A pair of human traffickers received sentences of 10 and 6.5 years on Wednesday following the deaths of an Indian family, including two children, who froze during a blizzard in 2022 while attempting to illegally cross the northern border into the U.S. from Canada.Announcing the sentences, U.S. District Judge John Tunheim said, "The crime in many respects is extraordinary because it did result in the unimaginable death of four individuals, including two children," according to AP.The outlet reported that Tunheim said, "These were deaths that were clearly avoidable."This follows a jury in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, finding the two, Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, and Steve Shand, 50, guilty on four counts, including conspiracy to bring migrants into the country illegally.Patel, who is an Indian national, received a sentence of nearly 11 years. Shand, a U.S. citizen from Florida, received 6.5 years with two years supervised release. AP reported that neither of the men showed any emotions as they received their sentences.ICE IDENTIFIES JET SKI SUSPECTS IN AIR FORCE CADET CANDIDATE'S DEATH AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTSThis follows the 2022 deaths of Jagdish Patel, his wife, Vaishaliben, who were both in their 30s, and their children: daughter Vihangi, 11, and son Dharmik, 3, all of whom froze to death in January 2022 while attempting to illegally cross into Minnesota via an operation coordinated by Patel and Shand. The family members were not related to Patel.The family was among 11 migrants in the same group who made the treacherous crossing to Minnesota that January. After only seven made it across, the family was found dead the next day by Canadian authorities. The seven others, determined to be Indian nationals, were stopped by U.S. Border Patrol in North Dakota near Minnesota.Prosecutors said Patel, who was also known as "Dirty Harry," organized the scheme, and Shand was the driver. Both men were involved in an international smuggling ring that helped Indians illegally cross the border.A Wednesday statement by the U.S. Department of Justice said that the recorded wind chill temperature on the morning of the incident was -36 degrees.AP reported U.S. prosecutor Michael McBride wrote the father died while trying to shield Dharmiks face from a "blistering wind" with a frozen glove. Vihangi was wearing "ill-fitting boots and gloves," and the mother "died slumped against a chain-link fence she must have thought salvation lay behind."TEXAS BORDER SHERIFF SAYS ILLEGAL CROSSINGS HAVE SEEN DRAMATIC DECLINE AS CA MIGRANT CENTER SHUTS DOWNThe DOJ said that after being discovered with two aliens in his car, Shand claimed there were no others out in the snow. However, five more aliens emerged from the fields, including one suffering hypothermia who was airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota.Another human smuggler, who was part of the ring, testified during the trial that he had made more than $400,000 smuggling more than 500 Indian migrants across the U.S. border and that the migrants usually work low-wage jobs in the U.S. to pay off their debts to the smugglers, which can be as much as $100,000.CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGECommenting on the sentencing, Jamie Holt, special agent in charge of U.S. ICE Homeland Security Investigations St. Paul, said: "Todays sentencing marks a crucial moment of accountability in a case that revealed the harrowing realities of human smuggling."ICE BEGINS NEW, NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO ARREST ILLEGAL ALIENS AT IMMIGRATION HEARINGSActing U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick for the District of Minnesota added, "As weve seen time and time again, human traffickers care nothing for humanity."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"Every time I think about this case, I think about this family including two beautiful little children who the defendants left to freeze to death in a blizzard," said Kirkpatrick. "I am proud of the work of our law enforcement partners in holding these defendants accountable for their unspeakable crimes."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday the U.S. will begin "aggressively" revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields."Under President Donald Trumps leadership, the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields," Rubio wrote in a statement.The State Department will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the Peoples Republic of China and Hong Kong.JOHN MOOLENAAR: WE DONT WANT A COMPANY THAT IS AFFILIATED WITH THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTYIn March, House Republicans introduced the Stop Chinese Communist Prying by Vindicating Intellectual Safeguards in Academia Act, also known as the Stop CCP VISAs Act.In an interview with FOX Business on May 12, Florida Senator Ashley Moody criticized providing visas to Chinese nationals.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"How can we keep offering 300,000 student visas to Chinese nationals every year when we KNOW they are legally required to gather intelligence for the CCP? The answer is simple: we can't," Moody wrote in a post on X. "@StanfordReview's report on CCP espionage on campus should shock everyone and verify what I have been saying. We need to pass my STOP CCP Visas Act to protect our national security."

