Fox News Latest Headlines
North Carolina driver says bald eagle dropped cat through her windshield: 'You may not believe me'
A driver in North Carolina told a dispatcher that a cat carcass crashed into her windshield along a highway after the feline was dropped from the sky by a bald eagle.
The woman called 911 on Wednesday morning to report the incident, saying that a bald eagle dropped the cat into the passenger side of her front windshield on U.S. Route 74 in Swain County, near Bryson City, which is located about 65 miles southwest of Asheville.
It is unclear if the cat slipped from the eagle's talons or was dropped intentionally.
"You may not believe me, but I just had a bald eagle drop a cat through my windshield," the driver said on the 911 call. "It absolutely shattered my windshield."
FLORIDA WOMAN WRESTLES ALLIGATOR TO RESCUE PUPPY IT DRAGGED INTO CREEK
The dispatcher calmly responded, "Okay. I do believe you, honestly," before laughing.
The driver said another person also observed the cat dropping from the sky.
"He's like, 'That is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.' I'm like, 'Really?'" the driver said.
The dispatcher replied, "Oh my goodness. Let's see. I've heard crazier."
"Well, that's terrifying," the caller responded, prompting more nervous laughter from the dispatcher.
After receiving the driver's location, the dispatcher said she would send the Highway Patrol to conduct a report.
"Another question. Is the cat still alive?" the dispatcher asked.
The cat was not alive, and the caller said the cat was on the side of the road rather than inside her vehicle.
"Okay, I have to ask just to make sure," the dispatcher said.
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's Kendrick Weeks said the cat could have been roadkill grabbed by the eagle.
"But they can take animals the size of a cat," he said. "It is much harder for them to take a live cat than a dead cat. They usually don’t prey on something they don’t find palatable. And, scavenging is a common behavior in bald eagles."
SOFI STADIUM HAWK STOLEN DURING RAMS GAME LOCATED, SECOND HAWK REMAINS MISSING
Weeks said eagles and other raptors can drop prey for several reasons, including due to a poor grip or if the prey is biting or otherwise struggling and the birds are wanting to prevent injury to themselves.
Prey can also be dropped if a raptor is being harassed by another bird or if the prey becomes too heavy to carry.
Some raptors may also drop prey to kill it, but that tactic is uncommon for bald eagles.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ex-general says Saudis unlikely to leak F-35 tech, but China 'could exploit through intel'
China’s aggressive campaign to steal American military technology is emerging as a central concern in the debate over whether the United States should sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, according to experts and retired senior military commanders.
(Ret.) Gen. Charles Wald, a former U.S. Air Force officer and former deputy commander of EUCOM, said the United States had already rejected the United Arab Emirates and Turkey due to concerns about Chinese technology exploitation.
"We told Turkey they’re not going to get the F-35. We told the UAE they’re not going to get it because there’s concern that there could be a transfer of technology to China," Wald said. "That would probably be the biggest issue with Saudi Arabia getting the F-35 … Not because they would give it to the Chinese. Because the Chinese could exploit through intel, getting capability off that, but I’m not as worried as some," Wald said during a briefing at JINSA this week.
SAUDI CROWN PRINCE BIN SALMAN HIKES COMMITTED US INVESTMENT TO NEARLY $1T
China expert Gordon Chang said Beijing has already demonstrated its ability to penetrate U.S. defense programs and should be assumed to be targeting the F-35 again. "We should assume China has everything already. They already stole the whole plane once. They probably did it again," Chang told Fox News Digital.
He argued that Washington must balance the risks with the strategic benefits of strengthening ties with Riyadh. "We need to cement the relationship with the crown prince, especially if that helps him sign off on an Abraham Accord. Let him have stripped-down F-35s," he said.
He added that other U.S. partners may present even greater concerns. "I’m much more worried about South Korea having the plane and turning over the plans to China."
Chinese intelligence services have been implicated for years in efforts to harvest American military and aerospace technology, including stealth designs, propulsion systems, and advanced avionics. U.S. officials have previously linked Chinese cyber actors to thefts targeting premier American defense programs, including components resembling those found in fifth-generation fighters.
