The exiled prince of Iran has proposed leading the country's democratic transition to end the Islamic Republic in a new speech Monday."Today, it is clearer than ever: The Islamic Republic is collapsing," Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of the late last shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, said. "Credible reports indicate that Ali Khameneis family and the families of senior regime officials are making preparations to flee Iran. The regime is on its last legs, in towns and cities across the country. The military is fractured. The people are united. The foundations of this 46-year tyranny are shaking.""This is our Berlin Wall moment," Pahlavi said from a press conference he called in Paris.THE MISSING MULLAH: IRAN'S 'SUPREME LEADER' A NO-SHOW FOR NEGOTIATIONS, THEN HID AS US POUNDED NUKE SITESIranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly hiding out in a bunker as the U.S. military pounded three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Amid concerns that he could be assassinated, Khamenei has cut off all electronic communications to his commanders, relying on a trusted aide to relay orders, the New York Times reported.Pahlavi, whose father was the last monarch overthrown during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, said Monday that Iran currently stands at a crossroads, warning that the West handing the current regime a lifeline would only result in more bloodshed."The difference in these two roads depends on one factor and one factor alone: whether the current regime in Iran is allowed to survive," he said. "If the West throws the regime a lifeline there will be more bloodshed and chaos because this regime will not submit or surrender after it has been humiliated. It will lash out. As long as it is in power, no country and no people are safe: whether on the streets of Washington, Paris, Jerusalem, Riyadh or Tehran."He argued for a "peaceful and democratic transition" and said the only way to achieve peace was through "a secular, democratic Iran.""I am here today to submit myself to my compatriots to lead them down this road to peace and a democratic transition," Pahlavi said. "I do not seek political power, but rather to help our great nation navigate through this critical hour toward stability, freedom, and justice."Pahlavi accused Khamenei of using the Iranian people as "human shields" by hiding out in his bunker."Seeing the images of the people of Tehran forced to flee our beautiful capital, the explosions in Isfahan, the fires along the Persian Gulf, all fill me with pain. But more than pain, I am filled with anger because this war is the result of the selfishness, hatred, and terror of one man: Ali Khamenei," he said. "While he directs this war from the safety of his hidden bunker, he uses our people as human shields. It is time to end the suffering."In a direct message to Khamenei, Pahlavi said, "Step down. And if you do, you will receive a fair trial and due process of law. Which is more than you have ever given any Iranian."He said other senior regime officials would have to face justice but promised not to "repeat the mistakes made in other failed transitions."PAKISTAN FLIP FLOPS ON TRUMP NOBEL PEACE PRIZE NOMINATION AFTER LESS THAN 24 HOURS"To those of you who are loyal to the Iranian nation, and not the Islamic Republic: there is a future for you in a democratic Iran, if you join the people now," Pahlavi said. "The choice is yours to make. I know these officers, these soldiers, these brave men exist because they are reaching out to me and telling me they want to be part of this national salvation. But now, greater coordination is needed."Pahlavi announced that he is establishing "a formal channel for military, security, and police personnel to reach out directly to me, my team, and our expanding operation." He promised that it was a "secure platform to efficiently manage the growing volume of inbound communications and requests from those breaking with the regime and seeking to join our movement."He said the international community was right to be concerned about stopping nuclear weapons and securing regional stability. Although the destruction of the three nuclear sites at Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow has "diminished the regimes domestic nuclear enrichment," Pahlavi warned that the U.S. strikes did "not diminish the regimes intent to acquire and use nuclear weapons.""The regime, enraged and emboldened, will be seeking revenge and can acquire nuclear weapons from other rogue regimes like North Korea," he said. "The destruction of the regimes nuclear facilities alone will not deliver peace."Pahlavi said he was "stepping forward to lead this national transition not out of personal interest but as a servant of the Iranian people." He said he has a "clear plan for transition and national renewal" based on three core principles: Irans territorial integrity; individual liberties and equality of all citizens; and separation of religion and state. Pahlavi proposed convening a "national unity summit" of activists, dissidents, business leaders, professionals, experts and other groups outside of politics.The goal would be for them to together develop a roadmap to democratic transition, and he said the "final form of this future democracy we seek will be for the Iranian people to decide in a national referendum."Pahlavi also said he developed a three-phase, comprehensive plan for the "economic reconstruction and social stabilization" of the country. He promised that his team of experts "will publish the plans for the first 100 days after the collapse of the Islamic Republic based on this work.""We are bringing together some of the worlds greatest investors, builders, entrepreneurs, and experts who care about Iran and see its immense potential," he said.Before opting for U.S. military intervention, President Donald Trump reportedly was working with Turkey to coordinate a diplomatic resolution to the Israel-Iran conflict and cut a nuclear deal, but the ayatollah did not engage. According to Axios, sources said Trump offered to send Vice President JD Vance and White House envoy Steve Witkoff for negotiations, and Trump offered to come to Turkey himself if it meant meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.Turkey relayed the proposal to its Iranian counterparts, who reportedly could not reach Khamenei for hours. Without the ayatollah's sign-off, the proposed meeting was called off.

