Alan Menken on 'Aladdin' turning 30 and the journey of an animated classic

It might be hard to believe, but this holiday weekend marks 30 years since the release of "Aladdin" -- the animated classic that set the stage for multiple sequels, a live-action reimagining released in 2019 and even a Broadway musical. To mark the occasion, eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who nabbed two statuettes for his work on the movie, spoke with CNN about his memories from the making of the prescient classic.

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Biden rails against access to assault weapons after recent spate of shootings

President Joe Biden said Thursday that he would work with Congress to "try to get rid of assault weapons" after a recent spate of shootings in the US, including at a LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia.

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Ukraine battles to restore power after Russian strikes leave 'vast majority' of people without electricity

Ukraine raced to restore power across the country on Thursday, a day after Russia sent a new barrage of missiles to target critical infrastructure, resulting in the temporary shutdown of most of its power plants and leaving the "vast majority" of people without electricity.

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Mark Wahlberg shares powerful message behind 'Father Stu: Reborn': 'Nobody is beyond redemption'

Mark Wahlberg’s recent hit movie "Father Stu" is being re-released in theaters after its initial debut in April. The new version, as Wahlberg explained, was subject to significant editing, but he argued the message remains impactful.

"We took out all 200 and some odd swears," Wahlberg said on "The Ingraham Angle" Wednesday, "and the film is still as powerful." 

"Father Stu: Reborn" will hit theaters in December. The story follows Father Stuart’s difficult path to redemption after his family is shattered at the beginning of the film. 

The re-release serves as a PG-13 version suitable for families. 

MARK WAHLBERG LEFT HOLLYWOOD FOR NEVADA TO GIVE HIS KIDS A ‘BETTER LIFE’: ‘THIS MADE A LOT MORE SENSE FOR US’

"Given the nature of the R-rated movie, lots of families didn't feel comfortable with their children seeing it, but they really wanted them to get the message," Wahlberg told Fox News’ Raymond Arroyo.

"To see Stu's journey and the struggle that he went through to find his calling, we felt, was really important for people of all ages to see."

Wahlberg said the removal of the expletives didn’t take anything away from the message behind the film, but he encouraged young people to see the original cut when they’re older.

He argued that seeing the way Father Stu handled adversity and suffering and, ultimately, found his calling serving God will have a lasting impact on viewers. 

WHAT MADE MARK WAHLBERG FAMOUS? HOW THE ACTOR WENT FROM MARKY MARK TO MOVIE STAR

"I really wanted young people as a whole to see it, but especially young boys," he said.

"We want to prevent kids from making a lot of the same mistakes that we made – certainly mistakes that I made. So anything that we can do to kind of show them an easier path to serving God and just being positive, productive members of society." 

Wahlberg said "Father Stu," which is based on a true story, was one of the most important movies of his career.

"This film especially has touched so many people, and it's reminded them about what life is really all about," Wahlberg explained. 

"We want people to know that they're not forgotten, we've all made mistakes, and that nobody is beyond redemption," he said. "We want to spread a lot more love and a lot more acceptance."

America travels for Thanksgiving 2022

Thanksgiving travel is forecast to reach nearly 98% of pre-pandemic volume, as over 54 million Americans are expected to be on the move, according to AAA. Follow live news updates here.

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Chesapeake, Virginia Walmart gunman who fired on coworkers identified as Andre Bing

The city of Chesapeake, Virginia has identified Andre Bing as the alleged Walmart employee who opened fire last night at one of the company’s stores there, killing six people before police say he turned his pistol on himself. 

Bing, the company said in a statement to Fox News Digital, was an "overnight team lead and he’s been employed with us since 2010." The 31-year-old from Chesapeake was "armed with one handgun and had multiple magazines," according to the city. 

"While details of the tragic incident in our Chesapeake, Virginia store are still emerging, authorities have confirmed multiple fatalities. We are focused on doing everything we can to support our associates and their families at this time," Walmart said in a statement. "The alleged shooter has been identified as Andre Bing. We can confirm that he was a Walmart associate."

The development comes as employees at the Walmart Supercenter location in Chesapeake are now speaking out about the violence that erupted in the break room of the store late Tuesday night. 

