 will launch in mid-to-late January 2025 with an expected retail price of $349 to $380, depending on the finish selected (gold, silver, black or rose gold). The ring will ship in March 2025 and is notable for being subscription-free.NEW PROSTHETICS RESTORE NATURAL MOVEMENT VIA NERVE CONNECTION  The Amp Fitness machine is a groundbreaking $1,795 home gym powered by advanced artificial intelligence that transforms strength training. Featuring adjustable cable machine weights, an integrated camera and a smart companion app, the device provides dynamic workouts that adapt in real time to maximize your fitness gains. You can access hundreds of workout variations, participate in fitness challenges and even compete on a global leaderboard that tracks strength and progress. The machine's AI technology continuously analyzes performance, adjusting resistance and workout intensity to ensure you are constantly challenged and making consistent progress. The Amp Fitness machine is priced at $1,795 and is available with a $99 deposit. It is expected to ship in early 2025.COULD THESE EXOSKELETON "POWERED PANTS" MAKE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES EASIER IN THE FUTURE?The Elehear Beyond Pro is an innovative over-the-counter hearing aid that combines cutting-edge AI technology with user-friendly features. This smart hearing wearable offers real-time translation capabilities across multiple languages, making it an invaluable tool for global communication. The device also provides customizable tinnitus relief, addressing a common concern for many individuals with hearing issues. At the heart of the Beyond Pro is Elehear's proprietary Vocclear technology, which significantly enhances sound clarity and speech intelligibility. The Elehear Beyond Pro hearing aid is expected to be released later in 2025.HOW TO STAY CONNECTED NO MATTER WHERE YOU TRAVEL IN THE WORLD  Kirin Holdings has unveiled an innovative electric salt spoon that uses a mild electrical current…

The death toll from the California wildfires has climbed to 16, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner. Crews are battling to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames toward some of the city’s most famous landmarks.The medical examiner's office says five of those deaths were in the Palisades Fire, while 11 people were killed in the Eaton Fire. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has implemented a curfew in mandated evacuated areas affected by the Palisades and Eaton wildfires from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time."Law enforcement will strictly enforce this curfew for your protection and to allow emergency personnel to work effectively," the department said on X. "Your safety is always our priority." CALIFORNIANS 'ANGRY' AMID DEVASTATING WILDFIRES, ASKING WHERE HIGH TAX DOLLARS WENT: LOCAL RESEARCHERThe previous number of confirmed fatalities before Saturday was 11, but officials said they expected that figure to rise as teams with cadaver dogs conduct systematic grid searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities have established a center where people can report the missing. There were fears that winds could move the fires toward the J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, while new evacuation warnings left more homeowners on edge.By Saturday evening, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades and Eaton fires accounted for 59 square miles. Officials estimated at least 37,000 acres have burned.In a briefing posted online Saturday evening, Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services said 150,000 people in Los Angeles County were under evacuation orders, with more than 700 people taking refuge in nine shelters.Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes 1,354 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico, he said.With Cal Fire reporting containment of the Palisades Fire at 11% and the Eaton Fire at 15% on Saturday night, the fight is set to continue."Weather conditions are still critical and another round of strong winds is expected starting Monday," Traum said.ESSENTIAL PHONE NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES-AREA RESIDENTS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THEMAs of Saturday, the unincorporated community of Altadena remained closed to residents due to the Eaton Fire. The department modified evacuation orders to evacuation warnings for the following areas located inside the City of La Canada Flintridge: North of Knight Way, Gould Canyon Trail and East of Oakwood Avenue, Angeles Crest Highway at the curve to Gould Mesa Road and Starlight Crest Drive, as well as the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "An Evacuation Order is mandatory: you shall leave immediately due to imminent danger (e.g., wildfire or flood). Ignoring this puts lives at risk and may interfere with emergency efforts," the department wrote on X. "An Evacuation Warning is a precaution: be prepared to evacuate if conditions worsen. While not mandatory, it’s strongly advised to get ready to leave for your safety. These decisions are made solely to protect lives." Orders were lifted for other areas located inside the City of La Canada Flintridge, including for all residences within the city limits from Angeles Crest Highway east to Oakwood Avenue, North of Angeles Crest Highway at the curve West to Haskel Street, North of Foothill Boulevard to Knight Way and the intersection of Gould Canyon Trail at Crown Avenue, and East to Varo Road, the department said. The department also announced the re-population of communities impacted by the Eaton Fire effective at 3 p.m. local time on Friday. Orders are lifted and reopened to residents of the City of Bradbury, and Bradbury estates, as well as the City of Duarte. The department said it will "have a strong presence in the repopulated and evacuated areas for the next several days to ensure the protection of our residents and their property." "All other road closures and evacuated areas for the EATON FIRE remain in effect," the department wrote on Facebook. The National Weather Service warned that strong Santa Ana winds could soon return. Those winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires into infernos that leveled entire neighborhoods around to city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months. The fire also threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA have burned more than 12,000 structures. Firefighters for the first time made progress Friday…

Former Israel Defense Forces Major Sagi Dovev spent 20 years training young soldiers in Israel's military before retiring two years ago to start his own organization. But when he woke up on the morning of October 7, 2023, he knew everything had changed."Sirens were everywhere. I knew exactly what was going on because I'm in many WhatsApp groups for professional security," Dovev told Fox News Digital. As he witnessed the atrocities broadcast live to social media by Hamas terrorists that day, he knew war had begun.On his way to base, friends started calling to tell him that his soldiers had been wounded and were being sent to Sheba Medical Center. Dovev said he immediately turned around and headed to the hospital where he saw helicopters dropping off dozens of wounded soldiers "every few minutes."He ended up staying with one of his soldiers that day as he was rushed into surgery to have his leg amputated. But Dovev realized he couldn't leave these soldiers behind. ISRAEL HOSTAGES' FAMILIES HOLD CENTRAL PARK RALLY, CALL ON BIDEN, TRUMP TO BRING LOVED ONES HOME"When I got called back to base to train at the base, I said, I cannot leave the soldiers here at the hospital. I have to stay here and train them here," he recalled. "And that's what I've been doing since October 7."Dovev, a close combat and resilience trainer who formerly served as a special operations close combat head trainer in the IDF, has spent over a year now volunteering day and night at Sheba Hospital, helping wounded soldiers regain their strength and sense of purpose after being injured in the ongoing war in Gaza."It became even more than a job," he explained.Dovev shares inspirational videos on his social media accounts showcasing the incredible journeys these young men and women have gone through to recover not just their physical strength, but their mental strength, in dealing with devastating injuries from the war.ISRAELIS LOOK TO TRUMP AMID DEBATE ON GAZA'S FUTURE: ‘GOING TO ENABLE THINGS THAT WERE NOT POSSIBLE BEFORE’He shares stories like that of Elisha Medan, who lost both of his legs from an explosion that killed four of his teammates and critically wounded four others."But his spirit is high and his resilience is strong. He wants us to stay united (inside and outside Israel) and fight together for the future of Israel. I really hope we are going to see him one day soon, leading this country," Dovev wrote alongside a video of Medan training with Dovev.Stories like Dor Almog, a young soldier who was the sole survivor after 21 of his teammates died in a terrorist attack. Dovev shared how Almog went from being hooked up to a ventilator after the attack last January to learning to walk again to training in Krav Maga by that summer.Or stories like Gaya Zubery's, the first female soldier severely wounded in Gaza."Only a month and a half after completing her training, Gaya was severely injured while rescuing soldiers from a tank hit by an RPG in Saja’iyya. Gaya was injured in both legs and was airlifted in critical condition," he wrote in the social media post."During five months of rehabilitation, Gaya underwent numerous surgeries but maintained her fighting spirit. Her determination and resilience are truly inspiring. Gaya never wanted to be a hero; she simply wanted to save lives. Even after her injury, she says she would do it all over again," Dovev said."I started teaching them how to fight again. How to walk again, how to fight without a leg. How to punch without a leg. How to control their body to learn their new bodies. And that became a big thing," Dovev explained to Fox News Digital."This is what made them feel like warriors again. Because one day they are elite fighters or elite professional athletes, and the next day they need someone to help them take a shower or help them go to the bathroom. They have to learn their new bodies, how to become resilient again. And they do," he continued.Sometimes that means sitting by the beds of these soldiers and offering words of encouragement while they remain unconscious."We start building it from scratch, from their lowest point," Dovev said, saying each person's journey to rehabilitation can take several months to a year's time.The proud Israeli feels his calling is to help these soldiers feel strong again and to share their stories with the world, even as anti-Israel sentiment has spread across the globe since the October 7 attacks.The…

