The Watches 10.15.25
Hostages home, Kirk honored and a telephone booth at the end of your rope
“But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” ~Matthew 13
First Watch:
Medal of Freedom for Kirk – Charlie Kirk has been posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump, who said the nation had been “robbed of an extraordinary champion.” (Sky News)
Tennessee Blast Death Toll Revised –The death toll after an explosion at a Tennessee explosives plant has been revised down to 16. Specialist investigators are still searching the site for clues as the small community mourns. (ABC)
X Marks your spot – X is reportedly considering displaying the nation an account is based in on user profiles. (The Post Millennial)
Silver Hits 1980s High – Silver has surged to its highest price since the 1980s, surpassing $50 an ounce.(Yahoo)
Asthma vs. the Climate–Scientists have long claimed electric car use reduces incidence of asthma—but now CBS reports that inhalers are ruining the climate. (Science Direct, Not the Bee)
Rubio Demands China Free Pastors –Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on China to release 30 pastors and staff from an underground church network. The Christians were reportedly detained during raids in several cities. (NPR, BBC)
Netherlands Seizes Chinese Chipmaker–The Dutch government has taken control of a Chinese-owned semiconductor company based in the Netherlands, citing “serious governance shortcomings and actions.” Officials called it a “highly exceptional” move. (CNBC)
Second Watch:
Hostages Home, Hamas Cornered. All remaining living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are home, with President Trump receiving a hero’s welcome in Israel. He pressured Hamas by backing Israel’s military push, while Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt added their own leverage—threatening to expel Hamas leaders and limit their future role in Gaza. Phase Two of the Trump plan calls for Hamas to disarm, but reports say tribal clashes have erupted as factions vie for power. Video of Hamas executing its enemies were posted online. There’s no formal contingency if Hamas refuses, though Trump warned it would be “made to” disarm. Observers say Trump’s success came from prioritizing shared interests over “shared values,” leaving Iran humiliated, Syria under new leadership, and Arab states like Saudi Arabia eager to trade with the U.S. We pray the peace holds. (Washington Examiner, Times of Israel, Daily Signal, Front Page, Times of Israel)
Qatar Joins U.S. at Idaho Air Base. The Department of War has announced a Qatari Air Force facility will be built at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. It will host Qatari fighter jets and pilots for joint training with U.S. forces. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth defended the move, calling Qatar a “strong partner” and crediting its help in securing the release of Israeli hostages. (Fox)
MIT Rejects Trump’s Academic Compact MIT is the first university to reject President Trump’s proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence.” The plan would give schools priority federal funding in exchange for merit-based admissions, free speech protections, free tuition for lower-income students, and ideological neutrality. MIT president Sally Kornbluth called the plan “unworkable,” saying the school already upholds those principles—but critics like Chris Rufo argue her version of a “free marketplace of ideas” is quite different than how Joe Public would define it. (AP, Washington Examiner, City Journal)
Shutdown at Two Weeks and Counting. The 14th day of the federal government shutdown has come and gone, with no sign of compromise. Republicans are holding out for a clean bill that funds government at current levels, while Democrats refuse to drop temporary “Obamacare tax credits”. The pandemic-era subsidies were due to end this year. Meanwhile, blue states are quietly pulling back healthcare funding for illegal immigrants. Republicans have accused Democrats of programs for those with no legal status, but Democrats have consistently dismissed the claims. (The Hill, AEI, Washington Examiner, National Review)
Third Watch:
📷 Before the selfie, there was the photo booth, and it just turned 100
🍂 It may be that you’ve never tasted real cinnamon
🇺🇸 The oldest city in the U.S?
And…
Shirahama is a Japanese tourist town long known as a place where people go to end their lives by leaping from the cliffs into the sea. Pastor Yoichi Fujiyabu runs a small ministry there called The Telephone of Life—an unassuming phone booth overlooking the water. A sign beside it bears a paraphrase of Isaiah 43:4: “You are precious and honored in my sight. I love you.” Inside, a cross draped with flowers hangs above a worn Japanese Bible and a bright green telephone. Pastor Fujiyabu and his congregation have persuaded more than 1,100 people to choose life instead. As he says, “God’s love is real—and it is here.”
Let us pray. O God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your final judgement, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with you in perfect joy hereafter; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.
Sign up for all the Sentinel newsletters (or unsubscribe to the ones you don’t want!):
✅ The Watches – one or twice weekly quick summaries of headlines
✅ Cross+Sentinel – an end-of-week round up of headlines with more more depth plus interesting links and funnies.
✅ Black Bag – longer-form writing to help equip the saints to spot lies, speak truth and live faithfully.
Go to your subscription settings on Substack and rock on!
You can also make a one-off or recurring donation here. Thank you!