A lifelong dream led one man to plan an extreme road trip of thousands of miles across several continents — just to see the northern lights.

In an extended journey that would likely defeat most people, Malik Al-Sultan, 28, drove more than 5,600 miles from Saudi Arabia to northern Norway — spending thousands of dollars on the trip — to catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis.

He planned the long journey for over a year, news agency SWNS reported.

Rather than flying, he chose to make the trip by road so he could experience other countries along the way.

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The freelance digital creator from Saudi Arabia set off on Dec. 20, 2025, driving his Toyota Land Cruiser pickup truck across Europe and Scandinavia.

The three-week journey took him through 19 countries, with a final destination of Bodø, Norway.

He said the idea for the trip came about roughly a year before his departure.

That's when he began mapping out a route, saving money and preparing his vehicle for long-distance travel.

In the five weeks leading up to his departure, Al-Sultan spent a lot of free time making sure his truck was road-ready and securing the necessary travel documents, he said — including a Schengen visa required for Saudi citizens traveling across much of Europe.

The cost of his trip, which included fuel, food and hotel stays in every city where he spent the night, totaled about $12,300, SWNS reported.

His route took him through countries such as Kuwait, Turkey, Serbia, Italy, Germany and Sweden.

Along the way, he made an unplanned detour to the United Kingdom — where he visited London for the first time and decided to remain for a few days.

"At first, the United Kingdom was not part of the plan," he said. "But when I visited it, I was amazed by the beauty of the roads. When I arrived in London and saw it, I decided to stay for a couple [of] days and enjoy the atmosphere."

After logging approximately 5,600 miles, Al-Sultan arrived in Bodø — and was finally able to witness the aurora borealis lighting up the night sky.

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"It was quite a long journey, traveling through so many different cultures and lands," he said.

"It made the whole journey worth the trouble," Al-Sultan said.

"I was so amazed [at] watching the lights," he said.

Al-Sultan said his journey itself became just as meaningful to him as the ultimate destination.

"I will always remember both together, because one could not exist without the other for me," he said.

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After soaking in the experience, Al-Sultan said he plans to continue driving back to Saudi Arabia — possibly taking a different route home.

"Love his camping set-up," wrote a social media commenter. "Would love to sit by his fire and listen to his stories."

In another extreme journey that made headlines recently, a man's longtime friendship led him to make a one-day, 14,000-mile journey to say goodbye to a dying pal, as. Fox News Digital recently reported. 

Bob Walker traveled from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Arbroath, Scotland, and back again, just to spend a few hours with his friend Peter Gould, 82, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer in December. 

The two men had been friends for more than four decades, first meeting while working as aircraft engineers in Papua New Guinea in the 1980s. Despite living in different countries for much of their lives, they stayed in close contact over the years.

"There's not many opportunities where you can actually say goodbye to people, so I really wanted to [make] the journey," Walker said.

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On Jan. 16, the friends sat together in Gould’s hometown — sharing cans of their favorite beer and reminiscing about their years working, traveling and raising families.

"I'm very grateful for what Bob did," he said. "He didn’t have to do it."

For the first time in decades, the world’s two largest nuclear superpowers are no longer bound by any treaty limiting their arsenals.

The last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the U.S. and Russia, known as New START, expired Thursday.

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The lapse removed limits on how many nuclear weapons Washington and Moscow could deploy on missiles, bombers and submarines, and ended the requirement that both sides notify one another whenever nuclear weapons were moved.

The scale of what’s now unconstrained is vast. 

Globally, there are more than 12,200 nuclear weapons spread across nine nuclear-armed nations, according to a recent analysis. The United States and Russia alone account for roughly 10,636 of those weapons.

NO LIMITS, NO INSPECTIONS: US AND RUSSIA FACE POST–NEW START ERA AS TRUMP PUSHES NEW NUCLEAR DEAL

While the exact size of each country’s arsenal is closely guarded, below is a breakdown of estimated nuclear stockpiles, based on data from the Federation of American Scientists. 

Ahead of the New START agreement’s expiration, President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, "Rather than extend ‘NEW START’ (a badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future."