Hydrogen-powered trucks are making waves in the world of clean transportation, and the H2Rescue truck just set a new Guinness World Record to prove it. This impressive vehicle, developed by Cummins Accelera in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Defense, traveled an astounding 1,806 miles on a single tank of hydrogen.The H2Rescue truck embarked on its record-setting trip in California, carrying 386 pounds of hydrogen fuel. Throughout the journey, it navigated rush hour traffic, maintained speeds between 50 and 55 mph and operated in temperatures ranging from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. I’M GIVING AWAY THE LATEST & GREATEST AIRPODS PRO 2The truck's performance was closely monitored by a Guinness World Records adjudicator, who ensured the integrity of the test by sealing the hydrogen tank before departure.YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW FAR VOLVO'S NEW ELECTRIC SEMI-TRUCK GOES ON A SINGLE CHARGEImpressive technologyThe H2Rescue truck is powered by a Cummins Accelera fuel cell engine and a 250-kilowatt traction motor. During its record-breaking run, it consumed 370 pounds of hydrogen, demonstrating the efficiency of hydrogen fuel cell technology. The most striking aspect of this journey? The truck emitted absolutely nothing but water vapor from its tailpipe.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREBy using hydrogen instead of gasoline, the H2Rescue truck saved a whopping 664 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions compared to a conventional truck of the same size covering the same distance. This showcases the potential of hydrogen-powered vehicles in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change.TECH TURNING BIG RIGS, TRUCKS, EVEN TAKS INTO SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES The H2Rescue truck isn't just about setting records. It's designed for real-world emergency response scenarios. The vehicle can provide 25 kilowatts of power from its fuel cells for up to 72 hours without refueling, which is sufficient to power multiple FEMA trailers during critical emergency operations.Weighing 33,000 pounds, the truck is robustly built to carry essential supplies directly into disaster zones where infrastructure might be compromised. As an added innovative feature, the truck produces about a gallon of water per hour as a byproduct, which, while not a massive water source, represents a small but intriguing potential benefit in emergency situations where resources can be scarce.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?The bigger pictureThe DOE estimates that replacing traditional emergency response vehicles with H2Rescue trucks could save about 1,825 gallons of gasoline per year and reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2.8 tons. This demonstrates the significant potential of hydrogen fuel cell technology in heavy-duty transportation and emergency response applications.SUBSCRIBE TO KURT’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR QUICK VIDEO TIPS ON HOW TO WORK ALL OF YOUR TECH DEVICESAs we look to the future, hydrogen-powered trucks like the H2Rescue are paving the way for cleaner, more efficient transportation. With zero carbon emissions and impressive range capabilities, they're proving to be a viable alternative to traditional fossil fuel-powered vehicles, especially in sectors that are challenging to decarbonize.What are your thoughts on the potential of hydrogen-powered vehicles like the H2Rescue on disaster response and environmental sustainability? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.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.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's past comments on censorship have resurfaced following his decision to end fact-checking on his U.S. platforms, revealing a storied timeline of seemingly contradictory positions that appeared to put him at odds with his company.As controversy swirled over his refusal to fact-check political ads in 2019, Zuckerberg asserted that Facebook did not support censoring its users, citing his belief that people were entitled to "make their own decisions" based on the content put forth."I don't think that a private company should be censoring politicians or news," Zuckerberg said in a CBS interview at the time. META ENDS FACT-CHECKING PROGRAM AS ZUCKERBERG VOWS TO RESTORE FREE EXPRESSION ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM"I generally believe that as a principle, people should decide what is credible, what they want to believe and who they want to vote for, and I don’t think that that should be something that we want tech companies, or any kind of other company [to] do," he said in a Fox News interview that same year.He also gave a speech at Georgetown University in 2019, slamming China for throttling free speech on the internet. In 2020, Zuckerberg doubled down on his position, stating in a subsequent Fox News interview, "I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldn’t be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online. Private companies probably shouldn’t be, especially these platform companies, shouldn’t be in the position of doing that."TRUMP SAYS META HAS ‘COME A LONG WAY’ AFTER ZUCKERBERG ENDS FACT-CHECKING ON PLATFORMSBut just one month after that appearance, Zuckerberg's company Meta, then Facebook, announced it was expanding its U.S. fact-checking program, touting it at the time as "a key piece of our strategy to reduce the spread of misinformation" on the platform.In the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol riot in 2021, Facebook banned then-President Trump from the social media site. The company didn't reinstate Trump's account until January 2023. In April 2024, Zuckerberg admitted in a letter that Facebook was pressured by the Biden-Harris administration to censor Americans regarding COVID-19 content. Zuckerberg said he didn't support the decision, despite owning up to it, and expressed remorse for caving to the pressure from Biden officials.The tech mogul's prior comments were thrust back into the spotlight this week after he announced that Meta was lifting restrictions on speech to "restore free expression" across Facebook, Instagram and Meta platforms by ending its third-party fact-checking program, admitting that their content moderation practices have gone "too far."Meta’s third-party fact-checking program was first implemented after the 2016 election and had been used to "manage content" and misinformation on its platforms, largely due to "political pressure," executives said.At the time of Zuckerberg's announcement on Tuesday, ten prominent fact-checking organizations were working with the company to moderate political content in the U.S. FACEBOOK ADMITS 'MISTAKE' IN CENSORING ICONIC TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT PHOTO: 'THIS WAS AN ERROR'Reuters, USA Today, The Dispatch, PolitiFact, Agence France-Presse U.S., Check Your Fact, Factcheck.org, Lead Stories, Science Feedback, and ElDetector Univision comprised the team of third-party fact-checking partners, Facebook confirmed to Fox News Digital.They were told to prioritize "provably false claims, especially those that are timely, trending and consequential. They don’t prioritize claims that are inconsequential or contain only minor inaccuracies," according to a Meta 2024 press release.Many of these organizations lamented Zuckerberg's decision to scrap their program on Tuesday, slamming his attempt to avoid online bias as misguided and sudden.Lead Stories editor Maarten Schenk outlined his disappointment and disagreement with the move, stating that he was only informed of the ceased partnership through media reporting of Zuckerberg's decision to cut the program."Lead Stories was surprised and disappointed to first learn through media reports and a press release about the end of the Meta Third-Party Fact-Checking Partnership of which Lead Stories has been a part since 2019," he wrote on Tuesday.The Facebook fact-checker, who employs several former CNN alumni including Alan Duke and Ed Payne, has become one of the more prominent fact checkers used by Facebook in recent years. PolitiFact similarly derided the move, which ended their eight-year partnership with Meta, stating that Meta first hired them "to identify false information and hoaxes on its platforms."Neil Brown, president of the Poynter Institute, the journalism nonprofit that owns PolitiFact, called Zuckerberg's statement "disappointing." "It perpetuates a misunderstanding of its own program," Brown said of Zuckerberg’s statement. "Facts are not censorship. Fact-checkers never censored anything. And Meta always held the cards. It's time to quit invoking inflammatory and false language in describing the role of journalists and fact-checking." AFP, a global news agency based in Paris, said…

More than 92,000 people have signed a Change.org petition as of Sunday morning demanding the resignation of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as wildfires in the area continue to rage on. The petition was started by a user named "Frustrated Californian" who accused Bass of "gross mismanagement" during the natural disaster crisis, and even called her out for not being in the country when the fires started.Bass took major heat for traveling overseas to Ghana last week, which meant she was thousands of miles away from her city during the initial day of the destruction on Tuesday. "Water supplies have been severely strained, billions of taxpayer dollars have been misallocated or left unaccounted for, and countless lives have been lost," the petition reads. FLASHBACK: LA MAYOR KAREN BASS WAS ONCE CONSIDERED TOP VP CHOICE BY BIDEN, PRAISED BY OBAMA AS ‘OUTSTANDING’There are currently five active wildfires in Los Angeles County — Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth, Hurst and Archer.Bass has been active on social media since her return to the U.S., with her latest post on X and Facebook on Saturday evening."Angelenos, we're still going through it and to any of you and all of you that have experienced a loss, the grief, the anger, the just utter shock. I've seen the devastation. It is unbelievable the amount of loss that people have experienced, but we have to get through this crisis and I know that we will," she said in a minute-long video.  AURORA CULPO RIPS DEMOCRATIC LEADERS FOR LACK OF WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS, CALLS ON NEWSOM, BASS TO RESIGNPrior to drawing intense public scrutiny for her response to handling the wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, Bass was held in the highest esteem by the Democratic Party’s most prominent figures.President Biden once considered Bass to be a top contender for his vice presidential running mate in 2020, while former President Barack Obama previously predicted that she would be an "outstanding mayor" of the city.Sarah Michelle Gellar, Patricia Heaton and Jillian Michaels are among vocal celebrities providing government officials with scathing reviews."This disaster did not come out of left field," Aurora Culpo, host of the podcast "Barely Filtered," told Fox News Digital. "We were well aware of the possibility for fire, and we had the preparedness of a third world country in a place that pays some of the highest taxes in the world. Those in power should be forced to take responsibility and resign."FOX News' Gabriel Hays and Gabrielle Regalbuto contributed to this report. 

Private drones being flown near the wildfires consuming Los Angeles County continued to interfere with aerial firefighting efforts Saturday evening, according to officials, as the death toll from the flames rises.Officials have detected 48 privately owned drones flying over the fires since the infernos erupted Tuesday, Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief Robert Harris said during a briefing Saturday evening."When those privately owned drones are detected, we have to pause firefighting activities, so we ask you to please assist us by not operating drones in the area," Harris said, adding that the drones’ owners are being sought by police and will face potential prosecution.Authorities urge civilians not to fly drones near wildfires because they can get in the way of low-flying firefighting aircraft and delay emergency responders. Pilot distractions can be deadly.LIVE UPDATES: LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES DEATH TOLL RISES TO 16 AS GAVIN NEWSOM FACES NEW FIREFIGHTING FUNDING SCRUTINYOn Thursday, someone flew a private drone into the wing of a Quebec 1 Super Scooper firefighting aircraft as it carried water to battle the wildfires. Officials said the collision caused a "fist-sized hole" in the aircraft and knocked it out of service until at least Monday.The Super Scooper, which had flown down from Canada, was working to contain the Palisades Fire at the time of the incident. The pilots were unaware of the drone hit, which wasn’t discovered until they landed at Van Nuys airport and maintenance staff noticed the hole, officials said.The FAA is investigating, and a spokesperson told Fox News Digital that interfering with firefighters is a federal crime punishable by up to a year in prison and a $75,000 fine.CALIFORNIANS ‘ANGRY’ AMID DEVASTATING WILDFIRES, ASKING WHERE HIGH TAX DOLLARS WENT: LOCAL RESEARCHERMeanwhile, the death toll in connection with the wildfires has jumped to 16, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner. Five of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 resulted from the Eaton Fire.As of Saturday evening, the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco, Cal Fire said. The Palisades and Eaton fires – the two largest wildfires – have so far scorched 59 square miles.Firefighters are still working to contain the Palisades and Eaton fires. Cal Fire reported containment of the Palisades Fire at 11% and the Eaton Fire at 15% on Saturday night.With the battle set to continue, firefighters are bracing for another round of strong winds expected starting on Monday, said Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services.Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz and Julia Bonavita, along with The Associated Press, contributed to this report.