A former Clinton-era National Security Council staffer broke with his party and heaped praise on President Donald Trump's successful strikes on Iran over the weekend, while remarking former Vice President Kamala Harris would have likely lacked the "courage" to execute such a mission if she were commander-in-chief."I am not a fan of many of Donald Trumps actions, but I will speak openly and honestly when he takes bold steps defending Americas interests, as he did tonight," Jamie Metzl, founder of the international social group One Shared World, posted to X on Saturday evening.Metzl served on former President Bill Clinton's National Security Counci and was former President Joe Biden's deputy staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and he heaped praise on Trump repeatedly on X over the weekend, while also taking a shot at Harris' lack of "courage and fortitude.""But Im not a blind tribalist and am perfectly comfortable praising President Trump for bold and courageous actions in support of Americas core national interests, as he took last night," Metzl posted to X on Sunday morning."Although I believe electing Kamala Harris would have been better for our democracy, society, and economy, as well as for helping the most vulnerable people in the United States and around the world, I also believe VP Harris would not have had the courage or fortitude to take such an essential step as the president took last night," he added.PROMINENT TRUMP CRITICS LAUD PRESIDENT'S DECISION TO STRIKE IRAN NUCLEAR SITESMetzl continued in his X messages that "Iran has been at war with the United States for 46 years," and was aiming to build a nuclear weapon with the intention of wielding it over the U.S and its allies.TRUMP DECLARES 'VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK' ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AS US FORCES STRIKE 3 KEY SITES"Iran has been at war with the United States for 46 years. Its regime has murdered thousands of American citizens. Its slogan death to America was not window dressing but core ideology. It was racing toward a nuclear weapon with every intention of using it to threaten America, our allies, and the Middle East region as a whole. No actions like this come without risks, and I imagine the story will get more complicated over time, but thats why these types of decisions are complicated," he wrote.Fox News Digital reached out to Harris' office regarding Metzl's post, but did not immediately receive a reply.Metzl's comments are among a cacophony of Democratic elected officials and traditional anti-MAGA voices who have come out to praise Trump since the successful attack on Iran, dubbed "Operation Midnight Hammer."TRUMP ADDRESSES NATION ON 'SPECTACULAR MILITARY SUCCESS' OF US STRIKES ON IRANIAN NUCLEAR FACILITIES"The destruction of Irans nuclear program is essential to ultimate peace in the Middle East. This is not a Democratic or Republican issue dealing with the Iranian threat is central to Americas national security. The world is safer because of the actions of our brave service members. Im praying for the safety of our service members in the region," New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer said in a statement over the weekend, for example."As Ive long maintained, this was the correct move by@POTUS," Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman wrote on X on Saturday. "Iran is the worlds leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. Im grateful for and salute the finest military in the world."While New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, a frequent Trump critic, wrote in an opinion piece that Trump made a "courageous and correct decision that deserves respect, no matter how one feels about this president," while fellow Times columnist David French also said it was the "right decision" on social media.Other Democrats and frequent Trump critics, such as New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, have slammed Trump over the strikes, arguing they bypassed Congress.FETTERMAN BACKS TRUMP AFTER IRAN STRIKES: 'THE CORRECT MOVE'Trump announced the Saturday evening strikes on Iran in a Truth Social post that was not preceded by media leaks or speculation that strikes were imminent. The unexpected social media post was followed just hours later by a brief Trump address to the nation while flanked by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance."A short time ago, the U.S. military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan," Trump said from the White House late on Saturday in an address to the nation regarding the strikes. "Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity, and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's No. 1 state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success."The strikes "obliterated" Iranian nuclear facilities and backed the nation into a corner to make a peace deal, Trump said. This mission was also celebrated by Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine as one that was cloaked in secrecy and intentionally deceptive to confuse the enemy."It involved misdirection and the highest of operational security. Our B-2s went in and out of these nuclear sites, in and out and back, without the world knowing at all," Hegseth said. "In that way, it was historic."The operation included the longest B-2 spirit bomber mission since 2001, the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown and the largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history, Hegseth and Caine said during the Sunday press conference.Operation Midnight Hammer followed Israel launching preemptive strikes on Iran on June 12 after months of attempted and stalled nuclear negotiations and subsequent heightened concern that Iran was advancing its nuclear program. Netanyahu declared soon afterward that the strikes were necessary to "roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival."Fox News Digital's Hannah Panreck contributed to this report.