WALMART EMPLOYEE IN CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA KILLS 6 WITH PISTOL, POLICE SAY 

Employee Briana Tyler said the overnight stocking team of about 15 or 20 people had just gathered in the break room to go over the morning plan. She said the meeting was about to start, and her team leader said: "All right guys, we have a light night ahead of us," when her manager turned around and opened fire on the staff. 

"It is by the grace of God that a bullet missed me," Tyler said. "I saw the smoke leaving the gun, and I literally watched bodies drop. It was crazy." 

At first, Tyler didn’t think the shooting was real. "It was all happening so fast. I thought it was like a test type of thing. Like, if you do have an active shooter, this is how you respond." 

Tyler, who worked with the manager just the night before, said the assailant did not aim at anyone specific. 

"He was just shooting all throughout the room. It didn’t matter who he hit. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t look at anybody in any specific type of way." 

WALMART SAYS IT IS ‘SHOCKED’ BY CHESAPEAKE STORE SHOOTING 

Employee Jessie Wilczewski told Norfolk television station WAVY that she hid under the table, and the shooter looked at her with his gun pointed at her. He told her to go home, and she left. 

"It didn’t even look real until you could feel the... ‘pow-pow-pow,’ you can feel it," Wilczewski said. "I couldn’t hear it at first because I guess it was so loud, I could feel it." 

The city of Chesapeake said Wednesday that "Three individuals, including the shooter, were located deceased in the break room of the store.

"One victim was located deceased toward the front of the store. Three other victims were transported to local hospitals for further treatment, but succumbed to their injuries," the city tweeted. 

"At least six additional victims were transported to local hospitals for further medical treatment. One of these individuals is currently in critical condition," the city added. 

The chaos ended after police say the shooter, who was armed with a pistol, turned the weapon on himself. He is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Skin whitening: What is it, what are the risks and who profits?

Skin whitening is a multi-billion-dollar industry and predominantly targets women of color in every region of the world. Find out more about the global market, the culture of colorism promoting it, the effect these products can have on your health and the industry behind it all.

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Florida officer who can't swim rescues drowning infant from retention pond, bodycam video shows

A Florida officer is being hailed a hero after she jumped into a retention pond to rescue a drowning infant, putting her own life at risk because she didn’t know how to swim, authorities said Tuesday.

Officer Me’Atia Sanderson with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was the first to arrive at the scene on June 9, the sheriff's office said. She was alerted that the infant was still in the water.

The sheriff’s office released bodycam video of the harrowing rescue for the first time on Tuesday.

"Sanderson, who does not know how to swim herself, without a second’s hesitation, entered the pond to retrieve the child and performed CPR until she was relieved by other responding officers," the sheriff’s office said.

MISSOURI TEEN WHO RUSHED TO HELP OFFICER SHOT IN LINE OF DUTY HONORED FOR HEROISM

Video shows Sanderson, who joined the sheriff's office in 2019. sprinting into the water and make her way to the drowning child. After the child was pulled from the water, Sanderson continued life-saving efforts.

INDIANA MAN SAVED BY SOUTH BEND OFFICER AS A TODDLER MAKES IT HIS ‘MISSION’ TO THANK HER 24 YEARS LATER

"Come on, baby," the officer can be heard saying as she performs CPR. "Come on!"

The footage ends when two other officers arrive at the scene and take over CPR efforts.

Officials with the sheriff’s office said Sanderson has been recognized for the impact that her "quick and decisive decision to go into the retention pond" made. 

"Her actions, while putting her own life at risk, undoubtedly saved the child’s life," the department said.

Multnomah County DA prosecuting fewer than half of misdemeanor theft cases, new data shows

Democratic Multnomah County, Oregon, District Attorney Mike Schmidt is prosecuting less than half of the misdemeanor theft cases referred to his office by police, according to new data.

Prosecutors in Portland's Multnomah County are prosecuting 46% of theft cases involving less than $1,000 in merchandise, according to local NBC affiliate KGW.

Multnomah's neighboring counties of Clackamas and Washington, by contrast, are prosecuting such crimes at a rate of 84% and 93%, respectively.