AMERICA’S ‘BAT’ MAN UNVEILS TECH BUILT TO OUTSMART A CHINESE FIRST STRIKE
Against that backdrop, the United States is weighing whether to approve Saudi Arabia’s request for the F-35 as part of a broader negotiation that includes defense assurances and potential diplomatic progress with Israel.
(Ret.) Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said the United States uses foreign military sales monitoring protocols to reduce risk, but the protections are not perfect. "One of the things that we do through foreign military sales is end-use case monitoring protocol," Ashley said. "We watch very closely how these kinds of advanced systems are used … but they’re not absolute."
SAUDI ARABIA IS ALREADY AMERICA’S TOP ARMS BUYER AND NOW TRUMP WANTS TO ADD F-35S
Despite the China threat, the retired commanders said they do not believe a Saudi F-35 acquisition would undermine Israel’s qualitative military edge.
Wald emphasized that Israeli pilots, planners, and engineers maintain a superior level of training and innovation. "There’s a big difference between the Israeli actual pilot capability than the other countries out there," Wald said. He added that Israel has integrated its own upgrades into the aircraft. "The Israelis modified their own F-35 a little bit … they created or developed [additional capabilities] just prior to the attack on Iran."
Wald noted that even if approved, Riyadh would not receive the aircraft for years. "At the very least, there’s probably about a five-year window here before that would happen if they got the F-35," he said.
Ashley and Wald said that in the long term, additional F-35s in the region could enhance shared situational awareness and strengthen collective defenses against Iran. Retired Vice Adm. Mark Fox said the fighter’s data-sharing architecture means more aircraft in allied hands improves overall performance. "The one thing about F-35 is it talks to every other F-35," Fox said. "Having more F-35s in the region actually increases the capability of the coalition."
Multiple Chicago police officers attacked in downtown violence in which several victims were shot
Multiple police officers were attacked, including one who was injured, while responding to a shooting in Chicago on Friday in which at least five victims were shot.
The incident happened near State and Randolph streets at about 10 p.m., just hours after a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, according to Fox 32.
Ald. Brian Hopkins of Chicago's 2nd Ward said at least five people were shot, including one person in critical condition.
SHOOTING AT NORTH CAROLINA CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING LEAVES 4 PEOPLE WOUNDED
"300 juveniles rioting in the Loop now, at least 5 victims shot, one critical with life threatening gunshot wound to torso," he wrote on X.
"Multiple police officers attacked and injured with mace and stun guns, at least one PO hospitalized," he continued.
CHICAGO TRAIN ATTACK SUSPECT ORDERED BY JUDGE TO REMAIN IN CUSTODY AHEAD OF TRIAL
Police have not confirmed Hopkins' statement, including the number of victims.
The incident remains under investigation.
Fire on ship docked at Port of Los Angeles prompts evacuation of crew, officials say
A cargo ship caught fire at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro on Friday, forcing the crew to evacuate the ship, according to officials, who described the incident as a major emergency.
All 23 crew members were safely evacuated from the ship, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. No injuries were reported.
The fire was observed on several levels of the ship. Hazardous materials were identified in the involved bays, and hazmat crews are monitoring air quality, the department said.
FIRE ERUPTS IN US CAPITOL TROLLEY SYSTEM, 2 POLICE OFFICERS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL
An explosion was reported mid-deck at around 8 p.m. that affected power, including lights and crane operations on the ship.
More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene, according to officials.
‘WE'RE TRAPPED!’: PANICKED 911 AUDIO FROM SOUTH CAROLINA FIRE WHERE JUDGE'S HUSBAND LEAPT TO SAFETY
"First responders are actively responding to a fire on a container ship at the Port of Los Angeles," Mayor Karen Bass wrote on X. "LAFD continues fire-suppression efforts and is monitoring air quality. "
Shooting at North Carolina Christmas tree lighting leaves 4 people wounded
A shooting at a Christmas tree lighting event in Concord, North Carolina, on Friday left four people wounded, according to police.
Concord Police said three victims were listed in critical condition and one was in stable condition. All four victims were rushed to a hospital for medical treatment.
The shooting happened at the city's annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Union Street S near the intersection with Corban Avenue shortly before 7:30 p.m.
