Charlie Kirk’s colleagues and pastors praise his patriotism as Trump readies highest civilian honor
The friends, colleagues and pastors of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) co-founder Charlie Kirk are celebrating his life and legacy promoting faith, family and patriotism as President Donald Trump prepares to award him the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Tuesday. “Although he was taken from us far too soon, his legacy will inspire generations to come and outlive us all,” “The Charlie Kirk Show” executive producer Andrew Kolvet told Fox News Digital. “He represents the very best of America and is deserving of this and every other possible accolade. Thank you to President Trump for quite literally shifting world events to honor Charlie on what would have been his 32nd birthday.” “Only Charlie could do that,” Kolvet added. Kirk was assassinated Sept. 10 while attending a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University’s campus. The conservative movement leader was sitting under a tent while chatting with students when a shot rang out and struck Kirk in the neck, killing him. TURNING POINT USA EXPANDS ITS MERCHANDISE COLLECTION WITH ITEMS COMMEMORATING CHARLIE KIRK Following Kirk’s shocking assassination, Republicans and conservatives have vowed that his legacy of promoting family values, upholding the Constitution and spreading his Christian faith will continue. Trump announced in September he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling him “a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people.” “I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on,” Trump said Sept. 11 when announcing he would award Kirk the honor. TPUSA’s Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer told Fox News Digital that the award ceremony will be felt by every young adult who has been involved with the conservative advocacy group. “Charlie will be honored today on behalf of the millions of conservative activists he helped lift up to save the movement and the country. Today in the White House this award will be felt by every young man and young woman who was impacted by his work. They can wear it too by carrying on doing the work,” Bowyer said. David Engelhardt, lead pastor of Kings’ Church New York City and board member of TPUSA, told Fox News Digital that it’s a “profound privilege to be able to witness this moment recognizing Charlie’s courage, conviction and leadership in defense of faith and freedom.” ‘SLEEPING GIANT’ LIKELY WOKE UP FOR TURNING POINT USA AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION “Charlie is the right recipient to the Medal of Freedom because he believed that God’s moral order found in faith is not a limit to freedom but the soil it grows in,” said Engelhardt, the pastor and friend of both Charlie Kirk and his wife, Erika. “People who destroy that soil in the name of safe-spaces and to protect against ‘dangerous ideas’ will soon find their land barren. Charlie stood for freedom rightly ordered and founded in the gravity of God’s system.” Kolvet added in his remarks that the conservative powerhouse’s deep faith and calls to protect freedom and the Constitution will continue to invigorate Americans even after his death. “Charlie devoted his entire being to saving America, and in many ways, he accomplished even more than that,” Kolvet said. “He proved that the blessings of liberty could be passed down to a whole new generation, even when so many believed all hope was lost. He proved them all wrong. In both life and death his message sparked a revival of faith and freedom all across the world, an impact we’ll never fully understand.” TRUMP TO AWARD CHARLIE KIRK MEDAL OF FREEDOM AFTER CAMPUS ASSASSINATION Kirk is set to receive the highest civilian honor Tuesday at 4 p.m. EDT, on what would have been his 32nd birthday. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded to individuals whom presidents determine have made exceptional contributions to the country. Rob McCoy — Kirk’s longtime pastor, friend and co-chair of TPUSA Faith — told Fox News Digital that Kirk “paid the ultimate sacrifice” to promote and protect freedom. CHARLIE KIRK PAINTED AS ‘CONTROVERSIAL,’ ‘PROVOCATIVE’ IN MEDIA’S ASSASSINATION COVERAGE “Charlie Kirk contended for freedom his entire adult life and paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect and defend this inalienable right given to mankind by the God Charlie trusted and loved,” McCoy said. Following Kirk’s death, his widow, Erika, was elected as TPUSA’s new chief executive officer to carry on her husband’s legacy of rallying younger generations with conservative principles. “I feel a sense of deep gratitude to Erika Kirk and the entire Turning Point USA team for their tireless work in continuing to shape a generation grounded in truth and purpose,” Engelhardt added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The award ceremony will be held at the White House and comes on the heels of Trump’s return from the Middle East earlier Tuesday after he announced an end to the war in Gaza, which has raged since 2023.