The War on Terror led to regime change in Iraq and a briefly democratic Afghanistan at least until former President Joe Bidens disastrous withdrawal. More recently, a separate conflict between Israel and Iran saw the U.S. step in to help destroy nuclear facilities but observers should pause before making any apples-to-apples comparisons between the two eras.The image of then-White House chief of staff Andrew Card whispering in President George W. Bushs ear during an elementary school reading event that the Twin Towers had been hit by terrorists began a continuing three decades of U.S. involvement in the Middle East.The Middle East and the world writ-large was a different place back then, Heritage Foundation senior China and National Security Policy studies fellow Steve Yates told Fox News Digital.Yates previously served in the Bush administration as a top national security affairs adviser to then-Vice President Dick Cheney. More recently, he co-chaired the 2016 RNCs platform subcommittee on national security.SQUAD ERUPTS IN FURY AS TRUMP TAKES BOLD ACTION AGAINST IRANIAN NUCLEAR THREAT"The world has changed an awful lot in 20 years," Yates said, when asked to compare the two administrations."And I think that my perceptions of things have changed a great deal, in no small part, because I've had as a primary focus, among all other things in the world, what's happening with China."During the Bush years, the Chinese Communist Party was led by Hu Jintao, who Yates quipped was the "definition of boredom" compared to the feistier Xi Jinping.The differences there and in the Mideast have presented challenges to the U.S., Yates said.President Donald Trump leads essentially the first "post-globalist" presidency as the world "awaken[ed] from" its "globalist moment" since the 1990s."None of those things were factors in the early 2000s. And I think that context is vital to try to see how things are handled now," he said."Frankly, I am a supporter of President Trump and what he's been trying to do. I think he's very clear that he's willing to use decisive force when he judges it to be necessary."US MILITARY TROOPS IN MIDDLE EAST COULD FACE INCREASED THREATS AMID IRAN CONFLICTIn the Middle East, American intervention during the War on Terror led to dictator Saddam Hussein being deposed, and a decades-long ground war ensued.Iran, at the time, was led by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a more prominent president. Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei has become the more prominent global figure as of late, over current President Masoud Pezeshkian.And, while the War on Terror led to boots on the ground, Yates noted Trump has been clear that he wants Mideast allies and their Western-friendly neighbors to carry their "fair share" of risk and responsibility for what happens in the region which has been marked by conflicts since the time of Jesus Christ."In that, Israel has been very clear. They haven't asked for American boots on the ground. To my knowledge to this point they haven't asked for much of anything other than rhetorical support," he said, prior to the U.S. dropping MOP bombs from B-2s on Saturday night.Yates foreshadowed that Trump has made clear he is ready to use "decisive American force" if necessary to prevent Iranian nuclear proliferation.TOP DEMOCRATS, MEDIA DECLARE US AT WAR AFTER IRAN STRIKES AS WHITE HOUSE PUSHES BACK ON NARRATIVE"That is a definable objective That is not a war of occupation or trying to remake Iran in our image as some [have] characterized Iraq, whether fairly or unfairly.""So I think that the president has navigated this with deeper logic than most people give credit."The question at this time in history is more whether "the Old World" will act on their shared interest in supporting a non-nuclear Iran or similar outcome in a meaningful way.He referenced the "EU-3" Germany, Great Britain and France, the three largest European economic powers and said they had previously been a "moderating force" in negotiations that allowed Tehran to "mitigate sanctions" and go back on promises made.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPBut the EU-3s model failed to solve the problem, revealing that the early 21st century style of diplomacy which often pulled the U.S. into conflicts may no longer be effective. Israels decisive response to October 7 only underscored that point."I still have a lot of gratitude and respect for my colleagues back in the Bush administration. I just see us as a world in a fundamentally different place," he said."And I would give President Trump pretty high marks on how he's balanced equities keeping true to his definition of what America First means, but also true to standing by allies in times of need."