A Washington, D.C.-based law firm secured a judgment of more than $20 million against theSyrian Arab Republic on behalf of Sam Goodwin, a St. Louis native held captive in the countrys notorious prison system for 63 days while on a trip to visit every country in the world.U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly awarded Goodwin $20,201,620 in damages, about $10 million each in compensatory and punitive damages, in response to a lawsuit filed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's "state sponsor of terrorism" exception.Roughly half of the judgment is payable through the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which is financed bysanctions proceeds and other penalties. Depending on the amount of money in the fund, Goodwin could get a certain percentage of compensatory damages over several years.FAMILY OF AMERICAN HOSTAGE TORTURED IN LEBANON WINS LANDMARK CASE AGAINST IRAN"Nations that violate international human rights standards must face consequences, and courageous survivors like Sam help ensure the world does not ignore the atrocities perpetrated by the Assad regime," said Kirby Behre, a member of Miller & Chevalier's litigation department and lead counsel for Goodwin."While nothing can completely compensate for Sam's suffering, this represents yet another powerful step forward in the broader effort to confront those responsible forsuch grave injustices."Goodwin entered war-torn Syria from Iraq in 2019 as part of a years-long quest to visit every country in the world.He stayed in Qamishli, a city on the Turkey-Syria border, which he believed was under the control of the U.S.-backed Kurds.SYRIA'S LIBERATED POLITICAL PRISONS REVEAL GRIM REALITY OF BASHAR ASSAD'S REGIME OF TORTUREThe former Division I collegiate hockey player was detained by men in military uniforms at a roundabout not far from his hotel while on FaceTime with his mother, Ann."I was taken into the basement of a facility that I now know is called Syria's Military Intelligence [Branch] number 215, a facility notoriously known for housing political prisoners, and I was held here in solitary confinement for 27 days,"Goodwin told Fox News Digital last year ahead of the release of his book, "Saving Sam: The True Story of an American's Disappearance in Syria and His Family's Extraordinary Fight to Bring Him Home.""The only human interaction I had was for a few seconds in the morning and evening when the guards who brought bread and boiled potatoes and water."His lawyers said he was tortured at Branch 215 by the now-ousted regime of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and subjected to prolonged interrogation. At one point, Goodwins interrogator threatened to hand him over to ISIS after he refused to admit to accusations of being a spy.US DIPLOMATS IN DAMASCUS FOR FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 10 YEARS FOLLOWING FALL OF ASSAD REGIMEHis release was secured by General Abbas Ibrahim, then Lebanons top security official, who was put in contact with the family by Joseph Abbas, the uncle of Goodwins sisters friend and former college roommate.His family worked tirelessly to bring him home, collaborating with the FBI, CIA, State Department, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, Vatican envoys, Middle East experts and others."This judgment is about far more than what happened to me. It's a stand for anyone who has suffered human rights abuses around the world. I hope it gives other victims the courage to speak up and, above all, serves as a warning that such crimes will not be tolerated or forgotten," Goodwin told Fox News Digital in a statement.Miller & Chevalier has secured other judgments against the Syrian Arab Republic, including one for approximately $50 million in 2023 for Kevin Dawes, another American citizen who was illegally arrested, imprisoned and tortured in Syria.In July, it filed a lawsuit on behalf of thefamily of Dr. Majd Kamalmaz, a psychotherapist and humanitarian who was detained at a government checkpoint in Damascus, Syria, in 2017, accusing the Syrian Arab Republic of abducting, torturing and killing him.

