INTERNACIONAL
How Charlie Kirk learned to turn off the phone — and why the Sabbath shaped his life and posthumous book
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Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was exhausted and in physical pain when Pastor David Engelhardt persuaded him to pause his work week for one day and honor the Sabbath by turning off his phone and disconnecting from politics.
Years later, Kirk authored a book championing how honoring the Sabbath transformed his life and opened doors to build better foundations for his relationships — whether it be with his wife, Erika, and their children, family and friends, and his relationship with God.
«He would turn his phone off so he wouldn’t be distracted by his work. … He would spend his time with his wife and kids and they would rest, and they would go on walks and …spend some time in scripture. He practiced it from Friday to Saturday. That’s what worked best for his schedule,» Englhardt, a TPUSA board member who has been a friend and pastor to the Kirks stretching back years, told Fox News Digital.
Engelhardt, who is the pastor of Kings’ Church in New York City, spoke to Fox News Digital following the release of Kirk’s best-selling posthumous book, «Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life,» which celebrates that honoring the Sabbath is the answer to an exhausted, anxious, always-online America.
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Conservative activist Charlie Kirk is pictured with his wife, Erika, on stage at an event earlier this year in Phoenix. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Engelhardt met Charlie Kirk through Erika Kirk when she lived in New York City, the pastor explained. He took Fox Digital through a conversation he shared with Charlie Kirk in 2021, when Englhardt took notice that the TPUSA chief was physically and mentally drained and on a trajectory to burnout.
«He was physically in pain,» Engelhard told Fox News Digital. «He was having back issues, and knee issues and the burden of the organization was really heavy on his shoulders. And I said, ‘Charlie, I don’t think you can continue to do this unless you take the Sabbath. Unless you take this biblical command.’»
The TPUSA chief initially resisted shutting off for one day to recalibrate for the next week.
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«I think one of the things Charlie said was, like, ‘What if the president calls me? Like, what am I supposed to do?’ We live in a day and age where anyone can call you at any time … and he’s dealing with massive important matters of state. And you know the pushback, the response is like you actually have to care for yourself more than you care about your appearance in the eyes of the world. And you actually have to know that if you obey this and you actually turn off for 24 hours, it will bring blessing into your life,» he said.
Engelhardt recounted that the pair «kind of argued about it for a minute» before Kirk warmed to the idea and adopted it with great success.
A tribute to Charlie Kirk is shown on the Jumbotron before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in Bristol, Tennessee. (Wade Payne/AP)
«I just said, ‘Trust me, if you rest, you’ll have more energy and more capacity and more ability.’ And because he’s insanely disciplined, or was insanely disciplined, he started, I think, the next week after I challenged him, and he told me it saved his life, he told it changed his life. And I think that’s there’s so many people that burn out and crash and burn their lives, because they just don’t care for themselves They don’t take care of the body. They don’t recognize that we’re not machines, that we need seasonal rest.»
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Honoring the Sabbath is one of the 10 Commandments, with Engelhardt pointing to both the Old and New Testaments outlining that God, Himself, did not need to rest on the seventh day as described in the Book of Genesis, as He is all powerful, but showed people that they need a pattern of weekly cycles of ends and new beginnings.
«The commandment is that you’re not supposed to work on the Sabbath,» Engelhardt said. «And the idea is, the scripture says, in six days you shall labor and on the seventh day you shall rest because it is holy. And so it follows a pattern, the same pattern that we see in Genesis, where God works. He creates the whole world and then He rests on that seventh day.»
«The scripture says, His mercies are new every morning. And so, it’s a really important scripture or principle in the scripture that allows us to start again, to start afresh, to incorporate things like repentance,» the pastor said.
Charlie Kirk’s final book is a «manifesto against the machine of modern life,» encouraging his followers to «stop in the name of God» and honor the Sabbath. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Kirk’s posthumous book was released Dec. 9 and quickly became a best seller on Amazon lists, walking readers through how «observing the Sabbath isn’t a rejection of modern life but a rebellion against busyness and a pathway to genuine connection, peace, and presence,» the book description outlines, specifically, «how to unplug, recharge, and reconnect with God, family, and yourself in a way that nurtures your soul.»
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The book’s release was followed by TPUSA holding its AmericaFest event in Arizona from Dec. 18 to Dec. 21, where conservatives, supporters of President Donald Trump and others took the stage, frequently celebrating Trump’s accomplishments following his return to office, as well as remembering Kirk following his assassination in September.