He has previously argued that China should be included in any new agreement with Russia, pointing to Beijing’s growing nuclear arsenal, the world’s third largest after the U.S. and Russia.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks was formally installed on Friday at New York City's iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral, officially taking the helm after the retirement of Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

"I happen to like New York. I happen to love this town. So, start spreadin’ the news, I’m starting today," Hicks said, officially kicking off his tenure as archbishop, according to the Archdiocese of New York. "Here are a few things you should know about me: I love Jesus. I love the Church. And I love people."

Upon his installation, Hicks, who has served as the Bishop of Joliet, Ill, since September 2020, became the fourteenth bishop and the eleventh archbishop to lead the Archdiocese of New York.

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The installation ceremony began, as it traditionally does, with the new archbishop knocking on the cathedral doors before gaining entry to the church. Hicks knocked on the doors of St. Patrick's Cathedral with a metal hammer before he was greeted by Dolan, according to WNYW. There were then three processions at the start of the installation, which included honored guests, congregation leadership and several bishops, WNYW reported.

Hicks laid out his vision for the Archdiocese of New York, saying that the Church should focus on outreach and charity, rather than serving current members.

"This is a call to be a missionary Church, not a country club. A club exists to serve its members. The Church, on the other hand, exists to go out and serve all people, on fire with faith, hope, and charity in the name of Jesus Christ. This is not a criticism, but an invitation to renew who we are and rediscover why the Church exists," Hicks said, according to the Archdiocese of New York.

VATICAN CONFIRMS RESIGNATION OF CARDINAL TIMOTHY DOLAN, ANNOUNCES NEW ARCHBISHOP OF NEW YORK

The shift in leadership from Dolan to Hicks signals the U.S. Church could be moving into a new era with the Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV as the first American pope, The Associated Press noted. The outlet also suggested that Hicks, who is seen as a Leo-style bishop, could join Church leaders who are already pushing back against the Trump administration on issues, such as immigration.

Dolan, who has led the archdiocese since 2009, announced his retirement in December and submitted it in February when he turned 75, as the Church requires. Hicks was named his successor in December and was installed on Dolan's 75th birthday, something he mentioned in his homily.

"To Cardinal Dolan, thank you for your magnanimous leadership here for seventeen years. In particular, thank you for the gracious support you have shown me both publicly and privately. And by the way, we know that today is your birthday. Happy Birthday to you, and 'ad multos annos,'" Hicks said. "Ad multos annos," means "to many more years" in Latin.

Hicks was ordained as a priest on May 21, 1994, in the Archdiocese of Chicago. From 2005 to 2009, he led Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a charity that cares for orphans in Latin America. Hicks' work with the charity, combined with his fluency in Spanish, helped deepen his ties to immigrant communities. Additionally, the AP noted that Hicks had requested that the liturgy at his installation also be said in Spanish.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The eyes of millions are on 23-year-old New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye ahead of Super Bowl LX Sunday, Feb. 8, as the Patriots go up against the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara, California. 

Kickoff is set for 6:40 p.m. ET.

In an on-camera interview this week with Fox News Digital ahead of the big game, Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL QB Tim Tebow shared thoughts about the young player.

"I've been a fan of his from afar for a long time. He's super talented," said Tebow.

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He's encouraging Maye to "go pursue it, go give it everything you have — but also fight to keep perspective."

Tebow, author of the new book "If the Tree Could Speak: The Story of the Cross That Saw It," out this month, added that he's faced this battle many times in his own life. 

"Yes, go win, go pursue it," said Tebow. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all of your might, unto the Lord, and glorify Him."

At the end of the day, he also said, it's just a football game, and a single game does not define anyone.

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"So, go play free, go have fun — and know that you're not defined by this. And that goes for everybody," Tebow said. 

"And sometimes society doesn't like that because they want to define people by wins and losses, (including) how many championships have they won? All of that.

"Yet, in the bigger picture," he added, "it's not how we're defined."

Ahead of Sunday’s game, Maye has been opening up about his faith during a press tour.

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When asked how he's leaned on the Lord, Maybe responded that his faith in God is a "constant" in his life.

"Being able to shine light on others and get them to follow Jesus Christ is what I'm here for," said Maye.

"It is what God put me here to do."

Maye said it's been "powerful" to chat with team chaplain James Mitchell before a game.

He referenced Proverbs 16:19: "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

Maye said that people can have their wants, but it's the Lord who's leading the way.

