When you drive on Route 40 in southern New Jersey, youre reminded why its called the Garden State. For Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, these verdant fields and small Victorian towns are both an opportunity and a challenge.Currently, Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill holds about a five-point lead in polling averages. But in 2024, when polls showed President Donald Trump losing New Jersey by double digits, he ended up losing by only six. Ciattarelli himself also beat polling expectations, even while losing the 2021 governors race.NJ SHOWDOWN: CIATTARELLI PILES ON DEM RIVAL AFTER HEATED DEBATE WITH SCATHING NEW ADSPut simply and both campaigns know this if the polls today are off in similar ways to recent cycles, Ciattarelli may already be leading.On Friday, the Republican nominee will headline a rally in the southern shore town of Wildwood, joined by local officials and conservative personalities such as Jack Posobiec and Scott Presler.The event underscores not only the importance of South Jersey in the race but also the level of enthusiasm and voter interest Republicans need to drive turnout in this mostly rural and exurban region.In deep-blue enclaves like Newark or Hoboken, a canvasser can knock on 100 doors on a single block during a get-out-the-vote effort. And make no mistake: public-sector unions backing Sherrill will be doing just that, as well as driving voters to the polls.In much of Cape May County, though, thats impossible. The homes are too far apart and the land too sparsely populated.It may not be the only way to overcome this ground-game disadvantage, but one of the best is voter enthusiasm. That enthusiasm, too, can drive voters to the polls if a bit less literally than a volunteer can.On this front, Ciattarelli had some good news in a recent Fox News poll showing that 50% of his supporters are enthusiastic about the election, compared with 42% for Sherrills.In Wednesday nights debate, the final one of the race, Ciattarelli worked hard to stay positive and focused on issues such as lowering energy prices perhaps the biggest concern on voters minds as well as improving infrastructure and education.Tellingly, the highlight of Sherrills performance was a bizarre accusation that her opponent was responsible for the deaths of "tens of thousands" of New Jerseyans because a medical publishing company he once owned printed materials about pain relief.The accusation may be silly, but the tactic is not. Ugly campaigns with mud slung far and wide dampen voter enthusiasm, and thats often a recipe for Democratic victory in New Jersey.Another bit of good news for Ciattarelli is that he has made this a close race with almost a month still to go. In his failed 2021 campaign, he surged late and came up just short. We saw something similar across the Hudson River in the 2022 New York governors race, when Lee Zeldins late push wasnt enough to overcome Gov. Kathy Hochul.This time, Ciattarelli has a full month of a competitive race to sell his vision to the people of the Garden State not to convince them he has a shot, as before, but to show them he can make the state a better place.On a final note, Sherrills TV ads so far have focused almost entirely on tying her opponent to Trump. A couple of weeks ago, that probably looked like money well spent.But today, Trump sits on the verge of brokering peace in the Middle East and securing the release of hostages held by Hamas accomplishments for which even some of his harshest critics are begrudgingly giving him credit.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONIn this environment, Ciattarellis "I like Trump, but Im not Trump" approach could bear electoral fruit. Voters who view the Trump presidency as a catastrophe will never vote Republican, but the number of such voters appears to be declining.Ill be at Fridays rally, which will also include a memorial service for Charlie Kirk. Well see just how much enthusiasm the event can bring to Ciattarellis campaign.In May 2020, Trump held a rally in Wildwood that drew unexpectedly huge crowds at a time when his return to the White House still seemed like a long shot. It breathed life into his campaign.That day in Jersey was a turning point for Trump. On Friday, on those same beaches of Wildwood, Ciattarelli will be looking for some similar mojo.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DAVID MARCUS

Publicly, the White House says the latest strikes in the Caribbean are aimed at cartel infrastructure. Privately, some analysts suspect the campaign is calibrated to do something else: weaken longtime U.S. foe Nicols Maduros grip on power.President Donald Trump is ramping up pressure on the Venezuelan regime, striking four boats in the Caribbean Sea linked to drug trafficking networks tied to Caracas over the past month. Alongside those strikes, the U.S. has repositioned three destroyers, an amphibious assault ship, a nuclear-powered attack submarine and a squadron of F-35s to Puerto Rico a deployment that has prompted one question in Washington and across the region: is the United States preparing for all-out war on Caracas?So far, defense analysts say that seems unlikely. A ground invasion would require far more troops than are currently in the theater between 50,000 and 150,000 by some estimates.Somewhere around 10,000 troops have been repositioned in Latin America, a senior defense official told The New York Times.WAR ON CARTELS? WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT HAS AN IRON-CLAD CASE TO STRIKE NARCO-TERRORIST GROUPS"The U.S. just doesnt have enough forces there," saidMark Cancian, a senior defense adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "What I think theyve put in place is the capability to launch strikes at either the cartels or the Maduro regime. If I