Data also indicates that prosecutors in Multnomah County are being tasked with fewer theft cases than prosecutors in Washington County. Police have referred 451 felony and misdemeanor theft cases to Schmidt's office in Multnomah in 2022, while 1,666 such cases have been referred to the district attorney's office in Washington County.

PORTLAND PROSECUTORS DECIDE AGAINST CHARGING MAN WHO FATALLY STABBED LANDLORD DRESSED AS MICHAEL MYERS

Schmidt is prosecuting fewer second- and third-degree theft cases than Rod Underhill, the district attorney who preceded him before retiring on July 31, 2020.

Underhill prosecuted 60% of misdemeanor theft cases during the first nine months of 2019.

"We issue cases we can prove," Schmidt told the local outlet. "That’s first and foremost and that is our focus." He emphasized the importance of having video cases before most such cases can proceed.

Schmidt also pushed back against claims that he has made Portland attractive to criminals.

WHERE ARE THE COPS? FRUSTRATED PORTLAND RESIDENTS SAY POLICE HAVE ‘ALMOST DISAPPEARED’

"There’s no policy against prosecuting any of these cases," he said. "If we have the evidence we need, we're launching these cases."

Another complicating factor is Portland's short-staffed police force, which often lacks resources to do follow-up investigations on misdemeanor theft cases, the outlet said.

Schmidt also said more than 280 cases in Multnomah County were dismissed this year because there was an insufficient number of public defenders, according to local Fox affiliate KATU. Of those cases, 75 were misdemeanors and 206 were felonies, according to case numbers from his office.

CRIME, PANHANDLING HURTING LOCAL BUSINESSES, NASHVILLE-AREA STORE MANAGER SAYS: ‘WE’RE LOSING CUSTOMERS’

Stores in Portland have been forced to cut hours or close because of the increasingly brazen and rampant theft that goes unpunished in the city, according to a retailer who spoke to the outlet.

"When there's not prosecution for shoplifting — that's a big problem," said Steven Lien, as store owner in downtown Portland.

"We have situations where a shoplifter will actually say, 'You're not going to prosecute me. I'm not going to jail," Lien added.

U.S. and Israel discuss military drill to simulate conflict with Iran, proxies

The United States and Israel have discussed a joint military drill that would simulate a possible attack against Iran and its Middle East proxies.

Israeli Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley are considering holding a joint Air Force drill in coming weeks that would be meant to train soldiers for a possible conflict between Israel and Iran or Iran’s military proxies in the region, Fox News Digital has learned. 

"We are at a critical point in time that requires the acceleration of operational plans and cooperation against Iran and its terrorist proxies in the region," Kochavi, who held a series of meetings in Washington, D.C. this week, said in a statement.

Kochavi held a series of meetings at both the Pentagon and the White House on Monday speaking with Milley, and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to discuss security threats in the Middle East.

HEZBOLLAH TRANSPORTING CHEMICAL WEAPONS TO LEBANON WITH HELP OF IRAN AND NORTH KOREA, REPORT CLAIMS

The press release from Kochavi said that the United States expressed it will stand behind Biden’s pledge to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons after talks about a potential renewing of nuclear deal with the country appear to have stalled. 

"The two also discussed the security situation in Judea and Samaria and the desire to maintain stability in the region and prevent the security situation from deteriorating," the Israeli statement said. 

ISRAEL, JORDAN SIGN DECLARATION OF INTENT AT UN CLIMATE CONFERENCE TO CONSERVE, PROTECT JORDAN RIVER

Kochavi also met with CIA Director William Burns. 

"The IDF strongly promotes all operational plans against the Iranian threat," Kochavi’s office added in a statement. "During the discussions, it was agreed that we are at a critical point in time that requires the acceleration of operational plans and cooperation against Iran and its terrorist proxies in the region." 

"Our deep cooperation with our greatest ally was and continues to be a central pillar of our national security."

A readout on Monday's meeting from the Joint Chiefs of Staff noted that, "The two military leaders discussed regional security issues, opportunities for greater bilateral cooperation and coordination to defend against a wide range of threats posed by Iran across the region and other items of mutual strategic interest." 

It concluded by stating that "The U.S. and Israel maintain a strong military-to-military relationship as key partners committed to peace and security in the Middle East region."

Fox News' Yonat Friling contributed to this report