A suspected member of the violent Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) is in federal custody after allegedly attempting to kill one law enforcement officer and injuring another during a traffic stop.Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, 30, is charged with one count of attempted murder of a federal officer and one count of assault of a federal officer with infliction of bodily injury, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).Federal prosecutors allege Hurtado-Cariaco, a Venezuelan national residing in the country illegally and a suspected member of the notorious TdA gang, attacked two law enforcement officers during a June 18 traffic stop in Bellevue, Nebraska.WATCH: US INTEL'S TAKE ON TDA GANG MISSES MARK ON TIES TO MADURO REGIME, EX-VENEZUELA ARMY OFFICER SAYS"Deadly violence against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated by this Department of Justice," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. "We have charged this illegal alien with attempted murder."Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI encountered Hurtado-Cariaco near his Sarpy County home when they attempted to carry out an active immigration-related warrant for his arrest, according to the DOJ.The agents subsequently initiated a traffic stop, directing Hurtado-Cariaco to pull his vehicle over and exit with his arms raised. As the agents attempted to place Hurtado-Cariaco in handcuffs, he allegedly attacked one agent and proceeded to drag them to the ground.VIOLENT VENEZUELAN GANG EXPLOITS TECHNOLOGY TO TURBOCHARGE ITS DOMINANCE: EXPERTSHurtado-Cariaco managed to throw the agent off of him, resulting in one agent striking her head and elbow on the pavement, prosecutors allege."[The agent] injured her head and elbow, but [she] rose up off the ground and began to try again to get Hurtado-Cariaco into federal custody," the criminal complaint reveals.A second agent continued to attempt to detain Hurtado-Cariaco, with both agents working together to place handcuffs on him, resulting in a "more violent reaction" as the three individuals fell to the ground in the scuffle.DOJ INDICTS ALLEGED HIGH-RANKING TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBER ON TERRORISM CHARGES FOR THE FIRST TIMEWhile on the ground, Hurtado-Cariaco crawled behind the injured agent and proceeded to place her in a chokehold, while ignoring commands from the second agent, according to the DOJ."Hurtado-Cariaco appeared to choose to continue choking [the agent] rather than simply flee the scene," the complaint states.In an attempt to stop the attack, the second agent also placed Hurtado-Cariaco in a chokehold, forcing him to release the injured agent. Hurtado-Cariaco allegedly broke free from the chokehold and ran away on foot, with authorities locating him at his nearby apartment and taking him into custody.VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT USES TREN DE ARAGUA AS PROXIES TO UNDERMINE US PUBLIC SAFETY, FBI ASSESSMENT FINDS"Violence against federal law enforcement officers in the line of duty will not be tolerated in Nebraska," U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods said in a statement, adding, "These federal agents maintained their professionalism while being met with potentially fatal violence. Despite sustaining injuries, the agents did not give up and made a successful arrest."Following Hurtado-Cariacos arrest, the injured agent was transported to a local hospital for treatment.Hurtado-Cariaco has been ordered to remain in federal custody and faces the possibility of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. He initially entered the U.S. illegally in 2023 and was removed by Border Patrol agents, but re-entered the country in 2024, a Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital.Hurtado-Cariaco's attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment."The arrest and prosecution of this vicious Tren de Aragua gang member underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our law enforcement officers in the line of duty," Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. "Violent attacks from terrorists against those who serve our communities will be met with swift and decisive justice."

Country music singer Ronnie McDowell was rushed to the hospital on Saturday after reportedly slurring his words mid-performance at the Summer Solstice Music Festival in Pennsylvania.McDowell was on his way home Monday after spending days in the hospital, according to his son, Tyler Dean McDowell. The singer spent Monday morning being evaluated by medical professionals, a spokesperson for the singer told Fox News Digital."I have Dad in the car and we are on our way home! Me and/or Ronnie Dean, will give an update soon," Tyler shared on Facebook.REO SPEEDWAGON SINGER CRASHES CAR AFTER FALLING ASLEEP AT THE WHEELThe country singer had a "mini stroke," according to an update posted Sunday night."They are going to do imaging on his heart tomorrow, but this so far is good news!" Ronnie Dean McDowell Jr. said, according to a Facebook post. "Thank you all so much for the prayers!! If there is anybody that we have not been able to personally touch base with, please understand that it has been very overwhelming for us and the amount of calls, texts and messages we have received, are just too much to answer individually. We love and appreciate each and every one of you and your support and love for my dad and our family means the world to us!"LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSMcDowell had performed about three or four songs at the music festival on Saturday when he started "not making sense," his tour manager told Nashville, Tennessee, outlet WKRN. His tour manager chose to pause the show and check on McDowell.According to the tour manager, McDowell said he did not feel okay and thought maybe he had suffered a stroke.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERMcDowell gained fame in the 1970s after releasing the song "The King Is Gone," which paid tribute to Elvis Presley. He quickly released another hit, "I Love You, I Love You, I Love You."He went on to release a string of hit albums and singles between 1979 and 1986. During this time, he was best known for his songs "Older Women" and "Youre Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation."Other hits released by McDowell include "Watchin' Girls Go By," "Personally," "You Made A Wanted Man Of Me," "All Tied Up" and "In A New York Minute."