had to bet, its probably against the cartels but I wouldnt rule out something against the regime."That limited but flexible posture reflects what some experts call a modern form of coercive diplomacy."It sort of looks like were in the throes of a 21st-century version of gunboat diplomacy," saidBrandan Buck, a foreign policy analyst at the Cato Institute. "The Trump administration is doing what it can to force some sort of transition [of] power out of Maduros hands and into someone elses without a classic invasion."The pressure campaign has accelerated this year. The administration raised the bounty on Maduro Venezuelas kleptocratic leader for more than a decade to $50 million, and officials familiar with internal discussions say Trump has grown frustrated with the dictators refusal to step aside. Diplomatic outreach to Caracas was reportedly suspended this week.While the Pentagon continues to frame the campaign as counter-narcotics, the U.S. militarys posture now allows for much more.Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Washingtons evolving approach reflects a growing willingness to confront the regime directly."There appears to be growing appetite to confront Maduros regime directly including potentially land-based strikes within Venezuela," Berg said. "The force posture currently in the southern Caribbean is consonant with the potential for precision strikes using Tomahawk missiles or other weapons, but without risking the lives of U.S. service personnel."Behind the scenes, Berg noted, the administration has taken steps to prepare the legal ground for such action."The clearest signal yet is the legal justification for anon-international armed conflict," he said. "That tells us several departments Office of Legal Counsel were tasked with building the case for potential strikes."The White House continues to describe the operation as homeland defense stopping drug and fentanyl shipments before they reach U.S. shores but analysts say Venezuelas unique role in the drug trade blurs that line."Under Maduro, Venezuela is a criminal regime," Berg said. "What makes the threat unique is that the regime controls the institutions of the state and its military to move drug shipments and participate in other illicit economies."CARTEL CONNECTION: HEZBOLLAH AND IRAN EXPLOIT MADUROS VENEZUELA FOR COCAINE CASHThat dynamic means targeting cartels could also destabilize the regime that depends on them.Brent Sadler, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation and retired Navy officer, said striking cartel networks could ultimately make Maduros rule unsustainable."The Maduro regime is reliant on the cartels to maintain its bottom line and stay in power," Sadler said. "If you weaken the cartel backing of the regime, then the regime itself becomes unsustainable. You dont have to go in guns blazing you let it crumble under its own weight."Cancian said the expanding U.S. presence at sea and in the air "indicates this thing may end up being larger or go on longer than expected." Any strikes against cartel production facilities inland, he added, risk bleeding into regime targets such as intelligence or defense ministries."They could easily strike the intelligence service or the Ministry of Defense," Cancian said. "Thats where things could start to blur."But Democrats have accused Trump officials of trying to get the U.S. roped into another war. Republican senators on Thursday blocked an effort led by Senate Democrats to curb Trumps war powers with a resolution stating Trump does not have the power to authorize strikes without approval from Congress.The potential for retaliation remains a wild card. Venezuelas conventional forces are weak, but analysts warn that the regime could rely on its cartel allies or proxy networks to strike back indirectly."Maduro could facilitate their retaliation," Cancian said. "That could mean attacks on DEA agents or American citizens in the Caribbean. The cartels have the ability to do that."So far, few regional actors appear willing to come to Maduros defense. Berg said even many of the regimes neighbors would quietly welcome his fall."Many would be secretly happy to see him go," he said. "But youd expect a few voices [President Gustavo] Petro in Colombia, [President Inacio] Lula in Brazil to object to the use of force."MADURO CLAIMS US SEEKS 'REGIME CHANGE THROUGH MILITARY THREAT' AMID CARIBBEAN BUILDUPErik Suarez, a Venezuelan-born political activist, said the hemisphere is already dividing over the issue."We can divide South America [into] two sides," he said. "Lula in Brazil and Petro in Colombia are aligned with Maduro, but many others Ecuador, Peru, Guyana, and Caribbean states see Venezuela as a major threat because of mass migration and the spread of drug traffickers and terrorists."Suarez said the Maduro regimes alliances with armed groups and terror networks make it not just a domestic problem but a direct threat to U.S. security."Venezuela represents a huge national security threat not only ideologically, but to homeland security," he said. "Theyve issued passports to Hezbollah members and targeted dissidents abroad. Keeping Maduro in power is a long-term danger to the U.S."That view is shared by Venezuelan opposition leaders in the U.S. and many Latin Americans who fled communist dictatorships and their descendants, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.Even if Washington succeeds in toppling Maduro, rebuilding Venezuela would be a monumental challenge. The countrys opposition led by Mara Corina Machado and 2024 President-elect Edmundo Gonzlez Urrutia has legitimacy but faces the task of stabilizing a shattered state."The opposition has had months to prepare for governing," Berg said. "Theyre full of plans to get Venezuela back on a path of development and greater security."