Engelhardt told Fox Digital that Kirk’s book on the Sabbath was one of about four book projects he was thinking about and working on ahead of his death, remarking that «Charlie was really excited about it … he just kept saying, ‘I have to get this Sabbath book out.’»
During AmFest, old footage of Kirk celebrating his embrace of the Sabbath was projected out to the crowds.
«I actually don’t work one day out of the week, so I take a Sabbath every Saturday, turn my phone off,» Kirk was heard saying in footage played on the first day of AmFest. «No work, just kids, just family. It’s an amazing blessing. If you are feeling overrun by society, you might be feeling depressed or anxious. Turn your phone off for one day.»
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«That is a day for worship. That is a day for the Lord,» Kirk continued. «That is a day to go be with God and be out of the busyness and the hurried ness and the noise of this world.»
charlie kirk,donald trump,christianity,family personal freedoms
INTERNACIONAL
Imágenes satelitales muestran cómo el régimen de Irán reconstruye las plantas nucleares bombardeadas en la Guerra de los 12 días
Imágenes satelitales recientes muestran nuevos techos en dos instalaciones nucleares iraníes después de que fueran atacadas por Estados Unidos en junio del año pasado.
Las fotografías satelitales tomadas por Planet Labs PBC muestran estructuras reconstruidas sobre edificios previamente destruidos en los sitios nucleares de Natanz e Isfahan.
Estados Unidos atacó las instalaciones nucleares iraníes de Fordow, Isfahan y Natanz en junio de 2025, durante una guerra de 12 días entre Israel e Irán que paralizó las negociaciones nucleares entre Washington y Teherán.
Desde entonces, Teherán ha afirmado que su trabajo de enriquecimiento de uranio se ha detenido, pero las tensiones siguen siendo altas en medio de un despliegue militar de la Marina estadounidense cerca de Irán, tras una violenta represión contra manifestaciones antigubernamentales el mes pasado.
Las imágenes satelitales del 21 de junio de 2025 mostraban edificios destruidos en el sitio nuclear de Isfahan. Nuevas fotografías tomadas el 1 de febrero de 2026 revelan que se ha construido un nuevo techo sobre las estructuras previamente dañadas.
De manera similar, en Natanz, las imágenes del 17 de junio de 2025 mostraban instalaciones destruidas, mientras que las fotografías del 30 de enero de 2026 evidencian la construcción de nuevos techos sobre los edificios afectados.
El presidente estadounidense Donald Trump, quien se abstuvo de cumplir las amenazas de intervenir durante la represión de las protestas, ha exigido desde entonces que Teherán haga concesiones nucleares y envió una flotilla a su costa.
Trump dijo la semana pasada que Irán estaba “hablando en serio”, mientras que el principal funcionario de seguridad de Teherán, Ali Larijani, afirmó que se están realizando los arreglos para negociaciones.
El presidente iraní Masud Pezeshkian ordenó este lunes la apertura de conversaciones con Estados Unidos sobre el programa nuclear de la República Islámica, después de que Trump se mostrara optimista sobre un acuerdo para evitar una intervención militar.
El ejército estadounidense ha trasladado el portaviones USS Abraham Lincoln y varios destructores con misiles guiados a Oriente Medio, intensificando la presión sobre Irán.
Estados Unidos exige que Irán renuncie por completo al enriquecimiento de uranio, algo a lo que Teherán se niega, alegando su derecho en virtud del Tratado de No Proliferación Nuclear, del que es signatario.
El ministro de Relaciones Exteriores iraní, Abbas Araghchi, dijo el domingo que Irán está “totalmente de acuerdo” con el rechazo de Trump a las armas nucleares. “Por supuesto, a cambio, esperamos un levantamiento de las sanciones”, añadió.
Las conversaciones previas entre Araghchi y el enviado especial de Trump, Steve Witkoff, se estancaron en la cuestión del enriquecimiento de uranio antes de la guerra de junio.
Países occidentales sospechan que la República Islámica pretende dotarse del arma atómica, algo que Teherán desmiente categóricamente.
Mientras tanto, Turquía está intentando organizar una reunión entre Witkoff y funcionarios iraníes para iniciar conversaciones que alivien la amenaza de una acción militar estadounidense contra la República Islámica, según dos funcionarios turcos.