Todd Chrisley is officially a free man.On Wednesday evening, the "Chrisley Knows Best" star, 56, walked out of a federal prison in Pensacola, Florida after serving two and a half years in prison on bank fraud and tax evasion charges, according to his lawyer Alex Littles office. The release comes shortly after President Donald Trump signed pardons for both Todd and his wife, Julie, who was also convicted of the same charges in 2022."Todd has been released from prison and is on his way home to Nashville," Little's office told Fox News Digital. "We are awaiting word on Julie."Julie is expected to be released from the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, on Wednesday. According to the couple's daughter Savannah Chrisley, her brother Grayson is picking up their mom.Savannah got emotional outside the federal prison in Pensacola, Florida, awaiting her father's release earlier in the day.Speaking to reporters, Savannah said, "Honestly, this process has been absolutely insane, and I am so grateful that I'm going to leave here with my dad."Savannah claimed that prosecutors had her father's head "on a dart board" before his prison sentence. She read Trump's pardon to the reporters, which stated an immediate release, and she said she hopes "the prison is going to do that shortly."CHRISLEY CHILDREN CELEBRATE TRUMP'S PLAN TO PARDON REALITY TV PARENTS IN FRAUD, TAX EVASION CASESavannah said Trump's pardon for her parents "literally came out of nowhere.""I was in such shock and awe that the president himself took the time to tell me my family is coming back together," she said. During her interview, Savannah got emotional while explaining her constant fight to get her parents released from prison wasn't just for them."I'm literally fighting for every man that has been left behind here," she said, referring to the prisoners in the federal prison in Pensacola.Prior to arriving at the prison, Savannah was spotted in Pensacola with her best friend and hair stylist, Tyler Bishop. Savannah was seen wearing an all-black outfit along with a pink "Make America Great Again" hat while typing on her cell phone.On Tuesday, after Trump announced his plan to pardon the couple, Todd and Julie's children were quick to share their excitement."I am grateful to God and extremely grateful to President Trump and his entire administration," the couple's son, Chase, said in a statement to the New York Post. "Im beyond thankful to finally have my parents back home and my family together again!""I'm ecstatic," Kyle, whose biological mom is Todd's ex-wife, Teresa Terry, told E! News. "Truly. I just found out a little bit ago, and I still just can't believe it. I know Savannah had been working at this for so long, and she never gave up. So I'm just grateful to her and to President Trump for making this happen for my dad and Julie.""I know they can't wait to get home and just be with family, and I'm going to remain hopeful that another reconciliation is possible," Kyle, who has been estranged from his father for years, added.Savannah posted a video on her Instagram on Tuesday saying she got the call from the president that he was signing pardon papers for her parents while she was walking into Sam's Club."So, both of my parents are coming home tonight or tomorrow, and I still don't believe it's real!" she exclaimed.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSShe said she will be "forever grateful" to Trump and his administration as well as her lawyers and everyone else who "put in countless hours" to "make sure that my parents got home.""My parents get to start their lives over!" she added, saying she "vowed to stand next to you and your administration, exposing the corruption and continue fighting for the men and women who are in prison Thank you, thank you, thank you and I will repay your kindness to every person that I meet, so thank God for a president like Donald J. Trump. Thank you, God, for a president who wants to restore families and loves people and took the time to call me from the Oval Office to let me know my parents are getting their lives back."In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Wednesday, the couple's attorney explained how the "incredibly powerful" pardon will wipe the couple's case "entirely," as if it never happened."A pardon like this generally ends the case entirely, and so we'll see the fine print of the pardon explicitly, but generally when you are pardoned, it is wiped away, and so it's wiped clean," the Chrisleys' attorney, Alex Little, a partner at Litson PLLC, said. "It's as if the case hasn't happened, and fortunately Todd and Julie will be able to pick up their lives to the best that they're able and go on forward and focus on the future."WATCH: Chrisleys pardon from Trump will wipe away the case entirely, as if it never happened: lawyerCLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER"I think that the pardon process is something that hadn't been used by many presidents for many, many terms. This president clearly looks at it differently, looks at, is part of his role to oversee the criminal justice system. And look, however much you may want to criticize that, it's an incredibly powerful tool the president has, and I think it's really important the president began to use it. This was a very deserving case and I hope that he finds more."Fox News Digital's Brie Stimson contributed to this post.