FIRST ON FOX: A top Trump White House official is looking to undercut Senate Democrats talking points on Medicaid, arguing that the GOPs plan to reform the healthcare program would benefit rural hospitals, not harm them.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz told Fox News Digital that "special interests are pushing misleading talking points to try and stop the most ambitious healthcare reforms ever."'BABY STEPS': LEADER THUNE DETAILS HIS WORK TO CORRAL REPUBLICANS BEHIND TRUMP'S LEGISLATIVE VISIONOzs sentiment comes as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Republicans sprint to finish their work on President Donald Trumps "big, beautiful bill" ahead of a self-imposed July 4 deadline.Part of the bill from the Senate Finance Committee aims to make good on the GOPs promise to root out waste, fraud and abuse within the widely used healthcare program by including work requirements and booting illegal immigrants from benefit rolls, among other measures.Tweaks to the Medicaid provider tax rate have ruffled feathers on both sides of the aisle. Indeed, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., sent a letter to Trump and the top congressional Republicans last week warning that changes to the Medicaid provider tax rate would harm over 300 rural hospitals.SEVERAL PROVISIONS FAIL TO PASS MUSTER WITH SENATE RULES IN 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'And a cohort of Senate Republicans were furious with the change after the bill dropped last week.But Oz contended that "only 5%" of inpatient Medicaid spending happens in rural communities, and that the mammoth bill "instead targets abuses overwhelmingly utilized by large hospitals with well-connected lobbyists.""We are committed to preserving and improving access to care in rural communities with a transformative approach that bolsters advanced technology, invests in infrastructure, and supports workforce rather than propping up a system that mostly benefits wealthier urban areas," Oz said.Schumers letter included data from a study recently conducted by the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at his behest. He warned that if the bill is passed as is, millions of people would be kicked off of their healthcare coverage, and "rural hospitals will not get paid for the services they are required by law to provide to patients."TOP TRUMP ALLY PREDICTS SENATE WILL BLOW PAST 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' DEADLINEFox News Digital reached out to Schumer, Wyden and Merkley for comment.However, another report from the Trump-aligned Paragon Health Institute argued similarly to Oz that special interest groups and healthcare lobbyists were "flooding the airwaves with claims" that Republicans changes to Medicaid would shutter rural hospitals.For example, they argued that a recent report from the Center for American Progress warned that over 200 rural hospitals would be at risk of closure, but that the findings were based on changes to the federal medical assistance percentage, or the amount of Medicaid costs paid for by the federal government.Changes to that percentage were mulled by congressional Republicans but were not included in the "big, beautiful bill." Still, the changes to the Medicaid provider tax rate, which were a stark departure from the House GOPs version of the bill, angered the Republicans who have warned not to make revisions to the healthcare program that could shut down rural hospitals and boot working Americans from their benefits.The Senate Finance Committee went further than the Houses freeze of the provider tax rate, or the amount that state Medicaid programs pay to healthcare providers on behalf of Medicaid beneficiaries, for non-Affordable Care Act expansion states, and included a provision that lowers the rate in expansion states annually until it hits 3.5%.However, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is working on a possible change to the bill that would create a provider relief fund that could sate her and other Republicans concerns about the change to the provider tax rate.