Police, Concord Fire and Cabarrus County EMS personnel were already at the event and responded immediately with medical aid and evacuation efforts.
The remainder of the event was canceled after the shooting.
The city said visitors should leave the area and drivers should seek alternate routes.
Concord Police said the incident remains under investigation.
Officers are reviewing footage from the event and speaking with several witnesses.
Freed sex offender allegedly poses as doctor, sexually assaults student at Arizona elementary school: police
A convicted sex offender freed from prison two weeks ago allegedly posed as a doctor and sexually assaulted a student inside an Arizona elementary school, sparking outrage and calls for answers from parents, according to reports.
Abel Kai Gblah, 25, is accused of sexual assault and kidnapping after he accessed school grounds and posed as a doctor to lure a student into a classroom and assaulted her at Orangewood Elementary School on Nov. 19, according to the Phoenix Police Department (PPD).
PPD officials said in a statement to Fox News Digital that officers were called to the school after administrators reported that an incident had occurred on campus.
"When officers arrived, they learned an unauthorized man had made it onto school grounds and lured a grade-school-aged girl into a classroom where he sexually assaulted her," police said. "At some point, the student was able to push the man away. He then ran from the scene before officers arrived."
FOX 10 Phoenix reported that court documents show Gblah allegedly drew the attention of a student by impersonating a doctor and expressing that he had to examine her.
After fleeing the school, police located Gblah, who was booked into jail on multiple charges.
Gblah was released from prison two weeks ago on similar charges, according to the outlet, and was also allegedly involved in human smuggling across the U.S. border.
According to FOX 10, a prosecutor at Gblah's court appearance said he was convicted twice in 2021 for sexual conduct with a minor and a registered sex offender.
The news station reported that the Washington Elementary School District said in a statement that school administration immediately called 911 and placed the school on lockdown for over an hour.
"He was on campus for approximately 10 minutes and during that time, he made inappropriate contact with a student," the district wrote.
The district shared a separate statement with Fox News Digital that it released to parents on Friday, which revealed the results of its internal investigation, including that Gblah was a former student of the school who attended from 2012 to 2015.
While initial reports indicated that the Gblah gained access to the campus behind a student who had buzzed in, further investigation revealed that he entered through an unlocked lobby door, and walked in with a tardy student, the district stated.
Following the investigation, a staff member has been placed on administrative leave, the district added.
"We understand how alarming this situation has been and want you to know that we are reviewing every aspect of our safety procedures and communication to ensure that an event like this does not happen again, wrote Orangewood Elementary Principal Emily Paterson.
According to FOX 10, Gblah is being held on a cash-only bond of $500,000, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Dec. 1.
It won’t get any better: Washington faces another looming government shutdown
It’s not going to get any better.
The government closed down for a record 43 days this fall. And if you thought you’d seen the worst of Congress, it truly won’t get any better when the majority of the federal government could shut down in the wee hours of January 31st.
That’s right. Lawmakers have yet to address the very issues which sparked this year’s astonishing shutdown. Some of those are legislative. Some are policy related. And the biggest problems are political.
Frankly, the political ones may be the most challenging.
Let’s start with the most obvious ways to extinguish a wintertime crisis in Washington.
SHUTDOWN IS OVER, BUT WASHINGTON'S BUDGET BRAWL IS JUST GETTING STARTED
Included in the interim bill to reopen the government were three bills to fund major sections of the federal government through September 30, 2027 – the end of the current fiscal year. Congress adopted three of the 12 appropriations bills which run the government every year. Those are Legislative Branch for Congress, Military Construction/VA for military building programs, and the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Agriculture. Even though that’s three of the 12 annual spending bills, it’s not anywhere close to a "quarter" of all spending which Congress appropriates annually. More than half of all Congressionally-controlled spending goes to the Pentagon alone. So the House and Senate must pass all nine of the remaining nine annual bills in order to avoid a repeat of this fall at 12:00:01 on Saturday, January 31.