The death toll from the California wildfires has climbed to 16, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner. Crews are battling to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames toward some of the city’s most famous landmarks.The medical examiner's office says five of those deaths were in the Palisades Fire, while 11 people were killed in the Eaton Fire. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has implemented a curfew in mandated evacuated areas affected by the Palisades and Eaton wildfires from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time."Law enforcement will strictly enforce this curfew for your protection and to allow emergency personnel to work effectively," the department said on X. "Your safety is always our priority." CALIFORNIANS 'ANGRY' AMID DEVASTATING WILDFIRES, ASKING WHERE HIGH TAX DOLLARS WENT: LOCAL RESEARCHERThe previous number of confirmed fatalities before Saturday was 11, but officials said they expected that figure to rise as teams with cadaver dogs conduct systematic grid searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities have established a center where people can report the missing. There were fears that winds could move the fires toward the J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, while new evacuation warnings left more homeowners on edge.By Saturday evening, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades and Eaton fires accounted for 59 square miles. Officials estimated at least 37,000 acres have burned.In a briefing posted online Saturday evening, Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services said 150,000 people in Los Angeles County were under evacuation orders, with more than 700 people taking refuge in nine shelters.Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes 1,354 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico, he said.With Cal Fire reporting containment of the Palisades Fire at 11% and the Eaton Fire at 15% on Saturday night, the fight is set to continue."Weather conditions are still critical and another round of strong winds is expected starting Monday," Traum said.ESSENTIAL PHONE NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES-AREA RESIDENTS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THEMAs of Saturday, the unincorporated community of Altadena remained closed to residents due to the Eaton Fire. The department modified evacuation orders to evacuation warnings for the following areas located inside the City of La Canada Flintridge: North of Knight Way, Gould Canyon Trail and East of Oakwood Avenue, Angeles Crest Highway at the curve to Gould Mesa Road and Starlight Crest Drive, as well as the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "An Evacuation Order is mandatory: you shall leave immediately due to imminent danger (e.g., wildfire or flood). Ignoring this puts lives at risk and may interfere with emergency efforts," the department wrote on X. "An Evacuation Warning is a precaution: be prepared to evacuate if conditions worsen. While not mandatory, it’s strongly advised to get ready to leave for your safety. These decisions are made solely to protect lives." Orders were lifted for other areas located inside the City of La Canada Flintridge, including for all residences within the city limits from Angeles Crest Highway east to Oakwood Avenue, North of Angeles Crest Highway at the curve West to Haskel Street, North of Foothill Boulevard to Knight Way and the intersection of Gould Canyon Trail at Crown Avenue, and East to Varo Road, the department said. The department also announced the re-population of communities impacted by the Eaton Fire effective at 3 p.m. local time on Friday. Orders are lifted and reopened to residents of the City of Bradbury, and Bradbury estates, as well as the City of Duarte. The department said it will "have a strong presence in the repopulated and evacuated areas for the next several days to ensure the protection of our residents and their property." "All other road closures and evacuated areas for the EATON FIRE remain in effect," the department wrote on Facebook. The National Weather Service warned that strong Santa Ana winds could soon return. Those winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires into infernos that leveled entire neighborhoods around to city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months. The fire also threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA have burned more than 12,000 structures. Firefighters for the first time made progress Friday…

As more workers return to offices after the coronavirus pandemic, New York Democrats are pushing them into the Big Apple's subway system with policies like the new congestion fee on cars and trucks that enter busy parts of Manhattan.The new fee, criticized as a driving tax on the middle class and businesses, is meant to encourage people to take the subway, cutting down on exhaust fumes and raising money for the city's Metropolitan Transportation Authority.It costs drivers $9 if they want to travel south of Central Park or enter downtown Manhattan from Brooklyn or New Jersey.TRUMP BORDER CZAR BLASTS NY GOVERNOR FOR TOUTING SUBWAY SAFETY HOURS AFTER HORRIFIC MURDER: 'SHAME ON YOU'Scott LoBaido, a Staten Island artist and frequent critic of New York's Democratic leaders, protested the move this week with a demonstration at 61st Street and Broadway, the same intersection where supporters of the new fees celebrated when they went into effect earlier this week.He said a passerby approached him and expressed support for the new fees because they would be good for the environment.ILLEGAL CHARGED WITH LIGHTING SLEEPING WOMAN ON FIRE PLEADS NOT GUILTY"I just said, 'Excuse me, son. I don't feel like going on fire. I don't feel like getting stabbed in the back of the head," LoBaido told Fox News Digital Friday.LoBaido was referring to a string of recent subway attacks.In one, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala is accused of lighting a sleeping woman on fire, fanning the flames and watching her burn.CONSERVATIVE ARTIST HANDCUFFED DURING PIZZA-TOSSING PROTEST OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY HALLSebastian Zapeta was later arrested and allegedly told detectives he didn't remember what happened because he routinely gets blackout drunk and rides the subway, according to court documents.In another case, the NYPD arrested a man accused of knifing two strangers from behind within the subway system. On Christmas Eve, another man was arrested for an alleged unprovoked stabbing at the subway platform in Grand Central, a major hub for tourists and commuters."It's insane. You listen to somebody like Gov. Hochul, who says the subways are safe. … The guy who runs the MTA says it's all in our heads," LoBaido said. Mayor Eric Adams vowed this week to send more police officers to patrol the subway system, and Hochul sent in the National Guard last year.MAN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO CHRISTMAS EVE SUBWAY STABBINGBut while authorities insist crime is down, violence and the fear of violence continue to rise.Felony assaults increased slightly in the transit system in 2024, and subway homicides doubled to 10 last year from the five that happened in 2023. Overall subway crime was down by 5.4%, according to the NYPD.Janno Lieber, the MTA chairman, told Bloomberg News earlier this week the idea of crime has "gotten in people's heads" but claimed the trains are safe."The overall stats are positive," he told the outlet. "Last year, we were actually 12.5% less crime than 2019, the last year before COVID. But there's no question that some of these high-profile incidents, you know, terrible attacks, have gotten in people's heads and made the whole system feel less safe." On top of the arson murder and the random slashings, straphangers are still dealing with shoving attacks, many of which have been fatal as victims fall in front of moving trains, and the trial of Daniel Penny, who was arrested and charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide after he intervened in a man's violent rant of death threats.Penny was acquitted of the lesser charge, and prosecutors asked the court to dismiss the more serious one after jurors deadlocked."The Boston Tea Party started the greatest revolution in the history of civilization over a 2% tax," LoBaido said. "And this, what is happening here is pure r---."Fox News' Sophia Compton contributed to this report.

Kristian Fors, a Los Angeles County resident and research fellow at the California-based Independent Institute, says locals are wondering what their tax dollars are going toward as officials struggle to contain devastating wildfires fanned by strong winds. The wildfires have destroyed more than 12,300 homes around LA over five consecutive days, leaving at least 11 people dead and thousands displaced. As of Saturday morning, the Palisades Fire was 11% contained, the Eaton Fire 15% contained, the Kenneth Fire 80% contained, and the Hurst Fire 76% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection."I think at its core level, we, the citizens of the United States and of Los Angeles, we expect certain provisions from our government. And when people see that our basic needs are not being met, they're angry," Fors told Fox News Digital."I think the people of California — they're willing to pay high taxes. They're willing to support things that maybe they don't necessarily agree with because there is a basic assumption that underlies it all, that our government is here to take care of us," he continued. "But now in a situation like this, when there's total mismanagement, when people are scared, when there's 0% containment, people are asking themselves a question, what did all those tax dollars go for?"HELP PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES HEREFors, whose research focuses on government waste and inefficiencies in California, evacuated his home in La Cañada Flintridge, which neighbors the now-smoldering city of Altadena, with his grandfather after their next-door neighbor knocked on their door at 6 a.m. and said, "You need to leave."The research fellow pointed to multiple issues he believes could have been addressed to mitigate wildfires, including more favorable insurance policies that would encourage "a lot of productive sorts of construction" built to withstand wildfires and other natural disasters; putting fire-resistant power lines underground; turning power off when strong winds blow through certain areas; and more controlled burns.POWER GRID FAULTS SURGED RIGHT BEFORE LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES BEGAN: EXPERTFors also noted that California has been struggling to address its housing crisis for years, and displaced residents are struggling to find places to go after evacuating from their homes."[California Gov.] Gavin Newsom back in 2020 came up to a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Forest Service, and they agreed that they were going to clear … 500,000 acres of forest land per year," Fors explained. "And that means doing controlled burns, because part of the issue with living in a place like California is we're surrounded by wild lands. These wild lands accumulate brush, and that brush is incredibly dangerous. … So they came to this memorandum of understanding they were going to clear 500,000 acres, but they've only cleared about 100,000 per year."CLICK HERE TO JOIN FOX CORP IN HELPING THE VICTIMS OF THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRESLA County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone told reporters on Saturday that his department is prepared for the strong Santa Ana winds that could fan the flames through Wednesday."These winds, combined with dry air and dry vegetation, will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles County high," Marrone said.ESSENTIAL PHONE NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES-AREA RESIDENTS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THEMThe Eaton Fire has burned 14,117 acres and is now 15% contained, with over 7,000 structures damaged or destroyed. Marrone said 2,832 emergency personnel are deployed to fight the fire.Todd Hopkins, battalion chief for Cal Fire, said the Palisades Fire is now at 21,596 acres and is 11% contained. A total of 5,316 structures have been destroyed in the fire, including 426 homes. More than 150,000 residents have been evacuated, he added.Fox News' Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.