La presión sobre Teherán se ha intensificado desde principios de enero, tras la feroz represión de una oleada de protestas que sacudió al país. Según la ONG Human Rights Activists News Agency, con sede en Estados Unidos, la represión dejó al menos 6.842 muertos confirmados, en su mayoría manifestantes.
La Unión Europea respondió a la represión designando al Cuerpo de la Guardia Revolucionaria Islámica como organización terrorista, lo que provocó que Irán convocara a todos los embajadores de la UE para protestar.
Irán ha advertido que cualquier ataque estadounidense conduciría a una “guerra regional”, según declaró el líder supremo, el ayatolá Alí Khamenei.
International,Relations,Diplomacy / Foreign Policy,Middle East
INTERNACIONAL
Education experts warn Mamdani plan could gut NYC gifted programs, hurt low-income students
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Socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has outlined plans to scale back the city’s Gifted and Talented program, prompting some education experts to warn that doing so could deprive high-achieving students, particularly those from low-income families, of critical academic opportunities.
Recent media reports indicate that Mamdani, who took office in January, intends to end the city’s Gifted and Talented program for kindergarten students and delay entry until third grade, a move critics argue would amount to a major weakening of accelerated learning options in the nation’s largest school district.
The plan is drawing sharp criticism from Defending Education, a national education watchdog group that previously fought, and won, a years-long legal battle to preserve New York’s gifted programs after it was argued that the admissions system had discriminatory effects and reinforced racial inequities in education.
«The Court of Appeals rightly concluded that the role of the judiciary is not to make education policy,» Sarah Parshall Perry, vice president and legal fellow at Defending Education, told Fox News Digital, adding that the program complied with state education law and equal protection requirements.
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to end the city’s Gifted and Talented program for kindergarten students and delay entry until third grade. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
But Perry warned that Mamdani’s policy agenda could undo what the courts upheld.
«As we suspected he might, newly minted democratic socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani — himself, a product of expensive private schools — has pledged to shut down the gifted and talented program, despite the fact that it has helped countless students from humble backgrounds achieve their full academic potential,» Perry told Fox News Digital.
«Depriving kids of much-needed advanced learning opportunities is not only foolhardy, but it’s also the height of hypocrisy coming from someone who was born into affluence and attended costly private schools. Apparently, Mamdani believes only the privileged should have access to various educational opportunities.»
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Mamdani has argued that early gifted testing contributes to inequities in the school system, though critics counter that dismantling selective programs does little to improve outcomes for struggling students while actively harming high performers.
Paul Runko, senior director of strategic initiatives for K-12 programs at Defending Education, echoed Perry’s concerns, emphasizing the impact such changes could have on working-class families.
«On behalf of parents who simply want the best possible education for their children, Defending Education spent years in court fighting to preserve New York City’s gifted and talented programs against efforts to use the courts to inject race into every aspect of the school system,» Runko said.
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was elected in November 2025 and sworn in as the city’s first socialist mayor on Jan. 1, 2026. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
«Those efforts may succeed if Mayor Zohran Mamdani moves forward with eliminating these accelerated learning opportunities,» he warned. «Students, particularly those from lower-income families who benefit from NYC’s gifted and talented programs, deserve opportunities for academic excellence, not a one-size-fits-all approach that could weaken learning for all students.»
Mamdani’s office pushed back on Defending Education’s characterization, telling Fox News Digital that the administration opposes testing five-year-olds for gifted and talented programs but is not eliminating advanced learning opportunities across all grade levels.
Mamdani’s office said the focus is instead on reshaping the public school system to provide «rigorous» instruction for all students, rather than separating children at an early age.
Mamdani faced heated criticism from his opponents in the mayoral race regarding his plans to change the program, as well as from the Washington Post editorial board in October.
«Who could have guessed that Zohran Mamdani (D), the leading candidate to become the next New York mayor, would provoke a firestorm by announcing this week that he intends to phase out the city’s early elementary school programs for gifted students in the name of equity? Parents of bright children want access to schooling that meets their needs?» The Post wrote. «Shocking.»
zohran mamdani,politics,education,campus radicals
INTERNACIONAL
Iran ramps up regional threats as Trump considers talks, and eyewitness accounts of regime violence emerge
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As diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran gain momentum, Iran has intensified its rhetoric toward the region while continuing a violent crackdown at home, according to analysts and eyewitness accounts obtained by Fox News Digital.