That is a tall order. But leading appropriators from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol say there’s been marked progress on these bills. Still, syncing everything up in a little more than two months – with Congress now out of session again this week and slated to be out for Christmas and New Year’s – strikes some as doom date with destiny. Keep in mind that Congress did not stay in session in late July and August to tackle some of those same bills. One wonders why anything will be different now.
And we haven’t even gotten to nettlesome questions which lurk in the individual bills themselves.
SHUTDOWN IGNITES STRATEGIST DEBATE: WILL TRUMP AND GOP PAY THE POLITICAL PRICE IN 2026?
The "Labor-H" bill, which funds the Department of Labor along with Health and Human Services is always a political thicket. Imagine how tough that bill will be this time, with both sides sparring over policies dictated by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., about vaccines and other controversial health statements. That’s to say nothing of the core issue which prompted Democrats to oppose funding the government in September: an extension of Obamacare health subsidies.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is now promising a vote related to an extension of those tax credits to defray spiking health care cost premiums. But no one knows what that package will look like. Some Republicans, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga., are now embracing the subsidies. She’s now retiring in January. Other Republicans are looking at ways to reform the program. Democrats might balk at that. And still other conservatives are using this as an opportunity to possibly torpedo Obamacare – the bane of their existence since 2009.
That could be the grandest political irony of all. Imagine a world where Republicans tried from 2009 through 2017 to repeal and replace Obamacare – yet stumbled at every turn. Then in 2025, Democrats refused to vote to fund the government in an effort to prop up Obamacare – and that’s finally what unwound the program.
Wow.
Moreover, President Trump is threatening to veto any bill which extends the Obamacare subsidies.
So we could already find ourselves barreling toward another government shutdown unless Democrats relent from their tactics this fall.
Much of what we’ve discussed addresses the legislative and policy disputes which lawmakers must resolve before late January. But the political challenges dwarf those issues.
Imagine a coda of what unfolded this fall. Most Democrats refuse to fund the government. But a coalition of some Democrats and most Republicans keep the government afloat to prevent another shutdown.
Recriminations inside the Democratic Party will be staggering. Anticipate epic infighting about Democrats executing yet another strategy. There will be calls for the ousters of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., — even though both sided with most Democrats to refrain from funding the government unless there was a deal on health care money.
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BECOMING LONGEST IN US HISTORY AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON OBAMACARE
Democrats could find themselves entering a civil war in the early days of 2026 – just as they see opportunities to vanquish Republicans at the polls in the 2026 midterms. On paper, Democrats stand a very good chance to win control of the House. The Senate is a reach based on a map which heavily favors the GOP. But Democrats think they could be within striking distance if they hold the seats of retiring Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., would have to win reelection in a competitive state. Democrats would then need to flip the seat of retiring Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., plus flip Ohio and maybe pull an armadillo out of a hat in Texas. It’s not impossible. But very challenging.
Internecine squabbling could trip up Democrats on that very narrow Senate pathway. The same with the House. Democrats must appear united heading into the 2026 midterms. But bickering about government shutdown #1 or government shutdown #2 does the party no favors.
Republicans aren’t inoculated from tricky politics in 2026 which are tethered to the shutdown(s).
Democrats made this fall’s shutdown about health care. And if Republicans don’t bend to the Democrats’ demand to extend the health care subsidies, the GOP may find itself upside down with voters on the topic. If so, Democrats may not have won the government shutdown battle. But perhaps they prevail in the war: the 2026 midterms.
That’s why few exhaled after Congress voted to re-open the government last week. Everyone who is dialed into Capitol Hill knows things probably won’t get any better over the next nine weeks.
And as bad as this fall was, things may only get worse.
Trump terminates deportation protections for Somali nationals living in Minnesota 'effective immediately'
President Donald Trump Friday evening said he was ending deportation protections for Somalis in Minnesota "effective immediately."
"Minnesota, under Governor [Tim] Walz, is a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity," Trump posted on Truth Social.
He continued, "I am, as President of the United States, hereby terminating, effective immediately, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS Program) for Somalis in Minnesota."
Trump claimed that "Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER! President DJT."
Minnesota has a sizable Somali population and the TPS program allows Somali nationals temporary legal status to live and work in the U.S. because of the dangerous conditions in the African country.