A Tennessee man is facing charges after he allegedly opened fire on a family that was sledding in the snow, purporting that the family was on his property.Benjamin Cook is facing six counts of aggravated assault in connection with the shooting, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. Additional charges could be filed pending the outcome of the investigation.The sheriff's office said deputies responded to the 6300 block of Stoney River Drive on Friday following a report that a man was shooting at a family of six playing outside in the snow.TN ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTION METHOD THAT COULD ALLOW STATE TO RESUME EXECUTIONS AFTER LAST ONE HALTED IN 2022Preliminary information from the scene showed that the parents and their four children walked down the street to go sledding down a hill in their neighborhood, deputies said.But at around 11:30 a.m., the family said they heard gunshots coming from the direction of a house down the hill near the 10400 block of Birchwood Pike. The mother said she observed snow fly up from the ground just a couple of feet from her one-year-old son.The parents immediately looked in the direction of where the shots were coming from and yelled at a man, later identified as Cook, to stop shooting. The man claimed the family was on his property, but the family responded that they were not on his property.The family then gathered their belongings and went home before reporting the incident to authorities.Deputies responded to the shooter's house and spoke to Cook. They also obtained pictures from a neighbor showing Cook in matching clothing walking through the woods carrying a black rifle slung across his back.Cook was then arrested on aggravated assault charges.TN LAWMAKER PROPOSES SENDING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS ACCUSED OF MINOR CRIMES TO SANCTUARY CITIES INSTEAD OF DEPORTINGAn investigation also revealed that the family was not on Cook's property when he began shooting.A search warrant was executed at Cook's home, where several rifles were found inside.

A survivor of the devastating Eaton Fire that devastated the Altadena area of Los Angeles County recently spoke up about his experience fighting the inferno.Justin Christie, a resident of Altadena, spoke with Fox News Digital on Saturday afternoon about his experience. As of Saturday evening, the Eaton Fire, which began on Tuesday, is only 15% contained.Christie explained that his family has lived in the area since 1967, and had never seen anything as destructive as the Eaton Fire before."[I've seen] tons of fires on this hillside," Christie recalled. "When I saw this, when I came out in the street and I saw the flames up on the hillside, something just told me this was different."NEWSOM CALLS TRUMP'S CLAIMS ‘PURE FICTION’ AFTER PRESIDENT-ELECT POINTS FINGER OVER CALIFORNIA FIRE TRAGEDY"I really got frightened, and I started to think [about] what I needed to do to prepare for it."Christie said that he was especially alarmed after seeing one of his palm trees catch on fire, which had never happened before. He quickly got all of his family members into his car and drove them away from the scene."I've never, in all the fires, never had one of our trees catch on fire," he said. "And that was the one that really said, okay…we're in big trouble."Christie later drove by to check on the status of his house – when he realized no one was going to extinguish the fire on his palm tree, Christie decided to put matters into his own hands and fight the fire himself."I thought my house, many times, was going to go," he recalled. "From 8 in the evening to 12 o'clock noon. This house here, that burned next to me, was the last one that was to put me in danger.""When that one finally calmed down…I had a little sense of relief."NEWSOM RESPONDS TO THOSE ANGRY OVER WILDFIRE RESPONSE BY POINTING FINGER AT LOCAL LEADERS, TRUMPBut Christie said that that sense of relief was short-lived before another neighbor of his suffered a fire in their garage. Though Christie's house was unscathed from that fire, the resident described the whole situation as "just shocking.""It's heartbreaking. It's just enough to make you want to cry," Christie said. "So many people just lost everything.""And I never, ever thought….we've been here for so long…I always thought we were just far enough out of the fire's reach."When thinking back to the experience, Christie described the sounds and sights of the wildfires as "incredible.""The breaking glass, the explosions from gas lines, people's propane tanks, cars catching on fire," he vividly described. "It just sounded like several freight trains coming at you."Overall, Christie said that his house's survival from the Eaton Fire was nothing short of a miracle."It was some miracle that I got a hold of the fire…the wind died down at one opportune time," he said. "And if it hadn't….it would have caught this trellis I have next to me, it would have caught my house on fire and I would have been done. And there were several times when I wanted to leave, but I didn't. I stayed."If I had left, the house would be gone. Totally gone."

Firefighters in California are battling the historic fires from the sky using a variety of effective and specialized aircraft that dump water and fire retardant over Los Angeles.The state’s fleet includes tactical planes, air tankers and helicopters. All have specific roles and capabilities but work together as a unit to combat the fires that have been raging since Tuesday and have claimed 10 lives and torched tens of thousands of acres. According to Cal Fire’s website, the fleet’s more than 60 planes and helicopters make it the largest department-owned fleet of aerial firefighting equipment in the world. Its fleet operates from 14 airfields and 11 helicopter bases across the state that can reach most fires within about 20 minutes.POWER GRID FAULTS SURGED RIGHT BEFORE LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES BEGAN: EXPERTTactical planes often lead tanker planes, with the former providing directions and coordinates to the tankers and firefighters on the ground. According to Reuters, most of Cal Fire’s tactical planes are North American Rockwell OV-10 twin-turboprop, multi-mission aircraft that served with the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force until the 1990s.Cal Fire’s fleet of tankers then drops fire retardant onto the terrain below. The Grumman S-2T tanker, with its two turboprop engines, is the agency’s workhorse and can hold about 1,200 gallons of fire retardant. Cal Fire also operates larger C-130 Hercules four-engine turboprop aircraft, which can dump about 3,000 gallons per load. Cal Fire owns a fleet of helicopters, including Bell UH-1H Super Hueys and Sikorsky S70i Black Hawk helicopters. These helicopters can each carry water in buckets hanging below the aircraft to douse the flames.John Mixson, a retired U.S. Coast Guard helicopter search and rescue aircraft commander, told Fox News Digital the buckets, known as bambi buckets, can drop water accurately."They can get to any lake or reservoir, and they're able to lower the bucket down into the water and then pinpoint deliver their payload. So, it's a little more accurate than the fixed wing, but it's a little less in quantity of either suppressant or water," Mixson said. "The helicopters can carry enough water to put out fires, of course, depending on the size of the fire. They also can saturate the ground to prevent fire from spreading. The buckets range in size due to the capacity of the helicopter carrying them, some only 70-ish gallons, some more than 2,000 gallons."HELP PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES HERETwo Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper turboprop planes have also been deployed to battle the deadly infernos.The Pentagon said Friday that two military C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with a firefighting system are now on the scene, according to Military.com.Six more C-130 airplanes are expected to be ready by Sunday. Some of the aircraft had to be refitted with firefighting systems because they were being used for cargo purposes. The fires have come outside the traditional firefighting season.The scooper planes refill by descending to calm waters and skimming the water’s surface to load their tanks. They then release the water to douse a blaze and repeat the process until they need to refuel.Super Scoopers have been loading up with saltwater from the Pacific Ocean, although this is fairly rare and typically avoided because it can damage equipment, infrastructure and wildlife, Frank Papalia, a former New York City Fire Department lieutenant and a fire safety expert at Global Security Group, told Fox News Digital.Freshwater, whenever possible, is preferred because salt content is corrosive and can damage equipment like hoses and pumps.ESSENTIAL PHONE NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES-AREA RESIDENTS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP"In this case, your city is burning to the ground, so using the saltwater is not that bad," he told Fox News Digital. Additionally, fire hydrants don't use saltwater because they are not corrosion-resistant, but firetrucks can use saltwater. They just have to be close enough to get it and require thorough cleaning afterward. Fire retardant isn’t dumped directly onto the fires. Instead, the chemical is dropped in front of a fire, directing its course or slowing its advance and giving ground crews a chance to control or extinguish it. Retardants can also be released to protect homes or important sites and to keep access roads open.The substance is typically made of a mixture of water, fertilizer, a thickening agent and red dye. The red dye is added so firefighters can see the retardant against the landscape.CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE INTO FIFTH CONSECUTIVE DAY WITH DEATH TOLL CLIMBING, FRESH EVACUATIONSThe pilots who man these aircraft are known as aerial firefighting pilots, or waterbombers. Mixon says pilots are from different backgrounds, but many previously served in the military. They typically…