Democratic socialist group backing Mamdani condemns Gaza ceasefire, calls for more anti-Israel resistance
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the political party to which New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani belongs, brushed off Israel’s ceasefire with Hamas on Monday and called for further resistance to Israel’s “apartheid and occupation” of Gaza. The DSA released the statement, titled “Until Palestinian Liberation,” on its website, declaring that they have “no illusions that Israel will honor any negotiated agreement that preserves Palestinian life or self-determination.” The statement made no mention of the release of Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity and accused Israel of “terrorizing” the Palestinian people and nations in the region. “This will not end Israel’s assault on the Palestinian people or the theft and occupation of Palestinian lands. A conditional ceasefire agreement does not wash the hands of the ruling class,” the DSA wrote. “The Occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, eroding under illegal settler expansion, continue to struggle under violent Israeli apartheid and occupation. Across the region, Israel terrorizes the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Qatar, and Iran while wielding the implicit threat of nuclear engagement to violently impose its fascist, expansionist aspirations,” the statement continued. UN ACCUSED OF DOWNPLAYING HAMAS TERRORISTS’ USE OF GAZA HOSPITALS AS NEW REPORT IGNORES IMPORTANT DETAILS Mamdani’s own statement on the ceasefire echoed the “occupation and apartheid” allegations against Israel, leading to quick criticism from both his mayoral race opponents and New York City officials. “Today’s scenes of Israelis and Palestinians are profoundly moving: Israeli hostages being freed and families reunited after years of fear, uncertainty, and torture; the first days in Gaza without relentless Israeli bombardment of Palestinians as families return to rubble and loved ones freed from detention,” Mamdani wrote in a statement on X. “We must work towards a future built upon justice, one without occupation and apartheid, and for a world where every person can live with safety and dignity,” he added. MAMDANI BREAKS SILENCE ON FREED ISRAELI HOSTAGES IN STATEMENT THAT DOESN’T MENTION TRUMP New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, who is Jewish, lashed out at Mamdani soon afterward, calling his statement a “word-salad” and noting the absence of any mention of Hamas or its crimes. Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running against Mamdani for mayor, noted how long it took the Democratic socialist candidate to address the ceasefire. IDF KILLS HAMAS TERRORIST IT SAYS WORKED FOR UNRWA, LED CHARGE ON REIM BOMB SHELTER MASSACRE “His silence speaks volumes,” Cuomo wrote in the hours that stretched between the release of the remaining living hostages and Mamdani’s eventual statement. The exchange came as Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, also found herself the focus of criticism on Monday after she publicly mourned the death of a Palestinian social media influencer who praised Hamas’ actions on Oct. 7. The man, Saleh al-Jafarawi, was killed this weekend as Hamas clashed with rivals in Gaza after the Israeli military’s withdrawal. “Beloved Jafarawi,” she wrote on Instagram.
Shutdown threatens rural hospitals, veterans’ care as Democrats block GOP plan, Emmer warns
EXCLUSIVE: The No. 3 House Republican is accusing Democrats of making a hypocritical argument in their resistance to the GOP’s federal funding bill. The government shutdown is in its 14th day with Republicans and Democrats still unable to agree on a path forward. The Trump administration is taking steps to prevent the military from missing paychecks this week, while also beginning to lay off scores of federal workers amid the standoff. Democrats have said they will not agree to any solution that does not include serious concessions on healthcare from the GOP — but House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., argued that they are themselves harming healthcare access by allowing the shutdown to continue. “They are [jeopardizing healthcare],” Emmer told Fox News Digital, pointing out that certain telehealth services, for example, are going without funding during the shutdown. JOHNSON RAISES STAKES ON SCHUMER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BARRELS INTO WEEK 3 “We had a huge advance during the pandemic when it came to remote care. You’ve got all kinds of constituents that don’t live in a condensed or a dense urban area right next to a hospital, right next to a provider, they may be a distance away. And the telehealth option actually made a big difference,” Emmer said. “I know it did for our veterans.” “I don’t know if the VA — [House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill.] made it sound like they’re going to protect that under his jurisdiction, not sure how — but I do worry about it for the private providers, hospitals. How are they going to do it if they’re not getting reimbursed?” He was referring to the Acute Hospital Care At Home program, originally created during the COVID-19 pandemic. It allows healthcare providers to bill Medicare for telehealth appointments and at-home aid that previously was only reserved for hospital care. It’s become a popular program for elderly or otherwise vulnerable Medicaid recipients, but the ongoing shutdown has prevented Congress from being able to extend it. SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES, MIKE LAWLER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUES The government entered into a shutdown nearly two weeks ago on Oct. 1 after Senate Democrats rejected the GOP’s federal funding plan. They have since blocked consideration of the same bill six more times. Republicans proposed a seven-week bill extending fiscal year (FY) 2025 federal funding levels through Nov. 21 called a continuing resolution (CR). It’s aimed at giving congressional negotiators more time to strike a longer-term agreement on FY2026, which began on Oct. 1. It passed the House along mostly partisan lines on Sept. 19. But Democrats in the House and Senate were largely infuriated by being sidelined in federal funding talks and are now demanding any spending deal that also include an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year. Democrats also introduced a separate counter-proposal that would completely eliminate healthcare reforms made in the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and restore funding to NPR and PBS that the Trump administration revoked earlier this year. Democrats have said that proposal is aimed at rolling back Republicans’ Medicaid cuts. But Republicans have positioned it as the left’s effort at restoring federal funding for illegal immigrants’ healthcare — though Democratic leaders panned that as a lie. Emmer also pointed out that it would revoke $50 billion for a rural hospital fund that OBBBA put in place. “The Rural Health Care Fund is a great example. I mean, right now, it’s our job, it’s the representatives’ job back in their districts, to try and work with our hospitals to make sure that they can access the funds,” he said. “Because you don’t know exactly how deep the shutdown is going to impact hospitals, providers, ultimately consumers and patients.”