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan broke his silence on the Karen Read case Monday, warning that the behavior of her most vocal supporters threatens the American legal system as it is known."The campaign of intimidation and abuse that has been waged, funded, and promoted in public and on social media is the antithesis of justice. If this type of conduct becomes commonplace, it will threaten the integrity of our judicial system, affecting both victims and criminally accused," he said in a statement."We cannot condone witness abuse causing participants to worry for their own safety or that of their families."One of Read's chief cheerleaders, Aidan Kearney, a Canton blogger known as Turtleboy, is facing charges of witness intimidation in connection with the case.KAREN READ'S LAWYERS IDENTIFY EXACT MOMENT PROSECUTION 'LOST THE CASE' IN MURDER TRIAL"It is my hope that with the verdict, the witnesses and their families will be left alone," Brennan said. "The harassment of these innocent victims and family members is deplorable and should never happen againin a case in this commonwealth."Jurors found Read not guilty of all homicide-related charges last week in her second trial over the death of John O'Keefe, a Boston police officer and her former boyfriend whom prosecutors alleged she fatally struck with her 2021 Lexus LX 570 SUV before fleeing the scene.Despite the outcome, there are signs that her supporters still have their focus on witnesses in the case one of whom is slated to get married over the weekend.After a "Free Karen Read" X account posted information about the wedding, her registry site went offline.DEFENSE HAMMERS 'RIDICULOUS' EVIDENCE IN KAREN READ CLOSING, SAYS CASE IS 'COOKED'Prosecutors had accused Read of backing into O'Keefe with her Lexus SUV and leaving him to die with a fractured skull during a blizzard on Jan. 29, 2022. Her defense denied a collision ever happened. Jurors agreed and found her guilty only of drunken driving."I am disappointed in the verdict and the fact that we could not achieve justice for John O'Keefe and his family," Brennan said.GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUBHe joined the case last year to assist the Norfolk District Attorney's Office after Read's first trial ended with a deadlocked jury. He said District Attorney Michael Morrissey gave him full discretion to reinterpret the evidence, and Brennan sought the same charges, including second-degree murder.SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER"After an independent and thorough review of all the evidence, I concluded that the evidence led to one person, and only one person," Brennan said. "Neither the closed federal investigation nor my independent review led me to identify any other possible suspect or person responsible for the death of John OKeefe."Morrissey's office has not responded to a request for comment from Fox News Digital regarding the trial's outcome.Read's parents, however, have maintained her innocence throughout more than three years of her legal ordeal.Her father, William Read, an outspoken voice on the courthouse steps during and after her second trial, has thanked supporters who lined the streets outside her trial as well as internet "content providers" who took her side online.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X"I want to acknowledge the greatest team of attorneys," he told a crowd after her acquittal on the most serious charges. "Our first one that we found was David Yannetti. We added Alan Jackson and Liza Little. Bob Alessi you know about, all right. It was a fantastic team, but we needed them all to defeat this."In a new interview with NBC's Boston affiliate, he put on a Lexus golf shirt and said his daughter would have told him if she had killed O'Keefe."We know Karen as our daughter. Had she done something and struck John O'Keefe, we would have been the first to be notified," he told the station. "She would have said, 'Mom and dad, I will take my medicine,' and it was quite the opposite."As for her mother, Janet Read, she thanked her daughter's supporters and said she intended to pay it forward.William Read, like his daughter's defense attorneys, is urging her supporters to go out and vote.O'Keefe's family has not responded to requests for comment.

A veteran-led rescue organization is stepping up efforts to evacuate United States citizens and allies from Israel as tensions continue to hit a boiling point in the region following weeks of airstrikes between Israel and Iran.Project DYNAMO a nonprofit organization founded by veterans and intelligence professionals specializes in rescuing Americans and allies from high-risk situations and disaster areas."We fill the gap [with] the bureaucracy of the government being so big, but at the same time, not necessarily," Mario Duarte, president and CEO of Project DYNAMO, told Fox News Digital. "With the capacity to cover the entire world, and millions and millions of Americans that at any given moment are around the world, there is always a need for someone to come and help our fellow Americans."HUNDREDS OF US CITIZENS EVACUATED IRAN WITH 'NUMEROUS' ISSUES AHEAD OF STRIKE ON NUCLEAR SITES: REPORTThe organization was founded in 2021 in response to the U.S. militarys Afghanistan withdrawal. Since its initial launch, Project DYNAMO has conducted over 7,000 rescues from areas abroad and domestic natural disaster incidents, according to its website. While Project DYNAMO primarily focuses on physical extraction from an area, it also provides psychological resources for the evacuees they are working to save.As the situation in the Middle East escalated leading up to and immediately following the U.S. militarys airstrikes on Irans three key nuclear bases over the weekend, Americans within the region began frantically trying to evacuate Israel.Approximately 700,000 Americans currently live in Israel, with the vast majority dual nationals, according to estimates.STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT HAS PROVIDED GUIDANCE TO MORE THAN 25,000 PEOPLE IN ISRAEL, WEST BANK AND IRANIn response to the rising tensions following Israels initial bombing of Iran earlier this month, Project DYNAMO began extracting Americans and American allies from the country with the organizations 10th bus from Israel to Jordan departing on Sunday."For a few days, [the U.S.government] has been saying that there is going to be some sort of operation to extract Americans," Duarte said. "But at the same time, they keep saying that Americans should not wait for the government to do something. The situation is risky. People don't want to be in Israel anymore."Individuals are accounted for from the moment they are taken into the care of Project DYNAMO, according to Duarte, who pointed to the most recent bombing of a residential building in Israel occurring over the weekend, forcing