Members of Congress from California on Saturday toured the ruins in Altadena and northern Pasadena caused by the still raging Eaton Fire.Rep. Judy Chu, whose congressional district includes the communities most impacted by the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County, led Members of Congress from California on a tour of destroyed neighborhoods and streets.The Eaton Fire expanded to more than 14,100 acres with 15% containment, Cal Fire reported Saturday night. About 7,000 structures have been scorched.POWER GRID FAULTS SURGED RIGHT BEFORE LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES BEGAN: EXPERT"I was so grateful to my colleagues in Congress from California who were able to drop everything and demonstrate to Los Angeles County and the entire nation that we as Californians have each other’s backs," Chu wrote in a statement released after the tour. The Pasadena Police Department and City of Pasadena officials spoke with the members about ongoing fire containment and disaster relief efforts."Pasadena officials imparted on my colleagues how difficult the rebuilding process will be and the massive support they need from the federal government to be successful," Chu wrote. "They also highlighted how many Black families, who found refuge from segregation and redlining in Altadena and parts of Pasadena, have lost all the generational wealth they successfully built up. My colleagues then witnessed streets, neighborhoods, and community institutions entirely razed to the ground."DISTRAUGHT LA MOM CONFRONTS NEWSOM OVER FLAILING WILDFIRE RESPONSEEstimates of damage and economic loss on Thursday increased to $135 billion, according to AccuWeather, a private company that provides data on weather and its impact.Chu said she looks forward to working with her colleagues to secure disaster relief funding necessary for recovery and rebuilding. CLICK HERE TO JOIN FOX CORP IN HELPING THE VICTIMS OF THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRESShe added she will push for legislation "to prevent disasters like this from occurring again.""Across every level of government, partnership is absolutely essential to successfully respond to natural disasters and deliver immediate and long-term relief to those who’ve lost loved ones or returned to their home or business to find nothing left," Chu wrote. "The victims of the fires in Southern California will rely on Congress to pass – on a bipartisan basis – emergency disaster appropriations to support a long recovery. … We have a long road in front of us, but like in any other part of America, Californians deserve disaster relief that will give us the ability to rebuild."The Members of Congress in attendance included: House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33); House Financial Services Ranking Member Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43); Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA-38); Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35); Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34); Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37); and Rep. Luz Rivas (CA-29).

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said he will continue to use every resource at his disposal to ensure that residents impacted by Hurricane Helene stay warm, as winter storms sweep across the state – potentially affecting power grids and other critical infrastructure impacted by the prior storm.Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) temporary housing assistance will end Saturday for thousands of North Carolina residents, some of whom are facing frigid temperatures this weekend in the Appalachian Mountain region."At our request, FEMA has extended temporary shelter assistance through Tuesday in light of the winter storm impacting western North Carolina," Stein's office confirmed to FOX Business.AMERICANS SPENDING THANKSGIVING IN TENTS AS HEAT, ELECTRICITY, FOOD STILL HARD TO FINDThe Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which cannot be requested and was only granted to survivors identified by FEMA beginning in October, was set to end on Friday and later pushed back to Saturday.FEMA's local disaster recovery centers will be closed through Monday, "due to winter weather.""I will continue to use every resource at my disposal to get folks into safe and warm shelter," said Gov. Josh Stein.North Carolinians started receiving letters on Jan. 3 informing them their hotel or motel rooms would no longer be covered, Fox News Digital reported. When eligibility ends, they are given a week's notice to check out.HUNDREDS OF LA HOMES EXPECTED TO BURN IN WILDFIRESThousands of Hurricane Helene survivors continue to be supported by the program in western North Carolina, following the September storm.There are currently 5,600 households currently checked into hotels, according to FEMA.The agency said those with questions about eligibility should contact the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362.  Fox News Digital's Audrey Conklin and Brooke Singman contributed to this article.

OTTAWA-After President-elect Trump mused about using "economic force" to acquire Canada as the 51st state during his Mar-a-Lago news conference on Tuesday, outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded on social media that "there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States."However, as Trudeau announced on Monday his plan to resign as prime minister once the Liberal Party that he leads chooses his successor, the biggest pushback to Trump’s pitch to annex Canada – and his planned 25% tariffs on exports from the country – has come from the premier of Canada’s most populous province, Ontario.Doug Ford, a former businessman and conservative like Trump who has served as Ontario’s 26th premier since 2018, told Fox News Digital in an interview that the president-elect’s targeting Canada is both "crazy" and "ridiculous."He said the bilateral focus should be on "strengthening" what the Canadian government calls a nearly trillion-dollar two-way trade relationship to "make the U.S. and Canada the richest and most prosperous jurisdiction in the world."WHO IS PIERRE POILIEVRE? CANADA'S CONSERVATIVE LEADER SEEKING TO BECOME NEXT PRIME MINISTER AFTER TRUDEAU EXITAt a Toronto news conference on Monday following Trudeau’s resignation announcement, Ford chided Trump with a "counteroffer" to his Canada-as-a-51st state idea. "How about if we buy Alaska and throw in Minnesota?" the premier said at Queen’s Park, Ontario’s legislature.Ford jokingly told Fox News Digital that he heard from Canadians after making those remarks that he should have chosen "somewhere warmer, like Florida or California.""California never votes for him anyway," he added.At his Monday news conference, Ontario’s premier said that "under my watch," annexing Canada "will never, ever happen."  Ford is also taking Trump’s tariff threat seriously.Last month, his Progressive Conservative government launched a multimillion-dollar U.S. ad campaign on television and streaming apps touting Ontario as an "ally" to generate "more workers, more trade, more prosperity, more security.""You can rely on Ontario for energy to power your growing economy, and for the critical minerals crucial to new technologies," says the 60-second ad.Ford said the 25% tariff against Canada, which Trump plans to implement on his first day in office on Jan. 20, would hurt millions of American and Canadian workers."Nine million Americans produce products for Ontario alone every single day," he said. "The problem is China shipping goods into Mexico and Mexico slapping a made-in-Mexico sticker."JUSTIN TRUDEAU'S RESIGNATION MET WITH GLEEFUL REACTION FROM CONSERVATIVES ONLINE: ‘THE WINNING CONTINUES!’Ontario is ready to take retaliatory measures "that will really send a message to the U.S." in response to the imposition of U.S. tariffs, said Ford, who was involved in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement during the first Trump administration, but would now like Canada to have separate deals with the U.S. and Mexico."It’s unfortunate because retaliation is not good for either country," he offered, noting that Ontario is the top exporter to 17 states and the second largest to 11 others. "The last thing I want to do is hurt those people," said Ford. "I want to create more jobs in the U.S., more jobs in Canada. And we can do that by making sure that we toughen up and put tariffs on places like China."By way of example, he said that "someone in Texas who purchased a GM pickup truck made in Oshawa, [Ontario] might have paid between $50,000 and $60,000," and with a tariff, "would be paying 70 some-odd thousand.""It just doesn’t make sense whatsoever," Ford said. He would like to have a face-to-face meeting with Trump and said he has reached out to U.S. senators and governors to make that happen. A sit-down with SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk – whom Trump appointed to co-lead, with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, the proposed "Department of Government Efficiency" – is also on Ford’s wish-list.Ford said Trump "doesn’t realize" that Ontario is the U.S.’s third-largest trading partner, amounting to about US$344 billion in 2023, "split equally down the center."Ontario’s premier said he wants to ship more electricity and critical minerals to the U.S., which "needs us like we need them." TRUMP REACTS TO TRUDEAU RESIGNATION: ‘MANY PEOPLE IN CANADA LOVE BEING THE 51ST STATE’In 2012, the premier and his late brother, Rob, who was mayor of Toronto at the time, met Trump, along with his daughter, Ivanka, when they were in the city to open the former Trump International Hotel and Tower, now unaffiliated with The Trump Organization and known as The St. Regis Toronto.Ford, who ran a Toronto-based family business, Deco Labels & Flexible Packaging, before entering…