Elon Musk is beginning the process of stepping down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).The Tesla and SpaceX CEO posted on X on Wednesday night that his time as a special government employee is coming to an end and thanked President Donald Trump for the opportunity to cut down on wasteful spending."The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,"Musk wrote in his post. The White House confirmed to FOX that Musk's post is accurate and offboarding will begin Wednesday night.Musk has been the public face of DOGE since Trump signed an executive order establishing the office Jan. 20. DOGE has since ripped through federal government agencies in a quest to identify and end government overspending, corruption and fraud.ELON MUSK SAYS HE 'FULLY ENDORSES' TRUMP AFTER GUNFIRE AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLYHe was officially hired as a "special government employee," which is a role Congress created in 1962 that allows the executive or legislative branch to hire temporary employees for specific short-term initiatives.Special government employees are permitted to work for the federal government for "no more than 130 days in a 365-day period," according to data from the Office of Government Ethics. Musk's 130-day timeframe, beginning on Inauguration Day, was set to run dry on May 30.DOGE is a temporary cross-departmental organization that was established to slim down and streamline the federal government. The group itself will be dissolved on July 4, 2026, according to Trump's executive order.Musk and Trump have both previously previewed that Musk's role was temporary and would come to end in the spring."You, technically, are a special government employee and you're supposed to be 130 days," Fox News' Bret Baier asked Musk during an exclusive interview Musk and DOGE team members in April. "Are you going to continue past that or do you think that's what you're going to do?"MUSK NOT LEAVING YET, WRAPPING UP WORK ON SCHEDULE ONCE 'INCREDIBLE WORK AT DOGE IS COMPLETE': WHITE HOUSE"I think we will have accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within that time frame," Musk responded.Trump hinted at Musk's departure in comments to the media on March 31, when asked if he wants Musk to remain in a government role for longer than the predetermined 130 days."I think he's amazing. But I also think he's got a big company to run," Trump said in March. "And so at some point he's going to be going back.""I'd keep him as long as I can keep him," Trump said. "He's a very talented guy. You know, I love very smart people. He's very smart. And he's done a good job," the president added. "DOGE is, we've found numbers that nobody can even believe."More recently, Musk said during a Tesla earnings call on April 22 that he will take a step back from his work as DOGE's leader.DOGE CHAIN OF COMMAND REVEALED IN COURT FILING, SHOWING MUSK IS NOT THE BOSS"I think starting probably in next month, May, my time allocation to DOGE will drop significantly," Musk said during Teslas earnings conference call. "Ill have to continue doing it for, I think, the remainder of the presidents term just to make sure the waste and fraud that we stopped does not come roaring back, which it will do if it has the chance. So I think Ill continue to spend, you know, a day or two per week on government matters for as long as the president would like me to do so and as long as it is useful.""But starting next month," he added, "Ill be allocating far more of my time to Tesla now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done."Amid Musk's work with DOGE, Democrats and activists have staged protests against the tech billionaire and his companies, including working to tank Tesla stocks.Musk has been the public face of DOGE for months, but is not an employee of the United States DOGE Service and does not report to the acting DOGE chief, according to court filing in March that shed additional light on the internal workings of the office.WHO IS DOGE'S NEWLY IDENTIFIED ADMINISTRATOR AMY GLEASON? 'WORLD-CLASS TALENT'"Elon Musk does not work at USDS. I do not report to him, and he does not report to me. To my knowledge, he is a Senior Advisor to the White House," Amy Gleason, the acting administrator of DOGE, wrote in a declaration included in a court filing.Gleason previously worked for the United States Digital Service, which was founded in 2014 by former President Barack Obama as a technology office within the Executive Office of the President. Trump signed an executive order in January that renamed the office to the United States DOGE Service, establishing DOGE.Though Musk has been the public face of DOGE, he "has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself" and is working as a senior advisor to the president, a White House official said in a separate court filing back in February.SENATE REPUBLICAN DOGE LEADER JONI ERNST FACES FIRST DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER IN 2026 RACEMusk emerged as an ardent supporter of Trump's at the height of the election cycle over the summer, officially endorsing Trump after the first assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024."I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery," Musk posted to X shortly after the attempt, accompanied by footage of Trump raising a fist and shouting "Fight, fight, fight!" after he was left bloodied by the assassination attempt.Musk hosted Trump on X for an expansive interview while on the campaign trailAcross Musk's tenure as a special government employee, Trump has praised the tech billionaire for his efforts to streamline the government and cut it of overspending, including during his first address to a joint session of Congress since his second inauguration."Thank you, Elon. Hes working very hard.He didnt need this. He didnt need this.Thank you very much. We appreciate it.Everybody here, even this side, appreciates it, I believe.They just dont want to admit that," Trump said in March during his address, quipping that Democrats were even grateful for Musk's work at DOGE.