In the last several years, the state has faced fraud problems, most notably from the Feeding Our Future scheme, which embezzled hundreds of millions of dollars in COVID-19 funds.
The president's decision comes as a new investigation from the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, alleged that millions of dollars were being funneled to the Somali terror group Al-Shabaab in connection with the Feeding Our Future scam.
MINNESOTA TAXPAYER DOLLARS FUNNELED TO AL-SHABAAB TERROR GROUP, REPORT ALLEGES
Ryan Thorpe and Christopher F. Rufo of the Manhattan Institute said they had uncovered a web of fraud involving Minnesota’s Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program, Feeding Our Future and other organizations in a report.
They added that federal counterterrorism sources confirmed that millions of dollars in stolen funds were sent back to Somalia, which is how Al-Shabaab got the cash.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz’s office and the White House for comment.
Texas files emergency Supreme Court petition after Trump-backed congressional map blocked by federal judges
Texas on Friday filed an emergency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court after a ruling by a panel of federal judges blocked the state from using its redrawn congressional map, calling it "racially gerrymandered."
Shortly after filing the petition, Justice Samuel Alito issued an administrative stay, temporarily putting the lower panel’s decision blocking Texas’ new maps on hold.
The state asked the high court for an administrative stay on the lower court ruling, noting Texas has an "election already in progress," referring to congressional primary elections in March.
The Supreme Court most recently blocked lower court rulings related to redistricting cases in Louisiana and Alabama.
Texas redrew its congressional map last summer in a President Donald Trump-backed effort that could help Republicans gain five seats in next year’s midterms.
REPUBLICANS PUSH BACK OVER 'FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF RACISM' IN BLOCKBUSTER REDISTRICTING FIGHT
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown, a Trump appointee, joined by U.S. District Judge David Guaderrama, an Obama appointee, in the majority ruling said, "The public perception of this case is that it's about politics.
"To be sure, politics played a role in drawing the 2025 map," the judges said. "But it was much more than just politics. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map."
Judge Jerry Smith, a Reagan appointee and the third of the three-judge panel, dissented without explanation.
The ruling was a significant blow to the Trump administration. It comes as Trump and his Republican allies have raced to pad the party's razor-thin House majority in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections, including by imploring some states to launch rare, mid-decade redistricting efforts.
Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have redrawn their congressional maps as well, and other states like Florida and Kansas are weighing similar efforts.
Democratic states are also considering redrawing their maps to counteract Republican efforts.
Most prominently, California voters approved by a wide margin earlier this month a plan to redistrict the state in an effort that could wipe out Texas’ new map.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton vowed on Tuesday to appeal to the Supreme Court.
"For years, Democrats have engaged in partisan redistricting intended to eliminate Republican representation," Paxton said. "But when Republicans respond in kind, Democrats rely on false accusations of racism to secure a partisan advantage."
Florida to use hundreds of confiscated Chinese drones as target practice for US military
More than 500 Chinese drones confiscated by Florida officials will be used for military target practice for evaluation and training.
Instead of torching the machines, the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) will shoot them down with shotguns, according to Bloomberg News.
The quadcopter drones will be used over the course of three days next month to train elite U.S. troops on how to take out enemy drones.
AI ARMS RACE: US AND CHINA WEAPONIZE DRONES, CODE AND BIOTECH FOR NEXT GREAT WAR
The Military Drone Crucible training event is scheduled for Dec. 4-6 at Camp Blanding, according to the U.S. National Drone Association’s (USNDA) website.
The event will feature training sessions focused on clearing a room with opposing troops present and striking an enemy convoy.
"It will be the largest counter-drone destruction event ever held in the United States," USNDA President Nate Ecelbarger told Bloomberg News.
To date, the largest drone destruction event was held in September, when an electromagnetic weapon was used to take down 49 drones at Camp Atterbury in Indiana, according to Axios.
HEGSETH TEARS UP RED TAPE, ORDERS PENTAGON TO BEGIN DRONE SURGE AT TRUMP'S COMMAND
Navy SEALs, Marines and Army Rangers participated in the Indiana event for training purposes.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration cut red tape to allow mass drone production to compete with Russian and Chinese drone programs.