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Saturday denounced new U.S. sanctions against Moscow's energy sector as an attempt to harm Russia's economy at the risk of destabilizing global markets and said the country would press on with large oil and gas projects.A ministry statement also said that Russia would respond to Washington's "hostile" actions, announced on Friday, while drawing up its foreign policy strategy.RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER BLASTS UKRAINE PEACE DEAL REPORTEDLY FLOATED BY TRUMP'S TEAM: 'NOT HAPPY'The statement said the measures amounted to "an attempt to inflict at least some damage to the Russian economy, even at the cost of the risk of destabilizing world markets as the end approaches of President Joe Biden's inglorious tenure in power.""Despite the convulsions in the White House and the machinations of the Russophobic lobby in the West, trying to drag the world energy sector into the 'hybrid war' unleashed by the United States against Russia, our country has been and remains a key and reliable player in the global fuel market."The measures constituted the broadest U.S. package of sanctions so far targeting Russia's oil and gas revenues, part of measures to give Kyiv and the incoming administration of Donald Trump leverage to reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine.The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, which explore for, produce and sell oil as well as 183 vessels that have shipped Russian oil, many of which are in the so-called shadow fleet of ageing tankers operated by non-Western companies.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the measures would "deliver a significant blow" to Moscow. "The less revenue Russia earns from oil ... the sooner peace will be restored," he said.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - The Biden Administration has been blasted by the incoming Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho., for "waiting" until the outgoing President had only 13 days left in office before declaring rebel actions in Sudan, a country torn apart by 21 months of bitter war, to be "genocide."Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that members of the Sudanese rebel group, the Rapid Support Forces or RSF, "have committed genocide in Sudan." In a statement, Blinken said, "The United States is committed to holding accountable those responsible for these atrocities. We are sanctioning RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa, known as Hemedti, for his role in systematic atrocities committed against the Sudanese people."BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN ACCUSED OF ‘TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE’ TO SAVE THE PEOPLE OF WAR-TORN, FAMINE-STRICKEN SUDANBlinken made his rulings, he stated, because "the RSF and RSF-aligned militias have continued to direct attacks against civilians, have systematically murdered men and boys—even infants—on an ethnic basis, and (have) deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence."The Secretary continued, "Those same militias have targeted fleeing civilians, murdering innocent people escaping conflict, and prevented remaining civilians from accessing lifesaving supplies."Blinken added that the African nation is suffering through "a conflict of unmitigated brutality that has resulted in the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe, leaving 638,000 Sudanese experiencing the worst famine in Sudan’s recent history, over 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, and tens of thousands dead."Risch has held out that the situation in Sudan has been catastrophic for well over a year, and called into question the timing of Blinken’s declaration. In a statement earlier this week, he wrote, "It has been nearly a year since I introduced a resolution calling the atrocities in Sudan what they are: a genocide. Additionally, I first called for Global Magnitsky sanctions to be imposed against the RSF and Hemedti 263 days ago – and yet these sanctions still have not been leveraged."BIDEN TRAVELS TO AFRICA WHERE POLICIES WERE ‘OVER-PROMISED AND UNDER-DELIVERED,' AMID MASSIVE CHINA EXPANSIONRisch spoke to Fox News Digital, declaring, "The Biden Administration waited until it has less than two weeks in office to sanction RSF-affiliated companies and Hemedti for their crimes and to call atrocities in Sudan a genocide."Risch said, "This neglect to address the crisis in Sudan weakened America’s influence in the region and the world years ago. If the Biden Administration backed its rhetoric with action, Sudan would be in a better position today, more lives would be saved, and the foreign proxies exacerbating this conflict would be kept at bay."Risch added, "This war must end. Further instability in Sudan will only breed terrorism and regional turmoil, threatening global security. The U.S. and our allies must seek to end the killing and atrocities, end the malign actions by proxies, manage migration pressures from mass displacement and protect strategic interests like the Red Sea corridor."UAE, OTHER COUNTRIES REMOVED FROM INTERNATIONAL MONEY LAUNDERING WATCHLISTIn a statement to Fox News Digital, the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Thomas Perriello, said "Making an atrocity determination is an immense responsibility that the Secretary takes seriously.  Such determinations are based on a careful review of the facts and the law. It requires information not only of certain acts but also that those acts were done with the specific intent to destroy, in whole or in substantial part, a racial, ethnic, national, or religious group. Information demonstrating intent is often difficult to find and assess." "Since the start of the conflict the United States has taken repeated action to promote accountability of the RSF for its atrocities conduct. The U.S. already had sanctioned five RSF leaders, including two of Hemedti’s brothers. We also determined in December 2023 that members of the RSF committed ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. So the designation of Hemedti and the genocide determination reflect a consistent effort to document and call out atrocities, acknowledge the suffering of victims and survivors, and pursue justice and accountability."In his declaration, Blinken announced new sanctions stating, "We are also sanctioning seven RSF-owned companies located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and one individual for their roles in procuring weapons for the RSF."The Treasury Department also sent out a statement, virtually simultaneously to the one from State, saying "the RSF's ability to acquire military equipment and generate finances continue to fuel the conflict in Sudan." Treasury stated one particular company in the UAE, owned by a Sudanese national  "has provided money and…

President-elect Donald Trump issued a warning ahead of the inauguration of contested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who took up the top job for a third term on Friday. Despite significant opposition both at home and abroad to the July election in which Maduro claimed victory without providing ballot-box proof, the Venezuelan leader, deemed a "dictator" by American lawmakers, is now set to hold office until 2031.On Thursday, opposition leader María Corina Machado emerged from months of hiding to join hundreds of anti-Maduro protesters in the capital city of Caracas and demand that opposition candidate Edmundo González be sworn in instead.TWO AMERICANS ARRESTED IN VENEZUELA ON EVE OF MADURO INAUGURATION OVER ‘TERRORISM’ CLAIMSMachado was briefly detained by government security forces after they "violently intercepted" her convoy as she attempted to leave the protests, the Associated Press reported.Trump took to social media to demand she remain "safe and alive.""Venezuelan democracy activist Maria Corina Machado and President-elect Gonzalez are peacefully expressing the voices and the will of the Venezuelan people with hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating against the regime," he wrote. "These freedom fighters should not be harmed, and must stay safe and alive."The opposition figure was apparently forced to record several videos before she was released, though the details of those recordings remain unclear. THOUSANDS OF VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS TAKE TO THE STREETS AHEAD OF MADURO'S THIRD INAUGURATIONMaduro’s supporters have reportedly denied that Machado was arrested.On Friday, the Biden administration backed the efforts by the opposition leaders and, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, "President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia should be sworn in, and the democratic transition should begin."Today, Nicolás Maduro held an illegitimate presidential inauguration in Venezuela in a desperate attempt to seize power. The Venezuelan people and world know the truth – Maduro clearly lost the 2024 presidential election and has no right to claim the presidency," the secretary said in a statement. "The United States rejects the National Electoral Council’s fraudulent announcement that Maduro won the presidential election and does not recognize Nicolás Maduro as the president of Venezuela. "We stand ready to support a return to democracy in Venezuela," Blinken added. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Friday slapped a new round of sanctions on the Maduro regime, this time targeting "officials who lead key economic and security agencies enabling Nicolás Maduro’s repression and subversion of democracy in Venezuela."Eight officials were named in the sanctions, including the recently appointed head of Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA, Hector Obregon, as well as the nation’s transportation minister, Ramon Velasquez, according to a statement by the department."In addition, OFAC is sanctioning high-level Venezuelan officials in the military and police who lead entities with roles in carrying out Maduro’s repression and human rights abuses against democratic actors," the statement said. Maduro was also once again targeted by Washington's sanctions, and the reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction was increased to $25 million.The same amount was offered up for the Venezuelan Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, along with a $15 million reward for Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino. Members of the military and police were also named in the sanctions. Blinken confirmed on Friday that some 2,000 Maduro-aligned individuals have had visa-restrictions imposed on them.

President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday that his team is in the works of setting up meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. "He wants to meet. And we're setting it up," he told reporters during a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago club regarding Putin. "President Xi – we've had a lot of communication. We have a lot of meetings set up with a lot of people. "I'd rather wait until after the 20th," he added in reference to his inauguration date later this month."President Putin wants to meet," Trump added. "We have to get that war over."RUSSIA MONITORING TRUMP’S ‘DRAMATIC’ COMMENTS ON GREENLAND ACQUISITIONTrump pointed to the "staggering" casualty rates endured by both Russia and Ukraine and suggested the number of civilian casualties was also likely to be considerably higher than what has been reported. The Kremlin confirmed Trump’s comments on Friday and said it was ready "to resolve problems through dialogue," reported Russian news agency Tass.The Trump-appointed special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Gen. Keith Kellogg, told Fox News Digital that he has set a goal to end the war in Ukraine within 100 days of taking up the top job. Kellogg described the war as "carnage" but said he was confident that Trump can end the war in the "near term."The retired three-star general told Fox News' "America Reports" on Thursday that he and Trump are going to make sure the cease-fire agreement is "fair" and "equitable," though he did not detail what this means as far as withdrawing Russian forces from Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders. Trump has not detailed how he intends to end the three-year-long war, though he suggested he could support Putin’s demand that Ukraine be barred from entering the NATO alliance, and told reporters Thursday he "could understand [Putin’s] feeling about" not wanting NATO "on their doorstep."Prior to its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow already had four nations on its borders that were members of the international security alliance, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Finland then joined NATO in 2023, applying for membership just 3 months after the Feb. 22, 2022 invasion. Moscow and Kyiv have made clear that stipulations surrounding Ukraine's NATO membership are non-negotiable. NATO LEADERS PREDICT ERA OF 2% DEFENSE SPENDING 'PROBABLY HISTORY' AS TRUMP REPORTEDLY FLOATS HIGHER TARGETTrump did not detail when he could meet with the Chinese president, and it remains unclear if Xi has plans to meet personally with him.Trump reportedly invited Xi to his inauguration ceremony, though Beijing said it would instead send a top-level envoy, which is more inline with tradition. In his final meeting with President Biden in November, Xi had expressed a willingness to work with the former and soon-to-be president of the United States.However, Trump, who once said he and Xi "love each other," in late-November promised to hit China with 60% tariffs and then this week said he would consider using military action to seize the Panama Canal, which the U.S. returned to Panama in 1979 before then ending its partnership over control of the strategic thoroughfare in 1999."The Panama Canal is vital to our country and its being operated by China – China. We gave the Panama Canal to Panama – we didn’t give it to China," he added. Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the Panama Embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment.The Trump transition team did not respond to questions by Fox News Digital over concerns of sparking a military confrontation with China in Panama. 