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said the team is aware of a viral video circulating on social media that appeared to show wide receiverStefon Diggs passing around a bag of an unidentified pink substance.Speaking to reporters before Wednesdays practice, Vrabel was asked immediately about the video and whetherthe Patriots were looking into it.Vrabel confirmed that the team was "aware" of its existence but did not elaborate beyond that. He did say his expectation for all players was to make "great decisions" both on and off the field.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"Well, it's something that we're aware of. Obviously, we want to make great decisions on and off the field. We're hoping that, with our time here on the field today, that when we don't have a script and we're on the call periods, that we're making great decisions."The message will be the same for all our players, that we're trying to make great decisions. Any conversations that I've had with Stefon will remain between him, I and the club."A video of Diggs began circulating on social media this week. In it, the star receiver is surrounded by women on a boat. During the video, Diggs held a bag that appeared to contain an unidentified pink substance.AIRBNB OWNERS SHARE SHOCK OF FINDING SHIRTLESS BILL BELICHICK ON THEIR DOORBELL CAMERA: 'CREEPY OLD GUY'AnNFL spokesperson declined Fox News Digitals request for comment.Diggs signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Patriots in the offseason. He is rehabbing a torn ACL he sustained last season with the Houston Texans. He is not attending this weeks voluntary practices."The timelines and the prognosis and everything, we're working hard to get him back and to be ready to go. When he's here, we'll coach him, and we'll have him ready to go," Vrabel said Wednesday.Diggs was recently linked to hip-hop star Cardi B. The pair were spotted courtside during an Eastern Conference second-round playoff game between the Boston Celtics and theNew York Knicks.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Various conspiracy theories continue to swirl around January 6 Capitol Hill riots more than four years later, but FBI director Kash Patel promised a "definitive answer" to one of the most pressing questions about the nation-shattering event is "coming.""People have had questions about January 6th and whether or not there were FBI sources not agents, sources on the ground during January 6. And I told you I would get you the definitive answer to that. And we have, and we are in the process again of working with our partners to divulge that information, and it is coming," Patel said during a "Special Report" exclusive interview Wednesday.Patel added the answer may "surprise and shock people because of what past FBI leaders have said about it."TOP FIVE TAKEDOWNS: KASH PATEL'S FBI HITS THE GROUND RUNNING WITH MAJOR EARLY VICTORIESLast year, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz released his highly anticipated report on the FBIs Handling of its Confidential Human Sources and Intelligence Collection Efforts in the Lead Up to the Jan. 6, 2021 Electoral Certification.According to the report, there were a total of 26 confidential human sources in the crowd outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but only three of them were assigned by the FBI to be there. The report stressed that none of the sources were authorized or directed by the bureau to "break the law" or "encourage others to commit illegal acts."One of the three confidential human sources tasked by the FBI to attend the rally entered the Capitol building, while the other two entered the restricted area around the Capitol.If a confidential human source is directed to be at a certain event, they are paid by the FBI for their time.FBI'S TOP BOSS KASH PATEL SAYS BUREAU RAN COVER FOR HILLARY BUT IT ALL ENDS UNDER TRUMPPatel told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier the information from the DOJ IG report is "definitely a piece of the truth."Former FBI Director Christopher Wray had testified before Congress prior to this report being released in December 2024, but Patel called out Wray for deflecting and giving a "D.C. answer" when pressed by lawmakers."Why it took a ton of time and questioning in Congress for the director to get that point is what I'm trying to eliminate from the FBI. If Congress asks you a question under oath, whether or not there were sources in [or] around January 6th at the Capitol, you as the director of the FBI need to know that and not deflect and give a D.C. answer. You have to be prepared for that," Patel said.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPAfter taking the helm of the nation's top investigative agency, Patel has made transparency and restoring trust in the bureau a top priority. Part of achieving this goal, he said, is to give Americans the answers they "deserve."Patel told Baier that there are "answers coming" in a number of other investigations, including the mystery surrounding pipe bombs placed outside the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee offices on the eve of the January 6 riot, the cocaine found in the White House during Biden's presidency, and the FBIs investigation into alleged Trump-Russia connections in the aftermath of the 2016 election, best known as "Crossfire Hurricane."Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman, Breanne Deppisch, Jake Gibson, David Spunt and BIll Mears contributed to this report.

Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritans Purse, met Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin.During their meeting, Graham offered prayers for Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump, seeking divine guidance for a path to peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war."Today I had the privilege to meet with President Zelenskyy and have prayer with him," Graham shared on social media. "I prayed for President Putin, I prayed for him [Zelenskyy], and I prayed for President Trump that God would give them wisdom and that God would give them a path forward for peace."ZELENSKY SHEDS DETAILS ON MEETING WITH VANCE, RUBIO IN ROME AFTER RUSSIA PEACE TALKS STALLThe meeting coincided with the European Congress on Evangelism, where Graham addressed over 1,000 Christian leaders from 55 countries.He emphasized the complexities of the war, stating, "These are very difficult, and I believe only God can solve this."Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the humanitarian aid provided by Samaritans Purse, including support for Ukrainian children, displaced individuals and medical institutions."We are very grateful for the strong support from the American people, the White House and President Trump," Zelenskyy said. "Thank you for your prayers and for helping people."The meeting took place against a backdrop of intensified Russian military action in Ukraine.ON THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF UKRAINE INVASION, EUROPEAN LEADERS SHOW SUPPORT, EXPRESS UNEASERecent reports indicate escalating Russian air and ground assaults, with increased use of drones by both sides. Germany has announced plans to assist Ukraine in producing long-range missiles, marking a significant deepening of support for Ukraine's defense industry.Zelenskyy has proposed a trilateral summit involving Trump and Putin to negotiate an end to the hostilities.Grahams visit coincided with the European Congress on Evangelism being held in Berlin for the first time in 25 years.From Ukraine to the U.K. and Sweden to Spain, over 1,000 pastors and ministry leaders from across Europe have come to the city where Billy Graham once preached to declare that they are "unashamed of the Gospel," echoing the words of Romans 1:16."There hasnt been a gathering of this kind since the Billy Graham Evangelistic Associations congress in Amsterdam in 2000," Graham said. "What a moment for Europe, and what a time to boldly proclaim Christ."The congress marks a return to the roots of BGEAs global evangelistic mission.In 1966, Billy Graham held the first World Congress on Evangelism in Berlin, declaring the city a platform to reach the world with the message of salvation.More than 20 speakers from 13 nations are contributing to the 2025 congress, with worship led by Grammy winner Michael W. Smith, Charity Gayle and top Christian artists from across Europe. The event is being translated in 10 languages.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPMarc Van de Wouwer, a Belgian evangelist and retired federal investigator, reflected on his experience at the 2000 Amsterdam congress."At the time, there were very few evangelists in Belgium," he said. "That event reignited my passion, and now Im coming back to help invest in the next generation."