He has been married to his wife and college sweetheart, Ann Michael, since June, and he said he'd advise all of his teammates to get married at some point in their lives, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

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"I definitely would advise [my teammates] to eventually get married. It’s one of the best things in life. It’s one of the best things I’ve experienced in my life," said Maye. 

"There’s no better feeling than coming home to a wife that loves you and cares for you and [is] worried about your best interests."

House GOP leaders are forging ahead on legislation aimed at imposing new federal guardrails to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in national elections.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., confirmed to Fox News Digital that the chamber would vote on the SAVE America Act introduced by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, next week.

It comes after conservatives threatened to extend the partial government shutdown earlier this week if the legislation was not included in Congress' bipartisan funding bills. But those lawmakers backed off their demands after getting assurances from the White House that the Senate would give the bill serious consideration.

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The House's vote next week hikes the growing pressure on the Senate to take up the bill, where it will face long odds of passing. Its backers are hoping a little-known maneuver called a "standing filibuster" will be key to breaking through Democratic opposition, however. 

"These are common-sense measures that protect American voters," Scalise explained to Fox News Digital on Thursday.

"Only Democrats in Congress could oppose these basic requirements that prevent voter fraud, and that’s because they want illegal aliens to vote in our elections. Why else would they support open borders, oppose deporting illegal aliens, and oppose election security like picture ID?"

The SAVE America Act is an updated version of Roy's Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which passed the House in April 2025 but was never taken up in the Senate.

Whereas the SAVE Act would create a new federal proof of citizenship mandate in the voter registration process and impose requirements for states to keep their rolls clear of ineligible voters, the updated bill would also require photo ID to vote in any federal elections.

"It's all the same concept, right? I mean, you want citizenship, and then you want to guarantee that the person voting is the person voting. Photo ID is, I think, a critically important element to that, and we want to require that for federal elections," Roy told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

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The bill is expected to easily pass the House — the original SAVE Act got support from all Republicans and four Democrats — but its survival in the Senate is more complicated.

Most legislation needs 60 votes to break through a filibuster, meaning at least seven Democrats will need to vote with Republicans to advance the bill. 

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., led a small coalition of conservatives threatening to extend the most recent government shutdown if the SAVE America Act was not attached to the funding bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on Tuesday.

Luna told reporters she spoke with the White House on Monday night where she got assurances that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is looking at using a maneuver called a "standing filibuster" to ensure a vote on the bill.

It would restore antiquated filibuster rules in the Senate that require opponents of a bill to be physically present in the chamber and speaking continuously to delay its consideration. 

The move would also eliminate the need for 60 votes to break a filibuster, which currently does not require lawmakers to be present in the chamber until a vote — rather, it would end when opponents were done speaking. Each senator can give a maximum of two speeches, though without any time constraints.

The downside of such a move is that it would grind Senate proceedings to a halt until the filibuster was over. But Roy argued that any such delay in the upper chamber's duties would fall squarely on Democrats' shoulders.

"What we're trying to say is that for something as important as sovereignty in our elections, we should force that question," Roy said. "If Democrats want … a long, drawn-out, talking filibuster, then let them explain that to the American people."

Scalise told Fox News Digital, "Once House Republicans pass this bill — and we will — I urge the Senate to quickly put it on the floor so we can send it to President Trump’s desk. The American people are demanding action — Congress must answer their call and pass this critical legislation."

The top congressional Democrats appear to have mended their rift over the controversial Homeland Security spending bill and presented a revamped list of demands to earn the party's support to fund the agency.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., presented a unified front on Wednesday to unveil a retooled wish list of reforms for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the top House Democrat bucked his colleague's deal with President Donald Trump.

"We're united as House and Senate Democrats," Schumer said. "We're going to have tough, strong legislation. We hope to have it within the next 24 hours that we will submit together. And then we want our Republican colleagues to finally get serious about this."

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Schumer laid out congressional Democrats' requirements for their support of a full-year DHS funding bill, which varied little from the same list of demands he unveiled last week. The only difference now is that he had a buy-in from House Democrats.

Among the demands are an end to roving patrols, oversight by state and local governments where ICE and DHS are operating, along with the right to sue. Lastly, Schumer demanded that there be "no secret police."

"I find it amazing that the Speaker of the House, [is] saying… they should be allowed to have masks," Schumer said. "This group, which needs to be identified more than any other group, should have a standard much more lenient and hidden than other police forces?"