Lebanon’s political landscape has undergone a dramatic shift with the election of Joseph Aoun as president. After more than two years of political deadlock, the Lebanese Parliament elected the army commander on Thursday with 99 out of 128 votes. Aoun’s election represents a significant achievement for the anti-Hezbollah camp, reflecting the weakening influence of the powerful Shia terrorist organization within Lebanon’s political system. Despite this, experts say Hezbollah remains a formidable force in the country, and the challenges Aoun faces in balancing Lebanon's internal politics and foreign relations remain immense.For much of the past two years, Hezbollah worked tirelessly to block any movement toward the election of a new president. The group had strongly opposed Aoun’s candidacy. However, as the political situation evolved and the ousting of Assad from Syria unfolded, Hezbollah was ultimately forced to accept Aoun, who secured the presidency. "Hezbollah had been opposed to his election for the last two and a half years and had blocked any process toward electing a president for all that time. Now, they’ve voted for him in the second round, which indicates they are in a bind, that they are weaker, and their leverage is not what it was," Vice President for International Engagement at the Middle East Institute Paul Salem told Fox News Digital.ISRAEL DEGRADES IRAN-BACKED HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS IN SPECTACULAR PAGER EXPLOSION OPERATION: EXPERTSSalem points to the broader shift in regional politics, notably the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, which has left Hezbollah increasingly isolated. "They are now not only cut off from Iran, but they're also isolated in the region. They're the only Shiite community between here and Basra, and it’s a Sunni takeover of Damascus, which used to be dominated by a friendly Alawite, pro-Iranian regime. It’s a huge historic shift that leaves the Shiites and Hezbollah deeply isolated. Hezbollah’s future is worse than its present," he added.The U.S. and Israel, along with other Western and Arab powers, have long sought to distance Lebanon from Hezbollah’s influence, and Aoun’s election could be a step in that direction.Aoun, a Maronite Christian and the commander of the Lebanese army, took office with a strong message focused on Lebanon’s sovereignty. In his inaugural speech, he emphasized the necessity for the state to have a monopoly on the use of force.David Schenker, former head of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. State Department under the first Trump administration, remarked that Aoun’s speech was both a positive and pragmatic step for Lebanon. "He talked about disarming all groups and ensuring that weapons are under the control of the state," Schenker said. "This was a good move, as it shows a commitment to sovereignty and the rule of law."CHRISTIAN LEADER IN LEBANON URGES US, ALLIES TO INTERVENE TO STOP HEZBOLLAHHowever, Schenker, who is currently the Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics, cautioned that Aoun’s position as president does not grant him absolute power in Lebanon’s political system. "The president is not the most powerful position in Lebanon. The key position will be the prime minister. It remains to be seen whether Aoun will show the same courage in his new role that he demonstrated as chief of staff," Schenker noted.Though Hezbollah has been militarily weakened by recent Israeli campaigns and the assassination of its leader Hassan Nasrallah, among other key leaders, it still retains significant influence, particularly in southern Lebanon. However, Schenker says the organization’s ability to intimidate Lebanon’s population is diminishing. "Hezbollah isn’t the force it was. It can still reactivate its killing machine if needed, but it no longer dominates the way it did before," he said."Hezbollah has calculated that they’ve lost this battle against Israel, and then they lost another battle in Syria. So their interest now is to lay low, have a president and government that’s acceptable to the U.S. and the region, which, at the end of the day, they hope will protect them from any further Israeli incursions and help their people," Salem explained. "They need a functioning government to secure international aid for the millions displaced by their actions in southern Lebanon. It’s about survival for them, not just politically, but financially."Aoun’s election is not only significant for Hezbollah’s position in Lebanon, but also for the country’s relations with external powers like the U.S. and Israel. Lebanon has faced economic collapse, with its currency devalued by over 99%, and nearly 80% of the population now living below the poverty line. Hezbollah’s…

TAIPEI, Taiwan - The United States should increase and promote both official and unofficial contacts with Taiwan’s government and the Taiwanese military during President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, regardless of the inevitable Beijing response of "anger" and "hurt feelings," analysts say. Exchanges between U.S. officials, scholars, as well as members of think tanks, foundations, and institutes, will be crucial for accurate information to be relayed to both the American and Taiwanese public and their respective governments, say experts.On Thursday, a delegation from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute met with Taiwan President William Lai, Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung. TRUMP CABINET PICKS DELIGHT TAIWAN, SEND STRONG SIGNAL TO CHINA"We deeply appreciate the bipartisan support from our American friends and welcome delegations from the U.S. and like-minded nations," Lin told Fox News Digital in exclusive comments. The foreign minister added, "These visits demonstrate concrete support for Taiwan and contribute to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, essential for global security and prosperity." Speaking from Taipei, David Trulio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, told Fox News Digital, "We met with the President, Vice President, Foreign Minister, and other government leaders to advance President Reagan’s legacy and our shared values of freedom and democracy, economic opportunity, and peace through strength." Describing Taiwan as "a vibrant democracy and key economic partner of the United States," Trulio added that visits to Taiwan – by U.S. civil society groups, foundations, think tanks, and official U.S. government officers – serve as "valuable opportunities to maintain relationships with Taiwan’s leaders, address challenges and opportunities, and visibly promote shared values." The Reagan Foundation, comprised of national security and business leaders, met with representatives from all three of Taiwan’s main political parties, as well as top Taiwanese government officials, during a weeklong visit to Taiwan, a self-ruled island that has never been governed by Communist China. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and never misses a chance to make bombastic statements against what it calls "secessionist forces." Chinese President Xi Jinping’s 2024 New Year’s address included claims that "reunification" was a "historical inevitability," despite the two sides being separately ruled for more than 70 years. Beijing refuses to pledge to use only peaceful means to achieve "unity" with Taiwan and says it reserves the option of using military force.While Foreign Minister Lin did not directly reference pre-U.S. election comments by then-Republican candidate Trump that "Taiwan should pay us for defense," he did not sidestep the issue. In comments to Fox News Digital, Lin said, "Taiwan has increased its defense spending by over 80% since 2016, reaching US$20 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. In 2025, if the special budget for military procurement is included, Taiwan’s total military spending is expected to account for 20% of the central government’s annual budget—higher than that of the U.S."CHINA OFFICIALLY 'DOESN'T CARE' ABOUT TRUMP WIN; UNOFFICIALLY, EXPERTS SAY BEIJING IS RATTLEDThis is the Reagan Foundation’s second time leading a delegation to Taiwan in as many years. A recent poll conducted by the foundation showed roughly 70-75% of Americans – Democrats and Republicans alike – would support strong measures should China make the ill-advised choice to use military force against Taiwan. For example, a significant majority agreed that should there be an attack, the U.S. should immediately recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. The current reality is that China faces significant domestic challenges and is not in a position of strength. In 2022, despite threats of "dire consequences," then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, and the Chinese response was hardly "dire." The following year, after Republicans took control of the House, the then-President Tsai Ing-wen met with then-Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy during a stop in California, a historic first meeting between a Taiwanese president and a U.S. House speaker on U.S. soil. China responded with three days of war games and a simulated blockade of the island, but those exercises and maneuvers demonstrated no new capabilities that the U.S. or Taiwanese defense departments were not aware of already. Speaking after meeting with McCarthy in 2023, President Tsai told the media, "To preserve peace, we must be strong," clearly paraphrasing former President Ronald Reagan. VOTERS WANT MORE US INVOLVEMENT ON WORLD STAGE DESPITE ISOLATIONIST TALK, RONALD REAGAN INSTITUTE SURVEY FINDS"China can and will huff and puff over visits, especially ones involving in-office U.S. government personnel," Liam Keen told Fox News Digital via email. "But we cannot allow the theatrics of mock blockades and firing rockets into the sea to in any way deter…

President-elect Donald Trump's victory in November's election has given hope to Brazil's former leader Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently barred from running for public office until 2030 due to a ruling by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court. Known as the "Trump of the Tropics," the court decision stemmed from his alleged abuse of power and "unfounded attacks on the country’s electronic voting system."Despite the prohibition, Bolsonaro and his supporters are actively seeking avenues to overturn the ruling. The expected legal challenges and political strategies pin a lot of hope on Trump. Furthermore, Bolsonaro is counting on the president-elect to exert pressure on the government of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) so he can challenge for the presidency in 2026."Trump’s victory goes far beyond being positive for democracy in Brazil and the world; it is good news for global peace," Bolsonaro’s son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, told Fox News Digital. He noted how "President Lula, days before the election, had expressed support for Kamala Harris and suggested that a new Trump administration would be ‘Nazism in another form.’ However, after Trump’s victory, Lula congratulated the president-elect and tried to downplay his earlier, widely criticized statement."BRAZIL’S FORMER PRESIDENT BOLSONARO AND AIDES INDICTED FOR ALLEGED 2022 COUP ATTEMPTNonetheless, key Lula allies, including the leader of the Workers Party, Gleisi Hoffmann, along with Finance Minister Fernando Haddad and Agriculture Minister Paulo Teixeira, have lambasted the incoming Trump administration.Bolsonaro believes Trump’s victory will put the present government in a bind."Lula and his team know they will not be able to control Trump, so their only option is to try to destroy him by aligning themselves even further with China. The result is the continued political polarization and debates far removed from the true concerns of the population, which seeks solutions for issues like healthcare, education, security, employment, and basic sanitation. This disconnect from ordinary citizens strongly resembles the reasons behind the Democratic Party’s defeat in the last American election – it’s almost a ‘déjà vu.’"Lula and BRICS countries have discussed ways to combat the dominance of the dollar in global financial markets, but Bolsonaro argues that such a strategy will be counter-productive. "Trump announced on his social media that countries adopting this stance would face a 100% tariff on their exports to the U.S. Such a conflict never occurred during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency, whether under Trump or Biden," he said, adding, "This situation will create significant pressure on Lula’s business base. A large portion of these entrepreneurs maintain substantial trade relations with the U.S. and are often the largest donors to the socialist’s electoral campaigns. Despite ideological alignment in some areas, these businesspeople prioritize economic pragmatism."The BRICS countries include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.Bolsonaro also views the Bolsonaro/Trump ideological alignment on freedom of speech issues as a key component to a potential return of Bolsonaro to the political realm.BOLSONARO BANNED FROM RUNNING FOR OFFICE FOR 8 YEARSIn March 2022, Minister of the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil Alexandre de Moraes ordered the suspension of the messasging app Telegram in Brazil, and in 2024, he ordered X to block accounts allegedly spreading false information. Elon Musk publicly criticized these orders as censorship. The dispute escalated when de Moraes imposed fines and threatened legal action, leading to a temporary suspension of X’s operations in Brazil. The platform resumed services after complying with court mandates. The last opinion polls conducted in May 2024 indicated that Bolsonaro would secure 39% of the vote in a hypothetical matchup against current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who polled at 47%. However, experts consider these figures to be hypothetical, given Bolsonaro’s current ineligibility. At the same time, Bolsonaro’s popularity has been rising again in recent months. The relationship between some Republicans and Lula’s administration has been characterized by limited direct engagement, primarily due to differing ideological stances and policy priorities. Historically, the Republican Party has maintained closer ties with right-leaning Brazilian leaders, notably President Bolsonaro, who shared similar conservative viewpoints.BRAZIL ELECTION: LULA DA SILVA WINS PRESIDENCY AS NATION SWINGS LEFT — WILL BOLSONARO ACCEPT THE RESULTS?Political analyst Sandra Bronzina told Fox News Digital, "Not long ago Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar sponsored a measure to deny visas to members of the Brazilian Supreme Court for abuse of power. At the time, the measure was not approved, but now that the Republicans will have a majority, it could be revisited. We cannot forget that Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Brazilian Supreme Court, was in direct confrontation with Elon Musk, even removing X from Brazil. It…