On Sunday and Monday morning, Iran issued fresh warnings that any military strike on its territory would ignite a regional conflict, even as senior Iranian officials signaled a willingness to negotiate. Reuters reported Monday that Tehran is examining the possibility of renewed nuclear talks with the United States, with Turkey emerging as a potential venue and regional mediators, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, playing an active role, after President Donald Trump said he was hopeful a deal could be reached to avert military action against Iran.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Israel on Tuesday for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, according to Axios. The publication also reported that Steve Witkoff will meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul on Friday.
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The state tax building burned during Iran’s protests in Tehran, Jan. 19, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency via Reuters)
The talks are expected to focus on Iran, following Zamir’s weekend visit to Washington, where he held a series of meetings with U.S. defense officials on the Islamic Republic.
Benny Sabti, an Iran expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, told Fox News Digital this pattern is consistent with Tehran’s long-standing strategy.
«This is very typical behavior for the Iranian regime,» Sabti said. He said Iran deliberately escalated threats days ago, warning that if it were attacked, no country in the Middle East would be safe. «They treat the region as if it is being held hostage,» he said, adding that the tactic appears to have worked.
Sabti pointed to the list of mediators now involved. «Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, all of them went to the United States pushing for talks,» he said. «They are trying to avoid being dragged into the Iranian threat.»
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Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran on Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)
According to Sabti, Tehran is also projecting mixed messages by design. «There are two voices coming out of Iran,» he said. «On one side, the generals, the IRGC, the military, escalating threats. On the other side, the foreign minister and the president are talking about negotiations.»
On Monday morning, Al Arabiya reported that Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Fars deleted a report that referenced approval for negotiations with the United States.
Sabti said that even Iran’s National Security Council reflects this dual messaging. He noted that a deputy official recently signaled Iran would not yet further advance its enriched uranium, while military officials simultaneously escalated rhetoric. «It is meant to confuse the enemy and to keep the entire Middle East under pressure,» he said.
While Iran’s external posture oscillates between threats and diplomacy, reports from inside the country point to an intensifying crackdown on protesters.
Independent casualty estimates vary widely. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that, based on its latest aggregated data, 6,842 people had been confirmed killed by the end of the 36th day of protests. According to HRANA, 6,425 of those killed were recorded as protesters, while 146 were children under the age of 18. An additional 11,280 cases remain under review. HRANA and other opposition-linked groups have warned that the final toll could be significantly higher, with some estimates reaching as high as 30,000 deaths.
Fox News Digital received eyewitness accounts from individuals identified as part of the MEK’s Resistance Units network inside Iran.
IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER ACKNOWLEDGES THOUSANDS KILLED AS TRUMP CALLS FOR NEW LEADERSHIP: REPORTS
Opposition-linked groups warn that the final death toll could be as high as 30,000. (MAHSA/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images))
One eyewitness from Eslamshahr, a southern district of Tehran, said a group of 27 protesters was fired upon, killing 10. The source said a cousin was killed, another cousin, Melika, 20, was mutilated, and the bodies were buried in a nearby park.
In Lahijan, in northern Gilan Province, an eyewitness said 30 protesters were shot outside the governor’s office on Jan. 8, with seven later dying in the hospital. In Shiraz, a 16-year-old said he was shot with pellet guns in the lips, eye and throat and is now experiencing vision problems.
Another eyewitness from Bandar Abbas in southern Iran said that since Jan. 18, martial law has been imposed, with residents barred from the streets after 4 p.m. local time. The source claimed security forces entered hospitals to remove or kill wounded protesters and that families were allegedly told to pay 10 billion rials, roughly $8,000, to recover the bodies of their children.
Sabti said the renewed diplomacy has also deepened public disillusionment inside Iran.
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Iranian security forces allegedly killed detainees and burned bodies during protests, with clashes continuing in Kermanshah, Rasht and Mashhad despite government claims. (NCRI)
«Many protesters are very disappointed,» he said. «When Trump said on Jan. 13 that ‘help is on its way,’ they believed it. They were very emotional about it. After 47 years, an American president was speaking in support of the Iranian people. But now they interpret his words as helping the regime, not the protesters. The disappointment is very deep.»
Reuters contributed to this report.
iran,world protests,saudi arabia,turkey,israel,donald trump
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