Federal investigators say a Florida man has been arrested in connection with one of the most destructive wildfires in California history, a blaze that began as a New Years spark, charred some 7,000 structures and killed 12 people.According to federal prosecutors, 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht allegedly ignited a fire just after midnight on Jan. 1 along the Temescal Ridge Trail above Pacific Palisades. What began as a small brush fire on federal land soon roared into an inferno that would later reignite as the Palisades Fire, scorching more than 200 acres across the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.In a strange twist, authorities say that after the fire, Rinderknecht turned to ChatGPT, reportedly asking the artificial intelligence whether he might be responsible for the disaster.A criminal complaint filed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) details the sequence of events leading up to the fire and Rinderknechts arrest. Federal prosecutors have charged him with arson of property receiving federal financial assistance, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Below is a detailed timeline of the events, drawn from the federal complaint.PALISADES FIRE SUSPECT HELD WITHOUT BONDA sequence of events leading up to Rinderknechts arrest on Oct. 8, according to a criminal complaint filed in the Central District of California.WHO IS JONATHAN RINDERKNECHT, PALISADES FIRE SUSPECT ACCUSED OF SPARKING DEADLY BLAZE?ARREST MADE IN CONNECTION TO DEADLY PACIFIC PALISADES FIRE, SOURCES SAYREAD THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT APP USERS, CLICK HEREFox News Digital's Pilar Arias contributed to this report.

LeAnn Rimes opened up about how she has overcome difficult times in her life.During a recent interview with Us Weekly, the 43-year-old country star, who made her return to acting in the new spinoff series "9-1-1: Nashville" on Thursday, reflected on reaching her lowest points and shared how she has persevered through lifes challenges."We all have to break and not just once. It will happen often. Rock bottom looks different for everybody [but] you have a choice," Rimes said. "In my darkest moments, its always been about, How do I find the light again?"Rimes has spent most of her life in the public eye after achieving success at a young age. The singer was just 13 when she rose to fame in 1996 with the hit song "Blue," becoming a sensation for her remarkably mature vocals.LEANN RIMES DISCUSSES FIGHTING DEPRESSION, ANXIETY: 'I HAD SO MUCH UNDERLYING GRIEF'That same year, she released her critically acclaimed debut album "Blue," which premiered at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart. In 1997, Rimes won the Grammy Award for best female country vocal performance for "Blue" and became the youngest person ever to receive the Grammy for best new artist at 14.After breaking through in country music, Rimes crossed over into pop with hits including 1997s "How Do I Live," which set several records on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA.Rimes 1997 album "You Light Up My Life" topped both the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums charts, further cementing her crossover appeal. By 17, Rimes had sold more than 20 million records worldwide.However, Rimes early success did not come without challenges. Over the years, she has been candid about struggling with her mental health and the pressures of child stardom.The day after her 30th birthday in 2012, Rimes entered a 30-day inpatient treatment facility for issues related to anxiety, stress and emotional exhaustion.While speaking to Business Insider in 2022, Rimes recalled being in a "very, very dark place" at the time."I had never been alone," Rimes remembered. "There was always someone around, whether it be a parent or a manager, an agent or a publicist, or a husband, or whatever it was.""It was just time," she said of entering treatment. "It was time for me to break away from my deep codependency and to figure out what was chemically going on to be able to take care of myself."Speaking with Us Weekly, Rimes explained that being a child star often felt isolating."I was this kid in a very adult world, so I always felt like an outcast," she said. "The whole industry had this camaraderie that I wasnt included in because I was so young."Rimes said her own experiences motivated her to become a coach on the singing competition TV series "The Voice Australia" in 2024. She later served as a coach on "The Voice UK" that same year."It was important for me to go on those shows and be able to mentor other people, because I didnt have that," she said.In her interview with Us Weekly, Rimes said the lifetime achievement that gives her the most pride is surviving the pitfalls of child stardom noting that many others have died young."I'm proud of being here, because a lot of people that start at my age dont see 43," she said. "Ill cry talking about it, but Im really proud of the fact that Im doing good and Im thriving."LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"Ive gone through so much, and Im in awe. It just feels like this massive evolution into someone who is grounded in humanity and not running away from