Aides to Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said she was detained Thursday, followed moments later by official denials, in a confusing episode that capped a day of protests seeking to block President Nicolás Maduro from clinging to power.It's not clear exactly what transpired after Machado bid farewell to hundreds of supporters, hopped on a motorcycle and raced with her security convoy through the empty streets of eastern Caracas to an undisclosed location.At 3:21 p.m. local time, Machado’s press team said in a social media post that security forces "violently intercepted" her convoy. Her aides later confirmed to The Associated Press that the opposition hardliner had been detained, and international condemnation immediately poured from leaders in Latin America and beyond demanding her release.But about an hour later, a 20-second video of Machado was posted online by a Maduro supporter in which the opposition leader said she was followed after leaving the rally and that she had dropped her purse. "I'm good, I'm safe," Machado said in a raspy voice, adding "Venezuela will be free."THOUSANDS OF VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS TAKE TO THE STREETS AHEAD OF MADURO'S THIRD INAUGURATIONHer aides later said in a social media post that the proof-of-of-life video message had been coerced, and that after recording it she was freed. They said she would provide details of her "kidnapping" later.Meanwhile, Maduro supporters denied that she was detained and gloated that government opponents were trying to spread fake news to generate an international crisis. "Nobody should be surprised," Communications Minister Freddy Nanez said. "Especially since it's coming from the fascists, who were the architects of the dirty trick."Earlier Thursday, Machado addressed hundreds of supporters who heeded her call to take to the streets a day before the ruling party-controlled National Assembly was scheduled to swear in Maduro to a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost the presidential election."They wanted us to fight each other, but Venezuela is united, we are not afraid," Machado shouted from atop a truck in the capital minutes before she was reported detained.Machado, 57, is a hardliner former lawmaker who stayed and fought against Maduro even after many of her allies in the opposition leadership fled, joining an exodus of some 7 million Venezuelans who’ve abandoned their homeland in recent years.Loyalists who control the country's judiciary banned her from running against Maduro last year. In a deft move, she backed an unknown outsider — retired diplomat Edmundo González — who crushed Maduro by a more than two-to-one margin, according to voting machine records collected by the opposition and validated by international observers.González, invoking the title of president-elect recognized by the U.S. and other countries, was among those who demanded Machado's release in the immediate aftermath of what was believed to be her shock arrest."To the security forces, I warn you: don't play with fire," he said in a social media post from the Dominican Republic, where he met with President Luis Abinader and a delegation of former presidents from across Latin America.There was a relatively small turnout for Thursday's protests as riot police were deployed in force. Venezuelans who’ve witnessed Maduro’s security forces round up scores of opponents and regular bystanders since the July election were reluctant to mobilize in the same numbers as they have in the past."Of course, there’s fewer people," said empanada vendor Miguel Contrera as National Guard soldiers carrying riot shields buzzed by on motorcycles. "There’s fear."Those demonstrators that did show up blocked a main avenue in one opposition stronghold. Many were senior citizens and dressed in red, yellow and blue, answering Machado’s call to wear the colors of the Venezuelan flag. All repudiated Maduro and said they would recognize González as Venezuela’s legitimate president.The deployment of security forces as well as pro-government armed groups known as "colectivos" to intimidate opponents betrays a deep insecurity on the part of Maduro, said Javier Corrales, a Latin America expert at Amherst College.Since the elections, the government has arrested more than 2,000 people — including as many as 10 Americans and other foreigners — who it claims have been plotting to oust Maduro and sow chaos in the oil rich South American nation. This week alone, masked gunmen arrested a former presidential candidate, a prominent free speech activist and even González’s son-in-law as he was taking his young children to school."It’s an impressive show of force but it’s also a sign of weakness," said Corrales, who co-authored this month an article, "How Maduro Stole Venezuela’s Vote," in the Journal of Democracy."Maduro is…

Venezuelan opposition parties and their supporters - including leader Maria Corina Machado, who had been in hiding - protested around the country on Thursday in an eleventh-hour effort to put pressure on President Nicolás Maduro, one day before he is due to be sworn in for his third six-year term.The opposition and the ruling party are locked in an ongoing dispute over last year's presidential election, which they both claim to have won.The country's electoral authority and top court say Maduro, whose time in office has been marked by a deep economic and social crisis, won the July vote, though they have never published detailed tallies.VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER MARÍA MACHADO HAS URGENT MESSAGE FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMPThe government, which has accused the opposition of fomenting fascist plots against it, said it will arrest opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez should he return to the country and has detained prominent opposition members and activists in the lead-up to the inauguration.The opposition says Gonzalez, 75, won in a landslide. It has published its own vote tallies as evidence, winning support from governments around the world, including the United States, which consider Gonzalez the president-elect.Machado, who is the country's most popular opposition leader but who was barred from running in 2024, joined a protest in Chacao in eastern Caracas at around 2:20 p.m. local time (18:20 GMT), dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans and waving a Venezuelan flag from the top of a truck."They lost the streets, which are ours, they are barricaded in Miraflores (presidential palace)," Machado told the crowd. "From today we are in a new phase."Her appearance marked her first public outing since August when she went into hiding at an unknown location.Machado, 57, urged protesters to peacefully flood the streets and repeatedly asked members of the police and military - who guarded polling stations during the election - to back Gonzalez's victory."I'm not afraid, I lost my fear a long time ago," said 70-year-old Neglis Payares, a retired central bank worker, as she gathered with other opposition supporters in western Caracas in the morning."We don't know how many of them have their heart on our side," she added, gesturing at security forces who had gathered near the protest.2 AMERICANS ARRESTED IN VENEZUELA ON EVE OF MADURO INAUGURATION OVER ‘TERRORISM’ CLAIMSReuters witnesses estimated some 7,000 people had gathered in Caracas by around 2:20 p.m. local time. In the days after the election, thousands also took to the streets.Maduro, 62, has been in power since 2013. He has the vociferous support of leaders in the armed forces and the intelligence services, which are run by close allies of powerful Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello."I am convinced nothing will happen," Cabello said on state television on Monday. "But that doesn't mean we will lower our guard."The military's financial interests make loyalty shifts unlikely, said BancTrust, a London investment bank, in a note. "A limited military rebellion would entail significant risks for those involved, thus diminishing incentives to participate," it wrote.Security forces set up checkpoints around the country.In the western oil city of Maracaibo, an opposition protest of dozens of people was quickly dispersed by motorcycle-mounted security forces by late morning. In central Valencia, protesters gathered at another location after initially being met with tear gas.Opposition supporters also gathered in San Cristobal, near the border with Colombia, in the western city of Barquisimeto and in eastern Puerto Ordaz."I'm here because we need to get rid of this government. We have no money, we have no work," 62-year-old housewife Roisa Gomez said at a protest in the central city of Maracay. "I'm fighting for my vote, which I cast for Edmundo Gonzalez. They cannot steal the election."Soon afterward, security forces used tear gas to disperse the Maracay protesters.Many of the demonstrators were of retirement age and said they wanted change so their migrant children and grandchildren would return to the country. More than 7 million Venezuelans live abroad.The ruling party was holding rival marches nationwide, images of which were broadcast on state television."We've come out to show that there is a democracy. On this side are the patriots who will be sworn in with Nicolas (Maduro), on the other side are fascists who want (foreign) intervention, war, to sell their country," said 50-year-old Caracas motorcycle taxi driver Manual Rincon.Gonzalez, who has been on a tour of the Americas this week and met with U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump's national security advisor, has repeatedly pledged to return to Venezuela but given no details…