Schumer, Clinton lead Democrats praising Trump for Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and Bill and Hillary Clinton are leading a chorus of prominent Democrats praising President Donald Trump for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal and the release of the remaining living hostages. The support from across the aisle comes as the Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas freed all 20 remaining living hostages held in the Gaza Strip on Monday. “Today is a wonderful day. Finally, finally, finally, the last living hostages brutally held by Hamas are home, an immense and overwhelming sigh of relief,” Schumer said in a statement. “I commend the enormous advocacy of the tireless hostage families, President Trump, his administration, and all who helped make this moment happen.” “President Trump and his administration, Qatar, and other regional actors deserve great credit for keeping everyone engaged until the agreement was reached,” added former President Bill Clinton. TRUMP DECLINES TO COMMIT TO TWO-STATE SOLUTION AFTER HISTORIC GAZA PEACE DEAL: ‘WE’LL HAVE TO SEE’ Trump visited Israel on Monday to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, and met with some of the families of the released hostages. While returning home on Air Force One, the president was asked by a reporter for his reaction to Clinton’s remark. “I’ve always liked Bill Clinton. I’ve always gotten along with him,” Trump said. “I thought it was very nice, actually. And what is he doing? He’s telling the truth.” WITH HOSTAGES FREED, TRUMP THANKS OTHERS IN ISRAEL SPEECH BUT IS TOO QUICK TO DECLARE WAR IS OVER Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also praised Trump, telling CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell on Friday, “I really commend President Trump and his administration, as well as Arab leaders in the region for making the commitment to the 20-point plan and seeing a path forward for what’s often called the day after.” The Trump administration had published a 20-point plan in late September on how it would end the war in Gaza. “I commend the people who have been a part of this process. I commend the Qataris, the Egyptians and the president,” former Vice President Kamala Harris, who ran against Trump in 2024, said in an interview on MSNBC that aired on Sunday. Fox News Digital’s Hanna Penreck and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
Maine Gov Mills joins crowded Dem primary in race to challenge longtime GOP senator
Democrats in Washington landed another high-profile recruit in the 2026 battle for the Senate majority, as two-term Maine Gov. Janet Mills on Tuesday announced her candidacy in the race to take on longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins. The long-anticipated campaign launch by the battle-tested 77-year-old Democratic governor is seen as a victory for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The top Democrat in the Senate urged Mills to run and sees her as the best candidate to defeat Collins, the only Republican senator up for re-election next year in a state the Democrats carried in the presidential election. A Collins defeat would be essential for the Democrats to have any chance of winning back the Senate majority. But before she reaches the general election, Mills first has to navigate a likely competitive and potentially divisive primary among a crowded field of contenders that includes a much younger rising star on the left who’s backed by longtime progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. TRUMP NOT ON BALLOT BUT FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2025 ELECTIONS “I’ve never backed down from a bully and I never will,” the governor said in a statement as she launched her campaign. “Donald Trump is ripping away health care from millions, driving up costs, and giving corporate CEOs massive tax cuts. And Susan Collins is helping him.” Mills’ campaign launch video highlighted the February White House meeting of governors where President Donald Trump confronted her for defying his executive order preventing trans athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports. Trump told Mills, “you’re not going to get any federal funding,” if she did not comply, to which she replied, “we’ll see you in court.” WATCH THE FEBRUARY TRUMP-MILLS CLASH: Mills, a former elected county district attorney and former state lawmaker, made history serving as Maine’s first female attorney general. She later won election in 2018 as Maine’s first female governor, and in 2022 comfortably defeated former Republican Gov. Paul LePage by double digits to win re-election. Tuesday’s launch comes after the Mills campaign appeared to jump the gun last week with a quickly deleted social media post and video on Friday announcing her candidacy. FOUR KEY SENATE SEATS THE GOP AIMS TO FLIP IN NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERM ELECTIONS While she’ll be considered the frontrunner for the Democratic Senate nomination, thanks in part to her vast name recognition in blue-leaning Maine, she could face a serious challenge from 41-year-old Graham Platner, a U.S. Marine and Army veteran and oyster farmer who launched his campaign in August. Platner, who hauled in over $3 million in fundraising during the first six weeks after declaring his candidacy, is backed by Sanders, the two-time Democratic presidential nomination runner-up, who recently stopped in Maine to headline a campaign rally. In a warning to Mills, Sanders said on social media last week that “Graham Platner is a great working class candidate for Senate in Maine who will defeat Susan Collins.” “It’s disappointing that some Democratic leaders are urging Governor Mills to run. We need to focus on winning that seat & not waste millions on an unnecessary & divisive primary,” Sanders added. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE 2025 ELECTIONS Other candidates vying for the Democratic Senate nomination include Dan Kleban, a co-founder of the Maine Beer Co., and former congressional staffer Jordan Wood, who raked in roughly $3 million during the July-September third quarter of fundraising. Phil Rench, a former senior engineer for Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is running as an independent candidate. “Maine Democrats are locked in a bruising fight between Chuck Schumer’s out-of-touch establishment and Bernie Sanders’ far-left radicals,“ National Republican Senatorial Committee Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez charged in a statement as Mills entered the race. And Rodriguez argued that “Janet Mills wants to be the oldest freshman Senator in American history after a record of failure that turned Maine into one of the weakest economies in New England. No matter which Democrat emerges, we’re confident Mainers will continue to trust independent problem solver Susan Collins to keep delivering for them.” The 72-year-old Collins, a moderate Republican, first won election to the Senate in 1996. She currently chairs the influential Senate Appropriations Committee. Collins won comfortable double-digit re-elections in 2002, 2008, and 2014. In her 2020 re-election, Collins faced off against Democratic State House Speaker Sara Gideon, in a hotly contested race that became the most expensive in Maine history. While polls indicated Collins trailing her Democratic challenger, she ended up winning the election by more than eight points. Mills becomes the third major high-profile Senate recruit for the Democrats this year, following former Gov. Roy Cooper in North Carolina and former Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio. Republicans currently control the Senate 53-47.
US Speaker Johnson warns government shutdown could be longest in history
House Speaker Mike Johnson says that he will not negotiate with Democrats until they drop healthcare demands. Published On 13 Oct 202513 Oct 2025 | Updated: an hour agoUpdated: an hour ago Click here to share on social media share2 Share Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson has said that the current government shutdown could become the longest in history, as an impasse between the Democrats and Republicans drags on with no end in sight. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Johnson, a Republican, said that he would not negotiate with Democratic lawmakers until they suspended policy demands related to healthcare, a dispute at the core of the shutdown. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “We’re barreling toward one of the longest shutdowns in American history,” said Johnson, who leads Republican lawmakers in the House. The administration of President Donald Trump has used the shutdown, now in its 13th day, as a pretext for pushing forward a series of cuts and layoffs to government services and agencies, although its legal authority to do so remains in dispute. Trump has plainly stated that such cuts will target his political rivals, saying last week that he would reduce “Democrat programmes” if the party refused to drop its demands on healthcare subsidies. Meanwhile, the number of institutions affected by the shutdown continues to grow. On Sunday, the Smithsonian Institution, a federal trust that runs some of the country’s most revered public facilities, including museums, libraries, research centres and the National Zoo in Washington, DC, said it had been impacted. It announced that it was temporarily closing all 21 museums that it runs, along with research centres and the National Zoo. The institution depends on the federal government for 62 percent of its funding. Advertisement Recent polls have shown that US voters blame Democrats, Republicans, and Trump himself in roughly equal measure for the shutdown. Democrats have called for an extension of subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that millions of people in the US rely on to buy healthcare plans. Republicans have said that the issue can be addressed after the government is reopened, but Democrats have expressed doubt that the Republicans will honour that pledge. Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers passed a huge tax and spending bill that is set to result in the loss of healthcare access for more than 15 million people. While government shutdowns have become a routine occurrence in US politics in recent years, they can disrupt or reduce access to key services and force employees to work without pay for uncertain periods of time. The US military said over the weekend that it would use unspent funds originally set aside for research and development to ensure that military personnel continue to receive pay. The mass layoffs pushed by the Trump administration are a relatively new addition to shutdowns. Vice President JD Vance has warned that more “painful” cuts are ahead, even as government employee unions launch legal challenges against the terminations. Adblock test (Why?)