those aspects of myself," Rimes continued. "Thats what Im most proud of that what you see is what you get with me."During a 2024 interview with the Scottish Sun, the "Cant Fight the Moonlight" hitmaker reflected on how she handled the pressures of fame compared to other child stars whose struggles played out in public."Oh no, I didnt avoid it," Rimes admitted. "I mean, I did [go off the rails]. I definitely had my breakdowns, just like any human does. You go through those dark times in your life and you grow from them, hopefully and I did.""Look, I have plenty of trauma from being in this business," she added. "Youre gonna have it, whether youre a child or not."The actress has also spoken about how public scrutiny intensified as she entered adulthood. In 2009, she faced heavy backlash after it was revealed that she was having an affair with actor Eddie Cibrian. The two first met while co-starring in the Lifetime movie "Northern Lights" that same year a project that marked her debut as a leading actress in a scripted drama.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERAt the time, both were married Rimes to backup dancer Dean Sheremet, whom she wed in 2002, and Cibrian to TV personality Brandi Glanville, whom he married in 2001. Cibrian and Glanville share two sons, Mason, 22, and Jake, 18.The scandal erupted after Us Weekly published photos and surveillance footage showing Rimes and Cibrian on a romantic date. Both initially denied the affair, though Rimes later admitted to it.Both marriages ended in divorce in 2010, and Rimes and Cibrian married the following year in a private ceremony.In a 2010 interview with People, Rimes admitted she considered the affair with Cibrian "one of the most selfish things that I could possibly do, in hurting someone else.""I take responsibility for everything I've done. I hate that people got hurt, but I don't regret the outcome," she added.Rimes has described experiencing cycles of praise and harsh criticism both as a child star and during her affair with Cibrian."I've been built up and torn down, built up and torn down," she told People in 2012, via Taste of Country. "It's been difficult to tune people out, especially in the last few years."During a 2025 appearance on the "Flow Space" podcast, Rimes said she felt she had become a symbol for peoples anger over infidelity amid the controversy surrounding her relationship with Cibrian.BRANDI GLANVILLE SAYS SHE AND LEANN RIMES ARE LIKE SISTER WIVES AFTER A DECADE OF FIGHTING"I realized very quickly that there are a lot of women whove been hurt. Like, Ive been on both sides of that coin Ive been cheated on, too, so I know that feeling," she said, according to People. "But so many women dont know what to do with that anger.""I was a target that was just easily projected upon," Rimes continued. "And once I realized that, things got a lot easier.""I know what Im responsible for in the situation and making amends for that," she added. "But you know, the worlds pain is not mine to carry, and I think that really got thrown at me for a long time."Since the affair and public fallout, Rimes and Glanville have reconciled and developed a close relationship. "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star has spoken warmly of the blended family she shares with Rimes, Cibrian and her two sons even joking on social media that she and the "Life Goes On" singer are like "sister wives."In her interview with Us Weekly, Rimes who celebrated 14 years of marriage with Cibrian in April 2025 reflected on how their relationship has evolved over time."If I look back at our relationship, Im really in awe of the things that weve endured and how weve grown together," she said. "The place were in now is just so comfortable and calm and quiet. We really find our quiet together. Thats really important."In addition to her personal and professional struggles, Rimes has also been candid about the health challenges she continues to face.The singer has openly shared that she continues to manage anxiety and depression. In 2015, she revealed she had been diagnosed with the chronic skin condition psoriasis when she was two years old. In 2020, Rimes posted a nude photo on Instagram taken during a psoriasis flare-up, writing in the caption that she was "finally" embracing her condition.During her interview with Us Weekly, Rimes recalled how she felt about posting the image."It was such a moment of relief because I had been hiding that for so long," she said. "The same with my mental health and now with perimenopause. Every time I talk about it, I set myself and someone else free.""For so long, it did feel like I was hiding so much of myself," Rimes continued. "It did allow for the insecurity of thoughts Ive had in the past about Im not pretty, Im not good enough. I did learn how to love myself through all of my different incarnations."Rimes also reflected on what she considers the key to thriving at 43."As you get older, theres so much that has to be done in order to maintain and take care of your body and your mind," she said. "Thriving for me is really becoming disciplined about my health and my goals. That just allows me the space to be able to do whatever I want to from that place of really grounded care."

Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather criticized CBS News on Thursday for making journalist Bari Weiss its editor-in-chief, as well as acquiring her independent news outlet, "The Free Press."Rather, age 93, argued on his Substack page that the hiring of the anti-woke reporter, as well as CBS coming under the control of billionaire David Ellison whose father is a friend of President Donald Trump meant that CBS News will be catering to the Trump agenda."The American people will pay the price for this move, as will the journalists of CBS News who can no longer credibly serve as watchdogs because the ones they are meant to hold to account are signing their paychecks and hobnobbing with the president," the veteran journalist wrote.At one point, he warned, "It is a dark day in the halls of CBS News."FCC APPROVES PARAMOUNT-SKYDANCE MERGER FOLLOWING TRUMP SETTLEMENT, COLBERT CANCELLATIONCBS parent company, Paramount, named Weiss the editor-in-chief of CBS News on Monday following the companys acquisition of "The Free Press" for $150 million. The move angered liberal journalists and media figures, as Weiss outlet has made waves for challenging DEI, gender ideology, and supporting Israel.Rather questioned Weiss credentials."The former opinion writer for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times is not a reporter. She has never worked in television news and she has never led a staff larger than a few dozen," Rather wrote. "That all changed this week when David Ellison, whose Skydance Media recently acquired CBS, installed Weiss in a position created for her. She will not report to the president of CBS News as one might expect but to David Ellison directly."BARI WEISS JOINS CBS NEWS AS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, PARAMOUNT BUYS FREE PRESS FOR $150 MILLIONThe former CBS anchor also addressed Weiss recent statement that she wants to combat illiberalism on both the right and left in her new role, criticizing her for going after both sides when one side has Trump."While one must keep an open mind, it is hard to do so when such a statement portends a push for bothsidesism and arguments reliant on false equivalences. There can be no equivalences drawn between the two political extremes in this country, especially when one extreme is led by a man who rarely speaks without lying."Weiss hiring comes months after Paramounts merger with Skydance that resulted in Ellison, the former Skydance CEO, being named CEO of the new joint company. In addition to being close to Trump, Ellisons father, Larry, is a pro-Israel tech mogul worth around $300 billion.CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWSRather continued, saying that the deal and hiring of Weiss are "signals to everyone, especially to the man in the Oval Office, that CBS is no longer independent, but under the tutelage of a conservative billionaire who is putting more than his thumb on the scale.""Anything that runs afoul of Trumps agenda may be flagged and is unlikely to be aired unaltered, if aired at all. No journalist or their work can remain unaffected by toiling in such an environment," he said."It is a dark day in the halls of CBS News, where the portraits of television news pioneers once hung Cronkite, Murrow, Sevareid, Collingwood. They were journalists who made television a trusted source of information. Whom and what are we to believe today?" Rather asked.Rather stepped down from his role as "CBS Evening News" anchor in 2005 and left the network the following year after reporting a discredited story about then-President George W. Bush.CBS News declined to comment on this story. Fox News Digital also reached out to Paramount.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Now that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire and hostage deal, the White House is shifting focus to its next diplomatic goal: expanding the landmark Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states."Theres a lot of positive momentum that will pick up," a senior administration official told reporters Thursday evening after the deal was signed. "Hopefully this will lead to much better sentiment and the opportunity to expand the Abraham Accords to really just change the tone in the region."During President Donald Trumps first administration, the accords brought the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco into normal relations with Israel. Saudi Arabia had been next on the list."We passed on to the Biden administration that Saudi was ready to go if they engaged," said the official. "A deal could have been done in six months. We outlined the parameters of their interests and wished them luck. But they didnt focus on that for a couple of years. Then a lot happened in the region October 7 and the war in Gaza created a black cloud and shifted sentiment. The mood today is certainly better than it was even a few days ago."TRUMP'S LANDMARK DEAL IS THE REAL KEY TO PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EASTAn official pointed to a range of countries that could be next in line for normalization. "I think theres a lot of opportunity to get back to work on Saudi-Israel normalization, and on Indonesia-Israel," the official said. "We were talking with Mauritania last time. Youve got Algeria, Syria, Lebanon. Theres a whole host of countries and now there are more formal relations with Qatar. Were going to start that trilateral mechanism very soon."Israel began drawing down its troop presence in Gaza on Friday under phase one of the agreement but will continue to occupy roughly 53% of the territory until the next phase. Hamas has 72 hours to release the remaining hostages, living and dead.Roughly 200 U.S. troops already stationed in the Middle East will be sent to Israel to oversee the ceasefire and ensure humanitarian aid flows into Gaza. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized "Up to 200 U.S. personnel, who are already stationed at CENTCOM, will be tasked with monitoring the peace agreement in Israel, and they will work with other international forces on the ground."TRUMP TEASES TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST AS GAZA PEACE DEAL TALKS CONTINUESaudi Arabia has long insisted that normalization with Israel must be tied to tangible progress toward Palestinian statehood though that condition has never been clearly defined. The kingdom is also seeking a formal U.S. defense assurance as part of any broader regional deal.The U.S.-brokered 20-point ceasefire proposal stops short of guaranteeing Palestinian statehood but suggests that, as Gaza reconstruction proceeds and the Palestinian Authority reasserts control in the enclave, "the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people."An administration official acknowledged that the agreement remains fragile and that deep mistrust persists between Israel, Hamas and other Arab governments.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"It was important for [Trump] to send another message to the Arab mediators and through them to Hamas," the official said. "He wanted them to know he was standing behind every principle and aspect of the Trump 20-point plan for peace, guaranteeing that everyone involved would act in good faith and keep their commitments.""Theres just a lot of mistrust between the Israelis and Hamas, and also among some of the other Arab governments," the official added. "For all the obvious reasons."

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the Pentagon has agreed to host a new Qatari air force facility in Idaho, saying that the nation has played a "core part" in securing the Gaza peace deal."Today, were announcing a letter of acceptance in building a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at theMountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho," Hegseth said.The facility will train Qatari pilots how to fly F-15 fighter jets. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Bryan Kohberger drove for hours after the Idaho student murders before surveillance cameras caught him calmly shopping and using a self-checkout register.Police in Moscow, Idaho, have released hours of surveillance videos they would have used as evidence at trial if the 30-year-old former criminology Ph.D. student hadn't pleaded guilty at the last minute to avoid the potential death penalty.The clips offer a glimpse at how police were able to trace his movements even though he had his phone shut off at the time of the murders, and how the socially awkward murderer tried to get into a Costco store but was apparently turned away without showing a membership card.IDAHO POLICE CHIEF REVEALS NEW DETAILS ABOUT BRYAN KOHBERGER STUDENT MURDER INVESTIGATIONOn Nov. 13, 2022, Kohberger crept into a rental house and killed four of the six students inside. They were Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.All but Kernodle are believed to have been asleep at the start of the murders, carried out with a Ka-Bar knife after a masked Kohberger crept into the house around 4 a.m.The murder weapon was never recovered, but the killer dropped a Ka-Bar knife sheath near Mogen's body. Police found his DNA on it.INSIDE THE HORROR: IDAHO FOUR CRIME SCENE PHOTOS REVEAL BLOODY AFTERMATH OF ATTACKAt a news briefing after Kohberger's sentencing in July the first police held since his arrest on Dec. 30, 2022 detectives said they believed they would have found him without the knife sheath by focusing on the suspect vehicle.The videos include numerous clips taken by surveillance cameras throughout the route to and from the crime scene, showing what appears to be Kohberger's white Hyundai Elantra in various locations before and after the murders.Kohberger had several minor encounters with police in Moscow and nearby Pullman, Washington, before the slayings, even though he'd only been studying at Washington State University for a few months. The stops, which were recorded on police bodycam video, helped detectives link him to the vehicle.He also changed his license plate after the murders, switching from a Pennsylvania registration to a local one.Kohberger is serving four consecutive life sentences with no chance of parole, plus another 10 years. As part of the plea deal, he waived his rights to appeal or seek a future sentence reduction.Fox News' Olivia Palombo and Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.