the organization to act. The organizations model allows rescuers to evacuate approximately 1,000 individuals per week, according to Duarte.US AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL MIKE HUCKABEE INDICATES US IS WORKING TO OFFER EVACUATION OPTIONS"The danger is there," Duarte told Fox News Digital. "It's clear and present. And the thing is, there is no actual response yet. And that's one of the reasons why Project DYNAMO deployed to the region, because someone had to do it."As of Friday, the U.S. had evacuated 79 staff members and families from the U.S. Embassy in Israel one day before President Donald Trump ordered the devastating airstrikes on Irans nuclear facilities.The military flight was the second known evacuation in the days leading up to the attack on Iran, with the plane departing Tel Aviv for Sofia, Bulgaria, before the passengers boarded a connecting flight to Washington, according to an internal State Department memo obtained by The Associated Press.The document also indicated that more than 6,400 U.S. citizens living in Israel had submitted documentation asking for information regarding U.S.-charted evacuation flights. An additional 3,265 people, including some individuals who also completed the online form, also called an emergency hotline to request assistance.1,500 JEWISH AMERICANS EVACUATED FROM ISRAEL AS DESANTIS SPONSORS RESCUE FLIGHTS TO TAMPABetween 300 and 500 people per day are estimated to require evacuation assistance from Israel, with the U.S. government weighing the options of using flights or ships to extract Americans from the region."I think that risk to Americans has increased significantly," Duarte said. "Not because of the current actions of the [Trump] administration. But because in the past several years, the U.S. government especially under the Biden administration was weakened by its own position in foreign policy, which allowed other actors to dictate certain situations."To date, Project DYNAMO has evacuated 228 Americans and allies from Israel, including 30 veterans visiting the country for a retreat and several young schoolchildren, since Israel began striking Iran on June 13.However, Duarte insists there are thousands more U.S. citizens waiting to be extracted from the region, with the organization having a backlog of requests due to funding limitations. Despite the logistical constraints, Duarte is confident that Project DYNAMO possesses the unique capabilities to rescue at-risk individuals from Israel in a safe, efficient manner."It's a lot of things that go into this," Duarte said. "But that has to be done. It's an opportunity to show the good American spirit in other parts of the world."The Associated Press contributed to this report.

As Jeff Bezos and Lauren Snchez gear up for their wedding festivities in Venice, Italy, more and more Venetian citizens continue to voice their frustrations over the event that could possibly pose a threat to a city that is already impacted by mass tourism.However, despite the ongoing backlash, the couple's wedding planners told Fox News Digital that Bezos and Sanchez specifically instructed them to minimize the disruptions to the best of their ability out of respect to the locals. "As event organizers who have been working in Venice for over 24 years, we feel obliged to set the record straight given the misinformation, untruths and misunderstandings circulating about the Bezos wedding," the team at Lanza & Baucina Limited said in a statement. "From the outset, instructions from our client and our own guiding principles were abundantly clear: the minimizing of any disruption to the city, the respect for its residents and institutions and the overwhelming employment of locals in the crafting of the events."LAUREN SANCHEZ, JEFF BEZOS FACE LOCAL RESISTANCE AS VENICE CITIZENS PROTEST WEDDING PLANS"Rumors of taking over the city are entirely false and diametrically opposed to our goals and to reality," the statement continued. "No exaggerated quantity of water taxis or gondolas have ever been booked, the number of taxis reserved being proportionate for the number of guests. Before the recent news of protests arose, we had worked for there to be minimal negative impact or disruption to the lives of Venetians and the citys visitors.""We have always acknowledged the wider debate and critical issues surrounding the citys future, and from the outset our client has been honored to support the city and its all-important lagoon through non-profit organizations and associated projects," the statement concluded.Though most of the details surrounding the wedding are unknown, one Venice citizen said, "we have our moles," per The New York Times.Federica Toninello, a protest organizer, said that one of the venues could be The Misericordia, a famed event hall."Bezos will never get to the Misericordia," she said during a protest. "We will line the streets with our bodies, block the canals with lifesavers, dinghies and our boats.""We have to block Bezos, we have to block this idea of this city as a tourist haven that has driven up housing costs so that most ordinary Venetians can no longer afford to live here," she said, according to the NYT.Despite the backlash, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro told The Associated Press that the city is "very proud.""We are very proud," Brugnaro said. "I dont know if I will have time [to meet Bezos and Snchez], or if he will, to meet and shake hands, but its an honor that they chose Venice. Venice once again reveals itself to be a global stage."MYSTERY COUPLE MISTAKEN FOR JEFF BEZOS AND LAUREN SNCHEZ AT CANNESAccording to NBC, Venice - home to about 50,000 people - receives around 20 million visitors yearly, mostly day-trippers from cruise ships or other cities.Officials told NBC that about 30 of the 280 water taxis have been reserved for the wedding festivities, and only three or four hotels will be used for the event."The city is fully accustomed to hosting high-profile events of this nature and scale, including other celebrity weddings, international summits such as the G7 and G20, as well as traditional events like the Festa del Redentore and the Venice Biennale," city hall officials said in a statement to NBC.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"The celebrations, attended by 250 guests, will blend into the daily rhythm of a city that, with dignity and respect, welcomes thousands of visitors from around the world while safeguarding the quality of life for its residents, workers, and students."The Bezos-Snchez wedding is reportedly being held this weekend. There is expected to be a star-studded guest list, with friends of the couple making appearances. Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Ivanka Trump and Oprah Winfrey are said to be attending, per Page Six.Fox News Digital's Emily Trainham contributed to this post.