Joint Egypt-Qatar-Turkiye-US statement on Gaza: The full text
The leaders of Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and the United States have released a joint statement backing the Gaza ceasefire deal and committing to “enduring peace” in the region. The statement, released on Monday after an international summit in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh, is a rare acknowledgement by the administration of US President Donald Trump that Palestinians and Israelis deserve equal rights. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The proclamation also does not point the finger at Palestinians as the cause of the conflict in the way that successive US administrations have. Notably, it reframes the struggle in Gaza as part of the broader Palestinian question. The Trump administration has previously avoided even describing the residents of Gaza as Palestinian. However, the statement does not explicitly acknowledge Palestinians’ right to statehood and self-determination. It was signed by Trump, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Palestine and Israel were not part of the proclamation despite being its subject matter. Here’s the full text of the joint statement: The Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity We, the undersigned, welcome the truly historic commitment and implementation by all parties to the Trump Peace Agreement, ending more than two years of profound suffering and loss – opening a new chapter for the region defined by hope, security, and a shared vision for peace and prosperity. We support and stand behind President Trump’s sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza and bring lasting peace to the Middle East. Together, we will implement this agreement in a manner that ensures peace, security, stability, and opportunity for all peoples of the region, including both Palestinians and Israelis. Advertisement We understand that lasting peace will be one in which both Palestinians and Israelis can prosper with their fundamental human rights protected, their security guaranteed, and their dignity upheld. We affirm that meaningful progress emerges through cooperation and sustained dialogue, and that strengthening bonds among nations and peoples serves the enduring interests of regional and global peace and stability. We recognize the deep historical and spiritual significance of this region to the faith communities whose roots are intertwined with the land of the region – Christianity, Islam, and Judaism among them. Respect for these sacred connections and the protection of their heritage sites shall remain paramount in our commitment to peaceful coexistence. We are united in our determination to dismantle extremism and radicalization in all its forms. No society can flourish when violence and racism is normalized, or when radical ideologies threaten the fabric of civil life. We commit to addressing the conditions that enable extremism and to promoting education, opportunity, and mutual respect as foundations for lasting peace. We hereby commit to the resolution of future disputes through diplomatic engagement and negotiation rather than through force or protracted conflict. We acknowledge that the Middle East cannot endure a persistent cycle of prolonged warfare, stalled negotiations, or the fragmentary, incomplete, or selective application of successfully negotiated terms. The tragedies witnessed over the past two years must serve as an urgent reminder that future generations deserve better than the failures of the past. We seek tolerance, dignity, and equal opportunity for every person, ensuring this region is a place where all can pursue their aspirations in peace, security, and economic prosperity, regardless of race, faith, or ethnicity. We pursue a comprehensive vision of peace, security, and shared prosperity in the region, grounded in the principles of mutual respect and shared destiny. In this spirit, we welcome the progress achieved in establishing comprehensive and durable peace arrangements in the Gaza Strip, as well as the friendly and mutually beneficial relationship between Israel and its regional neighbors. We pledge to work collectively to implement and sustain this legacy, building institutional foundations upon which future generations may thrive together in peace. We commit ourselves to a future of enduring peace. Adblock test (Why?)
LIVE: Trump signs Gaza ceasefire deal with leaders of Qatar, Egypt, Turkiye
blinking-dotLive updatesLive updates, Signing comes as families in Israel and Palestine reunite with their loved ones released from captivity in Gaza and Israeli jails. Published On 14 Oct 202514 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
IndiGo flight suffers major mid-air scare, second incident in four days; here’s what happened
The ATR flight 6E1607 was carrying 75 passengers when the pilots detected the crack and alerted ground staff, after which a local standby was declared at the Chennai airport. Read on to know more on this.
Shashi Tharoor questions PM Modi’s absence from Gaza summit: ‘Strategic restraint or…’
Tharoor clarified that his remarks were “no reflection on Kirti Vardhan Singh, whose competence is not in question,” but stressed that the scale and stature of the summit required higher-level representation from India. Read on for more on this.