Allies are standing behind former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter as the California Democratic gubernatorial hopeful faces a political firestorm sparked by videos of her that have been circulating online.In one of the videos, Porter became agitated with a reporter and nearly cut an interview short. In an older video that Politico reported is from 2021, the politician snapped at a staffer to "Get out of my f[---]in' shot!" after the person entered the video frame behind Porter.Teamsters California had previously endorsed Porter for governor, with co-chairs Peter Finn and Chris Griswold saying in a statement last month that "Teamsters are ready to mobilize, organize, and do whatever it takes to ensure Katie Porter is our next governor."They doubled down this week in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.KATIE PORTER CAUGHT ON VIDEO SCREAMING GET OUT OF MY F-----G SHOT!' AT STAFFER DURING 2021 CALL"In this critical moment in our country, we dont need to be polite, go along to get along, establishment politicians that keep getting run over by the oppositionwe need strong leaders like Katie Porter that are willing to call it like it is and stand up and fight for everyday Californians," Finn and Griswold said in the Oct. 9 statement.Democratic Rep. Dave Min of California previously endorsed Porter for governor and isn't changing his tune now.KATIE PORTER INTERVIEW GOES VIRAL AS JOURNALISTS MARVEL AT DEMOCRAT'S MELTDOWN"Katie Porter is a fighter, shes smart as a whip, and as a single mom, she understands the issues Californias working families are facing. She would make a great governor, and Im proud to support her," Min said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United, which endorsed Porter, called the Golden State gubernatorial hopeful "one of the toughest, most authentic leaders Ive ever met" in a Thursday post on X.KATIE PORTER'S THIRD CONTROVERSIAL VIDEO IN ONE WEEK SHOWS TENSE EXCHANGE WITH STAFF OVER STUDIO LIGHTINGCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFox News Digital reached out to Porter's campaign on Friday, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

John Lodge, the legendary bassist and vocalist of The Moody Blues, has died. He was 82.In a statement shared with Fox News Digital on Friday, Lodge's family said that he died "suddenly and unexpectedly." The family added that Lodge "peacefully slipped away surrounded by his loved ones and the sounds of The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly."Birmingham-born Lodge joined The Moody Blues in 1966, two years after its formation, along with fellow singer Justin Hayward, following the departure of Denny Laine and Clint Warwick. He remained with the band until they stopped performing live in 2018.MIKE PINDER, MOODY BLUES CO-FOUNDER AND KEYBOARDIST, DEAD AT 82Lodge was a pivotal force behind the groups groundbreaking fusion of orchestral rock and psychedelia.His contributions to albums like 1967's "Days of Future Passed" and 1968's "In Search of the Lost Chord" set the tone for the rock movement.Lodge was also featured on the 1977 album "Octave," which saw The Moody Blues embrace a more pop-oriented sound.ALLMAN BROTHERS GUITARIST DICKEY BETTS DEAD AT 80His career with The Moody Blues was far from over when the band released their final studio album, "December," a collection of Christmas songs, in 2003.The band continued to take the stage until 2018 the same year they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"As John would always say at the end of the show, thank you for keeping the faith," his family noted in their statement.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERLodge is survived by his wife, Kirsten, whom he married in 1968. The couple had two children, Emily and Kristian, with the former being referred to on The Moody Blues song "Emilys Song" from the 1971 album "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour."Known for his deep faith, Lodge was also an Evangelical Christian, a belief he credited for helping him stay grounded throughout his long career in the rock world.The Associated Press contributed to this report.