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently announced that artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to detect and address air traffic risks, following a slew of near-misses and fatal plane crashes across the country.Duffy told FOX 5 DC that officials are implementing AI to "identify and address potential air traffic risks nationwide," potentially aiding in preventing tragedies like the fatal Jan. 29 midair collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that claimed the lives of 67 people.Following the Potomac River crash, which involved a commercial plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, Duffy announced a plan to build a new "state-of-the-art" traffic control system that will equip locations with better technology to reduce outages, improve efficiency and reinforce safety.Duffy told FOX 5 that when investigators were looking into how to prevent collisions, they asked themselves, "Are there any other DCAs out there?"MISPLACED ANTENNA CAUSED MILITARY CONTROLLERS TO LOSE CONTACT WITH BLACK HAWK NEAR DCA: REPORTThe National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) previously said it identified 15,214 instances of planes getting alerts about helicopters in close proximity near DCA between October 2021 and December 2024.TWO PLANES DO 'GO-AROUNDS' TO AVOID MILITARY HELICOPTER NEAR REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORTDuffy said the Department of Transportation is now using AI to "help us analyze different hot spots in the country" and take action "before you have the tragedy of what we saw on the 29th of January."It is unclear how hot spots are being identified, and which safety concerns AI is being used to search for.FAA 'PERMANENTLY RESTRICTING' WASHINGTON HELICOPTER TRAFFIC AFTER FATAL MIDAIR COLLISION NEAR DC AIRPORTIt is also uncertain if the new technology could be used to address recent staffing concerns and outages at Newark Liberty Internal Airport, which Duffy attributed to the previous administration's transfer of airspace control from New York to Philadelphia."We have an antiquated and old air traffic control system, anywhere from 25 to 35 [years old], 40 years old in some places. It is in desperate need of a brand new build," Duffy said during a news conference on Wednesday."The last administration signed a 15-year contract to upgrade the telecom [wiring with fiber lines]," he continued. "It shows how there was not a focus on the true issues that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was facing We are not going to pass the buck. We're actually going to fix it. We're going to do the work, to make sure that we do have a state-of-the-art air traffic control system."The Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

President Donald Trump's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is terminating awards totaling more than $750 million dollars that were provided to pharmaceutical manufacturer Moderna to help facilitate its production of mRNA-based bird flu vaccines.During President Joe Biden's final week in office, his administration awarded $590 million to Moderna to help speed up its production of mRNA-based vaccines. The $590 million award followed a separate $176 million award Biden gave to Moderna earlier last year for mRNA vaccine technology.Messenger RNA vaccines are a newer type of vaccine technology, which was utilized by companies like Moderna and Pfizer to develop their COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccine technology was at the center of a lot of criticism amid the coronavirus pandemic for potentially being associated with adverse side effects in some people who took them, such as myocarditis.MILITARY SPOUSE AND MOM OF 5 FIGHTS BACK AS VACCINE DISPUTE BLOCKS FAMILY'S PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATIONTrump administration officials previously hinted at the potential that this funding could be terminated, citing a lack of oversight during the Biden administration pertaining to vaccine production."After a rigorous review, we concluded that continued investment in Modernas H5N1 mRNA vaccine was not scientifically or ethically justifiable," HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon said. "This is not simply about efficacy its about safety, integrity, and trust. The reality is that mRNA technology remains under-tested, and we are not going to spend taxpayer dollars repeating the mistakes of the last administration, which concealed legitimate safety concerns from the public."TRUMP FDA OVERHAULS COVID-19 VACCINE APPROVAL TO FOCUS ON OLDER POPULATIONS, HIGH-RISK INDIVIDUALSThe announcement reflects a larger shift in federal vaccine priorities, after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced earlier this week that COVID-19 vaccines would be removed from the federal government's list of recommended vaccines for children and pregnant women.Meanwhile, a report from Senate Republicans released earlier this month suggested the Biden administration withheld critical safety data and downplayed known risks tied to the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. In particular, the Senate report focuses on HHS awareness of, and response to, cases of myocarditis a type of heart inflammation following COVID-19 vaccination."Rather than provide the public and health care providers with immediate and transparent information regarding the risk of myocarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, the Biden administration waited until late June 2021 to announce changes to the labels for the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines based on the suggested increased risks of myocarditis and pericarditis," the Senate report states. "Even though CDC and FDA officials were well aware of the risk of myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination, the Biden administration opted to withhold issuing a formal warning to the public for months about the safety concerns, jeopardizing the health of young Americans."In response to the Trump administration's funding termination, Moderna put out a press release acknowledging the move, but also touting the "safety profile" observed amid its work on a new mRNA bird flu vaccine."While the termination of funding from HHS adds uncertainty, we are pleased by the robust immune response and safety profile observed in this interim analysis of the Phase 1/2 study of our H5 avian flu vaccine and we will explore alternative paths forward for the program," said Stphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna. "These clinical data in pandemic influenza underscore the critical role mRNA technology has played as a countermeasure to emerging health threats."