A major heat wave is surging through the U.S., starting in the eastern half this week with temperatures nearing 100 degrees. The heat wave could challenge record highs as 28 states are receiving alerts for dangerous temperatures. Whether youre at home or on the go, a good fan does more than just circulate air it createsa cool environment wherever you are.Keep scrolling to find 10 fans to keep you comfortable.If you're staying around the house, these fans can help keep the temperatures cool indoors without breaking the bank on the electric bill.Original price: $469.99This Dyson fan combines sleek, modern aesthetics with cutting-edge technology to deliver cool air with minimal sound. Choose between direct cooling or a gentle breeze, or set a timer to create intervals from 15 minutes to nine hours.This tower fan oscillates 90 degrees and features four speeds and a timer.If youre anAmazon Prime member, you can get these items to your door ASAP. You canjoin or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today.Original Price: $44.99This 16-inch Amazon Basics fan delivers powerful airflow to medium and large rooms. With a remote control that toggles between three speed and breeze modes, the entire experience is customizable. You can also adjust the height and tilt for targeted cooling.5 COOLING FANS THAT WILL HELP YOU SURVIVE SUMMER AND LOWER YOUR ENERGY COSTSThis Bauer fan is your answer if you need cordless, powerful airflow for larger groups or open-air areas. It runs on 20V lithium batteries or AC power, delivering strong, wide-reaching wind with two speed settings. Built to withstand job-site conditions, its also perfect for outdoor events.Ryobi also makes a reliable one with a rotating head, an option to clamp in place and 40 hours of run time on one charge.Original price: $39.99This box fan has three-speed fan control to optimize air circulation and improve air flow. You can also buy itat Walmart.Original Price: $13.99This compact powerhouse delivers strong airflow whether at home or on-the-go. Slip it into your backpack for a sporting event or day at a theme park, or use it for an extra boost of relief while cooking or working out indoors. Another option isthis hanging Amacool fan, which can be charged and taken with you anywhere inside or outside.MODERNIZE YOUR LIVING ROOM WITH THESE SIMPLE UPGRADESOriginal price: $24.99This small but mighty fan folds down to fit in almost any bag and delivers robust air circulation. Set it up at home for a blast of cool air at your desk, on your bedside table or on the kitchen counter.If you plan to be out and about, you can stay cool with these options that are easy to carry with you.Original Price: $17.99This handheld mini fan is a convenient choice for on-the-go. It can be recharged and it can be used as a power bank or a flashlight. This fan includes a water misting feature.This compact fan is a slim, rechargeable marvel intended to keep you cool. It fits in most bags and backpacks and has 100 different speeds. With the rechargeable battery, youll have reliable cooling whether plugged into a laptop, power bank or running purely on battery. If you like this style, considerthis handheld option to stash in your pocket.FROM YETI TO IGLOO, HERE ARE 18 COOLERS TO KEEP YOUR FOOD AND DRINKS COLDOriginal Price: $35.98This neck fan combines innovative design with practicality. The five-speed fan wraps comfortably around your neck like headphones and blasts cool air up at your face. It's blade-less, so it's safe for everyone, including children. Amazon hasa similar option with three speeds.Designed with little ones in mind,this mini fan features flexible tripod legs that securely attach to strollers, car seats or cribs. Rechargeable and equipped with multiple speed settings, this fan ensures that your little ones stay cool and comfortable no matter where you are. If you prefer blade-less instead, considerthis one.For more deals, visitwww.foxnews.com/dealsA heat wave classic, thespray bottle fan offers relief in the form of a cold mist and a powerful fan. With the help of a battery-powered motor (youll need twoAA batteries), you can give yourself a refresh anytime, anywhere.