THUNE BLASTS JEFFRIES, SCHUMER AS 'AFRAID OF THEIR SHADOWS' AS DHS FUNDING FIGHT HEATS UP

"I would bet when Speaker Johnson goes down to Louisiana, the sheriffs and the police deputies are well identified as they are in almost every city," he continued.

Jeffries spurned Schumer and Senate Democrats just a day earlier when he and the vast majority of House Democrats rejected the funding deal that the top Senate Democrat struck with Trump that allowed Congress more time to negotiate over the DHS funding bill.

That divide, for now, appears to have been bridged.

SHUTDOWN AVERTED FOR NOW, BUT SENATE WARNS DHS FIGHT COULD TRIGGER ANOTHER IN DAYS

The negotiations over the funding bill are expected to largely take place in the Senate, and Republicans are skeptical that Democrats will negotiate in good faith, given that they abandoned an already bipartisan bill and Jeffries' defection from Schumer over the Trump-backed spending deal.

But Democrats argue that their demands aren't too burdensome, and should be accomplished with legislation, not through executive action at the White House.

"These are just some of the commonsense proposals that the American people clearly would like to see in terms of the dramatic changes that are needed at the Department of Homeland Security before there is a full-year appropriations bill," Jeffries said.

The Babylon Bee satirical news site on Friday scored a major free speech win due to the backing of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).

A federal court shut down Hawaii Gov. Josh Green’s (D) law preventing individuals from "recklessly distributing… materially deceptive media." Citing that such practices could impact elections by misleading voters, Green's law that he signed in 2024 restricts content that risks harming "the reputation or electoral prospects of a candidate" or simply risks "changing… voting behavior."

Videos, audio and images were mandated to post a disclaimer in a clear and legible manner, according to the law. ADF said that such disclaimers undermined the Bee's message and the "purpose of satire." Violators of the law could face jail time, fines, and lawsuits. 

The law primarily targeted AI-generated images, which the Babylon Bee uses.

"The legislature finds that although artificial intelligence (AI) technology can greatly benefit certain aspects of society, it can also have dangerous consequences if applied maliciously," the law section 1 of the bill stated. "For example, the use of deepfakes or generative AI in elections can be a powerful tool used to spread disinformation and misinformation, which can increase political tensions and result in electoral-related conflict and violence."

"This decision marks yet another victory for the First Amendment and for anyone who values the right to speak freely on political matters without government interference," Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon said. 

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"We are grateful to Alliance Defending Freedom for representing us as we continue to challenge laws that treat comedy like a crime," he added.

Babylon Bee has gained huge popularity on social media sites over the years with its conservative digs at politics and pop culture, gaining over 2 million followers on Instagram and 5 million on X.

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"For centuries, humor and satire have served as an important vehicle to deliver truth with a smile, and this kind of speech receives the utmost protection under the Constitution," ADF legal counsel Mathew Hoffmann said.

"The court is right to put a stop to Hawaii’s war against political memes and satire. The First Amendment doesn’t allow Hawaii to choose what political speech is acceptable and censor speech in the name of ‘misinformation.’ That censorship is both undemocratic and unnecessary."

U.S. District Judge Shanlyn Park, nominated by President Joe Biden in 2023 to the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii, wrote in the order, "Political speech, of course, is at the core of what the First Amendment is designed to protect."

"Rather than require actual harm, [S2687] imposes a risk assessment based solely on the value judgments and biases of the enforcement agency—which could conceivably lead to discretionary and targeted enforcement that discriminates based on viewpoint," she explained further.

Park ruled that the state cannot censor certain political speech that it does not like. 

"Plaintiffs The Babylon Bee, LLC, and Dawn O’Brien are parodists and humorists who create and post digital content about politics on various internet platforms and social media websites. Plaintiffs’ content contains admittedly false and hyperbolic information. Plaintiffs maintain that their content constitutes protected political speech and, with respect to The Bee, reflects a longstanding tradition of using satire and parody to speak the truth, expose bad ideas, and encourage societal change," Park wrote.

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ADF said that the Babylon Bee won a similar case in California, pushing back against Attorney General Rob Bonta’s effort to collect data from social media companies in order to investigate violators spreading false information on these sites. California officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, were looking to crack down on "hate and disinformation" on social media.

"The Department is reviewing the court’s decision and has no further comment at this time," the Department of the Attorney General’s Office told Fox News Digital.